Twilight Sparkle
Moone Stromhest
Ophelia Lozano
Salene Emily
Mr. Spruce
Principal Celestia
Sunset Shimmer
Trixie Lulamoon
Transportation-induced Headache
Ophelia, Moone, and Salene were gathered around the mirror portal with Twilight, Anyxt, and Onpolyx. The siblings were a ways away from the rest of them, Onyx speaking hastily to Opal. She shushed him and soothed him several times, but what they were saying went unheard by everyone else. Twilight was rattling off instructions to Moone and Salene, making sure they had everything they needed, and generally mothering them.
"Do you have your bags?"
"Yes, Twilight."
"Your shawls??"
"Yes, Twilight, we wouldn't forget them."
"When you get there, make sure to give the letter to Principal Celestia and make friends with Sunset, okay??"
"We will, Twilight."
Twilight devolved into muttering, going over their list of necessities over and over again under her breath. Anyxt watched on, amused at the alicorn's nerves. Moone checked her bags.
Moone's wings fluffed up. "Wait, where's that pocket watch?"
Twilight looked at the teen for a second, an expression of utter confusion on her face. Suddenly, recognition dawned in the princess' eyes and she teleported away. She came back a second later levitating the pocket watch and the chain ring in its jewelry box. "Here! I have the watch, and the chain. Be careful not to lose either of these, okay?!"
"Okay, okay! Calm down, I won't." soothed Moone. She took the watch and the box, stashing the latter in her bag. She clipped the watch to the rim of her pants, bringing the actual watch up to her face. "Now, how does this thing work...?"
Twilight pointed at the button that would open the watch. "Click that twice in quick succesion. That should activate and deactivate the enchantment," said the princess.
Moone clicked to button twice, the watch opening. At the same time, her wings seemed to disappear from existence. A collective gasp of 'woah!' filled the room, Moone herself looking in the mirror behind her. "Wow... My wings, they're- they're gone." Twilight nodded proudly, glad that the spell had worked. She explained that opening and closing the watch as it was used would not activate or deactivate the enchantment; only the double-clicking of the button would do so. The group spent another few minutes going over instructions and saying goodbyes.
When the time came to leave, the girls stood in front of the mirror. They watched as Twilight placed the magic journal on the stand, muttering praise and sounds of wonder as the portal came to life. "Goodbye! Be safe!" called Twilight. Moone, Ophelia, and Salene smiled in farewell, and jumped through the portal.
"Ugh, my head..." groaned Moone from her place on the snowy ground. Opal swiftly picked her up, knowing that she wouldn't want her jacket wet. Opal continued to hold her, waiting until Moone tapped on her shoulder to gently let the shorter teen go. Moone's eyes were a dark color again, even in the weak winter sunlight. Salene picked herself up and came to the other two girls, noticing something about their attire. "Uh, guys? The portal changed us."
The portal did not change much, only a few select details about their attire. Moone's hair was now partially braided, a length of hair hanging over one shoulder and parts of it covering her ears. She was wearing a long sleeve shirt instead of her earlier shorter sleeved one. Opal was now wearing a hat much like Salene's, and the top inch or two of the inside of her boots was lined with faux fur. Her shawl had thickened and was now lined with soft micro-fleece. Salene's shawl was the same, and her sweater had become a slightly form-fitted sweater dress that reached down to mid-thigh. She wore tights underneath the dress, her knee-length shorts overtop of them. Opal blushed and looked away, flustered by how good Salene looked in her new attire.
No students were there, and the group moved to sit on the front steps of the school. Opal recovered from her blush rather quickly, and started to dig around in their bags to see if anything else had changed. Ophelia stumbled across a small bottle with a note wrapped around it. "Hey, I found something," she said, pulling the bottle and the note out of the bag.
"So did I," said Salene, revealing a single water bottle. Ophelia took the bottle, and unfolded the note. "The note says, 'In case one of you gets a headache from traveling,'" read the teen. She shook the small bottle, which was actually a small travel bottle of Tylenol*. A rattling sound filled the area around them.
