Chapter 9-Love Bug

Love Bug:

“All right class that concludes today’s lessons!” Cherilee, teacher for ponyville elementary states happily.  The bell rings throughout the schoolhouse as the sluggish students of Ponyville elementary pack up to leave. “And remember to do your assigned reading on the third Zebranican civil war of 752 A.N we’ll be having a test on it next class period.” The entire class groans in discomfort at the thought of another one of Cheerilee's assigned readings as they trot out of the class back into the world of sunlight.

That is all except one two toned purple maned, white coated unicorn filly, otherwise known as the third member of the newly formed Cutie Mark crusaders, Sweetie belle. Pulling back from her friends the white filly looks at her teacher Cheerilee, the elder mares’ breath heavy and brow filled with sweat, then back to her friends before walking over to the teacher’s desk. “Um…. Miss Cherilee?”

The teacher pulls her head off of her desk looking right at the white filly “Yes Sweetie? Is there something that you need? You’re not going to ask for another extension on your assignments are you?”

The white filly waves her hooves frantically “No that’s not it Miss Cherilee Honest! I was just wondering are you feeling alright?”

“Humh?” Cheerilee asks with feigned surprise “Whatever do you mean Sweetie Belle?”

“Well….” Sweetie shuffles her hooves “you just seemed really tired when you were teaching….. and you let us have small group for a whole two hours today, so I was just wondering if you were feeling okay…..”

The teacher beams at the innocent curiosity and concern of her student “Aw Sweetie Belle….. Thank you for being so considerate. However I can assure you that I always feel my best when I’m teaching my students.”

The mulberry mare pinches Sweetie’s cheeks causing the white filly to giggle bashfully. “Especially students like you who care so much about others. Now run along I’m sure that you and your crusaders have big plans today so why don’t you catch up with them. Go on and have a blast.”

Sweetie belle takes one last look at her teacher before shrugging and running out the door to follow her friends. Cherilee waves politely to the white filly as the door of the schoolhouse closes leaving her completely alone in the building. Only when she is sure that any pony who could have heard her is out of earshot does she lay her head on her desk taking ragged deep breaths, while her body breaks out in a cold sweat.

“I really….” The teacher swallows deeply “I really shouldn’t have come to school in my condition. A teacher, a teacher should never endanger the welfare of her students by getting them sick. But there were no substitutes available and I couldn’t just cancel school again. Not after it took a whole week to repair the hole in the roof.”

The mulberry mare rises from her desk “well…. Maybe that new unicorn Twilight would have been qualified….. But she is far too busy with government matters to even be bothered. And besides with all this panic about a mysterious illness going around Town the last thing that the fowls need is, to believe is that their schools aren’t safe anymore.”

Picking up her bags and slinging them on her back Cherilee fastens the latches as she continues to talk to herself  “I’ll just have to get better by tomorrow” Cherilee slaps her cheeks causing new fresh blood to course through her veins “get better CHERILLE! Your students are depending on you! You can’t afford to be sick now!”

With new fresh blood coursing through her head the teacher opens the door outside and breathes in a lungful of fresh clean air “Well that worked better than I expected! I feel better already!” Cherilee comments as she trots outside.

Unnoticed to the mulberry mare, peeking out of her saddle bags is a dark insectoid shape with glowing pink eyes that seem to refract an inner light. Watching from the safety of the mare’s bag the glowing pink bug watches intensely as her other saddle bag shuffles and moves their presence completely lost on the mulberry mare as she trots obliviously on her road back home.

………………..

“Run for your lives! It’s after me!”

“Lyra! Why are you always getting me into these messes! I mean Ghosts?!”

“It’s not a ghost Bon Bon! It’s called a Stand!”

“Well whatever it is, it’s chasing us! DO SOMETHING”

Cherilee watches with a bemused expression as Lyra and Bon Bon spirit through town as if chased by invisible forces that they can’t even begin to understand. Lyra continuing to scream something about ghosts and Bon Bon criticizing Lyra for dragging her into another mess as the teacher blinks in confusion.

“Well….” The teacher remarks to nopony in particular “…at least since Twilight has moved into town things have been more lively.” The teacher watches as the two mares vanish off into the distance as she continues on her way home “And lively is most certainly better! Aside from Pinkie’s parties, bless her soul, there is very little in the way of action in this…. Wait what is that yelling?” Cherilee turns her head across the square as her ears begin to pick up the sound of loud arguing.

Standing before the family’s trademark apple stand is the strong, and hunky stallion Big Macintosh, the most eligible bachelor of ponyville. His red coat, orange mane, and large muscular body complementing his cutie mark of a large green apple to physical perfection. The yoke around his neck and his cutie mark of both symbolized both his incredible physical strength and his enormous levels of patience. It was no small secret that big mac despite his wondrous physique and rumored ‘endowment’ that the brother of Applejack was single, which made him a target for almost every mare (and a few stallions) in town.

And for Cherilee, a single mare in her early thirties, she was no exception to this rule. However what really caught her eye was the flustered expression of the stallion before Big Mac, a one Filthy Rich, father of Diamond Tiara. Filthy was one if not the richest ponies in ponyville and his status as CEO of Backyard Bargains was as well-known as Mac’s single status. However on the contrary to Big Macintosh Filthy, though was far more lithe and manicured typical for a pony who spent more time in meetings than working or exercising. His light brown coat, impeccably well groomed, was dressed up in the finest business tie and hoof cuffs that money could buy. His Cutie mark, that of a bag of Bits represented both his talent and his love for acquiring and investing money and few things other than that and his daughter could hold his attention for long.

From what little Cherilee can make out from across the square it seems that Mr. Rich is complaining about a business deal of some kind, something about not being able to provide….something. Suddenly as if by magic Cheerilee is Able to hear every word of the argument, as if she was standing right beside the yelling Stallion.

“……and I’m telling you Macintosh. I need those fifty crates by week end. Supplying is the job of the supplier so pick up the pace! My constituents are depending on it!”

“…. An ah’m telling you, Mr. Rich, that we just don’t have the horsepower to fill that order on such a short notice…. An rushing things will decrease our quality.”

“Well then hire more workers! That shouldn’t be a problem with you kissing the flank of the local princess Reprehensive!” Filthy sneers as he tries to comb back his rapidly degenerating mane style. “Don’t think that I’m blind, Macintosh, the entire town knows what a hooligan your sister has turned into ever since….”

“So….” Cherilee talks to herself as she tunes the argument out “it’s a business argument between Big Mac and Filthy Rich….. Well it’s none of my business anyways. I should just walk away.” However despite her efforts the mulberry mare cannot tear herself from her spot.

Cherilee continues to stare ahead as Filthy continues to vent his frustrations to an unreadable Big Mac. “But I can’t just leave two prospective guardians of her two students in such a shape. What about their children? Besides….” Cherilee grins broadly as she walks towards the two stallions giggling all the while “…If I help out Big Mac it might just be the excuse that I need to take him on a date!”

Walking up to the two stallions who have to this point ignored her and are subsequently ignored by everyone else in the marketplace, Cherilee clears her throat. “Um hello!” both stallions turn towards the teacher “um yes! Hello! I couldn’t help but hear your little argument so I thought that I might help by being an arbitrator in this discussion! See I know both your children from school and if I can be of any assistance……”

Filthy turns to Cherilee “you want to help? Then but out.” The stallion turns back to Macintosh “as I was saying before I was interrupted. Get that sister of yours under control and have her help you fill my order. You promised me that order by the end of the week!”

Big mac continues to stare down the business pony with a slight look of frustration “we promised ya thirty crates of apples, not fifty.”

Filthy rich groans “thirty, fifty same thing. Just make it work! I have…..”

“Excuse me!” Cheerilee yells “Now Mr Rich! This is positively atrocious behavior. Now I know that you are busy but that is no reason to make such unreasonable demands of….”

Filthy Rich moves so close into Cheerilee's face that she backs off immediately “Tell me, what does a school teacher know about the finer points of business? How many multimillion bit corporations have you run lately?” Cherilee can only stutter wordlessly as the brown stallion backs off “I didn’t think so, now as I was saying Big Macintosh….”

Cherilee stares blankly at the rude stallion before her as he continues to yell at the muscular hunk before her. “All I wanted…. I just wanted them to behave…. Is that so wrong…… why can’t that thick headed stallion see how rude he’s being. Why if I had the power, I’d…..”

Suddenly Cherilee freezes in terror as she sees a large bug, about the size of a hoof land on the stallion’s flank. If it were not so large it might have reminded Cherilee of a lady bug, its round shape and pearl studded shell that matches her own coat’s color perfectly. The insect though large would appear almost cute if Cherilee were not so afraid of the fact that it had extended its long needle like proboscis and was in the process of biting into Filthy’s flank.

