Picture Paints a Thousand Words

by Doublesims

Rating: teen
Tags: Other, Spike, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Cheerilee, Diamond Tiara, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 9879

What if you were only a small part of a larger picture? A visit from a Pegasus and Ms Cheerilee's Class has much to think about for one picture can paint a thousand words.

Eve travels around Equestria, showing the young that they all are a small part of a larger picture. She finds herself in Ponyvile. Stuck up Princess-Want-A-Be's, a baby Dragon and few still looking for their special skills. What picture is being painted here? And how is she going to if in everyone into the painting? She'll make it work, after all she has had a lot of practice.

Published 2014-09-30 00:40:04 UTC
Last updated 2014-09-30 00:40:04 UTC

The One and Only Chapter

Author's Note

Hi guys. I had this story for a while, I wrote it when I painted the picture last year, others seamed to like my stories on FanFiction (I have the same name for both) so I decided to have a go here. I’m dyslexic and Eve and I do the samethings, but I still like to write stories.
Anywho hope you like it. Read and Reviwe.

The One and Only Chapter

“All aboard that’s coming aboard” yelled the train conductor.

Ponies of all colours mover around the Appleloosa train station most were earth ponies it was very unlikely to fine a unicorn or a pegasi but yet there was one. The mare’s fur is a dark grey silver colour her mane jet black her eyes were bright red. Her cutie mark; it looked like a plane white shield with a paint brush and a pencil crossed over. It looked like a coat of arms. But if you looked closer the shield was an art canvas shaped like a shield. Her saddlebags where full of art supplies.
Many who were getting off the train wondered what she was doing there in the first place it’s not very often that a pegasi visited an earth pony town.

‘Another town, another talk. Oh Luna, I love my job,’ thought Valkyrie. ‘I get to see places all over Equestria.’

Valkyrie was the name her father gave to her seeing that her mother never got the chance; her father is a Royal Guard so it made sense that he would name her after a spirit that who decided which soldiers die in battle and which live. And for that reason when she was working she goes by the chosen name Eve. Her talent was to fight for what’s right through art.
Valkyrie was on the train again to see another town and talk to the children of the town. She never said foals for most of the time her class never just had foals she has had; kids, cubs, buffalos, griffins and many more, her seminar was for any young one to join and from her notes then next one will have a baby dragon sitting in the crowd. And she had just finished her seminar in Appleloosa and now was heading to Ponyville.

“Mz Eve?”

“Yes?” Valkyrie looked up and saw a golden earth pony looking down at her as she was going through her notes for her next gig.

“When ya say everypo… one is part of a bigger picture… um how so?” asked the earth pony Valkyrie had seen him enter near the end of her last gig to see her painting she was doing when as she was talking to the children.
“You saw my painting did you not?” she asked knowing the answer as she was thinking of the name of this stallion.

“Eyup, I did Mz Eve, but ah don’t see how ya paintin’ of the chest full with a bunch knickknacks’ have to do with it.”

Valkyrie giggled. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

The earth pony sighed “Why not? Braeburn Apple’s the name.”

“If we’re getting formal; Valkyrie Shadow. Eve Sketch my stage name.”

Braeburn raised his eye brows in confusion “Ya have two names?”

“So does Vinyl Scratch you know DJ-PON3?”

“Oh… my younger cousin Babs listens to her music… ah never got in to it” He replied his face distort showing is dislike for the music. Valkyrie looked down at her own MP3 that was set on DJ-PON3 albums she nudged it out of site ‘better not let him see that’ she thought to herself. ‘Now; to get back on topic.’

“You see the reason for the painting well it changes to the town’s children I get inspiration from them for one little piece of the painting…”

Valkyrie and Braeburn talked though out the rest of the day on the train trip to Ponyville they had all night to get to their destination and Valkyrie didn’t mind talking about her work.

“Applebloom ya awake yet?” Applejack called up the stairs of their house her grandmother and older brother already up and about. The only one not up was the youngest in the house hold of four.

“Am up, Am up” came her reply down the stairs.

“Well come down and have ya breakfast.” called Granny Smith.

Applebloom came down the stairs as she tided her bow in her bright red hair as she went. It was Thursday, a school day, two more days until a weekend of crusading with the Cutie Mack Crusaders which she was looking forward to.

“Ya know what ya doin’ at school today?” asked Applejack as Big Macintosh severed up Breakfast.

“Nope not really” Applebloom replied. Big Mac looked up to the clock that was sitting on the wall of the kitchen door behind Applebloom. “Something on ya mind big brother?” she asked as she ate her apple cinnamon toast.

“E-nope.”

“Really?”

“Eyup.”

“Really? Ya been lookin’ at the clock allot?” She tried again Big Macintosh looked at his youngest sister and sighed and said one word.

"Train"

“Wha..” Applebloom was cut over by her older sister.

“Shot, ah forgot all about Braeburn coming to stay for the long weekend”

‘The long weekend…. wait that’s this weekend….. YES!!’ thought Applebloom as she thought of the fun her and the girls could get up to… ‘Wait’ “Braeburn's coming?”

“Eyup.” replied her older brother.

“An’ I promised that Ah would meet him at the train station” Applejack added.

“Can Ah come?” asked Applebloom wanting to see her cousin before she had to go to school. Big Mac looked to his younger but not youngest sister as she thought through the question, Applejack looked to her grandmother for help.

“As long as she gets to school on time.” was their grandmother’s reply.

“Go get ya school bags”

“YES!” the young voice was heard outside by the family dog. Winona lifted her head up in surprise.

The train slowly come to a halt and steam was sent flying, it was like the train itself was sighing with relief after the long trip from Appleloosa. Passengers exited out of the locomotive. But the young filly on the station was only looking for one pony, and his Stetson hat gave him away. She rushed off towards the golden earth pony.

“AB!” the call from her sister getting lost in all the noise but the young filly didn’t care. She had him in her sites.

