A new day. Fluttershy sat in her zoology class waiting for it to start. This was her favorite class, and she'd normally be excited... however, today was different. Fidgeting with her dress, there was only one thing on her mind.
...Coppermane.
She could recall yesterday's events vividly. The pain in his eyes. His outburst. His escape. It left her with so many questions. She had hoped, within reason, that she could get some answers today, or at least check on him...
...but he was nowhere to be seen. It was almost lunchtime, and she hadn't seen him at all.
Maybe he stayed home? Went to the doctor? Took a mental day? Best-case scenario, maybe their daily routes kept them separated. Staring out the windows, Fluttershy hoped it wasn't because something else happened.
At least Rainbow Dash could identify the jocks who beat him up from Sunset's and Fluttershy's photos. She said she'd talk to them at practice after school today. Knowing Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy trusted her to set them straight. Wherever Coppermane was, at least he wouldn't have to worry about them again.
...why was this bothering her so much? This was just some boy. A boy she barely knew, at that.
And yet... the image of his face clawed at her heart. The memory of him running away was even worse. She'd only seen such pain on abused animals at the shelter. To see it on a human's...
Fluttershy sighed, leaning her head on her hand, watching the last few students file in. The clock was nearing the next hour. Class was about to start. It's a shame none of her friends are in this class. It'd be nice to have someone to talk to about this.
She looked around, and nearly every desk was full. Business as usual, it seemed. Maybe learning about animals would help ease her mind...
...
...
...
...and then... one more student entered the classroom.
Fluttershy gasped. She perked up at the sight of a familiar boy with his hood up.
Coppermane! He's here!
With his head down, he quickly made his way to a desk in the back, far from Fluttershy, and took a seat.
He's in this class? How did she not know!? Surely the teacher would've introduced him, right?
She pulled out her phone and texted Sunset.
F: Sunset! He's here!
S: Who?
F: Coppermane! He's in zoology with me!
S: Seriously?! What a coincidence! Is he okay?
F: Hard to tell. I can't see his face that well. I hope he didn't get into another fight.
S: Same. You should check on him after class.
F: Should I? What if he's still mad at us?
Just then, the bell rang.
F: Class is starting. I'll update you at lunch.
S: Sounds good. Take care, girlfriend.
"Good morning, class," the teacher said. "Let's get started with—"
He looked in Coppermane's direction.
"Young man, please remove your hood," they said. "It's against school policy."
"Oh... um... s-sorry," he said.
He obeyed, but kept part of his hood up to cover his neck and mouth like a scarf. The other students chuckled at him. He sunk into his seat, looking dejected.
Was chuckling at him necessary?
On the bright side, his eye wasn't blackened anymore. That healed fast.
"Anyway, let's get started," the teacher said, turning off the lights and activating the ceiling projector. It whirred to life before shining a slideshow on the screen up front.
As usual, the lecture's pace was just fast enough to miss some words at the end of each slide, with the occasional question to stall for time. No time to dawdle.
Yet, every other time she looked up, Fluttershy found herself glancing at Coppermane instead of the slideshow. It was starting to strain her neck. He seemed to be keeping up, but he still used his free hand to keep his hood matted to his neck.
Curious as she was, this was no time to get distracted. She couldn't fall behind taking notes.
"...and that's why some snakes are venomous, and some aren't. Any questions?"
Nobody raised their hands, too busy resting them after an entire lecture of notetaking.
"In that case... let's get these passed out."
The teacher handed each student at the front a stack of packets to take one and pass back. It looked like there was a rubric on the front, which could only mean...
"It's time for a project."
Everyone in the room groaned.
Fluttershy had a more mixed reaction. As much as she loved learning about animals, this was going to be another big thing on her plate.
"Don't sound too excited," the teacher said. "Now, you've been learning about different traits and behaviors that animals exhibit to survive and thrive in the wild. I want you to partner up, research one of these traits or behaviors in depth, using different species as examples. You'll make a slideshow and present your findings to the class."
