Chapter 1
It has been weeks after The Friendship Games and life at Canterlot High School was back to normal. Well, normal sans the new student in the form of Twilight Sparkle. However, this Twilight Sparkle wasn’t the same Twilight that most were used to.
To point, today started as many do in Canterlot High School. Students were filing in from their houses and/or the school buses; And six students in particular were talking amongst themselves.
“...and so I said, ‘oatmeal? Are you crazy?’” Pinkie Pie finished her story to the uproarious laughter of her friends.
“Man, Pinkie,” Sunset Shimmer said, crossing her arms “that story never gets old.”
“Um, h-hello guys,” a voice said quietly.
The group turned their heads and saw Twilight Sparkle standing nervously, her back hunched over from the weight of her backpack,still wearing her Crystal prep uniform. Whether she wore it because she didn’t grasp that CHS didn’t have that strict of a dress code, or just the simple fact that she felt more comfortable wearing it was anyone’s guess. One thing that was unusual however, was that her hair wasn’t in its usual bun, it was free flowing, naturally curling of it’s own accord.
“Heya, Twilight. That’s a nice new ‘do y’all are rockin’” Applejack drawled.
“Th-Thanks. I thought it was time for a change. I’m glad you guys like it.”
Sunset cocked an eyebrow. Twilight was much more soft spoken and nervous than she usually was around the rest of the rainbooms; She took a closer look at the nerdy girl’s hairstyle. It seemed familiar for some reason.
“Are you okay, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked “You don’t look well,”
“I-I don’t? I feel fine,” Twilight replied.
“O-oh, I didn’t mean anything by it, I-I was just worried.”
Then it hit Sunset as she saw the two girls fidgeting next to each other: Twilight’s hair was styled in the same way as Fluttershy’s! Sunset was getting a weird feeling.
That feeling was interrupted by the school bell, and everyone filed into the school. Sunset thought about talking to Twilight, but then she knew better to think that this Twilight would do any talking today.
The Next was no different than the previous, students were still milling about and still talking amongst themselves. It was no different for our six heroines. However Sunset had something on her mind.
“So did anyone figure out what was going on with Twilight yesterday?” Sunset asked as the rest of her friends met at the entrance.
“What ever do you mean, Darling?” Rarity replied.
“Well, you guys saw her, She was so nervous around us!”
“She’s always nervous around us, Sugar” Applejack pointed out.
“She did seem a bit off….” Fluttershy put in,
“Hey guys what’s up?” Twilight’s voice called in what was almost a mirror of the previous day.
The Group looked over to see Twilight, who, in an odd twist was not anything close to her Crystal Prep uniform nor the Turtle Neck/Jeans combination she usually wore for “casual wear”. Instead she was wearing a light-blue tracksuit with the the jacket open to reveal a T-shirt with the Shadow Bolts logo on it.
“Speaking of ‘Off’... “Rainbow said, staring at the lavender girl.
Twilight looked down at her shirt, “Oh, Right, Sorry about the shirt, Ya know, just transferred here.”
“It’s … Quite alright, Darling” Rarity said, just taking in Twilight's sudden change in demeanor.
“So, What’s with the getup anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked, “Is there a race I don’t know about?”
“Nah, It just felt like a good day to be outside, ya know? By the way, You up for a game of Soccer after lunch?”
“Yeah, Sure,” Rainbow Chuckled, her tone wavering on the edge of sarcasm, “Just don’t expect me to go easy on you.”
“Oh I don’t have to worry about that, I came from Crystal Prep, We have a reputation you know”
The rest of the group Stifled laughter at that not-so-subtle burn against the overbearing principal of Crystal Prep. Sunset still held her eyebrow high through.
“Aww, That’s cute, You’re learning to trash talk” Rainbow said, “Maybe I will take it easy on ya.”
“That’s not going to be necessary, We were required to excel at everything, I mean we have beaten you at every Friendship games.”
The group gasped.
“Firin’ some unnecessary shots there, Sugar” Applejack warned.
“No, It’s okay, Applejack, If Twin Princess wants to rile me up, She’ll see where that gets her.”
“See you at lunch” Twilight Grinned and she walked into the school, leaving the six other girls stunned.
“See?!” Sunset exclaimed, holding her arms up to indicate what just happened, “One day, she barely even talks, the next, she’s Miss Trash Talk! Something is going on with her!”
“It is Mighty strange, but we all go through our phases, like that one time Rainbow Dash got it in her head that she was the Hero of Canterlot Middle School.” Applejack explained.
“Hey, I was the Hero we deserved, just not the one we needed!”
