5 - The Future
Sherbert - 11th of Plantation, 25 The Arcane Era
Ponyville Highschool, Ponyville - Equestria
I squirmed in my seat, nervously fidgeting with the pen in my telekinetic grip. I was super lucky that Miss Cheerilee agreed to grade my paper after school today so I’d be able to go to Principal Ember and show her that my GPA was fine now, and that she could sign the papers to get me into the exchange program before it was too late. Because summer started three days from now. And bureaucracy moves at the speed of cold molasses.
But Principal Ember had promised to sign and submit the papers the moment I showed her I got my grades up. I just needed to show her this report with at least an A minus on it in red ink...
Unfortunately, Miss Cheerilee was taking forever!
She was being SUPER critical! SO many notes, corrections, and ‘mmmhms'. She was taking so long to read it. It had been half an hour! I know that I’d made a bit of a long report but it had been under the maximum page count and-
“Miss Sherbert?” Cheerilee suddenly called still looking at the last page of my paper.
“Y-yes?” I asked with a nervous gulp.
“It’s not very bad. You made a few grammatical errors here and there, there are some misspellings, and you formatted it in EMA instead of MEL format,” Cheerilee summarized, sending icepicks into my heart with every word. “But, despite your… Poor grasp of and dislike of history in general, you showed a lot of knowledge of the Era of Harmony, even if it’s scattered and tangential. What I’m saying is that you know this particular period well.”
“How well?” I asked, my ears drooping as I saw the apologetic look on Cheerilee’s face.
I had failed. I’d tried my hardest and I’d failed…
“B minus well,” she answered with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m being generous with your grade because you do clearly know what happened and how it impacted the modern age. But I can’t overlook the formatting error, your technical mistakes, as well as the loose presentation of the facts, and your use of yourself as a scholarly source. Then there’s the way your report flows like one long ramble rather than an organized well-researched paper. Also, you used the slang term for Cadence's guards. It's the Crystal Guard, only people who live in the palace use the other name.”
I bit my lip hard as I tried not to cry or scream in despair. I stopped when I tasted blood, the pain managing to keep my outburst to a sob as I collapsed onto the desktop.
“Miss Sherbert,” Cheerilee said sympathetically. “I understand that going to Neighpone was important to you, but sometimes we don’t get what-”
I snapped upright, glaring at her through tear stained eyes. “IT WAS EVERYTHING TO ME!” I scream-sobbed. “I’m a nobody! There’s NOTHING special about me. I’m still a bucking blank flank! In any country but Equestria, I’d be a full adult, and I’m a blank flank!
“I suck so much that I can’t even do what I need to do even when I try my hardest!”
I knew from Cheerilee’s wincing cringe that I’d exploded too hard… I’d shown her just how raw a nerve my failure had touched… Now she would be walking on eggshells around be for the next five years I was doomed to stay in Ponyville. That would get me bullied even more for being so sensitive, the teachers had to take special care to not hurt my feelings…
BUCK!
Cheerilee paused, her tail swishing back and forth for a long moment before she looked me in the eye. “Sherbert, please take off your jumpsuit for me,” she ordered.
I blinked, tears still rolling down my face. “W-why?”
“I want to see your flank. You only need to show me for a second,” she said as calmly as she could.
I nodded and unzipped the zipper on my blue coveralls back with my magic, letting the fabric slid down over my bare flanks just long enough to show her before pulling my clothes back on.
“See?” I mumbled, kicking at the floor with one hoof bitterly.
“I do… I understand more than you might think, Sherbert. My sister never got a cutiemark either,” Cheerilee said with an understanding but sad smile. “I… I know how hard it can be to feel like you are worth something when everypony else has a special talent that simply makes them great at something…
“Here’s what I’ll do. I won't change our grade just because I sympathize with you. That's unfair to the other students. But I will offer you a ten point piece of extra credit-”
“I MISSED BY TEN MOTHERBUCKING POINTS!?” I snapped angrily.
ARRRGH! That was like, just a few typos and maybe a run on sentence that completely bucked me in the ass with an unlubed cactus! I can't be-
My ears perked eagerly. “Did you say extra credit?”
“I did,” Miss Cheerilee confirmed with a professional nod. “Answer the following question: What fundamental property of magic did the Elements of Harmony use to power themselves?”
I blinked. Every foal knew that.
“T-the magic amplifying effects strong bonds of friendship created between true friends,” I answered.
Cheerilee nodded. “That’s right,” she said with a sad sigh. “Now, this is probably a bit beyond my purview as a teacher… At least in terms of providing a basic education. But you need to learn a different kind of lesson. Thing one, you clearly have a problem with the Elements because they used an artifact to solve their problems. You actually wrote this feels like cheating.
“That’s your aunt and grandmothers you are badmouthing. As far as I have ever seen, you have a great relationship with them. What’s the problem?”
I froze. I hadn’t really considered actually being asked anything…
“Um, well… It’s just-”
Cheerilee cut me off with a raised hoof. “It’s because you don’t understand what the Elements do. Not the Bearers, the actual items. You’re a poor student, you have problems paying attention to things you find boring. That’s understandable, I was a poor student when I was a young mare too. I can excuse your youth and your ignorance. But I can't go on allowing you to continue holding this opinion based on your false assumptions. You need to understand at least this one thing.
