"I'm Bright Flight", a blue-coated colt announced softly, rubbing his forelegs, "I was born in Cloudsdale and I like to read a lot of books. I'm not much of a fan of the Wonderbolts."
The statement caused countless murmuring to happen around the classroom and Ms. Cheerilee hushed the class, "Please continue, Bright."
The unsteady colt ceased his introduction for a while until he regained his confidence, "Now I know you classmates might think that's strange but I'd rather not be a sporty-stereotypical pegasus, uh, no offense. I'd rather be somepony who wants to be a journalist or maybe even an author."
"Boo...!" One of the foals called out, "That's a unicorn's job!"
"Uh, no! Definitely not, Sweet Pie. No pony complained when you stood up there," She turned to Bright, "Besides, A.K. Yearling is a pegasus and she writes fantastic stories. I have high hopes for him. Would you please continue, Bright?"
"Uh, sure," He thought about what to day so he scanned the class and glanced at someone's cutie mark, "Oh, I also don't have a cutie mark yet if you didn't catch that." He pointed out, blushing.
Ms. Cheerilee assured, "It's okay, Bright. Besides, I think the Cutie Mark Crusaders would like to help you out on that, " She faced at a column of students: an orange pegasus, bright yellow earth pony and a white unicorn, "Wouldn't you girls?"
"Yea! Definitely," The unicorn exclaimed excitedly, "We can begin during first break."
"Splendid!" She turned to Bright, "You're going to love it here, now go sit next to Button Mash, there," She gestured at the only empty seat in the classroom.
The blue pegasus trotted over to his seat with his saddlebags filled with books and writing utensils.
"Uh, whoops!" Somepony said jokingly as she tripped over Bright, dropping his glasses and scattering his bags' contents.
"You're going to get in trouble, Sweet Pie." A pony whispered to her while a few ponies chuckled at the fallen colt.
"Sweet Pie!" This caught everypony's attention, "If I see you do that again, you're having a lunch detention."
Bright found his glasses and items and cantered over to his seat.
"Okay class, to begin the 2nd term, I'd like for you to take out a reading book or select one over there," She pointed at a bookshelf, "However, today, we will be learning English.
The whole class sighed at this, everyone except for Bright. Bright was an inquisitive pony - he always had the passion to learn something new. Now that he was in 6th Grade, he had learnt a lot from his tutors.
In haste, he took out a thick book titled Fantastic Creatures and their Whereabouts a favourite of his. He flipped to his book mark at the middle of the page and began reading, analysing and writing some notes about the fictional text.
"Woah, how can you get that much notes on a single page?" A brown colt with a helicopter hat asked him.
Bright replied, "There's a lot of information. Also, sometimes I have to interpret things on a separate perspective. Also, I've been doing some studying. It's also for good practice for next year."
The brown colt was amazed and realised, "Hold on, you're doing Grade 7 work?"
"Ah-huh." Bright responded, nodding and still writing on his now 2nd page of notes. Now, he had flipped over to the next page."
"And you're understanding the story while writing?"
"Pretty much." Bright replied, still focused on his book.
The colt was about to inquire until Ms. Cheerilee pointed out, "Button? Where is your book?"
"Oh, right. I'll, uh, get one." Button stood from his chair and made his way to the teacher's bookshelf.
So that colt's name is Button Mash, he stared at his left side, Those are the Cutie Mark Crusaders and that's, he glanced blankly at a yellow filly with a creamy-topping-like mane, Sweet Pie...
"Alright, put your books down, "Bright's thought were broken, "Get out your English books. We'll be studying on 'Better Vocabulary'." She took out a book from under her desk.
The majority of students faced a familiar battle; staying awake during a boring lesson, while a few other students, including Bright, were actually paying attention. The majority even took casual looks at the clock above the board.
The bell had rung for the first break and the schoolhouse was empty in a flash. Bright had scanned the grounds for a place to stay and he found a tree with nice shade. He settled down his saddlebags, fixed his glasses and took out some of his lunch. He had packed a dandelion, lettuce and tomato salad accompanied with some water and a fork.
After a few bites, he soon realised there stood the Cutie Mark Crusaders in front of him, "Oh, yeah, I forgot."
"So... to begin," The yellow pony started, "I'm Apple Bloom, " She gestured at the unicorn, "She's Sweetie Belle," and finally at the orange pegasus, "And that's Scootaloo."
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shook Bright's hooves in greeting, "It's nice meeting you gals too but it'd be great if I could eat my salad, I'm really hungry right now."
