The final bell rang, and Fluttershy quickly got to the library. Coppermane didn't seem to be around, so she quickly grabbed one of the empty tables and got situated. As she did, the nerves started to set in. Fidgeting with her dress, she found herself checking the entrance more and more often. Coppermane could walk in at any moment. Each time she looked, she could feel her body tense up, waiting to spot his familiar black hoodie.

But why was she so nervous? She wasn't giving a speech or anything. He was just one guy. Then again, being alone with someone new could be just as daunting, especially when that someone was as socially barricaded Coppermane.

Fluttershy paused to take some deep, cleansing breaths. She couldn't get ahead of herself. Even if he was hard to talk to, he seemed like a nice guy. There shouldn't be anything to worry about, right?

A few breaths later, Fluttershy had calmed down. Glancing at the entrance, and looking around the library, Coppermane was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was just getting things from his locker? She did get here rather quickly, after all.

...

...

...

...fifteen minutes later, the library had filled students, but still no sign of Coppermane.

Now, Fluttershy started to worry. It's been too long for a simple trip to his locker. Did he forget about meeting up with her? Did he leave her behind? He didn't seem like the type to do that. Or maybe... he got beat up again? Maybe Rainbow Dash hadn't had a chance to talk to the bullies yet. He could be getting hurt right now!

Fluttershy gasped at the thought. If he was in danger, she had to go look for him!

With determination, Fluttershy swiftly left the library. Stepping into the hall, she tried to decide where to look first, but her concentration was broken when she heard whispering close by.

"I can't... I can't... I... I can't..."

Following the sound, Fluttershy turned her head and was surprised when her eyes landed on a familiar boy in a black hoodie sitting alone on a nearby bench.

"Coppermane?"

"Gah!"

He flinched and put his arms up to cover his face in defense. It took a minute for him to realize who spoke, after which he seemed to calm down.

"Oh... um... h-hi, Fluttershy," Coppermane said.

"Hi," Fluttershy said. "Is everything okay? I've been waiting for a little while."

"You have? Oh... shoot..."

"You didn't get beat up again, did you?"

"No... no. N-Not today."

"Oh good. I was so worried."

"...you were? Um... I-I'm sorry..."

"It's okay. I'm just glad you're safe. Let's go inside. I already have a table for us."

Fluttershy gestured for Coppermane to follow, but didn't move. He was fidgeting with his fingers.

"Is something wrong?" Fluttershy asked.

"Um... a-are you sure you're okay with this?" he asked.

"Huh? With what?"

"Y'know... being seen with me and all?"

Once again, Fluttershy couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did he not have a shred of self-esteem?

"Coppermane, that's silly," Fluttershy said. "Of course I'm okay with it."

He stood frozen for a moment.

"...r-really?" Coppermane said. "C-Cause normally... um..."

He trailed off, pursing his lips.

Why would he assume Fluttershy wouldn't want to be seen with him? Unless... he's been told that before? Who would be that petty and cruel?

"...n-never mind," he said. "Um... l-lead the way."

Whatever he was going to say, Fluttershy had to let it go for now. She led him inside to their table, although she noticed he was stiff as a board as he walked. She sat down, and he sat across form her. However, he didn't move to get anything out of his backpack. Fluttershy also noticed something very concerning...

"Coppermane... you're shaking," Fluttershy asked.

"Huh? I-I am?"

He looked at his hands. Sure enough, they were trembling uncontrollably.

"Oh..." he said. "S-Sorry, I... n-never mind."

"What is it?" Fluttershy coaxed. "Are you okay?"

Coppermane looked at her quizzically.

"Wh-Why do you want to know?" he asked.

"Because I'm worried," Fluttershy said.

Coppermane stared at her for a few seconds before shaking his head.

"No. Please don't. I-I'll be okay."

"Coppermane, if something's wrong..."

She stopped when Coppermane turned away, shaking his head. His hands were still trembling. She could no longer see his face. Did she push too much again?

Fluttershy pondered, trying to figure out what to say. She knew this would be a process, but it was still shocking to see someone act like this. But if they were going to make any progress, she needed to plant the seeds of trust now. Pragmatically, even if he didn't want to be friends in the end, they had a project to work on. Some bond needed to start... but how?

Once again, Fluttershy found herself comparing him to the abused animals at the shelter. A comparison that kept coming up, but was reinforced the more she interacted with him. With that in mind, she knew patience was key. She couldn't expect to be let in right way. That decision was up to Coppermane. The best thing she could do now is let him know that he's safe with her, regardless of if he believed her or not.

