Daienu

by Tatsurou

First Day

First Day

Yaazi walked slowly by her mother's side, saddlebags across her back, glancing around nervously as several ponies stared towards her with a mixture of hostility and fear. "Mom, are you sure I have to go to this school?"

Fluttershy smiled at her daughter. "Yes, Yaazi, I'm sure. Believe me, once you've been there for a time, you'll love it. School was the best time of my life."

Yaazi knew her mother was lying. She could feel her mother's emotions, and Fluttershy had feared each new day of school with an incredible dread. "But...but what if everyone hates me?" she asked nervously.

Fluttershy shook her head. "Why would they possibly hate you, Yaazi?"

"Well..." Yaazi pointed with her nose towards some of the ponies glaring at her. "What about them?"

Fluttershy glanced over. "Them? Oh, they don't hate you, not at all. They hate your father."

"What?" Yaazi asked, shocked. "Why could anyone possibly hate Daddy?"

Fluttershy giggled. "Because he's got my feather."

Yaazi knew what Fluttershy meant. She'd seen the yellow primary feather her father wore behind his ear. "So...they hate Daddy because he's got you? They're jealous?"

"Exactly," Fluttershy replied. "At least, that's what my friends tell me. I don't really know what's so special about me for everyone to be jealous over, but... well, there it is." She smiled as she changed the subject. "Besides, you're in Dinky's class. You want to spend time with her, right?"

Yaazi perked up. She'd forgotten that she'd be in the same class as Dinky. "True. But...couldn't Daddy teach me at home?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "While your father knows a lot, he can't teach you everything you need to know. And besides, part of going to school is making friends, and you need to do that."

Yaazi nodded. "Okay Mom."

Reaching the school, Fluttershy kneeled down and embraced Yaazi. "Have a good day at school, Yaazi. Be a good girl for Mommy, okay?"

Yaazi nodded. "I will. Should I be a good girl for Daddy, too?"

"Only if it doesn't involve blowing anything up."

Yaazi laughed. "Okay Mom. I love you."

"Love you, too, Yaazi." As Fluttershy released her daughter, she stood up. "Have a good first day!" She turned and headed back towards her cottage.

With a smile on her face, Yaazi walked happily onto the school grounds. However, her joy quickly depleted as she felt the hostile gazes directed her way. She glanced down at herself. She had thought it better to come to school in her Changeling form so as not to hide anything, but she was beginning to think it was a bad idea. She hurried onto the campus, keeping her eyes peeled to spot Dinky and trying to avoid anyone else, but found herself bumping into a bright pink pony.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" the pink pony cried out.

"I'm sorry!" Yaazi said quickly, backing up.

The pink pony glared at her. "Who let the bug into the school?" she said acidly.

"Bug?" Yaazi asked, confused. "What bug?"

"I'm talking about you, freak!" the pony said, her voice full of venom.

Yaazi wilted back, the pony's hate almost toxic to her system. "I...I'm not a freak..." she said quietly, glad that she couldn't cry as a Changeling.

The pink pony smirked at her. "Why don't you go back where you came from, bug eyes!" She swung her hoof at Yaazi.

Yaazi flinched back away from the incoming hoof.

"Leave her alone, Diamond Tiara."

Yaazi opened her eyes. The pink pony's hoof was held fast in a pale yellow aura. Turning, Yaazi saw Dinky glaring at the pony, her horn surrounded by an aura of the same color.

Snarling, Diamond Tiara yanked her hoof out of Dinky's magical grip. "Come on, Silver. Let's leave the freaks and Blank Flanks together, like they deserve." She turned resolutely away, followed by a grey filly as they left with their noses in the air.

Dinky ran forward. "Are you alright, Yaazi? She didn't touch you, did she?"

Yaazi shook her head. "No, she didn't. Thanks Dinky."

Dinky breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

Yaazi looked confused. "I don't think she was strong enough to hurt me too much...physically, anyway."

"Not just that," Dinky said. "I don't want your Dad brought up on murder charges!"

Yaazi and Dinky shared a laugh, knowing how protective of Yaazi her father was.

Dinky smiled. "Come on, we need to get to class."

