A city of a thousand bridges

by DarkKnight_RUS

Chapter 3. “Fighting is bad”

Author's Note:

Illustrated by Ba2Sai

Loadstar exited the dorm tower and, with a sigh, started walking toward the main building. It was the second night the little spellcaster had been forced to attend her classes in her current condition. Clothes, naturally, helped in the situation, but foals wouldn't be foals to pass up on such great opportunity to mock someone. Even if these foals - young mentats, the future magic force and pillars of Starspire.

Weather services had made it rain during the day, so the night air was fresh and moist. The little filly sighed, and looked away from her reflection in the puddle. What a disgrace! Pale-grey skin, naked neck sticking from her uniform, pleated skirt covering her rump and flayed tail. And a pair of sad red eyes.

Yes, the school's doctor had given her the hair-growth ointment and bath balm, and she had spent all morning soaking before going to sleep. But she did not notice any improvement. Except that her smooth skin was now covered in pale dark stubble.

«Just another night, full of mockery and shame,» — thought little filly sniffling — «Those darn fufflers!»

Loadstar closed her eyes as she entered the auditorium. She was expecting laughs and insults, but, nothing happened?

The little mentat looked around. A dozen of young mentats, just like her, were doing their tasks while waiting for the teacher to arrive. Some were doing homework, others were drawing and talking, and the biggest bully among them, Nightglow, though he followed her with his eyes, did not say anything, and tried to stay away.

Taking a closer look, Loadstar noticed that almost everyone in her class looked a bit ruffled: band-aids, swellings, and a few sizable bruises. No doubt, some gag ended up as a full on fight. Not very suiting for the Academy, but not unexpected.

Nevertheless, Loadstar was on high alert. She thoroughly checked her bench and desk for any pranks, but found nothing. She was extra careful with her lunch in the cafeteria and held a shield spell at the ready, just in case.

But still, nothing. The night passed, almost as though nothing has changed in Loadstar’s appearance. The other little mentats were acting like they did not spend previous night bullying her. Well, maybe there was a few giggles and odd looks from the older classmates, but that was nothing comparing to the previous night. Loadstar heard whispers of a fight, but the little filly, who had suffered enough as it was, tried to distance herself from the rumors. When you are an easy target for ridicule, it is better to lay low.

By the end of the night, Loadstar reckoned that some teacher talked to her classmates, or more likely, they were trying not to attract any attention to themselves after some mischief. A fight would fit this theory, although, she could not imagine what could have caused it.

Well, she had no other explanation. Although, yesterday Blue Sage had asked the class to be kind to her in this situation. Maybe they all had reconsidered, albeit belatedly?

«Boys», — snorted Loadstar quietly.

With her mood improved, she walked toward one of the numerous emerald bridges. She was running late for the CMS meeting, the first one after the encounter with fufflers. Also, she had more homework that usual.
* * *
Both of her friends (and fellow sufferers) were waiting for her in the Library tower that rose close to the Mentat's Academy.

Though most ponies called it «Tower» just for short. Unlike the Night Tower that housed the main residence for the Order of Mentats, the Big Library tower looked like a collection of smaller towers, all different in height, interconnected by galleries. Each of the smaller towers was filled to the brim with the ancient wisdom of some scientific, each set of knowledge filed and carefully sorted. Not to mention that the whole complex was floating right above the biggest rock of the Starspire - Celestial Fields. The Library hovered right above the Academy, held in place by four crystal bridges that made the whole complex look like a giant spider with structures on his back.
Classes for students were held in the lower halls of the tower, divided into classrooms and reading corners. One of those quiet nooks was assigned to the CMS's.

Hot tea and sweet biscuits could improve anyone's mood, so Loadstar hurried to join her friends. The winged fillies were dressed too: Aria in a woven jumpsuit with holes for her wings. And Grey Mouse — in a dark dress and knee socks. Apparently, just like Loadstar, her dress was a parade uniform that she now had to wear on a regular day. Both thestrals chewed quickly and then greeted Loadstar, but her reply got stuck in her throat: Aria Midnight was parading a fresh bruise on her cheek, a solid bump on her head, and a few band-aids all over.

"Merciful Luna, Aria, what happened to you?!" asked Loadstar.

Little thestral folded her ears and smiled:

"I uh... I was doing a super-awesome-brain-blowing stunt, and it almost worked. Almost."

"Yeah-Yeah, that exactly what happened," Grey Mouse echoed, without raising her eyes.

Loadstar looked at them. Both looked like utter liars: one had a roguish smile plastered across her face, the other, blushing, could not even dare to look up.

"Alright," Loadstar stomped, feeling suspicious, "You better start talking, what have you done?"
After a minute of questioning and dodgy answers, Loadstar's patience snapped, and she yelled at her friends, accusing them of secrecy and dishonesty towards her.

Mouse hurried to hide behind her bigger friend, while Aria sighed and started her tale:

"Ok, so it went something like this..."
***
...A rambling flock of fillies spilled from the main hall of the Mentat’s Academy. Classes were over, and night unicorns, just like any other kids, were eager to spend the rest of the night playing and pranking one another, until the night star would start to lean towards the horizon.

