I feel like the last few days everybody has been trying to keep me out of the house. There was Canterlot with Aunty Celly. Then Shadow was dragging me all over Ponyville yesterday. Today Mom and Dad are taking me to the school. Apparently you have to meet up with the teachers before you start. It seemed a little weird to me but apparently it's what you do. Maybe it's something you do just for your first year? I don't know. But why does it have to be at SIX AM!?

I do my best to cling to Dads back. But I'm basically half asleep as we trot down the road. Mom asked a thousand questions but I barely register half of what she's said. Is this what school is? Waking up too early and being asked questions you barely understand? I might have messed up when I volunteered for this.

"Tempestive, are you listening?" I blink a few times and slowly look over to Mom. She asked me a question, but I don't have a single clue as to what she said.

"... no." She gives me a look that tells me that I'll be in trouble later. But I'm too tired to care at the moment. I just want to crawl back into bed and go back to sleep.

"Give him a break Luna." Dad defends, jostling me a little with his shoulders. "He's usually asleep right now. Give him some time to adjust to this."

"I don't know. I'm starting to have my doubts." Mom says as she nuzzles my head up. But I just let it flop back down to rest against Dad. "He's practically asleep Miles."

"He'll get used to it. But we already set up the appointment. Plus... he's becoming a little lump of coal-"

"Our son is not a lump of coal!" Mom chastises. Dad looks to her before chuckling a little.

"I meant he's getting a little lazy. Not that it's his fault. Kids a sponge for knowledge! But without anything to do all day he's getting habits that aren't conductive to a developing mind. Even if school is a bit... remedial for him, it'll do good to have a regiment."

Mom doesn't say anything. But the look on her face is full of worry and doubt. It's enough to make me stretch out and try to start waking up. I know I want to go to school. It's just SO! EARLY! How does Mom do this everyday!?

As we enter town I start to wake up more. I don't know what it is about coming to town but it always excites me! Maybe because most days I'm just stuck at home? I don't know. But whatever the reason when we make it to Ponyville of Mooseden I just need to see everything that's going on!

Most of the food vendors and grocer stalls have been open for a little bit. I don't normally see them this full. I see Rampant at his families stall and wave to him. I didn't know he was awake at this time! He spots me and asks permission to come say hi. When his mom says yes he rushes over to me, having to run because of the vest he's wearing.

"Good morning Eremita's! What're you doing up this early?" he yells as he chases after us.

"I'm signing up for school!" I tell him excitedly over Mom and Dads greetings. He gets an excited look before jumping up and climbing up Dads side. He protests a little, mostly cause Rampant used Dads wing as a ladder. But once he makes it up top he takes a seat with me.

"That's awesome! Are we going to be in the same class!? Why are you going so early? It's still summer break- WAIT! You know what this means?" I shake my head and he pulls me in to whisper. "It means we'll have more time to work on getting you you're cutie mark."

"Oh... I mean, I guess? I thought school was to learn and make friends." He scoffs and waves me off.

"You have me and Jet! Who needs more friends than that! Look at your mom and dad! They only have, what, four friends-"

"Hey!" Dad barks, sharing a look with Mom.

"Besides, you'll have your entire life to get as many friends as you want! This is going to be the best time to work on that cutie mark!"

I mull over what he said for a moment. In truth, getting a cutie mark isn't something that's really bothered me before. If anything it's more bothersome to others than myself. I know it's supposed to be really important and all. But... I just can't see what's so important! Besides, I don't want to have a single talent! I wonder if there's such a thing as getting two cutie marks!? Now that would be cool!

"I guess you have a point." I concede to him. He was going to tell me more, but Dad levitated him off and set him on the ground.

"You can talk more later. Right now we need to have our... what was it called?"

"Parent teacher conference." Mom tells him.

"Right, that. So head back to your mother." Dad orders him.

"Alright. Bye! I'll see you at school!" Rampant yells before running back.

"You ready?" Dad asks. I look ahead of us and see the school house.

The large red building always interested me before. I've always wanted to go to school just to know what it was like. But now that we're finally going... it's a bit intimidating. I'm finally doing this now. I take a moment to take a deep breath before nodding to Dad. I'm ready!

Entering the school I'm immediately assaulted with the smells of crayons and construction paper. The building seems to have four classrooms. It appears this is all new though. Which I guess makes sense. Mom says Ponyville has been growing, so I guess that would mean they'd need to expand the school as well.

