//------------------------------// // Guess Who? // Story: Benevolence & Entropy // by Lola Dotz //------------------------------// The sun batted the bent blinds that covered the glass trying to block the rays of light from pouring in and waking up a delicate woman still fast asleep. She moved slightly, letting her hand fall off the ripped mattress. The glow of her yellow-tinted skin almost like the sunrise itself outside on her porch. She wore only a shirt, and her pajama pants to keep cozy, cuddling with an old and torn-up quilt, her feet bare. The fingers of her left hand touched the old wooden floor that had begun to rot on its own without care from others in the household. The woman’s pink Irish locks stretched across her lace pillow, making anyone gawk at the sight of her beauty practically spilling over the side of the bed. It was too early to wake up for school. One more year and this marvel of a woman would go off to live out her dream of being a veterinarian and caring for animals she would love with all her ability. She wanted to be kind to all those around her and help others care for creatures in need of love and stability. It was a rightful job for her, and her years of growing had proven it. If only the alarm would sound off before she’s late for her senior year of high school. The last year, finally. It had been ages, nineteen years of preparing for adulthood, and taking unwanted exams and assignments. The gentle lady sprawled across a broken mattress in an aging room would move out of her home and leave to be a doctor for all animals who needed the assistance. And she would be great. She will be great. She is great. A small sigh came out from the woman, then she returned to her shallow sleepy movements. She didn’t realize the alarm hadn’t been set last night, and the sun was her only wake. It leaked through at last and fell off the walls and across the mildew and junk on the bedroom floor. Slowly past the cans and broken glass shards, alongside the alcohol spills staining the red wood floorboards and the butts of smoked cigarettes. It reached the bed frame and crawled up the covers and across the woman’s feet and legs, encasing her lower half in morning glow. It came up slowly around her small figure and to her eyes, finally. She saw the red glow of the sun reflected on her eyelids, and then the wall with a large crack that glistened as the sun shone through the bedroom. She blinked a few times before really staring at the wall. Her eyes veered past the crack and the door frame to see the living room and occupied couch. The young woman closed her eyes once again and took a deep breath then looked up at her alarm clock on the mantle beside her bed post. 5:30 Her eyes widened and she quickly sat up, getting a light head at the same moment. “Oh...ow.” She whispered as her head made an unmistakable thump of pain. She looked around at her bedroom and saw the remanence of what seemed to be a big party hosted by freshmen college students. But it wasn’t. The young lady looked back to the living room and saw a larger woman sprawled across the couch in drunken sleep. Another deep sigh came out from the delicate woman, now fully awake. She took no time to get up out of her bed, which was difficult to sit up in, and then get up out of the crevasse in the center of the mattress. The metal spring caught in her pants and ripped them slightly. “Oh, I just sewed this yesterday…” She pouted looking at the tear in the cotton, the head of a lightning bug had been ripped from the rest of its stitched body. A low moan sounded from the living room and the delicate lady looked up quickly to see if she had woken the older, but she was still sound asleep. A relief came from her and she moved to the bathroom down the hall to the right of her bedroom, moving further away from the drunk Mrs. that she rather would not wake. She came to the door frame and slid on the bathroom floor, catching the counter and stopping her fall. The young woman looked at the floor and saw the drink her mother had been drinking again, now spilled on the horizon of the wood floor. She let out another sigh and looked straight ahead to the mirror. She smiled a little. As if practicing what to look like--to hide something--she was stretching her mask of happiness to the corners of her face. Back to a focused frown she carried on with her morning tasks. She brushed her teeth till they were pearls and brushed the locks of her hair to a shiny pink silk, then letting it fall over her shoulder. Walking back to her room she looked at the filth with a blink, then went over to the pink dresser hidden by the door. She grunted, banging on it once while trying to open the wood to reveal several shirts. She wore a white shirt this time with a jean jacket, a red skirt stained with white polka dots and lined with lace at the hem, and a pearl necklace to take the outfit to a newer height. It was the first day of school, and her last year. She had saved up and kept the last of her savings for a whole new line of outfits that even her friend of a fashionista would envy. She looked in the cracked mirror built into her dresser and smiled, making the reflection seem more broken. She frowned again. The woman opened up her top drawer and pulled out a pair of socks, quickly slipping them on and leaving for the kitchen connected to the living room, quietly avoiding her mother on the recliner. A snore alerted her to hurry and grab what she needed in the locked cabinet above the stove. She pulled out the key to the lock and opened the squeaky door slowly to reveal a jar full of cash and bits. The woman grabbed it and put it on the countertop in front of her, moving dirty dishes and cigarette butts out of the way with a small swipe of her knuckles. The jar was opened with a silent “pop” and then she began pulling out the amount she would need for the day. Quickly she shoved her savings in her skirt pocket and put the jar back in its place, closing the doors of the cabinet. The woman gasped silently when she saw the new scratch marks on the wood and the screw holes as if someone had tried to get into the cabinet again. The teal eyes of the delicate lady turned over and saw her mother