One year

by PonyFromSpace

2. Leap of faith

2. Leap of faith.

---

Cheerilee looked over the papers once again. Inscription form, medical records, identification. She hadn't really read the medical records, mainly because it would be strange to send a sick foal to school, wouldn't it? Last evening, a unicorn stallion had walked into her office. Burst, he called himself. A late time inscription for a new student. A VERY late time inscription. The day before school starts. Now, it was only one more hour until the lessons would start. She was comfortably waiting behind her desk till the bell would ring. Cheerilee thought about all the students she'd see again. Now, a new face would be between them. She could only hope Diamond Tiara wouldn't target him. No matter how many lectures that filly got, Cheerilee had never been able to convince her to change. The magenta mare sighed. She memorised the data.

Name: Early Stride
Gender: Male
Tribe: Pegasus
...

The sound of the school bell made her flip her ears. Time to go. She put the papers in her saddlebag and carried it through the hallways. At first, her hoofsteps echoed through the building. By the time she had reached the classroom, the sounds were being overruled by the cries, moans, laughter and chatter of dozens of foals. All tribes, colours, genders. She had to slow down a bit as the children sauntered in the way. Inside the classroom, they took place at their benches. Cheerilee carefully put down her bag next to the desk. The sounds of chatter hadn't died, however. It was like the buzzing of thousands of angry bees.

"Silent everypony, playtime is over," Cheerilee declared.
The tattering continued. Only a few foals had listened to her remark. The new colt immediately caught her attention. Red mane, covering his left eye. Beige coat. Where were his wings? He was sitting on the farthest bench.
"Silence," she demanded again.
This time, a silence ruled the room.
"Okay, welcome to the new school year!" Cheerilee continued, "I know we had some long summer holidays, but now is a time for learning."
Half the class groaned.
"Now now, learning can be fun too! Aren't you ever curious about what's out there?"
The new colt in the back nodded furiously. Most pupils dropped their heads in boredom.
"Now, most of you are familiar with each other, but since we have a new student this year, we'll be using the first term for introduction, isn't that fun?"
Diamond Tiara sighed deeply.
"You can start, Diamond."
"Ugh, boooring."
Diamond Tiara walked out front. The pink earth mare elegantly swayed her mane.
"I am Diamond Tiara and I am the most important filly in town. Be ready to bow for me."
Cheerilee facehoofed.
"What? It's true!" Diamond protested.
"Just sit down," the teacher replied, her hoof still covering her forehead.

When half the class had introduced themselves, it was finally Stride's turn.
He shyly walked to the chalk board. He had trouble with crowds.
He breathed deeply before he spoke.
"Hi, I'm Early Stride. I'm new in town."
"Where did you come from?" Cheerilee asked.
Stride looked at the desk before him, unable to face the ponies in the classroom. His ears were folded.
"Manehattan."
Cheerilee turned her head towards the class.
"Does any of you have any questions for Stride? Yes Snips?"
"Have you ever seen Trixie perform in Manehattan?" Snips asked.
Stride shook his head.
"No, I haven't."
Cheerilee turned at the class again, waiting for somepony to raise their hoof.
A brown colt did so.
"Do you like video games?"
Stride nodded.
"Yes, I play them from time to time."
"Awesome!"
Now, more foals were lifting their forearms.
"Yes, Twist?"
"Do you like candy?"
"Most, but not liquorice."
Even whilst answering the questions, Stride didn't turn his eyes towards his audience. It bothered Cheerilee. Was it so hard to face a bunch of foals?
"Yes, Scootaloo?"
Stride's posture changed completely. He looked up at Scootaloo, stood straight and raised his ears.
"Have you ever ridden a scooter?"
He shook his head.
"No, I haven't."
Suddenly, Diamond Tiara joined the little question-answer game.
"Why are you a blank flank?"
She gained a murderous glance from the crusaders. Stride merely tilted his head.
"I have no idea," he replied, "Dad just says I'm just running a bit late."
Diamond laughed.
"Running late? Every 'normal' pony in here got their cutie marks already!"
Cheerilee stomped the floor to intimidate her foul mouthed student.
"That's enough."
Diamond shrugged, "I was just telling the truth!"
"The truth? You little...," Apple Bloom started.
A battle of words commenced. Ponies throwing insults at one another. The teacher desperately trying to regain the order. Stride paced back to his spot. Nopony even seemed to notice. So far for a head start.

