Cheerilee was sleeping in her queen size bed dreaming about how she won academy school trophy for the best school teacher ever till she saw a light. The sudden flash of light woke the exhausted mare blinding her for a second till a familiar voice spoke to her.
“Time to wake Mistress Cheerilee.” Hoofred said after he opened the curtains. “Today is the big day.”
Cheerilee just shrugged and said. “Come on Hoofred, I’m nocturnal. Remember?” She then covered her face with her blanket. “Besides do you think it’s kind of early for me going back there?”
“First, Mare Do Well is nocturnal not you Mistress Cheerilee, so you have to have an Enterprise to run.” He then gave her the disguise devise to change into her public body. “Second, it’s never early visiting your hometown.”
Cheerilee put the devise in her ear and turned it on. “Maybe, but do you think it would be a little suspicious that I am donating money to the Ponyville Elementary School?”
“Dust Feathers knew you since you two were fillies.” Hoofred said while opening the door for Cheerilee. “For all they know you are there just to donate to the school for your years of friendship with their former teacher.”
Cheerilee put up a smiled and left the room with Hoofred. They then went into Cheerilee’s newest car and drove to the Canterlot train station.
*******************
In Ponyville, ponies have been preparing for the arrival of a special pony coming to their town. Everypony was excited for the famous visitor, all except for six mares in the tree library that three of them were suspicious about the mare coming to Ponyville.
Inside the library the main six have been talking to each other till a cyan Pegasus spoke up.
“She has to be her.” Rainbow Dash yelled. “She has the same name as her.”
Twilight wore an ignored expression and said. “Rainbow for the last time, do you really think she would come back to Ponyville with the same name?”
“Then why is she coming here to donate to the elementary school?” Applejack questioned Twilight also being suspicious about Cheerilee. “It does sound like her.”
Rarity got up from the couch said. “Applejack is right, why would a multi billion bit mare come to a town, where most rich and royals wouldn’t care about.” Rarity trotted in front of Twilight. “Unless she knew this place.”
“GIRLS!”
Twilight yelled then spoke in a normal tone again. “We won’t know for sure till she gets here so lets just drop it for know.”
Fluttershy trotted up and spoke in a low whisper tone. “Twilight, when are you going to Canterlot and how long will you be here?”
Then Pickiepie popped out of a book shelf and jumped onto Twilight’s back and asked. “How long will you be gone, how long do we have to wait, how long do I have to have a ‘Welcome Back To Ponyville!’ party!” Twilight shook off Pickiepie and answered.
“I’ll be going to Canterlot at the same time as Cheer… Miss Maine leaves.” Twilight along with Spike went to the door and opened it. “And I don’t know how long my investigation will be so till I’m done helping Warm Heart I’ll be in Canterlot for some time. Now let’s get ready.”
Twilight’s friends looked at each other and then nodded. When the group left they went to pick up the CMC to bring them to meet the wealthy visitor.
*******************
Cheerilee and Hoofred were now on there way to Ponyville in Cheerilee’s private train. They were about an hour to their destination and till then Cheerilee enjoyed the trip.
The purple mare was amazed about her train. There was a small Cider bar, a hot tub, a flat screen TV, and exc. “This Train is like the Manor except smaller and well… moving.”
Hoofred sat next to her and said. “Well most ponies don’t have private trains.”
Cheerilee smiled and asked. “So do you want to take a tour with me around Ponyville? And can I have another cup of tea?”
Hoofred smiled and levitated a cup of tea to her and said. “Of course I will. But I need to remind you that while touring Ponyville you need to act like you never been there, right.”
Cheerilee rolled her eyes. “Yes Hoofred you told me ten times already.”
The two of them giggled before somepony was nocking on the door and was opened by Hoofred using his magic. The stallion entered the room and said.
“We will be arriving at Ponyville in thirty minutes.”
*******************
Back in Ponyville the CMC were at their club house trying to get their cutie marks…again.
“Alright yal, what about Cutie Mark Crusaders Fire Fighters.” Applebloom suggested.
“I doubt that any of the grown ups would let us.” Sweetie Belle said in a bored tone.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders kept thinking of ideas till they heard a nocking on their door and then an orange colored mare came in.
“Hey yal girls, it’s almost time till our visitor comes.” Applejack said with her country ascent. “So you better get going.”
The three fillies sighed and got up leaving their clubhouse when Scootaloo asked.
“Do we have to?” Scootaloo wined. “It’s just some pony from Canterlot.”