Though he was still looking away, Fluttershy offered a smile and spoke gently.

"I'm sorry, Coppermane. I understand if you're not ready to tell me something. That said, we're going to be partners for a while, so I want to be a safe place for you. If you ever want to talk about anything, or if there's something I can do to make you more comfortable, let me know, okay?"

At last, he looked at her again. She could make out the slight glint of his eyes under his hood. As he gazed at her, she could only wonder what he was thinking about.

"Um... o-okay," he mumbled. "Thank y—"

*bawrrr*

"Ergh..." he winced.

A sudden deep growling noise interrupted him.

"What was that?" Fluttershy asked.

"N-Nothing. I-I'm fi—"

*bawrrr*

"Grgh..." he winced again, clutching his stomach.

Fluttershy's eyes widened. His stomach was growling! Loudly, too.

That's why his hands are shaking! He's hungry! Of course, he is. After all, he only ate a granola bar at lunch. Although, she couldn't let him know that she knew that. He might think she's stalking him. Instead, she'd have to go through some checklist questions.

"Coppermane, are you hungry?" Fluttershy asked.

"Uh... well... I-I had a granola bar," he said.

The way he said it made it seem like he was trying to deny it, even though his stomach was growling so loudly that nearby students were turning their heads.

"And... that's it?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane sighed.

"...I forgot my lunch at home. A-And I didn't have lunch money."

"Oh gosh. Did you at least eat a good breakfast?"

"...um... I-I usually don't eat breakfast."

Fluttershy gasped.

"You must be starving! Hold on just a sec."

"Wait... what?"

Fluttershy opened her backpack and fished around inside, retrieving a small, wrapped meal bar.

"I always carry some of these in case my friends or myself miss a meal," Fluttershy said before offering it to Coppermane. "Here. This should help your pangs for a little while."

Shockingly, he recoiled. But Fluttershy persevered.

"Go on," she encouraged. "It's all yours."

"Oh... n-no thanks," he said. "I'll be fine."

No thanks? Did she hear him correctly?

"Coppermane, you can't work on an empty stomach. For goodness' sake, your hands are tremoring."

"But... what if you end up needing it?"

"I have plenty more at home," Fluttershy said, extending it out further to him. "Please. You need to eat something."

He didn't move for a moment, and Fluttershy grew worried. She didn't expect all these excuses. He wasn't trying to avoid eating, was he?

That's when Fluttershy realized Coppermane's eyebrows were slightly furled.

"Wh-What exactly are you doing?" he asked.

"Huh? Wh-What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked.

"You're up to something, aren't you? Th-That bar must be spiked, or... or... i-it's just a piece of foam... or it's gonna blow up in my face when I open it! Th-There's guys waiting around to laugh at me, right?! Wh-What are you up to?!"

Fluttershy was dumbfounded. Though his face was obscured by his hood, she could feel the intensity of his eyes. The whites of his teeth were visible, as if he was baring them like a threatened dog. There wasn't a single ounce of trust in his words. To have her kindness so bluntly rejected, she couldn't help but feel a little hurt.

But Fluttershy wasn't about to back down. Despite his words, he clearly wanted it. She'd caught him taking a couple glances at it. Maybe to get him to eat it, she would need to change tactics again.

"...well... if you don't want it, I won't force you," Fluttershy said. "But in case you change your mind, I'll leave it right here. Feel free to help yourself."

Fluttershy placed the bar at the end of the table, out of their way. His eyes followed the bar the entire time.

*bawrrr*

"Ngh..." he groaned.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to grab a book or two so we can start researching. Be right back."

Of course, most of their research could probably be done on their phones, but Fluttershy needed an excuse to leave and do some... spying.

Not waiting for a response, she walked nonchalantly behind a nearby bookshelf. Once she was out of Coppermane's sight, she quickly but quietly beelined upstairs to the balcony area of the library, and took cover behind a bookshelf close to the edge. From her vantage point, she had a good view Coppermane's back, which was a good thing to reduce the chance of him spotting her.

Now, she waits.

Fluttershy watched Coppermane closely, and saw him turn his head away from the bar. Was she mistaken? Did he not want it after all? How frustrating. He needed to eat it. How would she convince him now? Or maybe, against her better judgment, she'd have to let it go?

Just then, Coppermane flinched, clutching his stomach again. His head slowly turned toward the bar, and Fluttershy watched with hope Suddenly, he began looking around, forcing Fluttershy to take cover. She didn't peek back out until after a ten second countdown in her head. When she did, she gasped when she saw him reach out and grab the bar. Silently, she cheered. That was a relief. Now to see if he actually ate it.

