//------------------------------// // The problem // Story: EQUESTRIA TEACHERS // by varilla111 //------------------------------// The problem It is a cloudy day in Ponyville. The weather constantly threatens heavy rain under its dark shadow. Rose serves coffee in the headmaster’s office, and readies her ears for any upcoming command from her boss. It’s been a few days since she witnessed that incident in this office and every time she thinks about it a stream of blood lights her face. “Stop thinking about it!” She couldn’t allow any distractions in this demanding job, especially any misunderstandings with her boss “No, I clearly saw how headmaster tried to strip the clothes of that other stallion!” It didn’t matter what he was trying to do that day, headmaster’s relations aren’t her business and she better behave if she wants to keep such a great job. “Umm Rose?” Rose finds out she spilled coffee by overfilling headmaster’s cup. She instantly wakes up from her daydreaming and apologizes. “Oh I am so sorry headmaster! Please let me fix it!” “It’s all right, just be more careful next time” Headmaster Land gave her an assuring smile. Rose smiled too and blushed again “Only if he knew what I was thinking, I would be so fired!” Land took her smile well and proceeded to continue his conversation with his ‘friend’. “Now now, like I was saying. You do remember what I need you here for today Clan?” His pegasus friend put a hoof under his chin and thought about it … “Because you said I have a pretty butt” Land frowned upon him and didn’t laugh an ounce of his joke. Rose smiled wider and accidentally dropped a jar coming from the magical coffee maker, for her luck the jar was already empty and the rug cushioned the fall. Land decided this conversation was better had with some privacy and ordered Rose to leave them alone. Rose carried on her duties and headed outside with a tiny guilty smile on her face. “I am so telling every pony!” Once Rose was outside, Land spoke again. “Clan that was just awkward” Clan quitted laughing until he only had a wide smile in his face. Land waited patiently until he could speak again. “’Sigh’ anyway, a few days ago I mentioned a pony named Cheerilee” Clan stopped smiling and paid more attention to him. Land took a document from a drawer in his desk an put on his reading glasses “I had Cheerilee taking the exam two days ago and the results coming from her were just sad” Land shifted the document vertically into a more comfortable stance, revealing a picture of Cheerilee on it “According to this, she DOES NOT qualify to be a professional educator, which in my opinion she doesn’t deserve to educate at all. In the psychological aspect she lacks proper attention to students and is easily distracted, not to mention she doesn’t teach the students any science at all!” Clan took the word “What about the time she got love poisoned by three of her students and she didn’t even scold them about it?” “What?” Clan explained one time he was outside having a date with the mayor, he met this three fillies that named themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders (CMC), they filled him with gossip from the whole town and he couldn’t find the time to tell them to not speak of others like that because it wasn’t right, but he did not because he didn’t give a damn at all. “They impolitely disturbed my date alleging I was new in town, therefore they found someone they haven’t told yet” Land listened with his jaw dropped on the desk. “They once had a newspaper running, and they posted very embarrassing news of every pony they could, even if the info was false, including Celestia herself!” Clan giggled loudly while Land refused to believe it. “My dear Celestia! Why and how they did that?!” “Well … they mentioned one day Cheerilee imparted a class about cutie marks, it was the day they had the idea of creating CMC, and they spread shameful news that time to get their cutie marks. You do the math” “Still, how they got the equipment to do that?” Clan raised an eyebrow and pointed at the picture in the document. Land infuriated and tightened the paper in his hooves “She even supported this immature act? This is unacceptable!” Land has twice the reasons than before to not accept Cheerilee. And it is true that leaving kids in charge of the press wasn't very responsible in the first place “We are practically ready to impart classes and take in students, but Cheerilee still stands in the way” With this said he resorted to listen to Clan. “Then don’t hire her” Clan shrugged off Land hoof slapped himself in frustration and added “That’s the problem! She is known as the only teacher in Ponyville, until we came in” Land lowered his voice and sipped some coffee “Not hiring her will be equal to firing