It was an ordinary day at Canterlot High. The Rainbooms and some of the other students were going about chemistry class as they normally would. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle were two of the few students who would answer questions. Rainbow Dash spent most of the class drawing trophies and #1 symbols in her note book rather than taking notes. Pinkie Pie kept getting distracted by the colorful chemicals inside the beakers, Rarity and Fluttershy talked about some ideas for the next fashion show and Applejack was one of the few students who tried their best not to fall asleep.
This continued until Ms. Cheerilee made an announcement.
"OK, class. For the basics of elements assignment due in two weeks, you'll have to pair up with someone!" She reminded the class. "Don't forget, it's worth 1/3 of your grade!"
Most of the students got into obvious pairs: Lyra paired up with BonBon, Octavia with Vinyl Scratch, and Snips and Snails. Trixie paired up with Flash Sentry, mostly because she'd rather not have one of the Rainbooms as her lab partner, and he was the only student who appealed to her at that moment. Now there was only the Rainbooms and one other student. Only thing is, none of them wants to be paired up with him. He was one of, if not the laziest, student at CHS; Zephyr Breeze.
A few minutes later, after the late Bell rang, the Rainbooms were arguing over who has to be "cursed" as Zephyr's lab partner in the band room.
"There's no way in hell am I doing it!!" Rainbow yelled out. "I already have to deal with him trying to hit up on me twenty times a day!"
"Well, I do not wish to have that burden on me, either!" Rarity complained. "He'll practically leave me to do all the work, and that is not how to treat a lady!"
"Figures you'd say that." Applejack remarked. "But I honestly have to agree with Rarity on this one. He's just too darn lazy!"
Just then, all of the girls looked over at Fluttershy, who was busy fiddling with her thumbs.
"W-why are you all looking at me?" She asked with a hint of fear.
"Well you are Zephyr's big sister. Maybe you can be his lab partner?" Sunset suggested.
"No offence to your suggestion, Sunset. But I can't handle living with him, let alone being his lab partner!" Fluttershy grumbled the last part to herself.
"Oh. I see." Sunset deadpanned. " So how do we decide this?"
The girls thought for a minute before Pinkie shot her hand up in the air.
"Ooh, ooh, I got it! We play Rock, Paper, Scissors: TO THE DEATH!!" She shouted. "The ultimate loser has to be Zephyr's lab partner!"
Twilight was the first to speak about the idea. "Uh, that's a nice idea, Pinkie. But I'm pretty sure there's going to be more than one loser."
That was something all of the Rainbooms had to take into consideration for a minute.
"Then let's switch things up a bit! The ultimate winner has to be Zephyr's partner!" Applejack corrected with delight.
"What. The actual. Hell?!" Rainbow growled. "That literally takes the whole fun out of winning!" She said while crossing her arms with frustration.
"That may be true, but at least there'll only be one winner instead of multiple losers." Sunset pointed out.
"Besides, it's not all the time the loser gets to have a bit of fun." Rarity added.
The rest of the girls nodded with agreement and began to set up arrangements for the game.
After randomly deciding who goes against who, the Rainbooms split up into two groups of two and one group of three. Applejack explained the rule of the game.
"Alright, y'all, here's how this is gonna work. The two girls in a pair go against each other, and the 'winner' moves on. As for the threesome, if one of y'all wins, you move on automatically. But if two you win, y'all have to go against each other. And no cheatin'!" Applejack gave an "I'm watching you!" look towards Rainbow Dash.
"Don't worry! I don't have to cheat to win!" Rainbow said with confidence.
"You mean lose?" Sunset pointed out.
"Yeah, that's what I meant." Rainbow groaned. The fact that she hated losing alone was almost enough to make her not want to play. But she wanted to prove to the girls that she can still win, even if it meant losing in this case.
Then Rainbow came up with an idea.
"Hey, since Rarity mentioned that the losers get to have some fun, the two people who lose after their matches have to become lab partners!"
Applejack rolled her eyes and sighed. "Who else saw this comin'?" She asked. The other girls raised their hands.
"Oh come on! I can't be that obvious!" Rainbow yelled.
"Honestly, Rainbow! You do this every time you think you're going to lose!" Rarity said with an annoyed tone.
"I don't think I'm gonna lose!" Rainbow snapped.
"We can pick on Rainbow's sore loser attitude later. Right now I kinda wanna see who gonna get paired up!" Sunset said stoking her chin.
"Me too!" Pinkie yelled with excitement.
All of the Rainbooms went along with the new rule, and with that, the first match was underway!
The first to compete was Applejack and Rainbow Dash. It was really no surprise that the two most competitive girls at school would battle each other first.
The rest of the girls stood beside them as they all chanted: "Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"
The two girls made their draw. Rainbow had Rock while AJ had Scissors.
"Dammit!" Rainbow yelled, stamping her foot. "I was sure I was gonna lose this one."
Applejack wiped her forehead with relief. "At least I'm not closer to being' Zeph's lab partner." She snickered.
"But you'll still have to pair up with one of us, darling." Rarity pointed out. She and Sunset Shimmer were the next pair to go.
The girls started to call out; "Rock, Paper--"
"Wait!" Rainbow interrupted before the two girls could draw. "How do we know Sunset isn't cheating by using her geode?"
