//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 - CHS Affairs and the Work Ahead // Story: Spring Surprises // by TheGJ90 //------------------------------// Compared to escorting a trio of suspicious ladies who turned out to be magical power-hungry Sirens, Sunset was not getting any feelings from this fresh batch of students that were off-putting or just plain odd. So far, at least. She caught sight of Smolder gazing at the accolades stored in the trophy case with a grin that further hinted at her interest. Taking a mental note of this, she declared to the group while looking up at and around the entrance hall with nostalgia in her eyes; "Canterlot High has been good to us and it will be good to you kids as well." She allowed her numerous fond memories of her time in this institution to flow freely while listening to Apple Bloom speak with a voice powered by school pride; "Darn tootin'! CHS is full of mighty fine people from many walks of life. Ah'm sure ya'll will make plenty of friends 'ere." Gabby's eyes sparkled again upon hearing the word 'friends'. Sweetie Belle added with a happy squeak; "The classes here can be challenging, but that's okay, because there's so much cool stuff to learn!" Ocellus allowed a small relieved grin to form on her face, while Silverstream could barely contain her glee. Scootaloo chimed in with her hands on her hips; "Learning stuff is always cool, but so are sports and we've got plenty of that here too!" Smolder smirked upon hearing about that, Gallus too. Yona, however did more than just smile, she almost shouted at Scootaloo with a gleeful tone, startling her with ease; "Did Yona hear sports?! Yona loves sports!" It was a very good thing for that tall lady that the entrance hall was not filled with crowds of students at the time! Sunset didn't blame her. She was a young lady in a new school, after all. So, she decided to let her little outburst slide this time. Scootaloo's shock gave way to pure excitement as she offered Yona a passionate jumping high-five, which she accepted. Gallus chuckled before admitting in a much more laid back manner; "Same here. A good sport keeps your skills as sharp as claws." His five friends looked over at her and nodded in agreement with knowing grins all around. Smolder, in particular, added confidently; "It helps if the sport I'm playing is actually cool, and I haven't found one that isn't." Sunset, looking to avoid any major delays, motioned to them while announcing; "Let's get moving. We've got much to see before the first bell and I'd rather you not deal with the crowds until you have to." With that, the group got together and ventured deeper into the school itself, while Scootaloo thought to herself out of confusion and curiosity; "Claws?" Just that thought alone reminded her of something that she didn't want to deal with at the time. So, she saved it for later. The four elder girls led their younger potential friends down the halls of the school while making sure to move at a pace that they could keep up with. As the students passed Miss Cheerilee's classroom, Sunset pointed out a bit of CHS history; "The school was founded about a few months after this neighborhood was built. Originally, it was just a small one-classroom school with a single teacher running the place. But, as it grew in popularity, the city officials saw the need to have the school expanded. Eventually, it became Canterlot City's first high school and the rest is history." Most of the new students paid attention to Sunset's short history lesson, but Silverstream was the one who was the most invested in it. She barely restrained her excitement-fueled giggles as the high school student spoke. Said student recognized Silverstream's interest and, after finishing her relating of CHS's past, she noted to the young one with a playful smirk; "Someone really likes history, I see." It was Yona who bragged about her friend to Sunset; "Yeah! Silverstream is one of the biggest history buffs Yona knows! Only Yak historians are bigger!" Poor Silverstream blushed while scratching the back of her head to make herself look humble as she responded with a soft nervous voice; "Yeah... I really enjoy learning about new things." The CMCs knew the story well, so they were more interested in the new students' reactions. Apple Bloom was quick to compliment the history buff with her usual level of joy; "Good on ya', sugarcube! History is mighty important, so learnin' it will do ya' good." Silverstream's nervousness faded as she gave the young Apple an appreciative grin. The large group stopped at the door to one of Sunset's favorite rooms in CHS, which she was more than happy to show to the curious newbies. With a smile powered by years' worth of happy memories, she turned to face the others, aimed her open right hand at the door, and explained; "This is one of our Music Rooms, where the school's bands practice their craft and make new songs." Gabby was struck with awe as she gazed at the door with wide gleaming eyes. With a voice that was soft in volume and filled with excitement, she whispered; "Do the Sonic Rainbooms play in this room?" Sunset's sideways smirk appeared in earnest while she tried very hard to hold back the urge to be smug. Gabby turned around and looked up at her as she nodded. That was all she needed to start doing short rapid hops in place while gushing gleefully; "That's so cool!" She then stopped hopping to give Sunset a pleading expression, complete with clasped hands and big puppy dog eyes, before asking her; "May we go inside, please?" On Sunset's personal adorability scale, she found that Gabby was on the same level as Apple Bloom! With a giggle, she told the group; "While we do have a tour to finish, we can take a quick peek inside." Gabby was about ready to hug the elder student when Sunset added with a more serious glare and tone; "But, we can't take too long." That tidbit did nothing to stop the inevitable hug, which the young lady gave while exclaiming; "Thank you, Sunset!" The mare found her hug to be tight and comforting all at once, which was an odd yet pleasant feeling. Very much like Pinkie's hugs, only not quite as tight. After she took a moment to gently hug Gabby back, the two released each other and led the group through the Music Room's doors. Sunset mentally thanked the custodians for keeping the room shipshape. Most of the instruments were safely stored out of sight. Only the drum set was left standing in front of the large window, thanks to the large amount of space it took up. The shine coming from the cymbals and drums on account of the light that beamed through the window was a clear sign that the set had been cleaned up recently. As the group filed into the room, Yona, with