“Still makes no sense, Sugar”
Sunset sighed, “I’m just worried about her, you know? Take it from someone who knows, being overwhelmed by magic is not good for your mental health.”
“She’s just copin’ the best that she can, Sunset, This will all blow over tomorrow trust me,” AJ assured.
“She almost beat me!”
It was the next day at Canterlot High School and Rainbow Dash was still lamenting her game with Twilight Sparkle. It was getting grating to the rest of her friends.
“Sugar, You won, I don’t see why you’re so riled!” Applejack said.
“Because she was good, Like scary good, Like, ‘She could replace me as team captain if I lost’ good!” Rainbow explained .
“I don’t see why that upsets you, Darling, you should be recruiting her if she’s really as good as you’re saying she is.”
“You don’t get it!” Rainbow Dash stood up and went to the front of the group, “ Twilight Sparkle can not be that good at Soccer!”
Rainbow was met with a silence from her friends. Rarity and Applejack were looking at the rainbow haired teen questioningly, Sunset and Fluttershy looked stunned for admittedly different reasons. Pinkie raised her hand.
“Yes, Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash droned.
“Didn’t The Princess also lose by just one point?”
Rainbow just sighed, “That was different! I was going easy on her, ya know? I was seeing if she had the guts to take down Sunset Shimmer!”
This was met with glares from 4 of the five teens. Rainbow Dash cleared her throat while adjusting her stance.
“Um… No-”
“I’m over it!” Sunset interrupted.
A long, awkward pause followed. Each of the girls fidgeted in place.
“Sorry, Rainbow…” Sunset finally said, “It’s just … It get’s old, you know?
“Oh, It’s perfectly understandable, Darling”
Sunset smiled and turned towards Rarity, “Thanks Rares.”
“It wasn’t me, Dear” Rarity said indicating something behind Sunset.
Sunset looked behind her to see Twilight Sparkle, Who had once again changed her entire look. Now she was wearing something closer to what her royal double would wear: A light blue blouse, with a lavender skirt showcasing Princess Twilight’s Cutie Mark. Her hair, as was usual for this week was styled in a complete divergence from how she usually styled it. Today it was styled to perfection, not a hair out of place and no curl without reason.
“Dear Sweet Celestia!” Sunset droned exasperatedly.
“Oh, So Sorry to butt in on the conversation, but I didn’t want Sunset to be in too sour of a mood” Twilight stated regally
“Um… Thanks...Twilight” Sunset said wearily.
“You feeling okay, Twi?” Rainbow asked.
“I’m feeling just marvelous Rainbow, and you? Oh, I hope you’re not taking any of the horrid things I said yesterday personally.” Twilight said the last statement with regal concern.
“Okay,” Sunset shouted, “What in the hay is going on here?”
“Ooh, she’s usin’ pony words, It’s serious,” Applejack stated.
Twilight and Sunset stood face to face for a minute. Sunset’s eyes furrowed in accusation, While Twilight stood there, frozen her hand up to cover her mouth in shock. Well it looked like shock, but in a few moments, the shock morphed into mirth and Twilight laughed in a way only the most refined and noble of women would, It scared Sunset a little bit.
“Oh, Sunset, darling, I haven’t the slightest clue what you’re talking about,” Twilight said with a dismissing wave.
“Oh, yes you do,” Sunset accused , “You’ve come to school with a different look for three days now!”
“Well, you can not blame a Lady for trying something new.”
“That’s another thing! Why are you talking like that?! You’re a book worm from Canterlot, not some socialite from Manehattan!”
Twilight Scoffed, “I came here expecting to socialize with my friends! I didn’t expect a Spanish inquisition!”
Pinkie took a breath only to be silenced by Twilight and Sunset’s collective glare. The Girls both looked back to each other. The standoff lasted until the bell rang. The Girls stared each other down some more.
“I will see you at lunch, Sunset,” Twilight said tersely, “If you’re feeling more civil”
Twilight walked into the school, Sunset kept her eyes on the lavender girl.
“Don’t think this is over, Sparkle,” Sunset announced, more to herself than anything, “I will get to the bottom of this”
The next morning, only 5 girls sat at the front of the school. The confrontation yesterday had them all on edge. Lunch wasn’t better, it seemed to harken back to the tense lunches they would have with Sunset after the Fall Formal.
“So,” Rainbow finally asked among the silence permeating the group, “Are you guys convinced something’s up with with Twilight,”
“Yeah, Ya got me there,” AppleJack admitted, “That girl’s flippier than a Flapjack”
“It is peculiar, how extremely different her phases were,” Rarity added
“She fit in them so… perfectly” Fluttershy said, “Like she didn’t even realize anything was different,”
“Well Howdy everyone,” A voice said walking up to everyone.
