//------------------------------// // Chapter 19: Taking a Dive // Story: Anon Begins // by 23 KM To Nerdiness //------------------------------// Your back is killing you... Extremely. Waking up, the dreaded sun punishing your eyes once again, you realize you're in the library on the couch with a medium-sized blanket. Attached to it is a note: Sleep tight, you two. ;) -S "You two?" you mumble. Then, something shifts under the blanket. You remove it to find your slumbering pal curled up on your lap and chest. Oh. HER two. "Psst, Starlight? Starlight wake up." you whisper, rubbing the mare's ears. She yawns and wakes up with a warm smile. "Mmm, morning Anon." she sighs. Eventually, her eyes shoot open, smile diminished and she blushes HARD. "Welcome to reality, Sleeping Beauty." you say. "How long was I out?" she chuckles sheepishly. "All night. You ponies are cute when you're asleep, ya know that?" "Oh hush." she says throwing a pillow at your face. The both of you get up and fix the couch. "You're right. It was wrong of me to say that. I meant to say 'adowable'." Starlight frowns and whacks you upside the head with another pillow, feathers fluttering in the air. "Ha, even your acts of aggression are 'aww' inducing!" you cackle. "Wanna be a furball again?" she snickers, horn glowing. "To see what true cuteness is?" "I retract my statement." "Good. Now let's clean up, get some breakfast and get to work." "Cool beans." Starlight looks at you in confusion. "Human expression. Means 'good'." As you leave the library, you both run into Twilight and Spike. "So, how'd you two sleep?" Spike asks with a sly smirk. You look away, as does Starlight for that matter. "Fine, I suppose." you mumble. "Okay, sure." "Y-Yeah. S-Same..." Star stutters. "What were you two doing in the library?" Twilight asks suspiciously. "W-Well, we had a-" "U-Uh, a BOOK...worm...sleepover?" she blurts out. "You had a bookworm sleepover and didn't INVITE me?!" she squeals offended. "Y-Yeah, guess ya missed it." "That's not good." Spike winces. "Weeell, are you having another one tonight?" Twilight asks in excitement. "Twi, there isn't-" "I'll have everything set up. We'll read the action/adventure section, and then the thriller and the-" "You could've just told her the truth, ya know." Spike whispers. "Buck no!" you hiss. "Unlike you, she won't let me live it down!" "...point taken." "Eeeeeee, this is gonna be so much FUN!" Twilight screams as she gallops down the hallway. "Well we set ourselves up for that now, didn't we?" "Fraid so. There's NO stopping her." "Anyone up for breakfast?" Spike asks. Your stomachs grumble violently. "They are, obviously." The three of you grab some grub before heading to the school. Sadly, there weren't any surviving tea cakes to take to go. Would've been better than being guilt tripped into eating those dry ass cauliflower bites! At the school, you're going through your cleaning routine while simultaneously trying to avoid the egghead's bombardment of questions about "What pajamas should she wear at the sleepover" or "How long should we sleep before reading again" and some mess like that. First Pinkie, now her. Right now, you're sweeping around the field outside the school, where the students in Rainbow's class are doing some teambuilding exercise. "Anonymous? Are you there?" a voice chimes in your walkie. "Anon here. What's up, Doc?" "Oh, brilliant news lad. I've made a few adjustments to our trip and-" "And I helped!" another voice yells in the background. "Yes, indeed Miss Hooves did. Anyways, we were wondering if you're free tomorrow morning?" "Yeah. I'd be-" You stop and see the broom in your grasp. [Damn.] "Happy to go, but Twilight decided to DROP a job upon me." "You could call in sick, ya know?" Spike chimes in. "You know I can't do that, Spike. And shouldn't you be working?" "Shouldn't YOU be working?" he asks accusingly. "Point taken. But I still can't make up an excuse. She'd never buy it, especially AJ." "Never know, you might have an 'accident'." [Self harm.......heh, never knew a bro could be so twisted.] "I'll try I guess, but.......hold on a minute, bro." You hold out hand and catch a red ball that soared across from the other side of the field. "Shoot, almost had him." a raspy voice yells in the background. "I'm gonna have to call you back." you whisper before turning to face your arch adversary of awesomeness. "Well well well, if it isn't Professor Egghead." "Nice to see ya again, 'Fluffy'." "Um, yeah, about that-" you say, turning to the changeling who'd cursed you with the title, who shrugs. "Enough about that, what are you up to?" "Teambuilding exercise." "Does 'teambuilding' involve pelting a poor defenseless human with softballs?" "It