a big teeth-baring grin, ran up to the drums and happily declared; "Yona loves playing the drums! Playing them reminds Yona of home!" She then grabbed the drumsticks that were resting on the chair behind the drums, sat on it, and got ready to play within moments. Sunset, sensing what was going to happen, quickly called out to her urgently; "Hold on for a moment!" Thankfully, she did as instructed, which gave the senior in the room time to close the door. Once she gave Yona a thumbs up, the young lady started drumming. Her playing style was wild, fierce, and skillful to Sunset's discerning musical eye. As she expected, the rambunctious young lady's wild performance got everyone else's attention as they all stood together to watch her go ham with the sticks. From the smile alone, it was clear that she was enjoying herself immensely as she jammed without a care in the world. Yona wasn't playing any known song, but there was a clear rhythm mixed in with her wildness. After about fifteen seconds, she finished her impromptu session and raised the sticks above her head in triumph. The others clapped and cheered in celebration, with Sunset noting with an impressed grin; "You've got talent, kid." Yona beamed at her a proud and appreciative smile. Apple Bloom said to herself with a soft chuckle; "That girl's got Pinkie Pie energy in her." Sweetie Belle grinned from ear to ear over such a fun performance. Scootaloo, true to form, gave her own critique; "That was some awesomely powerful drumming!", she exclaimed. Gallus chimed in with a calm smile; "A lot of us have some musical chops. I play the guitar." "Violin for me.", Ocellus politely noted. Silverstream jumped in excitedly; "I play the trumpet!", she declared. Smolder, with a proud smirk and plenty of confidence, added; "I like to rock out on my guitar every now and then." Hearing all of this made the musician in Sunset feel quite elated as she noted mentally while smirking; "These kids could start their own band together, if they wanted to." After she worked with the CMCs to reform the tour group, she led them out of the room to continue their trek through the school. Sunset was glad that Gabby was distracted by the others, which allowed her to avoid doing an impromptu performance of one of her band's songs. Sure, playing them always made her heart soar, but the clock was ticking. Sunset and the CMCs showed the new students many of the key locales in CHS, including the gym and the cafeteria. One of their stops on the tour was the library, which Sunset introduced with a politely lowered voice as they stepped through its doors; "Just like with any library, it's best to not make too much noise while you're here." The new students looked around while marveling at the size and decor of the room they were now in. Silverstream was the first of them to comment on this with an excited voice that had its volume reigned in a bit; "Oh my goodness, I've never been to a library with two floors before, and look at that statue in the center! So cool!" Her eyes locked on the object in question, which towered over the school computers and desks that circled it. With a sigh and a smile, she declared; "There has to be lots of history in this place alone." Ocellus, with a muffled chuckle, added while eyeing the computers; "Not to mention the knowledge one can gain here." Sweetie Belle sensed an opportunity to learn more about this interesting girl with sunglasses and promptly took it; "What subjects do you like the most?", she asked her. Ocellus turned to face Sweetie and, while clearly sounding quite shy, answered; "I, uh, find many subjects interesting. But, I have a personal soft spot for chemistry." That got Apple Bloom's attention, who gave her the silent glare of a girl who was plotting something fun in her head, anticipatory grin and all. Even her bow bounced a little in anticipation. But, since she wasn't ready to execute her plan yet, she kept her grin a tad restrained. While the new kids were talking with Ms. Cheerilee, who was quick to help them around the library, Sunset took this moment of reprieve to stand at a certain table on the first floor. Just the mere sight of it triggered a powerful memory within her mind, one that she carried with pride not just for herself, but for the girls who were there with her. Smiling gently and placing her right hand on her heart, she closed her eyes and, just for a moment, allowed herself to be swept away by the memory's currents; "Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes!" That was the vow she made with them back then. The solemn Pinkie Promise that was more binding than the tightest rope tied by skilled Apple hands. Through triumphs and tribulations, the Sonic Rainbooms had worked tirelessly to keep that promise, to heal the damage caused by their troubling past. As if on cue, another memory rose to the surface, one that the mare did not fight against; "What do your scars represent to you?" She had a guess or two as to what the answer was for her, but the fact that she had no definitive answer yet was a sign that the work was far from done. Even so, Sunset was sure that she and her friends would honor their shared vow to the letter. With eyes still shut and her smile growing just a little, she silently performed the motions of a Pinkie Promise once again to reaffirm that vow. She could almost hear Pinkie's giggly delight in her mind. Unbeknownst to the young mare, Gabby was watching her as she did the motions, bright curiosity sparkling from her eyes. She was previously listening to Ms. Cheerilee about the library's history when she had caught sight of Sunset doing what she believed to be strange arm movements. She then turned to face the librarian and told her when she was mid-way through her history lecture; "Ma'am, I apologize for interrupting, but..." She pointed at Sunset, who had almost finished doing the motions, and asked when Cheerilee had caught sight of what she was talking about; "What's Sunset doing with her arms." Knowing exactly what was going on, the educator chuckled sweetly before turning to Gabby and explaining; "What she's doing is what we call a Pinkie Promise." The young lady expressed a giant excited smile before exclaiming quickly; "That has something to do with Pinkie Pie!" Without skipping a beat, Cheerliee raised her right index finger up to her mouth and gave her a quick and polite; "Shh!" With a smile turned sheepish, Gabby calmed down as she listened to the trusted adult, as hard as it was for her to do. Gabby's sudden loudness had gotten the others' attention, save for Sunset, who had just finished performing the motions known to many a Wondercolt. Now, she was standing as still as a statue while focusing entirely