The Royal Apple

by Mister E-Nonymous

Chapter 11: New School, New Friends, New Life

Prince Blueblood was walking down the halls of Canterlot Castle. He was reading the newspaper.

"'Princess Celestia and Princess Luna announce that Apple Shine is officially Equestria's newest princess, along with Princess Twilight Sparkle. Princess Apple Shine will not be in charge of any royal duties. She will choose to stay with her family, the Apple family, and it'll be her choice whether to do royal duties or not when she's older.' No royal duties my flanks. Why would that filly choose to stay in a backwater family in a pathetic little town?!" He then looked up at the hall of stained glass windows and saw a new stained glass window. One of Apple Shine in a similar position to Twilight in her stained glass window. The background to Apple Shine's was of Sweet Apple Acres, and she was wearing her hat with the crown on it. Blueblood groaned and said, "I can't let some princess be living on a stupid apple farm. I'll have to find a way to get that little princess away from that pathetic little town."

He then started walking away, crumpling up the newspaper, and tossing it into a trashcan.

For the past couple days, Applejack prepared me for a new school. Although, when we got a backpack, or how they call them, saddlebags, I was confused at first. They were just two bags on the sides with a strap. At least there was a snap on the bottom for me to get them off. We got some notebooks, pencils with pencil sharpeners, crayons, and erasers.

I got my... well, what would I call it? Hat? Crown? Whatever. I grabbed it and my saddlebags, then Apple Bloom and I headed out the door. Applejack... You know what? She's my mom now. I'm just gonna call her that. Anyway, Mom prepared me and Apple Bloom some school lunches, and we headed for the schoolhouse. Luckily, it was on the same road. I remembered seeing it when I first arrived in this world. Mom went with us to see us off.

We arrived there, and walked up to the door of the schoolhouse. Mom then said to us, "Alright, ya two. Ah'll see ya later this afternoon."

"Okay, Mom," I said to her. Mom walked up to me, and kissed me on the forehead by my horn. She then adjusted my hat-crown, and then she turned me around so I could start my first day of pony school.

Apple Bloom and I walked in and immediately, the school teacher, Miss Cheerilee, walked up to both of us.

"Nice to see you here, you two," said Miss Cheerilee. "And I see that that hat suits you. Wait, is that hat part crown?"

"It is," I told her. "I'm kinda getting used to it."

"I see," said Miss Cheerilee. "Casual, yet formal. Well, I want you to stand right here. Apple Bloom, get into your seat."

"Yes, Miss Cheerilee," said Apple Bloom. She was about to sit in her seat, but then came back to ask her something. "Miss Cheerilee, ya mind if Apple Shine sits close ta me? She is technically mah niece."

"Of course," said Miss Cheerilee. "I'll just have to make a few arrangements to the student sitting arrangements. Let's see here. Oh, yes. I'll be able to do it." She then turned to the class and said, "Alright, class. As you can see, we have a new student joining us. Her name is Apple Shine. But before we start class, we're gonna have to do a few seating arrangements. Let's see here."

Eventually, we had our seats. I was sitting up front with Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and a unicorn filly names Liza Doolots on the far left side. In the second row from left to right, there was a vacant desk. Behind me was that one bully from the other day, Diamond Tiara. Behind Apple Bloom was Sweetie Belle, and behind Scootaloo was an old friend of Apple Bloom's, Twist. There were a lot of other ponies in the class. Like Silver Spoon, two different size and shaped unicorns, Snips and Snails, an earth pony filly named Aura, a small earth pony colt that almost looks like he's part cow, Pipsqueak, a light purple unicorn filly named Dinky, and an overweight earth pony colt named Truffle Shuffle.

Then the school bell rang, starting class.

"Alright class," said Miss Cheerilee. "It's time to get to work. Let's start with some basic mathematics."

The school was as good as my old school. Although, the history here was new to me. When I arrived here in this world, there was a lot of weird things that I didn't know. In my world, the planet moves around the sun while the moon moves around the planet. Here, Princess Celestia moves the sun with her magic while Princess Luna moves the moon. In my world, the weather moves on its own. Here, the weather is controlled by pegasi.

This world is really interesting in some ways. I learned a lot of things here. Good thing I was taught how to write using my magic thanks to the other princess in town, Twilight Sparkle. As soon as I was about to finish writing the last answer, I felt something poke me in my right flank.

"Ow," I said. That got the attention out of the other students and Miss Cheerilee.

"Are you okay, Apple Shine?" Miss Cheerilee asked me.

"I felt something poke me in the butt," I said.

"I believe you mean your flank," said Miss Cheerilee. "But still, let's see what happened." She then pulled me out of my seat and looked at where I was poked. Some of my new classmates were laughing, which was embarrassing me. "Oh, wait. I see something. It looks like somepony poked your flank with a pencil." She then looked at Diamond Tiara with an angry face.

"Why are you giving me that look?" asked Diamond Tiara.

"Did you poke Apple Shine's flank with your pencil?" Cheerilee asked her.

"Why should she even be here?!" asked Diamond Tiara. "Shouldn't she be in some fancy school in Canterlot or something? Besides, why should we have an alicorn in our class? She basically commanded you to rearrange our seats."

"Actually, she didn't," said Apple Bloom. "Ah suggested that Apple Shine be close ta me. She is a part of mah family, after all."

"Oh, just because she's your niece means you can get whatever you want?" Diamond Tiara asked in a mean tone.

"That's enough!" said Cheerilee. "Diamond Tiara, no picking on the new student. Besides, the Apples are not getting any special treatments. No schoolpony's getting any special treatment. Not even you. Now, everypony back to the test. Remember, this test isn't being graded. It's just to see how much you know."