still snoring a storm up with an alcohol bottle in her yellow hand. The screwdriver of prior confirmation was on the floor beside the culprit. Anger flashed through the woman for a moment but then only sadness. She locked the doors of the cabinet as she had done every day, and then grabbed her bag by the door, leaving the house with only the sound of the front door closing as a sign of leave. “It’s going to be a good day…” She said to only the morning sky and herself. Her voice was quiet and her eyes were closed contently now that she was out of the house for another day. She went on and to a comfort bike that rested against the wall on the other side of the house and left without another word. The tires of the turquoise bike squeaking as she left the driveway, or dirt patch connected to the house. The flat pedals moving swiftly as the woman made her way down the road, now putting in her headphones with her other free hand. She hummed the tunes and watched as a man pulled out a “for sale” sign from the ground of a yard to a house down the street from her’s. Someone’s moving in. That’s good, I hope they’re nice. She made her way around the corner and saw the high school close by, another breath of contentment escaping her lips as she came up to the building. The woman quickly came to the bike rack and chained it up tight, not noticing another individual coming up behind her. “Are ya always going to ride that thing to school? I’d thought you’d be able to get yurself a car by now?” A thick country accent made the young woman turn and greet a knowing face with a smile. “Oh Applejack! Oh um...I just thought...well...a bike isn’t that bad to ride, and I-...sorry...” The soft-spoken woman stuttered on her words and her friend softened. “No need to apologize Fluttershy, ah understand just fine. I just don’t want ya wastin’ so much energy before the day has even started!” Fluttershy looked to her orange-skinned friend and smiled tenderly for the farmer’s concerns. Her friends were always caring for her, even if they didn’t know everything. “Come on now, we don’ wanna be late for class.” Applejack patted her friend’s shoulder and headed toward the door alongside Fluttershy and a few other students that filed into the large school building. The two headed out of the sea of students and saw a group of talking girls and an adolescent man beside the cafeteria doors. “Hey y’all!” Applejack called out to the group as they saw their other two friends joining the conversation. “What took ya so long slowpokes?! We’ve been waiting outside of the cafeteria forever for your guys to show up!” A blue woman with rainbow-dyed hair complained, crossing her arms over her jean vest and green shirt. Her ripped jeans and sneakers showed her personality well and the keychain of a soccer ball hanging from the belt loop of her jeans said “winner”. Fluttershy smiled at her friends and was ready to answer the rainbow girl right before another woman spoke up. “Oh please Rainbow Dash, we were hardly waiting five minutes! Why, I had just now got here after stopping at the magazine stand down the road.” This friend was white as snow and had long purple curls tied up in a ponytail showing off her figure which had a lovely blue dress without sleeves. It came out in an A-line and made her look the part as a fashion artist. “Ugh, whatever, if it feels like forever then I tell ya it was a while longer than it could have been.” The said Rainbow Dash continued on with her pouting as she turned over to the doors of the cafeteria and went on in as everyone else did after her. “Don’t mind her, she’s only upset because she hasn’t had her coffee yet.” A yellow adolescent came up behind Fluttershy and gave her a comforting hand on the shoulder. Her hair was bright red and yellow and her eyes were a kind green. She wore a teal shirt and a black leather jacket over it, along with a frilly yellow skirt. She was also a friend. “If I don’t get coffee soon, everyone is going to be upset.” A purple woman with bags under her purple eyes spoke up. She seemed tired enough to have the right to say such a thing to the group. Her dark blue, pink and purple striped hair was in knots as if she had been sleeping on a desk, which she might have, being the smartest out of the group. It wasn’t unnatural. “Haha, no kidding, you should see the scar Twilight gave me last week when I woke her up without a cup of coffee to give her. Apparently being an item isn’t an exception...” This time a man spoke up with a soothing sing-song voice. He had obviously been the lover of the woman prior, since they were wearing matching bracelets on their wrists, and he admittedly said they were together. Aside from that he was the rocker of the group, his hair was swept back and dyed blue to match his leather jacket which was black and had red and white stripes across the chest. Twilight groaned his name in annoyance. Flash Sentry, was the perfect band boy name for the lead guitarist. “I-already-had-my-coffee-for-the-morning! I-mean-at-first-I-was-thinking-that-maybe-I- wouldn’t-need-any-because-it’s-the-first-day-of-school-and-I-was-already-super excited! But-then-I-thought-that-maybe-I’d-fall-asleep-by-accident-and-then-not-learn-all -of-the-teachers’-names-or-our-classmates’-and-then-I-would-be-sad-” Rainbow groaned as the group reached the cafeteria tables, finally sitting down to a cup of coffee she had grabbed halfway through the story from another member of the group. The fast talking was beginning to annoy her, however, the coffee gave a bit more leverage. “Don’t worry Pinkie, I’m sure you won’t fall asleep...and even if you did, I’m sure the teachers would wake you up. Plus, I’m assuming you had your coffee.” The yellow red-haired woman said as she paid the lunch lady some bits and took a bite of her cinnamon bun. Pinkie smiled widely and jumped up and down with glee. “Oh did I Sunset! The Blue Pegasus really is the best coffee place, you know?!” She was mere inches away from Sunset Shimmer’s face with wide eyes and a big smile. Sunset smiled tenderly and swallowed the rest of her bite. “It is Pinkie.” She said simply, watching Pinkie smile even larger and then head for the table with a bounce, joining