Chapter 83 - Meeting their expectations! Part 1
It’s been fifty nine days since I started my new life as a student of Canterlot High. Almost two months if I wanted to be simpler. There have been definitely some bad moments in my new life… I guess. But all of those were far too little and between when I stopped and considered the many wonderful things I have lived so far.
CHS… No! Ponyville in general felt like a second home far away from home. Warm, welcoming, and full of kind people, I can now appreciate being surrounded by everyone. Some of them were a little weird, but their intentions had kind motives in the end. Gilda and Lightbulb who looked out for me when I needed them, and Soarin, Lyra and Bon Bon were so nice… the latter sometimes acted… strange. But nothing, NOTHING, compares to the shine of rainbow that my friends represented for me. Dean Cadence was right. My big brother was right.
I believe… I wasn’t scared anymore.
But I needed to come back to the moment. It was lunch break, and a multitude of students gathered on the gym hall of the school. On the stage, Sunset and Nitty were standing in front of a massive public, explaining the current status of the resources we had at our disposal. Making quick calculations with the data they publicly gave to us, I confirmed that the margin of error they had with their mental calculations was off only by a point-seven percent.
I didn’t expect anything less from them. Their voices were so commanding even without a microphone.
“So, any questions?” Nitty looked thoughtful, trying to improve even more our current odds. I’m sure of it. “Yes? You over there.”
“Ah, Nitpick! Or Bittersweet? How we should call you?”
“As long as it isn’t offensive, call me whatever you like!” He said politely.
“Bittersweet, we have been wondering if we could make a big theatrical display to the kids! Maybe we can work our way around the budget and buy costumes and other kind of materials to make portable sets!” One of the girls from the Drama community said.
“I must sadly inform that Crystal Prep Academy will perform a play for them. Because of time constraints and we trying to be as diversified as possible, we can’t make that idea come to fruition.” Sunset said calmly.
“I’m going to have to agree with her. The academy is a nightmare to compete with that in a direct approach, especially if we have a restricted schedule for big spectacles… but I suppose there is an alternative, if you are interested.”
“An alternative, you say?”
“Yes. According to…” He looked troubled all of the sudden. “According to Lyra, Bon Bon and Soarin, a few children like toy related TV shows. You know, Rogermith the frog and stuff.”
“We know how to work with hand puppets!”
“And that’s not all! Those shows usually have orchestras as background music! If Octavia agrees, besides doing her little concert to the elderly, she could-!”
“Wait a minute!” Rainbow interrupted. “We are already planning a rock concert for the competition!”
“This is not a group of youngsters running wild on the fields! These are a goddamn retirement home and other places that need subtleness, Dash! You can’t play lousy music to them!”
“Unless we sing our calmer songs, like Shine like Rainbows!” Sunset said.
My hand rose on its own. “I like that song!”
After staying quite for some time and scratching his head briefly, Nitty said, “We can do both. I can speak with Sugarcoat to arrange a mini competition between the bands. The people interested in helping Rainbow’s band can-!”
“We are the Rainbooms, schoolmate! Get it right!”
Rainbow’s word halted Nitty’s calm face for a second. “As I was saying!” Oh nevermind! It was just my imagination. “The Rainbooms can compete with the academy’s band and we can let the public decide which one was the best! But only if you play calm, quiet and harmonious songs! Some of you know by now that certain residents have hearing problems and are too sensible to loud noises! That’s where Octavia’s performance is the key to our success! We must take this chance that the academy’s orchestra band is unavailable!”
“What do you mean by that, Bittersweet?”
“You don’t really believe that the academy is only doing this kind of community service as their main event, do you? Although it is true that Cinch sent her top dogs-!”
“Students!” Sunset corrected.
Nitty’s face looked weird for a moment. “Her top students may be against us, but Cinch always put us… them to do other competitions when the opportunity arises.”
“Does that mean that she isn’t taking us seriously?” One of the students asked.
“She wants to crush CHS.” Nitpick continued with a stern look. “I don’t have a fuc… I don’t know what you did at the games but what’s done is done. She is using her top guns against us. But the academy has a reputation to preserve and engaging against other schools in private tournaments is what they have always done. We must take this chance that their variety is limited because of that!”
