Hitting The Books

by CrypticMetaphor


Chapter 7- Seeing Another Way

For a while during my few days of staying in that world I began to wonder something…why the hell did people break out into spontaneous song and dance and acted like there’s nothing wrong with it? I mean I don’t mind music it’s just so frigging weird, one thing is for sure is that the melodies were always catchy. I sort of just ignored it for as long as I could but whenever one would occur I felt this strange pull. Almost like the atmosphere of the situation lassoed me with a giddy need to go all Justin Timberlake, but I resisted. But enough of that, what was on everyone’s mind at the moment was that the Talent Show was today and sign up had to be finished by the afternoon bell. I was calmly sitting in the library going over some material for a creative writing assignment when Pinkie Pie seemingly emerged from the opposite sid if the table from beneath.

She inhaled sharply, “HI SCRIBE!!!”

I fell out of my chair, “AUGH! Pinkie Pie!”

She giggled a little, “Sorry about that! Are you excited for the show because I sure am! Although you don’t really look excited you look annoyed.”

I sarcastically responded, “Gee I wonder if it had something to do with you scaring the bejeezus out of me.”

Pinkie Pie shrugged, “Who knows.”

I shook my head as I retook my seat, “So what’s up Pinks?”

Pinkie scrunched her face then smiled, “Well I saw your name wasn’t on the sign up form with the rest of us!”

I nodded decisively, “That’s because I’m not entering, I just don’t do talent shows. It’s too much work and effort in my opinion.”

Pinkie chuckled slightly, “Oh come on that’s the lazy man’s reason! What’s the real reason you won’t enter?”

I mumbled something under my breath which she leaned forward to listen better too, “What?”

I sighed as I put my pencil down, “I don’t have any special talents aside from writing. I can’t play an instrument, or sculpt, or dance, or do any kind of sport, or wrestle. I just can’t do any of that.”

Pinkie scratched her chin, “What about…singing!”

I coughed, “Yeeeah, no.”

Pinkie frowned slightly, “Why not? Everyone can sing!”

I muttered under my breath, “Tell me about it.”

Pinkie moved her chair over to my side, “Come on Scribey!”

I looked dead into her eyes, “I don’t sing.”

Pinkie laughed, “Okay that’s a good one...,” she took notice of my serious expression, “You’re not joking.”

I shook my head, “Not in the slightest. I never sang a song in my life and I don’t intend to.”

Pinkie looked shocked, “No WONDER you’re so…grouchy all the time when you’re not around us!”

I became shocked at the statement, “How did you?”

Pinkie smiled, “Call it intuition.”

I opened my mouth to protest but silenced myself, “Never mind.”

Pinkie hugged me with one arm, “Scribe, when someone sings it’s like there spirit is lifted in one solitary instant. It’s like the worries of the world our pushed out into the void of nonexistence. To sing is to see the world in all its majesty and in a completely different way. You could say it allows the singer to stand out among others to give them a chance in the light and to be unique.”

I blinked in surprise, “Wow Pinkie that was beautiful.”

She smiled, “Thanks I practiced that in the mirror for two hours this morning.”

I sighed, “You see that’s the thing, I prefer to be in the dark of the world. To be far away from the eyes of others who I’m not familiar with is what I like. I tried standing out and being unique and it didn’t end well for me back at my old school.”

Pinkie just stared at me, “What did they do to you?”

I stood up, “They gave me a reality check.”

*

Rainbow Dash was leaning beside the door to the library when Pinkie Pie emerged, “So did you convince him?”

Pinkie shook her head as Scribe emerged and walked off in the opposite direction, “No, he’s insistent that he doesn’t want to enter.”

Pinkie then retold the words Scribe’s words exactly and Rainbow scowled, “That’s a bunch of hooey! Scribe needs to get off his high horse and come out of his box. Since we’re his friends we need to help him any way we can and I think I know just the way”

*

I think my scream of surprise and anger must have breached the time stream because when I entered the Cafeteria with a copy of the Talent Queue for the evening the girls knew I was coming.

I slammed the sheet down on the table, “Would someone care to explain why my NAME is right HERE!”

My finger planted itself firmly on my name near the last acts of the night.

Rarity was calm even though I was screaming, “There’s no need to shout. Maybe someone wanted to see you preform and put you in.”

I sat down as my hair became frazzled, “That’s the point!! Someone forged my name and intentionally put it there against my wishes and I don’t want to preform!”

My head became friends with the table top, “My life is ruined.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “I signed you up sheesh.”

I glared at her which she was unfazed by, “Why?!”

Rainbow shook her head, “You’re in a box Scribe, we’re the only people you talk to on a regular basis and you need to expand your horizons.”