the rest of the gang. Applejack began to braid her hair as Rarity puffed herself with powder and continued with makeup. Pinkie sat talking to Twilight and Flash as she drank yet another cup of coffee at the same time. As Rainbow watched Fluttershy sit at the table with a wince, you could see a small amount of anger flare up in the rainbow friend. “Fluttershy…” She said coming up to her and then sitting at the table. Her voice was low and raspy, but at a whisper. “Yes?” Fluttershy said quietly, as she stirred the ingredients of tea in a cup and then drank it slowly as Rainbow watched her for a moment before questioning her. “Did she hurt you again?” There was silence between the two friends. The rest of the group’s chatter was the only thing to break up the silence at the table. “Don’t worry about me-” Fluttershy chose her words carefully. “I’ll be fine, I can take care of myself.” She smiled at her friend who looked at her with worried eyes. “If you ever need to, you can live with me again, what happened last time won’t happen again, okay? And she won’t be able to find you this time-we could-I-I can-” Fluttershy drank her tea and stared at her friend with a knowing look in her eyes. “Sigh, alright...but my door is always open to you Flutters...I can’t see you get hurt like that again.” Rainbow submitted to the silent discussion and got up as the bell rang. As students left the cafeteria Vice Principal Luna passed out classes to the students, handing a paper to Fluttershy. “Good Morning to you Miss Fluttershy, I hope you’re doing well and are excited for the year?” Luna said with a small smile. “I am, thank you Vice Principal Luna.” Fluttershy continued walking forward and stopped near the group as they stood in the middle of the meeting hall. “Well, what’d y’all get? I’m stuck in Mrs. Bell’s for first hour…” Applejack said concentrating. “Really? I got soccer for the early hours, then I go to…ugh, Math…with Mr. Calculus, I’ll be dead before I graduate!” Rainbow complained yet again. “I get to go to Music first- oh look Rainbow! We got the same hour for Math! I’m sure I can help you.” Twilight proclaimed ecstatic. “Hey babe look, I’ll be with you. I’ll be in Music for first hour.” Flash said pointing at the paper in his other hand. “Oh this will sure to be fun!” She replied back to her lover with gleaming eyes. “Aww...I got art for second hour…” Pinkie pursed her lips. Rainbow looked at her questionably. “Uh, Pinkie, isn’t that a good thing?” “No, I really wanted it for first hour but I got English...Rarity, can I have your fainting couch?!” Pinkie pouted, which everyone chuckled and rolled their eyes. “What?! I don’t have one! And even if I did I certainly wouldn’t have brought it to school. Anyhow, I have Home Ec. for my first period.” Rarity said playing with a loose hair from her head. “What did you get Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked looking at her friend, who seemed to have buckling knees. “I-I got Mr. Doodle...for Biology…” She said with sad eyes...it was her doom. The group gasped, they knew it was the worst class and the worst teacher for it and for such a shy meek little woman as Fluttershy, it would be a difficult year. “Oh -well, darling that’s not too bad...is it?” Rarity said with an unsure tone. “Yeah it can’t be all bad…” Rainbow said reassuringly. “I mean it’s not like you’ll be suspended on the first day or anything.” She said with a confident smile, but her eyes showed worry for her friend. “Yeah! It’s not like you ended up with the worst teacher in the hardest class in the whole school or anything!” Pinkie piped but then tapped her chin with her fingernail, rethinking her previous statement. “Oh wait...maybe you should panic…” “Pinkie!” The group grunted and slapped their faces in frustration. “It’ll be fine. Just be you and do your work thoroughly, I’m sure you’ll make this year with straight A’s.” Sunset said coming up to her friend with confidence. “In fact, we all will if we try hard enough, right?” “Right!” They broke off from their group and headed for their classes as the warning bell sounded off through the halls. With equal volume goodbye’s everyone went down separate paths leaving Fluttershy to her paper and her classes ahead for the year. She made her way to her first class and was hit by a cold chill from the room’s fan, as if to warn off trespassers. The last bell sounded off while Fluttershy was still outside in the hall, only right outside the door to the classroom. “You’re late.” A grumpy man grunted and looked her way, she shivered under his cold gaze. He was by no means handsome and was quite old. He had a wig of black strands and a sweater with a zig-zagged design across his chest, it all pulled together with a dull darkened green bow keeping his dress shirt underneath neat and tidy. He had a large nose that poked into Fluttershy’s personal bubble. “Get in your assigned seat before I write you to detention!” He shouted at her, to which she whimpered and carried on to an open seat that was presumably her’s. “Let’s begin with introductions.” He said dryly and with mockery in his tone. Fluttershy’s confidence in the year ahead was on a thread, a very thin thread. “I’m Mr. Doodle, I do biology, and you are expected to learn in this class whether your tiny brain likes it or not. So let me lay down some rules before I get started.” He went to the blackboard and began to write his name in white chalk. He then wrote five rules below it, then slammed the chalk down hard on his desk. “You there, nerd, stand up and read the rules off for the rest of the class. If you can’t read then leave.” Mr. Doodle said coming to the front of his desk and crossing his arms, his chest trying to stick out to show brave stance, but instead his stomach poking out proudly. The student picked on by the teacher stood nervously. He fixed his glasses and spoke with spit coming out due to his braces, his words muffled. “Rule nu-number one: No Drinking or Eating in Class. Two: No Listening to Music. Three: Turn in All Assignments. Four: Do Not Speak Unless Called On. Five: No Pu-public Displays of Affection.” The young male sat back down as Doodle came back to the board and underlined the