"Good morning students and parents and/or guardians. Now, I know that usually at the stat of the year the returning students don't have to bring somepony in, but as many of you know a lot has changed over the summer. With the funding boost Princess Twilight Sparkle has put into the school systems we are happy to let eveypony know that the schoolhouse now has two new rooms. One of these rooms will be an office for our new staff member. And now I suppose I should let him introduce himself, Professor Paradox."
The classroom remained politely silent as the town's fuchsia earthpony schoolteacher, Cheerilee, finished her little speech. Their was a few more desks filled this year, and next to every desk that had a colt or filly in it, stood a grown pony(barely in some cases). In total their was about thirty-two ponies in the classroom, that included the two teachers up front. The second of the two teachers, a deep blue unicorn with a white mane and tail. Despite the coloring of his mane, he was quite young, in his early twenties(most ponies were fully-employed and moving out at eighteen).
"Hello!" His overly joyous greeting drew the attention of nearly eveypony in the room. "I don't like being called Professor. I haven't earned my degree yet and I don't have anything but my transcripts to prove I've taken any class that can prove I can teach. I've got a bit of a Papa bear mentality thing, so trust me when I say that the happiness is the most important thing to me. That being said, I want all my students to call me Parry."
At this a few of the foals started to giggle. "I know, I know, its a silly name, but that's why I like it. Now I know that some of you are worried that I'm going to run Miss Cheerilee out of a job. I assure you that is not the case. She will get paid the same, which will be more than I'm gonna get. I'm only going to teach the math portion of your classes, and maybe sciences later on. The main reason I'm here is the fact that I will serve as the Special Education Aid."
As he said this one of the parent/guardians ducked slightly and moved behind her daughter. This was do to the almost involuntary glances she got from others all through the room. Being new to the town, Paradox looked around with a curious expression.
"Hold up!" Everyponies attention was now back on the blue unicorn. "Why is everyone looking at her?"
The gray pegasus with the blond mane started to stutter and shake now that the attention was back on her. "I-I-I'm-"
"Pardon my slight rudeness, but I'm not on the floor. I understand that your nervous for some reason, but until you look at me and explain I can't make anything of this" Cheerilee was giving Paradox a questioning glance, but he ignored her acting as is just he and the pegusus were chatting and nopony else was in the room.
"I'm Ditzy Doo, my eyes cause me a lot of problems. I went to a mentally deficiency school. I-It wasn't very nice so I dropped out a-and I still h-haven't p-passed my g-gadu-ation test. Don't r-r-report me." She got more frantic as she went, despite her attempt to not make a scene.
While It wasn't a crime, not finishing basic education was necessary for many things like holding a job and owning a house. These were not a problem for Ditzy because she was employed with her uncle in the postal service and lived with a friend. It did however make It easier to bring into question how well she could take care of her daughter. Word had gotten around town, but, it being a small town, everypony knew her personally and just kept it quiet, including Cheerilee.
"Well, that's a shame. I'm gonna have to do something about that." Paradox stated as he furrowed his eyebrows in thought.
"NO!" this particular shout coming from the small periwinkle unicorn in front of Ditzy. "You leave my mommy alone!"
"Dinky, do not shout at Mr. Paradox," chided Cheerilee.
"No, It's alright Cheerilee." Paradox was smiling at the incident. "Dinky, where do you and your mom live?"
"Not telling," she 'hrumph'ed crossing her arms. I was quite cute.
"Then how am I gonna tutor you mom?"
"W-w-what?" Almost everypony was suprised by that remark, but none more so than Ditzy herself.
"Well, we can't have you going around without a GED now can we."
"B-but Cheerilee said that she isn't in a position to give me the test."
"True she doesn't, but I do." he ended his statement with a huge grin.
"Thank you so-"
"Don't thank me yet, I'm not gonna lighten your homework load because you work."
Ditzy nodded. "Cheerilee should have my address."
"So, who in the class is going to get your tutoring?" A florescent orange unicorn stallion towards the back asked, reminding the two that they were not the only ones in the room.