"Squeaky-Loadstar!" A tease accompanied by a discordant laughs could be heard from the yard. "Squeaky like a Piggy!"

Aria Midnight's sharp golden eyes saw how Loadstar, almost crying, tried to run away from a flock of mentats led by a purple-mained bully.

Aria frowned. There were some thing that she could not allow. Specifically, when someone mocked her, or her friends. Especially when it's one against many.
Pulling a wide circle above the flock of mentats, Aria started her descent. Foals, giggling and discussing something, were casually walking towards the exit from the Academy's grounds, They had no idea what was coming.

Loadstar’s classmates still giggled and sang the mockery-song. They were having such a grand time, that music started to fill their hearts and minds:

*me no rhyme good \ make song better plez*

Fur-less piggy,
Loadstar looks so silly,
Dumb enough to show her face
no way of hiding her outrageous disgrace
Maybe she will grow her fur back
In a century or so.
But for now - she shines like beacon!
But for now - she blinds our foes!
And there is no way she'll hide it
Even under tons of clothes!

Aria would not let her friends be bullied.

She landed right in front of the startled foals, lowered her head menacingly, folded her ears, and took a step towards the boys.
She injects herself into the song, and her voice, full of rage, it changes the flow:

I! Aam a flight-lead!
Rudeness sharply I condemn!
Those! who are rude to fillies!
Heads! I am gonna slam!

Mentats started to back away from an unknown filly marching towards them, and she spread her wings in order to look bigger:

I myself is not a preacher, but!
I think i should tell your teacher!

Aria mentally cheered. After all, mentats, in general - are nerds. She had no problem putting them in place.
Unfortunately, no.

A dark-purple maned foal (with a cutie mark shaped like a six-pointed star) stepped forward and broke her flow with his verse:

Oh look! another pony!
Naked like a snake!
She wants to pick a fight with us!
We all can see you're fake!
To fight against magicians!
You're making a mistake!
You better scram back to kitchen!
And get some muffins baked!

*song ends \ thank god*
I just checked, next chapter got a zebra. And yes, she rhymes. ffs.

Aria lowered her head, folded her ears, and started hissing at the group, disrupting the song and young mentat’s verse. He started to back up, seeing how a thestral dressed in a woven jumpsuit started to show small, but undoubtedly sharp teeth.

"Wow, whats wrong with you?" she could hear mentat voices "Have you gone mad?"

"There are a dozen of us," said Nightglow, his voice shaking. "And stallions. And you - you’re just a little filly"

Aria's face scrunched up with a mad smile.

"You asked for this," she spat, and leapt at the closest mentat.

Yes, picking a fight against a group is probably one of the dumbest things you can do — if you wwere do that at the flight school. Thestrals, like pegasi, spend a lot of time exercising, flying, competing in various tournaments, and even learning some basic fighting techniques. As a result, bodybuilding culture for the flying ponies is as important as the mentat’s culture of the mind.

Unlike Mentat's Academy, where gym and sports were auxiliary classes and electives, designed to support physical health of the sedentary nerds.

The first one to feel this massive difference was Nightglow, when he got his nose squashed by Aria's hoof. Next second the whole yard gets filled with screams, muffled sounds of punches, hissing, and bawling of those who got hit.

In a minute, Nightglow managed to rise onto his hooves. He wiped the blood from his broken nose, and saw that the fight is nearing the end. He wanted to cry from pain, but being the class’s lead bully, he held back.

"Magic!" He screamed. "Together, grab the wings and legs!"

Those who were still able to stand heed his call. A couple of horns started to glow. A few of those horns lost concentration and went dim, when the ponies were hit by a vicious hissing ball of hooves and fangs.

Overall, Aria managed to disable seven little mentats when she was finally caught between kinetic fields that rendered her immobile. The mob’s joint effort pushed her to the ground. She heard bawling and sniffling around her, she could see torn saddle bags and books laying all around the yard.

"Hey, let me go!" Aria thrashed in her restrains. "You damn nerds! i'm gonna shove those horns of yours right up your ... hmpfses"

Nightglow, forming a kinetic bubble, gleefully plugged Aria's mouth. He walked closer and lower his head to her.

"We got you now. Brain trumps brawn, remember that girl."

"Nightglow!" Nox Arcanum calls for him, while holding Aria's left leg. "What now?"

"Now? Get the rope, we will tie her up."

"And after that?" asks Alabaster Cloud, struggling to hold Aria's other leg.

"We will figure it out," Nightglow smirked, intoxicated by this power over the strong and fast filly. "Should we spank her? Or maybe we should roll her in mud? Or, we might just surrender her to the teachers, as an instigator..."

"I think we should morph her into something," sighs Nox Arcanum. "Like, turn her into a fuffler."

Aria growled, darting her eyes around.

"Hold her tighter," Nightglow commanded. "Yeah, turning her into a fuffler would have been fun, unfortunately transfiguration practice is next semester."

