//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Under Pressure // by RockSteadyRolla //------------------------------// It was a pretty normal day for Bolt, walking on the sidewalk, a block from the school. The birds were singing, the sun was shining... "... And days like this, seem to drop straight to hell..." Bolt couldn't explain what he just saw. The statue had started shining and a girl fell out. She had long straight dark sapphire blue hair with a pink and purple streaks. She wore a light blue blouse with a pink bow tie(?), a purple creased skirt with a six pointed star printed on the side with three smaller white stars surrounding it, black, what seemed like dress shoes and purple and pink leg warmers. He watched her for a couple of seconds. 'No, no. She couldn't have come from out of the statue... That's right, she just tripped on the other side of...' Bolt assured himself, shaking his head. He looked back at her and saw her ask her dog if he was... A dog... Bolt couldn't help himself. "What kind of stupid-" He was cut off when the dog answered. "I... Think so. But I have no idea what you are!" the dog yells, shutting down any and all of Bolt's rationale. So many questions ran through his mind along with warning bells. But a favorite saying he's heard in the past floated in his head and out his mouth. "Not my circus, not my monkeys..." Bolt shook his head and walked up the stairs into the building, completely ignoring the screams behind him. Walking through the foyer, Bolt notice three pictures, All of them Sunset Shimmer. The first one was a nice picture with Sunset smiling. "I thought she would be gorgeous if she smiled." he then turned to the second one. "I guess this was the start of her haughty attitude..." and last, the third picture. "Good god!" Bolt shutters and cringe at the sight of her in the picture. "...Never should have..." Bolt says, backing away from the pictures. Noticing the panicked screams have stopped, Bolt looks out the door to see the mystery girl and boy with blue hair, wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans(thank god it was simple). Bolt stared at the girl for a second. 'She looks like her... But the air about her is completely different...' "Don't think I've met him before... Hey Pinkie, who's the wannabe rebel?" Bolt called out stopping Pinkie in her tracks from launching 'Good morning surprise hug'. "Aw, how did you know it was me?" She asked pouting "You would be the only one that hides their presence to sneak up on the new kid for what was sure to be a hug or something... And I saw your reflection..." He says, pointing to the window. Pinkie rushes the glass door. "A snitch huh? What do you have against hugs huh?" Bolt just face palmed. "Pinkie focus. The blue haired tool and the dame. Who are they?" "Oh, sorry." she blushes nervously, then looks out the door. "Which blue haired boy? Him or him? Oh! Him! Or maybe him? It could be-" "Black jacket, blue Jeans, Pinkie..." Bolt grumbled, cutting her off. "Oh! That's Flash Sentry, Sunset Shimmer's boyfriend." "Wow, really? He got his work cut out for him... But for the life of me, I don't feel sorry." Bolt shrugged. "And the girl?" "I don't know who she is, she must be-" Pinkie gasps before taking off down the hallway, leaving a confused Bolt. "Must be a 'Pinkie Pie thing'... Whatever, off to class." After a while Bolt was walking down the hall leading the gym, until he felt a strong pull on his jacket and was yanked into the storage closet. Wondering who was in for a one way ass bruising, Bolt turns around to see Sunset Shimmer with her arms folded glaring at him. "I don't mind being alone with you bacon bit, really I don't but I would want to fight off that boyfriend of yours... Pretty sure I 'Will break him!'." Bolt said in a Russian accent. Sunset huffed. "Never mind him and listen... I... I want you to join me." "Join you doing what exactly?" Bolt asks, raising an eyebrow. "Hmph, What if I told you I could rule this school and everyone in this whole world?" she asks in a haughty tone. "... I'm listening... In a different way, an 'I might need to call them boys to come pick you up and give you one of those jackets that hug yourself.' type of way..." Bolt raised his hands, defensively. "I'm not crazy!!! Last night, I went back to my home world and brought something that will help me conquer this world!" "............ Fuck the jacket, I think you need a full bodysuit... If you're done with your insanity act, I would like to go now..." Bolt was about to turn around, but Sunset grabbed his shoulder and pushed him into the door. "Look! I'm not joking, I really am from another world and I do have the means of taking this world! And after this world, we'll take over my original one!" she yells out, putting pressure on Bolts shoulder. "Alright, Alright! Say If I do believe you? Why me and where is this mystery object you speak so highly of?" he grunts. "You, my friend, I know I can trust. Someone strong, someone smart and someone not bad to look at. Someone to watch my back through this whole mess." Lifting her backpack, she opens it and shows its contents to Bolt. "And this is our key to our success!" "Your math homework is the key? Oh, that's the answer for number 10." he said, causing Sunset to snatch her backpack back and look through it and not finding the object of her desire. Sunset growls "Where is it?!" Bolt sighs and walks out the door. "Wait! Bolt! Please, think it over, we