Quiet. Alone. Invisible. A loser. A punching bag for bullies. Just a few things Coppermane would say to describe himself. He'd give anything for a friend. One day when he's rescued form bullies, a beautiful pink-haired girl might give him just that.
Quiet. Alone. Invisible. A loser. A punching bag for bullies. Just a few things Coppermane would say to describe himself. He would give anything to overcome his social anxiety and have just one friend. But it seems like no matter what he does, he always ends up falling back where he started.
But one day, after he's rescued from yet another jumping, he might get everything he wished for, in the form of a beautiful girl with silky pink hair and starlight teal eyes. And he might give her what she's been wanting as well.
Fluttershy nodded, handing Sunset the last Fall Formal poster. She accepted it and stuck it on the wall with some tape. A lovely way to spend a Friday afternoon after school. Quality time hanging Fall Formal posters with Sunset Shimmer before band practice. Friends gathering and making plans, everyone in a good mood because it was Friday and with the hype of the Fall Formal coming up, not to mention the Musical Showcase happening soon beforehand, and spending it all with a best friend. Such a delightful feeling.
“Thanks for helping me, Fluttershy,” Sunset said.
“Sure! I’m happy to help,” Fluttershy said, smiling.
“Are you excited for the Formal?” Sunset said. “I know I am.”
“Oh, of course,” Fluttershy said. “I love to spend time with my best friends. Plus, the formal is an excuse to dress up.”
“Do you know what you’re gonna wear?” Sunset asked. “I have something super cute planned.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Rarity helped me pick it out.”
“If Rarity helped, I’m sure it’ll be perfect,” Sunset said. “I should have her look at my outfit and get some feedback.”
“I’m sure whatever you picked out will be great, Sunset,” Fluttershy said. “You always look pretty.”
Sunset blushed. “Well thanks, Fluttershy. So, you have your eyes on anyone?”
“Hm?” Fluttershy asked. “What do you mean?”
“Y’know, anyone in particular you want to go with?” Sunset asked. “As in… a date?”
Fluttershy blushed. “Oh... oh my... um... I haven’t even thought about that. Am I supposed to want that?”
Sunset shrugged. “No. Just curious. I’m not particularly interested in a date either. I’m just looking forward to hanging out with my friends.”
“Me too,” Fluttershy said. “Besides, if I were to go with a guy, I’d want him to be special.”
“Y’know, I’m sure there’s some guys dying to ask you out, but they’re just too nervous,” Sunset said.
“Ask me out?” Fluttershy said. “Oh no, that can’t be true.”
“What makes you say that?” Sunset asked. “You’re like the sweetest girl in the world, not to mention extremely pretty.”
Fluttershy blushed. “Oh, well thank you very much, but... I don’t know. I guess I’ve never given much thought to being with a guy. None have really stood out to me.”
“Waiting for the right one to come along, huh?” Sunset said.
Fluttershy smiled. “Yeah, you could say that. I feel like when the right guy comes along, I’ll just know. He’ll jump right out at me like an excited puppy.”
Sunset giggled. “I hope you don’t mean literally.”
Fluttershy giggled too. “Of course not. That would be a little weird. But do you know what I mean? When I meet him, my heart will know.”
Sunset couldn’t help but smile. “You are just the cutest thing, you know that?” she said, making Fluttershy blush. “You deserve a great guy. I’m sure when he comes along, he won’t be shy to ask you out. Who knows, maybe you'll be the one to ask him out.”
“Oh gosh... I can’t even imagine...” Fluttershy cooed. “I think I’d be too nervous. How would I even approach him?”
“You never know,” Sunset teased. “But like I said, I think the right guy will be ready and willing to ask you out in a heartbeat.”
Fluttershy giggled. “I hope you’re right. I don’t know how I’d ever work up the confidence.”
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “You can be pretty bold, Fluttershy. Don't sell yourself short.”
“Aw, thank you,” Fluttershy said. “I’m not as strong as you, though. To be honest, I’m surprised nobody has asked you out yet, Sunset.”
“Eh... not really interested in a relationship right now anyways,” Sunset said.
“What about Flash?” Fluttershy asked.
“Maybe...” Sunset said. “I don’t know. I think I need to give some time for him to forgive me. I basically used him. But y’know what? I don’t mind being single as long as I have amazing friends like you.”
Fluttershy smiled. “We’ll always be here for you.”
“Thanks, Fluttershy,” Sunset said before sharing a warm embrace with Fluttershy. “C’mon, we should get back to the band room. The others are probably back from hanging their posters too.”
Fluttershy nodded and began to follow Sunset back to the band room.
BAM!!!
Sunset and Fluttershy flinched at what sounded like a body being slammed into the lockers around the corner.
“You preppies are all talk,” a big voice said, followed by another loud slam. “Not so tough now in an actual fight, huh?”
“I-I never did anything...” another quieter voice whimpered, followed by some sniffles. Sunset and Fluttershy walked closer to the corner to listen.
“Oh, you gonna cry?” the bigger voice said, making the other voice grunt with what sounded like punch in his stomach, making Fluttershy gasp. “You gonna cry about it? You’re nothing but a loser!” he shouted, punching him again. “A little bitch is what you are.”
The other voice cried out as it sounded like he was thrown to the ground. Sounds of more punches, kicks, and pained grunts echoed through the halls. Sunset bit her lip, and Fluttershy stood in shock. When the commotion stopped, sounds of coughing, sniffling, and crying.
“Punkass shadowbolt,” the bigger voice said. Sunset and Fluttershy flinched as they heard footsteps coming their way. They tried to act nonchalant as a big jock walked by them with a grin on his face and cracking his knuckles. He gave them a wink, and the girls could only manage nervous, empty smiles, all too aware of what just transpired. Silence befell the halls, save for the crying and coughing of the jock’s victim.
“C’mon, Fluttershy,” Sunset said. Fluttershy nodded and followed Sunset around the corner. In front of the lockers what a scrawny guy in all black clothing, curled up with his knees held close, surrounded by fallen textbooks and loose paper. The hood of his hoodie was drawn over his head, as if he was trying to hide. The only part of his body that was visible was his pastel white hands.
