The Rhyme That Fooled Them All

by The Orange Nebula

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones 1/2

Her blood coursed through her veins like a fish downstream, cutting sharp corners around the jugular, shooting up the esophagus, and swelling in the brain. Her bones seemed to rattle under the heavy pressure that sat itself atop her, pushing down so hard; she swore to have heard the sound of muscles unraveling like an old bandage. Each hoof step bringing a new sense of dread that churned in her stomach like a bubbling cauldron of stress and fear. Sweat built fortresses along the forehead, running down her cheeks like mascara from the watery eye.

“Maybe I should just go home,” she thought, slowly approaching the schoolyard. “It wouldn’t matter if I missed the first day, right?”

The large brick building came into view, standing tall above the distressed filly. Its massive shadow blocking out the sun, blocking out the light, blocking out the bright blue sky above and replacing it with hard concrete.

The little orange pegusas swallowed back the distasteful mucus in her throat, gifting her with a few clean breathes before saliva formed another barracked inside her neck again, stopping the refreshing air from moving any further.

“Yeah, I-I’ll be fine if I miss the first day, no big deal.” As the filly turned to head back the way she came, a wretched bell sounded from the foreboding schoolhouse. It shook her innards and ate away at the slim chances she had of escape.

A horde of young ponies came stampeding down the road, pushing past the orange filly without caring as she fell to the cobblestone floor with a thud. As her face met with earth, a pain shot through her nose and the odd smell of blood filled her nostrils. She quickly reached a hoof to her nose, blocking the crimson liquid from flowing like a waterfall.

Tears stung her eyes and she wanted to cry, but crying wouldn’t get her anywhere, so she held them back like monsters behind a wooden door. She needed to make a proper first impression, and bawling wouldn’t help with that. With wobbly legs and a lack of pride, she rose to her hooves and saw a purple coated pony standing in the doorway of the schoolhouse. “Alright everypony!” she shouted, “That’s the morning bell, let’s get to class!”

She ushered the kids in before spotting the orange filly, still standing on the road in front of the schoolhouse. “Oh, well hello there,” she said with a smile, “Would you like to join us?”

It was too late to leave now, and her fears must be conquered. “Uh… ok,” she said quietly, approaching the front steps and standing before the purple pony.

“Oh my,” she exclaimed, “What happened to your nose?”

“Oh, this?” the filly said, gesturing to her injury, a single string of blood falling down to her lower lip, “I fell on my way here, that’s all.”

“Well let me get that fixed up,” the purple pony said, “But first, you can call me Ms. Cheerilee. What would your name be?”

“I’m Scootaloo,” the filly replied, still talking much quieter than she was used to.

“Alright Scootaloo, let’s fix up your nose and get class stared.”

With a nod, the two ponies entered the schoolhouse.

***

The colts and fillies had already taken their proper seats with friends, talking up loud conversations about whose jewelry is the prettiest, or who’s the best at sports, or who’s beautiful and ugly. Cheerilee and Scootaloo both entered the class, making their way towards a first aid kit that was beneath the teacher’s desk. A big white bandage was placed over her nose. Scootaloo wanted to protest with this ridiculous looking ailment, but fighting with the teacher on the first day of school is never a good decision.

Unwillingly, she took a seat in her desk by the back of the room and waited for class to begin. She looked on like a stranger as her fellow peers hysterically laughed at one another’s jokes, or commented on their favorite activities. She was an alien in this place, alone, only accompanied by the echoing laughs of others.

She rested her head down on the table, staring blankly at the wooden frame. Suddenly, hoof steps began to approach her desk. Scootaloo shot her head up and noticed two ponies standing before her. One with a bright pink coat and the other a dark grey. One with a plastic tiara resting above her mane and the other with thick blue glasses perched along the rim of her nose. One with the stare of an interrogator, the other with the look of a humble assistant. One with hubris glimmering in her eyes, the other with anticipation.

“What’s your name?” the pink one said bluntly.

The orange filly was rather surprised with such a sudden question, but found no reason to remain silent. “I’m Scootaloo,” she said.

“What’s that thing on your nose?” said the grey one, eyeing Scootaloo’s snout like the wealthy look down on the poor.

At that moment a feeling dawned on the orange filly, they didn’t seem as friendly as she had hoped. “I just fell on my way here,” she replied meekly.

“Well it looks stupid,” laughed the pink one, a crooked smile creeping across her lips.

Before Scootaloo could process the insult, the pink one spoke again, “I’m Diamond Tiara, and this is my best friend, Silver Spoon,” she gestured a hoof to the grey filly who in return bowed. “In case you haven’t noticed, we run this school because we are the prettiest, the most charming, the funniest, and the greatest.”

“The greatest of the greatest,” added Silver Spoon.

“We couldn’t help but notice that you are new here, so we thought you should get the memo,” continued Diamond Tiara, looking down at her freshly polished hooves and adjusting the plastic crown on her head.

Scootaloo remained still, “What…but…” her words were flustered and came out as nothing but incoherent sentences. No pony had been so blatantly rude to her like this before.

“Why are they being so mean to me?” she thought. “I didn’t even do anything to them.”

Author's Note:

This is a two part story that touches on the concepts of bullying and why I find the classic rhyme to be a complete lie. "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."

Comments

[Didlsbrony4evah]

This looks like a good start, though I won't be able to comment on my overall opinions until the second part comes out. However, I did catch a couple of things.

As the filly turned to head back the way she came, a retched bell sounded from the foreboding schoolhouse.

*wretched

One with a plastic tiara resting above her main and the other with thick blue glasses perched along the rim of her nose.

*mane

As I mentioned before, I'll have more to say when the second part comes out. I'll be waiting on your update, O-Neb.

[The Orange Nebula]

4320145 Thank you for calling that out. :) Dibs

[Didlsbrony4evah]

4320203
No problem.

[StarRibbon]

DT and SS..ugh.

[SuperwhoPegasister]

"Unwillingly, she took a seat in her desk by the back of the room and waited for class to begin. She looked on like a stranger as her fellow peers hysterically laughed at one another’s jokes, or commented on their favorite activities. She was an alien in this place, alone, only accompanied by the echoing laughs of others."
I know how you feel Scootaloo...

[Lunaluver4ever]

4461327 Me too.