"Don't worry. I left it in my bag, which is all the way over there." Sunset said, pointing the her backpack across the room.
"OK. Carry on." Rainbow said. The other girls groaned and rolled their eyes before starting over.
"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!" They all yelled in unison.
The two girls drew their "items" Rarity had Scissors and Sunset had Paper.
"Curse you, cruel fate!!" Rarity yelled, scowling at her hand fixed in the "Scissors" position.
"Yes!" Sunset said, pumping a fist. "Guess you and I are lab partners." She told Applejack, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't really care!" AJ said, shrugging her shoulders. "As long as it ain't Rarity. I'm good." She whispered in Sunset's ear.
"I HEARD THAT!" Rarity said angrily. Mainly because she, along with Rainbow, are one step closer to being Zephyr Breeze's lab partner.
Next was a three way match between Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle.
Fluttershy was more nervous than the other two girls. She really didn't want to be lab partners with her lazy brother. Just being related to each other and going to the same school was bad enough for her. Being stuck with him as a lab partner would be too much for her to bare.
The three girls readied themselves to shoot as the rest of the Rainbooms hollered; "Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"
This time, there was a tie. Pinkie and Fluttershy had Paper while Twilight had Rock.
"Paper covers Rock!" Pinkie giggled. "What does that mean again?"
All of the girls smacked their foreheads.
"That's means you're closer to being labs partners with Zephyr Breeze, aka the laziest person in the whole school!" Rainbow explained with annoyance.
"Aw, don't think of it like that, Rainbows. I like to think about it as wanting to spend the whole day relaxing." A male voice said at the door of the band room.
"Speaking of which!" Fluttershy grumbled.
"So which one of you lucky ladies is gonna be feeling the chemistry with me for the project."
All of the Rainbooms, excluding Pinkie Pie, couldn't help but cringe at the pick up line.
Sunset was the first to answer his question. "We're still trying to figure that out. Right now it's between Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy."
"OK. Mind if I watch?" Zephyr asked
"Sure." Fluttershy replied. "Just please don't be annoying!" She practically begged.
"Will do." Zephyr promised.
The next match was between Rainbow Dash and Rarity. The two girls readied themselves and everyone yelled; "Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"
Rarity had Rock and Rainbow had Paper.
"Yes! I knew good luck would come eventually!" Rarity cheered.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Rainbow shouted with annoyance, blankly staring at her open hand.
"So I'm guessing this means you and I are lab partners, if I'm not correct." Twilight commented to Rarity.
"Yes, it does." Rarity said, still smiling from what she considered to be a win-win situation. "Not that I mind though."
Pinkie and Fluttershy were next. Both girls were pretty antsy for this match. Fluttershy, because she knew now, there a 1/3 chance of being lab partners with her brother. Pinkie, because she's Pinkie.
"Rock, Paper. Scissors, SHOOT!" Everyone cried.
Fluttershy had Scissors, Pinkie; Paper.
"Aw, shoot!" Fluttershy whispered with a hint of anger in her voice.
"Hmm, I guess I'm out." Pinkie shrugged before skipping off to the side.
Rainbow tried to analyze her situation; so far all of the best partners were taken. She knew now that there was a solid 50-50 chance of being Zephyr's lab partner, and a solid 50-50 chance of being Pinkie's lab partner.
"Come on, Rainbow! Being Pinkie's lab partner can't be THAT bad!" Rainbow thought to herself. At least it's not Zephyr!
But, it's PINKIE! " She yelled in her head.
Fluttershy and Rainbow prepared themselves for the final battle of "Rock, Paper, Scissors: TO THE DEATH."
Everyone in the room felt the tension of the whole situation. Even Zephyr, who was really looking forward to having Rainbow Dash as his partner.
Everyone yelled out one last time; "Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"
Rainbow and Fluttershy let out screams.
One was a scream of delight and the other a scream of despair.
"Oh Zephyr, I'm so sorry!" Fluttershy said with a sympathetic tone. "I love you, but I personally think me and Pinkie would get a lot more done with the project." She gave herself a high five on her Paper positioned hand.
"Yay! We're lab partners!" Pinkie shouted with glee.
"This is the worst day ever!" Rainbow deadpanned, looking at her hand in the Scissors position.
The Rainbooms couldn't help but laugh at the irony. Rainbow managed to win, even when she didn't want to.
"Have fun with the project, you two!" Sunset cooed, as she walked out of the band room. The other girls followed suit, while letting out a few giggles.
"So, Rainbows, you feeling the chemistry between us?" Zephyr asked, with a charming tone in his voice.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and groaned. "Let's just get the dang project started already. And you will have pull you're end if the work!" She said firmly.
"Will do!" Zephyr said excitedly.
Rainbow got some art supplies for the project, while Zephyr began to remove his clothing.
"What in the name of Celestia are you doing?!" Rainbow yelled. "That's not what I meant!!"
"Oh, you mean doing the actual chemistry project?" Zephyr asked a bit dumbfounded. "OK, I'll get right on that, a little later. Right now, I have to answer the call" He said while leaving the band room to go to the bathroom.
"This is gonna be a long two weeks." Rainbow said in a monotone voice, while looking at the hallway. "The Rainbooms are so going to regret this one day!"