//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: The Formal // Story: Shy and Aggressive // by Johng117 //------------------------------// It was the afternoon on Friday with the Fall Formal happening at night. A lot of students were looking forward to this big night. Some hoped to find someone special, some planned to have fun with their sweethearts, while others just for the fun of it with friends. However, one individual was completely displeased about going. Junior slouched on the sofa of his home, bearing a moping expression. "Are you there God? It's me, Gojira. Let a storm force them to cancel the formal," said Junior as he looked to the ceiling, hoping for an answer. Meanwhile, Miwa passed him with a suit on a hanger. "It'll be fine, Junior. This is a good excuse to loosen up," said Miwa with a reassuring smile. "You know there's something discerning about someone telling me to loosen up when I have to wear thick formal attire," said Junior as he pointed to the suit. "It's only for one night," said Miwa. "Hey Goji! Where's the cologne?" called Rodan from the bathroom. Junior sighed. "Bottom cabinet! Plastic box on your left!" said Junior. "Found it! Thanks!" called Rodan. Junior shook his head. Miwa held the suit out to her son. "You better get ready with your friends," said Miwa. Junior sighed as he stood up and took the suit. He made his way down the hall right when Miwa trailed after him. "Don't forget to comb that hair, mister! Your hair is too scruffy to go out looking like that!" said Miwa. Junior scoffed. "It is not!" retorted Junior. "It is too!" responded Miwa. Junior groaned. "Oh. These guys owe me big time for this crap," said Junior. Miwa shook her head in amusement. Junior had entered his bedroom and dressed himself up in a grey long sleeved button up shirt. He put on a tie, a pair of black khakis, and a coat. After he was dressed, Junior made his way into his bathroom, where Angirasu and Rodan were present. The two were looking into the mirror as they worked to get rid of any lint and to make sure that their hair was neatly combed. "This is a nice place you have here. Real homey," said Rodan as he pulled out a small canister and sprayed the contents into his mouth. "Thanks," said Junior as he began to comb his hair. He winced as the comb pulled on certain strands. "Yeah. Your mother seems nice," said Angirasu. Junior nodded. "She is, but she can be scary sometimes," said Junior. Rodan snorted. "A gentle flower liker her? Ha! It's funnier to know that you of all Transmutants is afraid of your human mom!" laughed Rodan. Junior sent him a glare. "Hey! I'm not afraid of my mother, I respect her. She just has some moments that would give you chills," said Junior in a defensive manner. "Still, though. Your mom, what a woman," said Rodan as he took a breath strip and placed it onto his tongue. "I swear to God, if you hit on my mother or say anything more than her being pretty, I will kill you," said Junior in a low tone. "Shutting up!" said Rodan as he took a can of breath mints and took a handful and stuck them in his mouth. This drew the other two Transmutant's attention. "The hell are you doing?" asked Junior. "I'm freshngh ufph!" answered Rodan as he chewed the tablets. "You may want to ease up on those. Or else you'll find yourself whistling up a blizzard like Jack Frost," said Angirasu. Junior snorted in amusement at the thought. "Hey, gotta be prepared in case a brother gets lucky," said Rodan. "Who do you plan on kissing that requires this much minty freshness?" asked Junior, incredulously. "Either AJ or Rarity. Hell, the girl with the Rainbow hair looked kinda cute," said Rodan with a shrug. "You won't get a kiss from either of them," deadpanned Junior as he checked his combed hair. Rodan shrugged as he stuck another mint into his mouth. "Well, it is good to have dreams," replied Rodan. "Dreams, yes. Delusions, no," said Angirasu. Junior chuckled while Rodan looked at him in disbelief. "I think I'm beginning to like you a bit more, Angirasu," said Junior in approval. "Aang!" said Rodan. "Just saying. You come off too strong," said Angirasu with a shrug. "Ah screw you both! What do you two know about getting girls?" asked Rodan with a scowl. "I'll tell what, we know not to flirt with every girl we meet," said Junior. Rodan snorted. "OK. Yeah you got me there," said Rodan as he rubbed his head. Junior sighed as he looked himself over the mirror. "Well, let's get going," said Junior in reluctance. The three made their way out of the bathroom and down to the living room. "Wait, how are we meeting the girls?" asked Angirasu. The three stop and stared blankly at each other. "Can we borrow your mom's car?" asked Rodan. "I don't have a license," said Junior as he shook his head. "Me neither," said Angirasu. "What about a limo?" suggested Rodan. "We can't afford to rent a limo! What do you think this is? Fresh Prince of Bel Air?" said Junior. "I got into one little fight and my mom got scared