Back to School

Looking at herself in the mirror, Fluttershy squealed with glee.

"New ponies, new year, new everything! Well...Almost everything. So, what do you think Angel?"

The bunny hopped onto Fluttershy's back, then restyled fluttershy's hair into a braid.

"No, angel. It doesn't really look good."

The bunny turned his nose up, hopping down as Fluttershy quickly brushed her long hair straight again.

"Ok. Time for school. But...I still can't make it there in time! Oh no! I forgot to make the trip a few days early! Why did I forget?"

Rushing out of her cottage, Fluttershy flew towards Twilight's library, passing Rainbow Dash on the way, and nearly slamming into the door as she came to an abrupt stop. Rainbow Dash landed nearby, a smile on ehr face.

"Whoa, Fluttershy, even with those weights on, I barely even saw a blur when you passed by me!"

"They're not weights Raibnow Dash! They're school books! I have to get to school quick!"

"Huh?"

Running into the library, Fluttershy approached the purple mare as she set up a few more new books on the new shelf she made.

"Hey, Fluttershy! What brings you ehre?"

"I need your help! Bad!", she shuffled on ehr hooves.

"What kinda help?"

Taking a deep breath, fluttershy explained, "Today I am supposed to be at Canterlot's Middle Class College for Adept Ponies, and I was supposed to leave by trian three days ago, yet I forgot and now I won't make it for the orientation, and if I miss orientation, I can't get a dorm room to stay in and I will have to rent one of the nearby apartments for several hundred bits a month, and I barely have any to even pay for the dorm, thats why I need a dorm, cause we all split the pay for it, so if I don't get a dorm room, I won't be able to live near the college, causing-"

"Fluttershy.", Twiligth stopped her, "Calm down."

"Ok. I came to you because I need help getting to Canterlot, and I have to be there within the next five minutes!"

"Five? how about three?"

"How? Spell?"

Twilight nodded her head, "You see, I could cast a simple flight speed spell, you may even break the sound barrier, something mroe, I don't know. But you will be able to make it there on time."

"Gimme the spell, I need it!!"

"Calm down. You'll have a total of two minutes to spare."

Twilight levitated a book she had open, over to her and flipped through it's ten thousand pages to a single page in the near middle of the book. Reading it, she returned it to the page she had it on, and set it back down.

"Now, this spell will switch your speed with Rainbow Dash's, so you can get there faster."

"Hey! I've got somewhere to be too ya know!", Rainbow Dash Objected.

"Relax. It's a timed spell. In five minutes, your speeds will be returned to normal, and you can be on your way Rainbow Dash."

"Fine, but if I miss the opener for the Wonderbolts' show, I'm holding it over your head.", Rainbow Dah threatened.

"Oh calm down."

Twilight's horn glowed and her magic enveloped the two pegasis' wings, the colors shifting to black on both, the cyan and yellow swirling away to be replaced ont eh others' wings. They stayed the new color before changing to the respectful colors of their coats, blending in.

"Done. Now you ca...n leave, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy had already zoomed out the door in the middle of Twilight's sentence, flying on as fast as she could, and gaining speed. As the borders of Ponyville passed below, she could hear the wind screeching against the foreign force which was her fast flight. Reaching the speed of Sound, the sound barrier shattered easily, allowing her to continue on at a still increasing speed.

'Wow, I didn't know Rainbow Dash could go any faster than the speed of sound.'

As the golden decor of Canterlot became mroe and more distinguishable fromt eh architect of the buildings, Fluutershy could swear that she felt herself slowing down unintentionally. Though, she slowed only a bit before picking up the speed, maintaining well over the speed of sound still.

Nearing the college, she didn't stop, didn't slow. Zooming through the doors, magic gripped her and she slowed to a walking speed as she flew.

"No flying int eh halls please.", an older mare's voice caught her attention.

Turnign to the president of the college, fluttershy stopped flying and landed in place.

"Oh, sorry bout that. I just came all the way from ponyville in less than five minutes."

"Pinching minutes like you are bits, dear?"

"Quite. But thanks to my friend, I was able to make it."

"Well, it does sound impressive, and with that speed, you'd make a good member for the senior speedsters team."

"Oh, no thank you. The spell will wear off in a few moments. I was only borrowing another friend's speed."

"Oh? I've heard of that spell. The trade of speed of wing. I used it once to help a friend."

"Well, it's good to have a fine conversation with such a mare of the college, Mrs. Ink."

"Glad to see you remember me after an entire year. Welcome back Fluttershy."

"Thank you. Now, I have to be off to the orientation. You did get my registration letter, did you?"

"A week in advance, dear. don't worry. You can get your class schedule from the dean in the seniors' dorm."

"Thank you. I'll be on my way then."

"I'm just happy to see such a live face in this college again."

But Fluttershy was alrady off, trotting through the halls. Passing the many doors and looking at the still familiar walls, she felt like she was still at home. With a smile, a happy stride, and staisfaction of her own schedule, Fluttershy was happy as can be. Nothing could ruin it.

"Hold up! Is that butter coat?", a stallion spoke up.

Several other stallions and mares of the college all joined the ring around Fluttershy in the hall, making her feel small. But she didn't stop trotting.