“The Elements of Harmony draw upon the bonds of friendship for power. That much you know. What you don’t know is that not just anypony could wield them. They are not a ‘robot’ as you put it. Could others have picked them up and used them besides the six ponies who did? Yes. But not just anypony.
“In order to be a Bearer, an individual had to be a living embodiment of the virtues their element or elements were named for. Kindness could only ever have been wielded by someone who was truly kind. Honesty could only ever have been wielded by someone who was an honest soul.
“This isn’t just some sort of ‘spirit key’, as another student of mine once called it. No. The Elements drew upon those virtues within the hearts of their wielders. That’s what did the work. The Elements of Harmony are tools that allow a number of truly virtuous individuals to take their inner virtues and transform them into a powerful spell.”
I frowned. I’d never heard that before… But she was right. I didn’t like school. Like, at all. I did have problems paying attention… And I even acknowledged that I had to change that about myself.
“So, then, you’re saying that the Elements of Harmony were more of a sword than a robot?” I asked, just for clarification.
“They were exactly like a sword,” Cheerilee said with a proud smile. “You understand what they were really doing now. Correct?”
“Um, sort of?” I said with an embarrassed frown. “They provided the energy for the elements to work, as well as their ammunition. But didn’t the Elements just sort of make the problem go away? That would make the Bearers a power outlet and an ammo can.”
Cheerilee sighed, facehooved, and shook her head.
“That’s not… No,” she said with an exasperated groan. “I don’t understand how you never asked any of your family about this. Please, tell me. And be honest. I won't’ judge.”
I bit my lip nervously. Would she judge?
No… Not any more than she already had.
“I… They… They intimidate me,” I said tapping my forehooves together. “They didn’t use too. Not when I was little. But then I started learning about everything they did and um… All I’ve ever done is save some colt’s pet cat from a hot roof.
“Do you have any idea what that’s like with my family? Literally, everypony I’m related to by blood or by law has or is actively doing things to improve the world on a daily basis! How do I live up to that? I can’t! I’m normal.
“I’m not a hero, I don't have any of the skills needed to be one. All I have going for me is I’m a bit athletic. I… I’m not worthy to be a part of this family, you know?
“And as for my grandmothers and aunt… I’m jealous! Okay? They were just normal ponies like me and stumbled onto a super powerful magical artifact that let them be heroes! I’m not that lucky.”
Miss Cheerilee nodded sagely. “I thought that was the case. That’s why you praised Luna’s Knights so much. You see them as having done what you believe you will have to do. Put in a lot of hard work to become somepony great.”
“Exactly!” I said with a shaky but grateful smile.
“You know, and I mean no offense by this, but Sherbert, you’re not remotely the sort of pony who would become a mage,” Cheerilee said, seemingly going way off topic.
I blinked. “Uh, well, no. Not really. What's that have to do with anything?” I asked with a frown.
“Well, those more aligned with magic would realize just how difficult it is to use the Elements. What kind of skill would be required,” Cheerilee explained, taking a seat on a chair next to me. “The Elements of Harmony are actively controlled by the Bearers as a collective group.
“Everything they ever did was partially consciously and partially unconsciously dictated by all six of them. Their teamwork and ability to coordinate with one another is what restored Princess Luna, sealed Discord, and defeated Lord Tirek.
“Yes, they got lucky with Nightmare Moon. But that’s nothing to think less of them for. They successfully managed to use an exceptionally difficult form of magical attack requiring extreme focus, coordination, and effort on the part of each caster within the ritual spell.”
Oh.
Oh!
Oh bucking-
They had put in the effort, time, and skill. Like, a LOT of effort, time, and skill. I’m a bucking dumbass! But… I already knew that.
“I’m dumb…” I mumbled, looking at the floor in shame.
“You’re not dumb,” Cheerilee disagreed immediately, giving me a stern look. “If you were dumb, I couldn’t have just shown you why you were wrong, because you wouldn’t have understood. You can absorb new information. Quickly too. Your problem is that you think you're worthless. You don’t think you can change, so you don’t pay attention in school as self-improvement seems like a futile effort. You think it’s a waste of your time because you can’t improve.
“And as a result of your feelings about yourself, you allowed your jealousy to blind you to the true heroic nature of your own family. But I trust I’ve sorted that out for you, right?”
I nodded firmly. “Yes! Absolutely! I… I need to go apologize to them… I’ll start with Pinkie, she can get everypony else.”
I winced. This was going to be very humiliating… But I deserved that.
“Good. I’ll ask them tomorrow to see if you really did apologize,” Miss Cheerilee said proudly. “If you did, then I won't have to change your grade back to a B minus.”
Miss Cheerilee grabbed her quill, crossed out the B- on the first page of my report, and scribbled a quick note, signed it, and then regarded it an A-.
