Friendship is Failure #8: Teen Titans HSM V: Ways of Life

by DakariKingMykan


Act 4: Intellectual Differences

ACT FOUR

The next day, time for school as usual…

The Equestrians and the Murakami’s all met up at the front doors, but Flash looked a little grumpy. “Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked.

Flash let out a huge yawn, “Jackie and Jillian kept me up all night with their constant chattering in the guest room, and I got band practice today. Worst of it is, they wouldn’t have breakfast with me; said home cooking was “Too lame” so they went out to eat.”

“Well, at least your assigned students were with you.” said Twilight “Garfield didn’t come to my place last night.”

Everyone looked concerned, preferably Terra, “Do you think something may have happened to him?”

“I don’t know.” said Twilight, “But my folks said if they don’t hear from him soon they may call the police for a missing person.”

Suddenly, everyone could hear the sound of rocket engines, small, but strong. Spike poked his head up from Twilight’s pack and asked, “What’s that?” fortunately, the noise was too loud for the others to hear or notice him, except for Twilight, and she gave him a soft nudge forcing him back down into the pack.

“It’s just Garfield…” Dick answered “I’d know that sound anywhere. Watch…”

Everyone watched, and sure enough Garfield came in on what appeared to be a flying moped, and he hovered above the parking lot. Every student gawked at him, from the yard, the fields, and even inside the building. Even Celestia and Luna gawked in astonishment from the main office window.

Applejack rubbed her eyes in total disbelief, “Okay, a moped that’s flying. I know I’m not goin’ crazy or somethin’.”

“You’re not.” said Vic “That’s the Tidwell-3000. It used to be just a plain ordinary moped, but Garfield supped it up so it flies.”

Rainbow couldn’t blink her eyes as she watched the moped softly set down in the parking lot, but far away from the parked cards and away from any trees and bushes. “Whoa.” she peeped “A flying moped! That is just awesome!”


Many students huddled around, but not too close, and watched as Garfield stepped off the small vehicle and removed his helmet and flying goggles, but he hid his face behind his cape as he put his shades on.

He then gawked at all the students whom were gawking at his ride, and he locked the controls and steering so no one could possibly try to steal it.

Then he just walked off, ignoring the crowd of gawkers.


The Equestrians and Murakamis jogged to catch up with him.

“How-di-do-di, Garfield…?” Pinkie said trying to be friendly, but he didn’t respond or even look at her, already stirring up some ire from everyone.

“You all set for your first official day?” Pinkie asked, still trying to get through to him, but Garfield continued to ignore her.

Finally, Twilight spoke up. “Garfield where were you last night. My folks thought you got lost when you didn’t come home with me. What were you doing?”

Finally, Garfield rude responded, “That’s really none of your business! Got it?!”

Twilight felt struck, and Spike heard what was said through the bag, but remembered he had to stay low.


“Garfield, you didn’t have to be so rough.” said Terra.

Garfield turned to face her and sneered deeply, “I know I didn’t have to, I just felt like it. It’s how I live, and it’s how I roll. You don’t like it; tough!” then he stormed off leaving Terra a mix of fear and anger for the way he just barked at her.

“What is with that guy?” asked Rainbow “You try and show him compassion and he balks at you like a wild dog.”

Sunset was fairly convinced that Garfield was in serious need of friendship help, but she didn’t know how to approach it. “What would Princess Twilight do?” she wondered softly.

“Princess Twilight?” asked Kori “What are you talking about?”

Sunset and the Equestrians looked worried. “Oh, um… I didn’t “Princess.” I said “Priceless” Priceless that Twilight would do that.”

“Um… yeah… it was pretty priceless.” Twilight agreed.

Their fib seemed to work as the Murakami’s shrugged it off.


Just then, Jackie and Jillian showed up from behind, and cleared their throats to get everyone’s attention, preferably Flash’s. “What are you standing here for?” Jackie scored.

“Yeah, are you going to carry our books to class or what?” added Jillian.

“Ugh!” groaned Flash, but he had no choice but to comply, remembering what Principal Celestia had said, and he carried the loads of books for the girls, “I’ll see you all.”

As the girls walked off, Jackie turned to face Terra, “Are you coming or what?”

“Yeah, don’t hang around with these chumps.” added Jillian.

This angered the others, but Terra felt forced to comply and excused herself from the group, walking down the hall with her so-called friends.

The Equestrians didn’t speak to each other, but they all had the same idea in mind, that Terra also may need help with her friendship troubles, depending on how severe. So they also agreed, silently, nodded back and forth at one another to observe her and the Js as best they could.

“Whatever, I’m off to class.” said Raven. “Me too.” added Kato, and they walked off together.



Soon, all the students had gone to their homerooms.


Twilight Sunset and Terra were all in the same math-class… with Garfield unfortunately. He sat at the front of the room. He had removed his cape, feeling no need to wear all through the school and put it in his locker, but he still wore his shades, and his dog-whistle. They were not against the school dress-code.