"Where are you going butter coat?"

"Keep talking. Just means I can ignore you even more."

As she continued on, she took a right tunr into the dean's office, stopping in front of his desk.

"Uhm, excuse me."

"Yes?", the stallion responded.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting a new dean. May I have my schedule?"

"Name please."

"Fluttershy."

"Ah, yours is the only one left. And, well, above that, you've got two choices to the dorm room you stay in."

"Aw, I got here too late!"

"Not exactly. Compared ot last year, you came on time. This year, everyone came to get their dorm rooms three weeks early. We hadn't even started then!"

"Well, then what are my options?"

"Well, you can share a room with a couple of the sports team stallions and a gymnastics mare, or you can choose to live in a two bed dorm on the other side of campus."

"Who else is living int eh two bed dorm?"

"No one, currently."

"Uhm, I choose the two bed dorm. I don't really like the smell of action."

"Ah, I see what you mean. Wait, but you're on the senior speedsters team."

"Yes, I am. And, to tell the truth, I prefer working out with other pegasi than earth ponies and unicorns."

"Well, that's understandable. I preferred to "hang out" with pegasi too, even though I had no wings. Being an earth pony did have it's draw backs."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. Turned out to keep me a good kid."

"Well, uhm. Well then. So, can I ahve my schedule and key?"

"Oh, rght!"

The stallion removed a piece of paper from a thin stack, handing it to fluttershy along with the key he promised her.

"Are those all schedules?"

"For other dorms, yes. I don't usually tend the other dorms, but they need help. This is the only dorm which isn't over packed with students."

"Well, whats going on then?"

"New artifact that Celestia dug up herself. Attracted ponies of all kinds from everywhere. There are several zebras, giraffes, and even a few griffins attending here."

"Wow, I've never seen a giraffe, though."

"Oh? Well then. I'm sure you might get along. They're nicer than most."

"Can't wait to meet one."

"Here is one now!"

Turnign around, Fluttershy was almost face to face with a young giraffe, and he was taller than she was.

"Oh, hello there."

"Shah, it's good to see new equestrians every once and a while, but this is jsut overkill."

"What?"

"There are so many ponies here that are not giraffe kin little yellow coat!"

"Oh, my name isn't little yellow coat, it's Fluttershy."

"Duuuuude. Maybe you should join the sports team, hang out with us brahs."

"No thank you. I don't do extreme sports."

"Extreme's right yellow coat."

"Uhm, my name is Fluttershy."

"I know, yellow coat just sounds cooler."

"Well, I have to be going now. It was ncie to meet you."

"Was cool to talk to a pegasus without being yelled at for my cool heritage for once."

"Oh, sorry to hear that. Well, I'm off."

"Catch ya later yellow coat!"

Fluttershy trotted out the room and into the hall, continuing on to the dorm rooms. Stopping at the first door, she read it's number and letter.

"A-01. the key says N-23. Looks like I have a long way to go."

Trotting further down, she kept track when the eltters changed.

D...H...L, M, N.

Stopping at N-01, she went down the hall, then stopped at the staircase. The door next to her said, N-10. Going upstairs, she figured that the number were counted by tens for each floor. Going up the next set of stairs, she looked out of the large windows that covered the entire right wall, showing the College courtyard below.

"Wow. This isn't anything like what I had the past few years."

Continuing her search for her dorm room, she found it. N-23. Between N-22, and N-24.

"Found it!"

Entering the room, the sight was not what she expected. There were old gym clothes everywhere on the floor, the beds were a mess, and there was something brown spattered over the wall. Above all, the room reeked. Holdng her nose with a hoof, she tried to keep herself from vomiting.

"Ack, thats horrible!"

Closign the door behidn her as she exited the room, she took a deep breath of fresh air.

"Cleaning supplies!"

A few minutes later she was back outside the door, wearing a rag over her snout and a bucket of cleaning supplies.

Dropping the sponge into the black water of the bucket, Fluttershy looked at her work.

"Clean enough to live in, now."

Getting rid of the cleaning supplies, Fluttershy set up her stuff, putting her clothes in her dresser and setting her books on one of the two desks. Checking ehr schedule, she noticed the clock for the first time. She was three minutes late.

"Oh no! I'mlate, Imlate, Imlate!!!"

Rushing out, she completely cleared the steps both times, landing on ehr hooves and continuing on down the hall at a gallop. Halway there, she slowed down by means of magic.

"Fluttershy, why are you running?", the president asked.

"Oh, sorry Mrs. Ink! I'm late for the orientation though!"

"Oh. Well, allow me to fix that. But, please do keep your stride in the halls atleast to a trot."

Using magic, the unicorn teleported Fluttershy to the first class she was to meet in.

"Ah, Fluttershy! I was wondering if you were not going to be here.", the teacher said with sligth agitation.

"Sorry, but the room I was given, the last residents left it a mess."

"Don't they always? Please take a seat."

Taking her seat quickly, Fluttershy finally relaxed as she listened to the teacher in the head of the classroom, above all other students. Smilign once more, it was soothing. She had never liked anything as much as caring for animals, before, but now it's just wonderful to be in a classroom again.