Journal of William Zachariah Klaskovsky

Day 17 –

Once again, I must ask myself a question of utmost importance. I wonder from time to time if I truly am being slowly but surely conditioned by these creatures, becoming more accustomed to them than anyone in their right mind would be.

I find that my original intents have begun to waver.

Not from boredom or lack of insight; I am not quite so easily swayed. No, I fear that I have slowly begun to lose interest in potentially manipulating any of them for the strangest reasons.

For example, I do not wish to hurt anyone’s feelings.

Looking back on that sentence, I believe that it is most definitely one of the strangest things I have written thus far; and I cannot help but wonder if I shall delve deeper into the oddity. Barely a couple of weeks ago, I would have scoffed at such a mawkish and emotional statement, but now… now I contemplate, and doubt myself.

Doubt is the root of failure, and should I neglect to weed the garden, it shall bear no fruit.

And yet, I cannot help myself, I cannot help but wonder if perhaps this doubt that I may have overlooked my own shortcomings may be to my ultimate benefit. And in addition, I do not believe that I would have such bizarre thoughts in the first place were it not for these insufferable equines…

Yet again, I slander them without conviction.

And yet again, I wonder if, should I happen to be acclimatized and conditioned to the constant loving atmosphere of these creatures, if that would really be such a bad thing.

I would like to retract one of my previous statements. I believe that was definitely one of the strangest things I have written thus far.

But to be frank, I wonder if it is true. I have spent so long, so many years socially distancing myself out of fear of reprisal; such a long time harboring nothing but ill will and distrust that once I were finally introduced to such a truly utopian living space – in addition to the seemingly boundless care and heartfelt warmth and friendliness of these creatures – that I do not really know how to properly react to such a thing.

And no matter how strongly I attempt to uproot this seed of doubt, that same uncertainty grows with every display of affection.

I digress.

I shall not be influenced so easily. I am no simpleminded fool, and I shall be ever on my guard.

I hope.

Carrying on.

Whereas the fever finally broke somewhere about the times of three o’ clock this morning, and I am rather glad that I am finally free of the clutches of illness, I found myself once again quite unclothed in the embrace of Miss Dash. In hindsight, it might not have been so bad if she didn’t snore so loudly.

Again, perhaps it may simply be my inherent – or partially learned, truth be told – mistrust toward the actions of others, but her constant fawning over me seems a bit… excessive.

Do all parents treat their children in such manners?

I have read numerous books on infant rearing and child psychology, but it may only be something that new parents do. This could simply be a phase that I have not learned of that will pass eventually. I must admit, I do not have the answer. All the close hugs, the kisses, the overbearingly constant love I find myself being showered with makes me… uneasy. Once more, maybe I am still just becoming accustomed to the cultures of these people and am overanalyzing Miss Dash’s affection.

Besides, the woman mare took me into her own home – it leaves me feeling an odd sense of obligation toward her. Or maybe I am finally succumbing to the sentimentality which I resist so futilely. Regardless, it is occasionally quite plain that something bothers her deeply, and I wish to do my utmost to ease her apparent suffering, as it were.

I take it all back, that is the strangest sentence I have ever written. I had to read it aloud to myself a couple of times just to hear it.

I leave with a sense of befuddlement once more. Miss Dash calls, and I do not wish to be late for school.

Either way, I must remember to value logic above all. I will not submit to their potential trickery.

I shall be a figure to be proud of and inspired by.

And if not, feared.

“Will~iam,” Rainbow Dash called. “Are you dressed yet?”

It took him a matter of moments to be at her side, small backpack slung over one shoulder.

“Yes, Miss Dash,” he said breathlessly, straightening his specifically tailored clothes and standing a little taller.

“You ready, kiddo?” she asked, propping the front door open with one hoof.

He nodded silently, and she walked him quietly toward the Ponyville school.

By the time they finally arrived, several of the other students were already milling about the schoolhouse; thankfully, William did not spot Diamond Tiara or her crony. He began making for the wooden red building, the morning bell already beginning to ring.

Rainbow Dash stopped him momentarily with a wingtip on his shoulder, turning him gently around to face her.

“Behave yourself at school today. Okay?” she pulled him into a hug.

“Yes, Miss Dash.”

“You can call me ‘Mom’ any day now, you know that, right?”

