Chaos at Mach 20

by KGB-Agent9347

Field Trip Time

The sun bore down upon Sweet Apples Acres while a shimmering haze rising off the ground. Applejack stood beneath a tree, glaring at the clear sky. “Partly cloudy muh hoof! Next time Rainbow Dash shows her face around here, Ah’ll give her a piece of muh mind!” Wiping the sweat from her brow, she readjusted her Stetson and trotted out of the shade. “Clouds or no clouds, Ah've got trees to buck.”

Applejack worked her way through the orchard as the sun arced through the sky. The unrelenting heat gradually sapped away her energy while rows of unharvested trees and empty buckets stretched to the horizon, stagnant air compounding the exhaustion growing in her legs. In spite of these hindrances, Applejack refused to slow down and continued bucking the trees.The hard thuds of apples tumbling into a bucket provided all the motivation she needed.

Climbing the first hill, Applejack was greeted by remnants of a cloud floating overhead. They lazily drifted past the sun and cast several pockets of shadow on to the open ground. She savored the temporary reprieve from the midday sun, frowning as the wisps broke apart and scattered to the wind. Sighing, she refocused on the quartet of trees resting on the hilltop. Scarlet fruit dangled from their branches, glistening from rays of light. “Hundred trees down, five-hundred to go… ” Applejack grumbled wearily.

Applejack nudged the bucket into position before spinning around and bucking the tree with full force. The trunk shuddered as ripe apples were shaken loose and fell from the branches accompanied by stray leaves. A breeze rushed through the trees as she paused to savor the cooling sensation against her fur. Turning to examine the harvest, Applejack’s jaw dropped. “What in tarnation?!”

The bucket was filled with red fruits, but not the kind that Applejack had expected. They were noticeably rounder in shape, their skin waxen. As several fruits spilled out and rolled down the hill, Applejack scooped one up and bit into it. “Plums,” she muttered while the sweet taste coated her tongue. Applejack let the half-eaten fruit drop from her hoof before turning to the apple tree and chuckled. “Alright, Pinkie, Ah’ll admit it. Ya got me good there.”

Applejack waited for Pinkie to climb down and giggle about the "hilariousness" of her prank. When no response materialized after several minutes, she frowned and delivered a swift kick to the tree. “Don’t say Ah didn’t warn ya!” The branches rustled violently from the impact, showering the ground with dead leafs and twigs. Applejack frantically scanned the tree, hoping to glimpse a piece of Pinkie’s mane as unease washed over her. ”This ain’t funny no more. Come on out, ya hear?”

The hilltop was silent as a breeze rushed past and carried away the dead leafs. Applejack cautiously trotted to the next bucket while her eyes darting between trees, wary of the slightest movement. As she craned her neck upward to better view the branches, a wave of relief washed over Applejack. “Those are definitely apples, no two ways about it,” she remarked, grinning at her reflection in the scarlet fruits. Applejack let out a content sigh before re-positioning herself and bucking the tree.

Her of bliss was soon dispelled by a succession of dull thuds, eliciting a growl from Applejack. The impact of falling apple was a something that Applejack knew all to well. Countless harvest seasons spent traversing through rows of trees had etched that sound into her soul. Twisting her neck back, Applejack’s suspicions were confirmed as her eyes narrowed in disgust at the citrus-filled bucket.

Applejack slowly trotted to the bucket and scooped up one of the oranges. She dispassionately glared at the offending citrus for a moment before tossing it into the air. Moments before it would have hit the ground, the orange was intercepted by Applejack’s kick and sent careening into a nearby tree. Bursting upon impact, it slid down the trunk and left behind a trail of juice while Applejack stomped about the hilltop. “Last chance! Come out before Ah buck ya into next week!”

