The Studying Obsession

by Lhmac

Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns

"Twilight. Twilight Sparkle. It's time to wake up."

Twilight stirred slowly from her sleep. It couldn't be daytime yet. She kept her eyes closed tightly as she rolled over, but the burning sensation of the sun penetrating her eyelids finally removed the sleep-fog from her mind.

A hoof began to shake her shoulder lightly and Twilight rolled over again to see her mother standing above her, smiling.

Twilight gave a sleepy smile in return, realising her mother hadn't come into her room uninvited for some time.

Things were finally starting to calm down. Twilight spent most of her time either at the Royal Canterlot or the School library. Twilight would soon begin her classes at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, and so Celestia's private lessons would be scheduled around those classes. Her parents knew she was working hard to control her magic and ponies had been generally ignoring her rather than sending terrified looks her way and running in the other direction.

As Twilight stared at her mother, her content smile stuck in place, the back of her mind rumbled with the thoughts of something she had forgotten.

Velvet simply waited patiently for the realisation to hit her daughter. The clock beside the bed showed both the time and the date, and once Twilight's eyes were drawn to it ...

"Today is my first day of school. I'll be late if I don't hurry!" Twilight shot out of bed, leaving the room at record speed.

Velvet smiled and calmly pulled at the sheets, smoothing out crinkles and tucking Twilight's sheet under the mattress. She didn't hear Twilight re-enter the room, and didn't even get the chance to react as her little pony gave her a kiss on the cheek and ran back out.

---

Twilight got to her first class a mere ten minutes before it was due to begin. It was a record in lateness for the studious unicorn, but she wasn't yet tardy. She had her mother to thank for that.

The teacher, Greystone, was every bit as sullen as his name implied. He was an older pony with a silvery-grey coat and a whispy beard. He was slight of build, and didn't seem like much, but, with the exception of royalty, ponies who looked modest always held a deeper power than those who would showcase their magnificence to all of Equestria. She'd read it in books. Star Swirl the Bearded and Clover the Clever, for instance, always found themselves being underestimated. Greystone's cutie mark was an old tome. The writing on the cover of the flank-book was unreadable, but it gave a sense of age and power, as well as musty, time-worn knowledge. Twilight was excited to learn from this pony just looking at him.

Twilight greeted her new mentor as she walked into the room, but Greystone only grunted in response, seemingly unimpressed with her timeliness. This only made Twilight all the more determined to impress her new teacher. She took a seat in the front row as she always did; it was the best place for hearing the teacher clearly, and not being distracted by other ponies not paying attention. Twilight had tried all the seats in her old classroom to make sure she got the most out of every lesson, and the front row, second seat from the end of the room afforded her the best learning experience she could get.

More young ponies drifted into the room slowly. They all stared at the newcomer in surprise as they walked. Twilight caught the eyes of the first few who walked it, but they quickly turned to classmates to start whispering, so Twilight kept her head down and tried not to pay attention to the stares, just as she did outside the room.

Twilight turned her attention to Greystone, who was looking in her direction too. His wasn't a worried stare, though, it was a curious one. When he caught Twilight's eye, he went back to shuffling through papers, preparing for his lesson.

With that look, Twilight felt ... lighter. She'd been so tense around everyone, ever since she found out they'd been scared. And that one less-than-fearful look made her realise that there was a place she could fit in. This school was made for 'gifted' unicorns. Those who, like her, maybe had more power than they knew how to use. She settled in her chair, smiling the genuine smile of those who finally feel like they belong.

---

The final bell for classes at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns rang, and Greystone breathed a sigh of relief. While the newest pupil in his class – the young purple filly with the name Twilight Sparkle – was gathering her quills and paper, he bundled his notes together and ran before even the most eager-to-leave students could get out.

Greystone had been told that he would have a new unicorn in his class, but all of the descriptions had been vague. When he asked about the special talents of the young pony, his questions were met with averted gazes and the sudden need to be elsewhere.

The filly was early to class – a move he'd seen before by more students than he could count who were willing to do anything to get into his 'good books' (the preposterous notion of which he had yet to understand getting into a young one's mind), and he had paid little attention. It was when the other students arrived that he saw the strangest thing: where in the past, his little ponies had flocked to meet a special newcomer, and had disrupted many a class with their fervent need to learn everything they could about a new pony, to Twilight Sparkle they gave nervous looks, tip-hoofing around her as if she were a ticking time bomb. It was the most curious display he had ever seen, and he made a note to examine the behaviour further as class went on.

