Tuesday Morning
Twilight woke up the next morning feeling strangely relaxed. The Keeper’s dream had helped soothe her.
Breakfast was quick and before she knew it she was at the school. Celestia and Luna went in to start their day, and Twilight began to start hers.
She walked down the school hallway, finding it a little difficult. After today, she was telling Celestia to keep all of her outfits in skirts. Seriously, how did humans walk around in these things, these... pants?
Then she stopped. Fancypants... how’d his parents know about these things?
She shook her head. She needed to focus on the matter at hand.
The first order of business was to find one of her five friends and see if the article would convince them. Failing that, maybe she could find Flash and see if he could help her anymore. Maybe another dancing lesson...
Twilight made a mental note to watch how much time she was spending around Flash. The last thing she could afford right now is to be distracted.
She arrived at her locker and was just opening it when Rarity ran up to her.
“There you are! Darling, I’m so glad I ran into you! I have the sketches for your Fall Formal dress right here!”
“Really? Well let’s see them.”
“Oh, you’ll love it. Some lovely shades that will go great with your purple...”
“Twi! There you are!”
Rarity winced. So did Twilight, for a completely different reason. Applejack was coming up, brandishing a bag of treats in hand.
“I spent all night cooking up this batch fer yer campaign! Go on, have a taste!”
The apple tart, if that’s indeed what it was, was pushed into her mouth. While it tasted good, the act of it being forced into her was definitely taking away some of the enjoyment. Before she could swallow and ask Applejack to calm down, a fourth person entered the conversation.
“Twilight!” Pinkie shouted, popping out of a locker a bit down the row, causing the three others to jump. Twilight nearly spit out the treat in her mouth, but years of being groomed by Princess Celestia had taught her to control herself better.
Pinkie bounced over to them, stopping just long enough to glare at Rarity and Applejack, who returned it in kind. “I’ve got all kinds of flyers made! Vote for Twilight!”
“My treats are gonna get you more votes than some flyers!”
“My dress will make you look fabulous!”
Twilight swallowed the treat finally.
“Is all you care about looks?” Applejack said.
Rarity huffed. “Look, just because you’re fine with looking like a bag lady...”
“Come on, Twilight, we have so much to talk about! After school I’m going to go down and get some buttons made, and I need your approv-”
“Alright, all of you, stop!”
She didn’t shout, but her voice was commanding enough that the three all ceased their arguing and looked at her surprised. Twilight took a deep breath before going on.
“I appreciate that you all want to help me, but there are better ways to do it than by trying to compete for my time. Even if you think your way is more helpful, cutting anyone out is just going to hurt me!”
The three shuffled, muttering apologies.
Twilight sighed. “Look, I have something I want to show the three of you.” She leaned down and unzipped her backpack. Spike, just inside, handed her the article.
She pulled out the article and showed it to them. “Do any of you remember this?”
“‘How We Came Together’,” Applejack read aloud. She looked at Twilight. “You been snoopin’ on us?”
“It’s kind of hard not to when you three want to help me, but can’t last ten seconds without arguing,” Twilight said simply. “And anyway, Flash helped me find it, and...”
“Ooh, Flash!” Rarity said, suddenly interested. “You have to tell me, what are you two...”
“Rarity,” Twilight said. The fashionista quieted herself, feeling a little flushed. Twilight took a deep breath before going on. “I read that you were all friends once, a long time ago.” She stopped momentarily, wondering if she should bring up what Celestia had told her. She decided against it. “What happened?”
“They turned out ta be jerks,” Applejack said simply, glaring at the others.
“Oh, we turned out to be jerks?” Rarity said in a huff. “You and Rainbow Dash were the ones who started this whole mess!”
“Ya sided with me,” Applejack said.
“It was a mistake to side with either of you! You were both hooligans!”
“Hooligans? What are you, thirty? What teenager talks like that?” Pinkie said.
“Girls,” Twilight said once again, calming them down. “I don’t think any of you were responsible for anything that drove you apart. Take a look at who wrote that article.”
All three looked, and their eyes widened at the name. “Sunset Shimmer...” Applejack said in shock.
“The biggest manipulator in the school interviewed the five of you, and you all have a falling-out soon after. That seems to be too convenient to be a coincidence, don’t you think?”
The three shuffled a bit, processing this information. Applejack was the one to speak. “I... guess she could have been behind it all...”
Twilight smiled. This was working! “See? Now why don’t you all just put this behind you and...”
“We can’t.”
Twilight blinked. “What? But... I just showed you...”
“Twi, Sunset might have started all this, but unless she has some freaky mind-control powers, I doubt she’s been forcin’ Rarity to call me a dumb hick all these years,” the cowgirl said.
“And I’m pretty sure she hasn’t been forcing Applejack to tell everyone that have a rod shoved up my... well, a lady doesn’t say that word.”
“Oh, you’re a lady?” Pinkie jumped in. “I’m pretty sure ladies don’t mock other people behind their back.”
As the friends started up their arguing once more, Twilight could only stare in horrified shock. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. They were suppose to forgive and forget. That’s... that’s how this always worked!