“So you are a kind of a double agent?”
“Cool!”
“Sweet!”
“Eh, no. I am going to be one-hundred percent honest with you and say right now that I will support you and make sure that CHS competes in a fair manner. But that doesn’t mean I will betray Sugarcoat by telling you what she is planning. What I just told you is common knowledge to the public. Want to win that badly? Help yourselves by doing what you can!”
“He is right! Principal Cinch doesn’t believe in accidents and is willing to defame Principal Celestia for what happened back there!” Bon Bon rose from the multitude. “If we want to achieve victory, we must combine our efforts and unite under a single flag! We won’t allow that meanie of a Principal hurt ours any longer, am I right? WE ARE WONDERCOLTS!”
“AND OUR TIME IS NOW!” We all cheered.
Sunset, with a bright and hopeful face, took our attention after the shouts of encouragements ended. “Now we must discuss other ideas you have in mind! Yes, Mystery Mint?”
“I have been wondering if we could make flower arrangements for the people who would like flowers in their rooms! I asked one of the nurses in the nursing home and they said that some patients can have them! We have the list here and where Dancer works, they have all of them!”
“How much we are talking about?” Nitty asked.
“Seven hundred dollars for pollen free flowers, discounts included!”
“SEVEN HUN - We can do a collect between the students! All who are interested please donate between one to three dollars and give them to… uhm… Applejack will be in charge of keeping the money, if she doesn’t mind.”
“You can count on me, y’all! I know how to keep money safe! Good-old Mr. Longbelly will keep it on ma house!” Applejack said while arranging her hat.
“Who?”
“Ah… my piggy bank, y’all!” She hid her face behind it.
The brainstorm of ideas continued without any inconvenience.
….
During the class of Informatics, Nitty and I were alternating between writing our coding and preparing a great class for Miss Cheerilee to use. We were going to study the end of the Von Great Equine’s lineage. Conspiracy theories say that in reality, the family’s true title of power was Surik and were related to the Blueblood lineage, just like the UIdrich bloodline. Once long ago, even before the rise of the Old Great Equine, the Uldrich and Surik families were once the guardians of the Ancient Civilizations.
All that ended when General King UIdrich Sombra put an end to one thousand years of history, killing the last surviving member during the war. One of those theories, the most obscure of all, was that Princess Mi Amore was said Surik instead of the one killed during the war. But must put the most relevant and accepted information from approved sources of what happened in those years while Nitty made it far friendlier to watch in the presentation.
“You really know how to make it look nice.”
“When you work under Sugarcoat, you tend to learn a thing or two about visual presentation. But last Monday I was defeated by the secretary of Mayor Mare. Spectacularly, I might add.” He said the last cynically.
“Well, she is a professional! You can’t match her experience with ours!”
“She will be twenty on next March. Mayor Mare spoiled me the fun of guessing her real age through a mail.”
“She is only nineteen? Wow! She must have advanced many years of college! And why do you have her mail?”
“Because the secretary said to the Mayor that we should keep helping them while we still could. Not only I’m doing our stuff, Shimmer and I are working on some data sheets she sent to us to practice a different topic. Seriously, why people are giving away my contact information without asking me first?”
“Are you… angry?”
“No. I’m fine. Why I should be angry now?”
“Hehehe! You are right! It seems that you have everything under control!”
“This is not so different than Crystal Prep, except for the fact that most students act like drones. It’s not really useful when they have ideas but don’t know how to develop them. Brainstorming can get you so far, but without a proper plan… well, it usually ends horrible for all.”
“I understand. When I was younger, I tried to build a solar lamp with spare materials on my home.”
“What happened?”
“It worked, but since I didn’t plan the design, it was cumbersome and useless for my Dad.”
“But it worked… right?”
“Yeah but not the way I wanted, so I redid it again and thirty minutes down the road, I had the lamp ready! Dad still uses it when going to replace a light bulb in our basement!”
“I hardly can call it a failure.”
“But it was a failure!”
“...Just get back to work!”
“I felt pretty bad that day.”
“For only one minute.”
“Well… I guess.”
