The school bell rings throughout the halls which makes the doors to the classroom explode as students rush out filling the halls quickly. In one of these classrooms a bipedal teacher stands by the door handing out fresh cookies from Sugarcube Corner. “Here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go, here you go. “ He says in almost a robotic manner as he hands out the cookies.
When Sandbar trots up to him he simply tosses the cookie at the laid back student who smiles at the flying coat and easily catches it with his teeth.
“Hwampks Proessler kawn” Sandbar tries to say as he walks as the teacher. Following behind him is Gallus who stops and puts a talon and gives a “gimmie gimmie” motion with his talons with an expectant look on his face. The teacher stares at him for a few seconds before handing him half a cookie. Gallus examines the cook before looking back up at his teacher. “...What is this?”
“A cookie.” He tells him bluntly. Gallus deadpans. “Yeah I know but why is it broken in half?”
“To represent your mistake for sleeping halfway through my class, Gallus.” Gallus frowns but moves in with his half cookie. Speeding up behind him is Silverstream who flies at eye level with her teacher and offers her talons to him with an excited look on her face… and some drool leaking from her beak. Not breaking his automatic movements he gives Silverstream a cookie per talon which makes her squeal.
“Good Job today, Silverstream. Keep your focus steady and the next bundle of cookies I get I will give you three.” Silverstream puffed up at the news.
“Thank you, Professor Kian! You’re the best!” Silverstream almost went in for a hug but remembers she was holding cookies and goes in for a brief nuzzle to his cheek before speeding off. Smolder strides up to Kian and leans against the doorframe with an elbow while her other arm offers a hand. She has her eyes closed and a smirk on her that vanishes after a minute of no cookie in her hand, she looks up at him with a glare only to see him slowly moving the cookies down to her hand.
She reaches up to take them only for him to pull away. “Hey what gives! I focused on the lesson today!”
“Indeed. I just don’t like smug looks.” He says while dropping two cookies in her hand, she rolls her eyes and takes a bite out of them while walking away. The ground shakes a bit as Yona bounces behind Smolder with happiness clear on her face, she stops when she reaches him and wordlessly opens her mouth. He gently places three cookies into her mouth before pulling back quickly as her mouth closes with the speed of a mousetrap’s activation. She lets out a long “mnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn~” and walks out of the classroom.
He prepares to give another cookie only for no student to approach, his automatic cookie giving function ceases and he looks for the last student, Ocellus. Giving a short scan of his classroom he finds Ocellus face deep in a book.
“Ocellus, reader of the changeling hive.” He raises his voice slightly which makes her look up from her book then around, her eyes widen as she realizes she's the last one remaining. Quickly she packs up her things.
“Oh, oh, oh! S-sorry Professor Kian! I didn’t notice…” She trots up to him quickly and looks down.
“It’s okay, Ocellus.” He hands her four cookies which she grabs with her magic and places them into her saddlebag. She walks out into the hallway only to stop, she looks down for a moment before turning around and looking up at Kian.
“Professor Kian… May I ask you a question?” He looks at her and raises a brow to invite her to ask.
“Are you, um… happy?” Ocellus can’t help but look away from his stare.
“..Of course why do you ask?” He looks away and walks to his desk to put in the remaining cookies in their box. Ocellus steps inside the classroom a little bit. “Well it's u-um… because…. We Changelings can feel others' emotions and well when I focus on you sir.. I don’t feel anything.” Kian freezes in place before slowly turning his head around and looking at her with a blank expression.
“I-I'm sorry if it feels like I invaded your personal space but i c-c-can’t help it! I.. um.. Oh, oh! I’ll just um.. “ She looks up at him again only to instantly look away as nervousness takes hold of her. “Please excuse me!” Before he could open his mouth to stop her she takes off down the hall.
“.....................” Kian looks at the empty spot where she was for a bit before focusing back on his box of cookies and letting out a sigh. Emotions. It was a foreign thing to him, maybe it was because of his parents divorce? His mothers abuse? Bullying? He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment in his childhood where his feelings just vanished. At the time it was better to be numb to everything than to feel and react to everything.
It worked back on Earth… well at least in his perspective. People who tried to befriend him would lose interest over time or be weirded out by his stoic nature, he didn’t mind that of course he was used to being alone. It wasn’t until he woke up here that it became a “vocal” problem for others. Twilight figured out early on that he was pretty emotionless and took it upon herself to “cure” him by employing him in the school of friendship because he did have a degree in history and a good memory.
