//------------------------------// // Classmates // Story: It's The Thought That Counts // by DerpyMuffins15 //------------------------------// “Hey Silver, my name’s Trixie. The dork next to me is my sister Twilight,” Trixie replied, breaking the ice. It was enough to get an elbow to the rib from a violet alumna and a soft giggle from her alabaster equivalent. “Nice to meet you Trixie, Twilight. What are you two doing here so early?” Silver asked with a voice as sweet as cotton candy, and returned them a delighted beam. She gracefully got out of the tiny desk and met the other fillies on ground level. Even then, she still measured an entire foot taller than both ponies. Reaching a hoof, she pushed back her mane to behind her pinkish ears, revealing her other eye. Like her first one, this gem constantly shifted colours between different reds and went as dark as a midnight black. Twilight took another mental note of it and lightened her somewhat somber mood. “I dragged Trixie here so we could check out the classroom and teachers,” Twilight answered. “What are you doing here so early?” Silver continued to smile and turned her attention towards her interrogator, “My mom had to work this morning so she dropped me off at the crack of dawn. Had to wait outside the doors for about half an hour before anypony came to unlock the school,” she joked. “But now that I think about it, my mom works about every morning.” “Maybe we can start a horrible mother’s club!” cheered Trixie, gaining the same response she did before by Twilight. “Well, I wouldn’t exactly describe my mom as a horrible mother. She’s just really busy most of the day with politics and I never really get to see her during the night either.” “What I’d give to see less of my mother...” sighed Trixie. “Trixie really doesn’t mean that,” Twilight interrupted. “Yea, I do--” “They just disagree on a lot things most of the time.” “Says the favorite.” “You know that’s not true.” “Excuse me?” Both sisters stopped their bickering and looked to Silver. “You two seem really tense from something,” she said, trying not to pry. “How about we introduce ourselves better over a book and some hot chocolate? My treat.” “Sure!” Trixie agreed, almost drooling. Twilight opened her mouth to protest before it got stuffed with an azure hoof. “Where are we going?” “There’s a café connected to the library, and the walk there takes us through the Royal gardens. I hope you two don’t mind the detour, but the fire lilies only bloom during the morning.” Silver flipped out a saddle bag under her desk and magicked out a tiny purse. “We don’t mind at all,” Twilight answered, spitting out Trixie’s hoof. She set down her own saddle bag as well Trixie, putting them behind the two free desks next to Silver’s. “I call a coconut latte!” said Trixie, holding up her bag of donuts. She leaped onto Twilight’s back for a pony-back ride, only to squash the mathlete. “Twi, you need to lift.” Getting an angry stare from Twilight, she jumped off again. Dusting herself off, she gently rubbed her slightly bruised mid section. “Ever heard of walking? I hear it’s good for your health.” “Nah...” Trixie said, shaking her head. “Why do something when there’s someone else that can do it for you? Isn’t that why you’re here?” “Hahaha, that was so funny. Don’t come crawling to me when you forget to do the book reports or math homework. I’m sure you’ve already got the fifty pages of trigonometry done, that by the way is due hmm... tomorrow? Guess I forgot to remind you.” “You’re bluffing...” “Try me.” Twilight took a step forward and smiled wickedly while Trixie tried to read through her poker face. “You feeling lucky?” Trixie grinded her teeth, huffing out a heavy breath and brightened on her cheeks. “I’ll take my chances... What’s the worst that could happen?” “The teachers could... I don’t know... Maybe feed you to the dragon in the basement...” “Yo-you’re a bad liar T-Twi...” stuttered Trixie. She backed away from her somewhat frightening sister. “Am I? Have you read any of the brochures? There’s a lava dragon that keeps the furnace going, and rumor has it, a basilisk that slithers in the pipes and eat fillies and colt when they’re out wandering.” Twilight said with amusement, almost cracking a thin grin. “Still like your odds?” “Never tell me the odds!” shouted Trixie, now frustrated with the lying game. She lit her horn in a bright magenta, fueling it with mana for a sealing spell. “So...” Twilight said, flaring her horn for battle, “magic duel?” She paced