First Grade
Long before Cosgrove lost his mother, before the return of Nightmare Moon, the class of much younger foals were sitting on their desks listening attentively to each of their introductions. When a much younger Boysenberry finished and took her seat.
"Thank you Boysenberry. And now next up, Cogsworth!" Said a slightly younger Cheerilee.
Cogsworth, in his old wheelchair, heaved himself to the front of the class.
"Hello, I am Cogsworth."
"Hi Cogsworth!" Greeted the class.
"I am seven years old, but my birthday is coming soon." - Cogsworth then spotted a light lavender hoof raised up - "Uh, yes?"
The hoof in question belonged to a then cutie markless Diamond Tiara.
"How did you get two additional legs?" Diamond asked.
The class remained silent, confused at what she meant.
"Oh, I get it!" - Said Snails - "Because you have four legs and two wheels."
Realizing this, the class began to laugh. Cogsworth cringed back and began to cry. Ms. Cheerilee trotted up and comforted him.
"Students! I will not have this behavior tolerated in my class!"
The laughter died down.
"Sorry, Ms. Cheerilee."
2nd Grade (First Semester)
After a year of relative peace (he was still insulted by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon), it became worse for Cogsworth when the bullies on campus got their cutie marks, how of which is unknown. The insults were taken out amongst any foal without a cutie mark, most often on Apple Bloom and Twist before the latter got hers in making sweets.
There was a comeback when the newly formed Cutie Mark Crusaders were the focus on Diamond Tiara's party rather than the birthday Mare in question. Protection wise, Cogsworth made good friends with Rumble, Button, Shady, and Featherweight. There have been fewer insults on him since then, but each one was very snide.
Today
Its four days before the School Science Fair. Each student worked long and hard on their projects. Cosgrove, his friends, The Crusaders, Dinky, Boysenberry, and Twist were surrounding Indigo's science project. On her stand were a batch of two red flowers next to four flowers of different colors.
"And after they pollinate, this patch had one red flower, two pink flowers, and a white flower." - Indigo held her hoof above the multi colored flowers - "If I am correct, then having the white flower pollinate a pure red flower would have the same result as this batch."
The group was impressed.
"You look like you could get a cutie mark in... Uh...?" Scootaloo asked before getting her train of thought.
"Genetics." Sweetie Belle whispered.
"Yeah! What Sweetie said." Scootaloo added.
"Well, that's my mom's speciality." Said Indigo with a slight blush.
"Didn't stop my family from having an Apple cutie mark." Apple Bloom answered.
"So what's your project, Cosgrove?" Twist asked.
"Well, Sunset and I found that a Brobdingnag's call is similar to that of a bassoon." "Cosgrove pulled out the instrument from his saddlebag - "So I figured that playing in different songs may mean something to Schnookums."
"Is that why Winona was keeping us up all night?" Apple Bloom poked at the yellow colt's chest.
"She was?" - Cosgrove was given a look from the apple farmer - "Uhm... Hey, Cogsworth!" - He shouted to change the subject - "Where's your project?"
"It's at home." Answered Cogsworth
"What is it?" Button asked
"Nuh-uh, I want it to be a secret."
"Maybe it's a hunk of junk." - Diamond Tiara pointed to a very elaborate project: Christmas lights inside an ice sculpture - "My project is gonna be better than you blank flank's work!"
"...But you're rich." Boysenberry said dryly
"I know..." Said Diamond with a smile.
"Yeah..." Dinky stepped forward - "How are you going to learn if you have ponies do the actual work?"
"When are you gonna learn that you're adopted?"
The blonde Unicorn drew back from that, "...What...?"
"Come on Dinky! Isn't it obvious, your real parents probably left you in some dumpster and Derpy found you by chance."
As those words sank in, Dinky flopped down on the floor and began to cry. Her friends and even Silver Spoon found that too harsh.
"What the hay was that for?" Said Pipsqueak as he stepped ahead of the weeping foal.
"Because you guys aren't special like I am." - Diamond looked at the others - "I mean, you're friends with ponies a mother wouldn't love!"
Silver Spoon noticed the seriousness of argument as Pip's friends gave the two bullies a harsh look.
"Uhm Diamond, maybe we should-"
"All right, break it up!" The opposing groups looked at Ms. Cheerilee who then gave the spoiled filly the look. "Diamond, you apologize to Dinky this instant!"
"But Ms. Cheerilee!"
"Now!"
The other foals parted, revealing the weeping unicorn. Diamond began to walk to her.
"But it was the robot's fault." She whispered through her teeth.
"THAT'S IT!!!" Cogsworth rammed himself on Diamond Tiara, grabbed her head and started punching her repeatedly. Sans the foals being insulted, the class cheered on. Cosgrove, Rumble, Button, and Pipsqueak ran up to him and tried to break up the fight.
