A True True Friend

by IsabellaAmoreSirenix

A Strange New World

The first thing people tell you during freshman orientation is that high school is not a prison. Rather, it should be seen as a fortress of knowledge where one can grow and learn with close friends. At once, Rainbow Dash sat up straight and asked around to see if there were canons on the roof, only to slouch again and mutter something about being stuck in the fortress' dungeon of boredom.

Fluttershy, upon the other hoof, knew not if her 'second home' for the next four years was a prison or a fortress. All she knew was that is was big. Really big.

"Really, really big," she said.

"Yeah, there's definitely more elbow room than at Cloudsdale Elementary," Rainbow agreed as they made their way through the crowded halls. "I'm sure we'll figure it out though, no sweat. Where's your 01 class?"

"Umm..." she rummaged through her bookbag, disorganizing a few books (and quite a few animals), until she triumphantly pulled out a slightly crumpled piece of paper. "Room 42," she said, then furrowed her eyebrows. "That's funny, I thought our guide said they skipped the forties."

"Nope, that's in the old bell tower, Flutters. Good luck up there, I've heard it's as hot as a dragon's breath without air conditioning. And that's after you make it up four flights of stairs."

"Oh, that's a long way up," Fluttershy said with a weak chuckle. "Guess we'd better start walking, shouldn't we."

Rainbow gave her a sideways glance. "Umm, actually Flutters, my class is right here." She jerked her thumb to the door on their right. "Non honors and everything."

"Oh, that's right. It's strange, not having any classes together after spending every other grade in the same homeroom." She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess that's how high school works, isn't it?

"Yup. Don't sweat it; everything's gonna be fine. Maybe even better for you, without a lab partner who makes a rainbow explosion with nothing but hydrogen peroxide and food dye. Still wondering how that was even possible..."

"That was just once in third grade, and besides, it even brought the whole school together to make it into a mural. But I'm sure nothing like that is going to happen."

"Thanks," Rainbow said, patting her friend on the back. "Wouldn't want to mess things up like that on my first day. Nope, the two of us are gonna make this year awesome!"

Just then, the bell rung, marking the three minute passing period.

"We'll meet up at Sugarcube Corner after school, right?" asked Fluttershy.

"Definitely. See ya, Flutters!"

And with that, Fluttershy found herself standing alone in the middle of the hall and waving to Rainbow's backpack, which certainly appreciated the sentiment. As she turned around herself, she could just hear Rainbow shouting, "Cloudchaser, hey! Didn't know you were in this bio class! Hey, let's grab a table, 'kay?"

"Watch where you're going!" Came an indignant cry to Fluttershy's left as she stumbled into a pair of fashionably dressed girls wearing this fall's trending line of death glares.

Letting out an inaudible squeak of apology, Fluttershy scurried away. She pressed herself against the lockers, fighting to gain every inch as she pushed against the current of students. As she stopped to apologize for every trodden foot, she realized to her dismay that not one face looked familiar.

There is another thing people tell you during freshman orientation: that every stranger in this school is a friend waiting to be met by you. And yet as Fluttershy looked out at the endless sea of students, she already saw them merging into groups to fend off against unwanted strangers. There was no question unanswered, no gap in the hall unfilled, no laugh left unechoed. There was no place left for her to fit in.

Fluttershy was only allowed breathing room at the end of a corridor, where a winding staircase spiraled up to the bell tower. Already, the air felt humid and dry, a fate which promised only to get worse with each step.

So with nothing else to do, Fluttershy counted them. And once she no longer needed to lean on the top railing to soothe her burning legs, she found there was 94 in all. Everyday it would take 94 up and 94 down to reach a familiar face again.

Fluttershy sighed. Welcome to freshman year.

Then she stepped through the prison gates.

---

"Can I get you another cappuchino, dearie?"

Fluttershy nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Cake." Her fingers like brittle twigs, Fluttershy held the warm cup in her hands to keep herself from once again checking the time on her cell phone.

"There's nothing to worry about," she told herself. "Rainbow did say she had an 11th period."

A period that had ended half an hour ago.

With a sigh, Fluttershy peered into her cup's brown, murky depths. A fitting approximation of her mood. Her first day might have been akin to drowning, except drowning was such a rushed affair. No, she had been drowning in quicksand, with each of her awkward stutters and mumbles dragged out for an eternity until they could have been filled with a 500-word essay. Which, incidentally, had been assigned that day. And would be read aloud the next.

Good thing she was taking Speech next year.

Still staring into her cappuchino, Fluttershy imagined diving in and swimming through a tunnel, under Sugarcube Corner, and back to Cloudsdale Elementary, where you knew all your classmate's faces since second grade. It was simple, safe, and without any strangers like the one currently standing at Fluttershy's table.

Fluttershy looked up with a start when the girl said, "Excuse me, darling, I don't mean to bother you. I just saw you from across the room and had to know where you got your lovely ensemble."

