“Wha’da’ya mean?” Asked Apple Bloom, “She’s only making fun of ya because ya don’t have a cutiemark. She does the same thing ta us.”
How could they be so naive if they were the same age as me?
“She’s bullying you because she wants to establish her place at the top of the hierarchy within the class.” I explained. “She wants everypony to respect her, and the way she achieves that is by finding insecure ponies for her to put down. Being ‘blank flanks’ is just an excuse to single you out from the rest of the class.”
“How can she get ponies to respect her by being mean?” Asked Sweetie Belle. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“Ponies always want to be part of the group.” I said. “By excluding you, she creates a group consisting of ‘everypony else’ where she’s in charge of who is included. Ponies in the group feel good about being in the group and afraid of being left out - which is why they don’t help you when you’re being bullied.”
“But then how do we get her to stop bullying us?” Asked Scootaloo
“Well,” I said, “You could throw her down a well.”
The Crusaders looked horrified.
“That was a joke.” I added.
I could see Cheerilee walking towards us from the schoolhouse, and my heart sank.
“You girls better get going,” I said, “You don’t want to be involved in this.”
“Involved in what?” Asked Sweetie Belle
“Me and Diamond were the ones fighting,” I said, “So there’s no need for you guys to get in trouble too. I don’t really care if I get suspended.”
“That... wasn’t really a fight.” Said Scootaloo. “You just kinda glared at her and then fainted.”
“Yeah,” I said, “But Diamond has been in there talking to her so she’s probably made up a whole story to get me in trouble.”
“We saw the whole thing,” said Apple Bloom, “We can tell her what really happened.”
“The truth doesn’t matter,” I said, “What matters is what Cheerilee will believe; She’ll just think you’re covering for me because you don’t like Diamond Tiara.”
“Well we’ll stick with you anyway,” Said Scootaloo, “Because we’re your friends.”
Damnit. It couldn’t be unsaid now. I didn’t want friends, but I couldn’t reject their offer of friendship, not without hurting their feelings. I was stuck now, with even more ponies that I had to keep happy. More ponies I couldn’t ignore. More ponies that I had to convince that I was okay to stop them from feeling bad. I just knew I was going to screw it up and end up hurting all of them.
The Crusaders misinterpreted my sudden withdrawal into myself and gave me a group hug.
“It’s alright.” Said Apple Bloom. “We’ll be right here with you.”
“Is using magic against a non-unicorn, like, a big deal?” I asked.
“Huh?”
“I mean, if I kicked her, instead of using magic,” I asked, “Would I be in more or less trouble?”
“She’s an Earth Pony, she’d fold you like a lawn chair.” Said Scootaloo, “Err, no offence.”
Well, that was comforting. Not only couldn’t I do magic, but I was at a massive strength disadvantage.
“Are you okay Green?” Asked Cheerilee. “I heard you fainted.”
“I’m fine.” I said
It was essentially my catchphrase at this point.
“Really?” Asked Cheerilee
“Whatever Diamond Tiara told you is a lie.” I said
“What did she tell me?” Cheerilee questioned
Great, more games. She wanted me to incriminate myself before I knew what Diamond had said.
“She told you something to try and get me in trouble because she’s bullying me.” I said
“What makes you think that?”
“Look I don’t care.” I said. “Just kick me out of the class. I don’t want to be here anyway.”
Cheerilee sighed.
“Diamond Tiara says you threatened to throw her down a well.”
“I told her she should fall down a well, not that I would do it.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because she’s a bully.”
“And you think falling down a well would make her a better pony?”
“Only if it was fatal.”
Cheerilee winced.
“Green, please don’t joke about things like this.”
My throat was starting to hurt and I had to fight to avoid my words coming out strangled.
“I’m not joking.” I said. “I want her to leave me and my friends alone, and if she has to fall down a well for that to happen then so be it.”
Be calm. Be logical. Don’t cry.
“You can’t just threaten to kill ponies because they were mean to you.”
I fixed my eyes with hers.
Focus on the anger, don’t cry.
“I didn’t threaten anything.” I retorted. “I just think we would all be better off if she fell down a well and broke her neck.”
My voice broke on the last word. I kept staring Cheerilee down, wishing she wasn’t so much taller than me.
“You have to calm down.” Cheerilee instructed. “Why don’t we go back to my office and-”
“I don’t have to do anything!” I yelled. “I don’t even want to be here!”
I was gritting my teeth to stop my jaw trembling.
“Green-”
“Why don’t you go listen to Diamond Tiara again,” I said, “I’m sure she’s fucking calm. Then you can leave me the hell alone and stop making things worse.”
“I’m trying to help you.”
“Well, I don’t want your ‘help’!” I said. “You’re going to tell me to be ‘reasonable’ and try to get along with Diamond Tiara. I refuse.”
“Just because she was mean to you once doesn’t mean she’s irredeemable.” She said, “Ponies can change, Green.”
“Most don’t.”
“Well they’re not going to change if nopony gives them a chance.”
“That’s not my problem.” I said. “I’m not going to let her stab me in the back just because you think it would be nice if we were friends.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“This isn’t about Diamond Tiara,” Said Cheerilee, “Is it?”