Moone raised her head, making a grabbing motion with one hand. She took the note, scanning it. "It's not signed. Eh, I'll sum it up to magic stuff that I could care less about right now." Salene took the pill bottle from Ophelia, opening it and shaking one of the acetaminophen tablets into the cap. She offered the cap and the water bottle to Moone. The brunette took the coated pill, swallowing it with some of the water. "That'll help in about thirty minutes. It's still early, we can wait for the start of school in a nearby coffee shop if it gets too cold out here."
The group was determined to be tough and ride out the cold. Settling in, they waited for the first students to arrive. ... They ended up giving in five minutes later and took shelter in Sugarcube Corner about half a block away. They thanked Mr. and Mrs. Cake profusely for letting them ride out the cold in their shop. More than two hours later, Mrs. Cake suggested that they get to school.
Arriving in the courtyard about fifteen minutes later, most of the school had gathered and was either standing somewhere waiting for their friends or going into the building. Salene thought up a quick plan, relaying it to the other girls. "Okay, we'll split up and ask for directions to the principal's office in the main entrance. Once one of us has gotten directions, we'll go into the center of the room and make a strange noise, like whistling or clapping." The other two nodded, and Moone added another thing onto it. "Maybe if we want to have fun, we can act strangely? Like act and speak properly, as if in high society, or act innocent. You know, just to give them the sense that we're a weird group and it's probably not a good idea to try and understand us. Like Pinkie."
Salene and Opal nodded, liking the idea. "I think I'm strange enough as is, but I'm pretty sure that with a bit of practice Salene can give off a creepy living doll vibe. Kinda like Violet Evergarden, except a little more intense," said Ophelia.
The blond teen looked at Ophelia blankly, sapphire eyes losing their shine. Opal hid behind Moone, whispering something that sounded like 'mother help me'. Salene blinked, the look of a sane human being returning to her.
"I didn't even teach you that..." murmured Moone. Salene smiled, replying, "I figured it out." Moone shivered.
Recovering from their moment, the three girl headed inside, breaking apart as soon as they passed the threshold of the school.
Moone walked up to the nearest student, her movements fluid as she balanced on the balls of her feet. Her jacket swayed slightly with her movements. The nearest student just so happened to be Trixie Lulamoon, who was sitting against the wall. The magician stared dejectedly at her feet. A voice interrupted her thoughts. "Pardon me, young miss." Trixie looked up hurriedly, expecting to find a teacher, but instead found a freshman. The freshman continued speaking. "I'm terribly sorry for disturbing you, but I was wondering if you would be so kind as to give me directions to the principal's office."
She could have simply asked 'which way is the principal's office,' but instead phrased it as if she were in some old novel. Trixie would later realize that listening to this girl talk was like listening to a mixture of classic literature and modern speech, a comparison that everyone the girl talked to would make. For now, she was too dazed by the polite respect in the girl's voice to respond or really process what was being said.
The girl spoke again. "I'm sorry miss, have I disturbed you? I apologize. I shall go ask another for directions." She curtsied, and even though she had no dress to grab and pull, she still elegantly flared her hands as if she did have a dress. the girl straightened, and smiled. The smile was the barest curve of her lips, but it was still warm. She turned and started walking away.
Trixie didn't want her to leave; she was too polite for Trixie to not feel guilty that she didn't help the freshman. "Wait!" The freshman turned, facing her fully, giving the magician all of her attention. "Yes?" Trixie hesitated, feeling a few students' eyes on them. "Trixie can give you directions to Principal Celestia's office. Trixie doesn't mind." She stuttered, and her words were lilting awkwardly, but the girl smiled warmly again. "Is that your name, young miss? Trixie?" the girl asked, letting the name roll off her tongue. Trixie nodded.
"Trixie. I like it, and I think it rather suits you. It's rude to be given one's name without returning the favor, so I shall tell you mine. My name is Moone Stromhest, and it is a pleasure to formally meet you, Miss Trixie." Trixie was stunned beyond belief at this point due to this girl's strange air and mannerisms. She had to be prompted by the girl, whose name was apparently 'Moone,' before actually relaying the directions. "Thank you, Miss Trixie. Good day, and I pray we meet again!" Moone curtsied once again and turned on her heel, striding into the middle of the entrance hall with a straight back and a pleasant air. She never once paid attention to the looks and whispers of people around her, and Trixie shook her head in awe. What a strange girl she was.