and said, 'you're moving with your auntie and your uncle in Bel Air'," said Rodan as he hummed the theme of the series. "Stop," deadpanned Junior. "Aw. That's a catchy theme," said Angirasu in disappointment. Junior shrugged as he sat down on the sofa. "Oh darn, we don't have a ride. I guess we can't go," said Junior in a sarcastic tone. He then jumped as the sound of a car horn honking filled his ears. The Transmutants all looked at each other in confusion as they heard multiple honks. The three made their way out to the front door and found a white limo parked right in front of the house. From the window emerged the Main Six and the members of the Friendship club. "Just thought we'd give you boys a ride!" said Rainbow. The Transmutants glanced at each other. "So much for that," said Junior in disappointment. The three approached the girls, where they were able to get a good look at them. Twilight wore a blue dress that reached down to her shins, revealing her bare legs and cyan heels. Her hair was held up in a bun, with a single star clipped to her hair. Fluttershy's dress was a very light green, reaching nearly to the ground. Her hair was braided in the back and around her neck was a silver necklace. Rainbow Dash wore a light mulberry dress that went down to her knees. A second layer of the dress wrapped around her waist and made up the entire gown, bearing a tan color. Her hair was essentially the same style, only it was much less rough and appeared to be brushed. Applejack wore an emerald green dress that exposed her shoulders and gave a view of her left leg. Her blonde hair was curled at the ends, and her hair was worn down rather than in the pony tail that she normally wore her hair in. Rarity wore a scarlet dress that bore frills around it. It sparkled around the breast area. Her indigo hair gave off a strong smell that was no doubt from an expensive product. Her ears bore diamond shaped ear wings. Pinkie Pie wore a hot pink dress that hugged her thighs that went just below her knees. It was frilly down at the bottom and her shoulders were exposed. Sunset wore a dress that reached down to her shins with a mix of light orange that decreased in value from the bottom to the top, where the color transitioned and mixed with a brilliant crimson color that made up the top half of her dress. Finger-less elbow gloves covered her forearms, and her hair was in a bun, while the hair on the sides of her head was curled. Erika Shiragami wore a forest green dress that exposed her right shoulder. Her long hair was brushed, without any split ends. A rose head was stuck to the side of her hair, and her lips bore red lipstick. Mosura wore a dress that bore a white silk top, and the gown itself was a mix of light orange and red patterns over a black background. Her legs were covered in black tights and around her neck was a chained necklace that bore a cross in the center of metal circle. "If you want a score, you can start with a compliment," whispered Rodan as he leaned closer to Junior. "Be quiet!" whispered Junior as he shot the flirtatious Transmutant a glare. "You boys simply look handsome!" said Rarity. "Yeah, I could even fall for any of ya!" said Pinkie with a wink. Junior felt his cheeks lightly flushed as he avoided eye contact. He mentally scolded himself for getting embarrassed at the comment so easily. "Hey, I'm free whenever!" said Rodan. "Well, what do you boys think?" asked Mosura. "You all look great! Every guy in school will be jealous that we're hanging out with you!" said Rodan with a grin. Angirasu looked away shyly. "Yeah, you girls look lovely," said Angirasu. He felt his heart nearly stop after getting his words out. The girls all smiled with the response from the boys. However, one did not give his opinion. They all turned their attention towards Junior, who stood by in silence. "Goji?" called Mosura. "Yeah. Sure, what they said," said Junior as he held his hands in his pockets. Rarity gasped in offense while Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Junior!" called Miwa. Junior turned and found his mother standing out in the doorway with a camera. "That's a terrible answer! Girls like it when you directly compliment them! You'll hurt their feelings if you don't!" said Miwa in Neighponese. "She has a point, dude," said Rodan as he glanced at Junior. "Better to be embarrassed than to be sorry," said Angirasu. Junior sighed in annoyance. "Alright. You girls, all of you, look... beautiful," said Junior as he looked away with a scowl and flushing cheeks. "Tell us more~," sang Mosura. "Um... You all smell nice?" asked Junior with a shrug. The girls gave him odd glances, excluding Pinkie. She bore a look of flattery. "What? You all said to give you another compliment! You're all wearing what I'm guessing is expensive perfume and my enhanced sense of smell is picking it up from here!" said Junior in a defensive manner. "I don't think any of us were expecting you bring that up," said Sunset. "What do