Sapiophilia

Chapters

Student Teacher
Knowledge is Magic
A Learning Experience
Bittersweet
Epilogue: Reunion

Student Teacher

As Ponyville found itself gaining more and more residents over time, so too did Cheerilee find her classes growing larger. She had tried breaking up the blocks of students, teaching different grades at different times or on different days, but it eventually got to the point that if the humble little Ponyville Schoolhouse was going to keep up with EEA standards, she was going to have to bring on an assistant teacher. There weren't a lot of ponies with the proper background in education to be found locally, but fortunately, since Princess Twilight was now on good terms with the EEA, she would be able to assist in getting an excellent teacher transferred in.

At least, that's what Cheerilee hoped. Truthfully, the Equestrian Education Association was starting to look down on the archaic system of one-room schoolhouses that had dominated the nation's villages for the past century. More and more places were building large, metropolitan-style schools for every grade, even in the smaller population centers; meanwhile, in the shadow of the capital, Ponyville's population kept increasing, but it still maintained its homely, intimate schoolhouse, essentially operated and upkept by a single pony. There were times when Cheerilee barely managed to skirt by with EEA compliance, and the Greater Canterlot Board of Education certainly didn't provide adequate funding for new materials. Of course, the citizens of Ponyville were more than generous, willing to repair playground equipment or buy a few new textbooks, but keeping the school running to the standards expected of it was still a daunting task, one that Cheerilee wasn't sure she could keep up with in perpetuity.

Still, the addition of a second teacher would be a welcome change, and Cheerilee was confident that her pupils would now receive the comprehensive help they deserved. Cheerilee smiled, thinking of their bright eyes and smiling faces, as she sat next to Twilight Sparkle at the train station, waiting for her new aide to arrive.

"The two o'clock should be along any moment now." said Cheerilee. "I can't believe you sent for somepony all the way from the Crystal Empire just to come and help me teach! Such a haven of the arts and sciences..."

"Only the best for Ponyville's youth!" Twilight replied with a smile. "I didn't know you were so excited about the Crystal Empire though, Cheerilee."

"Oh, when I was in college, what I would have given to visit the Crystal Empire!" she said, bringing her hooves together in delight. "Of course, it wouldn't reappear until you came along, Twilight... but I read so much about their society's advancements. Their scholars revolutionized science, mathematics, the study of magic... and believe me, when I was your age, I read all of those and more!" Cheerilee gave a small laugh as she remembered those days, back when she had time to read and learn to her heart's content. "I wanted to know everything there was to know, and to share it with anypony who'd listen!"

"I suppose that's a good quality to find in a teacher!" Twilight said, tossing a wing around her friend. "Your new teaching assistant is just like that. If you want to know about pretty much anything, this is the pony for you!"

Not long after Cheerilee had brought it up, the two o'clock train came rolling into the station, lurching to a stop with a hiss of steam and a note on its whistle. The doors on the passenger cars clattered open to expel their riders, dozens of ponies spreading across the platform with luggage in tow. From out among the chaos stepped a unicorn, a young stallion with his back weighed down with books. His mane was slightly unkempt, and would probably have looked childish if not for his equally scraggy goatee. His coat was orange like a creamsicle, and had a sock pattern in white on his hooves, along with a charming stripe down his snout. His eyes, light blue and happy, gazed out from behind pince-nez spectacles, and on his back he wore a blue, star-patterned cloak, looking to all the world like an aspiring wizard.

Twilight spotted the lad and motioned him over with a hoof. They smiled upon spotting each other.

"Cheerilee," Twilight began, cantering over to meet the stallion "this is Sunburst! He's the pony I sent for to help you teach. Sunburst, this is Cheerilee, who runs the Ponyville Schoolhouse!" The princess eagerly gestured back towards the purplish mare who was walking up to greet them.

"How do you do?" Cheerilee said with a smile.

"Oh, uh, fine!" Sunburst said after taking a moment to parse the greeting as a question. "It's nice to meet you." The two ponies shook hooves in greeting.

Twilight briefly chuckled and threw a wing around her friend. "Sunburst is one of the smartest ponies I know, and I'm sure he'll prove helpful in educating the foals."

"Well, I should hope so." Cheerilee replied, tapping a hoof idly on the platform. "This fall's classes are going to be some of the largest I've ever dealt with, especially in the younger grades. Come along and I'll show you the way to the schoolhouse."

The three of them chatted as they trotted along the dirt road through town. Sunburst sorted through the innumerable books he'd brought along, lifting them in his magic as he went through his preparations for the semester and ideas for different parts of the curriculum. Cheerilee listened intently, occasionally glancing back over her shoulder as she led the way toward the schoolgrounds.

"I've been reading up on different theories of education for children, namely ages five to seven and eight to ten." Sunburst said, rapidly flipping through a small, dense book, stopping on a page he'd marked. "Perfect Plume recommends a holistic approach to teaching most subjects, as opposed to rote memorization and quizzing; I figured combining that with certain elements of a traditional classroom setting, not unlike that advocated by Scholar Skill, would optimize the children's engagement in the course."

Cheerilee laughed. "My goodness, Perfect Plume..." she thought. "I think I had that same textbook in college." She turned to face him, carefully walking backwards for a few moments. "Not a bad idea, Sunburst. I admit, I do like Ms. Plume's methods myself, though the EEA doesn't really allow for their full exploration. They're more in favor of Rigor Stern's Principles of Education. Though, that's not to say we don't manage to have fun here in Ponyville!"

"I've heard that the Changeling education system takes a lot of influence from Perfect Plume;" Twilight added "allowing students to get an enriching, rounded education in the basics while also letting them explore their own interests. I'll have to write to Thorax and find out more!"

Sunburst fiddled with his goatee. "I wonder if we took the existing Sternian methods and combined them with the principles espoused in Swift Mind's Philosophia Disciplīnārum... I know it's a rather deep cut, the text is almost as old as Equestria itself, but I think there's a lot to be gained from--"

"I hate to interrupt," Cheerilee said "but here we are!"

The rustic red Ponyville Schoolhouse stood before them, aged but dignified, with its flagpole flying the town banner. It had been a good two summers since its last coat of paint, but its fanciful designs with hearts crowning the windows were still just as lovely. The shingles on the roof had held up well, and the weathervane atop the bell tower only squeaked a little bit.

"The first thing we'll need to do before the semester begins is to clean up the place a little." Cheerilee continued. "You'd be surprised how much dust this old place can collect over the summer." She smiled as she wiped some dirt off the top of the sign out front; her smile quickly faded after a unexpected bird dropping landed on it from far above.

"Well, I'd be lying if I said I kept my own place tidy..." Sunburst chuckled "but you just tell me what to put where and I'm sure we'll be ready for class in no time!"

"I can help out some too!" Twilight added, smiling. "I've got about a half-hour before I need to meet Rarity at the boutique. She's going to be designing outfits for the Old Ponish Faire in Vanhoover and she knows I can be counted on for historical accuracy!"

"Ooh!" Sunburst blurted out. "Can you get me a ticket?"

Cheerilee laughed, trotting up the path to the schoolhouse door. "Come on, you two! We have work to do!"

