The Magick of Friendship: Spark of Something New

by Harmony Spirit

Ch10: Darkwing Messanger

When Twilight Sparkle was enrolled in the Povyville college, she was past the usual date for eligibility, but when the one enrolling you is the Queen of Equestria, it is hard for a simple school to refuse.

By being entered late, she did not get to take the testing to see her levels. So after a semester, she finally took the aptitude test, and was found to be far more advanced than the first year courses. So with awarded credits, and some reworking, she was placed into higher classes for most of them. She was now in second, and some even third year.

With new courses, she was now entering a more challenging semester, in ways she was yet to realize.

The Magick of Friendship chapter 10
Darkwing Messenger

Twilight was very excited, she would hope to learn more from the classes she was moved up in. She would also share a class with her friend Rainbow Dash, who was not so into the classes as the Unicorn was.

She easily found the room for "History of Equestria" She felt a little confident that she was still advanced for this class, but she also felt that way in most her studies.

The class was set up like most of the larger colleges, the history course was a big thing for Equestria since it was restored. Queen Celestia wished that all the ponies had a good grasp on the past. It was a key course for a general diploma, and an option for masters.

She took a seat in one of the lower rows, so to be closer to the lessons. Twilight was well settled in by the time the bulk of the class came in, and before it was time for class to start. The teacher, a faded brown Earth stallion, went to close the door, as Dash and a Gryphon skirted being late. "Seems you two are getting better at telling time" He said, with littler humor.

"Miracle can happen teach" Dash said, and made her way to the desk. The other did likewise, she looked even less enthused by this class than the Pegasus. Twilight recognized her, but could not really recall where.

The Pegasus took a seat by her, and her friend by her. "Yo Sparks" Dash said, and Twilight greeted. "That is my main bird, Gilda"

Twilight moved to look at her, and greet her, but she did not seem to care much more for it, than the class. "Yeah, cool" She said coldly. "Why we down so far?" She was asking the mare closest to her.

Rainbow Dash turned to her. "Because, I wanted to sit by my bud Sparks"

The teacher called attention to himself. "Today, will start on the bits we left off on. A review of the course so far, was the War of the Night Beasts. Much of our history has been lost, but bits and pieces have been gathered, and we know the war was a great struggle when Magick had become the main source of all things in Equestria..."

Gilda grumbled, and Dash echoed her reaction. "What a bore" The Gryphon said.

Twilight did not pay much attention to the two making jokes, locked back into her study mode. She was listening intently, she knew much of this already, but she liked the way he told the stories.

"Hey Tulip" Gilda whispered, Twilight correcting her on the name before other went on. "Yeah, sure. You seem to like this learning junk, should let Me and Dash copy off ya. Help us out, we can help you out too"

"G, don't bug her, she's my friend" Dash interjected.

"Why I'm asking, what friends do, right?"

"I could not do that, I would be robbing you both of the education you are here to get" Twilight replied.

"Well, you see?" Gilda went on. "I don't do very well with learning here and now. I need time to go over things, but when you need the answers here and now, I fall behind. Dash, she is just lazy" She added the last part, caused her friend rolled her eyes as she was talking.

The Unicorn seem to consider the facts. "Well..."

"Don't do it, she is messing with you, she just doesn't want to listen"

"Dash? You bitch, almost had her"

"Told ya, she is a friend, don't screw with her" She jabbed a finger at her.

They both glared at each other, and Twilight sank in her seat a bit, looking ahead.

"Well" The teacher spoke, right at the three. "Seems another reminder from last semester, you two lacking in your attention span. I am surprised you have sat so close, and surprised at you miss Sparkle" His gaze focused on her. "I would have expect you would be more attentive, being an advanced student" He gave a sturdy glare at the two known trouble makers. "Try not to let these two get to you, we are in college after all. Queens help you, if I see notes being past around" A couple others around them, laughed and giggled at the comment.

"Hey, don't sweat it teach, just me and G you have to worry about" Rainbow Dash defended, and the older stallion rolled his eyes.

