Chapters Millet checked in to work on the first day of the semester. She was looking forward to starting the day off with cheer. She was just erasing what was on the chalkboard, eraser held in her magical aura.
Her cutie mark -an apple with glasses beside a pencil- shone brightly, as if anticipating the start of the class as well. The teacher's tan coat was also freshly clean, as was required of new teachers. Fortunately, she was also wearing a hoofband that was enchanted to repel even the smallest fleck of dust, her pink jacket similarly enchanted. A pair of red framed glasses perched on her muzzle, also shining brightly.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Hello?" a muffled voice queried. "Can I come in?"
Turning toward the door, Millet replied, "It's your school, ma'am. I don't see why not." One of her abilities let her know just who spoke, muffled voice or nay.
The door opened and in came Princess -and also acting principal- Celestia. "Good morning, Millet. Just getting started, I see." the princess stated."I take it you haven't met any of your class yet."
"Alas, no, princess." Millet said, bowing respectfully to her employer and ruler. "But I'm looking forward to doing so." she added. Just for show, her horn sparked and fireworks sprinked in the air above her head, along with a holographic flag..
"Excellent!" Celestia said, smiling brightly.
"I have to thank you for this opportunity, princess. You wouldn't BELIEVE how hard it is for teachers trying to find employment these days."
"Oh, you'd be surprised." Celestisa replied with a shake of her head. "You're extremely lucky that there was an availability. Really, you can thank my sister for that. Of late, she's been helping with running the school as well. When she saw your application on the stack along with your credentials, she knew that you were a perfect pick for this particular class."
"I'll have to thank her when I next see her, then." Millet said, nodding once.
Suddenly, the school bell rang.
"There's the first bell. That indicates that your students will be entering soon -hopefully before the second bell- and also my cue to leavve. Good luck with these ones, Millet."
"Hopefully I won't need it, prin-" Millet turned around, only to notice that she was talking to thin air. "Wow. She's good. Though, I suppose it comes with being an Alicorn."
Suddenly, her first student entered. Miillet could tell that this was Dawn, a day-glow orange unicorn with pink saddlebags, matching her mane. Millet's talent also told that Dawn here had a goody-four-shoes personality. She was on the honour roll three years straight. And this was only grade 5. She also carried two apples, a binder, a pencil case and several other items in her magic. She took a bite out of one apple, levitating the other to sit on Millet's previously clear desk. Plainly, this one was to be the white sheep/teacher's pet of the class. She had a Cutie Mark of a smiling sun with shades, wearing a badge that stated 'A+'.
"Good morning, ma'am!" Dawn said politely, with a smile.
"Good morning, Dawn." Millet returned. She'd keep an eye on this one.
The second student entered a moment after. This was Melody. She was a Pegasus with a blue-green coat and a banana yellow mane, her Cutie Mark a star with an electric guitar. She took the desk in the center of the front row. Millet didn't even need her magic to ell her that this one liked to be the center of attention. "Mornin', teach!" Melody greeted brightly.
"Good day, Melody." Millet replied.
The next to enter were Clover (shy grey coated Earth Pony with a brown mane and a four-leaf clover for a Cutie Mark), Funshine (class clown, yellow coated Pegasus, orange mane, Cutie Mark of a grinning sun), Tilde (nerdy grey coated Unicorn, ~ Cutie Mark, black mane) and Patch (messy green coated Earth Pony, rainbow mane, Cutie Mark of a... "generously loved" shirt with several patches on it.).
After that came Sweetheart(1) (bubbly, fluffy and ...pink Earth Pony with a Cutie Mark of a candy heart) and Luster (obsessive-compulsive, Unicorn, golden coat, bronze mane. Cutie Mark of a tin of shoe polish, despite not wearing any shoes.)
Seconds before the second bell came Starlight. She was obviously the self-absorbed type of Unicorn (yet just studious enough that she got away with it), with a Cutie Mark of a golden star with a mirror beside it. She took the desk next to Melody, adjusting her golden mane as she sat down.