He could only guess that she figured by employing him here that he’d learn friendship here and unlock his feelings again. To him this was a stupid plan which isn’t surprising as a majority of ponies here were really naïve, however it was a job that payed him and let him have housing so he went along with Twilights ideal lesson. No creature until today had even figured he was numb, he could help but look back at when he first met Ocellus.
The way she stared at him throughout the lesson with a hint of concern and fear. How she kept staring at him even when she had finished her assignment. The slow walk she did when she approached him to turn in her assignment, cautious and tense like a stray cat walking up to a human with food.
He sighs and sits at his desk, and pulls out the assignments to grade. How must it feel to meet a creature that can’t feel emotions…? He couldn’t help but wonder as he looked at the assignments. Well it doesn’t matter now, unless she decides to bring it up to others.
Two days later. . .
Kian exhales against the window, his breath fogging up the glass just so he can draw a little smiley face on it. Today was a more okay day than usual! Rainfall. Kian focused his eyes on the drops of water that spilled down from the sky and his ears the little sounds that they made on impact. It was a beautiful harmony he missed from time to time. Unlike earth Equestria had ponies control their weather making it predictable and rare for weather that can cause harm to towns or roads to be more “rare”.
He couldn’t even remember if he had ever read of a natural disaster other than animals destroying a home in this land. His watch lets out a `beep` that knocks him out of his temporary peace to tell him it was time to prepare for homeroom. Spinning on his heel with an unwavering focus ahead he heads to his classroom, making sure to take routes that avoid either other members of the educational staff or the early students; chit-chat would only delay his current mission.
Closing in on his classroom he hears the sounds of… hushed voice and speedy movement echoing from within a room. Deducing that it was his room he increased his walkspeed, the audible speedy footsteps he made led to the increased panic from within the classroom. Without a show of mercy for the trespassers inside he opened the door and scanned the classroom.
Inside he found Silverstream frozen mid opening one of the classroom windows, Gallus stop mid-vent unscrewing, Sandbar hiding under a desk, Yona attempting to become one with the curtain, and Smolder’s tail sticking out from behind his desk as she attempts to hide on the side of it. Finding his trespassers he scans the room again to see what damage was done or items taken only to find nothing has been altered with.
He keeps his silence for a while, a move he knew would instill stress and fear into the victims in his vicinity before slowly…. Sloooooowly crossing his arms and saying the calculated forbidden words to the students.
“Gallus, Sandbar, Silverstream, Smolder, Yona. I am disappointed with the five of you.” He spoke with the same tone as always but to the students it made them flinch. Slowly all the students got out of their positions to approach him and looked down. Silverstream, Sandbar, and Yona wore a regretful face while Smolder and Gallus wore the face of someone who was ready to throw someone under the bus for getting caught.
“What do you have to say for yourselves?” He leans slightly forward to showcase the height difference between him and the students and push the idea of an imposing teacher aura.
“We’re Sorry…” The students say in sync though Gallus and Smolder say it with an eye roll.
“For…?”
“For going into your classroom when you’re not here and messing around…” He leans back and nods, he didn’t know if that was what they were really doing but no changes were made so he accepts their answer.
“You are forgiven, now go. Return once the bell rings for homeroom.” The students nodded and walked out the classroom one by one, when Smolder looked back at the desk and opened her mouth only for him to point to the door which made her close her mouth and roll her eyes only to look back at the desk before the classroom door closes on her.
He lets out a sigh and heads over to his desk to slip in his chair. Opening his drawer to pull out his graded assignments and stack them on the desk. Reaching down to the bottom drawer to pull out a roll call sheet and place it on the desk. Taking a pen from his pocket he crosses the name for the previous trespassers and then slowly over to the “O” section to cross Ocellus’s name. Putting the pen down afterwards right next to an identical pen on his desk.
“.........................” He simply crosses his arms and stares at the two pens. Two minutes pass before a pair of shiny eyes open up from the desk pen and look at him with fear. He shakes his head to mimic disappointment before standing up and stepping back. The pen releases a wall or a nice arctic blue magic and Ocellus stands on top of the desk.
“I’m sorry, Professor Kian. I… I just… um…” She looks away.
“I give you credit Ocellus. Your disguise would’ve worked if not for three things. One, you always are with the other five so I naturally suspected you changed. Second, you Smolder pretty much sold you out with her glances. Third, I always carry my limited edition marble pen.” Kian stares at her with disappointment that only a father can make. Ocellus looks down with her ears folding back.