"Sure, we can eat with you!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
Scootaloo added, "Yeah, and we can talk about ourselves!"
"Sounds good, Scoots," Apple Bloom faced Bright, "That okay with you, Bright?"
Bright nodded while crunching onto his beloved salad and gulped, "Yeah, I guess. I'd say I'm not too interesting though."
Scootaloo interrupted, "What? No way! I've never heard of a pegasus like you! Your glasses are cool too - where'd you buy them?" She asked as she pulled out a sandwich.
"I bought these new pair when my folks moved here, actually," He took a bite, "Cloudsdale doesn't really make quality glasses."
Scootaloo cocked her head, "Huh? What's the difference between Cloudsdale glasses?"
"The material of the glasses; the ones in Cloudsdale are a bit fragile but in Ponyville, they're made with solid rubber."
"Ah, I see. Haha, see what I did there?" Scootaloo joked about what the other two ponies thought of questions.
"Hey, I heard from Button you were analysing a book during our reading session - what book were you reading?" Sweetie Belle questioned curiously.
"Oh, I was... uh, reading Fantastic Creatures and their Whereabouts. It's a... fantasy book." He rubbed his head, embarrassed.
"Huh," Apple Bloom added, "It seems you like to study a lot but on the other hoof, you think ponies aren't liking you. Why do you feel that way?"
Bright pushed his salad container in his pack, "I... don't know, I'm probably just overthinking. It's what I do and I'm fine with it - a little curiosity can't hurt can it?" He asked rhetorically.
Apple Bloom answered, "Actually, yes, it can. If you think about stuff too much, you'll end up wanting answers and if you don't get them, you'll become insane and... do other stuff but that's irrelevant now."
Bright raised and eyebrow, "So, you think I'm going to end up insane?" He seemed slightly offended by the statement, "I want to be curious. I enjoy reading mystery and fantasy novels. That's what makes me who I am. But that isn't my purpose nor is studying!" He thought for a second, "Huh, maybe I actually need to figure out a complex mystery to get my mark. Interesting..."
Apple Bloom became uneasy with his statement, Going to solve a difficult mystery by himself? What if he dies trying to do it? Even worse: if he can't solve it, he'll kill himself for not finding an answer. She thought, sweating bullets.
"That is interesting!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, "Maybe you could visit our clubhouse so we could help find your cutie mark! Can I come by your place to pick you up? I can come over - my family is in Canterlot."
"Sounds great. I'll walk with you after school. My family's out of town too so you won't have any problems running into anypony."
"Awesome!" She jumped for joy.
Suddenly, the school bell rang, ending their first break.
"Okay, my little ponies, head inside. The next lesson will be on Mathematics." Ms. Cheerilee announced.
"Yes!" Bright became too excited and then realised he was still outside with many classmates, "Heheh, yay, Math." He said blankly before grabbing his untouched water and saddlebags.
Sweet Pie muttered, "Wow, he is way more than I thought he was - a complete know-it-all freak." This made her friends giggle.
Inside the schoolhouse, the board was filled with difficult division questions (according to 6th graders). While cantering by, Bright had already answered some in his brain. Others in class, however, had already placed a hoof under their chin.
Once everyone entered the classroom, Ms. Cheerilee began, "Okay, to begin, does anypony know how to answer these questions?" She pointed at the board.
Some unsteady hooves came up from a few student while Bright's shot up, eager to answer them all.
"A mathlete, of course, how could I be so stupid!" Sweet Pie said sarcastically, "I bet he's a poet as well!"
"Okay, that's enough, you're staying after school to do this work. In the meantime," She dropped a booklet on her desk, "Complete this multiplication booklet. I expect for most of the answers to be correct since you were top of the class, in mathematics, last term."
"Ugh, fine." She sighed, grabbing a quill.
"I'm so sorry, Bright. Were the students in your previous school like this?" Ms. Cheerilee asked, worried.
"They were pegasi - of course they would be like that. That's also why I moved to Ponyville. My parents found out I was being abuse by both colts and fillies. They would always-," He ceased his story, "Er...nevermind."
"I'm really sorry, Bright, you would have been a great student."
"Thank you, Ms. Cheerilee."
The lesson resumed fine with Sweet Pie doing her work and Bright Flight answering questions with the speed of a thousand lightning bolts.
Finally, the lesson ended with the foals rushing outside, energised to play but Bright decided to rest under his safe haven: the tree.
The three fillies came back to Bright, who set out his next meal: an apple fritter with his untouched water bottle.