He noticed that little thestral had her share of lumps too. He could see on her bare skin a couple of bruises, and a big bump forming on her head.

"I'm terribly sorry," someone whispered next to him.

Nightglow turned and next thing he felt was someone hitting him on the horn. It was not that painful, but right at that moment, it was the focus point for everyone's magic.

The spell collapsed with a sheaf of sparks and a loud crack that ended with Nightglow’s loud moaning. His head is spun, eyes full of tears. Evey unicorn knows from young age how painful it can be to be hit the horn when it was full of active magic. Touching it would not be as bad, it would just cancel the spell, but it is still very sensitive at that time.

The spell that was holding Arias head faded. Next moment, little flyer raised her head and screeched in victory.
Aria let out a loud, squeaky scream that muffled the whimpers of little mentats who were rapidly losing their magical grasp. The little spellcasters, who were unfortunate enough to have horns still glowing with magic, felt like a cold icy nail was driven into their brains.

Mentats spells started to collapse like a house of cards: one by one kinetic fields folded, and soon enough, Aria was able to rise to her hooves and stop screeching.

She victoriously looked at mentats quivering and sobbing at her hooves, and then looked at Grey Mouse, who stood shyly next to the defeated Nightglow. She nervously fixed her dress: Aria's scream did not hurt her, but rather went over her body with a wave of warmth and vigor, giving her strength and even making her blush a little.

"Thanks, Mousy" Aria smiled. "I didn't think you'd follow me."

"You can now call me Fearless Conqueror of Boys," Grey Mouse replied with a smile. Nightglow started to squirm on the ground, trying to cope with the headache and accidentally touched her leg. Grey Mouse eeked and jumped to Aria.

The taller filly giggled, walking to the bully, and lowering her head to his.

"Spanking, huh? Turning me into a Fuffler? Brain over Brawn? Listen here, you lousy spellcaster. If I hear that you, or any of your friends laugh at Loadstar... Even a giggle behind her back... I will fly straight back here, and you will remember the pain you feel right now as a light tickling. Got it?"

"I will tell on you!" Nightglow screamed through tears, but was interrupted by a hoof pushing his horn to ground. "OK! OK! I got it!"

"That's better," Aria nods and turns to Grey Mouse. "Lets fly, it should be enough for now"
***
Loadstar listened quietly to the very end. Well, that explained her classmates attitude towards her, and their overall mood. Her friends stood up for her. She wanted to cry and laugh at the same time from the feeling of gratitude that filled her chest.

Finally, little mentat shyly said:"Thank you, Aria."

She waved back at her, but Loadstar could tell, that little flyer was flattered.

"Don't mention it. Anyone who bullies my friends will have to deal with me."

"No one ever stood up for me like that," continued little enchantress. "Although, you did not have to..."

Aria smiled with an utterly hooligan smile. "So, when are we going to be ready for the next adventure amidst the Belt’s cold islands?"

"What? Fufflers were not enough for you?" Loadstar answered with a question.

Aria waved her hoof carelessly again, almost hitting Grey Mouse on the nose.

"Oh, come on! Someday the fur will grow back, but adventure awaits now! You wanted to get the Organizer cutie mark? So, organize us... an adventure "

The Mentat thought for a minute, trying to look very serious in the process, until a smile appeared on her face.

"Ok, but we will do it my way. You, Aria, now know what a lack of organization can lead to. Could you imagine what could have happened if we met with Pony-eating Eagles instead of Fufflers? Or, Luna protects, Night Weepers? There would be nothing more that horns and hooves left of us!"

Aria obviously did not want to agree with what her friend was saying. Neither the Eagles, nor the Weepers were present around the Spire in such large numbers as Fufflers.

But their discussion was cut short by a sound of a door opening. Judging by her friend’s ears folding, they knew the black mare with bright-orange eyes and toxic-green mane and tail that had just entered. Grey Mouse, squeaking, dropped her half-eaten cookie. Aria, on the other hand, started to eat with increased speed. Because behind the mare…

Seeing master Blue Sage entering the room, Loadstar lowered her ears guiltily. Previously, she had a very uncomfortable talk with her mentor. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the antics of his best student and reproached her for frivolity. Her! One that always set an example to others as a model of organization and responsibility. And placed her behind a huge survey of the flora and fauna of Starspire.

«Oh, this is going to be bad!» the night unicorn thought.

She was right.

"And what are you doing here, huh?" asked the bright mare "Aren't you supposed to be under house arrest for that ugly brawl you managed to pull? And on the Mentats Academy grounds!”

Loadstar frowned. She thought that the boys would be brave enough to keep their mouths shut! But no, they were not afraid that the Academy would know how they were beaten by two little girls. And the Academy would know! She, Loadstar, will make sure of it!

The Mare continued, “Aria, you are a flight-lead! what kind of example to you show to your subordinates? And eating sweets when you were specifically barred from it!”

But little thestral was not going to go down without a fight. Swallowing the cookie whole, she replied.

