> The normal life of Nitpick Bittersweet
>  by Ryusun
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1 - Enter Nitpick Bittersweet
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

They say that Death whispered to his sleeping victims. During your dreams, he walked besides you and opressed you with his usual despotic nature. 'I'll haunt you forever!' He whispered with his mind. 'One day you will be mine!'

'I don't want to die by your hand!' Is what I would say... but dreams had the knack to make people mute. Or at least, it made me speechless, sometimes. But against such a natural entitity of Mother Nature, resistance was futile.

No one can stop death! 

Just when he was about to swing his scythe and spirit me away from the living, a familiar sound resonated around us. My hand crushed another clock, my weary eyes opening as the sun appeared through the window. The dawn was coming. The little town of Ponyville was ready to receive it once more. The song of the lively birds, the serenity of the wind, everything was fine in this beautiful town. But more importantly...

I was alive for another day.

There was a special house in a certain avenue. It consisted of two floors with a common garage, and on the inside of the house, there were the typical furnitures you could find elsewhere - a normal kitchen, a normal bathroom, two now empty rooms in the upper floor and a small closet to the laundry stuff. But there was one room that was still in use. It belonged to me, my only sanctuary. I was about to return to land of dream and see if I could challenge Death once more when but the claxon of a car made me open my eyes slowly.

“Uhhh, who breaks my chains of slumber? ...What time is it?” 

I tried to reach my alarm clock... my hand didn't find anything on it's usual place. "Shit..." I mumbled with annoyance. "I did it again..." My cellphone will do, and as I watched the hour, a piercing horror filled my senses... It was six in the morning with twenty minutes. “Shit!” 

I quickly got out from bed and that made me trip with its sheet. I ended up slamming my head on the door. I should be used to this, this kind of routine. But the mind of a dysfunctional teenager simply refuses to change! I went straight to the shower as fast as I could, rubbing my head to calm down the pain. When I used the valve of  the water, however, “AAHHHH!” it was ice cold. “THE GOD DAMN  H-HEATER IS OFF AGAIN!!”

That was me, Nitpick Bittersweet, seventeen years old. Your average, apathethic high school student. My height is 1.71 meters and 71 kg approximately. My terrible messy, dark brownish hair was a trademark of its own with my brown eyes being as normal as the tree outside. Light tanned skin with a physical appearance that was painfully average. My hobbies are videogames, international cartoons, PC tweaking, sleeping and napping. Blunt, rarely friendly and badmouthed. My parents are not at fault with the last ‘quality’, and unlike my father, my mother simply didn't know about my colorful language…yet. 

At least... those traits are what the people say about me. 

Lately, I had very negative thoughts in my mind because of recent events in life. I was a student in the prestigious school of Crystal Prep, but I had a personal issue that made me drop out there. Since I needed to keep studying to finish high school and have a change of entering a good college, I opted for the best choice near my house: Canterlot High School. 

Drying as soon as possible from my quick bath, I went back to my room and got dressed quickly. It was easy because most of my clothes for the coming fall season consisted of long shirts of the crew neck type (black, grey and blue navy were predominant colors) four standard one-size fit all dark, thick blue jeans, three pairs of shoes.

Besides the previously mentioned clothes, the most important piece of cloth I have was carefully bended inside a box; a Grayish-black, plain tactical shirt whose sentimental value was immeasurable, my grandfather gave it to me before long ago in my fifteen birthday, it’s my favorite cloth, and it receives special treatment like being washed by hand with a special soap and being safeguarded when not in use in the box to avoid damage, it's an extra size bigger, XL, but when I reach twenty years it will be fit just fine, I hope. Since the weather was nice, I decided to use it on my first day.

Once I was ready, I quickly got down to the first floor of the house and headed straight to the kitchen. I did my usual ritual and prepared my nearly mastered banana and apple smoothie. It was quick, tasty, nutritional, and most importantly, cheap! Who doesn't love cheap stuff? Since my family had to move out to Manehattan because of my father's work, I have to live on my own for two years until either I finish High School or his business work ends. So I needed to administrate carefully my income for food, personal hygiene items, emergency expenses and the internet service. 

The last one a priority.

The only reason why I didn't move out with them is because I was going to study in Canterlot High and I am sure that if I was still a student of Crystal Prep Academy, the old man would have made the transaction to the best school of Manehattan instead.  I didn't understand his loyalty to Canterlot High. He was a student back in his youth but I didn't know what was so special about it. He says his high school would give me better life tools than Crystal Prep could ever hope for. 

I didn't believe it, of course.

But living alone was alright if it meant to study there. I could do everything I wanted as long as the house was still intact. And since I'm not really a people person, barely having friends on the academy, they don't have to worry about me bringing someone strange to the house with the exceptions of very few friends known to them. But this was not the time for that, I was going to arrive late to school if I didn't hurry.

It was September 1st, Monday, and school periods has officially started at national level two weeks ago. By mistake, and some bad habits, I  got sick with a strong flu and couldn't go to the school. My mother called from Manehattan and explained the situation to Miss Luna, the Vice-Principal of the school, and she told me that she said that there was no problem and she would ask a student to make a copy of all the notes I missed in classes. That wasn't the way I planned to start my third semester, or second year, in a new school but shit happens.

After jogging for 15 minutes, I barely arrived on time for the special tour. I never was the athletic type but this was ridiculous, now I know why my previous sports teacher, Captain Shining Armor, always scolded me for not exercising enough at his class. Canterlot High is a humble school located near the center of the town with one hundred years of history. It is made of sturdy bricks with a coat of red concrete reinforcement, and besides the main building a soccer field. In each corner of the installations there were fire hydrants that installed in the most important zones of the school if there were ever to be an emergency. 

For a small town and putting aside my personal opinion comparing it with the installations of Crystal Prep, Canterlot High was a fully equipped school on the outside. Especially with its elegant front lawn with a statue of a… stallion? Where is the stallion? I swear there was a stallion two weeks ago. 

It didn't matter. Perhaps it was being repaired.

Since I was a new student, the headmaster of the school, Principal Celestia, told both my father and me during the inscription that I was going to receive a special tour of the installations on the first day one hour before classes started. Since I got sick, the day was postponed until now.

I tend to hate waiting for long periods of time when there's an established appointment, and a student right now is waiting for me to start the activity. I found that irritating because if I hate being made waiting for something already scheduled, I despise to make someone wait in the same sense. 

Ironies of life, I guess.

But I started to think it was not the case here because it was six with fifty-eight in the morning and not a sign of my future classmate was seen in the surroundings. I sat on the stairs in front of the main door and comfortably waited for any signal of life. I looked around and noticed that the soccer field had some trash bags filled to the brim with what it appeared to be debris of hardened sand, trash and the like. Maybe they had an event during the days I didn't assisted. Right, the Friendship Games, they mentioned it happens every four years or so.

Champion Sugarcoat tended to annoy the students since last year with training and studies for that competition.

I don't know why my old school and that old witch of Abacus Cinch cared so much about winning! It was just a stupid competition made by the founders of both schools! At least I was so sick to assist and participate in it with my new school. Couldn't hide the shame of no longer being in the academy. When I was about to complain about my classmate being late, suddenly, I heard the doors opening from behind. 

Fuck, somehow I knew I was the one who was late after all.

“You must be the new student! It's nice to meet you at last!” Said a gentle, mature and confident voice. 

It was not a he, it was a she. I turned around to presence a breathtaking sight! But said expression was extremely unworthy for the Goddess that was in front of me; Fiery redhead with strips of golden hair, light amber skin, deep and beautiful cyan eyes! Her outfit consisting of a grey jacket with an orange strip on both arms with matching boots, some blue jeans and a light cyan shirt. The blowing leaves were magnificent this morning.



There is no doubt in my mind. This girl and I are destined to be married for all eternity.

This is one of the rare occasions where I wish I paid more attention to my friend girl, Chocolate Dancer, in the women clothing subject during our shop trips after middle school years ago. I don't know shit about complimenting a girl. I barely knew what kind of cloth was what. My late mental description could be right or terribly wrong. 

“Uh, are you okay?” 

Crap... I got lost in my thoughts. First time meeting someone from my new school and I am already screwing everything.

“Eh, yes, uh, I'm sorry, It's just that I expected a guy to give me the tour, not someone as beautiful and breathtaking as you.” 

That was so fucking stupid. Please let it be a miracle and make it that she didn´t hear that.

“He…hehe, uh, thanks, that’s, uh, really nice to hear” She said awkwardly.

I'm such an idiot! 
> Chapter 2 - A tour around CHS! My name is Sunset Shimmer!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence because I made one of the worse pick-up lines I could ever thought a few moments ago, the redheaded girl retook her composure and warmly started again the conversation.

“Hey, I haven't introduced myself properly, sorry about that. My name is Sunset Shimmer and it's so nice to meet you! I am sure you will enjoy your staying here at CHS. So please tell me, what's your name?

As you may know, when a guy wants to give a first good impression, they tend to man up and conquer the lady.

“Good morning, Sunset Shimmer, I'm Nitpick Bittersweet and…” 

“Yes?” 

“Are you dating someone?” 

Or screw up everything in the first try,

“I'm sorry, you talked very softly so I didn't hear what you say. You don’t need to be nervous around me”

Heavens thank you for allowing me to live another day.

“I said what's CHS?” 

Idiocy was strong in me on the first day. 

“It's a contraction of our school's full name, Canterlot High School, CHS is a quick and efficient acronym to save the trouble of continuously saying Canterlot High in a normal conversation”

I chose to stick with common sense. “So, what does CHS have that my old School, Crystal Prep doesn't?” I asked bluntly.

“Well, since you didn't assist to school for the last two weeks, you should know that CHS tied at first place in the ‘Friendship Games’ competition!” Sunset's face took a proud expression after saying that statement, and for me, I was dumbfounded by hearing it. “I don't need to ask you what you are thinking! You must be surprised that after twenty years of aggressive feud, CHS broke his losing streak record against Crystal Prep Academy. To be honest, I didn't care about the competition until it actually started. Although… well, weird things happened during the games, it was truly an amazing experience! It's too bad you missed it, you would definitely have some fun back there!”

That was a surprise, I may never have given a crap about my old school's rivalries and its prestigious record but even I knew that CHS was, well, horrid in this kind of events. 

“Wow, congratulations for your tied victory then! It's good to hear that my new school finally is getting good at something.”

“Excuse me?”  I triggered an unhappy topic. “Listen,  you may have your loyalty to Crystal Prep Academy, and I wouldn't blame you for that after all the time you were there! It was your school after all, but I recommend you to keep those thoughts to yourself! All of our school will start to look at you with mean eyes if you let them know what you think about it.”

“You are right, Sunset, sorry for that.”

I was starting to feel pressured.

“Please don't worry, I am not angry! From experience I know that nobody has the right to judge someone the first time you meet them! I'm sure that once you chill out and get used to our school's good vibes, you will have a different opinion about it! Maybe even wear with pride our school's uniforms, jackets, ears and tails and become a loyal Wondercolt!” She said it energetic and happy, that made me feel more hopeful. 

But she was wrong at one thing; I wasnt loyal to my old school at all.



We started the tour around the warm-colored halls and it was surprisngly calm and relaxing. I was being guided by an angel from the sky to all the installations after all, and she was my classmate for all of my classes. My father may be right! CHS could be a better school in other areas besides academics. If it weren't for my somewhat trained concentration, I would have lost all senses of consciousness and just watched her walk and talk all the time without hearing anything, but that would be disrespectful. 

The school had a surprisingly well equipped library. Spacious and with two story filled with shelves and books in it. In the academic sectio I saw that they had the latest editions of Castore's basic Algebra lessons, advanced microbiology, some others subjects I haven't seen before and a dedicated shelve full of literature books. It was not Crystal Preps variety or quantity, but the selection was appropriate, especially since I tought I wouldn't use this place frecuently.

I hoped.

There was an inside gym too. Unlike my old school were everything was last tech, this gym was truly similar to all those High school movies that recently became popular like Basketball posts, stands to get sit during matches, some basic athletics gear. There was even a spacious stage in this big hall.  It was simple, but nice. 

Again, compared to the academy, the Science Lab's equipment was more humble and sturdy, but the quality was good so they can make the job during experiments. I knew how to use all the materials but I admit when someone was better at the subject like that weird but prodigious girl in my old school. Twilight Sprinkle? Or it was Sparkle? Never mind. I was starting to think that I was getting school-sick. But I knew that deep inside it was only nostalgia, even if I hated the environment of the school most of the time.

There was a Band room that had every single instrument to play music with; a piano, flutes, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and more. It was a somewhat small room compared to the rest of the classrooms but I think very few people used this place.

The cafeteria was…very standard, there is not much to say. At least here they have varying menu like Friday Hamburgers, Taco Tuesday and more unlike Crystal Prep were all food was made to meet the recommended requirements for a nutritional breakfast; so no candies, chocolates and such.

But by far, the best of the school was the computer lab! They matched Crystal Prep's hardware. Using updated T5 processors, model 259x, Using this for any High School was practically overkill, especially for simply homework and research activities. I will definetly fall in live with this place soon.

We arrived to a dead end, Sunset looked at me and gave me a lock and a key.

“You can choose any locker over here. I am sorry for how bad this place seems! There were no more lockers available in the better parts of the school. Since nobody uses this place, well... you can see the answer for yourself” 

The ceiling bulb was dead, and the walls' paint was in a bad state with a poster of a crown in there. If it weren’t for the other lights of the installation, this place would be dark. But in retrospect, it was a nice place. Nobody would stumble with me while I deposit or withdraw my belongings. 

“And two more things, come with me!”

I followed her until we arrived to her locker, she withdrew a backpack, searched in it for something and gave me a small folder. 

“This contains a copy of all the notes of the classes you missed and there´s a sheet in there that contains all of your schedules”

I took out the sheet and examined my schedule:

Ethics - Eight to nine a.m. - Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.
Inorganic Chemistry - Eight to ten a.m. - Tuesdays on classroom. Thursdays on Lab.
Trigonometry - Nine to ten a.m. - Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.
Lunch time - Everyday from ten to eleven a.m.
Physics II - Eleven a.m to twelve p.m. - Monday to Thursday.
National History - Eleven to a.m to one p.m. - Frydays.
Literature - Twelve to one p.m. - Monday to Wednesdays.
Informatics (Computer classes and programming) - One to Two p.m. - Monday, Wednesday and Frydays.
Physical education... 

“PHYSICAL EDUCATION ON SATURDAY MORNING!?! FOR REAL!?! WHAT KIND OF MADMAN THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA!?!” I instantly reminded myself that Sunset was beside me. “Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean overreact”.

She was recovering from the noise “It’s okay.” She said understanding my frustration “But believe me when I say that once you get used to it, you won’t mind coming here! The school is a nice play to be! There is no better intrigue than the passion of learning inside these halls!”

I was starting to not like this girl for a moment. Nobody normal could like coming to school like this. She took the rest of her school materials from her locker and gave me the final piece of information.

“Those numbers you see in your schedule are your designated classrooms! Since we share the same classes, I will guide you to those places too!” She patted my left shoulder.

She suddenly started to think about something and then spoke quietly to herself “Hmm, maybe I should review some of my old notebooks if I want to help Rainbow Dash to pass Physics II...”

Rainbow Dash... That name rang some bells. I heard that name before, but where? My thoughts were interrupted, the school bell rang.

“Well, that was the first bell! People will start to arrive anytime soon. For now, let’s go to our classroom! Your new student life in CHS awaits, Nitpick Bittersweet!” 

With that, Sunset Shimmer started heading to our destination and I soon followed.

This first encounter was not that bad. Even with her ominous liking for studies, Sunset looked like a nice person and if everybody here was as kind and patient as her, then I wouldn't need to worry about anything. But my sixth sense tingled during the tour, we were not alone. I could swear I saw a shadow like figure following us from afar since we left the gym. I thought it was another student, or a teacher. Maybe the janitor worked overtime and we just stumbled in his path coincidentally. But no man alive could disappear without leaving a single trace of presence. Maybe I was just too tired from the lack of sleep this recent days. I payed mind no longer to the issue.

"It was just the wind..." I murmured.

I hasted my footsteps and followed Sunset to my first class.
> Chapter 3 - As brave as shy! Kindful Fluttershy!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once inside in an actual classroom, I was marveled by it. They were plain and common. Unlike Crystal Prep Academy were everything was made from the highest quality materials available and adjustable seats with custom desks for each studen, this place had regular desks with a small cushion in their chairs. But I liked it more here. I never was a fashion or over-fancied furniture stuff. The simplest things in life were always the best for me. I took the farthest seat on the corner of the room and once I sat, I came to a conclusion. 

“This is more comfortable than it looks...” My head met its future pillow.

"I am glad you like it." Said Sunset while seating in the middle of the classroom.

The first class of the day, Ethics, was imparted by Mrs. Harshwhinny. She looks like a lady in her forties, with medium size, light golden hair. Her school uniform consisted of a matching grayish purple business coat and skirt with a magenta neck. Something I liked was she didn't asked me to introduce myself in front of the class. That would have been annoying. She went straight to business so kudos for her. 

But when she started to give her lesson of the day about the responsibilities of the people in society, how could someone improve or prejudice the aspects of it with the level of culture of each individual through morals, I came to the conclusion that the rest of my classmates had grasped already two weeks ago: the class was boring. 

The stench of lifeless students, their tired expressions, and drools that would leave a dog in shame... Is this the fabled teaching methods of CHS that my father always barked me to no end that Crystal Prep lacked? Because I am sure that my old school was better in entetaining people during classes. But then, from the ashes of hollow husk in human form, a cute, light-pink haired girl softly to the left of Sunset started to raise her hand. I couldn’t notice the color of her eyes because half of her face was covered from her long beautiful hair. She was wearing a light pink sleeveless shirt and a green skirt with pink butterflies in it.

Once the teacher noticed her, I could see it! She was a serious student!



“Oh, excuse me, Mrs. Harshwhinny, I have a question, if you don’t mind that I ask, I mean, if I am no interrupting the lesson  or well…I…” She squeaked gently. 

I get my praise back. Cute... this girl was just cute.

But for Mrs. Harshwhinny, although her harsh face was still there, a glimpse of genuine happiness for someone to be paying attention to her lesson emerged.

“But of course, dear. What do you don't understand in the subject at hand?”

“Well, you said in your lesson of our first day of school that ethics is the subject to distinguish good from evil from human actions, and now you said that morality serves to distinguish good and evil for individuals. Then what's the difference between morality and ethics? I mean, in context they look pretty similar, if you don’t mind answering.”

“Ethics and morals relate to 'right' and 'wrong' conduct of people. While they are sometimes used interchangeably, they are different in the context that ethics refer to rules provided by an external source. For example, you have a part-time job in our local veterinary, correct?” 

The girl nods her head in affirmation 

"Then your supervisor must have given you a series of rules on how to treat each pet and straight animals you take in custody equally. Those principles of right conduct in your workplace are your ethics, my dear. But morals are different; they refer to an individual’s own principles regarding right and wrong. So, continuing with the example at hand, if you happen to find an animal in really bad shape in the street, decide to take it to your vet station because you lacked the neccesary equipment to do First-Aid treatments to your new found patient, and your supervisor or contratist says that you must kill it because it has no hope of surviving, what would you do?”

“I would tell her that she is crazy! I wouldn’t kill a poor, defenseless little one! That's  just wrong! Even if there is a slim change, I will always do what I can for them, no matter how hopeless it seems to appear!”

This time the girl spoke with confidence and fearless actitude. I thought she was naïve, but her words were filled with such unmeasurable kindness that I could start to believe in her way of thinking. I almost swear that a golden aura started to brim from her.

“Don’t despair, Fluttershy, it was just an example. But as you can see, saving the little one is the right thing for you to do, your moral, and fulfilling an established protocol of conduct in a workstation or similar is ethics. I hope this clear your confusion!” 

It was an interesting explanation, and she didn't used glorified words like my old teachers. I took notes from the knowledge gained today. I was starting to have second thoughts! No matter how good the students are, they always come tired the first the day of the week, maybe they a had last minute work to do and slept until late at night. All of them were trying their best to stay awake. Everything was going just fine until I heard a snore coming from behind of Fluttershy.

Mrs. Harshwhinny slowly approached to the source of the noise with a face of controlled irritation. She was scary, and that could mean bad business. 

“I believe Miss Rainbow Dash has just offered herself to give us a more complete and proffesional explanation of the subjects given today for next class, isn't that right?” 

She slammed her hands in the desk with great force, abruptly awakening the rainbow haired girl. I noticed that she was the tomboy kind with her raspy voice when she screamed, long rainbow-like hair, wearing a blue bottomed shirt and long, black sports shorts under her skirt. 

“WHAAA? WHEN? WHERE? DARING DO, NOOU!” 

"Truth of the universe, that was lame..." I said a little loudly.

Sunset buried both of her hands in her face while Fluttershy started to get worried for her classmate's dilemma 

“Oh, Good morning, Mrs. Harshwhinny! It's and awesome day to be in school, don’t you think so?” She grinned with such bravery, the teacher was not amused.
> Chapter 4 - Loyal Passion! Sassy Rainbow Dash!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

More than forty two moons have passed since Sunset Shimmer, the unofficial leader of the Sonic Rainbooms, arrived to the human version of Ponyville. 

During her first two and half years in the human world, she learned at incredible fast rate how to live in it. It took her less than two weeks to adapt and become the undeniable ruler of the school. A bully and former queen of CHS in middle school were her greatest achievements so far. But everything changed when the Princess of Friendship came to destroy her shallow desires by being blasted with the full might of Friendship in her first week of high-school. 

From then, she became an outcast, scorned and rejected by everyone. But darkness doesn't last long for those willing to redeem themselves. Thanks to the efforts of her new and irreplaceable friends, she rose from the ashes and helped in defeating 'The Dazzlings' six months later. Now, with her recent, triumphant tied for victory in the Friendship Games, not only she stopped the destruction of two worlds, but also, made a new and loved friend.

Now seventeen years old in the human world, but twenty three in Equestria, she was part of the newly founded student committee to keep improving the students lifestyle of CHS; the Idol Six! Part of the program was to elaborate assertive strategies to improve the blooming pride in their school like welcoming new students to be part of the Wondercolts' family or making events to unite the school's efforts in something positive. She tried to implement some friendly approaches during her days of reformation alone, but the sirens' scheme was beyond her capabilities back then. Now more experienced in friendship and school spirit thanks to the selfless efforts of her timeless friends, she would not repeat the same mistake again.

With the arrival of Nitpick Bittersweet and another student during the events of the Friendship Games, it was a perfect opportunity to show them that they choose the right place to study, and Sunset Shimmer has learned through experience that the best way to made someone feel welcome was through the Magic of Friendship.

Some exemplary attitude from the students was a plus. 

Although the first reaction of the new classmate was awkward for Sunset since she isn't used to receive compliments as someone would expect, everything was proceeding as planned; showing the place, made them feel at home, talk to them the kind of dedication the students enforce every day at school, and most importantly, being friendly. She was the right person to do the job and by Bittersweet's reactions during the end of the tour, she knew it was going to be a success… Until one rainbow haired girl decided to give a first bad impression to the new student by drooling on her desk during the first class. 

Being scolded in front of everyone wasn't a nice sight either.

Class was over, and Sunset gave directions to Bittersweet of where was the next class located. She told him that she forgot something on her locker and she would soon join him. Once he was out of range, Sunset went straight to her friend to have a civilized and peaceful talk.

“What do you think you were doing back there!?” 

Concern and anger were an understatement.

“Yesterday, I sent you all a message of how important was today for our school activities in receiving the new student and you nearly ruined everything!”

“Chill out, Sunset” said Rainbow Dash with a calm tone of confidence. “You are overreacting! Besides, you should be more worried about me! Now I have extra homework because Harshwhinny's class was so boring! I needed to take my power nap so the band practice in the afternoon could take place. If I want to show to everyone how awesome I am, I needed the rest!”

“The classroom is not a place to take power naps and slacking around, Rainbow Dash! you know how important this is for me. Fluttershy went to such lengths to even drink coffee that you know it makes her feel weak if she drinks it in the morning after the effect wears out just to be at her peak of attention during class.”

“And now I just want to sleep. Can I sleep in the desk the next class, Sunset” Fluttershy then yawned so softly that sleeping during class was starting to look like a good idea.

“I am so sorry, Fluttershy, but you have to stay awake just one more hour! You can take a nap in the school's yard in our break time. I brought the small pillow you asked for in case this could happen to you.” She showed her the pinkish pillow that she carried on her backpack. 

“Okay, I appeciate it.” She yawned even longer than before. “Next time I'll just drink decaff”

“Thank you for trying your best, Fluttershy! I am truly grateful fot it. ” She said in kind to her light pink, haired friend. “Unlike someone...” She turned to Rainbow. A bit angered was an understatement.

“Oh, come on! The guy wasn't even paying attention to me!” Remarked Rainbow. "I just know it! Trust in me!"

“He was paying attention! Even the inhabitants of the depths of Tartarus couldn't escape from your hellish snores. He was starting to get impressed with Fluttershy's efforts during class until you fell asleep and ruined that moment”

“Meh, Whatever! He doesn’t looks like someone cool to waste our time with!”

“Ugh, Thankfully I learned from Princess Twilight during the Battle of the Bands to always have a plan b. With the exception of Ethics for today, our newest friend share the same schedule as him. The rest of the girls are excellent making friend's and we definetly have some cool guys here like Flash, Bulk, Octavia and so on he can befriend with, but I think being with someone familiar will give him a sense of safety.” Sunset felt sure about it.

“I am telling you that you are over-planning everything! You know either Pinkie's awesome party for both of our new Wondercolts today or Rairitys charm will make them feel welcome instantly. Everything is going to be just fine, trust me. You did an awesome job for the first graders two weeks ago before the competition and I am sure you will do it again!” Said Rainbow meaning it.



“You are right, Rainbow Dash... maybe I am overthinking too much. Nobody can’t resist the energetic personality of Pinkie Pie, and neither Rarity's generosity for the matter. I just want this new group of ours to work! I still can't believe that we named ourselves the Idol Six for our school comitee!”

"It was better than The Fashion Warriors suggested by Rarity..." Said Rainbow Dash in disgust with the name.

"Or the Sextuple Sheriffs by Applejack. I wished it was the Bunny Defenders as I suggested." Said Fluttershy softly and sleepy.

"I dont know what was the problem with mine, Awesome Rainbooms sounds way better." Said Rainbow boastful.

"Our band is already called the Rainbooms! It's not original, you know?" Sunset shook her head with a little grin.

"It's way better than our current name! I don't know why the school agreed with that one! The only one happy about it was Rarity in the end! Maybe we should have gone with the one Pinkie suggested; The Party Poppers!" The three chuckled.

"Once again, you are right" Said Sunset in agreement.

“I know I am right, I am awesome!” Rainbow Dash sighed, then close her eyes in a thoughtul manner. “I will not fall asleep again in front of the new guy. Promise!”

“Thank you, Rainbow. This means a lot to me!” Sunset said tenderly.

“Look…I know that you are trying to mend old wounds with the people who still don’t trust. There are people who still don't believe in everything that has happened this whole last year. And yes, you may have done really not cool things to us in the past, but now, it doesnt matter anymore! Because I can honestly tell you that you are my friend and I am loyal to you until the end of everything. And before you ask, I’ll try to not pony-up, as we agreed. The world is still not ready to admire awesomeness soaring through the sky all day! We don't want people like Cinch starting to spread the word! Who knows what can they do to harm Equestria!”

“Rainbow…” Sunset was deeply moved by this.

“Let's go, then! I feel pumped all of the sudden! We can do this! We are Wondercolt's!! And they will feel at home in a blink of an eye! Our second year in High School will be amazing!! Who's with me!?”

“Yay!”

“YEAH!”

They went to the classroom filled with brimming determination thanks to Rainbow's words. Sunset knew she was right. She wasn´t alone anymore. This will be another step for Sunset Shimmer to reinforce friendship to the school, prove to everybody she has changed once and for all. They arrived at class; Bittersweet was there but still no signs of her other friends. They took their seats and suddenly the rest of students arrived. Sunset noticed that Bittersweet was shocked of what he saw in the small multitude and she smiled.

“This will definitely make you feel at home”
> Chapter 5 - Intellectual Might! Prodigious Twilight Sparkle!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I thought that I was seeing things, maybe one of the apples in my breakfast was expired and instead of giving me a stomached it was making me see hallucinations! 

But it wasn't one.  It was really her!



Her purple hair with pink stripes was unmistakable. Her big, thick trademark glasses highlighted her presence. And that usual uniform of our old school sealed the deal in believing my eyes. She was there. The greatest academic student that Crystal Prep Academy had the honor to have… She also had the title of the most self-absorbed and anti-social being in the academy. Twilight made contact with me at sight. We saw each other in shock. I didn't think she would recognize me, giving her exemplary habit of forgetting people's face, but her current expression said otherwise. 

She was besides another girl talking about something. But I didn't pay her much attention. Well, as long as she doesn't disturb my continuous peace in this place, I didn't mind why she was here. I want to team up with her at nothing again.

But if there was a destiny, she was a complete bitch. She took the sit in front of me awkwardly.

“Nitpick Bittersweet, this is a surprise! They told me a new student would arrive this day like me, but I didn't think it was someone from Crystal Prep!” Said Twilight friendly.

She could be friendly? And my God... She remembered my name.

“Uh…yeah, Twilight Sprinkle. It's such a surprise seeing you here... It's this your first day too?” I asked in a normal tone.

“Yeah, my transfer program was last week after the Friendship Games! And yes, this is my first official day at CHS! ...and It's Sparkle by the way, Nitpick.” She said the last part with a weak, corrective tone.

“I was never good with names back then, since I didn't get along with you and most of the school. Specially you because we lived in different worlds, well…you know! Your sciency stuff and all.” 

My assholitude emerged at full strenght.

“Yeah, I was busy with my studies and you were being… you! Like everybody else, hehehe… uh.”

She hasn't changed one bit. 

This conversation was not going as smooth as she planned. Thankfully, the bell rang, giving start to Trigonometry. The awkward silence got away while we were waiting for the teacher to arrive. I heard some footsteps, but no one got inside. Maybe he or she walked in another direction. I looked at the window door and-

"What was that!?" I said panicked.

"Whats wrong, Bittesweet?" Said Twilight worried.

"No, nothing. I think am just seeing things. I tought there was somebody there in the door window looking at me with dead eyes!"

Twilight inspected the door trying to find something abnormal. "There's nothing there, Nitpick... are you feeling ok? I can take you to the infarmary if you want!"

"No, Twilight. Thank you, but no. I am ok now, thanks for worrying about me. It was just my imagination getting the better of me."

"Call me if you need anything." 

She smiled tenderly and turned her attention to her book. I never thought she could be this nice. I really felt like trash for treating her with indifference moments ago. But I lied to her, I knew what I saw; a glowing pink aura was there and banished like the wind. It was for a moment, but it was more than enough to put my heart at race. I couldn't take away those eyes. Full of ominous intent, haunting blue like the depths of the sea, watching me, like a hunter having found it's prey. I heard footsteps again. I could hear them, getting closer, closer, the knob was being used...it was-

“Good morning, my beloved students!!” Said a man with sickly-sweet happiness.

It was just the teacher. His arrival put an ease to my mind. He was a bald, old man with remains of what was once gray hair. Plump and with a face brimming with joy. What amazed me the most was his long beard. He looked like Santa. Ugh, I think this is one of those teachers that enjoyed sharing the joys of life. At least I have something to complain about instead of something to fear.

“Good morning, Mr. Calculus Bridge!!” With a sincere and happy greeting, everyone besides Twilight and me replied to him.

“As you may know, aside of our new wonderful first grade students, we have two new Wondercolt's joining the second years in our beloved Canterlot High School” Oh no… ”Why don't both of you get in front of the class and introduce yourselves?”

I reluctantly got up from the comfort of my seat and Twilight did the same but with excitement. We were in front of the class, everyone staring at us. So uncomfortable, even I felt my face doing a nervous gesture unlike Twilight were her face was filled with joy… she never was like this in the academy.

“Please, my children, say your names, hobbies and plans for the future!” 

His optimistic attitude was starting to piss me the hell up already.

“Hi, you may already know me since the Friendship Game, especially after that little incident!” She said that while blushing.

“Everybody wakes up from the wrong side of da’ bed from time to time, y'all!” A student said. Everyone laughed with a lack of bad intention. I wonder what happened during the games.

“Hehehehe!” She laughed innocently. “My name is Twilight Sparkle! I transferred from Crystal Prep Academy since I liked this school better! Everyone is so nice and I hope to make many friends in my stay here!” Twilight…making friends? What the hell happened? “My hobbies are studying, researching, inventing gadgets and playing with my dog, Spike! And recently, spent time with my new friends!” Everyone made the typical ‘awww’! “My plans for the future…I wanted a scholarship to study abroad and research scientific discoveries by myself, but after being here during the games, I still don't know what I will do now. I hope all of you will help me to find out, thank you.”

Everyone applauded.

“Oh Miss Sparkle, that's really the kind of students CHS wants! Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts to us!”

We are wasting enough time already! I rather have my Trigo-class now instead of this bullshit.

“Now young man, it's your turn! Don’t be shy! Remember that we are a big, happy family in this school”

I hate you...

“Well…I...”

Silence.

“Come on, yo! You can do it”

This time I found the source of the voice. It was a female student with blonde hair and a big stetson hat.

“It's not that hard to speak in front of people, Nitpick! I am still learning with baby steps but trust me, you can do it! All these people are nice!” 

Twilight Sparkle… the social reject of Crystal Prep… giving me tips… on how to speak in front of people… while smiling? This was getting absurd.

“My name is Nitpick Bittersweet, nice to meet you.” 

Disinterest in my voice was an understatement.

Silence. Everyone started to frown in amusement and concern. I think they expected from me a happy, warm introduction like Twilight before me, but this kind of things simply annoys me. Not to mention it makes me feel uncomfortable because I am not good in sharing my thoughts unless they are my trusted family members or closest friends… which aren’t that many.

“Well, Mr. Bittwersweet, Why did you choose CHS?”  Said the teacher, now a little worried.

That's much better for me.

“Because a personal issue in in my old school and also it was the nearest to my home.” I said bluntly.

“And what are your hobbies?”

“My hobbies are videogames and PC tweaking. I like to spent my time alone doing something of those two.” 

Saying sleeping, napping and especially anime and manga would be a bad idea.

“What are your dreams for the future?”

“Just be happy with whatever thing I can achieve. Big houses, people cheering my name, I am not interested in those things. And either be the school or me, I don’t care much about winning unless is something I want to do.” 

Someone suddenly babbled in shock. I saw it was Rainbow Dash from my previous class. I didn’t care, it was the truth. 

“Well, I like the simple things, unless they are related to my hobbies. That's when I give the extra miles.”

“Oh, that's so nice to hear! Sometimes people forget that the greatest joys of life are found in the most simple of things! I think the same as you man, that's why I decided to become a teacher and share my joy and knowledge in the math subjects to the new generations! And about the 'not interested in winning' part, I am sure that the school spirit will change your mind! Am I right, Wondercolts?” 

Everyone “Yeah” to this, and he regained his happy tone again. I hate that happy vibe. He must be a likable teacher because everyone gave him applauses of approval.

“Well, can I sit now? I feel like I am being interrogated by an inquisition, this kind of thing makes me feel uncomfortable, to be honest.” I said this with honest sincerity. 

Everyone quiet down immediately.

“But of course…please take your seats.” 

The teacher was uncomfortable too. I believe this is a first time for him to face a student like me. I could feel the eyes of everyone watching me. I felt the pressure. I walked to my seat while taking a quick glimpse to the class, Sunset was seeing me with a strange look. Like if she had failed on something. I turned my sight to my desk and then tried to focus on the board and the teacher’s class.

“Well, my students, why don’t we review some of our previous classes quickly to make your new classmates catch with us as soon as possible?” He smiled again. I just met him right now and I already admired his attitude; he recovers fast from awkward moments. I still hate this kind of people, though.

Everyone agreed, and suddenly I started to realize why this teacher was completely accepted in the classroom. Concrete and simple notes, easy to understand step by step formulas. And to be honest, I was kind of impressed, and there was still twenty minutes left of class.

“Wow, you are truly the shit, Mr. Bridge. You are pretty awesome at teaching math. None of my old teachers in Crystal Prep could match your technique at giving lessons, you make it so easy to understand!” I said this somewhat brightly… Wait! Did I just cursed inside a classroom?

He was extremely overjoyed by this. 

“Mr. Bittersweet, that’s the spirit I wanted from you from the start, everyone gave our new friend a warm applause to make him feel at home” 

They did it, cheerfully, even Twilight. I regret praising you, Mr Bridge. At least he didn´t heard the ‘colorful’ word, probably overriden by the rest of my statement.

“I have a question, Mr. Bridge!” Said Twilight while examining her book.

“Yes, Miss Sparkle? With all confidence, ask me when you have doubts during my class!” 

At least he is accessible too.

“Well, according to your teaching and comparing it with the book writing by Sir Colt Kechris, there are three general problems in trigonometric series; one being The Uniqueness Problem, the second being The Characterization Problem, and finally The Coefficient Problem! Each suggest that there are fundamental criteria to solve a trigonometric series, but what I want to know is which conditions, if there are any at all, represents each the currents subjects at hand?“

Twilight, that’s not part of the lesson from today.

“Oh, such wonderful question, easy to misinterpret  when someone reads it in the first go!” 

He erased all of the notes made in the board, luckily some students smart enough wrote them down in their notebook. In Crystal Prep, the bastards always erased the notes from the board before someone could finish copying them. 

“Well, let’s begin. As you know, The Characterization Problem, even for continuous functions, although there are many well-known sufficient criteria for the expansion in a trigonometric series, one can argue than no reasonable exact criteria can be found.” 

He wrote an example with equations not seen in the class. Pretty advanced, if I must say. 

“As you can see here in this example the problem to-----complexity-----substitute-“ 

I was starting to lose my senses in the subject at hand. I could hear words, but I no longer had any idea of what was he talking about. I only heard random sounds coming from his mouth, and then, I heard Twilight again.

“If that’s the case, when you use the theorem of-----radians----cos, sin, tan-----“

I was lost. They were talking and talking about sorcery from the deepest hells. I turned my attention to the window next to me. I could hear the soft soar of the wind, the singing of the birds, the serenity of the weather, and I understood that I had achieved enlightenment. My mind was completely in blank. The essence of time didn't have power over me anymore. Suddenly, I heard coherent words from the teacher that woke me up from my trance.

“And that’s how you can solve any of the basic trigonometric series! They are kinder level, don’t you think so my students?” He said happy.

“I see, thank you Mr. Bridge! They are easy indeed!” Sparkle said excited, her curiosity sated...for now.

“Oh! You are so welcome, Miss Sparkle! I hope you can share your thirst for learning to the rest of your new friends soon!” 

I made an analytical observation, this time to my fellow classmates. Aside from Sunset and two other people that looked like they were straight from The Big Bang Analysis sitcom who were taking notes like it was nobody’s business, the rest of us, common human beings, shared the same thought about the current situation originated from our purple friend! 

We didn't understand shit.
> Chapter 6 - Guardian Dog, Caring Spike!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bell of the school rang. It seems that it was finally break time! My owner and best friend will finally take me out of this furnace soon. I could feel her steps as she walked to the exti. I could hear the multitudes moving to their destinations, but then, even being inside a bag, I could feel the fresh wind. Anytime soon. Just a bit longer… almost there. 

'ZIP'

Twilight unzipped her backpack. “Finally I am free of this thing!”



“Oh, Spike! I am so sorry!  Y!ou know that the school doesn't allow pets inside.”

“It's ok, Twilight! As long as I am with you, anything is worth the waiting!”

She reached me and gave me a tender hug. It was more than a week since the events of Canterlot against Crystal Prep. Today was officially our first day in this school. My owner faced a self-rebirth, now she smiles with more frequency! She feels more accepted and she was joyous of being herself everyday! Never in that old school she was like this! Not even Dean Cadence or her favorite subjects or inventions could make her feel like this. Even if she transformed to a Winged Magical Angel of Doom for a brief moment, I could not wished for a better place for her. Here are people who loved her for who she is, besides her family, of course. I am so happy she is happy. Being able to talk with her and make myself understandable was a nice plus.

“I am so glad to have you as my dog, Spike. Here, your favorite croquettes and some water.”

She retrieved a small box with my favorite food and a special water dispenser for me. Fluttershy was so kind to give this to Twilight. She was resting near the statue. Once she wakes up, I'll give her my thanks. 

“Once you finish eating, you better enjoy the rest of the break and sleep for a while. We still have some hours left in school. I'll wait for Rainbow and Sunset to bring my lunch. They know a place nearby which sells excellent salads and other kinds of stuff. We were not in the mood for pancakes today.”

I obeyed her. After having finished my breakfast, I decided to join Fluttershy in a sweet nap. It is so comfortable and fresh here. I nearly fell asleep until someone made a commotion.

“I told you the guy wasn't worth the effort!! How could someone not like winning!? I say lets forget about him and move on!” 
It was Rainbow Dash, as loud as ever.

“No, Rainbow Dash, we just made the wrong approach! I didn't take into account that he could be shy. No wonder he acted so weird at the start of the tour°”

“You are over-analyzing again! He will be fine by himself! I know it!”

“But Rainbow, did you look at his face? HE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE BEING THERE! I don't understant! I followed Pinkie's updated guide to make loyal wondercolts; Meet the new student, Introduce Yourself, tell him about the wonders of the school, make him feel instantly at home!“

“So what!? It just ONE STUDENT OUT OF HUNDREDS!”

“Would you kindly please be quiet AND LET ME HAVE SOME SLEEP!?”

Wow, Fluttershy can get mad at times. The girls stopped talking with agreement and fear.

“Thank you… you are… so…ugh my head hurts” 

She looked tired. Twilight approached her and extended her hands to Fluttershy's head.

“Here, let me give you a temple massage!”

“Oh, That feels good, Twilight. Thank you...”

“It's not a problem. Dean Cadence always gives me tips and relaxing techniques to let go of my stress.”

“She sure sounds…nice…" She felt asleep with a peaceful demeanor.

That's my owner, she always has a solution to everything. 

“This will do. Sleep well for a while, Fluttershy” My owner’s tummy growled. “I am so hungry...”

“Oh, yeah! This is yours, Twilight! Fruit Salad and Apple juice!”

“Thanks, Sunset!” She took a bite of her meal. “Ohmmm, you were right about this, yum, this is good. But speaking of Apples, where are Applejack and the rest of the girls?”

“They are in the band room making preparations for something we planned for you. This is your big day and we plan to receive you properly!” Sunset started to eat her salad and particulary enjoyed the tomato.

“You don't have to! Being here is more than enough!”

“You know we won't accept a ‘No’ for an answer, Twilight! Believe me, you will have an awesome time with us!” Rainbow took a bite of her food. 

“But-“

“No ‘Buts’, you will have a great time with us!”

“Don’t challenge Rainbow Dash. Besides, I agree, you will enjoy it!”

“I know I will...”

My owner smiled, she was happy for this. Rainbow then spoke her mind out. 

“By the way, thank you Twilight for asking Mr. Bridge about something so difficult. He is a really cool guy and all, but now that you asked him about advanced stuff and we saw it during class, no doubt it will be in the first test in a few weeks, now.”

“But Rainbow, didn’t you find fascinating how a single angle can completely change the process of solving one simple three dimensional problem?”

Rainbow was dumbfounded, I wonder why? Twilight always says interesting things.

“Just forget about it. And please don’t ask anything next class, Mr. Bridge will give us Physics II too! So don’t go on and jeopardize my chances of getting a B+ this year…please!?”

“Don’t worry, I have a better idea, I can give you personalized lessons if you happen to not understand what we learned in class. AAHH! Even now I can think of many ideas that could give you an edge during our study session’s like-” Twilight pulled something from her notebooks. “-Flash Cards!”

My owner has this weird obsession of making scrawled cards for learning purposes. I know they are important to her but I always had that deep desire of destroying every single one of them. I wonder why that feeling disappeared when I started to talk, though.

“Oh, those looks interesting, Twilight. Can I have a look?”

“Of course, Sunset, here!”

Sunset chuckled.

“You too have horrible hand-writing when taking quick notes!”

They laughed at this, she was having fun with these girls, and I enjoyed their company. This is better than I could hope for.

“I am glad you can have friends from the start, Twilight, unlike Nitpick who will be all alone during lunch!”

“Thank you for reminding us of that weirdo, Spike.”

“Nitpick is not a weirdo, Rainbow.” Twilight spoke against her “I believe he was like me during our days at Crystal Prep. For all I know, he doesn’t have any friends because we didn't socialize that much. I bet he must feel lonely right now...”

“I don’t know, Twilight, remember that he always was on his own during classes and the few times he worked together with you, well, he was simple uninterested in everything you talked about! At least he always helped you in group projects unlike Trenderhoof and his friends with their excuse of going to fashion shows or something.”

“Why he didn’t was interested about what Twilight talked about with him?”

“I don't know, Sunset. Last time he worked together with Twilight, she was talking about the awesomeness of gravity effects in the universe. I don´t remember everything because I was inside of the bag-pack and couldn't listen to it that well. But the point is he was always bored after the first twenty minutes!”

“I wonder why could that be, Spike!”

“I know right, Rainbow Dash! If you are interested, Twilight here can tell you everything about-”

“NO...eh I mean, no thanks, Spike, I am cool.”

“Maybe he is exploring the school to find something to do in our free time.” 

Fluttershy woke up; her mood was restored to her usual self.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes, Twilight, thank you, that was what I needed.”

“Mmm, where he could be?

“Oh, don’t worry more than necessary, Sunset! It's just the first day. Perhaps you are pushing things too hard on you. Once he is more comfortable with his new surroundings, he will act friendly with everyone.”

“You are right, thank you Fluttershy! I needed to hear that!”

“Anytime, Sunset.”

Honest friends. Loyal friends. Kind friends. Funny friends. Generous friends. What else could we ask for? But curiosity filled me and I wondered where Nitpick could be.

"Rainbow! You are drinking my juice!"

"Oooops, sorry Twilight! I thought it was mine."

"Oh, great! Now what I'm going to drink?"

It was a peaceful break.
> Chapter 7- Old friends... Tweaking Lightbulb and Chocolate Dancer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was break time, a whole hour to be by myself. As soon as the class with Mr. Bridge ended, I left as quickly as possible after what happened with my introduction earlier. I can't stand people like that since middle school. Most of Crystal Prep consisted of ‘All by themselves’ pricks of ‘other worldly’ status since most of them, if not all, were stingy rich. But at least since we belonged in the same school, they wouldn’t pay you attention unless you were either a friend in a social circle or you definitely had a bulls-eye with a brand that said ‘mess with me’ in your forehead. Here I feel that they wanted me to fit in the first day, that's not cool…at least for me it wasn’t.

I was hungry and my head started to feel drowsy, but if I could manage to arrive on time to Crystal Prep that was one hour and half taking the bus near my house, then this would be far easier. I arrived at the cafeteria, there were some students already buying their lunch, so I got in the line to wait for my turn. Twenty minutes had passed and still there were four people ahead of me, I was going to leave but then I saw the reason for such slow service. It was an old woman, plump and short like a typical granny with white hair that marked her long years lived. I couldn't complain now. She was doing what she could despite being alone. I calmed down and waited for my turn. It was Monday Pancakes and they looked nice. I bought my combo and searched for an empty seat.

I didn’t notice but now the place was nearly filled, since this was a school that integrated middle and high schoolers, it was no surprise.  But now where I was going to sit? I searched for a table with the less quantity of people possible but it was so crowded I couldn’t see a damn. I was starting to lose hope until I saw someone alone eating by himself while reading the newspaper. I couldn’t see his or her face because his lecture material was blocking my sight. I decided to ask if could sit.

“Hey, you don’t mind if a sit here, right? There aren’t a lot of free seats left in here and I promise I won't talk or disturb you!”

“Suit yourself, this is a free country after all. Just sit in the corner, my girl will arrive shortly.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

I no longer paid him attention and started eating my breakfast. Not only they looked nice, they tasted great. They were handmade instead of the typical frozen ones from the super markets. The wait was definitely worth it. I enjoyed every single moment of them but the good stuff ends fast. Once I finished eating, I decided to leave and search for my next classroom by myself since Sunset was called by one of her friends. Something aboute someone feeling weak. I stood up but someone stopped me with her sight.

“Oh my God, Lightbulb! Did you know about this?” 

“About what?”

“The guy that is eating in the corner!?”

He put down the newspaper and said “He is just a guy who-“



“Dancer? Lightbulb!?”  I said in shock and happiness while watching the faces of my old friends.

“Waaaaaaaaaahhh, It is you, Nitpick! it really is you!” She screamed happy and hugged me.

"Hey! Hey! Calm down! They're watching!"

"I don't care!" 

“Bro! It really is you! I can’t believe I didn't recognize your voice!” Said Lightbulb with the same tone of happiness.

“It's been a longtime, both of you haven’t changed a bit.” 

Lightbulb had the same blond, bedhead hair but his style was longer and less messier than mine, green eyes, pearl skin and a little plump but still average weight, like three or four cm shorter than me in height, sporting his typical polo shirt, jeans and tennis. Chocolate Dancer, like her name sake, had dark tanned skin, dark brown eye and chocolate like hair color. She was wearing a bottomed, bright pink shirt with black dress pants. Her curly hair was even longer than before, though. She always had an excellent figure and now at high school she was prettier. She sat at my right, having Lightbulb in front of her.

“Yeah, you look the same, Nitpick. Your typical low life, fashion sense it’s unmistakable!” Said Dancer, her honesty has not changed either.

“I am glad that you are still as bitchy as ever in the fashion department.” I said teaseful.

“And I am glad that Spoiled Prep didn’t take away your low life language either with their high class social environment.” She responded in kind.

“Pffff! No force in the universe can't change my way of life or expressions. Too common for that.”

“This is the reason you are still single, Bro; badmouthed, shitty sense of style and blunt. You are still an unlikable dick.” Remarked Lightbulb.

“At least I am likable enough to be your friend, isn't it?”

“Oh, you are our Beasty, even if you are a bad person at times.” Said Chocolate.

“The word that you needed to use was ‘ass’ instead of ‘a bad person’, my love.” said Lightbulb.

“Can you stop cursing, already!? It’s of bad education to say those words in front of a lady!”

“Last time I checked, a Lady doesn’t use brute force like a gorilla to- AHHH!!!”

She punched me in my right arm, the girl was stronger than before, or maybe I was the one that was getting weaker.

“Were you saying something?”

“No, nothing.”

“Good”

“Bro, I have a question.”

“Ask away.”

“I know that you were busy in your old school to pass time or even have a small talk through email with us. I read about those extracurricular events in the newspaper that fancy school of yours participates in every year and it must have been a pain in the ass-“

“Lightbulb…” Said Dancer a bit angered.

“It’s been two whole year since we had a proper conversation with him, please let me have this!”

“Fine… just this time.”

This short moment was so comfortable and nostalgic, it’s like a repetition of what we lived in Ponyville middle school the first two years. Since their old avenue was in a state beyond conventional repair, their families and neighbors were relocated to an area far away from the main streets. But it had a bus directly to CHS, so they transferred here. I spent a whole year alone when they left, we planned to hang out but their parents were so busy with the change of place, raise in work and family issues that there wasn't time to meet. They became a couple by that time and I was happy for them. We made a promise to meet again here in CHS using our old emails since they didn’t have a cellphone yet but things happen for a reason.

“Thanks, my love, I appreciate it. Well, it's true that I am no longer angry since you broke our promise to come here at CHS with us after our change of middle school.”

“No, Lightbulb, I am still angry.”

“Guys, it was because my mother convinced my father to study there. I was surprised he said yes, that's why I didn't came here. Besides, during vacations we had those events that Lightbulb mentioned as part of being an 'exemplary citizen’ bullshit during winter. Not to mention, summer classes that consisted of anything but academics like the proper use of spoons in a social dinner, archery skills and all that boring stuff of rich people. And if you were worried about  that I was alone because Crystal Prep has the reputation of being mostly of assholes,  then you will be glad to know I made some good, few friends. I hope you can meet them one day.” I said honestly, it was a big surprise for me back then too.

“If you consider them your friends, then they must good people, but I wished that you told us about this.” Said Dancer.

“And that’s where I was getting! Why didn't you told us that you were coming here?” Lightbulb crossed his arms and frowned.

“Yes, we could have asked Principal Celestia that you were with us in middle school and ask her to put you in the same classes with us! She is very accessible on these kind of matters! Even if we didn't have your phone number, we still had our old mail accounts… but you didn't replied any after our last mail saying you were going to Crystal Prep!” 

“Well, it’s been such a long time and I wanted it to be a surprise. Besides, I wasn't proud of that decision either, the school has great facilities and excellent teachers but…you know how my mother gets at times. I hope we share some classes, at least!” 

“Do you have your schedule at hand?” Asked Dancer.

“Here it is.”

“Mmm... We have the same subjects but not the same teachers. And we have P.E. Tuesdays and Thursdays one hour instead of Saturdays in the morning.”

“Who was the genius who thought of that schedule? I even complained in front of the girl who gave me the tour! Worst way to start a new day!” I said angered.

“Poor girl, you must have scared her"”

“Bro, who gave you the tour of the school?”

“Oh, guys, since you have experience in love, I wanted you to ask for help in the matter! I believe I fell in love with the girl who gave me the tour. Love at first sight, it must be destiny! And I don't believe in that shit!” Said foolishly and romantic. 

“AWWW!! You have a heat after all!” Dancer said teaseful.

“Yes, and I even if I don’t believe in god in the way most people do, I have a soul too. Will you help me or not?” I said bluntly.

“Of course, Bro, who was it?”

“It was…” I sighed. “Sunset Shimmer.” I said romantically.

“WHAT!?” Both shouted in unison. Everybody in the cafeteria put their attention at us. Both were ashamed because of the unwanted attention they got.

“Eh, what's the matte?r” I asked thoughtful in my response.

“Well, you see, Beasty…uh, Sunset, well…” 

“She is already with someone, right? Uh, I knew it from the start when I saw her! Nobody that goddess like would be single, the guy must be rich, or athletic, or stingy rich and athletic. Why does this happen to me every time I like someone?” I said in defeat.

“No, bro, as a matter of fact she is single.” Lightbulb said it bluntly.

“Then there is hope!” I regained my strength.

“Yeah…we can help you with anyone but her...” Said Dancer crossing her arms.

“Why not?”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t like her.”

“Me neither, Bro.”

“Why?” Both of them were neutral or friendly to people all of the time back then, this is a first I saw them with a hostile expression.

“I don’t want to talk about, Beasty. If you want, I can introduce you to other girls, and you know… they are bossy, just the way you like it!” She chuckled impishly.

“I understand, but no thanks! You know that I rather be rejected than live with regrets! Just like I tried to date Bookfull Sporty in middle school all those years ago!”

“Suit yourself then ‘Show, don´t tell´” she said bluntly. ‘Show, don’t tell it´s for us that when the time arrives, you would see something for what it is better than if someone told you instead. But I wonder why? Sunset looked like a nice girl.

“Forget it bro, let’s change the subject. Did you know that the new ForceG Olympian series will be released next month?”

“The new graphic card generation with the range from two to eight GB of ram memory and the new technology for 8k image that can make you play in 3 TV’s with HDMI at the same time with dual card technology to improve the framerate with vanguard improvements of micro transistors that integrates a micro-processor to prevent sudden bottlenecking because of the processor?” I said it so fast that I nearly got out of air, I was gasping.

“Nothing has changed! You always talk about geeky stuff!” Said Dancer with a frowned but smiling expression.

“Hey, it's one of the best topic in the world!” He and I said together. 

For the rest of our break, we talked what we we did on our two years of not seeing each other like school, subjects, our free time; they explained to me the social status of the school similar to Crystal Prep: The rockers, the fashionistas, the science guys, etc. Even though we don’t share the same classes and same quantity of free time after school and weekends, at least we will have this break time to enjoy ourselves unless we have homework to do. A locker far away from people, my old friends, and even if they can´t help me in the subject, a beautiful girl in all my classes, this day is getting even brighter, and I tend to hate bright. As long as things continued like this. I could enjoy this school.

…!

My sixth sense… where? I looked and looked around. Nothing was at sight out of the ordinary. ‘Perhaps Twilight had the right idea and I should pay the infirmary a visit like she suggested’ I thought this and considered going. But no, I was fine. As soon as I was to face my friends to keep talking…there she was, near the exit. I finally had decent look. Intense Pink, fluffy hair, a Pink, white and blue shirt with a heart in her chest, a skirt filled with balloons and blue boots. But what terrified me the most was her face, even at this distance, I could see it; she was smiling, and those ominous eyes…

“GUYS!” I panicked.

“What’s wrong, Beasty? Are you okay?”

“There is a weird girl over there”

Both of them looked were I pointed.

“There is nothing there, Bro! Perhaps you haven't eaten that well, again. I still remember how much you saved for gaming last time! I told you to not skip meals during middle school! But NO! The sir wanted his limited edition of Demon's Dogma. Now this is your punishment: Hallucinations and stupidity!”

“Hey, the game was worth it! It even had a disccount for the second season pass. Besides, I have learned my lesson; I eat more in the morning! I changed the recipe of my famous smoothie.”

“What’s the all so mighty difference now, Chef Beasty?”

“Now I put a whole banana and dry seeds like almonds instead of just an apple, milk and oaks!” 

I said this proudly, but my friends face-palmed instead. Fools, they don´t know anything about culinary arts. This small chat calmed my mind. But now I needed to be more cautious, I know what I saw, she is real. Everything will be easier now in case of the worst.
> Chapter 8 - Cranky lesson!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The school bell rang, break was over. After a short but pleasant chat with my old friends, we gave each other’s phone numbers to keep in contact from now on. I told them that I had classes with Mr. Bridge and Mrs. Harshwhinny so far, and they gave me a word of advice to not ask questions that aren't part of the normal program to the former teacher. It seems that every extra lesson saw at class will be in the first mid-term exam. 

Damn it, Sparkle.

I asked them for directions to find my classroom and then we went our separate ways to our next class of Physics II. Although some students were there already, I had the good luck to sit once again in the farest corner of the class. The rest of my classmates shortly arrived. I saw the golden-blond haired girl from before walking with a purple haired girl. They took their respective seats besides each other near the wall. Sunset, Twilight, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash soon arrived as well.

After the social incident from last class, I was sure they wouldn't sit next to me. In a way, I hoped that would be the case, but nope. Twilight once again was in front of me and this time, Rainbow Dash was at my side. I sensed bad vibes from her, obviously she didn't enjoy being there, but well, who cares for what reason she decided to sit there. The most important thing right now is getting to know who will be my next teacher. I hope someone like Mrs. Harshwhinny that goes straight to the point and explains well, but less harsh and boring. The door opens, and its-

“Good morning, my beautiful students! I see some familiar faces from the previous Trigonometry class. But it doesn't matter how much of you are here! We all are going to have so much fun together in the joys of learning!”

YOU AGAIN!?!

It was Mr. Bridge. I inspected my schedule and making simple math calculations I came to the conclusion that I will have this happy-like Santa Claus teacher for seven hours a week. SEVEN! 

“For those who don't know yet, we have two new Wondercolts joining the second year students!” He said this joyful “Miss Sparkle and Mr. Bittersweet, please introduce yourselves to your new classmates!”

Not this again. 

After giving our introductions, mine being a little more ‘friendly’ than the last one, class started. Once again, the old man was giving an excellent class; detailed information and step by step formulas that were easy to digest. However, this time he made terrible puns between explanations like ‘There is a sign in Municholt that says, ‘Heisenbargain might have slept here’.’ Who the hell were them?  And more importantly, who the hell would laugh at that? Oh yeah, I forgot! The answer was sitting in front of me. She was chuckling somewhat noisy at this. This couldn't get any worse.

“Mr. Bridge, I have a question!”

Stop asking questions, Twilight.

“Do you have another marvelous question like in the previous class, Miss Sparkle?”

Don’t encourage her, old man! 

“The subject at hand says that the work-energy theorem can be applied to an object's potential energy and-"

“Twilight, stop!” It was a quick whisper from Rainbow Dash with a worrisome expression. “You're gonna ruin everything for the rest of us!”

“Listen to her! You don’t know what you are doing” I also whispered in a hurry. I didn’t want a harder test because of you.

Our efforts to reach her were fruitless, however. Twilight was so lost in her little world to pay any attention to anyone. After asking her question, Bridge started to explain the answer at full detail, which to be honest, I didn't understand shit either like in the previous class. Knowing everything was doomed and that the first mid-term exam would continuously get worse while Twilight shared classes with me, I sighed half-hearted. 

I didn't notice right away but Rainbow Dash and me made the same gesture of defeat by clashing our foreheads to our desks. Both of us noticed each other’s actions and made eye contact. In a short moment of humoristic agreement, we were chuckling with misery at our current dilemma.

"We are so screwed, Dash..."

"Yeah..."

She sank her head further in the desk, soon I followed. After twenty eight minutes of god knows what those two were talking about, class was over. Literature was the next subject. Thankfully, Bridge didn't gave classes outside the math and physics fields. He got a phone call; good news by the way he left the place in a hurry with exorbitant happiness. I quickly got outside of the classroom to find the next one. When I stepped outside, heated complains started.

“WHY DID YOU ASK HIM SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL AGAIN!? I told you that Mr. Bridge makes the test harder for each new topic you ask during class!”

“I am so sorry Rainbow Dash, but it was so irresistible to not ask and I was-“

“Is it because I drank the last drop of your juice during break and you really, really wanted it!?”

“Of course not, Rainbow! I just-”

“It doesn't matter anymore, you asked things in the end! We are doomed, Twilight, you hear me!? DOOMED! It’s your entire fault! And this is only your first day! WHAT I AM GOING TO DO FROM NOW ON?”

"What about study for a change, Rainbow Dash?"

"Shut it, Applejack, you are doomed too!"

I think she was about to cry in desperation. I definitely empathized with her but I better hurry if I wanted to find my classroom. I arrived to my destination thanks to the help of a blue haired student; it was near the division between the middle and high school classrooms. Nobody was here yet. I took my favorite spot in the corner. Everyone started to arrive but there was something different about this classroom. 

There were only twelve seats and some middle school students as well. I rechecked my schedule, and nope, this is the right place. Perhaps the teacher will explain the situation better. The five middle scholars were a colorful bunch; of the girls one had cerise short hair with tomboyish black sweater and green long shorts. The other one had amaranth hair with a light crimson bow in it with a green shirt and rodeo pants. The last one was the girliest of the three with long mulberry hair with streaks of light rose, pink clothes and boots with a yellow skirt. 

They were so adorable.



"Check this out everyone.” Said the plumpy one.

“Yeah!!” Said the skinny one.

And the boys were… uh, how should I say it? They looked, well, everyone deserves a second chance; appearances can be deceiving after all.

Both kids tried to do a somersault from their chairs but landed near the crash bin... Hopeless, those kids were hopeless.

Of the people I knew so far, only Twilight and Sunset arrived to this place, there were no signs of Rainbow or the others. Twilight sat in front of me while giving me a greeting with her smile and Sunset sat in front of her. 

Are you going to stick like glue with me, Twilight? 

With them here, the rest of students arrived; a flamboyant reddish dude, a rocker like green haired girl and a long brown haired girl with a full sleeved blue shirt and a damn long red skirt. Who will be my teacher this time? The doors opened and there he …uh?

“Good day, let’s get this over with.”

Using a painfully obvious black toupee hiding his baldness with the face of bitterness and agony born from working as a teacher, combined with his possible personal negative experiences in life, this may be a very cranky person.

“Alright, let’s see who is in class, Apple Bloom?”

“Here”

“Bright Idea?”

“Here”

“Cherry Crash?”

“Here”

“Heath Burns?”

“Here”

“Scootaloo?”

“Here”

“Snails?”

“Here, Here!”

“Snips”

“I am here”

“Sunset Shimmer?”

“Here”

“Sweetie Belle?”

“Here”

“Velvet Sky?”

“Here”

“Everyone is here, let’s begin.”

He started to tinker with the TV and dvd player until one gorgeous girl interrupted his activity.

“Excuse me, Professor Doodle.” Said Sunset with an unpleased tone towards him.

“Yes, Shimmer? If you have something to say, hurry up, we don´t have all day!”

“Well, I don’t know if you noticed but we have new students right here!” 

Sunset said this with a body gesture of presentation to make Twilight and I stand out. Her smile was brimming with radiance while looking towards us, but my hate for this kind of stuff, no matter how childish my attitude against it is, makes me want to ask her what the hell was she thinking! She didn't make an objection with Mrs. Harshwhinny about our introductions. Why are you doing it now?

“I see, well.” he pointed at Twilight with his finger “You, what’s your name?”

“My name is Twilight Sparkle and I-!“

“I only asked for your name.” Now he pointed at me  “And you?”

“Nitpick Bittersweet.”

“Class, these are your new classmates so be friends with them and upsy blashie blah. My name is Cranky Doodle and I am your teacher, professor, whatever, for the extracurricular class of Literature. Now, we will see a video about the story of Goat Goh. Watch it and whatever you think is the meaning of his works, write it in a blank sheet and you will give it to me at the end of class.”

No introductions over-welcoming their stay, not over-optimistic attitude, just straight to the class. Kudos for you, baldie…Wait!

“Sorry for interrupting, Mr. Doodle but did you say extracurricular class?”

“That’s right! Any problems with it, lad?”

“I thought of all this kind of classes were in summer vacations, and optional at that!”

“No, you can have them in regular classes. Didn't the Principal explained this to you?”

“Not specifically.”

“Well, too bad, someone chose this one for you without your consent. If you are not happy with it, guess what? Too bad, change of extracurricular classes is no longer possible and now you are stuck here with us. Any complains, lad?”

“Not at all... Douche." I mumbled.

“Good, we have lost enough time already! Watch the video and do your assignment!”

Time passed, and the worse came to be; the class was even more boring than ethics. At least with Mrs. Harshwhinny she spoke during class and had passion in her lessons beside her harsh and unchangeable expressions. Now I am stuck here. Who the hell assigned me in this class? And there were more options than this one? Why the Principal didn’t tell me of this during inscriptions? 

I decided to think over this new information at a later time and tried to concentrate on the task at hand…which was nearly impossible, I could barely pay attention because this video was slow, boring and lifeless, it´s like he narrator was indirectly sucking our souls from the TV screen to the point of becoming living dead students. I was swinging my feet from desperation, never in my life this has happened to me. I was about to give up and try to write whatever I could listen to until my phone started to vibrate.
The thrill to see who it was and the risk of being suspended of class was more than enough adventure to check the message. It was a chat group; The Kitten Trio. I didn't need to open it to guess from who it was.

-Dancer: Hey, how is your literature class?

I wrote her back making sure the teacher didn't noticed.

-Nitpick:  Boring so far. My teacher is kind of a dick. But why are you texting me during class? Your teacher could suspend you for this.

Dancer is writing…

-Dancer: Oh, don’t worry! The one who gives us literature is Mrs. Matilda. She is so sweet and if we finish earlier all her assignments, she will let you do whatever you want as long you don’t make noise, so no talking. Everyone here uses the phone to chat.

Lightbulb is writing…

-Lightbulb: You can do it with Mr. Doodle, too, which I bet is your teacher. I assume you already noticed some people there are no longer part of the living by now.

I took a quick glimpse and it’s true. Only, Twilight, Sunset, the one called Apple Bloom and Bright Idea were struggling to stay awake and do the assignment; their yawning faces were truly an inspiration.

-Nitpick: Yeah, most of them are dead now.

-Lightbulb: Knew it. Are you watching the Goat Goh video to write an essay about it? We watched the trimmed version here.

-Nitpick: Yeah, it's boring.

-Lightbulb: Wait!

Lightbulb has sent an image.

I opened the image and it was his essay.

-Nitpick: Isn't this considered cheating, brother?

-Lightbulb: Don’t forget our old, golden rule, Bro! Cheat only in unnecessary classes like this one! Important ones like chemistry you must never cheat. Besides, unlike Mrs. Matilda, Doodle will explain you shit during class. We already had him last semester in cultural music. You may not have noticed but when he officially married her, he became more cheerful.

-Nitpick: Married with who?

-Dancer: Mrs. Matilda! We were all surprised, apparently they were childhood friends but didn't see each other for years for unknown reasons. Legends say that a girl from school played cupid and now they are married since May. 

-Lightbulb: She convinced the Principal to give him another chance to impart extracurricular classes permanently with her. Sometimes I don't understand Principal Celestia! The bastard can be too rude sometimes, even for me.

-Dancer: …

-Lightbulb: Sorry…Old habits never die. (Nervous smile)

-Dancer: If you want to be with me, those habits WILL die. You know I don’t like that kind of vocabulary in any conversation and you just said two so far. 

-Lightbulb : (Sad face) But I love you, Choco, I am doing my best..

-Dancer: I couldn’t care less if you gift me the moon. I want from you the maturity and correct speech worthy of a gentleman.

From there, lovie stuff, they continued they sugarcoated conversation. While they were writing their nonsense, I proceeded to read and modify Lightbulb´s essay to finish this chore. In Crystal Prep this would be unthinkable, I never cheated once, but right here, right now, in the most boring class I ever had in all my life, I would make an exception. Once happy that the context was more and less the same but with different words, I rejoined the conversation…one hundred and forty seven messages unread in only seven minutes. Is this for real? I could barely write five in a minute.

-Dancer: And you still haven’t given me a teddy bear for my birthday, Bulby! Give me my teddy bear! (Angry face)

-Lightbulb: But I already bought you the little kitten for your birthday! (Worried face with sweat)

-Dancer: I want a little, pink and spongy teddy bear hugging a big red heart that says ‘lovable’! (A bear and a red heart)

-Nitpick: Uh… I believe you are in the wrong conversation for this.

I started to read all the messages. The content was innocent and somewhat cute, but some things are better discussed in person, alone, far away from civilization. Suddenly, an echo of shock and embarrassment resonated through the school and everyone in class woke from their slumber. I knew it was Dancer's voice; I tried so hard to not laugh. 

“I have obtained some pretty funny material to tease you with, Dancer” I deviously whispered to myself. 
> Chapter 9.1 - You are being negative, Flash Sentry!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the parking lot of CHS, there was a sporting, custom blue Camaro with a two tone blue shield behind a yellow lightning bolt in the hood and the sides being shaken by the constant movement of a young teenager inside it.

“Where is my USB drive? I am sure I left it in the glove compartment.”

Flash Sentry was desperate while searching for his grade-depending drive containing his computer project for his next class.

“There it is! How did it end up below the seat? Snap! I better hurry or I am going to be late!”

Being sure that his car was locked, Flash made a quick check-up in his current image with his car reflection: his black jacket with red and blue strips in the arms was in an outstanding condition, his blue hair brush backwards to perfection, his new white T-shirt with his trademark blue shield and lightning bolt was impeccable, his pants and tennis arranged to give a rocker vibe, plus a light and sweet cologne applied to his skin. Everything was in place, today was important.

He got inside the school and hurried up to the computer lab. Once he was a few classrooms near his destination, he started walking slowly, confident and fresh. He wanted to give a great impression to someone new in school.

“There she is!” Flash murmured to himself, the reason for going an extra mile in his already cool image. The new student, Twilight Sparkle, started attending CHS today, and this was the only class he shared with her… he asked around once he knew about her future arrival at school. This was going to be his opportunity to get close to her, and even after the incident during the Friendship Games, he didn’t have hard feelings for her, his infatuation with her remained strong. 

The few exchanges he had with her were enough to understand that she was curious, smart and above all, special, not only because she resembled the lovely princess from another world. As a matter of fact, they may be the same people in shape but he could feel that their personalities had significant differences. He couldn't describe it, but he was sure of it. Flash accepted the fact a few days ago that dating Princess Twilight was impossible because the difference in schedule, worlds, distance and species. 

He was a romantic fool, but was well-aware that once committed with someone, he would want to spend too much time with her girl. It happened with Sunset Shimmer, and a princess like Twilight does not have that kind of time. 

But now he can start again. It could sound bad for some people what Flash was doing; trying to date someone who resembles his last crush would indeed sound like a replacement. But this Twilight was not Princess Twilight. She was the Twilight Sparkle of this world! They may share the same image and special qualities, but they differ in background. They were different people, they were different individuals, and Flash wanted to give his best in this new opportunity in love. Their first talk was awkward, fast and normal, but given time, it could turn trusting and friendly.

Since there were five empty spots in the class and everybody were arranged in pairs, that means that Twilight would be alone. He could offer her being her teammate in class and doing the project together would make a perfect excuse to do the appointment during weekends. Once they know each other better, he could ask her for a date. It was a perfect plan. He was grateful for once for arriving late to class in the day the teams were made.

“Eh, excuse me but you are blocking the way and I need to get inside.” 

Flash didn't noticed that he was blocking the way to the lab.

“Oh! Sorry, man!”

He recognized the student; it was the guy who asked him earlier where the classroom number twelve was before break time. He looked shady and kind of a loner. Flash took his assigned seat after letting him pass. Everyone started to arrive to classroom, but the usual seat belonging to the most energetic girl in the school was used by Twilight… who was besides Sunset.

“Oh great…” 

But Sunset already had a partner, so for whatever reason she hasn't arrived, it will be just for today. So there are still three spots left in class if he took into account Twilight and the new guy. The new guy was in the last row where nobody ever sits, but this was good! Since Flash's position was in the middle row and the empty seat beside him was screaming for an owner, no doubt his partner will be indeed Twilight. The stars were smiling for this fellow romantic guy. The professor finally arrived and class started.

“Good afternoon, students, I am pleased to say we have two new students joining our class, could both you come here and introduce yourselves?”

Professor Gizmo was a young, new teacher who specializes in the robotic engineering field. He gave an aura of being nerdy; his white coat, pimpled faced-skin and extremely thick glasses didn’t help much in the matter. Nevertheless he was a cool guy, he teaches like he was another classmate and was really supportive all the time. He could become another favorite teacher in school like Bridge if he kept it up like that. For now, Twilight and the new guy were in front of the classroom and they started to introduce themselves.

“Hi, my name is Twilight Sparkle! It’s good to be your new classmate! I hope we can be friends given the time, and let’s hope you can teach me how to improve my programing skills this time, Professor Gizmo!”

That sounded awfully friendly to our romantic fool… could it be that-

“You know you can ask me anything, Twilight! Shining Armor would never forgive me if I didn't help you!”

Who was Shining Armor? What was the relationship between these two? Flash started to feel anxious.

“Well, Nitpick, it’s your turn, you can do it!”

Twilight talked with him with an awfully familiar tone as well.

“My name is Nitpick Bittersweet. Like Twilight here, we came from Crystal Prep Academy and I hope we can coexist peacefully.”

He was… plain.

“You haven't changed one bit, Nitpick.”

“Well, you didn’t have changed either, ‘Professor’ Gizmo!”

They chuckled for a moment of agreement; they must know each other.

“Indeed. Very good, let’s update you in the mechanic of our class. I will grade you with an ongoing project for all the semester. It can be anything you like as long its purpose it’s meaningful. For example, you can develop an application that facilitates accountability calculation if you have knowledge of the subject, or a book editor to make more appealing digital books with image and word style editor.  As you can see, your classmates are working in pairs, and since you are new here, you will temporally work individually with an existent team. They will show you an example of their works to help you inspire your minds in what do you want to do for a project!”

“The work is in pairs… Can I just work alone, Professor? I would be just dead weight for my partner!”

Flash was thanking the new guy for making things easy for him in his mind.

“Well, this task is meant to be in pairs to improve team work, but let’s see. Twilight, ladies should be asked first in the subject. There is a classmate over there, Flash, who is currently working alone and Nitpick here. With whom you want to team up?”

After Nitpick's last statement of wanting to work alone, there is no way she would choose him. Flash started to stealthily adjust the empty seat for Twilight. 

“Are you sure you want to work alone, Nitpick? It could be fun working together again.” 

‘What!? Flash thought dumbfounded. Not only the response was fast, but her tone was really friendly. Totally different from her exchanges with him during the Games. 

“Are you sure you want to work with me, Twilight Sparkle? I wasn't of much help during our physics project last year. As a matter of fact, you practically did everything yourself.”

“Nonsense, you were truly helpful in doing the mockup to show the gravitational effects in a theoretical solar system affected by a dying sun and a black hole in it. It was really fun working with you, unlike Trenderhoof and his friends who always were making silly excuses to not assist us in the assignment.”

“But I…”

“…Please.”

“But… Fine!”

Flash Sentry's plan was completely ruined before it even started.

“Now that our team problem has been solved, you still need to be with another team for today, you can choose whoever you like, Twilight. Nitpick, since you were chosen for a team, why don’t you work with Flash for today? Flash, help Nitpick get used to our pace, please.”

“Yes, Professor.”

‘Great, not only I wasn't chosen by Twilight for pairing, now I have to work with someone who doesn't look friendly for today’ Flash was sighing in apathy for this turn of events. But suddenly a realization appeared in his mind. Since they were from the same school, he could asked him questions regarding Twilight to find if she isn't dating someone and don't build false hopes. And if everything turns out fine, make inquiry about her hobbies, likes and dislikes. 

Nitpick was now besides him. Using his best social skills and speaking in low volume to not disrupt class, talking time started.

“Hey Nitpick, welcome to CHS! I am Flash Sentry; believe me when I say you will like this place!”

He raised his hand and invited him to do a handshake. Forcefully, Nitpick accepted.



“Yes, I know, everyone in school has told me the same damn thing since I arrived.”

Nitpick responded with the same low voice as Flash, but annoyed. He wondered if someone in school made him mad for whatever reason and he was in this bad mood because of it…or this was his normal mood. 

“Flash, aren't we supposed to work in your project?”

“Right, let’s start!”

Flash uploaded his work from the USB and opened Windowed Visual Projects.

“Well, my project consist of making an interactive tutorial to learn playing electric guitar! I already have the code to make the application work in chapter-like lessons. My goal is to make people confident in their skills, but I am finding difficult to transmit the basics in words or where to begin with.”

“If I wanted to play a guitar, the first thing I would like to learn is what I have at my disposal.”

“What do you mean?”

“Electric guitars have various components, right? The first thing I would want to learn would be how to tune the guitar, how to put cords, the purpose of the stick below the cords and so on. You can't use an instrument if you don't know how to use all its tools…at least that’s what a beginner like me would like to know if I were interested.”

“You make a good point. And the stick you mention is called a Tremolo Bar, not all electric guitars have one.”

“You can make a small chapter explaining the different types of guitar, and the first few chapters can be about of how you learned to play.”

“Good idea, but the way I learned is somewhat weird. I just played mimicking the sounds until it sounded right. I don’t think that would help anyone.”

“But you know how to read the musical notes, right?”

“That’s right. I learned that later on during middle school.”

“Then you can start with that.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Flash was quick to judge Nitpick. Sure, his way of speak was dry and plain, but he paid attention and gave his honest opinions about the subject at hand. Maybe he could be more open with some questions regarding Twilight.

“I am sure you will make friends here.”

“Why do you say that? And I already have friends; Lightbulb and Dancer are here in this school so I don’t need anyone else.”

“Well, you seem pretty honest, and I know those two, they are good guys. But you don't consider Twilight your friend?”

“Well, she is a good acquaintance at most but I don’t know her well enough to call her a friend. She is a good girl, though.”

With this Flash now knows that Nitpick isn't her friend or dating her.

“It seems Twilight and you know the professor.”

“I was surprised to see him here. He is a friend of Twilight's older brother, Captain Shining Armor. The professor and I met during an expo comic during Christmas. We are not friends either but I consider him a cool guy.”

So the guy named Shining Armor was Twilight's brother… Flash though he could be his future brother-in-law. Well, the moment of truth is now or never.

“Do you know if Twilight is dating someone? I know you said you didn't know her well but…”

“I see… to tell you the truth, I don't know. Honest. Why you don’t ask her out if you are interested in her? You look like a popular guy, maybe she will agree going out with you.”

“You think so?”

Flash was suddenly filled with hope. Even if he admitted to not knowing her well, the fact that he mentioned he could have a shot made him happy.

“Well…yeah.”

“Thanks, man!”

“Anytime…hey, could I ask you a question?”

“Sure, man, go ahead!”

“Well… I wasn't completely honest about wanting friends…since you opened about your love interest…well, this is embarrassing, talking about this. Normally, the only people I trust telling this kinds things are my friends, and making friends is really hard, you know, especially in Crystal Prep!”

Flash being good at social relationships realized that Nitpick could be wary of new people. Crystal Prep was said to be a place where only the high caste had a place and landing here at CHS where the probability of making friends was high was alien to him. Perhaps opening to him would help him in a way.

“Come on, you can tell me!”

“I liked someone at first sight, maybe it’s foolish of me, but I really liked this girl!”

“Most of the girls here are good people. I don't know if you notice but this school is full of pretty girls, who is the lucky one?”

“You talk like if it’s already granted that I would date her in the near future.”

“You never know if you don't try, you said that yourself earlier.”

“Well, she is here in this classroom.”

Flash thought hard of who could it be. This class of now twenty one students has nine girls: Octavia, Vinyl, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rari-

“Let me guess, it’s that girl with the fashionable purple hair, Rarity.”

“No.”

Plain as water. Normally, people are attracted to the opposite of their personalities. If Nitpick was shady and unconfident, maybe someone as bright and confident like Rarity would be his crush; at least, that’s how Flash always thought. Sunset was different than him in various aspects like goals, activities and so on; the only thing they shared in common was music. If opposite is not the case, maybe similarity is the answer.

“Then the pink haired girl, Fluttershy” 

“No”

Plain again…

“Then the black haired girl, Octavia.”

“No, too classy.”

“Normally I get the right answer in this kind of things in the second try… although with Twilight is a special case for me.”

“Sorry if I sound like an unbearable bastard with my short answers.”

“Don’t worry… and I give up, at this pace I will name all the girls in class.”

“Well, she is sitting beside Twilight.”

“WHAT!?”

Flash made a loud noise; everyone turned their attention to them. Nitpick was getting red of embarrassment, Flash needed to do 
something quick.

“It's something wrong, Flash?”

“No! No, Professor! It’s just that… Nitpick gave me an awesome idea and it really worked in my application, making chapter-like tutorial for my guitar teaching program”

“Good to know, Kiddo, but try to be more quiet next time.”

“Uh, yep, of course.”

The awkward moment quickly died off and everything got back to normal.

“For a moment I thought you were going to expose me and everybody would laugh at me.”

“Is this how Crystal Prep was back then?”

“You could say so… thanks for not meeting my expectations of how this could have ended-”

And then, a moment of silence. These words weren't from another world, it was the expression that made him feel… sad? He needed to answer his previous question with honesty.

“You know, I know Sunset well…too well in fact.”

“Meaning?”

“Well, She is… she is my ex-girlfriend.”

“Oh….OH! I see.”

“Don’t take it wrong, it was sudden, that’s all! Besides, it’s more than a year since we broke up, but I assure you, she is a nice girl! And before you ask, we had a disagreement of sorts but nothing serious.”

“Tell me the truth, do I have a change?”

“Well…”

“I need to know, so don’t bullshit me…please.”

This one is a though one; give him false hope and pray that a miracle happens or be straightforward and end his crush for his well-being? Normally he would opt for the former, there was always hope to make things work, but this case was different, not because is about Sunset, her former girlfriend… but.

“I am sorry but you don’t have any change, Nitpick. You appear to be very wary of people and I don't think she would like that. I don’t mean to say you are bad, I just met you and I think you are a good guy. There are girls as nice as she in the school, but please forget about her, not as her ex, but I worry about the outcome with her. She is simple too much for you…she was too much for me, too, believe me.”

“Somehow I knew you would say that… she must be an awesome girl if you say it like that.”

“That she is… I am sorry.”

“Don’t be. Thank you for your sincerity, Flash.”

This was the first time Flash Sentry felt those words had that kind of weight. The class was over, and since he didn't have a change to speak with Twilight today, it was time to go home.

> Chapter 9.2 - You are being wary, Nitpick!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The most boring class I ever had was over. Never in my life had I felt so tired during classes. If it weren't for my text group consisting of my two friends in school, I would be dead right now. Once I gave my sheet with my forgery of a work to Cranky, I left the room. 

“I need to eat some sugar, chocolate will do” I mumbled to myself.

There was a dispenser nearby and sugar would help me in improving my bad mood. Once I found what I was looking for in the halfway, I bought the chocolate and quickly ate it while going to the second floor of the school to my next class: Informatics. Thanks to Lightbulb, I corrected the mistake in my schedule were it said that the class was in the library instead of the computer lab. I knew there was a mistake in there, the library is where desperate people go to do their homework and study in groups in vain. I proceeded to my destination, but a guy was blocking my way.

“Eh, excuse me but you are blocking the way and I need to get inside!” 

“Oh! Sorry, man!”

I recognized the student; it was the guy who gave me directions of where was my next classroom a while ago. He gave the aura of someone social and popular. Since there were some students there already and knowing how unpopular the last row is in the computer labs, I sat in the last row in the corner. It was the perfect place. Everyone started to arrive to here. Twilight and Sunset were already here with the other girls. I wonder who will be my next teacher. He finally- 

“Oh god, I can't believe it.”

“Good afternoon, students, I am pleased to say we have two new students joining our class. Could both you come here and introduce yourselves?”

It was Gizmo, a friend of Captain Armor and a cool dude. I met him in a expo comics last winter, we tried to fight over the last edition of Musculus the Barbarian, but we ended getting the same comic because there were five copies available, we chat a while and since then, we have been good acquaintances. We are not friends and we know it, but it was good to know that sincerity is the bridge to good relationships… at least that’s what I think of it. I hate the usual introduction ritual, but I will make an exception for him.

“Hi, my name is Twilight Sparkle! It’s good to be your new classmate! I hope we can be friends given the time, and let’s hope you can teach me how to improve my programing skills this time, Professor Gizmo!”

I wasn't surprised Twilight would be talking to him like that, as I said, he was one of the Captain's best friends. Even she must know about her brother's circles.

“You know you can ask me anything, Twilight, Shining Armor would never forgive me if I didn't help you!”

An expected answer from a cool dude.

“Well, Nitpick, it’s your turn, you can do it!”

Shut up, Twilight.

“My name is Nitpick Bittersweet. Like Twilight here, we came from Crystal Prep Academy and I hope we can coexist peacefully.”

Musculus the Barbarian said the last part of the sentence before killing his step-father in the kingdom of eternity. A fitting end for a mad warrior. What this has to do with the introduction, you ask? Absolutely nothing, it was just a cool scene and quote.

“You haven't changed one bit, Nitpick!”

He got the message. Only comic fans would understand this pointless exchange of quoting people.

“Well, you didn’t have change either, ‘Professor’ Gizmo!”

We chuckled for a moment in agreement.

“Indeed. Very good, let’s update you in the mechanic of our class. I will grade you with an ongoing project for all the semester. It can be anything you like as long its purpose it’s meaningful. For example, you can develop an application that facilitates accountability calculation if you have knowledge of the subject, or a book editor to make more appealing digital books with image and word style editor.  As you can see, your classmates are working in pairs, and since you are new here, you will temporally work individually with an existent team. They will show you an example of their works to help you inspire your minds in what do you want to do for a project!”

“The work is in pairs… Can I just work alone, Professor? I would be just dead weight for my partner.”

He knows pretty well I can do my work alone. We shared the same ideology of not doing things in teamwork. There are exceptions of course, but I don’t feel working in pairs in this class... as a matter of fact, I hope to not work in teams frequently.

“Well, this task is meant to be in pairs to improve team work, but let’s see. Twilight, ladies should be asked first in the subject. There is a classmate over there, Flash, who is currently working alone and Nitpick here. With whom you want to team up?”

Ah, the guy from earlier, he looks like those cool high school guys from TV and movies. With him as an option, my solitude in class will be fulfilled.

“Are you sure you want to work alone, Nitpick? It could be fun working together again!” 

‘What!?´ I thought dumbfounded. Did my words specifying to work alone weren't clear enough for you, Twilight? 

“Are you sure you want to work with me, Twilight Sparkle? I wasn't of much help during our physics project last year. As a matter of fact, you practically did everything yourself.”

I indeed helped her, but it was too much effort to keep her pace. It would have been easier back then if the moron of Trenderhoof and the rest helped in doing the job. Worse of all, they took part of the credit, those assholes.

“Nonsense, you were truly helpful in doing the mockup to show the gravitational effects in a theoretical solar system affected by a dying sun and a black hole in it. It was really fun working with you, unlike Trenderhoof and his friends who always were making silly excuses to not assist us in the assignment!”

“But I…”

I want to be alone.

“…Please.”

“But…”

Then, Twilight unknowingly unleashed the ultimate technique in convincing a man to do what a cute girl wants: Puppy moist-eyes and a hopeful expression. This technique has a probability of instant death of ninety-nine percent to the adversary. A fearsome technique.

“Fine!”

Twilight was happy with the outcome… damn her.

“Now that our team problem has been solved, you still need to be with another team for today. You can choose whoever you like, Twilight. Nitpick, since you were chosen for a team, why don’t you work with Flash for today? Flash, help Nitpick get used to our pace, please.”

“Yes, Professor!”

Uh, I think he wanted Twilight and not me as a partner. Your expression told me everything, Flash. I am sorry it was me instead of her, cool guy.

“Hey Nitpick, welcome to CHS! I am Flash Sentry; believe me when I say you will like this place”

Ah, surprisingly friendly all of the sudden. He spoke with a low tone. I will respond in kind.



“Yes, I know, everyone in school has told me the same damn thing since I arrived.” It was the first day and I was growing tired of everyone telling me this was a better school. “Flash, aren't we supposed to work in your project?”

“Right, let’s start!”

Flash uploaded his work from the USB and opened Windowed Visual Projects.

“Well, my project consist of making an interactive tutorial to teac people how to play an electric guitar. I already have the code to make the application work in chapter-like lessons. My goal is to make people confident in their skills, but I am finding difficult to transmit the basics in words or where to begin with.”

Uh, he is the rocker type. Well, let’s see if I can help.

“If I wanted to play a guitar, the first thing I would like to learn is what I have in my disposal.”

“What do you mean?”

“Electric guitars have various components, right? The first thing I would want to learn would be how to tune the guitar, how to put cords, the purpose of the stick below the cords and so on. You can't use an instrument if you don't know how to use all its tools…at least that’s what a beginner like me would like to know if I were interested.”

“You make a good point. And the stick you mention is called a Tremolo Bar, not all electric guitars have one.”

“You can make a small chapter explaining the different types of guitar, and the first few chapters can be about of how you learned to play.”

“Good idea, but the way I learned is somewhat weird. I just played mimicking the sounds until it sounded right. I don’t think that would help anyone.”

“But you know how to read the musical notes, right?”

“That’s right. I learned that later on during middle school.”

“Then you can start with that.”

“Sounds good to me!”

Wow, he is unexpectedly agreeable. Most people would be offended for the fact of just receiving an opinion from an amateur.

“I am sure you will make friends here!”

“Why do you say that?” Really, why? Do I look like a plain and unfriendly guy? “And I already have friends; Lightbulb and Dancer are here in this school so I don’t need anyone else.”

“Well, you seem pretty honest, and I know those two, they are good guys. But you don't consider Twilight your friend?”

“Well, she is a good acquaintance at most but I don’t know her well enough to call her a friend. She is a good girl, though.”

“It seems Twilight and you know the professor.”

“I was surprised to see him here. He is a friend of Twilight's older brother, Captain Shining Armor. The professor and I met during an expo comic during Christmas. We are not friends either but I consider him a cool guy.”

“Do you know if Twilight is dating someone? I know you said you didn't know her well but…”

“I see…” I see your real intention now, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt “To tell you the truth, I don't know. Honest. Why you don’t ask her out if you are interested in her? You look like a popular guy, maybe she will agree going out with you.”

“You think so?”

Flash was suddenly filled with hope. He was a hopeless romantic after all, just like me.

“Well…yeah.”

“Thanks, man!”

“Anytime…hey, could I ask you a question?”

“Sure, man, go ahead!”

Still doubting him, I tried to make another approach. He was brave enough to openly confess he liked Twilight…I don’t know why, I mean, she is gorgeous, but is extremely nerdy, even for me. Anyway, he could help me about getting close to Sunset, he must be the popular type, and he must know something. What I am trying to prove with what I was going to do? See if he isn´t a dick.

“Well… I wasn´t completely honest about wanting friends…since you opened about your love interest…well, this is embarrassing, talking about this.” It really is. ”Normally, the only people I trust telling this kind of things are my friends, and making friends is really hard, you know, especially in Crystal Prep.”

That was a hard truth, I didn’t enjoy much my old school, I had very few friends there, but social life was harsh, it made me the bitter and wary man I am now.

“Come on, you can tell me”

“I liked someone at first sight, maybe it’s foolish of me, but I really liked this girl.”

“Most of the girls here are good people. I don´t know if you noticed but this school is full of pretty girls, who is the lucky one?”

“You talk like if it’s already granted that I would date her in the near future.”

Maybe if it was you it would be true, but in my case, I would end up rejected… fuck.

“You never know if you don't try! You said that yourself earlier.”

“Well, she is here in this classroom.”

“Let me guess, it’s that girl with the fashionable purple hair, Rarity.”

“No.”

Too refined for my liking.

“Then the pink haired girl, Fluttershy” 

“No”

Too shy for my liking.

“Then the black haired girl, Octavia”

“No, too classy."

“Normally I get the right answer in this kind of things in the second try… although with Twilight is a special case for me.”

I don’t doubt that, Casanova.

“Sorry if I sound like an unbearable bastard with my short answers.”

“Don’t worry… and I give up, at this pace I will name all the girls in class”

“Well, she is sitting beside Twilight.”

“WHAT!?”

Flash made a loud noise; everyone turned their attention to us. Here it comes, the moment where he mocks me.

“It's something wrong, Flash?”

“No! No, Professor! It’s just that… Nitpick gave me an awesome idea and it really worked in my application, making chapter-like tutorial for my guitar teaching program”

“Good to know, Kiddo, but try to be more quiet next time.”

“Uh, yep, of course.”

The awkward moment quickly died off and everything went back to normal.

“For a moment I thought you were going to expose me and everybody would laugh at me.”

Seriously, I thought that.

“Is this how Crystal Prep was back then?”

“You could say so…thanks for not meeting my expectations of how this could have ended.”

No, really, thank you. And then, a moment of silence. 

“You know, I know Sunset well…too well in fact.”

“Meaning?”

“Well, She is… she is my ex-girlfriend.”

“Oh….OH! I see.”

Crap, this is the part where he says he still loves her and he will be my rival.

“Don’t take it wrong, it was sudden, that’s all. Besides, it’s more than a year since we broke up. But I assure you, she is a nice girl, and before you ask, we have a disagreement of sorts but nothing serious.”

“Tell me the truth, do I have a change?”

“Well…”

“I need to know, so don’t bullshit me…please.”

Don’t give me false hope, dude. I will notice right away. You are even sweating.

“I am sorry but you don’t have any change, Nitpick. You appear to be very wary of people and I don´t think she would like that. I don’t mean to say you are bad, I just met you and I think you are a good guy. There are girls as nice as she in the school, but please forget about her, not as her ex, but I worry about the outcome with her. She is simple too much for you…she was too much for me, too, believe me.”

“Somehow I knew you would say that” Really I did, she was something else… “She must be an awesome girl if you say it like that.”

“That she is… I am sorry”

“Don’t be. Thank you for your sincerity, Flash.”

No, really, thank you. It was unexpected. Class was over. It was time to finally going home. My crush for her has been weakened; perhaps tomorrow things will be back as usual with me.
> Chapter 10 - His party was popped, Obnoxious Pinkie Pie!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I gave a brief farewell to Gizmo before heading out of the lab; I just wanted to go home right now. I checked my new text group message; it seems that Dancer wanted to meet outside of school in an hour, no doubt about discussing the recent incident with her conversation with Lightbulb in our chat group. I think my bedroom can wait a few hours more without its master's presence so I agreed to meet with them.

I needed to kill some time, but where I should go? Maybe I could spend time in the library and make homework, and by saying 'make homework', I mean wasting my time viewing anything but something related to school in a computer. With a plan in mind, I headed to the library.

The place was a mess now unlike a few hours ago; there were students doing their homework and all PC's were occupied. Well, maybe I'll have to do my pending activities after all. I like doing work and projects in my bedroom instead of school. My PC was connected to my TV and it was so comfortable doing research in my bed. Normal people can't write well in the surface of a bed, but I mastered this ancient art for my greater comfort. The results are perfect since I don’t stress myself very often. At least, not when I am on my own. Let's see what I can advance in an hour inside this school.

I sat in one of the few available spots in here and proceeded to start working. The only thing I had to do in Ethics was a quick essay about what I understood in class and how I could apply morality in my daily life. Easy, I started to write my thoughts about it; words came easy as I pressured my pen while forming words in the sheets. My personal appliance to morality in my life would be trying to be myself in everything I do. It wasn't an easy task, but it was an ideal worth making a reality. It didn't took me so long, one page and half in under 6 minutes. 

Next was trigonometry. Bridge had the kindness to give us easy problems to solve and he didn't gave us physics homework. These problems were eerie similar to my old teacher's problems back in the academy but with the new teachings of Santa Calculus, it didn’t take me long either. Ten minutes, giving me a grand total of sixteen minutes gone. Champion Sugarcoat would be proud, that bitch. Homework was plotting against me today. Normally when I want to play my games and I had HW to do, time would burn while doing it and only I would have like an hour or two to play… wait a minute! Since I don’t think it will take that long with Dancer and Lightbulb, I can be a parasite and play more than four hours after eating something and take a bath when I get back home. 

Perfect.

I decided to get out of there. The library wasn't my kind of place anyway, so I would wait for them in the gardens of the school. As I arrived to the entrance, my sixth sense suddenly-

“YAY! I finally found you!” Someone turned me around with inhuman force. “You have been a veeeeeery elusive guy, but now you aren't going anywhere if I don’t say so!”

It was the Frightening Pink Girl! She came for me to take me to depths of hell! Her piercing, deep blue eyes made contact with mine. I was scared shitless of this girl; something about her gives me a very bad and unexplainable feeling. Her big and perfect smile didn't help in the matter, it was like being in front of a twisted Cheshire Cat.

“Wwhhat-”

“No time to talk! Let’s go!”

The strength of this girl was overwhelming. I was being dragged off like a small child being pulled from the arm from his angered mother. Gathering all the might from my arm, I freed myself from her grip and started running away.

“Where are you going? WAIT!” I tried to not turn back, but I needed to make sure I lost sight of her; I looked over my shoulder while keeping my pace. “COME BACK HERE!” A WILD ANIMAL IN HUMAN FORM WAS CHASING AFTER ME!! “WAIT!”

She was closing the gap at an alarming rate! Forget Dancer! I needed to hide and then run for home! I increased my speed as my heart pumped fresh blood through my system. I gave a quick turn in one corner and headed to the gym hall. I closed the door quickly and without thinking further, I hid myself behind the curtains of the stage.  

Silence. 

My heart beat was out the charts. I put my hands in my mouth to conceal my breathing. What was she? I didn't hear anyone walking in the main hall of the school. It was unworldly, not even the Pseudo Ninja Club from Crystal Prep was this stealthy and quiet. Was she the real deal?

Or perhaps Death has finally come for me. I always thought she was a dude but... she was pretty hot.

I took a quick and stealthy glance, crawling without leaving the safety of the curtain. Nobody was in the hall. She must have run in the other turn of the hallway. I decided to wait a few minutes to make sure it was a safe moment to make a run for it. I rested my body in the floor while still in crawling position to help keep momentum in case I needed to get up quickly and escape. 

“Hehehehe, but I am worrying too much. She will never find me here.”

“WUH! So you wanted to play hide and seek with me! Why didn't you say so, Silly?” 

My body froze in an instant. I suddenly felt the close presence of someone right beside me. How did she get here? There was no sound of a door opening, the floor that made a cringe noise with footsteps wasn’t heard either. She was in the floor, resting her chin in both of her hands and half of her body was behind the same curtain that was supposed to hide me. Her round face, makeup less pink lips, straight-edged nose and those happy deep-blue rounded eyes… breathtaking.

“But you know, we are losing time, we must hurry or we are going to be late. Play time is over!”



I give up; I immediately understood that running would be futile against Death. Something tells me that I was just delaying whatever horror she has prepared for me, so I followed her while keeping my distance… Scary this girl was. Thinking on my current dilemma, Flash words resonated in my mind and after seeing this girl's face better. He had a point; this school has indeed pretty girls in it.

And this one... this one I like too. 

She slowed her pace and walked beside. “How was school today? Did you make friends today? Do you like this place?” Her speech was fast an almost unrecognizable.

“So-so, no and disliking it.”  I answered straight and dry to not provoke something bad.

“Wow! Those are the shortest answers I ever heard in my life, but don’t worry! After you receive my little surprise, you will love this place and have many new people to call friends!”

She winked at me and gave me a warm hug. And why all people labeled me as a loner? Do I look that socially inept to everyone? But now I know why I was startled and afraid of this girl. She was one of those ‘toxic person’ kind. This cultural species of the human race are positive, easy going and social to the point of being sickening and scary. Last time I spoke with one of her kind, I was a made a laughing stock for a month. That’s why I became a normal person. 

Normal people hate everyone from the start unless proved otherwise, think that everything is going to be wrong and you were going to end in a third grade job with a mediocre salary. There were always exceptions to the rule in the socializing aspect, Sunset for example. But this girl… she reeked of overly toxic vibes of optimmism that my senses over exaggerated the danger in her.

Now somewhat relaxed by knowing that she was just an annoying but extremely appealing girl instead of the murderous lunatic I was building in my mind since the start of the day, I started to ask her questions, not before thinking to myself that I was acting like a total cowardly moron a few moments ago, not to mention being paranoid with my friends and worrying Twilight for nothing. How embarrassing.

“Where are we going?”

“It. Is. A. Surprise!”

Damn that kind of paused speech.

“Who are you?”

“OH! So silly of me! I forgot my own rules of making friends while chasing you. Well, Let's start from the beginning!” She took a quick, deep breath. 

“My name is Pinkie Pie (Hello!) “

Somebody tell me she is not singing right now.

“And I am here to say (How ya doin'?)” 

She is singing…

“I'm gonna make you smile and I will brighten up your day” 

You are brightening my day, alright. I can already feel the rain in my head.

“It doesn't matter now (What's up?) 
If you are sad or blue (Howdy!) 
'Cause cheering up my friends is just what Pinkie's here to do”

“Cause I love to make you smile, smile, smile 
Yes I do 
It fills my heart with sunshine all the while 
Yes it does 
'Cause all I really need's a smile, smile, smile 
From these happy friends of mine “

I just noticed that we have arrived to the band room. Inside there was Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Sunset, Twilight, Rarity, the blonde girl from before and a few extra faces I haven't seen yet. There was a big cake, a wide variety of drinks and cupcakes in the table. 

“I like to see you grin (Awesome!) 
I love to see you beam (Rock on!) 
The corners of your mouth turned up is always Pinkie's dream (High Five!)”
But if you're kind of worried 
And your face has made a frown 
I'll work real hard and do my best to turn that sad frown upside down”

Cause I love to make you grin, grin, grin 
Yes I do 
Bust it out from ear to ear let it begin 
Just give me a joyful grin, grin, grin 
And you fill me with good cheer”

Her song was catchy, even if the lyrics were cheesy and mellow. 

“Pinkie Pie, that was amazing!”

“Ow, thanks Fluttershy, but I feel it still is incomplete!”

“Even so, it’s a catchy song, sugarcube! Maybe we can make a cover during band practice next Wednesday!”

“Fabulous idea, Applejack. Perhaps a classical approach would be ideal?”

So the cowgirl's name is Applejack. Thanks, overly fashionable girl. Listening closely, she had a southern accent. Those white freckles were adorable; her golden hair was western styled like her clothes. Father, I may find a girl for me here. Thinking about my taste in girls, I believe I admired feminine beauty far too much for today. Rainbow Dash made her presence known and started talking.

“Forget about the song, let's this welcoming party start!”

Everyone made a cheer of agreement. They started to welcome Twilight and me in unison. Phrases like “Welcome to CHS” and “A party for you!” made echo in this small room. Twilight quickly approached me; her eyes were brimming with never before seen happiness.

“Nitpick! They made a party for us! I really can’t believe it! Besides my family, nobody has ever throw a party for me! In this case, for us! Aren't you happy about this?”

“I can hardly contain my tears.”

I am surrounded by people I barely knew and they started treating me like some kind of celebrity. Twilight was enthusiastic about this. I was perplexed, and I needed to get out of here. Since I don’t need to worry about Pinkie's presence anymore, then I must quickly go to the school gardens and meet with my friends.

“Well, Twilight, enjoy the party. I need to go.”

Pinkie suddenly approached us.

“What? But we just arrived, here, take a cupcake, they are reeeaally good!” She pocked my arm with her shoulder.

“She is right, Nitpick. I had one of those during the Friendship Games and they are delicious.”

The cupcakes indeed looked good, they were carefully handcrafted; colorful sprinkles, fresh cream and the aroma of recent baked bread were quickly intercepted by my nose. I suppose I could stay for a few moments. I took the chocolate like cupcake and too a bite of it.

This sensation…

Godlike flavor and perfect balance between soft but consistent bread. The vanilla core was melting inside my mouth. I stopped thinking about everything but this moment. Savoring every single bit of it was pure bliss. To think that so much taste could be packed in a small cupcake was outrageous, but the hard truth was that I was having a good brief moment with sweets.

“Never before I had tasted such kind of perfection in my life!” I said in praise.

“I made them myself...” Pinkie blushed briefly “I'm glad you like it! There are more in the table, and if you are thirsty, there are a variety of fruit punches, soda and fizzy apple cider too!”

“Fizzy Apple Cider? That thing is the best drink ever! No reunion is complete without those!”

My family loves Apple Cider and wine, especially during Christmas. Not having the once a year, special gold brand cider from Sweet Apple Acres for the end of the year was considered a family failure to us.

“Did someone say Fizzy Apple Cider?”

“Oh He! He, he, he, he!”

Applejack approached us with two bottles of apple cider at hand. She removed the caps with her thumbs and gave me one.

“Here you go, pal. Enjoy!”

Can’t say no to that. The bottle was dead cold; the barely perceivable steam of the beverage was seducing me to drink the bottle's content. I slowly drank the cider, taking my sweet time to enjoy this delicious drink.

“Oh yeah…that hit spot”

Music engulfed the place; it was a mix between techno and high school musicals. Some of the people here started to dance, others were chatting with Twilight and I sat on a chair in the corner of the room… Is that a dog dancing in the crowd? Perhaps I'm just tired and I'm having hallucinations. 

I could understand why this would be amazing for her; most, if not all of Crystal Prep Academy's student body treated her like someone unfriendly, unlikable, self-absorbed and boring. I was somewhat happy for her because people were actually engaging real and meaningful conversations with the young scientist, especially those girls.

Those girls… they emanate a mystic aura, like if they were above the ordinary. Especially…

“Enjoying yourself right there?”

You Sunset Shimmer.

“I am not the social type. I rather be here, I have to go soon anyway, I have an appointment to do with some people at school at three o’clock.”

And those people were my friends; I only had 7 minutes to go before arriving late with them. I was curious to ask her what was going on between Dancer and her, but this kind of issue is better left for another occasion when a bridge of trust was made… if there was to be one.

“Why don’t you invite them over here? There is still room for a few more people in here and if they are students of the school, tell them Pinkie is throwing a party. Nobody says no to a Pinkie Party!”

“With how she is, I don’t doubt that!”

“What do you mean?”

Crap. 

“I mean, she is pretty energetic and looks like a very sociable person!”

So sociable that it sickens me. She made a small chuckle, succesfully conceiving my discomfort pretty well.

“That’s Pinkie Pie for you.  Who are you going to meet with? If you don’t have their numbers, Pinkie can talk to them in your behalf using MyStable. She knows everyone at school.”

Scary.

“I have their numbers. I'll talk to them.”

“Great! I am going with Twilight, and don't be a stranger, chat with anyone, people here are very friendly.”

She soon approached Twilight and the girls. On the other hand, I took out my phone and started messaging the group.

-Nitpick: Guys, a girl named Pinkie Pie suddenly grabbed me to the band room and made a party for me and another new student from my old school. Lightbulb, could you come for me and help me get out here?

A few moments passed and I received an answer.

-Dancer: Pinkie Pie threw you a party? We’ll be right there, Beasty. (Cake) (Red Heart)

-Lightbulb: Be more sociable, bro. She is a rad girl.

Damn it. I quickly texted Lightbulb in a private conversation. If things were bad between Sunset and Dancer, I would like to prevent an all-out war.

-Nitpick: Sunset Shimmer is here.

Even with the loud volume of the music in here, I heard the sound of a notification. It was too late. The doors opened and my friend was there, paler than ever, besides his girlfriend.

“Owww Beasty, I thought you wouldn’t be able to socialize the first year in here but you quickly prove me wrong once again!”

Your sincerity was hurting my self-esteem in this moment.

“Choco, uh… we better get going. Let’s get to another place just the three of us like we planned."

“Why, Bulby? If it´s Pinkie, then there is no problem, that girl is just too much fun to not hang out with”

“I don’t like her, can we go now?”

“You don’t like anything, Beasty”

“That’s just a stereotype you labeled me with. I can like a lot of things given time.”

“Oh Dancer, good to see you. Did Pinkie Pie invite you too?”

“Hi, Lyra! Hi, Bon Bon! No, we just came to pick up this guy. Tell me, isn´t he adorable?”

Could you stop playing with my cheeks in front of girls, please? It´s embarrassing. Look, they are laughing, please stop.

“I think his face is funny right now”

I hate you, bicolor haired girl.

“Why don’t you try the cupcakes, Dancer? They are over there besides Sunset and company”

My cheeks were crushed instantly. I wanted to groan in pain but by seeing the face in front of me override that desire.

“Ah, well, hahaha, maybe another day, we should go, we need to catch on in private. Right, Bulby and Beasty?”

“Excellent idea, darling”

“Ah, bummer, Chocolate Dancer. Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, Lyra. Better get going, see you tomorrow”

After a brief farewell, we got outside the place. Her walking pace was fast and Lightbulb and I tried to keep up. Other footsteps soon were heard behind us.

“Wait”

It was Sunset.

“Why did you-“

“Hi, Sunset Shimmer”

COLD. I felt even colder than before with Pinkie, but where the former was just an exaggerated misunderstanding from my part, Dancer was a genuine threat in this moment. She started walking forward Sunset, her usual happy and social expression turned vile and vicious, her forced smile was creepy. Never in my middle school years would I ever think to see her like this. Lightbulb tried to stop her but to no avail.

“Oh… Hi Chocolate Dancer, how are you doing?”

Dancer closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her expression turning somewhat back normal.

“Fine. We just were looking for our childhood friend here”

“Wow, Nitpick, how wonderful to hear that you have friends here in school.”

Sunset said this genuinely, but there was a bit of concern and self-restriction in her tone… is she scared?

“Yes, he has us, so your plan to make him socialize is grateful, but nevertheless, pointless gesture. We don’t want any kind of misunderstandings or gossips circling around school, right?”

You made a terrifying emphasis in two words just now.

“There won’t be any of those, Pinkie Promise”

This exchange is wearing me out. I better do something.

“We should go. Thanks for organizing all of this for Twilight and me, it was a nice thought”

“Anytime, Nitpick, We will see again tomorrow”

I nod my head and turned around following my pair of friends who were already near the exit. I took a quick glance over Sunset and what I saw made me feel really bad and worried for her; she was rubbing her right arm and looking to the floor. 

What soon followed was an awkward moment of silence. Lightbulb and I interchanged eye signs we developed during our years together as friends. Understanding his intention to part ways with them, I made an excuse and got straight home. Not to put them in a balance but my friendship with him has always been stronger than the one with Dancer, so of course I would understand his decision immediately. I was glad that our friendship wasn’t weakened by time and distance.

I arrived home safely. I took a long shower, made myself a heavy supper… the irony, I know, ate it, washed the dishes and finally I was in my bedroom. I turned on my PC and tried to play something. No inspiration to play came to me. It was just 6:37 pm and I still have so much time left before sleep time.

My phone rang, I received a private message. 

-Dancer: I am sorry for ruining your welcoming party. My grip with Sunset was not excuse for what I did back there. Let’s hang out the three of us soon like old times. 

Oh, Dancer, I am glad that you are still self-conscious when you screw up. 

-Dancer: And by the way, Pinkie is a good girl, so don’t label her as someone annoying. If someone is obnoxious between the two, no contest, it is you. Have a good evening, (kisses)

Give me back my praise, bitch.

Reflecting on the events transpired in Canterlot High School, Pinkie Pie stalking, Twilight gluing with me at every turn, Santa Calculus happy attitude, Cranky´s boring class, Flash sudden feelings for Sparkle, and Sunset and Dancer quarrel, there was only one word that could describe my first day. 

Tiring. 
> Chapter 11 - A Generous Spirit, Fabulous Rarity!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

My second day at school was at hand and Inorganic Chemistry was the first class of the day. I tried really hard to not yawn in the classroom but it was simple impossible. One reason was that yesterday at night one of my best friends at the academy called me up to play Demon's Dogma in a new game plus. It seems that the expansion pack was to be released in a few months so in preparation for it we spent time until three with forty in the morning. Questing and grinding, it was fun, especially after my weird day yesterday, it was so good to hear from her after a month without speaking to each other because she was grounded by her granddad for something stupid she did. 

The other reason for my tired state was because the teacher was insufferable and tedious. I didn't even bother to listen to his name. If I wanted to read information of the subject, I rather read it myself from a book instead of the incredible difficult to read presentations. Seriously, where was quality control with some of the teachers here? I could barely read what I was supposed to be reading when the size letter was so small because of all the information in it. Being tired didn’t help either; my sight could barely perceive reality.

Teams for lab class during Thursdays were already made the first day, so Twilight and I had to join a team. I would like to say that after being chosen yesterday by her and try to keep her pace in god-knows what kind of project I will have to do with her now, fate would allow me to be in a different team. Maybe teaming up with the guy called Micro Chips would be the best. He seemed to be of the quiet type. But nooooo! How I could I possible think of such alternative? I can almost hear Lady Luck say, 'Too bad, you draw the middle-finger luck card again'. Not only I was with the Scientist one again, but also my teammates consisted of Pinkie Pie and Rarity. I don't think Rarity was the scholar type and Pinkie… no comments.

Sunset was with the Cowgirl, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Things were somewhat awkward with Shimmer this morning. She looked down, no doubt because what happened yesterday. Whether I talk to her or no would make no difference and if I tried to make contact with her and she responded in kind, I could increase my crush level again and act like a hopeless fool anytime soon. With what Flash told me yesterday, the obvious course of action is to leave things as they are now. Eventually, her friends will cheer her up and all will be back to normal real soon. 

“Nitpick.”

“Uh.”

It’s you Twilight.

“Are you okay? You are spacing out and your eyes looked like they were drifting to the void.”

Leave me be. And is your face too close to me or I am imagining things?

“I didn't have a good night sleep. That’s all.”

“Do you want some water? Your fatigue can be a sign of dehydration. I always bring an extra bottle just in case I feel thirsty.”

“I rather have apple juice but no thanks, Twilight. I am fine, seriously.”

She made a concerned look.

“If you say so, then not need to worry about. Anyway, let’s go, class is over and today is Taco Tuesday. I want to try one of the vegetarian combos they offer.”

Oh, class was over? Maybe she was right and I was indeed drifting to the void. Would I have died if Twilight hadn't brought me back to the living? 

“Hey, Nitpick?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“How do I look?”

“The same as usual, cute.”

I didn’t really pay her attention; I just stood up and went straight to the cafeteria. 

I managed to arrive to school safely so the cafeteria was far easier task. This place was even more crowded than yesterday. There weren’t empty seats this time at sight. If I hadn’t made a detour to the bathroom maybe I would have somewhere to seat while eating my breakfast. 

“Bro! Over here!”

The voice was from Lightbulb, he was near the beginning of the line. I approached him trying to not make myself look like I was going to get in the line.

“Just give me the money and I’ll buy you what you want.”

“What do you recommend?”

“Cheese and bacon pack, eight bucks the order of four, eleven with fifty if you want the apple juice. Twelve with a big cookie included.”

“Here are the twelve bucks.”

“Ok, wait a moment.”

He bought three packs, no doubt the third one was for Dancer. 

“Bro, you’ll have to search for another place to eat. I would go with you but Dancer and I are going to discuss homework of the last class with our teammates.”

“Ah yes, you have chemistry in the lab today. Mine was in the classroom and it was tedious. Mmm, anyplace where I can eat peacefully around here?"

“The front gardens are a great place or you can try the backyard of the school. Nobody goes there frequently.”

“Sounds good, I'll see you another time.”

“Nitpick?”

Lightbulb just called me by my name, it means business.

“I am sorry for what happened yesterday, and please don’t be mad with Dancer, it just a lot of things happened.”

“Maybe we can catch up just the two of us, you know, play Titanium Slug in the arcades and stuff.”

“I would really like that.”

We made a bro-fist, said our farewells and I walked to my next destination: The backyard. This short reunion gave me a bit of improved mood and my eyesight got better with time. Once arriving there, I could see why nobody would come here often. There were practically no places to sit properly in groups of three or more because the bushes were abundant. The fear of getting ants inside of your cloths would drive anyone away from here. But there was always a spot where it was plain to eat comfortably, and here it was. In the corner of the wall, how typical.

The leaves of summer are finally drying, giving place to the reddish brown of autumn to flourish. The wind was nice today; the leaves were softly soaring near the floor of Mother Earth. Once I finish my food and put the trash in the trash bin, I would take a small nap to recover from my stay-up late. I have more than half an hour after all. Since today I didn’t bring my favorite tactical shirt and instead brought a common one, I decided to use it as mat. Folding it to perfection to sit in it, I proceeded to put it in the floor.

What the-?

“What do you think you are doing to that innocent garment!?”

It was Rarity. She was holding my hand which had my folded shirt. And what the hell do you mean by innocent garment?

“I am glad I found you in time, if not for me, you would have committed a terrible crime against fashion! That golden brown, short sleeved tactical shirt is just simple divine for this season!”

She was nodding triumphantly with her eyes closed. Are you a Fashion Cop or something? 

“May I know why are you trying to stop me in sitting on my own shirt?”

“Why? WHY? Darling, look at the floor!”

There were just leaves, small rock pebbles and some small branches in there. No ants or other strange animals.

“What is it with the floor?”

“It’s dirty; you are going to ruin your shirt!”

Are you fucking kidding me? Even if it was true, I would just wash it at home and be done with the problem.

“I don’t know, I needed to sit comfortably on the floor and once I finish my food, use it as a pillow for a small nap.”

“Gah… I mean, nonsense, there is a better option!”

“Which is?”

“Well, we were looking for you for a matter of homework! It was difficult to find you because we don’t have your phone number and since you are eating alone, then it would be better for you to come and eat breakfast with me. Pinkie and Twilight are joining us as well since we are teammates. We must discuss our distribution of lab materials for next class!”

“Lab materials?”

“Yes. Don’t you remember hearing about it?”

“Eh, no.”

“More the reason to come with me! Besides, people don’t come here often! Why would you want to be somewhere far away from society and miss the wonderful opportunity to meet new and exciting people today?”

Take a guess, Rarity.

“Why didn’t you tell me before going for lunch?”

“Because we wanted to buy our food first before the rest of the school made traffic jam because of Taco Tuesday, so are you coming?”

She made a persuasive gesture and knowing I wouldn’t escape, I sighed in resignation, and agreed to join her. I wore my shirt again and followed Rarity while she texted Pinkie and Twilight. I just wanted to eat and sleep for a while, is that too much to ask? Have a moment of peace alone? Maybe it’s for the best, today classes finish earlier so the less workload I have for home, the more time I could sleep in bed.

We were in the front gardens near the monument of the school. It was definitely cleaner than the backyard and the number of students weren’t a lot as I imagined at first. I made myself comfortable and laid back my back in the wall, it feels cozy but unnatural. I could fell asleep any moment but I needed to eat, so I began to dig my food... or so I would if a face of disapproval weren’t watching at me.

“What?”

“It is of bad education to start eating by yourself while the people with you are still waiting for their food in a restaurant.”

She crossed her arms while looking with indignation at me. Again, are you fucking kidding me?

“This is not a restaurant.”

“But the etiquette applies everywhere, darling. This is one of the actions that differences the brutes from the sophisticated beings of society!”

You are as painful as most of the extravagant teens of the academy.

“I am hungry and I want to have my nap.”

“Just wait a few minutes more. Pinkie and Twilight made a detour because they were searching for you, remember?”

“We could have decided this after school is over, you know?”

“Nonsense, and besides, I am going to be busy after school! Not to mention that today I have P.E. as well. I think your school day will finish at one. Also it would be unfair to tell you tomorrow what you need to bring next class without your opinion.”

“I am fine with whatever you decide.”

“Absolutely not. Where is your sense of democracy?”

I am really starting to dislike you so much. But at least Pinkie and Twilight are-

“Oh my…!”

"TADA! HOW DOES SHE LOOK!?"

Twilight was wearing a completely different outfit instead of the usual attire of the academy. She was wearing a teeny like light blue, long sleeved shirt with a black turtle neck vest with her favorite logo in the right side of the chest. Sporting a medium sized dark purple skirt with a big star and lots of tiny ones around it, with what I believe are black long pants that reached below the knee and a pair of small dark purple boots with pink socks. I am not good with description of cloths and color but she looked really cute. 

With her messy front hair left untouched with a simple ribbon in her long hair instead of her onion like style would have been a perfect five star rating for me if it weren’t for that she was wearing her old, typical thick, study glasses. Why are you wearing that abomination instead of some sleeker glasses that matched with your new outfit? That totally destroys the purpose of change of look, young Scientist. Nevertheless…



“You look fabulous, Twilight!”

“Of course she looks fabulous! She looks good in almost anything, not to mention I made the outfit myself!”

I withdraw my four and half star rating. The new outfit looks atrocious, Twilight. Go home and change to the old one, now.

“Are you sure, Nitpick? I feel weird wearing these kinds of cloths because they are so… flashy.”

“Nonsense, even our friend here made you a compliment, Twilight. You look gorgeous my dear, embrace it!”

"Speaking of the outfit, how much will it be, Rarity?"

"Nothing, dear. Consider it my welcoming gift!"

"How could I possible take this for free? At least let me give you more than half of the cost?"

"I said no, Twilight. I wont accept any excuses"

"Thanks, Rarity"

Oh, I see where is this going on. She must have some kind of business and she will use Twilight´s innocence to emotional blackmail her. A common tactic for bussinesman. Don´t worry, Twilight. I´ll have a chat with you in private about the dangers of society later. For now...

“I want to eat and take my nap, Rarity” Cut to the chase, already.

“Oh right, here is your Veggie combo, Rarity”

“Thank you, Pinkie Pie. Darling, could you be a dear and help me prepare the mat?”

Where the hell did you get that mat? In no moment you have one with you. Are you a conjurer? 

The mat was ready, Pinkie made a gesture to join them in it but I refused, I was already comfy in my current position so I started eating once they took the first bit, I didn’t want to start an argument with Rarity over something trivial as ´society education´.  But something did catch my attention.

“Uh, I believe dogs aren´t allowed in school”

Twilight took out a dog from her bagpack and it started to run in circles, probably to relax itself for being packed in bag for more than two hours.

“I know but I couldn´t leave it alone at home. Please, promise me that you won’t tell anyone, I don´t want the school to confiscate him”

“Alright, I promise”

It´s not my problem anyway.

“You Pinkie Promise?”

How the hell did you arrive in front me so fast, Pinkie?

“What the hell is a pinkie promise?”

“Language, darling”

I wasn´t talking to you, Miss Socialite.

“It’s this” She took a small and fast breath. Please don’t sing. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

She stuck a cupcake in her face.

“Was the literal cupcake in your eye really necessary?”

“Duh, why would I include a cupcake in the swear if you don’t really meaning it”

“I won’t fight with that logic”

“Great. I knew you were a smart guy. So you Pinkie Promise?”

I feel really offended to be praised by you, but I see it’s important to Twilight´s moral, so ok. I sighed, thinking that I was going to do a stupid thing and recited the chant.

“Cross my heart” I crossed my arms like she did “hope to fly” I tried to fly with my hands like she did “stick a cupcake in my eye” She stuck a fucking cupcake in my face, damn you Pinkie Pie. At least she was nice enough to clean this mess. What a waste of cupcakes, though.

“But you must know one thing about a Pinkie Promise, breaking your oath means betraying your friend. Losing a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend, FOREVER!”

Why suddenly a dramatic thunder materialized just when she ended her speech. She got back to her spot in the mat, not before hissing ‘forever’ one last time. The other girls were watching like if nothing had happened. They were used to it or I was going crazy. 

“Thank you, Nitpick. This is my dog, Spike. Say hello to him”

It was the dog from yesterday at the band room. Spike, huh? You are raising your paw like you were trying to wave a hand. 

“You really are a smart little fellow, aren’t you?”

Spike mady a happy gesture with his tail. Dogs are smater than some people believe, I think he likes what I said.

“I believe he is adorable”

I won’t complain with you this time, Rarity. I better finish eating my tacos before they get cold.

It didn’t took me so long to eat my food because the size of the tacos were somewhat small for me, besides, this weren´t real tacos, this are chingaderas, for starters real tacos are made from a softer tortilla. They tasted good but I feel cheated, I demand a partial refund for this misguided adverstiment. Anyway, I put the rest of my trash inside a bag and lucky for me there was a trash bin nearby. I made a pose resembling a basketball shot to the net; I throw it, its flying aaaaaand it didn’t get in.

Damn it. I stood up and threw my garbage properly this time to the bin.

"Bravo, Nitpick”

What do you want now, Rarity? And why are you clapping?

“What?”

“Grumpy, aren´t we? I was praising you for taking responsibility in your recent act”

“Putting the trash in its place is what anybody would do”

“You would be surprised. There are people that don’t even bother to search for a bin. They just throw it away like if the floor is cleaned on its own. It’s simply unacceptable.”

“Well, anyway, let’s talk about our material distribution”

“Indeed. I reviewed the list for class and there are definitely a lot of unnecessary materials in it. We are going to neutralize acid in a solution, not transform it in a raw concentration of chlorine cleaning sanitizer.”

“Uh, say what”?

“Beg your pardon, darling?

“She means we are going to make an acid less substance instead of bleach in the lab practice.”

“Oh, I see”

I took a quick glimpse of the practice instructions and the materials.

“I think we have done this before, Twilight”

“Indeed, during first semester, it was so easy to do. I don’t know why it took all of you two full sessions to make the neutralization of a simple acid, the procedures were crystal clear.”

“Forgive us for being brutish apes compared to you, Twilight Sparkle.”

“I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to imply, what I meant to say-”

“Relax, Twilight. You always work hard in your studies so nobody has the right to complain for your intellectuality. Most of the common student will bitch about not getting good grades when they not study hard enough, you don’t need to apologize for your genius status”

Twilight made a sad face, her eyes almost teary, why? I praised her, right?

“But I didn’t have friends for being genius. Everybody talked at my back, always saying that I was unlikable and unfriendly, because I was a 
perfectionist, because I was always asking questions, because-“

“They were jealous of you, Twilight”

“Rarity?”

“Darling, all those people badmouthed you because deep inside they knew that it was impossible to beat you in everything that you aspired to do, that’s why they mocked you, insulted you and stepped in your persona to feel high and mighty instead of improving themselves. You don’t own them anything, as a matter of fact, you must feel proud to be an excellent student, that was school was almost full of horrible people that didn´t appreciate your worth, but now-” 
Rarity tenderly took Twilights hands, her face not of the perfectionist diva like moments ago but more like a sister-like figure comforting her little sister during a time of need. 
“-you have us, Twilight Sparkle. You are no stranger to us, nor a replacement and the most important thing of all...” 
Rarity put her right hand in Twilight´s cheek, removing a silent tear from her face. 
“Is that we are your friends no matter what, so, don’t cry.”

“AWWW!!! I'm so glad we're friends! I love you, guys!”

“That tickles, Pinkie, hahahaha”

“Hahaha, NO, Pinkamena Diane Pie, hahahaha, stop, hahaha”

So Pinkamena Diane Pie is her full name. If it were someone else, I would say that she ruined a touching moment, but it felt just right. They shared a group hug after Pinkamena stopped making a friendly tickle torture with some feathers. Aren’t you glad, Twilight? There was a time when Dancer and Lightbulb were like this… a long time ago.

My father always said that I was quick to judge. Maybe He was right. I am sorry for thinking you were a blackmailer, Rarity. A heartless person would never be able to do what you did. Everybody can give you a material gift, but the gift straight from the heart? That it´s pretty uncommon these days. At least that´s what I think. You are a nice person afterall Rarity.

"Nitpick, darling! What were you thinking this morning? Your shoes and belt don´t match in color with your garment, and are those a pair of navy blue socks? Ugh, the tragedy! You too need a total transformation and I would be glad to help you as soon as possible"

I withdraw my praise, I hate you.

We discussed who was going to bring what from our material list. Everyone agreed with their responsibility and the girls started to fold the mat. The bell rang, next class was about to begin. As I walked inside the school, I looked back to where I was resting and sighed with defeat because I didn’t do what I originally planned for break.

"I didn’t take my nap."
> Chapter 12 - Friendly bickering! And you are annoying her, Flash.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The flow of time was so tender with us that school was over without any problems. Before I went my way home, Twilight asked my number so we could stay in contact in case we needed to meet up for some group homework. She was happy while adding a new entry to her list of contacts while I was annoyed, trying to conceal my uneasiness behind a small smile. I always gave my number to my closest of friends, which were only six in that moment. But now there was an anomaly in my contact list of family and friends. An acquaintance was in there now. 

Simply unacceptable. 

“We can be in contact from now on, Nitpick. Well see each other tomorrow, bye!”

She was enthusiastic and cheerful as she left the scene, but I just turned around and walked straight home. I didn’t want to cook today so I just bought an extra sized baguette and some juice on the way home. Once there, I ate my meal, took a shower and slept.

...

I was suddenly awoken by a noise; a custom encore tune from my phone was loudly filling the once silent room. It was them. I grabbed my phone and looked upon the hour; it was eight with twenty-three minutes in the night. I slept around six hours then. I joined my old chat group of five people that includeded me, which was inactive for some time now.

?????: I finally have my phone back. Grandpops gave me freedom once again, so its gym time for me, baby ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ

????: What you did was seriously wrong. Your Grandfather did the right thing at grounding you at home. If I was there in that moment, I definitely would have stopped you.

?????: Hey, it wasn't my fault! She asked for it! And besides, you must be supporting me, not antagonizing me (¬_¬)

?????????: This time I agree with her, she was being a royal pain during summer classes and she had it coming. Besides, it was hilarious ≧◡≦

????: Dean Cadence told me what happened during a phone conversation. Three broken ribs is not something to be proud of. Poor Lighting Dust must have felt so much pain.

?????????: Pain in our brains is what we feel every single time she starts to open her mouth. She should consider throwing herself from the bridge and free us of her stupidity.

????: You are being cruel and unfair.

?????????: I am being honest.

?????: She is right.

Nitpick: No complaints with that logic, it was a great, last blast from summer school for me.

????: My beloved friend! {(>_<)}

Nitpick: What? We hate her!

?????????: Agreed.

?????: Same here.

?????????: She is so uncivilized.

????: You are not helping

?????: Forget about her! I wanna know how is your new school treating you, my friend.

????: Beg you pardon?

?????????: Bittersweet had a problem with Cinch and the outcome was a transfer to that school of losers CHS.

????: I didn’t know that.

Nitpick: Not your fault, you are so busy with those peace conferences around the world and stuff. The perks of being rich, huh?

????: You can rely on me with anything, you know?

Nitpick: And wasting your time with trivial things? Never.

????: (∩︵∩)

Nitpick: I will treat you something when you arrive and tell you what happened in detail, I promise.

????: (｡◕‿◕｡)

?????????: Just don’t take her to a lowly commoner pub, please.

?????????: For you, everything in the city is made for commoners, your royal bastard.

?????????: HMPH! It's the harsh reality for most places in the world.

Nitpick: Well, answering the question, all students are friend-ho bastards! Every single one of them is trying to get close to me like if I was screaming ‘I am lonely, be friendly with me’ all the time.

????: That sounds nice. Do you feel the hipocresy dwelling within them?

Nitpick: Yes. It is unbereable.

?????: Sounds like a pain.

?????????: And there are weird students with wings in that place.

Nitpick: Wings?

?????????: Some weird things happened during the games. I will talk about it with all of you next time we hang out.

Nitpick: Speaking of the games, Twilight is in CHS with me. She is awfully different from her usual self during the academy. She seems more friendly and fuzzy! She even managed to get my phone number from me.

?????: No fucking way!

?????????: Stay away from Twilight Sparkle, Bittersweet! Mentally speaken, she's a very unstable individual.

Nitpick: Point taken.

????: Nonsense, be friendly with her. She must feel very lonely. If she needs help, give her a hand like if you were treating any of us.

Nitpick: NO!

?????: You ask the impossible.

?????????: Have you lost your mind?

?????????: Miss Sparkle is better to be left alone if our friends say so.

????: Do not be so negative! She seemed like a nice girl to me! Afraid of being herself because the ruthless environment of the academy. If I were in the same classes with her back then, I could have befriended her, saved her, but I did not tried hard enough. I won’t make excuses. But now in this new school, you can make her shine like the star she was meant to be! Succeed where I failed.

Nitpick: Usually I agree with you in everything crazy but this time I won’t change my answer. The idea is too bothersome. I have her number so I can give it to you so you can help her yourself, you are the more the people person in the group. Besides, it seems she made friends already so the task you ask of me is pointless.

????: Even so, be friendly to her, please do it for me.

Nitpick: Okay, fine. Damn it, even in chat I can feel your unmatchable charisma.

?????????: Oh, thank you, I have this effect in people.

Nitpick: I wasn’t praising you, asshole ☉▵☉凸

?????: （︶︿︶）╭∩╮

?????????: (╹◡╹)凸

?????????: How rude and uncivilized of you.

????: I agree, apologize to him now. He may be an imbecile but he does not deserve this!

?????????: HEY!

We continued our friendly bickering for a while. I could express myself unrestricted with them just as much they can express themselves with me. It's a camaraderie that nobody asked for to be made, but causality made it possible. They were anomalies, nobody builds a relationship this fast but they are so... fun.

I was having so much enjoyment and the idea of hanging out with them soon was making me wish that time flows faster. I mentioned that I met my old friends from middle school. They wanted to meet them and I think they will enjoy their personalities. I managed to finish homework even with this lively chat group distracting me and soon the hour of sleep arrived, marking the the time to say goodbye to this day.

Next morning, classes were going quickly, except for the first class of Ethics. Rainbow Dash gave a painful presentation of the meaning of ethics and morals. This was her punishment for sleeping during last class after all. But I felt that the real punishment was hearing her speech butchering my ears with such horrible choice of words.

Mrs. Harshwhinny was not amused with the results, and no one could blame her. Dash was being somewhat a jerk explaining her work, but nevertheless the point was made and our teacher gave her a passing mark. Rainbow was happy with the result. I noticed that Twilight was looking around too much, though. I wonder what is in your brilliant mind in this moment right now.

Once in break time, I managed to get a seat in the cafeteria. It seems that Fruits and Salads Wednesday wasn't that popular. At least there was an abundance of bread and honey to disguise the nonexistent flavor from my combo of today.

I spent a nice time with Lightbulb and Dancer during that time; she seems to be back to her usual goody moody self now and that was a relief for us. The rest of the day transcurred quicker as well and it was time for the Informatics class. The dreaded hour was at hand, I was going to team up with Twilight Sparkle for a long term project for the second time in my life. What kind of horror I was going to be put this time? 

Last time in Physics during our time in the academy, her mockup needed to pass an standardization made by her. The planets needed to be made with pinpoint accuracy in the measures she demanded. The distances between them was the most outrageous part. The moons for each planet were handcrafted at least five times until they were good for her. The luminaries that represented the stars and the asteroids were incredible difficult to position the way she wanted it. And I haven’t even touched the part of making the synopsis of why we chose this as a project or the calculations of what she wanted to prove in theory.

What kind of horrible and laborious goal she had prepared in mind this time? I thought about making a simple application to teach basic math and numbers to kids, easy. Let’s see what the Truth of the universe has bestowed upon me. As I arrived to the lab after making a small detour to my - soon to be favorite - dispenser, I noticed an anomaly in my seat.

“You are in my seat, Twilight.”

“Oh, I am so sorry. Would you kindly make this my seat from now on, please? This is the perfect place for Spike to be out of my pack during classes!”

The little dog's head was outside the bag, clearly enjoying freedom from his imprisonment. This face of her, combined with the favor my friend asked of me yesterday… Damn, no escape.

“Fine, all for Spikes sake.”

Spike saw me with approval, what a charismatic little fellow. Professor Gizmo arrived and greeted us, we responded in kind. He taught us new programing instructions to work with and it was time to start our project.

“Twilight, I was thinking in making an application to teach basic math and vocabulary to kids, what do you have in mind?”

“I was thinking in making a classification system of our library, the one they have here is completely obsolete and needs updating in their entries with the books they have available! It’s a complete mess the way it is now!”

That doesn’t sound too hard. As a matter of fact, it was better than my idea. Making a structured program for kids could be easy to translate to exercises. The problem was to accurately transfer the knowledge to the kids in a way they understand so the obvious course of actions was mini games and such. But the classification processes of her idea only consisted of arranging names, genres, subjects, authors and such to a database. And given the status of the library, there weren’t as much books as the academy here so in the long run it’s less work for me. 

Perfect, Twilight.

“Proper education for our peers is important as well, so a system for the library looks to be the best course of action! What good are the contents of quality in a library if you can’t find what you need with ease? Let’s do your idea then, Twilight!”

I sounded so professional. Praise me.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking. I knew you would understand where I stand with my idea. With our efforts combined, we can make the ultimate research system for all school to enjoy!” I don’t like where this is going, the fact that she was trembling with excitement made me feel I made a terrible mistake. “Why be in the comfort zone of just arranging names, genres, subjects, authors and such to a boring database when we can make reference searches, book edition differences, and most importantly, the ability to make a proper system to track down the books that were taken to a student's home! In this way we can make a scheduled ‘Take-Bring' system so all books are returned at the proper time, and if the student doesn't bring the books at the appointed day; BANISHMENT!”

I must stop this madness.

“Twilight-“

My phone rang a short opera tune. It was her.

“Excuse me for a moment, an important text arrived”

I checked the contents of the message.

????: Remember to always nurture the trust, hopes and dreams of the people who shares them with you. And a reminder for you to help Miss Twilight in whatever she needs. (~￣▽￣)~ I hope we can be in contact soon, take care.

…shit.

“Let’s start with the foundation of our ‘Il Rinascimento Bibliotecario' project, then.”

“YAY!”

I curse your childlike attitude.

We started to advance what we could in our remaining time, the limited hours that this class has in the week made me realize that this project is to be made even after school, ugh. This is going to be a long semester.

“Urgh!”

“What happened, Twilight?”

“Nothing.”

“You are making a face that tells me that something is making you mad. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s the guy over there.” She made a gesture of lowering my head while whispering to me and pointing out the source of her problems.

“What, Flash Sentry?” I whispered as well. “Whats wrong with the guy?”

“Well, today before classes started, he approached me while I was rearranging my locker and started to ask me tips to improve his algorithms in the music application he is making for a project. I didn’t see any harm in it so we started talking for a bit and we exchanged numbers in the end. He sent me messages about our subjects during classes and I texted him back to give him more tips, everything was going fine until… uh...”

That explains why you were acting a bit weird and stealthy in classes.

“Let me guess, he started making you stupid questions out of context during classes while you were checking your phone constantly to see if it was something important only to find out it was a trivial thing and you are starting to feel he is a bit annoying, I am right?”

“A bit annoying? He is INSUFFERABLE!” 

Wow… that was unexpected, even in whisper that sounded pretty extreme. She took a short, deep breath and made a gesture with her arm that tells the viewer that she was letting go whatever worrisome thing she was thinking right now.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes, Dean Cadence's relaxing techniques always helps me to keep myself cool in mind.”

Ah, Dean Cadence. The only educator besides the Captain that wasn't an asshole. She and the Captain were a beacon of hope to problematic or apathetic students like me. I hope she is doing fine, especially after the academy tied with CHS during the games. Principal Cinch had a volatile character, especially with me, always asking me to do impossible things, what was her problem? 

“What exactly did he tell you in those messages that made you angry, if I am allowed to know, Twilight?”

I am going to find out what exactly bothered her, maybe help Flash in the process to getting close to her, or at least sparing him from a full force rejection. I feel empathy for the guy, if I was in his shoes, most probably I would be making the same fool thing with Sunset right now.

“Here, take a look.”



“Thank you for the vote of confidence, but next time do this kind of stuff with someone you trust. I hope it never happens to you but you could end sharing an important subject or gossip to the wrong person and he or she could make a ruckus, so be more careful with this kind of actions.”

I felt like a total hypocrite after finishing what I said. I was going to see what Flash wrote to her and maybe help him and that totally destroys the purpose of my lecture.

“Oh, I know, but you are no stranger to me. And besides, I feel I can trust you. I dont think you are a bad person. But I admit you are a bit colorful with your language. Maybe you should try to not express yourself like you did with Rarity and Pinkie Pie yesterday.”

Your sincerity and misguided trust made me feel cozy and warm inside. Let’s see what he wrote you, for your sake only. I need to repay you for my transgression of trust in the best way I can. 

-Flash Sentry: Hi! The teacher brought an interesting topic about morality issues in youth in this moment, what do you think about it?”

-Twilight: I think that kids today are starting to be disrespectful with the elderly, they should be taught properly-

I won’t read the whole speech, so I’ll skip to the next entries.

-Flash Sentry: Trigonometry is so hard, I wish I had Mr. Bridge as my teacher (;_;)

-Twilight: What don’t you understand of the class? Maybe I can help.

-Flash Sentry: when to use the Cos, Tan, Sen properly.

Twilight sent him a picture with an example of what he asked.

-Twilight: If you look closely at-

Next entries.

-Flash Sentry: Do you want to eat lunch together? I can treat you something from the cafeteria.

-Twilight: How kind of you but I'm going to eat with my friends.

-Flash Sentry: Okay, enjoy your breakfast. (°3°)

Okay…

-Flash Sentry: Say, do you have free time in the afternoon? We can go to the cinema and see the new Rising Moon movie. 

-Twilight: Sorry, but I can't, I need to study for some mock test this week and I am going to help some friends in a chore.

-Flash Sentry: Maybe I can go and help you out.

-Twilight: Thanks but no, girls only.

Good answer, Twilight. Short and cutting.

-Flash Sentry: So what do you like to watch on TV?

-Twilight: International Atlas and educative shows.

-Flash Sentry: Sounds cool! I like to watch sitcoms. There is a new reboot of an old comedy show called Candle the Ugly which consist of-

Stop, this is painful! I thank the Truth that rules the existence for distancing me from Sunset. This could be me in this moment. No, wait, he is actually lamer than me.

“I feel real sorry for you in this moment...” I said, hissing with pity to my partner.

“What do you think I should do?” Twilight asked seriously.

Block his number and send him to oblivion is something I would do. But I don’t want to damage her new reputation. I needed to think real hard about my response…what should you do?

“For now, tell him that you need to concentrate and you are really busy to talk right now, and it would be better to talk another day. You can buy some time, relax and talk with the girls about this. Not trying to sound sexist but we men are really insensitive sometimes, so they can give you a better answer than me in this kind of subjects!”

“You are right. I am no good with talking to new people yet, so I better ask more experienced members of society about it. Maybe Sunset Shimmer can give me tips in how to deal with this!”

Yeah, Twilight, because asking the ex-girlfriend of your current admirer is the solution. Duh, how I didn’t think about it?