"Right, so if you think your foal need to be taken aside during tests and classwork time you can make an appointment with me for some time after class next week. This week I will simply sit in and help those that need it. If you want to make an appointment you might want to bring in some paperwork if you foal has a disability." Paradox seemed to go back into a lecture mode as he addressed the older ponies. "That being said, If they are failing any subject and we haven't talked I will have you brought in to discuss it. Also, if the student is in perfect health and is failing do to any other reason, like lack of focus or family troubles stopping them from completing their work, they will also be in my class. Any questions?"
"I, um, was wondering if, maybe, if it was possible, that you could have a handout or note with this information, if its no trouble that is?" asked a yellow pegasus.
"What for, exactly Miss..." He what leaning forward because of how quite she was.
"...tter..hy" she somewhat mermerd.
"Hold on." He lit up his horn in a green light and his ear along with it. "Okay, now repeat that."
"Her name is Fluttershy."
"YOW"
While the white unicorn filly was not loud, she was still closer and the spell Paradox had on his ear made it like a sonic rainboom. He also forgot to end it before he shouted, and damaged his ear more in the process. Clutching his head he ended the spell.
"Sorry," said the filly sheepishly, "but her name is Fluttershy. She came instead of my sister, Rarity, because she is busy with a fitting she couldn't skip today."
Paradox seemed to freeze for a bit as the filly spoke.
"Right." He pause for a second before continuing. "Will your sister picking you up?"
"Umm... no?" She couldn't read his face and was lost slightly. "I usually walk home myself."
"Well, we can't have that. I'll walk you home and talk to your sister Rarity myself."
"Uh, Okay." Her face saying otherwise.
After a few questions on contact information and qualifications, Cheerilee saw the adults out. She then started up the first class, history. The students were extra quite during the lesson, mostly do to the new teacher sitting in the back of the room. He tried not to appear like a hypocritical adult and not be friends with the foals after saying he would. He would occasionally walk around and point out mistakes on his students papers. A misspelled griffin name here, a incorrect statement there. The part that made the foals most confused was the fact that he just pointed out the mistakes and didn't correct them.
"Nope," he stated bluntly over Apple Bloom's shoulder, "Wrong mountain range. Think more 'griffiny'."
"What?"
"The battle wasn't over the Haymalayans. That's not 'griffiny' enough." Then he went on leaving the young filly even more confused than before. This continued for the next four classes until lunch. That was the point were the fouls acted as they usually did. The groups of fillies and colts when of to fill the little niches they had made for themselves last year. Of course, for on pink filly and her grey follower this meant tormenting another set of students.
"Hey, blank flanks!"
"What ya want, Tiara?" Apple Bloom knew what was coming and wanted it to be over with.
"Just coming over to see if you losers are going to get in trouble again,"she stated with a smirk.
"What do you mean?," asked Sweetie Belle. "We haven't gotten in trouble...yet."
"Then why does the new teacher want to talk to your sister in person?" This was what she was planning to bring up from the start. "Is it because he though you were stupid the moment you talked? Maybe he wants you to go into that 'special' class of his."
"He's just here to help us, Tiara," stated the orange filly.
"Yeah, and my sis' said theirs no problem takin' help when ya need it."
"Maybe if you weren't so dumb you would you wouldn't need his help," mocked the pink one.
"Yeah, he helped you on, like, every problem," backed the grey filly.
"I ain't dumb!" shouted Apple Bloom at the sky.
"Besides, me and Scootaloo had just as much trouble as Bloom," said Sweetie trying to help the situation.
"So your all as dumb as the farmfilly?" Asked the pink menace, reveling her trump card.
"No!" shouted Scootaloo and Sweetie without thinking, but it was to late. The implied insult was picked up on by the filly in the bow, and her eyes started to water.
"Y-you think I'm not as smart as you two? Then maybe I shouldn't hang out around you guys anymore." She spoke slowly and softly, but fast enough to were they couldn't interrupt. Then she walked away at a pace just below a jog. Nopony knew, but she turned away to hide her tears.
"Tiara!" Scootaloo yelled accusingly.
"What, you two are the ones that didn't think you were as dumb as her." The bully smirked and turned to her only friend. "Come on, Spoon. We're done here."
