Thankfully, the meeting with Pinkie was over quickly, and Twilight was able to rush off and find Flash. Thankfully, she managed to run into him not long after the start of her search. He was with Micro Chips, oddly enough, and having him sign something.
After the bespectacled boy finished signing, he handed the pen back to Flash and walked off. Flash turned and saw Twilight. His immediate reaction was to hide whatever it was that was just signed behind his back.
“Twilight, hey,” he greeted her, actually looking less composed. “What are you doing here?”
For a moment, her hopes rose. Maybe he hadn’t seen the poster...
“Wait... I think I know. This is about the picture of us, isn’t it?” His expression got awkward.
Twilight’s fear rose again. “Flash, please, it’s not what it looks like.”
Flash tilted his head. “Someone didn’t take a picture of us without us knowing and is using it to try and rile Sunset up?”
“...Okay, maybe it is what it looks like,” she said. “I’m sorry, Flash, I just thought you might think that I was only interested in you to get back at Sunset.”
“Why would I think that?” Flash asked looking genuinely confused. “Twilight, you didn’t ask me to do anything for you, I helped you entirely because I wanted to. And you didn’t know I was Sunset’s ex until afterward, unless you were a really good actor.”
Twilight felt herself blushing. “I... guess I was being a little ridiculous.” she admitted.
“Hey, with everything Sunset pulls, I’d say paranoia is the appropriate response to everything.” He smiled. “I was expecting her to try spreading that rumor anyway.”
“Well, then, I’m happy knowing you don’t believe it.” She felt awkward now. “I... suppose I better let you get back to your practice. The girls told me you usually do it around this time.”
“Yes, but why don’t we do something after school? I can show you what I’m working on for your campaign.”
Twilight tensed up. Okay, this was getting too serious. She needed to make her excuses and turn it down. “Well, Rarity asked me to come in after school for a fitting on my prom dress,” she said.
Flash’s smiled faltered. Twilight winced, but she kept it together. Okay, good, you have a completely valid excuse to say no that won’t hurt his feelings. This is the most painless way to do it. Now politely decline.
“But after that, she should have plenty of time!”
Twilight jumped in the air and whirled around to see that Rarity had followed her, and was standing behind her with a smug grin on her face.
“Oh, really?” Flash said.
“Oh yes, I should be done by six. You do remember where Carousel Boutique is, don’t you? I believe we have your tux ready anyway. You can pick it up.”
“That sounds good. Uh, that is, if Twilight is okay with it.”
Twilight, who was still shocked at Rarity’s interference, was too surprised to carefully craft her answer.
“Uh, sure, that sounds great.”
“Cool. I’ll see you then.” Flash went off down the hall, with the two girls waving her goodbye.
There was a moment of silence after he disappeared around the corner. Then Twilight spoke slowly.
“Rarity... why did you do that?”
“I think a better question is, why wouldn’t I? Flash Sentry’s a gentlemen of the utmost caliber, I simply couldn’t allow you to turn down his invitation.”
Twilight glared at Rarity, but ended up giving a sigh. “Shouldn’t you be tracking down who took that photo?”
“Already did. It was a freshman named Diamond Tiara took them. Thought she’d be helping you out. And by the looks of things, she was right.”
“I don’t care. I don’t want to treat Flash like a prize!”
But as those words spilled out, her words to the Keeper came into her mind. Tools, but willing tools.
“Flash doesn’t seem to mind.”
“...I guess not, but... it’s complicated.”
“Whatever you say. I still think you’ll thank me later. So, I’ll give you a ride to my shop and fix you up quickly.”
“Fine... but will it really take an hour and a half to fit my dress?”
Rarity shuffled a bit. “Well, no... but I agreed to make dresses for Applejack and Pinkie as well, and I don’t want to be alone with them.”
Hearing this, Twilight perked up. “Really? Did you agree to make dresses for them?”
Rarity blushed. “Because they’re helping you, obviously.”
Twilight smiled. “Okay then. Well, I hope you told Diamond Tiara not to take any more photos without my permission.”
“I did. I reported it to your aunt. But that girl’s growing up to be another Sunset Shimmer. She’s been bullying my sister throughout middle school. She’ll likely try again before too long.”
Twilight rubbed her head. “Yeah, okay. Thanks, Rarity.”
“No problem. Now I have to get to class, but I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you later, Rarity.”
With that, Rarity left, leaving Twilight alone in the hallway. It was still somewhat busy, but even with several students having a free period around this time, it was remarkably empty.
Okay, Twilight, no need to panic. Rarity just forced you into a date that you know is just going to make harder when you do break it up with him at the end of the week... wonderful.
“Hey, hey, Twilight!”
Twilight turned at the sound of Rainbow Dash coming up to her. She looked happy, happier than Twilight had seen this version of her.
“I saw that picture. Way to go,” she playfully smacked Twilight on the arm.
Twilight blushed. “If you’re talking about me wanting to rub it in Sunset’s face, don’t. I never approved of that picture.”
“Well, there is that, but you got Flash Sentry on your arm. Not only is he the hottest guy in school, but Sunset practically kills anyone who so much at looks at him.”
“Yeah, well, I’m already putting myself in trouble running against her, aren’t I?” Twilight suddenly smiled. “Why don’t you come by the gym tomorrow morning and help us? We’re all unloading some stuff for my campaign?”
“Sure. Uh, wait, who’s this us you’re talking about?”
“Well, honestly, it’s Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie...”
“Wait, seriously?” Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight with shock. “You actually got them all to work together?”
Twilight nodded. “It seems that they don’t like Sunset enough that they’re willing to work together to take her down. Why don’t you join in?”
There was a moment of silence. Rainbow Dash smiled a bit. “It would be almost like old times. The only one missing is Fluttershy.”