“You’re worthless... pathetic... a loser... you should just kill yourself...” he whimpered.
“Hey, are you okay?” Sunset asked. The guy flinched, almost jumping out of his skin, scrambling and positioning himself with his back against the lockers, looking defensive. He was visibly shaking.
“What?! What do you want with me?!” he beckoned. It was hard to see his face with his hood up, but there appeared to be blood dripping from his nose. “Wh-Whatever you’re gonna do, just get it over with! You won’t see me again after today, I promise!”
“Whoa,” Sunset said. “We’re not gonna hurt you.”
“Everyone else here hates me. Why should you two be any different?” he said with a sniffle. “I’m just a stupid preppie, right?”
“Preppie?” Sunset asked. “Wait, I know you. You’re the new guy, right? I showed you around on your first day. Coppermane, was it?”
“Huh?” Coppermane said. “Y-You remember me?”
“Of course, I do,” Sunset said. “We’re not going to hurt you. C’mon, lemme help you up.”
Sunset held out her hand. Coppermane hesitated for a second before cautiously reaching his hand up and stood with Sunset’s help. Even when he stood, he was still somewhat recoiled, holding himself in his arms and looking down.
“Are all these papers and books yours?” Sunset asked, to which Coppermane nodded. “Let’s help him, Fluttershy.”
“Y-You don’t have to,” Coppermane whimpered. His voice was so quiet and reserved.
“I insist,” Sunset said. “It’s the least we could do.”
“Um... o-okay,” Coppermane said. “Th-Thanks.”
Sunset smiled and started to help pick up Coppermane’s things, along with Fluttershy. Fluttershy took a glance at Coppermane, who was still sniffling. She gasped when she saw him wipe his nose, and a streak of blood appeared on his hand.
“Oh, you poor thing,” Fluttershy said.
“Um... s-sorry...” Coppermane said, sniffling again. He wiped his nose with his other hand, and a streak just as big as the other one appeared.
“Hold on,” Fluttershy said. She walked away for a moment and came back with some paper towels. “It’s not much, but it’ll help.”
Coppermane accepted the paper towels and blew his nose with them.
“Uh... th-thanks,” Coppermane said, cringing at the gross glob of blood and mucus on the paper towel. He used a different one to wipe his tears and blot his nose as he continued to sniffle. “I-I think that was most of it.”
“Okay, that’s good,” Fluttershy said. “Um... I-I think I should take a closer look. Do you mind putting your hood down?”
Coppermane pursed his lips. “Wh-What if other jocks see me?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll try to be fast,” Fluttershy said.
Coppermane looked down and sighed, but gave Fluttershy a nod and carefully put his hood down. When he did, he looked back up at her, and both of their hearts skipped a beat.
Despite being red and irritated from his tears, Fluttershy couldn’t help but be enraptured by the most handsome face she’s ever seen. His skin was a gorgeous, soft, pearly white color. His hair was teased-up and parted to his right, and was a beautiful dark auburn color, like copper. He had the biggest, warmest, brownest eyes, reminding her of hot chocolate, and stirred a feeling of a soft hearth fire inside her.
Coppermane barely noticed Fluttershy’s staring, because he himself was captivated by the prettiest girl he’s ever laid eyes on. Her hair was like long, gently flowing, pink waterfall. Her skin had no impurities whatsoever. Absolutely flawless, and looked as smooth as butter. And her eyes... her most striking feature. The most gorgeous eyes he’s ever seen. Like two teal stars twinkling in the night sky, accentuated by the teal butterfly pin in her hair. Her beauty was like soft moonlight, giving him a new feeling of tranquility and warmth.
“Fluttershy? You okay?” Sunset asked, placing her hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder, making her flinch.
“What? Oh! Um... of course!” Fluttershy said, breaking out of her trance. “I-I was just checking his... um... h-his wounds.”
Coppermane seemed to snap out of his trance as well, though now he was blushing majorly. He felt his heart beating faster when he made eye contact with Fluttershy again. Reflexively, he looked away, and slowly looked back to see Fluttershy blushing as well, hiding behind her hair and smiling.
“Um... here... y-your eye is a little red,” Fluttershy said, timidly lifting her hand. Her face got redder as her hand touched just under Coppermane’s eye. He winced as she touched his face, and she instantly recoiled. “Oh, sorry!”
“No no, it’s fine,” Coppermane said. “I-I just got punched in the eye. It’s a little sensitive.”
"Aw, I'm sorry. I-I'll be more careful," she said, reaching back out to examine his eye. Her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. His skin felt as perfect as it looked. So smooth and soft. He even smelled like... mint? Whatever the scent was, it gave her chills.
Coppermane shivered as Fluttershy’s delicate hand touched his face. It still hurt to be touched there, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but relish how gentle she was. His face felt like it was on fire, having such a beautiful girl this close to him. He could even smell the aroma of strawberries and cream. Was that the scent of her hair? It was intoxicating.
“Um... I-I think it might blacken, but nothing more than that,” Fluttershy said, retracting her hand. “Do you need an ice pack?”
“I-I can get one at home,” Coppermane said. “But... um... thanks.”
Fluttershy smiled, blushing and playing with her hair. “You’re welcome.”
Coppermane felt himself blush too. There was something about her acting so shy that was so adorable, and it filled his heart with warmth.
“So... I got all of your stuff gathered, Coppermane,” Sunset said.
“Oh,” Coppermane said, blinking and breaking out of his trance. Sunset handed him his books and papers. “Th-Thanks.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Sunset,” Fluttershy said. “I meant to help. I just got... um... caught up.”
“It’s okay,” Sunset said. “I’m just glad we could help. I’m sorry about those jocks, Coppermane.”
“It’s not your fault,” Coppermane said, looking down. “I-I should be used to it by now.”
“Used to it?” Sunset asked. “This isn’t the first time?”
Coppermane shook his head. “I-It’s been happening all week.”
“Seriously?!” Sunset beckoned.
“They found out I’m from Crystal Prep,” Coppermane said. “I guess they really hate them… and me.”