"A shining example of loyalty and friendship! We could not leave our friend alone, trainer Bane Fire! And as for sweets... I will get punished anyway, so I will go down swinging!"

Bane Fire, frowning, lowered her voice. Her friends were talking back to their teacher, but Loadstar was preoccupied with her own problems. The stern transfiguration teacher and her class head moved closer to her, and hung over her like a deep-blue mountain of strictness.

"Haven't I forbidden you to meddle with this two?" He said. "Your discipline can decline. That process has already started"

That was the truth, and Loadstar was planning to discuss with her friends. She took a breath to retort, but suddenly Aria Midnight have raised her voice, while standing behind the master.

"Half of the flight school is forbidden to talk to me!" For that, she received a weighty smack on the head from her trainer.

"Aria, how dare you take such tone with the master!"

The elder Mentat had not paid any attention to the rumbling behind him, and was still waiting for Loadstar’s reply. She threw a quick glance at her friends and sighed.

"With all due respect, master... I refuse to comply with your ban."

Head librarian remained calm.

"Justify."

That was her chance. Blue Sage never insisted on un-deniability of his rules. All that his pupils had to do was justify and prove that the mentor was wrong. Although, only a handful ever managed to do just that.

"They are my friends!" little enchantress blurted, remembering Arias words. "That's... that's above any bans. Even yours, master. Moreover, our friendship is not related to my studies."

Her friends looked puzzled at her, while the elder mentat asked. "But that is not an excuse to start a fight, you agree?"

"They were protecting me!" Loadstar persisted. "So if you are going to punish anyone, that should be me! Fighting might not have been the best idea, but mocking someone? That is not right either!"

Librarian thought for a moment, and then peered his piercing blue eyes at her.

"Do you realize the responsibility of such act?" he asked. "They started a fight right at the Academy doorstep."

"I do realize that!" Loadstar stomped her hoof.

It looked like Blue Sage was expecting those exact words from her.

"In that case, you are now responsible for them both," he said, turning and walking towards the exit, almost singing the rest in front of stunned fillies

"Loadstar your appointed, to guide your flying friends,
Their grades and discipline, on you it now depends!
You heard that, trainer Bane Fire?"

"I did," she replied. "A suiting solution for this situation. And since we are already at the library, and you are so inseparable, why don't you each write an essay on... What should be the theme, master Sage?"

Blue Sage looked thoughtful a moment before he replied.

"«Flora and Fauna of the Belt». Twenty five pages..." he looked at Loadstar. "And you, young lady, as a designated leader of this bunch, will write forty."

"Yeah-yeah," the trainer nodded her head, "That will do."

Little mentat could not gather herself for good few minutes. Her mentor’s decision struck just like a Moon Blade, a fierce weapon of the Night Goddess. An icy dagger that could not be stopped by any armor or spell, and even a fiery heart of the dragon would fade just after one hit. Or so the story went.

Loadstar stood motionless for a few seconds, then jumped up and ran after Blue Sage, who had already left the library with the trainer.

"But how can I affect them?" she asked, catching up to them at the library's doors.

"That's your problem" librarian replied, gazing at the sprawling night landscape of the city of thousands bridges.

Smirking Bane Fire unfolded her wings and jumped of the tower, catching the upward flow of air. Unlike the mentat, she did not have to use the stairs.

A sudden gust of icy air forced the blue cape to flap, and little enchantress shivered in her clothes.

"But master!" she cried, but stopped short when he peered back at her:
"You have made your choice and now you’re afraid of it? Do not disappoint me any further, Loadstar."

Her heart jumped. Blue Sage called her by name only when he was being official or mad.
That meant that she should not press any further.

"At least tell me what should i start with?" she asked.

But all she heard in reply was a dry crack of a teleportation spell. Loadstar stood alone above the night city. She sniffed, wiped her nose, and screamed into the night air.

"Fine!"

With that, she walked back into the library, where her newly assigned subordinates were sitting among the books and scrolls. She sat back where she was before and looked at her friends, unsure how to explain what have just happened. In theory, the Mentat Magister could do that to the flight school's students: his position was higher than any trainer at the flight school (that most young thestrals attended). That did not affect their classes, but now their grades were Loadstar’s responsibility. And if they will not pull their weight, soon Loadstar’s grades will start to decline too.

She was confident in her own abilities and grades. But these two winged goofs? Not so much.

"«No way i can let my grades tank because of them!» a panicking thought flew across her mind, but was silenced immediately."

"I am having a De-Je-Vue," said Aria, intercepting Loadstar’s gloomy stare. "That's pretty much the same way I got my rank at the flight school."

Loadstar blinked. Then blinked again.

"Hold on," she grabbed her friend’s hooves. "Are you, really, a flight-lead?"

"Well, yeah," Aria nodded, and giggled shyly "And Mousy is in my unit. Didn’t you know?"

"I just can not believe," Loadstar squinted in disbelief. "You're nothing but trouble when it comes to discipline."

Aria, smiled guiltily, and scratched the back of her head with her hoof.

