//------------------------------//
// Lemon Zest 
// Story: Altered Perspectives: The Long Way Back 
// by CapNTilfy 
//------------------------------//

Lemon Zest boarded the bus with a deep sigh. She still couldn't believe Twilight decided to stay at Canterlot High! She shook her head slowly, then found an empty seat next to Sour Sweet. 

Sour smiled, then looked around. "Where's Twilight?"

Lemon sighed again, then looked away. "Back at Canterlot High."

"What?! How could you just leave her-"

"She told me she was going to transfer there, Sour..."

Sour's eyes widened in shock. "Oh my god, Lemon... are you going to be okay?"

"Can you sit down already, the bus is about to move!"

Sour rolled her eyes and gave the student who spoke the middle finger. She looked back at Lemon and softened her expression. "Here, take the window seat." She shuffled forward as Lemon sat down.

"Thanks, Sour."

"Don't mention it."

Lemon took out her music device and selected a song. 





Once it played, she stared out the window and let the music slowly take her away. As it played, she wondered if she could have done something different so that Twilight would have come back with her.

A vision of the abomination Twilight had briefly became flashed through Lemon's mind, and despite the relaxing song she was listening to, she shuddered. She nearly experienced a pang of guilt upon remembering that she pressured Twilight along with the rest of the Shadowbolts. Was... was she partly responsible for that transformation?

Lemon put her hand to her forehead as realization struck. She had fallen right back into the whole "herd mentality" thing, just like she knew she would. She resisted the sudden urge to hit her head against the window in a fit of self-loathing. She clenched a hand into a fist and cursed under her breath.

The song ended, and Lemon hit the "Random" option. The next tune began to play... 





Lemon blinked in surprise, then shrugged. Other instruments gradually joined in and she nodded her head to the beat. By the time the vocals had kicked in, she had closed her eyes, fully immersed in her own world. It was just her and her music. Her paradise. Her escape from reality. A reality that she wasn't sure she wanted to return to.

Before Lemon knew it, the song had ended. It had left her with a slight feeling of warmth and giddiness, yet also left her wanting more. She knew exactly which song to play next. The one song she resonated most with. She selected it, and started bobbing her head as it began.





Although Lemon was thoroughly enjoying herself, she couldn't help but think back to the moments before Sunset had transformed. With each word she had spoken, a visible light had emitted from her friends. Honesty had corresponded with Applejack. Loyalty with Rainbow Dash. Laughter with Pinkie Pie. Generosity with Rarity, and kindness with Fluttershy.

If those words were somehow connected with a respective girl, then what was Sunset's word? Lemon had stopped bobbing her head, much to her own surprise. It took a lot for something to take her out of her music, and something like magic being real was definitely a lot.

Lemon cupped her chin in thought. Sunset had told her that she'd brought the magic along with herself, but didn't go any further into detail, likely due to the time constraint Lemon was under...

Wait...

Lemon's mind flashed back to the moments before Sunset's transformation again. What was it she said?

"I understand you, Twilight, and I want to show you the most important magic of all... the Magic of Friendship!"

Lemon's eyes widened as she recalled a conversation she had with Twilight.

"If magic doesn't exist, then how am I friends with Sour Sweet now?"

Twilight laughed. "You're not seriously suggesting that friendship is magic?"

"How else can you explain two people at each others throats for days, then bawling over closure the next?"

Lemon shot up. "Holy fucking shit!!"

Nearly all of the passengers on the bus turned their attention to Lemon as she blushed furiously. She slowly sat down sheepishly.

"Are you okay, Lemon," Sour asked sweetly. "You scared the shit out of me!"

Lemon simply stared at the back of the seat in front of her as she held up a finger, signalling she needed a moment. She gathered her thoughts after getting her mind completely blown. "Sour... do you think friendship is magic?"

"What kind of question is th-"

"Just answer me," Lemon exclaimed, then sighed. She took Sour by the hands and clasped them together. "Answer me... please."

Sour remained quiet for a minute, as though she were deep in thought. "...Yes. Especially given what we all saw today."

Lemon made a sputtering noise and slouched in her chair, as though she were a deflating cartoon character. "Okay, Sour. If friendship really is magic, why did Twilight decide to stay at Canterlot High instead of coming back with me?"

Sour raised an eyebrow. "Did you both part on bad terms?"

Lemon shook her head.

Sour put a supportive hand on Lemon's shoulder. "Then it probably means she felt she had to move on."

"Oh, yeah... Twilight did say she thought she'd learned everything there a couple of days ago."

Sour smiled. "Well there you go then."

"Thanks, Sour. I needed to hear that."

"You're welcome."

Feeling better, Lemon set her musical device setting to "random". Nothing like a little bit of chance to keep her spirits up! The next song began... 





Lemon nearly gasped. Out of all the countless hours of music she had stored, this tune was chosen?! This gave her mixed feelings. She truly loved this song, but after everything that happened today, she wasn't in the mood for romantic music. And yet... it put her in a relaxed mood. A feeling of bittersweet nostalgia flowed through her, as she played this song whenever she had a crush on someone. From her first crush in grade school all the way to her most recent, which was Sour Sweet up until recently.

Lemon closed her eyes and once again let the music take her away.

"I simply cannot let such heroism go unrewarded, darling," Rarity's voice echoed in Lemon's mind. Her eyes shot open and she bolted upright as she shut off the song.

"...What the fuck?"

The bus stopped as it reached Crystal Prep.