//------------------------------// // M Is For Monster // Story: The ABCs of Harmonic Death // by Vertigo22 //------------------------------// On a cool, sunny, Spring morning in Mane, a young mare walked in a school hallway. Her coat was bright green, and her cutie mark was that of a chalkboard. She entered a classroom and smiled. “Good morning, class!” She said with a large smile. “Good morning, Miss Rosalina!” the foals said back. “Today is a very special day,” Rosalina said. “Today, we learn about the day that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna defeated Discord!” The foals looked at each other. “Who’s Discord?” a foal asked. “That's a very good question,” Rosalina said. “I shall explain who he was. But first, let's take attendance.” --- Meanwhile, outside of a small, copper colored house, a unicorn with a sand-colored coat and a house for a cutie mark eyeballed the cozy looking home. Aiden, you've hit the jackpot, he thought as he approached the front door. Aiden looked around himself before his magic enveloped the lock to the front door. Click Works every time, he thought as he entered the house. “Alright, let's see what we've got,” he said to himself as he locked the door behind himself and walked around. The living room had a beige armchair, and cyan carpet. A bookshelf full of various mystery and adventure novels rested against the wall. “How droll,” Aiden muttered to himself. “All that's missing is a cat and a velvet robe.” Aiden walked into the room and looked around. The walls were plain white, and an unlit candle sat on a small table near the chair. “All that's missing is a fireplace and this will feel like home,” Aiden said to himself. “Only, it won't have liquor bottles and notices from the IRS laying around.” With that, Aiden walked out of the room and into the kitchen. The walls were a pale blue, and a fridge resided on the left side of the room. A drainboard was full of morning dishes, and a picture of a sun with a smile on it hung above the sink Aiden rolled his eyes and walked over to a drawer. “Who in Celestia's stupid, incompetent name puts their knives near their drainboard?!” he yelled as he slammed the drawer shut, the sound of the silverware shaking as he did so. “Stupid pony who lives here must also think Luna raises the sun!” Aiden walked to the fridge opened it. “Let's see, milk… juice… what? No frigging hay fries!? Cut me a break!” he yelled as he slammed the fridge shut. “Stupid… worthless pony doesn't even have something worth eating!” In an even bigger huff, Aiden continued to wander around aimlessly. --- “Bland, boring, dull, this whole house is so cliche!” Aiden yelled in frustration as he walked back into the hallway where he'd entered. “Well, there's still the upstairs.” Aiden walked up the wooden stairs, a flower-green carpet placed along it. “Well, at least their hallway is nice,” he said as he looked down it. A polished, hardwood floor stretched onward, and a few pictures hung from the walls, which showed a mare smiling, surrounded by dozens of foals. “Either this house belongs to a teacher, or I've found the biggest family in Equestria… please don't be the former.” Aiden looked at another picture and frowned. Teacher of the Year! “Shit.” Aiden groaned. “Well, maybe this house belongs to a couple, and only one of them is a teacher.” Aiden continued down the hallway and unlocked a door. He closed it behind himself and entered the one bedroom. “Lady Luck, please be kind to me.” The bedroom had a large, pink colored bed. A small stack of papers on a desk in front of a mirror, which sat near a mirror on a desk. Aiden walked over and picked one up. “Ah, I see I now know who this wonderful place belongs to,” he said to himself. Aiden walked over and picked one up. “Rosalina, huh? You're the teacher I see. Well, that's something.” Aiden picked up another piece of paper and read it. Dear Miss Rosalina, “Ah, fuck.” I appreciated your awesome lesson on how Celestia teaches ponies that the values of friendship and tolerance! I'm so happy I have you as my teacher. Your student, Skyracer. The intruder burst out into a fit of laughter. “Oh, that poor, misinformed foal,” he said. “She really taught that foal that bull crap Celestia spouts?” The stallion placed the papers down. “Fine. I'll