A Step Too Far (OPEN)

Black spots exploded into OzyManedias' vision as his head hit a rock on the ground.

This was a pretty typical lunchtime for him. Class, beatings, Class, beatings, Class, and then finish up the day with some after school beatings. Sometimes, if they were feeling creative, they would try to throw in some verbal abuses too. Those just never had the same satisfaction if beating ole Sandy Plot up.

OzyManedias coughed as one's hoof came down onto his stomach, winding him. Now on top of a concussion, he was also going to have stomach cramps.

The fact that he was a total social outcast did not help much.

A cheer arose from the crowd around the 'fight' as the largest tormentor picked up OzyManedias' head and shoved it into a muddy puddle. Now he would get Dysentery, stomach pains, and a concussion.

The good grades definitley didnt win him any friends.

As he was filled with nausea, OzyManedias floundered and flailed about. They didnt realize it, but he was unable to breathe.

His hoof found something hard and sharp. A rock. Swinging hard, he flung his hoof behind him in a desperate attempt to break free. OzyManedias was rewarded with a yelp of pain.

As he painfully got up, gasping for breath, the crowd fell silent. The two other bullies backed off.

OzyManedias stood above the leader of the gang, covered in dirt and muck. He looked about for a moment, slightly dazed.

"Like a pack of wolves." He whispered. "Assert dominance." His eyes glazed over lightly. His face looked unnaturally serene.

He lifted the rock over his head and brought it down on the leader's leg. The crowd gasped as the bully's leg bent in an awkward shape. The two others winced then ran off. Somepony muttered something about getting a teacher.

Ozy lifted the rock and brought it down on his assailant's chest, causing an audible crack followed by an uncomfortable silence. The only noise were the gasps and groans of the goon groveling on the ground, and the raggard breaths of OzyManedias.

Bithia heard the bell ring, and was glad that an hour of staring at the clock (also known as math) was over.

She walked into the lunch yard and grabbed an apple. Math made her nauseous, and she usually didn't feel like eating right after it. Luckily, her next class was woodworking, and she couldn't wait. Woodworking and PE were the two classes that she always got passing grades in. She smiled, taking a big bite out of her apple.

She ate alone, mostly because it was hard to make freinds when you're as stupid as a rock. All the other mares were into things like makeup and stallions, and she found it hard to have lasting conversations with them.

She saw a crowd form, and stood up, interested to see what was going on. She shoved the other onlookers out of the way, only to find a pack of bullies beating up a kid she hadn't seen before.

She felt bad for the kid, as he was obviously outnumbered. Then, he took down the leader of the pack painfully. Bithia didn't like this kind of thing.

"Somepony better get a teacher," she said, under her breath.

Once everything was over with, and the crowd had gone someplace else, she stayed behind.

"Uh, uhm, A-Are you alright?" She asked shyly to the kid.

OzyManedias sat down after the mob had dispersed and the 'leader of the pack' was assisted off to the nurses' office.

A mare came and asked if he was alright.

OzyManedias stared at his fellow classmate, slightly dazed.

"Something like that." He coughed hoarsely.

He looked around. "I'm probably going to get into trouble." He said, breathing heavily. "Maybe suspended."

He closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths. "I don't mind."

Sweet Dreams Closed the book titled "History of the Cutie Mark" For the sixty-sixth time and picked up "Cutie Marks and You" for the sixty-fifth time. If it couldn't be seen already been known, Sweet Dreams had an interest in cutie marks. Maybe it was the fact she didn’t have one of her own still even at this age, or maybe it was because Cutie Marks are unique in every way and form.

Sweet looked up at the clock and rubbed her tired eyes. Lunch was almost over and she hadn’t eaten yet. She decided that today she would eat outside today. Looking back she doesn't know why she did. So shoving her books into her saddle bags she made her way outside and sat on a bench near a couple of ponies.

Bithia sat down next to him.

"I know how you feel.

I went to another school once. Got teased. Every day. Ponies were calling me "pea brain" and all that. I believed them.

One day I got sick of it. I got a couple of ponies sent to the hospital. Got expelled. I was home-schooled for a year because no school would take me.

This one did," Bithia paused, relieved. It was good to get that off her chest. She had been holding it in for so long.

"What I'm saying is, just, don't think you're alone. No one is alone. Probably half of those ponies who beat you up have stuff going on too, where they feel bullied. So they lash out. If you think about it, they're not so different from you or me," she said, thinking about what just happened.

"...Sorry. T-This isn't my business. I'll go, if you want,"

Shinygear watched the scene unfold from nearby, feeling slightly depressed as everypony except that strange but smarting-seeming colt and some other mare he didn't know trot from the area. He may have had a rather delightful first year of high school, but things had always been tougher for him, being part of a rough and rusty family. Shiny decided he would approach the two and...well, he didn't know what from there. This colt had done something Shiny probably could have never done: stand up to somepony bigger than him. Even if it were in a way that could cause serious problems. Shiny sat up and began to trot over.

