Twilight adopts a foal. The adventures of Comet Dust

by Itztli FP

Plummeting

Chapter 10. Plummeting.

The same story was repeating over and over again; Comet was bullied in school, he returned home in a terrible mood and lied to Twilight to not worry her; keeping all his anger and resentment to himself.

Someday, Comet forgave Sweetie Belle about the discussion they had weeks ago. He saw that she didn´t get along with Rumble; they didn´t even talk to each other, so he understood Rumble had also cajoled her. She was part of his ruse but she didn´t know that until it was too late. But he didn’t tell him to her. He was ashamed of the way he acted with her, maybe she didn´t want to see him again.

Day by day, the time passed. And for Comet, things didn´t go better, actually, it went worse. After some time, Rumble stopped caring if someone saw him bulling Comet, starting to do it in front of everypony sight in a plethora of ways than just mocking or “little” pranks. In lots of occasions Comet´s notebooks and scrolls speared ripped or shattered, preventing him from turning in homework and assignments; his pencils and quills disappeared, his stuff ended fallen apart and his homework constantly appeared scratched or stained so they couldn’t be read.

Hits, jostling and insults were his daily routine in school. And, with every day that passed, his abuses were scaling, especially in breaks. Rumble liked to hitting him with balls, mud or everything he could use to humiliate him in front of everyone. His lunch never made it to his mouth, Rumble and his friends always stole it, not without first giving him a beating. He didn´t have a chance against those three on his own, every time he tried to do something that Bull one just needed one hoof to have him in the floor. And, even his eyes begged for help, neither of his classmates move a single hoof to do it, they were too scared of Rumble or, others, were laughing of everything they did to him. Compare to them, everything Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon could say it was just verbiage. As he expected, he was on his own. Like always have been.

One day, Miss Cheerilee decided to reassign the seats of his students, putting Comet in the middle row, two seats behind Apple Bloom, who was in front of everyone now. Well, Rumble didn´t hesitate in throw him out of it to be closer to his friends.

Back in the castle, things didn’t go better. Comet was having problems continuing with his farce. He hadn’t recovered of his last injuries yet when he returned home with new ones. His lies were less and less convincing and his spirit were getting lower. But that wasn´t everything, his habits were changing too. With his violin lessons, he could improve surprisingly in a few months, but, in a moment, he just stopped practicing and not playing his instrument ever again, being he loved it, getting to practice daily; he slept a lot but he couldn’t rest properly because he was tormented by nightmares every time he closed his eyes. In a tent to help him and to know what was happening to him, Twilight asked Princess Luna for help, but she didn´t could do much. She said that Comet´s dreams were violently storms and darkness, making impossible to find the foal among all that chaos.

Comet was feeling bad all the time. He constantly ran away to the lake he found, making it his own secret sanctuary. But, instead of giving him the comforting sensation like the first time, it was just a reminder of how miserable and lonely he felt, now; transforming it in just a place where to cry alone.

His appetite had decreased, sometimes skipping meal or dinner, or both, losing weight notoriously; so that, that in an occasion Comet fainted in the middle of a class because he skipped dinner, breakfast and couldn´t eat anything in lunch time because of Rumble; the rest of that week rumble stopped bulling him scared of overdoing it, but returning a few days later.

Magic lessons with Twilight also has to be interrupted. He couldn’t concentrate. His emotions, specially anger and frustrations, made his magic unstable and erratic, provoking some accidents when he tried to cast a spell. Due to that instability, Twilight decided to postpone the practices until Comet feel better.

Twilight knew something was terribly wrong. Since some time she noticed the change in Comet personality. He was in a terrible mood most part of the time; he was irritable and used to have violently and explosive huffs; it was rare seeing him smile. His glance was sad, he disregarded his appearance, was afraid of going out, his scholar development was poor and didn´t want to go to school.

She tried to ask Cary for help, maybe she could figure out what was happening and know how to fix it. But it was in van, that attitude was completely unknown to her.

Even Shining Armor and Cadence visit wasn´t worthy to lift his spirit. When he returned home that day, one of the worst he had, the only idea in his mind was lay in his bed and sleep until tomorrow, or never, it didn´t matter. He couldn´t do it, the moment he entered the castle he was received with an effusive welcoming. The less he needed was the company of anypony and now he had two strangers obstructing his way to his bed, he didn´t care if they were saying they were his aunt and uncle. Comet already pissed out for all that happen that day, but it wasn’t until Shining armor lifted him and touched in one of the sites where had being beaten earlier when he exploded.