“You are really hopeless sometimes.” He rubbed my hair. “I wouldn’t change anything of you. Except your quirks to overdo research, and perhaps your apologetic nature to a certain degree.”
“Hey!”
“Shh. Work!”
“I won’t let you down.”
“That’s my line… that really should be my line.” He said somewhat… tired.
I noticed something that I didn’t catch up before. His eyes were pale and little eye-bags were forming in his face. But even so, he worked diligently and we made the impossible happen: The class for the Miss was finished in a timely matter, and the coding was proceeding as expected. We managed to reach an incredible three percent of progress for the program I had in mind. Once classes were over, he proceeded to supervise all the new activities he was in charge now in the school. Many students gathered around him to contribute propositions and offering help.
Bon Bon aided him with the enormous quantity of students, making his responsibility of today lighter. Sometimes I believe she enjoys it too much… she smiles weirdly from time to time. But nobody notices it. Or perhaps it’s just my imagination. Besides, if someone can handle the job, it’s him.
He can take it, I’m sure of it.
As for me, I eventually found myself outside the school, breathing fresh air and unzipping my backpack for Spike to come out. “This was a great day of school!”
“Right! I don’t think this day could get any better!” My loyal dog said.
“Twilight, there you are!”
“OH! Hi, Sunset!”
“Twilight, I was wondering if you were available later?”
“Of course! What for?”
“Being my partner for the duties in the retirement home, of course! Bittersweet has arranged things with Sugarcoat and said that we would have an easier time now. It seems that Lyra and Soarin will work with us as well, and he mentioned that Soarin was well liked with Prince Blueblood, Princess Reem and Gilda, so teamwork should be less stressful now! Although… I don’t like the idea of working close with Gilda. Rainbow and Pinkie don’t get along with her and they say she has been trouble with them for the past few days.”
But she’s been nice with me recently!
“Well… if Gilda doesn’t treat us badly during our work, then we could try to get along with her. You know… show her a bit of a kind friendship.”
Sunset was caressing her chin while thinking of the possibilities of my suggestion. “Well, Fluttershy has good word for her, even if Rainbow disagrees… and I wasn’t that nice either before. Maybe, just maybe…” She crossed her arms briefly while shutting her eyes, trying to express her answers. “No…” She embraced me and started walking to the bus stop. “It’s too soon to act too nice to her.”
“So… we won’t befriend her?”
“Of course we will, Twilight! We just need to approach her the right way! Perhaps Bittersweet can give us a pointer on where to start!”
“I’m sure he will gladly help us out!”
“Not to mention that he is being greater recently!” Spike said. “I mean, it was so cool of him to make the school unite!”
“Yeah, I guess you can say that!” Sunset said in a good mood. “Bon Bon herself was so happy about it when she gave me the news. Not even during the games was she so dedicated at something. Her skills during the competition were above decent at best.”
“But she has scored fairly decently on the academic tests, and she is kinda great in manual work!”
“Perhaps she is just excited that we are working as a full team again and that makes her feel motivated… just like before my...”
“Just like before what?”
She sighed weakly. “Never mind. Let’s go and do our best! The girls will go on their way too later!”
“Right! Just after leaving Spike in my home!”
“WHAT!?”
….
Teamwork was so seamless and smooth that I wasn’t aware that many hours have passed since we had lunch in the afternoon. Sugarcoat was so… cooperative with us. She still assumed various faces of distrust from time to time but she lent me a hand on many occasions that I almost felt that she was somebody else. Gilda was still rude and pushy… but in a nice way. She encouraged me to assume correct postures when lifting heavy stuff for me when nobody was watching us and it made me feel comfortable. Soarin was so nice, thoughtful and gentle while Lyra was so energetic and lovely to work with.
The Royals were away by Sugarcoat’s indications. Something about a touchy subject on the orphanage. I wonder if it’s about that girl from before.
But if anything could top that, it was the fact that Sunset Shimmer herself was staying at my side almost all of the time. She told me a joke when I was about to get depressed with my performance. She helped me in doing the food distribution to the residents and we finished swiftly. She even took my hand and we walked together around the park after the activities were over.
