//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The beginning….I guess…(I've got better names for the next chapters!) // Story: Asinus // by ThoraxForPresidant //------------------------------// “Mirum, come on! What’s taking you so long?” Asinus cried from across the street to her friend. The young filly’s bouncy brown hair was tangled into a weak and knotted ponytail as she ran across the street toward Asinus. “Sorry, sorry!” She panted she came to a halt next to her friend. From up close, Asinus noticed a dark blue liquid that soaked through her normally white Wonder Colts t-shirt and most of her flank, making her yellow cupcake cutie mark seem a sluggish mucky green against her neon pink fur. “Let me guess, you were at sugar cube corner?” Asinus sighed as she began a slow trot down the dirt-made sidewalk. “How’d you guess?” She asked cheerfully with an embarrassed smile. “Well, the blue slushie you spilled on your shirt made it kinda obvious,” Asinus chuckled with a grin, “Plus, this isn’t the first time you’ve done this,” She added as she opened her saddle bag and tossed her friend an old plaid rag. Mirum grabbed the washcloth mid-air with a crackle of golden magic and lifted her glasses off, which apparently had a few specks of the blue beverage as well. “I guess I’ve built a bit of a reputation,” She chuckled as she promptly scrubbed at her glasses while placing a hoof on her friends back to guide her. “No kidding! Are you sure that Twilights the one you’re supposed to be staying with and not Pinkie Pie?” Asinus asked curiously, “You seem to spend a lot of time over there than you do at the castle.” “Oh come on Asinus, I’ve seen enough castle’s in my life time---trust me!” Mirum snorted as she placed her glasses on her head and began to work at her flank, “There always so big and empty, cold and quiet--you could hear a pin drop from the other side of the hall--which has to be a few miles long!” “But is it that really bad?” Asinus asked as the two made their way up the tiny red school house, “It’s not even 8 in the morning and you were already there? You wanted to get out of the castle that badly?” “Hey, I don’t want it to sound like I hate Twilight’s castle,” Mirum replied defensively as she wringed out the plaid wash cloth before placing it back into her friend’s saddle bag, “I just love Sugar Cube corner so much! It’s just so tiny and cozy and it always smells like homemade goods that are backed with love and passion and Pinkie Pie’s just always planning some sort of birthday party or wedding or cutsinera!” Asinus aloud Mirum to pause for a moment to catch her breath before continuing. “And not to mention Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake are always there and up early in the morning with so much energy and always let me help out with the chores whether it be baking or table polishing or sweeping or cleaning the toilet or---” “Okay seriously, I’ll never understand your love for chores,” Asinus interrupted as the two friends trotted inside and sat in the two front desks closest to the window. “What? I just can’t help it! I’ve got a bunch of maids and butlers to do all the work at home. It just feels so……...good to do some work yourself, you know?” This all made sense to Asinus. After all, her mother was always telling her about the importance of hard work and encouraged her to help out whenever she could, but she couldn't get how enthusiastic Mirum was about chores. Sure, it sounded like she came from a pretty rich family, but she sure as heck didn’t act like it----not that she was complaining of course. Mirum was her best friend in the entire school--no, all of Equestria!---she wouldn’t change a thing about her. It was too bad she was only here during the school months. On occasions like Heart's Warming Eve and summer break---or even at random dates during the school season---she always had to go back home to………..somewhere. Asinus had no idea where she actually lived. It was kinda weird, but Mirum didn’t like to talk about it too much, and Asinus never pressed for details. They had to trust each other, right? What else was friends for? “Alright students, everyone please take your set,” Ms.Cheerilee said as she trotted in with a familiar sunny smile on her face. Followed behind her was an ocean of other colts and fillies that poured into the classroom. Asinus’ eyes scanned the thick crowd of school ponies in hopes to find her other friends until the last colt to come in closed the door behind him. “Where are they?” Asinus groaned as the young colt made his way to his seat. “Well I don’t know about Ginger, but Pound Cake and Pumpkin are probably still cleaning up from the mess we made earlier,” Mirum chuckled. “Hm……...don't you find it a little strange that Ginger didn't show up on time?” Asinus muttered, “With the exception of that time Discord sent those timberwolves lose, I don't think he's ever been late--or even been absent.” “Hu. I guess it is kinda weird,” Mirum said thoughtfully, “But we can't all be perfect, you know? Like this morning, when one of the customers came in, the craziest thing happened! You see-” “Alright, alright, settle down,” Ms.Cheerilee said as she tapped her ruler impatiently on the