It was morning in the small town of Ponyville. In that town, in an unassuming cottage, Cheerilee hummed pleasantly to herself as she brushed her teeth. She briefly mulled the tensile strength of the bristles on the brush and their plasticity in relation to the ability to remove plaque. She quickly set aside that thought expecting to revisit it at work, particularly when Diamond Tiara gabbed about her family’s wealth or when Apple Bloom droned on and on about apples. In the meantime, she continued her morning routine and prepared for the day ahead.
After a last check in the mirror she threw on her saddlebags and opened the front door. Now Cheerilee, being a pony of sound mind and excellent recall, could not, for the life of her, remember placing a Princess Celestia on her welcome mat. Yet, plain as day, there one sat. It startled the little pony.
“AH! Y-your highness!” Cheerilee quickly bowed.
“Good morning, Miss Cheerilee. Please rise.”
Cheerilee cautiously righted herself. “Um…to what do I owe the pleasure? Oh! Would you like to come in?”
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I have an important order of business to discuss with you.”
“Me? Don’t you usually ask Twilight for help?”
A look of contempt flashed across the alicorn’s face. “She cannot assist in this matter.” The irritation in her voice was not lost on the teacher.
“Sorry,” she squeaked.
“Trivial,” Celestia shooed. “Anyway, you must come with me to Canterlot.”
“Canterlot? But I have to teach today.”
“That will be tended to. If you’d come with me.”
*
Rarity elegantly hummed to herself as she applied the eyeliner. She leaned in close to her vanity, making sure every millimeter of the makeup was applied in perfection. A loud snap and quick flash next to her disrupted that.
“RARITY!” bellowed Princess Luna.
“WHAAAA!” The white unicorn practically jumped out of her horn. “P-P-Princess Luna!” Rarity wheezed, trying to catch her breath. “What are you doing here?”
“I require your assistance on an endeavor.”
“What? An endeavor?”
“Precisely. We must leave at once.”
“B-but, but, but! My store! And such short notice. I’m hardly prepared to go anywhere.”
“I disagree. You clearly knew this moment was coming otherwise you would not have applied the war paint.”
“War paint?” Rarity looked into the mirror and gasped in horror. The eyeliner she had been applying had drawn a line along the side of her face when she jumped. “Nonononono!” She quickly made to remove the mistake.
“Do not deny your inner self, Rarity,” commanded Luna. “It is clear that a desire for combat simmers deep inside you. Come with me and I shall help you release its full potential.”
“I beg your pardon!” Rarity scoffed, clearly incensed. “I do not have desire for combat! I am a lady!” With a dainty cloth she haughtily and defiantly wiped the smeared eyeliner from her face.
Luna stepped close to Rarity. She raised her chin and looked down at the unicorn. Her voice was flat and ominous. “We shall see.” With that her horn lit up and in a flash Rarity was no longer in her home.
*
“Get yer lollygaggin’ caboose into gear!” hollered Granny Smith.
Big Mac grumbled and rolled his eyes as he pulled the plow. He’d been in the field for several hours already and was looking for a break soon.
“Don’t you grumble and roll yer eyes at me, you lollygaggin’ lollygagger! Now move!” The old mare glared at her grandson as he labored. “In my day we enjoyed workin’ ourselves into exhaustion! You young’uns got it easy, what with ya working only twelve hours a day. Slackers!”
Big Mac kept his scowl hidden as he trudged through the field. The midmorning sun was already heating him up more than he was comfortable with. As he thought to himself how much he’d like to plant the yolk firmly and violently on Granny’s shoulders a loud snap brought him out of his fantasies of geriatricide. He turned his attention to where the noise occurred. Princess Luna stood regally next to Granny Smith, already discussing something of importance.
“I ain’t goin’ anywhere, ya whippersnapper,” defied Granny. “Too much work to do and I can’t leave it all to the kids.”
“I’m sure they’ll succeed in completing their chores,” offered Luna.