“What’s goin’ on here?” Asked Applejack. “Are you alright Sweetpea?”
I just felt so tired. I lay back down on the grass again.
It wasn’t like anything I said mattered anyway.
“I’m fine.”
Green does not like Diamond Tiara
10718538
Well...
no sleep gang
You're doing a really good job portraying how Green's paranoia is getting the better of her, while still showing how it stays self consistent and logical within her own head. the line "Be calm. Be logical. Don’t cry" really juxtaposed well with the situation at hand. People often forget that the "logical" thing to do is entirely dependent on your goals and (more importantly) your underlying knowledge, experiences, and assumptions, so what's logical to one person can look crazy to another while both are being "logical". In any case, great job as always, can't wait to see what comes next!
10718544
to answer that we have to get into parallel universes
10718559
Definitely this, you really get immersed into green's internal logic when reading this which is fantastic!
Damn, this is getting really intense. Kinda on the edge of my seat here, not gonna lie. Great job so far!
Also side note but this part made me go "dayaummmmmmmm!"
...shit, Green, just let go and let it out; you really need to.
Y'know, Cheerilee's brain-witchery would really be more effective if she wasn't acknowledging that Tiara was a bully, tacitly also acknowledging that she's taking no measures to change that behaviour, or at least not putting much effort into it. But since she did, it kinda reads like she's trying to force compliance from someone likely to capitulate, and finding ways to undermine their conviction.
She acknowledge Diamond is bully, imply she not gone do nothing about it, and is now attempting to find holes or undermine the belief of the righteous party.
One word my gyul.
H U L L
ok poor green has enough of this shit xD
and yes cheerilee shoud know about tiaras behavior, but dimond is too good a psychopath to ever get noticed
Damm, I wish I had the skill or the drive to write like you do.
10718622
I wish I actually had the skill and drive you think I have.
10718606
Doesn’t matter much if she knew. As long as it can’t be proven she would have to treat her as innocent if she wanted to keep her job.
10718638
OI! Enough with the self deprecation. You are a great Author and I eagerly wait for the next chapter.
10718582
10718595
Yeah, there are parts here that really puts Cheerily in a bad light.
I also feel like we're missing a "Just" in that last part.
This depiction, makes her seem like she's given up - on Diamond Tiara - so now she's focusing on lessening the impact of her bullying on the victims - by working on the victims.
I've seen that tactic before - the goal is for the bully to give up bullying, because they no longer get what they want from it - only, depending on why they're bullies in the first place - they might just get more 'creative'.
What stuck out more than Diamond Tiara being a three cheeked buttocks and Cheerilee trying to manage damage control between teeny boppers is Green's evergrowing twenty lane pile up of issues.
At this point I'd be surprised if they can walk into a deli and order an egg sandwich without breaking down somewhere between paying the attendant and opening the wrapper.
I just want to hug green and tell her it will be alright until she believes me! (though if I’m being honest I feel like trying to hug her would only make her feel worse...)
Mmmm. Its moments like this that make me wonder what it would be like if Luna had adopted Green instead.
Anyway.
Green is probably going to beat themselves up later about letting DT "get under their skin" like this. They might be able to appreciate that they did most of the work on that themselves however.
Well. She does but she doesnt... recognize DT as a person? If I'm saying that right.
Green thinks like DT is just a bullying robot that will continue to perform one preprogrammed behavior until the batteries are taken out.
And that this fact should be clearly evident to anyone who pays even a little bit of attention. Just take the batteries out.
Diamond Tiara is certainly an irritant. Though I imagine its Greens lack of ability to DO anything about it that is twisting her up.
I imagine Green wouldnt have much issue say... slapping her? Or ignoring her? Or using their adult brain and vocabulary to verbally destroy her?
She was able to recite the psychology of bullying like someone holding a cross up to a vampire after the fact.
Shed probably get in trouble, but trouble is temporary. She would probably consider it worth it of it got DT off her back.
She is trapped in a situation from which there is no escape, but from which she must escape at all cost. So she turns to the people who put her in it in the first place to beg for release. Except shes doing it extra crappily because shes in the middle of a panic attack, cant explain herself, and resorts to gallows humor and physical force to cope.
Which is... jfc.
I feel for Cherilee, I really do, but lady you have no idea what your sticking your hooves into do you?
Doenst help that Green shut down every attempt like a hardened child of the system.
Mmm. Going into the morality lecture at this point was also frankly pretty poor. Even if it's a reaction to Green themselves being ridiculous.
You cant really talk people out of a panic attacks.
Makes me wonder what, if any training Cher has had to deal with special needs students.
10718655
Keep in mind that we don’t see what she says to DT. It’s possible that she’s approaching both sides in an attempt to validate them while pushing them in a better direction. It’s not effective to tell a bully ‘you’re an asshole, don’t be mean’. You might get somewhere if you instead say ‘I understand why you feel how you do, but perhaps there are better ways of expressing your emotions’. I don’t know for sure, I could be wrong, I’m just proposing a reasonable counterpoint strategy where she’s not just ignoring the bully
Finally! I hope she won't start to bend under pressure. I was looking for this in this story. However, it seems that her body cant handle her enotions well. Also, Cheerlie is like following a rule called, "Don't touch rich kids." Also wishing something bad to someone is bot a threat to do it to that person, and still she want to guilt trip Green...