We walk to the first door on the left and knock on it. Somepony inside scrambles through the room before opening the door. She's a magenta colored earth pony with hair that's shades lighter. Her cutie mark is of three smiling daisies. She goes to bow before nearly falling over and motioning for us to enter.

"G-good morning! Thank you so much for coming on such short notice!" She says nervously.

"Um... we asked for this appointment?" Dad states as we walk in. Mom kicks his back leg with hers before smiling to the teacher.

"We do appreciate you having us. We know it was very sudden and we're technically late for this school years registration. So we're grateful for your assistance." Mom tells her as we all take a seat at her desk.

It's a bit weird sitting here. The desk was made for an average pony to sit at, so the teacher is fine. But I'm much smaller than it. And Mom and Dad are so much bigger! Especially Dad. It's a little silly seeing the four of us sitting around it.

"So, getting started... registering alicorns... all in a normal days work... ta-ta-ta-da-ta." She mumbles as he flips through various papers. Dad leans over and shares a look with me before rolling his eyes. I giggle a little, but stop when the teacher looks up.

"Perhaps introductions?" Mom suggests. The teacher looks to her before smiling and shoving the papers aside.

"Or course! Hi, my name is Mrs. Cheerilee! I'm the head teacher for introductory grades here! What's your name?" She asks me with a big smile.

"Tempestive Mortem." I tell her, a little nervous to have all the focus turned on me.

"Tem.. pest.. eve eh More... tem?" She has to try it a few times before Dad sounds it out for her. I've never thought my name was that hard to sound out... especially when I've just said it. "Just call him Timely."

"Of course! I mean, I'll work on getting his actual name down. But Timely is a much simpler nickname!" Mrs. Cheerilee says as she takes a note.

"My name is Timely. It's just in Terradisian." I tell her. She pauses for a moment before smiling to me and writing down some notes.

"Of course! So did you bring the documents I requested?" She asks. Mom summons a stack of papers in front of the teacher. It's not a big pile, but it is enough to be a pile.

"Medical records. Academic achievements. As well as a few other documents I thought could be of use." Mom tells her, sitting up proudly. Mrs. Cheerilee looks at the stack as her smile starts to falter.

"Oh... good. Let's see here. Mathematics... he's in trigonometry? Okay... He's reading at a intermediate school level? Wow. Alright then. Science is... I don't know what that is... so we'll say... advanced. Bilingual! With a third language at beginner. Uh-huh. Okay, no cutie mark yet? That's perfectly normal for his age. He's six, right? Okay let's see here..."

She continues to go through all of the stuff I've learned from Mom and Dad. I've never thought about it before. But hearing her read everything I've been taught... how did I ever have down time? There's no way I've had time to learn all of this! Then again, the way Dad teaches makes it so that I want to learn about it. He's never said that I had to learn something. He's always made it so that I wanted to learn more about it. And being stuck at home definitely made wanting to learn easier.

Listening to the teacher react to my lessons... I'm smart! Apparently even at my lowest marks I'm still at a middle school level! I didn't know I was secretly a genius! That's so cool!

... right?

"So, if I may be so bold?" Mrs. Cheerilee asks as she sets the papers aside. "Tempestive is clearly a very gifted foal. Why bring him here? I'm sure there are plenty of schools out there that would be more challenging for him."

"Well... truth be told we don't want him in school to learn." Dad tells her. "Not that we're sending him to goof off. He'll do the work just as any other student. But we want him around children his age. We need him to... learn to socialize with his peers."

I was going to argue that I am able to socialize, but then I remembered the store in Canterlot. None of those kids wanted to play with me. Some were even outright mean. Was that my fault? Was it because I didn't know how to socialize with kids my age?

"Of course, that makes perfect sense. But... I do need to bring up the argument that this is a school. If he's not learning then will he become a distraction? Not that I'm saying that he would necessarily! But... well, foals this age are very observant. And if he's in class not paying attention... well, there is a slight worry that he may distract the other students."

Mom and Dad share a look as they mull over that Mrs. Cheerilee said. But why would I be distracting? It's not like I'm going to be talking in class or sleeping! Even if it's at six AM! If anything I'll just be happy to be out of the house for a change. Is she saying that I can't be in school because I'm smart? And here I thought that was a good thing.

"Is there a suggestion you're alluding towards?" Dad asks. But the tone he says it in makes me go still for a moment. I've never heard him use a tone like that before. Mom has, sure. But Dad doesn't talk like that.