What he had not counted on, though, was the enthusiastic learning energy of this pony oddity. Not only did Twilight Sparkle answer every single question he asked the class (despite having been absent for the previous lessons) she asked many questions of her own. Too many. Greystone never thought he would be overwhelmed by a student. No young whippersnapper could get the better of him. But this Twilight Sparkle wasn't even trying to make him look bad. She did it so effortlessly.

He chuckled. I've had to retreat for now, Twilight Sparkle, he thought But next we meet, I will be ready for your insatiable appetite for learning.

This was a challenge this old pony was going to beat.

Author's Note:

Anyone else think that Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns is a lot of hassle. What about an acronym. PCSFGU?
I think even the acronym is long.
And woah, it's been more than a whole month since I updated? (and with a promise of 'within the next few days' as well. *facepalm*) You can kinda tell why I originally set myself an 'every day' schedule.
Tell me what you think. There was an awful lot of time between writing sections of this, so if it's disjointed somewhere, you know who to complain to.
I hope you're all still enjoying my little tale of Twilight's filly-hood.
(And hey! This is the first time I actually get to use this author's note feature. As you can tell, I really like it. Don't judge me, I talk too much. Lol)

Comments

[Lhmac]

1935498
I was so sure I'd replied to this earlier...
*shrug* I can do it now.
Thanks for the feedback. I have a bit of a critical description-fail as far as my stories go in general, but as long as I'm aware of it, I can learn to be better, right?
I've had that particular comment about my writing a lot. I'm more of a character-and-dialogue-lover. But I can always see the merit in a good bit of description. It just comes with extra drafts for me.
Thanks again. It's always wonderful to get a comment.

[Zocarik]

usually acronyms only include the first letter of important words.
try the acronym CSGU Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns

still a good story. want more please

[Knight of Cerebus]

Don't know if you saw but you made the featured box.

[nomore]

This chapter is really good. I feel so sorry for Twilight. I think you captured her personality pretty well and you should WRITE MORE!!!! A lot more.

[Softy8088]

My mother sometimes uses a Polish phrase: "Cuchnie malizną." It is typically used when commenting on food, but it applies very well here, I think.

It means "(it) stinks of smallness", meaning that the thing being described is very good but there is not enough of it.

[Lhmac]

THANKS FOR COMMMENTS! I love you all! (but not in a creepy way)

1942089>>
It was just a bit of a joke. But you forgot the P for princess. 'for' is the only word omitted, so the point of length still stands.

1942117
Man, really? I was so super-excited to hear that and slightly baffled, coz this story doesn't have an exorbitant amount of upvotes. It didn't stay for long enough for me to see it, but that's exciting.

1943101
I never could resist a little fandom in-joke. Haha.

1943646
More in this story, more of any kind of writing, or more stories about Twilight in general? This one's got a few more chapters to it, I have another fanfiction I'm working on, and I try to write my own original stuff as often as possible.
I've always been a fan of writing the emotional journey of a character.

1944904
One day, I hope to satisfy all with my portions.

[Zocarik]

1945719
You do not need to include Princess because it is obvious. I doubt any pony in Equestria would ever call their daughter Celestia. So there is only one Celestia, making Princess redundant in this case. I think that theu even omitted the Princess in the episode Cutie Mark Chronicles. I will have to watch again to find out.
Princess is only needed in formal situations, as it is a title.

just my two cents

Have a nice day.

[Lhmac]

1945737
It's the name of the school, though. That's the only point. I'm not trying to be contrary (so I don't know why I'm making a big deal of this at all ) but if it's in the name, it goes in the acronym. I knew that 'for' wasn't meant to be there in my original comment. I was just over-exaggerating. But the 'princess' needs to be there.

[Zocarik]

At this point, I feel that I should stop nitpicking and mention that I love this story. It is a wonderful view into Twilight's past that seems like it could have happened. Great Job!

[Lhmac]

1945771
Haha. Thanks!
Usually nitpicking (especially of an A/n!) is a sign that I've been doing something right. After all, if there are too many things to pick on, it's hard to pick just one.