ACT THREE
The students all sat on the benches while Rainbow and Garfield stood in the field; Garfield removed his cape and tossed it aside on the ground.
“Give it your best, Rainbow!” Pinkie called from the stands.
“You go, girl” added Applejack “Score one for friendship.”
Rainbow turned back to face her friends and gave them all a high thumb, “Piece of cake. I can handle this standing on my head.”
Garfield snickered softly, prompting Rainbow to ask “What’s so funny?”
“Just that you and your friends act and talk like such little kids.” replied Garfield.
“Say what?!” snapped Rainbow.
The Murakami’s all sighed, “Oh, boy, here we go again.” said Dick. “He does this every time.” added Kori.
The Equestrians didn’t like the sound of that, while down on the field, Garfield was laying out the rules…
“This will be a simple game. First player to get three points wins.”
“Fine by me.” agreed Rainbow “If you only knew what you were up against, you’d walk away now.”
A song began to play in the background…
Her friends cheered from the sidelines, and Vic stepped onto the field to throw the ball out. “Ready?” he asked, and he threw it down, and the two players went crazy!
Rainbow managed to steal the ball first and made a dive for the goal, but Garfield managed to catch up to her and steal it. For someone so skinny and pale looking he sure had some sweet moves, and he scored the first goal, much to Rainbow’s outrage, and the friends’ shock.
“Don’t give in Rainbow!” shouted Rarity, and in one of her freak-outs she screamed, “Just get in there and KICK HIS MISERABLE CAN!!”
The others all gawked at her for that outburst, and she settled down feeling rather embarrassed.
“Isn’t that cute?” Garfield mocked at Rainbow “You’ve got your own cheerleading squad.”
Rainbow felt her rage growing. Then Vic threw the ball back out to start the next round. “I’m show you!” she snarled to Garfield as she took the ball and made another b-line for the goal.
The Js started to cheer for Rainbow, “Show that freak who’s boss!” shouted Jackie.
“You hear that, Brat Boy!” Jillian taunted at Garfield, hoping to distract him, unfortunately, it didn’t…!
Rainbow kicked the ball hard sending it straight for the goal, but Garfield slipped round her and actually intercepted it and kicked it clear to the other side of the field, hitting the other goal post.
“What the!” snapped Rainbow.
The others were all astonished! “Wow, he’s amazing.” Terra said as she gazed at him rather deeply, much to the disgust of the Js.
“That’s simple mathematics and calculations. They can do wonders.” said Garfield “Maybe you should try it sometime instead of goofing off with your little friends!”
Rainbow turned bright red with rage as steam shot of her ear. “Okay…! No more Ms. Nice girl!” She was all pumped up now, and ready to retake the score!
“Wow, she looks almost creepy.” said Raven. “Mmm… I like it.” added Kato, and they both held hands and went into a state of a trance to absorb the negativity from the atmosphere. The others all rolled their eyes and focus back to the match.
Vic threw the ball back into the field for the match point, and Garfield managed to get it first and he headed straight for the goal, but suddenly he felt woozy again, which gave Rainbow the chance to steal the ball and kick it all the way to the goal post.
“GOAL!!” she shouted with glee.
“A lucky break…” Garfield grumbled, and he rubbed his eyes behind his shades grumbling to himself, “Come on… wake up!”
Next round, Rainbow scored again, tying the score 2 to 2. Her friends cheered like crazy from the sidelines. “What do you say now?” Rainbow said to Garfield, but Garfield didn’t answer her. He just stood here he was catching his breath, and looked as if he were about to pass out. “You okay?”
He brushed himself awake, “I’m fine! You just worry about the game! Okay?!”
Rainbow growled fiercely.
“Okay, this is it…” said Vic “Whoever scores this one wins it all.” and he threw the ball in. Both Rainbow and Garfield dove for it. Garfield got it first, but as he was about to score Rainbow took it from him. Then just as she was about to score, Garfield got it from her.
They both kept stealing the ball back and forth so fiercely, the suspense was really building up.
Rarity could hardly take it, and applejack fanned herself with her hat.
“I don’t believe this! They’re going crazy!” cried Sunset.
“They’ll knock themselves to bits.” added Dick!
Finally, the ball soared way up high, and both Rainbow and Garfield, roaring loudly and fiercely, both jumped for it, and their feet both hit the sides of the ball at the same time for hard… POW!! The ball burst like a balloon!
Everyone gasped in such horror.