“Oh, you poor thing,” Fluttershy said. Coppermane immediately blushed. Her voice was so gentle and sweet.
“No, this is unacceptable!” Sunset said. “Well, one of my best friends happens to be Rainbow Dash, captain of all the sports teams, so I’ll have a word with her.”
“Y-You don’t have to get involved,” Coppermane said.
“Coppermane, this shouldn’t be something you have to ‘get used to’,” Sunset said. “I feel so bad after telling you how great it is here when showing you around. I’ll talk to Rainbow Dash and see what’s going on.”
Coppermane pursed his lips, offering a small smile. “Thanks.”
“Of course,” Sunset said. “Alright, sorry but Fluttershy and I have to go. We’re late for band practice.”
“Oh,” Coppermane said. “O-Okay. Um... thanks for helping me.”
“No problem,” Sunset said. “Let me know if those jocks give you more trouble and I’ll see if I can pull some strings.”
Coppermane nodded. “A-Alright.”
“Have a good weekend, Coppermane,” Sunset said. “C’mon, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy nodded, taking one more glance at Coppermane before following Sunset around the corner.
“Wait!” Coppermane said, reaching out and barely brushing Fluttershy’s arm.
“Oh!” Fluttershy squeaked. She turned around, immediately blushing when making eye contact with Coppermane. “Wh-What is it?”
Fluttershy giggled, blushing and holding her hair close to her face. “Y-Yes, it is. And... y-you're name is... Coppermane?”
Coppermane smiled back, rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah... yeah, it is.”
“Fluttershy, you coming?” Sunset called out, peering around the corner.
“Oh, yes! Just a moment!” Fluttershy replied. She turned back to Coppermane. “I-I'm sorry. I have to go.”
“R-Right,” Coppermane said. “Um... I guess I’ll see you later?”
“Mmmhmm,” Fluttershy said. “G-Goodbye.”
She gave a small wave and met up with Sunset, taking one last glance before disappearing behind the corner. Coppermane relished Fluttershy’s beauty to the last possible second, holding onto the image of her gorgeous face after she left. He didn’t know such a level of beauty existed until he saw her. As if her looks weren’t enough, the way she hid behind her hair and blushed was the most adorable thing he’s ever seen. His heart was still pounding from how close she was to him earlier. Her aroma was still in the air, inebriating his senses.
Coppermane held his belongings close as he walked to the school exit, with a feeling in his heart he’s never felt before. A feeling so new, he didn't even care that his hood was still down. For perhaps the first time ever, his heart was dancing, and in his head echoed a word that gave his stomach butterflies, but also made him smile endlessly...
“There you are!” Rainbow said as Sunset and Fluttershy walked into the room. Everyone was set up with their respective instruments, looking bored, as if they’d been waiting for a while.
“Where’ve y’all been?” Applejack asked. “Lose some of your posters or somethin’?”
Sunset shook her head, retrieving her guitar case from a nearby shelf. “Sorry, everyone. Someone got jumped in the hallway and we stepped in to help.”
“Really? Oh dear,” Rarity cooed. “Who was it?”
“The new guy who came from Crystal Prep,” Sunset said, taking her guitar out and starting to tune it. “I showed him around school on Monday.”
“Ooh, I know who he is! What was his name? It’s on the tip of my tongue!” Pinkie said, thinking hard.
“Oh, his name is Coppermane,” Fluttershy said, feeling her cheeks heat up slightly.
“That’s right! Coppermane! I said hi to him on Monday,” PInkie said. “He was really nice, but super-duper quiet. Like Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy blushed, holding her tambourine close.
“Coppermane?” Rarity asked. "That name sounds familiar. Didn’t we get a new student in our chemistry class, Sunset?”
“Yep! That’s him!” Sunset said. “You’re in there too, Fluttershy. Remember the new guy we got?”
“Oh, that’s right,” Fluttershy said, blushing more. “I-I guess I forgot.”
“He did seem rather quiet when he was introduced,” Rarity said.
“Huh... well I’ve never heard of him,” Applejack said. “He must be real quiet then.”
“Yeah. I haven’t heard of him either,” Rainbow said. “I remember Sunset saying something about a new student, but I’ve never heard of the name Coppermane.”
“Really, Rainbow?” Sunset asked. “Are you sure none of the jocks have said anything about him?”
“Huh?” Rainbow asked. “Um... no? Why would they?”
“Well, because that’s who was beating Coppermane up a second ago,” Sunset said.
“Wait, what?!” Rainbow beckoned. “One of my players?”
“Yeah,” Fluttershy said. “We found him crying in the corner of the hallway afterwards. The poor thing had so many cuts and bruises...”
“Argh! How did I not know about this?!” Rainbow cried. “Do you know who it was who jumped him?”
“I’m not sure,” Sunset said. “I don’t know them by name.”
“Me neither,” Fluttershy said.
“Shoot...” Rainbow said. “What the heck is their problem with him? Did he do something to piss them off? I’ve never even heard the name until now.”
“Well, according to Coppermane himself, it’s because they found out he’s from Crystal Prep,” Sunset said. “He said it’s been happening all week. His first week, too. Poor guy.”
Rainbow sighed. “Just because of school rivalry, huh? Not cool. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to tell them all that bullying won’t be tolerated on my watch.”
“Thanks, Rainbow,” Sunset said.
“So, did y’all get him to the nurse’s office or somethin’?” Applejack asked. “Sounds like he was hurt pretty bad.”
“Indeed,” Rarity said. “I’ve never heard of anything like that happening at CHS.”
“Thankfully, it wasn’t that bad,” Sunset said. “I helped him gather his things since they were scattered everywhere. I guess whoever jumped him knocked everything out of his hands. Fluttershy checked on his injuries.”
Sunset looked over at Fluttershy, and noticed her hiding behind her tambourine, blushing majorly.
“How bad were they?” Rarity asked. “I hope there weren’t too many bruises.”
“Um... quite a few actually,” Fluttershy said, smiling and holding her hair. “His nose was also bleeding a bit, and he had some bruises on his... um... his face. But nothing too bad.”
