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// Meeting The Cutie Mark Crusaders 
// Story: Alicorn Mysteries 
// by Brony5ever 
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Hardy was nervous, it was his first day of school. His mother, Chilly understood, when Red Velvet and her were starting school, their mother, Pear Blossom was a teacher at the Ponyville Schoolhouse. She was a scarlet unicorn with orange mane, her cutie mark was a pear tree. Apple Pie was a cream colored pegasus with purple mane, his cutie mark was an apple pie. He was Pear Blossom’s teaching assistant. Both of them were kind, patient and determined to help their students’ morals. They were also reasonably strict and disciplinary.

“Mom, were Grandma and Grandaddy great teachers?” Hardy asked his mother, she looked the same as Red Velvet, except she was a pegasus and her cutie mark was a purple marble.

“They were amazing teachers, Hardy. If they were here, they’d be so proud that their grandcolt is going to the same school they worked at.” She said as she got his backpack. She put it on him and smiled. Then, his aunt, Red Velvet came in to the kitchen.

“Aw, Hardy you look so cute.” She said like he was a baby. Hardy blushed and smiled. Her husband, Frostblaze came in. He couldn’t help but join in with his wife.

“You look so handsome, champ.” Frostblaze said as he ruffled his nephew’s brown mane. His mother then walked him to Ponyville Schoolhouse, kissed his cheek and left.  Sparkling walked inside the school house and approached the front of the class, where Miss Cheerilee was waiting for him.

“Alright everypony, this is Hardy, he’s from the outskirts of Ponyville.” Miss Cheerilee said looking at the students with a smile. The other students looked at him, some even murmured that he was an alicorn. He waved awkwardly  and smiled, he then sat down in an empty desk and Miss Cheerilee began to teach. At the end of school when Hardy was heading out. A young unicorn filly approached him, she seemed like a nice pony.

“Hello, my name is Sweetie Belle. What’s your name?” The little filly asked. Hardy told her that his name was Hardy. They both shook hooves. The filly’s cutie mark was a tri-colored shield with a musical note in the center. He guessed that she was a good singer.

“Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, I’d like to introduce you to my new friend.” Sweetie Belle said as two more fillies approached him, he noticed that their cutie marks were almost the same, execpt the pegasus had a lightning bolt and the earth pony’s was an apple.

“Howdy there, mah name’s Apple Bloom, and this here’s Scootaloo.” Apple Bloom said beckoning a hoof towards the orange pegasus. The orange filly walked over to him and smiled.

“What’s up, new student? Name’s Scootaloo, and what’s your name?” Scootaloo said shaking his hoof with her own. He then shook Apple Bloom’s hoof.

“My name is Hardy, it’s nice to meet you three.” Hardy said as he smiled at the three fillies.

“We’ve got to go now, but we’ll see you around, Hardy. You should stop by our clubhouse sometime, it’s close to Sweet Apple Acres where Apple Bloom lives.” Sweetie Belle said as she waved goodbye to Hardy. Then, his mother arrived to take him home.

“How was your first day of school, Hardy?” Chilly asked after she hugged him. He was smiling.

“It was great, mom. I made three friends already, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle said they have a clubhouse close to Sweet Apple Acres.” Hardy replied enthusiastically as he and his mother walked home. As soon as he entered his home, Red Velvet embraced him in a hug.

“Welcome home, Smudger. You seem to have had a great first day of school.” His aunt said noticing his smile after she hugged him.

“He told me that he made three friends on the first day, they said something about a clubhouse near Sweet Apple Acres to him.” Chilly said smiling at her younger sister.

“I see you’ve met Apple Bloom, she works on the farm with her older siblings. Chilly sometimes lends a helping hoof there.” Velvet explained as she smiled at her big sister. She nodded in agreement.

“What are their names, mom?” The colt asked, he was curious to know more about Apple Bloom’s older siblings.

“Their names are Big McIntosh and Applejack.” His mother replied. From what he could tell, Apple Bloom’s older siblings seemed nice. He wanted to see Apple Bloom’s clubhouse, because having a clubhouse seemed fun to him.

“Could I maybe visit Apple Bloom’s clubhouse, mom?” Hardy asked. Sweetie Belle had told him that he should stop by sometime.

“Sure, Smudger. I don’t know much about it but you could tell me about it once you visit.” His mother replied, Hardy embraced his mother in a hug. She returned the hug with a kiss on the cheek.

“Aw, that’s sweet of you, Hardy.” His aunt said, she was touched by her nephew’s act of kindness. Hardy then smiled at his aunt and embraced her in a hug. Red Velvet was delighted to recieve a hug from her nephew, she hugged him back.

“Do you know where Rose is, Velvet?” Asked her older sister, it had been hours since she saw her niece. Then, the door opened and Quarry  entered the house.

“Hey mom, Aunt Chilly, and Hardy.” Quarry said before she embraced her younger cousin in a hug.

“I was helping out at the Pie Rock Farm, apparently Bellamena is starting help out. I told her that I’ve helped out there because I knew it would mean the world to them.”