It was a long trip to Canterlot. When Airborne and Spike arrived near the school, Airborne surpassed Spike… until he got tired and flew slowly. Spike sped past him landing on the ground first. The purple dragon looked up at Airborne panting. "I'm so amazed how well you could keep up. How on earth do you do it?"
Airborne landed and then said while panting, "I don't know. I just… do.." He then fell to his 4 knees. Spike then sat down panting hard and laughing a bit. "Racing was such a bad idea."
Spike returned the comment with, "I agree. I'm fu- I mean fricking tired!" He said laughing a lot more. "Why did you do this?"
"I thought the race would end fast!" Airborne exclaimed.
"I guess it was just too far. In fact, I've never met any changeling who can fly as fast as you or be nearly as fast as Rainbow Dash," Spike explained. "Let's catch our breath for a moment."
The 2 had spent a few minutes to calm down. Eventually, they rose and walked to the entrance of the school, as they were outside of it. Entering the building, the school was healthy, had cleanliness, and presented a great diversity of animals. It was an outside school. Classes were scattered in separate buildings, the campus was open to the environment, and it was large as well. So large that it fits over 5000 students. The 2 were in the front office however where there was a pony receptionist. The pony was pink with a very curly mane. Her cutie mark had a school on it. She looked up from her computer and then spoke, "How may I help you-" but her sentence was cut short as she recognized Spike. She then spoke in a very disinterested tone, "Spike, are you late again?"
Spike then spoke, clearly lying but he was calm about it, "Hi, Ms. Bristle. I had to take my little nephew to his doctor's appointment."
Ms. Bristle said in a sarcastic tone, "Uh huh. And where is this 'doctor's note' that always comes with appointments?" Spike then couldn't respond with that. All he did do was just look at her. "So you're telling me that you and Airborne played hooky? Well. Looks like your luck's run out. You're both going to have to-" Her sentence was interrupted as Spike then threw up a letter. Spike opened up the scroll and then looked at the writing. Forgery to its finest. Clearly mischief. "I'm guessing that's it… Ugh. Spike, why don't you take more responsibility and start showing to school on time." Ms. Bristle did not give them a detention slip. Instead, she took the doctor's note and looked at it, which led her to give Spike and Airborne an excused absence. "Have a great day," she said annoyed.
The 2 left in the office and head to Airborne's class. In the middle school part of the diverse campus, his class was currently Dragon's Language. Since Airborne was a changeling-dragon, he has to learn 2 ancient languages used thousands of years ago. It's a stress load on him, but Airborne benefits from being able to learn of his history. Airborne and Spike reached the classroom and just stood outside the door. Spike spoke to his nephew, "Alright. This is currently 3rd period, as it says so on our late passes. Make sure you finish up whatever you need to do. For lunch, we're heading out for some ice cream and coming right back."
Airborne spoke, "Alright, uncle. I will."
Spike patted Airborne's head and walked away. Airborne entered the classroom and saw the teacher turn her attention from her class to the changeling-dragon. The teacher is a tall, 6-foot dragon who stands on 2 legs. Her scales were yellow. She had fangs that reached past her mouth and 2 horns pointing behind her. "You're late… again…" She said to Airborne upset. "Do you want to tell me why you are late again?"
Airborne responded to her, "Nope. Not one big."
The teacher frowned. The 2 locked eyes for a few seconds… few seconds too long since the 2 were just making disappointed faces toward each other. Airborne eventually sat down in his chair facing the board. "So, what lesson are we on?"
The teacher spoke, "Class… resume what you are doing. I need to have a word with… the hybrid." The hybrid. That's always what she always addressed him as no matter what. She never once said his name. The teacher did not like Airborne and he did not like her. Simple as that. She walked over to Airborne and gently pulled him out of class and outside. "Why are you always late?"
Airborne just kept quiet. Tracing his thoughts one by one, he came up with an explanation. "Do you understand how hard it is to just sit in your classroom and be called "the hybrid" all the time? Do you understand the feeling of being an outcast?"
The teacher did not know how to respond. She just looked at him. "Well… being a hybrid isn't a bad thing… is it?"
"Not the way you say it. I don't like that," Airborne exclaimed.
"Well, that's it, Airborne. I have not offended you and I have not called you anything that was blatantly offensive." That was the teacher's only reason. The teacher being of her status, she believed that she knew a lot more than Airborne about treating people anyway. She called some kids the "specially-disabled." In her very own defense, she did not want to cause any offense. "You're not like the special kids, you're a very special kid."
Airborne did not like that phrase anyway. "Special meant something different when she said it," he thought. He said out loud, "Well, can you call me by my designated name?"
She could only frown again. "Fine, Airborne, the Hybrid sounds more like it." Airborne merely walked away in frustration. "Where are you going? I did not excuse you!"