backwards as to give Trixie space. Better not make this too hard for her. Concentrating all her magic into the tip of her horn, Twilight shot first. Trixie kept absolutely still, not even making an attempt to evade the closing projectile, keeping all her focus on one single spell. Narrowly missing her by a hair the shot created a blacken crater on the walls behind. Trixie aimed for the tiles Twilight stood on, firing her first shot. It hit dead point, in between the magic virtuoso’s fore legs. Instantly magenta flames spread in a circle, engulfing Twilight in a bind. “Is it hot enough for you Twilight?” she snickered. Her giggles ended abruptly as she began feeling the aftereffects of the spell. The battle stance she took destabilized as her knees buckled and she collapsed onto the floor. Twilight however didn’t even flinch. She kept her horn flared brightly as the flames begun torching the desks and the white marble walls. In a burst of sparks, Twilight levitated off the ground and fell upwards. She was turned rightside down as she stuck herself onto the ceiling. Looking down she stared as Trixie struggle to get herself back up. “I can handle the heat just fine, thank you very much.” Twilight chuckled, “What’s the matter? Are you done already?” The downed magician growled to life as she willed herself back up. Trixie’s horn flashed a blinding glow, as an invisible force cracked the tiles she stood on and gravitated small chunks of marble around her. “I’ll show you who’s great and powerful!” A supercharged proton beam shot from Trixie’s burning white horn, hitting accurately on Twilight chest. The critical hit shattered all light screens Twilight had on, vaporizing her as it passed through her heart and continued on. Piece by piece, Twilight’s body begun to degenerate. Her skin and flesh burned off slowly, as her internal organs turn to dust. Finally, all the ashes fell onto the ground, sparkles of lavender floating in the air. Trixie never got a chance to celebrate her victory as lightheadedness began fogging her mind. Her vision blacked out, as she collapsed permanently onto the floor. The exhausted filly’s chest raised and fell rapidly with her breathing, as Trixie started to tremble. Silver gasped in horror at the end-scene. She looked to Twilight remains, a small pile of ashes while Trixie laid on the floor gasping for more air. Slowly, she shook herself out of the frozen state and reluctantly walked to the remaining filly. Stopping before her, Silver stuck a hoof next to Trixie’s rosy cheeks and felt a scorching heat. “You’re burning up...” Looking from Trixie to her sister, Silver reconsidered. “Hold still, I’ll see if I can bring that fever down.” The elder enchantress focused her mana through her horn, working with the natural magic around her for a healing spell. Lowering the silver tip, she dispersed her mana, letting the turquoise aura encase Trixie’s body. As she worked, violet dust swirled around behind them. Remnants floating about condensed into bigger particles; the particles then into matter; the matter into tissue. The air began to hum with power, as the pile of ashes took life. Silver inched her head sideways, watching with her peripheral the impossible sight. The ashes took the form of a chubby filly, turning from grey-black to a light amethyst. The surrounding tissues attached to the deformed body, forming muscles and arteries as internal organs regenerated. An endoskeleton formed next, encasing the new organs and recompiled her nervous system. Twilight’s lifeless body was fully healed, floating in mid air as a bald rat. Her fur and mane formed last, as her cutie mark reappeared on her flank. She slowly descended onto the ground, taking her first steps in a new body. Strangely, she was covered in an organic veil, which burned off as she tested her motor functions. Her neck vertebrates cracked, along with her shoulder blades and hind legs as she moved them. Finally taking her first breath of clean air, Twilight opened her empty eye sockets, which quickly refilled with white pupils. Her irises returned to its natural colours, completing the healing spell. “You’re alive?” Silver asked. “Reassembling myself was the first trick I learned.” Twilight teleported across the room, still somewhat glowing with power. She blasted away Silver’s aura with her own, yet continued the spell. Poor thing, trying to take me on like that, but at least she’s keeping up with her studies. “You know the life-after-death spell? I thought the last user was banished