I sat up, “Dash, I appreciate your concern. But look what I’m dealing with here! I’m going to make myself look like a complete scrub!”

Dash crossed her arms, “You don’t know that. Just try and I think you’ll be surprised.”

I deadpanned, “You realize I could just tell the Principal to take my name off the queue right?”

Dash leaned over to me, “I realized that. Now ask yourself this, how fast can you run to the office before I pin you down and FORCE you.”

My answer came in the form of me standing defiantly and staring her dead in the eyes, “Bring it.”

I then bolted out of the cafeteria.

*

Applejack face palmed, “He didn’t seriously.”

Sunset looked at Rainbow, “How much of a head start do you intend on giving him?”

Rainbow didn’t answer.

Fluttershy fidgeted slightly, “Try not to hurt him.”

Dash shrugged as she stood up, “That’s up to him.”

Rainbow Dash made true to her name when she exited the Cafeteria.

*

I glanced around as I turned a corner and panted for breath, “Jesus, does she ever give up?”

I regained my composure and rushed down a hall and slammed head long into Umbra, “Whoa man, where’s the fire?”

I glanced at Umbra who helped me up, “Rainbow Dash is on my tail and I’m trying to get away from her!”

Umbra laughed, “Good luck with that man, you realize she’s captain of the Track and Field Team right?”

I turned my head at the sound of screeching sneaker boots on the floor behind me, “Oh this is going to suck.”

Rainbow Dash smiled in victory, “I’ve got you now!”

I shook my head, “No way!”

We both sprinted off toward the office. The chase spanned the entire interior of the school well into the lunch break in my effort to lose the fast approaching Rainbow Dash. I knew my fate was drawing nearer with each step. I then saw the office in sight and increased my speed…then I was knocked several feet pass my salvation as a weight pressed down on my back.

I squirmed in anger, “Get off me!!”

Rainbow shook her head, “Not until you promise to go into the competition.”

I spat out in defiance once more, “NEVER!”

Rainbow got comfortable, “Then I’m going to sit here until you say yes.”

I growled in anger, “Why are you doing this?”

Rainbow glanced at me, “Because you need help Scribe and I’m loyal to my friends whether they want me to be or not.”

I sighed in defeat realizing the futility of defying the rainbow haired girl, “Fine.”

She got off me and helped me up, “There was that so hard?”

I returned the comment with an icy glare that could have frozen winter itself, “My revenge upon you will be swift.”

Rainbow laughed, “Many greater men than you have tried.”

*

The night arrived and I was panicking beyond belief because I didn’t have any idea what to do. My performance would be a flop and I would suffer for it.

Twilight placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, “Scribe it’s okay to be worried. But you have to relax.”

I smiled like a complete psychopath, “Relaxed of course. I am relaxed, I’m mellow yellow! HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!!!”

Fluttershy whispered in Rarity’s ear, “I think we broke him.”

Applejack walked backstage having completed her performance which was a series of rather impressive rope tricks mixed with some country style dance moves.

Applejack sat next to me, “You’ll do fine Scribe, jus sing from yer heart and it’ll be fine.”

I almost tore my hair out, “But I don’t sing!”

Sunset inhaled sharply readying herself for her performance, “She’s right Scribe.”

She then walked out onto the stage and inhaled as the mic was brought down to level with her. What followed could only be best explained as art.

*

The aria Sunset Shimmer sung floated through the air like a soft breeze and filled the souls of all in attendance with good spirits. Many people let the music flow through them and eased into the performance. Soon she finished the number and received a standing ovation. She quickly bowed and departed the stage to the student dressing rooms.

*

Sunset sat in the dressing room and stared at herself in the mirror and smiled, “You did well tonight Sunset.”

A voice was then heard all around her, “Bravo, Bravo.”

Sunset glanced from side to side; her pupils vanished as did the sheen in her eyes.

*

Rarity glanced at me and smiled, “You’ll do great. I’m going to check on Sunset.”

I visibly twitched, “Oh god I can’t do this.”

Pinkie Pie looked at Rainbow Dash then at me, “Yes you can,” she then shoved me on stage.

*

Rarity looked around far backstage, “Sunset? Sunset are you back here?”

*

Sunset vacantly stared into space as the voice continued to speak, “Sunset…Sunset….”

Rarity entered snapping the fiery haired girl from her trance, “Sunset there you are! You were positively magnificent darling! Where on earth did you learn to sing like that?”

Sunset looked to the side confused, “I’m not sure; it sort of just came out. I’m just as surprised as you are.”