“Cousin Braeburn!” yelled Applebloom as she went to tackle her cousin, the golden earth pony in question flicked his head around just in time to see a red and yellow filly jumping up at him.

“Whoa” he exclaimed as he was pushed to the ground by the sheer force of the young filly’s tackle.

He heard a giggle behind him. “Cutie.”

“Braeburn!” called out a voice both filly and stallion new. “Get off him Applebloom.”

“Okay” replied the filly; as she jumped off her cousin. The golden stallion laughed as he got to his feet.

“It’s nice to see ya too Applebloom.” Said Braeburn and gave the filly in question a soft noggy “and cousin Applejack ya kept ya promise.”

“Every Apple dose ya should know that Brae.” said the orange mare.

“Hey Braeburn?” asked Applebloom “who’s that?” pointing behind him, Braeburn looked behind to see who his cousin was indicating, to see the dark pegasi mare he was talking to on the train. She gave a cheeky little smile to the filly.

“Valkyrie” she answered the young filly “I was talking to your cousin on the train.”

“About what?” asked Applejack giving Braeburn an odd look.

Valkyrie shrugged “Work” was her reply.

“Oh?” still looking at her cousin.

“Eyup, ya should hear it coz she travels all over Equestria to talk to young ones.” Braeburn said trying not to make Valkyrie look like an Apple secret stealer.

Seeing her cousin wasn't lying she turned to the pegasi “That’s mighty good of ya sugarcube.”

“Thanks” ‘I think?’ Valkyrie thought the last part to herself “Anyway I got to get to the school house. Nice talking to all of you.” Valkyrie turned to leave.

“Do ya know where it is?” asked Applejack making Valkyrie stop to think, she shrugged.

“I’ll find my way, I always do.”

“Ah can show ya” said Applebloom full of optimism, making Valkyrie see another earth filly she meet in Manehattan. “Ah gotta go there anyway.”

Valkyrie looked from the young filly to the two earth ponies watching her. She gave a small smile ‘every time, every town it always the same’ she thought to herself now just going through the motions. “If it all right with your elders.”

“It’s alright, but ya might have three by the time ya get to the school house.” replied Applejack.

“See ya after school.” called Applebloom as she dragged Valkyrie out of the train station.

“Have fun!” called Braeburn.

“Aw… we didn’t get tour guide cutie marks.” said the white unicorn filly; that joined up with Valkyrie and Applebloom on the way to the school house. Which they were now standing in front of the front gate

“We just showed her to the school house, we didn’t show her the town.” said the bright orange pegasi filly that showed up on a scooter that was powered by her wings just after the unicorn filly was with them.

“Oh can we, after school?” Applebloom asked Valkyrie.

“After school I only have a few hours, before I have to catch a train to Canterlot.” Valkyrie said calmly.

“Aw… but we wanted to be Cutie Mark Crusaders Tour Guides.” said the unicorn filly.

‘Cutie Mark Crusaders? Now where have I heard that before?’ Valkyrie asked herself. “Well you still can.”

“We can?” asked all three together.

“Yes-a-ree, aren’t you forgetting that Braeburn is here for the weekend, Applebloom?”

“Hey ya right, come on Crusaders we have planning to do.” Applebloom said as she and the other two ran off behind her to the playground.

Valkyrie shook her head a smile of joy was formed on her lips, as she walked to the door of the school house.

“I hope those three didn’t give you any trouble, Ms Sketch?”

“No trouble at all, it's always the same in each town.” She replied to the speaker at the door. A mauve coloured mare was standing at the door. “Ms Cheerilee I presume?”

Ms Cheerilee nodded “Let’s get you set up dearie.”

Valkyrie gave a small smile ‘Setting up, the down side of my work. Well that and packing up.’ “Before we do I know Applebloom but the other two I don’t.”

“Oh... Sweetie Bell is the unicorn filly and Scootaloo is the pegasi, together they make the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

‘Manehatten’ “I believe there were four of them? Or so I was told by Babs Seed.”

“Applebloom’s cousin? Oh yes she is a Crusader but not a Ponyville one.”

‘Well I be a monkey’s uncle, no wonder Applebloom remind me of that Manehattan filly’

Diamond Tiara walked in to the class room talking to the grey filly next to her, not caring for anyone but herself as if she was superior than everypony else in her class. The two of them was so engaged with their conversation they didn’t notice the change in the class room. That was until they got to where their seats were meant to be.

“What the Hay?” Diamond Tiara exclaimed and looked around to see if she could see her seat anywhere.

“Where are our seats?” asked her ‘friend’ Silver Spoon. All they could see where a bunch of cushions and bean bags. Many foals were already picking their preferred option. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had a larger bean bag between the three of them and were getting comfortable. Diamond Tiara’s eye twitched she turned on to their teacher, to see the front of the class room has gone under a change as well. The black board had a map of Equestria covering the most of it, the largest map of their country she has ever seen in a class room. There was also an easel with a blank art canvas board and a small table next to it full of art supplies.

“Ms Cheerilee what is going on?” she almost yelled, her teacher Ms Cheerilee was sitting on her chair but her table was no were in sight.

“Diamond Tiara” said her teacher in that voice teachers have when they sick of a particular student. “I will explain when all my class is sitting down.”

Diamond Tiara huffed like she didn’t care what her teacher thought. She looked around to see… what she wasn’t expecting every foal in her class had a seat and there were still heaps of bean bags left like who ever put them out tripled the amount of bean bags and double the cushions to the number there really was in the class. Silver Spoon had already found a bean bag for herself and it was a very plush one at that, and so big to could take both of them. Diamond Tiara looked around to see if she could find one for herself that was her cup of tea. Her gaze came across, a much loved and tattered bean bag next to the one the three Cutie Mark Crusaders had taken up, it looked comfortable but not something she would ever sit in. In the end she sat down next to Silver Spoon on her bean bag as none was as plush as that one.

