//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 part 1 
// Story: Ocean Blues 
// by TalkingToMyself 
//------------------------------//

Blue's third week in Canterlot High started just like the last had ended, with weird looks and mumbling behind her back and classmates who kept their distance from her. Obviously, word had gotten out that she had butted her head with Sunset Shimmer during detention. However, both girls arrived at school in one piece, so rumours about a fight died away quickly. Still, some students seemed to look down on Blue, now that she had openly yelled at the 'Rainbooms' and therefore the saviours of Canterlot High. Blue just snorted and rolled her eyes. Something had happened at the Battle of the Bands, but how they seriously expected her to believe weird shit about a school band saving the town was beyond her.

At least, as a positive side effect, they kept their distance from Blue, even the Rainboom gang. Well, most of them. She still had to fend off Pink Menace at least once a day, but apparently, that was normal and nobody seemed to care. So she sat in the back of her classes, barely said anything, took her notes and handed in her homework. Typical high school stuff and boring as all hell.

On Thursday, just after lunch, something happened. A girl from her classes, Trixie, approached her with some of her entourage. How did she know her name was Trixie? Because she kept telling everybody who didn't want to know with her habit of talking about herself in third person. She probably thought it was dramatic, Blue just found it plain annoying

"The great and powerful Trixie knows, fiendish villain."
Blue just stared at her for a moment before she walked on, only to get blocked by the others again
"Didn't you hear? Trixie knows everything!"
"Whoop-de-doo for you. Now move!"

Trixie backed away a little, more surprised about Blue's lack of reaction than anything else
"Trixie knows what happened in summer!"
Blue rolled her eyes and shoved one of the girls out of the way so she could get going
"I doubt that." was all she mumbled under her breath.

Trixie didn't take getting ignored too well, so she called out loud enough for everyone in the hallway to turn their heads towards her
"Trixie knows where you have been during fall, Ocean Shore."

Blue froze in mid-step and turned around. This time, she didn't need to shove anyone to get them moving, when they say her expression of rage they quickly abandoned their boisterous leader. Trixie backed away against the wall of lockers, but she at least didn't look away
"How?"
Trixie tried to smirk, but at Blue's obvious rage, it turned into a grimace instead
"The great and powerful Trixie found a chat room and had some interesting conversations with your former classmates..."

Blue slammed her fist against the locker, right next to Trixie's head. The girl flinched and tried to back away more
"Listen, Trixie, cause I'll only say this once. Whatever they told you is complete and utter BULLSHIT. If you believe any word of this, then you're an idiot."

Blue glared at her to make sure the message got through, then turned around and stomped away, with everyone staring at her. She didn't make it very far before Trixie pulled off one last mean trick. She called after her, loud enough to be heard all across the hallway
"If it's only a lie, then why did you spend the last ten weeks in juvenile hall?"

Blue stopped again. Her hands balled to fists and her vision turned red. That bitch. That little, annoying, fucking bitch. It took all her willpower to not turn around and slam Trixie's head against the nearest locker. She clenched her fingers so hard that her knuckles turned white and gritted her teeth together in a weak attempt to keep her anger in check.

People around her noticed, of course. There had been gasps of surprise as soon as Trixie had let the bomb drop. Now that Blue didn't deny immediately, the whispers began, worse than before. Fingers pointed at her and some backed further away from her.

Forcing herself not to run, Blue continued her way down the hallway. She didn't say anything, but that just made Trixie bold enough to keep shouting after her
"The truth hurts, doesn't it? Trixie knows everything and by the end of the day, Trixie will make sure everyone at school knows as well! Trixie won't stop until..."
"Yeah yeah, put a sock in it Trixie. Nobody is going to..."

Blue heard the raspy voice who started to argue with the little bitch, but she was too angry to care and soon out of hearing reach. She stomped towards her next class but news spread like a wildfire so everyone kept whispering all around her and already rumours popped up on what she had done that got her in juvie. She gritted her teeth together to the point that it hurt. No way she could take this for the rest of the day, not without burning a fuse. She walked past the main office and followed a sudden gut instinct. She barged into the room without knocking and the secretary stared at her. Before she could say anything, Blue pressed out through her teeth
"Is Vice-Principal Luna in?"

