School Daze

"Cowabunga!" he splashed into pool, causing his sisters to yell out.

"Zany!" Screwy and Perp cried as they sat on the sidelines of the manor's inside pool.

"Sor-ry…" he rolled his yellow and red eyes. He gets on top of his floatie, a gift from his godmother, their aunt Pinkie Pie.

"Why the constant jumping in and out of the pool anyway?" Screw Ball asked.

"Enjoying the last bit of summer before starting school tomorrow…"

"Are you nervous?" questioned Perplexity.

"No! Well… maybe a little…" he answered as his hoof moved around in the water.

"You have nothing to be nervous about," Screwy leaned her face close to him, "Apple Shield and Starling will be with you. I had Fire Spark and Apple Jewel when I went to school."

"And I have Dignity, Butter Ball, and Hail Storm."

"I wish you had the same time as me to go to school," Zany sighed.

"You know Aunt Cheerliee has to do shifts with the younger kids to the older kids, especially with us older kids with no cutie mark yet…" she looked at her own blank flank.

"You'll get there…" comforted her sister.

"I haven't got a clue as to what it could be! Even the guys are uncertain what destiny I could have!"

"Then you'll be just like me… Remember my big adventure?"

"Yeah, when you abandoned us for a whole week!" pointed out Zany.

"It was five days, tops! But anyway… As children of an Element of Harmony and a reformed Lord of Chaos, it really is hard to know where our place in life is… Then one day, I discovered I did the impossible… Bringing hope to ponies or creatures that needed it. Somewhere along those lines, you're bound to have a destiny like that…"

"You really think so?" Perp's teal eyes widened in expectation.

"I really think so." Screwy smiled.

"I sure hope you're right…" she wiped her eye.

Zany and Screw Ball exchanged glances; they knew that gesture.

"Nightmare again?" Zany asked.

"They're getting worse…"

"But you hadn't had a bad nightmare since Zany was a baby. Then it stopped, and now you have more of them? When did it start up again?"

"Shortly after you came back that day…"

"And you're telling us this now?!" Screwy demanded.

"I didn't want to worry any pony, not since we were worried about you when you were gone… We were all so happy when you came back."

"Oh, Perp…" she pulled her into a hug. Zany got out of the pool and joined in the hug, but it was short-lived as the girls pulled away, "Zany! Now you got us all wet!"

Zany couldn't help but giggle.

The next day, Fluttershy and Discord walked alongside with Zany. He was between his parents moving nervously as they reached the school.

"I changed my mind!" Zany was about to make a run for it until his dad made a giant hand-glove that grabbed hold of him.

"Oh, sweetie…" Fluttershy cooed as he was placed in front of his mom, "You'll do fine…"

"But, Mom… Look at me… I'm not like the rest of the kids…" he pointed to his small horns and moved his snake tail.

"That would be my fault, son." Discord took the blame, "The pony genes overwhelmed your sisters, but because you're the youngest, the draconequus genes had to go somewhere."

"Besides, you're not the only one in your class that's… special. Apple Shield took after his father, too, so you won't be the only pony having distinctive features."

"I guess… At least I'll have him and Starling to play with."

"That's right," said Fluttershy as she tickled his tummy. It caused him to turn over and laugh. She continued, "And don't you forget it!"

"Okay, okay!" he said between laughs, "I give! I give!"

Just a short distance's away, Sweetie Belle and her husband, Button Mash, were helping their daughter, Lil Button, get to her first day of school as well. Her coat was white like her mother's and had her light green eyes, too, but she had her father's red-brown mane and she was an earth pony just like him.

In the opposite direction, the Apple family was coming over with Apple Jack and Spike taking Apple Shield and Apple Bloom and Pip with Apple Butter.

In another direction, Scootaloo was coming over to the school as well with her husband, Rumble, and their son, Roller Blade, who took after his mother with her coat color and eyes, but had his father's mane.

Twilight was already in the school with Flash and Starling and talking things over with Cheerilee.

"It'll be just like with Fire Spark." Twilight finished.

"Of course." Cheerilee agreed, "She'll be just like any other wonderful students I have had."

The others made it to the outside of the schoolyard as Apple Shield and Zany were glad to see each other. Apple Butter saw her friends since babyhood and gave them each a hug.

"Oh, I'm so happy to see you guys!"

"Me, too!" both Roller and Lil replied.