Bizarrely, he examined each facet of the wrapper closely like he was checking a car for scratches. When he was done, he held the bar out as far away as possible, pinching the side of the wrapper with both hands. He sure put himself at an awkward angle to open it. Did he think it was booby trapped or something?

One pause later, he turned his head away and split open the wrapper. He paused again, maybe waiting for something to happen? But of course, nothing did. Surely, that would be enough to convince him it was a normal, innocuous meal bar, right?

Nope, it wasn't. Further bewildered, Fluttershy watched as he inspected the bar itself just like he did the wrapper. She couldn't deny feeling a little frustrated. It was pre-wrapped! What could she have possibly done to it?

Then again, those fears he voiced about the bar were rather descriptive. Maybe he was speaking from experience? If so... how awful.

Fluttershy perked up when she saw him bringing it closer to him. Was he going to eat it? Even being so close to the finish line, he looked hesitant. She eagerly watched, channeling all mental energy she could to try and influence him to eat it.

He slowly brought the bar closer to his mouth. Closer... and closer... and closer... until he finally took a bite.

Another pause... and his entire body relaxed. In seconds, he devoured the rest, leaving just an empty wrapper which he placed to the side.

Fluttershy put her hand on her heart, sighing in relief. That was... interesting to behold, but at least her persistence paid off.

With that ordeal out of the way, Fluttershy needed to actually find a book before heading back. After a few minutes of perusing, she found a book on rain forests and headed back. When she returned, Coppermane had his face buried in his hands.

"I'm back," Fluttershy said.

"Guh!" Coppermane flinched. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! P-Please don't be mad!"

"Huh? Mad about what?" Fluttershy asked.

Is he referring to the empty wrapper? She'd have to play it off like she didn't see the whole thing go down.

"Oh, you ate it!" Fluttershy said. "I'm glad. That should hold you over for a little while."

"Please don't be mad! I-I'm so sorry...!"

"Why would I be mad? I said you could have it if you changed your mind, didn't I?"

"Grgh... I was such jerk... all over a stupid, normal meal bar. I mean, of course it was normal! It was freaking pre-wrapped! I-I shouldn't have eaten it, not after how I acted. I-I'm so sorry..."

"Coppermane, I'm not mad at all," Fluttershy said. "If anything, I'm relieved you ate it. Do you feel better?"

"...much," he said dejectedly. "Th-Thank you."

"Of course!" Fluttershy said, smiling.

He buried his face in his hands again.

"Why am I like this?" he mumbled.

Fluttershy wasn't sure if she was supposed to hear that. She could sense some deeper pain behind those words. Happy as she was about him eating the meal bar, it seemed like it evoked something within him.

"Um... if you don't mind me asking... why were you so hesitant to eat it?" Fluttershy asked. "I promise I'm not mad. I'm just curious."

He looked at her again. The shadow over his eyes from his hood made it hard to tell what he was thinking, but there was no hostility like before.

Still... looking at her, did he see a friend or a threat? As Fluttershy waited for his response, she prayed that her little act of kindness was enough to push him toward the former.

...

...

...

"...I... um... I-I've been a little on edge since lunch."

Fluttershy perked up. He didn't dismiss the question! Was he opening up?

Regarding lunch, Fluttershy knew exactly what he was talking about: Pinkie Pie scaring the daylights out of him. Nevertheless, she maintained her cover, as to not reveal that she was watching him all lunch period.

"What happened?" she asked. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He pursed his lips. He still looked hesitant, but Fluttershy expected this. She offered a sweet smile to reassure him that he was safe. After a moment of silence, using one hand, he held the bottom of his hood opening closed, obscuring his mouth, then took a deep breath.

"I-I mean... th-there's not much to talk about," he said. "I sat down, and all of a sudden this pink-haired girl came out of nowhere and started screaming at me. I-I didn't know what to do, so I just ducked. I think I saw a blonde girl drag her away, but it all happened so fast that it's a little fuzzy. Then everyone started laughing at me. Wh-What was I supposed to do? I... hngh... I-I don't know. It's stupid. Y-You don't want to hear this."

Hearing Coppermane's side of the story made it sound harsher that it appeared. But as bad as Fluttershy felt for him, she couldn't help but smile. He was confiding in her! After such an uphill battle, it was gratifying to finally hear him speak his mind.

