//------------------------------// // [ARC II] Chapter 16- Cutie Copperfield // Story: Building Walls, Burning Bridges // by MonolithiuM //------------------------------// [] "I'm a true believer in karma. You get what you give, whether it's bad or good." -Sandra Bullock "So, Mono, why are you so… weird?" I rolled my eyes at Diamond Tiara's attempt at an insult, and spun about in my chair to face her. While she flinched at my sudden about-face, she was moderately stoic while I gave her an annoyed expression. "Try harder, you're really bad at this." I spun back around and opened my laptop. The glow of the keys and the screen brought everyone's attention to the machine instantly. "Woah… is it magic?" I heard one colt ask. It really was becoming an old question to hear. "Yeah, probably. I mean, it's so cool…" "I bet he's trying to summon a big monster." That one made me giggle a little, because then I had an idea. I began sifting through my movie files, searching for the right one... "What's he doing?" "I don't know, it looks like a bunch of weird symbols and stuff, with pictures," one filly elaborated. There was a gap of silence, one that I monopolized by opening the movie file and dragging the slider. "RISE OH NOSFERATU, AND SHOW THEM TRUE FEAR!" I shouted maniacally. As soon as I said the hallowed words, my screen displayed Nosferatu, and the vampire himself rising from his coffin and staring at the screen. The kids shrieked and bolted back to their teacher, who found herself pressed against the blackboard uncomfortably. I began laughing like a hyena, slapping my desk and and quickly running out of breath. I even fell out of the seat amidst my hysteria. "Your faces! PFFFTT HAHAHA Your friggin' faces!" My laughter brought deep frowns and some glares from the entire class, which looked at me in a distasteful manner. "Whew, okay, I've had enough of my fun. You guys can go learn about Fufnar the Wonderful now." I closed the movie and went to open Fission, my green fingers tapping about the keys quickly. "Who was Fufnar the Wonderful… Mono?" Cheerilee questioned from the front of the room. The kids had already gone back to their seats, and she was attempting to trap me. I didn't even blink, nor did I look up from my computer screen. "The ancient king of Bolgnia who ended the slave trade imprisoning the ponies in the year twenty five thousand B.C.L. He was known for his extremely sharp middle talon on his right claw and his jovial attitude." "That is… correct." I nodded. "Of course it is, I got it from the book. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to play Castle Crashers." "What's Castle Crashers?" I heard one filly ask me. I shut the laptop and stood up. I stared into the eyes of a teal filly with magenta eyes, my pupils shrinking. "Do your work," I said, baring my teeth. The area around me darkened considerably, and I could almost feel the shadows on my face. She spun back around, shaken. "Yessir." Cheerilee went back to the board, drawing the map from the book with her chalk. I heard Diamond Tiara snicker. "Hehe, what a nerd…" I rolled my eyes. "Pfft, what a mooch." I could feel her glare on the back of my head. "Excuuuse me?" I moved around to face her. "You're a moocher. You use your father's money for a useless talent, which involves wearing a toy tiara." I snatched it off her head and gave it a solid flick. "Yup. Plastic. It amazes me how you got your Cutie Mark from this…" There was a moment of silence where I kept examining the tiara, then I heard a frightened shriek. Next was a communal gasp, and then panicked sobbing. I looked up and saw Cheerilee comforting Diamond Tiara, who was in tears. "Uh… Did I miss something?" The entire class was dead quiet, staring in shock at Diamond Tiara. I followed their lines of sight and my jaw dropped as well. Little by little…. Like a hot breath fading from a mirror… Diamond Tiara's Cutie Mark was disappearing. "Oh, fuck me sideways." \\\\||||//// "B- but then what's my special talent s-s-supposed to be? WAAAH!!!" I handed another tissue to the bawling filly, being stuck on crybaby duty. Cheerilee had forced me to do so since I had caused this 'incident', as she put it. I argued that I had opened Tiara's options for a 'real' Cutie Mark, and the filly lost it once again. She had snot and spittle flying from her face while she shook on the bed, and her father was out of town for the day until pick-up. That left me with her in the hospital since I had both finished the lesson early and caused this. I hadn't said a word to her, part of Cheerilee's punishment, so as not to upset her further. The mare told me that everything I had done so far had simply brought "Chaos so thick that Discord could chew through it like a sandwich". That was when I had remembered, "Where the hell is Discord?" "I am the perfect fount of Chaos in Equestria, capable of driving the princesses to battle and Equestrian Media into a standstill. I'm a walking generator of angst and offensive behavior, and he hasn't shown up once?" It was indeed strange. But did I give a fuck? Not a one. I gave Diamond Tiara a nudge. She looked over to me, and I propped up a notebook. It read simply: 'Now's your chance.' I hopped down from the bed and left her to stare at the three words. I strolled out from the room with my earphones in and my hands in my pockets. I needed to find someplace to sleep. \\\\||||//// "ACH! FUCK!" I deftly dodged a solid iron horseshoe. "Your roomy's a friggin' bitch! I'm far better!" Bon-Bon stomped outside with a horseshoe in her jaws. "Fuff foo!" She swung her head and sent the iron shoe at me. After sidestepping the death-shoe, I glared at her and stomped off. "Fine! Racist!" She slammed the door to her home and I continued to trudge through Ponyville. "Fucking Ponyville. Fucking Princesses. Fucking MY LITTLE PONY." I snarled and kicked the side of a house, bringing massive pain and embarrassment to myself. "Ow ow ow ow friggin' ow…" I hopped it off and dragged my feet through the dirt road, moping all the way. "Another night in the Schoolhouse, then," I sighed regretfully.