Other Voices

by Jongoji245

Chapter 7: Help is Needed (Part 2)

Monday has come. School preparation procedures began as usual; Wake up, shower, get dressed, pack up, eat breakfast, go to school. When Apple Bloom walked up to the table, before Applejack joined her.

“What’s up, sis?” Apple Bloom noticed the rather somber look on Applejack’s face.

After fidgeting her food, Applejack answered, “Apple bloom, I need you to bring Cosgrove here after school.”

Apple Bloom fidgeted at her request.

“Is he in trouble?” The little Apple lowered her ears.

Applejack looked around before leaning up to her.

“This is just between us…”

A few hours have passed when recess started. Apple bloom had an uneasy feeling from being told what her sister discovered. Sitting at the table with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, she spotted Cosgrove sitting alone at a hilltop. Rumble and Indigo Blue looked at him from a distance as well.

“Maybe you should talk to him.” Indigo asked, leaning over to the Rumble

Rumble turned his look away from Cosgrove

“Colts don’t talk to other colts. We just” -Rumble gave a small nudge on Indigo’s shoulders- “give a good punch to the shoulders.”

“That’s stupid…”

“For a filly. To a colt, it’s 10 years worth of therapy!”

Indigo still wasn’t amused.

“Okay I’ll talk to him.”

Rumble fluttered from the table and landed a few feet behind his yellow and purple friend. Sitting next to him, he noticed Cosgrove’s face was red and sleep deprived. Rumble looked behind and spotted Indigo, who gave a smug gesture and motioned him to ask. Rumble laid a soft punch to Cosgrove.

“What was that about?” Cosgrove hissed

“I don’t know…” “Rumble turned away for awhile then looked back at him - “You haven’t really said a word in class today.”

“I never say anything in class.” - Cosgrove continued looking at the horizon - “You know that.”

“But you haven’t sketched anything.”

“Not in the mood…”

“Maybe he doesn’t want to talk to you,” - Rumble turned around and saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon behind them. Diamond walked up to the duo slowly - “Maybe he just wants to be with his own kind!”

“Yeah among the freaks!” Silver Spoon added before bursting into laughter.

Cosgrove began to snarl.

Diamond walked back to her best friend, adding, “Yeah, what’s worse than being a blank flank than being a thing that even a mother wouldn’t love!”

Those last few words, Cosgrove turned around, sized himself up to the light pink filly, and emitted a shrilling bray. Everyone on the students looked to the noise before seeing the two bullies run away in fear. Rumble tried to approach when Cosgrove gave a small yet threatening growl. Not wanting to risk what he just witnessed, he flew as fast as he could back to Indigo.

“That’s why colts don’t talk to other colts.”

Cosgrove sat back down on the hill looking to the horizon. His expression was still stern from what he just heard. He winced again when he heard the grass crunch.

“For once can I be left-?”

Twisting his body at those last fews words, he found Apple bloom right behind him with her ears and bow drooped. Cosgrove slowly turned back to his original position. Apple bloom began to turn around when she heard sniffling. She walked over to him and saw his face just bawling. Apple bloom sat down and wrapped an arm around him.

Ms. Cheerilee, hearing the unusual sound as well, noticed the two foals together. She walked over to them, looking at them with a sorry look on her face.

“Ms. Cheerilee” - Apple Bloom kept rubbing Cosgrove’s shoulder as she turned to her teacher- “could I take him home early?”

Cheerilee answered with a slow nod.

While lying isn’t a habit of the Apple Family, Cosgrove’s depressive state helped Apple bloom do as Applejack asked. Upon arrival, Cosgrove looked up to see the rest of the Apple Family along with Zipper, Diver, and Chelsey in the living room of the Apple Residence. Cosgrove looked at the table and found the newspaper articles from the train car.

“You… You…” Cosgrove began shaking.

“We’re sorry,” Diver slowly moved her tail back and forth “we thought you got over this after the past two years.”

Cosgrove began faltering backwards until Applejack comforted him.

“Please... Let us help you... Talk to us…” Applejack guided him to the table.

Cosgrove breathed in and out heavily, then grabbed an article.