"Well..." Mrs. Cheerilee starts as she scrambles to find a certain piece of paper. "We were in talks with some other educators. And we think we've made a plan that will suite both his need to socialize and further his studies."

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Canterlot's School for gifted unicorns, would it?" Mom asks, sharing the same tone as Dad. Now I really go quiet. I've never heard them both mad at a single individual before. Except Uncle Damian, but he doesn't count. He lives to get in trouble.

"Well... they are the best school for unicorns in the nation." She starts as she pulls out a piece of paper and slides it towards Mom and Dad. "Just hear us out and give it some thought. And try to remember that we're only suggesting this because it would be best for Temp-eest-uhvs education."

"Tempestive." I correct her. "Tem-peh-steve-eh." She stares down at me for a moment before smiling and pushing the paper forward more.

"Son, why don't you go check out the playground while we have a quick chat with Mrs. Cheerilee." Dad tells me as he stares down the teacher. I look to Mom, who nods to me, before standing up and leaving the room.

Well that was awkward. I'm a little worried that she won't let me come to school now. But I'm sure Mom and Dad will get everything sorted out. I hope so at least.

I walk down the hall and take a look at all of the cork boards holding up old school photos and various artworks. It all looks like fun. The various sports teams. Drawings of dragons and... Aunty Celly? That's weird. I guess she is an alicorn. So maybe it's not that weird?

But I'm an alicorn. Are ponies going to make drawing of me when they find out that I'm... different? I know that's why I have to wear the vest. But... I never really thought about it before. Rampant and I are just two kids. We're nothing to really take notice of.

I stop at another board where I see a math test with a perfect score. But it's just simple addition. Nothing crazy about it. No solving for I, no negatives, the largest number on there is only four digits! And the class photo is with foals my age, so is this what I would be doing all day? Super basic math?

I guess I can see where the teacher is coming from. I can totally see myself getting bored if this is all we had to do. Maybe I could bring my own work from home and do that while their learning... this. But would that be too distracting? I also like to listen to music when I do my studies, is that allowed here? I don't think this building has any electricity running through it.

Maybe they have a point. This is a bit basic compared to how I've been taught. Maybe it would be better to go to a higher learning level class. I could just go to class for that and then go to the clubs with kids my age. That doesn't seem like a bad idea.

I went to go back to the class room when I heard something in one of the class rooms. It's an acoustic guitar being tuned. The sound of it taunts me towards the room at the end of the hall. I peer around the corner to see an old patchy amber earth stallion sitting at the teachers desk while he tunes a beautiful guitar.

He looks asleep as he sits back in the chair. But the tuning is near perfect. He's tweaking the last string ever so slightly as he waits for it to hum perfectly. When it finally does, he give the guitar a single stroke. It hums perfectly within the room and he starts to walk a bluesy tune effortlessly.

"Ya gonna sit there all day?" He calls out as he continues to pick away at the guitar. I look around to see if there's anyone else in the room, but its empty. "Yeah I mean you at the door. Come on in."

"Sorry, I just... heard you tuning... How did you learn to do that with your eyes closed?" I ask as I step into the room. I walk up to the old stallion as sit before him. He takes a rag and wipes his bald head before looking down at me.

"How would eyes help me sound out the strings?" He asks as he slowly strums up and down the guitar, sitting at a G note.

"I... guess they wouldn't." I tell him as I stare at the guitar. It has a perfect veneer that highlights the gorgeous wavy wooden pattern. The wood on the front is almost an orangish brown color while the back fades to a rich dark brown. Now that I'm closer I can see that there are pearl inlays on the fret board of little song birds. I think the tuning pegs are pearl as well. "That's a really pretty guitar."

"Why thank you youngster. Mah pah got it from his pappy before he passed it down to me. Names Amber Melody." He says before offering a hoof to shake.

"Tempestive Mortem." I greet as I shake his hoof. I can feel the calluses all over his hoof. "Do you always play here at the school?"

"Nah, not always." He says as he leans back to play some more. He amazes me as he strings together a jazzy tune from nothing. He's must have been playing every day since he was my age! "Gotta work sometimes! Nah, I mostly play when the little ones are gone. The rooms here have the best acoustics in Ponyville. But summer is the only time I get a moments peace."

"Oh... sorry." I guess I messed up his peace. Maybe that's another sign for me not to come here.

