Equestria World, Book 1: Surviving Canterlot High

by Gear Works

Ch. 14 - Touch and Go

After spending the weekend working out and voluntary practice with Shining Armor and friends, I return to school ready to take part of the school’s football team. But when I entered the school, I saw a scene that looked familiar to one last week. I just knew the rumor mill was going on again, and it was all on me, again.

“Good morning, everyone,” I said. I got what sounded like lazy responses from my friends, which I didn’t like. “OK, what’s the deal here?”

“Jack darling. The deal is with you and Sunset,” Rarity said. “Everyone here is talking about how you like to hang around with that trouble-maker.”

“And it’s not because she sits next to you in Science class,” Fluttershy added.

“Yea,” Rainbow Dash replied. “First, you stand up to her for Twilight. Then, you and her are together in club recruitment week. And just when you join the football team as the talk of the town, you decide to spend some time with her. That’s so not cool, man.”

Flash added, “Jack, trust me when I say this, but it’s not worth wasting your time with her.”

Twilight just looked at me when she saw someone else coming. “Speaking of which, here she comes. Everyone, just act normal.”

I don’t know how everyone would act ‘normal’, but I just went about my business as usual when she came to her locker next to me. As I was putting my stuff away, a sealed card was shown in front of me that Sunset was holding.

“Here you go. My mother wanted me to deliver this to you and your parents.” I took the card and placed it in my book bag. She finished taking care of her things and closed her locker door. “Now if you will excuse me, I’ll let you continue talking bad things about me while I’m not around.” She started to walk away from our area.

Rainbow Dash said, “I swear, I’m going to give her a piece of my mind with my…”

“DASH!!!” Twilight said, cutting Rainbow Dash off. “You don’t need to go there, OK?”

“See. This is what I’m talking about,” Flash said.

“And how long have you known Sunset?” I asked.

“Since I met her when 7th grade began,” he answered. “And she wasn’t the person that you see now.”

Applejack had something on her mind, and Rarity noticed. “Applejack dear. You’ve been quite all this time. Don’t you have anything to say about what Jack is doing?”

Applejack looked at me, wanting to say something, but couldn’t. I knew she was taking the question I asked her Friday night to heart, but wasn’t sure if she wanted to bring the others into the conversation.

“Go on ahead and tell them, AJ,” I said. Everyone else was confused at what I was talking about.

“Jack got me to thinking about how much we know about Sunset.”

“AJ, we already know all that we need to know about her,” Rainbow Dash added.

“I mean when she was younger, Dash,” Applejack corrected. “Back then, it was just me, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. We met Dash and Flutters in 5th grade, and Soarin later in 6th grade. Flash was in the same junior high school when we started to attend for 7th grade, but it wasn’t til high school that we met. And you know about when Twilight came in.”

“What are you trying to say, Applejack?” Twilight asked.

“I’m saying that we only known her well from high school. And if Flash knows her since junior high, then we don’t have any info on her before that.”

“Flash, since everyone has come together after moving, do you know if Sunset moved here when you met her?” I asked.

“I never really asked her at that time,” Flash answered.

“What about her father?”

“Didn’t see or hear anything about him from her.”

“Jack, you think all this could be connected with her time before 7th grade, or even her father?” Applejack asked.

“I have to ask her about that, and I can already guess that she won’t talk about it anyway,” I said.

“Well, good luck with that,” Rainbow Dash said.

Everyone finished putting away their items, grabbed their books, and headed to class, expect for Applejack. She came up to me and said, “Look, I told you about digging a hole you couldn’t get out of. If you think there’s more to all this, then be careful. Don’t want you getting hurt out there.”

“Thanks for watching out for me,” I said. “And also for taking what I asked you to heart. It’s good to get a friend’s opinion on something.”

“No problem, sugercube. I’m glad I could help.”

---

When I went to see Principal Celestia later today, she said that she had some important calls to take care of and requested me to help out Miss Luna on an event project that she’s working on. When I arrived in front of her office, I noticed the very dim lighting in the room.

