Later that week
At the end of the school day, Tennis Match and Cherry Crash were the last students to leave the building, chatting about the sleepover the group was planning on Saturday.
"See you tomorrow, Tennis Match!" Cherry Crash called, heading out to her car.
"You too!" Tennis Match waved after her friend. She was about to go find her own car, but a bright flash and a loud Thump stopped her.
"Hello?" She called. "Is anybody hurt?" Slowly, a girl stepped out from behind the statue that stood in front of the school.
"Who are you?" Tennis Match asked her. She had orange skin, red and yellow hair, and she wore a black leather jacket.
"I am Sunset Shimmer," the girl replied with a smirk. "Could you care to tell me where I am?"
"Canterlot High School," Tennis Match replied. "What are you doing here?" Sunset Shimmer ignored her question and wrinkled her nose.
"This is a school?" She asked. Tennis Match nodded. Sunset Shimmer studied Tennis Match very carefully.
"Okay, I'll see you around," Sunset Shimmer finally said. Tennis Match tightened her grip on her tennis bag.
"Why are you here? Where did you come from?"
In two swift strides, Sunset Shimmer was up in Tennis Match's face. And she was mad.
"Do you make it your business to learn everything about strangers?" She hissed. Tennis Match averted her eyes from Sunset's glare.
"No," she muttered. Sunset glared at her for another moment. Then her expression softened.
"Sorry, I have a... sensitive past. Don't think of me as a monster, okay?" She smiled sweetly.
"O-okay," Tennis Match stammered. Sunset nodded.
"I'll be on my way then," she stated. Turning, she walked off. Tennis Match watched her go. Then, she turned and walked to her car.
That was strange, she thought to herself.
~
"Hey, guess what?" Mystery asked Blueberry at their lockers the next morning. "There's a new girl, Sunset Shimmer."
"That's a nice name," Blueberry commented. "What classes does she attended." Mystery shrugged.
"Cherry Crash told me about her," she explained. "I wonder if she likes music."
"I wonder if she likes fashion," Blueberry wondered. The two friends smiled at each other. Despite their different interests, they were still close friends.
~
At lunch, Blueberry took her tray over to Cherry Crash, Mystery Mint, and a girl with red and yellow hair.
"Hi," Blueberry greeted the girl. She looked up at Blueberry with a questioning expression.
"Are you a Rocker too?" She asked. Blueberry frowned.
"No, I- what's a Rocker?" Blueberry asked. The girl, Blueberry assumed it was Sunset Shimmer, waved a hand.
"Anyone who focuses on music. Like these two, they have a band." She pointed at Cherry Crash and Mystery. Mystery looked just as confused as Blueberry felt. Cherry Crash, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice.
"No, I like fashion more than-"
"Oh, I see." Sunset sounded bored. "I usually like to sit with people that share my interests. Sorry."
"Mystery and Cherry Crash are my friends," Blueberry insisted.
"What is happening?" Drama Letter asked, coming up behind Blueberry.
"Yeah, is there something wrong?" Starlight asked, getting up from where she had been sitting with Green Cycle and Sweet Leaf.
"Nothing," Sunset replied with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. "Everything is just fine."
~
Sunset was worried. That group of girls had shown such unity. And that other group of five, too. They could ruin her plan. She hid behind a book as another student came into the library where she was brooding. Derpy. Sunset got up.
"Derpy, is it true you can hack passwords?" She asked. Derpy looked startled.
"Yes, Velvet Sky gave me a few pointers," she replied. "Why?" Sunset grabbed Derpy's hand.
"Come with me."
Sunset led Derpy up to the roof of the building.
"I need you to hack Fluttershy's, Pinkie Pie's, Rainbow Dash's, Applejack's, Drama Letter's, Cherry Crash's, and Blueberry Cake's email passwords and direct all their emails to my phone," Sunset Shimmer instructed. Derpy looked shocked.
"No, Sunset! They are all nice!" She protested. Sunset pushed Derpy up to the edge of the roof.
"Do it, or there will be an imprint of you in the ground," she threatened. Derpy nodded.
"Good. And don't tell anypony about this, you hear me?" Derpy nodded again. Sunset smirked and released her.
~
Five cars pulled up in front of Blueberry Cake's house on Saturday night. Blueberry opened the door to let her friends in.
"This will be so fun!" Cherry Crash exclaimed.
"I can't wait to get started!" Drama Letter exclaimed, for once dropping her medieval speech.
"Do we have pizza?" Tennis Match asked.
"I brought fruit, in case anyone wants it. It's home grown," Starlight said, dropping a basket in Blueberry's hands.
"Let's stay up talking about boys!" Mystery Mint whispered. Cherry Crash and Blueberry giggled.
"I thought first we could paint our nails," Blueberry suggested.
"Awesome! I call green!" Drama Letter exclaimed.
"Ugh, it's so girly!" Cherry complained as they headed up to Blueberry's room.
"Lots of rock stars wear nail polish," Mystery pointed out.
"Yeah, you can do that cool crackle effect!" Tennis Match added. "It would look so good!"
"Alright!" Cherry Crash decided. "I'll do it!"
The girls got started painting their toenails.
"Guess what!" Drama Letter announced. "Sophisticata and I are collaborating on a new play!" Blueberry and the rest of the girls set down the polish and clapped for Drama Letter.
"We'll need actors and stage crew, so if you have any friends- outside of Canterlot High, even- that would be interested, e-mail me," Drama Letter added.