Opening up and cleaning out the schoolhouse proved an easier task with more than one pony working at it. In the weeks that passed between Sunburst's arrival and the first day of school, the teacher and her aide swept out the old hay covering the packed earth floor and put down a fresh layer, cleaned and polished the desks and brought in a couple brand new ones, made the trimmings around the ceiling and windows look presentable, and reorganized the classroom's library, along with introducing a few new books to the shelves. It didn't feel like long at all until the bell rang on a crisp autumn morning, welcoming the first class of the day to the Ponyville Schoolhouse.

The first class consisted of about 20 fillies and colts, a few grades behind the Cutie Mark Crusaders and around ages six and seven. Cheerilee had made sure she looked her best today, her mane freshly done from the salon and wearing a crisp neckerchief to ward off the breeze. Sunburst likewise had tamed his orange mane--an impressive feat--and his cloak looked brighter and cleaner than when Cheerilee had first met him.

The children were a mixed bag of behaviors: some chatted among themselves, some sat excitedly at their desks, and others looked nervous to be in a new setting with ponies they didn't know. Cheerilee had seen every trait before, and knew just how to handle each of their needs. She smiled as she stood from her desk and walked around to the front of the classroom; Sunburst stood to the side until he was needed and the students all turned to face forward.

"Good morning, students!" Cheerilee beamed. "I'm Miss Cheerilee, and I'm glad to be your teacher this year."

Some students greeted her with varying degrees of warmth and enthusiasm; some of the more nervous children mumbled a greeting, if at all.

"Now, I know that not everypony is used to a setting like this, and that's okay. We all go new places and try new things in life, and it's okay to be nervous about it. I've heard from some of your parents that some of you are new to town, and I want to welcome you on behalf of all Ponyville! If you don't mind, could I see a show of hooves as to who's new in town?"

More hooves went up than was initially expected, about 11 in all. Fortunately, most of these children seemed to be full of energy, having adjusted well to their new home, though some, namely one pink filly seated at the front, were slow to raise their hooves, uneasy being surrounded by new faces.

"Quite a few of you!" Cheerilee said, her smile never leaving. "I hope you all find that Ponyville is a nice, friendly place to live. I'm sure some of you are still nervous being here, or still miss your old homes or old schools or old friends; and hey, that's okay too! I'm here not only to teach you, but to help you feel as safe and comfortable as possible while you're in these walls." She turned her eyes towards Sunburst, who straightened his cloak and stepped towards the front.

"You're not alone, after all." Cheerilee continued. "Besides your fellow classmates, my student teacher is also new to town."

Sunburst cleared his throat, though his voice still cracked slightly as he introduced himself. "Hello everypony! My name is Sunburst, and, uh... I come all the way from the Crystal Empire." Some of the students oohed at the mention of such a faraway place. "I'm very eager to get to know you all and show you how much fun learning can be!"

"Speaking of learning," Cheerilee continued "I think it would be nice for everypony to learn each other's names! After all, we're going to be sitting together for quite a while!"

"Let's start on this side and work from front to back." Sunburst added, taking the initiative. Cheerilee smiled at seeing his enthusiasm reflected in the children. The two teachers took turns calling on each filly and colt, some of which, of course, were more hesitant to stand up and introduce themselves. The little pink filly at the front seemed the most nervous of all, but by the end of their class, it seemed as though she would eventually warm up to Cheerilee and Sunburst.

As usual, the first day of class didn't involve any work, mostly serving as an introduction to the teachers, the class, and the curriculum. The youngsters' morning class let out at around 11 o'clock, and their seats were filled by the older foals nearing the end of their tenure with Cheerilee, the Cutie Mark Crusaders among them.

"Howdy, Miss Cheerilee!" chimed Apple Bloom as she and her classmates trotted in through the door.

"Good afternoon, class!" Cheerilee smiled as her favorite group of students shuffled to their seats. "How does it feel to be starting the sixth grade?"

"I'm excited!" said Scootaloo, buzzing her wings. "And I'm ready to learn all sorts of stuff!"

"Miss Cheerilee, who's that?" asked Sweetie Belle, who gestured toward Sunburst.

"This is Mr. Sunburst, my teaching assistant for this year." Cheerilee replied. "He came all the way from the Crystal Empire on Princess Twilight's request."

"Hey, we've been there!" Apple Bloom said, leaning forward in her seat. "Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and I carried Ponyville's flag at the Equestria Games!"

"H-Hey, I remember that! Great performance!" Sunburst replied. Truthfully, he didn't think he had been; it was probably another one of those big events he spent huddled up in his house studying, but if it helped him bond with his students, so be it. The girls all smiled regardless.

Cheerilee reached into her desk, retrieved a stack of papers, and asked Sunburst to pass them out.

"This syllabus will tell you what sorts of things you'll be learning this year." She said. "I hope you all find something you enjoy! Sunburst and I will certainly enjoy teaching you along the way."

The classroom became filled with the sound of rustling paper as the fillies and colts flipped through the sheets. Sweetie Belle eyed her copy up and down, examining the list closely.

"Ooh, we get to make food?"

Cheerile nodded. "Home economics, that's always a fun one!"

Apple Bloom's eyes lit up as she spotted a familiar subject. "Hey, look! There's chemistry! I learned a little bit about that from Zecora."

Scootaloo tilted her head confusedly, turning back to show her paper to Sweetie Belle. "Huh... what's this one? 'Re-pro-duct-ive biology'...?"

Sunburst's eyes widened; he nervously glanced at Cheerilee, who flattened her ears and shrugged.

"We have to cover it eventually. EEA standards."

The first week of classes went as well as Cheerilee had hoped, if not better. Through the numerous, larger classes scheduled at different times of the day or on different days of the week, Sunburst had kept a level, organized head and proved an enthusiastic teacher. Cheerilee commended him for his work, though he humbly expressed that he was just doing his job. Nonetheless, the students benefitted from having two teachers around, which made them both happy; quickly, friendships began to form between students, between students and teachers, and between the teachers themselves.

Knowledge is Magic

It had been a couple of weeks since the school year started, and the autumn weather was becoming more brisk, though there was still the occasional sweltering afternoon. The mornings, however, were definitely cooler, and it was those kinds of mornings that Cheerilee enjoyed. The walk to work in the chilly air helped wake her up and sharpen her mind for the day ahead... along with no small amount of coffee. The sun was barely awake over the horizon when Sunburst entered in, forcing the door shut against the breeze behind him. Cheerilee was sitting at her desk, sipping coffee and grading papers.

"Good morning, Miss Cheerilee." Sunburst said, awkwardly trying to straighten himself out from the blustery weather.

"Oh please, Sunburst, just call me Cheerilee." She glanced up with a small smile. "At least while there aren't students around."

Sunburst cleared his throat. "Yes, well, um... Cheerilee, what's on the schedule for today?" He sat atop a nearby student's desk.