Acting in the same way any normal mare would if she saw a large hoof sized bug landing on a pony’s flank Cherilee screamed at the top of her lungs and slapped where the bug had landed, right on Filthy Rich's’ flank. However before her hoof could even connect the bug flies off with amazing speed hovering in the air in front of Cherilee as if confused by the mare’s behavior. This caused the most humorous scene of a schoolteacher spanking a business pony in the middle of the town square for everypony to see, much to Cheerilee's embarrassment.

Needless to say Filthy Rich did not react well to this, Rubbing his injured flank and turning around to face his accuser “What in the name of Dickens?! Miss Cherilee?!? What do you think you are doing?!”

The teacher points her hoof towards the giant hovering insect “A bug! It was a huge bug! It bit your flank and I tried to stop it but…..”

“A Bug?” the stallion asks incredulously as he looks around as if staring at empty space “I see no bug Miss Cherilee! Have you lost your mind?! Or is this an idea of a prank to you?!”

“How could you miss it? It’s right in front of you!” the teacher turns to where the insect once was only to see it fade into thin air “What? It flew away? No it was like it just disappeared……”

The brown stallion rolls his eyes “oh how convenient! The bug just happened to vanish into thin air after supposedly biting me! Well I didn’t feel anything and I see no bug! That means you have either gone crazy teaching those little fowls of yours or you have or you are so intent in sabotaging me that….”

“Now see here!” Cherilee yells her eyes suddenly glow with an inner fire “I may be a patient mare, slow to anger. But no pony!” the teacher gets up in the brown stallion’s face “I repeat NO PONY insults my students. Now you sit down and be silent.”

For a second there the stallion looks like he wants to continue to yell at the mare before him to tell her off simply because he himself if wealthy. But suddenly his eyes glaze over as the stallion stares at Cherilee with a new look of admiration and respect for the mare on his face “Very well. I will sit down and be silent.” The brown business pony sits down in the dirt looking at the teacher before him as is what she has to tell him is the most important thing in the world.

Impressed that she is finally getting somewhere Cherilee nods in approval “that is more like it young colt. Now I know that you need those apples for your business, but you have to see how unfair it is to Big Mac to simply be so rude to him like that. First you should be polite and talk thing over like gentle ponies…..”

 “….Be polite….” The brown stallion echoes

“Yes be polite, very good!” Cherilee nods “second you should put yourself in the position of others, no more of these unreasonable demands. Need I remind you that you have a daughter that is a student of mine? You need to set a reasonable example for her sake! Your daughter is a jewel but you obviously need to spend more time as her father and less time as a business pony. And the best way to do that is be patient and kind.”

“….no unreasonable demands…. Spend more time with daughter… be patient and kind…..” the stallion drones on.

‘Wow this is working even better than I had ever imagined! Points for being a figure of authority!’ the teacher nods again reinforcing Filthy’s compliance “Good! Now you go back home and think about your behavior young colt!”

Picking himself off the ground the haze clears slightly from the stallion’s as he walks back home, resolute on spending some quality time with his daughter and adjusting himself into a better more well-rounded pony.

Cherilee confident that she has saved the day turns back to big mac “well I sure showed him! Now are you alright Big Macintosh?”

 Big Mac stares off as he fails to process the fact that the most difficult customer he ever had the misfortune of knowing has just agreed to give him more time on his order. Turning towards the mulberry mare he promptly displays this surprise by staring at the mare completely slack jawed. Finally Big Mac is able to pick his jaw off the floor and properly thank the pony who saved him from having to put up with a pony more draconian than a dragon. “Thanks miss Cherilee. Don’t know what ya did or how ya did it, but ah thank ya for it.”

Cherilee blushes “oh Big mac, I didn’t do anything! He just got bitten by that bug and he….” Cheerilee's mind stops in its’ tracks as she begins to process what just happened. ‘The bug? Could it be? It made Filthy want to listen to me? But how? True I’ve never seen a bug like it… but where did it come from? And for that mater where did it go…..’

Cherilee looks at the stallion before her as he tilts his head in confusion “Bug? What bug?”

‘Oh! Shoot Cherilee! You’re blowing it! You’re blowing it! Just act natural!’ “So….” The teacher rubs the back of her head nervously “…..are you doing anything right now Big Mac?”

Big mac looks to his cart “as a matter of fact yeah.” Cherilee beams at the implications of spending quality time with big mac “Ah was just bout ta pick up mah goods and head in.” Cheerilee's previous mood instantly dissipates at the stallion fixes hit cart to his harness and begins to pull the cart away.

“But….. But…..”

“Thanks! Again miss Cherilee ah really owe ya!” Big Mac waves good bye to the mare as he pulls the cart off into the distance.

‘No! I can’t just let this prime opportunity go! If he leaves…… I might never get another chance like this again!’ Reaching after the stallion Cherilee calls out “W-Wait!” Cherilee rushes after the stallion that turns back in confusion to the mare. “I-I-I mean… what’s the hurry? I mean the day is still young! It’s barely sunset, surely you can spare a few minutes for the mare who helped you out?”

Big mac chews the stalk of hay in his mouth still utterly confused “bout what?”

“About….. About……” Cherilee desperately thinks up any excuse, any topic that would keep the stallion from leaving. “About business of course!” Cherilee beams at the cleverness of her own lie “I mean, Filthy Rich may have been very rude about it but he was right to say that I knew nothing about it. I mean..… It was wrong to involve myself in sweet apple acre’s business without knowing the first thing about it.”

Big mac looks back at the mare with a thankful look on his face “taint no problem Miss Cherilee. In fact ah’m real thankful ya showed up when ya did…”

Cherilee nervously gulps as she thinks to herself. ‘All right Cherilee! This is your one chance! Don’t blow it!’ “So… perhaps if you were willing….. You might be able to give me some pointers.  Say over dinner sometimes?”

Big mac’s face suddenly dawns in comprehension as he notices the burning red cheeks of the mare “Look Miss Cherilee. Ah owe ya big fer dealin with Filthy like that. An yer a real nice mare and all…..but…..”

Cheerilee's heart sinks in her stomach “But? BUT?!”

Now it is Big Mac that is the nervous one “look..… I’d be more than willing ta pay ya back another way an all. But ah know what yer are after Miss Cherilee, and ta tell ya the truth, at this stage in mah life mah family and mah business comes first an ah got no time between harvest, runnin Sweet Apple Acres and rasin Bloom and Jackie ta be thinkin all romantic like.”

The stallion smiles at the dumbstruck mare closing her jaw with his hoof. “Maybe once things slow down a bit then ah’ll have time for all the lovey dovey stuff but until then business comes first. Ya understand right? Ah mean yer a teacher, and that’s a full time responsibility. Yawl should be able to understand…..”

With that the Red stallion again picks up his cart with his strong back and waves good bye to the teacher. “Like ah said nice meatin yawl, an have a nice evenin.”

The mare stands dumbstruck as the potential love of her life begins to trot off leaving her all alone. True Big mac had obligations just like she did, she should respect his opinions and let him say when he’s not ready…… Right.

Suddenly Cherilee looks back on her own life with a new perspective as venom seeps into her mind. But what had her obligations really gotten her, a class with so few students who actually made a sincere effort to learn, what had her years of schooling and dedication brought HER?

And it wasn’t just the children, but adults who looked down on her profession, adults like Filthy Rich, and his snobby wage earners who made three times what she made in a day knowing a fourth as much as she did. And more depressing than that, night after night spent completely alone grading papers and preparing tests by candle light when lovers cradled each other in bed. What had her obligations gotten her but resentment and misery?!

And now obligations threatened to pry a prospective lover from her arms, another lonely soul who was forced to choose between his own happiness and the happiness of others. Was she really going to let this happen again? Why couldn’t he see how much she was hurting? How much that he was hurting thanks to his Celestia Damned obligations?!

Cheerilee's heart breaks “I just wanted the chance to get to know him……..” the mare lets loose a single tear as she watches the red stallion walk off into the sunset. Yet as she stares at the stallion’s flank she sees a familiar sight that moments ago was invisible, a large hoof shaped insect that has landed on the stallion’s back, its’ long needle like proboscis ready to strike. Suddenly the madness in Cheerilee's mind takes hold as an idea takes form “oh no Big Mac, I don’t think that you’ll be leaving anytime soon. In fact I believe that we will be getting to know each other very well.”

In a single moment the insect bites and the eyes of the stallion begin to glaze over………

………………….

