Morning Cheer
Ring, ring
Slowly, I reach out from under the blanket, hoping my hoof would find its target. I let it hover as I pinpoint the area by sound alone, and carefully, I let my hoof fall, receiving blissful silence in return.
“Good job, Cheerilee,” I congratulate myself before quickly pushing my covers off, less I end up falling asleep again. Days without incident? Two-thousand three hundred and thirty four… more or less.
Putting the number to the back of my brain, I get off my flank, letting out a wonderful yawn that only makes me want to lay back down and sleep the day away, but I know full well that can’t happen -- see previous lack of incident.
Besides, I have a busy day ahead of me.
A decent amount of bathroom time later, I head downstairs, where I hear the sounds of my roommate’s soft snoring in the room nearby. I ignore her like usual, and grabbing my headband, I head out for my morning trot.
“What a beautiful day,” I say as I do my warm-up, watching the still rising sun peeking from beyond the horizon. I‘ve always been grateful of her Majesty doing this sort of thing for the few of us who enjoy the sight. Maybe she enjoys the view as well. “Enough pondering,” I stop myself, starting my trot into town.
Minutes later, I arrive in downtown Ponyville, where as I usually do, I notice Applejack setting up her stand. She is a diligent pony for sure.
“Good morning, Applejack,” I stop to greet her.
“Well, a good morning to ya, Miss Cheerilee!” she greets me in return, giving me that usual neighborly greeting of hers. “Morning trot before school, Ah’ see.”
“Of course! Otherwise the streets are just too packed for my taste,” I say honestly, getting a look from her. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not really that I dislike ponies watching me exercise, but I’m not too keen on being constantly stopped by them when they greet me… Oh dear, that probably sounds worse, doesn’t it?” I realize after I finish my so-called explanation.
Applejack laughs, shaking her head. “Nah, Ah’ can imagine the trot going well into the evening if you did it after school. You ARE the only teacher, after all. Ah’ don’t know how you do it!”
“Oh, right," I mutter, caught off-guard by the comment.
“Well, Ah’ suppose I should let you get back to your thing! Take it easy!” she waves me goodbye, returning to her work.
“The only one…” I whisper as I trot off. It’s not like I didn’t know about it, but it’s something I didn’t really think of much, if at all. I usually just focus on the day at hoof and tackle it head on. “I don't really need help with school subjects, anyway,” I realize, what with my classes usually containing about a dozen or so ponies. It is a rather small school. For that matter, it‘s only one classroom.
Pushing the thought aside, I enter my home, sighing satisfied for my run.
“Good morning, Cheers,” comes a weak hello from my roommate who seems to be up early for once. She is quite the party animal, so it‘s surprising. Enjoy life like you want, I always say.
… As long as that enjoyment doesn’t come from her wailing right under my room. “Morning, Berryshine. Strange to see you up and about so early.”
She huffs, eyeing me annoyed, clearly taking what I said as a jab instead of the observation that it was. “I was making us breakfast, you jerk!” she explains, surprising me.
“Really? You? Making breakfast?” I mutter surprised.
“Yes, i can do that too! So how about you clean your mess of papers off the table and sit down, huh?”
“Huh?” I hum confused before staring at the table where a few dozen or so papers lay there. “Oh no! T-that’s yesterday’s exams!” I shout in shocked realization of what I'm looking at. “It must have slipped my mind when I went to Mr. Rich‘s!” groaning frustrated, I rush to the paperwork and start the grading. I can do it, I still have an hour to go!
…
“This is just awful,” I groan, quickly shoving the finished papers into my saddlebags, wriggling my nose as the stink of my own body continues to distract me. Figures I wouldn’t have time for a shower.
“Hey, Cheers! I’ll pack you some breakfast, don‘t be late!” Berry's loud voice calls me.
“I know, I know!” I shout frustrated, looking at the time before heading downstairs. Okay, I still have time. “Thank you for the ob- whoa!” I yelp, suddenly losing my balance and falling flat on my face.
“Cheerilee!” I hear Berryshine who is quickly upon me, helping me up. “Oh my gosh, are you alright?” I don’t say anything, deciding that my stare is enough. “Alright, alright! You aren’t! Here, clean your nose, you are bleeding a little... I hope it's not broken."
“... It's not,” I groan. I wipe my face as best as I can care to, and then, walk out, slamming the door shut while I‘m at it. “What the heck happened?” I hiss frustrated. I’ve had bad mornings before, but never has one gone from good to just plain awful in an hour.
Arriving at school a mere thirty minutes later, I open up, and instantly notice the numerous desks stacked against the walls. “Of course I forgot it was clean-up duty yesterday!” I hold back a shout by taking a deep breath, and quickly, proceed to put everything back in its place. Because apparently being part of such a small town, this is something I have to do.
And I ask myself: Why do i do it? Why do I need to go through such menial tasks? I could easily be working at a major institute, teaching more kids with the added benefit of not having to wake up early to open and rearrange things. I’d more than likely have my own dorm in the area, and I wouldn’t have to walk much to reach the classroom.
“No, stop that,” I reprimand myself. “That’s no way for a teacher to think, it's just a bad day, put yourself togeth- ouch!” I cringe, as a tinge of pain hits my snout, forcing a loud hiss out of me. “Ah! Why!?”
"Ms. Cheerilee?"
"Ah!" I yelp, turning around and finding one of my students. "A-Applebloom? H-hello, you are here early!"
"Yeah, mah big sister needed help setting up today, since Big Mac injured his leg yesterday," she explained. "And Ah' was gonna go wake Sweetie and Scootaloo, but AJ said it was too early, so Ah' came here!"
"I see, I hope he is okay," I say worriedly. I don't know him too well, but I just worry when a pony is hurt. It's not like I want to date him, or anything!
"He is fine, but... Are you alright, miss? You don't look so good. Is something wrong?" she asks, noticing the blatant state I'm in.
"O-of course I'm fine! Just had a little accident, is all!" I lie. I can't let my students see this side of me.
"You are wearing a sports headband," she says, giving me a dadpan stare.
"Oh!" the moment she says it, I feel the fabric still stuck around my head. In my rush, I must've forgotten to take it off, which I do now, feeling the sweat that had been stopped by it now fall without restraint. "I-i Was just in a rush today, is all..."
"Are you sure?" she asks, giving me the saddest frown I've seen her do in a good while. "Ah'm worried about you."
"You are?" I ask.
She nods a few times in response. "Of course! You are like, the best teacher ever, and, um, please don't tell Diamond Tiara Ah' said that..."
I feel a warmth in my heart at her words, feeling any so-called burden as more than minor inconveniences. Foals like this one in front of me is why I do this, and why I'll stay here for a long time.
"Ms. Cheerilee?"
"Sorry, I was thinking a bit," I say to appease her worries. "Trust me Applebloom, I'm alright. I just was in a rush today and I fell, but I'll be fine."
"That's good to hear!" she says relieved. "But, um... What's with the desks?" she asks, finally noticing the remaining desks by the walls.
"Clean up, is all," I mull about it for a few seconds before asking. "Say, would you care to help me put them back in place?"
Applebloom beams and nods rapidly. "Of course!"
"Thank you. Let's start from the back, shall we?" and so, we set out to do this simple thing. It's not a particularly long, arduous or even impressive task.
And yet, i can't help but feel like the luckiest pony in the world.