((I assume this is in no particular posting order: if it is, feel free to tell me to delete this. :) ))

"Oh." OzyManedias said flatly.

"So this is a common thing then? Sociopathic violent tendencies due to childhood trauma? Social Darwinism in full effect? Literal Darwinism too? Lord of the Flies? This school is a little too close to home..."

He snorted and shook his head.

It was silly, thinking that ANYPONY would understand. So you've hospitalized a couple Colts, thats all well and good, but it was impossible for him to think that anypony could possibly understand what he is went through.

He watched a colt start to walk up to him. "I suppose that your going to offer words of encouragement to before I get sent to the principal's office and suspended?"

Sweets walked over to the group, affering her hankercheif to him. "I'm Sorry this happens to you" She says giving him a half-hearted smile. "I kind of know what its like..."

Shinygear sat down. "Who said you're getting suspended? Honestly, what you did had to take guts. So...if any pony comes around to take you away, you got an eye witness to keep from getting into deeper trouble...alright?" shiny said awkwardly. 'Holy crap, I don't even know this guy! I could get in just a much trouble!' he thought to himself.

(is it ok if i join too?)

((of course!))

OzyManedias stared, dumbstruck, at the three ponies before him. He blinked a couple times, before taking the handkerchief. He took a moment before wiping some of the mud and grime on his face off.

He mumbled a thank you to the foal and gave her the handkerchief back. He sighed and rubbed his temples, attempting to ward off a massive headache. He couldn't tell if it was the concussion, or the constant repetitive phrases of those around him.

"Eye witnesses won't do me any good if I put that one colt in a coma. I broke his ribs. Maybe gave him a serious concussion." He said coldly. "I doubt that I will be able to get out of this unscathed."

Oddly, he felt no remorse for his actions. He did what was necessary. That was all.

Shinygear sat down. He really didn't know what to say to that, because it was true. He couldn't REALLY do anything to help. He wished he could...but he couldn't. So Shinyhear said nothing, and did nothing except sit beside two strangers.

Even after the fight, where most of the ponies pretty much broke up, most likely to hurry to their classes; Bulletproof was one of the few that remained, however still still standing in the same spot. After a long hesitation he finally decided to walk towards the group, and turned to Ozy "That was pretty cool how you stood up to those bullies" He finnaly said. Might as well give kudos while I'm here...

"Fine, you're right.

The thing that you did, there won't be any hope of getting that off your permanent record. No high school, or college for that matter is going to look at you the same way again. There's no way of reversing time, no way of redoing what you did, and oddly I don't think you would want to anyways.

You're a bully. And a tyrant. ((*cough* Once Upon A Mattress reference *cough*)) You're no better than those kids you sent to the hospital just because they fell victim to peer pressure and bullied you. Actually, I think they were better. They had morals. They knew just when to stop.

But you don't. And what we're trying to do is make you feel a bit better, make you feel like you aren't worthless. But apparently, you're so twisted you're being rude to ponies who are trying to help. You don't deserve my help, though. You don't deserve any of our help.

I thought I could relate to how you are feeling, but apparently, this is all a game for you," Bithia said, standing up. She hated it when ponies were rude to offerings of help. She usually never did anything about it though.

She was glad she did, though. It gave her confidence.

Shinygear didn't say a word, but left his head lying low. Even if this mare was leaving, and this colt may or may not hate his company, he had no reason not to move. Sometime, he would do things like this in his dorm, sitting in one place for as long a time as he had between classes. It was fun. So Shiny continued sitting beside the stranger. He looked up to the Colt before them he hadn't noticed until now, and briefly smirked.

Sweets narrowed her eyes at Bithia "Morals? Morals?![b] If those ponies had morals they wouldn't of been shoving his face into the mud! They could of killed him!!" She said with disgust in her voice. "To be honest ponies like that deserve what they get ten fold."

OzyManedias gave both the younger filly and the mare a exasperated glance. "A game?" he started to nod and shake his head. "I'm not trying to play games. I am trying to show you all that that you are congratulating a 'bully and a tyrant.'" He pointed at Bithia. "Your right of course." more right than you know. He mentally noted.

"And 'morals'? Morals have nothing to do with it! I did what I had to do. I don't regret that. Those foals who beat me most every day, they have morals. I have morals too. Do we all abide by our own morals 100% of the time? No! And we get punished for that. I get punished for that. All the time. You make one little slip, and your sentenced to a life of agony and shame and pain. Your claim is utterly irrelevant." He stepped back for a moment and took a deep breath. "Its not that I don't appreciate your concern, but... I mean... I don't necessarily warrant it."