"Cogsworth, stop!!" Shouted Cosgrove.
With effort, the three colts pulled him away before the red earth Pony in his rage punched Pip hard in the eye. The other two letting him go, Cogsworth began to run again when he was snatched by Ms. Cheerilee and dragged to the classroom. After putting him down, the deep violet Mare gave him a hard look.
"Cogsworth, I have been stretched enough just to keep Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom from fighting, why do you need to make this worst?"
"Me?" - Cogsworth shuffled around - She started it!"
"Yes," - Continued Cheerliee - "and Diamond will get a detention for that."
"A detention? No, she should be suspended! Expelled even!!"
"Cogsworth, that temper of yours-!"
"You haven't seen my temper yet, idiot!!"
Silence filled the room immediately. Ms. Cheerilee stared at the colt in shock and anger at the snorting colt. Nopony, student or adult, ever said that to her. She took a deep breath.
"I am going have a talk with your parents." Said the teacher as she walked out of school.
As soon as she walked out, Cogsworth pounded the floor.
Cheerilee gave Diamond a scowl as she walked over to Pip and his friends. Nursery Rhyme, a student intern, was inspecting his swollen eye. The teacher then looked at Indigo comforting Dinky as she was held in Boysenberry's hooves.
"I'm dismissing class today. Diamond Tiara!" - the bully looked at her - "You have detention... And whatever punishment your father gives you." Finished the teacher, making the spoiled filly gulp in fear.
A large amount of the class looked at Diamond before running home. The Crusaders glared at Diamond as they walked in the direction towards Sweet Apple Acres. Dinky immediately ran to her home. At Nursery's request, Cosgrove, Button, and Rumble accompanied Pip back to his home before parting to their homes.
From the bottom of the hill, the multiple-toed colt saw his grandparents talking with Sunset Shimmer.
"You don't have to decide now..." - The orange unicorn spotted something yellow walking towards them - "Oh, hi Cosgrove!"
"Why are you home so early?" Asked Loopty Hoop as she and her husband turned to him.
"Something went wrong at school." Cosgrove answered
Lion Tamer chuckled, "Too much baking soda in the volcano?"
"It was Diamond Tiara... Again." Cosgrove answered, making the adults serious.
"What happened now?" Said Sunset.
"Well we were just discussing our projects then Diamond Tiara showed up, then... Dinky..."
"What about her?" Said Loopty Hoop
"Diamond Tiara joked that she as... a dumpster baby..."
"The nerve of that boorish filly!" Roared Lion Tamer. "When I get a hold of her-"
"Now honey," - Loopty Hoop calmed her husband - "we haven't even seen Diamond Tiara and she's already made you upset."
"Oh!" - Lion huffed - It just sounds like she's taking her insults too far."
"I'm more worried about Cogsworth." Cosgrove
Back at Cogsworth's house, his mother plopped him on his bed. He merely scowled at the wall while his mother looked at him.
"Well... What do you have to say?" Said the Mare, but got no after for a while. She sighed. "I have had enough of your attitude. I'm going back to work. You are grounded for calling Ms. Cheerilee an idiot."
As soon as she closed the door to her house, Cogsworth's face pinched itself as tears flew from his eyes.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!"
The day of the science fair has arrived. The foals and their parents were preparing their science projects, with Cosgrove being the last to present. The school turned to the sound of hooves tapping in the grass, many of whom glared. It was Diamond Tiara and her father, Filthy Rich.
"Everyone gather around!" - Said Filthy Rich - "My daughter has something to say."
All around the spoiled filly were angered parents and their children. Diamond looked at one in particular: Derpy glared at the filly as Dinky stayed between her legs.
"I'm sorry I was bad to you guys." Diamond said nonchalantly.
"Ahem." Diamond looked up, her father eyeing her. "AND..."
"I also forfeit myself from the contest." She finished.
Filthy then turned to his band of servants, the same ones who built the project.
"Alright boys, take it down."
The servants approached the project.
BLAM!!
Out of nowhere the project was destroyed. The servants shielded themselves from the blast.
"Sorry I'm late, everypony." Said a voice at a cynical tone.
Everyone turned.
It is Cogsworth, and he brought his science project: A hovercraft augmented a smoking gun barrel. Cogsworth also had a visor adorned on his head. Diamond shook in fright as the hovercraft glided through the grass towards the filly.
"Uhm... Hi... Cogsworth! Uh... Nice set of wheels?" Diamond said with teary eyes.
That didn't stop the gun barrel from taking aim at her and began to spin. Cosgrove quickly ran towards him.
"Cosgrove!" Sunset whispered
Cosgrove stood between Diamond and the mechanic, "Cogsworth! What are you doing?!"
