What Happens In Las Pegasus Stays In Las Pegasus

Homework can be such a pain. Especially when you have to work to pay the high government rent. Ever since Equestria invented electricity, prices had gone up and up. Which is not good for a single collage colt living in Canterlot.  And on the subject of homework, my Mayanology professor was about to heap a ton of it on me.

"Can anypony tell me today's date on the Mayan calendar?" she asked

Everypony knew the Equestrian to Mayan calendar conversion. you take the date, the 125th of the 6th equestrian year, and multiply it by 335.833333 to get the answer. Witch I am getting quite good at, so it only took a few seconds to calculate the numbers on my abacus.

"4/19/2017. ma'am!" I answered, proud of my record calculating speed. Maybe someday I would be a mathematician, even though it was never my best subject. Years ago, Cherilee was always grinding on me for my horrible mathematics.

"Very good Pip!" said Dr. Heartstrings . "Although we do not know much about Mayan civilization, we were able to figure out their basic calendar through basic artifacts recovered by Ponies who have visited their dimension. Before we leave for the semester, I have one more assignment for you all.

At this point, the school bell blared like the fire alarms of downtown Manehattan. The students grabbed their saddlebags and headed for the exits, making quite the cacophony. I tried my best to avoid getting trampled by the other Mayanology majors students. My dexterous abilities never were the best, and my left frontal hoof was aching by the time i made it out the doors of the lecture hall. It was lunch break, so I had an hour to blow before journalism studies. Reading the foal free press as a colt, I realized that being a reporter was my jam! I could be like Spiderpony, going on epic adventures and investigating scandals. Hey, maybe I could even get some mares with a job like that! Even though the journalism teacher is a bit harsh, It's worth it. And  even though life and success is handed to some ponies on a silver platter, I'm not that fortunate. My father was injured in a construction accident 3 years ago, and died a month later. My mother has worked her flank off, scrubbing dishes for minimum wage, just to be able to send me to Canterlot Collage, the finest learning institution in Northern Equestria. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my mum back in Trotingham.

My thoughts are interrupted by the rumbling of my stomach. I know I can help dig myself out of my financial situation somehow, but not until after I have some of the collage's famous carrot cake!

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I had just finished lunch the next day when the bell rang again. I wiped the last crumbs off my face, and picked up my books to head over to my favorite class of the day. Walking into the hall, I quickly took a seat next to my mate, Featherweight. No surprise he is going for his degree in journalism photography. We were buddies from the start, mainly because of our small stature, and embarrassing names. I love my mum dearly, but couldn't she have come up with a more noble name, like pinto? Naming me after my fur pattern wouldn't have been that bad. Maybe I could have become a conquistador. El Pinto! Has a certain ring to it, doesn't it? I'm surprised that we hadn't had any tasks to do in physics. I got of easy today, but probably only because tomorrow was the weekend. I couldn't wait for what i had planned with Feather. We were going to the Bad Apple, a local pub that was infamous for its live performances. The owners had a hard time  finding a location in such a sophisticated city, but it was well worth it, and was the meeting spot of the poorer collage crowd.

My books in my saddlebag, I trudged off to Mayanology. I just had to hope that Professor Heartstrings would let us off easy. No papers due on Monday meant I received some rest and a large mug of cider this weekend.

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Professor Heartstrings pulled a large fishbowl out from behind the classroom's curtains. This one was filled to the brim, but the fish, water and those cute decorative plants were replaced with slips of white paper.

"Now class" she announced, her authoritative voice reaching all corners of the room, " If you recall, last week we were comparing the corruptness of the mayan civilization to modern Equestrian society. In this fish, or should i say paperbowl, is the key to your next big assignment."

Right then, my hopes of bar hopping and sleeping went down the tube.

" On each of these pieces of paper is the name of one of our nations fine cities. You will have to go to the city you draw, 100 bits of expenses paid by the university of course, and investigate one example of corruption. I have already notified your other teachers, and they will be fine with your 1 week 'eduvacation' as I call it." she said with a light chuckle, but I wasn't happy in the slightest.

"This is NOT a partner assignment..." she stated, glaring at me and feather " ...and I expect a 7 page essay on my desk at the same time next week. I will now call you up alphabetically to draw slips"

Starting with Apple Fritter, my fellow classmates were called up to pull slips. Canterlot, Manehattan and Appleloosa were all drawn before it was my turn.

"Pipsquek, come on up. " Lyra said.

I stuck my mouth in the tank, and pulled out a crisp white slip. Sunlight danced brightly over the bold letters spelling "LAS PEGASUS"