"Now, a very important event is happening right now. Can anypony tell me what?"
Cheerilee looked over her students, most of them seemed bored to the point of falling asleep (if they hadn't already), while others seemed jittery with anticipation to leave school shortly. Of course, Cheerilee didn't blame herself for any of this, students will be students and there was nothing she could do to change that, just be as enthusiastic and kind to her students as possible.
Cheerilee spotted a white hoof sticking up near the back.
Yes Sweetie Belle?" the teacher said with a smile.
"Princess Celestia is bringing delegates over from Saddle Arabia to come to Ponyville. Rarity was so excited to ask them about the type of fashion has been raving there for her new 'Goddess of the...something' line"
"That's right, and with this occurrence, I have a new assignment for all of you."
A symphony of groans echoed out from the students.
"Now, don't worry. This simply extra credit, and while I hope that you all participate, it is strictly your choice to do so. If you choose to, your assignment will be to research, or use your prior knowledge and present ten facts about Saddle Arabia, if you can't think of any, you can always head to the Golden Oaks Library, just so long as you don't overwhelm the librarian, and with that, class dismissed!"
Even after so many yeas of teaching, it was still surprising to Cheerilee just how much chaotic joy and awe can be brought forth, simply by the speaking of those two words. Cheering with delight the children bolted out of the room, all but one.
"Ardent...?" Cheerilee called out to the sleeping colt, "Ardent, wake up. School is over."
"...nnnnnggg..." the unicorn colt groaned in his sleep.
Sighing, Cheerilee walked up and gently shook him, "Ardent, come on,"
"...M-Medi, I...I, wha-huh-where-uhh?" the colts eyes slowly blink and he slowly pulled himself up, "Huh? Is it...? Oh, jeez," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof, "Sorry Miss Cheerilee. I didn't mean to fall asleep. I was up kinda late last night doing...something."
"It's fine Ardent, I just wish you weren't making this such a reoccurring thing, try and rest up more before you come to school, okay?"
The colt smiled, "Yeah sure," slowly standing up, he half-walked, half-stumbled his way out the door, "Thanks again Miss Cheerilee, I promise this won't happen again!"
"I sure hope not," Cheerilee called back, "Otherwise I might have to start telling Medi you dream about her in my class,"
Ardent stopped dead in his tracks, a pink blush spreading across his cheeks, "How do you-...is it...do I make it that obvious?"
Cheerilee smiled, "Oh, she's probably oblivious of it, but that's cause she doesn't here you mutter in your sleep everyday like I do,"
"Hey, Miss Cheerilee," the colt wandered back further into the classroom, "If you're so good at, you know, noticing things like that, do you think she- I mean have noticed if, maybe, Medi, um...." the blush on Ardent's face was growing brighter.
Laughing, Cheerilee answered, "Well, if you weren't asleep all day, you might notice the glances she always makes in your direction, and the heart drawings on her desk."
"The...what?" Ardent's eyes suddenly grew twice their normal size, "She- at me? Really?"
"Well, now that you have knowledge, what do you plan on doing with it?" Cheerilee asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I guess I'll talk to her...maybe, I don't know, It might take me a while to work myself up to it, but, yeah I'll do it!"
"That's great! It's always nice to see two students be together, and trust me you and Medi will work out just fine."
"Th-thanks Miss Cheerilee, it's kinda strange to be hearing that from a teacher."
Ardent once again began to walk out the door, but then stopped as another thought came to him.
"Hey, Cheerilee, do you...have a 'somepony'?"
"Excuse me?" now it was the teacher's turn to be confused.
"I mean, I know your not married, but do you have a coltfriend...or marefriend?"
"Ardent, that isn't something a student asks their teacher."
"Then don't answer it as a student asking a teacher. Treat it as me, a pony, asking you, a pony, if you have a special somepony."
Cheerilee's mind traced back to a certain Hearts and Hooves day not too long ago, remembering that awkward situation with Big Macintosh and the love poison.