on her breathing, with her back facing the group that congregated around the teacher. Said teacher went into detail with a strong educator's smile on her face; "A Pinkie Promise is an important vow that is almost entirely ironclad. It is not wise to make such a vow recklessly, for breaking a Pinkie Promise means drawing the ire of Pinkie Pie herself." Gabby gasped dramatically, while Gallus chuckled. With a dismissive wave of his right hand, he commented calmly; "Pinkie's 'ire'? Really? From the way she sings, she seems way too bouncy and bubbly to get angry at anyone." Gabby giggled as she imagined Pinkie bouncing around in a room like a pink bunny. Ocellus winced a little at the thought of upsetting such a sweet soul. Silverstream appeared more intrigued than concerned. Smolder, with crossed arms and a raised right eyebrow, seemed visibly dismissive of the notion of Pinkie being angry for any reason. Yona, however, had a different take on the matter. With a grunt and a look of concern that she aimed right at Gallus, she declared; "Yona reminded of Yak saying: Nice people wreck hardest." "That's a good sayin', Ah reckon.", noted Apple Bloom, he looked at the others in the group with calm seriousness in her demeanor and eyes as she added; "Pinkie Pie is a total sweetheart who makes it her mission to make folks smile. But..." Sweetie Belle walked over to stand at Apple Bloom's left side and continued the warning on her behalf with seriousness that matched her friend's; "If anyone dares to break a Pinkie Promise..." Scootaloo stepped up to Apple Bloom's right side and finished for her two friends with a glare that was not in a joking mood; "The smartest thing they can do is face the music." The combined glares of the serious Canterlot Movie Club made the entire group of new students gulp in unified fear. Thankfully, the club's giant-sized smiles returned to send that fear packing through their existence alone. Apple Bloom, her sweetness returning to wage war on all things doom and gloom, eased their concerns; "Don't ya' worry none, sugarcubes! So long as ya' don't break a Pinkie Promise, ya' wont' have to worry about makin' Pinkie mad at ya'." The new kids' grinned back out of relief, with Cheerliee adding some helpful clarification; "Just make sure that you make a Pinkie Promise that you know you can keep, understand?" The kids nodded at the librarian, who was glad to have helped prevent future disasters. With memories of trying to keep a disgruntled Pinkie from unleashing confection-based revenge on promise breakers playing out in her head, she returned to her desk. With the matter settled, the CMCs looked over at Sunset, who remained as still as she was before. They carefully walked over to her, determined to not disturb her silent peace. Her breathing was slow and steady and her smile utterly content. Both of her hands were placed on her heart at this point. In the pony-human girl's mind, she was enjoying one happy memory after another, all of them involving the numerous friends she had made over the years. Three of them placed their right hands on her left leg together with gentle care, which got her to return her attention to the here and now. She looked down at her left side to find her three young pals looking up at her. Their eyes and smiles were filled with the same feelings that Sunset showed them in kind: feelings of understanding, respect, and adoration rolled up into a tried and tested ball of friendship. As much as they wanted to hug each other tightly, they had a tour to finish. So, Sunset settled for ruffling each movie buff's hair, which made them giggle, before calling the rest of the group; "Let's get moving, everyone. The first bell is coming up soon." With that, the group made their way out of the library and to their next destination. The students had arrived at one of the many rows of lockers that lined the halls of the school. Thankfully for them, the crowds hadn't fully formed yet, for only a few students had begun to trickle in through the halls. Sunset had the group stop moving, which allowed her to turn and face them before declaring; "Okay, new kids, let's get your lockers set up! The school will have sent you your locker numbers along with your combination codes and syllabi via mail. So, I hope you have them on you." Sure enough, they all pulled their numbers out of their backpacks and pockets before handing them over to Sunset. With a quick glance at each of them, she realized that they were all next to each other. What luck! With a smirk, she guided the group over to the row where the new students' lockers were located. Each locker had its number written on it in bold black font, so it didn't take long for them to find the ones that belonged to them. Happy as can be over having lockers so close to each other, they went right to work on unlocking their combination locks and putting their personal items inside. Sunset and the CMCs had caught sight of a few items of note before they got stuffed into the lockers. Such items included a blue protection case that they were sure contained Ocellus' spare pair of sunglasses, Smolder's guitar pick that had fire painted on it, Yona's two blue scarfs, and Silverstream's assorted seashells. Interesting, but nothing out of the ordinary. What had really gotten the four girls' attention, Scootaloo's especially, was an item that each of the six newcomers possessed: a single framed photo that bore a black cover that hid the actual picture. It was this item, out of all of the others, that they placed inside their lockers with the care and reverence normally given to family heirlooms. Gabby looked upon hers with the kind of joy that the CMCs, Apple Bloom especially, knew could only be produced by family. As intriguing as this was to them and Sunset, they instantly recognized how personal the photos were to the new kids and promptly put the topic aside for later. Once the lockers were closed and locked, they turned to face the CMCs and Sunset, the latter deciding to look at their homeroom numbers. It took her a few seconds to notice something about them that made her smile. She looked back at them and declared; "You have the same homeroom: number two-seven-three." They laughed and high-fived each other in celebration, relieved to not have to be separated. Their joy was surpassed by the absolute cheer from the CMCs, who were trying very hard to not yell at the top of their lungs. With giant grins and barely reigned in volume in their voices, they announced in happy unison; "That's our homeroom too!" Sunset, with a knowing smirk, took this moment to bask in the happiness shared by the new students and her young friends, who were now high-fiving each other with glee. With a chuckle, she