give her a lesson that she won't soon forget.” With a sinister grin, the stallion opened a nearby closet door and entered it. Slowly, he shut it and waited. --- That afternoon, Rosalina arrived home from work, a smile on her face. Okay, I have to grade a few papers and then I have the whole night to myself, she thought. I think I'll finish that Daring Do book I started last week. Or maybe a mystery. Those are always fun. Rosalina unlocked her front door and stepped inside. “I love my students, but nothing can ever beat the comfort of home,” she said to herself. She happily trotted upstairs and walked into her room, where she noticed something wasn’t quite right. “That's odd,” she said to herself. “I could've sworn that I kept my papers on the right side of my desk.” The young teacher tossed her saddlebag into her bed and straightened the papers out. Creeeeeak Rosalina spun around. “Hello?” she called out. “Is somepony there?” The intruder teleported out of the closet. “Hello, Rosalina,” he said calmly. “I'd like to have a discussion with you.” Rosalina screamed and ran to l her door, which Aiden slammed shut with his magic—and teleported closer to the terrified teacher. “W-who are you?” Rosalina asked as she shook with fear. “My name is Aiden,” he said. “I broke in.” Aiden's horn lit up. “Now, do me a favor, and take a seat,” he said as he forced Rosalina into a corner of her room. “What do you want?” Rosalina asked, still shaking. Aiden hopped up onto her bed and locked her bedroom door. He focused his gaze on her and smiled. “You seem rather intent on teaching foals about Celestia's… ramblings,” he said. “I'd like to ask why that is.” Rosalina took a deep breath and slowly began to calm down. “Well, all of Equestria's schools teach about Celestia,” she said. “She is our Princess, after all.” “You see, I… take issue with Celestia,” Aiden said. “She is a very bad pony—and that's a fact.” “A… bad pony?” Rosalina asked. “How on Equus is she a bad pony?” “Well, she's had those element bearers do all of her work for starters,” Aiden said. “Then there's the fact she's-” the intruder hopped off of Rosalina's bed and walked over to her- “let crime rage across Equestria.” “It… isn't really a secret that we've had our fair share of crimes,” Rosalina said. “Where did you get the idea that she let's crime rage across our land?” Aiden pressed his muzzle up against Rosalina's and calmly said, “Don’t play coy with me. She has you feed foals lies and propaganda.” “W-Wait, what?” Rosalina asked. “I don't feed foals lies or propaganda!” “Nonsense!” Aiden yelled as he stepped back. “It's a well known fact that Celestia has ponies like you indoctrinate the youth of today!” “Where on Equus did you get that idea?!” Rosalina said, her eyes still wide. “I learned it from hearing imbeciles like you speak!” Aiden yelled “Now, I want to know why you teach foals these lies.” “Because they aren't lies,” Rosalina said. “Besides, anypony with common sense knows that's it's more beneficial to be kind to one another.” Aiden smiled. “What a load of shit,” he said. “Now, how about I tell you my view on your 'teachings’.” “Um, okay,” Rosalina said. “I don't know what you can possibly say.” Aiden chuckled. “Foals are ignorant and blind, all thanks to ponies like you,” he said. “You've taught nothing but lies, and yet you seem okay with this. You've taught them that conflict and disagreement isn't okay, that it can simply be mended with friendship,” he said. “Is this really what you want? Mediocrity from the stallions and mares of tomorrow?” “But nothing can defeat friendship!” Rosalina yelled. “It's helped us ponies overcome many great trials over our history! It united the three species when we were divided!” “No, common sense did,” the intruder retorted. “None of us wanted to freeze to death, so we decided the best way to survive was if we stood united. None of this schmaltzy 'friendship’ crap you all spout,” he continued. “You all make friendship out to be something special. If it truly was, why am I the way I am?” “You're simply misguided,” Rosalina said. “Perhaps Princess Twilight could help you.” Aiden burst out laughing. “Princess Twilight? Seriously? She's practically the poster foal for indoctrination!” “She became a princess because she succeeded as Celestia's