“Thanks, Nitpick, I'll try your plan right away!”

Few minutes passed and the bell rang. Classes for today were over at last, as I got out of the classroom, I saw a solitary figure emanating depression. Flash, you are the cool guy type so, how can you look so lame in this moment? Whatever it is, my little partner has something to do with it. What kind of response she made to him it’s something that probably I shouldn’t know.

> Chapter 13 - A girl´s conversation.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another day of education came to an end and I was still in awe with the mixed feeling that I was experiencing in the past few days. Never before I had enjoyed coming to a school like this and that made me feel sad and happy. I felt sadness for the reason that I never appreciated as much the company of people around me in classes before; their random reactions, their thirst for knowledge and even their lack of interest of it was fascinating, fresh and new to me! An experience that I couldn't believe I was missing and never being able to achieve in all those years in Crystal Prep's Middle and High School. 

And I feel happiness because-

“SUGARCUBE!! OVER HERE!!”

“I'm coming, Applejack!”

Of my new friends. Even if we only have spent less than a week and half of getting to know each other, I have never experienced the warm of bonding with people outside my family and Dean Cadence. It’s something that I truly regreted in the past. It made me walk a path of self-destruction and I nearly destroyed the delicate space-time border that separated two worlds. 

But then, they came to save me. She came to save me. I even had a chance to talk with my alternate timeline self and that was the strangest but most fascinating thing that ever happened to me. My faithful dog gaining the ability of sentient intelligence was a nice plus given all the disasters I created. But that’s just in the past and what’s done and it’s done. The best ways to make amends is to slowly learn from my mistakes and start to embrace everyone around me if I want to build real friendship with the girls that have taken me under their wings.

Today I'll experience the wonders of a place called Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie works there as a part-time worker and today they had a special promo of three for two in any purchase you made. This was going to be great. Since they didn’t restrict pets in the fields, I took out Spike from my backpack. I told him to follow us and not talk until we were in a safe place and he obediently agreed with it.

“Well, sugarcube, once the girls finish their sports class, we can go and help Rarity in cleaning her boutique and from there we'll go our way to Sugarcube Corner, yo!”

“I am still thankful to you for helping me out with my house cleaning, Sweetie Belle made a mess with the girls in my workshop when they were working in the new design of their club capes! Those children could at least have cleaned up their mess! I didn’t gave them authorization for using my equipment for starters!”

“Rarity! Let them be kids while they still can. Besides, I am gonna bet that you are overreacting for nothing again!”

“Just like the time you overreacted when Applebloom teared apart your favorite farming cloths by accident last month and you came straight to me to fix them?”

“Ah… point taken.” She made an embarrassed expression while smiling and holding her hat in her chest.

“It will take more than a triviality for me to be mad at you, dear. We have passed for so much together. And now, as a new member of the team, 
Twilight, you are going to be part of all our activities starting today!”

“Thank you so much for what have you done for me! I'll be the best friend possible!”

“Baby steps, sugarcube. Friendship is a slow process. For now, let’s see how Rainbow Dash is fairing as the second in command in the soccer team!”

“Agreed! Since this is Spitfire's last year in CHS, she retook the mantle of captain of the soccer team to play for the last time with the Wondercolts in the Inter College Tournament. Rainbow Dash must be feeling the pressure to win this time.”

“Then let’s go and cheer them up, Yo!”

We went to the stands of the school fields. The P.E. class and the soccer team were playing against each other with great enthusiasm. The players who weren’t playing had been put to run around the field. Hard to imagine that last week this place was a motocross rally. I wonder from where my new school got the sponsorship to build and clean that overkill event?

"Oh! Look!"

Sitting on one of the benches, a beautiful figure was seeing the game.

“There you are, Sunset! We wondered where did you go after we lost track of you!”

“Oh? Oh, hi, I came straight here to wait for the rest of you!”

“Darling, are you ok? You have been gloomy since the welcoming party. Did the new guy say something bad to you that day? You chased him after he suddenly left after all!”

“Nitpick? No! He didn’t do me wrong… it's just that I ran with someone who still hates me, she still thinks that I am the same girl during my time as a power hungry maniac and that I held this past welcoming events for ulterior purposes!”

“I still find hard to believe that part of your past to be true.”

“Don’t worry, that Sunset is gone, Twilight. It's just that the damage my past-self did still lingers with a few students. I just wish I knew how to reach them and prove them that they have nothing to fear of me anymore!”

“I believe you have done more than enough, sugarcube! You have been beating a dead horse for a while now. Something that I have learned during mah life is that there are people who'll never listen reason and are too stubborn to see the change in things. Let go and focus in the future. You have us to raise you up if you feel down, you know?”

“And you can expect the same for me. Thank you, Applejack!”

That kind of trust is what I wanted to achieve and being able to reciprocate with them. We waited for practice to end and once the rest of the girls were finish with their last class of the day, we went straight to Rarity's place. With the seven of us working together, we were going to clean her place in no time. We entered the boutique and…

“I spoke too soon.”

“What in the world, Rarity?

“What happened here?”

This place was a complete disaster! The last time I was here a few days ago, I could see the floor in the room! Every single piece of cloth was arranged in acceptable order. How did the Cutie Crusaders worked here, exactly?

“As I told you, our respective sisters happened.”

“I am going to scold Applebloom for this. You should do the same thing with Scootaloo, Rainbow. She looks upon you as a role model. No doubt she is learning the bad things from you, y'all!”

“Hey! That’s a lie! She is learning only cool stuff from me!”

“Being irresponsible isn't something cool, gal!”

“Never mind girls, lets clean this place and go to Pinkie's!”

We distributed the work in sections, Rainbow and Applejack gathered the heavy equipment and materials while Rarity pointed out where to place them. The coordination was disastrous but we managed. The rest of us swept the floor and once it was cleaned of dirt we proceeded to mop it up. 

The girls were so creative that they managed to make a game of who could clean the fastest and we ended up having fun at it. Pinkie Pie won by a hair, literally. This is the kind of teamwork I always wished to be part of, I never had someone who I could work comfortable with. 

Wait, there was…

“The cleaning services were fulfilled at the appointed hour. I hope you are pleased with the results, Rarity!”

“That I am, Rainbow Dash! Thank you for your continuous support.”

“Rarity, we can't go to Sugarcube Corner like this”

Fluttershy had a point. We were sweaty and dirty from all that cleaning, we needed a shower. 

“Don’t worry, I knew this would happen and I reserved a visit to the spa! We can go to Sugarcube Corner from there. I have spare cloths right here in the bag for all of you so no need to worry!”

“I have never been on a spa before.”

“You are going to love it, Twilight! What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

Only Fluttershy seemed to be excited by the idea, Sunset and the rest of us were just following the mood. We arrived at the spa after a short walk, the place was so feminine and a sweet, relaxing aroma was perceivable in the air. I could feel my worries going away from my mind, but my thoughts snapped me back to reality when two beautiful women wearing ancient styled chitons came before us.



“Twilight, meet Lotus Blossom and Aloe. They will show you the marvels of a good massage. Also, we can ask them to fix your hair so it matches with your new look.”

“No thanks, I love the way my hair is. The ponytail is more than enough for me.”

“But darling, your front hair is messy!”

“I like it the way it is.”

“But-“

“Rarity!” Applejack rose her frown like she was about to lecture her.

“Alright, but if you ever change your mind, we can come back anytime. Ladies, please do your magic on us!”

“Come this way, you already know the drill, Rarity. Take the shower first and meet us at the Jacuzzi.”

We followed Rarity to the showers.  It didn’t take long for us to do the mandatory hygiene and once we were ready, we went to the Jacuzzis room. Towels, fruit and fresh water were prepared for use at out discretion. My friend also prepared custom swimsuits to use while there, so wrapping into a bath towel was unnecessary. I got inside the bath and-

“This feels so nice!”

My sore body for all the cleaning we did slowly started to dissapear. The water was at the point I liked; neither too cold for me to catch a flu nor too hot that could hurt my skin.

“I told you that you would like it.”

“This was a nice idea, Rarity. I can feel the stress getting out of me. Yesterday the small critters at the shelter gave me so much trouble because the noise from the sewer maintenance on the suburbs! Those inconsiderate people don’t know how much the small ones suffers with such loud noise!” 

“They are doing their job so you can have water to shower your pets in the shelter. Bear with it for a little while longer, y'all.”

“I guess you are right, Applejack.”

She closed her eyes and made a weak sigh, it must be hard work to be a veterinarian assistant. The rest of the girls were relaxing as well and Spike was sleeping in the corner. He still is a puppy so he needs his rest. 

“Do you have everything you need?”

It was Miss Aloe. Miss Blossom was beside her holding an ornate plate with what appeared to be a variety of shampoos.

“Yes Ladies, everything is in order. Once again you are making us have a delightful time.”

“Oh, flattery is not needed with us but thank you.” Miss Blossom humbly said but both Misses were blushing with appreciation. “So tell us who is going to receive the special treatment?”

“She!” Rarity pointed at me.

“Uh, me?”

“Of course. Once you receive the special hair treatment, your hair will feel spectacular!”

“But I told you I don’t want to change my hair!”

“Don’t worry, Twilight. It's a special hair shower, and believe me when I say that you are going to love it. Rarity and I come here every month to take one.” Fluttershy gave me a tender look.

“If just say so, then I'll take it.”

Both ladies kneeled behind me and one of them started massaging my head.

“Don’t worry, Miss Twilight, you will feel like a new, fresh girl after we finish with you!”

Your massage is already making me feel refreshed, Miss Blossom.

“Maybe a boy can fall for you and want to ask your phone number with your new feminity! If you are shy, they can start with text messagin! Hehehe!”

So femininity equals to steal boys' attention. Boys equals to text messaging, and text messaging equals to Flash's stubbornness and that means that-

“AAAAHH!!!”

“What's wrong, Twilight!?”

“Sorry! Oh I am sorry! But I'm okay, I am okay!"

“You were startled when they mentioned texting from boys; don’t tell me that someone is harassing you already?”

“Oh no! By no means... but...!”

Miss Blossom tenderly pulled back my head to a comfortable position and resumed her massaging. “Perhaps you can share with us what is your problem. We can help and give you good advice if you wish.”

“You don’t have to worry about sharing secrets with them, Twilight! There is a reason that even celebrities come here after all! What you say here is safe with us!” Rarity said this with such security that I had no reason to mistrust her.

“Well, there is a guy I met during the first day of the games. It seems he confused me with our special friend. You know, the one I am pretty similar with.”

“Let me guess, the guy is Flash Sentry.”

“Do you know him, Sunset?”

“Yeah, he is a nice guy, Twilight.”

“Maybe he is but he talks about the silliest of things! I was being texted during school hours by him five times, FIVE TIMES! URGH! Only thinking about it makes me feel tired!” 

Miss Blossom made swifter moves with her hands, her temple massage technique was better than mine; I thanked her for returning my inner peace. 

“I believe someone has a crush on you, Miss Twilight.”

“Uh, a crush?”

“It means that someone likes you for the idea of dating you in the future, darling!”

“I have understanding of the idiom but, why he would like a stranger that he only met in one day? That’s crazy!”

“Have you never fallen in love with someone at first sight?”

“No, Dean Cadence always says that loves is built by the mutual understanding and effort of both parties with the pace of time and she is right. I have come to believe that someone who develops an infatuation with someone at first sight instead of knowing him first is destined to have the greatest disappointment of her life! It applies to the opposite sex too!”

All of the girls but Rarity started laughing.

“I think that Twi described someone we know perfectly. Am I right, Rarity? Blueblood was his name, wasn't it?”

“I thought we agreed never to speak of him again...”

“Miss Cadence sounds like someone who has experienced a lot of relationships!”

“Yes, she is, Miss Aloe. I may have no right to judge how people fall in love, I am new in the friendship ways after all. But love is a more delicate subject for me. Dean Cadence shared with me many points of view from her experiences, saying that all her search for real love finally paid off when she started dating my brother a few years back! That is why I believe she is right. Love is not destined, it's built by our very own hands.”

Miss Aloe started to use the mix of special shampoos in my hair, combined with her soft fingertips passing through my head and the seducing aroma of exotic fruits was relaxing in a whole new level. 

“So the idea of this young man named Flash falling for you this quickly doesn’t make you happy?”

“Not in the least.”

“Then you should clip his wings as soon as you can so he doesn’t soar in the sky too high! A mindful rejection is what you need. The hit to the ground could be too painful for him if you delay this!”

“But how can I do this? Could you help me in choosing the right words?”

“Of course we can, Twilight! And by all that is pure and honest, we will!”

They started to share the ways they would kindly use to turn down a boy. Applejack, Rainbow and Pinkie's rejection were too extreme for my liking. I must ask Dean Cadence about it this too; no doubt she could give me valuable insight as well. Sunset didn’t talk too much about it; she seemed melancholic and distant. Perhaps I was just imagining things. We didn’t go to Sugarcube Corner in the end but nobody minded, the time we spent together was lovely.
> Chapter 14 - Master Librarian, Patient Cheerilee!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Rarity, you are exceeding the quantity of the weak base mix there. Pinkie, carefully dry those droppers after you finish cleaning them; we don’t want to alter the ending result with unwanted water in there. Nipick, are you sure we took in account all variables for this acid?”

Chemistry lab activities were supposed to be fun, but things never were like in comics or mangas. Our boring teacher was replaced in the middle of the experiment by my perfectionist partner. Rarity was doing her best in preparing our lab-made saturated solution of sodium carbonate at the rate that Twilight needed while I was doing with her the neutralization formulas for the fifht time. We needed to know the exact amount of drops so we could avoid an alteration in meeting our Ph. goal. Pinkamena was surprisingly good with lab equipment. She installed by herself the process circuit, that’s another example that you should never judge a book for its cover. 

“Twilight, we took in account all variables! We just need eleven drops of our lab-made solution to neutralize our assigned acid!”

“I rather take no risks. Worst case scenario could be a minor explosion.”

“Alright, alright! I will do the damn calculations again.”

“Laaaaanguage!”

Do you need to sing while lecturing me, Rarity? Oh, at least you have the solution ready, good.

“Droppers are ready for use, Sir.”

Don’t encourage her to play the leader, Pinkamena. 

Twilight thoroughly inspected the droppers; she made a happy nod indicating her approval. I continued to use the values indicated in the list and replacing them in the corresponding part of the formula. Once I finished, Twilight gave her piece of mind.

“See? I told you the answer was off! We only need ten and an eighth drops to correctly do our experiment!” 

How do I hate… oh forget it.

“Now that everything is in place, who wants to do the honors in finishing our practice?”

“OH! Me! Me, Me, Me!”

We are gonna die.

“Remember, Pinkie. Slow and steady.”

In a matter of seconds, she successfully dropped the ten drops and eighth in the tube. Rarity used the indicator strips and after searching the matching color in the value table, she gave us a nod. The activity was a success.

“Good job, my students. You and team 5 finished before I expected. You can leave the class without worries, you have passing marks for today’s good job. Well done.”

Thank you for letting us leave from this place, Professor Borefest. 

We cleaned our protective equipment and lab materials with a special soap and once we were done with it, we left the lab.

“Nitpick.”

WHAT!?

“Yes?”

“Let’s go to the library and continue our 'Il Rinascimento Bibliotecario' project!”

“I didn’t think you would take a likening to that name. And shouldn’t you go with your friends to, I don’t know, be friendly, gossip or 
something?”

“Not today, they are going to do band practice since they didn’t get a chance yesterday. Also, they will work in their respective projects too, we even brought home made lunches with us so we won’t lose time in the cafeteria during lunch break and concentrate full time at work. This extra hour will give us an edge to capture the necessary data we need from the library!”

“Good for you that you brought lunch but today is Fried Bacon Thursday and I want my combo!”

“You shouldn’t eat fried meat, especially bacon! It's really bad for your health. Did you know that the people who eat less meat and more dry seeds, fruits and vegetables with two liters of water as minimum everyday can prolong their life expectancy for nine years in the long run?”

“Yes, Twilight, because nine horrible, worthless, baconless years are worth that expectancy.”

She left out a small chuckle. I didn’t know you could identify cynicism.

“Don’t worry, I brought extra cheese quesadillas and apple juice for you. I need you at one hundred percent during our work!”

“I remember you hated cheese! That day at the academy when you were spasming in the cafeteria was a timeless experience. Did something happen that made you change your mind?”

“I was…”  I pushed the wrong button. “Let's forget about the cheese for a moment and tell me honestly about that incident... Did I really ridicule myself that bad? I thought nobody would remember that incident past the weekend!” 

“Oh, no need to worry about it anymore, I just happen to have good memory! I am sure nobody else remembers your little show!”

I was lying. As a matter of fact, there was a season where a picture of you was circulating in secret… I still have said picture, your cute face was priceless. I'm truly a horrible person. 

“Heavens, thank you. I knew you were an honest person. Let's go eat and start working in our project, partner!”

She winked at me after finishing up speaking… now I truly feel horrible. An opera tune rang from my mobile. It was her. 

-????: Are you doing alright? Here in the capital is raining heavily and classes were suspended. I really want to go back to Crystal State. I miss my new home, and specially all of you (◕︵◕)! Do not forget to be straightforward with the people who trust in you. We will meet again soon.

-Nitpick: Sometimes I wonder if you can read my mind no matter where you are.

-????: Whatever you mean, my beloved friend. I always give advice to my dear friends when I feel they are in need, remember? (●´ω｀●) We will speak again soon.

…shit.

“Uh, Twilight, I need to tell you something.”

As we walked to the library and explained to some extent the reaches of her uncalled show, covering my ass of course, I received the most understanding, calm and ladylike answer I ever heard until now.

“I KNEW THEY WERE LAUGHING AT ME! OH, that’s why they always looked funny at me for a month. Did you saw the picture? Did I look that bad in it? Why nobody told me about it?”

“Eh…”

She looked at me with the ´I'll cry if you lie´ face. Damn your genuine innocence. I must respond with a mindful answer.

“You looked terrible funny at that time.”

“Oh…”

Crap.

“But now you look…uh!”

“Yes?”

“Well, I always had a weakness for girls with long hair, especially those long strands of hair in the sides of your ears! That low ponytail and messy hair are a plus, you know?”

I, Nitpick Bittersweet, declare that I am repeating the same stupidity made with Sunset the first day of school, and for different reasons.

“Really?” She laughed nervously while turning her face to the door “I mean, low pony tails are the in, don’t you think so?”

That pity in her voice was the same as Sunset's back then, I'm so bad at this.

We found a spot near the library to eat our food. I offered Twilight to pay for the lunch she made but she turned me down the offer. I won't accept charity, I am not poor. I may be miserable sometimes but not poor! I'll repay you with something in the near future. I started to eat my lunch, the tupperware had this warm sensation, the quesadillas were neatly arranged in rows, I took a bite and the results were-

“Oh, good.”

“I am glad you like them, this is my first time cooking these!”

So I am your first to taste your newly learned recipe? That means only one thing: I played the guinea pig again.

“Where is Spike?”

“Right here in my other bag, I gave him breakfast before coming to school!”

Spike put out his head from the bag. Who is a good boy? You!

We finished our lunch and cleaned whatever trash was left putting it in the bin. With this done, the library was our next stop. We entered in there and a commotion was taking place.

“Girls! I already told you for the third time this month that the school computers are for research purposes only!”

A fair, young pretty woman was scolding the three kids from my Literature class. Her long, dark rose hair and light green eyes matched the vibrant outfit she was wearing. The skirt was adorned with lots of sun flowers. She was gorgeous.



“But Miss Cheerilee! We were researching how our new video fared this week”

“Oh, do you like our new capes? We did them recently! Aren’t they cute?”

“Rarity grounded me for a week. I told you this was a bad idea!”

“Yeah, Applejack did the same, but the final product was worth all the trouble!”

“Rainbow just texted me and said that I should be less disorganized, so I am good here!”

Kiddo, that’s not something you say with pride, whatever the problem was.

“Those capes are really pretty and… No! Girls, go back to class or I'll take you with Vice-Principal Luna!”

“We don’t want detention again” The three girls said in unison and quickly left in order their PC and ran besides us to the exit. 

“I'm so tired…”

I don’t blame you, Miss. Dealing with children is a heavy toll to one's sanity. 

“Good morning, Miss Cheerilee!”

“Oh, good morning, Twilight! Are you going to do some research today?”

“Actually, my friend here and I came to do a school project. We want to improve the library system so it can be more user-friendly and help you out in arranging books and updating the database while at it!”

Wow, wow. Twilight, since when I am your friend exactly?

“That sounds wonderful! I would really appreciate the help. The students here leave a mess while using the books in here. Sometimes the books are missing pages and they are on the floor because of the constant use!”

Twilight made a dramatic gasp. I could feel that my workload suddenly increased.

“That’s a crime that must not go unpunished! Nitpick, change of plans, we must include a fee system for every student that damage school property with the provisional banishment in mind!”

This will be a long semester.

Miss Cheerilee did a tour for us of how the library of the school worked. This is worst that I imagined, they don’t even have student card control. The poor Miss struggled like this everyday? If I were in her shoes, I would have asked for a transfer already. Speaking of struggle, how much this school trusts its students? Once we had the necessary information, we started to arrange all the books in order. It seems Twilight had already an order system devised because she was doing the job efficiently. She noticed my struggle and gave me a sheet with all the steps I needed to take to arrange books in an efficient fashion. 

“All right, my children, its reading time!”

A group of first grade, middle scholars were sitting in group tables. Every little kid had a text book, for the looks of it math was the subject at hand.

“Oh, look at them, Nitpick! This bring memories...”

“Indeed...”

Hard to believe that it was only four years ago that my room teacher did the same activity during middle school. Miss Yearling was a young teacher as well, but she had this indomitable spirit I couldn’t describe what it was. She only stayed for four months with us and she banished without leaving a trace. I hope she is doing fine.

Twilight on the other hand was deeply lost in memory, her sight was locked on the kids and Miss Cheerilee but her thoughts were in another part of reality. Her gentle smile and soft spark in her eyes told me that she remembered a pleasant memory.

One of the children made a horrible cry all of the sudden. The other kids soon followed.

“I WANNA GO HOME!”

“I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS SAYS!”

“MISS CHEERILEE! WHY WE COME TO SCHOOL?”

Typical behavior of kids, even in middle school, some of us were still afraid of being alone in an unknown environment. Once they get used to, everything its fine. The problem was that, no everybody was strong enough at that age to overcome the fear. It was until you met someone you could get along that everything became less scary. I had Lightbulb back then, we lost fear when we talked about games and kid stuff, months later, friendship, and then we met Dancer. But those kids…

Something occurred all of the sudden: I witnessed magic.

“Do not to be afraid! I am here with you
Look right into my eyes, you are gonna be okay
If sadness is what you feel, take a look around
You got a lot friends, so there no need for tears”

The kids calmed down, their cries were silenced with a tender, short song. Every one of them looked around and smiling faces began to blossom. There is no doubt in my mind now, this young woman was meant to be a teacher.

“Now, my children, let’s take this books with us at classroom and continue our lesson there. Big Mac, could you please take care of the library while I am giving class?”

“Eyup!”

I didn’t notice there was a guy in the corner. He looked older, no doubt the same age as the Miss. So he is young in a way of speaking. All the kids followed Miss Cheerilee and the library was nearly empty. I looked at the clock and there was still forty minutes left of our break.

“…That reminded me of Dean Cadence so much.”

Twilight…

“Let’s make this place great so we can repay Miss Cheerilee the favor”

She just smiled and we continued what we were doing. I suddenly felt like I wanted to work now.
> Chapter 15 - Applejack´s Pride and the foundation of Ponyville!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why a school teaches history? Some say that it is the foundation of the actual culture we preach every day and we must respect our origins. Others say that it’s a necessity to know our past mistakes and learn from our precursors of the current social world. I somewhat agree. 

It was Friday, and National History is the penultimate class of the week. The teacher that usually imparts classes was sick and he left a young, beautiful cowgirl in charge of the rodeo. Apparently the guy from yesterday, Big Mac, it’s her brother. Wearing old farming cloths that people of the past century habitually wore, they looked, with their physical traits, appropriate.



I didn’t know that southern farmers were this attractive… the girls, of course.

“Ok, y'all! We're gonna teach ya' a little history of the foundation of this beautiful town”! 

AH! Her southern accent was adorably imposing.

“Eeyup!”

You are a man of few words, aren’t you?

“All right. y'all! Pay attention!” 

She turned on the projector and a surprisingly rustic looking video started. The intro of the movie was given by, well, the one who put the video in the first place.

“Hey, Y'all! Time is gold so let’s get down to business, shall we!? Mah name is Applejack, and these people right here are mah family! Mah brother Big McIntosh”

“EEyup!”

“My lil sis, Applebloom!”

“Hey there!”

“My Grandmother, Granny Smith!”

“I should have been asleep one hour ago!”

“And Apple Bumpkin, Apple Cider, Apple Cobbler, Apple Fritter, Apple Pie, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Caramel Apple, Golden Delicious, and many, many more right here. Together we are the Apple family!”

Oh geez... I wonder why you are called the Apple family. 

Photos of the town started to appear in a series of montages.

“This little town of ours has many wonders for those who live here. We got nature, fresh air and friendly neighbors in every street willing to lend you a hand. No doubt Ponyville is the best town of the whole country!”

That's some bias in there, and I was born here.

“But not everything was paradise in this little town of ours. Its origins are far more harsher!”

A montage of crude photos of the last century started to flow in the video. Wastelands, poor families, sad faces. Practically one of the saddest aspects of humanity. From then on, her tone became serious.

“During the civil war of the twentieth century, the fierce battles of the time had ravaged the land! Impoverishment was on the rising and the life expectancy was on the bottom of a barrel. Hundreds of families took the decision of fleeing from their homes, leaving their friends and memories behind in the quest of finding a better place far away from the north lands known today as the Crimson Sun, bearing in mind that not many would arrive to their dream of paradise and safety.”

Images of burials, the sick, the hungry, the widowed and faces of broken dreams were shown. History shows that humanity is cruel even among each other.

“Those were dark times. Cars, airplanes, medical and technological advancements of the time were beyond public reach, especially when the Civil War of the Northern Lands ended to start the First World War in the nineteen-thirties. As you know, roads in the south didn’t exist yet, so the families who barely fled from the mandatory war effort recruitment were using improvised caravans with many obstacles awaiting in the unforgiving No Man’s Land of that time. But one day, a miracle happened!”

A family picture was shown. I know that legendary picture very well. The founding families, the prideful Smiths and the Apple tribe… wait a minute.

“By nineteen-thirty six, a strong willed family discovered a small tribe in a land of greenness that not even their wildest dreams could have imagined. Endless fertile terrains, powerful horses and ponies coming back from migration, the emerald-green leaves from the trees blossoming with apples. If paradise was real, then Arthur Smith and his family found it.”

A Photo of Arthur and a young female Chieftain was shown shaking hands. I am starting to see an eerie similarity with those two and the protagonist narrating the video.

“Arthur, being an experienced farmer and businessman, saw the potential of the land! And with the help of his family and the new formed alliance with the Apple tribe this would become the final milestone in the founding of the small, but beautiful town where we live in: Ponyville.”

Okay, I have a plot hole in the history that I will ask later.

“Months became years, years became decades, the war was over in nineteen-forty and the small town whose humble origins were only of farming and horses suddenly expanded long and wide to become a small trading town, full of dreaming families seeking to achieve stability and happiness. Schools were inaugurated, markets became bigger, bars were opened, towns and cities were founded in the surroundings, the most prominent being Crystal States Union at the west of here in nineteen-forty nine. The hopes of the people grew each day and the bitter memories of sorrow slowly disappeared thanks to the united efforts of two different cultures and its blossoming friendship.”

A photo of the tribe and the Smiths was shown. There is no doubt in my mind; the girl in the corner was Granny Smith, the one that prepared the combos in the cafeteria every day. That means she is over eighty years old at most. Sudden montages of the actual town and the vast farm were also shown.

“Now with a hundred years of history, the modern descendants of the union of Arthur Smith and Apple Nature, The Apple family runs the most important business in town, Sweet Apple Acres. Did you know that mah whole family is responsible of the production and maintenance of seven hundred thirty one acres? That’s a lot of land to take care of. Some members of the family live in the middle and the other side of the farm!“

I have practically the owner of the production of the sweet, delicious and godly Gold Brand Apple Cider as a classmate all this time? I need to befriend her, NOW!

“We produce several commodities like corn, carrots and more. But our main product is apples, and we are pretty proud of that!”

Seriously? I could never have guessed that by my own, y'all! 

The montage was over and a video of the whole Apple family appeared. 

“And that’s the short version of this little town history! Remember to always be proud of your origins. And that’s it!”

The enormous family made a thunderous ‘Yee-haa’ and the video marked its end. Credits appeared and the names of her friends, Sunset being one of them, were included in the script, costumes, video editing and more. 

“All right, I hope this fancy video was more entertaining than a talked class. Mah family, mah friends and I have been working on this documental for weeks now. Do you have any questions?” Everyone said no and made a well-deserved applause. But I had some questions and I raised my hand. “Yes, pal, what do you wish to know?”

“I have doubts in the exact year when the town was founded. How can it be a hundred years of being Ponyville if the Smiths arrived at the thirties? If we make simple math it’s at least eighty years of history at most”

“Easy, pal. The historical relics and documents that the tribe shared marks that they had been there since August 21 of 1915. Since they had been in contact with other parts of the country before the wars even started, they had knowledge of modern writing. So technically the tribe was the first pioneer, but it wasn’t until the Smiths helped in expansion that the town really grew. We must respect the ones who were there first, don’t you agree?” 

“That makes so much sense if you put it in that perspective.”

After all, our country's history remarked that our predecessor weren’t much of the adventurous type and never had the idea to travel beyond their established cities and the capital of Canterlot until the war started. This was stupid since they had over-population problems at that time; at least that’s what official records say. But how much of this information is believable? The only thing that makes this story had a glimpse of truth is that one of the founders was serving food in the cafeteria. I really was bad in my history lessons, how I couldn’t recognize them?

“May I ask another question?”

“Shoot!”

“Why the Gold Brand Apple Cider is always low on quantities every year? My family loves the stuff and my father and uncles made camp once just to get one bottle in the end!”

“I knew someone would ask this!”

So Rainbow Dash agrees with me again, uh?

“We make this special brew with rustic tools so it can have its famous flavor. That’s why we can only produce between nine hundred to one thousand bottles at most in winter season. We always try to make more but things aren’t that easy if we want to conserve our brand quality-”

“That’s makes sense.”

“Oh, C'mon! I hate it when you ran out of it, Applejack. You should industrialize or something to make more cider in winter!”

Most of the students agreed with her. I couldn’t blame her, but…

”I rather camp myself this year outside of the farm and die of a cold just to get a fine cider made of love and passion than buying multiple processed bottles resulting in me drinking an inferior product in the end, Rainbow Dash. So don’t listen to her Applejack.”

“Wow, partner, let’s hope you never die out there of cold or anything. And you see, Rainbow Dash? This guy knows how really the good stuff is made of.” 

Don’t look at me that angry, Dash; you know you think the same as I do.

“Big Mac, do you think I'm forgettin something to mention?

“Nope.”

“Well, that’s it! Class is over, you can go since I'm not exactlty the teacher, you know.”

This was an interesting class in the end. Although I wonder who our real teacher was. Now I need to know how the farm perimeter is structured so I can start planning for an encampment a few days before Christmas. This year the cider will be all mine.
> Chapter 16 - Nitpick and Twilight´s meaningful moments! Tale 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't you love weekends? It's the short lapse of forty-eight hours where you forget about school and just think in enjoying your youth to the fullest. Well, not the case in CHS... And to some extent, the academy was as bitchy as well. Right now on Saturday, I was wearing my new blue and white school sport uniform while looking at the emptiness of the sky. All of the students of this class were here and the soccer team as well. Do we have an event or something? 

“I could be in the comfort of my house doing my things right now.”

“I know. I could be continuing my research in physics developments in this moment instead of doing training nonsense here.”

Why are you talking to me, Twilight?

“Come on, Twilight. It will be fun. Oh, Nitpick, how are you doing?”

“Sunset.”

I didn’t want to talk to her. I can see she is forcing herself to do it and that’s not good. I don’t how but I simply know. When your mind doesn’t give you a proper answer, turn to your base instincts until you find a more accurate explanation. She understood my intention and talked to Twilight to join her in the training. She doesn’t seem to be bothered anymore with the idea of having sport class now. How easy we change our minds when someone you like tells you to do something ‘fun’. I wonder sometimes if we are just a reflection of what people expect of us to do.

“LISTEN, EVERYONE!! GO TO THE FIELD CENTER, NOW!”

What a powerful voice. All the class did as the voice commanded.

“Ok, everyone! As you know, The Intern College Tournament will begin in a few months and we must practice hard so we can quailify this time. We have overcome many obstacles together! We tied with Crystal Prep! We have what it takes to win! And you know why? BECAUSE WE ARE WONDERCOLTS!!”

“AND OUR TIME IS NOW!”

What a terrible speech! And such fighting spirit in that response. If only we as students had this kind of motivation during classes we could have better scores overall.

“Excuse me!” I raised my hand “How are we qualified to participate in a college tournament if we are still in High School?”

“Because the Colleges that are sponsoring this tournament will offer scholarships for the high school who wins first place! Consider it a kind of talent hunting for possible athletic career opportunities. Any more questions, wimp?”

“No, thanks for the answer.” 

What an ass. And who are you, exactly?

“Alright, everyone!” Rainbow Dash spoke this time “Captain Spitfire will be in charge of our sport classes for a few months so you better get ready. We will train you and if we see you are fit to the task, you will join the soccer team. No excuses. No complaints. And we will win and will definitely have fun. Let the training begin!”

Forcefully joining a team I don’t want to join in the first place is what you consider fun? Then I'll play like shit and avoid being chosen. 
And I am supposed to call that senior of mine Captain Spitfire? Please. I only have one Captain I would follow to the gates of hell fighting planet devouring reapers while at it and that’s Captain Shining Armor… That sounded so wrong.

So training started and what a pain it was. Rainbow Dash, ‘Captain’ Spitfire and their outrageous attempts to make this a Spartan like training was getting on my nerves. Running to the goal against impossible time records, an insane amount of push-ups, crunches, squats and more, not to mention that we couldn’t get a single minute of resting was starting to take a toll to everyone, especially to-

“I ‘gasp’ can't ‘gasp’ count ‘gasp’ anymore!”

Are you doing ok back there? You are more purple than usual.

“You are the sister of ‘gasp’ Captain Shining Armor. You can do better ‘gasp’ than that." She fell straight to the floor. “Uh, maybe not...”

Twilight was panting really hard, I was starting to get worried but thankfully it didn’t take too long for those breathings to become deep and controlled until finally she managed to breath normally. It seems that nobody took notice since we were left way behind the second running course.

“Can you stand up?”

“Not really” She sighed with a tired expression while taking a sitting position.

“ALL RIGHT EVERYONE!! CLASS IS OVER SO YOU CAN GO HOME!! THE STUDENTS THAT BELONG TO THE SOCCER TEAM TAKE A REST AND IN FIFTEEN MINUTES WE WILL RESUME OUR PRACTICE!!” Spitfire informed while shouting. What a powerful voice she has, I don’t want to see her angry.

“Finally, I am going to enjoy the rest of the weekend by myself. See you on Monday, Twilight!”

“Wait!”

What!?

“Yes?”

“Could you help me stand up?” 

Are you this bad at physical activities?

“Hold tight my hand.”

I pulled her up gently so I could avoid injuring her. Steady, steady, stop pushing your weigh in your lower body. I pulled hard and she finally stood up, but…

“Uh”

What an awkward position, I hope nobody is seeing this. We separated a little but she was struggling to stay up. Her legs started bend a little and I was losing my cool.

“Stand up firmly and let go of my hand already!”



“O-of course! Because I am already in my feet, right?”

Your grasp of the obvious is inspiring.

“Well, see you la… you can’t walk, right?”

She gently shook her head. She was trembling and could barely stand on her feet. I doubt she could even manage to reach the bus stop in this state.

“Where is Sunset Shimmer? She could help you take the bus, it was her idea to make you train this hard after all.”

“She is going to be busy helping Rainbow Dash in coordinating the team effort. Look, she is already with the planning committee.”

She is right. How reliable is she in the school programs. If only she could be more reliable where it really matters right now.

“I can't leave you here, you need to get home and rest!”

“Oh, don’t worry about me, I'll be just-WAH!”

Sigh, you fell again.

“I'll... walk you to the bus stop.”

I helped her get on her feet again. She mentioned that she brought her backpack with her so I retrieved it on her behalf. Once I had all her belongings and mine, we started walking to the bus stop. This is too embarrassing. You are walking way close to me. I couldn't blame her since she was using me as a support. Thankfully the bus stop was just crossing the streets and it didn’t take us long to get there. The problem was the bus itself. 

Have you ever wondered how fascinating are the public bus services? When you most needed it, not a single fucking bus is at sight, but hell damn you when you don’t need one because they drive through the streets like an stampede of vultures hunting for passengers to earn the dues of the day, making crossing the streets nearly impossible in the traffic hours. Twilight took of her bag some water bottles and started to drink them like the best thing ever.

As for me, I checked my watch to see what time is it. 

“It’s exactly ten with thirteen in the morning; the next bus will arrive in two minutes.”

“How do you know that?”

There was no water left in her bottles. That was fast.

“Well, during my time in the academy, I took the bus every day to get to the city. I even met a driver called Hayseed Turnip Truck who gave me the bus schedules so I could plan efficiently my sleeping hours and the time I needed to be at the stops to get back home from the school.”

“Wow, how unexpectedly efficient of you, I thought you were a little unorganized!”

“Do you want to take it outside, you little...?”

Oh my… Did I just say that to her?

“Uh, what do you mean to take it outside? We are already outside!”

“No, nothing, forget it. Just an idiom I use with some… never mind. Oh, look, the bus!”

The bus finally arrived but it was full with no seats available. Her legs were still trembling… Damn it.

“I'll take you home, no buts. Let’s go.”

“But-Wuah!”

I paid the fee for the service. It seems that Old Mr. Cockpit is our driver today.

“Kiddo, it’s been a while. Faring well with the ladies, I presume?”

I could feel that Twilight was blushing. She partially let go of my arm. You never learned to read the mood in your life, have you? Old bastard.

“I am just taking her home, Mr. Cockpit. I don’t have the charm to conquer ladies like you during your prime as an aviator!”

“Damn straight you don’t.” You don’t have to laugh about it, old man. “But I hope you do soon.” He started the driving again. This will be a long ride since he loves to take his time. “Please deal with it for a few minutes. Once we reach the suburbs, most of the folks here will go down of the bus.”

We walked some steps to the middle of the bus and I firmly took one of the handles. The bus was going a little faster than usual. The old man must have noticed the state of my partner and hasted his route course. Thank you for that.

“Forgive me for dragging you in this… and thanks.”

“You were concerned for me while offering water in our first day of class and you gave me free lunch a few days ago. It's the least I can do.”

I still owe you the lunch part.

“I am still thirsty, I drank all the water I brought and is still not enough.”

After all that insane training, I am surprised you are still breathing. You have horrible physical constitution.

“There is a bus stop in the suburbs he mentioned, no doubt he will fill the gas tank there. I’ll buy you some water in the gas store.”

“You really know you way in the bus circuit.”

“Your level of poverty is determined with the amount of knowledge you have in the common life, Twilight.”

Don’t chuckle with my statement. Knowing your way through a city can save you in many ways, you know?

“Anyway, I am meaning to ask, who brings you to school? And I never have been to your house before but I assume is nearby the academy.”

“Yes, in fact, my home is four blocks away from Crystal Prep. And usually my private taxi brings me to school.”

Private Taxi?

“Other times will be my parents or my brother if Ms. Peanut is not available. I think they will use the same route of the Union Highway.”

The Union Highway? That super expensive highway only used by the first class citizens to avoid the suburbs route? How rich are you?

“Now I feel bad in taking you home at bus... wait a minute? Isn’t your taxi going for you at the school in this moment?”

“No need to worry, Ms. Peanut knows that if I don’t call her it’s because I don’t need her to come for me. I usually call her one hour in anticipation but you know, training didn’t let us do anything. And about the public bus, I have used it three times now. It’s not as bad as I imagined, you can take your time to appreciate the town!”

“You clearly haven’t been in a traffic jam before. I bet that appreciating the panorama it’s the last thing you are thinking about when you are five minutes away from arriving late to somewhere.”

I hate being late to whatever compromise I have… even if I hate it.

“That sounds like trouble.”

“It was daily for me in my time on the academy, my sister has it easier. My folks always take her in car to whatever school she was.”

The bus suddenly stopped. Where we already in the suburbs? I didn’t take notice. The people started to get off the bus and we took the last row of seats near the door. A few moments later we arrived at the gas station, I quickly went to the store and bought two bottles of water. Once I got back at her side in the bus, I gave her the bottle. The contents were over before I knew it.

“Thanks for the water, this one is fresher and delicious!” She said with a refreshed tone. “I didn’t know you have a sister, Nitpick.”

“Drafter Bittersweet is her name, seven years younger than me. She is currently in Manehattan with my folks.”

“That sounds nice… Wait a minute. If your family is in Manehattan, why are you studying in CHS? Shouldn’t you be in a school from there instead? Who is taking care of you? Are you living with someone?”

You ask too many questions.

“I am here because my father was happy with the idea of me studying in CHS than going on with them. And I am taking care of myself since the semester started. And before you ask, the only reason I didn’t participate in the games is because I was so sick to assist. I was amazed when I heard the competition ended in a tie. I can imagine the face of that old witch did in that moment, these kind of events are extremely important to her.”

“Yeah…” She laughed awfully weak “It was an unexpected turn of events.”

“Unexpected was seeing you in this school as a student. You even share all the classes with me.”

“Principal Celestia was really kind with me during the paperwork during my transfer; she even put me in our current ethics class in the last minute. That's why you didn’t see me in the first hour on Monday.”

That could explain my current schedule. Since I transferred a few days before classes started, the Principal must have done everything in her power for me to have a decent schedule in a tight time limit. She seemed kind when I met her, and being a really pretty woman was a plus for me.

“Say Nitpick… what do you think of my brother?”

“What do you mean with what I think of him?”

“I mean, do you think he is cool? Or Smart? Handsome, maybe?”

Have you any idea what you just asked?

“I am straight, Twilight. I am not into men.”

“Why did you give me that kind of answer? I just asked if… oh...“ 

I see your brain started to give you the reason of my answer. Owww, your face is extremely red now, and those glasses of yours trying to conceal it make you extremely cute.

“I didn’t mean it that way! I swear!”

So at least you know about gender preferences. You are not as lost as I thought.

“Answering your inquiry with all seriousness, I think your brother is a cool guy. I don’t know if you know but he and Dean Cadence were considered an oasis from the shit-storm that were the rest of the overzealous and perfectionist teachers back there in the academy.”

“I like the analogy of them being an oasis for all students but I can't say the same for the other part of your, uh, school interpretation, I guess? Would it really harm you if you don’t express like that anymore? You could give a bad impression to someone he or she took a likening to you!”

“Pfff please. This is a free country, I'll only correct my language when it’s truly necessary, like in a job or a very important social event!”

“So you are aware of your attitude problem? Interesting. I know the basis of psychology, perhaps we can have some therapy sessions to reach the source of your bad language, and I can have some real world practice and experience while at it. What an exciting idea!”

Are your eyes sparkling again? What is in that brilliant mind of yours in this moment? Besides, aren’t psychologists forbidden of treating their family and friends? Wait.

“Sorry to burst your bubble but this is my father's family way of expressing ourselves. So there is no need for your services!” Why are you making a disappointed face all of the sudden? “Anyway, why did you suddenly ask about your brother?”

“Because what you said during practice.”

“Did I say something bad?”

“No, but you said that I am my brother's sister so I could perform better than that but…” She started to get depressed. ”It doesn’t mean that I am as good as him in everything I do.”

“Twilight, look at me.”

She really looked at me… I wonder what she would say to Twilight in this moment 

“You are the best student I know so far and your scores are top notch. Not even the Captain, who was considered a brilliant guy when he was a student in the academy, had your brains as far as I know. If he was an ‘A’, you easily are an ‘S plus’ in the academic fields.”

Did I praise her correctly?

“Yeah, only that he is also an ‘A’ in everything else while I’m only an ‘F’. He is socially successful, respected, athletic, a good chef, even the military gives him special treatment because how cool he is so he can be a sports teacher in Crystal Prep. But me… being smart is my only saving grace.”

I didn’t know you have an inferiority complex, Twilight.

“Sorry for putting that kind of baggage in your self-esteem. It's just that… well, you are pretty cool in my books in whatever your propose to do, not to mention, you seem to have made some good friends who worries about you, maybe today was not the best example but I am sure that what I am saying is the truth. And don't feel bad about being smart, remember what Rarity said a few days ago, you are special!”

Twilight looked happy. She made herself comfortable in her seat and slowly started to reflect on something. Perhaps my response was the best I could offer to her. Are you happy with my moral help of others in need, my beloved friend from Great Equine? 

I suddenly heard an opera tune. I am supposed to be used to this after nearly a year of being friends with her, but seriously? This is more than the twentieth time already. I took out my phone from my backpack.

“Excuse me for a moment, Twilight.”

????: (✿◠‿◠) Certes! I am fain with your sow of arlice nature.

Nitpick: How do you do this? Are you omniscient or something? And what does the word ‘arlice’ mean? I am not expert in old english, remember?

????: Whatever you mean, my beloved friend! I just had this urge to praise you (✿ ♥‿♥). And arlice means ‘kindly’ or ‘honorably’. Use this new knowledge well. I will be back at Crystal State a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Take care until then, we will speak again soon.

Nitpick: Take care, my friend… I miss you so much.

????: ♡

The rest of the trip was peaceful. The bus took us directly in front of the school. Twilight could walk by herself now but I still offered to take her home. She agreed and we walked a few blocks until…uh, there was Spike in there, barking happily for her owners return and behind him…

“Is this… your house?”

“Yeah! I know it’s pretty small compared to our neighbors' homes but once inside its pretty spacious! We even have a basement for extra storage!”

Are you fucking kidding me? This place it’s two times the size of my house! And you have a basement, too? The life of the rich never ceases to amaze me.

“Well, my mission is over. I will go back home, see you on Monday!”

Every second I spent here is filling me with horrible feelings of economic inferiority. How did I manage to be in Crystal Prep environment is beyond me! I better get out of here.

“Wait!”

“What?”

She hugged me tenderly. “Thanks for escorting me home.” Twilight said in a whispering tone.

“Uh, anytime, gotta go.”

This little ‘Escort the Princess to safety' quest would have taken more than four hours at worst during week days, but in weekend it didn’t take more than an hour and half to complete this round trip. After finally arriving home, I spent the rest of my weekend playing games and reading mangas in peace.
> Chapter 17 - A Social Confusion starts with a Gossip!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 8th, it’s officially the fourth week of classes. By now, a common student should be used to the routine of arriving at school, go to the locker and retrieve his materials, get to the classroom, try and listen to boring lectures for one or two hours, hear the sound of the bell marking the end of the class, get to the next classroom, rinse and repeat from this step until you finish all of your classes. 

But today felt different. If my first day of school was annoying because everyone wanted to befriend me, this day felt horribly suffocating. I could feel the people around me talking behind my back about something I didn't know. This reminds me of my time in Crystal Prep when I tried to get close to a girl outside of my little social caste… and I was completely rejected. One of my friends got the laugh of her life. I love her as a friend but damn her for that, four eyes. 

“…they were hugging each other”

“I heard they went on a bus ride together”

“Someone told me that they were dating since middle school”

Oh Hell! I could hear their gossips even when they're whispering. Have you ever wondered why you tended to hear better when people talked about something concerning you while they tried to conceal it? Here are the answers: One is because humans have survival instincts and when you hear any sound or feel you are being hunted down, your senses are put to the limit so you could escape or try to identify the source of your anxiety better. Human social interactions are the anxiety in this case, so don’t get surprised when you hear people's word better even when they were whispering.

And the second reasons it’s the most important of all: THEY SUCK AT DISSIMULATING!

I arrived to my classroom and everyone was already there. Those eyes, they were overwhelming. What did I do this time?

“Hi, Nitpick!”

“Twilight.”

At least this girl is treating me like usual. Oh, hey Spike! I can see your face in that backpack of yours. Who is a good boy? You are a good boy! 

As I sat in my school desk, I could feel an uncomfortable aura in my left watching me carefully, better get this over with.

“Rainbow Dash, do you want something from me?”

“Eh, eh? Oh no, I am cool, thanks.”

She turned her attention to the board. This feels fishy. At least class started and the feeling went away for fifty-five minutes. On my way to Trigonometry, I had the same suffocating feeling as earlier. Seriously, what did I do? Someone tell me already.  As the class quickly ended, my cellphone rang with a custom theme from 'The Ancient Scrolls Part III' game. 

-Lightbulb: Meet me in the backyard immediately! It’s an emergency concerning you!

Forget about lunch, he must know something about the student’s weird behavior. I quickly arrived to the backyard of school and there he was with Dancer at his side.

“Nitpick! There is a big problem!”

“We need to talk to you first so we can make our next move.”

“When you call me by name instead of my nicknames, it only means serious business. What’s wrong?”

“Oh, you don’t know? Show him, Bulby!” She said worried.

Lightbulb took out his cellphone and showed me a video. It was me helping Twilight get up.

“I don’t see the emergency or what’s the big deal with it. I just helped her to get up and took her home!”

“I knew you were innocent!” Said Dancer with great relief.

“Innocent in helping someone in need?” I asked with confusion. 

“Look closely to the video again. If it weren’t you, and that was another guy, what would you think of it at the first instant?”

I watched carefully the angle of the video and tried to imagine another guy instead of me. Flash will do.

“That they were kissing in the end and-“ 

Oh my fucking odds!

“That’s not all! There is another one!”

He put in motion the second video. This was about Twilight and me waiting for the bus. Oh Crap! Oh Crap! OH CRAP! I knew you were so damn close to me, Twilight Sparkle!

“I swear that I am not dating her or even kissed her, Honest! When did they film those videos?”

“Oh, don’t worry, Beasty. We know that you are too stupid to even kiss a woman in the right moment!”

That really hurt my pride, bitch! … Why I am thinking this instead of saying it?

“And anybody could have filmed it during your practice. Filming videos isn’t that hard, you know?”

“Wait a minute, this is just a misunderstanding. As long as I say the truth and tell them that I am not dating Twilight, nothing bad will happen, right?... Right?”

“That is not how our society works, Beasty.”

“They are spreading rumors about Twilight and you in this moment. The girl is popular, you know? She has a distant relative that is identical to her and won the Fall Formal last year! This is why it's big news! And before you ask, it’s a contest to see who is the most popular girl on school and besides-“

I don’t need to know why you stopped explaining, the reason it’s right here with us. What I want to know if this is related with the problem with Sunset and you, Dancer. You made the same face last week. 

“Rumors can involve just about anything when people are bored and often run the gamut.” She concluded dryly.

“Yes, Choco. You are right as always!”

What just happened?

“Then I’ll stop speaking with her immediately, which will give them no ammunition to talk about this.”

“That won’t work!” She quickly got back to her usual mood “Did you know that cutting contact all of the sudden, whether you are lovers or not, tends to give the people more fuel to keep the fire burning?”

“And what you suggest exactly?”

“Keep talking to her normally!”

“Because ignoring the issue always works, sure.”

“As a matter of fact, Bro, it does. They will come to the point where they'll just get so bored of trying to find something amusing between the two of you that they will drop it. As long as nothing interesting for them occurs, this rumor will quickly die out. Trust me, it happens all the time here.”

“That makes sense, I guess. But I firmly believe in a direct approach!”

“Whatever you decide, you should tell Twilight as soon as possible, Beasty. You can plan how to act normally and Bulby and I will debunk those rumors with our friends and acquaintances.”

“Thank you guys. And sorry for making you miss out lunch!”

They smiled while Lightbulb took out of his bag three pancake combos. By the looks of my package, it was the complete set so I gave him the twelve bucks without question. We enjoyed our breakfast and talked about a plan attack to make this problem disappear quicker until break was over. We parted ways with an idea of what to do next.

As I walked through the corridors without paying attention to my surroundings, I bumped with someone by accident.

“Be more careful.”

“Forgive me, I wasn’t paying attention.” 

“Well, don’t worry, at least we are fine. Hey, I recognize you! Nitpick, right? One of Dancer's friends!”

What a deep but sweetly voice you have there. Who are you again?

“Ah...”

“My name is Bon Bon, in case you have forgotten. Well, gotta go, we are going to be late if we don't hurry. See you around!”

“Alright, take care”

That was… surprisingly nice. She didn’t have that piercing gaze that most of the students have on this day.

And so, Physics class started and for obvious reasons I couldn't establish a conversation with Twilight. Everyone were still paying attention to us. It seems that she isn’t aware of what’s happening in our surrounding. Have their friends not told her about our situation yet? How irresponsible of them.

“Pssst! Over here!” A pink girl whispered… again.

Pinkamena was trying to make eye contact with me for a while now but I tried to focus on the board as hard as I could. I still can’t believe that you share six classes with me. I assumed that you were in the other groups because I didn’t see you on Monday all day. I learned later that you were preparing the welcoming party for us. Thanks for that but can you stop trying to get my attention? Why are you using carrots as vampire teeth?

The class was over earlier than expected and Literature was next. Considering that Cranky Doodle doesn’t take that seriously his work and there were few people in it, I can safely chat with Twilight in my phone and discuss our little social problem. I decided to arrive earlier to the classroom and wait for her. 

“Hello, Nitpick! You came here earlier!”

I always arrive earlier.

“Hi, Twilight.”

Act casually, Nitpick Bittersweet. Remember what Lightbulb and Dancer said and you will achieve victory sooner than expected.

“Hey, let’s talk for a bit until the teacher arrives. We got here a little earlier than usual.”

Perfect. She started the exchange.

“What a coincidence because I wanted to talk with you.”

“Really? Great, what do you want to talk about?”

“Ladies first, and take a seat, they are part of the school services, you know?”

She obediently took her seat and faced at my direction. Why are your eyes so full of spirit?



“Did you have a good weekend?”

“Yes… and you?”

What a lame answer from my part.

“It was great! Remember that I told you on Saturday that I was working on a research of mine? I decided to leave it on hiatus because I found out in a scientific report on the web that what I was going to do need a special modular physics card that my computer lacks. Then I spent all weekend studying for mock test of different subjects. It was so fun, even though I felt sore most of the time because all of that training.”

I'm glad you had fun but we need to talk about something else.

“That sounds great Twilight, I'm glad you had a worthwhile weekend.”

“Thank you, Nitpick. So tell me about what do you want to talk with me.”

“Something about what is going on with us.”

Did I just hear gasps of surprise outside the classroom? I quickly turned my sight to the entrances and there they are. All of you suck at hiding! But this was perfect, I can talk to her about what happened on Saturday and all of them will hear it. With that, the false rumor will die sooner and everything is going to be back to normal. I am such a genius.

“About us?”

“Yes, about what happened on Saturday.”

More obnoxious gasping’s were heard. Annoying bastards. No! I must keep calm and talk as usual.

“Oh Nitpick! Thank you so much for what you did for me that day, I appreciate it.”

“I am glad that I could help you after that insane training we had. Seriously, that was so irresponsible of the class committee.”

I’m about to walk in unknown sands so I must tread carefully.

“I know that you consider her a friend and I will say this with no intention to insult her whatsoever but Rainbow Dash was kind of a jerk to everyone during training, especially Spitfire and the soccer team. I mean, winning for them may be important but they should take in account the physical condition of the rest of us. You were this close to pass out, what I am saying? You were suffocating for fuck sake. I was really worried about you!”

What did I just said in the last part?

“Please stop using that kind of language, Nitpick.” She said this tenderly.

…sigh.

“I'll try for you, but no promises.”

“Thank you… “

A brief moment of silence emerged. I must speak my mind and- 

“You know, we are getting closer each day! I know it’s crazy to say this but in this short time we have spent together, I feel at peace talking with you at everything. If I knew I could get this close with someone at Crystal Prep, things could have ended different for me. But now that we are here, it’s a fresh start. Even with your bad language, talking with you feels exactly as if I was talking to the girls I have as friends now!”

Did Twilight Sparkle just friend-zoned me without even falling for her whatsoever?

“Even Spike took a liking to you! There is a connection between you and me!” 

Aren’t you hearing the commotion out there because of what you said, Twilight? Do you have auditive problems as well?

“We are swiftly building a harmonious understanding.”

We are swiftly building a social misunderstanding. 

“I feel incredibly comfortable talking with you.”

I feel incredibly troubled talking with you. 

“This is a brew for a lovely relationship.”

This is a brew for a terrible catastrophe.

“So I must ask you the big question!“

And I must stop you immediately!

“Will you-“

I closed the gap between us and quickly shut her mouth with my hand. 

“Listen, Twilight! People in the school think that we are a lovey-dovey couple, understand?”

Silence. I went and checked the corridors and there wasn’t a single fucking soul at sight. My sixth sense tingled ferociously and I immediately received a text form Lightbulb. I checked its contents with great fear.

-Lightbulb: All people in class suddenly started to talk about Twilight confessing to you and saying you started dating right now! The text traffic is a nightmare! What the hell happened in your end?

…Crap.

“What do you mean that people are thinking we are a couple, Nitpick? That’s just simple ridiculous! We just recently started to be-“

I gently shut her up with my index finger and showed her the message. I didn’t need to ask what she was thinking right now; her shocked expression was more than enough.
> Chapter 18 - Anti-Misunderstaning planning!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

While I explained as best as I could to Lightbulb in chat messaging what did I do after break, the academic genius in front of me tried her best to analyze the situation in that head of hers.

“Let me get this straight. Helping someone in need of the opposite sex is considered an act of romantic affection in this school?” Asked the Scientist self-aware of her own skepticism.

“Eh, no Twilight, the problem was how it looked while I was helping you. From the video that Lightbulb showed me, we gave the appearance of been kissing after you got up!”

“The two of us? Kissing only after six days of getting to know each other? Ridiculous.” 

She said this with complete security. Part of my pride got hurt… just a little.

“Now that you know our current situation, we need to discuss how to solve it so the school doesn’t get the wrong idea in the long run.”

“There's nothing to discuss, Nitpick. This is a simple misunderstanding and there is only one definite solution to it; tell the truth!”

I can support that.

“You are right, Twilight. As expected of a genius such as yourself!”

“Oh, Nitpick. You are exaggerating!” 

Then why are you blushing and looking away?

“Anyway, where is everybody? And where is teacher Cranky? It’s already time for class and no one has arrived yet!”

Now that you mention it, you are right. Maybe Lightbulb can ask his wife of his whereabouts. My old friend hasn't answered my previous message but he is still online. He is probably figuring out the source of this mess.

-Nitpick: Lightbulb, could you ask Mrs. Matilda where is his husband? He hasn’t arrived yet! I am here with Twilight talking about our current problem.

-Lightbulb: Mrs. Matilda didn’t come to class because Cranky got hurt on his way here and Principal Celestia gave the message to one of the Idol Six committee to notify the people. Dancer and I are still investigating how the hell your new incident happened in the cafeteria with the rest of the students here. Both of you are big news right now.

This is a nightmare. These kinds of news in the academy, whether true or false, were unappealing unless it was a really important figure, an extremely outrageous gossip or a very funny incident. So you could say that for Crystal Prep standards, Twilights incident with her quesadillas was something beyond comedy… I am starting to think that my old school was really better in some spots than here. Privacy is the mother of all freedoms, at least for me.

-Nitpick: Thanks, my brother. 

-Lightbulb: Be on your guard, brother. If you two are alone, then this is not a coincidence. I'll text you back later if we find anything.

-Nitpick: Good luck and thanks.

“Twilight! Cranky won't come because of an accident and the Principal gave the advice to the Idol Six committee so they could notify us. Did anybody tell you anything?”

“I hope he is okay, and the girls didn’t tell me anything about our teacher's incident.”

“The girls?”

“Sunset, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Flutteshy and Rainbow Dash. They are the Idol Six! It’s a great name, don’t you think?”

What a stupid name! Who thought of it?

“Never mind the name. Call Sunset Shimmer now and tell her to come here immediately. She definitely knew about Cranky being sick if she is not here.”

Twilight agreed and she withdrew her phone from her pocket. Meanwhile, I released Spike from his imprisonment.

“Why did you get Spike out of the backpack? Someone could come and see him!” She said worried.

“Nobody will come here because everyone else is in classes. Besides, this guy needs fresh air. Am I right boy?”

He softly barked happily, his moving tail didn’t lie to this fact.

“Sunset is busy.”

“What?”

“Here, take a look.” 

-Twilight: Sunset, where are you? Where is everybody? Nobody is coming to the classroom.

-Sunset: Forgive me, Twilight! I forgot to tell you that Professor Cranky got into an accident so he isn't coming today. Isn’t Nitpick with you? Anyway, I am doing some arrangements for the committee and I better work on it. Why don’t you enjoy peacefully the rest of this new found free time until next class with him? I'll definitely see you at Informatics with the rest of our classmates c:

This feels off.

“See, Nitpick. Nothing to worry about!” Twilight said with assurance.

“Give me a moment to think, Twilight...” 

Her phone rang suddenly, I returned it to her owner because is a message for her.

“Urgh! You again!” 

“What’s wrong?”

“It's Flash Sentry! Ever since the day started, he has been trying to start lousy conversations!”

“Haven't you talked to the girls about this?”

“Yes, the best conclusion is that when the time comes, I must tell him kindly that I am not seeking any kind of romantic relationships right now.”

Flash Sentry must hate me right now! And the worst part is that I told him the other day that I liked Sunset. Damn it, I still like her. Why nothing goes as someone wants? He must be trying to talk with Twilight to confirm if the rumor is true.

“Nitpick, would you help me in preparing a rejection answer for him? I want your opinion in the matter since you are so honest with me. The girls were great in giving me ideas but maybe a boy's perspective will be beneficial in the results!”

You want me… to help you destroy the hopes and dreams of the guy I gave false wings of victory? What kind of back-stabbing monster do you think I am?

“I don't know, Twilight. Maybe the Captain or Dean Cadence can help you with that!”

“They are both busy with the planning of the marathon games in a few weeks in the city. I don’t want them to spend time thinking in a trivial matter!”

A broken heart is not a trivial matter, Twilight Sparkle. I have experience in that.

“Please, help me. I want to be able to tell Flash the truth without hurting him. He looks like a nice guy but as I said, I dont want him to lose his time with someone who will not correspond him. It would be not fair for him, it would be cruel from my point of view! ”

“But-“

That face of yours again. Have you mastered that deadly technique already?

“Fine.”

Forgive me, Flash. It's just that Twilight is cute and you are a guy. No need for explaining.

“Anyway, we need to plan how to tell the people about us.”

“As I told you, there is no need for planning. When they ask, we just say that we didn’t kiss and we are just friends. When they hear the truth in our words, everything will be fine!”

But I still dont consider you a friend!

“But Twilight-”

Now she was the one to gently shut me up with her index finger. 

“Everything is going to be fine! Trust me.” She said with a warm smile.

“If you say so…”

“Anyway, let’s talk about our 'Il Rinascimento Bibliotecario' project!" She clapped her hands while saying this with enthusiasm "I have been thinking about starting again from the ground. The coding feels weak and the interface seems very stale and unfriendly. Maybe we can add an interactive assistant in it. We'll call it ‘The Librarian Assistant’! it could be customizable for every user and we can add some predetermined ones like a clipboard, a librarian wizard, a ball or a talking dog! Doesn’t that sound like fun? We can also-”

She kept talking non-stop, I could barely follow. She kept up for the whole hour. Why isn’t there a button mechanism to shut people up?

...

After all that, it was time for the Informatics class. I told Twilight that she should go ahead; I was going to visit my favorite dispenser and buy some black chocolate to calm myself. Also, it was best to arrive at different times so nobody could fuel the flames of gossip more than they already are.

As I arrived to the classroom after enjoying my sweet, I was- my sixth-

“Wah.”

Someone pulled me to the wall of the ladders. 

“We need to talk.”

Rarity! How did you do that? That was nearly as fast as Pinkamena!

“About what?”

“You are not dating her, are you?”

It seems we are in the same channel. Perfect.

“No! We even discussed what to do about it! When people ask, we just are going to tell the truth and deny it!”

“Dear, let's make one thing perfectly clear: That doesn't work in our society!”

YOU TOO!? And don’t call me dear.

“Why do you say that?”

“The more straight and honest the explanation, the shadier your relationship becomes.”

“That is stupid! We are not even in a relationship!”

“It's not stupid! It's the world of the celebrities!”

“Am I a school celebrity?”

Wow. Cool!

“Pshhtt Of course not! You are, uh, simple, my dear! But Twilight is one! So it’s the expected outcome for you to be part of the big news!”

Your simple honesty in the subject is inspiring.

“What do you suggest, then?”

By the looks of her face, she must have a brilliant idea.

“We must rely on Drama!”

“Okay, I'm outta here.”

“Allow me to explain.”

Sigh… Do I have a choice? Your grip on my clothes was incredible tight.

“You will act as a couple and then you will fake a horrible fight at the end of the day. After some gossips here and there about your possible fate as an item, tomorrow before classess you will be apologizing to each other and stating that is best to be just friends. We will do it in a not so obscure place for some people to see it and then the news will spread about your good ending, problem solved.”

What a beautiful and sparkling smile, Rarity. It’s a shame that your idea sounds completely retarded!

“Oh, Rarity, that sounds…”

“Don’t say anything! I know that I am such a genius in this kind of matter and I am pleased to be of your service.”

I was going to say something like 'You are more of an idiot'… but I can't! Your eyes full of good intent held me back.



“There must be a less extreme option, Rarity.”

She started to rub her shin for a moment. “Perhaps I could ask the girls about alternatives if you wish to be more subtle.”

Thank you, Rarity. It seems you are a good girl after all.

“I would appreciate that, for Twilight's sake.”

Eh…what?

“I knew you were a good guy deep inside. Shame you have such vulgar language!” She quickly moved her eyes as she was inspecting something in me “Brown shirt with a blue Tactical shirt? Average Jeans with a common black belt? Are those a pair of brown, working boots? And your hair is not brushed and smells of generic shampoo! Darling! The horror! You look atrocious like this!”

I hate you. Give me back my praise, Fashion Witch. Why are you gasping like if you have just seen a monster?

“Anyway...” She slowly regained her composure. “Give me your phone number.”

“What?”

“I need it to tell you any updates in our ongoing dilemma. You can trust in me, I will also be speaking with Twilight in the matter so wait a few minutes outside”

“…Ok.”

My phone contact list will have another stain in it. We exchanged numbers and she walked toward the classroom. I waited six minutes and then I got inside the class. Professor Gizmo was just arriving, he was on time as always but it was us who arrived earlier.

There were lots of people watching cautiously as I entered the classroom, especially a pair of blue eyes that scared me the most. Those eyes filled with defeat and crushed dreams were piercing my conscience. But alas, the trip to my place is not long.

“Did Rarity talk to you?” I whispered while taking my seat.

“Yes. But her plan is outrageous!” She whispered as well with a tone of disbelief “Tell me you don’t agree with that!”

“Of course not. I asked her to think on another plan. We want to end this dry, quick and straight, not create a lame, live-action school drama show!” 

“Hehehe, you are right on that. This sounds like the horrible plot stories of the TV show that mom watches on nights.”

“At seven pm on Star Channel?”

“With that melodramatic announcer who always says; ‘Another tale of unrequited love is about begin!’, before starting the show?”

“I can't believe your mother watches the same crap as mine!”

“Me neither! My dad always watches it with her because he has no other choice if he wants to watch the news after it.”

“My father bought a TV application on his TPad. You should tell your father about it, he can use it on the sofa or wherever he likes.”

“So he can escape from watching bad TV programing?”

“I believe it would be escaping from your mothers exaggerated reactions from those ‘real, love stories’!” 

We exchanged a small chuckle of agreement. This feels nice... wait.

“Let’s better start working if we want to make those changes of yours. Rarity said that she will give us alternatives once she talked with the girls so let’s focus in work in the meanwhile.”

We did as I said and quickly wrote new coding database for the application. Not even a half hour passed and I received two messages; one was from Dancer, her custom pop song was unmistakable, and the other one was the default tone.

-Dancer sent you a video.
-Dancer: you are in big trouble (worried face)

While the video finished downloading, I saw the other message.

-Rarity sent you a video
-Rarity: THIS IS TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE! Your outfit combination looks horrible! Oh, and we need a change of plan.

As both videos finished downloading, I noticed something horrible. Both of them are the same file! I took out my earphones so nobody could hear while I was watching it. It was me… with an angle where I looked as if I was kissing Twilight in the classroom.

“We are a lovey-dovey couple, understand?”

…Crap.
> Chapter 19 - A fashionable outcome!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

School was over for today, but I found myself in the side of a new dilemma in the ever-changing decor of youth. There has been a romantic misplaced setup on school and I wouldn't allow it to continue! My irreplaceable friends, Tweaking Lightbulb, Chocolate Dancer, Nitpick Bittersweet and I were on the school fields discussing our recent event. I stopped reading the school's newspaper that I brought with me and this gave a new perspective of the situation.

“Uh, is he gonna be okay? He looks kinda stressed!”

Applejack was concerned about a young, average man sitting in one of the benches. He looked… unfashionable.

“Ow, I don't know, Applejack. I applied on him the temple massage that Dean Cadence taught me as best I could manage but he still is grumpy.”

“My Bro will be fine so stop worrying for nothing.” Said Lightbulb with a care-free tone.

“Yes, Twilight! Thank you so much for caring for him, but Beasty just needs a moment of rest and tomorrow he'll be back to normal." Said Dancer grateful "He sometimes can be a pain in the head so don’t worry for this.”

“Are you sure? I mean, you two have been friends with him far longer than me but maybe a back massage or the lavender essence for aromatherapy I carry with me could do the trick.“

“I appreciate the gesture but I rather go home and sleep, Twilight.” Said the young man annoyed for his current state of affairs. “Why are we even here, exactly?”

“As I told you a few moments ago, we are here to discuss how to solve the mystery behind this false news propagating the school.”

“Rarity! What were you proposing in Informatics is crazy! Twilight and Nitpick just need to be honest when asked about it and the problem will be over faster than a hot knife cutting through butter! No need for that fancy drama of yours. Just be straightforward and be done with it is the right choice.”

“Let's listen to Applejack! She speaks reason!”

“Thanks pal. Glad to hear you don't want the outrageous approach!”

“No! I have a new solution! I thought my idea was the best but given the nature of things, a bigger scandal will cause more troubles in this occasion.”

“You are right! The bigger the scandal, the greater the events can be manipulated! …We have a master about the subject with us.” Said Dancer with unfriendly tone in the last sentence.

So this is what still makes you pressured to be accepted, Sunset my dear?

“Dancer, let’s focus on our friends, shall we? For now, we know the following; the videos were filmed from different angles but both of them aren't dating, have never kissed and all the incidents occurred during school hours. So the culprit is a classmate of ours from the literature classes!”

“How do you know that?” Nitpick asked skeptically.

“Because we were the only students who didn’t have classes in that hour and the rest of the teachers forbid the students to go out of classroom after school break unless it’s really important. Excluding all ten of us, we only have fourteen suspects to worry about, and if we count that my sister and her friends were Anon-A-Miss some time ago and won’t repeat the same mistake again, it leaves us with eleven people. Also, if we count the students who share Sports with Twilight, that leaves us with a total of five students to suspect.”

“Anon-A-Miss?”

“Long story, Bro. I'll tell it to you in another time.”

“Nevertheless, Rarity, You really thought about this with great detail.”

“My, thank you, darling.”

The young man was impressed, no doubt about my sophisticated detective mind.

“That still doesn’t explain how are we going to prove this news of Twilight and I being lovers is nothing more than a deceit when we don’t have proof of it! “

“With me! Detective Rarity is on the case, and we are going to get to the bottom of this faster than my costume change! As a matter of fact, with all we have already, I know who our perpetrator is and how to catch it!” 

“REALLY!?” Everyone said. 

“How?” Young Nitpick said with great lack of faith.

“Both of you will do the act I told you before, BUT, the rest of us will be hiding nearby the spot I mentioned. When she approaches, she'll come to you and we will catch her.”

“How do you know the culprit is a she?”

“Woman's intuition, young Lightbulb. And if my guess is right, this will be… ‘Sigh’ quite anti-climactic in the end.”

Quite silly might I add and such a waste of our efforts. I believe I don’t even need to gather more clues for the matter this time. I hoped for a little emotion on school but nevertheless, I will do it the plain way for Twilight's sake!

“I rather have an anti-climactic ending than a pain in the ass gossip ruining my inner peace every day!”

“Laaaaanguage!”

As we came to an alliance to stop this event, I decided to help my new friend have the proper appearance if he wishes to serve the role of a fake lover decently. I told him to come with his best outfit to my boutique to make preparations. After some small-talking and unorthodox persuasion from Dancer, he reluctantly agreed and I could see his low faith in our endeavor. But once this is over, he will change his mind.

As I prepared my new male mannequins to work with, I made a last check up in my raw cloth inventory. Everything was in order. I had two plans exclusively for my visitor; the first one was to help him look fabulous and teach him how to combine garments and such to himself. The second reason was because a friend of mine from Manehattan, Coco Pommel, told me during our last video chat that the new rage on Canterlot was matching the couple's dresses and suits. If my business was to keep succeeding in the latest trends, I must adapt to the new markets, I must experiment with it, I MUST CREATE!

The bell from the door rang, he finally arrived.

“Uh, hi.”

You are incredible plain in the greeting department, my dear. Now, I must inspect your-

“WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU WEARING?”

“You told me to bring my best cloths and here they are!”

Everything went pitch-black for me. The soothing darkness of my consciousness made me fall to a deep sleep. Perhaps it was a self-defense mechanism to protect me from the never-before seen horror I saw on the real world.

‘-rity’

Someone was calling me. It wanted me to see the horror again.

‘-arity’

The voice got stronger. He was calling me back to reality.

‘Rarity’ 

No! This was not the time to act weak. I must go back, back where I was needed. One of my friends needed me. I couldn't fail her like this. I must defeat this monster. NO! This is no monster. It’s a misguided, innocent man who lacks a sense of common fashion. In the name of my boutique, I will help this lost spirit find his way!

“WAKE UP ALREADY, YOU OVERREACTING DRAMA BITCH!”

“WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, YOU RUDISH SAVAGE?”

And the monster was still there for the matter. Grayish-black, plain tactical shirt with a red undershirt? Dark blue jeans that looked like pants and black boots? This CRIME against fashion cannot be allowed to roam the world any longer. I must calm down. Relax. Start again, Rarity!

“Ehem! Let's forget our recent incident and start again, shall we?”

“Fine by me. Just don’t pass out again for whatever stupid reason you did for.”

Stupid reason!? Why, you little-!

“I'll pretend I didn't hear that so let’s get straight to work.”

“I still don’t understand why we must go through this unnecessary odyssey! If you already know who she is, wouldn't it better to face her tomorrow in the morning?”

“Darling, Nitpick, dear, how many times in real life have criminals been successfully captured with that kind of thinking you have?”

“Well, according to the news last year, a thirty-seven percent probability at most.”

“Oh! It's higher than I expected!”

“How much is the rate of success your way of thinking has?”

“Ninety-nine percent success rate!”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, darling. In the world of novels!” The adventures of Shadow Spade, my favorite mystery books series, are based on real world events, after all.

“Okay, I'll call Twilight and tell her that Applejacks ways is the best path after all.”

“No, Wait!”

“What?!”

“Trust me in this, I assure you that you'll have the lame ending you desire.”

“I thought you wanted drama.”

“But Twilight doesn't, so I must help my friend in whatever way I can. Besides, the culprit is just an innocent girl who just has a habit to make disasters.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s just say she is a walking, trouble making machine who just wants to do things right at heart. Anyway, let's start with your…” Oh dear “This grey shirt of yours is badly washed.”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY!?” He grabbed my shoulders with great concern. “That’s impossible, I always use the Royal Glory brand of soaps and detergents to wash it, even I have a special box to preserve it in it.”

“This is really important to you, isn't it?”

He gave me a desperate nod. Many years of serving customers has given me the perception to notice how much an item means to them. Not only how they express themselves, how they cry or even how they act. Those eyes, the brands he uses to take care of it… he loved the shirt dearly. 

“The fabric is in great shape but this cloth was badly washed with a generic detergent on the first time. Look closely in these spots, this Tac-shirt of yours was originally straight grey. The detergent used in the first wash gave it this black-like tone.”

“I knew my mother didn't wash it like the label said!”

To say he was furious was an understatement.

“Don’t worry; I have the product and tools to restore it to its former glory. If you grant me your trust.”

He took his sweet time, but I must not pressure this. This kind of decisions is to be left to the customer.

“Please, Rarity, fix it. This shirt means a lot to me”

“I'll will give it to you tomorrow so you can use it with the rest of your new outfit. Ok?”

We had a long road ahead of us, Nitpick Bittersweet and I. Well, not too long because we didn't have much time, but the point is... I was up for the challenge. Working for male outfits was unexpectedly a refreshing change of pace. The procedures to produce male clothing were identical to the ones I am used to, but who could imagine that a single change in measures could change everything in a design?

Instead of shirts with soft edges and unperceivable accessories at first sight that gives the magic in an outfit of a woman, rough edges and simpler patterns were used to make the same work in a man. A little cleaning to the boots which are of good quality, an alteration to his jeans and belt to make it match to them and a little repainting to his watch's black patterns and-

“PERFECT!”

“Wow! This feels great! You are incredible! The cotton in this black shirt feels comfy and fresh, my jeans feel tighter but more durable and comforting, and so my boots, my clock, just, wow.”

“Flattery is certainly welcomed!” 

It took us less time than I expected. He was surprisingly obedient when I told him to be still. I wish he could have talked a little because I felt he was a little tense in there. 

“How much is it?”

“Consider it your welcoming gift. I didn’t gave you one, after all”

“Sorry, but I stand with what Twilight said in this one. You may have convinced her about her clothes being a gift for her but I can´t stand this effort go completely free of charge. At least let me give you a percentage to it, it’s the least I can do if you are going to fix my shirt… I love that shirt, you know?”

“Darling, I…” 

It’s futile to discuss it, isn't it? I can see you won’t accept a ‘No’ for an answer. I sighed with the power of such stubborn fellow. 

“Alright… it's twenty dollars for the boots cleaning and arrangements. Ten for the watch repainting since it didn’t need that much work to begin with. Thirty five for your jeans retrofitting, and two hundred and seventy five for your new pair of shirts. The baby blue one will be ready by tomorrow, given it a grand total of three hundred and forty dollars. The Tac-shirt cleaning and belt, just consider it as my welcoming gift.”

I made you a twenty five percent discount since you were a first generation model in the first place. That and for making me charge you for a gift. This was meant to be a gift, you know?

“Here you go!”

“Wow, I am impressed. Most of the guys I know wouldn’t spend much money in cloths like you did just now.” 

There is hope for him if he immediately paid without hesitation. He went straight to the change room to put back his distasteful, plain red shirt. Darling, don’t. It’s ruining the look of the rest of your outfit.

“To be honest, I actually received a call from my parents on how I was doing and when I mentioned that I would buy cloths today, they send me right away five hundred bucks to spend in it as long as I prove it. So, can you make a new red and black shirt with the money that is left and give me a receipt of the total? I mean, I want them to be simple unlike the baby blue you are going to do. And you are staring daggers to my common shirt right now so I don’t want more unnecessary eyes watching me for my ‘fashion crimes’!”

“It will be my pleasure!”

As soon as he left with the instructions on how to wash them, I started organizing my thoughts on his three shirts. But then, I heard noises upstairs, Sweetie Belle no doubt. That girl must be bored to tears since I grounded her after the disaster she made in my workshop. But… Like AJ said days ago, she is still a child. Thinking about it well, she just wanted to feel needed. Perhaps she could… 

“Sister, dear, are you busy?”

“No, Rarity.” She said with a sad tone. “Do you need something?”

“Come here, please!”

She got out of her room and arrived to my workshop.

“...Yes?”

“Want to know how to make shirts and restore original colors in clothes properly?”

“For Real!?” She said suddenly in happiness. “I mean, aren’t you still mad about a few days ago?”

“Come here and let your sister teach you how to use properly the hand machinery and cloth fixing techniques.”

“Ow thank you, Rarity! You are the best!”

A hug full of energy and the power of sisterly love.

Since I already memorized the measures and adjusted the mannequin, it didn’t take me more than four hours to do the shirts. I taught Sweetie Belle where the main sewing points were located and how much a proper or misguided sew could perfect or ruin a new clothing fabrication. She was a slow learner but she was trying her best. After that little lesson, the real problem came; this poor, mistreated Tac-shirt. 

What kind of detergent her mother used on it? Parts of the fabrics are extremely colored and some of the threads needed replacing. Since he loves it so much, I must make sure to leave it as how it was originally as possible. If it weren’t for his choice of products, this shirt would have been ruined long ago.

“The cancer in this cloth is worse than I imagined at first, it will take us a while. Sweetie Belle, dear! Are you ready?”

“Of course!”

After a long moment of sisterly time in cleaning, washing, fixing and forging this Tac-shirt, both of us came to a conclusion: his shirt was reborn, better than ever. We celebrated with some homemade milkshakes and muffins, then we talked for a bit about the mess from school, her lack of activities with her friends after class, and finally went straight to sleep.

Next day, first thing I did in the morning was giving Nitpick his new belongings. And as soon as he saw his Tac-shirt, the reaction was-

“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY TAC-SHIRT? THIS KIND SORCERY OF YOURS… ” 

Did I do something wrong to it? Wait! He immediately wore it on. 

“The soft feeling of the fabric, the cool looking black bottoms, the adjusted sleeves, the no longer intrusive but adjusted neck, this pure grey color of the cloth. You!”

I was suddenly hugged by him… this feels… 

“Thank you so much for this, Rarity...” He whispered in an extremely happy tone.

Wonderful! Once again I made another job well done. We went straight to the monument so he could watch his reflection and admire his new, fabulous style.

“I am glad you accepted my help in the end, you are good looking now and with the proper hair-style and a better shampoo, you could…uh” 

You aren't listening, are you? Hehehe, I understand. Just don’t become a Narcissus.



“Hey, what’s going on there with him?”

“Shh, Rainbow Dash. Let him have this.”

The rest of the girls and his friends arrived, but no sign of Twilight yet. 

“WOW BEASTY! You have done it again, Rarity!”

“Ohohoho Thank you very much”

“Yes, perhaps I truly look good, after all.”

“It's not a perhaps, Nitpick. You really look nice in that outfit.”

“Uh, thanks, Sunset… that’s nice of you to say to him”

Dancer, I can see your apathy behind that sweet face. This isn’t like you! Why do you hate Sunset so much still? She changed for the better!

“Dancer, I-“

Sunset was interrupted by the sound of a roaring luxury, family car that suddenly parked in front of the school. Twilight has arrived. I believe that the driving lady is her mom.

“Thanks for bringing me here, mom! Good luck in your work.” My friend ran straight to us.

“Wow, Twilight! How nice of your mother to bring you here, mine makes me take the bus.”

“Oh, my family is always like that, Dancer. She brings me when she can and they are happy that I am in this school. She said that I am changing, but I feel pretty much the same. Except that I have friends here.”

It’s because of that that your family is happy for you, my dear.

“Well, let’s get over this over and go back to a peaceful life, Twilight. I want to spend my high school years in peace”

“Agreed, we must-“

You stopped talking as soon you as looked at him. Twilight, did he stole your breath like you did to him the second day of classes?

“Twilight!” He snapped his fingers near her face, rude! “Concentrate! Rarity, what's the plan?”

“Ah, yeah, the plan. Of course. Tell us, Rarity.”

You know how to ruin a moment of admiration, Nitpick Bittersweet. 

I gave the full details of my improved and boring plan that I devised with my sister before sleeping, and we proceeded to chemistry class. The culprit was here as well. Poor girl. Without a doubt she misinterpreted her school activity. I quickly came to the conclusion that she was the culprit because the embarrassing news of the last week newspaper edition she made. 

When we catch her, we must help her in making a correction to those rumors and re-print the past newspaper with an improved style; those ‘gossips’ will surely redirect the commotion to other direction. Class was finally over and we proceeded to make our move. We were in the school library. Twilight and Nitpick were in position and the rest of us were hiding behind the stands or sitting nearby. Pinkie Pie was… never mind her.

“No one is coming, Rarity” Fluttershy whispered.

“She will come, dear Fluttershy. Have faith in me, don’t worry.”

“Oh, It’s not your intuition that I am worried about.” She said this with concern this time while pointing with her finger what she meant. “Look. They are stressed.”

“Just a few moments more and it will be over- There!”

She finally approached to our V.I.P. with a reporter hat, a notebook, some pens and a video camera at her disposal.

“It's her!”

And in a blink of an eye, the criminal was captured.

“What the hell are you doing, Rainbow Dash?” Said Nitpick with suspense.

“Catching the culprit!”

“She just came here to ask us about our opinion of the school after the Friendship Games!” Said Twilight with fright.

“Uh, what?”

“What is going on? Why did you tackle me, Rainbow?” 

“Derpy!?” Everyone said but Twilight, Nitpick and I.

“Why Derpy!? I didn't know you were the kind of girl to do this kind of stuff.” 

“What are you talking about, Rainbow? What did I do?”

“Don't try to play innocent with us, Derpy!”

“B-But I don’t know, really!“

“Confess!”

“Whatever is happening, I swear that I am-“

“Innocent.” I finally said. “Rainbow Dash, apologize, I didn’t tell you to tackle anyone!”

Everyone looked at me with surprised faces. Rainbow gently helped Derpy get back on her feet and deeply apologized to her.

“Could you explain to us what is happening, Rarity?”

“Of course I can, Sunset. Let me explain from the beginning! As most of you know, Derpy Muffins is now the school editor for the newspaper. As her job demands, she must look for things of interest so she can print the newspaper weekly, and-”

“Let me guess, a juicy gossip of Twilight and me could raise the sales of the newspaper!”

“Not at all, the newspaper is free. No, what really happened is the following; Derpy was on her usual patrol to search for interesting news and she found something good on the sports classes last week so she decided to film it during her class on Saturday and in one of her filming moments were about Twilight and Nitpick.”

“So she spread the video to build up momentum and make the next issue more popular”

“Nitpick, Derpy is innocent. Let me finish.”

“Alright…”

“I am hungry, Bulby”

“Me too, Choco.”

“Isn't today Taco Tuesday?”

“Yes it is, Nitpick. Not to sound rude, Rarity, but can we speed this up? Angel and my pets needs their food too!”

“And Spike.”

No one loves mystery explanations any longer.

“Alright, I'll resume all what I need to say because we are hungry and we are getting grumpy. Derpy, dear, can you lend me the camera, please?”

“Here you go”

I tinkered with it until I found what I was looking for.

“Look, this is the original video of the complete sports class of Saturday, with others that aren't related to it”

“Then what does this mean?”

“She shared the video by mistake to her sports classmates via the Wi-Fi function of the school camera, then one of them noticed both of them getting close in the bus stop and filmed it, and he or she spread this misguided gossip creating a chain reaction that grew stronger when people stalked you before classes started to know more about you. The last drop was the video from yesterday, but if you take notice in the video details, only the first one was captured with a proper video camera, the rest are cellphone quality.”

“Now that you mention it, it’s true” Said Lightbulb thoughtfully while inspecting the video files on his cellphone.

“I am so sorry, I didn’t know I made I mess again, I really didn´t mean to cause a problem, I swear” Derpy said with teary eyes.

“Oh, no need to cry, sweetheart. Nobody is blaming you.”

“Yes, I am not angry.” Twilight said tenderly “It was just a silly misunderstanding. Right, Nitpick?”

“Yeah, Right.”

“You can ignore him, he is just savage by nature.” 

“I agree. Beasty, stop being a savage brute.”

“But you are the savage one all the- NO! Stop hitting me”

“Anyway, dear, I have something in mind to help you clear their names while raising your views and get people who can help you in the school newspaper.”

“Oh, thank you, Rarity. I don’t know what to say.”

“No need for that. Girls, could you help me with this?”

All of my friends agreed to help and my plan was put in motion after classes ended, not before taking a picture of Twilight and Nitpick with Twilight´s phone and the school camera. Next day arrived and the CHS newspaper had a new issue, it´s main article called ‘Canterlot High and Friendships in the raising’. The poster people were Twilight Sparkle and Nitpick Bittersweet, given a full page background to both of them before CHS and after they enrolled in our school. 

“They were just tweaked videos after all. They weren't really dating.”

“It's hard to believe this distant relative of the Princess had such a harsh life in Crystal Prep.”

“The guy is kinda cute.”

“Is this really the men's bathroom current state?”

“I didn't know that Soarin hurt his leg… again.”

“Those middle school brats really know how to make school posters.”

“Captain Planet and the rest of the eco kids made tree plantings in the park of the city.”

“Have you seen the picture of Principal Celestia in page nine? She looks hilarious with the stains of cake in her mouth!”

Now everyone was talking about something else, it seems that the Anon-A-Miss incident was just a memory of the distant past and nobody remembered how bad it was. At least this time the news were harmless. 

“Rarity! You were right! We've been accepted to the school's newspaper!”

“I am glad to hear that, Sweetie Belle, but remember!”

“No harmful gossips. I know! I'll make you proud.”

“I know you will! Now go with your friends and find something juicy to share”

Everything was in order, now to classes.

“Rarity!”

“Yes, Darling?”

“You manipulative fashionista!”

“What makes you said that?”

He brought a school newspaper with him, pointing out a complete page about a lovely selection of clothing worn by him and Twilight.

“Ahahaha, you were just talking of this. Both of you look fabulous! The two of you are wearing different colors, but at the same time they combine. I thought you were talking about something awful!”

“This is the awful thing! You played us like a damn fiddle to promote your new fashion line. This is why you took pictures of us before going out to our home, yesterday. You took advantage of our gossip drama so you could convince me to be part of your plan in making new clothes for me and advertise them!”

“But I presume you love them, I am right?”

“So you don’t deny it?”

“This was just a last minute thought! I didn’t plan this in the beginning, Promise! Besides, I am really happy with the results; Twilight and you are no longer persecuted, I made you new clothes for your personal use and fixed the one you love the most, I got for Derpy Muffins people who want to work with her and I spent quality time with my sister. I believe this is a good reward for me!”

“Yes, but… forget it. I will only forgive you because your work was worth all the trouble in the end!”

“I am glad we came to an understanding, Darling. Well, shall we to classes now?”

UH! My business phone rang all of the sudden; messages with petitions for matching outfits like the one my friends were wearing are arriving faster than I expected. I must order more material to work with for my future customers immediately. 
> Chapter 20 - You are a jerk to me.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the lame but certainly welcomed outcome from the day before yesterday, everything went back to normal in my lacking social life. I cursed that fashionista and her exaggerated antics; she fainted right in front of me in the boutique while babbling in her dreams about an horror or something like it. And when she wokes up, she nearly choked me with those not-so gently hands of her while calling me a rudish savage. She was strong, and… eeh, perhaps I was at fault for calling her a bitch. 

Nevertheless, I confess that she did a great job with my clothes, especially to my loved Tac-shirt that Grandfather gave me long ago. I was skeptical, fearful and paranoid when I bestowed on her the fate of my shirt. I couldn't even sleep that night. But I thank the Truth of the existence for this great result. I still feel worried about the poor Derpy for being assaulted by Rainbow Dash, hope she is okay. 

Speaking of Rainbow Dash, since yesterday she has been acting more apathetic around me; unfriendly could be a more accurate word for it. I don't know what’s her problem now. I guess that she didn't like me on the first day after I mentioned that I couldn't care less about winning for the school. At least she was dissimulative about it. 

I thought to myself that maybe she was just in a really bad mood and in the flow of the day she would go back to her outgoing personality. Ethics ended and Trigonometry started. Santa Calculus started his class right away and imparted his lesson with his usual efficacy. Everything went fine until my… I don’t know what to call her anymore.

“Mr. Bridge, do you know about the third dimension hypothesis in this algorithmic hypothesis?”

“But of course, Miss Sparkle! Class, pay attention to this if you want to be a math researcher in the future. The theory says-!”

Twilight, shut up. And teacher, nobody wants to be a glorified math proffesor here! Wait… maybe I can use this to my advantage to improve my classmate's bad mood!

“Twilight strikes again with another of her outrageous question, huh?”

I may have whispered, but it was loud enough for Rainbow to hear it. I wasn't worried about Twilight, she never listens to my complaints during classes.

And… Nothing. As a matter of fact, she looked even more pissed than before. So I am the problem, but what did I do to you, exactly? There was no more time for worrying about it, Calculus started to give us work to do and eventually school break came. Lightbulb and Dancer were in the cafeteria with a lot of students in there. They did me the favor of buying lunch for me and we went separate ways. They had team homework with their classmates and I decided to eat in the backyard.

“Finally, a moment of respite.”

This place was nice; nobody came here! The panorama of the nearly reddish leafs of autumn was nearly at hand. The climate was fresh and relaxing, and without a doubt I will have at last a normal break by myself. And now, let’s begin eating before-

“We need to talk.”

…Shit, so much for my dream of being alone at peace. I decided to ignore her for a brief moment.

“Hey!”

She was crouching in front of me now. Her face… she was pissed, really pissed.



“Could it wait for another time, Rainbow Dash?”

“No.”

Your unfriendly but relaxed tone totally made me nervous.

“I don’t know about you but at least let me eat while we talk, want some?”

“No, thanks.”

So Fruits and Salads Wednesday isn't really that popular as I thought… or maybe it was because I was the one who offered it.

“What do you want to talk about?” I said while starting eating my fruits with honey.

“About what you said of me, of my team, of the school practices!” She said defiantly.

“Uh?”

“Don’t play dumb! Do you know how worried Spitfire and the soccer team are now? Some of the students morale suddenly got lower. We are trying our best to make this a challenging and fun experience as possible and you came and started talking on our backs about us being jerks during training. What right do you have to say that? Tell it on my face!”

So this was the problem? What a ridiculous dilemma! On the academy… forget it, I am not there anymore. Even so, was the standard of social peace in this school so low that these kinds of things are incredible touchy? Well, let’s get this over with and move on.

“Alright, I'll tell you in the face; you were complete Jerks during training and the class was a pain in the ass. If this is what you call fun, I don't want any of it.” 

There. Simple and clean. Maybe this will do the trick and-

“What is wrong with you? You have been impossible to deal with since day one! The girls and the school may have not noticed but you are unfriendly, uncooperative and a complete jerk with the people who cares about you!”

The line between patient and pissed off was starting to get blurry after all the days I spent here. I better get out of here before I say something I will regret.

“Thanks for sharing this new information to me, Dash.” I repacked my lunch and got up “Now if you excuse me, I will go to finish lunch elsewhere.”

“OH NO, You won't go anywhere! Not until you say that you are sorry and help me clean the mess you caused.”

“Help clean the mess I caused? There wouldn’t even be a mess if you were more empathic with the way you ‘try’ to persuade of us in doing our best! You could say that this was just the first class and it will get better but the people I know don't like it either! Five hundred meters marathons for practice? Two hundred of each of the basic crunches, pushups and other insane stuff you devised? A crazy and loud 'Captain' who call us wimps at every turn? Forgive me if my idea of entertainment and fun is more the old fashioned way instead of yours!” I said as calm as I could.

“You are just complaining about this stuff because you don't have the guts to stand to the challenge and work hard for it.”

“AH! And there is the problem. Have all of you considered that most of us don’t want to be part of the challenge?”

“You don't know anything of our school spirit! Of course they want to improve themselves! You are just an outsider who happens to be studying here. We can ask anyone and everybody will say that they want to win the league.”

“Everybody will say yes to not create a polemic about it, especially if they feel the pressure of you or your team in their backs. I don’t think there is much to say so I'll take my leave.” 

I started walking away but I immediately was turned around and we were facing each other. The girls of this school are really strong.

“I told you before; you won’t leave until you say you will apologize.”

“I won’t apologize for something as silly as this. As a matter of fact, you should be angry to the people who spread what I said. I told this only to Twilight in private, PRIVATE! Alone! But the rest of this school of mostly assholes wanted something to talk about because they were bored and made this mess to compensate their sad existences. Is the school really this lame that a simple gossip is big news all of the-”

“SHUT UP! I won’t allow you to keep insulting my school and the people who studies in it.”

“Why? Are you so blindly loyal to the beliefs of this place that you will turn the eye away of its problems? Crystal Prep was a nightmarish place in social terms of acceptance, but at least they respected privacy way more than here. The problem Twilight and I had would be insignificant there, nearly nonexistent to be exact. You know why? Because nobody would even care about us! We were nobodies!”

“That’s because that school is full of selfish and arrogant people, just like you! I don't know why Twilight, Lightbulb and Dancer wants to be friendly with you!”

“Don't dare to talk about those two! You don't have the right to criticize my friendship with them!”

“You don’t have it either with mine or the school’s environment! My friends and I have been through more than you could imagine! Whatever bonds you have with your friends are only as shallow as-“

“Listen you stupid bitch!” My patience was depleting “Don’t ever tell me that my bonds with them are shallow or worthless! You don’t know anything about us during our time on middle school! And since when your friendships are more valuable and better than the rest of us to make comparisons? Just because you are the most popular group of school gives you the right to say that? If all six of you think that your little circle of happy-going friends is more important and amazing than the rest of us, then allow me to give you a message perfectly clear; I Don't Give a Shit about You!”

I must calm down, this is not worth it. 

“I didn't mean to say that ours friendships are more important than the others!”

“Now you try to play the apologetic gal? Fuck you, Rainbow Dash. I won't apologize to anyone or hear more of your bullshit. Especially at something that wasn’t my fault to begin with. Blame your school full of idiocy for these childish attitude of yours. I am outta here!”

“Wait, this is important to Spitfire and the third graders! This is their last change!”

I didn’t care; I quickly left the spot and walked aimlessly to anyplace I could find.

“Jerk!”

And so, my break time was ruined. I left my breakfast in the backyard with her back there.
> Chapter 21 - You are unsociable.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

-????: Avoiding unnecessary arguments it’s good for your mind and spirit, so try to relax. Do not speak your mind without thinking your words first. We will see again sooner than I imagined. Take care *:･ﾟ✧

It's always the same shit with you, you little… never mind. She never tells me how does she do it. But her message would have been far more useful earlier.

After the annoying discussion with Rainbow and not eating well enough, the final hours of today's school classes were a nightmare. I was hungry, annoyed and my patience just hit the danger zone. It’s been… never since I hit the danger zone. My only consolation in this place was that Twilight was being supportive with her silence during Informatics. We were just there, working in silence with the new coding for our application. I only needed to wait a few minutes more and peace and quietness will wait for me at home. Just need to shut my eyes and later play something and I will be back to normal by tomorrow.

“…Nitpick.”

WHAT!?

“What? I am busy with the database interface so make it quick!”

“Oh, nothing important. Let's do our best.”

Thank you for the moment of silence aaand... the bell rang at last. I saved my progress in the USB, sent another copy of it in my mail and I went straight to the school's exit. The multitude of students ready to go home was incredible. I swiftly joined their numbers and when I was finally outside, I started my short way home.

“Nitpick, wait!”

AH! WHO IS IT NOW?

“Can we talk for a bit?”

“I am not in the mood, Flash. Let's talk another day.”

“Come on, man! I want some help with something!”

Please don't let it be what I am thinking it is.

“About what?” I said with a ‘piss off’ tone.

“Well, about how to approach Twilight like you did!”

Did your infatuation with her overrode my indirect of not wanting to talk right now? I must be polite and refuse to help him.

“You don’t need my help, Flash Sentry! I told you before that you just needed to ask her out and be done with it. If you managed to date a beauty like Sunset Shimmer, then without a doubt you have a great change with Twilight Sparkle as well.”

“But every time I chat with her, we end up texting in circles! There must be something I am doing wrong to her!”

It's not like you are insulting her or anything. It's the way you force yourself to be nicer than usual what’s making her uncomfortable. That and that she doesn't want dating until she can sustain a proper friendship first. But I can't tell you that directly anymore… I can't.

“Have you considered that maybe you are talking to her the wrong way? I don't know, forcing yourself to sound fake to approach her?”

“But you are getting close to her just fine. Please tell me what you think I am lacking!”

Self-confidence, patience, being less of a pain. Just to name a few.

“You don't lack anything, maybe you are just being super annoying to her by trying to be more likable. Look at me, I am no-one especial and she says I am likable.”

“Mmm... you are right, you are somewhat plain.” Said Flash in a thoughtful manner.

“What did you say?”

“I-I mean, you are somewhat, uh, reclusive, you haven’t made a single friend so far besides Dancer and Lightbulb!”

You are starting to make me angry again.

“Why everybody cares so much in making friends from the nothing? Will it grant me a job? Or Super powers? If I do more friends then will people finally fuck off with the way I choose to live?” I said a bit shaky, I am losing it.

“Why are you angry all of the sudden?”

“Why I am angry? Because most people in this school are fucking UNBEARABLE to me. Saying things like ‘Do you have friends?' or ‘you are plain’ or ‘you are foul mouthed' or ‘you are unfashionable’ or ‘you are not up to the challenge’! What must I do for you to leave me in peace? Why I must please you in following your ways of ‘friendship’ when I think that you are being intrusive about it, Flash Sentry? TELL…" I sighed. ’’Wait a moment...” 

You are right as always, my friend. I just need to think what I need to say before opening my mouth. Breath, I must breathe.

“Forgive me, Flash. I shouldn't vent with you my frustration, you have done me no wrong.… I am edgy right now so I should go.”

“Wait.”

‘Sigh’…

“Yes?”

“Maybe the reason why everybody is trying to get close to you and giving you suggestions is because you seem to be lonely.”

“Then they are doing this because they feel sorry for me?”

“No! They are doing it because they want you to feel accepted! Crystal Prep may have done you harm but this is CHS! We are better than them and we wouldn’t try to make you feel bad.”

“Really? Then explain to me what happened about this uncomfortable gossip your 'so much friendly and superior’ school made on Twilight and me! I don’t know about her but I found it incredibly stressful and stalker from your part! Yes, Crystal Prep was a nightmarish place in the social department but believe me that this gossip would have never happened there, not like this! And even if Twilight and I were indeed dating, or anyone else for the matter back there, do you know what my old schoolmates would do? Ignore it unless it was an extremely outrageous or interesting.”

“But-“

“I am not finished! Do you know that Rainbow Dash came to me during school break to complain about what I said about her exaggerated training programs? Do you know to whom I was telling my opinion? Twilight! And what did your school do? Not only filming and spreading lies about us but also sharing something private that I told only to her!”

It’s true that in reality I said some of those things to try to clear the matter but, did they truly have the right to do what they did and spread those things?

“But you can’t judge the whole school for the things that just a few students did to both of you.”

“Of course I can! Nearly next to none stopped and tried to ask about if it was true or not, most of you just assumed and talked behind our backs, enjoying their new, shiny little toy to play with it. Not even you who are the most interested in her had the balls to go and ask her about her wellbeing in person, or did you? If it weren't for Twilight´s new friends, this mess would have gone out of control.”

“I just assumed that you… Ah!” 

With that look of yours, I can safely say that you finally saw the light on the matter at hand. 

“Thanks for sharing your time with me.”

“Whatever.”

Finally I am going my way home. I turned away and started walking.

“Before you go, I have some word of advice to you.”

What!?

“I'll assume that you will listen since you stopped walking. Well, I honestly think that you should change that mean way of how you think about us. Everyone tries to be on the groove in this school and if you are not careful with it, you could end up hurting people sooner than you think. No matter how good friends you are with each other, Dancer and Lightbulb can´t be with you forever, so you better start to be more open-minded about it.”

“Duly noted.”

I have more friends, you know? That doesn’t mean I don’t value their friendships but if we have to move on because circumstances demand it, well, I guess life goes on.

“You will never have someone like Sunset if you keep acting this unsociable to everybody.”

“Then I'll have to manage by myself in life.” I said while facing him face to face. 



“At least think about what I just said.”

Why? Why did you have that sad face? Stop looking at me like that! You are the cool guy type! You should be angry, heroic and yell about the romanticism of school youth or some bullshit like in mangas or cheap movies. But that never happened in this case. After a brief silent moment, we parted ways and eventually the day came to an end. 
> Chapter 22- Unfriendly but reasonable.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey, Whatcha doin'? Did you have a nice night!? I had a good night! I dreamed that mountains were made of cake while chocolate drops rained from the sky! Weeeeee! Anyhoo, can we talk for a bit?”

I woke up earlier than usual to come at school before anyone else. After what happened yesterday, I wanted to avoid as many people as I could. I still feel sore-minded and somewhat annoyed by my argument with Rainbow Dash and my little talk with Flash Sentry. At least my state of mind  wasn't in the danger zone anymore but I don't know if I have it in me to keep my patience in check while dealing with her. She probably wants to ask about what happened with Rainbow. And speaking of asking questions, I have one in my mind right now. 

"What are you doing here this early in the morning?"

“Oh! I came here because the cooking club is preparing a 'Super Cookie' contest and cookies are GREAT! Not like cakes, but great all the same!” Said Pinkamena with a stupidly impossible big smile at end.

“How did you know what I thought?”

“Thought? You whispered! I could barely hear what you asked, though!”

Did I whisper? I didn't notice that. For a moment, I thought you had psychic powers and were reading my mind. I had someone who has the intuition to know what my circle and I were feeling to a certain degree and I don't need anyone else who can do the same or better. Specially if it's you. I should ask what she wants so this could end sooner, running wasn't an option with her.

“What do you want, Pinkamena?”

“How did you call me?” 

You have a knack to instill great fear on me. I mean, your face is practically eating mine while your grip on my shirt was inhumanly firm.

“Your full name is Pinkamena Diane Pie, right?”

“Only my parents and people angry at me call me like that! Are you angry with me?”

“No. I thought that the diminutive 'Pinkie' was used only by your friends.”

“Oh, No!” She released me while speaking with her usual, happy tone again. “Everyone calls me like that! So don’t worry, call me Pinkie Pie, because we are friends!”

She strongly hugged me while raising me from the ground. Do all the girls in this school take power pills or something? I must end her misunderstanding before it becomes a charade. I don't want to make her feel betrayed when she noticed that I don't like her. By experience, that’s a horrible feeling.

“But I don't consider you my friend.”

Cold. I felt the sudden, horrible, and freezing sensation that came from her. Her wide and deep irises were watching me with a—AAAHH!! MY BACK!! SHE IS CRUSHING MY—

“Pink-‘aghhh’ yu ar- crush- me”

She released me and I fell to the floor. I could hear the cracks on my spine tormenting my back. What's the deal with all of you? I am going to get up killed someday by these freaks! I tried to recover as quickly as possible so I could take my chances and get the hell away from her. 

“Tell me the reason why are you saying this? That's the unfunniest joke I ever heard in my life!”

“It's not a joke. I am telling you the truth. I don't consider you my friend and I am saying this so you don't have the wrong idea.”

“The wrong idea about what?”

“That we are not friends. We don't know enough of each other to be considered friends, we are acquaintances at most.”

“B-but! You enjoyed my especial cupcakes! Its proof that you are good! Nobody unfriendly at heart would say that!”

I don't remember ever hearing that cupcakes had the special property of telling if someone was good or not. And what this has to do with the moral alignment with friendships? Being good or evil is no impediment to form those.

“So? Want me to pay for them? They are worth any reasonable price.”

They were delicious. Why don't you sell them?

“I didn't bake them for the money! I did them for all of us to enjoy! So why are you saying that we aren't friends?”

My fuse was badly burned after my little arguing with Dash and you are destroying what I could restore in my time of rest.

“I already told you! Damn it! You are impossible to deal with, just like Rainbow Dash!”

“And that's the reason why I came earlier today in the first place! Why did you say those meanie things to Rainbow Dash!?”

“I knew it wasn't for a cookie project! What kind of morons do a project like that based on cookies?”

She searched thoroughly on her… hair, and she withdrew a pamphlet. The contents said that there was going to be a mini contest in CHS tomorrow with pictures of students resembling bakers in it. 

“Oh… well. Anyway, what do you want to talk about, again?"

“You are not gonna say sorry? to her”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Okay fine, sorry for saying that the contest is done by morons. If they can make good treats like your cupcakes then-“

“NO! About Rainbow Dash! She was in a very bad mood during school time and after her practice sessions were over, she felt pressured and nervous! All people in school feel down!”

“You too think that what I said to Twilight was the catalyst for all this?”

“Yes!”

“Are you out of your mind? That wasn't my fault at all!” I carefully observed my surrounding so I could make sure that nobody was present. “The ones at fault are the stupid students who took joy in spreading lies about Twilight and me!”

“Now you are lying! You said that Rainbow Dash was a, uh, something awful!”

“AH! So as long as your friend is okay, fuck the personal issues of the people outside your circle?”

“What? Don't speak like that! And of course not! We helped you clean the problem, right? We try so hard to make everybody here to feel like a group. What you said about Dash and the soccer team was not fair.”

“You may be right, but what your soccer team does in their trainings is not something I would call fun. Impossible training for people who are new to this? An arrogant bastard who call us wimps at every turn? Twilight was suffocating, for fuck sake! I even had to escort her home safely because the one who was supposed to watch over her… ‘Sigh’ forget it, Pinkamena.”

“Pinkie!” She said defiantly, her bubbly, and admittedly, lovely face was replaced by a serious and piercing expression.

“Whatever, I should go.”

“No until you agree to say sorry and improve the team’s morale”

“You know that my presence makes no difference, right?”

“Of course it makes a difference! You are part of the school now. Everybody here belongs to the Wondecolts!”

“NO! I happen to study here, that’s all. I won’t help you in fixing something I was not at fault with. If the students were as nice as they say, they wouldn't have spread what they heard from me or make me feel uncomfortable with those rumors and eyes watching me on the back. If you just think of it rationally-“ I hope you can do that “All of them were searching for an excuse to make their feelings known about the stupid training sessions!”

“That’s not true! Everyone enjoys the training! It's you who don’t get along in this school.” She suddenly smiled again “But don't worry. I finally know what the problem is with you! You aren't used to people trying to be your friends this easy, unlike Crystal Prep were all of them were meanies! Twilight had a, well, magical approach to our school and look how wondrous is the result.”

You are right for the most part. But at least they have the decency of not getting me mad every day!

“So please!” She said softly. “You are unfriendly, but give me the chance to change that and prove what I say is right!”

That face full of empathy, her tender eyes and a warm stretching hand inviting me to accept the offer. It's like a different person suddenly appeared before me. Dancer once said that she was a good girl, and that between the two, I was the obnoxious one. She may be right. 

“Perhaps you are right, uhm, Pinkie. I might have gone overboard and wary of you.” 

She smiled when she heard that. I needed to give you a change before starting to criticize you. How many times someone has been wrong in his life when they decided to not try something new? Have you ever judged someone or something just because you didn't like it at first sight? I normally don't gamble with things like this but I am willing to try this time. I just have to stretch my arm close the gap of my hand and hers.  

“Alright, Pinkie Pie, I will believe you. Let's go and-“

KZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT.



“Hahahahahaha! Your face! A friendly prank is always th-“

I forcefully removed the hand buzzer from her.

“I. Hate. You. Fucker! Don't ever talk to me again unless necessary, Pinkamena Diane Pie! ”

"But I-"

"I don't care! Die so I can be free of your stupidity!"

I couldn't believe that I fell for her words so fast. Damn it! Such idiocy from my part was unusual. I left the main gardens and quickly got into school. We shared the same class and the same team at the first hour of the day. The environment during chemistry was gloomy, to say the least. What was a vibrant and lovely face in a once energetic girl turned into a dark and heartbreaking silhouette, like if she was stripped of the joy of life. It made me feel really bad... I probably shouldn't have said that but she was at fault.

...

For the second time, we finished sooner the lab practice than expected and we were allowed to go earlier from the lab. I went and bought a dark chocolate from my favorite dispenser and realized that I needed to allocate some especial items that I brought in my locker. I got there and started to make my work in lonely spot. At least nobody came here so no one would bother me at all.

“We need to talk, partner.”

…shit.

“You too, Applejack?”

“I'm here for mah friends. Don't have interest to talk about the soccer team.”

Well, that’s a turn for the better.

“I'll answer any questions you have if you answer me honestly one of mine.”

“Shoot.”

Going straight to business, eh? No wonder your especial, yearly cider is so successful.

“The soccer team's training is ruining the sports class, right? This is why some people took too seriously what I said a few days ago.”

She sighed deeply and removed her hat while starting to softly scratch that golden hair of hers. Please, don't lie to me, I have high hopes for you.

“Well… yep, it's true. We'll discuss with Rainbow today that her training is more than the people can handle.”

“Thank you. As I promised, you may ask anything.”

“What happened?”

This was serious so I couldn't play the dumb.

“Okay, first thing first. I don't regret what I say about the soccer team and Rainbow Dash, I used Twilight as an excuse too many times but I insist that they should have consideration with people who don't have the physical aptitude, yet.”

“That sounds fair. We'll take that into account. Now, what is your part in Rainbow Dash's case?”

That stern sight and commanding posture with crossed arms… is she a Marshall? She just needed the glasses and a insignia.

“She came angry, criticized my opinion and my personal friendships so I called her a bitch for that. End of the story.” I said with no intention of victimizing myself.

She was baffled. I don't think she expected this approach. I mean, when was the last time that someone told you the truth in something important without backing down or playing dumb? If you are like me, or in this case her, well, you would be surprised as well.

“I-I… why!?”

“Why? Because that is what happened. If she is so delicate-minded to start an argument, then she shouldn't come and make a ruckus with a stranger, don’t you think so?”

“In part, you are right. But you must admit that what you did wasn't nice! She came to you only to debate her point of view!”

“Then let me teach you something that a friend back in the academy taught me! A debate means emotions are subdued, something I tried to maintain until I felt to an argument, which means that emotions are in the air, clouding your judgment for the worst! Something that Rainbow Dash did from the beginning. Or tell me, are you going to defend your friend even knowing of her shortcomings? Instead of approaching like you did and saying something like ‘Hey, I heard what you said about me and my team, could you share your opinion about it so we can improve our training?’ I ended up receiving a ‘Fuck you, come and do what I tell you!'”

“I know that Dash can be impulsive to say the least, but I assure you that she has the best interest for everyone at heart, yo! Please, reconsider your position. Twi believes in you, I'm willing to do it as well!”

Now you touched a delicate subject. My current position with Twilight is ambiguous. But at least you approached nicely.

“Alright, I will think about that.”

“Now, what happened with Pinkie? I have never met someone who could pummel her smile since… never!”

What I am going to do is suicide giving her position, but I will risk it to make my explanation shorter. 

“There is nothing I need to discuss about her. I was wrong. Please, forgive my foolish behavior. I am willing to apologize to her if you help me do it”

I stretched my arm to her.

“Ow! That's the spirit, yo! Let's go with her and I help you apologize right aw-“

KZT!

I wasn't cruel like that pink airhead. I lowered the electric discharge to the minimum. I showed her the crime item and she was not happy about it.

“Hey, that wasn't funny!”

“Welcome to my world. This is hers. You can give her back this because I won't do it myself. And before you start and say that probably she did it as a joke to raise the good groove then tell me, do you think it's funny that a total stranger makes you a joke like this one without taking in consideration that probably, just probably, you wouldn't enjoy it?”

“No, I would be angry at said person.”

With all seriousness, your straightforward honesty is inspiring. 

“Listen, Applejack. Thank you for being a diplomat and not an ass while dealing with me. But you are wasting your time. Changing one person’s mind won’t improve anything in any place. You must admit that this whole problem was raised to exaggerated proportions. Seriously, it's not a big deal! If we think about it, this entire problem is a glorified drama for the likes of Rarity!”

“That’s where you're wrong, pal. Maybe in Crystal Prep it's true, but here… the bonds of this place can influence everyone around them! From a single bully that wanted to rule the school, a magician who tried to frame an innocent girl because she felt alone or a jealous trio that just wanted to be loved, here at CHS matters. Changing people for the better is important to mah group. We want to spread Friendship so nobody is left behind.”

Uh… Bullshit. There is no such thing as a shared morality system of that magnitude.

“I don’t have the head to process right now all what you said, so please let me be. You can't make me do as you say and say sorry! A half-hearted apologize will do you no good, right?”

“No, but it could be a start.” She got quiet for a moment and slowly sighed. “Thank you for your time, you say reasonable things but they clash with mah beliefs.”

“The truth is not based by someone's beliefs.”

Or something like that, I don't remember my friend's whole speech. 

“Please, pal. At least give me your word that you will think about what I said.”

You and Flash said the same thing. Is your friendship ideal a cult of the sorts?

“Ok, ok. I will give it a thought.”

And with that, she left. No argument, no clash of ideals, no stupid jokes. It was an exchange of thoughts, just like it should always be.
> Chapter 23- Thanks for keeping your promise.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where is he? That's something I have been asking myself for the past few minutes while running around the school. I have searched for him all over the place. My owner will be mad at me for escaping from her, but I needed to find him. I could make him understand that what he was doing was wrong. If a girly approach failed to make him understand what he was doing, then a talk between boys will do. The only thing to do was not scaring him because a talking dog will be talking to him.

“Maybe I didn't think this well…”

The only thing I was thankful for was that I still had time before lunch started. My Twilight was brilliant as always! She finished the lab work as fast as usual. The only thing that I disliked was seeing Pinkie's sad and teary from inside my bag. I must find him quickly.

Not in this hall… not in this one, no, no, no. Where is he!?

“Stupid locker! Why aren't you more spacious?"

There he is!

I slowly approached to him while looking around to make sure nobody was around. Nobody is here, great! I was behind his back now, the only thing I needed to do was to get his attention.

‘Scratch, Scratch’

“NOW WHO-… Spike? What are you doing here? Where is Twilight?”

He looked around but it was not use, she wasn't here.

“Damn it! What was she thinking in bringing you here every day? She must have left her bag open by accident and you slip away from it. I will call her…”

I was starting to doubt he will take it well about my talking powers. He seemed angry. He searched in his phone for her number no doubt.

“Fucking great! I didn't save her phone during yesterday’s back-up! Let's see… Rarity's number isn't here either. Now I must find her quick before the lunch break starts. At least we have more than forty minutes left. Come here boy, I'll take you with her.” He grabbed me in his arms and started to walk somewhat quickly. I think he was feeling what I felt while I was searching for him just a few moments ago. “Where could you be?...” He said to himself in a low voice.

I am losing time like this. I came this far and I can't back down. Grab your courage, Spike! I can do it, I will do it.

“I-“

“I must ask you in this moment, why aren't you inside your classroom, young Mister?"

That voice! He tried to hide me by trying to not look back in her direction.

“I finished earlier my lab work with Professor Chemical Borefest and he let us go earlier, Mrs Harshwhinny!”

“He usually does that with good teams.”

“Yeah, well, gotta go!”

“Wait right there, Mister Bittersweet.”

“Aha…”

“Is that a dog what you have in your arms, young Mister?”

Oh no!

“Uh… no?” He said with doubt.

“You must already know that school forbids the students to bring pets inside the installations, don't you, Mister Bittersweet?” 

“Yes, Mrs. Harshwhinny…”

“Mmm, what a strange choice for a dog ID tag you have there. I thought boys your age would choose a more bold design instead of a heart.”

“Haha… well, you know. Girls like sentimental boys.”

“This isn't your dog, is it?”

“Uh…”

She quickly took a look to my tag without hurting me. NO! Now she knows to whom I belong! Nothing is going as I planned!

“So this little one belongs to Miss Sparkle. Did she deliberately bring the dog? Why do you have it in this moment? If both of you don't want to be in detention, you must explain this at once.”

Nitpick, please don't tell her.

He sighed. “…Ok, Teacher, I can explain.”

Nitpick…

“The truth is…”

You promised!

“I told Twilight yesterday that she could bring Spike to my house. I live nearby so she came earlier to my place to leave him there. The reason why she did this is because she can't leave this little guy too much time alone, especially today that she will hang-out with her friends. I must have left the gate of my house open and this little guy followed us here. He is a smart dog so he found his way eventually.”

“It could have been a likely story except for the last part. No matter how smart a dog of his size is, he would have lost his way on the streets.”

“Then I'll prove to you that he is a smart, little guy. Spike! Give me your paw.”

I gave him the paw as he asked.

“This doesn’t prove anything, Mister Bittersweet. Any decent dog trainer could teach a dog that kind of trick.”

“Spike! Give me a high-five!”

I gave him a high-five.

“Still not convinced.”

“Spike! Run around the main hall and come through that turn over there!”

He left me on the floor and I ran around the hallway as fast as I could. Since I remembered all the turns I made to find him, it didn't took me anything to arrive from the other side. When I was with them, I ran straight to him.

“See? He found his way easily.”

“Very well, just one last test and I will believe you. Spike, right? Stand with only two feet, boy.”

“Come on, Spike. Stand up!”

And I did.



“Oh, I must admit that he is doing an adorable face. His moving tail definitely adds charm to it.”

“He looks kinda silly to me.”

Somehow, I felt that I just lost something that I will never get back anytime soon.

“Just this once I will let this pass away. I suggest you hide it well enough until your classes are over. If someone other than me finds it, they will confiscate it. Understood?”

“Like Crystal Mint!”

“That’s a brand name I haven't heard in a while. Shame that 'Wonto Company' went bankrupt after it's disastrous re-image. I miss those little candies. The Coldmint ones are so lackluster, to say the least.”

She left us after saying that. I was safe. 

“With this, I have repaid Twilight for her lunch of the other time. You have made me tell a lie for you, little one. I don't lie in this kind of things…but I guess I promised her that I wouldn't tell anyone about you unless situation demands it so I still owe her lunch!”

You kept your Pinkie Promise, I knew you weren't a bad guy!

His phone rang, and he checked his phone.

“Well, it seems I have Rarity's phone again, Spike. This kind of text expressions are unmistakable... Let's go. Your owner is waiting outside.”

Should I talk to him now? I should-

“…You know, Spike. Twilight must be mad at me for the problems I have caused to her friends. I believe she would be better off without me.”

Don´t say that! Twilight enjoys being with you as much as she enjoys being with the girls!

“Hey, now I am going crazy, hahahaha! Dogs can't talk. But at least you are a good listener, if everyone in this place were as quiet as you… Oh, we are finally in the front gardens and your owner is right there!”

Twilight was there with a face of relief.

“You are safe, Spike! I was dead worry about you!” She said while softly scratching my head. “Thank you for finding him, Nitpick.”

“Yeah, it was he who found me, in fact. Anyway, I don't owe you anything anymore. See you later.”

My owner… Twilight hesitated to let him go, but in the end, he left. 

“Now, Spike…”

…Oh-oh.

“Tell me the reason of this recent behavior.”

Someone save me.
> Chapter 24- Pinkie and Twilight´s meaningful moments! Tale 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

How it ended up like this?

“I have an idea! I'll go to Sugarcube corner and buy milkshakes for all of us! AJ and Rainbow, come with me so we can bring them together.”

In what did I fail?

“And I have the loveliest mat for the occasion in the band room! Fluttershy, dear! Come with me to do some final touches to it!”

Why did he say all those things?

“What about me? In what can I help with?”

Did the cupcakes weren’t enough?

“Stay with Pinkie until we arrive, Twi. Are you okay with this, sugarcube?”

Does he really hate me?

“Of course! Right, Pinkie?”

“…yeah, sounds good.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let's go now!”

Every single day there's something wonderful to try! A new day, a new flavor, a new dress, a new game, a new party… a new chance to make new friends.  When I meet new people, I always use my best approaches, my best recipes, my best smile and they always end up smiling. Those faces filled with joy are my delight! My passion and purpose in life!

But he…  there were no smiles, no happiness, no friendship. What did I do wrong?

“Pinkie Pie… why don't you sit beside me? It's strangely comfortable against the stone of the monument!”

“No thanks, I am fine…”

“No, you are not.” She said with a low voice. “Come here with me and tell me what happened? I am still new to this but we can offer you a good ear. Spike and I will listen to you in whatever you need. Right, Spike...Spike? SPIKE?”

“He left with Sunset and the others.”

“That puppy is becoming more adventurous since he learned to talk. Seriously, he almost ruined our plan of… never mind him for a moment. Tell me, Pinkie, in what can I help you?”

“I don't know if you can, Twilight. This is new to me. This has never happened before.”

“Don't cry, it's okay.”

“NO! It's not! I always bring smiles to the new people I meet! No matter who, when or how, I always give my best! Nobody has ever acted to me like this before. Sometimes I received a complaint that I can be annoying or stubborn. But in the end, I reached the goal, grant honest and genuine laughter to everyone, a moment of relief! A bright smile that outshines the sad in their days so they can go on happily!”

“I am sure that Nitpick is just another boy who thinks you are stubborn. Once he comes to know you as I did, he will love to have a friendship with you!”

“You say that, but why did he told me he hated me like that? Those eyes were awful! Why did he ‘sob’ told ‘sob’ me to go ‘sob’ and…’sob’”

I can't see…the tears are-

“Shh...” She cleaned some of my tears “Look at me, Pinkie Pie...”

Something told me to do as she said.

“Once upon a time, in the Crystal Prep Academy, there was a lonely girl who traveled the world in shades of gray and black. There was no talking for her, no smiles for her, only the solace of an unused basement filled with old books and science equipment.”

“…what happened to her?”

“Nothing. Days came to pass, and the lonely girl didn't make a single friend. Only her trusted dog, her old babysitter and her older brother shined her days in what usually was a dark, cold and lonely existence. But those were few and far between. It was solitude at its finest in the end. But then…”

“Then what?”

“A substitute of true happiness came to her, whispering void dreams and false hopes to run away from her misery. She nearly hurt people to get what she wanted… But!”

“But?”

“They came. She came! Certain individuals silently asked me if I had enough of that. Showed me the way to genuine happiness, a real way to enjoy life! They pulled me away from my greed and empty desires, filling me with something far more precious and valuable than any power or study program could ever grant me!”

“And what is that?”

“I am looking for the real word for that answer yet. What my spirit is starting to discover is something that my intellect cannot grasp, something that only the bonds with others will reveal to me in time. I will discover it with all of you, with you! I am sure of that!”

“Twilight…”

“Listen, Pinkie Pie. I am new to this, and I still have much to learn about the meaning of having true friends. But deep inside my heart, I know the following to be true; you girls are special to me! You are special to me!”

A slight, warmth energy began filling my heart as Twilight´s words replaced my depressing feelings, my mind felt lighter all of the sudden, relaxed. Peaceful!

“And also, whether it’s a pair of party cannons, a fountain of chocolate, cupcakes made with love or a practical joke with tender feathers, you were able to bring me a moment of joy in what was once a worthless existence. There is always a first time for failure, once you overcome this, I am sure you will be better than before. Because of this…”

You-

“When it’s about bliss and laughs…”

Make me-

“To me… You are the best!”

SMILE!



“OWWW! GIVE ME A HUUUUUUGGG! COME TO ME!" I hugged with all my love. “HAHAHAHA! How could I forget that easily why I spread smiles in the first place? With friends like you, I CAN DO ANYTHING!”

“Pink- yur –crush!”

“WOOOPS” I carefully put her on the ground again. “Sorry.”

“Ouch.” She made some waist movements and- ‘crack’-… did I broke her? “I am so glad you are back to normal, Pinkie Pie!”

Oh, great, she is alright!

“You reminded me why I do what I do, Twilight. You are a good friend.” She smiled with what I said. I love that gentle smile “Come and give me a hug!”

She did. This is the right feeling. This is good. Isn't, Twilight?

“You know… I am so jealous of you, Pinkie!”

“WHAT!?” I saw her at the eye “Why did you say that?”

“Because you recovered really fast while for me, it took me several weeks to be at peace after an uncomfortable event involving lunch during my days in Crystal Prep. It was so silly!”

“That’s because you didn't have friends in that place. Here in this school, in this place, you will learn the meaning of laughter with me!”

“I sometimes forget that that you are a bearer of an Element of Harmony from another dimension!”

“It’s not only that, Twilight! A good laugh with friends can make many good things happen; it can destroy fears, it can banish bad moods, unite strangers and most importantly, you share your good vibes towards people. Just like you just did for me in a small, simple but good moment, it's what I try to spread to the people every day. Life is full of happy moments to admire, even if there are dark days in them! For me, those happy and unrepeatable moments are something worth living for!”

“That’s a lovely ideal, Pinkie Pie!”

“Of course! Now I feel that I can try again! OH! The girls have arrived!”

Wooo! They were carrying lots on muffins and milkshakes! And I bet Rarity did the mat in a flash like always! I am so excited to start lunch now!

“Sugarcube! Are you fine now?”

“Yeah! Thanks for worrying about me, girls!”

“Darling! That's What Friends Are For!”

“Yeah! Now that you are fine, I’ll be back in a minute. That jerk and I have some things to discuss!”

“Uh, Rainbow. We need to talk again!”

“No, Applejack! What he said to you is a lie! I haven't heard a single complain of anyone in school about practices.”

“Arguing with him will only prove his point, Rainbow Dash. We need to think of something else. I remember what happened when we ignored Trixie last semester and she nearly ruined the event we organized with the sport costumes of the school.” Rarity said, but there was no anger toward Trixie now that she was a friend of ours.

“But she did that because she was alone. She told me herself, remember? That’s why we must fix this without hurting each other… Like someone did for me a year ago!”

“Girls, I know what we can do about him!”

“You have an idea, Fluttershy?” Sunset said with a smile.

“Yes! I'll convince him to help me with the rat infestation in the suburbs tomorrow!”

Silence… it was windy today.

“Uh, sugarcube… I don’t think he is an animal lover.”

Even I think it's a bad idea. And I love to help you from time to time in the shelter, Fluttershy.

“Of course he is! Remember what Spike said about his little adventure before we went our separate ways? Nitpick defended Spike and took a liking to him, I don't see why he wouldn't love the little critters in the shelter. Once he sees how adorable the rats can be after a small bath, he will show how friendly he really is. Besides, if he loves quiet people like Spike mentioned, maybe deep inside that rough shell of him, he is just like me: Shy! And only wants to be at peace when surrounded by strangers!”

“That makes sense, Fluttershy! You are always the good listener and perceptive in these things! Perhaps your silence will make him speak his mind more gently with you!” Sunset said, and all of us agreed to it, except Rainbow Dash. “Did he mention something else, Spike? Another clue that could help us in this?”

“Eh… no, nothing important.”

That was a fishy way to hide something, but my Pinkie sense told me it was for the best… or maybe it was my stomach that was hungry and just wanted to eat something.

“I still think that a good, aggressive talk will make him understand.”

“Eh, nope.”

“But Applejack!”

“Nope.”

“Are you listening to me?“

“Nope.”

“Why you-!“

‘Pump’

I couldn't stop laughing after seeing her face! Applejack just put a muffin in her mouth! We all started to laugh and Rainbow soon joined us. These laughs of us were a song of happiness to me.

“I love you, girls.”

“We love you too, Pinkie, we truly do. Now, let’s discuss how to help Fluttershy behind the scenes. Well, after we finish eating what we brought!”

We all ‘Yay’ to Sunset's idea, and a new, wonderful way to be with the ones I love appeared before me. 
> Chapter 25- You are horrible!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was Friday. The hour of lunch was at hand and I was in my favorite spot on the back gardens. The first hours of classes were unexpectedly quiet. None of the girls, not even Twilight, said something to me. It was like if they were avoiding me, trying to distance themselves from me. It was strange, it was lonely, it was-

“ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!” I said with great triumph.

Now I could enjoy lunch at peace. Being by my self was for the best. If Twilight had continued to keep getting closer to me, she would have ended in a lot of troubles with her friends, and if she had to choose between them or me, the right choice would be them. And I didn't see a problem with that.

I took a quick glimpse from the corner of the wall to see if nobody was coming. Nothing, meaning a great dawn of peace to my student life.

The wind blew, it almost sounded like if someone was talking to me. I took a look from the corner again, and there was nobody at sight. My imagination must be playing me tricks.

‘mumble’

That was not the wind. I took a long look now to the street, but nobody was there… then!

“Uhm, excuse me?”

The weak voice came from my left.

“Hi!”

“How the hell did you get here?”

“Well, I came from the other side.”

Now that was a stupid question from my part.

“Look, if you came here to talk about your friends or the soccer team-“

“No! I came to… well. I want to ask you, um…”

This isn't going nowhere, if you want to tell me something, you better- Ah, what's this?

“A rabbit?”

“Angel! I told you to wait with the rest of the girls!”

This rabbit… he looked annoyed. The way he was tapping the floor with his foot was insanely fast.

“You are hungry?”

Are you actually talking to a rabbit? And did the rabbit nodded his head? What the hell is this place, exactly? Only weird things happened here!

“Sorry, I have nothing with me right now!”

Did the rabbit just cross his arms? Well, he looks like a smart-ass fellow.

“Here, rabbit. Since I brought lunch thanks to my lack of funds, I have a shiny, fresh apple just for you.”

This rabbit just smiled while he grabbed my offering… the apples today must have a drug in them that were making me have hallucinations.

“OH! I knew you were a good hearted guy!”

For a moment, your flattery made me feel like if I were an evil man before this event.

“What do you want? I want to eat lunch.”

“I came here to ask you help with something.”

“Excuse me?”

You suddenly took a casual approach to me, way different from your original mood of a few moments ago.

“There is a rat infestation in the suburbs and the shelter can't handle the problem with its current staff. So we are asking for volunteers to help all personnel in the capture of the little pretties.”

Rats… little pretties? I have a bad memory from those pest.

“Why do you think I could help you with this? According to your friends I am an ass, remember?”

“My goodness, such language! And that has nothing to do with your ability to help someone. Please, help me.”

“Why?”

“Because with this you can show everyone that you are not the mean guy they think you are!”

Pfffft, I don't give a crap as long as they leave me in peace. And why all of you keep using ‘everybody’? Who is ‘everybody’?

“No, I am fine the way things are.”

“I know you would be able to make a difference.”

Fishy…

“Ask your friends to help you in this.”

“Oh, they will help me! They are already assigned to other posts. Please, join us! We shy people must stick together. It will be fun!”

Shy, me? And your cheerful smile gave my Sixth Sense a tingle of danger, whatever you want, I must ignore this quickly.

“What makes you say that I am shy?”

“Because I paid attention to your attitude, and I have noticed what is your real problem with the people of the school.”

“Oh yeah, and what is that?”

Curiosity got the better of me. Let’s see what kind of answer I get from Fluttershy. 

“You dislike when people comes to you like vultures, you want to be at peace thinking about your own personal issues or enjoying the beautiful panorama in your surroundings! Always reflecting if there is something more important we can do in our lives!” 

I was absolutely impressed with you. 

“Also, you like to work alone because sometimes people don’t understand your intentions!”

That’s a half-truth because there are people who work great with me but I am impressed still with your perception.

“For you, being the center of attention is absolutely awful! Everyone staring at you, judging you, furiously noting how could you be way better than before!”

Uh… are you reflecting your frustrations on me? You are stressing yourself all of the sudden.

“Why aren't you more open? Why aren't you more assertive? And then, when you make a mistake, they'll turn on you, shunning you with their evil and twisted laughs of mockery, ending horribly humiliated, never able to show your face on middle school again! Guh! AAAHHHHH!!!”

“Fluttershy!? FLUTTERSHY!”

She was panting scared! Like if she just remembered a really bad memory.

“Yes?”

“I'll help! I'll help! Just calm down! Breathe deeply and exhale slowly”

This girl had serious problems.

“You will help me, for real?”

“Yes, Promise.”

Just don't scream again.

“Wonderful! Since our History teacher will not come today either, we can go straight to the shelter after school! Don’t worry, we aren't going to get dirty, the traps will do the work for us!”

“Today!? But-“

“This is going to be great! I’ll see you in the bus stop after classes! Come, Angel, let’s give you a proper breakfast!” 

Did the rabbit just give me a thumb up? Suddenly, I didn't want to eat my lunch anymore.

Classes ended, and I was on the bus stop. It seems that some students were into this mess too. Everybody talking about grouping and such. As for me, I was keeping my distance. Lightbulb and Dancer won't participate so I was on my own. I hate it when I make promises so easily. Now I can't get out of here. Flutteshy said that I wouldn't get dirty, but I was glad that my tac-shirt was safeguarded in its box, I couldn't bear to dirt it after its cleaning process.

“All right, everyone! The special bus from the Town's Hall is coming! please get in line and group with your partners!”

That will be easy, I had no partner still.

“Ready to do some captures, Nitpick?”

I forgot about you, Twilight.

“Let me guess, we are teaming up?”

“Sadly, not this time.” She said this somewhat disappointed. “But I am going to be teamed up with Sunset Shimmer!” But she said this completely delighted.

“Good.”

“…hey, can we talk for a bit?”

“Eh, sure.”

“I was meaning to ask you the question that I was going to say that day.”

Oh yeah, I interrupted her that time during our gossip incident. But I don't think this was a good idea.

“Whatever it is, just forget about it. If you want to keep your fri-“

“Everyone on-board!”

The bus! Good timing.

“Better go with Sunset now if you don’t want to lose your seat beside her.”

“Alright… well talk another day, ok?”

“Eh, sure.”

Sure not.

We got on-board, all the best places in the back were filled. But today I didn't mind that. The driver of the bus was someone I could get along really fine with.

“It's been a while, Turnip”

“Fancy meeting again like this, Nitpick! No longer a city bumpkin?”

“Nope. Can you do this trip shorter like usual?”

“Hold your trousers, partner, and let’s get rollin’!”

I believe no one from the bus expected this sudden burst of speed. I could see their frightful faces of despair from the bus' mirror. It was funny. With this, we arrived in the suburbs in thirty minutes. We stopped at the shelter. It was a pretty place, to say the least. A vet station was next door of it, and what I think were our new bosses were in front of us.

“Alright everyone! Gather in peace around us.” 

She looked unreliable.

“Radical to meet you. I'm Tree Hugger, and I am the vet chief of this sanctuary. We'll help the critters of mother nature to find peace with us!”

This task was doomed to fail with her as our leader. She had an air of a hippie from the seventies, but civilized and professionally dressed. I have nothing against them, but she just gives me a weird mojo.

“The animals just, like, feel our groove, when we get near them. If we get close to them with fright, they will run from us. If we come with love, they will come to us, you know?"

“Oh, that makes so much sense!”

“That’s why my birds never leave my side!”

Random voices of agreement sprouted around me. I am the only one who was sane here? Or I am the one who was actually crazy?

“Go with peace with each team leader and come back with the little ones. If what people in the neighborhoods say is true, there are just eighteen of them. Working in harmony we will catch them before sunset. Blessings and happy captures!”

"Nitpick!"

"What, Fluttershy?"

"Good luck, I know you can catch one! Enjoy yourself at it!"

And she left with her friends, leaving me on my own.

We were in our respective teams, and we were given tools to capture those rats, some of them being small cages. I don’t think these will be useful to catch those ruffians. Not only that, I didn't have teammates or leader for some reason but I didn't mind that. They gave me a sheet with detailed instructions of how my tools worked, including my designated area to search. How lucky of me, it’s just nearby the shelter in a lively neighborhood.

But how I was supposed to catch a stupid rat in a place like this? I feel like I was doing a stupid fetch quest in a sandbox game. Let's see what I must do in my wanna-be mission log: Put the cages on the less populated spots of your area. Then put the cheese inside each cage. Activate the mechanism and happily wait for your critter to be captured. The mechanism will do a strong noise when the sly critter is captured.

This will take a while…

After putting the cages in what I believed were the best places, I started to wait for the rats to fall in the traps. 

‘Clink’

I inspected all the cages to see which one had activated and when I found the closed cage it was-

“Empty?”

Ugh! Maybe the mechanism didn’t activate as fast as it should. No! I must try again; maybe it was a lucky shot. I put more cheese in it and once again I waited for-

‘Clink’

Now it was from the other side of the street. Your luck has been-

“EMPTY AGAIN!?”

Again!

‘Clink’

Again!

‘Clink’

Aga- There is the little fucker! I stealthy hid behind a bush and approached it as close as I could. I observed how it does it and tried to discover its secret. It carefully got near the cheese outside the cage, turning it's back from it; it did a quick tail grabbing and started running with all its might with the cheese at its possession.

‘Clink’

Clever fucker…

“That rat is nothing but trouble!” Said an angered, old woman from behind. “I have seen that trick of it succeed too many times already!”

“These cages are the only thing I have to work with. I can do no more than wait for the best.”

“Well, kid! That rat’s days are numbered! Take a look at this!”

A Glue trap? 

“I don’t think this will be accepted with Chief Hugger's plan!”

“Chief Hugger is a nice kid. She takes good care of the pets in the neighborhood, but her ways are too idealistic. If we let those vermin go, they will spread faster again. They carry fleas, diseases and eat chunks of our food, leaving it poisoned. The most reasonable approach is kill it.”

She speaks the truth. Last year, there was a rat on my house that ate cereal from an open box. My sister didn't notice and after eating the cereal she ended in the hospital for several weeks because she was diagnosed with Salmonellosis. She nearly died of extreme dehydration but I gave many, many thanks to the Truth that rules everything when she recovered from it. I was scared for her and I could understand this granny's reason to use the trap.

“Alright, how many of those you have?”

“Only one, it's hard to come with these since the Chief got into action a few years ago!”

“We only need to catch this rat. We don’t want it to teach it's technique the rest of this plague.”

“I am glad you can use reason, kid. You’ll go far thinking like this.”

I prepared the trap while reading the instructive carefully. I placed all the cheese in the middle so it couldn’t escape once the glue took effect on it.

“Now you won't escape this time...” I said to myself with confidence.

The granny and I got into hidden, waited for a few moments and finally the little shit got nearby the trap. It started to sniff the plastic and thought carefully his next move. THIS LITTLE FUCKER WON'T-! Wait, it took the bait! Come on, come on. YES! It was trapped in the glue!

“SUCCESS!”

I laughed triumphantly as I got nearby it.

“Not feeling smart now, right, little vermin?” Said the granny happily while I carefully raised the trap stick. “Good job, kid. Now, we must put it in this bag and kill it quickly.“

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

An inhuman scream of horror soon followed while I was being dragged with great force. We quickly arrived to the vet station; the trap with the rat removed from my hand with great care and put on the treatment desk. An enraged, human being that resembled Fluttershy walked towards me.

“What. Have. You. Done?”

I was scared.

“D-doing my task.”

“I’ll ask again. What have you done?”

I must regain my composure.

“I caught the rat.”

Her eyes started to twitch menacingly. 

“You caught the rat?” She said with an ominous, forced, big smile.

“Yes.”

“You… caught the rat?” She put her hands on my shoulders, her grip wasn't as strong as before. But the intensity! Those void eyes!

“Yes.”

A sudden silence appeared before the storm.

“WHY IN THE WORLD YOU USED THAT ABOMINABLE, MONSTRUOS THING ON THE POOR ANIMAL?”

“Because it was a rat problem! As long as we dispose of them through any means necessary, it’s a job done, isn't it?”

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?”

She quickly walked to where the rat was. She was looking thoroughly for something in it.

“Thank goodness this glue is of cheap quality.” She mumbled to herself. “Don't worry, my pretty! I will save you right away!”

She searched through the medical drawers for something and when she found a certain bottle, she quickly put its contents around the glue.  

“Shh, relax, Mr. Mouse. The glue will degrade in half an hour or so. Just be patient.” Said Fluttershy while comforting the rat.

That is not human or a common pet, you know?

“YOU!”

Here we go again.

“Why did you do this?”

“As I said, it was a pest we needed to deal with. Is this not the purpose of why we are doing this?”

“No! We are capturing rats so we can relocate them to the wild again!”

“That rat was a problem to those neighbors, you know?”

“That is not a rat, it’s a mouse?”

“What’s the difference? Both are kinds of vermin we need to deal with!”