"Don't fret little guy. I don't mind an audience every now and then. Especially if it's from somepony who knows a thang or two from the craft." I was going to ask how he knew I could play. But the playful look on his face told me it was part of his old stallion magic.

"I'm nowhere near as good as you are." I tell him as I look to my hooves and scuff at the floorboards. "One of my uncles has been teaching me for awhile now. But honestly I don't think I'll ever be that good."

"Well duh, ya only started!" He chuckles as he sits forward and sets guitar against the table. "Aint nopony just good at anything without practice. You new here? I don't recall you from any of the classes."

"No, I'm new." I tell him, shaking my head. "I'm supposed to start this year, but... I don't know."

"You don't know?" He asks as he scratches at his large bushy gray mustache. "What's got you troubled little guy? You look bluer than an unfinished song."

"Well... I was homeschooled before. And now my parents want me to come here to try and make new friends. But the teachers say that I'm supposed to come here to learn. She wants to put me in a higher level or a different school. And... I don't know if I want that."

For a random old guy, he's a good listener. There's also something about him that feels... comforting. Like, I can tell him things that I couldn't tell others. He's nodding to what I'm saying. Taking every word in carefully. Really trying to understand what I'm telling him.

"Well, that is a pickle." He says as he leans back. "What do you want?"

"I... don't know. I mean, I want to make more friends. I... don't really get out of the house often. Because of the whole alicorn thing. But... I also don't want to be bored out of my mind with how simple the lessons are."

"Alicorn huh... who are your parents?" He asks curiously.

"My dad is Miles Eremita and my mom is Luna Eremita. Why?" He thinks about it for a moment before leaning back again.

"Ah, nothin. Just... thought of somepony else. Anyway, what's wrong with going to a higher level of learnin'? Or being bored for that matter! I do my best thinkin' when I'm bored! Kinda why I like this job so much!" He says with a chuckle.

"You do?" I ask, surprised by that mentality. I don't understand how being bored could lead to better trains of thought.

"It's simple! If you know what you're doing, then you don't need to focus on it! Like... here, take a listen!" He picks up the guitar and starts to strum away. He closes his eyes and strings together a pattern of chords I've never heard before. It a little choppy, but he's playing into that. There aren't any mistakes because he's making it up as he goes. Watching him play and listening to him master this new sound puts a smile on more face.

"Wow..." I mutter as he finishes his song.

"I've been playin' so long that I don't need to know how to put the chords together. I know where my hooves need to be at all time. So I don't need to focus on that. I just need to listen in my head and bring it out of muh guitar. You can do it too! Just, here. Take Orioles here and play something! Anything!"

He passes me the guitar and I begin to panic. I don't want to break his guitar! It's so pretty and it's been in his family for so long! He even named it!

"I-I don't know... I don't really know how to play anything good-"

"Then play something bad!" He encourages me. I look down at the guitar before setting my hooves where they need to be. The guitar is almost as big as me, so it's a little difficult to do.

"Okay... well, here's something I've been learning."

I start to strum the guitar. Even though it still has a beautiful sound to it, I cringe a little from my poor hoof placement. I don't now how this entirely works with hooves, but it does. I have to fidget with my hooves and the guitar to get the placement right. And then when I do get it I struggle to strum correctly. I'm just trying to strum from the D chord to the C chord and then the G chord. But I'm not good at it, so it sounds terrible.

"Set your hoof here." Amber Melody tells me, poking my hoof. I move it slightly and he keeps poking until I'm in the correct position. "There. Now, start strumming slow. Nice and easy. Let the guitar do the singin'."

I follow his instructions. He's a good teacher. Maybe a little more forceful than Uncle Damian, but still good. We work together for a few minutes until I'm able to go through the chords without messing it up. When I make it through I give him an excited look and he just chuckles at me.

"Well I'll be. You're a natural!" He compliments me. I beam with joy from that. I'm glad all those lessons are paying off. Even if I'm still not very good. "You see, sometimes we think we know that we're no good or too good for somethin'. Sometimes we just need someone to come along and show us how to fumble through things before they start to sound good. Skipping a grade, being bored in class, those aren't the thangs to worry about little guy! Just go with the flow and make the most of what ya get. Ya get what I'm saying?"

"I think so. But... what if I don't get to see my friends?" He hums in response before holding out his hoof for the guitar. I pass it to him, though I am a little sad. It was a lot of fun to play. And he takes such good care of it, my hooves were gliding down the strings!

