Ch. 1: The First Steps
Vinyl Scratch
An old car slowly pulled into the Fillydelphia University parking lot. Deep bass throbbed, rattling the windows and the windows of surrounding vehicles, and that bass turned into a full-out mix as the door opened. The music only lasted a few seconds before the car was turned off, but it was enough for multiple college students to yell at the newcomer. She didn’t care.
Her hair was spiky, with electric-blue and navy-blue streaks. Violet glasses hid her eyes from sight, and she had large headphones over her ears as she bobbed her head in rhythm with the song playing.
She was wearing a white hoodie that had a joined eighth note on the hem of the fabric. Faded and ripped jeans hid black, fingerless gloves in their pockets. Popping open the trunk of her car, the girl pulled out a backpack, a duffle bag, and a suitcase before walking to the main office to find out where she would be staying for the next four years.
Applejack
“Now y’all be careful at the farm without me around, y’hear?” A blonde-haired girl said as she pulled a suitcase out of the back of a pick-up truck.
“You can count on us, sis!” A younger girl said from the back seat. Smiling gently, the girl hugged her sister, brother, and grandmother. The latter held her hand.
“Oh, look at you. You’re ma and pa would be so proud, seeing their little Applejack going to college. I know you’ll be darn-tootin’ fantastic!”
“Thanks Granny! You can count on me!” She kissed the old woman on the cheek before pulling away.
“Drive safe, Mac!”
“Ee-yup!” The large man said simply, smiling at his sister and driving away.
Smiling after them, she walked off to the main office to find out where her dormitory was.
Octavia
A young girl walked through the main entrance to the Fillydelphia University campus. Unlike the other students, however, who were giddy with excitement, this girl walked with a calm, cool, and reserved poise. Someone would think she was a senior rather than a freshman.
The truth was she had visited the campus multiple times already. She and her father had come to tour the place at least a dozen times within the last month and a half. She knew every nook and cranny that someone could find in the facility.
She was not lost or confused or giddy with excitement. She was ready for anything and everything. Or at least, she thought so. All of a sudden, a blur of gray hit her with the force of a speeding train.
Octavia looked around, confused. Why was she on the ground again? Glancing over, she saw another young girl with blonde hair and amber eyes, lying on her back. Next to her was…
“My cello!” Octavia scrambled to her feet, picking up her cello case and looking inside. The instrument was completely safe. Sighing in relief, she clicked the case closed and began to put her clothes back in her suitcase, which had popped open. Looking up, she saw the girl helping. When all was put to rights again, they officially met.
“I’m Octavia. Octavia Philharmonica.”
“Ditzy Doo.” The two shook hands before getting to their feet. Looking at herself, Octavia moaned as she saw her neat, grey suit and pink bow tie were muddied from the fall.
“Oh! Here, rub this on it when you get the chance.” Ditzy handed the cellist a jar of something. It was clear as water, but when smelled, it was distinct that is was alcoholic, some sort of drink.
“Vodka?” Octavia guessed. Ditzy nodded.
“I delivered mail, and one time, I fell in the mud. I was delivering a bottle of this from Stalliongrad, and it broke, so when I got to the place, there was no vodka, and the parts of my uniform it had touched were clean!” She giggled, dabbing a cloth in the substance and rubbing it in her grey hoodie, showing it’s results. It looked good as new.
“Well, thank you! I’ll use this later tonight.” Octavia closed the jar and put it in her suitcase before turning to leave.
“Um… Miss Octavia?” Ditzy said nervously.
“Yes?” The young girl turned again.
“I, uh… don’t know where the main office is.”
“No worries!” Octavia pointed in the direction of the administration building.
“Thanks!” Ditzy Doo smiled before running off towards the building. Smiling and feeling glad that she had been able to help, Octavia turned to her dormitory. She knew exactly where she was supposed to go. She was ready.
Pinkie Pie
“Oh boy oh boy oh boy!” A girl said as she literally bounced through the exit of the administration building. They had told her where to go, and she was off to unpack for the next several years of her life.
“Aren’t you excited, Gummy?” She asked her pet alligator. The reptile simply stared and didn’t say a word back, but Pinkie didn’t care. She was just too excited for everything she could do here!
The Cakes had helped pay for her to come to Fillydelphia, and she had worked hard through school to get the half-scholarship she had gotten. With luck, she would graduate and start a bakery line of her very own.
“We can throw parties and have food and play music and learn and read and write and--- OOF!” She bumped into someone else when she wasn’t looking, and they tumbled to the ground. Looking over, she saw a young girl screaming while she looked at her white shirt and pants.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” Pinkie apologized, helping the girl up. As soon as she was on her feet, the girl whipped around angrily.
“You… You RUFFIAN!” She aggressively advanced on the party girl until they were nose-and-nose.
“Wha-what’s wrong? You’re alright!”
“Alright?” The girl’s eye twitched. “ALRIGHT?! You call THIS alright?!” She gestured to her body, specifically her white button up shirt, which had splotches of dirt on it from the fall. Pinkie hissed through her teeth.
“I’m really sorry about that. Um… HERE! Gummy, activate Plan A!” The pink-haired girl threw the alligator, who somehow had a bar of soap on his claws, at the fashionista (Who screamed loud enough for the entire campus to hear). However, within a few minutes, the outfit was sparkling.
“I… ah… gah… what just happened?” The girl asked. Pinkie was ushering her alligator into his cage.
“That was Plan A for if someone got covered in mud on my account!”