The words "partner up" started a commotion. Everyone was trying to pick partners right away. Fluttershy was no exception, but without her friends here, she was more looking for students to avoid.
"I hope all the chatter isn't because you're deciding your own partners."
Dead silence.
"I've already taken that liberty."
Another groan, much louder than the first. Fluttershy tensed up. Now she couldn't avoid anyone. Why not let them choose partners? What's the harm in that?
"Now now, don't get too mad. Partners were chosen randomly, so some of you could luck out. This'll be due one month from today. It may seem like a lot of time, but the animal kingdom is vast, and this is a major project. Don't let the deadline sneak up. And now, I'll go down the list of pairings..."
The tension in the air was palpable. Fluttershy and everyone else sat on the edge of their seats, wondering how the wheel of fate spun for them.
"Trixie Lulamoon. You'll be working with... Sweetie Drops."
Neither Trixie nor Sweetie Drops looked pleased. Admittedly, Fluttershy was relieved. A month of Trixie's antics would wear thin on her patience. She felt bad for Sweetie Drops, though.
"Octavia Melody. You're with... Sandalwood."
Not a bad pairing, although Octavia's reaction was lukewarm.
"Lyra Heartstrings and... Micro Chips."
The list continued. Some were satisfied with their pairings, others not so much. If nothing else, it did feel truly random. A couple friend groups got paired, much to their delight.
However, the more her name didn't get called, the tenser Fluttershy grew. The pool of remaining students was getting smaller, some of whom she definitely did not want to partner with.
"Next up... Fluttershy."
Fluttershy perked up upon hearing her name. Crossing her fingers, she awaited the name of her partner to reach her ears.
"You're with..."
"..."
"..."
"...Coppermane."
She gasped. That name hit her like a rock.
Her partner... was Coppermane?
Her shock was cut short by the sound of snickering in the room. Amidst that, she heard some students say, not so subtly, that they were relieved. Coincidentally, the tension of the room seemed to fade.
Fluttershy caught Coppermane sinking into his seat, looking ashamed. His face was bright red.
For a split second he and Fluttershy made eye contact. He quickly looked away, but Fluttershy remained fixated.
Why was everyone being so mean? He's new. They barely know him. Is he just a target to them?
Fluttershy returned her attention to the teacher as the last pairs were announced, with mixed reactions. Afterwards, they went behind their desk and pulled out a small, opaque jar.
"This jar contains all the topics I'd like you to cover. Before you leave, come over and pick one. Feel free to ask any questions afterwards."
*DING DONG DING DONG*
Just then, with near perfect timing, the bell rang. Since this was the period before lunch, leaving this class was usually chaotic. This time, fueled by their appetites and the fear of drawing a bad topic, everyone bum-rushed the front desk, greedily trying to squeeze their hands into the jar. One by one, small pieces of paper with topics written on them were drawn. Reactions were amusingly mixed.
Fluttershy decided to stay back to avoid being stampeded by her classmates. Once the chaos had died down, she calmly collecting her things.
As she did... she noticed Coppermane was still sitting at his desk. It looked like he hadn't moved an inch since slouching when everyone laughed at him.
Watching the last few students exit the classroom, Fluttershy couldn't help but feel a little disgusted. Did they realize how cruel they were to him? Sure, there were students Fluttershy didn't want to work with, but she didn't vocalize it. There was no need for them to announce their opinions about Coppermane.
However, knowing what she knows now, maybe it's best that he didn't get partnered with them.
Wanting to wait for everyone to clear out before talking to him, Fluttershy went to the front to draw her topic. Despite being last, there were still several topics left. She reached in and drew...
...Camouflage.
Fluttershy smiled, quite pleased with her topic. Camouflage was always a cool topic to learn about, and should be fun to research too!
By the time she had drawn her topic, everyone had left for lunch except for her and Coppermane.
