The Truth About Girls (Vol. 1)

by TheMareWhoSaysNi

Friendship For Dummies (part 3)

By taking example on their sisters and role models, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had decided to gather in order to find out what could be their special talent. After a few researches, they had decided to call themselves The Crusaders, and had started to diversify intellectual, artistic and athletic disciplines so they would find what made them unique, this gift that would make them stand out in a crowd.

With this in mind, today like every day after school, the three girls roamed the city in the quest of this gift. Since for now, their career as journalists seemed to be at a standstill, they had decided to become Canterlot’s greatest superheroines, and in that to unburden workload of Twilight Sparkle’s policeman of a big brother.

By any chance, the Grand Rue was so quiet they judged it as unusual. Sitting on one of the high brick rims surrounding the trees planted all along the avenue, they were scrutinizing each of the passersby, hoping they would find someone to save.

“We’re wasting our breath”, Sweetie Belle said, sighing. “No one’s going to help us to become the Crusaders Superheroines.”

“It usually always happens sumethin’…”

“That’s because Rainbow Dash isn’t here. Where is she, by the way?”

“She’s at my sister’s boutique with the others, trying on her dress for the ball.”

Once again, sighs, but this time, from each of the three preteens at the same time. Maybe the best to do was to change their goal, or to have fun together instead, but none of them dared to demur. Capitulating wouldn’t be any help, and they stopped insisting only once it was clear they had truly failed.

It wasn’t the case right now. They didn’t even have the occasion yet to test their skills as superheroines.

A familiar silhouette dressed in a midnight blue dress with a bun, holding in her hand a bag from a famous stationery store passed them by unawares, and Sweetie Belle had something like an epiphany. What could Twilight be doing on her own on the Grand Rue while all her other friends were gathered at Rarity’s to try their dress?

It was a mission for The Crusaders…

“We have to get more information”, Sweetie Belle told her both friends.

“How dya think we should do dat?”

“Let’s just follow her discreetly”, Scootaloo suggested.

“That’s a good idea!”

Without a second thought, the three young girls went from tree to tree pursuing Twilight, and though they weren’t as discreet as they thought, they were able not to get spotted.

As for their target, she wondered whether she would take the bus to go home as she wanted in the first place or she could stop by Sugarcube Corner to have a milkshake, at the risk of meeting her friends – or former friends, she didn’t know how to call them.

A lot of work was in store for her, and though it was the main reason of both her loneliness and her visit here, she really didn’t feel like locking herself up in her room to have her nose stuck in notes and reviewing. She was feeling something like a hole in her whole being, and this sensation of emptiness was scary even if she didn’t want to admit it.

When she was honest with herself, Twilight knew this unpleasant sensation had no other rational explanation than the lack of presence of the ones who were so dear to her heart. Her conversation with Sunset Shimmer had opened up her eyes, though it never stopped her from having some reservations. She really feared she had broken their special connection forever.

Meeting Big Macintosh packing up his photography supplies, she was expecting him to ignore her because of her quarrel with his sister but he called on her the same way he would if she were accompanied by the others.

He probably was aware of what had happened, but had chosen not to meddle with this, and it wasn’t a big surprise for Twilight. Big Macintosh was as righteous as his sister. Integrity was a common character trait in the Apple Family.

“How are ya doin’?”, he asked her benevolently while snapping shut the bag in which he put his camera. “Yar lookin’ pale.”

“Ah, is that obvious?”

“Eeyup.”

Unable to start her breakfast and lunch, she had barely eaten since yesterday and wasn’t feeling at the best of her shape. Though she tried to convince anyone else, especially in class where the four girls were only at a few tables away, that everything was perfectly alright and that her decision never made her suffer in anything, it was clear all this was nothing but a pathetic act.

“Zephyr Breeze isn’t with you?”

“He is. He just went to look for another spot. Our boss complainin’ we stay too much on the Grand Rue.”

“I see. I came here to buy a new notebook… I thought a brand new one would help me reviewing.”

“Dya think it’s goin’ to work?”

The question might look innocent yet Twilight knew what it implied. It seemed like it was obvious for all those who knew her that the decision she had taken on the previous day had none of the expected wholesomeness.

She had confessed to Sunset Shimmer and had enjoyed her precious and positive help, however she still needed to express herself about this topic with someone who knew her friends as well as she did, just to be sure as for the path forward.

“I can’t get off my head the girls’ expressions… Each time I try to focus on my lessons, I see their eyes. They never looked at me like that before.”

“How?”

“With disappointment. I care so much for my parents, Principal Celestia, Cadence and Shining Armor being proud of me that I’ve forgot how much my friends’ support was important too. I know I’ve made a mistake, but I don’t know how to fix it.”