-UNHAND ME! PUT ME DOWN IN THIS INSTANT! –he yelled, leaving everypony openmouthed whit an expression of surprise.

Stunned, Shining armor put him back in the floor, still shocked by Comet´s reaction. The moment his hooves touched the floor, he started walk to his bedroom. Mumbling and hating everyone in that moment; his classmates, Rumble; his uncles for came so unexpected; Twilight for bringing him to Ponyville, not even his life was that bad when he lived in the orphanage; and himself for thinking bad about her and retaliating with who didn´t have nothing to do. He slammed the door so hard the hit has heard all over the castle.

“What is happening to him?” Cadence asked, not upset, but worry instead.

“I´m not very sure. He’s been acting like these lately. There are better days, but almost every day is like this. I hope your visit would cheer him up a little, but…” Twilight said frustrated.

“Have you talked with him?” Cadence asked.

“I tried, lots of times. He didn´t want to tell me. Every time I asked him he said: nothing is happening, everything is okay. I tried everything and I still not knowing what is happening to him. I don´t know what to do.” She covered his face with his hooves with frustration.

After a few minutes, the three of them go upstairs to Comet´s room. Shining Armor and Cadence convinced Twilight to let them talk to him, maybe they could find out something. Not pretty sure it would work, Twilight guide them there. She didn´t had nothing to lose, she was empty of options.

“Comet, can we talk?” Twilight said after knocking the door. But, when didn´t get an answer, she knocked again. One more time, nopony answered. Everyone look to each other confused. Then Twilight decided to open de door.

“He´s gone.” Cadence said.

“Where could he go?” Shining Armor asked.

“Oh no, he did it again.” Twilight said.

“Again?” Both ponies said at same time.

“Comet used to escape to somewhere else when he´s upset, something that is common lately. I don’t know where he’s going nor what does he do. Normally, he come back at sunset.”

Shining and Cadence keep watching at the window a few seconds with concern. Then, Shining Armor turn to see Comet´s room. There was a lot of stuff in there, but something called his attention. A wooden case covered in dust next to the closet. “What is that?”

“That´s Comet´s violin.” Twilight answered. “It´s been a while since he stop practicing. I don´t know why, he loved it.”

Both ponies stayed in Ponyville for a week, in which they barely could spend time with Comet or see him; he didn’t talk too much or look at them, actually, he kept his distance from them. He spent most of his time locked in his room, very quiet. Occasionally, they saw him going downstairs to eat something or going to the library, always crestfallen and red eyes.

In the end, they returned to the Crystal Empire without helping Comet in any way and without him saying goodbye to them.

During winter vacations, Comet had a little improvement in his mood, he was more calmed and relaxed. His mood wasn’t the best, but it was better than other days and Twilight could see him smiling a few times. During winter, there wasn´t classes or school so Rumble as well. He could spend all day in home, tranquil, and far away from all his problems. Still, Comet lie to Twilight when he told her his friends would be out of the town, that would prevent Twilight from asking why he didn't go out and play in the snow with them.

They spent Hearth’s Warming in Canterlot, with his grandparents, Shining Armor and Cadence, the last two were notorious surprised to see Comet so happy, he was like a foal completely different from the one they met months ago, making the three –Twilight, Shining Armor and Cadence- thought that it would be just a phase.

That idea banished the moment the vacations ended. Just the moment Comet went back to school, he decayed again, but worse this time. The stories he invented for his injuries were less consistent. She asked her friends for advice, but none of them could say what could be his problem since none of the other fillies –Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo- seemed to have problems, they were as cheerful as always been. And talking to Cheerilee was as useful as the other tries.

The breaking point came a day when Comet was returning home, he found one of his books laying out of the school lands completely ruined; ripped pages, the binding full of cuts and, if it wasn´t enough, the remaining pages were stained with the ink that had been stolen from him just a few days ago. That book was the gift Twilight gave him in Heath’s Warming. A beautiful copy of the adventures of an astute detective and his assistant in Eagleland. He couldn’t have the chance to started to read it yet, now he could never do it.

Comet didn´t know how to feel in that moment. He was used to Rumble steeling his books, they always ending appeared a couple days later, but this was far away over the line. He felt his heath shrink. For years, the books had been his only friends and company; the only ones who stay with him in his loneliness; the only ones who told him wonderful adventures and stunning new places without judging him, now, not even they were save from Rumble’s claws.

