Lyra runs through the school as if her life depends on it which is not entirely false since coming to this world is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and Twilight is not going to take that chance away from Lyra. Although travelling to another world is a serious confliction, even Lyra recognises that. It’s not as if Lyra knew this was the human world. She just simply decided go through a strange possibly-unsafe portal without any knowledge whatsoever. Of course, Twilight would come take her back, and it’s upon these thoughts Lyra starts to feel somewhat guilty for not asking Twilight without her permission or at least convince Twilight to tell Lyra what the portal was about. But if Twilight knew about the human world, why didn’t she tell Lyra? It was a question that lingers in her mind yet Lyra convinces herself it was for safety and other serious reasons that Lyra might not even bother with, Lyra grinned.
“Lyra! Get back here!”
They’re right on her tail. Haha tail, that’s funny, Lyra snickered, but she has to lose their trail and quick. She turns a corner and enters two conveniently open double doors and hides behind one of them. She listens intensely to find Twilight and Sunset run past her indicating her plan is a success.
After a sigh of relief she looks up ahead to see she came into a gymnasium and sees two more figures she didn’t want to see also staring at her. Lyra grins widely at Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.
“Hey, Lyra!”
Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy feels a breeze speed pass them. Flustered and flabbergasted, they look at each trying to confirm what exactly happened. They turn around to see Lyra sprinting at an astonishing rate out the doors on the other side of the gym that leads to the outside.
“Ooooo, she’s fast!”
“Pinkie, I think we should go after her.”
“Right you are, Flutters!”
Lyra marches onwards, her legs taking their toll and she pushes her legs harder ignoring the upcoming pain. Her surroundings indicate she is outside of the school building where the sports pitch is located. Lyra looks ahead on the footpath and curses herself for chancing upon Rarity, Applejack and Raindow Dash. By the split second they discover Lyra, she had already sped past them.
“What in tarnation?!”
Taking a moment to understand the siuation, Rainbow Dash sprints after Lyra.
“Oh no, you don’t!”
Rainbow Dash inches closer like a raging monster coming to eat you Lyra up as she used to dream about when she was a filly. There was no chance; Lyra comprehends there was no chance she could outrun Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash jumps heads on towards Lyra, her arms stretched out to catch Lyra in her embrace until Lyra falls flat on her face and unobtrusively forces Rainbow Dash to skid across the pavement.
Lyra gets up cursing and thanking her tired legs, she again goes inside the school buildings ignoring Rarity and Applejack as they come to Rainbow Dash’s aid.
Regardless where she is running to, Lyra continues deeper into the school albeit slower because of the fall. Lyra has yet to memorise the layout of the school but was able to compensate with her sheer luck. She looks behind her. Good, no one in sight; she must have lost everyone somehow. Lyra reduces her speed convinced that she was far ahead from everyone. She exhales heavily trying to catch her breath, her eyes dangerously closed off to her surroundings. Alas she bumps into someone who catches her before she tumbles to the floor.
“Are you alright?”
She opens her eyes to see a dashing young individual with blue spiky hair and wearing a black sports jacket. He’s really cute but not to Lyra’s tastes. And just like how Lyra received a bright light bulb in her head in order to activate the portal, a revelation also suddenly came to mind.
“Hey, it’s you!” Flash Sentry looks at Lyra curiously by her statement. Of course, he knew Lyra to be somewhat unusual but even then the comment she blurted out didn’t make sense.
“Well, yeah, we take History together.”
“No, I mean you look like that stallion Twilight has a crush on!”
His eyes widen. “…What?”
“Yeah he usually visits Ponyville as a royal messenger for the Crystal Empire. Man you’re gorgeous! Of course I already saw why Twilight would be fawning all over him, but wow as a human even I think you’re kinda hot!”
“…Twilight has a crush…?” Before Flash could finish his trail of thought, voices are overhead near the end of the corridor.
“How could we have missed her?”
“Gosh darnit! Where’d she go?”
“Gotta go!”
“Wait!” Flash stands there dumbfounded and horrified by Lyra’s words.
*****
Twilight and Sunset dash down the hallway as they try to catch up to Lyra who disappeared out of their sight a while ago. They then find Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie running in the same direction up ahead.
“Hey!” Sunset grabs their attention, the both of them looking back. “Did Lyra come this way?”
“Yeah! We saw her come inside the gymnasium but then she sprinted outside once she saw us. We chased after her but then we lost her. And I wanted to invite her to a party too…”
“The gymnasium…” Twilight and Sunset bring their hands to their foreheads. Spike on the other hand shakes his head.
The new expanded group head turns a corner and come across three new recognisable faces coming towards them, with Twilight scrolling her eyes all over Rainbow Dash of her scars and scruffs.
“Rainbow! What happened to you?”
“Lyra tripped when I tried to catch her and fell head first onto the ground.”