“There is a great difference in species traits even if they look similar in some aspects! And we will deal with them, but not like savage barbarians!”

“It's not savage if we think about the dangers of setting them free! They carry diseases and other kind of shit that endangers common people lifestyles” 

“We are the ones who endanger them in the first place, Nitpick! They are lovely and pretty as the rest of nature”

“Some of them must be removed for our sake!”

“You mean genocide!?”

“NO! I mean only the ones that are harmful to us in our settlements!”

“All animals deserve to live like we do!”

“Not all! When there is a plague that comes and endanger us by spreading to us their diseases, especially to a point where it can kill us, then we must hunt them down, and if its necessary, kill the little fuckers and-“

‘SLAP’



Did she… bitch-slapped me?

She dragged me again where the mouse was and pull me from the shirt so I could be near it.

“Look at him…”

“Why?”

“LOOK AT HIM” Said Fluttershy with great force.

‘Sigh’ What are you trying to-

The mouse was wheezing and panting at an alarming rate, it tried to escape from its imprisonment with all his might, lingering every second to the life it had. What appeared to be tears near his eyeballs started to pour in the mix of glue and the compound that will release it shortly.

“Look at me”

I won’t.

“Please… Look. At. Me!” Said Fluttershy with a tone of great disappointment.

And so, I look at her, locking my eyes with hers. Her eyes... full of sadness.

“Nitpick, they may be simple animals to everyone. But for me, they are as great and beautiful like the rest of us. You say that we must protect ourselves when they endanger us, so they will do too when they feel in danger. Not only that, even if it’s on a base instinct level, there is blood running in their hearts, they breath, they eat, they run, they fear, they enjoy, they love, and they weep! They weep, Nitpick! Just as we do!”

I…

She released me from her grip and put all her attention to the rat. She may be right, but… sometimes that kind of thinking is wrong.

“Please, leave this place. I don't want to see you anytime soon.”

“…okay, I’ll leave”

As I open the door, she spoke to me for the last time in this day.

“I thought you would understand… Angel doesn’t receive things or  take a liking to people that easy, especially to guys… he hates them in fact.”

Is that rabbit the same deal as Pinkamena’s cupcakes? 

Silence engulfed the vet room. I should have obeyed my Sixth Sense in the morning. The sun was bright and warm today, but for some reason, as I left that place and went forward to the bus station, leaving behind another disappointed person behind me, today felt really cold and shadowy. 
> Chapter 26- A talk between old friends.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mood in the sports field was terrible today. Several pairs of eyes gave me glimpses from time to time and I felt really oppressed right now. No doubt the issue I had with Rainbow a few days ago was prevalent still in some of my classmates' minds. I hated it! I hated to be in this place. The only one who resembled a human being with some degree of empathy was Twilight, who was horribly panting on the floor... Again.

“I ‘pant’ feel ‘pant’ sick!”

“GET UP, SPARKLE! MOVE IT! MOVE IT! MOVE IT!” ‘Captain’ Spitfire said in a scolding tone.

That fucker...

“Come on, Twilight! You can do it! Don’t be a wimp!” Said Rainbow Dash with a mixed tone of scolding and encouragement.

Both of those jerks are asking too much from her. I know by now that Twilight is not the athletic type, and that won’t change if you keep pushing her hard like this. She did her best to get up from the floor, but to not avail. I admired her dedication. She always persevered in whatever she focused on since I met her in the academy. She glimpsed at me, locking her sight to my direction.

Should I help her?

“HEY! SOARIN! KEEP RUNNING! I won’t be nice to you even if you just recovered for your injury! Move it!”

Both of them went ahead with the others, giving me a change of helping my little Scientist… Wait.

“You are really bad at this, Twilight.” I told her sarcastically.

“Not the first time I heard that. Thanks for helping me again.” Said Twilight with a tone of relief.

“Just a bit more and everything will be over for today.”

“ALL RIGHT! CLASS IS OVER! YOU KNOW THE DRILL, SO GET GOING!”

The students who weren't part of the soccer team started to leave, and I noticed that a taxi parked near the parking lot of the school fields. It must be Twilight’s driver.

“Could you kindly help me in getting to the car?”

I nodded and brought our belongings with us. As we arrived to the car, she just waved her hand, marking a farewell for today. As for me, I went straight home. Today I would finally hang out with Dancer and Lightbulb to the local plaza at three pm. Although this was a special event, I decided to not take my tac-shirt with me and grab a common one. 

I need to get off earlier since my parents had deposited me in a special account my monthly income to pay the bills of the house. Once I took a bath and put some decent clothes, I went straight to the bank to withdraw the money. 

I took out my pocket notebook and tickets from my shirt's pocket to make accounts to see how much I would end up paying this month; $294.56 for the water service, $97.03 for the electric service, $18 for the gas service since I don’t use it that much, $100 for phone and the ‘Internet Maximum’ service for my gaming needs, giving a grand total of $509.59 of debts. That leaves me with $990.41 bucks to expend in groceries and other services I needed when necessary on this month and the first days of October. My parents were generous with my economy, I made some calculations and I just needed $720 to survive since I don’t pay rent, emergencies included.

It took an hour and half to make all my payments. It’s a pain to wait in the line, especially when old people tend to complain about a service which clearly was marked in the contracts. BUT OH NO! They needed to bitch long enough until one of the parties involved submitted to the other's argument. I must calm down! I am somewhat frustrated still from recent the events with those girls.

Finally paying all of my house debts, I quickly got back to my house and safeguarded most of the money in my safe box. If I can save money at the rate I was doing it, I will definitely have a good December and enough funds for some presents. But today I will not be stingy, and thankfully, Ponyville had cheap prices in its entertainment department. 

Now, I only needed to wait. And nope, they arrived just in time like always.

“Beasty!” Said dancer while hugging me.

“Hey, Dancer.”

“Bro.”

“Lightbulb.”

A bro-fist was soon followed.

“Okay, eat pizza, a movie and go home, okay?” 

“Yep, Dancer. That’s the plan.”

We went to the ‘Rancheritos Pizza Express’ local and ate a big sized pizza, one half was vegetarian and the other half was meats, wonderful and tasty meats. We talked for a bit while at it and everything was going really fine, but I can’t say it’s the same as before. Somehow it feels… a little empty. It not that I wasn't enjoying the company, I truly am enjoying it. But something seems off since the Sunset incident. No. It was since the first day we met again.

The cinema was next and Lightbulb quickly went to the bathroom, leaving me with Dancer alone.

“So, how are you faring in being the new hated guy on school?”

“I’ll survive, don’t worry.”

“I know you will. You aren't the type to take things personally for too long.”

“I know you can do the same.”

Silence… this doesn't feel right. Please give me a straight answer like you always did back then!

“I guess so… Anyway, which movie we will see?”

“’'Solid Romance’ and ‘Rising Moon’ are out of the question.”

“Hush!”

We ended up watching ‘Rising Moon’. What a terrible movie! If this is what it meant to have a girlfriend, I didn't want one anytime on the near future. As soon as the movie ended, it was time to go our separate ways to our homes.

“It was fun in the end.” I said positively.

“Next time, we will do crazy shopping in the plaza, okay, Beasty!?”

“Yep.”

“Alright Bro, it is time to go home and-“

His phone was ringing. He excused himself for a moment.

“Aha… ok… I’ll go and get them at the supermarket. See you later, mom.”

“Does your mother need something, Bulby?”

“Yes, I am sorry Choco, but I can't go home yet.”

“It’s okay. The sun is still out and the bus circuit is in service. I can go safely to my home on my own.”

“Do you want company in the way home, Dancer?”

“No, I’ll be fine. I need to go quickly now since my parents and I will go to a wedding at night.”

“Alright, we’ll see you again in school.”

“Here comes the bus. Text me both of you when you get home, okay?”

And she took the bus and went her way home.

“See you later, Lightbulb, I-“

“No, wait! We need to talk. As friends, just you and I!”

Don’t tell me…

“Don’t tell me that phone call was just a ruse to avoid going with her?”

“Guilty as charged. Come! Let’s talk in a place where people of our age can enjoy at the fullest!”

“The arcades?”

“Playing Titaniun Slug and eating a lot of trash food!”

“You are on!”

We got to the arcades and ordered lots of nachos. I didn't like soda so I bought juice instead. This place hasn't changed much since the last time I came here a few years ago. Only that the arcade screens were upgraded to acceptable levels for this modern age. We started our run on the game and spent the first two missions playing in silence.



When mission three started, though…

“Is it me, or the sprite graphics aren't suited for big screens? I haven’t played this one for a while.”

“I think they just made some tweak to the machines and up-scaled the resolution with these new screens, Lightbulb. Obviously the graphics will take a toll for it.”

“They just look a little out of place.”

“It’s better than those little boxes we used to play with a few years ago.”

“At least the resolution was more appropriate for these kind of games. I wasn't distracted on how big the pixels are in reality.”

“You can appreciate the hard work that was put into these beauties!”

“Beauties? They look like shit! I can see and even count the framerate if I took a closer look to the screen!”

“And you say that I am the one who bitches about everything! You fucking moron! It looks fine like this!”

“At least I have the fortune to not being a fucking pain in the ass when it comes to worthless things! Half the school hates you already for the problem you had with Rainbow!”

“Worthless things!? You aren’t the one being persecuted by a school of mostly friend-worshipping assholes! What do you think my patience's threshold is made off? Fucking tempered iron!?”

“At least you could try to be less of an ass and take the pressure like a man for once!”

“Less of an ass and more like a man!? Wise words for someone who is constantly henpecked for the stupidest of reasons in chat with his girl!”

“DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OUTSIDE!?”

“BRING IT ON!”

A silent moment appeared as we met eye to eye. It was tense, it was weird, and it was so fucking hilarious! We started to laugh our asses right away!

“Yes! This is it! This is the right feeling! Speaking the shit out of your mind without ending in a stupid and worthless squabble!”

“I know, right! I missed this kind of burst of rages, Bro! Nobody in school has the willpower to take anger burst without feeling offended and pissed off in the end”

“Do you want to talk while playing?”

“Sure! I still have the touch in multitasking!”

“Well, now that we are alone, can you give me an accurate and unbiased explanation on what the hell is going on in our school?”

“This will be a long tale so I’ll try to short it up. Well, as you know, Choco and I were in the last year of middle school in CHS. Around the last days of August there was the event called ‘Fall Formal’ which is a contest to see who was the best girl of the school. All the girls could participate but only Dancer registered for some reason. Her only competition was Sunset Shimmer!”

“Only Sunset Shimmer?”

“Yes! We didn’t know back then but you must know the reason why we told you to stay away from her: She was the unofficial ruler of the school! A total bitch to be exact! Not even the school committee from back then could raise a finger against her or they would end up receiving a horrible humiliation a few days later! But it was too late for my girl; she was made fun off by her!”

“That explains why Dancer is so defensive at every turn with her…”

“It wasn't only to her. Most of the school received the same treatment. I, like any reasonable human being would do in that situation, just stepped aside and let the thing take its course. It was hard to protect Dancer without you, to be honest… we needed you.”

“I'm sorry…”

“I know that if you were with us back then, you could have put Sunset in her place. If you could make a teacher sign her resignation from the school board, then Sunset would have been easy for you.”

“You know that I didn't do that for a selfish reason… Mrs. Flowershine needed to resign. She was too old for the job, her health was decaying at a fast rate and she deserved her retirement one-hundred percent. Besides, it took me the help of most of the school to make it possible. At the end, she had a big cake and tons of presents from everyone, remember? I won’t forget her tears of happiness...”

“Yes, that teacher was the best… I hope she is enjoying what is left of her life in peace. Even so, maybe things would have been different if you had been there with us at CHS.”

“What made her change, then? She doesn't seem to be the bitch type anymore. I mean, my Sixth Sense doesn't tingle when I am near her.”

“You still have that sense of yours? Cool. It has saved your ass many times before. And answering your question, remember the distant relative of Twilight Sparkle I mentioned before? Well, she crushed her in the Fall Formal of the last year! Choco wished to have been there to see that! Several students and I didn't assist because we assumed that Sunset would win again for the fourth time in a row.”

“I bet there was a cat fight that day.”

“Some of my aquaintances said that there was going to be one but there was a sudden pipe explosion that day and ended up destroying the front door of the school.”

“Ah, I remember reading about that explosion when I was in Philidelphia with my family. I didnt pay attention to it because it was mentioned that there weren't any causalities to worry about. Did they ever discover who the culprit was?”

“No. Principal Celestia and the authorities never found a track to begin an appropriate investigation. It was a mess, but at least we didn’t have classes the first two weeks of August like the gods demanded!”

“The first two weeks of August? But classes in the entire nation starts the Monday of the third week of that month, did you have summer school at the time?”

“No, apparently, someone pulled some strings underwater so classes for CHS started at July 21 of the last year! The students were pissed by the news and something tells me that Sunset was the one behind this.”

“What makes you say that? No normal student possess that much authority or power to make that shit possible!”

“Don't underestimate a babe because she has a pretty face!”

“And those curves, that svelte figure, that...ufff. Forgive me. Then what happened?”

“Twilight’s distant relative, who happens to be named Twilight too, simple banished. She came again during the ‘Battle of the Bands’ event in the final week of classes in December and banished again soon after. I saw her for a moment, but to be honest, I don’t remember why I was in the concert in the first place. It was really weird, even Choco doesn't know how we ended up there.”

“Memory loss?”

“Maybe. It was weird, even the weather was weird during those days.”

“Last year was a weird year in Ponyville, indeed. The weather suddenly became spring for no reason just for a few days instead of being the last days of autumn.”

“There is only one explanation to that: Global Warming! It does weird shit to the world!”

“Uh, right! Go back to Sunset.”

“After being defeated, she just became a pushover. Most of the students simply ignored her while others just gave her the looks. She gained the students favor after the band battle but then the Anon-A-miss incident came and nearly ruined her again. Three girls that call themselves ‘The Cutie Crusaders’ or something were the culprits but Sunset received the full blow and was mercilessly attacked for a time.“

“Karma at its finest.”

“Yeah…”

“I see that you no longer hate her.”

“As a matter of fact, no, I don’t hate her anymore. I knew she wasn’t the culprit but I just didn’t care. No, to be honest, I don’t give a fuck about Sunset and most of the school. But Choco does and I must support her as best as I can, but she simple won’t tell me what really happened in the ‘Fall Formal’. Sunset genuinely apologized to her later but she didn’t forgive her. I know, I just know that something else happened besides the brief humiliation she had. She is been reclusive in speaking her mind since that day.”

“I knew that something was wrong when I interacted with her! I could hear my own thoughts instead of speaking my mind with her!”

“Please don’t hate her for this.”

“Now you are truly saying nonsensical bullshit.”

“Thanks for that.”

“Anything else that may be worth mentioning, Brother?”

“No, Bro. I could tell you of the ‘Friendship Games’ event but it wasn't mandatory to stay for the ones who weren’t participants so we left during the final event.”

“So much for school spirit that the students enforce.”

“To be honest, few students don’t give a crap about the school spirit. That place has become too friendly for my liking! I don’t hate people, I have made some good acquaintances in the recent years but I miss the days when I could be with my girl without somebody putting its nose in something that is not of its business.”

“I understand perfectly what you mean.”

“Now let’s talk about what the hell happened with Rainbow! School practices suddenly became more painful than before since your expected point of view was known to the public!”

“Do you hate the sport class like I do?”

“I despise every single, fucking moment of it! Some students are totally tired of the soccer team’s meddlesome training! But we are afraid of Spitfire and most of the school loves Rainbow Dash, so we are fucked.”

“There isn’t much to say really, she came and told me that I was a bad friend, a bad team member and I just called her a bitch for that.”

“I don’t know what could have possibly angered her.”

“Spare me your cynicism, Lightbulb.”

“Just saying, just saying! Then what happened? Rumors says that Applejack came to you afterwards.”

“Well, she was really civilized. We debated peacefully about our points of view after I made Pinkamena cry and-“

“You made Pinkie Pie cry?”

“I called her a fucker and told her to go and die for being stupid after she played me an annoying ‘buzzer hand’ prank!”

“Tell me how in the world you are still alive, exactly?”

“Hey, I know I was wrong in how I treated her but you must at least understand that her joke was uncalled for.”

“Well, Pinkie doesn’t know when to stop in her burst of laughter and jokes. But believe me, Bro, believe me for real when I tell you that she has the best of intentions.”

“The best of intentions tend to lead to disastrous results when you don’t think well of your actions. Just like yesterday when Fluttershy slapped me and-“

‘PUMP’

“Why did you turn off the arcade? We were starting the final mission!”

“NITPICK! Did Fluttershy actually slapped you!?”

“Yes.”

“The Fluttershy slapped you?”

“Yes!”

“The one with the pink and silky hair, emerald-like eyes and who has a sweet, little voice?”

“YES!”

“This is bad comedy at its finest! HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“Laugh it up, Brother.”

“OOOH-ohohoho! Burn! Hahahahaha Forgive me! Pffff haaaaahahaha! It’s just... wait, wait… ufff... ah... I’m fine now.”

“I tried to kill a rat from the suburbs during yesterday’s event and she slapped me for that.”

“Bro, she loves animals. Tread carefully with Fluttershy in that particular subject. She is nice and sweet, she is practically kindness at its finest! I didn’t truly know if she was capable of anger. Perhaps you are the first person that has been really close to discover her limits of patience. Choco likes her a lot, so I am glad she left and didn't hear this.”

“I still can’t believe that you invented an excuse to make Dancer go home by herself.”

“I needed to talk to you and see if I was imagining things. I could see how you were dwelling in your thoughts since day one.”

“Same here, but I just noticed something.”

“None of us have reflected in our minds seriously since we started talking for real.”

“Exactly.”

We exchanged a brief chuckle and a bro fist!

“You mentioned you made friends in Cristal Prep. Interesting fellows, I presume.”

“Oh, you will love them! They are bastards in their own right. Obviously all of them have their unique antics and such but I hope I can introduce them to both of you.”

“Sounds nice but if they are badmouthed like us, uhm, what I mean is...You know that Choco-“

“Dancer needs to wake up to reality and accept that you cannot be restricted to the way you want to express yourself. Believe me! None of them will back down in their ways of thinking and if Dancer wants to meet them, then she must accept that fact. Just like the soccer team will eventually notice when the students start to hate them if things keep going on like this!”

“I hope you are right, I hope you do!”

“How we ended up like this?”

“I just know that Sunset was the storm that provoked all this. We don’t even know from where she is. The only people that must know the truth are the rest of the ‘Idol Six’ and probably Twilight too.”

“Mmm…Twilight.”

“For what I saw that day during the gossip incident, she is very fond of you.”

“She is better off without me. Well, you know.”

“Yes, sometimes the cruelest rejection is the best kindness in the end. For her to be the friend of the guy who is hated by her friends would be a bad idea. But I don’t think this is the case. You should befriend her, I don’t know but, she has this weird aura with you and those girls. Dancer says that I am crazy but I know that Twilight is different.”

“I felt the same way. And I think those girls have noticed it too.”

“Anyway, if for some reason you ever start to date her, I will support you, one-hundred percent!”

“Thanks, I doubt that will happen, but thanks. You know that I prefer the bossy type!”

“Sunset is out of your reach, forget about her. Please listen to me, don’t be an idiot. Use your head for once in this kind of matters. Your stupidity in love is beyond inspiring. You always screw up when dealing with the girls you like. I don’t want to see you being rejected again; I still remember how Bookfull Sporty nearly crushed you the last time.”

“Shh! Shut it! I didn’t break in the end. You’ll see!”

“Anyway, you want to play again and beat our old record?”

“Bring it!”

‘PUMP’

“You motherfucker! This shit had a pause feature all along!?”

“I come here from time to time and think about life. I discovered this function a few months ago during a rage burst. Now, let’s continue our game and next we will play ‘Furious racer’. This can make you relax because I can see you are still stressed for all that recent shit you experienced.”

“Pfff I am fine now, I don’t think I can get angered anymore as long as I have both of you in school.”

“Don’t jeopardize yourself now. Just concentrate on the score!”

And so we did. To say that we have a blast was an understatement.
> Chapter 27- Just when I thought I could relax.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 15th, a new week of classes started. I had a blast this past Saturday playing arcades with my Bro while giving me the chance to understand somewhat better what was happening around school. Sunset Shimmer was a bitch, got defeated by a convenient super girl and then became someone likable after a series of events with the help of her friends. Dancer hated Sunset for ambiguous reasons concerning the ‘Fall Formal’ from a few years ago and even Lightbulb was stressed with the fact that she didn't trust him in that particular subject. 

Adding what Applejack, Rainbow and Pinkamena said to me about making the school a better place in terms of social stability, the only logical explanation that I have is that the ‘Idol Six’ objective was to make everybody equal and give them a chance to make friends. Naive if you asked me, there are several reasons why this fantasy of them cannot work in the first place but… better to leave things as they are.

Classes were going as usual with a bit of spice to the formula; some students were still giving me the mean look, Rainbow was grumpier than ever and finally, Twilight interacted with me less than before. The subtle changes were perceivable when you focused real hard in your surroundings. It made me feel stressed but perhaps this is what I need right now. For them to notice that some people don’t need that much interaction with others is an important lesson in life that they needed to learn.

Lunch time arrived and I bought my usual combo and proceeded to go to my favorite spot to eat. I was one-hundred percent sure that nothing will go wrong in my breakfast. 

“Ah… Beautiful peace and silence.”

As I started to eat, my phone rang with a custom ‘guitar power stroke’ tone. Oh! It was her!

-?????: Feeling better from what you texted me yesterday?

-Nitpick: Yep, some people still look at me weird but whatever.

-?????: Idiots. Anyway, do you have free time in the evenings of this week?

-Nitpick: You don’t need to ask me that. What do you want?

-?????: In the public gym center of the suburbs, there is going to come a legend of sports called Wind Rider. Class size is limited and I want you to make me company, especially for our special reason that is coming soon.

-Nitpick: Will she come? The others are still in Canterlot so they are out of the question.

-?????: She is going to be busy until Thursday so it would be a waste for her to subscribe. Shame, it would have been fun.

-Nitpick: Count me in! I’ll use my old, sports uniform so you can recognize me.

-?????: PERFECT! I am in the registration stand in the school right now. Since we can invite one friend or family member, I will put you as my partner. I must thank my luck for being in a recognized school.

-Nitpick: Boot licker.

-?????: Asshole, aaaaaand done. Let’s meet at the gym at seventeen hundred hours. Thanks for always supporting me in everything.

-Nitpick: Only for you.

-?????: (. ﾟーﾟ) づ

Great! I don’t like excessive physical activity but I always make an exception for her. I cannot wait for classes to be over soon. Now I only need to finish eating my breakfast and wait for this school day to end.

“Nitpick.”

OH, COME ON!

“Yes?”

Rainbow Dash crouched in front of me. Her face was unexpectedly calmer compared to the last time.

“Please apologize to Fluttershy.”

“What!? Why?”

“For what you did during last Friday in the shelter event.”

“Those rats needed to be eliminated! The neighborhood wanted them gone as soon as possible!”

“I don’t like rats either but please, please, please, please! Say sorry to Fluttershy! I am begging you!”

She clapped her hands while gracefully bowing her head. 

“Why are you doing this? There is no reason for you to do that!”

“Because she is my friend! My very first friend, in fact! I have known her since we lived in Cloudsdale during our elementary years. I know when she is sad and frustrated. Whatever happened that day, please apologize. I cannot bear to see her depressed. You say you have friends, you must understand what I am feeling right now! I’ll do whatever you want!”

She humbled herself before me. Her usual, confident and admittedly cool attitude was replaced with a soft expression that told me she would really do what I wanted. I could ask for lots of things like make the sport class assistance optional, for example, but if I do that in her current state, it would be a kind of blackmailing…I can’t do that.

“What about the soccer team and Pinkamena?”

“I am still mad about what you did to Pinkie Pie, but she is fine now, no thanks to you.”

I can’t blame you if you are still mad at me.

“And between the soccer team and Fluttershy, well, you can see who takes priority in my books.”

You truly are a loyal friend, I can give you that. But…

“Sorry, can’t do that. Like I said to Applejack the other day, a half-ass apology will-“

“WHAT!? I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU! I am trying to be nice and you say you won’t apology!?”

I was growing sick and tired that some people in this place kept interrupting me before I finish what I want say!

“My apology needs to be real! How can I say ‘Sorry’ if I don’t feel it? As a matter of fact, it’s not my fault!”

“Of course it is!”

“Why?”

“You tried to harm a rat! Fluttershy doesn't like animal violence!”

“How the hell I am supposed to know that if no one tells me that kind of information in the first place?”

“You would if you were friendly to everybody!”

Control. Rage! Must. Calm. Down!

“Please, go. You are angering me.”

“You have pissed me off since day one.”

“So much for the friendly attitude you try to preach.”

“I… Forget it, I’m done. Mark my words. The day you need help from someone, they will not aid you”

“What are you going to do? Tell them that I am an asshole so they don’t talk to me?”

“I don’t need to that, everyone believes you are jerk.” She got up and started walking away “Excluding Lightbulb and Dancer, I don’t want to imagine what kind of friends you had in Crystal Prep.”

As soon as I couldn't hear her steps anymore, I just asked to myself a proper and insightful question.

“WHO THE FUCK IS ‘EVERYBODY’?”

And just like that, I was back to square one in my anger issue. My fun and relaxing time with Lightbulb, wasted in a single talk. I can be pissed off and show it, but I never have exploded to anyone. It nearly happened with Flash, but Rainbow Dash…Oh! She is horribly testing my patience limits. If she had asked me some days later with the humble attitude she had a while ago, I could have apologized, even if it wasn't my fault in the first place.

...

Classes ended swiftly. I felt that Twilight was a little uncomfortable during Informatics, probably because she heard about my feud with Fluttershy from one of her friends. Whatever, I got straight home and started to prepare for today’s training. My friend and teammate will fix and reinforce what Dash ruined.

I took the bus to the suburbs and once there, I walked a few block until I arrived to the public gym of the zone. There were very few people inside, at least thirty-some or more. I arrived earlier as always. Once I was given my guest card in the registration booth, I got inside and waited for my friend to arrive. 

I know I will have a blast with her! This week was going to be perfect, fun, relaxing and no… Oh no, no, no, no, no, NO! What are you doing here!? Why of all the places in the world you must be here in this event!?

Some of the Champion Class students of Crystal Prep’s middle social class arrived. CHS and Crystal Prep shared a similar social group system, the ‘Their kind’ hierarchy, the fashionistas, rockers and so on. But Crystal Prep had other one that CHS definitely lacks; the Social Pyramid. This was divided in four levels of power.

The first one consisted of the Principal, the Dean and the professors. In other words, the successful and professional people. This was the second least populated level.

The second level was the rich people with either being the inheritors of big companies or came from royal roots. This was the least populated level.

The third level was the medium-high class people who possessed enough money, talent, beauty and so forth to be popular and recognized. This was the second most populated level.

And finally, the fourth level, the lower class. People, who were ‘normal’ to Crystal Prep’s standards, belonged here. The most populated level. And I belonged there, once.

Every level is represented by the Champions, the best of the best of each category. Being a Champion, no matter the power status, was pretty great for the academy’s standard and at the head of the pack was a Champion, or should I say, a second-in-command that I didn't want to see again; Indigo 'Lighting bolt' Zap!



I have a bad history with her. Really bad history. I hope she doesn't see me during these training days. Tomorrow I will definitely bring a generic sport suit to be less recognizable. Even so, this is going in a bad direction, I hope it doesn't turn any worse than this.

“Oh, My Gosh! Oh, My Gosh! Oh, My Gosh! Hurry, Twilight! Wind Rider will arrive soon!”

“Waaah! Don’t pull me this hard, Rainbow Dash!”

This turned bad really quickly… but this couldn't get any worse. I know it!

My phone rang with a ‘guitar power stroke’ tone so I read her message.

-?????: Grandpops forgot his keys in the house so I’ll arrive late.

…Crap.
> Chapter 28- Unexpected attitudes.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nice! How an awesome way to start something that was supposed to be relaxing and fun! Not only Indigo Zap and some other guys from the academy were here, but also Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Pinkie Pie and other members of the soccer team from CHS arrived as well. This place could hold perfectly fine some one-hundred and twenty people at most. If I could manage to blend with the other participants, then everything would be fine. 

“Hey! You!” Said Rainbow Dash with a loud voice to the guys from the academy.

“You!” Answered Zap with the same intensity.

Ohohohoho! Perhaps this wasn't going to be bad after all. I can safely assure that Indigo participated in the games, so a kind of rivalry emerged within those two if they are talking loud to each other. Yes, YES! Fight the two of you so I can be ignored like it is supposed to be. Hahahahahaha! Meet your match and doom, Rainbow Dash!!!

“How are you doing, Zap!? How cool to see you around here!”

“I can say the same, Dash!”

And they shared a hug… What the hell is going on?

“Rad to see you! How are you doing, guys? It’s been a while since the Friendship Games.” Said Neon Lights in a casual tone.

“You are in the groove, uh!?” Said Jet Set with the same tone.

“Hey! Pinkie Pie! You need to hear this!” Said Lemon Zest while sharing her headphones to Pinkamena.

“And you must taste one of these cupcakes! They are great!”

I don’t have words to describe what I was seeing right now! All of them started to greet one another and talked like if they were good friends from long ago. I mean, Lights, Jet and Zest were friendly to some degree but for Zest to share her headphones and Zap to actually be able to greet someone who wasn't from the academy was way out of place. As a matter of fact, what the hell happened with your supposed ‘Mortal Enemies’ slogan of both schools?

But at least some things never changed. That ass of a person over there couldn't possibly be able to greet someone from-

“HEY! How are you doing, guys and gals!? Twilight! You look radiant!”

“Thanks, Suri! I am glad you are doing great!”

“Of course, sweetheart! I can say the same of you!” 

And they shared one of Pinkamena’s cupcakes.

SURI POLAMARE, FRIENDLY!? What did I miss on those games!? That egocentric, backstabbing little shit couldn't possibly be treating people nice and cozy like that. It's heresy to her character! And what was baffling me the most was that she was actually talking to Twilight Sparkle! She once said that she was a social cancer to the academy, for fuck sake!

The gym bell rang, marking the beginning of the event.

“ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE! GATHER UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COURT!” Said the trainer in charge of the gym.

I went the other way of the multitude so I could blend with the people who matched the colors of my suit. I can see that most of the participants are from the academy, no doubt this was a cultural event organized by Cinch and the Crystal State’s Mayor. As a businessman and Principal of the academy I respect her, but damn her for that short temper of hers.

“We will not waste any more time so I have the pleasure to introduce you to a legend of the Olympian Global Sports Federation! Five times gold medalist of the ‘Extreme Ten Kilometers’ Marathon and the writer of the best seller ‘Why I am so unmatchable?’! The one, the only! WIIIIIIIIIIIND RIDER!”

A middle aged man straight from a spy movie appeared before us. He was tall, fit and his hair gave away that he lived his golden years at his fullest. But something feels off.

“Thank you! Thank you! I am glad that I am still well-known to receive this kind of ovation!”

“YOU ARE THE GREATEST ATHLETE ALIVE!”

And the cheering started again, and I finally saw why he gave me a bad impression. He was enjoying the attention like a dick! I could see the egocentric smirk on his face. This kind of fools never paid attention to details.

“All right! Enough of that for now!” Said Wind Rider in a suave way. “I realize how lucky I am to be able to travel around the world for my profession and share my secrets now that I am retired. I like to think that I bring enlightenment to young athletes like you. In these five days you will have the honor of being trained by me! I will coach you and under my wings, you will achieve strength that you couldn't possible obtain without my help!”

Your abundance of humility is inspiring.

I don’t know which was more sad and pathetic; this old fool who was full of himself or the faces of stupidity that swarmed this place. 

A guy from the staff gave a list to Wind Rider and whispered him something.

“All right! Enough about me! It seems that eleven students will arrive later so for those who still are waiting for your partners to arrive, you will do the warm ups alone. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you the best individual exercises known only by the pros until your partners arrive in a moment. Then, the real fun begins. Everyone else! Follow my lead!”

Come on, buddy! Come here quickly and don’t let me die alone with this fool!

The exercises were hard and laborious to perform. I have never heard of this kind of movements in my life! What were supposed to be normal crunches, push-ups and so on had a kind of variation who forced my muscles to put more strength into it. I don’t doubt that this is the real reason for my friend’s interest to this event. After rigorous but reasonable training session, it was time for fifteen minutes of free style training.

"…Please arrive soon.”

“Nitpick Bittersweet?”

Fuck.

“Is that really you?”

“Uh… no?”

“HEY!”

Indigo Zap was in front of me. She was…smiling?

“I heard that you were sick! But clearly you are in good shape now! That’s cool, you know? I haven’t seen you in school for a while but I am glad you are using the shirt with pride! So, we will have our monthly Champion meeting this Saturday to discuss school programs! So you better remember to go to the school board for the usual paperwork! You are the leader of the low levels and you must fulfill your obligations as the school demands. Oh! They are calling me over there! See you later!”

What the hell…

This was completely wrong. After what happened a few months ago… Forget it. She went straight to her group and the gang of CHS joined as well. This was truly bizarre. Better kill some time doing crunches with those machines over there.

I put my towel to the cushion so I could avoid drenching it in sweat. All set, ready and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, ni-

“YOU ARE NO LONGER STUDYING AT THE ACADEMY!?”

Indigo Zap put all the weight and strength of her arms in the free zone of the cushion, making it impossible to raise my position. We are too close, you know!

“Uh.”

“I just said that you were here to the others and Twilight told us you were a student of CHS now! Answer me!” Said Indigo Zap with a face of concern.

What is wrong with all of you, today!? 

“Well, no.”

“Since when!?”

“Since the semester started.”

“H-how, whe- WHY!?”

“Has nobody of my circle told you anything!?”

“No!”

I knew that none of them would tell them anything. I am happy to know that I can always count in them when keeping personal issues, well, personal.

“Why do you care? If this is about me wearing the shirt, then don’t worry! I’ll bring a generic one tomorrow!”

“This isn't about the shirt, this is about you! What happened?”

“Personal issue and I won’t tell you!”

“Why not?”

“I’ll ask again, why do you care? I’m from the lower class, remember?”

“Things have changed a bit after the Friendship Games! Some of the students experienced, uh, an enlightening situation and we are opening up a bit to everybody outside the school. You know, being more open-minded, and stuff.”

“Uhu, I don’t care.”

“Why are you treating me like this?”

“Because this is the agreement we reached some time ago, remember?”

“What agreement? What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play the dumb, Zap!” 

“I don’t have any idea of what are you saying! I don’t remember ever telling you something like that, Bittersweet!”

“EVERYONE! TRAINING WILL START AGAIN! SO GO BACK TO THE COURT AND AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS!”

Does everybody need to shout during training classes!? We can hear you perfectly!

“We’ll talk again in one of these days, understood?”

And she left, leaving me more confused than before. First she enrages me a few months ago and now she is concerned about me? I didn't understand women like her. I think am finally getting a headache.

“OUT OF THE WAY, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!”

That voice!

“I ARRIVED HERE FIRST, YOU BRUTISH BRUTE!”

And that one!

I quickly took a look to the entrance like everybody else did and there they were, the worst combination of individuals who you shouldn’t put together in the same place.

All girls of Crystal Prep, just like CHS, had a special trait that was undeniable: They were all pretty in their own way and had a range between great to godly curves. But compared to the girl who was walking beside Lighting Dust, all of them would be dwarfed in comparison. She was tall, she was strong, and she had the worst patience in all Crystal Prep Academy.

Gilda Heavensbane has arrived, followed by Lighting Dust at her side! To say that they hated each other with great passion would be a massive understatement. 



And as for me, I give up. I simple give up. I won’t bother thinking anymore. I’m done for today.
> Chapter 29 - Rainbow and Twilight´s meaningful moments! Tale 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was the best day ever! I couldn’t believe that Principal Celestia was able to give us free entrances to the most awesome chance to be under the tutelage of Wind Rider! I’m gonna grab his best techniques so I can improve the school training and become unbeatable in the Intern College Tournament! 

“Rainbow, why I am here?”

“Because you need to improve your physical threshold, Twilight! This is gonna help you by a long shot, trust me!” 

“If you say so…”

“Aw, man! C’mon, don’t make that face! You are surrounded by friends! All of the guys that participated in the games treated you nicely! We’ll have fun! You’ll see!”

“You are right, Rainbow Dash! It’s going to be fun!”

Awesome, that’s the way! Except for that not all my friends got the change to come. Rarity is stuck with an important business, Applejack had an emergency job in her farm, Sunset and Spitfire were coordinating all the sport clubs and Fluttershy was in the shelter doing extra work to fix the mess of Nitpick who happened to be over there! Who gave him the ticket to be here? I knew no one of us gave him an invitation and nobody of Crystal Prep did either. The reaction of Indigo Zap was proof of it.

Whatever, as long as he doesn’t mess with us, then fine. Nobody can ruin this training! It’ll be the coolest thing ever! ...Besides having magical powers…Belong to a rock band…And defeating ancient evils from another world. But cool nonetheless!

“OUT OF THE WAY, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!”

That voice!

“I ARRIVED HERE FIRST, YOU BRUTISH BRUTE!”

I could never forget that voice! I can’t believe she was allowed to be here in the first place! Her white hair, white skin and light-yellow eyes were unforgettable even after all these years.

“So, Dust. You still believe you stand a chance against me, right?”

“Last time was a lucky shot. I am faster and cunning than you.”

“PFF! Please, the moment I catch you is the moment you die. Like always.”

“WANT TO TEST YOUR MIGHT RIGHT NOW!?”

“ANYTIME, BITCH!”

“Enough! Both of you stand down if you don’t want to be kicked out from the facilities!”

A staff member stopped their fight. 

I knew you haven’t changed one bit! I wonder if you remembered me. Guess I’ll find out sooner than I thought. As both walked closer to our direction, I noticed two things; One was that those two were tall, not Celestia, Luna, Big Mac or Nitpick tall, but tall anyway. And two, she had the insignia of the Shadowbolts on her chest. 

So that’s where you ended up after all these years, uh? 

She noticed me. I could feel those eyes looking at me. But they are meaningless against me. I was not scared of her.

“Rainbow! Is that…?”

“Yes, Pinkie. Stay back. I mean it.”

“B-But-“

“What’s wrong, Rainbow?” Twilight said scared.

”Both of you, stay back, now.”

She stood in front of me and we were looking to each other face to face.

“…Dash.”

“…Gilda.”



“You are shorter than I remember…”

“You are taller than I remember…”

“I have drink my milk and eaten my fruits and vegetables, so it’s only natural that I‘m taller and stronger now!” Gilda said with a slight tone of arrogance.

I can see that.

“I may be shorter and weaker than you in raw power, but I’m faster, agile and nimble. Those are my strengths.” 

“Want to find out which one is superior now?” Gilda said with a taunting expression.

“ALRIGHT, EVERYONE!! IT SEEMS THAT SOME PARTICIPANTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST ANYMORE SO THOSE WHO DOESN’T HAVE A PARTNER, TEAM UP WITH ANOTHER ONE”

“Dammit! Do they always need to scream like that in this kind of things!? We can hear them perfectly in this cramped place! But it seems that this saved you from a humiliating experience, Dash.”

“I don’t need to be saved from anyone against you! I can take you on any day!”

“Oh yeah?“

“I am stronger than before in my way!”

“So do I!”

“But you are alone! I have friends who will raise me every time I fall! That’s give me my edge!”

“What? Do you mean that pink fucker over there? Please, spare me you heroics and bullshit, traitor.” 

“Good luck finding someone who is willing to team with you after this recent entrance you made here.”

“Mmm.”

She started to look around, but it was of not use. Nobody will team up with her.

“Aha! Seems I have found someone who is all by himself now.”

What? Who? 

It only took me a few moments to notice who she was talking about. She walked straight to him while grabbing his attention.

“Hey! Wanna team up with me instead of being surrounded by losers alone!?”

Nitpick!

Oh man! Oh man! I don’t like the guy but please say no! Say no! For your sake, say no!

He raised his head and simply nodded with agreement.

“IS THAT GUY CRAZY!?” 

That jerk is also a fool!

“Oh no!”

“What’s wrong, Twilight?”

“I am worried about him. Even I have heard of Gilda Heavensbane! She is trouble!”

“Dash and me know her, Twilight! We had problems with her when we were starting middle school years ago”

“Old story, Pinkie. Forget about them! Let’s focus on what we really came for.”

“But Rainbow! We must keep a look on him!” Twilight said worrisome.

“If he gets in trouble, he’ll be by himself. I won’t help him for what he did to my friends.”

“B-but-“

“No buts! Pinkie, call the others and let’s start training! We don’t want to waste the change that the Principal gave to us!”

“Yes, Sir!”

Training got harder now that most of the class was here. I could see he was struggling with her. Serves him right for being a jerk!

The day ended and Tuesday arrived. We were on chemistry preparing for the test of next week. I felt great and full of energy, Pinkie was the same as me in that regard and Twilight…uh.

“’Pst’ Twilight. Are you alright?” I whispered to her.

“Uh…oh, yeah. Just a bit sore and tired.” She said with a dead-like expression.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. Today will be better!”

“Hehe…eh, yeah”

That’s the spirit!

Speaking of spirit and willpower, I can see that Nitpick was tired as well. Not dead like Twilight but incredible sore. Serves him right! 

Class ended and he went away, probably to that loner spot he has for himself. Whatever.

“Rainbow, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, Twilight! But can it be after we eat something? I’m hungry!”

“Sounds nice! But can we speak in private?” She said with a serious and worrisome feeling.

This must be important to her.

“Of course. Let’s go and have breakfast, I know a place on the gymnasium of the school were nobody will hear us.”

“Thanks!”

We went and ate our breakfast with the rest of the girls and after having a small chat, Twilight and I went straight to the place I told her before and she started asking her questions.

“Why did you talk back to Gilda? She could have hurt you!”

OOOOH! So this is what she was worried about!

“Relax, Twilight! I can take care of myself against her just fine! I’m awesome, remember!?”

“But she is strong and dangerous! That’s what I heard from other people who talked about her back at Crystal Prep!”

“So I am! I know her from before Fluttershy and I moved to Ponyville! She was different back then, but once she visited me during holiday season in middle school, she showed me her true colors when Pinkie tried to befriend her!”

“You were friends with Gilda?”

“Not anymore! She had a rage attack with Pinkie and then she got pissed with me when I defended Pinkie! She was awful that day and since then we lost touch with each other, until now. It surprises me a little bit that she ended up in Crystal Prep. That school is expensive and not to insult her Grandpops who always did his best to raise her but they weren't of the rich type. Know something about it?”

“No. I just heard the rumors of the school of her being mean and aggressive, but you know I wasn't in the loop in anything important. I was alone back then and-“

“Say no more! You are here now! With us! Besides, you saw for yourself a great change yesterday! Some of the guys of Crystal Prep are good now! You can’t fake good vibes like that! That’s another example of the Magic of Friendship!”

“You are right…But I’m worried about Nitpick”

“What do you see in that guy? He isn't friendly material! You should choose friends just the way I do!”

“How?” She asked with a curious expression.

“Being loyal and stand up for your friends! Just like I did with Pinkie long ago! Always defend your friends and believe me, they will help you back, always! Being faithful to the cause, to your friends, your family, and the people who trust you no matter the circumstances is what loyalty is all about! And if a friend hurts one of your other friends for no good reason, then that’s no friend at all!”

“That somehow sounds so right!”

“It’s because I am right, Twilight! Stick with the girls and me and I assure you that you’ll be able to make true friends easily for the rest of your life! Now! ARE YOU READY FOR TRAINING TODAY?”

“YES!”

“THAT’S THE SPIRIT!”

“Thank you for listening to me, Rainbow Dash.”

“Twilight!” I put my hands on her shoulders “You are my friend, so chill out!”

She gave me a small but warm smirk. This feels right!

Finally classes ended for today, and all my teammates of yesterday and I met again in the gym! Wind Rider told us a story of one of his best moments before we started our day.

“Being successful is about getting up after you get knocked down or trying one more time after you have failed one-thousand times! That’s something I can say with all certainty! You must never let negative thoughts pummel your spirit! Just as I won my third medal in the forests of Everfree City in the beautiful country of Great Equine, you must not step back to the challenge! I remember that day, those forest are beautiful! But deep inside they are a treacherous maze! One wrong step and it was game over, you could end up lost for days, and don’t make me start telling you about the atmospheric pressure of the land! But did I coward to the unknown? NO! I kept running forward and that’s how I won! It took me five hours with three minutes to complete the course so let’s who of you can beat my record! But enough about me for today, let’s start your training once again! You know the drill so please get in line!” 

Wow! One of these days I will break his record and become the best athlete ever! For now, I just need to improve my already awesome skills and teach what I learned to the rest of the team back at school. We started our warm-ups and once we were done with them, we used the training machines next.

“All of you who are using the static bicycles try to stand up little by little! You in the Crunchmatic try to use your legs as a pivot! That’s the use of those metal tubes you see there! You!” 

As expected of a Pro! He could multi-task with everyone and keep his cool while giving precise commands.

“You! What do you think you are doing!?”

“Training.”

Gilda!

“That’s not the way I taught you. You are doing it wrong!”

“The way you taught us is for sprinters and I am doing the long-distance, training type.”

“Trying to beat my record, uh?”

“Perhaps.” Gilda said with an arrogant attitude.

How dare you to talk to a legend like that!?

“Umm, alright, you’ll have to learn the hard way! Try to not damage the machinery while at it. If you are interested in learning the right way, I’ll be over there with the others! And you, youngster, want to come and see how it’s done?”

“I’ll be there later, I am having trouble to get up right now. Your exercises are hard to do.” Nitpick said with a tired expression.

“Of course they are! Glad to see you are learning how to work hard! Join us when you can in a moment!”

Wow! He is so Aweeeeeesoooome and considerate! 

“Rainbow ‘pant’ I ‘can’t do…”

Twilight fell to the floor! I forgot we were doing the ‘Two-man’ push-up style!

“Rainbow, we are tired-wired!”

“Pinkie, what?”

“I believe she is saying we are exhausted, Rainbow Dash.” Soarin complained...as always.

“The rest of us are tired as well, Rainbow. We can’t go on” 

“No! Get up! All of you are doing fine! Just a few more rounds and we will be done for now!”

“But we can’t!”

“Something is wrong, my students?”

Please get up! Specially you, Twilight! I don’t want him to see any of you like this!

“Nothing, sir! My partner and the rest of my schoolmates are just resting!”

“I don’t think your partner is of the athletic type. Why did you bring her here?”

“So she can improve herself, sir!” I said with all my enthusiasm and sincerity.

“I see. Very well, keep training hard, Miss.”

“Yes, sir!”

As soon as he left, I helped Twilight to get back on her feet.

“Twilight! You must try harder! I know you can do it! I know all of you can do it!”

“Yes, Rainbow Dash! I’ll try!” Twilight assure me with a tired but confident expression.

The rest of the team agreed with her. This is real teamwork!

“Good! That’s the spirit”

“ALL RIGHT EVERYONE! THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY! SAFE TRIP HOME AND WE WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW AGAIN!”

“All right, let’s go home, everybody! Good work!”

We got out of the building and went to the bus stop. Now I just need to get out some money from my sports bag and I forgot it in the gym...

“Be right back! I forgot my bag on the gym!”

I got back quickly before they closed the place. Some students were still there and were leaving the gym. I searched for my belongings and they there are!

“Rainbow Dash was your name, right?” Someone spoke from behind.

Oh, My Gosh! Oh, My Gosh! Oh, My Gosh! Wind Rider remembered my name! Calm down, be cool!

“Yeah, that’s me! What’s up, sir?”

“Oh, the confident type! Good, this will be easy to explain, then!”

“What do you mean by ‘easy to explain’, sir?”

“You see, I know talent when I see it and I want you, Indigo zap and some other students to be the poster athletes for this particular event.”

“SERIOUSLY!?”

“Yes! But there is one little, insignificant problem that impedes you to achieve my proposal!”

“What is that? I am not training hard enough?”

“Oh no! You are doing great, but your current partner is simply holding you back. I need you to get rid of her so you can team up with Lighting Dust! Both of you seem compatible and she will help you reach your full potential!”

“Get rid of Twilight!? But she is my friend! I can't possible do that!”

“If she is explained of the situation, she will understand! Besides, it seems she is not enjoying the training. She is your friend, no? She will be happy to know that you can go far in an opportunity like this!”

“But I-“

“Oh, don’t give me an answer just yet! Think about it tonight and give me your answer tomorrow. Tell what we discussed to your friend and you will see she will understand!”

“I’ll think about it…”

“Excellent!”                               

We parted ways after that little talk. I arrived to the bus stop and Twilight was still there.

“Oh! You took your sweet time, Rainbow. Glad to see you found your bag!”

“Yeah. Uhm, why are you still here? You should have taken the bus to your home!”

“I waited for you! I asked my mom to give you a ride home and she agreed to it!”

“Why? I mean the ride home. I can take the bus just fine!”

“Why? Because we are friends! You and the girls always look for me! Always cheering me up and giving me strength! I promise you that tomorrow I will do my best as well!”

That smile of her! It’s so warm and cozy! Just like the Princess! Maybe warmer! I don’t know what to do! I want to be in the winning team that Wind Rider was making! But I want to be with Twilight and help her become better too! What should I choose for tomorrow!?
> Chapter 30 - Ideal Loyalty!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was the third day now since this event started. I spent all night thinking about the proposal Wind Rider gave me yesterday, but I still didn't have an answer for him. I want to be the best! But I didn't want get rid of Twilight! I promised her that I would help her become better than before!

What should I do?

“Rainbow!”

“Eh, where? What?”

“Wind Rider’s speech is over!” Twilight said with an enthusiastic tone “We must start our training now.”

“Ah, yeah! Let’s go!”

“You seem to be troubled with something? Everything ok?”

“Of course everything is ok, Twilight! Why it shouldn't? Let’s go to the training grounds!”

I just have to reject the deal. I can’t possibly leave her behind.

Today Wind Rider will teach us how to use properly all the gym equipment. He kept sharing us his pro tips and making everyone train hard. But there are people who always mess up everything.

“Still refusing to apply my teachings?”

“I want to be a long-distance athlete, not a sprinter.”

Gilda!

“You can’t become a long-runner if you don’t start as a sprinter first. Now you are using the treadmill equipment wrong!”

“Who says that? And I believe I’m using this pretty good, thank you.”

“As a professional, I say that! You can hurt yourself!”

“I've done this too many times before in my local gym so I know what I am doing!”

“As you wish. And you youngster, you seem to be doing the same routine as her.”

He was panting horribly. “Yeah! You seem busy with all the premium players so she will have to do. Besides, it’s easier with her.”

“Is that so? Well, if you want to be with the winners, I’ll be right over there!”

Sooooo aweeesooome!

“Ah, Rainbow Dash! Twilight! Once again, seems you are working hard with great enthusiasm!”

Oh my gosh!

“Of course, Mr. Rider. I won’t let my friend down during training!”

“Oh, it’s that so? I’m glad to hear that! But I have something else in mind for both of you. Lighting Dust! Please come over here!”

Is the girl from yesterday!

“Did you call for me, Sir?”

“Good, you brought Suri with you! Rainbow Dash, meet Lighting Dust! Suri Polamare, meet Twilight Sparkle!”

“We already know each other, Mr. Rider! Twilight and I were from the same school some time ago!” Suri happily said.

“Indeed!? This will be easy, then! I want you to exchange partners for today. I believe that you can work better if you train with someone of the same physical constitution. Is this agreeable to all of you!?”

“You betcha’! Hi, Rainbow Dash! I am Lighting Dust and it will be a pleasure to work with you from now on! Zap told me about you, so believe me when I say we are gonna make a great team the two of us!”

“N-nice to meet you, but I’m already working with Twilight!”

“Oh, Rainbow Dash!” Wind Rider said with a tender tone “Don’t tell me you will reject a partnership with Lighting Dust? Consider this a way to improve yourself with someone who is at your level! I believe Miss Twilight Sparkle can agree with that!”

“B-but...”

He walked straight to Twilight and put his hands on her shoulders.

“Twilight, you also believe that your friend should be able to train at her full potential, don’t you? You don’t want her to waste this opportunity! This one in a lifetime chance to better herself with the aid of a professional trainer like me, or I am wrong?”

“…No, I don’t want to be in her way.”

I must say something!

“Great, Twilight! We can talk and have fun during training! Lighting Dust can be too pushy for my own good!”

“Suri, it’s you who is below my skills, you simply suck!”

That wasn't nice. Suri didn't glance at her happily. 

“You see? Don’t worry! We’ll take our time, together! We’ll have so much fun!”

“Sounds nice… if that’s ok with you, Rainbow Dash.”

“Uh, of course… it’s only for today so let’s see what is this all about. Right, Twilight?”

“PERFECT!” Wind Rider shouted in agreement “Dash and Dust, come with me! I’ll take you with other people I want you to work with!”

I followed him beside Lighting Dust. As gave a quick glimpse to Twilight, I noticed something that makes me feel with a sense of regret. She was smiling…but having being friend with Pinkie Pie for so long, I could notice that her smile…was devoid of her usual warm.

“Alright! Is everything ready, my good sir?”

“Yes, Mr. Rider!” One of the staff members said assertively.

“Good! Now! Indigo Zap, Lighting Dust, Rainbow Dash, Power Shoes, Thunderwind, Shadowsteps, Windymare and Solar Sky, you have been selected by me to perform as the poster athletes for this particular event! You will be filmed while being trained by me during the remaining days! This will give you a great edge in your curriculum to reach the professional level you deserve with ease!”

“WOW!” Many of the guys said with amazement. 

Everyone shared their enthusiasm! I believe this is going to be amazing!

“All you need to do is follow my lead so let’s start right now!”

We started to do different kinds of trainings while being filmed. Lighting Dust was amazing! She was fast! She was cool! She could keep up at my pace in the sprint training!

“You are amazing, Rainbow Dash! I had a good feeling when I saw you back there! Once again, Cousin Zap was right about someone cool!”

“You are cousins!?”

“If you look very closely, you can see that we share some similar traits even if we definitely have some differences like my height, my strength and skin color! But I love her and I consider her my equal! We have been together since kids! No offense but if I had being in the games as her partner, you would have lost, no contest!”

“Oh yeah?”

“Do you want to find out right here and right now if I’m lying in another sprint race?”

“Bring it on!”

“COUS’! Come here and be our referee! Someone wants to find out who’s the best!”

We got in position! My engines were on! The adrenaline was flowing rapidly through my body! 

“Are you ready!?” Zap announced.

I could feel the exhilaration! And more importantly!

“Set!”

The drive to win!

“GO!”

A mighty soar was heard from our legs! Dust and I were running with all our might around the gym! She was good! Really good! She was keeping up with me while not taking a sweat in doing so!

“Is that all you got, Dash!?” Dust said tauntingly.

She suddenly made a gearbox change! She was leaving me behind!

“OH NO, YOU WON’T!”

I quickly closed the gap while maintaining her overall speed! It was hard but I could see she was struggling as well! You won’t beat me! The finish line was near! Almost there!

“It’s over!” Zap announced “Both of you are tied!”

Tied!?

“Ohoho! Dash, you are amazing after all!”

“You too, Dust! But I could've won if I weren't playing around!”

“Hahaha! I like your attitude! Way cooler than the wimp I was teamed up with!”

“You mean Suri?”

“Yeah! She is useless! Listen, Dash! You want to be the best? You must train with the best! If you only work with pushovers, then you’ll never reach far!”

“But I always have worked with my friends just fine!”

“How many times you have won an important tournament before?”

“I, well…“

“You don’t have to tell me anything. Once someone takes his sweet time to answer, it means a rotund ‘NO’! Listen, Dash! Stick with us, with me! And I assure you that in the future we’ll be in a winning team! You may be CHS, but I know when to acknowledge potential!”

“That’s sounds great! I’ll tell Twilight and the others to-”

“Uh-Uh, no. They’re not part of this group!”

“But this event is for the people to improve themselves!”

“They will hold us back, Dash! Look at them!”

The rest of the students were training, but at a very slow pace! They were mostly talking and exchanging laughs. In others words, having fun! The only ones who were training like there was no tomorrow was Gilda and surprisingly, Nitpick was giving his all. Poor fellow, he must being pressured by her…

“They’re not taking this seriously. But we do! All eight of us want to be the best! You want to obtain glory for your team in school, no?”

“Yes.”

“Then get rid of Twilight and be my partner from now on! She’ll be fine! Look at her! She is having fun with Polamare!”

It’s true! She looked like she was having a good time with Pinkie, Suri and Zest.

“Ok! You convinced me! I’ll talk with Twilight about this!”

“Excellent!”

“AAAAAAAHHHH!”

Screams of pain were heard from afar! It was Gilda and Nitpick! What happened!?

“What is going on?” Wind Rider quickly went to her side.

All of us got near the point of interest. The machines that they were using now lay broken and the smell of burnt metal can be sensed. 
You fool! You should have listened to Wind Rider instead of her!

“What happened you two?”

“The machine broke all of the sudden!”

“You forced the engine of the treadmill! I told you that you were doing it wrong!”

“How the hell could someone force the engine of a professional treadmill that easily!? You should know that better than anyone that this is impossible!”

“Now! Now! No need to be angry! We can come to an agreement with the gym staff for you to pay for the repairing.”

“WHAT!? But we didn’t break them! These things were working perfectly yesterday!”

“You should learn to make for your mistakes. This is what it means to be an adult. But don’t worry. We’ll discuss this next Friday with more calm!”

“I DIDN’T BREAK IT! YOU PIECE OF-”

“GILDA! Stand down!” Nitpick said while head locking her with all his might.

“LET ME GO!” She shouted with a frightening voice.

Nitpick, are you crazy? Do you want to die!? 

“Calm… down…!”

AND SHE DID! HOW!?

He whispered something to her ear and she immediately lowered her fists. He looked…different.

“I am sorry, Mr. Rider. She won’t cause any more trouble! We… will take responsibility.”

“Good job in giving her a sense of reason, kiddo! Let this be a teaching to all of us to tread carefully in how we use all the equipment of this place! Now, let’s forget about this as we continue our training, shall we?”

“WOW!” I said with surprise “I didn't think he could stop her”

“It’s Nitpick we are talking about, Dash.”

“What do you mean, Zap?”

“He was the former Champion leader of the lower class of my school! And that demands respect! Even if he isn't a student anymore, well, some people will miss him! But tread carefully with that guy! He is a clever bastard when he is cornered like a stray dog!”

“I think he is a jerk!”

“Agreed. He is an ass!” Dust said. “And I am glad to see that Gilda received what she deserved! Always thinking she is high and mighty! Thinking that she can teach people when clearly we have a professional with us! Now people will see how incompetent she’s in reality!”

“ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE! IS OVER FOR TODAY! SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW AT THE SAME HOUR!” The staff member said, marking the end of today’s training.

“What a bummer! Anyway, see you tomorrow Dash! We’ll have a great time training together again! Cousin! Let’s go home! Mom made dinner for us!”

I reunited with my schoolmates. All of them seemed somewhat relaxed and happy. They must have passed a great time like me. We didn't spoke too much after the class, though. Twilight told me if I wanted a ride home again…but for some reason, I couldn't accept it and I went my way home by my own. 

This certain feeling was with me all night, all time in school in the next day and just a few moments before the fourth class started. I felt that something was terribly wrong. 

“Today we will do something different, my students! Today’s weather is absolutely marvelous to simply pass by so we will run around the suburbs in a straight line! You’ll be filmed to make a testament of your experiences with me! Team up with your designated partners and follow my good assistants to the outside! Don’t worry! Your belongings will be safe! I assure you this!”

“ALL RIGHT EVERYONE!! FOLLOW MY LEAD!” One of the assistants commanded.

As we prepared to run and follow him, someone grabbed my arm and stopped me.

“Not you, Dash!” It was Dust! “We eight will receive special training!”

“What’s wrong, Rainbow Dash!” Twilight spoke from afar “We must follow the lead!”

“Dash felt sick! Go ahead and we’ll catch you in a bit!”

What!?

“That’s a-“

“YOU! THE PURPLE ONE! KEEP RUNNING!”

She didn't have time to talk back as she was pulled by one of my teammates from school. I don’t like this…

“All right!” Wind Rider walked toward us. “Know that you are the best of the best of this group! While the others are away with menial training, you will experience a new world of possibilities for your athletic career!”

“What about the others!? I want my team to improve their skills with me! That’s why we came here in the first place!”

“Oh, Rainbow Dash.” Lighting Dust walked straight to me. Her big smile gave an air of arrogance. “Do you really believe these kinds of events are for public benefit?”

“Yes! That’s the point of being here, no!?”

“No, Rainbow Dash.” Wind Raider said. “This is called ‘Talent-Hunting’! Principal Cinch told me that there were incredible students whose skills I could forge so I could form the ultimate winning team for the Olympian World Games! All of you are destined to become someone recognized! With my help of course! The only thing I need to do is separate the trash from the diamonds!”

“That… is wrong!”

“Dash! Don’t let your feelings get in the way!” Dust said. “Remember what I told you yesterday? Those guys are worthless! They’ll hold us back! This is a change to claim what is rightfully ours! Don’t the rest of you agree? We deserved to be paired with the best, trained by the best and become stars in our own right!”

All of the guys chosen by Wind Rider were exchanging glances. And all of them were agreeing with what she said!

“I can’t believe you are ok with what is happening! We came here to improve for our schools! For our teammates! For our friends!”

“WHAT!? Don’t be a fool, Dash! This is our change to be the best of the best! Don’t tell me that you were infected by Sparkle’s incompetence and your mind is being clouded with fear and doubt!?”

“HEY! THAT IS MY FRIEND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!”

“Now! Now! Don’t need to fight, girls!” Wind Rider calmly said. “Dash, I’m sure you have dreams to be the best you can be! I have seen you! I have seen all of you! Why stick with mediocre teammates at best when you can be paired with world-class sportsmen!? All of you have a great future ahead of you! I can offer you that opportunity! I mean, it's not your fault you are so much better than those other students! Not everyone is destined to become a star!”

“NO! I won’t accept that! I believe in my friends and I won’t betray them like this!”

“I stand by her!” 

ZAP! I knew you would understand!

“WHAT!? Cousin, are you crazy!? This is our big shot! Become a professional athlete was always your dream! OUR DREAM!”

“I want to become a Pro! But I’ll never leave behind my friends to get it! Zest and the others are part of my team! We belong to the same school! We’re Shadowbolts, Cous’ Dust! You and I must be proud to wear the school’s shield!”

“That’s the spirit, Zap!” I praised her guts to stand to her beliefs!

“Dash can go to hell for all I care but for you to say this, I won’t allow it! Forget about the school pride! This is how real reputation works in this age, Cousin! Remember! Our reputation is what matters!”

“I used to believe in that! But after the Friendship Games…I won’t leave Zest and the others  out of the loop like this!”

“Don’t be stupid, Cous’! You are making a big mistake!”

“I agree with her! You should listen to your cousin!”

“Same here! She speaks the truth”

“Our friends would never understand our real drive to achieve victory!”

“HOW CAN YOU REPLACE YOUR FRIENDS LIKE THAT!?” My anger was building up.

“Rainbow Dash!” Wind Rider spoke. His voice was now stern and angered “Don’t disappoint me like this! Winners should always do what’s necessary to achieve victory! There is always a price to pay for the elite to reach fame”

“Abandoning my friends is not something I would do!”

“Don’t be naive and stubborn like that Gilda girl! Bad things can happen if you don’t choose carefully your next step!”

“What do you mean by that!?”

“Accidents…can happen.”

No way!

“You! You rigged the treadmills!”

“Guilty as charged!”

“WHY!? You are supposed to be cool! You are one of my heroes! You are one of the best! Why did you do that!?”

“To keep people in line! How do you think I look when someone is disobeying my instructions?”

“B-but you were so considerate, that made you look awesome! What you did was not cool!”

“So?”

No way…

“That’s not the way I want to be the best!” Indigo Zap spoke her mind.

“Cousin! What happened to you!? Ever since you came back from those games you became more, ugh, nicer and helpful with the lower class and incompetent people. That’s not you! You belong with me and the winners!”

“I know if I talk with my friends they would have supported me to join this great chance! But replacing the like trash, rigging equipment, hurting people and making them pay for something they didn’t broke is awful! I don’t want to be a part of this, Cousin!”

“ZAP!”

“I won’t either! I don’t like Nitpick and Gilda, but I won’t allow this to happen to them! And more importantly…I can't deny it. I love to win! I want to be the best! But if I ever gotta choose between winning and being loyal to my friends, I'm always gonna choose my friends. 'Cause as much as I love winning, I love them waaaaay more. I refuse to be part of this shameless team!”

“Very well! But don’t believe this will end well for both of you! You are making a great mistake! My influence can make things happen in the world of sports, and also can impede the ones I don’t consider worthy to reach the peak of success!”

This guy! He is evil!

“At least we can help Nitpick and Gilda if we say what happened here, Dash! It’s the right thing to do!”

“Zap! Don’t you remember what Gilda did to me!?”

“I am still mad at her! But I want you to beat her fair and square! I don't want you to use cheap tactics like this! This is too lame for you!”

“Don’t do this to me, Cousin! I care about you! I want us to be better than the rest!”

“So do I! But It’s final for me! I won’t back down in my choice! Will you help me in doing the right thing, Rainbow Dash!?”

“Anytime!”

“Then mark my words, young ladies!” The jerk said “If you dare to say a single word of what transpired here, I will crush your any change you have in the future! You will never achieve fame and glory! All your hopes and dreams will die the moment you speak a single word! Understand!?”

This is not fair!

“And there is nothing you can do about it!”

“You sound so sure about that, Old Man!”

That voice!

“YOU! What are you doing here!?”

Nitpick! He was sitting in the terraces of the gym. He looked…scary. That small but vicious smile of his was giving me the wrong vibe!

“I got stuck in the bathroom and when I saw that everybody was gone but all of you, I got curious why you were here all alone and decided to watch from afar since you looked so cute as a dysfunctional and unhappy team.”

“The bathrooms were closed since the beginning! You are lying, youngster!”

“Oh, really?” He said sarcastically “My bad, but fuck the reason how I got here. I expect you to pay for all the equipment you broke by tomorrow, She and I won’t pay a single cent for something we didn't mess with… Sir! Or else!”

“Ha! Else what? Do you think I will take seriously the threat of a scoundrel like you!? What could you possibly do to me?”

“I don’t know! Perhaps this can help you smooth your thoughts! Dust, catch it!”

He threw away his cellphone to Dust’s directions and she caught it effortlessly. Why did he do that!?

“This is-!”

“What is it!?”

“A video of what happened here!”

“Then erase it and problem solved! You are such a stupid kid for doing that, you know!?”

“Oh, Dust! Would you kindly explain to this poor, old man what is really going on!” He said…menacingly! As he walked to her, slowly, each step echoing on all the gym. This guy in front of me was someone else!

“You bastard! You send the video to them!”

“And you know that they won’t doubt for a second to crush you, Wind Rider and the rest of your lousy, backstabbers assholes to the ground if you don’t comply to my demands! Specially her! You know how she hates cheaters and liars with a passion!”

“I don’t know to who you send it to, but my word has more weight than any video! I have been defamed before by rivals I crushed in the past! I will survive this with no trouble at all!”

“Oh!” Such horribly and cold voice. He took back his phone from Dust and started to walk slowly and heavy around Wind Rider “Really!?...Umm, you may be right! I mean, how could possibly this damage your image?” He said in a cynical and almost hypocrite manner “You only are blackmailing one of the best athletes that Principal Cinch, Headmaster of the greatest and most important school of the nation, has at her disposal! How she will take the news that one of her star pupils is being threatened by an old legend whose time has passed already when she can protect someone who will bring honor to Crystal Prep in the future? How the professional community will take the news of one of his most beloved and praised athletes was setting up two innocents students just to satisfy his ego and pettiness because he was ignored by them? Do you desire take up the challenge in finding out? Do you believe your skills will save you against these odds, ‘Five times Champ of the Extreme Ten kilometers Marathon’ Wind Rider!?”

He was frozen in fear. All of the students were in shock! I was in shock! But I noticed that Zap and Dust weren't as amazed as the rest of us. They looked as if they were used to it!

“I’ll think about it, youngster.”

“Perfect.” He patted his shoulder with great care. “I know you will choose the right decision by tomorrow. I mean, it just a button away for us to find out the result, no? Oh! I believe the rest of our teammates are coming back from their beautiful and reinvigorating run!”

I turned my attention to the door and he was right! They are back! 

Wind Rider went away with the other ones, clearly frustrated of what just happened. Dust at least stayed with Zap. That means she is not that bad, after all.

“I hate you, Bittersweet!”

“The feeling is mutual, Dust! But with this, I saved some lives in the long run. Specially my ass! I won't pay for what I didn't break!”

“Thanks for helping us, Nitpick. You clever bastard!”

“I didn't do this for you, Zap! Candie Sugarcoat would kill me if I let you die here! Anyway, I'm out of here!”

This is a letdown… I didn't think that my hero could be like this! But thanks to that! I reinforced what I believe from the bottom of my heart!

“Rainbow Dash! Are you ok now? I was worried that… what’s wrong?”

“I have something to tell you..." I said with all my humility. "I am soooo sorry, Twilight. I unconsciously tried to replace you for someone that seemed better for my training. But not anymore… I want to ask you a something... Would you like to be my partner again?”

In that moment, in that instant, I was sure I would never forget a face like that in my life. Sparkling eyes, a wide and welcoming smile and an aura of cozy acceptance were part of the Twilight in front of me. I couldn't resist hugging her anymore and she just answered my regret with a tender forgiveness from her arms, telling me that there was nothing to feel bad about. 

“What about Suri!?” I got back to reality when she spoke “I don’t want her to be alone!”

“Then she will team with us! No sweat!”

“Thank you!”

“Hey, Dash!”

It was Zap.

“Yeah, friend!?”

“Thank you… for standing with me against impossible odds. I am glad to have known you during the games. I still can’t believe my Cous’ could think like that. No, perhaps my old ways made her being like that…”

“Then I know that those feelings will reach her! Just as my friends and me saved Twilight back then! You trust in what I say, right!?”

“Of course! I will do my best to put her in the right path like me!”

And we made an extreme handshake of awesomeness!

“KEEP RUNNING, YOU FUCKING BASTARD! STOP BEING AN USELESS ASS!”

“SHUT UP! I’M DOING MY BEST TO KEEP WITH YOUR PACE, YOU STUPID BITCH!”

It was Gilda! She was pressuring Nitpick again! I…I won’t stand this anymore!

“Rainbow, Nitpick-“

“I know, Twilight! I’ll go right away!”

“Rainbow!” Twilight said happily.

When I told to Zap that Dust can be saved, I remembered that one of my best friends was someone horrible once. Nitpick…I treated him bad since day one. He may be a great jerk, but I had some fault in his actions. If I had treated him nicer since the beginning…But I will change that now! I will save him from her!

“Rainbow, where are you going?”

“To save Nitpick from Gilda, Zap! I won’t allow that bully to keep pushing my schoolmate any longer!”

“Gilda Heavensbane bullying Nitpick Bittersweet!? Dash! Wait!”

“Don’t worry! I’ll be fine!”

“NO! You are mistaking things! In reality those two are-“

“DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OUTSIDE!?”

“BRING IT ON!”

“ENOUGH! STOP ATTACKING HIM, GILDA! IF YOU REALLY WANT TO FIGHT SOMEONE! THEN DO IT WITH ME!”

And then, a silent moment was before me… Gilda was in shock.

“Ah, Rainbow Dash… What are you doing?”

“Helping you, Nitpick! So stay back!”

“In what-“

“Wait! I know that I told you before that I wouldn't help you, that you are a jerk and other things. But after what happened a while ago, if I leave you alone, I would be betraying what I treasure the most! My ideal of loyalty to the school, my friends, my schoolmates! And you are part of CHS now! And the first thing I will do to fix my deeds is by defending you from her!”

…More silence. What is going on? She started to look less serious. Suddenly, a small but perceivable laugh could be heard from behind me! Both of them started to laugh with a roaring noise!

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA RAINBOW DASH! Such heroism from your part!”

“What are you laughing at, Nitpick? I'm helping you out! And you, Gilda! Don’t mock me with your laughs! I can beat you any day! Besides, did you know that he just saved your butt recently?”

“Ah, Dash! I expected nothing less of him.” She said with an affirmative way. “I mean…forget it. Nit, let’s get out of this dump. That old fucker was way overrated in the end.”

“Yeah, fucking asshole. He wasted our time!” They grabbed their belongings and walked away to the exit. “Oh! And Rainbow Dash!” He stopped for a moment and turned his sight to me “You truly are a great girl! I don’t like you, but damn! How I love the guts you showed me a while ago! No wonder the school loves you, and I mean it.” And with that, he left the place with Gilda.

What just happened?

“You look surprised, Dash!” Indigo Zap said with a calmed expression. 

“Can you explain to me what’s going on!?”

“Remember when yesterday I told you about the Champion leaders of the school? Well, Nitpick was the lower class leader, and every Champion has a second in command. I am the right-hand of the middle class leader and Sugarcoat is the Champion. And as you may know, Sugarcoat and I are great friends… so a short answer to what you saw is!”

“Don’t tell me what I think you are gonna say!”

“Nitpick Bittersweet and Gilda Heavensbane are good friends!”

“WHAAAAAAAT!?”

“I thought you have noticed by now on how they bicker in a friendly manner with each other! Look at them!”

I did not believe what my eyes were seeing! Those two, before they left the place…were smiling!



“I…I give up. I have a headache now."
> Chapter 31- History classes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ah! I felt totally rejuvenated after the events from yesterday! I was in automatic mode since Monday evening until I totally humiliated a supposed ‘Professional’ athlete and role model in the world of sports. The poor, old bastard was blinded with past glories that he didn’t notice that he became a cocky asshole. I would have let him be but after what he did with the treadmills… well, a cornered dog is a desperate dog, and a desperate dog is able to summon the greatest power of any sentient being: the power of necessity. And necessity can make you devise the greatest of actions!  

But no matter! Today I would relax in my favorite spot! The wind was soaring gently, the leaves were traveling across the sea of concrete and land of this world and I, Nitpick Bittersweet, would enjoy my hamburger and have a moment of peace.

“We need to talk.”

AAAAAAAAHHHH!!

“Enough of your ‘We need to talk’ bullshit! What I have done to you!? The more I try to leave you in peace, the more force you apply to make me feel annoyed, giving in result in you being mad at me!”

“This is important!”

“Rainbow Dash, you little…! FINE! What do you want!?”

“Are you really friends with Gilda!?”

Why do you want know, Sergeant Loyalty?

“Yes. Now, let me eat lunch in peace.”

I'll have a bit of my good-looking hamburger and-

“Oh, no! You won’t!”

THE BITCH JUST THREW AWAY MY HAMBURGUER TO THE TRASH LIKE A FUCKING BASKETBALL!

“What the hell is wrong with-!”

“Wait! I have another one right here for you! Granny Smith forgot to throw some patties to the trash last week and that hamburger was expired! She asked Applejack to search for the guy she mistakenly sold the hamburger and I knew it was you when she mentioned that the guy she sold it to had ‘his hair messier than a bull stampede’!”

Oh, really? Well, I accept this new hamburger from you.

“Thanks…”

“No, problem…Schoolmate!”

That wink of yours made my sixth sense tingle again.

“What do you want, Dash? You are making me shudder with what you said just now!”

“Oh, C’mon, it just an appreciation for saving me yesterday from that guy! And to be honest…you were the one who made me shudder when you were menacingly giving him no space to save his butt from your threats! You were completely different! Like a frightening and sneaky dark lord with suit or something from a spy movie! But you were the good guy in the end!”

A frightening and sneaky dark lord? You made me feel warm and cozy! I could feel the butterflies running wild in my stomach with that praise of yours! Truth to be told, I was bluffing immensely in that moment! I filmed and sent what happened, true! I was lucky to be there since I really was in the bathroom and when I noticed what was going on, my sixth sense tingled and I knew I had to film them and sent the proof to my friends! But the video wasn’t completely sent to them when I did my speech! Had Lighting Dust erased the video file as Wind Rider told her to do, then we would have been screwed. Thank to the Truth of the existence for her stupidity in above-average mail functions because by the time I retrieved my phone from her hands, I had sealed my victory in our one–sided debate!

“Well, it was nothing, really. Something I learned during my year in the academy. You have to be more than smart or cool to survive there.”

“Sounds cool and all but let’s go back to my original question. Why are you friends with her?”

“Because it just happened.”

I won’t tell you something like that, Rainbow Dash.

“Why!? Then…well, it doesn’t matter, my real question is if you can be friends with someone like her, why can’t you be friendly with the rest of the school? Everyone here is nice and cool!”

Who the hell is ‘Everyone’?

“Dash, you can’t force me to be loyal to your cause if I don’t feel like it! You must understand that there are people who can manage by themselves just fine! Please, I have newfound respect for you from what you said yesterday, so don’t make me throw it away and be annoyed by you once again!”

“But Indigo Zap told me yesterday that you can be a cool guy when you really try!”

“That bitch dares to make statements like that after what she did to me!?”

“Hey! I won’t allow you to speak ill of her!”

She is right, bad idea after discovering her relentless will to fight for her beliefs, better to keep fighting at minimum.

“Ok, I understand! Whatever happened between us is nothing of your interest. And I will answer your question right now. Yes, I can be cool, but only when people allow to me to be myself! Gilda speaks her mind to me to the point of being a complete ass and I can do the same towards her just fine! Lightbulb is the same! And Dancer-“

“Gilda is trouble! She is violent, reckle-”

I shut her mouth with my hand.

“You have interrupted me when I speak too many times since day one and I have always allowed you to finish what you want to say! But now, I will defend my friend from your petty insults and you will listen to me, alright!?”

She looked at me, and after thinking it carefully, she just agreed with a nod…unexpected.

“Rainbow, short version; she is my friend, never doubted me before, I have trusted her in many important and touchy subjects for me and she has never failed me, and I have done the same for her. No thanks were needed, nor gifts or praises. Just the comfort of having someone you can trust in school. And when we five were together in the academy… forget it, you get the idea!”

“You can find people like that here.” Said Rainbow Dash with an unusual gentle tone “Just help me with Fluttershy and I promise you that I’ll never bother you again with the soccer team.”

“I can’t do it, Rainbow Dash, it needs to be real! …But I give you my word that as soon I find a reason to ask her forgiveness, I’ll come straight to find you and ask help!”

I can’t believe what I am saying.

“You Pinkie Promise!?”

That silly promise from hell again!?

“…Fine.” I proceeded to say the chant “Cross My Heart, Hope to Fly, Stick a Cupcake in my Eye!”

‘SPLURT’

“Awesome!” Said Pinkie Pie with great happiness and approval “Now the deal is sealed! But I hope you find a good reason soon. Anyway! We gotta go! I’m hungry!”

THAT BITCH AND THOSE CURSED CUPCAKES!

After…that, it was time for the National History class and it seems that today our teacher will not come again. Instead, two people I barely knew were put in charge; one was the older brother of Applejack, and at his side was the teacher-like librarian of the school, Miss Cheerilee!

“Hello, students!”

“Hi, Miss Cheerilee!” The entire classroom greeted her, me included.

“I’m saddened to say that Mr. Magictale won't impart classes again. At the age of seventy-nine, it was hard for him to keep his schedule and not putting his health at risk.”

All of my classmates except for me were saying things like ‘What a bummer’ or such. This is bad! We need a teacher right now! I don’t want to have extra classes in other semesters! Especially a class that only has two hours in it.

“Don’t worry! You will have classes with me until Principal Celestia finds a new history teacher! And Big Mac is going to be with us! As you know, he is part of the ‘Non-traditional student’ program and he is just months away to receive his diploma and finally go to a good college! Isn’t that nice everyone!?”

“THAT’S MY BROTHER!” Screamed Applejack with pride.

Everyone else gave him praises and cheers. There is nothing wrong with finishing school even if you are past the average age to do so! …but for me, it’s not something you make public this lightly. I cannot judge him, though. Perhaps he is enjoying this moment.

“All right, my students! Let’s start with today’s lessons! Big Mac! Please help me with the projector and the laptop while I give the class!”

“Eeyup!”

You are truly a man of few words.

The flow of the lesson was really slow, but not in the bad way. Where Mrs. Harshwhinny gave her lectures with great dedication but at the same time as boring as fuck, Miss Cheerilee has this unusual energy to keep the class entertained. Any good teacher can make even the most boring lesson great, and once again she has showed me that she is destined to be a teacher…Why she wasn’t one yet?

Miss Cheerilee told us about the great revolution that was linked with the events of the foundation of Ponyville nearly one-hundred years ago! There was a civil war between the nobles of the time who desired to rule the land under a single crown. That made the pioneers who eventually met with the Apple Tribe run from their lands. Princess Amore grew tired of the warfare and chaos and wouldn’t allow the injustices of the wicked of Equestria to keep ravaging the people’s freedom in a sea of bloodshed. 

She did great progress and by the time the First World War started, she had successfully united the states of that time under a single flag in the nineteen-thirties, but she paid a heavy price to make sure that peace returned to the world. 

She journeyed to the lands of the east to sign a treaty near the end of the war and that gave birth to the 'Global Union' we have today. Her most loyal generals implored to her that it was too dangerous to go unescorted by an army but she went straight to the lion’s den to prove her point; war was over, and there was no need for more slaughter. When she was signing the peace treaty, an old and powerful general called Uldrich Sombra committed a successful assassination attempt, ending the life of the valiant princess.

As she was drawing her last breaths, she made the following statement with a beautiful smile, ‘Prithee that ye stop hating each other. Everyone hath the right to live in the gift that life hath wrought upon us. War and tyranny are nothing more than the illusion of control and gives birth to the perversion of ideals. No matter how many enemies ye kill, in the end of things, whither I shall go in my journey of the eternal dream, thou goest... one day... Enjoy ...life …because …there is …only…one’

Thanks to my friend from the Great Equine country, I understood some of the old words and her simple but powerful message inherited to us. The rulers of the nations were so moved by her last speech that in the capital city of Canterlot, there was a small monument dedicated to her selfless actions with the signs of every leader of the governments of old. It was supposed to be a big statue instead of simple shrine, but rumors say that she hated the luxurious, selfish and sickening lifestyle of the old monarchs, enjoying more the simple things in life, so the shrine was more than appropriate for her memory.

Other rumors say that she had children, but her lineage was erased from the face of public knowledge. Perhaps, it was for protection to them from resentful people of the time.

“Miss Cheerilee.” Said the girl called Lyra “I didn’t understand some of those words she spoke in the video. Could you tell us what they mean?”

“Of course, Lyra.” Said Miss Cheerilee with a tender smile “This is one of my favorite speeches from one of my ideal and fair rulers of all time, her words are the following in modern English, 'I pray that you stop hating each other. Everyone has the right to live in the gift that life has brought upon us. War and tyranny are nothing more than the illusion of control and gives birth to the perversion of ideals. No matter how many enemies you kill, in the end of things, wherever I go in my journey of the eternal dream, you will go as well one day. Enjoy life, because there is only one.'” 

“Thank you, Miss. But it’s so sad”

“It is a message to all of us to not let our ideals and dreams become harmful to others, Lyra.” Said the Miss with a thoughtful voice. “Always strive to enjoy life to the fullest and not let petty grievances or differences of opinion destroy the opportunity to live in this world with others. It’s easy to forget this kind of things when you are clouded with a simple mindset.”

Once again, you surprise me, ‘You should be the Teacher’ Miss Cheerilee.

“Ok, let’s go to more happy lessons like the fall of the oppression on Griffonia, country of the great capital city of Stalliongrad!”

Oh, that’s were Gilda came from! A super rough, cold and merciless country in terms of weather and land distribution! Proud, strong and tall people were the griffonians. My height was 1.71 meters and Gilda was only 2 centimeters shorter than me. If Twilight can reach my chin when both of us are properly standing up… ah, forget it.

“Okay, Big Mac, could you please put my other presentation while I read some historical facts?”

“Eeyup!”

What an obedient fellow. He truly seems to be good-hearted, he looks like… This is!

As soon I put my full attention to him and the direction of his eye-sight, I finally noticed that innocent sensation that both of them gave me when I met them in the library. Watching her tenderly like if she was someone godly, unreachable and hopeless to dream about, I understood his feelings completely as I stared at my crush for a moment.



I only hope for the best.
> Chapter 32 - Just hanging around!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

-?????????: So, this is how legends fall? Poor, old Wind Rider.

-?????: Wind Rider? More like Dick Rider!

-Nitpick: But at least the old bastard was dealt with my iron fist!

-?????????: My plebian friend, sometimes you amaze me with your petty sparks of determination.

-Nitpick: Shut up, fucker!

-?????????: Never mind that worthless, old geezer! Bittersweet is gone from Crystal Prep…for now, so you must become the new Champion for the sake of the lower class! Just for this semester, Gilda!

-Gilda: NOOOOO!!! I don’t want to be part of that group of workaholic jerks! Being second in command was a nightmare as it is!

-????: Remember that I am a Champion, my formidable friend! So when I come back to my normal routine next month, we can be companions as leaders together ^‿^

-Gilda: It’s busy work! Nitpick! Tell her something!

-Nitpick: She will not become the Champion! That’s final!

-????: I will take your innocence from you if you don’t side with me, my beloved friend! ლ(́◕౪◕)ლ

-Nitpick: You are the new Champion leader, Gilda!

“Fuck you, Nit!”

It was Friday evening. Gily and I were hanging around the suburbs because we decided to drop Dick Rider’s classes. The reason, you ask? He was a bother. We were in a gourmet restaurant eating pasta while we chatted with our dearest friends. Both of us were wearing our normal garments with the distinction that I was wearing my favorite tac-shirt and she was wearing her favorite gamboge, air-force jacket. Today was special.

“Hey! You know how scary she is when we make her mad!”

-????: Whatever you mean, my beloved  friend! You know how much I love all of you and I could never think of getting truly mad at you ★~(◠‿◕✿)

“How does she do that? I fucking hate it when she does that!” 

“She is insightful, Gily!”

-Nitpick: Sometimes your perception of our thoughts is scary.

-?????????: You got it easy in her insight department! I was scolded by her nine times this week… NINE TIMES!

-?????????: My dear sister, sometimes I wonder how do you perceive our feelings with pin-point accuracy.

-????: It’s only with the people I love and love me back! ヘ(^_^ヘ) 

-Nitpick: I feel honored…

-Gilda: Anyway, we are gonna leave soon from this fancy restaurant. We should come another time together, the food tastes great and it’s sophisticated enough for the Royal Pain.

-Gilda has sent you a picture.

-?????????: Oh, it looks decent. I am amazed in how the commoners keep improving their services with the pace of time.

-Nitpick: Stop being an asshole ಠ▵ಠ凸

-Gilda: ╭∩╮（︶︿︶）╭∩╮

-?????????: ╭∩╮ (╹◡╹ )

-?????????: HEY!

-????: Even if they are being rude again, I am siding with them this time, my dear brother. You are being a headache, even more so than usual.

-?????????: HMPH!

-?????????: Anyway, enjoy this day!

-????: If you end up in a place alone, always remember to use extra protection (◕‿-)

-Gilda: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU IMPLYING, YOU STUPID LITTLE BRAT!?

-????: Whatever you mean, my formidable  friend! I just worry that’ll you find yourself in a dead end where scary people wander at night.

-Nitpick: Right…

Gily and I paid half and half for our food receipt and went straight to the mall of the suburbs. 

“How can people like this kind of places? They are so crowded and noisy!”

“I know right? But at least this place is better than the Maximus Plaza in Crystal States!”

“Nit! At least that plaza has more variety than here! And that makes the effort of being surrounded by noisy people somewhat worth it.”

“Yes, but that plaza doesn’t have what this one has! This store right here!” 

“A fucking teddies store!?”

“Deal with it! Her birthday is coming soon, remember!?”

“You are right! Glad I brought some extra money. Let’s go inside and do this quickly. I don’t like this kind of places.”

As we walked inside the store, we were speechless with the amount of girl power this place exuded. The amount of pink was overwhelming and sickening! The stuffed toys were of varying sizes and all of them had those big, silly and scary faces imprinted on them!

“Owww they are so beautiful!” Said a random girl. “I wish my boyfriend would buy me the big one!”

“Do you hear that, Nitpick?” Whispered Gily and chuckled. “Poor bastard!”

“Yeah! I thank you for having more practical standards! I love you for that!”

“Heh, are you hitting on me?”

“Sure, my sister loves you and you already know how to cook and clean the house. And besides, those killer curves and pretty face you have when you aren’t angry like a berserk just sweets the deal!”

“Humph! You are a fucking ass! Oh! Look! That’s perfect for her!”

“A stuffed deer… yeah, this looks actually beautiful for her!  Let’s see the…”

“FOUR HUNDRED BUCKS WITH NINETY NINE CENTS!?” We yelled in unison.

“What the fuck is this shit made of? Diamonds and gold threads!?

“As a matter of fact, young lady, the fabric of this lovely deer is made of velvet.” Said the clerk from the store.  “Feel the quality of the texture! Enjoy the softness of the fabric! You won’t find a better product like this in all of Equestria!”

“…She is right, Gily.”

“Dammit! What we do for love!”

“Yeah, lucky me that I saved all year for your presents! Miss, we’ll take the deer as a present for a friend!”

“Oww, how sweet of you! Your friend must be blessed to have great friends like you!”

“Only for our friends…” We said in unison while shedding a tear of misery.

An opera tune-you know the drill…

-????: I love you so much! ♥‿♥

“NIT! Did she send you the same text!?”

“Just buy the goddamn deer…”

After having bought the stuffed deer enveloped in a beautiful package, we walked around the suburbs, wasting time like always.

“We still have time to kill, you know?”

“Nit, we should go to the new family bar that is over the Boulding Park Street!”

“Is it good?”

“Really good! Or at least that’s what my gym mates said about the place. They say that three pretty gals are the owners of the bar!” 

“I knew that your proteins would turn you to the dark side of sexual preferences! Not complaining, mind you.”

“Do you want to die that badly, you little shit?”

“I want to drink a ‘Palomita’ with you, not die.”

“Then lets’ go already!”

“So…I was meaning to ask you something.”

“Rainbow Dash was my first friend after I moved from the Motherland to Cloudsdale in this country. She was an acquaintance with Fluttershy during that time and had a stable relationship with us but she was too shy for us back then. She taught me how to defend myself and stuff but Pinkamena Diane Pie came and ruined everything by playing me too many annoying pranks when I wasn’t even her friend to begin with! I lost control and…well, everything is history.”

“Thank you for telling me.”

“I knew you were meaning to ask that, and I feel much better telling you this. Next time the others are with us, I’ll tell them too.”

“Take your time… my friend.”

“Happy First year of Friendship… my friend.”

We shared a long, tender hug, but...

“Enough of this sentimental bullshit! Here it is what we were looking for!”

“The Dazzles?”

“Yeah! It looks somewhat shady but if what my pals at the gym say is true… Well, just one way to find out.”

As we opened the door, we were marveled by the exquisite furniture that emanated a sense of royalty. The soft but glamorous lights coming from a lot of beautiful candles that were welcoming to even the most tired of eyes, the smell of first class cuisine perfectly combined with the soft essences of candles was relaxing and at the service table, there was a barman who had the longest and puffiest hair I have ever seen in my life. I couldn’t even see his uniform.

We didn’t know how, but Gily and I were sitting in the bar chairs without noticing how it happened.

“Nit… this place… its gorgeous! And I hate gorgeous!”

“I have never seen something like this in my life, either! Do you feel the fucking chair we are sitting in? These are actual cushions!”

“Glad to know that this place is of your liking, my dear patrons!” Said the attendant with a seductive voice. 

So it’s not a barman but a barmaid!

“Well, let’s get straight to the point! I want a ‘Palomita’!”

“Make it two!”

“Perfect!” Said the barmaid as she turned her attention to us. 

Those eyes…

“You remind me of someone called Rarity at my school, CHS, although your eye color is purple-like and more seductive!”

“You are annoying me.” Said the barmaid with great displeasure…what did you do to her, Rarity?

“WOW, NIT! Just fifty seconds since we sit here! It’s a new time record!”

“A record in annoying people he just met?”

“Yeah! One of his many special talents! This one being my favorite! HAHAHAHAHA”

“Laugh it up, Gily.”

“You seem to be really comfortable with each other. Couple?”

“No.” I said.

“Friends with benefits?”

“Ugh! Disgusting!” Said Gily.

“Then what?”

“Just a pair of assholes who love to bicker and bitch about everything that annoys us!” We said in unison.

“You?” Asked gily.

“What?” Asked the barmaid with great curiosity and confidence to Gily’s question.

“Married with someone?” Asked Gily.

“No.”

“Couple?”  I asked.

“No.”

“That disgusting thing you asked earlier?” Asked Gily.

“Hehehehe, we share the same mindset, dear. Just an elder sister trying to raise her two siblings the best way she can.” Said the barmaid with great honesty.

“Where are your parents? If it is something personal, please ignore my question.”

“I appreciate your consideration on the issue, but let’s say that our parents are out of the equation, permanently!”

“I understand…”

“Now, now! Don’t need to feel bad about it, uhm…?”

“Gilda, and this is Nitpick, my friend.”

“I still believe that you look like something more than friends. Not trying to annoy you with the subject, mind you.”

“Well...” I finally said “We are something like a family of sorts. Since we began our friendship last year, we have taken care of each other. Recently, we had a problem with a professional athlete that tried to defame us.”

“Oh, really!? Care to share the tale? Today’s business was heavy in the afternoon but right now in the evening is really solitary, as you can see.”

It's true, nobody was here.

“Sure! But only if you give us what we asked for! Don’t worry, we’ll pay!”

“Are you old enough to drink, sweethearts? I can’t sell alcohol just like that to minors! Not good for the business!”

“We are months away to turn eighteen…” I said. “Does that help?”

“I’m saddened to say that no…but I kinda started to like both of you.” The barmaid said while starting to clean some glasses “Tell you what, I know some recipes that taste as great as the real deal, if you are interested! It’ll be seventy dollars for both glasses if you want the special Mocktail.”

“I want a Palomita ‘sob’!”

“Don’t worry, Gily! You are less than two months away to being considered an adult! I’ll come with you to drink alcohol so you can brag about it while I just drink milk!”

“Deal! We accept your offer, uhm…”

“My name is Adagio Dazzle, my patrons! It's a pleasure being at your service.”



“Your name sounds like one, big Pop star… And you look like one.” Said Gily with a bit of praising tone.

“My, thank you! My sisters and I were singers once…but.”

“That fellow Rarity ruined you, right? That expression you made earlier told me everything. She seems like a good girl but she is extremely exaggerated in her antics! She is simply…”

“Annoying.” Adagio finished my sentence.

“Yes!”

“For what Nit has told me of her, she sounds kinda like a drama bitch.”

“Hehehehe, we truly are going to get along just fine!”

She served us our drinks… For seventy bucks, the glasses were a little small. Gily and I saw each other in agreement that if this is not good, we’ll never come back. And now, the moment of truth! As we slowly drank a portion of our beverages, we only thought of one thing!

“This tastes fucking amazing!” We said in unison with one-hundred percent approval.

“I knew you would like it!” Said Adagio with well-deserved, prideful tone. “So, may I hear that story now?”

“Of course!”  I said as we happy paid in advance for our drinks “Well, where do I start?”

“I can help with that, Nit! I overheard in my school that this fellow Wind Rider was a professional trainer who would give ‘free lessons’ to young athletes from various schools.”

“And I suppose that those ‘free lessons’ had some sort of a catch!”

“Yeah. We needed to obey every single thing he said in our training! I normally listen when something is good when it comes to training methods, but that bastard just wanted to fulfill some kind of ego to prove he was the best and just enforced what he thought was ideal!”

“The bastard even rigged the treadmills we were using during our training days and wanted us to pay for it just because we didn’t listen to him!”

“So what happened?” Said Adagio as she payed attention with a cocky but pleasant smile.

“That night, I was pissed off and I was thinking of many ways to prove that we weren’t guilty but nothing came to my mind! I was desperate, but next day came my chance to right the wrongs! I really needed to go to the bathroom when I arrived but they were closed because some kind of maintenance, but a staff member was kind enough that he let me use the private bathrooms! When I finished my business, most of the gym was empty, except for a select group of people!”

“The ‘Chosen Ones’, I presume.”

“Yeah, and…well, I have the video so you can take a look to what happened.”

I gave her my phone with the video open and she watched it to the end while doing some chuckles of approval After the video finished, she gave it back to me.

“It seems that those two girls had a really bad time!”

“Yeah, but I ended up saving them.”

“Why?” She asked curious.

“Because I needed to save both of our asses by blackmailing the blackmailer! Those two were kind like a plus to my just devised, desperate plan.”

“I call it quick and reasonable thinking, my patron!  So, what did you do to blackmail this guy to save your lives?”

“As I said, I was desperate and somewhat scared because I didn’t know if my plan was going to work, but those who don’t take risk when they must take them could end up losing everything!”

“I agree with that! My sisters and I made a risky gamble… and we lost horribly, but we still keep going on. What would you do if you had failed in what are you about to tell me!?”

“Pay the price… but keep moving, as you said!”

“Same here… Although I would be pissed off immensely!”

“I understand completely, my patrons…so, what did you do?”

“I sneaked my way to the terraces where I could film what you saw with the best clarity possible and once they finished their exchange, I sent the video to my trusted friends in case I failed the gamble!”

“But what gamble was there if you had sealed your victory by doing that? You just had to wait for the file to be sent and just ‘talk your way’ with him later”

“I couldn’t wait! Because when I heard what he was going to do to us… I just wanted to crush him in front of the people who idolized him! I mean, I don’t care about winning really, unless is extremely important or something I really want to do! And in that moment, when he wanted to screw Gily and me for whatever reason he could think of, I considered him a competition, someone I needed to destroy!” 

“Now I truly need to know what you were thinking in that mind of yours!” Said Adagio with an exhilarated tone.

“What I thought… The thought of making him suffer a painful humiliation was worth the risk of not waiting for the file to be completely sent! A lot of people say that all of us are the same and everyone has the same opportunities to be someone in life.  I absolutely agree, that is true…but what’s so wrong with a little competition to see who can prevail in the end? There are simply some people who can shine brighter than others and in this case, I eclipsed him completely!”

“I like your attitude!” Said Adagio with a praiseful tone.

“I wish I had being there to see your obnoxious ways to get what you wanted, Nit! Instead I just ran with the slowpokes… boring!”

“Why? I just said that he was just blackmailing one of the best athletes of Crystal Prep and the professional community would not approve his methods, and I just asked him if he believed in his skills would save him against the odds, and he just simply gave up. You didn’t miss anything special.”

“Now you are acting cocky, my patron!”

“Don’t I deserve it?”

“In my books… Of course!”

“Good to hear that! Now, Cheers, Gily! For justice being made!”

“Cheers! For another one hundred years of friendship, Nit!”

And we exchanged our drinks and drank another portion of our Mocktails!

“I hope you are enjoying the drinks!”

“And we hope you liked our story!”

“It seems all of us are pleased!”

“Yeah! ...Say.” Said Gily “You look so young to be a barmaid! I heard the owners of this place are three beautiful gals so I am curious to ask if you are one of those owners?”

“I’m starting to like you, really! My sisters share this place with me. We have other female workers with us, but they are only needed in the day shift. In the evening, all family bars are low in business!”

“Sounds you have good business if you have this kind of quality here!”

“I’m more curious to know how you ended up as the owner of this place. Gily’s pals said that you are new in this business but you seem to be well experienced! Like look at this place! It’s simple amazing!”

“Let’s say that I have one thousand years of experience in dealing with people!”

“Care to tell us how you and your sisters ended up here?”

“Well… it’s a long story! And I’ll omit some parts of our lives if you don’t mind!”

“Absolutely not! Your privacy is a big issue with us! Don’t want to tell us something private? Then you definitely won’t tell us because you say so!” I said with understanding of what she asked of us.

“Agreed! I share the same belief as him!” Said Gily supporting my speech.

“Excellent! I shall tell you my story!”
> Chapter 33 - We will rise again!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Everyone encounters failure in their lives! There are no exceptions! No perfect individuals walk on this world or others! No matter if you were born a genius or a disastrous failure, you can reach fame and glory with your own might if you work your way to it! We three were born prodigious, blessed and charming! We were like a dragon that could destroy everything that opposed us! But beware! Even a beaten mouse can crush the most ferocious of dragons! If you underestimate your rivals, you are doomed to receive a terrible defeat! And this is how my tale starts …The dragon being beaten by the mouse.

My sisters and I formed a band group called The Dazzlings! We sang the most beautiful of songs in our days of old! There was no competition against us! No one could match our supremacy! But then, a challenger emerged from nowhere, bringing with him wits and powerful magic! We couldn’t resist the urge to defeat him! The necessity to empower our pride was overwhelming to us! He proved himself to be a powerful opponent but we were able to defeat him… or so we thought! 

In the last minute, he unleashed a magical song that practically sent us to another world! We weren’t able to come back to our land, but we kept going! Our ambition couldn’t die with ease! So we traveled again, from town to town, from one world to another! Searching how to adapt in our new environments and just surviving with the only thing we had: Our voices!’

‘SCRATCH’

“AAAAAHHHH!! What was that noise!?” The girl called Gilda said with great annoyance.

“Urrghmm! It sounded like if someone horribly scratched a board with his fingers!” Her partner, Nitpick, said with great discomfort.

“Oh, forgive me! I’ll put the music once-”

“Uh, Adagio!” One of my younger sisters came straight to where we were “The vinyl disc player made PUM!”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT MADE ‘PUM’, SONATA!?”

“Don’t worry!” My other sister said with a loud voice from the control room “I have it under control!”

“Good job, Aria! And you! Stop messing around!”

“Sorry!”

"Do not stick out your tongue like a stupid dog in front of our clients!"

As soon as she left, I got back to attend both of them. The lounge music was back to the audience and our clients were at peace again.

“Forgive my sister, she is an idiot!”

“I am an older brother too so no hard feelings!”

“I forgive you because deep inside you seem to be a good sister.”

“Thank you for your kindness in the matter. Now, where was I? Oh yes!”

‘We came to a point where we were tired of small audiences! We were tired of fast food! We wanted to be adored again by everyone! Hearing the thunderous cheers of an enormous audience was what we desired the most! The magic to be able to move the masses at our whim was our drive to keep moving forward!

And one fateful night, after what appeared to be an eternity since we faced our first, real foe, emerged! A torrent of light appeared from the ground! The light was calling us to a place where we three knew would find our destinies!’

“Sorry to interrupt but I guess that place is CHS!” Young Nitpick said with a hunch like affirmation.

“And you are correct! How did you guess?”

“Rarity and your hate towards her, I am right?”

“It’s not hate. I just want to destroy her and her friends. I’m getting to that in a minute.”

‘So, after a series of events, we became students of Canterlot High School! And as soon as we made our first step into the building, we knew that it needed a total remodeling! And we three had what it needed: US!

There was a petty contest that our new school was about to hold in a few days, but we persuaded our way to make it a big event, a show that would bring back but a taste of what we waited for long: The battle of the bands!

No other band had the talent to oppose us! All of them were small fries who couldn’t challenge our bright! But, just like what happened before, new challengers emerged from nowhere to oppose us again: The Rainbooms!

They looked united at first sight! But they just needed a little push in the wrong direction and that weak bond of them would crumble to the ground! And we succeeded… at first! The school was at our grasp! Nothing could stop us! And in our moment our triumph, we foolishly let our guard down! A new light rose among our broken opponents and under her lead, she united their lights and shattered our dreams!’

“You look sad…” Nitpick said somewhat regretful.

“Sorry for making you remember something awful…” Gilda said with the same tone.

“I despise pity, but I don’t feel hypocrisy and falseness in yours so don’t worry! Besides, my sisters and I are here now, so it didn’t end in tragedy! And we brought this upon ourselves, to be honest.” 

“I am going to assume that the Rainbooms are Rarity and her friends.”

“Clever boy, and Sunset Shimmer was the one who gave us the final blow”

“Sunset…”

“Those eyes! Is she your crush?”

“Uh…no point on lying.”

“For what you told me about her, I don’t like her! I rather you date Fluttershy than her! She sounds too perfect to be true! If Flutty is the same girl as I remember, I can give you tips!”

“Ah… Fluttershy… uh...”

“What, Nit?”

“Let me guess! You made her mad and she slapped you!?”

Oh! I love it when I am right! Your new expression told me everything!

“No… way! Tell me that’s a lie, Nit!”

“…uh.”

My new patron started laughing, resting her face on the surface of the table, her hand hitting the fabric of wood with great strength while the other hand was barely holding her glass!

“Hahaha… hu... hahahahahahahaha! You are truly hopeless!”

“Your senseless lack of pity is inspiring, Gilda!” Nitpick said with an annoyed tone

“Darling! Something tells me that you were at fault!”

“WHAT!? How dare you make those accusations! Gily, do you believe I’m guilty!?”

“HAhahaha… huu! Fluttershy! hahahaha… huffff... I’m fine. And yes, you are an ass!”

“I tried to kill a rat that was pestering the neighborhood! What’s wrong with that!?” 

“Well, nothing really. Did you tell her about what happened to little Drafter?”

“No, I was in shock because of what happened!”

“At least I am glad to know that she started to grow a backbone! She was a wimp like me back then and… mmm...”

“Privacy is a commodity, so please, don’t tell me.” I said it with respect because they gave me the same treatment.

“Thanks…”

“Anyway, I hope you killed the vermin! Business suffers when any kind of health problem emerges in any local!”

“No, she rescued it.”

“Pity… I hate rats!”

“Same here. One nearly killed my lil sis with a near fatal disease.”

“Is she okay?”

“As fine as you and your sisters”

“Ohoho! Then allow me to continue my tale.”

‘We were beaten! Our pride crushed! Our voices destroyed! We had nothing! No guardians, no home to go back, no nothing! You could say we spent all of our resources to make this a big event and we lost everything! Except for one thing: Our fierce desire to keep moving forward and make a comeback!

It doesn’t mean we didn’t make some emergency plans, but we didn’t expect for things to turn out that bad! We only had our identifications, three phones without charge, some spare cloths and two hundred dollars to expend for food and other necessities! So, as I said! We practically had nothing!’

“You are boring our clients, Adagio! Go to the good part already!”

“Shut up, Aria! Go back and clean the kitchen!”

“Today is your turn to do it, you slacker!”

“Not in front of our clients!” I hissed in anger with the lowest voice I could manage.

“You are only telling the story so you could slack off and make Sonata clean the mess for you!”

This little punk found out my intentions!

“Alright, Adagio! I’ll clean with Sonata the kitchen so tell the story if you wish but tomorrow you will do the dishes and cooking!” Aria said as she left angered.

That was the plan! The entire place in the end must take my lead! 

“Sibling quarrels at its finest!”

“This is how real family restaurants should be about, bitching with your family!”

These guys are truly something else.

“Do you have other friends?” I asked with curiosity.

“Yes, they are bastards in their own way like us!” Nitpick said with great pride.

“That kind of pride will bite you one day, you know? A mouse can put you in your place in one of these days if you don’t tread carefully!”

“We don’t back down that easily!”

“I’m talking about him! You seem to be the patience one, Miss Gilda!”

“As much as I like to brag about it, he is the patience one! And don’t use ‘Miss’. Gilda is fine.”

“Alright, Gilda! And we shall see if that’s true for him…anyway, where was I?”

‘As we wandered through the cold winter searching for any shelter we could find, we found ourselves in a predicament! In what we should spend our remaining money? Food? Clothes? A room for the night? We decided to spend it on food! We were hungrier than ever! Simple chips tasted like glory! We couldn’t spent the money in one go so administrations had to be made!

Eventually, we come to a point where we didn’t know what to do with our remaining twelve dollars! We were desperate and for the first time in our lives, we were scared! We were soon found in a position where we thought about getting a small job! We were adults so there would be no problem ... or so we hoped! One day though, before Christmas Eve, we went to a local store to buy our last bag of chips and juices with our remaining twelve dollars! But miracles happen when you make risky gambles and there it was! A new source of hope! A lottery scratches ticket! 

I thought about buying it and make one last gamble! One of the younger sisters called me crazy and that I should go straight for the food! The youngest one wished we could work together once more! So, after a long and stressful talk, we three came into an agreement that if my bet failed, we would never do something foolish again!

And we bought the ticket and as we opened Pandora’s Box... we lost! We were sad, angered and defeated! Tears wouldn’t cease to travel on our cheeks… But the hope contained in the box came in the form of a mysterious girl who simply appeared before us! She looked at us closely, observing the shameful filth we were covered in and finally she bought another ticket, gave it to us and left as fast as she came! 

Before banishing in the mist of snow before us, she said “Do not do foolish things again”. We were dreaming again for the second time thanks to that girl and as we scratched our second chance... hope became reality!’




“Wow! Really!?” Gilda asked.

I took out a picture showing the three of us with the winning ticket while receiving the prize.

“Wow, congratulations!”

“Eventually, we invested the money during a few weeks, a little convincing here and there, some lucky business with stupid people and here we are today! Doing a family business! I don’t like thanking anyone, too proud for that nonsense! But whoever that girl was, I hope Lady Luck always smiles upon her!”

“How nice and lucky of you! ...But I have a question.”

“Nitpick, right? What do you want to ask?”

“I feel that you lost something more than a simple concert. I won’t go deeper than that so if you had the chance to recover what you lost… would you challenge again the Rainbooms?”

“Absolutely, sweetheart! Only those who desire success and chase it to the end are the only ones who have the right to achieve victory, complain and judge other people who don’t fight for their ambitions! But the three of us took the girl’s words at heart! From the moment we started this restaurant, we played really smart all of our moves so we can’t be reckless again! And as I said before, let’s say I have one thousand years of experience to rely upon! And one day, we will have our own world-wide franchise! And everyone will adore it like the second coming of toast bread! All will adore us again!”

All will kneel before ‘The Dazzles’ family restaurant franchise!

“Wow, too much emotion right there! Take it easy! And well…” They stood up and both of them left a small but generous tip in the table “Thanks for the tale and the drinks! We’ll definitely come back when we have time, money and age to spare!”

“Yeah, specially me! I want to drink just once in my life so I can concentrate in being a healthy athlete! And watch Nit drink milk while at it!”

“Excellent! Have a nice evening, my new patrons! I know you’ll be back soon!”

Really soon!
> Chapter 34- Fluttershy and Twilight´s meaningful moments! Tale 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

What a lovely Saturday was today! The beautiful song of the birds was filling me with joy! But today was even lovelier than other days in the shelter! My friend, Twilight, was making me company and helping me in doing my responsibilities here! She was a slow learner in this kind of activities, but oh! How I love when people truly try to protect the little pretties of Mother Nature!

“Fluttershy, is this how I should clean the hamster’s circuit?” Twilight asked seeking my help.

“Oh no! First use this special detergent and once it makes effect in the hamsters little but unwanted gifts, then use the water hose at minimum pressure to avoid making a mess.”

“Alright! I got this!”

“I know you can do it, Twilight!”

I almost forgot how pleasant was to have someone to help you in the things you love! My friends, especially Pinkie Pie, help me from time to time but they also have their own works to attend to! The shelter employees attend the pets of the neighborhood, Crystal States and Ponyville every day so my part of the job is important as well.

“Excellent, Twilight! Now come with me while the detergent makes its effect on the little gifts.”

We went to the veterinary quarters where all the sick and poor creatures were resting peacefully. I started to teach Twilight with baby steps how to tend wounds to the most common pets found in a common household! She looked sad at seeing them like this! But that was great! It means she has love for the weak and helpless animals! I must nurture that love the best way I can!

Rainbow Dash once hated what she considered uncool pets that weren’t amazing to her. But after she came and helped me here, she ended up adopting a beautiful and lovely tortoise, Tank! Twilight had Spike, Rarity had Opal, Pinkie had Gummy, Applejack had Winona and I had Angel. Sunset’s situation doesn’t allow her to have a pet, but I hope that changes soon!

All the people that have pets and shows them respect and love to the point of considering them part of the family… those people I appreciate the most!

“Now Twilight, put the bandage around this little dog’s leg tightly.”

She did incredible, but the dog started to cry in pain!

“Oh! I can’t do this!”

“I know it makes you feel uncomfortable hearing her weeping, but you must do this for her sake! Tight and slow! I’ll guide your hands all the way!”

With great care, we slowly but surely applied new bandages to the dog and after we finished the job, we gave her some water with the mix of medicine she needed to take today.

“Now, just scratch her head softly and pet her behind the ears slowly.”

“Oh, I think she likes it!”

“She loves it! But now, let’s put this beauty back to her bed!”

As we tenderly put this poor, abandoned dog back to her bed, we went straight to the next patient.

“What happened to this poor, little mouse!?”

Ughhh… Just remembering his name gave me a fury attack!

“Nitpick Bittersweet is what happened, Twilight! That savage barbarian…”

“What!? Why did he do this!?”

“Because his mindset says that we need to get rid of the so called ‘vermin’ for the sake of the citizens! Ridiculous! We can coexist peacefully with Mother Nature’s little creatures just fine!”

“When did he do this?”

“During the shelter event! I thought he would understand how precious and important the event was! I mean, even Angel took a likening to him! But it seems I put my hopes too high on Nitpick! He used a glue trap and he was about to kill this poor guy with the help of an evil granny, but I managed to reach him in time! Now this poor mouse is like this! The stress made him go bald in some areas and he can barely sleep well! But just a few days more with his medicine and everything is going to be fine for him!”

“I don’t believe this… I mean, Spike also took a likening to him, so maybe there must be a reason for this attitude of his!”

“Perhaps you are right… But I don’t think there is justifiable reason for this act of brutality!”

“…it's true.”

“Anyway, let’s forget about that and help me tend this pretty!”

“Right away, Fluttershy!”

We spent a good time together while helping all the current patients of the shelter. Since there weren’t a lot of animals in the veterinary quarters since Chief Hugger took the job, it didn’t take us more than a very few hours. Thank goodness for Chief Hugger’s methods! Less and less animals were hurt each month. It was still a lot of work to do, but it was worthwhile all the effort we made!

“Wow…I am tired! I didn’t think this was this hard!”

“You are tired because all the training you took with Rainbow Dash! Even so, I truly appreciate the work you did today. Now let’s finish cleaning the hamster’s circuit.”

As we walked to the circuit we needed to clean. I could see that Twilight wanted to ask me something. I must wait until she feels ok to ask whatever she wants to say.

“How do you do all this?” Twilight asked while starting to open the valve of the hose at the minimum level “I mean, you said earlier that you do this at least three times a week!”

“Well, yeah! This is what I love to do!” 

She started to water down the pipe circuit and I started to remove pieces of the circuit to clean them with a special towel.

“How did you start to do this? I mean, pet sheltering?”

“Oh… this brings me memories… Well, let’s finish this first, wash our hands and faces and eat something, okay?”

“Sounds nice to me!”

With our united efforts, we cleaned the hamster’s circuit and armed it again rather quickly. This feels nice! We started eating some veggie snacks and juices after cleaning ourselves.

“Now… How did I start my love for this job? Well, all started when I was in five grade of elementary school. I was born with an unknown sickening condition that made me grew weak in my first few years of life. Thankfully, a foreign doctor found out my problem and treated it, finally giving me a normal life like everyone else! But the years I lost made me insecure in how to deal with other children. Especially since I got into school one year later than the other kids.”

“So… you had a hard time like me?”

“Yes… it was sad and somewhat lonely. Until one fateful day, I was in the park playing alone in a swing. And then I heard it! Birds were singing in the bushes, and I got curious about it! I searched for them and I found where they were, but it weren’t songs of joy what they were singing but cries of pain! Nasty boys were using sling-shots nearby to hurt them!

“That’s terrible!”

“But I wouldn’t allow that! As soon as the kids left running when I started to chase them, I took with me all the hurt birds in my school bag and ran straight to the hospital nearby! But I soon discovered that hospitals didn’t treat animals and I was scared for them! Thankfully, an old lady called the veterinary police of the city and they came straight for them! I was crying because I didn’t know if they would be alright! But that day was full of kind people in my life! The veterinary driving the cab took a look to my backpack's personal information, called my mother that I was going to be in the pet station and he took me with him to attend the birds!”

“What happened next?” Twilight asked me. Her eyes… They were waiting for a happy ending,

“He taught me how to gently hold the birds while he was doing the treatment to them! It must sound silly that a professional vet would ask the help of a little girl, but he said that I could become a vet myself one day with the unconditional love for nature I showed that day… I didn’t know the meaning of those words until much later in my life. Days passed and I was in the park by myself again, and it happened! The birds that I helped that day soon came to me, singing their songs of life! It was beautiful, Twilight! The most beautiful concert that Mother Nature gave to me in all my life! Their songs, their love, their gratitude, it was all for me!”



“And since that day forward, I started to love helping the little critters I found in my way!”

“It must have been beautiful, Fluttershy!” Twilight said with a pleasant voice.

“It was! ...But still, I didn’t have the courage to speak with other kids my age... But then, she came! Rainbow Dash! She was the first person to ever talk to me in my entire life beside my family, the vet and the old lady! She was so incredible and unstoppable, she even taught me to talk with other kids my age. It wasn’t easy for her! She even got mad at me one time for my lack of progress… But she didn’t abandon me. It was… nice!”

“That sounds so like her!”

“Yes!  …I heard she ran into Gilda again. I don’t know what happened between those two, to be honest! When she moved to Cloudsdale and got into our school, she was so nice, gentle and quiet. I still believe in my heart that this is but a misunderstanding! But… I don’t know if I can do anything! I want to know what happened to my friend and help her…”

“Even if rumors say that she turned into a trouble maker?”

“Yes. Even if she became a trouble maker!”

“You are so kind, Fluttershy!”

“Kind? Twilight, if only all people would be kind with others, everything would become a better place! Kindness is about being true to our own feelings and values, and expressing this to other people so our feelings reach them, making a chain reaction! You must always help your loved ones and being considerate of their feelings. Making someone feel bad is wrong, even for the right reasons. There is always a way to make everyone feel good with themselves! Kindness is finding compassion and understanding of other people and always helping them out! That’s something I have learned in my life”

“That’s sounds… so right!” Twilight said with complete approval.

“I knew you would understand!” I said this while hugging her.

“Do you believe… that he could become good?”

“Nitpick… yes, perhaps one day… he…”

“What’s wrong, Fluttershy?”

‘If it’s necessary, kill the little fuckers’… Those words were resonating in my mind still. It depresses me every time I think of them.

“Oh… nothing, Twilight! I am-“

The doors suddenly opened! It was Chief Hugger and the Critter Squad rushing to the emergency room!

“Fluttershy! Bring Pack three on the double!” Chief Hugger said with a hurried voice while pushing the stretcher that carried some animals in it with the help of the Critter Squad!

“Twilight, you should go! We’ll speak again in school!” I said while rushing to get Pack three to the Chief.

“Good luck, Fluttershy!”	

And as we both left to our own places where we needed to be, I could not help but feel more determined to do what I love the most! Today, more animals will be saved!
> Chapter 35- Normal school tests.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 22th, another week of classes was at hand! I spent my weekend relaxing, leveling my character in Demon’s Dogma multiplayer with most of my friends, eating junk food and who the fuck I am kidding? I was studying my ass because the first season of school tests was at hand! When was the last time that when you read all the questions you must solve or answer, you thought to yourself, ‘Piece of cake’ and you answered the test at the speed of light? Let me remind you when that moment happened in your life!

NEVER!

No matter how much you study! No matter how much time you spent burning your eyes reviewing your notebooks and reading between lines for any hiding meaning in your textbooks! I assure you that by the time you have the test in your hands, every neuron that held your obtained knowledge will dry and die as fast as shit exposed to the sun, making you forget what you believed you had learned before the judgment day!

There are exceptions of course! Ethics’ test was easy and posed no threat to my superior reasoning! Humanistic classes are about giving your opinion in a certain word, memorizing some silly names and BAM! Done!

But Trigonometry was a fucking shit storm of ‘I don’t know what the hell I am reading’ crap. This was another example of why MATH in all its forms and names stand for ‘Mental abuse for humans’. And in front of me was the culprit who helped in creating this diabolical nightmare from the pits of hell!

“I finished the test, Mr. Bridge!” Said Twilight Sparkle while triumphantly raising her arm with the test at hand.

“Let’s see… Well done, Miss Sparkle! I knew you would detect right away that this particular problem isn’t solved with a complex number method! I can safely say that you aced the test!”

We would be grateful to you if you tell us which of the problems you are talking about.

“It was easy! Imaginary numbers have that particular trait that differentiates it from the complex when you don’t have the ‘i’ as a clue! Like a square root complex number being a negative number!”

And he genuinely laughed about what she said! What the fuck is supposed to be funny?

“Tell us what problem you are talking about, already!” Said Rainbow Dash with a desperate tone.

Most of the students made small comments of agreement and my young scientist gave us her final answer.

“Oh, don’t lose heart! I know you can do it! You must think hard enough and the answer will be revealed to you if you studied properly!” Said Twilight with a cheering tone.

This is the reason why in the academy your friends were as real as the imaginary numbers, Twilight!

Damn it! I’ll answer these problems as best as I can! The bell rang eventually. I managed to solve everything with what I could remember from classes and my study sessions. Before I could even go to the cafeteria to retrieve my lunch from Lightbulb, someone stopped me while grabbing my shirt.

“Hi!”

“What do you want, Twilight!”

“Can we eat lunch together? It’s been a while since we talked alone about anything relaxing!”

“True, Twilight! We have only talked during classes about our hellish project!”

“Hellish… project?” Said Twilight with a bit of discomfort.

…Crap.

“I mean… ‘Sigh’ Sorry, I’m stressed because of the test. I need to eat something quickly so I can review my physics notes if don’t want to perform as bad as I did in trigonometry.”

“Perform as bad, you say? But the test was easy! All the problems started by solving the imaginary numbers equation and then you could go straight to the three-dimensional plane methods!”

“B-but you both said that there was only one problem with the imaginary numbers method!”

I was beating my head back there because of you!

“Did your answers were all negative numbers?”

“Yes.”

“Did you replace the minus symbol with an ‘i’ in each answer?”

“Yes.” 

What I reviewed from notebooks, all the problems could only be solved in two ways… I think.

“If you united the points, did three problems looked like a cube, one was an infinite line and six were abstracts figures?”

“Yes.”

“Then probably you will have most of your answers correct! Oh, Nitpick! The teacher was just teasing all of you a little with the problems with what we said! Imaginary numbers were created to ease computations involved in solving certain equations in the old age! Now you have many uses for it, like obtaining negative square root numbers! You are so clueless with science inside jokes! I will teach you so you can understand them, my dummy friend!”

“Do you want to take it outside!?”

And what you mean I am clueless and silly you little anti-social, piece of- …What did I just said?

“Yes! Rainbow told me you have a private spot in the back gardens! ‘GASP’ I have an idea! I’ll meet you there in a minute with a great surprise!” Said Twilight with an enthusiastic tone.

“Great…”

Lightbulb gave me my lunch and I paid him the money. I asked him if he and Dancer were free but they have other business to attend to, so I’ll have to go to my spot on my own. I ate my lunch real quick and threw the trash in its place. I needed my hands free if I wanted to review my physics notes.

The back garden were empty, like I expected. This peaceful place was perfect for the likes of me. I sat down in the soft grass of the earth, my back laying comfortably on the clean wall of the school. 

Around the world, the season change comes tomorrow, leaving Lady Summer behind once again until next year. But in Ponyville, the weather was different. Ser Autumn has come to us! I like this cloudy but still sunny sky whose shades of grey and blue shower the land with shimmering light! The sky was reflecting people’s feelings that another year is coming to an end, longing for the days to last longer than ever. 

Autumn… the season were we slowly take on thicker cloths to protect us from the incoming wind and enjoy the marvel of mother nature doing its job of preserving balance with a slow and steady preparation for the coming of Granny Winter in a few months. Autumn… admiring his coming with peace, solitude and-

“There you are, Nitpick! I came here with some of my friends and classmates to study together for the incoming physics test! Now I know why you come here by your own all the time! This place is simply great! Perfect for a quiet study session! Oh! We will have so much fun studying together until break ends!”

…Damn you.

A little less than half of the physics class was desecrating my private place! The rest of them were with Sunset in the only small classroom they could find. At least they were complaining that the back gardens weren’t as pretty as the front ones, so I can safely say that they won’t come back here again.

The idiotic expressions of most of these guys told me that they are even more lost than I was in the subject! Twilight started to give us some flash cards which admittedly have useful information and concrete notes. She gave us a brief description on each card resume and how to quickly review the data inside them without making a mess of them.

“All right, everyone! Now that you have the basic idea of how my flash card system works, let’s review the basics of all concepts! Remember that work is a form of energy! Units of work would be equivalent to a Newton times a meter! A Watt is the standard metric unit of work! Work is a time-”

“AAAAHH!” Said Rainbow Dash. “Stop talking about theory! Tell us how to solve the problems already!”

“Please!” Said Lyra with a desperate tone.

“YEEAAHH!” Shouted the guy called Bulked Biceps.

“We are gonna fail everything!” Mumbled Derpy Muffins with a hopeless expression.

“Calm down, y’all! Twi here is just reminding us the basic theory to solve the test!”

“No, Applejack! We need to hear how the formulas work, not listen to egghead’s babbles!”

“Rainbow Dash! We are losing time with your babbles! You are acting like a cat on a hot tin roof! Just relax and let her explain! We’re gonna pass the test if we study properly, y’all!”

“Thanks, Applejack!” Said Twilight with a grateful tone.

“I have a better idea! Why won’t we use these notes to create some crib notes of the formulas? With this, we’ll increase our chances to pass the exam!”

Of all the twelve people that were here, including me, seven agreed with her.

“What!? No way! Rainbow Dash! Stop spouting nonsense!”

“Applejack! We are gonna fail if we don’t use some kind of help! Bridge’s trigonometry test was hard enough! I can’t imagine how harder the physics test will be thanks to Twilight’s questions during classes!”

“B-but I thought his explanations were easy to understand!” Said Twilight confused.

“Yes! But… no offense but we aren’t eggheads like you, Twilight! I love you as a friend and I’ll stand to you when you truly needed it but… Urrghh Everyone! Let’s go and make some crib notes and plan how to share the answers between us!”

“Don’t be foolish, y'all! What you’re planning to do is dishonest! It’ll bite you sooner than you can imagine!”

“No, it’s quick thinking! C’mon!”

And most of them started to follow her, surprisingly, there was an opposition.

“What are you waiting, Bon Bon!? We must hurry if we wish to pass physics!”

“I… won’t go. Its not my style, Lyra.”

Those simple words were enough to stop her from going to the dark side of the study. Only Twilight, Applejack, Lyra, Bon Bon, Spike and I were left… Spike doesn’t count as part of the twelve students but his company was more than welcome for me.

“That’s the spirit, y’all! I knew there were some of you that would do the right thing! Please continue your teaching, sugarcube!!”

Twilight just gave us a small but gentle smile. She taught to us in the last seventeen minutes of break the best explanations she could give us about what we saw during classes. It was hard to memorize and reason her teachings but I knew this was the best choice. 

She was happy…

A few minutes before the test started, we were already in the classroom! Anxiously waiting for the mental slaughter we were about to face! But something weird was happening! Nearly all the classroom was relaxed and assured! What the hell happened to their fears and anguish!?

“YOU DID WHAT!?” Yelled Sunset with an angered tone.

“Chill out, Sunset!” Said Rainbow Dash in a cool manner. “They are just harmless crib notes! We’ll be careful and use them smartly!”

“How many of you did as her!?”

Okay… only Applejack, Twilight, Lyra, Bon Bon, Sunset, Pinkie, Microchips, Fluttershy, Rarity and I didn’t raise our hands. We were ten in total compared to the remaining fifteen who raised their hands.

“This is wrong! I’m going to tell Mr. Bridge about it!” Said Sunset menacingly.

“WHAT!? Please no! Just this time, Sunset! You know how harder the test gets with him anytime we see a new topic in his class!” Said Rainbow Dash in a pleading tone.

“All of you had time to study!” Answered Sunset with a stern voice while crossing her arms.

“Please! Just this time! If Twilight doesn’t make the test harder next time! We’ll study properly, Pinkie Promise!”

And they made the chant with the cupcake act included! I am starting to think that there are serious consequences if you break the promise!

“I…Just…’sigh’ just don’t disserve the effort of the others who studied if they catch you with the hands dirty!”

“YES! And don’t worry! You know that there are no backstabbers in this school!”

My phone rang with the intro of ‘The Ancient Scrolls Part III’ theme. It was Lightbulb!

-Lightbulb: Bro! Remember to never cheat in important subjects! I know you really never cheat so this will be easy to explain. During our Trigonometry test, there were some fools who made crib notes and they will have a harder test next class. Dancer, some others students and me who always sat in the front rows were spared. One of Dancer’s friends told us right now that by orders of the Vice-Principal Luna, all school will have a check-up before the tests for today. So tell anyone who is planning to cheat to not do it. Best of lucks!

“Uh, guys!” 

I must tell them.

But it was too late. Santa Calculus has arrived.

“My beautiful students, I am saddened to inform you that Miss Pencil found some bad kids trying to cheat their way in her class. So by orders of the Vice-Principal, you must be checked first! Sunset, could you please check up the girls while I check up the boys?”

“Of course, Mr. Bridge!” Said Sunset with great pleasure. “I’ll check them right away!”

Both of them started to check up their respective groups. I noticed that Sunset was stealthily removing the crib notes from the girls without the teacher taking notice and quickly throwing them to the trash. What Rainbow said was true. There were not backstabbers in CHS… as far as I know.

The boys… well, at least he wasn’t angry about the crib notes. Once we were all clean of any cheating devise, Santa Calculus began to give us the test one by one while giving us a little speech.

“Don’t turn around your test just yet until I say so. The first and worst of all frauds is to cheat oneself, my beautiful students! When you make things right, I assure you that no test in life will defeat you!”

He was right… I’m glad I stayed with Twilight and the others! I know deep inside that everything will turn alright! I studied all weekend and I took the right choice in not cheating! I, Nitpick Bittersweet, will pass the test with flying colors! I WILL PREVAIL!!

“Don’t worry my students! These are ten kinder level problems in three pages! Nothing to be scared of! Now, begin!”

As soon as I turned around the test to start answering it, indescribable stress and cold sweats started to emerge from my body. The stench of terror could be smelled. I could hear the hissing mutters from most of the students around me! I didn’t need my sixth sense to see horrified people! Rainbow Dash was having small seizures in her eyes! Her small, twisted and fake smile showed her inner panic! Most of the students were banging their heads in the desk while others were praying to ‘existence knows what’ they are asking help from!

And I… as I reread the contents of my test, the words suddenly transformed into unrecognizable, alien symbols from other world! What sorcery is this!?



WHAT THE HELL I AM READING!?
> Chapter 36- Uncomfortable Awareness.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the mental slaughter I faced during my Physics test, Literature was next. Some weeks ago, Teacher Cranky had a little accident which resulted in a broken leg. He was supposed to be incapacitated for a month but I couldn’t deny my admiration for the guy because he kept coming to impart classes even though you could clearly see that he was somewhat in pain.

But that doesn’t mean that his test was as admirable in the difficulty department. It was a multiple choice exam with the easiest questions you could ever imagine. Those who finished the test earlier could retire from the classroom, so I answered the test as fast as I could and proceeded to enjoy my forty minutes of freedom before the Informatics class started.

There wasn’t going to be a test in that class, we just needed to present our progress to Gizmo and school would be over for today. I decided to give a last check up to my work before presenting it and I got straight to my least favorite place of the school: The library.

Libraries were supposed to be quiet, peaceful and filled with loneliness but schools tends to make them a mess with noisy and careless students all over the place.  I had my friends in the academy, like Gilda, that enjoyed studying on someone's home and have a sleep over! Gilda's grandfather once joined us in a Metropoly board game session and it was fun. But I disliked that false sense of company with the rest of people.

It doesn’t mean that I hate being with the company of strangers from time to time, but sometimes you just wish to be on your own. How many times have you spend time in a place surrounded by people and deep inside you wanted to go home? At least once a day, I assure you. Not because you hated the people surrounding you or because you felt unsynchronized with them, you just wanted to be by yourself. 

And even if you loved the people who you were sharing space with, you would still feel that you were suffocating at one point. It’s not a bad thing being alone sometimes. It’s when they made you feel rejected when things were wrong. And in one of the PC’s of the library, there was a user who made me thought of all of this. Twilight Sparkle was sitting peacefully in front of the monitor. I could see she was working in the same thing I was about to do; our project.

Twilight… She was always beautiful, always sincere and always alone when teamwork was required during our days at the academy. At evey turn, every student that had teamed up with her, and I truly mean 'Everyone' of us that knew of her antics wanted nothing to do with Twilight! She was considered a reclusive and perfectionist genius who was so wimpy for her own good. 

But now in this school, she was beautiful, she was sincere and in all classes she had someone to work with her. I didn’t know why I felt attracted to her since we enrolled to this place. This kind of feeling was so nice, so peaceful, and so familiar. And that gave me a sense of safety.

Why!?

“Oh! I didn’t see you there!” Said Twilight with a tender voice. “Did you need something?”

“No. I just came here to work in our project. I didn’t notice that they put more computers here! There is more space for putting your bags under the table.”

“Speaking of the project… do you think this is too much of a hassle?”

“It needs to be perfect if we want it to pass school regulations, so of course it can sometimes feel like a hassle. Let’s work in it until it’s great!”

That big smile of hers…

“Then what are we waiting for? Take a seat and let’s do real magic!”

Your optimism during busy work is inspiring.

We started to compile the platform of the library system. Twilight showed me some advancement she did on her own. She really talked seriously the other day when she was mentioning ‘The Librarian Assistant’ for our project. She did a dog resembling Spike. The image even talked with a realistic voice every time you looked for an entry.

“Wow, who made the voice acting, Twilight? It sounds so realistic!”

“Oh, you know! Online applications and voice programs!”

“Uhu… I don’t believe you, but no matter. Whoever helped you with the voice, it sounds nice.”

‘Wufff’

“Spike! Shhh! They are gonna hear you!” Mumbled Twilight to her bag. 

I could see Spike was happy about something inside that bag. Dogs! Always happy when people gave them attention or I am wrong, little buddy? Who is a little buddy? Yuh are a lil buddy!

A screeching noise sounded from Twilight. It was her phone.

“URRRRRGHHH!”

I can imagine who it could be…

“Love problems with Flash?”

“WHAT!? NO! Why do you say that!?” 

Wow, she was angry by that comment.

“Oh, sorry. Just wanted to tease you a little.”

…What?

“Very funny, Nitpick! Have you ever been in my shoes were people always comes to you for the silliest of reasons when you just try to keep them away and be at peace for the sake of all parties involved!?”

ARE YOU TRULY ASKING ME THAT!?

“I don’t know, Twilight! That kind of person you are mentioning is nearby!”

“Really! Who?”

How dare you to call me silly and dummy a while ago when you can’t recognize simple sarcasm!?

“OH! Cheeseburger! It’s Flash!” She whispered while she hid under the table.

Oh... so he was here! That Flash Sentry! He was... studying? He was with some people, I believe they are his friends.

“Why are you hiding?” I whispered as well.

“I don’t want him to see me. He scares me!”

“Have you told him that you needed time?” 

“Yes! But only through text messaging! I used Rarity’s methods of indirect rejection and it still didn’t work”

And that is your problem, my little scientist.

“Twilight… you need to be straight. Not now, but eventually you will need to confront him in person!”

“But I don’t know how to talk to boys like him! You were supposed to help me! You are at fault with this!” She said somewhat angry while still whispering.

“What the hell are you talking about!?” I asked her with the same tone.

“Language!”

“Damn it!”

“Nitpick!”

“What!?”

“Shh!”

"..."

“This is really silly!”

“It is!”

And she started to silently chuckle. 

“Hey!” 

Oh no…

“Hi… uh, Flash!”

“What are you doing here? I never thought you would be the academic type!”

Look who is talking, cool guy.

“I’m working in my project.”

“Using two computers at the same time?” He asked somewhat amazed.

“Uh… yeah! I’m multi-tasking! While that computer is compiling the new data, I am working in data update in this one!”

“Oh, sounds interesting!”

Your clueless face was far more interesting than this conversation.

“Say… isn’t Twilight supposed to help you? Where is she?”

…crap.

“Uh… I believe she was with Sunset. She asked me to take care of her bag because they were going to do the private business in the bathroom.”

“Ah, that’s why you have her bag with you! I thought she was nearby! …Can we talk for a bit?”

WHY EVERYBODY WANTS TO TALK WITH ME ABOUT SOMETHING!? I am a boring guy to the likes of you, remember!?

“About what?”

“About Twilight”

What about nothing, instead!?

“I already told you, Flash! Have the balls to talk with her and if you end up rejected, take it like a man! You are the cool guy! You are better than this!”

“I was hoping if you could help me to be friendlier with her!”

This is the worst scenario possible! Twilight was hiding under the table, Flash was asking embarrassing things about her and if I choose the wrong words, everything is going to hell for me. I must make this quick and uninteresting!

“You? Asking me for help!? Ask the Idol Six about this kind of things instead! I am an ass and the number one enemy of the soccer team, remember?”

“Well, it’s not entirely your fault… you know.”

Thank you for being discrete when I most needed it.

“Anyway! Flash… I can’t help you! If do that, I would betraying her trust. Besides, if you act like somebody different, it would be a fake personality… you would be lying to yourself and her. Just like when you have a crush with someone and when she shows you her true face, you ended up disappointed.”

Isn’t that right…? Forget it.

“Trust someone who was unpopular and comes from Crystal Prep! You just keep talking to her like normal and everything will be fine!”

I could feel how she was constantly pulling the fabric of my jeans, telling me that I shouldn’t say that. Forgive me, Twilight! I’m saving my ass as well.

“I understand! You are right!” Said Flash suddenly motivated with fiery eyes. “I must keep trying! Thanks, Nitpick!”

And he left. I watched how Flash got out of the library without noticing her. He was walking beside some rocker-like friends at his side with tons of books. They were talking about Chemistry theory so maybe they were going to study for tomorrow’s test.

“Thank you for telling him that!” Said Twilight with an impressive and unthinkable sarcastic tone.

“Ow, Your face! You look so cute like that!”

“Very funny!”

“OW, your cheeks are so pinkish and-“

WHAT THE HELL I AM DOING!?

“’Ehem’ At least I managed to protect you from him… for now! Seriously, talk to him already!”

“I want! …B-but I can’t… I can’t…” Said Twilight scared.

I can feel it… She was trembling with the idea of talking with him, but it wasn’t Flash what scares her in reality! What are you truly afraid of, Twilight?

“’Sigh’…One of these days I will help you with Flash.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, and now let me help you in getting you out of there.”

I offered my hand and she slowly grabbed it. I learned my lesson from the last time I helped her stand up and now she stood up at an acceptable distance from me.

“This is why I know you are a good boy. You always look after me one way or another… Say, I know that you had a problem with Fluttershy. Can you talk with me what really happened? Maybe I can help in make peace with her!”

Thank you for asking for my version of what happened… But it was too late for that! The bell rang and it told us that we must hurry to the next class for our presentation.

“Look, Twilight…another time. Perhaps when everything is more stable for me, I’ll tell you about it and help you with Flash, ok? Besides… remember you have great friends in this school, so you are in good hands!”

“You are right! So, about Flash… will you promise to help me?”

“…Crap. Ok”

“Pinkie Promise!?”

…

“Cross My Heart, Hope to Fly, Stick a Cupcake in my Eye!”

‘mwa’



Did she… kiss my cheek?

“It’s a promise, Nitpick! And there is something really silly I must tell you!” She said with a silly and innocent voice.

“What!?”

“Your cheeks taste like Neapolitan! Just like Sunset's!”

WHAT!?

“Now let’s hurry to the classroom and present our project!”

…What just happened?

I walked at her side and during our journey to the next class I couldn’t remove this uncomfortable feeling. This school is getting gloomier with the pace of time. The soccer team was slowly crumbling part of the school’s morale, I overheard during my class of Saturday that they were getting tired of their constant scolding. Dancer was getting colder than ever when Sunset has some kind of interaction with the school programs, I didn’t have a decent talk with her since our last hang out a few weeks ago. Fluttershy suddenly got paler and she looked tired than ever. Flash was getting desperate with his crush to the point of even seeking the help from someone like me.

And finally, Twilight showed me a facet of her that I have never seen before. An image of her that doesn’t suit her at all! The shadow of fear…
> Chapter 37- Rarity and Twilight´s meaningful moments! Tale 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oh, Twilight! Can't you just picture it? Nous, stepping out in a stunning new school uniform for the autumn season!”

“Eh, why do we need to wear different clothes, Rarity? I think this vest you made for me is practical and efficient enough for me.”

“Nonsense, Twilight! Besides, a change of outfit can do wonders for one’s outlook! Not to mention the incoming winds of autumn are treacherous for a girls outfits!”

I was in Carousel Boutique designing my next big hit of the season! Last year was a complete success in the dressing department… but the accessories I designed, UGH! What was I thinking? Earrings resembling leaves and bracelets in the form of chestnuts!? The atrocity!

Never mind that! This year I have envisioned the next Vif Succès for my career! Brown and reddish are the color of today! I asked my dear friend Coco Pommel in Manehattan to buy me the best fabrics she could get me and oh dear! How happy I am with this merchandise! But more happiness was what I felt in my heart when she told me last night that she found a co-designer called Goldie Threads! Apparently, she was really good in ceramic accessories and disguises so I couldn’t wait for her next fashion portrait in the next issue of ‘Bon Chic Femme’!

“Rarity!” My dear sister called me. “We don’t have silver threads for your new dresses!”

“WHAT!? How this could happen?”

I was sure that I had a spare thread of that color!

“Remember that we used that thread to repair Nitpick’s favorite shirt! And also remember that you must retrieve your new stitches for your sewing machine in the plaza of the suburbs area!”

“Agh! I forgot about that thanks to the tests of this morning! Twilight! Would you please come with me to the Chocorette Plaza?”

“I’ll gladly come with you, Rarity! Spike! Stay here with Sweetie Belle and help her with whatever she needs”

“Yes, Ma’am!”

“Excellent! Sweetie Belle, please unfold the fabrics like I taught you last time! They are expensive so treat them carefully!”

“You got it, Rarity! Come, Spike! Let’s eat something first!”

“Oh yeah, I am hungry!” 

That girl was livelier than ever since the day we worked in Bittersweet’s clothes together! Sweetie and her friends were more united since they joined the school paper with Muffins… They might have released some disturbingly funny photos and news in the last issue but I don’t think the Principal would mind some pictures of her eating some donuts during the events of the mini cooking contest of Pinkie Pie a few weeks ago.

My travels with Twilight took us to the Designer Emporium! The second best place to buy your fashionista’s necessities in this part of the country. Maximus Plaza’s boutique store had a lovelier selection of materials for dress making but they were remodeling their store. It doesn’t matter since this place was excellent nonetheless.

As we entered the emporium, I couldn’t stop in marveling my eyes with the latest designer equipment available in the market. But my current equipment was in great condition and has never failed me since I always sent them to maintenance from time to time. This was an expensive profession, but one that I was glad to be able to exert it.

“This looks cute!” Twilight said while admiring some high quality cotton.

“This Ulplima cotton is the softest and most workable fabric for the making of light shirts. Sadly, it’s not that durable under extreme conditions so it’s recommended to use it only on formal designs. As a matter of fact, your long shirt is made of this fabric.”

“I didn’t know this was so expensive! Now I feel bad for accepting this clothes you made just for me”

“Nonsense! They were a gift and I really wanted to make a change of garments for you! And speaking of that lovely cotton! In this kind of business, you pay for the quality of the product! You can’t go wrong with most of the fabrics here! UH! This fur imitation is simple divine! And it’s on discount! Buuuuuying!”