He sat down and looked around. There was no chance this would stop any time soon. Their insults were getting nastier and nastier. He picked up his book and held it in front of his face, hiding his tears. It became harder and harder to keep his sobs silent. Soon, the colt sitting next to him noticed.
"Don't worry, Tiara's always like that," the brown colt said. It was the one that liked the video games. He hadn't been called out front to introduce himself yet.
Stride wiped away his tears and lowered his book.
"I'm Button Mash," the brown colt stuck out a hoof.
"Stride, but you already knew that," Stride replied. They shook hooves.
"So, you like video games?", Stride continued, his throat still hurting from his repressed cry.
Button grinned, "More than anything! Do you play Minecraft?"
"Uh, no, I don't know that game."
"You should come by sometime! I'll show you."
"Sure!"
After a lot of struggling, the teacher had finally calmed her students.
"Well, now that's over, let's start the lessons, shall we?" she demanded.

---

Stride sat comfortable in the shadow of a tree. He read his book. He was a quick reader. Already had he reached the third chapter. It had been hard to find a good spot to sit, though. After the fog clean-up, many puddles of mud had remained. The playground was more of a swamp now.
He enjoyed the songs of the birds above him. He slowly rocked his head to the melody. Reading and listening to the music, he gently forgot about the world around him.
He was interrupted as the birds were brutally scared off by the sound of a voice.

"Hey, Stride!" Scootaloo yelled.
Stride looked up from his book. He saw the crusaders at the other end of the playground. Sweetie Belle was waving.
Stride quickly stashed away his book in his still ripped saddlebag. He spurted over to his friends.
Scootaloo raised a hoof.
"Look out! There's a..."
SPLASH!
"... puddle."

The poor colt slid through the mud. His book sailed through the air.
His eyes grew in desperation. The princess' book.
Luckily, Sweetie Belle caught it in a green aura of unicorn magic.
Scootaloo speeded over to Stride and helped him up out of the mud. His mane was dripping and his coat was completely covered. It was also seeping out of his saddlebag.
Scoots was down to her knees in the dirt. He wanted to thank her, when she was rudely pushed from behind. She landed on top of him and with a splash, they submerged in the mixture of dirt and water.
After an unpleasant struggle to get back up, Stride cleared his ears, only to hear the laughter of two ponies. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon seemed to be having a lot of fun. Too much fun.
Laughing about his flank, he could handle. Laughing at him rolling in the dirt, he could handle. Pushing Scootaloo in a puddle of mud? Not so much. He had tried so hard not to make enemies, so hard not to get into trouble. He was sick of it and they would feel it.

He scooped a hooffull of mud from the swampy ground.
With a roar, he launched it at Diamond's laughing face.
Perfect hit. The pair was no longer that jolly.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!", Scootaloo grinned, soil goo dripping from her chin.
She quickly did the same, giving Silver Spoon a mud mask of her own.
With laughs, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle joined them, launching the mud balls of doom at their most hated bullies. Diamond sputtered as she tried to get it out of her nose.
"Oh Celestia, get it off of me!" Spoon panicked.
They were now all covered in mud.
Stride was feeling a lot better. Standing up for himself, for his friends. He felt great, until a magenta hoof grabbed his shoulder.
"Uh, hi Miss Cheerilee."