She felt like crying, but she pushed it back. She couldn’t let her emotions get to her. She was going to be a princess. She needed to lead. She collected herself before speaking.
“Girls.” Once more, her voice cut through the arguing and got the group to look at her. She took a deep breath before going on. “Maybe you’re right, but you all want to see Sunset go down, don’t you?”
The three nodded.
“Good. Then I think I can expect the three of you to act civil towards each other while you’re helping me, right?”
They all nodded.
“Good. Now, one at a time.” She took a deep breath. “Applejack, your treats were really good. Do you think you can whip up enough for the whole school by tomorrow?”
“Yes indeedy.”
“Good. Pinkie, I’ll take a look at your posters at lunch. Did you say you were going to make pins for me?”
“Oh! Yep, I have the shop ready to press them for me! I just need to think up a design...”
“I have something for you,” she said, reaching into the pocket of her pants. She pulled out a folded up piece of notebook paper and handed it to Pinkie. She opened it up, and the other two girls leaned in close for a look.
On the paper was her cutie mark, sketched carefully by Celestia using one of the photos of Twilight in the album, the colors noted in writing.
“This looks rather nice,” Rarity said.
“Ooh! It would be perfect! I can put it on pins, work it into the poster, oh it will look so good! I need to take this and...”
“Pinkie,” Rarity said.
Instantly Pinkie’s good mood deflated. “Yes?”
“Please hold that sketch still so I can get a picture of it?” Rarity’s voiced strained under the forced politeness as she pulled out her cell phone.
To her credit, Pinkie’s scowl was not as deep as it could have been. She politely held up the paper and let Rarity snap a picture.
“I think I can work this into your dress. It’s such a cute design!”
“And... I suppose if Pinkie’s party place still makes wrappers, they can make ‘em with it, and I can wrap up all them treats with them.”
“They still do. Just like... that last birthday...”
The three became quiet all of a sudden. Twilight felt hope spark in her. Would the three begin talking to one another?
“I take it you’ll come in for a fitting after school?” Rarity asked.
Twilight felt her hopes dash, but did her best to hide it. “Yes, I will,” Twilight said. She turned to Applejack. “I take it you can be finished by tomorrow morning?”
“I can. I should have enough to pass out when I get to school tomorrow.”
“Good. You’ll bring it to the parking lot? Can I meet you there?”
“Sounds good. Me an’ my brother will bring by everythin’.”
“That’s good. And the three of us will be there to help you unload everything.”
“Wait,” Rarity said. “You can’t mean...”
“Yes. All three of us. You all said you were willing to work together if it meant Sunset would lose. If you really mean it, here’s your chance to prove it.”
The three shot unsure glances at each other. Twilight continued on. “Look... Sunset has to be stopped. You know all the horrible things she’s done, and that she’s made others do. You know this has to be done.”
“...Yer right,” Applejack said. “I can work with Rarity and Pinkie, if it means that.”
“So can I,” Rarity said.
“Me too,” Pinkie finished up.
“Okay then, that means no catty remarks to one another, no insults, no anything. If you get mad at each other, just remember what’s at stake here.”
The three nodded.
“Good. Now I have something to do before class. Pinkie, I’ll meet you at lunch, Rarity, after school. Then the three of us will meet tomorrow morning and talk about this, okay?”
“Sounds good,” Applejack said. The other two gave their agreements.
“Good. Now... I need to take of some things. So, please, I need to be alone.”
The three looked at each other, a bit miffed by the quick dismissal. But they all nodded. Muttering a few goodbyes, they departed.
Twilight stood there for a moment, watching them go. Then, she picked up her backpack and turned toward her still closed locket. As Spike stuck his head out, Twilight tried to push back the tears. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. They were supposed to go back to being friends.
Spike whimpered, nuzzling Twilight to try and calm her down..
“That could have gone better.”
Twilight jumped and turned around. Flash was standing their, guitar case in hand.
“Flash... you saw what happened.”
He nodded. “The article didn’t work, then?”
“No. I don’t understand it. I showed them what went wrong. I thought they’d go back to being friends...”
Flash put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t feel bad. I’ve heard those five trade some major insults back when they first had their falling-out. I wouldn’t be half as surprised if whatever Sunset did was designed to get them to insult each other, she’s that good.”
“I guess I can’t help them.” Twilight looked at the floor.
“I wouldn’t say that,” Flash said. “You got them thinking. Trust me, I’ve talked to Rainbow Dash and Applejack several times, I can tell they want everything to go back to normal. And you’ve given them a reason to hang out. I’m willing to bet in a week it’ll be just like old times.”
“You think so?”
Flash smiled. “I’m sure.”
There was an awkward moment as neither was sure what to say.
“So... what was it you needed to do this morning?”
Twilight blinked. “Oh, um... nothing, really. I just didn’t want them to see me look so depressed.”
Flash smiled. “Well then, if you’re stuck for something to do, why don’t I show you some of my music? I was thinking I could write a song for your campaign.”
“That sounds great.”
“Seriously?” Spike muttered under his breath, earning a silencing hand from Twilight. She simply zipped Spike back up and closed her locker.
“Let me take you to the music room,” he said.
