Monday.

Here it is, school again. During the last few days nothing really happened. I had a second training with Luna, and... Well, that's it. I was mostly sleeping or reading books. My wings aren't developed enough, and Luna advised me to sleep more. It is somehow connected to the pegasi stamina. Though, I'm not complaining. After all, sleeping isn't bad. Besides, my wings were sore after each training, and extra rest really helped me getting back into shape.

And I was thinking... Maybe I should one day tell Moonshine truth about myself. I can start with telling her that I'm an alicorn. I believe she can keep secrets and will understand why I hid it from her for so long. I will have a serious conversation with her. I really want to trust her, that is. She trusts me with her problems, and I should do the same. Someday... Um, I'm not ready to reveal myself just yet. And... I don't think I know when I will do that.

As for Moonshine herself, she was mostly studying. I saw her reading books on history, architecture, math, Commonlang, and some different literature about art. She's been studying pretty hard. I think she really wants to become better with everything. She asked my help from time to time, and I carefully explained everything she didn't understand.

Anyway, it's seven a.m. now, and I've just gotten up. As usual in the mornings, my mane is a mess. I have to wash it and then dry it to get it more or less straight. Also, I think my long mane would get into my mouth on accident, but, thankfully, I have a long muzzle to prevent this from happening. So, a long mane isn't that bad, it's just I have to wash it often. Well, I need to wash myself everyday anyway, especially because I have almost white fur that can be stained by almost anything.

Yeah, being a pony is perhaps harder than being a human... Well, at least I don't have to pay any taxes or look for a job yet, and that's a plus.

Alright, today... Uh, where's that schedule? Somewhere in my saddlebags, I think.

...

Here it is! So, there are four lessons today: Physical Culture, two Magic lessons, and Art. It's the first time I see the last one in the schedule, actually. I've heard that it is because ponies are more sleepy during the late autumn and winter, and that is why something like Math isn't recommended, and that is why almost all winter will be holidays.

Anyway, I hope the Art class will be fun and interesting, as it's really exciting to find out how art developed in this world. After all, I'm more into art than anything else.

***

Well, it's snowy outside. There are some ponies working on clearing the streets from the snow, as well as even a couple off... Uh... something like ploughs. A pony pulls one of these and snow just goes to the sides of that thing. Yeah, they don't have specialized cars for this, after all.

So, Moonshine is with me, and we're both walking to the school. Besides her scarf, she's also wearing a nice blue knitting hat with a white pompon. It looks kinda good n her... Well, she looks kinda cute with it. All ponies look cute, truth be told. If they were, like, stuffed toys, I'd hug the hell outta them.

Anyway, this day should be fun. I wonder what we'll be doing at the Physical Culture. I doubt we'll be outside as usual — it's rather cold, and you can get ill if you become sweaty outside. Maybe there's a sports hall somewhere in the school. I don't remember going to the left wing of the school — maybe it's there.

Alright, we reached the school and went to the shower room. Even if we didn't walk on a dirty ground, we still need to clean our hooves. Well, we probably could've just take off our boots if we had one in the first place. I've seen a cloakroom nearby, and I saw a few ponies exiting. Maybe that's where we should store our clothes, but I've seen Moonshine putting hers into her saddlebags. And I, well, I will leave mine on. I think my hoodie has already become my signature mark, and I'm just too lazy to take off my pants. They're pretty comfortable, after all. Wait, maybe I should take them off because Physical Culture takes place? My clothes will get all sweaty by the time it ends.

Yeah, I should probably take them off, even if it makes me nude. After all, all ponies are nude, and there's no shame for me to be like them. Nudity for everyone!

...

Alright, I took off my clothes and put them into a locker, which number is... six hundred sixty six! Apparently, there are seven hundred lockers in the cloakroom, each of them tall and thin with a hooks in them to hang the clothes on. There is a key to each locker, too, which is good, as all of them are labeled accordingly.