to the north pole?” “The last known user,” Twilight corrected. “Besides, this is an incomplete version. I’ve had to recalibrate the entire spell before it was even field testable. But I’m glad the first run was a successful one.” Silver stared at the daring filly, taking a seat and extinguishing the flames with her magic. “You won’t always be right you know.” Her magic expanded from the doused fires to cleaning the soot and replacing the cracked ceiling. “If death cannot hold me, what will?” “I see you’re not lacking in the ego department.” “At least I have the magic to back it up.” “There’s a difference between having powers and knowing how to use them. What if you lose control?” Twilight turned her back on Silver, looking towards a blank wall. “You’ve read my file.” She finished the spell Silver started, levitated Trixie’s sleeping body onto a nearby desk. “Call it wishful thinking. I’ve never seen you before this day, so how could I’ve read your file?” “You’ve never seen me, but you knew of me.” “There’s that ego going off again. You’re a rational filly Twilight, you should know better than that.” “What gives you the right to tell me what to do, or judge me for that matter? You’re not my equal or superior.” “Maybe not.” Silver raised from her seat and loomed over Twilight. “But there is a difference between being smart and being wise. You have so much potential for both, if only you didn’t follow the path of logic.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” Twilight slowly backed away as Silver encroached her. Her flanked backed up against a desk that Trixie rested on causing her to stop. “How long do you plan on living Twilight? An eternity is quite a long time, longer than you may believe it to be. “ “How am I gonna live forever exactly?” Silver cracked a sly grin, patting Twilight lightly on her shoulder. “You’re a bright filly, Twilight, you’ll figure it out. Besides,” she said, breathing out a heavy sigh. “It’s not if you live forever, but how you live with yourself. Immortality is a life of solitude, and a path walked most often alone.” “What’s your genealogy?” Twilight snapped, swatting Silver’s hoof away. “Twilight, don’t push it.” Shouting instead this time, Twilight stepped closer to the dwarfing unicorn, keeping her glare locked with Silver’s eyes. “What’s your genealogy?!” She demanded. “Twilight-” “What’s your genealogy?!” Twilight growled. She pointed her flared horn towards Silver, encasing it with mana incase she didn’t like her next answer. “Why don’t you ask yourself that.” “W-what?” Twilight stepped back, disarming her horn and returned it to normal. “Y-you read my file!” “I don’t need to read what I can see with my own two eyes. You were an orphan Twilight, a naive one at that.” Silver said pointing a hoof at the trembling filly. “Then you changed. You got adopted, a new chance, a new life and family.” “S-stop it!” shouted Twilight, almost pleading her words. Instead, Silver shook her head no and walked closer . “Let’s face it, Twilight, you’re overcompensating.” “W-what?” “Trixie was the golden child until you came along, but you just had to show off. Then you replaced her. You thought that if you could somehow make Trixie’s parents proud of you, they’d forget about their own birth daughter and treat her differently.” “What?!” Shouted Twilight, only allowing an inch to be between their faces. “I’d never do that to Trixie! She gave me everything I could have asked for! And now you’re accusing me of using her?!” “I know it Twilight. The way you walk, talk, and act, it all shouts orphan. You try to spite her any way you can, from making her look foolish in public to insulting her abilities. Don’t lie, you know you’re better than Trixie, and you treat her as such.” “Liar!” She screamed this time. The magenta aura she used to have flared to a crimson red, causing the room to creak with solarwinds. Surrounding papers flew from desks, the non-bolted tables screeching against the floor as they are pushed around. Silver backed away, but was stopped abruptly as she meet the dead end wall. Nowhere else to go, she ignited her own horn, readying her mana shields. Her eyes darted around for an escape route, only to see Twilight blocking her path. “Don’t do something you’ll regret Twilight.” The approaching filly blasted away nearby desk with an invisible force, paving the titles away to its basic state. Each step she took, hoofprints were scorched into the marble, as Twilight lit up like the rising sun. Her mane burst into red hot