It was midday afternoon at Princess Celestia’s School for gifted Unicorns. The school bell rang and the colts, fillies, and one nymph that were outside for recess began filing in. The nymph, a young, 7-year-old Bandit, with his mane grey and his trademark cape on his back, got to the door first. Not to be the first one entering the school, but to hold it open for the other students. After everyone was inside, all of the unicorns and Bandit made their way to their classes. Bandit was one of the more excited students as he sat down at his desk, evident by the fact that his tail didn’t stop wagging.
Some of the other students took note of this and got to whispering.
“What’s he so excited about?”
“We get our grades back today.”
“Of course.”
In walked a light blue stallion with a yellowish gray mane and tail, gold eyes, and a cutie mark of a golden laurel wreath. He wore a light brown sweater over a collared shirt with a dark brown tie. In his magic, he had a lot of papers. This was Top Marks.
“Good afternoon class.” Top Marks said as he sat behind his desk. “I will pass out the grades to your nature projects after class.”
Top Marks placed the papers on the desk as he got up and walked over to the chalkboard.
“Now, can anyone tell me what this Nature Project has to do with magic?” Top Marks asked. Bandit raised his hoof. Top Marks looked at him. “Someone who isn’t always answering the questions.”
Bandit put his hoof down. No one else in the class raised their hoof. Top Marks looked back at Bandit.
“Bandit?” He called on.
“Because Nature is a magic all in itself.” Bandit answered.
“Exactly.” Top Marks said, turning back to the board. “Before Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies even evolved to use magic, they were amazed by the magic Nature had to offer.”
The class all quickly began taking notes, except one filly who forgot her quill. She was looking for one when Bandit levitated one over to her.
“Thank you.” She whispered before continuing to write. Bandit got his quill out and started writing down the notes as well.
By the time the class was over, Bandit had 2 notebooks full of notes and was currently writing in a third one.
“Okay, time for me to pass out your project grades.” Top Marks said. Bandit wrote down the last words he needed before closing the book. Top Marks began passing the graded papers back. The papers had what they did right on the project, what they did wrong on the project and the grade at the top. Judging by the reactions of the colts and fillies, most of them were getting Cs.
Then it got to Bandit. Bandit’s tail wagged heavily and Top Marks placed his paper down onto the desk and walked off. Bandit picked up the paper and turned it over to see his grade. His tail stopped wagging almost instantly.
The paper had everything Bandit did right with the project checked off. But at the top of the paper wasn’t a grade that reflected that.
B-
The fact that Bandit’s tail stopped wagging made the entire class look at him.
“What did he get?” A colt asked. But the bell rang. The students got out of Top Mark’s class so that they could head to the next one. Bandit was the last to leave his class.
The time came for school to end and Top Marks was in his classroom writing on some documents before there was a knock on the door. The door opened and Bandit poked his head in.
“Am I interrupting?” He asked politely.
“Yes.” Top Marks said without even looking up. Bandit closed the door and waited patiently. Top Marks stopped writing and looked at the door. He groaned.
“Come in.”
Bandit opened the door and walked in.
“What is it?” He asked him. Bandit took out the paper and placed it on his desk.
“I got a B- on my Nature project.” Bandit said as he flew onto a desk so Top Marks didn’t have to look over his desk to see him. “And it’s just…..well….”
“You think you deserve a better grade?” Top Marks assumed.
“No, It’s just, you didn’t say what was wrong with it.” Bandit said. Top Marks looked at the paper and saw he was right. He looked up at him.
“Okay then Bandit. Persuade me. Why should I change your grade?” Top Marks asked him. Bandit was a bit confused.
“Um...what?” Bandit asked.
“Tell me why I should change your grade.” He told him. Bandit was confused still before looking back at his paper.
“I don’t mind the grade, I just. I wanted to know what I did wrong.” Bandit answered. Top Marks looked at the paper and then at Bandit, placing his hooves on the table and under his own chin.
“Simply put, I don’t think you are someone who deserves an A. You need to be grateful I gave you a B.” He told him harshly. Bandit flinched from what he said and looked confused.
“I….I don’t understand. I-”
“Listen Bandit. Academically gifted or not, think about how you got into the school. Did you perform an entrance exam like everyone else? Or did Celestia grant you access into this school when you showed the slightest talent in magic?” Top Marks asked him.
“But I-”
“Be honest. If you had to do an entrance exam to get into the school, would we be having this conversation?” Top Marks asked. Bandit’s ears flopped.
“I..I think so.” Bandit managed to get out.
“Be honest with yourself Bandit. We wouldn’t be having this conversation. Because you wouldn’t be in this school. The name of the school is called, Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Are you a unicorn?” Top Marks asked. Bandit’s confidence was gone. He lowered his head.
“No.”
“Are you a pony?”
Bandit let out a sniffle. “No.”
“Yet you were entered into the school, without an entry exam, above other students, all because you’re the son of the Princess. Do you think that’s fair?”