All the students were working on ten pages in their math textbooks, and after just ten minutes, Garfield closed his books up.

“Is he finished already?” Sunset whispered to Twilight. “Even I’ve never finished that fast before.” said Twilight.

Terra whispered to them both, “We told you, he’s that smart. This is kiddy-play to him.”

Twilight and Sunset were astonished.


Then Garfield looked a bit woozy again, as he rubbed his eyes behind his shades. The teacher, out of view, asked, “Are you alright, Mr. Logan?” “Just a little tired, ma’am… I’m okay.” he replied, and he got out another text book on science and physics and just quietly studied.

Sunset and Twilight were still gawking at him.

“Ladies, please focus on your work.” the teacher said, and the girls went back to their math problems.

Poor Terra found it hard to concentrate as she couldn’t stop looking at Garfield.


While Spike was feeling a little hot and cramped being cooped up in Twilight’s knapsack.


All through that morning, Garfield showed his fast paced ability to get classwork done.

Even in third period science class, which had with several students, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow, Dick, Kori and Vic, he corrected the teacher when he made a scientific error.

He was even asked to come to the board and rewrite the formula, which he did it in at such dizzying pace, and explained it along the way using complicated and expert words that most of the students felt like falling out of their seats in shock.

Even the teacher was astonished, and discovered the mistake he had made thanks to Garfield’s correction.

Garfield blew on the chalk like a western blowing on his gun barrel.

Rarity couldn’t help but faint out of weariness trying to understand it all.


In fourth period, literature, Garfield was unfortunate enough to be sharing that class with Twilight and Fluttershy, but also the Js.

They sat in the very back of the room on the left side, while Garfield sat up front in the center side, and Fluttershy and Twilight were in the middle, behind Garfield.

Twilight’s knapsack began to quiver a bit as Spike tried to roll over inside and get comfortable. “Ms. Sparkle?” the teacher called “What is that?”

Twilight quickly stashed her pack under her desk and out of view, “Oh, nothing… just my books rolling over. Er… I mean, falling over.”

The teacher wasn’t sure, but she continued her lecture on poetry as she read from her book while walking round the room.


The Js were bored to the bone. Poetry was not one of their more favorable subjects. Then again, hardly any school subject interested them, and every so often, when they were bored enough they felt like causing a little mischief.

Jackie texted to Jillian: “Look at the geek’s desk.”

Jillian could see a few crumpled balls of paper on Garfield’s desk, which he had placed while just scribbling notes in his spare time, and the girls noticed that the teacher was walking back to her desk upfront, with her back facing the class.

They both got the idea, and silently crumpled up two paper-balls, and readied to throw them, Fluttershy could see just in time as they threw the paper balls hitting the teacher’s head simultaneously.

She angrily slammed her book shut, making everyone look up to the front. “Alright, who did this?” she asked rather strictly.

Fluttershy knew, but she didn’t think it right to tattle.

The teacher then noticed the paper-balls on Garfield’s desk, and she stepped over to him, holding the paper-balls, and tapping her foot. “Mr. Logan…!”

“It was not I ma’am.” Garfield said, calmly.

“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to…”

“I can prove it…” he cut in. He took the crumpled papers from her, and opened them up; both of them were blank with nothing written on them. Then he unrumpled all three of his paper-balls, revealing each one had formulas and equations scribbled on them.

“Plus, I saw out of the corner of my eye.” he said “These two papers hit you at the same time, but on the left side of your head. I couldn’t possibly have done that while sitting at this angle. I would only be able to hit the right side or the center area of your head, but not the left.”

The teacher, astounded by his calculations, couldn’t seem to argue. “Well, then who did this?” she thundered “I’m waiting…!”

Her stern and strict voice made Fluttershy’s stomach do backflips, and she cracked under pressure. “It was them!” she suddenly squeaked while pointing to the Js.

“What…?!”

“We didn’t do it.”

“Actually, you did.” Garfield suddenly said, “When I saw the papers hit, I calculated the velocity they were thrown at by the sharpness of impact. They had to have been thrown from very far off, which meant they had to be pitched hard.”

The teacher agreed with this, and also noticed the girls’ open notebooks, each with a page torn off the top. “Ladies, I’ll see you both after class.”

Some of the students laughed at the girls’ humiliated, but the girls were outraged over it, but not as enraged with both Garfield and Fluttershy.

Garfield, smirked and turned to face forward, but he gave the left side of his head a scratch with his finger and thumb making the “Loser” gesture towards the naughty girls.

The girls turned red in their faces, which made Fluttershy quiver, while Sunset reached over and comforted her “Don’t let them get to you. It’ll be okay.”

Fluttershy was still very fretful, but Twilight was astonished by Garfield’s skills and deduction. She was convinced now that his level was well on par with, if not greater than her own, which suddenly dawned on her as she thought to herself “Maybe he acts like such a jerk because he feels he’s too good for everyone else.”