Always striving for the best, giving all of herself and more to achieve great results. Smart, popular, well-liked, funny, athletic, gifted, and incredibly wise in the matters of friendship, there wasn’t something she couldn’t do. And she was spending time with me!
It was the best day ever!!!
“Twilight?”
“Yes?”
“Want some of my juice? It’s grape!”
Finding a place on the park to sit was easy, and the weather helped in giving us a moment of respite. As I drank the last drop of the juice, Sunset put… Sunset put…
“I must confess to you that… I’m so tired, Twilight.”
“I-I… well… I mean… In what can I help?”
“Just stay like this… I’m so sleepy.”
She was resting her head on my legs... I let time walk as the breeze blew in our direction. The night slowly fell upon us and the stars started to appear in the sky, one by one.
“I didn’t think you could get tired.” I said in a low tone while brushing her hair with my hands.
“I’m not an alicorn.” She chuckled gently.
“Oh, I’m so sorry for waking you up!”
“Don’t worry. It’s just that these past few days have been so… active. Doing paperwork here, organizing the students there. During the meeting we had in the Town’s Hall, fright was taking the better of me.”
“Why?”
“Bittersweet and I learned so much that pouring our knowledge in sheets was really energy consuming. Then getting the sponsors and taking a lot of risks in our proposals was nerve wrecking. To be honest, I was scared of my deliveries. But him… wow, he really knows how to deal with the businessmen. I mean, he managed to convince this nice lady to give us a thirty percent discount in some herbal spices for the meal. I almost felt that I wasn’t giving something to the table.”
“I don’t think that is true. You have been doing lots of school programs since this scholar year started. It’s natural that you feel tired now. Many things have happened since I enrolled to CHS.”
“Indeed. Time flies off when you are busy with something.”
“…Hey, we can’t stay here any longer. It’s almost eight o’clock. You will arrive very late to your home if we let time fly and don’t take the bus.”
“I don’t think I can stand up for long. I barely can keep talking to you…”
“Maybe one of the girls can help you in taking you home.”
She checked the hour on her phone. “They must be at home now. Besides, none of them knows where I live if ever fall asleep on the road.”
“What?”
“It’s… too embarrassing. Thinking about it, I shouldn’t have told Bittersweet where I live. Curiosity got the better of me…” She yawned so hard that I almost succumbed to sleepiness.
“Why don’t…” The question I was about to ask made me feel nervous. “Do you want to stay at my home tonight? Mom won’t mind, and I think I have a new set of pajamas to share with you!”
“Really? I mean, I don’t want to be trouble! Oh, and I don’t want you to wake you up during the middle of night! I sometimes wake up and advance school work and such.”
“I’m sure I’ll manage… if you don’t mind. I have oatmeal with yogurt on the fridge!”
She chuckled rather cutely. “Sold!”
….
After my Mom came for us in a timely manner, I could notice that she tried so hard to conceal her happiness for me. When we arrived home, I noticed that my room was far cleaner than usual. A tender essence of lavender engulfed my senses, making me feel at peace. She offered Sunset to take a shower while giving her a new set of hygiene products. My friend was reluctant but nobody defeats the hostess skills of my Mommy.
Once both were clean, wearing fresh pajamas for the occasion, we ate some of the dessert I mentioned her earlier. She almost finished it by herself. She told me a joke that Spike and I didn’t understood, reminding us that she is a mare from another world. How silly is this.
She looks as human as me.
“So, there was this girl during my days of being the apprentice of Princess Celestia called Moondancer! She was so kind and quiet, but very smart! She is the only mare I remember because back then, the rest of the students were so immature that I eventually forgot about them. Not the best moments of my life, I must say.” She scratched her hair.
“Moondancer a brilliant student? In this world she is a Hall Monitor of my old school! And according to Nitty, she is almost as serious and well-rounded in abilities as Sugarcoat! But for some reason, they don't get along with her.”
“That sounds like bad news.”
“And really stressful!” Spike said. "At least we were safe in the basement!"
“I don’t know… she was really nice during middle school. But I believe some… one disappointed her so badly that she just changed like anyone else does on Crystal Prep.”
