//------------------------------// // Banana?! // Story: Banana // by JustNewHere //------------------------------// Twilight slowly opened her eyes with a groan. Sitting up, she rubbed her head before looking around. She eyed the bed she was sitting on and slowly checked under the sheet before sighing in relief. One couldn't be too sure anymore with the state she's in. Amethyst eyes glanced at the familiar small clinic room of CHS, wondering what happened. A light throbbing against her temple helped jog her memory. Note to self, never try to get out of Applejack's headlock again. Just bring a taser next time. Twilight scowled as she recalled the incident but then that still doesn't explain why everyone has been uttering that accursed word. She eyed the empty chairs, also wondering why no one seemed to be in here. Shouldn't they know not to leave a patient even?! "Don't tell me it was all just a nightmare?" The bespectacled girl moaned. "Banana na," a voice stated. Twilight buried her head in her hands. "Nevermind." With a resolute sigh, she gathered all her strength and faced the source of the voice standing by the doorway. She fought a relieve sigh escaping her lips at the sight of Sunset, mentally reminding herself that while the appearance was the same, whatever came out of its mouth was where the similarities ended. Sunset simply smiled, not minding the lack of response as she casually sat on the unoccupied chair. Twilight gripped the sheets closer, further stiffening when Sunset took hold of her left hand. Ha! Nice try imposter, the real Sunset always go for my right hand! Granted maybe now it's more for convenience-dammit brain! Sunset rubbed soothing circles against the purple girl's hand, not taking her cyan eyes off the stiff form. "Na na banana?" Twilight shook her head. She refused to say anything let alone look at the other redhead, already knowing she wouldn't be understood or even acknowledge the fact that something was clearly wrong with everyone here. A terrifying thought suddenly came up. Wh-What if she was the only one capable of talking normally?! What if somehow everyone was infected with some sort of virus or even Equestrian magic that caused them to be like this and she was the only hope in actually saving everyone?! What if it was permanent and no cure?! "Ban Banana nana bana," Sunset murmured urgently, rubbing more gentle circles on Twilight's hand. Red brows knitted in concern when the girl seemed to be on the brink of a panic attack. The redhead then rubbed the young genius's hair, letting out soothing murmurs that Twilight still tearfully could make out syllables relating to banana. Twilight wretched her hand free as she cried, trying to swallow a frustrated sob. Cyan eyes could only glance helplessly. If the purple girl wasn't preoccupied, she would have noticed Sunset opening her mouth as if to say something but a glance to the school's doors stopped the former pony. "I hate this!" Twilight growled as she roughly rubbed her tears away but more flowed freely. "If this turned out to be some kind of prank in the end then I'll really scream Sunset Shimmer! This is just cruel! Why are you doing this?" Teary amethyst eyes pierced Sunset's heart as they sadly bore into cyan. "Is this CHS's way of kicking me out?" Purple hands gripped the bed sheet like a lifeline. "Did I do something wrong?" Sunset's body shook before she furiously turned her head and gripped the other's shoulder. "You did nothing wrong Twilight Sparkle!" The words echoed inside the empty room, as Twilight stared with wide eyes. "Did you just...okay." The tears were now gone as shock replaced sadness. Sunset sagged as if that single act tired her out but before she could utter more, the doors burst open and three hooded figures walked in. "What's going on?!" Twilight exclaimed, just as Sunset stood in front of her. The hooded figure in the center raised a gloved hand, pointing at Sunset as it uttered an angered, "Banana ananab ban ana!" Sunset just shook her head defiantly. "She has nothing to do with this war! Tell the Banana Supreme to let her go!" The second hooded figure sadly shook its head. "A nana banana ananab." Twilight worryingly glanced at the quivering fist of her friend. Whatever this one said, it angered her friend as Sunset growled out, "Well I don't care if I disappointed her. Nothing is worth hurting my friend!" The third figure stepped forward, hand reaching inside its cloak. Sunset held out a hand to shield Twilight but the action from the hooded person merely caused the purple girl to raise a brow in disbelief. "Seriously, a banana?" But Sunset seemed to take the threat more seriously once the two figures brought out their own fruits. "Twilight, when I give the signal I want you to get out of here as fast as those unused legs can run." Not seeing the offended look, Sunset focused her attention on the approaching three. "Once you reached your stamina threshold, and I know you won't be making that far anyway- "Hey!" -find Luna. Tell her 'The banana has been split' she knows what it means." "Is everything going on right now seriously has something to do with this damned yellow fruit?! "Trust me," Sunset hissed in return as the first cloaked one who had spoke brandished the fruit in a threatening manner. Twilight huffed as she prepared to bolt. "I'm starting to hate bananas now." Sunset chuckled. "Me too Twi, me too." Silence permitted the room as the redhead stared down the three people blocking the only exit. Sunset tensed, throwing one last glance at the annoyed face of her friend before she lunged with a shout of "Now! Run! Use those noodle legs to try and escape a short distance from- "I got it Shimmer!" Twilight said with a barely masked tone of offense as she ran out of the clinic, not looking back. Either due to annoyance or simply desperation she couldn't tell. She finally had some answers and she was somewhat glad she didn't go insane at least. "Does running away from three hooded figures armed with bananas count as sane though?" Twilight found herself asking out loud before she shook her head and turned left down a hall. She could spot the Vice Principal's office now. Good, begrudgingly she could already feel the strain on her legs. She passed by a window overlooking the school's backyard only to back track a second later to stare at the utter monstrosity outside. "What the heck is that?!" Twilight exclaimed as she eyed the giant statue of the accursed fruit. What's more baffling was that her classmates were the ones building it. The stone structure seemed to tower the same height as the school and she could even spot a few yellow cans being readied by the art club. Tables were arranged and assorted by, you guessed it, bananas all in varying degrees of presentation and sizes. "Bananas are still bananas," Twilight growled as she glared hatefully at the things. Her anger ebbed away when she shockingly spotted Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie arranging the fruits with smiles on their faces. Her thoughts suddenly went back to Applejack and Rarity and she wondered if they were unwilling supporters like Sunset or really faithful banana supporters like the two pinkettes. Questions, so many questions and yet not enough answers. Twilight glared at the statue with newfound determination. She jogged towards the VP's office door and banged as hard as she could. Once the door opened a smidgen, a cyan eye peaked out in suspicion. Twilight matched the gaze with a determined glint as she stated, "The banana has been split." The eye blinked before the door opened fully. Vice Principal Luna appeared decked in full hardened shell attire, like some kind of pineapple inspired armor. Twilight stifled a groan at the sheer absurdity of her situation just as the older woman let out a competitive grin. "Indeed it has."