Chapter 3 – A Special Guest
“Hey Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle whispered over to her friend as they sat in the classroom together.
“Yeah,” the orange pegasus said as she looked over at her friend.
“Do you know who this special guest is today?”
“There’s a guest coming,” Scootaloo said.
“Of course there is,” Apple Bloom replied, “Didn’t you remember what Cheerilee said yesterday before we left?”
“Of course I did! I was just thinking about something else now.”
“Sure you are,” Apple Bloom said sarcastically to her friend.
“Well what are you then,” Scootaloo objected, “a calendar?”
“Come on you two,” Sweetie Belle said, “Stop arguing. So none of us know who it is, right?”
“Ah’ sure don’t,” Apple Bloom, “Mah sister, brother, an’ Granny Smith are all helpin’ with the apple harvest.”
“I know Rainbow Dash isn’t coming here today as she has to clear away some clouds after the big storm last night,” Scootaloo said.
“Rarity didn’t say anything about coming either,” Sweetie Belle said as she thought about which pony could show up.
Every week their teacher Cheerilee liked to surprise the class with a pony from town dropping by and explaining what they did and allowed the fillies and colts to ask questions within reason. It was a way for the class to learn about the town they lived in and the ponies who called it home. It was also a way to perhaps inspire ponies to use their talents and to those who had yet to find their cutie marks to get one. Of course having a little free time from teaching so Cheerilee could grade papers was an added bonus.
“Alright class,” the earth pony mare said hoping to bring the fillies and colts in front of her to attention, “Yesterday before you all left, I announced that today we would be having a surprise guest visit us today. So today I would like you all to give a big warm welcome to Princess Twilight Sparkle!”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes lit up when she heard the announcement. She watched as the lavender Alicorn walked in to thunderous applause. Some ponies took it upon themselves to bow to the Princess just as they would when they saw Luna or Celestia.
“Oh no need to bow everypony,” Twilight said as she took her place in front of class while Cheerilee casually returned to her desk. The Princess waited for the applause to die down before she began a speech that she seemed to been planning for several days revising and rehearsing.
“Good afternoon. My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle, but you may call me Twilight Sparkle or just Twilight if you wish. I am a former student of Princess Celestia and the current owner of the Golden Oaks Library here in Ponyville. As you have probably heard, I am one of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, specifically the Element of Magic, and as you can tell I am also the new Princess, a roll that I’m still becoming acquainted with. I’m sure that you have questions for me, but I just want to explain a little about what I study and what my talent is. My talent is being able to study and cast different types of magic. Now even though magic is often associated with unicorns like I used to be, I would like to be clear that every pony type has magic. Earth ponies are magically bonded with the land and therefore are strong with farming or creating things. Pegasus ponies are connected to the magic of sky, allowing them to manipulate weather. Unicorns are attuned to the arcane energies of this world, allowing them to perform unique feats. It is part of this magic that drives your talent that you received your cutie mark. My advice to those of you who have found your cutie marks is to continue to practice your talents and see how you can use them in different ways. For those of you who do not have their marks yet, I would encourage you to try out as much as you can and to never give up getting your cutie mark!”
The Alicorn paused as a round of applause erupted among the fillies and colts. In particular, Twilight Sparkle looked over at Sweetie Belle who throughout the short speech was locked on to what she said like it would be some source of inspiration. Sweetie Belle did tense up when Twilight spoke about those ponies who had their cutie marks and those that were still trying to get them like the white unicorn. Even worse was the mentioning of magic which made the filly slide down in her seat a little lower than normal. It was as if that one mentioning of magic and getting a cutie mark reminded the filly of something she didn’t have.
“Thank you Princess… um… I mean Twilight Sparkle,” Cheerilee said, “Now does anypony have questions for our guest?”
“Yes Scootaloo,” Twilight said seeing the orange filly raise her hoof.
“How do you like flying?”
“Oh, flying is amazing but I’m still getting used to learning. I can say that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are helping me with teaching me.”