“I can tell you don’t want to go to Neighpone for your education,” she said as she wrote. “You’ve got some other reason for wanting to go, and I’m pretty sure it’s to try and improve yourself in some way you think will let you be a hero. You’ve got some psychological issues you need to work through, and I believe that you need to find some sense of self worth before you can begin to do that.
“I hope you find some friends while you are there. Friendship really is magic, and not just literally, Sherbert. Remember, you’re not worthless. Not even as you are right now. Enjoy Neighpone, Sherbert,” she said handing me the report.
I took the report in my magic’s grasp like it was an extra fragile glass sculpture, and threw my forelegs around Miss Cheerilee’s barrel in a tight but brief hug.
“Thank you so much! I will never forget this! I need to go to the office now, bye!” I shouted eagerly, face still tear stained as I sprinted out of the classroom to give the paper to Principal Ember.
I had my chance! I hadn’t earned it through merit, I’d been given it out of pity, but I had my chance!
I also had to apologize. Not just so I could go and not have my grade changed back, but because I’d been a total ass for years. Even if they didn’t know it...
I got a bit lucky.
I’d turned in my report, actually saw the papers get turned in, saw the principal write a note to herself about filing it, and had gone to apologize to everypony.
I called Aunt Pinkie via my mage gem so she could get all of her friends together, and fortunately for me, they already were. They were having a late lunch at Sweet Apple Acres. That was an easy enough place to get too.
I’d made the run over from the school in just a few minutes. I wanted to take longer, figure out what would be best to say. But I didn’t want to make everyone wait for me and I had no idea how long they’d planned on being there.
So I’d run up to the old barn with no real plan. The sound of laughter coming from the open door as the six heroes reminisced.
“I still say it was dumb to just rush on in there,” Rainbow snickered as I trotted through the door.
“Um… Hey,” I said, rubbing the back of my head with a hoof.
“Hey, Squirt!” Dash replied without pause. “Just a sec, we were talking about-”
“Dash, look at her face. This is important,” AJ prompted, nodding towards me. “What’s wrong?”
The others frowned in concern, turning towards me and making me wince.
“I um…” I gulped.
“You broke into the bakery and ate everything I made for tomorrow?” Pinkie asked with a silly grin.
I blinked. “Um, no… I sort of… I need to apologize. For being a dick,” I admitted, my tail flicking worriedly behind me.
“What, for not asking anypony here for help with your paper?” Dash smirked. “It’s just school. Don’t sweat it. We’re all aware you like to do things on your own.”
“Yeah,” Pinkie agreed with a nod. “You’ve been like that since you were ten. It’s okay… We could have easily made sure you got an A though.”
Twilight blinked. “Oh! Did you do poorly on the paper? I told Spike to give you those books. He or I could have forgotten one you could have used to-”
I shook my head rapidly. “No! I- I’ve thought of you as cheaters for years because I didn’t know how the Elements worked, because I didn’t pay attention in school,” I blurted out.
Applejack gave me a rather hurt looking glare. It stood out among all the hurt and disapproving looks. Mostly because it had the added hint of betrayal.
“Ya’ll best explain that…” Applejack ordered, her ears laying flat.
“W-well,” I began nervously. “As far as I knew you just sort of pushed a button and the Elements did everything automatically… And um, I thought that was something literally anypony could do…”
“Ohhh!” Rarity exclaimed, shaking her head slowly before offering me a forgiving smile. “Yes, fair enough. I can see your point of view, given that impression. That’s not how it worked at all.”
“It’s actually a very complex ritual casting requiring everypony to mutually come to a decision on what to do, and then have the willpower to make those changes. It actually took a lot of work to use those,” Twilight summarized for me.
I nodded. “Y-yeah… Miss Cheerilee explained it after I turned in my report and um… I’m not good at writing reports, you know? It was more of a stream of consciousness thing. Soooo a lot of my opinions got put in there.”
Twilight nodded. “Cheerilee would definitely have confronted anypony who had that detail wrong. She’s a good friend of mine,” Twilight said, explaining their odd connection.
Fluttershy blinked in surprise. “She is? Then why don’t you ever invite her to these?”
“These aren't just for the six of us?” Everypony else asked in unison.
Applejack shrugged. “I reckon it would be fun to bring the occasional friend to one of these… But let’s stay on topic here,” she said, redirecting the conversation back to me. “Sherbert, I get that you don’t like ponies who take the easy route. I admire that. I can see how you might think we were doing that. It hurts deep that you did, real deep, but I can see how you’d think that. Heck, I can even forgive that.
“But I want an explanation for why you never told me this before now. Before it became a problem.”
I shrank back from them, looking at the ground. “Y-you’re intimidating…” I mumbled.
“Darn straight I’m intimidating you!” Applejack exclaimed, ears twitching. “Ya’ll accused me of-”
“Uh, AJ? I think she means like, in general,” Dash corrected.
I nodded. “Yeah. I, um… You’re you. Multiple time savior of the world. It’s true of all of you. I um… W-well, I’m not that. Like, not even close. I haven’t done anything heroic so s-sometimes I feel like I just shouldn’t, well, do…”
Buck this was a nightmare! I couldn’t even actually say what I wanted to. Too much Luna damned intimidation.