student!” “No, she was practically molded into who she is today! She had no free will when it came to who she wanted to be!” Aiden said. “Do you really think that she had any real choices while she was under our 'beloved’ monarch’s wings?” “Yes, I do,” Rosalina retorted. “Celestia would've allowed Twilight to make her own choices,” she said. “She wasn't a pawn.” Aiden shook his head and laughed. “Cut me a break, Rosalina!” He said as he stopped laughing. “Your ignorance is staggering. You've taught so much and yet so little. Can you not just see future generations making no progress? All they'll ever do is repeat the same tired old shit. There's nothing motivating them to move forward!” “What do you mean?” Rosalina asked. “What I mean is that, without conflict, the foals of today will literally become carbon copies of you tomorrow.” “Well, we've set good examples! They can progress on their own, and create new, wonderful things! All while being great ponies!” Rosalina yelled as she became increasingly frustrated. “All of life's greatest achievements have been accomplished by conflict and hardship! Nothing great is ever done easily. We were united when we were all being pounded by frigid weather. We didn't just do it because we wanted to do so. We had very different views. You think we could accomplish something that today?” “Okay, enough!” Rosalina yelled. “Before I go on talking to you, will you please tell me where you've gotten these ludicrous theories?!” Aiden frowned. “I learned long ago from… sources that Celestia wasn't all that she seemed to be,” he said. “I learned that she sent out secret documents to schools on what to teach and not teach. She cherry picked things so that foals wouldn't question her authority.” Rosalina stated slack jawed at Aiden. “And… exactly who told you this?” “A former royal guardpony!” “Right, yes,” Rosalina said. “And I heard from a former advisor of Luna's that she's a walrus.” “Why aren't you taking me seriously?” Aiden asked. “Do I have play an audio tape for you?” “You’ve yet to give a compelling argument beyond, ‘listen to me, I'm right’!” Rosalina said in a mocking voice. “Now, unless you have compelling evidence, get out of my house” “I'm a burglar,” Aiden said. “You really expect me to just leave?” “Um… yes?” “No,” Aiden said. “Geez, you're dense.” “I'm not dense!” Rosalina yelled. “I… um… was hoping you'd listen.” “Yeah, well, I'm not,” Aiden said. “Now, why don't you shut your pretty little mouth and listen to what I have to fucking say!” Rosalina flinched. “Okay,” she said, her voice barely above a squeak. “Wonderful!” Aiden said. “Now then, when I'm done here, you'll have your turn to speak. Okay?” Rosalina nodded. “Terrific! Now then, my argument is that schools across Equestria indoctrinate foals,” Aiden said. “Honestly, you all sugarcoat history, you paint Celestia as this perfect pony, and you shelter foals from crime and hatred. You're setting them up for disaster!” Rosalina stared blankly at the intruder in front of her. Any semblance of taking him seriously was thrown out the nearby window. She blinked and rolled her eyes. “Well?” Aiden asked. “That’s your argument?” “Mhm.” “Not, it isn’t! That’s your claim; you didn’t give me any actual evidence to support it. And you couldn’t have, because what you said is entirely false,” Rosalina shouted. “First of all, we don't 'sugarcoat’ history. We never have. Of course I’m not going to tell six year olds about how the ponies of old slaughtered each other, but it’s not like we continue to hide it from them as they get older! “Second of all, we don't paint Celestia as a perfect pony. We've taught foals that she makes mistakes, just like anypony., Where you got that idea, I don't know and I don't care. “Third of all…sure, of course we shelter foals from crime, for the same reason we leave the gorier parts of history out until later. We don't need them to know about how there are ponies out there insane enough to murder others until they’re mature enough to handle it. I don't get your thinking behind telling them such gruesome details. Tell me, how exactly are we setting them up for disaster by not traumatizing them?” “You’re setting them up for disaster by making them weak!” Aiden roared as he swiped Rosalina's desk clean. “You've failed