Big Macintosh was two years older than his young sister Applejack. At their parents’ death, just like her he had to learn how to grow suddenly, and this sad experience had made him more mature and thoughtful than many boys the same age. One could confess to him and be sure to find a reasonable and serious advice.

“I know Applejack can be as stubborn as a mule, but don’t ya fret ‘bout that. Yar someone who can talk, I’m sure ya’ll find how to fix this.”

“I’m not only worried about Applejack. Rainbow Dash looked really mad at me and I don’t think she would ever forgive me.”

Out of the four, she had been the one with the most thunderous reaction, to the extent of giving up on her friendship bracelet, that Twilight had kept in her pencil case hoping one day their quarrel would be eased.

It was unquestionably a sign that she could never take on board a renunciation of her friendship with the bunch, despite what she could have said in the beginning. Otherwise, she would never had kept this piece of jewelry and would have jumped to the conclusion that it wasn’t worth worrying about.

And so, Big Macintosh didn’t even have to encourage her more. Her mind was made up. Sunset Shimmer was right. She had to talk to them, to tell them. Even if they’d take time to forgive her, she would do her best to show them she knew she had been wrong and that she didn’t want to be parted from them at all.

She had been wrong to think she could get used to it and go back to her former loneliness. Her friends had taken too much room in her life, and in the end, she had no wish to go back in time.

As for her grades, it wasn’t worth blowing it out of proportion. The gap was very small, and would never stop her from getting the scholarship she wanted so desperately. She only had to keep focus on the top three that still was within her reach, with or without the daily frenzy.

“Thanks, Big Macintosh.”

“What? I haven’t done anything special.”

“You did more than you think. Thank you again.”

As if to show him her gratitude one last time, Twilight squeezed him for a few seconds, before going to Sugarcube Corner hoping she would find the group there, talking around beverages, notebooks and magazines like they usually did.

The young man was so surprised he didn’t really reply to her hug, and realized unawares he wouldn’t be bothered that another girl from the bunch to embrace him this way – a pink-haired girl…

Anyway, Twilight already seemed to be feeling better than when he had met her walking along the Grand Rue a few minutes earlier. He hoped things would be fixed soon for her and the rest of the band… What he would know for sure once back home. He always knew everything, somehow.

The young blue-haired teenager had already started to hike up the main avenue at the double when he went to join his coworker a little farther near the department store. The Crusaders were the only ones who kept on following Twilight, though no threat apparently weighed on her weak shoulders.

Or at least, until three boys started to walk behind her. They went on the same rhythm as the young girl and soon, surrounded her completely. If she ever tried to escape, her only solution would be to run as fast as she could straight in front of her… if they couldn’t catch her back.

At any moments, The Crusaders knew they would have to intervene, but the more what was going to happen next became evident; the more they had trouble making up their minds. They were three as well, of course, but they also weren’t fourteen yet, after all and didn’t have the same type of body than those guys.

The first of them, very tall and stocky, wrapped an arm around Twilight’s neck who jumped from surprise.

“Are you on your own?” he said with a voice that tried to be seductive.

She raised her eyebrows in front of so much foolishness. It was obvious. What the other boy by her side that she hadn’t even noticed said, on the other hand, surprised her a bit.

“Why are you crying? This dude was your boyfriend and he dumped you?”

Indeed, she hadn’t taken note of the silent tears that had started to roll along her cheeks. It didn’t mean she was sad, no, since for the first time since yesterday she was feeling light. As it was rare her emotions were in a roller-coaster, she drew the conclusion that these sobs were the result of a weight unburdening off her shoulders, the same weight which turned into emptiness once penetrated inside of her.

For this reason, she had no intention of letting these three party poopers ruining her feeling of liberation. During Middle School, she had learned how to defend herself with firmness, and there was no way she would let anyone walking over her.

“He’s not my boyfriend”, she declared with composure, taking the other boy’s arm off.

“He doesn’t know what he’s missing, because you’re extra cute.”

“So it means you’re single”, the third one intervene. “You can come with us in a karaoke booth, then.”

For this kind of persons, Twilight knew precisely what it meant when they asked a girl to come to a karaoke booth with them. Their intention was to make their victim drink alcohol before dragging them to a hotel room once too in a daze to react, and then to be able to rape them unawares.

She didn’t know anyone who had been through such an ordeal, but she had read a lot about it and knew what to expect. They wouldn’t take “no” as an answer and often, the victims had to display an iron will to get rid of them.

