Isn’t it ironic how the one day I stay extra late at Twilight’s happens to be the night before my first day of school in Ponyville? Ha, it’s so funny…so funny.
“Hi there, my name is Miss Cheerilee. Welcome to Ponyville! What’s your name?”
This is my teacher. She’s so freakishly nice. I can’t tell if she’s really happy I’m here or is just doing what she does every day, slowly sounding less sincere.
I kind of mumble “My name is Thorn,” and Miss Cheerilee says something to that I don’t listen to and I follow my teacher into the schoolhouse, yawning. Inside it looks like pretty much everypony is already there. I see my new friends, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, wave to me. I wave back.
“Class, we have a new student I’d like you all to meet.” Miss Cheerilee beckons me to the front of the class. Where all bad things happen.
“This is Thorn. He just moved here a couple of days ago. Please make him feel welcome. Thorn, would you like to tell the class anything about yourself?”
Why yes, yes I would. How about a warning to the poor foals who get in the wrong place at the wrong time? How about the quiet little ponies like me, unassuming until they come into my range of vision, try to befriend me, and just get burned? Oh, Celestia, please keep them away from me…
I mumble “No,” and Miss Cheerilee directs me to an empty desk. I go to it without looking at the ponies around me. I look up and thought I saw Scootaloo, except she’s a blue earth pony.
“Hi, my name’s Archer. Nice to meet you, Thorn!” She also has a cutie mark.
“Hi,” Being at a loss of other interesting things to say, I glance at the pony on my other side. I thought it was Sweetie Belle, but she has a golden mane and teal coat.
“Hi there! I’m Sun Glimmer! I’m so excited to meet you, Thorn.”
What is wrong with all these fillies?
From in front of me, a light pink filly with a purple and white mane turns around and looks at me. She considers me thoughtfully for a few seconds before giving me her evaluation.
“You’re a weird color.” Then she turns back around. I don’t know, just something about that moment, and my mood right now, I just…
There is a pause, and then I just laugh. I found the bully pony! I found her! Yay!
Archer leans over to me and whispers real secret “That’s Diamond Tiara. She’s just jealous because she knows you’re going to get more attention than her for the next few days. But if you become popular, she’ll totally try and be your best friend, pretending she was excited to see you from the start.”
“So…is her super special talent fortune telling?” I whisper back.
“I don’t think she has a talent. I mean, she’s got a cutie mark and all, but personally I think it’s a fake. I mean, what special talent could be a tiara? I mean, is she like really good at being a princess or something? She’s not even an alicorn!” Suddenly, Archer glances suspiciously over at Diamond Tiara to make sure she isn’t listening. Then she looks back at me.
“Hey, just between us, I’ve been trying to expose Diamond Tiara’s fake cutie mark for weeks now. I haven’t had much luck so far. Maybe, if we worked together—with my knowledge of Diamond Tiara and your unicorn magic—we could finally show all of Ponyville what a hypocrite she is!” Archer’s tone had crawled slightly above a whisper then, and she quickly looked around to make sure no one had heard her. No one seems to be paying attention to her. In fact, it almost seemed like they’re all avoiding looking at her. Suddenly, I realize this filly probably doesn’t have any friends.
Now, first thing you think about these kinds of things is how sad and pathetic it is. And more than anyone else, I should be very sympathetic towards this pony.
“I don’t have unicorn magic…” I mumble apologetically. Archer looks confused.
“But you’re a unicorn…”
At that moment, Miss Cheerilee calls class to order.
---
Later, at recess, I get to talk to my friends.
“Thorn, I hear your lessons with Twilight are going really well.” Sweetie Belle says. I hadn’t talked to my friends since I started training with Twilight.
“How did you know?” I ask.
“My big sister Rarity told me.” Sweetie Belle replies promptly.
“How many others know about my problem?”
“Oh, just Twilight and Rarity. Don’t worry, Thorn. I made sure they wouldn’t tell anypony.”
Suddenly Apple Bloom seems very concerned about something and pokes Sweetie Belle. She whispers something in her ear very urgently.
“Don’t worry, Apple Bloom. After last time, Rarity doesn’t gossip anymore.” Sweetie Belle says confidently.
“What?” I say, hoping Apple Bloom didn’t reveal a new problem.
“It wasn’t that long ago, so everypony who was there at the time should remember it.” Apple Bloom begins.
“We had this idea a while back to make a gossip column in the school paper. It started out harmless, but then we started hurting everypony’s feelings, so we had to stop.” Scootaloo explains.
“Where does Rarity come into this?” I ask.
“Oh, well before we insulted her, she loved the gossip column.” Sweetie Belle finishes.
“You don’t think she’d go back--” I begin.
“Stop worrying, Thorn. Your friends have you covered. Nopony’s going to find out.” Apple Bloom says rather loudly. Without warning, the fear that had built up finally breaks into jagged prongs of static. They fly in all directions. My friends duck and try to hide. Sweetie Belle didn’t get away fast enough and one catches her leg and she cries out. I wince when I hear that short, sharp cry and run over to her.
“I’m so sorry Sweetie Belle! I didn’t mean to hurt you! Are you okay? I’m so sorry!” I don’t even realize Sweetie Belle is trying to talk to me until I run out of air.
“Thorn, it’s okay. I’m not going to hate you because you accidently send out sparks from your horn.” She says.
I sigh and hang my head. “You’re very tolerant, Sweetie Belle. Much more tolerant than anypony else.”
---
Thorn’s words got Sweetie Belle really confused. Who could possibly mistake an accidental attack for an intentional one? Especially after countless apologies. What was wrong with the ponies at Thorn’s old school?
It was then that Sweetie Belle made an intriguing observation.
“Thorn, you’re right. We don’t know you at all.” In an instant, Thorn’s face drops as if all hope is gone. Quickly, Sweetie Belle finishes her thought. “But we want to learn. Then maybe we can understand you better.”