Applejack blinked. “Ya’ll think you can’t talk to us about heroic things because you haven't done any yerself yet?”
Rarity frowned and shook her head. “Darling, you’re not even thirty yet. Even if we expected you to turn out like your parents, it would be entirely unreasonable to expect you to have become some kind of world-shaking hero so soon!”
“Right!” Twilight agreed, giving me an apologetic look. “What did we do to give you the impression that you had to be anything other than yourself for us to like you?”
“I um… I don’t know?” I admitted, ears laying down, cheeks burning with embarrassment.
If I could figure out how to drop dead right now, that would be nice…
“You’re not my family, but you’re still important to me as my best friends’ grandfilly slash niece,” Fluttershy said softly. “Yes, we’ve done a lot of important things, but um… We’re still just a bunch of mares. You shouldn’t be afraid to talk to us about anything.”
Applejack nodded twice. “That’s why this hurts me, Sherb,” she grunted. “I don’t care that you had something wrong about what we did back in the day. Heck, you’re here apologizing. Anypony could see you feel like horse apples about this. You know you did bad, and you’re apologizing. That ain't why I'm upset.
“I’m your grandmare, filly! You should be able to talk to me about anything. Anything at all! Especially if you have a problem with me. We’re family. We work through our problems. I want you to promise me that you’ll tell me everything from now on. Do that and I’ll forgive you, understand?”
I nodded, eagerly. “I promise! I really am sorry I just… Well, like you said. I don’t like it when people get to win just because. I- I have to work hard if I want to be like you one day. I don't have any natural talent, I’m not even good at magic and I’m a unicorn. I- I was jealous. Because I thought you just lucked into superpowers.”
Twilight banged a hoof on the picnic table, jumping up, a look of realization stamped on her face. “That’s why you want to go to Neighpone so badly!”
I eeped. “Uhhhhh, w-well-”
“You’ve got a big reserve, but you can’t really control your magic, so you want to try and get picked up by recruiters for the A.L.I.C.O.R.N. program to get training as a mecha pilot so Sky will make you one you can use here in Equestria!” Twilight said, proud of herself for having figured it all out.
Even though she didn’t. Whew!
Oh, wait. I had to actually tell them… CRAP!
“Um, well, right idea, wrong method,” I said with a feeble grin.
“Well, why do you want to go then?” Applejack asked me, her eyes looking at me with the detailed focus which meant she was inspecting me for even a gram of dishonesty.
Crap…
“Aunt Trixie told me where a dojo in Trotkyo is that can train me in various martial arts, including ninjitsu,” I answered honestly. “Not the modern recreation that’s like, sports stuff, the real actual combat and stealth art. I want to go so that I can learn physical skills I could use if I ever have the chance to do something heroic with my life.”
Applejack and Dash facehooved in unison.
“That’s the whole reason?” Dash demanded, giving me the same look she gave my dad when he did something dumb. “For buck’s sake, squirt! I’d have paid for an airship ticket for you if you just told me you wanted to learn martial arts. But noooo! You keep quiet and beat yourself up for months, maybe longer, trying to do super well in school because-"
Dash trailed off, blinking several times as something clicked for her. “Oh… You feel like you can’t talk to us about heroic stuff," she sighed, giving me an apologetic look. "Well, ponyfeathers, Squirt. You need some help straightening yourself out, and you haven't been getting it."
I nodded. “Y-yeah,” I sighed.
Dash nodded and looked around the table at everypony else. "We're all going to get her on the path she want's to be on, right?" Dash asked seriously.
"Eeyup," AJ agreed with a nod.
"We have to, she needs help," Twilight agreed simply, giving me a smile.
"Goodness knows most young mares need a helping hoof around her age," Rarity agreed before holding up her forehooves for me to look at the embedded LEDs in her mechanical left leg lighting up a pale blue as she nodded to it. "Would you prefer help from a keratin or titanium hoof, Sherbert?"
I snickered at her joke. It was good she broke the ice like that.
"I'll probably need both..." I admitted with a sad smile.
Fluttershy frowned. "It occurs to me that Scootaloo hasn't mentioned you having any friends... Do you have friends?" She asked seriously, giving me a look which I was half convinced was a mild version of The Stare.
Because I couldn't imagine not answering her honestly. So I had to.
I shook my head slowly. "Not really? I kinda had a bully problem," I explained with a sigh. "Mom got really mad, made Ash's dad do something that stopped her directly bullying me. So she decided to make sure that everypony in our class avoided me by making them think my parents were psychos or something... Nopony will tell me exactly why they avoid me. But they do.
"The closest thing I have to a friend is Lemongrass. She's a changeling who works for Princess Cadence as her Butler, part of her duties include escorting staff members to and from dad's clinic. So I see her a lot. She's nice, but well, she's not around too much and never for long so... You know."
"Then, you've never really gotten to interact much with ponies your own age?" Twilight asked raising an eyebrow.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Well, that explains everything," Twilight sighed, giving me a sympathetic frown. "That's exactly why I was such a messed up young mare... Fundamentally speaking. The lack of close relationships outside of your family and possibly teachers has you feeling like you only matter to your family and your teachers. The only difference is that unlike me, you don't care much for scholarly pursuits, so you don't care about how your teachers see you aside from in the pragmatic 'I don't want to flunk a class' way. Right?"
