Chapter XVIII: School
My magic lessons... didn't last as long as I had hoped. After being given further instruction, I was able to manipulate the 'telekinesis spell' more effectively beyond just lifting, to the point where I was able to move and rotate objects. Sadly, the lessons had to end due to the exertion from using my magic leaving me too drained to continue. Even so, I was fair to Twilight in regards to our deal, where I provided one word in my language of her choosing. Oddly, she asked for me to teach her how to say friend. It took me a moment to recall the word, but not due to recent disuse. Rather, it was due to me barely using the word before I came here. You don't make many friends in my former line of work, but you sure do end up cursing like crazy.
After fighting the temptation to instead teach Twilight a curse word for my amusement, I ended up seeing her trying to parrot the word, only for her to fail miserably. At the rate she was going, I wouldn't be surprised if her tongue ended up in knots. Eventually, I had to take my leave since it was close to dinner time, and I didn't want to have Pinkie search the entire town for me, which would probably end with her popping out of some bizarre place and scaring me. Twilight, however, chose to accompany me home, mostly to get some more practice on that word to my annoyance, though she did bring some books on basic reading for foals to help me learn their written words. While today ended with some success for me, the next day didn't greet me with the same fortune in the morning.
"You're so gonna love where we're going Aether!" Pinkie said, as I sat on her back while she bounced through the town, while I was wearing my saddlebags that were stuffed with books, papers, and an object they called a pencil.
"How do you know? I do not even know where we are going."
"It's a surprise, silly."
"Remember the last surprise Pinkie?" My question got her to stop, though she stopped in midair which gave caused my left eye to twitch at the impossibility. Even after a month of living with her, my brain still hurt whenever she did something completely illogical.
"Oh don't worry Aether, it's not that kind of surprise," Pinkie said as she resumed her bouncing, to my brain's relief. Eventually we came to a building in some clearing, where I saw some fillies roaming around outside, but oddly few adults... wait a minute.
Sadly before I could get my train of thought going, Pinkie went around the side of the building and entered a side entrance into some sort of office from the looks of things. Sitting on a desk was a magenta coated mare. Before her desk were a couple stools, where Pinkie dropped me on one before taking a seat herself.
"Good morning, Pinkie. I take it that this is Aether," the mare said before she turned her attention towards me. "Hello there, Aether. My name is Cheerilee. Do you know why you are here?" she said slowly. Why most new ponies always go slow when they first met me?
"Do not talk slow, I can figure out words that I know fine, just not the words I have not learned yet. Also, I do not know why I am here," I deadpanned, causing Cheerliee to blush in embarrassment.
"Well, you're here because Pinkie Pie has enrolled you into the morning class." Receiving my tilted head of confusion as a response, she continued, "You're going to school now so you can receive an education, and I'm going to be your teacher." Now after hearing that, I was finally able to put two and two together as my eyes widened from the realization. Now I knew why I was here, and it was not an idea that I wished to entertain.
"No, I do not want to go to school," I flatly said, as I looked at Pinkie with pleading eyes. Spending time with the Crusaders was bad enough. School would probably just be worse in my opinion. Desperate times calls for desperate measures.
"You're a silly filly, Aether. You spend all your time inside reading and learning and now you don't want to go to school. If you don’t come here, then where you can learn?"
"Pinkie's right Aether. You need a balanced education as well as interaction with those of your own age," Cheerilee said. Looks like there's no way of getting out of this... fuck.
After watching Pinkie Pie sign some paperwork (which may be the most serious thing I'll ever see her do), she waved goodbye before bouncing off to go back to her job at the bakery. After the entire class was assembled, my introduction was made before all the foals in the class, who stared at me in a... well, very creepy way. However, as I stared them down, I noticed something off about the class. Hmmm... just what is it that's bothering me? Let me see... brown filly, blue filly, light blue colt, yellow filly, grey fil- WAIT! Filly, filly, colt, filly, filly, filly, filly, colt, filly... what the fuck‽ Three-quarters of the class are females! That... actually explains a bit, if this is a gender ratio standard or the class is a fluke... got to ask about this lat- My train of thoughts was interrupted by Cheerilee nudging me with her hoof.
"Aether, go ahead and introduce yourself," she said as she gave me a supportive smile.
Releasing a sigh, I looked at the class as calmly as I can as I said, "Hello, my name is Aether Aura. I came to this town over a month ago, and I use to speak different... words... so I do not talk so good with your words. I live with the Cakes and Pinkie Pie, and it is... nice to meet you all." I was never one for speeches. To my misfortune, the moment the foals learned that I use to speak a different language, the floodgates broke as a rush of questions came at me.
"What language do you speak?"
"What's it like learning Equestrian?"
"Do you speak other languages? How many do you know?"
"Why did you speak a different language in the first place?"
"Why don't you know Equestrian?"
