Hoof-Bred Killer

"So, did you hear what Ditzy did last night," Lyra asked me the moment I got close to our group's little meeting place outside the College grounds, next to the children's park.  I sighed heavily, still wishing I was in bed.

"No, Lyra I didn't.  But I bet you're going to tell me aren't you?"

"Pretty much," she said giggling.  "You're too serious Night!  If you'd loosen up I wouldn't have so much fun poking at you."  I'll believe that when I see it.  "Anyway what she did was from what I heard sh-"

"Stop right there Lyra," I said pointing at her with a finger,  "You mean to tell me you're about to gossip something you heard second-hoof?"

"Night?  I think you mean second-hand, and...yeah I was before you interrupted me," Lyra said with a pout.

"Oh, right," I physically face-palmed as I realized my speaking error, grabbing my long, dark grey ears afterwards.  "But still, Lyra you know I hate gossip at the best of times and if I'm hearing something from someone who heard it form somewhere other than the source of the topic then I. Don't. Want. To. Hear. It," I articulated as my face got closer to hers with every word, making her flatten her ears and look down like she was caught stealing a cookie.

"Oh, right, because of last year huh?"

"Yeah, last year."...We remained silent for a few seconds until Octavia and Ditzy came walking up to us and broke the silence.

"Hey guys!  How'r you doin," Ditzy asked once she was in speaking distance.  I smiled up at the mare and looked her in the eye that was focused on me.

"Well I wish I was still in bed, so its been a pretty good morning so far.  How about you Ditzy?"  I ask, placing my hands against the back of my head as I leaned on a tree.

"Oh! well..." she looked away as a seriously dark blush colored her grey cheeks.  I looked to Lyra and she was staring at me with one of those, 'you should have let me tell you' looks on her face.  I laughed at Lyra and motioned for Ditzy to come over to me.  She brightened and her blush vanished as she jumped into me for a hug.  "Yay! Hugs," was all she said as she slowly squeezed the life out of me.  I'll never understand why she loves getting hugs from me.

I look to Octavia and Lyra for an intervention but they just giggled and barely tried to contain it as usual.  I sigh mentally and manage to get my arms around her to give her a hug as well.  I decide to save myself once I heard the first vertebrae in my back pop.  "H-h-hey, D-ditzy?!  I-if you k-kill me h-h-here I w-won't be able to-to buy ya a m-m-muffin!"

"Muffin?!"

"MUFFIN?!" Octavia and Lyra asked in unison.

"N-no, not m-muffin, m-m-muff-fins," I enunciate to give her some real incentive.

Thank Celestia it worked!  Ditzy instantly released me and gave me that adorable pleading look with her eyes.  I laughed and patted her on the head.  "During lunch, I promise I'll buy you three muffins," I said as her eyes grew sad towards the beginning but then they were absolutely huge as I said the number.  She then began to flutter towards the school, almost drooling.

I looked at Lyra and Octavia and watched with a bemused look on my face once I saw they were staring at me in disbelief...

"Well someone really is in a good mood today aren't they?" A voice said from behind me.  I turn and find Rainbow Dash staring at me from a pointer finger's length away and I don't bother to back up.

"Maybe, what's it to you Dash?"  I ask with a stoic look on my face.

"Oh, nothin' just came by to tell you guys that class is starting soon and I'd hate for you to be late N.D."

"We-...What did you just call me?"

"Oh, sorry I just thought your name was Night Darkshroud."

"Oh you know it is.  You said my initials though, and you never call anyone but Applejack by their initials,"  I began to think about possible reasons why she just called me by my initials but then I heard the bell and smiled.  "Well R.D. it looks like you're going to be late as well."

"Oh buck!"  She left her trademarked rainbow trail as she bolted to the school.

I laugh until I hear someone clear their throat and I turn to see Octavia looking at me rather disapprovingly.  "What?"

"I'll never understand why you two can't get along," Octavia said frowning at me.  I glance at Lyra and she just seems to be trying to avoid looking at me.

"Got something to say Lyra?"

She jumps a little and glances at me before gulping and opens her mouth to speak.  "Well, I was wondering what Rainbow did to make you so hostile towards her.  But we should get to class before we definitely get detention."

Octavia and I nodded in agreement before we all jogged to the school building.

Mr. Crutch wasn't even in the room when Lyra and I skidded through the Calculus room door and took our seats.  I looked over at Ditzy and she shook her head indicating that he in fact hasn't shown yet.  I sigh inwardly and smile to Lyra, who smiled back, just before the teacher came shuffling into the room.  He glared at the class before turning around and immediately started to deftly strike numbers and mathematical symbols on the white board.  He explained a few things had Ditzy, who he calls Derpy like most of the students around here, for the answer even though she could only see one half of the equation at any point in time.

I really hate this old man.  On instinct I turned to Lyra who was shaking her head at me.  I mouth 'what' and shrug my shoulders.

"You bucking know what." She mouthed in as a retort.

"How can you expect me to keep accepting this shit," I mouth back, motioning to the increasingly smug teacher as Ditzy fumbles to figure out the problem.

"Because she is," I could see the emphasis on the 'is' in that last retort.  I flattened my ears and looked back to see that Mr. Crutch was about as close to my face as Rainbow Dash was earlier.  Why do people keep getting literally in my face today?!