One Step at a Time
After Babs had sworn to help Tangerine in her dilemma, she led her cousin and their new friend Featherweight through the city of Manehattan, catching glimpses of a few of its landmarks along the way. After a bit of walking, the redmaned filly showed their destination, the Manehattan Library.
"A library?" Featherweight asked. "Do you want to find some sort of book to help Tangerine?"
"Yup, I got a good feeling dat da book we need to help my cuz is in dat library!" Babs nodded.
"But what if it is not in there?" asked an uncertain Tangerine.
"Then I'll think o' somethin' else. I ain't lettin' my cuz down!" Babs proclaimed. "Now c'mon, let's get goin'!"
Waking inside the library, the trio of foals saw some books scattered across the tables. It seems as if the library was being cleaned, yet no one could be seen inside.
"Huh, where is she?" Babs wondered before taking a deep breath. "TWILIGHT! ARE YOU IN HERE!?"
"Babs, you can not shout inside libraries! You could get in trouble!" Tangerine nervously shushed her cousin.
"Please no yelling inside the library!"
"Too late for that." Featherweight sighed.
"Who's down there?" came the voice from the second floor. Eventually, an annoyed Twilight Sparkle walked downstairs, her face softening once she recognized the foals. "Babs! Tangerine!"
"Hello, Miss Twilight." Tangerine smiled in greeting.
"And hello to you two as well. It's nice to see you girls inside the library." Twilight said. She then took notice of the colt alongside them. "And who might you be? Are you a new friend of theirs?"
"Yeah, the name's Featherweight! Nice to meet you!" the colt grinned.
"Likewise! I'm Twilight Sparkle, the owner of this library. So, is there anything I can help you with?"
"We're lookin' fer a book that builds confidence, you got anything like dat in your library?" Babs replied.
"Yes, I should have some at the moment." Twilight nodded. "But may I ask why you need it?"
"I believe the book is meant for me, Miss Twilight." Tangerine said.
"Yeah, she's been picked for Hall Monitor duty and she's kinda nervous about it." Featherweight continued for her. "Then Babs came up with the idea of making her tougher for the role."
"A Hall Monitor? That's wonderful!" Twilight smiled. "They do everything to keep the order balanced at school and to make sure everypony follows the school rules!"
"Hey Twilight!" called a voice from the other side of the library. It was Spike near a table with some books scattered across it. "What do I do with these books again?"
"Just put them in alphabetical order and I'll help you put them back on the proper shelves." Twilight called back. "Now come along, and I'll show you what we have."
Tangerine and Babs followed Twilight to another shelf while Featherweight, stunned and amazed to see a real dragon, went to Spike.
"Whoa! Are you real!? Are you really a dragon!?" the pegasus colt spoke excitedly.
"Uh...yeah, pretty much. I'm Spike." Spike blinked, already feeling weirded out. 'It's Fluttershy all over again...'
"That's so cool! I'm Featherweight! A talking dragon, that's so awesome!" Featherweight's smile disappeared as a thought crossed his mind. "Hey, how old are you anyway?"
Spike scratched his head. "Uh, around your age I guess..."
"So how come you're not at school with all the other foals?" Featherweight asked.
"Believe me, when you live with somepony like Twilight, you don't need to go to school." Spike rolled his eyes.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Twilight questioned with narrowed eyes at the baby dragon, having heard what he said.
"Nothing."
"Featherweight, come over here! I think we found it!" Babs called.
The colt complied and flew over to the others, scattering some papers around a bit due to his flight.
"Ack! No flying please!" Twilight cried. "Oh, now I'll have to sort these all over again..."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that..." Featherweight apologized, looking down.
"It's fine, I can organize these later I suppose...so anyway, I assume you three found what you were looking for?"
"Dat's right! We gots it right here!" Babs grinned, holding up the book she was looking for.
"'Iron Will's Iron Methods of Assertiveness'." Tangerine read the title of the book, already feeling uncomfortable by it.
"Babs, are you sure you want this book?" Twilight said in concern. "I wouldn't say it's bad but it has some questionable advices. I have others beside this one."
"No, it's cool! I had dis book to help me against bullies who made fun of me all da time, so it should also help Tangerine on being a Hall monitor!"
