Five years after the death of Sigma

"Okay class, get out some paper. We're going to start today with math." Miss Cherilee said. Time had been good to her. One could barely tell how old she was. She looked like she barely aged over the years.

The class let out a collective groan. One caused by the sheer amount of hatred for the subject. Only one pony liked it and that was a little red pegasus filly with a pink mane called Numerah. The only reason she liked it was because her cutie mark was a circle with a slash through it, the mathematical symbol for the number zero.

"Class, can you tell me what seven plus five is?" Cherilee asked. The only pony with their hoof up was Numerah. "Hmm, Sunburst, can you tell us what it is?"

Sunburst, was spacing, like always. "Umm..." He looked around for an escape to this impossible problem. Luckily, one came for him.

"It's twelve Miss Cherilee." Numerah said, smugly.

"Very good Numerah, but next time could you let Sunburst ask you to tell him the answer first." Cherilee said.

"Oh, okay."

Ah, lunch time, the only time that I'm allowed to hang out with friends...if I had friends. Sunburst thought to himself.

The playground, as well as the rest of the school, had been renovated because of the funds that the city had received five years ago. Unfortunately for Sunburst, they were also able to fit all of the kids into one school now so they didn't have to alternate between age groups. This meant that there were fillies finishing up the last year of school.

His inner monologue was cut short though because Numerah plopped her flank down next to him. "Hi Sunburst, you looked lonely so I came to say hi."

Sunburst wasn't much of a conversationalist with the nerdy type. So he kept it brief. "Hey, whats up?"

"Oh lots of things..." and Sunburst spaced out after that.

"Well well well. If it isn't bleeding gums and the zero." a snarky voice said.

Sunburst didn't say anything. They were right after all. The toothpaste colored hair and the crimson eyes gave them that nick name. It didn't help that his mom was a dentist.

"Hey, I'm not a zero and he isn't bleeding gums. I bet his teeth are healthier than yours." Numerah retorted.

"Hmm lets think about it, you have zero friends. You don't do anything outside of school. Face it, your a zero and its all you'll ever be." Diamond Tiara smirked.

Numerah started to cry, not knowing what else she should do.

I should help her. Nopony deserves to be treated like that. But if I do, then they will make fun of me more.

He couldn't decide what to do. So he sat there, letting them torment the little filly.

"Hey, leave them alone." a voice said.

Could it be? Of course it could.

"And why should I." Diamond Tiara said.

"Because I'm his foalsitter and I won't let you make fun of him or his friends." The pony said, showing herself to be none other than Scootaloo.

It is, I've been saved.

"So? You can't stop me."

"Oh really..." Scootaloo waltzed up to Diamond Tiara and pushed her.

Diamond was apauled by this. "You can't touch me. I'm a very important pony."

"Oh yeah? Well then, I can't do this." Scootaloo said while punching her in the face.

There was a collective gasp from everypony who was watching. Diamond Tiara ran away crying.

Scootaloo sighed. "Well, I'm going to be in detention again. Nice seeing you Sunburst."

"W-why did you do that?" Numerah asked.

"No pony, and I mean no pony, messes with the foals I sit or their friends." Scootaloo said.

Sunburst was sitting outside after school, with nothing to do. Since his mom was the only pony in Ponyville who was a dentist and because of Pinkie's sole existance, she was busy. So he was stuck to think about whatever he wanted.

This was the usual day for him. Except now he had company. In the form of a pink pegasus known as Numerah.

She doesn't stop talking, why doesn't she stop talking.

There were many things that Sunburst didn't understand. This was one of them.

Luckily, his prayers were answered when Scootaloo came out.

"Alright Sunny, what do you wan to do?" Scootaloo asked.

"I want to go swimming!" Sunburst said.

"Well, that can wait for a bit. I was told to bring you to my mum's place first."

"Why would Trixie want to see me?" Sunburst asked.

"I think she wanted to teach you some magic."

"Awesome. But whenever Twilight tried to teach me, nothing happened."

"I don't know, maybe its something about Sigma. She did teach him after all. From what I was told, she was only six when she taught him." Scootaloo said.

And off they went.

"Hey Scootaloo, did you know my dad?" Sunburst asked.

The topic of his father was, by those who knew him, were discouraged from talking about him in front of Sunburst. Mostly because he thought his dad was a hero, which he was. But they didn't want to encourage him or make him think that his dad was a murderer, which he also was. It was agreed on by all that he shouldn't have to know what his origins were until he was old enough to handle it.

"Sorry kid, the only thing I know was that he wasn't from around here." Scootaloo lied.

"Come in." Trixie said.

Sunburst and Scootaloo entered the building. The main room had a table with some books on it. The walls were decorated with pictures of Trixie and Scootaloo. Four years prior, Trixie adopted Scootaloo so she wouldn't have to grow up without a parent figure in her life.

"Now, Trixie was told that you have problems with magic."

Sunburst looked at his hooves."Yes ma'am."

"Now now, don't be disappointed. Trixie was able to teach Sigma after all."

"I guess so."

Three hours later

"This is stupid, I've tried everything that we can think of." Sunburst sighed. "I guess I'm not cut out to be a unicorn."

"Don't talk like that, you just haven't found a way for you to unlock your magical potential. Until you do that, there isn't much Trixie can do for you."

He's going to unlock his magic like Sigma isn't he? Trixie thought. "Scootaloo, can you see Sunburst home. Trixie is sure his mother is home by now."

Sunburst walked into the kitchen, where Colgate was making dinner.

"Hi Sunburst, how was your day?" Colgate asked.

"Great. Turns out that I can't do magic and I'm still a blank-flank." He said sarcastically.

Colgate sighed. "You can't rush these things. One day, you'll be the most powerful unicorn in your class. As for your cutie mark, they're not that special. Its only as important as you want it to be."

Sunburst gave a smile. "Thanks mom. What's for dinner?"

Colgate chuckled. Always the first question he asks me. Next Chapter: The Weekend Estimated time remaining: 58 Minutes