//------------------------------// // Presentation Presentiment // Story: Speaking of Derpy // by GloryOfTheRainWings //------------------------------// “Alright, class, settle down,” Cheerilee trilled, trying to calm the chatter that rushed through the classroom. It took a good few seconds and Cheerilee calling out to the fillies and colts once more to get the noise to die down completely, and there were still a few mutters of gossip that had been on the school yard a few moments before during lunch break. “Did you see what Scootaloo was doing during lunch?” Diamond Tiara whispered to her friend, Silver Spoon. She made sure to say it extra loud so the orange filly who she was referring to would hear every word she was speaking. “She was pretending to be a great flyer like Rainbow Dash. How lame...” “I know, right?” Silver Spoon giggled obnoxiously. “What a loser...” Scootaloo, who was sitting behind them, in the last row near the back, whimpered and shrank down in her seat. The two bullies turned around to give her a taunting glare as they snickered and giggled obnoxiously. When Cheerilee called for attention once more, they finally turned around in their chairs to look back to the front of the class. It was silent for a moment before Cheerilee cleared her throat. “Good morning, class!” The magenta pony twittered. “I trust that you all got a good night's sleep– I don't know where else all of that lovely energy came from! Now, let's take that excitement and put it away for now. After we take care of our morning duties–” A few colts in the back of the classroom snickered. “She said 'doody,'” one chuckled. “Doody, doody, doody!” Another one sang, making funny faces as his friend across the classroom. Cheerilee looked unamused and cleared her throat. The colts immediately silenced themselves and she continued. “Now that you've gotten that out of your system, I'd like for you to all take out your planners and write down your homework that's on the board. I'll take attendance and we'll get started in a few minutes. We have a special guest here today, so I ask that you all give her your undivided attention when she comes inside.” With a nod to signal the class to get started, Cheerilee walked to her desk to mark down any absent students. After noting that everypony was present, she headed towards the classroom entrance where Derpy was waiting. Opening the door, she gave a sweet smile as she noticed the wall-eyed pegasus smelling some aromatic flowers growing along the wall of the schoolhouse. The gray pony immediately perked up when Cheerilee opened the door. “Oh, Miss Ch– I mean, Cheerilee!” Derpy said. “I didn't realize you'd be coming out so soon.” She inched away from the flowers and stood up straight to face the teacher. “Well, I didn't, either,” Cheerilee smiled. “It usually takes them much longer to calm down on a Friday morning!” When Derpy didn't say anything, Cheerilee awkwardly cleared her throat and continued. “Well, the fillies and colts are just writing down their homework, but why don't you come on inside? You can introduce yourself, and then you can take the lead and start your presentation. But,” she sang, “I'll be helping you out if you need it. I wouldn't want you to make a mistake. I know firsthand how embarrassing messing up in front of children is.” Derpy tried hard to hold back a nasty remark, biting the inside of her cheek instead. Cheerilee was treating her like one of her students– no, worse! Like an infant! Instead, she gave a soft smile and replied, “I think I can handle myself.” There wasn't venom in the answer, but Derpy was using all of her strength to keep there from being any. Cheerilee inhaled deeply and pushed open the door, motioning for Derpy to come into the schoolhouse. Derpy flicked her tail and entered, the wide-eyed gazes of the students following her as she trailed towards the center of the classroom. Cheerilee came up next to her and smiled sweetly at the class. “Alright, fillies and colts, please welcome our guest for today!” Cheerilee introduced Derpy ecstatically. The students clapped their hooves together hesitantly, not quite sure what a pegasus with lopsided eyes could teach them. A few whispers coursed through the classroom, and Derpy spotted her daughter, Dinky, looking like she was about to burst with pride as her mother stood in front of her peers. Little did Dinky know that some of the whispers were about her. “How lame. I feel bad for Dinky.” “Miss Cheerilee can't be serious, right?” “I knew I should've played hooky today...” Kids can be so judgmental, Derpy thought to herself. Thank Celestia Dinky doesn't notice it. Cheerilee lightly tapped her hoof on the floor to silence the class. The noise dwindled considerably down, but Cheerilee didn't motion for Derpy to speak until the class was completely silent. Derpy watched the bored students roll their eyes and look around the classroom. You can do this, the grey pegasus thought to herself. They're just children. “Good morning,” she began softly. Cheerilee flicked her ear and shot a glance towards Derpy. Her smile vanished. “I don't think they can hear you, dear,” she said, nervousness creeping into her voice. Derpy tried again. “Good... morning.” “Louder, please,” Cheerilee chimed next to her. “G- good morning...” Her voice came out like a squeak. Cheerilee's tail flicked in annoyance, and a harsh whisper escaped her mouth. “Stand up straight, Derpy! And for Celestia's sake, please speak up!” The nagging command yanked the nerves away from Derpy quicker than lightning. She inhaled sharply and stood up straight, her eyes