Gilda leaned back in her seat, something was on her mind, and it was not anything good. She was disappointed to loose a free ride, but she was also feeling something else, with the weight of her stare on Twilight.

The class went on, with little interruption. When it was over, the teacher called Dash and Gilda over to talk. "Look you two, can we go one semester without your trouble? I try to be nice, but you both still slack off. I would not mind so much, if you did not draw others into the little trouble cloud you float on"

"Hey, we passed last time" Dash said, Gilda was less than caring about the whole thing. "Made it through one year, and onto another one"

"Yes, but you barely made it by. How you two goofed off, missed classes, and still managed to pass with semi-decent grades, I can not fathom. What are you gaining by being here? Why waste time and money, if you are not taking it serious?"

"I'm going to get into the Wonder Bolts!" Dash declared.

"Try to remember that, and maybe you will shape up. I have had a couple come through here, and they worked hard to get the best grades and pass with flying colours. Pardon the pun. You have potential Rainbow Dash, if you apply yourself. Leave the High school toughmare behind, and act like you are in college. I should not even be needing to say this" He paused. "I am only doing so, because I do care for my students. I teach, because it is what I love. So you must learn, so you can do what you love"

His words seem to actually make a dent in the Pegasus. Gilda was less than impressed. "We done?"

He looked at her, and sighed. "You have a lot of potential, and even could become the first Gryphon to pass college. Something-" She held up her clawed hand. "I'll behave, just enough with the lectures. Your class is out, and so am I"

Dash watched her go, and followed after her. The teacher rubbed his head. "Like a bad High School drama"

***

A couple days in, and the words of their teacher, Mr. Passage, still filled her mind. Dash felt she wanted to try harder, but Gilda was not going to be much help, so she went to Twilight.

She tried to get Gilda to take Twilight's help too, but the Gryphon was becoming more distant. Dash could not see it, but Gilda had something against the Unicorn. She avoided her as much as she could. Dash just shrugged it off, and took lessons under her friend.

"Oh mare, this sucks!" Rainbow Dash declared. They were in the Ponyville Grand Library, so Twilight tried to quiet her. "Sorry Sparks, but this junk is just boring"

"It is not so hard, if you can related to it" Twilight explained.

"That's the problem, I don't care about any of this. History is pointless"

Twilight was trying to think of how to get her friend interested. "Well, if we do not know the past, we may repeat things, like the bad stuff"

"Still don't care. Why do I need to know about the founding of Ponyville, or how ponies got to trotting on two legs?"

"Well, what are you studying as your major?"

"What ever, I just went in for a general knowledge thing, so I could get through easy, but now I'm stuck in courses I don't care about"

Twilight was a bit surprised. "Not learning a trade? What if you do not get into the Wonder Bolts, or after if you do? Should have something to fall back on"

"I'll be dead, my life is for being a Wonder Bolt. I'm gonna be the best flyer in Equestrian Hist..." She grumbled, causing Twilight to giggle. She did not want to learn it, but she wanted to go down in History.

"Well, what about that? What about the early flyers of Equestria? I bet you could learn something from that. The first Pegasus, the first Wonder Bolts, even the War Time flyers"

Dash thought about it. "Well, I guess there maybe something to learning that"

Twilight smiled, and pulled out a book. "This has some good stories in it, around the era when Queen Luna was gone. I have not read it all yet, but sure it will be more help to you" She looked at her Bay-B, and saw the time. "We should go, the Library closes soon" Rainbow Dash nodded, and they gathered their things, and moved out of the building.

They trotted a bit down the path, when Gilda swooped in. "Dash, there you are, where did you go?" She looked at Twilight, who waved, but she did not respond to it. "We were going to do some of our moves today, now it's too late!"

"Sorry G, I was out with Sparks today, trying to get on this learning thing"

The Gryphon did not like the fact she was with Twilight, and did not hide her annoyance too well. "What ever, lets go, maybe we can practice some things before it gets dark" She went to grab Rainbow Dash's arm, but she moved away.