William looked up at her and opened his mouth to reply, but closed it sharply and cast his gaze toward the ground for a few moments. After a few quiet seconds, he looked awkwardly into her eyes and nodded slowly.

“Yes... Mother.”

Rainbow Dash immediately pulled him closer, giving him a little kiss. For a moment, he thought that she would pull away – but it simply lasted longer, and the seconds ticked by. Longer… and longer…

“Go on,” she swatted his rear suddenly with an odd grin, hurrying him along. “Don’t be late. See you after school, Squirt.”

He nodded swiftly, taking off as quickly as he could. She sighed quietly watching him go, forgetting the whole reason that she was angry with him in the first place.

“Heyya, Will!” Scootaloo waved cheerfully, breaking away from Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to trot toward him as he slipped inside the classroom.

“My name is William,” he stated bluntly.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle followed close behind, swarming him like multicolored piranha.

“Glad t’see you’re feelin’ better,” Apple Bloom beamed at him as more students piled in through the door. “Heard ya’ caught something real nasty.”

“I have recovered, evidently,” William said expressionlessly. “I assure you that there is no need for concern.”

Scootaloo scoffed with a little too much enthusiasm.

“Pffft. Tch. Huh. Ha. Concern?” she snorted, rearing her head back a little. “I wasn’t worried about you. No way.”

“Really? Because you spent an awful lot of time in bed next to me for someone that is clearly unconcerned.”

The pegasus gained a sudden red blush to her cheeks, and she ruffled her small wings uncomfortably.

Apple Bloom’s and Sweetie Belle’s jaws dropped quietly as swiftly as their eyebrows rose, and a high, cold laugh emanated from behind them.

“That’s n-not what he meant!” Scootaloo spluttered, whirling to face Diamond Tiara.

“My, my,” she leered at them, Silver Spoon peering around from behind her. “Looks like ugly here isn’t the only deviant in Ponyville.”

Before either William or Scootaloo could speak, Sweetie Belle took charge, marching forward with her head held high.

“Well, what a surprise. Diamond Tiara’s eavesdropping again,” Sweetie scowled at her.

“Girls,” William started anxiously with a pink tinge of his own on his face, holding up his hands with his palms out. “Can we just –”

“Eavesdropping?” Diamond Tiara smirked, her friend following her lead. “Ugh, can you believe this tripe, Silver? As if we would stoop to their level, when they’re all shouting about bedding the new colt.”

“SHOUTING?!”

“Girls?”

“What’s the matter?” Scootaloo jabbed Diamond Tiara in the chest. “Jealous?”

“Uh, ladies?”

“As if!” Diamond scoffed, pushing her back.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Apple Bloom intervened, and she stepped in between the two of them, nervously watching Cheerilee approaching as she chatted with one of the leaving parents. She placed a hoof on both Diamond Tiara and the furious Scootaloo, keeping them back from each other.

“Come on, gals,” Apple Bloom said desperately. “Give it a break for one day, would ya?”

“The hillbilly is right for once,” Diamond Tiara sniffed, pulling away and giving Scootaloo a dirty look. “The chicken ought to learn her place for a day.”

“I am not a chicken!”

“You want a busted beak, chicken?”

Perhaps it had been because of the filly’s constant holier than thou attitude, her smugness and aggressive behavior, but William had finally had enough.

“Are you quite finished?” he snapped, crossing his small arms across his chest.

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not!” Diamond stepped forward threateningly.

He butted heads with her, glaring hatefully into her large, bright blue eyes.

He hadn’t realized until he was directly in front of her just how brilliantly blue her eyes were.

“Cease and desist,” William slowly said in an icy tone, his voice suddenly growing very, very quiet. “Or I shall teach you what it means to learn your place.”

Diamond Tiara might not have known the imminent danger, but Scootaloo was a little surprised to see Apple Bloom’s reaction. Her eyes suddenly went as wide as saucers, and she gaped at the pair with the most aghast, horrified expression she had ever seen on a pony. She quickly waved frantically at the slowly moving teacher, distracting her from a chatting Filthy Rich.

“You two again?” Cheerilee startled them all, looming over them from the doorway. “All of you, break it up! To your seats, the lot of you!”

There was a quiet round of ‘yes ma’ams’ as a couple of stragglers darted into the classroom late, along with a particularly pudgy colt trudging behind a scrawny golden colored unicorn loping ahead of him.

