Twilight’s school had been a great idea, in theory. Even having Applejack and the others teach had made sense. In theory. Applejack didn’t want to brag or anything, but her group of friends had saved the world through friendship and teamwork more than once. They understood what it meant for a group of very different ponies to work together.
So yeah, theoretically, everything should’ve been fine.
In reality, six mares with full-time jobs were left scrounging for free time to teach classes. Heck, Dash had two full-time jobs between weather manager of Ponyville and her career as a Wonderbolt. The solution they’d come up with was for each of the six Element Bearers to take turns taking a day off their regular work to teach at the school.
Applejack walked into her class that morning feeling calm and focused. She knew exactly what she wanted to teach, and it was a lesson every creature needed to learn. “Settle down, everyone. Yes, I know it’s Saturday, but talking up a storm is just gonna make it take longer before you can get on with enjoying the weekend.”
The class soon fell silent, with creatures of all different races staring at her expectantly.
Applejack walked up to the board and wrote ‘Honesty.’ “Being honest means a whole heap of a lot more than just telling the truth. I can tell the truth and still be as dishonest as you like. For example, I am completely hairless … but only on this one scar.” She pointed to a round mark on her foreleg. “I was whipping around an apple tree too fast and tripped. Jammed a stick right into my leg and had to have a doctor yank it back out.”
Some members of the class winced, others acted like they weren’t impressed.
“The point is,” Applejack continued, “saying things that are technically true can still be lies if you leave out important info and let others draw the wrong conclusions. It’s the same with avoiding saying things. Just because you ain’t fibbing doesn’t mean you’re being honest. So be sure to ask yourself once in a while if you’re being honest with others, and especially with yourself.” She turned to the class. “Any questions?”
Yeah, it was a short lesson, but she’d rather focus on one important idea and learn everything she could about it.
Ocellus, the changeling, lifted her hoof. “Is it dishonest to avoid bringing up parts of yourself that you aren’t proud of?”
“She’s got a point,” the griffon said. Gallus, if Applejack remembered right. “I mean, do you really expect us to walk around saying crap like, ‘Hi, I’m Gallus, I hate most ponies, and I’m probably going to hate you too. So anyway, how’s it going?’”
Applejack shook her head. “Honest ain’t about shoving your whole life story down the throat of every creature you meet. It’s about telling others the truthful things they deserve to know about, even when it’s hard on both of you. There ain’t a solid rule for what you should and shouldn’t tell others, but you’ll know you’re being dishonest when you feel that guilt in your chest, weighing you down.”
“Even if it’s embarrassing?” Gallus asked, a faint smirk on his beak.
“Even then,” Applejack said.
Gallus’s smirk turned into a full grin. “Really? Then is it true Sketchy, that crazy pony from Griffonstone, moved to Ponyville, and that you’re modeling adult art for him now?”
Applejack froze. “You, uh, you know Sketchy?”
“Every griffon in Griffonstone knew about him.” Gallus leaned back in his desk. “But you haven’t answered my question yet.”
There were times when Applejack really wasn’t a big fan of that griffon. Right then, for instance. “Fine, yup, I’m modeling for him as a favor between friends.” She smiled. “And he ain’t crazy. A bit different, sure, but I count myself lucky to know him.”
Gallus rolled his eyes. “So you’re okay with a bunch of ponies staring at your … whatever it is ponies find sexy? Maybe you could bring in a few samples for us.”
Be the bigger pony, Applejack told herself, or the bigger creature. Whatever. She took a deep breath. “Gallus, do you want detention?”
“What?” He spread his arms. “I was just asking an honest question.”
“So am I,” Applejack said. “You’re going out of your way to embarrass and annoy me. If that ain’t begging for detention, I don’t know what is. So I figured I’d jump right to the point and ask if you’re sure you want it.” She smiled sweetly. “I’d be happy to oblige.”
Gallus looked away. “Fine, forget I said anything.”
That purple hippogriff gasped. “Wait, can ponies and griffons forget things on command? What if you accidentally forgot the wrong thing?”
Applejack sighed. “No, ponies can’t forget stuff just like that. If we could, then trust me, I would’ve kick plenty of sights out of my noggin by now.” Some images of Spoiled Rich came to mind. “Anyway, are there any other questions-”
The door to the classroom burst open and Rainbow Dash … well, dashed through. “Applejack, Sketchy’s in trouble!”
“What kind of trouble?” Applejack asked immediately.
Dash looked at the students then back to Applejack. “Maybe we should talk outside?”
Applejack hurried out into the hall with Dash and shut the door behind her. “What happened?”
“Nothing at first,” Dash said. “The show was fine. I was awesome, of course, and Sketchy was having a great time right up until it was time to sign autographs. You see, Celestia kinda showed up because she wanted to ask how things were going in Ponyville, and Sketchy was there too, and-”
“He didn’t,” Applejack said.
“He did.” Dash scratched the back of her neck. “So he kinda got dragged off by Celestia and her guards, and I couldn’t get a clear answer from anypony about what they were going to do to him.”
Applejack kicked the door to her class open. “Class dismissed.” Then she took off running for the exit.
“I must draw you.”
—————
Fast forward to the castle, she is posing like the birth of Venus.
“You are the reason I get up in the morning.”
“ Well, I do raise the sun.”
It's Celestia so you know she is either modelling for Sketchy or having him embarrass Luna.
SKetchy's new "friend" does have a great rump
Celestia is 100% having fun by posing.
I wanna see the full interaction next chapter.