Green is such a crybaby
Green be poppin’ off here holy fuck
(... Is it odd that I entirely get where Green is coming from? Of course, Green has a rather large number of points and a blunt understanding of the situation. Cheerilee? She's doing the best she can with what she has, but unfortunately that comes across as acknowledging Diamond Tiara's nature as a bully but accepting her powerlessness to change it.
At the same time, Cheerilee is correct with her implication about why Green's so passionate, it's not really about Diamond Tiara. It's about what people like her have done and are capable of doing, likely specifically to Green in the past.
On another note, Green's behavior though should make it clear to literally everyone that she has a whole plethora of issues that set her apart from a 'normal' pony. For the ones still going with the 'was sexually abused' narrative, this only fits into it more. For Princess Luna and Twilight... it will be interesting to see what conclusions they draw, though given how much of what Green's done fits with symptoms of abuse and her breakdown over bullying, they may still be working on a similar theory, just with the added idea that someone physically changed her.
In any case, interested to see how this continues... and really hoping Green gets a break... man I wish I could snuggle her. She wouldn't like it though.)
I mean, it's pretty clear that Cheerilee isn't qualified to touch Green with a twenty-foot pole. But quite frankly, that's not really a knock on Cheerilee.
Green just shouldn't be in this sort of environment in the first place. Mostly because it's infinitely easy for her to get into a situation where she'll radically overreact and then Cheerilee will have to deal with someone who reflexively stonewalls themselves the instant there's anything Green can remotely perceive to be defensive about. All the while balancing not touching Green's sensitivities with the rest of the class of smol children who are emotional pendulums even on the *best* of days.
This chapter just made me feel that Cheerilee has a goddamned shitty job.
10718563
An A press actually has three parts to it...
Whew, really lettin' loose there, Green. Can't say I blame ya, though.
I'm kinda surprised Cheerilee didn't say anything about Green's language usage, but given the state of things at the moment that's probably not at the fore, is it?
10718701
Cheerilee is trying to de-escalate the situation... she's not doing a great job, but she at least knows that scolding Green for cursing can wait for later. (and hopefully not to use soap)
That was such a tease! Why chapter so short -sadface-
10718761
Because I don't have the skill and drive that 10718622 thinks I do.
10718774
I'm repeating myself.
10718648
10718683
Yeah, I've seen plenty of people think that panic attacks can be talked out of or something that people should just "get over". It's inherent in the panic, loss of control. It doesn't have to make sense. The panic just needs to be addressed and calmed. What it's about it ultimately irrelevant.
10718774
lies
Woah, new chapter! I don't think Cheerilee's cutie mark has accounted for the equivalent of special needs ponies and I think her job is much harder because she's having to deal with rich parents who can basically ruin her life with a word.
10718774
A reply from author... -smiles happily then drops dead-
When Diamond Tiara is on top, the only chance she can be given is from herself.
10718794
*Chest compression noises*
I feel horrible for Green; the poor baby just can't catch a damn break. But Cheerilee, as a teacher, is obligated to talk to Green about the situation to do damage control; and nopony would just leave Green anyway. Watching Green break down hurts, because she genuinely believes most of what she's saying, and it's sad.
Also, this quote is raw:
Like, ouch. I don't know how much that stung to Cheerilee.
10718802
As someone who's had that happen to me, Green is 100% right in that regard. Being friends with your bully / someone you bullied is not something that happens.
10718803
A story from my life says opposite, but iin my case bully wasn't a spoiled brat, more of a street boy without parent's attention. Also it's rather ended in truce and respect rather than friendship.
There is Korean tv series Uncanny Counter which offers similar example.
10718803
Yup. Without some absolutely wack circumstances it won't happen, and these wack circumstances don't seem like the kind needed. (Side note: Babs Seed's betrayal is gonna suck. I don't know if it's happened yet, but if/when it does, ooh boy.)
10718544
Huh, not only the chapter, but the comments seem to be... well-themed.
10718687
Fully concur on the first part - we only see Green's perspective here - and it's from that pesrpective that Cheerily really makes a troublesome impression.
(She genuinely seems out of her depth)
As for the second part - that really depends on why they bully. I knew some bullies whose issue was that they were dead beat bored and bullying made for easy entertainment.
I can't quite remember the details on TD's reasoning. any captn?
The more one needs to say that the more it's a bold faced lie
Edit:
10718803
It depends? I did become very good friends with a couple guys that bullied me for some weeks when we were 10 or so. We were all screwed due to school so we did have something in common, though.
Please stop making the MC a doormat
10718838
She's literally standing up for herself right now, the issue is she's being beaten into the dirt by "We're adults and know better than you do" logic.
10718838
cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/657395292458450974/819891138222882816/PSX_20210312_221402.jpg
10718846
Wtf? XD
10718853
They told me I could be anything, so I became a doormat.