“Ah’d tell ya, that hurt like heck.”
“Did Lyra come this way?”
“We thought she came this way?”
Sunset and Rarity stare at each other, allowing similar reactions from the rest of the group.
“How could we have missed her?” Rainbow Dash shouted, unhelped by the pain still lingering all over her body.
“Gosh darnit! Where’d she go?”
Twilight thinks long and hard to plan their next move. They have arrived at a junction which leads towards the foyer she recalls.
“I think she came this way. Come on.”
She calls the girls over as soon as she heads straight down the hallway, the same repetitive scene as always. But just as soon as she began her sprint she runs into a familiar face who catches her as if orchestrating a dance.
“Twilight!”
“Flash!”
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh, nothing special, just visiting, I guess.”
“Well, I’m really glad to see you, Twilight.”
Twilight looks deep into his pristine eyes almost entranced by them. All her troubles wished away as she longs for the charming prince in front. She dreams of being forever in his arms interrupted by Rainbow Dash who drags her away from the popular jock.
“Uh, Twilight, this is no time to be romancing with lover boy here,” Rainbow whispered.
Twilight becomes red in response to Rainbow’s choice of words but later sighs knowing Rainbow Dash is right and comes up to Flash Sentry to bid farewell.
“Sorry, Flash, but we’re actually looking for someone,” she apologised. “Have you by any chance seen Lyra anywhere?”
“Lyra? Yeah, I just bumped into her.” Flash points his finger in the direction of the foyer, assuring Twilight that she was right. “She went that way.”
“Thanks, Flash. I’ll see you around?”
“Yeah… Sure. I’ll see you around, I guess,” Flash responded, disappointed by her sudden retreat. But Flash calls out realising a troubling concern of his. “Twilight, hold up. Lyra mentioned something earlier.”
“She did? What did she say?” Like Twilight, the others also listen, intensely curious. It certainly piqued Twilight’s interest as to what exactly Lyra mentioned to Flash.
“Yeah…” Flash began, who seemed rather embarrassed, Twilight stipulated. No it wasn’t embarrassment; it was uneasiness as Flash’s lips cringe as he utters the next words he says. “She told me something rather strange. She said there’s a guy you have a crush on over in your world.” Twilight freezes and becomes white as a sheet; you can even hear walls shatter inside her head. “And the guy looks like me. What did she mean by that? Well, I’m sure it’s some kind of joke…”
She stands still like a statue not moving an inch. Her two hands were fastened together as if in prayer while her peerless eyes look out into a void trying their hardest to recreate the world around her but fail nonetheless. Flash realises he wasn’t getting a response from Twilight as he calls her name several times and waves his hand in front of her to grab her attention. Alas nothing happens – except Twilight falls down backwards and hits the floor hard like a brick.
“Twilight!”
Everyone hastens to Twilight’s aid but Rarity scoops her up and cradles her. Meanwhile Applejack thought best to deal with Flash. “Alright Flash, I think Twilight jus’ needs some time to breathe… and think.” Applejack pushes Flash away with both her hands scouring his back while Flash skids along the floor in protest.
“But, Twilight–”
“She’s fine! Jus’ get already!” After Applejack gives Flash a heavy shove, he looks back in hesitation still worried about Twilight. He could sense Applejack surveying his every move, pressuring him to eventually walk away from the scene.
“Rarity, why am I seeing red?” mumbled Twilight, lopsided in Rarity’s arms.
“Get a hold of yourself, darling!”
“Yes, you’re right.” Twilight raises herself standing properly, although unusually composed in the eyes of her friends. She was hyperventilating exorbitantly. “I just need to keep calm. Once we catch Lyra, and when we do, I’m going to strangle her in a civilised manner.”
“Um… darling, I don’t think that can be civilised…”
“Then how should I strangle her?” Twilight asked in a cold, icy fashion, moving insensibly close up to Rarity’s face. Shivers run down Rarity’s spine as she looks deep into Twilight’s irises where she could clearly see pure murderous intent. The others also backed away.
“Eeyup, she’s lost her rocker.”
“Twilight!” Sunset shakes Twilight and snaps her back to reality. “I know you are feeling really stressed out right now and we have a lot of questions regarding your coltfriend but we need you to snap out of it.”
Twilight lips were pursed and she had tears welling up but not too much to constitute crying. She wipes them off contemplating with Sunset’s suggestion.
“…Let’s go,” Twilight concurred, unconvincingly.
*****
Lyra walks backwards like a mare on a mission scanning down every corridor hoping Twilight and company don’t catch up her. This day has always been exhausting for Lyra. She can’t imagine how Twilight must feel as her pursuer. Like a criminal, she systemises her escape.
“What are you up to?”
“Oh, sweet Celestia!” Lyra turns to see a tall righteous woman with wavy, fluorescent, rainbow hair, in a golden jacket with a sun brooch on her collar, purple pants and gold formal shoes.