could rule everything! This world and the next! No one could stand in our way!" Bolt stops and sighs. "What happened to that confidence earlier? You were willing to do it all alone before I came right? And the obvious, you only knew me a day... Through two not-so-good interactions... How can you trust me." Bolt turned to her with a serious look. "Explain." Sunset remembered that gaze. The gaze that pierced through any lie. The eyes of her best friend and attack magic tutor: Commander of the Royal Guard, Magic Modding Magister. Prince Searing Bolt. She just stares at him, standing as he was about to scold her. "You remind me of a friend... He was always by my side and... I..." She sighs. "Betrayed him... So-" "You just want a replacement then..." Bolt sighs and turns away. "Well, sorry to burst your bubble... But I'm not him and I never will be." Bolt opens the door and walks out as Sunset yells to him. "But you are him! He's your other self from my world!" tears started streaming down her face. "He was my friend there, so why can't you be my friend here?!" she yells as Bolt stops a few feet away "Simple, I'm him in only a physical sense... I'm nothing like him in personality, I can see that without knowing him... If he does actually exist or if you really are from another world at all..." he takes a deep breath and looks back at her with eyes devoid of any sympathy. "I can't trust people anymore. So your grandiose plan and hopes to have me as a replacement, falls here..." he turns and walks away, leaving her with one last statement. "We can never be friends... I just wouldn't trust you enough... Bye Sunset Shimmer, I'll see you in class... If we have one together." with that Bolt walks around the corner out of sight. Sunset just stood there, shocked at what she just heard. Gritting her teeth with tears in her eyes, she yelled as loud as she could. "FINE!!! WHO THE HELL NEEDS YOU ANYWAY?! I CAN DO THIS ON MY OWN LIKE YOU SAID, WITH NO ONES HELP!!!" noticing the crowd, she wipes her tears and stomps away bumping into anyone in her way. All Bolt could do was sigh throughout the class. 'In the end, she's still female... And I made her cry...' he remembers what happened in the past at his old school. 'Whatever...' Bolt was sitting in the library studying for Mr. Turner's test. The rest of his day went by with no further complication. With the exception of Pinkie and her randomness and the problem between Fluttershy told him about Sunset and the new girl. "I guess I made her worse..." he shook his head, clearing his thoughts. After an hour, Bolt wakes up. "What the hell? When did I fall asleep?" he sat up, wiping the slob off his cheek. "Damn, let me get-" He was cut off by talking from the other side of the bookcase. "So how did your research go?" " I found this book. It's called a yearbook. It seems to be something they use to keep a record of things that have happened at the school. Look. That's Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and I'm gonna bet the girl on the far right is Rarity." 'Those voices, It's the girl and dog from earlier.' Bolt thought. " There's a Rarity here!? Uh, I mean, uh... Interesting photo." " It's interesting because they look like they're friends." "They do look like our friends. But I thought we'd figured that out already." " No, I mean... they look like they're friends with each other. But it doesn't seem like they're friends now." "Not so much." "I just can't help but get the feeling that Sunset Shimmer had something to do with it." "I wouldn't put it past her. But she wanted your crown 'cause she's planning on doing something even worse! If you're gonna stop her, you have to focus on making friends here. Can't worry about why these girls aren't friends anymore." 'So I guess bacon bit was telling the truth about the other world thing... Even though I saw the transfer happen, personally... I need answers.' Bolt thought as sat up from the table. Walking to the edge of the bookshelf, he knocks on the end, startling both the girl and the dog. The girl sat up quickly. "W-w-who's t-t-there?" she asks, stuttering. Bolt walks from behind the shelf. "I could ask you the same thing. What are you doing here at night?" "I'm just..." "From another world with a talking dog, come to take back what Sunset Shimmer stole and from what I just heard, it was a crown, but it's not just any crown is it?" Bolt clarified. The girl was floored. 'He knows about me and Spike?! What do I do?' she thought as Bolt sighs. "Calm down, I'm not gonna rat you out, I just need confirmation on what that walking bacon strip told me." Bolt sees the confusion on her face. "Sunset Shimmer..." After seeing the realization on her face he continues. "She told me about the a power to be able to take over the school. So I want you to elaborate." The girl thought for a bit, then nodded. "I can do that, but only if you introduce yourself first. Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle. Nice to meet you. And this is spike." upon hearing her name, Bolt raised his eyebrow for a second before lowering it. "Hi." the pup said after a short yawn. 