“Okay class before the others get here, I will explain what’s going on.” said their teacher as she stood up off her chair. Getting the class’s attention. “We will be sharing our class room with the other class of this school.”

There was a brake of the silence of the students; with the question “Why?” being asked by the colt Snips.

“Because we have a guest to talk to every young pony” there was a cough from outside the door “I mean every young persons in Ponyville and she is from Canterlot.”

There was a knock at the door. “Come in” The door opened but the face that peered in wasn’t a pony’s it was a baby dragon’s.

“Spike!” called two of the three Cutie Mark Crusaders Applebloom and Sweetie Bell.

“Come in Spike” Ms Cheerilee said in a welcoming voice. “Your bean bag that Twilight bought in is near the three girls.” She added interacting to the worn down but well-loved beanbag. He gave a small smile and walked to the beanbag interacted.

“Ms Cheerilee. Why dose Spike have his own beanbag?” Asked Silver Spoon.

“So I don’t wreck the schools or donated ones with my spines.” Spike replied for Ms Cheerilee as he got comfortable in the bean bag.

“There you go.” Said Ms Cheerilee there was a noise outside that sounded like a stampede of small hoofs down the hall, which wasn’t far off from the truth. Ms Cheerilee giggled “Here come the younger classes.”
The door was thrown open as the first foal a colt came to the door and run to the first free bean bag he saw followed by the rest of his class mates and the year above as they all raced to get a beanbag.

A lot of commotion a few teary eyes and a couple of pillow fights later everyone had a place to sit. There was laughter from the front of the class room and that’s when the children noted the dark pegasi. The Cutie Mark Crusaders already knew her even if only one knew her name.

“Everypony I like to induce Eve Sketch”

First Person – Valkyrie Shadow (Eve Sketch)

“What?! Her name is Valkyrie” Applebloom called my bluff, at this I sighed.

“Is it?” I giggled “You know what Applebloom? I had a similar conversation with your cousin Braeburn that I’m going to have now.” I looked to my audience seeing their faces of confusion. “Okay let’s try this; raze your hoof or claw if you know of DJ-PON-3?” Hoofs went up most of the older audience and one claw, I nodded making it seem I was thinking this through “Okay how about Vinyl Scratch?” Every hoof went up (and claw) ‘wow everyone that’s a first’. I nodded again.

“Excuse me Ms?” I looked around to find the source of the voice doing so I noted some pretty cool colours in the audience, I found the source a pink earth pony with purple and white mane, and was that… a tiara?

“Yes Princess-Want-A-Be?” I asked, the foals and dragon giggled at what I said. I swear black and blue I heard Ms Cheerilee giggle as well.

“Diamond Tiara!” She said in the voice that said I’m superior. “And I don’t see where this leads and to do with the blan… Applebloom’s call out about your name?”

‘She was about to say the blank flank’ I picked up before replying. “Vinyl or DJ-PON3 what did you put your hoof up for?”

“Vinyl she lives here.”

‘‘That explains why everyone answered’ I nodded “Well in that case you know DJ-PON3.”

“What?” asked half of the audience, the dragon just smiled a knowingly.

“Yes-a-ree, DJ-PON3 is Vinyl’s stage name, same goes with me and my work, when I’m up here doing my job in front of an audience I’m Eve Sketch, but see me down the street and I’m Valkyrie.” I said looking at Applebloom. There were a lot of ohs of understanding go around the room and a few foals that had come to the conclusion to ask Vinyl for DJ-PON3’s autograph when this was finished.

“Okay now the reason I’m up here talking to you all. Is I’m going to show you are all part of a larger picture. And I’m going to do this is while I’m talking to you; I’m going to paint a picture on this.” I pointed to my easel with the blank art canvas board. “But you can’t see what I’m painting until the end.” And with that I turned to easel round with ease that comes with lots of practice.

“Okay now I need a story to tell you? ...um” I got a couple of giggles “I know, hey princess-want-a-be.”

“Diamond Tiara!”

I continued as if nothing happened and grasped a bush with my wings and started to mix water colour paints “You call foals with no Cutie Marks; Blank Flanks right?” The pink filly didn’t answer; I changed my gaze to the Cutie Mark Crusaders “Dose she?” They nodded with sodden faces. I gave them a small simile then turned to the pink filly “In that case I’m going to call you princess-what-a-be for now so you will know what they have been felling.” She gave me a look that screamed your bucking kidding me. “Okay story” I look at the green, orange, purple and blue background I had done so far and walked to the side of the easel to let them see my own Cutie Mark. “Can you see my mark?” They nod “What can you see about it.”

“It’s a coat of arms.” Said a voice.

“So it is what else?” I let them continue for a bit but no one pointed out what I wanted.

“The ‘shield’ is a blank canvas, and so is a flank with no mark. You just need some inspiration to make the picture, and it can be anything it needs to be.” I look to princess-what-a-be. What? Okay. Okay Diamond Tiara. “And with my blank canvas mark I’m still a blank flack. Yes I have a mark but its blank it just needs a spark or inspiration to change” I look down at my mark and smile here comes the surprise. I focus of just the shield; my grandmother cast the spell when I first got my job. There it changed colours to the colours to my family coat of arms colours it only last for a quick minute but that’s all it needs. There where gasps of surprise from the children and one teacher.

“So got to tell Twilight about that one” said the dragon more to himself than to anyone else.

“That’s so cool but what does your Cutie Mark mean?” asked the pegasi of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Scootaloo that’s her name.

“That I’m dyslexic, and using that disadvantage to my advantage; I found out my talent is I can fight for what’s right through art.”

A clawed hand when up “Wait you just said your disadvantage is your advantage.” I nod as I go behind my easel and pick up another brush. “How so?” He added.

