“Do you think she’ll take kindly to being ambushed like this?” Fluttershy rearranged the bowls of snacks by whoever would be sitting in that space.
Tonight the girls would be having a study session at her house. Her house was the quietest and her parents didn’t mind entertaining a house full of girls as Fluttershy was an only child.
“Who cares at this point?” Rainbow Dash shrugged as she grabbed a twizzler.
Rarity rolled her eyes as she brought over a tray of drinks to the living room’s coffee table where everyone was setup. “As loathe as I am to agree with such a terrible attitude,” Rainbow Dash smirked, “something is wrong with our friend and it’s time we addressed it.”
“Sugar Cube, really hasn’t been herself lately.” Applejack concurred pulling a textbook out of her bag.
“And she never corroborated my Cadence/Chrysalis reveal.” Pinkie Pie called over her shoulder as she kept watch for their bookish friend, by the bay window.
“Seriously, Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash deadpanned as she reached for another stick of candy. “Hey!” She whined when Rarity shooed her hands away from the already half eaten bowl of candy. “It’s my snack anyway...”
“What? I’m concerned too!” The party girl defended. “But I’m also dying to know if she talked to her.”
It was silent as all the girls nodded in agreement. “She’s not wrong,” Fluttershy hummed. “I must admit that I’m curious too.”
“Fine! We’ll ask about that, ONLY after we’ve gotten her to talk about what’s bothering her.” Applejack conceded firmly.
“Now that I think about it, both her and Shining Armor have been acting rather peculiar these past few days.” Rarity admitted satisfied with the layout of snacks and drinks.
“That’s right!” The rainbow rocker agreed excitedly. “I heard about him threatening that one kid but didn’t put too much thought into it.”
“Did any of you see it?” Fluttershy took a seat.
“No, bird brain! We all have the same lunch period. But I heard it was over AJ’s psycho protégé...”
“She’s not my protégé,” Applejack groaned, “and while her form was impeccable, I don’t condone random acts of violence.” Rainbow Dash made a face as she quietly mocked the country girl.
“I’m her partner in Home Ec and I don’t think she’s crazy.“ Pinkie waved a hand dismissively. “Plus my sister wouldn’t be friends with an awful person.”
“But she’s dating the most boring kid in school, so can she really be trusted?” Rainbow Dash gave her a look.
“Fair enough.” Pinkie shrugged after she mulled it over.
“Do you guys think it’s all connected?” Fluttershy spoke up again.
“It has to be.”
“Shhh! Here she comes! Here she comes!” Pinkie Pie jumped up from her spot and plopped down on the couch closest to a bowl of chocolate squares.
The group could hear Fluttershy’s mother welcoming her in on her way off to meet a colleague for tea.
“Hey guys.” Twilight greeted as she shuffled into the living room with her messenger bag and books.
“Hey Twilight,” Came a set of murmurs as five pairs of eyes zeroed in on the downtrodden girl.
She took a seat in between Rarity and Fluttershy.
“Where’s your new bestie?” Rainbow Dash spoke up teasingly.
“Jealous are you?” Twilight’s smile didn’t reach her eyes at the normal banter.
“Not at all, we all know who you started with.” Rarity winked, coaxing a giggle from her friend.
“She’s on a date with my brother.”
Everyone took their time pulling out their books and assignments as they settled in for their study session.
The moments seemed to tick by and yet no one was willing to speak first.
Rainbow Dash groaned and threw her pencil down. “Twilight, what’s going on with you?”
“Way to be subtle Dash!” Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes and threw a snagged twizzler out of spite.
“What’re you guys talking about?” Twilight breathed tucking her hair behind her ears. All she wanted to do was finish her homework and just be around her friends.
“You can be straight with us Sugar Cube.” Applejack coaxed with a smile.
“You’ve been so withdrawn and sad lately.” Fluttershy commented. “We were wondering if something was bothering you.”
“I just have a lot on my mind...” Twilight sighed, closing her book. For once, she didn’t feel like studying
“That much is obvious.” Came a smart Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie swatted at her arm disapprovingly. “Ow!”
“What Dash is trying to say is, maybe you’d feel better if you talked about it?” Fluttershy tried again.
“We really hate seeing you like this...” Rarity placed a comforting hand on her back. “Whatever it is we can face it together.”
The bookish girl looked to be considering their words. “It’s just...”