The next morning at the library begins as any other does, with Twilight making her plans on the main table as she waits for the last stragglers of their group to arrive. Rarity is flossing her hooves in the corner while Fluttershy is talking amiably with the Great and powerful Trixie, Pinkie and Dash are snickering in the corner about one thing or another as they both point to the bookworm Twilight. Twilight however Twilight is oblivious to the chatter of the other ponies, engrossed as she is in her team's’ success. So far their team ‘the stardust crusaders’  have found a great deal of the red Stones in a relatively short amount of time, results which have greatly impressed her mentor Princess Celestia. And to make things better this time they will be accompanied by a newcomer, the great and powerful Trixie whom Twilight hopes will be a great help in their mission. Yes things couldn’t get any better than this.

“Alright everypony I’m glad that we could all set aside our busy schedules to meet today.” Twilight comments as the others draw into the main table “I know you all have your own lives and jobs that require attention, but I thought that we could all meet together today to greet a new member of our team and show her the ropes.”

Trixie straightens her hat on her head as she scoffs at the very notion “Show me the ropes? If you think that you would be able to show me anything Twibright, you are sadly mistaken. Trixie is a stand agent who has seen more action than your entire group combined. If anything it is Trixie who will be showing you a thing or two, being that Trixie is the strongest and most experienced in using her stand power.”

Trixie points at every pony at the table as she flaunts her superiority “Why Trixie doesn't know how you made it without her! You must have been hopelessly lost without Trixie!”

Dash rolls her eyes “Ugh! Can we please move on before Trixie the loudmouth starts another of her long winded bragging storms?”

Trixie, using all her superior acting skills puts on the most offended look that she can manage “Loudmouth!? How dare you insult the Great and powerful Trixie you….”

The door bursts open with a full force buck as a heavily panting orange farm mare comes walking in through the door. The mare looks positively ragged, with large bags under her eyes and a worried look across her face that everypony can’t help but share. Every pony in the room looks at the mare with worry in their eyes as they wonder what could have Applejack, the most dependably and level headed in their group, so worried.

That is, everypony except one.

“UGH!” Twilight yells “Every time! I repair the door and the next day it is blown off its hinges! I swear the ponies in this town must want this library destroyed!”

Twilight levels her most disciplinary librarian’s stare at the panting orange mare “Applejack I know that you are upset for being late, but I sincerely hope for your sake you have a better excuse than that for busting down my door in the middle of a group meeting!”

“No…. no time fer yer antics….. Twi…” Applejack gasps panting with every syllable. “Have any of you…. Seen mah brother…. Round these parts……”

“Her brother?” Trixie’s eyebrow perks up “The hayseed has a brother?”

“Yeah!” Pinkie cheers “Big Mac! He’s Applejack’s brother! You can’ miss him! Just look for the buffest pony in town and you’ve found him!”

“Pinkie dear….. I think that you are over exaggerating. I think that there is far more to Big Mac than simply his physique….” Rarity remarks “Why just yesterday I saw a White Pegasus Stallion in town with a blond mane who looked so muscular you could hardly believe it!”

“….Okay then the second most muscular pony in ponyville….”

“He’s big, an has muscles like a tank….” Applejack continues “he’s got a red coat and an orange mane an he’s got a cutie mark of a big Macintosh…..”

“Clever.” Trixie sarcastically remarks

“…… an he never goes anywhere without his yoke! He was supposed to be home with the cart yesterday! He always comes home at seven sharp but yesterday ah had to go out lookin fer him!” Applejack begins to tear up a bit “….But all ah found was the cart with his yoke right by it! He’s been missin fer thirteen hours so far!”

Fluttershy moves close to the distraught mare putting a comforting hoof around her “there, there Applejack…. It’ll be alright…..”

“Sniff…. Thanks Fluttershy.” Applejack wipes the tears from her eyes “Ah… ah just don’t know why this craziness hurts our family like this…..”

Twilight looks at the Orange mare, her hooves covered in dirt, her mane and coat a mess, and her eyes bloodshot and tired. ‘She must have been up half the night looking for him….’ Twilight thinks to herself as she looks over the distraught farmer.

 Her mind made up Twilight turns back to the group “All right everypony, change of plans, today need to find Big Mac.”

“Let Trixie get this straight…” the showmare works through Twilight’s logic “we’re wasting the day combing the entire town looking for one stallion? He probably just found a cute mare to spend the night with or decided to crash as a friend’s house. Why should we waste our resources on a pony who hasn’t even been missing a full day?”

 “Big Mac aint like that!” Applejack yells “He’d never abandon his family an leave us to worry like that! Heck Applebloom was bout to skip school ta help me look, an Apple would never leave family worried sick bout them”

“Applejack is right.” Twilight turns to face Trixie “I may not know anything exclusively about Big mac, but him disappearing is unnatural. It’s likely this could be the work of a stand user. But more than that Trixie….” Twilight narrows her gaze at the showmare causing Trixie to sweat nervously “….Applejack is our friend and we never abandon our friends and comrades when they need help the most. Do you understand?”

Surprised by Twilight’s sudden outburst and tone Trixie backs off “…..very well we help look for the hayseed….”

Twilight nods “Good, I’m glad that you’ve seen things my way! I’d hate to have had to……” the purple mare leans in whispering words just out of earshot of the rest of the group into Trixie’s ear. Though the word are too soft to hear, their effect on the showmare is readably noticeable as the blue mare’s coat flashes white from fear as she listens apprehensively to the librarian. “……understand?” Twilight asks. Trixie nods furiously “Good! Now onto a plan of action!”

“Pinkie Pie, Rarity.” Twilight turns to the two mares causing Pinkie to salute sharply, pulling out a soldier’s helmet and placing it on her head “You two will start and search the east quarter of town for signs of Big Mac While me and Trixie will handle the west side.”

“Okay… well what about me?” Dash asks

“Dash, I want you to search the outlying sections of town. With your speed you should easily be able to cover ponyville's perimeter for any strange happenings.” The rainbow Pegasus salutes sharply as the purple mare turns to address the rest of the library “No matter what, we’ll meet back here in two hours to coordinate our finds and report on our status.”

Applejack stares at Twilight open mouthed for a few seconds as the rest of the group is about to rush out the door. Suddenly just as Fluttershy is about to speak the orange mare shouts over the din. “W-Wait! Twi I think that ya fergot somepony! What bout me! I have to help yawl find big mac! He’s mah brother.”

Twilight looks back at Applejack with a look of worry on her face as she walks up to the farmer placing her hoof on her shoulder. “I’m sorry Applejack, I really am, but you’re just too close to this to think clearly…..”

“Too close ta this?! But….”

“No buts Applejack look at yourself!” Twilight points her hoof to the orange mare “You’ve practically run yourself ragged already! You’re almost dead on your hooves. Twilight pulls the orange mare into a tight hug “I promise you Applejack, we’ll find your brother. But in your state, you’d be doing more harm than good. That’s why I need you to stay here to wait for any leads we may get.”

Applejack looks deep into the eyes of the purple mare before her, part of her mind wants to believe Twilight and trust her friend. But the other, larger part of her psyche is telling her that right now her brother is in trouble and that completely overrides any rationality the sleep deprived mare possesses. “Ya can’t stop me from wantin to go Twi….”

Twilight sighs “I thought that you would still feel that way…..” the purple mare scoots aside whispering something into Fluttershy’s ear that causes the orange mare not a small amount of worry. “…..That’s why Fluttershy is going to stay here to keep an eye on you.”

“Fluttershy?” Applejack snickers at the very thought of the yellow mare stopping her “Yer serious? Fluttershy? yer goin ta have ta do better than that! Fluttershy has bout much chance of stoppin me as  a….” Before the farm mare can even finish her southernism she locks eyes with the butter yellow mare in front of her and stares into the void of Fluttershy’s stare. Applejack tries to move to muster up any amount of willpower and to manifest her stand, however she finds herself unable to do anything apart from breathe and stare into the eyes of the pink maned Pegasus in front of her.

“I’m sorry Applejack? What was it you just said?” Fluttershy continues to stare into the motionless mare’s eyes “Now I know you want to help your family Applejack, but this isn’t healthy. Right now what you need is rest….”

“N-N-No….. Ah….” The orange mare struggles with the gaze of Fluttershy “….Ah don’t need…. Rest…..”

Twilight looks at Applejack with a sorrowful expression on her face “I’m sorry Applejack….” Keeping her eyes from tearing up the purple mare turns back to the group “All right let’s head out! Keep Applejack here Fluttershy!”