all of Equestria by teaching foals nonsense, lies, and garbage! You've brainwashed them!” All because your beloved monarch’s the biggest moron this planet had ever had walk its surface! Yet, you and so many others follow her! I wish you'd wake up and realize she's nothing more than a blind ruler.” “I have not brainwashed foals!” Rosalina snapped. “And Celestia isn't a blind ruler! She's been our ruler for millennia, and has learned much in that time! How can you be so blind to that?” “I'm the one who's blind to some enigmatic, ditzy, childish Alicorn?” Aiden asked. “That dimwitted bitch has never been of any use to us! She's always had her six brainwashed 'elements of harmony’ do her hard work, while she handles jack squat! She's allowed ponies like me to run around because she has her head up so far up her own ass that she can see her own beating heart!” Aiden snapped. “You tell me why I should follow somepony like her!” “Because you're blinded by anger!” Rosalina snapped. “And you keep mentioning how she's let ponies like you run around. Then why don't you turn yourself in?” “Because idiots like Celestia—and those imbeciles she calls the royal guard—don’t deserve the satisfaction of housing me in one of their dungeons!” Aiden snapped. “Besides, I wouldn't give up seeing ponies like you squirm. It's always fun to use a bit of force to shut up those who don't stop talking,” he said with a wicked grin and a soulless look in his eyes. “W-wait!” Rosalina shouted. “Force?! Have you done this before?!” “I guess you could say that I've had to use some excessive measures to get a point across,” Aiden said. “The last house I broke into, the owner kept asking questions.” “What did you do?” “I told him-” Aiden punched a nearby dresser drawer- “to stop asking questions!” He yelled. “The dumbass lost a tooth, though he stopped speaking after a bit, deciding it'd be best to just cry as I took his stuff.” Rosalina gulped. “I don't know what caused this anger, but it’s clear it hasn't been good for your mental health.” Aiden shot Rosalina a glare. “Excuse me?” he asked, rage filling his voice. Rosalina gulped. “I… err…” Aiden stormed up to the visibly shaking teacher. “What did you say?” he asked. “I swore I heard you suggest that I might have some issues with my mental health.” “No”! Rosalina shrieked. “I didn't, I swear!” Aiden smiled. “Oh, really now?” “Y-Yes!” Rosalina said. “I swear!” Aiden's smiled slowly faded as he walked over. He grabbed Rosalina's head and slammed it into the wall. “Now, how about you start telling the truth you dumb shit?!” Rosalina's head rung. Tears rolled down her face as she stared at Aiden, who glared down at her. “Well?” “I… I'm sorry.” Rosalina held her head and sobbed. “You… you didn't have to do that though you psycho.” Aiden grabbed Rosalina and threw her against the wall. “Are you hard of hearing?!” He yelled. “Come on, Rosalina! Are you going to keep this up all damn day?!” “N-No,” Rosalina said through her sobs. “You sure?” Aiden asked. “You think you've finally got it through your thick skull?” “Yes!” Rosalina cried out. “I do! I swear! Please, just… don't hurt me anymore.” “I will do as I fucking please!” Aiden swiped the desk clean. “Do you understand?” Rosalina nodded. “I-I swear!” “Really!” Aiden yelled. “Because I don't fucking trust you!” Aiden’s magic grabbed a hold of Rosalina's mane. He walked up to her and pressed his muzzle up against hers. “If you're absolutely sure, tell me what I want you to be sure of!” Rosalina shook violently. “Y-You… you want me to be sure that I tell the truth!” She said as tears streamed down her face. Aiden slammed Rosalina onto the hardwood floor. His horn lit up and the door to the dresser drawer flew off, which slammed into the wall. “Now, lie again and you're next to become close friends with the wall!” he yelled as he walked away. “Understand?” Rosalina looked up at Aiden. Blood rolled down the left side of her head, and tears filled her eyes. “Y-Yes,” she said. “I'll tell the truth.” Aiden threw his forehooves up into the air. “Bravo, you're learning at the pace of a fucking two year old foal who's learned how to spell 'mama’ with colored blocks! Aren't you a smart cookie!” he exclaimed sardonically. Rosalina merely wept. The pain in her head was excruciating, and