I stood in front of the small red building, my heart pounding. I was about to undertake the most difficult challenge of my life, one that would throw me around like a toy in a dogs mouth.

I was...enrolling Cicada into school.

I looked down at her, watching her movements, trying to read what she was feeling. She simply stood there, shifting in nervously in place. Her wings twitched constantly, and I knew she was scared. Terrified even. Poor thing looked like how I did on my first day of school: Scared, confused, worried...

"Do I have too?" She said suddenly, looking up at me with tears welling up in her eyes. She whimpered out, tugging at my jean leg with her hoof. "Daddy, I dont wanna go." She looked away, shaking violently and whimpering. I knelled down and gently lifted her head.

"Sweetheart, dont you want to met new ponies and learn new things?" I asked, trying to sum up the whole meaning of why you had to go to school in a few words. Cicada looked at me, her face red and she avoided my gaze.

"No..." She said quietly. I chuckled a bit, and gave her a little 'boop' on the nose. Her face scrunched up, and she staggered back a bit, rubbing her face furiously. When I was younger, I hated getting kisses in public from my mother. I had found it appallingly embarrassing, and tried to avoid it whenever I could.

Now, as an adult, and 'father', I now know why my mom always tried to sneak in a kiss in public: IT WAS FUCKING HILARIOUS! I finally knew the secret to utter joy and happiness, and that was to embarrass my kid at every turn!

But, that would have to wait till later...the matter at had called for more serious action.

"GAH! Dad! I told you not to do that!" Cicada protested loudly. I laughed and scooped her up, planting a kiss on her forehead, right under the nub of horn that was finally starting to come in. Cicada blushed even brighter and tried to push away from me, but I was a 'wee' bit stronger.

"C'mon Cici, we can keep stalling, if we are lucky, I can just drop you off and I can head to work." I said nonchalantly, making Cicada squeak squeak.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" She whined out. "I DON'T WANT YOU TO GOOOOOOO!"

Oh shit.

"Cici, I was kidding! I was KIDDING!" I said over her whining. Cicada stopped and instantly began to pout.

"Not funny..."

"Hilarious, I know."

I held her in my arms as I approached the small building, from the looks of it it was a one room school house, and the information I gathered, was ran by a mare named 'Cheerilee'. I was told she was a good teacher, having taught some of the last generations kids with great results.

I reached for the door and turned the handle, giving Cicada a glance as I did. She buried her face in my shoulder, trying to hide herself in the crook of my neck.

She used to be able to do that...

One of the first things I noticed was that It was IN FACT a one room school house, with educational posters up on the walls, and a few rows of desks, some cupboards, books, a stool with a 'dunce' cap.

That better be a joke...

It wasn't until I felt the eyes of about a dozen colts and fillies, plus one mare, that I realized that class was in session, and I had just walked in without even KNOCKING.

The mare who I assumed was Cheerilee was stopped halfway in the process of writing the word 'floccinaucinihilipilification' and was looking at me with her wide green eyes.

It was VERY awkward.

I could hear whispers in the dead silence, and I made out a few words, some simply curiosity, some pretty fucking mean for a filly to say.

"Uh, bad time?" I asked awkwardly. "I could come back later..." I said, trailing off a bit. Cicada lifted her face out from my neck and looked over at the the fillies and colts that would soon make up her new classroom. She silently buried her face back into my neck, shuddering a bit, and gripping me tighter.

Cheerilee finally snapped out of her daze and shook her head. "Oh! Um, no not at all, Im just not used to interruptions thats all." She put down the piece of chalk down from her hoof (how was she holding it in the first place?) and turned to the class. "All right children, You can take a early recess right now, I have some business to take care of." She said sweetly.

Not a single pony moved.

"Now children." She said, more firm. this time, all of them scurried out of the classroom in a hurry, some blowing right past me with out looking, and some soaking up the image of the only human in the world with a Changeling.

10 seconds later, the classroom was empty except for me, Cicada, and Cheerilee. "Well, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting a new student today." She said to me as she took a seat behind her desk. "Please, take a seat" She said, nodding to the FUCKING MICROSCOPIC CHAIR in front of the desk.

"No thank you, Ill stand." I said to her casually. I roused Cicada a bit, who looked at Cheerilee with a look of uncertainty and fear. "Say 'Hello' to Cheerilee sweetie." I said kindly. Cicada looked at her and I could just make out a soft "Hello" escape her lips.

Cheerilee heard it though, and smiled warmly at Cicada. "Its nice to met you two. My name Is Cheerilee, what is your name?" She asked kindly.

Cicada kept looking at Cheerilee, and I could feel her relax a bit. "I-Im Cicada." She said, more louder this time. Cheerilee smiled at her and complimented her on such 'a wonderfully unique name'.

"Miss Cheerilee? I am her to see if Cicada can attend your class for her first year of school." I said. "Is there any paper work in need to fill out, or some sort of payment?..." I said uncertainly. I had clue about school enrollment, and it showed out like a sore thumb.

