“No enemy is beneath your notice.”
- Poison Pen
The air had gotten colder, but the leaves in the Lunar Meditation Garden to the west of the school hadn’t started to turn when Lemon Hearts came up again for air. It had been a blur of classes and volunteer work with the weekends set aside for study or for hanging out with her old friends she’d met on her first day. Minuette and Twinkleshine were a lot of fun, especially when they invited her to their—
What is he? Shining Armor’s roommate from two years ago? Something like that?
— friend’s Ogres and Oubliettes game.
They'd only just started, but Gaffer could tell a story, and she adored her little batpony Outcast. Nightblossom helped her to keep a leash on Sour Lemon.
As she trotted home from a climactic encounter with the Lich Princess of Coltdon, she found herself humming a little. The darkening colors of evening settled around her, and she began juggling her O&O notes around her, carefully wrapped in her raspberry-colored magic.
“Looks like you got a great handle on that, Lemon.”
She didn't quite drop them. She did, however, give a little shriek of surprise.
Raspberry Tart laughed, and stood up from a nearby bench. “Haven't seen you since the poison joke debacle. Shame about Aster, he was a good colt.”
Lemon struggled to get her breathing under control. It felt like she'd wedged her head into too narrow a space. Again.
“Gosh, you're high-strung. You need to relax a little.”
“Not. That. Gardens. Empty. This time. Of day.” Lemon gasped.
Raspberry laughed as she sat down on the chilly ground. “Yeah, they are. Great for quiet conversation, though. Pull up some sod, Hearts. Let's talk.”
Nervously, Lemon did.
The competition for Autumn Liege was getting heated. With midterms coming, those on the outs for one reason or another had taken to trying to scupper those ahead of them to try and stay in the game.
Raspberry wasn't involved, of course. Being the granddaughter of Dean Slate would be, as she’d phrased it, “an adorable little conflict of interest” for the professors. Still, she kept up-to-date with the standings.
Predictably, Sunset Shimmer was right on top. Despite her professed reluctance, it seemed that nopony could overtake her.
Downright astounding however, was how high Lemon Hearts was in the rankings, trailing Sunset only by a few percentage points. Her volunteer work made her popular, and her lab work, while not stellar, was certainly head-and-shoulders over the rest.
“Listen kid, if you really get going, I think you got a shot. I'm putting in a word to Professors Marks and Gate—”
“‘Gate’?”
Raspberry raised an eyebrow. “Professor Logic Gate?” She waived the name aside. “Forget it. I'm in the loop with several ponies who'd really like to see a changing of the guard. Nothing against Sunset, but when the Princess’s apprentice wins over and over, it looks bad, y’know?”
Lemon nodded. “Looks like favoritism.”
“Precisely,” grinned Raspberry. “Anyway, if you wanna close the gap, lemme give you some advice. Find a tutor who can help with your weak fields, and find a way to showcase your special talent. Something that'll blow the school's freaking mind, you got me? And stand straighter, kid. You’ve got a rep now. Use it.”
With that, Raspberry left, leaving Lemon with her thoughts.
An errant gust of wind caught her notebook, and riffled pages. She didn't notice.
* * * *
“Oh, I'd be honored, Lemon Hearts!” Sunset gushed, refilling Lemon’s teacup. They’d met in the student commons closest to Sunset’s apartment for tea. “Between you and me, I completely agree with Raspberry Tart. Just the other day, I was telling Celestia that it's so unfair to the other students. I know I'm popular, but gosh.”
Sunset leaned in close, and nudged Lemon Hearts. “Give other ponies a chance, huh? Absolutely! And could you imagine how good it'd look for a first-year like you to get it?”
Sunset chuckled, and pulled Lemon into her mirth. As they laughed together, Sunset sighed, “Now, what subjects did you need to find a tutor for? I know everypony, so I'll get you the best!”
“Um, Equestrian History, Alteration Theory and Application, and Psychology.”
Sunset blinked owlishly as she pulled a notebook out of her saddlebag with her magic. “I see. Well, let's think about this.” She started leafing through it, saying, “I've got Briar Patch for Alteration, he's good. And Moss Song’s consistently posting high marks in Psychology. History… that's gotta be Green Fields. He's the only other—”
“I spoke to all of them already. They all said the same thing, you're the best.”
Sunset smiled distantly. “Oh, they did? How nice of them to say so! Well, I hate to say it,” she said, shrugging, “but it's true. But they're a lot like you, honey. That's why they'd be such a good fit.”
Lemon took a deep breath, and straightened her shoulders. “Miss Shimmer, I’d like for it to be you.”
Sunset froze, and gazed up from her notebook. She lifted her teacup, and took a sip. After a moment, she looked Lemon dead in the eye, her face impassive and grave, like a statue in the Royal Gardens.
Lemon Hearts kept her breathing steady, and didn’t look away.
“Are you sure? I’m the frontrunner for Autumn Liege. Aren’t you worried about conflicts of interest?”
Lemon swallowed. “Honestly? No. I trust the Princess’s judgement. She’d never have taken you on as her apprentice if she didn’t think you were worth it. I can’t believe that somepony who’d serve the Princess would be so dishonest.”
Sunset smiled, and extended her hoof. “Then I believe we can deal.”
Lemon Hearts hopped over and wrapped Sunset in a hug. “Thank you, Miss Shimmer! I won’t let you down.”
Sunset pushed Lemon back, and took a deep breath. “I'm sure you won’t. And please, Lemon…”
She was smiling, but the warmth didn’t reach her eyes.
“No touching.”