Now it's time to go talk to him about the project.
He still hadn't moved. Wasn't he hungry? Or was he waiting for everyone, including Fluttershy, to leave first? Did he even know she was still there?
Gazing at him, Fluttershy got butterflies. Was he still mad about yesterday? Fluttershy couldn't help but feel partially responsible, even if she honestly had no clue what set him off. If she talked to him again, would it rekindle that flame?
Even if it made her nervous, this was her chance to apologize. Besides, after their classmates showed him nothing but contempt, this was also a chance to do what she does best...
...be kind.
With a spark of determination, Fluttershy approached him.
"Hello, Coppermane."
He flinched and turned his head further away.
...was he shaking?
"I-Is everything okay?" she asked.
No answer. Not even a glance. It was like talking to a wall. He was madder than she thought, but she couldn't falter now. She had to make things right.
"Um... a-about yesterday," she said.
Still no answer. No eye contact. She tried not to let it bother her and continued.
"I don't know what we did to make you so mad, but whatever it was... I'm really sorry."
Suddenly, Coppermane turned his head towards Fluttershy. She flinched, seeing those wide eyes look directly at her.
"...you... y-you're sorry?" he asked.
Now Fluttershy was confused. Why did he say it like that?
He looked away and shook his head. He spoke in a shaky voice, like he was choking on his words.
"Y-You have... n-nothing to apologize for. I-I snapped at two people who... who just wanted to help me. I-I don't know what came over me. If anything... y-you're the one who... deserves an apology. I... I'm such a jerk. I-I'm so sorry."
Fluttershy sat at the desk in front of him to be a little closer. His hands were trembling, and he still refused to make eye contact. It felt just like yesterday.
"No no, we were never mad at you," Fluttershy said.
For a moment, their eyes locked.
"...really?" he asked.
"Of course not," Fluttershy said. "Sunset and I were so worried that we said something to make you mad. I'm so relieved it was just a misunderstanding."
He was silent for a moment, before sighing and looking away again.
"I... I-I'm still sorry. Y-You didn't deserve to... to get yelled at. N-Neither did Sunset."
"But that doesn't mean you made us mad," Fluttershy said. "I couldn't blame you for being a little on edge. You had just gotten beat up, after all."
"That doesn't give me the right to yell at two girls who tried to help me," he said.
His sudden stern tone surprised Fluttershy. He really was mad... at himself... and it was becoming clear that no amount of justification would change his mind.
So instead, Fluttershy changed tactics.
"Well, if it's any consolation... I forgive you," Fluttershy said.
Instantly, the look in his eyes changed. He managed to look at her again, only now his gaze was softer.
"You... you do?" Coppermane said.
He said it with such disbelief... like he'd never heard anyone say that to him.
"Of course," Fluttershy said gently. "And I know Sunset would too."
For a short while, Coppermane just looked at Fluttershy. Gazing back at his big brown eyes, she could only wonder what was going through his head.
With another sigh, he allowed his hood—still bunched up against his neck like a scarf—to fall a little. His shoulders relaxed, falling by nearly an inch. She didn't realize he was that tense.
"Okay... okay..." he repeated to himself, like he was trying to calm himself down.
Fluttershy felt relieved herself. Resolving that was trickier than she expected, but she's glad it was all cleared up now.
"Um... by the way... I-I don't think I ever thanked you for your help yesterday," Coppermane said. "So... th-thank you."
Fluttershy smiled. "You're very welcome. I just hope you never have to deal with that again. What those bullies did was awful."
"Well, I'm... um... uh... y-yeah... m-me too," Coppermane said.
"Huh?" Fluttershy asked. "Is something wrong?"
"N-No," Coppermane insisted. "I... I agree. I-I hope it doesn't... happen again."
He was fidgeting. What was he about to say? Was he holding something back?
"Um... it sounded like you were about to say something else before," Fluttershy said.