After saying their heartfelt goodbyes to their parents, the five foals started heading inside the schoolhouse.

Discord turned to Fluttershy, "And that's number three!"

She had to wipe a tear away, "Yes… our babies… all grown up."

Scootaloo overheard and asked, "So, what made you two decide to have three kids anyway?"

They gave each other glances and turned back smirking. Discord answered, "Why, it was because of you three!"

"Us?!" the former Cutie Mark Crusaders said.

"Oh, yes." said Fluttershy.

"The impact you made on both of our lives, what with Fluttershy having to take care of you most of the time and you made me an honorary member of the club. It was quite obvious we would want three kids."

"Well, that explains a lot!" declared AJ.

The group couldn't help but laugh.

Cheerilee stood in front of the board and took out a list, "Alright, every pony, if we can just all settle down, we'll start with roll call. Starling?"

"Here." Starling raised her hoof.

"Apple Butter?"

"Right here, Aunt Cheerilee!" Butter waved in the back.

"I see you, sweetie, but remember it's Mrs. Cheerilee at school."

"Gotcha!" she replied.

"Apple Shield?"

"Here I am." he raised his hoof next to Starling being on her left.

"Roller Blade?"

"Yo." he answered while being next to Apple Butter.

"Zany?"

"I'm here." He, too, raised his hoof and was on Starling's right.

"Wonderful, now do I have Lil Button?"

"Over here, Mrs. Cheerliee!" she was in the back also with Roller and Butter.

"We're almost there. Do I have Peppermint?"

A young colt with red hair and glasses raised his hoof.

"Tea Cup?"

A snooty filly said, "Present."

"Diamond Ring?"

A light purple filly with a diamond ring around her neck and having a French braid in her mane also replied, "Present."

"Is Prune here?"

"Right here, teacher!" said a chubby short filly.

"Slug? Is he here?" She looked around, and then spotted a Snails look-alike by the cubby holes eating out of lunch bag, "Slug?"

Slug stopped eating and faced the teacher, "Oh yeah, here!"

"Thank you dear, but we eat when it's actually lunchtime. Since it's the first day, I'll let you off, but if I catch you eating during class, then you'll be in trouble."

"Yes, Mrs. Cheerliee…" he went and sat back down.

"And now for the final student," she turned to a colt with a white coat and a sleek black mane and tail, "Is that you, Steele?"

"It is, Mrs. Cheerilee." he answered proudly.

"Excellent! We are all here! Now class, I have I very special surprise for all of you. Every year at the start of the school year and when I have a new class to teach, I ask a special guest to come in and give an encouraging speech. Past guests have been important ponies around Pony-Ville; that includes the Mayor and Princess Twilight!"

"Ooh…" the young fillies and colts awed.

"One time, we were lucky to be graced by Princess Celestia to come over!"

"Wow!" the classroom gasped.

"But this year, we have a guest who is just as important. Class, I present to you, none other than our amazing Princess Luna!"

They gasped as Luna walked into the room.

"Thank you so much for coming, Princess." Cheerilee bowed her head.

Luna replied, "We have always admired the educational system of our younger subjects as it is vital for when they will live throughout Equestria."

Apple Butter raised her hoof, "Um… Princess Luna?"

"Yes, child?"

"Aren't you usually asleep during this time?"

"Fret not; I will get plenty of rest and resume my duties tonight without exhaustion."

"Any more questions for the princess?" asked Cheerliee.

Roller Blade rose his hoof this time, "Yeah, how did you arrange for Princess Luna to come speak for the class?"

Cheerilee was about to respond until Luna raised her hoof to stop her.

"I shall answer that, dear educator. We met last Nightmare Night and your teacher had the brilliant idea of me speaking to the next generation of ponies. As a princess of Equestria, it is my duty to uphold my promises and now here I am fulfilling it."

"Thank you, Princess Luna. Is there anything you'd like to say before you go?"

"Indeed I would." she paced back and forth in the room, "Know this, my young ponies: you are to be the example of what the future holds for us. I advise to you that you do well and to never repeat mistakes that have been made in the past. And certainly to never to repeat the mistake that I made when I was young. Listen to your teacher, families, and friends, for they will tell on what not to do. Know this, my young ponies, and you will lead Equestria into a bright future…" she flapped her wings and flew out the door.

The kids cheered loudly.