Miss Inkwell kept staring at her, but the woman could see the signs of distress on the girl in front of her and she could hear that Blue was close to tears. Angry tears, but tears nonetheless. She glanced at her computer and nodded
"Go right in, Ocean Shore."
Blue nodded and headed towards the door. Miss Inkwell picked up her phone and mumbled something, probably a warning to the Vice-Principal, so Blue forced herself to knock. She didn't have to wait long before Luna called her inside and told her to lock the door behind her.





When Blue left the office again, Miss Inkwell was already gone. Vice-Principal Luna had offered her a lift home, but she declined. By now, the school was empty after all. Blue wouldn't want to see anyone right now anyway.

Talking with the vice-principal had helped. Luna couldn't change anything about it, but at least Blue could let off some steam in a somewhat safe way. Vice-Principal Luna encouraged her to do so more often in the future. She even wrote her an excuse for her afternoon classes. Despite everything, Blue was glad she had followed her guts.

She reached her locker without seeing anyone, but then her luck for the day ran out. In front of her locker, she saw three bulky seniors waiting for her. Probably from the football team, if she was going by their jackets. They glared at her with what they believed to be open threat, only to see it didn't work on Blue at all. She completely ignored them and opened her locker to get some books. They didn't move and just watched her from close. When she turned around to leave, they had formed a wall between her and the exit.

Blue stood directly in front of who had to be the leader, because he was the tallest and angriest of the bunch. In fact, Blue had to tilt her head upwards to see his face, he was easily 2 feet taller than her. Again, Blue didn't give them any satisfaction and just stared back with her bored glance
"We don't need waste like you at our school."
"Though luck, meatface. I'm here and I'll stay."
"That's what you think."

He took a step closer until his bulky biceps nearly pushed against Blue's head. Blue didn't flinch or pull away even when he was so close now that he could smell him. At least he's using deodorant.
His angry face hovered above her
"We let Sunset Shimmer go too far and turn our school into a hellhole. By the time we realized what had happened, she had dirt on all of us and we couldn't do anything anymore. We won't let you get that far, though."

He grabbed her and dug his fingers into her shoulder, so hard that it hurt, even though Blue didn't move a muscle
"We won't let you get anywhere at all."
Blue grinned, which seemed to shock the other two but only annoyed the bulky one
"Is this the part where I am supposed to be intimidated? You think your little show makes me run away and never come back?"
Blue just laughed when he gripped her shoulder even harder and one of his goons decided to speak up
"Come on Score, this is a waste of time. Let her have it."

The bulky one, Score, looked away from her for a moment and turned his head towards his friends. Blue had just been waiting for that. While he was distracted, she made her move. Her right fist slammed into his upper body, just below his ribcage and as hard as she could. Being smaller than him meant she had the perfect angle as well.

Score's eyes opened wide in surprise. Then his face got pale from one second to the next and his grip on Blue's shoulder loosened up. Blue grinned and took a step backwards, just as Score dropped on his knees first and then fell over completely. He barely moved once he collapsed on the floor and he had some trouble breathing it seemed as all he did was wheeze like he had just run a marathon.

Score's goons watched their leader go down from a single blow. By a girl half his weight and almost half his size. Like their leader, they didn't move or say anything, too perplexed by what they had seen.

Blue didn't show she was surprised. She just grinned at both of them and walked towards the exit, casually taking a big step to avoid the senior on the floor.

By the time she had reached the door, the goons started moving and helped Score up. Blue walked slowly towards the bus stop. Her body was on tension in case she had to run for it, waiting for them to come after her. They didn't. When she was sure nobody was following or watching her, she flexed the fingers of her right hand with a pained grimace. Ouch. Also, her shoulder hurt like hell from when Score had grabbed her and she could barely move her arm.

The last bus arrived and Blue got in. As the bus drove past the school, she saw the three at the parking lot, Score leaning on one of his goons. Their eyes met through the window and Blue shot her best glare at him. Hopefully, her message got through.





The next morning, Blue turned up deliberately late. The hallways already emptied when she made her way to the main office to report in. As she had hoped, Miss Inkwell just nodded and waved her out so she could still make it to class in time. No chance for the principals to call her in.