"Well," she began "today, the morning class is going to be learning some simple geometry and getting a nice storytime about Gusty the Great." She paused to shuffle her graded papers back together and sip at her coffee. "Then, the older kids will have their phys. ed. assignment followed by a history lesson and maybe a math review, if we have time. Later this afternoon, the youngest class will be reviewing shapes and colors--I've invited Applejack to come and play a lovely little song for them as well--and the last class of the day is..." Cheerilee rifled through the papers on her desk until she found the right one "the fourth grade, who will be learning about metamorphosis and be introduced to the caterpillars we'll be raising."

"Sounds like quite a lot of work!" Sunburst said. "But I'm happy to help mold young minds." He magically reached into his cloak, pulling out a thermos full of soup and sipping from it.

"I've been meaning to ask, Sunburst," Cheerilee rested her chin on her forehooves "where did you go to school?"

"Well, when I was a foal, Sire's Hollow had a kindergarten that Starlight and I both attended." He said, tugging at his goatee in thought. "Then once I got my Cutie Mark, I enrolled in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. I pretty much completed the rest of my education there."

"Hmm. No higher education?"

"Well, not that I haven't thought about it, but for now I think I just enjoy doing my own research whenever it strikes me. I'm sure you know by now that I love magic and its theory. Maybe one day I'll apply to one of the spellcrafting schools that Starswirl founded." He paused for a moment. "...What about you?"

Cheerilee sat back up in her chair, taking her coffee in both hooves. "Well, I was born and raised right here in Ponyville. Attended this very school; Stage Play ran it back then, back when one-room schoolhouses were still in vogue. After that, I attended Canterlot Academy--that was before Ponyville High was built--and went for a teaching degree at the University of Canterlot. My Cutie Mark always told me I would help children learn and grow, but I didn't know just how much I would learn and grow along with them. I don't think I'd rather do anything else."

"In learning, you will teach, and in teaching, you will learn." Sunburst replied with a smile.

Cheerilee chuckled. "That's one of Perfect Plume's quotes, I'd recognize it anywhere." She scooted back from her desk and pulled open one of its drawers, retrieving the protractor and ruler she'd need for that morning's geometry lesson. "Those quotes bring back such good memories for me; all the ponies I knew in Canterlot, all the things there were to learn, the endless possibilities..."

She took a piece of chalk in her mouth and began to scribble on the board before Sunburst got up and stood beside her.

"Please, allow me." he said, gingerly lifting the chalk in his horn's aura and scrawling the day's date and subject across the top of the blackboard.

"Miss Cheerilee, this one looks funny, what is it called again?"
"Mr. Sunburst, I broke my pencil. Can I have a new one?"
"How do you spell 'rhombus'?"
"Can I go to the bathroom?"

The foals were full of questions that day, but at least they were showing engagement in the subject. Sunburst and Cheerilee went about the class, helping however they could, frequently referring back to shapes drawn on the board.

"That's called a trapezoid, Starshot." Cheerilee explained to the little unicorn whose flank glittered with stars. "Think of it as if somepony sliced the top right off that triangle up there." The filly drew a line through the shape she'd already drawn and wrote out 'trapezoid' as best as she could guess its spelling next to it to remind herself.

"See if you can think of something that's shaped like a trapezoid!" Cheerilee smiled as she stepped a couple of desks over to help another student. It was the little pink filly that sat near the front, the one that seemed the shyest on the first day. Though she was still hesitant to talk to other students, Cheerilee had at least managed to make a connection with her, and her grades had so far been good.

"Are you doing okay, Gumdrop?" Cheerilee asked, gently sitting beside her desk. The little earth pony glanced down at her paper; barely any of the lines connecting the dots were straight, and her writing wasn't very legible. The filly had had difficulty with her mouthwriting, something Cheerilee had helped many children with before, and was doing so again for this one. Gumdrop looked downtrodden as she laid down her pencil, but Cheerilee put a comforting hoof on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, you'll get there. I want you to practice writing with your parents after class, okay? And if you ever need me for anything, they know where to find me." The child looked up without a word, but her eyes said everything. She embraced Cheerilee in a hug. "I believe in you, kiddo."

She happily watched as the filly picked up her pencil and tried her shapes again with gusto. Inside though, Cheerilee's heart sank a little. She really wished she could devote as much time as Gumdrop or any student needed to one-on-one instruction, but it was a big class with a time crunch. She was determined to help teach as many of Ponyville's children as she could, but in the end, she knew that meant some might not get as much help as they deserved.

Meanwhile, across the classroom, Sunburst used wooden building blocks to demonstrate some of geometry's uses to a group of students.

"See? Just a few squares and a triangle, arranged properly, and you've basically got a house!"

"So... everything can kind of be broken down into basic shapes, can't it?" asked one of the colts, a spunky kid named Bronco.

"Well, yes! In a sense, they can be." Sunburst said, adjusting his glasses. "That's one of the many uses of geometry. Observe!"

Sunburst took several of the blocks in his magic, including some circles, rectangles, and triangles, and rearranged them into a rough outline of a pony, even animating it in his aura.

"Cool! You made a pony!" said Journey, the colt's sister.

"And that's not all you can make!" Sunburst continued rearranging the blocks into various shapes, adding or subtracting pieces as needed. "You can make a wagon... a fish... a dog... a boat... even the Castle of the Two Sisters!"

The foals tilted their heads or cocked their ears in different ways, not yet having learned of what the castle was.

"Uh...? Sunburst?"

Sunburst sheepishly turned towards Cheerilee.

"Maybe that's enough block-time for you."

The children had a good laugh as Sunburst rolled his eyes and dusted off his cloak, shuffling the blocks back into their container.

As the last class of the day dismissed that afternoon, the schoolhouse's two teachers swept the straw on the floor back into shape, cleaned off the chalkboard and took the erasers outside to be dusted. Sunburst took the small netted cage that the class caterpillars lived in and carefully set it by the window, allowing the plants inside to get some sunlight, even as the little creatures feasted on them.

"I think that was sweet how you helped that filly conquer her fear of insects, Sunburst." Cheerilee remarked as she gathered stray books to reshelve.

"Well, to be honest, I once had quite the case of entomophobia myself." He replied. "She got over her jitters much faster than I did. If I had let that caterpillar crawl on me when I was her age, I'd probably be running up and down the walls screaming."

Cheerilee laughed. "My thing was always reptiles. Still sort of is, to be honest. Anything with scales I'm not a big fan of, although I do think animals are a great thing to learn about." She paused for a moment, flicking her ear in thought. "Actually, I'm not sure there's anything that I don't think is fun to learn about."

"Tell me about it!" said Sunburst, trotting over to one of the bookshelves. "For most of my life, I felt like I was the only pony who read encyclopedias for fun. Now, I not only know Twilight, but you as well!"

Cheerilee swirled around on her rear hooves, clutching a textbook to her chest. "Knowledge for knowledge's sake is such an admirable pursuit, isn't it? I mean, I spent so much time in the library in college, my friends thought I lived there!" She was interrupted by a laugh bubbling up from inside her. "One time, my sister came to visit me on campus, and couldn't find me in the library, so she started frantically asking around for where I was-- I had already gotten on the train back to Ponyville to come see her!"

Sunburst let out a chortle of his own. "That's great! It reminds me of the train riddle in the latest issue of Equestrian Science Quarterly." Before Sunburst could elaborate further, Cheerilee took a loud step forward with a broad smile.

