It had been about a week since Bruce's first day of school, and so far he was really liking it. He got to sit with his sister and Silver Spoon in the front of the class, and with that came a sense of fearful respect from the other students. As they all poured in the classroom that morning they were hoofed over their report cards by Ms. Cheerilee. "How did you girls do?" asked Bruce.
"Urgh, B's and C's in everything." said Silver Spoon.
"How about you sis?" asked Bruce.
"I'm not telling!" Diamond replied, clutching the tiny card to her chest.
"I almost got straight A's!" said Bruce with pride, holding out his card for them all to see. He had a nice row of little A pluses and A minuses, the row was only marred by a solitary B+ under social studies. Bruce was still trying to figure out all the intricacies of pony life, slowly but surely he was mastering it. Everything else, science, mathematics, Equestrian (which he was quickly learning was just the English language with horse puns thrown in everywhere) it all was coming naturally to Bruce.
Diamond was shocked by his success, "How the hay do you have that many A's? The best I have is a D+" Both of her companions went silent. "What? The lessons are really boring."
"Sis that's really bad." said Bruce.
"Well so what? All I have to do is tell daddy and he'll fix it." said Diamond, her tone was innocent, naive to what 'Fixing her grade' meant.
Bruce cringed at the idea, he knew that was the kind of stallion his father was, but he would never be that kind of pony. And he didn't want his sister to be that kind of pony either, "Well what are you going to do when you actually have to use those skills?"
"Bruce when in life would you ever need to use hypothetical numbers?" Bruce had to admit she had a point, it was hard to imagine how 'A - C / Z = ?' could ever be of any real life benefit.
"Well that's not the point, even if you have the grades saying so, it doesn't mean a thing if you don't have the knowledge to back them up." said Bruce.
"Maybe it's easy for you 'Mr. Straight A's' But It's not for me." Diamond said while crossing her forelegs grumpily.
"I'm not perfect either Diamond, you just need to apply yourself and focus. I know you can do it if you try." said Bruce.
Before they could continue their discussion further Ms. Cheerilee entered the room. "Good morning class, today you'll all be working in pairs for an upcoming project. While normally I would allow you all to pick your groups yourselves, today I’ll be assigning them myself. I'd like you all to use this as an opportunity to get to know your fellow students outside your circle of friends." said Ms. Cheerilee.
There was shared groaning from all the foals in the class, "Now don't be that way, it's not like you’re never going to see your friends again. This project will only last today and over the weekend and you can still hang out together on the playground." Cheerilee moved over to the chalk board and started pairing students.
The pairings she wrote down went as such, Berry Pinch - Scootaloo. Snips - Dinky Doo. Diamond Tiara - Apple Bloom. This pairing in particular caused much grief. Both parties tried unsuccessfully to get a different partner.
Sweetie Belle - Snails. Silver Spoon - Pipsqueak. Bruce Wayne - H.D. There were many more but Bruce stopped paying attention after his pair was written down. "Who's H.D.?"
Bruce's answer came when a Pegasus colt stood up. He looked to be about a year younger than Bruce, he had a pristine white coat and a slick red mane. "I'm H.D." He said as he trotted over to Bruce, "Looks like we'll be partners."
"Well it's nice to meet you, um can I ask-" H.D. stopped Bruce right there.
"What H.D. means? Sorry it's top secret, it's a code name. Only a select few can know." He put on a pair of shades to extenuate the secret agent act he was putting on.
"I know what it is." Silver Spoon said leaning in. "You want me to tell him?"
Panic took hold of H.D. "No please anything but that!"
"Aw but it's such an adorable dorky name." retorted Silver Spoon.
"I'm begging you please!" said H.D.
"Har-"
"Please anything!"
"-dnose Dimple." with the truly awful name out in the open Silver Spoon started laughing, she then got Diamond Tiara's attention. " Di, Di guess what, I got to do another H.D. reveal!"
She pulled away from Apple Bloom to join the fray, "Wait he's still trying to get away with calling himself that?"
"I know right?" Silver Spoon said in bemusement.
Now Apple Bloom came in, "You’re making fun of that poor colt again! Why don't you bullies just leave him alone?"