Applejack’s ire withered under the midday sun, forcing a retreat to the shade. As she leaned against the unharvested tree, fatigue began to reassert its presence. The slightest movement turned Applejack’s limbs to lead, her lungs burning with each breath. Applejack’s eyes wandered around the hilltop before settling on the apples dangling above her head. The scarlet fruit swayed with the breeze and drew a weary sigh from Applejack. “Ah can’t stop now. There are still trees that need bucking.”

Applejack rose to her hoofs and repositioned herself perpendicular to the tree. Mustering her resolve, she delivered a strong kick before intently listening for the impacts of the apples. A tense moment passed before a singular thump shattered the hilltop’s calm. Applejack whipped her head around, immediately recoiling at crown of pointy leafs jutting out of the bucket. “Pineapple?! It ain’t possible!” she cried out with her pupils shrinking to pinpricks.

Backpedaling across the hilltop, Applejack was unaware of last bucket until inadvertently tripping over it. She landed head first against the ground, sending her hat airborne and the world into spirals. ”Ow,” Applejack groaned as another strong gust buffeted the trees.

Applejack wearily rose to her hooves and massaged her throbbing skull. The hilltop remained blurry on her stumbling trek to the tree branch which had snared her hat. Each step gradually brought the fuzzy shapes into further clarity. Upon retrieving her hat, Applejack’s eyes were darting about the hilltop in disbelief.

A cursory glance around the hilltop revealed the same formation of trees and buckets which Applejack had seen before bumping her head. This notion was dispelled as several discrepancies became glaringly apparent. The half-eaten plum was nowhere in sight among the swaying grass. The orange’s splattered remains had vanished from the tree’s bark along with the lingering citrus aroma. However, the buckets’ contents which Applejack found most shocking. Gone without a trace were the plums, oranges, and lone pineapple, now replaced by piles of apples.

Applejack stared at the buckets and blinked, unwilling to trust her own eyes. She trotted over to the nearest one and grabbed an apple from atop its pile. Raising it to eye level, Applejack examined the fruit momentarily before sinking her teeth into it. The familiar taste of a crisp apple coated her tongue, much to her simultaneous delight and disbelief. She eagerly devoured the rest of the apple while replaying the last few minutes in her head. “What in Equestria is going on here…”

Applejack paced around the surrounding area, combing each blade of grass for anything to make sense of events. Several minutes of searching passed with the mounting exhaustion as her only reward. Stopping at the bottom of the hill, Applejack let out a weary sigh before glancing at the rows of unharvested trees which stretched to the horizon. “Ya know, maybe Ah should put this off ‘til tomorrow. Waiting a day won’t kill the harvest, right?” she said with an uneasy chuckle.

As Applejack departed from the hilltop, plums, the untouched tree’s branches started to rustle. A backpack and assorted fruits fell to the ground with Korosensei following moments later. He rapidly packed away plums and oranges before pausing at the lone pineapple and biting through its rind.It was surprising to find a tropical fruit vendor in such a temperate region. Leaning against the tree, Korosensei grinned and contently munched on the fruit while Applejack entered the distant farmhouse. While tenacity and determination are admirable qualities, they are often accompanied by stubbornness. It is important to know your limits and when to take a break.

Wiping his face clean of pineapple chunks, Korosensei tossed the backpack over his shoulder before plotting his next destination. Those thoughts were soon interrupted by faint chatter. Who could that possibly be? He ventured through the orchard, passing by countless apple trees to locate the source. A treehouse emerged in the distance after several minutes of wandering. Nearing the structure, Korosensei noticed a scooter with attached wagon resting against the trunk as three distinct voices could be heard yelling over each other.

---

Inside the clubhouse, a cloud of vexation hung over the heads of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Scootaloo paced around the perimeter while Sweetie Belle stared listlessly at the horizon. Apple Bloom sat on the floor with a map unfurled in front of her.

“I can’t believe Twilight cancelled on us like that!” Scootaloo shouted, punctuating the last word with a stomp. “She knows how important completing this project is for class!”