flames, turning into a deep violet soon after. The well groomed fur she had burned off for a pearl white coat. Marble turned black as tables and books burn to ashes the closer Twilight walked to Silver. “I’ve had it with you Silver!” Twilight channeled all her magic into a single focus point of her horn, and fired the lethal spell. The recoil sent her spiraling backwards, bumping into Trixie along the way. The beam flew from where Twilight stood, warping space and reality as it sped its way towards Silver. All sound was drowned out as it went super sonic, cracking the windows. “Enough of this.” A blinding light shrouded Silver, encasing her in a golden aura. Alabaster wings spreaded themselves from empty space, acting as personal shields. Silver stared at the supercharged beam closing in on her, not once noticing the alicorn that flashed into existence from nowhere. |~|~|~|~|~| “Hold on a minute, now.” Rarity said. “What is it?” Trixie asked, putting down her knitting needles. “If you’re knocked out cold from using too much magic, then how do you remember all this?” She inquired. Rarity slightly pouted, continuing her concentration on her umpteeth pair of stockings. During some time ago, she had ran out of wool, and had substituted gold laces instead. “I came to after Silver and Twi had their deathmatch together. I got the rough sketch of things from Silver, but Twilight explained the full scene later. Those two really hated each other back then, which is quite ironic considering their relationship now.” “They’re dating?” Rarity asked. “Twi calls it ‘socially expanding’.” Trixie giggled. “You’ll never believe how their first date ended! Ha, Twilight smelt like swamp gas for a month after that hydra crashed their picnic.” The two mares joined in on mild giggles, laughing away before Trixie spewed wine through her nostrils. “Is there anything your sister isn’t good at?” Rarity asked, calming down a bit. “Emotions for one,” Trixie sighed, wiping a tear away. “Apologizing another.” |~|~|~|~|~| “Detention on the first day?!” Moonlight yelled. She quickly paced to and fro between her bandaged daughters, while Silver sat nearby untouched. “You gotta admit though, this is a personal best for Trixie. School won’t start for another twenty minutes and she’s already got three referrals. Not bad in my book.” Moonlight stared daggers at her husband, growling in her voice tone and grinned her teeth to the point of cracking. “They won’t see the light of day when I’ve gotten through with them.” “Come now, it isn’t that bad. The damages were paid for, and they both lived didn’t they? Things could have gone a whole lot worse.” “Really?” asked Moonlight, rolling her eyes and scoffing. “How do you suppose?” “Well for one, we didn’t get a lawsuit this time. Remember Monte Carlo?” Trixie burst in laughter at being reminded of the place, which she soon regretted doing as she winced from the pain it caused. “How could I forget if you constantly remind me of it. Our second honeymoon ruined because Trixie had to touch everything she saw.” “Cut her some slack. She was young-er than she is now. She was only trying to have some fun, and being stuck in a hotel room the entire time, Trixie was probably bored out of her mind.” “She’s out of her mind alright.” “HEY!” shouted Trixie. Next to her, Twilight flared her horn and magicked an extra large bandage over her mouth. “Mmmph! Mmmph mmph mmfff!” “Now isn’t the time Trixie,” Twilight whispered. She undid the spell soon after, as Trixie shot her an angry stare. “Ahem.” The leader headmistress coughed, “May I please have your attentions?” All heads turned to her, allowing her to continue. “Although I am happy with the generous donation you have given us, it doesn’t excuse the behavior of both your daughters. Trixie is prone to...” She adjust her reading glasses as she squinted at a large portfolio. “Life risking spells and likes showing off, along with an above average ego and boasts often.” She read out loud. Looking to the guilty party, Trixie grinned sheepishly while turning away towards a wall. “Twilight on the other hoof...”She closed the large folder containing Trixie’s file and pushed it aside. Turning to an abnormally large cabinet, she opened the top drawer, revealing stacks upon stacks of paperwork. “How are you going to find my file in all of that?” Twilight asked, pointing to it. “The cabinet is your file, Miss Twilight.” The mistress pulled out the biggest folder with telekinesis, but had trouble as it wobbled in mid air and slammed