“S-sorry Professor Kian… I just… No, we just wanted to um… surprise you…” Kian raises a brow at her claim of intent. Ocellus hops off the desk and walks over to one of the desks to pull out a letter with her magic. Walking over back to Kian and placing the letter for him to examine.
He picks the letter and opens it up to reveal one of those small general store cheap event cards. Though this one was handcrafted… messily. Looking at it he could tell that all six of them worked on it just by the fact that its cover was the embodiment of multiple people unable to decide on a theme for the card. Yona’s handwriting almost covered the entire front of the card with a “THANK YOU”. He had to Squint to see “Professor Kian” at the bottom written small to attempt to fit in.
He slides his thumb and opens the car to reveal more of a mess. Various crude drawings, colors, messages trying to squeeze in between everything, and glitter all sorts. It looked like it was rushed. He brings the card closer to examine the small messages within the card.
“Thanks for always looking after us!” - Silverstream
“Yona Thankful for teach taking time to explain when Yona don’t get it” - Yona
“Thanks for always taking your time after school to help me!” - Sandbar
“Thanks for.. Low-key giving me hints when I don't get it, you’re cool i guess.” - Gallus
“Thanks for you know… not being as strict as the other professor.” - Smolder
“Thanks for-”
Looking at the last message Kian changes his focus to Ocellus. “Your message is unfinished.”
She gives a hesitant nod. “I.. didn’t know what could surprise you in a um.. Good way. Sandbar came up with the idea not long ago and…”
“Then I came.” Kian speaks up. Ocellus nods and looks down for a moment as Kian checks if there is anything more.
“P-professor Kian!” Ocellus suddenly speaks up, making Kian change his focus back to her. “I-I'm… I’m thankful for you always being patient with me… and nice. I will admit.. When I first met you I was scared.. Because I couldn't r-read your emotions. S-Sorry if that is a breach in your personal space! I can’t help it but.. You’re really nice and um focused.. And I um.. I just really appreciate you teaching us!” Ocellus nearly shouts as she closes her eyes, faint cyan blush to her chitin cheeks.
Kian stares at her for a bit. Blinking every now and then. He opens his mouth only to close it, finding himself lost for words or his own voice. Ocellus opens an eye to see his reaction. Kian stands there puzzled and staring off in the distance, it takes a bit before he looks back at Ocellus.
“...It’s no big deal…” Kian finds his eyes looking away from her and his face feeling heated. He brings a hand to forehead to check for a fever as confusion takes hold of him. Ocellus looks at him with wide eyes and opens her mouth just to close it and shaking her head she speaks quickly. “T-that's all I wanted to say! Thank Professor Kian, I'll see you in homeroom! Bye!”
She quickly flutters her wings and flies out the room before Kian could even open his mouth. He stares at the slowly open door until it closes to focus on the strange…. Feeling that just occurred to him.
Ocellus didn’t make it far before she bumps into the rest of her friends. Noticing her return, Smolder smirks and crosses her arms. “Looks like your pen disguise didn’t work~”
Ocellus perks up at that and opens her mouth to respond only to let out a low “meeeeeeep” that makes the others look at her confused. Silverstream noticing the faint blush to her cheeks and fidgeting of her hooves gives an excited smile and flies over to her.
“What happened! Did you show Professor Kian our card!? Did he like it? Did he!?” Ocellus opens her mouth only for Gallus to walk over and roll his eyes. “Doubt it, you filled up that card with so much glitter…” The truth bomb makes Silverstream frown at Gallus.
“Well at least I didn’t take ten minutes just to say thank you, Gallus!” Gallus squints at that statement. “Hey! I had to figure out what would fit in after Yona decided to draw all over the inside…” Gallus gives a side glance to Yona who glares at Gallus.
“Yaks make best drawings! Professor deserves Yak drawings!” Yona huffed and made Gallus deadpan at her statement.
“Yona Drawing would’ve been better if Smolder not destroy first card!” Yona points to Smolder who rolls her eyes and frowns.
“I already said I’m sorry jeez… plus if you think about MY WAY I did us a favor! Sandbars front cover on that one was just .. ugh terrible..” Smolder, Gallus, and SIlverstream all nodded together at that claim which only made Sandbar jump into the argument. While the rest argued among themselves about the faults of the card and who to blame, Ocellus stood there with her eyes glued to the ground.
Her mind traveled back to Kian. That moment after she thanked him… she felt it. Embarrassment and…. Happiness. It was brief but she was sure she felt Kian give off emotions. A small smile forms at the playback and she looks back at her arguing friends, a sparkle in her eye.
`I…I hope I can make you feel more, Professor Kian…`