A week later, Applejack was sitting at the table, reading the paper. Fluttershy and Trixie had gone off to Canterlot to shill their new drug there, leaving Applejack in charge of Fluttershy’s animals. Apple Bloom trotted in and sat at the table.
“Applejack, when will breakfast be ready?”
“In a minute, hon,” Applejack said while flipping a page. Big Macintosh then trotted in and sat at the table, rubbing his shoulder. Applejack smiled and flipped a page. “Still feeling the hurt from our fight?”
“Eeyup.” Granny Smith then trotted in, holding a tray in her mouth.
“Eat up, youngins! Apple Fritters, straight from the oven!” Granny said while setting the tray on the table, then sitting down herself. She then steepled her hooves. “Now, say grace, y’all.” Everypony steepled their hooves. “Apple Bloom, would you like to lead us?”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Rub a dub dub, thanks fer tha grub!” Everypony then unsteepled their hooves and reached for an apple fritter, Granny staring at Apple Bloom in shock.
“Apple Bloom! Is that any way to say grace!?”
“Good enough fer me,” Applejack said as she stuffed an apple fritter into her mouth.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed. Granny Smith shook her head and reached for an apple fritter. The Apple Family made quick work of them. Apple Bloom then got up and grabbed her saddlebags that were by the door and started to head out.
“Wait just a second, little filly,” Applejack said, causing Apple Bloom to stop in her tracks. “Aren’t you fergettin’ somethin’?”
“Uh, no?” Apple Bloom replied.
Applejack picked up her paper and shook her head. “Yes you are. Now go take it.” Apple Bloom’s head hung dejectedly as she trudged to the counter, pulled down an orange prescription bottle and fumbled around with it.
“Jeez, I can’t open this danged thing! Can you help me with this, big brother?”
Big Mac nodded. “Eeyup.” He then reached over to the bottle, plucked it out of Apple Bloom’s hooves and popped the top off with practiced ease, dumped out a pill and handed it to Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom shoved the pill in her mouth, swallowed, then trotted out the door. Granny Smith stood up.
“Well, ah gotta get some laundry done, and you best start yer chores as well.” Granny Smith then trotted out, leaving Big Macintosh and Applejack in the kitchen, the former holding the pill bottle, the latter reading her paper, flipping another page.
Big Mac stared at the bottle. “Hey, you think—”
“—nope.” Applejack kept reading. Big Mac shrugged and put the bottle back on the counter, then trotted outside. Applejack looked up from the paper at the pill bottle, then turned back to the paper, flipping another page.
Nope.
----
Sweetie Belle was devouring the pancakes her mother had made her at the kitchen table, along with her mom and dad. She was happily munching on them.
“So, Sweetie Belle,” her mom asked, “what are you learning in school?”
Sweetie Belle swallowed the piece in her mouth. “Combinatorics, mom!” Sweetie Belle’s parents each raised an eyebrow.
“And what is that again, honey?” her father asked.
“It’s hard to explain, but it has to do with counting things.” Sweetie Belle popped another piece of pancake in her mouth, chomping down on it.
“But isn’t that just regular arithmetic, dear?” her mother asked.
Sweetie Belle shook her head and swallowed. “Not really. It has more to do with counting permutations.” She then finished her pancakes and hopped off the chair, grabbed her saddlebags, headed to the counter, and grabbed the orange pill bottle. She then popped the top off with her magic, pulled out a pill, put the pill in her mouth and swallowed it.
“That’s a good girl, remembering to take your medication all by yourself!” her father said.
Sweetie Belle nodded. “That’s me!” and walked out the door. Her parents looked at each other.
“I swear, the things they’re learning in school nowadays...I can’t even keep up, Magnum!” her mother said.
Magnum chuckled. “Well, they are our future...best we prepare them for it as much as possible!” he said as he reached his hoof over to his wife’s squeezing it.
Her mother shook her head. “I just worry they’re learning too much, too soon, dear.”
“Well, I’m sure that if the school found it was too hard, they’d cut it out of the syllabus.”
“I hope you’re right, darling. I hope you’re right.”
----
Scootaloo had her saddlebags on her back and was rushing out the door.
“Wuh wuh-wuh wuh wuh wuh?” Scootaloo stopped in her tracks.
“Yes, dad, I have my things!”
“Wah wah wah-wah wah wah wah-wah?”
Scootaloo sighed. “I have my meds in my saddlebag, mom. I’ll take it at school!”
“Wuh-wuh wuh-wuh?”
Scootaloo facehooved. “I don’t need water to take it! Only foals need water!”
“Wah wah-wah!”
“Yes, mom, I’ll be careful!” Scootaloo then rushed out the door, wanting to get away from her parents. She could barely understand what they were so worried about. She was a big filly, she didn’t need them haranguing her constantly! Sighing, she began the short trot to school in peace.
----
Cheerilee trotted into the schoolhouse. “Now, now, settle—” she stared before she froze, seeing all of her pupils sitting at attention. Huh. “Well, then, before we start, how about some show and tell?” Nopony raised their hand. Cheerilee raised an eyebrow. “Well, then, what would you like to do?” A student raised his hand. “Featherweight?”
Featherweight nodded. “We would like to learn, please.” The other students nodded in agreement while Cheerilee’s jaw dropped in shock. She quickly regained her composure and smiled.
“Well, if you’d all like to learn, who am I to disappoint?”