corralled the group and led them to their destination. Once they had reached the door leading to homeroom, Sunset stopped to gaze at the eighth graders, who looked back at her with smiles all around, and gave them some parting words while nostalgia flashed in her eyes; "Take it from me, starting in a new school can be tough and scary." Each of them nodded in agreement, with Ocellus scratching the back of her head nervously. Sunset, without missing a step, continued with a bright smile full of surety; "But, you're never alone in CHS. If you need any help, just ask another student or staff and they'll try their best to aid you." Her words inspired the new kids to smile back at her, with Ocellus' smile being the biggest. Apple Bloom motioned to them while speaking with heartfelt pep in her voice and a bounce in her pink bow; "Come on, ya'll! The bell's gonna ring mighty soon, so time's a wastin'!" As if on cue, the trickle of students from earlier had started to transform into a manageable stream. The kids quickly filed into the room, with Gabby closing the door behind her, but not before giving Sunset one last grin full of adoration. Contentment flowed through the senior's being along with satisfaction over a job well done as she made her speedy trek to her own homeroom. As if attracted to her positive feelings like a fly to light, her inner demon chose that moment to make a snide remark in her mind; Ohhhh, if they find out the truth about you and your 'friends'... "Raging she-demon, you will not ruin my moment.", Sunset mentally responded with a thought as deadpanned as her face. All she got in response was cruel venomous laughter ripped right out of her old self's playbook. None of this was enough to stop her movements, but they certainly made her steps feel heavier than usual. Later that afternoon. CHS Cafeteria during lunch hour. Normally, Apple Bloom would sit with her big brother Big Mac during lunch, with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sharing a separate table together. But, for today, the CMCs had decided to sit with the Rainbooms, who were more than happy to make room for the young ones. As they ate together, Apple Bloom brought up the topic that was on hers and her friends' minds; "Those new students are a mighty friendly bunch, Ah tells ya'!", she exclaimed with joy all over her face before she took a large bite off of her apple. Sweetie Belle chimed in with giant smile after taking a sip of her milk; "Yeah, Smolder's cool! She looks like a bad girl, but she's also nice and confident." She gave Sunset a warm knowing look before adding with an extra bit of love thrown into her smile; "Reminds me of someone we know." The mare smiled back at her. But, before the others could react, Apple Bloom spoke again, her bow bouncing to further demonstrate her happiness; "Gallus is all calm and chill-like. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who'll fly off the handle easily, know what Ah mean?" As two of the movie buffs continued their verbal back and forth, the Rainbooms saw that Scootaloo was quietly drinking her juice while expressing the kind of glare that people only used when they were deep in thought. Sweetie Belle added her own point to the mix, neither she or Apple Bloom noticing their friend's silence; "Yes, and Ocellus is sweet and shy all at once. But, when we learned about today's assignment for science class, she broke out of her shell within moments!" Twilight's eyes lit up upon hearing this as she responded excitedly; "Ah, so she's a budding scientist? How wonderful!" Apple Bloom snickered before noting; "Silverstream must've broke out of her shell long ago, because she kept gushin' to me about the Golden Age of the Crystal Kingdom after we left history class. We were half-way to math class by the time she finished!" After belting out a hearty well-meaning laugh, she added; "Ah ain't complainin' none, though. After all, Ah can rant about this movie or that for ages once Ah get started." "Gabby is such a sweetheart!", Sweetie Belle gushed, which got the young Apple to shake her head with a grin before responding sweetly; "Darn tootin' she is, Sweets. Excitable too. I just figured it best to not let her know about our connection with the Rainbooms. Not yet, anyway." The two looked over at the quiet Scootaloo, who was still very much lost in thought, with Apple Bloom asking her politely; "What do ya' think of them eighth graders, Scoots?" The Apple's question fell on death ears, a fact that got everyone else's curiosity instantly. Soon enough, she stopped being entirely silent, as a single phrase and a word came out of her mouth in a contemplative whisper; "Framed photos with black covers... claws..." Rainbow Dash, worried for her protege, called out to her with gentle firmness; "Scoots!" That, to the girls' collected relief, got the daredevil's attention. Blinking herself out of her contemplative state, Scootaloo looked around to find concern all over the girls' faces. With an apologetic smile, she told them; "Sorry, everyone! I was just... thinking." "Thinking about what?", asked Sweetie Belle, her concern giving way to simple curiosity. With a sigh, Scootaloo thought about her answer for a moment and gave it hesitantly; "The newbies. I think they're awesome, don't get me wrong! It's just... my gut's telling me that there's something about them that's... off." She shook her head, as if to clear out cobwebs, before adding with surety; "I don't think it's their fault and I'm sure they're not bullies like..." Her hands twitched slightly, with the juice box in her right hand wiggling a little as a result. She finished with a soft growl and eyes made narrow by an old anger; "Her." The hands of her two friends twitched upon hearing this as they placed their hands on Scootaloo's shoulders, which helped to ease her tension. She looked at each of them and was moved by their supportive smiles. Sunset Shimmer gave her a solemn yet hopeful glare that was shared by Fluttershy and Twilight. Pinkie, true to form, brought out one of her larger and more bubbly grins while thinking of a thousand ways to make the little one happy. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity kept their eyes locked on their respective sister, their sisterly instincts somewhat revved up by the mere reference to the bully who the trio of kids shared. Rarity, after pondering her response, spoke to Scootaloo in her traditional dignified manner; "So, you feel as if there is something about your new friends that is amiss, but you do not know what that could be. This must be quite perplexing for you, darling." Rainbow Dash, with a nod and smirk, chimed in with some helpful advice; "I suggest you try to get to know those newbies. See what makes them tick." Applejack, with a chuckle, added honestly; "RD's got the right idea, Scoots. Learnin' more about what them youngin's are like should help ya' settle that there gut of yours." Just then, Apple Bloom had gotten an idea that made her excited. As much as she wanted to shout with glee, however, she opted to use a softer more considerate tone of voice for her friend's sake. She looked right at Scootaloo and told her; "How about we invite them to a movie screenin' at our clubhouse? Ya' get to learn a lot about someone from seein' how they behave when watchin' a film." Scootaloo felt relief wash over her as she stared at her pal's bright smile and hopeful eyes. If anything could let her see if something was up with the new students, it was one of the CMCs' movie screenings! With a bright smile of her own, she nodded her head and exclaimed; "That sounds awesome to me!" With the matter settled for now, the girls continued eating their food with a little more gusto than before. As they did this, Scootaloo couldn't help but think to herself; "Maybe I'm just overthinking things..." After school, in Twilight Sparkle's Laboratory. If there was one thing that annoyed Twilight more than most, it was her mind's insistence on overthinking. Granted, she found this issue to be helpful during times she needed to come up with all manner of possibilities, theories and so on. This was especially useful when conducting research. On the opposite side of the mental coin, however, overthinking had a rather negative effect that reared its head more times than she cared to count. This effect was troubling her yet again while she was sitting on her favorite spinnable chair in her laboratory. Her feet were planted on the ground, her legs were resting without being crossed, her hands rested on her lab, and her entire posture was straight like a board, but not quite as stiff. With her eyes closed and her breathing somewhat shaky, she tried to tune into her breath instead of the chaos that was her thoughts, which were running wilder than usual to say the least. As tempting as it was for her to sink into the uncountable amount of equations and objective scientific facts that swarmed throughout her mind, she was having none of it; "Come on, brain! I want to let my thoughts go, not be carried off by them!", she exclaimed out of loud self-annoyance. She stopped herself before her frustration could turn into anger and released those feelings with a deep breath and exhale. Her demeanor slowly became more collected as she repeated the mantra Sunset had taught her in her head; "Be patient with your mind... Be patient with yourself..." Slowly, her numerous thoughts lost more and more of their rampancy and volume. A tiny peaceful smile began to form on the bookworm's face and a deep calm began to wash over her like a waterfall. Her breathing became slow and steady. She could feel herself sinking into a meditative state and, frankly, she enjoyed this feeling. Focusing on her mantra, she allowed her thoughts to flow without her interference, which had the seemingly paradoxical effect of calming them down. As they came and went like a river, Twilight allowed herself to sink deeper... Deeper... Deeper... What are you without me, Sparky? The snide dread voice of Midnight Sparkle effectively kicked Twilight out of her meditative state, shocking her into present alertness. Her breathing suddenly became quite erratic as a portion of that song, that accursed song, repeated in her head; "Unleash the magic. Unleash the magic. If we lose, then you're to blame." Her eyes grew wide, their irises shrinking down to pinpricks as she grasped tightly on the sides of her head. She tried to resettle her breathing, but to no avail. The twisted laughter of her dark persona rang in her mind along with the memory of her magical rampage over and over and over- The familiar feeling of four paws leaping onto her lap gave the egghead a sense of comfort that she quickly focused on to escape from her turmoil. She looked down to gaze at her furry rescuer. Spike, who was sitting on his bed on the floor earlier, had watched his owner closely while she tried to meditate. Once her distress was clear, he had sprung into action for her sake. Twilight's comfort grew tenfold from the moment she saw his big puppy dog eyes filled with goodwill and concern. She gave Spike a loving smile as she began to pet him and scratch his ears, the chaos in her mind dying down over time thanks to the healthy distraction that was the adorable pup. A new, much more palatable thought popped up in her head; "I would be out of my mind without you, Spike." After taking a few minutes to play with the little guy, she spun her chair to aim her self at the desk next to her, which held a silver personal recorder that she quickly grabbed with her right hand. With brisk movement from her thumb, she hit the record button and began to speak aloud and concisely; "Third attempt at solo mediation has produced somewhat more positive results with a troubling wrinkle attached. Unlike with the two previous attempts, I was able to quiet my thoughts without judgement or interaction with them, albeit with some difficulty at first. I could feel myself falling into a deep meditative state at a steady pace. It was a..." She smiled again before continuing; "Pleasant experience, not all that far off from the veritable mental break I had enjoyed thanks to Sunset's guidance during yesterday's introductory session. However, Midnight Sparkle had seen fit to kick me out of that state with nothing more than her wicked voice and a question. The vivid memory of the Friendship Games Incident denied me the chance to return to that peaceful state. Midnight's laughter did not help matters much either. Thankfully, Spike, my trusty FMB, helped me recover from what would have been a most unhelpful mental episode. I will continue to practice meditation in the hopes of not only achieving, but also maintaining a deep meditative state consistently and for a lengthy period of time." Satisfied, she hit the stop button on the recorder and placed it back down on the table. She made a mental note to investigate Midnight's question at a later date. It was an insult, that much was clear to Twilight. But, her inquisitive nature demanded that she figure out why her alter-ego had asked her that question specifically. For now, however, there were meetings to get to that she and Spike would not dare to miss. Ones that tackled the more immediate problems that were on their minds. About ten minutes later, at the CMCs' Clubhouse. With three strong bangs of her gavel, Apple Bloom got everyone else's attention before promptly announcing with a more serious tone than