When the two-thirds of the trio were left by themselves they were at a loss.
"What just happened?"
"I think Tiara just tricked us into losing 'Bloom, Sweetie," said Scootaloo, stating the sad truth.
"We should go after her!"
"And say what? 'Sorry, I didn't mean to call you stupid.' Yeah that wont work."
"Cheerilee would know but she's in her office."
"Mr. Paradox said his door was open. We could go to him?"
"I don't know..."
"Com'on Sweetie, he's all we got."
"Fine, but your talking."
"Deal."
The two walked over to the new side of the school house. Most of the students were on the other side of the building because the playground equipment got moved all to one side during the construction. They found that his door was indeed open, as they expected. What they didn't expect was the new teacher to be drinking from a flask and the small office to smell like alcohol. Sweetie didn't recognize the smell and container, but Scootaloo did.
"Are you allowed to Drink on the job?" accused Scootaloo as she scrutinized the teacher.
Not noticing the fillies in the room, he quickly put the flask away. "Uh, but if I didn't drink anything then I would get dehydrated and that's not healthy at all."
"That's not what I meant and you know it." Scootaloo mumbled as she turned to leave. "Never mind Sweetie he can't help."
"Wait!" They both stopped and turned just in time to see him pull the flask back out. "I didn't know how much you to knew about alcohol. Scootaloo." He paused to sigh and gaze comfortingly at the filly, "how did you recognize the smell?"
"My mom drinks on the weekends. Don't worry though she tells me not to be in the same room as her when she's drinking. She always afraid she's gonna hurt me."
"Does she?"
"No, she sits by my door sometimes and tells me how worried she is about Dad being in the Guard, but most the time she's puking in the toilet as soon as she gets home."
"She uses drinking as mental medicine, but she could use other things. I, on the other hoof, need It for physical medicine. I have a condition. I take pills to keep my mind clear so I'm not 'drunk'. So, to answer your question, Yes, I am allowed to drink on the job, but that doesn't mean I want you to think its okay." The little speech he gave seemed to put the filly at ease, but she still didn't trust him completely. "So, did you two come here to share lunch with me or did you need help?"
"It started when Diamond Tiara came over and started to make fun of us, which happens all the time and doesn't really bother us, but today she mentioned how much you were helping Apple Bloom with the classwork and said she needed so much help because he was stupid and so I mentioned how me a-and S-Scoots had just as help f-from you a-and then D-D-Dia..." Sweetie tried her best to explain what happened, but was caught up on the thought that her dear friend Apple Bloom would not forgive them. So Scootaloo picked up the slack.
"Then Diamond Tiara asked if that meant we were as dumb as Bloom and we said 'no' and Bloom thought that we meant that we thought she was dumb and didn't want to be compared to her and ran off crying and we don't think she will let us apologize and we just want our fiend back"
By the end of the rushed and slightly confusing explanation, both the fillies were almost to tears. Explaining the problem made them realize how serious it could be. Paradox, after piecing things together, had, roughly, a plan on how to fix it. He grabbed a pencil in his magic and started to write a note to his co-worker.
"Okay girls point me in the direction she went and then give this note to Miss Cheerilee. Lunch is just about over and I don't know how long this will take. She will deal with Tiara after school."
"Thank you Mr. Paradox." said Sweetie quitely.
"You're welcome," He grimed or the next part. "And call me Parry"
Next to the schoolhouse was a small branch of the Whitetail woods. On the other side was the edge of the Apple family orchard. That branch of the orchard was mainly golden delicious trees, but it didn't take an Apple to know that this time of year. The trees were heavy with fruit and were ready to give it up to anyone willing to give it a buck hard enough. But most ponies didn't realize that the smallest apples take the most force to knock down.
Today there was one more type of Apple in that part of the orchard, the pony kind. Apple Bloom was sitting under a tree near the edge of the orchard. Her face was still wet, even though the tears had stopped. She had a frown on that almost seemed forced. With the realization that she had just skipped school, came the thought that maybe she shouldn't. They think I'm stupid, too. Why else would they not to be compared to me, the 'dumb farmfilly'. I don't belong in school.
