//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Awakening-part 1 // Story: Before The Party // by TheEveryDaySparkle //------------------------------// Pinkamena woke up with a smile on her face, as was usual for Ponyville High's most cheerful girl. She sat up in bed, stretching and yawning as she slipped off the covers and made her way to the bathroom to complete the daily routine. Once that was done, she began to slip off her pajamas and replace them with the clothes from her closet. Today she wore a pink short sleeve graphic shirt with a blue balloon on the front, a pair a pink sweatpants, and her favorite pink jean jacket given to her by her adoptive mother. Margaret had suggested she wear something a little bit more modern after seeing her wardrobe. The clothes she had brought from home were mostly dresses, and she thought she needed something a little more current. Pinkamena's mother told her that she could use clothes like these if she wanted to fit in a little better, and after only having been in town for a week before people started calling her a foreign exchange student, she knew she could use the clothes. It even helped a little bit with the selling of her pastries, as it allowed people to see her as a more approachable person. Not that her personality wasn't doing most of the work already. As she had finished putting on a pair of pink and white sneakers, she took one last look over her room, made sure it was clean and everything was in its proper place, and then she made her way downstairs to say good morning to the family. She hugged her parents, waved to the children, and then sat down in her seat to begin her breakfast. While at the table, many conversations were being held. From business talk to school to Pinkamena's friends. Once she had finished her breakfast, she waved goodbye to her parents, left, and, after sparing a wave to Obsidian, left the house with her friends, who had been waiting for her outside her home as they usually did everyday. One day they found that they all walk to school the same way, so they figured why not meet up and go? While on the way, they made plenty of conversation. In fact, they were in the middle of one right now. "Hey Rainbow, how do you think you did on yesterday's math test?" "I think I did a pretty good job." At that they all laughed. "If a 56 is what ya call a good job, sugar cube, then i'd hate to see what a terrible one is." Apple Jack joked. They all laughed some more while Rainbow was getting angrier. "Hey! I did good...They just...couldn't see how awesome I was!" Rainbow Dash denied. "You mean the awesomeness of your cheating?" Twilight joked alongside AJ. "Rainbow! What did I tell you about cheating, Darling?" Rarity said, flipping her hair. "Yeah, yeah, winners never cheat cuz cheaters never win, blah, blah, blah." "Why, I never! How could you possibly have ignored me? I was telling the truth, dear!" Rainbow put a finger to Rarity's nose. "I'm ignoring you because I did not cheat!" Twilight glared at her. "Oh yeah? then why did we find out that you had written the answers on your arm before the test? 'After' getting them from our schools resident bad girls 'The Dazzlings'?" Rainbow's eyes widened in shock. They had found out, right after the test in fact, because Apple Jack noticed it while they were walking and had forced her to tell them everything. She turned around, putting her hands behind her head as she closed her eyes, blushing in embarrassment, afraid to look either of the in the eye after that. "W-well, whatever! So I cheated! What about you?" She pointed to Fluttershy, who shrank back in fear. "I-i got an...eighty-five." She said, too afraid to speak any louder. "What?! You too?!" "See? If even she can get a good grade with how nervous she is, I know that you can too. But 'without' cheating next time." rainbow Dash sighed, defeated. "You're right Twilight. It's just...I was afraid that I would fail. I suck at math." Everyone felt sad about it now, and they huddled around Rainbow and hugged her. Sunset spoke up, letting her presence be known finally. "It's okay, Rainbow. We know it's hard. But, with the right tutor, you can get better." "That's right, and I know just who can help you!" Rainbow was excited now. "Really?! Who is it?!" Twilight frowned, disappointed that her friend didn't know. "It's me." Rainbow groaned. "Ugghhh, but you're so boring." "Well, too bad! You're stuck with me, so be ready to study like you're life depends on it!" "Um, I'll help you study Rainbow!" Pinkamena suddenly said. Rainbow turned around to face her. "Really? You'll help me! Aw, thanks! With you teaching me, i'll have it down in no time!" Twilight looked sad now. The two smartest girls in school, and she had to pick her. She had really been really looking forward to teaching her too. Why, oh why was fate so cruel? Then pinkamena spoke up again. "Uh, girls? That's nice and all, but if we don't hurry up, we're going to be late." She gestured toward the school building, which they had been standing outside of for quite a while. They all booked it to class immediately. Fortunately none of them were late, but they were really tired. So tired in fact that the only one of them that could still move without support was Rainbow, due to her constant athletic pursuits. She was forced to help her friends on their way to class.