In Homeroom, she took her usual seat in the back and waited. Miss Cheerilee was late, so there was a lot of talking in the classroom. Blue saw that almost everybody glanced back at her before they pulled their heads together again.

Farm girl, Applejack, Blue corrected herself, was one of the few who didn't take part in any gossip. Fashion girl was in the middle of the loudest discussion, but if her expression was anything to go by, she didn't agree with the others that much.

At some point, Applejack just got up and walked towards Blue's desk, leaning on it with both her hands
"I keep hearing a lot of stuff about yesterday. Care to share what really happened?"

Blue rolled her eyes. Of course, now everyone was watching her. Applejack had done this intentionally. She didn't look angry at all, probably she was just sick and tired of all the rumours, just like Blue was as well
"Depends on what you heard. Maybe you already know the truth."
"I doubt that. As far as I've seen, Trixie's not hurt at all which already proves half the stuff I heard is wrong. I doubt the rest is much better."

Blue groaned and rolled her eyes again. She leaned back on her chair so it would look like she was at ease, but inside she got ready for a running start

"What do you think has happened?"
"Clearly you and Trixie talked, which means chances are high she said something stupid."
Blue nodded and so did most of the others
"She said something she hoped would make you angry, which means she tried but failed and that got her annoyed."
Another nod and more whispers through the classroom
"And then Rainbow Dash tells me she started some rumour that you've been in juvie before you came here."

That was the moment when everyone froze up and leaned closer, some excited for Blue's reaction, others more fearful.

Blue sighed deeply and tilted her head back so she looked at the ceiling, but her eyes were closed. She had to make a choice now. She decided to stick with the truth.
"That's about the only true thing she said."
"Say what now?"

Blue just shrugged. The cat was out of the bag, even if she denied it now that wouldn't stop any rumours. She had to deal with this, so she might as well. Vice-Principal Luna had probably already told the principal and now that everyone was watching her, there was no chance that this would stay a secret much longer. Besides, there was something she was far more interested in

"Anything else?"
Applejack just shook her head, still unsure on how to deal with this revelation. Blue shrugged again, but inwardly she sighed. Seems like Score hadn't gone public with what happened after school. Not yet, at least.

Miss Cheerilee arrived a minute later and took in the unusual silence in class. She also noticed that every other second, someone was glancing back towards her newest student, most of them angry. Cheerilee knew about Blue's recent past from her file of course and quickly realized what had happened. She took a deep breath and greeted her class as usual, before she addressed the elephant in the room

"Ocean Shore, could you please take this note to the main office? I forgot that Principal Celestia needed this as soon as possible."
It was a hard lie. Blue knew, Cheerilee knew that Blue knew and most of the others knew. Still Blue got up, took the slip of paper from her teacher and left the classroom. Just before the door closed, she heard Cheerilee's stern voice
"Okay, let's talk about a few things..."

Principal Celestia was already waiting for her. Blue handed over the empty note and then took a seat like she was told to. Principal Celestia said nothing for a while and just looked at her, until Blue finally had enough and started asking questions herself

"Do you know a senior named Score?"
The principal nodded and raised her brow
"He's a member of the football team and a resident at the detention hall as I'm aware. Why do you mention him?"
Blue closed her eyes
"I've knocked him out after classes yesterday. He was waiting at my locker with some other football goons. They ganged up on me and I punched him in the guts."

Principal Celestia raised her eyebrows. She didn’t get obviously angry, but she also didn’t wash off what Blue told her right away.
"Do you know the names of the others?"
"No."
Principal Celestia stayed calm. She just turned to her computer and started clicking and typing a few words
"In front of your locker, you say?"
"Yes."

Blue didn't ask if she was in trouble now. She knew she was. The only question that remained was, how deep?

Principal Celestia watched the screen and then frowned. For a few minutes, she said nothing, then turned back to the student
"How is your shoulder?"
"I'll live."

As Blue had hoped, Principal Celestia looked at the footage of the security cameras in the hallways. Which meant she was willing to give her the benefit of a doubt, and in this case it paid of
"Did he threaten you?"
Blue chuckled dryly
"As if that would ever work."
"Please answer my questions, Miss Shore."
"He tried, but nothing concrete. Something about Sunset Shimmer and that he wouldn't let me get that far."