"All right, if you insist. Would it be all right for me to advice that you at least borrow more than one book with you?"
"I do not see why not. More information should help us a lot." Tangerine said.
"Ok, we'll take dis along with wut else youse got." Babs shrugged.
"All right, come with me everypony." Twilight said, leading them to the front desk. There, the three foals had checked out the book Babs had been looking for along with one that Twilight recommended, 'Confidence-Building 101'.
"Thank you, Miss Twilight." Tangerine smiled.
"Yeah, maybe these books could help Tangerine out a lot!" Featherweight nodded.
"See ya later, Twi! Thanks again!" Babs grinned. "Okay you two, let's go!"
After bidding the foals farewell, Twilight went over to Spike to help him reorganize the papers that Featherweight had accidentally scattered around. "Well, here we go again..."
"Hey, Twilight?" Spike called.
"Yes, Spike?"
"I think I found some weird book that has your name on the title."
"Really?" Twilight perked her head up. "I never heard of a book like that before. Maybe I'll read it later when I have the time."
Spike said nothing, looking at the black book he was holding in his claws. 'I don't know why, but I got a feeling that this is one book that Twi won't like...'
The next day at school during recess, Babs had Tangerine and Featherweight listen to what she had to say at one of the tables with one of the books they had borrowed from the library; specifically the one Babs had been looking for, 'Iron Will's Iron Methods of Assertiveness'.
"All right guys, I think we have wut we need to help my cuz be a great Hall Monitor!" Babs said eagerly. "Dis book will solve all of her problems!"
"But what about the other book Twilight let us borrow?" Featherweight reminded her.
"We'll look at it later. Right now, Iron Will is gonna give ya all da help ya need, cuz!"
"I am not so certain about this..." Tangerine bit her lip. "What if I do this wrong?"
"Ease up cuz! No one does it right da first time!" Babs comforted her cousin. "Jus' keep practicing, and you'll get better at it!"
"Just what kind of advice does Iron Will give anyway?" Featherweight asked.
Babs responded by showing Tangerine and Featherweight the book. The pegasus colt and earth filly read some rather odd sentences in the book.
"'Don't be shy, look 'em in the eye'? 'Treat me like a pushover, and you'll get the once over'?" Featherweight raised an eyebrow.
"'When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock'...'You laugh at me, I wrath at you'..." Tangerine looked to her cousin with doubt. "Cousin Babs, I mean no offense, but how is this supposed to help me?"
"Oh no, dose are just his catchphrases he likes to shout." Babs explained. "The guy is kinda weird, but his advice really helped me to stand up against bullies. Wut we're looking for in here is to build up your confidence. Dat way, you'll have no problem being a Hall Monitor, right?"
"I suppose so..."
"So what's our first step we should take? Featherweight asked.
"I think I got some ideas." Babs said after packing away the book.
"Really? Like what?"
"Iron Will says dat you have to practice being assertive wit your family and friends so you can have an idea on how to do it right. Me and Featherweight here will pretend to fight one another, and then it's your job to break us up Tangerine. Got it?"
"I think so..." Tangerine slowly nodded.
"Cool." Babs grinned. "Featherweight, I want you to hit me."
"WHAT!?" the pegasus colt and earth filly cried in shock.
"Babs! I can't do that!" Featherweight protested.
"Featherweight is right! It is rude for a colt to hit a filly!" Tangerine agreed.
"Calm down, you guys. I meant it as in pretend hit." Babs clarified, rolling her eyes a bit.
"...oh. That does sound better than a real hit."
"Besides, I don't think that Featherweight can really hit that hard."
"Oh come on. Do I really look like a spoony bard to you?" Featherweight pouted.
"Relax, I'm just teasing a bit." Babs chuckled. "Now c'mon, pick a fight with me so Tangerine can put a stop to it."
"But how? What do I do?"
"Tell me to give you my lunch money."
"O-Okay..." Featherweight cleared his throat and put on the most menacing face he could. "Hey you! Where's my lunch money!? ...was that good?"
"Yeah, that was perfect!" Babs whispered back before getting into character. "What business is it of yours, jerk!?"
"Shut up and give me what I want!"
"And what if I don't!? Are you gonna beat me up!?"