"Don't worry, we will," Blueberry promised.
"Mystery and I have good news too! Next weekend is our first concert!"
"You've only freshmen, and you guys do concerts?" Starlight asked.
"We asked to borrow the stage on Saturday night," Mystery explained while concentrating on her nails. "It's for CHS students and their families."
"I'll totally be there!" Tennis Match exclaimed.
"Me too!" Starlight, Drama Letter, and Blueberry added in unison.
After nail painting, the girls moved on to a mini pillow fight.
"So, Blueberry, any boys catch your eye since coming to Canterlot High?" Mystery asked, throwing a pillow at her.
"Um..." Blueberry blushed. She threw a pillow back at Mystery. Mystery threw it at Drama Letter.
"Who is it?" Starlight asked, ducking a pillow ambush from Tennis Match.
"Norman is really cute," Blueberry confessed. Cherry Crash gasped. Blueberry looked at her.
"What?" She asked.
"Norman was confused by everyone's skin colors on the first day of school," Cherry explained, throwing a pillow at Mystery. "He was apparently from a village were everyone had the same skin color."
"How bland," Starlight commented.
"Regardless of that, he's nice," Blueberry defended him.
"Yeah," Tennis Match agreed.
"I think Sophisticata has a crush on him," Drama Letter added. The six girls giggled.
They continued talking a nd playing long into the night. When the girls finally dropped off to sleep, it was two o'clock in the morning.
~
Wednesday
Hey guys! Would anybody be willing to stop by my house later this week to help model for my latest dress? Thanks so much!
Drama Letter re-read the e-mail from Blueberry before responding.
I can come this afternoon, she typed, and she pressed the "Send" button. Almost immediately, a reply came back.
Thanks 4 volunteering, DL, but I already have a model. Thx anyways. PS don't mention at school or some people might get jealous. Drama Letter scrunched her eyes at the message, as if something wasn't right. Then she shrugged.
"I must prepare for school," she decided dramatically.
~
"I don't know why nobody responded to my e-mail," Blueberry sighed at lunch that day.
"I have tennis practice and Knitting Club," Tennis Match defended herself. "I couldn't model for you."
"Wait!" Drama Letter held her hands up. "Art thou implying that nobody volunteered to model?" Blueberry nodded. Drama Letter frowned angrily. She picked up her lunch.
"If you'd rather have nobody over me, then be my guest!" She exclaimed angrily, storming off to sit with Nolan North, Golden Hazel, and Sophisticata.
"What happened?" Mystery asked.
"Who cares?" Blueberry snapped. "If she's gonna act that way, she can stay over there."
~
Friday Night
Hey Tennis Match. The country's been moved to tonight at 9:00. B there, we need the support! ChErRy CrAsH
Tennis Match looked over the text she had just received.
"It's a little strange to change the date this late," she muttered. "I'm sure they had their reasons." She found a pretty dress for the concert and put in on.
"Awesome!" She exclaimed. Tennis Match checked her watch. 8:50. Drat. She couldn't drive after 8:45.
"Mom!" She called. "I need you to drive me to Mystery and Cherry's concert!"
"I'm a little busy with Mint Flower right now!" Her mom shouted back. Tennis Match ran into the house.
"Dad?" She asked. "Can you drive?"
"It's so late," he sighed, looking at the clock.
"I know, but I promised them I'd be there! I can't lie!" Tennis Match exclaimed. "Please!"
"Okay," her dad agreed. "Let's go."
They drove down to the stage where the concert was supposed to happen. But it was dark, and there was nobody in sight.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Her dad asked. Tennis Match nodded. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed overhead. It started to drizzle.
"We can go home now."
"Are you sure?"
"Y-yes."
When they got home, Tennis Match spent the night trying to figure out why her friends had ditched her. And crying. With a tub of mango yogurt.
~
"Why isn't Tennis Match here yet?" Mystery Mint called to Cherry Crash over the roar of the crowd on the night of their concert.
"I dunno!" Cherry Crash shouted back.
"You think she ditched us?"
"I can't believe it! She would never!"
"Do you think we should wait another 5 minutes?"
"If she shows up late, she'll still hear part of the performance. Let's start." Mystery nodded.
"Hey Canterlot High!" She shouted. "Give it up for, The Strike Hearts!" She and Cherry launched into the first song.
By the time the performance ended an hour later, Tennis Match was nowhere to be seen.
~
Thursday
Drama Letter, my cousin might be interested in acting for your play. ~Starlight
A second later, a response popped up on Starlight's screen:
Sorry, we don't need any volunteers
"That's a shame," Starlight murmured. "I know Timber really wanted to act."
She composed another e-mail: Whos acting?
A response didn't come for a while. Then, finally:
Nobody yet.
She e-mailed back: What about my cousin?
What does ur cousin have to do w/ anything? Starlight gaped at the screen.
"If she doesn't want my volunteers," she fumed, "she can put on that play all by herself!"
~
At lunch the next day, Tennis Match sat with the Athletes, Blueberry Cake sat with the Fashionistas, Drama Letter sat with the Drama Kids, Starlight sat with the Eco-Kids, and Mystery Mint and Cherry Crash sat with the Rockers. Each was sad for only a minute, and then accepted the fact that seemed to hold truth: Their friends were gone. The only friends they had were those in the same cliche.
Sunset Shimmer smiled as she looked at the disunity spread among the cafeteria.
"In thirty moons, I will rule Equestria," she murmured softly to herself.