Twilight came across a vending machine containing various snacks. Twilight licked her lips a bit feeling a bit famished despite having lunch with Fluttershy as she soon spotted a snack, in which had fruit on the label. She eagerly chose to get the snack, but soon she couldn't figure out how to get the vending machine open. She tried opening it like a refrigerator, then pushed into it, but all those attempts naturally failed. Twilight was still determined to get the snack and so, left with no other choice, she got on all fours and planned to buck the vending machine like the pony she was despite being a human being. But before she could even have the chance to do that, however, a student walked up in front of her. Twilight looked up to see that it was this world's version of Trixie.
"Excuse me." Trixie told Twilight going around her to the vending machine. "The Great and Powerful TRIXIE..." Trixie declared until she paused and glanced around the area and then pulling out a cent. "...needs some peanut butter crackers." She inserted the coin into the vending machine, which gave her exactly what she asked for as she retrieved the snack from the bottom of the machine. "Voila!" Trixie exclaimed as if she performed a magic trick before walking off with her crackers.
"Sunset Shimmer is right. I don't know the first thing about this place." Twilight told Spike, who popped up from her backpack realizing Sunset's words were true as she walked away from the vending machine and tried to figure out a plan. "If I'm gonna really fit in and win votes, we need to do some research."
"Research?" Spike asked.
"This place is a school. I have to believe it's got a..." Twilight replied to Spike where she then came across the school's library. "...library!"
Twilight soon entered the library just as Snips and Snails sneaked up to spy on her. Both of them were on each side of the library's entrance; Snips was on the right side and Snails was on the left.
"Got your camera?" Snips asked Snails, whom pulled out a camera which resembled a Nikon FA.
"Got yours?" Snails asked back, in which Snips took out his own before he snickered mischievously.
The duo sneaked into the library acting as stealthy as possible. They found Twilight gathering some book from the shelves and tried to carry them into a rather large stack, but due to both the weight of the stack and it leaning over, she soon lost her balance and fell to the floor with the books landing on top of her, providing good photos for Snips and Snails to take with her noticing since she had some books on her face. Twilight then tried to help pick up the books off the floor, picking one up with her mouth, in which Spike was also doing. But Spike soon pointed to her hands, reminding her that she can still use them without resorting to using her mouth. She spat the book out and then started picking up the books with her hands, as well as hoping no one saw her picking up a book with a book earlier, which, unfortunately for her, Snips and Snails already did and took the photo of it happening. Lastly, Twilight stumbled upon the library's photocopier where Snips and Snails got their cameras ready. Twilight was looking around the machine to see how it worked when she accidentally pressed the print button and the light that flashed while printing caught her off guard and caused her to stumble backwards onto the floor, much to Snips and Snails' amusement as they already took the photo of what had occurred and gave each other a high five at their work.
The scene dissolved to around the school locking up for the night where Twilight was still doing her research.
"The library will be closed in 5 minutes." The library's intercom announced as Twilight yawned.
Twilight soon realized what the intercom meant and looked down underneath the table. "I hadn't even thought about where we're gonna sleep tonight." She was talking to Spike, who was reading a book.
"Way ahead of you." Spike said walking out from underneath the table to show Twilight something he did earlier. Twilight followed Spike to an area of the library which looked as thought it hadn't been touched by anyone in years. Next to Spike was something underneath a tarp, which he unveiled and dust came up and settled.
"It's a little-- *coughs* --dusty-- *coughs* --But it doesn't seem like anybody comes up here." Spike said revealing he had made an arranged stack of books in the shape of a bed for Twilight to sleep on.
Twilight sat on the book bed and saw how much hard work Spike put into it.
"It's perfect, Spike." Twilight told Spike appreciating his work, to Spike's delight as she even scratched his head and belly as another way of saying 'thank you'.
"So, how did your research go?" Spike then asked.
"I found one of this school's yearbooks." Twilight said. "Maybe we can find something in here to see if we can get to know more about the students here." Twilight then read through some pages of the yearbook when she came across some familiar faces. The page she was looking through had separate photos of all 5 of her friends back home. "Look, that's Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash. Applejack. Fluttershy. And I'm gonna bet the girl on the far right is Rarity."
Spike's eyes popped when she mentioned Rarity's name and swiped the book from Twilight's hand to see if it was true.
"There's a Rarity here?!" Spike asked eagerly and wagging his tail before trying to cover up his affection for Rarity. "Eh... I mean, uh... Heh, interesting photo."
"It's interesting because from what they said, it sounds like they don't know each other at all." Twilight remarked on their paranoia.
"They do know each other. But I thought we figured that out already." Spike said.