“Miss Luna,” I said, “you wanted my help on a project?”

“Oh, Jack. Sorry if I didn’t notice you. You can turn on the lights if you like.”

I turned the light on and asked, “How do you deal with working in an almost dark room. What a minute. Don’t answer that. I rather not know.”

She giggled and said, “It’s a habit I had back in college. Even Tia still wonders why I keep doing it.”

“So what’s this project that you need help on?” I asked.

“It’s for the fall homecoming. We just got the theme selected and need to figure out how to display it next week. Think you can help?”

“I can give it shot,” I answered. “But why start now on homecoming, and why does it have a theme?”

“We always do a theme for the fall homecoming. Last year’s theme was disco night. Cadence and Shining Armor were rocking the look when they were selected as homecoming queen and king. This year’s theme is Nightmare Night, which will be held close to Halloween, after the regular football season ends. Speaking of which, have you thought about looking for a date for homecoming?”

I rolled my eyes and said, “Oh great. Now you sound like my parents. My dad has been asking me if I ever found a girlfriend after having more female friends than male friends.”

“Well, you have been the talk of the school for various reasons,” she said.

“And is the latest about me involve Sunset?” I asked.

“Let’s see. Most are talking about how you are making sure she doesn’t cause any trouble, which could be good. Some think you want to give her a hard time that would make her cause trouble to you.”

“That’s a first,” I added.

“And a few think you are secretly in love with her,” she finished.

“I guess the card she gave me from her mother is fueling that rumor,” I said.

“You got a card from her mother?” I nodded and took the sealed card out of my book bag. “So you haven’t even opened it?”

“Well it’s also for my parents, so I figure I wait until I get home.” As I was tapping it on my other hand, I felt something shift in it. “That’s strange.”

“What is it?” she asked.

I felt it in detail and noticed that there was something thick in the card. “I’m not sure, but something else is in here besides the card.” I handed it to Luna for her to inspect it.

“Feels like there’s a folded piece of paper in there, maybe a note. I have a letter opener if you want me to open it for you.” I nodded and went to stand beside her while she opened it with her letter opener. When she pulled the card out, a folded note fell out with my name on it. When I went to pick it up and open it, I felt a wave of images go through my head, enough to drop the note and make me almost lose my balance. “Jack, are you OK?”

“Yea,” I said as I was regaining my balance. “Just had this weird feeling when I opened that note, that’s all.”

She picked up the note and handed it to me. Wondering if the same effect would happen, I braced myself for the same side effects, only to find out that nothing happened.

“So what does the note say?” she asked me as I looked at the note.

Jack,

I’m glad that you are looking out for my daughter, Sunset. I know she has done some bad things in the past, and that Twilight will not give her another chance, even if her mother believes that she made some mistakes in the past. She’s gone through enough and needs someone to help her realized that there’s someone who cares for her and will help her move forward. I can’t watch her all the time with work and all, and I feel that without any good friends at her side, she could be heading down a dark path, one that I wish to not see in the future. You’re mother said that you have helped others back at your last school. I’m hoping that you can help Sunset follow the better path and help her make friends that believe that she has changed.

Thanks,
Ms. Sunny Shimmer

“Now I understand why she hates being called ‘Sunny’,” I said.

“You said that something happened when you touched the note,” Luna said. “What was it?”

“I saw these…images…in my head.”

“Can you remember what you saw?”

“I saw…two people. One looked like Sunset, or maybe her mother. It looked blurred. There was auguring. Then fighting. That’s it.”

Luna started to think, and then said, “I think I know what you just experienced, and it’s the one gift I have been waiting for you to unlock. Soul reading.”

“So this is another one of my soul powers?” I asked. She nodded. “What makes this one important?”

“Well, some of your powers react to negative feeling: greed, anger, fear, sadness. What you experienced is another person’s ‘scars’ that come from them. It’s possible that the scars that she felt while writing that note transferred onto the note.”

“But it happened the first time I touched the note. After that, nothing happened,” I said.

