//------------------------------//
// Introduction: Part 3 - Noble Introductions 
// Story: Earth's University of Precedence 
// by Arioch Starr 
//------------------------------//

As Nick closes the door to Norma’s office, he clenches a fist as it shakes uncontrollably in a fit of excitement at his acceptance into the university. Knowing that he’s one step closer to reaching his lifetime ambition gives his determination to continue a boost.
After taking a breather to calm down, he turns and walks contently back down the corridor towards the open courtyard. He pushes open the double doors and steps out onto the balcony. He walks up to the corner and peers over the concrete railing down to the garden, draping his arm around the pillar, and examines the terrace.
The garden was naturally square and split into four grassed sections with walkways between them meeting in the middle. In the centre, an intricately designed fountain was placed. It was occupied by two domestic jay birds, one red and the other blue, washing themselves as they chirp in tranquillity. The sparkling water mirrors their colourful feathers off its reflective surface. Watching the birds was a yellow coated pegasus standing a foot away. She appeared to be speaking to the birds in whisper, almost in a trancelike state.
Nick hears the sound of echoing voices and removes his arm from around the pillar. Before long he spots two human students walking along one of the pathways towards the fountain, obnoxiously talking in raised voices to each other. He slowly walks along the balcony near the wall in the hopes they wouldn’t see him and stares through the gaps in the railing. They quieten down when they near the birds. One of them nudges the other and discreetly nods towards the pink maned pegasus. They smirk at each other and walk separately around the fountain, coming to a standstill on either side of the mare.
“Hello, Fluttershy,” one of the two says when in position, his voice echoing throughout the yard, “how’s your wing?” he asks, forcefully prodding her wing uninvitingly.
She quietly screeches in pain as she staggers into the other student. He holds her up, preventing her fall. The birds flee for fear of being injured, flying up through the open roof.
“Still not better, it seems.” The holder says, pushing her up on her hooves. “You should really have someone look at that, right Jason?”
Nick notices her mouth moving, but hears nothing due to the distance between them, as she rubs her wing with her forehoof before tucking it away.
“What, you don’t like our company?” Jason snickers. “We only want to make sure you’re all fine and dandy, right, Ciran?” Ciran nods as Jason prods her again. She flinches. “Or is it ‘cause you fear us?”
“Fluttershy’s always been a weakling.” Ciran joins in. “She never could stand up for herself.”
“Always had your boyfriend, Rainbow Dash, to fight for you.” Jason laughs.
Nick could see her eyes squinting and her body trembling. He was debating whether to step in or not. Her mouth moves again and again he couldn’t hear her.
“What was that?” Ciran retorts. “Speak up, wimp.”
He pushes her into Jason, who pushes her back, and back again. Jason then pushes her with such force that she tumbles, trips over the ledge and lunges into the fountain with a splash. She wallows in a blind panic, splashing water out of the fountain and almost drenching the two bullies who watch her flail. They laugh harshly and remorseless at her embarrassment.
That was it. It was one thing to verbally insult someone, to physically abuse them was a step too far. He had to put a stop to this. He had to intervene.
“Hey!” Nick shouts from above, leaning on the balcony. The two look up to him in surprise. “Leave her alone!” He shouts as loud as his lungs would allow.
“Oh, shit!” Ciran exclaims.
“Quick! Scatter!” Jason yells.
They run in dismay underneath Nick and through a door. Nick sharply exhales at how quick they fled when confronted.
The court now silent, he looks back up at the fountain to find the pegasus was nowhere to be seen. She also fled the scene into the east wing through the north door, leaving a trail of water in her wake. The two jays return to the fountain and resume their singing as if the event had never taken place. He closes his eyes and thinks whether or not he should follow and console her.
He walks across the balcony and enters the corridor which she entered a floor below. Entering the corridor, he instantly turns through another door and steps into a stairwell. Immediately he hears the sound of echoing weeps throughout the perpendicular corridor. He jumps to the corner of the railing and looks down to scan for the pony. There she was, at the bottom of the staircase a floor below, dripping wet, a blue coated pegasus sat beside her. The pegasus had an astonishing mane of five colours which shone conspicuously in comparison to the dull stairwell.