"No, I don't have a special somepony at the moment,"
"Well...there must be somepony you think about, right?"
"Why should I tell you it's none of your business?"
"Oi, if your going to play matchmaker with me and Med-which I have no problem with, trust me- then you have to deal with my questions as well. So, anypony you fancy?"
Suddenly, a blue mare in a purple hat and cape came to mind, Cheerilee's heart began to race.
"Nope, nopony at all," she blurted out a bit too quickly.
"Hmph," Ardent wore a smug grin on his face, "There defiantly is,"
"No there's not, what makes you say that!?"
"For one, how quick your answers are coming out," the colt now began to speak in a factual and anylitical tone, the same tone one would take if they were, for instance, explaining why the exterior angles of a polygon always equal 360 degrees, "Two, your cheeks are turning red, and three, your eyes are starting to dart around nervously. When you study romance as much as I do, you tend to notice the trends."
"So, you think there's somepony I like?" the teacher asked.
"Hmmm," the colt rubbed his chin with a hoof, then smirked. "Actually, I don't think 'like' does it justice. Maybe, 'adore' would be better? Or...loooove~" He said that last word with a flutter of his eyelashes.
"Ardent!" Cheerilee scowled, but the blush on her cheeks became even more pronounced.
"Wow! I was just kidding, but it looks like I hit it dead on," he smiled, "Soooooo...who exactly is the lucky pony?"
Cheerilee opened her mouth to retort that there was nopony, but then stopped and sighed. He already knows, what's the point?
"Trixie..." She mumbled, hardly audible.
Ardent's ear perked up, "Beg Pardon?"
"Trixie! I like a mare named Trixie! There, you happy?!" The cerise mare laid her head down in defeat.
"Well, jeez, not anymore..." Ardent's gaze suddenly became one of empathetic concern. He placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed that hard, my sincerest apologies."
"Thanks," Cheerilee smiled, "I still have to thank you, though. I probably never would have come to that kind of conclusion myself,"
The colt returned her smile, "Some ponies can't do it on there own, 'the closer you get to something, the harder it is to see it'. I can see it easily because I'm outside the event."
"Well, thanks,"
"So...when you gonna tell her?"
"When you tell Medi."
"Hm, so by tomorrow then?"
"Please, kid, like you could in one day."
"Shall we put it to a bet then? If I can't confess to Medi, I leave you alone about Trixie, if I do, you have to talk to her."
"A fun thought," Cheerilee chuckled, "But sadly, I haven't seen her in half a year, she was just traveling through town. Celestia only knows where she is now..."
Ardent became somber, "And you think you'll never see her again, huh?"
"Yeah," Cheerilee looked down, her own fate depressing her.
"Cheerilee," Ardent suddenly became very serious, "Do you love Trixie?"
"Ardent, I don't think-"
"Do you love Trixie?"
"I've only seen her once, isn't it a little bit early to-"
"Do you love Trixie?"
"Yes!" Cheerilee exclaimed, "I love her. I love her beautiful mane, and her violet eyes. I love her amazing confidence to be herself. I even her flaw, her inflated ego. I love the adorable way she talks in third person, I-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy there, filly!"
"Sorry, I got a little carried way there, huh?"
"Not at all," the student smiled.
"Cheerilee," Ardent said, "Love will always find a way, through any mountain and any ocean, Love finds a way,"
"Hmm...Ardent, how old are you?"
The colt laughed heartily, "I am but a wisestallion who is too young to be old. To answer your question, I'm currently 7."
"Well thank you," Cheerilee smiled, "I appreciate your help."
Ardent bowed his head, his black mane covering his eyes and his wings flared up, "It is my honor to assist the problems of another pony's heart."
The colt turned to leave the school.
"Oh, Ardent, one more thing."
"Hm, what is it?"
Cheerilee pointed to the young colt's flank.
Looking back, the colt noticed something new in an area that was, until recently, blank. Now upon his blue flank was a sword hilt with a heart shaped ruby for a pommel.
"Yeah," Ardent smiled, " I could get used to that,"