Wait, why do they need so much lockers? I doubt there are even five hundred students studying here. Maybe there is... Yeah, it may be, as the school itself is very big even without the second floor. And each class has about... fifty students, I think. Maybe sixty. I didn't really pay attention when teachers were checking everyone. I just raised my hoof every time I heard my name, and that's it.

"Oh, hello there, Flame!" I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned around and faced our teacher Max Books. Why do teachers share the cloakroom with students?don't they, like, have their personal wardrobes in the auditories or whatever?

"Good morning, Max Books." I replied. "Um, where will the lesson be held?"

"In the left wing of the school. It's too cold to be outside, and I don't want to get any of you ill." Max replied with a slight smile. "See ya at the sports hall!"

Well, that settles it, we're going to train ourselves in the left wing of the school. Wait, where will pegasi and earth ponies train? They have different teachers, after all. Maybe the sports hall is big enough? I'll soon see.

So, Moonshine and I went together to the left wing of the school. We met a few sleepy ponies and a couple of teachers preparing for their lessons along the way. Well, it seems that most would like to stay at home. Can't really blame them. Though, I find sitting at home boring. I don't have internet, I have just a few old games that I can play only on the small screen of my smartphone. I can also listen to music, but my playlist hasn't been updated for quite a while. I didn't even see new DOOM game, and I remember that someone told me the soundtrack's gonna be awesome. I doubt I'll ever lay my hooves on it. Ugh...

Anyway, we reached the left wing. There are three doors, and I see that one of them is opened. We entered it and saw our teacher Max Books inside. He was drawing something on the floor with chalk.

"Oh, hello students!" he greeted us. "Come in! I'm preparing for the lesson... Just take a seat somewhere, please."

We moved to the farther end of the hall and sat on one of the long wooden benches.

So, the hall is quite big, about one third of the concert hall. And the concert hall is really big. So, this hall is about fifty meters long and thirty meters wide. Rather large for little ponies like us.

I can see, um, metal pillars where volleyball net can be attached, two hoofball goals, and two basketball hoops. There are also a bunch of mats lying in the corner of the hall. Overall, this hall doesn't look too different from what I've seen in my own school. But I can see that goals are smaller, and the hoops are placed lower. I guess it is because of ponies' average size.

"Um, what will we be doing at the lesson?" Moonshine asked.

"You'll be doing long jumping, from place and with a run." Max replied. "There will also be an obstacle course."

That sounds rather easy. He trained us well for this during the autumn, and I think most of us are ready. In fact, he helped some lose excessive weight.

Speaking about weight, I am yet to see any fat adult ponies. I mean, all of them look healthy, and only big ponies I've ever seen were muscular but not overweight. It seems this society cares a lot more about health than humans do. My eyes bleed when I remember seeing people so fat that they had to use those small car-like thingies to move around big stores. How did they become so obese?! Come on, how do you eat so much and never exercise? Those must be years of eating only at McDonalds or something! How... how do they wipe their asses that are hidden behind all those layers of fat? That is fucking disgusting!

Anyway, ponies are much healthier than humans. And... well, I can't say for sure, but most of them look... young. Kinda. I mean, I would give them twenty years at most. The only way I can differ their age is by hearing their voices, and even that doesn't always help. Well, I can differ old ponies from others, as they have wrinkles (how they can be seen under the fur is a mystery to me), voice, and overall "fragile" and, uh, overall "old" look. And foals are easy to spot, too, but it is mainly because of their size. Well, it also has to do something with the eyes... I dunno, I just know someone's a foal if I look in their eyes. Maybe it's the way they reflect light?

*RING*

Oh, the lesson has just started. Frankly, I didn't even notice others coming until the bell interrupted my thoughts. Was I zoned out this whole time? Must've been weird for anyone who saw me.

"Alright, students, gather in a half-circle before me, we gotta do a quick roll-call!" Max Books said loudly. Everypony stood up and gathered as he said.