her, after all, Celestia took down the Ponyville house school to put me in charge of the education” Land took out his reading glasses and leaned forward from his office chair “That will bring us very bad publicity and we can’t afford that in this delicate state” They both understood the situation. If they allow Cheerilee in, she may mislead the kids and cause another incident like the one of CMC, which they still happen to cause mayhem. This institution will only impart the best education to kids from the most qualified educators. If they fire Cheerilee from being a teacher the town will frown upon them and not send their children to them. “Yes, your job is to solve the problem” Land said with serious eyes. “I know what to do” Clan drew a hidden blade making a slippery metallic noise. “No! Not like that!” Land panicked and motioned with his hooves to hide that thing. Clan did as ordered and sheathed it making the same noise. “’Sigh’ Look, I want you to persuade her to stop being a teacher herself” “And if she refuses?” Clan ads Land fixed his tie and spoke firmly “Listen, you will not hurt a single particle of any pony unless I request it, is that clear?!” Clan crossed his hooves and nodded once. Land continues “If she refuses … you find any alternate method to keep her out of my institution without lowering our popularity and without causing any harm” Clan crossed his hooves tighter and brought a hoof under his chin “You are putting me in a hard spot here Conquistador” Land relaxed in his chair and provocatively spoke “Can’t do it?” Clan tilted his head backwards and locked his vision on Land. He was smiling mockingly, daring him to take the challenge. Clan grinned widely and pulled his hoodie over his mane and head. He slowly stood up the couch. He stretched his limbs and flexed his wings, popping joints in each of them. “… Very well” He reached the window and launched himself out flying upwards to the clouds. Land observed as Clan went out to give more support to this institution “Clearing one obstacle at a time!” His view grew distant until it disappeared in the clouds. Land’s face changed to a worried one and he began scratching his head “That pony always brings me a bad feeling” Heavy rain started falling from Ponyville’ sky. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Applejack stared at the rain through the window from the teacher’s quarters. As a teacher she now has her own sit and the educator’s room. The room is filled with books of so many subjects Applejack didn’t even know they existed. The middle was occupied by a round wooden table and it was surrounded by eight cushioned chairs corresponding to each teacher. “Pretty fancy for a teach’r, I bet Cheerilee never seen such fine wood!” Applejack knocked on the wooden table testing its texture and hardness. Hard as iron and smooth as silk, she dared to believe it was Unicorn Magic craft from Canterlot. Applejack’s daydreaming was interrupted by Rose’s entrance. She had an overwhelming happy smile on. “AJ, Twilight, I have the best gossip just for you two!” Applejack was so entertain with the table she didn’t notice twilight sitting in her spot reading an algebra book. Twilight kept her head down and wondered what news could there be more interesting than algebra. “It’s about headmaster!” That was good enough. Twilight stopped her reading to listen to Rose’s gossip. “Well what’re you waiting for? This book was very interesting until you talked!” Rose wondered how an Algebra book can contain anything remotely interesting. Shrugging it off, she lets the gossip out “Headmaster has a very special pony!” Applejack says confused “Umm, okay, he doesn’t look the type, but it isn’t that weird considering …” Rose cuts her off. “I am not done!” Rose turns her head undignified and resumes the story “His very special pony is that hooded weirdo that’s sometimes runs errant for him” Twilight added “His name is Clan Clandestine by the way” Rose and Applejack ignored her comment. After a mildly awkward silence a light bulb flashed with a spark in Applejack’s brain. “Wait a sec … They are both Stallions!” She could see it now. That was kind or interesting. Applejack scratched her mane in confusion. “I dunno Rose, how are you sure they are like that?” Rose smiled like a little devil and spoke “Number one: I’ve seen headmaster trying to strip his clothes off of him” Applejack and Twilight shrugged it off. No pony wears clothes anyway “Number two: Headmaster asked him why is he here and Clan said because I have a pretty butt!” Applejack and Twilight widened their eyes in surprise. Twilight took the word “Umm … well that is quite questionable” “Rose, you completely sure of what you saw and heard?” Rose placed a hoof in her chest and solemnly nodded three