"Huh... that's a long story."

"So tell me!" little mentat asked, adding quietly "Please? I really need to talk to someone with experience in this field"

Aria sighed.

"Fine, since it's a night of memories..."
***
...Flight school. Coach Bane Fire marched in front of the line of cadets. She is a sight to behold, that's for sure, and when she gets angry - it looks like her fiery-red eyes filled with magical fire.

"Aria Midnight!" she commands. "Step forward!"

A little rustled filly takes two steps forward and stands motionlessly in front of the line. She was not trying to justify herself, or ask for anything: she would not give her coach such pleasure.

Bane Fire continued.
"For blatant incompetence and refusal to work as a team with your comrades, you must be punished. Any objections?"

"Ma’am, no ma’am." thestral replied, still standing motionless.

"And what kind of punishment, do you think, you will deserve?"

Aria Midnight, who was solely responsible for turning a simple weather control exercise into a pursuit of a storm cloud (by real weather patrol), did not need much time to think about it.

"I am going to be expelled, ma’am."

The Coach's muzzle showed sincere surprise.

"What? you think you will get time off? Oh no! Swift Blazer!"

"Ma’am!" the flight-lead steps out in front of the line.

«Oh please let me choose the punishment for her! That selfish Aria! I will make her scrub the floors until graduation!»

"You are no longer a flight-lead," said coach, and Swift felt the world around her start to fall. "Aria Midnight will be your leader now."

Aria lost her cool momentarily.

"WHAT!?"

Bane Fire ignores Swift Blazer's protesting squeaks, and continued.

"You are in charge now. From now on, your achievements are the achievements of your unit. If they are to fail, they all will know that you have failed them."

Aria, who lost any remaining shroud of coolness, lowered her ears shyly under the gazes of five she shared the room with at the school, the tent when they traveled, and did all of her exercises.

"Ma’am?"

"What is it, flight-lead?"

"I can't do it!..." Aria shouted, her eyes getting wet. "I never wanted this!"

"You don’t get a choice" Bane Fire smirks. "And you have no voice in this matter."

"But I couldn't..."

"Swift will teach you."

"I refuse!" Aria and Swift shouted in unison, and looked helplessly at each other.

"What do you think?" the coach's fanged smile turned full-on predatory, "Is this a request or an order?"
***
"...so that's how i became a flight-lead of a unit" Aria finished her story, "And when Squeaks got assigned to me... well, that a whole different story."

Loadstar perked her ears.

"Squeaks?"

Aria giggled, and Grey Mouse explained.

“Our new commander assigned a nickname to everyone in the unit. I am - Squeaks.”

"What's hers?" red eyes peered at Aria.

"Don't have one," Aria smirked. "I am too cool for that! Everyone calls me «Commander»!"

Little flyers looked at each other. The same thought occurred to both of them at the same time: their new friend did not have a nickname!

"Curly!" Aria shouted suddenly.
Loadstar’s eyes widened from surprise.

"Why would I... I am not curly!"

"Well, You are as smart as StarSwirl, but you are not bearded like him, so, you will be Curly!"

"But why Curly?"

"When you grow a beard, then we will call you StarBeard, but for now - Curly," Aria stuck her tongue at her friend.

"But that's illogical!"

"To hell with logic! it's a nickname!" Aria shrugged, smiling cheekily.

Loadstar gasped in outrage.

"Then I... then I will make one for you too!"

Winged filly snorted.

"All you got is books, what nickname can you come up with?"

"Auritia," Loadstar fixed her glasses. She had chosen an ancient-equestrian word.

"Hey!" the little thestral objected, spreading her wings. "That’s unfair to use words we don't know!"

The Mentat’s smile turned malicious.

"One day I'll explain, I promise. If you wouldn't figure it out before then."

Grey Mouse snorted into her hoof.

"Our commander got a nickname too, how cute!"

"Don't you dare tell the unit about this!" Aria soared.

Loadstar regained her composure and pushed her forelegs into her sides.

"So, since I am in charge now, you will have to do what I say."

"Yeah, no." Arie rejected, showing her tongue.

"But your trainer said..." Loadstar started, but got interrupted.:

"So what? Do you think I listen to what she says?"

Mentat frowned.

"I will not abuse my power to enact revenge for what happened in the Belt. I was against that... escapade from the get go, and now we all three have no fur thanks to you. So, maybe it will be reasonable to listen to me for once? "

Aria lost her cool a bit. She knew that her friend was right, but she did not want to admit it.

"That does not give you any power in the club."

"Obviously not." Loadstar agreed, and reached with her hoof. "CMS are always equal among each other."

Aria bumped hers with her own hoof. It was a miracle that she agreed to someone else's reasoning. Being a flight-lead, Aria would never give away her position.

As soon as CMS's settled on working on their agenda for the night, specifically, on their essays, the door opened once again. Turning their heads, girls see Nightglows bruised muzzle.

"Girls? May i come in?" he asked, smiling awkwardly.

