Fluttershy bit the pencil that was in her mouth harder, gnawing on the eraser tip. She picked the parchment paper up, rereading what she had written for the third time.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I have gotten your letter about sending both Thorax and Pharynx to school. I understand why you would want to do so, but I am not sure if it is a great idea at the moment.
I will allow them to have public schooling, I’m not arguing with you on that. Schooling is important and, for the two of them, it’ll let them get to know Ponyville and experience what a filly or colt would at their age.
However, thrusting them into such an environment too early might also...be detrimental. As far as I have observed, Thorax and Pharynx get nervous when they are put into new situations. Thorax seems to take it relatively well, for the most part, the hardest part is getting him to try.
Pharynx on the other hoof had reacted very negatively when put into a social situation. He still isn’t comfortable being around me, and he doesn’t take it well when forcefully pull out of my house. I had sat down with both of them, and upon hearing that they’ll be put into a public situation, Pharynx promptly bolted to my room and hadn’t come out since.
The school year starts next month, and I’m worried that they won’t take it well. Perhaps things could be arranged before they start school? Maybe a meeting with a teacher? I’ve never had to send foals to school, let alone two changelings.
I’m sure your busy at the moment, but I hope you can write back!
Sincerely,
Fluttershy.
Shortly after reading her letter, the pencil in her mouth splintered in half. Pieces of lead and wood clacked against her table, and Fluttershy had to put the paper down. She held her head in her hooves, pulling down her eyelids tiredly, her mane frazzled with stress.
“I can’t speak to Princess Celestia like this, can I? This sounds too demanding,” the pegasus mulled over the paper. After a few more seconds of looking at the words, she crumpled the letter up and pushed it to a pile of disposed ‘first attempts. “Not right. Too much information. Too lengthy...”
She was about to reach for another sheet of paper when hoofsteps caught her attention. Her head swiveled on the spot, teal eyes spotting certain black and cyan changeling trotting down her steps.
Thorax seemed tired. His walk was ridged, stiff even. Compound eyes were watching the walls he descended further down the flight of stairs. Once he reached the last step, he turned to look at the Pegasus caretaker.
“Hi,” he said quietly, smiling weakly. Fluttershy tried to smile back, but she had a feeling that she looked half-dead with how quickly Thorax dropped his. The changeling nymph trotted towards her, the noise created by his chitinous hooves muffled out as he stepped onto the carpet. “...you look tired.”
Fluttershy chuckled. “That obvious, huh?”
He nodded.
Sighing, she turned her attention away from the letters and to the changeling and his not-here-at-the-moment brother. “How’s Pharynx doing?”
Thorax winced, rubbing his cheek. It was then Fluttershy noticed a flat bandage that laid across the nymph’s face, and her brows furrowed with concern.
“He’s fine for now,” he answered quickly. “He scratched me while he was stressing, but I managed to calm him down.”
“Well...okay,” Fluttershy accepted the answer, but she did examine Thorax for a few seconds. “You are sure that is all?”
The changeling nodded, though worry did wash over his face. “For the most part. Though I’ve never seen Pharynx so...distraught before.”
The last part of the sentence was barely a whisper, but it was loud enough for Fluttershy to hear it. Her heart ached to know that she made Pharynx freak out badly.
“Oh dear. I hope it doesn’t wasn’t too bad. I really didn’t mean to make him uncomfortable.”
“Pharynx just needs some time...I think,” Thorax mumbled, tapping his chin before shaking his head. “Actually, I don’t know what he needs right now. Really shouldn’t be talking for him.”
Fluttershy sighed, rubbing her eyes. Her wings shifted, her head pounding from the sudden stress. Would have been nice to have a little more time before we even talked about school, but I what can you do?
Sweet Celestia, what am I gonna do?
Her ear twitched as the sound of rustling paper filled the air, and Fluttershy looked up. Thorax rummaged in the crumpled letters that littered her table, tilting his head curiously.
Cyan eyes squinted at the writing, before giving an inquisitive look towards the Pegasus. “What’s all this?”