I giggle “You see being dyslexic I’m hopeless at spelling and writing… well anything to do with English. I mean I was falling at English at school, until I found out I had a disability and I found a way to work with it not angst it. I still have slip ups like a use a p instead of a b for my mind just flips them upside down, the same goes with d and b. Again my mind just flips them, also i and e in some words they sound the same, so I wright i instead of e. I even have forgotten how to spell my own name, once. Now all that is the down side”

I look at my painting there is now a tower on the left hand side and a shadow of a dragon in the sky. “The up side of being dyslexic is that I notice things others don’t and I have an eye for detail. I can also work out visual problems in my head. But the big up side I can talk better through pictures than words.

“You know the saying a picture paints a thousand words… well for me it’s where most of my thoughts and words get to others.”

I look to my audience. “And that’s recess.”

“Remember same seats when you come back.” Called Ms Cheerilee as the bell rang.

Third person

When the room was emptied of children Ms Cheerilee looked to the pegasi that was looking through her bags.

“Well that was good timing… how did you know the bell was going to ring?” she asked the pegasi, as she tried to get a view of the painting.

“Hey! Don’t look yet.” said Valkyrie, she was looking down at a sketch book, “It just come with experience every school has a similar time for recess and lunch, so I have around fifteen minutes to make a quick sketch of the idea that formed in my head.”

She looked up at Ms Cheerilee “Go have your brake, I’ll be in here.”

Valkyrie sat down in the closest been bag, and with a pencil in her mouth she started to sketch.

Outside in the playground the younger foals had started a game of tag as older foals talked. Everyone had something to do all but one. Spike sat alone watching the foals play.

‘She was talking about Cutie Marks’ he thought to himself ‘dragons don’t get Cutie Marks, I shouldn’t be here. But then again Twilight said she has gone all over Equestria and seen not just pony foals, but zebra foals, griffits, young donkeys, mules and Hinny oh I can’t forget Little Strong Heart in Appleloosa… but still I’m the first dragon in one of her audience.'

He looked around again and found a patten in where everyone was sitting and the number of foals playing the group tag. He smiled in spite of himself remembering a time when he, Twilight and Shining Armour played tag when they were younger and Shining wasn't at basic training.

“Good Times,” he said to himself out loud.

“What were good times?” asked a voice from behind him, he jumped a little and tuned to see who was behind him. Valkyrie was behind him with her head on the side looking very much like a foal half her age (give or take she looked 21) with a pencil sitting behind her right ear and a sketch book under her wing.

“I thought you were going to stay in the class room?” asked Spike

“I need inspiration and I was looking for you.” She said as she sat down next to him.

“Me? Why me?”

“Because of a story I have used in my seminars, I don’t use names but…” she looked down at him “but you’re in it.”

“Wh…How...um Why?” Spike looked up at her.

She gave a cheeky smile “The story is how I first met my boss”

“Um… then how am I in the story?” Spike asked not seeing the condition.

Valkyrie seeing what he was thinking and smiled; “I only do my seminars in my off season.”

“Your off season?”

“Yep, but I don’t won’t to spoil it for you, I just wanted to ask you if I can use names?” she said and looked out to the foals playing tag “Since you’re in the audience and you’re in the story.”

“Fine, but I’m trying to remember if I’ve seen you before”

Valkyrie giggled and got up, placing her pencil back behind her ear which Spike just realized she was drawing in her sketch book. “Back in Canterlot” she said as she walked back in to the school house.

Spike looked back at the playground “Okay but when?” he just asked as the bell went.

The foals filed in to the class room taking their seats they had before a few of the younger foals decided to move their seats around a bit to set next to others. Valkyrie was looking down at her sketch book with a look of concern bitting her bottom lip.

“Something wrong, Ms Sketch?” asked a young colt, the young colt was quite short for his age and had a Cockney accent and didn’t have solid-colour coat like most ponies but a light coat with dark patches, he was setting next to a young filly unicorn with a pale purple coat colour, a blonde mane, and yellow eyes.

“Not anymore.” Replied the dark pegasi ‘those eyes are just what I need bright and yellow.’ She thought to herself “But you can help me.”

“Oh how?” asked the filly with curiosity.

“By telling me your names?”

“Oh I’m Dinky and…”

“I’m Pipsqueak, but everypony calls me Pip”

First Person – Valkyrie Shadow (Eve Sketch)

‘Pipsqueak? Now where have I heard that before?’

I looked up to the rest of the audience and saw they were talking, well must of the older foals were.

“Thank you; now let’s see if I can get the other’s attention.” I look back down to Pip and Dinky with one of my cheeky smiles.

“Okay.” I call out to the rest of the class as I stood back up. Only the younger foals looked up to me. “Yo listen up!” I yelled a little louder then I should of but it worked so I’m not complaining. “Much better, now as I was saying to Spike outside, I’m going tell you about how I met my boss for the first time.”

A hoof went up; a grey one.

“Yes?” I asked.

“And what do you wish to accomplish with telling us this story?” said the filly that was sitting next to Diamond Tiara. She had her mane tided in a French plat to the side of her face. “Your boss is most likely to sit at an office while you tell pointless stories to foals.”

“And you are?” I asked

“Silver Spoon, and I don’t see the reason for this.”

“Silver Spoon? Well that’s ironic, since you were probably born with a silver spoon in your mouth.” Spike and a couple of foals gave a snicker. “And I only do this in my off season. I do this for the fun of it because I like to do it for the ups and also the downs. With my actual job, my boss or should I say Captain is … Prince Shining Armour.”

“You’re a Royal Guard?” Some of the clots called out and a few fillies.

I couldn’t help smile with glee it never fails; every time I mention that I’m a guard I get all of the audience even the teachers to be surprised. “Yes-ar-ree, now the story I’m going to tell is when I was back in basic training, I was going into my Third year, I was one year Shining’s senior. I had just finished for the day and had an hour free before dinner. I was walking around the ground trying to find my father. He was and still is a Solar Guard.