Grey Mouse, voiced a muffled squeak and tried to hide behind a pillar of books, but got intercepted by Ari Midnight.

"What do you want?" she asked with hostility. "Came for more?"

"It's not just me, we all just..." he trailed off.

"Come in," Loadstar muttered, ignoring her friends. "Tell us what you want, and scoot."

Soon enough, the library’s study room filled with Loadstar’s classmates. Aria Midnight and Grey Mouse got a bit frightened: they have never seen so many mentats in a single room. Previous encounter at the yard excluded.

Nightglow looked at his pals, most of whom could not raise their eyes, took a step forward and raised his head.

"Loadstar, we would like to ask for your forgiveness for our mockeries yesterday."

Little enchantress looked at smirking Aria, and huffed.

"What? got your horns kicked and started thinking? Should have thought before you snitched."

"That was not us!" He objected and looked at Aria and Grey. "You jumped us in the middle of the Academy's yard, and you act surprised that everyone saw you? Maybe one of the teachers saw you! "

"You were asking for it. You should not mock anyone to begin with." Loadstar muttered crossing her forelegs at her chest.

Few more mentats in the crowd lowered their ears and eyes in shame. Nightglow looked embarrassed too, but quickly recovered:

"You see, Starlet... our class - is special. Because we got... you!"

Aria started laughing hearing Loadstars school nickname for the first time, Grey Mouse just peered at little mentat, and blushed for some reason.

"So, what's so special about me?"

"You were always special for us... being an example in studies and all that. But not just that," little foal stumbled, but finished. "Also being that pony that unites us."

"And that's why you mocked me?" Loadstar pressed.

"We were just fooling around," replied Nightglow. "Forgive us, we should have protected you, but instead, your friends did it for us."

"Yeah, we are sorry! Forgive us!" few more voices sounded from the crowd.

Loadstar sighed.

"Silly boys... first they screw up, and then they ask for forgiveness..."

"Yeah-yeah, they screwed-up," Aria hastily agreed, kicking Grey Mouse, so that she would keep quiet.

Nightglow found strength to finish.

"You are like a sister to us. Without you, we lose something that unites us."

"Sure, I forgive you," Loadstar continued. "How can i stay mad at my silly «brothers»?"

She stuck her tongue out at him, but you could see that her pale skin was blushing.

When the cheers subsided, Nightglow continued.

"One more thing, We thought how we can help you, and we have found a spell that should help your fur. It increases it's natural growth speed."

"Are you planning to help my friends too?" Loadstar asked.

"For sure," proudly replied the young mentat. "That spell was never used, to grow ALL of the fur, especially from nothing, but we have calculated that resonance cascade..."

"...something, that you were never able to do without my help" Loadstar mumbled, but Nightglow continued without noticing.

"...So in order for the spell to work on all three of you, we would need the strength of everyone present."

Aria Midnight looked at a dozen of young mentats standing around her in the library.

"You... will really help us?" Grey Mouse asked quietly.

"No doubt," Nightglow was trying so hard to act like an adult, it looked comical. "And we are ready to begin right now."

"YES!" Aria Midnight jumped. "What should we do?"

Nightglow explained what had to be done: First, they will draw a magical circle that the three will sit in. In theory, the spell should work without it too, but young mentats were still too weak, and had to use this crutch.

"But you will have take your clothes off" said Nox Arcanum "Otherwise the fur might grow into the fabric. Better stay safe."

"Yeah! Away with this stupid rags!" Loadstar smiled and started to unhook her dress.

"WAIT!" Aria shouted, and turned towards boys. "Turn around!"

Loadstar looked confused.

"Aria, why?"

"We are naked, dummy!"

"Well, we ARE walking around naked most of the time, anyway."

Blushing Aria crossed her forelegs on her chest.

"You two can faint just from a pretty boy looking at you, what would happen, when you are going to sit in front of them? No clothes and no fur?"

Loadstar was halfway out of her blouse and did not care about that, and Grey Mouse just squeaked in reply. They both could hear concern in Aria's voice, but decided not to pay attention to it.

Surprisingly, it was Nightglow who solved this issue:

"Guys... I don't think we would need to see the bodies to cast the spell."

They all turned away from the hexagram and three fillies, hastily undressing. When three folds of clothes flew out of the circle and dropped by a shelf, mentats started to organize themselves in a rehearsed pattern.

Only Nox Arcanum, who dared to turn his head, got a hefty slap with a wing across his face.

"What for!" he cried.

"Payment for peeping," said Aria covering herself with her other wing. "Though you can do it for free?"

"Guys, can we do it faster," asked Loadstar, sitting next to her friends in the middle of the circle. "It's getting pretty cold without... everything."

Nox Arcanum, rubbing his cheek, turned away and Nightglow nodded:

"We'll be quick, hang in there, girls."

Little mentats horns started to glow. At the same time, the hexagram started to glow too.

"You sure it's safe?" Aria asked Loadstar that was sitting next to her.

"In theory... yes," she replied.

"What do you mean «in theory»?"