Bandit wiped his face from the tears forming in his eyes.
“N-no.” He managed to get out.
“Then I’ll ask you again. Why should I change your grade?” He asked. Bandit was quiet, the tears slowly dropping onto the desk being his only answer. “It’s not fair to be given things for no reason, is it?”
“N-no.” Bandit answered. Top Marks moved the paper back to him. Bandit took it and walked out of the class. His head hung and tears flowed out.
Bandit walked out of the school and he was greeted by A red unicorn guard with yellow eyes and a blue ponytail coming out of the helmet he wore. His armor was of the red and gold variant rather than the normal golden armor. He also had teal unshorn fetlocks. This was Justice Shield, and he smiled upon seeing Bandit walk out.
“Hey there kiddo. Hope you had a good-” He got closer and saw Bandit’s face, and his smile was soon replaced with a look of concern. “-whoa whoa, what’s wrong?”
Bandit looked up at him and the tears flowing down his face were enough to get Justice to kneel to his height.
“What happened?” He asked. Bandit only wiped his tears, too upset to try and answer. Justice pulled him into a hug. Bandit hugged him back, dropping the paper in the process. Justice looked at the paper and saw the grade on it. He didn’t say a word as Bandit let go. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
Bandit nodded and was soon levitated onto his back, with the graded paper rolled up.
The next day, Bandit was sitting in Crystal Clear’s class, his final class for the day, with his head held up by his hoof and a sad expression on his face. Like in all his other classes during the day, his performance in his classes plummeted completely. Usually, the one raising his hoof to answer any questions given in class, this day he didn’t raise his hoof once. Usually volunteering for a demonstration for spells, this day he didn’t even bat an eye. Usually, the one taking the most notes, this day he barely filled out a page. It got to the point where most of the teachers were talking about it in the teacher’s lounge during lunch, and all of them were concerned.
Crystal Clear; a yellow coated unicorn mare with a curly, lavender mane, wearing a grey sweater with a light grey collared shirt underneath, a pair of glasses, and three brilliant-cut gemstones for her cutie mark, walked over to Bandit’s desk and took a look at his notes. She was surprised to see that his notes didn’t even take up half the page he was writing on. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was the same page from Apple Polish’s class from the beginning of the school day. She looked at him and sat so that she was in his line of sight.
“Prince Bandit?” She called. Bandit looked up at her. “Is everything okay? You barely took any notes.”
Bandit didn’t say a word, he just dejectedly looked back at his notes and continued to write with little motivation to do so. Crystal Clear placed a hoof on his shoulder.
“Do you need me to contact your mother?” She asked. Usually, when she asked that of a foal, it was to keep them from acting up. However, this was a genuine look of concern she had. Bandit nodded his head. Crystal Clear nodded and walked over to her desk and began writing a letter. The other classmates looked at him out of concern. She walked over to Bandit and handed him the scroll so he could send it. Bandit used his magic to send it and Crystal Clear patted him on the back to comfort him.
A few minutes later, Celestia was knocking on the door to the classroom. Crystal Clear opened the door and began talking to Celestia. As they talked, the filly Bandit gave his quill to yesterday walked over.
“Hey, are you okay?” She asked him. Bandit looked at her and shook his head. “Do you wanna talk about it?”
Bandit shook his head again.
“Do you want a hug?” She asked. Bandit sighed and nodded his head. The filly hugged his side and Bandit’s tail wagged one time. The filly let go. “Did that help?”
Bandit slightly nodded his head. She reached into her satchel to give Bandit his quill back. That’s when Crystal Clear opened the door.
“Prince Bandit, can you come here please?” She asked. Bandit stood up and walked in that direction. He looked back at the filly.
“You can keep the quill.” He told her before walking out of the class. The filly looked at the quill and put it back in her bag.
Outside the class, Bandit was met with his worried mother and other worried teachers. Apple Polish, Arpeggio, Celestia, and Crystal Clear were all faces he could see.
“Bandit. Please, talk to us. What’s wrong?” Celestia said as she sat down. Bandit took a seat, looking at Top Mark’s classroom before looking back at Celestia. He hung his head.
“I...I don’t deserve to be here.” Bandit said. The teachers all gasped.
“What?”
“That’s preposterous.”
“What makes you say that?”
The teachers spoke over one another before Celestia raised her hoof, quieting them. Celestia looked at Bandit.
“Bandit, what makes you say you don’t belong here?” Celestia asked him. Bandit hesitated briefly before answering.
“I’m…..I’m the only one who didn’t get an entry exam. I’m not a unicorn, or even a pony for that matter….I...I-” Bandit began tearing up again. Celestia wrapped a hoof around him. Arpeggio gave him a tissue, which he took to wipe his tears.
“Bandit, no one belongs here more than you.” Apple Polish told him.
“You’re the most magically gifted student to ever come into this school. You’re so advanced I let you teach the class for a day.” Arpeggio told him. “So what you didn’t perform an entry exam.”