“Papers,” Fluttershy stated, unable to keep the tiredness from her voice. Her wings unfurled from their snug position, laying limply at her sides. She gently took the parchments from Thorax, glossing over them once more. “I was writing to Princess Celestia about your’s and Pharynx’s schooling. I haven’t been able to compose a good letter yet, though...”
Thorax frowned. “Oh. Right. ‘School,’” he parroted. He clicked his front hooves together, a thinking expression plastered on his face. After a while, he gave Fluttershy a questioning look. “I tried to figure out what it is, but I don’t know.”
Fluttershy smiled slightly, rubbing a hoof against his crest. Thorax chirped, leaning into her touch. “I assume you didn’t have school before?”
“Not as far as I’m aware,” he shrugged.
“School is where fillies and colts—and I guess changeling nymphs in this case—go to learn until you are an adult. They educate and prepare you for the world,” she explained, patting his head. Thorax tilted his head, staring off into the distance.
“So...that’ll be five years?” he said after a while, which made Fluttershy raise an eyebrow.
“What?”
“You said ‘until they are adults’, and when I turn ten, I’ll be an adult.”
“You turn an adult when you turn ten?”
“...and you don’t?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “No. Ponies aren’t considered adults until they turn eighteen. I guess changelings age much faster, huh?”
“‘Eighteen?’” Thorax parroted, eyes widening. “...ponies age really slow, then.”
“I guess we do!” Fluttershy chuckled. “Anyways, you’d be in class for about six hours a day, and you’d learn subjects like math, history, science...”
“Oh.” Thorax seemed less enthused about the idea. He nervously tugged on her hooves, having an uncertain expression. “...well, pony classes can’t be that bad, right?”
Fluttershy frowned. “I guess it safe to assume you’ve had classes yourself?”
The cyan changeling nodded. “Every nymph does, and I think class goes all the way until you are deemed fit to serve the Queen,” he shivered but shook off the feeling quickly. “I wasn’t great in any of the required classes.”
The pegasus chuckled slightly. “I mean, I wasn’t that great either. I could do the work just fine, but anything that had to be presented in front of everypony, woo! I was something else, let me tell ya.”
This got Thorax to laugh, which made Fluttershy’s heart swell. The small bug-equine rubbed his injured cheek, but smiled brightly at the yellow Pegasus. “Heh! I guess pony class wouldn’t be too bad. It sounds...different.”
“A good different, perhaps?”
“Maybe.” Thorax glanced up at the ceiling, his ears sagging. A low chirp escaped from his mouth as he sighed, antsy wings buzzing. “Not sure if Pharynx would think so, though. He never had problems with our old classes, and he knows a lot more about ponies than I do, but...”
Fluttershy scooped the nymph closer to her with her wing, the warmth passing on from her to him. “I know Pharynx is having some difficulty adjusting right now. By the sound of it, where you used to live is very different from Equestria, so it’s understandable. I’m sure he’ll come around eventually.”
Fluttershy felt uncertain of her last sentence.
“But if he—or you—need my help, know that I’m always here and always willing to listen, okay?”
“Mm...okay, Fluttershy,” Thorax nodded, his face full of mixed emotion. Fluttershy smiled warmly, hoping to ease the little changeling’s nervousness and worries.
A silence continued as Fluttershy returned writing. She picked up a packet of pencils, picking out one to replace the splintered writing utensil. “Well, I still have to write this letter to Princess Celestia, and I haven’t been able to make a letter that I liked. This is gonna take a lot of refining.”
“Oh!” Thorax perked up, staring at paper and back at Fluttershy. “Can I help?”
The pegasus stifled a giggle. “Sure! I’m positive that you can win her over with her adorableness.”
The changeling nymph cheeks became tinted with blue, but he smiled. “Um. If it’s okay, please tell her school sounds nicer and...”
With newfound energy, Fluttershy plucked the pencil off the table and began jotting down word for word, what the nymph said. She wasn’t sure what she’d use to address the Princess, but that didn’t quite matter at the moment.
The smile on her face never left.