last rule. “If any of these rules are broken I will personally make it my top priority to have you either suspended or possibly-” He touched the last rule with his finger, tapping twice. “Expulsion.” He said with a small chuckle, as if proud for striking fear in all the students of his class. “Now, take out your journals, we will begin the year with a report on the book Thou Has Fallen, it is a great read and we will discuss its contents.” Fluttershy scrunched her nose, that book was not something she wanted to have to read, or write a report on. She raised her hand as she brought out her binder, not noticing her music player lying on top. Doodle turned around seeing the delicate woman raising her hand from the corner of his eye. “Yes…” Doodle looked at his seating chart and saw her name. “Miss Fluttershy?” “Yes, um, is there...possibly, if it’s not too much trouble...another book option?” She stumbled on her words, her face etched with worry. Doodle studied her for a moment, then realization shook his features making him smile mischievously at her. “Does Miss Fluttershy have a reason for not wanting to read this particular literacy?” He said slyly. “Well, yes...I-it’s just against my-” “Well, I hate to disappoint you Missy but there are no other book options for you to-” “Oh, surely you have something else for me to read? I mean there are plenty of books on the subject that may include the same facts and content of the first suggestion-” Fluttershy stopped as she realized she had spoken over the teacher and was out of her seat with her hands on her desk. This could not be happening. What was she doing?! “Miss Fluttershy, are you saying that my book suggestion for your first assignment of the year isn’t adequate enough for you?” He growled under his breath, his anger dripped off of his lips. It was dangerous to go any further. But… “Well…um, sigh, I don’t want to-” “You don't want to read it, huh?” “N-no! That’s not what I-” Doodle had walked up to her desk with wide eyes as he looked at her music player and headphones sprawled across her school binder. “And what’s this!” The class looked at her and their teacher with wide eyes and scared faces. The anticipation and fiery anger in that moment was putting them on the edge of their seats. “Oh, it must’ve-” “You were listening to music in my class?!” “N-no, I-” “Detention!” Fluttershy stood in shock and watched as her teacher wrote a sticky note and handed it to her with an angry scowl. All she could mutter was…“What?” The woman looked at the sticky note with a sad face. The handwriting from Mr. Doodle was like a knife through her heart, she hadn’t expected her first day to go like this. The first day! On my very first day and I already have detention! I can’t believe this! I didn’t even- Fluttershy stopped in front of the detention door and sighed a deep breath. “I guess I had taken it too far…” She whispered as she opened the door to find Luna drawing at the desk. “Vice Principal Luna? What are you doing in here?” She said aloud this time and stared at Luna with wide eyes. Luna too turned and viewed the one who had spoke up and entered her domain. “Shouldn't I be the one to ask such a question? Whatever could a shy young woman be doing in here for?” Luna said scribbling some more. “Well, I-” Fluttershy slid the note to Luna and the teacher snorted. “Oh, thou such a poor state indeed. Being written up for disturbance of class and...oh my, you would listen to music in class Miss Shy?” Luna said with a small smile, knowing the answer perfectly well. “Of course not! Sigh...I wish I would have just kept quiet but, I really didn’t want to read such a book for my first assignment…” Fluttershy went and sat down at a desk, slamming her head on the wood, letting her pink locks fall off the edges and almost touching the floor. “Rainbow was right about one thing...I’m not suspended at least…” she said with slight sarcasm in her tone, making Luna giggle thoughtfully. “Oh, Miss Fluttershy, surely it isn’t that bad. It’s only till lunch.” Fluttershy groaned in her jacket’s sleeve. “Well, I suppose Celestia can have something else productive for you to do instead of wasting your time in such a place as the detention room…” Fluttershy raised her head at this and looked at Luna with pleading eyes. “You think?” “Of course, though my sister is quite busy with many tasks. Surely she could find something for you to do.” Luna went to the desk and typed a number in for the office on her school phone. “Oh, thank you Vice Principal Luna, though, are you sure you wouldn’t need my company?” Fluttershy got up holding her backpack on one shoulder and standing at the front of Luna’s temporary desk. “Not at all Miss Fluttershy.-Hello, yes I’m sending Miss Fluttershy to Principal Celestia’s office with a note. Thank you Pommel.-” Luna hung up the phone and wrote a note down quickly then gave it to Fluttershy with a tender smile. “Here.” “Thank you Luna.” “Now go on and make sure not to tease Mr. Doodle further.” Fluttershy giggled. Her laugh like a little bell. “I will.” “Well, can’t they just send it via e-mail or how about fax?-Well excuse me for being old fashioned, sir, but we have to get the papers there soon.-I can’t just drop everything and go!- Yes, well-I understand that. I suppose I could rely on my Vice Principal then. But I still-I see. Well alright, I’ll be there in thirty minutes-alright, good bye.” Principal Celestia set her phone down on her desk and massaged her temples, the stress getting to her head and making it pound. The next pound came from her door, and then a creak. Celestia looked up to see a student as her first hour office assistant come in with another student. “Pommel, Fluttershy? What can I do for you?” “Miss Celestia, Fluttershy is here with a note from Principal Luna.” Pommel came to Celestia’s desk and set the blue sticky note on the table. “I see, let her sit then. Thank you Coco.” “Miss.” Pommel left closing the door leaving Fluttershy and Celestia alone in the bright sunny office. “Let’s see...well, I can say you have timing Fluttershy.” Celestia said standing up and walking toward her book shelf and then grabbing papers from an unused printer. “Oh? I-I do?” Fluttershy