Airborne returned with a slight remark, "I don't need you to tell me I'm a mistake." That's how he really felt. He's dealt with this since childhood ever since the bullies kept coming after him. He then flew away and towards the bathrooms. He entered the boy's bathroom and began thinking to himself. "Uncle Spike told me that I'm great and that I can be something. Can I? I don't know anymore. I feel lost." The constant meditation proceeded Airborne into tears. In fact, it broiled his rage a bit. He kicked a stall door and spoke to himself. "Stupid Mrs. Greenwald." That was the teacher's name. "I wish I was normal. Being different hurts." Airborne stopped kicking the stall door. He turned his back against the closed door and backslid. Sitting on the floor, he just sat there for a few minutes thinking to himself of continuous doubt, fear, and self-loath. This may be middle school for him, he may be the most bright of the kids, but he sure can not find out who he is.
The kicking and rage of the door bathroom drew attention. The school bullies walked into the bathroom. One of them, a dark purple dragon with blond hair and a slim body named Fume. Another one, a white dragon with an average sized body with spiky pink hair named Fizzle. Backdraft, a bluish-purple, chubby dragon with 2 horns that curve behind him and wild hair. Clump, a fat, brown dragon with 2 short horns pointing back. Charcoal was the last one to walk in, who was a skinny, dark grey and green dragon with 2 thin and spiky horns pointing back. Fizzle spoke, "Lookie lookie at the little freak!" Airborne didn't pay attention. "What's the matter? Are you only able to buzz like a changeling?"
The other dragons laughed. Backdraft then spoke, "Disgusting piece of garbage. Who would ever love a horrid thing like you."
"Yeah well," Airborne started, "I am just going to be one thing and one thing only. If that'll make you happy."
Fume then stood next to Airborne, but Airborne didn't even look up. "You? You want to be normal or like us? Please. You're nothing to even look at but to gawk about. All you ever do is hang out with your uncle, play with your normal friends, and look like an idiot thinking you can-"
Airborne interrupted putting his fingers in his ears, "LALALALALALALALALALALALA!"
Fume got frustrated and grabbed Airborne's left horn roughly. He then forced the kid to stand up. Airborne did so but he was trying profusely to remove Fume's hand. As he stood on all 4's, he just looked down still. Fume then kicked Airborne into the wall. "You should just leave. Go away. No one wants you here."
Airborne then shouted at Fume, "Yeah well at least I have Spike! I have someone who cares about me."
Clump then spoke, "But where is he? You sure he loves you? Why would he leave you all alone like this?"
Airborne, being young, couldn't help but think about that one. He then shook his head and growled at Clump, "Leave me alone before I hurt you!" He then got slapped by Clump. Falling to the ground, he then looked up at him, "You're a bully! No one likes those who hurt others."
Clump then picked up Airborne by his horns. "And no one is here to save you either. Prepare for another beating!"
Airborne's heart raced. He then began crying and screaming for help. Flailing his legs, he couldn't help but try and fly away. It did work to get out of the grip, but now he was stuck on the ceiling of which the other's could not reach entirely. He flew around in the bathroom dodging the hands that tried to grab him until he was ultimately caught by Charcoal. Yanked to the ground, the changeling-dragon was lying down ready to be brutalized. In fact, the other dragons did begin harming Airborne, that was until a red dragon, bigger than the rest with ravenous teeth and hot-blooded angry eyes ran in. He began pushing the others off and away from Airborne along with Spike, who came as well. The 2 stood in front of Airborne, in between the bullies and the changeling-dragon child.
Spike then screamed at the 5 bullies, "Leave my nephew alone! You cowards, picking on an innocent kid who is only 10 and you're all 18 or 19."
The red dragon spoke, "Petty. I am so glad I stopped hanging out with you guys a long time ago."
Fizzle spoke begrudgingly, "Helloooo, Garble." He then looked at Spike, "You're pretty darn stupid to wander in here with just Garble. There's 5 of us and 2 of you."
Spike then to Fizzle, "I do not care if it were 10 against me, I will do what I need to do to protect my nephew. If you 5 don't want your heads smashed, I suggest you leave."
Garble then grew even angrier as he just stared at the 5 bullies. The dragons he used to hang out with have become worse since the last time he remembered. They went from a group of friends who used to just joke and have fun to a gang that terrorizes and harms others without care. Garble went that far, but he never went to a certain degree they did. "I'm not going to go down the same way you guys will right now." With fury, he pulled out fire gloves of eternal coal, gloves that do not burn out and can not be consumed. He put them on and breathed flames onto them. Both of his hands were surrounded in flames as he now clenched them into fists.
Spike spoke, "Garble! Those aren't allowed at school!"
Garble then spoke, "Spike, I'm never going to let them get away with this one. I'll take all the blame, just get your brother to safety. This is a fight I've been waiting for."
"He's my… nephew… oh, nevermind!" Spike said, picking up his cousin and rushing out of the bathroom. The dragon bullies chased them down, but that wasn't until Garble began beating them back allowing the 2 to escape.
Spike flew towards the nurse's office. This was in the office, so he had to enter there in order to get inside. He rushed past other students, administration asking him questions, and he even shoved a security guard out of the way with the full force of pushing them. When he reached the nurse's office, he set Airborne onto a nearby bed and then sighed. "You… you're… Airborne… I-" Airborne interrupted by throwing himself back into Spike's arms for a hug. He then cried. Spike could only hug back in loving comfort as he felt so horrible inside. The uncle was tormented by the looks of his nephew's wounds. This covered his body all around as well. "I… I'm so sorry. I never thought this-... how did this happen?"