“No……. ah can….” However despite the orange mare’s protests she is able to do little more than watch out of the corner of her eyes as her friends leave without her. Suddenly her exhaustion catches up with the mare and the merciful darkness overwhelms her senses.

………………..

Applejack awakes with a start from formless nightmares created from her worries as she instinctively reaches for her Stetson on the night-table across from her.

‘…….wait? Night-table?’ Applejack looks down to see that she is laying on a comfortable reading couch her hat and a glass of milk lying across from her and a light green blanket resting over her body. Reaching for the glass from her couch the mare gulps down the warm milk and places the Stetson on her head as she tries to make sense of her surroundings. The mare combs through her memories as she tries to piece together why she way lying on a couch in the middle of the library. The last thing that Applejack could remember with certainty was the fact that she was out looking for her brother……

Looking for Big Mac……..

And it all comes flooding back.

Without a second thought the orange mare rushes over to the door and flings it open with a single fluid motion as she prepares to run outside. Only for her to run face to face with Fluttershy and her momentum stopping stare. “Going somewhere Applejack?”

Under the complete influence of the stare Applejack has no choice but to shake her head no “Good I thought so……” Fluttershy comments “you need your rest and your good friend Fluttershy would be ever so upset if you just up and abandoned her, so why don’t you just stay indoors for the time being.” Walking back with all the caution a pony backpedaling from a hydra would demonstrate Applejack trots back indoors as Fluttershy walks in behind her closing the door behind her.

“That’s good Applejack now you certainly look better after your little nap but you still need plenty of rest, It's only been an hour since the others left!” Fluttershy takes Applejack’s Stetson off her head placing it gently on the night table to Applejack’s side “And don’t worry about Big mac I’m sure that the others have found him by now and are on their way back.” The yellow mare picks up the blanket off the couch and delicately drapes it over her friend “It’ll be alright… you’ll see….”

Applejack wants to scream, to tell her that everything's not alright, that her family is in peril; however all that she can manage is a defeated sigh. “Give me a Break, Ah don’t want ta admit it but …….. I Guess yer right Fluttershy……ah’d just be in every pony’s way in mah state…..” Applejack painfully smiles “ah’m so pathetic all ah can do is just lay here, some ‘dependable pony’ ah am…...”

A look of immense compassion crosses Fluttershy’s face as she looks over Applejack. Never in her life had she seen the confident, proud mare look so defeated before, it brought a tear to her eye that such an event could wound Applejack so greatly. To Fluttershy, Applejack had seemed invincible, now she was beginning to see a side of a pony who she thought she had all figured out, to see all the doubt and fear that she kept bottled up inside while she was out there being brave.

“It’s not that’s ah’m upset with Twi for leavin me behind like this, she’s a true friend….” Applejack looks down at the floor as she clutches the blanket around her. “Twi was in the right, I’m more upset in myself fer letting my emotions get hold of me like this again. After Applebloom…… ah just promised myself that I wouldn’t let it happen again. Guess that didn’t last long now did it?”

Applejack snuggles tighter into the blanket draped around her sitting form, needing the emotional comfort more than the physical.  “Ya know what the really sick part is? When I heard my brother was missing I wasn’t angry at him or getting himself into trouble or whoever took him………. Ah was angry at myself.”

Gentle tears flow across Applejack’s face as she recounts her feelings to a mare who she barely even knows  “Even now, even though I love my brother more than anything, I’m angrier at the fact that I am unable to help him than him being missing. I’m…..I’m just so tired of being so gosh darn powerless when ponies need me the most. Ah really am pathetic now aren’t I?”

A strong yellow hoof lashes out with speed and unpredictability that leaves the orange mare stunned as Fluttershy back hooves her across the face. Applejack blinks in shock as she puts a hoof up to her face rubbing the sore area as she stares back into the angry eyes of the Pegasus before her. “Fluttershy… wha….”

“THAT IS ENOUGH APPLEJACK!” Fluttershy stares deep into Applejack’s eyes “Now you quit that thinking right now, missy! You are not powerless! You are personally one of the strongest ponies that I know!”

Fluttershy rips the blanket off her friend not even giving the orange mare a chance to respond. “Now you quiet down and listen here! The Applejack that I know is always trying to help others even at her own expense. She is brave and always comes through when ponies really need her. I…… I always admired that Applejack….”

Fluttershy suddenly looks down at the floorboards away from her friend’s gaze “I could never….. Could never be relied on like you were Applejack. I was always afraid and doubted myself because I thought that I didn’t have anything to offer….. And because of that…. I was always the first to run away from my problems….”

The yellow mare pauses as if in deep thought as Applejack rises back up to her hooves. The silence goes on for so long that Applejack is about to speak up when she is interrupted by Fluttershy. “But…. But I’ve realized something Applejack and you need to realize it too. Rarity, your best friend and mine as well taught me that one pony can’t do everything….. But a group of ponies can do anything.”

Fluttershy takes Applejack’s hoof and places it in her own “Sometimes If you want to help others, you have to depend on them. You have to be willing to let others do what you can’t do and just do what you can. So please Applejack, don’t say that you’re weak, you’re not weak, just let the others do what they can…..and do what you can in turn.”

The yellow mare smiles as Applejack begins to smile back “And I promise you, it may not be today, or tomorrow or the day after that.  But I promise you Applejack that ponies will depend on you and what you can do….. A-And I know when that happens that you will step up to the plate because I know that Applejack is the most dependable pony that I know!”

“…..Fluttershy….” the orange mare’s face brightens considerably as she wipes tears from her eyes “that’s mighty good words there! An ah’m……”

BAM!

Both mares heads turn sharply to the front door of the library where an exhausted orange Pegasus filly with a scooter and helmet drags herself into the library proper.

Applejack picks her hat off the side table as she looks at the pathetic condition of the library door “…..Twi was right…. That happens way too often……”

“Which one…..” the orange filly gasps “which one of you is Twilight…… Need help….”

Fluttershy always sensitive to the injured and woes of others rushes over to the tired filly. “You…. You’re Scootaloo aren’t you? Applejack says that you’re friends with her sister Applebloom?”

The filly smiles as she collapses into Fluttershy’s outstretched arms “heh is that how everypony knows me…… as Applebloom’s friend? Man I really need to work on my image….”

“Well for what it's’ worth I’m glad to see you too Scootaloo.” Managing practically the lightest slap in existence Fluttershy spanks the filly “But still, shame on you! How could you just skip school if you’re Applebloom’s friend? I knew that Applebloom and Rarity’s sister Sweetie Belle were troublemakers…. But this……”

“What the…. Never mind that!” the filly slaps aside Fluttershy’s hooves standing on her own “I had to escape from school as fast as I could! Cheerilee was…..”

“You deliberately ran away from School?!” Fluttershy shouts “And your teacher?!”

“Would you let me finish?!” Scootaloo shouts

“Gladly!” Applejack slaps Fluttershy upside the head “Let Scootaboom finish.”

“Scootaloo!”

“Scootaboom, Scootaloo, Same thing, now what’s the rat in the grain silo?”

“…… Like I was trying to say….” Scootaloo continues “Miss Cheerilee's lost it! We were just starting class you know talking amongst ourselves, being rowdy, throwing paper balls….. You know the usual when she sort of snapped!”

The orange filly extends her hooves creepily as if telling a ghost story. “Suddenly all the students started looking like zombies from Indiana colt and the graveyard of the Brain Munchers!” Scootaloo scratches her chin “That and her guest speaker looks really out of it! I mean Big Mac is usually really quiet anyways but he just looked really…. Weird and he didn’t talk much unless he was complimenting Miss Cherilee.”

“BIG MAC? He’s at yawl’s school?!” Applejack yells

“Yeah! Applebloom thought that was strange as well cause he was supposed to be missing or something. All of a sudden Applebloom told me to get Twilight as soon as possible and told me to get going. She even punched Big Mac in the face so I could escape.” Scootaloo picks up her scooter brimming with pride “So I got on my trusty scooter and got here in ten minutes flat! Pretty awesome wouldn’t you say?”

“Yeah, yeah Scootaboom. Whatever you say.”

“Scootaloo!”

Applejack narrows gaze letting the filly know she’s not taking any backsass. Parking her Stetson on her face the orange farmer looks down on the little filly “Scootaboom yawl rest here and when Twi gets back tell her what happened.”

Scootaloo looks at Applejack with a skeptical looks “Why? What are you going to do?”

“Me?” Applejack places one hoof confidently outside the broken library door as she looks back at Scootaloo “well now that ah know where ta go……….Ah’m gonna have me a little parent teacher conference with mah two best friends Kicks mcgee and Bucks magillicuddy.”