I nodded yet again, then sighed and looked at the floor. "Yeah... If you just want to bluntly state it like that... I don't like ponies knowing I'm a mess," I grumbled.
I looked up at the loud clunk of a hoof smacking into a forehead to see Dash had facehooved rather hard.
“Look, Sherbert. That’s stupid. You’re not stupid. Stop being stupid. Okay?” She demanded, sounding just a little angry with me. "You need to let people help you. I got over my ego enough to accept help, so anypony can!"
"No one can help you if you won't tell them something's wrong, and you just seem like an introvert who likes being left alone," Rarity said with a sad sigh. "Promise us you'll open up more. If you'd said something about this years ago, none of this would be happening right now. We could have avoided this whole... Inferiority Complex you have going on."
I kicked the ground lightly with a hoof. “I can try…”
“I’m guessing you feel you can’t do more than just trying, eh?” Applejack said with a sympathetic sigh. “You definitely inherited some of my stubbornness along with your pa’s derps.”
I snorted in amusement. “Guess I did.”
“Whelp, at least we know you’re family!” Applejack joked. "Well, yer looking to improve yourself. That's the first step out of the way. We just need to get you into that class you want so you can actually do it."
Rarity suddenly cleared her throat. “Are we not concerned that she wants to learn how to fight?” Rarity asked.
“I am, slightly,” Twilight informed, giving me a frown. “But… Well, look at her Rarity. This is a problem for her. No offense, Sherbert, but I don’t think I could teach you magic to help your self esteem. It was hard enough teaching you to cloudwalk, and your magic just sort of likes to do things relating to enhancing our physical attributes.”
I nodded twice. “Yeah. It’s cool. That one spell took us like, actual months. I’m not cut out for magic,” I agreed.
Fluttershy looked over to Rarity. “She’s got her heart in the right place. She wants to help ponies. Yes, she’s young, and our culture does frown on young ponies learning to fight. But she does have some problems, and working on self improvement would be a good place to start. Martial arts is more than combat,it’s also learning discipline, and with Neighponese arts, also meditation and other self-examination skills.
“Yes, she could get that from the sports versions of various styles you can learn here, but she wants to be an actual hero, not a sports star. She mentioned Ninjutsu is what she wants to learn, that’s more than combat training.
"It’s also stealth, infiltration, disguise, avoidance, and survival training. Think of modern special forces training if you removed the standard military training. It’s more focused on not having to fight than fighting, but also ensuring that if you do have to fight you win.
“Honestly, Sherbert has the right idea for a foundation to build herself into a hero with. And if she doesn't have problems with violence when she gets back, a good next step could be to enlist with the Equestrian Guard. I think she should go.”
I nodded eagerly. When did Fluttershy learn that much about Neighponese martial art-
Oh! Right. She loved Neighponese stories. Derp.
“Exactly!” I agreed. “That’s the reason I want to do this so bad. I don’t like feeling worthless and… Well, you know. I’m good at athletic stuff. I think I’d enjoy martial arts, but I don't want to learn a sports version because that would just get me killed if say, I ever stepped in to protect a mare from a gang. Going to this one place I know of in Neighpone is my only shot.
“I mean, well, sure, there’s got to be a place here too… But I want time away from my family to well, find me. I get- I get nervous. You're all really important ponies and- Even now that you know you intimidate me I um… It’s still really hard to talk about stuff...”
“She's got a good point there,” Applejack said, backing me up completely. “Remember when you tried to use your kickboxing to get out of that griffon trap, Rarity? Didn’t exactly work, now did it?”
“Well, no. It certainly did put me in more danger,” Rarity admitted with a sigh. “But correct me if I’m wrong, but well, every play, book, and film portrays ninjas as hired goons or assassins. Do you really want her falling in with those kinds of people?”
I tilted my head to one side, baffled beyond reason. THAT’S what her hangup was? Really?
“You’re all government sanctioned killers. You’re soldiers. Special operatives. Knights,” I objected, raising an eyebrow. “I mean, you don’t go in guns blazing, but you’re ALLOWED to kill someone if you have to. I don’t know if all of you have killed anyone, but Twilight has, and Grandma AJ has. They’re not monsters.
“There’s nothing wrong with killing for your country if there’s no other way to resolve a conflict. I mean come on! That’s literally what a soldier’s job is, to kill people for the sake of other people’s safety. You’d probably all be proud of me if I wanted to just start in ROTC or whatever.”
“She’s got you there Rarity,” Dash laughed. “I mean, we do focus on non-lethal tactics but we sort of are hired goons. Kinda. The difference mostly being who we work for. Besides, if Sherbert found out about this place while literally being two nations and an ocean away it can’t be an underground assassins guild or anything like that.
“Honestly, it’s probably just some group of ponies who like keeping past traditions alive. Heck, remember when we went to Neighpone like, eight years ago? They still teach traditional swordplay and stuff, despite using guns and spell rods now. Neighpone is big on traditions.”