desk “Come now, be quiet please.” The classroom continued to talk regardless. “Okay, time to start class.” No change. “Quiet----now!” “Did you remember the earmuffs?” Asinus asked as she turned to her friend. “Right here,” She replied as she placed a pair over her friends ears before doing the same to her own. “Thanks.” Mirum read her friend's lips and nodded with a smile. “You think some of the students would have brought their own pair by no--” “EVERYPONY SHUT UP AND LISTEN OR YOU’RE ALL EXPELLED!!!!!!!!!!” The classroom was silent in an instant. “Thank you,” Ms.Cheerilee said joyfully as her sunny smile returned and the veins on her neck faded away, “Now please take last night’s assignment.” As everypony hurried to take out their work from their saddlebags, Mirum levitated both pair of earmuffs and put them away while taking out her homework. “Hey, how did you do on the assignment?” Mirum asked as she levitated her own out. “Fine, why’d ask?” Asinus asked before biting onto her homework sheet and placing it neatly on her desk. Before Mirum had a chance to reply, the door suddenly barged open and a young muddy colt came tumbling in and crashed into Ms.Cheerilee's desk head first. Instantly the entire classroom exploded with laughter, spare Asinus and Mirum who had quickly recognized their klutzy friend by his golden coat and gingery mane. The two fillies sprang out of their sets and came to his aid. “Oh my gosh Ginger, a-are you okay?” Mirum asked as he helped her friend up (and got her already stains T-shirt even dirtier). “Dude,” Asinus cried with a huge amused smile, “That was hilarious!!! What were you thinking?” The young cult’s fur and mane were covered in splashes of mud, and his lucky cowboy hat that he always wore was practically drenched as well. The young cult glared at his amused friend before rubbing his sore head and turned his gaze toward Mirum. “I-I’m fine, really, it ain't much,” Ginger said as his face began to flush, “But thanks for askin’. It's mighty nice to know that at least one of my friends cares,” Ginger snapped as his head spun toward Asinus. “Oh come on, a colt barges through the door in a muddy ball then crashes against the desk and you don't expect me to find it funny?” Asinus snorted, “To think you claimed to know me as well as you do.” “Asinus!!!” Mirum cried. “I get that you've got some kinda twisted sense of humor, but I figured you'd be a bit more sympathetic to one of your own friends young ungrateful---” “Everypony please, I just got you all calmed down,” Ms.Cheerilee groaned as she trotted toward Ginger, “Are you alright? Do you have a concussion?” “N-no, Ma'am, I'm fine,” Ginger stuttered without making proper eye contact, “I-I’m awfully sorry ‘bout all the commotion I caused………..and, uh, t-the mess I made,” he added as he glanced at the muddy track he’d left along the floor. “Its………..it’s alright, Ginger,” Cheerilee sighed patiently, “I'm just glad you're not hurt. Now, do you mind telling me-------” “Way to go farm boy!!!!” A pony with a soccer cutie mark cried. Ms.Cheerilee tried to speak once more. “Do you mind------” “Nice going you cluts!!!” Cackled a filly with a golden and bronze mane. Ms.Cheerilee twitched. “Can you please-----” “Geze, what a slob! Look at all the mud he attracted!” “What'd you expect from a blank flank???” “Maybe his talent is being an idiot!” The entire classroom filled with similar remarks, and Gingers face became so red that it would have blended in with his mane had it not been so muddy. Ms.Cheerilee groaned before smiling sweetly at the three young friends. “Excuse me for a moment,” She said as she turned toward the class. As she did so, Mirum quickly pulled out the earmuffs from her saddlebag and Ginger pulled out a similar pair from under his hat. “IF YOU BRATS DON'T SHUT UP IN THE NEXT 5 SECONDS THEN YOU ALL GET DETENTION FOR 3 WEEKS STRAIGHT!!!!!!!” Everypony suddenly found the situation completely unamusing and the room was dead silent. “Thank you,” Cheerilee said cheerfully before turning back toward Ginger with a serious expression, “Now then, Ginger, do you mind telling us all why you came in so late and so…….filthy?” “Again, s-sorry,” Ginger stuttered as the two fillies made their way to their sets, “You see, I was feeding the pigs earlier this morning before school---I always do---but for some reason they all flipped out and busted through the fence! It took me and the family nearly an hour to round em all up, not to mention we had to reinforce the fence once we had them all--i-it was real hectic. I’m sure my cousin Apple Jack would have been happy to come in and explain, but we were already so behind the rest of our chores, and none of the other animals had been feed……..I’m actually surprised I managed to get here when I did.” “That’s……..quite a story,” Cheerilee said in amazement. “Ma’am please, it’s the truth, honest!” Ginger whined, “Just ask any of the apple family and they’ll tell you the same!” “Ginger, of course I believe you,” Cheerilee replied earnestly, “I’m just saying it’s a bit odd, that’s all. Do you think you could wash off by the side of the school?” “O-of course, sure thing,” Ginger stuttered as he scrambled away, knocking over a trash can as