"You get that magazine too?!"

"Wh-Why yes!" Sunburst gave a surprised smile. "Did you read the article about the solar system?"

"Oh my gosh, yes." Cheerilee replied in exaggerated fashion. "The part about Sine Wave's research into the Secretariat Comet was astounding; it basically confirms what Neighton suspected to be true hundreds of years ago!"

"And the bit about the planets affecting each others' orbit ever so slightly over millennia?"

"And the newly-discovered moons orbiting the gas giants!"

"And the new observatory they finished building in Yakyakistan with a one-of-a-kind telescope that's 30 feet long--"

"--With a lens crafted from a special magnifying gemstone from the Crystal Mountains--"

"--That will be able to look so far off into space, it may give us a chance to research--"

The voice of the two intellectuals excitedly came together at the end of the thought.

"--The origins of the observable universe!"

As the two excitedly shared wide-eyed grins, it took a moment for them to notice that they'd slowly been taking steps with each sentence fragment and now stood awkwardly close to each other. Cheerilee was the first to break eye contact and notice this, sheepishly clearing her throat and putting on a tiny smile.

"Yes, um, well..." she took a gingerly step backwards. "I suppose great minds think alike..."

Sunburst adjusted his glasses and ran a hoof down the back of his neck. "Or they at least... have, heh... similar... reading material..."

Cheerilee realized she was still clutching the book to her chest as though her life depended on it. She quietly trotted back across the room to reshelve it.

"I must have gotten quite excited talking about that article." She thought. "My heart is beating like a drum! Maybe I just haven't engaged that part of my brain in a while and it felt good to let it run."

Sunburst lifted a keyring in his aura and spun through them until he found the one for the schoolhouse.

"I'm ready to head out whenever you are, Cheerilee."

Cheerilee gathered up a few things from her desk to work on at home and stuffed them into her saddlebags. She stood in silent thought for a moment, looking out the empty door. Sunburst leaned into her line of sight curiously.

"...Miss Cheerilee?"

The magenta mare shook the sense back into her head. "Sorry, Sunburst, I must've zoned out there."

She quietly trotted out the door, which Sunburst closed and locked as he backed out.

"Guess I'll see you in the morn--"

"Sunburst, would you like to grab dinner?"

The words came out so quickly she didn't realize she'd said them. Fortunately, her embarrassment wasn't noticeable. Sunburst's slightly was.

"H-What?"

"I mean..." Cheerilee's mind fired faster than a Wonderbolt to search for the right words. "I enjoy our conversations about school, education, things we've learned or are learning about... why don't we... keep this going over dinner? Consider it my treat to properly welcome you to Ponyville, and in honor of the great work you've been doing with the students."

To her great relief, Sunburst smiled warmly.

"Why, that sounds wonderful, Cheerilee! Let me stop by the hotel and drop off these bags, then I'll meet you at the town square, let's say? You can pick the place, I don't really know what there is to eat here. Maybe I'll even tell you about the research I've been doing into Haycartes' work!"

"Sounds good!" Cheerilee said with a nod. The two waved goodbye to each other and Cheerilee began the walk back to her house. The prospect of a good intellectual conversation excited her even more than she let on, and adding food to the mix only made it better. She still wasn't quite sure what made her spring the proposition on Sunburst so suddenly; maybe she was just starved for a good conversation. Or maybe it was the way his eyes lit up when he talked about his passion for learning, the childlike excitement spread across his face, and his enthusiasm to share it with others. No wonder he made a good teacher, she thought.

The semester had only just begun, and Cheerilee looked forward to seeing what more was in store.

A Learning Experience

That evening spent between Cheerilee and Sunburst was not only highly educational, but also a good, jovial experience, and the two would have many more like it as the semester wore on. Days turned into weeks turned into months; students grew and learned and had plenty of fun doing it. Friendships were formed or became stronger; even timid little Gumdrop from the morning class made herself a couple of friends and found her voice, and, under Cheerilee's guidance, her writing improved along with her grades.

The autumn winds became brisker, and the sun shone less and less. Caterpillars grew into butterflies, which the foals set free so they could migrate--one filly even earned her Cutie Mark in entomology right there in front of the class. Through it all, Sunburst and Cheerilee taught the students as best they could, one-on-one or in groups. Whatever the subject, book, or exercise, the students of all classes found their grades improving and their time spent at school more fulfilling.

The teachers would often stay long after hours at the school, if not cleaning up or going over lesson plans, simply talking; in fact, Cheerilee considered it some of the best friendly conversation she'd ever had. She and Sunburst learned much about each other, talking long into the evening over books or dinner; their likes and dislikes, details of their lives, hopes and aspirations, flaws and insecurities. They had truly become friends over the course of the semester, and they were both happy to say so.

One afternoon, on a day in which the oldest children were the final class of the day, Cheerilee and Sunburst once again started up a conversation to make the tedium of cleaning up the classroom pass easier; on this particular day, there was quite a bit to clean up, given the unfortunate misadventure that resulted from the home economics lesson.

"It's kind of a shame that Snips and Snails' soufflé went so drastically wrong." Sunburst remarked, wiping down the desks with a sponge. "I think their recipe was really inspired."

"Well, I told them that you can't rush baking, especially by casting an untested spell on the oven." Cheerilee replied as she rolled the fried remains of the portable oven out of the door. "At least we got all the batter cleaned up, finally... but I have a feeling I'm going to have to reimburse the EEA for this thing."

Sunburst plopped the sponge back into the bucket of soapy water. "With luck, it's an older model." He said. "Maybe they'll just replace it with something newer and not complain."

Cheerilee chuckled. "At least most of the class got to complete their dishes without any trouble. Apple Bloom got to show off her Apple Family pie-making skills, and Sweetie Belle's strawberry tart smelled absolutely delightful."

"Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon did quite a good job as well," Added Sunburst, leaning on one of the desks. "though I admit their focus was more on appearance rather than flavor."

Cheerilee leaned back in her chair happily. "I could see the enjoyment in the children's eyes, though. Despite the mishap, they had a good time today. They'll come back and be eager to learn more... that's my favorite part of this job."

Sunburst wiped his glasses on his cloak and levitated them back up to his snout, blinking his eyes a few times to adjust.

"It's always satisfying to see somepony gripped by the pursuit of knowledge. It can be an enjoyable experience by itself, but you can't deny that adding food into the mix makes it better." The two of them shared a brief laugh.

"Though, if I really had to choose," Sunburst continued "I'd say my favorite part is getting to inspire these young minds alongside somepony who's so inspired to do so."

Cheerilee's ears perked up, and she sat upright in her chair. "...Oh?"

"Well, yeah!" The young stallion said. "I may be a lifelong student and enjoy sharing what I've learned, but you, this is your destiny. Your Cutie Mark called you to be an educator, and you devote every bit of yourself to being a good one. I can only imagine how the colts and fillies must feel to have a teacher who's so devoted to her craft, and passes down her enthusiasm to learn to her pupils... well, to be honest, I think you've rubbed off on me anyway."

