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// Chapter 3- Don't Want No Drama 
// Story: Hitting The Books 
// by CrypticMetaphor 
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	The Cafeteria is a place where friends and acquaintances who have been separated by their class schedules meet to chat and discuss various things for enjoyment whilst eating their meals.  Unfortunately I had neither upon entering, I merely grabbed my food and took a seat, and my thoughts began to drift.  I thought of many things but mostly I focused on how I was supposed to find The Algorithm and Chrysalis for that matter.  I mean looking for her in a world and setting such as this could prove most difficult if not done correctly, and I wasn't a super sleuth last I checked.  A creaking in front of me alerted me to Twilight taking a seat across from me.

Without meeting her gaze I muttered, “Yo.”

Twilight didn’t waste any time in getting right down to it, “Status report?"

I glanced up, “How about, “Hey Scribe how’s your day going so far?"

Twilight rolled her eyes but sighed, “Sorry, but you have to understand the urgency of this assignment.  If we fail, everyone will suffer for it.”

I placed my chin on my hand, “Do I look worried?”

Twilight was unimpressed, “No, you look like you don’t care in the slightest.”

I made a rocking motion with my hand, “Sort of fifty-fifty at the moment.  I mean where do we even start looking?”
Twilight’s retort was cut short at the sound of a “Wahaha!!”

I looked up and noticed Twilight being hugged from behind by one of the most beautiful girls I have seen at the school so far.

Her skin was a flawless alabaster white which complemented her bright blue eyes.  Her hair was styled to perfection and was a form of indigo and had a hair clip with three jewels holding it in place, her outfit was also something to behold in itself.  It consisted of a nice fancy white top and a dark purple skirt with three diamonds in a triangular formation.  Her slightly high heeled boots were a darker purple with folded down cuffs, in the dead center of each cuff was a single diamond.

Twilight gasped in slight discomfort, “Rarity…can’t…breathe!”

Rarity released her grip, “Sorry dear but I’m just so happy to see you!  Rainbow told me you had come back.  Of course I thought she was, as the saying goes, yanking my chain.”

I gave a half smile and adjusted my glasses as they continued their chat upon Rarity taking a seat beside Twilight.  It always warmed my heart to see others happy and others chatting with their friends, call it empathy or something else but I always liked the feeling I got from it.  I then looked away from the table and noticed a couple holding hands and my mood dropped immediately.  My attention was diverted however at the mention of my name.  

“Yes?”, my gaze fell upon both girls staring at me.

Twilight gestured to me, “I said Scribe this is my friend Rarity.  Rarity this is Cryptic Scribe.”

I smiled at Rarity, “It’s nice to meet you Rartiy.”

Rarity returned my smile, “Likewise, any friend of Twilight’s is a friend of mine.”

I chuckled, “That’s good.  I was just about to drop to my knees and claim I was not worthy to be in your presence.”

Both girls laughed at the joke but ceased and waved to someone behind me.  I turned my head and noticed Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Sunset, and another girl on their way over to the table I was sitting at.

I glanced at Twilight and gave a half smile, “I’ll go find somewhere else to sit.”

Twilight shook her head, “You don’t have too.”

Rarity nodded, “Exactly darling, there’s plenty of room.”

Hesitation was present in my voice as I slowly rose, “Well, it’s just that I didn’t want to impose on you.  I mean they are your friends after all and you haven’t seen them in a while so-“

A hand was placed on my shoulder followed by its owner, “Where are you off to in a hurry?”

I slowly sat back down as Dash removed her hand, “Just…stretching my legs.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow as she seated herself on my right, “Really, cause it looked like you were tryin ta leave.”

I quickly added, “My legs were asleep, nothing more.”

Twilight stifled a laugh at my awkwardness, “Right, girls this is-“

I cut her off, “We’ve met.”

Twilight raised a surprised eyebrow, “When?"

Sunset raised her hand, “He knocked me over in the hall by accident.”

Rainbow smiled, “He gave me a hand with some math problems.”

Pinkie pie munched on an apple, “Me and AJ met him in Home Ec with Sunset.”

Rarity pouted, “Well that’s unfair, I met him here just now.”

I jabbed a piece of my food awkwardly, “Well if I knew you girls were going to meet me all today I would have set up a time table.  I could probably pencil in Rarity for a lunch appointment tomorrow.”

All the girls laughed at that as I went back to eating and heard a squeak, “Huh?”

Applejack turned her head to the source and smiled, “Oh right, Scribe this is Fluttershy.”