Rarity paused, sighed, and then nodded. “Alright. You’ve changed my mind. We’ll go talk her parents into letting her go.”
“Um… But, I already got into the exchange program,” I pointed out.
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “Does Scootaloo know you’re going so you can learn martial arts?”
I shook my head. “Well, no.”
“Same reason you have problems talking to us?” Dash prompted.
I nodded.
“Then we’ll go talk her into it so everypony’s on the same page,” Twilight announced to everypone as she stood up to go. “Come on, lunch was done with anyways. Let’s get the kid on track to not having a massive inferiority complex.”
“Yep!” Dash agreed the very second Twilight stopped speaking. “Definitely something to take care of sooner rather than later.”
“Ya’ll just don’t want your grandfilly to be less awesome than you are,” Applejack joked with a smirk.
“If you’re related to me you gotta be awesome. It’s a law of physics,” Dash replied playfully a she trotted out the door. “Come on! We’re doing this NOW Sherbert. I’m not going to let you have those loose screws any longer than necessary.”
“Since when are all of you my grandmares? I thought it was just Dash and AJ.” I asked nervously blushing slightly from embarrassment.
Rarity snickered. “Darling, the six of us might as well be married with how close we are after forty two years of being the Elements of Harmony. ALL of us have been your grandparents since you were born. This is one big family,” she said as she stood up as well. “Now come along, let’s get you sorted out.”
I had my chance to become somebody. My family gave it to me. And that’s okay. It was probably better to have help.
No, definitely better to have help.
After all, what I needed to do was make something of myself. Miss Cheerilee was right. I should go make some friends.
After all, friendship is magic. Or so I've been told.
It will be nice to find out first hoof!
To be Continued
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TO BE Continued and marked complete.. Interesting that Cheerilee remained a teacher while Ember became a principal.
Personally I think Cheerilee was being nice over all. I get the feeling Sherbert picked up more than just the slang name for Cadance's guard in the details she put into the report. Of course she could've also failed the paper all together since for not citing proper resources. Generally speaking using yourself doesn't count as a source
8246722 Well, Cheerlilee did go from k-5 to 9-12 in terms of how human education works in the US. So she moved to teaching older students. But it's clear from cannon that she's a teacher and enjoys it.
She was a lot. A good teacher knows that sometimes a student needs something more than a simple grade.
8246843 Little surprise there wasn't a push to make her the Principal when the high school was built after all she has all those years dealing with the bureaucracy
Well Sherbert learned a few thing now if they stick
Girl still going to need a lot of therapy, issues don't resolve themselves in a single heartfelt conversation, no matter what movies try to tell you.
But I do foresee a certain bully getting a stern taking to in the future. By the so very kind fluttershy.
I don't envy her
So much facepalm on the grannies part. They must feel horrible for their little Sherbet. They go to the rescue, though!
Nice idea on the Alicorn program Twi, but a bit too cliché. I mean, she has a granny Alicorn herself. And her uncle builds the stuff. She'll end in a cockpit anyway, permanent pilot or not, because of Rule of Ponyville (if shenanigans can happen, they will), but no need to focus that.
Dash's facehooving on the Ninja plan was hilarious
Trained to win if needed... On a surprise fight. Face someone in a proper combat armor and gear, aware and of similar ability? Get the hell out of dodge, filly. But then again, there's the guard for that.
And your shitton of personal contacts. Like, sheesh girl. That bully will most likely have a hard time finding a job at anything meaningful from here to Prance and beyond. Talk about bad luck.
Bullying is horrible, but she was still a child. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating though.
So meeps, next story when?
Okay, so this chapter really helped some of the irritation I felt with Sherbert; she obviously needs the help. Which, I assume, is going to be the main focus of the next tale of this universe. I'm sure it'll be an interesting ride, and here's to hoping she makes some good friends while overseas. Preferably with twins, eh? Or better yet, triplets. I'm also really glad she's learning what would have happened if she had at least talked to her family in the first place. Chances are Dash would have pulled her out of school herself just to send Sherbert to where she wanted to go. I also really like the fact that it was Cheerilee, of all ponies, to correct Sherb about how the Elements worked; friendship with Twilight not withstanding, it was good for Sherb to at least talk to someone who had been alive during the Era of Harmony and was familiar with how the Elements did their thing. The fact that Cheer is an earth pony (not really a mage) and knows this probably helped, at least subconsciously. If a non-mage knows all this, then obviously its not entirely a closely guarded secret or anything.
Here's to the next installment!
8247266
Yeah, I know she is a bit irritating in this, but that was the point. Show, don't tell. If I just started a story and had somone call her a phycological mess, naive, inexperienced, and a bit rude... It wouldn't make her story of becoming somone better very good. She has to start from some low place. I choose this one.
It is :D And tripplets eh? Hummm... We'll see what the dice have in store, eh?