Rainbow and Garfield stood on the field panting stressfully.
Vic stepped in, “I think you should call the game, on the count of… you know.”
“What?!” snapped Rainbow, “But I was just about to make a mega comeback!”
Garfield, not seeming to mind at all went over to his cape and put it back on, “It was called as a tie. So let’s leave at that. Besides, I already got what I needed to know anyway.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve figured out your style: You gain motivation from your friends cheering you from the sides, and when you combine all that with lame moves like what you just pulled, I can’t help but feel sorry for anyone who would want to be friends with you or them!”
Rainbow felt pushed, as did all the others as they approached her.
“Hey, man! What’s with you?” asked Flash “You played a fine game, there’s no need to talk down to people like that.”
“Flash is right, Garfield…” said Twilight “It doesn’t have to be so serious.”
The others all agreed, event he Murakamis, but Garfield scoffed, “Whatever. I’ve got stuff to do.” and then he walked off. “Wait…” Twilight called “You don’t know where I live. I’m supposed to take you home with me tonight.”
“Yeah, and what about the big party at my place!” Pinkie hollered, but Garfield just continued to walk away and didn’t even stop to answer.
“How dreadfully rude!” grumbled Rarity.
“Just let him go.” said Vic “He’s not worth the time. He makes the goths look like angels.” He turned to face the goths, “No offense, guys…”
“None taken.” replied the goths, but they looked rather disturbed anyway.
Terra kept looking at Garfield until he disappeared around the corner and out of sight. “Are you still ogling him?” asked Jackie. “Eh… No, I wasn’t ogling.”
“You totally were.” snapped Jillian. “The dude is a freak and a loser!”
“Hey, hey, hey!” snapped Applejack “Don’t ya think that’s goin’ a bit too far?”
“Nobody asked you!” Jackie sneered. Then she and Jillian decided to go shopping for the afternoon and skip on Pinkie Pie’s party, but Terra decided to stay. “Fine, do what you want.” said Jillian.
Flash sighed, “I better go with them, so I can take them home with me after.”
“And I thought Garfield had issues.” said Raven.
The others could only remain silent, not knowing what to say or think…
…Until much later on, in Pinkie Pie’s backyard, when the party began! “WHEE-WHOO!” she shouted as the music played and everyone got into the moods.
Well… most everyone.
The goths stayed, but were only catching up on reading somber story novels. “Come on, you two. Don’t ya wanna shake a leg and party with us?” asked Applejack. “You party the way you wish to, and we’ll party our own way.” replied Kato.
“Oh… well… okay then.” said Fluttershy, then she whispered to Applejack, “I don’t think they know how to have that much fun.”
“Never mind that… I’m sure in a while we can get ‘em to come out of their shells.”
The rest of the gang seemed to be enjoying the party. Vic was acting as a disc jockey and spinning the discs in a groovy tune. “Ah, yeah… sock it to me baby.”
Rainbow responded by strumming her guitar.
Sunset and Rarity treated Dick and Kori to a game of Bache Ball. They played on teams, with their corresponding matched up student.
Dick managed to get his ball closer to the marker than any of them, but Kori skillfully rolled her ball, and knocking Dick’s out of the way. “Hey!” snapped Dick.
Kori giggled and slapped a high-five with Rarity, but Dick suddenly found himself enraptured with Kori again, he couldn’t stop looking at her.
Sunset gave him a small nudge, meaning she knew he obviously liked her and to go for it or something, but Dick shook his head, unable to bring himself to ask Kori out or anything.
Sunset nudged him again, telling him to go for it, but again, Dick shook his head.
Sunset sighed.
Terra had a rather ravenous appetite. She was piling her third plate of morsel after morsel. “Wow, I’ve never seen someone eat like that.” said Twilight.
Terra swallowed her food and said “I eat when I’m nervous. I’m still kind of getting used to this. You know, new town, new school.”
Twilight was more than able to sympathize with Terra. Having heard her story earlier when the party began; how she felt like an outcast, wanting to be accepted.
“Well, you can fit it well with all of us.” said Twilight “I used to be just like you, but then Sunset and the others showed me how to embrace friendship.”
“How did they do that?” Terra asked.
Twilight pondered a moment, keeping in mind to leave all the magic and excitement out of the question. “Well, um… they just wanted to be my friends. They kept on reaching out to me no matter how much I wouldn’t accept it at first, and after a while I began to fit in better than I ever imagined, and began to see whole new views of life.”