“Uh, Fluttershy?” Applejack asked. “Why are you smiling talking about his injuries?”
“Hmm?” Fluttershy asked, before gasping. “Oh! Um... I-I wasn’t smiling about his injuries! No, it was because... um... w-well... b-because... he... um...” She could feel her heart beating faster and her face reddening by the second.
“Fluttershy, maybe now would be a good time to ask...” Sunset said. “What was going on with you and Coppermane when you were checking on him?”
“What?” Fluttershy asked. “Wh-What do you mean?”
“Oooh! Did something happen?!” PInkie asked.
“Maybe,” Sunset said, smirking. “All I know is that when I was done collecting Coppermane’s things, I saw him and Fluttershy just staring into each other’s eyes.”
Rainbow chuckled. “Oh, really?”
Fluttershy whimpered, hiding her bright red face behind her tambourine. “I-I was just examining his eye. I-It looked like it might blacken.”
“I believe you, sugarcube,” Applejack said. “But I think there’s more going on here."
Fluttershy just shrunk behind her instrument more.
“Oh my gosh!” PInkie cheered. “Fluttershy has a crush!”
“What? N-No I don’t!” Fluttershy cried.
“Darling, you’re blushing so much,” Rarity said, giggling. Fluttershy whimpered, hiding behind her long hair. Even as embarrassed as she felt, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling just a little bit.
“I-It’s not my fault that he has such big brown eyes...” Fluttershy cooed, blushing majorly.
Pinkie suddenly squealed at the top of her lungs, rushing over to give Fluttershy a big hug.
“EEE!!! This is so exciting!!!” Pinkie cheered, hopping energetically.
“Oh, don’t be embarrassed, Fluttershy,” Rarity said. “Pinkie’s right. This is exciting!”
“It was the cutest thing ever when you were checking on him. You were blushing so much,” Sunset said, walking over to Fluttershy and putting her hand on her shoulder. “I think you examined him just to get close to him.”
“Fluttershy’s pulling some moves, eh?” Rainbow said, smirking.
“Quite the smooth operator, aren’t ya?” Applejack remarked.
“It’s not like that! I-I was making sure he was okay,” Fluttershy said, playing with her hair. “He looked so hurt. He reminded me of some of the puppies at the shelter. I just wanted to give him a big hug and... hold him close... tell him everything was going to be okay...” Fluttershy stopped when she noticed how big everyone was smiling at her. “Um... th-that's why.”
Rarity giggled. “That is the cutest thing I’ve ever heard!”
“You were really close to him, Fluttershy,” Sunset said. “You probably could’ve kissed him if you wanted to.”
“OooOOOooh!” Pinkie cried.
Fluttershy couldn’t help but squeak, covering her hands over mouth. That thought alone made her heart skip a beat.
Sunset giggled. “Sorry, Fluttershy. We only tease because we’re really excited for you.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, making Fluttershy blush even more, as if that was possible.
“I’ll be extra sure to keep an eye out for the jocks bullying him, then,” Rainbow said. “Wouldn’t want your crush to get hurt.”
“I’ll keep an eye out too,” Applejack said. “I can whip those jocks into shape if I catch them.”
Fluttershy squeaked. “Wh-What?! B-But... what do I say? Wh-What if he doesn’t like me back? I-I don’t want to freak him out!”
“Fluttershy, calm down,” Sunset said. “You don’t have to ask him out just yet.”
“What do you mean?!” Rainbow said. “Just go for it! What the worst that could happen?”
“Y’all ever had a crush before, Rainbow?” Applejack asked.
“It’s extremely daunting when you try to talk to them,” Rarity said.
“It gives me butterflies!” Pinkie said.
“Also, it would be a little weird to just ask him out after just meeting him,” Sunset said. “So, what you really need to do next is get to know him. And maybe we can help you a little with that...”
“Coppermane, dear, are you sure you just fell down the stairs?” Coppermane’s mother asked, handing him an ice pack.
“Y-Yeah, that’s all,” Coppermane said, accepting the ice pack and placing it on his eye. Instantly, a feeling of relief surged through him. “Ooh... that’s better...”
“Okay... are you sure that’s all that happened?” his mother asked. “I’ve never heard of anyone hurting their eye falling down the stairs.”
Coppermane nodded. “I’m sure.”
His mother raised an eyebrow. “Sweetie, are you absolutely sure? If something’s happening at school, you need to tell me.”
Coppermane bit his lip. “There’s nothing happening, I promise. This was just an accident.”
His mother was silent for a moment, before just sighing. “Alright, then. But if something’s happening at school, please tell me. I ask because I love you and I worry about you, okay?”
“Alright then. Whatever you say,” his mother said, walking up and kissing his cheek. “Go relax for a bit. I’ll text you when dinner’s ready.”
Coppermane nodded, heading upstairs to his room. He got there, took off his backpack, and a dark feeling suddenly crept over him as he let out a heavy sigh. He didn’t like hiding the truth from his mother like that, but she and his father had their own problems in life to worry about. They didn’t need to get involved in his battles. He didn’t need to become more of a burden than he already was to them. His problems were his own. To get anyone else involved... that would be selfish. He slumped down in his bed, staring at the ceiling, holding the ice pack on his injured eye. His heart felt like knives were being driven into it. While everyone else at school would be hanging with friends, he’d be spending it all alone... again. Transferring schools didn’t seem to change a single thing about his social life. He was still the trademark, invisible school loser.
But today wasn’t all bad. After all, he met the prettiest girl ever before leaving school. Her name was still resonating in his head. Fluttershy... Fluttershy... even her name was beautiful. The image of her acting shy, blushing while holding her luxurious pink hair, was burned into his memory forever. So adorable. Though thinking about her gave him some ease, the darkness quickly returned. How was a guy like him supposed to win over a girl like her? Especially after seeing him crying pathetically after being beaten up, how could he even hope to be attractive? What’s less attractive than a guy who can’t even defend himself?
No way. There was no chance. She could find a way better guy. Someone else to make her feel beautiful... take care of her... cheer her up when she’s sad... give her hugs... make her happy...
