After the students at the School of Friendship had fun over Hearts and Hooves Day weekend, it was time to go back to class. Everybody felt tired and didn’t feel ready to go to class s early in the morning, especially Gallus, who was grumpier than normal.
“Why must the weekend end? I want another morning to sleep through!” Gallus complained.
“We all do, Gallus, but the weekend’s over and it’s school time again. Don’t worry, it’ll be done as soon as you know it.” Sandbar replied as the bell rang for first period.
Sandbar and Gallus had a test for their history of royal friendship class, which Sandbar passed with flying colors and Gallus failed…miserably. This made Gallus irritated and by lunch, he just lost it. Silverstream and Ocellus joined Sandbar and Gallus at the lunch table. Ocellus couldn’t help but notice that Gallus was grumpy.
“Gallus, is something wrong? You seem upset.” Ocellus asked.
“No! Buzz off!” Gallus retorted.
“Gallus is just mad that his weekend ended.” Sandbar told Ocellus.
“Gallus, I know that we had fun this weekend at your Gallustine’s Day party, but there’s no need for you to be upset just because it’s over.” Ocellus assured Gallus.
“It’s not that, Ocellus. I’m not mad because my weekend’s over, I’m mad because I failed my test on the history of royal friendship, but pony nerd over here passed with a hundred percent! It’s not fair!” Gallus replied.
“Actually, it was fair. I’ve spent all yesterday studying for the test and all you did was watch cartoons. You only have yourself to blame.” Sandbar replied.
“Sandbar, I don’t think you should speak to Gallus like that. You’re making the situation worse.” Silverstream chimed in.
“Shut up, pinkie! He won’t listen! He’s just gonna ridicule me for not being a pony! And you know what, I’m tired of playing this scheme! I’m gonna show my true colors! Professor Sunburst failed me because I’m a griffon, nothing else! It isn’t my fault that I don’t care for his class! I hate his class! I hate Sandbar! I hate Corn and Peg! I hate the rest of you! I hate this school! And most importantly, I HATE FRIENDSHIP!!!” Gallus screeched as he threw Sandbar across the room, causing him to fall headfirst into the trash can, much to the shock of everyone in the lunchroom, especially his friends.
“Gallus, I can’t believe you did that!” Ocellus said.
“Serves him right for being a pony!” Gallus retorted.
“For being a pony?! You did this to poor Sandbar for something that he can’t control?! Wow, Gallus! You are a bully! And I don’t want to be friends with you anymore!” Silverstream yelled.
“Yeah! Me neither!” Ocellus added as she and Silverstream left the lunchroom.
As Headmare Starlight went to dismiss the students, she was asking what was going on and finally saw Sandbar stuck in the trash can.
She helped him get out and asked “Are you all right? What happened?”
“I don’t know. Last thing I remember was that Gallus was screaming out some really messed up stuff, then he lifted me up and I went flying across the room and landed in a trash can.” Sandbar replied.
“Oh, you poor thing! Why would Gallus do that to you?” Starlight replied sympathetically.
“Apparently, it was because I passed a test that he failed. I think I also heard him say ‘serves him right for being a pony’” Sandbar replied.
“I’m sorry this happened to you, Sandbar. I’ll tell you what. I’m going to excuse you from class for the rest of the day, take you to the nurse’s office for a checkup, and I’ll speak to Gallus later.” Starlight said.
At the nurse’s office, Sandbar was being looked at for any injuries.
“Well, Sandbar, aside from some bruises and being really stinky and dirty, you’re thankfully not suffering any serious injuries.” the nurse reported.
“That’s a relief. Still, I can’t believe my own best friend could do that! Guess my dad was right all along. Griffons cannot be trusted! Starlight, tell Gallus that effective today, I no longer want anything to do with him! I’m taking a bath!” Sandbar said as he stormed out of the nurse’s office.
Starlight grew angry. “The nerve of that griffon! Who does he think he is to bully a student like that! And right after I gave him that stupid plaque!” she thought to herself as she went back to her office.