The principal nodded and glanced back at the screen
"Where did you learn to knock somebody out like that?"
"It was a lucky punch."
"Then why punch in the first place?"
"Because, that's how it works. You hit the big guy and then the others are too scared to bother you. Better end it before it even started."

Principal Celestia pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed
"As much of a logic I can see behind your reasoning, I can't just let this go by, Ocean Shore. Hitting a student is unacceptable. It wasn't out of self-defence either. Adding this to the fact that your past transgression seem to be public knowledge by now, I'm afraid you didn't help yourself with this course of action."

"So you're going to kick me out I guess."
Principal Celestia seemed shocked by the neutral tone in which Blue stated this
"Of course not! A single punch is no reason for expulsion, even with your background. But I want to make sure it won't get that far again, Miss Shore."

"So what now? I get more detention?"
Principal Celestia shook her head, apparently deep in thought
"Vice-Principal Luna suggested something else for you, and I begin to see where she's going at. I'll let her tell you about it. For now..."

She was interrupted by a beep from the phone. Principal Celestia blinked once before she picked up the speaker
"Miss Inkwell?"
"Mister Score and his parents wish to speak to you, they say it's very urgent."
"Indeed. Please send them in."

Blue got up, ready to leave, but Principal Celestia just pointed to a seat near the wall. Just then, Score and two adults walked in. The football player froze when he saw Blue sitting there already and growled
"Ratting out on me? You're gonna get it for that."
"Mister Score!"
Principal Celestia was now standing and glaring at the senior student
"I won't accept you threatening your fellow students and especially not in my office. And if I find you acting out on any of those threats, you'll have another thing coming at you."

Score tried to glare at Blue again, but his mother slapped the back of his head and pushed him down into a seat, placing herself between her son and Blue. Score's father just glanced annoyed at both of them
"Can anyone tell me what this is all about? I just got home from night shift and hear someone beat up my son in school last night."
Principal Celestia raised a brow again and fixed her eyes on Score
"Perhaps it would be best if you told us all what happened yesterday after school, Mister Score."

Score looked away and told some ridiculous story that he had run into Ocean Shore on his way out and that the girl had attacked him for no reason. When he didn't fight back, she had also kicked him while he was on the floor. Luckily, his teammates found him and got him home after that.

Blue didn't react but inwardly she was fuming. Piece of shit! That little liar and he even brought his parents to back up his nonsense. Crap.

Principal Celestia listened quietly until Score was finished
"Is that all that happened, Mister Score?"
"Yeah. You can ask Hardline and Touchdown if you want."
"Oh, believe me, I will. But first, I have some more questions for you."

She fixed the student with a piercing stare
"Where did you run into Ocean Shore?"
"Um, by the doors. Yeah."
"And you were alone with Ocean Shore the whole time?"
"Yeah."
"And where exactly did she hit you?"
"All over, Ma'am."

Principal Celestia rested her chin on her folded hands
"Interesting, Mister Score. Because I don't see any visible bruises."
"Um..."
"Miss Shore is also a lot smaller than you are. Didn't you fight back, if only to stop her?"
"I don't hit girls!"
"But apparently, you're not above lying a lady in the face, Mister Score."

Now, Score’s mother joined in, with a glance towards Blue
"Principal Celestia, clearly you don't trust a criminal like her over my son?"
"I trust in the evidence given to me."

She spun the computer monitor around for them and Blue watched yesterday’s events in fast forward. There was no sound, but the timestamp showed that Score and his goons had been waiting at her locker for half an hour at least.
"This hallway is nowhere near the doors, Mister Score."
"I remember now, I was going to my locker when I ran into her. I mixed things up."

"Obviously you mixed up more than just that. Your locker is near the gym, like all football players’, and not even remotely close to Miss Shore's locker."
"Um..."
"I don't see her hitting you all over either. Neither was it just you and her. And I can see your 'I don’t hit girls'-rule doesn't seem to apply either."