Coppermane shook his head. The more he thought about it, the more it tore into his heart. Why was he even thinking about all of this when he just met her? Maybe it was because of the way she blushed at him before she left, and how nervous she seemed. But she could just be naturally shy. There’s no way she could actually like him back. Even if he did muster the courage to talk to her, she’d see how boring and pathetic he really is, and then never want anything to do with him again.
Oh well. A guy can dream.
With a heavy sigh, he glanced at his desk, fixating on the notebook. His journal. At least, that’s what he maintained. In reality, it was basically a diary, though he didn’t dare call it that. As taboo as it was for a someone like him to have a diary, what else what a lonely, quiet teenage boy with no friends supposed to do when he’s all alone? Pursing his lips, he sat at his desk and opened his journal up. His heart grew heavy as he turned past the many other depressing entries. Basically, a log of his tears. How pathetic.
At least tonight, he could write about something less depressing. Even if it was impossible for him to ever have her, he could still write about Fluttershy, and how sweet and beautiful she is. It was the only thing to make him smile, if only for just a few minutes.
There she was... exactly where he asked her to be at this time: the boardwalk overlooking the beach at sunset. A miracle! She actually came!
Coppermane approached slowly, holding something behind him and trying to quell his nerves with some deep breaths. However, it was proving difficult. The more he looked at her, the faster and more irregular his heartbeat became. He could feel his hands becoming clammier as he struggled to hold the gift he brought behind his back. She leaned on the railway, her gaze fixated on the horizon as the sun descended below it, setting the sky on fire. The light sea breeze made her long hair flutter, and the sunset made her glow. Her outfit consisted of a small, teal summer dress that was form-fitting on the top and flowing at the bottom, showing off her petite, hourglass figure. With her dress and hair dancing in the breeze, she looked like a goddess. Coppermane could feel butterflies developing in his stomach, and intensifying. How could any guy be calm in the presence of such beauty?
“Keep it together,” Coppermane whispered to himself, taking one last deep breath before committing. He took big steps towards her, fighting to ignore the fact that his stomach was tying itself into knots just from looking at her. “Um... Fl-Fluttershy?”
She seemed to perk up, glancing behind her to see Coppermane.
“Coppermane! Hi!” Fluttershy said, giving a heart-melting smile.
“H-Hi,” Coppermane said, trying to disregard the fire in his heart. “Th-Thanks for coming. I wasn’t sure if you would.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Fluttershy asked.
Coppermane shrugged. “Um... well... I-I don’t know. Sorry, forget I said that. A-Anyways... I-I got something for you.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened as Coppermane presented his gift to her, and her smile grew even bigger when she saw what it was. A simple bouquet of pink and teal flowers, perfect to match her beautiful eyes and hair.
“Oh my! Flowers? For me?” Fluttershy asked, to which Coppermane nodded. “Aww, how sweet! Thank you so much!”
Coppermane’s nerves settled a little as she accepted the bouquet.
“I-I’m glad you like them,” Coppermane said. “So... um... I wanted to ask you something.”
“And what’s that?” Fluttershy asked, her smile gleaming against the sunset.
Coppermane gasped. This was it. He took a deep breath, trying to stop his legs from trembling.
“Um... I-I wanted to ask... if... you wanted to... maybe... um...”
“Yeees?” Fluttershy asked with an encouraging smile.
Coppermane pursed his lips, taking a deep breath. “Fluttershy... will you go out with me?”
Fluttershy gasped. “Oh, Coppermane! That’s so sweet! Of course, I will!”
BEEP BEEP BEEP
“Gah!” Coppermane yelped, reaching his arm over and haphazardly slamming his nightstand until the beeping stopped. When it did, a feeling of darkness crept over his heart, stinging him.
A dream. Figures. Why would a girl as pretty as Fluttershy want anything to do with him? A tear ran down his cheek, knowing it was the closest he’d ever get to actually asking her out, or so much as even talking to her. Oh well. This wasn’t news. It was becoming more apparent each day that he was never meant to have friends... or even be liked by anyone other than his parents, who were basically obligated to like him anyways.
Coppermane sniffled, staring at the ceiling. He knew he needed to start getting ready for school, but what was the point? Nobody gave a damn about him. Tears welled up in his eyes as he helplessly thought about Fluttershy. She looked so beautiful in his dream. Too beautiful. What chance did he have? A loser who’s practically scared of his own shadow? Nobody could fall for someone like that, especially not a girl like Fluttershy.
Maybe if he couldn’t have her in real life... he could be with her in his dreams? He let his mind wander, and as he did, there was a small glimmer of warmth in his heart. Even if it was just fantasy, it would be something. He had a tiny smile on his face thinking about making Fluttershy happy. Pampering her with gifts, exploring the city with her, holding her hand and showing everyone around them that she was his, and making her happy. Making her smile. That adorable, beautiful smile...
The tears welling up in his eyes suddenly spilled over, chilling his cheek and snapping him back to reality. He paused for a moment and shook his head as his heart began to sting again. The room felt colder. Goosebumps crawled up his skin as he pulled his blanket over him to protect himself... like a coward. More tears drenched his face. What was he thinking? He sniffled, wiping his ears dry. A dream relationship? With Fluttershy? A girl he just met? And now crying? Was he really this pathetic? Even just thinking about being with her? How could he possibly forget his purpose in life?
To be lonely.
Coppermane sighed, entering the school on a dreary Monday morning. At least, it was dreary to him, despite being bright and sunny outside. He walked to his locker with his hood drawn over his head. Not unusual, but now it was also to mask the black eye that developed from being beaten up on Friday. As if that weren’t enough, being thrashed all week made him sore throughout, making it a bit painful to move. A reminder of his social status: a punching bag for jocks.
He walked with caution through the halls, knowing that bullies could be lurking around any corner. As he looked around for any sign of trouble, he also had something else to search for. Or rather, someone. If there was anything that could cheer him up on a Monday morning, it was Fluttershy and her impeccable beauty. Even if they would never end up together, just seeing her would make him happy, if only for a few seconds.