Sweetie Belle stopped and answered. “She isn’t just some mare; she’s a really rich pony that make things, like your scooter see.” Sweetie Belle pointed her hoof at Scootaloo’s scooter were it read ‘Made by Maine Enterprises.’
“Sweetie Belle is right, plus she’s coming to donate to the school.” Applebloom said.
Scootaloo looked at both of them and said. “Why should we care?” Scootaloo looked to the ground. “It’s not like we go there anymore.”
The three fillies were silent for a moment till Applebloom broke it. “We better get going.” The fillies began walking again to meet with everypony at the train station.
At the train station ponies were waiting while Mayor Mare was preparing for her speech when Cheerilee comes. There were short conversations between the ponies till a minted colored mare jumped out and yelled.
“Look its coming!”
Cheerilee’s private train was seen coming to a stop. When the train came to a complete stop at the station, and then the door to the passenger cart opened that revealed a white earth pony mare with a golden mane stepping out. Then Mayor Mare gave her speech.
“Fillies and gentercolts, I’m proud to introduce Cheerilee Maine, owner of Maine Enterprises.”
Everypony applaud the white mare all except for three mares that are still unsure if she’s Ponyvilles old teacher. Cheerilee then trotted up to the microphone Mayor Mare was speaking into.
“Thank you Mayor Mare and thank you Ponyville for your greetings, it’s good to see such nice ponies in this town.” Cheerilee then looked at the main six and said. “It’s also an honor meeting the Elements of Harmony.”
Twilight then trotted to the microphone while Fluttershy and Pickiepie stood in the crowd with Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity that wore blank faces. Cheerilee kindly moved to the side to let Twilight speak.
“It’s also an honor meeting the owner of Maine Enterprises, especially in a middle class town like this.”
Cheerilee smiled and responded. “I knew this town from my child hood friend that lived here.” Cheerilee looked around. “But I never actually have been here.”
“Who’s your friend? Pickiepie might know her.” Twilight asked.
Cheerilee looked at the crowd for a second before whispering. “It’s a little private, but I’ll tell you and your friends later.” Twilight had a questionable look and was about to ask another question till Cheerilee spoke again. “But first I’ll like to have a tour of the town.”
After a moment the crowd of ponies dispersed and the main six and the CMC were know showing both Cheerilee and Hoofred around Ponyville. Unknown to them Cheerilee remembers everything when she used to lived here. She remembered the Sweet Apple Acres, the Ponyville water tower and many other things but there was something she really wanted to see, the thing she wanted to see the most was her old school house. But like Hoofred said she needs to pretend that she’s new and has to wait.
*******************
The group of Ponies then went into Sugar Cube Corner for a bite to eat. There Mr. and Mrs. Cake baked a fresh strawberry pie for Cheerilee… before Pickiepie ate it in one bite. “Pickiepie! That was for Cheerilee.” Mrs. Cake scolded Pickiepie for her sudden hunger. Cheerilee just laughed and soon the rest of the group till Newsmare popped on television for the hourly news. She was talking about a family of pet bunnies that got trapped in a burning house where they were saved by fire fighters.
“Thus the bunnies were saved by the brave stallions and mares of the Ponyville fire department this morning.” After
Newsmare finished with the fire bunnies news, Fluttershy let out a big sigh when she learned that the bunnies were safe. “And on other news does Canterlot have a vigilante.”
Everypony in the Sugar Cube Corner turned there heads to see the news on this vigilante. What they saw shocked them because they saw the same mare as before. Then Applejack finally said.
“That’s Mare Do Well, how could she exist.” Applejack then turned her head from the TV to her friends. “We we’re Mare Do Well for a while to teach Rainbow Dash a lesson.”
Rainbow was going to argue about what Applejack said till Newsmare spoke again. “This is the short video of the vigilante known as Mare Do Well attacking armed criminals and a corrupted cop.
Then a video popped up showing a group of ponies smuggling stuffed animals till the lights blew out. Three ponies split up and after ten minutes there was smoke surrounding the group and then Mare Do Well appeared. The video then showed Mare Do Well attacking the criminals and nocking them out and then showed her going through a car window then grabbing the cop before she could escape. Then a police car showed up, when it did Mare Do Well used her grappling devise to get away.
After the video Rarity looked at her friends and asked. “I don’t remember any of you beating up criminals?”
“Yeah you, girls only saved ponies from disasters at day time.” Rainbow Dash said. “But this Mare Do Well seemed to beat up criminals at night.”
Newsmare popped on the screen again. “The criminals are now in custardy and the corrupted cop in questioning. Then the chief of police and the captain of the Royal guard had a live meeting to announce about the vigilante this morning.”