However the orange farm mare once again finds her way outside blocked “NO! Applejack I know that you want to help your brother but you’re in no shape! Let’s wait until Twilight gets back like she asked……”

“We aint got time fer that Fluttershy!” Applejack takes another step forward causing the yellow mare to back off “All the others are scattered round town, we can’t leave our fowls at a crazy teacher’s mercy. Ah’ve seen how crimson harvest ends! And that aint right!”

“Oh……” Fluttershy nervously shuffles her hooves “I’m sure that Scootaloo is just over exaggerating everything…….. I know Cherilee. And she’s a calm reasonable pony…. I’m sure that Applebloom and her friends are……”

“We can only do what we are able to do, aint that right Fluttershy?” Applejack tilts her hat as if acknowledging Fluttershy’s past point. “Well now we are the only ones that can reach the school in time, so it is up to us to do what we can. An that means both of us, together!”

Fluttershy looks at Applejack her confidence swelling as she feeds on her confident aura that seems to pour out of the farmer without limits. Taking a deep breath Fluttershy stares back her own confidence returning “All…… all right then….. I guess….. No, you’re right! Now it’s our chance to do something!”

Applejack nods “Good that’s the spirit Flutters! We’ll make a brave warrior out of you yet!”

………………

Applejack looks at the quiet schoolhouse before her as Fluttershy shivers behind her in terror. ‘So much fer a brave warrior…..’ Applejack thinks.

The orange farm mare originally put off by the silence, walks in through the front gate scanning the grounds “it’s quiet….. Too quiet. This yard here is usually packed round this time fer recess and the like, now it’s as silent as a ghost town populated by tumbleweeds!”

“Well that’s good!” Fluttershy rambles “No noise means no ponies! So we can just search somewhere else now!” Fluttershy attempts to fly off only for her tail to be grabbed by Applejack in midflight. With a mediocre amount of force the orange mare pulls the mare back to the ground and jerks her back up to her hooves just as quick.

“Looks flutters….” Applejack says while dusting Fluttershy off “I know yawl are scared an all but ah need yer help. Mah brother an all the other fillies are in trouble an ah can’t do this alone.” The farm mare smiles encouragingly “So can ah count on ya Flutters?”

“…….No.”

The orange farm mare rolls her eyes. “Just come on already Fluttershy yawl can hide behind me if things git bad.”

Though still visibly scared the yellow mare perks up and nods “All… all right Applejack I-if you insist nothing bad will happen.….” They both look to the door leading into the schoolhouse classroom “now we just have to knock and hope some pony answers …..”

WHACK!

With a single dexterous movement built up over years of Apple bucking the orange mare shatters the door with a patented Apple family kick, leaving hundreds of fragments of red wood on the floor and crude torn hinges as the only sign that a door ever existed.

“…..or that works too….”

Both of the mares walk in through the back of the classroom completely surprised with how silent the room is compared to how filled it is. Row upon rows of students sit straight as measuring rods at their desks working on problems that only they can see. The little fillies and colts being so absorbed in their work that none even notice the fact that their back door has been bucked down with the force of a thunderclap. Only the sound of pens scribbling on parchment permeates the room as the mares make their way to the front of the classroom and the proudly grinning teacher who stands at the front of it. Sitting behind her desk like a ruler on her throne Miss Cheerilee is completely engrossed in the sound of her students working she almost fails to notice the two mares.

“Well Well! Class it looks as though we have some more guests!” Cherilee applauds as all the students look up to the two mares “Class, may I introduce Miss Applejack, proprietor of Sweet Apple Acres, and Fluttershy a good friend of mine who had the top scores of her class in veterinarian’s school! Applaud.”

The entire class claps their hooves mechanically and without any passion as they stare at the mares before them. Applejack looks at the students in fear and disgust at how devoid of life and vigor they seem, how empty their souls are; granted it was a school but still it was way too creepy to be anything but abnormal. The orange mare looks over the class until she spies the face of her sister.

“Applebloom!” Applejack rushes over to her vacantly staring sister “Applebloom! What’s going on here? Are yawl all right? What’s going on here?”

Suddenly a bit of the youthful vigor returns to Applebloom’s face as she interacts with her sister. “Oh, Applejack! Everything is more than fine! I’m at school and nothing bad ever happens at school. You simply worry too much!”

Noting a substantial lack of something in her voice Applejack cringes “Applebloom…. What’s…. what’s wrong with yer voice? Where’s yer accent?”

“Oh that!” Applebloom waves her hoof dismissively “Cherilee just helped me with a voice lessons so that I could learn to speak normally so that others can better understand my diction!”

“Wha… what?”

“It’s nothing special sister. Just some vocalization and proper equestrian in addition to my normal school work. It took a little more work but it was no trouble when I buckled down and did my work for once!” Applebloom beams with pride “If only I had realized how important it was listen to my elders before, then I would have saved you a great deal of trouble. Just imagine how much schoolwork I can do now that I’ve learned to work quietly without any interruptions!”

“…..aaaannnnnnddddd Applebloom’s been brainwashed.” Applejack turns back to the teacher in the front of the class. “Cherilee! What the buck do you think that yer doin?!”

“Applejack! Language please! Remember that there are fillies and colts in the room.” Cherilee raps her hoof on her desk “Class forget that word.”

“YES MISS CHERILEE.” The entire class responds in unison before turning back to their papers.

“And for your information Applejack…” Cheerilee continues “I am doing my Job, which is to educate these students to the best of my ability using whatever means at my disposal…..” Cherilee extends her hoof as a large hoof shaped ladybug lands on it “And with my little friend here all it takes is a little love bite and they all hang on every word I say.”

Applejack readies herself as she looks at the strange shaped bug “Ah stand power….. That’s how she’s been doin it! Twi was right.”

“You brainwashed all these fillies? How could you!” Fluttershy shouts

Cherilee rolls her eyes as the bug crawls off her hoof and onto her desk. “Well every filly except for Diamond Tiara… I gave her the day off so that she and her father could spend some quality time together…..”

………………

“Diiiiiaaaaaaammmmmoooooonnnnnddddd…. Come out of your rooooooommmmm!”

“NO! Now go away! Come back when you’ve gotten some intense therapy!!”

“No door can keep out my love Diiiiiaaaaaaammmmmoooooonnnnnddddd! So you had better come out! We have so much to do together!”

“And as I told you the last seven times, NO. BUCKING. WAY.”

“Aw Diamond… you're breaking your father’s heart!”

“You’re not my father! My dad loves coffee and the morning paper and is always serious about his work….. not….. this……”

“That was the old Filthy Rich! Now I’m new and improved!

“…..more like new and deluded……”

“……And I want to spend all my time with you Diamond! I’ve even read all those self-help books your mother bought for me! I’m a better father now!”

“Good come back when you’re a sane father again!”

“But Diamond……”

“The answer is NO! I am not dressing up in my filly clothes and retaking all the pictures from the key moments in my life! Now go away!”

“……………..”

“…………..Phew, he’s gone…. Finally. This will give me a chance to reinforce my barricade. I thought that my dresser would be enough. But with how crazy Daddy’s acting I’d better barricade the windows too…”

THWACK!

“Um….. What was that…..”

THWACK!

“It sounds like…. It’s coming from the door….”

THWACK!      THWACK!

“OH MY GOD! HES GOT AN AXE!”

THWACK!

“I told you Diamond No Door can separate you from my love!”

THWACK!     THWACK!     THWACK!

Peering through the splintered and cracked wood the bloodshot and giddy eyes of a middle aged stallion peer through the door to his daughter on the other side. Grinning like a fowl who has found a new puppy the stallion laughs manically “HHHHHHEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRREEEE’SSSSSSSSSSSSS DADDY!!!”

…………….

“……she should be fine.” Cherilee concludes “it’s you naughty mares that should be concerned! I mean running into class unannounced…. And without a hall pass of all things!”

“Ah don’t have time fer this…..” Applejack takes a menacing step forwards “Put mah sister and the rest of the class back ta normal right now! Or things are gonna get ugly.”

“And like I said Applejack…..” Cheerilee looks at the farmer with a look of disdain on her face “I’m doing nothing wrong! Look at this class!” Cherilee points to the students “Before they were completely disruptive and unfocused, now every single one of them are reading at a tenth grade level! Before they would barely listen to me! Now they hang on my every word!”

The teacher leaps to the table a crazed look in her eye “And guess what?! I happen to like it! I’m tired being the but of every pony’s joke, the lonely widower that wastes her life away accomplishing nothing! Now ponies can’t help but pay attention to me! They love me now!”

