Roll for Initiative

by David Silver

10 - End Episode 4 - Educational Adventure

The party of foals pressed into the monstrous gathering. Snails proved to be a zen monk, floating with crossed hooves among the enemies and nimbly dodging every attack that came his way. Those that dared to try to get past him were tripped by a hoof extended just far enough.

Twist was bouncing around, flinging confection at every available mouth. Even better, some of the monsters were mollified by the treats, rubbing their bellies and ceasing their battle.

The entire class was showing off their abilities when a fresh set of hooves were heard. "I'm just checking in, Spike." It was Cheerilee, smiling, or at least she was until she stepped around the corner and saw half the class in heroic poses. "What's... going on?"

The students dropped into their seats almost instantly, trying their best to look innocent. Spike waved a few fingers at Cheerilee. "Hey! They're doing great." He turned to Apple Bloom. "Tell Cheerilee about the math we've done today."

Apple Bloom blinked, startled at first before she recovered. "O-oh, right! Spike made me figure out how far away ah was every time I wanted to throw one of mah bombs." She pulled up her sheet, backside presented with all her work figuring out various right angles. "See?"

Cheerilee approached swiftly and leaned in to look at the scratch work. "Mmm, very nice. What is this about bombs?"

Pipsqueak hopped up onto his desk suddenly, small enough that it didn't immediately tip over. "Cor, we're havin' a grand adventure is what we are! We're all working together like t' save the day."

"I... see." Cheerilee raised a brow at Spike,

Spike squirmed under the judging gaze of the teaching mare, wondering if he had gotten himself in trouble.

She circled him, joining him at the front of the class. "I'm afraid this little adventure is over." The class gave out a collective aww of disappointment. She waved a hoof. "But that's only because a new one needs your attention more urgently." She grabbed a book of geography from her desk in her teeth and set it down on top of it. "Because in order to secure peace, you need to find the dazzling jewels of Tiki-stat." She waved her hooves in a wobbly way, emphasizing their mystical nature. "Spike will take it from here. As it turns out, they're hidden in the capitals of the nations of the world. Will you find them all in time? Mmm, I look forward to hearing the report."

Spike caught the not-so-subtle wink given in his direction and perked up. He returned it with equal lack of covertness. "Right! The dazzling jewels! Without those, the country may be lost entirely! To say nothing of the damage caused to the world." He spread his claws wide. "We'd better get on that. What's the closest capital?"

As the class worked to figure that out, Cheerilee trotted from the classroom, apparently satisfied.

Spike took the class on a romp around the world, starting in Equestria and visiting other places and meeting exotic people. They bartered with griffons, armwrestled dragons, and had tea with Saddle Arabians on their quest to assemble all the jewels. Spike knew it was a thinly disguised lesson on capitals and nations, but it was fun to run, and the class seemed to enjoy their explorations.

Snips shook his head. "I don't run." All the other foals had fled from the huge sand worm that was rushing to eat them all up. "I ask for her help."

Spike paused a moment before he remembered who 'her' was. "Oh, yeah! Alright, so you bow your head and pray to your monstrous ally. Just as the worm is about to gobble you up, coming down a dune towards you, it hesitates. It thrashes around as if looking around for something, but it can't find it. Panicked and as frightened as a worm can be, it tunnels into the ground and is soon gone entirely."

The crowd erupted into cheers, their adventure forward opened.

Snails leaned over towards his friend. "So, is that real like real real or, um, real like Trixie?"

Snips flipped his ears back. "They say it's real..."

Spike continued the adventure as they went off to the land of Turkey, ruled over by turkeys, of course. He browsed the book Cheerilee had left for him, pulling out random facts to spice things up as they went along, making them part of the obstacles that stood in their path.

Scooteloo thrust out a hoof. "We're half way!" Her excited gesture was met with several other hooves, the class united behind the cause of winning the game. Their cheering was interrupted not by Spike, but the bell ringing loud and clear.

They had failed to complete the adventure in time for the schoool day's end.

The cheering wilted out rapidly. Diamond Tiara fixed Spike with her stare. "Just because some stupid bell tells us doesn't mean we have to. I think we're all having a good time, so, Spike, if you please." She made a dismissive gesture. "Emerald Choker would appreciate your continuing of our journeys."

The rest of the class was quick to pick up the idea, joining in a cheering mass encouraging Spike to keep going. Scootaloo hopped up to her hooves. "I'll do a super fast run around town and tell our folks we're at school, it's not like they'll mind us being here of all places." She was practically out the door before anyone could blink.

Spike let out a little nervous laugh, wringing his fingers. "Well, uh, wow. I didn't think you were having that much fun. Alright..." He cleared his throat. "So you approach the court of the gobblers..."

The game pressed on several hours past the official end of the schoolday, but they got all the jewels and bound them together, saving Princess Schmarity and the world as a whole. With tired cheers, they wandered off in a great mass of foals, some even carrying those that had nodded off in a group of homebound fillies and colts.