“Now, if you’re all done being overly dramatic, we’ll begin roll call…”

Dash was in a pretty good mood.

Rainbow Dash bucked yet another chunk of white cloud from the sky, noting satisfactorily as it dissipated from her powerful kick.

She soared around toward another lazily drifting cloud, giving it a swift buck and watching as it vanished from the force of the blow.

“Rainbow Dash!”

She glanced downward distractedly, peering at the waving unicorn. Dash checked around the sky first, assuring herself that the sky was clear enough for the moment before dropping from the air like a stone. She swooped and flared her wings at the last moment, landing lithely before Twilight with a grin.

“What’s up, Twi?” she asked in an upbeat tone. “Couldn’t resist watching me clear the sky faster than anypony else can, huh?”

“A little late for that, don’t you think?” Twilight stood on the grassy knoll firmly, frowning at her.

“Don’t quite follow,” Dash cocked an eyebrow cautiously.

“Dash,” Twilight stated slowly. “We got a thunderstorm Saturday.”

“Yeah? And?”

“We weren’t scheduled for any weather activity,” Twilight said in agitation. “Look, I know that you have your own personal life, but you’re in charge of the Ponyville weather patrol –”

Twilight jerked back slightly in surprise when Rainbow Dash jabbed her angrily in the chest with one hoof.

“Hey!” the pegasus glowered at her, narrowing her eyes. “I was busy. I had a sick colt with a cold on my hooves, for your information!”

“I – oh,” Twilight stuttered uncertainly, stepping back. “I’m sorry to hear that. I wondered why he didn’t bother to show up Saturday, rain or no – is he well?”

“Fine, thanks for asking,” Rainbow Dash said huffily. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got a job to do.”

She took off with a gust of wind, billowing Twilight backwards. She threw a hoof up to cover her eyes from the flying dust, and shook her head as she slowly walked away.

Maybe she was looking too deeply into it.

Sure, Rainbow Dash had seemed a little… off, but it could have just been because of William. Yeah, that was it.

A thought occurred to Twilight as she scanned the sky for the cerulean pegasus, who was nowhere to be seen.

Rainbow Dash had said that she was busy with William.

Who was sick.

With a cold.

In all likelihood, because of the rain.

Twilight furrowed her brows as she walked, losing herself in thought.

Maybe it was high time that she paid the young Mister Klaskovsky a visit.

“Is he coming, or what?” Scootaloo peered over her shoulder expectantly as Snips and Twist brushed past her. Laughter intermingled with the gleeful ring of the school bell, filling the air.

“I don’t think so,” Sweetie Belle shook her head as she walked between the fretting pegasus and Apple Bloom. “I heard Miss Cheerilee talking about keeping him after class.”

“What for?” Scootaloo tilted her head a little.

“Probably ‘bout Diamond Tiara,” Apple Bloom tutted sadly.

Scootaloo scowled at the mention of the filly’s name, and her steps became a little more heavy.

“Hmph. I hope she gets kept after school.”

“Right along next to Will,” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes as they walked.

“I still should have clocked ‘er,” Scootaloo punched the air a couple of times. “Right in the mouth! Bam!”

Apple Bloom shuffled along with a distasteful look at her friend.

“I dunno, Scoots,” the farm pony frowned. “I’m pretty sure gettin’ into fights is just gonna make more trouble for everypony involved.”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo nodded slowly. “But at least it’d be worth it, giving that spoiled brat a black eye.”

“Ooh,” Sweetie Belle teased her. “Somepony’s a little defensive of their new coltfriend, huh, Scoots?”

She blushed heatedly, her small wings flaring upwards.

“He is not –!”

“Aw, hush, girls,” Apple Bloom tutted good-naturedly. “You know she don’t mean no harm, Scoots.”

“It’s still funny,” Sweetie Belle hid a giggle.

Scootaloo was clearly unamused.

“I just don’t see why you’re so dead set against letting me just wallop Diamond Tiara around the head already,” Scootaloo gave a small pebble a frustrated kick as hard as she could and watched it sail with a couple of skips down the worn dirt road, but it was no more capable of relieving her of her anger than she alone was.

She paused for a moment, turning her head to look at Apple Bloom.

“And now that I think about it,” she said slowly. “How come you had to go and start flapping your hooves at Miss Cheerilee? I’m pretty sure Will was just about to kick her in the teeth, too!”