“I think the book might explain it in detail, but what I can remember about this power is that if a fragment of a person’s scar gets onto something and is sealed away, it’s trapped in there until it is released. So you only experience it for a short time. If you were able to touch the person where they feel the scar the most, it becomes clearer to sense.”

“Luna, back on the first day of school, I grabbed her by her arm, which got her mad.” She gave me a strict stare. “I know, it might have been wrong to do, but I had to get her to listen at that time. But last Friday, she rubbed on that same spot. I asked her if I hurt her there, and she said that it was just nothing. I think something happened to her in the past, and that spot might hold the answer.”

“And if you have started to learn to use soul reading, you might be able to read it, if you can get her trust,” she said.

“Which is not going to be easy,” I added.

“But what makes you think that it has something to do with her past?” she asked.

“I asked Ms Shimmer about Sunset’s father, and the same to Sunset. Both of them didn’t want to talk about it. And Flash only knows her since 7th grade. Everyone else just knows her from high school. Otherwise, I’m in the dark before that time.”

“Well, it looks like you are starting to become a soul detective. Maybe in time, you might find the answers that you are seeking.”

“I hope so,” I said. “I don’t want all these rumors controlling my life.”

“Too late for that,” she said and laughed.

“Well, can we focus on the project that you need help in the first place? Would be nice to get my mind off all these rumors,” I said.

“Good enough. Let me show you.”

So the project involves creating a poster and fliers for Nightmare Night. We looked into ideas and decided the best one for the poster would be to get some people to dress up as Halloween characters, with help from the fashion, theater, photography, and volunteer clubs. Luna would make sure all four clubs meet in the fashion room during free study.

With that out of the way, we had one other matter to take care of. We made our way to the Principal’s office to explain to Celestia what just happen. Understanding the situation, she brought out Star Swirl’s book and looked up what happen to show to me.

“Soul Reading”

A person’s soul can be felt with a simple touch. But when negative energy (i.e. greed, anger, sadness, fear, distrust) is released, it can attach to an item that they touch, but can fade away when in open air. Entrapping that item can contain a fraction of that energy until it is released. While it is not clear what is sensed, it is enough to learn what negative emotion is felt. It is possible to read a clearer image at the source of the energy, but must be at the spot on the body that is impacted the most.

“So something must had happen in Ms. Shimmer’s past that she cannot shake,” I said.

“That is correct,” Celestia replied. “And if Sunset has experienced this kind of scar, it must be hunting her all this time.”

“You think that trying to be popular in the past years was a way to hide the pain she has felt in the past?” I asked.

“It’s possible,” Celestia replied, “but trying to move forward to hide your past is never easy. Not when anyone else knows how you really feel.”

“Well, they will have to get used to her being with the others when we work on the event poster,” Luna said.

“That’s not good,” Celestia said. “Twilight and Cadence would like to be there to see what’s being done.”

“Put Sunset into the mix, and you got a cat fight ready to go wild,” I said. “Who’s in charge of the event? Twilight?”

Celestia answered, “She hasn’t decided who should take charge, but is thinking about either Trixie or Chrysalis.”

“If Chrysalis is in charge, then they will have to do what she wants done, right?” I said. Both of them nodded. “That would include asking Sunset to help out where she is needed.”

“I think I can convince Twilight to let Chrysalis take charge of the event,” Luna said. “After working on the fashion project back then, she would have the best knowledge for a Halloween theme event. Plus, it will give her a chance for others to see how good her talents are in the school.”

“If a cat fight decides to break out, leave it to me to get in between them,” I said.

“Would be a good, but crazy, idea. Could help give you some popularity points with the students,” Celestia said.

“Oh, thanks,” as I rolled my eyes, “that’s all I need right now. Well, I better get ready for football practice. Pray that I can get through all this that you got me into.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll do fine,” Celestia said.

---

I went to the football field where all the other players were waiting for practice to start. When Coach Iron Will showed up with Soaring, Rainbow Dash, and Coach Spitfire, we started to go through training drills. After over an hour of practice, Coach Iron Will requested that Shining Armor, Thunderlane, and me work with Twilight on working out some of the plays while he kept working on the other players in drills.