Rarity waved it off, “Nonsense that was all you Sunset. Don’t deny it. Now come on Scribe’s on and we should be there to support him.”

Rarity stood and began to leave as Sunset raised a finger, “Just give me a second and I’ll be right out.

*

I stared with wide eyes into the audience. My mind was clogged up with fear and I began to remember back to my earlier years in high school. All of the jeers, insults, and those stupid ways to enrage me were playing all around in my head. I blinked several times not knowing what to do. I mean I liked being who I was being, far away from the main crowd to be incognito but just enough in as to not arouse attention to myself. I kept a close knit of friends and…it hit me like a ton of brick. Rainbow and Pinkie were right; I realized that if I kept going the way I was going I would never be truly happy. I mean you have to have more than a certain number of friends. If you didn’t you would eventually become bored and distant, it was inevitable going down that path. Inevitability after all was one of life’s cruel lessons.

I looked inward and found what I was looking for, ”Open up your eyes take a look at me If the picture fits in your memory.”

I shut my mouth in surprise; my singing voice which usually jumped around was perfectly leveled and sounded perfectly natural to me.

I gazed over to the girls who gave me the continue gesture as music started from the band and seemingly everywhere, “I've been dreamin by the rythym like the beat of a heart, and I won't stop until I start to stand out.”

I stepped forward into the light as I removed my glasses, “Some people settle for the typical thing, livin' all their lives waitin' in the wings. It ain't a question of 'if', just a matter of time before I move to the front of the line!”

I gazed out at the crowd and began to do an actual dance in sync with the music, ”And once you're watchin' every move that I make, ya gotta believe that I got what it takes!”

I then stepped forward and powerfully proclaimed as the music increased in volume, “To stand out above the crowd even if I gotta shout out loud! 'Til mine is the only face you see, gonna stand out 'til you notice me.”

I then began to strike poses while alternating between dance moves, “If the squeaky wheels always gettin the grease I’m totally devoted to disturbin the peace. And I'll do it all again, when I get it done until I become your number one.

The girls and crowd began to get riled up as they danced along with me, “No method to the madness and means of escape, gonna break every rule I'll bend them all out of shape. It ain't a question of 'how' just a matter of when you get the message that I'm tryin to send!

I then causally began to move to the rhythm as my dancing stopped, “I'm under a spell, I'm in over my head and you know I'm going all of the way, till the end!”

The girls came out and joined me on stage much to my surprise as they sang with me, “To stand out above the crowd even if I gotta shout out loud! 'Til mine is the only face you see gonna stand out 'til you notice me, yeah!”

A girl who was the resident DJ of the school removed her goggles and threw them to me which I then put on as I began to walk to the edge of the stage and sang almost casually to the school, “If I could make you stop and take a look at me instead of just-,” the girls then sang melodically, ”Walkin' by…”

I then leaned down to the people in the front row, “There's nothin' that I wouldn't do, if it was gettin' you to notice, I’m alive,” I then sharply backed up into the standing position.

I then began to dance once more, “All I need is half a chance, a second thought, a second glance will prove I got whatever it takes,” I then struck a pose, “It's a piece of cake.”

The girls and I then began to dance and sing in perfect harmony, “To stand out above the crowd even if I gotta shout out loud. 'Til mine is the only face you see! Gonna stand out, stand out, hey stand out,” the crowd then sang, “Yeah, yeah, yeah!”

The crowd, myself and the girls then sang out loud, “Stand out, 'til mine's the only face you see gonna stand out!!”
I then raised my fist to the sky as the lights flashed, “'Til you notice me.

The applause was thunderous as I threw the goggles back to their original owner and put on my normal glasses.

Rainbow smacked me on the back, “You did it dude, nice going!”

I smiled as I turned my head and smiled at my friends and soon at all the potential ones I might soon have. I noticed Sunset leaving the stage sooner than the rest of us.

I approached her, “You alright?”

She nodded, “Yeah, I think I left my phone back in the dressing room.”

*

Sunset shut the door behind her and glanced around the darkened room. She noticed her phone on the floor; she bent down to retrieve it only for the voice to return.

The voice spoke all around her, “Sunset…Sunset...come to me.”

She glanced up and noticed a section of the wall slide aside like an automatic door. Her pupils vanished as a shape emerged from the door way.

It extended its hand, “Come to me Sunset…trust me.”

Sunset went to take the shape’s hand but froze at the sound of knocking.

*

I heard a voice inside the room as I attempted to open the now locked door, “Sunset, hey are you okay in there?”

*

The shape growled in frustration as its voice became more commanding, “Come to me Sunset Shimmer!”

Sunset’s hesitation vanished as she took the shape’s hand.