"No, I mean, they each seem to believe stories about each other that I know aren't true. And because of those rumors, they probably never will." Twilight said lamenting over the possibly lost potential of her friends ever getting to know one another without fear before laying her head down on the book bed. "I just can't help but get the feeling that Sunset Shimmer had something to do with it."
"I wouldn't put it past her." Spike agreed dragging the tarp to the bed and blanketing Twilight with it so she could use it as a bed sheet. "But she wants her crown because she's probably planning on doing something worse. If you're gonna stop her, you have to focus on making friends here. Can't worry about why these girls aren't friends with each other, even if they *yawn* do remind you of your Ponyville friends."
As Spike told her what she needed to do, Twilight took another look at the page featuring her friends in the yearbook. Something about Spike's advice reminded her that even though the girls in the photos were her friends' counterparts, her real friends were back home in Equestria waiting for her return and that she still had a mission to accomplish. She also was glad that Spike was here to help aid her on her adventure in Canterlot High.
"You're right, Spike." Twilight agreed with Spike wrapping her arm around him as she let out a yawn. "Eye on the prize."
And right up on the dome-shaped glass ceiling of the library on the right side of where Twilight and Spike were at, in the distance was the same robotic camera that surveyed Sunset Shimmer, having monitored the two while they were talking before it scurried away.
The following morning, Twilight discussed with Spike about her plan to win Princess of the Fall Formal.
"Fluttershy said I need to win over all those different groups if I want to become Princess of the Fall Formal. So, I've compiled a list of talking points." Twilight told Spike holding said list in her left hand as she was leaving the area where she and Spike spent the night in.
"You made a list? That's so unlike you." Spike laughed over Twilight's strategy.
Twilight was easily not pleased and without saying a word, she held her backpack open and ordered Spike to get inside.
"*nervously laughs* Uh, please...continue." Spike said nervously entering the bag where Twilight carried it.
"I'll start introducing myself. Sprinkle in some things I've learned about their world into the conversation. And show them how I fit in here." Twilight explained as she strolled over to the library's entrance. "*breathes in and out* Okay, Spike. Time to make a good first impression on my fellow students." Twilight opened the doors where she saw several students being their casual selves as they were passing by, talking to each other and getting to their next class. "The whole world sort of depends on it." Twilight then walked by acting casual.
However, the students soon turned toward her direction and began snickering and laughing at her. Twilight was left confused and worried, unable to figure out what was causing the students to act like this.
"Why's everyone looking at me funny?" Twilight asked Spike before she was then dragged by someone into a nearby classroom that wasn't being used. "What did you--? Why did you--?" Twilight tried to ask the person who dragged her into the room when she saw that it was, to her shock, this world's version of Rarity. "Rarity?"
Rarity ran up to Twilight and measured her body length and width, then inspected her clothes. She then paused to think for a moment until she came up with an idea, where she reached into her hangbag and pulled out a matching green outfit for Twilight to wear.
"Perfect!" Rarity said as she slipped it onto Twilight literally, giving her a new appearance. Twilight was now wearing a blonde short-haired wig along with matching green shirt, skirt and socks. "Oh, yes, this is good. Now, no one will recognize you."
"Why wouldn't I wanna be--" Twilight almost asked her, but Rarity continued.
"And we'll need a disguise for your dog, which is too bad. He really is so adorable." Rarity said placing her hands on Spike's face, to his delight. "You know, with a little work, I think I could make him a rabbit instead."
"Huh?" Spike exclaimed snapping out of his trance and soon dropping to the floor.
"A rabbit?" Twilight asked in confusion.
Just then, Applejack entered the room through another door behind Twilight.
"There you are, Twilight." Applejack said to Twilight.
"So much for the disguise." Rarity remarked annoyed at her outfit's failure to disguise Twilight.
"I've been looking all over for ya." Applejack told Twilight.
As Applejack stepped in, Fluttershy passed by and spotted Twilight in the room.
"Oh, Twilight, it's you." Fluttershy greeted Twilight stepping over to her. "I--"
"Hi, Twilight." Pinkie Pie popped up from above in front of Fluttershy greeting Twilight when she turned to Fluttershy.
Both screamed in terror at each other and ran immediately away from each other. Fluttershy hid behind a desk while Pinkie hid behind Rarity. Pinkie then turned her direction back to Twilight.
"I like your new look." Pinkie complimented on Twilight's new wardrobe.
"Why, thank you. I do have an eye for these sorts of things... What is your name, dear?" Rarity thanked Pinkie before asking the latter's name.
"I'm Pinkie Pie. What's your name?" Pinkie answered, which Rarity soon recognized the name herself, rather in a look of horror very familiar to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie's.