"Sorry G, I have to get home and work on this. Twilight gave me a book to look at with some of early Legends of Equestria. Might learn some new moves" She sounded more excited, but her friend was not.

"What ever" She grumbled, and took off. It left both of them confused, but Dash shrugged it off. she knew Gilda well enough, that she was moody at times.

***

Things started to improve, Rainbow Dash was getting better in her classes, and Twilight and her were getting to be closer. Though the same could not be said for Gilda, who seem to grow more distant, to even her friend. She was also slipping in her classes. Where Dash was showing up far more than she did before, Gilda was showing up less.

Twilight had the feeling Gilda did not like her, but she also knew that she and Rainbow were very close, and did not want their relationship to end over her interference in the Pegasus' lessons.

After class, she found Gilda, and waited until she could get a moment alone with her. She followed her, and when she was out in the open, and called her name.

Upon hearing her name, the Gryphon turned, she knew it was not Dash, but she did not look surprised to see Twilight, she looked more mad than anything. "What?"

"I thought I could talk to you, seems you are starting to fall back. If you like, I can help you. It worked for Rainbow Dash, maybe-" The Gryphon came up to her, and grabbed her shirt. "What is wrong?" Twilight was shocked by it, but tried to stay calm.

"You! Dash and me, were perfect, till you came in, and started changing her. Now she does more reading than anything else" She deepened her stare. "I tolerate you, only because of Dash. So leave me alone, and you better stop filling her head with all this study crap too. I've known her longer than any one, and I won't let some fancy Unicorn, steal her a way. Our system worked, and we'd be out of school with little headache"

"Steal? I'm not trying to-" "You want to be a book worm, go ahead. Leave Dash out of it, and do yourself a favor, and avoid me. Birds eat worms, and don't think I won't destroy you. Dash's friendship, can only save you for so long" She let Twilight go, not so much releasing her grip, and pushing her out of it.

As Gilda stormed off, the Unicorn felt a bit teary eyed, she did not want to be trouble, but she feels she did something wrong.

She finished school, and made straight for home. The encounter still weighing on her mind. She did not have work, and did not even stop by Apple Cider's.

She came in, and went right to her bed, and laid there, face down, thinking about it all.

"Hiya, Twila" Pinkie popped in, not long after, giving her little chance to recover. "What's wrong?" The pink mare moved over to her, and sat on the bed.

"I had... a bad day..." She said, a bit muffled. Did not seem to hinder the other.

She put her hand on Twilight's back, and rubbed it comfortingly. "Aw, wanna talk about it?"

"Not really..."

Pinkie thought, and stopped her rubbing. "Well, not going to be very helpful, if I don't know what happened" She shifted to lay beside her, and rested her chin on Twilight's head. "I can't read minds"

"A talent Pinkie does not have. I was wondering if there was anything you could not do" Twilight said, coming off more harsh then she intended too, it did not seem to effect the other any though.

"You can tell me, I'm good at secrets. I'm like a treasure chest of secrets"

"I would believe that"

Pinkie got off, and resumed sitting on the bed, and Twilight sat up too. She decided it would be easier to just tell her, and went over the events of the last few days. After she finished, Pinkie nodded. "That is one nasty birdy, she doesn't like anypony, except Rainbow Dash. Be a good idea, to leave her alone"

"But what about Rainbow Dash? She wants me to stop talking to her too, I can not just stop talking to her"

"Have to do what you feel is right, I would avoid Gilda though"

Twilight thought about it, and nodded slowly. It was not really much help in her situation, but talking about it seemed to do her better.

***

A few days went on, Rainbow Dash was getting better in school, and everything seemed to be going ok. It was not long till something came to a head, between Gryphon and Unicorn.

Twilight was trotting down the hall, heading for her locker, when she saw Gilda in her path. She also noticed the other, and when she past, she made sure to bump into her. "Watch out Bookworm"

Twilight paused, and something in her took hold. "Why don't you?" She let out, not sure where it came from.

