• Published 27th Dec 2015
  • 14,129 Views, 301 Comments

The Sunlight Project - Space Jazz



Sci-Twi is determined to get a girlfriend... using the scientific method.

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The Newest Wondercolt: An Introduction

Without much fanfare, the final school bell rang, signaling the end of my first day as a Canterlot High Wondercolt.

For being the start of a new era of my life, it was surprisingly underwhelming. Of course, I never would have guessed that I'd be surrounded by a new group of friends. Then again, I didn't exactly know why they latched onto me so quickly.

Maybe it was because of the whole she-demon rampage. Who am I kidding? That was exactly why.

Then again, I didn’t really know why I even transferred. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like an impulse decision, the kind of impulse decision when you spot a candy bar at the supermarket line and you grab it. Of course, that was a gross understatement of what I had just done to my life. Maybe it was more comparable to switching from an engineering major to basket weaving or new-age philosophy.

I had abandoned Crystal Prep for an entirely new school, and I could barely come up with a reason to why I left.

Sure, the students at Canterlot High were friendlier and a lot kinder than the ones at Crystal Prep, but was that really it? I was a nobody in my last school, but here it felt different.

Discovering and learning the magic of friendship was another reason. I didn’t know exactly what it meant, but I knew had something to do with my transformation. Just thinking about what it turned me into made me shiver, and I wanted nothing to do with magic.

But at the same time, I wanted to know everything about it.

Sighing, I tried to shake the thoughts. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Like I had been doing for the past week, I repeated the phrase It wasn't my fault. Though in reality, it really was. It just helped to shift the blame toward something else.

I stood up from my government-issued desk, which was a noticeable downgrade from the ones at Crystal Prep. I didn't mind. CHS was a lot more welcoming than my old school. Every textbook seemed like it told a story, thriving in personality compared to the new editions the private school bought every year.

I tried to fix my slouch as I walked down the halls, but my thoughts weighed down my body. It also didn't help that I caught the cautious glances of the other students. Some of the students kept to the walls and some muttered under their breath. Though there was a small handful of students who acted like I didn't scare the daylight out of them when I walked past.

It was still early in the afternoon, and I realized that I had way too much free time. Back at Crystal Prep, the extracurriculars kept me from leaving the campus until a half hour before dusk.

No more chamber symphony rehearsal, chess club, or even speech and debate. The jazz band was without its pianist, and the math team lost one of its captains.

It wasn’t until I had written up that mental list that I realized I had left behind a sizable vacuum. Despite that, I could count the people who would have genuinely missed me on one hand. I’d still see Dean Cadance around, but I had recklessly severed the budding friendships with my former schoolmates at the Friendship Games.

I think I might have made a mistake. My legacy at Crystal Prep was to be the nobody who did everything then disappeared without a word.

I walked out the school’s entrance and slumped down on the top step. Directly in front of me was the shattered remains of the Wondercolt statue. A lone stone hoof stood proudly and declared that it had survived the attack.

I did that. The thought was quick, but it managed to tank my mood even further. I dug my face into my hands, hoping that when I brought my head back up the statue of the bucking horse would be intact.

At least that was the worst of the damage. No one was hurt, thankfully. Though it could have been much worse. Somehow, I was pulled from the abyss; not kicking and screaming, but willingly.

And I had Sunset Shimmer to thank for that.

Sunset. She did it. I remembered being promised all the knowledge in the universe, and I honestly almost signed myself up for the path of absolute power. Then, in a flash of light, it was just me and the fiery-haired girl, floating in the void like two lost souls. She didn't even raise her voice; instead, she held out her hand. I nearly killed her and her friends, but she treated me with kindness I didn’t deserve.

I jumped at the sudden pressure on my back, bringing me back to the real world.

"Hey, Twilight, you doing alright?"

It was her. I nodded.

"I'm fine," I answered meekly. "I'm just waiting for the bus."

Sunset dropped her bag and sat right next to me.

"How's your first day as a Wondercolt?" she asked, scooting in closer to my side.

"Fine, I guess. I'm still adjusting. It's kind of weird to go to a school where everyone knows who you are."

"At least you don't have to introduce yourself to the class each period.” She smiled, and I tried to match her.

"Yeah, but..." I paused, retreating to the safety of my knees.

"But what?"

"Everyone looked at me like I was a freak," I admitted, swallowing back a warble.

She nodded and then brought her hand to my back again, patting my shoulder gently. She was silent for a brief moment, but I could tell she was desperately racking her brain for something to say.

"Who cares what they think? You've got me and the girls."

"But I don't know them as well as you do."

Sunset paused before wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "Hey, you know what? How about I show you where me and the girls usually hang out after school?"

"I dunno. I really have to get home. The bus is coming—"

"Come on. It'll be fun."

"But what about the others?"

"They'll catch up.” She flicked her wrist as she stood up. She held her hand out.