“Isn’t that right…… smouchikins?” The mulberry mare turns her head as a familiar red stallion come walking out of the hall. Big Mac’s eyes though filed with a light of passion and awareness seem off somehow, as the stallion stares completely love-struck at the mare before him.

“Big Mac?!” Applejack stares dumbstruck at her brother before her as he continues to lose himself in Cheerilee's eyes “Big Mac! Snap out of it!”

The red Stallion turns to face his sister “Oh hi Applejack! Fancy seein you here! Do you want ta meet mah new mare friend?!”

“What.”

“Yep!” Big mace nods multiple times with enough force to give him brain damage “Cheerilee's mah new mare friend. Sorry if in ah didn’t come home ta tell ya. Ah didn’t mean to let ya worry ah was just so lost in mah date that…..”

“Big Mac! Snap out of it! She’s not your mare friend! She’s manipulating you!”

 “Nope.” The stallion responds “She is mah mare friend she said so. Isn’t that right smookiekins?”

“You bet snuggly bear.” Cherilee responds

“aaaannnnnnnnnnddddddddddd, now Big Mac’s lost his mind too.” With a sudden jump Applejack leaps forward and manifests her stand in as she prepares to pummel Cherilee with a flying tackle. Yet just as Applejack is about to bring a world of hurt to Cherilee, a familiar Red stallion steps between Applejack and her prey. Big mac Stands Arms spread wide in front of Cherilee as the Orange mare skids to a halt just inches away from her brother. “Big Macintosh!” Applejack says in her most authoritative voice possible “Out of the way….. NOW!”

“No sis.” Big mac, unintimidated stares right back at his sister “I aint letting you hurt mah special somepony.”

“What… that….. why….hunh…..” The flabbergasted Orange pony fumbles for any word to better express the lunacy of what is happening right now.

“Now Applejack….” Big mac explains in his most calming voice “Ah know this might come as a shock ta you, and ya might not approve of mah relationship with smookiekins….”

“There is no relationship you big gault!” Applejack yells “Yer bein brainwashed!”

“But that aint no excuse fer violence. If ya just gotta know her…….”

“Big Mac, I’ve known her fer all off five minutes and she’s brainwashed her class, threatened me, and held mah brother against his will.”

“I know….” The red Stallion looks back to the mulberry mare with googly eyes “isn’t she the best?”

“Do ya even hear yerself?!”

“I think Snuggly bear understands perfectly.” Cherilee walks up to her special somepony giving him an intimate nuzzle that many fowls in the class would wretch at if not for the fact that their noses were imbedded in their papers. “I love him and he loves me. It’s not his fault that you can’t respect our love….”

“That aint love you….”

“In fact….” The teacher continues over the orange mare “you’re the one who is causing trouble here…. Disrupting my class……. Yelling at your brother….. and running around town like a banshee for Celestia only knows what.”

With a confident, cocky grin Cherilee extends her hoof causing the insect to appear, it’s proboscis ready to strike “If fact….. If you insist on being a disruption in my classroom, then I’ll have to silence you myself.”

Cherilee flings the bug at Applejack the creature flying towards the mare at incredible speeds. Applejack sensing the danger of even a small bite can inflict on her manifests her stand causing the bug to run into Applejack’s wooden foundation like a Pegasus into a brick wall. With a quick and dexterous movement Applejack garbs the bug with her stand completely immobilizing it in Foundation’s strong hoof. The bug squirms and wriggles but finds itself unable to escape from the grasp of the immensely powerful stand as the green leafy mane of Foundation drifts around the stand. Cherilee flinches from the impact but looks completely unharmed as she stares at the ghostly figure that Applejack has manifested in front of her.

“Like that hunh?” Applejack smiles “that’s the power of my stand Foundation. Yer stand seems to be fast an all that but has less power than Twilight’s. An now yer stand is helpless. Now I’ll ask only once more Cherilee Give up, ah don’t want to hurt you….”

“Stand……” the teacher mouths “what’s a stand?”

The orange mare groans “yawl don’t know what a stand is? It’s what yawl have been usin ta make these ponies listen ta you! Now I’ll ask again undo all this brainwashing right now……”

“Stand…. I see that’s the power that I’ve gained, the power that allows me to summon my little love bugs……” Cheerilee smiles as she walks forward “And when they bite a pony they have no choice but to listen….”

“That’s right now….. Wait… did ya say bugs?! As in plural?” every hair on Applejack’s body stands erect as she feels multiple tiny feet on her flank, as if an insect were crawling over her body. Suddenly the orange farm mare feels a tight pinch on her flank and falls over as a strange new sensation begins to course through her veins.

“Yes you’re right Applejack.” Cheerilee extends her hoof causing two identical bugs to land on her outstretched arm “I can manifest two of my little pets at once and once they bite that pony is ….”

Applejack tries to shake the venom off as she stands to her hooves, charging at Cherilee her stand prepared to strike.

“Applejack! SIT DOWN!” the magenta mare yells with a voice of authority causing the orange mare to slump down to the floor unmoving. Applejack unwilling to accept how easy it was to subdue her struggles and wriggles like a mad mare trying to pull herself off the floor “And stop flailing around like that, you’ll hurt yourself!”

Applejack stops moving, staring straight ahead “Good now see? Isn’t that better? As you can see my power is very difficult to break out of, as long as the commands aren’t overly unreasonable. For example let’s try a very simple one….”

Cherilee grins manically as she clears her throat “Applejack, why don’t you apologize for disrupting the class like this? You were so disruptive earlier it would only be right if you apologized for your rude behavior.”

Applejack’s eyes widen like saucers as her mouth begins to open of its own accord. The farm mare struggles with all of her might attempting to clamp down on her mouth. However despite all her resistance and her best efforts Applejack finds her mouth opening and contorting itself into words she hates to say “I’m….. I’m sorry everypony…..” The words turn to ash in her mouth as the mulberry mare grins excitedly.

“Good job Applejack! I’m glad that you’ve seen the error of your ways…..” Cheerilee smiles gently as the Orange mare turns back to Fluttershy hiding behind one of the desks.

“Fluttershy….. Help…. Me….” Applejack whispers just below the teacher’s range of hearing, Fortunately for Applejack Cheerilee was ranting on and on to her ‘special somepony’ and completely missed Applejack’s near silent plea for help.

“Welllll….. ummmm….” The Pegasus mare stutters as meekly as possible “Cherilee isn’t really hurting anypony….. and her students are so nice and quiet…… and…….”

“FLUTTERSHY!”

“Oh! I’m sorry Applejack!” the yellow mare cries “I’m just not good at standing up to ponies. If she were actually hurting them then……. But…..”

Applejack raises her eyebrow expressing the full range of her skepticism towards the Pegasus “Fluttershy, yawl were here for the brainwashing and the forcing ponies against their wills weren’t you?!”

Fluttershy gulps heavily “Well…… maybe I should talk to her……” Applejack rolls her eyes as the yellow mare pulls herself out from behind the desk and tip toes towards Cherilee who is currently completely engrossed in her stallion friend “Um…. Excuse me…… Miss Cherilee…..” The yellow mare raises her hoof gently as the teacher turns to face her.

“Yes Fluttershy? Is there something that you need?” Cheerilee asks amiably.

“Well, I was just wondering……” Fluttershy shuffles on her hooves “if you might….. Maybe…… let everypony go and stop trying to brainwash them? Pretty please!”

Cherilee blinks once at the mare, before breaking out in a short giggle “Oh Fluttershy you are so polite! But no the students are staying like this.” Cherilee puts her hoof over the yellow mare’s mouth “I’m just making sure that they do their duty as students and pay attention to their teacher. I’ll put them back to normal after class is over, and they’ll be none the wiser. Well that’s not entirely true; they’ll still remember all their knowledge, so they will be wiser!”

Cherilee chuckles as Fluttershy mutters under the teacher’s hoof “Now I know that you think that this might be ‘amoral’…” Cheerilee says as if reading the pink maned pegasus’ mind “…….or wrong but rest assured they’ll be fine by the end of the day.” Cherilee finishes as she removes her hoof from Fluttershy’s mouth.

“….Even Big Mac?” Fluttershy asks hopefully

“HA Ha ha…. No. Big Mac is my special somepony. We love each other and are going to get married.” The yellow mare tires to object and is once again stopped by Cherilee “However I greatly appreciate making your concerns made known to me and asking politely. Have a cookie.” Fluttershy tries to talk again but finds a large sugar cookie shoved into her mouth.