“Yea...”
“Lately...”
“Go on...”
“Pinkie Pie!” Applejack scolded.
“Oh... my bad. Soorrry.”
“Please continue.” Rarity said.
Twilight smiled, comforted by their familiar antics.
“That’s what we like to see.” Pinkie grinned at her friend. “Now talk to us... please.”
After taking a deep breath, Twilight spoke again. “Did you guys hear about the whole Chrysalis and Curly incident?”
“Yea? You mean how she kicked the shit out of that kid for no reason?” Rainbow Dash rose a brow. “The whole school has heard about that.”
Twilight sighed, “Well there was a reason. I was the reason.”
At the looks on their faces she haltingly explained what happened and how the older girl had intervened.
“Are you fuckin’ serious?” The band leader brought a fist down onto the table.
“That slimey, good for nothing creep!” Fluttershy growled in an uncharacteristic outburst of indignation.
“Let’s go to his house right now, and drag his ass out into the streets!” Pinkie Pie called out angrily.
“Scootaloo has a bat and-“
“Girls! Girls! Settle down... Now is not the time.” Applejack tried calm them down, but her eyes also burned with anger.
“But-“
“Not NOW!” The country girl asserted trying to rein in her own wants of retribution.
“Are you okay?” Rarity finally spoke up, still trying to process what her friend had confessed. No wonder she’d been so out of it. Poor thing. “What happened?”
“I mean nothing happened, but I can’t shake the fact that if she hadn’t had shown up...” Twilight let her voice trail as she buried her face in her hand. Rarity pulled her into a comforting embrace. “What does that say about me?” She finally confessed. “I take so much pride in my intelligence and my magical abilities and when the time came to be clever, or strong or both... I spazzed. I completely checked out.” She shook her head tiredly. “I was so scared and surprised... I just did nothing.”
“Oh Twilight, do not blame yourself for what that creep tried to do.” Rarity murmured into her hair.
“But how can I not?” She wiped at her eyes and sniffled as she sat up straight. “I’ve never not known what to do like that. I just froze!”
“You place blame where blame is due!” Applejack maintained passionately.
“Now it all makes sense.” Fluttershy’s voice was strong. “She was protecting you.”
“What about me?”
“You deserved to get in a few kicks!” Pinkie scoffed.
“The next time I see that guy...” Rainbow Dash muttered. Chrysalis really saved her friend from something terrible. Who knew Curly was such a slime ball? “But he’s gone gone though, right?”
She nodded. “Yea, he’s definitely expelled... But... you guys don’t think I’m stupid or weak...?”
“No!” They all clamored.
“Of course not!
“We could never!”
“You’re only stupid if you believe that!” Rainbow Dash threw her hands in exasperation.
“Dash, not helping!” Applejack shot at her.
“Sorry! Twilight, what he tried to do was wrong! Plain and simple,“ she explained seriously. “It’s like fight or flight- you know the thing they went over in biology- But you won’t know what your body’ll pick until it’s picked! It’s instinct, Twilight. You don’t get the choice.”
“Dash is right.” Fluttershy was proud of her friend for such an insightful point. “Even if you initially panicked, that doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t have eventually snapped out of it.”
“You have nothing to be ashamed of.” Rarity reiterated with all the compassion she could.
“But I do...”
“What’re...”
“Chrysalis... saved me. I really had written her off as this awful person and then this happened.”
The others were silent as they thought on that.
Baylot High opinion of the older teen was pretty low.
“What did Cadence say?” Pinkie Pie asked after a while.
“Cadence?”
“When you asked her.... about Chrysalis.... what did she say?” She had a feeling all of this was connected somehow.
“They are related... and Cadence hates her! You would think that she’d stand up for her sister or something- but nothing!” Twilight was so confused. “Even if me and Shining Armor were fighting, I’d never let people treat my brother that way! She just laughs and does nothing... And honestly, it doesn’t add up!” She gave them a run down of what the alicorn girl had explained about her sister.
All the girls winced at the details, but none of that mattered as Chrysalis had come to Twilight’s aid and that’s all that they cared about.
“If you all could have seen the rage in the way she reacted...”
“Could it be that she’s a chaotic good? Or neutral?” Rarity proposed.