“Perhaps in the future you can try to make her feel better! Once you master all the friendship lessons the girls and I gave you, I’m sure that you’ll fix friendships in no time! Just like Princess Twilight!”
‘Just like Princess Twilight, uh?’
“Twilight?”
Sunset’s words snapped me back. “Oh, I’m sorry! Did you just say something?”
“That you will do great things! Just like I told you last time on Applejack’s home!”
“Sure! I mean… of course I will!”
“You really resemble Princess Twilight sometimes! You are… good, even if you still lack experience in friendship!”
‘Lacking!’
“Twilight?” Sunset this time reached my forehead. She smelled… like Nitty, like Neapolitan ice cream. “You have a little fever. We should sleep now. It’s getting late and tomorrow will be another busy day.”
“Alright, I, well, just let me take these to the kitchen and clean them!”
“No, no, no! I’ll clean the plates and tell your mom to give me medicine for you! It’s the least I can do for inviting me to stay here tonight! Spike, take care of Twilight until I come back!”
“Yes, Ma’am!”
….
I just slept about two hours. Something kept itching in the back of my head. I thanked my Dad in this moment for buying me a big sized bed. Sunset and Spike had enough space to make me company. I haven’t felt well since I put my head on the pillow. Even with my poor eye-sight, I could see the roof window brimming with the light of the stars, amazingly glimmering in this city full of artificial glows.
The stars of the city near the Town of Abundance were defiant and proud of their light.
They reminded me of the tale of the Twelve Guardians. Long ago, in the land of the Eastern Kingdoms, between the countries of Nippon and the Zhonghua, it was said that people are born with a guiding star that represented a guardian entity: The zodiac signs of the Nordic animals, rulers of the twelve elements of the Land of Spirit. I never understood how those countries assimilated the animals of Old Great Equine in their culture but it is a mystery so obscure that made the topic hard to follow, especially with all the false or exaggerated information on the web.
Seriously, just for once I want to find an outrageous-free research material.
I can’t believe I was thinking in old tales of fate instead of trying to sleep again. I glimpsed at my loyal puppy and Sunset as they were snoring quietly, almost as if their breath mimicked a tender wind instead of the screams from down below of Rainbow Dash.
She really needs to do a check-up of her throat.
‘Rumble’
What was that?
‘Rumble’
It came from Sunset’s backpack. A faint glow of pink shinned from the inside. What could it be?
“Umm…”
Sunset woke up in automatic. Perhaps I should…
‘Watch!’
A voice filled with insidious desires chilled my spine, feeling several needles piercing my heart. It froze me.
Sunset’s pace became normal after yawning once and she sat down in front of her bag. She withdrew a book and opened it. After a moment of silence, she quickly put her hands in her mouth. I could hear whispers of excitement. Perhaps that book is something from Equestria. She quickly wrote something in it and put it back in its place. Once finished, she came back to bed. After several subtle movements, trying to find the perfect position to sleep, she finally breathed slowly again.
She found her way back to the Land of Dreams.
And I… was just there, focusing my whole attention to her bag.
‘Take it.’
“No.” I mumbled.
‘Open it!’
“It’s not mine.” I whispered as I fell asleep.
…
…
…
…
‘TAKE IT, TWILIGHT!’
I woke up, my body drowned in sweat. My heartbeat upset, my fingers full of anxiety. I could see the sky slowly turning orange with the golden light from our solar star.
The dawn has come.
I took my glasses, barely able to hold them properly. My sight returned to full strength as I wore them and my best I did to reach the bathroom silently. The water was cold. No doubt my Dad forgot to turn on the heater yesterday. But I didn’t mind today. The freezing shivers from the cold drops were pleasant compared to the horrible sensation my body had when I awoke.
“It was just a bad dream.”
….
Mrs. Peanut took us to school at the usual hour. Not one minute earlier, not one minute late. Sunset was refreshed, the rays of the sun paling before her shimmering. Spike was a like a sunflower, vibrant and hopeful.
I felt like dizzy.
“Twilight, come here.” Sunset put her arm around my neck and walked slowly with me. “Thank you again for allowing me to stay at your home. I knew you were kind since the day you opened yourself to us. Great things will be done from you, my friend.”
