My Little Pony: One as a Family. "Trials of Friendship"

by SaburoDaimando

Arc 3(Golden Lace's Lament)-1: A Pariah at Daisy Joy Tech

Arc 3: Golden Lace’s Lament

A Pariah at Daisy Joy Tech

One day ago, prior to Wanda’s return to a school where she, her friends and Majesty were the only students left, Golden Lace was inside a classroom at Daisy Joy Tech, taking a test of some sort. Despite its welcoming decorations and the presence of the teacher, the students looked cold and calculating. Some were staring at Lace’s face as if they were distrustful of her. But Lace kept her focus on her test, not looking up at any of the students.

“I know you can do this,” Lace thought to herself. “This is just a simple test, and many of the answers you’ve studied your butt doing will make this a piece of cake.”

Golden Lace continued to write as fast as possible, marking down spots where she believed the answer was correct, writing down essays in the exact spot, and labeling certain answers either true or false.

Nearby, many of the other students continued to look at Golden Lace with such disdain.

“Just look at that dweeb,” One student said. “And she’s supposed to be friends with those overrated princesses?”

“And she used to be such a mean-spirited filly,” Another student said. “My how the mighty has fallen.”

“Maybe she should crawl back into her shell,” A third student said. “Ahh who am I kidding? She deserves to be ridiculed.”

Golden Lace paid no attention to the murmurs of her from the other students as she continued to write as fast as possible, keeping her focus on the test.

Suddenly, someone kicked the chair underneath Golden Lace, causing her to fall down on the floor. The entire class laughed out loud as Golden Lace looked around before holding her head down with her arms.

“That’s enough, class,” the voice of the teacher said in a stern tone. “You are to focus on your test, not focus your misery onto others.”

The students sighed and said “Yes, Mr Starshine.”

In front of the class at the desk, Argyle Starshine watched as Golden Lace got up, readjusted her chair and sat back down to the take the test. The teacher had a light blue coat, a royal blue mane and tail with white and purple streaks, a dark maroon-rimmed glasses in front of his eyes, and had a Yellow Shooting Star as a cutie mark.

“I do see alot of potential in Miss Lace,” Argyle said to himself. “But I’m afraid of how she will react when I am forced to fail her for this test, under the orders of Headmistress Honey Twist. And it’s not the first time any of us has had to fail her.”

Later that day, Golden Lace was in her dorm room by herself, waiting nervously on her bed. Besides a few toys, a computer, a closed closet door and a bathroom nearby, there was not much else in the room. Golden Lace let out a sigh as she waited anxiously.

“Still worrying about the test, are ya?” Golden Lace turned to the nearby closet, where Cozy Glow popped out from behind the door.

“Yeah,” Golden Lace said. “I’m hoping this time, I pass with flying colors.”

“I am aware of that,” Cozy Glow said as she flew up onto the bed and sat right next to Golden Lace. “I’m also aware of the last few tests you failed despite studying hard for it.”

“I’m sure that I will pass this test,” Golden Lace said. “After all, how could I forget about those answers, when you’ve beaten them into my head?”

Cozy Glow giggled and said “Well what are friends for? After all, I wanted to make sure you got that A+ on that test, no matter how many times they’ve given you an F.”

But as Golden Lace was about to chuckle, she heard the sound of a door knocking loudly. Lace turned to Cozy Glow and said “Quick, hide.”

Cozy Glow nodded before she jumped off the bed and hid underneath. Golden Lace readjusted her mane and turned to the door.

“Come in,” Golden Lace said.

The door swung open violently as a pair of students marched in with smirks on their faces and their sight set on Golden Lace. One student had yellow fur and a pink, short mane, while the other had pink fur with a yellow, long curly mane tied into bon tail.

“Marcie Pan, Fawn Doo,” Golden Lace said nervously. “How can I help you two?”

“Oh we’re here to remind you that despite you being the daughter of Gold and Silver Banks,” Fawn Doo said. “You’re nothing special.”

Marcie Pan marched up to the bed and sat right next to Golden Lace. Her weight was enough to press the bed on Cozy Glow below,

“Urrgh,” Cozy Glow said silently. “Couldn’t that big butt eat less pastries and more vegetables?”

Golden Lace glanced at Marcie Pan and Fawn Doo before she said “So? I don’t want anything to do with my folks, especially my mom.”

“Oh that’s right,” Fawn Doo said. “You despise your own parents. I thought you looked up to them.”

