Chapter 8: Pixel High School.
~Lightning groaned in her sleep. For a while, she tossed and turned on her soft mattress. She was trying to sleep, but an annoying noise was keeping her from doing so. The noise suddenly became a voice.~
"Lightning!"
"Huh? Argh…"
"Lightning!"
~Lightning opened her eyes, then shut them again quickly. The morning light was too bright, too painful. When she tried again a few seconds later it was easier; a fuzzy, unfocused face leaned over her, shutting out the harsh glare above. It was Nimbus' face. He smiled at her.~
"I've made pancakes downstairs…"
"Oh, have you…? Ok…" Lightning rubbed her eyes.
"Have you just woken up…?" Nimbus asked.
"Yeah…?"
"Oh. Well, it's 7:20, and it's Monday. School starts in an hour. So get up and get ready…" He ordered.
"Ok, Dad."
"I gotta head to work, feel free to make more pancakes if you're still hungry. Bye, sweetie."
"Ok, bye."
~As Nimbus went out the door, Lightning snuggled deeper into her duvet covers, but suddenly she heard him yell and she threw herself out of them quickly. She rapidly got changed into a fresh, sweet-smelling long sleeved shirt and jeans and put her favourite striped sleeveless jacket on top. She snatched her backpack off the floor and raced out of her room. She reached the guest room and saw that Karly, Twilight, Sunset and the rest were still fast asleep. She frowned at them and stomped into the room, clapping her hands as loudly as she could.~
"ALRIGHT! Everyone up!"
"Eh. 5 more minutes…" Karly groaned in her sleep.
"Yeah, 5 more minutes…" Sunset added in the same tone.
"GET UP, I SAID!"
~Lightning grabs an air horn out of nowhere and blows it right in everyone's faces. Karly, Fluttershy and Pinkie scream and leap straight up to the sky. They fall back down and land on their beds. The others just yelled and awoke immediately.~
"I did not honestly ask for that wake up call, Lightning!" Karly yelled.
"Sorry, Kars, but we gotta get to school, pronto!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming...and Do not call me Kars...Lights." Karly smugged when she walked past Lightning.
"Ugh. Lights...So stupid..."
~Sometime later, the girls had gotten changed, ate the stack of pancakes on the table Nimbus left them, and went off to school. They walked across the road and to the pathway to the school. It didn't actually take as long as the girls thought it would. They arrived and gazed at the front of the school and the many, many students hanging around the area.~
"Wow…" The seven gasped.
"Girls, Welcome to Pixel High School." Lightning introduced.
Rainbow suspiciously raised a brow. "Hey! Wait! This is the building that we…"
"Yeah...it is." Lightning nodded.
"The portal back to our world is near here!" Sunset realised. "What is it? Where is it?"
"If I can remember…"
"My Uncle Steven told me it's that sign. "Karly pointed at the large marble sign that read 'Welcome to Pixel High School!'.
"Hey, it's just like our school. Both of the portals are right outside the school!" Pinkie said.
"Yeah...coincidence, huh?" Lightning tilted her head for a second.
"Hey, guys, let's not waste anymore time. The Chief wants us to meet him in his office in...5 minutes." Karly said, looking at her phone.
"Let's go in then."
~Both girls take a long breath in, before placing a hand on the front doors. Lightning swings the left door open while Karly swings open the right. They looked beyond the main hallway and began to walk in. The students in that hallway stop in their conversations and gasp once they saw them.~
"Oh my gosh!"
"Is that Lightning Star and Karly Crystal?"
"They have returned!"
"I can't believe they actually came back."
~The students all began eyeing Lightning and Karly and muttering to one another as they walked by. Karly felt a little shy and embarrassed about causing this much attention to herself and Lightning. And the Rainbooms, just didn't feel like that were a part of this.~
"Half of the school is staring at us…" Karly noted.
"I know. Just don't make eye contact."
"Why are they looking at us so angrily?" Twilight asked.
"Thing is, we are hated by half of the students in our year. We don't know why."
"Goodness…" Fluttershy said.
"Yes, our classmates are...weird."
~Lightning used her hand to shield herself from the curious students. Then, she and Karly started walking to a nearby glass case full of pictures, certificates, and trophies. Karly points over to a picture of 60 students.~
"I mean, take a look at that school photo taken last year. Most of them aren't even smiling!"