“Oh, Fluttershy is going to be there too.”
It was like flicking a switch. At one moment, Rainbow Dash looked happy. Then her face fell. “What?”
Twilight blinked at the flat reaction, but kept going. “Uh, yeah, I asked her a bit earlier. She agreed to help us. She’s going to...”
Almost instantly she found herself shoved back into the lockers. Rainbow Dash had a hand on her throat, and while she wasn’t truly choking her yet, it was making it a bit harder to breathe.
“Listen to me,” she said. “Keep Fluttershy out of this.”
Twilight was too stunned by the attack to respond right away. But after collecting herself, she managed to get a word out. “Why?”
“You can risk yourself all you want, but you leave Fluttershy out of trouble. I already ga... I don’t want to see her get hurt!”
“Then... then why did you stop talking to her?”
A flash of blue and there was a pain in Twilight’s cheek. She fell to the tile floor. By the time she collected her bearing, Rainbow Dash was gone, and there were two new girls in her place.
“Twilight!” Applejack said, bending down to her level, Pinkie Pie right next to her.
“Uh... Applejack? Pinkie?” Twilight moaned.
The cowgirl examined her, looking worried. “You alright? Nothin’ looks too bruised.”
“Uh... yeah, I’m fine.” She just noticed that Rainbow Dash truly didn’t hit her that hard. In fact, now that she thought about it, her fall to the ground had been more from her pushing her than anything else.
“Oh good. For a second there, I was afraid you had got bruised, and that would not have looked good in any campaign photos.”
Applejack nodded in consent. “Yeah, looks like yer okay... I can’t believe that Rainbow Dash! Why on earth would she hit you like that?”
“I... I mentioned Fluttershy was helping me and she went crazy. She told me to leave Fluttershy out of it.”
Now both girls looked confused, even as she helped Twilight to her feet. “Wha? Why?”
“She said she doesn’t want her getting into trouble.”
Now both girls looked at her like she had grown an extra head. “But... that... if she still cares about Fluttershy, then why the hay did she stop talkin’ to her?”
“Asking her that was what got her to hit me.”
“Whoa, that’s super weird!” Pinkie said.
“Yeah, crazy. Well, at least you can tell yer Aunt about this. I can act like a witness...”
“No.”
Applejack blinked. “No? Whaddya mean no?”
“I mean no, not yet. Don’t tell my aunt about this yet.”
“Why the hay not?”
“I... I can’t explain just yet. Please, I’m asking you two to trust me on this.”
Applejack was silent for a moment. “Yeah... okay Twi. I’ll go along fer now.”
Pinkie was looking at her with that same unreadable expression. But she spoke too. “Okay. If you say so, Twilight.”
“Now, we better get you to the nurse,” Applejack said. “Just in case.”
“...Yeah, okay,” she said at last. Twilight allowed herself to be escorted down the hall, her mind racing at what had just happened. It seemed that Rainbow Dash was still one piece of the puzzle that hadn’t come together. Things just couldn’t seem to ever be easy for her.
Then again, as she walked, she couldn’t help but realize that Applejack and Pinkie weren’t cringing at each other anymore. Oh, they weren’t speaking to each other, but they seemed to be getting more comfortable with each other.
She smiled. Maybe the pieces were coming together better than she thought.
Nurse Golden Cross was a small, pretty woman with blonde hair and white skin. She was a bit surprised when Twilight entered her office.
“Well hello there. You must be Principal Celestia’s niece. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Yes, that’s me. I’m just here to get an injury looked over.”
“Oh? An injury from what?”
“I ran into an open locker door,” Twilight said quickly.
Golden Cross arched an eyebrow. “Ran into a locker?”
Applejack spoke up, apparently having decided to go with it. “My fault, ma’am. I didn’t see her coming when I opened my locker door. We just wanted to make sure there wasn’t going to be any bruising.”
The nurse looked at Twilight for a moment, but eventually nodded. “Yes, yes, okay. Come here and sit down.”
Twilight obeyed, sitting on the examination table. Golden Cross took her head gently and began to inspect it. “So, why have your aunts never mentioned you before?”
“Oh, well... I don’t know. It just never came up before, I guess.” Twilight really hoped she wouldn’t press any further. Unfortunately, she did.
“Come to think of it, they never mentioned having a brother or another sister,” Golden went on. “And they talk about their childhood quite a bit.”
“...Well, I guess they weren’t really close as children,” Twilight said, really hoping she wouldn’t press.
Fortunately, she didn’t. She looked at Twilight’s face. “A little red, but it should go down in a few hours. There should be no swelling or bruise. But if you’re that self-conscious, you might want to apply a little makeup for the rest of the day.”
“I don’t really wear makeup,” Twilight said. “It’s just a few hours, I’ll be fine.”
“Alright then. Now, you’re sure this was just you running into a locker?”
“...Of course.” Please don’t press. Please don’t press... “It was a mistake. Could happen to anyp... body.”
Twilight tensed up, hoping her slip hadn’t been noticed.
“Well, if that’s all you came here for, you don’t have to worry. There should be no bruising.”
Twilight would have breathed a sigh of relief, but she was afraid even that would give her away. “Well, thank you. Class is starting soon, so I better get going.”
“Of course,” the nurse said. “If you get hurt again, you can come straight here.”
Twilight left as quickly as she dared, Pinkie and Applejack following her.
“Guess we better get to class,” Applejack said. “But... what are we gonna do? You still want Fluttershy there after what Rainbow did?”
“Yes,” Twilight said without hesitation.
“Uh, Twi? Why on earth do you care so much?”
“I’m going to need all the help I can get,” Twilight said. “And besides, I think it’s pretty obvious those two stopped talking because of Sunset. She did something, and I’m going to find out what.”