"I don't mind at all," Fluttershy reassured. "Please, continue."

"Y-You can be honest," Coppermane said. "I'm used to nobody caring about what I have to say."

...was that really true? Nobody at all?

Those cutting words filled Fluttershy with sudden determination.

"...I care."

His gaze snapped to her like a whiplash.

"...y-you do? Don't lie."

Fluttershy smiled, standing her ground.

"I know you may not believe me, but I meant what I said about being a safe space for you. Of course, if you don't want to continue, don't feel pressured to. But I promise, I don't mind at all."

He froze. He looked at her like he's never been told that before. Fluttershy maintained her smile, but also felt bad for him. It was like he thought he didn't deserve kindness for some reason.

"...um... w-well... there's not much else to say," Coppermane said. "I-I just don't know what I did to make that girl yell at me."

He's continuing. That's a good sign.

"Do you think she was mad at you?" Fluttershy asked.

"I... I don't know. I just didn't know what to do."

"Um... was this girl's pink hair on the poofier side? Blue eyes, white tank top with balloons on it?"

His eyes widened.

"...h-how did you know?"

"Oh, that's just Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said. "Don't worry. She can be a bit loud, but she's a sweetheart."

"Y-You know her?" Coppermane asked.

"Mmhmm! She's one of my best friends. I'm sure she meant no harm. She's just very energetic. In fact, she's the drummer in our band partly so she'd have an outlet for her energy."

Coppermane paused. He looked at her intently. For a moment, Fluttershy thought she said something wrong, but instead...

"...you're in a band?"

Oh... that's why he stopped. Nothing to worry about after all.

"I am!" Fluttershy said with a bright smile. "Have you heard of the Rainbooms?"

"Um... that name sounds familiar," he said. "Maybe I've heard it in passing? Sorry, I don't know much beyond that. Who else is in it? Is it a school thing, or something independent? What music do you play? Covers? Originals?"

He was asking so many questions all of a sudden!

"It's me and all of my best friends," Fluttershy said. "My friend Rainbow Dash started it. We've had gigs at school and all over town. I'd say we're a mix of rock and pop, and we mostly play originals. In fact, a few of them are mine."

"You're a songwriter?!" Coppermane said, his eyes widening even more. "Wow, that's... that's awesome!"

Fluttershy beamed. Not just at the compliment, but at the enthusiasm in his voice.

"D-Do you play in the band?" Coppermane continued. "Or do you just write songs? Ah... sorry... stupid question..."

"Not at all!" Fluttershy reassured. "To tell you the truth, Rainbow Dash writes most of our songs. Of all the songs I've written, only a few of them have made the cut."

A cold feeling engulfed her heart at those words.

"...b-but that's not important," she stammered. "I play tambourine, and occasionally do backup vocals too."

"Wow, that's really cool," he said. "You're lucky. I-I wish I could be in a band."

"Do you play any instruments?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane opened his mouth to speak, until he gasped. He fell silent. With both hands, he pulled the opening of his hood inward to cover his face, making it almost invisible. It was as if a cloud of darkness formed above him.

"...oh my gosh I'm so sorry..."

"Huh?" Fluttershy asked. "Wh-What's wrong?"

"I-I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..." Coppermane said in a choked voice. "I-I got carried away."

What the...? Where did this come from?

Fighting through the shock, Fluttershy desperately tried to salvage the situation.

"C-Coppermane, it's alright," Fluttershy encouraged. "We can continue, I-I don't mind."

"No... no... p-please, no," Coppermane pleaded, shaking his head. "L-Let's just work. I've wasted enough of our time."

Fluttershy sat there, horrified. What happened? Did she say something wrong? Did she stumble into restricted territory again? Either way, she's never had a conversation cut off so abruptly before, especially when it seemed to be going so well. Now, the air felt heavy, and any hint of light about him was gone.

"Coppermane... a-are you okay?" Fluttershy asked, leaning in to try to get a better look at his face.

He just recoiled away.

"I-I just want to work... a-alright?" Coppermane said.

Fluttershy's instincts kicked in when she heard how fast and distressed his breathing was. She spoke softly but firmly.

"Coppermane, look at me."

He slowly turned his head. She could make out the glint of his eyes.

"Let's take some deep breaths again, okay? In... and out. In... and out."

Just like earlier today, Fluttershy guided Coppermane in some more deep breathing exercises. It took a little longer for him to calm down this time, but eventually he steadied out, at least to where his breathing was stable.

"How do you feel?" Fluttershy asked.

He sighed heavily and buried his face in his hands.