Not knowing what else to do, I let myself be dragged from the school steps to a busy intersection a few blocks away. It was getting chilly. Not too bad, but it was a sure, welcomed sign of the coming winter. We stopped in front of a small coffee shop on the corner of the street, and Sunset led me in. Unsurprisingly, the air was full of the scent of cocoa, and gentle sounds of holiday-inspired pop filled the room.

That was when Sunset let go of my arm, opting to push me over to a small corner booth.

Luckily for us, it seemed the after school rush hadn't really hit yet, or at least not as hard as it did to the other local businesses. Though I doubted the place would safe for long.

"What do you want? It's my treat," Sunset offered, pointing towards the sign.

I thought about it for quick second but politely answered, "I'm not really a fan of coffee."

"Obviously, you haven't had the Cakes’ special blend before."

She stepped away from the booth, stopping at the short line forming in the center of the shop. I dug in my backpack and pulled out a worksheet. Unsurprisingly, the assignment was much easier and straightforward compared to the usual homework Crystal Prep assigned. Not that it was a bad thing, but by the time Sunset returned, I was already done.

Smiling, she set the tray on the table before passing me a handful of sugar packets and cream.

"I don't really know how you drink it, so I just brought a bunch," Sunset explained, grabbing her own drink from the tray.

I took a sip, and it was bitter. My face scrunched, and I immediately reached for the pile of sweeteners and unceremoniously poured a well-past-generous amount into the drink. From the look on Sunset's face, I probably went a little overboard.

I took another sip, and I knew I went a lot overboard.

Still, it would’ve been rude to just throw it out, especially since Sunset paid for it. Besides, I completely ruined it myself by drowning it with sweeteners. So, bravely and valiantly, I drank from the paper cup and hoped Sunset wouldn’t catch on.

Have I mentioned that I didn't like coffee?

We sat in silence, listening to the background music as we drank. I found myself appreciating the stillness. My thoughts drifted again towards the girl sitting in front of me, who seemed to carry that aura of someone who's been through hell and back and won. She tapped her fingers on the counter and played with her hair, both signs of a restless person.

The only reason I noticed was because I did the same thing.

She’s so cool.

Completely unlike me.

She had this sort of mellow disposition I lacked. I was high-strung even before the events at the Friendship Games. But now, every night since, I feared that I’d wake up as the she-monster again.

For a brief, few milliseconds, I locked eyes with Sunset and then immediately looked away. There was a strange, fluttering feeling in my chest as I caught her smile. My grip on the coffee cup weakened a little before I forcefully shoved the opening toward my mouth. Instead of reaching its intended destination, the cup’s scalding contents spilled onto my lap. Pretending like nothing happened, I ignored the burning sensation and swallowed another mouthful of the sugary drink.

Gosh, it hurts. Why am I even pretending? It's not like I'm trying to—

Oh, jeez. I was totally trying to impress Sunset. Why else would I be chugging a coffee I just ruined with an excessive amount of sugar?

Maybe it was just to be polite, but it felt like more than just that.

I have a crush on Sunset Shimmer.

No, Twilight. Crushes are for kids, kids who couldn't articulate their feelings yet, so instead they just pull on pigtails and push their crush off the swing set.

Besides, I still had school. Dating Sunset would be a distraction... a really pretty distraction.

I never even really asked myself if I liked girls. I kinda just threw romance and sexuality aside in favor of my studies. Though, at the very least I could write down that I would date a girl.

Well, I got something productive done here other than homework. Once again, another momentous landmark in my life was surprisingly underwhelming. Usually, it took a long period of insecurity, self-discovery, and experimentation before one truly accepted their sexuality.

I was always about being efficient.

There was a soft ringing in the distance that came from the door, just loud enough to snap my thoughts away from Sunset. Sure enough, her friends had walked in, and it didn't take too long for the swarm of teenagers to flood the booth.

"You coulda texted us," Rainbow Dash scolded, playfully hitting Sunset on the shoulder. "We were just standing outside—in the cold—like a buncha idiots."

"It wasn't so bad," Fluttershy reasoned. "It's actually the perfect weather for some hot drinks."

Applejack slid into the booth, lightly bumping into my side. "Sorry for ruinin' your date, sugarcube."

Instinctively (and foolishly), I began to stutter at the comment. "W-what? N-no, we weren't—"

"Oh, Twilight, she's just teasing," Rarity reassured, sliding in to join us. "No need to get all worked up."

Awkwardly, I laughed along and prayed that the subject of dating would be dropped.

Thankfully, it was, and no one caught on to my unprepared stumble. Though Pinkie Pie kept staring at me with a wide-eyed look. I tried to look away, but I would somehow catch her staring at me again. After a while, I just brushed it off as something she did often and turned my focus to the coffee in my hand.

The conversation moved a mile a minute, and I quickly lost track of what they were saying. They spoke over each other often, some even yelling to get their thoughts in.

I traced my finger around Sunset's name on the cup, shooting a glance towards her. We locked eyes a couple of times, and she often offered me a reassuring smile. But even still, I squirmed in my seat, finding it hard to focus on the raucous group of girls.

"And that's how I ended up with this wicked sweet bruise," Rainbow Dash bragged.