"Alright, settle down." Cheerilee said, "And yes, Princess Luna's speech was wonderful, but now we must do what she says and learn." With that, she began the first lesson of the year.

At recess, Apple Shield and Zany tackled each other.

"Don't you boys have better things to do than to fight each other?" Starling asks.

"Why not?" said Zany, "It's fun!"

"Only because you always win!" AS complained.

"No, I don't!"

"And you cheat, too! You use your magic to have a better advantage!"

"Hey! I do not! Mom says I'm not allowed to use my magic during school or anywhere else except home."

"It's so sweet of you listen to your mom." pointed Starling, "I listen to my mommy all the time."

"Really?" Zany got off of Apple Shield to face her, "Because, yeah, I love hanging with my mom. She's shown me how to get the animals' attention."

"Can you show me?" she asked with hopeful eyes.

"I can try. I'm not as good as she is…" he flapped his mismatched wings and started humming around. In an instant, birds from nearby nests heard and came and landed all Zany's body.

Starling giggled when one bird landed on his head.

"Told ya."

"Hey, at least you got the birds, bird-brain." Apple Shield joked.

"Bird-brain, huh? Well, I'll show you!" a magical surge surrounded him, and then felt a hoof to his shoulder.

"Zany, no! Remember what your mom said and Princess Luna?" Starling said in worry.

He calmed down and the surge stopped. He sighed, "You're right."

"Apple Shield, apologize." Starling gestured.

"Yeah… You know I was only kidding around, right?"

"Of course you were. I didn't take it to offense. I was just playing around."

"Boys…" she rolled her eyes.

On the other side of the playground, the colt named Steele was watching the trio and wondered out loud, "Why would a cute filly like her be hanging around weirdoes like them… Who are they anyway?"

"Rumor has it those two are halflings: half pony, half something else." came up Tea Cup with Diamond Ring.

"What's the something else?"

"Who knows, but I don't care." said Diamond Ring, "They're just freaks."

"Hey!" shouted a high voice.

They turned around to see Lil Button, Apple Butter, and Roller Blade coming at them.

"Don't call our friends freaks! Especially my cousin!" shouted Butter.

"Cousin?" pointed Diamond.

"Oh, yeah, I see it now…" Steele went back and forth to compare the two Apples, "There's a strong family resemblance…"

The two jerkettes giggled. Butter and Roller both boiled red.

"I'll have you know that Apple Shield is part dragon and Zany is part draconequus!" motioned Lil Button.

"A what-quus?" snickered Steele.

"Draconequus!" Zany's voice shouted and they looked up to him floating above them, looking mad.

"So what? You're still weird-looking!" retorted Steele.

Zany landed in front of him, growling, "Say that to my face…"

"Gladly; you're weird, you have strange features, you got horns, a messy hair style, and you have a snake tail. What more proof could you need to prove you are a weirdo?"

The mean girls giggled and taunted, "Weirdo, weirdo!"

"That's enough!" Starling screamed to come between them.

"And that's another thing; why would a normal-looking girl like you hang around with them anyway," Steele took hold of her hoof, "when you should be hanging out with me…?" he flashed an arrogant grin.

At that point, Zany was feeling threatened. He didn't know why, but he didn't like the idea of this colt holding Starling's hoof.

She pulled away from him, "Don't you ever touch me again! And for your information, I can hang out with any pony I like!" she went to Zany and Shield's side, "And I like them, no matter what they look like!"

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," Zany replied, "so you'll back off and leave her alone!"

"And who's going to make me? You?"

Zany gave off an evil grin, "As a matter of fact… Yes, I am…" the magical surge surrounded him and he floated into the air not using his wings. Wind was picking up all around them and his friends gave off worried looks while the bullies were scared out of their wits. A storm brewed above him and lightning flashed behind him.

"Zany, please!" Starling begged.

"Sorry, Starling… but some pony has to teach this colt a lesson!" he was about to lift his hoof to perform a spell.

Just then, a booming voice sounded off, "BE STILL!"

Zany dropped to the ground and they saw Princess Luna flapping before them as she landed to the surface. She gave no expression of pleasure or anger.

Zany started, "Princess Luna… I…"

Steele came in, "Oh, Princess Luna! Thank you goodness you've arrived in time!"

Tea Cup stated, "Oh, yes! That monster was going to do something to us!"

Starling shouted out, "He's not a monster!"