Moments(2) after the bell came Maroon. He had a plum coloured coat and a fuchsia mane with a Cutie Mark of a plum.
This one was obviously the class delinquent. 'Not for long, if I can help it. ' Millet thought. Raising her head, she said, "Maroon, I take it? You're breaking three school conduct codes; you're late and wearing a faux-leather jacket."
Maroon snorted and said, "So? That's only two." With that, he unwrapped a sucker, tossing the wrapper and barely missing the wastebin in the corner.
"Littering. Three." Millet corrected.
This incited chuckles from the rest of the class as Maroon put the wrapper in the bin, grumbling nonsensically.
"Alright! Good morning, class." Millet said.
"Good morning, miss Millet!" most of the class said.
"Let's start the day by getting to know your classmates a little better. When I call your name, you'll state something interesting about yourself. Maroon?"
"I like devil's food cake." Maroon said with a deadpan tone.
"Okay." Millet said, raising an eyebrow. "Patch?"
"Uh... um... er..."
"Do. You have. An answer?"
"Uh.... no?" Patch replied, much to the class's amusement.
Millet rolled her eyes. "Think about it a bit. I'll get back to you. Sweetheart?"
"I like pink!"
"So I gathered. Try again."
"I give the best hugs in the school?" Sweetheart half queried.
"Better. Melody?"
"I love music! In fact, I can play almost any instrument."
"Sweet!" Millet commented.
"Totally." Somewhere in the background an electric guitar sound effect went off.
"Starlight?"
"I'm the most charismatic pony in the school -aside from Principal/princess Celestia." Starlight said, flicking her mane.
'I believe it ' Millet thought. "Clover?"
"I'm lucky, but shy?"
"So it would seem. Dawn?"
"I have straight A grades!"
A voice in the distance called out, "Nerrrrrrd!"
Millet glared and called out the nearby window, "SHADDUP, you!" much to the class's continued amusement.
"Now, let's try this again. Patch?"
"Uh... I'm really good at sewing! I kinda have to be."
"Okay. Okay. Tilde?"
"You know... I think I see better with my glasses off."
Millet used one of her abilities to see if this was true. "No, no you don't. Put your glasses back on and face the facts, Tilde. Luster?"
"I can polish pretty much anything!"
"Considering your mane's appearance, I believe it."
"You should see some of the results!"
"Another time. Funshine?"
"I was voted most likely to brighten any room with my smile!"
"Very good!"
Suddenly, the bell went off again.
"Right. This was just an introductory class. Off you all go. See you next time, all of you."
As the lot of them filed out of the room, Miillet thought to herself, ''That wasn't so bad. I can absolutely do this.
She'd have to see what the future would bring.
Author's Note
1: Based somewhat on Fluffle Puff.
Class 2
Millet entered the classroom, reflexively erasing whatever was on the chalkboard without even looking at it.
Just then, the first bell went off. "Class will be starting soon." Millet mused.
As expected, Dawn came in first, placing an apple on Millet's desk. This one was different from the last one. MUCH larger this time. Curious, Millet levitated it and took a bite out of it.
Her eyes widened. This was the sweetest apple she'd ever tasted, bar none! In short order, the apple was consumed.
"Thanks for that, Dawn." Millet said.
"You're welcome, ma'am. You might want to thank the Apple family next time you're in Ponyville." Dawn replied with a smile.
The rest of the class filed in shortly thereafter. This time there was an extra student. Oddly, she couldn't tell much about him, aside from the fact that he was related to Maroon. His cutie mark was of a black spiral galaxy. Trying to be relatively subtle, she said, "Ah, it appears that there's a new student in the class. Can anypony tell me who he is? Maroon?"
"What."
She tried again. "Maroon?"
"What."
'I'm sensing a pattern here. ' she thought.
Dawn rolled her eyes and answered, "Ma'am, that's Maroon's cousin. His name is Enigma."
"Thank you,, Dawn. Enigma?"
""What."