She reset the video to the point where Score forcefully grabbed Blue's shoulder  
"Miss Shore, would you please show us your shoulder?"
Blue sighed and pulled back her shirt a little, enough to show the bruises she had gotten the other day. Her whole shoulder had an angry violet colour instead of her usual blue skin.

Score's parents didn't look too long and instead glared at their son, but Principal Celestia spoke up before they could
"I don't know if you think I am a fool or if you simply didn't think at all, Mister Score, but trust me, I don't take lies too kindly. And under no circumstances will I accept violence like this. You will meet with Vice-Principal Luna after classes today to discuss your punishment. Also, the coach will learn of this."

"But she punched me in the gut!"
"Quiet, son."
His father pushed him back into his seat as he had jumped up to point at Blue
"Don't dig yourself any deeper into this. Everyone can see this was self-defence and you don't look like you would have stopped at any moment."
He looked back at the screen with Score's angry face on the paused video.
"Principal Celestia, I have to apologize in the name of my son. I'll make sure nothing like that will happen again."

Score's mother nodded and glanced to Blue again, this time repentant
"I hope we can solve this without any further problems?"
Blue knew what she meant. She could go to the police with this probably, but what would that give her except more trouble? So she just shrugged
"Whatever."

Principal Celestia saw the family off and closed the door again, before she turned back to Blue
"Thank you for not escalating this matter any further."
"Yeah, whatever."

The principal sighed
"We'll talk about the other matter later, Ocean Shore. For now, I advise you not go looking for any more fights. Before you return to your classes, I want you to visit the school nurse to have your shoulder looked at."
"Okay."

Blue walked to the door, but Principal Celestia put her hand on her good shoulder before she left
"Personally, I think being honest and open with your past this is an admirable way to handle it. But it's not the easiest way. If you need any help along this path, let me know."
Blue just nodded. She didn't know how to reply to this.

She hurried to the nurse office before the bell rang.





The nurse kept her in for the next period to check her shoulder and put on some ointment. She also gave her an excuse for PE, which meant she was one of the first at the cafeteria this day. She took her lunch and headed for a secluded table in the back, ignoring the stares from the other students.

Nobody sat even close to her until she was almost finished, but again her luck ran out short. Six girls made a beeline to her table and sat down despite Blue rolling her eyes.
Of course it's them. Who else?

Rainbow Dash leaned forward to get a better look at Blue, with Applejack right next to her
"You know why the coach had a fit during PE and threw Score out of the team?"
"And where have you been during PE, as a matter. You just vanished during Homeroom."
Blue just rolled her eyes again
"If I tell you, will you stop bugging me?"
"Depends on your answers, I suppose."
"Ugh. Fine."

Blue turned to Applejack first
"I wasn't at PE because I had an excuse from the nurse. And I had an excuse from the nurse because Score nearly broke my shoulder yesterday."
"He did what?"
"When did that happen?"
"Are you alright?"
Blue sighed and slammed her head on the table. This is gonna take a while.

"He tried to scare me off. And when it didn't work, he tried something else."
"He attacked you?"
"He tried. Idiot and his goons tried to mess with me, in front of a security cam."
Rainbow exchanged a glance with Applejack and nodded
"Yeah, that would get him kicked out of the team."

Sunset Shimmer was the only one who didn't look as convinced yet
"I know Score, and I know he wouldn't have just stopped. So what else happened?"

Blue took a deep breath through her nose. If she had learned anything during her time at CHS, then it was that Sunset Shimmer would only stop nagging her if she got her answers
“I happened. I sucker-punched him before he could do anything weird and he went out cold.”

“Yeah, right. You knocked out Score?”
Rainbow Dash glanced at the others, but Applejack nodded which meant she believed Blue. That seemed to be enough for Rainbow as well
“But, that guy is like brick wall. He's like twice your size."
Blue looked at her empty tray and the others saw something dangerously close to a blush on the short girl
"Look, I just wanted him to let go off me. I didn't want to knock him out. Must have hit the solar plexus or something, cause he went down like a sack of potatoes."