As expected, Terra wasn’t as sure as she looked down at her dish of food. “How can you believe all that?” she asked.
With that, all of the other Equestrians stopped right where they were and turned to face her. Given their reputations, and history, they didn’t like it when someone questioned the power friendship.
“Sounds to me like you haven’t learned what real friendship is all about.” said Fluttershy.
“That’s what we all keep tellin’ her.” said Vic “And before you say it… I don’t think the Js count. They don’t seem to be the right kind of friends you should be having. They don’t get good grades and they talk down to anyone they want, just for quick thrills.”
“You mean like, Garifeld?” asked Rainbow “He didn’t have any problems shooting his mouth off at us.”
The mention of Garfield’s name made both Terra and Twilight look deeply concerned. Twilight was worried about where Garfield was and how she’d bring him home. It was bad enough she didn’t know where he was, but his attitude… she didn’t know what the rest of her family would think of him.
Terra was actually thinking the same thing, but also why Garfield was so hostile with everyone.
That was something her fellow Murakamis and the Equestrians wanted to know.
“I think if anyone needed help with friendship, it should be him.” said Rarity. “I still don’t know what to do with the outfit I made for him.”
“Well, maybe we all got off on the wrong foot with Garfield?” said Pinkie “Maybe if we try being nicer to him, he might open up.”
Everyone felt totally skeptical about such a thing, but figuring maybe a few friendship-lessons and understand would help, the Equestrians agreed to try.
“You all sound like your some kind of friendship squad or something.” said Raven. The girls all acted sly to keep their secret safe. “We… just have a knack for friendship and helping, that’s all.” said Sunset.
The Murakamis felt something amiss, but seeing as they couldn’t prove anything and were all just glad to be making such nice new friends, they let it go for now.
It wasn’t until sundown by the time Pinkie’s party broke up, and everyone decided to head home with their new friends, except for Raven who was assigned to Pinkie. She would stay.
Kato bid his girlfriend goodnight. “I’ll try contacting you through the darkness when I get settled in.”
“You better, or I’ll put a thousand year curse on you.”
They shared a small kiss, which some of the girls awed at.
Then everyone began to head off, but Twilight was still worried where Garfield was. “I hope he’s alright, wherever he is.”
It still amazed everyone that she was willing to show some compassion to a guy who was rude to her and her friends, enough to want to kick him to the moon, but no one questioned her.
Dick, however, looked over at Kori as she walked off with Rarity, but Kori stopped a moment and looked back at him, making him blush. “Um… eh… goodnight, Kori.” he said trying not to sound embarrassed.
“See you tomorrow, Dick.” replied Kori, and she winked at him, making him really blush.
Rarity couldn’t help but giggle at how cute he looked, and then they walked off down the street, while the others all gave Dick a playful look.
“Look whose Mister Casanova.” Vic joked. “Heh! Good one.” said Rainbow, and they slapped a high-five, but Dick was starting to feel annoyed. “Hey… come on.” Sunset said as she guided him down the street.
Soon everyone was gone, leaving Pinkie and Raven alone. Pinkie was bouncing most giddily. “Ooh, this is going to be so exciting! It’ll be like having another sister around! We can tell stories late at night, watch home movies, or even plan another party. No, two parties… maybe even ten!!”
Raven could only sigh, “It’s going to be a long night.”
That’s when Pinkie’s sister, Maud Pie showed up behind her and said in the same deep emotionless tone, “It’ll all blow over. You’ll sleep just like a rock. Trust me.”
Raven could only sigh… again!
Meanwhile, the two couples aboard the Zepelin were still relaxing, their faces were unseen.
“Any word from our agents, yet?” one of the men asked.
“Messages just came in…” replied his wife “It’s not very good so far.”
The couples viewed all the messages their agents had sent them, and even viewed pictures of the school the agents had taken.
“This is all useless.” the other man grumbled “It’s just a plain ordinary school. There’s nothing that helps us here.”
His wife patted his hand, “Now, now, dear… it’s only been one day. Let’s not judge upon first glances.”
Her husband apologized for sounding gruff, still all the adults were concerned about one thing. “The boy is there too…” the other wife said “That could be most unfortunate, for us as well as himself.”
Her husband assured her, “There is little he can do, just as there was little he could do twelve years ago.”
“Ah, I remember that well. Things could have gone so smoothly.” his wife said.
Their colleagues agreed while snickering softly, and all four adults decided to continue their work and observations for their plans.