“I did until a few friends and the Queen of the Hippogriffs told me how wrong my path was,” Golden Lace said. “And then my own folks showed me their true colors afterwards.”

“Aww that’s too bad,” Marcie Pan said in a sarcastic tone. “Maybe what you need is to harden your own heart against the friends you had to abandon.”

“I didn’t choose to abandon my friends,” Golden Lace said as she slammed her hoof on the bed.

“Don’t lie to us,” Marcie Pan said as she placed her hoof on Lace’s chest. “Deep on the inside, you wanted out from that failing School for Gifted Unicorns and all that mushy pushy Friendship is Magic hogwash.”

“It’s not hogwash,” Golden Lace yelled as she pushed Marcie’s hoof aside. “I actually wanted to move to La Maresa, only for my mom to force me to move to this horrible school.”

“Actually, she’s right sis,” Fawn Doo said as she took a few steps away from Golden Lace and Marcie Pan. “I heard that Gold Banks threatened to demonize her own husband on the Stallion News Network, formerly the Horse News network, unless you were transferred to this fabulous establishment. Silver Banks was forced to back down and allow it to happen. Poor baby. Do you miss being able to do what you want?”

Golden Lace jumped off the bed and onto her four hooves. She marched over to Fawn Doo and yelled out “I MISS THE COMFORT THAT FRIENDS AND REAL FAMILY COULD BRING COMPARED TO THE CRUELTY THAT MY MOTHER SHOWED ME!”

“My my,” Fawn Doo said. “Such a lack of temper.”

“Oh dear sister,” Marcie Pan said as she got off the bed, giving breathing room to Cozy Glow below. “Seems Golden Lace is not use to these kinds of harsh realities.”

“What exactly are you talking about?” Golden Lace asked as she turned her head towards Marcie Pan.

“Here at Daisy Joy Tech,” Marcie Pan said. “Friendship is not magic. Knowledge is real magic. And testing is the true source of knowledge.”

“You should abandon your friends and harden your heart,” Fawn Doo said. “You don’t need all that garbage.”

“They’re not garbage,” Golden Lace said.

“Oh don’t lie to yourself, Lace,” Marcie Pan said.

“Speaking of which,” Fawn Doo said. “I heard about the results of today’s test. And from what I understand, you not only got the lowest score on the test, but you also failed.”

“Say what?” Golden Lace’s face went into complete shock as her eyes shrunk down and her jaw dropped to the floor.

“Oh you didn’t get the memo?” Marcie Pan said. “That was why we came by. To give you that horrible news.”

“Well anyway, see you around?” Fawn Doo said with a laugh.

And with that, Marcie Pan and Fawn Doo left the room with each of them letting off a sinister and chilling laugh, all while Golden Lace stood there motionless. As soon as the door closed, Cozy Glow flew right out of the bottom of the bed towards Golden Lace.

“Lace, you okay?” Cozy Glow said as she waved her hoof in front of Golden Lace’s face.

“This….this can’t be true,” Golden Lace said. “I’ve got to find out. I need to talk to Mr Starshine.”

With that, Golden Lace opened the door and raced out of her room with Cozy Glow standing there, dumbfounded.

Cozy Glow let out a sigh before she said “I hate it when they put too much pressure on Golden Lace.”

With that, Cozy Glow flew back to the closet, opened the door, went inside and slammed it shut.

Meanwhile, in Argyle Starshine’s classroom, Argyle waited nervously with a stack of papers next to him. He tapped his left hoof on the table, keeping his eyes on the doorway leading out.

“The same old dance routine that I have been forcing Golden Lace to go through,” Argyle Starshine said to himself. “Everytime she believes she’s going to pass the test, and everytime I’m forced to fail her through no fault of her own.”

Immediately, Argyle Starshine picked up the sound of a door slamming open. He turned to the right to see Golden Lace march in, who was breathing heavily.

“Lace,” Argyle Starshine said. “I take it you wish to see the results of your test.”

“Yes,” Golden Lace said as she continued to breathe anxiously. “Tell me the results of my tes.”

Argyle Starshine turned his head away before pulling out a piece of paper and moving it across the desk by the bottom of his hoof. He lifted his hoof up, allowing Golden Lace to lift the paper with her magic.

“I’m afraid you’re not going to like what you see,” Argyle said.

But as Golden Lace looked at the paper, her eyes began to water as her mouth slumped down into a miserable frown. On her test paper, there was a big red F at the top with a zero right next to it.