Little enchantress tried to fix her glasses, but remembered that she already took them of, so she just replied with her mentoring tone:

"That means, that such harmless cosmetic spell should work without any major consequences."

"SHOULD?!"

Loadstar noted calmly.

"This spell is used to extend hair length on mane or tail. Or fur, if it was damaged, like, after a burn for example. In short, you will not get any balder than you are. And that's all."

Aria folded her ears. She could not shake a feeling that something was wrong, but she had to rely on young mentats skills. Or, she would have to wear her clothes for another week.. or more, and endure her classmates giggling behind her back. No one would dare to mock her openly, but what happens behind one's back...

Soon all three were covered by magic, and those mentats sitting around the circle struggled to hold their concentration. Horns glowed brighter, and Loadstar could hear that Nightglow was shouting something about stability and power reserves...

Momentarily, the library was filled by a colourful flash.

Loadstar, who was keeping her eyes shut all this time, dared to open them.

Little mentats were standing around them in silent stupor.

"What's wrong?" Loadstar asked.

She felt that the fur was back: she did not feel cold anymore. Something she had to bare for past few days while not wearing her clothes.

It actually was pretty hot. From a sudden change, probably.

"What happened?" said Aria. "I can't see a thing!"

Loadstar turned to her friend, and with difficulty, suppressed an exclamation of surprise.
Yes, the fur grew back. If you could call it a thick long brush of hair that covered all three, instead of short and accurate pony fur.

All three fillies now looked like big fluffy furry balls, that had hooves, wings, noses, eyes and ears poking out

Loadstar reached with her hoof and moved a tuft of hair that was covering Arias eyes, after that, she peered at Nightglow.

He giggled nervously.

"Yeah, i think we might have overdone it... Sorry!"

Loadstar thought for a minute and said, "Forgiven, if you are going to immediately..."

"Turn it back?" little mentat interrupted.

"Well, not really. Bring us scissors and brushes. Three sets. And blankets."

Mentats started to move, someone stepped closer, and it looked like Nox Arcanum was still in shock.

"Move it!" Loadstar shouted, and soon enough, only a distant clatter reminded that a moment ago the room was filled with a dozen of little spellcasters.

"Luna Protectress!" Aria Midnight shouted looking at herself. "I am a monster! What have they done!"

Grey Mouse huddled into an adorable little clump of fur and was sobbing somewhere deep inside her fur. Her hair blinded her too, but she was so scared that she could not even call out for help.

"Relax," Loadstar replied. "Getting a haircut - is far better than walking around naked. So, i would say that Nightglow and boys did well... a C+"

Suddenly Aria smiled.

"Ha, you said that your fur is not curly!"

Loadstar groaned, rolled her eyes.

"Ok, fine! I do straighten my fur with magic! happy?"

"Why though?" asked Grey Mouse.

"I like it that way, it looks cleaner."

Loadstar found strength to smile. After all, what was the point of keeping secrets away from her friends.

Library got filled with quiet giggles, that soon enough grew into loud laughter.
* * *
Almost an hour later all three finally got themselves to look decent. Young enchantress even managed to cast a spell to straighten her hair.

"Loadstar," Grey Mouse asked quietly, "Could you please help me brush myself? It's still too long for me..."

"Yeah, sure."

She picked up the brush with her magic and started to fix Grey Mouses hair. Loadstar noted, that Mouse's fur was unnaturally soft, and that it would be a shame to cut it short.

Aria, on the other hand, went with her preferable shorter cut and now was walking around the library on her hindlegs, holding the broom and sweeping the cut hair away. Weird, they did not even had to ask her. After all three got a haircut, flight-lead just go to work, something Loadstar did not expect of her.

"Your hair is so pretty, Mouse" Little mentat said, "Do you want braids?"

Sitting behind her, she could see how Mouses ears blushed.

"It's not hard," Loadstar added, "I could use a bit of practice with my telekinesis"

"Well, if it's not hard..."

The Mentat’s horn glowed red, and Grey Mouses long mane got split into six strands. weaving two braids at the same time was actually quite hard, and little enchantress bit her tongue from the strain.

But soon enough the job was done and Loadstar turned her friends towards hers:

"Let me see... Oh, you are so cute!"

Mouse got embarrassed, but suddenly raised her eyes and smiled.

"Thank you, I like it."

"But you have not seen it yet!" Aria objected. "Here! take a look!"

With that, she rolled a heavy mirror, that reflected little thestrals blushing face.

"It does suit you well," Loadstar assured. "You're so pretty with them!"

She only managed to emit a muffled squeak, but Aria saw her friend’s thoughts.

"Curly! do me too!"

Two confused faces peered back at flight-lead, she explained.

"Braid my hair too... please."

Loadstar nodded, although her horn started to feel tired.

"Sit."

Arias hair was much shorter, but still allowed for some braids to be done, she turned to Grey.

"Now we'll see if it fits me too. Abhor me!"

"What?" Loadstar was taken aback.

"Uh, abhor," Aria explained. "Like, make me pretty and neat, just like you love it."

