Tales from Manehattan Port: A Tugs and MLP:FiM Crossover

by SonicFan117DASH

Chapter 1: Arrangements

In a single-story house near Ponyville’s town hall, Cheerilee, teacher at Ponyville Schoolhouse, was having some serious inner turmoil.

The superintendent of Ponyville’s school district had asked her to arrange a special assignment for her students. However, this was not any “ordinary” special assignment. This assignment was to have Cheerilee’s students partake in intensive study into an historically significant subject of her choice, and then they were to write a report on how the subject made it’s mark in history and how it still influences the present day. Cheerilee’s superiors also stated it would be an absolute bonus if she were to acquire the assistance and class presentation of a pony with extensive experience and knowledge of the chosen subject.

The main issue plaguing Cheerilee was that she didn’t know what subject to chose!

Cheerilee wasn’t given a list of options or offered any suggestions as to what kind of subject her students would be interested in. If there was one thing Cheerilee specializes in, aside from teaching, it is being resourceful. 99% of every marking period in her teaching career was successful due to her finding any outside material at her disposal to provide prime examples of any current study.

Unfortunately, this time would become that last 1%, for she was lacking any outside resources, let alone a solid plan.

The last three years proved to be somewhat underwhelming for Cheerilee. Ever since Twilight Sparkle arrived she has inadvertently become somewhat of a second teacher to any pony she met. To put it bluntly, after the many adventures and world-saving escapades she and her five friends partook in, the many lessons they learn as a result of their experiences rub off on every pony, involved or not.

While this meant Ponyville as a whole, not just the foals, learned a new valuable lesson after another, this left Cheerilee in an awkward position. She was a teacher, yet she felt she wasn’t the one who was teaching, given a situation in or out of her control. That’s not to say she was jealous, Heavens no! She was rather proud that education in Ponyville got higher every other day.

Long story short, Cheerilee had run out of new things to teach for the year.

Her superiors weren’t making it easy on Cheerilee, and the lack of outside help was making it worse. She brainstormed deeply for any type of subject that could catch her student’s attention, anything to please them and the school board. Unfortunately, no matter how much she thought she always came up short. Any subject she could think of was either already covered, or reserved for the next school period.

Poor Cheerilee slumped down into her recliner with a loud sigh of frustration. She couldn’t remember the last time she became so stressed. The irony of it all was she is a professional school teacher, always prepared for the school year, yet she was literally out of ideas.

It was almost too much for Cheerilee. She almost started to cry. Her fruitless efforts were tugging at her mind like a rope painfully yanking on her tail.

Tugging…

The only few ideas of potential study subjects were all related to the city of Manehattan. Particularly Manehattan’s massive harbors, ports, and waterways.

Tugging..

The amount of work done there would take ten times the number of ponies in Ponyville to accomplish. But that’s where she always hit a mental roadblock. Her students already knew of the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Tugging.

However, if there was one example of hardworking harbor life she remembered ,it was the small but powerful vessels that make up the power behind the industries of Manehattan Port.

“Tugging,” Cheerilee murmured to herself.

The sturdy, reliable, versatile crafts that are the-

“TUGBOATS!!!”

Cheerilee had done it, she found the study subject she needed! Oh, why didn’t she think of this before? Doesn’t matter now; she had work to do. Only eight weeks of the school year was left. So much to do, so little time!

(Two hours later…)

After consulting with her superiors at the Ponyville School District building, Cheerilee was given approval to carry on with her class study of the tugboat. Cheerilee then retreated back to her house to write down notes on how to organize her study session.

She couldn’t believe she didn’t think about this earlier. The tugboat was perhaps one of the most historically significant vehicles in the history of big city ports and harbors around the world! They may be small but the tugboat was designed to push and pull large ships or river barges much, much bigger than them. Their simplicity has made them easy to maintain and mass produced to support contractors and businesses that use the waterways all across Equestria.

“Well,” Cheerilee thought, “that settles it. I finally have my most needed subject to educate my little ponies. I can visit the castle library for research, organize a few hoof-written assignments, and a final quiz.”