“Sure,” Twilight said. “Let me just drop off Spike with Aunt Celestia.” She placed the backpack on her back and turned to him. “Where to?”
“Follow me,” Flash said, starting to walk. Twilight followed, and for a few moments, they were walking side by side.
Then Twilight suddenly felt Flash’s hand close around her own. She jumped in surprise, feeling her face heat up as he looked at Flash. He was blushing too.
She smiled, and so did he.
“Sweet Celestia, Twilight, you’re acting like a schoolfilly!” Spike whispered through the backpack. “This is creeping me out!”
“Did you hear something?” Flash said.
“Nope,” Twilight said, and the two kept walking.
Today might not have been as perfect as she had been expecting, but Flash was right. She had at least set her friends on the right path, and there was a good chance they would come around. And, as Flash led her down the halls, she was starting to feel that everything might be okay after all.
Neither Twilight or Flash saw Diamond Tiara. The young freshman’s eyes widened in absolute joy at seeing them holding hands. Quickly pulling out her phone, she took a picture, making sure to get their intertwined hands.
She grinned. The Wondercolt Press was going to have a new front-page scoop. Maybe they could even get an extra out by lunchtime, if they worked fast enough. And if not, well, a few posters around the school would work just as well. The only thing she knew for sure was that she had snapped a priceless photo, one that was sure to put Sunset in her place.
After all, not only was she going to steal the crown, she had already planted her flag on Sunset’s ex. That was going to be quite the campaign push.
Stats
Page generated in 0.019 seconds
Total duration
883 users online
1,312,627 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Umm what?
"She" meaning Twilight zipped Twilight back up?
I'm pretty sure you meant to say:
"She simply zipped Spike back up and closed her locker."
Well, this group has enough personality clashes within it, even if a few faked pranks or whatever really sparked them off. And I still have the feeling the initial argument may not have been entirely Sunset's doing- but I suppose that might be a bit contrived, since it would mean either Sunset depended on a stroke of luck to drive them apart, or she would have been able to do something to them anyway if they hadn't argued, in which case why not just have it be all Sunset anyway?... Yeah, overthinking it.
Odd note to end the chapter on; a candid shot of a handhold isn't something to be nearly as worried about as a bunch of embarrassing videos. Sure, it will just make Sunset a bit more eager to tear Twilight down, but it's not like she needs the help.
So Diamond Tiara's planning a secret campaign of her own, and wants to take out Sunset AND Twilight? Word of advice, Diamond: You're out of your league. You have no idea what you're messing with.
7361085
It's not that it will embarrass Twilight, it's that Diamond is hoping to really get Sunset riled up.
7361093
No, she's only against Sunset. She wants to show her, "Look, the new girl already has you ex!"
If only things were as easy as Twilight hopes they can be. At least it's a step in the right direction. Hopefully Twilight won't get discouraged that they aren't friends again right away and can maybe bring them back together over the next few days. Whatever Diamond Tiara is planning I hope it doesn't end up hurting Twilight in the long run. If everything goes right for her maybe Twilight will get even more popular because of it?
7361103 Then Diamond's even more stupid than I thought. Rile up the mean girl of the school, what could possibly go wrong?
7361268 Well, the first EQG movie had the limitation of jamming several story arcs into a ninety-minute showtime. And there still had to be room for a few songs, and a showdown sequence. So I can overlook the ridiculously short time it took to patch things up. There just wasn't time.
It's good that Twilight is making progress in having the alternate versions of her friends repair their friendship.
Hey there. Thanks very much for getting the next chapter up. I really appreciate you going to the effort. Once again, excellent job on the exchanges, emotional content and future chapter set-up in all the right places. Though I have a feeling Diamond's effort to cheese Sunset off is going to end up epically backfiring. Still, I will definitely be looking forward to more of this as soon as time and inspiration will allow.
What Diamond just did might actually help Twilight. If the school finds out that Sunset's ex isn't going to take any of her nonsense, why should they?
I would have been immensely disappointed if you had.
I think I see where you're going with this.
I'm not upset about Spike doing nothing. It's what he usually does.
Personally, I like your writing style and stories but I feel this could have been so much more. I think it would have been more interesting if lead to the real human world instead of pseudo-world with them having different names and even lifestyles for some of them brought about differences in efficiency, history and culture. Some being subtle while others more complex. Like off the top of my head, Applejack applying more academically to escape the Framer stereotype, Pinkie being more pronounce in engineer while making some break through, Rainbow Dash being more classic jock but more gun hoe to push through stereotypes of women being weak, Fluttershy loving animals but are scared of the more dangerous kind like bears for she lacks her communication skills with them, and Rarity being a foreigner (black french) trying to make her way as a model and fashion designer with design more muted do to current style.
In the end, I don't know, I was expecting a bit more, especially with tales of ponies not returning for it made me think they went during one of Earth's many deadly wars and never came back. But I guess if it was too much like the real world, she would meet Celestia or Luna for they would not look human ponies of themselves but just humans with their voice.
Well good luck and hope this story works out.
7361103 Diamond TIara is Really going to F*** S*** up. This going to be a grueling five days for Twilight and Spike.