The cold August sun peeks through the small window and into the home striking the young colt in the face. He groans and rolls over trying to stay asleep for a little bit longer. His small clock reads 8:50 and school starts at 9. He does not care all the other colts and fillies make fun of him anyway he is better off at home. They make fun of his blank flank, his mane, his coat color, and even his eyes. He lets a small whimper out as his mother comes in yelling for him to get his flank up and out the door before she throws it there. He shrinks away from the shrill yelling of his mother and slinks out of bed getting a small comb and putting his mane in order. All of the other colts and fillies may pick on him, but he was tidy at least.
He quickly leaves soon after with a small bag for lunch, a sandwich and some juice, and runs to the school as fast as he can shivering in the cool air as it makes his eyes water. He arrives breathing heavily shaking from the long run and collapses in his desk. Cheeriliee sees him and smiles. She was one of the only ponies who looked out for him and he trusted her, but not fully. “Ok class quiet down please.” She says getting all of their attention. She nods with a smile to a pony in the back of the room. “Ok class I’d like you to meet Timothy he is from Manehattan.” She says. Timothy trots to the front of the classroom a huge smile his face. “Timothy is going to be my assistant teacher.” She says, “He will be our activities coordinator”
Timothy smiles as Cheeriliee raise her hoof for him to speak. “Hi everypony,” He says chuckling “I’m happy to be here so if you want my help I’m here, just ask.” He sits down at a small desk in the front facing the class. He nods to Cheeriliee once he finishes speaking.
“Good so anyway Class pull out your textbooks...” She begins to go into that day’s lecture. It all passes slowly for Timefire he lays his head down on his desk sighing and watching the clock. A balled up paper hits him rolling off his head and onto his desk. Neither Cheeriliee nor Timothy noticed it so he picks it up. He unfolds the paper quietly seeing on it a crude drawing of him beaten up by the class bully. He shivers seeing one of the biggest colts in class staring him down. He gulps waiting for the bell to ring so he could leave.
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He leaves a small dust cloud as he bolts out of the door running as fast as he can. As he turns the corner, he runs right into the bully and gasps falling on his rear. He scoots away from him and up against the wall cowering holding a hoof up to protect himself. Timothy steps out of the room with his saddlebags in his mouth as he tries to close them and he sees the scene. He drops his stuff, all his books fly everywhere, and dashes over standing in front of Timefire “What the hell are you doing?” He asks the bully almost yelling it. Timothy easily towers over the bully and his glare holds no mercy.
“N-Nothing j-just some fun.” The bully lies backing away. Timothy snorts and points at the front doors signaling for him to get out. The bully takes the hint and dashes out quickly.
Timothy turns around looking down at the smaller colt. “You ok?” he asks. Timefire nods quickly getting up and regaining his balance he picks up his stuff. “Hey how bout I walk ya home?” Timothy asks walking back, grabs his stuff, and puts his bags on his back. “I don’t want ya getting hurt.” He puts his hoof on Timefire’s shoulder as he walks up beside him.
“T-Thank you Mr. Timothy,” Timefire says looking away his ears flat. He knew the ponies would just make fun of him even more now that they saw him walking home with a teacher. He did not want to get beat up though.
Timothy chuckles “Call me Timey.” He says “ I love history and past events that’s how I got my cutie mark.” he points back to a pocket watch sitting on top of a book, his cutie mark. “I came here to work so I could get help from Twilight Sparkle. She agreed to help but I needed to pay for it so I took this job as Mrs. Cheeriliee’s assistant.” He looks down at Timefire and chuckles “Sorry I like to talk.” he rubs the back of his head. All this time they had trotted out the school doors and down the road to Timefire’s house.
As they approach it, Timey gasps “is this where you live!?” he asks pointing at the beat up house. The house is old and creaky with holes in the walls and a patched roof. . Timefire nods slowly looking away embarrassed. Timey sighs as he sees the sight and feels sorry for him. “Well umm have a good night.” Timey says turning to trot away but stops turning back “What is your name I forgot to ask?”
“T-Timefire,” Time says with a shaky voice
“Cool name.” Timothy says, “See ya later buddy.” He trots down the road leaving Timefire there with a gaping look on his face.
‘H-He called me buddy.’ Timefire thinks as he goes into his house. Sure, his father said that once or twice when he was not drunk, but never with a smile or any sort of care in his voice. His head spins as he wonders why a pony, beside Mrs. Cheeriliee, would call him something good for a change. That night goes quickly as he tries to figure it all out with no success at all. He crawls into bed still in deep thought and the last thing he thinks before passing out it ‘Maybe I have a friend in this life after all.’