Cheerilee smiles at the stuttering Pegasus patting her on the head and walking back towards the class behind the yellow mare. Completely ignoring Fluttershy’s muttering Cherilee turns herself to face the rest of the class. “All right now that that inconvenience is out of the way every pony pull out your frogs!”

WEAZE…. HACK….

Fluttershy chokes on the cookie in her mouth as she spits out the offending party. “…F-Frogs?” the yellow mare pulls a one eighty turn and faces the teacher with a perplexed look on her face “what frogs?”

“Oh Fluttershy! Come now surely you haven’t forgotten this project!” Cherilee watches as every student in the class pulls out a tin with a frog on it out from inside their desks. “After all it’s a requirement for any pony to pass their middle school biology. And being that you’re a veterinarian you must have done this before….”

Fluttershy gulps heavily her throat drying up as she watches the students pull out long sharp instruments and plenty of needles.  “y-you don’t mean….”.

“That’s right Fluttershy!” Cheerilee sweeps her hooves across the glass as if literally embracing the knowledge “Today is Class Dissection day! Now class ready your scalpels!”

Every student in the class raises their miniature knife “Now I know that this experiment may make many of you squeamish but it is a required part of coursework and is necessary for you to receive a passing grade in biology.”

Cherilee pulls the yellow mare beside her into a deep hug “Why even Fluttershy here was required to do such a course when she was a filly. Isn’t that right Fluttershy?” Cheerilee turns her head looking towards the yellow mare searching for confirmation and their eyes lock for a moment.

Cherilee jumps back from the quaking yellow mare as she gasps desperately for breath. With all the fear of a cornered animal Cherilee backs herself against the wall as she begins to glance into the pegasus’ eyes shivering in fear at what she sees. Two orbs of pure hatred and malice stare back at Cherilee as the yellow mare turns to face the schoolteacher. “You’re asking me…..if I would willingly allow….. Nay that I would take part in the torture of innocent animals……”

“What… what are you talking about Fluttershy?” Cheerilee asks desperately “you must have done a dissection if you passed….”

“SILENCE!” Cherilee gulps heavily as Fluttershy continues to advance “I would never… I repeat NEVER, condone such cruelty to little animals, no matter how small they are. How could you even think of killing defenseless animals for your own amusement!? You’re sick!”

“But….. But It’s not for amusement… it’s for science….. and the frogs are already……”

“I Said SILENCE!” Cherilee flinches visibly as the yellow Pegasus mare comes to within inches of her face. “The main reason that I DIDN’T graduate top of my class in veterinarian school was the fact that I refused to participate in this sick experiment when I was a filly. Now you are going to use your fancy shmancy stand power to force these innocent fillies to rip apart animals? I. THINK. NOT.”

Cherilee sweats heavily on the ground as the mare continues to stare her into oblivion, every second that her eyes are fixed on Fluttershy becoming a moment of pure agony. Realizing that unless she does something right now she is doomed Cherilee thinks up a clever scheme on the spot as a false smile crosses her face. “Oh Fluttershy you’re right!” Cherilee states as she places her hoof over her eyes cutting off Fluttershy’s stare “How could I ever force my students to participate in something so evil! I’m such a bad pony……”

Fluttershy relieved that her friend is beginning to see the light relaxes her guard ever so slightly “You…. You mean that Cherilee?”

“Of course Fluttershy!” Cheerilee says “It was wrong of me to try and force these fillies to do something that they were obviously uncomfortable with, especially with ponies like you present who are so sensitive to the needs of animals.” Cherilee turns her head and mutters under her breath “even if it was required coursework….”

Fluttershy perks up immediately glad that another crisis has been averted “Well I’m glad to hear that Cherilee…. Apology accepted! I’m just glad that you decided to come to your senses before you did anything rash…..”

“Yes… yes Fluttershy…” Cheerilee extends her hoof up towards the yellow mare “Say could you help me up? I seem to be forced into a corner, pardon my expression.”

Fluttershy blushes as she realizes that Cheerilee has indeed been forced down into a corner by her stare and is lying on the floor. Fluttershy extends her hoof to help her friend “Well of course Cherilee! What are Friends…..”

“Fluttershy no! It’s a Trap!” Applejack yells.

Fluttershy turns her head to the farm mare as Cherilee makes her move. Her stand Love Bug manifests itself on Cheerilee's hoof as she tightens her grip. Fluttershy feeling the intensity of the grip turns her head back to the teacher just in time to see the bug bite her arm injecting her with its poison. Fluttershy stares betrayed at the mare before her as the venom courses through her veins “Cherilee….. What……. WHY?”

Cherilee grins “I’m sorry Fluttershy, but this dissection is twenty percent of a pony’s biology grade and despite your feelings my students and their grades come first. It’s like I said to Applejack if you are going to get in the way of my class you will to be made to behave.” Cherilee laughs giddily “And now you have to behave Fluttershy! All I have to do is speak the word and…..”

Fluttershy’s eyes ignite in red hot fury pinning the teacher in the spot. Cheerilee tries to flinch, to move, to close her eyes from the visage before her but fails miserably each time.

“Teacher……” Fluttershy says with a voice full of mocking rage “I have a question…. You said that once you bit ponies with your stand that they would have to listen to any command you gave them. But let’s say that you were unable to give a command…… what would happen then?”

Cheerilee is stuck staring straight ahead looking into the infinite pits of blackness that seem to encompass Fluttershy’s eyes. Her mouth dries up in fear as she attempts to manages the slightest of sounds only for her will to be crushed by the intensity of the visage before her. She tries to utter the one word that will save her from the mare’s wrath ‘stop’ however despite all her willpower she finds herself completely unable to. To Cheerilee's rising terror she can’t even blink as Fluttershy pulls closer to her.

“Now you listen here Cheerilee…” Fluttershy flies right up in Cheerilee's face hovering a few centimeters away from the mulberry mare “You’ve brainwashed fillies, kidnapped one of my best friend’s brother, and brought my friend to her knees……”

Fluttershy’s mane and tail burst into brining pink flames as all in the classroom gaze upon the terrible majesty of Fluttershy the conqueror. “BUT DON’T YOU EVER THREATEN A CUTE LITTLE ANIMAL AS LONG AS I AM AROUND! NOW YOU UN-BRAINWASH EVERYONE YOU HAVE FORCED TO GO ALONG WITH YOUR SICK SCIENCE PROJECT, GIVE BACK BIG MAC, AND APOLOGISE THE SOULS OF THE SWEET LITTLE FROGS YOU HAVE MURDERED RIGHT NOW!”

In the face of such a power, a mortal body few defenses against such mind demolishing fear. Her senses overloaded in fear the teacher is just able to groan weekly in response and fall to the floor as every pony in the classroom looks around in complete confusion. As Cherilee lies on the floor covered in her own sweat and shame, the spell binding the fillies and colts breaks as they look around the classroom free for the first time since the day started.  And the sight that greets the fillies and colts is perhaps the third strangest one they have seen in ponyville, their Teacher Cheerilee lying face down on the floor covered in various bodily fluids as a vengeful demon with burning pink hair stands over her with eyes as empty as the abyss.

Applebloom blinks erratically as she walks up to her sister “Um Applejack? What’s going on? Why is Miss Cherilee lying on the floor? Why is Fluttershy’s mane on fire? And what smells so bad?” The little filly looks around as her eyes spy another familiar face. “Big Mac?! There ya are? What are ya doin? We’ve been looking everywhere fer ya!”

Applejack looks at her sister a look of concern on her face “Applebloom? Are ya feeling better?”

Tilting her head the filly looks back at her sister in confusion “Um… I think so? Should I not be feeling better? Why would I not feel good?”

“Nevermind Bloom…. Just go on home fer the day…..” The orange mare turns back to the class “In fact… all classes are canceled fer the day so go on out an play er somthin….”

Needing no other excuse than that, the entire class piles out of the room each filly and colt eager to leave behind the trappings of school. Even Applebloom dashes out of the room to meet up with her friends for another day of crusading, completely forgetting the entire incident. Applejack sighs contentedly that at least one thing went right as she watches the yellow mare’s mane return to normal.

“WHO’S THE MARE!? WHO'S THE MMMMARRRRREEEEEEE!?!” Fluttershy screams to the heavens as she lands on the floor with the force of a soaring eagle “YES I AM!”

Fluttershy suddenly looks at the teacher in front of her scared half to death and sitting in a pool of her own urine. Her mane returning to its normal not on fire state the pink maned pegasus dotes on the distraught creature in need of some nurturing. “Oh Cherilee I’m so sorry for that! Please forgive me!” All the bravery and strength forgotten as she tends to the shell shocked mare, before her.