“Ready to lay out some play formations for the team?” Twilight asked.

“You know I am, sis,” Shining Armor replied. “Hope you don’t have a problem with her helping out,” he asked me.

“I know she’s good at tactics, so it would be nice to see how it all works out on the field.”

So we looked through all the old plays, threw some plays out, changed some other plays, and created new plays. After 30 minutes of work, we had everything ready for tomorrow’s practice. With a little time before practice was over, we decided to talk about the homecoming event.

“We already have our theme selected for homecoming,” Twilight said.

“What’s that?” Thunderlane asked.

“Nightmare Night. Since it will be held close to Halloween,” Twilight answered.

“So my little sis wants to dress as a vampire and suck on Flash’s blood,” Shining Armor said.

“Very funny, Shiny. I’m just waiting on how we will promote the event.” Twilight said.

“Already covered,” I replied. “Miss Luna plans to do a photo shoot for the poster, so she’s getting the fashion, theater, photography, and volunteer clubs together tomorrow.”

Twilight replied, “That’s great. I’ll be glad to see…wait, did you say the volunteer club will be there?”

I let out a sigh and said, “Yes, Sunset will be there as well, if that’s what you are wondering. You just let me worry about Sunset. You just focus on yourself, Twilight.”

“OK,” she replied with a monotone. “If you know what you’re doing, I won’t complain.”

---

The volunteer club and photography club met with the fashion club in their workplace during free study. Trixie from the theater club and Twilight and Cadence were also there.

“OK, we have decided to make this year’s homecoming theme to be Nightmare Night,” Cadence said. “Miss Luna, do you want to explain what we are doing for the poster?”

“Thank you.” Luna stood up. “We decided to have students dress up in Halloween costumes and have pictures taken of them. I’m sure the fashion club can make some quick costumes and Trixie has allowed the theater club to borrow props. The photo club will work on the pictures and editing. I don’t know if we will have it done today, so we might have to meet again tomorrow.”

“As long as I have ze pictures by Thursday, then it is fine,” said Photo Finish, the white haired, blue girl with the fancy glasses. “My partners shall work on ze setting and ze makeup when they are ready.”

“Well, if our volunteers are ready, we would like to get started on the costumes,” Rarity said. “Trixie, have you brought the props to add to the costumes?”

“Trixie always brings what they need.” She sets a few boxes on the table. “Just give Trixie time to find the right ones for our volunteers.”

So work began on the costumes with the five of us being worked on at the same time. Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and Sunset were dressed as different vampires, while Applejack and me dress up as vampire hunters. Trixie was able to find fangs for the vampires, a whip for Applejack, and a crossbow for me. We had the pictures taken of us separately and as a group. The work was completed as it went into the lunch hour. Luckily, Luna and Cadence were able to bring us some tacos and drinks from the cafeteria before students went to lunch.

“So, do we know who’s going to be in charge of homecoming?” Coco asked.

“Trixie hopes to be in charge this year. Trixie knows how to do Halloween.”

“Well, Luna thinks Chrysalis can make this year’s homecoming theme become a reality,” Twilight said.

Both Trixie and Chrysalis’ eyes went wide open in surprise. They both looked at each other.

“HER???” Trixie pointed at Chrysalis.

“ME???” she said as she pointed to herself. “I’m sorry, but…I don’t think I can handle something like that.’

“I think you can,” Luna said. “You did a good job with your fashion designs weeks ago. I think it’s a good chance to show the school what you are made of.”

“Trixie does not understand this. People still think of her as a…”

I cut her off and said, “You say that word, and you will regret it. Besides, I think it’s worth a shot. And maybe Twilight can find someone who can help you out.”

“You know, I might know one person who can help.” Twilight glared at Trixie.

Trixie saw what Twilight was planning and said, “Wait, you’re not thinking…NO!!! Trixie will not work with…” I gave her the same glare. “Fine, Trixie will do as Twilight requested. But Trixie does not like this.”