“No! I don’t believe that she’s chaotic anything... I don’t know what to believe, but I know if she were as selfish and as awful as everyone’s said... I think I’d be telling you a different story.” She shuttered as her friends traded glances.
*******
Cadence smiled at Shining Armor.
It was a Thursday night and the two had agreed to enjoy a local roller rink after their respective practices had allowed.
Dressed in a white mini skirt and a pink cropped top, the romantic teen knew she made quite an image as she relished in her date’s attraction of her. Her thick mane was tied up in a high ponytail as her full lips were painted an electric shade of pink. It was an 80s themed skate night.
After watching her date fall over a few times, the dancer took pity on her crush and helped him in his skates.
“You’re so awful,” she teased.
Shining Armor snorted, “We can’t all be graceful, now can we.”
Cadence smirked as she skated circles around him.
Shining Armor reached out to grab her, but his fingers fell through the air and he lost his balance.
Saving him from a nasty fall, she guided his hands to her waist, prompting him to hold on to her.
“Push, push, slide... There you go,” She encouraged patiently. “See how easy it is with the proper instruction?” She shivered when she felt him squeeze his her hips as he concentrated on staying upright.
“I’m not hurting you, am I?” He asked sincerely.
“Not at all. I love it when you touch me. You should do it more often.” He turned away and suppressed a grin. “Did anyone ever tell you how adorable you are?” She laughed loving the shade of red that flared across his cheeks and the tips of his ears.
After four more falls, Shining Armor was ready to retire his skates.
“I am awful!” He laughed enjoying the feel of her soft curves atop him, as the two were a pool of bodies on the floor.
Cadence’s smile was radiant as she stared down at him genially. “No kidding.”
“Amateurs...” Some kid snickered as they glided on by before sticking a double axel trick.
“Omg,” Cadence snorted good-naturedly, immediately covering her mouth at the sound falling into a fit of giggles.
“You want something to eat?” Shining Armor managed after a while, still enjoying the warmth of her body atop his.
“Sure.” She recovered, standing and trying to assist him without falling.
The two teens managed to slip and slide to the edge of the rink and make their way to a table.
“Can you believe that kid?” Shining Armor chuckled. “What was that?”
“There’s always football. You look pretty good playing that.”
“You mean I’m good at it?”
“That too,” she grinned making him roll his eyes playfully.
An hour later, and the two were on their way back to her house.
“You trust me right?” Cadence asked.
“Of course! You’re one of the nicest people I know.” He flashed her a quick smile.
“Just nice?”
“Fishing for compliments, Princess?”
“I didn’t think princesses had to fish for compliments.” She teased.
“Well my compliments are special. You gotta earn ‘em, babe.”
“Earn them, huh?” She leaned over and kissed on his neck.
“Hey!” He shivered at the hot feel of her open mouthed kisses to his skin. “You trying to kill us?” He jested shakily.
“We could always pull over,” she whispered in his ear as she began to nibble the lobe of his ear.
Biting his lip, the teen was tempted to give into his desire. ”What was it that you wanted to ask?” he managed.
Cadence sobered and pouted. “Spoilsport.”
He laughed. “Maybe when we don’t have weekday curfew.” He certainly would be needing a shower later, if the tightness in his pants was any inclination.
Looking at the clock that read 9:40p.m., she had no choice but to concede to his logic. These days she didn’t have to try hard to be a good daughter as she looked stellar in comparison to her own sister.
However, one thing her father was serious about was curfew.
“Is Twilight alright?”
Shining Armor jerked forward almost violently as he was overcome with a coughing fit. That got his attention, she thought feeling concerned.
“What do you mean?” He calmed, clearing his throat as he took a hand through his hair.
“It’s just she’s been so distant lately...” Cadence trailed unsurely. “And when I asked her about it she told me not to worry about it? I’m just concerned.” She stared over at him from under long lashes, noting the way he clenched the wheel.
“It’s really not my place to say...” Shining Armor said after a while.
“I love your sister. I wish she were my own. You know that.” She appealed genuinely. “If something’s wrong I want to help.”
He sighed.
The desire went both ways.
Twilight adored Cadence. Maybe she could help her bounce back. “A few days ago, another student tried to take advantage of her.”
“Take advantage?” He gave her a look causing her mouth to drop open. “Are you serious?! Who?! Is she okay?” Cadence was beyond shocked.