“Walking towards the west wall I heard a yell. I could tell it was a filly that yelled out but not what she said. I looked around the castle wall to see a violet unicorn filly looking up to the wall as a white unicorn colt with basic training armour. It was bronze so I knew he was a first year, running towards her. I watched from where I was I could see them but they couldn’t see me.” I stop for a bit. I do that a lot, see without been see, must come my family influence.

“I saw them greet each other and it looked like the filly was freaking out for some reason. Then pointed up to the wall, my and a colts eyes followed where she was pointing I couldn't believe my eyes. On the top of the wall like he had no care in the world…”

I looked to Spike and gave him a wink, “was a hatchling dragon. My mind went overboard, guards and Basic Training Cadets alike was told about a baby dragon that lived in the castle with the princes’ student. So I connected the dots and realized the filly was Twilight Sparkle and the Dragon was Spike.”

“Hang on you saying you’re a year older than Shining Armour?” called out the pegasi Cutie Mark Crusader; Scooterloo. “And you knew Spike before you came here?”

“For the second question. Yes I did but that was the only time I got to meet him face to face, and he and I have changed a lot from then, and for the first No. I’m two years younger. Because of my family I was let in basic training early. At the time I was Shining’s senior because I was in a higher rank now Shining is my senior being Captain.”

“Oh I get it.” She replied “so it’s kinder like Spike and the rest of us, his younger but he knows a lot more than we do cause’ his home schooled.”

“Um… sorta” I reply but in my mind I’m saying ‘nope not really’ but I let it slide for it’s too hard to explain. But if she had added, ‘which makes the grade he is in is a high school grade, not primary like us’ then I would have had said yes without a doubt.

“Now Twilight was yelling at Shining to get Spike down before he got in to trouble, but being the cadet he was, seeing first years were told not to use magic near the wall, or fly near the wall and for the few earth ponies not even allowed to touch the wall. Now Shining was and still is sorta” I say sorta more to myself then to the children “a sticker to the rules and he was trying to find a way to solve the problem in front of him.” looking at the painting I go down memory lane.

“I wasn’t really focusing on the conversation they were having, I could hear it but I wasn’t taking any notice of what they were saying. I was watching Spike; just… well walking. But what he was walking towards was the big problem. The wall had and still has a safety mechanism, which stops ponies climbing, or sitting on the wall. It sends off an electric current which can stun a full grown stallion senseless, and he was walking strait towards one.”

Third person

Spike looked up in surprise as he remembered that day the dark pegasi was talking about. He always loved heights and that day he was playing outside with Twilight, when he found an old tree next to the wall and decided to clime it, one of the branches came over the wall. He had jumped from the branch to the wall. He remembered the thrill of being up there and the worry on Twilight’s face when she found him. Then Shining’s when she pointed him out to her brother, and the Basic Training Cadet that risked her place and rank to get him down.

‘But she was at least 200 meters away’ he thought to himself ‘to Twiley and Shine and they were at least 50 meters away from the wall? That should mean she was at least 250 meters away from where I was, and you can’t see those safety mechanism from 50 meters away. So how in Equestria did she see the one I was walking towards? ’

First Person – Valkyrie Shadow (Eve Sketch)

“Nothing at that time mattered more than the safety of the innocent; I had one goal at that moment and one goal only. I didn't care that I was properly going to get expelled from Basic Training; I kicked off the ground and took off towards t…”
‘Wait don’t say young dragon he’s here you were saying his name’ I reminded myself. “The wall and Spike,” nice save “giving Twilight and Shining a shock since they didn’t know I was there and Spike as well, I believe for he stumbled and lost his footing. I grasped him in my front hooves as he fell, totally not what I had in plan but it worked.

“Well most of it; I used my back legs as a break as we didn't full on hit the wall. But the Armour any rank will counteract the walls safety mechanism shutting them all down and the Armour becomes useless. I place Spike down by the two and get a thousand thanks from Twilight as Shining looked at me with disbelieve. When Twilight stopped and gave a chance for Shining to speck he asked why. Why did I risk my rank to help them? I shook my head and said that I didn't do it to help them.

“I told him; I didn't know what the safety mechanism would do to a hatchling dragon and I didn't want to find out. I could see the question about the safety mechanism forming on his lips and I just said he’ll learn about it in second year.

“He asked what was I going to do now and I just shrugged saying we’ll see, it took a while for the sound I had already picked up on to reach Shining’s ears followed by Twilight’s, the sound of galloping hoofs heading our way. The Captain of the Guard at the time and the head of Basic Training faces of disappointment were on me, when they saw my discoloured Armour. But the pony that stuck up for me was Twilight taking the full blame stating that Spike had somehow got on the wall under her watch and I offered to help to get him down, after Shining said he couldn't for he didn't know enough about the wall. When they asked if it was true I replied ‘I didn't want to see the hatchling to get hurt, a Guard’s job is to protect the innocent’.

“Later that day; I got new Armour and a new best friend.”

I looked to the audience; Spike looked like he was thinking about something everyone else had a look of disbelieve on their faces. I looked up to the clock ‘I took too long, again next one short!’ I reminded myself.
A hoof went up from the back.

“Yes?”

“Did that really happen?” asked the foal.

“Of course not she’s just making that up she’s not a Royal Guard!” Yelled out Diamond Tiara before I could say a word. Rude little filly.

“Yes she is!”

“Diamond Tiara!”

The two voices collided. Spike and Ms Cheerilee they both sounded angry and disappointed. Spike was looking at the filly but let the teacher finish.

“I’ll be speaking to your father when this is finished.”

I looked at Spike with a tilt of my head. “You remember?”

He nodded “But how did you see what I was walking towards when you were at least two fifty meters away?”

I giggled “That leads to my next story, so I thank you for that.” I walk to my bags and rustle around in them. When I found what I was looking for I threw it up in to the air.