“We know that, Scootaloo.” Sweetie Belle turned away from the window and glared at her friend with increasing agitation. “It’s not like you have been repeating the same thing for the last ten minutes.”

“She’s supposed to be our friend!” Scootlaoo returned the glare, narrowing her eyes. “How could she do this to us?!”

“Well, you know how Twilight can be sometimes,” Sweetie Belle said with resignation dripping from her voice. “If something involves organizing books, Princess Celestia, or a combination of the two, she’ll do anything to get it done.”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo groused, her anger faltering for a second, “but that doesn’t make it right!”

“Girls!” Apple Bloom slammed her hoof against the floor, sending a tremor through the clubhouse. “Can ya keep it down? Ah’m trying to figure out our next move.”

“Give it a rest, Apple Bloom.” Scootaloo rolled her eyes before slumping against the wall. “Twilight already told us the closest library with information on Griffonstone is all the way in Trottingham. We have no way to get there and have a presentation ready by Monday. It’s just our luck to get Griffonstone while Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon got Canterlot.”

“We have to do something!” Apple Bloom pleaded. “We can’t show up with empty hoofs. Miss Cheerilee would be so disappointed in us.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Sweetie Belle said, staring glumly at the floor. “A solution to our problems just isn’t going to come knocking at our door.”

At that moment, a light knocking emanated from the clubhouse door. Scootaloo donned an expression of shock and turned to Sweetie Belle who shrugged defensively. Apple Bloom let out an exasperated sigh before walking over to the door. “Relax, it’s probably just muh sister checking up on us.”

Apple Bloom’s annoyance was replaced by surprise upon opening the door. She gawked with widening eyes at Korosensei who offered a reassuring smile in response. “Sorry for the intrusion, but I may be able to help with your predicament”

A minute of awkward silence passed with the three fillies trading glances with each other, unsure of how to act. Sensing the growing unease, Korosensei wracked his mind for a way to break the ice. “I’m surprised none of you have screamed or slammed the door in my face yet.”

“You must not be from around here,” Scootaloo remarked nonchalantly. “Ponyville is a magnet for weirdness.”

“We’re used to weird things popping up on a weekly basis though it’s a friendship problem most of the time,” Sweetie Belle chimed in. “Those usually get cleared up within a half-hour.”

“Anyway…who are ya and what does this have to do with our presentation?” Apple Bloom asked wearily.

“My name is Korosensei,” he said with a bow. “I was passing through when I overheard the details of your unfortunate situation.”

“Why?” Scootaloo glared Korosensei suspiciously. “What’s in it for you?”

“Nothing,” Korosensei replied bluntly. “As a teacher, I feel compelled to help those who were dealt an unfair…hoof.”

“How are you going to do that?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I have ways of travelling to long distances in a short amount of time.” Korosensei reached into the clubhouse, plucked the map off the floor and quickly examining it. “If you’re willing, I can arrange a field trip to somewhere with plenty of information on Griffinstone.”

“Really?” Apple Bloom leaned forward, eyes glimmering with hope. “What do have to do?”

“If you can obtain your parent’s permission, I will handle-“ Apple Bloom bolted out the door, knocking Korosensei into a spin “-everything…else.”

“AH’LLBERIGHTBACKPLEASEDON’TGOANYWHEREITWILLONLYBEAMINUTEORTWO…” Apple Bloom’s voice trailed off as she galloped toward and disappeared beyond the rolling hills.

“She can get a bit excited at times,” Sweetie Belle said, beckoning Korosensei into the clubhouse. “Why don’t you take a seat while we wait for Apple Bloom?”