"What?” She turned.

Twilight turned to face her as well. "I said, you should watch out. You bumped into me" She had this brewing in her for some time, the fact the bird was so rude to everypony, even those who only wanted to help, was too much. "I have done nothing to you, but try to be nice, and I'm sick of having to worry about myself around you"

Gilda moved closer to her. "Better watch yourself, Dash can't save you, if you push me"

"Do not need her too. I am not afraid of you, and not going to be afraid to spend time with her either. Get over, what ever it is that you have against me, cause I am not trying to steal her from you"

She grabbed Twilight by the shirt, and pushed her to the lockers. A few were watching, some looking shocked that any would stand up to the known bully. "You sure love to talk, but don't know when to shut it. Good thing you like to learn, because I'm going to teach you something"

Before she could make a move, Twilight's horn shined, and Gilda went flying across the hall to the wall. She recovered from the crash, and stood up with rage in her eyes. "You're dead!"

Twilight did not move, and as the other came, an Officer grabbed her. "Well, seems we're back in Grade school. Starting fights again, this will be the last time Gilda" He looked at Twilight. "And you will have some explaining to do too"

The whole thing became a big problem, more for Twilight, than the other involved. Given Gilda long list of trouble, and not being her first fight, she was out for the semester, making her have to take make up courses in the summer. Twilight, unfortunately for her, was in a similar situation. She was a special case, allowed after the registration period, and advanced late in the year, she was on a high standard, and so was also out for a couple weeks. She would have little trouble making it up, but the fact she was out of class for the time, was more of the punishment as it was intended. With the coming Winter break, she would be out till next year started.

That was not the end of it for either of them, and Twilight was trotting home, when Gilda came across her. "I have a beating waiting for you"

Twilight did not back down, and she declared she would keep her ground. She was not very skilled in fighting, but she knew defensive magick, and was able to keep herself from getting a worse beating, thanks to it. She took on Trixie’s false Ursa, she knew she could hoof the hot headed bird.

Rainbow Dash swooped in, and pushed them apart. "What in Everfree is this?!"

"Dash, help me kick her ass, she is using magick to keep me from beating her down"

Rainbow Dash looked at her, then looked at Twilight. "What happened?"

The Unicorn answered, going over the little bits. "So we both were restricted from entering the school"

"And she got this semester take'n away. I have to do it all over in summer!"

Dash stood there, not able to believe what was going on. "G, why do you always start crap? You're never getting out, if you keep this up" She sighed. "I can't believe, two of my friends, are fighting like this"

"She is no friend, she wants you to forget about me!" Gilda said, pointing her finger at the other.

"What? I just wanted us all to get along"

"Liar!"

"Stop it!" Dash shouted. "Why can't we just get over this?" She looked at Gilda. "We've been friends forever, and I'm also friends with Twilight. Can't you accept that?"

"No, because she wants you to forget me. She lured you away with all the history crap, and now you spend your time with her, or in the books. When was the last time we hung out?"

Rainbow Dash thought it over.

Twilight moved closer. "You can not believe this? I would not try to keep you a way from your friends"

"She's Canterlot, and a brat of the Queen. Can't trust those upper class royal types!"

Dash looked very deep in thought, and looked up to Twilight. "I... know I've always had trouble with the High class, after what happened... but I want to believe Twilight isn't like that... but I have to trust Gilda" She looked at Twilight.

"What?" Any could feel the pain in her voice.

"I've known her most my life, and I'd trust her with it. You don’t know what I’ve gone through, and she’s been the only one I’ve had, not even family... I want us to be friends Twilight, but..."

Twilight's eyes were welling up, and she looked a way. "No, do not say anything" She looked at Gilda, and glared through her tears. "Looks like you won, you wanted her to yourself, and you got it!"

Her horn shown bright, and in a flash, she was gone.

"Twilight..." Rainbow Dash said weakly.