Suddenly, her morning looked a lot brighter than it did before meeting the fifteen-year-old, and Trixie smiled. If the teen didn't make fun of her as soon as the next thing was posted about her, Trixie might make friends with the younger girl. She slid down the wall again, watching as Moone whistled at the room and two similarly aged girls came to her out of the crowd. They spoke for just a moment, and then walked in the direction of the principal's office. The blonde threw her head back and laughed at something Moone had said, the other brunette smiling as well.
Later, In the principal's office...
Principal Celestia put down the letter from Princess Twilight. "I understand your need to come, and I appreciate that you were recommended to come to my school. However, I cannot allow you three to simply sit in the teacher's lounge all day. I can give you free periods or a half day, seeing as you aren't students here, but you should still learn something while you stay."
Salene nodded. "I completely understand, Principal Celestia. My own mother is an educator, so I know where you come from and what your standpoint is. I think for the sake of us not being bored and messing with things we shouldn't, scattered classes with free periods in-between would be best. We can work on money and housing during our free time, so it won't be a complete waste." Principal Celestia took a moment to analyze Salene's plan, and realized it was well thought out. It was designed to keep their young minds entertained and working throughout the day. "That would work well, Salene, was it?"
"Yup!" the girl chirped.
"Then that is settled. I'll write up schedules for you all, and notes to give to your teachers to explain the situation. You will still need to participate in class, though." The principal smiled, and pulled up a list of classes with small student counts to pick from. Taking spare timetable sheets reserved for when a student needed a copy of their schedule, she wrote down classes, room numbers, and teachers on each sheet with free periods and a lunch period. "There. You all have mostly the same classes, but there are a few where you will be split up. You have the same free periods and the same lunch time. I'll send an email to the teachers you'll be seeing today, just to make sure everything is cleared up. Have a nice day, girls! Remember, my door is always open if you need anything."
The group said, "Thank you!" and turned to leave, Moone pausing in the doorway. "Really, thank you. It means a lot to us." She smiled, and Principal Celestia returned the gesture. "It's no problem. Take care of yourselves, alright? I'm sure you've heard about the drama that has befallen my school."
Moone's smile faded a little, and she nodded solemnly. "Yes, I heard, and we will. Goodbye, Principal Celestia."
"Farewell, Moone." The principal waved goodbye as Moone left. She breathed a quick prayer to Faust that the girls be kept safe from the school drama.
The girls waited in the courtyard, going inside once the bell rang. They made their way to a Mr. Spruce's class, entering and handing the note to him. Opal took a seat in the middle left of the class, Salene somewhere on the other side of the room and Moone taking a seat in the back right corner, near the door. Several other students came in after them, whispering not-so-secretly about who they were and what they were doing here.
Once everyone was seated, Mr. Spruce introduced the girls. "Okay, class, we have three new additions today. They'll be leaving by the end of the week, but I still want you to make them feel at home. Over here we have Ophelia Lozano," she stood briefly and waved to the class, "Salene Emily," the blonde raised her hand, "and in the back, Moone Stromhest." The brunette stood and bowed slightly, quickly retaking her seat. "Now that introductions are out of the way, let's get to learning about this week's subject of Amareican history." The class groaned.
Opal, Salene, and Moone half paid attention, half stared at nothing. They weren't actual students, they didn't need to pay attention all the way. Suddenly, Mr. Spruce asked Opal a question. "Ophelia! What happened on November eighth, 2015? Come up to the board to answer."
Ophelia's face grew dark, but she hid it skillfully. Salene cast a worried glance in her direction, and Moone straightened in her seat. They were tense, ready to leap into action if Opal lost her cool. Opal looked at them, nodded as if to tell them 'I can handle this,' and faced the class. Her russet eyes dulled, becoming doll-like. "On November eighth, in the year 2015, five outlaws were found brutally murdered in the Sunrise Forest, located in Northern Texas." Her voice was shaky, but she cleared her throat and carried on in a stronger tone.