Korosensei nodded graciously, crossing the threshold and shutting the door. Hopping on to the crate in the corner, he retrieved a quill and parchment from his backpack while unfurling the map on the floor. The sound of manic scribbling flooded the clubhouse interior as Korosensei’s tentacle danced across the parchment’s surface. Lost within his preparations, Korosensei was oblivious to the fillies who were eying him with immense curiosity.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo couldn’t help but stare at the strange creature resting in their clubhouse. Life in Ponyville should have desensitized them to all manners of bizarre occurrences. Everything from bunny stampedes to the short-lived reign of chaos had afflicted the town during the last two years and yet Korosensei was different. He resembled nothing described in the Beastiary of Equestria which complement his otherworldly aura. Sweetie Belle remained near the window while Scootaloo ventured for a closer look. “What are you?”

“I have already told you that I’m a teacher,” Korosensei replied, looking down at the filly.

“She means what exactly are you.” Sweetie Belle gestured at one of Korosensei’s tentacle.

“Oh, that’s…complicated.” Korosensei rolled up the parchment and stowed it inside his robe before standing up. “For the sake of simplicity, let’s refer to me as an octopus.”

Scootaloo cocked her head. “An octopus? What’s a fish doing so far way from the ocean?”

“Technically, octopi are invertebrates who belong to the Mollusca phylum,” Sweetie Belle remarked.

Scootaloo whipped around and faced her friend with a look of pure confusion. “Why do you know that?”

“My family and I visited the Baltimare Aquarium last week. A scientist told me all about octopi when we stopped at their exhibit,” Sweetie Belle said with a grin. “It was really cool. The octopus squeezed through a tube and opened a jar holding its food.”

The clubhouse door abruptly swung open to reveal Apple Bloom who stumbled through the threshold. “Granny Smith told me its fine…as long as we’re back by sundown,” she blurted out while catching her breath.

“If that’s the case, we shouldn’t be wasting anymore time,” Korosensei proclaimed as he glided past the winded filly. “Follow me!”

Walking down the ramp from their clubhouse, the Cutie Mark Crusaders found Korosensei limbering up with a series of stretches. He briefly checked the straps of his backpack before tossing it over his shoulders. “Is everypony ready to embark on our field trip?”

Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo who offered smiles of despite their own concerns. She exhaled sharply and steeled her resolve before flashing a confident smirk to Korosensei. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders are always ready for an adventure!”

“Well then fillies, let’s get going!” Korosensei pointed a tentacle skyward. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked at each other and blinked, failing to comprehend how they were suddenly hanging off the collar of Korosensei’s robe. “Brace yourselves for a flight through the stratosphere at hypersonic speeds!”

“Wait?! What?!” Sweetie Belle shrieked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll accelerate gently as to not shock your systems,” Korosensei reassured, launching into the sky a moment later. Screams were drowned out by the ensuing blast of air as they rocketed through several cloud banks. Velocity and altitude steadily increased until trees and homes were reduced to the size of ants.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle clung to one another with grips tightening like vices. They trembled in abject terror at ocean of clouds below. All verbal protests died in their throats while the possibility of plummeting to the ground loomed in their minds.

Meanwhile, Scootaloo was experiencing a rush of euphoria. A jubilant smile stretched across her face as the terrestrial world soared past at blinding speeds. It was a sensation which she felt only inside her most blissful dreams with a single notable exception. “Why isn’t there any wind blowing through my mane?”

“How observant of you,” Korosensei noted while maintaining course. “That’s due to my aerodynamic skin. While it’s normally soft and squishy, exposure to high pressure causes my head to harden like a shell. This deflects heavy winds and allows me to survive the stresses of Mach 20 flight.”

“I don’t think octopi react to pressure in that way,” Sweetie Belle remarked.

“They aren’t supposed to fly either,” Apple Bloom added.

“I’m a very special type of octopus,” Korosensei replied. “If you’ll look down in a moment, we’ll be passing over the Celestial Sea.”

As they soared over the vast blue expanse, Scootaloo glimpsed a verdant island lingering on the horizon. It vanished from sight faster than she could raise the issue, resulting in a tinge of uncertainty creeping into her mind. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shot her looks mimicking that sentiment. “Hey, I think we just missed Trottingham back there.”

