//------------------------------//
// Greyscale's Presentation 
// Story: Articulate 
// by Starlight Uplifting 
//------------------------------//

I stood up, my name being called for my presentation. This wasn't as hard for me as it was for Cobalt. Hut this would be a big help in his life. I know it. Because he just gave me something to work into my presentation. He successfully hid his anxiety for a presentation. I can find a way to help bring awareness. Mostly to our teacher, Ms. Cardinal.

I began, "Today, I will be presenting to you all, about something you may mistake for being shy, or nervous. Social Anxiety. You may have heard the phrase, but if you knew what it was and what it meant. Maybe you wouldn't brush it aside? Social Anxiety, the mental illness, can be as weak as being afraid of eyes being on you and the judgement of those the eyes belong to. To fearing crowds and interaction with others."

Cobalt looked stunned. I guess he didn't know what I was presenting. Because I didn't feel the need to practice this.

"For example, the pony who presented before me. He is my best friend, and he has social anxiety. He fears your judgement. But you all watched him present without issue, right? How can that be? Because he isn't suffering from the harshest forms of social anxiety. He was able to look past your possible judgement. Even without help from our teacher."

Ms. Cardinal now wore a look of shock, probably from being called out as unhelpful to others.

"She, like many of you may say, thought my poor friend was just nervous-" I added some bitterness to my voice, to show how awful that was, "-but you'd be wrong. It's a fear. A legitimate, paralyzing fear for many out there. Next to heights it is the most common fear. And yet, we still brush it aside. Is it because we assume that our only true mental illnesses must be Schizophrenia? Depression? Dementia? Psychosis? Or is it because we just don't understand the struggles of those who battle such a fear? Any questions?"

The teacher immediately spoke, "In what way is Social Anxiety a mental illness?"

"Good Question, but aren't you a psychology teacher? Shouldn't you understand what such a thing is and how it affects ponies? You can't be seriously asking me, a student, to tell you this." Students laughed and did the signature 'Oooh'.

She glared daggers, "You get an A on the project, but you also get a trip to the detention room."

"What? Why?"

"Insulting a teacher. That's against school codes."

"NO!"

I looked to see who stuck up for me. The one standing... was Cobalt.

"He doesn't deserve detention for that. It's not his fault you can't understand ponies who aren't as lucky as you to have no issue's with speaking!"

She opened her mouth to respond.

"NO! I'm not done yet Ms. Cardinal. You barely care about your students. If I'm not mistaken, you have a student commit suicide last year, and this year you barely ever ask students if they are okay if they show signs of problems. Steel Rig has bruises every day, did you ask if he was having trouble at home? I'll bet not! Clear Crystals has scars up her hooves, do you even care? Probably not. What about Greyscale's PTSD from the hurricane he nearly died in when he was 6? You aren't teaching for the kids, you're teach for that PAYCHECK. Otherwise Sandstorm's BPD would've been addressed!"

The class went quiet. Staring in shock. Ms. Cardinal looks at the students Cobalt mentioned. The scars were clear as day on Crystal's hooves. The black eye Steel had stuck out like a sore thumb. Sandstorm looked down towards the ground, confirming what Cobalt said with a small "He's not wrong..."

"Get out. Both of you. Detention." She snarled.



We walked towards the detention room. Cobalt stopped me for a moment. "I'm sorry to have brought up your problems. I was...trying to make a point."

"I get it. I did the same with your social anxiety. We're even. But how'd you know Steel was being abused, Crystal was depressed, and Sandstorm had BPD?"

"They meet the qualifications. Steel flinches every time some goes from a high hoof or throws a ball in gym. He also has a few journal entries I've seen where he talks about what his dad does to him. Crystal was tough to understand until I saw her being harassed by those preppy mares in the cafeteria. Then it all made sense. She's been outcasted. Sandstorm goes through mood swings, has made dozens of impulsive decisions, and never had a stable relationship."

"Wow. You're an observer." I replied continuing the walk to detention.

"Yeah. I look around a lot. Hoping that the ponies around me aren't unlucky enough to have problems like we do." He said, sounding so gentle. I wished I could tell him.

But not then, and not yet.