Cheerilee crossed her hooves over her heart and smiled. "Oh, Sunburst... thank you. That means a lot, really." The student teacher returned a gracious smile and went about finishing his chores. Though she couldn't translate exactly how she felt into words, the sentiment that Sunburst had shared sat warmly in her heart, swimming about and making her feel good. It also made her think in-depth about this friendship she'd made, and what she desired of it in the future.

Another week passed, and Cheerilee found herself distracted, if not concerned.

No matter what she did to try and re-center her mind, Cheerilee couldn't stop thinking about Sunburst. She admired his intelligence, his enthusiasm, and the esteem in which he held their friendship, an esteem which she had come to share. She adored their conversations, indulging herself in the knowledge they could both impart on each other. Much to her surprise, she'd even found her thoughts drifting to things beyond the intellectual: his mane, his eyes, his adorable smile... at first, Cheerilee admonished herself for having these thoughts, but soon her emotions became undeniable. Was she really starting to love him?

All these blisses and their accompanying worries ran through her head one cool Friday afternoon, just before the Running of the Leaves. The last class of the day had let out, and by the time they would be finished with cleaning and reorganizing, the sun would be on its way across the west horizon. Sunburst volunteered to do most of the work while Cheerilee graded a large batch of tests and dealt with various files and forms that the EEA needed for the impending end of the semester.

She looked up at him occasionally between signing forms or putting golden star stickers on tests. He wore a contented little smile on his muzzle as he stood on a stepstool, dusting above the window frames and carefully avoiding the pieces of student artwork that hung there. Her eyes trailed down to his legs and the muscles in them, not overly fit but noticeable in his present position. The curve of his hip was suggested beneath his cloak, and Cheerilee tried to visualize the rest of his form that it concealed. She blushed and gave a tiny shake of her head, trying to focus on the work at hoof, but it wasn't but a few minutes before her mind wandered back to her friend across the room. Her eyes scanned her desk in thought, looking over the tests, the EEA forms, and her nervously-chewed pencil.

She looked up again at Sunburst, the heat gathering in her face.

"Hmm... Sunburst, how old are you?" She quickly uttered, managing to emit a fairly normal voice.

"22." He succinctly replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, just filling out paperwork!" Cheerilee replied in a singsong-y tone. She quickly turned her face back toward the desk.

"Damn." She thought. Cheerilee had turned 33 that spring. "I'm eleven years older than him. That won't look good if anypony finds out. But then... we're both adults... and..." The mare pinched her eyes shut and reopened them, wincing. She couldn't stop thinking about him, she had to let him know. But it wouldn't be easy. If he didn't feel the same way, it could hurt their friendship. If word got out and turned into gossip, it could hurt both their reputations, or even their careers. But Cheerilee couldn't deny it any longer: she had serious feelings for him, and if she allowed him to go back to the Crystal Empire at the end of the year without letting him know, it would hurt her more than any amount of lost face.

She closed her eyes, took a deep, calming breath, and rose from her desk to walk towards him.

"Sunburst..." Cheerilee began "...a question, if you please."

Sunburst climbed down from the stepstool and put aside the feather duster, greeting her with a little smile and a spark of curiosity.

"Ask away."

"...Are you familiar with the concept of... sapiophilia?"

Sunburst tugged at his goatee.

"Hmm. I think so." He said. "It's the concept of romantic attraction towards somepony that is primarily based on the subject's intelligence, correct? From root words meaning 'love of wisdom.'"

"Exactly." Cheerilee replied, crossing one forehoof behind the other. "I ask because... I think... I think I feel that towards somepony..."

"Hmm! I'm not usually one for gossip, but this sounds like a chance to learn. Tell me about them."

"Well..." Cheerilee fought back the knot in her stomach to continue speaking. "He's very intelligent, obviously, but also very sweet and considerate... he's got a great energy about him when it comes to learning and sharing his knowledge, and when he talks about things he loves, I just... I don't want to listen to anything else." Her face began flushing bright red.

"Not only that, but he's got a cute smile, beautiful eyes, and just the greatest care for his friends. I've known him for a while now, and... I just can't stop thinking about him."

Sunburst seemed intrigued, though clueless. "Well, he sounds like a nice enough guy. What's his name?"

"Sunburst."

"Yes?"

There was an intensely awkward silence of a few seconds before Sunburst reanalyzed the exchange in his head. His eyes grew wide and Cheerilee's face grew redder than ever before.

Though a mare in her 30s, Cheerilee felt like a nervous teenager again as she kicked the dirt floor with a hoof.

"I'm sorry to impose this on you, Sunburst, but... it's true. I have to let you know what I'm feeling." She tried her best to look him in his surprised face. "At first I thought it was just a fleeting fancy that would leave me, but it's only gotten stronger and I can't deny it anymore. I love the friendship we've built, the knowledge we've shared, about everything from academia to our personal lives, and the way you work with the foals astounds me. I-I've never met a stallion like you, and... I hope that.... sigh I hope that I haven't just jeopardized our friendship. But that's how I feel."

She reached down to take his hoof in hers, looking up at him hopefully.

"Forgive an old, lonely schoolmarm for falling for a gentle young soul."

Sunburst was quiet for a few moments, unsure at first of what he should say. His face, by this point, was equally red.

"Well, Cheerilee, I..." He began with a stutter. "...first of all, you're not old."

Cheerilee let out a quick noise between a chuckle and a sob. Sunburst wicked a tear away from her eye as she smiled.

"Second, I'm glad you consider me such a good friend... honestly, you're one of the best friends I've ever made as well." He took an awkward breath, searching quickly for more words. "I... would be lying if I said that... that... that I didn't find certain things appealing about you."

Cheerilee said nothing, but her countenance changed to one of slight surprise. She grasped his hoof tightly in both of hers.

"I-I-I don't usually give much thought to matters of... romance... but... intelligence is a big factor for me, as well. I think you have a beautiful mind, Cheerilee, a-and it's been a pleasure getting to explore it. When I look into your eyes, I can tell..."

The two ponies locked eyes and were breathless for a moment.

"I can tell... that I want to explore this feeling even more... with you..."

Cheerilee choked back a tear or two and pulled Sunburst in close for a hug, which he heartily returned. The unicorn smiled as his friend's rose-scented perfume tickled his nose, and Cheerilee likewise took in the scent of his mane, which smelled vaguely of tangerines. They spent several moments in each others' embrace before pulling apart and looking into each others' eyes once more.

Cheerilee gulped nervously and glanced to the side before returning her gaze.

"Sunburst... I-I'd like to kiss you now..."

Sunburst's ear flickered and his brow furrowed nervously. "Ha-I-ah, well, um... oh dear... I... Cheerilee, I... I-I-I've never kissed anypony before..."

"It's okay." She said with a heartwarming smile, still blushing like a filly. "...I'll teach you. Just... let me take the lead..."

Sunburst's visage became less nervous, and he brought himself closer to Cheerilee.

With another deep breath to calm herself, Cheerilee closed her eyes and moved her snout close to his. Sunburst followed her lead. Finally, when their lips met, Cheerilee hooked his bottom lip and pulled it into her mouth, turning her head to the side to allow Sunburst any access he may want.