"Where did you come from?"
As the barrage of questions came at me, I simply folded my ears against my head as I gritted my teeth. Fortunately Cheerilee came to my rescue when she said, "Class, class! Calm down!" As the foals began to quiet down, Cheerilee continued, "Now I know you're all excited to ask Aether all those questions since her native language isn't Equestrian, asking her all those questions at once is overwhelming her, and she may not understand what you are asking of her in the first place. So save your questions for recess and only if Aether wants to answer them."
With that, some of the foals let out an 'aw' as Cheerilee turned towards me. "Now Aether, it's time for you to take a seat so we can begin class."
Giving her a nod, I walked down an aisle, only to see that the brat Diamond Tiara and her accomplice glaring at me. I gave them a stern glare back, but not my Death Glare. I knew the odds of it working again were low, and I didn't want to expose the rest of the foals to that quite yet. Walking past the brats, two unicorn colts came into my view, and compared to the rest of the foals here, they looked... well... stupid. The tall one was looking at me with a rather blank look in his eyes, while the short chubby one was smiling at me, though his eyes weren't much brighter than his companion's. Walking past them quickly to avoid as much interaction with them as possible, I finally took a seat in the back. It wasn't close to the two colts, thankfully, but it was close to Sweetie Belle, who turned to give me a small wave and a smile, which I half-heartedly returned.
With me properly seated, the class finally began, with Cheerilee starting with some writing on the chalkboard. After watching for a while, I saw that she was teaching them something related to writing. Sadly for me, I didn't understand a single thing. One thing I did learn was how foals normally wrote... they had their pencils in their mouths! After silently gagging at the sight, I noticed that the filly over to my side was writing quite well, causing me to wonder that maybe they use their mouths because it made writing easier than if they used their hooves. Still, fat chance of me putting a pencil in my mouth. Instead, I checked out the books in my bag, pulling out the one that looked the simplest to me as I opened it on my desk to attempt to read it.
However, before I could even get started, I heard a voice said, "Miss Cheerilee! Aether isn't doing her classwork!" Looking up, I spotted Diamond sneering at me as Cheerilee looked at me.
"Well, normally a foal should be doing their classwork, but I've been told that Aether doesn't know how to read and write yet in our language, but..." Cheerilee said before she stopped when she saw that I had a book open. Walking over to my desk, she looked down to see what I was reading, which caused her to smile as she said, "Oh my, you're trying to learn how to read, Aether! That's smart of you to try to do something related to the subject!" Giving her a dumbfounded nod, I watched as she returned to the front of the class, all the while Diamond glared at me due to her failed attempt to get me into trouble. In response, I simply gave her a smile before returning my attention to my book.
After a hour, the tone of the teacher's voice changed for a bit, causing me to look up from my book to see her wiping the board clean, probably for another lesson. Before I tore my attention away from her, I saw that she was writing down numbers instead of letters, hinting that this was a math lesson. Finally, something that I can work with, I thought to myself as I gave her my full attention. Sadly, it ended in disappointment as I learned that the class was working on multiplication, which was way below my current understanding of mathematics. I returned to my reading, but after a moment I heard Cheerilee calling out my name, causing me to look at her again.
"Aether, we're moving onto math now, and you should try to watch so you can understand mathematics, it's an important part of your education," Cheerilee told me, to which I gave her a blank stare, not a deadpan one cause it would be disrespectful, before raising a hoof in their air. "What is it Aether?"
Pointing at the equation on the board, I said, "Eight times nine is seventy two."
Blinking in surprise, Cheerilee looked at the board before looking at me, "You know and understand our numbers and math symbols?" I gave her a nod, since it didn't took me long to learn the basics to their numbers and mathematical symbols, due to it having a similarity to the common mathematics.
"My numbers are like yours, so more easier to learn than your words," I explain.
"Oh, just how much math do you know then, Aether?" Cheerilee asked, as my classmates began to look at me with curiosity. Hmm... if I tell them the limits of my mathematical understanding, they may get suspicious. On the other hoof, it may let me off of math work so I can return to learning their writing and language again. Hmm... I could always make the excuse that I was taught at an early age.
"I know a lot of math, this math too easy for me," I said, hoping that I was right about being freed.
"Hmmm... alright Aether, return to your readings, but I need you to stay in class during recess."
"Yes Cheerilee," I said, as I returned to my reading, though I had no idea what recess is. Time passed by until a couple hours later, Cheerilee dismissed the class as she headed over to her desk, pulling out some papers before trotting over to my desk.
"I was originally planning on waiting until you knew how to write, Aether, but since you said you're so good in math, I might as well give you the math portion of the assessment test. This way, I can know just how much you really know, though you don't have to do the word problems since you probably won't be able to read them anyway," she said before placing the papers on my desk. Putting my book away, I looked at the papers to see all the math problems on it. Though I only understood half of what Cheerilee said, I knew that I was given a math test. Shrugging to myself, I used my magic at first when I started the test, later shifting to my right hoof after feeling drained from using the magic too long.