"Is Miss Cheerilee our teacher?" Yaazi asked. She remembered the mare from when she'd come to test her aptitude, and had a good impression of her.

Dinky shook her head. "No. Miss Cheerilee teaches the higher classes. Don't worry, I think you'll like our teacher. She's a bit strict, but she cares."

Yaazi nodded, following Dinky into the classroom as the bell rang.

"Excuse me," a harsh sounding voice said. "You, the black filly with the green mane. Are you new?"

Yaazi realized she was being addressed and turned. The mare standing before her was a gold unicorn with a crimson mane, tied into a tight bun, her tail hanging straight down behind her. She was wearing half moon spectacles, and her Cutie Mark was an open book on a lectern. Her eyes were a piercing grey, and she held a ruler in her magical aura. "Well?" she said. "Speak up!"

"Y-yes!" Yaazi said quickly. "This is my first day!"

"Then come to the front of the class and introduce yourself!" she said fiercely.

Yaazi rushed to the front of the class, turning to everyone. The class was now full. "H-hello..." she said, beginning to wilt under the pressure.

The teacher glanced down at her over her half moon spectacles. "Tell the class your name, and something about you."

Yaazi nodded. "M-my name is Yaazi. I..." She cast her mind around for something to say. "I like trains!" she blurted out, wondering what had made her say that. She covered her mouth, her mane rustling violently with her embarrassment.

Several of the students tittered their amusement. "What a weirdo," one of them commented to the pony next to her.

The teacher's eyes locked on that student. Yaazi felt a surge of such intense, tightly controlled fury emanating from the teacher that she nearly staggered to the floor. The teacher turned to Yaazi. "Why don't you tell us something about your family."

Yaazi nodded. "My Mom is Fluttershy, the animal caretaker. My Dad is Twow, the..." She faltered as she felt distaste and disgust from the filly who spoke up before.

"Great," the outspoken filly whispered to her friend. "A freak from a freak."

THWACK!

The ruler struck down on the filly's desk so fast and hard that only the magical grip kept it from snapping in half. "Did you have something to say, Miss Pearl?" the teacher asked, her eyes hard as steel.

The filly flinched back from that gaze. "No, Miss Bridle. Nothing at all."

Miss Bridle stared at Pearl for a time, then turned back to the rest of the class. "Now, as always when we have a new student, I expect all of you to make Yaazi feel welcome." The intensity of her gaze made it clear that this statement was not just an empty platitude to Miss Bridle. She turned back to Yaazi. "Why don't you take that empty seat next to Dinky Whooves, Yaazi." While her phrasing made it seem a question, her intonation made it clear it was a directive.

Yaazi nodded. "Yes, Miss Bridle." She quickly took the indicated seat, happy to be sitting next to a friend.

"Now pay attention, everypony," Miss Bridle snapped out. "Today we will be covering modern legislation and its effects on our daily lives. I expect you all to take detailed notes, as there will be a quiz before lunch."

Not sure what a quiz was, Yaazi followed Dinky's lead and paid close attention to what Miss Bridle was saying, taking detailed notes. As the clock ticked towards lunch, Miss Bridle handed out a sheet of paper with questions about what she'd lectured on. Checking from her notes, Yaazi was able to answer all of the questions.

When the bell rang, Miss Bridle spoke up. "Leave your quiz on your desk on your way out to lunch. I will collect and grade them."

Yaazi did as instructed, following Dinky out to the playground with her lunchbox. "So, what do you think of Miss Bridle?" Dinky asked.

Yaazi smiled. "I like her. She's strict, but fair. She isn't judging me, and treats me like any other student."

Dinky smiled. "She's actually new to Ponyville. She used to teach a finishing school in Canterlot, whatever that is."

Yaazi nodded. "Must be where she learned that thing with the ruler."

They sat eating together for a time. Once they finished, they got up to find something to do with the rest of their lunch break. Suddenly they heard a commotion.

"Hey! Let go of me!"

"That hurts!"