We all headed back to our seats. Hopefully, I won't be disturbed in class again.

We finished the lessons in that class. Right now, it was lunch time. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and I were sitting at one table.

"So, how are ya likin' school here, Apple Shine?" asked Apple Bloom.

"It's fine so far," I told her. "Thanks for sticking up for me."

"No problem, Apple Shine," she said, wrapping a foreleg around my shoulders. "Yer mah niece. And even though yer soul may be from a different world, yer still family. Ah'll help ya through it all."

I smiled at that. Just then, my hat was then taken off of my head. I turned to see that the school bullies, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had taken it.

"Hey! Give that back!" I shouted.

"What kind of crown is this?" asked Diamond Tiara. "No crown should be like this."

"Yeah," said Silver Spoon. "It's pathetic."

I then focused my magic and I grabbed my hat/crown and tried taking it back. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon tried keeping a strong grip on it.

"Let go of my hat!" I shouted.

"You don't deserve to have a crown!" Diamond Tiara shouted back.

"What's going on here?!" came the voice of Miss Cheerilee. She then saw me and Diamond Tiara fighting over my hat. She then walked over towards us, grabbed my hat, and gave it back to me. She then looked at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and said, "Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, you two have detention."

"WHAT?!" shouted Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

"You should never mess with anypony, especially if that pony is a princess," said Miss Cheerilee.

"But she shouldn't even be here!" Diamond Tiara argued. "She should be in some prissy princess school in Canterlot."

"She would rather learn in a normal school here than in a high classed school in Canterlot," said Miss Cheerilee. "Even Applejack agreed with that."

"Well... well..." Diamond Tiara tried arguing. She then said, "Well, she doesn't deserve to have a crown. Especially one that looks like that!" That made all of the other fillies and colts gasp.

Miss Cheerilee then said, "That's it. For the next three months, you two have detention, and won't be in any school events." That made Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon gasp. "Now, inside. I shall be letting your parents know about your bad behavior towards Apple Shine when they come to pick you up."

Diamond Tiara and Silver spoon then started walking inside. Silver Spoon then said, "Nice going, Diamond. Now we're both in big trouble."

"Shut up, Silver," Diamond said.

Miss Cheerilee then turned back towards me and said, "I'm so sorry about Diamond Tiara's behavior. She just expects to be the most important pony in school."

"Ah'm sure that things'll get better," Apple Bloom said. "Let's get back to grubbin'."

I nodded, and headed back to the table. Apple Bloom grabbed my hat, and put it back on my head. "Thank you," I told her.

"No problem, Apple Shine," Apple Bloom told me. She then hugged me. We then returned to eating out lunches.

We arrived back at the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres. Aunt Apple Bloom and her friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, were with me. We were heading towards the farm.

"So, who's ready for some Crusadin' today, y'all?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Me!" said Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

"Crusading?" I asked.

"Remember what we talked about when we slept in your room that night, Apple Shine?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Not really," I said. "I was too busy wondering about how I was about to get home." I then sighed. "Not knowing that I was never going back." I then sighed again. "There, I had nothing to live for. My parents dumped me and I died there." I then started crying again. That was when Apple Bloom hugged me.

"Hey, hey," she said. "It's okay. Ya might not had a lovin' family back there, but ya have one here. Me, Applejack, Big Mac and Granny Smith. Yer soul may be from another world, but we'll still treat ya like family."

I smiled, and hugged her back. That was when we heard the sound of two sets of hooves running closer to us. We turned to see Mom and Rarity running towards us.

"Applejack? Rarity?" Apple Bloom asked. "What's up?"

"We'll explain it when we get ta the farm," Applejack said. "Ev'rypony, let's go."

Then all of us headed towards the barn.

Applejack and Rarity were discussing something with Granny Smith and Big Mac. Me, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were told to wait in the living room.

Then Applejack and Rarity came back. Rarity walked up to Sweetie Belle and said to her, "Sweetie Belle, it appears that my friends and I are taking a trip. So, until I get back, I'm having you stay here."

"Okay, Rarity," Sweetie Belle said.

"Wait," I said. "What about your parents?"

"Oh, they're out on a trip across Equestria," Rarity said. "Won't be back until Hearth's Warming."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Ya don't know what Hearth's Warmin' is?" Apple Bloom asked me, making me more confused.

"Is that a holiday in this world?" I asked.

"Oh, that's right," Mom said. "Ah ain't told 'er 'bout Equestrian Holidays. Ah'm sure that Apple Bloom, Big Mac and Granny'll explain it ta ya." She then leaned in and kissed my forehead. "Ah'll be back. Don't know when, but Ah'll be back. Remember ta do yer chores."

She and Rarity then headed out the door. Apple Bloom then walked up to me, patted my back and said, "Don'tcha worry 'bout Applejack, Apple Shine. She'll be back. She and her friends always come back to Ponyville."

I nodded. I then headed up the stairs. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo followed. I then said, "I was a little confused that we didn't have any homework on the first day of school."

"Meh, it's like that," said Scootaloo. "Here, we don't get homework on the few days. It's the start of the following week that we start getting homework."

"This world is so confusing," I said.

"You'll get used to it," Sweetie Belle said. She then went wide eyed and said, "Oh, shoot! I should be heading back to Rarity's so I can prepare for the sleepover!" She then rushed back down the stairs and out the door.

I looked at Apple Bloom and asked, "She does know it's just until Applejack and Rarity get back, right?"

"Meh," said Apple Bloom. "Doesn't matter."

I then felt the urge. I then went into the bathroom and did my... business. I wonder why Mom and her friends had to go out of town for a few days. I'm sure she'll tell me when she gets home.