He arrived at his locker. Opening it up, and now having some cover, he took his hood off and fixed his hair. Thankfully, no sign of bullies. Unfortunately, no sign of Fluttershy. He sighed again. Meeting Fluttershy last Friday was probably just a fluke. The world teasing him with a glimmer of light and then immediately taking it away, which means he’d probably never see her again. His heart ached as he gathered things from his locker. Just his luck.
Coppermane pursed his lips, looking down. “Get real, man,” he said to himself. “She’ll never like you back. She’s way out of your league. So stop thinking about her.” His heart stung. The truth hurt. He knew it would only hurt him in the long run. And yet, he couldn’t help it. How could he stop thinking about such a beautiful face?
He closed his locker...
“Hey!” a voice suddenly said.
Coppermane yelped as his locker door shut, revealing a rainbow-haired girl waving and smiling at him.
“Oh, sorry,” she said. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”
Coppermane took some breaths to calm himself down. “I-It’s okay. H-How long have you been standing there?”
The girl shrugged. “Couple minutes?” she said. “Whoa, dude. That’s one heck of a shiner you got.”
Coppermane grit his teeth, turning his bad eye away. “S-Sorry. I know it’s ugly.”
The girl giggled. “So... are you Coppermane?”
Coppermane raised an eyebrow. “Um... y-yes?”
“Cool. I’m Rainbow Dash,” she said. “i’m the best athlete in school, and captain of all the sports teams.”
“Wait... y-you're the captain?” Coppermane asked, slowly backing away. “Y-You’re setting me up, aren’t you?”
“Huh?” Rainbow asked. “What’re you talking about?”
“Look, if I’m about to get jumped, just get it over with, okay?!” Coppermane said, bracing himself.
Rainbow just rose an eyebrow. “What? No no, this isn’t a setup.”
Coppermane backed away when Rainbow got closer. “Th-Then why are you talking to me? N-Nobody talks to me unless I’m about to get thrashed.”
“Seriously?” Rainbow asked. “Look, dude, I’m not gonna hurt you, and nobody else is either. You can trust me alright? I actually wanted to talk to you about the incident on Friday?”
“You know about that?” Coppermane asked.
Rainbow nodded. “That’s how you got that black eye, isn’t it? A pretty big one, too.”
Coppermane groaned, turning his eye away again. “Y-Yeah. How did you find out?”
“Let’s just say I heard from a friend,” Rainbow said, with a smirk. “I’m kind of a big deal around here, so I’m know about a lot of the school drama. Anyways, do you remember who beat you up?”
“Um... n-not really,” Coppermane said. “I-It's kind of a blur. Sorry.”
“No problem. I’m sure you don’t really like to think about it, huh?” Rainbow asked, to which Coppermane solemnly nodded. “I getcha. But anyways, I wanna let you know that I won’t tolerate any kind of bullying from any of my players. Got your phone?”
“Uh... sure?” Coppermane said. Rainbow gestured for him to hand it over. He hesitated for a second, but she insisted.
“Hey, if I was really up to something, I would’ve done it by now,” Rainbow said. “I’m not gonna steal it or anything.”
Coppermane pursed his lips, but slowly handed it over. Rainbow smiled and began navigating through. Coppermane didn’t let his guard down as he watched Rainbow do whatever she was doing. He didn’t have anything to hide on his phone, but he was ready in case Rainbow was trying to pull something. But thankfully, she didn’t. She struck a pose, taking a selfie, further adding to the mystery of what she was doing. She looked at his phone for a moment with a smirk, supposedly admiring the selfie she just took, and then handed it back.
“There you go,” Rainbow said. “If you ever get jumped again, just shoot me a text. Maybe even get a pic of the douchebag if you can. I’ll tell all the sports teams that I’m gonna come down on them hard if I hear about them bullying you or anyone again.”
“Oh... um... wow, thanks,” Coppermane said. Studying his phone, he indeed had Rainbow Dash’s contact info, topped off with the selfie she just took.
“No problem,” Rainbow said. “Anyways, what were you muttering about earlier?”
“Yeah,” Rainbow said. “Something about... she’ll never like you back? Who’s ‘she’?”
Coppermane felt his face heat up. “Um... wh-why do you want to know?”
Rainbow shrugged. “Just curious, that’s all. I like a little gossip.”
Coppermane bit his lip. As embarrassing as it was to be overheard, it might help to get some of his thoughts out.
“Well... I don’t wanna mention names but... after I got jumped on Friday... I met a girl...” Coppermane said as his face turned a bright shade of red. He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “She helped patch me up. She was so nice to me. Gentle, sweet, and... gorgeous. Like... the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Long pink hair, a cute smile, and the biggest teal eyes...” Coppermane stopped when he noticed how wide Rainbow’s eyes were. “Um... sorry. I must sound like a creep."
Rainbow giggled. “No, it’s cute! You should ask her out!”
“Wh-What?” Coppermane beckoned. “I-I can’t just ask her out!”
“Why not?” Rainbow asked. “If you like her so much, why not just go for it?”
“Because... I-I just can’t,” Coppermane said. “The first time I saw her, I was crying. She deserves someone better than a pathetic loser like me. Someone who can actually defend themselves. Besides, she’s way out of my league. A girl that pretty probably has a boyfriend anyways.”
“Well, have you tried asking?” Rainbow said.
“Um... no,” Coppermane said. “I guess I’m too nervous.”
“What’s to be nervous about? Don’t let your nerves stop you,” Rainbow said. “If you don’t, you’ll just regret it. You miss all the shots you don’t take.”
“Well... I guess you’re right...” Coppermane said.
“Of course, I am!” Rainbow said, chuckling. “Go for it, dude!”
“I-I still don’t know...” Coppermane said.
Just then, before anything else could be said, the bell rang.
“Oh, shoot!” Rainbow said. “Gotta get to class. But listen, even if she says no, you would’ve tried, right? Who knows? Maybe she’ll even say yes.”
Rainbow gave him a wink, and his heart skipped a beat. She walked away, leaving him alone at his locker to ponder. At least the captain of the jocks was cool, albeit a little self-absorbed. But why was she so interested in hearing about his crush? And what was with that wink? Did she know something he didn’t?