Perhaps something different this time? lets try something classical.
img00.deviantart.net/4f42/i/2016/058/3/8/celestial_practice_4__bacchestia_by_silfoe-d9tbmau.jpg
This should have been the obvious result of Sketchy going to Canterlot alone.
9069128
More like, "How much would I have to pay you to let me stare at your butt?"
However you play it, the next chapter should be entertaining.
9069186
I’d like to think he learned a little decorum
This is not good for sketchy. This raises the sensitive debate if people with hight functioning autism are responsible and accountable for their actions because of their condition in the eyes of the law, which they are. This is walks a sensitive line and I wouldn't like if AJ used that as a way to get sketchy out of the dungeons.
I of course think that my conditions does not prevent me for making my own responsible decisions in life despite my condition and my contrition doesn't excuses me form any wrong action that I do.
Seeing her laid back attitude I hope that she did actually agreed to pose for him and uses the excuse of supporting his craft as a patron of the arts
I think AJ could get some sympathy in Sketchy way if she tell Celestial or royal guard that he is an orphan and he wanted to learn more what he could about his pony heritage and knows next to and knows nothing about rules and customs lessen his punishment.
EVER DAMN TIME! I know Celestia is just taking Sketchy so he can do some private drawings but really, can't any of her friends keep good tabs on him for her?!
Going to bed, please get that chapter out soon.
Great job!
No way
Wut!
"There's no paper big enough?"
That's what he said,
Yeah, Gigantic
Maybe if she laid off the ice cream.
9069128
Lol, too perfect!
9069136
Probably the biggest in Equestria.
9069142
Expect the next chapter tomorrow around 2, Mountain Time.
9069159
Very nice. Dionysys approves.
brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/courses/13things/files/5641868.png
I'm not sure I want to imagine what would happen if Celestia ever actually met the Greek god of wine, parties, and madness ... Ah who am I kidding? Someone write a fanfic about that!
9069191
One can only hope. If not, I messed something up.
9069232
Don't worry, I never plan on playing the "He isn't responsible for his own actions" card. Ponies understanding the reasons behind those actions, on the other hoof ...
9069251
Sleep well, and expect it tomorrow around 2:00 PM, USA Mountain Time.
9069305
But ice cream is so delicious!
9069340
Now that'd be a right proper party.
Cleanup afterwards though... oy.
9069128
5 bucks say its actually going to be something just like this, and AJ is worrying for nothing
9069200
I'd like to think that too, but everything we've seen so far suggests otherwise.
Yeah I think I'm on the same boat with everyone.
I'm pretty stoked for the next chapter.
Sun Butt, indeed....
9069159
I......dare I ask how the hell you found that?
Seems like AJ having some Vietnam Flashback there xD
And Sketchy running in the mother of all problems...why I'm not suprised?
Maybe AJ shouldn't leave him alone...forever...
9069693
Simple. I am a very magical lizard.
.
.
.
.
Also I found a reddit archive of high-quality fan-art. Have a look! It's just one part of a very large network. You can find pages dedicated to art of just about anything. I like to use it for reference material.
9069381
No comment.
9069429
He's learning, but picking up the social norms for a whole culture is a long, slow process.
9069568
I'm glad I've been able to keep your interest. Expect the next chapter tomorrow afternoon.
9069699
I'd fully support the two of them staying together forever.
9069704
Thanks for the link!
9069775
Careful now, you can lose hours in there, goodness knows I have. How's that dream-story treating you?
I just wanted to point out that I loved that little interaction between Sketchy and Mudbriar.
It was amazing and dead accurate. I've had little interactions like that with my friends before
9069801
That's good. Interactions between characters are so easy to mess up or make unnatural.
9069789
Just starting into it, but I'm really enjoying it so far.
O NO
I HAVE MISSED LIKE 10 CHAPTERS
Edit: yes exactly 10 chapters
9069946
It's quite simple. If one is nude, one is without clothing. If one is naked, one is exposed, and ashamed of that fact.
What matters is not the nudity, or lack thereof, what matters is why one is nude.
9069954
ah ok
9069768
I wonder why...
Ahhhh cliff hanger!!!!
Hmmm...I have thought about the chapter a little bit and this...lesson of Applejack got stuck in my head
All she said in the lesson... isn't that EXACTLY the situation Applejack has to face right now? Look at this: she said that telling the truth but leaving out important informations is kind of telling a lie. And yet she does the same when the topic is Sketchy. She says she likes him as..."a good friend" of her. She told this her friends and others. And it's the truth. But on the other hoof she isn't telling the hole truth! There is more behind this, something she hide. And that's the well hidden truth: her true feelings for Sketchy.
But who is she hiding from? Sketchy? Her friends? Herself? Only the time can tell...
It's fine. She just want to commission some art
Yes! I mean, Oh nooooo! This is gonna be guuuuuud!
9069935
I hope you enjoy getting caught back up!
9070260
What can I say? I'm a fan of dramatic irony.
9070452
I've always wondered how Celestia handled the different art movements that went through Equestria over the years. Does she let artists draw her in whatever the new style is, or does she stick to favorite styles? We know she has a lot of stained-glass windows, but does she branch out into other mediums?
9070942
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/363036/drifting-down-the-lazy-river
Celestia Among the Flowers has been mentioned in a few other fics.
I honestly don’t know why you think that Rainbow would still be in charge of weather management when she’s a full-fledged Wonderbolt. I’m sure that her old job went to someone else as soon as Spitfire gave her the news.
10184828
At the time, I was expecting there to be an episode at some point that dealt with Rainbow trying to balance weather duties with being a Wonderbolt and realizing it was impossible to do both. It seemed like the kind of lesson Dash would need to learn.