stuttered, confused. “Indeed. You see I have some school documents with all of the students who have signed up for school and are here today but they hadn’t been faxed to the school board yet for some reason. Circumstances have left me with no choice but to give all my tasks for today to my sister.” Celestia stuffed her previous papers and books inside a purple leather briefcase. “Oh, that’s too bad…” Fluttershy had sad eyes, just when she thought she could help instead of staying in the detention room. Now she would be in there alone until lunch period with nothing to do. Celestia saw the hopelessness etched on the young woman’s face and smiled. “But, there is one thing neither of us will be able to accomplish.” Fluttershy lifted her chin and saw Celestia staring at her with a glowing face. “I had almost forgotten I’m due to pick up an old friend of mine from the airport. It’s his first time in America and sadly neither I nor my sister will be able to pick him up.” Celestia came up to Fluttershy and smiled more as she hugged the strap of her briefcase. “Would you be kind enough to see to it he’s dropped of at his new home? Perhaps you could even show him around our little town? If it’s not too much to ask.” Celestia pleaded with her eyes, her face was filled with a confidence that Fluttershy thought she’d never have. “I-” Fluttershy thought about it for a moment. She didn’t want to go back to the detention room and sulk in shame of being banished to the basement on her first day, and it would be a good way for her to help. She wanted to please Celestia, maybe rewrite her previous mistakes of the day. “I think I can do it Principal Celestia…” Celestia closed her beautiful eyes and smiled brightly. “Excellent, well, here is his new address and Luna’s car keys. Be sure to be back at lunchtime, if you’re unable to, just call in and Pommel will say you went home sick. By the way, I think I can erase your previous detention from the records.” Fluttershy gawked at her Principal for a moment then shook her head. “Oh you don’t have to-” “I want to. Don’t worry about a thing Fluttershy. Just hold up that sign for the flight twenty seven passengers, he’ll see it and come to you.” Celestia left the room, leaving Fluttershy with the sign at the foot of the desk and the car keys with an address in her hand. What had she gotten herself into? Fluttershy took a deep breath and continued out into the parking lot and found Luna’s Honda Civic, as it said on her keys. The yellow tinted woman had wondered how Celestia had obtained the keys from her sister in the first place, but chose not to think too much on it. She ignited the ignition and let the car run for a moment before driving off, away from the school and toward the city airport. She sighed once again with a concentrated frown, taking small glimpses at the address and the sign. Her eyes widened when she realized the address was her street address and happened to be the house she had seen earlier that was no longer for sale. It had been a nice penthouse style home. With nice exterior, and she assumed interior as well, and with a lovely front and back yard. He must be rich to own a house like that...he probably won’t even stand the sight of me when he sees where I live. I wonder if he’s nice, maybe he is...maybe he isn’t. What if he doesn’t like animals? Oh, how could he not? Everyone likes animals, right? Fluttershy pulled onto the interstate and drove up and down one of the bridges then headed for the visible airport. The planes flew off and on the landings and made loud noises that clouded the air. Fluttershy felt a twinge of pain surge through her as she would glance at the planes. Her mind dulling momentarily to similar moments. “Papa! Papa! Look, hehe, I’m flying!” A small voice of a young child sounded through her memories and she wasn’t paying attention to the planes but the road as she entered the parking lot of the city airport. She continued frowning as she parked and paid for the car to stay in the lot as she went into the large glass building with the sign and Luna’s car keys. Fluttershy walked on and about trying to find where he might see her and her sign, then she saw the passengers filing out from plane twenty six. Twenty seven being next door with no one coming in just yet but the plane visible outside on the landing lot. The young woman read the sign and smiled. I’ll be the first face he see’s, I should smile, and be kind. Fluttershy walked toward the opening doors as passengers came out one by one. She held up her sign against her chest and watched as passengers would see her and then walk away. Her shoulders tightened, her nervousness affecting her stomach. Why were they all looking at her funny, or was it funny? Fluttershy was nervous as it was, being in an airport surrounded by flying death traps, but now no one seemed to be the man she was sent to pick up. She looked around worriedly and prayed that he would show up soon. She looked behind her for a moment but not before catching something out of the corner of her eye. A tall man walked out with the last of the passengers and was reading a thick book. He was a dark tan, almost an Egyptian Black but was lighter like an Arabian. He had a short haircut that was black with sideburns that showed off his small chin and excellent jawline. He had a long bridged nose that didn’t come out as much on the tip as you would think. His cheeks caved inward slightly, and his eyes were a piercing red while his bushy black eyebrows made his face look kinder. He had a small figure but his upper chest was somewhat built, his hands and fingers long. Fluttershy blushed at the sight of him. His clothes were very professional, he looked like a teacher. He stood at the entrance continuing to read his book, changing to the next page, while Fluttershy absorbed his appearance. His outfit would be something Rarity would want to change on sight for it being tacky, but to Fluttershy it suited him well. A white tuck-in folded at the elbows and a dull blue, cotton vest and dirty styled jeans that hugged his legs slightly, with a businessman's pair of shoes. And to top off his look he had the nicest orange tie tucked into the collar of