I retrieved my package while buying all the materials I needed to work in my new projects. Normally I would carry hundreds of bags after a shopping spree but I already had what I needed in home so this would do. Twilight was helping me carrying some of the bags but suddenly, an embarrassing rumble was heard from our bellies.

“It seems we need to eat something now!”

“Yes, but does this plaza sells vegetarian food?”

“Absolutely, Twilight! I still can’t believe that you never came to the suburbs. I mean, they are the separation between Crystal States and Ponyville!”

“Rarity, it’s Crystal State, not States! I don’t like it when the people in the city call it like that! We are just the capital city, Cheeseburger! Not the actual state! The people in the city sometimes can be so full of themselves!”

“Oh, Darling, you clearly haven’t been in Manehattan or Philidelphia!”

“I don’t like big cities… at least the noisy parts. Ponyville is much better! It feels like a home away from home. If you know what I mean!”

“Absolutely! I don’t think I could stay away from home that long. But enough about this! Follow me and I’ll show you a wonderful place to eat the two of us!”

We walked just a few meters until we arrived to ‘Ensaladas Caseras’! The best family restaurant for vegetarians in this plaza! The inside of the place was pretty homely and rustic in a beautiful way, perfect for the likes of Applejack! There were still a lot people inside, mostly young couples and group of friends but luckily there was an available space for us to eat comfortably.

The menu was meticulously adorned with plant like silhouettes in the thin wood structure. The design showed with simplistic detail each dish available. Once we finished ordering our respective meals, we enjoyed some healthy snacks while talking contented. 

“So, Twilight! It’s been nearly a month since you transferred to CHS. How do you feel in your new school?” 

“It’s a great difference, Rarity! The welcoming setting is extremely nice. I feel bad for Spike since he can’t talk as freely as he would like... in a way is a kind of a waste..”

“You know it’s for the best, darling!” I said reassuring her. “Only those close to us know the whole truth of what happened that day. We got lucky that only a quarter of the school that already knows of the Princess and a small portion of the students of your old school knows to keep something a secret… Well, even if they spoke the truth, the people would consider them nuts!”

“I still can’t believe that Principal Cinch hasn’t done something yet… she can be so vengeful…” Twilight said somewhat afraid.

“Shh… You are under Principal Celestia’s protection now! And you have us for the matter! Whatever that Principal is plotting, it will not work.”

“You are right. I believe I’m just being paranoid!”

“Maybe you are just tired with all that training Rainbow imposed on you! She cares dearly for us and in her mind she thinks that what she is doing is the best for you. She can sometimes be so reckless but that’s normal for her!”

“Hehe! She truly is something else!” 

“My ladies! Your orders are here!”

“Oh, Thank you!”

The ornamentation of the pine dishes were beautifully arranged with tender leaves from the lettuce. The salads were exquisitely positioned in the middle while the crisp bread rolls were beside it. The soft fragrances of the pineapple juices were a welcoming change of aroma for our hungry bodies that desired the nourishment before us. 

We took a bit of our food and…

“Perfect.” I finally said overjoyed.

“You were right, Rarity! This tastes great!”

We continued to talk about her time during school. It seems my methods to make poor Flash understand that this Twilight is simply not interested in him failed. How treacherous can be the heart when infatuated. Sometimes we forget that we cling to an ideal lover to the point of tinting our sight in pink. 

Twilight is simple too innocent for a relationship, for now. I shared to her a little story about my dream of fortune and vain looks after Sunset separated my friends from me for some time in her days of evil. Once, long ago, I was invited by miracle to a dance in the Canterlot castle by an old lady who was client of mine. I felt so lucky because next day I was going to participate in a fashion contest. The best of the best in the high society were there, and I saw him for the first time! Prince Arbelth Blueblood!

He looked like a dream… but that was just a façade from his part. The aristocrats are simple too selfish for the common folk. I wondered if they could develop a bond of friendship with people. Sometimes being rich corrupts the empathy of the spirit.

“And then what happened?” Twilight asked of me with great curiosity.

“Well, after I slapped his face, called him an uncivilized swine and went straight to my hotel, I saw something that reminded of what I do best!”

“And what is that? A fabulous dress?” She asked curious and excited.

“Close, but not exactly! There was a poor family in some forgotten and cold streets. Their faces showed that they were freezing and had great hunger. I couldn’t stay idle and let them be like that so I went back to my room and grabbed my finest and thickest fabrics and made some blankets for them. I gave them the blankets and some food I could manage to give with the money I had. During those days my boutique wasn’t as renowned and successful as it is today so only juices and breads were everything I could manage. But something went terribly wrong the next day for me… briefly at least”

“What happened?”

“Well, the materials I used were supposed to be for the dress-making contest of the next day… and I didn't have spare money to buy more. I was about to retire from the competition but suddenly, a miracle happened. Someone knocked the door of my room. As I opened the door, there was a package that contained new fabrics and tools, spare money and a beautiful note that said something that I always preached in my life and it remind me of it!" 



"What did it said!?"

"It said, ‘You gave your all when you should have keep it for yourself, and yet you did it nonetheless! A generous spirit will always be rewarded one way or another!’”

“Who sent you that!?”

“I don’t know! Perhaps one of the wealthy saw what I did that day from their cars and sent me that gift, but that would not explain why I received the materials with the exact money I needed! Perhaps I will never know, but during the competition, I was more inspired than ever with what happened and I won second place! That achievement combined with how popular my dresses were made of my boutique the place it is today!”

“It seems your generosity truly rewarded you that day!”

“Oh, Twilight! When I met Fluttershy for the first time in middle school when she needed a change of clothes, I told her that we all need kindness every now and then. Sometimes helping someone in need even for the silliest of reasons can make massive impacts in other people’s lives. There will always be the backstabbers and selfish people that will try to make you like them. But you must prevail, my friend! For generosity is to reach down to people’s heart and lifting them up. Be brave as well as generous in your ideals. There is nothing wrong for being selfish from time to time, but whatever you have to spare to the needed, you should give it without thinking. And one day, someone, somewhere, will help you from the shadows, just like someone helped me in my time of need.”

“That sounds so… right, Rarity!” Twilight said with complete approval.

“I knew you would understand, darling! Now, let’s finish this and go back to the boutique! We still have like an hour of sunlight before evening arrives. Tomorrow we have more tests and I need to make progress to my designs and study if I don’t want to be behind schedule!”

“Then what are we waiting for!?” She was about to eat quickly.

“Nah- ah- ah! Modals, Darling! Eat slowly! There is no hurry!”

And we enjoyed our time in this lovely afternoon.
> Chapter 38- Incomplete reflections.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After having completed my chemistry test with no problems at all, I found myself in the comfort of my private spot! The winds of autumn were refreshing without making you tremble of cold, but thicker cloth were required. It was a bad idea leaving home with a short sleeved shirt. At least the sun was bathing the light of this earth and a sense of warm could still be felt. I started to reflect on the wonders of being young and unpopular thanks to a certain person!

Nobody comes to talk to you when you were average! You didn’t have to be bothered with menial conversations of the latest gossips of high school drama nor being bombarded by crazed individuals! They say that being popular is the maximum expression of happiness and youth! But for me, having a personal space and a sense of privacy was the best freedom of all! You don’t belong to the trends! You don’t belong to the merciless eyes of society! 

In other words, popular people must be surrounded by popular people, and common folk must be with the common folk! That’s the irrefutable law! There are exceptions, of course!

Then…

WHY THIS POPULAR FASHIONISTA IS TALKING NON-STOP TO AN AVERAGE GUY LIKE ME!? 

Also…

YOU ARE IN MY SPOT!

“It was horribly! HORRIBLY! You can't begin to imagine how I felt when I saw that horrible dress in that girl yesterday when I was in the Chocorette Plaza with Twilight! And did you know that her boyfriend was wearing black jeans with green boots!? Those abominations! WHAT CAN BE MORE ATROCIOUS THAN THAT!?”

Your mouth never shutting up was definitely something atrocious!

“I feel I could weep in sorrow right now…”

“Oh, darling! I knew you would understand my feelings! You truly look sad for an unfashionable couple you don’t even know.” Said Rarity while magically withdrawing a handkerchief from nowhere and cleaning her tears with it.

Your overlook of the obvious is inspiring.

“Anyway! Why are you here!?”

“Oh! Yes! I forgot!” 

You recovered fairly quickly from your tragedy.

“Darling! I need you to model for one of my fashion desgins!”

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?” I shouted at her.

“Don’t be so rude!” Said Rarity with displeasure. “And no! I’m perfectly sane, thank you very much! I need you to model for my new fashion line with Twilight! Last time, you both looked so adorable and it helped me with the sales of my still unnamed, fashion line. So I came to ask you to help me once again! Will you help me?”

What a big smile!

“No.”

“Do it for you, darling! I bet you could be pretty popular with the ladies if you use more stylish clothes! The last set I did for you definetly could have been better!” Said Rarity with a soft and ladylike voice.

“No.”

Besides, I love simple!

“Pretty please! For me!” Said Rarity while blinking her eyes with a charming posture.

Oh Rarity! The way you convey your desires is something that only the most beautiful and gifted of women could achieve! I don’t doubt it could make the most stubborn of people obey your commands! Your fabulous eyes! Your exquisite smile! Your charming posture worthy of a sophisticated, elegant and untainted lady! In other words, you possess beauty, looks, talent, pride, strength! You are the finest example of a lady that can achieve fame and glory by her own hand.

But you have a great and incorrigible flaw in your gift that made your persuasions completely useless on people like me!

“No!”

“WHAT!? H-how could you say no!? Don’t you have the desire to be more fashionable and amazing than this!?”

And that’s the fatal flaw of your technique over me! You possess ambition and the drive to improve yourself in the world of fashion! More admirable was the fact that you also desired to raise the people you wanted help from! But I lack that kind of ambition! I don’t want to be somebody! I love the way I am! But that’s not the fatal flaw I was talking about! It is something far more simple but formidable than the lack of ambition!

It’s a pain in the ass dealing with you!

“NOU!"

“I need you specifically for my fashion designs to work!”

“WHY!? There is a plethora of cooler guys in this school! Flash for example!”

Forgive me, Twilight!

“But Twilight doesn’t want to do this with anyone else! I need you for her to help me!”

“I said no! It’s final!”

“Please! Think of the dreams of a poor girl who wants to use new, seasonal clothes!”

“As far as I know, Twilight dislikes fancy clothes. Stop pestering me, queen of drama!”

I could see that her eyes made a dangerous but brief iris reduction. Never mind, she is not scary! I have faced worst threats during my time as a Champion in the academy!

“Think of her self-esteem, darling! She can turn into an unconfident and ungracious girl!”

Your drama levels are over the chart.

“She is already an unconfident and ungracious girl but you and your friends are doing an amazing job in making her more open to people! So shoo, shoo!”

“Help me…” Said Rarity with an ominous voice.

“No! Stop bothering me about it!”

“Please, darling.”

I’m starting to feel scared with that fake expression of serenity… But I am a man! I won’t be threatened by the likes of her!

“Damn it! I said no!”

“Please be a gentleman and use more appropiate words!”

“CAN YOU STOP FUCKING ABOUT THIS, YOU WHINNY DRAMA BITCH!?”

And just like the time I called her an overreacting drama bitch in her boutique, I was at her mercy once again within those delicate hands of hers!

“AAAAAAHHH!!””

“I’LL RIP YOU TO PIECES!”



“I‘LL HELP YOU IN ANYTHING YOU WANT!”

“OH! I knew you would help me from the bottom of my heart!” Said Rarity with a charming, little voice while releasing me. “Let’s meet today after classes at my boutique, okay? Be there around four o’clock so I can have everything ready! WUH! This is going to be fantastique!”

And she happily left in a sophisticated manner. As for me, part of my manliness was greatly injured after this occurrence…

…’sob’ I hate her.

Once classes were over and the appointed hour was at hand, I arrived to the boutique of doom to get this over with. As I opened the door, there were some people I recognized from the school there. Applejack and her brother, Twilight, Spike, Rarity, and… who was the cute, little girl again?

“Rarity! This was supposed to be a simple clothing fix! Not another of your nonsensical fashion things”

“…yep.” Said a defeated Big Mac.

Poor guy… He was in the same shoes like me.

“Oh, Applejack! Don’t be ridiculous! I plan to make more than a simple fixing to your usual garment! As a matter of fact! I already designed your new dress for the autumn season!”

“Believe us, AJ!” Said the cute girl. “You will love the new design! Applebloom and Scootaloo saw part of the sketch in the morning and they say that it will look good on you!”

“Sweetie Belle! Don’t go around showing my fashion designs like that!”

So that was her name! I'll remeber it forever!

“I’m sorry, Rarity! But it looks so Applejack to let this pass…!”

I’m starting to think what Applejack considers good is something vastly different from Rarity’s vision. Her frowning expression was a marvel to behold!

“Anyway, please, let’s get this over with!” I said with great sourness.

“You are right! Thank goodness the first test period is over so I can finally focus on my new line! Let’s start the magic!”

“Uhm… Can I go, Applejack?.” Said Big...

HE CAN TALK!?

“Don’t be so unassertive, Big McIntosh!” Said Rarity with a cheering expression. “I’m sure Cheerilee will love to see you in fabulous, new clothes!”

And then, my suspicions were reinforced. Big Mac made a sudden and inconspicuous expression with the name Rarity spoke of, and after a brief moment of reflecting the possibilities, he stood in the stool table.

I understood his reason to do what he did…

Once again I was standing in this stool table for fashion uses and Big Mac was beside of me. His serene face was just a façade for his inner weariness of what he was doing right now. No doubt he could be repairing something in the farm or he could be relaxing in whichever his favorite spot was...

He could be with Miss Cheerilee’s in this moment…

But we cannot always spend time with the ones we developed an affection. As I was hopelessly sinking in my thoughts, I started to think of why we were charmed with a loss cause. Only those who fall in a romantic crush at first sight tend to have the projection of a long-held fantasy deep inside them. In other words, love at first sight was not real! At least, that’s what I believe.

It’s just a foolish dream we as people want to achieve. We put all our hopes in that person, all our expectations, all our-

“Darling!”

Rarity woke me from my trance, gently waving her hand in front of me. She had to stood on her toes to reach my face… it was cute.

“Sorry, what you need of me!?”

“All is done for today! I already have the updated measures for your clothes… Have you been eating properly, lately? You are a little bit thinner in a bad way than before! Anyway, thank you for your continuous help, Nitpick! Big Mac, you too can go!” Said Rarity with a grateful and elegant voice.

“Eeyup!” 

“Finally it’s over!”

“You both speak like if you don’t enjoy trying new clothes!”

I won’t say anything… I don’t want to die.

Big Mac and I left the place leaving the boutique that suddenly burst in laughter and livelier atmosphere. They were having fun, not laughing at us, but enjoying their selves at the fullest! It’s not that we were really unwelcomed with them… we simply didn’t belong in that ambient.

We were just there, impeding... forget it. You know when people start to reflect about everything, they must be crazy inside! I talk about reflections with my friends from time to time, and although we enjoyed speaking and bitching about things… it didn’t last long.
I want to talk with someone of these things I want to express until we were sated of them with a sense of satisfaction… or we left each other's company and hated the exchange, wishing it never happened.

Big Mac made a small grump, he pointed out that the next turn was his destination to his way home. I bid him farewell and we went our separate ways. On my walking to reach home, a girl catched my interest in one of the small parks of the town. She was surrounded by critters and the birds were singing for her their last song of the day.

Fluttershy was apparently sleeping under the comfort of a tree, but she looked pale and tired. 

I overheard at school that the shelter had some extra patients in recent weeks. Could this be the reason for her current state… or my actions really had a repercussion to her morale and esteem? Thinking of my past deeds for a minute, I came to an incomplete reasoning…

Was I truly wrong back then?

I continued my path… I didn’t have in me to say something that I don’t believe completly. Apologizing just for the sake of it produces an even worse result than not apologizing at all in the long run.

If there is a reason to make amends with her... please let it come soon!
> Chapter 39- Ideal Kindness.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you sure this is good for me!?”

“Nit, you are getting skinny in the wrong way! I think you have stress! This special whey protein and these vitamins will help you… at least for some days! You need to eat more!”

“I don’t have stress, Gily! And I eat plenty enough!”

“That’s what you think, you little shit! You have been really quiet in our chat group lately! Now, drink the fucking shake I made for you!”

I was in Gily’s house located in the suburbs area! It’s been a while since I came to her home! Professor Gizmo couldn’t assist to classes today and the academy was having a fair to raise funds for their usual charity programs. Since she rejected the responsibilities of being a Champion of the lower class in the school, she didn’t have to assist to it, leaving us with the opportunity to spend time together!

And right now, I was about to drink one of Gily’s special recipes and vitamin pills.

‘Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp’

“URRGHH! It tastes like shitty medicine with a pinch of almond!”

“Really!? It tastes good to me!”

“Because you are used to it, stupid moron! You are the athlete here, remember!? And why are you saying that I look way thinner than before in the wrong way!?”

“Because of this!”

“AAHHH! Don’t put pressure in my ribs like that, you bitch!”

“You had more muscles and fat in them a few months ago! Seriously! We neglect you for two months and this how you end up without us! Screwing the training I gave you and suddenly becoming gloomier than… I have never seen you this weak in my life!”

“You are imagining things, Gilda! I just need a rest from the people in my nuthouse of a school and everything is going to be fine! There is a girl that threatened me to model, for fuck sake!”

“That’s the problem! That painful place you ended up is not for you! They are making of you a pushover! I don’t mean to say that the academy is a beautiful place, but at least you were more comfortable in it! BAH! We’ll discuss that in another time! Let’s wait for Grandpops to return home from his daily walk and eat that badass steak he bought for today’s meal!”

“Want some help in preparing the meat?”

“You barely know how to make smoothies and simple meals! You suck in these things! Clean the dining room and prepare the table while I do the cooking! Those last year cooking classes I had to take in the academy were really useful in the end!”

“Ok, I’ll clean! Leave this to me, then! Seriously, I’ll marry you one of these days!”

“Don’t make me crush your bones! Shoo! Away with you, dickhead!” 

I started to sweep the floor and clean the rest of the dining room. Some people believe that when you are the guest in a house of a friend, you must be treated like royalty! But that only shows you the lack of trust those parties have between each other! There is saying from where my Grandfather came from that said, 'Friends arrive and brings you money and beer to start a party, but real friends arrive earlier to help you in preparing the party and leave later to clean the mess with you!'.

Unless the host is a piece of shit or a truly ungrateful ass who lacked good modals, then you shouldn’t be ashamed on helping on the chores of others people house’s when you are invited to a reunion of sorts. Well, I have been blessed with friends that share that philosophy… the royal pain can be an ass but at least he knows how to prepare the table graciously and tells entertaining stories during the meal.

The sound of the opening door suddenly stopped my reflecting thoughts! Coming from the door was an old man whose wrinkles showed that he had lived a lot of decades filled with hellish experiences during his prime. His left eye was damaged in his childhood during the events of the First World War in the forties, but nevertheless, his piercing gaze, his senseless honesty, his goofy nature in moments of tranquility and his voracious appetite made of him a good, old man in my books.

Gruffion Tempestskies finally arrived to his relatively new home. People in the neighborhood called him Grampa Gruff because he was the oldest man in this part of the country! He achieved a small fortune during a successful expedition and he and Gily have been living for two years in this place. But don’t let his old appearance deceive you! He can be a stubborn and energetic ass when he needed to be, and damn him for Gily inheriting his bad temper! He is somewhat greedy, at times, but Gily said once that he was worse when she was an elementary student!

“Nitpick, my boy! It’s been truly a while since I saw your sorry face in my house! What happened to you, fella’? You look skinnier than a stray dog!”

“YOU SEE, YOU LITTLE SHIT!? I KNEW YOU HAVE LOST SOME WEIGHT!” Gily yelled from the kitchen.

“SHUT THE HELL UP, GILDA!”

“Hahahahaha!” Grampa Gruff laughed with his usual deep and goofy tone. “You truly act like a married couple!”

“DON’T START SPOUTING BULLSHIT, GRANDPOPS!” Said Gily with a ‘pleasant’ tone.

“HOW DARE YOU TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT, YOU LITTE SCOUNDREL!? In my times, the parents punched their children’s faces for disrespecting the elder!”

“Uh, I believe that is in Griffonia and the rest of the western countries, sir! In Equestria, hitting children is considered a violation to human rights since its founding in the eighteen century!”

“And look the results of it! You are lucky you were born in a country that sprouts weaklings because in the Motherland, you would be in the army right now! In my times, the youngsters…”

And once again he started to talk about his golden days! Gily served the meal and we listened to him about his tales of old. He spoke about the fall of the corrupt rulers in Stalliongrad and the coming era of revolution for his country! He spoke of the Shadow Wars in the eighties, how Griffonia became part of the Global Union treaty and shared once more a little story of his youth when there were moments of peace. 

He briefly spoke of his wife from time to time… but it’s a touchy subject. We mustn’t ask of people who are long gone from this world. It’s better to leave those topics as good memories to reflect on them for a small time, and then move on to the present every time you were reminded of the past. Time flew faster when you were listening to the stories of the elder who still had a lot to live for. I believed this man can reach the one-hundred year mark and still be as talkative like he was now.

Once his hunger was sated and his eyes felt weary, he retired from the dining room and went straight to bed.

“Ah, Grandpops truly knows how to tell stories to make you feel sleepy!” Said Gily while cleaning the table.

“At least they are good stories unlike the ones we had during our first semester with those pseudo professional people that professed they have seen a lot of shit.” I said while cleaning the dishes. “Group of sugarcoating assholes… When they fight in a war like you Grandfather did, they can spout all the shit they want to tell.”

“Let’s forget about that and go buy some desserts! I put more sauce in the meat than I imagined and it was too bitter for me!”

“But your Grandfather loved it, sweetheart! And it wasn’t that bitter!”

“My Grandpops is an ass like you! Let’s go and buy some ice cream!”

And we went straight to the park of the suburbs! There was an ice cream store nearby that sold-

‘SNAP’

“Why did you snap your fingers at me, you shit!?”

“Order you fucking ice cream!”

“Oh, I didn’t notice we arrived! I want a sundae with Neapolitan ice cream, the one with the dark chocolate and the second flavor… mmm vanilla with caramel please!”

“All right, young sir, and you miss?”

“Urrrggh, hate it when they use ‘miss’…” mumbled Gily so only us could hear it. “A sundae of vanilla with caramel and the second flavor, uh, I want pistachio!”

It took them three minutes to prepare our orders and the damage to our wallets was of fourteen dollars in total.

“You see what I meant when I mentioned the gloomy part!? You were quiet all the travel, for fuck sake!”

“Sorry, it wasn’t my intention...”

We started to eat our ice cream while we were talking.

“All right, let me guess? It’s about Fluttershy!”

“I saw her two days ago after I finished my business in that boutique of hell for the fashion line designs!”

“Pfff you a model! Hahaha! How silly!”

“Thank you, so refreshing to hear someone who speaks reason! Anyway, she was sleeping under the shadow of a tree with lots of animals surrounding her!”

“Sounds like her, nothing strange to me.”

“But she was pale and looked tired. I overheard that the shelter had a sudden increase in workload, but…”

“You think that the argument you had that day during the shelter event damaged her esteem.”

“Yes, but since I don’t know about the girl, I can’t say for sure! I mean, you know how much fucks I give about me making hundreds of friends!”

“If Flutty is the same girl as I remember, well, let’s see if what I know can give you a clue…she was, uh, shy!”

“No shit, Sherlock! Her slap definitely was from a shy girl!”

“Well, you made her mad! Back to the topic! She was really shy! Super shy! Coltion’s level of omnipotence but in the shy department!”

“Crap! Now that’s something impossible!”

“That’s not all. She was very… uh, frail!”

“Frail, like wimpy!?”

“No, this time I’m serious! Frail in all aspects; Mind, body, self-esteem! … ‘Sigh’ Rainbow Dash helped us both to get out of our bubbles, but Fluttershy would always cry for the silliest of reasons… other times she would take the serious things at heart! Her only comfort was the stray animals she used to befriend in the park near the school! Maybe you trying to kill the vermin made her close to truly snap at someone in her entire life! I mean, she showed signs that she could be angered with someone, but it didn’t last that long!”

“Even so, I hate rats! I hate all kinds of vermin!”

“You know I’ll stand by your decision but remember what our grumpy friend taught us! Respect the ideas of other people, and if they are too stupid for respect them, at least understand from where they come from! Or something like that!”

“Now you are speaking otherworldly stuff! Who are you and what did you do to my wife!?”

“This is why you are pain! You always spout nonsense like Grandpops!”

“HAHAHAHA… hehe… Hmm…”

“Come on, that’s not cool of you!”

“Yeah but the unpleasant sensation doesn’t go away! Remember that I have a terrible sickness called ‘Conscience’ when kicks at sporadic times.”

“I have a conscience too, and that doesn’t stop me on crushing my opposition when they try to attack me! Like Lightning Dust! She was a pain in the ass and her ribs were the price she had to pay for her stupidity!”

“Right, at least-“

‘CRASH’

A noise from the side of the street was heard, interrupting the peace of the neighbors! A pick-up crashed with one of the light posts of the park! Some of the packages that it transported on the trunk fell to the floor! The sounds of the police’s sirens were heard and they were quickly approaching to our direction!

“RECOVER THE PACKAGES!” Yelled the driver of the pick-up.

The co-pilot did as he said as quickly as he could, for the looks of it and hearing the sound of the police that was approaching, these guys must be trouble!

“FUCK, FORGET THAT BOX AND LETS GO!”

And they quickly drove the damaged car far away from the crime scene. The police began the chase and the sounds of the sirens and engines soon quiet down until nothing could be heard of them. The only things remaining from that scene was a broken light post and a box.

“Hey… should we?”

“I don’t know, Nit… Even I'm not that reckless…”

“But what if the police needs this for evidence for something!? Maybe we are helping someone in the long run and they will reward us with something!”

“Good idea! Let’s go and see what we caught with the net!”

We approached the box while the rest of the neighbors argued and cursed to the pick-up who broke their light post. As soon as we were near the box, noises could be heard from within!

“Oh shit! Do you think it's a bomb!?”

“You were of the idea of coming here and now you think of the worst!?”

‘squawk’

A faint noise was heard from the box… it wasn’t a bomb, I think.

“Nit… it sounded like a bird.”

‘squawk’

“It’s definitely a bird!”

“Should we open it to see what it is!?”

‘squawk’

“…One way to find out what we are dealing with!”

Both of us opened the box and inside it were lots of cramped newspapers, the stench of rotten food and… a baby bird.

“It looks hurt!”

“We need to take it to the shelter!”

“The shelter!?”

“No time to waste and being afraid of her, Nit! We take it there or this bird dies!”

“Fucking dammit!”

We started to go straight to the shelter at full speed with her taking the bird in her arms. After a several blocks of running and complaining, we arrived.

“Relax, Nitpick! It’s nearly seven in the evening, only key personal works in this kind of places. She can’t be inside!”

“I hope so.”

I tried to open the door but to no avail! It was closed. But this little thing… Shit, I’ll knock the door!

‘Bam, Bam, Bam’

“It’s someone in there!?”

“Coming!” A familiar voice was heard from within.

Just my luck…

The door opened and Fluttershy was in front of me, and as soon as she saw me, her sweet smile turned into an aggressive and unwelcoming frown.

“Hi!”

‘SLAM’

THE BITCH CLOSED THE FUCKING DOOR!

‘BAM, BAM, BAM’

“OPEN THE DOOR!”

“STAY AWAY! THIS PLACE DOESN’T WELCOME THE SOCIAL PEST!”

“Pffff social pest! Hahahaha!”

“Shut up!”

“WHY YOU MUST BE SO RUDE AND MEANIE!?”

“Why did she heard me and not you!?”

“Because you suck, idiot!”

“WHO ARE YOU CALLING AN IDIOT, YOU SAVAGE BARBARIAN?”

“For fuck…!  FLUTTERSHY! I NEED YOUR HELP!”

“OH! JUST LIKE YOU HELPED THAT POOR, LITTLE MOUSE!?”

“FLUTTERSHY! OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR OR THIS POOR BIRD WILL DIE!” Yelled Gilda having enough of this fruitless exchange.

I could hear a loud gasp inside the building, I wonder-

“Gilda, is that you!?”

“Open the door, NOW!”

And she did as she said. Her face of amazement was something to behold!

“Is it really you!?”

“No time! Hurt bird! We found it! Needs help! Treat it!”

And finally noticing the bird in our possession, she quickly but tenderly took it away from Gily and got straight to the emergency room. We followed because we wanted to know if the bird will be okay.

“Oh no! This poor mealy parrot is bleeding from its nails! It needs emergency treatment immediately! But I haven’t fed the rest of the animals! And I haven’t even started to arrange the new medicine in the cupboards!”

“Just tell us what to do and we’ll help you out!”

“But… I don’t trust him!” Said Fluttershy with a darkened expression.

“You don’t have a reason to trust me either! If you don’t believe in him, then we’ll leave you to your luck!”

I almost forgot why she was my friend… She can be pretty rude and cruel!

Fluttershy understanding the situation quickly gave us a list that was hanging in one of the cupboards. It described with such detail the portions of the food that each animal needed and without losing any more time, we did our tasks! The boxes of medicine will have to wait!

Inside the room where the animals needed their nourishments, the stench of wet skin and medicine could be perceived. I was amazed with one single fact; near each group of animals was a special kind of air purifiers that released fresh air to the defenseless patients. How serious this place took this job?

Gily and I shared the work and with all the care of the world made our job. Those animals seemed to have a grudge on me… I could hear the soft grunts while their cold stares were watching me.

I don’t have a problem with you so why are you angry at me!?

“It seems these animals sense your negative feelings towards them…”

Fluttershy…

“Forgive me if I’m not a fan of nature like you… Is the bird okay?”

“It’s a parrot! And yes, he is fine now and resting peacefully in a spare nest I have… I’m glad to see you are doing this task the right way!”

“You sound like Wind Rider…”

“Oh Goodness… Rainbow Dash told us about it.”

“Yeah! But Nitpick saved us from paying something we didn’t do!”

“Gilda… thanks again…”

“For what?”

“For helping me, just like before!”

That smile was really welcoming unlike the face of anger you showed me earlier.

“I didn’t do this exactly for you! It was for that stupid bird!”

“It’s a baby, mealy amazon parrot, Gilda! And thanks to both of you, I saved him in time!”

“Where are the rest of the staff!? You shouldn’t be here by yourself with all this load of work!” I asked straight forward.

“Oh, the Chief, the Critter Squad and the rest of the staff have some emergency surgeries in the city base! The police finally found the culprits for the recent attacks to the stray animals in the city and the animals will be transported there! Those savage beasts of society that live from selling animals illegally were hunting indiscriminately every critter they could find! But now they finally have caught them and I hope they imprison those monsters and throw away the key in the sewers!”

“Wow… You have changed, Fluttershy! You are more aggressive and honest!”

“I learned from the best… We learned from the best!”

“Don’t compare me with you! I walk a different and cooler path than her!”

“Nonsense! …Tell me, is it true… that you are a trouble maker?”

“Define trouble maker, Fluttershy. Terms and meanings can be pretty ambiguous in each mind!”

“Unfriendly? A ruthless delinquent? …Breaking peoples bodies?!”

“This guy here is my friend, I have never stole or join a gang of the sorts, honest!”

“It’s true, Fluttershy! If you search in the data base of trouble kids of the nation, Gily just have a D rating for bad behavior. And you know that a D rating is, well, irrelevant compared to drug users, gangs, young killers and such!”

“Thank goodness…” Said Fluttershy with great relief.

“But it’s true that I get into fights from time to time and it usually ends in really nasty results… for my opponent, at least!”

“Goodness, that’s horrible! I bet YOU are at fault!”

She stared at me with great displeasure…it was really uncomfortable.

“Why do you think I am at fault?”

“Because you are unfriendly, uncooperative, rude and you nearly killed a mouse! You…- Uhh…”

Fluttershy nearly fell to the floor if it wasn’t for Gily’s quick reflexes! Noticing something strange in her, she put a hand on her forehead!

“She has a fever!”

“Damn it! I’ll call the ambulance!”

“No… ” Faintly said Fluttershy. “I can’t leave the patients… alone!”

“Don’t be an idiot! You are overexerting yourself! It’s not worth it!”

“Maybe for you it isn’t, Nitpick!” Said Fluttershy retaking her posture. “But for me, this is my job!”

“They don’t pay you for this! It’s a social service you make for free!”

“They pay me, but I don’t do it for the money! I do it for everyone to enjoy the beauty of having a pet!”

I don’t do it for the money…? Pinkamena said something similar to me some weeks ago.

“We can’t leave you like this! You need to rest!”

“Chief Hugger will come in an hour or so! She’ll take me home.”

“…urrghh! We’ll wait until she arrives!”

“Oh, Gilda!"

“Shut it, Fluttershy! Do you have a place where you can rest properly? If you need help, just tell us what to do, understand?”

She nodded with this proposal and we helped her reach one of the bed in a small room of the place. It seems that this is for workers who stay in the night shift and when they need a rest, the bed is a welcoming place to take a little nap. There was a first aid kit with some Temprum pills for the fever. She swallowed a small dose with a big glass filled with water and she closed her eyes for a while. Minutes passed and there was no sign of the boss of this place yet.

“Gilda…” Spoke a restful Fluttlershy. “Sing me a song!”

“Are you out of your mind!? Sleep already!”

“Sing me the Junior Speedsters song”

“The what!?”

It sounds embarrassing for the looks of it. Gily was flustered! I want her to sing it!

“Keep your mouth shut, you piece of shit!”

“I was just asking, bitch!”

“Do you think that’s the way to talk between friends?” Said Fluttershy with more strength than before. The medicine had a quicker effect on her than I expected.

“Well… yeah!” Both of us said in unison.

“But that’s not how friendship works!”

“Who are you to tell us how a friendship should be, Fluttershy?”

“I have many friends that can give you proof of how friends are made!, Nitpick!”

“What!?" Asked Gily annoyed. "You are the friendship police or something? I hate the people who think that-”

Gily’s cellphone rang all of the sudden. 

“Excuse me for a moment!” She excused herself and answered the phone. “Yeah…uhu… YOU FORGOT THE FUCKING KEYS AGAIN!?... CAN’T YOU BE MORE ABSENTMINDED THAN THIS!?... Okay! I’ll be there in a minute!” She hung off the call. “‘Sigh’ Sorry, it was my Grandpops. I have to go now!”

“O-okay…” Said Fluttershy frightened of her yells.

I can’t blame her. Gily has a really loud voice when angered. It was like hearing the roars of a fucking eagle with full killing intent towards its adversary. Once you used to it, it’s like talking to a common, angered friend.

“Okay, it seems she is better. We should go now, Nit!”

“Yeah…”

As we walked toward the exit, Fluttershy spoke to us.

“Thank you… for helping me!”

We kept walking but…

“…Urrrrghhh!”

“You should stay! I’ll be fine on my own! I’ll text in the chat group when I arrive home! So do the same when you get home!”

“…Fine, go away!”

“You ass! Take care of her… Or I’ll kill you!”

“Easy there…!”

I came back to the bedroom of the shelter and a surprised Fluttershy watched me with curious eyes.

“Why did you came back!?”

“I can’t leave you alone like this!” 

“What about Gilda? You can’t leave her alone like that this late!”

“She will be fine, don’t worry about her! Just rest.”

We have been in more dangerous places before… like the downtown of the city. That was really a shit hole in the middle of an otherwise incredible safe city. We made an oath to never go there again unless it’s really important. Besides, it was nine pm with seventeen minutes! For this kind of neighborhood, it still safe to wander around. She went silent for a few minutes while closing her eyes and then, she talked…

“What if an evil meanie tries to steal her money!? Or her clothes!? Oh goodness, NO! Bring her back here!”

“Fluttershy, she’ll be fine!”

A custom encore tune rang from my phone! It was the chat group!

-Gilda: I arrived safely at home!

-?????????: Do you want a prize for not getting lost, Gilda? A cookie, perhaps!? (☞ ﾟ∀ﾟ) ◉

-Gilda: Shut the hell up, bitch! ಠ益ಠ

-?????????: (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ) 凸

-Nitpick: She just wants some love from us!

-Gilda: I’ll crush your neck next time I see you, you little shit!

-????: Seriously…

-?????????: Let them be, sister! I’ll arrive at the hotel soon with dinner in a minute!

-?????????: That’s a funny way to say that once again you are so worthless to even walk and buy your own food! I bet you are in the limo scratching your sorry butt while your chauffeur is driving you around the capital!

-?????????: HEY!

“She arrived safely at her home, Fluttershy! She is texting in our chat group!”

“Oh, thank goodness…”

And with that, she closed her eyes once again, taking a comfortable position in bed. She looked so relaxed, so peaceful, so-

“THE MOUSE!” Abruptly said Fluttershy while getting off the bed.

She ran through the corridors of the shelter and I followed her as fast as I could. How the hell she could move this quickly if she was dying just a few moments ago!

We arrived to another room. It was less spacious than the one filled with the animals we fed a while ago. There were three critters at sight; the parrot we brought here resting on a nest, a dog in a spacious bed and in the table within a toy like bed…

“Oh… at last you are okay!”

‘Eek’

The rat… That’s it, I need to ask!

“Why do you do all of this work to the point of getting yourself sick?”

“Because… what I do in this place is part of my dream!”

“I don’t follow.”

“I respect the environment, the people and the creatures that live in this world. All living things have the right to walk on this earth! No life is more important than other! All of us are important! A single act of kindness can turn the tables in what lot of people believes to be a selfish world!”

“But there are things that are unkind by nature! You can’t change that!”

“I thought you would be a lost cause and look what you did! You even showed me a bit of kindness in spite of our differences! So what could possibly stop me in what I am about to do?”

She got closer to me and raised my hands leaving my palms open. I didn’t move, patiently waiting for her actions to be made. She grabbed the little rat I tried to kill the last time and she tenderly put it in my open hands. 

It feels warm.

“What do you feel with this little pretty in your hands?” 

“A strange feeling”

“Do you know what the feeling you are sensing is?”

…

“It’s life!”

A comfortable silence fell upon us! She and I were staring the little mouse that graciously made a sleeping posture with no ill feelings towards me. 



In a way, this makes me feel like the villain of this story.

The bell of the main door of the shelter rang loud but briefly. Someone has arrived!

“Oh! It must be Chief Hugger! Let’s leave this little pretty here and go with the Chief!”

Fluttershy put the mouse in its bed and I followed her to the main hall and there it was! The young woman from the shelter event was inspecting the place with a tender motion! But something was totally different from the last time! Her face expression was worthy of a professional public enforcer instead of the easygoing hippy attitude of before.

“Fluttershy! Please tell me why the medicines aren’t arranged in the cupboards? Did something happened?” Said Chief Hugger with no trace of anger or displeasure, her voice was gentle and full of serenity.

“I can explain, Chief!”

“It was because of me, Chief!” I spoke. “I found a parrot inside a box with a friend and brought it here! Fluttershy gave it some emergency treatments and it delayed her in her job!”

“A parrot in a box, you say!?” Asked Chief Hugger. “By any change it was a mealy amazon?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent! With this, everything will soon return to peace for the little animals in this region!” Said the Chief with a radiant smile. “The authorities finally captured the illegal hunters that were hurting the common species of this area! Mongrels all of them! Even stealing from the legalized animals from the neighbors! Just for a few bucks they sell their integrity and the exotic species they catch while leaving the others in… URRRGHH!”

All of the sudden I became somewhat scared of this woman.

“Please calm down, Chief! They are finally captured!” Answered Fluttershy. “The parrot is in the veterinary quarters and its stable!”

“Excellent job, Fluttershy! Let’s arrange the medicines tomorrow! I’ll take you home so you can rest! And you, young man! Thanks for bringing the parrot to us! You did the right choice! Do you live nearby? I’ll give you a ride as well”

“I live in Ponyville near the school so I can take the bus! The next one will pass at nine-!”

“Nonsense! Too dangerous to let you go alone this late! Fluttershy, grab your things and wait for me! I’ll make a quick check up to the parrot this boy brought! Leave the lights on, Flax Seed and Wheat Grass will arrive soon for the night shift”

“Right away, Chief!”

Fluttershy grabbed her things and waited for her beside me. She still looked tired… but something’s seems different in a good way. She looked refreshed and with a new found inner peace… I believe that her ideals are filled with naivety, just like Rainbow Dash and her weird sense of blind loyalty to the school activities. But I could respect her convictions…

“Fluttershy… I have a question.”

“By all means, ask away!”

“Can you forgive me?”
> Chapter 40- Am I getting too soft?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Rarity! What in tarnation is this!?”

“Your new and fabulous, seasonal clothes!”

It was Friday, and man, it was a pain! Rarity told me during break time that I needed to come to her boutique and finish what I started days ago. There was a big difference, though.

All of her friends were here!

“Seasonal clothes!? This is too fancy for me! I told yah that I just needed a fix to mah family’s working garments! Don’t yah think so, Big Mac!?”

“Eeyup!” Said Big Mac in agreement.

“Darling, those dated things are not worthy for a family that will receive the Honorary Citizen Award tomorrow! You must look perfect while you and the whole Apple family receive it!”

“What does that have anything to do with our farming clothes? We are a traditional and humble family, for Pete’s sake! Not a fancy, social people persons of the sorts!”

“You are not making any sense, Applejack!”

“You are the one not making sense!”

“Come on, Applejack!” Said Sunset Shimmer. “This outfit is looking good on you! I can’t wait when Rarity finishes it by tomorrow!”

“By tomorrow!? Darling, this costume will be finished it in a few minutes!”

If my memory serves me right, when a woman says in a few minutes, it means that it will take one thousand years to just start applying her make up!

“You are looking amazing, Applejack!” Said Sunset assertively. “Why don’t we ask the opinion of the boys to prove our point? Big Mac! How does your sister looks?”

He just simply gave her a thumps up! That’s a good answer when you don’t want to say something stupid so kudos there.

“Oh! But Big Mac is his sister! Of course he’ll be supportive to her! Nitpick, how does my friend looks?”

Why are you screwing me now, Fluttershy?

Ever since yesterday after I asked her for forgiveness in a sentimental moment of weakness, she has been so painfully sweet during school hours! I could feel the diabetes rotting my body just by looking at her. She still looked tired, but at least… she looked healthy like the day I saw her for the first time.

I think it was good.

“YOU SEE!? When someone is taking its time, is bad business!”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous Applejack! He is just admiring your new style for the autumn season… right?”

I didn’t like how she made a deep emphasis in the last part of her sentence.

“I can’t give an opinion! Her, uh, dress is not ready! It would be a half-hearted review!”

“You are right, darling! I must finish this before a proper critique can be made!”

“Rarity! Mah family working clothes, NOW!”

“I made lots of them using the designs from the historical video we made the last time! They were easy to do since I kept your family measures! So now, could you please be a dear and stand on the stool!?”

“What about us, Rarity!?” I asked in hopes that she would say that we weren’t needed.

“Both of you wait right there. As I said, this will not take long, trust me! Girls, let’s do this!”

All of them ‘Yay’ except for Applejack! That grumpy, weary and annoyed face of bitterness was so exquisite to my eyes that I couldn’t stop feeling sorry for her. As my only form of entertainment, I watched attentively to all of my surroundings.

The girls were playing ‘Dress Darbie’ with Applejack as their doll in the dressing room, but I could hear her complaining’s and being unhappy about it. Who would be happy about that? Rarity was raining her with tons of accessories, shirts, pants, dresses, skirts and the fuck I don’t know what more. What was supposed to be just a few minutes, it became two stressful hours for Big Mac and me. Big Mac found comfort in watching the fat cat sleep in her bed, slowly gazing for any hair thread she released when she coughed some fur balls.

I on the other hand, besides admiring the ambient, was playing with Spike ‘Go for the ball! It was my real and only source of entertainment, and after a while, Big Mac decided to join me in our new found source of interaction. He threw the ball, Spike chased after it, he brought it to me, I threw the ball, he chased it again and he gave it to Big Mac. Rinse and repeat.

Waiting for a woman to get dressed is like waiting for an old timer to finish reading his newspaper: it was boring, long and you felt you would end up mummified by the time he finished his reading session. And suddenly, Rarity made something unthinkable! She started to sing with a beautiful voice!

"Yard by yard, fussing on the details
Jewel neckline, don't you know a stitch in time saves nine?
Make her something perfect to inspire
Even though she hates formal attire
Gotta mind those intimate details 
Even though she's more concerned with sales
It's Applejack's new dress" 

“Rarity...” Interrupted Raindow Dash in a skeptical tone. “Forgive me if I’m not an expert in this things but this doesn’t look like a dress!”

“She looks… different!” Said Fluttershy with a kind tone.

“I believe she looks AMAZING!” Said Pinkamena in excitement.

“She looks so lawful!” Said Twilight with a cheering tone.

“I like it!” Said Sunset in approval.

“I HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!” Yelled Applejack with an annoyed voice. “Where’s the mirror!?”

And she got out of the dressing room with… What in the world!

“WHAT IN TARNATION I’M WEARING!?”

“A set of stylish brown, cowboy boots with a matching belt made of the highest quality leather imitation in the market! A long, marvelous frock coat that highlights your new western shirt with a silver snap fastening design! Matching dark blue rodeo jeans made for the rest of the set, and finally, the last touch!” She withdrew a hat from a nearby box. “Your favorite Stetson hat completely retrofitted for the occasion! What do you think of your new duds, Applejack?”

She looked pissed! She looked menacing! She had a badass long coat!



There is no doubt in my mind now, she was The Sheriff!

“This is too fancy!” Said the sheriff in a commanding voice. “What’s wrong with mah old raiment!?”

“Why don’t we ask the boys instead of starting an argument, my dear? Big Mac! How does she look?”

He gave her the thumbs ups again. But this time he looked more convinced.

“Big Mac is mah brother! He doesn’t count, remember? Nitpick, give me an honest answer!”

“Me!?”

Oh fuck! I’m gonna die if I say something stupid!

“Don’t pressure him, darling! Nitpick, she looks nice… Right!?”

I’m doomed.

“You look nice.”

There, simple and clean.

“You see, y'all? …I look silly.”

All the girls looked a bit down. I turned my sight to Big Mac and his simple nod told me that I could do better.

’Sigh’

“Applejack, have you ever seen ‘The Good, the Bad and the Idiot’?”

“Of course! That’s one of mah favorite movies!”

“Well, you are the fucking Sheriff!” I got up from my seat and walked around her. I need to remember one of the western poems my uncle taught to me years ago. “If you were like a poem, it would be like this one...”

I remembered one of his poems of old. I cleared my throat and started to chant it.

'I was the toughest sheriff in town,
Don’t feel sorry you had to put me down!
You had to kill the chaos in my lawn,
Finally bringing peace to my lady in gown!

Bang, bang my marrowfat,
You are far from being the worst!
The day you shoot me my hat,
It’s the day I’ll treasure the most!

I remember it like if it was yesterday’s pack,
I was trying to pick up your applejack’s heart!
It was so sweet and incredibly arrack,
It made me feel Valentine making you shoot at my hat in a single out-start!'

“Or something like that! Anyway, I hope that made my point on how good you look!”

Applejack had her eyes far and wide open. Her face acquired a tint of red-like jalapeño color straight from hell! The only logical conclusion right now is that I must start running the fuck away from her and don’t look back to the bull trying to put its horns on my head!

“Uh… Thanks, partner! I-I…I’ll keep the outfit for myself then!” Said Applejack while grabbing her hat and hiding part of her face behind it.

Did I say the right thing, then? Why all of you are looking me like that? Why are you staring me like that? Someone do something!

“I should start with the boys outfits now! They will look fabulous!” Finally said Rarity, breaking the awkward silence.

“YEAH! Good idea, Rarity!” Said Sunset Shimmer. “How about the rest of us go home and see each other tomorrow during the fair!?”

All of them agreed to her idea. Someone tell me what did I do wrong, already!

“Nitpick... Would you like come to the fair in front of the Town’s Hall tomorrow? There will be lots of cider and other stuff” Asked a still, reddish Applejack.

Sixth sense tingling! Must reject offer politely!

“I don’t know! Tomorrow I have the sport class and that always leave me-“

“I believe that your sports class will be canceled because of the event, so you can go and help Big Mac with the stands!” Said Rarity resting her hands in my shoulders and started to give me a massage.

Ow… it feels nice!

“Eeyu- What!?”

“I don’t think he needs my help!”

I want to spend the day slacking in my bed!

“But I think he and the Apples would truly appreciate your marvelous help! You will go tomorrow to the fair and help them… RIGHT!?”

AAAAAHHHH! MY SHOULDERS! YOU ARE CRUSHING MY SHOULDERS!!!

“I’ll help them out! I’ll help!”

“Excellent! Darling, you are truly nice and amiable when you try!”

“You fucking drama bitch…” I mumbled to myself.

“What did you say!?”

“You are so charming!”

“Thank you! Flattery is certainly welcome!” Said Rarity while brushing her hair with her hand.

Bitch…

“I’m so happy you’ll come with us! We are going to have so much fun together, Nitpick!”

Twilight, every single time that you speak to me…

“’Sigh’ Okay, you are right! We’ll have a blast together!”

That innocent expression she made was enough for me to give up and go with the flow… Is Gily right about CHS making of me a pushover? Or perhaps there is truly another kind of truth in that place? My grumpy friend once said that you should try to understand first before criticizing something and since day one I have been neglecting to learn from where they come from.

Perhaps, I should give them a chance. After all, what could possibly go wrong? 

Tomorrow I’ll try to enjoy the fair with them.
> Chapter 41 - Applejack and Twilight's meaningful moments! Tale 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Life as a farmer isn’t an easy one! You wake up before dawn, eat a quick filler to sate the belly and start mudding the saddle all day long until it’s time for the brunch! For the common folk, this is busy work! But for people like me, for a family like mine, this is the ideal life! I have been sweet on with this life since I was a little bud playing on the fields and helping in the dishes! Now, I work at the farm with a prideful chin looking to the sky and pining away for this peace of mine last forever!

Thanks to the efforts of my Granny, my siblings and I have the opportunity to assist to a school and have a relatively healthy life with friends and more. But when it’s farming time in important matters, then works comes first!

And today, after more than seventy years in being a successful farm of prosperity, mah family will receive an award for being a recognized, hardworking and honest family! We’re in the Town’s Hall, waiting for the fancy ceremony to start! Half of mah family is here to receive the award and enjoy the festivities with the folk of Ponyville. The other half will come as soon as the first half returns to their post in the farm later in the day. 

The first half mostly consist of the eldest folk  who enjoys peaceful and non-eccentric games and parties and the second half is mostly my cousins and the youngest folk who’ll definitely enjoy the most aggressive and physical demanding events of the evening! 

I could see the multitudes behind the curtains of the stage! Everyone was waiting for Mayor Mare to start the ceremony. Honestly, without disrespecting the Mayor, her speeches are too long and fancy! Mah family and me would prefer to get the fair started and enjoy it with the people. But things in this place can’t be done as the Wild West does, so we’ll have to wait until this is over.

Howdy! One of the staff gave us the signal that the event will start in a few moments!

“Alright, everyone! This is it! Remember, simple hand waving, no overreacting and we’ll be enjoying the fair and selling our stuff in no time!”

“I’m so nervous, sis!”

“E-eyup!”

“Why we are wearing these fancy clothing!?”

All the rest of my elder family members agreed with her and my siblings were approving of their worries. I can’t blame them! I have worn fancy before, but this is too much, Rarity! If only that guy… shoot, he’s so persuasive!

“This is a public event, y’all! We must use our best bib and tuckers for this occasion! Please bear it with me for a few minutes and we’ll change to our common attires in a moment! Just smile, okay?”

All agreed to mah idea and finally the Mayor made her appearance in the stage!

“Welcome, fair citizens of Ponyville and its visitors from nearby and faraway places! Today we are here to honor a family that is known to be the one of the main reasons this little but beautiful town exist. A family whose contributions to our country were immeasurable in the times of recession and strife during the last century! Thanks to them, the modern descendants of the Apple Tribe and the Smiths, we are here living the good life! And it’s my greatest pleasure, my honor, to introduce you to our favorite, dependable, hardworking and honest family in this town and possibly in all of Equestria; the Apple family!”

The curtains opened, the people saw at us with big smiles! And without wasting any moment they gave us the biggest and thunderous applauses and cheering’s I have ever heard in mah life! I could feel that mah family and I were the biggest toads in the puddle this day.

We tried to put our best face but we really were wamble-cropped nervous on the inside! 



“And now, a few words from the beloved chief of the family, receive with a warm cheering to ‘Auger’ Georgia Smith!” 

The Mayor approached Granny Smith, pointing out that she must take the mic! I wonder what kind of speech Granny prepared for the occasion? She worked for days in it! It must be something daisy holly!

Granny took the mic, cleared her throat and started to speak to the townsfolk! She took out her glasses and started reading her speech!

“Thank you!" She made a brief pause before continuing. “Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Now let the annual Ponyville Fair begins!”

And all my family and me answered her speech with one expression!

“YEEEEEEEE HAAAAW!”

The Mayor gave her the key, shalalalala and we finally went straight to the business stands! This year the sales will be as great as the last one! We have made the biggest buffet of apple recipes yet! Apple pies, apple tarts and you know the rest! People were coming to the locals and we were selling as fast as a cat running to his favorite sand bed! Mah family quickly went to the public bathrooms to change their usual and comfortable, farming cloths.

And I… I decided to keep using the new outfit.

“COME AND GET YOUR FRESHLY BAKED APPLE TREATS!”

“APPLE CIDER! FRESH, FIZZY APPLE CIDER!”

“TWENTY-FIVE BUCKS FOR THE FAMILY PACK! DON’T LET THE OFFER PASS OR YOU’LL REGRET IT FAST!”  

“Holly molly!” Applebloom said with complete disbelief while running towards me with her normal grabs. “Sister! We are sold out of apple caramels sooner than expected!”

“Niece!” Said mah uncle Strudel. “Apple juices are nearly sold out and people still want more! The rest of the stands are getting in the red numbers in their stuff as well! This is becoming the best sale we had in months but we need more merchandise, now!”

“Don’t worry, y’all! Cousin Turnip gave me a call that he’ll bring the second round of treats as soon as our family in the farms finish the cooking!”

“How about us? Do you need our help in something, Applejack?”

And there they were! The people who helped me organize this event to be bigger than the ones of the past years; my friends!

“When Cousin Turnip arrives with the second batch, please help mah family in distributing the merchandise in their places! For now, why don’t you enjoy the fair until he arrives? I’ll wander around and supervise the place! I’m in charge of this rodeo after all!”

“Sounds like a great idea! Girls, let’s go around the fair and enjoy ourselves! We’ll meet here in an hour so synchronize your cellphones in case you forget about it! Especially you, Rainbow Dash!” Sunset said her plan to our friends.

“Hey! I don’t forget things that easy!”

“Just like you didn’t forget the answers to the physics test? Let’s see how good you scored this Monday when Mr. Bridge gives us the scores!”

“Whatever! All ready to go!”

Sunset took the rides of today’s plan once again and they went to see what our fair is fairing around here. I took a walk around each stand to surprisingly see that most of the first batch of merchandise was gone. Each stand sales belongs to their respective households of each family so it urges me that Cous’ Turnip arrives soon with the goods.

As I was verifying that there weren’t any odd fishes in the barrel, I saw a lone girl tasting one of the apple caramels we were selling.

“Holly molly, sugarcube! Don’t eat it like that! There’ll be more in a few moments so enjoy every single chew of it!”

“I’m so sorry, Applejack! It’s just that I have never eaten one of these! They are so delicious!”

“Twi, don’t tell me you haven’t been in a fair before?”

“Not really, I spent most of my time… you know, science and stuff.”

“Then come with me and let’s make some good memories today!”

“What about your schedule!? You need to-“

“P'shaw, Twi! We still have some time left! Just take my hand and let me escort you around the place! Shall we go now, Daisy Nancy?”

She made the cutest giggle I ever heard and took my hand! Today this little miss will know what she’s been missing all her life!

I showed her around the place Rarity helped organize! She brought to me some ridiculous concepts and designs for the stands but it seems I misjudged her plans once again! People loved the flashy but still rustic and usual feel that the stands of the fair had this year! It gave me the feel that I was in mah farm and mah family enjoyed doing business and bartering with the clients!

“Can I just squeeze more food with my money!?” One of the fellows that were buying dumplings said to my cousin Apple Dumplings.

“So sorry, champ! That’s the bed-rock price!”

“Can I convince you in another way, pretty lady!?” He said in a suave manner. 

Poor fellow! He doesn’t know about the Apple family’s business spirit.

“Don't let your yearnings get ahead of your earnings, sweetie! Bucks or no apple treats! Serious barters this place only accepts!”
And he vamoosed as quickly as she unloaded her best guns!

“Wow! I can see your family truly makes serious business!”

“Why, thank you, Twi! We may not do things as fancy as Rarity or the upper class does! But we know how this business works! We haven’t been around for more than seventy years in the farming job just by cheer luck; you know what I’m saying?”

“I can see that most of your family consists of older people!” She said as she was looking at the stands.

“Nonsense! This is only half of it in this region! The young people you see in the locals are my cousins who doesn’t like big noises and rather enjoy the silence of the farm or events with only family members! In the afternoon, the youngest of the family will come to start the more demanding games of the event! There will be a mechanical bull, a little race and even a Western Fist Fight event! First places will win a seasonal Gold Brand Apple Cider and a little bottle of Apple Stetson whisky!”

“I saw people buying cider when we arrived. Forgive me for asking but what’s so special about the Gold Brand cider?”

“Oh! It’s a whole different league unlike the regular cider! We make all our products with hard work, discipline and patience, with the best produce we can manage to farm! But the Gold Brand is made with two special kinds of apples; the Southern Zap variety that is bitter and the Roxbury Russet kind that is sweet! Those two curiously grow in abundance in the winter season in mah farm! The rest of the seasons those two varieties of apples are really scarce! This year we had enough to make four bottles!”

“How much a bottle cost?”

“By demand and popularity, the normal kind cost the usual four to seven bucks depending on the size but a gallon of our Gold Brand cider usually cost like twenty five bucks! Since this is not the season and people always want that kind of cider because of demand, you could say those bottles could be sold more expensive than usual! But that would be unfair of us to the folks who keep being our loyal customers so we’ll give them away as prizes for the main events! I’m sure Rainbow will compete in one of the events to try and win a bottle! She loves the stuff!”

“So in short, it’s a bitter-sweet beverage that is extremely popular with the people in this sector of the country!”

“That’s right, sugarcube! It’s a bitter-swee-!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! I should go and see how he’s fairing! After all, Rarity got him in this mess to begin with! Could you come with me, mate?”

“Sure! I want to see him working hard!”

“Me too! I mean, need to make sure nothing is wrong in our sales!”

Shoot! What’s wrong with me today!?

We arrived to mah siblings’ stand. They were sold out of apple pies for the moment! Come on Turnip! Where are you?

“Then what did you do, Nitpick?”

“Were you scared!?”

“Is it true that Rainbow Dash kicked him with a roundhouse kick and put him in his place?”

“Yes, I was scared, Sweetie Belle! And no, there were no roundhouse kicks, Scootaloo! And I did what any man would do, Appleboom! Destroy the competition and save my friend! I also helped Rainbow and Zap in the process from that, uh, meanie to avoid saying another word!”

“Wow, Winder Rider sounds like an old Lily Liver!”

“A what?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Oops! Sorry! It means coward!”

“Ah, yeah! He sure was one…” Nitpick replied to her.

“I bet he was as mad as a hornet when you put him in his place!”

“Eeyup!”

“Why all westerns speaks weirdly like that!?”

“Oh sorry, Scoots! But anytime that most of mah family is around me, I can’t stop talking like a true farmer!”

“That’s the spirit, sis!” I finally said. “But aren’t you supposed to be selling our merchandise!?”

“But Sis! We don’t have anything left to sell!”

“I can see that… where are you, Cous’?”

A roaring sound from a truck could be heard and a barrage of beeps soon followed!

“SORRY FOR BEING LATE! HERE IS THE SECOND BATCH, MAH FAMILY!”

“We arrived just in time!” Sunset said with the rest of the girls behind her.

“All right! Let’s do this, y’all!”

“YEE HAW!” Everyone said.

We started to unload the second round of goods to all the stands! With our combined help, we managed to resupply the place in less than ten minutes! Big Mac and Nitpick were working really efficiently together! I’m amazed that he was being cooperative, talkative and hardworking like that, the way he unloaded the goods, and specially... That hat!

“Applejack!”

“Uh, what!?”

“They need your help with a client! It seems someone is getting annoyed by something!”

“Thank you, Twi! Take me there!”

She guided me to the source of the problem and it was the same guy from before that tried to barter his way with my cousin!

“I told you that I won’t date you!”

“Come on, sweet heart! We could go and have some fun together!”

“WHAT IN TARNATION IS GOING ON!?”

“Cousin!” 

“Hey! Nothing to see here! I’m just talking my way with the lady here!”

“I’m sure she said that she rejects whatever you are talking to her!”

“I’m a client! I should receive the benefit of a chance!”

“If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around! With that rotten mouth and ill feelings to my cousin, I’ll not allow for you to keep annoying her! So I’ll ask you to leave her alone!”

“Why you little-“

“Barrow Mint, stop! I told you to behave, my friend!” Another guy came and stopped him. 

I can see that he is the total opposite of this guy in front of me.

“Don’t be a party pooper, Goody Straw! You should support me, man!”

“Just let’s go to another stand, already! We are gonna miss the second batch of cider!”

“I won’t forget this, kid!”

“Just come along before you get into trouble again! Seriously!”

Both went away from here. My cousin was somewhat angered.

“That stupid, Lunk-headed city dweller! Scamps all of them! That’s why I don’ like coming out the farm, cousin! How you do this every day at school is beyond me!”

“Easy there, Apple Dumplings! Its fine now, I’m here!”

“And I thank you for that! UH!? Let’s talk later! Business is calling!”

She is right! People got in line while we were talking and boy, they looked wolfy!

“Wow, Applejack! You really know how to put people in their place!”

“Only when necessary, Twi! I won’t stand idle when family or friends are being threatened or annoyed like that!”

“That’s so brave of you!”

“It’s not bravery, sugarcube! It’s standing for your beliefs and protecting the people close to you! When you are close to your peers and develop a bond of trust through hard work and dedication, then you can make friends that last a lifetime”

“How?”

“How!? The answer is with honesty, Twilight! Honesty is the greatest value a person can have! Honesty makes you trusted in work! Honesty can make lots of good things happen when you put your heart in it! Come, Twi! Let me show you around once again so you can see for yourself!”

I walked with her around the place and I looked for things to use for explanation.

“Look at mah family and the folks coexisting with each other in a friendly manner! Look how mah family barters with them! Try to hear the loud exchanges from here!”

“WHY THE TARTS ARE SO EXPENSIVE, OLD LADY!?”

“Because they are worth it, lad! Take a bit of it. If you like it, you buy it! If you don’t enjoy it, I’ll give you a refund!”

“Alright! I accept the challenge!”

He started to eat the tart and by the looks of it…!

“Crap… I’ll take three!”

“Glad doing business with you, youngster!”

“You see what happened there, Twilight!?”

“Only that the tarts were so good that he bought more!”

“And why you think is that?”

“Because they tasted good, right?”

“Yes, but that’s the half-truth!”

“What’s the other half!?”

“When you take your time to do things the right way, your work will speak for itself. When you do something with honesty, there is nothing false on yourself! In other words, being an honest individual makes you a valuable being! You simply are who you are, and other people can take it or leave it.”

“But… doesn’t that mean that if you are not of their liking… they could end up leaving you alone?”

“Now you are spouting nonsense, Twi! Honest people will state their opinions even when their beliefs are against the majority. You must learn to be true to yourself and that will make you stronger in mind and spirit! Honesty is linked to many things!”

“But…”

“Shh… Listen sugarcube! I’m not one who talks fancy words… I don’t know to explain things as methodical or straightforward like the others! The only thing I can tell you is from experience alone! When you do things right, the greatest reward you can achieve is knowing that everything you do, everything you said, everything you become is the real deal! In the end Twilight, whether you cheat or not in a test, work hard in your job or not, or even when you are selling your merchandise everyday just for bringing food to the table! The best thing you can do is doing things the right way! When you are being honest to yourself, I assure you that you’ll have a clean consciousness! And there is nothing more beautiful than that! The feeling that everything you have is because you worked for it!”

“Everything? Even friendships are hard work?”

“Yeah! Friendship is a kind of work, too! The flower of friendship starts when you sow the seeds of loyalty in the soil of honesty! You water the soil and seed with a bit of kindness, you let the laughing sun warm the cold land and finally with your constant generosity you come back to make sure the flower is growing right!”

“That sounds… so right, Applejack!” Twi said with a voice of approval.

“I knew you would understand sugarcube! You are smart to the point to understand what I tried to say!”

“You were clear to me, Applejack!”

“Well, let’s stop this sentimental thing and enjoy the rest of the day! We have events to enjoy, food to eat and memories to make!”

“Lead the way, my friend!”

That refreshing smile of her…

“Let’s do it, yo! YEE HAW!”

Today I’m gonna have a blast with mah family and friends!
> Chapter 42 - Enjoying the fair.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was an unusually large group of people in the Town’s Hall Park. That’s because the annual fair of the Apple family was taking place in this fresh Saturday. I have never assisted to this fair in my life. I enjoyed the solitude of my room in my younger days and I used to hate crowded places. I managed to overcome such problem but I didn’t imagine that my first time here would be working as a slave for the Apple family. And you want to know the worst part? Do you want to know the worst part?

I’M FUCKING WORKING MY ASS FOR FREE!

You could SAY that the clothes that Rarity made for me would be a suitable payment, but I would rather have the money instead. The expansion pack for Demon’s Dogma: The Elder Lords will officially be released in the last week of November and all of my friends and I started to grind for materials to make the best stuff and complete the last raid we haven’t been able to complete… but we need a Shadow Mage!

We also need a Paladin, but thankfully Lightbulb still has the game and will join us in the struggle in a few weeks after he meets the gang! But I’m getting off the topic! Working here is busy work! No wonder nobody signed to take the part time job here! The Apples are… brutal during work.

“At least they gave me free lunch…” I said somewhat defeated.

I took out the apple pie from the paper bag and feasted on it. Although I would normally eat a more simple meal, today I can say no to this! Gily may be right… I’m losing weight and I need to eat more. She texted me that she will come to the fair with her Grandfather at four o’clock and spend some time with me. I wish the rest of the gang came as well but they have busier lives than ours. I checked my watch for the hour and I noticed that I need to survive near three hours more until she arrives.

“Good day, my fellow Cousin! I want something to eat! What can you offer me, today?”

“We have-“

“BLESSED LAND SAKES!” Interrupted Applebloom in excitement. “It’s cousin Braeburn!”

“MY NIECE!” 

“It’s my beautiful niece, Braeburn!”

“When did you arrive!?”

Some members of the Apple family walked straight to the new guy with immense happiness! He had a sheriff like attire with one of the best good-looking shotgun chaps I have ever seen in my life! He was tall, almost as tall as Big Mac! A bit smaller in build than him but you could clearly see he was really fit and his gold-like brown hair was a bit shaded by the hat he was wearing. This guy… it’s the real deal.



“Cousin! Why didn’t you tell us that you would come today?” Said an energetic Applebloom. “We’ll prepare you a bed when we get home!”

“Don’ need to worry, my little sweet pie! I already have a reservation in da’ fancy hotel near da’ farm! I just came here to say hello to da’ family from all Appleloosa! Maybe play a game or two in this fair you prepared!”

“Of course!” Said Applejack in agreement. “We’re having tons of events today! Maybe we could put you against the winner of one of those and he or she could receive extra prizes!”

“Yippee! That sounds like a plan! But for now, I’m hungry! Where I can get something to eat!?”

“I’ll take you to the nearest family restaurant of the town!” Said Applebloom. “Big Mac, Nitpick, please take care of the apple pies while we take cousin to have something to eat!”

“Eeyup!”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

Fucking great…

Boringness came upon us once more when they left the place but Big Mac was there, quietly sitting behind the stand. He was ready to serve and sell to new customers the last five apple pies of the second batch. Silent as a tree on a mountain, Big Mac was patiently waiting for something to happen. He was one of the few Apple members to keep his costume. Applejack didn’t change hers either and I wish she had… The complete set of clothes that Rarity gave me in the morning was eerie similar in design than the one worn by Applejack.

The big differences were that my coat was a bit longer, the jeans were, uh, manly and the boots were obviously designed for a man to wear; shorter, compact, undeniably cool and part of it hidden under the jeans. The hat was the same Stetson design like hers. Only, uhm, manly!

Damn it, I suck at describing expensive clothes… Even worse, lots of people were giving me the faces when I’m selling them the pies! What’s wrong with this town? I haven’t done anything to them!

“Big Mac! I knew you would be around here! Can you sell me one of those, please?”

“Eeyup!” Said a cheerful Big Mac.

This was the event that he was patiently waiting for! Miss Cheerilee was dressed cute today. I wonder if they will flatter each other. McIntosh meticulously wrapped the pie inside a paper bag and carefully gave it to her. The Miss paid him the money for her treat while graciously giving him a breathtaking smile… at least for him.

“You look nice on that outfit, Big Mac!”

“Uhm, thanks!”

Oh no! I know that kind of face! Big Mac, don't be quiet now! Praise her too or you’ll lose your chance!

“Well… I’m going to look around and see what else I can buy to eat“

“Ahm, Cheerilee?”

“…Yes?”

“…Would you like me to show you around when my cousins come to run the place for me?”

“I would be delighted, Big Mac! Call me when you are free!”

“Eeyup!”

YES! If only Flash was here to learn from McIntosh in how to ask a date to the girl of her dreams! Just fucking ask the question when you have her in front of you and move on whatever the outcome is! And if you know that there is no chance like in my case, then don’t bitch with other people about your issues!

“Hey! I didn’t know you would be working here in the stands, Nitpick! Can you give us a big apple pie, please?”

Speaking of the devil… And he was with his friends too!

“It will be six dollars a slice and fifteen for the whole deal!”

“Here are the fifteen bucks!”

“Here you go and thank you for buying at the Apple Fair Treat services!”

Please don’t come back anytime soon.

“Hehe! You would be a good seller! See you around, Nitpick!” 

“See you around… never.”

What a drag. This couldn’t get any worse!

“Bittersweet?”

Kill me already…

“I can’t believe you are working in the fair! Oh! You look less average and cooler with that outfit!”

“What do you want, Zap? And why are you here!? I thought Ponyville was a lame place for the likes of you!”

"Rainbow Dash invited me so I decided to come!"

"Shit!"

“That’s not the way to treat your customers, bastard!”

“Shut up, Dust! I’m talking to the person in front of me, not to the mindless chimpanzee besides her!”

“You piece of-“	

“Come on, Cous! We came here to have fun, not having fights with losers!”

Now this is the Indigo Zap that I remember. Not like the worthless wimp that resembled her from a few weeks ago in the Dick Rider incident.

“How much for the pie?”

“Fifteen grand for you.”

“Here are your fifteen buck and appreciate that I’m paying the full price after insulting my cousin!” Said Zap in her usual tomboyish voice and winking at me. “Come on, Cousin! Trenderhoof and the others are waiting for us in the main plaza!”

“WHAT!?”

“Oh, yeah! Most of our… well, your old schoolmates are here; Trenderhoof, Suri Polamare, Sour Sweet, Lemon Zest-“

“And Sugarcoat?”

Fucking bitch must be with them!

“She couldn’t assist! She is busy in cram school back at Crystal Prep! She is a Champion, remember?”

“Hmm”

As her second in command, you should be studying  there as well.

“Anyway, I’ll smell you later! Come on, Lighting Dust! I want a bit of those caramels”

“Whatever you say, Zap! And you! Don’t come near us, bitch!”

“You are the bitch here!”

After saying that, she gave me the looks and soon left the scene. Great! Now this fair is more annoying than before.

‘Ehem’

…shit. I forgot that Big Mac was here.

“Sorry, Big Mac! I’ll make sure that my personal issues don’t affect business!”

He nodded to me like if he understood what happened.

“Word of advice?”

“Uh… sure, why not?”

“A closed mouth gathers no boots.”

“… I understand.”

And with that, both of us were silent once again. What he said is a great truth to me, but a hard one to fulfill. Sometimes venting your anger is way easier than being silent and that usually brings unnecessary conflicts with other people.

We eventually sold the last pies to an old couple who was passing by and waited for his family to arrive with the third batch and finally get out of this pit hole. At two pm with eighteen minutes the shift in personnel arrived and holly molly! Farm girls are… cute. Big Mac went straight were Miss Cheerilee was. I believe she was secretly waiting for him to be free of his work and spend time with him.

I’m glad for you, McIntosh.

With my new found freedom, I decided to wander around to see what I could find to entertain myself. There were lots of places with typical money wasters to spend time with and one of the stands took my attention. 

As I approached my site of interest, I saw that it was a gambling game, two dollars each try! I decided to let it pass because I don’t have the humor to lose money in those things. I can’t believe there are people who wages money in stupid games. They end up losing more than they expect.

I also noticed that the cousin of the Apples returned from his meal. He looked happy wandering around with Applejack and Applebloom. He was too close to Applejack while he was excitedly talking with her about something and showed her a little box. She made a really surprised face and just helped to hug him and smile.

“Bro!”

“Beasty!”

“Hey there. I didn’t think to find you in this place.”

“We had free time so we came to the fair and enjoy it. Looking good, Beasty! Bet Rarity made her magic on you again and… you look tired.”

“I have been working for the Apples for free since the event started!”

“Why?”

“Rarity! Don’t ask…”

“Okay! Speaking of her, have you seen her clothing stand? She is selling fabulous dresses and accessories!”

“WHAT!? WHERE?”

“Right there!”

I focused my sight in the direction she pointed out! There she was! Rarity was in an outrageously fashionable stand with tons of carefully arranged pieces of western-like garments. With the exception of Applejack, Twilight and the others were helping her sell the merchandise. And by the looks of it, she was having good business. I got somewhat curious and I got nearby the place.

“Oh! Those vests with that jacket would look divine with your current outfits!” Said Rarity with a charming voice to a lovey-dovey couple.

“Really!? Well, then we’ll take them!”

“Perfect! Now please come quickly to the dressing room to give the final fixes to your new clothes!”

“But they look already good like this!” Said the young woman.

“No, No, No! They’ll look even better with a final arrangement!”

She dragged them to the portable dressing room and with the help of Fluttershy and Pinkamena, she made the corrections at an alarming fast rate. When they were finished, the couple got out of the room and…

“This feels comfortable and amazing!”

“And now they highlight your eyes, my sweetheart!”

“Oh! Cutie Pie! Thanks for everything, miss!”

“Anytime!” Said Rarity with an elegant expression.

“You got good business today, I see!” I finally said near her.

“Darling! It’s simply fabulous! I have sold a lot of clothes and accessories today! Thanks to my advertisement in the fair, this autumn fashion line had a healthy start so far!”

“I’m glad you are having fun and all... Can I change back to my usual style?”

“What? No! You look divine!”

“I don’t care! Why I can’t change my clothes?”

“Because Applejack is wearing the same outfit design as you!”

“And?”

“Well, both of you are the reason my sales are being successful this day!”

“What?”

She pointed out at one of the entrances of the fair and there was a-

“IT’S THAT APPLEJACK AND ME IN AN ADVERTISMENT POSTER!?”

“No need to be rude!” Said Rarity while still recovering from my yell. “Besides, it suits you! I was planning to ask Twilight to be in there but I saw real chemistry with both of you so I decided for Applejack instead! Enjoy the fame for once, relax and have fun! Look at how some girls are giving you the looks”

Paying attention to my surroundings, some girls were giggling at me with cutie little smiles… praising me.

“Ok, I’ll accept that! But why are you fixing clothes to people when clearly they are already finished!?”

No kidding, I just touched the fabric of the merchandise she was selling. All the costumes were sewed with such care and quality that I almost felt the necessity to buy one myself!

“It’s because I believe in personal quality, darling! They may be done with great materials and not to sound egocentric but I know I made a good job myself! BUT everyone has different sizes! When a customer comes to my boutique, I want their clothes to scream ‘This is the real me!’ and that’s why I brought this mini dressing room with me! Quality and fashion over stream lined atrocities like the ones you were wearing in your first week of classes is what I want to sell!”

Bitch.

“… I should go!” I said that while turning my back on her and went back to my friends.

“Have fuuuuun!”

DON’T FUCKING SING!

“Let’s go and do something fun, just the three of us together!” Said Dancer while trying to not laugh at me. She probably heard my one-sided exchange with Rarity.

“Sounds good but at four o’clock or so, a friend of the academy will come to hang out with me!”

“Oh! One of your friends from your old school?” Said Dancer in a happy tone. “Why doesn’t she hang out with us? Any friend of yours is a friend of ours!”

“GREAT! But… she has a nasty language like mine. She is from Stalliongrad so don’t expect fancy modals like yours!”

“I understand. Just try to shut up a little, okay!?”

“Urrrghh!”

We spent time together playing some typical fair games like a shooting range gallery and a kind of fishing game. We didn’t win anything but we spent a good time together. Eventually, my favorite guitar power stroke rang from my phone and Gily and her grandfather arrived at the scene. Luckily, I had told Gily long ago about my childhood friends and whenever the chance emerged, I would introduce them to her. She despises surprise introductions!

“All right, Gilda, my friends from middle school, Lightbulb and Dancer. Lightbulb and Dancer, my friend from the academy, Gilda! Now, what do you want to do?”

“Uh, Beasty? What about the ‘Nice to meet you’ or the appropriate greetings?”

“Pff time wasters! Rather go straight to the fun in this pit hole!” Said Gily straightforward. 

“I like how she expresses my feelings on this kind of things!”

“Bulby!”

“What?”

“Both of you! Behave like proper members of society in front of my friend!” I said in a sarcastic tone.

“How dare you to say that to me, Nitpick!” Said a falsely angered Dancer.

“Easy, there! You’ll grow some wrinkles!” Said Gily with a relaxed tone.

“Hmph!”

Good! The first exchange was a success. 

“Uh, forgive my girlfriend!” Said Lightbulb in a somewhat apologetic and clownish tone. “She hasn’t eaten yet and she is grumpy!”

“Then let’s go and buy me something, will you!?”

And we started walking and bought some food. Both of them bought some kind of sandwiches and Gily and I enjoyed ourselves with some badass, homemade hamburgers with juice. Gily’s Grandfather went on his separate way… I bet he went straight to the gambling games. We played other boring chores of a games and eventually, Gily and I went back for some beverages.

“I can safely say that the guys and I will get along with Lightbulb just fine!” Said Gily while drinking some weird, apple tea. “…the problem is the other girl! What’s her problem? I feel she could be cooler but she is being restricted by something in her attitude! It’s annoying me!”

“So you noticed it at first glimpse? Damn it!”

“Something happened?”

“Only that perhaps my new school is a stressful place like you said…”

“Oh, yeah! Speaking of stress! I brought you some vitamins! Take them, now!”

“Thanks!” I proceeded to swallow them with a moderate slip of water. “Ah… Hate medicine!”

“Vitamins”

“It doesn’t matter! Well, how much?”

“Uhm… six dollars!”

“Here!”

“Thanks!”

Why did I pay her for the vitamins? Because they are fucking expensive and I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I don’t repay her the money. A topic for another day!

“Well, what should we do, now?”

“They say that there were going to be some fair games at five! But they haven’t told us what are they going to be or if there will be a kind of prize”

“ATTENTION, EVERYBODY!”

That voice in the megaphones was from Applejack. She was standing at one of the stages of the fair.

“ARE YOU HAVING FUN TODAY?”

“YEEEEAAH!” Most of the townsfolk responded in unison.

“THEN LET ME TELL YAH THAT THE FUN WILL BE DOUBLED NOW! WE HAVE PREPARED SOME SPECIAL GAMES FOR THE OCASSION! THERE ARE FOUR MAIN COURSES! A RACING COMPETITION! A WESTERN STYLE FIST FIGHTING! A MECHANICAL BULL RESISTANCE SCRAMBLE AND FINALLY, AN EATING COMPETITION!”

“OH! No matter the prize, I’ll go straight to the fist fight event!” Said Gily with excitement. “Now this is what I call fun!”

“Enjoy yourself! I will watch and cheer for you from a safe distance!”

“FIRST PLACES WILL RECEIVE A SPECIAL EDITION OF OUR FAMOUS GOLD BRAND APPLE CIDER!”

“A FUCKING GOLD BRAND CIDER AS FIRST PLACE!? I’M IN!” 

“REMEMBER, IN THE END ALL OF US ARE WINNERS!”

“Bullshit!” Gily and I said together.

“THE SUBSCRIPTION LISTS ARE OVER THERE! HURRY BECAUSE PLACES ARE LIMITED! TEN DOLLARS IS THE DUE FOR ENTERING THE COMPETITIONS!”

She ended her speech and without wasting time we went straight to the subscription stand. The line was enormous!

“Fucking damn it! Look at the line! We’ll never get a chance to participate in this competition!”

“Don’t worry, Nit! We’ll have our chance!”

The line got shorter and shorter until finally we were in front of a curious fellow.

“Howdy there, City folks! Mah name is Half Baked Apple! Let’s get straight to business! In which event you want to participate!? I’m afraid to say that the race in pairs and the eating competition are full! Only the mechanical bull and the fist fight event are left! You can only choose one!”

“I want to subscribe to the fist fight event!”

“Señorita! I’m afraid that you can’t subscribe in it!”

“WHAT!? WHY NOT!?” Gily yelled to Baked Apple.

“Holly Molly! That voice of yours is really strong! It hurt my ears like a hammer hitting my head!” 

“I’m gonna do more than hurt your ears if you don’t let me subscribe to the fist competition!”

“Sorry! No matter how strong you are, it’s tradition to not allow ladies participate in it! We have strong girls in the family that can easily beat a man to a pulp! But our family believes that men must respect women and never put a finger on them! Por favor, entienda! If you wish to test your might, then choose the mechanical bull instead!”

“YOU-!”

“Gilda!”

“Urrrrgggghhh! …fine! The mechanical bull event will do! Better be good… Stupid traditions…” Mumbled Gily on the last part.

“I assure you that you won’t be disappointed or I’ll stop calling myself Half Baked Apple! YEE HAW! And you, compadre? What do you want to participate in?”

“Forget the mechanical bull, Nit! If strength is the only factor, you won’t last long.”

“May I see the list of the fist-fighting competition?”

“Want to see who you are against? Well, since you don’t have many choices, here you go!”

Mmm let’s see… 

“Flash Sentry?” I asked to myself.

“Trenderhoof is here!? Nit, with competition like this, you can win!” Whispered Gily to me.

“That Gold Brand Apple Cider will be mine! This is my event, good fellow!”

“Good choice! Only real men choose their fists as a measure of strength and dignity!”

Uh… no, most of the time it leads to stupid outcomes. Right, Gily?

The first event was the Tied-Pair Racing! It was a silly name to what in fact was a common race with two people tied to each other. Among the only people that could be considered a true competition was Rainbow Dash teaming up with Sunset and Indigo Zap teaming with Dust. This should be interesting.

“ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE!” Spoke Applejack from the megaphone, a Starting Pistol in the form of a magnum was held with her hand. “READY? SET! GO!”

‘BAAM’

She looks awesome when shooting that thing.

Most of the participants fell to the floor without making a single step, but two pairs of girls were running with all her might! Rainbow’s team was starting to get ahead of the road, but all of the sudden, Indigo and Dust started to shift engines! Sunset tried her best to keep up with Rainbow, her face started to show some strains in it!

But fuck of the sudden! Sunset suddenly flared her way up and Rainbow soon followed! Both of them looked like if they were blazing the road in intense colors of red and blue! Indigo and Zap were at the verge of defeat but suddenly the glow of Sunset and Rainbow vanished and both duos made a power sprint to the finishing line! 

A camera flash suddenly snapped taking with it the judging picture. They waited for the image to reveal itself and soon the winners were revealed!

“THE PICTURE HAS BEEN REVEALED AND THE JUDGES HAD DECIDED! THE WINNERS ARE…” Drums of dramatic sound were heard. The present people were waiting for the result with anxiety. “RAINBOW DASH AND SUNSET SHIMMER! CONGRATULATIONS!”

Cheers were heard and a happy Rainbow Dash could be seen! Indigo… accepted her defeat and made a handshake to Rainbow. Sunset tried to do the same with Dust but at least she showed the character I was used to see in her.

Rainbow and Sunset soon were called to the stage were Applejack was standing. In her hands, the beautiful bottle was passed to Rainbow’s grasp and she made a thunderous scream of victory!

“CONGRATULATIONS IN WINNING THIS GOLD BRAND APPLE CIDER, RAINBOW DASH AND SUNSET SHIMMER! THIS ONE WAS MADE BY MY SISTER SO THE BOTTLE IS CALLED ‘THE APPLEBLOOM’!”

“OH, BEAUTIFUL APPLE CIDER!” Said Rainbow Dash with an over pleasant voice.

And she kissed the bottle. DAMN HER! I’M SO JEALOUS!

I can’t believe the Thunder Duo just lost to them! Sure, I admit that Rainbow is a great athlete at the level of Zap, but Sunset… I mean, she has great skills for what I saw during practices, but if I must be honest, with all the pain in the world I must say that Lighting Dust was superior in every way.

Perhaps they had a lucky shot or maybe they won fair and square. Anyway, the next competition will start right away and Gily, Lightbulb, Dancer and I went straight to it.

“I can’t believe Dust lost like that!” Said a confused Gily. “I hate her, but I must give credit to her abilities! She and Zap were clearly winning before the last sprint until those other two got a major boost right from nowhere!”

“I saw it too, they were shimmering with radiance!” I said with disbelief as well.

“You sound like if you expected them to lose, Bro! I thought you had Shimmer in great esteem!”

“Lightbulb, we hate Dust but she is better than Sunset in sports! I have seen her do crazy performances before.”

“ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY! THE EATING CONTEST WILL START NOW!”

“Come, Bulby! Let’s win this so we can get the Gold Brand Cider for us!”

“YEAH! That’s the spirit, Choco! Let’s go!”

And both went their way to the contest.

The competition table was filled with an uncountable amount of food! There were lots of contestants with face of hunger, like wolves and coyotes who were patiently waiting to start eating the feast in front of them. Lightbulb and Dancer were sitting in the corner and in front of them were Pinkamena and Rarity, besides them were Twilight and Fluttershy and finally in front of them were Lemon Zest and Sour Sweet. This will be funny! I can safely say that those eight will be the first ones to be eliminated. I mean, the other guys were bigger and hungrier.

“READY? SET! GO!”

‘BAAM’

She is so fucking cool when firing that Starting Magnum.

All the contestants started to eat like beasts feasting on their just captured prey. The massive amount of food that most of those people could swallow was incredibly excessive and repugnant at the same time! 

But there was something more shocking and unbelievable in the table! Two girls were eating like pigs! Not any kind of common pig, oh no! These ones have social etiquette at their side! Pinkamena was devouring the pies and tarts like if they were fucking glasses of water! Rarity on the other hand was devouring the food with such grace and elegance that you could nearly forget the exuberant quantity of food she has eaten so far.

Fluttershy and Twilight… Twilight was having fun.

That’s nice…

The contestants were being eliminated one by one! Stomach ache’s and complains of needing to go to the restroom were heard from the table. Some participants wanted to throw up the dishes they just ate. How can someone have a sense of pity for them by the way they swallowed their food? Eventually, Rarity and Pinkamena and Lemon Zest and Sour Sweet were left. Four slices of pie will decide the victor of both teams.

They looked indecisive on who would take the last bite. But eventually, Sour Sweet got ahead and ate the first slice… and her head brusquely hit the table. Who was next? Rarity was the valiant one to step forward with the fork, she took a bite… and fell like Sour Sweet to the table. Only Zest and Pinkamena were left, proudly standing with their raised heads. You could see the intensity to win in their eyes. Both of them took the last two slices and ate them at the same time! 

Aaaaand… Zest valiantly fell to the table.

“THE WINNER IS PINKIE PIE AND RARITY!”

All the people cheered for them! I had to give them some applause’s myself because I couldn’t go to sleep tonight if I didn’t praise them a little! Lightbulb and Dancer came to us but they ate so much that they decided to go home… Poor guys, hope they feel well by tomorrow.

“THIS BOTTLE WAS MADE BY GRANNY SMITH! SO IT’S CALLED ‘THE GRANNY’! CONGRATULATIONS!”

“YES! APPLE CIDER FOR ME!” Screamed in joy an oversized Pinkamena, her belly inflated like a balloon.

DAMN HER, TOO!

But now it was Gily’s turn! I’m sure she will get the cider for us!

“THE MECHANICAL BULLS ARE READY! THERE ARE ONE-HUNDRED EIGHT COMPETITORS AND FIVE BULLS! IT’LL BE BY TURNS AND THE ONE WHO ACHIEVES THE BEST TIME WILL WIN! NOW GO AND FORM A LINE FOR EACH BULL”

“Good luck, my friend!”

“I’ll be back with the gold for us, my friend!”

And we made a Bro-Fist!

This event was really short. Most of the guys fell between the five and twelve second mark. Gily looked confident that she would survive longer than the fifty-three seconds record made by Bon Bon! She was good, really good!

Gily and the last contestants were ready, and the bulls started to furiously shake their riders with such force that some of them were struggling to maintain control! Eventually one by one fell to the mat and Gily was left standing! She was trying her best to have a strong grip on the beast! She nearly fell! She got to the side! OH MY FUCKING SHIT, DON’T FALL NOW!

“JUST A FEW SECONDS MORE, GILDA!” I yelled with an encouraging voice.

“WATCH ME WIN THIS THING, NITPICK!”

All people started to count backward looking at the chronometer on the screen!

“FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ON- OOOWWWWHHHHHH!”

She fell…

“DAMN IT!”

The people gave her lots of warming applauses for her great effort, but she wanted to win. She stood up and slowly walked towards me.

“There will be a next year, Gilda!”

“Better be! I will have my victory next time!”

“CONGRATULATIONS, BON BON! THIS BOTTLE WAS MADE BY MY BROTHER, SO IT’S CALLED ‘THE MCINTOSH! ENJOY”

“YEAH!” Yelled a victorious Bon Bon while raising the bottle with Lyra at her side.

While we walked to the event I was going to participate in, Bon Bon and Lyra walked nearby us. Gilda and Bon Bon had a small exchange of glaring’s… My sixth sense told me that I should stay away from them. The pair of pretty girls continued their path and both of us did the same.

“That girl, Nit! She isn’t your usual gal! I can feel it!”

“She is strong?”

“Perhaps as strong as me… maybe stronger… I must train harder!”

“You are invincible in my books!”

She just rested an arm on my shoulders while I did the same on hers. We arrived to the site of the last event. It was a big sized corral that old westerns used to put their gamecocks in it. I wonder how much exhilarating would be to watch two True Cowboys fight for something worthy! Well, I must start to consider myself a Junior Cowboy, because for me, that bottle at the stand is my reason to be!

I’ll fight with my fist to win my Gold Brand Apple Cider!
> Chapter 43 - With our fists!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE! LET’S BEGIN THE FIST FIGHTING TOURNAMENT! IN THE TABLE OVER THERE YOU’LL SEE SOME HEAD GEAR AND GLOVES FOR THE OCASSION! LOOK FOR THE ONE WHO FITS YOU THE MOST! SINCE THERE ARE ONLY EIGHT PARTICIPANTS, THERE IS EQUIPMENT FOR EVERYONE!”

“I’m glad I didn’t participate in the competition, then!” Said Gily. “Using protection makes things boring.”

“At least it secures me a victory against those guys! Besides, if I manage to win! I will have the Golden Cider!”

We went straight to the table to retrieve my gear. Flash, Trenderhoof and other participants who looked like worthless contenders were there. 

“Barrow Mint, you don’t know how to fight.”

“Shut up, Goody Straw! Do you really think I’m gonna lose!?”

“Yes.”

“Fuck you! You’ll see! I’ll impress that dumpling girl!”

Idiot…

“Nitpick! How nice to see you around here!”

“Trenderhoof, you aren’t the fighter type! Why are you in this event?”

“Because behind the risk, there is a prize I must win!”

“I know that the Golden Apple Cider is the shit, but you suck at fighting! You are going to get hurt!”

“Not that prize! I mean the greater prize!”

Didn’t you hear what I said about the danger of you getting hurt?

“What prize then?”

“HER! Isn’t she supreme!?”

He pointed his finger at the direction of-

“Applejack?”

“YES! When I saw her sublime athletics and grace during the Friendship Games, I fell in love at first sight! If I can manage to win this tournament of men and bravery, I may have a chance to win her heart!”

“Good luck…”

Dumbass, they’ll kill you before you ever have a chance to impress her. And if you fare against me, I’ll fucking crush you in the name of my cider!

“Thanks! To you as well!”

At least he is motivated for something that isn’t fashion. I thought he liked to swing in the wrong direction.

“Nitpick! How funny to see you in the tournament!”

“That’s actually my quote, Flash! Why are you participating?”

“To impress Twilight!”

ARE YOU SERIOUS!?

“Does everybody here are participating to impress a girl instead of winning the cider!?”

“Yes!” Said my opponents with dead pan expressions.

So stupid! I have learned my lesson that doing outrageous stuff doesn’t impress a girl that easy! If you are worthless for her, then you are screwed with her!

“It seems that all of them are idiots, Nit!” Whispered Gily in my ear.

“I know… hopeless people!”

“Forget about them! Here, let me help you putting these!”

Gily made sure that I was using the equipment the right way! She adjusted the globes, firmly positioned my head protector and explained to me how to use the mouthpiece efficiently.  She reminded me of some moves I used to know in the academy to give me an edge. To say that I was a competent fighter would be so vain of me because I was decent at best. I don’t think it will be necessary to use her moves with this kind of people but I won’t take risks if I’m in a pinch. 

“All set! Good luck, my friend!” Said Gily while taking care of my coat and hat. Now she was the sheriff of the two of us.

“Thanks, my friend!”

And we made a Bro-Fist once again.

Applejack told the rules to everybody through the megaphone. You could win with a knock out or through points. Since there was going to be an evening event at eight, they decided to make just three rounds matches to speed things up.

The tournament finally started and the first fight was over fast! Flash won with a quick jab against Random Dude Number One and advanced in position. The second fight was between Random Dude Number Two and Three! Both of them made a double cross counter! Number two won and advanced in position while Number Three was left cold in the ground. The guy Barrow Mint won against Random Dude Number Four, and like Flash, he won with a quick jab. And now it was my turn against Trenderhoof.

“IN THE BLUE CORNER! ONE OF THE BEST FASHION CRITICS OF CRYSTAL PREP, TRENDERHOOF!”

All of my old schoolmates cheered for him. Except for Gily who was playing as my Cornerman! Besides, she thinks he is a wimp and she dislikes most wimps.

“Nit…”

“I know! No mercy!”

“Go for the nose!”

And she patted my shoulders and I went straight to the center of the corral ring.

“IN THE RED CORNER! ONE OF THE NEWEST STUDENTS OF CHS! HE LIKES FIZZY APPLE CIDER AND IS ONE OF THE HONEST FELLOWS I HAVE MET EVEN IF HE CAN BE STUBBORN AND BAD MOUTHED AT TIMES! MEET NITPICK BITTERSWEET!”

Why my introduction was the longest of the eight?

“NOW! READY!”

“Good luck, Trenderhoof!”

“SET!”

“Thank you, Nitpick! You are still the Champion of the lower class even if you aren’t in Crystal Prep anymore!”

Your honest praise will make the obvious outcome taste like crap for me now.

“GO!”

‘Slam’

And he fell to the floor.

“THE WINNER IS NITPICK BITTERSWEET! YEE HAW!”

“WOHOO! YOU WON, NITPICK!” 

Twilight, you are embarrassing me! And I didn't think you liked this kind of stuff.

People cheered for this slaughter… I decided to help and bring him to where Indigo Zap and the rest were.

“Oh! Now that’s a good fellow there!”

“Yeah!”

“Whooo!”

Why all of you are cheering me for this!? I couldn’t leave him lying on the floor!

The next fight was between Random Dude Number Two against Flash! The fight was a little more exciting! Flash was swinging from side to side to avoid being hit by the punches of Number Two! Number Two was impressively putting pressure on Flash! He made a full swing to his head and Flash evaded it and made a full arc uppercut!

'Baam'

The match was over.

“FLASH IS THE WINNER!”

People got crazy while Flash raised his hands! Twilight was checking something on her phone.

Poor guy… She doesn’t care about your victory.

Now it was my turn against this Barrow Mint fellow. This should be painful if he manages to hit me.

“Nit!”

“Have any good strategy?”

“He looks like the hot-blooded type! Let him charge at you and try to connect a counter!”

“You know I don’t have your fighting abilities to manage a full, frontal assault!”

“But you have that weird sense of yours! Try to evade his punches and wait for the right moment to hit! If he grabs you, you lose! Understand?”

“Yes! I’ll be careful!”

“Good luck!”

She patted my shoulders once again and I walked straight to the center.

“Ready to lose, dude!?”

“I wish you the best of lucks!”

“You sound like a wimp!”

“READY! SET! GO!”

He swiftly closed to gap in distance between us! He quickly managed to connect a hit with his right and I briefly lost some of my balance! He didn’t waste time and proceeded to launch a cross punch to my left but I managed to avoid it just in time. Whether I’m crazy or I truly possess it, I love my sixth sense. The public that consisted of mostly young people encouraged us so we could fight at our best. I rather have them be quiet so I could think a strategy of sorts.

“You got lucky, pussy!” Said Barrow Mint.

…You are dead, son of a bitch!

He quickly rushed again towards me but instead of trying to run away, I rushed my way to him, closed the gap and mercilessly connected an uppercut. The guy fell to the floor in a bad position and the people got silent.

“BARROW MINT!” Yelled his friend with great worry.

I could hear the people whispering if he was okay… Uh, I better help him out. I took this guy to his friend and the people started to praise me again.

“NITPICK WINS! THE NEXT ONE WILL BE THE FINAL BATTLE!” Finally Said Applejack with a voice of relief.

The people got crazy with this announcement! As for me, I walked towards Gily who managed to get fresh water and an ice bag ready for me.

“You did goooood, my friend! I’m so proud of you right now!”

“Thanks, I have the best Cornerman in the world!”

“The next fight should be easier! But be careful nonetheless!”

We had a two minutes rest so we could catch our breath and as soon as the rest time was over, Flash and I were in the middle of the corral ring.

“Good luck, Nitpick!” 

He stretched his arm and I was unsure if I should complete the hand-shake ritual. Before he could lower his hand, I completed the courtesy and I wished the best for both of us.

That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t bring him down.

“THIS IS IT, EVERYONE! THE FINAL BOUT! PLEASE GET READY TO FIGHT FAIR AND SQUARE! READY!”

Now I know that Flash wasn’t a total pushover so I need to step up my game.

“SET!”

I must take him down quickly.

“GO!”

In an instant, both of us were clashing our fists! Flash was surprisingly strong and quick! But I’m glad in a way this was the case! The cool guy must have more than looks for being considered like that! I tried to make compact punches to his stomach but he quickly blocked them away! I made a full swing and he parried it with both of his arms! 

And then-

‘Slam’

The wood of the corral helped me to not touch the ground.

“Oh, that punch felt good…” I said somewhat dizzy.

“NIT! USE THE SHOULDER ROLL!”

Shoulder roll… my head! I can’t bitch right now! I must regain my ground. My right arm defending the torso and the left is put at the side of my head. I believe is like this.

“Ready or not, I’m coming for you Nitpick!”

Damn it! He is going for the gold! He rushed straight to me and so he can give an end to this!

“DON’T GIVE UP, NIT!”

Gily!

“YOU CAN DO IT, BASTARD!”

Zap?

“PLEASE DON’T LOSE! WIN AGAINST THAT DUMMY, NITPICK!”

TWILIGHT!?

“UH!”

Flash put his guard down after hearing the last cheer. This is my chance! But I can’t punch him like that! Gily would never forgive me!

“I’M YOUR OPPONENT HERE, REMEMBER!?”

He snapped back to reality and tried to put a defensive guard but since he is already aware of the fight!

‘Slam’

And he was down!

“OVER! IT’S OVER! NITPICK BITTERSWEET WINS THE FIST FIGHT COMPETITION!”

“YES!”

I quickly removed Flash from the ground and delivered him to his friends. He was really seeing the stars right now. Too bad, cool guy! Have you been more focused in our duel, I would have been in your shoes instead of you being like that!

“NOW NITPICK, PLEASE STEP FORWARD TO THE STAGE AND-“

“WAIT!”

That voice! It was Applejack’s cousin!

“I want to challenge you to a friendly match!”

“WHAT!?”

The people went wild with his declaration of challenge! Their fighting chants could be heard in the entire town! My sixth sense… I must decline.

“BUT COUSIN! HE ALREADY WON THE TORUNAMENT! IT WOULD BE UNFAIR IF HE LOSES RIGHT NOW!” Said a concerned Applejack.

“Come on, Nitpick fellow! Would you kindly accept my challenge?”

“Come here, Nit!”

I quickly got to the side of my Cornerman.

“Reject the challenge!”

“I didn’t think I would be hearing those words from your mouth!”

“I normally accept challenges but I know when something is beyond my reach! I also know your current limits and you are in no condition to fight that guy! I know you can notice he could crush you!”

Suddenly the megaphone was heard once again, but this time it was the cousin of the Apples.

“I DON’T WAN’ TO BE TROUBLE BUT IF THE WINNER AGREES, HE CAN HAVE MY SPARE TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS BUT IF HE LOSES, HE CAN KEEP HIS NORMAL TOURNAMENT PRIZE!”

“But he is tired from his previous fights! It’s a clear disadvantage against you!” Shouted Gily to my challenger.

“DON’T WORRY, SEÑORITA! I’M WELL AWARE OF THAT! I’LL HANDICAP MYSELF WITH SPARRING GLOVES THAT ARE FILLED WITH MORE SOFT COTTON THAN USUAL! THAT’LL REDUCE THE STRENGHT IN MY PUNCHES! I WON’T BE USING HEAD PROTECTION EITHER, ONLY THE MOUTH STUFF! ALSO, I’LL USE EXTRA WEIGHTS IN MY CHAPS TO MOVE SLOWER THAN BEFORE! I JUST WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME IN A FRIENDLY FIGHT!” 

“Sounds fair to me… But still…”

“I’ll reject the challenge, Gily. Don’t worry!”

Granny Smith suddenly spoke through the megaphone.

“DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE APPLE WHISKY! IF YOU WIN, LAD! YOU’LL RECEIVE THIS BOTTLE OF GOLD BRAND APPLE STETSON ALCOHOL!”

“ALCHOHOL!?” Gily and I shouted in disbelief.

“GILY!”

“HE ACCEPTS”

What a fierce roar! People really want us to fight! We are like a circus! Everybody has fun when they are not the ones in danger. But that whisky will be ours!

“Okay, Nit! Peek-a-Boo style is your best bet! You aren’t the kind of people to manage a frontal assault so play safe by ducking his hits! Try to maneuver from a distance doing hit and run attacks!”

“If only your academic knowledge were as good as you’re with fighting knowledge”

“Shut up, little shit!”

“Do you think I can manage this?”

“He looks tough… I’m starting to regret the choice but there is not turning back, now! Try to not die there!”

She gave me a quick massage and made the final adjustments to my gear.

“Good luck, my friend!”

“I’ll be back before you know it!”

“Conscious, I hope.”

“ALRIGHT, EVERYONE!”

He and I approached to the middle of the ring. His gloves looked heavier but spongier than mine, his shotgun chaps had a weird set of weights similar to those that athletes use to train. His hat and coat were held firmly by Applebloom in the blue corner. That face of his told me that he really wanted to have a friendly match.

“Good luck, city folk!” Said Braeburn with real good intentions behind his words.

“Same to you.” I responded in kind.

“THIS WILL BE THE LAST FIGHT!” 

“Did you enter this tournament for something special!?”

“IT’LL BE THREE ROUNDS WITH A TIME LIMIT OF THREE MINUTES! SO IT'S THE SAME RULES AS BEFORE!"

“Yes! I’ m doing this to win something special to me!”

“The señorita’s heart that was beside you?”

“KNOCK OUT OR BY POINTS IS THE WAY TO WIN!”

“No! She and I are like family! I’m fighting for something else!”

“READY!?”

“What is that if I may know?”

“SET!”

I pointed with my fist on the direction of Applejack! Besides her, my prize! The beautiful Lady Gold Brand Apple Stetson Whisky!

“That beautiful lady at the stage!”

His eye irises were opened with great amazement. Suddenly he made a serious expression.

“If that’s the case… THEN YOU’LL HAVE TO GET OVER ME FIRST!”

MY SIXTH SENSE!

“GO!”

Applejack fired the Starting Magnum!

‘BOOM’

I was nearly sent flying away from the place! Thanks to my sixth sense I was able to block in time! I could see it! A fierce horse in the form of a man was in front of me!

THOSE COTTON GLOVES OF HIS ARE USELESS WITH THAT KIND OF POWER!

Like a hose making an stampede, Braeburn suddenly charged with such power towards me and as I managed to avoid the hit, the fabric of wood met its demise against his mighty blow!

I’M GONNA DIE!

“NIT! KEEP YOUR DISTANCE!”

I took several steps backwards to keep a safe distance from him! Gily was right! I’m not the type of managing frontal attacks! But what surprised me the most it’s how he just lost his peaceful demeanor like that!

“Hey! Why are you angry all of the sudden!?”

“Angry!? No, partner! This is a test of manliness! Want to win the Lady? You’ll have to pass through me!”

“WHAT!? This is supposed to be a friendly competition!?”

“DO YOU REALLY WANT TO WIN THE LADY OR NOT!?”

I want that Apple Whisky!

“THE REWARD IS WORTH ALL THE RISK!”

“THEN FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!”

And he charged again with such brute force! I put all my weight and strength to my arms and legs to try to resist his inescapable fist!

‘BOOM’

He pushed me back to the wood corral! Such power! If he weren’t using his handicaps, I would be dead by now! I could hear some members of the Apple family being concerned with his relative! Mumbles of his unusual attitude were a major topic I could hear while I was trying to recover from the hit.

“I didn’t know that winning the lady would be a big deal…!” I said while talking to no one in particular.

“Only the manliest and dependable of outsiders can win a member from mah family! Outsiders need to show us their worth! Prepare to lose if you don’t fight with bravery!”

The spectators suddenly gasped with great surprise! This whisky must be really special!

“I’ll win and take the prize with me!”

More gaspings could be heard.

“You won’t take anything unless you put me down!”

Even stronger gasping’s could be heard.

“I’LL WIN THE RIGHT TO HAVE THAT BEAUTY OVER THERE!” Pointing out at the whisky’s directions.

Excited gasping’s from mostly female spectators could be heard this time.

“THEN I’LL TEST YOUR WORTH, PARTNER!”

I could see the shadow of death on him as he was quickly approaching me. In a moment of adrenaline, I too rushed against him and our fists met with a powerful sound! His might easily deflected my blow and I was completely open to his incoming blow! 

I’M GONNA LOSE!

‘DU DUN DUN’

A bell sounded from the stage! I could see that the three minutes round came to an end! My mighty opponent went back to his corner and his family had prepared water and the likes for him. In the other hand, Gily was in my corner with more water and she hurried me to go quickly to her side.

“I’ll give you a quick shoulder massage! How do you feel?”

“My arms hurt like hell!”

“Dammit! This was a bad idea after all! What’s wrong with him? It’s just a fucking bottle of whisky!”

“Perhaps this whisky is for family members only!”

“This reminds me of the Motherland! Here, take some water! We have two minutes before the next round so relax a bit before the next round!”

“NITPICK!”

Twilight!

“Darling! Are you okay!?”

“He is fine! Don’t talk to him right now!” Said Gily annoyed.

“We came to see if he was hurt, Gilda!”

“Nobody asked you to come, Dash!”

“Nitpick! I didn’t know you were so brave to fight for something like that!” Asked Indigo Zap, the rest of my old schoolmates were here as well.

“Win this tournament, Champ! You belonged to Crystal Prep once so you must win this!” Said an encouraging Jet Set.

“I wish my rival the best of lucks!” Said Trenderfhoof with a perturbing and out-of-character, genuine support.

“That lady over there is worth the risk!” I pointed once again to the bottle of whisky.

“Darling! You are so romantic!”

“What the hell are you talking about, Rarity!? Never mind! Let me rest a little!”

“Nitpick!”

“…yes Twilight?”

“Win that cider! I tasted some of it and it was really good! No wonder you like it a lot!”

I couldn’t help but smile and give her a partial thumbs-up. The gloves were a little obtrusive to do a full sign.

“Watch me win this fight, Twilight! I’ll share the cider with you! Cornerman, what should I do?”

“The same tactic as before, but try to do the ‘hit’ part this time!”

“AH… LET THE SECOND… THE SECOND ROUND WILL START SOON!”

“What’s wrong with her? Is she okay? She looks like she has a fever!” I asked for her well-being.

“Oh, darling! She is just impressed with such a touching display of bravery from you!”

“Nit…” Whispered Gily. “Now I know why you keep calling her a drama queen during our chats about her! She is babbling nonsense!”

“Just wish me luck, Gilda!”

“Fight to the bitter end, friend!”

As I walked towards my opponent, the center of this ring felt more pressuring than before.

“Where is your mouthpiece, Braeburn!?”

“I don’t need it for this!”

“Do you… want me to remove my gear?”

“No! As I said before, it would be really unfair of me fighting against someone who already fought two times in less than an hour! I wish you luck!”

“Same to you…”

“LET THE SECOND ROUND BEGIN!”

As the Starting Magnum was shot, I quickly made several steps backwards but it was to no avail! Braeburn closed the distance every time I tried to gain some terrain in the fight.

‘Boom’

He managed to scratch my clothes with his fists tearing them apart. I could hear Rarity’s screams of horror with this event.

“DARLING! YOUR CLOTHES!”

I’M DYING OUT HERE AND YOU ARE WORRYING ABOUT MY CLOTHES!?

He rushed towards me and he made a full swing capable putting me down. 

“NIT, NOW!”

I ducked my body and went straight to clash with his horns!

‘Bam’

“YES!”

I managed to duck his punch and hit him on the chin. He is dizzy, he is weak he is about to-!

‘BOOM’

“ARRRGGHHHH”

My arms hurt! I barely blocked in time! I felt warm around my nose…

“Uh… nosebleed…”

“That punch really hurt, city fellow! But you’ll have to do better than that!”

Damn it, he is unscratched!

“I’ll win this fight!”

“That’s the attitude! Here I come”

‘DU DUN DUN’

Saved by the bell, uh!?

“NIT! COME HERE QUICKLY!”

I walked faster than usual to Gily’s side.

“Are you okay? Where does it hurt?”

“My nose…”

She inspected my nose with her hands, carefully trying to not hurt me.

“Ufff… It’s just getting swollen but it’s not broken… yet.”

“What should I do?”

“You should throw the towel!”

A raspy voice was heard near us. It was from someone I didn’t believe would say that.

“…What did you say, Rainbow Dash?”

“You are hurt! It’s better to surrender and be happy you made your best effort!”

“That’s right, Nitpick!” Said Fluttershy. “You were doing great but this is not worth it! Applejack will understand if you give up!”

“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?” Complained Indigo Zap with total disagreement. “If he throws the towel like that, he would look totally uncool!”

“But he is getting hurt for no good reason! I love to win and I can understand why he is making this effort! But Applejack’s cousin is beyond his league! He is getting a hard beating!” Answered Rainbow with a sense of justification.

“Listen to me, Bittersweet! I hate you, but don’t dare to throw the towel like she is suggesting! Finish what you started and don’t bitch like a coward!”

“I didn’t think I would ever hear that from you, Dust! Nit, I believe the answer is clear!”

“Yeah! Please fix me up as best as you can!”

“ARE YOU CRAZY!? Don’t be silly, Nitpick! The reason you are fighting for isn’t worth the risk!”

“You are right, Dash! It’s not worth it… but you just gave me a reason to fight now”

“What?”

“Go get him, Nit!”

“Nitpick!”

“…yes, Twilight?”

“I know you can do it! But be careful, promise me!”

Twilight!

“Watch me win this thing! And I promise I'll be careful, don’t worry!”

“LET THE LAST ROUND BEGIN! GET INTO YOUR POSITIONS!”

Gily gave me a small pat in my shoulders and I walked straight to my doomsday of a rival. I was considering in throwing the towel, but after what Rainbow said, I just couldn’t do it anymore. She said the thing that a woman should never say to a motivated man! The thing that can hurt a man’s pride deeper than a knife stabbed straight to the heart.

To give up on something you want to do the most!

Forget the bottle! Forget reason! It’s true that you must walk away when something is impossible to do… But I’ll make the exception just this one! I want to protect my foolish pride against this impossible odd. Whether I win or lose, it doesn’t matter! I may lose the fight, but at least I’ll win the argument!

“Your eyes looks sharper, partner! Finally getting serious?”

“Yes! This about a man’s pride!”

“I praise your bravery! Thank you for this opportunity to express ourselves through our fists!”

“ALL RIGHT! THE LAST ROUND STARTS… NOW!”

The third and last shot from her magnum was heard! We charged against each other and we ended up in a weird hand lock position. The gloves didn’t allow us to clash appropriately and eventually his sheer strength won the exchange, hitting me in the face!

I sluggishly tried to maintain my posture after that hit but Braeburn just-!

‘BAAAAM’

…

…

Where am I? Why my face hurts so much? Am I on the floor? Why I don’t feel my mouthpiece? Why I feel my head lighter?

What happened?

I slowly started to hear screams of people. Some of them were calling up my name.

“NITPICK!? NITPICK!”

Gilda!

“GET UP! YOU CAN DO THIS, MAN!”

Flash!


“DON’T LOSE LIKE THIS!”

Zap!

“YOU CAN DO IT!”

Twilight!

I somehow snapped back to reality! The guy called Half Baked Apple was doing the referee job and counting the standard ten seconds count!

“ONE! TWO! THREE!”

Must stand up! But… urghhh, I can’t. It’s over…

“GET UP!”

Applejack?

“GET UP, PARTNER! I KNOW THAT MY COUSIN IS OLDER THAN YOU! STRONGER THAN YOU! FASTER, STURDY, RESPECTABLE AND SKILLFUL THAN YOU!”

SAY THAT HE IS ALSO GOOD-LOOKING, ALREADY!

“BUT SO YOU ARE IN YOUR OWN WAY, SO STAND UP!”

“Cousin!”


“EIGHT! NINE!”

“I’M STILL IN THE GAME!”

I firmly stood up! My sight locked to my opponent!

“If I had my hat right now… I totally approve of your courage to defend your pride and doing your best to impress a truly worthy woman!”

Impress a woman, you say?

“ARE YOU SAYING THE REASON WE ARE HAVING A SLUGFEST IS BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO IMPRESS A WOMAN!?”

“Wasn’t this the reason you are trying to win this!?” Said a confused Braeburn.

“NO! I’m sick and tired of hearing the guys I know that they want to impress a woman through a silly display of strength! It’s disrespectful to the girl! Women aren’t prizes to be won so you can show them off at your side! Women are people who decide to spend time with the one they choose as their loved one! And unless they are too innocent or extremely vain, doing a flashy display of senseless feats won’t ever impress a good woman in my humble opinion!”

I fiercely looked around to focus on Flash and later on Trenderhoof!

“What you should do is to man up, build a bridge of trust, ask with no bullshits attached to the lady of your dreams and accept the outcome like a man!”

I looked around to focus on Big Mac! In baby steps, he was opening his intentions with Cheerilee with genuine care and being subtle at it instead of trying to show off!

“But you want me to display some flashy nonsense, don’t you!? THEN I’LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT OF FLASHY NONSENSE!”

I focused my attention to the prize! Then I locked my eyes to Braeburns face while pointing my fist to the Apple Stetson Whisky!

“If I win, I’ll claim my chance to take a hold of her! And if Lady Luck denies me, I’ll walk away with no shame at all! So Braeburn! If you want to put me down, do it now!”

I slowly stepped forward to Braeburn! My face hurts, my legs are shaking but I won’t back down like an idiot after saying this.

Come on, Cowboy! Put me out of my misery...



Immediately, I came to a realization! He was puzzled by something while looking at me in a strange way! I noticed the sheer silence of the place and slowly looked at my surroundings to see a baffled public doing strange faces with their mouths open! The only one who was completely sane was Gily who just gave me the ‘I don’t know what’s going’ expression.

“Uh, Braeburn? Braeburn!? PAY ME ATTENTION, FUCKER!”

“Ah! What!?”

I don’t believe this!

“Don’t just stand there! Fight!”

With what remained of my strength, I managed to keep my fighting position! Here comes his blow!

“I give up!”

…

“Uh!?”

“Partner… I say I give up!” Said Braeburn with mixed feelings. “Cousin! He wins!”

He grabbed something from his pocket and it was the money he promised.

“After what we went through, it would be embarrassing to accept the money, so keep it.”

“UH… COME FOR YOUR PRIZE, SUGARCUBE!”

Sugarcube!? It doesn’t matter! I walked to Applejack’s side to receive my prize. Gily arrived there first and gave me back my coat and my hat. I was expecting for Rarity to start a rampage about wearing her crafting while I was dirty, but like the rest of the public, she was silent.

“What’s going on, Gilda?”

“I don’t know but it doesn’t matter! You are safe and thats good enough for me! And since he surrendered for whatever reason then the whisky is ours!”

“And the cider too!”

I climbed the stairs of the stage and soon I found myself in front of Applejack. Hiding part of her face behind that hat of hers, I started to speak to her so she could give me my just reward.

“I want to kindly ask for the goods. May I have the right for the goods?”

At last, noises were heard from the public! Whisperings full of excitement could be heard. Please Applejack, do this quickly!

“Shoot! … I don’t know if I can give you the goods like that! I mean… I just met you less than a month and… I-I…”

What the hell is going on with you? I just want the bottles of… I see! Finally everything is making clear sense to me! Her ashamed expression, his cousin acting like this! The bottle of Cider gave me the answer I was looking for!

In the side of the bottle, the name Applejack was written on it! The obvious conclusion is that Braeburn was trying to win her distant relatives heart and the bottle was a metaphor of it! 

Heh Heh Heh heh! I’m such a slowpoke genius! I know what to do now!

“It’s okay, Applejack! I understand the situation!”

“You do?”

“Yes! Now I know that this cider with your name is beyond my reach so I won’t bother in trying to argue with it anymore!”

I grabbed the whisky and the Golden Brand Apple Cider. 

“This is yours alone!”

I relinquished the bottle of cider to her and she nervously took it in her hand.

“I’ll take this whisky as my consolation prize! Oh! And one more thing!”

I got closer to her and I took off my hat and placed it on her head.

“I believe a hat like this suits you the most!”

And with that I joined up with Gily and walked away with the gold in my hands. Most of the Apple family members cheered and praise me with no end while we walked towards the exit!

"This is the Simon’s pure in a mans pride!"

“He accepted the mitten like a man!”

“You acted like a true Thoroughbred”

“What the hell are they saying, Nit?” Said a confused Gily.

“Just walk away! Remember that we are still underage and shouldn’t have this bottle with us!”

“Then let’s haste our steps and join with Grandpops at the exit!”

We reunited with Gily’s grandfather and by the looks of it, he won a lot of bets this day!

“Yee haw! I felt like a youngling again! I was drinking, dancing and this pretty lady was there and I invited her to dance and she accepted! Her name was Georgia or something like that but it doesn’t matter! I had a great time today!”

“Want to have a drink, Grandpops!?”

“WUUH! It’s that a bottle of whisky you have there?”

“Nit won it! We want to take a sip of it if you are okay with that!”

“If you give me most of the bottle then you can have a little sip!”

“Great! We got some plastic glasses so why don’t you take the first shot?”

I know what she was thinking! If he liked it, then most probably we’ll enjoy it as well.

“Put it in my flask! I never leave home without it!”

Gily slowly poured the golden liquid in his grandfather’s bottle and when it was about to brim from its new found contents, Grandpa Gruff slowly gulped down the whisky in his throat.

“Aahhhhh… This hits spot!”

“Well, my friend!” Said Gily while serving us the glasses of whisky. “This is for you, your wits and showing me why you are one of my best friends!”

“This is for you and for a coming, new opportunity for you to defeat Bon Bon!”

“Cheers!” We said in unison.

At last! Before we even were eighteen years old, we would enjoy this exquisite-

‘PLUAH’

“AAAAHHH!! It tastes horrible, Nit!”

“This is the legendary alcohol we were longing for? It tastes like piss!”

“You youngsters don’t know what the good stuff really is!” Said Gily’s grandfather in a scolding tone. “If you are going to waste this liquor, then give it to me instead!”

“Here you go, Grandpops! And take my glass while at it!”

“What a good granddaughter I have!” Happily said his grandfather while taking the bottle and glass with him.

“Good riddance! Give him the glass as well, Nit. He is going to enjoy it more than you!”

“No, Gilda! This is my consolation prize and I will swallow every single drop of it! I had the chance to get the real prize, the real Lady! But I couldn’t force her to give it to me when clearly she didn’t want to! This is for me, for winning the prize and letting it go!”

I swallowed in one shot all of the whisky, and with it, my stupidity!

“AARRRGGHHH! The bitter taste of defeat!”

“Defeat? Partner, you are a one of the most honorable man I have met! That’s a great victory in my books!”

That voice!

“Braeburn!?”

“I came here to look for you and ask forgiveness for my behavior! I want da’ best for my family and I put you in lots of troubles because of it! Part of me thought that you would be mad at her and cursing her name… but here you are, acting like a man during and out of the circus! I’m glad for having dueled with you!”

He closed the distance with me and rested his right arm in my shoulders.

“You know… The real reason I came here was to ask my cousin for some kind of fancy show I could do so I could ask a girl back in my town to marry me! She said she has friends who could help me in doing something flashy and nice to impress her! But then you spoke the truest words I ever heard in my life during our duel! I must impress the woman of my dreams with da’ quality of a true and dependable member of the Apple family, not like a one-trick, lousy pony! Even if you received the mitten from her, please be friend with my cousin! I assure you that you still have a chance! But if you fail, next time you’re in Appleloosa, I’ll introduce you to some pretty relatives that I’m sure they’ll like having a dance with you!”

He released me from his friendly hug and started walking to his family in the fair.

“Good luck in life, Nitpick Bittersweet! Until we meet again soon! YEE HAW!”

And he left, merging with the crowd until he couldn’t be seeing anymore. I could feel Gily resting her arms around me and finally speaking her mind.

“Nitpick… I’m starting to believe that he and us had in mind different Ladies during your duel.”

“Just… walk and let’s go home. I’ll take a cold shower and put some ice in my face so I don’t get a swollen face tomorrow.”

What a long day, lots of things happened in a single Saturday:

I tasted the horridness of alcohol.
I relinquished my right to the Gold Brand Apple Cider
I was beaten to a pulp by an overprotective cousin of the Apples.
I was annoyed to no end by guys with stupid reasons.
I was used as advertisement for fashion clothes.
I WORKED MY ASS FOR FREE, FOR FUCK’S SAKE!

But good things also happened.

I saw Big Mac enjoying the day with Cheerilee.
I spend time with some of my beloved friends.
I watched Twilight had fun like never before.
I knocked out Flash, Trenderhoof and the other guy.
I received tender concern from unexpected people in spite of my reckless behavior.
I got praised by strangers.

And finally, I found in my mind an unexpected thought…

… I had fun today. 
> Chapter 44 - Sunset and Twilight's meaningful moments! Tale 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A clear sky is what you could see when you look upon it! No traces of clouds existed in the dim heavens nor a subtle form of mist on the earthly space. The moon in the sky was brimming with such magnificence that even the starry sky could do nothing more than highlight her beauty! This is a worthy setting for the witching hour!

It was said that during the times of knights and kings of old, witches would lure curious children and males full of lust and greed to use them as sacrifices to the Lords of Darkness which they worshipped with absolute fervor. Those dark entities blessed their faithful servants with everlasting youth as long as they continue their dark labors and praises.

These woods in the back of this house could be an excellent hideout for the black sorceresses to plan their schemes, prepare their most somber spells and guide their victims to their endless demise and despair until the end of times!

…But this is not the times of old, and those trees shaded in the red of autumn were not a big place for a dent of evil. Those were in fact the beautiful apple trees of the Apple family and the sky upon me was beaming with the softness lights of the moon and stars.

This place was full of radiance and tranquility, qualities I thought were only found on the landscapes of Equestria. The human world simply doesn't have many places like this. There was a time where this kind of beautiful sky was something common for me, a granted spectacle, always there for me to marvel upon it when I wished to after a day of arduous magic lessons. It was an existence made of roses and sunshine.

Then the spark of ambition pummeled everything to the ground.

Facing my former teacher and abandoning all the ponies and places that were a home for me once, suddenly became a distant memory when I stepped upon this world! Forever unreachable to me all the things I had after I betrayed the Sun Goddess. It didn’t matter to me at that time. I would get something far more valuable than the bonds of ponies that Princess Celestia tried to instill on me. But in the darkest hour, during my reign of terror in a small place that I considered a concentration camp to gather forces to claim what I thought it was mine by right…

…She came!

The mighty but humble Princess of Friendship showed me the way in a harsh but loving manner that everybody deserves a second chance to become something else, something far better from your old self. The Magic of Friendship was her invincible weapon and it became an instrument of salvation to me.

I got free from the chains of greed.

Learning from my past deeds and doing everything in my power to spread the Ideal Friendship, I decided to form the Idol 6 committee in the school and thanks to the friends… NO! The family that stayed by my side even after I tried to bitter their lives, the school and its surroundings is slowly but surely becoming a better place for the world.

The Ideal Friendship will start at my school and will spread its light to the town, the town will reach its surroundings, its surroundings will reach the whole state, the whole state will reach the whole country and it will keep growing until the whole world becomes free of the shadow of selfishness and greed! It will not be easy! But if a lonely pony rose to become the Princess of Friendship and defeat the forces of evil in two worlds, then my quest is not impossible!

The book in my hands is my link to have a grasp of her insight if I ever get lost!

“I miss you so much…”

The book answering my desires to speak with her suddenly glow in a soft shade of red before me. As I opened it to find the pages being filled with her thoughts, words were appearing in an elegant fashion.

‘My dear Sunset Shimmer

I hope you are doing alright over there. I can’t find comfort in the solitude of my room. The pegasi in the Cloudsdale factory mixed by mistake the wrong quantities of electric charge to their clouds and a harsh storm hit Ponyville. I’m not afraid of the thunders but it’s so noisy right now! Until Rainbow Dash and the rest of the Wondercolts control this mess, I decided to read some books and I was reminded of you when I read about the Windigos once again. Spike got stuck in Sugarcube Corner with Pinkie Pie and its somewhat lonely here without him.

Oh Goodness! I didn’t notice how late it was! I’m so sorry if I awoke you! Spend a good time of rest.

Always yours, Twilight Sparkle.’

Oh Princess…

‘Dear Princess Twilight

I too couldn’t find in me the urge to sleep. I should feel tired right now after the long fair I experienced today! Cleaning the Town’s Hall was difficult but the sheer numbers of the Apple family cleaned the place with no sweat before ten o’clock! 

I gaze upon the skies of this world and it reminded me so much of my old home that I just simply wished to watch upon them more. All the girls are sleeping in Applejack’s bedroom because we planned a slumber party for the occasion. Your other self is slowly opening to the Magic of Friendship and she already got closer to the girls. But all the seven of us miss you dearly. Twilight found pleasure in knowing that someone who could match her raw intellect could be found in another world.

We miss you and I hope you can visit us soon.’

I wonder if she will talk with me a little more…

‘Sunset Shimmer, I’m so glad to hear from you after all these weeks! I have been so busy with recent Friendship Problems! Since the incident with Starlight Glimmer, Equestria became a chaotic mess of misunderstandings! But you would believe it were for serious issues but noooou! The silliest of reasons were the source of the problems! Missed toys, wrong times of arrival, a failed date, for Celestia’s name! But as the Princess of Friendship, I must go where the Map of Harmoy needs me to be and I must give the example that it demands! 

I’m also glad to hear that the girls over there are fine as well! I too miss you so much! And as much as it honors me to be considered an intellectual being, all you are selling short of yourselves! All of you are bright, brave and capable of many things! And it’s all thanks to you!’

‘I just did what you taught me to do! Spread Friendship to everyone! The school has become a better place than before! Everyone is more united than ever and most families and their child’s are becoming closer than before! Whether they are aware of the Magic in the place or not, there is a positive change in everybody’s lives!’

‘I’m so proud of you! I knew that you were capable of this and I’m sure you can achieve more! Princess Celestia is so proud of you as well! I hope you are the one that could visit us soon… She misses you dearly. You are still… No! You are one of her beloved students and you are a dear friend to me!’

Oh…

‘You don’t know how much those words mean to me! I wish to visit home soon but like you, I still have so much to do here! I managed to find a way to control the spikes of magic inside us! By thinking a big but harmless negative thought, the magic can be controlled and stopped before the Pony-Up process starts! Rainbow and I nearly transformed in the middle of a race during the fair but we managed to prevent the process in time! But the school and its surroundings need work still and I’m planning to use your Ideals and beliefs as a foundation to make better than ever this world.’

‘You must walk this path with a patient mind, Sunset Shimmer! Don’t try to take all the work on yourself! You have wonderful friends that will support you in your goals and I know deep in my heart that everything is going to be alright! Remember this at heart, Sunset: 

Friendship is about giving ourselves to others and also receiving all of their beings at heart, you must share with them the blessings you receive in your daily life and also help them in overcome their griefs! Share with others that they must be proud of their talents and nurture their dreams to achieve their goals, give them faith and be a source of strength to overcome their greatest fears! When the might of Honesty, the honor of Loyalty, the grace of Generosity, the joy of Laughter and the tenderness of Kindness unite, the spark that ignites the Magic of Friendship will be revealed before you!

And never forget that you always have a place to call home with your friends when you are in doubt! …And you have me too!’

‘I’ll take your words at heart, my friend!’

‘Finally the clouds are back to normal and a gentle rain is gracing the land! I’m getting sleepy now… I’ll take my leave for today. Have a peaceful night, Sunset Shimmer!

Always yours, Twilight! Your friend!’

‘Good night, my friend!’

After writing the last word in my journal, I softly closed the book and once again I gazed upon the stars.

“This night surely is beautiful today…”

“Indeed it is.”

This voice!

A gentle breeze soon graced upon ourselves, our long and untied manes did a brief dance with the tempo of the wind. In front me, a sleepy but majestic Twilight Sparkle was slowly approaching me, her thick glasses were dropping off her face.

“Here, let me help you with those!” I said while putting back her glasses in an appropriate way.

“Thanks…can’t sleep either?”

“No, I saw the sky and I wanted to admire it for a moment…how about you?”

“Rainbow Dash is so noisy… her snores are straight from a horror movie!”

“Hehehe I know! The first time I slept with them in a slumber party I found myself sleeping in the corridor of Rarity’s house! The next day Fluttershy woke me up and asked me why I was sleeping there and I just pointed out in the room the source of my stress! She just said that I would get used to it soon!”

“And you did, right?”

“Yes, I did… after five slumber sessions later!”

And we both laughed of my silly grief.

“I had so much fun today… uhm, well, yesterday! It’s Sunday right now!”

“I’m glad you decided to join us! It felt so right having you with us, all of us enjoyed to be with you and I hope you enjoyed being with the girls!”

“It was amazing… the most amazing day I had since I met you all! Spike said that he enjoyed being here at the farm! All the dogs of Applejack’s family were a great company to him! This town truly is something different… a home away from home!”

“And I will make it better than ever!” I rested my hands on her shoulders. “WE will make it a better place! The Magic of Friendship will be spread through our actions! We must be careful in not showing our magic to the world, they are not ready for it yet. But once that time comes and friendship reaches the hearts of everyone, slowly but surely this world will become a better place! I’m sure of it!”

“I wish I could use the Magic of Friendship like you… I can’t even Pony-up like you do, even if my magic detector marks that I possess magic in me like all of you!”

“Twilight, it took me a half year for me to reach the state of mind to finally Pony-up! So it’s obvious that you will struggle with it. I mean, you just have a month with us! When the time you can reveal your truest self to people comes, it will be the moment when the magic inside you will spark your inner light! Until that day arrives, you are under our protection!”

“Oh Sunset…”

This little smile of hers…

“You know… every time we see your smile it fills us with such peace!” I hugged my book dearly. “I know deep in my heart that you were destined to be part of us and help us in our quest to better the world!”



I carefully left the book in the nearest table, and slowly approached my way to Twilight, kindly hugging her and speaking to her.

“The girls have told me that they shared an important personal experience with you, and I have already given you my lesson after our clash was over during the Friendship Games! How I was corrupted by ambition long ago, how someone who resembles you saved me from the path of the wicked. These experiences we give to you, these lessons that are the foundation of the Elements of Harmony, will serve you as the moral compass you needed long ago! With it, you’ll never feel alone again and more importantly, you’ll recognize who are truly your friends in life!”

“Do you think… he and I are truly friends? I feel safe with him! It’s the same feeling I have every time I’m with you!”

Oh, Nitpick, right? He nearly got pummeled in the fair... but still.

“After amending in his own way the conflict he had with Fluttershy, how he could manage to befriend a girl who is considered a troublemaker and make her behave really nice around him and how he helped Rainbow and Indigo Zap against Wind Rider, I’m sure that deep inside he is a good guy! Once your inner magic awakens, I’m sure that you’ll help and guide him in the right path, the right way to be a good friend!”

“I hope so… To be honest, I really wanted to help him with his problem with Fluttershy, or at least hearing him out but I’m glad everything turned out fine!”

“You’ll have your chance to help him soon! I can feel it! For now…’yawn’ let’s go back to sleep! I’m finally getting sleepy!”

“’Yawn’ You are right… let’s go back inside! It’s getting colder here!”

Before we walked straight to the comfort of the Apple household, I firmly took my journal while walking with Twilight. I know this is just the beginning for something amazing! Princess Twilight is right, as long as I have my friends at my side…

Everything will turn out alright!
> Chapter 45 - Unluckiest, lucky man.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was lost in thought with the suffering of my sore body. The stress from yesterday was quickly driving me crazy. My arms ached, my legs were unresponsive and my face still hurts. 

“At least it isn’t swollen…” I said with a bit of relief while touching my face.

Since Gily told me to eat more healthy stuff, I decided to make one of her special recipes this morning. I have most of the ingredients I need to make the new smoothie she recommended me! The only thing I lacked was a special whey protein for people with relaxed lifestyles like mine, so I’ll buy it later when I go to buy my groceries in the supermarket later. 

I checked my funds and I noticed that I hit the yellow zone sooner than I expected. Yesterday’s activities made me spend more money than I thought… Curse those Apple’s and their eccentric work. But now wasn’t the time to think of that! I took a quick shower, made my incomplete smoothie and drank it. After taking my breakfast, I proceeded to wear my casual clothes. Since I feel that today was going to be special, I decided to use my Tac-shirt.

Speaking of special, this day is meant to be celebrated! One of my friends was born seventeen years ago in September 28!  I took out my phone and started to write a message to her.

-Nitpick: Hey there!

I wonder if she is awake. Sunday’s are pretty much her hibernation day.

-????: Do you need something, my beloved friend? (✿◠‿◠)

Good, she is awake.

-Nitpick: I was wondering, when you are going to be back with us?

-????: Next Friday… Next Friday my brother and I’ll be back to Crystal State.

-Nitpick: Then next Friday without a doubt I’ll tell you the words that were meant for this day in person.

-????: I love all of you! Gilda and the rest said the same to me, except my brother! We’ll be going to eat breakfast soon at a small restaurant.

-Nitpick: Enjoy the day! We’ll meet again soon!

-????: ♥

I’m not going to give her a birthday congratulations through phone texting! That would be lame and cheap! Real friends must give at least a hug and drink coffee if it’s possible to do so. Since she is coming back soon, I must talk with the others about it and plan something for her!

Making sure that I wasn’t forgetting the essential items like the wallet, my phone and ensuring that I brushed my teeth to perfection, I went straight to the local supermarket. This town is really convenient if we take in account how small it is compared to other towns or cities in the nation. Every point of interest was at least a half an hour nearby if you had an accelerated pace and knew where the shortcuts were. Also, if you consider that your starting point was the town center. 

Finally I arrived to the supermarket, it was really spacious today! Everybody tended to buy their groceries during Fridays or Saturdays and today was excellent to buy everything I needed. Milk, eggs, fruits, cereal, almonds and such were put in my basket. There were special discounts if I buy some inventory in bundles and I really needed to cash in such offer.

“Twelve boxes of almond milk with two packages of dry seeds like almonds at thirty-nine with ninety-nine cents? I belong in this place!”

Happily that I managed to invest my purchases within the tight restrictions of my current money, I left the supermarket and went straight to the small plaza that was near it. I needed to buy the casual protein that Gily told me about yesterday. The nutrition store was full of extravagant looking bottles and expensive stuff, seventy dollars for a bottle of vitamins was out of question!

I got near the clerk of the store and asked about for what I was looking for.

“Excuse me. Don’t you have this kind of protein at sale here?” I asked him while showing the photo that Gily sent me.

“Sorry to say that this store doesn’t work with that one! Let me call for you the main store in the city and ask if a store nearby has it!”

“Thanks, I appreciate it!”

If I say to Gily that I didn’t buy that as I promised her I would do, she will kill me!

The clerk used the phone and dialed to the main central store of this nutrition chain franchise. After a brief wait, he had an answer for me.

“The store located at the Chocoratte Plaza has lots of bottles of this particular brand!”

“Thanks for helping me out, I’ll go right away!”

“It’s a pleasure to serve you!”

Well, the road will be long so I better left my groceries at home. Once I got back to my house and ordered everything in its place, I finally went to the bus station and waited for the next ride. It’s eleven with thirty-three minutes in the morning so the next bus will arrive in twelve minutes.

Damn this kind of services, but it’s the cheapest and fastest choice around. 

The bus arrived and this time I saw a face I hadn’t seen in a while. Mr. Ranger was and old man that tended to drive a little more aggressive than the other bus drivers. This will be a short trip.

“Nitpick! Months without seeing you in the bus roads! Have you been busy in that school of yours?” Said Mr. Ranger while taking my fare money.

“Actually, I transferred to CHS because of a problem.” I said while taking the nearest sit to him. “Are you still the fastest driver around town?”

“HAHAHAHAHA! Hold your panties tight!”

And a hellish driving soon was felt.

The Chocoratte Plaza, it’s been weeks since I was here with Gily. That expensive stuffed deer was kept safe in the obscurity of a special box in my closet. Now I found myself again in this accursed place with insufferable crowds. I searched for my target store I when I finally was in front of it, a post signed was hanging on the road.

“We are taking a breakfast… WE’LL BE BACK IN AN HOUR!?”

Damn it! What I’m supposed to do in an hour? I took a deep breath and calmed myself with this predicament… Maybe I can go to the bookstore and see if I can find the special edition of Knight Seiyamus! I just needed two issues more to complete my collection of the color printed format of my favorite manga!

The bookstore had a healthy array of customers and my section of interest was empty. People had a trend that international comics or mangas are for children.

Fools! Fools all of them!

But how can I blame them? Cheap fan service started to ruin the image of what was once a proud market! But serious stories or serviceable reading material can be found if you search well enough. I started to inspect the volumes and… bad luck. The available issues were already in my possession.

I took a glimpse at my watch and I still needed to wait forty minutes… fucking luck I have today. A chocolate ice cream could appease my bad mood. The ice cream stand of this plaza had a special Neapolitan ice cream that had dark chocolate and sweet strawberry in it, the vanilla was the middle point that balanced everything. I love that flavor so a sundae will be my order.

There was nobody in the stand. Lucky me! I hasted my steps, slowly feeling the flavors in my mouth already. I took out the usual eleven dollars for the extra sized sundae and I asked the attendant of the place to give me my order!

“One Royal Size Sundae with the Tortoise Neapolitan flavor and lots of cream and sprinkles, please!”

There were two hands with money extended to the ice cream seller. One was mine and the other belonged to someone I didn’t expect to meet here. Her fiery hair, her blue-emerald eyes and godly figure were unmistakable!

“Sunset Shimmer!?”
“Nitpick Bittersweet?”

This was bad comedy! We said our names at the same time!

“What a surprise to see you around here! Did you come here to hang with someone in particular?” Said Sunset in a friendly manner.

“Uh, no! As a matter of fact, I just came here to buy some nutrition products to improve my health.”

No point in lying to people when it’s something silly.

“You Sundaes are ready!” Said the ice cream seller.

“Oh thanks!” I finally said.

We paid for our desserts and I tried to go to the farthest seats of the place while eating my treat. I couldn’t step getting stressed by the fact that Sunset stick with me like glue during my small walk! Finally sitting in a bench, she continued our conversation.

“How nice to hear that you are trying to improve yourself! With attitude like that we can surely win the Intern Tournament!” 

Your misunderstanding of my situation is inspiring.

“Yeah, I need to eat healthy now. I don’t want to keep losing weight from the stress from the training and-“

“STRESS!?”

“WAAHH!”

DON’T FRIGHT ME LIKE THAT!

“I’m so sorry! I just, I, how… are you really losing weight!?”

Oh shit, better sugarcoat the truth to not worry her anymore.

“Yeah but it’s because something personal happened and you don’t have to worry about it! I’m fine, trust me!”

“Maybe you should consult with someone to help you! I could ask someone if they know a professional to-“

“Sunset…” I interrupted her. "I’m fine!”

Silence… we silently finished our ice creams. It took us near an hour to do so and with this I can finally go to the store, buy the protein and finally go home.

“I should go! I need to buy my things and go home!”

“Wait!”

Did she just stop me?

“Why don’t you and I spend the day together? We could go to the arcades or watch a movie! It could be really fun!”

“Are you serious? This is not a joke!?”

OH PLEASE! TELL ME IS A JOKE!

“I’m telling the honest truth, Nitpick!” Said Sunset with her eyes closed and a big smile.

“I… well”

“Come on, I don’t bite!”

Perhaps, but you can do something far worse than hurt my skin… you are my crush after all. I should be grateful that this kind of chance appeared to me but the truth is that I know my position. If I try to imagine that I have an opportunity with her, the fall will be a pain to deal with later. It’s better to let this chance pass.

“Well, I don’t-“

Suddenly my phone started to ring. I quickly checked who was calling me and…

“Mother?”

“You should answer the call, I’ll wait for you!”

“Ok…”

As I answered the phone and put it near my ear, I could see that what Sunset meant with what she said was that she would be standing right in front of me with a sweetie expression… Mother, save me!

“Nitpick?”

“Yes, Mother. Do you need something?”

“Just doing our weekly call and making sure you are fine! What are you doing?”

“Doing the groceries, Mother!”

“Did you buy the almond milk?”

“Yes.”

“Tooth paste?”

“Yes.”

“Food?”

“Yes, Mother! Don’t worry about me like that!”

“But I must worry because I’m your mom! Besides you are my cutie and little, useless son!”

Did Sunset Shimmer just blush with that remark? SUNSET SHIMMER DID BLUSH WITH THAT REMARK! She heard everything my Mother said! I better finish this conversation.

“I better wait right there for you, Nitpick!” Said Sunset while pointing out the benches where we were sitting in.

“Who was that? Is that a girl talking to you? Are you having a date?”

How did you hear her? I admit she is close but not that much!

“Uh, nou!”

“Yes, you are right!”

Don’t speak, Sunset! And stop hearing to my Mother!

“PRAISED BE THE LORD! MY SON IS HAVING A DATE! DARLING, OUR NITPICK FINALLY IS HAVING A DATE!”