times. Twilight ads “Who would have thought the power of love was so strong! … and so incorruptible” Twilight closed her book and decided to join in the conversation. It is more interesting than a book she can read later. Rose was satisfied with her friend’s reactions and opted to change the topic and talk about their work. “Oh my, we will talk about it later, okay?” She searched in a saddlebag she carried and lifted a hat out of it. “According to headmaster, this will be the uniform for the students” Applejack was officially a teacher now, but she happened to be so excited about it she forgot she will be imparting classes eventually. She observed the uniform, a blue beret with a white stripe crossing in the middle. “Uniform? Fo’what?” Before Rose could reply, Twilight stood in middle and let out a dramatic argument “Uniforms are very important! It brings a feeling of equality, it brings honor and union, a uniform will maintain any organization united and will improve its efficiency and the same of its members!” Applejack and Rose stared a Twilight with surprise, they did not see that coming. “I like to see the headmaster will implement such a great change! A uniform will make school like I always wanted it and it also looks so cute!” Applejack agreed. This beret would look real cute on Applebloom. “Wow, never seen uniform in school before, I wonder how that might turn …” Rose trailed in “Yes like I was saying before you two didn’t let me talk. I am supposed to take this sample of the uniform to a tailor so she can mass produce it” Rose handed the Beret to Applejack and added “I think you should take this to Rarity!” Applejack complained “Why me? You are the secretary” “AJ, see it as an opportunity to make peace with Rarity” Applejack thought about it. Rarity and she had quite a tense dialogue last time they talked, they are rivals but before that they are friends, best friends. And what best peace offering than giving her a job that she is really good at, it will also show the headmaster how capable Rarity is. “Hmm, deal” Applejack found out Rose was just trying to take a job off her back. Rose smiled embarrassed and let go of the beret. “Now Rose I have a question for you, how you winded up as a secretary here?” Rose smirked “Well … One morning this building was here out of nowhere so I came to check it out. The staff said they were hiring employees so I signed in” Rose raised her shoulders shrugging it off “I like selling flowers but hey, this job pays four times more” This was explanatory enough for both of them. With this Rose grabbed a document from her saddlebag and handed it to Applejack. “This is your class schedule for the moment, and until we receive students” Applejack took the folder wary and opened it. She slowly passed pages and skimmed the document. “One class of two hours, five days a week, not shabby at all. History? I’m going to be a history teacher?”Even if she was surprised, this subject was the one she would pick out of all subjects. She sure knows Equestria’s back history like the tip of her hoof. “Ah ha, headmaster said you look just like a country pony, and you are the pony most up to the task to teach some folklore!” Applejack smiled with pride. That is true. “Oh goody! Whatever folklore is” Applejack cocked her head sideways and asked another question “Say Rose, is there any discounts for teachers in here?” Applejack already made plans of moving Applebloom in here. She could now give her little sister a sophisticated education without going too far. Rose turned around and approached a wooden shelve containing books of the same topic, norm books. She picked a big blue one with the name ‘Equestria Educating System’. She opened and fiddled the pages for a short time, she bumped her hoof into the section destined to teacher’s economical advantages “… Sure, it says here you have a 25% discount for every class you impart, but only if the young ones are related personally to you” Applejack threw her hat into the air and released an Appleloosian yell of joy. “I think that means Twilight has a 75% off!” “Say ‘gain?” Twilight’s eyes flashed with an uncontrollable need to tell her achievements. “Well Applejack, I will be imparting three different subjects! Those being Math, Language and Theory of Magic” “She also gets paid thrice as much!” Rose showed happiness for every pony’s success. Applejack’s jaw fell to her front knees. 