"I mean, won't you still see them as much as you do now?" He asks as he strums lazily at the guitar.

"I... guess?" I don't see why we wouldn't.

"And isn't the whole point for you to make new friends?" He asks.

"Well... yes." He's got a point. If I get into the same class and Rampant and Jet I don't know how much I'll actually interact with the other ponies.

"So what's the actual issue?" He stops strumming and looks down to me. I think about it for a moment before I shake my head. I guess there isn't an issue after all. No matter where I go, it'll be better than just sitting at home.

"I see what you're saying... thanks Mr. Melody." I tell him. He just nods to me and leans back. He starts playing with the same earnest as when I entered the room. I sit and listen for a bit.

He's right. I've got nothing to fear coming to school! No matter what happens at least I'll be out of the house. And I doubt they'll put me in a class with ponies that are that much older than me!

"Son, why don't you go check out the playground while we have a quick chat with Mrs. Cheerilee." I tell Tempestive. He looks to Luna before slowly leaving the room. We wait until we know he's out of ear shot before I shut the door with my magic.

"Did Celestia put you up to this?" Luna asks, a bit if malice in her voice. Cheerilee starts to sweat as she shakes her head and waves her arms.

"No! I promise you it's nothing like that! This was all the staff and I! We've known about him for some time now. We knew one day he'd be coming to school. We just always assumed that he would go straight to Canterlot-"

"I assure you. If we wanted our son to go to Canterlot we would be sending him there." Luna tells her, trying her best to keep calm. But I can feel the energy growing within her. Her temper is getting the better of her right now. It always does when people try and tell us how to raise Tempestive. Though, that is a rarity in it of itself.

I take a look at the schedule as she begins to berate Cheerilee.

Monday, half day at Canterlot with afternoon tutors here in the school. It would seem they have several volunteers that have signed up to teach him. With some of the subjects being more elective type lessons. Art, music, stuff like that.

Tuesday, half day in Ponyville with more tutoring.

Wednesday, full day in Canterlot.

Thursday, full day with tutors.

Friday, full day at Ponyville.

It's... not a bad list. We'd have to meet these tutors and clear them to be with Tempestive. And I think I'd have to set up some extra security at Canterlot to give the final okay. But... it's not bad. It's a bit more hectic than I was envisioning. But a strong schedule could do him some good. But it also seems that his tutoring would be longer than normal. We're looking at ten hour days for him. Doesn't leave much time for him to be a kid.

But he still has the weekends. And the days at Ponyville will probably be too easy anyway. I'm sure we'll tweak a few things here and there. But... I'm not entirely against this plan. Plus, if he's spending time in Canterlot, then that means he'd be father away from them. So there's a small bonus there too.

Hmm...

"-right Miles!?" Luna says, pulling me in to her tirade. I look over to her before looking to Cheerilee. She looks like she's about to break.

"I only have one question really." I tell her as I set the paper down. "Was this offered to Rampant Growth as well?"

"... oh. Uh... not that I'm aware of."

"Why not?" I ask, getting Luna to give her an accusatory look. Luna is not the biggest fan of Cheerilee. I think I know why, but I don't know how Luna knows that. I didn't tell her. Then again, she does talk to Fluttershy. That girl, quiet as ever until you start gossiping.

"Well... to put it simply, he's not a member of the royal family. I mean, he is an... well, a you know what. But that doesn't afford him the same level of... what I mean to say is that there is no expectation of hi to rule the nation. Where as Timely will."

I look over to Luna and think for a moment. She's mad, but still in control of herself enough to know that the gears in my head are turning. I think we're going to at the very least have a conversation about this. See what she actually thinks about this plan. But there's something else we need to discuss.

"We're going to take this into consideration. For now let's just assume he's going to attend school here and leave it that." I tell her as I stand. Luna joins me and we leave the room without saying our goodbyes. We step out front and I take a look around to make sure the coast is clear.

"So... I take it you like the plan." Luna says, looking away from me.

"I do think there is some merit to a plan like that." I tell her as I look off in the direction she's staring off to. The town hall is just down the road. Twilights library is not too far off behind it. And far off into the distance is Canterlot. "But there's something else we need to worry about."

"Oh?" She asks, looking back to me. I nod and check our surroundings once more.

"We need to learn who is talking about our son as an alicorn."

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