"Yeah, they look like they are getting their picture taken at the police station or something. Most of these kids are just plain awful. And scary. Look. That one had fangs, that one has fire for hair, oh that one is the worst of all." Lightning shuddered.
"Uh...There's no one in this picture." Twilight said.
"Yes there is. That kid is so spooky, he doesn't show up in photographs. They are all bullies too! I have to warn you, if you are going to be roaming their hallways...Watch out for Duko Bandit."
"Duko Bandit?" The girls said.
"He is one of the school's biggest bullies." Karly exclaimed.
Lightning nodded. "Everyone is extremely intimidated by him. Even us. And unfortunately, I'm the only one that can protect everyone from him. And all the students that hate me, are his best friends-"
~-SPLASH!* A water balloon strikes Lightning at the back of her head and makes her hair go all soggy. Applejack quickly helps Lightning back to her feet, and then everyone turns to see where the balloon came from.~
"Ahh! What the…?"
"Bullseye!"
~There, everyone saw a teenage boy, who looked like trouble. His evil smile went all the way up to his cheeks and the scar that crossed his lip. His brown hair was spiny and looked like he hadn't brushed it in years. He kept throwing a water balloon up in the air and catching it again with one hand, ready to fire it at something, or someone for that matter. No doubt this kid was the number one bully, Duko.~
"Well, well, what have we here? Lightning Star and Karly Crystal. Here. At school. I don't believe it! Honestly, I could have used another 6 months or so."
"Good to see you too, Duko." Lightning sighed sarcastically.
Duko chewed on his red jacket in anger. "It shouldn't be good at all!"
~Duko raised his arm high, then shot the water balloon in his hand at Lightning. However, Karly athletically threw herself in front of Lightning and took the water balloon to the face instead.~
"Hey!" Karly spluttered.
"Hey, what is your problem?!" Rainbow glared.
"'Ey! I was aiming for Lightning! That stupid little field mouse just got in the way. It's her fault!" Duko bellowed.
"Even if you didn't intend on hitting the right person does not mean you still hold responsible for doing it!" Rarity retaliated.
"Well, thanks for introducing me to your new friends, Lightning. Any friend of Lightning, is an enemy to me! You better stay out of my way! Cause I tend to get violent on people who stand in my way."
~Duko grins before finally leaving the girls alone and walking away from the scene. Rainbow was super unhappy with his behaviour and wanted to seriously mess him up.~
"We should pony up and shoot magically rainbow lasers at him just to make a point." Rainbow clenched her teeth.
"Don't worry, Rainbow, he won't get away with that. We have the principal on our side. Speaking of which...office."
~Lightning began to walk off but then she bumped into an object and stumbled back. Karly caught her back and helped her stand up straight again. Lightning looked up to see what she bumped into and went pale when she saw none other than Vice Principal Shelly above her.~
"Hello, girls." She greeted warmly.
"Oh, hello...Vice Principal Shelly."
"I'm glad to see you girls turned up. I better escort you to the principal's office so you can get back on track. Now."
"Oh, ok-Um-we'll see you guys at break?" Lightning waved to the Rainbooms.
"Or after school?" Karly shrugged.
"Yeah, okay!" Sunset waved.
"See you, darlings!" Rarity smiled.
~Lightning and Karly smiled and waved before running off to catch up with the Vice. The Mane 7 waved back then went back outside the school again to think about what to do next.~
"So, y'all think we should get to trainin' again?" Applejack asked.
"Yeah! Uh-huh! Certainly." They all said and nodded.
"But...where should we go?" Fluttershy asked.
"Maybe just outside in the fields won't be so bad. We'll have plenty of room and no one will notice us." Rainbow suggested.
"But, we aren't really welcome here-It'll be like we're trespassing!" Twilight answered.
"Steven is in charge here! He won't mind!"
Twilight reluctantly sighed. "Alright then."
~The Rainbooms shambled along the sandy, stone pathway then went off into the grassy fields around the school. According to the old wooden sign they just passed, it was the 'Silverrose fields.' At first it just looked like a simple field with a football area with a few park benches and picnic tables, but once over the large hill, it uncovered a whole load of beautiful dandelions, poppies, daisies and other flourishing flowers. A large oak tree was also planted right in the middle of the field too. The Rainbooms were amazed and decided to train there, there was plenty of room. They slid down the hill and settled nearby the tree.~
"So, the next technique is the 'Flip Kick.'" Twilight read from her phone. "Jump high in the sky, front or back flip and strike your opponents with your foot. You can use the walls to help you flip."