“I…I failed again?” Golden Lace said in a dejected tone as the paper slipped from her hoof down onto the floor. “But I don’t get it. This is the twentieth time that I flopped on a test, and I still don’t understand why.”

“Then it’s time you knew the truth,” Argyle Starshine said. “Even though it will cost me my job.”

“What truth are you talking about?” Golden Lace replied.

Argyle Starshine got up from his seat and walked around the desk towards Golden Lace. He placed his hoof on his forehead and said “This will cost me my job, but it’s time you knew the truth. From the very start, Headmistress Honey Twist has been out to make your life miserable.”

Argyle Starshine picked up the test paper with his hoof before placing it on his desk. Golden Lace looked down at the F on top of the paper, still startled by the grade.

“Truth be told, you actually got all of the answers right,” Argyle Starshine said. “But the Headmistress demanded that you be given an F for one reason: To satisfy her desire to torment you.”

“What?” Golden Lace said.

“And believe it or not,” Argyle Starshine said as he adjusted his glasses. “This wasn’t the first test where I was forced to fail you. With every test you took previously, you got every answer right, and you wrote like you were some kind of scholar from Canterlot.”

“And then this Headmistress decided that I should fail every test I take?” Golden Lace said.

“Yes,” Argyle Starshine said. “Honey Twist told me if I didn’t keep giving you an F on your tests, I would lose my job.”

Golden Lace snatched the paper from the desk and looked at it with a distaste in her eyes. She crumbled it up with her magic before tossing it in the trash. Her eyes looked reddish as she was on the verge of losing her temper.

“If that was the case,” Golden Lace snarled. “Why did you take up this job in the first place?”

“Because unfortunately,” Argyle said. “This was the only school in Manehattan that was available.”

Lace calmed down as she said in a confused tone “Say what?”

“A few months ago,” Argyle Starshine said in an optimistic tone. “I graduated from the academy of teachers up north. I dreamt of wanting to come down to Manehattan to teach younglings willing to grow like a seed wanting to become a flower. I wanted to pass on my fascination with society, with our history, to a new generation of ponies.”

Argyle’s tone became somber as he added “But when I came down to Manehattan to find my job, I realized a dark truth: Nearly every school in the vicinity was closed down. The teachers who used to work there were forced to find jobs elsewhere.”

“And how did you find this place?” Golden Lace asked.

“One day, as I lamented the loss of another school,” Argyle said. “I noticed a flier of some sort right next to my hooves. I picked it up and it mentioned a newly opened school called ‘Daisy Joy Tech: The Best and Only school meant for Manehattan, and perhaps all of Equestria.’ Having read the information, I felt as if it were the only place I could go to in order to finally get that teaching job. While it didn’t take me long to get this job, I realized just how awful it has been.”

“I don’t like where this is going,” Golden Lace said. “But go on.”

“Many of the students just don’t feel compelled to learn,” Argyle said. “To study. To grow at all. They would rather pick on other students and feel superior to them. To make matters worse, the pay is awful. Barely enough to support my sisters and my mother.”

“So why not find another job?” Golden Lace asked.

“It’s a lot harder than you realize,” Argyle said as he walked towards his chair and sat down. “First off, there are reports of teaching jobs across Equestria that are disappearing before our very eyes. I don’t know what’s going on, even with the School for Gifted Unicorns up in Canterlot. But more and more teachers are stepping away from their jobs and schools are closing down. Second off, even finding a job here in Manehattan has become far more difficult. No one is hiring for any position. Not even retail or factory work.”

Golden Lace let out a sigh before walking over to Argyle Starshine’s seat and said “I can’t believe what Equestria is turning itself into. All over the paranoia that sprung from the Grand Gallopin Gala that I had to endure with my friends.”

Argyle placed his hoof on Golden Lace’s shoulder and said “These are trying times. Don’t lose hope, no matter what.”

“I’ll try,” Golden Lace said. “But it won’t be easy.”

A few minutes later, Golden Lace stepped out of Argyle Starshine’s class with a defeated look on her face. She slumped down the hallway, ignoring the other students of the school.

“All that hard work,” Golden Lace said to herself. “All that studying, all that cramming, all for nothing. What am I doing here? Can’t this day get any worse?”

Suddenly, Golden Lace was hit by a splash of water, scaring the little filly. She dropped to the ground, soaking wet, all she did was try to blow the front of her mane up.

“Yep,” Golden Lace said. “It got worse.”