'Damn, Sunset wasn't just talking out of her ass then... I guess I need to apologize... Damn.' Bolt thought before returning his introduction. "Fair enough. Hey, my name is Searing Bolt. And the pleasure is all mine." he saw shock appear not only on her face but on the dog's as well. "So I take it you know my counterpart?" Spike shot up, wagging his tail. "Know him? He's my older brother! I never thought for a second that I'd meet a non-pony Bolt!" then the pup came to a realization. "Hey! You can help us against Sunset Shimmer!" Bolt seen this coming and only sighs. "Sorry little pup bro, but nothing doing." Spike was shocked. "But why? Our Bolt would've helped." "That was your first mistake, I'm not him and I never will be. Sunset made the same mistake when she asked for help."Bolt explained, as he leans against the bookcases. "But... So far everyone's has been just the same as their counterparts in our world, why are you different?" Twilight asks "*sigh* Tell me, how was "your" Searing Bolt brought up?" Bolt queried. Twilight tapped her chin. "Well, he was reared as a warrior along with his older brother by his parents and teachers." "Hmm... Okay, although I wasn't reared as a warrior, Burn and I were taught martial arts. Continue." "His parents were murdered due to misinformation." "Not exactly the same, my parents died in an accident due to miscalculation. Go on." "After that, he was adopted by My teacher." Twilight smiled, thinking of how well her teacher and Bolt got along. Hearing this and seeing the smile on her face, Bolt couldn't help but be curious. "Oh, and may I ask the name of this wonder teacher?" he asked with a smirk. Twilight beamed at Bolt's question. "Of course! My teacher is none other than Princess Celestia!" Bolt's face went into a deep scowl upon hearing that name. "And that's where our similarities end." Twilight, saw Bolt's attitude take a complete nose dive and had to ask. "What do you mean? Didn't this world's Celestia take you and Burn in?" "Nope, just know that I will NEVER, see her in the light you do." Bolt says as he stands and look at his watch. "Anyway, It's late. Let's get moving." Twilight yawns as she looks to Spike, who was already asleep. 'I wondered why he went silent.' she thought looking back up at Bolt. "I guess it is pretty late." she says as she lays on the makeshift book bed. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." "What are you doing?" Bolt asks, raising his eyebrow. "Get up you're coming with me. Wouldn't feel right if I left you in the school by yourself, no telling what could happen and I wouldn't sleep right." Twilight sat up, looking confused. "But I thought you said you wouldn't help us?" "With Sunset Shimmer, nothing about giving you shelter when you need. Now grab Spike and let's go. I'm starting to get a little creeped out being in school after hours..." Bolt mutters, walking toward the stairs. Twilight was confused, but did as he said and followed close behind. After walking a block, Bolt house is in view. Twilight had a question she had to have answered. "I've noticed this in the library, but why are you on guard? It's like our conversation always tend to drift away from you saying anything more about yourself... Why?" "We're not friends. So I have no obligation to open up to you." Bolt clarifies, as they walk to his front door. "Well... Why don't we become friends?" Twilight asks. "Nothing doing... I can't trust people like I use to... Don't think I ever will." Bolt took his keys out and opened the door for Twilight to walk in first. "But you still brought me to your house, that alone shows some level of trust, right?" Twilight said as she took a quick glance around his house. She looked to her right and noticed a couch. Hoping it was his living area, she walks in and took a seat laying Spike down on the recliner right next to the couch. "That's simple. You're too innocent to do anything that would cause alarm. I don't get why you followed me, albeit I did invite you, aren't you afraid I might, you know... Do something?" Bolt walks in the living room and saw that she put spike in his favorite chair. Not really caring, he sat on the couch with her on the far side. "Please, like you wou-" Twilight was cut off when Bolt grabbed her arm and pinned her to the couch. Looking into his eyes, she sees an emotionless void, which frightened her, but then she sees an all too familiar spark. It was extremely faint, but it was there. "Just like Sunset, you rely solely on your knowledge of that Bolt and not me, who of which you know nothing about." Bolt said as he brushed her cheek with his hand causing her to tremble and blush from his touch. "*sigh* Too bad you pegged me on that part, though..." He stood up, leaving a flustered Twilight laying there, in shock of what just happened. "And it doesn't help that you have eyes for someone else. Anyway, you can sleep here if you want, they're covers on the sofa in my study across the hall or you can take an empty room upstairs." He yawns as he walks into the hallway and stops at the stairs. "My room is at the end of the hall to the right, call me if you need anything." with that, he disappeared up the stairs. Still stunned at the events that just transpired, Twilight was bright red as she thought back on what Bolt just did, albeit not much, but a virgin girl can only take so much stimulation before she short circuits. In robot fashion, she walks towards the study, spots her targets and drags them back to the living room. After tucking herself under the covers, she finally passes out from the over-stimulation Bolt treated her to. In his room, Bolt laid face down. "I hope I didn't go too far or I would have made another female cry... *sigh* Time will tell." he closed his eye after his final thought of the day and went to sleep.