Apple Bloom cringed, and the other two had to take a moment to realize that she was no longer walking with them.

She fiddled with her bow unhappily, thinking of the right words.

After a few seconds, she checked around them to ensure that they were alone, and cleared her throat.

“Y’all do know about-about William… actually, why don’t you gals tell me what’cha know, and I’ll tell you the rest.”

Scootaloo gave her an odd look, and even Sweetie Belle looked confused.

“What are you getting at, exactly?” Sweetie asked curiously.

“Never mind,” Apple Bloom swiveled her head around in mild paranoia. “Not here – we’ll talk ‘bout it at the clubhouse.”

“Oh, come on,” Scootaloo complained loudly, causing Apple Bloom to check around nervously again. However, they were completely alone. “Just spit it out, already.”

“I think I agree with Scootaloo on this one,” Sweetie nodded. “What’s eating you, Apple Bloom?”

She struggled for a moment, trotting over to the roadside and ushering her friends along with her. She eventually sat down quietly behind a large and leafy bush, removing her saddlebag and making herself comfortable in the grass.

“Y’all might want to sit down,” Apple Bloom said slowly. “And sit while you can, ‘cause I got some talkin’ to do.”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo followed her lead, patiently waiting.

Apple Bloom took a deep breath, and let it out as she straightened her bow again.

“Right,” she began slowly, obviously distressed. “Well, if you wanna know the truth… I’m kinda scared o’ Will.”

Scootaloo snorted, and rolled her eyes.

“Is that all?” she grinned. “Look, Apple Bloom, I know he looks a little funny –”

“That’s not what I meant,” she insisted, frowning. “I’m serious, Scoots. That colt’s got me feelin’ real uncomfortable like.”

“In a good way…?” Scootaloo grinned slyly.

Apple Bloom stamped her foreleg against the ground, making her jump.

“I mean it, Scootaloo!” she said, and Scootaloo immediately stopped when she detected the stress in her voice. Apple Bloom took a longer breath, holding it for a few seconds before letting it all out in a short burst.

“Maybe you should start at the beginning,” Sweetie Belle suggested helpfully, and Apple Bloom nodded and cleared her throat again.

“Okay. Whoo,” she ran a hoof through her mane with discomfort. “Y’all do know where Will comes from, right?”

“He’s Rainbow Dash’s adopted colt,” Scootaloo answered immediately.

“Well, yeah,” Apple Bloom nodded again. “But how much do you know ‘bout his dad?”

“Nopony has seen Discord for weeks,” Sweetie Belle said in confusion. “And Rarity says Discord really isn’t so bad once you get to know him.”

Apple Bloom stared at the unicorn for a moment, and said “Discord ain’t Will’s dad.”

“He’s not?” Scootaloo asked in surprise. “I thought Will was just some really bucked up looking draconequus, or something.”

“Human,” Sweetie Belle corrected her.

“Right,” Apple Bloom tilted her head toward Sweetie. “He’s human. From another world. Discord adopted him.”

Sweetie's mouth formed a silent but knowing 'o' and Scootaloo mulled this over for a moment, thinking.

“I still don’t get what all the fuss is about, though,” she shook her head. “Just because of that; I mean, sure, it’s kind of weird, but I like him.”

“Knew it,” Sweetie Belle said in a singsong tone.

“Can it, Sweetie.”

Apple Bloom sighed, and said “Okay… it took a mite of pryin’, but I finally got my sister ta spill the beans. Scoots,” she asked suddenly, turning toward the pegasus. “How much do you know about that time when Rainbow Dash went missin’?”

A dark, pained look fell over Scootaloo for a moment, and she said “I know she was gone for, like, a whole day. It was the same day that she promised to teach me some tricks about flying; I waited, and waited, and waited, all day long. But…” she pulled at the tips of her mane fitfully. “She never showed up.”

“Right,” Apple Bloom agreed. “Except she wasn’t gone for just one day.”

Scootaloo looked at her curiously.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Apple Bloom whispered conspiratorially. “Rainbow Dash was gone for months.”

“Whaaaaaaat?” she said in disbelief. To her surprise, Sweetie Belle was nodding her head in agreement.

“It’s true,” Sweetie said slowly. “Rarity said the same thing; that Dash was gone for months because of some kind of messed up magic, and she wouldn’t tell me anything about it.”