Loadstar paused for a moment and then fell on the ground laughing.

"What's so funny?" Aria asked, concerned what caused such a reaction.

Grey Mouse, giggling, explained.

"You meant to say - adorn. Abhor, is a bit different."

Aria shrugged trying to keep her cool, but her cheeks started to blush a bit.

"Ah, whatever. Make me pretty, that's what matters."

Loadstar, still laughing, managed to add, "Don't worry Aria, we all A-Dore you all the time."

Loud laughter filled the library once more.

"Well, it's about time we get to our essays" said Loadstar.

Aria left out a sorrowful groan:

"Whyyyy such beautiful night had to be filled with... homework! Can we skip it?"

A pair of red eyes peered at her in surprise.

"What do you mean «skip it»?"

"I mean," Aria replied, "That we continue with the club’s agenda, like we planned, and we'll write the essays later."

Loadstar was lost for words. She could not understand how her trusted student, a flight-lead, could be such horrible example to others.

Aria pressed on.

"Have you forgotten why we gathered in the first place? Your cutie mark, Curly! And half of the night has passed!"

"Yeah," mentat sighed. "Tonight was eventful. Alas, that does not mean that we can slack! We ARE punished least you forget!"

"We - are CMS's, rebels against the tyranny of adults!" Aria proclaimed, but suddenly noticed her friends droopy ears. "Loadstar? what's wrong?"

She just sighed, and looked at her friends.

"Girls... I will get punished for that."

"So? We all will be!"

"Oh no!" jumped the white-maned nerd. "I did not spend my days on homework and extracurriculars, just to throw it all away!"

But Aria refused to give.

"You just need fewer old dusty books, and do more cool things!"
Loadstar paused, she had one last reason, she asked.

"How will i get my cutie mark of a responsible leader, if i will skip my homework, and don't give a tail to my master's order?"

Grey Mouse laid her hoof on Arias shoulder.

"Curly is right," she said quietly. "It is fine if we get punished for our actions. But if our friend is punished for what we did - that's not good."

"Then... You! Loadstar! Should lead our daring escape," Aria shouted, "That way, you will get a Leader's cutie mark."

"Escape where?"

"What do you mean «where»? Towards adventure! Isn't it cool?"

Loadstar stomped with two hoofs:

"No, no, no! That is NOT cool! It's very UNcool to skip classes and homework!... That will only make things worse!"

Little flyers looked at each other, both felt pity.

"Sorry," squeaked Grey Mouse.

"Yeah, sorry. We forgot that bad students get whipped at the Academy."

Loadstar peered her red eyes at her friends. Surprised she even forgot to be angry.

"We don't get whipped at the Academy, who told you that?"

Grey Mouse folded her ears and replied.

"Everyone in flight school knows that Academy upholds old rules. Rules, written by the Princess of the Night herself."

Loadstar snorted. Her anger evaporated from the absurdity of the situation, and she adjusted her glasses with the usual movement of her hoof.

"Oh boy," Aria giggled, recognizing that gesture, "Here comes the lecture."

Loadstar ignored her.

"Princess Luna does visit the Academy frequently. And yes, she is an ancient alicorn and supports old rules, established by herself... But with time, in order to lower the level of cruelty among ponies, Princesses, in their unfathomable wisdom, have forbidden any physical punishment at schools. And yes, the Academy IS an exception from that ban. And even though no one was whipped in past few hundred years, formally, it is still allowed. That means that this tradition can be resurrected, to be an example."

Taking a pause, mentat looked at her friends faces.

"That motivates immensely... And I can feel that if we were to do what you have planned, Master Blue Sage would make me that example."

"We can not allow that to happen!" Mouse proclaimed.

"But spending the night with books - isn't cool," Aria added, "Someone has to get a cutie mark tonight. It was my turn first, who's next?"

Loadstar looked at her rump, even after all of that, leadership cutie mark did appear.

"Mouse’s turn" sighed little enchantress, "I've had enough for tonight."

Grey Mouse shrunk under her friends eyes and mumbled something in reply, hiding behind her wings.

"What was that?" Aria perked her ears.

"Don't be afraid, we do not bite," smiled Loadstar, "I promise, we will go get you a cutie mark... but only after we finish with the essays, ok?"

Mouse suddenly stood up and looked into mentats eyes.

"Good," she said loudly. "I agree!"

Loadstar smiled. She liked when her shy friend acted brave.

"On one condition," Mouse added suddenly, and when her friends turned to her, continued, "Before we go, we will get the homework done, Aria. We should no fail Loadstar."

The Mentat and flight-lead looked at each other, they realized that they were thinking the same thing.

Piece of cake: all they had to do is write three massive essays before the moonset...

Comments

[SlipSpeed]

Well done, you’ve just done and gotten my attention.

[Edguy0009]

9504425
And mine as well.

[SlipSpeed]

9526624
How so my friend?

[Edguy0009]

9527475
Because like it so far.

[SlipSpeed]

9527730
Aww, thanks