you all want from me? If you want a guy to give you the right compliment, find a boyfriend," scoffed Junior. "Alright kids! You all better get going! But first, group photo!" said Miwa as she held out her camera. The teens all gathered together. Junior found himself beside Mosura and Fluttershy. "Smile!" said Miwa as she prepared to take the shot. Later... The Main Six and Friendship Club found themselves inside of the gymnasium. A disco ball hung above and colored lights lit the dance floor. Students danced to the beat of the music. The group began to break off to the dance floor, while Junior merely took the opportunity to sneak away. It was a habit of his to tried to avoid being around crowds, so he made his way to the punch bowl. The Transmutant noticed a few students skittishly moving away as he approached the punch bowl. As he took a paper cup and poured himself a drink, he made his way over to the metal folding chairs and took a seat on one of them. A few other students sat alone on there as well. The Transmutant glanced and then noticed Erika sitting alone herself. "Erika? What are you doing over here?" asked Junior. Erika jumped at being called but relaxed as she found it was Junior. "Oh. Nothing, just thought I'd sit here. I'm not up for dancing. I'm just waiting until the girls are done so we can talk," answered Erika. Junior nodded in understanding. "Why are you over here?" asked Erika. "Remember? These dances aren't my thing. Besides, I think my presence spoils the party a bit," said Junior as he pointed to a small group of teens that were shooting Junior suspicious stares. "Oh. I'm sorry," said Erika with a frown. "Don't be. I've learned to accept that this is the way that the world works. Once you do that, you can survive," said Junior as he took a sip of his punch. "But it must be awful to be ridiculed for being a Transmutant," said Erika. Junior shook his head. "Maybe at first, but I learned to not care what others think," said Junior. He sighed as he leaned back in his seat. Erika glanced at Junior as her cheeks lightly flushed. "Um... can I ask you a quick question?" asked Erika. "Go ahead," said Junior. Erika twiddled her thumbs as she held her hands on her lap. "Did you mean it when you said that we looked beautiful?" asked Erika. "Eh..." Junior looked away. "I-I'm just curious! It's not every day a boy compliments me," muttered Erika in embarrassment. "You'd honestly care what a Transmutant thinks of your appearance?" asked Junior. "It's not like I see Transmutants any differently than an everyday human. I've always thought that maybe there's a chance that we could coexist together with open hearts," said Erika. Junior chuckled. "Yeah, well I wouldn't hold your breath. There's not a chance for that," said Junior. Erika shook her head. "I disagree. That's what Zebrican-Equestrians and other ethnic groups thought during the early 1900s. Now look at them, they are able to enjoy the freedom and justice that this country has to offer. The same thing can be for Transmutants," said Erika with a soft smile. Junior stared into her green eyes. Judging by what he saw, this girl genuinely believed that such a day would come. He was surprised to hear that the girl herself was a bit more open minded about Transmutants compared to most people he had met. "Well, to answer your question. Yes, I do think you all look beautiful. That rose is a nice touch," said Junior as he crossed his arms. Erika bore a bashful smile at the compliment. "Thank you," said Erika. The two sat down in silence for several seconds as they watched the others dance. Erika gave a short cough as she sat. Her eyes widened as she felt herself coughing harder. "Hey, are you alright?" asked Junior in worry as Erika coughed. She stood up from her seat and began to walk away. "Excuse me," said Erika as she rushed to the bathroom. Junior was about to stand up but then caught the smell of iron in the air. He took quick sniffs and looked around in confusion. He shook his head and began to walk after Erika. The girl made her way out of the gymnasium and coughed more as she rushed down the hall. She soon found herself in the bathroom, where her coughing grew more furious. She hunched over the bathroom sink and wheezed as bile came out of her throat, leading Erika to pant. She looked into the sink and gasped as she found her own blood to have stained the sink. She frantically looked around and found herself to be alone. "Oh, God, not now," muttered Erika as she quickly took wet paper towels and wiped the sink down. She heard knocking on the bathroom door, causing Erika to jump. "J-Just a second!" called Erika as she quickly tossed the wet paper towels into the trash. She cleaned his lips of any signs of blood. Erika took calm breaths and gently rubbed her throat. She made her way to the bathroom door and opened it, finding Junior to be standing outside. "Are you OK?" asked Junior with worry. Erika cleared her throat as she placed on a forced smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just...congested," lied Erika. "Oh. Do... Do you need to head home?" asked Junior. Erika waved her hand dismissively. "No, no. I'm alright," said Erika with a smile. Junior nodded in reluctance. She seemed off as he smelled a small amount of fear radiating off of her body, but he couldn’t figure out the source. Erika made her way over to Junior and tugged on his sleeve. "Come on, let's head back," said Erika. "Right," said Junior. The two made their way back to the gymnasium in silence. Erika lost her smile and bore a look of worry. As the two returned to their seats, the music began to change. On stage were Flash Sentry and his band, where they began to play for the crowd. Students went wild as the guitar and drums echoed out in the gymnasium. Sunset gave cheers for the band along with the rest of the girls. Mosura hummed in thought as she found Junior and Erika sitting together in the corner of the room. She made her way over to them. "Hey, what are you two doing here all alone?" asked Mosura. "Nothing," answered Junior and Erika in unison. Mosura rolled her eyes in response. "Come on, join the dance floor with us! Goji, how about a dance?" asked Mosura with a cheery smile. "But I can't dance," said Junior with a shrug. "That's fine. Come on, I'll lead!" said Mosura as she took Junior's hand and got him to stand up. Erika watched in amusement as the male Transmutant protested. Before Mosura led Junior away, her nose caught the unmistakable stench of blood. She glanced back to where Erika was sitting. Mosura immediately shook off the thought and led Junior towards the dance floor. The band had stopped playing and had been replaced by Vinyl Scratch, who acted as the DJ. "Are y'all ready to groove?!" cried Vinyl on the microphone. Cheers erupted into the gymnasium. "That's what I like to hear!" said Vinyl. The music was upbeat, allowing students to dance with more freedom and speed. Mosura had Junior's hands locked with her own as she stood in front of him. "You ready?" asked Mosura. "No! I told you that I can't-" Junior was interrupted as Mosura began to move to the music while moving Junior's arms. "Just forget about that! I told you that I'll lead!" said Mosura with a wink. As she began to make steps, she moved her body with more rhythm. "Just move your feet. One, two, three," said Mosura as she guided Junior through some steps. The male Transmutant awkwardly followed her actions, feeling out of place. "L-Like this?" asked Junior as he moved a little more freely. Mosura smiled. "Yeah, just like that! Don't be afraid to move some more," said Mosura as she forced Junior's arm over herself, taking the opportunity to twirl herself around as Junior's arm hung over her. Junior was taken aback at how quick she was; he didn't even have time to even think about doing anything. Mosura brought herself closer with her back against Junior's chest and with his arm over her shoulder. "What the-" Junior was interrupted as Mosura immediately spun away from him and had Junior's arm stretched out with her at the far end. She then made her way back closer to Junior and led him through the steps. The Transmutant felt himself crack a smile at how ridiculous he may have looked by being led by someone that was much shorter than him on the dance floor. Though, he had to admit that Mosura's quick steps and transitions did make their dance a bit fun. As the two danced, they drew attention from the other students, who were surprised that Mosura, one of the most popular girls in their school, was dancing with the biggest Transmutant delinquent in their school. Meanwhile, Rodan was dancing alongside other students. He moon walked on the dance floor and abruptly stopped and did a quick one-eighty. The students gave Rodan room as they noticed him warming up for a break dance. He starts off by tapping his feet onto the ground with excitement being translated through his rhythm. He remained in a standing position as he tapped his feet on the ground and swayed his arms fluently. A few cheers erupted from the other students as he impressed them with his slick moves. "Time to kick it old school!" said Rodan as he flipped in the air and went back to his standard routine after he landed. It wasn't easy to do those moves, considering how his suit restrained him, but he pressed on. Rodan then got his hands on the ground and used his speed and momentum to make his lower half of the body to swing in a circular motion as he held himself up with his hands. He then forces his momentum to place him standing on his hand with his legs in the air. As Rodan attempted to bring himself down and to finish his dance off, his muscles in his arm contracted. "Gah! Cramp!" yelped Rodan as he dropped to the ground and fell on his back. The students that were watching gasped as they watched Rodan fall on his face. The Transmutant groaned in pain as he rubbed his nose. "I'm good," said Rodan as he waved his hand. As he began to stand