"I see the resemblance." Millet deadpanned, to the class's amusement. "Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?"
"Not much to tell, really. I'm Maroon's cousin. I've been transferred between several schools. I'm smarter than I look."
"Good to know. " Millet said, opting to begin the class properly. "Alright, class; finish this sentence: Great minds...."
"Think alike!" everypony said in unison.
"Now finish this one: Greater minds..."
Dawn and Engma answered this one, "Think for themselves!"
"Gold stars for the two of you." Millet said. "Yes, indeed. There have been many great minds throughout our timeline. Let's discuss some of them."
For the next half hour, they discussed inventors, scientists, the princesses themselves, the Elements of Harmony (or at least the bearers thereof)... Singers, dancers, athletes, farmers, wizards and magic-makers, and more. All of whom had their own accomplishments.
After that, the bell rang, giving the class their cue to move on to their next subject with the next teacher.
Millet cleared the chalkboard, which had seen liberal use during the class.
Suddenly. with a flash, Princess Celestia apparated into the classroom. "Millet! Doing well, I presume?"
"Surprisingly so, Princess." Millet answered. "The class is... colourful, I'll give them that." She looked over to the sheet on the wall with the names of the students on it. Many of them had gold stars beside them. Most belonged to Dawn, but they each had some.
"So I see." Princess Celestia said, raising her eyebrows.
"I'm planning on taking them on a field trip in a future session. All I have to do now is consider what I'm going to have them do." she said.
Princess Celestia considered briefly and then said, "May I offer a suggestion?" She got closet to Millet and whispered into her ear.....
As Millet trotted into the classroom, the class quieted down.
"See, that's why I like the lot of you; I don't have to tell you these things."
After taking the Attendance -everypony was present and accounted for- they got to the meat of the day's homeroom class
"What are we learning about today, ma'am?" Dawn queried.
"I'm glad you asked, Dawn. First, we'll discuss the Elements of Harmony, or more accurately, the virtues they're attached to. Who can give me an example of a Virtue?"
Dawn, of course, was the first with a hoof up. "Dawn?"
"Responsibility!"
"Very nice. Anypony else?"
Melody was next. "Loyalty!" she said.
"Good! good."
Patch and Funshine commented in unison "Honesty!"
"Yes! Though, neither of you raised your hooves. Either way, you can all see that there are many virtues. But! if they're taken too far, they become a flaw. Can anypony give an example of a virtue flaw?"
Dawn raised a hoof. "Bravery can become Brashness, for one."
Clover was next. "Kindness can lead into Timidness." she said shyly.
Funshine remembered to raise a hoof first, this time. "Somepony who's Motherly can be smothering."
Luster was next. "Somepony who's Orderly can be obsessive-compulsive." she said. "Kinda... like me." she added.
Millet nodded. "That's alright, Luster. As you can see, we all have virtues, we all have flaws. On to a completely differet topic: Palindromes. Words and phrases that go forward and backwards."
"You mean like kayak?" Luster queried.
"Maybe racecar." Maroon put in, deliberately neglecting to put us a hoof.
Dawn raised a hoof.(1)
"Yes, Dawn?"
"Get this: Go hang a salami; I'm a lasagna hog."(2)
"Very nice, Dawn!"
Maroon grumbled. "Teacher's pet."
Now, Onomatopoeiae. That means words that sound like the action or sound effect it would make. Can anypony give any examples?"
Melody was first this time. "How 'bout 'Zap'!" she said, extending her wings and causing lightning to course along them.
"Thump!" Funshine said.
'Ring!'
The class made to get up, but Millet said, "Wait, wait! Everyony sit back down. That was Sweetheart giving an example of-"
RING
This time, everypony got up, leaving the classroom in a rush.
"For the love of Celestia." Millet said, with a facehoof.
Author's Note
1: If you haven't noticed, Dawn is pretty much the Gallant to Maroon's Goofus. Does anyone remember that series?
It was the beginning of class. Everypony was taking their seats. Millet took attendance -everypony was there- and then said, "Alright, class, this time there will be a special treat for all of you."