“I have a different destination in mind,” Koroesensei said with a grin.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders’ confusion was soon quelled by the emergence of a tree straight ahead. As they weaved through rocky outcroppings, its titanic size became apparent with multiple structures visible on the branches. Korosensei gradually decelerated before landing in front of the entrance gate and setting the fillies on the ground. “Welcome to Griffonstone!”

“This place is a dump!” Scootaloo exclaimed, stunned by the squalor of the city.

Ramshackle houses dominated the cityscape of Griffonstone. Massive cracks climbed their walls like ivy while broken roofs revealed support beams in varying states of decay. Discarded barrels and twigs littered the streets as a pair of griffons gambled in the alleyway.

“What happened here?” Sweetie Belle wondered aloud.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have the answer to that question.” Korosensei rapidly distributed a notepad and quill to each of the fillies before retrieving the parchment from his robe. He unfurled it and glided through the gate, gesturing for them to follow. “However, this presents a unique opportunity. We shall explore the city and uncover what lead to its decline. Let’s start by interviewing some of the locals.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders strode forward and caught up to Korosensei, reinvigorated by a surge of optimism. Approaching the first house on their path, Apple Bloom knocked on the door which was met by a faint grumbling. A griffon answered it moments later, his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

“Excuse me sir, would you mind answering a few question?” Apple Bloom asked politely.

The griffon slammed the door in the fillies’ face, sending a tremor through the dilapidated structure and shaking loose a few chunks of wall. The debris fell toward Sweetie Belle before veer off course at the last second. She brushed the dust from her mane and levelled a venomous glare at the house. “That was rude.”

“Don’t lose heart!” Korosensei rallied. “We’ll just have to try the other houses!”

After several attempts met with identical results, the Cutie Mark Crusaders felt their resolve draining away. They gazed sullenly at their blank notepads while Korosensei rested atop a barrel with the parchment in his tentacles. He struck several items off the itinerary and leapt to his feet. “Well, I suppose the locals aren’t going to be much help. Let’s see if there’s still a library around here. There’s only a few hour left before the sun sets.”

“He’s right! We can’t time moping around!“ Scootaloo charged forth, only to collide headlong into a wooden cart and bounce off. Recovering from the impact, she flashed a sheepish grin at the griffon owner before retreating back to her friends. “Sorry about that.”

“Watch where you’re going!” the griffon shouted, cocking her head at the fillies. “Hold on, haven't I seen you dweebs somewhere before?”

“Ah can’t say we have,” Apple Bloom replied timidly. “Ya would happen to know where the library is, would ya?”

“What do I look like? A tour guide?” The griffon jabbed a talon back at her cart where a dozen pastries resembling rocks sat on shelves. “Buy some of my griffonscones then maybe I’ll point you the right direction.”

Within a split-second, piles of bits replaced the griffonscones and caused the griffon’s jaw to hang slack. She glanced back to Korosensei who happily crunched through hardened treats. “Will that be sufficient for your services, Miss…”

“Gilda.” She hastily scooped up the golden coins and stuffed them into a green pouch before pointing down the street. “Head to end then take a right. It’s right by the old statue of King Grover, you can’t miss it. If you throw in a few more bits, I’ll send over Grandpa Gruff. He’s an expert on the history of this place.”

Korosensei dumped another pile of bits into her outstretched talons as he glided down the street. “Come along fillies, there isn’t a moment to waste.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders obliged and trotted after Korosensei, glancing back at Gilda with vague recollection. Gilda merely shrugged and reveled in the sudden windfall.

Moments later, a small black griffon landed next to the cart. She peered down the street as Korosensei’s group rounded the corner before producing a bundle of letters from her satchel. Turning to Gilda, her excitement and curiosity were palatable in the air. “Here’s your mail, Gilda. Who were those guys?”

