School isn’t something most children look forward to. It involves sitting down in one place for hours on end, listening to facts that either don’t interest you or you will never use in real life. The only reason one of them never tried to fall asleep was because of Cheerilee herself. She had an eye for those not paying attention. They often found themselves asked a tricky question and flubbering about to answer. Needless to say, it earned them a few mocking laughs. She wouldn’t let them continue more than a few seconds however. She did care about her students.
This day was different. None of the children were complaining about school. They were sitting attentive and interested. Cheerilee would normally be smiling because of this, but she knew the real reason why. They just wanted a little normalcy back. The school was one of the few places not destroyed by the nightmare forces or the dragon. It paid to be a bit of a ways from town.
Many of the chairs were empty. She sighed, ‘How many are left? I’d wager more than a third of the town’s packed up and moved on by now. Holy Celestia, if this keeps up, Ponyville might become a ghost town.’ Given everything that’s happened, she wondered if that would be a bad thing.
She pushed those thoughts aside and gave her remaining class a heartwarming smile, “Good morning, students.”
“Good morning, Miss Cheerilee.” Was their reply.
It nearly broke her heart to see them now. They didn’t have that ‘spark’ they usually did. ‘Damn nightmare. Damn dragon. Damn… just about everything.’ Her students were her life and to see them lose their enthusiasm hurt her. She would need to change that soon enough. First, however, she needed to lift their spirits with a prayer. She bowed her head and so did the students.
“Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun, thank you for giving me a mind that can know and a heart that can love. Help me to keep learning every day of my life, no matter what the subject may be. Let me be convinced that all knowledge leads to you and let me know how to find you and love you in all the things you have made. Encourage me when the studies are difficult and when I am tempted to give up. Enlighten me when my brain is slow and help me to grasp the truth held out to me. Grant me the grace to put my knowledge to use in aiding our beloved kingdom so that I may repay your benevolence. Amen.”
“Amen,” they said in turn.
“Now that I have your attention,” she pushed over a paper board. “I wanted to start this class period with something simpler.”
“Oooh, oooh!” Diamond Tiara held up her little hoof. “Is it algebra?”
Cheerilee chuckled, “No Diamond Tiara, it’s not algebra.” Most of the students sighed in relief. “No, today we’re going to be talking about cutie marks.” She moved the first sheet up and over to reveal a number of cutie marks on it.
“Ugghh,” she faintly heard Scootaloo groaning in the back, but she didn’t pay her any mind. Scootaloo was never one for studies. Normally Cheerilee reprimand her, but given what had happened, she decided to let it slide.
Cheerilee turned to her side, “Can everyone see my cutie mark?” They simply nodded, “Good. Now I didn’t always have my cutie mark. I was once just like you.” She moved up another sheet. “A blank flank.” Said picture was of her six year old self. ‘I was so adorable back then, if I do say so myself.’ “Now-”
Suddenly the door burst in, “Hold everything. The star has arrived.” A nearly white earth pony with a foppish light pink mane barged into the room. His glasses sat tilted on his face as if he was always looking down at everypony. He was suited up good and proper, like a number of business ponies Cheerilee unfortunately had to deal with over the years. Comes with Ponyville being, or rather was, a growing town.
“And you might be?” Cheerilee started to ask.
“Svengallop,” the stallion hooved her a card. She quickly put it down on her desk, trying to ignore how ‘sleezy’ this stallion sounded. “I represent Equestria’s growing star, Sweetie Belle. I’m sure you’ve heard of me.”
“Ah yes,” Cheerilee nodded. “I think she mentioned you once or twice. Is there a reason why you’re here?”
He sneered, “Sweetie Belle still wishes to attend your school. I haven’t the foggiest idea why, but she always gets what she wants.” In after him followed a little filly by the name of Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s younger sister. “Thankfully, we don’t have any tours planned any time soon so this won’t be a problem.” He turned to the filly. “However, you’re scheduled to perform a couple concerts through the month for ‘funds’ for the town.” He didn’t seem to like the idea and Cheerilee had to stop the urge to kick him out of her class.