They held that kiss for what felt like an eternity. Cheerilee could hardly believe she was kissing somepony. Of course, she'd given ponies kisses before; she kissed her sister and her parents on the cheek, and as a teacher she'd kissed plenty of scraped knees or bumped noggins, but this was a kiss, a kiss of the kind she hadn't had since college. The memories rushed through her mind in a split second: the first chaste peck on the lips she'd received as a teen, the tender, careful embrace shared with her date to the prom, the sordid, passionate lip-locks she'd had at college parties... yet all of them were eclipsed by this first one in years, seasoned by time and genuine, heartfelt emotion.

Finally, the two pulled apart, locking eyes again and catching their breath. Their faces were both incredibly flushed, and their smiles said what words could not.

"Would... would you like to try leading the next one, Sunburst?"

The studious colt gave a quiet nod, then leaned in to try for himself. Cheerilee's lips were soft beyond description, and he carefully tried to move his about hers in imitation of the tactile sensations her kiss had given him. The memories that flashed through his mind weren't of past romances, for he'd had none, but of loves unrequited: the filly he'd shown interest in at the School for Gifted Unicorns who'd laughed him down, the festival in Ponyville where he'd almost asked Starlight to dance, only to realize she was on a date with Trixie, and the moment where Twilight had gently put him into the friend zone. All those lingering defeats, all those times he'd given up on love, were washed away by Cheerilee's tender kisses.

The little noises their mouths made ceased for a moment as the two pulled apart again.

"See?" Cheerilee posited. "Isn't that a great feeling?"

Sunburst couldn't even think of a response before the two interlocked mouths again, taking in the sounds and smells and sensations and losing themselves in them, each pony's heart beating like a freight train. Cheerilee had to try not to giggle when Sunburst's goatee tickled her, and Sunburst felt his hair stand on end whenever Cheerilee huffed through her nose while they kissed.

Finally, this third kiss ended too, and the two newly-minted lovers took a moment to let each other rest. Sunburst chuckled to himself as he wiped the fog off his glasses. Cheerilee leaned back against her desk and briefly fanned herself with a sheaf of papers. However, it wasn't long before they both were eager to resume the lesson.

"You know, Sunburst..." Cheerilee said, breathy and apprehensive. "...I... like having my neck kissed..."

With a barely audible oh, Sunburst pulled his mare into his embrace and began planting slow, tender kisses along the side of her neck. Cheerilee quietly tittered as his lips tickled her sensitive skin, and her head rolled back with pleasurable sounds as he moved his attention to her throat proper. Her breathing became shallower, and mare and stallion both felt the blood rush from their heads.

The kissing continued back and forth for about 15 minutes, with Sunburst sitting on one of the low student desks and Cheerilee, with her hooves propped up on it, showered him with kisses across his face and neck as both their chests heaved.

"Oh Sunburst..." She said between kisses.

"Cheerilee..."

The two were barely in control of themselves anymore. Cheerilee, panting through her nose with a lustful grin, buried her face in the fur on Sunburst's chest, playfully tugging at it with her teeth. Sunburst felt his whole body shiver. After taking in a deep breath of his scent, her nose pressed into him, Cheerilee pulled herself back and looked into his eyes, seemingly a bit more in control of herself.

"Sunburst..." she said, trying to steady her breathing. "If you want to take me, you can."

Sunburst lifted his glasses and massaged his eyes, also trying to get ahold of himself.

"T-Take you where?":

She huffed out of her nose, partly in humor, partly in frustration. "As in 'take me, I'm yours.'"

He straightened his glasses. "Again, where would I be taking you?"

"Right here, right now. Over my desk."

Sunburst's naivete once again shattered, and his eyes grew wide.

"We can lock the door, pull the curtains..." Cheerilee said, feeling her knees shake a little. "...even soundproof the room if you know how to cast that spell. Nopony has to know but us."

Her lover nervously glanced out the window. The sun was now resting on the horizon, likely to set within the hour. He looked back at her half-lidded eyes.

"B-But Cheerilee... I've never..."

She gently put a hoof to his mouth and shushed him. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"That's alright. I'll teach you. I'll h-help you... get warmed up... and tell you anything you need to know..."

As nervous as Sunburst was, Cheerilee was just as nervous. She knew what she wanted, what she needed him to do, but she hadn't done it since college. She hoped she hadn't lost her touch. Good or bad, she wanted to share herself with him, and either way she knew it would be memorable for them both.

"So... do you want to...?"

Sunburst shivered again, running his hoof over hers.

"Y-Yes..."

Cheerilee leaned forward and delivered another kiss to his mouth, pressing her body against his, before whispering sultrily in his ear.

"Class is in session."

Bittersweet

Cheerilee slowly awoke to chirping birds and sunlight streaming in through her bedroom window. Laying behind her on the plush mattress was Sunburst, his cloak hanging on the door and his glasses resting on the nightstand. He was asleep still, his warm breath gently cascading over her shoulder, where his hoof rested.

Gently, she rolled over and kissed him on the nose, watching his eyes slowly open.

"Hey." she said in a low, loving voice.

Sunburst tried to say "morning," but it came out muffled. He was smiling despite being half-awake.

"I guess you had a good night?" Cheerilee continued, sliding her hoof up his velvety side.

"Of course." he managed to mumble out.

Beneath the covers, their rear hooves twisted together in a loving embrace.

"I don't suppose you want to get up yet, stud?"

"Nnope."

Cheerilee chuckled through her nostrils and pulled him close, pressing her face against his fluffy chest and listening to his heartbeat. Sunburst likewise tightened his grip around her, and soon they both fell back to sleep. It was a lazy Saturday morning following a night of intense passion. The world could wait.

When they finally did awake an hour or so later, the two sweethearts showered together before sitting down to breakfast, courtesy of Cheerilee. Sunburst sat at the table in a spare bathrobe, sipping coffee and flipping through the morning newspaper. Cheerilee, likewise in a bathrobe, finished preparing the last in a stack of pancakes, plating them up alongside the eggs--sunny side up for him, scrambled for her.

"Here comes breakfast!" she said with a smile, passing his plate across the table before sitting down with her own.

"Thank you much." Sunburst put aside the newspaper and turned to face his partner across the table. She was stirring her coffee and smiling to herself, before glancing up at him and giving a sheepish grin. Sunburst swallowed and gave an awkward chuckle.

"So, uh... did you, uh... enjoy last night?"

Cheerilee blushed and glanced away, flattening her ears. "Of course I did, Sunburst. I figured you could tell by... what I did... and said..."

Sunburst likewise blushed as he remembered what she had done and said. "I, uh... I did too..."

Cheerilee looked at him through the half-lidded eyes she'd sported last night. "I could tell."

Aside from that exchange, the two mostly ate their breakfast and sipped their coffee in silence, though they did share a giggle over a sticky maple syrup kiss after they'd finished. Cheerilee was worried, at first, that after she'd broken the tension with Sunburst her feelings would fade, and that perhaps she wasn't truly in love. Fortunately, the feelings persisted, only made stronger by how much both of them had learned from their night together. She told him as much when they took a walk by the school that afternoon.