challenging Cheerilee's for just a moment before she turned back to the class. She was using all her might now to hold back an explosion of yelling at the school teacher. “Good morning, class,” Derpy said, her voice ringing loud and clear. “I've come today to talk to you about genetic mutations.” A few of the students' ears perked up. The science-lovers, no doubt, Derpy smiled to herself. “Genetic mutations are permanent changes in DNA sequencing, as you probably learned from your teacher in the past few days. While I myself wasn't always familiar with the subject, I came in today to talk about my personal experiences with genetic mutations,” Derpy began. She had recited her speech a few times within the past few days before coming in, and the words flowed out mechanically, like they meant nothing to her. “If you didn't notice already, I have what is known as lazy eyes. I was born with them, yes, and they are considered, on a level, genetic mutations. I can't change them, but they make me who I am.” Diamond Tiara sniggered in her seat. “If lame is who you are, then yeah!” A couple students laughed at this remark. Cheerilee frowned. “Quiet, students. Let's show respect for our visitor.” Derpy gulped and continued, her nervousness growing. She thought back to what Cheerilee had said to her. “I think the students could really benefit from listening to you speak about them and telling them how lucky they are to have been born without any problems.” Derpy braced herself for her next words. “You are all very fortunate to have been born without genetic mutations. Fully-functioning, healthy young ponies like yourselves are very capable of succeeding much in life.” Unable to find the right words to continue this thought, Derpy found herself going off on a tangent. “Please do understand that while other ponies aren't exactly like you, they still are capable of doing everything you can.” The pegasus paused and let her lopsided gaze fall upon the class. “My lazy eyes aren't something to be ashamed of. They're a part of me.” Cheerilee gave a sickly-sweet smile and turned to the mare. “Derpy, my dear, you're getting a little off-topic now. Why don't you talk about something a little more... positive?” Disregarding the teacher's comment, the gray pegasus went on. “It doesn't matter whether you're big, or small, or if you have a disability. It doesn't matter if you're a unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony. It doesn't matter if you're blue or gray or pink or green or yellow or any other color on the rainbow. What matters is that you are you,” Derpy smiled. “No one else can be you. There's only one you in this world, and whatever you do, you can't let yourself go.” She felt Cheerilee's hoof on her shoulder, trying to cease her words, but Derpy looked her straight in the eyes and continued her speech. “I'm no different than you or anyone else. I'm smart. I'm tough. I can be whoever I want to be. I work for the weather patrol. My lazy eyes don't stop me from that. I'm a mother. My lazy eyes don't stop me from that. I strive to be me. My lazy eyes don't stop me from that. Sure, I may have to work harder than everypony else, but that just makes me stronger, right? I've learned over the years through all the bullying and teasing that I have to be resilient. I have to be able to bounce back. So always remember, class. When somepony treats you different because of who you are,” she turned back to the fillies and colts, “don't let them look down on you. Show them that you are just as smart, just as talented, just as capable as they are. If you don't, you won't ever get anypony to respect you and love you for who you are.” Derpy took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure what else she should say, but the speech she had just given certainly wasn't what Cheerilee had intended for her class to hear. Turning to the teacher, Derpy saw shame in her eyes for the very first time. Cheerilee's prejudice had gotten the better of her, and she hadn't realized it until she had gone too far and hurt somepony else. The class was quiet as they watched the silent exchange between the two mares. Heaving a deep sigh, Cheerilee looked at Derpy apologetically. Her pride was still strong enough that she would not audibly apologize in front of the entire class, but a small “I'm sorry” escaped from her mouth. Derpy smiled sympathetically and nodded her forgiveness, turning back to the class to say her goodbyes. “I know I was here for such a short time,” Derpy managed to say. “But I have to get home and do some baking tonight. It was a pleasure to present to all of you.” She dipped her head softly and exited the room swiftly through the front door. Without a formal goodbye, the lopsided-eyed mare was gone. The class was silent for a moment before immediately erupting in chatter. Hooves raised up left and right, questions hanging in the air. Cheerilee called on Diamond Tiara, whose hoof was waving frantically to and fro. “Miss Cheerilee,” Diamond Tiara began. “What was the point of that? That was so boring.” Cheerilee frowned. “I really hope you were paying attention, Diamond Tiara,” she replied evenly. “Now class, I know you have a lot of questions, but... you have some classwork to do. Please open up your English textbooks to page two-hundred and forty-one and begin reading the short story titled 'Manners.'” As the class fumbled through their saddlebags to pull out their books, one filly near the back of the classroom stood stock-still. Lost in her thoughts, her eyes were wide, still staring at the door where Derpy had left.