"What, all were doing is telling the truth when he's lying. Isn't your sister the 'Element of Honesty' or something like that? I would think you'd be the first to appreciate the truth." said Silver Spoon.
"Wha-huh? That's not being honest it's just being plain mean!" Apple Bloom said hastily.
Bruce had been so wrapped up in the argument that he hadn't noticed his partner was no longer there. He wasn't in the school house anymore, so Bruce started searching outside. It didn't take long to find him, Dimple was sulking up on top of the play set, his spy glasses thrown away.
"Are you okay H.D.?" asked Bruce.
"Don't call me that, I thought if I introduced myself as that to somepony new, then they might think I was cool. But it never works, I’m stuck with this stupid name and nopony wants to hang out with someone called Hardnose." He started kicking the playground equipment and banging his head on it.
Bruce couldn't help but sympathize, he was stuck with a name unlike any other's he had encountered in this world. "I don't think it's bad, it kind of sounds like a detective name."
"You think so?" asked H.D. who paused his head banging.
"Yeah, it's much better than Bruce, that's for sure."
H.D. shook his head, "No you have a great name, it just..."
"It just doesn't fit here, right?" asked Bruce.
"Yeah that's it," said H.D. "How did you get a name like that anyway?"
Bruce paused, he wasn't sure if he should try explaining he's not even a pony and he comes from a world of tall fleshy people who walk on two legs. Instead he went with, "I'm not from Equestria."
"Oh, I guess were sort of similar then. My dad hadn't been in Equestria very long before I was born. And instead of picking out a naming book he just picked the first random thing in the dictionary." said H.D. "And my mom gave me the name Dimple cause of my, well you know dimples."
"See at least your name means something, Bruce Wayne doesn't have any meaning. At least not in this world," as the two conversed about the meaning and nature of names they were still outside when the first bell rang. "Come on let's go!"
*****
The two managed to find seats next to each other in the back row, just in time for the assignment. "Alright class, now that you've had a chance to talk with your partners I'm going to give you all your assignments. For the rest of today, and during your weekend you'll all be creating a profile of each other, what your partner likes, dislikes, everything about them."
Cheerilee wrote down all the criteria on the board, "There is no minimum length but I want to see at least five likes and dislikes. Once we're all back at the start of the school week, everypony will put on a presentation of what they learned about their partner."
Some of the foals in the class were getting pretty excited, after all how often do you get an assignment where you get to talk about how much you like Power Ponies? Others like Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom were loathing the prospect of spending any amount of time together. Bruce was feeling good, H.D. was a pony he wanted to know more about.
"So how should we start out?" Bruce asked.
"We could do likes first, I’ll give one and then you can give one." said H.D.
Bruce thought that sounded fair so they got to it, sliding their desks so they were facing each other, they began. "Okay, um I like spy stuff. That's why I gave myself a code name." said H.D.
Bruce wrote down 'Spy stuff' in his note book, "I like, I really like having a family." said Bruce.
"Really? Okay, but that sounds all mushy." said H.D. "I like Canterlot, have you ever been there? It's awesome!"
Bruce shook his head no, "Ponyville's the only town I've been to."
H.D. wrote down 'Only Ponyville?'
"I really like Zorro! I got to go see a Zorro film with ... never mind." The memories were starting to flood back in, instead of letting them take over Bruce focused on the project. "Okay your next."
"Wait what's Zorro? Is that like Zecorro the masked hero?" asked H.D.
"Yeah that's it, I guess I got the name wrong haha." Bruce was not so subtly trying to brush it under the rug.
H.D. wrote down, 'Knock off Zecorro' "Anyway, I like going camping with my parents."
"I like jazz music, it seems to sooth my soul." said Bruce.
"I like flying, it's really fun!" said H.D.
"One thing I really like, is being a pony." said Bruce, H.D. wrote down 'Being a pony, as opposed to what?'
"Last one... Ooh I know! I really like love!" said H.D.
Bruce was flabbergasted, "Love? I thought you said me liking my family was mushy?"
"I don't mean being in love, I just really like being around ponies who are in love. It feels nice," said H.D. his cheeks turning red.