That was perfect timing, she had rage in spades by this end of the afternoon, and felt galvanized by her personal mission, which was to do her best to regain her friends’ trust. Nothing could turn her away from this goal, and especially not a bunch of fools wearing short-sleeved shirts and Bermuda shorts in March.

“I’d rather walk barefooted on a road of crushed glass!”

“Oh, one girl with wit. They are my favorite ones. They’re trying to struggle with words, as if it was enough”, one of them claimed, stealing by the way the barrette which held Twilight’s hair into a bun.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing now?” she cried while trying to get her item back.

But the boy threw it into a trashcan on the way and it was impossible for her to go back because of the human wall they had created. The third one, walking right behind her, attacked the inside of the paper bag she held in her hand. She hadn’t been on a big shopping spree, since it was for her reviewing, but all the same, this intrusion in her private life seriously started to get on her nerves.

“I guess you’ve found ourselves one little egghead! She’s only bought a notebook and highlighters.”

“Eggheads always are goats on the sly, we hit the jackpot. Get her.”

Without warning, Twilight felt her feet getting tangled and quickly noticed one of the boys tried to get her out of the Grand Rue, to a passageway leading to ill-famed karaoke boothes where a lot of juvenile delinquent liked to hang around.

She might as well be fighting as much as she could, she couldn’t get off the two young men’s clasp. Immediately, what had almost happened to Applejack a few weeks earlier went through her mind again, and she swore she would give anything to see Rainbow Dash helping her the way she had done for their friend.

The only problem was they were still quarreled and that she hadn’t have time to apologize and to do her best in order to be forgiven by the band, so she doubted anyone would come and rescue her.

With no consideration for the three young Crusaders who had seen almost everything, not daring to intervene by fear they would be taken in the middle of something too dangerous for their young age… All the same, before the situation to worsen, they had decided to tell it to other persons, as no passerby from the Grand Rue had the guts and nerves to stop what could be considered as a sexual assault.

While Scootaloo called the police hoping her brother Shining Armor would be available to do something, the two others went running to warn those they regarded as the most competent to quickly help their young fellow – her best friends.

Of course, they were in a huff since yesterday, but in such circumstances, they thought the five girls would put their quarrel aside in order to stop another trauma from happening. Sometimes outstretched hands were the only possible alternative, and this was one of these moments.

---------------------------------------------------

The fittings were barely over, and Rainbow Dash still was inside the Carousel Boutique’s dressing room, slipping herself into her long brown woolen jacket, when the bell of the main door rang.

The rest of the group was at the front boutique with Rarity, busy wrapping their dresses inside garment bags so they wouldn’t end up being crumpled or ruined for the big day.

The young fashion designer had been disappointed she had worked so hard for Twilight’s dress and hadn’t hidden her disillusions when she had learned about the quarrel with the other girls. She wanted to go and try to reason her… Until then, she had focused on the designs of those who were here, and was rather proud of what she had prepared for them.

Her first reaction when she saw who had just stepped inside her boutique was a deep irritation. Only once they spoke Rarity understood…

Some little restlessness then shook the boutique, and Rainbow Dash slipped her flat boots hopping before dashing where the things were happening.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were panting, their cheeks colored of a crimson red. They would never go all the way to here in such a state for frivolous reasons… Something serious might had happened, especially as they all quickly noticed their third fellow, Scootaloo, wasn’t here.

The elders started to fear she had an accident with the toy scooter she was using to go everywhere and that she never easily left.

Yet, when the two preteens finally opened their mouths to speak, the shock of the revelation was different, although quite resounding.

“It’s… Twilight!”

“Three boys… with her… They want… Say it, Apple Bloom.”

“They wanna bring her to a kara-I-don’t-know-what and they’re forcefully draggin’ her along.”

At the same time, the five girls gasped in fear. There was not a person unaware of what was a dreadful social reality, which tarnished Equestria Kingdom’s reputation in the world.

Karaoke booths were known to be unwelcoming places, where prostitution and drugs were wreaking havocs, and where bad boys who didn’t know how to seduce girls any other way often brought defenseless young women here in order to achieve their ends in a twisted manner.

Twilight wasn’t some frail creature. Her wit and intelligence even were redoubtable weapons, not to mention her convincing abilities. The only problem was that this kind of bullies probably couldn’t understand the language of reason. It was widely known their interests were the only ones that mattered and that nothing could make them change their minds – except when talking the same violent language.

In practice, she and the rest of the bunch still were in a huff. But as far as they knew, it didn’t mean they had to let something that horrible happening, especially if there were things they could do about it.

“Scootaloo has called the police but maybe they won’t be here on time”, Sweetie Belle cried with tearful eyes. “You won’t let her down, will you?”