“And what was Plan B?”
“Gummy would have shredded your clothes until there was nothing left!” Pinkie giggled at the horrified expression on the other girl’s face. Then she stuck out her hand.
“Where are my manners? My name’s Pinkie Pie!” The girl was frozen in place.
“And you are…?” Pinkie asked, sticking her hand out a bit further. The girl in the white outfit finally took the hand.
“I’m Rarity. Well, miss Pinkie, I must be on my way. The administration building is just yonder, and I simply must find out where to unpack before these dreadful bags crush my spine. I hope we meet again soon.” Rarity picked up her bags again and walked over to the building Pinkie was just leaving.
“What a funny girl.” Pinkie giggled before skipping off to her dorms. She wanted to set up a surprise for whoever her new roommate was.
Lyra and Bon Bon
Two girls showed up shortly enough. One had teal hair with a white streak of a highlight. She wore a mint-green tank top and casual jeans, a standard suitcase in one hand and a lyre case in another. Her amber eyes sparked with determination.
“Lyra, did you happen to catch where the administration building was on campus?” Her friend asked. Bon Bon had hair with two streaks, one pink and one a dark, dark blue. Her blue eyes were a little more concerned than those of her friend. She wore a cream-colored button-up shirt, with khaki pants.
“Relax, Bon Bon. I know exactly where to go… here!” The teal-haired girl pointed to the building dead ahead. Sighing in relief, Bon Bon ran to the entrance and walked into the air conditioned room. The summer heat hadn’t left the September air yet, it seemed.
“Before you say anything,” the receptionist called to them, “Please tell me there is no pet in that musical instrument case?”
“Uh… no?” Lyra replied, confused. The receptionist sighed in relief and signaled them over.
“This girl with bright-pink hair came in here with an alligator. An alligator! The nerve of some people!” She harumphed before regaining her composure. “However, that’s beside the point. Are you two here to check into your dorm rooms?”
“Yes. I’m Bon Bon, and this is Lyra Heartstrings. We were told we’d have a dorm room together.”
“Just a moment…” The receptionist dug around in a file cabinet before pulling out a folder. Opening it, she revealed some forms and two keys.
“Here we are! Just sign here, and you can go unpack. But quickly, opening ceremonies shall begin soon.” The two friends signed the contracts before waving the receptionist goodbye and exiting the room.
“You think we’ll survive college?” Bon Bon asked. Lyra kissed her forehead.
“I know so. Come on, let’s go unpack.”
Rainbow Dash
A bus finally pulled into the parking lot, and a sea of students washed off of it. Except for one girl. She waited for everyone to leave before exiting calmly and making her way to the administration office. Wasting no time, she got her key and trekked into the dormitories to find her room.
She reached for the doorknob to find the room unlocked. Opening it slowly, she saw a young girl unpacking her suitcase. The girl jumped and turned around to get a look at the intruder.
This newcomer had rainbow hair, obviously dyed. She wore dark sunglasses and a leather jacket, with torn jeans. Dog tags hung around her neck, and she put off an aura of coolness… and cockiness. Brushing off her hands on her pants, Applejack extended her hand.
“Howdy! I’m Applejack. And you are…?”
There was a moment of silence before the newcomer shook the hand loosely.
“Dash. Rainbow Dash.” She said coolly. Applejack nodded and looked around the room.
“I guess we’re roommates for the semester, eh Dash?”
“I guess.” The new girl said, plopping her military bag on the open bed. Scratching her head, the farm girl tried again.
“So, uh, Dash, I see you got yourself some dog tags and that bag. Were you in the military?”
“Yeah. Air Force.” Rainbow brushed off the question.
“What division?”
“301st, though I’m working on getting into the Wonderbolts.”
“That’d take a bootload of skill.”
“I got that and more.” Rainbow replied before exiting the room to head to the main hall. Applejack watched her leave and lost herself in thought.
I’m going to have to keep an eye on that one…
Octavia
Octavia Philharmonica was busy unpacking when a knock came from the door. Looking up, she saw that the door was already open. In the entrance stood a girl about her age, with spiky blue hair and violet goggles.
“‘Sup?” The girl asked.
“Oh, hello. Can I help you with something?”
“Actually, yeah.” This girl threw her bag to Octavia, who barely had time to catch it before it hit her.
“Mind helping me unpack?”
“Ha ha, very funny.” Octavia threw the bag back at the newcomer before getting up and dusting off her skirt. When she was satisfied with herself, she walked up and gave her hand to the newcomer.
“I’m Octavia Philharmonica.”
“Vinyl Scratch, and I’m your new roommate.” There was a tense moment of silence as they shook hands before Vinyl sniffed the air. Sniffing a little harder, she looked to Octavia.
“Why do you smell like hard Stalliongradian Grade-A vodka?”
“Oh, that… there was an incident…” Octavia blushed. Vinyl nodded.
“I know the feeling. One moment, you’re fine, then BOOM! You’re cugging more booze than a Russian.”
“I-I did NOT drink!” The cellist shouted indignantly. “I fell in the mud, the vodka only cleaned off my outfit.”
“Mhmm. I run clubs, miss, I’ve heard that before.”
“Why you---”
“Attention, all freshman students. All freshman students.” A voice interrupted them over the PA. “Orientation is in five minutes. Report to the auditorium for orientation.”
The two musicians looked at each other in worry.
“FIVE MINUTES?!” They cried in unison before bursting out of the dorm room in an attempt to get to the orientation in time.