Before he took a bite from his delicious snack, Apple Bloom interrupted, "We're back, Bright, what do you want to do?" She noticed the fritter, "Besides eat."
Bright sighed, placing the fritter back into his pack, "Besides eat, huh?" He thought, "How about thinking out loud, that'd be fun!" He looked excited, rubbing his hooves together.
"Thinking out loud? What do you mean?"
Bright elaborated, "I thought it was self-explanatory. You think about stuff and you just say it out loud. Watch and learn," He drank his water, "This one time I thought of how rainbows were made and I couldn't find an answer. I searched through several sources and, strangely, I couldn't find anything."
Scootaloo interjected, "Hold on, rainbows? Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."
"No, it's fine. Please explain." He seemed interested.
"Okay. Aren't rainbows usually made mixing water and sunlight in a cloudy cauldron and then making it flow throughout Cloudsdale?"
"That's what I thought so too but apparently, it doesn't happen at all. I began searching and I found a book called Cloudsdale History Volume VI: Forbidden Days. The book was in my father's collection of Cloudsdale's History. I wanted to read the book because I wanted to be good at history, like my father himself. When I was reading, I found a couple of chapters that felt like they fit together like a puzzle. They were titled 'Missing Pegasi' and 'Undiscovered Mixtures'. I'd like to talk more on the subject but I'm afraid you'd find me boring and-"
"What?" Sweetie Belle shouted, "No way! This is actually worth listening to. Me and my sister like these mystery things."
"No, I mean because the bell-" The school bell rung.
"Oh, nice timing. How'd you know?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I didn't. I was about to say that the bell could ring at any time."
"Well then, let's head to class." Scootaloo grabbed her saddlebag and headed inside, so did the rest of the students.
Once again, Bright took a glance at the board and found some writing. He scanned what Ms. Cheerilee was displaying on the board and realised what they were studying for the afternoon: Cloudsdale History. (What a coincidence)
He cantered over to his chair and placed his saddlebags down, waiting for everyone else to take their seat.
After everyone was in the classroom, Ms. Cheerilee began a long lecture about the formation of Cloudsdale, "In the early ages, Cloudsdale was nothing but a small cloud until a famous pegasus named 'Sky Clear' began gathering some clouds together to build some sort of house. After some weeks of 'building' she managed to create an actual house with furniture. With the help of some ponies; a few unicorns and pegasi, they managed to build a small, miniature town. When Sky built her own abode, her parents were worried about her. That was until she showed them the town they had built and her parents were amazed. They spread word around town and many pegasi began building their own homes. During the time, they had called the place 'The Cloud Realm' until the founder, Sky Clear, thought of the name 'Cloudsdale' after 4 years of building her first cloud house."
Sky Clear, Bright thought, That seems familiar but I can't get my hoof on it. Where have I heard this from, ugh, it's irritating me!
Bright raised his hoof, "Yes, Bright?" Ms. Cheerilee asked.
"Did Sky Clear contribute to other things in Cloudsdale other than the founding of the city?"
"Yes, she did do something else but I'm not fully sure what it was. Check the Cloudsdale Library for some study, okay?" She suggested. She genuinely didn't know much about Sky's accomplishments other than the founding of the city.
"Okay, sure. Please continue."
As Ms. Cheerilee went on about the achievements of the foundation of Cloudsdale, Bright wrote down a couple of notes for a presumed upcoming test.
To the students' surprise, the bell rang, alerting all the students to pack their bags and leave to their parents. The three fillies had plans for their afternoon: to find Bright's cutie mark. However, Bright seemed more interested in Cloudsdale's 'Forbidden Days'.
Author's Note
It's been a while since I last wrote and it feels good.
To point out, the Cloudsdale history I put in is not the legitimate history. It's just a fan-made thing. It was pretty difficult to make everything logical.
Also, I give credit to a good friend (not saying their name for privacy reasons) for helping me come up with this idea. Thanks a bunch!
Got any questions? Ask away, I'll try to answer them as best and as quick as I can.
Finally, thanks for reading this chapter.
-Mr User.
It had been a peculiar day for Bright, he only got teased a few times and now he was walking with a mare to his home, "So where's your house, Bright?" Sweetie asked.
"It's over there," Bright said, pointing his hoof to the residential area, "In between all the other houses." He joked.
Sweetie playfully punched his shoulder, "No, silly, where is it really?"
"Just several more steps the way we're headed and then turn right - that's where it is," Sweetie gave a blank look, "Hey, you'll know when we get there. All the houses around Ponyville look exactly the same."