Gilda snatched the mail from her paw. “I have no clue what the tall one is supposed to be but the other three are ponies. Gabby, take my advice and don’t get involved with them. You’ll only end up with a migraine.”

Korosensei’s ever-present smile faltered upon arriving the ruins of Griffonstone’s library. Half-empty bookshelves rested among the collapsed roof. Tomes littered the ground with multiple pages visibly torn out. The statue of the first griffon monarch was riddled with numerous fractures, appearing ready to crumble under the next heavy wind. “I was hoping for something better but we’ll have to make do. Everypony choose a shelf and start browsing for anything that could be useful for your project. I’ll be around to expedite the process.”

As Apple Bloom and Scootaloo trudged toward the shelves, Korosensei felt a slight tug on his sleeve. He looked down at Sweetie Belle whose eyes shined with inquisitiveness. “Is something on your mind?”

“Why are you going so far to help us?” Sweetie Belle asked while scooping up a book off the floor. “I know you’re a teacher and all but we just met an hour ago.”

Korosensei let out a brief chuckle. “Believe it or not, I see a lot of the issues which plagued my students in the three of you.”

“Really?” Scootaloo interjected while extracting a book lodged in the roof.

Apple Bloom glanced up from the ancient tome cradled in her hoofs. “How so?”

“You’re heading down a similar path that my students have already walked. They were once wandering through the darkness, unsure of their futures. With a little bit of guidance, they’re now brimming with confidence and ready to grasp their dreams.” Korosensei gazed wistfully at the sky. “I wonder what they’re doing right now…”

---

Nagisa let out a sigh of relief and slumped against the seat. Glancing down at his math workbook, the open page was crammed to its margins with dozens of equations and calculations. He smiled triumphantly despite a haze of exhaustion clouding his mind. “Thanks for all the help, Karma. I finally feel prepared to take on my entrance exams.”

“No problem,” Karma replied casually while sipping on his soda. “So, you’ve fully committed to becoming a teacher, huh?”

Nagisa nodded, stowing the workbook in his schoolbag. “After everything that we’ve been through this year, it just feels right. I want to use abilities to help others, not hurt them.”

“That’s probably for the best,” Karma said with a knowing grin. “The idea of you running around as an assassin is kinda terrifying.”

“What are you worried about?” Nagisa turned to Karma and reciprocated the look. “You’ve already more than a match for my abilities. I still have the bruises to prove it.”

They broke into laughter for a minute before Nagisa shifted his gaze through the glass storefront and watched the people. A calm had settled over the café after their friends had departed back to their homes. The lunch crowd had yet to arrive, sending the staff into a frenzy of preparations. Isogai darted between tables and collected the . “Hard to believe it’s been almost a year since we started this wild journey with Korosensei.”

“Yeah, whether we kill him or not, everything will to an end in a few more weeks,” Karma remarked with a hint of melancholy.

Fuwa burst into the café, bracing herself against the doorway and panting heavily. Spotting Nagisa and Karma, she rushed over to their booth and slammed both hands on to the table. “Has Korosensei contacted either of you today?”

Nagisa and Karma exchanged puzzled glances before shaking their heads. “Can’t say that we have.”

Fuwa exhaled sharply and took the seat next to Nagisa. “I believe that Korosensei has been kidnapped.”

“Seriously? Aren’t you jumping to conclusions?” Karma asked incredulously. “Korosensei hasn’t talked to us in a day and suddenly it’s a kidnapping? He’s disappeared for days at a time before. Besides, what’s the point in kidnapping him when there’s a bounty for his head.”

“I don’t know but something isn’t adding up!” Fuwa shouted, leaning across the table. “I checked with everyone else and none of them have heard from Korosensei. Neither have Bitch-sensei or Karasuma-sensei. I’ve tried calling his cell phone multiple times, only to be sent straight to voice mail. Our entrance exams are only a weeks away. There’s no way that Korosensei wouldn’t be checking up on us with something so important coming up.”