Author's Note:
Crickets are chirping outside as the cool moonlight basks on the land turning it a pale white. Timefire is up early today, before the sun is even up; he is sitting on top of the house his breath fogging and evaporating in the space in front of him as his chest rises and falls. The glow of the moon catches his eyes as he looks up at the pale orb. There is a crash in the house and yelling shortly follows. This makes him cringe his heart begins to race as he tries to slip in the window to his room before his mom comes in. He is too late as his bedroom door burst open and his mother stalks in. She looks mad her mane disheveled, her eyes bloodshot, and her breath holds the heavy smell of alcohol. Timefire reverses his direction trying to climb out this time his wings unfold as he tries to jump into the air.
Just as he takes flight, a hoof wraps around his midsection, and he is pulled back into the room. His mother screams something unintelligible as she brings a hoof across his face slapping him. He cries out in pain as his cheek instantly bruises. Tears are in his eyes as she slaps him repeatedly, his face becoming purple from the beating it is receiving. She leaves eventually as if in a daze as she stumbles to her room down the hall leaving the little colt crying and shaking on the ground. He drags himself to the bathroom and gasps as he sees his face. His cheek is swollen and a deep purple and his left eye is black now. He lets out a small whimper knowing he has to be at school in a matter of hours, the sun already coming up, and then all of his peers would see his face and laugh. He shakes his head making his mind up he was going to skip today he did not want anypony to see him like this.
. . .
Timefire quickly leaves the house being silent as a mouse. The sun is up now and shining through the trees as he quickly flies into them hiding as the other colts and fillies dash to the school. He rests in a tree keeping an eye out for anypony. "Hi there." A voice startles him and he almost falls out of the tree. An orange teenage filly settles on the same branch as him smiling "Skipping too huh?" She asks and notices his bruised face "Oh no are you ok?" She has a concerned look on her face.
"I'm alright." He mumbles looking away hiding his bruises “How did you get up here?" He points at her wings they are stronger now but not enough to fly.
she smiles " I glide from branch to branch." she says her smile getting bigger "Took me forever to be able to even get more than five feet before I fell, but hey I did it." She lets out a cute giggle making him blush shyly.
“S-So why are you skipping?" He asks smiling awkwardly. He hated talking to fillies every time he did, he would start to stutter and his mouth would get dry.
"I hate school, it's boring." She says flipping her mane to get some of it out of her face. She gets up and opens her wings " Come on I got some fun place we can go." she smirks and jumps down gliding to the ground. Once she lands she looks up and calls out to him, “Come on slowpoke." She waves a hoof for him to follow.
He hesitates for a second indecision going through his mind then sighing he glides down beside her "W-Where to?" He asks with an awkward smile on his face.
"Pinkie has some cupcakes at Sugar Cube Corner." She says as she begins to trot off.
"W-Wont we get caught?" He asks following her.
She laughs “No, she’s cool with skipping,” She says, “She was always getting caught skipping when she was our age.” She gets to the edge of the forest and stops him. “Ok follow me.” She gets low and dashes to the nearest house and hides behind it with Timefire on her heels. The repeat this making their way slowly to SCC.
“Ok now.” Scootaloo says running into the bakery. Timefire follows her in and looks for Mrs. Pie. Suddenly the pink ball of energy pops out from the kitchen.
“Hiya, Scootaloo,” She says and sees Timefire behind her, “And who is this?” She bounces up to him.
Timefire’s ears go flat in embarrassment “H-Hi Mrs. P-Pie I-I’m T-Timefire." He stutters.
Pinkie giggles and hugs him “Hi Timefire nice to meet you.” She says. Scootaloo is giggling under her breath as she watches. Pinkie looks at her and lets go of Timefire “So are you here for the cupcakes?” She asks Scootaloo smiles and nods, “Ok come back here.” She bounces into the kitchen.
Scootaloo trots over to the door and stops looking back at Timefire “I’ve heard of you.” She says “I like you you’re cute.” She winks and goes into the kitchen.
Timefire is dumbfounded as he stares at where she just was and he blushes. He gets up and slowly makes it to the kitchen dragging his hooves. Pinkie sees his and beckons him over and he comes to her.
“Here,” Pinke says holding up a cupcake and handing it to him. He smiles and takes it thanking her and takes a small bite. He gasps as the flavor explodes in his mouth and he smiles. “Yup that’s how they all react we they first taste my cupcakes.” Pinkie giggles.
Timefire nods “It’s delicious Miss. Pie,” He says “Thank you.” He takes another bite. “I’ve never had enough bits to buy one before,” He smiles his mood lightened up from the warm environment.
Pinkie and Scootaloo both gasp “What! really?” They ask him. He nods slowly and they look at each other in disbelief. Pinkie jumps up and runs out leaving Scootaloo and Timefire standing there. Timefire looks very confused and he looks at Scootaloo for some information. “ Give her a second.” She says.
True to her word a few seconds later Pinkie is back with a huge platter of all kinds of sweets. “Ok lets have a samlplar platter,” Pinke says and gives him a slice of cake “ Try it and tell me how it is.” Timefire looks at it and then at her and smiles and takes a bit. He nods his approval and Pinkie smiles and swaps the cake out with a different flavor. She continues like this wasting the morning and over stuffing Timefire with all her different cakes and cupcakes.