Cut back to Gallus, who is now in Professor Fluttershy’s animal handling class. He can’t possibly act up in his favorite class, right? Well, I’m sorry to say, dear reader, but you are sadly mistaken. Fluttershy had a newly hatched ducking that she wanted to show the class, but Gallus swooped up the duckling, ate him, and let out the loudest belch he’s ever belched…in Fluttershy’s face. This, of course, made Fluttershy cry.
“Why did you do that, Gallus?” Fluttershy asked.
“Don’t you see, doormat? I hate this class! And the school!” Gallus replied.
Suddenly, the intercom rang. “Gallus Griffon, get to my office at once! You have a lot to explain!” Starlight announced, anger in her voice.
Gallus promptly walked over to her office, annoyed. “What?” he said in a very rude tone of voice.
“Gallus Griffon, you do not speak to your headmare like that, do you understand?” Starlight retorted.
“Whatever.” Gallus replied.
“Gallus, Sandbar told me that you stuffed him in a trash can. Not only that, but as you came in, Fluttershy reported that you ate her newly hatched ducking and belched right in her face. This behavior is very disrespectful and unacceptable!” Starlight said sternly.
“Serves them right for being ponies.” Gallus replied.
“Gallus, that is something far out of their control! Your motive for those actions was racism and prejudice against ponies!” Starlight said.
“Yep.” Gallus replied.
“I have had enough of your disrespect! Gallus Griffon, you are hereby expelled from this School of Friendship! You have 24 hours to pack every one of your belongings and leave the facility. On your way out, please return your plaque to me, because no outstanding friendship student would do what you did today! I’m stripping you of that title and giving it to Sandbar!” Starlight yelled.
“Fine by me! I don’t need this pathetic pony school anyway! I’m going back to Grampa Gruff and he’ll help me be tough! Then I’ll be back to exact my revenge!” Gallus said.
“GET OUT!!!” Starlight screamed as Gallus left her office.
Once Gallus left the school, he was met by a few royal guards.
“Are you Gallus Griffon?” one of the guards asked.
“What’s it to ya?” Gallus asked rudely as the guard put him in handcuffs.
“You’re under arrest for bullying.” the guard said as they took him to Princess Twilight.
“Gallus, I’ve heard about your misdeeds. You’ve already been expelled from my School of Friendship, but I feel as if that isn’t enough punishment. I’m taking you to town central.” Twilight said as she took Gallus to town central to get executed.
“You’re not really going to kill me, are you?” Gallus cried, his rude attitude turning into fear.
Around the guillotine were Gallus’s former classmates and other Ponyville citizens, all carrying posters chanting and supporting Gallus’s execution.
“Sorry, Gallus, but you decided to bully Sandbar and Fluttershy because they’re ponies. Now, it’s time for you to die!” Twilight said sternly as she lowered the guillotine to chop off Gallus’s head.
“Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!” Gallus cried as he finally woke up. It was all just a dream. And, it was still Sunday!
“I’m alive? But, how?” Gallus thought to himself. His screaming woke up Sandbar, who showed concern for his friend.
“Are you okay? That was quite a dream you had.” Sandbar asked as Gallus came down to hug him.
“Oh, Sandbar! I’m sorry! Very sorry!” Gallus cried.
Sandbar, looking confused, asked “For what?”
“For throwing you into the trash can at lunch the other day!” Gallus replied.
“What? I don’t remember you doing that.” Sandbar replied, looking even more confused.
“Yeah! And I ate Fluttershy’s duckling! All because you passed your history of royal friendship test and not me!” Gallus replied.
“The test? That’s not until Monday.” Sandbar informed Gallus.
“Sooooooooooo, I didn’t fail the test? I don’t hate friendship? I didn’t eat Fluttershy’s duck? I’m not expelled? I didn’t get executed?” Gallus asked as he let go of Sandbar.
“Nope, it was all just a dream.” Sandbar assured the griffon.