Airborne could only speak, "I want to be just a dragon. I hate being a freak."
Spike then clenched his fists angrily realizing what this was all about. He thought to himself, "If only I could have made it in time."
Airborne growled as he cried, "No. The wounds don't compare to the hurt my teachers and bullies bring." It was true. Airborne had teachers who didn't accept how he was a hybrid. All except one, who was Princess Twilight Sparkle. She gives him lessons on friendship, changeling facts, and dragon facts. "Mrs. Greenwald keeps calling me 'the hybrid' and I hate it."
Spike then stood up, walked over to a nearby sink, grabbed some tissues, and came back with a box. He then gave Airborne a few. He then walked over to the nurse and spoke to her. "Excuse me. I'm really sorry for rushing in like this but my little brother got beat up by the older dragons."
The nurse was a blue and green changeling with red eyes, 2 small horns, and she was a tad short. Her name was Rudine. She walked over to Airborne. "You poor thing," she spoke in a calm, sympathetic tone. She looked at the bruises he got and then grabbed a few ice packs from the freezer. Wrapping them in a cloth, she puts them on the painful parts. "I will be sure to call your parents soon." Airborne just felt his bruises and scars. He sniffed. The tears from his face had stopped rolling, but he was in more than enough pain to even consider moving. Spike just came next to Airborne and wrapped his wings around him, lovingly enveloping him in a warmer, comforting hug. "Who were the older dragons?" Nurse Rudine asked.
Spike answered her, "Fizzle, Backdraft-"
"Clump, Fume, Charcoal, and Garble?" she interrupted. Her tone aimed at a very disgusted and dissatisfied voice.
"Actually, Garble was not hurting them. He helped Airborne and I get away," he explained. "And yes, those other 3."
"Ugh. I knew it. None of those guys understand the pain they cause to others," she exclaimed angrily. "I just can't seem to understand why such large, older dragons would beat up someone so young and helpless." Airborne just looked at the nurse in despair.
Spike said, "Next time they hurt my little nephew again, it'll be far worse than what Garble's doing to them. I guarantee you that."
Nurse Rudine asked, "Wait. What is Garble doing to them?"
"Using eternal coal gloves to beat up the bullies. He's had it with them," Spike answered.
The nurse immediately grabbed her phone pen and paper, wrote something down, and gave it to Spike. Spike then breathed flames on it. He had no idea what was going on, but something bad is coming. A good 20 minutes later as well, Garble was sitting in the principal's office. Spike had wandered in the office to find that Garble was there and he just watched. Their door was open, so Spike heard the conversation. The principal, who was a unicorn who was brown and had a bushy beard, spoke, "Garble, this is the last time I'm ever allowing you in this school again! You are hereby expelled from Canterlot Academy." Garble didn't care. He was okay with this decision knowing that he had done something about those 5 dragon bullies. Spike rushed in.
"Please, sir. He was just protecting my nephew and he had to do what he needed for Airborne," explained Spike.
The principal was very angry. "I do not care! All fighting is prohibited, unless self-defense. Otherwise, you will be suspended or expelled! And Garble knew of this the last 2 times he was suspended for fights. That's why he didn't graduate last year."
Garble grumbled and looked away. He looked at Spike and then smiled at him, "What's with the scared face? I'll be okay."
Spike spoke, "But… you risked everything for my nephew."
Garble responded, "Hey, it's cool. I don't care. I owed you one for the princess's help in reforming me. Just… thanks. That's all I have to say." Garble stood up.
The Principal spoke, "Garble, I did not ask you to stand! You need to sit down and wait until I-" Garble interrupted him by walking out anyway. He then walked out of the office and flew off leaving the school. The Principal did try to stop him by screaming his name and demanding him back, but that didn't work. He went back into the office, then his room, and he looked at Spike saying, "Your friend's got a lot of mischief and disobedience under his belt. I want you to make sure that you don't follow in his footsteps." The principal went back to his seat and sat down. Spike got up and left. "Shut my door before you walk away." Spike did so. Going back to the nurse's office, Airborne was just licking his wounds until he noticed Spike.
"How are you feeling?" Spike asked.
"Hurt," replied Airborne.
Spike sighed. "Yeah… I've been there with those bullies. I've been hurt by them before." He sat next to Airborne. "I will wait until your parents come to get you."
The changeling-dragon sat there for a few moments contemplating on himself again. "Why do you think I'm special?" asked Airborne to Spike.
Spike just looked down at his feet and then said, "I don't know."
That broke Airborne a bit. To know that his own uncle let him down was unbearable. He merely lied his head down on Spike's lap. "Do you think I'm a good special or a bad special?"
The uncle rubbed Spike's head gently, "A very unique and amazing special. You're much more unique than being the only dragon in a group of ponies."
"Can… I be just like you?" the child asked.
Spike then smiled at Airborne, "No. You have to be better than me. I know you will transform into something amazing one day."
Airborne closed his eyes and asked one last question, "Do you love me?"
"I love you with all my heart, my little nephew. Nothing changes that," Spike replied.