The girl pretty much suited her name to a T.  She had butter yellow skin and big blue eyes and very long pink hair with a butterfly hair clip in it, currently she was hiding behind said hair.  Her clothes consisted of a plain white top and a forest green skirt with white frilly trim; on the skirt were three butterfly’s for her symbol.  Her boots matched her skirt in green and they had white soles.

Fluttershy spoke almost at a whisper, “It’s…nice to meet you.”

I smiled lightly, “Likewise.”

I then went to my own devices as the girls began to catch up on lost time.  I checked my class timetable and saw my next class was Drama, awesome my second favorite class.  I then bent down to my supply box and pulled out some paper and a pencil and began to write.  When I’m bored I tend to either talk or write, in this case I was writing down plot outlines for some fiction idea’s I had.  I scratched my head in confusion as I came to a halt, my muse was gone.  It also didn’t help that everyone at the table was staring at me work.

I glanced up, “What?”

Twilight leaned forward, “We were just curious why you hadn’t said anything in a while.”

I blinked in confusion, “Huh?”

She gestured to the clock and it noted that lunch was reaching its end, “Oh.”

I turned my head and noticed a sizable stack of paper beside me, “Whoa, sorry when I get going I tend to block things out.”

Rarity shook her head, “It’s no trouble, and it’s always a good sign when someone is invested in their work.  It means that they either love it or it’s their special talent.”

I nodded at her wisdom, “True.”

Fluttershy reached across the table, “Would you mind if I?”

I shrugged, “Go ahead, you all can if you want to.”

The girls took the open invitation and began to skim through my notes as I cleaned up.  After a while they handed back my notes which I packed with gusto.

Twilight stood up, “Those were actually pretty good.”

I shook my head, “You’re just saying that.”

Rarity disagreed with that statement, “She’s right dear, and if you keep at it you might have something there.”

Sunset nodded as well, “Yeah.”

The bell rang.
*

I looked around at my fellow classmates, pretty standard peeps all things considered.  One thing I didn’t mind was that Rarity and Sunset were in the same class as me.  The teacher freaked me the hell out though.  He dressed all in black and had charcoal grey skin; his hair was naturally black and slicked back.  That aside, the dude had red eyes like the freaking devil!!  Regardless though from what I heard Mr. Sombra apparently used to be a famous stage actor, but decided to retire and teach the craft at the school which as far as I heard he enjoyed.  At the moment we were supposed to come up with ideas for an event to raise money for the drama department, I think it had something to do with getting more elite costumes.

Rarity was nibbling the cap of her pen, “Hm…what about an art gallery?  Students submit different pieces and they pay for admittance.”

I tapped my chin, “Bake sale?”

Sunset was contemplating something and stayed silent.

I took notice and raised an eyebrow, "You got something?"

Sunset looked to the side and nodded, "I just thought, why don't we hold a talent competition?  That way all the students can participate and we can also charge admittance.  It's a win, win."

Mr. Sombra nodded at the idea, "That's not half bad.  Ms. Shimmer I knew you were a bright one."

Sunset looked down in slight embarrassment but accepted the compliment none the less.  I did take notice as the class progressed that she seemed a tad more aloof, it pretty much came to me as her being there in mind and body but not spirit.  When we were given time to do work from other classes due to the lesson plan being shorter than previously thought, I decided to approach her.  At first she seemed to be doing some English work but I began to notice she was writing down notes of an odd sort, some odd jumble of words and phrases.

I cleared my throat, "Uh...hi again."

She glanced up and shut her book, "Hi."

I rocked back and forth on my heels as I casually added, "pretty boring day huh?"

She nodded, "Uhuh, didn't you say you were going to leave me alone forever?"

I chuckled in embarrassment, "Yeah about that... I kinda panicked.  I'm just not used to talking to any girls my own age."

Sunset raised an eyebrow, "Really?  You seem to be doing a good job right now."

I realized my folly immediately, "Yeah I suppose so huh?"

She laughed, "So is there a reason you broke your vow of staying away?"

I thought on the statement and gave the beat answer I could muster, "Well you just looked like you were bored so I thought I might strike up conversation."

She smiled at the comment but it quickly vanished, "I appreciate the gesture but I'm actually working on a creative writing assignment."

I coughed slightly and a nervous smile crept onto my face, "Oh, then I should...."

She gave a smile as well, "If you wouldn't mind."

I nodded quickly, "Right...Uh....nice talking to you."

I then went about my own business until the bell rang.