“Maybe Korosensei is somewhere without coverage,” Nagisa offered.

Fuwa shook her head and placed her cell phone on the table. “I considered that possibility so I asked Ritsu to find out where Korosensei is hiding.”

Ritsu’s virtual avatar stood against the backdrop of a world map. “I utilized every possible resource to pinpoint Korosensei’s location with no success. Even after hacking into the government’s latest spy satellite, I couldn’t locate him anywhere in the world. It should have found him regardless of his battery having a charge or not.”

“Alright, that’s a little bit suspicious,” Nagisa admitted as uncertainty took root in hisheart.

“That’s not all,” Ritsu added, summoning a table displaying timestamps with corresponding longitude and latitude coordinates. It continuously scrolled until the last entries were marked by red error indicators. “I reviewed the satellite’s logged data and discovered that Korosensei’s tracking signal vanished at the same time when my system crashed.”

“Hold on, your system crashed?” Karma’s eyes widened in genuine shock. “That’s never happened before.”

“Exactly!” Fuwa reached into her schoolbag and slapped a comic book on to the table. “Whatever’s going on with Korosensei, I bet it has something to do with this!”

Nagisa picked up the comic book and read its title aloud. “Power Ponies ?”

Karma levelled at deadpan stare at Fuwa. “You’ve lost me. What does Korosensei’s supposed disappearance have to do with a talking horse comic from America?”

“Look on the back, you’ll see it near the barcode,” Fuwa declared with a prideful grin.

“Printed in Manehatten,” Nagisa said in a confused tone before setting down the comic and looking back to Fuwa. “It’s probably just a printing error.”

“That’s where you would be wrong, Nagisa,” Ritsu interjected. “I cross-referenced that title with dozens of comic databases, publisher catalogues, and message boards without any matches.”

Karma scooped up the comic and rotated it in his hand. “Where did you find thing, anyway?”

“I’m glad that you asked,” Fuwa said enthusiastically. “I found it on the classroom floor after everybody had left. Korosensei is too much of a neat freak to do that so it must have been dropped by his kidnapper.”

“Alright, then who did it?” Karma asked mockingly. “A bunch of magical talking horses?”

“I’m not ruling that out,” Fuwa said bluntly. “Korosensei and his cell phone vanishing, Ritsu experiencing a system crash, and that comic appearing all occurred at the same time. It can’t a coincidence.”

“Maybe you should lay off the manga, Fuwa,” Nagisa said with a tone of slight worry. “That’s a bit too surreal even considering everything that we’ve done together as a class.”

“Fine!’ Ritsu and I will solve this mystery by ourselves!” Fuwa snatched the comic out of Karma’s hands and stormed out of the café in a huff.

Karma sighed and turned to Nagisa whose expression betrayed his growing uncertainty. “You’re not seriously giving the magical pony theory a second thought, are you?”

“No, but Fuwa does have a point,” Nagisa said while shaking his head. “Something has happened to Korosensei. I just don’t an idea on what it could be.”

---

A strong gust buffeted the trees of Sweet Apple Acres as Korosensei landed near the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ clubhouse. He carefully set down the fillies before dumping a pile of notepads into their wagon. “I hope this is sufficient to cover your presentation on Griffonstone.”

“Are you kidding?” Scootaloo exclaimed while pulling her scooter to the dirt road. “We’re going to have the best presentation ever! I can’t wait to see the look on Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s faces!”

“We can’t thank you enough.” Sweetie Belle climbed into the wagon before looking back at Korosensei with a contrite expression. “Though, you didn’t have to spend so many bits getting all that information of us.”

“Think nothing of it,” Korosensei said with a dismissive wave. “If something helps to enrich young minds, there’s no price that I wouldn’t be willing to pay.”

Apple Bloom joined her friend in the wagon and cocked her head, a sly grin forming on her face. “Say, do ya think ya can help us get our cutie marks?”

