//------------------------------// // Friends and Family Day // Story: Shooting Star // by Omegathyst //------------------------------// It was Friends and Family Day. Not the best timing for an argument. Smolder and Yona got into a heated argument about yaks being ‘best at everything,’ and Gallus certainly wasn’t helping. He took the heat of the moment to turn to Sandbar. “This could’ve all been prevented if it weren’t for you namby-pamby ponies!” Gallus snapped. “A fucking set of textbooks isn’t going to solve everything!” “Don’t look at me!” Sandbar flinched. “I didn’t invent these textbooks! Maybe the school isn’t the problem, maybe it’s you and Smolder terrorizing everyone with your sharp attitude!” “What the hell did you just say?!” Smolder turned around, slapping Yona with her tail. “I, FUCK!” “Yona is best at biting tails,” Yona smirked, still holding the dragon’s tail with her teeth. “Think twice before you insult yaks.” “Hey! What’s goin’ on here?” “Shit.” Yona spat out Smolder’s tail, hearing Applejack’s hoofsteps behind her. “I was just lifting my friend’s tail to keep it off the ground. Keep it from collecting dirt.” “Like hell you were!” Smolder growled. “This dumb cow-whore bit my tail!” “You dragons may love your vulgar swears, but we don’t,” Applejack scowled. “Come to my office, now. Both you and Yona.” Smolder kept hissing profanities when Ocellus whispered something to her. Smolder stopped talking, took a deep breath, and nudged Ocellus away. “Fine.” Smolder sighed. “Let’s go.” “What are you guys still doing here?” Rainbow Dash flew over Gallus and Sandbar. “Go to your classes!” “Thank Celestia your loud mouth didn’t get us in trouble.” Sandbar sighed as soon as their teachers left. “I’m sorry this school isn’t what you want it to be. But I’m trying to make the best of it, that’s all I can do.” “Can’t you drop out?” Gallus asked. “Can’t you?” Sandbar retorted. “I know Griffonstone isn’t the friendliest of places, but you don’t have to be here if you don’t want to. Right?” “I…” Gallus opened his mouth, struggling to find the words. “There’s really bad griffons there. I won’t go back there if I can help it.” “Bad? How bad?” Sandbar said softly, looking at Gallus. “Wha...what did they do to you?” “It’s a shit-hole, that’s all you need to know,” Gallus frowned. “And Grandpa Gruff is visiting today, so nopony can tell him about the dropping grades.” “You told me you had a B minus in most of your classes,” Sandbar smiled. “That’s not too bad.” “I also have a D minus in Kindness class; no surprise there,” Gallus huffed. “I’m a piece of shit anyway.” “Whoa, hold up.” Sandbar stopped walking, standing in Gallus’ way. “Don’t you ever call yourself that.” “What? A piece of shit?” Gallus scoffed. “What does it matter if I’m calling myself that? I’m not insulting anybody else.” “Then why would you say that about yourself?” Sandbar frowned. “It’s hurtful to you, and I’m not okay with anybody hurting my friends. Not even yourself.” “I’m your friend?” Gallus pointed at himself. “But I thought you couldn’t stand me.” “I can’t stand how we’ve been talking to each other,” Sandbar admitted. “But this is new terrain for all of us, especially you. Of course I’m your friend, you can’t scare me off that easily.” Sandbar walked up to him and gently placed his hoof on Gallus’ shoulder. “Heh, you’ve never let me feel your feathers before,” Sandbar smirked his signature smile. “They’re soft.” “Thank you?” Gallus whispered. “We should probably g-get to class.” “Oh, now you want to go to class,” Sandbar pulled away, rolling his eyes. “That’s funny.” Gallus felt his body heat up, and his wings tense, as Sandbar’s smile never wavered. The green pony turned his back to Gallus and walked to class like a model would walk down a catwalk. Rarity would be proud, Gallus noted. It was Pinkie’s Laughter class that they went to. But the only funny thing about it was the lack of laughter in the classroom. Halfway into class period, Smolder and Yona returned, taking their seats. “Yona hate making up class assignments.” the yak grumbled. “Fuck class, I’m ditching for the day,” Smolder hissed in Gallus’ ear. “Wanna come?” “I guess?” Gallus whispered back, before turning to Pinkie. “Hey Pinkie Pie, can we take a break? Just to catch some air outside?” “Oh, sure!” Pinkie smiled, using her mouth to move the chalk on the blackboard. “Don’t take too long!” Smolder and Gallus got up, only to have Yona, Ocellus, Silverstream, and Sandbar discreetly follow them. “Are we leaving? What about Friends and Family Day?” Sandbar asked as soon as they walked out. “Don’t worry,” Smolder smirked. “We can come back for that.” “Hey Miss Pinkie? I think six of your students left…” “Oh, I…” Pinkie