Not far away, he could hear Rumble and his friends laughing. Making fun of having taken the only thing left that could bring him a little trace of happiness from him.

Broken, Comet ran away, not to his secret garden this time but in the public park instead, crying is sorrow. There, she kept sitting on a bench far apart enough so nopony could see him crying until he couldn’t do it anymore.

A couple of hours passed. It was hellish heat, but nothing matters to Comet, he didn´t care about anything in that moment. He just was still sitting in the bench, looking the horizon with a blank expression on his face. He was already delayed to go home, but that was common at this point. However, this time, he didn´t wanted to return. His mind was a mess. He felt depressed; he reached the lowest he could fall, and having Twilight worried and making lots of questions was the less he needed. He just wanted to disappeared from everypony’s sight so they could leave him alone.

Rainbow Dash was flying around after being sleeping in a branch of one of the trees of the park when she saw the foal sitting alone apart of everyone.

“Hi, Comet. It´s been a while since the last time I saw you. How is it going?” She greeted him while she was landing.

Comet just gave her a glance, with the same inexpressive eyes he had when he was looking at the horizon. It was impossible not notice how red and puffy they were due to being crying a long time. Rainbow, noticing this, got close to the foal carefully, sitting next to him.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

“Yeah, I´m okay.” He said without any emotion, just like the voice you expect to hear from a machine.

It was obviously a lie; you didn’t need to be Applejack to figure it out. Taking a close and carefully look of the foal, she could see some of the bruises and scrapes Comet had all over his body, being the most notoriously the clack eye he has, hard not to see it due to his white fur.

Rainbow wasn’t pretty sure what should she do or say, or if it was correct so it, because that would be Twilight’s job. But Comet’s conditions and the fact that he had old and new beats made her think that probably it wasn’t a recent problem and, if that was the case, Twilight didn’t know anything about it, she was surprisingly clueless and stupid sometimes for a wise and intelligent pony like her. So, Rainbow finally get encourage and started talking.

“Somepony bother you in school, right?” She asked.

Comet rise her ears and give Rainbow a surprised glance. He didn’t tell her anything. “How did you…?” He asked. It was hard to him believe that Rainbow, the most distracted of Twilight’s friends, would figure it out. Not even Twilight had a clue.

“It’s hard not to see it.” She pointed to his black eye. “Besides, I know how you feel, Futtershy and me were bothered at school to.” Comet kept seeing Rainbow stunned, he couldn’t believe that such a though and self-confident pony like her could be bullied. “Tell me, what happened?” She moved Comet closer to her.

For the first time, after months of endure and keeping the abuses of those three foals, Comet opened up and let everything out; all his anger, anguish and sorrow that was holding on his mind like a pressure cooker about to explode it was released at last. He told her about how everything had started, how things had been increasing and how he had reached at these point. He remembered every trick, joke, prank and hit Rumble had ever given him. Rainbow listen carefully everything single word he was telling her, astonished of how much he had endure. When he finished speaking about all he kept to himself, he felt better. Free. A huge weight had been lifted off him.

“That Rumble. I can’t believe he is a bully like that.” Rainbow commented.

“Do you know him?” Comet asked with certain regret.

“Not him personally. But I know his brother, Thunderlane; he is a good pony. I don’t understand why he is acting like these.”

“I don´t care. That doesn’t matter.” Comet reply.

“But there is something I don’t understand. Why did you stop doing what you like because them?”

“I was me or them all the time. They were always there, even when I was home, they never leave alone; never left me.” “He said frustrated. “Whatever was the place or the situation, they always win.”

“They only win if you allow them and I think you have already gave them too much advantage. If you give up now, this will never end, you’ll their prey forever.”

“Easy to say for you.” Comet said with disdain.

“Of course not, aint never easy. But is something you must do.”

“But, what can I do?”

“Put them in their place. Show them that you are not somepony they should mess with. Make them understand that they will not bully you again without consequences.”

“It’s three against one. Have you ever seen Bull? He is three times my size.”

“Are you kidding? I don’t remember have seen any trace of fear in you when you decided to play a prank to three adult mares. You planed one of the most terrifying experiences we´ve ever been all alone. You are stronger than you think. How many foals of tour age have you ever seen that could cast such illusions? How many foal can lift all the weight you can with its magic? Even more, how many foals of your age have you ever seen that can actually use magic?”