up, he fell back down on his knees. He was placed in a dazed state from falling over, causing him to lose his balance. "Oh crap," muttered Rodan as he shook his head. He then noticed a hand being held up to him, prompting him to look up. He found Rainbow Dash standing in front of him with an amused smile. "You alright?" asked Rainbow. Rodan smirked as he took her hand and stood up. "Oh yeah. It's gonna take a lot more than falling on my face to ruin me," said Rodan as he adjusted his color. "Heh. I gotta say, those were some impressive skills," said Rainbow as she nudged Rodan in the chest. "Thanks. Back in my neighborhood, I use to break dance with the neighborhood kids," said Rodan. "Seriously? What is this, the 90s?" asked Rainbow with a chuckle. Rodan shrugged. "Hey, it was a hobby," said Rodan. He then noticed Junior and Mosura dancing together in the corner of his eye. Rodan chuckled as he watched the two. "Goji, you magnificent bastard," said Rodan as he looked on with a smirk. Rainbow raised a brow at him and then looked to where he was looking, her eyes widening in surprise. "No way! She's actually dancing with him?!" exclaimed Rainbow. She would have to search for flying pigs, because never did she think that the Transmutant would find himself dancing with Mosura. "He must have paid her to dance with him," deadpanned Rainbow. "Please, I've known the guy for two years. He's not desperate to get with a girl," said Rodan as he crossed his arms. The two watched as Mosura and Junior finished their dance. Mosura caused Junior to dip slightly dip her back, where she rose back up with her arms over his shoulders. She began to pant as she bore a smile. "I can't keep up," said Junior in a weak tone. Mosura giggled in response. As she calmed down her heart raced as she noticed how her arms hung over his shoulders. She immediately released him with flushing cheeks. "Um... Thanks. That was fun," said Mosura as she held her hands down and twiddled her fingers. Junior nodded to her in response. "S-Sure. I... guess it was kinda fun," said Junior with a small smile. The two headed away from the dance floor together, where the students that had witnessed what had transpired whispered to each other. Junior found himself carrying two cups of punch. He approached Mosura, who stood by the bleachers with the rest of the Friendship Club, and handed her the punch. "Thanks," said Mosura as she took a sip of the sweet drink. Applejack turned to Sunset Shimmer. "Hey, where's Flash? Ya'll gotta get ready for that slow dancing that's coming up," said Applejack. "Oh that can wait. We already managed to get a dance in earlier. Right now he's in the bathroom," said Sunset as she drank her punch. "Did you see Rodan on the dance floor? He was busting out moves like a pro!" said Pinkie. Rodan chuckled. "You should've saw Goji with Mosu," said Rodan as he pointed at the pair. "I saw them. Gojira seemed a little awkward at first," said Angirasu. Junior scowled in response. "Um... I thought it was pretty good. Especially later on during the dance," interjected Fluttershy. "Thanks," said Junior as he kept his scowl. He just knew the other students were mocking him and his dance with Mosura. "Well, it was a lot of fun. Especially seeing Gojira's awkward movement," chuckled Mosura. "I'm right here, you know," said Junior with a deadpanned stare. Rodan leaned next to Junior. "At least your dancing isn't as bad as Twilight's," whispered Rodan. He then waved to the bookworm, standing by with her own punch. Mosura tossed her cup in the trash and began to walk away. "I'll be back," said Mosura. As she left the gymnasium, the rest of the group stood by in silence. Rarity sighed as she scanned the gymnasium. "I wonder who'll be this year's Fall Formal Queen," said Rarity. "My money's on Sunset. She became Queen two years in a row," said Rainbow as she leaned against the bleachers. "Eh I think someone else will get lucky this year," said Sunset with a shrug. "I still don't understand the point in the king and queen thing during these dances," said Junior to himself as drank his punch. The music began to transition to a slower song compared to the faster and upbeat songs. The lights dimmed and couples headed down to the dance floor. Rarity squealed in delight. "This is my favorite part of school dances! Romance is in the air of the gymnasium," said Rarity with a sigh. Junior leaned next to Fluttershy. "It's actually the sweat of jocks and PE students in the air," whispered Junior. Fluttershy covered her mouth to keep a giggle from escaping. She turned to look at the dance floor and watched as the students danced together to the serene music. She glanced at Junior, who kept his eyes looking towards the clock. She took a breath before speaking. "Um... Go-" Fluttershy was interrupted as Sunset tapped Junior on his shoulder. "Hey, Gojira. Care for a dance?" asked Sunset. Junior looked at her with a raised brow. "Huh?" Sunset shook her head and took Junior's