"I know exactly how you feel, Cheerilee." Sunburst said as they sat on the grassy hillside, taking in the sunshine and the flittering birds. He gently wrapped a hoof around hers and looked her in the eyes.

"I'm so excited to grow this relationship and explore this facet of life with you... but..."

"But you're worried about it ending."

They both looked at each other in silence.

"...I know you'll have to go back to the Crystal Empire at the end of the school year. I've known that from the beginning." Cheerilee said, looking glum. "I'm not happy about it, but... it's what has to happen, I guess."

Suddenly, Sunburst took both of Cheerilee's hooves in his own and stared with determination into her eyes.

"So until then," he said "let's make this the best winter and spring either of us have ever had!"

Her own expression slowly warped to match his enthusiastic smile.

"You're right. If we only have each other for a few months, let's make those months count!"

The two shared a kiss on the hillside before Sunburst, without warning, yanked his love to her hooves and brought her along to the playground in a bout of childlike energy. The two laughed like they were schoolchildren themselves as they spun on the merry-go-round, pushed each other on the swings, chased each other up and down the slide and playfully balanced on the seesaw. By the end of their juvenile jaunt, they found themselves in a mirthful pile at the bottom of the hill, having rolled there after losing their footing from a spinning dance at the top.

While they continued their frequent afterschool dinner dates, Sunburst and Cheerilee tried to spend every weekend they could together, doing something memorable. They browsed libraries, visited museums, attended the theater, or trekked into the forest to look at plants and wildlife. More often than not, though, they sat quietly in Cheerilee's home, bonding over books and tea or simply just holding each other by the fire. As the snow began to fly, they turned to each other for warmth, and learned to navigate each other's intricacies and desires when it came to making love. The two of them rang in the New Year together, cozy beneath a quilt and comfortably tipsy on champagne.

As winter thawed into spring, the time they spent together became more emotionally charged, as they both knew it would end soon. While both teachers happily watched their students succeed in class, the atmosphere felt different from before, tinged with a hint of sadness at the impending summer vacation.

One thing that helped distract from the melancholy was something that occurred at the end of every school year: the planning and execution of parties. Every class at the Ponyville Schoolhouse threw some kind of celebration to honor the students' hard work that year and their advancement to the next grade, but this year, one of them held special significance for Cheerilee: it would be the last one she held with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Indeed, the entire class was special to her, but it didn't change the fact that they were growing beyond her. The EEA had informed her that the new middle school in Canterlot was finishing construction within the next year, and her current sixth-graders would be among the first classes to attend. However, since the project had been delayed when Cozy Glow tried to steal the magic from Equestria, Cheerilee would get to teach them for another month or two in the fall before they officially moved on. Regardless of the circumstances, she wanted to make sure that the class' graduation party was one of the biggest ever known: she'd enlisted Pinkie Pie to help with the preparations, and Filthy Rich had gladly donated a large sum to help give his daughter and her friends a good time.

Thus it was that Ponyville's local watering hole found itself filled with splashing fillies and colts one hot spring afternoon, and its shores lined with picnic tables, laden with food. Cheerilee stood, lemonade in hoof, talking to Twilight, who had volunteered to help chaperone the event.

"Well, it certainly looks like the kids are having a fun time, Cheerilee!" Twilight remarked with a smile. On the shore, Rumble took a running leap into the water, his wake dousing the foals nearby. From beneath one of the countless floaties strewn about the pool, Pinkie Pie emerged with the sound of a klaxon, little blue swimming goggles strapped tightly to her head. From beneath the waves, she retrieved a tubular water gun and pulled back on the handle to fill it.

"END OF SCHOOL YEAR PARTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!" she joyfully shouted.

Pinkie unleashed a torrent from the squirt gun and launched herself backwards across the pond, occasionally cresting above the surface or making quick, bouncy turns to avoid other ponies. When the water in her cannon ran out, she dove back beneath the waves with a giggle and another klaxon sound, and some of the children gleefully followed her bubble trail to try and catch her.

Cheerilee laughed. "Pinkie seems to be enjoying herself as well!"

"Miss Cheerilee!" came a chorus of familiar little voices, not so little anymore. From behind her came rushing the Cutie Mark Crusaders, each enjoying the farewell party in one way or another. Sweetie Belle, leading the pack, was swishing a bubble wand through the air to make all sorts of fanciful, fleeting shapes; Apple Bloom was soaking wet from her time in the pool, and Scootaloo trotted along happily with a slice of pizza protruding from her muzzle.

"We just wanted to say thank you so much for putting this party together! It's really great!" said Sweetie Belle, her eyes gleaming with cheer.

"You're the best teacher we could ever ask for, and we're really gonna miss ya once we move up to middle school." Apple Bloom added, her face a mixture of joy and sadness.

Scootaloo nodded and finished scarfing down her pizza. "Nopony could ever take your place, Miss Cheerilee. School wouldn't have been nearly as fun without you as our teacher!"

Cheerilee's heart felt both touched and wounded. She'd basically watched these fillies grow up, watched them discover their destiny and help other foals find theirs, misadventure after misadventure. They almost felt like her own children at this point, but after they finished building the new school, she would have to let them go.

"Oh, my dears..." she said, her eyes getting a little watery "you three have been some of my most memorable students, and I'll never forget you. I hope you all grow up well and succeed at whatever you do... and I look forward to hearing about it!"

She leaned down to take the Crusaders in a hug, and they rushed to fill her forelegs. She closed her eyes to remember this moment well; indeed, she never would forget the Cutie Mark Crusaders. After a time, she let them go, both to enjoy the day and to grow beyond her. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle rushed off quickly to go join Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon at the shoreline; Scootaloo grabbed another slice of pizza off the picnic table before following after.

Twilight held a hoof over her heart and sighed. "Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday Apple Bloom was asking me to stay for brunch on my first day in Ponyville..."

Cheerilee eyed an appetizer before popping it in her mouth. "...and now they're on the cusp of marehood, ready for junior high and beyond... I know they'll do great things."

"Well," said Twilight "I guess now is as good a time as any to ask: how did your student teacher hold up this year?"

Cheerilee glanced back with a smile towards Sunburst, who was sitting in a pool chair reading a book, sunscreen smeared across his nose.

"Sunburst has been beyond helpful!" she practically chirped "Really, far exceeding any expectation. The foals like him, he conveys subject matter in a simple yet engaging way, and he's an excellent team player." Cheerilee glanced aside and flicked her ear after saying that.

"If only you knew how good of a team player, Twilight, unf." she mused to herself.

Twilight grinned from ear to ear. "That's good to hear!" she replied. "I never had any doubt that Sunburst would make an excellent teacher's assistant, especially for bright young students like yours!"

"Yeah..." Cheerilee idly swirled the ice in her lemonade. "It's just... kind of a shame, you know... that he's got to go back to the Crystal Empire..."

"Yeah, I'd like to be able to see him more often, too. He's good company! But, he has obligations back home, and I understand that. My brother and his family live there, too, and I don't get to see them nearly as often as I'd like to, either. But I can't monopolize them, you know?"

Cheerilee wasn't sure how to respond, instead simply glancing at her hooves, but Twilight put a comforting hoof on her shoulder.