I patiently waited for my name to be spoken, and I raised my hoof when it was. I noticed the absence of Blueblood. Where might he be? I doubt he'd ever be late. I know he's from a family of nobles, I doubt they can afford being late. Well, he never was late until now.

"Listen up, studs!" Max caught our attention. "Today, we're going to do long jumping and obstacle course. While the first one is simple, the second one isn't. The obstacle course was included this year by E.U.P. As most of you probably have just guessed, they are the Royal Guard. They believe that parts of their training program will make you even better than current one we have. While I believe they are right, I'm not going to push you too hard, as I highly doubt that everypony in this group wants to enroll at Canterlot Military School. Those who see themselves as future protectors of Equestria — welcome. Best results of willing students will be sent to the CMS, and if you qualify — you might get a chance to enroll there.

"So, with that being said and before we start the main part — do a warmup. The course's usual. Go!"

I certainly don't see my future as one of Equestria's soldiers. I mean, I can't stand receiving orders of any kind. And I dislike military as a whole, for that matter. Well, I'm not made for that job, that's it. Military is important for any country, sure, but I believe only willing people should be there. My dad really wanted me to become a soldier. I understand him, he's an officer, after all, but I just don't want it. After some unsuccessful attempts at trying to get me into militaristic bullshit, he gave up. And it's good he did — I found myself in music.

Anyway, I have a long jumping to prepare to. Better do it.

***

After everypony warmed up, we all gathered in one of the hall's corners on a bench. A scale was drawn on the floor. I guess it is for determining how far can we make a jump. Max Brooks showed us how to properly jump: first, you must stand at a starting line; then, you begin to slightly tilt forwards and backwards; after gaining enough momentum, you jump, folding the legs, and extending them forward at the end of the jump. The length is determined by the position of the hind legs.

"I call you one by one. You step on the starting line, prepare yourself, and jump as soon as ready. Each of you has three tries. The best one will be counted." Max Brooks said, a list of students flying in front of him.

He started calling everypony one by one. They jumped, and most landed at about one and a half meters mark. Well... I don't know the standards, but I think it's not a bad result. We've got quite powerful legs, four of them, and it's no surprise we can jump like this. My best result when I was eight was... I don't really remember. One meter ten centimeters? Something like that.

"Flame Metal!" I heard my name being called. I walked to the line and stood there. I heard Max saying quietly so only I could hear: "I know you're good at magic. Please, don't use it to make your results better. You can do alright with just your physical strength. You're strong, Flame!"

He said it in a calm tone, not even threatening. I... Actually, not many teachers do that — most would just say "if you cheat, you're bad, and I will publicly shame you." However, this teacher's approach is totally alright, and I wasn't even planning on using my magic. Why would I?

I gained momentum... I jumped just as told. And I landed on one meter...

"One meter seventy six centimeters." Max said. "Do it one eighty, Flame!"

Alright, I have another two tries. How far can I jump? I am really light, actually, and it's no surprise I jump farther than most. Also, I am a bit bigger than others, which makes me stronger. Add that alicorn strength and the source of my success will be clear.

The second try. Jump!

"One meter eighty three centimeters." Max said. "One more time."

The last try. Jump!

"One meter eighty two centimeters." Max said. "Good job! Next one is..."

Well, what can I say? I'm good at this, apparently. Could jump all day long, but that would be silly.

"Moonshine!" I heard the teacher calling my friend.

Moonshine glanced at me, and then went to the starting line. She started tilting, and then... Oh fuck, she tripped over.

"Dear, you alright?" Max quickly moved to her.

"Yeah..." Moonshine replied, blushing from embarrassment. She got up and said, "I'm fine."

I heard some giggling in the back. I turned around and saw three foals giggling. I remember two of them being fat just some time ago. Yeah, giggle all you want as if you'd never be in her situation. I remember how you couldn't run for a small amount of time, dumbasses.

"I'll give you another try. It was just an accident, I believe." Max made a small smile, patting Moonshine. "I know you can do this."