“That sounds okay, Mr. Svengallop.” Sweetie smiled up at him and walked over to her seat.
“Now keep an eye on my star, Miss Cheerilee.” Svengallop walked off. “Remember, we can always find another teacher.”
‘Not likely,’ Cheerilee internally scoffed. Nopony would be stupid enough to accept a job in Ponyville after what had happened. If she had been smart herself, she’d have left some time ago. Looking over her students reminded her of why she stayed. “Now, Sweetie Belle, we were just going over cutie marks and-”
“You get them when you achieve your special talent,” the filly interrupted.
Cheerilee frowned, “Yes. That’s the simple version.” ‘This is going to be a long day.’
________________________________________________________
‘This is going to be a long day,’ Rumble couldn’t help but groan inwardly. He didn’t want to come today. He just wanted to stay home and get his brother to train him. ‘I can be a guard too.’ So he didn’t really pay attention to the lesson. Instead, he was focusing on drawing a few pictures of himself as a guard. This particular one was of him beating up Nightmare Moon. It wasn’t the best, but it made him feel better.
“Pfft,” he heard Scootaloo scoff beside him. “As if they’d make you a guard.”
Rumble glared at her, trying not to shiver as he saw her large saber teeth. “I so am going to be a guard. Just like my brother.”
“As if,” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Thunderlane is awesome and has a bunch of stuff that you don’t have.”
“Like what?”
“A cutie mark,” Scootaloo smirked and looked back up at the teacher.
Rumbles eyes widened. ‘I can still be a guard if I’m a blank flank, right?’ He didn’t pay much attention when Sweetie Belle took her seat next to him. He was honestly glad she had that seat. It could have been Silver Spoon. She was annoying when sitting behind him. He didn’t need her beside him.
“Now as Sweetie Belle said,” Cheerilee began again. “A cutie mark appears when you find your special talent.” She moved up another sheet to reveal a teenage version of herself wearing baggy clothing, frazzled hair, and braces.
Some of the students started to laugh, “Looks like a fashion trainwreck.” Silver Spoon couldn’t help but comment loud enough for Scootaloo and a few students to hear.
Cheerilee rolled her eyes with a smile, “Yes I know, but that’s what everyone was wearing back then. Every single cutie mark has a different meaning to them. The flowers of my cutie mark represent my wish to see my students bloom and grow as they learn, while the smiles represent the cheer I wish to give them. A cutie mark will appear when you discover you’re special talent and not a moment before. They can’t be forced, whether by complaining, wishing, or even magical means. A cutie mark requires a specific spark that is tied to everypony's inner magic. No two ponies share the same spark, however. They will come when they come and it’s up to you to go out there and find them.”
Scootaloo raised her hoof, “Miss Cheerilee, I have a question.”
“What is it, Scootaloo?”
“If you don’t have a cutie mark, are you really good at anything?” Scootaloo briefly glanced at Rumble. Said colt lowered his ears in shame. Scootaloo had gotten hers not long ago.
“Well, not exactly.” Cheerilee said. “You can be good at a lot of things that aren’t privy to your cutie mark.”
“But if you don’t have it, you can’t be as good as others right?”
Cheerilee frowned, “No, you can’t.” Some of the students started to murmur to themselves and others. “But listen, a pony's cutie mark is tied to their true passion and talents. Everypony gets them and you can enjoy yourself in the meantime.”
“Does that mean you won’t get some jobs if you’re a blank flank?” Scootaloo asked.
“Some jobs do require certain skills, so that varies.”
Scootaloo smirked and looked over at Rumble. While Cheerilee tried to get the class back on track, Rumble lost himself in thought. ‘So they might not take me if I’m a blank flank? I might not get to be a guard?’ A cold dread filled his being. ‘But Cheerilee said that only some jobs would do that… But who would want somepony to watch over them if they don’t even have a special talent? I can’t be as awesome as I can be.’ He looked down at his drawing. He knew he had to do something. He was going to be a guard, no matter what. Glancing down at his bare flank, he frowned, ‘I wish I knew my talent though.’