he did so. “I’ll clean that up when I get back,” He called as he ran out the door. “Well, now that that’s all been settled,” Cheerilee sighed as she faced the classroom again, “I’ll be collecting everypony’s homework. Please pass it to the pony--or, rather, the person in front of you.” Asinus turned around to take the homework levitated in front of her, but found her teeth snap against each other as it was rudely pulled away from her. When she looked up to the pony behind her, she knew why. “Oh please, I’m not giving it up to you,” Golden Crown hissed with an obnoxious flashing smile on her face. The young yellow filly with a laced golden and bronze mane looked at Asinus like she had the plague, “You’ll just copy off of mine before Cheerilee can see it. After all, it’s not like you even did the homework yourself.” “Oh really? And why’s that,” Asinus growled, already knowing the answer. “Well duh, isn’t it obvious?” Golden Crown snickered, “It was all on cutie marks, and you like, won't ever have one of your own, so how could you ever like do it without cheating?” “You’re one to talk,” Asinus snapped, “Everypony knows you always have Dorsey do it for you.” “T-That’s like, so not true,” Golden Crown snapped defensively. “Knock it off Golden Crown,” Mirum said as she turned her head to face the obnoxious filly, “You don’t have to have a cutie mark to understand them.” “Yeah right,” Golden Crown snorted, “Like you so do! You can never really understand a cutie mark until you have it---at least Ginger Gold might get his eventually, but Asinus here never will cause she’s like---” “I know I know,” Asinus sighed in annoyance, “Because I’m a donkey, and donkeys don’t get cutie marks. Big deal.” “It is a big deal!” Golden crown snickered, “You can never really know for sure what type of talent you have until it’s permanently there. You have no way of ever knowing 100% what you’re talent is without a cutie mark. It’s like----impossible!” “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mirum said firmly, “Just ignore her Asinus.” “Don't have to tell me twice,” Asinus snickered. “Asinus, do you have everyone's homework?” Ms.Cheerilee asked as she reached the end of the front row. “Why yes, I do,” Asinus said between clenched teeth as she swiftly snapped the pile of homework from Golden Crowns magical grasp and offered it to her teacher. “Here, you left this at sugarcube corner,” Mirum whispered as she levitated a familiar blue and white spiral notebook. “Thanks Mirum,” Asinus replied as she took the journal in her mouth, “I was wondering where I put--” Asinus suddenly stopped as her tastebuds met the sweet liquid flavor that mixed with the inky cardboard. She spat out her journal onto her desk to take a better look at it. Up close she now realized that more than two thirds of the journal was drenched with a pink milkshake (strawberry, from what she could tell from the taste). Aside from that she also couldn’t help but notice that it was covered in a variety of different scratch marks that certainly hadn’t been there prior. A few of them had even managed to cut through the cover of her journal and was at least a centimeter deep. “Oh, yeah……….forgot to mention that I sort of used it as a shield this morning,” Mirum chuckled nervously, “Looks like it’s still wet……….I was desperate okay???” “Dude---what the hay happened?” Asinus hissed in horror. “Oh, well, I’m glad you asked!” Mirum replied as though nothing was wrong, “You see--” The door suddenly crashed against the wall as a soaking wet Ginger barged inside once again with his eyes wide and his breath heavily. As soon as he stepped inside, Ginger slammed the door shut and pressed his back against it as he tried to catch his breath. Asinus saw a few fillies and colts open their mouths to comment, but one look from Cheerilee kept them quiet. “Er--Ginger?” She asked in confusion, “Why---um, is there something wrong?” “Please don’t ask,” He murmured as he trotted past her and took the set behind Mirum. “Say Asinus, where’s the Cakes?” Ginger whispered as he opened his saddle bag, “I didn’t see them----what in the hay happened to---” “To my Journal?” Asinus sighed, “Ask Mirum after class, I have no idea.” “Seriously, was it attacked by a squirrel?............covered in a milkshake?” Ginger asked in amazement. “Well, as a matter of fact---” “Alright everypony, no more distractions!” Ms.Cheerilee announced as she made her way toward the chalkboard, “We’re beginning our lesson. Everypony please take out your journals for notes.” Asinus looked down at her sad ruined journal. There was no way she could write with this piece of horse dung. The pencil would just go through the paper, everything in there was probably ruined too. Why was she friends with this girl again? Just as she was about to mutter a few of the many curses she’d picked up from her father, a neat stack of paper floated in front of her and onto her desk. She just managed to see the golden magic that had illuminated it before it disappeared all together. When she looked to her right, she found her friend looking at her with a sorry smile and a small blush. Asinus couldn’t help but feel a smirk form on her face as she did so. Right. Now I remember.