The sun had already begun to arc toward the distant horizon, casting shadows through the cracked windows of Ponyville Schoolhouse. A lone figure sat near the chalkboard, staring out into the impending sunset. As the brilliant shades of orange and red streaked across the figure's face, it let out an audible sigh. The last employee and teacher of the fine establishment was witnessing what would be her last evening within the faded walls of the once-great establishment. The older mare could see, with a slight apprehension, the new school building that had been erected just across the street from the aging structure. All those classrooms, dedicated to each pony race and teachers trained in specialized subjects made for an appealing education.
She closed her eyes and said aloud, to nopony in particular, "I guess this is it, then. All those years of teaching the young foals of this town, no, city..." she trailed off. Taking a deep breath, she regained her composure as a single tear fell from her muzzle and plinked on the bare floor. "And now, I have to sit here and watch as they forget the town we used to be, reveling in the view of a small city, and learn from Canterlot's best..."
Cheerilee tried not to cry. She had already shed too many tears for what had become of Old Ponyville, the thatched roof cottages and grassy knolls replaced by paved paths and taller structures that echoed the larger cities of Manehattan and Baltimare. Try as she might, the tears still came, the pain still lasted, the foals still trotted by without so much as a glance. No longer could she hold back her emotions, as she collapsed to the floor, a small puddle of her released sadness dampening her coat as she cried into the sunset-lit room.
"What happened to the friendship, the love that held our little village together?" she cried aloud. Had nopony listened to her lectures? Surely somepony had to have taken away from her lessons a sense of love and adoration for the small things in life! So why was this city still expanding daily?
Cheerilee got to her hooves and looked further down the street. She could make out the two-story Pony Pet Shop, now owned by Snails. Next door, she saw the exquisitely-designed jewelry shop/boutique, Diamonds and Silver, run by none other than Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. In the far distance, she could barely make out the orchards on the edge of town, where little Applebloom had grown to become a fine farmowner and caretaker for her aging sister. Her reflections brought her to remember her own age and thus, reason for her retirement from the teaching profession. No longer could she keep up with this fast-paced environment, where everypony expected results. Fast.
She sighed again, tapping her hoof lightly against the floor, the echoes of her action flowing around her. The once-great classroom, one she worked her whole life to maintain, was nothing more than an empty memory of what it had been all those years ago. Since Princess Twilight had ascended the throne, friendship had become a priority among the townsponies. As a result, more and more towns made contact with each other, allowing the spread of urbanization that now threatened the very schoolhouse Cheerilee now sat within.
"Is there anything I can do to save this poor schoolhouse?" she sniffed, wiping away more tears. She already knew the answer to that question though. She had gotten the notice a few days ago...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An aged Cheerilee stood next to the mayor of the now-city, discussing matters involving building expansions. The stallion was a calm earth pony known to the city-ponies as Mayor Coltson. Coltson was the nephew of the late Mayor Mare, Celestia bless her soul, and he took to the role quite well. Since the passing of three of the original Element bearers, the town had been subjected to nothing more dangerous than a stray Everfree storm, for which she was thankful. The village had a history that certainly held its own amongst the settlements around Equestria. If anypony could handle it, Coltson could.
Which is why he now stood, keeping a straight, but solemn, face during the heated conversation now taking place inside his office.
"The old Schoolhouse is going to be demolished in three days?!" Cheerilee complained loudly.
"I'm sorry, Miss Cheerilee." the mayor shook his head. "There is nothing we can do. The building has been out of use for almost 5 years now, and Ponyville Academy can certainly handle the flow of students more readily than the Schoolhouse can."
"But I've spent my entire life dedicated to helping the ponies of this town learn about life and valuable lessons on our history and-" Cheerilee was silenced by the Mayor's hoof raised toward her.
"We understand that you are quite attached to this building, Cheerilee, which is why I've managed to convince the City Committee to allow you a few days to spend in remembrance. I hope that will suffice. Demolition will begin on Friday. I'm sorry." the Mayor broke eye contact for just a moment to stare in the direction of the condemned structure.
Cheerilee sat on her haunches, a slight ache accompanying the movement, not just in her hips, but in her heart. The place she had called home, her schoolhouse, was doomed to fall in three days. She sniffed and quietly bid the mayor goodbye. "Understood...good day, Mayor Coltson.."
After the mare had left, Coltson sat back as well, the stress of the last few minutes collapsing on his shoulders and bringing him to almost regret the decision he made. But, he reasoned, funding from Canterlot would stop if the Schoolhouse were left standing. Coltson hated these days. He called to his assistant, "Quill! Fetch me a glass of whiskey!" 'Celestia knows I need it now' he thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So it came to be that Cheerilee now watched the final sunset fall over the creaky old structure she sat within. Her heart ached as well as her eyes, a near constant stream of tears falling from them having made them irritated. She stood slowly, and began to close the dusty shutters to the windows for the last time. She passed by the chalkboard, old outlines of young foals' drawings and her plans still visible in the darkening room. With an audible grunt, she forced the door open, and slowly walked from the classroom, never to return. As the door closed with a rickety finality, the old mare herself closed her eyes and began to trot slowly away from her beloved past, towards a dark and unpredictable future. Luna's night sky had awoken, the stars themselves shining a melancholy aura over the city and its lights.
Two lone words were heard as Cheerilee departed the ever darkening scene.
"Class Dismissed."