“Not likely. They need constant supervision. Otherwise they start lollygaggin’. Ain’t that right, Big Mac! Ya lollygagger!”
Luna turned her attention to the red stallion in the field, who had his attention on her. He quickly looked away and grumbled to himself as he continued plowing.
“Keep working and stop lookin’ at her flank!” Granny barked.
Luna blushed profusely and quickly sat down, moving her tail so it would hide her backside. “Yes, well. Uhh…regardless, you are required to assist in this matter.”
“Like I said, missy, I ain’t goin’ nowhere!” She stomped her hoof and Luna could have sworn she heard some bones break.
“I’m afraid there exists no option to decline.” Luna’s tone was firm and she did her best to look formidable from a sitting position.
“Ya givin’ me lip, child?” Granny threatened.
“No. I am giving you a mandate. And I am no child. My age surpasses your own by several millennia,” Luna stated. “Though, your frequent use of bygone vocabulary and idioms suggests we may be of similar age,” she pondered, tapping her chin.
“I ain’t takin’ orders from a young’un like you,” Granny defied.
Luna rolled her eyes. Her horn lit up and in a flash she and the Apple matriarch were no longer on the farm.
Big Mac snuck a glance over his shoulder just in time to see the departure of the princess and his grandmother. He quickly threw off the yoke and ran from the field, laughing and squealing like a hyper school colt. He ran to the nearest pond and cannonballed in.
*
“Princess Celestia!” squealed Twilight as she greeted the white alicorn at the door of her castle. “It’s so great to see you! What are you doing here?” She shared a nuzzle with her mentor.
“I’m afraid I cannot stay, Twilight. I have come only to inform you that you have an important duty to attend.”
“Really?!” Twilight beamed.
“Yes. You must attend to the education of the schoolchildren of this town.”
“What? But Cheerilee is the teacher. Why would I teach instead of her?”
“Cheerilee also has an important task ahead of her,” she stated, motioning to the cerise pony next to her, whom Twilight just noticed. “She must come with me to Canterlot.”
“Canterlot? Why? Hi, Cheerilee.”
“Hi, Twilight.”
Celestia continued. “I’m afraid the exact nature of her task must remain hidden until Luna and I have given permission for it to be known.”
“Oh…” The princess of Ponyville could hide neither her disappointment nor confusion.
“Twilight, do not take this as any comment or judgment on you or your abilities or station. Cadance is as uninformed on this matter as you are. It was a decision to which my sister and I must adhere. I hope you understand.”
“Oh…okay. Does this have anything to do with that outburst you had last week? When you started shouting about a game or something? Not that I heard about that or anything.”
Celestia pursed her lips in annoyance. “Unfortunately, this is a secretive matter and I fear I’ve said too much already. Speaking of which, do refrain from mentioning this to the schoolchildren. It’s best they don’t know what their teacher is up to. Don’t mention it to anypony, actually. Also, in a few days’ time you will receive a letter from me. Follow the instructions within. To the absolute. Good day, Twilight.” With that, Celestia turned and began walking down the steps of the castle.
“I’m just as confused as you are,” Cheerilee confided as they watched Celestia.
Twilight grabbed the teacher pony and pulled her snout-to-snout. “What’s going on? What’s the deal? Why’d she choose you? What for? What’s the mission? Why is Luna involved? Are there others? Is she replacing me? Did she say anything? Can you bring a friend?” The questions came quickly and without remorse. There was a familiar craze in her eyes and voice that Cheerilee found off-putting.
"She didn’t say anything other than she needed me to help her complete some sort of task.”
“Listen here, teach, don’t give me any attitude! I need to know what you’re doing. I need to know what she’s up to! I need to know it now!”
“Umm…”
“Cheerilee,” called Celestia. “If you would.”
“I’d better get going.”
Twilight released the teacher. “Tell me everything when you’re done,” Twilight whispered aggressively. “Okay, bye bye. Have a good time,” she chimed happily before slamming the door in Cheerilee’s face.