her vision was blurry. Aiden stormed back over and kneeled in front of Rosalina. “What’s wrong?” He asked. “Got a fucking boo-boo? Need your mommy to kiss it and make it all better?” “No, I don’t,” Rosalina said through her whimpering. “Especially not from a sociopath like you.” “Really? Because it looks like you want somepony to come and make all of your troubles just vanish.” Aiden made an explosion hoof-gesture in front of Rosalina’s face. “Just like that.” “You know what… I do,” Rosalina said as she struggled to stand up. “It’d make me really happy.” “Are you sure?” Aiden asked. “Y-Yes! I'm absolutely sure!” Aiden swung his right hoof, which connected with Rosalina's jaw. “Stop lying you fucking moron!” he yelled. “Maybe if you do, I'll leave and I won't leave you looking like this pathetic display of Equestria's educational system!” Rosalina spit out a bit of blood. “I didn't like you, asshole,” she said. “I merely changed my fucking mind.” Aiden raised an eyebrow. “I… never expected you to say something so gutsy,” he said. “I didn't think you had a backbone in you.” “You don't think a teacher has a backbone in them? I've got to deal with foals all day, of course I do,” Rosalina said. “I never expected to have to deal with the likes of you in my life though.” “Well, now you are,” Aiden said menacingly. “Now, let's continue from where we left off!” “No!” Rosalina shouted. She stood up and glared at Aiden. “You've made your point, and you've made it loud and clear! Quite frankly, I don't give a damn about your opinion! I will teach the foals of tomorrow how I am told to teach them! You can't change that, you obnoxious, cruel, mean spirited monster!” Rosalina—rather shakily—stormed up to Aiden and pressed her muzzle up against his. “If you have an issue with it, you can go crawl back to whatever wretched part of Tartarus you came from!” Aiden gently pushed Rosalina away. “Such harsh, mean words coming from a teacher of all ponies,” he said calmly. “What would your students think?” “I think they'd understand.” “After you've taught them-” Before Aiden could finish that sentence, Rosalina charged into him. “I've had enough of your nonsense, your lies, and your condescending-” Rosalina threw a punch to the unicorn's muzzle, which resulted in a loud crack- “bull crap!” Aiden levitated a nearby pen and slammed it into Rosalina's back. “You inconsiderate bitch!” He snapped. “Here I wanted to have a nice, in-depth conversation with you and you attack me?” He asked as he wiped away some blood. “I can't believe that somepony who has been so nice and so understanding would react with such vitriol disdain to my hollow threat of killing you!” “Oh, quit acting nice, you jackass,” Rosalina said. “You slammed me into a wall and fucking stabbed me. I think I have the right to be upset!” “What would Celestia want?” Aiden asked with a smirk. “I think even Celestia has her limits,” Rosalina said. “Now, do me a favor and leave. If you do, I won't report you to the royal guard!” “You really think I believe you?” Aiden asked with a growl. “Please. You want to leave this room so bad?” He asked as he glared angrily as Rosalina. “Then let's play a wonderful game.” Aiden’s magic unlocked the bedroom door and opened it. “You leave this room,” he said, “and run.” His horn lit up brightly. “Because if you don't, nopony is going to recognize your corpse!” Rosalina ran as fast as she could out of the room. Her vision blurred, and her heart raced. Boom! A large magic bolt flew by Rosalina and obliterated a wall in front of her. Dust filled the air as the young teacher frantically made her way down a long hallway. Aiden exited her bedroom and fired off another bolt of magic, which struck the wall right next to Rosalina. “Don't bore me too much, Rosalina!” He yelled. “I know you've got a few cuts and whatnot, but that doesn't mean you need to move slower than Celestia’s stupid government!” Rosalina let out a painful cough. Her eyes burned, and her whole body ached. She dragged herself towards the stairway. “You… are the most obnoxious bastard I've ever met in my entire life!” She yelled back. Aiden teleported down the hall. “That's the nicest thing you've said to me all day,” he said. “It just warms my heart.” “Me saying I wouldn't report you to the royal guard