"Well, my classroom is free, as I am paid a monthly wage from Canterlot. The only thing I could see you paying money for is some of the fundraisers we have every year or some other activity." She said. "I have the paperwork right here, why does't Cicada go out and play with the others while you fill out the paperwork?" She suggested.

I nodded, and I lifted Cicada of my chest, and placed her on the floor. She looked up at me, fear in her eyes. "Daddy..." She began,

"Baby, I'll get this done In Just a second, go and play outside until I'm done." She looked at me for a second longer, and then walked away with the attitude of someone who was just told that they would be executed at dawn.

Cheerilee noticed this, and as she walked out the door, looked at me and asked: "Has she always had separation anxiety?".

"Yes, she doesn't like going out without me. She knows she is...different, and cant stand ponies looking at her. Just getting here was a battle, and Im surprised she left so easily..."

X X X

"-Can't stand ponies looking at her. Just getting here was a battle, and Im surprised she left so easily..."

Cicada shook her head, hearing her fathers words. He didn't understand how hard it was being who she was. She turned away, looking at the playground full of her new 'friends' She began to walk over to a colt who was playing on what Cicada could only describe as a small, hoof-held TV. The brown colt was hammering away at the buttons, and she could tell he was concentrating hard on his toy.

She walked up to him. He was so engaged that he didn't even notice her. "Um...hello" Cicada said quietly. The colt kept smashing away, not giving her any notice, and she couldn't tell if he didn't hear her or was ignoring her to be an ass. Cicada rolled her eyes and moved away, making note to avoid the colt in the future. She walked to a tree, where there was a few toys laying there. Grabbing one, a toy train, she began to roll it along the ground.

What she was doing, she had no clue. Cicada had never been without a playmate before. Her father was always there to answer her questions, or play. She had never goon out much either, only going when her father went out. Any other time, she just kept to herself.

Cicada was so focused on the train, and being 'normal' that she didn't notice that 2 fillies had walked up to her. But she could SMELL them. She wrinkled her nose slightly at the putrid stench of smugness mixed with exotic perfume slapped her in the face. She looked up, meeting the eyes of what appeared to be the ring-leader.

The filly had a light pink coat, and pampered mane. Her face wore a look of superiority on it. Atop her head sat a tiara which probably cost more than everything at Cicada's house combined. The filly noticed that she was eyeing her tiara, and smiled smugly.

"Like it? Father got this for me this year. I have many more at home." she said, in an obvious attempt to impress Cicada.

Cicada simply looked at her, her eyes showing nothing but disinterest.

The second filly, a grayish one, with an absurd pear necklace, poked the first in the side. "Tiara, I dont think she cares about your stuff." She said, throwing Cicada an unsettling evil grin as she finished the sentence.

"She does?" Tiara said, her face changing from smug to angry. She lowered her head. "What, do your think your're better than me?" She asked in a threatening manner. Cicada was becoming uncomfortable, as a crowd was begins to form. She could hear them whispering things.

'Bug', 'Changeling'...'freak'.

The level of discomfort hit the boiling point when Tiara got in her face and repeated the question, adding a little shove to her chest, making her tooter over on her side. The crowd behind her offered no help, and Cicada became afraid.

Her father always told her if she needed help, to call, and he'd be there. She had never had to that before, but now seemed like a good time. Cicada took in a breath. then let out an ear-piercing shriek. One with such a loud frequency that it caused Tiara and her goon to cover their ears. The crowd behind them did the same.

Cicada kept her call going for a few seconds longer, then stopped.

3

2

1

The schoolhouse door blasted open, and her father charged out, a look of rage on his face. She saw him scan the playground and when she made eye contact, he rushed over to here, kneeling down nest to her. "Are you okay sweetie?" He asked, checking her for injuries.

Cicada was surprised at the speed at which her father appeared. Granted he was just inside, but still, he was fast. She whimpered, pointing a hoof at Tiara. "She pushed me" Cicada said quietly, scooting closer to her father.

"Oh, she did?"

XXX

I looked over at the pink filly, who had recovered from the noise and was looking at Cicada with fear and disgust. She then met my eyes, and the disgust went away. I got up, and walked over to her. I was a good 4 feet taller, and towered over her and the crowd. I knelled down, unknowingly giving her the same treatment she had given Cicada.

"I suggest if you like living, you wont hurt my baby." I said calmly, making sure she maintained eye contact. I got up, and head back to Cicada, who was curled up under the tree. I picked her up, and walked back to the schoolhouse. Cheerilee was waiting for me at the doorway. "What happened?" she asked, a look of worry on her face.

"Nothing I couldn't handle. Come in at 9 tomorrow morning?" I asked, changing the subject quickly.

"Um, yes, that Is when class starts."

"Good..."

Behind me, I could hear the filly crying.

Author's Note

This chapter is a little different, as it has a more homely style to it...
I meant for this story to span years in their time, so I thought school troubles would be something that is relevant.
Also, If anybody wants an OC or canon character to appear for dialogue, Ill gladly take suggestions and plug in a few.

Post Script: I needed some minor antagonists for the school setting, and so forgive me if I used DT and SS. I am aware they are no longer bullies in canon.