NOOOOOOOOU! 
SUNSET HEARD THAT! 
SHE FUCKING HEARD THAT! 
SHE IS NOW COVERING HER MOUTH WITH EMBARRASEMENT! 
SOMEONE KILL ME NOW!

“I’ll stop bothering you now, love birds! Enjoy yourselves! Oh, how wonderful is the beauty of youth!”

And she hung off the call.

Awkward silence reigned upon the land. The pressure I felt in this moment combined with the damage that I sustained with my fight with Braeburn were enough to put me scared. Finally, she was the one to smash the silence.

“Your mom sounds like a, uh, nice mom!”

DON’T SAY THAT WITH A FACE LIKE THAT!

My phone rang once again, this time it was a text from my bank account.

-Bank: Your balance has been updated! $200.00 dollars were added to your account!

Another message arrived. It was from my Mother this time.

-Mother: If you mess this chance to get a girlfriend, marry her and give us grandchildren’s in a few years, your father and I will disown you as a son, Nitpick Bittersweet!

…

“Do you want to go on a date with me, Sunset Shimmer?”

“I-I would be honored!”

Seriously, kill me now!
> Chapter 46- The Romance of the same Coin!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

How did they end up like this? What kind of silly joke from The Truth that rules everything was this?  A senseless stage, an embarrassing situation, and most importantly, the feeling that this was destined to be. The hunch that this event was part of a higher plan was irresistible but unwelcomed at best.

The subtle idea that this was something that Fate bestowed upon him was sickening and distasteful! For Nitpick Bittersweet, such nonsense was only for the weak in spirit. He had jokingly said that things happen for a reason before, but to truly embrace the idea that things are written in stone and the events of his life were already planned by the will of a higher power was simply stupid for him.

Worse still, he had mixed feelings with this outcome. In one hand, everything could go to damnation. There was no weapon more destructive and dangerous than the rejection of someone you wished to know better. But if he plays his cards right, perhaps there could be a chance to meet the real Sunset Shimmer at last! 

Rumors of her old self was a curiosity that he wished to sate, but he well knows to not dwell in peoples past deeds if they wished to keep it to themselves. Such kind of privacy must be respected, even treasured at times. If a kind of chemistry existed between the two, maybe one day they could become more than simple acquaintances. Baby steps were the way to do things while giving subtle signs of what a guy wanted with a girl of his interest.

‘I must me brave like Big Mac’ he convincingly thought to himself.

On the other hand, Sunset Shimmer had in her mind that this was another test for her to overcome. Hard to believe that she just came to this plaza only to buy some science magazines that weren’t sold in Ponyville in the first place. Putting aside the embarrassing moment that leaded to this unusual date, she had the idea that hanging out with him would help her in understand why he acted bipolar in school.

Small glimpses of his attitude on this date will certainly be useful, especially if she wished to know where to extract the poison of unfriendliness in him and give Twilight the tools she needed to put him on the right path.

‘This is perfect!’ Sunset thought. With this she could eat two apples with a single bite! Help Twilight with the gift of sharing the Magic of Friendship and for Nitpick to recognize his mistakes and make amends with the people on the school.

Both of them shared one idea in common, though. They both had in mind the same thing…

‘How do I start this date?’ was the common ground for them.

Both were afraid in ending up saying something stupid at this point. Nitpick had the fear that Sunset accepted his date as a kind of pity thanks to his mother words.

‘Damn it, Mother!’ He thought with anger. ‘Why you must always be like that?’

Sunset had the inner struggle that if she takes the wrong step, choose a bad topic of conversation or do something that could offend him, then everything would be ruined.

Finally, after wandering on the corridors of the glimmering plaza, words were exhaled at an alarming speed.

“Do you want something to eat?”

Once again, both of them found themselves speaking the same words at the same time! The first time was causality but this second time was simply bad comedy. 

“Do you have something in mind?”

‘This can’t be happening’ Both of them dwelled in their mind with deep embarrassment. A third was definitely bad luck.

“Ladies first!” Finally Nitpick Bittersweet armed himself with bravery to speak again.

“Oh Thanks!” Sunset said while slowly recovering her confidence. “Why don’t we decide after I go to the bathroom? Eating all my ice cream that fast didn’t do me good!”

“It sounds like a good idea! A mind cannot think straight when the belly needs to discharge!”

‘WHY DID I SAY SOMETHING STUPID LIKE THAT!?’ Poor Nitpick thought with self-scolding in his mind.

“Yeah! Flushing away the evil of the body in the sewer is good for everypony!”

Sunset Shimmer was not better than him in that respect.

To be honest, how could you expect better than this from both of them? One was ashamed of himself and the other started to realize that this may be harder than expected.

It was one with seventeen in the afternoon when they arrived to the area of the public bathrooms. That place had the magnificent trait that every two hours the cleaning staff would do their routine in keeping the service area spotless and pleasant for the people. Sunset, excusing herself to Nitpick, made her way to the bathroom.

She found an available spot and used it, but she didn’t have in mind to make her body necessities. Her plan all along was to call a good friend in the privacy of the women's sanctuary and ask her counsel and tips for a date. Sunset once had a boyfriend whose only value was his popularity and free gifts from time to time, but she never did an official date beyond the frontiers of Sugarcube Corner. In other words, she didn’t have experience with in parleying one on one.

“Please, Rarity!” Sunset mumbled with a pleading voice. “Answer the phone!”

‘Click’

A sense of relief and exhales of comforting air was discharged from Sunset’s mouth. The voice of her friend brought her peace and reassurance to her mind.

“Sunset! Darling, I was thinking of you right now! I’m designing for all of us our new autumn attires and I want them to match our looks, just like the one I made for Applejack! I was wondering if you want red in your jacket! Maybe white and black! WUH! I’m in the zone right now!”

“That’s nice to hear and all but I need tips from you!”

“Darling, you sound nervous! What’s wrong?”

“I need your help! I don’t have much time!”

“What happened, Sunset? Do you want me to go to where you are?” Rarity said with urgency and concern for her friend.

“No! I’m fine… it’s just, well, what are the best places to go for a date?”

“WAAAAAHAHAHA!” Rarity’s antics and sudden bursts of delight was something Sunset still wasn’t used to. “Who is the lucky man? Is he from school? You must tell me everything!”

“NO! It’s not like that! I just need you to tell me where the best places to eat at peace are! Something veggie would be nice!”

“Ohohoho! I can’t believe this! I’m so happy for you!”

‘You are not hearing what I’m saying, right?’ Sunset thought with a glimpse of annoyance in her mind. But she wasn’t angry really, she found herself making a small chuckle for her friend’s honest interest to help her. ‘I’m truly grateful for having a friend like you’ was all that she could think in that moment.

“Where are you right now?”

“In the Chocoratte Plaza.”

“There is a place called Ensaladas Caseras near the movie theater, besides Milani Pizzas! It’s lovely, darling! Their prices are a steal and if your date is worthy of you, he will pay with no complains! I assure you that!”

“I don’t want him to be troubled by it! Something cheap is good for me!”

“Absolutely not, Sunset Shimmer! You are a great girl and you deserve to be treated like one! Embrace your worth! Suggest him the place and I’m sure he will try to please you!”

“I’ll think about that. For now I must get back to him, I don’t want him to think that I do lots of bathroom stuff!”

“Oh! The bathroom tactic! A classic! Do you have make-up with you?”

“No.” Sunset said with an uninterested voice.

“You must always carry your make-up with you! What will you do if you must make a quick fix during your date and you don’t have it at hand? That could be the Worst. Possible. THING!”

“I don’t use make-up, Rarity”

“Oh right, I forgot!”

“Hehehe, you are hopeless sometimes!”

“I just look for the best for all my friends!” Rarity said with an extravagant tone. “Anyway, gooooood luuuck!” She singed in the last part.

“Thanks, you are the best! Now, I truly need to go! Nitpick must be waiting for me!”

“Nitpick!? Darling, wai-“

Sunset hang off the call, she didn’t hear her friend’s voice. Now she needed to wash her hands and face with the soap nearby and go back to him at once. She already spent a good amount of twenty minutes in there.

....

Nitpick saw Sunset Shimmer travel her way inside the women's restrooms. As she made her necessities, he only needed to wait patiently.

‘Calm down!’ Was the only thought he had in mind. ‘Everything is going to be fine, I must keep my cool!’

After all, his dream girl and crush was on a date with him. If he said something stupid, it will just the end of his fantasy, no big deal. Keeping a relaxed demeanor, he took out his phone and sent to his friend a text message. If anyone could help him right now, it was someone who was experienced in dating, relationships and how to please a lady.

Lightbulb was the perfect choice for him to ask aid from.

-Nitpick: I need your help. Can I give you a call?

Without a moment of hesitation, his friend answered him back with great urgency.

-Lightbulb: Make the call.

Relieved that his friend was available, he quickly dialed up his phone number and waited to hear his voice. Lightbulb will ask him if everything was alright and Nitpick Bittersweet would tell him with grace and serenity in what kind of event he ended up.

“Sup, Bro! Are you okay? What do you need?” He was relaxed.

“OH MY GOD! PLEASE HELP ME, LIGHTBULB! I FUCKING NEED YOU, BRO! I NEED YOUR HELP! I HAVE A DATE RIGHT NOW AND I DON’T NOW WHAT TO DO! I DON’T NOW WHAT TO DO, BRO!”

Such civilized individual could never be replicated again.

“CALM DOWN, DUMBASS! Breath!” Nitpick obeyed his suggestion and quickly regained his composure. “Now tell me what did you do? I only understood Help!”

“I’ll be brief, Lightbulb! I’m dating Sunset Shimmer right now. Give me tips on how to treat a girl like that!”

He sighed with a mix of amazement and scolding. “’Nitpick…!”

“I know you told me to not try something with her but things just happened! I’m in the Chocoratte plaza and I really need your help!”

“I can’t believe I’m going to help you in digging your own grave but well, if something goes wrong, you must tell me so I can laugh at you.”

“Alright.”

You’ll never find friendships like the ones Nitpick has.

“First things first! Let me tell you what you already know!" Lightbulb said with a tone of sarcasm. "First of all, be your fucking self. No point in sugarcoating your personality. In the long run, it ends up in a crash! You know that, it doesn’t work! You don’t like something or disagree in a particular subject, tell her! But please try to be less of an ass and more like a common-sense guy!”

“Yes! What else?”

“Praise her when she does something great! But not like a desperate asshole! Be subtle… oh god, please, be subtle.” 

“Aha! What else?”

“Well, that’s it! Be you but don’t be an ass while at it!”

“Anyplace worth a damn where we can eat calmly?”

“There is a place called the Ensaladas Caseras! It’s mostly salads and a very expensive restaurant. I hope you have at least ninety dollars with you!”

“Two-hundred dollars!”

“Perfect! One more thing!”

“Yes?”

“I hope this doesn’t become another repetition of Bookfull Sporty. I still remember what happened the next day when you got rejected…”

“I’ll be fine! If worse comes to happen, I know how to manage things now!”

It was a hard truth for him. In what other way people can cope with the negative events of daily life? Only experience can make you grow.

“Ok, I’ll leave the rest in your hands! Just relax and best of lucks!”

“Thanks, my friend!”

The conversation was over and Nitpick regained his peace of mind. He looked at his watch and twenty minutes have already passed since his date got into the bathroom. Since there were a lot of traffic in there, perhaps other women were there doing their necessities as well. In a hurry, Sunset was at his sight once again.

“I’m sorry! I took in there more time that I needed!” Sunset said in an apologetic tone.

“Uh, it’s okay! Shall we go now?” Nitpick answered with his best efforts.

“Yeah, do you have in mind where we can eat at peace?” Sunset asked him with a bit of doubt.

She didn’t want to cause him trouble, this idea was out of the steam all of the sudden for him and he mustn’t have much money with him. Perhaps it would be best to suggest something less expensive. There was a place that sells cheap sandwiches nearby and they were really good.

Nitpick on the other hand, analyzed his current situation. If he wanted to leave a good impression, he needed to go to the fancy restaurant his friend suggested. But there was a problem, a big one. What if she doesn’t like the place? Or worse, if she gets offended if he suggest that restaurant! She could think that he was telling her that she was fat and most girls hate when people complain about their weight!

Finally deciding to trust his friend insight, he finally spoke.

“There is a place called Ensaladas Caseras nearby! I’m sure you could like the menu!”

Sunset was somewhat impressed by this outcome. He recommended the same place that Rarity spoke of. She wondered if he had experience with dating. But her stomach rumbled and Nitpick just tried to dissimulate that he didn’t hear anything.

‘What a strange guy.’, was the only thing that Sunset could think of.

“I heard of that place.” Sunset replied. “That place sells the best salads of the region.”

“So… do you wish to go there?”

“I would like to.” Sunset answered with the truth, she wanted a salad right now. “But I don’t wish to trouble you. After all, you just made your groceries a while ago.”

“Don’t worry! I always keep emergency funds in case something like this occurs!”

In a way, he spoke the truth. Nitpick feeling the rising good mood of the date, started to act more confident with her. 

“Come on, Sunset! If you really want to go, just tell me… I don’t bite!”

“Hehehe… mmm okay! You convinced me! Let’s go!”

As they journeyed together, both had in a small recess of their minds a continuous but relaxed thought processing in what kind of questions they would ask to one another. If the personal image of an individual is your presentation card to the eyes of everyone, then a good parley is the entrance.

The morality and judgment of the people is the main dish and if there are topics in common, they become a good dessert. Social interactions were something that both of them were good at. The big difference was their approach. Sunset in her radiance was amiable with everybody and Nitpick was reclusive with the people he felt it was best to stay away. And those methods worked in an incredible fashion with their respective practitioners.

The restaurant was at last in front of them, such marvels of rustic goods and pleasant aromas of fresh wood were perceivable to their senses. This ambient was seductive in an innocent way. One of the waiters became their host and soon followed his guidance to a simple in design but beautiful table for two people. 

‘It feels simple but nice.’ Nitpick thought.

‘You always know the best places, Rarity.’ Sunset thought while feeling the nostalgic sensation that this wood gave to her. It felt like her homeland.

Nitpick noticing that she liked the place, couldn’t help but to make a small grin on his face. Sunset noticing this, asked him a question.

“Did I do something funny?” Sunset said with a playful tone.

“Oh no! Just thinking that I’m glad that you liked it here.” Nitpick answered with complete sincerity.

“It’s a pretty spot. I love the little details in the tables, the furniture and the subtle essence of wood. Thanks for bringing me here. You must have come here before!”

“Oh no! As a matter of fact, a friend recommended me this place a while ago. And well, it’s just weird to eat all by oneself in a place like this. You know what I mean?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, Rarity told me of this place a little while ago, too. But as you say, eating alone in this kind of places is kinda weird!”

“It makes you look like a total snob.”

“Or somebody who enjoys to spend his time alone.”

“Maybe someone who just doesn’t give a crap what someone thinks of him or her.”

“The possibilities are endless!”

“It all depends on the individual because ‘The wise do not buy into other people’s perceptions. Instead they try to grasp the notion of their latent habits and -…uh”

‘Damn it, I started to speak philosophical crap again!’ Nitpick scolded himself.

Long ago he came to the conclusion to not speak of this kind of subjects again. Who likes to reflect on things? His friends do so from time to time but eventually they accept life as it comes. They complain, they struggle, and also, they keep moving forward! It’s something that Nitpick does as well. But speaking of such things with your everyday people… it’s a boring subject for them.

“What’s wrong? Why did you stop?” Sunset asked with great curiosity for the reason why he stopped his poetry.

“Oh, sorry…” He started to scratch his head in embarrassment. “I don’t mean to bore you to tears with these kinds of reflections!”

“No, please! By all means speak!” Sunset said with such enthusiasm.

“Are you sure? I mean, it’s just old poetry that I read in a book long ago.”

“I love reading old books. And I specially love to reflect in my daily life. There are many things you can appreciate if you take your time to reflect on it!”

“Here is the menu, young sir! Young miss!”

Saved by the waiter was the only think that Nitpick could think right now.

Both inspected the contents of their menus. For Sunset, she was delighted by the varieties that this restaurant had at their disposition. Roman tomatoes, pineapple juices with a pinch of carrot, Cambodian potatoes within a mushroom soup, everything looked divine for her. Unlike human needs, pony physiology required a diet rich in vegetables and nature based foods. Things like meat were a complete NO for her. It was cannibalism for her standards, even if the animals in this world didn’t possess sentient intelligence like the cultures back in Equestria.

And no matter if she didn’t mind that detail, the nourishment that meat provided to her would be a waste. Having a big bowl of salad with various vegetables in it was already overkill for her. If the bowl of salad in her order was big enough, she wouldn’t have dinner tonight… perhaps a little dessert wouldn’t hurt, though.

On the other hand, a distressed Nitpick hid his face behind the menu.

‘What the hell is this?’ The obnoxious young man thought. ‘Thirty dollars for a bowl of rabbit food!? FIFTEEN BUCKS FOR A SMALL GLASS OF JUICE? WHAT IS THIS SHIT MADE OF? THE PISS OF THE HOLY GRAIL?’

To say he was baffled would be an understatement. But there was no turning back! He had the money to spend on her during the date, but he rather had squeezed the raw potential of the situation. Instead of spending a little less than half of the money on expensive food, they could have gone and eat something far simpler and used the money left in the arcades, desserts, movie tickets, a ride in the local games or such. He didn’t know, perhaps this kind of things is what women enjoy the most, to be treated like a princess. And right now… he was in front of his dream girl.

‘No time to complain! I must press forward!’ he finally decided what to do.

“It seems that there is a combo for two people that we could enjoy the most! It has chicken in it and lots of other goodies! We could buy a jar of juice of your preference!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry but I don’t like chicken.”

“It’s okay, let’s see…”

What else could be of Sunset’s liking was something he was asking himself. Finally finding an alternative, he spoke of it to his partner.

“What about this one? It has a low-fat sausage!”

“I don’t… like sausages either!”

He searched in the menu again.

“What about minced meat?”

“No.”

“Pork?”

“Sorry.”

This was getting ridiculous! Nitpick searched furiously in the menu with something that he would enjoy with her. On the other hand, Sunset finally decided to end his struggle.

“Forgive me, Nitpick. I don’t like any kind of meat because I’m vegetarian!”

Sunset noticed how Nitpick’s pupils suddenly contracted, weakly forming a smile in his face.

“Ha… haha… y-you should have told me so! Let’s see if there is something here that we can enjoy.”

“I’m so sorry, really!” Sunset said in an apologetic manner.

“Nonono! Chill out!” Nitpick said with his best behavior. “I’ll find something for us, I know it!” 

Suddenly, a peculiar ring tone coming from Nitpick’s pocket was heard. Sunset didn’t recognize the style of the music but for Nitpick… it means trouble. The N-Pop tune was heard twice in a row and the young mare soon spoke her mind.

“You should see who it is. It must be important!”

“No, don’t worry! Under normal circumstances I would have excused myself but we are having a conversation right now! It would be of bad education to answer the phone like that!”

Sunset was impressed with such disposition of good modals. Most of the boys of this world lacked this kind of peculiar attitudes. She would have let this pass but this may be a chance to search on the menu for him. After all, she was just admiring the menu and its details all this time.

“Please, check your phone!” Sunset said with an affectionate voice.

“…If you put it like that!”

‘Damn it’ Nitpick cursed such weakness he possessed with this kind of girls. The real reason he didn’t want to answer the phone was because he knew that this message wasn’t for an important matter… something told him that soon he was going to be used as a laughing stock. Defeated by the circumstances, he read his message.

-?????????: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YOUR TEARS OF DESPAIR ARE SO DELICIOUS!

-Nitpick: You are nearby, aren’t you!?

-?????????: Look outside, we are in the pizzeria!

Nitpick did as his friends texted and looked outside through the window.

‘THE LITTLE FUCKER IS THERE!’ Nitpick tenderly thought. He noticed a hand wave from someone besides her. It was Gilda, and both of them were eating good-looking pizza burritos with juices.

-Nitpick: YOU FUCKER!

-?????????: HAHAHAHAHAHA! The flavor of this beauty pales compared to the joy of watching you suffer! We saw you enter that fancy restaurant with the girl in front of you! We saw from this spot your face of frustration every time you tried to suggest something from the menu! You are going to spend a good deal of money in rabbit food, knowing that you won’t enjoy anything in the place because you are trying to please a high maintenance girl for the sake of pleasantries!

-Nitpick: Fuck you!

A power guitar stroke now rang from his phone. It was Gilda.

-Gilda: Nit, my friend! Check this out!

Both of the girls exchanged impish stares and opening their mouth as humanly possible, they finished half of their burritos. The fires of rage within him ignited, his eyes turned into small red suns.

“Are you okay, Nitpick?” Sunset asked him with concern. “You seem picky!”

“Oh, no! Just having a little feud with some friends of mine in chat”

“A feud? I happen to be good with solving friendship problems! Do you need some help?”

“No, I’m fine! We always get to each other’s throats, don’t worry!” 

Sunset looked skeptical at him but decided to let this pass. This was a clue to reach deep in his issues of friendship and she better answered to his wishes.

“I understand, Nitpick!” Sunset spoke with good intentions. “If you need something, let me know!”

“Alright…”

He was getting pissed off with this outcome! He couldn’t avoid glaring daggers at them.

-?????????: You seem mad at us. Cookie? ( ^▽^)σ

-Nitpick: You little bitch!

-?????????: ( ^▽^)凸

-Gilda: We’ll let you go! Enjoy your personal hell over there! Both of us need to study in my house and then train a little before evening.

-?????????: And putting aside this silly exchange! Enjoy your meal, I mean it. I’m guessing she is vegetarian, ask the waiter for the special menu of soy sausages. They taste like the real deal and they are at the same price as regular meat. You should consider asking for them now.

-Nitpick: I appreciate the tip.

-Gilda: Have fun! We’ll discuss the Princess' birthday tomorrow in a private chat. Don’t forget to buy the protein or I’ll hurt you the next time I see you.

Both of the girls paid for their food and traveled to their destination. Nitpick suddenly felt completely refreshed. Call him crazy but this kind of mindless exchanges put him at ease.

“Excuse me!” Nitpick called for the waiter. “We want to order now!”

“You found something for us to eat together?”

“Yes! My friend told me of a dish we can enjoy with zero meat!”

“What do you wish to order, sir?” The waiter said while withdrawing his notebook from his pocket.

“A friend of mine told me that there was a kind of soy sausage in this restaurant. My partner here doesn’t eat meat so we want to order that if it’s possible!”

“Certainly! Anything especial you wish to drink?”

“What do you want to drink, Sunset?”

“Oh, whatever you want! You are already putting an effort to satisfy my wish!”

“Sunset…” Nitpick said with a scolding tone.

‘WHY DID I SPEAK TO HER LIKE THAT!?’ today wasn’t his day.

“Well…” The now redden mare opened the menu to find something for both of them to enjoy. “Apple juice.”

“Jar or glasses, young miss?”

“I don’t know…”

“Jar, good sir.”

“I’ll bring your order in a moment!”

Much talking is the cause of danger and silence is the means of avoiding misfortune. And right now, both of them found themselves at an awkward moment of wordless existence. Nitpick felt guilt at scolding her with just her name. He was used to hang out with people who spoke their minds, and for him, that was the expression of trust. To express oneself without the need to hide behind pleasing gestures is a treasure far more valuable than any material riches in the world for him. What he did wasn’t nice for someone who doesn’t share this mindset, but he wanted for her to speak her mind.

Sunset felt alien when he spoke to her like that. The idea of being treated like royalty was something that she disliked since the Princess of Friendship corrected her ways. She used all the school to please her demands and now the simple idea of imposing her opinion when she was being treated a meal for free made her afraid of offending. How silly, she can battle the forces of evil with her friends and improve the whole school but she can’t accept a simple gesture of commodity.

A few minutes passed and understanding the situation, one of them broke the ice.

“The wise do not buy into other people’s perceptions. Instead they try to grasp the notion of their latent habits and once they reach enlightenment, they never decree a statement with absolutes again. It shall never exist a more poisonous and destructive idea than the fervent exertion of one’s will to the masses.”

“That sounds romantic in a way, who wrote that?”

“An anonymous writer. The printer of the book wrote that this little verse and others were written during the First War. Free thinking during the turmoil was considered anti-patriotic thanks to the war efforts and writers of the time just spread their work in little notes on the street. Thanks to Princess Amore, everything changed, but you know how it ended for her.”

“How different history could have been if evil didn’t exist in the first place!”

“I believe that Evil is but a necessity for this world to work.”

“I don’t think so. People create Evil because they don’t know how to get what they want the right way!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. I’m against the massacre, slavery and other inhuman acts of the world but I think that evil is just another name to reach a common ground. The so called ‘Good’ can be ‘Evil’ in its own way.”

“How so?” Sunset asked straightforward.

This is something that Nitpick tried to avoid the most. One thing is to know when to shut up and the other thing is to know when to avoid a possible argument. He didn’t know the extents of Sunset’s morals and he now wished he had chosen another way to spark up the conversation.

On the other hand, she was starting to feel fascinated by the subject. He started to put hopes on him, waiting to receive a deep insight and reason in the subject at hand. She loved her conversations of random stuff with her friends and Twilight sated her cravings for scientific purposes. They managed to do in three sessions of independent researching a flying saucer that made the deliveries of formal documents of the school to the teachers of each classroom. It was still in progress but it will be ready in a few days more.

The Princess satisfied the need for talking about Friendship topics and funny conversations when she was available. But no one wanted to talk about the sense of self, the essence of spirit. No one had interest to speak of the inner understanding of philosophy. Nitpick finally deciding to end this in the most civilized manner possible, spoke out his mind.

“’Good’ is just a name that people gave to acts they considered right to their standards and ‘Evil’ is just an expression of the opposite of their ‘Good’. But what gives someone the right to say what is fair and ill? To believe that someone has the complete authority to dictate what is right and wrong is simply absurd. There are no absolutes in this world.”

“I believe that Good can be given a name because everyone feels right when they help each other out! Evil is the selfishness of spirit born from greed and hunger for power. There is no other way around it!”

“Are you so sure of that? In my time at the academy, I have studied with my friends the sentiments of each essay, each lesson that the thinkers of old thought at their time. The reasoning behind the creation of a ‘Moral Bar’ was made to control the conflicts of each continent, each nation, each state, each city, each community, each family, and especially, every individual who walks this earth. To say that there is a universal and simple mindset like yours would be an ideal world.”

“Ideals can be transformed into reality to better the world! Everybody possesses a destiny to fulfill and deep inside I know that in the end, when we finally accept each other as equals. Everything will become right! It’s a fact!”

“You know when someone speaks of ‘facts’, they tend to fall in the delusion of control!”

“There is no control, only peace if you work for it hard enough!”

“We are not in the land of Eden! Sometimes working hard for something doesn’t guarantee you will get what you want!”

“Then it means that someone hasn’t worked hard for what he really wants! Everything is possible if you wish it with all your strength and go straight for the gold!”

“You speak like if you found the way to do that world a reality!”

“Yes, I know the way now. The path to build a paradise just like the one in my old home! I’ll bring here the real Land of Equestria… But it’s in progress. What I’m doing in the school is the first step! I try to unite everyone under a single flag, a single ideal! But like I said… it’s in progress.”

“I don’t know if I should praise you or tell you that what you believe is an ordeal in its own right! Creating the Land of Dreams in the real world is just impossible with a weak motivation and lack of resources.”

“Hehehe, a praise would be definitely appreciated.”

“Oh! And what gives you the right to ask that from me?” Nitpick said in a teasing manner.

“Could you at least please praise my efforts?” Sunset responded in a playful matter.

“You are not as charming as you think you are to ask that from me.”

“The same can be said of you.”

They tried to conceal as best as they could their satisfaction with this small exchange of critical thinking, but to no avail. The excellence of their understanding exchanges, the most simple but beloved of principle that was the gift of hearing and be heard was sublime to both of them. Their facial expressions beamed with interest to keep talking about similar topics.

To make matters better, the food was ready. The charming aroma of the cooked soy sausage combined with a mid-sized portion of mushroom soup was a delight irresistible to ignore. Sunset and Nitpick started by eating their soups first, but that didn’t stop them in continuing their talk.

Both of them ventured to pronounce that they felt wisdom and ignorance each time they shared their ideas and thoughts. Sunset was delighted to find that his mind was well-informed and that his love for books of critical thinking was deep and varied. Nitpick on the other hand found joy in speaking with someone who didn’t get bored with what most considered a kind of discussion that was only useful when it was needed. 

The fact that both of them started to get passionate with each word, each idea and subtly making eye contact was something they didn’t thought in the moment. Their small hand gestures, the subtleness in how they slyly interchanged small portions of their dishes to eat what they liked the most.

Soon they were lost in the bliss of the moment.



The expression of their eyes, the sweetness of finding a public who could enjoy their mindless babbling, it felt surreal to them. It was so refreshing, so other-worldly in a way. As their conversation was reaching its climax, the food was already over. No more excuses could be found to stay in that place. They asked for the bill and Nitpick paid it while leaving an appropriate tip. This was natural for him since his Father strictly taught him to tip when a waiter gives them good service, if possible. Unknown to him, his now natural routine scored positive points with Sunset.

“Wow, It’s four already? I lost track of time back there!” Sunset said while inspecting her phone.

“I’m surprised as well! Thanks for accepting to come with me!”

“Thanks for inviting me out of the blue!”

Nitpick had the feeling that he should end the date now. To try and extend its duration could lead to disaster.

“I should go. I need to buy my supplement before the store closes!”

“Let me come with you! If you don’t have anything else to do, we can go to the arcades! There are some games we can enjoy! My treat this time!”

“You don’t have to-“

“Come on!” Sunset interrupted. ”We’ll have fun! I’m sure of it!”

Nitpick thought he should reject the offer. This was going too smoothly to be true.

“…Ok, you are on!”

But the fools always are the same: fools!

They went straight to the nutrition store and Nitpick asked for the bottle he needed. Sadly, a previous customer bought the remaining nine bottles and new merchandise will arrive next weekend.

Quickly thinking in alternatives, he texted Gilda if there was other option to his situation. She answered immediately, suggesting a brand of vitamins for all kind of people. Happy to see that the bottle of goods was at a discount, he made the purchase. With that, they went straight to the arcades nearby.

Incandescent lights and colorful flashes could be seen everywhere. Your typical games like ‘Hit the mole’ and mini basketball score attacks were present. Quickly buying a fair amount of credit chips, Sunset Shimmer took his date’s hand and once again lived the moment together. Nitpick started to have winning streaks on many games. He would not show mercy when it’s about competition on something he enjoyed. Sunset was grateful for his attitude… It meant she didn’t have to hold back any longer.

She pushed her skills to the limit and Nitpick was starting to lose the advantage. Suddenly, they were fighting for supremacy in the game of ‘Whack the mole’. People were seeing the faces of a young couple enjoying their youth to the fullest. Only happiness and relief were seen in their faces.



“YOU WON’T ESCAPE FOREVER, LITTLE MOLES!”

“DON’T RUN AWAY, YOU LITTLE SHITS!” 

“STAY STILL!”

It was a fourth time that both said the same thing in harmonious duet. Unaware of their words, they kept hitting the table with the little toy hammers! They were scoring points like there was no tomorrow! They were so close, so close to the finishing point. One more point, one single point and the victor will be decided.

‘BAAM’

The match was over and the winner was chosen.

“YES!” Sunset shouted while repeatedly jumping with triumphant happiness.

“FUCKING DAMN IT!” Nitpick shouted while scratching his head in disbelief. “You got lucky again, Shimmer!”

“Ohohohoho!” Sunset laughed with impish intent, her hand nearly covering her lips. “You are good, Bittersweet! I’ll give you that! But it’s just happens that I’m better than you in this!”

“Hehehe Hahahahaha! Dream on!” Nitpick replied with daring tonality. “Next time I’ll be the victor without a doubt!”

“Next time it will be a hundred versus zero percent in victories instead of fifty-fifty… in my favor, of course!” Sunset said the last with a teasing tone. 

A ring tone from Sunset’s phone interrupted their moment and for the looks of it, a phone call was waiting for her.

“I’ll go and buy us some juices while you answer the phone.” Nitpick said while going to the soda fountain of the arcades.

Sunset answered the phone and it was none other than Rarity. In a way, it didn’t surprise her. The fashionista was too protective of her best friends’ hearts to not worry about one of them during their dates.

“Darling, are you having a good time? Are you okay?”

“I’m having the time of life! I feel so relieved and refreshed! I’ll tell you everything tomorrow! He is coming back with drinks for the two of us!”

“Alright, darling… Enjoy your time!”

“Are you ok? You sound pensive!”

“Nonono! Enjoy your date! Applejack and the rest of the girls are here with me in my house! We plan to do another slumber party! If you wish to join us…”

“I’ll be there when this is over! I promise!”

“Good! Enjoy your daaaaate!” Rarity sang with a melodious voice and hang off the call.

Date… has this really become a real one? This feels surreal for her.

“Here are the juices!”

“Thank you!” Sunset said while grabbing her grape juice.

Finally deciding it was time to go, both of them went straight to the bus stop. Drinking their beverages until the last drop and throwing the trash in the appropriate container, both of them rode their way to Ponyville. Soon the sun would give farewell to this part of the globe for today and the moon would take his place at the sky. The stars weren’t as perceivable in the town as they were in the Apple farm. 

But their bright was spectacular enough to admire during a night walk.

Nitpick wanted to admire the sunset in one of his favorite spots of the town. He pushed the button to signal the driver that this was their stop and soon the bus stopped his way.

“Rarity’s home is still three blocks away from here and I’ll have a reunion with the girls soon!”

“Perfect! My house is still fifteen blocks away so that means you are the closest to safety than me!”

“But-!”

“Just follow me! Trust me!”

With no reason to deny his invitation, Sunset followed the young fool to whatever place he had in mind. It took them a few steps for her to notice that it was one of the many parks of the town. Nitpick looked at the horizon and soon spoke his mind.

“Great! Just a few steps more!”

“Hehe want to show me something?” Sunset said excited all of the sudden.

“Just sit… right here with me!”

Nitpick pointed out to one of the benches in the place and Sunset just did as he said. He pointed out in the distance and the mountains were his objective. Both of them soon were engulfed just for an instant with the majestic rays of sunset. The vibrant red with subdued tones of yellow was a show that nature bestowed upon them.

Their eyes were filled with the brimming light and suddenly the welcoming shadow of a peaceful night was slowly making her entrance.

“I thought that the rooftops at the school were the best place to admire the end of a day!”

“This is one of my favorite places in town... I’m glad you enjoyed it!”

“…I loved it!”

Nitpick couldn’t help but admire her silhouette. The dancing wind was caressing her with such gentleness that it looked like her hair was actually a flaming light. Her blue-emerald eyes and marble like traits were stealing his heart.

‘No!’ The young fool thought in his mind. ‘Just enjoy the moment! Just like the sun is going to sleep, I must this foolish dream of mine to rest.’

Sunset on the other hand stopped looking at the sun and her eyes gazed upon his...

‘Friendship!’ Sunset suddenly thought in her mind. She originally did this to detect any bad trait to correct his faults!

Realizing this, she started to think harder about the situation. She has experience in spotting rude and evil people at sight quicker than other individuals. Her experience in being one long ago gave her an edge in this particular matter. With what she lived today and the lack of ill-feelings in his behavior, combined with the Magic of Friendship inside her, the only conclusion was that he just didn’t know how to react to the school ever-growing friendly environment.

‘He is just a victim of the ways of his old school!’ Sunset came to a conclusion. ‘Now I know what to do! I’m sorry, Twilight! But if I don’t act now, I will lose this chance to turn him to one of us right now!’

Finally making her decision, she stood up and took a few steps away to the horizon. Nitpick admired her figure bathed in the last rays of the sun… it was like magic highlighting her beauty for him to marvel upon. 

“You know…” Sunset said while watching the sun hide. “I’m sure you must have heard some rumors of how I used to be… a bad apple.”

Nitpick remained silent. His instinct told him that he mustn’t interrupt something that he started to feel it was necessary for their relationship to develop.

“I was so lost… so lost in the ways of greed… I desired power like no one could ever imagine! But as we discussed earlier during meal, misguided approach ends up in a bad result, a bad outcome… an utter defeat.”

Sunset turned around and focused her sight on his date.

“But it was thanks to someone that I finally saw the light! I can’t ever thank her enough for what she did for me! Getting me real friends, obtain acceptance… releasing me from the chains of despair! And you know what? With the pace of time I came to a conclusion! If one single act of redemption can make someone turn to good, then what would happen if this feeling, this ideal could spread gradually to everybody? One becomes two, two becomes four, four becomes sixteen, and it will spread and spread until it reaches the whole world!”

Sunset raised her hands and traced a big circle with the motion of her arms. Nitpick was astonished with what she was saying. On one hand, she was saying something unrealistic, something he despised; Unrealistic Ideals.

But on the other hand…

“My friends and I are making the school a better place! You could say it’s just but a little glimpse for what it is yet come! You have seen it yourself, haven’t you? How the bonds of everyone at CHS are growing stronger with the pace of time? Is because we discovered the cure to the illness of spirit in this world! A way of thinking that can better everything!”

Sunset closed her eyes, choosing the right words to speak to her public.

“You know, people at school are having the idea that what is happening to the soccer team is your fault!”

‘My… fault?’ Nitpick deeply thought in his mind those words.

“Everyone heard about what you did to Pinkie Pie and they also think that you are a jerk.” Sunset said with no ill intents.

‘A jerk!?’ Nitpick thought annoyed on those words.

“And don’t forget how you made Fluttershy mad in how careless you were during the Shelter Event!”

‘CARELESS?’ He was starting to feel pissed off.

Sunset noticing how his facial expression was slowly changing to unpleasantness, she started to say his now discovered good traits.

“But after having this wonderful time with you, after having a small but incredible meaningful conversation with you, I finally know that you are not a bad guy! You are just lost, misguided! Your old school environment and your sudden exposure to something better have made you suspicious of CHS! Let me tell you that this is something normal! I felt the same way like you long ago! Fearful of change! But there is a big difference between you and me!”

She got closer to him, a tender smile formed in her face and her eyes shimmered with compassion.

“You already possess the seed of good! The way you helped Fluttershy when she was sick! The care you give to Twilight when she is around you! And even if you did it for saving Gilda and yourself, you also saved Rainbow Dash and Zap from Wind Rider’s unjust demands when you could just walked away and leave them at their fate! The only thing you need is a push in the right direction, and someone to show you the path to virtue!”

“… And I assume you have that kind of push.” Nitpick said with mixed feelings.

“Of course! With my guidance, you can make amends to your mistakes and no one will have ill-feelings towards you! And I’m sure when you see the truth of what this path offers, you and I will definitely join forces, make things the way they are meant to be!”

“That sounds like a fantasy… no one else sees the world the way you do! What you are saying is unreal! An impossible reality!”

“That’s because your reality lack what we possess!”

She took a step backward, and without a moment of hesitation, she offered her hand.

“Take my hand, Nitpick! Let me show you there is another way! Just like somebody else did for me! Let me guide you to the Garden of Eden, where the land is filled with the bountiful splendor of green, the rivers of life never cease to run its course and the people are united under one, merciful harmony! Take my hand, and let’s create an Arcadia, where the wicked is but legends, greed only exists in fairy tales and chaos is but a memory of a distant past.”

“What you say… the way you say it…” Nitpick stood up from his place.

“It’s okay. Once you know what I’m talking about, everything will become clear to you. Let’s create more good memories together! And we’ll definitely succeed if we work hard for the dream… with our hands joined.”

Time and space suddenly came to a halt to Nitpick Bittersweet. The offer given to him held a deeper meaning that anyone could ever imagine. You must become intelligent, even if for a brief moment, to make the right choice in your way of living. And right now, unaware of the immensity of the path ahead, he was going to make the most important choice of his life. The detail in your surroundings is something that gives you an insightful answer to the things to come and for you to figure out the truth. 

Your truth! 

In life, people tend to wait for good things to come to them. And by waiting, they miss out the marvels of choosing themselves their next action, their next experience… their destiny.

Destiny! 

Cursed be the word that deprives the people of forming their own future! But right now, he was in front of someone who could defy the threads of faith and make him choose another path, a better path. Arcadia could become a reality and his spiritual sense told him that Sunset was the shepherd for the lost lambs. No doubt… there is no doubt that it could be a reality.

But to choose that path, would mean to completely abandoning what he learned to appreciate! To despise what the people he loved did every day: Pushing forward and find the truth with each other’s help. 

Both choices were a struggle of self that Nitpick had to choose. If he wants to reach a sense of endless happiness and strive, the only thing he had to do is take her hand, reject his ideal born from reality, embrace her words and preaching’s… and the whole world will change.

‘But we are not living a dream’ His grandfather once said. ‘Reality is merciless! And that makes it beautiful!’ 

“No…”

Sunset just winked her eyes in surprise. “Forgive me. I didn’t hear well what you said! Could you repeat?”

“I said No! I refuse what you offer!”

Now she was completely baffled.

“Are you sure of that?” Sunset said with surprise and disbelief. “Perhaps I said things too fast and you haven’t thought well your answer. We could speak tomorrow and-”

“No, Sunset… For me, there are no such things as shortcuts or a perfect morality code! What you are saying is nothing more than the beliefs of a woman who is trying to change the world in a single way, with a single mindset, philosophy and rule that destroys all other paths to achieve the same result! What you are trying to achieve is more than just trying to better the world, you want unity!”

“Of course! You can understand what I’m saying because you are more, uhm, open and enlightened than most of the people our age! In a way of speaking, perhaps you and I were meant to cross paths! What’s wrong to share the ways of True Friendship to the world if I’m not imposing my beliefs to them? Only with good will and hard work we can achieve empathy within us and then, to everyone else!  With that, the people will join without complain because we will show them with example!“

Soon she was in front of him, their eyes admiring the deepness of black in their pupils.

“My friends believe in this and look how fulfilling and rich are their lives! Applejack has a successful and loving family! Rarity is climbing her way to fame in the world of fashion! Pinkie Pie is starting to create her reputation as the best family, party planner in the district! Fluttershy will become one of the best, if not the best, veterinarian of the world! Rainbow Dash is just a few years away from becoming one of the best athletes in the nation! And all of them have something in common! They believe in the Ideal Friendship! Because they know is the right way to live!”

“And that’s my greatest problem with your belief! You speak with absolutes! That only through your ideal of Friendship you can create successful bonds that lack discord and misery to the spirit! But your public is too small for it to work! The real world will crush you with the way you think sooner or later!”

“This world doesn’t know what lies beyond the fabric of time of space! When ready, the land will be aware of the most powerful magic of all, the greatest change that the world has seen since the discovering of the self: The Magic of Friendship! With it, all the wrong alternatives will be destroyed and the Bridge to Perpetuity will available to anyone!”

“Let’s say what you say is true! That your ideal will awake the inner ‘Good’ of the people of the world! But there is a great problem, a great violation to one of the greatest gifts that life bestowed upon us: Choice! By destroying the alternatives, not only you take away the people’s right to walk their own paths! You create incompetent individuals in the long run who will not know what to do next when their shepherd is lost!" 

He got closer to her.

"What you offer!”

He took her hands firmly but gently.

“What you strive for!”

His face became stern but tender.

“Is not real!”



“…Not… real?”

Silence... And suddenly, the words of her truth came through her mouth.

“It is real!” Sunset acquired a serious expression, her hands tightly holding his. “You just need to open to the Ideal and you’ll soon understand!”

“And by opening to the Ideal, you mean taking away my freedom of choice in reaching the same goal!”

“My path requires less suffering and falls! But to achieve it, you must reach a state of mind! The idea that people are the same in shape, form, color and spirit! Everybody has a place! A destiny to fulfill! No one is left behind!”

“People have the same rights to live than the neighborhood next to me! But by streamlining the rights of everyone, you take away the possibilities for some people to reach their full potential!”

“Reaching full potential always ends on people bragging their abilities! Eventually, everyone becomes arrogant and full of themselves!”

“Who is ‘Everyone’, Sunset Shimmer? Just because some people end up like that, doesn’t mean that others don’t follow compassion and rectitude!”

“You are blinded with the shadows of individuality that Crystal Prep instilled on you! That’s why my words feel alien to you!”

“Your words aren’t alien to me, it’s your belief itself born from the ignorance of past events that baffles me! I’m not one to anger that easily, I show symptoms of discomfort just like a normal human would do! The reason why I got angered with Pinkamena is because she played a really distasteful joke upon me and I simply couldn’t stand it! Granted, the way I approached wasn’t the right way but, with what right she dares to play a prank on me when I just met her for a few days?”

“Well… I didn’t know that! Still, you recognize the bad approach you did with her! With my help, that will not happen again!”

“What? Are you going to give me incomplete instructions just like Fluttershy did? I’m not a seer, you know? The first thing that came to my mind when she mentioned the rat problem was to get rid of the problem by any means necessary!”

“There was a reason they gave us little cages for them! What you did was wrong!”

“It was wrong at first sight, perhaps! Is true that animals deserve to live but when they start to screw us over, we need to get rid of them! Did you know that the shelter released the rats the other day? Chief Hugger told me about it when she gave me a ride back home! A few days later, Gilda told me that the neighbors were angry when the shelter released the rats in the fields near the suburbs! You know why? Some of them came back to pest the houses again!”

“The shelter will find a way to deal with this dilemma without slaughter! We must accept nature at it comes and teach our minds to enjoy life as it comes. It’s a way to train you inner spirit!”

“Speaking of training!” Nitpick said with a hissing voice. “Did you know that some people in school hate the way you are managing things up?”

“If you speak about what happened to Twilight, don’t worry! We have a plan for that!”

“No, no, no! Hasn’t Applejack told you that people is despising every minute of the soccer training? I’m not lying, I spoke to her in private about it during the day I had my fight with Pinkamena! Why don’t you ask her about it? She is an honest girl! I’m sure she wouldn’t lie to you!”

“I will! And I’m sure is just a misunderstanding, that’s all! After all, you are the one who spoke ill of Rainbow and the others!”

“Because they deserved the ill comments! She and that girl Spitfire treat us like trash! You don’t notice it because you are running in the frontlines while the minority that dislikes it just keeps their mouth quiet because for one reason or another, they love Rainbow Dash!”

“And you want to know why, Nitpick?” Sunset said with a renewed smile. “Because she inspires loyalty to people! She is the living example of it! And all of my friends hold in their hearts a trait that defines Harmony itself!”

“That’s the same nonsense that Applejack told me some time ago! There is no such thing as perfect Harmony! You just live your daily life and enjoy the good and bad as it comes!”

“Because as I said, you are blind! Let me tell you why my way is better!” 

Sunset cleared her throat and got closer to him, their lips nearly making contact, their breaths exchanging the soft aromas of youth in them. 

“Friendship is about giving ourselves to others and also receiving all of their beings at heart, you must share with them the blessings you receive in your daily life and also help them in overcome their griefs! Share with others that they must be proud of their talents and nurture their dreams to achieve their goals, give them faith and be a source of strength to overcome their greatest fears! When the might of Honesty, the honor of Loyalty, the grace of Generosity, the joy of Laughter and the tenderness of Kindness unite, the spark that ignites the Magic of Friendship will be revealed before you!”

In that moment, Nitpick finally deciphered the Ideals that Sunset preached. It was so subtle but she gave hints from where that determination of hers to change everything came from.

“You know, Sunset… I won’t deny that those are the most pleasant and optimistic words I ever heard in my life!" Nitpick said with complete honesty. "The feelings they emanate, the strength, determination and lack of ill-will behind them is simple overwhelming!”

“Thank you! Those words are something that I follow at heart!”

“Then I must ask… Whose ideals are you ripping off from!?”

The eyes of romanticized ideals and pure sense of justice suddenly dilated with the taint of bursting anger. Her expression was calm but deep inside those blue-emerald eyes, there was something else.

“That… wasn’t nice!” Sunset said while taking her distance from him, their hands now separated.

“Nice would have been if you suddenly didn’t throw at me accusations of me being a total creator of problems when the events at the school had to do something with my behavior!”

“Your behavior is the source of the problems you have at the school!”

“Or perhaps the school is simply trying too hard to please everybody! What’s wrong with a sense of individuality?”

“Nothing! Everyone has traits that made them unique! If we follow the way of Friendship and unite those gifts, what I believe will become reality!”

“Then please exclude me and those who don’t wish to follow your Salvation! We will find another way with our own feet!”

“I thought you could understand… I was having a great time with you!”

“Sorry it had to be this way... princess!"

Those words! Sunset Shimmer once said those words long ago to the Princess of Friendship.

‘Yes… Just like me back then’ She thought with a sense of revelation.

“No, don’t be! I understand now!” Sunset just patted him on his shoulders. “You are still new in CHS so you don’t know much about our school history!” She released him and started her journey to Rarity’s home. “I’ll make you see things in a new light in the coming days. Perhaps we can have another date soon and enjoy ourselves again! Have a good evening, Nitpick!”

“Yeah, same to you, Sunset…!”

Once she disappeared from the reach of his sight and waited a few minutes to be sure she couldn’t hear him, Nitpick came to a relaxed conclusion.

“I’M NOT THE BAD GUY HERE, FOR FUCK’S SAKE!”

He was mad. Never had he heard such bullshit before. Even Lighting Dust was bearable compared to all that! He couldn’t go home now, he was stressed and needed to vent! Simple games won’t do! He walked away to the bus stop and waited the next ride. It was still early and there was one place where he could rage his mind in peace.
> Chapter 47- The first steps to change.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“And then she said, ‘I’ll make you see things in a new light in the coming days’, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!?”

“Such arrogance, sweetheart!”

“And then she leaves me in the middle of the park like if I was the bad guy! IS SHE SERIOUS!?”

“Horrible, simply horrible!”

“The way she said those virtues was stupid! Might, Honor, Grace, Joy, Tenderness! Who the hell does think she is!? Captain Friendship?”

After the date I had with Sunset Shimmer near an hour ago, I decided to vent my frustrations in the only place an obnoxious guy like me could enjoy! The family restaurant was nearly empty and Adagio Dazzle served me the Mocktail with no alcohol in it.	

“You really take this personal, don’t you?”

“Yes! Agghhh! Damn it! Why this kind of things happens to me?”

“But in a way, my dear patron, you weren’t at fault in your discussion with her!” Said Adagio with a pleasing tone.

“What do you mean by that?”

“For starters, if what you say is true about the problems of the school, then she is just assuming that everything is paradise in CHS! And assumed opinions are baseless, and that makes it a false claim!”

“Please elaborate more!”

“By standing your ground and indirectly defending the minority at the school of what is really happening there, you protected your voice of free expression! And without you taking notice, gained a powerful weapon that can be used against her and awake all the students that oppose the established, new reign of ‘Ideal’!”

“Which is?”

“The Shadow of Doubt! The Fires of Civil War! You must gather forces to start a revolution and oppose her rule on the school!”

“Are you crazy!? That’s busy work! I don’t want to lead people! The only logical choice is to step aside and just bear with it until I graduate!” And with that, I took a long and deep sip to my glass, emptying its content.

“Young patron! There must be people in that place that will aid you in the cause! If you don’t stand your ground and make a comeback, Sunset Shimmer will hunt you and her friends won’t stop until you are one of them! And by the looks of it, you won’t last long!”

“But if what Sunset said is true, most people in school hate me! I won’t receive support from anyone!”

“That’s the magic word, sweetie!” Finally said Adagio. “’Most’ people hate you, but what about the minority? Don’t you have some friends there?”

“Yes, my friends from middle school, Lightbulb and Dancer!”

“And they agree with Sunset and her vision for the school?”

“No… as a matter of fact, Dancer hates her for some personal reason!”

“Well, you already have definite supporters without even asking!”

“But-“

“Stop saying ‘but’! You are making excuses when you use that word!”

“It’s not excuses, is me being realistic! I don’t have enough resources to oppose the Idol Six! I don’t have a motive strong enough to even gather people to the cause!”

“Something tells me that Sunset will give you a cause sooner than later! Do you have experience in leading people?”

“I was the Champion of the lower class in Crystal Prep but I didn’t want the job in the first place! No-one in the lower class wanted the job and they put my name in it when I was sick in the day of elections!”

“How much did you last in the position?”

“…uhm, all the year.”

“Then don’t be afraid, darling! What are you in reality, a man or a cowering dog? If you let her make her move with complete freedom, she will catch you and will kill your uniqueness! And more importantly, there is only one committee in the whole school, right? The democracy that they preach is fair and just when there are multiple groups that share the power to lead any society in their shoulders! But when there is only one ‘Idol Six’ leading the whole school, that’s not fair and equal! No, no, no!”

She caressed my chin with her right hand and slowly explored it until she released me from her touch.

“It’s a Monarchy, disguised as a friendly rainbow of placebos! And Sunset Shimmer has the crown! If you have what it takes to help some students in there to fight against the Absolute, then why don’t you do it? You told me the first time I met you that there was nothing wrong with a little competition! I liked those piercing eyes full of crushing intent when you were speaking of Wind Rider’s demise! If Shimmer believes you are enlightened enough to help her in her crusade, why don’t you show her a piece of your mind?”

She closed the gap between our faces! Her seductive but pleasant smile full of selfish intent, her eyes filled with inner spirit! Something in her eyes… reminds me of Crystal Prep Academy.

“Unleash your inner fire once again, Nitpick! Lead the dispersed minority so they can unite and have a Song of Freedom to spread in the school!”

“I don’t know… I had an issue with my self-confidence when I transferred to CHS…”

“Whatever happened in the past, it stays there! We are the result of our past deeds, but-!

“We don't have to be prisoners of it.” I completed her speech. “Past deeds cannot be altered but the future can be molded with the choices of today! The lessons of the past will forever be there to teach you from where you came from!”

“Excellent, sweetie!” Said Adagio with a praising tone. “Be a star! Be a leader! Be a Champion of the common folk once again! It’s not your old school and the circumstances are different, but the goal is the same! Be a man and fight! Don’t let her win that easily!”

“Are you a politician? You speak with such aura of evil charisma!”

“Hehehe!” Laughed Adagio with a charismatic tone. “I’m just a common elder sister, with an uncommon background! Besides, I must be honest with you! I want you to screw the school a little! Think on your hours of sleep about what I told you today, okay?”

“…understood.”

I retired from the place after paying for my drink and giving the appropriate tip. Once I arrived home, put my clothes to the laundry and carefully placed them in the cloth rack of the house, I took a shower and then went straight to bed. But I couldn’t sleep! Ideas on how to even start a group to balance the power in school were bombarding my mind. It was a familiar feeling…

September 29th, a new week started and I ended up sleeping at one in the morning. I couldn’t think of anything! There was simply no reason to defy the Idol Six. I better behave myself from now on and dissimulate things at school. Doing my daily routine plus safeguarding my now clean tac-shirt in its box, I journeyed through the town to finally arrive school.

“What the hell!?” 

There was a commotion in the school gardens. Members of the soccer team, the Idol Six and Twilight were giving pamphlets to the students. Suddenly, an unpleasant voice was heard.

“ALRIGHT, EVERYONE! WE OBTAINED PERMISSION TO CHANGE THE SPORT CLASS SCHEDULES! SINCE AUTUMN IS STILL A GOOD SEASON TO PRACTICE SPORTS ON THE FIELD AND NOBODY LIKES CLASSES ON SATURDAY! WE WILL UNITE THE P.E. CLASSES INTO A FOUR DAYS A WEEK SESSIONS AFTER TWO PM STARTING NEXT WEEK! THAT IS ALL FOR THE MOMENT!” Shouted Spitfire to every group of students while the people I mentioned keep giving to the students the new schedules of our new training schedule.

I tried to walk straight to school but someone stood before me, her fiery radiance was more highlighted than yesterday.

“Take this, Nitpick!”

Not wanting troubles with her, I took the paper and read all its content… I wasn’t happy about it!

“Are you serious?” I asked with complete disbelief.

“I told you I would make you see things in a new light!” Said Sunset Shimmer with a joyous face. “Look at the power of unity at work! It only took us a few calls yesterday to mobilize the entire sport’s teams of the school to make this happen! Principal Celestia gave us the approval a few minutes ago and now the sport classes will be from Monday to Thursday, two hours a day! What do you think of this?”

“You…!” I said angered.

“Hehe! Don’t worry! Once we start the actual classes, we’ll have so much fun together! Rainbow finally organized the good things she learned with Wind Rider and will integrate them to the school training! Plus, Saturday classes will be removed thanks to this change! It’s a win for everyone!”

WHO THE HELL IS ‘EVERYONE’!? 

“There is not enough space in the school field to hold all of the students in it!” I said in protest.

“You would be surprised, my young student!”

Finally, after more than one month and a half of not seeing her once, she was before me. The ruler of the school was taller than me, even than Big Mac just for a few hairs. Her long and soft-like, rainbow colored hair, slender figure, beautiful pearlescent skin and lovely eyes was something unreal for a woman that was a Principal of a school. Principal Celestia put her hands on her hips and observed her surroundings, happy by the results of this early event.

“Once again, you are uniting the students of CHS, Sunset Shimmer! I can see lots of happy faces around here! I already made the call to the Town’s Hall and they gave us the approval to use the training fields as a second ground for our students during sport classes. I just came here to inform you that so I’ll take my leave! There is a lot of paperwork to do for Luna and me! The Thanksgiving event is coming soon!”

The Principal gave us a small and warm smile and she got back to her office. Sunset Shimmer was happy with this outcome and soon spoke to me once again.

“You see, Nitpick? If even the Principal is at our side, what could possibly be wrong with my way of Friendship? But I won’t pressure you! The bonds of the school will convince you sooner than later!”

“…We’ll see about that!” I said with negativity and got into school.

Fucking damn it… she is taking things to the extreme.

Classes started and Ethics was at hand. Mrs. Harshwhinny gave us our test and without any surprise for me, I aced the exam. An 'A plus' was written in my paper and with a little note that practically said that I was really open to various kinds of free thinking. 

Hehehehe I’m the best!

The teacher started to explain why in context some students got wrong their answers and to a degree, I was really impressed with her knowledge. Deciding that it wouldn’t be bad to listen to other’s people opinion who actually knows what they are talking about, I put all my attention on her words.

The school bell suddenly played its tune, marking the end of the first class. Trigonometry was next and this one made me feel worried. The test last week was a little harder than I thought and the only comfort I have in this moment is the words of hope that Twilight gave me after the test was over.

“My beautiful students…” Said Calculus Bridge with a sad tone. “I’m so sad to see so many low grades in these tests… But don’t worry! We have two more tests to improve your results! Let’s put more effort and enthusiasm and one day, you’ll be as brilliant and dedicated as Twilight Sparkle! I’m sure of it!” 

He started to distribute the papers to their respective owners, and when my turn finally arrived!

FUCKING NAIL IT! NAAAAAIL IT!

A ‘B plus’ was my score and I couldn’t be happier with the circumstances. After all, Twilight was the one that made this text more insufferable than what was originally planned in the first place. Speaking of her, she was a little sad, I could feel it.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” I whispered to her. “Everything okay?”

“Oh yeah…” She whispered in return. “It’s just about the test score!”

“Did you get a bad mark?”

I know it is a stupid question after what Santa Calculus said but I didn’t have other thing in mind at the moment.

“No, I got an ‘A plus’!”

“Then why do you feel bad about that? You aced the test, fucking damn it!” I whispered with annoyance now.

“Nitpick!”

“What?”

“Language!”

“Urrghhh…!”

“Answering your question, look at Rainbow!”

I stealthy stared at her and in her face the sweats of uneasiness were falling through her pores. That’s not good. Physics was next and I could end like her if I got a bad mark there. Calculus explained the answers of the current subject with such detail that now I can safely say that I could improve my mark a little bit next time. Perhaps an ‘A minus’ is not a cocky dream in the long run, I had above average scores in the academy and I was pretty smart.

Lunchtime arrived and I got straight to Lightbulb to fulfill the now usual routine; I retrieved my lunch and I paid him the money. Since fifty-three dollars were left from the two-hundred bucks my Mother gave me yesterday, my finances returned to the green zone… in the bare minimum.

“Nitpick!” Said Lightbulb with lunch at hand. “We need to talk”

I bet he wants to know how I fared with Sunset. Urgghh better start to gather my patience and withstand his backlash when I tell him what happened.

“Sure. Where is Dancer?”

“She is with Lyra and Bon Bon doing some study sessions in the library. So I’ll join you this time at the backyard.”

“You are welcome to my private haven!”

We arrived to my spot without delay and after starting to dig in to today’s pancakes, I noticed they were different in a good way. Instead of your typical honey with butter bathed bread they were covered with a crispy-like strawberry marmalade. The consistency gave away that it was a one-hundred percent, natural type so it added to the kudos points to Granny Smith’s cooking.

“Now, what do you want to talk with me, Lightbulb? Dancer is not here so you can say speak your mind with free reign”

“About Sunset Shimmer.”

“If this is about the date, I-“

He raised his hand and politely expressed that I must stop talking.

“It’s not about the date.” Said Lightbulb with a tone of discomfort. “It’s about the new schedules of the sports team! This stupid move from the Idol Six is screwing some people on school!”

“What? And why don’t you all say that to the Principal? She seems to be a very accessible woman!”

“Because the minority is simply too afraid to be pointed out as ‘Mood downers’ or the likes! If they complain with the Principal, well, you experienced our ‘heart-warming’ social news system with Twilight weeks ago.”

“So much for ‘friendship’ and ‘democracy’ in this school if you can’t express your mind!”

“I am really tired of the idiotic soccer team’s obnoxious training and the Idol Six making the school a ‘friendlier place’ for everyone! I won’t speak names, but some of the students are sick and tired of their recent meddling’s in all activities! What’s next? Make a mandatory charity event and all school must participate in it one way or another?”

His voice was slow… but it had a glimpse of anger in it.

“Lightbulb… Take it easy.”

“But I’m really tired, Nitpick… I know to keep my mouth shut and say nothing! I always go with the flow of things and accept change like… Ufffff Dancer is doing a part time job to make her family have an easier time! And that new schedule ruins her work in some way or another! Perhaps for some of the school students this is an excellent idea what they are doing but they don’t consider that some of us won’t take the…’deep breath’… Bro… is that a dark chocolate bar?”

“Yes, I bought in a deal while doing my groceries. Now I call it the ‘Chocolate of Spirit’… sounds cooler according to my friends in the academy.”

I opened the envelopment and gave half of the bar to him. We ate the dark chocolate while savoring every moment of it. After that, we slowly ate our pancakes.

“Ah… this always hit spot! Thanks, Bro!” Said Lighbulb in his relaxed and reasonable tone. He is back to his everyday self.

“No problem! What are friends for, Lightbulb?“

“I need to ask you a favor then.”

“Quickly abusing my endless good will, uh?” I said with an arrogant tone.

“Don’t be an ass and listen to what I have to say!”

“Alright! You know I can be a pretty good listener!” I soon started to drink my chocolate milk. 

Apple juice was sadly sold out. But oh, this chocolate tastes so good!

“Please… destroy the Idol Six!”

‘PLUAH’

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING!?”

“I’m no insinuating that you must destroy their friendship! That would be evil! But I want to make them see reason! I know you can do it, Bro! Rumors about that overrated athlete Rider were spread around school! I don’t know if you know but you have a pretty bad fame in school! At least, socially.”

“And what makes you think I can destroy the Idol Six? I don’t have people backing me up to even begin the madness you are asking from me!”

“You have me! Dancer and other guys who don’t hold ill feelings towards you will follow you if you start something serious!”

“No, Lightbulb! We must bear with it until we graduate!”

“Are you saying that!? ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? YOU OF ALL OF PEOPLE!?”

“I’m being realistic, Bro! I need a reason to do it!”

“Then I’ll give you some reasons to think about it! Remember that Dancer was humiliated once by Sunset Shimmer! True, I told you that she got a taste of her own medicine but now she is jeopardizing your friend and other people in school! Also, something tells me that you didn’t enjoy your date in the end.”

“No! As a matter of fact, she told me that I was the bad guy in a subtle way. I’m not a trouble maker! I just get pissed when people try to make look things better than they really are! I regret making Pinkamena cry but I don’t regret yelling to her my real thoughts! The soccer team is really being a pain in the ass and they deserve the hate! And the stupid shelter- AH!”

And I finally realized!

‘What are you in reality, a man or a cowering dog?’

With great force, shaking the chains of fear in my mind, those seductive words that Adagio said yesterday were resonating with great echo in my newfound thoughts. In a society in which nearly everybody is dominated by somebody else's mind or by a disembodied leadership, there are always glimpses of freedom in the acts of every day’s activities! But what the Idol Six is doing, what they enforce, is nothing more than one single voice guiding the defenseless freedom of choice in school.

Why… why they didn’t ask the opinions of all the school in the first place? Why they assumed that everyone would be happy with this change? Adagio was right! Why should I allow them to stomp me for something that wasn’t my complete fault in the first place!? Why I should permit them to tell me how to live my life? Why I didn’t do nothing about it since day one!? 

I won’t stand that kind of bullshit any longer. 



“Bro! Did you reflect on something?”

“I won’t allow the Idol Six to keep doing things as they please, Lightbulb! Do you know if there are people who could join us?”

“I’ll create some secret accounts to make an online poll and see if there exist a healthy number of students that would like to make the soccer practices optional!”

“Good, start with that! I’m sorry but until I meet in person the students I’m going to work with, I can’t make any strategies right now!”

“I understand! This reminds me of how you made Mrs. Flowershine resign from middle school!”

“Must I remind you that I did it because she was already old and sick for her to keep going? Besides, it was a united effort with the help of everyone's ideas in school!”

“But you led us, that count for something! And if you can put down a professional athlete, then a group of girls can’t do you any harm!”

“Girls are dangerous creatures, Lightbulb! Must I remind you that Fluttershy slapped me a while a go? And Rarity can be pretty harsh when she is mad… seriously, that girl scares me”

“Yeah, but it was just a slap and some anger issues! What else can they do? Become super powered heroines and blast you to oblivion with the Magic of Friendship they keep bullshitting about every single fucking day?”

“You are right! If we at least make those training sessions optional to everyone, then that would be more than enough for us and I could safely say that ‘Everybody’ will be happy!”

The time came to leave my spot. The school bell rang and it was time for the next classes. Taking in account my new decision, I realized that it’s been a while since I planned something that involves school administration. As I took my usual seat in the corner and looked upon the sky through the window, I gripped my fist and came to a conclusion.

I can do it! I won’t allow Shimmer and her pseudo-heroine friends to do things as they wants without someone giving an alternative in this place. Nothing will shatter my newfound determination.

NOTHING!

“My beautiful students! I’m so terrible sad to see that most of the classroom got really bad scores! But don’t despair! We still have two more tests to improve your knowledge in the Physics field! Let’s put more effort and enthusiasm and one day, you’ll be as bright and intelligent as Twilight Sparkle! I’m sure of it!”

Heh heh heh heh! You underestimate me, old man! I have great confidence that I did well in my test, as soon as you give me my paper, I’ll prove that…

A FUCKING ‘D’!? DID I SCORE A FUCKING ‘D’!? I NEVER GOT ANYTHING LESS THAN A ‘C’ IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!

I looked around my surroundings and people were weeping and burying their faces in their desk. Rainbow Dash… poor, lovely and miserable Rainbow Dash. Her eyes were teary and her expression was one of disbelief and hopelessness. The only thing that gave away that she was still sane was that she formed a weak and distorted smile and her chuckles were that of an ironic girl. I couldn’t feel nothing else than empathy towards her.

And there was only one culprit in this place, one single, purple individual who was the mastermind behind this slaughter.

“Nitpick, look! I aced another test! What did you get? A ‘D’!? Oh Cheeseburger! And by the looks of it, some of my friends didn’t fare well in the test either! Don’t worry! I have a plan to B improve your study capabilities! It’s called: Reading and Highlighting!”

TWILIGHT SPARKLE!
> Chapter 48- An obscure allience.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the last row of seats on the computer labs during the class of Informatics, Twilight Sparkle and I were about to start a conversation. With grace, dignity and the proper parley worthy of a high school student, I was the first to speak my mind.

“You fucking screwed us over, Twilight!” I whispered with anger.

“What!? Twilight answered me with surprise. “What do you mean?”

“If you didn’t have that habit of yours of opening your mouth and bombarding the teacher with questions, Calculus’ tests would have been easier to answer! This is the first time I ever got a ‘D’ and it’s your fault!”

“My fault!?” Whispered Twilight in awe. “You and the others should have studied harder instead of goofing around!”

“What did you say, you little-!”

“Language!”

“Dam-… ugh! Fine! At least I managed to score an ‘A plus’ in Literature and Professor Gizmo gave us the same grade as well.”

“Don’t worry, Nitpick! Like I told you before, with my study methods, you’ll ace any test in a matter of days! I’m the living proof of it!”

“We normal living beings don’t have your genius intellect to manage that kind of feat, Twilight! You should consider not speaking in classroom!”

“…umm.”

“Why did you put the long face, little twinkle star?”

“Tee hee! Little twinkle star!?”

That adorable face!

“Fucking sorry!” I whispered in an apologetic manner. “I didn’t mean to say that!”

“Nitpick…!” Whispered Twilight with a sublime and childlike silhouette. “I don’t mind you calling me like that!”

“Uh… ok!”

What’s wrong with me when I’m around you?

“But I just have a complaint.”

“Which is?”

“Language!”

“Damn it!”

“Nitpick!”

“What!?”

“Shh! You should consider not speaking in public!”

“Why you little-!”

She gave me a scolding frown while crossing her arms. Who does she think she is to give me the looks!?

“Ok, ok! I’ll behave as I promised you!”

“You didn’t promise me anything, you just said that you’ll try to behave for me…”

“Oh… good!”

“But since you consider it a promise now…!” Twilight looked to the roof while playfully putting a finger on her lips. “Perhaps I can-!”

“Don’t test your luck on me, Twilight Sparkle!”

“Just kidding! Right, Spike?”

The little guy made a soft bark while getting his head out of the bag. Who is a good boy? Yuh are a good boy!

“Nitpick! Since we’re already finished with the main code and programming and we still have some time before classes end, I was meaning to ask you a favor!”

That sounds so beautiful! Hearing from her that we finished with the main code and programming meant that the project was practically over! But the problem was the other part of her talk.

“Uh… first let me hear what this favor is about. I don’t make promises I know I can’t guarantee its fulfillment.”

“It’s easy! We will have so much fun together while at it!”

“Define ‘fun together’”

“Don’t try to be silly, Nitty! You know the meaning to that!”

NITTY!?

“As you know, the sport classes are having an overhaul next week and we need to organize all the schedules! Since the girls are busy with the schedule and location management, they asked me if I can give them a hand in the team’s organization! We just have to assist to the sport classes during this week and plan ahead which students are more athletic than others and allocate them in the same groups! That way, we’ll maximize efficacy and focus the training according to their weaknesses of each group! Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

“Your consideration of what you believe is a fun activity we can enjoy together is inspiring.” I whispered sarcastically.

UH!? THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A THOUGHT AND NOT A PART OF OUR CONVERSATION!

“Oh! I knew you and I would agree in this! Even in Crystal Prep, you always helped me in our projects!”

“That’s because I-!”

I closed my mouth instantly. I nearly said something crude.

“Yes?”

I hate it when you make happy faces like that!

“Well, you were a pain and very demanding in our projects but… I have fun.”

I said the truth in a certain point of view.

“So… Will you me help in this starting tomorrow?”

“Well…”

The theme of the Ancient Scrolls rang from my phone. Lightbulb was texting me.

“Excuse me for a moment, Twilight.”

“Ok, I’ll research about athletic categories while you finish your business!”

‘Sigh’

-Lightbulb: Let’s meet at the exit!

-Nitpick: I’ll meet you there.

I’m starting to have mixed feelings right now. Help Lightbulb and betray Twilight’s expectations or betray her and help my friend? If Lightbulb is my friend and he takes priority between the two, why I am having doubts right now?

“I’ll give you an answer tomorrow, promise!”

She nodded with a glimpse of expectation and we spent the last seven minutes researching whatever it came to our minds. The bell rang and it marked the end of another day of classes. I quickly left the halls of the school and Lightbulb was outside, alone, and that was weird.

“Where is Dancer?”

“She already left because today she has an especial sale in her part time job.”

“I can’t believe she works in the flower shop near the Town’s Hall! The owner is a bit meticulous with her designs. I’m somewhat glad that she told me in our chat group during Literature classes… I was going to sleep with Cranky’s speeches”

“Hahahaha I understand that! Let’s go to Sugarcube Corner and discuss how to gather the students to support us!”

“You really think we can pull this off so that’s good enough for me”

I followed him to the Cafe near the town center. The aromas of fresh baked goodies and sweet coffee are as welcoming as the first time. The Cake’s family was always a humble and that virtue of theirs rewarded them with a successful local with a healthy income. We ordered some of their famous slices of cheese cake and I ordered a chocolate milkshake while Lightbulb ordered a simple, black coffee. 

We started to exchange ideas on how to convince people to join our cause but to no avail. We clearly weren’t the social types and our methods were somewhat lame and straightforward for the likes of CHS. We needed some help and we needed it fast.

“Lightbulb! Good to see you around here!”

“It’s weird seeing you with somebody who isn’t Dancer. At least it is your old friend and not another girl!”

“Very funny, Lyra! And she is in her part time job.”

“How did she take the news about this new change of schedules?”

“Yeah! This schedule totally clash with her work hours!”

So even Lyra and Bon Bon knew about it before me… damn…

“Bad. It’s not that she needs the money but she doesn’t want to be a bother to her parents. You know how it was for her last year. Nitpick and I are discussing how to change things in school and oppose the Idol-”

“Shh!” Lyra gently put her hand in his mouth. “This is part of their tour! Somebody can hear you!”

“So this is how far the fear of those girls has gone. Not even outside of the school you can speak out your mind.” I said with seriousness.

“You don’t like them?” Asked Bon Bon.

“No.”

“What exactly do you want to achieve both of you?” 

“We want the guys in the school to have a mind of their own instead of Sunset and her friends running the show for us! Besides, I hate Spitfire and how bitchy she is!”

“I don’t think that the right way to express about someone, Nitpick!” Said Lyra with a bit of concern. “I mean, there are rumors that you, uh, made a lot of boo-boos”

“Is this about Pinkamena, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash and the soccer team? No offense but I don’t think it’s fair that I receive a bad treatment while all those girls have a kind of fault to it in those events! Nobody touches them because they are the popular gals and I am just the evil piece of shit bringing terror to the school!”

“That’s not true, yo! I believe you are a nice guy!”

That voice! 

A pair of hands suddenly obscured my vision and without trying to struggle, I decided to play their game.

“Guess whooooo?” A beautiful, singing voice was heard.

“Sweetie Belle.”

She released me from her playful game.

“How did you know?”

“Applebloom and her ‘yo’ is unmistakable and the way you sang is eerie similar to Rarity!”

But cuter.

“I knew I should have spoken instead” Bickered Scootaloo. 

“Come on, Scoots'! Our voices are famous by now with that video we released last year! Bub-in-law is a smart guy after all!”

What the hell is a Bub-in-law?

“That doesn’t matter, girls!” Said a suddenly angered Bon Bon. “Haven’t your elders taught you to not barge into other people 
conversations?”

“Sorry!” The three girls said in unison.

Oh, they are so adorable, especially Sweetie Belle. Wait! They are sisters of three of the Idol Six! This is bad.

“You’re going to sell us to your sisters, aren’t you?” I said with resignation.

“No!” Replied Sweetie Belle with panic.

“We still remember what you did as Anon-A-Miss, kids!” Exclaimed Bon Bon.

“We aren’t gonna stab you, promise!” Replied Scootaloo with a bit of fear. 

“We want to help you, yo!”

“What!?” The girl’s duo, Lightbulb and I said in unison with disbelief.

“I don’t believe you!” Replied Bon Bon.

“Girls! They are your sisters!” Said Lyra witch confusion. “Aren’t you supposed to help them?”

“Yeah, but…”

Applebloom suddenly rubbed her shoulders while The Cutie Crusaders looked to each other’s eyes. Finally nodding in agreement, Applejack’s sister continued.

“But Spitfire and the sports team became meanies! At first it was fun and really challenging until we heard some people in our grade complaining about this sudden change and I don’t want mah sister to be hated because of it! It feels horrible to be despised by the school and we don’t want our family to be disliked by everyone!”

‘Sigh’ Why all of you keep saying ‘everyone’ that lightly?

“We don’t like to be called wimps on something that is supposed to be fun… I’m not a wimp!” Said Scootaloo in frustration, her clenched fist were trembling in anger.

“And my uniform always gets dirtier than usual with those trainings!”

You’re truly Rarity’s sister, but far more adorable.

“Oh gosh, Sweetie Belle! The uniforms are the least of our problems!” 

“You don’t wash your own things, Scoots’! You don’t know how frustrating it is to clean those filth stains from the cotton!”

“Our parents will buy us new uniforms if they get ruined! No big deal!”

They may not be real sisters but Scootaloo is following her idol’s steps and that’s troublesome.

“Girls! We are wasting our time, yo! Let’s tell them what we have in mind so we can save our sisters and make the school as friendly as before!”

No comment, Applebloom is truly an Apple.

“What do you have in mind, kiddos?”

“If you wanna convince everyone in school, you must become one of the good guys first, yo!”

“Yeah! Make something awesome and everyone will help you!”

“Maybe a change of look and sing a song in the cafeteria of the school! Everyone loves songs!”

“YEAH!” The trio exclaimed in unison.

Silence… The wind of the streets roared with gentleness. If this was the old west, a ball of dead bushes would have passed beside us by now.

“Why I should sing a song in the cafeteria?”

“Because that’s something Princess Twilight did to win the Fall Formal last year!” Answered Sweetie Belle.

“Princess… Twilight?”

“Twilight’s cousin, Bro!” 

“Ah yeah… Seriously? She won the event with a song?”

All of them nodded in agreement.

“Impossible! I mean, in Crystal Prep Academy, for students to overthrow the rule of a Champion leader, they must elect a new candidate so they can openly challenge face him or her in a competition to see who is the best suited for the position! If CHS has a similar system, Twilight must have gathered all the school with more than just a song. How many days it took her to convince most of the school?”

“Two days!” Scootaloo answered.

Just two days? Not even Sugarcoat who obliterated the previous Champion of the middle class did that feat so quickly! It took her a month to become the new leader during our first year at the academy. Twilight’s cousin must possess unmatchable charisma.

“Do you have a photo of her?”

“If you have seen Twilight without glasses, you have seen the Princess, Nitpick! But she is far more social and her songs are really good!” Informed Lyra while doing a small dancing with a strange tempo in her mind.

“That doesn’t make sense! A song in the cafeteria of the school is not something worthy of approval for the whole school to stand beside her! What else did she do? That can’t be the only thing she did to convince you!”

“Well, she also cleaned the gym hall so the event wouldn’t be postponed, yo!”

“And also she made our sisters and her friends, uh, back to be friends again!” Remarked Scootaloo.

Oh! So she also did busy work? That sounds nice. A worthy leader must be able to do dirty her hands in the harshness of labor and social activities.

“What else did she do? Perhaps I can emulate some of her feats in the school”

“Umm… That’s it!”

…

…

“…Seriously?”

“Yeah!” The Crusaders said in unison, their big smiles and shiny teeth were blinding.

“Seriously!?”

I focused my sight on the girl duo. Lyra was blushing while Bon Bon looked to the outside trying to hide her shame on the matter.

“Seriously, Lightbulb!?”

“Don’t look at me. I don’t want to remember how stupid we were.”

“She didn’t do electoral campaigns?”

All of them shook their heads.

“No clash of supremacy?”

Again they shook their heads.

“Not even a cat fight!?”

“There was a cat fight in the end, if that’s of any consolation for you.” Bon Bon replied with skepticism.

“ARE YOU SERIOUS!? JUST A SONG, MENDING RANDOM FRIENDSHIPS AND SOME HOUSE CLEANING IS WHAT IT TOOK YOU TO JOIN THE SIDE OF A COMPLETE STRANGER IN JUST TWO DAYS?”

“And a cat fight, Bro, don’t forget the cat fight.”

“Those were desperate times, Nitpick!” Lyra started to massage my shoulders. “We wanted to overthrow Sunset and Princess Twilight was our best choice?”

How lame is this school in reality!?

“It doesn’t matter! I can’t do a song or something flashy! I’m not likeable enough to pull a show and move the hearts of the students!”

“And that’s exactly why your plans are not gonna work!” Said Bon Bon with a crushing intent. “Instead of daydreaming and have delusions of rebellion, it’s better to leave things as they are.”

“But Bon Bon!” Exclaimed Lightbulb. “If I don’t do something, Dancer could lose her job! You don’t find a part time job where they are generous with the pay-hours ratio and legally allow underage students to work”

“I know you are doing this for her and I admire that!” Said Bon Bon reassuringly while resting a hand on his shoulder. “But the harsh reality is that you can’t change things now! Sunset and her friends run the show and no matter how good your plan is, in the social pyramid of the school you aren’t that popular… especially Nitpick! Dancer will have to look elsewhere, Lightbulb. I can help you in looking for another job for her!”

Damn it! One of the most popular girls in school just crushed our dreams to change the status quo.

“But we can’t just give up and leave things as they are! This isn’t only about Dancer! I’m sure many students in the school have a similar problem like her and if we don’t do something now, eventually we will be dragged to bigger and bigger things and CHS will come to a point of no return until Sunset Shimmer and her friends graduate! We can allow them to ‘suggest’ us what is good and what is bad for us all of the time!”

“I’m sorry to burst your bubble but you two are simply not good enough to make a change, Nitpick.”

“How can you be so pessimistic about this, Bon Bon? When you teamed up with Flash during the Friendship Games, you said that you wouldn’t accept defeat and you gave your best shoot in the cooking event!”

“That was different, little Apple! If you are so worried about your sisters, why don’t you tell them what is really going on right now instead of telling us?”

That’s a very good question!

“Because we are scared…” Answered Applebloom with a gloomy face.

“We don’t want to ruin how things are right now with our sisters! Rarity and I became closer than ever! We even make some dresses together and I don’t want to lose that if she gets angry for saying something bad about her efforts in school!”

“Rainbow Dash will think that I’m not as awesome as she thinks I am if I start to complain!”

“And you expected to use Nitpick as a scapegoat in the event that he fails to convince the sports team new reign, right!”

“NO!” The trio yelled with negation.

“We really wanna help, yo! Honest! Bub, you must believe us!”

“…I see.”

My sixth sense didn’t tingle. These girls were saying the truth.

“Perhaps we can think on something together!” Expressed Lyra with thoughtfulness. “We may not convince the soccer team but we can help Dancer! Why don’t we think a plan of sorts on our homes and tomorrow we can exchange our ideas! We may convince Principal Celestia to make an exception for Dancer so she can keep her work! She is a very nice Principal and I know she’ll understand her situation if we explain it to her.”

“That makes sense…” Said Lightbulb thinking in the alternatives.

“Also…” Lyra continued. “Girls, can you please keep this a secret? You aren’t supposed to know that Dancer has a job so I need you to promise us that you won’t say a word of this!”

“Cross My Heart, Hope to Fly, Stick a Cupcake in my Eye!” They did the chant together and-

‘Splurt’

WHERE DO YOU GET THOSE CUPCAKES OF HELL? At least it wasn’t my eye.

“What do you think of this, Bro?”

“You know better the school’s way of thinking than me. I’ll help you in whatever I can, Lightbulb.”

“Thanks, Bro!” He rested his hands on my shoulders. “I knew I could count on you!”

“Then it’s decided! Let’s meet together during lunch tomorrow and speak this thoroughly!”

Having devised our plan, we went our separate ways. Lightbulb went ahead and walked to the bus stop, the Cutie Crusaders, Lyra and Bon Bon stayed to buy some treats and talk about their stuff. I decided to buy a frappe and drink it on my way home. The Cakes have this magic touch that allowed them to make their orders quickly but with great quality.

“Coming cappuccino, ice tea and a chocolate frappe!”

My beverage was ready. Now I must-

“Meet me at Milani Pizzas at six!”

Bon Bon was grabbing my arm and whispered to my ear with a strange voice. As I looked at her face, she winked her right eye with a small, sweet but ominous smile. 

I felt… cold.

When she took her drinks, she joined Lyra’s side and both of them started to enjoy each other’s company. My sixth sense tingled with subtleness. However, unlike other times where I sensed a kind of danger, this time it was one of those rare occasions where it told me to obey the flow of things. The clocked ticked its way to six in the evening and Milani Pizzas was having a lot of traffic today. 

“Over here!”

It was Bon Bon and she looked… cute. 

“I like when people arrive on time!” 

Bon Bon praised me, but something was out of place. Her attitude right now is…strange. 

We went into the local and there were some available spaces to eat in comfort. Unlike Ensaladas Caseras, this place was a little more modernized and although the chairs were of good materials, the quality of wood and the tender aromas of nature were missing. I don’t mind, though. I love the smell of melting cheese coming from the rustic ovens of the kitchen.

“Okay, what do you wish to eat, Bon Bon?”

“A middle size pizza with extra cheese!” Said Bon Bon in an unsettling, casual manner. Most of her attention was focused on her phone and those nimble fingers were texting with great speed.

“What specialty?”

“Prosciutto Italiano”

“Oh! You have a good taste!”

“The imported Prosciutto ham and the mozzarella cheese of this place is the best!”

I raised my hand to the waiter and ordered our food and drinks. Impatiently I was playing with my fingers while she was texting in her phone. Although her cerulean eyes were focused on her screen and her smile was one of the beautiful things I have seen in days since I admired Sunset and before her, Twilight, the overwhelming pressure she exerted to me was scary.

But I’m not going to go far if I sink to the depths of despair. I must ask her the reason for this sudden date.

“Bon Bon, with the danger of sounding rude, why did you want to meet here?” I asked while swallowing a bit of my fears.

“I thought you would never ask me that!” Said Bon Bon while tapping her phone at a high speed. “Give me a sec to tell Lyra that I’m here with you and we’ll talk serious business in a moment.”

It was not long before Bon Bon finished texting to Lyra. She safeguarded her phone on her bag’s pocket and hanged it to the side of her chair. I shuddered when she gazed upon me those cerulean eyes. Like black holes pulling the stars to their demise in her chaotic embrace, her big pupils were draining my courage with each passing second. She is not the Bon Bon I met the first day of school during the welcoming party.

“Well.” Said the unknown girl in front of me. “How did we get from a tyrannical Queen with a rule of terror to one where her rule changed to be more suitable to the Kingdom of Canterlot?”

“Excuse me?”

“Are you a slow starter to these kinds of things?”

“No but I’m confused with the question? What this has to do with the reason why you ask me to meet you here?”

“Everything, Nitpick!” Said Bon Bon while resting her chin in the comfort of her hands. “Have you ever heard the story Discord the Madman and his kingdom of Order?”

“Yes. Once long ago, in the land of Buckgypt, a Pharaoh-King called Discord conquered everything in his path. The tale marks that he was relentless and his reign of terror became legend among the neighbor countries. He nearly destroyed the world of old.”

“He was a maniac, a slayer, the King of Chaos! Murder, rape, you name it, were his art and madness, his dark joy. But all of the sudden, a beautiful maiden of the forest appeared in his life one night. Marveled upon her silk-like beauty and enchanted by her merciful spirit, the Chaos King put down his ways of tyranny and became the King of Order, bringing forth light and a Golden Age of Peace in his lifetime!”

“That’s just a legend! A tale of hope that teaches us how any source of ‘Good’ can bring back someone to the path of virtue!”

“Or also a tale hypocrisy! A legend that teaches us how weak and easy to manipulate are the hearts of the people! The tyrant allowed himself to be changed by the Forest Maiden and the people forgave the former Chaos King from his dark deeds! They showered him in praises and songs for something he didn’t deserve!”

“You are reflecting Sunset Shimmer with this tale.”

“Clever boy! I like that!”

“Tell me what is in your mind, if you would!”

“I’m pleased to oblige!” 

The pizza and drinks arrived when she finished her words. The feast upon us sated our hunger and the sweet glass of lemonade brimming with ice cubes sated our thirst. We didn’t eat quickly, we just enjoyed the moment. I was starting to feel less anxious and more curious. Talks like this… are a weakness of mine.

“Well” Said the young woman in front me with an empty mouth and sultry delicacy. “Sunset Shimmer, the Dark Queen! Bully, blackmailer, you name it! Corruption was her art, and power… Oh, that was her darkest joy!”

I was enchanted in the way how she softly put her index finger on the border of the glass. Artistically drawing the circle with her finger, a subtle song of echoes emerged from it.

“What is forgiveness, Nitpick? Why people speak of it so lightly? Why people enforce the meaning of that word with shallow thoughts alone? Is a question that I asked myself long ago during my ninth grade of school! My reason, you may ask? I won’t tell you. My friend you are not! We are acquaintances enjoying the pleasures of a high calorie dinner with an artificial beverage that resembles lemonade. Nothing more.”

“At least we can agree on that!”

“Excellent! We are going to get along just fine! Now, let’s go back to the original question, shall we? How did we get from a tyrannical Queen with a rule of terror to one where her rule changed to be more suitable to the Kingdom of Canterlot?”

“The Queen is Sunset, the kingdom is CHS and her rule of terror morphing to the new and suitable land is her transformation to the girl she is now.”

“And everyone adores her for that! Just like the Chaos King turned back to good! He had the Forest Maiden and she had her Princess!”

“Twilight’s cousin.”

“Cousin…” She did a cold pause, but her constant and ominous smile was there. “Yes… you could consider her a cousin from the Twilight we have at school. But that doesn’t matter to our little talking. What matters is the way things are now in school!”

“Which are?”

She relaxed her position and her hands were resting on the table.

“A lie.” She whispered with...



I don’t know. 

“How similar are the tales of our protagonist, don’t you think? They came from a faraway land. They started as nobodies without a sense of belonging but with an inner desire to have everything in their hands. They rose from the dust, gained followers, overthrow the previous, stale rule and once they were on power and had everything on their grasp!” 

A sudden stab from her fork to her pizza was made.

“They backstabbed their allies and the whole world fell.”

”And then their spiritual guides came and changed their worlds in a matter of seconds, marking the start of their path to rectitude. They were reformed.”

“Oh yes! Yes, they were! But did the problem ended just like that?”

“No. The tale says that Discord had to make amends for his sins but deep inside, even after his reformation, the lust for power and corruption was present. He didn’t leave the throne to a young successor and he never touched the Maiden’s purity in fear that he could anger the heavens. He saved the world from himself but the kingdom was in disarray after his passing. The Eternal Forest Maiden disappeared in his death and never came back.”

“Sunset made amends for her sins and tried to change herself on the eyes of the school. She asked for forgiveness, did busy work and eventually everyone was singing songs for her. Praises are still showered to her for even the silliest of deeds.”

“I can feel that this isn’t about jealously… what are you trying to make of all this?”

“During her path of redemption, she did a lot of mistakes. One in particular wasn’t her fault at all. The Anon-A-Miss created by those three trouble makers from earlier nearly destroyed her ever growing reputation as the good girl.”

“Gossips are dangerous and uncomfortable. Not even in the academy I ever felt so oppressed and alone during the pairing incident with Twilight!”

“That’s why that day I stumbled with you I didn’t give you the looks like everyone else did! How easy CHS forgot the damage the Crusaders did to the school’s morale. They whispered on your back for something they don’t even know at heart and blame you for it. But let’s not hate that trio of trouble makers, they are good kids deep inside… a little misguided if I must say” 

The last remark she did was comfortable. She warmly smiled and looked out to the plaza’s streets. Once focusing her sight again on me, the uncomfortable presence she exerted in the beginning finally was gone.

“Well, back to the topic!” Said she while taking a quick bite of her last slice of pizza. “The mistakes she did; ruining friendships, giving the school a sense of individuality in a bad way, blackmailing people and so on and so on. The Princess came during the formal, blasted her to the ground with her friendship’s might and some artificial explosives that destroyed the main door of the school took place. The silliest thing is that we danced in the gym hall after the explosion happened instead of going home to safety”

She drank some of her juice through the straw on her glass.

“After that, she apologized to everybody, tried to participate in school activities, sang a few songs against some new girls on the school and boom! Everyone is happy! Later on she tried more demanding task and she decided to help her new friends to make some school uniforms! How could something go wrong? Let’s see… AH! She nearly ruined the training of the soccer team because she gave Rainbow Dash a sport watch and she became obsessed with it, she indirectly humiliated Rarity on the web, ruined the cakes of Applejack, made a mess on the shelter where Fluttershy works and so on. And I find that ironic”

“What is ironic?”

“That everyone hated her for trying to do good things. And when she fixed the mistakes that she created in the first place, everyone praised her! You made similar mistakes and you have good reasons to be mad at them, but everyone hates you because you are not friendly! Because you are not part of the team! You are a not the good guy! And everyone forgets that Sunset Shimmer was actually way worse than you! That’s why the Chaos King and Sunset are so similar, their neighbor countries were more humane but they received the end of the stick anyway.”

“But if I must give credit, Sunset didn’t want to conquer the land and slave everyone, right?”

“Perhaps we may never know! The only thing I know right now is that the school hypocrisy is sickening me now! After the Friendship Games I noticed it! Winning games for the soccer team? A sense of belonging between the students? Let’s be real for a change! This isn’t the Friendship Games anymore! Everyone is just excited because we managed to tie with Crystal Prep and now they want to keep building up victories for the school but now that is no longer fun for them, they started to complain like before!”

“And I thought ‘everyone’ loved the school”

“Don’t misunderstand me! I love the school! I love the friends I have there! But what I don’t like is the way this is going! If the students started to talk on the backs of everyone again, then it means that the school was never that united in the first place! But it was, Nitpick! And I need your help to restore it!”

“Why me? I just barely know you and vice-versa! Who says I won’t end up betraying you?”

“Because I can see in your eyes that I can trust your capability on be silent on the matter! I won’t lie to you! I’m gonna use you to ignite a cleansing fire! We need to give back to the school the capability to have second thoughts before deciding something good or stupid!”

“How!”

“Coming back to square one! Breaking the mirror of lies!”

“Why do you really want to do this? I can see that this isn’t only about the school.”

“Personal reasons! My friend you are not. I don’t trust you to share them with you! Suffice to say, this may save Dancer’s job immediately and make the school friendlier to you in the long run”

“What I must do?”

She frowned in a way that resembled an evil spy with a maleficent plan in mind.

“Find a way to make the soccer team mad at you in public!”

“You want me to be executed in public?”

“If you play your cards right, you can do something positive with that!”

“I need to get closer to the team to even start to-“

Twilight!

“It seems you already found the solution!”

“But it would mean using someone in the process!”

“Then don’t use him as a scapegoat! Just make sure he or she opens the door for you and put her away of danger immediately! I know you are resourceful! You beat Wind Rider after all!”

“How fast gossips extend their evil tentacles!”

“They are useful sometimes when you need to give false information to your enemies! Anyway, you have this week to decide what to do! If you let this week die off, our friend will lose her job, remember that. The quicker you do things, the better! For now, we should go! Lyra is waiting for me outside!”

She pointed her finger at one of the benches of the plaza and Lyra was walking quickly to it! She sat down in a way that tells to people ‘Back off! This is my bench, bitch!’. When she focused her sight on us, she waved her hand with a smile filled with youth.

“She surely is energetic!” I praised Lyra. In school she is always so easy-going and likeable.

“She always makes some kind of ruckus at the school but…” She sighed with content while seeing her friend, making the most pure facial expression I have ever seen in a while. "I try to be a voice of reason for Lyra, but her enthusiasm is just so infectious sometimes that I end up doing crazy things with her… I love her.”

“She really is your friend, isn’t she?” 

“Yes... yes she is... If this plan of ours works, another lie will be destroyed between us.”

Another lie?

“…Who are you?”

“What do you mean who am I?” Asked the Bon Bon I knew from school. No trace of the strange girl I was talking to was there anymore and her eyes had the form of a normal teenager. “I’m Bon Bon! Lyra’s best friend and one of your buddy’s on school! Why do you ask that?”

“When people say there are lies between them, sometimes it means something darker!”

“What is a lie, Nitpick? And what makes a lie… a real one?”

“…!”

“That’s another topic for the next time we hang out together. Anyway, let’s go! She is waiting for me and I don’t like to leave people waiting. Especially if it’s her!”

“Because if I hate being made waiting for something already scheduled, I despise to make someone wait in the same sense, isn’t it?”

“Tee hee hee! We truly are going to get along just fine!”

We equally paid for our food and left the appropriate tip on the table. We joined with Lyra outside and Bon Bon sat at her side, sharing a lovely hug afterwards. I on the other hand excused myself and went on my way home. Bon Bon gave me a good idea of what to do, but the problem will be…

A common ringtone was heard from my phone. It was an unregistered number but something tells me that it was a familiar one so I decided to answer the call. 

“Good evening.”

“Nitty? Is that you?”

Just my luck. This was Twilight’s phone number. I didn’t back up her entry the last time and I never asked for it again. Rarity texted me when Spike was lost in the school and I believe is the only number that I have from a CHS student besides Lightbulb and Dancer. I’ll save Twilight’s number after the call is over.

“Yes. Do you need something?”

“I was testing our project for the school with a debugging application and I found a bug in it! It seems that every time we exceed the number of entries that the database can hold, it crashes the system and when it restarts, all the information links are mixed, leaving the application useless.”

“So we need to fix the bug. How do we do that?”

“We can’t! The source comes from the database program tool itself! We need to start over with a new and better database called Concert!”

“ARE YOU KIDDING!?” I yelled to the phone in a safe distance so Twilight didn’t get hammered by my voice.

“Don’t worry! I already bought it during the last semester’s Computer Sciences competition so I’m glad I can use it again! Tomorrow I’ll bring my lap to the school and we can work on it during lunch! Doesn’t that sound fun?”

“I can hardly wait!” I answered with sarcasm.

“Good!”

“Your enthusiasm for busy work is inspiring.”

AGAIN!?

“Great! You can check our now-obsolete application if you want but you’ll see is buggy in the end… so much work was put into Spike’s voice as well, but this new program will be bigger and better!”

BUT WE WERE DONE WITH IT ALREADY!

“Oh gotta go! Dean Cadence and my brother will come to have dinner with us and I must help mom prepare the table and meals!”

“Alright, Twilight... Good evening.”

“Have a good evening, Nitty!”

…

“Wait!”

“...Yes?”

Twilight… You’ll become my Horse of Troy and I’ll give you my kingdom in exchange.

“…Is the offer to help you in the soccer team business still open?”
> Chapter 49- A catalyst.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twenty minutes before classes started I was already in CHS. Well, to be exact I was in the school fields terraces waiting for the purple genius to arrive. When I told her last night that I would help her in her quest, her screams of joy hammered my ears. She even called me before dawn to tell me to arrive earlier than usual to the school.

In the distance, a luxurious family car was approaching with great speed. It was the car of Twilight’s mom, and wow, she was pushing the pedal a little too hard. She parked at the parking lots of the school and Twilight got down the car, walking towards me until she finally joined my in the seats of the terraces.

“I hope I didn’t make you wait! I was preparing my lunch for school but suddenly I thought about you so I ended up making you seconds!” She withdrew a small toper from her second bag. “I hope you like low-fat bacon in your eggs!”

I didn’t need to open the container to know that it was going to be a delicious lunch. I can smell the pleasantries of bacon in there. The pack was a little heavy so there was a lot of food in there.

“You didn’t have to.” I said a little embarrassed.

“I just wanted to do it. Besides, today will be busy for us and you need the extra energy!”

It’s true. Today she and I will supervise the soccer team abilities to see how we would distribute them in teams. But in reality…

“Yes, Twilight… it will be busy!”

“What’s wrong, Nitty? You’re gloomy today”

Nitty again!?

“Nothing.”

I was just having a struggle with my conscious concerning you but nothing to worry about.

“I’m just sleepy, Twilight. In any case, tell me why did you want to meet here this early?” I asked her with a tired expression.

She gave me a strange gadget with a small screen in it. She explained to me that it can accurately measure the perimeter of the field so we can obtain exact time records through some babblings I didn’t understood to be honest. She said that she’ll explain it to me in detail later.

Damn it. I have been dragged to one of her crazy plans once again.

It is a little windy during mornings now that autumn has come with full strength so I did my chore as quickly as I could with her device. Once we were finished, we walked inside the school and some students were already walking through the corridors exchanging greeting and good wishes to their friends. 

“We will do our part to improve the school, Nitty!” Suddenly said Twilight with confidence. “I’m sure of it! You and I will make the soccer team an even more united force!”

You and I… you and I… You… In a sense, whether I used her as a scapegoat or not, I would be still using Twilight to spy and later destroy the farce of teamwork in the school. Am I doing the right thing? Or I simply was following the wishes of others again? No! I'm doing the right thing! I'll give the students the power to speak their minds! I'm like a lonely hero of sorts and Twilight will be my unsung sidekick!

“Yes, Twilight!” I carefully rested my arm on her shoulders while we were still walking. “Together we’ll make the soccer team stronger than ever!”

“NOW THOSE ARE THE WORDS I WANTED TO HEAR, SCHOOLMATE!”

I could never confuse that voice no matter what. Raspy, cocky and annoying as hell, I turned my back around to see-

“…!”

It was Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkamena and Rarity walking together like if they were the rulers of the place with a new change of looks. 

Rainbow Dash was using a vibrant red sports vest with her favorite insignia over a white T-shirt and she was wearing sport shoes with a blue sports pants. Pinkamena was using a formal, short-sleeved white T-shirt with a loosed tie and a pink skirt that matched it with some boots that were her usual blue but with party like feel to it.

Fluttershy looked like a girl of purity with her beautiful, long hair braided wearing a tiara and accessories that had the form of butterflies. She was wearing a pink-like shirt with a green camisole over it with small, pink dots in it, using a matching skirt to complete the set. Her pink socks and those strange, stripped shoes were fitting to her style.

Rarity... damn... those... that… as I was thinking! She was wearing a modern set of business like clothes. Her spencer coat and pants were of the same light magenta tone, highlighting her fair skin and white collared shirt. Her black shoes fitted her style.
So these are their new seasonal clothes. They halted in front of us and Rainbow Dash pointed my finger at me.

“Welcome to the team! You’re officially twenty percent cooler!”



Oh shit, did she really say that?

“Girls, you look fabulous!” Said Twilight with admiration.

“Ohohoho! Twilight, darling! It’s just our new seasonal attires! We only look amazing!” Said Rarity with a justified arrogance.

Your humility on the praises you received is inspiring.

“With the exception of Rainbow, all of you look too fancy for mah taste, yo!”

Applejack arrived with Sunset Shimmer at her side. Ironic for her to say that! Although she wasn’t wearing the long coat, she had her new attire with her… And was that the hat that I gave her during the fair? What happened to the old one?

“It doesn’t matter! What really matters is what our new Wondercolt in the making just said!” Exclaimed Rainbow Dash while giving me a quick succession of pats on my back.

“What did he said!?” A sudden enthusiastic Sunset Shimmer asked.

“Nitpick agreed to help me in supervising the sport classes so we can organize with efficiency the groups!”
Sunset just gave me a cozy expression… but there was something that bothered me to no end. That smile of triumph.

“Oh, how wonderful! I’m so glad to hear that!” Said an over pleasantly Fluttershy.

“I never lost fate on you, darling!” Rarity lovely winked at me after saying that.

“You are one of us now, my new friend”

AAAAH!!!!! STOP CRUSHING ME WITH YOUR HUGS!!

“Pinkie Pie! Put him down!” Scolded Rarity to Pinkamena.

“Sorry! EEEEEEEEEE!”

…I hate you!

“Well, Sugarcube…” Applejack started to play with her fingers. “I’m glad you’re starting to feel at home with us! We should go to Sugarcube Corner in one of these days… together!”

Why is my sixth sense tingling in a subtle way? Why are you hiding part of your face behind your hat? You have recently been acting weird around me, Apple!

Thankfully the bell rang and everyone rushed to their classrooms. The girls chattered cheerfully on their way to the chemistry class with renewed energy about their school committee jobs. As for me, I took my time in my walk to the class. An arm was locked with mine all of the sudden, making me company on my trip to the classroom.

“I knew that you would see how nice things are around here.” Said Sunset with a comfortable voice. “But I didn’t think it would be this fast. I bet Twilight’s good spirit was the reason you changed your mind so quickly.”

“…You could say that”

She released me from her side and stood in front of me.

“I knew you would choose the right path in the end. You just needed to open your mind to the greater picture of things.” 

Right path? Big picture? ARE YOU SERIOUS!?

“You only need to apologize to Pinkie and everything will be alright for you!” She took a deep breath with a peaceful face. “I can feel the inner change dwelling within you!”

I can feel the rage dwelling within me.

“I can sense the struggle between good and evil in your mind!”

I can sense the struggle between yelling or not at you in my mind.

“You will do a lot to better the school!”

I will do a lot to better the school… in my way.

The second bell marking the beginning of classes rang.

“We better get into the classroom now! Let’s see how well we faired in Chemistry!”

“Yeah…”

I’ll destroy that arrogance of yours even if the whole school ends up despising me!

I fared well in the test of Chemistry. All those times when Twilight opened her mouth during the lab experiments gave its fruits in the form of a ‘B minus’. I was pretty happy with it and the class felt a little lighter than usual. Lunch break eventually came and it was a little haven for me all of the sudden. The crispy bacon and the eggs cooked to the sweet spot was a great bliss to eat, combined with the fresh apple juice of today, it was a relaxing breakfast. Twilight and Spike were sharing my spot with me but I didn’t mind their company.

Thinking this thoroughly, this was the second time she brought me lunch.

She started to talk non-stop on her working methods and eventually we were discussing about her data sheets for the team’s organization. She withdrew her Monsterware laptop and it made me a little jealous because that’s a godlike gaming machine… who I’m kidding? I’M FUCKING JEALOUS!

I don’t know if this was way too overkill or that organizing a team was way too complicated. Records, stats and more were taken into account in a custom program that she made during her free time. Twilight was fired up in doing her best for the school. Seeing her face and motivation was touching.

It came upon us the hour of truth, a time for her to show her dedication to the school. The sport team was training the class of today once again. I could see Bon Bon, Lyra, Lightbulb and Dancer exercising with the rest of the students of this session. The middle school students just arrived to the training and I could see the Crusaders there. 

By the Truth that rules all, the sport team was as bitchy as always. Shouts of passion, effort and complain were heard through the field and I could see the faces of hypocrisy that Bon Bon mentioned during dinner last night.

Even if it’s from the minority, I have never seen faces so resentful and impotent to the current situation. It’s not perceivable to the untrained eye but I have seen ton of shit during my time on the academy and those guys were really good at dissimulating when something really pissed them the hell off. Except Sour Sweet… that foul beast. On the other hand, the CHS students were more crystal clear than the Crystal Prep community in comparison.

Looking at my partner, I wondered if…

“Twilight, don’t you notice something strange with the students?”

“Something strange, you say…?” Asked Twilight while trying to notice the anomaly that I mentioned. After a moment of observation, she gave me her honest answer. “Not really, they look as hard-working as always. Do you see anything that I don’t?”

“Don’t you notice that some of the students look… unhappy?”

“Unhappy?” She looked again to see if what I was seeing was true to her eyes. “No. Perhaps it’s just the extra effort that Spitfire is exerting to them. Once we collect enough data, we’ll present it to her so adjustments can be made.”

“That sounds nice.”

But useless! I need to find something to give me a motivation to ignite a war. 

Talking with Spitfire face to face was… exhilarating. Twilight was hiding behind my back while I was transmitting all her hypothesis from earlier to the ‘Captain’ of the soccer team. I could see that she disliked me but I’m not afraid of her. The fashionista had a scarier face when angry after all.

“So, you want to track time records to see who is fitter and who needs a slashing on the ground, huh? “

“Yes.”

“I’ll talk with the team so they assist you in your nonsense. If Dash believes you can help, then I’ll trust her judgment. But don’t screw things up with the teams moral. ARE WE CLEAR WITH WHAT I SAID, WIMPS?”

“Yes.” I lazily replied.

Douche.

“Of course, Spitfire! We’ll do our best for the Wondercolts’ soccer team!”

“I hope your brain is better at sports organization than in the actual field, egghead. Now get moving and stop wasting my time.”

Deep inside me… I wanted to crush her.

Some members of the team helped us in organizing the students. Taking notes in her sheets and checklists, Twilight was supervising the track record of each athlete in different activities like power sprints, push-ups and many more activities.

The guy called Soarin was the only one on the team who was helping me out with the equipment. I can see in his face that he is one of those likeable guys that happened to end up in a bad place for the likes of him. He also gave me a track of the previous field records from the last month and I gave it to Twilight so she could compare them with the new records.

She was given her best; taking notes, measurements and complex mathematics on her notebook that showed the current capabilities of the team. How she was able to research such things in a short light was always an amusement for me. But I could see why Spitfire would have skepticism about her methods. Twilight Sparkle was more a ‘by-the-book’ woman instead of a field tester in the training methods.

She was the ideal girl to tell the ‘Captain’ about her current progress… but I always did the talking instead. Not once she talked straightly to one of the sport members or the students. Always writing, always observing and always behind my back. Like a child under the shadow of her parent, like a bird taking refuge under the warm of the tree, Twilight Sparkle barely did eye-contact to the people.

Why?

Eventually this day ended and I couldn’t find anything of interest. Besides the usual harsh treatment of its members, the sports team was acting nicer than usual. Did Rainbow Dash talked with Spitfire to be less angry with everyone or perhaps the tension was finally getting off? Nevertheless the faces of discontent were there still. Even Bon Bon gave me a subtle glance telling me to hurry things up. But how could I hasten my steps if I don’t have anything solid to use against them? 

On the next day, we repeated the same pattern from yesterday with the students of Wednesday. Flash and his friends were the only people that I recognized in there. Unexpectedly, the cool guy tried to talk with Twilight but she only excused herself and walked behind me. I see that she hasn’t talk to him about his unrequited feelings for her. Bah, I’ll just do my work.

“Twilight, please go with Spitfire and tell her that we need the records of this group.”

“Uh… I-I’m busy fixing this sudden bug in the database of the sport team.” Said Twilight while suddenly opening her laptop and typing quickly in it.
“’Sigh’ I’ll go then. Wait right here.”

“Come back as soon as you can.” Twilight smiled while saying this and she started to work.

My second talk with Spitfire was… short. I asked from her the records of the students and she pointed out where I could get them in the terraces. Getting the item mentioned, I was walking my way back to Twilight and-

“Do you need some help with something, Twilight?”

“N-no thanks, Flash. I’m fine!”

Flash was pestering her.

Sitting nearby Twilight, the cool guy talked with her in a pleasant manner. Attentive, charismatic and good spirited, Flash Sentry could make most of the girls fall for him. Ill-feelings and insidious motives weren’t part of his self and it was refreshing to see that. However, I’m getting really pissed right now. Not at him, but at Twilight and her lack of bravery on the matter.

Better let them be and hope for something to happen between them. Soarin waved his hand at me with a bottle of water in his hand. I understood the signal of offering and I soon found myself approaching him until someone stumbled on my back.

“Why did you abandon me back there?” A somewhat angered Twilight asked me.

“Abandon you? I didn’t want to barge in your chatter, Twilight.” I said honestly.

“You know I’m scared of him…”

“And you are also scared from Spitfire, the soccer team and most of the school!”

“I’m not!”

“Then go and tell Spitfire that we need more drinks for the students.”

“But there is plenty enough over there!” She desperatly pointed out where Soarin and three lonely water bottles were.

“Because three bottles of water will sate the thirst of fifty-seven students.”

“Oh Cheeseburger… Fine! I’ll talk to her!”

Finally.

“Good.”

The wind soared with grace and elegance through us. What was once a defiant face suddenly became a doubtful one.

“…now?”

I face palmed to her lack of commitment.

“No, Twilight! When the planets align in harmony under fury of the sun! When the sea of stars becomes astral desserts! THAT will be the time when you need to ask Spitfire to buy more beverages for the students!”

“Very funny!” Said Twilight in an sarcatic-like tone.

“Oh, you understand sarcasm after all! Now go!”

“B-but-!”

“What!?”

“I’m scared of her… she is noisy!”

“…you!” Clenching my fists with annoyance would be a massive understatement. “’Sigh’ let’s go together!”

“I’ll be right behind you!” Said Twilight with a sense of relief.

Where is Rainbow Dash!? I want to quit from this job.

Luckily for her, the class was over and our work ended with it, for now. I accepted Soarin’s offer anyway and drank my water with a bit of frustration. I didn’t get anything useful today either.

On the next dat, In the space where the heat ascended with the rays of the sun pouring down on the school fields, there was a group of six girls now taking the ropes of the horse. Finally my mission was over, but at the same time I didn’t achieve my real objective.

“Pity.”

I turned around to see that it was Bon Bon who spoke to me.

“If you are referring to my lack of progress, don’t worry! I still have today and tomorrow to think on something.”

“I’m not talking about the soccer team. I’m talking about her!”

She pointed her finger to-

“Twilight?”

“Haven’t you noticed, yet?”

Twilight was surrounded by her friends and she was talking with everybody in a friendly demeanor. A little different from her usual antics around me but it is obvious that it was like that. A girl like her will always rely more on her group of friends than being with a male.

“Aside from her usual self, nothing!”

“You’ll see the truth soon enough!” Said the strange girl from the other day. “She is so pitiful… I should go! Lyra is waiting for me!” This was Bon Bon talking now.

“Right.”

“Hey, Dancer! Bulb!” Greeted Bon Bon to our friends while joining Lyra’s side.

“Sup’, Bon Bon!” My two friends said in unison.

“Hey, Bro! How is it going?”

“Before you say anything… I appreciate what are you doing, Nitpick! I’m so sorry for not telling you about my job sooner... many things happened.”

“Well… to be fair-” I gave a quick look to Lightbulb and understanding my intentions, I finally spoke. “-that day after our hang-out was over, Lightbulb and I were to the arcades without you, so no hard feelings. Besides, you told me yesterday already, remember?”

“I knew it! I knew it! I knew that you would go there in the end! But it’s okay! I forgive you!”

Such a relief she is taking this in the good way.

“Now my answer to your question; Bad! I don’t have anything! The team is acting unusually nicer than before!”

“I bet that once this new schedule is completely approved, everything will go back to the usual scolding until their tournament is over.” Said Dancer a little grumpy.

“I’ll find something today! I’m sure of it!”

Or so I hoped…

With the girls running the show, my presence was pointless. I didn’t have purpose anymore in this place besides my own stubbornness in the matter. 

“Nitty! Everything is ready!” Said Twilight with an overjoyed expression.

“What is ready?”

And don’t call me Nitty.

“The student distribution on separated groups! Look!”

She gave me a custom made agenda with the most detailed statistics, average time records and profile pictures of each student at the school I have ever seen. This work… this feat! In just two days! Like her cousin during that Fall Formal that everyone keeps talking about!

“Twilight! You’re fucking brilliant!” I singed her praises.

“Tee hee! Thank you, Nitpick!” Said Twilight while blushing and looking to the side of the street. “But-!”

“Yeah, language! I know! But just this once!”

“…ok! Just because is a kind of a compliment!”

“Well, what are you waiting for? Go and give your creation to Spitfire! Your friends are here and the team depends on this! Go and do it!”

I returned her creation to those hands of hers. Looking at each other’s eyes, I could see an inner light coming from her pupils. She was motivated. The fires of hope started to ignite on those beautiful, purple eyes.

“You’re right! I can do it!” She turned around and raised her fist to her heart. “I will do it!”

And she began her short journey to Spitfire’s side, making me come to a bitter conclusion: Destroying the team’s efforts would transcend to a higher tragedy! Wasting Twilight’s effort, passion and work for the sake of a selfish reason is not worth it. Even if it’s for a friend, I can’t harm such virtuous heart like that. 

“I can’t do it…” I whispered to myself. “…I won’t” I said in resignation.

You won, Sunset Shimmer…

“WHAT DOES THIS EVEN SAY!?”

Spitfire thundered the fields with her shout and Twilight was the victim of it. I quickly got nearby but there was a commotion forming already. Everyone gathered around the two girls of interest and the Idol Six quickly intervened to the discussion.

“Chill out, Spitfire! What’s the problem?” Asked Rainbow in a cool manner.

“That we were wasting our time with foolish nonsense instead of training hard on the field. Half of the stuff in here looks completely useless! Why do I want to see statistics on the athletes when we already know we need to train harder!?”

“Whatever Twilight came up to, I know that it’ll be useful to the team!” Assured Sunset.

“Perhaps my information wasn’t detailed enough!” Said Twilight in a weakly manner. “I’ll do a better job-“

“NO! I don’t want a better job on that useless math! I need people training for the game! Not doing basic routines to see how pathetic we are doing!”

“But with this we can distribute all the students in fair groups matching their abilities!“

“Why divide in groups when can train them to do the same thing!? The slowpokes will catch up with the rest if we pushed them hard enough!”

“But the data says-!”

‘Slam’

Did that bitch just slammed Twilight’s agenda to the floor?

“Calm down, yo!”  Applejack got between them. “That wasn’t nice!”

“NO! What she did was pointless and worthless! She should be training like the rest of-!

”What did you say about her efforts, you little bitch!?”

Silence… As I walked through the multitude and making Applejack step aside with my presence, Spitfire and I were locking our eyes with furious intent.

“How did you call me, wimp!?”

“Bitch!”

‘Gasps from the students’

“Do you know the trouble you’ll get from saying things like that right here?”

“Do you know that in this moment I don’t give a shit about the rules or you for the matter, you piece of shit?”

“Sugarcube!… Calm… down!” Applejack tried to appease our wrath. “Let’s just breath slowly-“ She looked to both of us. “-and forget this happened, ok?”

“Forget this happened? Forget this happened!? ARE YOU SERIOUS? Don’t you see that your friend right here was just insulted? Do you know how much effort Twilight put into this data recording and team efficiency? Do you think that she would do a half-assed job as this worthless captain of the soccer team is claiming?”

“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY ABOUT ME BEING WORTHLESS, SUCKER?”

“Nitpick! Calm down!” Twilight was grabbing my arm and as I looked upon her face, little tears were forming on those purple stars of hers. Amazingly enough… it had that warm smile. “It’s okay! I’ll just do it again with more simple methods!” 

“But Twilight!” I firmly grabbed her arms. “In no way I’ll allow you to cheapen the value of your job! Just because this ape doesn’t know how to read a cake chart-“

“AAAAHHHHH!”

“WAAH!!

In an instant I found myself on the floor. Spitfire’s charge was a force to be reckoned! But compared to Braeburn, her strength was lacking. All I have to do is raise my fist and guard the hell of her incoming punch because I can’t retaliate against her!

Cursed be the Gentleman’s Oath!

Luckily a pair of hands stopped her fists of fury. Dancer, with the angriest face I have ever seen from her in my life, was grabbing Spitfire’s wrist. For the looks of it, she is hurting her.

“Enough already!” Rarity intervened. “This isn’t how a pair of ladies should act!”

“Spitfire, a lady?” Asked Dancer. “Charging my friend by surprise and trying to hit him on the floor makes her unworthy of that claim, Rarity!”

“Are you siding with him!?” Exclaimed an angered captain of the soccer team walking straight to her.

“Siding? I’m giving him full support! I’m tired of your rude attitude towards us!”

“Me too!” Lightbulb stepped up in front of Dancer to defend her. “I’m sick and tired of all this bothersome training you are making us get through! I’m starting to hate the soccer team meddlesome bullshit during normal classes!”

Some students started to whisper to each other in shock for what they just heard. Twilight quickly aided me to get up and she allowed me to use her as a kind of a clutch.

“How dare you to say something like that?” An angered Rainbow Dash rushed to Spitfire’s side to help her in the sprouting argument. “We are making training better!”

“That’s right!” A random member of the team said.

“BETTER!? Don’t you see that some of us hate it!?” Exclaimed Lightbulb

“I don’t believe you! You are saying that only to defend Bittersweet because he is your friend!”

So much for being one of the team now, uh Dash?

“No, Rainbow Dash! They aren’t the only ones that hate the soccer team interference! And I won’t allow you to scold my friends like that!”

Bon Bon!

“We are tired of it too, y’all!”

The Crusaders ran quickly to our side.

“Sweetie Belle!” A shocked Rarity exclaimed in disbelief.

“Forgive me, Rarity! But I don’t like how things are getting! They are rude to us!”

“Applebloom!”

“They aren’t the only ones that hate this, sis! I’ve heard kids in our grade complaining about this too!”

“Scootaloo? Is this true?” A shocked Rainbow Dash asked to her little fan.

“Nobody likes to be called wimps in a meanie manner!” Said Scoot’s with a weakly voice. “This was supposed to be fun and challenging! Not a punishing chore!”
“A chore!? B-but!” A surprised Spitfire started to talk. “Don’t you want to win the tournament?”

“Aren’t we training because we wanted to keep winning?” Another member of the team spoke, her teammates supporting her motion by standing beside her.

“You and the soccer team want to win the tournament! There may be students that also want to help but we have our lives when classes are over! I have a part time job to do so I can help my parents with money and your sudden change to the schedules ruins my routine!” Said Dancer with the usual maturity she has most of the time.

“I go to cram school after classes are over in a mechatronic research center in the city and this new schedule ruins my study plans!” Micro Chips spoke his mind.

“I teach how to play the cello to the little kids that enjoy playing music in the Music Club with Vinyl Scratch!” Said the girl who owns a cello… who was she? “Besides, I like to watch soccer but I dislike playing it like a barbarian!”

One by one, every student that opposed the training regime spoke their opinions. Some of them were afraid and others suddenly took a defiant posture. What Bon Bon said was true! The school wasn’t that united in the first place! They were all excited to keep winning that they awoke the fighting spirit of those who truly wanted to excel in life! 

The Idol Six were making damage control between the students and the soccer team. It started as a little discussion but it quickly grew to an exchange of curses, ill-words and revelations that they would end up regretting later. Behind me, Twilight was sobbing quietly looking to the floor and trying to appease herself with a Rubik cube. That was a sight that I disliked immediately so I just partially embraced her, giving her my best smile in the process. It was a success because it calmed her a little so it was fine for now.

Looking back at the commotion and then focusing my sight on little Twilight, the only thing I could think right now was a bitter revelation: I ended up playing as the catalyst to enrage the students instead of being the hero. They were already on the edge and I just gave them a push to talk for themselves.

Perhaps… I wasn’t even the hero from the start.
> Chapter 50 - Twilight, my friend.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don’t you love when you overcomplicate things that could have been solved with simple solutions? That’s something Nitpick Bittersweet was asking on his head while trying to pay attention to Miss Cheerilee’s class of history. But he couldn’t pay her attention. His thoughts were sailing to the infinity of his imagination.

Yesterday, a small battle of arguments took place in the school fields. Everything ignited with a single complaint and suddenly it escalated into an exchange of insults and pettiness. The ruckus arrived to Principal Celestia’s attention and she immediately went to the mini battlefield of the school. 

All of them gave to the empathetic Principal their complaints and she heard to every single student. With wisdom and maturity expected from a public figure like herself, she appeased the conflicted youth while giving us a great revelation: Although is true that Saturday classes will be canceled so they can be merged with the available classes of the week, staying the whole two hours of the super training was entirely optional.

In other words, every insult, every complaint, every ill-feelings with one another, in the end, it was entirely pointless. Everything could have been solved with a simple solution; talking with the Principal before doing something stupid and explain the situation, just like Lyra suggested days ago.

‘I can believe I let myself go along with the wind instead of thinking things thoroughly’ Nitpick thought in his mind with frustration. ‘But this was my own fault in the end. I let myself being convinced by Adagio and Bon Bon with goals of greatness instead of choosing my usual methods… thinking with reason instead of stupidity’

Burying his face to the coldness of his desk, Nitpick was falling to a deep depression.

“You okay, partner?” A whispering voice was heard.

Nitpick slowly focused his attention to the source of the voice and it was Big Mac who was talking to him. His superior in age and maturity was making a concerned face and was patiently waiting for his reply.

“Not really…” Nitpick whispered. “I screwed things up with what happened yesterday”

Big Mac was thinking in his head how to say in the best of manners what he wanted to tell to Nitpick. Finally finding the right choices, he spoke his mind.

“If it serves of any consolation, my sister and her friends were chewing more than they could handle. Don’t feel about what happened.” Big Mac whispered with a wise like tone.

Processing every single word of what he said and the way he did it, young Bittersweet found a little comfort in the deeper meaning of his reasoning. 

“But still that doesn’t make the shame of my choice go away.” Nitpick responded with humility.

“There have been worse apples than you in this place so take things calmly… And choose better your courses of action next time!”

“Thanks! I’ll take it in consideration without a doubt next time… And I didn’t know you could talk this long.”

“I just talk when I feel like it. I only give a word of advice when I have something useful to say”

Nitpick just exhaled with his nose in approval of what he said. It’s true, just because he didn’t talk that much, it wasn’t proof that he couldn’t speak. It’s just that people like him speaks their mind when they have something reasonable to say instead of something stupid that you’ll end up regretting late.

Relaxed with the words of wisdom that were shared to him, Nitpick ended up clearing his mind a bit, making him pay more attention to Cheerilee. She was teaching about the old trade routes that the nation had with our northern country and neighbor, Deernada. The trains of the time weren’t as elegant or aesthetic like the ones we have today like the extremely big, underground circuit of the Capital of Canterlot.

They were unsafe in long-term uses but did the job of transporting people and merchandise to Equestria’s neighbor during the 19th and 20th century. Even during the time of the First War, the routes were used with fervor to exchange food and supplies for ammo and raw materials. Those were desperate times. The most famous and important train trade made that marked the turning tide of the war was during October 16th of 1939.

A brave platoon of soldiers and some civilians ventured against the unknown in a desperate ride to bring from Wanterlant Station in Deernada the schematics for a high powered and cheap to manufacture rifle called the M1 Maran. They needed to deliver it to the factories of Philidelphia to mass produce them. But there was a catch: The enemy established a base of operations in the frontiers and made previously safe trade routes impossible to pass.

The platoon took the great risk anyway, arming themselves with courage, some cheap and rusty guns and a handful of grenades, starting their one-way journey for most of them. Only thirteen from a group of fifty would arrive to their destination to tell the tale. Brave men, women and children spilled their blood for the greater good while they were caught in a firefight during the rail path. Tanks, jeeps of the time and horse riders were his enemies and the stars in the hour of twilight was their guiding mistress.

Twilight!

Twilight Sparkle was suddenly flooding the consciousness of Nitpick Bittersweet. Twilight Sparkle became the whole center of attention to Nitpick’s mind. He noticed she had her long and silk-like hair untied. Like a usual routine, she was beautiful, virtuous… but she showed signs of fear.

Why the girl who had the school to her reach, the most popular girls in her good side, and the best boys available to her, afraid of the people? Yesterday she acted irresolute and afraid. But no one with a background like her should be afraid of that. She was adored but not to the point of obsession like the big, public stars were stalked in their daily lives. She was beautiful but not to the point to be hunted as a full time model! She was truly beyond average and bright in her own right, but not to the point to ignite jealously and ill-feelings.

‘Of what are you truly afraid of, Little Twinkle Star?’ It was something Nitpick was asking to himself.

But enough of wandering reflections because he needed to be in his best form in the evening! Classes were over and he required going for the birthday present at his house. Quickly walking through the school and going straight to the exit, he didn’t stop for anything.

Today one of his friends will have her birthday party and also it marks the return of two of his friends to the city. The Dazzle restaurant will be the place of celebration at seven and all of his friends, after being separated for nearly two months and half, finally will be reunited.

Lightbulb and Dancer were invited to the event since Gilda gave her good word to his friends about them but sadly Dancer had to work in those hours so she can’t assist. Lightbulb wasn’t going to assist either but after what happened yesterday, Dancer became a little more expressive and practically forced him to go, just like she would do during her days of middle school. That release of anger served her well, but Nitpick felt that there was one last burst of rage she had to release to be completely back to her former glory.
In the end, for him, everything on this day will be great for him.

“Nitty, wait!”

Perhaps not.

Twilight Sparkle was hasting her steps to catch up with his friend. She wasn’t afraid to even run since she left Spike in her house because she said that he didn’t feel that well in the morning.

“What do you want, Twilight?”

“Could you accompany me to the suburb’s main park?”

“Now?”

“Yes! It won’t take long! Mrs. Peanut can’t come for me and mom will pick me up at four there! I was going to spend time with the girls but… you know… what happened yesterday and stuff.”

It was a subtle way for her to say that she didn’t want to be alone right now.

“Why… don’t stay with them and cheer them up?” Nitpick suggested to her, thinking that her company will help them somehow. “They can accompany you on your way home later!”

“I don’t want to disturb them during their school committee… their busy doing their meeting.”

“Uh… well, if it’s until four, okay, but I need to go home and take a quick shower first! I have plans for the evening and I need to get ready.”

“Ah!” Twilight then gulped in surprise. “If you have something already planned, maybe next time!”

“It’s okay. I’ll make you company until your mother arrives.”

“No, you have plans so it’s okay! Really!”

“Twilight…!”
Nitpick scold her just like he once did with Sunset. But instead of feeling regret, he felt an unknown justification for this.

“If you are really sure… about that!”

“My house isn’t far and I won’t take that long.”

They walked their way to the house of troublesome teenager. The journey was short and once they arrived to his house, Twilight was amazed by it.

“It’s not as big as your house, Twilight, but this is my home.”

“I think it’s lovely” Twilight said tenderly.

“If you say so…!” He opened the door of the house. “Make yourself at home. The living room is there and you can watch TV if you want. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Twilight sat in the sofa of the living room and relaxed her position in it. Since she was given permission to use the TV, she turned it on and tuned for her favorite science channel. Seeing that she was comfortable, Nitpick went straight to his room and readied his attire and tac-shirt for the occasion. He then went straight to the bathroom and took a meticulous shower to clean himself. His hygiene must be better than usual because today was special. But a thought suddenly came to his mind.

‘Mother would be happy to know that I invited a pretty girl to the house… Father would scold me since I shouldn’t bring people unknown to them here at home.’ Nitpick reflected. ‘Damn it, better speed things up’ and he continued his hygiene habits.

Twilight during that time was thinking of her current situation: he accepted her favor to accompany her for some hours until her mom arrived, just like many favors he accepted before this one, and he also invited her to his home. She came to a sudden revelation in her head.

‘Only true friends are invited to each other houses!’ Twilight thought excited and happy, her hands in front of her trembling with emotion. ‘I really made another friend! The Magic of Friendship is real!’ That’s something Twilight reasoned in her mind. As long as she followed the tenets of her friends, she will always be accepted.

That’s was her belief.

After fifteen minutes of waiting, Nitpick quickly got down from the second floor and signaled Twilight that it was time to go. She curiously noted the beautiful package he was carrying but since they were already in a hurry, they got quickly to the bus stop and luckily for them, the next bus just arrived in time.

Mr. Cockpit once again was their driver and this brought memories to the young scientist. The couple of youth took their seats in the back and their journey to the suburbs started. The first time, she and Nitpick took the bus route so she could arrive home safely was an unforgettable event for her. It felt… nice.

Nitpick remembered the event quiet differently from her. The embarrassment that the old man gave to him, combined with the chore of escorting her home was unforgettable for him. But this time it felt different, he felt a strange familiarity with Twilight that he has when he is around his…

“What do you have in that package, Nitty?” 

“A present for a friend that had her birthday last Sunday. Today we’re going to celebrate it.”

“Is it for one of your friends from CHS?”

Twilight thought of Dancer.

“Uh… no. She is from the academy and I’m going to have a celebration with her in a family restaurant.”

“So it’s Gilda’s birthday?”

“No. Gilda and I bought the present together! It’s for another friend of us.”

“You… had more than one friend in Crystal Prep?” Twilight said a little jealous.

“I have four… five if you count my cousin there but she is a bipolar gal. I rather not speak of them. They are, uh, special.”

‘If I say who they were, you wouldn’t believe me, anyway.’ Nitpick thought in his mind. ‘If nobody in CHS believed me that I was one of the best friends of Gilda Heavensbane until it was testified by Rainbow Dash days later after the Wind Rider incident, then how much credibility I would have with the rest of them?’

“Oh, that sounds nice!” Twilight said with a bit of admiration. “You must be good friends if you bought a gift for her.”

“Good friends? We are the best of friends, Twilight!” Nitpick suddenly spoke excited for talking about them. “We bitch and complain together about the same things! Even we bicker with each other when necessary!”

Nitpick remembered his bitching with Lightbulb during their arcade reunion and his usual conversations on his chat group with fondness. Conversations that pale compared to the ones he has with them face to face.

“Language!”

“Oh come…! Alright! Sorry!”

“Seriously! You should stop saying those words! It’s for your own good!”

“Against what?”

“Society! Curses are wrong!”

“Who says that?”

“Uh!?”

“I’ll ask again, who says that?”

“Successful and good-hearted people say that!”

“The headmaster of the Everton Independent Study program in Canterlot that you wanted to assist is widely known for being a good member of society but always reproached for using bad language when dealing with mediocrity in his courses. Not that your genius would have made him mad, though”

‘I don’t know why you decided to go to CHS instead of Canterlot!’ Nitpick thought.

“How do you know that I wanted to go to the Everton program?”

“You told me non-stop last year while were doing our mockup of that planetary system of ours! Your exact words were, ‘I know that in the Everton Study program I’ll achieve scientific discoveries and research intriguing, new and complex methodologies by myself in peace.’”

“Oh yeah…!” Twilight suddenly remembered that now embarrassing event. “I remember now!”

“And they say I have bad memory in these kinds of things…” Nitpick said cynically.

“But it’s a nice detail that you remembered that!” She said a little moved by that. “We have come a long way since then.”

“Indeed we have, Twilight.” A reflective Nitpick said. “Indeed we have…”

Streets filled with houses, traces of nature and your occasional people standing and talking on the pavement were moving forward. But this was just an illusion because the ones that were moving were the inhabitants of the bus and the vehicle itself. How wonderful is the effect of motion when you appreciated it through the window of the bus. Just like time itself.

The time to change! 

Whether the change was big or small, the young couple has grown a little bit by now. No matter how much you live, if you haven’t being challenged by anything in life, then you could be fifty and know nothing about life. At least that is what Nitpick thought of him and her. But the questions he asked himself during classes emerged once again.

“Of what are you truly afraid of, Little Twinkle Star?” Nitpick mumbled while still looking through the window.

“What do you mean by what I’m afraid of, Nitty?”

‘I spoke again instead of thinking!’ Nitpick thought with a tired mentality while sighing slowly.

“Nothing, Twilight. Look, we are going to arrive to our stop.”

Once the bus stopped, they got down the bus and started their way to the park. It was a short trip and by two with seventeen in the afternoon, they were buying ice creams in the store nearby. Nitpick bought his usual sundae with dark chocolate and vanilla ice cream with a pinch of caramel in it. He treated Twilight to one of these beauties and she chose a butter pecan sundae as her treat. They sat in one of the benches of the park and started to dig in.

‘How funny’ Nitpick thought. ‘This is the same bench that Gily and I were using during the pet accident. I wonder if that parrot is well by now.’

While the young man focused his mind in that event while eating his sundae with a moderate speed, Twilight was admiring the place. How silly would be to the people she knew that for her, appreciating this kind of places was new to her. Despite living relatively nearby, she has never ventured beyond the boundaries of her home, her school, the Maximus Plaza and the occasional family trip.

‘Silly to think that I started to appreciate this kind of places during my days of magic hunting’ Twilight thought.

“This place is beautiful…!” She said with admiration.

“Really? Is nice, I agree. But there are better places in Ponyville if you are a fan of parks.” 

‘One of them nearly ruined after my last date.’ A sudden annoyed Nitpick thought.

“Could you take me to one of them in one of these days?”

“Uh… sure.”

“We’ll have so much fun!” Twilight’s arms trembled with excitement, nearly making her sundae fall to the floor.

“You act like a child sometimes.” He chuckled funnily after saying that.

“I’m not a child!”

“Oh yeah? I was babysitting you these past few days during our sports ordeal!”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Twilight said a little insulted. “I was the one guiding your hand during our research and data management!”

“While you were behind my back all of the time! Especially when we spoke to Spitfire!” His blood suddenly boiled when he mentioned her. “How that bitch dared to insult your job is beyond me!”

“Language! And…” Twilight suddenly got quiet. Suddenly she stood up and placed her now empty disposable cup in the trash bin nearby. After thinking for a moment, she continued. “I overdid things again and I just received a voice of advice from her. That’s all.”

“A word of advice? Are you insane?” Nitpick walked straight to her until he got in front of the young scientist. “That girl did nothing but undervalue your efforts! You should have spoken out your mind and put Spitfire on her place!”

“NO! That would only have made her madder!” Twilight said a little panicked. “Besides, she knows more about sports than I do!”

“Didn’t you assist to Rider’s classes like Dash did?”

“Pinkie Pie and many others went as well.”

“That’s not the answer to my question, Twilight!” An angered Nitpick said. “I’ll ask again; did you assist or not to that event?”

“Yes!” Twilight said a little scared but it was unperceivable at the time for him.

“Didn’t you train as hard as the rest of the Wondercolts who assisted?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you learn the basics that Wind Rider taught to the participants so you could help the school team to excel their current basic skills?”

“Yes.”

“Did Spitfire go to that special training with you? Or researched some useful training methods? Or even fucking gave a chance to read what you made to see if it was truly right or wrong?”

“…no.” Twilight whispered so low that Nitpick didn’t hear her.

“I didn’t hear you! Louder!”

“No.” Twilight whispered again.

“LOUDER!”

“No! I’m sorry! Don’t yell at me!” Twilight was truly scared this time, hugging herself in the process.

Nitpick reacted just in time to calm down.

“Nonono! I’m sorry for yelling! Honest!” He said honestly and a little troubled.

“I’m sorry!” She said weakly.

“Why are you apologizing when you didn’t do me wrong?” He calmly asked.

“Because I made you angry.” She said weakly.

“So? If I didn’t do you wrong then you should be the one to be mad at me! If you felt attacked by me, say it so with absolute confidence! Just like you do your language corrections to me! Don’t be afraid to speak your mind around me because I hate people that acts just like you did!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing like that!”

“I’m-“

“Twilight!” Nitpick scolded her.

Her fragile silhouette was looking to the floor. Feeble and trembling, Nitpick couldn’t stop to feel bad about her!

“Twilight… look at me.” He said sympathetically while raising her chin. “Are you afraid of me?”

“…no” She mumbled.

“Twilight, I need you to talk to me valiantly and stand your ground.”

“But…!”

“Raise your voice and say, ‘Nitpick, stop being an ass and calm down’”

“I can’t possible say that!” An uncomfortable Twilight said.

“Then tell me in your own way what I just said!”

“I can’t!”

“Why not?”

“Because… I’m so scared of losing you!”

…

“Forgive me! I didn’t hear you well!” He said amazed in a bad way. “What did you just said!?”

“Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to say that!” Twilight covered her face with her hands.

“You meant that!” Nitpick remarked. “Why are you afraid of losing me?”

“Because I don’t want people to go away from me!”

“I’m not the people, Twilight! And why would people want to stay away from you? You are a nice and smart girl!”

“If I what you say is true, then… then… WHY EVERYBODY BACK IN CRYSTAL PREP SHUNNED ME AWAY LIKE IF I WAS A FREAK!?”

Nitpick was left speechless after the sudden burst of emotion. A frustrated, emotionally unstable and despairing Twilight Sparkle was before him. A fragile heart was suddenly revealed in her eyes. Eyes not only serve as part of the body to see our surroundings, but they also reveal who you are! They reflect your inner strength, your inner motives… your inner fears. 

“Twilight… what was the real reason you participated in the Friendship Games?” Nitpick asked with seriousness. “You were never the team player.”

“Because Principal Cinch told me that if I didn’t help the school to win the games, I would never go to the Everton Study program!”

‘That egocentric witch and her usual bitchiness always ruining everyone’s lives.’ Nitpick thought with rage against his former Principal.

“Are you saying me that you participated because a kind of blackmailing was taking place!?”

“…yes.” Twilight looked to the floor with disesteem.

“Why didn’t you tell your brother or Dean Cadence about what was really happening? They definitely would have helped you in the matter!”

“… Because my brother wanted me to participate”

“Did he force you to play?” He asked in disbelief.

“No… nor Dean Cadence for the matter.”

The young man sighed in relief, happy to know that the images of the only school personnel he considered great were still intact.

“But still…” He spoke. “Why you didn’t tell them the truth?”

“Shining Armor and Dean Cadence thought it was a good idea for me to participate in the competition. My brother said that I would have fun, but all my teammates treated me like...’sob’”

“An outcast.”

“Yes!” Tears started to pour from her eyes but suddenly she regained her composure, quickly cleaning her tears with a paper tissue. “But I was not alone! I had Spike with me, Dean Cadence always pushed me forward to better myself and eventually, I met my friends!”

“Sunset and the rest, I presume!”

“Oh Nitpick! If only you have been there… the many things that happened in just a few days were funny in a certain way. The world was upside-down, Crystal Prep making peace with CHS!”

‘Uh, not entirely… at least according to one of my friends… ‘School of losers’ is her favorite description for CHS’ He thought with skepticism.

“I have never felt so much peace and acceptance in a school!”

“If what happened during the gossip event and the fight of yesterday is something you consider peaceful and accepting, then you and I have very different meanings of the words!”

“That was just a step back! When Sunset and the rest of the girls unite the school once more, it will be just as friendly as it was during the games!”

“Didn’t you hear the whole argument of yesterday? It was because Sunset and company tried too hard to make the school united that it ended up in that!”

“I don’t think so!” Twilight said hopeful and smiling. “It was just frustration born from the lack of progress of the students themselves! Once they see positive results, they’ll calm down! Sunset believes in that!”

“Don’t tell me you believe in her ideals!”

“Of course I believe in them!” She said with approval. “Thanks to them, I’m starting to be more open around people!”

“Are you serious? Cowering behind your friends is not something I consider to be open, Twilight!”

“You say that because you are stronger and more confident unlike me! I’m just beginning at this!”

“But what are you saying right now doesn’t make any sense! From the day we started to assist to CHS, I have seen you interact with many people beside the Idol Six like Flash, Professor Gizmo, Professor Bridge, Muffins, the Cutie Crusaders, the Apple Family and many more that have treated you nicely!”

“Yes! Because they are friends and family members of my friends! I don’t know any of them in reality… except Professor Gizmo. He used to visit my home when he, my brother and their friends went out to bowling and such.” She looked to the side so she couldn’t make eye contact with him. “I’m not very good with people!”

“Of course you are… At least now! The bitchiest people of Crystal Prep talked to you in a very friendly manner during Wind Rider’s event and especially in the fair! You even talked with Suri Polomare, for fuck’s sake! That girl is a backstabbing, piece of shit!”

“B-but I was scared that day! I didn’t know that Rainbow Dash would change teammates! I felt horribly deep inside! I thought I was disappointing her and that’s why she ended up changing me for someone else!”

“But she ended up with you in the bitter end! She even defended you indirectly during the blackmailing incident. I heard everything because I was there!”

“I know… But like you said, in the end she teamed up again with me… And I felt so happy when she told me that she wanted to be my partner again! I never felt so loved before by people outside my family! All the girls did the same thing by telling me their tales, experiences and forming a bond with me! A real one! Sunset’s teachings have allowed me to be with people and make new and wonderful friends! And you… You are my first real friend since the girls took me under their wings!”

“Waitwaitwait!” Nitpick stopped her with a bit of loss of words. “You and me, friends? Since when do you consider me your friend?” He said amused.

“Since the first day of school, when you treated me nice and with honesty! You… are my friend!” She said tenderly.

Nitpick’s memories in CHS started to emerge in his mind. The first day of classes he treated Twilight Sparkle as an annoyance, the rest of the week like someone insufferable, especially that first Saturday were he escorted her back home after an insane training from Rainbow Dash and Spitfire.

Then… slowly they started to work together, discuss, talk about meaningless things. He also remembered his first quesadillas made by her hands. How he slowly started to be open to her, at first by his friend’s request but eventually it was by his own volition, his own idea.