 “Um… Fluttershy?” Applejack steps attentively forward  “How'd ya get yer mane ta burst inta fire like……”

“Twilight.”

“Figures.” The Applejack sighs

Cherilee beginning to recover from the shock of a full force stare looks vacantly at the floor with a look of shame on her face. “What… what have I done?” The teacher asks “I abused my powers to force others to do what I wanted….. Without any considerations for what they wanted…… I’m a bad teacher…… I was just…..”

Cherilee sniffles as tears stream down her face “……..I’m not a monster….. I just wanted ponies to like me…… I wanted Big Mac to like me……and I ruined it…..”

Applejack looks into Cheerilee's hope shattered eyes and sighs a deep familiar sigh “Give me a Break….. This always happens, every time a mare falls in love with Big Mac it ends in trouble.”

The red stallion walks up to his sister his mind completely free of tampering “Sis! Don’t be like that! All mah dates weren’t a disaster! What bout Crimson Blossom?!”

Applejack stares at the stallion “Mac…. she set the barn on fire and threatened to call the police if you tried to take her out on a date again.” The orange farm mare sighs again “Look you two just wait outside for a while, I got ta have a talk with Miss Cheerilee fer a while.”

“But… but you won’t hurt her will you Applejack?!” Fluttershy asks “I know that she did some pretty bad things to you but….”

Applejack smiles “don’t worry shy; ah’m not gonna hurt her. However she will wish that she was bucked in the head instead of having ta hear what ah’m gona tell her…..”

……………..

Fluttershy and Big mac sit outside in the dust as Applejack continues to talk to Cherilee about something that would best be left unsaid about Mac’s luck with dates. Fluttershy herself doesn’t know how long has passed however from the deafening silence between the two most silent ponies in ponyville she figures it must have been hours. Finally the mare’s sanity can endure it no more as she ventures in the forbidden zone of conversation.

“Sooooooooooo, nice day isn’t it?”

“Eyeeeeuuuuuup…….”

“……..is the farm doing well? I know that we’ve been needing your sister more and more often lately……. It isn’t interfering with your harvest…..is it? Because if it is……”

“Nooooppppppeeee…….”

“Um…… I’m lost, no the farm isn’t doing well or no Applejack being away isn’t causing you trouble?”

“Eyeeeeppppp…..”

“……..yes it is causing you trouble?”

“Nooooppppppeeee…….”

“….so Applejack being away doesn’t bother you?”

“Eyeeeeppppp…..”

“…… it does or does not bother you? Yes or no.”

“Nooooppppppeeee…….”

“It doesn’t bother you that your sister is doing Celestia knows what and might be in danger?!”

“Nooooppppppeeee…….”

“Well why not?!”

“…..Jackie is strong; she can take care of herself.”

“….Oh…. well I guess that you’re right…..”

“…………..”

“………………….”

“…………………………”

“………………………………………”

“……are you doing anything latter?”

“WHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTT!!!” Fluttershy nearly jumps out of her skin as an enormous shout comes from the inside of the schoolhouse. Big Mac just sighs as he straightens up a little more knowing with the way his sister handles explaining things it will soon be over and they will be on their way.

“Um….. Big mac? Was that Miss Cheerilee?” Fluttershy is interrupted as the door to the schoolhouse opens and out walks and incredibly red faced and flustered schoolteacher.

Miss Cheerilee looks thoroughly embarrassed and without any grace or poise walks over to the red stallion and flings herself in the dirt with a bow. “I’m SO sorry Big Mac! I know that it was very, very inconsiderate of me…… I just….. Well love can make you do pretty crazy things…..” Cherilee rubs the back of her neck as she smiles awkwardly “and I promise you, from this point on, I will never use this power for evil purposes. I just hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me…….”

The three ponies look back and forth between each other looking for a sign of confirmation before turning back to the mulberry mare.

“Of course we forgive you Cherilee! We know that you weren’t yourself.”

“Yeah wouldn’t be the first time a mare’s lost her marbles over my here brother!”

“Eyeeeppp!”

Fluttershy takes the teacher’s hoof in her own “we’ve already all forgiven you Cherilee, there’s no need to beat yourself up any further. In the end everything worked out for the best.”

Cherilee looks back at the mare in front of her with tears of joy running down her face “That….. That is very….. Mature of you Fluttershy, and you too Big Mac! I…… Just Thank you. I’d give you a hug but I seem to be covered in……”

Cherilee pulls her hoof free from Fluttershy’s hoof as she prepares to leave “you know it's’ not important, now if you’ll excuse me I have to prepare lessons for tomorrow….. A teacher’s work is never done!” And with that Cherilee trots briskly off into the distanced, sparing a single look back at the stallion behind her before muttering darkly under her breath.

“Well….. I’m glad that Cheerilee is all right now….” Fluttershy looks at her bare wrist “Oh would you look at the time! Biased off the shadow of the sun from behind me…” Fluttershy judges the angle of her hoof’s shadow “Two hours have passed! We really need to get heading back to the library. I hope Twilight isn’t too upset we left….”

“Aw Twi will be fine as a pig in mud once we show her we found Big Mac.” Applejack slaps the yellow mare across the back “And wait till I get to rub it in Dash’s smug face! Won’t they be surprised that we found Big Mac on our own?”

The entire group giggles as they start walking towards the library together. “….So sis….” Big Mac turns towards his savior “what excuse did ya use this time? Family curse? Purple spots? Familial marriage customs?”

“Applejack?! You…..” Fluttershy gulps “You Lied?!”

“Yeah well….” Applejack blushes “Ah learned real quick that honesty isn’t always the best policy especially when Big Mac is involved. But No Fluttershy this time ah didn’t lie ah just told her the truth….”

Big Mac Narrows his gaze at his sister the rumble in his voice evident “An that would be….”

“Simple, Big Mac. Yer gay.” And with the force of those two words a half ton stallion and a petite mare fall over in complete shock their eyes wide and their faces frozen.

Fluttershy’s mouth gapes open and closed as she stares at the stallion in front of her “…… I should have known…….”

“Wait there a sec Fluttershy.” Big Mac turns to his sister “Applejack! Ah thought we had this discussion already! I aint Gay! Just cause I don’t spend all mah time staring at mare’s flanks and just because ah put all mah time ta making this farm successful doesn’t meant that ah’m Gay.”

Fluttershy paws the ground with her hoof making hearts in the dust “I should have known…. Why are all the good ones already taken or Gay?! Why can’t I find a special somepony? I have neeeeeeedddddssss!”

“Right Big Mac, Right.” Applejack nods humoring her brother “You aint gay. And I suppose that all the time ya spend with Turner and Thunderlane is just a coincidence.”

“Those are mah friends Applejack! We go out er drinks and have fun.” Big mac continues to glare at his sister “Ya don’t see me accusing you of being gay. An ah’ve seen how ya look at Rarity when ya think that she’s not lookin. And that new unicorn Twilight…...”

“Now see here Big Mac!” Applejack retorts “Now ah won’t have you saying anything…..”

“It’s because I’m not assertive isn’t it?!” Fluttershy sadly says as she continues to draw broken hearts in the dust, completely ignored over Applejacks’ rant. “Everypony wants somepony assertive. IS IT BECAUSE I’M NOT ASSERTIVE?!”

This gets Big Mac’s attention as he turns to comfort the mare “No Fluttershy, Yawl are perfect the way ya are and ya don’t need any stallion to tell ya otherwise!”

As Fluttershy begins to stop crying Applejack gives her brother a knowing wink and a little nudge “that’s right Fluttershy ya don’t need a stallion ta tell ya yer pretty. Just Like big Mac doesn’t need a mare ta tell him he’s handsome…..”

“I. AINT. GAY!” Big Mac Roars “Just why in Sam hill are ya jumpin ta conclusions like that Applejack?”

Applejack rolls her eyes “Well……yeah Big Mac, maybe ya aren’t gay. You keep that poster of Sorin hidden under your bed because you are a fan of the wonderbolts. Isn’t that right?”

“And ah told ya! That. Was. A Gift! Sides I happen ta like the wonderbolts.” Big mac turns his head to the side “an ah thought that ah hid that well…….”

Applejack laughs uproariously as she wipes the tears from her eyes “Don’t worry Mac. Yawl ‘little secret’ is safe with me and when yawl are finally ready to ‘come out’ ah’ll be here fer you…..”

 “I aint GAY! I just haven’t met a mare ah can take past one date! And ya better stop that snickerin right now Applejack. Ah mean it!” However despite all his false anger the red stallion finds himself just short of catching his sister as they both run down the path in front of them, back to the library and their good friends who are waiting on them.