Moonshine prepared herself for another jump. And she jumped, landing alright this time.

"One meter sixty nine centimeters." Max said. "I knew you can do well! You have another two tries to make your result even better."

Moonshine prepared for the next jump. She jumped, and successfully landed.

"One meter seventy five centimerers." Max commented. "Impressive."

Moonshine made another jump.

"One meter seventy one centimeters. You have the last try."

And she jumped again.

"One meter seventy six centimeters." Max smiled. "That's the second best result yet. Congratulations."

Moonshine smiled and went back to the bench to take a place at my side. Well, she did really good.

"You did great." I told her. She nodded, smiled at me, and blushed slightly.

Well, how to make woman of any age feel better? Make a compliment. Always works.

***

So, it's the obstacle course now. It involves jumping over and on different obstacles, walking on a narrow plank, crawling underneath a net (thankfully, no barbed wire there), and getting on a two meters tall wall using a rope. That looks easy. Also, everything was brought inside the sports hall by two royal guards.

Max showed us how to do this, and started calling us one by one. Basically, he starts the timer when he says "go!", and then we must pass the course as fast as possible. Overall, the results have been slightly below average up this moment. I guess some foals were maybe trained before, and we weren't, and that is why none of us qualify. So, the average time is one minute ten seconds, and most of us took one minute fifteen or longer.

"Flame Metal!" I heard my name being called.

Well, time to do this. I doubt I can do much here because I mainly used my hands to do parkour, which is rather close to what we're having now. Anyway, I hope that I will do okay even without the additional training.

"Three!"

Alright, I need to prepare.

"Two!.. One!.. Go!"

I quickly jumped over the first couple of obstacles, no slower jumped from one to another, and then dived under the net. I crawled as fast as I possibly could, and came out on the other side, jumped on a narrow plank and started walking. Maintaining balance is a tricky thing he— wow, wow, wow! Ow! Whew, nearly fell. Alright here I go... Time to get onto that wall. I grabbed the rope in my hooves as tightly as possible, and moved my hind legs as fast as possible, while trying to hold on the rope. It is really hard without fingers. Finally, I reached the top of the wall, and jumped down on the mat below.

"One minute five seconds." Max said. "Slightly above average. Pretty good."

I took a seat near Moonshine, and patiently waited for her to be called.

After some time, she was called by the teacher. She nervously approached the starting line.

"Don't be afraid!" Max encouraged her. "Don't worry, the results won't be used anywhere else."

He proceeded to count down.

"Go!" he yelled, and Moonshine started running. She almost stumbled once, but quickly regained her balance and rather quickly passed the first stage. She had troubles with crawling under the net, as she didn't lower herself enough, her horn would often get stuck. After she passed that, she almost fell from the plank, but managed to pass without doing so. She climbed up the wall, but tripped and started falling to the ground where mats were absent.

I quickly caught her in my magical grasp, stopping her in midair. Her eyes were closed in fear, her forelegs protected her head. Moments later, she opened her eyes and saw me. Slowly, I lowered her on the ground and let her stand.

"Wow, you've got a good reaction, Flame." Max told me, wiping his forehead. "Moments later and... Well, it's partly my fault. I should've placed more mats." his ears folded. "Moonshine, are you alright?"

"Yes... Yes, I'm okay." she nodded, walking slowly to me. She was shaking a bit but was more or less calm. She took a seat near me, and looked at me.

Max cleared his throat, and moved more mats to the obstackles, placing them in all the empty spaces he's left uncovered.

"Um..." I heard Moonshine quietly saying to me. "Thank you..." she kissed my cheek slightly. "Um, if not for you... I... I'd maybe be hurt." she smiled. "Um, thanks... again." she giggled.

Well, what can I say? Such accidents can happen to anyone. I'm glad I was there to not let one end bad.

Whew, what a day this is. Already full of trouble.

Author's Notes:

Hey, this story has over one hundred thousand words by now!

Also, New Year is soon. Guess what?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpMwxnsbg0Y