his tuck-in. He was most definitely handsome. Fluttershy shook her head furiously and looked around holding her sign up higher so other passengers could see they had missed her. Her long pink locks fell over her back and she turned around facing the leaving people as they grabbed their suitcases. She turned back around to see the still deep reader in the way of the exit. A guard proceeded to talk to him, asking him to move, which the stranger did not give much recognition and did not look up from his story, which was now identified as “The Phantom of The Opera”. That is one of the most-no! I have to find him! He’s somewhere, and if he had left he must know that he might have left me inside by myself…or at least he would think he left Celestia inside by herself. The stranger then looked up from his book, squinting at the brightness of the airport and let out a groan. He turned and saw the sign, raising an eyebrow at the curious woman holding it up with so much determination in her eyes. The name on the sign made his eyes soften, and he chuckled throatily. He quickly put his book away in his satchel and walked toward her. “Excuse me…” He said in a raspy, baritone voice. Fluttershy turned and saw the man who had spoken to her, she blinked several times and stared at him. “H-Hello?” She finally breathed out in a low whisper. “I see you’re waiting for someone...may I help you?” He sounded so sincere, it made Fluttershy blush slightly, but she couldn’t forget where she was and lose her senses. “Well, you see, I was trying to find someone, but he may have stepped out without seeing me. I’m sure he’ll be back though.” She gulped, she saw heat in this man’s eyes as he watched her every little movement of nervousness. “Hm...I see, well, if you don’t need my help I won’t pressure you into doing something you wish not to. However, would you mind telling me this man’s name?” He said slyly with a soft blink of his lashes. Fluttershy looked at her sign and looked back at the man with an unconfident smile. “Um, Mr. Cordy?” She said unsure if that was right or if she had pronounced that correctly. The stranger couldn’t take it anymore, he bellowed a loud and low baritone of a laugh, his eyes leaking happy tears. “Oh-ho-my...pardon me, my dear...I’m afraid that I do not know anyone by that name...however, I do know his real name…” He stood straight up and looked down at the young woman who had a face of confusion. He towered over her by a few inches, but she was not fazed. “I...don’t really...understand…” She said looking up into his red eyes. “The name is Mr. Cordwood, my lady...I’m afraid Celestia had forgotten not to call me by such a ridiculous nickname-” “Wait-you’re Mr. Cor-Cordwood?” She had to say his true name after thinking about what the stranger had just said. “In the flesh, darling. Might I say that I was not expecting such a fine woman to pick me up from such a long flight.” He was being coy and his voice was sing-song with each word, it made Fluttershy feel slightly aggravated. “Well, I don’t think I’m that fine. Anyways, if you really are the Mr. Cordy I’m looking for, I’d like to-” “Now slow down there darling...it’s Mr. Cordwood to you. And I’d like to grab my bags before you start talking.” The strange thin man walked off to the suitcases collecting and tried finding his bag. Fluttershy gawked at his attitude toward her, she thought he’d be a bit nicer than that. She sighed heavily. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt! And besides, this may be the last time we see one another. And he can’t be all bad… Fluttershy came up to the tall man as he grabbed his bright orange metal suitcase that had clashing purple polka dots. It made the young woman squint at the bright popping colors. “Well don’t just stand there love, aren’t you going to carry my stuff? Isn’t that why you’re here?” He leaned against his suitcase his satchel sliding down his arm and to his wrist. Fluttershy blinked repeatedly then showed a face of shock and worry. “No, I’m actually here to-” “Ugh, alright, I’ll carry it myself then!” He grabbed the handle of the suitcase and pulled the wheels of the metal carrier across the floor to the glass doors that would get him to the entrance of the parking lot. Fluttershy stood once again alone staring at the man who had just walked away and was heading outside without her. He didn’t even know what she drove here! How could he be so selfish?! Now, now Fluttershy...I’m sure he’s just cranky from such a long flight. Yes. That has to be it. All I need to do is stay quiet for the trip unless he asks me a question...then I can go to lunch hour and all of this will have never happened. Fluttershy took another deep breath and put a smile on her face as she walked out and stood beside the man with a confused brow. It made her giggle, he looked cute that way. The young woman blinked and covered her giggle with a cough. But the Mr. Cordwood had already heard it. “Well little missy, I see you think my confusion is funny?” He turned to her with a mischievous grin. “Oh, well, no Mr. Cordwood.” Cordwood looked at her suspiciously but then let it slide. He liked making anyone laugh. “Aren’t you going to tell me where the vehicle is?” He said nonchalant. “Oh! Yes, of course...um…” Fluttershy was momentarily unawares but then she saw the car at last, after being almost a minute of her eyes searching. “Th-this way.” She stuttered. Mr. Cordwood eyed her with a concentrated brow. He didn’t expect someone other than Celestia to pick him up. He had prepared so many jokes and good laughs for himself for the trip to his new place. His lip puckered with a pout. What am I to do with such a meek little thing? Why, the only satisfaction to be gained out of this ordeal would be her laughing at my own expense! We’ll just have to see about that! I’m sure I can still have the same plan to ruffle a few feathers...it will be with just a prettier face. Cordwood made his way to the woman who was now unlocking his side of the car, the passenger side. Cordwood gasped dramatically. “Young lady! Are you assigning me to second best? Why must the guest of honor be sat at shot gun? Why not drive myself?” Fluttershy looked at him for a moment