There was a fence that separated the school's property from Sweet Apple Acres'. It wasn't that big of a fence, more of a marker than a boundary. On that fence leaned a blue unicorn.
"Apple Bloom," called the unicorn, "can you come back over here to talk to me, or am I going to have to trespass?"
In response the filly got up, walked to the far side of the tree, and sat back down.
"Alright, trespassing it is." He hopped over the fence.
He walked over and sat under the same tree as the filly, about one hundred degrees about the trunk. She was still staring at the ground but knew he was there. He could only see the side of the filly's bow and her back hoof. He decided to let her talk first. She didn't let him wait long.
"Yer on my family property."
"Yep."
"If I tell ya ta leave, you hafta go."
"Yep." He waited for about two minutes. "Well...?"
"You haven't done nothing to me but help," she sighed. "An' that's the problem."
"Let's not talk about that."
The quickness in his statement grabbed Apple Bloom's attention. "Why?"
"Because that's something you should talk to your teacher about."
She turned to look at him. "But-"
"I turned in for the day." He looked at her. "But I would like to get back in time to walk Sweetie home."
"Is she in trouble?"
"No. I just want to talk to her sister face-to-face."
It got quite again. This time Paradox thought It would be a good Idea for him to start.
"Do you mind if I take an apple?"
"They ain't ready yet."
"Really? Look ready to me."
"Shows what you know. Golden delicious need to be picked after all the red delicious are red. We still got seven o' those trees with yellow apples."
"I didn't know that, and they look good to me."
"They prob'ly are, but we gotta pickem' in order. That's what Applejack says"
"She's your sister?"
Apple Bloom nodded.
"Does she help you with your homework?
Her head snaps around. "I thought we weren't talkin' 'bout that."
"I'm asking If your sister helps you with your homework, not 'what happened at school', so calm down and answer the question."
After thinking for a bit she answers. "Yeah, but she can't help much. Big Mac is good with math, an' Granny knows alot 'bout history, but Applejack says she doesn't know 'nough 'book smarts' to help."
"Do you think she's not smart?"
"No, she's way smarter than me, just at different things is all."
Paradox waited a few minutes to let Apple Bloom absorb what they had discussed. It seemed to work as the metaphorical gears in the filly's head turned. After ten minutes of silence he helped her out a bit more.
"How many of your class mates would know when to pick these apples?"
"I don't know, not many I guess."
"Does that make them not smart?"
"No, Sweetie knows more about sewing and Scoots knows more about sports than I do."
"Does that make you not smart?"
Apple Bloom frowns and looks the unicorn in the eyes. "Why do you keep saying it like that?"
"Saying what like what?" His face was unreadable.
"Saying 'not smart' instead of 'stupid' or 'dumb'?"
"Because my mom taught me not to swear, and those are some of the dirtiest words I know."
This made the filly think a bit more, maybe just a few seconds this time, but it was noticeable.
"Apple Bloom, I want you to think on what we said today. I think you know what you need to tell your friends, and I will let everypony in class know that my help does not mean anything other than the fact that I want you guys to do good. I was planning on waiting until my two starter weeks were up, but I'll jump it ahead a week so this doesn't happen again." He spoke in a calming tone. "Okay, now lets head back to the school house. If you pick up your classwork and homework, Cheerilee wont tell your family you skipped class."
That struck something in the filly as she realized that she had cut class and her folks wouldn't like that.
"Umm... yeah, lets go."
The walk back was not fast paced, but it didn't need to be. They spent enough time talking in the orchard that when they got back to the school house the bell was fifteen minutes from ringing. Apple Bloom went in to get her work, but Paradox stayed outside with two early ponies waiting to pick up their foals. A yellow mare with a red mane was waiting for Truffle Shuffle, her cutie mark looked like a chefs hat. The other was the orange stallion from that morning waiting for Snails.
This morning? Really? Wow, how time flies. thought Paradox as he approached Sweetie.
"Ready to go?"
"Is Apple Bloom still mad?"
"No, but I gave her an early lesson and it might take her a bit to get my homework done."
"Oh..."