Twilight could see the satisfied smile on the Pegasus filly’s face, especially hearing that Scootaloo’s friend Rainbow Dash was assisting the Alicorn to learn how to fly. Then another hoof shot up, belonging to another familiar filly, Apple Bloom.
“Hi Twilight. Can you tell me what it’s like bein’ a Princess.”
“Well it certainly is a lot more hard work learning how to be a Princess and trying to help those in Equestria. But I still manage to have time for my friends and to study. I can assure everypony that even though I look differently and may have more responsibilities, I am still the same Twilight Sparkle that ponies know here!”
The lavender Princess expected Sweetie Belle’s hoof to go up after what Rarity mentioned about the filly’s attempts at magic. Although she was never boastful about her talents, Twilight knew that the white unicorn had a unique opportunity to speak to her at this time about magic or anything else that was on Sweetie Belle’s mind that she felt safe to ask in the company of her classmates. Instead, a pink hoof was raised, one that belonged to none other than Diamond Tiara. Twilight knew from Rarity and Applejack how bad the earth pony was in bullying her other classmates including their own sisters and Scootaloo for not having their cutie marks. Even with the times that the filly had been told to stop bullying; Diamond Tiara still appeared to persist. Even so Twilight couldn’t just ignore the filly’s question.
“Yes Diamond Tiara,” Twilight said giving the pink pony a look to remind her to not do anything to the other ponies in class.
“Miss Sparkle,” Diamond Tiara said in the sweetest tone she could muster, “you said that all ponies have magic, right?”
“Yes,” Twilight said unsure what the filly was getting at.
“But, can’t a pony not have any magic? Like can’t there be a case where an earth pony isn’t connected to the land, a Pegasus isn’t connected to the sky, or a unicorn isn’t connected to arcane energy?”
“Not to my knowledge. Everypony has some kind of magic.”
“Well, Princess, I can tell you of one pony who definitely has no magic what so ever,” she said in a smug confident tone, “Isn’t that right, Sweetie Belle?”
Twilight Sparkle stood amazed at the audacity that Diamond Tiara had essentially calling out Sweetie Belle out in front of the entire class. She watched as Sweetie Belle looked up in utter shock as she heard her name called along with the topic of having no magic.
“What are you saying about mah friend,” Apple Bloom said standing up in protest.
“Do I have to spell it out for a farm pony like you,” Diamond said not backing down, “Your fellow blank flank Sweetie Belle can’t perform magic! Why that’s as pitiful as a Pegasus that can’t fly!”
“Hey,” Scootaloo said looking like she was ready to tackle the bully.
“Diamond Tiara,” Twilight said feeling like she needed, “That’s enough! Stop bullying Sweetie Belle.”
“Oh I’m simply telling the truth, Princess,” Diamond Tiara said, “After all you know all about the truth through your studies. All I’m saying is that if I were a blank flank who couldn’t use magic I wouldn’t show my face here in class or anywhere, because doing so would be a disgrace to all unicorns!”
“That’s enough,” Cheerilee said getting up from her desk with a voice that quickly silenced and snickering or mumbling in the class, “Diamond Tiara, you will be staying after class today again. I want you to apologize to Sweetie Belle and her friends right now.”
Diamond Tiara looked at the upset face of Cherrilee and then at the equally angry face that the Princess had before saying half-heartedly, “Sorry Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.”
“Alright class,” Cheerilee said hoping to end the visit of Twilight Sparkle on a positive note, “I want you all to thank Twilight Sparkle for her ability to take time out of her busy schedule and meet with us.”
A round of applause echoed in the classroom, but Sweetie Belle only had her head down, trying to not cry. It was bad enough that Diamond Tiara had insulted her, but what made it worse was that in the white unicorn’s minds she actually believed in the earth pony’s words. Twilight could see the damage that had been done to Sweetie Belle and knew that she had to have a talk with the filly after class. It was time that Sweetie Belle received some much needed help.