//------------------------------// // 18- Lehrerin // Story: The Chalk Prince and the Clover // by FrostTheWolf //------------------------------// “So let me see if I understand you correctly,” Twilight Sparkle said as she looked back at Spike, who had just taken a moment to explain what exactly happened shortly after the princess had tasked him with watching Klee. Even though there was technically a party going on by Pinkie Pie’s standards, the alicorn was trying to process what exactly led up to her and Albedo discovering the surprise that waited for them in the map room, “You were watching Klee, like I asked. Then, Sweetie Belle and her friends arrive.” “That’s right.” the dragon nodded in response, with the Cutie Mark Crusaders sitting not that far away from him. “From there, they met Klee and when you introduced her to the crusaders, they immediately thought that they should give her a tour?” Spike shook his head at that, before looking to Twilight, “Not quite. I was trying to tell them how Klee wasn’t exactly from around here, but before I could finish, the fact that Klee was new to Ponyville got them thinking about taking her around town.” “That seems simple enough,” the two of them heard Albedo speak now, who was not that far from Twilight and Spike while Klee was munching on a slice of Jumpy Dumpty cake nearby where Pinkie Pie was, “Though, if I may, how did we get from there to-?” “Well, the part where I got concerned was when Sweetie Belle mentioned introducing her to Pinkie Pie,” the dragon continued, “I tried to tell them that having them meet wasn’t such a good idea, but Klee took the whole situation as a chance to ‘go on an adventure’. At that point, things began to quickly spiral out of control.” “Klee didn’t destroy anything, did she?” Twilight now asked. “Thankfully, no. But we had a heck of a time trying to actually keep up with her. Even with my wings and Scootaloo using her scooter, Klee was always ahead of us,” he explained further, “She only stopped once when she spotted Sugarcube Corner, before taking off again. By the time the girls and I got through the door, Klee and Pinkie had already met face to face at that point.” By now though, that was when Sweetie Belle and her friends decided to speak up. “U-um, miss Twilight? W-why do you think Klee is dangerous?” That simple question made Twilight eyes twitch as she just stared at the three fillies. Yet, before she had the chance to speak, that was when Albedo decided to step in, “That’s a bit complicated,” the alchemist replied, “Tell me though, did Klee happen to show you anything that she happened to have in her backpack? Anything at all?” “Well, she did take out one of those ‘treasure’ thingies that she had out to show Pinkie Pie, but other than that, nothing else,” Scootaloo replied, “Why, did we do something wrong? What’s the big deal?” That had the alchemist look towards all three of the fillies, before he began to speak, “Because what Klee calls her treasures are actually bombs. While most children her age play with actual toys, she plays with explosives that could possibly get others hurt. Even though Klee knows that, she still does it anyway. Mainly because whenever the opportunity presents itself, she can barely contain her excitement.” All three of the fillies immediately stared at Albedo in shock. They had no idea that what they thought was Klee’s toys were actually bombs that could hurt somepony. So hearing Albedo say that startled them, “W-what the hay!? Why would she even think that playing with something that dangerous is somehow fun?” If Albedo were honest, that wasn’t exactly a simple question to answer. Though, he still had to try nonetheless, “To really know the answer to that, you would have to know about Klee’s mother, Alice,” he explained, “She was an explorer at heart and a member of the Adventurers’ guild back where we’re from. Before Klee was left in the care of myself, Jean and the rest of the Knights of Favonius, there were times that Klee would end up going on some of her mom’s adventures. Alice wanted to teach her daughter how to survive in the wild, but the only way that she could really get her daughter’s attention was when Klee was playing with her toys.” Once that was mentioned, Twilight began to piece together what the alchemist was talking about, “Wait… So you’re saying that she-?” Albedo was quick to nod, before placing one of his hands in the pockets of his jacket, “At the time, Alice wanted to make sure that her daughter knew what to do to be safe on her own. So, on one of their trips together, she introduced Klee to a new toy. One that she could make by herself and would help keep her safe from any danger Klee might face. She even gave her the Dodoco plushie that she has attached to her backpack, what she refers to as her greatest treasure.” “But her mother was going to tell her how dangerous they are, right…?” Scootaloo now asked, but was a bit hesitant “I believe that was the case. However, that… never happened,” the alchemist took a moment to recompose himself, before he continued where he left off, “Three years ago, Klee’s parents left her with me before they went out on an expedition that she claimed to be rather dangerous. However, since that day, neither of them have come back. What happened to them is still a mystery and many people around Mondstadt have their own theories about what became of them. Though, Klee and I still wait for the day that someone either finds her or she finds her way back home.” That simple explanation left everypony that was listening in a state of shock. For a child that always seemed to be happy wherever she went, they had no idea that Klee had to go through something like that. To not only have your parents disappear, but have no idea where they are or even if they’re still alive? How was it that Klee could stay so positive and upbeat, despite all of this? “H-how?” “Hmm?” Albedo looked over to Scootaloo, a bit puzzled by what she said, “Could you repeat that?” “H-how does Klee… well, handle all of that?” the pegasus asked again, wanting to know what exactly does Klee do to stay positive despite the grim situation that the alchemist had just described. “Well, she doesn’t really think about it too much. If anything, Klee thinks of everyone in the Knights of Favonius as family to her, as well as people she just met. Even though some of them… don’t really take it that well,” Albedo replied, remembering a time where Barbara, Jean’s sister and a deaconess from the church of favonius, had a major freakout because Klee called her ‘Auntie Barbara’, “To her, she thinks that if her family is all around her, then she wouldn’t have to feel sad. That way she can always feel happy.” Ironically, at the moment he finished, Klee walked over and looked at the Alchemist, “Big brother, can I have my friends be with me? Pinkie Pie wanted for us to do some party games together and she told me I can’t play by myself!!” Each of the Cutie Mark Crusaders looked back towards one another and looked towards Spike, before all four of them looked towards Klee. “S-sure, that sounds fun!” “Yay!! Thanks!! Klee thinks you're the best friends anyone can have!!” Even after the events that had transpired yesterday, Starlight was slowly beginning to feel some sense of normalcy as she trotted around the halls of the academy this morning. After everything that she, Sandbar, his friends and… anyone else that happened to meet Albedo and Klee had to go through yesterday, the unicorn had a feeling that today was going to be easier. No headaches, no chance of Klee having things explode anywhere on campus, no freakout by the student body. Everything was going to be fine. Then, she heard a knock on the front door of the campus, “Huh… Now who could that be-?” When Starlight opened the door, she found herself staring directly at none other than the diarch of the sun herself, Princess Celestia. “Oh, hello Starlight? Would you happen to know if Twilight was here today? There was something I wanted to-” Immediately, Starlight fainted.