"Come on, I've been waiting all day to meet your sister now lets go."
"A-alright..."
The walk through Ponyville was quite. Granny Smith was selling apples in the market in her usually spot next to Carrot Top, Time Turner and Mayor Mare were wandering about checking the revenue and such, and a few colts just out of school had rushed to Sugar Cube Corner. Sweetie was still not sure what her teacher's real reason for wanting to meet her sister, so she played it safe and didn't start any conversations. Unfortunately Paradox had the opposite in mind.
"So... you got homework to do?"
"...yeah," came the reluctant response.
"Well... what subject?"
"Math," she muttered with a bit of venom.
"Ooh, math. I thought math was fun, but ponies told me that that's weird."
Sweetie just grunted in acknowledgment.
"...What problems did you get?"
"Shouldn't you know? You're the teacher," she said with sudden hostility.
"I was helping your friend Apple Bloom during math, if you remember," he stated with a razed eyebrow. Where is this coming from?
"R-right, sorry."
"Its okay, I was probably being annoying." Then he chuckled a bit. "You know, Its usually the foals that annoy the adults, but with you and me its the other way around."
That made the filly grin a bit. "You're not that annoying."
"I know only two ponies that agree with that, and one only says that because he's my friend."
They both laughed for a bit before a building that Sweetie found familiar came into view. Carousel Boutique was an iconic place in Ponyville, and how could it not be. Sitting across from the town hall, just across the bridge, put it in just the right spot to be seen by anyone heading through town. The fact that it had a yard half the size of the town square left no rivals. The wraparound porch and classic bell shaped second story gave a rich and refined look. So, Sweetie was confused when her teacher started to laugh.
"W-wait, this is where Rarity lives?" he managed to ask through chuckles.
"Yes. Why, is there something wrong with it?"
"Nothing, nothing. Come on lets go." He walked of still grinning.
Paradox got to the door first, but waited for Sweetie to open it, figuring that somepony might think he was breaking in. While Sweetie walked into the Boutique and found it as expected, the blue unicorn took everything in with a smirk. Even though it was a business, I was still a living room, and it surprisingly looked lived in. The corners of the room had small piles of fabric and other clothing materials and the coat rack was filled. the rest was pretty clear, as to allow room to move around the pedestals that had ponyquins on them at the moment.
"RARITY, I'M HOME." Her voice went higher as she had one of her signature squeaks. "AND THE NEW TEACHER WANTS TO TALK TO YOU."
"Wonderful," came a new voice, "when does he want to meet-"
The white unicorn that owned said voice stopped as she walked in on said teacher looking around the room with what could only be described as an idiotic grin at this point. He turned to look at her and froze for about a half a second before doing what most would only put as the last thing on their bucket list.
"Behold, the White Whale, she approaches!" he shouted throwing his hooves in the air.
The confusion level in Sweetie's mind sky rockets as Rarity, Instead of blasting him to bits, smiles and calmly responds.
"Says the drunk with the well cooked brain."
If she were a robot she would have blue screened as the two adults in the room dash to each other and embrace in a hug.
"WHAT'S GOING ON??"
The two adults stop and consider how to answer the little fillies question. A series of quite whispers were exchanged
"You didn't tell her anything about me did you?"
"No, of course not. It wouldn't be safe for mother and father. Who did you introduce yourself as?"
"It's been Paradox since the fourth grade, why change it? I didn't ever know I had another sister, how should we angle this?"
"Well, lets not completely lie to her. How about we tell tell her the relationship and simply answer questions from there."
"As long as I answer the questions on my 'heritage'."
"Deal."
After the huddle, the mare and stallion turn to the confused filly. Her face was frozen in a blank stare that was a mix of inquiry and shock. With a nod from the stallion, the mare started her explanation.
"You see Sweetie, I just so happens that... um... W-what I mean to say is that... er..."
*Sigh* "Sweetie, come give you big brother a hug!"
*THUD*
The stallion rushed to the fainted filly, lifting her head and checking for bumps or bruises. After he discovered the absence of them, he sighed then turned to the only other conscious pony in the room.
"You need to teach her to faint on a couch like you did."