210 bits weekly should be the biggest salary in Ponyville. Twilight smiled and gritted her teeth in order to not brag about it. She opened her eyes and brought a hoof under her chin. “And about the discount … I am thinking of setting Spike in school too!” Rose made a worried face and replied to Twilight. “This book says nothing about students that aren’t ponies, I am afraid you will have to talk it over with headmaster” Twilight nodded and Applejack resumed the conversation. “We all got something important to do, but none will be done until it stops raining” They all agreed, they would talk until the rains stops. The mares kept talking about the future uses of their money, the future of their jobs and how they would roll in class. Their laughter echoed in the wet air outside, and their cheeks blushed with amusement while oblivious to their eyes the grey clouds slowly dispersed giving birth to a mighty yellow sun. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ The heavy rain is long gone and an orange sun sets under the plain. Land finished his day at the Equestria Educational Center and now rests warm in his home. The Daring Do series and a smoking pipe while sitting on a cloud sofa make a great treat for a pony of his age. A phonograph played a subtle classical chorus, it filled the environment with a sensation of peace and comfort. A fireplace warmed the house, the sounds of burning wood were more than pleasant. After a tiring day of work this pony deserves this. The front door of his refined house suddenly opened letting cool chills of autumn. It remained opened for an interval long enough for a pony to sneak in, then it splattered closed as quick as it opened. Sliding in slowly, thick, white fog covered the purple double rug. Its temperature completely differed with the heat his fireplace provided. An unnatural current of ice cold air shivered his body and aimed to light off the fire. Darkness dominated in the sofa room and it was too dim for his eyes to tell the walls apart from empty corridors. Land wondered who might have entered his home like this. It is too odd for any pony to get to a house and not knock, and much rarer for it to enter forcibly. Land scratches his head trying to think what is the meaning of this intrusion, it couldn’t be a pony visiting, or anyone looking for him. It seemed like whoever it is, is trying to keep a low profile. That only happens in crimes, like when a thief doesn’t want any pony to know. But Land is there and his presence is more than evident from outside due to the light of the fire. That only meant one thing, an assassination. “Now now, calm down. That is just ridiculous … Or is it not?” Land felt insecure. The thought of a killer was just redundant, but the lack of evidence against it didn’t render the situation any less scary. There was some pony with him right now in his home, with unknown intentions and unknown face. Land backed off and crouched in a corner. He is prey of the darkness and is unable to see the tiniest spot in his hooves. In the dead silence hooves steps are heard, and they are not from land. Land attempted to keep it together “A killer, Ha!” The hooves steps become more consistent “I have read many horror stories” They become louder and increase their pace “It only happens in horror stories!” Two hooves stopped with a loud bang, less than a meter from Land “AAGH DON’T KILL ME!” The lights went on revealing Clan placing a hoof on the light switch. “What are you doing?” Land opened his eyes and lifted his frightened stance from the floor. He tried to fix his tie but he had none to fix in the first place. He is completely nude. “Nothing … How is the trouble with Cheerilee?” “She is in the Crystal Empire, many miles away from your institution” There was amusement in his voice. Land was surprised. He ignored the details, but Cheerilee should not be a problem now. “You did not hurt her and/or any, right?” Clan nodded once not very proud of it. “Okay, give me details. I have to know all the damage you caused” Clan briefly explained how he politely asked Cheerilee to change her vocation “After a few tries, she asked me if I was on happy dust” Cheerilee was determined to get those 70 bits weekly. “So I gave her some sleeping pills and put her in a train to the Crystal Empire, as luggage!” Land discerned he may have violated a few main rights to the ponies, but nothing irreparable. He also ignored how she drank the sleeping pills. “And …?” “I said to the locals Cheerilee is related to the purple Unicorn that defeated Sombra not very long ago, a local school in the empire hired her immediately” Bending the truth for his convenience and amusement. “Auh poor kids!” Land raised a hoof to his forehead and pretended to faint. “Wait … Is she happy?” “You can see she hasn’t came back yet, you solve the equation” Land smiled with triumph, the problem was legally solved and he could run the institution any day. The only thing he needs is a good shipment of uniforms. He slings a hoof over Clan’s shoulder and points dramatically at the sky. “My friend, we are almost set to begin the third and last phase!” “Whatever”