"N-No!" Coppermane said. "I... I-I'm just agreeing... that's all. I-It's nothing."
...it's nothing. The exact thing he said before he snapped yesterday.
A harsh reality surfaced for Fluttershy. As curious as she was, as much as she wanted to help him, she had to remember... they had only just met. She'd arrived at a boundary she wasn't allowed to cross. And why would she be? If someone tried to barge in on a secret that she wasn't ready to share, well-intentioned or not, she'd be on guard too.
If Coppermane really didn't want her to know, she had to let it go.
"I-If you say so," Fluttershy said. "On the bright side, I'm glad your eye has healed."
"M-My eye?" Coppermane said. "O-Oh yeah. It... um... y-yeah. Thanks..."
Again, it felt like he was holding something back, but Fluttershy had to let it slide too. If only they were closer.
Luckily for her, she'd just been given a golden ticket to spend time with him for the next month.
"Anyway, we can stop talking about bullies," Fluttershy said. "I actually came over to talk about the project. It looks like we'll be working together."
"Oh... r-right," Coppermane said. "I... I'm sorry about that too."
"Hm? Why are you sorry?" Fluttershy asked.
"...e-everyone laughed when our names were called," Coppermane said. "Th-That must've... b-been embarrassing for you."
"Why would I be embarrassed?" Fluttershy asked.
"I... um..." he stammered. "I-I don't know. F-Forget I said anything."
Was that another boundary? He talked like he was navigating a minefield with his words.
"E-Either way," he continued, "I-I can try to have it done in like... t-two weeks, maybe?"
"Huh?" Fluttershy asked. "Y-You say that like you're going to do everything yourself."
"I-Isn't that what you want?" Coppermane asked.
Fluttershy couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Of course not!" Fluttershy said. "This is a big project. Why would I put such a burden on you?"
He looked at her confused.
"Um... r-right!" Coppermane said. "Heh... th-that would be... s-stupid of me... stupid..."
"Coppermane... would you do me a favor?" Fluttershy asked.
His shoulders tensed up again.
"Wh-What?" he asked.
Fluttershy smiled and spoke gently.
"Breathe. Please. You're worrying yourself sick, and we haven't even started yet. Just take some deep breaths for me?"
At first, he didn't do anything. He looked at her confused again.
"Like this," she said. "In through the nose... out through the mouth. In... and out. In... and out. Do it with me."
She tried to guide him since he seemed hesitant. After doing it a couple times herself, she noticed his chest rising and falling with her. This helped Fluttershy relax as well.
After a few seconds, she stopped, and he stopped too.
"Better?" she asked.
"Um... a-a little," he said. "...s-sorry."
He liked apologizing, didn't he?
"It's okay," Fluttershy said. "How about we meet in the library after school?"
"...t-today?" Coppermane asked.
Fluttershy nodded. "We should get started as soon as possible."
He paused, looking down at the desk.
"Uh... um... a-are you sure you're okay with that?" Coppermane asked.
"...what do you mean?" Fluttershy asked.
"Well, wouldn't... um... n-never mind," Coppermane said. "F-Forget I said that."
"Um... if you're busy today..." Fluttershy said.
"No no, i-it's not that," Coppermane said. "I'll be there. I'll... I'll be there."
Fluttershy smiled. "I look forward to it."
"Huh?" he said. "You... um... ergh... never mind. Uh... y-you should go to lunch before it gets much later."
"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?" she asked. "We could go together."
He shook his head. "No. No. I... I need a moment."
He looked directly at her.
"Please... don't worry about me."
The way he looked at her took her aback. It was like... he was begging.
In that case, she probably couldn't change his mind. Besides, she was getting hungry.
"Um... if you say so," Fluttershy said. "I'll see you after school, then."
"...y-yeah," he said. "S-See you..."
With that awkward goodbye, Fluttershy gathered her things and left the classroom... more confused than ever.