The topaz pendent on the necklace glowed in the sun light. The chain was a dark colour and in total contrast to the bright gem. The gem itself was the size of a cat’s eye, there was a thin silver wire wrapped around the gem and over the chain. From a lot of practice I got the chain to go wide so I could slip my neck into it as it fell. As always I could feel the magic from it every one in my family had one; mine had my mother’s old pendent but the chain is made for me. I close my eyes letting the magic flow over me.

“Nice trick!” I hear a filly call out. I smile I don’t normally show what this can do but Spike has seen it before even if he can’t remember it exactly. I open my eyes and looked towards the children. They all gasp and I know what they have seen.
My eye have changed they are still red I know for I've seen them in the mirror but now they have spilt pupil kinder like a cat’s or a dragon.

“Spike to answer your question; I’m part of the Fourth Clan.”

“Wait THE Fourth Clan?” Asked Ms Cheerilee. “I thought they were just a myth.”

I look back at her and it was her turn to gasp with surprise. “Oh no we’re quite real.”

“What exactly is the Fourth Clan?” asked Sweetie Bell.

“So no-one has heard of the Fourth Clan?” I ask

Every foal's head shook but one claw went up.

“Okay, tell me what you know.” I nodded to Spike.

“Just what Shining has told Twilight about them; he said they were specially made to be the Nightmare Guards in the time of Nightmare Moon.”

“And you right, well most of it. The Fourth Clan is also known as Dragon Blood.

"At the time of Nightmare Moon, she wanted her own Guards. But she wanted them stronger, faster, better for fighting and just plain better. She found a way to mix blood in to ponies. And the Blood she found was the best for her Guards was Dragon.

“But to each type of pony the blood reacted differently. The Pegasi had leathery bat like wings, the Unicorn’s magic is flame like and the Earth Ponies they were so strong they could break diamonds. But we all had the dragon like eyes and could see really well in the dark also long distance, we also have really good hearing.

“At the 500 year mark of Luna’s banishment, the clan finally go over the grudge match against Princess Celestia and we made peace, and she helped us with the one thing we were made for; being a Royal Guard. Now there are Dragon Blood Luna and Solar Guards like my father. She found a way to hide our deference’s to the Three Tribes; Earth, Pegasus and Unicorns, but we still have problems with the dragon side of our blood. I think you can name a few Spike.”

“Greed?” He half asked.

“Yes and hoarding, I’ve even heard of cases of some living nearly triple the live expectance of a normal pony.”

“Hoarding? Really?”

“Yes, some of us never throw anything away.”

“Wow.”

“But you don’t have the bat wings like the Luna Guards that came with Princess Luna on Nightmare Night?” The young clot Pipsqueak called out from the front.

“Your right I don’t, but that’s because I like the feeling of the wind going through my feathers, but when I’m wearing my Luna Guard Armour I have the leather dragon wings.”

“So you’re a Luna Guard?” he asked, I nodded “Is there perhaps… maybe Luna Guards that aren’t Dragon Blood.”

“Yes there are a few of them; the magic in the Armour of Solar or Luna gives the impression that we look the same. With Luna Guards we have dark fur, Dragon Eyes and if they are a Pegasus when the wings are folded they look leathery but as soon as they take off you can tell they are just a really dark colour, but still feathers.”

“How about earth ponies?” he asked.

Why was he so interested in Luna Guards? … Wait I was told there was a colt that said Luna was his favourite princess last Nightmare Night… now what was his name …. Um it started with p… Oh My Sweet Night (Dragon Blood saying) this Pipsqueak is THE Pipsqueak the princess won’t stop talking about. And he asked about Earth ponies being in the Luna Guard.

I shook my head a little to get it back on the right track. “It’s not common in either Royal Guards but there are a couple, there was one in my basic training year but he didn't become a guard but he is on Call.”

“Wasn't he good enough for the Royal Guards?” Asked a colt down the back. I looked from my painting to the young colt. He was a light blue colour with a wind-blown mane that was a navy blue.

“Actually he was welcomed in to the Royal Guards with open arms, he was the smartest, strongest and fastest on hoof and he always put others in front of him.”

“Then why isn't he in the Royal Guards?” asked Silver Spoon and she sounded like she was interested with what I was talking about.

“Because his family needed him, he was blessed by the Princess at graduation, I remember what he said that day for it stuck with me. ‘You can choose your friends but never your family, look after them for they are the only ones you get.’”

“What happen’ to his family that was so important he had to leave the Guards behind?” asked Applebloom.

“I’m not quite sure he didn't talk about it much, but his file says his father passed away and he had to go back to help look after the farm; for his grandmother couldn't look after the farm and his younger siblings alone.”

“What was his name?” Applebloom asked her voice was telling me she might suspect something but doesn’t want to jump to conclusions.

Third person

‘Please tell me it’s not who I think it is.’ Applebloom thought to herself. She had a thought that it might be someone she knows deeply but she doesn't want it to be true.

“I don’t think I can tell you that.” said the dragon eyed pegasi after some thought.

“Please?” Applebloom asked ‘please I got to know, I got to know if it’s him.’ she added to herself.

The dragon eyed pegasi closed her eyes and sighed sadly. “You want to know I can see that, but I can’t say his name without his permission.”

“You used Twilight’s, Shining Armour’s and Spike’s today.” Applebloom replied to that comment.

The dark pegasi nodded “Shining gave me permission to use his name, I caught up with Twilight when I was just starting and she said I could use her name but only if Spike agreed.” Spike looked up at her in surprise “But I only caught with Spike to ask before at recess, this was the first time I had ever used Spike’s and Twilight’s name, in that story, and it would be the last as I have the story down pat now with only Shining’s name.”

“So what was the point of telling us that your dragon blood?” Asked a colt behind the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the dark pegasi’s red dragon eyes fell on the colt as she picked up a brush again.