---

"This is inacceptable! Bombarding other students with mud balls. I could suspend you four for this!", the teacher raged.
"They deserved it...", Apple Bloom mumbled to herself. It wasn't really meant for the teacher to hear it. She did anyway.
"Deserved it? It doesn't matter what they said to you, nopony deserves that!"
"They pushed Scootaloo in a puddle of mud!", Stride protested.
"Then you come tell me and I'll punish them," Cheerilee remarked.
"Punish them?" Scootaloo uttered, "all you do is give lectures and it never even works!"
The magenta mare closed her eyes and sighed.
"I'll let this go for this one time," the exhausted teacher said.
Scootaloo tilted her head towards Stride. "Told you she doesn't punish," she whispered.
Cheerilee heard it but ignored it. The trouble with Diamond and Spoon had always been a huge problem. She couldn't afford to punish the wrong party here.

She turned back towards her students, still covered in dirt. They had sat through four hours of lesson in a coat of mud. She hadn't had time to lecture them before the bell rang, so they attended her desk after class. The teacher tried to use her strict expression.
"But if I catch you doing it again, you will feel the consequences! Now go."
The four foals got up and trotted over to the door.
"Not you, Stride."
The colt folded his ears. He walked back towards her desk.
He glanced at his friends for one last time.
"We'll see you at the clubhouse," Scootaloo assured him.
He nodded.

The three disappeared. Stride turned his gaze at Miss Cheerilee.
"Take a seat, Stride," her voice sweet and friendly.
A whole contrast with the previous version of the mare he had seen. She picked a few papers from her bag and laid them out on the table. She turned his identification towards him.
"There's something I don't understand," she said, as she pointed at his tribe clarification.
"Are you a pegasus?"
Stride looked down at the floor. He nodded.
Cheerilee raised a brow.
"Where are your wings?"
The red maned colt looked up at her, his eyes huge and watery.
"Amputated," he whispered.
A lump of terror formed in her throat.
"Amputated?" she stuttered.
The little colt turned the medical record towards her.
"Amputated," he repeated.

Cheerilee stared at the text in front of her. Why hadn't she read it?
It held diagrams, pictures. One foto was a magic scan. A green picture that showed his skeleton and organs. It showed stretches of muscle in the place his wings were supposed to be, pieces of tissue growing inward, suppressing his heart valves and pressing against his lungs. She didn't know what to say. Her shock only became deeper when she noticed one small sentence at the bottom.
"The subject has been found incurable and is expected to pass away approximately one year from now."
It had been signed two weeks ago.

"This... this...", she brought out.
The colt merely shook his head.
"Please, just spare your words."
"O.... okay."
"Can I go now?" he asked. He was surprsingly calm. How could a guy that little handle such a thing? Cheerilee decided she would ask his parents about this.
"Yes, yes you can", the startled mare stuttered.
He trotted over to the door. He turned his head towards her one last time.
"Oh, and, please don't tell the students."
"I... I won't..."
"Thanks."

---

Storm scrubbed and scrubbed. The mane of her son was still riddled with soil. They were in the bathroom. In a desperate attempt to clean Stride up.
"This really isn't the time to get into fights, Stride."
"I was muddy before the fight, mom."
"No, I don't mind cleaning you up, Stride, I just don't want you to make enemies."
The colt sighed and shook his head.
"They made themselves enemies, mom. There was nothing I could do about it."
"Well throwing dirt at them isn't going to help."
She lifted her little boy from the bath tub. He grasped a towel and dried himself.
His mane spiked in all directions.
"Mom? Could you shorten my mane a bit? It hurts my eye."
"Sure, Stride."
She grabbed some scissors with her mouth and carefully cut down the hair from in front of his eye. He brightened up. His whole face was visible now and Storm considered it a great improvement.
"Can I go to the clubhouse now?"
"Sure you can, my boy."
"Thanks mom!"
She smiled, "You don't have to verify everything with me, you know?"
"Just being polite," he smiled back.
He picked up his saddlebag, then dropped it and jumped back. It was ripped and dirty. Good thing he had carried the princess' book home with his mouth.
"Do you need to bring anything with you?" Storm asked.
"Not really, I just thought my bag might come in hoofy."
"I'll have it cleaned and fixed by the time you are back."
"Thanks mom! Ooh, almost forgot!"
He trotted out of the bathroom.