His own choice!

He could have said ‘Fuck it’ but he chose to be at her side, even defended her when needed. He slowly came to appreciate and accept that Twilight Sparkle was a comfortable company. Even if she tried to control his language, she was able to express, talk, support, and even praise him from time to time. 

They were creating a bond born from events, experiences, exchange of feelings, making him start to feel that he could trust her with anything, the same feeling he had when he was around his…

“Friends!” He came to a realization “For the Truth that rules everything! You and I are starting to be real friends!”

Twilight couldn’t help but smile to those words. Her eyes were sparkling with radiant stars. But there was one problem! One big, real problem!

“But how can you possibly say that we were friends since day one in CHS? Nobody in his or her sane judgment could make a claim like that! Is like saying that a person you like at first sight is your destiny!”

‘Like I foolishly did with Sunset!’ He thought with embarrassment.

“Because as I said, you were nice to me and… You are nice to me and it feels delightful to be around you! Just the way I feel when I’m with Sunset! Although you are a little more expressive than her in a funny way” She giggled after saying that.

“Are you saying that because I treated you nicely… it was a sign of friendship of my part to you?”

“Yes.” She said smiling.

“How could you think it was friendship, a real one, just like that?”

“Because Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie taught me how to make real friends! Thanks to their teachings I became a friend of you!”

“What…” He said perturbed. “…are you saying?”

“Friendship is a wondrous and powerful thing. I have seen its magic do good things! In a way, is a blessing that I participated in the Friendship Games! I discovered that True magic and happiness comes from Honesty! Loyalty! Laughter! Generosity! Kindness! With it, the Magic of Friendship became salvation to me!”

Nitpick was perplexed at what he was hearing. Sunset said something eerie similar to him in his date.

“And as long as I listen to what the girls teach me, follow their Ideal and beliefs, I can speak to everyone! I can be friends with everyone! I’ll never be left behind…and more importantly…!”

‘Don’t say it, Twilight! Please don’t say what I think you are about to say!’

“I’ll never… be alone again!”



The gentleness of the wind engulfed them in a brief moment of peace. Those eyes… those he admired all this time were…

‘She is so pitiful.’ Bon Bon’s words resonated in his head.

Empty! 

Sublime, sparkling, beautiful and empty eyes! Nitpick finally understood what Bon Bon told him yesterday. The lack of joy in her pupils that even Twilight herself was unaware of. Those beautiful eyes he admired all this time… were just a glorified, fake bright.
Joy is the ultimate goal, for it is the emotion which accompanies the fulfilling of our natures as human beings. It is based on the experience of one's identity to allow your inner self enjoy the greatest gift of all.

Life!

Your identity is your life! It’s how you live every single day! How you choose to be, what you chose to do, the way you want to act! People say that your origins, your environment, your education is what builds up your identity! 

Yourself! 

But that’s just a small part of it! Identity isn’t determined by society, but by you, the individual! If you chose to follow the dogma of your origins, then that’ll be part of yourself! If you chose to follow the teachings of your environment, then that’ll define you! If you chose something else or the mix of some things or everything, then that’s your identity! Your choice! You’re alive that way!

And when someone or something shatters your whole self-esteem, oppressing it, destroying it, dismembering it, it means that it was a hard blow for you, or in the worst case scenario, your persona wasn’t that solid to begin with. 

But for Twilight Sparkle! Beautiful Twilight Sparkle, all this time never was a whole being. She was a bright, gifted but empty vessel, walking aimlessly through the roads of life, searching for something that could fill her desire to experience life. She was never being able to find true joy, true bonds, and true happiness.

Because she was empty on the inside!

Nitpick finally realized what Sunset had been trying to teach Twilight, and to some extent, to him. She wanted for her to be able to befriend to everybody, to be able to talk to everyone and giving her the capability to be more secure around strangers. In a romantic way, she was doing the right thing.

But what use is giving away the weapons and bullets to a person who doesn’t know how to reload and shoot? What use are her teachings to Twilight Sparkle if she hasn’t learned the most important thing above everything else? The real requirement to acquire the power and strength to walk on the path of life!

The power to love oneself!

Twilight Sparkle wants to love everyone at the cost of her being stripped of whatever inner voice she had. It would appear she was creating bonds at the surface, but she was only pleasing everyone else in reality. That was disgusting for Nitpick, and he decided that he will destroy that hollow Ideal of her so she can start to challenge herself, and there is only one way to start his duty as her friend.

Speak the truth! Tell her his true feelings about her!

“Do you really think that I really liked you since day one?” 

“What… did you said?” A suddenly shocked Twilight asked.

“The first time I met you in Crystal Prep Academy, I thought you were another rich gal that went there just to have fun in the school. As time passed and the school started to know you better, almost the entire academy considered you obnoxious. Not because we were jealous of your genius like Rarity said or because you were special, that you are by the way, but because you were a pushover, you always tried to match up with everyone, in other words…”

He took a deep breath, knowing that this will be the point of no return.

“You were annoying.”



In that moment in time, their eyes reflected each other. Twilight, virtuous and fragile as she was, should have had a face of despair in this moment. But she had instead a calm face, even if deep inside she was about to cry. Nitpick’s cold and stern eyes on the contrary, faintly reflected the feminine figure in front of him. 

“But-” Suddenly, his eyes turned warm and empathetic. “-, when we met at CHS again, I noticed something different about you. You were talkative and friendly, you were caring, delightful, fun, entertaining and… Oh Twilight! You are a wonderful girl! And today I realized that you were never annoying, that you were always worthy of being a friend of someone… No! Perhaps being your friend is an honor that someone like me doesn’t deserve to have!” The young man said with humility looking at the sky. 

Twilight after hearing that, felt the storm that was brewing in her heart dissipating with the light of the sun. Reflecting his mind into words was a step forward to the likes of Nitpick. Real friends should always share their real feelings toward each other, even if the first reaction is anger or sadness. To lie for the sake of keeping a fake relationship on float is to preserve something that perhaps it is not worth fighting for.

“Forgive me if I made you feel bad! I don’t want to have any lies with the girl I just noticed I have fallen in love with!” He said tenderly.
Twilight’s eyes widened even farther with great surprise.

“You… love me? For real!?”

“Yes! You are slowly but surely becoming a dear friend of mine!” Nitpick said while grabbing firmly but gently her shoulders. “I love all of my real friends as family… even if some of them are a pain in the ass… Like Gilda sometimes… or the royal pain… or Sug-… well, you know what I mean, right?”

“Oh… Oh! Yeah, hehehe… Yes, I do!” Without knowing why, she was a little disappointed.

“But I don’t want this bond of us to be a fake one so I just wanted to tell you what I felt about you in the past and what are you starting to mean for me in the present! With that, I won’t have any past ill-feelings holding me back to step forward… if you decide to forgive me for that!”

“Of course I forgive you! And our bond is not a fake one! It’s real! We are closer than ever!” Twilight spoke with confidence.

“You lie, Twilight!”

“I’m not lying!”

“Of course you are! You are lying to yourself! You are avoiding to face people’s hate by clinging to the individuals you consider your friends! No wonder you are always behind someone during school! No wonder you didn’t complain about our gossip problem or to Rainbow Dash and her brief exchange of teammates and many more instances where you should have spoken your mind! Instances where you must have exposed your feelings to the people you love!”

“But I’m not strong like you or the girls! That’s why they are teaching me how to be friends with everybody! Their way will help me in being accepted to the students!”

“Why the students should accept you when you do what they like when we are the ones that must learn to accept the real you, the real Twilight Sparkle?”

“But the real ‘me’ is plain and boring! Nobody wanted to befriend me in Crystal Prep!”

“Wrong! The real you is simply too smart for your average Joe! And there is nothing wrong about that! In the academy we were pissed off with you because you were spineless, Twilight! You were hopeless and a coward! People nearly as smart as you like Moondancer had friends! Want to know why? They spoke the hell out of their minds! You never did that to the school population! You always submitted to others opinions of you! And you still do!”

“But you always helped me in the academy! Like in Physics! We may have been friends before we even knew about it!”

“I treated you nicely because I wanted to pass the subject! And unlike Trenderhoof and his niche, I have a conscience! In no way I would allow you to do the whole job by your own! But I admit that it was painful working with you and I despised every time that you decided to redo the whole mockup just because one millimeter of a moon was off or a similar shit like that!”

“Language!”

“Yes! The thing you just did is what you need to do with everyone, Twilight!”

“But correcting vocabulary isn’t necessary with the others!”

“NO! YOU OVER-INCOMPETENT, UNSOCIAL GENIUS!” He yelled in frustration. “I MEAN EXPRESSING YOUR FEELINGS ON THE MATTER, FOOL!”

“How can I express my feelings if you start to yell at me like that?” Twilight answered with an unknown source of fury surging from her.

“HOW CAN YOU BE FRIENDS WITH SOMEBODY IF YOU DON’T TRUST HIM TO EVEN-!”

“STOP YELLING AT ME, NITPICK BITTERSWEET!” She yelled in frustration while interrupting him. “I’M NOT DEAF OR A FOOL, YOU MEANIE!”

"MEANIE!? AND DON'T INTERRUPT ME!"

"YOU ARE BEING A FOOL AND A MEANIE!"

"DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OUTSIDE!?"

"BRING IT...uh!"

She immediately shut her mouth with her hands. Nitpick was surprised by that. Surprised… and happy. She on the other hand, felt a little… troubled.

“Do you feel something different, Twilight?” Nitpick asked with a pinch of triumph in his voice.

“I shouldn’t have yelled at you but… it felt nice! Like I was…”

“Defending yourself? Having a voice of your own?”

“…yes!” She responded with enlighten.

“Do you want to feel more secure and strong with yourself, just like you felt a moment ago?”

“Y-yes!” She responded with desire.

“Then allow me to teach you the other side of what Sunset Shimmer offers you! Allow me to give you another choice that leads to the same destination: Inner happiness! I won’t lie to you. My path is harsher, covered in spines that will pinch you and full of rocks blocking your way! But it will challenge you little by little! If you like what you see then you can choose to continue the road I’ll show to you!”

“But what if what you offer is not the right thing?”

“Excellent question, Twilight! But if you heard me carefully, I never told you I will teach you the right thing to choose! In the end, Twilight, you have to pursue your own path, not someone's idea of the right path. For your current you, what Sunset is offering you is a lie! Not because she is a liar or evil! Oh no! She is lying because she is overlooking to teach you the most important thing that you clearly lack!

“…what is that?” Twilight asked with immense thirst of knowing the answer.

“An identity! Your identity! A will that dictates you how you chose to live your limited time in the realm of the living! This is why you were so afraid of telling Flash Sentry your lack of romantic feelings for him! Why you were afraid of losing me! Or Rainbow Dash! Or for you to think that the whole school will despise you if you say something wrong! As long as you don’t accept who you are, no amount of magic will change that fact, my beloved Midnight Sparkion!”

“Midnight Sparkion?”

“Yes! You are like a Midnight without stars! The Sparks you have in your eyes aren’t yours… yet!”

“But ion in the last part of the name doesn’t make sense! An ion is an atom or a molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons! I know that stars are energy but there can’t be negative stars or!”

Nitpick raised his hand so the genius stopped her incoming, doctorate like explanation.

“But in slangs, ion is the diminutive of ‘I don’t’! If we arrange the name in something readable it would mean ‘Midnight, I don’t spark!’ But since it sounds stupid when we use the slang like ‘Midnight Ionspark’ then Midnight Sparkion is better!”

“It sounds stupid!”

“Wuuuh! Twilight is using big words!”

“Very funny!”

“Do you like to call me Nitty?”

“Yes!”

“Then I’ll call you Midnight Sparkion in private!”

“But it’s a stupid nickname!” She said in a baffled tone.

“I like it when you speak your mind freely instead of acting reserved around me! Act more confident around the students and this will make them like you more, at least the ones that want to know the real you!”

“But what if people don’t like what my current me offers?”

“Then to hell with them, Midnight! You aren’t a gold coin to please everyone! And there are people in the world who hates gold for the matter! You must learn that not everyone will be your friend! And that’s alright! But what I find unacceptable from you is that you deny your own worth! You are beautiful, Twilight! You can be anything you want to be as long as you work hard for it!” He pointed his finger to her, nearly touching her nose.

“But if I don’t have friends in my life, I could end up alone!”

“It’s not bad to be alone sometimes! It’s when people force you to be alone is when things starts to get bad! How easy we let our own taste to judge the choice of others. But that’s how life works. For the world to be varied and interesting, there must a dessert and an ocean. A mountain and a field! What I mean to say that if your friends don’t appreciate the way you are, then it means that they aren’t your friends to begin with!”

Twilight was left speechless for a few moments. He started to analyze his reasoning, making sense to the words he spoke with the events she lived in CHS. How her friends accepted her the way she is and how she felt loved back by them… but has she really being herself this whole time to the girls? Was she real to them? Or was she afraid of losing them too if she didn’t act nice?

“I want to believe in them! I want to have faith that my friends are real! That the Magic of Friendship will make me happy!”

“By faith alone you want to believe that?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Everything, Midnight! If you chose to leave everything to the hands of fate, to the cursed Destiny, then you are a fool! Friendships, real friendships are a harsh process were people build trust with each other! For you to say to me that I became your friend just because I treated you nice is a serious understatement and the most insulting thing you can say to people like me!”

“…sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry! Stop apologizing for things that aren’t your fault! Having faith that good things will happen is great! People need to have faith in something! But you are the one that must work hard to achieve it in the end! You are the one who must obtain your wish by your own hand! But never lose who you are in the process! Having friends without being your self is pointless! Eventually, you will grow bitter and tired and someday you’ll explode and curse the entire world for your demise and lack of spine!”

“… Just like the soccer team and the students of yesterday! They never spoke their true feelings and…!” She suddenly realized what he meant about the unhappy students.

“Exactly, you understand now! Midnight, you must find yourself and have the Magic to love who you are first to even began to consider someone a friend! If you give me the chance to show you what I mean, I promise you that it will be meaningful! And if you decide in the future that what I offer is not for you, then you can walk away! But if you only choose the path that Sunset offers without really understanding or at least having empathy to other people’s opinion… then please never try to change me! I won’t accept the opinion of someone so single-minded!”

“I…”

For the second time in her life, Twilight Sparkle was thinking outside of the box. When Sunset offered her hand, a reassurance and a sense of acceptance was felt that fated day, but…

“Won’t you offer your hand to guide me, Nitty?”

“If I do that now, in a symbolic way, I would be pampering you on the road… it doesn’t mean I will leave you alone when you are in a trouble you can’t overcome yourself, but as I said, you must learn to trust in who you are first.”

“What if I fail?”

“If you give up after giving your best, then at least you made the effort. But if you don’t try at all, then it will be your fault in the end. Remember, in life, all the words you say, the promises you make, they are yours alone! With the rewards and consequences that accompany them, you must confront the repercussions of your decisions. If you don’t learn to do that now, then you will suffer in adulthood!”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because life is harsh outside your parents care, and cruel without the aid of your friends! Besides, we are teenagers! This is the perfect age to learn from the stupid decisions we make every day! Just like how I learned something important when I tried to use you and show to the school that the soccer team was a pain in the ass!”

“Language! And what did you learn?”

“Ask first and do something later!”

“That sounds nice and-!” Twilight suddenly reasoned something. “Wait a minute! You used me to make a ruckus in the school?” 

“I said I tried to use you! I never did, actually… I wanted you to succeed in the end. That’s why I encouraged you to give Spitfire your research! And believe me that I won’t ever try to use you again unless necessary and you know and agree about it first”

“That doesn’t help at all!” She said in defiance while crossing her arms.

“You are free to leave me be and stop being friends! I’m not forcing you to anything!”

“…But I want to be your friend!”

“Why? It’s because you want to have friends or because I’m someone that you consider worthwhile? There is an enormous difference between the two answers!”

“Because I don’t feel you would harm me! I trust you and the friendship you and I share! I know it’s real!”

Nitpick smiled by those words. “Then allow me to strengthen our bond with actions! Do you accept the challenge I offer you? Knowing that it could make you feel uncomfortable sometimes? Knowing that possible… you could end up hating me?”

After thinking carefully, she spoke with commitment

“I do!”

“Then…” He got quiet for a second and after thinking carefully, he finally spoke. “I don’t have anything planned! This was out of the blue! I need to organize my ideas and think about your first challenge!”

“First challenge?”

A sudden noise was heard from Twilight’s bag. It was her phone ringing and she suddenly made an uncomfortable face.

“Flash Sentry, right?”

“Yes…”

“Heh heh heh heh!” Nitpick laughed under his breath.

“Why are you laughing like a movie villain?”

“Because if Sunset Shimmer is Captain Friendship, then I’m your regular, pain in the ass, villain!” He got closer to her and rested an arm on her shoulders. “He’ll be your first test! A sacrifice, if you will, to make you grow as a person!”

“Language! And that sounds evil!”

“Okay, okay! If you reject him without making him mad, it will be a step-forward to you! Besides… you need to tell him now before the guy keeps flying higher with hope! Have you ever felt the horrible feeling of a lover rejection?”

“Not really!”

“It’s bad! It feels horrible! But for the sake of both parties, if you don’t like him, you must cut his wings, now! You’ll understand when you do it! I’m sure of it!”

“Will you finally teach me how to do that?”

“Me? Oh no! My way is too harsh for someone like you… for now! But I got an idea! I got the perfect teacher for the matter! And he goes to CHS as well! He is someone who has experience with relationships and will give you a good word of advice!”

“Someone like Rarity?”

“No! I want results for you, not overdramatic nonsense! Do you have something planned this Sunday?”

“Nothing in particular.”

“Okay, can you allow me to tell your problem to some of my friends so I can ask help from them?”

“Yes.” She said immediately with a small smirk in her face.

“Uh… You are supposed to think about this before doing quick decisions like that”

“What’s wrong with that? It’s you we are talking about! It’s not like you will betray me!”

“That will be a lesson for another day, then! If by tomorrow morning I don’t have his confirmation, you will have the Sunday free to do whatever you wish!”

‘Beep Beep’

A claxon from a luxurious car was heard. On the other side of the park, Twilight’s mother was waiting for her daughter to get inside and go home.

“You should go! I’m going to Gily’s house to make preparations to other things for the party!”

“Okay, Nitty! Have fun at the party! And…” She played with her hair a little. “Please keep taking care of me! You are my first boy friend after all!”

She left his side and a few moments later she was in the car with her mother. As the car was leaving his sight, Twilight words left Nitpick baffled.



“What the hell just happened?”
> Chapter 51- New beginning and clearing doubts.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“And that’s the reason why I befriended Twilight Sparkle! So, will you help me out?”

“No.”

“You should consider diagnosing your brain. Unknown injuries from the fist fight you had in the fair must have created several tumors in it. Zap took some photos of it. Also, did you lose weight?”

“My brain is fine, you stupid, little troll. And no! I’m fine! Gily is helping me out with that so don’t worry!”

“I will help you, Bro! Twilight seems like someone who needs help!”

“I fucking knew you would aid me, Lightbulb!”

My name is Nitpick Bittersweet, seventeen years old. I am your average high school student with average looks, messy and average brown hair, eyes and a normal body complexion. My hobbies are videogames, mangas, foreign animation and sleeping in the comfort of my bed. Today in the afternoon, a new friend came to my life: Twilight Sparkle. I gave her my word that I will make everything in my power to make her grow as a person. 

I was talking with three of my best friends about it in The Dazzle restaurant, waiting for my friend and his sibling to arrive and have her birthday celebration in a quiet place. Having been granted permission by Twilight herself, I told them about the events that transpired in CHS and how it made me come to this turning point in my life. Gily was massaging her eyes with disbelief and annoyance, Lightbulb approved of my decision and my grumpy friend was looking at me with a cynical, relaxed face. Her apparent lack of emotion is just a masquerade for her inner, smart-ass attitude to prepare an insulting rant for your average person.

“No, no, no, and no! I don’t have anything to make a decent come back at you, Bittersweet!” My grumpy friend told to me while scratching her head. I was in disbelief because this was a first for me in hearing that from her lips. “I told you last time that she is insane! You should stay away from her!”

“Come on, sweet heart! My sixth sense doesn’t feel anything bad on her! I’m sure whatever happened in the games, it was Cinch fault! The blackmailing, combining it with how bitchy we were to her in the academy made her unstable! Now she is just a lost soul looking for answers!”

“There was more than just blackmailing and bitchiness from our part! She practically transformed in a dark, winged demon of midnight while shooting rays of doom everywhere with a magical device!”

“I have been hearing the same thing since the end of the games!” Spoke Lightbulb. “Other dimensions, rainbows of destructive power, winged students! I wasn’t in most of the events but everything points out that Sunset is involved one way or another to the supposed crazy stuff that CHS has been through this past year!”

“That other girl also transformed into a Sun Magical Girl like Pirate Moon! And how can you not been there? Weren’t you supporting your school with the rest of the students?”

“I don’t give a crap about the school spirit! It’s a bunch of nonsense! So the answer is no, I didn’t go to the event, neither my girl nor a less than a half of the school. So I can’t say with certainty if the events you say are true!”

“See? That’s why I gave this guy my good word!” Said Gily with a tone of approval. “He isn’t an obsessive perfectionist with a bullshit air of school spirit like you!”

“Loving the school shirt and its meaning is not nonsense, Heavensbane! Being prideful of where I study and the ideal that Crystal Prep Academy has is something I support!” 

“Being the best is fine and all but doing it for a school and not for myself is bullshit! I won’t stand that that harpy of Cinch takes all the glory when we make the fighting for her!” Exclaimed Gily.

“Although I dislike Cinch and her high-handed personality, I get where she comes from! It’s thanks to that negative trait of her and always desiring the best of the best for the school that we get the best teachers, the best courses, the best college options, and most importantly, the best preparation! You get your family money’s worth if you don’t waste it like most of the spoiled rich brats that go there!” Said my grumpy friend with complete justification, but after a brief moment of thinking something in her head, she sighed with regret. “But…”

“You are still disappointed that Cinch was cornered and cheated in the end like CHS did with their magic like you told me last time, uh?” Said Gily empathetic.

My friend started to massage her forehead with disappointment. “Why did she do that? Why did we support her in that stupid decision? Twilight could have easily won the last event of the competition by herself without cheating! Instead, she turned into a magical creature that nearly destroyed the world!”

“Cheating in the end backfired horribly for you, uh?”

“I don’t need your pity, Bittersweet! I was blinded for wanting to balance things out and… aghhh! Damn it all!” She said frustrated to no end while hitting the sturdy fabric of wood of our table.

“You must be really pissed if you use a word like ‘Damn’. But even if she had won fair and square, you still wouldn’t have given a crap because it was Twilight, right?” I said with seriousness.

“No.” She said with her usual lack of empathy towards her. “She was a pain and you know it. I still don’t believe that you befriended her!”

“And I still don’t buy the magic part during the games!” I remarked. “Look, sweet heart! Talking with all seriousness, I don’t think you are crazy. I know you studied hard and took extra classes to make your victory the sweeter but as far as I know, the Idol Six are very resourceful as well. They have their Principal in their good side and can mobilize an enormous quantity of students in a matter of hours. Who says that those weird events you and the rest experienced weren’t planned beforehand?”

“That wouldn’t explain the weird magic vines that appeared during the motorcycle rally! They appeared from nowhere and nearly killed me!”

“Easy to explain!” Exclaimed Gilda. “Remember when Sapphire Shores came during the last Thanksgiving to our school and sang in the gym hall? Don’t you remember that she made something similar as you are saying?”

“Those were advanced, optical illusions inside a stage! We are talking about an open field! And those vines were alive! I swear!”

“Remember that time when Trickster Lunaby came to the academy in January to make a magic show where he used almost realistic monsters and he was moving them around the school fields with the help of just two guys? They used advanced animatronics and believable tricks to do his show!”

“Oh! I have something useful to say!” Spoke Lightbulb. “I know of Trickster Lunaby! It’s the Grandfather of Trixie Lulamoon, and she goes to CHS! Most of her tricks suck but when she does one right, damn, she does them incredibly realistic!”

“I never stumbled upon her, Lightbulb!” I said.

“Better stay that way. She can be annoying sometimes, especially her crazy way to say that she is 'The great and powerful Trixie'! Oh God, how I hate her accent when she spells her own name!” He facepalmed in frustration.

“Maybe she asked to her grandpops a favor to do something cool in the competition and he agreed to help her granddaughter with some tips. Knowing that, we can assume that the so-called Idol Six used that to her advantage and made them win the rally!” Said Gilda with a reasonable answer.

“And what about their transformations? They were flying, for Pete’s Sake!”

“Coloratura did a great deal of costume changes during stage in the winter, singing competition of last year in a matter of minutes! And about the flying stuff, don’t you remember this last summer where Jet Set brought some stunt masters to make a flying spectacle just because her girlfriend Upper Crust had her birthday party?” I asked her.

“What about Twilight? She practically sucks when she doesn’t do something related to raw academics! How do you explain her sudden, crazed attitude and unexpected capability to rip holes to other dimensions?”

“Forgive me for having heard what you spoke all this time and barging in your conversation but allow me to explain the answer you seek, if you will, my dear patron.”

We turned our attention to Adagio Dazzle that spoke while approaching our table. In one hand she had a long plate holding our beverages while the other was making an elegant gesture to place the glasses in front of us. My friend looked at her with a little bit of skepticism. 

“Don’t worry. She was a student there before creating this family restaurant. Also, she had a bad time with Sunset as well.” I said.

“What can you say about that place?” Asked my friend with an educated manner.

“Long story short: I and my sisters were singers, we went to CHS to make a little name, and Sunset defeated us with the Magic of Friendship and we ended up here!”

“Tell us the long story, if you will.”

“We managed to convince all the school, even the Principal of that place, to make everything as we wanted in an event called the Battle of the Bands. But eventually Sunset Shimmer outsmarted us. In part, we were at fault for our own demise, but believe me, we were... persuasive, to say the least!”

“I remember you!” Said Lightbulb with surprise. “You were the singer that arrived to the school and made the students have some battle spirit! I don’t even remember why I was fighting with the Eco kids during those days!” He was scratching his head after saying that.

“Because we were magical, my dear patron! And with that, I must say that to all of you the following: Imagine! We were able to mobilize the entire school to make an event far greater than the one that was originally planned in just a day. Even the Principal and the teachers agreed to our demands. Now imagine what Sunset Shimmer can do if she defeated us! Was this Twilight Sparkle alone with Sunset during the games?”

“I don’t know.” Answered my friend. “But she went on her own from time to time, searching things with her magic device.”

“Then we can make a hypothesis from all of this, don’t we?” Spoke Adagio. “It’s obvious that Sunset Shimmer found Twilight Sparkle walking on her own inside the school. Sunset, as persuasive and intelligent as she is, immediately saw the grief and loneliness of Twilight and befriended her. Finally finding someone who accepted her, she opened up with our nemesis, and Sunset talked her way with her…”

“And convinced her to help CHS win against the academy!” I completed her speech. 

“There is one more thing I have to say. When we, umm, persuaded Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna, well, you could say that we saw that they aren’t your average educators. They may have more resources than they want us to believe they have!”

“You mean something like dirty money?” Asked Gily with a bit of excitement. “Like those old cop movies?”

“Sadly to disappoint you but no, it was all legal. But they are rich! Extremely rich! Why my sisters and I didn’t convince them to give us some of it was beyond me.” Said Adagio with a bit of dissatisfaction, almost regretting it.

“You really are ambitious. No wonder you ended up being defeated.” I remarked.

She laughed coldly but it lacked resentment. “It’s the world of the competitors! You must be ambitious to do whatever it takes! But I can see it’s not the style for all of you… But what about Sunset? Who says that she didn’t organize something to make you have a hard time?”

“And it makes sense in a way!” Replied Lightbulb. “Sunset was a bitch and a manipulative gal! When she was defeated by Twilight’s cousin, she changed! But, did her ways do as well? I mean, we are living the same thing but more ‘friendly’ in CHS. She was running the show with Snip and Snails and now she runs it with her friends. She was a bastard and now she is friend-ho lunatic! The same with a different paint coat!”

“Wait! Did Snip and Snails actually terrorized the-“

“Please, Bro! Don’t finish it! I’m still ashamed of that!”

“Okay, okay! Anyway, if we take in consideration all the information we have come up together, then we can finally agree to my following explanation to all this!” I took a deep sip of my alcohol-less Mocktail and after finally arranging my thoughts, I gave my explanation. “Sunset Shimmer convinced Principal Celestia to do insane competitions hoping for the academy students to lose!”

“But to no avail! Crystal Prep always comes prepared to face any challenge!” My grumpy friend said. “Or so we thought…”

“Yes, sweet heart! That’s why they must have hired Trixie’s grandfather to make ‘adjustments’ to the rally! And if what Adagio said is true, the economic resources of our Principal in question made things extremely easy to do and ended up in fooling you.”

“Not to mention that the school field was closed to all the public when they were building the motocross rally!” Remarked Lightbulb.

“That could have given Mr. Trickster enough time to make something that not even the most observant student could have perceived in the field!” I continued.

“Even adjusting the right places to sabotage the motocross rally!” My friend came to a realization “I nearly fell to my death in that event and those vines appeared in front of Zap and me in a very convenient place and time!”

“And Twilight being an alone and defenseless individual in mind and morale, succumbed to Sunset’s offer and made a realistic choreography with her!” Concluded Adagio.

“What about the hole in the school gardens?” Asked my grumpy friend. “I can accept all the explanations that you gave this far but I saw a crater to another world in there!”

“Exactly where did you saw that hole?” Asked Lightbulb.

“Between the statue and the main entrance of the school. Why do you ask that?”

“One year ago during the Fall Formal, there was a gas pipe incident in CHS that destroyed the front gate of the school and left a big crater in the gardens!” Lightbulb started to search something in his smartphone. “Look! This was just next day after the incident.”

“The size of the crater it’s nearly of the same size as the one that appeared during the games!” Remarked she.

“Perhaps the crater was never filled in its entirety and they retrofitted it to be a normal road for the school! Like in stages where is empty under the performers so they can do various magic tricks! The lights, transformations, destruction of property and so on were just illusions made by professionals behind the stage! The transformed girls must have been stunt doubles all that time using semi-invisible cords to make them fly in the fields!”

“But there is one more thing that doesn’t add up! Cinch knew of Twilight’s device during the games, not before! And she used the device after we convinced her to…uh!”

“I see something clicked on you.” I said with amusement. “Care to share?”

“I remembered what I said about Twilight going alone inside the school before the events started! That backstabbing scoundrel sold us out when she was convinced by Shimmer in joining her cheating performance! They came up with the magic excuse and made realistic tricks to convince Cinch that weird things were happening in the rally! They attacked our pride and weaknesses in the right spot and we felt for it!”

“I don’t think Twilight is someone capable of selling someone out!” I defended her.

“Mmm, yes, you are right! She is spineless!” Said my grumpy friend. “Sunset Shimmer, taking in accounts her past history that you mentioned, must have manipulated her to join her side, making her think that it was the right thing to do.”

“Then we came up with a logical conclusion: They used magic tricks, convinced Twilight to betray the school while at it, something easy to do because she probably hated us, and that made you tie with them!” Said Gily.

“You are right!” Said my grumpy friend. “If we think this thoroughly in a logical manner, they cheated all this time! I knew it! I knew it! I knew that we would never tie or lose against that school of losers in a fair competition. No offense to both of you!” She said the last with fake regret.

“Spare us the bullshit” Said Lightbulb in an amiable way. “At least you now know the truth thanks to our combined efforts!”

“Everything is better when we see things with reason! It’s something you taught us in the academy, remember?” I praised her. “We are not in the world of a kid’s cartoon and our government is not stupid! If weird things have been happening in CHS all this time, the government would have closed down the school by now and conspiracy theories would have emerged since then!”

“And she transferring to CHS was probably an idea of Sunset so Twilight could avoid being morally attacked at your school!” Said Lightbulb.

“And it was good that she did that! When word spread around about Twilight’s incompetence and sudden transfer, more than half of the school started to hate her! She should consider to never showing her face again in Crystal Prep!”

“But Zap and the others treated her nicely in various events in the last few weeks!” I said.

“You know that Zap, Zest and the others are kind-hearted deep inside! Being bitchy against the competitors is only their way of showing up their loyalty to the school… unlike you and Gilda!”

“Hey! Nit and I are wild cards! We are loyal to the ones that believe in us, nothing more! Besides, not all the school is loyal to the academy and you know it!”

“It doesn’t matter now! Whatever truth happened in reality it’s in the past now. Right now, we must convince this idiot to stay away from Twilight Sparkle!”

“Yeah, Nit! Listen to the troll! She speaks reason!”

“I have seen her in the school and she is a normal girl.” Said Lightbulb calmly. “I believe you should be more afraid of Sunset Shimmer than her. Especially after the mess she did with the soccer team… fucking bitch” He mumbled the last part.

“And that’s why I want to help Twilight!” I said with passion. “I don’t want to destroy her friendship with her friends but I want her to accept herself and send to hell to anyone who doesn’t like who she is! Our Princess was right! She can be much more and I know she can be a good friend, even to the people of our club.”

“You are insane! CHS is harming your rational thinking more than I thought! And I will not accept her as our friend, even if she has your good, honest word backing her up!”

“Oh, come on!” I said playfully to her. “Look at me in the eyes! I know now that she is a good girl. Do you think I’m lying to you?” Now I was serious.

She looked at me with a stern look. Carefully locking her eyes with mine, she was trying to find any sign of doubt in me. Although we are friends for barely a year, just like Gilda and the others, we spent quality time together. She knows when we lie or have doubts deep inside us. 

“…’sigh’… what do you need from me?” Said she with a genuine disposition.

“Am I imagining things or that really came from your mouth?” Said Gily with mockery-like denial.

“What can I say? I just happen to be empathetic, kind and selfless! I am the pinnacle of camaraderie and friendship!” Said she with complete mockery and a cocky smile.

“Camaraderie? Friendship? You? Seriously? HA!” Gily finished her drink in one swallow. “You are a blunt, cynical and arrogant bitch, Sugarcoat!”



“Heavensbane!” She also took her glass and finished her drink in one go. “When I met you last year, I thought you were a mindless beast incapable of reasoning! But now, I’m truly surprised with your ever-growing capability to mimic human speech and intellect thanks to my efforts! You are becoming really good at this!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. I really missed Sugarcoat.

“Why are you laughing, Bittersweet? Do you believe we are your personal clowns?”

“Yes.” I responded kindly. “And you are my favorite, Cookielicious!”

“Don’t call me like that, you shit!”

“Uhhh! Someone is dirtying her correct vocabulary all of the sudden! What’s next? Yelling?”

“Shut up, Heavensbane! At least when I yell, I don’t sound like a drunken harpy!”

”DRUNKEN HARPY? I SOUND LIKE AN EAGLE WARRIOR, CINCH TWO-POINT-OH!”

“YOU DARE TO CALL ME LIKE THAT, BITCH!?”

“DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT OUTSIDE?”

“BRING IT ON!”

I noticed that Lightbulb looked to his glass of alcohol-less Mocktail, and he took a deep sip with his usual ‘no-problem’ attitude. “While your friends finish their bitching, let’s talk about how I can help you out with Twilight’s problem on Sunday, Bro! Choco has the day off and we were planning to go out with Lyra and Bon Bon to the plaza in Ponyville! You and Twilight can join us and I will teach her how to reject a guy like Flash properly.”

“HA! Another insane guy trying to be the hero of the day has appeared before me!” Said Sugarcoat with her usual bitchiness while rolling her eyes.

“I’m starting to like your friends, Bro. They are truthful, bitchy and speak their minds out instead of being double-faced hypocrites.”

"Wait until you meet the other two!"

“I also started to like your friends, my patron!” Said Adagio in a pleasant manner. “I like colorful and exciting people! Speaking of colorful, where is the special girl for the occasion? I need to know her time of arrival so Sonata can start cooking the Royal Tacos! After all, you paid good money for them!”

“Bittersweet, did you really asked for tacos instead of, I don’t know, salads, fish or something of her liking? We have an agreement for all of our birthday party foods, you know?”

“Actually, Sug, it was my idea!” Answered Gily. “I came with Grandpops last Monday and we ordered the Royal Tacos out of curiosity…” Gily started to drool a little. “So fancy… So delicious…”

“For you to drool like a dog for simple tacos is something to behold, they must have been the meal of your life.”

Gily took out her cellphone and searched for something in it. Finding what she was seeking for, she showed to us a picture of the tacos in question. They look like real tacos, elegantly arranged in circle.

“Are those artisanal tacos?” Asked Sugarcoat with honest surprise.

“After we won the lottery and started to build our restaurant, my sister Sonata took some private classes with Chef Rufinesse Constanti! She knows real Tenochxican recipes thanks to her!”

“She even taught me how to do Bocoles and Frijoles Charros!” Said Sonata Dusk while quickly coming to her sister’s side. Her big smile and pride on the matter made her keep talking. “Do you want your tacos with Queso Molido or do you want them with the Rojo specialty?”

“Queso what?” Asked Lightbulb.

“It’s a kind of white, grated cheese. A bit salty but delicious!” Responded Gily. “Grandpops ate the Rojo specialty and they are nice too. They are bathed in a special kind of red sauce. Since it’s for our Princess, then the Queso Molido variety with salad would be ideal.”

“What kind of filling you want in your tacos? We have chicken, scrambled eggs bathed in red tomato, cooked potato with scrambled eggs, minced meat, rajas con queso, and we also have some requeson cheese mixed with real, red Chile Habanero in it!”

“Let’s wait for her to- I believe they are coming!” Exclaimed Sugarcoat with excitement.

A shady, elegant limousine parked outside the Dazzle’s, and from it, a shadowy figure got out of the front seat. Said figure opened the back door and two teenagers with the formal suit of Crystal Prep Academy got out of the vehicle. Once they got inside the place, I admired their image. It may have been roughly two months and half since the last time I saw them after they went to their conference, but it felt like an eternity to me. 

Their white, fair skin and vibrant, light blue eyes were unmistakable. One was one of the classiest, refined and elegant human beings I have ever seen in my life who had the most gorgeous brown hair that I ever admired. The other one was a pain in the ass with medium-size golden hair, his family star artistically stitched in the shoulders of his suit.

“At last…!” Said my classy friend. Her eyes were full of tender nostalgia finally sated. “It’s been a while, my friends!”

“Indeed!” Said... ‘sigh’ my friend.

Gily, Sugarcoat and I were just there, appreciating our reunion with them. We have a lot of things to say, a lot of things to share, but right now, on this moment in time and space, there was only one thing that all the people attending to event ended up saying.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

We ran into her and hugged her tightly. She released a small giggle and we could feel the warm of being together again. At last, the five of us were reunited! And we spent the rest of the evening living the good life.
> Chapter 52 - Lightbulb and Twilight's meaningful moments! Tale 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There comes a time in life when you ask to yourself: What is happiness? For some, happiness is being rich and able to buy whatever you wish inside the boundaries of wealth. For others, is having the power to move the masses and rule the world. Others just enjoy the simple act of waking each morning with a purpose in life.

As for me, I prefer the last. I’m not someone who seeks power, extreme wealth, or even a life of adventure. From time to time I enjoy the sporadic trip with the family, or going to a gaming convention and meet your old hero of the TV shows of youth. I also love playing videogames, and I recently started to replay Demon’s Dogma to catch up with the content released on the last two years.

In short, I enjoy the simple things in life. But there is something that I love more than anything else, and it’s walking right beside me. The moments I treasure the most…



…is when I’m with my girl.

It’s a beautiful Sunday and it couldn’t be a better time to be in the local plaza of Ponyville. It may be autumn, but it’s still sunny enough to hang-out with friends at the local breakfast diner. Today it will be a new adventure for me. My Bro and friend since middle school, Nitpick Bittersweet, will join us in a triple date with Twilight Sparkle. Lyra and Bon Bon probably are already in the local diner of the place, no doubt enjoying their lovey company in private. 

Although the real objective of this date is to have fun with each other, I have another one as a secondary task. I need to talk with Twilight about her problem with Sentry.

“Choco, should we wait outside a little longer?” I asked.

“Probably not.” She said thoughtfully. “Bon Bon already sent me a message saying that we are already late to the meeting just before we arrived here.”

“She always exaggerates with the time appointments!”

“We are past twenty minutes from the original schedule. I wish we could arrive as early to our dates with them as I do to the school and my job!”

“Priorities, Choco!” I said with a playful tone.

A sudden text message arrived to my smartphone. It was the tune of The Ancient Scrolls and that gave me away from who it was. 

-Nitpick: Hey, where are you? We are already in the diner ordering breakfast! What do you want to eat?

“Nitpick and the others are already there and they are gonna order breakfast.”

“Tell him we want the usual!”

I texted him quickly that we wanted hot-cakes and some black coffee. We rushed our pace to arrive to the local and four people were chatting with one another in a circular, family table. In one side, Lyra and Bon were as close as always, wearing matching bracelets with their favorite emblems in it. Next to Bon Bon, Bro and Twilight were sitting in a normal distance from one another. 

“You are late, again!” Bon Bon said in playful but scolding voice.

“Sorry, sorry! I overslept a little!” I said.

“Again!”

“Honest!”

“Riiiight! You are such a slacker, Lightbulb!”

Dancer sat beside Lyra and that left me with the last seat besides Twilight. I could see she was a little uncomfortable in being surrounded with mostly strangers. Add to the fact that we were part of the group who yelled at Shimmer and her friends, and it was a good recipe for fright.

“Hi!” Twilight greeted us weakly.

“Hey, Twilight! How’re you doing?”

“Good, Dancer! Good… Hehe”

“Oh! What’s wrong, little sweet? You look nervous!”

“This is Twilight’s first time in here, Dancer!” My bro said.

“Oh! Isn’t she cute? Why don’t you tell us how did you spend your Saturday and break the ice with us!”

“Uh… I spent some time studying and making some experiments in my home. And before I went to sleep, I watched Paranormal Mystery Attack with my dog, Spike!”

“A dog that happens to be in her bag now.”

“Shh!” She quickly sealed his mouth with her hand. “Nitpick! Don’t speak! Spike didn’t come today!”

“Did Twilight just shut you up?” Dancer exclaimed with bits of laughter in every word. I couldn’t help but laugh as well.

“No! Bad Twilight!” He carefully removed her hand from his sight. “Look what have you done!”

That did the trick for her. She was in a better mood now.

“Hee hee hee! I didn’t know you were so easy to control, Beasty!”

“Very funny, Dancer!”

“Once we finish breakfast, were should we go?” Bon Bon asked.

“How about Carousel’s boutique? We can see the new seasonal clothes that Rarity has designed this year!” Lyra recommended.

I don’t need telepathic powers to feel the shared horror that Nitpick and I were feeling with that suggestion.

“Good idea!” Choco approved. “I want a new bag and a pair of shoes!”

“B-but you already bought some shoes last week!”

“Priorities, Bulby! It’s one of the advantages of having a job and not making your family worry about money!”

“What about Rarity?” Bro quickly came to my aid. “She must still be mad at us because the ruckus we did last time!”

“Yeah! Better go to another place instead!”

“Nonsense!” Bon Bon remarked. “Rarity isn’t a girl who keeps a grudge for too long! We should go there after we finish our breakfast!”

“What about we hunt for accessories in the local’s outfitter as well? Maybe we can find something nice there too!”

The girls agreed to Lyra’s suggestion and the decision was made. I was screaming internally and no doubt Nitpick was doing the same. I bet he was stressed of being Rarity’s model during past occasions and he didn’t want to go nearby it. In my case, I hate women’s extensive time in thinking what was the best choice; the red dress or the not so red dress? It was always the same dress design in the end!

At least I can say that breakfast time was pleasant. The abundance of honey and marmalade in our orders were outstanding. My coffee was warm enough to be considered drinkable and everyone ate while exchanging small chatter with one another. Since I have a little idea of Twilight’s current state of mind, she was doing great so far in keeping the conversation up.

Except that she never starts one. It wouldn’t be a problem in reality since some people love to hear others rather than speaking themselves, but I could see what my Bro was talking about. She had a kind of delay on her answers except when speaking with him. After watching enough for now, I hid myself behind the privacy of my newspaper. Today they released the last issue of Galaxy of Battlecraft and I need to read comfortably. And as I expected after reading it, it was another cliffhanger, typical. The time of food eventually ended and it was time to go to the outfitter.

The place wasn’t as big as the one in the Chocoratte Plaza and the ones in the city would dwarf this place without trouble. It doesn’t mean it didn’t have a decent variety. On the contrary, it had a good selection for both genders and some variety in unisex accessories. Mind you, Rarity’s selection was still queen in personality. At least, that’s what the girls say.

Two hours has passed since we arrived to the plaza and we were waiting for most of the girls outside the place in a bench. I was bored, Nitpick was dying and Twilight was reading a book.

“We are finished!” Lyra and the others were finally done with their supposed buying spree. And as expected, they didn’t buy anything. “I gave a call to Rarity just a minute ago and she said that she won’t open today so we decided to go to the arcades and have some fun instead!”

This is one of the many reasons why I like my friendship with Lyra.

“I stand by that decision one-hundred percent!” Nitpick cheered. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

Lyra and my Bro rushed towards the arcades while the rest of us looked at them with little giggles. I wanted to run to the place too but I felt laziness in the end. The Arcade Center of Ponyville was really old-fashioned. Unlike the one in the Suburbs, this place had more family games than anything else. Your typical machines of games like Titanium Slug or other more aggressive genres existed but weren’t that numerous here.

Everyone went their separate ways to play their favorite machines. Dancer and Lyra went straight to the Slam It Up dancing machine while Bon Bon and Bro competed against each other in various games. Twilight and I were just there, standing in the middle of the local not knowing how to break the ice.

“What do you want to play?” Surprisingly, Twilight took the initiative. 

“Nothing in particular. Let’s play whatever you want.”

“Ok… do you mind if we play that crane machine over there?”

“You want a stuffed toy, don’t you?”

She looked to the machine before giving her answer. “I want that stuffed doll for Spike.”

“Let’s go, then.”

“Really?”

“Come before someone wins the place.” 

Good, old, money waster Crane Sthief! I remember when I used to spend money to try and catch a doll that was worth one-hundred bucks back in the day. But after making some basic math and coming to a realization that it would be better just to buy the little bear, I stopped trying my luck. I believe the machine was altered in some form because there were instances that I took the doll and the damn thing released it.

Twilight didn’t waste her time and inserted a dollar in it. The machine shimmered with its colorful bulbs and a little sound marked the activation of the levers. Meticulously moving the crane to the purple dog that was in the corner, she pushed the button and the craned slowly descended. She was going to grab it! The prize was in her possession! She was going to do it!

‘Clink’

The crane dropped the doll.

“Tsk, Cheeseburger!”

“Relax, Twilight! Try it again!”

The girl inserted another dollar in it and she tried again. She positioned the crane right above the doll. Activating the mechanism that made descend the claw, this time she definitely grabbed the prize.

‘Clink’

It happened again!

“I’ll try one more time!”

And another dollar was inserted and another game was wasted. We repeated the same pattern eight more times before finally the little girl stopped her lost cause. Or so I thought. From her bag, she withdrew a weird kind of laser pointer and she focused it on the crane and then a kind of three dimensional light appeared for a moment. Then she plugged it on her cellphone and started to make several tapings in it.

“AHA!” She exclaimed in victory. “Now you will be mine, little doll!”

She inserted another dollar in the machine. This time she didn’t waste any motion or made accelerated movements. She maneuvered the controls with such accuracy that the crane was now in an angular position, a few millimeters away from the center of the dog.

“Twilight, the claw isn’t above the center of the dog. It’s gonna fall again!”

But she didn't hear me, she was completly focused on her game. She hit the mechanism and the crane slowly descended to the dog’s head. The dog floated in the air and the crane made its clinking sound. But this time the dog didn’t fall to the mountain of dolls but instead it fell to the prize compartment, falling in the hands of Twilight Sparkle.

“YES!”

“Well done, Twilight!”

“It was thanks to the power of science and mathematical calculations!” She said that quite prideful.

“Uh, sure.”

The rumors were true about her genius.

“Want to play something else?”

She started to open herself a bit with me. Good.

“What about… mmm, what could be good? Pinball sounds good to you?”

“Yes!” She said excited.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

We walked to the other side of the local and saw our companions in war having fun. Dancer and Lyra were still competing in the dancing machine, their scores marking that they were tied. Bon Bon and Nitpick were… Oh god, this is painful. My Bro was being completely annihilated in the racing game. Of the seven times they have been playing, Bon Bon had won every single race. 

“GOD DAMN YOU, BON BON!”

They were on the last lap. Nitpick was trying his best to maintain turbo but Bon Bon being an exceptional and gifted individual, managed to not only catch him but do something horrible to a male gamer.

“HAHAHAHA! HAVE YOU EVER TASTED THE ASPHALT? HAVE A SAMPLE WITH TEAR SALT!”

She rammed his car, making him crash to a wall and lose again spectacularly.

“NOOOOOOOO!” And he started to hit the wheel. "I'll destroy you this time!"

"Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the Owl Warrior!"

“Look at Nitpick and Bon Bon! They are having so much fun!” She said happy.

Your perception of the situation is really faulty.

“Uh… Let’s go and play, Twilight.”

I don’t want to see this massacre anymore.

“Right!”

The old but serviceable machines of pinball were tentatively calling me. I love old games like this. They are so simple and easy to take the ropes.  I selected the blue one and Twilight used the one at my left. We inserted two quarters to start the game and we found ourselves launching the ball. The flipper buttons of my machine had seeing better days but now they have a little trick to activate it. You have to press them a little in the right side so the mechanism activates. The one in Twilight’s machine didn’t have that problem so it was in a way a fair game.

Balls were spinning, points were scored, and after a few minutes of struggle, Twilight’s ball met its demise.

“Cheeseburger!”

What a curious way to say a curse word.

“Try again, Twilight.”

And she did. She withdrew her pursue full of coins and paid the two quarters once again. She was focused on the moment but I could see something during my brief glimpses at her. She was having a blast and her childlike smile told me that this was her first time playing something like this. But…

“Lightbulb…” She was the first to speak, her smile quickly disappeared. “I know you don’t know me enough but I need to talk about something... If you want to.”

“It’s about Flash Sentry, right?” I said while focusing on my game. “Nitpick told me a little about that.”

“I’m sure he did…” She made a brief pause. “What… did he tell you?”

“You want to reject Flash without hurting him. Is that true?” I’m fifty-seven thousand points to surpass my score.

“Yes.” She said a little underwhelmed.

“Why don’t you start from the beginning? Or tell me what you want me to know. I’ll hear you and try to help as best as I can.”

“Thanks, you are too kind.” She said tenderly.

Kind? Me? Crap, must concentrate on the game.

“To be honest… It’s so silly. I mean, he likes me and I don’t like him the way he does. If that makes any sense to you.”

“It makes sense. You simply don't want a romantic relationship with him, right?”

”Not only him… I don’t think I’m ready for something like that.”

“And why don’t you tell him that? Sentry is not a bad guy and he’ll understand the way you feel.”

“Because I don’t think I can give him a proper rejection!”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to tell him something bad and ending with him being angry at me.”

“You are overthinking things. Sentry can be many things but he isn’t a rude guy. He is actually nice if you talk to him normally. A little reckless from time to time… and very protective of his hair.”

Really, that guy loves his hair way too much.

The ball from Twilight’s machine fell again to its demise and she paid again.

“To be honest…” I continued. “I’m surprised that you don’t like him as a possible candidate for a boyfriend. Half of the girl population at school would love to be in your shoes.” 

“That’s what everyone tells me.” Twilight said while pressing the button and starting her third game. “But this is different! I simple don’t like him like that so I must… ‘sigh’ What if he ends up being disappointed in the way I approach someone and everyone starts to talk at my back again?”

“Hey, nobody backstabbed you during the gossip incident from the last time. Everyone was, uh, talking about Nitpick in reality!”

Especially how he was a rude and a pain the ass with Pinkie. Not entirely his fault but most of it was true.

“I don’t mean CHS but Crystal Prep. I always was…”

She stayed quiet for a moment, doubting if she wanted to share her past history with me or not.

“Anyway…” She chose to don’t tell me. “I don’t want CHS to think I am rude.”

“But that’s pretty selfish of you if you ask me.”

And she stopped playing, making her lose again.

“Am I being selfish?” She asked surprised and frightened.

“Yes. Badly, I might add!”

“Why? Tell me! I need to know!”

I was about to break my record. But this is too important to ignore. What to choose? What to prioritize? In the end…

“Because you are prolonging Flash’s rejection and that’s unfair for him.” I told her face to face, my machine marking that I lost. “You are unconsciously trying to preserve your image of a nice girl so nobody hates you in school and you are keeping Flash at bay so you can preserve the status quo. I was told you wanted to make friends… Is that true?”

“Yes! That’s why I try to be kind with everyone so nobody judges me in the bad way!”

“Trying to be kind like that is the same as being foolish. You can’t please everyone all the time, Twilight!”

“Of course I can!” She suddenly gained courage. “Fluttershy taught me that there is always a way to be kind and compassionate with the feelings of everyone! There is always a way to understand everyone and help them out! That’s why I don’t want to hurt Flash or reject him in a bad way! I want him to know that I don’t want anything with him and still being friends in the future!”

I’m starting to see the problem here.

“Question. What’s the best description of being kind, Twilight? Use only one word!”

“Only one word…? Let’s see…”

She thought extensively in the answer. She was resting her arm with the other while slowly rubbing her chin. Her face reflected that she was looking for the answer in her mind relentlessly. After snapping her fingers and giving a small smirk, she told her conclusion.

“Considerate! The best word to describe kindness is being considerate!”

And she was right. That’s the right answer.

“I’m impressed, Twilight. Fluttershy has taught you well.”

“Thanks, she is a good friend and a great teacher!”

“Indeed she is. Kind, selfless and always trying her best to support her friends, she is the perfect embodiment of the word… unlike you!”

Shocked. That was the only thing written in her face.

“W-what are you trying to say?”

“Let me explain to you why what are you doing is wrong, okay?” I sternly said and she nodded weakly. “Let me tell you a little story that happened long ago. At the start of the second grade of middle school, to be exact. There was one, foolish guy infatuated with a beautiful and athletic girl who also happened to be really smart. She was popular, social and above all… she was so kind."

"And what happened?"

“This boy I just mentioned hopelessly fell for her and the girl eventually noticed that. What happened next? I’ll tell you what happened! A series of painfully to watch events took place. The guy was trying his best to impress her with subtle acts of genuine gentleness and interest for her. He improved his scores, his diet, his everything and in the end, everything was for nothing. Why do you think that happened, Twilight?”

She was looking at the floor. “I don’t know…” And that was the only thing she said.

“Well, he confessed and got rejected. As I mentioned before, not only she already knew that he was love struck for her, but she already had a boyfriend all that time she was being nice to him. You want to know why? Because he was her friend and didn’t want to lose him, so she didn’t do anything instead. Can you imagine the frustration and how bad it must have felt that the one you wanted the most, the one you had complete faith with, tells you that kind of answer after so long?”

“No...No, I can’t.”

“And you are making the same mistake! By being ‘nice’ in the way you are approaching, you are making Flash Sentry pass a time of roses and scorns by him trying to be with you! How many girls he could have met and talk instead of wasting his time on you? Or writing a song instead of trying to make dialogue with you on phone or many other instances!”

Twilight raised her chin and her face was a mixture of various emotions. She was calm, reasoning every word and paying me full attention. At the same, however, such terror and pale pupils were silently watching me.

“The more you prolong his dreams, the greater will be the fall." I continued. "The more you try to avoid the subject, the more all will end up in you actually making everything worse around you. ‘If she knew that he loved her that much, why she didn’t tell him anything?’ or ‘Why did she allowed to pass time and play with his feelings’ and many, many more questions people will ask to themselves while talking about you.”

"And what's wrong with my way of doing things?" She asked honestly.

“For you to say to me that you want to please everyone because you are trying to be kind, it actually shows me that you are shallow and inconsiderate of the people around you. You may try to be kind and trying your best moment while dealing with people, but in the end, you are being cruel.”

“Why I am cruel? I try my best to be nice with them!”

“Because you are actually lying, Twilight! You don’t have the courage to confront people for the greater good of the relationship. For instance, hypothetically speaking let’s say you bake me a fruit cake, but you don’t know that I don’t like fruit cake, I hate it, but trying to not hurt your feelings, I say that I like it! I’m being kind. You talk with someone who knows me the best much later and he ends up telling you that I hate that kind of cake. What would you feel about it?”

“I would feel bad.”

“Why?”

“Because you lied to me!”

“Now imagine instead of fruit cake, it’s about something more serious. Let’s say that a friend in common has a terminal sickness. You don’t know that, but the doctors and I do. I tell you that he will be saved to make you feel better. I fill you with hope that he is going to be alright, and he is going to be fine, good, okay and then he dies horribly. And you get the news that he was dying by sickness all this time and I just was hiding you the truth. How would you feel about me?”

“That you were being horrible!”

“Even if I was just protecting you from the horrible truth?”

“Yes… you should have trusted me more in that situation.”

“But why? I was being kind! By not telling you the harsh truth, I made you cling to a zone of comfort and hope where you couldn’t get hurt! I was considering your feelings so you would be safe!”

“Even so… that would be cruel! Because you hid from me about something important and decided to lie to me instead of telling me what was really happening! Just like…” She slowly widened her eyes and a flash of sparks was shining in them. Like a rainbow in a night of light. “Just like I am being with Flash…”

“Twilight… sometimes we try to avoid saying cruel things to the strangers and especially to the ones we love, thinking that it’s best to let things come and go. That’s not bad in certain circumstances but there are times when you must take the tide straight ahead and do something about it. There is cruelty in kindness when you try to be too considerate, but you must transform it the other way around!  Be considerate but not naive, Twilight! Because there is kindness in cruelty! Tell him the truth so he can finally move on, just like you!”

“But I’m still scared. What would happen if I face the truth and I ended up choosing the wrong course of action?” She said with such…

I see what worries you about her, Nitpick.

“Don’t be scared! You can never know for certain what will happen in the future. The only thing we can do is become stronger with the lessons that our mistakes offer to us. You may know about Fluttershy’s incident with my friend, right? Be like her! Kind, strong and able to face life as it comes! Even if she is shy most of the times, she slapped him for something that she believed in, something that in a way, she is right about. You know why? Because she ended up teaching Nitpick a small lesson about life and forgive him, even if he is a pain in the ass.”

“You truly are friends, aren’t you? Must you use that kind of language?”

“Yes, and don’t even think to try and correct me. Only my girlfriend can do that because I choose to allow it!”

“…sorry.”

“Don’t be when you don’t do something wrong, Twilight! Also, never let someone make you feel less and never accept bullshit from anyone, especially your friends. You understand what I try to say?”

“I believe I do!” She said after a brief pause.

“Good. Now… what are you gonna do?”

“I will speak with Flash in person during school, tomorrow!”

“Excellent! Tell him from the bottom of your heart what you think of him and all will end up okay for you. Be subtle, kind but be cruel, not a monster, if it’s necessary. I know that you will do the right thing unlike Bookfull Sporty when she rejected Nit-wuuup“

I nearly made the mistake of my life. But I managed to avoid a bomb.

“Nitpick was the guy in the tale?!” She asked in awe.

Oh fucking great!

“You aren’t supposed to know that! Why did I let that slip?”

“I won’t tell anyone! Pinkie Promise!”

“You don’t have to make the promise, Twilight! I will tell him myself!”

“Why? He will be angry at you!”

“Because he is my friend.”

We stood there for a moment without saying anything. Suddenly, a pair of arms embraced me. It was Choco and behind her, the voices of the others were heard. We decided it was time to go home and everyone took their transports. I left my girl in her house and after a few minutes of walking, I arrived home and played a little while.

Next day in the morning, Choco and I arrived earlier than usual. We stumbled with Nitpick and started to talk about the Pureness System of Demon’s Dogma, which I didn’t understand, it was too modified unlike the previous system. My girl got bored and she went straight to school. I used this chance to talk about my session with Twilight and I got a positive comment.

“You told her about Sporty? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, DUMBASS?”

“I’m sorry, really! It slipped away from my tongue! I was just talking with Twilight and I felt really relaxed and suddenly I was telling her stuff!”

“Seriously! Then that’s the reason why she called me last night and asked me if I had traumatic experiences before! Pffff! That girl is so straightforward!”

“You are really worried about her.”

“Why lie? Yes, I’m worried. I had to play a while longer to calm down and finally sleep a little.”

“I believe she’ll do fine. She is a good hearted girl… naive, but good. Speaking of the Winged Demon that Sugarcoat mentioned, there she comes!”

Twilight was getting down from an expensive looking taxi and she hasted her steps towards us.

“Good morning, guys!” She said in an educated manner.

“Sup, Twilight!” I replied.

“Hey, Twilight… are you ready?”

“Yes. I asked the girls about the perfect place where nobody can find us while I talk with Flash, and well… it’s in your spot, Nitpick!”

“You can use it. I’ll eat with Lightbulb and the others in the cafeteria for today.”

“Thanks... To both of you!”

My Bro got closer to her and he rested his hands in her shoulders. I could see a little bright in her eyes when he did that.

“I have complete faith that you will emerge victorious, Twilight! I have no doubts that you’ll do a good job. You can do it!”

“…I can do it…I will do it!” Twilight said with complete optimism.

“Also remember…” I spoke with seriousness. “When you want to reject someone and really want to be considerate of his feelings, try to be on the shoes of the other person! Imagine the words that he would want to hear. Visualize the face that you want to see! That’s the key, Twilight!”

“Not only that! Remember that being unsure in what you say makes you lose confidence for you and the other person, so be completely secure when talking to him and let go. Also… be more than a kind girl, be empathetic! Empathy is the answer for this particular problem in life! I know it's scary, specially for you since this is your first time doing a thing like this, but be strong. And if he acts like an asshole, then you are in all your right to send him to hell!”

“Language!” She said while frowning.

Oh shit, you ruined a good speech again.

“Good! Now go! I’ll see you in the classroom in a moment!”

She nodded and went straight inside the school. When I see her like that, the less I'm inclined to believe she transformed into a night demon or something. It's unlikely that someone with a fatal flaw in personality could do that, or betray her school willingly. After a little reflection, I gave my piece of mind to my friend about the main subject.

“You will hide behind the farthest bushes of your spot, right!”

“Don’t buy me lunch today.”
> Chapter 53- I'm not Princess Twilight! Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

How did she end up like this? In what moment did she allowed herself to take a ride in a stranger’s car? That’s something that Twilight Sparkle was asking herself now. It was October 6th, Monday to be exact, and the young scientist found herself riding in the companion seat of a blue Camaro with a blue shield stroked by a yellow thunder in its hood. Its driver was none other than Flash Sentry. His… no, their destination, Ponyville’s Cinemas.

‘This wasn’t supposed to happen!’ Twilight analytically thought.

Indeed, it wasn’t. Everything started in the morning before classes even started. She was walking through the corridors of CHS to her first class, like usual. But there was a difference today. Having been giving words of bravery to strengthen her resolve and increase her bravery, she became fearless, valiantly, with her chin raised high and taking steps that had weight in them. 

‘Today is the day I’ll give a step forward!’ Her mind was filled with the echoes of those words. 

A sudden voice talked to her from the back, making her come back to reality. It was Flash Sentry, whose voice had scared her to the point of making her leap like a frog and land to the floor with brutish impact.

He immediately helped her stand up. After making sure she was good, he started to parley with beautiful Twilight Sparkle. He was being nice, polite and charming. She was obnoxious, quiet and trembling on the inside, barely able to form coherent responses. It came to a point where they touched the subject of talking on the school gardens, and Flash Sentry offered a better alternative. Or so it seemed. There was a movie, a documental to be specific, that was going to be played at Ponyville’s Cinema and Flash had tickets for it.

Twilight was found trapped between the pure bliss of seeing the movie in question and the weirdly fright in going with a stranger. She wanted to see Fahrenheit 1313, a conspiracy theory movie about alien abductions and beyond, and enjoy it in the privacy of her room when released in Blue-Ray. But being offered to watch it on the big screen, combined with the rudeness of turning down something that was already paid for her, would be… rude.

Especially if the invitation was for four people, two of them being her friends.

“Flash?” Sunset spoke from the back seat. “Can I ask how did you convince me to this?”

“I have the same question, Cool Guy.” Nitpick said with dubiety a far away from her side. “Never had I thought that a guy would convince me to a ride.”

“Come on, guys! We should hang-out once in a while!” Flash answered with amiability and freshness. “We have been in a bad mood this days and I’m sure a little distraction will help us out. Besides, it will be fun! Don’t you think so, Twilight?”

“Yeah, hehe, I guess… uh.” She said weakly.

At least, she had her friends at her side, and that made her feel safer. She wished it was just the three of them, though. Who knows what will happen in this mismatch. Twilight had noticed something weird with Nitpick. She also had felt something strange with Sunset. And there was a constant when that unease was felt in the air. They both were at the same places, near each other.

After the incident with the soccer team and, before that, the supposed date they had last time, they have been acting… weird, to the eyes of the young scientist. Barely talking, avoiding a little their presence during classes and not being able to talk for too long was something that worried Twilight to no end, especially in the case of Sunset, whom she admires for her lack of difficulty in speech and friendliness to everyone around her.

‘Is this the supposed Change of Heart that Dean Cadence always talked about?’ That was something that Twilight was asking to herself. ‘She once said that people with sudden and unexplained attitudes towards another only meant two things: A sudden fight or a realization of mixed feelings.’

She discarded completely the fight possibility. She knew that Sunset, the embodiment of Friendship, wouldn’t start a fight from nowhere. That was impossible. And Nitpick, even if he was loud and rude, always had a justification for his acts. What kind of mixed feeling could they be, then? Just before she was about to dive deeper to her reflection of spirit, the car suddenly came to a passive stop. They arrived to their destination, and no sooner the passengers and its driver got down of the stylish vehicle.

“I repeat: I can’t believe I was dragged to this place.” Nitpick said grumpy.

“Come on, man! Don’t act like that in front of the girls!” Flash exclaimed with a smile on his face and pointing his fingers to him in a cool manner. “Act cool and loosen up a bit!”

“I’m always like this with everyone, Flash! Damned be the day that I limit myself for the satisfaction of others!”

“Language!” Twilight scolded him.

“For fu-!”

The purple girl crossed her arms and made an antagonizing frown to him. Nitpick tried to come back with something against her, but alas, it was pointless.

“Fine!”

“Good boy!”

“I’m not your dog, Twilight!”

“Tee hee hee! Let’s go inside, already! They say that cinemas like this sell the fabled butter bar candies!”

“Something tells me that you want one of those…”

“Pretty please!”

“Alright!” He and Twilight started to walk inside the place. “Just stop saying it like that!”

“Like what?”

“Like a child.”

“I’m not a child!”

And they started to argue. Damnation and impotence was all that Bittersweet was feeling right now while chattering with her. He was backing off his usual freedom of speech to low levels for her friend’s sake. He knew why he was invited, why Sunset came along as well and why it was important to be nice. One bad decision could mean the complete impediment for Twilight to grow. He should be grateful to Flash for taking consideration on him: Helping him to get closer to Shimmer while he could try to make Twilight fall in love for him.

‘But aren’t you being somekind of a douche, though?’ Nitpick reflected. ‘Your ex-girlfriend is with us. Besides… your analysis of my situation with her has completely changed recently. Well, as long as I can help Twilight…’

Sunset also was thinking the situation thoroughly in another perspective as best as she could. Having experienced a harsh reminder of her former self during the outbreak of the students about the sport class wasn’t comfortable at all. The small student population of that day was being rude to one another, nearly yelling and fighting in a physical way, it was hard to forget about it. And the one who made it all possible was talking with Twilight right now.

But she was more worried about her current problem. And although her face didn’t show it, she was reasoning every negative possibility that could happen in the near future. She was concerned, not for Flash, or Nitpick, but for Twilight, and Twilight alone.

“You are aware… that she isn’t Princess Twilight. Right, Flash?” Sunset asked in a somber tone.

“I know, Sunset…” He answered with a mix of sadness and undying hope. “But this is the way I chose to move on!”

“I don’t think this is right…”

“I do! After all, you once told me to stop dreaming in fantasies and live in reality, remember?”

“That was long ago. I wasn’t… prudent, back then.”

“And I was a romantic fool, remember? I’m still one, in fact!”

Exchanging a brief glimpse to their eyes, it marked the finality of any ill-feelings they had with each other. A moment of freedom was felt for them and soon they rushed straight to the cinema to join up with their acquaintances. They noticed that Twilight had lots of peanut butter bars in her hands, with one slowly being eaten in her mouth like a pacifier. Nitpick was eating one as well, his face saddened a bit, the reason being that he paid for them and that made his funds fall near the red zone. Of course, he wouldn’t tell them. She offered them some to the duo but both kindly turned the offer down. 

They bought instead the usual for them: A bottle of water with a middle-sized bucket of popcorns for Sunset and a cherry soda with several bags of chips for Flash. The quartet soon found their selves inside the cinema in the middle of the last row. Nitpick, Sunset, Twilight and Flash were sitting in that order, Spike finding himself in the arms of her owner. Sentry, popular and well respected in most juvenile social circles of Ponyville, convinced with ease to the monitor of the cinema to let Spike get inside. In a way, that scored positive points with young Sparkle.

The room darkened and soon the typical commercials appeared, becoming the only source of light. It was a new experience for Twilight. Some of them were clever while others were a total waste of time. Flash didn’t mind them. Having Twilight at his side was bliss enough for him. Sunset and Nitpick... to say that they were comfortable in the current seat arrangement would be a massive misunderstanding. Sunset leaned more towards Twilight’s position, nearly making shoulder contact. The reasons were unknown for her. Nitpick did the same, trying to stay away in a relaxed position. The aroma of troubled youth was in the air.

The movie started after twenty-seven minutes and sixteen seconds of hellish commercials. Nitpick counted the time with his watch, always annoyed every single time he watches all of those before a movie. The plot was above decent, the audience finding themselves immersed at the imagery of cosmos and philosophical explanations of how one the many facets of the world worked.

The buildup of the movie made its entrance and the pace became gritty and somber. The typical question of if it really existed life in the universe was left out completely, choosing instead to deliver a more down-to-earth explanation. Clever tactics to fool the masses and made them believe in alien visitors in the world was the real focus. How governments keep the secret of a secret intact so the public could think only in the wrong ideas, giving the nations time to clean up a mess that shouldn’t come to light. 

It was obvious that the plot wasn’t much about aliens in context but how can some embellished words from a newspaper, a clever article on the web, or even the movie itself making a subtle point of this possibly being one of those tricks, could lead to a false revelation. In a way, words can deliberately turn away the truth that was happening in the surroundings, and take it to another place, to a higher product of curious minds to search for a truth that possibly didn’t exist in the first place.

It’s sublime, fascinating even, how interpretations can transform something as simple and contextual as an idiom, to an alien meaning that only few can understand. That was the last message of the disappointingly short but still, worth-checking movie. It left Twilight with a big smile on her face. Flash, not a man of reasoning in deeper context, found himself thinking about the right choosing of words part. The remaining two were reflecting deeper for any hidden context, perhaps too deeply for their own good.

“You know, I suddenly got hungry!” Twilight said while caressing her belly after they got out of the place.

“Why don’t we go to the diner nearby and eat something?” Flash suggested.

“Sorry, I’ll decline. I don’t have that much hunger right now.” Nitpick answered. “Or money, for the matter.”

“Me neither.” Sunset remarked. “We should go home.”

“What!?”

“Don’t worry, Twilight. You go with Flash and have some fun without us.”

“But Nitpick!”

‘Don’t leave me alone’ is what you want to say’ He thought. “I know Flash will treat you well. You should… give him a chance!”

Flash Sentry felt completely thankful to those words, making him feel more secure. Bittersweet deduced in the last moment that Twilight, before doing anything harsh, should judge before rejecting. Whether it was a good move or a decision born from his recent remainder of his first crush, was something unknown to him. Sunset had other idea, though.

“I believe Twilight should go home as well.” Sunset suggested while crossing her arms “It’s already five in the evening, and this was a sudden event for her parents and her.”

Twilight felt a little relieved by those words. They weren’t excuses because what she said was what happened. Flash on the other hand felt a little upset by that, but he understood the situation.

“Then how about we hang-out tomorrow again after classes? She can ask permission to go and we can go bowling with the rest of the gang!”

“No thanks. Besides, with the sudden change of my schedule, well, I must stay at P.E in the afternoon instead of actually doing something fun.”

“Do you have a problem with the current state of the P.E. class, Bittersweet?” Sunset remarked with a bit of coldness. “Useful feedback is always welcome, if you have any!”

“Nonono! Just saying, Shimmer! Besides, why don’t you go instead with your gang like Flash suggested? I believe it will be fun for you!”

“No thanks.” Her eyes turned partially unfriendly. “I have things to do for the school committee and the girls are gonna be busy as well with their individual lives!”

“Don’t plan and do something too drastic, please.”

“What are you implying with that if I may know?”

Flash noticed the brewing conflict. “Guys! Keep it cool! I was just suggesting it so there’s no need to fight!” He embraced them both, the duo looking to the side with a bit of annoyance. “We are friends, remember?”

“I guess…”

“If you say so, Cool Guy…”

“Great! Why don’t we go tomorrow to Sugarcube Corner after our classes are over and enjoy some snacks and coffee?”

‘Can’t you read the fucking mood between us, Sentry?’ Nitpick was raging on the inside.

“Pinkie said in the morning that tomorrow there’ll be a two for one sale for all milkshakes and cupcakes! We should go and split the expenses so nobody is left behind.” Twilight thoughtfully suggested.

“Come on, Sunset! Your friend wants to go hang-out with her friends! Will you deny her that wish?”

Clever Flash Sentry shot straight to Sunset’s weakness. Looking at Twilight making a beg-like silhouette with Spike in her arms made her reconsider the situation.

“I suppose a little distraction couldn’t-!”

“Great!” She concealed her irritation by Flash’s interruption. “What about you, man? Come on, it’s a two for one and Twilight is also asking you to come!”

“But I don’t-!” He repeated the same tactic on him, making him think irrationally. “Fine!”

“Then tomorrow at four we’ll see each other at Sugarcube Corner!” Exclaimed Flash in approval. “For now, let me take you all home!”

“I’ll walk home.” And Nitpick left without looking back. “See you later.”

“No thanks. Mom wanted to come for me so I can do the groceries with her! I’ll call her now for her to pick me up!” Twilight said while dialing to her mother.

“And I’ll wait with Twilight until her mother arrives.” Sunset said. “Don’t worry, we’ll go to Sugarcube Corner tomorrow, be sure of that!”

“That’s what I want to hear!” Flash pointed out in approval. “I’ll see you tomorrow, girls!”

Flash quickly got inside his car with bliss. He knew that Sunset meant that and it means for him a second shot to get closer to Twilight. Part of the plan backfired, though. He expected Nitpick and Sunset to talk in a pleasant manner, develop infatuation, but he hadn’t seen Sunset so defensive since… that’s old story now.

“You’ll see, man! We’ll get the girls of our dreams!” And with that, he turned on the car and enjoyed his drive home.

The girls sat in the benches in the park nearby. Spike got sleepy and rested inside the backpack, Sunset was sitting stiffly while Twilight was swinging her legs in short motions, and a big smile was drawn in her face.

“Thank you for standing by me, Sunset!” Twilight broke the silence. “I thought you were going to abandon me back there.”

“I would never abandon you!” Sunset warmly said, her eyes as pleasant as the sun. “As long as you need it, I’ll always be with you!”

“I know… And I’m so grateful for that…” 

She leaned to Sunset’s shoulder, comfortably resting her head in it. The mare transformed into human responded with a simple embrace to her friend, both of them looking at nothing in particular. They just waited until it was time for them to go home.

Nitpick didn’t have something interesting to think about. He was only complaining on his mind about two things: One, he needed to moderate further his expenses until this Saturday arrived, and Two, he was annoyed by his dilemma while releasing a short sigh. 

“I should have told her to reject him like a bitch instead of the humanistic approach.” 

Next day, the cycle repeated again, only this time the place of reunion was Pinkie’s work station. The puffy-pink haired girl was in charge of today’s menu until the Cakes arrived with their children from their usual walk in the town. Masterfully serving her customers’ orders was as easy as blinking an eye for her. The quartet was sitting in a common table, two boys facing two girls, and a dog resting in the legs of her owner. 

“Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! The home of the best cupcakes of the entire world! What are your orders?”

“Twilight and I want the usual, Pinkie!” Sunset happily answered.

“One Neapolitan Milkshake with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and a cherry on the top and a Butter Pecan Milkshake with extra oats and melted caramel. And you guys?”

“The usual for me too, Pinkie!” Flash answered.

“One Banana Milkshake with tons of strawberry ice-cream in it! And finally my new friend! What do you want?”

“I don’t know, surprise me!” Nitpick said defensively.

Pinkie looked at him in the eye, invading part of his personal space. Looking thoroughly to her eyes was similar to witnessing at a gigantic black-hole trying to pull the galaxy with its strong magnetic force. Finally finding her answer, she just made her usual ‘Okie Dokie Lokie! ‘and went straight to prepare their orders.

“Seriously, she scares me…” Nitpick mumbled.

“Are you afraid of Pinkie Pie, man?” Flash asked impressed.

“She is obnoxious! Never in my life has my personal space been invaded like that!”

“Oh, Nitpick! Pinkie is Pinkie!” Twilight said. “I’m sure once you give her the chance, you will want to hang-out with her more often.”

“Yeah, I agree! You just need to make a suitable apology and I’ll gladly help you with that!”

“Could you tell me why I should do a suitable apology instead of her doing it first, Shimmer?”

“You know, it’s the guy’s responsibility to apology when he does something wrong, especially to a good person. Don’t you think so?” She asked strangely.

“What about if that person’s goodness is a little overrated? Maybe the frog could leap out of the pond if it wasn’t held back by the scorpion constantly stinging it on the back. Don’t you think so?”

“I’m sure this frog doesn’t know that the scorpion is in fact a fairy trying to raise him up to the sky! Poor frog confuses the fairy’s hands with a sting.”

“It seems that this fairy doesn’t know that the frog has no need for such exaggerated services. Suffice to say that the thought is appreciated, nonetheless.”

The place felt gloomy all of the sudden. One gorgeous, fiery red-headed girl and one average guy were looking at each other. Their smiles were attractive but small, their frowning was graceful but stern and their eyes were warm, but at the same time, very unwelcoming.

Not even a minute passed before they both took a decision.

“Pinkie! Could you please make my milkshake a takeout? I need to go back to the school for something!” Sunset said while standing up from her seat.

“Mine as well, Pinkamena! I have homework to do! We’ll pay and leave immediately!” Nitpick did the same as her.

“WHAT!?” Flash, Twilight and Pinkie asked in unison.

“I believe it’s six with forty-nine for each of us, tip included. Sounds fair to you?”

“Indeed. I’ll pay first because it is part of the Gentleman’s code!” He said with a bow of reverence.

“No need to do that, my friend! We can pay at the same time! Like any other pair of friends would do in the twenty-first century!”

“By all means, then. The girl has the last saying after all, Shimmer!”

“My! So courteous of you! Thank you, Bittersweet!”

“But guys!” Pinkie said in distress.

“Here is the payment, Pinkamena! I hope everything is in order.”

“But guys!”

“Pinkie, I don’t want to pressure you but some costumers are waiting behind us!”

Pinkie knowing that she couldn’t make the rest of the people wait, made some simple tweaking to their drinks. Instead of long glasses to contain the milkshakes, two disposable large vases were used instead. Finally grabbing their masterfully made beverages, they went outside the local and walked straight home, leaving a confused Flash Sentry and a frightened Twilight Sparkle in their seats.

“What just happened?” Twilight said while hugging Spike.

“I don’t know, Twilight!” Sentry said with concern. “Let me see if I can bring them back.”

Sentry quickly tried to catch them both and try to make them come back, but once outside of the Café, he heard a romantic conversation.

“Why did she give me the same kind of milkshake as yours?” He said annoyed.

“Are you disagreeing with her confectionary decisions?” She annoyingly expressed.

“Nonono! I’ll just take my leave. Good day to you, Sunset.”

”Have a nice day, Nitpick.”

And they went their separate ways drinking their shakes. Flash decided to better go back inside. He somehow felt that he would only make things worse in something he should leave alone for now. As soon as he sat in front of Twilight again, he eventually was asked about what happened.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, Twilight! Nothing to worry about! They are busy people so they must have something to do on their places. You know what I mean!”

“Uhm… yeah.”

The silent place that not even Pinkie’s bright smile could cheer up made the café gloomy and uncomfortable. Their beverages were ready and they started to drink them slowly, enjoying whatever pleasure and peace of mind they could offer. But it couldn’t end like this. If words couldn’t be expressed now, then nothing will happen. Feelings will stay buried, regrets will be formed and finally deciding to speak to avoid that, a voice was heard.

“We need to talk!” Both said at the same time.

The voice of youth was finally released from their mouths, having started a conversation. 

“Why don’t you say what you need to say, Flash?”

“No, it wouldn’t be fair of me to do that! Ladies first!”

Twilight blushed a little with that remark, thankfully that sudden reddish of her cheeks perfectly concealed behind those thick glasses. “I don’t think that I am much of a lady.”

“That depends on the guy in question and for me you are one!”

So cheesy, so juvenile, but even so, it’s something that Twilight Sparkle never heard before.

“Thanks… I-I appreciate it.”

“Why don’t you start our conversation? I want to hear what you have to say.”

“Oh well…”

The moment of truth was upon her. She can do it! She is going to do it! She…

“We… How did you learn to play music?”

…backed off like a scared, little cat.

“I learned by myself long ago! I started by trying to imitate the sounds that the Pros made in their songs and eventually I studied music online!”

“I tried… to do that once… never worked…” She was speaking weaker than usual.

“Don’t be ashamed of that! Not everyone does it at the first try! I got something to show you to prove it!” 

Flash used his smartphone, searching for a particular video. After finally finding it, he showed it to his love interest.

“This was my first try to play a song… I better lower the volume a bit.”

The video started and it showed a younger Flash Sentry trying to play a rock song. To say he played as good as he did in modern days would be a lot of sugarcoating. He was terrible, he sang like a chocked bird and his power cords were so wild and unsynchronized that not even lowering the volume could save them both from the anguish of the screeching that was heard.

“Wow…” Twilight spoke a little… different. “That was, uh, a first good try!”

“Hehehe! Come on, you can tell me it was pretty terrible.”

“You haven’t heard me sing!”

“I bet you can sing beautifully if you try hard enough. After all, no matter from where you are, I know you are… magical!”

“Oh please, you exaggerate!”

“No, I’m not! Pinkie!”

“What do you need, buddy?”

“Do you still have it?” He remarked with an impish tone.

Pinkie knowing that glare, only nodded in amusement while giving away a fishy smile to him. Typical in Pinkie’s behavior, she withdrew from nowhere a fully equipped karaoke with hundreds of songs in it.

“Alright, everyone! It’s time to PARTY HARD!”

People soon gathered around the colorful machine and one, brave Flash Sentry took the mic and selected a catchy song. Music was heard, the gloomy place became vibrant with radiance and all the people inside, CHS students to be exact, sang along the rhythm that Flash was creating. Twilight just stood there in awe. He sang great, moved great and he simply was charming to a degree. The song came to an end. It was time for the next brave soul to raise the voice of joy.

“Come on, Twilight! Let’s sing together!”

“But Pinkie, I have never- no wait!”

Pie dragged her genius friend and shared the mic with her. The song she selected was a favorite of Pinkie and the Rainbooms. And unknown to Twilight, it was a song that would become a favorite for life.

"Once upon a time,
You came into my world and made the stars align
Now I can see the signs,
You pick me up
When I get down
So I can shine

Shine like rainbows
Shine like rainbows
Shine like rainbows
Shine like rainbows

Friends, you are in my life
And you can count on me to be there by your side
And when the music comes alive,
You sing us songs to lift us up so we can shine"

A burst of pure happiness in the form of Pinkie Pie ponying-up was felt besides Twilight, making the energy travel through the cable and overload the machine with magic, making the place shine with crisp colors of rainbow. A more energetic song was played instead and the people were happy, singing and dancing with the wings of freedom. Twilight Sparkle was experiencing another facet of Laughter. 



The next day in the morning, a revitalized Twilight Sparkle walked through the school. Before she was able to get inside her classroom, she noticed a waving in her right sight. It was Flash greeting her at a distance. Taking just a few seconds to make up her mind, she returned it at full and slowly vanished inside the place.

Most of her fellow students hadn’t arrived yet. It was somewhat early, after all. She did notice that Sunset Shimmer was there, writing lots of notes in her notebook and trying to focus on them. Perhaps the reason why she was working so relentlessly was because Nitpick Bittersweet was doing the same thing. Trying to focus on his text book and writing little notes in a sheet, he didn’t notice that she had arrived. At least, she should try to greet them.

“Good morning!” Twilight said warmly, radiance coming from her smile.

“Good morning, Twilight!” Both of them immediately said in unison.

A disturbing silence soon engulfed the place.

“Hahahaha… I believe she was talking to me, Bittersweet.”

Nitpick just laughed slowly under his breath. “I believe you are confused, Shimmer! By the position of her face, it’s obvious that she is greeting me. Besides, we are in the same column.”

“Uh… friends?” Twilight said in a low tone.

“I can be in the peak of a mountain, several miles away from her, and she still would greet me first even if she is in front of you.”

“Uhu, sure.”

“Friends!”

“Don’t believe me?”

“I can see clearly now the rain has gone!”

“FRIENDS!”

“Yes, Twilight?” Once again, in unison.

“I was greeting to both of you!”

“Oh!”

“…Ah!”

“Are you angry… with each other?” Twilight asked with great concern.

“We? Angry? No! We are fine, Mid- Twilight!”

“Yeah!”

“You both left me alone with Flash. If it wasn’t for Pinkie Pie… well, at least I had so much fun. And Flash turned out to be… nice.”

“That sounds great, Twilight! I knew that Flash wouldn’t disappoint.”

“Yeah! Cool guy looks dependable.”

“Are you sure both of you are ok? You are acting… out of place. You are scaring me.”

“What?” She came back to her senses. “How can we prove you that none of us are angry?” Sunset asked, trying to be the role model that Twilight wishes from her.

“Ask anything you want… as long as it isn’t outrageous!” Nitpick said with the same enthusiasm.

“I don’t know… I really don’t know… Look at each other in the eyes, and tell me that you are not angry at one another!”

“Easy!”

“Piece of cake!”

And they did immediately, but something was off. Superficially, they both seemed okay. Their posture was relaxed while still in seat, their small smiles in both faces were pleasant, even their frowning was gracious… why then… why she felt so uncomfortable? Then she saw it… Their eyes… 

“…Friends?” Twilight tried to grab their attention, but they didn’t listen. “Friends!” She spoke with more strength.

“Yes, Twilight?” Sunset was the first to answer.

“Flash said to me that if it wasn’t of any trouble, this Saturday in the afternoon we could go to the Bowling Center with everyone. Nitpick could invite some of his friends and we… we could spend time together. Would you like to go with me?”

Both of them closed their eyes for a brief moment and turned their faces towards Twilight’s direction. As soon as they opened their eyes once again, both of them had their usual warm, gentle and friendly gaze towards her.

“Of course, Twilight! Sounds like fun!”

“I’ll tell Gilda and the others. I’m sure we can get along well. Right, Sunset?”

“Certainly, Nitpick! For Twilight’s sake!”

“That’s right! For Twilight!”

All doubts that Twilight had disappeared completely after that. Her friends were back to normal and soon resumed their activities. In the end, it was just like Flash said. Both of them had something stressful to do and just were in a bad mood. That’s all. Twilight took her seat and couldn’t stop smiling internally. This Friday will be a lot of fun. She will have a lot of people doing something fun with her, by their own choosing.
> Chapter 54- I'm not Princess Twilight! Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Bowling Center of Ponyville was soon to be the stage for youth. The lanes that leaded to ten pins on each of them were polished to the point of being able to partially reflect any silhouette who stepped near it. Relatively spacious, friendly and designed to partake in many challenges between friends, this was the perfect place to have a hang-out. Also, it was the ideal place to show to the girl of your dreams how cool you are. That was Flash Sentry’s belief.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, dude?” A fashionable guy with great glasses asked.

“Ringo, how many times I have made a wrong decision?”

“At least once every single day, man!” A fit guy said.

“Brawly Beats!”

“Dude, calm down! We are just teasing you! Everything is going to be fine!”

“Yeah, man! Relax! Twilight will be your girl before you know it!”

“I hope so, guys! I’m somewhat nervous…”

“I don’t think this is a good idea, Flash!” The fourth member of Flash’s friends said.

“Why not, Thunderbass?” Flash asked curiously.

“Well… no offense but… isn’t she Princess Twilight’s cousin?”

“Yeah and?”

“Dude! You’re replacing your previous crush with someone who resembles her! That’s bad vibe to her!”

“I already told you that I have to move on! Princess Twilight… she is beyond my reach. Besides, Twilight is a great girl! Also, she is more, uh, pure! Once she is my girl, I’ll show her the world and make her shine as she is destined to be!”

“That’s the spirit, Flash!” Ringo approved.

“Maybe we can compose a romantic song to sweeten the deal!” Brawly Beats suggested.

“I still think this is a bad idea!” Thunderbass remarked.

“Everything will be fine! Trust me!” Flash reassured him.

“If you say so… just don’t cry on me when you screw things up!”

“Me? The king of cool in CHS screwing things up? Never!” Flash said confident.

“So what’s the plan?”

“Easy! We’ll make a competition! The losing teams must pay the dinner for the winning team! We’ll lose on purpose and Twilight will see that we are good losers as well.” Flash proudly said

“I don’t want my image to be ruined like that!”

“Must you always be like that, Thunderbass? Besides, guys that know how to be a winner and a loser are always admired by the girls!”

“That makes sense!” Ringo agreed.

“Yeah! By showing to the girl that you can accept defeat, you’ll score good points on her!”

“And what if the girls really don’t know how to play bowling and we end up winning?” Thunderbass asked. “Girls paying to us would be not cool!”

“Chill out! We’ll say that it was a joke competition to fire things up and we’ll end up paying dinner to them anyway!”

“Oohhhhh!” His friends said in unison.

“You have everything planned, Flash!”

“Of course, Thunderbass! I never disappoint to the love of my life! Nitpick’s friends are also coming, and I plan to help him out as well! Oh, look! Here they come!”

It was 4:00 pm in a majestic Saturday and both groups guided by Sunset Shimmer and Nitpick Bittersweet respectively found themselves greeting to each other inside the Bowling Center.

“Sunset.”

“Nitpick”

“Dash.”

“Gilda.”

You could feel the desire to win in the air between those four. The guys suddenly felt a bad feeling about that.

“Hi Sugarcoat! Been forever since I saw you last time during the games! It’s fancy meeting you here!”

“Evening, Applejack. I’m also surprised, to be honest.”

Applejack offered a friendly hand-shake. Sugarcoat normally doesn’t reply to that kind of customs outside her social circles but she did the exception this once. 

“Hello, Lightbulb! Where is Dancer?”

“Hi, Fluttershy. She is working in her part-time job. She wanted to come but you know how things are.”

“I know. I was this bit close of not coming here but Chief Hugger had everything under control.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Where is Pinkie and Rarity?”

“They couldn’t come because they already had plans. Rarity had an emergency visit from Sapphire Shores and Pinkie is babysitting the Cake babies. ”

“Bummer, but oh well. Let’s go and take our seats.”

Lightbulb offered Fluttershy to walk first and she thanked him for that, both of them walking towards Flash’s group with a relaxed demeanor. Nitpick did the same to the girls, saying that ladies should come in first. Part of the groups was gloomy while joining the rest of their respective friends beside each other. The last in the row was Sunset. After looking briefly to each other’s eyes, she made a hand gesture, giving the message that they both should walk at the same time.

Flash explained that he managed to get a steal of a deal in the Bowling Center. Since they were more than ten, a special 25% discount would be applied as a group, making it really accessible to everyone. This was bliss for Nitpick, considering that in the morning he received his monthly economic resources to pay his expenses. His stingy parents gave him an extra seventy dollars and that put him at ease.

Once payment was done, all received their special shoes with the exception of Sugarcoat who brought hers in her bag. They couldn’t start to play, though. There was one girl missing in the equation, and after ten minutes of waiting, she arrived with a bag containing a pair of shoes as well, her faithful dog at her side.

Twilight Sparkle was the motive that mostly everyone was there for. One group consisted of helping their friend to achieve love, other came to help her grow and the last was there to protect her of any harm.

“Good evening, everyone!”

“Good evening, Twilight!” Nine of the twelve youngsters said in unison.

She quickly ran straight to the group and was greeting all of them individually. Until…

“Hi, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and you are?”

“Thunderbass.”

He only extended his hand and that made Flash a little nervous.

“My friend is the shy type, Twilight! Riiiiight, buddy? Just shake his hand!”

She was happy to oblige, thinking gladly that she wasn’t the only one nervous about this. Thunderbass gave his friends the mean look after that, telling him with his glare that this was indeed the Princess’s clone. Flash responded with a calm sight, saying that he shouldn’t worry.

“Hi, Gilda… it’s been a while!”

“Sparkle.”

No hand offering and no friendly greeting. Only a neutral stare against Rainbow was drawn in Gilda’s face. Thinking that it would best to move along, she soon regretted that decision.

“Sugarcoat?”

“Doormat, it’s been a while.”

The world shrank and took the form of Sugarcoat for the eyes of Twilight Sparkle. She was always afraid of the people of Crystal Prep. There was a time where all that school didn’t mind her, or in the worst of cases, made fun of her on her back. The video where she was having a small choking thanks to the cheese getting stuck on her throat was a source of insult for her, a great source of jokes and ill-words from the school. 

But none of them gave her more fright to Twilight Sparkle than Sugarcoat, the second best student of Crystal Prep Academy. Always calm, always with a serious expression, the only times where she smiled was when she was crushing someone during the challenges from other high schools. They always lost, and Sugarcoat was at the head of the assault. She met her during middle school of Crystal Prep, and in all those years together, Sugarcoat always said ‘You should consider’ when she was about to suggest something to someone.

And Twilight was always suggested to not exist.

“Princess?” A man’s voice called her.

“Sugarcube?” Another voice was heard.

“Sparkle!” Sugarcoat spoke in front of her.

“Ah, what! Where? Uh!”

“You seem as quiet as always. You should consider taking some self-esteem classes. Here, this center has excellent instructors for that.” She remarked while giving her a little, high-quality card with a smiling cookie stamped in it. She soon gave a 180° turn and walked straight to her designated table, her hands on her back in an elegant fashion.

All of the present were left speechless for a few moments. Twilight was baffled by that unexpected, somewhat friendly comment. Flash Sentry clapped his hands to grab their attention and instruct them to take their seats. He explained the simple rules: the team who had the highest score wins, and the prize would be a free meal from the losing teams. They needed to register a name for them to compete. Sunset’s group took the name of the Rainbooms, Nitpick’s team named themselves the T.U.O. and Flash’s team used their band name, Passion Lover.

There were three groups of four in total. But there was one girl left. Twilight Sparkle needed to choose a group. Who will she chose? That was the question that three individuals were asking themselves. Flash hoped he was the lucky one. He was fantasizing that he would teach Twilight how to bowl, how to score, and whether she wins or not, the most important thing was for her to have fun. Perhaps a little date in a small restaurant would be nice. Of course, it would be the two of them only.

Nitpick and Sunset shared the same idea but with different outcomes. They wanted for her friend to have a blast and teach her how to bowl. There was a catch, though. During the progress of the match, both of them would strengthen their bond with her. With that, they’ll slowly make her walk to the path they consider it was the best for her.

For Twilight, this was a hard choice. By hierarchy, she should have chosen Sunset’s group immediately. Most of her first friends were there after all. But, there was also Nitpick, who in one way or another always supported her. Also, Flash Sentry wasn’t as bad as she thought he was, making her feel doubtful about his position in her feelings.

Then the clerk made a suggestion.

“I see you have an extra player. Why don’t the leaders of each group change turns with her? Flash, you told me that she doesn’t know how to play bowling so the more turns she has, the quicker she will learn the ropes.”

“Wouldn’t that affect our overall scores?” Sugarcoat quickly spoke.

“No if you chose to ignore her performance… but wouldn’t that make things more interesting? Having a wild card always spice things up!”

“Who is in favor of the notion?” Flash asked. “I for one think this is a good idea! After all, more than a competition, we are here to have fun.”

“I don’t mind Twilight switching for me during some of my turns.” Sunset said with rainbows in her eyes. “I think having our friend playing with us is more important than winning.”

“But Sunset!”

“More important than winning, Rainbow Dash! What do you think of this, Nitpick?”

“She is challenging you, Nit.” Gilda whispered, quickly noticing her fighting spirit.

“Then I’ll take her challenge!” He replied in whisper. “All right! Sounds good!”

The three leaders thought the same. No matter the outcome, Twilight will win in the end.

“Excellent!” Said the clerk while clapping his hands. “Choose your turns for each member of your teams and remember! You are here to have fun above everything else.”

‘Right’ was the only thing that was thought in the head of four, hot-blooded people.

Bowling costumes were bestowed to all players for free. It seems that a gifted fashionista couldn’t resist the urge to create new costumes and sent them to the Bowling Center beforehand. Even if she wasn’t there, Nitpick couldn’t escape the nightmare of his fashion tormentor. Surprising was also the fact that she was able to predict the sizes of most of the players. Whether that could be a reason to be more scared of her or a useful source of praising in the future, that was a topic for another day. At least the colors were of his liking. Shoes, pants and shirts were worn, marking the moment that everyone was waiting for: it’s Bowling Time!

“Welcome to the mini Bowling Championship competition of Twenty-Fifteen in Ponyville’s Bowling Center!” The clerk of the store spoke through the megaphone. “My name is Steven Magnet and today we have a fabulous, special event! A group of friends will pit themselves for supremacy in this lovely day! Who will win the gold and take home Eternal Glory? Find out now!”

“Championship competition? What’s the meaning of this, Flash?” Sunset asked.

“Well… to receive the special discount, I said that we would compete against each other in an aggressive manner!”

“You fool!” Nitpick spoke.

“Are you insane?” Sunset asked.

“Don’t worry! Everything is going to be fine!”

“Are you ready to start competing!?” Magnet enthusiastically said.

A small audience was gathered to watch the show. People were buying snacks and waiting for the competitors to start the little warfare that was promised to them. Resigning that there wasn’t other choice, they assumed their gaming positions.

“It begins! Let’s get to it! It seems that the leaders of each team gave a step forward, enforcing their right to shot first. The charismatic Flash Sentry, the vibrant Sunset Shimmer and the guy who clearly needs a change of hair style, Nitpick Bittersweet-!”

“HEY!”

Magnet didn’t hear him. “-are preparing their positions and OH MY GOODNESS! They didn’t lose any time and fired the opening shot!”

The balls quickly traveled through the forty feet lanes and by overwhelming power and individual technique, thirty pins were stroke down at the same time. 

“IT’S A TRIPLE STRIKE, EVERYONE!”

The people were suddenly excited by that first action-packed start and the trio acted a little cocky by that, making a first good impression was always a satisfactory feeling. The next trio stood up and switched with their partners, not before receiving words of encouragement.

“It’s all yours, Ringo!”

“You can do it, Fluttershy!”

“Go for it, Lightbulb.”

“It seems that the next teammates have lots to live for after their predecessor’s display of skills. Ringo doesn’t lose time and shots the ball and it’s a strike! One amazing shot from Passion Lover’s team member! But what is this? The remaining competitors are wishing best lucks to one another! How cute! They grab their balls, they prepare, and they shot! OOOHHHH!”

Both balls were flying at a moderate speed. Fluttershy wasn’t an expert of bowling and Lightbulb hasn’t played this sport on his life. The results were obvious as both balls fell to the side of the lanes, not pushing a single pin. Rainbow Dash screamed in distress and Gilda was hitting the table in frustration.

“Such Shame, both of them failed. But don’t pressure our athletes! They have a second change! They prepare! They shot! Aaaand! AWWWW! Better luck next time, guys!”

On Lover Passion’s team:

“Good Job, Ringo!”

“No prob! Beats, you are next!”

“You got it!”

On the Rainbooms’ team:

“WHAT WAS THAT, FLUTTERSHY!?” Rainbow expressed to her teammate.

“Sorry…”

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy!” Sunset reassured. “The game just started! Rainbow, you know what to do!”

“You gotcha!”

On T.U.O. team:

“LIGHTBULB!”

“I TOLD YOU I NEVER PLAYED THIS CRAP, NITPICK!”

“Don’t worry, Nit! I have everything under control!”

“UUHUHUHU! I can feel raging energy from these next three! WHAT’S THIS? They shot the balls like cannons and STRIKE! TWO STRIKES for the girls! Beats shot straight to the pit. But he doesn’t lose concentration! He shots again aaaaand Bummer! Better luck next time!”

On Lover Passion’s team:

“Sorry, guys!”

“Don’t worry, dude! We are even and Thunderbass is next! Are you ready, man?”

“I guess…”

On the Rainbooms’ team:

“And that’s how you bowl!”

“Holly molly! You and Gilda shot those balls like shooting fireballs!”

“Yeah, but mine was cooler! Now it’s your turn, AJ!”

“I’m gonna shot those pins like apple bucking season, y’all!”

On T.U.O. team:

“By that cocky smile of yours, you must believe you are a big shot, Heavensbane! But watch and learn how finesse and intellect produces the same results with minimal effort!”

“By all means, Sugarcoat!”

The cheers of the people were increasing. The circus that was promised to them delivered and Steven Magnet was happy by this turns of events. That and his snack business was making great profits to his local.

“What’s this? The players are doing different stances unlike their previous teammates! Oh Heavens! Thunderbass launched the ball with a spinning effect!” 

The ball was spinning sideways, making only an extremely small surface area of the ball touch the lane.

“STRIKE! We have a Spinner with us, Ladies and Gentlemen! Applejack walks next and she shots!”

The Cowgirl made a high backswing and opened her shoulders before delivery, making generate a power cannonball surpassing Rainbow Dash’s by a long shot.

“I SOUND LIKE A SCRATCHED DISK BUT IT’S ANOTHER STRIKE! Crankers like her are a force to be reckoned! And finally is the turn of Sugarcoat! Oh! She is taking her sweet time! I’m so excited that I think I’m gonna faint!”

Sugarcoat made a backswing that reached higher than parallel to the ground. The ball was shot and it made a smaller number of revolutions than all of the shots of the previous players. In the end, she made a straight line and stroke down all the pins!

“WOOOHH! Today we’ve been blessed with such fabulous athletes! All fashionable and good-looking! Except the one with the messy hair!”

“WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY HAIR?”

“Darling, Steven also happens to be an excellent stylist! I could arrange an appointment if you wish!”

Everyone turned around when a girl spoke through the megaphone.

“RARITY!” Most of the players exclaimed.

“I also came here!” Pinkie was beside her, carrying two babies on her back.

“Pinkie, Rarity! I’m glad you came!” Twilight said with bliss.

“I wouldn’t miss this for nothing! Besides, Sapphire Shores had an emergency practice and we’ll resume her dress tomorrow!”

“Who's next?” Pinkie asked.

“I believe is Twilight Sparkle! She will do three shots with each team!” Replied Steven.

The moment that every team was waiting came at last. Twilight was to replace the three leaders and shot three to six times. By a competition of who had the longest slice of cake, courtesy of Pinkie Pie, Twilight will start her shot with Nitpick’s team, then Sunset and at the end, Flash.

“Alright, Midnight!” Nitpick whispered her nickname while giving a small sized ball to her. “As you may have noticed, the point is to shot this ball to the pins and strike them down. There are several styles you can choose from and the choice is yours!”

“What are the styles?”

“Power Strokers who combines power with smooth shots like Flash and Rainbow, Strokers that release smooth shots like Sugarcoat, Crankers who use full power like Applejack and Gilda, Spinners that can produces curvy shots like the guy Thunderbass and finally, Tweeners that are a combination of Strokers and Crankers like Sunset and me!”

“Teach me how to be a Tweener!”

“Good. My style in this art is to make a high backswing and give it a small effect of power rotation with my wrist. That produces a ball with average to high speed and if positioned good enough, it ends up in a Strike most of the times. There are factors, of course, like lane distance, how oily is the lane and so on, but this is a normal place so playing normal is the best course of action.”

“Ok… high backswing and moving the wrist to make a rotation…”

“Yeah! Now try it! And remember that it’s your first shot so don’t feel pressured by it!” He gave her a small back massage.

She responded his gentle gesture with a smile and suddenly repeated the instructions on her head. Making a backswing and throwing the ball with a weak turn of wrist made a funny outcome. Four of the pins were thrown down and the people praised her for her first try.

“Excellent, Midnight! Try to do that again on the other side and the full score will be yours!”

Motivated by that, she tried to do the same again, making sure to improve the shot as best as she could. The ball stroke down three pins more and in total, she stroked seven.

“Good job, Sparkion! You did great for a first try!”

“Thanks, Nitty… I have the best teacher at my side.”

Nitpick was happy to hear that. Sunset wasn’t. The young scientist soon joined her friend and received words of advice.

“I see that our friend is teaching you the Tweener style, Twilight!”

“Yes, I think for a first try it was a great shot!”

“Indeed but I could give you some improvements to that!”

“Really? I thought he gave me a good explanation!”

“Of course he did, but you’ll see that mine is better! Look, the way he did the backswing is fine and all but the trick is in the wrist! Instead of doing a higher backswing and doing a weak turn, try to play with your wrist a little and apply strength in it. Go and give it a shot!”

“Ok!”

Twilight repeated her new instructions on her head and managed to do Sunset’s play style. Sadly, the strain on her somewhat weak wrist produced poor results and the ball fell to the side.

“You should consider using the previous style!” Sugarcoat said with mockery.

“Don’t worry, Twilight!” Sunset soon massaged her wrist. “I know you can do miracles if you work for it hard enough, just like Princess Twilight!”

That’s right! She and her otherworldly persona possess so much in common! She can do it! She can perfect her throwing. She prepared, she shot and she stroke down seven in one shot.

“Excellent job! I had complete faith in you!”

“Thanks! You are as good as Nitty!”

Sunset was glad to balance things out. Nitpick was a little annoyed. As Twilight walked towards Flash, two leaders were discussing in an amiable matter.

“It seems that my teaching methods are better for someone like Twilight, Sunset”

“Please, Twilight is a quick learner. She doesn’t need the baby steps!”

“Sure. Just like her spectacular performance with the sports team training!”

“Are you implying my methods are faulty?”

And they continued discussing in a friendly tone. As for Flash Sentry, he had another sentiment.

“Flash… I hope I don’t ruin your game!”

“Twilight… play as you want with me!”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean, winning is great but the most important thing today is that you learn to play! You can mess up with me and practice your style! Why don’t you try to combine what have you learned from both of them?”

“What I have learned from both of them…?”

“Yes! Just throw and play for fun! That’ll make everyone happy! Trust me! That’s how CHS do things! Only for fun!”

“Only for fun…”

Those words echoed in her mind. She wanted to have fun. That was the real reason why they were here. If Flash said it could lighten the mood even more… then why don’t do as he said and try to combine what she learned? She prepared a backswing not as high as Nitpick’s and softened her wrist a little unlike Sunset’s and she shot straight.

“STRIKE! The myth is true, everyone! The third try always is the best one! A big applause for Twilight Sparkle”

Lots of clapping and happy whistles filled the air of the local, making Twilight happy.

“You see? I told you could do it… well, you are special after all!”

Twilight turned her gaze to the side, trying to hide her embarrassment to that flattery. It wasn’t need, though. Those thick glasses concealed her cheeks perfectly.

“OOHOHOHO! This match is proving to be incredible, Rarity!”

“Magnifique would be a better word, Steven!”

The competitors resumed their game but Pinkie Pie felt that something was lacking. She felt it was exciting but boring at the same time and she had the perfect cure for that dilemma. She mumbled something to Steven on the ear and he gladly accepted her offer. Another karaoke from nowhere was withdrawn and typical of Pinkie Pie, she was about to sing a song she selected.

“Pinkie!” Rarity spoke. “Isn’t the Pony Pokey song used only on formal dances?”

“Pony Pokey? I’m gonna sing Bowling Throwing!” She deeply inhaled tons of air and did what she does best: Singing at the rhythm of the game!

“You put your left hand in 
You put your right hand out 
You aim your shot straight in
And you throw away your ball 
You do the Bowling Throwing while playing lots of rounds 
That's what I'm talking about 

Sometimes you’re gonna Strike-
Nice Job (APPLEJACK)
Sometimes you’re gonna Fail-
This Sucks (SUGARCOAT)
You try to be so nice
But your screams will still come out
You do the Bowling Throwing that all must do for fun 
That's what it's all about

You grab your ball right in-
HELL YEAH (GILDA)
You throw your ball right out-
C’MON (RAINBOW)
You witness it gets in 
Just be brave and accept results 
You do the Bowling Throwing and you feel you're gonna bout 
That's what I'm singing about 

You tilt your hips in-
Good Luck (FLUTTERSHY)
You move your torso out-
Likewise (LIGHTBULB) 
You throw your arm in 
Then it shakes the ground around 
You do the Bowling Throwing even though your skill is a lout 
You're better off the game

You stomp your whole self in 
You stomp your whole self out 
You stomp your whole self in 
And you stomp yourself about 
You do the Bowling Throwing and you notice both are tied- 
I’LL TRIUMPH! (SUNSET & NITPICK)
That's what I'm talking about 

You do the Bowling Throwing
You do the Bowling Throwing
You do the Bowling Throwing
And that's what it's all about 
Yeah!”

The public threw flowers and praises to Pinkie Pie and she did a proud reverence. As for the players, from two teams at least, stress and a sudden drive for victory emerged. They were on the last shot and Twilight was the Goddess of Victory who’ll define everything. Unlike Passion Lover’s score, T.U.O. and the Rainbooms were tied. This time, turns were inversed and Twilight was going to shot on Flash’s lane first, making the young scientist feel the pressure.

“Don’t worry… you can do it!” Flash tenderly said, calming Twilight in the process.

She shot with grace and managed to do her second Strike in the day! Flash didn’t mind the score. Instead, he raised her a little from the hips while spinning her in the air. Twilight was sparking in radiance until she saw the remaining two teams that mostly consisted of her friends gazing at each other with piercing rage in their eyes, well, five of them to be exact.

She got closer to Sunset, who managed to keep as calm and concentrated as she could in front of Twilight.

“Okay, Twilight!” Sunset said a little stressed. “You can do it!”

Young Sparkle didn’t perceive the aura of war that Sunset emanated and just smiled to her friend. Twilight made the shot and didn’t stroke any pin. Rainbow just turned around while making a fetus position, trying to not rage at her. Fluttershy and Applejack tried to appease her.

“You can do it! Don’t worry!” Sunset suddenly no longer cared about the game, patting Twilight's shoulders. 

Twilight shot again. This time she stroke nine pins and that made Sunset and the Rainbooms happy!

“NICE SHOT! TWILIGHT!” Rainbow exclaimed with power.

That made the little scientist happy. Now, the moment of truth was upon us all. Everyone became silent, not even the flutter of the flies could be heard.

“Sparkion!” Nitpick bestowed upon her a ball, trying to keep calm his twitching eye. “I know you can do it!”

She raised her thumb up and approached the lane of fate. She needed to play with the best of her talents. Doing favoritism would only damage her friendships. Slowly inhaling and exhaling large cupcakes of air, she did her now familiar motion and shot the ball. It fell to the side of the lane. Sugarcoat was about to bend the strong plastic of the table, scaring Lightbulb in the process. Gilda was hugging herself in a menacing position that resembled a violent madwoman using a straitjacket.

The young genius noticed that, making her feel nervous. Suddenly, two hands no longer interested in the game were in her shoulders, making a relaxing massage and calming her down.

“Twilight… I remember when you taught me how to do this massage during the gossip incident… Looking back then and seeing you right now… I only have one thing to say.” Nitpick stopped his massage and patted her shoulders. “You can do it, my little Twinkle Star!”

Deep inside, that fired her spirit and she managed to fully concentrate on the game. She suddenly acquired the eye of the tiger!



By the Truth that ruled everything, she imitated Nitpick’s motion and threw the ball away, resulting in a shocking Strike! There wasn’t time to talk and T.U.O. went straight to celebrate their ultimate victory in the bowling competition, making Twilight feel at heaven.

“IT’S OVER! IT’S TOTALLY OVER! THE WINNING TEAM OF THE COMPETITION IS PASSION LOVER!”

“WHAAAAAAT!?” The triumphant team yelled.

“With a total of three-hundred and twenty two points at the first place, two-hundred and ninety-nine points to T.U.O. and two-hundred and ninety-eight points to the Rainbooms, Twilight Sparkle and Passion Lover wins!”

The second place team soon went silent and Twilight was dragged willingly by Pinkie Pie and Rarity to the middle of the local. Passion Lover soon joined her as well and she received a little trophy as a testament of her victory. Being repeatedly thrown at the air while her name was being chanted by the public, for her, it was one of the greatest moments of her young life.

“Alright, everyone!” Pinkie exclaimed with joy. “All competitors come to Sugarcube Corner and have a party celebration NOOOWW! WEEEEEEE!”

The victors, Spike, Pinkie with the Cake babies and Rarity soon vanished to the Café. The losers on the other hand slowly walked to join the others. The shadow of humiliation fell upon them, with the exception of Applejack, Fluttershy and Lightbulb who didn’t mind the result.  Sugarcube Corner was filled with balloons, music, dancing people and the notion of purity. Although Flash’s team won, they refused the price and decided to share the winnings with everyone. That scored more points with the young scientist. 

She found herself eating cake and drinking a Butter Pecan Milkshake with Flash who was enjoying a simple soda. They were talking, laughing and suddenly, without taking notice, Twilight Sparkle soon felt enjoyment by Flash Sentry’s company.
> Chapter 55- I'm not Princess Twilight! Final Part
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The breeze of the air was felt through the car window. Her belt adjusted and glasses positioned to perfection, Twilight Sparkle was going to the Chocoratte Plaza at high speed. His driver was None other than Flash Sentry, of course. After a friendly competition in the evening of Saturday, Flash gathered his courage and asked to her love interest if she would be interested in spending the Sunday with him. Surprisingly for him, she accepted. To say that he was happy would be a massive understatement.

Twilight didn’t have an excuse to refuse him. How could she? Always polite, gentle and coming to appreciate his sense of humor, she gave him a chance. Now during this Sunday on midday, after he picked her up near the entrance of her former school, she was in his car, thinking how wonderful would be to make a new friend. The young genius couldn’t help but start to feel comfortable at the side of the young rocker.

The parking lot of the plaza was almost empty, making Sentry somewhat happy for this outcome. Happy Sweetie House was one of the best family breakfast diners in the suburbs, and Flash knew it. He offered to pay her lunch. She refused, stating that she brought enough money for her food and other expenses. He didn’t mind because eventually he will pay in future dates at full. That’s what he hoped for.

Lunch was served in the form of a big-sized sandwich with lots of tasty vegetables for the amethyst eyed scientist while the rocker ordered a hamburger with extra bacon. He was being polite, amiable and nice during their talking. She was being friendly, outspoken and welcoming. If you didn’t know them in person, you could misinterpret them as a formal couple.   

“And that shot that Thunderbass did in the wrong lane was hilarious!” 

Twilight released a small giggle. “I know! But he is a good player!”

“Yeah, he is! We play bowling every month with another group of friends from other schools. Ponyville High in the town’s limits is a strong team, to be honest.”

“I bet you and your friends can defeat them.”

“We are tied, actually. If they win three games, we win four, and then they win one and so on. But anyway, tell me how your week was.”

“Apart from yesterday, it was great. I made a great deal of progress in my prototype of the Informatics Project two-point-oh, I helped Fluttershy in some cleaning task at the shelter and every night I played with my dog, Spike, before going to sleep.”

“Hehehe! That sounds like a nice week!”

“How about you, Flash?”

“Well, besides yesterday and our little hang-out to the movies from last time, I didn’t do anything interesting. I tried to compose some new songs but I recently haven’t come with something original.”

“Why?”

“I haven’t been inspired… perhaps I just need someone to help me out.”

“I don’t know much about music… but perhaps I could… help you out, if you like the idea!”

“I think it’s a great idea!” Flash exclaimed vigorously. “For now, let’s go out of here and enjoy the day in the plaza!”

They paid the bill and went straight to visit all the stores in the place that picked their interests. Walking across the colorful buildings of the transparent roofed plaza, whispers could be heard from the people. Curiously, the voices were female.

“He is so CUUUUTEEE!”

“So dreamy!”

“She is so lucky!”

“They don’t do good-looking guys as him anymore!”

Even if they were at really low volume, Twilight could hear every single word the girls were saying. She was blushing with embarrassment for such misunderstandings. It didn’t help that Flash was treating her like a lady, enforcing the Gentleman’s Code: Opening doors, allowing her to pass first, and many kind of actions that could conquer the delicate lady. She wished she had brought Spike with her. Her loyal dog and friend was a sanctuary in situations like this.

“Twilight, look!” Flash pointed to a bookstore. “There is special discount in that store over there! Wanna go?”

She nodded in agreement. Her weakness was used against her. If there was something that Twilight Sparkle loved the most, it was the experience of feeling the weight of knowledge in her hands, inhaling the sweet aromas of paper, new and old, and from time to time, live the indescribable experience of being transported to other worlds through the embellished words of those few, talented poets that put all their passion into every sentence, every scene, every attention to detail. Electronic books were fine but… it just feels incredible to grab the book and enjoy the tangible art.

Suddenly, she came back to reality. She saw two familiar faces that were welcoming to her sight, and as soon as they made contact, both duos got closer to exchange a little chatter. 

“It’s a surprise meeting you here! What are you buying?” Flash asked.

“Some reading material of my interest and a rare book that Bittersweet mentioned he was looking for so I bought it for him.” Bon Bon replied nicely.

“May I know what the book you bought for him is? Perhaps I may know his favorite genres and recommend him some!”

“It’s not a normal book as you may know, Twilight.”

“Really? May I see it?”

The girl sighed at her request, finding impossible to deny her. Bon Bon showed the book in question named Knight Seiyamus #17 and Flash released a small chuckle.

“A foreign comic book? I didn’t know he liked that childish stuff!”

“It is?” Twilight asked curiously. “My big bro has more than two-hundred and seventy six of those in one of his stands and his friends, Professor Gizmo included, enjoy the reading material as well. I didn’t know they were considered childish.”

“I also read some of them as well!” Lyra added. “My favorites are Cherry StampCaptor and Pirate Moon!”

“Ugh! This is one of the legendary occasions that I disagree with you, Lyra! I prefer Tenma and Half, Mimuyasha and Hoho Tatusho than those things you read! I also like Knight Seiyamus but not as much as him.”

Flash immediately felt that he shot himself on the foot. Thankfully, none of the girls had hard feelings against him.

“Shōjo all the way for me, girl!” Lyra said proudly. “But anyway, we should go! Bon Bon and I will go to her place and watch the football game!”

“Who is playing today?” Flash asked.

“The Sailor Commandos of Fillydelphia versus the Iron Lords of Philidelphia!”

“Oh! Those hate each other with a passion!” He added. “Their city names almost sounding identical and the fact that the founder presidents of each team are twins!”

“Yeah, I read somewhere that they hate each other… is a pity” Lyra said a bit sad. “If I had a twin or a sibling, I would never hate her for most of my life. But that’s their problem.”

“We should go, Lyra! Have fun today, you two!”

The girl duo said their farewells and each group took separate ways. Flash hurried to the somewhat small movie section of the place after seeing there was many discounts in some titles. The young scientist was about to join him as well but suddenly, Twilight was stopped by someone. 

“One more thing before I go, Twilight!” She got closer to her, positioning her lips near the young scientist’s ear. “Are you sure that he found the right castle?” She whispered with violent hiss, freezing Twilight’s spine in the process. 

Twilight Sparkle looked at Bon Bon’s eyes… cold… piercing. “W-what do you mean by that?” She asked in fright.

She quickly winked and the piercing sight was replaced by a friendly stare. “I just, uhm, noticed something these past few weeks while hearing other rumors on the school. Consider this an advice to help you out about a certain misunderstanding that prince charming has! Have a nice day, and remember that twins will be always different on the inside, no matter if they come from the same mold!” She soon joined Lyra with great speed and left the place with her, leaving Twilight confused.

‘Why did she say all that?’ She thought hard about it, not without trying to remove that grim face that she showed to her.

Her reasoning came to a halt, though. Flash joined her side with pessimism on his face. It seemed that the movie he was searching for run out of supply moments before his arrival and he could only lament that he didn’t come sooner. Twilight appeased him and that did the trick for him. Twenty minutes after exploring what the bookstore had to offer, they left the place and went to another store.

Their next stop was the music center and hundreds of instruments, stands filled with CD’s and DVD’s were shown to the public. The clerk, none other than Vinyl Scratch, was gleefully dancing at the rhythm of the music through her headphones. Flash waved at her and paid some kind of fee. She pointed out with the groove of the music to one of the rooms on the back. Once inside, a music test room was in there with many instruments at their disposal, ready to be used to their hearts contents.

“You were serious about me helping you with your songs!"

“I thought we could start by singing first some songs! I have some songs from the Rainbooms and I’m sure you’ll want to sing some with me!”

He grabbed a mic from the place and gave it to her. Confident that she could sing decently thanks to Pinkie’s help, she agreed to it and they sang some easy songs at first. As the time passed, the songs were increasing in difficulty. She thought she was singing badly. He was reassuring her all of the time. Eventually, Twilight just let the music go through her, allowing the inner talent in her to blow up to the sky. Until…

“Alright! Next song is… the Cafeteria Song?”

“Ah… that’s a song I think we should skip, Twilight.”

“Why?”

“I just don’t feel like playing it.” Flash said a little depressed.

“Come on! What kind of song could make you feel like that?“ Twilight read the song and it came to a point where she felt… weird. ‘We thought we were different, as the night is from the day, until Twi…’ Suddenly, she felt the urge to go somewhere else. “Could we go to the boutique nearby? I heard that they sell some neat belt pursues!”

“Sure, let’s go!”

They left the place with urgency, trying to move as fast as they could. The ambiance felt awkward for the couple on the road ahead. She almost forgot that her other self… nevermind. Flash noticed her moody behavior and went to a nearby convenience store as fast as he could. One he returned, two big chocolate bars with peanut butter was at his hand and he gave away one for her. Enjoying their sweets and finally getting back the pleasant mood, they continued their date. 

They saw that the local boutique was promoting their new line of products in its inventory, so that was their next stop. As they were about to get inside, Flash had an urge to do his human necessities and told her companion that he’ll be back soon. As the rocker approached the public services, he saw a horrible, long line blocking the Public Throne of Relief.

“Great…”

The young genius sat in a nearby bench, thinking thoroughly about many things; her project, her friendships, her loyal dog’s food… Flash. She didn’t think it could feel so relaxing just walking with someone so mindful. It felt… nice to her. Subtlety, her thoughts came to an end. She saw a group of welcoming faces leaving the boutique. Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity were walking across the corridors of the plaza, and by the looks of it, the Cowgirl was in a very bad mood.

“Land Sakes, Rarity! Can we stop this fancy shopping spree of yours? I don’t need another pair of boots!”

“Nonsense! A modern femme fatale can never have enough pairs of anything in the world of fashion clothing! With these materials, I’ll design a new pair of boots and an irresistible hat to help you in your love crusade!”

“I’m not that silly term yuh used, yo! And what yuh mean by crusade of love? You’re saying nonsense, I tell yah! Besides, I like the new hat that he gave me so I’m going back home!”

“Oh! I believe a new pair of boots would be nice, my friend!” Fluttershy tenderly suggested. “Perhaps a pretty flower in them would look amazing!”

“You too, Fluttershy? P’shaw! I gonna go home and do extra work instead of hearing this all day!”

“Oh nonono! You are coming with us and- OH! Darling, Yooohoo!”

Applejack and Fluttershy turned to Rarity’s point of interest and were surprised by the casual meeting. Twilight soon joined her friends. “Hey, Twi! How fancy meeting you here! What are you doing here by yourself?”

“Are you waiting for someone, darling? It is a date?”

“Rarity! Enough of your love nonsense, already! Don’t listen to her, Twi! She is been more Rarity than usual these days!”

“How rude of you, Applejack! I just happen to be perceptive in the aspect of socialite and relationships!”

“Tee hee hee! I’m glad to see you are doing well. Yes, I’m on a date… well, not exactly a date-date but I’m just hanging out with Flash and I’m having a lot of fun!”

When she ended her comment, the Cowgirl, the Veterinary and the Fashionista made troubled faces while looking at each other. The Scientist felt something… wrong.

“Am I doing something that I shouldn’t?”

“Oh no… Not at all, Twilight. It’s just… I thought you had rejected him by this point.” Rarity calmly said, trying to hide the discomfort in the situation.

“Ah… yeah… the rejection.” Twilight just smiled a little, slowly looking at the floor. “… I forgot about that.”

“… Dear, I’m glad you are having fun. But perhaps you should reconsider and be more… well, I… What I mean to say is… Perhaps I’m thinking too much and-“

“Rarity.” Applejack said in a direct but thoughtful way. “This has gone for too long and you know it!”

“What are you talking about?”

Rarity sighed in discomfort. “You see, Twilight… There is something we must tell you about Flash… Heavens, I don’t know how to start.”

“Listen, sugarcube. Sometimes there are things in life that you get in one point and you lose them in the other. Some people move on and find something else while others find something similar, making things… Oh shoot! Twi, the truth is that-”

“GIRLS!” Someone greeted from afar with a friendly, loud voice. The rocker finally made his human necessities and walked straight to the girls' position. “How nice to see you around here! Want to join us? The more, the merrier!”

“Oh no, dear! We are just going to my place and make some clothing designs for my friend here!”

“What?“ Rarity looked with a frowning stare to the farmer. “Yeah! We better get going, y’all!”

“Applejack!” Twilight said, making the farmer somewhat nervous. “What were you going to say to me?”

“Girls only, darling! Flash can’t hear it! We’ll see you tomorrow at school and talk about it alone!”

“Twilight.”

“Yes, Fluttershy?”

The delicate girl rested a deep but kind stare at her friend, her presence soothed them all of the sudden. “Remember to always be kind! I’ll see you at the school tomorrow.” And she walked away with her companions to the exit.

“Fluttershy is always so nice… but Rarity and Applejack acted weird.” Twilight said somewhat confused.

“If Rarity says it’s something between girls, then it must be pretty much what she says, Twilight! Trust in her.” Flash reassured her.

She looked at them for a moment with a forming smile in her face. “You are right.” 

Flash didn’t give her time to worry about that little reunion. Making sure that it was still in the theaters, he invited her to watch the romantic movie that he suggested the first day he started messaging her: Rising Moon.

That kind of genre wasn’t her cup of tea, but she made the exception this time around. Twilight soon regretted it wholeheartedly. Being completely in agreement with her sister-like Cadence’s ideals in the topic of love, she found the plot of the movie painfully unbearable. Love at first sight, pointless misunderstandings and the horrible feeling that the plot could have been fixed during the first ten minutes was enough to drive someone crazy. The heroine didn’t make any sense and the hero was a stalker, making her brain scream in agony on why this movie could last this long on theaters. 

At least he saw that Flash was enjoying it a bit so she needed to resist and smile at him. It wasn’t the case. He felt the same way deep inside, but since he glimpsed Twilight’s fake smile and supposed delight on her facial expression, he braced himself and made a big smirk. They needed to withstand it for two hours more since they were watching the director’s cut.

Their torment ended eventually, sighing with relief deep on their minds. Whatever horror of sequels would appear in the future, they’ll make sure to never see one of those in their lives. For now, the time has come for them to go home. It was getting late for her. Flash offered her a ride home and she agreed in a shyly way.

As soon as they got out of the plaza, a spectacle in the sky was taking place. When we look up at night and view the stars, everything we see is shining with the radiance of the almost eternal sky bodies, and today they were gracing the night with the half-moon mistress around her. Twilight breath was stolen by them. It was truly a rare occasion for the celestial lights of night to shine like that in a zone near the artificial shimmering of civilization.

Flash was admiring the heavens just like her. His sight soon resting upon the silhouette of the love of his life and it made him feel this was the perfect chance to declare his feelings. An opportunity like this will never repeat itself under such utopian conditions, after all. 

“…Twilight.”

“Yes, Flash? What is-?“ She noted his cheeks were turning reddish as the seconds passed. His eyes were completely in daze. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like... you're admiring..." Twilight stopped for a moment and shook her head in slow fashion. Rethinking the situation, she thought that his sudden blush was a kind of sickness. "Are you feeling well?"

Flash nodded. "Oh me? Yeah, Yeah." He assured her. "Don't worry about it."

"How I can stop worrying when you have a reddish face like that?" She asked. "Do you feel sick?”

“No! Seriously! I’m fine… it’s just, uh, well. You could say I was admiring you a little.” He said romantically.

She was surprised. “Admiring me?” She asked weakly. “Why? I’m just standing here and doing nothing! That’s hardly something worthy of admiring.”

“That’s not true! I believe you are a really special girl, Twilight! One of the most beautiful, if I may say!”

Her cheeks turned into flaring lights. If Twilight ever felt like a normal girl being flattered in her life, it was right now.

“Really?”

“…Yes.” He said embarrassed.

“I don’t know what to say, I mean, well… I also think that you are… nice to be around.”

He closed the gap and took her hands with such gentleness that it left the heart of the pure lady defenseless. “I have met many girls before… but none like you! Twilight, you are one of the sweetest girls I ever met.”

“You too are really a great company, Flash! You are truly a great friend of mine!” She said lovely.

“Actually… Have you ever thought that you and I could become something else?”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked intrigued. “Like Best friends forever?”

“Like a couple, perhaps.”

That made Twilight snap back to reality. “A couple?” She said baffled. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

“Why not? We are totally compatible with each other! Given time, we can establish a formal relationship!”

“Ah… no.” Twilight said defensive. “I’m not prepared for a romantic relationship.”

“You said that because I believe you haven’t met the ideal guy! Give me a chance and let me prove to you that love can conquer it all?”

“Love?” Twilight was naive in many things about society, friendships and personal acceptance but she wasn’t that ignorant to see where this was going.  “Are you saying what I think you are trying to say?”

“I believe I’m starting to love you!”

She was shocked with those words. Flash said that so carelessly and easily from his mouth that she felt uncomfortable.

“How can you say I’m special enough for you if we only had met for only two months? And do you have any idea of what are you saying? How can you say that you love me just like that? It’s weird!”

“It’s because we are from the same world! If you give me the chance, I can prove to you that I can bring you happiness! Make you feel special! After all, you are like a Princess to me!”

“Like a princess to…” Twilight’s mind started to work outside the box as soon as she started to reason something. “Flash… what do you think of my cousin?”

A lovesick Flash didn’t notice that Twilight slowly was assuming a face of discomfort. “She's smart, courageous, beautiful, and she knows how to take charge of a situation. Just like you!”

Slowly... in a near motionless action, her hands soon covered her mouth and her eyes took the shape of bottomless pits that sucked away the dim sources of light around her.

‘You are no stranger to us nor a replacement!’ Rarity.

‘You should clip his wings as soon as you can!’ One of the Spa sisters.

‘Have you ever felt the horrible feeling of a lover rejection?’ Nitpick.

‘Princess?’ One of Flash’s friends.

‘Just like Princess Twilight!’ Sunset.

‘Are you sure that he found the right castle?’ Bon Bon.

‘Others find something similar’ Applejack.

‘Making someone feel bad is wrong, even for the right reasons.’ Fluttershy.

‘There is cruelty in kindness’ Lightbulb.

The world banished around her as all the comments linked to this moment emerged from the deepest corner of her memory. In its place, darkness reigned on the earth. Her face broke down in a cold sweat. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, what he was saying. Intellect. Reasoning. Observation. All of those traits and virtues of mind were cut down from her. She could barely grasp the countless sensations she was feeling in her mind; Doubt, anguish, disappointment.

The innocent substitution.

Flash Sentry, is the embodiment of the perfect boyfriend in all aspects: Good looking, charismatic, sociable, above average grades with a promising future on the horizon. He will do whatever she asks of him and he’ll rarely complain. He is not a man of words, but actions, making sure to make his beloved know that she is loved. He may not think of her at every moment, but her loved one will cross his mind often enough. He is a like a modern poet, trying to find his Shooting Star and travel across the Milky Way at her side. And he found her. He found his Shooting Star. She wore a crown in her head and possessed wings of divinity on her back.

That Shooting Star existed. She was in another reality, another world, another life. Twilight Sparkle is Twilight Sparkle. She always has been and always will be. She is bright, pure and beautiful in all aspects of flesh and spirit. But there is one thing she is not. One thing she’ll never be. His words, his feelings and his kindness suddenly turned into thousand needles that pierced her heart. It hurt… it was suffocating, toxic, making her feel an emotion that she rarely enforced in her daily life. She didn’t know what she was experiencing at fullest, but Twilight knew it made her feel... uneasy. She hoped for - Wished for – Maybe – What does it matter? In the end, you only have to release it.  

“I’m not Princess Twilight!” She exclaimed in anger.

The air surrounding Flash constricted him with violent force, making him unable to breathe for several seconds.

“I know, Twilight!” Flash desperately said. “You are like an everyday person! Like me! We should-”

“No!” Twilight interrupted. “I’m not like you! I don’t believe in love at first sight! I don’t believe in destined relationships! And I… And I won’t be used as a replacement to fill out your heart’s desire!”

“I would never use you! And I don’t consider you a replacement, Twilight! You may share the same face but-“

“And that’s why you tried to befriend me in the first place, didn’t you? I reminded you of my so-called cousin! Of Princess Twilight! You didn’t look at me like a normal girl since the beginning! I share her face, her name, and some of her virtues, right? That’s why you… YOU selfishly tried to use me as a scapegoat of reality and make you feel loved by the one who only exist on the other side of the mirror! You never saw me as Twilight Sparkle, the common and weak-willed girl! No! You only saw me as someone who resembled PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE!”

“That’s not true! You are very different from her!”

“What are the differences, Flash? Is she more talented, smart, courageous and beautiful, uh? Were you hoping that I could be someone as her while I do with you the same things that both of you love the most?”

The world around them stopped its motion. Flash Sentry was left without a voice, without an answer… he just stood there, repeating her words in his head multiple times, unable to say something at her. Twilight’s brief burst of anger soon started to crumble. Tears were about to drop from her majestic amethyst eyes, but she embraced herself and gave her final saying.

“The most hurting thing of all of this was that all this time you were looking for me, trying to reach me, to befriend me… your kindness and affection wasn’t for me in reality. I feel like I experienced a fairy tale that promised me the meadows of heaven and the river of roses, only to turn down in a bitter ending. I think that this special treatment that you gave me was the most inconsiderate and hurtful thing I ever experienced in my life. For you to tell me that you wanted to find the path to affection with me is like hearing the cries of a bird searching for his mate who won’t come back, looking for anyone to fill the void that was left in his heart.”

“Twilight… I...”

“Flash, I don’t want to be with you in any kind of relationship… it would be sick.” She made a weak smile. “Safe travel home…”

She slowly turned around without looking back and left the place, finally releasing her silent cry far away from him. Flash on the other hand, was standing there, looking at the floor with mixed feelings on the matter. As he looked upon the stars, in one way he was sad at the sight of them and on the other hand he just admired their bright as a way to replace what he had lost.

The bright Shooting Star that was slowly vanishing from his life.


> Chapter 56- You are our one and only
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friendship is not something you learn on school. No books, guides or TV shows will ever teach you the true meaning of forming genuine bonds with others. My dear Dean Cadence once said to me that if you haven't learned the meaning of knowing someone to the point of sharing your hopes and dreams in the purest ways, then you really haven't learned anything at all about relationships. I didn’t believe her, even if I love and respect her so much. Always telling me that I could end up alone. Always reminding me that I should open my heart with the people.

I tried during my days of being a Shadowbolt to form genuine bonds… And I failed. That school just wasn’t warm and welcoming enough for me. My old babysitter, my brother and my dog were the only solace I had in that grim place. Then, the Friendship Games happened and the rest is history. I found people I could call lovely. I found individuals who could form bonds with me willingly. Then why? Why do I feel so apathetic? What is the sense of misery that I’m experiencing? Why do I feel so empty and hopeless? 

What will I do now?

“Twilight, do you want your happy meal with extra cheese?”

“I believe my sister would prefer the toy pack! Right, Twily?”

“Yeah…”

After my…date with Flash, I found myself rushing back home. In an act of goodwill from my guiding stars in the heavens, I happened to stumble with my brother while he was driving around with Dean Cadence. They let me join them in their moments of fun, rejecting any objection I had for them. They originally planned to go to a elegant restaurant... but they changed their plans for me.

“You have that gloomy face since we picked you up, Twilight!”

“I didn’t have a nice day, Dean Cadence.“

“Now, now! I’m no longer your Dean, Twilight” She spoke proudly. “Cadence is fine, my future sister!” She said warmly and patted my head.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be!” She embraced me. “Shining Armor! Do something!”

He was ahead of her. Wearing the silliest black glasses I ever seen from one of the stands and posing like a super confident guy straight from a bad comedy show, he was doing a little show in front of us, surrounded by strangers in the Bendy’s Hamburger restaurant. He didn’t care about the laughs of the people, the only thing it mattered to him was making me laugh. And he succeeded.

This place has the best homemade hamburgers on the whole district to the point of making me eat meat, which I don’t do often. My family agrees on the quality of the place, my De-… Cadence agrees, and also Nitty and his friends thought the same in a little talk we had during our bowling match, even if two people were somewhat… scary. But Nitty and Lightbulb said that they don’t come here often, something about the prices. I don’t know why, though. I mean, the cheapest combo pack cost fifty nine with ninety nine cents so it’s very accessible. 

I ended up asking for the Veggie Happy Meal with extra cheese in it. A small patty bathed in sweet BBQ sauce and enveloped in lettuce, onions and tomatoes with boiled potatoes at its side with a pinch of salt to better the taste. Also, it has a little collectible of one of the franchise’s pets. When we sat down in the spacious table and the waiter brought us our dinner, I got lucky in the item they gave me. I have the bear now, my collection was now complete.

“Big Bro, isn’t that hamburger a little too big?”

“I’m hungry, Twily! Besides, is not that big! Right, Cadence?”

“I couldn’t eat half of that, dear.”

“Not to mention, it has too much meat! Did you know that the people who eat less meat and more dry seeds, fruits and vegetables can prolong their life expectancy for nine years in the long run? That and ingesting more water, but you already do that.”

“Yes, Twily! But nine horrible, worthless, meatless years aren’t worth that expectancy.”

I giggled in my mind. I believe I heard a similar answer before.

“Even if it means that I could live nine years longer than you, leaving your future wife all alone during her third-age years?”

“Hey! I bet I can live one-hundred years so don’t worry about that, Cadence! Anyway did you have fun this week in your new school again, Twily?” Big Bro asked happily while feasting on his Ultima Hamburger.

“Yes, Big Bro… but… today wasn’t that nice.”

“How so?” He asked a little reluctant.

“Well… I don’t want to talk about it.”

He took a big sip from his glass filled with juice and gently put it back to the table. “You know you can trust us with anything.” He said pleasantly.

Not finding any reason to deny my brother, I told him the tale as best as I could from the start, excluding the magical developments, of course. How I met Flash, his befriending and today’s… mistake. De- Cadence was already aware of some of the previous details until today. She calls me once a week at minimum. I didn’t talk to my brother about my school life that much, to be honest. 

Not because I didn’t love him, all the contrary. But with his online Master Degree in Crystal Prep University, his special sport classes on Saturdays in the school and his work as an army reserve in the local military base made his time limited to be with me… But I’m glad he always finds time to spend with us. He always makes time for everything.

“From what you told to us, Twilight, I only have to say that this Flash was a little misguided.”

“Misguided? Cadence, he tried to replace someone else with my sister!” He punched the table in anger, nearly breaking it.

“Calm down, my love! Everyone makes mistakes like that during youth! You know that well!” She appeased him.

“Even so, the day I meet him, I’ll-“

“Do nothing!” She completed his comment. “Think about how your actions could affect Twilight’s school life!”

“The school will know that it has me to defend her! If only I was aware about my sister’s social standing on Crystal Prep…” He sighed a little regretful. “But never again!”

“Thank you, Big Bro…” I was happy.

“Although I’m delighted with the enthusiasm you have for the sake of our family, Twilight needs to learn from this and choose wisely her friendships from now on! Some wolfs disguise themselves as human beings!”

“I don’t think Flash is a bad guy… but…”

“Listen, Twiliy! He may be a good guy as you say, but you mustn’t allow yourself to be the consolation prize of anyone! The horrible feeling of a lover rejection is bad! But trying to replace his last love with you just because you share her face is worse and unkind!” 

“The horrible feeling of a lover rejection? Unkind? I don’t think I’m the one who was rejected, Big Bro.”

“He rejected your true persona, Twily! I’ll never forgive that!” 

“Listen, Twilight!” Cadence said while caressing my cheek. “You are unique, no matter if there’s a doppelganger of you in the world.” 

“But it seems that I cannot escape her shadow! All this time everybody at school treated me nice because I just resemble someone else… I don’t have the same worth as her.”

She took my hands, giving me her brightest smile yet. “Every second that you spend on doubting your worth, every moment that you use to criticize yourself, it becomes a second of your life wasted. Twilight, I’m sure you are exaggerating when you say ‘Everybody’. Didn’t some of your friends tried to tell you about what was happening with him?”

“…Yes.”

“If they didn’t care at all, they wouldn’t have tried to tell you… It’s true that it should have been sooner, but I’m sure they have a reason.”

“I can safely say that they didn’t want to hurt you.” My brother said. “I can understand a little if they didn’t want to tell you in a bluntly manner… Perhaps, they just wanted to spare you this outcome in a passive way and prolong things until he gave up.”

“It didn’t work…” I said reluctantly.

“No, it didn’t.” Cadence continued. “But they tried their best, wanting only to protect your feelings. And speaking of premium treatment, I’m sure that the people that don’t know the Princess of the Fall Formal only thinks of you as their one and only Twilight Sparkle. Or I am wrong?”

People that don’t know the Princess… they… him!

“No matter if they love or hate you, the people that know you, and only you, treats you as their will dictates. In our case, we see you as a special girl with a common life, enjoying her Happy Meal with her family.” 

I hugged her, feeling her arms holding me tight. “Thank you for everything.”

“Remember!” She spoke again after we separated. “There are times when you meet someone so beautiful, or handsome in our case, that you became comfortable with them. But given time and after talking to them, you realize they are as dull as a brick. A common Brad, if you will. Then, there are other people, when you meet them you think that they are okay. With the pace of time, you realize that their personalities are gorgeous, and that becomes their faces. And they just turn into something beautiful.”

“Like the expression of never judging a book because of its cover?”

“Yes, Twilight! The same meaning is applied here. Before your brother right here who is making a serious face all of the sudden.”

“I’m not!” He denied it with arms crossed.

Cadence giggled a little. “I had someone else that I liked… Buck Withers was my first crush and nearly my boyfriend. He was the captain of the Polo team during our years of High School. He was popular, rich and many more things. He was rather shallow once I came to know him completely, and he only wanted me because I was the prettiest girl at school… Your brother came eventually into my life, and once I met his real self… well, these rings in our fingers should tell you the rest.”

“Only a couple of months more…” My brother added with a soft smile, looking down to infinity. She grabbed his hands, their rings subtlety shining when they got closer to each other. They exchanged a glimpse of love with their eye.



“Twilight. I know that you came to share with me the belief of not falling in love so soon… and that’s okay. But it will come the time where you’ll meet your significant other, and if you wait for too long to take action, he’ll be gone from your life. Live the moment, but choose wisely before taking a decision. You understand what I’m saying?”