100% would have. Dash knows that book learning isn't realy that important. After all, knowing history, advanced math, and geography do make you a more well rounded individual, but they dont tell you how to do your taxes, find a good job, and what home is within your price range. Most of what you need to know to live isn't taught in school. Sherbert can read, write, and do basic math. SHe knows the jist of her nation's history. As far as Dash cares, taht's all you need from School. She would have happily mentored Sherbert in audlting 101 while letting her learn martial arts.
I've had a lot of great teachers in my life. I figured that Sherbert could use one too.
8247128
Of course not :D But one heartfelt convercation can set the ball rolling.
Fluttershy will have to get in line... THere's a long line of angry/dissapointed ponies. Including some very scary ones. For instance, Sherbert's unaware of one extreemly important person in her indirect family.
Recall how in Exile's Journy, Emperor Prance mentions that the only ponies who ever visited him just to say hello were Cadence and Sky Trigger? Guess who the Emperor appointed as his personal estate's heir to give him access to the palace? No Sherbert, your Uncle isn't just good friends with the Prench Royal Family. He's legally a part of that aforementioned royal family (Not a part that can have political power, but still a part). This makes the Emperor of Prance your Great Uncle, not your Uncle's best friend... "Excuse me, tiny thing, but I've been told you've ensured my Grandniece grew up friendless..." At any rate it's a good thing Sherbert misunderstands that relationship or her head might explode...
I once write an essay completely unrelated to the subject matter I was told to write about and turned it in with a king size chocolate bar and got an A.
8247299 A few more twists and turns. Yes good thing Sherbert doesn't realize all the ties of her family. She is already shaken from what happened apologizing to Applejack and the others. Toss in the likely reaction of others UGH. If her Uncle is related to Prance that also means in time she is going to be more closely related to Luna. Not that her father, mother and Uncle doesn't already have ties to the Royal family in Canterlot
Nice to see Sherbert's opinion on the bearers cleared up, that was a little...not great.
It's interesting that a pure unicorn like Sherbert has magic that works differently than be more normal equestrian unicorn. I wonder if that's an indication that the equestrian standard unicorn magic is influenced by pegasi and earth pony blood being in the mix.
The ninja plan is a little silly, but at the same time a random dojo in Neighpone is probably going to be perfectly happy about a foreigner showing up who wants to participate. Frome what I have been told about Japanese dojos, they're generally happy to have another warm body that'll help keep the art alive.
8247451 Sherbert isn't a pure Unicorn we know this from her having a Griffon tail if nothing else. just from Scootaloo Sherbert would have both Earth Pony and Pegaus genetics. From Lilly more unicorn and pegasus and this is just the known genetics
8247459 She only thinks it's a griffon tail on account of not knowing the truth. Think about the art you may have seen of classical unicorn designs, and about the source of her mothers genetics and her father's Talent.
8247503 But that's here on Earth where various creatures have influenced art of Unicorns. Said classical Unicorns have more in common with antelope then equines
8247311 I aced Agriculture (an elective class) in Highschool because I have the teacher a 50 pound bag of peanuts and jokingly said "Sure, but I get an A in your class". He litteraly said "Deal!" In a way I thought was a joke. It was not.
8247451
Every modern pony verriety has been influenced by the others alot. The unicorn's easy control of their magic comes from pegasi and their flight magic. Pegasi weather manipulation being more than a general "I can make it a little less rainy in this zone around myself" comes from Earth Pony nature bond magic. That's not to say that Sherbert CANT use magic, just that the modern casting methods make it super hard for her to do it because her magic works drastically differently. (Sombra could have taught her a thing or two. Dark Magic is much closer in terms of how do shot magic.)
In general, dojos are the one place in modern Japan where there isn't any casual dislike of foreigners. Sure, Japan loves tourists, but look at any youtube channel owned by a westerner trying to live in Japan. After a month or so people start to dislike you. It's not racism, it's more of a "The US is unique in it's melting pot quality. Other nations expect immigrants to learn the language and customs ASAP and adhere to them." The exception seemingly being dojos, but only for people who are genuinely dedicated to attending.
YAY! I'm not the only one who makes this typo ^^
8247459 The words used were "Griffon-like" not griffon. Big difference.
8248082 Yes OK unless Lilly tweaked things just from Scootaloo Sherbert has Pegasus and Earth pony genetics. something that is entirely possible. Not completely completely sure of Lily's genetics but from what I remember of the stories I assume pegasus and Unicorn at the least
Darn and I passed my Agriculture class the hard way
A ninja but NOT a combat mech pilot?
Whynotboth.gif
Seriously, Rarity could have her husband (Fiancee? What's her relationship with Indy at this point?) drop a pilot training simulator anywhere on the planet for her. Stick it in a converted cargo crate with a hover plate, drop it on the ocean, and she can have a nice apartment to stay in while training. It would cost Rarity nothing but a little time, and I'm sure Indy would be 10,000% behind plan ninja-mech-pilot.
Does anyone else hope Sherbert get's recruited for the A.L.I.C.O.R.N program while in Neighpone?
No wonder she has difficulty doing magic if her's just naturally enhances others.
8249484 Official story vs "We totaly didn't use use a form of necromancy to preserve our parents in the hopes of one day healing them, which we attempted but accidentally petrified them."