"Sounds tempting!"
"Oh now you're asking for it, punk! I'm gonna..." Babs paused to turn at Tangerine, who was watching in concern. "Uh, cuz? You're supposed to stop us, remember?"
"Oh, my apologies! I forgot!" Tangerine said sheepishly.
"It's fine. Just get in between us." Babs continued back to her act with Featherweight. "I got a lunch for you all right! How about a hoof-sandwich!?"
"Um, excuse me..."
"Oh ho, a funny one, huh?" Featherweight sneered, keeping up the act. "Let's see how funny things are after I grind you to a pulp!"
"Hello? I am trying to talk to you..."
"I'd like to see you try!" Babs challenged the 'bully'.
"Please listen, I have something important to say..."
"You want to fight me? You're making a big mistake!" Featherweight smirked to his 'victim'.
"Are two listening to me...?"
Babs blew a lock of her hair away, narrowing her eyes. "We'll see about that! I'm gonna-"
"Please stop fighting..."
Babs and Featherweight both blinked, turning to Tangerine who was looking at them with pleading eyes.
"Please stop. I do not want you two fighting..." she begged.
Babs ears fell flat when she realized that her cousin was sincerely hurt. "Hey, it's all right Tangerine. Me and Featherweight aren't really fighting, it's jus' pretend. We're not mad at each other."
"But it looked so real..."
"Um, maybe we should try something else." Featherweight suggested in concern.
Babs agreed, for her cousin's sake.
The three foals were now at another part of the playground, sitting on the swings.
"What should we do now Babs?" Tangerine asked her cousin.
"Well, Iron Will also says dat experiencing your problems head on without hesitation is also a good way to build your confidence." Babs spoke in thought, reading the book. "All we gotta do is find someding a Hall Monitor can take care of."
"But it could take forever for an opportunity to come up." Featherweight argued. "Are you even sure that Tangerine is ready to confront the other students already?"
"Don't worry, we'll be backing her up. It's not like she'll be alone."
In front of them, a white pegasus filly with a blue mane and a blue cloud Cutie Mark was finishing a candy bar she was eating and threw the wrapper away before walking off.
"Dere's our chance!" Babs eagerly exclaimed. "Tangerine, go tell dat filly to clean up her mess!"
"Yeah, you can do it!" Featherweight encouraged her.
"All right, I'll try..." Tangerine gave in, walking to the white filly. "Um, excuse me."
The filly turned her head back to the earth pony. "Yeah?"
"I hate to be a bother, but you littered that piece of candy wrapper to the ground. Maybe you should take responsibility and properly throw it away in a garbage bin?"
The pegasus filly looked to where Tangerine was pointing to the candy wrapper she had thrown away. "Oh, sorry about that. I would go pick it up, but my geography class will start soon and I can't be late. Can you put it away for me please?"
"I suppose so..." Tangerine complied. "You should hurry to your class then."
"Thanks, I really appreciate it!" the white pegasus filly smiled before walking away.
Tangerine did as the filly requested and put the littered candy wrapper away in a trash bin. When looking to her cousin and friend, she saw them frowning a little, much to her concern.
"Babs? Featherweight? What is the matter?" Tangerine asked them. "I solved the problem, did I not?"
"Cuz, dat's not how Hall Monitors are supposed to act, dey have to say 'no' for an answer and order others to do da right thing." Babs explained.
"But is that not mean to others?"
"Think of it more as 'Tough, but Fair', like Iron Will would say."
"So now what do we do?" Featherweight asked.
"We try again." Babs said in determination. "We just have to look for something else dat Tangerine can solve."
"Like what?"
"Like dat!" Babs pointed to a line on the playground at a slide where one green earth pony colt cut in front of the others. "Tangerine! Put dat line-cutter in his place."
"Ok..." Tangerine nodded, mustering up what courage she had as she walked to the colt who had cut in line. "Excuse me..."
"What's up?" he responded.
"I saw you cutting in front of the others. I am going to have to tell you to go to the back of the line and wait like everypony else."
"Oh, that. I can explain. My friend here was reserving my spot for me so that I could get here with no problem."
"Oh, my mistake then." Tangerine apologized.
