It's Not Paranoia if...


                                            >Anonymous was happy.

                                            >Unfortunately this was a rare thing.

                                            >Currently he was in PE playing their local dodgeball variant German Prisonball.

                                            >In this version, once a player was "out", they went over to the outside of the opposing team's court. And if a ball made it past the opposing team, they could grab it and throw it to knock out an opposing team member.

                                            >So eventually a 'winning' team would be getting attacked from all four sides.

                                            >Anon's last teammate had just been knocked out.

                                            >Coach Soarin gave a short whistle blast and announced "Three minutes!"

                                            >The opposing team had three minutes to try and knock out Anonymous.

                                            >By now everyone knew how this would play out as Anonymous gracefully dodged every throw.

                                            >He never threw the ball himself.

                                            >He never tried to catch it.

                                            >He only dodged with a big smile.

                                            >The three minute rule had been a compromise after it became apparent nobody could land a hit on Anonymous. Not even his only friend Norman.

                                            >How long the game went on didn't seem to matter.

                                            >But that left Coach Soarin with a problem in that half of his class was left out of the activity as Anonymous enjoyed dodging.

                                            >So Coach Soarin explained this to Anonymous and Norman and proposed the three minute rule.

                                            Anonymous replied with "Ok. Thank you."

                                            >It didn't hurt that three minutes was short enough that the opposing team didn't get tired of trying and Anon's teammates didn't get tired of cheering when he managed a flashy dodge.

                                            >Most students wouldn't get this kind of treatment, but Anonymous had special needs.

                                            >The story that had circulated went something like..

                                            >Before coming to CHS, Anonymous and Norman had attended Bullworth. Widely known to be one of the most violent schools in the nation.

                                            >Neither Anonymous or Norman abstained from the violence. They weren't using violence to pursue any particular goal, they just never backed down from a fight.

                                            >Not from pride, more from general principal.

                                            >Thing was, they were both among the best fighters AT this school full of fighters.

                                            >They both had natural ability.

                                            >They had learned how to beat folks that were stronger, faster, or smarter, either in part or in whole.

                                            >They barely payed attention to the odds against them in a fight and said it took at least 3 opponents to cause them to wake up.

                                            >Then came the fateful day near the end of their junior year.

                                            >Details were unknown, but Norman was about to take a hit that would actually kill him.

                                            >Anonymous jumped in and took the hit instead.

                                            >He didn't die, but he DID take brain damage.

                                            >Anonymous took a month to recover and assess the damage.

                                            >Norman stayed by his side, never forgetting his friend had only been injured to save his life.

                                            >Anon's brain damage manifested in a lack of emotional control.

                                            >He got angry at unpredictable times and almost without reason.

                                            >Only Norman and Anon's father could recognize the signs of Anon getting angry in time to react.

                                            >Anon's father was his only living relative and his health was declining,

                                            >Still, he fought like hell to get Anon into CHS. No way was he putting him back into Bullworth.

                                            >Vice Principal Luna looked at Anon and Norman's record and had several concerns to voice.

                                            >Eventually a shaky compromise was reached. Anon and Norman would have the same class schedule with the expectation that Norman would keep Anon under control.

                                            >Failure to do so would see them both disciplined.

                                            >Anon's father passed away the week before school started.

                                            >He made Anon PROMISE to finish high school.

                                            >There was no funeral or memorial service.

                                            >Anon expressed his grief by breaking down in front of Norman a few times.

                                            >Then school started.

                                            >There were some tense moments, but eventually Anon and Norman settled on a pattern of holding themselves apart from their fellow students.

                                            >This behavior confused their fellow students.

                                            >CHS was a generally friendly place after all.

                                            >And Anon looked a lot less happy than most of the students most of the time.

                                            >Dodgeball being the major exception.

                                            >Of course folks asked Norman why Anon only seemed happy during dodgeball?

                                            >Norman explained it this way "Brain damage doesn't always make a huge amount of sense. But, when he's playing dodgeball in PE, he can see it as play instead of as being attacked. So it's basically the only time he can actually enjoy being with his fellow students."

                                            >Soon the game, and then class, was over.

                                            >Then it was on to History class, which today meant open study in the library.

                                            >Anon and Norman were at a table by themselves reading appropriate books to avoid undue attention.

                                            >They both looked up as three girls sat themselves down at the same table.

                                            >Technically there was nothing wrong with Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, and Rainbow Dash sitting in unused seats, but everyone knew by now that getting near Anon was inadvisable.

                                            >Norman advised Anon to focus on his book as he checked the surrounding area for the girls's friend Pinkie Pie.

                                            >Pinkie somehow managed to set Anon off the worst of anyone.

                                            >Their first meetings had nearly resulted in a disaster.

                                            >Pinkie only wanted to be friends of course, but was shocked when Anon and Norman refused categorically.

                                            >That NEVER happened.

                                            >Pinkie decided that maybe she had caught them at a bad time? After all, these two CLEARLY needed more friends than each other.

                                            >But when Pinkie tried again by popping out from behind something, she was very surprised to find Anon was pointing at her.

                                            >He was looking away as expected, but clearly he had noticed something far quicker than anyone else ever had.