"Oh, I get it! It's like Kung Fu!" Rainbow said, backflipping and kicking the air. "Nailed it!"
"Nice one, Rainbow! My turn, my turn!" Pinkie said.
~Pinkie bounced up high and did her attempt at the Flip Kick while everyone watched her perform it perfectly.~
"Nailed it...also!"
"Well done, Pinkie! Rarity, want to go next?" Twilight asked.
"Hmm? Oh, Why not." she simply said, as she began to do the skill.
~Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Sunset saw a movement. It was the shadowy figure of a girl but she was well camouflaged. The next instant, she heard a faint hiss. It was followed by a terrible wail of pain and despair. To her horror and that of everyone else, Pinkie fell stricken to the ground. A fierce laser glowed from her arm.~
"Pinkie!" They all screamed.
"Excellent shot, Sonata!" snarled a cruel voice.
~The girls turned and stared in horror the moment they saw the shadow figure and her poofy hair in plain sight. Her companions too.~
"Adagio!" Sunset gasped.
"Aria and Sonata too!" Rarity exclaimed.
"That's right." Aria grinned.
"You...knew that we'd come here?" Sunset asked.
"Knew. Followed. It's a fine line." Aria shrugged.
"You can run, but you can't hide." Sonata gloated. "We will always find you and never stop finding you!"
"That...do not make any sense, Sonata." Aria rolled her eyes.
"...We can take y'all. We have improved our skills from last time." Applejack said, getting into a fighting position.
"Have you?" Adagio smugged. "From what I just saw, You still don't know all the skills and their strengths and weaknesses while we do, we can still defeat you easily."
"Uh oh…"
"Give us your magic!" Adagio leaps to attack but Sunset dodges out of the way.
"RUUUUUUNNNNNNN!" Pinkie yelled.
~The Rainbooms needed no further urging. They shot off across the field like scared rabbits.~
"After them!" screamed Adagio. "Don't lose them!"
~In one of the classrooms, Karly stared at the sheet of paper in front of her and sighed.~
"I hope The Rainbooms are enjoying training as much as we are learning." She said to Lightning sarcastically.
~At that same moment, The Rainbooms ran past the window of the classroom, with Pinkie screaming her lungs out. Her screams actually caught everyone's attention to stare at them through the window. They then saw the Dazzlings run past the window. Lightning and Karly stared in horror at them, then to each other.~
"Uh, oh!" They both said in alarm.
~The Rainbooms ran for their lives. They knew that their head start would not last long against the speed of their pursuers. Indeed a swift glance across their shoulders revealed that they were already much closer than they would have liked. Rainbow glared and suddenly grabbed onto Twilight and Fluttershy. She then told the others to hold hands with each other. Once everyone was linked together, Rainbow activated her geode and sped off, leaving the Dazzlings in the dust. They zoomed out of the school grounds and into the city. Rainbow slowed down when she saw they were in the clear.~
"I think we lost them…" Rainbow puffed.
"My goodness, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity exclaimed angrily while fixing her hair. "You ruined my hair!"
"Sorry, but I wasn't going to leave you guys."
"Well, Thank you, Rainbow Dash, for gettin' us out of that mess." Applejack smiled.
"Of course."
"Um...where are we, girls?" Fluttershy asked timidly.
~The seven stopped panting and stood up properly. Beside them stood a rectangular brick building. Above the red roof had the name of the place lit up in neon orange and blue lights.~
"The Pizza Shack?" Sunset perused.
"Ooh! Pizza! I'm hungry! Can we stop here?" Pinkie asked happily.
Twilight frowned. "Pinkie, I don't think now's the time to have lunch."
"Aww…"
"So, what do we do now? We can't go back to school, the Dazzlings might still be there." Rarity panicked.
"We will just have to see if they will come looking for us, and if they do, we will sneak back to the school and find Lightning and Karly." Sunset suggested.
"Ok…" They all nodded.
"So, let's just stay here until we-"
~An explosion suddenly thunders around the corner of the building. Smoke erupts from the inside and the floor is littered with broken bricks and shards of glass. Four masked men carrying fully-automatic rifles appear out of nowhere and descend into the blown hole.~
"Everyone on your knees. This is a robbery!" One criminal yelled.
"Nobody does anything stupid, nobody has to die! So pretty, pretty please...Do something stupid!" The second criminal laughed.
"Oh...Oh no!" Fluttershy said.