Then a video popped up showing the chief of Canterlot police force; Golden Badge, and the Captain of the Royal guard; Shining Armor.
“I don’t care what this ‘Mare Do Well’ did and I don’t care what people think of her.” Golden Badge spoke from a microphone while Shining was standing beside the chief and did not spoke. “I will tell you that I will not allow a vigilante to run around in my city, and that’s why I am placing an arrest order on Mare Do Well.”
Newsmare came up again and said. “If anypony see’s this vigilante, please report her to the authorities. This is your local Newsmare with your news.”
The group of friends was stunned by what News mare said. It was quiet for a moment till Applejack broke it.
“By golly, I never was this shocked since the time when we saw the news about Cheerilee’s escape.”
Rarity got up and said. “Applejack, don’t think this could top the news about Cheerilee.” Rarity paused for a moment till Cheerilee spoke.
“Oh that reminds me can I visit the former school teacher’s house?”
Everypony was all stunned of what the multi billion bit mare just asked for, the news from the TV was like a spec of dust compared of what just happened.
“Why in heavens would you want to go too… that place?” Rarity asked with some degust in her voice.
Cheerilee hesitated for second before answering. “I’ll tell you all when we get there.” The six mares looked at each other and then Twilight answered for them.
“Alright, but we expect an answer when we get there.”
*******************
The main six including the CMC were guiding the two visiting ponies to the Cheerilee’s old house. Cheerilee noticed something; the three fillies were behind her looking at her. She knew this because one part of her training was to… sense ponies starring at her.
Cheerilee slowed down a bit to match the fillies pace and asked. “So how is school? Do you still have fun there?”
The three fillies looked at each other then at the six mares before Applebloom answered. “We don’t go to school anymore.”
Cheerilee was beyond shock when hearing Applebloom. The CMC have always loved school and yes they had some difficulties but they would never trade it for the world. She was going to asked why but Sweetie Belle spoke.
“Miss Cold Ruler saw that we weren’t doing so well in school, so she…” Before Sweetie Belle could finish, Scootaloo finished for her.
“So she expelled us. She didn’t even give us a second chance.”
“That’s because she kept giving hard work for us, and she never helped any of us.” Applebloom snarled about the new teacher. “That teacher isn’t at all like Cheerilee.”
Cheerilee now noticed that the three fillies were looking down, so she asked a more comforting question. “What was she like?”
Then the three fillies put up smiles, remembering the happy memories of Cheerilee.
“She was the greatest teacher we could hope for.” Scootaloo said.
“She didn’t give any of us hard work to do. And the times she did.” Applebloom said.
“She always helped us doing our work.” Sweetie Belle said.
Then the smiles on the fillies faces disappeared, then they are spoke the same sentence.
“Until she was taken away.”
Cheerilee was shocked about the CMC after what they said. ‘They miss me?’ Cheerilee questioned in her head, and then she thought about how Ponyville could hire that kind of teacher to replace her. She then stopped for a moment to comfort the three fillies.
“It’s alright my sweet fillies; everything will turn out good in the end.”
The fillies lifted there heads and smiled of what she said, but when Cheerilee turned around the fillies remember something some time ago.
*******************
Eight months ago…
Cheerilee was trotting out side watching her students play till she saw the CMC were crying in the playground. She went to investigate to learn what happened. When she got there she saw that Diamond Tiara was insulting them again.
Cheerilee gave Diamond Tiara a look means ‘Go now.’ Diamond Tiara left and then Cheerilee then looked at the CMC with a worried look and asked.
“Girls what happen?”
They looked at each other then Sweetie Belle answered. “Diamond Tiara told us that our families think we’re useless and that they didn’t want us because we don’t have a talent.” Sweetie Belle looked at Cheerilee with a sad look. “Do you think we’re useless?”
Cheerilee smiled and answered. “Of course not, in fact I think you are the most useful fillies I ever know.” Then Cheerilee remembered a funny memory from not to long ago. “Who were the fillies that tried to get me a special somepony on Hearts and Hoofs day?”
The three fillies smiled after hearing Cheerilee’s comforting voice then hugged her and they all said.
“Thank you.”
Cheerilee couldn’t help to hug back and said one more thing.
“It’s alright my sweet fillies; everything will turn out good in the end.”
*******************
The three fillies looked at the white mare, she may not look like her but they had a filling of who she really is. ‘It’s Cheerilee!’ The three fillies shouted in their heads. But before they could talk to her, their sisters and sister like figure came and stopped them from approaching any further. The fillies wondered why till Applejack spoke.
“Sorry girls, but we can’t let you go to… her place.”