it onto the desk. “Twilight has performed highly on all her written exams, scoring perfects on all of them. During the magic portion, she aced it with flying colors, demonstrating unparalleled prowess in all categories. However...” Flipping through several pages, she found a personal report by one of the physicians, “Twilight excels in everything she does, but lacks self-control. Often, is easily agitated and likes to feed her ego. Approved for advance studies of amniomorphicology and Star Swirl’s research, but precautions are recommended.” Twilight frowned at the ground, kicking her hind legs back and forth on her chair. “As for Miss Silver Swirl over here...” She levitated a key from around her neck, using it to open a drawer. Pulling out a musty petite folder, she gently set it down on her desk. The door to the office soon opened, Princess Celestia walking through it. She approached the desk with perfect stealth, no one noticing her until she made herself present. Slapping a bejeweled hoof onto the folder, she got a collective stare from everyone. “I’m afraid Silver’s file is classified.” Her horn ignited a soft gold and the papers lit ablaze, scorching the documents and turning them to ashes. “I’m sure you’ll understand my decision on this matter.” “Pardon me, Princess, but what relations do you have to Miss Silver?” Moonlight asked. “Let’s say we’re related and keep it that. No need for anyone to lose their head over something so trivial. Now,” Celestia turned towards the fillies, “I believe classes are about to start. No need to sit around here anymore you three. Your records shall still be clean, but consider this a warning. Now off to class, all of you.” The students simply nodded their heads in unison, the sisters limping out the office as Silver walked normally behind them. “Have a wonderful day, Silver. Do keep your guard up. Twilight isn’t the kind to underestimate.” Celestia warned. Silver nodded, closing the door quietly behind her. “A personal protégé of yours Princess?” Moonlight asked. “One could call her that,” Celestia answered, pulling a seat next to the parents. “Now, about Twilight.” “What about her?” Starshine asked this time. “My records have her listed as deceased and her body burned beyond recognition within a fire down at the morgue. But I have her listed under as Twilight Sparkle. Rather unorthodox, isn’t it? The daughter of my most prized vizier dies and suddenly you have an adopted daughter that looks exactly like their filly.” “Your point, Princess?” Moonlight snapped. “No point,” Celestia answered. “Just an observation. Have a nice day Mr. and Mrs. Lulamoon. I’ll be looking forward as to how Twilight advances in her studies.” She got up to leave, opening the door and met her personal body guards. “Do watch your backs though. My niece isn’t the forgiving type when it comes to those who hurt her loved ones in any way.” |~|~|~|~|~| “Welp, that could have gone better.” Said Trixie, limping her way back to their classroom. “Yea, it could have.” Twilight agreed, trying to support herself and the weight of Trixie. They tripped every now and again, but kept a steady pace. Silver walked a comfortable distance behind, watching as the two sisters struggle to keep their footing. “What did you get?” Trixie asked. “No reading for enjoyment for a month, you?” “Really? Just that? I’m not allowed to use Alfred for a whole month! Who’s gonna make my toast points?! I can’t live without my toast points!” “Hold your horses, Trixie.” Twilight said, giving her sister a usually roll of the eyes. “You don’t need to be a drama queen about everything. Besides, it’s just a month. In that time, maybe you can learn to do things for your own.” “Pff! Rich ponies don’t do things for themselves! They get others to do it for them. Now, carry me to class peasant!” “Whatever you wish for oh Great and Powerful Trixie.” “Heh, I like it. Great and powerful, sounds fitting for one such as I.” “Yea, well don’t let that ego go unchecked. Come on class starts in five minutes and I’m too tired to teleport us there. I’d appreciate it if you put some effort into helping me.” “Only this once! But only because you’re the Great and Powerful Trixie’s sister!” |~|~|~|~|~| “Did you really call yourself that your entire foalhood?” Rarity asked. “Yea,” laughed Trixie, “but luckily I grew out of that phase. Can you possibly imagine me going around as - I don’t know... a showmare - doing magic for entertainment and boasting every other minute? I really gotta thank Twi for getting me