"...I'm so sorry," he cooed. "Don't worry about me. Please. L-Let's just get some work done."

He said it again. Don't worry about me. It was like a mantra, at this point. He wasn't looking at her anymore. Not even a glance. Despite having calmed down, he still looked dejected. How could she not worry?

Heartbreaking as it was, it was clear that Coppermane had walled himself off again, and had no intention of coming out. Deep down, Fluttershy knew this outcome was inevitable, but had hoped the conversation could've lasted a little longer. Then again, maybe she would've thought that no matter how long it lasted.

Either way, they did need to get some work done. Taking her own deep breath, Fluttershy recomposed herself.

"Well... o-okay," Fluttershy stammered. "How about you look online, and I'll start with this book?"

He said nothing. He just nodded, took out his phone, and started browsing.

Was he mad? It's so hard to tell.

"Here's something we talked about in class," Fluttershy said. "Mimicry..."

"Um... th-this might be interesting?" Coppermane said. "Countershading...?"

"A leaf katydid will remain perfectly still to resemble a leaf during the day when they're inactive," Fluttershy read. "Their legs have even evolved to resemble twigs..."

"Also called Thayer's Law," Coppermane read, "this method of camouflage is when an animal's top side is darker while their bottom side is lighter..."

After an hour, some steady progress was made. Between the two of them, they had compiled a small but respectable list of notes and articles for their first work session.

*BZZ BZZ BZZ BZZ*

Just then, Fluttershy's phone started buzzing. But it wasn't a call. It was an alarm.

"Oh gosh, have we been here for that long?" Fluttershy said. "Coppermane, I'm so sorry, but I have to go."

"Oh... um... o-okay," he said. "S-Sorry for keeping you."

"No no, I just lost track of time," Fluttershy said. "It's a good thing I set that alarm earlier. I'm so sorry, I should've told you before we started."

"I-It's fine," Coppermane said. "Um... listen... I-I'm sorry for being so mean earlier. Y'know... w-with the meal bar and stuff. I-I'm also sorry for... well... all the other weird things I did."

He was holding himself like he was chilly, still refusing to make eye contact with Fluttershy. Was he mad? Sad? A mix of both? Was any of it at her? She wanted so badly to see under his hood and get a glimpse of his eyes. They would reveal so much about what he was thinking.

For now, all Fluttershy could do was try to console him.

"It's okay, Coppermane," Fluttershy said, smiling. "I guess you're not used to being around others, are you?"

Coppermane pursed his lips.

"...that's no excuse."

"Well... I still forgive you. How does that sound?"

He sighed. Though he still didn't look at her, his head seemed to lift a little.

"...okay," he whispered. "...o-okay..."

With him more at ease, there was one more thing Fluttershy wanted to say.

"And Coppermane... thank you."

At last, he looked at her. His face was still hard to see, but she could tell he was confused.

"F-For what?"

She offered the gentlest smile she could.

"For opening up to me. I know it wasn't easy for you, but I'm grateful you did, and I hope we can get to know each other more."

Coppermane was frozen for a moment. Then, surprising Fluttershy, he lifted the top of his hood, revealing his eyes more prominently. Never has her kindness been met with such an incredulous face. Was he trying to get a better look at her? Did he not believe her?

After a minute, he released the top of his hood, concealing his face again. Despite that, he didn't move, though she could still feel his gaze on her.

"Um... u-uh..."

"Coppermane? Are you okay?"

"U-Um..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...I-I have to go!"

"Huh?" Fluttershy said. "Wh-What's—?"

Too late. Without another word, and in the blink of an eye, Coppermane gathered his things and bolted for the exit, leaving Fluttershy stunned.

...did she mess up again?

Fluttershy picked up her book and held it close, trying to process the whole encounter. Did he enjoy their time together at all? One second, they're having a seemingly nice conversation. The next, he's cowering like a scared animal. He even got a little hostile. On the bright side, talking about her band was the first time she saw his face light up... only for him to cut the conversation short because he thought he was rambling. It was so difficult to get a read on him.

The entire thing left Fluttershy feeling lukewarm. All she could hope for was that, in Coppermane's mind, the positive things outweighed the negative.

But Fluttershy didn't have time to ponder. She'd be late to meet up with her friends if she lingered much longer. With mixed emotions tumbling in her mind, she got up to return the book before leaving school for the day.

RD: Hey, Flutters! Talked to those idiots who beat up that Copper guy. I let them have it. They won't be bothering him anymore. No need to thank me!