“Well, Trixie can come to Jack’s place and work with Chrysalis on Nightmare Night,” I said, mocking her. “Besides, the D.I.Y. Home will be having their grand opening, and the two of you can talk with my father about any supplies needed to make it happen.”

“Maybe Pinkie Pie should join the two of you so that she knows what party supplies are needed for homecoming,” Twilight added.

“As long as Jack doesn’t mind the company, I’ll do it,” Chrysalis said.

“Then how about this,” I requested. “All of you come to the grand opening this Saturday morning, look around and see what the store has, and anyone else who wants to help work on homecoming can come to my place later on in the day. Bring anyone else that wants to attend.”

“What, you plan to have a lot of people helping out? Think your house can hold a lot?” Cadence said.

“You have yet to see the garage,” I said. “It’s more like a tool shed in there.”

“Well, I don’t think they have any fabrics there, now will they,” Rarity said.

“Unless you want to decorate your home or garden,” Coco replied. “I’ve been into one back in Manehattan. Mother likes to buy some nice plants during the springtime. So it wouldn’t hurt to take a look.”

“Since you put it that way, I might as well bring Sassy along,” Rarity said. “She always likes to have the right display for every dress that we make. And I’m sure she would like to see what they have for home decor.”

“Perhaps we should have some fliers around the school,” Luna recommended. “A lot of people love to do projects for the school. And having a place that they can rely on will be nice.”

“Then I guess we have a plan laid out for this Saturday,” I said. “I’ll ask my dad tonight if he has any to bring tomorrow.”

“And we can spread word to our friends about this as well,” Twilight added.

“You can expect us to be there anyway,” Silver Spoon said as she grabbed Diamond Tiara next to her. “Her father will be at the ribbon cutting ceremony.” Diamond Tiara was annoyed, but kept her mouth shut.

“Well, lunch is almost over, so maybe you all should head on to your next class,” Luna said.

Everyone started to grab their books and whatever they brought over and started to walk on out.

“Sunset, can I talk to you for a moment?” I said. Everyone paused for a moment to look. “Alone?” as I stared at the others. That’s when everyone started to leave, expect for Sunset and me. Luna looked at me and gave me a nod before she left as well.

“So what do you want to talk about?” Sunset said.

I went into my bag and brought out a couple of items. I handed a card to her and said, “This is for your mother, from my parents. And this,” as I showed her a folded note, “is for you. You can read it now, later, or never if you like. Choice is yours.”

I went back to my bag to close it up when I heard her open the note and quietly read it.

Sunset,

If you think that everyone is against you and doesn’t care for you, then you’re wrong. You may not see it, but your mother cares for you deeply. She worries that you will go down the wrong path. But I believe that there’s still a chance to win back the trust that you lost. I know there’s more to you than anyone else knows. So I need you to trust me on this if you want your life back to normal. If you still remember what I ask you on the first day, my offer still stands.

Jack

“Is this supposed to be some kind of trick you’re trying to pull on me?” She yelled at me.

I got out the note that her mother wrote and said, “If you don’t believe me, then read this.” She took the note and read it. When she glanced at it, she sat down and handed me back the note, not knowing what to say. “Now you understand why I wrote that note to you.”

As I put the note away, she said, “You said that if I want to bury all that I did and move one with my life, that you would help, right?” I nodded. “Give me…give me some time to think about it, OK?”

I said, “Don’t take too long. We have…”

“…A science project to work on.” She finished. “I know, I know. You don’t have to remind me.”

I grabbed my bag and started to make my way out, but looked back and said, “Are you going to your next class?”

“Yea. No sense staying here.” She grabbed her bag and made her way out, with me behind her.

Comments

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

Looks like Sunset's shell is starting to crack...

[Void_Walker81]

An honest to goodness shame this story has so few views and likes, it's an amazing story

[Gear Works]

9196125
I try my best, but I'm no great writer like JayTheBrony and others with big followers.