usual; "This 'ere meetin' of the Canterlot Movie Club has come to order." In attendance for this meeting, besides Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, were the Sonic Rainbooms, Spike, Octavia, DJ-P0N3, the rest of the Apple household, Twist, and Flash. Apple Bloom's fellow movie buffs stood at her sides, while the others either sat or stood before them. With a sigh to clear out her nerves, the young Apple addressed the subject at hand; "Yesterday, we decided to take a day to iron out this idea Ah came up with for dealin' with that dern bully, Gilda." A confident grin formed on her face as she declared; "It will be our pleasure to reveal that idea." She then pointed at a large wooden box that was sitting closed along the wall to the left of the attendees and excitedly request; "Go on and open that there box, Miss Sunset." Feeling curious, she did exactly that and looked inside. What she found caused her to raise her right eyebrow and bring out her sideways smirk. With a supportive chuckle, she commented; "Well now, this is one way to strike back at your bully." The other Rainbooms filed in around her to inspect the box's contents. Rainbow Dash exclaimed within seconds, her toothy grin on point and full of anticipation; "This is gonna be awesome!" The rest of the band also expressed approval of what was revealed to them, with Rarity asking the kids out of thoughtfulness; "While this is certainly no where near as barbaric as what that brute would inflict upon you, I must inquire: do you have any rules of engagement to follow?" "Don't ya'll worry none.", answered Granny Smith, who walked over to the band from behind while waving a folded piece of paper next to her face with her right hand. When the Wondercolts turned to face her, she elaborated with a smile; "Them youngin's made sure to write up rules of engagement that got mine and Big Mac's approval." "Eeyup.", said Big Mac with a sure nod. Applejack unleashed one of her Apple laughs before telling the CMCs, who were already grinning from ear to ear over the support their idea was getting; "Ah can't wait to see the look on that varmint's face when ya' pull this surprise out of your hats!" "And you better believe we'll be right there with you when you do.", declared a confident Rainbow Dash as she gave the kids fist bumps. The others nodded their heads in agreement before Apple Bloom rang her gavel once again. With another sigh, she spoke with relief in her voice; "Thanks a bushel, ya'll. Now, we'll explain the details of what we're gonna do about Gilda later. For now, let's move on to the business of fixin' up Sunset's house." Sensing her cue, Sunset gracefully took her leave, with Granny Smith following suit while noting to the others; "The sugarcube and Ah are gonna be makin' some apple pie for ya'll. See ya'll at the house!" With a quick wave, both she and Sunset were gone, the door closed behind them. After waiting a few seconds to make sure the mare of two worlds was out of earshot, the CMCs started smiling from ear to ear again. The smiles became augmented with giggles filled with anticipation over what was to come. Scootaloo stifled her giggles enough for her to focus on running to the safe, opening it up, and pulling out from it a certain blank piece of paper. Once the safe was closed again, she handed the paper over to Apple Bloom, who was clearly becoming the most excited of the three. The others were not too far off in terms of growing joy, save for a confused Flash and Twist. The latter asked; "What's a paper got to do with fixing up Sunset's house?" Twilight, while holding back the urge to let her giggly Mad Twientist side out to play, explained with a smile aimed right at Twist; "That paper is, in fact, a page from Sunset's magical journal, taken directly from it by me with her expressed permission." This news floored both Twist and Flash, the former noting with wide eyes under her purple glasses; "Wait, that means you can get help from the Princess!" "With one stroke of a pen or pencil.", said a smirking Apple Bloom. "Well, what are you waiting for? Call her up!", Flash exclaimed to the CMCs encouragingly, his friendly smile further emphasizing his good intention. The rest of the attendees, the remaining Rainbooms especially, smiled at them with similar brightness and encouragement. the CMCs looked at each other and nodded before Apple Bloom turned her attention back to the paper which now rested on top of her podium. Sitting on small thick wooden railing that kept it from rolling off the podium was a fresh pen that she took into her right hand. Without further ado and with years of anticipation rising to the surface in the form a truly giddy grin, she started writing from the top left corner of the paper, the magic within it emitting a purple light that covered the tip of the pen as she wrote; Howdy, Princess! This is Apple Bloom of the Canterlot Movie Club, writin' to ya' with permission from our Twilight Sparkle (we like to call her Sci-Twi)! The happy Apple made it a point to narrate the words she was writing aloud for the others to hear, to share with them this momentous occasion. Hearing her words made them chuckle and giggle politely, with Rarity commenting with genuine sweetness; "Oh, I appreciate how polite you are being with your message, darling." Once she finished writing, Apple Bloom looked over at Rarity and responded with an excited smile; "This is the first time any of us CMCs have spoken with the Princess... ever!" She sharply raised her hands to roof to emphasize that point before letting them rest at her sides again and finishing calmly; "Ah figured it best to be all polite-like to make a good impression." Just then, the paper glowed a purple light while vibrating repeatedly like a smartphone. Unfortunately, this paper, like any other, was pretty lightweight compared to the journal it came from. So, its vibrations threatened to make it slide off the podium. It was a good thing it didn't vibrate enough to start bouncing around! Thankfully, Apple Bloom was quick to hold it down before it could fall off, its magic responding to her touch by ceasing the vibrating right then and there. After giving the friends and family in attendance a sheepish grin, she looked down at the paper and moved her hands off of it to read the Princess's response; It is great to hear from you, Apple Bloom, and I give a fond hello to your two friends as well! I have a suspicion as to why Twilight has allowed you to write to me via the separated page, but I want to hear it from you. Of course, Apple Bloom made sure to read the response aloud as well. It was only fair in her mind, after all. The CMCs were thrilled that Princess Twilight was in a good mood and the others were not far off in that regard. Without skipping a beat, the little Apple wrote back; Ah'll keep it short and simple: Sunset's house is a wreck and we're all workin' together to change that! Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Ah have been tasked with fixin' up her bedroom. We know exactly what we wanna do to make it truly Sunset's, but we need your help to do it good and proper. Ah know, you're a mighty busy pony right now. Comes from bein' a Princess, Ah reckon! Still, if ya' can find time to help us even a little bit, we'd appreciate it. That was it, the message was sent. All that remained was for her and those in attendance to wait for the Princess' response. They waited in silence for two whole minutes before the paper vibrated and glowed again. This time, Apple Bloom had her left hand placed on top of the paper to keep it from falling, so it didn't vibrate for long. She took it into her hands, raised it up to her face, and read aloud; When my friends call for aid, I'm inclined to provide them with aid when able. This time, I am most certainly able! Everyone in the clubhouse cheered in celebration of this wonderful news. Applejack, for example, waved her hat above her head like she was celebrating a rodeo victory. Rainbow Dash fist pumped the ceiling after sprouting her pegasus wings and leaping into the air to hover above her seat, pony ears and all. Pinkie Pie bounced all over the place while confetti somehow rained down from her poofy hair. The others celebrated in more reserved ways, such as Octavia clapping politely along with Rarity and DJ-P0N3 giving the kids a thumbs up. Flash and Twist brought out the devil horns in celebration. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo yelled out while high-fiving each other over Apple Bloom's head; "YAY!" Speaking of the Apple, who was laughing jovially over the situation, she placed the paper on the podium, grabbed her gavel, and banged it three times while calling out with an oversized grin; "Order in this 'ere clubhouse, ya'll" Soon enough, the chaos died down with everyone sitting quietly once more, including a now wingless Rainbow Dash. With that settled, Apple Bloom went back to reading the message; Sunset had informed me of her homeless status and the renovation project not too long ago, actually. So, I had a feeling that one of her friends would try to get my assistance. Now, as much as I would love for us to trade ideas around right now, we need to solve a looming problem: the limited space on this page. Apple Bloom quickly noticed that, even with the small but legible font that she and Princess Twilight were using, almost half of the page was already used up! With a confident smirk, she replied; Our Miss Twi already has a solution in mind. Just a moment, I'll put ya' through. She handed the pen and paper over to Sci-Twi, who walked over to her and took them into her hands before returning to her seat. With the pen in her right hand and the paper on her lap, she began to write while narrating what was being written down just as Apple Bloom did; Greetings, Princess! This is Twilight speaking. Mere moments later, the Princess' response appeared on the paper, which the scientist read aloud; It is great to speak with you again, Sci-Twi (that's a fun nickname by the way)! After shaking her head with a small nostalgic grin, Sci-Twi wrote; You can blame Rainbow Dash for that. Now, here's the plan... Meanwhile, at a certain tree in the forest surrounding the clubhouse. Unbeknownst to the CMCs and their visitors, a certain camouflaged eavesdropper was keeping watch once again with the same gear they had used last time, microphone and all. With their eyes locked on the uncovered clubhouse window, she listened to Twilight's narration. Upon learning of the plan, they mentally noted to themself; "Oh, that girl's brain is simply bombastic!" While grinning confidently over their choice of words, the eavesdropper heard a ping sound in their headphones, which prompted them to reach into their pants pocket with their free hand. After pulling out a rectangular smartphone that was a few generations old, they navigated its menus with their thumb to find the text message app, where a new message had been sent to them by a user named NotYourFool234. The message read as follows; The CMCs' plan, from what you told me, is unique and... risky. You think they can handle Gilda? When that bird gets angry enough... They sighed quietly before responding with a message of their own that was simple and to the point; They will not have to face her alone. Count on it. They placed the phone back into their pocket, thinking that the matter was settled. The lack of additional pings proved that their hunch was right. With determination in their eyes, they maintained their vigil while mentally declaring with surety; "Count on it." Later that evening, at Twilight's Laboratory. With the CMC's plan proceeding apace and her homework easily finished, Twilight decided to get work done on at least one of two outstanding issues before dinner. As she sat on her chair in stiff silence, she found that, since both issues were of great importance, picking one to focus on was a trying matter. With a steady breath and a pondering posture, she worked through the matter in her mind; "I could either start my research on Barrel Jung and his body of work or focus on my investigation of the Murder Box and its violent energy. While the threat of the Murder Box alone makes investigating the matter of great importance, the potential benefits Barrel Jung's work could have on my efforts to honor the Pinkie Promise cannot be understated..." Before she could think further, Twilight ran to a spot on the desk that held her desktop computer and pressed a button that was resting on said spot. Once the button was pressed, the sound a door sliding open rang from a spot on the floor to the right of the desk. A large square piece of the floor on that spot tilted up to the left until it rested on the side of the desk, allowing a hole to be revealed. Rising up from this hole was a tall rectangular container that was made entirely of titanium. Its door, which had thick yellow and black caution stripes painted along the edges of its face, was sealed shut. The container had no windows or even a single opening, making it clear to anyone with eyes that whatever was inside that container was trapped in an airtight vacuum. Twilight gave it an intense glare, as if she were looking for any sign of a breach in progress. As she did this, she continued to think; "The Isolation Chamber is holding strong according to my eyes and..." With a quick push on the floor with her feet, she rolled her chair over to a drawer under the desk at the left side