                                            >Then he turned his head towards her, bared his teeth and started growling!

                                            >Norman noticed at that point and moved to restrain Anon.

                                            >Pinkie fell backward in a minor panic and began backing away on her hands and knees rapidly.

                                            >Norman, with work, moved Anon down another hallway.

                                            >Anon calmed down when Pinkie was out of sight.

                                            >Vice Principal Luna heard about the incident and investigated.

                                            >After interviewing witnesses and those involved separately, she had to conclude it was Pinkie's fault.

                                            >Pinkie had already been told 'no' and pushed on anyway.

                                            >Yes Anon had scared her, but as long as she wasn't in front of him, he had no particular issue with her.

                                            >And honestly, Pinkie scared others all the time by suddenly popping out.

                                            >So Anon and Norman made efforts to simply avoid Pinkie in particular.

                                            >But there was no sign of her in the library today.

                                            >Just the three of her friends that had suddenly sat down at Anon and Norman's table.

                                            >Norman knew there were plenty of other places they could sit, so there must be a reason why they were here.

                                            >Whatever. The faster they got what they needed to get done, the faster they could go away.

                                            >Anon felt a bump at his foot. When he looked down he saw a small white rabbit.

                                            >Norman quietly said "Hello ladies. What brings you by?"

                                            Anon suddenly said "Hi Angel." and gently lifted the bunny to the top of the table and started petting with a gentle look on his face.

                                            >The girls looked on in silence, shocked.

                                            >Norman patiently explained "He gets on better with animals than he does with people."

                                            >Norman then prompted "Anyway, you were saying?"

                                            >Twilight found her nerve and said "Right. Sorry. Hello. So have you guys seen the posters about the off brand Sadie Hawkins dance tonight?"

                                            >Norman responded with "Yeah we've seen them. The Sadie Hawkins part seems off because it isn't a leap year though."

                                            >Twilight said "Yeah we get that a lot. Someone started it with odd timing quite some time ago and it became a tradition. And this year we're on the dance committee."

                                            >Norman said "Alright, so let me sum up where we are so far. Sadie Hawkins means girls ask guys. But you ladies are on the committee, so you've had the most notice of everyone. So you aren't here at the last minute to ask US to be your dates."

                                            >Twilight looked a bit relieved as she said "All of that is correct. We just have a duty to make sure you know it's tonight at the school and you are welcome to come, even without dates."

                                            >Norman said "Alright, message delivered."

                                            >Just then, Angel moved away from Anon and jumped off the table.

                                            >Then he hopped about six feet toward the aisles of books in the back of the library, then paused and looked back at Anon.

                                            >Then Angel turned again to the back of the library and hopped a dozen more feet, paused and looked back at Anon again.

                                            >Applejack said "I'm just thinking aloud, but he might want you to follow him."

                                            >Angel had traveled far enough that Anon could determine which aisle he was headed to.

                                            >At the end of the aisle there was a head poking out with pale yellow skin and bright pink hair.

                                            >A fleeting smile crossed Anon's face, then a look of sorrow and he quickly put his head on the table and hid his face with his arms.

                                            >Rainbow couldn't take it and exclaimed "What's wrong with Fluttershy?"

                                            Anon sat up straight and said "Nothing!" and then he continued a bit more slowly and said

                                            "She's nice. She's a good person. She's... really nice."

                                            >Then Anon put his head back on the table again.

                                            >Rainbow tried to strike a more supportive tone as she said "So then what's the problem? Just try talking to her."

                                            Anon sat bolt upright suddenly and said "I'M the problem ok? I get to mad at all kinds of silly things and sometimes I lash out! I didn't come to school to hurt her, you, or anyone else."

                                            "I want to be a good person. I do. It's just everything gets so twisted by anger."

                                            "I really don't want to hurt Fluttershy. She's better off staying away from me... Just like everyone else."

                                            >Then Anon put his head on the desk again, hid his face with his hands, and started crying.

                                            >Norman then spoke up "Ok girls. Thank you for the information and probably the best conversation he's had recently, but he's starting to get upset."

                                            >As the girls got up Twilight said "We understand. Please excuse us."

                                            >After class the girls got together and Fluttershy asked "What did he say? What did he say?"

                                            >Rainbow responded with "Well the good news is he seems to like YOU plenty."

                                            >Twilight then added "But the bad news is he doesn't seem to like himself much at all. So I'm sorry but I don't see anything happening there."

                                            >Applejack followed with "Yeah he didn't reject you so much as he rejected himself. YOU he's fine with but he doesn't want to risk losing control and hurting you. Or anyone really."

                                            >Rainbow then asked "But doesn't that give us another set of problems if they don't come tonight?"

                                            >Twilight furrowed her brow and said "Maybe. But they didn't outright refuse. I'm thinking if Norman comes, Anon will be somewhere near."

                                            >Applejack and Rainbow both said "Gotcha."

                                            >Also after class Norman said to Anon "Hey I'd kinda like to go to that dance actually."

                                            "Then you should." Anon said "It's a nice, normal, and healthy high school activity."

                                            >Norman asked "What will you do?"

                                            "I'll hang out in the upstairs classrooms. Won't be hard to leave some places unlocked and all the staff will be at the dance."