“Right,” Apple Bloom said a little more excitedly. “That whole time, Applejack said she was gone to the same place William comes from.”

“So?” Scootaloo argued. “What’s the big deal? How does that make Will bad?”

“Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom struggled. “Rainbow Dash was foalnapped.”

The pegasus’s mouth hanged open skepticism.

“Are you sure?”

“My sister wouldn’t lie to me ‘bout something like that!” Apple Bloom insisted. “That’s the whole reason Dash spent so much time in the hospital – somepony in that other world messed her up. She got messed up real bad.”

Scootaloo’s look of fury and disgust burned across her features, and she pulled at the ground before her with her hooves.

“How come nopony told me?” she growled through her teeth. She paced before the other two, stamping angrily. “If I’d have known Rainbow Dash got that bad because somepony foalnapped her, I’d have… I’d have…!”

“That’s William’s father.”

Scootaloo stopped dead in her tracks, all expression leaving her face.

“… What?”

Apple Bloom nodded somberly.

“It’s true,” she said. “The one who messed up Rainbow Dash was William’s dad.”

“That’s not – I can’t – how – you’re lying!” Scootaloo sputtered accusingly, her stunted wings flaring up once again.

And once more, Sweetie Belle nodded quietly.

“My sister told me pretty much the same thing,” she admitted. “She was a whole lot more vague about it, though. Didn’t want to talk about it.”

Scootaloo sat down hard, confused and conflicted.

After a while, she said “Just because his dad hurt Rainbow Dash… I-I mean, that doesn’t mean that he’s…”

“Applejack always told me,” she said worriedly. “She said that th’ apple never falls far from the tree. I don’t wanna believe it myself, but…”

“You’re wrong,” Scootaloo said uncertainly, looking back and forth between her friends. “He’s-he’s not like that.”

They sat in silence, looking back at her.

“He’s not,” she insisted again. “And that’s a terrible thing to assume, Apple Bloom!”

She fiddled with her hooves uncomfortably, looking at the ground. She eventually looked up at her, though.

“I’m just sayin’,” Apple Bloom mumbled. “It makes me nervous. If Discord himself brought him to our world, then, well… I mean, Applejack says he’s reformed an’ all, but I don’t trust that slippery snake in the grass for nothin’.”

“Maybe Scoots is right, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle stated. “Maybe Will’s really not so bad. I mean, he is a Cutie Mark Crusader now… he’s our friend. It’s just not right to go judging without at least giving him a chance.”

Apple Bloom chewed her bottom lip, torn.

“You’re wrong about him,” Scootaloo vowed again. “You’re wrong, and I’m going to prove it.”

“Sorry, come again?” William asked in mild disbelief, gawking at his teacher.

“Yes, both of you,” Cheerilee nodded to him and the mortified Diamond Tiara as the others filed cheerfully with much racket out of the classroom. “I’d like you both to stay put, as it would seem that you clearly have some issues to work out.”

“But-but that’s not fair!” Diamond Tiara protested. “My daddy said –”

“Mister Rich was completely in favor of insisting that you stay after school,” Cheerilee informed her snappily. “Both of your parents were, as I’ve already taken the liberty of personally speaking with them.”

William eyed the schoolteacher warily. Perhaps she was a bit more clever than she originally let on.

“But it’s still not fair!” the filly insisted. “Why am I being punished? He’s the deviant!”

Quietly as he clasped his hands while remaining at his desk, William retorted “And you, my dear, are an antagonistic, contrived and conceited heathenish little troglodyte.”

Cheerilee had a sudden coughing fit, which sounded mysteriously like hidden laughter.

She regained her composure quickly, giving them both a hard look.

“Now, listen, you two,” Cheerilee said firmly. “This has gone on long enough! There aren’t going to be any more confrontations between you two; am I understood?”

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee,” they each replied sullenly.

“Good,” she nodded, pacing back and forth between them before finally sitting behind her desk. “Because if you two don’t both straighten out and get along, you can look forward to spending summer school together.”

“What?!” Diamond Tiara belted at the unfairness.

“You heard me,” Cheerilee narrowed her eyes. “I want to see immediate improvement of your attitudes, and since it’s clear that separating you two is only going to postpone the problem…”

She held her hooves together as she thought, and for a moment, William noted that if she had fingers she would be forming them into a steeple.