Korosensei chuckled and patted the filly on her heads. “That would difficult given that I don’t have one myself. Anyway, I feel that’s something you have to discover on your own.”

“You probably should have seen that answer coming Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo replied while donning her helmet. “Will we be seeing you around Ponyville, Korosensei?”

“Unfortunately, this will probably be the last time we meet. I have limited vacation and my teaching job is very time intensive. However, our field trip to Griffonstone is an experience that I won’t forget.” Korosensei flashed a warm smile before noticing the sun dipping toward the horizon. “You should head home before it becomes dark.”

“Would ya like to join us for dinner?” Apple Bloom looked up with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes. “Ah’m sure that Applejack won’t mind another guest.”

“I couldn’t possibly intrude like that,” Korosensei replied, masking his guilt from the crestfallen filly.

“Alright,” Apple Bloom said sullenly. “Let’s get going before Granny Smith starts to worry.”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle hastily donned their helmets while Scootaloo flared out her wings. They waved goodbye as their scooter-propelled wagon rocketed down the dirt path and disappeared over the rolling hills. Korosensei leaned against a nearby tree and set his gaze upon the distant farmhouse. To his surprise, the fillies arrived and entered through the open door moments later. I never thought one could travel that fast by scooter.

Heading out of Sweet Apple Acres, Korosensei sighed contently and savored the peacefulness of his surrounding. The sunset had painted a vivid orange on to the landscape while animals scurried back to their burrows. Birds flittered through the sky of violet-tinged clouds before nesting among the trees. As a symphony of crickets permeated the air, a lone breeze carried along the faint scent of ripe apples. Korosensei’s state of bliss came to an end when he felt a sudden weight press down on his head, and then a tuft of hot pink mane draped into his field of view followed by a broadly grinning face. “Hiya!”

“NYUYAH!” Korosensei jumped back, his complexion flashing blue for a brief instance. The pink pony lingered in the air for a moment before gently dropping back to the ground. “Where did you come from?!”

“Sugarcube Corner… though I was born on a rock arm. I’m Pinkie Pie, the premier party planner for all of Ponyville. I never seen you before, Mr. Octopus. Are you new in town? You must be new!” Pinkie Pie gasped and leapt toward Korosensei, stopping inches away from his face. “Do you know what that means?”

“No, what does it mean?” Korosensei replied, immediately regretting his decision as Pinkie’s smile spread from ear to ear. She reached behind a nearby tree, rolling out a festively decorated wagon and pressing a button on its side. As the wagon’s top folded down, a bizarre oven-music box contraption with attached flags and horns sprung out and flooded the air with a cheerful melody.

“WeIcome! Welcome! Welcome! A fine welcome to you!” Pinkie sang aloud, dancing around Korosensei while swapping between a plethora of instruments that she seemingly plucked from thin air.

Korosensei hastily scanned the area for an avenue of escape while Pinkie continued her musical number. Upon noticing a faint crystalline glimmer, a mischievous grin spread across his face. I believe it’s time for me to pay the Princess of Friendship a visit. Korosensei carefully snuck away from an oblivious Pinkie Pie and created some distance before blasting off toward the castle.

“Welcome! Welcome! Welcome to Ponyville today!” Pinkie belted out, sliding to a halt in time with the music’s crescendo. Staring at the empty spot which Korosensei had occupied, she blinked twice before realizing his absence. “Huh?”

“Where did you go?” Pinkie looked around the empty road to Sweet Apple Acres, rubbing her chin in though before a light bulb materialized above her head. “Wait a minute, I know what’s going on. He must be so excited for his Welcome to Ponyville party that’s he’s already heading to Sugarcube Corner. Well two can play at that game!” She rapidly spun around and galloped back to Ponyville as the veil of night began washing over Equestria.

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[KGB-Agent9347]

Happy New Year! Apologies for the lack of progress last year. I promise to put out more content this year.

[Dr_Tornado]

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