Around about noon when they had finished with the taste testers Timefire is sitting there sighing and letting out a small burp. He blushes and covers his mouth “Excuse me.” He says
Pinkie giggles “ you’re excused.”
Scootaloo gets up and streteches “ Hey how bout we head over to the park we can hang out there until school is out,” she asks Timefire. He blushes and nods getting up “See ya later Pinkie.” Scootaloo goes out the back door with Timefire right behind her.
Quickly they make their way to the large park on the outskirts of Ponyville. Scootaloo heads for the small playground that is in the middle with Timefire struggling to keep up with her. She giggles and opens her wings and begins to do a combination of short glides and hops to pick up speed. She leaves him in a dust cloud and he stops to catch his breath.
He wipes the dust out of his face and looks for her, but she is nowhere to be found or at least not by him. He trots forward and sees the playground and smiles as he sees her sitting on one of the swings. He quickly flies over to her and settles down. “Wow, Scootaloo you’re fast!” He exclaims, “Left me in the dust back there.” His mood has lightened up since that morning as he smiles. He hasn’t smiled like that ever in his life. Sure, he smiled but not because he was happy, only when he was relieved, like when he wasn’t being picked on by his peers, or being yelled at by his mom, or even beat.
She smiles back and begins to rock the swing back and forth slowly. “So ya never told me where those bruises came from.” She says pointing back at them.
He looks away again, his smile disappearing “M-My mom beat me,” He goes silent tears in his eyes.
She gasps and looks away “I’m so sorry to hear that,” She says “I-I know what it’s like.”
He looks back at her curious “What do you mean?”
She sighs “W-When I was younger my father beat me every day. See my mom died of cancer when I was eight and he was depressed,” Her ears go flat and tears form in her eyes “H-He started drinking and one night when he was drunk h-he threw the bottle at me and gave me a concussion.” She begins to cry and Timefire gets up, trots to her side, and hugs her. She hugs back as she continues, “A-A few years later w-when I was 12 h-he was drunk again and mad,” She shudders “He came at me and beat me again, b-but this time he b-broke my back.”
Timefire gasps “W-What?” He asks bewildered as he lets her go holding her shoulders and looking her in the eyes.
She nods slowly “I-It damaged my wings that’s why I can’t fly well.” She says her tears drying up as she reaches the close of her story. “After I was better and healthy again I ran,” She looks mad now “I ran from that bastard I never want to see him again.” Her voice has risen as her anger shows.
Timefire shakes her “Hey calm down please.”
She looks back at him “Sorry” She says calming down
He nods and smiles “So if you don’t live with him where do you live now?” He asks.
She shrugs “I usually stay at that tree house on Applejacks farm.” ‘
“Isn’t it cold there,” He asks “ And how come Applejack doesn’t stop you?”. He thinks then blushes “W-would you like to stay at my house?”
She smiles “I sneak on to the farm,” She says and giggles at his question “Wouldn’t your mom kill you?”
"Not if she doesn’t know,” He says with a sly smile.
She shrugs “Ok if she doesn’t find out I’m ok with it,” She says and hugs him “Thanks.”
He smiles again and hugs her “You are welcome,” He says.
They see some colts and fillies dashing to the park and hear the school bell in the distance. He looks at her and smiles getting up and dashing back into the small woods surrounding the park hiding so nopony sees that they were there and not at the school.
The rest of the day passes quickly as the two young ponies’ dash through the forest and play. Eventually they make a stop at Pinkies to grab some cupcakes and cake. Eventually Timefire has to head home but tells Scootaloo to meet him at 9:30. He shows her his house and says goodbye heading in.
Again, that night goes quickly. He can hardly wait for that night to see Scootaloo again. As his bedtime rolls around he heads upstairs saying goodnight to his father, his mom is gone at night, and going to bed. He gets in his room and heads to the window opening it. “Scootaloo,” He calls out “Are you there?”
“Right here.” She says looking up at him “How do I get in?” He points at a tree a little ways away and she nods understanding. She goes over and climbs up getting higher than his window. “Ok here I come,” She calls out as she opens her wings and hopping out of the tree gliding over and through his open window. She lands with a soft thump and staggers a little getting her balance. She stops before running into the wall and turns facing him smiling. “ Ok so now what?” She asks yawning.
“I’m tired so I’m going to bed.” He says going over and hopping into his bed.
She jumps in beside him and hugs him. “Thank you again.” She says and then hugs him tighter as she quickly falls asleep. Timefire gasps but doesn't move a muscle. ‘wow,' he thinks as he looks at the beautiful teenage filly beside him. He closes his eyes and falls asleep snuggling close to Scootaloo.
His last thoughts as he falls asleep are ' I feel so...happy now.'