with a slightly dizzy face. Then she couldn’t help thinking. Because you might leave me here… She shook her head and smiled. “Well, you see Mr. Cordwood...it’s only right that the...guest of honor be driven, why, we wouldn’t want such an outstanding new citizen to have to drive himself? What kind of lady would I be if I didn’t drive you to your new place? Why should I force you to do such labor?” She smiled sincerely at him, her words were dripping with honey and kindness. She lied about every word. Every. Single. One. At least she could get away with smiling rather than snickering. Cordwood looked at her momentarily, as if thinking through his options. She’s good. Oh well, plenty of time to tease once we’re on the road. But I shall not give her the satisfaction of being witty. “Oh very well, someone of my intelligence and beauty should rest after such a ridiculous amount of hours stuck on a plane. Thank you for volunteering as the lower class to pick me up and drive me to my new beloved home.” He hopped into the car and Fluttershy gently closed the door. Okay, so it was a bit more forced than that. Fluttershy was outraged that he would call her lower class! She was not lower than him! No! He was the one that had stooped so low to tell her to her face her social status! It’s true though...I am lower class. Her face turned solemn, her mind going back to her own life and where she lives and who she lives with. A deep sigh escaped her and she walked to the driver's side of the car without another word. She closed the door and turned on the car, driving out and back on the highway away from the city. She thought to herself, in a daze and in her own world, just watching the road go underneath the car. She couldn’t even hear Cordwood complaining. “My what an awful car! The colors are just ghastly! And are these seats not leather? Oh, no it’s a cheap cover of cheetah print, go figure...I say my dear I would have thought a pretty thing like you would have a better sense of color. Or at least a better brand of car!” Cordwood looked over to see if he had gotten to the young girl yet. Instead he frowned and watched as the girl looked off into the distance. “Um...hello!” He said sing-song like, then squeaked in surprise when Fluttershy looked at him with a deadpan face. She looked back to the road, then she took a deep breath to calm herself down. Patience. “It’s not my car.” Fluttershy smiled innocently as she drove down the road her voice a bit more chipper. She wasn’t going to let a bad day get her down. She was helping Principal Celestia! She was doing a good deed. “This is Vice Principal Luna’s car, and I think it looks rather nice. This car also has better gas mileage, I think.” Cordwood stared at her, confused at her sudden confidence to talk to him in such a way. To just blatantly ignore his complaints and sarcasm. He then thought about what she said and smirked. “Oh? Why would such a young girl be picking me up when Sunny should? I’d rather have her pick me up!” He pouted, puckering out his bottom lip. He wanted nothing more than to use all his new jokes on the goody-two-shoes Celestia. It was his specialty to annoy, of course. “I’m very sorry to hear that. Anyway, Celestia had to take an emergency trip and she asked me and Luna to help her with her tasks at school while she was gone. She realized that you were coming to America today and that if she left, you wouldn’t have a ride. So she asked me to come get you so you wouldn’t be...alone.” Fluttershy looked at him when she finished her sentence, then back at the road. His face was blank. He didn’t know what was worse, that he couldn’t tease Celestia on the way to his foreign home, or that this young girl was brushing off each and every insult and complaint coming from him. “I...see…” Cordwood was silent and instead took out his previous read and mimicked the words on the page with his lips. Fluttershy looked at him for another moment. He had suddenly gotten tired of talking to her it seems. Fluttershy sighed quietly and paid attention to the road instead. She had been wanting it to be quiet the whole time, but now that it was, it was awkward. She couldn’t believe what she was about to do. “So, why are you here Cordwood?” She asked, her eyes still on the road. Cordwood looked up from his book with a stunned face, staring at Fluttershy. He thought she didn’t want to be talked to? He didn’t want to talk to her either. But a question asked is a question that must be answered. Or something like that. Cordwood smiled with an idea in mind. “My dear, if you wish to converse...we converse my way.” He closed the book and rested his hand on the cover while he looked at Fluttershy with witty irises. Fluttershy took a deep sigh and smiled. She knew it would be a bad idea to start talking to him, but it did sound intriguing. “Okay.” She replied simply. Cordwood smiled at the invitation. “Let’s play a game of sorts, shall we? I’ll ask a question and you answer with yes or no, then you ask a question after me.” He put his hand to his chest, thinking himself royalty, closing his eyes blissfully, as if to make him more beautiful. Fluttershy giggled a little at the sight, she smiled in submission. “Alright.” She said staring at the road. Fluttershy would like it better to keep him occupied this way than to have him insulting her. Though, she had a feeling it was going to be a long car ride. “Good. First, my rules. Me and you get three tries to guess, if the question is not a yes or no question. If we don’t guess correctly, then the person asked this specific question will answer for them, but the person who had asked the question misses a turn and the person who had answered their question for them gets to ask one more question than the other.” Cordwood smirked at the confused face of the young lady next to him. Fluttershy had felt a bit lost, but she smiled yet again and nodded. “I’ll ask a question first. Is your favorite color blue?” Fluttershy giggled at that question, but she calmed and smiled at him before turning her attention back to the road. “No.” “Yellow?” “No.” “Green?” Fluttershy grinned and looked at him. “Yes.” “Oh I knew it all along!” He scrunched his nose and filled his