For a wavering second, all eyes conveyed toward Rainbow Dash. If it was clear they had to act, her friends wondered how she would react to something this serious.

Namely, her relation to violence was ambiguous. When it was about defending some virtues, and in a certain measure, she never hesitated using punches and kicks, but at the same time she had been through traumatizing experiences that could make her think twice about acting.

“Why are we still standing here like lemons? Twilight needs us!”

If everything was going according to their plans, Scootaloo still was near the spot the three rascals had lashed out at the young woman, and they all hoped they would be right on time. Of course, Twilight had many heart and brain virtues yet she wasn’t famous for her physical strength – the opposite, even.

However, it was a little underestimation to suppose that because of this, she wouldn’t be able to use other type of methods in order to resist.
She might hadn’t stopped her assailants from dragging her out of the Grand Rue, on the other hand, she had been able to slow down their headway.

After they had thrown her barrette in a trashcan, they had fun tearing leaves off her brand new notebook, spreading them behind in the street. Unawares, they had allowed Scootaloo never losing sight of Twilight’s path.

So, when the five girls came running in order to rescue their fellow member, they were able to trace her effortlessly.

It didn’t stop them from being surprised to find her with her arms firmly wrapped around a trunk, screaming flowery words that usually rarely crossed her lips while the three boys tried to pull her.

Some could have said Twilight had the situation under control, and it would be drawing too hasty and coward a conclusion. And cowardice was unknown of the band who always went for any kind of challenge, especially when it was about intervening to rescue someone they had a high opinion of.

Rainbow Dash was the first to jump on the brick edge around the tree in question, the same kind of the one where The Crusaders had sat before deciding to follow Twilight.

For once, it had been a bright idea…

“Stop!!! Stop everything!”, she yelled with her most threatening face on.

“Who’s that new skank?”

“Go back from you’re from, you lesbian…”

“I’m really starting to be fed up with EVERYONE deciding for me who I am. And that would be better being a lesbian than being a complete jerk. Now hands off. This girl’s one of my best friends and whoever try to hurt her would have to deal with me!”

She took notice of the enthusiastic gasps behind her, but Rainbow Dash tried to act as if she hadn’t heard. Though she said she was through with her for trying to get them out of her life, in reality she hadn’t given up on things to be fixed eventually.

It comforted Twilight as well as the rest of the band. Nonetheless, it wasn’t the right moment for outbursts of joy. She had to stop these three jackstraws from hurting the young woman, and the situation to worsen.

“Do you think we’re impressed by your small build?”

“I don’t think so… I know so”, she said making her knuckles crack.

“Ya guys should be impressed”, Applejack took part in the conversation, stepping closer. “Ya guys don’t know who she is.”

“Some showing off butch?”

“Ok, now, enough is enough… I. Am. Demisexual!!!!”

And at the same time, she bounced forward and with all her weight, threw herself on one of the boys who, not expecting this, crushed flat on the floor. Applejack took an advantage from it to intervene as well by kicking in the second boy’s private parts, while Pinkie Pie crushed drum cymbals like from out of nowhere between the temples of the third.

“Best jammer from the Blazing Angels! How about that, you schmuck?!” Rainbow Dash chanted with her fist in the air.

As always, she withheld the fact her fell wasn’t the soft kind and that she almost had dislocate her shoulder. The truth didn’t really matter in cases like this – what mattered was the final result.

And the final result was that these three robust fellows had been punched out by three girls half their size and weight, no sooner said than time needed to drag Twilight along with them.

The latter, in fact, had taken refuge between Rarity and Fluttershy’s arms who had quickly enquired about her general state.

She was okay… And as glad as ever. If the girls hadn’t come along, she didn’t know how long she’d been able to resist before they would forcefully bring her where they wanted to.

Reasons for her to be glad were multiplied when she heard the sirens of a police car and she understood her friends weren’t the only ones who came in her rescue.

As soon as he was out of his vehicle, Shining Armor could only notice how the situation was under control for the three girls still keeping the assailants at bay, them being too stunned to even dare fighting back.

Him and his coworkers gratefully arrested the three boys. To have a brother who’s a policeman could be useful, especially when, like her, being used to attract mishaps, like a butterfly attracted by the light of a fire.

Shining Armor would’ve liked to be able to know more about his little sister’s emotional and physical state but duty called and he couldn’t allow himself to stop. He knew Twilight wouldn’t hold a grudge against him…

Moreover, there were details she needed to talk of with her friends, all here, except the young teenager he had arrested a little earlier during the previous year.

Quickly, Twilight was alone with her rescuers, to whom she hadn’t had the chance yet to speak with in order to be forgiven.