“That’s Principal Celestia to you. Care to explain what you’re sneaking around here for?”
“Um… I… uh…”
“Homeroom is about to start. I suggest you–”
“There she is!”
“Welp, gotta go!”
“Lyra Heartstrings! Get back here this instant!” Bewildered by Lyra’s sudden retreat, Celestia calls out to her. Several girls then coming running past her which torments her even more. “Girls, no running in the–” Celestia sees a recognisable young face whose presence is not what Celestia calls welcoming. “Twilight Sparkle?”
“H-hey… um…” Twilight waves her hands erratically at Celestia, each movement more sporadic than the last. But Twilight ends up not uttering a word, rushing off in the same direction as the other girls leaving Celestia baffled and confused as to what had just transpired.
“What was that all about, sister?”
“I wouldn’t have a clue, Luna.”
*****
“What are you talking about, Bon Bon?”
“Don’t try to deny it, Lyra. I was dragging you to the nurse’s office but then you sprinted off to who knows where, and then you surprised me from behind. Even if it was a joke, I didn’t like that, Lyra.”
“For the umpteenth time, what are you talking about?”
“If you’re not going to admit it, then forget it.”
Lyra eyes Bon Bon with a puzzled expression. She may have made Bon Bon jump at the time but what Bon Bon has been recanting was just ridiculous. But he here is Bon Bon, chastising Lyra for something she didn’t do, and Lyra usually gets away with things like these.
Lyra decides to leave Bon Bon alone and casts off towards the foyer. There she observes something unbelievable.
*****
Lyra was outside in the front of the school even remembering the statue from where the portal lies when she first came to this world. But Lyra is not going to return home, not just yet.
She pushes forth hoping to escape the school grounds when alas a hand grabs hold of Lyra by the wrist. Twilight Sparkle by some miracle had caught up to her, and Lyra was doing so well, she thought. Lyra struggles to get away from Twilight but she resists Lyra’s protests and insists on reinforcing her grip on Lyra.
“Lyra, will you please stop!”
“No, Twilight!”
Twilight wrestles with Lyra whose strength seems to be getting bigger by the second. The others have also just arrived witnessing their quarrel and Spike who earlier on was able to jump out of Twilight’s backpack to escape from the ordeal.
“Lyra, what’s gotten into you?”
“Get away from me!”
Twilight releases Lyra shocked from screeching outburst. Twilight theorises she must have been hurting Lyra but her eyes shoots daggers right into Twilight that reveals otherwise.
“Lyra, please, you’re not supposed to be here. You can’t be here.”
“Why? Because only you’re allowed to?”
Twilight gets taken aback by the statement. “Lyra, that’s not–”
“You know what annoys me is that you never told me about this place and that you don’t want me to be here but what really ticks me off is that all those times I came to you, asking you for help, you have been lying to my face!”
Twilight looks at Lyra in utter disbelief and even her friends are stunned to the scene in front of them.
“You dismiss everything I say and didn’t want anything to do with me. Everypony in Ponyville was like that, telling me to grow up, calling me crazy, saying what I’m doing is complete nonsense, even Bon Bon tells me that, my best friend. I had a sliver of hope that maybe you were different, Twilight, because unlike everypony else at least you tried to help me when nopony else would. But you never cared, did you? About my research or about me!”
“…”
“I really thought we were friends Twilight.”
“You are Lyra…”
“Really? I see things very different, Twilight. Not once have you believed in me! I mean, you could have trusted me about this world, telling me about the risks of coming here. But you could’ve at least put some faith in me for Celestia’s sake!”
Twilight at this point has her head down as if piercing the ground below her not knowing how to resolve the situation before her.
“So much for the Princess of Friendship you are… You’re not my friend.”
With that, Twilight’s heart is pierced. The pain in her chest becomes excruciating unlike anything Twilight has felt physically. The mental anguish building up inside Twilight arrive her at the verge of tears.
“Lyra, I–” She reaches out her hand to Lyra who bats it away immediately.
“Don’t touch me! Just leave me alone! I can take of myself so don’t even bother.” Lyra turns her back to Twilight and her friends.
Sunset Shimmer who had just about had enough walks up to Lyra unable to comfort Twilight as she hoped as she walks past her. It was difficult though especially with an argument like this between friends; it isn’t something to be taken likely, Sunset knew.
“Lyra…”
“Sunset Shimmer, right?” Sunset confirms with a nod. “Just look after Twilight, ok?” Sunset observes a mellow expression across Lyra’s face, looking in Twilight’s direction, who has since broken down, crouching in a foetal position while bawling her eyes out in the palms of her hands. Sunset looks back at Lyra and nods in agreement, a form of trust established between Lyra and Sunset. Lyra inches away from them while rubbing her own eyes.