hand. "Come on, just one dance," said Sunset. "What about Flash? Isn't this the kind of thing you should do with your boyfriend?" asked Junior. "I'm just asking as a friend. There's no other reason than that," said Sunset with a soft smile. Junior's eyes slightly widened in surprise. "Friend?" asked Junior. Sunset nodded to him in response. "That's what I said," Sunset led Junior out to the dance floor, while Fluttershy looked on in disappointment. She was too slow to act. Junior was one of the only boys that she was comfortable with asking to a dance. She was looking forward to it, but it seems that she will have to wait. Fluttershy glanced to the side and found Angirasu standing by while Applejack conversed with him. "So, I reckon you're pretty strong. Being a Transmutant and all," said Applejack. "Sure. It's one of the effects of being one," said Angirasu. "Well, you know how to dance?" asked Applejack. "Not well," said Angirasu in a small tone. Applejack chuckled as she patted him on the shoulder. "Ah. Nothing to be embarrassed about. Twi can't dance for anything," said Applejack. Twilight looked at her in offense. "Hey!" said Twilight with a scowl. Applejack pointed out to the dance floor. "Why not go out there for a dance?" asked Applejack. "I don't know," said Angirasu as he rubbed his head. Pinkie gasped as she appeared by the Transmutant's side. "Oh! Wanna dance with me?!" asked Pinkie. Angirasu shook his head. "No thank you. I'm not really up to it," said Angirasu. Pinkie began to tug at his arm. "Come oooon! Pleeeaaase? Please, please, pretty please with a cherry and whip cream on top, with chocolate shredded and with caramel-" Pinkie droned on with the request. Angirasu began to scowl in annoyance. Fluttershy smiled in amusement at Pinkie pestering the Transmutant for a dance. Angirasu sighed. The requests from Pinkie began to draw attention from some nearby students. Looks of confusion were plastered on their faces while some bore looks of annoyance. It was distracting to pay attention to the atmosphere of the dance with Pinkie's high pitched voice ruining it. Angirasu hid his face while some people shot him looks of annoyances, as if they were asking him to control his 'date'. Junior found himself standing in front of Sunset Shimmer on the dance floor. Sunset brings a hand over his shoulder as she held his hand with her other hand. Junior awkwardly held his free hand on her shoulder as well. Sunset chuckled in response. "No, since you're taller than a girl, you have to have your hand here," said Sunset as she brought Junior's hand off of her shoulder and down to her back. Junior gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Right," said Junior. He mentally sighed as he Sunset began to take the first few steps. He began to follow her moves. "You having fun so far tonight?" asked Sunset. "Uh... a little," admitted Junior. He did hate to admit that he had some fun come out of this night while at the Fall Formal. Especially when he pretty much dissed the formal the two previous days before. "Well, I'm glad you came out here with us. And... I'm glad we made up," said Sunset with a soft smile. Junior looked away. "Yeah," said Junior, unsure how to properly respond. Again, he was struck with conflicting thoughts whether if these girls truly meant what they were saying to him about being friends. It seemed that as time went on, they were beginning to convince him so. "Friend, huh?" asked Junior. "Hmm?" Sunset tilted her head in response. "Uh... nothing. Forget it," said Junior. Sunset raised a brow at him in response. Mosura was walking down the hall in silence. She smiled to herself as she thought of her dance with Junior. Though she had to lead him through it, Mosura found it rather enjoyable to dance with him. She blushed as she recalled how close she was to him. She immediately shook her head of the thought and continued on down to the bathroom. As she stepped inside and handled her business in the bathroom, she couldn't but help think about the stench of blood that was around Erika. After Mosura had finished her 'business', she made her way to one of the bathroom sinks to wash her hands. As she washed them, the faint scent of blood stung her nose. Mosura immediately turned off the water and slowly turned her head to the side. She found the sink on her right and stepped over towards it. She scanned the porcelain inside of the sink, finding faint spots of blood all around it. Mosura gulped to herself, worried about what could have caused someone to have blood stains in the sink. She immediately dismissed it as possibly Erika bleeding in her mouth either do to biting her cheek or tongue. Still, she had to know for sure, so she made her way back out of the bathroom and down the hall. Mosura eventually came back to the gymnasium, where the students slow danced with their partners. She made her way to the bleachers, where the rest of the girls were sitting. She took a seat next to Twilight and then glanced at Erika. 