and promptly pulled it open. Sitting inside while surrounded by extra pencils, pens, assorted doggy treats, a photo of Timber Spruce, and a photo of Sunset was the ST-V1. After grabbing the device, she moved her chair back to face the chamber. After opening up the ST-V1 and adjusting its settings, she turned it on and aimed at the chamber. A rapid beeping sound was produced by the device while its LCD screen showed the results. Instead of a random set of numbers and letters, however, it depicted a name that was far more legible; ME-08: Fatal Insanity Magic She slowly aimed her device just beyond the chamber's left side, then the right, above it, and at the floor next to its front. As she did this, it became crystal clear that the rapid beeping only occurred when the device was pointed at or near the chamber's center. Smiling with relief, Twilight finished her thought while returning the device to its place in the drawer; "My technology. With the ST-V1's continued success giving me valuable magical data to translate, I should be able to make all manner of useful tools related to magic detection very soon. Of particular interest to me is a magic alarm system that would activate when certain energy signatures are detected by it." Being a diligent scientist, she quickly rolled herself over to where she had placed her notebook on another spot on the desk, which had a pen placed on top of it. After grabbing the pen, she wrote down the thoughts she had just ironed out in her mind word for word before adding more details in both written word and thought; "This would increase the security used to contain the Murder Box's threat to a considerable degree. Still, even with the best security imaginable, if push comes to shove... I'll have the girls and me follow Shiny's advice by firing the Rainbow Laser upon this threat before it can bring madness and death to an innocent person. If magic truly follows the Laws of Thermodynamics, then the box's magic will be changed into something that is, hopefully, harmless." With that last thought carefully written, she moved over to the button and pushed it again, causing the chamber to be lowered back into its hiding spot, the door closing above it. She then rolled her chair to another part of the lab that was at the end opposite the desk. At this place stood a short round table that held a certain book that was a recent temporary addition to Twilight's collection of extensive literature. But, unlike her collection, which was housed on shelves in her bedroom and mainly covered conventional scientific topics, this one covered a topic that was not what she knew to be conventional; A Primer on the Self By: Barrel Jung Upon gazing at the book, she noted to herself; "Tree Hugger seems to have made a wise call by picking Barrel Jung as an author for me to study. Why, even a preliminary search on the Internet showed that he was an expert in psychoanalysis and psychiatry who was respected among his peers. He had even invented analytical psychology! Clearly, taking a deep dive into researching his book's bibliography will produce fascinating results." Twilight gave the book's title a sharp inquisitive glare as she asked herself; "The self... a reference to the mind, yes, but also to something else, perhaps?" She groaned in frustration while exclaiming; "Gah! Which issue should I tackle first tonight?!" As if summoned to her side, Spike barked at her from the floor while panting happily. She turned her chair and looked down at her left side to find him holding his tongue out with a big smile on his furry face. He then told her; "I'm done with my nap, so I figured I'd hang with you for a bit." Without warning, he jumped onto her lap and nestled his body onto it. With love in her eyes, she gave his fur gentle strokes with her right hand, her frustration cast aside by the comfort that only Spike could give her. After taking a few seconds to silently his owner's company and stroking, he asked her; "What are you thinking about, Twilight?" Her frustration returned, but it was not as strong as it was a moment ago thanks to Spike's adorableness giving her a healthy distraction. With a sigh, she answered; "I'm thinking about what issue to tackle first tonight: The insights Barrel Jung's book could give me or the threat of the Murder Box." The pup instantly leaped off of Twilight's lap and ran over to where the Isolation Chamber used to be. After sniffing the area repeatedly, he turned around to face his owner and asked her; "So, the chamber is fully sealed?" "Affirmative.", said Twilight. Spike was not done yet, for he also asked; "And the box itself is also fully sealed?" "Affirmative times two.", was Twilight's simple response. Spike, with a satisfied smirk, declared; "Well, that means you have time to read that book and then go after the box." The scientist couldn't help but laugh jovial over both her dog's helpfulness and her mind's helpful/unhelpful habit of overthinking things. After calming down, she made her decision known to him; "Looks like I'll be catching up on my reading tonight." With that matter resolved, Spike returned to his rightful place on Twilight's lap before she spun her chair so that she could face the book that still rested on the table. Slowly, she reached for it with both hands, her face filled with the excitement that she felt only when she was about to read a good book. A loud knock on her door rang throughout the lab, interrupting her before she could so much as touch the book, let alone fall into its contents! While repressing her annoyance over being rudely denied her chance at partaking in her favorite pastime (besides conducting science experiments), she walked up to the door and opened it up. On the other side was her father, Night Light, who told her calmly; "Sorry about interrupting your science work, Twilight, but dinner is almost ready." Her annoyance was deleted by the growling of her stomach, which made her giggle sheepishly before she told her dad; "I'll be in the kitchen in just a moment." Once Night Light left the doorway, she called for her dog; "Come, Spike! We've got dinner with family!" He ran up to her side while almost salivating at the thought of his doggy dinner. Before they went through the door together, however, Twilight gave the book one last look while promising her in mind; "Soon, Barrel Jung... Soon!" Midnight Sparkle's cackling echoed softly in her mind as she traveled to where she would join her family, but the hope she felt over what she could learn from that expert's findings kept the demon from having any negative effect on her mind that time. The mental image of a Rainbow Laser zapping the Murder Box's magic into a harmless source of clean usable energy also helped.