Prompt 397: "Teacher's Consolation" (Slight Dark, slight Slice Of Life)
"Teacher's Consolation" Written on 14 Oct. 2013
Cheerilee watched as the fillies and colts ran out of her classroom. As she waved to the last of them, she trotted to her desk, sighing. Pulling out of her desk drawer, she stared at a picture of Canterlot High with a frown... jotted on it were words like, "My dream school." She wanted to teach there, to be among the more high-class ponies, but she couldn't... and she wondered why herself. She couldn't understand why she was still here.
As she slowly slid the picture back in, the teacher heard a soft sobbing coming from outside the door. When she opened the door, she recognised the pearl-white unicorn filly crying at a bench. Placing her hoof over the filly's shoulder, she gave the filly a question, "Hey, what's wrong Sweetie Belle?"
The filly sniffled, whispering to her teacher, "I-i've... not been so good... it's been 3 years since the Cutie Mark Crusaders were started... and we still haven't gotten our cutie marks... I just don't know what to do Ms. Cheerilee..." She buried her head in her hooves, crying.
The teacher patted her on the back, "There there..." She consoled, "Sweetie, I'm here for you. If you ever need help, I'll be here to lend you a hoof, okay?"
"S-sure..." The filly calmed down. "I just couldn't take Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's taunting... I-i..." The teacher shushed her.
"Don't worry, I'll speak with their parents." The teacher gave a reassuring smile to the filly.
"B-but... they won't stop just like that... they've never stopped." The filly sobbed, laying her head against her teacher's shoulder.
"I'll never stop trying to help you and your 2 friends, just don't worry about it."
The filly then questioned her teacher, "B-but... why? We're just 3 little fillies."
The teacher had to think about that. Why DID she stay? She could leave at anytime, to go teach in her dream school. She frowned. The filly became worried for her teacher, "Is something wrong, Ms. Cheerilee?"
Cheerilee nodded to her, "I was just thinking about your question. Recalling everything I've seen." She was feeling nostalgic, remembering every happy time she had had in the job. Every time she had achieved somepony's dream, their cutie mark. Everytime she's seen it in the school. She sighed happily, answering Sweetie's question, "The reason... is helping fillies and colts here achieve their dreams... so that I can make my little ponies be happy." She smiled gently at the filly, who was staring at her curiously. "R-really?"
"Of course, why would I lie?" She said, producing a smile on the filly's face.
"Th-thanks... Ms. Cheerilee." She gently hugged her teacher, tears of happiness rolling down her face.
"No need for thanks Sweetie." She hugged back, letting her rest there for as long as she needed.