"I don't think that's something to be proud of," Rarity argued, leaning away from the discolored patch of purple forming on Rainbow Dash's leg. Noticing this, Rainbow Dash leaned in closer to disgust her friend.

"Says you." Sticking her tongue out, the cyan girl poked at the swelling flesh that turned an even darker shade of blue in real time.

"That still doesn't explain why you're benched for the next game," Applejack said.

"I dunno either,” she said with a shrug. "I guess the ref just hated me."

"You called him a 'bribe jockey,'" Rarity scolded, dramatically using air-quotes. "And later you asked him if the check cleared."

"Well, yeah, but he called my goal off-sides when it clearly wasn't."

Sighing, Rarity dropped the subject once she recognized it was a lost cause and stood up from the seat. "I'm going to grab a cup of hot chocolate. Would anyone like anything?"

"Oooh! I could use one, too." Pinkie beamed, joyfully bobbing in her seat. "One, two," she repeated, giggling to herself.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be behind the counter?" Sunset mentioned, patting Pinkie's back.

"Right!" Pinkie cheered. In a literal blur, she bounced from her seat, sped off to the front counter, and giggled while she draped an apron over her shoulders. I probably never would have guessed that out of Sunset and her friends, Pinkie would be the one with a job. Then again, buying party supplies in bulk can't be cheap.

The short bit of commotion offered an opportunity to leave, and I stood up, hoping I could slip by without any protest from the smothering group of girls.

"I gotta go home," I mumbled, slipping my backpack on.

"Aww... don't go, Twilight," Rainbow pleaded. "We just got here! You gotta stay some more."

"The bus comes by really soon, and my mom's expecting me to be back by six. I should really be heading back."

The ol' mom excuse. The fool-proof plan for getting out of plans.

"I can give you a ride," Sunset offered, effectively shooting down my escape plan. It took every fiber of self control not to jump at the proposal.

"N-no thanks." I mumbled, hoping that would be enough.

She grabbed my arm. "Nonsense. I dragged you here, anyway. Plus my coffee got cold."

Before I knew it, I was exposed to the cold, biting air, already a block away from the coffee shop. My arm was still locked with Sunset's. I felt myself blush as I shook my myself free from the small bend in her arm. She smiled, and we walked in silence for a brief moment.

"So, uh, where's your car?" I asked, watching my misty breath float in the air.

"Car?" Sunset rolled her eyes. "Pff, you're cute, Twilight. I don't drive cars."

Luckily, Sunset didn't notice me averting my eyes at the word "cute.”

Leading me down the street, Sunset stopped just short of the empty high school parking lot. Empty, except for the motorcycle.

Because of course it was a motorcycle. I should have guessed she was the type of girl to drive one. Speeding deathtraps always seemed to attract the cool, rebellious type.

The cool rebellious type. Jeez. I was a walking eighties movie. I was the preppy girl who always fell for the bad boy type.

Sunset tossed me a helmet and signaled for me to come closer, and I did. Nervously stumbling, of course.

The helmet was loose fitting, but that was the least of my worries as her only advice was, "Hold on."

To what? I didn't know, but I locked my arms around Sunset's stomach, closed my eyes, and leaned my head against her leather jacket. The wind, still cold, blew against us forcefully as she sped up the hill.

"Wait," Sunset said as we stopped at a red light. "I don't even know where you live.”

"2742 Everfree Lane."

"Shoulda guessed you were an Everfree girl, given that you went to Crystal Prep," Sunset said playfully.

I pretended not to hear that comment. Sure, some of the students at Crystal Prep were from the Everfree neighborhood, but the stereotype held little weight; the school made people elitists, not the small district they came from. Even then, kids from out of town took up most of the boarding school’s population.

When we got there, I was still holding onto her, refusing to let go even as she parked right outside my driveway. I just had to make sure, without an inch of doubt, that I could safely set foot on solid ground.

“You can let go now, Twilight.”

“Oh, sorry,” I said, realizing that a few seconds had passed since Sunset shut off the engine.

Sunset helped me off the bike before sizing up my house. "Fa-ancy," she hummed, her tone half-condescending, half-congratulatory. "Beats my dump of an apartment."

"Thanks?"

"We've got to have a sleepover at your place someday."

"Maybe," I answered, "but I have to clear it with my parents."

"Don't most Everfree girls have their parents wrapped around their finger?"

Another stereotype. "I like to make it seem like they have a choice in the matter," I said coolly. At least, I thought it sounded cool.

Sunset nodded, holding back an entertained laugh. "Alright then. See ya, Twilight."

“See you tomorrow,” I said, dropping the helmet into a compartment on the bike.

She sped off, seemingly flooring it as she went downhill. Her driving was definitely looser without me as a passenger.

Walking into the house, I turned on the lights and immediately noticed the silence. I called out that I was home, but there was no response. Normally, no one being around would have been a good thing, giving me a chance to be alone and collect my thoughts, but I felt the sudden need to talk to someone. Plus, there was a nagging feeling burning in the back of my mind.

I wanted Sunset to come back.