Right after the class returned, I raised a hoof as I said, "Done Miss Cheerilee."
Walking over to my desk, she grabbed the test as she said, "You did that test faster than expected, Aether. You better not be rushing to get it over with," before she placed the test on her desk before turning to the blackboard to teach the class something new. Curious, I waited to see what she was teaching, to which I learned that she was teaching the history of her world. Finally, something that might be useful to me, I thought to myself as I gave her my full attention.
"Today, class, we'll be learning about the transition of power and duties between the ancient unicorn tribe to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, where they gave the responsibility of raising the sun and moon to the princesses. On th-" Cheerilee said before I rudely interrupted the class by falling out of my desk as I lost consciousness due to what I just heard.
They can move the sun and moon! were my last thoughts before my mind blanked out as I passed out on the floor.
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Perfect reaction from Aether. Just perfect.
5913395
Think I'll actually have to disagree on that.
My own first thought on hearing such a claim would be 'royal propaganda.'
Now, on hearing that and actual proof? Then would be a good point to faint.
Still, a fun ending gag.
Ugg.. Pass out for no good reason cliffhanger ending.
I REALLY, REALLY hate this.
School: The bane of all children. And interdimensional travelers.
The pass-out thing was unexpected, but good.
Also, if this message can make it through the fourth wall: Aether, get over it. So many things are weird here. I figured that out the hard way.
Your friend from the other side of the fourth wall,
Star Gazer
Honest, stop trying to be logical about this, is easier.
I still don't get the aging process, maybe time runs at a different pace?
Though if all the curriculum is below Aether, maybe she can test out of it?
Twilight used "language" so much I thought Aether would have picked up on this.
Here we witness more of that amazing adventurer fortitude.
Oh god, going off my previous comment, I now have to imagine a Russian man falling off his chair.
Brain, stop what you're doing right now!
6156955 Think of Heavy he's Russian
6071256 It's possible that fillies/colts simply mature slower than humans [and presumably whatever Aether was] do. Possible, mind, not plausible. It doesn't make any sense from an evolutionary standpoint, but the setting is a cartoon show that already flagrantly disregards common scientific understanding anyway. Given it's a children's show, at that, it actually makes a degree of sense for childhood to last so long. It gives them an excuse for the CMC to not age particularly quickly for instance.
"Today, class, we'll be learning about the transition of power and duties between the ancient unicorn tribe to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, where they gave the responsibility of raising the sun and moon to the princesses. On th-" Cheerilee said before I rudely interrupted the class by falling out of my desk as I lost consciousness due to what I just heard.
They can move the sun and moon! were my last thoughts before my mind blanked out as I passed out on the floor.
Thought of this when I read that.
https://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=1o5y9o1e7#/watch?v=qc35UgHrRbk
6162220 The maturation process for a species that can use relatively freeform magic would logically need to be at least somewhat extended, although a twofold (threefold?) increase is maybe a bit much.
6411342
That's assuming that magic affects maturation, which is accepted in some universes and rejected in others. As we are overanalyzing MLP, it's doubtful we'll get a canon answer.
The closest we get is Rainbow Dash's birthday cake, which can either imply that she's in her 20s or her 40s.
Seeing how smart Aether is, I'm sure she realized that Twilight more then likely has the same level of power being called a princess, and how totaly fucked she is after throwing all those books.
6426200 For a few seconds I thought you said "Masturbation" instead of "maturation".
I am SO glad it wasn't the first...
Timber!
Okay, when Aether isn't the one making these mistakes, it takes away from the story a bit.
Typos need to be weeded out.
Pinkie stopped in mid-air?!
Made me think of Snowdrop fan story https://www.fimfiction.net/story/253070/7/and-its-freaking-cold-up-here/vii-its-freaking-hot-in-here
Just made me think of that chapter at the “pony pony eith pony pony eith” part.
that last part reminds me of the fan-comic "heartstrings":
https://www.deviantart.com/tritebristle/art/Heartstrings-ch4-p9-Pony-world-pony-logic-373245767
I think Twilight and the rest of them for that matter, didn't put much thought to the fact she learned their language within a month. To learn a language that has no reference to your native tongue that fast is miraculous. It makes sense since she's a being from another dimension that's species is probably more evolved than the ponies, making learning things faster due to the higher mental capacity.
I hope Twilight realizes how smart Aether is if she is able to learn their language that fast.
Yeah that's gotta be quite the shock, especially when it's considered history
6426200
oh, that reminds me of several novel by Mercedes Lackey, where using magic turned people's hair white prematurely.
especially "node" level magic. (where several ley-lines come together)