"Oh," She glanced at each household, realising that most had looked similar, "Right." She giggled slightly.
A few moments were silence were had until Sweetie Belle had a question in mind, "So when did you move here?"
"Uh," Bright thought, "Just a few days ago. You'll see various boxes scattered around the house. We really should have unpacked everything first before my family went on vacation."
"I see, how do you like it here so far?"
"I don't know, I haven't really seen much. I've been unpacking my boxes. We're still waiting for some deliveries so it'll take a while for me to get settled in."
"Ooo! Maybe we could go on a da-" Sweetie stopped herself, about to say something embarrassing, "On... a tour around town!"
"That doesn't actually sound too bad. Yea, maybe I will go." Bright considered.
But, dude, we need to study more on Cloudsdale history!
And NOT spend time with the cute unicorn?
Oh pa-lease! You've only met her for a day and you're already falling for somepony?!
Well yea, she likes mystery things...
Alright fine, do what you want! Don't come crying to me when she says "No, I have a boyfriend" in your face.
"Alright, Sweets, we're finally here."
"Sweets?" Sweetie Belle asked as she cocked her head sideways.
"Your nickname: Sweets."
Oh my gosh! He called me 'Sweets'! Aww, he's so cute too! Hold on, isn't he going to open the door?
"Shall we head inside?"
"I thought you said you wanted to see my house," Bright remarked cheekily grinning, "Well there you go, feast your eyes." He said emotionless.
Sweetie punched him, "Haha, very funny, Bright, you smart-flank. You going to let us in?"
"Yea, yea, sure. Just trying to make somepony laugh, y'know?"
"Well, you did good, Bright," Sweetie admired, watching Bright swing open the door revealing a whole lot of boxes in almost every corner of the interior, "Nice decor."
Bright chortles, "I told you there were a lot of boxes. I have to tend to them later but for now, I'll lay down my belongings and then'll head over to the clubhouse, was it?"
"Yep, our clubhouse," Sweetie was observing the interior - empty, dull, dark and uncouth. She then veered to the boxes, noticing one with a couple of thick books on it.
Their titles were familiar to ones they were talking about earlier in the day. Sweetie Belle scanned through them and found one she found quite useful and interesting. She gasped from its cover and eagerly planted it on Bright's muzzle. It was a cover of fashion in Cloudsdale, something her older sister, Rarity, could use so she could expand on her business.
"Uh, sure, I see no problem." She squealed delightedly and squeezed Bright, nearly crushing a bone inside of him.
Bright nervously laughed, "No problem," He stated while patting Sweetie's fluffy mane, "Anyways, we better go now. The others are probably waiting for us." He aimed his hoof at the open doorway while Sweetie Belle stuffed her new book in her saddlebag.
"Yup!" She exclaimed suddenly, "Let's go!"
They stepped outside into the open air, slowly strolling across the path heading towards their destination. Rarely any foals were outside. The small few were having fun in the playground near their school. Unfortunately, those small few were a terrible bunch - Sweet Pie and her friends.
Bright quickened his pace to avoid the laughing foals until Sweet Pie directly found them. She cantered over, patting Bright on his shoulder. His comfortableness was gone.
"Hanging out with your marefriend, eh, Bright?" She poked him.
Sweetie interjected defensively, "Hey, leave him alone."
"And what are you going to do about it?" She gave a sly look.
"Just stop, okay? He did nothing to you, why do something to him?" Sweetie reasoned while Bright's breath heaved heavily.
"Because I want to, isn't that right, Bright?" She forcefully pushed Bright to the ground and tackled on top of him, unable to move, "Or should I say Light?" She chuckled while she 'playfully' abused Bright.
"Quit it! Or I'll- I'll.." Sweetie stumbled on her words.
"You'll what? Huh?" She forced her words, sending her flying by Sweetie's charged horn.
Anger fled her horn and blasted Sweet Pie across the playground, alerting her friends to protect her. Sweetie Belle on the other hand felt guilty and tears filled her eyes as she realised what she did. She ran off a short distance before crouching behind a nearby tree on the path. Bright soon quickly followed from the fight and found Sweetie filling her hooves with tears.
Bright sat down carefully as wiped a flowing tear from her soft face, "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I-I didn't mean to," She sniffed, "I just- I just wanted them to leave." She held her eyes again while Bright placed his hooves on her lap.