No time to think about it now, though. He needed to get to class. As he walked to the classroom, Rainbow’s words echoed in his mind, along with images of Fluttershy.
Lunchtime. Finally, some time to relax during the school day. Especially on a Monday, the only thing on a tired, cranky teenager’s mind was food. For Fluttershy, it was an opportunity to hang out with her friends, whom were always the highlight of her day. But something else was on her mind too. Coppermane. Those warm brown eyes had been burned into her mind, making her blush every time she thought about them. Where was he? Was he here today? She was hoping to see him at least once today, even if from afar.
Fluttershy sighed. Oh well. At least she had her friends to look forward to. She grabbed a tray and the food she preferred today and walked over to join her friends who were all already seated and having a conversation.
“...and if I hear about any of them bullying him again, or anyone, I’m booting them from the team. No questions asked,” Rainbow said. She perked up when she saw Fluttershy about to sit down. “Hey, Fluttershy!”
“Hello,” Fluttershy said, smiling as everyone else greeted her too. “What’s going on, Rainbow? Is everything okay?”
“We’ll see once I tell my teams what’ll happen if I catch them bullying... you know who,” Rainbow said, giving Fluttershy a wink, making her blush. “I talked to Coppermane earlier and told him personally as well.”
"Oh, well thank you, Rainbow,” Fluttershy said.
“Don’t sweat it!” Rainbow said. “I won’t have that kind of stuff happening while I’m in charge. I gave him my number so he can let me know if he gets jumped again. I want to be the first to know about any incident.”
Fluttershy’s eyes went wide. “Y-You have his number?”
“Sure do. Texted me after I left,” Rainbow said, smirking. “You want it?”
“Oh... um... n-no thank you,” Fluttershy said.
“You suuuure?” Rainbow teased.
“It might be a little creepy if she texts him out of nowhere,” Sunset said. “Probably best to wait until he gives it to her on his own.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Yeah. Besides... I-I don’t think I’m ready to talk to him yet.”
“But why not, darling?” Rarity asked.
“I don’t know what I want to say to him,” Fluttershy said. “I-I just need time to think.”
“Don’t think! Just go for it!” Applejack said.
“Yeah!” Rainbow said. “What’ve you got to lose?”
Fluttershy pursed her lips. “I-I’m not as confident as you, Rainbow.”
“You just have to be a little more impulsive, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said. "Y'know... I have some information that might make you less nervous."
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.
“Well, I heard him talking to himself before I introduced myself,” Rainbow said. “About some girl he met last Friday.”
Fluttershy gasped. “Really? Wh-What did he say?”
Rainbow chuckled. “I asked him what he was mumbling about, and he mentioned a reeeally pretty girl who took care of him after he got jumped. A girl who was gentle, sweet...”
“Ooooh!” Pinkie said. “Confirmation!!!”
Fluttershy whimpered. She could feel her heart beating faster. “Well... um... h-he could’ve been talking about Sunset...”
“And...” Rainbow interjected with a grin. “...how much he liked her pink hair and teal eyes.”
Everyone gasped, and Fluttershy’s heart felt like it was set on fire as her friends giggled.
“See? I knew it!” Sunset said.
“Look how red her cheeks are!” Rarity said, giving Fluttershy a hug. “Oh, darling, I’m so happy for you!”
“Y’know something else?” Rainbow said. “He thinks you’re out of his league.”
Applejack laughed. “Aw, how cute! He sounds sweet.”
“He really likes you!” Pinkie said, only making Fluttershy’s face redden more.
“Oooh, girls!” Rarity chimed. “Speaking of whom...”
Rarity pointed behind Fluttershy, and when she turned around, she gasped. Her face went warm when her eyes landed on none other than... him. Immediately she turned back and pulled her hair over her face, feeling her face heat up rapidly as her friends giggled.
“Oh gosh!” Fluttershy yelped.
Rainbow chuckled. “Why are you hiding? You like him, don’t you?”
Fluttershy pursed her lips, unable to help herself from stealing another glance. She softly gasped upon seeing his eye. A big, dark circle surrounded it, as well as being partially shut, like he was struggling to keep it open. But even with such an apparent wound, his eyes were still the biggest she’s ever seen.
Suddenly, he looked to his side, and their gazes met. Fluttershy squeaked and turned away.
“Ooh, he looked at you!” Pinkie cheered. “Look how red Fluttershy’s face is! Look how red his face is!”
“Pinkie! Shh!” Fluttershy said, sinking further in her seat, concealing her face further behind her hair.
“Wait... where is he going?” Rainbow asked. The girls, trying to act nonchalant, watched as Coppermane walked to the corner of the lunchroom to an empty table. He sat down facing the rest of the room, solemnly staring at his food and sighing.
“He’s sitting alone?” Applejack said.
“Looks like it,” Sunset said.
“He looks so lonely,” Rarity said. “Poor thing.”
Fluttershy just stared, feeling a tug at her heartstrings as she watched Coppermane lean on his hand and begin eating, never looking up. Was this every day for him?
Though as heartbreaking as the sight was, she couldn’t help but be enamored by how the light shined off his coiffed, reddish-brown hair.
“I wish there was a way we could cheer him up,” Pinkie said. Suddenly, she loudly gasped, as if she just made a groundbreaking discovery. “Fluttershy!” she said, leaning in and speaking in a hushed tone as if to tell as secret. “You should go talk to him!”
Fluttershy’s heart dropped. “Wh-What?!”
“Yeah! That’d definitely brighten his day!” Pinkie cheered.
“He’s all by himself too,” Applejack said. “Perfect timing!”
“Oh gosh... r-right now?” Fluttershy stammered, starting to breathe faster. “B-But I still don’t know for sure...”
“What are you talking about?” Rainbow beckoned. “Who else has pink hair and teal eyes?”
“W-Well... th-there could be someone else? I-I don’t know...” Fluttershy stammered, as her breathing got faster. “Besides, I-I didn’t have much time to do my makeup this morning. What about my dress? O-Or my hair?”