“But them…”

“Stop thinking about them and focus in yourself. It´s time for you to open up your eyes and teach them a lesson. The only one who can allow them to harm you is you. It is your decision. You can let the other take advantage of you and make a fool of you for the rest of your life… or you can put an end to all of this.” She said standing up from her seat, walking a few steps.

Comet didn´t say anything, he kept in silence thinking over Rainbow’s words. “I’ll let you alone so you can think about it.” She said at the speechless foal. “I gotta go, I have to finish my climatic job. By the way, I’ll tell you a secret. The ponies who bother you, they do it because they are afraid of you.” She winked him and then lift off the ground.

Afraid of me… What does it mean? Why would they be afraid of me? Comet though. He stayed sitting on the bench for a little more, thinking about everything. Rainbow was right. He knew he must do something at respect, he already had let Rumble go so far. But, what? After meditating it for minutes, he got up, picked up his stuff and walk toward the castle.

In the way, lots of thoughts crossed his mind, among them, one made him especially fun: from all Twilight´s friends, he never expected Rainbow Dash would be who gave him emotional support; maybe Flutteshy, Rarity, even Applejack, but Rainbow. However, it was good that it was so. Second thought, maybe she was de most indicated.

“I’m here!” Comet yelled when he entered the castle, surprising Twilight and Spike, because it had passed months sin the last time Comet announced his arrival.

Without leaving his stuff in his bedroom as he usually did, he went directly to the dinner room, where there were Twilight and Spike picking up the dirty dishes, and picked up an apple from the table.

“What is for meal? I’m starving.” He asked as he devoured the apple in large bites.

Twilight and Spike look at each other in confusion. Since it was good see Comet with so much energy again, it was unexpected such abrupt chance. Quickly, Spike walked to the kitchen, coming back fey seconds later with a dish for Comet. The second he had it in front, he started devouring it, leaving the dish completely cleaned, he asked for another portion then.

Twilight couldn’t stop looking at the colt she had in front of her. It was someone completely different from who he was hour ago; it was hard to believe he was completely depressed just that morning. Now he had a fiery look in his eyes, it wasn’t an angry or upset glace, but a resolute one instead. What could had happened to provoke that change?

“Comet, are you feeling okay?” Twilight asked.

“Sure, why wouldn’t I be?” He answered with his mouth full, but Twilight decided to ignore it. It was a while since Comet had a proper meal.

“Something interesting happen in school today?” She kept trying to figure out what put Comet in such good mood.

“No, it was as always.” He answered.

“So…”

“So… What?” Comet said a little confused, he didn’t understand what Twilight wanted to mean.

“Never mind.” She said thoughtful.

“I’m finished!” He said satisfied.

Then, he let the dishes in the sink and ran upstairs to his room and, after leaving it several weeks scrapped gathering dust, he picked up his violin to start practicing again. But first, he needed to tune it again; before leaving it, he loosened the strings to prevent the instrument to break. In wasn’t too difficult, he knew perfectly the tone of every string, so he could tune it with just the hearing.

When he started playing again, a little clumsy due to the lack of practice, he could remember why he loved it that much. All the sound swirling and working together to form a beautiful melody capable to transmit sensations and emotions to other ponies. He understood that he had been a fool to stop doing it just because he had been busier thinking about those three then. That when he understood part of Rainbow’s words; he gave them to much importance. He let them took control of his life, it was time to take it back. He knew he had to do something at respect. What? That was a good question, he didn’t know that. But something told him that was one of those things you can plan, he would figure it out when the moment comes.

He was too concentrated in its music and thought that he didn´t notice the alicorn and the little dragon spying from the door. They ran upstairs when they heard the almost forgotten Comet’s violin sound again. Hoping that won’t be just their imagination, they opened carefully he door of his room and saw the little pony playing with the same enthusiasm he had when he started his lessons again.

Smiling to each other for having recovered the real Comet, they closed the door slowly to not be noticed and let the foal continue with his music.

Author's Note:

Thanks to all who supperts my work.
A kiss and a hug. Until next chapter.

Comments

[Loganic]

Nice. Can’t wait to see what he does.

[MLPMekarm]

nice to see this back.

[Itztli FP]

10768592
Thanks.

[Itztli FP]

10768627
Sorry for the delay, I've been a little busy lately

[MLPMekarm]

10769565
its all good. life happens right.