August 22nd, 2005
While each school has a different starting date, it has now begun in Great Valley Elementary. To those living in the street of the same name, its a quick walk down and across the street, but a little further to where Sunset resides, it may require a bus. Inside one of the classrooms, the students talked to each other when a teacher walked inside.
"Okay, class let's take our seats." - Announced Mrs. Puff - "Now this is a big milestone for you as you make your journey throughout your academic careers. We'll start first with our introductions, my name is Mrs. Puff."
"Hi, Mrs. Puff." greeted the class in a happy tone.
"Now," - Puff pulls out a list, "let's start off from A-Z."
Upbeat music plays as each student walked up to the chalkboard.
"Howdy, I'm Apple Bloom."
"Boysenberry."
"Button Mash."
"Chelsey Berger Meister Meister Berger."
"Cosgrove Thunderfoot."
"Cogsworth."
"Diamond Tiara."
"Dinky Hooves."
"Featherweight."
"First Base."
"Indigo Blue."
"Noir."
"Pipsqueak."
"Rumble."
"Scootaloo."
"Shady Daze."
"Silver Spoon."
"Sweetie Belle"
"Truffle Shuffle."
"Twisth."
"Zipper."
The next few hours later, the recess bell rang, allowing children of many ages, segregated by grade, to roam the grassy playground. Chelsey and Cosgrove sat on the top of the jungle gym when they spotted a familiar figure. While it wasn't surprising that most students go to recess in elementary school, Sunset Shimmer was not playing alongside them, instead, she is studying phenomena from her textbooks. When she looked back up, she found two of the kids she met before.
"Hey, Sunset!" Cosgrove greeted.
"Oh..." - Sunset curled back, uneasy again - "hi..."
"Oh, I forgot you ran out on us the last time we met," - Cosgrove stretched out his hand, revealing his condition - "I'm Cosgrove."
Skepticism reached the older child again when a small angelic version of her appeared on her right shoulder.
"Don't judge them by their appearance." - Scolded the angel - "After all they helped you."
"Don't get you hopes up kid!" - a more demonic version appeared on her left shoulder - "You're much better looking than they are!"
"They do have much happier families than we do, mind you!"
Sunset shook her head back to reality, noticing Cosgrove having the same expression from before as he held his hand in front of her. Sunset held his hand for a while, feeling the unusual touch, then shook it. Chelsey stretched out her hand.
"And I'm Chelsey." The piebald girl added before her hand was shaken.
The two younger classmates sat next to her and looked at the text of the book.
"So- sodium chlor-" - Cosgrove strained his mind trying to say the phrase - "So-"
"Sodium Chloride." Sunset finished, rubbing Cosgrove's head.
"So why don't you want to play?" - Chelsey asked.
Sunset lowered her book, "I..."
They are interrupted when they turned to Garble and his gang kicking someone on the chain link fence. Cosgrove and Chelsey immediately ran towards the fighting crowd, much to Sunset's disapproval.
“You better not spread your little disease, freak!” Clump shouted as he continued his punishment.
“Hey!” - Shouted Cosgrove- "Leave him alone!"
The bullies turned around and surrounded them, revealing the multiple-fingered boy Zipper wrapping his arms around his stomach.
Garble, noticing their features, crossed his arms with a smug grin.
"Well, well, looks like crab hands and blotchy make quite a couple." Garble chuckled.
Cosgrove growled at the phrase "crab hands" and quickly charged at him. The orange-haired bully angled his arm, preventing Cosgrove from reaching him as he flailed his "claws." Pushing the smaller boy back to the ground, Garble laughed at his feeble attempt before looking at his partners.
"You know, these two can also benefit from learning a thing or two" - Garble cracked his knuckles - "about the pecking order here."
Just as the pack of bullies stepped forward when Sunset Shimmer threw her textbook at Garble's head. The gang turned to find her stomping towards them, bridging herself between them and their next prey.
“Every other hair you pick from them and you’ll be answering from me!” Sunset raised herself up a few inches, making her head reach up to Garble's chest.
This surprised Garble; this is their third year in school but this was the first time she actually took initiative.
"Look's like the coral snake finally decided to slither out of the rock." Said Spyro.
That crack caused the silence to break with the sound of laughter as Garble reeled back to his friends. Sunset's cheeks flushed red before she weaved through the crowd, picked up Zipper and began walking back to the other two children. Chelsey and Cosgrove lifted up Zipper as they carried him to the Nurse' Office. Sunset lowered herself to grab her book when Clump kicked her in the stomach. Noticing, this Cosgrove tried to run back when another older student, Crescendo, stopped him. Sunset moaned as Garble and his pack circled around her.
"Of course, we know what to do when we see a snake." Garble raised his foot above her head, prompting Sunset to close her eyes.
Suddenly, the bully was snatched away and turned around, revealing an even taller boy. Hooflock stared at him while Flash Sentry brought Sunset up to her feet.