Also who says that's not what Lily was trying?
8249626
Everything is history. I farted. That's history.
But more seriously, Seven's journy is what led to Equestria having to official recognize that the multiverse exists.
It's an excilent idea if you want to destroy absolutely everything, piriod.
Yes. It's a physics thing. THink about it. Mortals are meat based lifeforms, their capabilities depend on the configuration of their meat. The meat can only be configured so many ways. Take the most optimized meat for magical power possible. That's the limit to mortal power. It can't be surpassed without violating physics.
He enjoyed making different bodies for 'dressup' fun. Changelings can shapeshift, and with some arcane assistance his android form can change too. It lets him have fun with a hobby.
Because normal for mares is bisexual (Until Estrus season comes along), and normal for stallions is strait. IE, a completely strait mare is similar to a colt. It's something thought of as 'tomboyish'. You're only into the opposite sex, that's so a guy thing.
8249626
8250337
It also doesn't help that Meep's perception of the gender division and orientation is fairly skewed. An issue I have already addressed with her.
Out of curiosity, how old are the mane 6 now?
8277110 70 to 80. Human equivalent of early to late 20s.
" “Darling, you’re not even thirty yet. "
Just how long do these ponies live anyway huh?
8750087 Based off the show, a pony's maximum lifespan is somewhere around 300. See Granny Smith being alive 300 years ago for the founding of Ponyville as a young mare.
How do you keep writing such absolutely brilliant shit?
It's like you have fucking J. K. Rowling leaning over your shoulder telling you what to write.
8972254 I want to clarify that I am stating facts and not bragging. That said...
I have literally read thousands of books. My middle school gave me a trophy for reading the entirety of the library over my 3 year stay. I got another one from my high school. When I was a teen, all I did was read. I was WORSE than Twilight Sparkle because I got in trouble for reading books in class instead of listening to the teachers. I once had a teacher take my book, so I took another copy out from my bag and continued reading. She took that one too, so I brought out another copy. The teacher discovered I had anticipated her taking my book and literally checked out all 34 copies of it so I could read the book even if she took one copy from me every minute of class.
I've always loved to read, and when it comes to fiction I tend to memorize everything I read. I've got literally thousand s of stories floating in my brain which I can recite word for word. These stories muddy with time though and blend together producing elaborate fantasies which I use as the basis for constructing stories of my own.
See, after reading an entire library... I felt bad. Books had given me so much, and I had given books nothing back. I felt it was my duty to contribute something to fiction. It was time for me to give someone else that wonderful place to escape to. From then on I decided that before I died I would publish at least one novel. As my life took shape and dreams died, this one dream has remained. When it turned out I couldn't be an astronaut due to mental health issues I went to college and took things to help me write.
I dont think college helped my storytelling much, but I graduated with a Masters of the Humanities and a minor in Creative Writing.
TLDR; Telling stories is all I have left in life to do thanks to how my first 2 decades of life shaped up. It's also my only remaining life goal. Telling stories is what I have spent my entire life preparing to do... And I still think I mostly suck at it XD
8972300
I didn't get any trophies of your style. I'm less of a quantity and more of a speed person.
I pride myself on this website for one accomplishment and one only:
Reading "Letters from an Irritated Princess" in three days.
I'm working my way through MLP Time Loops. Longest story on the site- over two million words.
I'm really just trying to do something I can brag about, because that shelf is noticeably empty.
8972333 The Trophy thing was form a contest my school district did to encourage reading. I uh... I want aware of it until I won it in middle school >>
8972363
I wasn't aware of this website until my brony friend told me about My Little Dashie.
We all miss important things in life. It happens.
considering she's literally the daughter of speed itself,rainbow dash is not wrong
9404856
Huh. Seems legit. For some reason, I never considered the fact that they could just release him the old fashioned way.
9404917 Yeah, it's kind of funny. The show shows that a sever and genuine bit of Disharmony will break him free... Then drops that entirely.
9487515
I thought Bonbon I would have played a more active role in Cataclysm. After all, she was a fighter jet. And Chere.ly was an AI placed in a biological body by her dad. I'm just curious about what happened to them after Lyra 7%.
9487549 Their plotline was cut since I felt the story was a bit to fragmented. TLDR:
Bonbon flew in defense of Pheonix during the invasion. Chere.ly wound up in Manehatten working at a boutique that rivaled Rarity's and played no serious roll in the events.
9487562
I think the defense of Pheonix would make a good supplementary story. It is mentioned far too often.
9487572 Yeah, I might do that one day :3 Gotta get my Fallout Equestria story done before the End of the Fandom tho. Odds are pritty good that's not too long from now :c
948772
That makes three supplementary stories that I want to read: Hollow Shade, Cretaceous Park, and Defense of Phoenix
9487720
Not neccessarily. It looks like this ones gonna be around for awhile, especially with gen five coming out in a year
9744618 G5 =/= G4. People will want stories about G5, and I am not interested in watching G5. Not when the last half of G4 is an indication of what they are likely to do with it.
9744997
Just do your own thing dear heart. People will probably come here then to canon in any case