“There is more than the Three Tribes in Equestria, there is the Three Tribes and the different Clans, the Clans in order Alicorn, Draconequus, Crystal, Dragon Blood, The Wonderbolts and The Apple, there are more but they are the main ones.”

“Wait The Apples as in the Apple’s from Sweet Apple Acers?” asked Scooterloo.

“Yes, and the ones I meet in Appleloosa, Fillydelphia, Dodge Junction, Manehatten, Canterlot, Tall Tale, Hollow Shades, Galloping Gorge, Foal Mountain.” She put her head on the side and she looked like a much younger version of herself that loved to play games and tease. “Do I have to keep going?”

Every foals eye was on Applebloom she scratched the back of her neck, “We just a really big family.”

“And that’s how the Clans start; being the same blood, for blood is blood no matter how thinly it is spread over the ages.”

The Bell rang and quite a few foals jumped as they were concentrating on the words that were being spoken than the time. The younger foals ran out to continue with their game of tag, as Ms Cheerilee called out the same thing she said before recess. Applebloom watched the dark pegasi as she took her necklace off.

“You coming?” asked Scootaloo from the door.

“Yer ah’m coming.” Applebloom replied as she got up.

“Sweetie gone to go ask Spike if he wants to join us” Scootaloo said as Applebloom got to the door.

“Good idea, he looked a little lonesome at recess.”

The whole time red eyes were watching them.

A shadow loomed over the three fillies and the dragon, which made them swing around to look at what caused it. The dark pegasi was behind them with a small smile and but unlike recess she had a paint brush behind her right ear not a pencil this time.

“Do you really want to know?” she asked “Do you really want to know who he is?”

“Who?” asked Scootaloo.

“The Earth Pony who I did Basic with.”

“You’re going to tell us?” asked Spike.

“There is a loop-hole I can use. If someone guesses the name, than I can mention the name afterwards. So what to play the guessing game?”

“Can we have hints?” asked Sweetie Bell. Valkyrie tilted her head as she took a seat beside her.

“What type of hint?”

“Well what does he look like?” asked Spike, racking his memories of the Cadets.

“Okay let’s see; he looked every much like a draft horse, he had grown his fetlocks similar to Shining’s, he had his tail cropped. He said it came from the work he did back home and old habits die hard.” Valkyrie watched Applebloom’s eyes widen but still didn't say anything. She smiled cheekily. “Let’s see if I remember correctly; his coat was a crimson red colour and his mane was an orange colour.”

“Wh…what was his cutie mark?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Well that’s given too much away, But I can tell you what he always was wearing when not in his armour.”

“What?” asked Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo.

“A farm yoke.”

Applebloom bought her head up and looked Valkyrie in the eye. “Was his name Macintosh?”

Valkyrie looked very cheeky with the glint in her eyes showed she wasn’t about to give it away. “I think you already know the answer.” She gave a wink and got back up “I have work to do…” she started to walk away but looked back and said “Oh his cutie mark was a Green Apple sliced in half. See you in class.”

Three pair of eyes fell on Applebloom.

“Your brother turned down being in the Guards?”

“Your brother was a Cadet?”

“Did you even know?”

All three spoke at the same time. Applebloom, shook her head. “I didn’t know, I mean I know he left for training but I didn’t know what for.”

Two lots of eyes watched the dark pegasi walk away from the mix match group as the Earth filly was bomb bared with questions.

“What just happened?” asked the grey filly to the pink one.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”

The children filed back in as the bell rang most giving an odd look to the pegasi up the front as she put the final touches to the painting.

“Ms Eve?” asked Dinky, when the class finally quite down.

“What's wrong?” the few foals that were talking stopped.

“What story are you going to tell us now?”

“Later on I do but this is the fun part you guys get to tell me stories and ask questions.”

“What do you mean we get to tell you stories?” asked a colt at the front, with an air of curiosity.

“Well maybe, you could learn something off someone else.” She replied “So who has a story to tell or a question to ask?”

“I have a question.” asked a Pegasi colt. “About what you said about Clans.”
The dark Pegasi nodded.

“You said the Wonderbolts were a Clan, how?”

“The Wonderbolts started as a Clan the first of them being Commander Hurricane’s descendants… um… great great great how many greats grand-foals. But over time it became a rank of great flyers, but the Captain and a few others are descendants… related to the Commander.”

“So cool.” replied a few Pegasus.

“Yes it is cool, so any more questions or dose someone have a story?”

“What does the story have to be about?” asked a filly down the back.

“Anything to do with something small, being a part in the big picture?”

“I don’t get it?” the filly added

“At the time you might have thought it of as being small, but now it’s a big part of who you are.”

“I might have one” said Spike “but I think Sweetie, AB and Scoots can help me tell it.”

“Oh and what might that story be.”

“I always thought of it being how Twilight hatched me, but that was until these three started to ask how her and her friends got there cutie marks.”

“Hey ah remember Twilight saying she hatch ya when she got her cutie mark.” Cut in Apple Bloom “Oh ah get it, ya thought it was only ya and Twilight in that story, but we began to ask, ya learnt you were only a small part of how the six of them got there Cutie Marks.”

“Six? The Six Elements of Harmony? You think the four of you can tell us about how the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony got their Cutie Marks?” Eve asked the four of them nodded, she looked around a little. “Is there a cushion left?”

“Just one.” A voice called out from the back.

“Throw it down.” The cushion was covered in paint and a little run down. When it made it to Eve she laid down on it. “Go on tell us the story.”

“Well I guess it starts with the Summer Sun Celebration 10 years ago…”

First Person – Valkyrie Shadow (Eve Sketch)

“So you four are saying if it wasn’t for Rainbow Dash’s First Sonic RainBoom, Applejack would of have stayed in the city, Rarity would of never found the gems in that rock, Pinkie would have never had an idea to party or smiled, Fluttershy would never find out she could talk to animals and Twilight wouldn’t have hatched that egg?” Asked Sliver Spoon

The four looked at each other “Eyup” they said at the same time, very much like Appleblooms older brother.