He slowly heads down the steps as quietly as possible, sticking close to the wall. Nearing the two, he notices the rainbow maned pegusi’s foreleg swung around Fluttershy, who held her head in her hooves. He realises she was comforting her and silently kneels down behind them and listens in on their conversation.
“Calm down, Fluttershy,” she gently demands, “and tell me what happened.”
“I can’t, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy sobs, “they...” sniff, “they threatened to hurt me if I,” sniff, “ever told on them.”
“Who did? Who threatened you?”
“I can’t say!” she cries. “I just can’t.”
“Jason, wasn’t it?” Nick interrupts. The two ponies jump at the sound of his voice. They both turn around. “That’s what Ciran called him, right?”
“You witnessed this?” Rainbow Dash asks, disgusted at his sudden appearance.
“I wanted to make sure you’re alright.” He says, ignoring her apparent spitefulness.
“Of course she’s not alright!” Rainbow Dash snaps, jumping to her hooves. “She’s been chronically bullied since she arrived here by your corrupt kind, not to mention that incident with the pegasus race. How is your wing, by the way?” She adds to Fluttershy.
“A little sore, but it’s healing.” She replies, caressing her wing.
“Next time I see Jason I’ll show him what for!” Rainbow Dash exclaims, shaking a hoof. “He’ll think twice about messing with us pegusi!”
“Don’t be stupid, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy pleads. “You’ll end up getting expelled.”
“It might be best to inform Norma about his behaviour.” Nick insists.
“We’ve tried,” Fluttershy admits, “but she’s done nothing about it.”
“And we don’t need any assistance from your headmistress, or you.” Rainbow Dash retorts a growl.
“Rainbow Dash!”
“Don’t have a go at me.” Nick says, annoyed at Rainbow Dash’s ignorance. “I’m only trying to help.”
“We don’t need any help from you!” Rainbow Dash repeats herself in a more furious tone. She flaps her wings and hovers in front of him. “So why don’t you just do one!?”
Nick stares Rainbow Dash in her violet embedded eyes, her stare imbued with a fire of furious hatred. He could tell she was too stubborn and foolhardy to accept any support he offers and refuses to hold a grudge.
He raises both his arms in defeat. “Fine. I’ll leave you to it. Hope your little problem works out for you.” He turns to go and Rainbow Dash lands back on the steps.
Nick heads back up the stairs, missing every other step, pulling himself up with the handrail for a quicker ascent. He pushes open the door but hears a gentle request to wait before he’s able to exit. Holding the door open, he turns to find Fluttershy following him up the stairs. She stops a set behind and looks up to him, water still dripping from her coat, mane and tail. He couldn’t tell what were tears or water from the fountain.
“You…”she sniffles, “you’re not one of them, are you?”
Nick stares at her, confused at first but then understanding what she’s inquiring. He doesn’t respond directly, but slowly shakes his head. Giving her nothing more, he turns away and through the doors. He daren’t let his annoyance overtake his vocals lest he regrets what might emerge. Fluttershy recedes back down the stairs to where Rainbow Dash frustrates her anger on her about Jason.
Nick deeply inhales and exhales a sigh to calm him down before turning and heading down the corridor towards Miss Mare’s office. The corridor was more or less a replica of the previous one with varying decorative objects. The doors indicate he’s in the P section of the university with one side rising in numbers and the other lowering.
He makes it to the end and enters the next corridor, stating itself as Q on the board above. A few steps in, he hears a door unclick itself. Emerging from the open door, the purple coated unicorn he was introduced to in Norma’s office slowly reveals herself, her satchel no longer strapped around her. Interested to chat with her, Nick calls to her.
“Twilight!” he hails, favouring a wave.