Miss Bridle walked by, dragging Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon by her magical grip on their ears. "You two will learn to behave yourselves. In case you haven't read the school rules, bullying such as verbal abuse is prohibited. I will be speaking with Miss Cheerilee regarding this, and you will both serve detention after school!" She continued to ignore their complaints as she dragged them into the school building.

Yaazi smiled at Dinky. "Okay, now I really like her."

Dinky giggled. "Me too!"

Soon after, the bell rang, and they went back into class. Miss Bridle looked down at them. "Afternoon is tactile learning, so I expect you all to exercise your creativity with the molding clay I have provided." A large lump of clay was dropped on each desk. "Those of you who have the ability to use magic, I expect you to practice your command of it in this exercise, as well. Talking with fellow students is allowed only if it relates to the project."

Yaazi leaned over. "What did she mean about the magic?" she asked Dinky.

Dinky smiled. "She means to do this." Focusing on the clay, her horn glowed as her magical grip began to reshape the clay, guided additionally with her hooves as her grip didn't hold for very long.

Nodding, Yaazi focused on her lump of clay, reshaping it into something she'd seen in her Daddy's lab.

After a time, Miss Bridle came around to look at everyone's creations. Most she passed by with only a nod or a minor compliment. She paused at Yaazi's. "And...what is this...detailed tube?"

"It's Daddy's dimensional atomizer!" she said happily. "It's something from his lab. It makes things explode."

Miss Bridle bent over to examine it closer. "Rather fine detail," she commented.

"I watched Daddy tinker with it recently, so I know it inside and out."

Miss Bridle nodded. "Well done." She levitated a gold star out of a nearby cabinet, placing it on Yaazi's desk. Yaazi was confused by the sudden surge of envy she felt from several students. Miss Bridle then went to Dinky's desk. "And...this is?"

Dinky smiled as she gestured to the highly detailed sculpture. "Mommy and Daddy wrestling!" she said happily.

Miss Bridle stared at the sculpture of the pegasus and earth pony...intertwined. "Wrestling?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"That's what Daddy said they were doing! It looked like he was winning!" Dinky smiled happily.

"...I see." Miss Bridle coughed. "An excellent sculpture, nonetheless. Tell your mother and father I wish to speak with them about it." A silver star floated out of the cabinet, setting down on Dinky's desk. Two other silver stars and a gold one already adorned her desk.

Looking closer at the gold star she had been given, Yaazi noticed it was affixed magically to her desk. She decided she'd ask Dinky about it on the way home.

The bell rang. "Be safe as you head home, everyone!" Miss Bridle called out.

Yaazi was a bit slow to gather her stuff, since she tripped a bit. As she headed out, she saw Miss Bridle watching her. "...Miss Bridle?" she asked, confused. She noticed she was now the only student in the class.

Miss Bridle looked straight at Yaazi. "You know you're very different from the other students, don't you?"

Yaazi flinched. She didn't think Miss Bridle was judging her for that. "Yes...I know."

"You know that this will cause you to face many problems in school. Problems other students won't face, or fully understand."

Yaazi nodded. "Mom and Dad talked about it a lot while discussing about me going to school."

Miss Bridle nodded. She was quiet for a moment, then spoke. "If you need someone to talk about it with at school, my door's always open." She gestured to an office door inside the classroom.

Yaazi stared disbelievingly at her, but she felt the sincerity and smiled. "Thank you, Miss Bridle." She turned to head out, passing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon as they left. Yaazi paused just beyond the door to listen.

"Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, do you understand why you are serving this detention?" Miss Bridle asked harshly.

"Yes Miss Bridle," they responded at the same time.

"Alright," Miss Bridle replied. There was the sound of chalk on the chalk board. "You will each take half the chalk board and write 'Words can hurt as much as blows' as small as you can with it still being legible."

"H-how many times?" Silver Spoon asked.

"Until the board is filled or the lesson sticks." Miss Bridle then raised her voice. "The school rules come down rather harshly on eavesdropping, as well!"

Taking the hint, Yaazi raced out of the school. However, she couldn't wait until she got to come back the next day.

Comments

[DerpTape]

Miss Bridle is my new favorite fanmade pony. Wish I had a teacher like that growing up! Tough teachers are easy to find, tough and fair, that's a goldmine!