The CMC sighed because they had no choice but to stay back till the grown up ponies said they could.
*******************
After telling the three fillies to stay, the three mares met up with the rest of the group at Cheerilee’s old house. The group entered the house with Cheerilee and Hoofred.
Cheerilee went around the living room and took it all in. ‘This was my home sweet home.’ Cheerilee thought, even though she been here when she left the League of shadows she still can’t get rid of the filling of her old home. After a while Twilight trotted up to her and asked.
“Ok now can you tell us why you wanted to come here?”
Cheerilee looked at the group of mares and used her false answer. Remember I told you that my friend told me about this place and… well… my child hood friend is Cheerilee.”
All six mares were shocked learning that she is friends with the former teacher. It was quiet till Rarity spoke.
“But how in heavens did you two meet if you use to work at Maine Manor.”
Cheerilee was about to answer till Hoofred answered for her. “Along time ago, Cheerilee’s family use to have connections to the Maine family, so she and her mother got to visit Maine Manor once or twice a year.” Hoofred then looked at Cheerilee and continued. “And when the Mistress, when she was still Feather Dust, she played with your Cheerilee back then.”
Cheerilee put up a grin and said. “She is my best friend.” Cheerilee meant it to Feather Dust; she loved the times she and her played together every time they met. The six mares looked at each other before Rainbow asked.
“Don’t you mean ‘was’ your best friend?”
Cheerilee now wore a serious face and answered. “No, she is still my best friend.” The other mares looked at her wearing faces saying ‘why?’ “You see unlike other ponies, me and Hoofred believed that she was innocent for the crime she didn’t commit.”
Rarity stepped forward and asked. “Then why did she paint that… image on Sweetie Belle?” Rarity was almost muzzle to muzzle too the Cheerilee till Fluttershy pushed her back, then Cheerilee answered Rarity’s question with multiple questions.
“How do you know that she did it? How do you now if somepony else did?” Cheerilee rouse her voice talking to Rarity. “I known Cheerilee since both of us we’re fillies, and I know she would never do something like this!”
“Everypony please com down!”
Twilight shouted silencing everypony for a few seconds when Rarity spoke again. “I’m sorry Mistress, I didn’t mean to offend, it just…” Rarity was about to finish till Cheerilee interrupted her.
“It’s alright; I would have reacted the same way and sorry for my out burst as well.”
The two white mares smiled for a bit till Hoofred check the time on his watch. “Oh dear, Mistress Cheerilee the day is ending so we should get to the school house.”
*******************
Cheerilee and the rest of the mares left the old home and then trotted to the school house with the CMC.
Cheerilee finally saw it… the place she use to teach. Seeing it nearly made her run towards it and hug it. But she needed to look professional in front of all the ponies around her. She then saw Cold Ruler starring at her with cold eyes. Cheerilee walked up to her and asked.
“May I see the inside of the school?”
The new school mare starred at her for a second before saying. “Sure as long I am getting paid for this darn job. I hate foals.” Cheerilee was shock on what the mare just said and thought. ‘They were right, she isn’t like me.’ When Cheerilee worked here she never cared about the bits she only wanted to teach her students and have fun with them. Cheerilee thought about this till Cold Ruler said. “Well what are you waiting for?”
Cheerilee shook her head and went inside, but what she found in there shocked her more. The school didn’t look at all what it used to be, the toys and art supplies were gone, the fun easy to read books were replaced with long hard books that were not suitable for fillies there ages. She went to the chalk board and saw that the time schedule had also changed, recess been cut short, school was longer. Cheerilee couldn’t believe what she saw and thought. ‘How could Ponyville hire a mare like this as the new teacher?’ Cheerilee wanted to buck the teacher into the next weekend for what she did but she knew it would cause more harm then good. So the white mare walked out and gave the donation check for the school and left to the train station.
*******************
At the train station Cheerilee was waving goodbye’s to the ponies of the town till she noticed Twilight getting ready to board another train while her friends and the CMC were waving her goodbyes. She went over and asked.
“Twilight? Where are you going?”
The purple looked at Cheerilee then answered. “Oh I’m going to Canterlot to help Warm Heart in an investigation.”
“And we’re here to say goodbyes and good lucks to her.” Applejack said. “Kind of wish we could go with her.”
Cheerilee thought of something then put up a smile and looked at the six mares and the three fillies and asked.
“What about all of you come to Canterlot with me?”
Twilight looked at her friends to see that they wanted to go including the CMC. She thought about till her friends and the three fillies all said the same answer at the same time.
“OF COURSE!”