“From now on... you two are going to be spending every day with each other!” Cheerilee said with a large smile.

“What?!” William belted at the unfairness.

“You heard me,” Cheerilee nodded to him, and she secretly had to fight back a grin at his expression. “You two could stand to clean out your ears now and again, hmm? And if I don’t see prompt improvement – from both of you, and I’ll be checking in with your parents – you’ll have a lot more time to make friends with each other while everypony else is enjoying summer vacation.”

For once, Diamond Tiara and William agreed with the other; such a threat was a fate worse than death.

They both seethed quietly, although Diamond’s eye was twitching violently.

“… You can go now,” Cheerilee beamed at them, waving them both toward the door. “Go on, you two. Get out there and go make friends with each other!”

William stood silently, distantly followed by the angrily grumbling filly.

“And remember,” Cheerilee pointed to her eyes with one hoof, and back at each of them. “I’ll know if you two start fighting again. I have eyes and ears every~where…!” she ended spookily, wriggling her forelegs and drawing backwards into the sanctity of the schoolhouse, snapping the door closed in their faces.

After a few moments, William took a deep breath and let out a long sigh of exasperation.

“Everywhere!” Cheerilee jerked the door back open suddenly, causing them both to jump. The door promptly snapped shut again, and Diamond Tiara could have sworn that she heard the sound of giggling. Perhaps she was mistaken.

The filly glared viciously at him, refusing to give ground or look away. William almost hoped that some other poor soul would take his place so that he could hurry home, but the schoolyard appeared to be completely deserted. He let out another long breath, his thoughts heavy.

After a while, he uncomfortably cleared his throat.

“Very well,” he mumbled finally. “Miss… Tiara. It would appear that we have gotten off on the wrong f-hoof.”

She huffed, walking away silently with her nose in the air.

Quietly, he kept up the pace of her trot, walking alongside her.

Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes, her frown deepening.

“Ugh. Just go away, ugly.”

“My name is William,” he stated quietly, passing beneath the shadow of an overhanging oak branch along the path.

“Fine, whatever,” she hissed. “I don’t care if she thinks separation is a bad thing. Just leave me alone, and stay out of my way so that we can both stay out of summer school. Got it?”

For a moment, William was tempted to simply accept her proposition and walk away home, pretending that everything was fine.

Then again, there was another small part of him that sincerely wanted to make the unruly filly as miserable as she tended to make everyone else.

And gears began to turn.

William would prove that he wasn’t as bad as her. He was a problem solver.

He was going to solve the problem.

“Why, Miss Tiara,” William smiled at her suddenly, sidling up next to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they walked. “I believe that Miss Cheerilee made an excellent point. I think that you and I are going to get along just fine from now on.”

Tiara glared at him when he cast his arm over her.

To be honest, she did not like the look of his overly large smile in the slightest.

“What-what makes you say that?” she inquired apprehensively, suddenly fearful.

“Oh, you know,” he released her and rolled his hand flippantly, the unnaturally large grin still plastered to his face. He strolled cheerfully alongside her, his smile only widening. “I certainly wouldn’t mind spending all summer with such a dainty little thing such as yourself…” William lied through his teeth.

Diamond Tiara flushed suddenly, her steps faltered for a single second.

“But really,” he patted her kindly on the side, his grin growing a little larger until he was smiling from ear to ear like the world’s palest Cheshire cat. “We have so much in common, I think. What reason do we really have for not already being friends?”

William’s too-big smile was beginning to creep her out a little, and Diamond Tiara fought the urge to shrug him off again.

“I-I guess…” she started quietly. “We’ll just get this over with, and then nopony has to spend all summer in school.”

“Ooh, such a clever pony,” William said without a hint of detectable mockery, although she still felt like it was hidden beneath his tone. “Yes, little Miss Tiara. I have something fun in mind, and through such a bonding experience, I think that we’re going to be inseparable.”

“Whatever,” Tiara said uncomfortably, unable to look him in the eyes any longer.

There was just something… off about the way he was looking at her.

Something wrong with his eyes.

“So, let’s get you home, eh, Miss Tiara? My friend?”

“Yeah, great,” she said distractedly, shifting her school’s saddlebag a little. “I’ll play your little game.”

“There’s a good girl.”

Author's Notes:

'Dis gon' be GOOD.