Golden Lace’s ears picked up the sounds of mean-spirited chortles. She looked up and saw the students around her laughing right at her face.

“Look at the Broken Lace,” one student said. “She’s all washed up.”

“Yeah,” another student laughed. “More like a wet dog if I say so myself.”

“This is one of Princess Celestia’s finest students?” a third student laughed. “What a hasbin.”

The students’ laughter caused Golden Lace to look all around, as if she were on the verge of tears. She got up and ran off crying as the students continued to break down in hysterics.

“There goes that shadow of her former self,” A fourth student said. “Maybe she shouldn’t have shown her face anywhere in Equestria.”

“You said it,” a fifth student laughed.

Golden Lace ran as fast as possible down the school halls, crying her eyes out as she tried to ignore the horrible laughter of the mean students.

“I hate them,” Golden Lace said to herself. “I hate all of them. I hate what I was before. I hate my mother the most for putting me in this horrible, horrible place.”

Suddenly, a gush of thick ketchup stopped Golden Lace in her tracks as she was covered in this red, thick tomato sauce. She wiped the ketchup off her face before she looked up, watching as more students laughed at her.

“I think Broken Lace is seeing red right now,” one of the students teased.

“Yeah,” another said. “If I were a bull, I would send her flying off the planet with that color.”

As the students continued to laugh at Golden Lace, the ketchup-covered filly got up and ran off again, crying even louder.

But not far from where Golden Lace was humiliated, a middle-aged earth pony with a yellow coat, a grey-whitish pouf mane, and what looks like an expensive business suit, watched over the students’ laughter.

“Ahhh nothing like seeing fresh forms of humiliation in the afternoon,” the pompous pony said. “It always brings a smile to my face.”

She looked down the hallway and got her eye on Argyle Starshine’s classroom from a distance.

“And I assume Mr Starshine told her the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” the pompous pony said before turning her attention to the opposite side of the hallway. “Good. It’s only a matter of time before she makes the biggest mistake of her entire life. And I welcome it. So say I, Headmistress Honey Twist.”

Later, in Golden Lace’s dorm, the ketchup-covered filly slammed the door open before shutting it closed. She ran towards the bathroom area and jumped into the tub before turning on the shower. Cold water poured from the showerhead, right on Golden Lace’s face, who shivered at the touch of the water. The sound of the shower was enough to cause Cozy Glow to emerge from the closet and run into the bathroom, where she saw Golden Lace partially covered in ketchup trying to wash it off.

“Lace,” Cozy Glow said. “What happened?”

Golden Lace looked at Cozy Glow and yelled “THIS HAPPENED! I THOUGHT GETTING ANOTHER F ON THE TEST WAS BAD ENOUGH! BUT THIS! THIS HAS GONE TOO FAR!”

Golden Lace’s words were enough to freak Cozy Glow out, causing the pegasus filly to fly out of the room in fear. Golden Lace looked on and her tone changed.

“Oh no,” Golden Lace said. “I did it. I scared my own friend.”

Immediately, Golden Lace shook the excess water and ketchup off her body, causing quite a mess in the bathroom. She jumped out of the tub and ran out into her main dorm, where Cozy Glow was backed into a corner, scared half-to-death.

“Cozy,” Golden Lace said. “I didn’t mean to…”

“Get away,” Cozy Glow yelled. “You scare me.”

“But I’m serious,” Golden Lace said. “I just got so upset over being humiliated when someone threw ketchup and water at my face, that I took it out on you. It doesn’t mean I hate you.”

Cozy Glow looked up at Golden Lace, who reached her hoof out with a solemn face. But as Cozy Glow slowly reached out, she and Lace heard a knock on the door.

“Hide, quickly,” Golden Lace said.

Cozy Glow did nothing but hide underneath the bed once more. Golden Lace got up and ran towards the door. But before she could move the knob with her magic, the door slammed open, startling Golden Lace. Immediately, Marcie Pan and Fawn Doo marched on in.

“Wha…” Golden Lace said. “What brings you girls in at this time?”

“Oh nothing more,” Fawn Doo said. “Except the need to Ketchup to what you’ve been up to.”

Golden Lace glared at Fawn Doo and said “Seriously? Even Danged Spell wasn’t that cruel with his use of puns.”

“Well whoever that Danged Spell is,” Marcie Pan said. “He must sound like a real dork.”

“Yeah,” Fawn Doo said. “A dork.”

Golden Lace growled at both Marcie Pan and Fawn Doo, causing the two earth pony fillies to just laugh at her.