He broke eye contact and started to pace up and down in front of the small gathering. "What if I don't deserve to feel better? What if I did something really horrible in a past life? Something so horrible that I can't redeem myself ever in the history of my lowly existence?What if I deserve to die-" He suddenly halted his frantic pace.

"And I... um" He stopped and blinked a bit. "Uh... Nevermind. Its stupid."

He sat down in the dirt. "You should be a little more respectful to others." He said to The smallest of the group. "Your beginning to sound too hotblooded. The last thing this school needs is a vigilante."

"Shouldn't you all be studying or something? Finals is coming up soon. For being so avant-garde about this whole incident you sure like to follow the flow of ponies."

He noticed the stallion next to him and snorted. "what about you? you seem to be enjoying yourself. Schadenfreude much?" He snapped

Shinygear looked up OzyManedias and lightly smiled. "Not at all. That would be horrible, now wouldn't it? I could honestly be doing something else right now, but you sound like you want...no, need to get something out."

Plutonium trotted out into the schoolyard, shoving her books into the bag at her side with neon green magic. This school was seriously starting to bore her. She was an all A student, of course, and in the top classes. Pluto paused to push up her large blue glasses before continuing. She kept her head held high as she gazed around. The yellow unicorn snorted out a laugh as she saw the little group huddled around Ozy, her old rival.

Looks like he got bullied again... Pluto thought to herself, sneering. Even though she was an absolute genious, she had never gotten bullied because of her brains. Although there was that one time some idiotic colts tried to steal her glasses. The very memory made her giggle. They were smart enough to never mess with her again. She wandered over and broke the little circle of ponies and snickered, staring at Ozy with a smug look.

"Fighting again, Manedias?" Plutonium remarked, smirking. "Tsk, tsk. I thought you were better than that. Apparently I was wrong~"

((assuming everyone in this thread has abandoned it, ignore post order))

Ozy stared up at Plutonium, unamused.

The small, mostly sympathetic group had dispersed, having their own business to take care of.

"OzyManedias." he muttered. "There is a Ozy and that is my name. I don't have a last name. That's not my last name. My name is not Manedias." His sour expression worsened as he stood up.

He only knew the unicorn's name from overheard conversation in the halls, but for the life of him could not understand what caused her to antagonize him.

"Tsk, tsk. I thought you were better than that. Apparently I was wrong~"

"Yes. Your right. Allowing a group of common thugs to give me brain damage was the right thing to do." Ozy gave Pluto a humble "I am glad you have your priorities straight. I bow to a moral fiber stronger to my own." He bowed dramatically. His mock expression dropped to blank disinterest as his head rose above Plutonium's. He stared down his nose at her.

"Can't you find somepony else to help you your over inflated ego?"He asked caustically as he started to gather his belongings into his ragged school bag.

She huffed and narrowed her eyes from behind her glasses. "Who said I had an inflated ego? Certainly not I. And I know perfectly well what your name is. I was just messing with you, in case you didn't quite catch that. You might want to get your head checked, bucko." A wide smirk lit up Pluto's face. "Concussions could lead to serious medical issues, you know~" And because she always had to have the last word, she ended the conversation there with a toss of her styled mane and sauntered away.

"You know what else concussions can cause?" OzyManedias glared dangerously.

"Bouts of uncontrolled violence. If you want more information you can talk to one of my aggressors. I believe you can find him in Urgent Care."

His gaze lingered on the mare, contemptuous, for a little longer before lowering back to his stuff. "Do you want something? Because I'm pretty sure you would never talk to me unless you actually want something. Unless your a bigger ass than I thought. Probably the latter." He mused to himself as he shoved a textbook into a pocket.

((sowwy for the short post...))

She froze in her tracks and glared at him. "Oooh, that wasn't very nice. Maybe I'll choose to ignore that. But perhaps I won't."

The yellow mare took a step torward him, her eyes narrowed. "Do you honestly think I care about your physical strength, Manedias? And don't try to damage my pride with words. That's my job."

(Mine is even shorter >.< Oops.)

"You forget, Plutonium. I'm a delinquent. I could have just killed some pony." He drew himself right next to her face, glaring and glaring with an icy conviction.

"Better question to ask: Do I value a future in which I have use of my legs? Or maybe: How much do I want to spend my life in a coma?" His eyes grew wide and manic and crazy. "Oh, words are great. Words are grand. But words are just words. Words aren't sticks or stones. That's what breaks your bones. And As I'm sure you saw, I'm pretty good at breaking bones."

She pushed him away with her hoof. "Back off, jackass. And stop threatening me." Her horn glowed with bright green energy, ready to shoot a bolt of magic at him if needed.

(Sorry for super shortness :/ Couldn't think of anything to say.)