was supposed to be a joke," Rainbow huffs, crossing her arms, pouting. "But you just HAD to use your kung fu-y moves, or whatever. Anyways, it's like Buckball, but 20% cooler." "Oh, well good luck with that." As you leave, the sound of a griffon clearing his throat grabs your attention. "Um, can we have our ball back?" he asks. You look down to see the ball still in your grasp. "Oop, sorry. Forgetting what you're holding can be such a pain, am I right?" That word echoed through your mind: 'pain'. Back facing the class, you grin mischievously and an idea begins to grow as RD hovers by. "Uh, Anon? Are you- WAH!!!" You chuck the ball with extreme force, knocking the cocky pegasus out of the sky. "We even, Crash?" "Oh, it is so on," she chuckles, standing to her hooves. Rainbow picks the ball up with a sinister smile. "Class, new lesson: tag Anon!" The students smirk before rushing behind the bleachers, each returning with a ball. But you stand your ground. "Bring it on, you're all about to go blind from overexposure to pure AWESOMENESS!" While also rethinking your life choices... One intense game of dodgeball later, you, Rainbow and the class are resting on the benches, exhausted and beaten. Softballs are littered throughout the field and, miraculously, no windows were smashed. "Draw again?" you pant. "D-Draw, again..." she huffs. "Ugh, remind me to never give anyone a nickname again." Ocellus whimpers. "My eyes are blurry," Silverstream squeals. "Is that bad? Either way, it looks waaavy!" The bell eventually rings and the students head off to their next class. "Well, that was fun," you sigh, rubbing your neck. "But duty calls." "Literally." Rainbow chuckles. You roll your eyes and head back to your business. Eventually, the final bell rings, students returning to their dorms and teachers heading home. You're finishing up the halls when you soon run into Spike. "Hey, Anon," he asks, inspecting your form. "Came up with a plan yet?" "Yeah, I-" It suddenly hits you. Darn. It. Rainbow. To be fair, that 'teambuilding' session was pretty investing. "No, I didn't..." "Well, what are you gonna do? The trip is tomorrow." While pondering your predicament, you spot Twilight walking down the hall as you walk down the stairs. You climb back up a split second before she could see you. "Alright, I've got an idea, but I'm not gonna like it." "What's that?" "Race you to the bottom of the stairs!" Stiffening your entire body, you lean back. You tumble down the stairs, grabbing the alicorn's attention, slamming your head on every step for dramatic effect. It still hurt like hell, though... "Anon!" Twilight exclaims worriedly. "Are you okay?!" "Argh, yeah," you wince dramatically. "Just slipped on some cleaning fluid. Think I twisted my ankle a couple notches." "Oh, no, wait right here! I'll get the nurse!" "No, no, don't worry, Twilight. Us humans are natural born healers. I'll be fine in a day or two, I'm good." Just a flesh wound. "Oh, alrighty then," she sighs in relief. "Do you think you could still make the sleepover?" I almost, but not really, died and the sleepover is her main concern?! "I'll try." you wince. "He needs a break," Spike nods. "I'll walk him to the castle now." The two of you limp along outside of the school, trying to resist the urge to burst into laughter, which proved difficult upon entering the castle. "Ha, we're in the clear!" you laugh hysterically. "I know," the dragon snickers before scurrying off. "I need to pack." Heading to your room, you grab your walkie. "Doc, the trip's back on." Later that evening, your stuff is packed and ready to go. This trip is your ticket out of here. Although, now that you think about it, is that really what you want to do? As you contemplate this realization, your train of thought is cut off as you see Starlight sneaking about, horn glowing... Near the library. Continuing your limping act, you waddle towards the unsuspecting mare. "What are you up to, Glimmy?" She jumps in surprise, covering her mouth to silence her squeak. "Anon! she whispers furiously. "Don't sneak up on me like that! And what are you doing here?" "Trying to get around on a broken ankle! What are YOU doing here?!" "I am trying to get my books without being spotted." she states, squinting at something behind the corner. "By who?" You look over the corner to see Purple Smart anxiously setting things up for the nerd sleepover. "Oooohh. Well, good luck with that. I'll be-" "Hey, guys," Spike asks. "What's going on." Biscuits... "There you are," Twilight chimes. "I see Spike will be joining us!" Spike attempts to flee before you grab his tail mid-flight. If you're going down, so is he. "Is it too late to make a run for it, pal?" you ask Star. "Eeyup."