"You're going to be fine. They didn't listen so they got what was handed to them. Technically, they weren't in school so Ms. Cheerilee doesn't have to do anything about it. Besides," He caressed her lap, "That was pretty cool."
She chuckled slightly until giving him warmth, "Thank you, Bright." She sniffed one more time until drenching Bright's back with a waterfall of tears.
Their little drama session had been quickly forgotten from Bright's explanation about annoying ponies in Cloudsdale. Sweetie Belle didn't expect much from Bright since she had experienced that before but he had more to talk about.
In the past, Diamond Tiara's bullying had only been the tip of the iceberg. Bright had been in more difficult situations other than light teasing and discouragement. Last year, Bright's enemies had forced him into the janitor's locker until a staff member heard him shouting his lungs out. It was nighttime when he had escaped the tight space. He embraced the teacher, crying.
The following months, Bright was forced on the ground being brutally beaten by his classmates, if you could call them that. It was like a bloodbath, but for Bright only. During that 'brawl', Bright came out with a bruised eye accompanied with a bloody mouth, broken glasses, ripped books and a limp on his right hind-leg.
This was when his parents decided to move out to Ponyville, where ponies were less competitive... in certain ways.
He slowly healed afterwards and he was back in school, at Cheerilee's. No wounds, scratches or limp. It was like nothing had happened.
As they neared Sweet Apple Acres, Sweetie Belle spotted the familiar orange Pegasus waving towards them enthusiastically. Sweetie Belle exclaimed to follow her and he did, trying his best to keep up with her. Bright wasn't the best at running or any field events other than helping out with scoring and analysing every racer.
Bright exerted heavily as Scootaloo lead them to the clubhouse, a small, clean treehouse with an escalating ladder.
"You coming, Bright?" Sweetie Belle called out, snapping Bright's gazing.
"Huh?" He sputtered, "Oh, right, yeah." He soon trotted inside.
The interior revealed a whole wall full of various ponies, all of them having a significant similarity. All of them were young. The group's name sure hit his head hard as he realised the symbolism of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"So you help ponies figure out their whole life's purpose?" Bright blankly asked, gesturing at the decorated wall.
"Umm, Ah guess so. You want ta get yours, right?" Apple Bloom questioned.
"Definitely!" Bright seemed excited for once, "How do you we start?"
Bright had been reminded of a cutie mark's purpose, a thing he had listened to various times as a young colt but he stayed attentive as to not rattle any rudeness. Thankfully, the lecture didn't last long but it was useful information to Bright. He hadn't thought about cutie marks that much in his life, only studying and reading and writing. He didn't want to look for a purpose though, but he had observed how ponies with lacking cutie marks became engulfed in a confined space of depression - something he wouldn't want to get stuck in from all the affects it has.
Apple Bloom had asked what Bright liked doing or something he did often. It was quite obvious of what he was going to say so they asked their second question.
"Have ya ever thought of anything else? Like, any other things that interest ya?" Apple Bloom asked.
Bright then explained his urge to explore undiscovered areas. He had an interest of the Everfree Forest before they moved to Ponyville. He would read about it and try to piece things together of why they were that way. Another thought that hung about was during their lunch session - the mystery of colour in Cloudsdale. Bright had been told the same story over and over about how colour was made in Cloudsdale. He did not believe a single word ponies said to him and so he decided to bury himself in the mystery. Bright began to research about this matter but was unable to when he found out (not by asking) that books about creating colour was banned from Equestria. This was completely shocking to Bright and he wanted to know why.
"Interesting," Sweetie Belle scratched her chin, "Why don't we go to the Everfree Forest and try to map out its surroundings, one inch at a time?"
"Yea!" Scootaloo interjected excitedly, "It'd be so cool to find out what's in the Everfree Forest! I reckon we should give it a shot."
"But girls," Apple Bloom replied suddenly, "Ya'll need ta think 'bout what safety precautions we'd need. Who knows what's in there? For all we know, there could be somethin' poisonous that could kill us!"
"I don't know, Apple Bloom, isn't that why we would be going there in the first place?" Bright suggested, "I think it'd be worth a shot, even if it's just the perimeter. Even if I don't get my mark, at least I'd know more about the forest."
"Why don't we get a guide?" Sweetie Belle asked, "Zecora would be nice."
"Zecora? Who's that?"
Author's Note
I know that some of these actions from these characters may be overreacted but these ponies are technically teens in this fiction. Try thinking about understanding these ponies and what they're going through: the thought of loving someone or perhaps the feeling of wanting to whimper.
But as always, enjoy reading!
-Mr User