out of that. And all that third person talk really got me into trouble with my english teacher.” “Haha, well I’m glad you turned out the way you did then, although with mild foalhood trauma.” “I really could have turned out a lot worse couldn’t I?” Trixie grinned and picked up her pair of needles again, starting once again on her now hundredth sock. “Just image it this way, darling. Yours and Twilight’s role could have been switched! Just imagine how that would have played out. Being all alone and then raised by ponies you don’t exactly know, but are loved anyways because they feel sorry for you?” “Yea,” Trixie quietly chuckled. “I can’t imagine how that could’ve turned out.” “You okay, Trixie? Was it something I said?” Rarity asked, looking to Trixie’s once again slum figure. “No, no... Just got this feeling that you’re probably right.” “About?” “Me and Twi. |~|~|~|~|~| “Fancypants?” Dr. Whooves called. “Here.” A white colt answered. “Blue Blood?” “That’s Prince Blue Blood to you!” The blonde pony shouted from this chair. “Right, Blue Blood?” “Hmmp! Here you twat!” “Ain’t he a charmer, ladies? Be sure to share your rotten tomatoes with him during lunch.” “What?!” “Diamond Mint?” “Here!” An excited teal filly answered. “Fleur de Lis?” “Oui.” The exchange student looked around the room, keeping her vision on a certain colt. “Holly Dash?” “Here.” A semi-rainbowed mane pony answered. “Graphite?” “Here, sir.” The spiky mane colt called, looking around to see if anyone else had a coat as black as his. “Lyra Heartstrings?” “Here!” The excited minty unicorn answered. “Minuette?” “Just call me Colgate, Dr. Whooves.” Her cutie mark matched with the professor, whom she beamed her cheerful grin at. “Colgate it is. Neon Lights?” “Yo.” A masculine young colt answered. He leaned back on his chair while wearing an old pair of shades. “Sea Swirl?” “Glad to be here!” A pinkish aqua cutie marked filly called. “Brilliant. Twinkleshine?” “Eager to learn, sir!” “Vinyl Scratch?” Everypony looked around, but all eyes eventually turned to an empty table next to Trixie. “Not here, then.” Dr. Whooves said, jotting it down on his attendance sheet. “Silver Swirl?” “Here.” “Ah, the young prodigy in the flesh. Nice to have finally made your acquaintance.” “Pleasure’s all mine.” “Top of the morning to you then.” He said, smiling. “Now, the Lulamoons....” All their classmates glared towards their direction. While most had a gentle smile to offer, some regarded them with calculating eyes. “Here,” the sisters said in unision. “Yes, I know that. Infact, the entire school knows that, thanks to your little display of magic earlier. Please, everyone be sure to thank them for burning all the homework I was to assign you this week.” Everypony began to cheer, while Twilight quietly sulked over the prospect. They continued their woohoos and yays before stopping as the door banged opened. The doorknob bashed against the hardened walls, almost cracking the tinted window. Walked in a groggy filly in worse condition than Trixie the morning. The white coated filly had a quarter note for a cutie mark, along with alternating electric blue colours for her rowdy mane. She wore roundish violet glasses, opaquing her eye colour. “Vinyl Scratch, I presume?” Dr. Whooves asked. “Wad up, doc’?” She answered. Vinyl lugged behind a messy saddle bag, throwing it to her seat with magic. “Oh, you’re quite the fun one aren’t you?” “You bet your doctrines, I am.” “Well Miss Scratch, I hope you have fun in detention. Looks like I found some company for you Lulamoons.” Vinyl rolled her eyes and quietly walked to her seat. “Now that introductions are out of the way, let’s begin shall we?” “Umm, Dr. Whooves? Can I ask you a question?” “Do you know how many paradoxes you’ve created with that question alone? Just ask me the question instead of asking to ask me.” “Well, sir, umm if all the textbooks were burned, what do we have exactly to learn?” “We always have old fashioned way, of course.” “There’s an older way than textbooks?” Blue Blood scoffed. “Yes, indeed. They’re called scrolls, you know that nifty little thing way back when? I’m sure someone of your status quo must know about them.” “Of course I know about them!” “Oh good, I was starting to doubt your mental capability. Now everyone, would you all kindly take out a piece of parchment? We have some writing assignments to do.” The class began filling with the sound of groaning, except for an excited Twilight. “Now class, it’s time to talk about the birds and the bees.”