"You messed with a friend of my partner," - Hooflock lifted Garble to his height - "and when you mess with her you gotta do something about it." The slightly older boy flicked Garble's nose twice before tossing him to the ground.
With a simple crack from Hooflock's neck, Garble, and his pack ran clean away past Crescendo's group of children. The younger trio of children looked forward to Flash and Hoof bringing an injured Sunset to them.
"Friends of yours?" asked Cosgrove.
"Yeah," - Sunset groaned before waving her hand at Flash Sentry - "this is Flash Sentry, Hooflock, and Crescendo."
"And we're the Anti-Bully Coalition Force!" Flash announced proudly.
"Pphhh!" - First Base walked between the two groups - "That is a lame name, bro."
Hooflock and Crescendo silently agreed to that by looking at each other.
"So," - Flash turned to Sunset Shimmer - "who are the newbies?"
"This is Cosgrove, Chelsey and..." Sunset looked at the person she saved, not having met him before.
"Zipper." - The boy in question answered - "And Ithankyouforsavingme, Ijustdon'tunderstandwhytheywouldpickonmeforhavingmorefingersthantheyhave."
His classmates stared at him, amazed at how fast Zipper could talk.
Zipper returned the same expression, "What?"
"You going to be okay?" Asked Cosgrove
"Yeah," - Sunset waved her hand - "just go on ahead."
With an uncertain look on their face, the three younger children turn around and walked towards the Nurse' office.
Crescendo leaned onto her brother, "I feel sorry for them. They don't seem that different from us."
Sunset placed a hand on her chin, taking her friend's statement into account.
Once the last school bell rang, Chelsey, Cosgrove, and their new friend Zipper began their short journey home.
"Hey!" - the three younger children turned to the same older individuals from before, Sunset approaching them - "We talked this over and we thought, why don't you hang out with us?"
Cosgrove, Chelsey, and Diver looked at each other before giving their older peers a nod.
October 20th - 31st, 2006
A year of hanging out with the coalition force, the three individuals become much more brave, especially when it comes to the scariest part of the year. The force has gained two additional members; providing the means to win first place in last year's school science fair, Cogsworth has been referred to the anti-bullying force, using his custom-made gadgets to provide an edge. Much has changed for Dapplewood, his eyes have turned from birth blue to his gray-purple and just starting to walk. But still being unable to talk, it has been tough for him to communicate. It has been solved somewhat when he was given a whistle.
Noticing this concern, the Doo family, Derpy and Dinky's family, met with the Thunderfoot family. One somewhat warm Halloween day and the family met with the Syrup family, who have made a small business educating the blind, Deaf, and the Mute. While the adults discuss terms, Strawberry's own daughter Golden Caramel tried to communicate with Dapplewood with a somewhat amateur sign language. Dapplewood turned to his older relatives walking away, leaving only Cosgrove to watch over him.
As the day closes, Sunset snuck out from her prison of a home and joined with her group. Flash had to watch over his brother, and Hooflock and Crescendo went with their family to an out of state gathering. Having heard of Cosgrove's whereabouts from Chelsey, they walked up to the Syrup residence and noticed Cosgrove and Dapplewood struggling with sign language. Intrigued by the idea, Sunset, Chelsey, and Zipper looked at each other.
"One year without candy wouldn't hurt." Said Sunset with a shrug before joining in.
March 30th, 2007
As the state of Colorado is warmed by the spring sun, many activities closed for last Winter open again. On one weekend, students from the Elementary School arrive at the swimming pool just as it opens for the summer. As was unusual to them, Sunset Shimmer was absent this time. In her place was Night Dancer. Confident with Cosgrove being responsible enough to leave him on his own, Dapplewood, now two years old, was her focus now.
The little boy paddled along in a floaty with Night Dancer waist deep in the water watching him.
"Okay, Dapplewood" - Night Dancer called - "come on over!"
Dapplewood kicked the water as hard as his little legs could, slowly making his way to his babysitter. Underneath the deep end, the force of the repeated kicks disturbed the meditations of a much older child. Glaring up to the surface, she ascended rapidly to the surface. With a loud splash, the water revealed a light gray, slightly overweight, girl with blonde hair.
"Oh not again," - Diver groaned - "just when someone swims for the first time, they get cocky and swim to the deep end."
Dapplewood looked at the much older child.
"Look, do you want my help or not?"
"Dapplewood can't talk." Cosgrove answered from the edge of the pool.
Diver looked at Cosgrove, then to the younger boy.
"Well," - Diver smacked her lips - "that's a first."
Using her head, Diver began to push the floatation device over to shore. Chelsey lifted Dapplewood to his feet. Having been out of the water for quite a while, Diver's body droops under gravity.
"And next time, stay on the shore." - Diver berated
Night Dancer rubbed the child's wet hair.
"Thank you for the help."
"I save just about three kids a day that come to the deep end."
"Really?" - Said Chelsey - "Haven't heard of that before."
"Well, now you know." Diver began turning her bulky body back to the water.
"Hey!" - Cosgrove caught her attention - "What's your name?"
Diver turned around, "Diver."