"I know you two have become good friends," she said "but good friends know how to keep their friendship thriving no matter the distance. And when they see each other again, it's like nothing has changed."

The princess and the schoolteacher shared a gentle smile.

The 2 o'clock train hissed steam as it rumbled to a stop in front of the platform. A small number of ponies departed the coaches or stepped onto them, carrying luggage or family members in tow. The sun blazed overhead, and birds sang as they careened through the air.

Surrounded by ponies, but still feeling all alone, two ponies stood facing each other on the platform.

"I... I don't want you to go..." said Cheerilee.

"I don't want to leave, either." replied Sunburst. "But... I sort of have to. I have responsibilities to the Royal Family, not to mention all sorts of loose ends regarding my own research and..."

He sighed. Her longing gaze burned into him. He knew that no explanation would be very satisfactory to either of them; instead, he took one of her hooves in his.

"I promise I'll come back, Cheerilee." he said so only she could hear. "I'm not sure when, but I promise that I will... and until then, I'll think of you."

Without words at the ready, she instead simply ran a hoof along his face, before leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. He pulled her close into a hug that she wished could last forever. Cheerilee felt tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Flattening her ears against her skull, she worked up the courage to finally say what she wanted him to know.

"Sunburst... I... I lo--"

The loud blare of a train whistle cut her off.

"All aboard!" cried the conductor.

"It will be okay." Sunburst said calmly. He looked her in the eyes with a smile and rested his head against hers, careful of his horn, before picking up his luggage and departing.

"Sunburst, wait!"

"I have to go! I promise, I'll write as soon as I can!"

The clatter of the passenger car doors shutting one by one sounded like thunder as the steam engine roared to life. Sunburst disappeared behind one of them as though swallowed up by some monster.

"Sunburst!!"

He looked at her through his window, smiling and pressing his hoof to the glass. The train rolled away, careless of Cheerilee's emotions. She watched it go until eventually she was alone on the platform.

Though her legs were shaky with emotion, she galloped as fast as she could back to her house, stopping to collect herself only once she'd reached the door. Her thoughts were typhonic and uncontrollable; all she wanted to do was go to bed and stay there awhile, remembering what it was like to hold him, to be held by him, to touch and kiss and smell him.

She slowly trod up the stairs, feeling as though a boat anchor were tied around her heart, pulling her towards the floor. Her cheeks were wet, but she wasn't yet fully sobbing.

When she finally did reach her bed, however, she noticed something as she rubbed her eyes.

A folded note, on his pillow, addressed to her.

With her surprise bringing a brief respite from her despair, she crawled up onto the mattress, opened the note, and read it.

Dear Cheerilee,

As I write this, you lay asleep next to me, your mane a perfectly beautiful mess. The time, around midnight, the date, a few days before I have to leave for the Crystal Empire.
I want you to know that this school year spent in Ponyville has been the most enjoyable of my entire life, and not just because I lost my virginity. You are, without a doubt, one of the most intelligent, clever, and caring ponies I have ever met, and quite beautiful besides. Nothing anypony says could ever make me think less of you. I feel honored that you found my mind alluring enough to fall in love, and though it came as a surprise, I'm so glad you did. As a pony who never particularly fit in anywhere, and as a stallion who had pretty much given up on love, having your affection meant so much to me. I don't care that you're a bit older than me; I find you absolutely fascinating, and your knowledge and experience enriches my own in so many ways. It was an honor getting to teach beside you this term and see what your life is like, but it was even more of a privilege to be there for you personally and get to know what a wonderful pony you are.
You absolutely captivate me, Cheerilee, and I don't think I could picture myself with any other mare from now on. Parting is such sweet sorrow, my flower, but know that we will not be parted forever. I count the days until I am able to return to Ponyville and hold you in my hooves again. If ever you have need of me, I'll be only a letter and a train ride away.

For the past few days, I've had a hunch that there's something you've been too nervous to tell me; please forgive me if I'm being too presumptuous, but allow me to put you at ease...
I love you, too.

Sincerely yours,
Sunburst

Cheerilee sat silent for a moment, letting the contents of the message sink in, but before long, she gingerly pressed it to her chest and shut her eyes as the tears came. In a mixture of happiness, love, and despair, she collapsed to her pillow and wept loudly.

Epilogue: Reunion

The days of that summer passed slowly.

Cheerilee and Sunburst exchanged letters, of course, but various responsibilities or circumstances prevented them from meeting face-to-face. Cheerilee at least took comfort in being able to let him know that she loved him.

Everything felt 'normal' again in Ponyville, for a while--aside from her being brainwashed by King Sombra and being attacked by a cragadile during one of her classes, which by Ponyville standards was pretty 'normal' anyway. Though she was happy to see her students grow and be happy, and, in the case of her oldest class, prepare for the exciting years of middle school, her life still felt somewhat empty without Sunburst around. His thought-provoking conversations were missed, as were his kind blue-green eyes, his jovial laugh, and his embrace in the middle of the night. Cheerilee sometimes tried to imagine he was by her side, often when she was reading, eating, or trying to fall asleep, but her heart still yearned for his presence. There were times she thought of packing up in the night and leaving for the Crystal Empire, but she knew she couldn't leave without doing a major disservice to her pupils, whom she also cared about dearly.

Then, one day in early autumn, there came a knock at the door.

Cheerilee answered it without much thought--after all, she did get visitors occasionally, usually students who needed help with a particular subject, or one of her neighbors needing someone knowledgeable. But instead, to her surprise, there stood her dear orange unicorn in a wizard's cloak. He smiled from behind his spectacles.

"Cheerilee?"

Almost instantly, tears began to roll from her eyes. With nothing but a muffled sob, she flung herself into his embrace, her hooves around his neck, her snout buried against his neck, taking in his scent.

"I've missed you, too..." he said softly, returning her embrace. "I hate to spoil the moment, but I have wonderful news."

"A-And what would that be...?" Cheerilee asked, pulling herself back to look at the face she'd missed so much.

"Well... with Twilight ascending to the throne once Celestia and Luna retire, that means she won't be able to teach at the School of Friendship anymore."

"Okay..."

"And that means Starlight is going to be the new headmare at the school."

"Okay...?"

"Which means she's going to need a new vice headmare... or head stallion..."

Cheerilee's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "You mean?!"

Sunburst drew a school ID badge out of his cloak.

"Looks like I'll be spending a lot more time in Ponyville... and I'm gonna need a place to stay."

Cheerilee burst forth in excited laughter, throwing her forelegs around Sunburst's neck with such force that they both spun in a circle. Happily, Cheerilee planted a kiss on his mouth, and it felt as magical as their first one had.

After getting Sunburst settled in, the two were finally free to be public about their relationship. Twilight remarked that she had had her suspicions by how Cheerilee had acted around him, but was immensely happy for the two of them anyway, as was Starlight; the Cutie Mark Crusaders were so happy at Cheerilee finding her 'special somepony' that they crafted a papier-mâché heart with both their faces that was too big to fit through Cheerilee's front door.

Meanwhile, Cheerilee brought on not one, but two new teaching assistants to help her manage her ever-growing classes and fill in whenever she was absent... which proved especially useful a few years later when she went on her honeymoon.