"They were covered in claw marks, and it was assumed that wolves got them. Not many local residents heard the noises from the forest the night before they were found, but the few who did reported hearing a child's screams mixed in with the howling of wolves and the criminals' wails. The authorities looked for a child near the crime scene, but none were found. It was recorded as the most random and the strangest murder-by-wolves case ever found in years before or since. No one knows what the criminals were doing there or what could have caused them to be killed. The case has been closed for years, but some still wonder what the origin of this dark incident was."
The class looked extremely unsettled, but Moone and Salene were breathing silent sighs of relief. Opal had relayed the tale in a way that didn't really trigger her, and they watched as she carefully made her way back to her seat.
"Well, then. That was a surprisingly detailed answer, but it was all true. If you don't mind me asking, how did you know of it?" asked Mr. Spruce. Opal smiled weakly, replying, "I looked it up a few months ago." She gave no more information.
As soon as class was over, the group of girls relocated to the nearest restroom, collapsing on the floor once the door had closed. Ophelia was shaking, crying, gripping desperately onto Salene who held her firmly and comforted her. Salene whispered quiet praise and sweet nothings to Opal as she calmed down, hugging her until the other girl let go. They spent a good ten minutes on the floor, ignoring the bell when it rung, and comforting Ophelia.
Finally, Opal spoke. "It was so hard. Telling the story, when I knew what really happened. I lost half of my sight that night. I still dream about it, sometimes... I could barely keep myself together." She leaned against the wall, holding Salene's hand. She was still shaking, but she wasn't panicking anymore. "I know, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I designed you with that scar, with that trauma. At least you have something to show you survived." said Moone.
"It's okay. I don't know who I'd be without it. I'm surprised they even know of it, seeing as we were fictional characters before we met you," said Ophelia. Moone laughed weakly, shaking her head at the poor excuse of a joke.
Salene suggested they move to the library, seeing as they had a free period. They went that way until lunch, going to class and using the library's computers during their free periods to find places to stay or work. When the lunch bell rang, they went through the line, and stood against a wall while trying to decide which table to sit at.
Pieces of sentences left their mouths, incomplete but making sense between them.
"There's that table.. no, it's by an open window."
"See that table that's arguing? The table two over looks good."
"Too loud though."
"Wait." Moone and Salene looked to Opal, whom was staring at a table in the corner. "Look at that one. She's all alone, and she sort of looks familiar." said Ophelia.
Salene examined the girl more closely, taking in her appearance. Fiery hair, goldenrod and scarlet. Skin also colored goldenrod, with turquoise eyes. A leather jacket, and a pale blue dress. "I think I know her. Doesn't she look like that 'Sunset Shimmer' girl that Twilight mentioned?"
Moone considered this, making an impulsive decision. "Let's go sit with her."
The girls went, catching the attention of a few nearby tables. The students expected the three girls to insult Shimmer and make her cry, so they alerted other nearby tables. Soon, every table in the cafeteria was silent, and they watched as the girls approached Sunset.
Moone set down her tray directly across from the fiery-haired girl, with Salene and Opal sitting to one side of the startled teen. Opal asked, "Can we sit here?" Sunset nodded shakily, expecting them to snap at her. Salene comforted her. "Hey, I know Moone and Ophelia can be a bit scary, but you don't need to worry. We won't hurt you, I promise." The redhead seemed apprehensive, but stayed seated.
Opal started eating, and Salene started idle conversation with Moone. She complained about being too hot, so she removed her jacket and pushed up her sleeves. The sleeves on Moone's shirt were able to come up to her elbows, fully exposing her scars. Sunset gasped, "Where did you...?" She covered her mouth with one hand when the younger teen looked at her. "Pretty cool, aren't they? It hurt really badly when I got them, though. Yikes forever."
Some nearby students had also caught view of Moone's scars, and took photos of them sneakily. They sent the photos to a certain gossip and secret-revealing account on MyStable, expecting that to be posted soon. Moone had noticed the pictures being taken, but had deemed them harmless. She continued trying to talk with Sunset, unknowingly upsetting the entire cafeteria. Why was this random girl being nice to Sunset? Didn't she know what the little liar had done?