“Night Dancer was a good friend, no, a parent. She’d never let me do any of the more exciting stuff.” -Cosgrove looked the other way before smiling- “But that’s what mother’s are for, right? They care for you. Sure we didn’t make enough to buy anything nice. But her love was everything.”

Apple Bloom drooped her ears, “What happened to her?”

Cosgrove gave a deep breath, “It was her birthday, and I wanted to give something for all the care she has done for me. Our performance was held at Prance. I used up my allowance on the most beautiful flowers. But I lost my way back. I looked everywhere for the big top. I bumped into a stallion, giving the cops time to cuff him. I was given a ride back to the circus when I saw… When I...”

A memory flashed before him as medical personnel carried out a black bag.

“Mama?” He walked forward when he was stopped by a younger Chelsey. She wrapped around him and began weeping. Cosgrove soon found out what was wrong and began struggling out of her grip.

“Mama?! MAMA?! MAAAMMAAA!!!!”

The flash ended. Cosgrove was just weeping, screaming, with Chelsey, Zipper and Diver sniffling as well.

Applejack wrapped her arm around the colt and began hushing him.

“It’s not your fault. There are things that you can’t control. There was nothing any of you could have done...” Applejack lead him to a picture of two ponies he hasn’t seen. To the right of the picture was a large orange stallion with crimson red hair and to the left a yellow mare with blonde hair.

After giving the picture a good look, Cosgrove asked, “Your parents…?”

Big Mac stepped forward before answering, “Eeyup…”

Granny Smith approached the former circus pony. “It is noponies fault… Not all of us arrive together.”

“What do I do? I miss her so much…”

“Remember her, cherish her love…” Granny rubbed Cosgrove’s mane, “That’s what she would have wanted.”

Cosgrove turned looked up at “Does the pain ever go away?”

Granny Smith looked at her grandchildren; Big Mac turned his head away before giving a sniffle, Applejack slowly patted the floor as Apple Bloom embraced her older sister.

The elderly mare took a deep breath and answered, “Only in time, young‘un. Only in time…”

Cosgrove slowly rose from his haunches and hugged each of the Apple Family and his friends. The colt took a good look at the articles again before collecting them, filed them into a single pile, and slowly walked out the door.

...

Back at the human world, classes continued and the usual back talk regarding Sunset’s current state of being still happened. But at least she now has four more classmates who believe in her. Now deprived of her jacket for the time being, she walked down the hall, trying to shrug off any of the insults thrown at her.

“Sunset Shimmer,” Buzzed Luna’s voice through the hallway speaker “please report to the Principal’s office.”

Some of the student body gave a sly laughter as she made her way to Principal Celestia’s office. Closing the door, Sunset sat in front of her former mentor’s counterpart. Celestia leaned forward, balancing her chin on her hands.

“Is there something wrong?” Sunset asked.

Celestia waved her hand, answering, “They have something to say.”

Opening the door was Clamp Jaw and Claire walking to the sides of the office desk. Their faces weren’t vicious, but still serious enough that they meant business.

“Mr. and Mrs. Thunderfoot…” Sunset gripped the arms of the chair.

“We have heard much about you…” Claire stated, placing a hand on her hip.

Sunset took in a big gulp as Clamp Jaw slowly moved towards her.

“You blackmailed a few students, sabotaged last year’s Spring Fling, used two boys, stole a few permanent records, including my son’s, stole foreign property, DESTROYED SCHOOL PROPERTY, AND…”

Sunset winced before a hand was placed on her shoulder. She looked up and found Clamp Jaw with a more somber look on his face.

“Gave my son the courage he needed to keep me and my beloved wife together.” He wiped the tear away and took a deep breath before stepping back.

Claire still kept a serious face when she added, “I don’t know why we’ve been kept out after the Fall Formal.” - She curled up a smile - “But I’m glad we had.”

Clamp Jaw turned to the Principal, “Have a nice day.” The two large humans walked out of the room.

“You are free to go.” Principal Celestia dismissed the student before returning to her work.

As she left the room, Sunset found Cosgrove and his parents just after a group hug before leaving. Cosgrove leaned on the lockers, turned his head to his older peer and winked. Sunset gave a smile before winking as well. The next bell rang, parting them to go to their respective classes.