cheeks with air. It was a suiting face for him. Fluttershy could see now that he wasn’t all that bad, he was actually quite funny and interesting. I’ll have my patience with him and see where it goes...besides, we’re almost there. “Alright, now your turn.” He said opening his book again and reading with a smile on his face. “Hm...well-” Fluttershy looked at his book and smiled. “So you like to read. Is your favorite genre... dark?” “Nope, darling, guess again.” Fluttershy looked at the book cover and back at the road. “Horror?” “No, dearest.” Those nicknames made Fluttershy blush lightly. She took one last glimpse at the book and realization hit her. “Oh! Romance! You like romance novels!” She said enthusiastically while Cordwood coughed repeatedly as he choked on air. “O-Of course not!” He said hiding his book with a large blush. “I like drama!” He said with a pouting lip. Fluttershy smiled at him then back at the road once more. “I like romance too…” She whispered, Cordwood ignored it and huffed. How could she guess that! I don’t like that...in particular. Oh well, no matter. Now would be a good time to begin my real game anyways. This will surely be a good tease. “Alright missy, for my next question!” He said with a determined eye and a chipper voice. Fluttershy felt where this would be going as he eyed her clothes. “My. that is a lovely dress you have there.” Fluttershy looked at him confused by the sudden change in subject, like he was really being sincere all of a sudden. She had tried her best to look pretty that day; she was even wearing a bit of lip gloss, which was unlikely of her to use. It felt nice to have recognition. She smiled looking down at her clothes for a moment before seeing her neighborhood sign. “Why, thank you I-” “I mean you can get anything nice from a lost and found, don’t you think?” He interrupted her, turning back to his book. Fluttershy’s face fell at that statement. It was so blunt, and he said it without a fake smile on his face, like he meant it. She couldn’t help but take his words to heart, it was hard not to when he was a stranger and she didn’t know him personally. He was handsome, but it didn’t make up for his attitude toward her. No! I won’t let him get to me...I’ll just ignore his jokes and I’ll be fine. Must show kindness. Everyone has a little good in them. “That’s...not a question.” She thought to herself out loud. “Oh, but it is! Tell me, did you take those clothes from Lulu too?” “No, I didn’t...” “Did you get them from a garage sale then?” “No.” She said quietly. Cordwood looked at her, his smirk fading slowly, he had just realized the sensitivity of this strange woman. He felt a tinge of guilt strike him in the chest, the woman’s face was so sad. So what! She shouldn’t be so sensitive! Those were funny jokes, it was just sarcasm! She needs to grow up and have some fun! “Where’d you get them then?” “You’ve ran out of questions…” Fluttershy said trying to hold back a few tears. She dressed her best, but she still wasn’t good enough. It would always show. Her class, her life, who she was, it would always be there...and there was nothing she could do about it. Cordwood looked at her stunned. She was right, he was breaking the rules of his own game. He wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing his bewilderment, however. “So…” he prodded. “I bought them myself...at a thrift shop down the road from my house.” Cordwood felt a little bad now; he knew now that she probably wasn’t as rich as he was. But he ignored that thought and instead smiled once again and looked at Fluttershy. “Alright. What is your question?” Fluttershy thought for a moment, calming down enough to talk to him once more. She thought for a moment about asking him why he was so mean, but she didn’t want to start another “argument”. She tried to think why he might be so sarcastic, why he was always laughing at her own expense. Fluttershy had thought he was just cranky, but he seemed so chipper about putting her down. It was for fun. Then she remembered how sad she felt when her friends were broken up. How, because of Sunset, they hadn’t talked and seen one another. And because of her home life, she had gone into a deep sadness while she was alone. Fluttershy looked back at him with a concentrated frown, then she pulled the car up into a driveway and looked at her knuckles resting on the steering wheel. She knew what to ask. “Do you...have any friends?” She showed Cordwood her innocent eyes. She saw only loneliness in his own. “No.” He said bluntly, now looking away from his book and having all focus on the young woman. Fluttershy sighed as she realized how touchy that might have been for their first and last meeting. She watched as he gathered his things and got out of the passenger side. He opened the back seat door getting his suit case, not having any eye contact with the woman behind the wheel. Cordwood slammed the door and walked in front of the civic, grazing the hood with his hand and coming to Fluttershy’s window. She looked at him curiously. He was smiling. Cordwood knocked a tune on the glass and waited for Fluttershy to roll the window down for him. They stared at each other for a moment, then he bent his back forward and rested on the empty space where the window had been, his arms crossed and his face only a foot away from her’s. “What’s your name?” Fluttershy was quiet for a long while, stuck in thought. It wouldn’t hurt to tell this stranger her name if they would never see one another again. But what would be the fun in that? Fluttershy smiled at him and started rolling up the window, him moving away quickly, looking at her in bewilderment. “Hey! You didn’t answer my-” As the window was almost closed it stopped and Fluttershy looked at him, still smiling. “Take a guess.” She said playfully then rolled the window up all the way, started the car, and then backed off the driveway with a loud roar. She sped off down the road, Cordwood watching her turn the corner and head for the high school. She...out smarted me…He shook his head and smiled. What a woman! He began walking up the steps to his new house, then looked back at the place where Fluttershy had been in his driveway. “I will.”