"Pinkie Pie?!" Rarity reacted to Pinkie. "No! Shoo! Get away!"
Pinkie Pie felt both a bit puzzled and yet hurt by Rarity's actions toward her.
"Why do you want her away from you?" Twilight asked Rarity in confusion before seeing Applejack signaling to skip that question. "No, never mind. Why were you all looking for me? What's going on?"
The four girls soon expressed a look of concern seeing that Twilight had no idea of what they wished to inform her about.
"Oh, she hasn't seen it yet." Fluttershy said from behind the desk she was hiding behind.
"Seen what?" Twilight asked not understanding their concern.
Pinkie Pie then handed Twilight the latest copy of Canterlot High's school newspaper. "Oh, it's really not that bad." Pinkie assured Twilight letting out a nervous laugh afterwards.
As Twilight took the paper off Pinkie's hands, she read the front article. It was then to her horror that she saw why they were worried for her: the article featured printed images of exactly the same mishaps she had experienced yesterday at the library and all of them were taken right under her nose. She then felt a sense of dread and embarrassment while the others couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
"I take that back. It's pretty bad." Pinkie Pie soon corrected what she said earlier.
"But this all happened yesterday! At the library! Has everyone at the school seen this? Is that why they were all looking at me that way?" Twilight asked now worried about the outcome of this affecting her chances at winning Princess of the Fall Formal. Neither one of the girls answered, too afraid to admitting the cold truth to her, but she could tell it was a yes. "What am I gonna do? No one is gonna vote for me after reading this!"
"Not that it will make a difference, but I'll still vote for you." Fluttershy reassured Twilight, who simply slammed her head to the desk. "You were so nice to stand up for me when Sunset Shimmer was picking on me yesterday."
"If you still wanna run, maybe there's something I can do to help." Pinkie Pie volunteered.
"No!" Fluttershy spoke up in fear at Pinkie's offer. "I mean, if it's alright with you, please don't throw one of your scary pranks on us. I only just want to help Twilight win Fall Formal. Honest."
Pinkie was caught offguard by Fluttershy's reaction and was rather confused by what she meant.
"Wha-- But, what are you talking about?" Pinkie asked Fluttershy having no clue as to what she was talking about.
"Oh, don't play innocent, Pinkie. You're just as guilty as she is." Rarity accused Pinkie walking past her before pointing to Fluttershy. "I know all about the things that you'd do to people like me."
"I don't even know you!" Pinkie then shouted into Rarity's face now getting a little frustrated from her question being unanswered.
"Well, I would be happy to explain." Rarity told Pinkie rather calmly before shifting to judgemental. "You're planning to ruin my latest winter lineup at the Carousel Boutique by staining every one of my clothes with your frosting!"
"Why would I do that?" Pinkie asked Rarity confused.
"That's because my family owns the store." Rarity pointed out to Pinkie.
"Your family? Wait, you mean you're Rarity?!" Pinkie soon asked Rarity reacting in horror at learning that fact.
"Yes, that's about ri--" Rarity answered before Pinkie screamed in terror, which caused Rarity and then Fluttershy to panic as well as a result.
All the screaming was too much for Spike as he went into Twilight's backpack hoping to drown it out.
"Will you three just stop already?!" Applejack called out to them having had enough of the screaming. "None of you are any better than each other. In fact, you're just like Rainbow Dash."
"And how exactly are we like Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked Applejack.
"Simple. Y'all like to cause trouble and even hurt people. Just like Rainbow Dash." Applejack told them.
"How can you say something like that about Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked Applejack feeling appalled by what she had heard the latter say about Rainbow Dash showing to have a connection with her.
"Because it's the tru--" Applejack almost told Fluttershy.
"STOOOP!!" Twilight shouted getting everyone's attention. "All of you! I want to know what got you all to be like this. Where exactly did you all learn about each other?"
"The freshman fair." All answered in unison, soon to their shock as they all looked at each other confused at what they each heard themselves say before they turned their attention back at Twilight.
"Then, if it's alright with all of you, can you please tell me how you got to know the stories of each of you?" Twilight asked again.
"You want use to tell you about our freshman year? Together?" Rarity asked.
"I really appreciate it, but I don't think I have anything special about me to offer." Fluttershy asked Twilight.
"That's just it. I want to know more about why you all feel that way about each other." Twilight explained. "So, if there's anything you want to tell me, go ahead."
"Okey dokey!" Pinkie agreed to Twilight.
"Well, if you insist. But this'll probably be a long one." Applejack told Twilight as she sat down to tell her story first.