Rarity and Fluttershy threw frowns across the table, but not at Blue. Instead, it was Rainbow Dash and Applejack they glared at as they both started laughing. Sunset Shimmer didn't laugh but she had a smirk on her face
“I would pay to see that.”
“You can ask the principal, maybe she lets you copy the tape.”
There was more laughing from Rainbow Dash, but Rarity chimed in with a huff
“I bet you’re very proud of yourself, Miss Shore. Myself, I can’t but condone such violence in school.”
Blue just rolled her eyes
“Gee, you’re right Rarity. I should have totally let them beat me up instead. That would have been much better.”

Rarity turned away with another huff, but surprising help came from Pink Menace
“No it wouldn’t! Then you might be really hurt right now. So only Score got a little hurt instead.”
Sunset Shimmer and Rainbow Dash nodded along
“Pre-emptive strike before the situation could escalate.”
“Guy’s just lucky I wasn’t around, I would have kicked his butt hard.”

Applejack cleared her throat
“Which brings me to wonder why he would try something like that in the first place. I don't suppose it would have something to do with the stuff Trixie's been going on about?"
"You got that right. Something about this school doesn't need 'trash like me' and 'not letting things go too far' like with Sunset Shimmer."
Blue just rolled her eyes and laughed, but the other girls when silent. Sunset Shimmer looked downright distraught
"You mean, it's all my fault?"

Rarity and Pinkie Pie who sat next to her both placed a hand on Sunset's shoulder
"Now, now, Darling. You know it is not like that."
"Yeah, Score is just an old grumpy-pants. He just picked on Ocean because she's new, not because of you."
"But he picked her because he was afraid she might turn out like me, don't you get it? After all I've done, I guess I can't blame him. I just wish..."

"What in hell are you babbling about?"
Applejack looked back at Blue while Rarity tried to comfort Sunset
"Has anyone told you about the Fall Formal?"
"You mean the crazy story about a demon and a princess from another dimension? Yeah, hard to forget. They really thought I was that dumb I'd believe bullshit like that."

Rainbow rolled her eyes
"Well, it’s all true. But before all of that stuff happened, Sunset was kinda the queen bee of Canterlot High."
"She had a lot of secrets about everyone and bullied everyone to do as she said."
"She also broke up a lot of friendships during that time, including ours."

Blue looked from girl to girl to see if any of them was laughing already, only to be disappointed
"You're all serious about this?"
"Course we are, Sugarcube."
"Why would we make up something like that?"
"And why else would everyone be so wary of Sunset even after she saved the school?"
Blue shook her head
"Yeah, I'm not buying it. Whatever drugs you're all on, I'm not interested."

Rainbow slammed her palm on the table
"Look, we have a way to prove everything to you. Just come to the music room after classes today and we'll show you."
"Let's see, I've just been ambushed by a senior yesterday and now six girls suddenly try to lure me into a trap after school. Yeah, guess what my answer will be."

"What do you have to lose from trying, Darling?"
While Rarity tried reasoning with her, Applejack had a better idea
"How about we make it a bet?"

Applejack grinned and crossed her arms in front of her with a smug grin that Blue returned
"What kind of bet?"
"You come to the music room and if we can't convince you, we'll leave you alone for the rest of the school year."
"Even Pinkie Pie?"
All girls turned to her and Pinkie pouted
"But I just had the bestest plan to finally be friends with you!"
"Pinkie!"
"Fine..."

Blue grinned
"It's a deal."
"Not so fast. If we manage to convince you, you're gonna tell us what this juvie stuff is all about. Sounds like a fair price?"
Blue rolled her eyes and sighed
"Whatever. It's not like I'll lose anyways."
Applejack stretched out her hand Blue shook it with a smirk.





Today she had lab class with Sunset Shimmer again, but this time they could work for themselves. Blue tried her best to ignore the girl next to her, but Sunset made it really hard with looking guilty all class long.

As usual, she was one of the first to finish, so she started scribbling on her homework. The teacher, Mr Vial, didn’t say anything about it, after he had checked her results and approved.

Sunset Shimmer was done shortly after Blue and started writing into a huge, old-fashioned book. It reminded her of one of those ancient tomes you’d see only in museums. Blue leaned over, just a little curious, but all she could see was some wavy lines and a few unknown symbols in between. Whatever.

Class was over and everybody filed out, Blue as the last. Outside, Sunset Shimmer was waiting for her
“What?”
“You’re coming to the music room, right? We might as well walk together.”
“Whatever.”