"Feh, who needs her. She would just do what those upper class ponies always do with us on the lower cut. Use us, and trick us"

The Pegasus looked at Gilda, not sure what she just did. She felt she was partly wrong for doing it, but she could not turn her back on the one friend she had through everything. Her heart sank, as she thought about the pain she caused, but she had bad run in with the royal class before. And one time, that changed her whole life. She felt torn by the whole thing.

***

Rainbow Dash tried to get a hold of Twilight, but she would not respond. She was not do back in school for a while yet, and so the only choice was to find her. She tried the Library, but no luck, and so she tried Apple Cider's.

She trotted in, and looked toward the booth she usually was, but was not now. She spotted Applejack, and called out to her. "Hey, AJ?"

The Orange mare turned, and glared at her. "Woah, what's that for?"

"Y'all have to ask?"

Dash paused, and knew she knew. "Well, I'm trying to find her"

"So y'all can do more damage? How could y'all? Twilight is a sensitive pony, and done nothing to deserve that"

"The hell? I just said I had to side with Gilda on it. I wasn’t trying to hurt her. If you only knew how hard it is to trust any pony from Canterlot, after what I've gone through"

She jabbed a finger at her. "Where she is from, ain't the problem. The fact y'all took that damned Gryphon's side, is more the point. Y'all know that monster better than any of us, and should know she ain't worth trust'n to watch a hayseed, let alone telling the truth"

"That is right, I do know her better than any pony, just cause you all see her as some monster, doesn't mean she is. She has been through a lot, and her and I have been through too much for me to just throw it a way on a little butting of heads! Would you have sided with a new friend, over one you've share a long history with?"

Applejack snorted. "For one, I don't associate with low down snakes. If'n I did, I'd know all the shedding they do, ain't gonna change the fact they are still snakes.

"What ever history y'all have, most be worth it, if you can destroy a poor mare's heart. She came here, and has grown so attached to all those here, and y'all were one she held close" She paused a moment. "She ain't been nothing but nice to us all, and done nothin' to suggest she would do any harm. Don't know what y'all have against the royal types, but what ever it is, Twilight isn't like that"

"How do you know? Maybe she isn't so pure, maybe she is hiding something. Canterlotians are all stuck up, and snobby. Treating the rest of us in Ponyville, or even Cloudsdale, like we are lesser creatures!"

Applejack studied her. "Of all ponies to be talk'n about being stuck up. Y'all are the biggest show off in Ponyville, and all you care about is being number one. Y'all act more like these supposed bad Royal types"

She turned, finding it hard to look at her. "I knew y'all had bad judgment, being friends with that bird and all, but trying to drag down Twilight, to defend that vile Gryphon? It's a new in low. Y'all choose the Gryphon over Twilight, but I'm choosing Twilight"

Rainbow Dash was a bit confused, all the rage and anger was gone for a moment. "Choosing her?"

"Yeah, if'n y'all are gonna stay friends with her, then I ain't keep'n friendship with y'all. Y'all asked who I'd pick, well y'all are proving to be a snake, and even after all the years, I see the skin shed'n. I said it before, choose her over a snake"

Dash was hit hard by that, nearly loosing her balance. "But-" Applejack turned completely. "Y'all made a huge mistake, and airn't own'n up to it. So, we'all are done"

She started to trot away, as the other was still trying to process what had happened. "I won't buck you out, ain't the Apple way too, but I don't have to serve, or talk to y'all"

She was nearly back to the kitchen, when it all sank into Rainbow. She clenched her fists, and shouted. "Fine!" And stormed out, nearly knocking over a dragon coming in.

Out of sight, Applejack pressed her back to the wall, and covered her eyes in her arm. "Damn it Dash..."

Comments

I love the story, but there's one thing throughout the whole thing that has been bugging me. The correct spelling is "College". Not Collage. Just please fix those in the upcoming chapters, and you'll have yourself one of the best of the best!

this story i geting better and better

[Darkus-Moon-Shine]

Hahaha now i remember readin this i'm just reading back