“Wow that is… actually really cool” said Snips.

“Okay, Okay.” I said giggling looking up to the clock. “Oh that took a lot longer than I thought it would.” I got up from the cushion on the floor. “Okay who want’s to see the painting I created?”

A chorus of yes where heard, I gave a small cheeky smile and flipped the painting around.

The painting was of a tower in the sunset over a forest. The sunset went from orange to purple and finally to blue. There was a river near the bottom of the painting. The tower was on the left hand side, brown brick colour with a violet purple colour tiled roof. In the window of the tower there was a filly a light blue colour, with purple and dust pink mane in a French plate down the side of her face. Her eyes were bright yellow. There was a tiara sitting on her head but also a bright red/pink bow in her mane. She looked board leaning on the window-sill.

There was a snail climbing on the window-sill and a white feather sitting on the sill. A creeper plant was growing up the side of the tower; with three bright flowers growing on it. If one was to look close enough on the wall behind the filly there was a painting with Candy Canes painted on it, a dresser with a mirror and on the table top were a pair of scissors and a few berry coloured gems. There was also a shadow of a dragon flying through the clouds.

“Why am I always made the bad guy?” asked Spike.

“Who said the dragon was a bad guy, he may be a friend that tells the Princess of far off places or let her fly on her back to take her to far off places, I never said the dragon was a bad guy.”

“Um…” Spike looked down not believing he just shot him-self down; a couple of older foals laughed not believing he fell for a trick like that.

“After all you’re living prove that not all dragons are big mean and greedy.” I added. “and I might as well point out you said ‘why am I’ not ‘why are dragons’ so I’m guessing you figured it out already, everything in this painting was inspired by you guys. Can anyone see your part?”

“My Tiara!” Said Diamond Tiara “wait that’s why you called me Princess-Want-A-Be”

“Not exactly but that’s what got me thinking.”

“She has Sweetie’s hair colour…” called out a filly

“But its Silver’s style.” called out Diamond Tiara.

“And AB’s bow.” added Spike.

“Hey look even Ms Cheerilee is in it.” Called out Pipsqueak

“What?” asked a few foals.

“The flowers growing on the tower. They’re Ms Cheerilee’s Cutie Mark.”

“Hey your right.”

“Who else’s Mark can you see?” I ask.

“Look there’s Featherweight’s on the window-sill.”

“And Snail’s underneath.”

“Okay, you have found almost everything but some of the colours are your own as well in the back ground, but you can find them later, for I’m giving the school the painting to remind you all that you are only one small piece of the big picture, and a picture paints a thousand words.” I say after a few minutes of the children pointing things out.

“Thank you Ms Eve.” said Ms Cheerilee.

“Thank you” called out the younger foals.

“Oh and that’s time. Thank you for talking to us to day Eve.”

“You’re very welcome I hope everyone has taken something away from this.”

Third person

The final bell had rang, the foals and one dragon left the school house looking forward to telling their elders of their eventful school day. All but two fillies whom were waiting for Valkyrie to leave the school house.

“Are you sure we should do this?” asked Silver Spoon.

“I want to know what they were talking about Silver.” replied her grey friend. “Look here she comes.”

Valkyrie wasn’t looking at her surroundings but she was fixing up her bags as she descended down the school house steps.

“Ms Eve.” Diamond Tiara called out.

“What?!” Valkyrie jumped a little “Oh, hello you two. It Valkyrie now not Eve.”

“Okay right, anyway what were you talking about with the three black flanks and that dragon?”

“You need your attitude readjusted young filly.” Valkyrie replied seeing they wasn't going to let up she sighed “We I was just playing a game, and if you excuse me I have some things to do before I have to catch a train.”

With that the Pegasi walked off towards the small country town of Ponyville.

“I can’t believe it!” Diamond Tiara almost spat.

“Believe what?” Silver Spoon asked.

“She just walked off!”

“Did you listen to anything she said? At all today?”

“Yes…no…not really.”

Her grey friend just sighed at that reply, ‘well I did’ she thought but did not say.

There was a buzz of activity as the younger population had a few hours free before they were called home after school. Some were playing games some at their favourite meeting place or some young Pegasus up in the clouds.

Three fillies in particular the other older population were looking out for the most; The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Who were looking for something or someone?

“I can’t believe we lost him.” The orange filly groaned.

“Ah know, he may not be able to be a Crusader but ah still want him to be our friend.” Said the earth filly.

“Why don’t we spilt up, I’ll go see if he’s at my sisters, AB can check the Library and Scoots you can check Sugarcube Corner.” suggested the unicorn of the group. “And meet at the club house in fifteen minutes?”

“That’s a great idea Sweetie Bell.” exclaimed Apple Bloom. “You okay with it Scoots?”

Scootaloo nodded “I’m fine with it.” She added as she took off towards the bakery.

“I’ll meet you at the tree house.” called Sweetie Bell, as she ran towards her sister’s boutique.
Applebloom shook her head, ‘typical’ she thought as she walked towards the Golden Oaks Library.

Red eyes watched as the three girls run off, the owner gave a grin.

“They’ll do him some good” she looked up to see a few clouds in the sky not yet cleared “Odd” she mutted she shrugged, “well there not my problem.” she said as she took off. It was good to fly after a long day at the school. Even if the saddle bags were weighting her down it was still good to fly.

It was good to fly after a long day on the ground, the feeling of the wind though her wings was a feeling that all Pegasus live for Valkyrie it was like a hug from her mother she never got to meet. It gave her a smile no matter what her mood was.

Valkyrie was able to catch up with her old friend Macintosh Apple at Sweet Apple Acres before the train to Canterlot came to pick her up and take her to her next destination.

“Luna, I love my job”