Blue walked slowly with Sunset matching her speed. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Sunset spoke up
“So, um, about Score, I just want to say, I’m really sorry he went after you like that and…”
“Shut up.”
Sunset shook her head
“But it’s just because of me that he…”
“Shut. UP!”

Ocean spun around and fixed Sunset Shimmer with a glare
“Listen, did you send him after me?”
“No, but…”
“Did you tell anyone that I was dangerous or something?”
“No! Of course not.”
“Then it’s not your fault. He made the stupid decision and I punched him. He got kicked out of the team and I get more detention. Case closed. So shut up.”

Sunset clamped her mouth shut as Blue walked on, staring after the girl for a moment before she hurried after her.

When they reached the music room, everyone else was already waiting for them.
“So, Ocean Shore, are you ready to have your mind blown?”

Blue watched as the others picked up some instruments and Pinkie Pie took her spot behind a drum set on the smallish stage
“Let me guess, you’re gonna sing me a friendship song that will make me completely turn my life around in a matter of minutes?”
“Don’t be silly! Everyone knows it doesn’t work like that!”
“Yeah, you’d need at least a friendship rainbow laser for that.”

Blue waited for some laughter that never came. Rainbow Dash looked kind of apologetic after she said it, and some of the others looked at Sunset with some concern, but all of them seemed serious about this. Even Sunset Shimmer, who just rolled her eyes
“Since we’re short of one element of harmony for that, let’s just try the friendship song for now.”

Pinkie Pie took that as her cue to count everyone in and they started to play their song. Blue leaned against a wall with a bored expression and her arms crossed in front of her chest. The song was some happy-happy-girly pop, not really her style but not so bad that she couldn’t take it. The girls played well and their voices worked together better than she had expected when they all sung.

At the end of the verse, something happened though. Rainbow Dash started to glow. Blue first thought it was some light effect, but one glance up showed that there were no spotlights. She looked closer and noticed that there was a nimbus of sky-blue light outlining only Rainbow’s body, but nothing else nearby. She did a double take when she looked at the others and saw the same lights, just in different colours around them as well.  

Blue carefully walked closer to the stage to see if there was anything hidden that she didn’t see. Rainbow Dash just grinned and went for a guitar solo. At the same time, the light flared up around her and Blue stared with her mouth hanging open as Rainbow lifted up from the stage, not too much but enough that Blue could see her feet were no longer touching the floor.

The light glowed brightly and something changed. Rainbow’s hair grew longer, down to her waist in a matter of seconds. On the top of her head, a different pair of ears poked out from her hair. Blue had seen those from the Wondercolt headbands some students wore in their clubs, but Rainbow’s ears moved and swivelled around like real ears. Before Blue could get over the shock of that, the light focused on Rainbows back and a pair of large, feathery wings just sprouted out from under her shoulders.

And the wings moved! Blue backed away when Rainbow’s wings started to flutter along to the music

“Heilige Scheiße!”
Blue didn’t even notice she had slipped into her first language, she was too baffled and shocked. Seeking for help, she looked at the others, just in time to see their lights flare up as well
“Was zum…?”

Before her eyes, each of the girls lifted up from the stage and transformed, gaining immense hair extensions and fluffy ears. Only Fluttershy got a pair of wings as well, matching her skin colour just like Rainbow’s, even if Blue could clearly see the feathers.

While the sight was shocking enough, what even more disturbed her was the fact that none of the girls seemed to care in the least! They just kept playing like this was totally normal, something they did every day and got used to.
Okay, it’s finally happened. I’m crazy. Just completely gaga. I blew a fuse, literally, and now I’m hallucinating. Or maybe I’m having an aneurysm.

“So, what you say now Ocean Shore? Pretty sweet, huh?”
Rainbow Dash was hovering She’s hovering with her freaking wings! right in front of her.

The others gathered around her as well, still with their instruments at hand and amused smiles and giggles.
Blue finally picked up her jaw from the floor and said something. At least, she tried
“Whaaa?”

The girls laughed, not at her, just because they understood how it felt, and Sunset put her hand on her shoulder
“It’s the magic of friendship. It manifests when we play our music and allows us to pony up.”
“Pony up?”