Stride's bedroom was now fully equipped. The wardrobe was filled with rugs and sheets. It also held some ties for special occasions. His bunny puppet lay on his bed. His ball was carefully stashed in the gap between the bed and the closet. Near the window, they had put up a desk. His joyboy and his writings were carefully placed on top. He picked up a pencil and sought a specific paper. His to-do list.

-Publish swan song
-Make friends CHECK
-Buy mom a present
-Buy dad a present
...

He paused at one topic. One he had written down primarily as a joke.
-Fall in love

It was ridiculous, really. You can't force falling in love. He didn't even have any interest in falling in love. Still, he wanted to have lived a complete life. He had once heard his mother talk to a friend. Just chitter chatter, like usual. Only one sentence had caught his ear.
"You haven't lived a full life if you've never fallen in love."
Once again, Stride pondered on whether he would erase it. Really, he had other priorities. You never know, he thought. He put away his list.

DING DONG
He trotted downstairs as his mother opened the door.
She frowned at the little orange filly on the porch.
"And who might you be?" Storm asked.
"Uh, hello ma'am. I'm Scootaloo, are you Stride's mom?"
Storm smiled and nodded.
"So you are the filly who crashed into my son yesterday?"
"Uh, well, uh yes."
Stride had reached the doorway. Scootaloo was wearing her dented helmet. She had a scooter with her. She probably had dozens of those.
"Hi Scoots," he greeted.
"Hey, Stride! Since you've never been on a scooter, I thought you might like to get a ride to Sweet Apple Acres."
"Great!"
Storm smiled again.
"Now you kids be careful. And have fun!"
Stride trotted outside. Scootaloo stood on the scooter. Her wings ready to go full speed. Stride hopped on the back of the scooter. He wrapped his forelegs around Scootaloo's waist not to fall off.
"Have fun!", Storm repeated as her son rode off.

---

This was the most fun Stride had had in a long time. He felt the wind comb through his hair, as he saw the picturesque landscape flash by in a row of molten colours. The speed divided the real world and a strange new dimension, where all sound is that of the wind and all colour is a grand pallet of joyful tones. The road had many bumps in it, and Scootaloo aimed for one specific bump that made them fly. They flew. Stride felt the sensation a pegasus was supposed to undergo. He felt the floor was far beneath him, the slightest streams of air. He felt alive. The scooter landed back on the road. Stride noticed Scootaloo's wings were buzzing at such a speed they became a blur. He wondered whether she could fly. He had never seen her fly before. He cleared his mind and gazed at the landscape again. This sure was something amazing. The only problem with high speeds is that it doesn't last very long. Stride was almost disappointed when they reached the clubhouse.

They stopped with a slide. The beautiful scenery unfolded before his eyes once again.
"You can let go now, Stride," Scootaloo remarked.
Stride quickly let go of her and hopped off of the scooter.
"There you are, you're late!" Sweetie Belle called from the tree house.
"Sorry, I had to clean up a bit. It's hard to get mud out of your wings!" Scootaloo replied.
Sweetie Belle disappeared inside.
Stride nudged Scootaloo's shoulder before she could go inside.
"What is it?"
"Thanks. I'm glad I have a friend like you."

---

"So, let's see," Apple Bloom mumbled. She was holding a list. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle sat next to her. Stride was standing opposite to them.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"We wrote a little something," Sweetie Belle said, "trials to see if you are a real crusader."
"What kind of trials?"
"You'll see."
"The first trial, is the trial of trust," Apple Bloom said formally.
"The trial of trust?"
"Yeah. To finish the trial, you must do as we say, without hesitation."
"Okay."
"Great! First, let's get you blindfolded."
Sweetie Belle bound a rag around his head, covering his eyes. He noticed it was a rag used for cleaning up paint. The smell of the products hurt his nostrils. He was pushed outside.
"Okay, somewhere in these orchards is a flag. You must find the flag to pass the trial, "Apple Bloom continued, "You can only find it by following our directions."
"Okay."