Bruce wrote down, 'Really likes love.' Now it was time for Bruce's last like, "I like the color black, sorry probably should have put that somewhere before family, right?"
"Naw its fine." said H.D. "Well we breezed through the likes do you want to try and get through dislikes too?"
"Sure, let's do it! Um, I don't like some of the dishonest things my father does." Much as he tried to overcome it, that indecent in the courthouse was really weighing on his mind.
"I don't like my name, obviously." said H.D.
"I don't like only having plants and hay to eat." said Bruce. This one really turned H.T.'s head, he wrote down 'Wants to eat ???'
"I don't like ponies who already judge you before you've ever met them." said H.D. Bruce wrote down 'Is there a prejudice against pegasi?'
"I hate rock and roll, because punk is nothing more than death and crime and the rage of a beast!" Bruce was unsure why he said that, the words seemed forced.
"I hate having to move all the time!" said H.T.
"I hate being alone!" said Bruce, his tone was getting more and more upset.
"I hate Princess Cadence!" H.D.'s loud declaration turned a few heads in the room.
"I HATE CRIMINALS!" Bruce shouted, he was getting so worked up the veins on his neck were visible. His little outburst caught the attention of the entire class, "Sorry everypony, I got too excited." H.D. wrote down in his note book 'Has a history with crime.'
Each one took several deep breaths, it felt good to vent. "Uh I guess I've got the last one then." H.D. struggled to find one more thing, "Dang now I feel like you did with the likes Bruce. I dislike mashed potatoes, sorry it's all I got."
Bruce finished taking his notes and H.D finished taking his. "Wow, that was ... intense. So do you want to hang out tomorrow and work on writing these together?" asked Bruce.
"Sure, you can come over to my place! Let me write down my address," H.D. filled it out on a scrap of paper and gave it to Bruce. "I'll tell my mom you'll be there at noon. Anytime we have company she feels the need to clean the whole house top to bottom. It's like a nervous habit or something."
Both shook hooves and left school, parting ways at the fork in the road. As Bruce walked home with Diamond Tiara he opened up his notebook once more and added one more note bellow the others. It read, 'H.D. hiding something, need to investigate.
And at the same time H.D. was flying home, he opened up his book and scrawled 'Bruce Wayne obviously hiding secret. Further investigation needed.' Both colts’ investigations would have to wait for the next day, for now it was time for dinner.
Nngh... That was sort of an cringeworthy reveal for an OC.
Obvious changeling is obvious.
hard-nosed is either a Changeling or is half Changeling
Bruce NOT liking rock and roll makes sense, considering how he's born around the 40's/50's.
Is H.D, James replacement?
*after H.D interrogates bruce for awhile*
Might as well reference the most infamous batman series of all
Please do not make him a Harvey "Two-Face" Dent clone! It is going to be a Batman story after all but all we really care for is Mr. J!
6106688 Very obvious.
6106665 Sorry if it got to be too much, this is my first attempt at writing an OC character. What in particular did you find cringeworthy?
6107194 I was thinking about it, and I might have a place for 'Crazy Steve' later on down the line.
6107917 I'm not going to lie, that is my plan for this character. Currently I have plans for Joker, Two Face, Poison Ivy, Bane, Cat Woman and the Penguin. I just wanted to introduce the Harvey Dent stand in first because, Bruce's friendship with Harvey before losing his mind was always one of my favorite things from the animated series.
In case your wondering the Joker stand in will be introduced before the sequel story where Bruce is fighting crime.
6106767 It's a reference to a terrible Batman comic called 'Fortunate Son' I'll put in a link to a review of it down bellow.
Batman: Fortunate Son review
6106851 Do you mean the Commissioner Gordon character? We have yet to meet him.
6107986
tfw H. D. is going to stuck between his pony and changeling forms
Well...intense much there Batman...I mean, Bruce? Of course, Bruce does have a perfectly justified reason to hate criminals and crime in general, really as a criminal killed his parents. Also, several errors were found, and I'm not 100% certain if your editor has reached this chapter yet. If they have, let me know so that I may point them out. Thanks!