She kissed my cheek like every week at a random day and walked towards the school. Spike hid in my backpack as we got inside, and the only thing I could see on the horizon was a multitude of people talking non-stop.
…They were noisy.
“Did you know that it has been approved for us to help in the city?”
“That’s great!”
Noisy.
“I believe the school is getting brighter than before!”
“Ever since she became nicer, everything has become fun again!”
“We owe it all to Princess Twilight!”
‘Princess Twilight!’
“SHU-!”
“Hey, Midnight. Did you sleep well?”
Nitty!?
“Oh… yeah! I’m fine! Just a little busy in mind! Hahahaha!”
“You are bad liar. Here, take this!” I took his offering. “It’s the Chocolate of Spirit, Midnight. Powers beyond your wildest imagination are stored inside this little and practical package.”
“It’s just black chocolate.”
“Damn it, use your imagination!”
“Language!”
“Oh, shit!”
“Nitpick!”
“What!?”
“Could you please be nicer for now? I didn't have a good night!”
He poked my nose and crossed my arm with his. “You’re not the only one! The students made me do a lot of outrageous things while I was in charge and Rarity was no better when she dragged me to her boutique! I slept until three in the morning because of her!”
“…I’m sorry.” He poked it again with a bit of strength. “Hey!”
“I have told you so many times that you mustn't apologize for shit you aren’t guilty of!”
“You won’t ever correct your tongue, won’t you?”
“If it’s you, I don’t mind if you keep trying. Now come, before someone from the committee-!”
“There you are, boss!” Bon Bon stood in front of us leading several students. “Before classes start, would you kindly please lead these people to the project you did yesterday with the other students? Explain on the way the activities while you are it!”
“YOU BIT- Of course! Come on, people! CHS won’t win by itself if we don’t give our best, right?”
“Right!” They raised their voice motivated.
He leaded the way to whichever place he worked yesterday. At half of the way, Sunset joined him with another bunch of students. I was so jealous of them. They always have their hands full but still managed to keep it cool. They motivated me. A surge of energy came from inside my body. I couldn't help but smile while I was there, admiring both of them from afar.
I want to be able… to meet their expectations.
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It would probably pay for Twilight to be a little more observant in the future....
By the way, your picture isn't showing up.
7652003
Thanks for telling me! I modified the source so the image should be available now!
Otra persona que no ve a Twilight como es, sino a una versión pobre de la princesa Twilight, lo cual es lamentable.
En cuanto a lo que mencionas de la cuarta película, estoy de acuerdo con usted en gran parte de sus afirmaciones con respecto de lo sucedido en la película, de las cosas que más me molesto fue el hecho de que era innecesario el que les dieran poderes, no hay razón ni justificación (no leo los comics por que no se donde se leen en mi idioma) para que los tengan e incluso existan de una forma demasiado especifica, y como no todas tenían algo que los identificaran se inventaron algunos realmente absurdos como el de Sunset de leer la memoria por que si, el de Pinkie Pie haciendo explotar dulces y el de Rarity de crear cristales mágicos, ninguno tiene nada que ver con nada presentado anteriormente, el romance fue malo, las justificaciones de los "villanos" fueron penosas y los diseños de su "transformación" fueron horribles como mínimo.
Esperare ver como conviertes esa película en algo glorioso de leer y disfrutar.
Another person who doesn't see Twilight as she is, but a poor version of Princess Twilight, which is unfortunate.
As for what you mentioned about the fourth movie, I agree with you in much of your statements regarding what happened in the movie, one of the things that bothered me the most was the fact that it was unnecessary for them to be given powers , there is no reason or justification (I don't read comics because I don't know where they are read in my language) for them to have them and even exist in a very specific way, and since not all of them had something to identify them, they invented some really absurd ones like Sunset's reading memory because yes, Pinkie Pie's exploding candy and Rarity's creating magic crystals, neither has anything to do with anything previously presented, the romance was bad, the justifications for the "villains" were painful and the designs of his "transformation" were horrible to say the least.
I look forward to seeing how you turn that film into something glorious to read and enjoy.
Translated by Google.