“Where are dese cymbals from, Pinkie? And when did ya get the chance to grab ‘em?”

“Heehee, that’s my little secret”, the teenager answered, giggling.

“Anyway, I’m really tired of people taking me for what I’m not, just because I either wear a sportswear outfit or a mini skirt”, Rainbow Dash claimed dusting her black jeans out.

“At worst, how does it matter what the others think? S’long as yar best friends know the truth.”

“Yeah, right. But that’s annoying.”

They all stepped to Twilight who left Fluttershy’s comforting arms to face the others. That they had rescued her and that Rainbow Dash had told the three boys what she had told didn’t change the fact they were still mad at her, as far as she was concern.

Her head low, she was expecting her sentence. Whatever that would be, she knew she would do anything in order to get back the membership she coveted.

“Don’t you ever do this to us again”, Rainbow Dash claimed taking Twilight in her arms as well, quickly imitated by the rest of them.

“It’s true, you really scared us”, Fluttershy added softly.

“But… With how I’ve treated you…”

“Sunset Shimmer came and she told us everything”, Pinkie Pie bid proudly.

A little earlier, when a part of the bunch was going to their extracurricular activities, she had called on them and told about Twilight’s anguishes, and why she hesitated coming back to them though her mind was already made up. The girls had invited her to stay with them, but Sunset Shimmer had chosen to stay on the background until the situation was fixed, in order not to take too much room.

This way of thinking had the merit to be regarded as a respectable humility by the girls. Unawares, Sunset Shimmer had won a high score with those who she dreamed of being a hundred percent integrated with.

Notwithstanding, more time had been needed to convince the most stubborn ones – like expected Applejack and Rainbow Dash – to try to fix things.

“So, you’re not holding grudges against me? Because even I doubt I would ever forgive myself.”

“Don’t be silly, Twilight”, Rarity intervene. “They may be as stubborn as mules, but they love you way too much to keep being mad at you.”

“She’s right”, Applejack finished. “Ya get yarself into quite a fix!”

“After this, dare saying that’s because of us mishaps are always happening.”

They all laughed at the same time. A little more and they would have cried, but by chance the worst had been avoided.

Twilight had to admit it – the simple fact of being outside could lead to brawls, be it with or without someone in particular. A few years ago, she had chosen to leave the comfort of her room to confront with the world, and though it wasn’t always like navigating on glassy waters, it was a risk she had to take if she wanted things to happen in her life, whether or not these things were worthy of being lived.

The experience given by practice was always useful to complete the knowledge given by theory.

“I think you have something that belongs to me…”

“The bracelet? It’s in my pencil case. I’ll give it back to you tomorrow.”

“That’s perfect.”

There were no words to describe how Twilight was feeling right now. The quarrel hadn’t lasted for more than twenty-four hours, what never stopped it from being full of consequences and from causing a lot of harm. To have the friendship of her sister figures back was the greatest gift of all and she would trade it for nothing in the world.

“Speaking of the bracelet”, Applejack said. “Ah think we have sumethin’ to give to someone.”

“Oh my goodness!”, Rarity claimed. “With what happened I completely forgot.”

The young women had brought her handbag with her. She never gave up on it even in the most desperate situations. You never knew what could happen… She could have an urgent need to powder her nose, to cut threads sticking out or to have an emergency call.

Inside her wallet, she had slipped the purchase her and her friends had done secretly, like their personal tradition dictated. The item chosen was always in the absence of the concerned girl, and after consultation of other members of the circle.

Then appeared a thin silver chain for wrists, where hung emblems representing each of them, among which the butterfly-shaped new one.

“Fluttershy, from the whole group to you, this is your friendship bracelet. You truly deserved it.”

She hadn’t expected it. As the whole attention was on Twilight, Fluttershy had first thought they had something for the other girl, not for her. Her hands crossed in front of her heart, she couldn’t help blinking uncontrollably in order not to cry from emotions while Rarity hung around her wrist the sign of her belonging with the crew.

It was the perfect way to start this week already full of plot twists. Now back together and stronger than ever, they all gave the image of an indestructible union that was really inspiring for their three fans, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who had seen the whole scene without a word.

One certainty remained. Their career as superheroines wasn’t on the verge to start, on the other hand, as journalists, they had a promising future ahead. What had just happened would be a really entertaining article of the Free Kid Press, they knew… Enough to put The Crusaders back on track, in short…

Author's Note:

I was wondering... Would you like to have trailers for the next chapter at the end, in the author's note? Just an idea to enhance the potential of the story

(and also, I love this smiley )

Comments

[Dusk_Writer]

Sweet chapter