"What I should've done in first grade." Answered Cogsworth
"In front of all of us?!"
"One less bully to think about."
The gun barrel tracked Diamond's movements as she tried to find a way out. Sunset prepared her horn.
"And I'm not alone on this. You want to do it just as much as I do. We can make this better for either of us!" Completely distraught, Cosgrove drew his ears back. Cogsworth furrowed his brows - "Fine, I'll just have to rid myself of another obstacle."
The barrel aimed at Cosgrove and began to spin.
"Oh, and Diamond, I did get my cutie mark!" Cogsworth lifted himself to display a series of cogs on both of his flanks.
Just when Silver Spoon pushed the two foals aside the gun fired. The crowd gasped before Cosgrove and Diamond Tiara turned over. Silver Spoon slowly opened her eyes to find the bullet right in front of her eyes. The blue-green aura surrounding it soon disappeared, letting it fall to the grass. While Cogsworth was stupefied, Applejack lassoed the colt out of the vehicle. Surrounding the hovercraft in magic, Sunset then crushed the machine.
"NO!!" Shouted Cogsworth as Applejack hogtied him.
Lion Tamer and Filthy rich snatched their children out of the way as police officers apprehended the colt. Arriving too late, Pin Wheel started bawling on her husband Shock Drive as tries to comfort her. As the police carried the colt away, Cogsworth glared at his former friend
A few days have passed and our view is just behind the front door. A few knocks later and Loopty Hoop answers the door. It was Sunset again. The chartreuse Mare let her inside. After leading her upstairs and to the living room, the two Ponies looked on with a worried look.
Cosgrove sat on the couch, staring at the TV. A photo scrapbook was opened to the school photos. As they walked closer, they found any photo with Cogsworth in it marked in black marker.
"The colt is currently sentenced to Juvenile Detention." Sunset and Loopty Hoop turned their heads to the news channel. "Mayor Mare has this to say."
The screen flips over to Mayor Mare having a press conference.
"These incidents have been heard of, but never in Ponyville." - The Mayor looked down - It... Shames me... That to think our beloved town would never have a school attack. I understand that no apology will be enough for this unfortunate action.
The screen then flips back to the anchor.
"The Rich family has-" the power switch was flicked off by Loopty Hoop. The grandmother sat next to Cosgrove and wrapped her hoof around him. Sunset sat on a chair in front of them.
"How are you feeling?" Loopty Hoop asked as she rubbed her hoof up and down.
Cosgrove took a deep breath. "I'm angry, and I know it's on Cogsworth. But I don't know why I'm angry. I try not to but-"
Cosgrove stopped, trying to think about what to say.
"I know how you feel." - The three Ponies turned to Lion Tamer with a tray of iced tea, crackers, and cheese - "I had a friend once, Hammer Strike. We were good friends... But when I found out about his sister..." - The stallion pursed his lips, as he tried to continue - "I wanted to help him, but things... Escalated."
"Which is why I am here." - Said Sunset Shimmer - "Cosgrove, what you just did was very irresponsible! You knew I was there, and so was Applejack and Rainbow Dash. What if you were shot?"
Cosgrove answered that with his ears drawing back.
"Cosgrove, your grandma and I don't want to lose you." Said Lion Tamer.
"You're all that we have left." Loopty Hoop nuzzled the colt.
"When we first retired here," - Lion Tamer looked out the window - "Ponyville was the safest place we ever set our hooves on. But, it has its dangers."
Loopty Hoop rubbed her grandson's shoulder, "We have been talking for some time now and we were thinking that maybe you could be taught magic."
"With my help," - Sunset added - "you can help your friends, even your grandparents."
Cosgrove looked at his grandparents giving him a nod of approval.
"Will I be somewhat like Spike?" Cogrove asked
"Yes and no." - Sunset stood up to her full height - "I have rules; 1. This will be taught on a higher standard from where you are now. 2. You will do exactly what, when, and how I say. 3. If you ever find yourself in a situation like that again, seek help immediately. And finally, no important secrets will be kept. Is that understood?"
Cosgrove became somewhat uncertain. "For you as a teacher, this may seem much. But for you as a friend.. I'll try." - He then furrowed his brow - "I'll try."
Sunset smiled at his decision.
"There is something I need from you first." - Sunset then drew out a journal with her cutie mark on it and an ink quill.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I have learned that while it is great to have friends, it is important to know which ones are suitable to you. I still feel betrayed, but I know there are still others willing to reach out.
But I have a question to ask of you: can even the most cruel of Ponies be given a second chance?"
Your faithful subject,
Cosgrove.
After reading his letter, Princess Celestia walked throughout the sculpture garden, finding a statue of a creature that would even make her cringe.