"Hey, it's fine." he waved it off, moving along with the line.
Seeing that everything was fine, Tangerine walked back to her cousin and friend, who have sighed deeply.
"Tangerine..." Babs groaned.
"What? It was just a misunderstanding, his friend had reserved his spot for him." Tangerine explained.
"No Tangerine, students aren't allowed to do that." Featherweight shook his head. "It doesn't matter what your excuse is, reserving spots in lines aren't allowed."
Realizing her mistake, she saw that it was too late to correct it as the green earth colt had already slid down the slide. "Oh no..."
"Tangerine, you can't let others take advantage of you like dat. You gotta stand up and let dem know dat you ain't falling for any of their tricks, like Iron Will would say."
"Wow, you sure like this Iron Will guy." Featherweight commented.
"Yeah, his advice really helps! I've seen lots of bully victims fighting back because of him!"
Tangerine pondered on that. Sure, Iron Will probably means well with his methods of assertiveness, and it did seem to help ponies, but is it right to change them into the personalities of the very ponies they are being tormented by? Is it worth it in the end?
"Tangerine? Are you ok?" Featherweight asked in worry.
Tangerine snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh yes...yes, I am fine."
"So Babs, anymore ideas?"
"I still got some things in mind." Babs said. "I'll show you at the hallways. Follow me!"
Complying to the red-maned filly's words, Tangerine and Featherweight followed after her inside the school into the hallways.
"I think you better hurry with this, Babs. Recess is almost over!" Featherweight warned her.
"Don't worry, it'll be quick!" Babs assured the colt, and then turned to Tangerine. "Now cuz, as we all know, running and flying around the hallways ain't allowed. So me and Featherweight will be goofing off around here, and you're supposed to stop us. You got it?"
"Yes, I understand." Tangerine nodded.
"Good. Let's get started."
At once, Babs and Featherweight began to run, jump, bounce and fly around the hallways.
"Wheee! Playing around here is so much better than dat dumb playground!" Babs cheered as part of her act.
"Yeah! Screw the rules, I got wings!" Featherweight also cheered.
"You two should stop." Tangerine firmly spoke, but since she spoke too soft she was not heard by her cousin and friend.
"Woohoo! Nopony's here to stop us!" her cousin shouted and rattled the lockers along her way.
"We're going to do this all day long!" the pegasus colt cried, flying around doing some tricks.
"I said for you two to stop." Tangerine tried again with no success.
"Do a barrel roll!" Babs shouted to Featherweight.
"Piece of cake!" Featherweight grinned, spinning around a few times.
"I won't ask again. Stop now." Tangerine tried a third time, but her soft voice could not reach the two 'troublemakers'.
"Okay, stop!" Babs shouted, telling everyone to stop the act. Sighing in frustration, she walked to her richer cousin. "Wut happened cuz? You was supposed to stop us."
"But I was!" Tangerine insisted. "I was telling you both to stop, but you would not listen!"
"Tangerine, how exactly did you tell us to stop?" Featherweight questioned her.
"By asking both of you politely."
"Cuz, I hate to break it to you, but Hall Monitor don't play nice." Babs sighed. "After all, Iron Will didn't make it big by playing nice. You gotta show 'em dat you mean business, and not hold back."
Suddenly, the school bell began to ring, meaning that it was time for the students to return to class.
"Well, that's it for now." Featherweight mulled as walked to their classroom. "Are there any ideas left, Babs?"
"Jus' one, but we'll have to wait until school's almost over." Babs answered.
"Really? What is it?" Tangerine asked in curiosity.
"Um, C-Cousin Babs? I-I am n-n-not so sure about this..."
Tangerine trembled on the middle of the hallway as Babs and Featherweight watched from the corner.
"I agree with her Babs!" Featherweight spoke in worry. "Don't you think that it's too early for her to try this?"
"Don't worry guys, that's wut me and Featherweight are here for!" Babs assured them. "Now let's go over the plan again: as we all know, all the foals come running out of their classrooms to da front door when school's over. Tangerine, your job is to shout at dem at da top of your lungs for them to stop and leave da school properly. In case that don't work, you run up to me and Featherweight at this corner here and we'll keep you safe. You got all dat?"