“I believe I do, Cadence!”

“Also remember, Twily! You are a complete woman! There’s no such things as other half’s! Cadence and I are happy together because we choose to temper our love with each challenge that life bestow upon us! Never allow someone to make you think otherwise! There are exceptions to what Cadence said, though. If you happen to never find love with another person, its fine! As long as you are happy with your life, then that’s the only thing that matters!”

“But enough about discussing serious matters! Let’s finish our dinner and go to the cinemas near our homes! I want to see the Rising Moon movie with both of you!”

“NO!” My brother and I shouted together.

Dean Cadence laughed graciously. “I was just joking, you two!”

“You won’t joke with that kind of things in my presence ever again, dear!”

“Same here, Cadence! It was of bad taste!”

“Huh, though crowd.”

We laughed together and kept talking while finishing our meals. We did go to the cinemas, but we ended up seeing a different genre of movies. The Rambonator, a re-mastered movie from the eighties, was a little brutal for me… but I liked it for some reason. It was eleven in the night when the movie was over and my brother left Cadence in her home and soon afterward, we arrived home. 

My parents were waiting for us, worried for our safe return. I’m glad to see them as healthy as always. Big Bro brought some cake with him and we had some slices of it… Sadly, he won’t be around tomorrow in the morning. He leaves tomorrow to Canterlot for four days to another base of operations. Something about a SPETSNAZ training session with Griffonian forces.

I wish he didn’t go away again. That life of his is time consuming, but I must be grateful that he is living his dreams. He knows what he wants in life. So does Cadence. So do the people I started to know and befriend. They already know who they are… Now resting in my bed after having taken a shower, I admired the stars that were shining beyond my roof window.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” Spike asked to me from his bed on the floor. “Something tells me that you are sad.”

“Shining Armor leaves tomorrow again, Spike. And I was just thinking about something.”

“What could that be?”

“Do I have a self?”

“A self? What do you mean?”

“Princess Twilight is so great and wise. She can traverse the fabric of time and space at will. She is a ruler loved by everyone in her realm. She has friends that love her and magic capable of defeating evil. And I… I’m just me.”

“Yeah… she sure is amazing.”

“…Indeed.”

“But for me you are the greatest of all.” He leaped to my bed and joined my side.

“Spike?”

“It’s true that the Princess has done many good things! But for me, you gave me the greatest gift of all.”

“The ability to talk?” 

He curled besides me, yawning with tiredness from a long day of staying awake. “A place that I can call home… where I don’t suffer the harshness of rain… nor the pain of hunger…” He was falling asleep. “You know… I believe next month it’ll be a year… since I arrived…” His peaceful snores marked the start of his slumber.

Nearly a year already? Time sure flies when you stop paying attention to it. I was thinking of what he said, but I couldn’t reason anything more for today. I was tired. Before I sleep, I’ll just put myself comfortable. “I’m glad that you came into my life, Spike.” I whispered and I soon closed down my eyes.

Next morning I awoke again at the same six in the morning, at the same pace, with the same routine. Shower, breakfast, dressing, preparing my bags, brushing my teeth to perfection and going with either my mom or with Mrs. Peanut to the school! Today my mother took me to school. She was happy because we spend time together last night as family. I was pleased to hear that.

Thinking about everything that happened these few days and thanks to my family support, I know I can overcome this. This challenge of life was a step forward for me… Just like my brother said. Just like Nitty said. I hope he likes his scrambled eggs with parmesan cheese. 

As the car was approaching the school, its gardens were full of students, making a big commotion. I wonder what it could be. Oh! Perhaps it’s about the Thanksgiving event that the girls mentioned. I must look out for Sunset immediately to help her out!

“Alright, my little star! Have fun at the school!” My mom said while giving me a kiss on the cheek. 

“I will! See you in the evening, mom!” 

I got out of the car and mom soon left to the city. As I walked through the multitude, I could hear whispers… negative ones about a kind of arguing. It didn’t take me so long before I saw what was happening.

Sunset and Nitpick were in the middle of the gardens, looking at each other with unfriendly eyes.
> Chapter 57- Women are trouble... or is it me?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was now October 13th. I was walking with enthusiasm to the school. I had a blast playing online with my friends, I slept well, the soar of the wind was great, the sky was cloudy and something inside me told to my spirit that this day would be special. Even my Sixth Sense hasn’t bothered me in days now.

I, Nitpick Bittersweet, declared that this Monday would be the start of great deals of fortune in my life.

“You and I need to talk, now!” A commanding voice spoke behind me after I walked pass the monument.

FUCK!

“What do you want, Sunset?”

As I looked at her face, she was frowning rather coldly. She looked calm, focused and the way she was standing with her arms crossed, her hips a little to the side, and her firm posture, marked the presence of a strong girl. She was… charming.

“This is about Twilight.”

“Twilight? Go on.”

“I know you two have developed some kind of, uhm, bond of sorts, but I kindly ask that you cut your ties with her.”

“Who the hell do you think you are to say that?” I asked annoyed.

“I’m her friend. Do you need more reasons than that?” She expressed seriously.

“Never thought that you would be the ambiguous type.”

“You are teaching her the wrong morals. I heard from her after the bowling match that you taught her something about kindness.” She quoted with her hands the last word.

“Your point?”

“Completely misguided. Your teaching is not what Twilight needs!” She said forcefully. “Cruelty is not what Friendship is about!”

“Are you kidding? There are more kinds of Kindness than the fantasy you preach. What Lightbulb and I taught to her is another facet of the truth!”

“A twisted one if you ask me! In what world being harsh with the truth is an act of kindness?”

“In this one! There are limits to how much good-hearted you can be with the people around you! Sometimes telling them the harshness of things makes them understand the state of reality!”

“I have a better way! What about asking for help to your friends and solve the problem together in an understanding way?”

“What if a friend is the cause of the problem?”

“Then you sort things up with them with compassion!”

“And if they don’t want to fix things up?”

“Then they must try to empathize with one another!”

“And if that doesn’t work?”

“You see? I can throw at you hundreds of solutions and you only will give me a senseless reason to keep up the conflict! You are not fit to teach her anything!” She exclaimed passionately. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath and sighed. “Look, it isn’t too late to change your mind! Give me your hand and let’s walk together the same path!”

“My mind is made up and you are clearly full of yourself, Princess!”

“Don’t ever call me like that!” She was getting angry.

“Why? That’s practically your status as the leader of this place, isn’t?”

“No! This is a democracy! All of the students are fine with how we help the school in the right way! They are comfortable and accepting with how we are managing things around here!”

“Are you stupid or something?”

“What did you say?”

“Comfortable? Accepting? What about the mess from the last time?”

“It was only an attack of frustration! Everything calmed down and now everyone is back in the right track!”

“The right track? ...yeah, you could say that! After all, the majority of students here are the stupidest beings I have ever seen in my life! They cannot take a decision by themselves because-”

“Excuse me?” She interrupted me.

“What?” I asked pissed off.

She looked at the floor, clenching her fist with fervent power. Then she looked at me in a nice way… but her eyes betrayed her supposed amiability. It wasn’t too long before she finally let it go.

“What did you say about my schoolmates, you big jerk!?”

“That most of them are mindless idiots!”

She became faster than Rainbow Dash while closing the gap between us, raising her hand and almost completing the act of aggression. But nothing happened. Her motion was stiff, her hand raised and her true, enraged face was… really gorgeous.

“Apologize for what you just said.” She said rather diplomatic while calming down.

“No.” I said bluntly.

“Nitpick…I want you… to apologize… for what you said…now.”

“No.”

“…No?” She asked in an ironic tone while resting her hands on her hips, her eyes looking at the floor.

“No.”

She sighed. “Very well.” She said rather obnoxious. She took a few steps backwards and continued. “I’m sure you’ll change your mind this time around. After all, we are teaming up for the coming event!”

“What did you say, Shimmer?”

“Come on! Do not act like a dummy!” She said graciously. “You signed up to help us in the coming event! Deep inside you are becoming a Wondercolt!”

“I didn’t sign up for anything!”

And I rather be considered an asshole than teaming up with you.

“Really? Then tell me why your name is in this little list over here?”

She gave me a list of names that signed up to an event I wasn’t even aware of. She pointed out where was my name and… there it was. A perfect forgery of my sign.

“I didn’t sign for this! I swear!”

“Don’t be shy about it!” She hugged my arm and patted my chest. “We’ll have Thanksgiving next month and CHS was selected to prepare an important event for the community! We, as exemplary students, will be in charge of helping the needed and give them a special show. We have one month to organize the celebration, and what kind of spectacle could be better when you have the combined efforts of the friendliest students in the nation working on it?”

“I’m sure they chose wrongly when they selected us by friendship standards.”

She giggled rather pleasantly… ugh. “I’m sure there are no mistakes! If you want, I can arrange a team with the people you like in the school and work together with them!”

“Go. Away.”

She just shook her head while smiling. “My offer is always open to you.”

“Your offer sucks balls, Shimmer!”

“Must you be so rude all the time?” She was angered again. “I’m giving you premium treatment here!”

“I don’t want to be a part of this! And must you be such a pain? ”

“I’m the pain now? You are the one who doesn’t want to give us a chance!”

“I would give you that opportunity if only you were less annoying! I have only met like ten or less people around here that I consider worthy of my effort to change to your ways!”

“The school is full of people like that! You are just too stubborn to see!”

“Me? Stubborn? Are you fucking kidding me!?”

“I’m telling the truth!”

“I have heard many bullshits in my life before but you win the prize this time around! Since day one you and most of this shitty community have been an obnoxious entity with your nonsense of Friendship! Always stabbing me on the back or making me look like the full evil of the place. And who the hell do you think you are to tell me how to form bonds with others? Captain Friendship?”

“If you wanted to give me a nickname, let me tell you that it sounds stupid!”

“And it would be a horrible story, no doubt!”

“You are incredible… you… I… I don’t like the current you, Bittersweet!” She said in a fit of controlled anger.

“The feeling is mutual, Shimmer.” I did the same.

Numerous gasping’s were heard all of the sudden. I just noticed something bad… there was a multitude surrounding us now. Some were familiar faces, and others were people I couldn’t care about. 

“Did he really say that?”

“I can believe someone would speak to Sunset Shimmer like that.”

Multiple gossips circulated inside the multitude. They tried to mumble among themselves, and to not surprise, they still sucked at it. Normally, popular people like her would be pleased to receive such support from the school. But if there was something I could admire of Sunset while she was locking her eyes with mine was that she looked unpleased with this outcome. She wanted this to be private, no doubt.

“Sunset… Nitpick…”

Both of our eyes opened widely after hearing our names. At the same time, we focused our full attention to the little Scientist who was walking toward us. Midnight was looking at us rather confused. Was it disappointment what her amethyst eyes were reflecting? 

“Are you… fighting with each other?” She asked weakly.

“How much have you been listening to us, Twilight?” I asked.

“…Since the offer part.”

“Shit.”

“Language…”

Crap.

“Twilight!” Sunset said gently. “He and I just had a misunderstanding, that’s all.”

“Is that true?” 

Don’t look at us like that. Stop staring at us with the expectation that we will say that everything was ok in the long run. 

“That’s enough!” A fashionable girl spoke. “Darlings, I don’t know what happened but apologize to one another, pretty please!”

“But Rarity!”

“Sugarcube, she is right!” Applejack joined the discussion. “Listen to you! Saying nonsense all of the sudden and getting angrier than a mule during a pee disaster!” The multitude genuinely chuckled at her terrible joke.

“Bro, just calm down!”

“But Lightbulb!”

“Relax, Beasty!” Dancer said slowly.

Fluttershy soon joined Sunset’s side, making her scratch her head softly while releasing a big sigh. “Look, forgive me. Things got out of hand between us.”

“Indeed…” I sighed as well. “Sorry.”

“That settles it, y’all!” The Cowgirl said while resting her arm in my shoulders. “Nothing happened in the end… R-right, sugarcube?”

Why do you smell so delicious, Applejack?

“It was just a big misunderstanding!” Rarity said while hugging Twilight, comforting her to full happiness. “Now, why don’t we get inside? It’s windy around here and that will ruin my fabulous hair!” She said jokingly.

The multitude released various chuckles and giggles at that, easing the mood as a result. Deep inside I know that I should be grateful with them, to have stopped us… what would have happen if we have lost control and no one was around to stop us… Sunset and I?
I tried to concentrate during classes and forget about it, but I couldn’t. Midnight was glimpsing at me from time to time. So were Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, and also Sunset and the rest of the students. The classroom felt suffocating, like I was stuck in a box with no means for fresh air to pass through. I only have to resist some minutes more and lunch break will arrive at last.

My cellphone rang with low volume an opera tune, and while stealthy checking my friend’s message, I noticed there were several texts from her dating back earlier in the morning.

-????: I feel you are stressed! Is everything okay?

-????: Strengthen your patience and do not preach words that you will end up regretting later, my beloved friend!

-????: Did something happen?

-Nitpick: I’m fine, so don’t worry! It was just a little problem from my end before classes started.

I wondered if she was going to buy that.

-????: (≖︿≖✿) Liar!

Not surprised. 

-Nitpick: I hate it when you do that!

-????: Whatever you mean, my beloved friend! I’ll let you be for now and discuss later your punishment! We are still in classes after all ♡ 

At least I have this little moment of chuckle.

The speakers of the school made an annoying noise, and soon someone spoke through them. “Nitpick Bittersweet. Please go to the Vice-Principal’s office to discuss about the Thanksgiving event immediately!”

Sixth Sense tingling… Sudden silence and numerous stares towards me isn’t something good at all.

“Good luck, Schoolmate! Show the Vice-Principal what you are capable of!”

“Shut up, Rainbow Dash.” I said hissing.

“Jerk.” She said annoyed.

I journeyed my way to the Vice-Principal’s office and I wasn’t sure on what to expect. I just heard about her until now so this would be my first time meeting her in person. I wonder what kind of woman is she. Only the answer can be found behind this door.

“Beasty!” 

“Dan-“ She put a finger on her mouth and I understood the signal. I walked with her to a safe distance from that door.

“What is the meaning of this? As soon as Bulby and I heard the announcement, I invented an excuse to get out of class earlier!”

“This is a mistake! Someone signed up with my writing to the event! I swear!”

“But who could make a perfect copy of your handwriting around here? It’s terrible!”

“SHH!”

“Don’t shh me like that!” 

“Argh! Do you have to pinch me!?”

“Yes!”

“Anyway, I better clarify this and tell Vice-Principal Luna this is a mistake!”

“Be careful! Vice-Principal Luna is a no-nonsense woman! Say something foolish and you are done!”

“I know how to behave with the authorities, Dancer!”

“If you say so! We’ll wait for the good news!” She went back to her classroom, not before giving me her blessings.

I stood in front of the door, not before thinking about what I was going to say. Fuck the event, were the right words. I knocked the door and a haunting permission to get inside was heard from there. This is becoming frightening all of the sudden. I turned the knob and got inside her office. I was starting to feel cold. The place was dark and I could barely see the furniture inside.

“Ah, you’re here! Please have a seat!” A lawful voice spoke.

I obediently took the seat in front of her desk. Her chair was giving its back to me, giving me a menacing sensation with each passing second. Suddenly, a pleasant aroma arrived to my nose. I have smelled this perfume before. My queen in Crystal Prep used it often, giving her a pleasant aura. But this wasn’t her. Nevertheless, this perfume is so lovely, soft and feminine. 

“I’m glad you came here as soon as possible! If we speak this in a quick fashion, you can enjoy the entire lunch break at your discretion. Does that sound acceptable to you?” She said authoritatively.

“Yes.” I said weakly.

“Are you in fright?” She asked while noises where coming from her side. “Where is that document?” She mumbled.

“A little, to be honest.”

“Worry not, for you are not in trouble.” She said in a comforting way. “I have a special job for you, in fact!”

“A job?”

“Yes, I believe you are the right student to the task I have in mind.”

“What task, Miss?”

“The Thanksgiving event of next month, as you must be aware of!”

Hell no.

“Miss, I believe there is a misunderstanding here. The Idol Six are better suited for these things.”

“It’s because of those students why I have chosen you. That and other people’s good word on you!”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You were a Crystal Prep student once! This could be valuable asset to the school… where is that folder?”

“May I ask why?”

“Young Bittersweet, do you have friends in Crystal Prep Academy?”

“Yes.”

I’m not that anti-social, woman.

“Did some of them compete in the games?”

“Just one.”

“I’ll ask of you that you answer the next question with honesty: what does your friend and the rest of the school think about the outcome of the games?”

“…Uh”

“Fear not. Whatever you say here will not come out of these walls. I give you my word. AHA! Here you are!” She closed the drawers she was dealing with… something about her voice made me trust her. After several seconds, I gave my honest answer.

“Being respectful to you, Miss… we think CHS cheated. You used acrobatics and tricks to make mayhem during the games, turning the tide to your favor… Miss.” I hope that was humble enough.

She sighed with concern, but at the same time, it gave me the sensation that she expected that answer. “Give me a moment to rearrange these documents in the right folders so we can talk face to face.”

Face to face? I dragged things long enough. I must tell her right away that I didn’t volunteer for this shit.

“Miss, I believe there is something we need to clarify first!”

She turned around her chair, stood up and turned on the lights of her office. “I believe this illumination is better suited for civilized discussions. So what do you want to clarify?”

…

What is the Moon? Its Earth's only natural satellite that journey with her in an elliptic trajectory across the solar system. Where is the Moon? In space. It appears at night, in the sky of mother earth! During the time of sleep and dreaming that sometimes seems to approach the borders of death and the afterlife when the Sun goes beyond of Earth’s horizon. How is the Moon? Ever changing, but only from afar, because in reality she always has the same face towards its admirers. 

Across the centuries, it has acquired many myths, many worshippers, and many names. But one name in particular persisted. One legend dictates that those who acted strangely during the night were said to be moonstruck, and lunacy, a term for madness, comes from Luna, the Latin name for the Moon Goddess. Other legend dictates that Luna was the Queen of the Stars, one who was summoned to hear songs from children of purity in the time of myth.

And finally, a myth linked Luna with the aspect of birth and death at the same time. Such ancient stories were proving a reality to me. I was becoming moonstruck by the beauty of her figure. I became an aspect of purity summoned to spread songs of reasonless discussions with her. And I became a victim of her eyes who killed me with a ray of moonlight, only to be reborn as a faithful worshipper and instrument of her wishes.

Sublime hair made of sapphires and stardust that could be mistaken with the starry night, opalescent eyes that could be compared with a bottomless lake and a figure that could eclipse the Sun and bring forward the eternal sleep to her admirers. I remembered the name of the perfume. Royal number Seven was its brand. So this is the myth of the Vice-Principal that I have never met until now. So this is the Moon who punishes the wicked with nightmares when the Sun refuses to burn them to ashes. 

So this is…



Vice-Principal Luna.

No, nope, nou! Must tell her the truth!

“What does Crystal Prep has to do with all of this?”

DAMN IT!

She took her seat again. “Here is the long story short, young one: As you may know, Principal Abacus Cinch, like her predecessor, has always won with Crystal Prep the Friendship Games against CHS for the last twenty-four years.”

I could barely pay her attention but I managed. “I thought it was twenty.” I still remember what Sunset said to me during the first day of school.

“The last game was the sixth time we competed, so if you make simple math, you’ll have your answer. And since they didn’t lose and we were all declared winners… sorry if this sounds silly.”

“Oh… right, no problem!”

You can say silly things all you want.

“This last event proved to be… uhm, magical, of sorts. But it seems that the Educative Buffet of the state didn’t buy that our school tied with them. I need you to aid the Idol Six to control their… magical talents, and win the competition of who can make the best celebration of both schools in a believable fashion!”

“I thought the Friendship Games were the only competition that both schools had against each other.”

“Well, no. You see, it was tradition that both schools worked together in various community services after the games ended to improve relationship with the students and society, but that changed when Principal Cinch took the position as your former headmaster, claiming that it was an unnecessary bonding.”

“That sounds like her… But then that would mean!”

“Yes! Since she tied with us, no doubt she wants to balance things out to her favor by defeating us in the Thanksgiving event!”

“What do you want from me?”

“As I said, keep the girls in check. I’m fully aware that some students, especially you, don’t like the way they do things around here. I told to the Principal several times that the school needs more members in its committee than only those six…” She stood up and walked to the window, partially opening it. “Celestia is an excellent Principal and a kind woman, but sometimes she is too idealistic to the point of naivety! We need people that can balance idealism with rationality in this school!” She acquired a serious face. “In the light, a shadow must follow to preserve the delicate balance of the world!”

“But Miss, I’m not well liked in this school! I don’t think that I could rally more than five students to support me!”

“This little list over here tells me otherwise!”

She gave to me a folder that was on her desk. While she took her seat, I was inspecting its contents. To my great surprise, it was a list of names and signs that wanted me to form a second school committee.

“I spoke with Dean Cadence a moment ago and we discussed this sudden change of plans from Principal Cinch. She mentioned you were a kind of leader in Crystal Prep, so I believe your talents will be certainly welcomed to our school. An anonymous student gathered the names and signs of that list with the purpose of showing acceptance for you to lead a second group.”

I inspected the list again… there were lots of printed sweeties dropping on the side of the pages. There is only one person that I know who have a similar emblem like this.

“I don’t know, Miss. I’m not the people person!”

Not to mention it would mean that I would work my ass more than necessary all over again.

“I want to preserve my sister’s legacy as clean as possible! It would mean a great deal to me, young one.”

…That frowning eyebrow of hers.

“I will do everything in my power to help you out, Miss Luna!” I knightly accepted her petition.

“Perfect! I’m sure you’ll do a great deal of things around here! Choose at least four other members that may be interested in joining you! And please close gently the door when you leave. Oh! And remember, if you need assistance, my door is always open!” With that, she continued her Vice-Principal’s obligations in peace.

Closing the door as she asked me to, I tried to go on my way to my spot to think about life.

“What happened in there?” Lightbulb asked behind me.

I laughed under my breath. “An encounter of Fate is what happened, my cruel friend!”

“Uh… Let’s go to your spot and discuss things in a way that makes sense to me.”

We still had forty minutes to enjoy the lunch break. Dancer went with her friends to the cafeteria to talk about girly subjects and my friend waited for me all this time. He had his lunch with him and he gave me a medium-sized tupper and a bottle of juice.

“Twilight asked me to give you these!”

“Again? That girl and her lunches! This is the third time, already!”

It even came with a little note. The only thing writing in there was ‘Language!’ and her emblem cutely drawn beside it.

“Hey! No matter if it sucks, you won’t reject a homemade lunch from a girl on my watch!”

“I wasn’t planning to, dumbass! Anyway, what did you want to ask me?”

“Vice-Principal Luna.”

I sighed with melancholy. “It’s has been only three minutes and I already miss her.”

“Oh god, it really happened.” He said annoyed.

“I have seen perfection inside that room! I have been bathed by her light and wisdom! And now, I have become a vanguard for her crusade! Anyone who opposes her shall receive a punishment of thousand tortures! Of thousand deaths! Each more painful than the last!”

“Are you aware that she is older and way beyond your league, dumbass?”

“DON’T JEOPARDIZE MY CHANCES WITH HER, YOU ASSHOLE!”

He sighed in annoyance. “Anyway, Dancer told me everything. Did you clarify everything in there?”

“Yes! I’m gonna form another school committee that matches the Idol Six!”

He nearly spitted the food on his mouth. “What the fuck did you say?”

“Hey! Vice-Principal Luna asked me to do it! How could I refuse?”

“Why the hell did you do that?”

“Because I have seen the errors of my ways! She has offered me a chance for redemption! She has chosen me to enforce justice in the school! Her light, her benevolence and selfless desires to raise CHS have touched my heart. I won’t fail her! I will fight for her! She is a guiding voice that gathers the wicked and transforms them into benevolent beings of society! Besides… she’s hot… I trust her!”

“HOW MUCH OF AN IDIOT CAN YOU BE!?”

“I’M A FUCKING TEENAGER WITH A MOONSTRUCK IN HIS SYSTEM!” I opened the tupper and started to eat my lunch. ”AS LONG AS I HAVE BREATH, I WILL – Wuh! Parmesan Cheese!”

“Heavens blesses you, all-benevolent Twilight, for shutting him up through your holy breakfast!” He prayed to the gods.

Hours passed after our little talk and the time to go home was at hand. Dancer took the bus to her job and Lightbulb made me company before he took his ride home.

“Bro… are you seriously going to do this? We’ll help you out but I don’t know if anyone at the school will aid you as Dancer and I will. Last time was a disaster!”

“I know… perhaps I should retire while I still can!”

“Hey! What are you guys doing there?” A sweet voice spoke. “It’s time to go home and have fun later!”

“Nothing, Lyra! We are discussing something!” Lightbulb answered her. “Where is Bon Bon?”

“In the library! She wanted to be alone for a while to do her homework and since I have to go home to help dad with some chores, I have to leave her there.”

“You sound almost sad.” I said.

“She is my BFF! It feels weird not being around her for too long. But that’s a student life for you!” She released a soft giggle. “Oh yeah! She needed to talk to you about something! Why don’t you go in there before she gets really busy?”

“…I should do that.”

“Great! Bulb, can you escort me back home? I’ll tell Dancer about it!”

“Ugh, you’re such a tease!”

They both went their way and I decided to speak with Bon, Bon Bon about something else. The library was only being used by a few students. Walking through the shelves, a cute Miss Cheerilee was arranging, cleaning and reading from time to time some of the books in this place.

She was our part-time history teacher still, but I wonder why she hasn’t taken the full-time position. I mean, she is more than qualified for the job. Speaking of her, I haven’t seen Big Mac lately. I hope he is doing fine with his work back in the farm.

“Where is she?” I looked around to no avail. This place, hate it… but since I have some homework to do, I better start some of it and have the rest of the day free to play games in peace. When I started to write down my homework, a pair of arms rested in my shoulders. The soft sensation that I felt on my back immediately alerted me that it was a girl embracing me, but I was paying more attention to the item her hands were holding.

“Do you want it?”

It was the Special Colored edition of Knight Seiyamus issue number seventeen! 

“Where did you get this, Bon? I have been looking for this issue for months now!”

“Lucky finding, I guess! Anyway, I’ll give you this as a tribute if you accept the job! I’m sure the Vice-Principal gave you the important details by now!”

“So you were the one who created that list and made a forgery of my name!”

“What are you talking about?” She asked innocently. “You are a meanie all of the sudden!”

“Bon Bon, are you planning to use me to whatever end you have in mind?”

She put the book in the table and hugged me completely. “Yes.” She softly whispered in my ear.

“You smell really nice.”

“Pervert.” She said playfully.

“Can I know this time now why are you doing this? And how did you manage to duplicate my sign perfectly?”

“Nah ah ah! You aren’t my friend, remember?”

“Bon Bon is my friend, isn’t?”

“Bon Bon is not available! Please dial-up again during school hours!” She imitated an answering machine.

“Bitch.”

“Hehe! As likeable as always!” She released me and took a seat nearby. Those cold but attractive eyes were in her face again. “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?”

“Before we start… the book is mine, right?”

“Will you accept the job of forming the new group?”

“If you kiss me, I’ll certainly say yes.”

“Only Lyra can ask that of me. The manga will have to do.”

“Fair enough.” I softly laughed in a greedy manner. I only needed one issue more and my collection will be complete. “Speaking of Lyra, did you lie to her?”

“Of course not! I really was doing some work here!” She showed me her completed homework of the classes we shared. “Anyway, here is the summary! CHS normally does this kind of community services every year after the Fall Formal, but the Friendship Games took place this time around and the formal was cancelled. Even so, we’ll still do the deed of helping the needed like every other year.”

“I don’t see why we need more than one group for that.”

“We’ll be working in the city instead of Ponyville this time!”

“The city?”

“As Miss Luna should have informed you, Crystal Prep wants vengeance for what happened during the games! So they proposed to resurrect the tradition that Cinch herself cancelled several years ago. CHS has the resources to make a great celebration… but!”

“It can only be done in a place as small as this town!”

“Exactly! No doubt Cinch knows too well our weaknesses! Combined with the magical development that nobody wants to experience again, well, you have the idea.”

“Look, I think I have an idea of what occurred in the games… I never thought you would be the cheating kind of school!”

“You must believe me that I didn’t want to be part of that, even if it was an accident!”

“An accident? My friends and I have a theory that the school has more resources than they want us to know!”

“You could say that, but what happened before doesn’t matter in the present day! What is really important now is to avoid that kind of actions to take place again! CHS is many things but we aren’t cheaters! I give you my word…” She said the last in a menacing voice.

“Umm… What do you need of me?”

She gently played with my cheeks. “Ow! I never thought you would say that!”

“Stop that.”

She laughed rather quietly. “I need you to lead the second team and give your best effort. No doubt Sunset will do the same thing and follow you to the place of your choosing.”

“Why are you so sure of that?”

“It seems that she took an interest in you and wants to put you down!”

“To what end do you want me to do this?”

“I won't tell you! So, are you in or what?”

This girl, seriously!

“What about Crystal Prep?” 

“Well... confirm this with them! Perhaps this is just a false alarm!”

If anyone would give me concrete information, it would be her. Time to text her.

-Nitpick: Can I call you?

It didn’t take more than a second to receive the answer.

-Sugarcoat: (凸◕‿◕)

Dialing up. I got up and got away from Bon.

“What do you want, Bittersweet?” 

“Friendly as always, little troll! I’ll be working with you for the Thanksgiving event.”

“So the co-activities program with CHS this year wasn’t a joke, uh? You better not be lying about you participating in this! I can’t bear the idea of spending time with CHS cheaters on a whole month without you!”

“I’m a student in CHS now, remember?”

“For now. And seriously, be there!”

“You sound angered… everything okay?”

She released a deep sigh.

“Just a little tired… We’ll talk about it in the night when we play online with the others! We still need to farm Pure Materials to refine our weapons… I could use some venting if all of you allow me to.”

“You don’t need to say that… Any idea about this sudden change of plans?”

“No. As you know, we do many kinds of extra-curricular activities as a part our program, but that’s usually during vacations. Not to mention that I don’t know what kind of rules will be applied for the coming alliance. Tomorrow, both schools must reunite in the Public Hall of Crystal Prep to start the Ceremony of Union. Stupid name if you ask me.”

“So it’s in the academy’s territory? Damn it!”

“I’ll tell Heavensbane that you are coming, she’ll definitely stick with you. Also, don’t worry about your social status here, I have already covered it. Talk to you later.” 

And she’s gone.

“Well, this really means that we’ll be working together.” I said while taking back my seat.

“Then let’s go to the next subject: your army!”

“My army?”

“You need at least four members more, right? With me, it would be three left, and Lyra, Dancer and Bulb could complete the set! But why stop there when we can add a few more?”

“Did you spy on my talk with Vice-Principal Luna?”

“What makes you believe that? All clubs and groups of this school must have at least four members, if you didn’t know that by now!”

“Do you think this is a war of sorts?”

“Of course!”

“Against who?”

“The establishment!”

“Nobody will want to side with me besides you!”

“Did you already forget about the list of students that signed that petition of approval?”

“Forgeries and tricks from you, I bet!”

She laughed so loud that Cheerilee herself came to silence her. She blushed at that with embarrassment. As soon as the Miss went back to her duties, Bon Bon forced a cough and continued.

“All those signs are real! I assure you that! By the end of the week I’ll present to you three more people that’ll help you directly in your task! Not to mention, all the one-hundred and twenty six students backing you up in that list”

“That’s barely a fifth of the school!”

“More will join, no doubt!”

“What makes you say that?”

“Just a hunch!”

“And Applejack is my girlfriend!”

“That could happen if you wished it!”

…I better not ask.

“Why don’t you let me worry about your officers while you prepare yourself mentally for tomorrow? It will be a long day after all! Go home, relax, read your new book and have fun with your friends online!”

“…How can I trust you?”

“I want to work with you. I swear it by Lyra’s name!” She put her right hand on her chest and raised the other in an oath position.

We didn’t have anything else to say. This is really happening. I could have said ‘No’ and everything would have ended in me slacking off in my free time as always. But talking with Bon like this… it made me feel nostalgic about something.
> Chapter 58- Shared Leadership
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There comes the moment in your life where you must visit the place that will become your second home. It’s one of those experiences in your youth when you start wondering if that place is destined to grant you the personal growth you need in the future. It’s a tough choice. A choice that you will eventually face sooner than expected.

The school that you end up enrolling has an everlasting impact in your life. More than you can imagine… Especially if you no longer assist to that place.

We didn’t have sport classes today. Instead, Principal Celestia selected one-hundred students to take the buses of the school and journey our way to my old academy. It was a nice ride… giving the circumstances. I don’t know what to expect in my brief return to Crystal Prep Academy.

“Everything ok, Bro? You have been quiet all the trip.” Lightbulb whispered.

“No.” I said in the same tone.

“Do you think that your school will humiliate you for being a CHS guy now?”

“No. According to Sugarcoat, she already covered that issue by now… the problem is…”

“Twilight.”

I sighed. “I told her not to come but Shimmer and company pushed her forward. Those girls haven’t met the full blunt of Crystal Prep’s harshness yet. They hate Twilight to the point of believing that she helped CHS during the games.”

“Just like Sugarcoat.”

“Perhaps worse…”

“Do you have a plan?”

“No. I’m going to separate from the group when we arrive to hang-out with Gily a little while. They’ll probably give you some snacks at the cafeteria of the school and I’ll be gone by then”

“Want me to keep an eye on her?”

“Just stick with Bon and the rest. If the Idol Six are competent enough, they’ll protect her. Oh, we’re finally here.”

One by one, all the students from both buses got down from them and followed our Principal and Vice-Principal to the school entrance. There, Dean Cadence was the host and guided us around. Twilight was happy to see her and tried to close her distance with her role model. 

The school’s classrooms were full of curious students watching our arrival through the door window. I could clearly see that unforgettable fervor to destroy competition on those eyes of my old schoolmates. It was fascinating. Crystal Prep barely united against a common foe. At least inside the school. All kind of differences between social groups and individuals disappeared when it was time to face an enemy of the school. Like everywhere else, there were exceptions to the rule.

But this school’s population, in its vast majority, was, is and it will always be loyal to the Shadowbolt shield and what it represents. I admired their senseless loyalty to some extent. I was a little afraid for Midnight… but as long as she sticks with the multitude of CHS behind the scenes, nothing should happen to her.

Now, it was time for a little detour.

I got fully separated from the group. My new companions were invited to the school cafeteria which was big enough to host the one hundred people from the CHS population with ease. As for me, I went straight to my old locker. I know they will not miss me that much in there. No doubt they’ll be marveled by that classy food from this place.

“My old locker…”

“You did come, uh?”

“Of course I would come for you, Gily!”

“Uhu! Anyway, open your locker and grab your gear! We still have some time before that ceremony nonsense starts!”

“Mmm…”

Locker B-01. It looks unused. I didn’t retrieve my things so I probably came here in vain. But I wonder if…

‘Click’

“It opened!” 

My old lock combination worked.

“Of course it opened, Nit!” Gily said. “After all, that’s your locker!”

“…Sugarcoat, right?”

“Yep, she confiscated it for herself, if you know what I mean!”

I was amazed to see that all of my things were exactly as I left them these few months ago. My books, comics, mangas… my Nientiendo 3SD!

“Oh, I missed you so much, buddy!” I said in tears while rubbing my cheeks on its surface.

“Why didn’t you tell me your portable was in there?”

“I thought they threw away my things!”

“Well, you can leave the rest there! I’ll lend you Sug’s charger to make sure you battery isn’t dead!”

“Where are we going?”

“To the usual place, my friend!”

She rested her arm on my shoulders and I did the same on hers. Walking like this was so melancholic. And we arrived. This is one of the few places that I missed from the academy. The Champion Lounge was a haven for the social leaders to decide, enforce, administrate, and work for the school’s population best interests.

“I’m no longer a leader here, you know!”

“Yeah, well, I have the key and Sugarcoat doesn’t mind if we go inside! Besides, two of our friends are Champion Leaders, remember?”

“Favoritism at its finest!”

She took out the key from her pocket and opened the door. Nothing has changed. The three LCD TV’s of fifty-two inches are there, the fridge, the sofas, the massaging chairs, the round table… the saying that said that you started to miss the good life when you already lost it was proving to be true to me.

Gily pointed out to a pizza box. Excellent timing because I was hungry. When I opened it up, however…

“RABBIT FOOD?”

“Have you taken your vitamins as I told you?”

“Yes.”

“Did you buy the whey protein afterward?”

“No.”

“Sad luck you have! Now eat because we, your irreplaceable friends, ate the whole pizza for you!”

“You motherfuckers…”

An opera tune- Oh, come on!

-????: ( ◕_◕)

-Nitpick: sorry…

-????: (◕ ‿ ◕) Double punishment!

“Damn it!”

I ate my only option of nourishment and took a nap for a while until Sugarcoat’s texted us. It was time to see what this was all about. My 3SD was left charging, and I was grateful that the battery didn’t get damaged. The road to the hall was flooded with students but we managed to get inside. I joined with the rest of my group of the academy in the benches on the upper levels and it was great to be with them.

“My beloved friend, the school became a brighter and warmer bastion of knowledge with your arrival!” The royal princess said. 

“Really? I don’t think anyone noticed him here while he was coming right to us!” The pain said.

“Shut up, asshole!”

“HEY!”

“Quiet! It’s going to start!” Said Sugarcoat.

The lights on the Public Hall dimmed until they matched the mood of the cloudy autumn. Numerous teachers, the headmasters of CHS, Dean Cadence, Indigo Zap and her friends took their seats behind the tables. The lights suddenly focused on the entrance of the stage. From there, a middle aged woman was walking elegantly, emanating within her an air of prepotency and undisputable competence in the academic fields.

Principal Abacus Cinch has taken control of the whole place by just grabbing the microphone.

“Young ladies and gentlemen, key personnel of Crystal Prep Academy and guests from Canterlot High School! After twelve years of regretful situations that prevent us in joining under a single flag for a common goal, I’m pleased to welcome all of you to the Ceremony of Union!” The people clapped at her words. 

My royal friend giggled in a lady-like fashion. “It seems that our respected Principal still needs some lying lessons, my dearest friends.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if most of the guys here bought that!” I said.

“As you may know!” Cinch continued. “All of you represent the future of this distinguished nation! Crystal Prep Academy and its branches always have educated above-excellent individuals and professional leaders for the world! So once again, our prestigious Academy will be put to the test! A test that will challenge your moral values and strengthen your virtues! Your commitments, promises and hard-labor will raise your worth beyond the realm of mediocrity and bestow upon you Ultimate Victory! A Victory that is rightfully ours since the beginning!” She put great emphasis on her last words.

All the personal and the vast majority of Crystal Prep Academy made a thunderous applause to her speech. She was pleased, the students and personnel were motivated… except Dean Cadence and the people of CHS. I can see clearly now that they finally noticed her subtle declaration of war.

“So it is my greatest pleasure and honor to present to you three members of the most prestigious Inspectors of the International Educative Bureau! Fair ladies and gentlemen, if you please come in!”

“Did she say Educative Bureau?” Sugarcoat asked in disbelief.

“Yes, my intellectual friend. She truly is obsessed about her conflict against Canterlot High!”

“This event should be supervised by the Buffet of the State!” I said confused.

“It seems is no longer the case, Bittersweet… what’s going on here?”

In the stage, three individuals appeared besides Cinch. They were greeting the staff of both schools and exchanging small chit-chat with one another. I didn’t know any of them… with the exception of one.

“That’s one of my teachers…” I pointed out to the woman talking with my Vice-Principal.

“My beloved friend, that’s Mrs. Katherine Harshwhinny! Inspector of the Olympic Games, five times referee in the finals of every Rugby Royal Cup since nineteen-ninety nine and winner of Chess Masters in Great Equine for three consecutive times.”

“Then it means that CHS has the field disadvantage this time!” Her brother spoke. “She is well known for being unbiased about rules! Whatever happened in the games, Cinch must have gone to great lengths to take her under her sleeves.”

“That teacher doesn’t seem to be the betrayer type!” I said.

“Ohohoho! My plebian friend, don’t misunderstand loyalties from duty!” My painful friend said.

“Shut… no, forget it. You’re definitely right.”

“When you give me the reason without a fight is kind of unsettling, you know!” The pain said disturbed.

“All right, everybody, settle down!” Mrs. Harshwhinny took Cinch’s place. “As you’re well aware, it’s been twelve years since CHS and Crystal Prep joined in an amiable team to make your service to the community as a part of your formation! I’m pleased to see that, under several circumstances, it is time for you to represent your school once more in such a short fashion!”

Chatter… chatter everywhere. Cinch took a spare microphone and-

“SILENCE!” 

She still has it.

“Mrs. Harshwhinny, please continue.”

“Thank you very much! I’ll be brief so you can make your teams before evening arrives!”

“TEAMS?” Zap shouted for answers.

“Yes, little miss! You’ll be working in three teams for three different governmental institutions: An orphanage, a retirement center and a nursing home! All three teams will consist of ten students of each school to work in union for the greater picture! In the event of unavailability or necessity, you can alternate teammates as you see fit, but those individuals must take measures for not delaying the flow of your progress!”

“This was supposed to be a competition about who can make the best Thanksgiving party for the folks!” Rainbow Dash raised her voice.

“It will be a competition for Thanksgiving, Miss Rainbow Dash! But in a spiritual fashion!”

“You will have to choose wisely your team members if you want to succeed in the task ahead.” All mighty Vice-Principal Luna spoke beside her. “This is not a house-cleaning or a big party like in previous years! You’ll be helping professionals to fulfill their duty to help the sick and unfortunate!”

“Not to mention that every action you do will be qualified by your superiors in each center! The school who wins the approval of two or more institutions will win the event!” Dean Cadence joined the duo. “This is a great opportunity for you, but also a great responsibility! You have to decide your teams’ formations before the end of the week! Once assembled, you’ll receive further instructions during Friday evening in this hall! You can start discussing in the gym hall of our school and reach an agreement of your future associations if you desire it! That’ll be all for now!”

Knowing Dean Cadence, I was completely sure that she wanted us to go and discuss now. As expected, all who were interested walked straight to the gym hall. 

“Do you think those guys from the Educative Bureau will annoy us during the competition?” Gily asked while we walked to the hall.

“No. They only came here to put pressure on us. Even Cinch can’t convince people like them to supervise directly the flow of things with us twenty four-seven! Besides, something tells me that this won’t be your regular clash of schools.” Sugarcoat answered. “Even so, we must be on guard in case that they decide to sporadically supervise our progress.”

“This will be like the Christmas event of the last year! Only crappier!” I said in annoyance.

“Perhaps, my beloved friend. Still, it will be fun! But if you excuse us, we’ll take our leave! Our Father is in the city and wants to spend time with us! Make sure to include us in the team list, my intellectual friend! If you decide to join the competition, of course!”
“Consider it done.” Sugarcoat answered. “The rest of you, follow me!”

The road to the hall was infested with students walking in an orderly fashion. The CHS population was completely surrounded by my old schoolmates. At least, all the people that the hall could contain in a spacious matter. 

“Hehehe! Look at them! Whether it is at our school or theirs, Crystal Prep always intimidate the competition!” Sugarcoat spoke with pride.

“Imperialist bitch.” Said Gily.

“Shut up, Heavensbane!”

“So, any ideas which place will be ideal?” I asked.

“The nursing home is the ideal place for us! Doesn’t have many kids or old-timers to take care of… well, as far as I know!!” Gily spoke unsure.

“Heavensbane, with your experience in dealing with the elderly, like your grandfather for example, the retirement center would be best suited to us. We can learn from you and gain field advantage.”

“Sug, my grandpops is old but he still has youth on those rusty bones of his! I don’t take care of him that much so choose for us the nursing home!”

“Bittersweet, any opinion you want to share with us?”

“If the royal pain will be in our team, better choose a place where he’ll be respectful. The orphanage would be the best choice.”

“It seems we are in a disagreement! We’ll discuss it online later to reach a conclusion if possible!”

“Yeah… now let’s see if my leadership in one of the school’s committees wasn’t a joke.”

We got closer to the CHS community where Sunset and Sunny Flare engaged in parley.

“Alright, we should discuss who will team up with whom in the teams! Any ideas, gal?” Flare asked… surprisingly nice.

“We still haven’t decided! This is too sudden, to be honest! We were told that we would compete in a party and cleaning event! Not join forces in something as big as this!”

“Afraid that we’ll beat you to a pulp in a team effort, CHS Gal?” A random student asked challenging.

“YEAH!” Most of the school exclaimed in agreement.

“Hey! We came here to discuss things in a civilized manner!” Said Rarity in a scolding tone.

“Right! We want this team-up to be as cool as possible!” Rainbow added.

“Oh, is that right? Losers!” 

The students laughed at that and an uneasy argument started between both factions. I could see that Zap, Zest and the others were trying to remain quiet. After all, they formed a kind of camaraderie with some of the people that participated in the games. Even so, they were Shadowbolts in the end, supporting their teammates in a surprisingly civilized manner.

“It seems that my old school is as welcoming as ever.” I whispered.

“More surprising is that they haven’t seen you, yet!” Gily whispered as well.

“How could someone notice him if he isn’t someone important right now?”

“Nitty!” A sweet spoke on my back.

Oh no!

“I have been looking every-“ I shut her mouth.

“Twilight, SHH!” I whispered. “What are you doing here!?”

She gently took away my hand from her mouth. “I went to the bathroom! Why?” She asked in a normal tone. “Oh yes, the others were looking for you and we thought you got lost! Anyway, let’s join Sunset and the others so we can help the school’s morale!”

“No! You go back with them and hide before it’s too late!”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Sparkle…”

Midnight finally noticed that I wasn’t on my own. Gilda was looking at Sparkion in a neutral manner and Sugarcoat soon joined in the stare.

“Gilda, Sugarcoat…” Midnight said weakly.

“Hello… Sparkle.” Said Sugarcoat with annoyance.

“Sparkle?” One of the students nearby asked. “Champion Sugarcoat, who- AH, YOU!”

Silence… slowly, one by one, people were looking with despise at Midnight. Stares of unfriendliness. Sights of distrust.

“Look! It’s Sparkle, the Traitor!”

“The Traitor dared to show her face again in this place!”

“The Traitor is back!”

“Filthy Traitor!”

Endless chants saying ‘Traitor’ flooded the hall. Like a dark ritual ready to summon a demon from hell.

“DID SOMEONE SAY ‘TRAITOR’?”

I could live for thousands of years and I would never forget that voice. The students made way to allow passage to one of the most influential people in the academy. Her height that nearly matched Gily’s, her stare that looked down on Sparkion’s existence and one of the family members of Indigo Zap.

She took by force her shirt and spoke out of her mind!

“TRAITOR!”

“Back off, Dust!” I intervened. “Remove your hands from her immediately!”

“Bittersweet! We meet again at last!” She said in mockery.

“Dust. Release. Now!”

“I second that! Leave her alone!” 

Rainbow Dash emerged from the multitude and pushed back Lighting Dust with enough strength to free Midnight from her.

“Dash! Step aside! This is school business!”

“She is CHS now! Whatever business you have with her, its mine now as well!” She said defiantly.

“It’s true! After all, you and the rest of the cheaters of you school are responsible for my cousin’s defeat!”

“What are you talking about? We aren’t cheaters!”

“Oh, yeah? What about the Friendship Games and your filthy tricks to sabotage Zap’s victory?”

“That was an accident! Besides, Sunset won fair and square! Just like we beat you during the running competition from the last time!”

“Liar! We now know the truth about your magic tricks, cheater!”

“WAIT!” A red-haired girl came through the multitude with her friends at her side. “This is a misunderstanding! CHS isn’t a school of cheaters! Like Rainbow said, it was an accident!”

“Accident? ACCIDENT?” Sugarcoat lost her cool in her voice. “I’ll tell you what was an accident! Me and Zap nearly falling to our deaths when we were winning during the motocross rally!”

“Let me explain what really-!”

“Don’t bother!” Sugarcoat spoke while taking out of her pocket an usb and looked around for someone. “You there! Put this on the computer and turn on the projector! The file’s name is ‘Cheaters’!”

He obeyed her command and soon an image was projected at the custom-made wall to showcase the image. After finding the file, a video started.

“Greetings, my patriots of Crystal Prep Academy!” Sugarcoat said on the video with several students at her side. “I’m Candie Sugarcoat! Champion of the third-class group and ally of this proud institution! Today, we, the ones that participated in the Friendship Games, and with the aid of several titans of entertainment, will show to you a project that we have been working on for some weeks!”

The screen made a movie-like quality transition to a motocross rally. There, Sugarcoat started to explain the events of what happened during the games: The racing, the traps and such. Then the people that worked on the film industry and magic shows explained all the accidents in a detailed fashion. Costumes, practical effects combining the open spaces with window-like materials to produce illusions on the field, and the proof that my new school could make some of those tricks with cheap materials were a testament that they cheated. 

Sunset and company looked in awe to those explanations. Sparkion was the most baffled of all. The second section of the video was about a complete recreation of the supposed battle between Sunset and Sparkion.  Once again, acrobats and actors made the tricks to alternate between one another, perform the flying show using cords of transparent fabric on open fields and reinforcing what everyone knew from the beginning.

“As you can see, Crystal Prep was sabotaged this year! Sabotaged with the so called ‘Magic of Friendship’! But it has to be expected. How could an invincible school such as ours could achieve that kind of result without a secret weapon of sorts used against us? We defeated several schools of great renown across the globe since the founding of this institution! I ask of you, my brethren! Is CHS on par with our reputation? I hope this educational video was of your entertainment and gave you food for thought!” 

The video ended. On the credits were the names that promoted the production of the video. Millionaires like Blueblood, Oakwood, Fleur Dis Lee, Royal Pin and more helped Sugarcoat in this, no doubt. Sunset was troubled. So was the rest of Canterlot. Crystal Prep academy was looking with animosity against their hated enemy.

“So… once again I’ll ask!” Dust walked straight to Dash. “Was all that an accident? Did my cousin just bumped into something and fell to the ground during the race?”

“…Yes.” She said seriously.

It took several seconds for Dust to give her answer. “You disappoint me yet again, Rainbow Dash. You aren’t even worthy of my time!” She turned around and faced me. “Where were we, Nitpick? Oh yeah! Sparkle! Why did you defend her?”

“Why are you so proud of being Crystal Prep now, Dust? Even before Rider’s shit, you never were the loyal type!”

“The same can be said about you! But I’m defending Zap, and only her! Tell me to the face that she would lose to someone like Dash in a fair competition!”

I looked to Rainbow’s face for a long moment and then focused my attention at Zap… The choice was clear for me.

“No contest… Zap would win.”

I could see that Dash didn’t like that answer. On the other hand, Dust was happy about that and Zap... looked to the side in a strange way.

Bitch.

“I’m glad that you can still appreciate real talent! Especially after being transferred to that third-rate school… After all, being forced by your dad to be a CHS student was bad enough for your moral, to be honest.” She said with real pity.

“Forced?” Sunset asked.

I ignored her.

“How do you know that, Dust?”

“People found out about your sudden transfer and I was the one that explained everything in a public speaking to the students, Nitpick.”

“ZAP, WHY?” I was angered.

“I’m sorry! But the students needed to know that there is a vacancy for your… old position. Besides, if it wasn’t me, Cinch would have spoken in a twisted way for you!”

“You little-“

I was stopped by the arm. “I told her everything, Bittersweet!” Sugarcoat whispered. “Since it was her, nobody, and I really mean nobody resents you… so… forgive me.”

We exchanged cold stares. Understanding ones. I know she did it for my well-being.

“I’ll ask again!” Dust spoke. “Why did you defend Sparkle?”

“Because she is my friend!”

“Your friend?” One of my old subordinates asked.

“Boss!”

“This must be a mistake!”

“This is no mistake, everyone!” I said while standing my ground and taking Midnight’s hand. “She is my friend!”

Dust and the students were perplexed. Twilight was brimming with a smile in her face. “How could you fall this low by befriending a shitty gal like her?” She asked in disbelief.

“She is not a shitty gal!” 

This wasn’t the first time that we spoke at the same time. I joined forces with Sunset for once.

“I can somewhat allow you to call us cheaters but I won’t give you the right to insult MY friend!” Sunset was blazing.

“The feeling is mutual, Dust!”

“How can you defend them, Nitpick?” Jet Set spoke from behind. “You aren’t the cheater type and they are!”

“I can’t believe that Sparkle has deceived you!”

Ugh… not her.

“…Sour Sweet.” I said with neutrality.

“Hello.” She responded in kind. “That school is eroding your mind, Sweet.”

“My mind is fine, Sweet!”

This gal and I have a troublesome relationship.

“Nitty… CHS didn’t cheat! You believe me, right?”

Now I truly was in a troublesome position.

“Pffff! She even gave you a nickname? Dust is right! You really reached bottom!”

“What the hell is wrong with some of you? During the special classes of Wind Rider and the fair, some of you acted nice to her!” I exclaimed in frustration.

“That was before we knew the truth about the sabotage!” Said Zap with diplomacy. “Twilight betrayed the school and she is not welcome here anymore.”

“Zap! How can you say that?” 

“I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash! But after talking with my cousin about everything… Look, I like you but those living plants and wings weren’t fair game! It was a tasteless joke!”

Pity. That was the feeling I had when I saw Rainbow Dash’s face after hearing those words.

“How can we prove to you we are innocent, y’all?” Applejack stepped up.

“We don’t want her and Sparkle to participate in the event!” Sunny Flare suggested. The academy students agreed.

“WHAT!? You can’t do that!” Pinkie spoke. “That isn’t nice!”

“We don’t care if it isn’t nice! As far as we know, all the problems during the games were caused by those two! Want to prove your innocence? Beat us without the ‘magical’ girl stuff!” Said Sugarcoat.

I received a quick text message from an unknown sender. In it was written some key words and I understood completely what she wanted. An emoticon of three candies falling in line gave away her identity.

“You are a really something else, Bon Bon.” I whispered. She just replied with a smile from afar. “Look! There is a better solution! Want to hear it from me?”

“Nitpick, why you don’t tell me first your idea before-“

“Shut up, Shimmer! We don’t trust you for the matter!” Dust expressed. “What’s in your mind, Bittersweet?”

Harsh, even for her. “Let them participate in my team so I can supervise them directly and make sure they don’t ‘Power-Up’ or cheat their way against you! Sugarcoat will join me in the group and be my co-worker! Most of you know her! She despises cheating more than me! She is someone you can trust! If these girls, or any of CHS for the matter, ‘transform’ or cheat in any way, then Crystal Prep Academy will automatically win, no matter what decision the judges or whatever reach during the end of this shit!”

“And what about if they cheat behind our backs?”

“We will discuss that when we receive the complete rules this Friday! We don’t know what we are truly against to begin with! But I believe that those restrictions are more than enough, right? Besides, if the Educative Bureau came to the ceremony, no doubt that Cinch will monitor the events behind the scenes to make sure everything is playing fair and square. If the students of CHS are caught doing something foolish like ‘growing wings’, not only they’ll lose… they’ll humiliate Principal Celestia in the process!”

“What did you say?”

“You don’t know, Sunset? The reason why I know some of this is because Vice-Principal Luna told me when I went to her office yesterday! If you ‘Power-up’ or make something that could question CHS’ victory during the games, then the Principal’s credibility will be stained in the eyes of the Bureau! And we don’t want that to happen, do we?”

Oooh! I could get used to those enraged eyes of her. Midnight on the other hand was looking at me in a guilty fashion. She won’t have to worry about this when this is over. I’ll clean her name by the end of this.

Several chuckles were heard around the people of Crystal Prep. Faces of approval were seen with most students in the hall. This could actually work.

“Do we have an agreement, then? Remember, Sunset! We are the friendliest school in the nation so we don’t need the Magic to win, right? If we unite our forces, we can do a great service to the community while winning this senseless bullshit… riiiiight?”

From CHS, some people were skeptical about my sudden take on the leadership, but most of them started to nod in agreement when Lyra, Bon Bon and Lightbulb joined my side. Eventually, the Idol Six made a troublesome nodding. On the other hand, the people of the academy looked at Sugarcoat, expecting from her an answer. They didn’t have to wait for too long, though. A warm hand-shake was made between us and the first negotiations were over for today.

The responsibilities of the position started right away next day. 

First thing in the morning before classes started, Principal Celestia called Sunset and me to her office. Both sisters were there with a little box in the desk. As Sunset opened it, two silver badges with the word ‘Representative’ imprinted in them were there. It marked our status as leaders of the event. It was an unsettling alliance. One where I held little power in it.

Principal Celestia informed us about what Vice-Principal Luna subtly told me the other day. One misstep and the game will be over for CHS. Giving any kind of excuse to Cinch to declare us cheaters would mean ruining this school new-founded reputation and that’s something that Sunset won’t allow. I… just do it because the Vice-Principal asked the favor from me… that and I allowed myself to join Bon and her plans, again.

We took our leave and as soon as we were far away from the Principal’s office, Sunset grabbed my hand and pulled me with great strength until we arrived to the roof of the school… the panorama was really pretty.

“Do you like it?”

“I have seen better views… but it is fantastic, nonetheless.”

“Yeah... Nitpick, can I ask you something?” I just looked at her, giving away my answer with a stare. “Will stop talking to Twilight, please?”

“This conversation again? I’m going to the classroom!”

“No, I need an answer!”

“We will miss the first class if you get stubborn like this!”

“One day of absence is far more worth it if it means I get to convince you to cut ties with her! You are already poisoning the school’s unity with that little show of yesterday! I don’t want the same for her, understand?”

“The school is divided, Shimmer! Face it!”

“It was not! But since your arrival, everything has gone downhill gradually!”

“Bull- Forget it! I’m going now!”

She blocked the door with her body. Her posture exerting danger to my Sixth Sense… there is something wrong with her all of the sudden.

“Nitpick! Would you kindly cut ties with her?”

“No.” I said bluntly.

“Please.” She said between her teeth.

“No.”

“Is there anything I can do for you to change your mind?”

“One of this two things: Be my girlfriend or defeat me in this event! If CHS wins by your hand then I’ll do as you say, but I’ll tell her the truth of why I will do that! As long as we are friends, I promised her that I won’t lie to her ever again and I’m planning to withhold that to the bitter end.”

“And if CHS wins by your hand?”

“Then you won’t meddle with my friendships or methods ever again!”

“I accept your conditions… wait, and if CHS loses against Crystal Prep!”

“Then we’ll ask the people who was at fault of our defeat! Whoever is found guilty between the two will be the winner!”

“Sounds reasonable!”

“Now can we go to classes now?”

“Shall we walk together, my love?”

She hugged my arm and we walked our way to our class. Nobody was on the corridors anymore with the exception of us. The way we were together… it was just mockery. She knows it… I know it. Both of us managed to arrive to the class on time. Mrs. Harshwhinny was moodier than ever. Questions were asked about the events with Crystal Prep. She didn’t answer any of those, and her strict gaze gave us the subtle signal to not ask further about it. 

“…Jerk?” A whisper was heard.

That came from Rainbow Dash.

“…Jerk?” Another one.

I won’t look at you.

“…Nitpick?”

‘Sigh’ 

My sight rested on her prideful eyes, full of a blazing but soft flame in her pupils. 

“…I’ll prove to you that I don’t cheat.” 

After saying that, she started to work on her essay for the class. It ended up as homework, though. Next class was suspended. It seems that Mr. Bridge caught a nasty cold and couldn’t assist… that gave me time to play Fire Seal on my 3SD. Since its two hours of rest before the next class, I can go home and relax there for a while.

Walking through the corridors and going for the exit, I suddenly heard an incredible guitar solo coming from the band room. Then, a tambourine joined its tempo and I couldn’t stop praising in my mind the people who were playing that music. I wonder if it would be too rude to get inside and possibly interrupt them just like that. Curiosity got the best of me and before opening the door, I was thinking for an excuse in case everything went wrong.

If they don’t like my presence, I’ll apologize and leave… if they get angry, it would be my fault to begin with. Now, I just need to open the door and-

‘RAINBOOOOOOOOOOM’

‘SLAM’

…

…

…

A voice was calling me… I could feel a gentle warm in one of my hands… It was dark… But of course… My eyes were closed… 
She spoke again.

I slowly opened them… Dizzy… Hurt… I recognized her face… Even if my vision was extremely blurry… that semi-braided hair of her… those idealistic, kind eyes…

“Nitpick!” Said Fluttershy worried. 

I must have hit my head really hard… she looked like a gentle angel all of the sudden…



“Are you okay!?”

I didn’t say a thing to her… everything went dark quickly…
> Chapter 59- Persuasions...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Ugh…!”

“Shh… sleep!”

I soaked a towel with fresh water that the nurse instructed me to dab on his head. I didn’t have my class of trigonometry today. The teacher was arranging some car insurance papers on the Town’s Hall. That gave me time to nurse my partner’s health until he wakes up. Little by little, the young man who lied on the bed was coming back to his senses. I saw his struggle to wake up from his forced slumber, sweating, mumbling words of wings, magic… and betrayal.

Ooh! Betrayal is an interesting word.

Betrayal, according to the dictionary, is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. From all that you could say that is simply disappointing the hopes and dreams of one or several subjects.

But what makes a betrayal… a real betrayal? Is it the impious action that violates the trust given to you? And what makes a lie… a real one? The series of words and actions that contradicts the reality? Could it be that there is something beyond that? If so… what is the answer? What could it be, my partner in life? 

“Uh…” He opened his eyes lazily. “Where am I?”

It seems that my time of reflection has ended for today.

“You’re in the school’s infirmary. Fluttershy brought you here.”

“Ah… it’s you, Bon… How long was I out?”

“Ten days!”

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?”

I couldn’t stop laughing after seeing his perturbed face. 

“SHH!” The nurse came to shut me up.

This is the second time someone shuts me in my life… I should try to not laugh like that in public places.

“Oh, you are awake, young man! But by the looks of it, you should rest a little while longer!” The nurse said to him. “Oh, and thank you for your assistance, little miss!”

“I was glad to help a friend in need!”

“Tell me that you are lying about that, Bon!”

“Hee hee! Youngsters these days! Call me if you need anything.” She went back to her desk to continue her paperwork.

“The ‘ten days’ stuff was a joke, right?”

“Of course it was a joke!” I said playfully. “You have only been knocked out for twenty-three minutes. Impressive! Considering that it was a full blow to the head. You have a thick skull, you know.”

“What happened to me? The only thing that I remember is that I was trying to meet the people that were playing some cool, voiceless music, and then a rainbow shockwave of sorts hit me… I saw Fluttershy with wings… she looked gorgeous to be honest.”

“Well, this is what happened as far as I know: Rainbow Dash, in a fit of rage for reasons unknown, was playing the guitar on her own. But Fluttershy joined her and played her tambourine to soothe her up, making her feel relaxed and on the mood of making a power solo. When you opened the door, she threw away the guitar from the excitement, hitting you on the face with enough force to push you back and make you fall savagely to the ground, giving place to a small concussion on the head.”

“Oh, so that’s why all my head hurts.” He rubbed his face and back-head.

“Yes.”

“But that doesn’t explain Fluttershy’s wings! They looked… real!”

“When I arrived to the scene, you were nearly unconscious. Fluttershy’s wings were in fact… well, I don’t know if I must tell you…”

“What are you hiding, Bon?”

I sighed. “The truth is… that Fluttershy… is a cosplayer.”

He analyzed my answer for a moment. “…what?”

“She is an anime and manga fan that hasn’t come out of the closet… she likes Pirate Moon, Kokun Ball C, Neon Illuminati Evangelic and a few others more… only Rainbow Dash, and by some extent Lyra and me, knows her shameful secret.”

“That’s not shameful! What she does is an expression! So she must have been the one that gave the idea of the magical girl stuff during the games! With that, she fulfilled her dreams of cosplaying in the school through Sunset and Twilight… poor girl. She only wants to spread the magic of this art. Stupid school and its closed-minded tastes… no offense.”

“Don’t worry. I know when my school makes a baseless judgment! And I’m glad you are open-minded about this!”

Excellent! He bought that story… sorry for using your secret, Fluttershy.

“Well… since it came to this, I better look for Sunset and speak about our team members.”

“Aren’t you in bad terms with her since yesterday? I could smell the bloodlust coming from both of you in Crystal Prep. You gazed on her some serious eyes!”

Pretty.

“Yeah but I still have a responsibility to do… even though I don’t like it one bit.”

“Then why did you agree to participate in this?”

“You already know the answer… I’m being used by you, remember?” He said jokingly.

“So… I can use you for whatever I want…” I mumbled the last with a smile.

“What did you say? I didn’t hear that!”

“Oh, nothing at all! Anyway, instead of talking to her, why don’t you allow me to make some arrangements first so you don’t go unarmed on your next meeting with her? Give me until Friday morning to do those, ok? ”

“What do you mean by ‘arrangements’?”

“Three more members before the end of the week, remember?”

“I don’t think that I like where this is going. You should-”

“Shh…” I sealed his lips with my fourth and pinky fingers. “Why don’t you rest for a while before the next class start? Play with your 3SD, sleep some more, or read one of your books from your backpack while I think about our next move, ok?”

“…what are we, exactly?”

“Friends! And I’m your right hand in the developments of the coming competition!” I sweetly winked at him with all my hypocrite love.

“Don’t do that… ever again…” He said with shiver, not falling for my act.

“Tee hee hee! I really like you!”

“…just do me a favor and pass me the shaker in my bag.”

I retrieved the vase from his backpack and I saw some powders in it.

“Whey protein and almond milk? Want to get stronger?”

“I only want to be as healthy as before.”

“For this to work flawlessly, you also have to change your diet.”

“I did that… I bought rabbit food and various source of healthy protein and fats like Greek yoghurt and other stuff that a sport nutritionist in his gym recommended me… Iron Bull was his name, I believe…” He said while trying to remember his name. “Or it was Will…”

“If you ever want a training session, let me know and we can train together! I happen to know a thing or two about strength, nimbleness and some defensive skills!”

Ask Bulk-Bicep about it… I dislocated his elbow before the Friendship Games, if memory serves me well.

“No thanks. Gilda and I are doing fine! Also, she wants to crush you in the next Mechanical Bull competition, you know?”

“Huh, interesting!”

I prepared for him his nutritive beverage, secretly adding a special, concentrated ingredient that will speed up his strength recovery. After watching him drink it and being amused of his ever funny way of expressing himself because of the spicy taste, I left the infirmary. Now it was time for me to work. Three more members will join him, that’s what I told him. 

But in reality, they’ll become more in the coming weeks. We have a fifth of the school in agreement with him taking the lead, but they lack a backbone to express their opinions. Something he clearly wants from them. Fortunately for us there are individuals, popular and charismatic ones, who can help him out in the task ahead. 

One was a humble guy who loves soccer more than winning, wishing he could transmit his passion to others. One was a reclusive artist whose social circles were severely damaged thanks to a backstabber some years ago. And the last one was an overprotective friend, willing to get into fighting with his own friendships for the sake of making them see reason. All of them have one thing in common! One thing they wished it could be brought back to their lives: The old days of the school! The time where we were truly a institution of camaraderie and very few people disturbed the unity of the community.

Those three will unite and strengthen the resolve of this little revolutionary group nicely.



But how do I convince them to join the cause? They serve no flag and are pretty close to the people that support the Idol Six. Well, there lies the answer. I just need to ignite in them the will to join him… and kill their false allegiances with the others. I’ll be subtle, of course.

And it begins with Soarin during today’s soccer practices. Like always, the assertive ones are training the students since we lack a proper sport’s teacher. They do it with a militaristic sense of authority. He, on the other hand, offers them water and some friendly advice.

“Come on, guys! Just two more crunches and you’ll be done!”

“I don’t know, Soarin! My stomach hurts!” One of the girls said.

“Yeah…”

“This is hard!”

“Hey! I know all of you can do it, so trust me!”

All of them were motivated by his words, managing to do a crunch and a half.

“That’s it for today! Job well done!”

“Thanks, So-“

“Job well done? They didn’t finish the last crunch, wimp!”

And there she comes! Our distinguished trainer!

“Spitfire, they can’t do no more! Let’s leave it like this until tomorrow!”

“You’re too soft, Soarin! And all of you better do that last crunch properly or I’ll make you do it myself!”

“B-but!”

The school bell rang to save their hides, and my teammates were glad this class was over. Spitfire and Soarin engaged in discussion about their methods. She was doing all the talking, of course. The victims on the other hand were walking to the bleachers of the fields with the others to retrieve their belongings. Well, let’s kill some time before my next move.

“Hey, Microchips! We did have a fun sport class, didn’t we?”

“Hi Bon Bon! And… well, you could say that.”

That means ‘No’.

“What do you think of Soarin’s treatment with us?”

“He is a great dude and everyone knows that! If it wasn’t for him, Spitfire would… oh, nevermind…”

“You know, I heard that Soarin was joining the school’s team to help them defeat Crystal Prep.”

“Oh, good luck to him with that! Everyone knows that Sunset Shimmer and the others will manage to win this time… without our help.”

“Perhaps! But I heard a rumor that he would join Nitpick’s group, instead!”

“Bittersweet’s group? Really?”

“You don’t trust him?”

“No, well, I mean… I would, but…”

“What’s wrong with him? You can tell me anything!”

“I know! You are really a good gal after all.”

“Oh, thank you! But I’m just a good, old and trusty Wondercolt like everyone else!”

Right.

“Well, if people like Soarin join him, perhaps I would consider joining him too.” 

“Yeah! Soarin is a nice boy! And somewhat handsome too! Many people would join him if he says the word!” Mystery Mint joined the conversation.

“Not to mention that he treat us great and trains us for the sake of having fun with us unlike… oh, look at the hour! Gotta run!” Ringo left the scene.

“And I must go before my mechatronic classes starts!” Microchip hasted his steps to his destination.

“Bye, Bye! I have some chores to do in my home… boring!” Mint said.

“I see… very well, then. Let’s see what happens and see you later!”

My information about Soarin’s popularity was indeed top notch. Like always. Now that I have waited for him to go to the gym hall and retrieve the special equipment of the soccer team all by himself, I decided to join and have a talk with him. There he was, arranging the equipment on the cart. His typical routine of counting, cleaning and making sure everything was in order was known to me by now.

I spent the last week studying his school’s habits, after all.

“Hello, Soarin! Didn’t think anyone would be here!”

“Bon Bon, hi! What are you doing here?”

“Oh, you know! Wasting time until Lyra mails me to join her outside, that’s all!”

“I bet that is the case!” He chuckled nicely after saying that.

“Anyway, need some help with those?”

“Oh no… I’m doing just fine!”

“Come on! I’m not Spitfire and I’m sure you really need the help!”

Seriously, this is too much for one person to do in less than fifteen minutes… unless is me, of course.

“Really? I mean, I don’t want to be trouble!” He started to arrange the last jumping cords.

“Nonsense!” I helped him with the weights. “This is what friends do all the time, right? Helping each other, improving themselves to strengthen their self-esteem, right? Just like soccer team does in their practices with all of us!”

He stopped his motion. Now he only needs to say ‘Yeah… something like that’ or similar.

“Yeah… you are right, Bon Bon… something like that!”

Good boy.

“Tell me; is it true that you’ll join the battle efforts to defeat Crystal Prep in the coming event?”

“Rumors spread fast around here recently, don’t they?”

“It’s been always like this as far as I remember! I believe it all started with Sunset’s arrival!”

“…Yeah, I think so too. But she turned out good later, don’t you think that?”

“Right! She just keeps improving the school with her politics of Friendship! As long as we follow her, nothing bad could happen ever again… right?”

Beautiful and intoxicating, soundless environment! He didn’t know how to respond… how could he? The only words he could possibly express were…

“I wonder about that, sometimes!” He put the last item on the cart and started to push it to the fields.

Nice answer. Good answer.

“Why you say that?”

“Call me crazy but… I miss the old days where we just stuck together as individuals unlike the rocker, fashionista and other ‘groups’ nonsense that Sunset brought to the table… it was far nicer a few years ago…” He said with melancholy.

“Indeed…” I responded in kind. “That’s why I’ll join Nitpick’s group during the competition!”

“Really?” He said surprised. “I saw a list circulating around the school about a group that he was creating to balance things up with Sunset… but I thought it was a joke! I mean, last time I met him… he looks nice but I can safely say that he doesn’t like the school that much!”

“And that’s exactly why I’m joining him! He is unbiased and doesn’t care about who joins him! As long as we work together, he is fine with that!”

“But what about Lyra? Won’t she join Sunset’s team?”

“Oh no! Dancer and Lightbulb are Nitpick’s childhood friends, so they’ll join him instead! I’m their friend too so I’ll stick with them and Lyra decided to join us as well by her own choice! It will be fun! That’s what this is all about, isn’t?” 

“…I suppose.”

We arrived to the fields and it was time to spill the last drop to the filled glass.

“But you can choose whatever path you desire! If you stick with your team, you’ll achieve the same results, don’t you think so?" I poked at his cheek with my index finger. "Having fun  is Spitfire’s specialty after all! I’m sure she and Rainbow Dash will do something fun during the events! Perhaps the Orphanage would be ideal for their tactics! As for me, I’ll try something different for a chance! Have fun during your special training, Soarin!”

I slowly walked away from him and as soon as I had the chance, I quickly hid behind the bleacher structure. There, I looked Soarin from afar. He was looking at his team’s performance. So fierce! So dedicated! So… self-centered! 

A shell of their former glory.

You should never pressure your ideals on people you’re trying to get on your good side. A little subtlety is good enough for the likes of him. One hour passed after my talk with him and I was with Lyra eating some pizza and drinking fresh juices. Two hours passed after our talk and I was leaving her at her home! Three hours passed and I started to train in the training room of my home! Four hours passed and a standard ringtone rang from my phone.

-Soarin: Do you think he needs another hand during the competition?

One down, two to go.

Next day in the morning, I was preparing to strike down my next objective. The timing must be perfect or I’ll lose her support. She was walking through the school’s corridors to the empty band room, carrying her homemade lunch with her. By the looks of it, it was a veggie sandwich with lots of spinach in it… tasty. Also, she had a fizzy apple cider in her possession. Blasphemy! Hard Apple Cider is love! Hard Apple Cider is life!

I must follow quietly so-

“Good morning, Bon Bon! It’s a nice day! Even if it’s windy out there, don’t you think so?”

Uh…You…

“Of course, Sunset! It’s another friendly day at CHS!”

“Yeah! Anyway, I hope you’re ready for the gathering of students to select our participants after classes are over!”

“Of course I am!”

I already am gathering students for Nitpick, dear.

“Oh, gotta go! I need to find Twilight before someone else does! See ya later in the selection!”

“See ya!” I waved her off.

Bitch.

Where was I? Ah yes… I could hear the beautiful melody behind that door. A sound of gracefulness. A hymn of delicacy. The cries of hardened fingers that desired to be heard by a humble public. I opened the door and the music stopped. Octavia Melody looked at me with a subtle shade of tenderness.

“Bon Bon… it’s you.” She said elegantly.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I hoped to hear more of it closer to the source if you don’t mind!”

“Why, but of course!” She said pleased.

And she started again. The detail of the compositional structure of the tune, her performance, and mastered rhythm only learned through long sessions of near-endless practice were a welcoming change of style to my ears. 

The music ended abruptly.

“What happened? Why did you stop?” I asked with a tone of curiosity.

But I already knew the answer.

“I can’t perform as perfect as I want!”

“Don’t be picky about your skills, Melody! You are the greatest musician I know!” I said honestly.

“Although I’m flattered by your praise, I admit that I AM picky. I simply know good music when I hear it, and will accept nothing less. What I’m doing is not close to the art I want to achieve!”

“And what’s stopping you to achieve that, if I may know?”

“I don’t know, Bon Bon… you and I have known each other since middle school and I was hoping if you… well… No, forget-“

“You can talk to me about anything, my friend.” I interrupted her empathetically while holding her hand.

She put a small but warm smile on her face... I like her genuineness.

“To be honest, ever since I lost during the Battle of the Bands I have felt… out of rhythm! I can concentrate no more like I used to! The notes are there! The timing is there! But when I actually play it on my cello… the pace is distorted! Like a torrent of endless noise that won’t cease…Like I-”

“Need to prove you could perform far better than the average music you were defeated with. You want to have a second shot and be heard again in a small audience so people can judge you, critique and praise or complain about your music! You want an audience that can help you improve your talents through sheer failure, perfecting the fluency of the notes through the flames of exhilaration!”

“YES! Heavens! I didn’t know you would understand me so well!” She said passionately.

“I just happen to pay attention to every conversation I’m into!”

That! And I know the feeling of what she was passing through.

“Well, it matters not! I just need to keep practicing and eventually, I’ll recover my sense of pacing!” She started to eat her lunch. I joined her in the act.

“I have… ‘Nom, nom, nom’… sorry, I love Lyra’s lunches!” She chuckled a little. “I have a better solution! Why don’t you participate in the coming event and program a little classical music show for the people? I’m sure the Retirement Home folks will enjoy it!”

“Do you think so?” 

“Of course!”

I know.

“I’m not sure! I don’t think that Sunset will approve of that!”

“Why not? There is no reason for her to deny your petition! What the old grannies and grandpas want in their lives is some peace of mind! And classical music, no less!”

“Really?”

“Sure!”

I know.

“But we don’t know if these coming events will allow something like a little concert!”

“What about if it is allowed and you do nothing about it? Don’t you see? The things you don’t do in high-school will never be achievable in college if you don’t take the first step now! Octavia, with the way you have handled all you school subjects, this could be your last year in CHS! You must do something meaningful before leaving this place!”

“Nonsense! I will graduate with everyone else in one year and half! Even so, with Sunset leading the teams, I could never get a shot! The Rainbooms will probably do everything by themselves… again!”

“I believe you wanted to say, ‘Sunset will do everything as she wants, again’!” I said bluntly.

She stayed quiet in her seat, time freezing for her. She remembered. The gossips… the fracture of her old band… Sunset’s influence… she was frowning in an upset fashion while looking at the floor. Now, for the next step…

“Why don’t you join Bittersweet, instead? I’m sure he would listen to your petition if you present him a good case!”

“Nitpick Bittersweet? That mongrel with the lousy language?”

I couldn’t stop laughing from her no-nonsense comment. “I didn’t know… pfff, you were a comedian!”

She released a small chuckle. “What?” She said with serenity. “I’m speaking the truth!”

“So you’re going to join Sunset instead, huh?”

“I believe so… Will he really give me a shot?”

“Dancer and Lightbulb will approve of your idea… So will Lyra and me! But let’s not jump to conclusions just yet!” I ate the last bite of my lunch. “Ask Sunset and company if you can play something during the event, if possible!” 

Someone knocked the door and got inside the room. It was them. Perfect timing, girls.

“Hey, y’all! Are we interrupting something?” Applejack asked with her usual friendliness.

“No! We are done here, actually!” Octavia replied.

“YES!” Rainbow Dash said in excitement. AJ gave her the mean look. “I mean, nice! May we use the band room before the break ends? We need to practice for the possible concert against Crystal Prep!”

“Oh really?” I said. “I was wondering if we could add some classical music in it!” I embraced Octavia close to me. “You know, give the folks something relaxing to their ears and stuff!”

“I don’t know! I heard that Crystal Prep will do a rock concert and if we want to beat them, we need to attack with fire as well!” Rainbow said.

“Oh… I see…” Octavia said.

“Don’t worry, Octavia!” Sunset came into scene. “If we have the space to include your performance, we’ll call you right away!”

That means ‘Not likely’.

“Where is Vinyl?” Sunset asked.

“She said that she was tuning her DJ motherboard! She’ll come here any minute!” Rainbow answered.

“Vinyl… will help you out?” Octavia asked a little doubtful.

She was doing more than that lately, dear.

“Yeah! After the Battle of the Bands, she has been couching us in how to tune our instruments more effectively! We even made some new songs together!” Rainbow said.

“Oh… that sounds nice.”

“She is awesome! Not like me but-“ AJ gave her the look again. “Ok, she is awesome!” AJ smiled in triumph.

“Well, we should go and let you practice!” I said while grabbing gently Octavia from the hand.

We walked away from there until we arrived to the gardens. There, she stopped her pace.

“We have known each other for ten years… and we have never written a song together…”

“I’m sure… uh, that she has her reasons!” I said with complete empathy.

Damn it…

“Perhaps you are right… She’s the social type, and I’m just-”

I rested my index finger on her lips. “Hey! She is your friend, remember? I’m sure that she would never leave you behind! And I’m also sure she’ll understand if you join Nitpick’s group as well! After all, your best chance is in the least expected place, don’t you think so?”

You want to convince a doubtful individual to join your side? Give her words of hope with a strong truth backing them up, and some time to reflect on it.

“I’ll… alright! If you are there, count me in! I’ll help in any way I can!”

“Oh! I’m sure you‘ll definitely help us out, Octavia! I’m sure you will!”

I have great plans for you in the long run, after all. That makes two down, one to go.

She went back to the band room to safeguard her cello. Then, Nitpick appeared from the corner of the school. No doubt he was eating in his spot all this time.

“Hey, friend! How are you?”

“Fine, I just forgot to take my portion of protein and I’m going for it!”

“Let me come with you!”

“…uh… sure.”

I walked with him to his locker and he withdrew his soon to be beverage. As he was arranging his locker’s stuff, I put another kind of a concentrated, special ingredient in there and prepared it for him. When he drank it, though…

“Ughhh! CRAP! IT’S BITTER NOW” 

His face!

“Hehehehe! Healthy food sometimes is bitter as well!”

“Damn it, Gilda!”

Classes ended and it was time to think about the last member. And this will be the hardest one. Not because of the complexity of turning him over… but the implications of what will happen to his surroundings. After leaving Lyra at her home, I decided to drink a cappuccino over the Cake’s Café. Sugarcube Corner didn’t have many customers at seven in the evening, giving me time to think about my next move in peace. My home wasn’t ideal… I would only end up training and losing myself in that.

Now… how can I convince Thunderbass to join him instead of her? No doubt he will join Shimmer because of Flash. That guy was rejected horribly by Sparkle. I saw it by accident from afar. He was devastated. He was defeated. He was thinking what went wrong.

I was brimming with joy at his suffering.

It is safe to say that Thunderbass was the only one that officially knew the story from him by now. Sparkle no doubt kept her mouth shut, not wanting to hurt anybody. What a fool and pitiful hypocrite.

Ah! I can’t concentrate as I hoped in here. Too much pink in this place. 

“You look troubled, Bon Bon! Everything ok?” A gentle voice spoke.

Ohoho! What an incredible coincidence!

“I just have a headache, Thunderbass! Thanks for asking, nonetheless! What brings you here on your own?”

“Well, I was meaning to speak with you in private about something… you’re the only one I can trust with it!”

“About what?”

“It’s about Flash… something… happened between him and Sparkle… I need vent this with someone I trust!”

What was his favorite phrase? Thank you, Truth of the existence? Well, thank you, Truth that rules everything.

“The school has noticed that he looks somewhat down. We are getting worried about him! What happened?”

“Flash acted like a fool! That’s what happened!”

Tell me about something I don’t know already, please! 

“Flash, a fool? No way! He is a smart guy!”

My tongue suddenly felt that it was burning with sulfurous acid.

“Please, spare me your compassion for him! But I believe I can’t stop you… you always were the empathetic type with people like him!”

Those words made me feel that my head was being blown away by an expansive shotgun shell.

“I just do what anyone else would do to help a friend in need.” I grabbed one of his hands. “Like you who needs a listener in your time of need!”

He blushed softly and put away his hands. “Thanks… Appreciate it. Anyway, long story short: You know that Flash liked Princess Twilight, but since her cousin came to the school, he was infatuated with her too. You know! The similarities and stuff! Especially the magic power, if you know what I mean!” He mumbled the last part.

“Yes, go on!”

“Well, he was rejected by her… badly, I might add! But how could I blame her? The dude was trying to replace the Princess with her! How stupid could he be?”

“Sometimes love can blind people!”

That and Flash was an imbecile.

“You and I know that what he was feeling wasn’t love, Bon Bon!” He hit the table with force.

“Easy there, friend!” I acted weakly.

“I’m so sorry for that! I didn’t want to scare you!”

“Oh… that’s ok!” I have seen worse foes in life. Your anger doesn’t scare me… but it amuses me, no less. “Please, continue!”

“…Thanks! Well, my problem is this: he hasn’t given up and he will join Sunset’s efforts to try and get closer to her again! I told him that it was a foolish idea! But he didn’t listen!”

“And you are frustrated that your friend could end up more hurt than before, right?”

“…yes.”

Always the selfless one, aren’t you?

“Well, what do you want me to say to you? That everything is going to be alright?”

“No… I want an honest opinion from someone unbiased!”

“Don’t help him anymore, Thunderbass! That’s my opinion!”

He sighed in depression. “I don’t want to abandon my friend…”

“Sometimes the best way to help someone is to leave him at his own… One’s opinion can harm more to their loved ones when they don’t give the right answer for him or her!”

“But I’ll end up helping him with this… I just know it!”

“Then why don’t you join Bittersweet’s group, instead? He doesn’t like Sunset as you do and Flash could question himself when his best friend is joining the adversary of the school!”

“I don’t think that makes sense… and I don’t hate Sunset!”

Gotcha!

“I never said anything about hate, Thunderbass!”

“N-no, well, I…”

I sealed his lips with my index finger. “You still haven’t forgiven her for her break up with Flash, right? You still resent her after all the effort your friend put in his relationship with her! He always thought of her, giving his all, only for him ending up receiving the short end of the stick! That wasn’t fair! And if Sparkle is learning how to be sociable under her wings, Flash will receive an even more painful rejection than before! Do you really want that?”

“No!”

Excellent answer.

“Then do what you must! If you join him, you will only give him a false sense of camaraderie! If you join no one’s side, you would be escaping from any responsibility! If you join Nitpick’s group, however, you can make the difference in his state of mind! He will eventually confront you seriously and if he really values your friendship, he’ll understand your reasons!”

“Well… I don’t know… are you sure your plan will work?”

“No. But it is the best I got!”

This is why Thunderbass was the hardest one. He has a real friendship he could end up losing because of me. It made me sick of…

“I met Bittersweet during a bowling match… he looks somewhat picky! No pun intended.”

“He is picky, but if you noticed, he only chooses genuine people as friends! He has Dancer as a friend! Also Lightbulb, Lyra and even me!”

“You and him are friends?” He said in disbelief.

“Yeah! He is a great guy once you know him well! Even Soarin and Octavia will join his group… well, they’re joining because I convinced-“

“You say that Octavia will join his group?”

…Ow! That little bright in your eyes!

“You know, Melody wants to perform some classical music during the event! Say, do you still play the acoustic guitar?”

“Y-yeah!”

“Tomorrow we will reunite in the library to discuss our team members! Sunset must have chosen her fifteen members already so we only have until tomorrow to make a decision! If you decide to join us, you know where to find us! Choose wisely, and follow your heart!” 

I leaved him alone in the table. I won’t blame him if he doesn’t join up.

It was Friday. The time: lunch break. I texted Nitpick to meet me with the others in the library, and behind me, three people were following my lead. Inside the library, Lyra, Dancer and Lightbulb were greeting us with a wave of their hands. Nitpick was left speechless there. I snapped my fingers at him and we started our little reunion.

Unsurprisingly, we came to an agreement quickly. Soarin gathered some students who wanted to join him in whichever team he would end up choosing for them. Thunderbass’ band will join his friend as well. Octavia couldn’t bring anyone to the table, but that’s okay. Her presence is more than enough for Thunderbass’ morale.

The distribution will be like this for now: Nitpick, Lightbulb and I will join with two of Soarin’s friends with Sunset’s team. Thunderbass, his band and Octavia will join with Dash’s team. And finally, Lyra, Dancer, Soarin and the rest of his friends will join Pinkie’s team. We took in consideration that Dancer can’t help us during the week because of her job. I’m sure we will think of something for that.

“Alright, I believe this is it!” Nitpick said. “All of us agree with the team distributions! All of us agree that the remaining fifth of the school will help us with the tasks that are beyond our reach, if possibly! And all of us agree that the Golden Brand Apple Cider is the shit!”

All of us nodded in agreement.

“Perfect! We will see each other again in the bus ride to Crystal Prep after classes are over! Teammates, dismissed!”

I stayed behind with him as the others went ahead to enjoy the rest of the break. When he and I were finally alone, he looked at me skeptically.

“Bon Bon…”

“Was my service not of your liking?” I said in reverence.

“Can you tell me what do you want to get of this?”

“No.” I said with a big smile. “I’m not your friend, remember?”

“We are in school hours, Bon Bon!”

“The line you are trying to reach has technical issues! Please try again later!” I imitated an answering machine.

“You are a bitch, you know?”

I embraced him. “I know…” I whispered at his ear.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“No doubt that tomorrow we will do a tour in the institutions that accepted us as a part of the social services! Today’s meeting will just tell us what this is all about!”

“And?”

“And nothing else for now! We will go to the meeting, receive our instructions, go home and rest for tomorrow!”

“Mmm…”

“What? Have any plans for today?”

“Yes. Train with Gily at the gym.”

“So you really joined a gym with her?”

“I don’t mind training with her. I started this last Tuesday and I don’t feel as tired as I thought I would be!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! I believe the whey protein actually worked!”

“I’m glad to hear that! Did you drink your beverage, already?”

“No, I have it right here, in fact!”

“Can I join you for breakfast at your spot?”

“…uh… sure, why not?”

“Excellent!”

We went to his spot and sit there. He forgot his backpack in the library and quickly went to retrieve it from there. Perfect timing. I took his shaker, put a little dose of the medical gentian herb in powder form that my grandma sent me from the east, and done. When he came back and drank his drink…

“ARGGHHHH! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SHIT MADE OF? Now it tastes like crap today! The label says that it was the flavorless kind! NOT THE ‘SHIT ME MY LIFE’ FLAVOR!”

“HAAAHAHAHAHA! Achieving real health is hard, you know?” 

This guy!

“Your laugh scares me, Bon.”

“Uh, sorry!” I said truly embarrassed. I need to control my outbursts!

No matter! Two doses more, and he’ll be back to his old strength by the end of the week. He will need it soon.
> Chapter 60- The starting chores.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Soarin! How are we doing so far?” Nitpick spoke through his portable radio.

“Somewhat good to be honest, boss!” Soarin answered enthusiastically. “Our Crystal teammates are a little stubborn with us but we are managing to get along! Lightbulb is the one we must thank for that!”

“Great! What about Bon Bon?”

“She just left as you instructed to aid Dancer and Lyra in the orphanage!”

“Excellent! Thunderbass?”

“Everything is fine in the retirement home! Rarity is having a hard time dealing with someone called Suri, but we are managing to keep everything in order!” 

‘Damn you, Polomare!’ Nitpick thought. “Okay! Keep me informed! Dancer?”

“Lyra and I are doing just fine with our team members so don’t worry! Also, thank you for sending Bon Bon here!”

“And thank you for supporting me! If there is something you can’t inform me on the open channel because of circumstances, text or call me. Understood?”

“Sure.”

“No problem!”

“Do your best, Beasty!”

The young man sighted in relief. “No big problems on my end...for now. How about you, Sugarcoat?”

“Fine, but it could be better! Zap and Lemon Zest are leading the other institutions just fine! And Gilda over here is surprisingly working well. She is proving to be more dependable than she thought!”

“I know, right? You still want her to take my mantle?”

“Yes… for a time!”

“You really believe Cinch will allow me to go back.”

“She will! I’m sure of it!”

“What are you planning?”

“It’s a surprise, so don’t ask!”

“Okay, won’t ask any further!”

Making sure that everything was in order in his current position in the complex, Nitpick Bittersweet wondered, ‘how long could this peace would last?’ He wasn’t so sure if things would work out as good as he planned for CHS. He took from his pocket a little pamphlet that the Vice-Principal gave to him. The contents were the following:

‘It’s important to deliver quality care with compassion, dignity and respect to the unfortunate. That’s our job. Our responsibility. We, as human beings, must deliver to the pitiful, fellow people the protection and well-being that the privileged enjoy. Especially if they have being affected by the illness of third age, have an inability to see, hear or talk. That’s why society has created special homes for those people in need! That’s why we need you, young one, to help us out in this noble task!’

“And you can help us achieve harmony for the next Thanksgiving ceremony this next November, twenty-seven…“ Nitpick finished reading the event’s information for the fifth time. “What a shit load of responsibility we have, Sugarcoat!”

“At least we are working together! But I can’t stop wondering if CHS is bothered with our methods! Some of them look somewhat unsatisfied!”

“It’s not our fault that we are receiving the short end of the stick, you know…” Sunset joined their side with Twilight and Sunny Flare.

“Do you have a better idea on how to do improve our current progress?” Sugarcoat immediately asked her with an upset expression. “I’m open to suggestions!”

“What about we start treating each other in equal ground?”

“Isn’t what we are doing right know?” Sunny Flare said. “Nitpick chose three students from your school, have radios like ours and are exerting their authority within your community with no strings attached!”

“Yes, but I feel I don't have a saying in here!”

“Perhaps you are just angry because we aren’t doing things your way, Shimmer!” Sugarcoat expressed bluntly. “We are equal, for now! As soon as the second stage begins, your school will see the difference in power against mine!”

“This is not right… We are supposed to work together!” 

“Deal with it, Shimmer! This is what you get for cheating your way during the games!” Nitpick said while updating their progress in his notebook. “Don’t worry! I’ll accept any suggestions you have to offer as long as they are reasonable and we follow the rules! Hate cheating… did once with Cranky’s essay and that left me with a bitter taste in my mouth!”

“At least give me a radio to help you out!” Sunset argued. “What use I am here if I can’t communicate with my teammates?”

“Use your cellphone.” Sunny Flare replied.

“Besides, they are Crystal Prep Property!” Sugarcoat added.

“But Nitpick and the others aren’t from that school! Why they can have radios, but my team and I can’t?”

“Bittersweet bought that radio with his money and it wouldn’t be fair if he didn’t use it! Also, I decided to lend him the remaining three we had to the people he trust and my companions didn’t complain about it!”

“I still can’t believe that the hall monitors lent you those, Sugarcoat! Moondancer and the others can be stingy with their tools!”

“Moondancer and I have our share of favors! She is a nice acquaintance if you give her the chance, Bittersweet!”

“You have hall monitors in your school?” Sunset asked surprised.

“Yes. You don’t?”

“No! We don’t need them!”

“And that’s why cheating happens!” Sugarcoat bluntly stated.

Sunset was clenching her fist, focusing all her anger in the pressure of her fingers. The only consolation that was keeping Sunset away from an insufferable fit of rage was that Twilight Sparkle was giving her a tender smile that soothed her rage.

There were three groups of twenty students for each organization. Right now, Sunset Shimmer, Nitpick Bittersweet, Candie Sugarcoat and Sunny Flare were the leaders of the event from their respective schools. Zap was supposed to be Sugarcoat’s second in command but she decided to join a smaller group with Lighting Dust for the time being. Twilight was quietly following the quartet a few steps behind them. She had a very special job: Being the Restrained Follower. Another way for Sugarcoat to say, ‘You aren’t blowing anything to oblivion this time!’

The three institutions were located in the Greenfield district of Crystal State, better known as the ‘The lung of the city’. Surrounded by beautiful parks and a neighborhood that matched the peacefulness of the best streets of the suburbs, this was a truly place of rest for such organizations. It was also a luck that the institutions were nearby each other.

There were three stages to their ongoing event: The third and final stage was about organizing a big celebration to the residents of each institutional organization. The second stage was about getting to know the residents in a partial level, making sure to get attached to none of them… for Nitpick, though, that would be a hard thing to do thanks to someone.

And the first stage, the one most students were doing now, consisted of exploring and memorizing the layout of the buildings. For the next two weeks, when possible, they would aid with burning youth and vigor to the staff of each place in their menial tasks. Cleaning the good clean.

In other words…

“Why are we doing the chores of this place again?” Gilda asked using her radio.

“Because it’s our job!” Sugarcoat exclaimed through hers. “You should consider shutting your mouth instead of wasting battery power with your useless complains!”

“I DIDN’T ASK FOR BEING A STUPID JANITOR!” Gilda raged.

“DEAL WITH IT!” Sugarcoat commanded. “If you were a full pledged Champion leader, you would have leaded a squad instead of doing the busy work!”

“Being a leader is even busier, you little shit!”

“Then shut your mouth and keep cleaning, you stupid oversized brute! Be glad that I trust you enough to give you a Walkie-Talkie!” Sugarcoat said while grabbing a broom nearby. “Grab your gear, Bittersweet and Flare! Let’s aid them with the cleaning!”

They didn’t think twice to do as she said. Twilight and Sunset did the same in helping their peers with the chores. Everything was fine… for a brief moment.

“I’m so tired!” A random CHS student said.

“You have only been working like ten minutes, wimp!” Gilda said with a tone that scared her companion. 

“Calm down, Gilda! You are making a ruckus over nothing!” Rainbow Dash said to her ex-friend.

“Oh yeah? Just like the ruckus you made over that stupid prank that the pink fucker played on me a few years back?”

“APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT YOU SAID TO HER!”

“MAKE ME, BITCH!”

“Rainbow is right! That was rude and you should apologize!” Another CHS student exclaimed.

“And who are you to tell her what to do?” A Crystal student gave them the mean look.

“Everyone please calm down! You will cause trouble to everyone around here!” Sunset put herself in the middle as quickly as she could.

“Why should we listen to you, CHS gal?”

“Because is the right thing to do! Besides, I’m one of the leaders of this group so I ask of you the cooperation we expect from everybody!”

“You don’t have power over Crystal Prep community, Shimmer! I suggest you remember that!” Sunny Flare spoke behind her. “SPARKLE! I can’t believe you haven’t finished mopping your part of the corridors!”

Sunset's switch was flipping. "Hey! Don't speak to her like that!"

"Then do something about her incompetence!"

“I’m so sorry! I’m doing my best to keep up with your pace!” Twilight said apologetically. 

“Pathetic as always, Twilight. Come here and let me teach you how to use the mop correctly!” Sour Sweet scolded. “You know, for all your academic genius, you are kind of incompetent in everything else!”

“I’m sorry…” Twilight said saddened.

“And you are still the same weak-willed brat from middle school! No wait! I believe you have become even worse than before! Now, the trick is in using your wrist like this in this part of the stick… NO! Too high… now is too low… let me help you position your hands… and done! Now, you do the following motion!”

While almost all of the residents of Angel’s Grove nursing home took a little tour to the city and enjoyed their life for a little while, the youngsters were cleaning the place in their behalf. Eventually, with some agreements to work in silence and somewhat far away from one another, the arguing ceased. The students resumed their activities quietly. 

Crystal Prep was too harsh for the likes of CHS, especially to Twilight and Sunset. They were watching them closely to every single move they did, waiting for any anomaly in their characters or a kind of transformation to manifest upon them.

It won’t happen. The girls won’t Pony-up. They shouldn’t. They couldn’t… not like this. Not when Principal Celestia’s reputation and well-being depended on it. It was suffocating for them. Pressuring. If it weren’t for Sunset’s continuous support, Twilight would have succumbed to her old self during her days at the academy.

In a way, both were strengthening the bond born from the adversity they were facing…just like the first time they met.

“Have you ever worked as a janitor in your life before? Have you ever used a broom like your life depended on it and swept through countless empty rooms, only to get a pat on your back and a thank from your teacher? Have you ever felt the bitter sensation of chlorine fume burning through your eyes and making your skin itch as the time passes when you mop the stupid floor? Well, fuck it! It’s shit!” Nitpick passionately said in poesy while looking at the ceiling. 

“Stop reflecting your poor excuse of human existence in my presence, you poet scum!”

“Bitch.”

“If you won’t stop, at least do it in your head and spare me your crappy poetry!”

“Says the perfectionist fucker that enjoys bossing everyone around! That’s even crappier than my crap!”

Sugarcoat raised her hand and gave him the middle finger. He laughed at that. Sugarcoat soon followed. Even so, they were on edge with the current situation. 

“Well… ’Sigh’, we’re finally done in this room!” Sugarcoat said somewhat pleased with the results while cleaning her sweat with a tissue.

“Finally! Let’s go to the other one and finish this quickly! It’s the last one, I believe!” He said in relief while they walked to the next room.

“We still have to go to the orphanage and the retirement center after this, remember that! No doubt we’ll work in those places as well!” Sugarcoat commented while preparing the last batch of water with chlorine.

“Good luck with that one!”

She gave him the mean look, forcing him to keep working with her commanding finger. 

“I wonder how the royal pain and our princess are doing in their task.” He said curiously while gathering the trash. “I hope their groups are able to work with them in a civilized fashion.”

“Do you really think that they’ll even touch a clean trash bag with their bare hands? Those two barely know how to deal with us! I fear the worst, to be honest!” 

An opera tune rang from Sugarcoat’s phone… she wasn’t amused.

“DAMN HER!”

“What does it say?”

“Just forget about it and keep cleaning!” 

Nitpick looked at the floor for a moment and then put an annoyed face.

“I didn’t sign for this shit!”

Sugarcoat was masterfully sweeping the place while he complained. “I’ll accept nothing less than perfection from our partnership! If I clean, you clean!”

He matched her pace. “You exaggerate, but fine! I’ll please you this time!” He crankily said.

“Like you always do… my brother.”

A serene wind engulfed the room as they took their sweet time on finishing their chores… it was harmonious. Even pleasant. It’s been a while since they had some task to work on together. It was… nice for them.



“Uh, we have a problem!” Gilda said neutrally while joining the duo.

“A big one!” Soarin exclaimed at her side.

“Now what?” Nitpick asked.

“I received a call from Mystery Mint and she said that Rarity is having a fight with someone called Suri Polomare!” He said in panic.

“Why?” 

“Something about their cleaning methods. It seems that Rarity isn’t happy about some of the Crystal students hiring a cleaning service to do the shores for them.”

“They are complaining that they are cheating with that!” Gilda added without a care. 

“Heavensbane, Soarin! Keep the students in check with Sour Sweet and Dash while we eradicate the mayhem from Rarity and Polomare in the retirement home! If anything happens, I’ll make the call to summon you!”

“You can count on us!”

“If you say so, Sug…”

“I know you hate Dash, but please help me in this!” Sugarcoat said unexpectedly gentle. Gilda only answered with a thumps-up.

Nitpick called Sunset, Sunny and Twilight to join him. Sugarcoat took the lead and they walked behind her to their destination. As they arrived to their point of interest in the retirement home, some students from both schools were clashing with one another. At the lead of the assault from CHS, Rarity stood firmly against Suri Polomare. 

“You know, for a school that accuses us of cheating, you aren’t showing any kind of good sportsmanship with this act of yours!” Rarity said skeptically.

“We didn’t ask for those spoiled brats to hire those guys to do our job! Unlike you, we of Crystal Prep Academy work with pride and honesty in all competitions!”

“That doesn’t seem to be the case today, is it?”

“Look at all of us, Rarity! Do we look like slackers to you?”

Polomare and the Crystal students were sweating drops from their hard-labor. Marks of chlorine, detergent and dirt were seen in their clothes.

“I can say the same for CHS, darling! We are even dirtier than you! My shirt is ruined by all that dirt!” 

“This is another proof that justifies that we are the cleaner and far more organized community between the two of us! Also, horrible selection of clothes! Greek, whitish-blue cotton and purple, plain skirt? Ha! So last century!”

“At least I’m not wearing some grandma shorts that make me look fatter on the waist!”

“Long shorts are the IN on this season! You just have a terrible sense of fashion!”

“Excuse me? Since when a bucklinghton shorts style was even considered fashionable in this century? Only people without a sense of taste would wear an abominable style like that!”

“What did you say, plain-looking gal?”

“Do you want to get your hands dirtier with me, darling? 

Both of them took a fighting stance, ready to cause heavy damage to one another. There were people who were going to stop them if things got out of control… others just thought if they should just laugh, let them fight and go back to work.

“Want me to bring some popcorn for the cat fight we are about to see, Sugarcoat?” Nitpick said with amusement. Sunset was displeased by his comment.

Sugarcoat released a small chuckle. “Although I’m tempted to accept the offer of free entertainment and snacks, we can’t let them fight. Not here at least” She put a serious expression again. “Let’s stop them.” She stepped forward. “Both of you! I see you have rested long enough this past few minutes! If you have energy to spare in discussing pointless chatters, I suggest you use it to do your remaining tasks, now!”

“But she started! This CHS gal is accusing us of cheating, Sugarcoat!”

“That’s a lie! We only pointed out that your cleaning methods weren’t acceptable! We are the ones that are supposed to do the job, not hire external sources to do it for us!”

“All of us are doing our jobs as demanded! I suggest we go back and continue to do the same!” Sugarcoat said.

“You can’t leave things as they are!” Sunset said before Sugarcoat could walk away. “We are doing our best to fulfill your conditions and it would be unfair of you if you do nothing about this problem.”

“Yes, you are right.” Sugarcoat said reasonably. “Rarity, has your partner from Crystal Prep been helping you in your task before he decided to hire those guys?”

“No! I don’t even know who he is! That cleaning service worker just showed up and did the job with me!”

“I also don’t know who my partner is!” Octavia said with modesty. “Like Rarity, a young woman came and did the cleaning with me!”

“I, too, had a cleaning service gal who helped me in these boring chores!” Mystery Mint added. “I don’t mind her help at all to be honest!” Some of her friends gave her a look of disapproval while she released a playful smile at them.

“I received a called from Bon Bon and she said that there are two missing people from Crystal Prep as well!” Thunderbass added.

Sugarcoat sighed in frustration, rubbing her eyes stressfully. “Excuse me for a moment.” She walked to her friend while dialing up to one of those royal pains. “You better give me a good reason for your absence… What do you mean you won’t do it? … … … … … I DON’T CARE! … … Rosaline and her companions don’t count! … … … If I suffer, you WILL suffer! … … If none of you come here with the rest, I will- … … Excellent!” She hung up the call. ”They had a sort of delay and one of them sent his personal maids instead to compensate for their brief absence!”

“They are maids?” Rarity asked in awe. “You mean the real deal and not a normal cleaning service?”

“Correct. Now, get back to work! We have lost enough time already with this useless chatter! For those who are done with their task, you can aid your companions or stay here and enjoy the view. Your choice. Come, Bittersweet! Let’s do the part that corresponds to us in this place!”

Nitpick followed Sugarcoat and they finished their part of the chores sooner than expected. Twilight Sparkle, on the other hand, was looking at the window with a tired face.

“Are you okay, Twilight?” Sunset asked.

She sighed stressfully. “No… This is not fair!”

“I know! But we must withstand their conditions to help Principal Celestia! We already did some collateral damage to her credibility after the games… If we stay in low profile long enough to convince Cinch that she is innocent, then we will have succeeded!

“Even so… They are so mean!” The young scientist was starting to build some tears. “I thought they changed a little!”

“Oh Twilight…” Sunset caressed her chin. “We must stay firm in this test of courage and show them that we have the greatest power of all backing us up, even without using it!”

“The Magic of Friendship!” Twilight happily said.

Sunset embraced her with a gentle aura. “Come, my student! Let’s join the others and help them in everything we can! We will show to Crystal Prep which is the better school!”

Amusingly, it didn’t take more than thirty minutes for the event leaders to face another problem. Three of the five millionaires arrived in a limousine to the center. At first, it pacified the protest of the students, but soon they found themselves wanting the maids to help them once more. Sadly, they shunned them away and weren’t found anywhere.

“I can’t believe that they don’t even know how to use a trash bin! A PLASTIC TRASH BIN!” Applejack was enraged by her partner’s ineptitude, surprising her peers by her attitude. “FOR THE MOTHER OF LAND SAKES!” She was stomping the floor with all her might.

“You three are the most arrogant idiots that Crystal Prep has ever faced in its halls!” Sunny Flare said with displeasure. “I can’t believe you don’t even know how to use a simple trash bag! You are a disgrace to the shield!”

“You are putting us in shame, for Pete’s Sake!” Jet Set exclaimed furiously. “This is why the second class is known for being a spoiled bunch!”

“Answer the following question!” Sugarcoat said with a frowning face. “You know how to sweep and mop the floor, don’t you?” They answered her petition by doing the act competently in a little space. “Then why don’t you work like everyone else does?”

“We don’t want to deal with an inferior competition like a public school. This is barely worth our time!” One of rich guys said.

“Understand our feelings, Sugarcoat!” Another of the bunch said. “Doing this kind of activities in a competition is barely considered an achievement to the likes of us!”

“Even so, I must punish you for your lack of commitment! If I let this pass, CHS won’t take us seriously!” Sugarcoat said with arms crossed. She cleared her throat and stayed silent for a moment. “HEAVENSBANE! BITTERSWEET!”

From the shadows of hell, an evil entity emerged behind the millionaires’ backs. A big grin was painted in her face while she was looking at them with abominable eyes, enjoying their fears and tremble as if they were cotton candies for a kid…her preys started to believe in the existence of the underworld. She rested her arms in two pair of shoulders, reinforcing her presence to her victims. 

“I’m glad you answered my text call so fast, Heavensbane!”

“What can I say? I enjoy this part of the job!” Gilda said with grim pleasure. 

“NO, WAIT!” One of the rich gals shouted in terror. “THERE’S NO NEED FOR THIS, CHAMPION SUGARCOAT!” 

“WE’LL HELP YOU OUT, MISS CANDIE!” 

Sugarcoat suddenly felt irritation. She didn’t say a word or showed a sign of compassion, making only a beheading gesture with her hands.

“Don’t worry… I’ll be gentle!” Gilda whispered frighteningly while winking to each gal. 

Soon, two rich students were pulled from their legs. Screams of despair were heard from the helpless students as they were dragged to the laundry room to meet their fate with Mr. Soap. The door closed abruptly and the screams ceased instantly.“NO!” The third one wanted to escape, but another giant choke his neck with his arm and dragged him to the cleaning room to meet Mr. Bucket and Mrs. Mop. The trio was forced to work after a couple of minutes.

“Was that really necessary?” Applejack asked to Sugarcoat while watching the rich guys being ordered to clean mercilessly.

“If you want to enforce discipline, acts like this are necessary sometimes! I too received punishments like this one when I was an incompetent brat during my middle school days!” She said naturally. “Eventually, it helped me out in my personal growth to accomplish my duties on the first try!”

“Things never change in Crystal Prep…” Twilight said weakly.

“And your lack of competence hasn’t diminished either since you left, Sparkle! Ever since I met you during middle school, you have always complained about everything that wasn’t compatible with your comfort zone! Adding salt to the injury, you are spineless!”

“Hey! I won’t let you talk to her like that!” Applejack put herself between both girls, confronting the Crystal student face to face.

“Keep spoiling her like that and you will end up harming her more than aiding in her maturity’s development!”

“Perhaps in your school is that way but CHS does things differently! She’s doing fine with our environment!”

“I see. Sparkle, you should consider forfeiting the event! I don’t want to deal with a childish brat in my back! And I specially don’t want to win against a team that was crippled from the start because of you!”

“Sugarcube! Tell her that Twilight is going to help us win!”

Nitpick was confronted by Applejack, hoping from her acquaintance to defend the young scientist. 

“Bittersweet agrees with me!” Sugarcoat said with confidence. “If you want to get a shot against us, you must ditch Twilight for someone better-rounded in abilities and confidence, Applejack!”

“I don’t think so… right, sugarcube?” The Cowgirl said hopeful.

“To be honest, Applejack, if she keeps acting like this… she won’t survive the academy’s pressure. She needs to step up her game! This is only the first day and she is acting more anti-social with us than in our days in Crystal Prep!”

The young Cowgirl looked at the floor. Her beautiful visage reflected an expression of disappointment. Deep inside, Twilight couldn’t stop feeling a little betrayed by his words.

“I knew you would tell her the truth!” Sugarcoat expressed with subtle pride. “Come! Let’s continue our duties and show them how to lead a real winning team! You can stay here with your friend if you wish so, Sparkle.”

Nitpick and Sugarcoat joined their brothers in arms in their task once more. They decided to leave Sunny and Sunset in charge of the people while the two of them would work in the courtyard on their own alone.

“Are you angry with me because I'm allowing my companions to be harsh with Sparkle?” Sugarcoat said while removing the dead leafs from the pond.

“A little…" Sugarcoat gave him the mean look. "Well, A lot! Was that really necessary?” He swept the dirt from the pond’s structure.

“I’m surprised you are asking me that! If you really want to help her, sometimes you must choke her hard enough to make her realize things on her own!”

“She is the most fragile girl I have ever met. I thought she was stronger when I met her in CHS again… but it seems that with Sunset’s influence, that’s not the case! I don't know if I can really help her!”

"You can if you make her hate you! Sometimes people must get truly angry with someone to start recognizing their current emotional limitis. Also, no longer infatuated with Shimmer?”

“No.”

“Bittersweet…” She pronounced his name bluntly.

“She is hot, ok?”

“Uhu, what else?”

“…She likes to speak of poetry crap too, you know?”

“Moonlight’s bane! Never invite me to your house after the wedding!”

“There won’t be a wedding, you little shit!”

“Right…” She started to use her radio. “Sour Sweet! Report!”

“All good.”

“Zest?”

“Same!”

“Zap?”

“You are outside of the building, you know?” Zap answered in a jokingly tone. “You can walk in here and I’ll give you a personal report!”

“Very funny!” She suddenly felt someone staring at her. “What?”

“Bossy! Marry me!”

“Bittersweet, do you want me to put this broom in your a-!” Sugarcoat stopped with a face of awkwardness and disbelief.

“What’s wrong!?”

She didn’t answer. Instead, she pointed out to the sky and her friend soon joined her in her baffled expression. A whole battalion of helicopters were flying in a rhombus formation, protecting a single, white and golden helicopter in the middle. 

Their lowered their speed and the door of the special colored vehicle opened, revealing a pair of young and elegant students.

“Good morning, my dearest friends! I am ashamed for such delay from our part! But worry not! We will go straight to the orphanage and start our task of today immediately!” A young maiden said through a megaphone. Soon the vehicles made full throttle to their destination.

“GOD DAMNS THEM!” Sugarcoat shouted.

“We better go there immediately before they make a ruckus!” Nitpick suggested and he started persecuting the helicopters.
Sugarcoat started walking. “Heavensbane! Go to the orphanage ASAP! We’ll meet you there!”  She accelerated her pace, matching Nitpick’s speed. “Those idiots are gonna screw things up with that kind of arrival!”

“Shut up and keep running!”

“Well said!” Sugarcoat focused her sight on their objectives. “We better hurry!”
> Chapter 61- The annoying Royals!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was a time where the skies were meant to be unreachable for humans. Mankind looked at envy to the smaller creatures that could fly by their own power. The blessing of the gods, it’s what they call it. ‘Not anymore!’ the creator of a revolutionary invention said seventy years ago. The historical evolution of the rotary wing aircraft, better known as the Helicopter, that is considered one of the most versatile vehicles known by man, has a great and extensive story on humanity.

The first model was simple, rustic, and barely outstanding, but it did its job on hovering in the air with steam power for a short time. Eventually, oil fuel became the norm of such invention, giving mankind free reign on the heavens. In the modern days, traveling by helicopter was more an expensive commodity and privilege unlike its sibling, the airplane, that eventually became a way of transport used by the common public.

Except if you were rich… really rich… stingy rich… heir of a royal title in a whole nation. Flying inside a modified UH-70 Golden Hawk, escorted by four AH-66S Apache Defenders in a rhombus formation.

Inside the over-glorified battle aircraft used as an aerial limousine, a gentle but frustrated mumble was exhaled by one of the passengers. “Was this really necessary?”

“Of course this was necessary! In what other way we could arrive on time to our destination? Limousine?” The other passenger said.

“We should have taken the public transport for once instead of traveling on this extravagant way!”

“Preposterous! Royalty never travels in a commoner fashion!”

“Hush!” She expressed annoyed while graciously crossing her arms and legs. “I hope my dearest friends are not angry with us… we are an hour and twenty-one minutes behind schedule! Both of them hate that!”

“They always exaggerate with their silly schedules!”

“My Liege!” One of the pilots spoke through the intercom. “We are approaching to our appointed landing zone! ETA Three minutes! ”

“Excellent!”

“This is Delta-One! Permission to speak to the Prince!” The pilot of the frontal helicopter spoke.

The young royal pressed a green bottom from his seat. “Granted!”

“My Liege, there may be something of interest on the ground you might want to see, sir!” The other pilot said.

“Patch it through the monitor!” The young royalty expressed.

A LCD monitor of twenty-four inches appeared in front of the royalties. An image of two students cleaning a pond was showcased, and the female royal’s eyes were bathed in light.

“It’s them! Sergeant Matrix, please lower the speed and activate the megaphone for me!”

“Of course, My Lady! But I implore that whatever you’re going to do, make it quick! We don’t have enough fuel to fly much longer than planned!”

“That means we can’t give them a ride, sister!”

“At least we can inform them of our arrival!”

Their way of transport slowly halted its pace until it hovered in a single point. The young lady opened the door and took the megaphone nearby.

“Good morning, my dearest friends! I am ashamed for such delay from our part! But worry not! We will go straight to the orphanage and start our task of today immediately!” The lady said besides her brother, charmingly watching her friends looking at them in awe. Their transport soon hit full throttle.

“OH! My heart is beating with pleasure by seeing them again!” She said.

“And they share your feelings of seeing you sooner! Sugarcoat is shouting at us! Probably saying hello!”

The young lady’s eyes suddenly turned void. “I suddenly felt that my intellectual friend is angered in this moment with us…” She said in a prophetic tone.

“Nonsense! Look at them! They are running behind us with such intensity! Probably they want to see us sooner!  Now, hold tight to your life belt! We are starting descend!” 

The aerial vehicle started its descent in the authorized zone they were granted. As soon as the landing skids made contact with the soft grass of the spacious park, the young royals stepped out of their extravagant taxi. The pilot informed that they would go back to base and should they need aerial transportation, they knew who to call. He flew away from the scene with the escorts. As soon as they started walking toward the institution, classy dressed maids immediately came to their assistance.

“Did you have a good trip, My Lords?” The main maid greeted with modesty.

“Yes, Rosaline! Thank you!” The young man said. “Did all of you do what I asked from you?” 

“Of course, My Liege! But it seems that our temporary bosses weren’t pleased with our below-average performance!”

“Below-average performance!? Impossible!” The man said disgusted. “Who claims that obvious lie?”

“The students from CHS said that our services were unneeded… so we assumed that we didn’t achieve complete satisfaction to their demands!”

“Typical commoner attitude! They couldn’t recognize where real talent is, even if we pointed them out ourselves!”

“Some people love to struggle in life to feel a sense of achievement, brother.” The lady said.

“Poor and lowly commoner way of thinking! Let’s get going and meet with Lemon Zest! I believe she is in charge on this place!”

The extravagant group made their short trip towards the orphanage. As they got inside with such overkill escort, some students from Crystal Prep arrived to the scene and looked at both youngsters in a mix of pleasure and agony.

One was sporting the typical, female, formal uniform of Crystal Prep academy with some modifications in its materials and neck design. Her long, silk-like brown hair didn’t make brutish movements when the wind gazed upon its fabric. Her natural, red lips were highlighted by her pale skin.

On the other hand, the young man was sporting a formal tuxedo which had the Shadowbolt emblem masterfully stitched on the fabric of the cotton. His somewhat mid-long, blonde hair was smooth, and his big and cocky smile was charismatic, even when it emanated an aura of arrogance.

Both had a similar trait they shared: the same blue-aquamarine eye color subtly reflecting the celestial oasis in the heavens.



“You are one hour and a half late!” Lemon Zest approached in anger.

“HMPH! It’s not that late, Zest!”

“Just follow me! Sugarcoat said that you must follow my instructions until she arrives here! Also, the maids must stay here! No buts or excuses! We had a hard time with CHS thanks to them!”

The young man reluctantly send them away to rest in the guest room of the orphanage while Zest guided the royals to their point of interest in the eastern wing of the building. The kids were playing on the parks supervised by the main staff. Meanwhile the students were working vigorously to fulfill their task. This stole the breath of the young lady.

“Look at them working like there was no tomorrow! Such spectacle!” She said in praise. “And soon we will join them in their struggle!”

“You really have strange tastes!”

She didn’t pay him attention. “Miss Zest! Are we still far away from our point of interest?”

“No, my lady! We are very close!” Lemon said pleasantly.

“Why did you speak to her kindly and you treat me like garbage?” The royal asked somewhat insulted.

“Because unlike her, you ARE garbage! Anyway, here we are!” She pointed out to a pair of brooms. “You will soon use one of those-!” Then to a pair of girls. “-while working together with those CHS gals over there! Work hard and make Crystal Prep proud! As for you, royal pain, follow me” She guided the other sibling to the laundry room. “Ok, your job is to follow the instructions I left written in those little papers in each dryer! Even you can’t screw things up with such advantages at your favor! I’ll be back in fifteen minutes to check out your progress!” She walked away from him to supervise the rest of her team.

The young man put on his royal hands a pair of gloves whose extravagance and price were far greater than all the machinery placed on the room. With an uninterested attitude, he read all the notes left for him. He noticed something that caught his eye: all the notes had the same instructions.

“Are they mocking my superior intellect and skill? They must believe I am an analphabet!” He said to himself offended. “HA! They shall see the power of royalty in action!” He started to tweak the machines to fulfill his forced duty.    

Meanwhile, with his sibling.

“You must be the Crystal student we will partner with! My name is Chocolate Dancer, and she is Fluttershy, a friend of mine!”

“Hello!” The pinkish Veterinarian greeted gently. “Who are you?”

“Good morning, my new acquaintances! My name is-!”

‘CRACKOBOOM’

A thunderous noise was heard from the laundry room as the alarms of the place played their siren’s song. Bon Bon quickly dashed with a fire extinguisher in her hands, neutralizing the fire without delay. The alarm’s sound quiet down seconds later like if nothing had happened, and suddenly, she was carrying on her back the crystal student, gently putting him on the floor.

“BROTHER!” The sibling ran to his aid, raising his head to her chest. “Oh no! He is dead! Gods in the heavens! What I am supposed to tell the world about this?” She started crying on the spot.

“Uh, Reem, I’m alive and well!” He said gently.

“Oh!” She released him disappointed, making his head receive a rather painful impact on the floor. “Such a pity!”

“HEY!” He tried to get up. “Agh! My head! I wonder what happened in there.”

“YOU SCREWED THINGS UP! THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED!” Zest shouted madly after inspecting the scene. “Why did you alter the parameters that I strictly set for you, your royal pain? And worse! HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO BLOW-UP SEVERAL ELECTRICAL DRYING MACHINES? THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!”

“One: I wouldn’t accept wasting fifteen minutes of my time in there! And two: those clearly were faulty machines and a danger to my persona! I should sue this place for this!”

“Arbelth, you imbecile!” Reem said in discontent. “You should have done as Miss Zest instructed instead of making chaos and propagating your stupidity to the world!”

“Why are you always so rude with me when it was clearly the third party’s fault?”

Zest was this close to show her veins in her side head. “It doesn’t matter! When Sugarcoat sees this-!”

“See what?” 

A heavily symphony of panting were heard behind the young multitude. Nitpick, Sugarcoat and Gilda arrived to the scene with sweat, their faces assuming a serious expression. Zest released a nervous smile while her friend walked inside the once chaotic room. Sugarcoat’s face turned pale while small strands of her hair were slowly rising from her otherwise soft fabric.

“Sugarcoat? Sugarcoat!” Lemon Zest nervously waved a hand in front of her friend. The light gray haired girl took her glasses off her face and was putting pressure on the bridge of said item. Never before has Zest saw a hand trembling so hard with insidious fury.

“Asshole! What did you do this time?” Bittersweet expressed in a nervous fashion while seeing the busted room. “We are in deep trouble! WE ARE IN DEEP SHIT!”

“Don’t call me like a common citizen straight from a plebeian’s filthy alley, Nitpick Bittersweet! Sugarcoat! Please tell him… Huh!” He walked to the Champion’s side and curved his back a little to speak to her. “Little maiden?”

“Y-you… d-did this… didn’t you?” She barely could speak.

“It was caused by the faulty machinery from the place! But don’t worry! I’ll donate to this muddy institution new equipment and clean clothes to benefit the poor people immediately!” He noticed that Sugarcoat’s eyes were starting to fervently dilute. “Are you angry?”

‘CRACK’



“Oh! You were right, Reem! She is angry! No doubt the CHS commoners are at fault with it!"

“NOOOOOOU!” Her voice made echo throughout the building. Her hands found their way to the neck of the royalty. “YOU DON’T HAVE MORE THAN TEN MINUTES IN HERE AND YOU HAVE ALREADY IMPRINTED ANOTHER OF YOUR UNMISTAKABLE IDIOCIES FOR THE WORLD TO ADMIRE! YOUR ABILITY TO SHINE IN STUPIDITY IS INSPIRING!”

“That kind of remark is patented, Sugarcoat!” Nitpick said.

“It’s part of my persona to shine brighter than others, my dear friend!” Arbelth spoke proudly. “And I will gladly donate for this institution new cutting-edge equipment so they can get out of the Dark Ages! Isn’t that enough for you?”

“Y-you… I… I have a headache. Excuse me for a moment.” Sugarcoat retreated to the nearest seat. Reem offered her help since she could barely walk without her glasses.

Gilda was smart enough to not argue in pointless arguments with him and she threw the towel as well, joining Sugarcoat in her misery. She gave to the Champion of the third class some pats in her back and her friend used her shoulder as a kind of a pillow. 

“It wasn’t even a gas dryer, Blueblood.” Nitpick baffled. “You just put Crystal Prep in a big setback, you-! PAY ME ATTENTION, YOU BASTARD!”

The royal was making a phone call. “Excuse me for a moment, for I am making an important call to benefit this place!” The young prince called to one of his benefactors, giving details of what happened. It didn’t take more than a few minutes for several people to arrive with flashy, new equipment to replace the old ones. They also brought several boxes with new clothes of all sizes to the kids of the place as a donation. The staff of the place will be extremely happy with such gesture.

Nitpick sighed in defeat. “This is one of the things that I don’t miss from Crystal Prep. You rich bastards are truly a pain in the ass…”

“I rather believe that we are just part of the higher power in the society’s hierarchy distribution! With my act of charity, I am OPTIMISTIC that this common fair ground will have some smiling faces soon enough! Such good reputation to our schools we shall receive!”

“The only reputation that our schools will receive from this kind of events is that we are a bunch of incompetent apes who doesn’t know how to use a fucking drying machine!” Bittersweet exclaimed while violently scratching his head.

“Please! As people such as us should bother with this pointless competition! We already know the results of how this is going to end: Crystal Prep winning, friend!”

“The future is uncertain! CHS might give everyone a surprise to scale things to their favor! For now, since the danger has passed, go back to work before Sugarcoat’s veins explodes!”

“No!” He said defiant with arms crossed.

“Brother, do as he says!”

“No! And I won’t allow you to persuade me this time! I’m too important to denigrate myself like this!”

“I knew this would happen! That’s why I have prepared a weapon of deterrence exclusively for you!” Nitpick said triumphantly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“There is a girl in my school that will definitely put you in your place this time around!” He activated his radio. “Thunderbass?”

“She is already walking inside the building!”

“Thanks for giving her a ride!”

An echo of footsteps slowly became perceivable to the youth on the corridors. A shadow on the corner became bigger and bigger as the person in question was approaching to the scene. Even if she was covered in dirt from her laborious duty, Rarity entered the scene gracefully as she approached her schoolmate. Applejack soon followed behind her, carrying a box of new trash bags for the students to use.

“Heh heh heh…” Bittersweet laughed with short pauses. “Prince, it is time that you finally meet your match!” He released a victorious grin while pointing at Rarity.

Rarity joined his side, giving him a tender smile. “Darling, did you call for me? Thunderbass said that there was something that only I could be able to solve!”

“We have an asshole over there who refuses to work with Fluttershy! Since you are persuasive and you speak the tongue of society, I thought you would be able to convince him to work!” He pointed out to the source of the problem.

“Darling, it is of bad education to point with you finger at someone! Also, keep your language at bay! Do you kiss your mother in the cheek with that dirty mouth? Besides, I’m sure-!” Hell manifested in the form of the Fashionista instantly burning in anger while pointing to the royal man. “YOU!”

“So much for education…” Gilda chuckled.

“Uh? Have we met before?” Arbelth said surprised.

“Old Canterlot Castle! The Fashion Gala event! You were afraid of dirtying your shoes and used my scarf as bridge to cross a dirty floor!”

“AH!” He said in awe. “No, I’m sorry! Still don’t remember you! I tend to easily forget average people!”

“I’LL RIP YOU TO PIECES TO MAKE YOU REMEMBER!” 

She was stopped by her friends while trying to reach his face and throw him to the trash bin. The man was just smiling with confidence born from safety. Even if her friends weren’t there to stop her, the maids appeared like a flash beside their prized master and wouldn’t let any harm fell upon him.

“Calm down, Rarity!” Applejack held her with all her might. “Let it go!”

“You should heed the suggestion your friend gave to you and breathe deeply, young lady! You will form atrocious wrinkles in your fair skin as a result of losing your temper with my stupid brother!” Reem said pleasantly.

“HEY!”

“It’s the truth! No doubt you are the one who is at fault with her sudden burst of anger!”

“Remember that our friends taught us that commoners take the little things at heart because those stimulate their boring lives from time to time! So what I did for her was good in the long run!”

“My imbecile of a brother! The little things that they spoke of were when it was an event of good fortune for them! Not the ones that guide people to insanity!”

“You must always call me like that when you think I did something wrong?”

“Must you always be a hateful character?”

“HMPH!”

“For the looks of it, you know that him already.” Nitpick said to Rarity.

“HUH! You have no idea! This guy is the worst man I have ever met in my life!”

“Well, he is kinda… uh, special to deal with!” Nitpick opinionated with embarrassment.

“A pain would be a better word, darling! Who could possibly have a friendship with someone as unrefined, ungentle, unmanly and worthless like him?” He started to scratch his head ashamed. “Please don’t tell me…” Rarity couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Who is he, Rarity?” Applejack asked.

‘Thank you for saving me, Sheriff’ He thought.

“The eleventh heir of the royal lineage of Equestria! Prince Arbelth Blueblood!”

“He is a prince? He just seems like a meanie to me!” Fluttershy whispered to her friend. “But thank goodness you are here! You can… Rarity?”

The fashionista’s whole being was in a state of trance. Fluttershy and Applejack were used to that face of hers, making a few steps backward to avoid the area of effect. 

“AAAAHAHAHAHA! MY EYES DON’T DECEIVE! IT’S REEM FORTUNATA OAKWOOD! KYAAH! THE HEIR OF THE OAKWOOD COMPANY IS HERE!” Rarity shouted with extravagance while making little jumps. “I CAN’T BELIEVE I DIDN’T RECOGNIZE HER ON THE FIRST MOMENT I SAW HER!”

“Oh no…” Reem was rubbing her forehead in discontent.

“Who?” Applejack asked.

“A nobody, Miss!”

“What!? You don’t know about her?” All of her present friends frowned with doubt. She sighed in discontent. “Seriously! How could you never know about the most important people in the world of fashion and society?”

“Miss Rarity!” Reem turned to her direction displeased. “I don’t consider myself someone-!”

“That’s right, commoners!” Blueblood interrupted her sister, much to her dismay. “Be in awe by the presence of my royal sister!”

“What? I thought the royal family has only one heir!” Rarity was astonished.

“There is an explanation for that, Miss Rarity!”

“Let me be the one to explain, Reem! Your explanations are too farfetched!” Blueblood arranged his tie bow. “Miss Rarity, isn’t? You see, My Father, in his days of single life, never really found the ideal woman whom he may share his days of happiness! He travelled across the globe for two years, meeting many kinds of ladies and duchesses in his journey!”

“A poetic way to say that he was a womanizer.” Reem said carelessly.

“Eventually-!” He said between his teeth in frustration “-he found love in the form of two women, but he only chose one! And that’s how we were born from one woman: our Royal Mother!”

“And when he says Royal Mother, he means that Father slept with both of them to see who the better lover was.” She said neutrally.

“Don’t say that in public!” He mumbled between his teeth.

Rarity decided to not say a single word more, swallowing the one-million question on her mind. Reem subtly answered her curiosity. “Yes, Miss Rarity! I am child born without the benefit of clergy. Unloved by his step-father and reviled by her step-mother! Oh! Such tragic fate have the heavens cursed me with!” She imitated a maiden in distress, speaking in mockery with a deadpan expression. “Just like a fairy tale!”

“REEM!”

“What?” She said to her sibling without a care while hiding her lips behind a Victorian fan. “Lies only lead to more lies, as you may know!”

“Uh… Hahaha! You are joking, right? Hehe!” Rarity tried to soften the mood around. “An unorthodox joke straight from nobility… Right?”

“Of course it is a joke!” Nitpick instantly took a hold of her hands. “Reem is known for her black sense of humor on the school! Right, Gilda?”

“Yeah!” She put a hand on the fashionista’s shoulder. “Even I don’t understand her unique sense of… uh, uniqueness!” Her forced smile put Rarity in fright.

“Oakwood! Come right here in this moment!” Sugarcoat said in a scolding tone, giving an end to the awkward moment. “We need to talk about your punishment for arriving late! You may be my friend, but you won’t escape for your late arrival, even with such gifts to this place to help the cause!”

“But of course, my intellectual friend! Arbelth and I will do anything in our power and dignity to help our school’s reputation and keep peace within the scholar nations!” She approached her friend with a lovely demeanor.

“Please don’t include me in your senseless crusades, Reem!”

“Hush, Blueblood! You will do as she says!”

Sugarcoat stood up but she didn’t take any step. There was something vital to her survival capabilities missing from her face, and the royal siblings looked at her with a bit of concern. She wasn’t amused.

“Uh… I will ask Rosaline to bring you a new set of glasses!” Reem said reassuring.

Just as fast as the servants of the royal siblings brought the new laundry equipment, a new pair of glasses was bestowed to Sugarcoat in a quick fashion. 

“Lady Sugarcoat! This glasses frame is made of the purest titanium! The lenses themselves are of a special kind of trifocal glass, coated with an anti-reflective cover material made of ultra-thin crystal, combined with a new engineered property of photochromatic lenses in the glasses fabric! A massive step forward to your old ones made of common polymer materials! They are the first of a kind from Oakwood Company!”

“In other words, these glasses are a prototype for future public iterations and I’m the chosen guinea pig! Interesting!” She said with curiosity, given a nod of approval to the quality of her new eyes’ friend. “Thanks, Rosaline.” She said with a stoic smile towards her while walking to the laundry room. It was spotless, like if the accident never had happened. Even so… “Would someone do me a favor to work with these two?”

After the commotion was resolved and everyone got back to their normal posts, the girls who were going to work with Reem joined her once more in the hardship of labor. The maiden was happy. The prince was unpleased to be with them.

“Alright!” Dancer said. “Since the seconds of terror have finally passed and it seems that we are going to be okay with the staff of the place, why don’t we introduce ourselves again? I am Chocolate Dancer and she is Fluttershy!”

“Hi!”

“Don’t greet to us like-AARGHHH!” Arbelth received a painful pinch in his back, making him shut up.

“Good morning once again, our new acquaintances! My name is Reem Oakwood, at your service! And this man is Arbelth, my brother!”

“Good day, ladies!” He tried to put a strong face.

Dancer giggled pleasantly. “I can see the similarities in the eyes! They’re pretty! I hope we can work well together!”

“The feeling is mutual, Miss Dancer! But I am ashamed to say that I do not know how to make the house chores! Could you please be my teacher in this noble task?”

“Why, but of course! Grab a broom and watch me how it is done!” Dancer said politely. “Also, no need for formalities with me! Dancer is fine!”

“Are you asking royalty to reduce ourselves to-! AAH!”

“Not another word, fiend!” Reem pinched him once again.

“Do you know how to sweep, Arbelth?” Fluttershy asked in a friendly manner.

“No, commoner. I don’t do such unfitting labor for the likes of me!” He replied coldly.

Reem closed her eyes while making a big and breath-taking smile, raising her left foot with elegance in the process. Soon, a world-breaker stomp took place in the royal’s foot.

‘BUMP’

Blueblood yelled in pain while falling to the floor. Reem made a corstsey

“I ask forgiveness from the rudeness of my imbecile of a brother, Miss Fluttershy! He has trouble being a gentleman with most of society!”

“Oh my goodness! I don’t think that was necessary, Miss Reem!”

“Believe me, fair maiden! It is the only way to make this dalcop understand some manners… Right, brother?”

“‘sob’ Perhaps there are other ways.” He said somewhat manly while standing up.

“I wish that were true!”

“Uh… well!” Dancer retook her composure “Let’s rock the place and leave it shining like diamonds, shall we?”

“Of course, Miss Dancer!”

“I’ll teach you in the room over there! That’s our next stop! Come and join us when you are ready!”
While the CHS students entered the room mentioned, Reem and Arbelth approached the little opened locker where their new gear awaited for them.

“Be in awe, my brother! In front of us lays the fabled instrument that vanquishes filth from the floor: The Broom! A weapon of legend for the everyday folks!” She said in radiance while she slowly took her cleaning tool with excitement. “I could have waited an eternity for this! And look! The sticks of these ones are made of cheap wood and its bristles are of corn fibers! Magnificent!”

“Yeeeech! How could you possibly touch that thing? Think of how many plebeians had put their filthy hands in this… filth!”

“OH! Don’t’ be such a fopdoodle! Take the broom or I will force you to do it myself.” She ominously expressed.
Defeated, he took his instrument of cleaning against his will. It was luck for him that his gloves were still in his hands. They joined their partners in the chores and Reem was proving to be an enthusiastic learner, much to Dancer’s approval. Fluttershy on the other hand…

“No. You put your main hand in the upper part of the stick… Not there! Yes! Now, do this small motion-!” Fluttershy started to sweep gracefully for five seconds. “-and that’s how you do it! Now, why don’t you try it, friend?”

“I’m not your friend.” He said bluntly.

“…sorry.”

Arbelth tried to imitate the motion that Fluttershy made but his lack of enthusiasm, combined with his lack of experience in the mundane chores of the common folk, ended up in doing more harm than good to the task at hand.

“Maybe if you watch me again, you can understand better how it is done!” She said optimistic.

“No, I’ll call my maids and ask them do the job for me!”

“You can’t do that, Arbelth! It’s against the rules!” Fluttershy warned.

“It is not! I have proof right here that-“

“Brother! Could you please try again Miss Fluttershy’s teachings?” Reem asked nicely.

“…uh… fine!”

He repeated the sweeping process with new-found motivation, managing to clean a little square on the floor decently.

“That’s it! You are getting the idea!” The young Veterinarian said. 

“Look, brother! Guess what my new trade is now!” Reem said while sweeping the place with grace, looking like if she had done this her entire life. “I am a janitor!”

“Father would scold me for allowing you to do this!”

“Our airheaded of a Father would scold me for anything I do!”

“Ah…” Dancer and Fluttershy were left in stupefaction.

“Ahahaha! Reem has a weird sense of humor sometimes, Ladies! From now on, please pay no attention to her odd behavior!” His brother approached her sister while the CHS girls were left confused. “Could you please stop doing that?” He whispered in anger.

“HMPH!”

“And don’t imitate me like that!” 

“Now you know how idiotic you sound when you express yourself in that way! Now let me finish my duty before the day abruptly ends!”

Dancer and the Vet joined her in doing the good clean with enthusiasm. Arbelth wasn’t that comfortable with the idea. How could someone of royalty humiliate herself with such lowly display of physical labor? He managed to make his part, thanks in no small part to the watchful eyes from the boss of Crystal Prep’s team. Minutes later, it was time for them to finish the laundry, and Dancer was a teacher this time.

“Ok! Since we don’t want to repeat tragedies, I’ll be here all the way for you! Just put the freshly washed clothes in here and put the timer for fifteen minutes! Why don’t you try it again, Arbelth?”

The royal looked at the electro-domestic with great curiosity after putting the clean clothes in the new dryer. He switched the timer for time he was told and pressed the button as the machine instructed. The dryer started to make a weird noise for him and Dancer gave him a thumbs-up.

“Congratulations! You now know how to dry white cotton underwear and clothes in the drying machine the proper way!”

Arbelth’s feelings of supremacy emanated from his persona in a prideful fashion. “Of course! There isn’t a task that I can’t achieve when I put all my effort on it!”

“Glad to see that you enjoyed it! There are three more machines over there so give it a try, ok?” 

Safeguarded by his new teacher’s guidance, the royal managed to follow simple instructions and finish the work. Hours passed in tranquility, and the time to give a finale to today’s labor arrived. The students were praised by each institution with flying colors for a job well done, and the turmoil experienced in the orphanage was just a myth for the staff to speak of.

“Well, it wasn’t that bad for a first day! Making Rainbow Dash mad was so refreshing!” Gilda stretched her arms. “Can we go home now?”

“It’s your free time so you can do whatever you want with it!” Sugarcoat responded. “Oakwood, next time try to arrive earlier! Blueblood, please go and die soon!”

“HEY!”

“Reem… did you really had to make those uncomfortable comments? We know they are false but…uh! Some of the CHS guys had a hard time dealing with you! Even Dancer was left speechless with some of your opinions!”

“My beloved friend! I rather being an obnoxious and rejected girl surrounded by true friends in her time of privacy instead of being a popular public doll surrounded by backstabber pigs!”

“Coyotes in this case.” Gilda corrected. “They use pigs for greedy bastards in this country!”

“And I won’t allow you to call my girl a backstabber!” Lightbulb spoke.

“Thank you, my mighty friend! And I did not mean to imply that Miss Dancer was one of those abominable beings, Young Lightbulb! I took a liking to her and Miss Fluttershy! Besides, I wasn’t lying about what I said about father…mostly! With some luck, Miss Rarity will spread the word on CHS of how annoying I am and I will be free of such unwelcomed attention like the one she displayed moments ago!”

“Sister, at least try to be more careful with dad’s reputation next time!” Blueblood scolded.

“Oh please! Everyone knows that Father was a bedswerver in his youth before we were even born! He is even proud of that fact! That, and Mother hating him forever is such a good comedy! You know how she loves making fun of him!”

Nitpick looked at her with a frowned eye. “Anyway… Let’s go to The Dazzles and eat together! Sonata called me and said that she perfected a new recipe called ‘empipianadas’! She wants us to give her our honest opinion and they’ll give us a discount for that!”

“Count me in! The bus to the suburbs will arrive soon!”

“Gilda! Why use a mobile fish can when we can travel in luxury! Let me call Sargent Matrix to give us an aerial escort!”

“I rather take the public transport than sitting in that fancy helicopter ever again!”

“I won’t travel in a filthy- UGGHHHHH!”

Blueblood couldn’t finish his complaining. Gilda gave him a liver blow, giving Nitpick a short opening to carry him on his back. Reem gave the instructions to her maids to go back to the manor. The five obnoxious youngsters and Lightbulb took the bus to the suburbs, not having any major conflicts for the rest of the day. 
> Chapter 62- Happy Birthday, Pinkie Pie!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is a Party?

It is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration of a special occasion. It typically features food and beverages, and often music and dancing or other forms of entertainment. That’s what the dictionary says anyway. 

With that said, I ask to you: What is a Pinkie Party?

There are barely any words that can make it justice! It is a gathering of special people to the party planner! Pinkie Pie, with all her unbelievable knack of doing things, chooses the snacks appropriate to each occasion, to each guest, to each season, making sure that there is a little of everything for any kind of palate. And that’s just for food. She chooses the music with the previous requirements, plus a little pinch of variety in the form of fun activities like dancing and striking piñatas, making people fall in the hope of getting lucky with the special sweets stored inside. You could say that Pinkie herself is the embodiment of the perfect party planner.

Then... how could I possible describe the event I’m assisting on this day?

“ARE YOU READY FOR THE PARTY!?”

“YEAH!”

“IDON’THEARYA!”

“YEAAAAAH!”

Nearly Indescribable! But I’ll do my best!