Then Cheerilee paused her writing for a moment. There was something she was still missing.

“A class presentation of a pony with extensive experience on tugboats,” Cheerilee reminded herself. “Where in Equestria can I find a pony with such knowledge?” She knew she couldn’t ask one tugboat pilot to come all the way from Manehattan on short notice. They were always too busy with ever-increasing harbor work to be away for long periods of time.

“Perhaps,” Cheerilee thought, “I could ask one who is retired?” Old ponies from Ponyville’s Retirement Home have helped her teach in the past. However, of all the times she visited the retirement home she couldn’t recall meeting, or hearing of, any pony there who once worked in the maritime business. This got Cheerilee worried.

Before Cheerilee went into another state of near-panic, she suddenly remembered some pony from a month ago who perfectly matched what she needed.

It was another one of Pinkie Pie’s welcome parties for a new resident to Ponyville. Cheerilee couldn’t remember his full name, but she knew his last name was “Starr.” At first glance, he seemed to have recently entered retirement and had come to Ponyville to live it out. Instead of moving into the Ponyville Retirement Home, as one might have thought he would, he purchased a small but roomy single-story house close by Ponyville’s windmill.

Anyway, Cheerilee tried to introduce herself to Mr. Starr, but the poor old stallion was still recovering from his shock from meeting Pinkie Pie. Cheerilee honestly couldn’t blame Mr. Starr for that; Pinkie Pie and her behavior can make any pony’s head spin. All she could get from Mr. Starr was he used to work in Manehattan Port thirty years ago. Judging from the old captain’s cap he was wearing, Cheerilee theorized he used to be a captain of some sort. The party was short-lived before Mr. Starr excused himself from Sugar Cube Corner to retreat to his new home.

At that thought, Cheerilee set aside her notes and brought out a new sheet of paper. She dipped her quill in the inkwell and began to write.

Dear Mr. Starr,

My name is Cheerilee. I am the Ponyville Schoolhouses’ teacher and am in need of your assistance. You see, I have need of a pony who has profound knowledge on a certain subject I’m planning for my students. The subject just so happens to be tugboats. Given their historical significance and vast versatility it seems to be an ideal lesson to close this school year. An additional pony presentation would be greatly appreciated. I don’t wish to sound desperate but you are the only pony I can think of who can help me in this manner on such short notice. To be perfectly honest, I’m not even sure if you could provide any information on tugboats. I assumed you would since you were wearing a captain’s cap when we met. Like I said, I am rather desperate and any pony with experience in the maritime business is better than nothing. If you agree to present yourself, just make your way to the schoolhouse this Sunday morning and we can work out the details. I realize this is sudden and you don’t have to do this, but your efforts will be handsomely rewarded.

Sincerely, Cheerilee.

Once Cheerilee finished writing the letter, she put the quill away and folded the paper. She then put the folded letter into an empty pink envelope and wrapped it up in a bright magenta ribbon to make it presentable.

Cheerilee then wasted no time and made her way to Ponyville’s post office.

Comments

[Magi Tail Welkin]

Wouldn't Ten Cent and Sunshine be a bit young to be operating tugboats?

[SonicFan117DASH]

9324900
Just because I said young and/or younger doesn’t necessarily suggest they’re school age. And besides, this is the world of Equestria; does it really matter?

[FleetlordAvatar]

I remember Tugs from when I was little, I still have the videos somewhere in the attic. The Tugboats names even sound like ponies, I am eagerly looking forward to more.

[SonicFan117DASH]

9326711
Thank you.

They certainly do sound like pony names. Which is an obvious reason why TUGS’ Big Mac’s name has to be changed to avoid confusion.

[FleetlordAvatar]

9326771
I'd forgotten there was a Big Mac in Tugs. Perhaps I should look the episodes up on YouTube.

[SonicFan117DASH]

9326850
I’ve seen all 13 episodes uploaded by at least two different people. So it shouldn’t be hard to find them.