“Well now,” Marcie Pan said. “Someone must think she’s a dog.”

“Yeah,” Fawn Doo said. “Maybe what she needs is a collar and a leash to keep her in control.

But as the two laughed even further, steam began to shoot from Golden Lace’s ears.

“You two better watch yourself,” Golden Lace said. “I happen to be one of those unicorns in possession of the Wolf’s Breath Curse, and I’m not afraid to use it.”

“Is that so?” Marcie Pan said. “Are you going to huff and puff and blow our houses down?”

“Or maybe she’s gonna eat us,” Fawn Doo laughed.

“In that case,” Marcie Pan said with a laugh. “We better make like a pig and run for it.”

With that, Marcie Pan and Fawn Doo stepped outside the dorm room, laughing as loudly as possible. Golden Lace then held the back of the door with her hoof and slammed it shut in a huff.

“I HATE THIS SCHOOL!” Golden Lace yelled. “I HATE THESE SOCIOPATHS!”

As Golden Lace stood there, breathing like an angry dragon, Cozy Glow flew out from out of the bed in a hurry, dashing towards Golden Lace.

“Lace,” Cozy Glow said. “They’re gone for now. It’s okay.”

Golden Lace slumped over to her bed as she said “No. It’s not. Mom’s punishing me for being nice to Wanda and her friends by making me stay at this school for who knows how long with a bunch of sadistic students. The fact that the Headmare is forcing the teachers to fail me at every test on purpose makes this even worse.”

“Well why don’t you consider running away?” Cozy Glow asked.

“I wish I could,” Golden Lace said before she sat on her bed. “But these guys are like a hawk when it comes to sneaking in and out. Though I’m still surprised that you were able to sneak into the school.”

“I’ll have to be honest,” Cozy Glow said. “I was rather surprised to even break into the school just to keep an eye on you. Though on the flip side, I would be surprised if they didn’t expel you for something cruel.”

Golden Lace’s eyes lit up as her frown turned into a smile. She turned to Cozy Glow and said “That’s it. I’ll figure out a way to get myself expelled from this horrible school. And I know just what to do.”

Lace got up on her four hooves and walked over to her computer desk. She pulled open a drawer and pulled out a book called ‘Rules and Policy of Daisy Joy Tech.’

“What are you doing?” Cozy Glow said in a worrisome tone.

Golden Lace flipped over the book and began to scan through the various pages as she said “If there’s one thing Daisy Joy Tech prides itself on, it’s the mascot of this stupid building. And you know what happens when you do just that.”

Before Cozy Glow could say anything, Golden Lace held an open part of the book in the pegasus filly’s face. Cozy Glow took a look at it before shifting her eyes back towards Golden Lace.

“Vandalizing the statue of Daisy Joy the Elephant is punishable by immediate expulsion? No excuses?” Cozy Glow said in a cold tone.

“So here’s the plan,” Golden Lace said. “That night while everyone is sleeping, I am going to sneak out onto the front part of this lousy school, take as much ketchup as I can, and spray that elephant as good as possible. My goal is to get caught by the guards for my little stunt, and once I confess to Headmare Honey Twist, she’ll kick me out and I’ll finally be free.”

“As much as this plan sounds devious,” Cozy Glow said. “I do worry about your sanity.”

“Oh relax, Cozy,” Golden Lace said as she opened her closet and pulled out a mini fridge. “I have this in the bag.”

Golden Lace opened the mini fridge and pulled out a large bottle of ketchup. She opened the container and looked inside before smiling evily.

“More than enough to cover that pachyderm,” Golden Lace said. “Now all we need to do is wait until the curfew hour. And then, I strike.”

As Golden Lace laughed like a maniac, Cozy Glow just looked at her with a complete deadtone.

“I wonder if it's too late for me to join the Windigo’s Guild?” Cozy Glow said to herself. “Or Queen Chrysalis’ Changelings? Or even find a new friend in Tartarus?”

To Be Continued in…

Truth and Consequences

Author's Note:

Long ago, when I gave Golden Lace a Heel-Face turn, I felt like I wasn't putting this character's potential to good use. So I came up with the Daisy Joy Tech storyline for her. She's far away from friends and the real family she knew, and the ponies here only torment her because of who she is.

Furthermore, I didn't expect to use Marcie Pan and Fawn Doo from the IDW comics. But here we are. And I may use them again in a future arc.

I must warn you. The next part of the two-part arc is going to be rage-inducing.