Block 2
Sonata took a seat near the back of the classroom and fiddled nervously with her pen as she watched the other students trickle in. Many looked at her with a scathing glare, or simply muttered between one another as they shot a hateful look in her direction.
She sunk herself into her chair in a vain attempt to hide.
"Are you alright there sugar cube?" a voice asked and the former siren looked up to see one of the Rainbooms sitting in the seat beside her, looking concerned.
"It's nothing... um what was your name again?" Sonata asked.
The other girl tipped her Stetson towards her in greeting. "My name's Applejack and your Sonata right?"
"Yeah, I'm really sorry about the battle of the bands and all the brainwashing and..." Sonata apologized hastly.
"Now none of that, you can make it up to everyone in your own time," Applejack replied reassuringly. "My friends and I plan to help you through it as best we can, and the first step is get you used to proper school life."
"Um, how do we do that?" Sonata asked curiously.
"By having you learn and doing well in class, if folks see you as a regular student, they'll start to warm up to you." Applejack explained.
"Oh, good idea!" the siren replied and began to focus as the teacher walked in.
________________________________________
"Learning makes my brain hurt..." Sonata groaned as the bell rang.
"You'll get used to it." Applejack chuckled. "How about you join the girls and I for lunch?"
"Really?" Sonata excitedly replied but hesitated slightly, her grin falling. "I mean, if everyone doesn't mind..."
"We're helping you remember? 'Course they won't mind." Applejack stated simply and led Sonata to the cafeteria.
Block 3
Sonata stood at the front of class and fidgeted nervously as the other students took their seats. Miss Prose walked in, another teacher wheeled in a stand with a television and a DVD player on it. It was plugged in and set up while the english teacher addressed the class.
"Now everyone, we have a new student joining us, this is Sonata Dusk. She was with a bad crowd, I'm sure you know the details, but this nice young lady just wants to learn and make up for the battle of the bands incident."
Miss Prose paused and smiled at her new student before focusing a more stern look at the rest of the class.
"I will not tolerate bullying in my classroom, if I get word of anyone tormenting Sonata, be it during school hours or not, the individuals responsible get detention, with me. Are we clear?"
A chorus of "Yes Miss Prose" answered back.
"Wonderful, now Sonata, feel free to take a seat and we'll begin today's lesson."
"Now then," Miss Prose began. "For the next two weeks we'll be doing everyone's favourite subject, Shakespeare!'
As a few students, including Rainbow Dash groaned or grimaced at the idea. Their teacher chuckled.
"Relax, I picked the interesting one, today we'll be watching Macbeth, once you understand the story from a more up-to-date film, then we'll look at the play, and yes I brought translations."
Block 4
Sonata sat on the lower seats of the gymnasium stand, silently crying as the brash teen called Gilda insulted and mocked her. The siren was left speechless as several other students looked down at her, their contempt towards her filled the very air, the negative emotions directed at her hurt. It clawed at her body and the starving girl tried to eat it but all it did was cause her to flinch and cry some more as a sharp ache ran through her stomach.
A voice snapped back at the hostile group as a green skinned, green haired girl marched up to Gilda and began a tirade of her own. Another girl, with cream coloured skin and blue and purple hair joined in soon after.
Sonata sniffed and wiped her eyes. She looked up to see a young girl with grey skin and messy yellow hair stand between the two arguing groups and with a bright smile she politely reminded everyone that the gym teacher would be here soon.
Gilda looked at the girl for a moment before she huffed and walked off.
After school, Lyra and Bon Bon half encouraged, half dragged Sonata to a classroom where several other students were doing all manner of fun activities. The siren stared wide-eyed at the board games, puzzles and the small performance about a human in a world of monsters acted out a trio of much younger students.
"Ok everyone, I got snacks," Miss Prose announced as she walked in triumphantly with several bags of treats and cans of soda. "S.E.E.S is back in full swing for the term."
A cheer went up as the student body stopped what they were doing to browse through the food.
Two of the three children stopped their act and rushed to join the others while the third was in the middle of her lines. "-are you there? It's me, your best friend Asri-Hey no fair! Apple Bloom, Scootaloo! Wait for me."
"Sorry Sweetie Belle." Her friends replied.
Sonata turned to Derpy, who was patiently watching the former Dazzling with a kind smile, Sonata didn't really know what to think. "What is all this?"
"S.E.E.S, the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad," Derpy explained brightly. "A club designed by Miss Prose to allow students to have fun and make friends at their own pace. To enjoy what they like without criticism or discrimination."
"It looks like fun, I am allowed to join?" Sonata asked.
"Of course you can! You're already here aren't you?" the wall eyed girl replied and guided the new student further into the room. "I'll introduce you!"