“Oh my Stars” Applejack droned as she saw the sight in front of her.
Twilight Sparkle admittedly looked cute in a stetson, what concerned Applejack and the rest of her friends was that Twilight also had a brown leather vest over her clothes from yesterday and a couple of purple Cowboy boots. Her hair was free flowing except for a red band tying her hair at the bottom.
“How on earth is she getting all those outfits?” Rarity wondered out loud.
“Why Twilight, If I didn’t know any better, I’d say there’s a bit of Apple in ya” Applejack teased.
“Aw, shucks, AJ, you’re just saying that,” Twilight said nervously, stepping a little closer to the entrance.
“Oh, Take it from an Apple cousin, you guys could be Twins!” Pinkie affirmed, before gasping, “We could have a twin Party! I mean, It’s going to be hard to do with seven People, but maybe I can talk my sister into-”
As Pinkie was talking Twilight snuck off into the school. As soon as she entered the building, Twilight bolted to her locker.
“Shoot, That was Close,” Twilight muttered, still having her southern drawl.
“So, are you willing to talk now?” Sunset asked from behind Twilight, scaring the poor girl.
“Sunset! You’re still tryin to interrogate me?” Twilight asked while failing spectacularly to keep eye contact.
“Twilight, you’re wearing a cute stetson and speaking in a southern accent, I think the Jig is up.”
Twilight sighed as she slumped her shoulders, “Is it really that noticeable?”
“I think you’d have to be Flash Sentry to not notice something off,” Sunset said with a smirk.
“All right, I’ll tell ya what’s going on,” Twilight said, “But you’re not gonna like it,”
“No,” Sunset affirmed while crossing her arms, “I don’t expect to.”
“I’ve sorta been, experimentin on the others’ magic for the last week”
Sunset narrowed her eyes at Twilight but let her continue.
“I thought I was doin’ all safe and controlled like…. Oh, Listen ta me, it sounds so silly when I’m talkin like this. When I would release my samples I would contain them, and observe. The Problem came when I had to clean up.”
Sunset sighed, “You didn’t know how to dispose of the specimens,”
Twilight put on a sheepish smile, “I figured that the energy would dissipate on it’s own, so I let it out slowly. I guess it was just finding it way to me. ”
“So what, you just released the magic into your room like a humidifier?” Sunset asked laconically.
Twilight nodded.
“Twilight, that is the single most irresponsible thing I’ve heard of either of you doing.” Sunset Started.
“Would ya mind not bringin The Princess inta this? It’s awkward enough as it is,” Twilight pleaded.
“You’re right, She would know what to do with magic, and She would know how volatile magic is,” Sunset said, her voice was not raised as she walked up to Twilight.
“But, The Princess and I had something that you don’t,” Sunset continued “We had a teacher to guide us and make sure we didn’t do anything stupid. I would like to be that kind of force for you.”
The two girls looked into each other's eyes. Twilight’s cheeks became flushed.
“I-I’d Like that, Sunset,”
The Bell Rang and students started filing into the high school, The two stood still in the middle of the chaos, frozen in each other's gaze.
“Get a Room you two!” Rainbow Dash’s voice called from behind, causing the two bookish girls to break up, “Geez, Sunset, it’s like you have a fetish for the color purple or something!”
“Rainbow Dash! That is so uncouth!” Rarity admonished.
Twilight cleared her throat and straightened her hat, “Well, I reckon it’s time for class, See ya girls at lunch!”
Twilight scurried over to her classroom, while Sunset stayed there with her arms crossed and glaring at Rainbow.
“So, the reason Twilight’s been actin’ weird was because of some magic Tomfoolery?” Applejack summed up the next morning.
“Eeyup” Sunset confirmed in a spot on impression of Applejack’s brother while leaning against a wall.
“Isn’t that dangerous?” Rarity asked, “I mean, we saw her get overwhelmed by magic once and that is not something I’d like to see again.”
“I don’t think we’ll see THAT again, but magic does have a way of punishing the ignorant,” Sunset sighed.
“Well, It’s a good thing that the samples were small!”
“Pinkie, How do you even…”
“I didn’t say anything, Sunny” Pinkie announced.
Sunset let a long groan out, and looked over to see Twilight in the dress from yesterday, but her hair in a mess of curls.
“Twilight…” Sunset Growled in exasperation.
“Aww, Don’t be that way, Sunny, I did have only one sample left. You can’t expect me to leave it untested!”
Sunset just let out a long suffering groan.
“You know what they say, Sunny: Discovery Requires Experimentation!”
Sunset stormed off into the school, presumably to drown herself in books until the day ended.