Gallus was relieved that the whole ordeal didn’t happen. Although, he still felt sorry for what he “did” and attempted to give his Outstanding Friendship Student plaque to Sandbar.
“Here. You deserve this more than me.” Gallus said.
“Your plaque?” Sandbar replied, feeling confused again.
“Yeah. We’ve been here for two and a half years and I feel like I’m still a jerk while you have all changed. You can thank Grampa Gruff for that. Don’t worry. You will have to deal with me for no longer. I’ll start packing right now and I’m dropping out.” Gallus said as he placed the plaque near Sandbar and took out his suitcase.
“Gallus, you know that isn’t true. Sure, you were rude when we first met, but that was the first time that some of us were introduced to the idea of friendship. After that first week, you became the nicest griffon I’ve ever met.” Sandbar assured the griffon.
“Yeah, and what happened at the end of that semester? The goo powder incident.” Gallus replied.
“That was almost two years ago! We’ve moved on from that. I could see why you did it, and that was why I reached out to my parents to let you stay with us whenever school isn’t in session. I can’t forget the day I took you home. You were hugging everyone and singing and dancing in the living room. I’ve never seen anyone so happy!” Sandbar replied as he walked up to Gallus.
“Listen, Gallus. You’re a good student and an even better friend. You’re like the older brother I’ve never had. None of us are perfect. Even I have had detention a few times at my old school.” Sandbar said.
“Really?” Gallus replied.
“Yeah. Teacher caught me sleeping in class once. Another time was when I stole another student’s lunch when he wasn’t looking.” Sandbar said.
“You stole another kid’s lunch? Now that was unexpected!” Gallus added.
“I was in a hurry that morning and forgot my lunch money, okay? Anyways, that’s not important. The point that I’m trying to get across is that everyone does things that they’re not proud of, but it doesn’t mean that they’re bad people or turning into bullies or anything like that. Your misdeeds aren’t exactly your fault, Gallus. You grew up in a hostile neighborhood fending for yourself on the streets where others do illegal stuff. I’m sure you’ve seen some weird things while in Griffonstone.” Sandbar said.
“As a matter of fact, I have. I’ve witnessed a murder at the age of three, encountered my first pedophile at the age of five, beat up to a bloody pulp by teenage pranksters at the age of seven, shaved to the skin by the same pranksters at the age of ten, nearly froze to death during a snowstorm a few years ago, and almost died from starvation and exhaustion when I first came to the school. Not to mention, I was beaten, ridiculed, and raped by Grampa Gruff since birth!” Gallus exclaimed.
“See? That environment wasn’t suitable for a young griffon like you. Once you came to the school, you left the negativity of your past life and started a new chapter of your life: getting accustomed to family life.” Sandbar replied.
“But…I don’t have a family.” Gallus replied.
“Yes, you do! Not a biological family, but it’s still a family. A family is a group of people who love and care for each other, and that definition is not restricted to genetics or blood. Myself, Ocellus, Silverstream, Smolder, Yona, Corn, Peg, and all the teachers and administration all love you and want to see you succeed. That’s what a family looks like.” Sandbar explained.
“Wow. I never thought of it like that. Thanks, Sandbar.” Gallus smiled.
“Always happy to help a friend in need. Here, keep the plaque. There’s a reason you got it. It’s because you have such a big heart and are always willing to help your friends and authority figures. Y’know, your family. That’s what makes an outstanding friendship student and an amazing leader.” Sandbar said, handing the plaque back to Gallus.
“Thanks, Sandbar. I really needed your positivity. That’s what I like best about you.” Gallus thank Sandbar as the two friends shared a hug.
“Say, Gallus. How about we head back to bed? We promised our friends that we’ll study together for the test on Monday.” Sandbar said.
“Sounds like a plan. Goodnight.” Gallus replied as he went up to his bunk.
Several seconds later, he called Sandbar’s name.
“Yes, Gallus?” Sandbar answered.
“I love you.” Gallus said.
“I love you too, Gallus.” Sandbar replied as the two drifted off to sleep.