At lunch, she sat with the Equestrians, outside in the field to talk privately, but also to give Spike a chance to come out of the knapsack.

He gasped for a much-needed breath of fresh air! “Any longer in there and my nose would’ve curled up.”

“Your nose IS curled up.” Rainbow reminded him.

“Oh… right.”


Twilight explained her theory to the others, “I could be right, I once felt out of place because I preferred to study, and I often kept to myself rather than making friends.”

The others all seemed to agree, but were still just a bit skeptical, and for good reason. Even Twilight knew the difference between herself and Garfield was that, unlike him, she never acted pushy or rude.

“Well, we could always try talking to him again.” suggested Sunset, but as expected, many of the others didn’t like the idea, not really sure they wanted to put up with more of Garfield’s sour attitude.

“Come on, we’re all doing this for friendship now.” said Sunset “If Princess Twilight were here, she’d urge us to keep trying. That’s how she convinced me to go for it.”

“Yeah, but you were willing to give it a chance.” said Rainbow “I doubt Garfield will be want that. He just doesn’t seem the type.”

“Well, Sunset is right… we should keep trying.” said Rarity “Even if it means having to endure his… eh… rather harsh features.”


The bell rang, “Whoop… time to shake a leg.” said Applejack.

Twilight picked spike up and stuffed him back into her knapsack, much to his annoyance, “Not again!”

“Sorry, Spike, but it’s the only choice I have. I can’t just leave you at home alone you know.”


As Fluttershy got her books for next period out of her locker, she was suddenly confronted by the Js. Terra was with them, but she didn’t do or say much of anything.

“Look, it’s a girl who’s scared of her own shadow.” Jackie mocked.

Fluttershy quivered nervously, “Um… can I… help you?” she stammered.

“Yeah, as a matter fact you can.” hissed Jackie. “Thanks to you and that freak kid, Logan… we just got detention on our first day!” added Jillian.

Both girls looked ready to give Fluttershy a really rough time, “I don’t think you should do that!” she whimpered “Fighting isn’t allowed on school-grounds, you know.”

The girls didn’t care and continued step towards her. “Come on, girls don’t.” said Terra. “Keep out of this!” snapped Jillian “You need to learn what it means to be one of us, and we don’t take kindly to those who makes fools of us.”


Suddenly, Garfield showed up, “Maybe that’s because you ARE fools, and you deserved every bit of it.”

The girls turned to face him. “Well, well… if it isn’t the other half of the troublemakers.” sneered Jackie. Jillian looked at Fluttershy, “We’ll deal with you later, wimp.”

Terra and Fluttershy both watched as the girls approached Garfield. “Garfield, just go.” Terra called to him.

“Be quiet!” he snapped at her.

“Hey! You don’t snap at us like that!” sneered Jackie.

“Yeah, it’s we who snap at you… and if you’re not careful, we’ll snap your neck!”

Garfield only smirked at them, and then playfully picked his ear, “Um, you think you could say that again… I’m not so sure the Vice Principal heard what you said.”

The girls turned and saw VP Luna stand there with her arms folded and a strict look on her face. “I hope we are not having any more problems, ladies.” she said in a deep tone.

The girls stuttered and stammered, “We were just… um…”

“…Heading off to class.”

“That’s what I thought.” said Luna. The Js walked past Garfield and down the hall, feeling more humiliated than ever. Terra was not in the next class with them, so she stayed.


Fluttershy was ever so grateful, “Thank you Vice Principal Luna.”

Luna nodded at her, “There is no tolerance for bullying at this school. Anyone who knowing breaks this rule will find themselves in really deep trouble. Now, run along ladies, you’ll be late for class.”


The girls agreed, and as for Garfield he simply scoffed and walked off sourly.

“Garfield, wait…” Terra called as she dashed to catch up to him. “Hey, wait.” Fluttershy cried as she dash off with her.

“No running in the halls!” Luna called out to them, but the students had already gone.


The girls caught up with Garfield.

“Garfield, are you okay?” Terra asked.

“I’m perfectly fine. Can’t you see that?” he sneered at her.

“Oh… well… um…” Fluttershy stammered “Thanks for sticking up for me back there.”

“I wasn’t sticking up for you. I just like seeing bad people get what they deserve.”

The girls weren’t sure if he was in denial or just being plain rude, but it seemed more the latter.

Suddenly, Garfield had another one of his little weary attacks, but he brushed it off quickly and snapped himself awake.

“Are you okay?” Terra asked.

“I’m fine! Leave me alone!” he snarled.

Fluttershy’s features hardened, and she spoke her mind “Hey, she was just trying to be nice to you, and maybe even help you!”

Garfield turned to face her, and his stern expression, despite wearing shades, made her assertiveness begin to fade. “I don’t need help, especially from a pair of little kids! I’m outta here!”

Then he was gone, and both the girls felt hurt. Fluttershy was almost near tears for being insulted like that, while Terra’s features hardened. “What is his problem?!” she wondered softly to herself.