“Darling, relax,” Rarity said, placing her hands on Fluttershy’s shoulders. “Breathe. You look gorgeous, like always, especially in this dress! It brings out your eyes so beautifully. You have nothing to fear. Just be yourself.”
Fluttershy whimpered, pursing her lips. All her friends were giving her big smiles, indicating they were in agreement. She took a quick glance over at Coppermane, and it only made the burning sensation in her heart worse. She could feel her hands getting clammy as well.
"Oh gosh... why am I so nervous?” Fluttershy said.
“What if I go with you?” Sunset said. “Since we helped him out on Friday, we can just do a welfare check, and maybe break the ice in the process. How does that sound?”
Fluttershy pursed her lips. “Y-You’ll talk first, right?”
Sunset giggled. “Yes, I’ll talk first. Now c’mon! We’re not gonna have much time to talk to him if we wait any longer.”
“You can do it, Fluttershy!” Rainbow said.
“You go, girl!” Pinkie said.
“Show him what an amazing girl, you are!” Rarity said.
“You got this!” Applejack said.
Hearing the encouragement from her friends, knowing Sunset would be with her, and with one more glance at her crush...
“...okay.” Fluttershy said.
Her friends clamored around her, and Sunset wasted no time in walking Fluttershy over. As they got closer, Fluttershy began to panic again, feeling butterflies in her stomach.
“Sunset, what do I say?” Fluttershy asked. “What if I say something stupid?”
Sunset paused, turning around to look at Fluttershy. “Is this your first real crush?”
Fluttershy blushed. “...y-yeah...”
Sunset giggled. “Just be yourself. I know that sounds cliché, but I promise you that’s the way to go. And I’ll be there to help you out, okay?”
Fluttershy pursed her lips, knowing that there was no turning back at this point. Besides, she couldn’t deny that she kind of wanted this. She closed her eyes and performed several deep breaths. Her heart was still beating fast, but not as fast as before where it felt like she was going to have a heart attack.
“You good?” Sunset asked. Fluttershy nodded, and Sunset continued leading her over to Coppermane. It was a short walk, just across the room, but it felt like it was taking forever. Butterflies stirred in her stomach once more, but she knew she needed to fight through it.
“Hi, Coppermane!” Sunset said.
Coppermane flinched, glancing around him before seeing Sunset.
“Oh... Sunset,” Coppermane said. “H-Hi.”
He looked to his side, and his eyes widened. His posture seemed to stiffen up, and Sunset smirked, knowing exactly why.
“You remember my friend, Fluttershy, right?” Sunset said.
Fluttershy squeaked when Sunset said her name, and the butterflies grew more intense when Coppermane looked at her with those chocolatey brown eyes.
“Y-Yeah, I-I remember,” Coppermane stammered, rubbing the back of his head. “H-Hi, Fluttershy.”
Hearing him say her name made her blush profusely. She held her hair close to her face and managed a tiny wave back.
“H-Hi... C-Coppermane,” Fluttershy said.
“Mind if we sit?” Sunset asked.
Coppermane looked confused. “H-Here?”
“Yeah, unless you don’t want us to?” Sunset asked.
“No no, it’s not that,” Coppermane said. “It’s just... I-I'm not used to others talking to me unless... y’know... they’re about to jump me. Um... y-you can sit here, sure.”
Sunset nodded and sat down across from him, and Fluttershy sat beside her.
“Is your eye okay?” Sunset asked.
Coppermane pursed his lips. “I-It’s not as bad as it was over the weekend. S-Sorry you have to look at it.”
“No worries,” Sunset said. “Any trouble with bullies today?”
Coppermane shook his head. “I-It usually happens at the end of the day. They haven’t missed a day yet.”
“That’s awful,” Fluttershy said. Coppermane looked at her, and her heart skipped a beat. He seemed to smile just a tiny bit.
“Well, I heard that Rainbow Dash talked to you, right?” Sunset said.
“Oh, yeah she did,” Coppermane said. “Sh-She said that—”
“Excuse me, Sunset Shimmer?”
Sunset turned around and behind her, much to the group’s surprise, was the principal.
“Principal Celestia?” Sunset said.
“Do you have a moment, Sunset? You’re not in trouble, I just need to discuss some business-related things with you,” Principal Celestia said.
Sunset bit her lip, turning her head towards Fluttershy, whose face had gone almost completely white. She said nothing, but the look in her eyes couldn’t be clearer, practically begging Sunset not to leave. She glanced at Coppermane, and saw a similar fear in her eyes. But Sunset couldn’t say no to the principal herself.
However, perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. Sunset did say she would start the conversation. They were together now. Maybe it was Fluttershy’s turn to take over.
Smirking, Sunset motioned for Fluttershy to come closer so she could whisper in her ear.
“It’ll be okay,” Sunset murmured. “Relax and keep talking to him. You can do this.”
Sunset heard a small squeak from Fluttershy. It tugged at her heartstrings to leave the poor thing alone so suddenly, but there wasn’t much of a choice at this point. Besides, this was the only way to grow more comfortable around him.
“By the way,” Sunset whispered. “I can see it in his eyes. He totally likes you.”
With a pat on the back, Sunset walked away with Principal Celestia. Fluttershy watched as her only lifeline abandoned her, leaving her alone with... Coppermane.
Reflexively, Fluttershy hid behind her hair, feeling her face heat up and her heart pound against her chest. Her free hand gripped the fabric of her dress as she tried to muster the confidence to look him in the eye. She managed a glance, but instantly turned away, feeling herself blush more. However, in that glance, she felt a certain warmth. She noticed he was looking at her. Did he glance at the same time she did?
She turned her head slowly, and in her peripheral vision she saw him slowly looking back too, as if she was gazing into a mirror. She made eye contact again, but this time she didn’t look away... and neither did he. The way he looked at her filled her with a warmth she hasn’t felt since... last Friday.
Was Sunset right? Is this what it looks like when someone likes you?
“Um... h-hi, Fluttershy,” Coppermane said, blushing hard and managing a small wave.
Fluttershy’s felt a tingle in her heart, making her giggle. “H-Hi... C-Coppermane...”