Spike was left alone in the darkened room. He let out a little breath. "That went on longer than I expected." But had he enjoyed it? He smiled a little and nodded. "Not sure I'm cut out to be a teacher full time, but that was fun." He spoke to himself, none others around, or so he thought. As he turned for the door he spotted Cheerilee sitting there, watching him. "Oh, hey! Uh, we went a little over time."

Cheerilee nodded as she walked closer. "I saw the cloud of happy little foals outside. We can't play games every day, or most days, but I hope some learning happened, hmm?"

Spike hefted up the heavy book Cheerilee had left. "They visited every known country! I made sure to use facts from the book to spice things up. I'm pretty sure they ate it up."

Cheerilee gave a small nod. "I was just coming to see how much mess was left for cleaning up tomorrow." Her eyes swept the room. "A fairly average day, on that front." She spied a piece of paper on the floor and picked it up. "Is this... part of it?" She turned it over for Spike to see. It was Twist's character sheet with a big drawing of a candycane on it. "They really did have a good time, thank you."

"So, hey, what is it you had to run off to anyway?" Spike slipped the geography book back where Cheerilee had originally gotten it from. "Was it some super important teacher business."

Cheerilee's eyes half-closed. "Yes, the 'super important' part of not going insane. I just wanted a day off. I had arranged it with Twilight and thought it was a done deal, and, well, you know what happened. I kept getting worried about them, hence my return... You did great though." She wandered the classroom, picking up the larger, obvious, bits of debris and tossing them towards the trashcan with whips of her neck. "I had a nice day, and it sounds like they did too. Everyone had a day off."

"And they learned things!" He thrust a finger in the air as he said it. "Don't forget that."

Cheerilee smiled gently. "I'm not sure how much of that they'll retain, but thank you for trying." She came back around from her trash collecting tour and leaned in, giving Spike a smooch on the top of the head. "You really are a #1 assistant."

Spike went a deep red. That was a term of affection normally saved for Twilight, but... "Um, thanks..."

"Go on. This schoolhouse is my problem. You're off duty." She waved him away with her forehooves, sitting down while she did so.

Spike saluted briskly, hopped down from the stool he had occupied for much of the day, and started for the door. "Good evening, Miss Cheerilee. Glad you had fun."

"Thanks to you." Her smile was the last thing he saw before he was out into the evening air.

He jogged home, eager to get off his feet and relax a little from a busy day. He was not expecting Big Mac to be inside the castle, seated beside their usual table. "B-Big Mac? What're you doing here?"

He tilted his head at Spike. "Ah know Twilight's not around, so ah thought today's a game night. Was ah wrong?"

"I thought we met when all the girls were out. At least Twilight and Applejack?" He shrugged helplessly. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting here. I was helping with the foals down at the school. He hiked a thumb. "I ran a game for them practically all day!"

"Oh." Big Mac tapped his cheek twice. "Well, if yer tired, how about..." He glanced left and right conspiratorially. "How about ah try a game? You kin just be the player this time."

Spike blinked at the idea. "You'd... do that? I mean, there's a lot of talking involved."

"Ah don't say what ah don't mean." He thumped his chest with a hoof. "Besides, if yer invitin' me, then it's alright, so do ya want me to run somethin'?"

Spike bounced up into a chair with a smile. "I would be delighted." He wanted to see what his friend would do with the mantle of Oubliette Overseer. "Am I making a new character?"

"Nah." He waved a hoof. "Nothin' wrong with Garbuncle." He cleared his throat, it was time for his first game as the one that wove the story.

Author's Note:

Well, the next chapter's premise just kind of wrote itself at the end there.

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Comments

[Hillbe]

Schmarity?
nervous dragon noises...
I approve my little Garbuncle ...
You broke my #1 assistant!
Oh dear!
Gosh a critical hit!

[SuperPinkBrony12]

8413045 You know, that would be interesting if Rarity ever found out about Spike's not so subtle naming of her as the damsel in distress for his fantasy world.

[Hillbe]

8413285
He would have a fabulously massive vaporlock

orig00.deviantart.net/7e19/f/2017/224/6/5/lizard_mine_by_hillbe-dbjuds8.jpg

[howard035]

Wait, did the foals ever capture Carmen Sandiego or not?

Looking forward to the apple-ventures of Garbuncle and McBiggun as they face down a Nosfaratu Fruit Bat.

[RadicalDishonesty]

8413498
Does anyone ever really catch Carmen Sandiego? Really?

Anyway, that's some quality edu-tainment.

[howard035]

8413815
The Rockapellas always are there, they could probably catch her if they really wanted to.

[FanOfMostEverything]

That certainly went better than expected. Also, cool to get the Snips backstory with reverence towards... something.

Also, accidental crossover in the previous chapter:

Littlepip giggled. "Maybe he also likes eatin'. Nothin' wrong with that!"

[OmniFox]

Legendary.

[HB_DS2013]

Why the heck is Littlepip here? Gamer or not, Spike has a potential to be a substitute teacher.

[David Silver]

8538514
I see no littlepip?