Rarity nodded and spun around to show off her longer than normal hair
“Indeed, Darling. Pony ears, pony manes, Pinkie Pie came up with a fitting name don’t you agree?”

Blue took a step backwards and looked warily from one to another
“Okay, you drugged me during lunch, right? Or gassed me with something. Either that, or these are the best special effects I’ve ever seen.”
She walked around Rainbow Dash who was still hovering
“Have to admit, you’re good. I don’t even see any wires.”
“There are no wires, ‘cause this is the real deal.”
“Yeah, right. Pop music that transforms teenage girls into pony mutants with wings.”

“Hey!”
Sunset Shimmer frowned at her
“Ponies are the dominant species in Equestria and every pegasus pony has wings. We’re not mutants.”
“Right. Equestria. Pegasus. Uh-huh. You’re not just ponies, your pegasus ponies.”
“Well, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are. In Equestria, I’m a unicorn actually.”

Blue just shook her head and slumped on a chair
“I must be dreaming. Maybe I got into a car crash and now I’m in a coma.”
“Still not believing after you see it with your own eyes?”

“I know it’s a lot to take in, Darling, but I assure you, this is very real.”
“Yeah! And it’s super fun!”
Blue kept shaking her head and Rainbow Dash had enough
“You want more proof? Here you go.”

She flew over and grabbed Blue by the shoulders. Blue could feel the breeze from her wings as they flapped harder, she could see every single feather from this close and she almost missed that she was lifted up four feet into the air
“Hey! Was soll der Mist?”
She kicked her legs into the air and Rainbow just laughed
“Still think you’re dreaming? Well, here goes.”

She suddenly let go and Blue dropped down, landing flat on her butt
“Ow…”
“Rainbow Dash! Why did you do that?”

Fluttershy was by her side in a blink and helped her up. Blue was too perplexed to refuse help this time, especially when she felt Fluttershy’s wing touch her back. She reached out and ran her fingers along the feathery appendage. It was warm to the touch and twitched when she touched it
“It’s real! Holy crap, it’s real!”

Fluttershy blushed and hid behind her longer hair or mane?, and Blue quickly pulled her hand back
“Sorry.”
Fluttershy mumbled something and suddenly, the light glowed around her again and she transformed back, her hair shrinking back to its normal length and the wings just disappeared. Blue looked around and watched the others return to normal as well. Including Rainbow Dash who was still in the air at the time and therefore landed on her butt as well
“Ouch.”
“Serves ya right, Rainbow.”
Applejack teased and helped her back on her feet while Blue looked around even more confused
“Wait, and now it’s all gone? Just like that?”

“It doesn’t last too long when we’re not playing our music. We could pony up again, but I think we made our point.”
Blue just shook her head and looked between the girls, one after another
“Okay. So you’re all magic ponies from another dimension.”
“Nope. Only Sunset, the rest of us are humans.”

Blue stared at Sunset who nodded in confirmation
“But they have pony counterparts in Equestria who are in control of some very powerful magic artefacts. So powerful that even the human counterparts gain access to their magic.”
“And with counterparts, you mean…?”

“Well, basically the other dimension is a like a mirror image to this one, or the other way around, just with a few differences. Here humans are the dominant species and use technology for almost everything. Back in Equestria, ponies have very little technology, but we use magic instead.”
“Yeah. Of course, that makes so much sense.”

Blue had trailed off at some point and only stared straight ahead for a while

“I know it’s a little much to take in all at once. I can tell you more if you like…”
Blue shook her head and waved her off. There was something she was far interested in first
“What has this all to do with the Fall Formal?”

Blue looked at the girl in question who shrank into herself like she had in the cafeteria, but this time the others quickly gathered around her with hugs and words of comfort. Blue just tilted her head until Rarity exclaimed with a deep sigh
“There is quite a story behind these events. It might take a while, Darling.”

Blue nodded and shifted on her chair as if to get more comfy
“I’m listening.”
“Does that mean you believe us now?”
“Let’s say I’m open-minded to the idea at least.”

Applejack chuckled and sat down in a chair as well
“Fair enough. Well, it started when we all came to this school three years ago…”