'I gotta know why,' thought Mosura. She closed her eyes and expanded her telepathy from around the room. Her brows furrowed as her face crinkled from all of the voices that she heard. She was not accustomed to using telepathy, unlike her older brother. Mosura soon began to focus on Erika's mind, where she heard her voice and inner thoughts. As Mosura dug deeper, her eyes shot wide open. Meanwhile, back on the dance floor, Junior continued on with his dance with Sunset. A few stares were focused on the pair, much to Junior's dismay. He didn't need more people getting the wrong idea about him and his relationships with the girls that he had met. As they continued their dance, a few whispered among themselves. "Is she actually dancing with him?" whispered a girl in surprise. "You think she's two timing Flash?" asked another girl. "Nah. She's probably just being nice to that jerk," said a boy. "I'd be embarrassed to dance with one of those freaks," whispered a girl. Junior's brow twitched in annoyance as the comments reached racial levels. How lucky Sunset was to not be able to pick up their whispers. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of blue eyes was giving a hateful glare at him from the crowd. "Uh... Hey, Sunset," called Junior. "Yeah?" answered Sunset. "I... I don't want to seem rude. But do you think maybe..." Junior was interrupted as he found Flash Sentry with a furious expression making his way towards them. 'Uh oh,' thought Junior with his brows raised. "Get away from her!" shouted Flash as he stepped in between Junior and Sunset. He shoved Junior away, while Sunset's eyes widened. "Wha- Flash!" said Sunset in disbelief. Junior stumbled back slightly but regained his footing. He sent Flash a glare. "You... You stay away from her!" shouted Flash as he pointed towards the Transmutant. His voice drew multiple eyes towards the confrontation. The Main Six and Friendship Club Members jumped out of their seats as they caught sight of the source of the conflict. "Oh no," whispered Fluttershy with a look of worry. "Flash, what's gotten into you?!" demanded Sunset. "Me?! What are you doing dancing with him?!" demanded Flash. Rodan and Angirasu looked to each other and both gave a knowing nod. They made their way over to the dance floor with the rest following after him. "What? I'm not allowed to dance with a friend?" asked Sunset with a shrug. "Friend? With him?!" asked Flash incredulously. A few other human students murmured in agreement, wondering what possible reason Sunset could have been with the Transmutant. Junior sighed in annoyance for creating a big misunderstanding with a boyfriend with jealousy issues. "Sentry, that dance... It didn't mean-" Junior was interrupted as Flash pushed Junior away. "Back off or else I'll kick your ass, freak!" said Flash. Junior growled in annoyance as he stepped forward again. However, Angirasu and Rodan stepped in his path and began to hold him back. "Hey! I'm just trying to clear something up here!" said Junior in frustration. Flash stomped towards him as well but members of his band held him back as well. "You keep her hands off of her! I don't ever want to catch you touching her!" shouted Flash. The crowd grew anxious at the scene. It seemed that fists were about to be thrown. Before the situation could escalate even further, Celestia and Luna stepped in between the two. "Alright, that is enough! Both of you!" said Celestia. Junior was first to back down to the higher authority. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't have listened. Being this was someone he respected; he was willing but also reluctant to comply. Flash however, still tried to fight through his friends to get to the Transmutant. "I don't know what's going on, but you both need to cool down and talk this out!" said Celestia. Junior shrugged Rodan and Angirasu off of himself. "I don't think he is willing to listen," said Junior as he directed his eyes on Flash. "So, I think I'll do the responsible thing and walk away," said Junior as he walked away from the dance floor. "Wha... Gojira," called Rodan as he walked after Junior. "Mr. Takeshi!" called Luna. Celestia turned her head back and watched as Junior take his leave. As Junior neared the girls, they watched worriedly. Junior sighed as he turned to face Mosura. "You all have fun. I'm going home," said Junior. He then made his way over to the doors that led outside of the gymnasium. "Gojira!" called Mosura as she chased after Junior. Fluttershy followed him along with Angirasu and Rodan. Twilight turned back to find Sunset watch Junior leave with a frown. Though she wasn't able to catch what the whole argument was about, Twilight and the rest of the remaining girls looked around and felt how the fun had just died with the confrontation. Meanwhile, Junior made his way out to the hall way. He bore a look of annoyance as he continued on down the hall. Flash was just beginning to get on his last nerves. Fortunately, he was