He strolled for hours.
"Right"
He went right.
"Left"
He went left.
"Lost"
They were lost.
"You're kidding me, right?" he said, still blind as to where they were.
"No," Sweetie Belle replied.
Stride lifted his blindfold.
"So we're lost?" he repeated.
Apple Bloom raised a brow.
"Not really, we just can't find the flag anymore."
Scootaloo turned her eyes.
"Well, if that isn't going to work, let's find another trial of trust!"
Sweetie Belle pondered.
"We could throw him off of the roof and catch him?"
Stride was about to claim that it was not a good idea, when Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nodded furiously.
"That's a great idea!" Apple Bloom added.

---

Stride looked down. The clubhouse wasn't very large, but it was up in a tree. The ground was far away. He felt he was losing control of his thoughts when the world started spinning.
Keep calm.
Scootaloo stood next to him. Downstairs, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were holding a large cloth to catch him in.
"So you'll catch me?" Stride repeated.
Apple Bloom spat out the cloth.
"Yeah, we'll catch ya! No probs. Trust us!"
"Okay."
Apple Bloom grabbed the cloth again.
He envisioned what it'd be like to jump. In his mind, he saw the ground coming closr. What if they didn't catch him. What if he'd die?
No, he didn't want to die.
He didn't want to die...
A tear well up in the corner of his eye.
No Stride, this is not the time, he thought to himself, you have to prove your worth as a crusader. You will not die.
You will not die. No, you will, just not now.

He looked over the edge. It felt higher than it did before.
He couldn't do it. Scootaloo raised a brow at him.
"What are you waiting for?" she asked, "we don't have endless time."
Apple Bloom spat out the cloth again.
"Maybe he needs a push?"
Scootaloo nodded, "Great idea!"
She gave him a push. Apple Bloom shouted.
"Wait! I haven't grabbed..."
WHAM!
"...the trampoline."

---

Stride bit his lip as Scootaloo carefully touched his hurt ankle.
"I'm so sorry," she uttered.
His ankle was broken, of that he was sure. Apple Bloom had gone to find her grandmother to grant first aid. Sweetie Belle was off to town to find his parents. Scootaloo had stayed here, she had brought him inside. Stride breathed slowly.
"I'm a terrible friend," Scootaloo continued. She turned her head away. She didn't feel like she could face him right now. She had pushed him off a tree house and broken his ankle.
"No you're not," he replied.
She turned her head back.
"Huh?"
"You are the best friend I've ever had, Scootaloo, and do you know why? Because you dare admit the contrary," he said.
"I broke your ankle."
"Well, uh, accidents happen?" he smiled painfully.
She smiled back at him. It was hard to believe a pony could be so forgiving.

Apple Bloom opened the door, followed by Granny Smith.
"Let's see what we've got here," the old green mare said. She walked towards Stride and pinched his ankle.
"AAAAH!!!" he screamed.
"Yep, broken," Granny Smith concluded.
Apple Bloom was worried.
"So what do we do?"
"Nothing, for now. I don't even think going to school tomorrow would be a wise thing for him to do."
Voices from outside distracted them.
"Stride!", Burst yelled as he burst through the door.
"Stride! Are you okay?"
The unicorn stallion walked over to his hurt son.
Stride just nodded.
"I'm fine, dad, just a broken ankle."
Scootaloo tilted her head. Had she heard that correctly? 'Just' a broken ankle?
"Thank Celestia," Burst whispered, "Let's get you home, shall we?"
Stride got up carefully, his broken hind leg folded against his belly. He grimaced.
"Alone again," Scootaloo heard him mumble.
He threelegged after his dad. Sweetie Belle stepped aside for the stallion.
Compassion was taking it over from Scootaloo, as she said, "Wait!"
Stride and his father turned around to look at her.
What would she say? She had no idea.
"Uh, maybe I can come with! Help with the chores, keep him company."
Stride brightened up.
Burst noticed his sons enthusiasm.
"Sure, come along," he said.

---

Comments

[Green Bird]

Good story! I'm addicted. Please make more!

[muffinator]

Dis is good

[EndlessHarmony]

you broke my son...why don't you come home with us? good story!