She looks down the corridor at him and rolls her eyes in disinterest before sitting down on a single seated chair at the opposite side of the door she exited.
“Good morning, Twilight.” Nick greets, standing beside her.
She doesn’t say anything.
“Beautiful weather we’re having.” Nick adds, leaning back against the wall.
No response.
“How’s Celestia’s little stewardess fining with university life?”
Nothing. Not even a flicker of acknowledgement. He continues, struggling to think of conversion starters.
“So… how’s Celestia been this year? Giving you many tasks to fulfil?”
“First of all,” Twilight annoyingly spouts, turning her head towards him, “I’m not the Princess’ steward, I’m her apprentice. There’s a difference. Second, I have no interest in talking to you. So go away.”
She turns away from him. Taken aback by her bluntness, Nick falls silent as his mind wanders in deep thought as to why she avoids his attempts to converse with her. Coming upon no stable conclusions he decides to ask.
“What’s wrong? Why don’t you want to talk?”
“Because I don’t like you.” She brazenly responds.
“But you don’t know me. How can you dislike someone if you don’t know them?”
“I don’t have to know you. You’re all the same; volatile and disgusting.”
“But…” He begins but the frustration of having no decent discourse with her clogs his mind of relevant thought. Agitated, he says, “You know, with an attitude like that, I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone you come across has reflected your arrogance right back at you. And I’m okay with that.”
She responds with one word in its simplicity.
“Good.”
Nick feels his attitude start to twist and morph into some form of aggression. Before he becomes fully submerged in this emotion he closes his eyes, breaths deeply and imagines himself dancing a minuet with a partner. One, two, three, – one, two, three, they accurately dance in a large ballroom surrounded by other dancers.
Regaining his peaceful state, he closes his mind and enters back into reality completely relaxed and composed. Though this is an excellent means of preventing frustration, it can only exceed so far as proven many a time in the past.
Nick understands that it’s impossible trying to befriend her in her current state of mind so decides to continue his way to finding Miss Mare’s room and make an introduction. He looks across the hall to find the door that Twilight emerged from was the room he needed, Q-13. He walks up to the door without saying a word and knocks.
“Come in!” a voice merrily calls from inside. He twists the knob and enters the room.
Contrary to Norma’s room, this one was bright and full of furniture and decorations. The wallpaper was bright blue with yellow smiling suns arranged in peculiar patterns and portraits of unfamiliar ponies hang from them. Potted plants were placed in each corner on a yellow carpet stretching across the floor. From the ceiling hung decorative mobiles, dangling across the plain white plaster around a silver oval ceiling lamp. He recognises a few of the mobiles to be dream catchers, its feathers tied to string hanging from hoops blowing ever so slightly in the breeze from response of the door being opened. The desk at the back was remarkably neat but cluttered. The heat was intense too, almost unbearable, as if the radiator had been turned on to its fullest.
The room was occupied by two ponies: one he recognises as Celestia, a large white coated winged unicorn, nearly doubling the size of a full grown mare, bearing the golden crown and peytral of Princess standing at the side of the desk, and the other he guessed to be headmistress for the ponies, a middle aged light brown coated pony sat behind the desk peering over her half-circular spectacles at him. She wears a white collar with a blue tuft around her neck.
“Mistress Mare?” Nick inquires.
“That’s me.” The desk pony responds. “What can I do for you, darling?”
“I’m here to introduce myself, ma’am.” He announces, stepping forward. “My name is Nicholas Galluver. You’ll be seeing me around the university for the next few years.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Galluver.” Miss Mare bows her head.
“And you too.” Nick replies, copying her bowing gesture.
“I trust you don’t need an introduction to Princess Celestia?”
“No I do not.” Nick genuflects, bowing his head out of respect. “It’s an honour to meet you in person, Princess.”
Celestia walks towards him. She stops feet away from him and leans her head forward to take a better look at him. Nick looks up to find her staring into his eyes as if searching for a voice of the soul. She raises her head and walks around him, examining the rest of his self, before returning to her original spot.