able to restrain himself from reducing him into a disfigured state. As Junior continued on to the hall and near the door, multiple footsteps filled the hall. "Gojira!" cried Mosura. Junior stopped and turned to find Mosura, Fluttershy, Angirasu and Rodan rushing towards him. "What?" asked Junior. "Gojira, you don't have to go!" said Mosura. "Yeah! I mean, forget Flash, man. His words don't mean anything to you, right?" asked Rodan as he tapped Junior's shoulder. "It's not that, Rodan," sighed Junior as he shook his head. "It was a mistake to dance with Sunset. It wasn't right of me to do that," said Junior. "It was just a misunderstanding," said Fluttershy. "He doesn't think so. Look, I'm tired. Besides, maybe you guys might be able to have fun without me worrying about ruining the party. You all just have fun out there," said Junior. "But you're one of my wingmen!" said Rodan with a look of disappointment. Junior rolled his eyes in response. Mosura held a frown as she kept her eyes on the Transmutant. Junior rubbed the back of his head. "Uh... I did have fun with you all while it lasted. So, don't worry about it," said Junior with a reassuring smile. Mosura's lips curled into a small smile. "That's good to hear," said Mosura. Junior turned to the door and walked out. "Well, see you guys next week. Good night," said Junior as he stepped out the door. "Gojira, um..." Fluttershy stepped forward but hesitated. Junior glanced back at her in curiosity. Fluttershy cleared her throat as she stepped out with him. "I think I'm going to head home early too. Do you mind walking with me?" asked Fluttershy. Junior shrugged in response. "Alright," said Junior. As he took off, the Transmutants waved to them, which Fluttershy responded with a wave her own. As the two left, Mosura sighed. "How does he do it? How does he keep moving on like that?" asked Mosura. Rodan glanced at her and found her bare wrist, where her identification code tattoo was meant to be. He shook his head, understanding what she meant. "You mean how he deals with the crap humans give us?" asked Rodan. Mosura nodded in response. "Well, I guess that's what makes him different compared to most of us. He doesn't hide it, nor does he try to pretend that it doesn't bother him. He just accepts the fact that Transmutants are not counted equally as humans. It's why he hates people," said Rodan with a sigh. He then glanced at his own identification code on his wrist. "I'd be lying if I said that once in a while, I've felt ashamed of being what I am," said Rodan. Angirasu looked down at his own wrist with a light frown, finding 'R-56' tattooed to his wrist. Mosura looked down at the ground and brought her hand over her wrist, squeezing it tightly as if to keep her secret locked away. Junior and Fluttershy were walking down the sidewalk together in silence. The street lights illuminated their way through the neighborhood, along with moon and stars. Fluttershy glanced at Junior, recalling the incident that had happened earlier. "I shouldn't have accepted her offer. I'm so stupid," said Junior as he lightly slapped his forehead. "No, don't say that. It was just a friendly gesture. I'm sure that Flash will understand," said Fluttershy with a reassuring smile. Junior looked at her in confusion. "Flash? I don't give a damn about him. He can go to hell for all I care," said Junior with bluntness. Fluttershy looked at him in surprise with his response. "Wha- But I thought..." "It's Sunset I'm worried about. Holy shit, I can't believe I said that," muttered Junior. He shook his head. "I mean, fuck Flash. But he's her boyfriend, she really seems to like him. I may have caused some problems for her," said Junior. "Well, I'm sure that they'll work it out. Don't you worry," said Fluttershy. Junior nodded in reluctance. He found it odd that he started to care more for some of these girls. "I think you're all growing on me," said Junior. Fluttershy looked at him in surprised. "Huh?" "Well, it's just that... Oh, never mind," said Junior as he looked away. "What is it?" asked Fluttershy. "Nothing," said Junior. "Come on, you can tell me," said Fluttershy, stepping closer to Junior's side. "No, I'm good," said Junior. Fluttershy puffed her cheeks out with a light scowl on her face at the Transmutant refusal to talk. She then gave him a soft smile. "Alright. It's nice to know," said Fluttershy as she took Junior's arm and walked closer to him. Junior went stiff in response. "Sorry, it's getting cold," said Fluttershy with a shiver. "Oh. Here," said Junior as he removed his coat and placed it over Fluttershy's shoulders. The girl smiled gratefully at him as she adjusted the coat. "Thank you, Gojira," said Fluttershy. "Sorry if it stinks. Mosura kinda worked me to sweat a bit on the dance floor," said Junior. Fluttershy giggled in response. "It's alright," said Fluttershy. The two continued on through the neighborhood in the silent night. The stars twinkled above them on this peaceful night.