"But Babs, I am not sure if I can..."
The school bell interrupted Tangerine making her gulp, knowing that meant that school was over for the day.
"Dis is it, cuz! Get ready!" Babs told her.
As nervous and scared as she was, Tangerine did her best to steel herself for the upcoming stampede of students, taking a deep breath and waited for them to come. Few seconds later, many cheering students came running down the hallway right towards Tangerine. Her eyes widened and she froze in place at the sight.
Seeing this, Babs quickly motioned to Tangerine to come over to her and Featherweight. "Hey, Tangerine! Come over here!"
However, it looked as if the filly did not hear her, for she was more concerned about the big wave of students coming at her.
"Tangerine! Hurry, get over here!" Featherweight desperately cried.
It seemed that Tangerine had forgotten about Babs and Featherweight, for she began screaming and running to the front door, running away from the stampede.
"TANGERINE NO!" Babs shouted in concern, attempting to run after her only to get pulled back just in time by Featherweight before the students had ran over her.
After the last of the students had left, Babs and Featherweight immediately ran outside the school to find Tangerine. However, she was nowhere in sight.
"Tangerine!?" the pegasus colt called out to her in concern. "Hey, Tangerine!"
"Cuz! Cuz, where are you!?" Babs shouted to her, fearing the worst.
"Babs! Featherweight! Up here!"
The two foals looked up and were surprised to find Tangerine hanging on the school flag.
"Tangerine? How did you get up there?" asked a baffled Featherweight.
"I do not know, but now I can not get down!" Tangerine cried. "Please help me!"
"Hang on cuz, we'll get you down!" Babs called to her.
She and Featherweight ran to the flag pole and pulled the ropes down, slowly lowering the school flag until Tangerine was safely back on the ground.
"Hey, are you all right!?" Was the first thing that Babs asked Tangerine.
"Yeah, you're not hurt, are you!?" Featherweight asked in equal concern.
"I am fine, but I was very scared..." Tangerine whimpered, and Babs immediately hugged her to calm her down.
"It'll be all right, Tangerine. We're here for you. It'll be fine." she comforted her cousin.
"Ok..."
"So...what do we do now?" Featherweight began. "I don't mean to be a moodbreaker or anything, but today was a complete bust."
"We'll try again tomorrow." Babs answered in determination. "I ain't giving up. We will help Tangerine no matter what!"
Tangerine looked down in uncertainty. While she does appreciate Babs' determination, support and willingness to help her but after today, the rich filly is seriously doubting that she could be a Hall Monitor after everything that has happened. Maybe she just wasn't suited for the role...
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Ha, as soon as they said they were looking for a book, I had a feeling Iron Will (or at least his advice) would play a part here. Though given that Tangerine doesn't seem to be taking to it as quickly or whole-heartedly as Fluttershy did, I'm intrigued to see what your take on the subject is going to be by the end.
Also, you might want to look over the chapter again, because I noticed some awkward shifts between past- and present-tense. Other than that, still a good story. Tangerine and Babs work well together.
Oh god, not Iron Will's advice again
. As if we didn't have to put up with that jerk's advice again. Either way, nice references and overall good chapter.
P.S. Don't do too many memes in the same story, gets old after awhile.
Ooh, this isn't gonna end well for Tangerine will it.
If that book wasn't by Iron Will... well... I don't know. I didn't think that far ahead. But I'm not surprised that it was a book by Iron Will, considering the premise of this story.
Nonsense. I'm sure Twilight will love any book. I mean, it's not like it's a book about vampires and werewolves after all.
This is actually a good variant of Putting Your Hoof Down. For character development, it works for Fluttershy. But with Fluttershy out of the picture (assuming she's not in Manehatten visiting Blossomforth), it actually makes sense that it would take place in a school setting. Children are still learning about the world and themselves. So a hall monitor is a good reason to have a character be put in a position of power, and have to be assertive because of it. And Tangerine's mindset is that she doesn't know the difference between being assertive and being a bully. She has to learn how to stand up to others and assert her authority. But she also has to learn that there's a fine line between being authoritative and being tyrannical. It is possible to show dominance without being a bully. As Babs described it, "tough but fair".
Also, did Chip Mint also read Iron Will's books?