“Yea, yea... She’s fine. Everything’s fine now. But she was pretty shaken up by it.” The older boy admitted turning down her street.
“What happened?“ Cadence asked settling against her seat as she thought about her friend.
“Twilight was practicing some dance moves in the gym and this creep had apparently being spying on her for weeks. He tried to make a move but Chrysalis was there.”
“Chrysalis?” She sputtered, caught off guard by the admission.
“Yea... She stopped him from hurting Twilight.” He eyed her oddly. “She kicked his ass.”
At the prideful edge in his voice, she sat up and really studied him. “How do you know about this?” Better question- Why didn’t she know about this?
“Aside from Twilight being my sister, the school contacted my parents and brought everyone in. Curley’s parents wanted to sue, the school wanted to keep it quiet, my parents wanted justice and Chrysalis’ parents didn’t want her expelled. So they compromised. Curley got expelled, Chrysalis got detention, but everyone has to keep it quiet.’
She was missing everything. Thinking on her recent behavior she begrudgingly could see why. “... are you okay?” She asked after a while.
“All I can say is he’s lucky it was me and not Chrysalis.”
“I guess not too lucky- he ended up in the hospital.” The rumors surrounding her sister’s outburst had been unexpected but not surprising.
“For a fractured wrist...” Shining Armor scoffed darkly. “I’d have done worse.”
He turned into her neighborhood.
“I...” She supposed she could understand his ire. Once upon a time she’d felt the same protectiveness over Chrysalis. Not that she’d ever needed it, she mentally griped. “It’s a lot to take in...” She breathed after a while.
“You’re telling me.”
“I can’t believe Chrysalis would interfere like that.”
“Why wouldn’t she?” He gave her that look again. “She’s a person like anyone else.”
“Yeah, but she’s not the greatest person around.” Cadence folded her arms across her chest.
“Everyone has a story. Besides you don’t even know her.” Cadence held her tongue. “All I know is that she was there when Twilight needed someone and I will forever be grateful for that.” The playful air had dissipated, replaced by an uncomfortable silence.
Five minutes later they had pulled up to her house.
She moved to get out, but Shining Armor stopped her as he gently grasped her wrist.
“I’m glad Twilight’s okay,” she smiled apologetically.
“Me too. Thanks for tonight,” he leaned across the car and kissed her soundly.
“You sure you gotta make curfew?” She whispered against his lips, turning into him fully.
He hummed, as she wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sure...” He managed, before latching onto the pulse of her neck.
Cadence’s breath hitched at the warm wetness. She wanted him to touch her everywhere.
“Shining,” she moaned breathily.
She felt him chuckle. “I like it when you say my name like that...”
Deciding he’d tortured her enough, he placed a quick kiss on her nose. “Goodnight Cadenza...”
“Till the weekend,” She grinned with flushed cheeks.
After leaving his car, she made it in the house to find her mother and father cuddled on the couch watching tv. “Cutting it close...” Justinian remarked without even looking in her direction.
“But still on time,” Cadence sang feeling giddy.
Her mother snorted, narrowing her eyes at her flustered daughter. “Maybe you should take a cold shower, dear.”
Looking positively mortified, Cadence immediately fled the room taking the stairs two at a time.
“Should we talk to them?” She heard her father asking adding to her mortification.
Changelings, she thought.
After hopping into the shower, she thought over all Shining Armor had said to her.
Her sister had gotten in trouble for defending someone else, not being a raging psycho. And yet no one knew. The selfless action made her yearn for their old friendship, but her stubbornness and resentment were not so forgiving.
Before going to bed, she went by Chrysalis’ open door.
The changeling teen was sprawled out on the floor working in her sketchbook.
Shining Armor had said she didn’t know her, but the problem was Cadence knew too much.
Clearing her throat, she waited for her sister to acknowledge her. Chrysalis’ pencil stopped moving and those cat shaped eyes stared up at her guardedly.
They were so different now, she thought swallowing a flick of grief for the kinship they used to share. Cadence kept her tone cordial. “Thanks for helping Twilight.” At the look on her sister’s face she clarified. “Shining Armor told me what happened.”
“Yea...” Clearly the older girl wasn’t expecting this. “I’m glad I could help.”
“Right...” Where was all her animosity? “Well goodnight...” Cadence turned but halted at the sound of her sister still speaking.
“I’d have done worse for you...”