“We’re the ones who decided you didn’t need to take it.” Crystal Clear told him. Bandit looked at them all before looking at Celestia.
“It’s true. When I told them about your gift in magic, and showed the aftermath, they jumped at the chance to have you in the school, especially when I told you how old you were.” Celestia told him. Bandit’s ears slowly began to perk up.
“Where on Equestria did you get the idea that you didn’t belong here?” Crystal Clear asked. Bandit briefly looked at Top Mark’s classroom yet again before rubbing the back of his head.
“I guess being the only Changeling in this school really got to me.” Bandit said. Unfortunately, Celestia was able to follow that brief look and took a mental note of the class he looked at.
“Don’t let it get to you, your highness. You’re gonna do great things in the future. We can all see it.” Apple Polish told him. The bell started to ring and classes were over.
“Thank you.” Bandit said to the teachers.
“Don’t mention it. We’ll see you after the weekend.” Arpeggio smiled. Bandit smiled back and nodded. Celestia placed Bandit onto his back and walked out of the school. Astral Comet and Justice Shield walked over and Celestia placed Bandit on their back.
“Astral Comet. Justice Shield, please take Bandit to the royal kitchen for ice cream. I have to have a little talk with Top Marks.” Celestia said. They both saluted, and Bandit was able to catch what she meant.
“Wait. Mom.” Bandit called. Celestia turned and looked at him.
“Yes Sweetie?” Celestia asked.
“Please don’t fire him.” Bandit requested. Celestia smiled and kissed him on the forehead.
“You have my word sweetie.” She said. The guards went back to the castle with Bandit as Celestia walked into the school.
After class was over, Top Marks was in his classroom writing on some documents yet again before there was a knock on the door. He looked up to see Celestia already in his classroom, and of course, he froze.
“Y-your highness!” He exclaimed.
“Don’t act like you’re surprised to see me Top Marks.” She said as she walked to the desk with the paper in her magic. She walked over and sat in front of his desk.
“So, I saw the grade you gave my son. I also know comments you gave to him pertaining to him being this school.” She said. Top Marks gulped.
“Well, y-your majesty I-”
“Did you know that when he was a baby, the first time he sneezed, he blew a hole in the roof?” Celestia asked him, glaring daggers at him.
“Well, y-yes, but-”
“Did you know that on his fifth birthday he made his shadow come to life, so he could climb on its back to grab a cookie jar?” Celestia asked him.
“Y-yes. It’s why-”
“It’s why the teachers wanted him in the school. Why I wanted to have him in the school. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes your highness.” Top Marks answered.
“Did you know that it was your fellow teachers that didn’t want an entry exam from him? Not me that just, entered him into the school, right?” She asked.
“Yes your highness.” Top Marks answered.
“So let me get this straight. You know how strong his magic is. You know why he didn’t take the entrance exam. You know how hard Bandit works on all of his assignments, and projects, which he spent 17 hours researching for the past 2 weeks for this one. And you know he isn’t here simply because he’s my son. Yet you give him this grade and tell my son that he doesn’t deserve to be here.” Celestia scolded him. Top Marks seemingly began to lower his head.
“Your highness, I-”
“The only thing keeping you from being fired right now is because my little prince was still good-natured enough to request that I don’t fire you. Do you understand that?” Celestia told him. He nodded his head. “Now, here’s what you’re going to do.”
She moved the paper towards him, where Top Marks could see that big, B- on his paper.
“You’re going to fix that grade, and it’s going to be the last grade you Bandit because as of today, he will not be in your class. Understood?” Celestia told him. Top Marks nodded and began to fix the grade. Changing the B- to an A-. Celestia took the paper and walked out of the classroom. As soon as she was out, Top Marks fainted from his chair.
In the royal kitchen, Bandit was using his magic to hold his ice cream cone as he ate. He was holding another ice cream cone, which Blue, his Austrailian Death Sphinx, was eating out of.
A few seconds later, Celestia walked in, moving past two heavily armored guards who were shaking in fear.
“How did it go?” Bandit asked as he kept eating.
“I made sure that grade was changed, as for Top Marks. I’ve pulled you from that class. In place of it, I’ll be teaching you personally from now on. You like the sound of that?” Celestia asked him. Bandit placed the Blue’s cone in her cassowary claws before flying to Celestia and hugging her. Celestia giggled and hugged her back. “I knew you would.”
Author's Note
Welp, that's gonna do it for this interseason short. I was Quarantined for the 2nd time so I pumped this out. I do hope you liked this. I left quite a bit to the imagination this time, to see if you all had any predictions of what was happening, or who the filly was. Allow me to tell you.
The filly Bandit let keep his quill, was Vinyl Scratch. She now uses that Quill to write her music. Why was she in the gifted school for unicorns? You'll see in Season 3.
Let me know what other insights to Bandit's nymphhood you want to see.
Now that that's done, I'm off to continue season 2.