Fluttershy's eyes darted across the tiled floor, as if expecting a 500-word essay on how to respond. Finding none, she looked back up at the girl and, anxiously smoothing out her skirt, said, "My mom got it for me on one of her trips to Fillydelphia. I don't remember the shop's name, sorry."

"No worries," the girl said, brushing away a stray lock of her curled purple hair. A sweet lavender fragrance wafted around her. "You're mom has very good taste, umm..."

Her eyes snapped open wide. "Oh! Sorry, I'm Fluttershy." She held out her hand with the manner of someone knowing it was about to be chopped off and wanting to get it over with.

"Rarity. It's a pleasure meeting you." She shook Fluttershy's hand firmly. "You're the freshman who got into English II, right? We're in the same class."

"How did you know I was a freshman? I'm a year older than most in my grade."

Rarity gave a dismissive wave of her hand, jangling her blue beaded bracelet. "Oh, once you're a sophomore, you can tell; they all have a different look about them. Plus, they always crowd together in the middle of the hall. Have you been pennied for it yet?"

"No, sorry, I only have a dollar-"

"I was once," she said. "Just ignore it. It's a good thing the seniors this year have horrible aim, but I'd still duck if I were you. How about getting backlocked?"

"Umm, the janitor gave me back my lock after I jammed it."

"Oh, you'll see how–"

"Hey, Rares," called a Southern accented voice from across the room, "you're not gonna make me and Pinkie do all your summer reading homework, are ya?"

"Of course not, darling," Rarity answered with an amicable smile. "I'd never trust Pinkie Pie with anything other than geology homework. And dissection labs, strangely." Turning to Fluttershy, she said, "Would you like to join my table?"

The force of her shaking head sent her pink hair cascading over the side of her face. "No, that's okay, thank you. I'm waiting for someone."

"Alright then." Her smile glowed like diamonds. "See you tomorrow, Fluttershy!"

As Rarity waltzed away, Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief. Then she pulled out her cell phone, the universal sign for 'I am ignoring all of surrounding existence, including you, so yes I am busy, no I am not buying anything, now go talk to someone else.'

Thus, it was the ringing of the bell above the door that alerted Fluttershy to the arrival of Canterlot High's most awesome and un-fashionably late friend.

"Flu... Fluttershy," Rainbow panted, her sneakers screeching to a halt. "I'm so sorry I'm late."

"It's fine, Rainbow," she said, her smile kind and genuine. "Where were you?"

"At the soccer field, having the best first day ever! Fluttershy, there's someone I'd like you to meet." Then she stepped aside, revealing another girl standing behind her.

"Flutters, this is Spitfire, soccer captain of the Wondercolts," Rainbow announced with her chest puffed out in pride. Spitfire stepped forward, ran a hand through her spiky orange hair, and then held out her fist. Fluttershy answered with a weak attempt at a fist pump, which Spitfire just shrugged off. "Nice to meet you, Flutters. You're friend here's quite the athlete."

"Aw shucks, I don't know," Rainbow said, though her eyes were all aglow to hear more.

"Are you kidding? With the way you ran away from the science lab after that explosion, you were probably faster than a pegasus! You'll be a great soccer player, Dash, no doubt about it."

"So you joined the soccer team?" Fluttershy asked. "But I thought we were going to join something together."

Rainbow glanced sideways at Spitfire, who raised her eyebrows. "Umm, can you give us a minute?" she asked. The captain nodded in understand and walked to the counter.

"Look, Flutters, I'm really sorry," Rainbow began as she slid into an empty chair, "but this is a really big break for me. With her help, I can make varsity like I hoped. You understand, don't you?"

"I know, it's your dream," Fluttershy said. "And I'd never want to hold you back. But... You're my best friend, my only friend."

"Didn't you make any new friends?"

The answer came out louder than either of them had expected. "No, because I thought after today I'd still have one!"

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow reached across the table to touch her shoulder, shaking from the sobs that hiccuped to the surface. "What are you talking about? Of course we'll still be friends!"

Then Fluttershy's gaze darted from Rainbow to Spitfire to Rarity and back, and the combined weight of those three pairs of eyes squeezed all the air from her lungs. Her shaking hands knocked over her coffee, and with her last means of escape gone, she chose the only remaining option.

At a speed that would place her right next to Rainbow Dash on the team, Fluttershy ran out the door in tears.

Comments

[Distorted Flare]

I like it keep up the hard work

[ponies r awesome]

Can't wait for more!!!!!!!!!

[Cerulean Voice]

Hey, this is decent.
I'll keep an eye on you.

[mhdpninong]

Great chap....but I would expect nothing less from you! "Dissection," eh? Nice sly Cupcakes ref. Looking forward to reading the next chapter.
P.S. You did mean "cannons" (or "cannon"), right? Thought so. Shhhhh...I won't tell a soul. :P (And yes, I know there are pre-packaged emoticons available! No thanks!)