The next Monday was, for all intents and purposes, exactly like every other school day. Having come off a rather fun and annoyingly short weekend, Sunset found herself a bit lethargic as she made her way to her first class. She’d made some headway over the last couple of days in the planning department, having secured a tentative reservation at the Pier and, excluding Friday night, hadn’t heard from Schaden all weekend. Overall, she was in a pretty decent mood.
A good mood that indeed, carried her through her first few classes of the day, and into lunch.=, where she met her first major obstacle: for some horrible reason, Schaden was sitting at the lunch table with her friends. “Schaden,” she said simply as she took a seat.
The only boy present nodded with a small smile, then turned back to Pinkie Pie, who he’d been chatting with up to now. “So I know the dinner menu is pretty easy, given the nautical theme, I mean, if we settle on that, but what kind of desserts do you serve with fish?”
“Something that’s like, citrus-y or kinda sour, you know? Fish is a reeeaaaalllly light food, unless you’re talking a fry or something, so you totes don’t wanna serve a heavy dessert with it! We could do something like a sorbet or a key lime pie!” Pinkie explained excitedly.
Sunset tore her attention away for a moment and looked to the other girls. AJ and Dash were currently engaged in their own conversation, something about the Homecoming game, while Rarity and Fluttershy were talking formal wear. Well, Rarity was talking, Fluttershy just seemed to be nodding politely and smiling as her friend rambled on.
Seeing the only other person at the table who wasn’t neck-deep in conversation was Twilight, who was sitting to her left, Sunset nudged her with an elbow. “What is he doing here?” she hissed.
Twilight shrugged. “Not sure. He and Pinkie Pie walked in together and have been talking ever since. Pretty sure they have third period together. He’s been harmless, don’t worry.”
“Oh, he’s always harmless,” Sunset conceded. “But that isn’t mutually exclusive from being an annoying pain in the ass.”
“True,” Twilight agreed, “But he hasn’t been that, either.”
“Hmm...” Sunset said thoughtfully. She kept an eye on Schaden as she ate.
Which he noticed, of course. “You alright, Sunset? You’re kinda giving me the fish-eye, there.”
Pinkie snorted. “Hee-hee, fish-eye.”
“Just… don’t do anything weird, ok? It’s been a good day so far. Don’t need you Schadening up the place,” she warned.
Schaden rolled his eyes. “Oh come on, Sunset. I’m not always up to something fishy.” Pinkie laughed even louder.
“Wha- oh I get it, haha. Fish menu, fish puns. Wonderful. It’s not even Mon… day. Oh come on!” Sunset protested, seeing the smirk on Schaden’s face.
“I think you mean ‘Punday’,” he offered.
“No, no we are not doing this,” Sunset growled.
“Getting a little salty, are we?” Pinkie snorted again, leaning on Rarity as she laughed.
“Schaden, I swear to god...”
“Oh, fine, I’ll reel it in a little.” There were a few groans from her friends, as they started paying attention to the spat in front of them.
“Schaden,” Sunset groaned.
“I just thought it’d be harder to bait you than that,” Freude continued, amidst growing protests from the other girls. Indeed, the only one seemingly amused by his bad jokes was Pinkie, who had long since given up trying to sit up straight and was lying on her back in the booth laughing up a storm.
“Stoppit,” Sunset snapped.
“Oh, don’t be so crabby Shimmer!” he retorted gleefully. “I’m just squidding around.”
“Oh, my god, he’s awful,” Twilight moaned, burying her head in her hands.
Sunset rolled her eyes. “I told you.”
“I sea you’ve been telling tails about me,” Schaden said with a smug grin on his face.
“Oh my god, please make him stop,” Dash whined, her head leaning back till she was staring at the ceiling.
“Why? He’s super funny!” Pinkie insisted. “His jokes are really up to scale!” she added, dissolving into a fit of giggles again.
“Oh, not you too!” Sunset moaned.
“Are you really surprised?” Schaden asked. “She’s up to her gills in bad jokes.”
“I’m gonna throw you out with the tide Schaden,” Sunset growled.
“Aww, see? That’s the spirit!” Schaden encouraged. “You always were one to tackle things head on.”
AJ looked at Sunset somewhat disapprovingly. “Yer not really gonna start in now too, are ya?”
“I don’t think she can help it!” Pinkie exclaimed. “She’s hooked.”
Another round of groans rose from the table as Sunset followed Twilight’s lead and hid her head in her hands. “I hate you so much, Schaden.”
“I’ve heard that line before.”
“AAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUGH.”