“Have we met before?” The Princess asks.
“I’ve been to a few of your public declarations, Princess.” He answers, standing back up. “You may have glanced at me briefly but we’ve never been subjectively introduced.”
“You’re not human are you, Mr. Galluver?” The Princess asks.
“No, Princess, I’m not.” Nick replies, intrigued by her peculiarly timed question. He daren’t keep his alienation a secret from the Princess as she could most likely sense the difference in radiation.
“Have you been given a tour of the area, yet?” Miss Mare asks.
“Not yet, ma’am.” Nick shakes his head.
“Miss Mare,” Celestia formally addresses, “a word.”
“Of course, Princess.” Miss Mare shifts to the edge of her seat.
“Please excuse us.” Celestia says to Nick. He nods.
She walks around the desk and starts whispering to Miss Mare. Nick twists his head, hoping to hear what they were whispering about. Celestia notices his slight movement out of the corner of her eye and turns to face him. He quickly regains his normal stance and pretends to distract himself by looking around. Celestia squints at him before deploying a magical transparent bubble around them, enabling them to converse with each other in private. Disappointed, Nick looks back at the two with anticipation as to what they’re discussing. He sits on a wooden chair by the side of the door and crosses his outstretched legs and awaits their finish.
The conference lasts for a few minutes. Celestia finally withdraws the barrier and the two agree on the same result. Noticing the barrier had disappeared, Nick stands to his feet and steps forward. He glances between the two who stare back at him. Why were they staring at him? What plans did they have in store? He anxiously waits for one to speak.
“Twilight!” Celestia suddenly calls, the potency in her voice enough to skip a heartbeat. The door clicks open and Twilight peers around it. “Come in, Twilight.” Celestia encourages.
Twilight steps into the room, closing the door behind her, and stands at the side of Nick. He gives her a quick glance but she doesn’t return one. Standing on all fours, Twilight stands almost half the size of him as an average mare at best.
“I have a task for you.” Celestia proclaims.
“We’ve come to a decision.” Miss Mare intrudes, hoping to deal the news in a more soothing manner. “We’d like you to give Nicholas a tour of the university and its grounds.”
“What!?” Both Twilight and Nick exclaim in unison.
“You can’t be serious!” Twilight cries.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Nick inquires.
“We stand by our decision.” Celestia declares.
“But Princess…!” Twilight starts, stepping forward, but is cut off by Celestia before she’s able to argue.
“No buts, Twilight.” Celestia thoroughly demands. “You’re showing him around and that’s final.”
Angered by her decision, Twilight steps back to resume her state next to Nick. She looks down, away from Celestia’s gaze and bites her lower lip.
“Trust me,” Celestia continues in a softer tone, “you’ll benefit from this experience.”
“Yes, Princess.” Twilight hisses through gritted teeth.
She turns to leave and exits despite not being dismissed, slamming the door behind her. The mobiles shudder in response and there’s a long silence between the three. Celestia sighs as she turns to Miss Mare.
“I told you she wouldn’t take it well.” Miss Mare says.
“She’ll be mad at me for a while.” Celestia replies. “I think it might be best to cut my visit short and return to New York. I have something I wish to speak to my sister about concerning…” She remembers Nick is still standing there and turns to him. “You’re free to go now, Mr. Galluver.” She authorises. “Enjoy your stay, won’t you?” she adds with a courteous smile.
“Thank you, Princess.” Nick says, bowing. He turns to leave and exits the room, clicking the door shut.
Celestia waits a few seconds before turning back to Miss Mare.
“About what?” Miss Mare asks in curiosity.
“I may have found a solution to help with Twilight’s little issue.” Celestia replies. “I’ll be returning in the first week of the semester to speak with Norma. I just hope she sees reason where Twilight cannot. Otherwise, I may have to find a new apprentice.” She looks back at the closed door. “Don’t make me regret placing my faith in you, Nicholas.” Celestia whispers to herself.