This incited some chattering, until Millet tapped one hoof on her desk, putting a stop to that.
"First, we're having a... pop-spelling-bee, you might call it -and NO groaning-." she said, adding the last part rather flatly. "Alright, Patch, spell Stallion. Stallion."
"Okay, I know this one... um.... S-t-um, a-y-u-lmn...."
Millet facehoofed. 'Patch does well on written tests, but clearly has a case of hoof-in-mouth syndrome. ' "Alright, Patch, hold off on that." she said while Patch rambled. "Tilde, spell Spectre. Spectre."
"S-P-E-C-T-R-E." Tilde replied straightly.
"Very good. Funshine, spell Warmth. Warmth."
"S-U-M-M-E-R. Warmth." Funshine said with a smug smile as everypony else laughed. "Just kidding, ma'am. W-A-R-M-T-H. Warmth."
Patch continued, "P, uh.... X.. N..."
"Don't confuse yourself, Patch." Millet warned. "Dawn, spell Curtains. Curtains."
Taking a page from Funshine's book, Dawn said, "I-C-A-N-'-T-S-E-E. Curtains." she said, smiling afterward, much to everypomy else's amusement. Funshine -who was next to Dawn this time- grinned and extended a hoof toward Dawn, who met it with her own, a soft click occuring. "But really, C-U-R-T-A-I-N-S. Curtains."
"Good. Maroon?"
"What."
"Maroon?"
"What."
"Maroon?"
"What."
Another facehoof. "Just spell wardrobes." Millet said dryly. 'I'll get him to behave eventually. '
As Maroon did so, Patch finished, "L-I-O-N. Stallion."
Millet deadpanned and said curtly, "Ye-ah. Retry, please."
"S-T-A-L-L-I-O-N." Patch said sheepishly, getting it right, this time. Millet raised her eyebrows for about a third of a second. 'Apparently, Patch can spell words that she's failed at spelling before. ' she thought. "Better. Starlight, spell Dazzling. Dazzling."
Starlight also joked, "S-P-O-T-L-I-G-H-T-S. Dazzling. Kidding! Kidding. D-A-Z-Z-L-I-N-G."
"Clover, spell Foals. Foals." Millet said, not even acknowledging Starlight's joke.
Not to be outdone, Clover spelled, "C-L-U-M-S-Y. Foals." smilng sheepishly afterward. Without needing to be asked, she spelled, "F-O-A-L-S. Foals."
After going around the class a few times with other, harder words, Millet finally said, "Very good, everypony! Now, since it's fairly warm today, we are going to go to the beach for today's field trip. As a bonus, if you can point out a creature from the area that somepony else hasn't pointed out already, you'll get an extra mark."
Just after everypony had filed out, Millet smiled and said, "Whatever will I do with these kids?" before she got up and left the class herself, remembering to shut the light off as she went out the door.
Shortly after having arrived, several creatures had been pointed out already. A starfish here, some shrimp there. At one point, Clover tugged on Millet's shirt. "C-c-crocodile!" she said shakily, the loudest she'd said anything to this point.
Millet's neck would have snapped it if she'd gone any faster. Sure enough, there was a crocodile making its way toward them.
Millet's eyes widened briefly. "Good eye, Clover. Why don't you go play in the water with the other foals? I'll deal with the self propelled Man-O'-War here." Millet said calmly, miming rolling up her nonexistent sleeves.
Millet took on a smoldering glare. She started to trot over to the crocodile, seething. "Alright, you. Let me make this clear to you and to any other predators on the beach here. If you do anything to my class, you'll WISH that I'd turned you into a handbag. And you'll be conscious for every. single. second of what I do to you. Capisce?"
The crocodile, looking rather fearful by this time, turned tail and set a new land speed record for its kind.
'As long as I'm kicking, ' Millet thought, 'nopony in my class is getting harmed. And woe betides the fool who tries it. '
Nodding curtly, she turned around and trotted back to her charges.