turned around, only to see six empty desks. “Shit on a cake, I better tell Twilight.” “I’m sorry I called you a dumb cow-whore.” Smolder apologized, as the six friends were hanging out at the lake. “I’m sorry I bit your tail,” Yona sighed. “Yona is just scared that she won’t live up to pony expectations, she thought she was best at everything.” “Hey, don’t cry.” Ocellus transformed into a yak, leaning against a shaking Yona. “No creature is best at everything, that’s not realistic.” “Transform into a monkey.” Yona sniffled, smiling through her tears. “Okay.” Ocellus smiled, transforming into a skinny brown-furred primate. She wiggled her long limbs, making loud noises. “That still gets me,” Gallus laughed, sitting between Sandbar and Silverstream. “I’m sorry I’ve been having a stick up my ass, you guys. This school is a little more than I expected.” “I get it.” Smolder agreed. “When Ember told me that I’d be sent here, I thought I was just going to snuggle ponies under the rainbow with color books and marshmallows. Gay shit like that.” “You wanna fuck another girl?” Gallus tilted his head, confused. “W-Wha?! No!” Smolder blushed, looking away. “I meant gay as in happy!” “There’s another definition for gay?” Gallus whispered in Sandbar’s ear. “Yeah, but ponies don’t usually use the old definition anymore,” Sandbar replied. “Happy being the old use for the word.” “Well, you can still snuggle with a pony perhaps,” Ocellus smirked, transforming into a random light blue mare. “Nevermind the gay part.” “Yeah, right. Totally not gay.” Smolder smiled as Ocellus rested her head on Smolder’s lap, enjoying the moment. As Gallus was relaxed, staring at his gentle reflection in the lake, he felt two heads resting on his shoulder. Sandbar rested his head on his right shoulder, and Silverstream rested her head on his left. Gallus smiled, basking in what may be the last time they spend a wonderful moment like this. “Hey Ocellus?” Smolder asked, running her claws through Ocellus’ pastel blue mane. “What’s the biggest creature you can transform into?” “Uh...a bugbear maybe?” Ocellus suggested. “Hell yeah,” Smolder smirked. “Show us, ba...I mean Ocellus.” Ocellus winked at her dragon friend, shapeshifting into a bugbear moments later. Gallus gasped, moving his occupied shoulder in the process. “That’s amazing!” Silverstream hugged Gallus in her excitement, pushing Sandbar off him in the process. Sandbar barely noticed, staring at the huge bugbear in awe. “You were right Ocellus, yaks aren't best at everything...” Yona admitted. “But changelings are best at transforming!” “Thank you,” Ocellus blushed through her white bear fur. “But I don’t want ponies to see me like this, we should head back to class.” “Yeah, wouldn’t want to get in more trouble than we already have.” Smolder admitted, watching Ocellus turn back into her changeling form. “Twilight, why is there a disgusting yak, a dragon bitch, a radioactive changeling, a grape-looking hippogriff, and a balding griffon?” Neighsay asked, staring at the representatives of their respective Kingdoms standing outside the castle. “Oh, that’s because they brought students here!” Twilight smiled. “They’re also here for Friends and Family Day. There they are!” Twilight smiled as her special students arrived, late nonetheless. Gallus smiled back, flying ahead of the rest of his friends. “It’s great to meet you, Mr. Neighsay,” Gallus greeted the unicorn. “I’m honored to be a student at Twilight’s School of Friendship.” “You’re a student?!” Neighsay gawked. “Twilight, you said you were opening this school to protect Equestria! To defend ponies from... dangerous creatures who don't have our best interests at heart!” “Dangerous?!” Thorax gasped. Ember snarled, and Grandpa Gruff scowled. “What the buck are you talking about? This is a school to learn about friendship!” Twilight scoffed. “And how do you know these creatures won't take what they have learned here and use it against us?” Neighsay asked. “You ponies haven’t changed at all!” Grandpa Gruff snapped. “Your town is still a bunch of racist jerks! C’mon Gallus! I’m not letting you spend a second longer with these bigots.” Nonononononononononono. No! “Don’t worry, we can get you guys a night in one of the hotels. So the five of you can say goodbye to each other,” Thorax sympathized. “But we’re clearly not welcome here.” “I’ll come with, unless you guys probably don’t want me around,” Sandbar’s ears drooped. “According to Gruff, I’m just a bigot like all the other ponies.” “Sandbar,” Gallus lifted his pony friend’s chin with his talon, looking him in the eyes. “Don’t you ever call yourself that.” Sandbar’s eyes lit up, and despite the heavy situation unfolding around them, he smiled.