Now for me to be serious! Silver Spoon and Bruce should discuss what to do about Diamond Tiara's terrible grades, because Silver Spoon obviously understands that school is important if she's at least getting B's and C's in her subjects, and she, as a good friend, could be concerned for Diamond Tiara's future! During the discussion, Bruce could come up with the idea of being a tutor for Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon could refine the idea so that Diamond Tiara doesn't just reject his help outright! I mean, Bruce trying to offer to tutor Diamond Tiara without some clever misdirection from Silver Spoon could be taken the wrong way by Diamond Tiara.
6108284 Yeah the topic did kind of get brought up and not followed up on didn't it? The whole Diamond and school thing will get continued in the next chapter. I like the idea you had about Silver Spoon and Bruce getting together to help Diamond.
As far as errors go, my editor is my little brother. Neither he nor I are great when it comes to grammar and the like, so if you see anything that's wrong feel free to point it out. I promise we won't get upset, we'd much rather have it fixed than looking poorly written.
6108326
But...would you like me to send you P.M.s with the errors that I see, or just point them out in the story comments? I've done it both ways before when I have helped to edit a story, so just make me aware of your preferred method, and I will get right to work. About the idea with Bruce and Silver Spoon coming together to help Diamond Tiara, I had also thought that white Bruce knows the subjects, Silver Spoon knows Diamond Tiara, and she would be able to make sure that the lessons were engaging for her. Sometimes, that's all that someone who's suffering academically really needs. A way of being taught that actually engages them in the lesson. It worked for me when I was failing Algebra 2! The only real reasons that Bruce would still be involved in the tutoring sessions at this point are: 1: Silver Spoon also wants straight A's. 2: Silver Spoon could realize 1(or both ) of the following 2 things: 1: that it's a good way to get closer to Bruce (if what was hinted at back in chapter 3 was what I'm assuming it was, when Silver Spoon said that Bruce was cute, and then rushed to cover it up, [it's like Harry Potter all over again! <only this time, it's the girl who is making the first move...>]) or, 2: that two tutors would be able to keep Diamond Tiara focused better than one would. 3: As a good friend, I'm sure that Silver Spoon would have thought of this before now (yes, this reason is a lot more guesswork than my other ones...) but Diamond Tiara either manipulated her into letting the matter drop, or just made it clear that she didn't care about her grades because her father would "fix" them for her. 4: It would be a good way for Bruce to both bond with, and teach the value of hard work to, his sister (yes, this reason is a metastory reason.) Once the tutoring sessions have been going on for a while, Diamond Tiara will start to get better grades in school due to said tutoring sessions. Once this occurs, if she has any business smarts in her entire body she'll actively seek out these tutoring sessions. Not to mention the fact that, as I mentioned, Silver Spoon would be making them as fun/engaging for Diamond Tiara as possible, so that she'll learn the information, and be able to recall it later, but be unaware that she's learning. Just like with that one Rainbow Dash episode where she has to study for the Wonderbolts History Exam to get into the Wonderbolts Reserves, and it's discovered that she can retain everything that she sees (which is everything...which is actually quite dangerous, when you think about it hard enough) while she's flying, which just so happens to be one of her favorite activities.
Anyways...time for me to be SERIOUS. For all of you out there that want The Joker to appear in this story, well... FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS!
6109282 True true, it's unfortunate but in show cannon (at least so far) Diamond is a pretty one note antagonist. In the chapter i'm writing now (6) I at least give some reason as to why she does the things she does. Not at all saying she's right to, but it's some character development.
6109674 I guess send it in PM's that way the comment section isn't filled with outdated errors that are already fixed. Also dang man, you don't know how happy I am that someone's putting that much thought into my story.
The idea i'm working on currently is Bruce and Silver help Diamond finish the protect and she gets a decent grade without 'fixing the grades'. This bit of success instills a desire to try harder. Bruce and Silver would pledge to help her. Could let me know what you think about it in your PM?
I like the idea that Silver Spoon was trying to cover herself in chapter 3. And it does fall in line for what I have planned for her in the sequel story.
6106688 Probably still a child, and his 'hates Cadence' bit is probably just him hearing stories from a family member.
6114779 Its written like HD is a changeling or something. Loves being around love, hates cadence. Weird.
H.D changling?
I'm calling it right now, H.D is going to become pony two-face.