wasn't nice?” Rosalina asked as she dragged herself down the stairs. “Most homeowners I've tied up have said that too,” Aiden said as he walked in front of Rosalina. He placed a hoof under her chin and raised her head up and looked her in the eyes. “You think you saying it holds even a drop of water to me?” he asked in a mocking tone. Rosalina stared at Aiden for a second before she spit at him. “No, I don't,” she said coldly before she pushed Aiden out of the way continued down the stairs. “Bitch,” Aiden grumbled, before teleporting down the stairs and firing off a bolt of magic that struck the middle of the stairs. Pieces of wood and carpet flew in every direction. Rosalina grabbed onto a banister as she felt splinters dig into her body. “Was… that necessary?” Aiden fired another bolt of magic, this one striking the ceiling, which caused rubble to rain down on Rosalina. “What do you think, Miss Rosalina!?” He yelled as the young teacher cowered. “S-Shut the fuck up,” Rosalina growled as she along what little of the stairway remained. “Oh, that was just too cruel,” Aiden said as Rosalina reached the bottom of the stairs. Rosalina turned around and punched Aiden in his right eye, which sent the stallion staggering back. “Oh, you're just the worst kind of pony.” “You're one to talk.” “Yeah…” Rosalina turned around and limped into her kitchen. “Come on, come on,” she said to herself as she frantically searched for a knife. Boom! Various utensils flew around as Rosalina covered her head. “No, no, no!” Aiden yelled as he teleported beside Rosalina. “Your knives are near your drainboard! Not near your fridge!” He yelled as he opened the drawer. “I can't believe you do this, by the way. Really, two extra steps to get a knife? It’s so inefficient!” Aiden levitated a knife to Rosalina and smiled. “Now, let's fight like real ponies!” Rosalina grabbed the knife in her mouth and looked at Aiden nervously. Clink levitated a butcher knife out of the drawer and spun it around with his magic, a grin on his face. “What? Never fought before?” He asked. “It’s quite easy.” Beads of sweat rolled down Rosalina's face. She closed her eyes and charged at Aiden, who teleported behind her and swiped at her thigh. “Reckless.” Rosalina dropped the knife and screamed in agony. “It's a damn scratch,” Aiden said. “Come on, you foal.” Rosalina picked up the knife and turned around to face Aiden. “You're really going to make me do this?” She asked, a look of sorrow on her face. “Enough with the damn questions!” Aiden hurled the knife at Rosalina, which embedded itself in her shoulder. Rosalina let out a pained scream. She fell to her haunches and stared up at Aiden, who loomed over her. He tore the knife out with his magic and held it in front of her as blood dripped from it. “Quite the sight, no?” He asked with a smirk. “P-Please, stop it!” Rosalina begged. “I can't take this anymore!” “I find that you're too much fun to just kill,” Aiden said. “Getting rid of you would just be… anticlimactic.” Rosalina shut her eyes and, with every ounce of strength left inside of her, head-butted Aiden, whose knife fell to the ground. Rosalina slammed her knife into Aiden's shoulder. “Just… go away!” She yelled. Aiden let out pained scream. “You bitch,” he grumbled. Rosalina tore the knife out and slammed it deeper into Aiden's other shoulder. Aiden let out another pained scream and looked up at the enraged mare, then smirked. “Go ahead, kill me. I'll get the last laugh.” Rosalina frowned. “How so?” “Easy, you get to live with my blood on your hooves. After all we've been through today! Together, as the best of friends.” Rosalina's right eye twitched. She raised the knife and plunged it into Aiden's forehead repeatedly. “You stupid, mindless, thoughtless, callous piece of shit!” She screamed as blood splattered onto her coat. Tears rolled down her face as she finally stopped and looked at Aiden’s face. “Even in death, you still have a smug grin on your stupid face,” Rosalina said. Rosalina slowly stood up and staggered to her front door. She opened it up and walked outside. The night sky was cloudy, and the air was dead quiet. Rosalina frowned as she made her way to the local police station as a single thought filled her head. This is going to be a nightmare to explain to my class.