Diamond Ring eyed her, "Then why did he try to hurt us just now?"

"Who tried to hurt who?" Cheerliee came to the group.

The bullies rushed to the teacher and quickly explained the event.

"If Princess Luna hadn't come, who knows what he would have done?" gestured Tea Cup.

Cheerliee gazed her eyes toward Zany, "Is this true?"

Zany lowered his head in shame, "Yes…"

"I'll have to meet with your parents after school." she said in a cross tone.

"If I may." Luna spoke.

The kids and teacher gave her surprised looks.

"Some of what the children say is true, but that is only half the story…" she began recapping how after her speech, she decided to watch the children in what they do, then she saw the mishap with the fighting between the groups of children. "So you see, the young magical being was defending the young mare's honor. He refused the teasing inflicted on him, but was upset to the poor girl's predicament."

The crowd blinked a few times before Cheerliee turned to the bullies, "I shall see you three after class…" she walked back into the class with disappointment on her face.

The three troublemakers gave dirty looks to the six and departed.

Zany looked up to Luna with confusion, and then said, "Thank you… Princess Luna…"

"You are Discord and Fluttershy's child, are you not?"

"It shows, doesn't it?" he moved his tail.

"Yes, but I wanted to make sure. Child, your intentions were noble, but causing pain on others even if they deserve it is not the answer."

"I know… I'm so sorry…"

"It is not your fault. You are young and you do have your father's chaotic powers; it could not be helped, which is why I would like to take you on as my apprentice."

The six kids gasped.

Zany sputtered, "Seri… Seriously?"

"Seriously." she smiled, "I think it is best that I help you gain better control over your emotions. I've noticed you have your father's cunning, but you also have his temper. You have your mother's kind heart, but you can be sensitive. Every week when the sun has set, I shall send you a letter of calming methods to control your feelings and powers. How do you like that?"

"Very much, Princess."

"And another thing: all six of you may call me Luna."

"Really?!" they all said.

"Indeed, you have proven yourself to be true friends to each other; you earned it." she winked, "And my young apprentice, when you get older, we can go on adventures together."

"You mean that? Oh boy!" he jumped.

"But first, I will have to acquire your parents' permission first before you become my apprentice."

"Oh, poo…" he pouted and felt a hoof touching his arm. He turned back to see Starling smiling at him.

"I think you'll be a wonderful apprentice."

"I do, too." he smiled at her.

Apple Shield raised his hoof, "I just have one question."

"Yes?" questioned Luna.

"What's an apprentice?"

They all just smiled at him before Luna told the answer.

Zany was home, but he felt nervous while Luna explained to his parents about wanting him for his apprentice.

"Let me get this straight, Lulu." his father said sarcastically, "You want our son, my son, to be your apprentice?"

"That is correct. He has great potential, but it must be tamed."

"Well, what's wrong with me teaching him? They are my powers."

"Honey," his mother jumped in, "I think it's a wonderful opportunity we should take."

"Now, sweetheart, I refuse to let some alicorn princess know-it-all tell us on how to raise our child. As his father, I will be the one teaching him on everything he knows!"

"What about his mother?" Fluttershy raised his eyebrow.

"His mother, too. In fact, why don't you tell Luna how you feel about all this extra teaching?"

"Alright." Fluttershy flew up to face the princess, "Luna, you have my utmost support in this matter. You have my permission to train Zany."

Discord's jaw fell to the floor, "But, you… but, you… Where did you learn to do that?!"

"From you of course, silly." she kissed his cheek.

"No fair, Fluttershy!"

"No fair, what?"

"No fair is that you always know I can't resist anything from you!"

"Exactly." she winked to both her son and husband.

"I'm going to get you for that!" he playfully tried to reach for her, but she playfully dodge and flew out of the room with him following.

"Is it like this every day?" Luna asked him.

"Only if it's brought up, then they get all mushy." he stuck out his tongue.

The two laughed away. When he escorted her to the door, he asked, "But aren't you going to feel tired tonight?"

"Not to worry, Celestia will help me. She had to raise the moon for a thousand years when I…" she stopped herself.

Now Zany understood why she was taking him under her wing. She wanted to prevent the same mistakes she had done just like he would have today if she had not stopped him in time.

"It's okay, Luna… I understand, and thanks again. This means everything…"

"Glad to be of service, my young apprentice…" she smiled once more before taking off and flying out of his sight.