Her shouts were like a priest summoning her cult followers in fulfilling the only purpose that her church preached every single moment: experience the pleasures of school days and innocent fun! Pinkie Pie, like always, was greeting each individual guest with a big smile, giving away one of her special, little cupcakes for the occasion. No one rejects a Pinkie Cupcake! And more importantly: No one rejects a Pinkie Party!

But enough about silly reasoning and stuff! That’s not my style and my head hurts because of that! Right now, while Pinkie is distracted by the constant arrival of guests on the place, I was sneaking my way to the present’s table. You see, there is a tradition between she and I were if one of us is successful in delivering the present to the table without being noticed by the birthday girl, then the first slice of cake would belong to her.

Since I met her during our middle school days in CHS, she has successfully delivered the present to my birthday’s table for three consecutive years! I on the other hand… zero! Not this year! Not when my friends are helping me out this time!

I was hiding behind a wall with six presents in one inside an awesome box, waiting instructions from Twilight and Sunset to make my next move. I felt the adrenaline pumping in my blood like if this was the final boss of Jambo the Videogame! The conditions were perfect, and the multitude gave me the edge in hiding away from her. But even with all these people gathered here, you can never underestimate her Pinkie Sense. You’ll regret it one hundred too many times if you underestimate it!

“Rainbow Dash, are you there?” Twilight spoke through the microphone.

“I hear ya clearly!” I spoke trough my modified diadem, courtesy of my egghead scientist of a friend. “Where is she?”

“At the north entrance of the Public Hall! Seriously, how did she manage to rent this place? Even Crystal Prep must have a hard time asking for this place during the Wind Rider event!” 

“That’s Pinkie for you! You will learn to not ask any questions soon enough! Sunset, where do I move now?”

“Your best bet is to sneak behind the beverage’s table and wait for further instructions! I’ll distract her for some time, but…!”

“I know, I know! Leave it to me, Sunset!”

“I can’t believe we are using the new Micro-Intercom Sunset and I developed to coordinate your movements instead of using it in the competition with Crystal Prep!”

“Chill out, Twilight! Consider it a test field of sorts!”

“Well, I suppose so. Carry on!”

It didn’t take Sunset more than sixty seconds to take Pinkie’s attention away from the table, giving me time to sneak upon it. She delivered her to Rarity, who also wanted to help me out. Once hiding, I waited a long, long time of five minutes, anxious for my next instructions. Normally, people would look at me with faces of doubt, looking at me like if I was a crazy gal of sorts. But everyone knows about the tradition I shared with her by now, so they look away when they spot me on the place.

“Okay, Rainbow! Move behind the cake’s table and wait there! You can lay your back on it! It’s a sturdy kind of wood, perfect for hiding!”

It was easy for me to move around with my nimble skills, especially behind such mountain-like cake giving me extra space to hide under its shadow. 

“I bet you gave her the idea of using this table, Sunset!” I said while resting my back on it.

“This mission is too important to allow any kind of error! We have planned this for weeks, now! You can’t fail this time!” 

“You say it so seriously! I can believe we are doing this just for a silly slice of cake for Rainbow!” Twilight said baffled through the intercom.

“Not any slice of cake, Twilight! The Pinkie’s slice of cake!”

She sighed in stress. "There are too many people in here! How many people she invited, exactly?"

"Knowing Pinkie Pie... well, at least two hundreds people! Mostly from our school!" I replied.

"WHAT!?"

“Yes, Twilight! We can- OH NO! RAINBOW, BE QUIET!” 

Oh gosh! Oh Gosh! OH OH GOSH! That unmistakable voice was approaching my direction! Did she found me already?

“Pinkie Pie, what lovely design of cake you did this year!” Rarity said enchanted.

“Thanks!” Pinkie said proudly. “Not wanting to brag about it but this is my best cake yet!”

“What is Rarity doing here?” I whispered as lowly as I could. “She is supposed to be in southern entrance with her!”

“I don’t know! Whatever you do, don’t move! You are very close to each other!” Sunset urged. “I’m on my way!”

I hope she comes fast! It won’t be easy now! There are far more people from the school here than a few minutes ago, and it will delay Sunset’s coming! Although I’m happy for Pinkie Pie to receive such love and praise from all of her guests, I can’t stop being frustrated that they could ruin my opportunity to succeed in something important.

“Tell me, Pinkie Pie! What’s so special about this cake?”

“Ooooh! It’s a secret!” She tried to whisper. “But I can tell you that it has frozen strawberry ice cream inside of that bread volcano! With lots of crunchy, ice-hardened pieces of creamy chocolate inside of the cake-“ My mouth started to melt in desire. “-with lots, and I say lots of freshly made marshmallows on that little tower! All made by my own hands!”

And soon it will be mine!

The temptation was strong! I mean, I could simply take a small bite of it right now… but for what? The victory of finally beating Pinkie at her own game was beyond any prize that could be bestowed to me in this moment! The only thing that was left to do was-

‘Sniff’ ‘Sniff’

“You smell that, Rarity?” She said in trance.

“Smell what?”

“I don’t know! There is an aroma around here that doesn’t belong to the cake!”

I can hear it, even with this multitude! She is getting close to me! 

“Ooooohohoho! Mmm! I don’t forget this kind of delicious aroma easily! I have smelled this before! It’s plain, but exquisite! It goes along with almost all flavors of ice cream in the world! Truly a legendary taste!”

Closer… CLOSER! Footsteps were heard in the other side of the table! Slowly walking around it! Heavy! Pronounced! Shivering! 

“It smells like vanilla behind this table!”



SHE FOUND ME!

“Pinkie, LOOK! It’s Maud and your sisters!” Sunset saved me.

“WHAT!?” She was excited, taking the aura of torment with her. “IT’S TRUE! MAUD! LIMESTONE! MARBLE! I’M HERE!”

I took a light-speed glance to the scene to make sure Pinkie left the scene, and I quickly sprinted behind the multitude to make a final run to the present’s table. I could taste it! The first slice will be mine! Mine! MINE! I jumped forward the table and-

“AGGGHHH!!”

I received a bear hug from behind.

“DASHIE! I’m glad you made it!”

DARN IT!

“I WAS THIS CLOSE! HOW DID YOU DO IT?”

“Do what?”

“YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!”

“OOOOHHH! That! Ahahahahaha! Oh Dashie!” She embraced me gently while giving me an impious smile. “You nearly made it this year!”

“ARGH! Next year, Pie! Next year, I tell ya!”

“Anywho! Leave the present over there and come with me! Let’s party hard this day together!”

“Hey…”

She turned around and gave me a cutely look. “Yes?”

“Happy Birthday!”

We shared a long hug. Happy that we could spend time with our friends, I just let her hand guide me all the way. While all her guests were enjoying themselves in dancing and personal chatters, we joined with the rest of the girls, who were looking at me while releasing some chuckles.

“Oh, Rainbow! You were so close this year!” Fluttershy said while hugging me.

“You know, Rainbow Dash! I should’ve been the one to deliver the present myself! That little rush at the end was the mark of your imminent failure, y’all!”

“Nah, you aren’t that cool, Applejack!” 

“Someone is getting competitive around here!”

“Do you always do this every year?” Twilight said somewhat amused.

“Of course, darling! It became a sort of tradition with us as well! Well, we only watch from afar but it’s fun to see them doing that!” Rarity informed.

“Hey, I noticed something is amiss!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Where is Big Mac?”

“Sorry, Pinkie! He is busy with farm work! Bloom and I could barely come here to be with you but we’ll have to take our leave earlier! This year we had better business than expected and I… you know!”

“It is okay, Jackie! I understand! But you won’t leave without some slices of cake for you and the family!”

She chuckled. “We wouldn’t miss them for anything!”

“I’ll leave earlier as well! I have to study for the tests of the next week!”

“But we already studied yesterday!” I said. “Come on! What are really going to do when you leave here?”

“Study!” Twilight smiled while carrying Spike.

“You can ask Twilight to help you more on your studies, Rainbow Dash!” Spike said. “I bet she can give you a quick study session so you can increase your previous score!”

“Like the last time we experienced the boredom of death? No, thank you!”

“Last time you decided to use crib note to pass the test instead of studying like everyone else!” Sunset scolded.

“I didn’t use it because you took it away from me, remember?”

“Good riddance!”

“Girls, don’t forget about our schedules in the competition! Who will go tomorrow to each place?” Fluttershy asked.

“I want a rearrange of teams, Sunset! I can’t possibly work near Blueblood or Polomare! Those two drive me insane, darling!”

“And I want to be far away from Gilda!” I said. “She gets on my nerves!”

“…Look, everyone!” Sunset said while sighing tenderly. “Let’s forget about everything for the rest of the day! This is Pinkie’s special day and nothing will ruin it!” Pinkie’s smile got even bigger. “Not even school business!”

“I couldn’t have said that better!” I saluted to her. “VYNIL! MUSIC! NOW!”

Pumpy music was the selection of Vynil Scratch while everyone danced in a single rhythm! But there are things that get better when new friends join the occasion! And right know, one of my newest friends arrived to scene!

“Hey, Rainbow Dash! Thanks for inviting me up!” Zap and I made an air clap.

“Glad you made it! But thank Pinkie! She was the one who asked for you!”

“I appreciate it! The other guys arrived as well! I’m sure Zest’s present will leave her impressed!”

“Hey, Zap! Glad you came here!” Sunset greeted her. “I know it is not the time but I need to ask you something.”

“Oh, if this is about our little fight a few days ago, don’t worry! Everyone at Crystal Prep bought our little show!”

“I am still feeling somewhat nervous if your school discovers you helped us out!”

“Don’t worry, Sunset! Unlike most of my peers, the Crystal students that came here know the truth about the Magic of Friendship… Although I feel guilty for lying to Sugarcoat! She doesn’t believe in it and she is still obsessed that it was a cheating occurrence!” She put a thoughtful face. “I can’t believe I lied to my friend…”

“I believe it’s for the best, Zap!” Sunset comforted her. “Besides, you know what happened after that!”

“Yeah… All of us competing with each other in a stupid event for the sake of our Principal’s big ego!” She crossed her arms annoyed. “Even Dust is focused in defeating you! I wish she had that kind of determination for other things in the school!”

“Come on, Zap! She is your family! Even if she is aggressive towards us, she does it for you!” 

“Oh, Rainbow Dash… I know, but…”

“Don’t give me that downer of a look and forget about it! Look, it’s time for striking the piñatas! Give me your hand and I promise that everything will work out like last time!”

She gave me a warm smile and took my hand in comfort. It was time to show her my awesome skills, and I’m sure she will do the same to me. Zap, Zest, Upper Crust, Jet Set and Neon Lights were really an awesome addition from Crystal Prep… maybe they were on the wrong school. Perhaps, they could…

“WHAT!? AGAIN!?” Zap was burning in the passion of competition. The birthday girl was catching the goods from the broken piñata. “I KNOW IT WAS ON MY HAND!”

“HOHOHOHOHO! You are one thousand years too early to challenge me in Piñata Candy Grabbing! You have talent! I'm looking forward to completing your training. In time you will call ME master!” Pinkie laughed devilishly.

“I didn’t know you liked Star Wars!” Twilight said. “That last quote was from the Emperor himself!”

“Star Wars? You don't mean Galaxy Wars, dude who writes our dialogues?” She asked in a weird tone to the ceiling.

"Uh...What?” She asked confused.

She released a soft giggle. “Nevermind!”

The party continued for hours, and the games got better and better! Sadly, AJ leaved earlier with Bloom to work on the farm. The final competition of Rock Jenga was intense, but when the Pie sisters teamed up, any hope of victory was lost immediately. 

Her presents were… how should I say it? Spot on! I don’t know how but everyone thought of the same thing besides some clothes or accessories to her: Giving her confetti and streamers as a present to her! She didn’t waste time, and used them as ammunition for her party cannons! Zest gave her a headset with Pinkie’s mark imprinted on it. 

I hope Zest’s back didn’t break after being hugged by her.

Eventually, the party was over. The rest of the girls, her sisters and our new friends helped Pinkie to clean the place. It didn’t take us more than forty minutes to leave everything spotless. It was an awesome day indeed.
> Chapter 63- You are scaring her, Flash!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was October 20th. A new week came once again to greet the living with the possibility of choosing new paths, keep on traveling the same ones, or have a brief moment of respite and think about the future. What kind of action I will choose in this particular week?

Trying to remember how to solve my nightmarish test could be an excellent start.

I was facing my greatest challenge yet in the academic fields since the time I teamed up with Midnight last year. The physics test was starting to get a life on its own. Or so I thought. This piece of paper was mocking my existence, enjoying its greatest pleasure in making my student's life more miserable that it already was. It could possibly be an exaggeration on my part, considering that I had a house to return to and many other privileges that many lack.

But even so, although it may sound cruel, those weren't my immediate problems. Right now, I had to overcome this challenge somehow. I briefly observed my peers while they were doing their tests. It was a better panorama than the one from the last time. Overall, most students were assertive while writing their answers to their sheets, even though some were having a kind of delay in their actions. To my relief, Dash had a calmer expression in her visage, having her usual cocky smile exposed to the world to see.

By seeing that, I reread my test once again with new found resolve, trying to remember all the lessons that Sugarcoat blessed me with during our little chat on yesterday's evening. She was as bitchy as always at teaching the four of us through Stalpy Live Messenger, but she managed to overcome her innate rage against Blueblood's lack of...uh, scientific intellect in these fields of science. Reem was a better student than us despite her strange quirks, and Gilda and I were doing our best to follow our teacher’s steps.

Now, after partially remembering her lessons, I was able to transform the once mocking face of my test into readable words and I proceeded to answer it. Not as hard as I thought, considering that the trigonometry's test was somewhat bothersome as well. Ethics was so easy that I could have just closed my eyes while answering it.

"I finished!" An enthusiastic Scientist got up her chair while delivering her test to our illustrious teacher.

"Ohohoho! Excellent job once again, Miss Twilight Sparkle! I knew you would finish first once again! Oh! Miss Shimmer and Mr. Microchip are done as well! You can do whatever you want in your chairs in silence while you wait for your friends to finish their test!" Said Santa Calculus in his sickly happy tone.

Those three walked back to their seats in quietly. Or so I thought. Before she took her seat, I felt that my friend gave me a quick glance, even when I was trying to focus solely on my test.

"You can do it." She mumbled with a sweet tone.

She shouldn't have said that. I was feeling still somewhat guilty after allowing Sugarcoat to stomp on her a few times during our first day on our communitarian duties. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a decision that would bite me in the ass later... I hope it was the right thing for her, for my karma, and most importantly, for her sake.

...

"Done at last." I delivered my test to my teacher.

I believe this time I'll get a better note. When I told my Father that I got my first D on last time's test, he nearly cut my allowance for this month. Thankfully, Mother intervened, but for a silly reason. She still thought that I had a girlfriend in the form of Sunset Shimmer, and I needed all the money at my disposal to treat her like royalty until I could find a part-time job like Dancer. Yeah, that’s not happening anytime soon.  At least the royalty part. I was indeed searching for a job, an easy one to start to get the ropes on being a corporate slave in my future.

The bell rang, marking the time to go my next class of literature. I took a little detour to my favorite vending machine to buy a Chocolate of Spirit to refuel my sugar reserves. What is this shit? They raised the fucking price of them by seven cents. Greedy bastards! Oh well, you only live once.

My Sixth Sense!

"Hey, man! What's up?" A 'friendly' greeting was spoken from behind, given me an unsettling chilling on my spine.

"Flash..." I didn't turn around until my chocolate was on my hand. "There we go. What do you want?"

"Why do you think I want something?"

I don't know, cool guy, perhaps because this part of the hallway is far away from your mandatory route to your classroom.

"Well, I just thought you wanted something from me. If it is not the case, I should go." Before I could leave the place, I was stopped from my arm.

"Have you talked with Twilight recently?"

I knew it would be something related to her.

"Besides during the time in our job on those organizations, no, I haven’t."

"Really?" He asked a little more intensely.

"Look, Sentry! I'll tell you once more so you can burn it in that brain of yours! Date her several times and confess to her if you believe she is the one! Just don’t rush things like a desperate idiot! And if you get rejected, deal with it!"

"So you don't know?"

"Know what? No, forget it! I don't want to be part of any silly gossip this time around! This school makes things too annoying for its own sake! I really must go to my next class now."

I left him there while I focused my will to my objective: arriving on time to Cranky’s boring class. I saw the Cutie Crusaders in the room talking about their stuff. The three of them greeted me with shimmering beauty and cheerfulness that could leave my eyes blind by the radiance of their teeth. Applebloom called me once again Bub-in-law. I was too lazy to search it’s meaning on the web so I just returned her probably sweet nickname in kind, much to her approval.

Seriously, the middle school children from the academy would look at me in fright. I miss that little sense of personal space. But if it is the Crusaders, I guess I could let it pass. They are cute... Oh no, I can’t walk in that kind of trap with my age. Just a few months more and…

“Good morning, students. Let’s finish this quickly!” Said the teacher while arriving with unusual speed to his desk.

The rest of my companions followed not far behind his shadow and soon enough, another boring chore from him was delivered to us. It seems that his test will be on the next class because he had a kind of a ‘problem’ in preparing them for the occasion. That’s another way to say that he forgot about today or he simply didn’t care enough. Seriously, how this guy became a teacher is beyond me. He even let us go around thirty minutes earlier because he has some duties from the Principal he needed to finish. Not complaining but… Ah forget it!

Time to waste some time alone in the library and play Fire Seal! I need to grind some levels… my main character’s resistance growth simply sucks! No! Every single one of my units sucks! Stupid RNG Goddess and her middle finger on my progress! TWENTY SEVEN LEVELS AND MY AVATAR JUST HAVE TEN OF POINTS OF RESISTANCE! REALLY?

Must… Calm down… this time it will be different, I can feel it.

…

EVERY SINGLE FUCKING TIME IS THE SAME SHIT, OVER AND OVER! 

These games are worse than playing the lottery with my family! Every single fucking time you believe you’re going to get lucky, the RNG Goddess, Fortuna, comes down from the heavens, fucks up my already bad luck and leaves to her throne with a trolling mask on her face.

“Psst! Nitty…!”

“UH?”

“Over here!” 

…What the hell?

I took a seat from the table where the voice came from. Seeing her like that filled me with a kind of embarrassment. “May I know what are you doing below the PC tables, Sparkion?” I’ll whisper as long as she does it.

“Hiding.” She whispered even lower than before.

“No shit, Sherlock!”

“Language.”

“Ugh… Flash, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Have you talked to him about your feelings on the matter?”

“Yes! I already rejected him!”

“Really? I knew you could… wait, when?”

“The Sunday from two weeks ago! He and I had… a kind of a date. It didn’t end well.”

That explains Flash’s weird attitude from earlier.

“Why are you hiding here in the first place?”

“Ever since that day, I have felt that someone was watching me from afar! At first, I thought it was my imagination, but then, Spike saw a shadow following me while I was on my own on the school! He, uh, sensed that it was Flash!”

Flash a… No, no, and no! It can’t be!

“And you ended up here because…?”

“I think I saw Flash again in the corner while I was returning from the bathroom, so I rushed and hid here! Oh! Why did I have to leave Spike with Sunset on the classroom?” 

“Sunset is aware of this possible behavior of his?”

“Yes! But she says that maybe he wants my friendship still… but I can’t give that to him either!”

“Text Sunset to come for you, then! That way you will not be alone!”

And I’m sure she’ll help you in shun him away better than I.

“I can’t!”

“Why!?”

“I forgot my phone on the desk!”

“…”

My curiosity, and stupefaction, was starting to flare to dangerously high levels, making me put my 3SD back in my special, hidden pocket on my long-shirt. Should I ask?

“Won’t you ask me what happened between us?” She said a little... expectative.

“Only if you sit beside me like a normal, human girl.”

“Hehe, fair enough.”

She took a seat and sat uncomfortably close to me. That feeling disappeared immediately after she told me the whole story. The start sounded like a typical first date for someone like her… it was the last part that rubbed me in the wrong way. To say that I was shocked, baffled, angered and ready to smash his face would be a massive understatement.

“Dating someone to replace your former lover… what kind of asshole does that!?”

“…”

“Sorry, language.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind it that much.” Said Midnight while playing with her hands.

“So as long as it’s him, I can curse whatever I want, huh?”

“No! Behave yourself, fiend!”

“Fiend? Your kind of rejection was a monstrosity on its own right! Not even Reem could have come with such a crushing speech! Perhaps Sugarcoat could trump that…”

“That’s not true! You say meaner things daily! Just like during last Saturday where you were supposed to defend me from Sugarcoat, but you sided with her! To be honest, I felt a little betrayed…”

“Sorry, but I said the truth! You can’t be a pushover for the rest of your life! There will come the day where you must put your chin high and beat your opposition to the ground! Whether it is literally or metaphorically, I’ll leave that to you!”

“Mmm…!”

“Come on! You should be happy! You rejected Flash! In a well-deserved but cruel fashion, but rejected him nonetheless! Don’t you feel a little more secure about your persona?”

“N-not that much.” She was blushing intensely while looking at the side.

“Don’t lie to me, Sparkion!”

“Stop calling me like that!” She said in a loud tone. Luckily, Cheerilee wasn’t around to hear that.

“Good! That’s the way!”

“Then will you stop calling me like that?” She smiled for the possibility of her wish being fulfilled.

“Will you stop calling me Nitty?”

“I like that name for you, it is of my own invention!”

“Then you will eventually love the name I thought for you, too!” I chuckled.

“Arrgghh! You are impossible!”

“If you are feeling safer now, we should…”

My Sixth Sense!

“What’s wrong? Why did you shake a little?”

“I just had a sudden bad feeling!” I whispered. “We should go…”

“Yes! Let’s go back with Sunset in the classroom!”

“Uh, Shimmer…?”

“You are friends with her… right?”

“Ah, yeah, sorta… no! I’ll leave you there with her and I’ll see you in a few minutes on the next class! Let’s go!”

“Don’t pull my hand- waaah!”

Seriously, the day I ask Sunset Shimmer any favor of sorts, that day I will ask her out again!

Midnight and I were walking on the empty halls of the school in a quick fashion. I was sure that I felt the guy around the place inside the library. But this wasn’t the first time my sense deceived me since the first time I arrived to this school. Fucking weird institution and it’s almost crazy population. Just a few steps more and-

I brusquely stopped our journey.

“Why did we stop?”

“I… no...”

There was a time when I had a desire to be with Bookful Sporty, my first crush, to the point of trying to reach her intellectual capabilities and nimble skills in the physical department, just to have something to talk with her. Even I gave her that nickname of hers, just like with Twilight who is Midnight, or like Gilda who is Gily, Blueblood the Asshole, and some other nicknames to my closer friends. In the realms of my foolish youth, you could say that I was extremely infatuated by her, even when I discovered that she already had a love interest.

I learned a hard lesson that day: You must let go if you truly love someone. My Grandfather reinforced me that teaching of life with the following: 

‘Son, people often misunderstands rejection with a future opportunity to try again much later, if interest still exists. That’s because it’s on our nature to achieve happiness, even if it is a selfish one. Others choose resentment, which in a way, is a healthy method to move to something else, as long as you don’t affect third parties and grow from the experience… But remember! There are people that choose something far worst. Something that could lead to disastrous results in the possible future.’

I asked him what was that last choice… he never answered it, choosing to let life teach that to me. 

I was scared in that moment while I stood there in deep reflection, finally learning the final piece my Grandfather omitted on his speech. 

Obsessions can end up in dangerous outcomes, whether psychological or physiological. In worst a case scenario, a combination of the two. How should I approach this dilemma? How should solve this problem of her? This is beyond her current capabilities, but I can’t intervene that much if I expect her to grow.

Perhaps I spoke too soon about my dating with her. 

For my annoyance, or in this case, blessing, I added her number in case I would need something of utter importance from her during the Thanksgiving event. While I used my cellphone to contact Shimmer through text messaging, Midnight was looking around like a mouse would do when it sensed danger in a quiet habitat. Thinking this with mockery, my first text to Sunset would be for…

-Nitpick: I need your help.

I hope she replies quick- OH!

-Sunset: Anything I can help you with, friend? :*

Ughhh! Sensing that she was willing to help me from the bottom of her heart disturbed me even more than the menace that was around the corner of the next corridor. I texted her to say that if it wasn’t much trouble that if she could come and rendezvous with us. Not forgetting to bring Spike, of course. I must ask Lightbulb what kind of breakfast diners are popular for dates around here. Something cheap would be nice since Shimmer isn’t my girl.

Hopefully, when she comes for us, she will spirit away the guy around the corner who I once thought belonged to the ‘Cool Guy’ trope. 


> Chapter 64- Slowly accepting you...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was coexisting with an individual in a land faraway from Equestria! A hall of silvery radiance was the stage assembled just for the two of us. We were peacefully talking under the thousands shades of gold from the majestic sun. The bright skies above us were of faint graphite with subtle tones of celeste blue!

We were in a warm discussion, enjoying the moment while admiring our glimmering eyes. My speeches were of hopes and ideals, nurtured from my continuous learning of Friendship from my day to day experiences. On the other hand, the words that he or she used, the monologues he professed, and the lessons she shared, although equal in the core from my beliefs, were different in the way in how to achieve it.

Eventually, our peaceful talking became a discussion, our heated discussion became an argument, and the fiery argument became a fiendish strife of damnation to our ideals. 

I stepped forward - to stand my ground - and protect what I always tried to defend: My dreams! My utopian realm brightens by my act, and the plane of existence of my listener is engulfed in shadows! Suddenly…

The world of the living welcomes me once again! 

Nothing of it was real! My eyes saw the tangible roof of greyish tones, its fan giving me a pleasant sensation of artificial air. I tried to remember what I dreamed in that surreal product of my imagination, but the more effort I put into it, the more I was forgetting its events! Now, trying to remember the fantasy lived in my mind was like trying to grasp the intangible softness of the breeze. You could feel it for a moment, but the feeling disappears as fast as a new wind arrives.

I had a memory of it a few moments ago, and suddenly… it banished… without leaving a sweet aroma to indulge myself upon it.

Dreams like this in Equestria tended to be of a prophetic nature. Princess Twilight wrote me during one of our previous book texting sessions that not even the Princess of the Night was able to understand at its fullest all the dreams she had visited during her royal duties as the Guardian of the Dreams. 

She herself admitted that nopony could fully grasp with complete understanding the fantasies of the dreamers, for each dreamer possess a different notion of what is the meaning of consciousness. Every mind is its own world, its own universe, and its own reality. Fascinating, capable of transcending time and existence, dreams were something that could become a reality in a partial way if we work hard enough for them.

Isn’t that right, my stubborn, new friend?

But it wasn’t the time to ask someone who wasn’t even there. I better hurry if I want to arrive on time!

…….
…….

“Where are we going, again?”

“To Sugarcube Corner. Where else? You said I could choose any place of my liking for ‘saving’ you from Flash, as you claimed yesterday!”

“You saved Twilight, not me! And I was thinking something more like an actual meal! That place doesn’t have a proper menu of solid food!”

“Don’t worry, Nitpick! The Cakes also have a special menu with healthy food! Contrary to common knowledge, they serve excellent meals like sandwiches and baguettes!”

“Are they quick? We will be late for today’s labors at our work stations if we keep walking at this pace!”

“Don’t worry! Our school partners will find a way to manage without us! Besides, we have a special mission of my own to do!”

“What an incredible way to enjoy the rest of the day after school! Working tirelessly on those places and wasting our youth!”

“Our schoolmates will be doing the heavy work on our behalf, so I don’t see the reason why you should be complaining! Today is an excellent day to make some good, out of the box, progress!”

“I don’t think we aren’t doing much help besides cleaning! This is beyond our field of expertise, and to some extent, maturity! How in the world we will help homeless children? I could understand helping the elderly or sick to give them a moment of fun! But kids, seriously? I barely could keep up with my younger sister when she was around!”

I don’t think I could help that much either. After all… The word ‘Orphan’ doesn’t exist in Equestria… my world of Equestria. How could someone abandon its own child was beyond my darkest thoughts! It must be horrible for the colt or mare, I mean, kids! Alien, even! I was evil once… but I don’t think I was that evil before…

No! I will find a way! We always do!

“Anyway, this isn’t the shortest route to go to Sugarcube Corner!” Nitpick said straightforward.

“I know. It’s a detour of mine. I wanted to walk for a bit before having some food in my belly. It’s a fresh afternoon, don’t you think so?”

“We need to be at five with the others, remember that!”

“The two of us won’t go for today, Nitpick!”

“Why?”

“The special mission I told you moments ago? We’ll do some visits to some places and ask them for financial support!”

“Excuse me, what?”

“We’re the committee representatives! It’s our duty to do the speaking and negotiations, Partner!”

“Ask Rarity for that kind of stuff instead of me! She is the social one, remember?”

Suddenly, a noisy growl came from his stomach. I couldn’t help but release a laugh at that. His face was so serious but his cheeks couldn’t hide his embarrassment!

“Perhaps we should discuss during our meal so we can reach a mutual understanding, and un-grumpify yourself while at it!”

“Uhu…”

The Cakes welcomed us in their small café, giving us their best smiles while serving us. I asked for a Veggie Panini with a can of my favorite organic berry juice while he asked for a meat based Panini with some apple juice. Seriously, not since Applejack I have met someone who drinks mostly apple juice in his meals. 

I explained to him my idea with the best detail I could offer, with some backup in the form of an electronic document that I sent him during our talk. We needed funds for the future activities we would do for the institutions, and the income that CHS could give us wasn’t enough to make something great for the three of them! So, the answer was simple: Get some sponsors!

There was an important detail written in small letters in the rules of the competition: We may not do something out of the ordinary to fulfill our responsibilities, which in this case would be Pony-up. BUT! We can obtain funds from third parties interested in advertising their names for a good cause! We could solve the problems of money for our activities still in discussion and give a good name to those who agree to help us to the public! Is a win-win situation for everyone!

“And that’s the idea, what do you think?”

“Rejected.” He instantly said.

“WHAT!?” I slammed the table. “WHY!?”

“Because if words spread of this, people like Blueblood would swarm the place with money and overwhelm CHS! That’s why Sugarcoat and I were scolding him the whole weekend from brining unnecessary problems to those places! His maids on the first day, for example!”

“You knew about this tiny detail all this time and you didn’t say a word to me about it?”

“You never asked my opinion on the matter.” He crossed his arms and closed his eyes with seriousness.

This guy…!

“But at this rate we are gonna lose before we even begin! Our school funds aren’t enough to hold an event this big! We only have six thousand dollars to work with and getting sponsors would give us an edge! ”

“And if we spread the word, the rich guys like him won’t raise a single finger on the matter and will hire people to do the work that is supposed to be done by us! With our hands, you know!”

“We must take the risk! Principal Celestia has faith in us, so we must do something about it! I know we can give a good show if the school unites its might once more!”

“I don’t want to give a good show anymore! I just want to be done with this the old-fashioned way!”

“Remember that we have a friendship at stake with our little, personal competition! A very valuable one!”

“Now that you mention that…” He gave me the odd eye while drinking his juice.  “I was meaning to speak about something related to her with you!”

“Flash is not a stalker! Yesterday when I ‘saved’ both of you was only an exaggeration of your imagination! He is a nice guy and only wants Twilight’s acceptance!”

“He is an obsessive and creepy Brad, Shimmer! Don’t let your past feelings for him blind you of that! He was looking at Twilight like a desperate dog! How couldn’t you see that in his face?”

“As I said before, you are exaggerating! He is just trying to make a friendship with Twilight, that’s all! Besides, I don’t have past feelings for him, Bittersweet! I never cared about him!”

“…?”

I sighed deeply with regret. “Please forget what I said... I didn’t mean that…”

“I understand…” He closed his eyes with reflection. He didn’t say a word for a short time that seemed like an eternity to me. “But I still believe he is a danger to her! I told Lightbulb and Bon Bon to work with her from now on when she isn’t with us! If they see anything strange, they’ll tell me right away! Understand?”

“I still believe you are taking things too far but I understand! And speaking of them, did you text them that we aren’t going to join them for today?”

“Bon Bon will be in charge of my duty, and I asked the rest of the team to help her out! I hope you chose a responsible candidate while you are away with me!”

“Of course I did! I chose Pinkie Pie to be in charge!”

“I better take the coming bus before something bad happens!”

“Wait!” I stopped him before he could leave. “You will come with me and help me get sponsors for the school! I still haven’t forgiven you on the matter of your absence on her party!”

“I don’t trust her lack of maturity with any serious project! And why are you angry about me for not having gone to her party? I am not her friend, just acquaintances!”

“She invited you personally! That it’s something!”

“Not for me.”

“At least have faith in her on this! It’s the least you can do for her!”

“Fine! Just don’t blame me if something goes wrong! You know that this-”

“Wait, wait!” I raised my hand and rubbed my forehead. “We have done this dance too many times for my liking since our first date! We engage in a conversation, then one of us don’t agree with the point of the other, and we argue until we get annoyed of our presences. And we repeat this silly cycle the next time we find something else to vent ourselves with!”

He thought for a moment what I say and simply nodded his head with reluctant agreement. 

“Look, the school tests were harder this time, homework was stressful and abundant, not to mention that we have gone to the institutions all these days to keep a steady progress! Instead of fighting for today, why don’t we finish our food in peace and try to be civilized on the matter?”

He sighed somewhat tired. “That sounds good.”

“Well, let’s talk about something else! Any good books that have you read, recently?” I took a bite of my Panini and I released a small gasping of joy from the intoxicating flavor of the tomato melting inside my mouth. “Oh, this is good…” I mumbled. “Something that is worth chatting about?”

“Mmm...” He scratched his head while looking at the ceiling. “The Black Rose of Malice, if memory serves me right, was the last book I read recently! Ever since I got back my 3SD, I haven’t read many books… no-one to talk about this stuff on school.”

“Isn’t that book about the pleasures of life in the most spiritual way?”

“That’s possible one interpretation. Mine is that sometimes people chose the path normally rejected by society to achieve happiness! A perversion, if I must say, of the normal and civilized human being! Become a rejected by one’s own will!”

“That’s so silly! Being part of society and interacting with people is where a person grows the most! Happiness is sharing! Sharing is caring! That’s what Pinkie always says!”

“And what about if its society the true source of a person choosing an alternative path for happiness? There are nasty social groups out there that makes the people believe that they are aren’t worth a damn around other people!”

“Well, they just need to find better social groups! Nothing will happen if they stay imprisoned in their own worlds! To fight solitude, you must search your ideal multitude!”

“Multitude, solitude, it doesn’t matter! There are multitudes that make you feel lonelier in this world, also, solitude gives plenty of comfort to those who loves their silent whisper! It’s dark embrace!”

“But a loner can never be a triumphant being! You need help from people to discover your true potential!”

“I agree on that when that’s the case but if within the interests of a loner, being by themselves makes them happy, then that is a kind of victory in my books! Don’t you think so?”

I released a small smile and gave him piece of my mind. Once again, he gave me an answer in return and our little cycle started again. This was… comforting, to say the least. One idea leaded to another. One insinuation leaded to an interaction. How beautiful it is to express oneself with someone who enjoys it as well, especially when there was no compromises, no strings attached. Not any kinds of forced pact to make us keep going. 

But as I looked at the hour, I noticed that we have lost too much time by now. It was time to leave this comfort and work on our duty of today. Our first stop was at the local supermarkets. The manager of each place gave us a small welcoming and a little interest in being part of our program. As always, the first try isn’t that fruitful so we kept searching for other stores, other services, other institutions who would be interested in helping us in a noble cause.

Because of the limited time, we only visited eight different places today and we didn’t get a single, concrete answer. It didn’t matter! Those who don’t search long enough won’t find the treasure in the end of the journey! 

We tried again the next day, and the next, and the next, but the results weren’t satisfactory either. The people in charge during the interview tried to be civilized in the matter but they weren’t as interested as the places we visited yesterday. It didn’t help that we hadn’t eaten a single bite of proper source of nourishment since morning and our bad mood was starting to emerge from our mouths in the form of water vapor. 

Then, during Saturday morning…

“This isn’t working, Shimmer.”

“I KNOW!” I inhaled fresh air to vent faster. “But we need to get the money one way or another! We must keep trying!”

“Then we should change our approach! The way we are doing things is too… goody-goody!”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… Back on Crystal Prep, I had to struggle with people like Blueblood, Polomare and Dust in a daily basis, and with time, I learned something useful from them: You must hit them hard in their interests so they can comply with your ideas!”

“We have done this all this time! We told the managers of each store that we would give their brand a good advertisement image if they help us out!”

“Yes, I know! But listen!” He walked around me with a slow rhythm. I felt that his eyes only focused on my eyes’ level. “We need to give them more reasons to help us out than we give them reasons to help us!”

“Excuse me, what?”

“Sorry, perhaps I said that wrong.” He cleared his throat. “We must give them a reason to their egos to make them feel that they need to aid us! I mean, if we give them the incentive to support us while positioning their brand in a high note, they won’t have any reasons to reject our petition for aid!”

“You want us to create a necessity for them that helping us out is good for their business?” I thought that for a moment. “Yes… I see! And if we give them insurance that in no way they will lose their investment, then the probabilities to get a positive result will increase!”

“Shall we give it a try?”

“Let’s talk about what we are going to say on the way to out next local!”

We were brewing a dialogue of sorts in a short time to get what we needed. We couldn’t fail this easily. A month may seem like a long span of time for events for these but truth to be told… it wasn’t enough. Our friends were doing their part while we hadn’t achieved something meaningful, and I saw in him another thing we shared in common.

We hated the idea of ridiculing our friends’ efforts with failure.

The moment of truth was at hand… in an overkill place for the likes of us. The Town’s Hall of Ponyville was more elegant than I imagined on the inside. The old ivory floor and its sophisticated old wood from the furniture gave me the feeling that we were dealing with something big. No matter if it is from a small town, a Town’s Hall that is worthy of praise always gives you the vibe of behaving with respect to the place and its workers.

“Mayor Mare is ready to give you a public audition! Please follow me, young ones!” The Mayor’s secretary said.

We followed her with a bit of fright, even if our faces said otherwise. As soon as the modest woman opened the door for us to get inside… well, we let our bodies took the nearest seats.

“Uhhh! It’s so marvelous to see young people giving me a visit to this majestic Hall of Ponyville! As you know, I’m Mayor Mare! In what can I help you with, youngsters?”

“Uh…”

“Well…”

This was harder than expected. 

I cleared my throat and calmed myself down. “We’ll be brief so we don’t take away too much of your time! We come from CHS and we are doing an event for some organizations in the city!”

“Oh! The Thanksgiving event, isn’t?” The Mayor took a sip from her coffee mug. “I knew Celestia wouldn’t disappoint the town this year either! So, what do you need from me, little youngsters?”

“We need funds to sustain the expenses of our planning festivities! The money we have at our disposal isn’t vast enough to do something good, so we came to you to ask aid from the town!” Nitpick said.

“If you allow us to grab less than four thousand dollars from the town’s treasury, we can definitely make a pleasant celebration to the people of those noble institutions!”

“We are prepared to give you insurance that we won’t waste the money! If you need proof that we are genuinely part of CHS and not a scam, we will make the impossible to give you a meeting with the Principal herself so she can take custody of the funds!”

“We are even prepared to give you credit for this possible opportunity to promote your goodwill to the state!”

When we stopped giving our offer, a brief silence fell upon us. The Mayor looked at us with a serious face, and then she frowned, closed her eyes…

“OOhoooohohoho! This IS delicious!”

She laughed… 

“We suck at this.” Nitpick mumbled with embarrassment.

“No! Oh no, Young one! Don’t misunderstand my out-of-place laugh!” She cleared her tears of joy from her face. “You were so much better than me during my first day as a representative of this kind of events during my college days!”

“Really?” I asked.

“YES! I’m so glad that Celestia keeps doing her best in raising excellent students! Always the unorthodox junior, that one! Luna was more… is more stiff in her methods. But those two…” She sighed with a nostalgic silhouette. Her pupils expanding to the memories of the past, cherished moments. “I can’t help you with the funds, I’m afraid! Ponyville is making its annual maintenance routine this month and we are currently helping the suburbs with its sewer system pipelines that are affecting the northern section of our beloved town.”

I couldn’t help but give away a face of defeat.

“Why the long faces, you two? Not all is lost! There is an alternative!”

“Which is?”

“Train under my wing for three days! I assure you that under my tutelage, you will learn how to persuade in an efficient way to the people you wish to get sponsorship from! You have talent! But you lack the appropriate body language and key words to succeed! The attitude was there, but your speech was weak in content! You need to be more colorful and exciting with your proposals!”

“Are you serious?” Nitpick said with renewed hope. “You will help us out?”

“Only if you don’t disappoint me on the first day! Which is today, if you are interested!”

“WE ARE INTERESTED!” We said in a single voice.

“Then let’s get started! I won’t lie, you two! You’ll be the paperboys in my meetings while you learn, so don’t despair!”

“Yes, madam!”

She really didn’t lie when we would be the paperboys of her work. Various representatives from the water treatment plant came to her office. We were serving them beverages and bestowing notebooks, pens and from time to time, official documents to their hands.
All of them were given proposals to solve a problem that I wasn’t aware of!  It seems that the sewer system from the northern part of the town was overlooked in its maintenance schedule this past few years and repairing that section was nearly impossible by now. They gave her suggestions of upgrading to a more complete and sophisticated sewer system to make things easier for them and the people in the long run.

Mayor Mare soon spoke her mind.

“I appreciate your concerns about improving the way our little town is living right now! But the truth is that even if we were to get the funds needed to implement a satisfactory outcome from all of this, I must ask of you: Why?”

We didn’t understand what she was trying to say. The next thing should be maintaining the status quo and keep giving an improvement in the public service.

“Most of you must have thought keeping the improving was good enough. Am I correct? Young ones, what do you think of all of this?”

If she expects another answer…maybe…

“I say that by improving a section of the town with sophisticated equipment, it would benefit the population’s lifestyle in the long run!” I said. “But I also believe that giving a proper maintenance to a functional, existing system would be beneficial to us instead of buying an expensive luxury! We must look out for people’s feeling on the matter! If this project takes too long, the health issues will be an even major problem than the benefits!”

“Excellent! Nitpick, do you agree with her?”

“Mayor! They are kids and this is a serious matter! They don’t know a thing about what they are saying!”

“Let him speak! Nitpick?”

“Well… For me, maintenance is not really a cost issue, and not even the important point of this problem!”

“What do you mean by that?”

“If I may speak more bluntly, all of you are trying to do more with funds we don’t even have! As far as I understood, I think that all of you are trying to convince us of something that the town doesn´t need at all!”

“Why are you saying that, young one?” The mayor said with expectative.

“Because I am a public client and user of one of the services you are trying to fix in this meeting! I live alone while my parents give me a monthly income to pay the water service, the electrical service and so on and on! And you know what? I expect my money’s worth from those services, and unless you are making a quick and good job on those plans of upgrading your system, I rather you do a normal maintenance routine than making something big that will take months to do! And more important, this upgrading is completely unnecessary at our current point!” 

“Kid, upgrading our water services will give the town a better flow of fresh water for more population to live here!” Said one representative. “You just don’t know how this works!”

“Pfff! Please don’t kid my intelligence, sir!” He said defiant.

“Nitpick, stop!” I grabbed his shirt.

“Let me talk, Sunset! Look! This town has a maximum population of ten thousand inhabitants at most! And that includes future expansions in our surroundings! I know because my teacher Cheerilee made an extensive research during her trip to the Capital for her class last weekend! Also, I was reading the manuals of your systems while you were talking since you were kind enough in allowing me to read them. Our current sewer system is efficient enough to maintain a population of thirteen thousand people, and that includes expansions!”

“Well, kid! That’s because it was an estimation that our old calculation procedures gave to us ten years ago!”

“So you are saying that you sold to the state a faulty sewer system?”

Uncomfortable silence doomed us all for a moment.

“No! It’s just that our technology has improved over time and Ponyville needs to look at the future of things!”

“Which is unnecessary at our current state of things, gentlemen!” The Mayor said. “The town needs reliability in its commodities! A good sewer system! A good electrical circuit! And so on and so on! But! What If you our population doesn’t grow to the point of our maximum capacity and being constrained isn’t an issue? Then the investment in a new water system would be a waste! Those resources of upgrading could be administered at other parts of the town like fixing the streets, the electrical system service, the medical facilities, and so on and so on!”

“But!”

“Yes, you must make some estimates, develop plans, sell your proposition and in the end be accountable for the results if an ‘investment’ is to be made. But to what use is to implement something unnecessary to a town just to an increase of fifteen percent of maximum capacity when giving a proper maintenance to a sewer system that is fully operational is the better outcome!?” She gave to both of us some documents that she withdrew from her side folder, asking us to deliver them to the representatives at their hands.

As we read the documents, I was surprised to see that various tests by other companies were done several days ago. The results were that the sewer system was in top notch condition and that the northern section of the system was the only weak point in the whole town.

“Gentlemen! Please do the normal procedure and fix this issue as soon as possible! I will check out personally the progress of your work in the coming days!” She got up from her seat and showed to our guest the long and spacious door that leaded to the exit with a pleasant smile. “Have a pleasant day!”

Several minutes later, she came to us.

“Number one: before even making a movement to your target, always make research of all possibilities in your near future! Number two: be assertive! You could have the best reasons in the world but if you show fear, then you will be outsmarted easily! Number three, and this is important: Think your answers before speaking! If you aren’t one-hundred percent sure of what can you offer is possible, then consider yourself doomed to fail instantly!”

“We’ll take these teachings at heart!” I said.

“Don’t! There is much to learn yet! Go grab something to eat and come back in one hour! These three next days you will see many things! Some good… other will be kind of…umm, you’ll see!”

We thanked her with a humble reverence and went our way to eat something good. While we were walking, I noticed that my stubborn partner was following me a little behind my back. His steps were long, slow and heavy, trying to give away the impression that he was just a follower of mine instead of my collaborator.

His face was bitter… but somewhat sweet.

“Nitpick.”

“Yes?”



“You were great.”

“Thanks… you did great too. You thought for the town first instead of selfish reasons like mine.”

“In business, I think that sometimes you must be selfish to succeed… as much as I don’t like that notion.”

“Then we were like a pair of inexperienced good-bad cops.”

“Hehe… maybe.” I slowed my pace so we could walk side by side. I patted his back and gave him my best smile. “I know in my heart that they we are going to do good things in the long run! Let’s go grab some snacks at Sugarcube Corner! My treat this time!”

“I’m still worried… this isn’t a normal competition. This is really a serious business! We got lucky because this was more a political problem and the Mayor was in charge of the show… what if we screw things up on our own? What if-?”

“Nitpick, look at me!” He slowly locked his eyes at mine. “Trust in your new school! And trust in me, as I trust in you! We are going to make a great job if we put everything on the line!”

I grabbed his hand tenderly and walked together the rest of the way. As soon as we finished enjoying some desserts and sweet coffee from the Cakes, we went back to the Hall with renewed strength. The day will not die anytime soon.
> Chapter 65- A time with strangers!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time was flying slower than ever for the young Scientist when she was tapping the keyboard from her luxurious laptop. She wished that any of her friends were working with her right now. Perhaps they would have given her a moment of sporadic fun while doing the duties with her. But it wasn’t possible for today.

Applejack was having a business transaction with her relatives from Applelossa on her farm. Rarity had an unexpected emergency visit from the pop singer Sapphire Shores. She needed a new dress for a coming concert and it seems that Rarity was the only one on the world who could understand her nitpicky tastes.

Fluttershy had an especial training program on the shelter that she always wished to assist to. Chief Hugger loved to nurture the true potential of the young Veterinarian when possible so she didn’t waste this rare opportunity from her mentor. Rainbow Dash was dealing with some internal troubles with her soccer teammates with Soarin. Something was odd for Twilight when she saw them together during practices the past few days ago.

Pinkie Pie was the only one who was working on the orgs… but she was having trouble dealing with the Crystal Students’ brutal way of doing things on the orphanage. Bon Bon and Lightbulb had to join her to maintain peace with their rivals. 

The only source of comfort right now for her is that moments ago, she received a message from Sunset Shimmer that she and Nitpick had been offered an incredibly opportunity to grow as professionals students with the Mayor of Ponyville. She was happy for them… but she needed someone to be with right now!

Especially when her current teammate for today was none other than Sugarcoat herself! 

“Doormat.” Sugarcoat said half-hearted while working on her desk.

“Yes, Sugarcoat?” Twilight was anxious.

“I have noticed that you have become more assertive recently!”

“Really?” Twilight suddenly glimmered with enthusiasm by that comment.

“Yes! You look more competent than before!”

‘Is Sugarcoat really giving me a compliment right now?’ Twilight blushed with a smile while tapping even faster.

“Yes! Normally, you would be lamenting your life when we worked together in the past! Now you are truly invested in something outside your little science world! I’m impressed! But you suck at socializing so keep improving!”

The dream didn’t last long.

“Oh… Thanks… I guess?”

“Also, have you given a call to the number I gave to you last time?”

“The number you gave me…? You mean the card with the delicious-looking cookie you gave me during the bowling match?” 

“Yes! That crispy looking cookie softly bathed in melted chocolate and – what I’m saying now?”

“Cookies, Sugarcoat!”

“Your state of the obvious is inspiring!”

“Hehe! That something that Nitty would say!”

“Pff!”

“What?”

“May I ask of you ‘Pff’… EHEM! What did you say?”

“Nitty?”

Silence. Twilight looked at Sugarcoat’s face, observing that her muscles were forcing themselves to not make brusque movements. The Champion turned around, put her arms on the table and rested her head on them. She slowly started to make subtle movements, small noises coming from her direction. Twilight was curious about that.

“Are you okay, Sugarcoat?” 

Her partner only raised a thumb. Seconds later, she sat correctly on the table and started working as diligently as before. Twilight, seeing that the conversation ended, followed her footsteps and continued her labor.

….

“Aff… I’m tired, Spike!”

“You tell me! Being stuck there for three hours wasn’t the most pleasant experience! Sugarcoat is still very strict with you!”

“I know and I’m sorry for putting you in places like this! …Sometimes I think she hates me!”

“That’s not true! I don’t think anyone could truly hate you! Besides! As long as you need me, I’ll be with you as much as I can!”
Twilight caressed her loyal assistant’s nose. “I’m glad that you are part of my life, Spike!”

“Yeah! I don’t know what you would do without me either!”

“You just ruined a good moment, my loyal assistant! Come! Let’s go join Pinkie on the-”

“Grrrrrr!”

Twilight suddenly sensed what her assistant was seeing behind her back. She moved quickly before anything bad would happen to her. She hasted her steps more and more to the point of almost running from the place. Twilight didn’t notice that she was headed to a dead end. Now she could her some steps approaching. Louder… Louder! 

“Spike!” She whined in fear.

The assistant jumped to the ground. “Stay behind me!”

His teeth were visible to the naked eye, showing fierce determination to protect his master to the end. The noises stopped all of the sudden.

“What are you doing here?”

“Ah… Hi, uh, Gilda, right?”

Twilight and Spike put themselves on the wall and peeped on the corner. On the corridors, a mighty figure was looking down to a young rocker that was crossing his arms, ready to start a parley. 

“Sentry, you don’t belong here on this day! Nit told me to keep an eye on you in case you tried to slack off!”

“I’m not slacking off!” Flash exclaimed. “Tell me what are you doing here?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps the trash bags in my hands could tell you the answer!” She made a small hump with her arms carrying the filled bags.

“Oh… OH!”

“Go back to where you are supposed to be before I report you to Bon!”

Flash, defeated for today, walked away, giving a mean look to the griffonian who was walking to the exit. Or so it seemed.

“Sparkle, you can get out of there. The creep has gone already.”

Twilight, carrying Spike on her arms, got out from her hiding spot. “How did you know I was here?”

“You suck at hiding. I saw you running like a mouse trying to escape from a hungry cat! Anyway, you should join Bon on the hall! She finally finished her task on the orphanage! I never thought that someone would actually put down Blueblood besides us!”

”Us?”

“I mean Nit, Sug, Oak and me! Now shoo! SHOO! Before the little troll starts complaining about something else with me!”

“Gilda!” She stopped the griffonian before she could leave the scene. “Thanks for helping me out…”

“Yeah, well…” Gilda looked at the Scientist’s eyes and lost herself within her childish presence. Something felt… off. “Uh… If you don’t want to join Bon, you should come with me in case he decides to come back!”

Twilight and Spike only answered with a sweet grin.

….

“Here.”

She didn’t know how, or why, she ended up in the park while been giving a juice from Gilda herself. She drank it, nevertheless. On one hand, it would be rude to reject the offer, even if pineapple wasn’t her favorite flavor. And on the other hand…

“Oh! We are supposed to be in autumn! This feels like summer!” Twilight was using her neck’s shirt as a sort of fan. She took half of the bottle in one go. “OH! This is so cold and good!” The heat overrode her distaste for pineapple. 

She let out Spike to rest beside her under the shadow of a tree. While she was drinking the remaining of her juice, Gilda watched her with curiosity. How did she end up inviting Twilight Sparkle to rest with her was beyond disbelief for her.



“I know!” She decided to add something to her comment. “This sucks! I could be training, or playing games, or doing something better than being stuck in this shitty competition!”

Gilda took a deep sip from her bottle. It seems that it was a special kind of beverage, giving the heavy consistency it formed on the container. The young Scientist looked at the griffonian with dubious eyes. She looked peaceful, relaxed, and in a strange way… friendly.

“You know… After what happened earlier, I don’t think you are as bad as Rainbow told me before!” Twilight said.

The whitish girl’s face suddenly turned hostile. “BAH!” She crushed her bottle. “Rainbow Dash! That brat isn’t capable of seeing what’s good or bad, even if you try to explain things to that thick skull of hers!”

“Hey! That’s my friend you are insulting!”

“And what are you going to do about it, Sparkle?”

Gilda raised her right first to her face. Twilight just stayed there. 

Quietly.

She was afraid of being beaten up to a pulp.

“…You know? I’m starting to see why Nit is concerned about you!” Gilda sheathed her fist on her jean pocket and threw the broken bottle like a basketball straight to the trash bin. “You’ll always be a pushover if you start being more aggressive!”

“I’m sorry…”

“And definitely stop being a wimp is a must! Even if you were to be beaten by me for real, you should have defended Rainbow Dash from my insults! What kind of friend allows someone to insult her friend so freely? You must stand your ground and defend your friends’ honor!” She made an swift uppercut to the air. “Violence is the answer sometimes!” She winked at her.

“I don’t think that’s my style… but you… defend my friend, huh?”

“Standing by your friends is the ultimate expression of loyalty, Sparkle! Real friendships start from that!”

“I know about loyalty! Rainbow Dash has taught me everything I need to know!”

Gilda rolled her eyes and laid back on the grass. “Let me guess.” She expressed uninterested. “Being faithful to the cause, to your friends, your family, and the people who trust you no matter the circumstances is what loyalty is all about! And if a friend hurts one of your other friends for no good reason, then that’s no friend at all!” Gilda looked at Twilight with her left eye calmly closed. “Or something like that, right?”

“That’s exactly what Rainbow Dash told me before! How do you know that speech?”

“I was ‘friends’ with Dash long ago! I was childish and weak when I was under her wing back then, even when I was the older one of the two!  Fluttershy was part of the gang as well! Everything was fine until Pinkamena Diane Pie showed up and fucked up eve-… No! That day she showed me her true colors and I didn’t look back! Hypocrites those two!”

“I don’t believe that!” Twilight protested. “Pinkie and Rainbow are the friends anyone would wish to have!”

“HA! Tell that to Nit! He hates Dash’s guts and dislikes Pinkie’s company!”

“WHAT!? That’s not true! Nitty has been getting along with them just fine!”

“Pfffff! Excuse me, what did you call him?”

“Nitty?”

“…” Heavensbane’s face had a deadpan expression. “Pffff!” She was trying so hard to not move her face’s muscles. 

“BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!” She submitted to her feelings. “IT’S FUNNY WHEN YOU ACTUALLY SAY IT! BAHAHAHAHAHA!” She was rolling on the grass. “NO MORE! No more… Ehem! I’m fine!” She got back to her relaxed position.

“What’s so funny about it?” Twilight was starting to feel annoyed. “It’s a great nickname!”

“It sounds like Kitty, Sparkle! The poor bastard must feel embarrassed every time you call him like that!” 

Twilight made an uncomfortable expression. “Really?”

“Yeah! But in a way, it’s fitting for him, to be honest! His Celtic Zodiac sign is the cat after all, much to his dismay!”

“Why?”

“He rarely likes animals, but he hates cats above else! As her friend, you would know that, wouldn’t you?”

“Ah… yeah! Of course I knew that!”

She didn’t knew about that.

“And you know that Rainbow’s favorite snack is peanut butter and apple jelly sandwich, right? And Fluttershy’s dream vacation is to have a shelter on a tropical island where all her friends could visit her whenever they want, right?”

Twilight was astonished with that information. Thinking back on all of her lunches on school with her friends, Rainbow always had peanut butter and apple jelly as dessert. Fluttershy’s dream, if Gilda was saying the truth, actually made sense to a certain degree.

“How do you know all that?”

“I may not look it, but I pay attention to all my friends’ likes and dislikes! And having Nit and the others share that kind of thinking with me is so damn cool, Sparkle!”

“Why do you hate Rainbow and Pinkie? I-if I may know, of course!”

“Long story short: I hate pranks! Pinkamena played on me an awful lot of them when I met her for the first time and I tried to bring her down when I lost my cool! Rainbow didn’t like it! She jumped to defend her without asking me what really happened! We fought and the friendship was over! Done!”

“I know Pinkie can make a lot of pranks but I know they are harmless! She did some to me a few days ago and they were funny!”

“She put a damn bucket filled with paint on the door! When I opened it, I was bathed in rainbow! She also used a shocking pen when I tried to write my phone number on a piece of paper for Dash! ARGH! One day I will put my hands on her neck and-!” She bumped her fists together and breathed heavily. “Look, Sparkle! I know that Nit is trying to make you of stronger character! But you’ll never achieve anything if you don’t start to think by yourself! People can give you hundreds of tips, but without a strong will from your part, their lessons will turn worthless in the end!”

“My mighty friend, I believe Miss Sparkle isn’t ready to impose her will as you do, yet!”

Twilight looked behind to notice that a sophisticated girl wearing the formal Crystal Prep uniform was standing really close to her.

“WAAAAHHH!” Twilight and Spike jumped to the tree with fright.

“Gracious heavens! I am so sorry if I startled you!” The lady said apologetic.

“W-who are you!?”

“I beg you forgiveness for my lack of modals! I’m Reem Oakwood, at your service!” She made a gracious curtsey. “I’m so glad to finally meet you in person, Miss Sparkle!”

“You know of me?”

“Who doesn’t know about you in both educational institutions by now? A brilliant scientist! The bane of Crystal Prep! One who challenged her fate and stabbed in the back her old nation and journeyed to a faraway land to satisfy her heart’s desires! I’m so envious of your actions, to be honest!”

Something perturbed Twilight with the way she spoke of her past actions. She looked… impressed. Her eyes had a beautiful shine on them that reflected the figure of the young Scientist. As if she had seen something beyond the realms of beauty from this world.

“Thanks…?”

Gilda chuckled. “You always pull from your ass a lot of fancy stuff to praise people, Oak!”

“Hee Hee! Thank you!” Reem said gently. 

‘So this is Oak!’ Twilight thought. “W-well… I gotta go! My dog is hungry and he gets moody when he doesn’t eat his meals. Isn’t that right buddy?”

“Bark!”

“Ahahaha! What a beautiful puppy! I could almost feel that he could speak to me in any moment now!”

Twilight started to sweat drops with each passing moment. Not only she didn’t feel her presence moments ago, or she spoke in a normal way. Something was really ominous with this Reem Oakwood.

“But enough of praising your spirit guide. Tell me, are you curious on how my beloved friend has a sibling-like friendship with my mighty friend?”

“Who?”

“Forgive me! I’m used to call Nitpick Bittersweet and Gilda Heavensbane like that! It’s a way to differentiate the common filth from my greatest treasures!”

“Ah…”

“Forgive me! Not to mean that you are filth yourself!” She quickly corrected. “I mean, you are incredibly talented as a scientist as far as Principal Cinch says! Even if you are the most hated person on all Crystal Prep, you really shine in betraying people’s expectations and… AH! My mighty friend! Please aid me in this!”

“Why? Calling Sparkle filth is so you! Heh heh heh!”

“This is not laughing matter! What will Miss Sparkle think of me with this shameful, first impression of mine?”

The word ‘weird’ would be a massive understatement.

Reem cleared her throat and sat nearby her friend. “Anyway…” She rested her head on Gilda’s arm. “You are curious, are you not? How this apparent menacing High School student could have wonderful friends at her side? Do you want to know why? Do you feel like your inner curiosity is manifesting inside of you?”

Truth to be told… Yes! How could possibly be that the meanest girl on Crystal Prep could befriend one of her current friends? Twilight, on impulse, needed to ask.

“Do you remember how you two became friends?”

Gilda stared at her for a moment before looking at the sky. The dying leaves of the tree gently caressing their silhouettes with the tempo of the wind. “Yeah… of course!”
> Chapter 66- How we became friends! - Gilda!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I was young, my Grandpops always told me that when I grew up, I would need to find myself! My identity! My passion! My reason to be! I didn’t have the luxuries that many kids at that age had every morning: A warm breakfast! A warm bed! A good morning kiss from a mother, and a passionate hug from a father!

It was a rough life! Losing the people I once called friends later was worse for me!

All I had left was only my strength of will! I wanted to become strong and survive by myself! That’s what I decided when I hit adolescence! That and make proud to the unconditional love from the old man who raised me for almost all my life! He eventually had a lucky shot in an expedition and earned a small fortune that was big enough to give me the best education that money could offer nearby one of the most peaceful towns on the globe: Crystal Prep Academy!

To be honest… I hated the school and the stupid girly uniform I had to wear every day!

But Grandpops wanted to give me the stuff he didn’t have… so deep inside, I didn’t neglect his wish. It didn’t mean it was a nice experience! Especially when your schoolmates were assholes to the core!

Most especially was the case with the old Champion leader of the lower class that ruled the lowly ‘peasants’ like me during our first year: Lighting Dust!

She was an arrogant bitch who thought she was too awesome and powerful than she really was! Everyone from the lower class bowed to her like she was the big cheese of the school… Except for two guys: Me! And…

“Hey, you! New one!” She spoke to a guy walking to his class. He ignored her. “Hey! I’m talking to you!”

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?”

“Do you dare to talk to a Champion Leader like that, wimp?”

“You a Champion Leader? My ass!”

….
….

“That sounds like Nitty!” Sparkle said.

I tried to not laugh at her funny tone on how she pronounced that nickname. “Yeah! Let me finish the story!” I said.

….
….

She reminded him of the duties and rights that a Champion Leader had on the school! Things that he would eventually inherit later. “Now go and bring me some peanut butter crackers! The extra sized!”

He ignored her.

“HEY! The vending machine is on the other direction!” One of the Dust’s assistants ordered.

“Here’s my answer!” The guy raised his hand and made a ‘friendly gesture’ with one of his fingers.

….
….

“Uh! That really sounded like Nitpick!”

“Just wait for the next part! Like every good story, the first few arcs are always boring and full of dull plot development! Like in Knight Seiyamus!”

….
….

He and I shared most of the classes together, but we didn’t talk to each other! We felt it was bothersome at the time, only speaking to each other when it was time to work on teams in certain classes. We never memorized our names, even when the teacher passed list every single class.

We also ignored Dust every single day, much to her displeasure. It was funny doing that! One day we noticed that we ignored her the same way! So, in a wordless conversation, we started to see who could ignore her in the most annoying way possible. Of course!

….
….

“That’s so rude!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Just listen to the story!”

Sparkle and her dog nodded.

….
….

But we didn’t know we were brewing a great deal of a trouble. It seemed that Dust at that time belonged to a street gang near the Downtown District! The most infamous location from an otherwise, safe city. The safest city in the world, in fact.

One day, during a certain September 19th, the guy and I needed to buy some materials near that district for a homework of ours. It seemed that one of our teammates suggested that there was a special store nearby that sold the merchandise at a rather cheap price.
It was a trap! Of COURSE!

We were surrounded in a dark alley! And walking slowly toward us, Lighting Dust was looking at us with displeasure. “You punks have annoyed me far too many times on school! My friends and I will give you some proper lessons of finesse and socialite!”

“In other words, you are too much of a pussy to challenge us at school by yourself!” The guy said cynically.

I started to like his attitude from that point onward.

“KILL THEM!”

We obviously wouldn’t take her demands so easily, and both of us were too fed up to ignore this chance to get vengeance. She underestimated us by having the sheer numbers at her advantage! But there was more than meet the eyes! For we did more than stand our ground!

One of the Dust’s lackeys grabbed the guy from his shoulders and shoved him away. He stumbled back and fell back roughly to the wall. As soon as he charged to his apparent victim, the guy swung his fist in a vicious uppercut and broke his opponents chin with a mighty cracking sound!

“NICE SHOT!” My fist trembled in excitement in front of me.

But there wasn’t time to think anymore! While the guys were trying to beat up the guy, the gals of her group tried to gang on me! Fools! Grandpops taught me a thing or two about self-defense... Like doing a fucking ROMERO SPECIAL!

“BLEUGH!” The gal that received my technique was down on the floor in convulsion.

….
….

“YOU WERE IN A STREET FIGHT!?” Sparkle shouted in fright.

“SHUT UP!”

Sparkle and her dog shut their mouths.

Good! Those two must learn… Wait, did the dog…? …What the hell?

….
….

Another of my attackers tried to punch me but my right hand caught her incoming punch and I used my free arm to BREAK IN PIECES THE JOINTS OF HER SHOULDER!

“GYAAAHHH!” Her screams of agony made echo on the alley.

AND THEN, IT BECAME AN ALL OUT STREET WAR!  ONE BY ONE, THE ASSHOLES TRIED TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN US! THE GUY DUCKED WITH HIS SENSES ALL OF THE INCOMING PUNCHES WHILE I WAS PARRING AND STRIKING MY FOES TO THE GROUND!

“HEY! WHO TAUGHT YOU HOW TO FIGHT LIKE THAT!?” I asked to the guy while throwing a gal away.

“GRANDFATHER!” He shouted while evading some kicks. “BUT I’M NOT AS GOOD AS HIM!”

“COOL!” I made a liver blow to a gal. “HEY! THE NAME IS GILDA!”

“NITPICK!” He caught the kick and bended its foot. 

“TOO LONG! I’LL CALL YOU NIT!”

“GOOD FOR ME! HATE MY NAME!” 

Nit used the momentum of one of his adversaries to crush his nose with his knee and throw him away to the floor like a filthy ragdoll that deserved to be destroyed! I charged forward and grappled another of the gangsters to the point of nearly asphyxiate her to death with my arms! 

The fight continued for several minutes! No one was backing down! No one would admit defeat! But eventually, Dust looked around and saw that her forces were decimated, and that her once supposed victims had the upper hand now! 

….
….

“Then what happened!?” Twilight asked scared while hugging her dog.

I could feel that my smile was malicious enough because Sparkle and her dog were trembling in fear… I couldn’t help it! It was a nice memory!

….
….

“You know, Gilda… I don’t hit girls unless it really is a life or death situation!”

“Oh, Come on!” I crossed my arms. “Fine! I wanted to do this fight on my own anyway!”

“Try to be merciful!” He grinned, giving me his certainly welcomed blessing.

“No promises!” I cracked my fists while giving away a terrifying smile.

But… unlike her lackeys… Dust wasn’t a pushover.

We exchanged heavy blows! Parrying them in turns for several minutes and looked at each other with raging intent when the fight was at its climax! We hadn’t land a single hit and that frustrated us! We stood there in a defensive position for several seconds, and when it was finally time to strike, Dust released a lighting broad kick and I barely avoided it on time! I instinctively pinned her down, grabbed her from the legs, spun her around like a yoyo and threw her away to the wall, leaving her unconscious!

The battle was over. 

“Well, that's it! Let’s go grab something to eat!”

“Sounds good to me!”

Nit and I leaved them there and had dinner in a local store nearby. Curiously, we asked for the same damn hamburger combo. We started talking about what happened moments ago… And we started to bitch the hell up about our homework’s materials and rushed our food to our bellies. We barely arrived on time to another local who had what we needed and called that day done.

That night, I started to think about what I experienced so far in my life! I reinforced what I wanted for me for the rest of my life! So during next day of classes and onward, I decided to change my style to match the Real Me! I started to use the male’s school uniforms like the punk I was!

I stumbled with Nit that day and… it just clicked on us! We found in that shitty school someone to pass the time with! Someone we could rely upon! 



….
….

“And from that day forward, Lighting Dust hated us! And the school’s students of the lower class learned to respect us eventually!”

Twilight and her dog were baffled. I don’t blame them! It’s just an awesome story!

“You are lying, right!?” Twilight was twitching her eyes. “You didn’t do that, RIGHT!?” She was really anxious.

She must be really amazed by my story!

“Hell yeah! Oak knows when I’m lying! Right?”

“Absolutely!” She said with sincerity.

“You. Are. CRAZY! YOU TWO COULD HAVE KILLED THEM! AND WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH BECOMING FRIENDS WITH EACH OTHER!?”

Perhaps it’s not an awesome story for wimps like her!

“They were at fault at that for being a group of bullies! Besides, the ones that were from the school went the next day with bandages and they are fine by now! Right, Oak?”

“I’m still surprised you didn’t go to jail that day!”

“That’s not what you said when we told you the tale!”

“I know, but someone must have sympathy with Miss Sparkle’s good heart!”

“Are you saying you enjoyed hearing that!?” Sparkle was breathing heavily. “You are saying that you enjoyed their suffering!? Even if they were meanies, they didn’t deserve such beating. RIGHT!?”

“OH! YES! THEY DID DESERVE IT!” Oak made a face delight and cheerfulness. “Dust was a thorn to some students of the school! Including us! She and my dearest friends had a feud for several days after that incident! It was a political nightmare to the Champion leaders!”

“Especially to Sug! That little fight of ours was the catalyst that made us friends with her later!”

“You mean-?”

“Yeah!” I pointed to the heavens. “Sugarcoat became our friend ten days later! Another tale full of exciting shit awaits you!”

“I have a magnificent idea, Miss Sparkle! My beloved friend wants you to being able to make friends with another ideology, correct?”

“Ah… yeah! Something like that!”

“Then why don’t you hear out the rest of the tales on how we became friends with each other? I’m sure it will show you that there is more than one way to make great friends in this short life of ours! You don’t have anything to lose! We could go to the Dazzles and invite you and your dog a meal! That if you are not busy, of course!”

“What do you say, Sparkle? It’s rare that Oak invites someone out of the blue! You are the second one to achieve that! Lightbulb being the first!” Gilda patter her back.

“But Young Lightbulb does not count! After all, you and my beloved friend invited him!”

“Lightbulb already knew of your friendship before me?” Twilight hugged her dog to her chest.

“Are you jealous, Miss Sparkle?”

“What? No! Of course not!”

“Hehe…You are a bad liar! It’s okay! Soon you’ll learn to be honest with yourself! So! What is your answer, Fair Maiden?”

“…Alright! I accept your invitation!”

“Excellent!” Oak was happy.

“We must grab Sugarcoat and our belongings before we head there!” Gilda stood up. “I should go for our stuff! You drag the troll here, Oak!”

“Miss Sparkle! Why don’t you go on my behalf and bring my intellectual friend with us? I’m sure she is stuck in the office doing her chores while eating her cookies!”

“B-but… I don’t think that she would listen to me!”

“Just tell her that Moonlight has come! She’ll understand!”

“… I can’t! I’m scared of her!”

“May I know why, Miss Sparkle? She bleeds red like you and me!”

“That’s a creepy way to calm someone down!”

“Hehehe! I get that a lot! I know that Sugarcoat despises you for cheating your way with CHS during the Friendship Games! But you must confront your past fears! Besides, Sugarcoat has changed for the better these past several months! And you really want to make friends, don’t you?”

“Yes but…!”

“Tell me something…Are you trying to make friends because you want to form deep connections with others? Or are you trying to make friends just to fill a void that is in your heart and don’t feel alone anymore?”

Sparkle’s pupils contracted by the way Oak asked those questions. Oak, I love you as my sister… but you are scaring her! 

“Do I really am scaring her?” Oak asked curiously.

“Stop reading minds!”

“UH!?” Sparkle was baffled.

“Just go and bring Sugarcoat! We’ll meet you here! Consider this a test of courage!”

“A test of courage?” She thought for a moment her answer. “…A-alright! I’ll come back here in a few minutes! Come, Spike!”

“Wafff!”

She followed her suggestion and went to where Sugarcoat was. Something clicked on my thoughts several minutes later after bringing our belongings outside with Oak.

“Ah... Oak…?”

“Yes, my mighty friend?”

“You said that Sug was eating her cookies – Now - In this precise moment. Right?”

“Yes, why are you-!” Oak realized the calamity that was approaching to Sparkle. “Oh gracious goodness!”

“…I’ll be back in a minute.”
> Chapter 67- A time with my old role model!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oh, Spike! That girl is scary!” Twilight whispered while walking to her destination.

“Really? I thought she was nice! Unlike Flash, I didn’t feel anything wrong about her!”

“Pets tend to see and sense things that normal human beings don’t… Let’s forget about her for now and go with Sugarcoat!”

“Right behind you!”

Twilight was in front of the door that leaded to Sugarcoat’s presence. She suddenly felt that her spirit was faltering, her hands shaking in fright with each breath she made. Spike saw his master’s doubts and scratched her legs to remind her that he was there. 

Seeing that her loyal assistant will follow her to the Pits of Tartarus themselves, she armed herself of bravery and grabbed the knot of the door, slowly opening it as silently as a mouse sneaking for the cheese in the kitchen. She entered the room, and saw Sugarcoat working tirelessly on her laptop. Looking at her back firmly straight like a ruler, it brought her many memories from her time in middle school with her. 

There was a time where the young Scientist looked from afar with admiration to the girl who always excelled in everything for the sake of achieving Excellency and Straightforwardness for Crystal Prep! Sugarcoat herself admitted that she wasn’t as smart as Twilight Sparkle in one of the chats the young scientist overheard between the future Champion’s social circles. But Twilight knew that what Sugarcoat lacked in intellect, she had a better all-rounded set of abilities. Almost like her brother, if Twilight was an S plus in intellect and an F in almost everything else, Sugarcoat was a well-rounded B plus in everything she did.

Now, years later, even after the numerous insults she received from her all these years, she still felt that she was out of her reach. That she was near perfection. Always secure! Always assertive! Always knowing what to do to make the job done on the school projects!
In that moment, one of her old sources of inspiration was working for the sake of Crystal Prep! Her right hand clicking on the mouse and tapping on the keyboard at lightning speed, while her left hand was-

‘Nom nom nom!’

Twilight snapped back to reality from her admiration and noticed something peculiar.

‘Nom nom nom!’

She noticed that Sugarcoat had in the desk a bag of cookies… a two kilograms bag of Cookie Crumble cookies opened. Her left hand was grabbing the cookies inside the bag as fast as a military grade computer would calculate how much was one plus one. She was amazed by the speed. It gave her a bad feeling of the situation. She tried to step back but-

‘SLAM’

The wind closed the door behind her!

Twilight didn’t move! Didn’t breath! Didn’t want to say anything at what she was seeing when her old role model turned around! 
Her cheeks were brimming with red by the quantity of organic sweet that was inside her mouth. A single cookie was trapped between her lips. Her eyes contracted in horror when she saw that the young Scientist was at the door. 

It was a monster! It was the bane of all cookies! IT WAS-



COOKIE MONSTER SUGARCOAT!

They looked at each other for long, stressful moment! Sugarcoat swallowed in one go the sweets that she had in her mouth! She slowly got up and walked towards the Scientist until she was in front of her, face to face.

Twilight would be done for if she says something stupid. But she couldn’t screw things up. The embodiment of Friendship herself gave her several teachings to solve any situation by now. She needed to remember her lessons and everything would be fine.

“Ah… those cookies look delicious, Sugarcoat! May I have... one? Hehe!”

Twilight Sparkle was done for.

….

“SPARKLE! LITTLE TROLL! WHERE ARE – !” 

Gilda almost expected a scene like the one she was admiring right now when she went to look for her friend and see why she had a delay of fifteen minutes. Sugarcoat was pulling a rope that, little by little, was been raised to the ceiling a cargo that picked her interest. Said cargo was none other than Twilight Sparkle and her dog being pulled up, tied from the torso and their mouths silenced by tied bandanas between her teeth.

The obvious question to ask would have been how in the world Sugarcoat put a pulley system in the ceiling to try and murder her victim in such a short time… She thought it would be wise to ask that later.

“What are you doing?” Gilda stood there somewhat interested.

Sugarcoat was putting even more force to her labor. “She knows my secret! She must die!”

“HMMMM! HMMMMM!” Sparkle tried to break free but to no avail.

Gilda looked around and saw the package of cookies. She almost chuckled in amusement. “Wait a minute! Do you mean-?”

“YES! THAT! NOW SHUT UP AND HELP ME OUT, YOU OVERSIZED APE!”

Gilda approached Sugarcoat, got behind her back, took the rope, and stroke her skull with a karate chop. The Champion leader instantly fell to the ground dead cold. 

“Don’t call me ape, you stupid brat!”

The griffonian freed the victims, much to their relief. She packed the belongings of her silly friend and carried Sugarcoat a la Soldier Carry. She pulled out from the ceiling the pulley system and saw something peculiar.

“Oh! Magic Glue! So that’s how! And this belongs to our school…” She packed the tool in Sugarcoat’s backpack.

Twilight, fearful that she would be assaulted once again when her old role model awakens, tried to escape with her dog on her arms. But Gilda gave her a paralyzing gaze, making her think again on her position… and her test of courage.

“Sparkle, you didn’t see anything! You never looked for her! You never stumbled with Cookielicious, the devourer of Cookie World! Understand?" Twilight and Spike nodded. "Now follow me!”

Twilight walked behind her like a little soldier. ‘Is this my punishment for nearly destroying the world a few weeks ago?' She thought a long while during her way back to Reem, looking at Sugarcoat’s sleeping face like if she was the closet monster ready to eat her as soon as she watches put her sight on her.

….

Twilight was looking around in awe while her dog was looking attentive to Sugarcoat’s unconscious silhouette in front of them. They didn’t expect to travel in limousine in their lives. Being transported in the family vehicle, the public transport or using Mrs. Peanut’s Taxi service was more than enough for them. Reem Oakwood was caressing the Champion’s soft hair while humming a rather beautiful song and Gilda had Sugarcoat’s legs over hers, resting her arms in the comfort of her seat.

“Uh…” Sugarcoat opened her eyes. “What happened?”

“Ah, you know. You pissed me the hell up and I put you down like a wild dog.” Gilda said casually while looking at the window.

Spike trembled at that comment.

“You fuc-“

“Shh!” Reem put her index finger on her friend’s lips. “Miss Sparkle is here.”

The silver haired girl looked at Twilight with a strange look. “Somehow I feel that I must be mad at you for something.” She started to massage her head, trying to remember what it was.

“Ah… Ahahahaha! W-why you should be mad at me, Sugarcoat? I would never do something that would bother you… right?”

The now conscious girl put a stern face. “You’re right! You are spineless!” She reincorporated and sat down. “Why are you here?”

“Miss Sparkle! Please say the magic words!” Reem smiled softly.

“The magic words…? Ah yes! Moonlight has come!”

“REEM!”

“My intellectual friend! It is time!” She raised her arms and waved them passionately with a slow and mystic manner. “A clash of powers! A battle of supremacy! A new teacher must come to aid the mouse to become the heroine of the tale!”

“Sparkle? A heroine? Ha! Well, nevermind! Let’s get this over with!”

“What’s going on?” Twilight had a bad feeling.

“Bittersweet. Teaching. I will tell you my tale in how I met him. Shut up.”

“But!”

“SHUT UP! Any questions?”

Spike and Twilight were in the corner of the seat. “Howdidyoubecomefriends?”

The Champion leader of the third class dreaded when she remembered on how she met her current friends. 

“It was… humiliating.”
> Chapter 68- How we became friends! - Sugarcoat!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I remember when everything started for me before I was a Champion Leader! During my days of middle school, I was under the tutelage of my predecessor, Dusty Silverwind, learning the ropes of her trade to become her successor and continue the legacy of pride! All to protect and serve Crystal Prep’s reputation! I admired her! She was my source of inspiration! Whether it was in academics, sports, or even electronic games, she was the best!

She was invincible!

During the previous Friendship Games, she crushed her CHS opponents in tennis, academics and chess, becoming Cinch prideful student and the first middle school student to participate in them. When she ascended to high school, her predecessor simple had no chance against her and bestowed to her the throne. And my duty towards her to continue the legacy of Crystal Prep Academy was… It was to dethrone her in a competition!

It was a certain September 19th, Thursday, when I overheard that a certain thorn in the Champion’s group was being hospitalized that day. It was seven in the evening, and my task was to inform my superior of what had happened.
When I entered her office, I saw that a thunderstorm fell upon us. If it weren’t for Crystal Prep’s autonomous power system, there would have been a blackout that day.

“Candie Sugarcoat! Why did you come back here?” A thunder bolt raged in the heavens. “Only key personnel must stay after school hours are over!” She didn’t turn around while speaking to me. Her eyes must have been admiring the thunders of the sky.

“Lighting Dust has been defeated.”

“Just as I thought it would happen. I’m still surprised that a brute like her became a part of our legacy. Who defeated her? And how?”

“In a street fight. It seems that new bloods were the ones to put her down and her silly gang while at it.”

“How many?”

“Two. Unscratched.”

“Impossible!” She turned around and saw me with her rounded, silver eyes. “Not matter how skillful the fighters are, when outnumbered against such odds, they wouldn’t get out of it clean! That tall chimpanzee is strong enough to become the best athlete of our school!”

“My sources are top notch, Champion Leader! That I guarantee!”

“I don’t doubt about your competence regarding this kind of investigations but it sounds too farfetched to be true!”

“I know. This kind of outcome leaves the Champions with a bad fame!”

“Certainly!” She walked towards me and put her hands on my shoulders. “You are to be my successor soon, Candie Sugarcoat! In glorious competition we must fight to prove who the greater student to lead our social class is! Like I did once before you! This is the only way to ensure that our lineage stays strong! To improve with each generation the standards that the world demands from Crystal Prep Academy!”

“What do you wish of me, Champion Silverwind?”

“You must prove to me that you can eradicate the coming turmoil that Lighting Dust’s news will ignite in our proud community tomorrow! Social media is truly a cancer to occurrences like this these days!”

“It can also be a valuable tool if used in our favor!”

“Always the cunning one you have been, my apprentice! I was right all these years when I chose you to be under my wing, despite that you were still a middle school student! You have been very helpful!” She started to pack up her things. The time to leave the school was nigh. “But next year I won’t be around anymore to guide you! Starting November, I will go straight to a pre-college institution from of our school! So I only have a few weeks to be at your side before you prove to the school that you will eventually become superior to me!”

“I will not fail! Tomorrow at first hour, I’ll investigate who were the troublemakers that did this to Lighting Dust!”

“If you manage to get them on your good side, do it! It could prove useful for you to have powerful soldiers following your commands!”

….
….

“Obviously that didn’t happen as she wanted! That stupid gal of Silverwind was simply too arrogant to foresee what was coming! Just like her successor!” Heavensbane gave me a cocky smile while softly punching my arm.

“Shut up, Heavenbanes!” I mumbled between my teeth with frustration.

“What happened next?” Sparkle spoke.

“Well… next day!”

….
….

I had found the names of my targets before school started. The right hand of Dust was so easy to persuade when I told her that I would find a way to expel them from school if she didn’t cooperate with me. That and wearing the Champion vest helped my aura of authority. If there was a time to act, it would be during lunch time.
But one couldn’t do her activities with an empty stomach, so before the storm, I had breakfast with my… friends.

“Is your cousin all right, Zap?” Sunny Flare asked while giving her a candy.

“I heard it was pretty bad for her!” Lemon Zest gave her a concerned look

“She is okay! But that dummy came to school still injured on the head!” She bit her sandwich a little nervous. “I better go and check on her!” She finished her food on one go.

I rushed my food and drink, hitting my chest to help swallow the source of nourishment to my stomach. “Wait for me, Zap.”
We walked together to the exit and she took my hands, to my surprise. “I heard that it was the new guys that did that to her!”

“I know! It seems that your cousin ganged on them with that little group of troublemakers on the first place!”

I remember her face of distress… it was troublesome seeing her like that. “Oh Sugarcoat! I don’t know what to do! At this rate she is going to be expelled!”

“As long as she doesn’t do anything outrageous inside the school nor does something that could damage its image… and hers! She will be alright! I… promise!”

“I knew I could trust on you!” She hugged me and I patted her head with the little tenderness I possessed. “Please, Please! Talk with her! You both are Champions! I know she’ll hear you out instead of me!”

“If she didn’t hear you out and you’re her family, what makes you think she’ll listen to me?” Zap was about to cry. I sighed with tiresomeness. “No promises!” She hugged me even harder, smiling.

I made a quick tour with Zap to Dust’s usual spot in the school and when we exchanged stares, the environment turned hostile.

“Champion Sugarcoat! What a pleasant surprise to see you around here!” She said with a cocky smile, trying to hide her headache with a supposed cool stance.

“Dust. You should consider speaking only when asked to.”

“Cousin! Sugarcoat is here to help you!”

“Really?” Dust’s eyes turned brighter. “I mean! Oh yeah? I don’t need her help!”

“Give me the details and if you are innocent, you won’t get into trouble!”

“And what if I’m guilty?”

I could feel Zap’s pressure at that time. Still… I promised. “You will step down as a Champion leader. I won’t give full details to Cinch about what happened. With that, you can keep studying here with Zap at peace!”

“No way! I worked hard to get this position!”

“Listen, you tall bag of noodles for brains! You don’t have many options on the matter! Accept… or die! Your choice!”

Giving me a face of reluctance, combined with Zap’s concern about her, she nodded in agreement to my offer. She gave me the full detail of what happened. Obviously I deciphered her lies. Combining what she said with the version that her right hand told me before classes started, it was clear that she was guilty for abusing her authority. But according to law from our prestigious school, spoken evidence without tangible ones were useless. She didn’t know that at that time, so I needed to find a solution to take advantage of that.
But I didn’t give it enough thought at that time. I needed to find the two possible threats to the school before it could start a trouble.

….
….

Sparkle raised her hand. Her usual signal to ask permission for something hasn’t changed at all.

“Ask.”

“Why it was important for you to stop Nitty and -!”

Oakwood quickly hid her face behind her Victorian fan.

“YOU TOO?” 

“Oh! Someone can get angry!” I said with surprise.

My aristocrat partner quickly recovered from her impulse. “I am so ashamed of myself right now, Miss Sparkle! But the way you say that nickname is so… what should I say? Pure! Yes! Childlike! You make it sound so sweet that I find it so amusing!”

“And funny!” Heavensbane said.

“HRMMMM!”

“Answering your question, let’s put the answer with the following example: Imagine that you belong to a community that is protected by a group that is in charge of keeping order and peace against all threats! Imagine that said group failed miserably in its task recently or that it exist a corrupt element within it! Imagine that said shameful information arrived to you! What would you think of said group?”

“I would lose faith in them!”

“Exactly! So before a snake may exist to poison the integrity of a whole, it’s best to look out for the nest and crush the egg before it hatches! At that time, I thought that Bittersweet and this griffonian at my side would become a threat to the balance of power in the institution… and, well…”

“We didn’t care about such things so her struggles with us were pointless!” Gilda gave me a soft punch on my shoulder again.

“Stop that.”

“UH! Someone is getting angry!” 

“Pfff. Shut up.”

“Even so, if there was really a danger to the school, it was smart and brave of you to act like that, Sugarcoat! You always make this kind of things look so easy!” Sparkle’s eyes glimmered.

“I know. No need to praise me.”

“Yeah, please don’t, Sparkle! Sugarcoat is overrated as it is!”

“You big piece of - !”

“My intellectual friend…!” Oakwood gave me a warning tone.

I crossed my arms with annoyance. “Where was I?”

….
….

Thinking that I had the necessary tools to take them under my grasp, I decided to confront them after classes instead of lunch break. From afar, I looked at them talking with each other. Their eyes had a certain bright and lively aura that was… warm.
But that didn’t matter! I made my appearance when most of the school population had already left the academy!

“HALT!” I raised my hand with authority.

“Who is the brat in front us?” Bittersweet asked to Heavensbane annoyed. She just shook her head without a care of who I was.
‘Huh, their eyes turned neutral. Curious.’ I thought at the time. “My name is Sugarcoat! I’m the second in command of Champion Silverwind of the third class! I came here to discuss official Crystal Prep business with you in her behalf!”

“Great! Another of your type has come!” Heavensbane said pissed off. “Look, what happened to Dust was her fault, understand?”

“Crystal clear!”

“What a lame pun…” Bittersweet said.

“It wasn’t intended.” I arranged my glasses. “Nevertheless, Dust has everything against her, as you do!”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Look, you are new blood in this institution, meaning that you haven’t been in Crystal Prep Academy since the middle school! You don’t have any idea how things work around here! There are protocols you must follow and rules that must be obeyed! We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You should consider your current options carefully.”

“Let’s see!” Bittersweet was scratching his hair. “What about we disappear from the radar and you let us spent the next three years on this school in peace?”

“Yeah! We aren’t here to cause trouble! We just want to enjoy what little is left of our youths! Living the good life! You know! Games, gym!”

“Laughing at Dust’s misery!” They both laughed at that.

“I can’t allow you to do that?”

“Why not?”

“Because you are possible threat to the school, so I must eliminate it before it becomes a cancer to it!”

“You exaggerate, gal! Let’s go, Nit! I’m hungry!” They gave a step forward.

“I haven’t finished speaking to you!” My voice filled the place. My authority would not be denied. “Listen, you pair of idiotic buffoons! I know that you sent many people to the hospital in bad condition! I know that you committed acts of vandalism and there are witnesses within the school that are willing to talk! If you don’t want to be expelled from this place, I suggest you to don’t fool around and meet my demands! If you work for me when I become a Champion, I’ll make sure you receive a good treatment! Perhaps I could arrange that you work under Moondancer and be Hall Monitors starting next January! So, with that said, when do you want to start your training?”

They looked at each other with faces of confusion. At that time, because of my inexperience with their attitude, I thought I was successful at intimidating them. They even put a silly smile on their faces while rubbing their hands with fear… or so I thought.

“Hey! Hey! We didn’t hear some parts of your speech very well!” Bittersweet said with a stupid voice.

“Ah, yeah! You were really afar from us… could you… get closer and repeat what you said? Pretty please?” Both of them winked their eyes.

“Of course.”

I slowly approached them, triumphant that my plan was going as planned. As soon as I got them under my service, I would have used them to kindly ask Dust to step down so a new Champion of the lower class could be chosen. Perhaps Zap would have ascended and became my teammate, and together we could have put in order the might of Crystal Prep for other two or three years. 

But the closer I got to them, the closer I was about to discover what waited for me wasn’t that kind of glory.

The air around them was becoming heavy, their eyes slowly turned piercing, frightening, able to extract my valor and crumble it into pieces. As they looked down at me with such menacing eyes, I started to realize that I completely underestimated their power. Normally, people like Dust or your average bully would bark too much for their own good. Always speaking and gloating more than they could actually manage in real life.

Others… just look at you… from above… And enlighten you with the true meaning of terror that you foolishly got into the Lion’s den.



Perhaps the little difference in height helped a little…

….
….

“What did you do to her, Gilda?” Twilight asked frightened. Her dog trying to get inside her shirt in fear.

“We threw her in a trash bin!”

“…what?” 

“I was going to omit that part, Heavensbane…”

“Yeah, Sparkle! Nit and I-!”

“SHUT UP! You will exaggerate what happened… I can’t believe I am going to tell this to Sparkle!”

….
….

So I was grabbed from behind by Heavensbane and tied with a rope that was nearby the school’s sport supplies. Then I was thrown to one of the trash bins of the place and left for dead there. Bittersweet didn’t lay a finger on me. Something about the Gentlemen’s Code. 

“Well, that's it! Let’s go grab something to eat!”

“Sounds good to me!”

As soon as their steps couldn’t be heard, I was there, inside a trash bin, tied, confused and worst of all, hungry for cookies. I wondered if my approach was too soft. Perhaps I chose the wrong words. Or perhaps I acted too quickly and chose the wrong location.

Also, I started to think of the possibilities of what could happen to me in that moment. I could have been thrown to a garbage truck by mistake and being crushed to death by its mechanism. I could have been humiliated by them using social media and my face becoming desecrated, not able to make public appearances for at least five days. Or perhaps someone could have just opened the bin, throw some garbage on me by mistake, laughed at me for a few moments, and being rescued after such humiliating display.

I must have had incredible good luck back then. Indigo Zap had soccer practices that day and it was her turn to clean up the bins. She released me and was worried about what leaded to my current situation. I told her to not to worry and I retreated for the day to my home to reevaluate my options.

Obviously, I thought of another way to persuade them. So during Saturday afternoon, after classes were over, I looked for them again, face them and ended up in the trash bin again.

….
….

“…”

“Don’t pity me, Sparkle!”

“I’m sorry!”

URRGH! I HATE YOUR ‘I’m sorry’ CRAP!

….
….

But I’m not the one to give up so easily. I tried again on Monday and I ended up in the trash bin. I made another movement on Thursday and I ended up in the trash bin. And finally on Wednesday, after numerous failures, I decided to challenge them to a little mock test of mine. It was simply really, if they managed to get a better score than mine, I would quit my endeavor! But if I win, they would obey instead!

Economy and Microbiology were my forte at that time! I could never lose against them!

I lost… miserably, I might add.

Bittersweet managed to ace his test of Economy while Heavensbane dethroned me in Microbiology.

“This can’t be happening…” I said baffled. 

I thought they cheated at first… But deep inside, I knew it wasn’t the case. Both of them folded their sleeves before they started, and even sat on the floor so I could see that they hadn’t a cheating devise on them.

“BWAHAHAHAHA!” They both laughed with mockery at me.

….
….

“They managed to beat you, Sugarcoat?” Twilight was nearly speechless.

“I learned weeks later that Bittersweet had a knack to squeeze his monthly income to maximum efficacy to the point of having the gift of becoming a bank accountant himself in the future! Seriously, Sparkle! If you ever have trouble with money, he can tell you how to stretch seven dollars for four days!”

“In my case, Grandpops always taught me during my youth how to identify and use many different kinds of stuff in the wild! One day, during one of our trips through the forests of the Motherland, he made a mixture of wild berries and some plants to make a refreshing beverage that quenched our thirst!”

“But that doesn’t have anything to do with learning biology correctly!”

“SHUT UP, SPARKLE! It works for me! Also, I took an interest on the pharmaceutics and food fields because my protein shakes are made thanks to them, so I studied in my free time about that stuff… One day for sure!” 

“I’ll never buy food supplements researched by you.” I said.

“I still can’t believe you lost…”

This girl… “Where was I?”

….
….

“Listen, gal! I admire your determination! But we had enough of this silly game of yours already!” Heavensbane said. “I’m speaking for both of us when I say that you cannot defeat us on your own!”

“That’s right! You simply suck! We even defeated you by your own rules!”

“Remember! You thought you could win, but the ones who defeated you in the end was none other than us, Gilda!”

“And me!” Bittersweet crouched beside me and caressed my head. “If you understand already your position, then be gone, you little brat! Don’t bother us anymore, and we promise we won’t cause to you trouble in the future! Good luck with everything, future Champ!” He winked at me and both of them were about to leave me there… humiliated.

“Wait! This isn’t over!”

Bittersweet and Heavensbane stood there in the exit of the room, and after sighing with tiresomeness, he turned around and made a gesture with his hand to follow him. We arrived to the place that started everything: the Trash Bin near the fields of the school.

“I’ll give you a second chance to your silly competition!” He grabbed from the supplies three brooms. “Before Gilda throws you to the bin, I always cleaned the mess in it so you don’t get dirty and smelly inside.” He walked to other bins nearby and threw the contents from three of them. “If you manage to clean this one before we do these two, we’ll submit to your demands, okay?”

I was desperate to beat them up and accepted the challenge without thinking thoroughly my weaknesses. It didn’t’ take them more than one minute with eleven seconds to finish cleaning their respective mess. I didn’t even manage to use the broom correctly.

“And you seriously want us to follow your lead when you can’t even use a broom? Tell me something… do you even know how to do the work of the simpletons and understand the pain of your future underlings?” Bittersweet looked down at me.

“…”

“You can be the smartest gal of the place, even beat us in almost all the subjects of the school, but we would NEVER follow someone as useless as you! I don’t know crap about the real role of a Champion but I believe she should be able to at least be above-average in everything she does! Including the common stuff outside the school!” They cleaned up my part after saying that. “Come on, Nit! I wanna go home and sleep awhile!” And they left me there… alone.

I was mad! Angry! Defeated! My pride about to break into hundreds of pieces! I noticed that their bins had the most quantity of trash inside of them, while mine was only half-full. They even pitied in silence me before their contest began… 

Two single tears of frustration fell from my eyes.

But their words made me realize something! It finally hit me: I couldn’t solve this on my own!

Champion Silverwind, as powerful as she was, always put her trust in her comrades to emerge victorious from team-based situations. Crystal Prep may praise individuality and self-promotion, but when it was time to face an enemy, all personal issues disappeared from our minds.

We became one in mind and body!

Since asking Champion Silverwind was out of the question and Dust was useless, there was only one power higher than me that could possibly aid me in my time of greatest need!

The Champion Leader of the second class: Reem Fortunata Oakwood!

….
….

“OH! My turn to be part of the story has come!” Oakwood clapped with excitement.

“Prepare your butthole for the quantity of mind-fuck you’ll hear from her, Sparkle! Even Nit and I were scared shitless of her!” She crossed her arms. "For a time, of course!" She made a big and confident grin.

“I can’t imagine why…” Sparkle… wait, what?

“Do my ears don’t deceive me? Did you actually use sarcasm?” I was… impressed.

“Uh… I don’t know!”

…What an inept.

“Something is off! You aren’t friends at this point in the story!”

“The ten days hadn’t passed, Sparkle!” I said. “You should consider reasoning your comments before you open your mouth!”

An Encore tune sounded from my group’s cellphones. The three of us looked at the message.

-Nitpick: I need to vent… want to join me in The Dazzles?

-Sugarcoat: We are actually going there as well, Bittersweet! 

-Gilda: With a surprise!

-Reem: It will be amazing! (◕‿-)

-Nitpick: Cool! Arbelth, you’re coming?

-Blueblood: Of course!

-Nitpick: Good! I’ll be waiting there! Lightbulb is coming too.

Suddenly, I got an idea.

“Sparkle! When we arrive to our destination, please follow my lead! I want you to see something!”

“…What do you want me to see?”

I gave her my best smile. “The Real Nitpick Bittersweet!”
> Chapter 69- A time in a new place!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Bittersweet and the others are inside. He is probably stressed by the recent of events of this competition.”

“Then we should help him out, Sugarcoat! Let’s give him some words of comfort! Right, Spike?”

“Waffff!” Spike’s tail moved energetically.

“Right… You are going to do more than comfort him, Sparkle!” The Crystal Champion made a big, grim smile. “Indeed you will! For now, let’s get inside!”

The quartet of girls and Spike got down the vehicle and started walking toward The Dazzle’s family restaurant. Twilight saw the building in dread. The place looked shady, the walls were crumbling and the neon lights in the form of the name’s sake of the place were barely functional.

All of her fears disappeared when she got inside the place. Her breath was taken away from her as she was marveled by the exquisite furniture that emanated a sense of royalty. The soft but glamorous lights coming from a lot of beautiful candles were welcoming to her amethyst eyes. The smell of sweet cuisine perfectly combined with the soft essences of candles was relaxing. 

By curiosity, she even touched the wall to see if the construction was stubborn enough to be safe to be in there. “This is real red brick!” She mumbled in awe. At the service table, there was a barmaid who was serving three young men glasses filled with an unknown beverage to her.

Gilda walked toward his friend, put her arm around his neck and pulled him to her chest.

“Fear not, for Gilda has come!”

“Uuuuuurghh…”

Nitpick’s negativity suddenly filled the place, making everyone around him depressed in an instant.

“Is it me or the coldness of your stupidity froze the air, Bittersweet.” Sugarcoat hugged herself.

“…”

“Does anyone of you know what’s wrong with him?” The barmaid spoke. “He’s been scaring customers since his arrival!”

“He finally saw the Truth!” Lightbulb calmly drank what was apparently juice. “I told you she was trouble. But noooo!” He faced his friend. “I can beat her! She is naive!” He said with mockery. 

Bittersweet looked at him with tiresomeness.

“Oh, this about her! I told you she was too annoying to deal with, Nit!”

“The most boring kind!” Sugarcoat added.

“I haven’t deal with her, personally!” Blueblood said. “But then again, I don’t deal with lackluster plebeians!”

“My beloved friend, do not lose heart!” Reem put her tender hands in his shoulders. “You have faced many troubles before in Crystal Prep, and you can do it again in Canterlot High! With the power of our friendship-!”

“DON’T… say Friendship!”

Everyone quiet down when Nitpick interrupted the Victorian Noble. 

“My beloved friend…” She put her tender hands in his shoulders. “Are you ok?”

“NOU! I’m tired of her!” He grabbed Gilda’s shirt. “TIRED!”

“Then deal with it, you shit!”

“I have done it too many times already! But she doesn’t stop!” His eyes turned hostile. “SHE DOESN’T STOP!” He faced the table and drank his whole glass.

Twilight has never seen him so impatient and mad before. He looked depressed, half-hearted, tired, and most importantly, his eye’s twitch was giving away his inner anger. She got closer to him from behind and rubbed his head with great care.

“Everything is going to be fine, Nitty!” Twilight whispered.

Nitpick nearly threw up his beverage. “TWILIGHT! W-what are you doing here?”

“Miss Reem invited me to a meal! And when I heard you had a bad day, I wanted to come and cheer you up! This was all Sugarcoat’s idea!” She put a big smile.

“Really…?” He looked at his friend in question with dubious eyes. Sugarcoat gave him a big smile and raised a thumb.

“I don’t know who were you talking about, but she sounds like a real meanie!”

“You don’t have any idea, Sparkle!” Gilda grinned.

“She must be the worst!”

“It could be.” Blueblood ordered a second round.

“Maybe a bully!”

“Perhaps.” Lightbulb calmly drank from his glass.

“We must tell Sunset Shimmer immediately!” She started to write a text message. “She will know what to do to help him on school.”

“Sunset Shimmer.” Nitpick laughed troubled. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Twilight!”

“Why not?” Twilight stopped texting while looking at him tenderly. “She will definitely find an answer to your problems! I bet my glasses on it!”

Sugarcoat tried so hard to not laugh.

“Eh… Ahahaha! You really shouldn’t do that!” Bittersweet put a hand over her cellphone.

“You can trust in her!”

“I don’t think she should involve herself with my troubles, Twilight!”

“She’ll definitely help you in the end! Even if you don’t tell her, she’ll notice eventually!”

“But she is REALLY busy with the Thanksgiving stuff!”

“When it’s about a Friendship Problem, she’s never busy!”

“But she is a pain in the ass…” He mumbled lowly.

“I’m so sorry, Bittersweet! What was that? I believe nobody hear you! Could you please repeat what you said?” Sugarcoat said while raising her ears with mockery. 

“Shut your mouth, you stupid little troll!” He hissed.

“Language!”

“UMM!”

“Well, the message is ready!”

“NO! Please… don’t send it…”

“But why?” The scientist was confused.

“Just don’t… please.”

Twilight looked at him a little skeptic. Her heart was in the right place, but something told her that complying to his wish was for the best. “All right!”

“Thank you!”

“So… You must be Princess Twilight’s cousin!” A voice was heard from behind the purple haired girl.

Twilight Sparkle turned around to see that the barmaid was in front of her, inspecting her figure from head to feet. She walked in circles around her, giving her a moment of uneasiness. After a moment that seemed like an eternity, they were facing each other, and the owner of the place gave her a confident smile.

“My name is Adagio Dazzle! Welcome to The Dazzles’ family restaurant! Please, by all means, have a seat on one of the main tables and enjoy your time in this warm and friendly place! Oh! Before I forget! Normally, we don’t allow pets in here! But I will make an exception this time just for you! I have some spare croquettes for you dog that I’m sure he’ll love! Just make him sit in that corner over there and we’ll call it a day!”

The Scientist reluctance ended when Adagio’s attitude turned welcoming and charming. The young students decided to sit in one of the biggest tables. Spike’s new spot was beside their location, so Twilight’s fears subsided entirely. She looked at him eating a mountain of his favorite croquettes served by a blue haired girl, giving to the place and its attendants extra points in her favor. All of the sudden, Twilight was stopped from the arm.

“Ok, Sparkle! I want you to sit beside Bittersweet!” Sugarcoat grabbed her from the hands.

“Why?”

“Because right now, he needs the warm and comfy feeling of Friendship at his side! I’m SURE it’ll come in handy to smooth his bad humor!”

“Wow, Sugarcoat! That’s so considerate of your part!”

“He IS my friend after all! I’m just trying to make him feel cool-headed again! Thinking of his troubles has made me stressful and bitter than ever!” 

“That’s… so nice of you! I didn’t know you were so kind!” Twilight smiled. ‘Even if you tried to kill me a while ago!’ She thought while widening her mouth.

“Thank you, Sparkle.” She pushed Twilight to her seat. “Now, let’s go and enjoy ourselves!”

Comfortably in their seats, a parley started.

“So, Bittersweet! I heard that you were accepted to be the apprentice of Mayor Mare with Shimmer at your side! How does it feel to belong among the Elite of your school?”

“Great, Sugarcoat!” Nitpick said between his teeth.

“Oh!” Sugarcoat put an amused face. “You seem to be still in a REALLY bad mood, even when your newest friend is at your side!” She quickly gave a stare to Twilight with a warm, comforting and hypocrite smile. “As one of your best friends, I’m happy to say that we are here to hear you out! Tell us ALL of your problems”

“Your lack of sincerity is a pain the ass.”

“How could you say that, Nitpick? Sugarcoat’s intentions are pure!” The Scientist crossed her arms. “Also, Language!”

“Now, now! Don’t need to be angry, Sparkle! This isn’t the first time this has happened, right?” Her friends nodded in agreement. “All of us when in bad mood tend to be really aggressive! And Bittersweet! You are safe here! No one here is going to neither complain with you nor give you nonsense lessons!” Sugarcoat clapped. “Vent away, my brother! Let the hate flow out of you!”

“Suddenly I want my hate to flow through me.”

“Oh, don’t be such a party-popper!”

“What did you say, you stupid little troll?”

She just smiled at him, giving him an open invitation to verbally attack her so she could retaliate. He didn’t take it. Instead, he spoke to the barmaid. “Adagio, we are ready to order!”

“Of course! What do you wish to order, my favorite patrons?”

“I want the Royal Salad with steamed chicken!” Blueblood said. “And three jars of lemonade for all of us, please! My treat!”

“I kindly desire the Spaghetti a la Duchess! No meat, please!” Reem said.

“BBQ steak without the bones!” Gilda said.

“A classic Dazzle Hamburger with lots of fries!” Lightbulb said.

“The Queen Potato Cake with extra white cream!” Sugarcoat said.

“Tacos! Let Sonata surprise me once again!” 

“She’ll surely be delighted to hear that, Young Nitpick! And what about you, Miss Sparkle?”

“Quesadillas!”

“What specialty?

“Natural! With lots of cheese!”

“Ah… ok! I’ll see what I can do!” She made a reverence vow. “Please have a nice time while we prepare your orders!” And she left to the kitchen. 

“Wow! Adagio is so elegant! She almost sounds like Rarity!” Everyone laughed. “What?”

“Nothing, Twilight! Just don’t say that in her face! She hates to be compared with people she doesn’t know!” Lightbulb expressed. “It’s of bad education as far as I know!”

“I didn’t know about that! Thank you, Lightbulb!”

“You’re welcome!” He looked at his friend with an impish glance. “So, how was the experience in working with the most popular and smartest girl on school, Bro?”

“I can safely say that he had a great time with Sunset! You know how loved is she by everyone on the school! Everybody would feel blessed for befriending someone like Sunset Shimmer, the best girl in CHS!” Twilight's hands trembled with excitment. "She is so smart, nice, and gentle! The greatest friend of all!" She embraced his friend with tenderness while looking at everyone else. “Right, Nitty?”



“Riiiight…”

Twilght shuddered. “I suddenly felt that we aren’t in the same frequency!”

“How could you tell that?” Reem said surprised.

“I don’t know! It sounded… spooky!”

Gilda and Lightbulb hid their chuckle with their hand. 

“I’m sure it’s your imagi- pfff - Imagination, Sparkle!” Sugarcoat smiled strangely.

“Mmm… you are right! I have seen Nitpick and Sunset hanging around in a friendly manner this past week!” Twilight made a troubled face all of the sudden. “Nitpick, could please give me passage? I need to use the bathroom!” She whispered the last. He stood up quickly. “Thank you!” Twilight soon was in the bathroom.

“THIS IS SO DELCIOUS!” Sugarcoat laughed while hitting the table.

“What are you planning, brat!?”

“I want you to be yourself around your new friend, that’s all!”

“Or force you to do it!” Blueblood smiled while waving his hand.

“Twilight needs a different approach!”

“Sparkle needs to see the real you, Nit! It’s not enough for you to be honest with her when you can barely be yourself around her!” Gilda crossed her arms. “Sooner or later, you’re going to explode and make a bigger ruckus than the last time with Dash and that Spitfire girl!”

“B-but-!”

“Listen, Bittersweet! I grow sick and tired of your recent attitude by the minute! They are trying to make of you a goody-goody when you actually are-!”

“A pain in the ass.” Nitpick completed.

“An asshole would be more accurate.” Sugarcoat bluntly said with a dead pan expression.

“But you must have seen her eyes! I can’t possibly act like my usual me around her!”

“Then I’ll enjoy every single minute of your frustration when we talk wonders about Shimmer, while you, deep inside, burn in your inner, hellish nightmare!” Sugarcoat put her hand in front of him. It started to tremble in excitement. “I hope you dread! I hope you suffer!” She violently made a fist while chuckling with evil. “I hope CHS burns in hell!” She suddenly made a bright smile. “Also, I fulfilled my promise and told her the many times you and Heavensbane threw me in the trash bin!”

“YOU ARE LYING!” 

“Nope, she is telling the truth!" Gilda added. "I also told her my little tale of how we met! She really was scared of what I said!”

“I wonder if you’ll testify the truth of your past to her, Bittersweet! Will you deny your acts and be a goody-goody in her eyes?” She chuckled malevolently. “OR YOU’LL BECOME THE SCUMBAG I LOVE SO MUCH!? BWAHAHAHAHA!" She calmed herself quickly. "Also, Oakwood’s turn to tell her tale is next!”

“Not you too, Reem!” Nitpick dreaded when the Victorian Noble nodded with a bright face. “You’ll pay for this, Sugarcoat! If words spread of this…!”

“Oh, please! Sparkle won’t say a word because of her nature and we don’t backstab ourselves unless a good reason comes! Besides, who’ll sell us out to Shimmer? The silly dog who is staring at us with a curious look?”

Everybody saw Spike with great curiosity.

“Not happening!” Everybody said.

“Shh! There she comes!” Lightbulb said.

“This is why I don’t drink pineapple juice…” Sparkle said after taking her seat.

“Miss Sparkle, I heard that you are intrigued to know about how we became such a group of diverse individuals!”

“You way of talking is so lame!”

“Stop your barking, griffonian commoner!”

Gilda cracked her fists. “You really have a death wish!”

“HMPH!”

“Eh… right! Nitpick! Is it true that you threw Sugarcoat to the trash bin?”

Everyone looked at Nitpick with curiosity.

“…Ahahaha!” She patted Twilight several times on her back. “Gily and I were very childish back then! We somewhat regret doing that!”

“Not really.” Gilda bluntly said.

“EHEM! The point is that we are better than ever!”

“And is it true that you were in a street fight?”

“GILDA!”

“What? I couldn’t leave out the important details! That day was cool and good for stress relief!”

“I don’t think a good person would feel good about that! You really regret that, don’t you?”

He clenched his teeth, made several spins with his head, and after several seconds of inner turmoil, he finally spoke. “NO! I enjoyed every moment of it!” Gilda smiled at his honesty.

“What!?”

“What my beloved friend is trying to tell you is that during that stage of his reckless life, he enjoyed that! Past tense! But no more, for you must glance at him for what he is today! The pinnacle of a good friend! Well, at least for me that is true!” Reem said calmly, much to Sugarcoat’s displeasure.

Nitpick thanked her with warm eyes. “Yes! Just as Reem says!”

“With that, my turn has arrived, Miss Sparkle!”

The doors of the kitchen opened. A little cart with the meals for the seven clients was served in an instant. Aria Blaze served the glasses filled with cold lemonade to each customer, giving a small grin while at it.

“Enjoy!” She made a reverence and leaved to the kitchen.

Blueblood took a bite of his meal. “Magnificent!”

Everybody started to dig in, enjoying every single moment of their meal. 

“So ’Nom Nom’, Miss Reem! How did you become friends with one another?”

The Noble stared at the candles of the table, their light enlightening her mind, sailing to the deepest recesses of her memory. “It was a pleasant evening, much like this one!”
> Chapter 70- How we became friends! - Reem!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

How should I start? This tale of mine, that is.

Ah! I know! 

The only way I could possibly describe my part in our history is by asking you the next question: 

What is a fairy tale? 

Scholar claims that such form of storytelling belongs to equally anyone, for such thing doesn’t have a true author that gave birth to it. To others, it’s a fantasy, an imagined and fanciful idea of the Middle Ages. But they are far older than those times. 
And also they exist in all times and places.

They say that fairy tales don’t have connections to parts of the real human history, as they come from the wildest imaginations of the folk that came up with such stories. As such, one can say that these stories have fantastic elements – like magic – that are impossible to be considered true facts. Its origins could be described as blurred and obscure at best. A wonderland fabricated from dreaming minds to give the curious ear a story to kill time with it. Perhaps there’s a lesson hidden in them.
Perhaps it just wants you to have a bad experience and ruin your day!

Fairy comes from the Latin word ‘fata’ or fates! In the broader sense of that word, it could mean ‘Spirits’. That’s why some tales have more than benevolent and magical beings aiding the protagonist to emerge triumphant against all odds. They possess adversaries too. Evil entities from the darkest witch to the mischievous cat are part of them too. All in the name of giving our heroes a test to overcome, for what use is the journey if you don’t learn something from it? Everyone needs their fair share of adventure and danger, daring against the unknown. Forming bonds with the passing people or forging ill-relationships with your enemies, all is part of the experience.

But beware! For sometimes you awaken the devil himself when dealing with forces you don’t understand. Or you do not know their true nature at first glimpse. And by the time you realize what you have called to your own door wasn’t the little mouse you expected, it becomes too late to regret your decision!

It’s very subjective, the true meaning of a fairy tale, that is. Could they be considered real?

Yes! Most people do believe in fairy tales!

How could that be? People from all ages always say something like, ‘I wish upon a star that my problems go away!’, or something pretty similar. And I ask of you:

Why?

I’ll tell you! From my point of view, we, as humanity, have the single desire to reach individual happiness! And how could we reach such happiness? There are many dreams to that answer, for each dreamer loves to behold its reality as their truth.

In many truths of society, it seems that money is the answer to everything. It can buy you a nice house, a good car, a great pet, and many other possessions that you could possibly imagine. If it exists, and you have the money, you can buy it. If it does not exist, but you have the money, eventually, you will buy it too. That if you wish to do such buying. But there exist exceptions! There are always exceptions to every rule! 

You can’t buy feelings that come from the heart!

You can hire an escort, but they will never be your friends! You can hire a lover, but not a beloved! Money, like all worthless things, becomes dust in the sea of stars! But feelings, real ones, last to the infinity!

They make echo through time and space! Even if such soul mates are separated from each other through their fleeting lives, they will eventually meet one day in the beyond! But even a fleeting life could feel long, stressful and colorless when you are alone in this life! Well… I was not that alone by the time of my appearance to my friends’ lives, but…

Gracious Goodness! It was sure a boring experience before that point!

Once upon a time, in a cozy evening inside the Champion Lounge after classes were over, a young, plain and boring student was sitting in a sofa, drinking the warm tea of the season. Only a single candle was illuminating the room. For such things as white lights straight from the invention of man bothered the eyes of apathy.

….
….

“Nitpick?” Miss Sparkle was assertive.

“Don’t make me strangle your neck, Midnight…”

“What did you say, Bittersweet? Speak louder!” My intellectual friend was enjoying the moment.

“Nothing.”

“Hee hee hee! Your dishonesty is so charming! I hope it dies soon enough!”

“Thanks for your kind words, Princess Oakwood!” He said cynically.

“My beloved friend, keep talking to me like this and I will tell the uncensored version of our tale.”

He immediately put his head and hands in the available parts of the table. “I deeply regret my behavior!”

“Excellent!” I clapped. 

“Why is there an uncensored version?”

“Because I was not a very good-hearted person until much later!” I smiled. She gulped. “Where was I?”

….
….

It was six in the evening during one fateful September 25th, Wednesday. When I enrolled in Crystal Prep, I was automatically selected as a Champion Leader of the second class because of my status. Sure, I have good grades and I was considered worthy of the position. But I did not earn it unlike the rest of my peers. It was just granted… like everything in my life, because of my lineage.

Like a fairy tale where the noble hero has the happy life! The happy ending! With uncountable riches at her disposal! The only difference was… that this fact made me miserable! I had no need or desire for such easy life when almost everyone around me struggled to reach their happy ending! 

Where I, in my misfortune, or blessing, was born already with the happy ending! It was bothersome enough when people asked me what new extravagancy I had bought with the fortune that wasn’t mine in the first place. But more annoying it was for me when said people were actually jealous of my status!

What a group of imbeciles they are! Who could possibly be happy with a fate such as mine? Arriving home where barely your family was there to greet you was a sad existence enough. And when we actually were together, it was as grim as the night without stars to guide you to the northern path of the Milky Way!

That eventually annoyed me to no end, made me even bitterer about my life-style than ever. At least, when I was a Champion with duties to accomplish by myself, the second class community was the minority on Crystal Prep Academy, so I did not have to make a lot political struggle with them. Since he enjoys the melody of his voice, my imbecile of a brother did all the nightmarish talking for me!

….
….

“HEY!”

“HUSH, BLUEBLOOD!” 

He cowered partially below the table.

“Oh! I didn’t have any idea that the rich people suffered like that!” Miss Sparkle said… tenderly.

“Oh, Miss Sparkle! Not everything is like those filthy treacherous magazines say about the famous and millionaires! Did you know that Fleur Dis Lee, your old classmate, is actually engaged with a man fourteen years older than her?”

“WHAT!? Marriage! B-but she is just sixteen!”

“No, Miss Sparkle!” My brother spoke. “She is actually seventeen and Mr. Fancy Pants will take care of her nicely once she turns eighteen! I know the man and he is a classy gentleman!”

“She will suffer greatly a life of arranged business decisions because of this! Imagine the loves she could enjoy in her time of youth! Now, her future is ruined! Just because lineage! Thankfully, Mother gave me freedom to choose the one I will fall in love with!”

“You could have married Mr. Pants if you hadn’t rejected him, Sister!”

“Would you marry Miss Lee if you had the chance, fiendish sibling?”

“Why, but of course! She is elegant, smart, and worthy of being a queen!”

“Where is my friend? This Blueblood must be a double!” My intellectual friend said with mockery.

“HEY!”

I clapped my hands softly. “Now, now! The point is that the rich suffer too, even if most of them won’t admit it! Now, where was I?”

….
….

“Ah! Peace at last!” I said while I raised my cup of tea. My pinky finger was raised to the heavens. Because you now, Tea! It’s just hot brown slop you dip biscuits in! I am wrong?

‘Slam’

“Who is't dares to slam the doth'r ope? And wherefore didst thee turneth on the lights?” When my eyes adjusted, I saw the figure of a long-haired girl with silver tonality. Her eyes looked at me piercingly behind those glasses of her. “Candie Sugarcoat! Dusty Silverwind’s polrumptious dog!”

At that time, I did not like my intellectual friend… at all. I always considered her a hot-blooded student disguised as a cool-headed teenager with excellent scores in school. Like her predecessor, she wanted excellence from anyone who assisted to Crystal Prep. At that time, I considered that trait inspiring… and extremely annoying.

So, speaking Old English did the trick to shun them away… or so I thought it would be.

“I don’t have any idea what does that mean, but it must be offensive.” She said heavily.

“It means disruptive, mine own unwelcom'd guest!” I took a sip of my tea. “What doth thee wanteth of me?”

“…I need your help.”

“Wherefore shouldst I holp thee?”

“Could you please speak in normal English?”

“I am speaking in normal English!”

“Modern English, I mean!”

“Oh! Well… nay!” I took another sip.

“Please…” She humbled herself in a gentle vow “I need your help!”

I sighed with reluctance. My time of peace was ruined. But then again, when the feelings were pure, I could not help but feel empathy towards her weaknesses. After all…

I bleed red too.

“Very well, then. What is the problem?”

Thankfully she was brief because at that time, my patience was extremely limited. When all was said and done, it was time to go home and think about the kind of method I needed to enforce to these supposed troublemakers.

The answer was so simple for me at that time. Or so I thought it was. Everyone had a price, a limit where their pride would submit to the earthly delights of money. When I enrolled to that place, I made several gestures of kindness to my peers so they could improve their equipment and gain their good side while at it. 

It was not a surprise that it worked marvelously. The people greeted me with hypocrisy! Their shameful greed hidden behind facades consisting of smiles and good fortunes! It was all so troublesome, but quiet at least! They did not annoy me that much! So in the end, it was a win-win situation! 

All idea of my imbecile of a brother, nonetheless!

….
….

“You are still angry because I didn’t come to help you in the cleaning, aren’t you?”

“Yes, my idiotic brother! So be quiet while I speak, fiend!”

….
….

Next day, after classes were over, I searched for them in the fields of the school. It seems that my intellectual friend had made a relatively accurate map of their usual routes around Crystal Prep. Then, nearby the fields of the school, there they were, walking to exit with glimmering happiness and romanticized gestures in their visages. It was… warm.

Nevertheless, if I wanted her to stop annoying me at that time, then I only had one job to do.

“Halt, you insolent swine!”

Both of them looked at me with sudden raging eyes. “If you are a stupid champion of this school…” They said in unison.

“Oh, resistance.” They looked at me with surprise. “Pardon me, where are my good manners?” I made a curtsey. “My name is Reem Oakwood, at your service!”

My womanizer of a Father and my Mother said once that the Oakwood and Blueblood surnames were legacies that were respected. That those two belonged among the various family names of titans that ruled this little, silly world. All I needed to do was to say my name, the common folk would immediately recognize who I was, and everything would go along the path I wanted it to be!

It worked in school, in the streets, in high society, and it would work with two simpletons!

As they looked at each other with skepticism, I already had in my mind what would be their answer. One of them would say something like, ‘OH! We are so sorry, Miss Oakwood!’, while smiling with greed and idiocy in its face. The other would say something like, ‘To what gives this honor of speaking with us?’, or something far more foolish. From there, I would bribe them to work for my intellectual friend and everything would come back to the status quo. The first to speak was my beloved friend. 

His words… will forever live in my heart!

“Who the hell are you?” 

The darkness of my world shattered into million pieces as his words pierced it with relentless righteousness. I could hear it! The chants of the heavens! An opera song sang from the heart of melodious woman that at last found something out of the ordinary as his words pummeled my soul!

I was… enchanted.

“Look, bitch!” His companion followed. “We don’t care who the fuck you are but get out of our way and you won’t be harmed!”

Another heavy blow was delivered to my spirit. I was about to collapse to the floor from the excitement of meeting such rude people. Neither the people that hated my parents nor the people who had deep jealously, bitterness, and discord against me, not EVEN my own flesh and blood had ever insulted me directly!

It was… genuine!

But I had a job to do, so I needed to follow my plan!

“I have been told that you had been naughty, little students recently! I came here to give you a solution to our problems!”

“Oh, we already have one! What about leaving us along and we won’t cause trouble?” My mighty friend said.

“I am deeply sorry but that will not do! Little Sugarcoat wants me to help her out in her silly, glorified ambitions of greatness! So, you must submit, for the greater good!”

“And if we say no?”

“Oh! Do not worry! It does not mean that you will not be rewarded for submitting to school labor!” I showed them two genuine checks with the quantity of seventy-thousand dollars in each. “Consider this a payment for our future union! Now, take this and go with Sugarcoat to fulfill your new jobs.”

They breathed deeply, and walked towards me. I thought that I was victorious… but instead, my mighty friend grabbed me from behind, carried me while my beloved friend went to the trash bin that was once used for my intellectual friend, pasted a sticker that said ‘Champions’, opened the bin and I was thrown inside the Trash Bin! 

“Listen, you little brat!” My mighty friend said while shredding to pieces the checks. “Tell your champion friends that next time someone of your kind shows, we’ll throw you here without question!” 

“Want to avoid that? STOP BOTHERING US!” And with that, both of them left me there.

So there I was, inside Champions the Trash Bin. It was cleaner than I thought. It smelled of cheap cleaner product. A kind gesture, but I would have wished they used a lavender scent instead of the original. It was spacious for a trash bin. So I decided to stay there for a while as I was looking at my aggressors walking away to the horizon. 

I never felt so defenseless before. They even rejected bribery from me. Bribery! Oh, the scandal that an Oakwood member failed in such negotiations would bring my Mother shame! Worse still, the royal blood flowing inside of me did not help in my case! So it was a double failure! My useless Father would feel disgraced by my results! There was only one thing I thought about! One single fact that crossed my mind…

Marvelous!

I wanted more of those feelings! My heartbeat was increasing its tempo! My soul started to ignite in the flames of desire! I wanted them! I needed them! My long-awaited wish came true! A chance to feel the struggle of the common folk! An opportunity to fight for my happy ending! A ticket to experience the pleasures of sweet, cold vengeance!

Oh! I still remember the look of their backs, while deep inside of me, a burning passion awakened. I felt alive! At that time, I only wanted one thing from them! One single purpose I wished from them…

Their suffering!



I got out of Champions’ cold embrace and walked straight to the exit. There, my loyal Rosaline Star waited for my arrival. Her expression towards me was unforgettable.

“My Lady! I have never seen such vivid eyes from you before! Did something good happen in school?” She was happy for me as she opened the limousine’s door.

“My faithful follower!” We got inside and sat comfortably. “Please prepare Operation Vindicta on the unused space of our home! I want it ready before my special day!”

She vowed her head with pleasure. “It will be done!”

….
….

“And with that, I must exit the stage for a while! I did not make my appearance again until the twenty-nine of that month! My brother is next! Any questions?”

“Can I go home?” Miss Sparkle asked in fright.

“Of course not, Miss Sparkle! There’s just two acts left to our tale and it’s still early! Six in the evening is too soon to call it a day!” My brother said. “Besides, it IS my turn!”

“Don’t glorify yourself, Blueblood!”

“My plebian friend, have I done such thing before?”

“YES!” My friends and I yelled in agony, much to Miss Sparkle’s dismay.

“HMPH! You should learn of Miss Sparkle and Mr. Lightbulb! They both know how to behave!”

“I don’t know you well enough to judge so I won’t be part of it!”

“And I think you are… different!”

“That’s her way to say that you are a pain in the ass, Arbelth!”

“Language!”

“Oh, but Twilight!”

“Now, now, now! It’s my turn now! So, listen only to my voice!”
> Chapter 71 - How we became friends! - Blueblood!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

First, let me properly introduce myself! My name is Arbelth Blueblood, the 22th prince in a long lineage of Kings! As you may all know, the Blueblood lineage has exercised ultimate authority since the day Equestria was founded in the 17th century! Everything started for us with the revolution that was taking place in the Old Great Equine when Queen Chrysalis the Third, the Corrupter of Blood, tried to control the masses through the fires of turmoil and distrust, making the people wary of her!

But like in any revolution, heroes rise from the shadows to lead the people, giving them a newfound source of hope!

My lineage of nobles and its descendants tried, and succeeded, in giving a new home to the refugees from the conflict! The first noble, later king, Albrecht von Blueblood, using his cunning and immense genius on finances, raised enough funds to buy several galleons from the neighbor countries in less than six months and sailed away with the lucky rebels to what would eventually become our prideful country: Equestria!

Oh! I can see your faces of boredom! HMPH! Very well, I shall skip the royal tale to a more current date.

….
….

Miss Sparkle raised her hand.

“Yes, what is it?”

“Could you tell us more about the Blueblood lineage history?”

“Sparkle, no… Stop…” Sugarcoat closed her eyes slowly. “Please.”

“Why? It would be so fascinating to hear the tale of the founders of the Old Equestria from one of the Royal members themselves! Imagine the perspective we could hear from a direct descendent instead of what the books of history offer! Or… you have heard the tale from him already?”

“No, but-!”

“Miss Sparkle! I’m so humbled to hear such pure interest in my family history! But, this is not a history class to speak of the past! Perhaps for another time! For now, let’s go back to a more recent date: My arrival to Crystal Prep Academy!”

….
….

I enrolled at Crystal Prep as the rest of my compatriots during middle school. As you know, Crystal Prep Acadmy has several schools across the land, and I had to enroll during my youth on the one located in the capital. There are things that are simple unavoidable as a noble such as myself. Although current times embrace a democratic ideology to rule the land and bring people the safety it needs from a form of government, the Royalty still makes the final call behind the scenes.

It is true that sometimes our decisions have brought struggles to the land, especially during the time of the Civil War of the Northern Lands. We aren’t that proud in that point in that facet of our heritage, but we are just humans.

Sometimes is unavoidable to make mistakes.

For that very reason, every member of the Blueblood lineage must assist to peace conferences around the world, whether a school is in charge of it or not. Last time, my sister and I assisted to one of those for over a month in the capital. They aren’t as interesting as you think they would be. Some of them are just political nonsense to keep the public happy with a false sense of hope and peaceful accomplishment. 

Sadly, thanks to those forced lessons, I wasn’t present during the first few weeks of classes during my enrollment in the main insititution. I was jailed in one of those conferences with little else to do but hearing old dinosaurs mumbling about their dirty schemes. Reem got lucky that time and managed to get away thanks to our Mother. The only thing that kept my humor in the yellow zone was that my butler, Tobias Star, my Father, Arland Blueblood, and very few governors of the land were more active in actual solutions to the country than most of the other politicians.

Once that all that tiresome experience was over for the time being, I was happy to go back to my sister’s side! But I wasn’t aware that my own blood was having her share of struggles like me...

Or so I thought…that she was having a personal trouble, that is.

It was a peaceful night during September 26th, Thursday, when I was going back in the family plane to the mansion of Crystal State. I was having my usual martini with some parmesan crackers as appetizers, when suddenly my royal butler emerged from the other room.

“My Lord! Terrible news from Rosaline Star! It seems that Lady Oakwood was bullied at school!”

My martini fell to the floor from my brusque movement. “WHAT DID YOU SAY!?” 

“It seems that her aggressors threw her inside a trash bin! And worse of all, Lady Oakwood has chosen to let them go!”

“They shall face a punishment of thousand tortures! Of thousand deaths! Each more painful than the last! Tobias! Tell Rosaline Star to make a thorough investigation of those punks! I want to know their weaknesses! STALK THEM IF YOU MUST!”

….
….

“YOU ACTUALY STALKED THEM!?”

“No, Miss Sparkle! I calmed down later but you cannot blame me! I was angry at that time! How would you react if someone close to you was in danger or hurt?”

“B-but even so, that is illegal!”

“No, Miss Sparkle! That’s called ‘Using your resources wisely’!” I gave her my shiniest smile.

“Lucky for us, and unlucky for him, that didn’t work well!” Gilda said.

“Yeah… His vengeance was so anti-climactic!” Nitpick and she made a bro-fist. 

“Ehem… Shall I proceed?”

….
….

The first thing I did the next morning was to immediately look for Champion Silverwind to aid me in locate the aggressors, much to her surprise. It seems that the Sugarcoat of that time wasn’t the accepting individual who owned her failures unlike the current one, so Silverwind was unaware that such things happened at school.

She made a call to Moondancer, the overlord of the hall monitors of Crystal Prep, to ask for any information regarding my old problem. Much to her dismay, it seemed that Moondancer was fully aware of those particular cases, summoning the wrath of Silverwind.

“WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY A THING ABOUT THIS? …NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR YOU? … … … Fine! I’ll let it pass this time!” She ended the call harshly. And rather annoyed, if I might add. “It seems that your case is one-hundred percent veridic! But why my trusted second in command didn’t say a word about this?” She asked in a dubious manner. “Something is wrong!”

“Perhaps they are too much trouble for her current abilities and she is ashamed of facing you, my beautiful Silverwind.” I caressed her chin.

“Don’t speak to me so casually just because you are royalty, Arbelth Blueblood!” She shunned me away while walking to the window. “Outside the school you may be a prince, but here, you are just like anyone else: a Crystal Student! Besides, I trust Candie Sugarcoat’s competence well enough to ever believe that she would be afraid of me! That is preposterous!”

“Point taken. Even so, I want justice to be made by your hand, or I’ll take care of this by myself. And it will be loudly, if I might add!”
She was having a severe headache at that time. Her facial gestures were ruining her beautiful face. “Alright, Blueblood… I’ll fix this somehow.”

“Excellent!” I clapped with approval. “Shall I accompany you?”

We met again when classes ended to face the mongrels who assaulted my sister: Gilda Heavensbane and Nitpick Bittersweet! At that time, I was rather calm on the surface. But on the inside… I just wanted one thing from them… One single purpose I wished of them…

Their suffering.

….
….

“Why I am starting to feel that the Royal Family is the vengeful kind?” Miss Sparkle took a bit of her quesadilla.

“Hypothetically speaking, if your dog is assaulted and humiliated, and you had the means to do what you must to avenge him, wouldn’t you search for his assailants to apologize one way or another?” She stopped eating. After a moment of silence, she mumbled something rather quietly. “I beg your forgiveness but I didn’t catch that.”

“I would hunt them down…” She said with darkening… pinkish eyes?

“Oh… OH!” 

“That’s what I call an honest answer, Sparkle.” Sugarcoat said… somewhat in praise. “Blueblood, continue.”

“As you wish, Little Maiden!”

….
….

Our search didn’t take so long. They were walking near the school fields towards the exit. Champion Silverwind went straight to challenge them, saying ‘Halt!’ in the process… only to end up inside Champions the Trash Bin.

“Huh… so direct assault isn’t recommended.” I was considering my options, but to be honest, I was too angry to plan a well-thought approach. So, I simple walked inside the Lion’s den. “HALT!”



“Nit…” Gilda looked angry, but tired.

“I know… This is a guy so I’ll deal with it this time.” He turned around with an annoyed expression. “And who the hell are you?”

“My name is Arbelth Blueblood! Prince of Equestria!”

“Ah… what do you want?”

“You dare to speak so casually to Royalty, commoner?” 

“Here you are just a normal student so stop preaching your noble privileges on us! I’ll ask again: what do you want?”

“Your insolence shall not be forgiven! I came here to avenge my younger sister who was thrown to the trash bin the day of yesterday by you, rude pair of twins!”

“Did you say younger sister?” Nitpick’s face turned reluctant.

“Look, lady brat! We aren’t twins and we don’t care who-!” 

He raised his armed in front of Gilda. “I completely understand your feelings as I am an older brother as well.” He stood in front of me and vowed his head. “I apologize for that and I’ll accept any beating you have in mind.”

“…What?” Gilda and I were in awe.

“But Nit, you can’t be serious!”

“I-I… God, I didn’t expect this kind of answer. Very well, I can sense your honesty in your words so I won’t do anything harsh!” I still wanted to make them suffer. “But still! You can’t go unpunished! SO I, PRINCE ARBELTH BLUEBLOOD, CHALLENGE YOUT TO A ROYAL DUEL NOW!”
The students who were present quickly spread the word and half of the school was gathering on the school fields. With a snap of my fingers, the people in charge of the sports gear of the school quickly brought to us the fencing gear.

“Do you accept my challenge, simpletons!?”

My not-yet friends made a step forward. “We do.”

When it was all said and done, it was time for us to have our formal Deathmatch! As you may know, Crystal Prep students practice a lot of sports of Olympic level. At that time, I was unaware of the scholar history of these two… until the moment I saw how they were holding their foils.

UGH! It was horrible! 

"I suppose I can explain the rules and what you are wearing.” I held my mask on my left arm. “First, the weapons on your waist are called Foils! Thrusting swords used in the ancient world to decide a feudal problem through chivalry! Which in this case, is my sister’s honor! Second, you are using an especial protective jacket that has in its design a Sous-Plastron, or under-arm protector. A chest protector is there as well! The breeches of our school are specially designed to be made of reinforced cotton, like the rest of your gear!”

“Why?”

“Because it gives you a sense of weight during training, and during official matches, the cotton is not that heavy. You know. The psychological illusion of being a feather weight and such when wearing the official variant.”

“What are the rules?”

“Since you don’t have a clue about this sport, I’ll have special handicaps on myself. You only have to touch me and it will be considered a point, where I must follow the rules of attacking you with the foil in the allowed angles. This gentleman who gave us the gear will be our referee! You can’t use your fists or kicks, only your weapon! If I disarm you, you lose! Only one of you can challenge me at a time! Any questions? No? Then please step on the piste!” They looked around the field to find what I was talking about. “The strip over there…”

“Oh!”

Nitpick was the first to step in. The referee taught him the appropriate etiquette that must be done before a match starts, including how to use a sword. He was a quick learner to my surprise.

Or so I thought.

We saluted to each other and then to the public. Then we assumed the ‘En-garde’ position, which means that our chests were facing directly leftward, so that all we see from each other are our shoulders and the right side of our torsos. The referee asked of us if we were ready, and we nodded our head in affirmation. 

“FENCE!”

Nitpick made a full, circular swing to my quarte in which I responded with a simple bend on my wrist and immediately I twisted it smoothly in a small clockwise semicircle. This technique is called coutre-carte and it is used to parry… not to disarm. When our foils clashed, his weapon flew away from his hand.

“NO! You are holding the grip too lightly! How shameful would it be of me if I win with such ease! Let’s start over again!” He held his weapon once more and the match started. We clashed our swords and I could feel the struggle in his wrist when I unintentionally disarmed him again. “NO! You must use your wrist strength at the last minute! How are you supposed to build up momentum if your technique is so lacking?”

“I don’t know how to do this shit!”

“I can clearly reaffirm that! And it’s FENCING! The sport of the chivalrous, commoner! Look at my hand!” I was holding the pistol grip not too tight or too soft. “Your arm must be the primary strength control, only use your muscles when you actually make an action. Many attacks and parries require from your wrist to be very flexible in order to properly execute parries, counter-parries, envelopments, disengages and coupes.”

“…what?”

“I can’t believe that Crystal Prep Academy allowed an uncivilized dog such as yourself to enroll! No matter! Let’s start over again!”

This time, he managed to withstand some of my assaults efficiently for a few seconds. Even so, his technique was so horrible that I could barely keep up my vengeful thoughts intact. It came to a point that my anger was redirected towards his ineptitude instead of my sister’s honor.

“ARGH! I have never seen a new learner being so incompetent! Please, switch with your friend over there! Let’s see if she has the finesse that you clearly lack!”

“You heard the prince! It IS your turn! He is all yours, Gilda!”

“At last!” She cracked her fists. “Okay!” She took her weapon in an appropriate manner on the first time, giving me a sense of hope for an honorable duel to take place. “I’m ready!”

We repeated the ceremonial introduction again. The referee asked of us if we were ready and once again I found myself nodding in affirmation.

“FENCE!”

Gilda rushed with an impressive lunge attack, making my blood pump with excitement. But she made a grave mistake… or so I thought. She made a full swing downward and I tried to parry with all my skill… which was a bad idea. Although I was firmly holding my foil after her assault, my wrist was in pain. She didn’t have an ounce of finesse, but gracious heavens, it was compensated by her RAW POWER!

She was swinging her foil like a berserk while I tried to dodge in the little space that the strip allowed me to. Since technically she wasn’t doing a foul movement with the rules I gave to them, the referee couldn’t stop her assault, much to my horror.

“WAIT!”

“I WON’T STOP, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!”

‘PUM’

She leaved a little hole when her foil made impact to the floor, much to my terror. The foils of Crystal Prep were of tempered Maraging steel, making them quite resilient to brusque impacts. I could see her face straight from a horror movie looking at me through her mask. The face of a brutish murderer wearing a big and disturbing smile straight at her victim, in this case me, filled me with…uncertainty.

“P-perhaps we could choose an alternative for this matter!”

“No, no, no! You. Will.  DIEEEEEEEEEEE!”

“GYAAAAAHHH!”

“Pffff Hahaha Gilda, stop! Stop it! This is too much!”

The griffonian suddenly calmed down and stopped her barrage. “But Nit! I’m having the time of my life!”

“I know but you are going to break him down!” He walked to the referee’s side. “Look, I believe I know how to duel better! Let me switch with my friend, okay?” He convinced him to switch with her.

I felt a sense of relief.

“Ok.” I retook my composure. “If I disarm you this time, you lose! No excuses!”

“I accept the terms! Let’s skip the formalities and fight!”

We didn’t even put our mask on the last duel. We simply rushed and the tips of our foils met with the bloodthirst of a bull. This time, my not-yet friend was fighting far more skillfully than before, giving me the chance to fight to my heart’s content.

But something went wrong.

He started to push me backward, my feet getting near the line. I was about to put in motion my last resource when suddenly… I saw his face. He had the same vicious face as his friend. His eyes turned piercing, like if a beast was savoring every minute of the hunt. Fear made me step back, making me lose my balance, fall to the floor and lose the match.

It was over.

“Well, that’s it! Let’s grab something to eat!”

“NO! This isn’t over!”

“COME ON! WE WON!” Gilda stomped the floor.

“Look, I know that these kinds of sports are about technique but… well, if you don’t have enough fortitude, then you are screwed. You are really prideful if I must praise you!”

“And stupid!” And both laughed at me. “Admit defeat!”

“You filthy-!” Suddenly, my butler came to deliver my cellphone. My sister was calling. “Sister, what is it? … … Yes, I’m aware of that! Right now I’m exacting vengeance for you! … … … You want me to do what? … … … BUT! … … Alright, I’ll do it for you!” I hanged the call. ”It seems that Reem wants to invite you to her birthday party!”

“Who?”

“My sister!”

“Ah… why?”

“I don’t know! She asked of me to do so! Mmm, this gives to me a more peaceful solution! If you deliver a present to her, and she likes it, I will stop bothering you!”

“Really?”

“You aren’t joking?”

“Royalty never jokes about matters of pride!”

“Well… alright! We’ll get a good gift for her!”

“Don’t expect something expensive because we aren’t that rich!”

“We enrolled because some kind of special scholarship… which we are about to lose if we don’t study, Gilda!”

“I know but… it is so boring!”

Not only were they brutes but they were also poor!

“Just… make sure it’s something nice!”

….
….

“And what did you gave her for present?”

“That’s for the next and final part, Miss Sparkle!” Reem said.

“Let’s better put the boring part out of the way.” Gilda said. “After being invited to Oak’s party, we stumbled with Sug in the Maximus Plaza that evening. Oak had invited her too, and like us, she was searching for a good birthday present.”

“Since I barely could see them at the face because I was furious with them at that time, I decided to just give them my share of the money and I let them decide the kind of present they would buy… I’m rather happy with the outcome to be honest.”

“Me too…” Reem said with a joyful reflection, touching her gift rather pleasantly. 

“Her birthday was supposed to be on Saturday, but… this Princess gave us the fucking surprise of our lives! Never again, Reem Oakwood!”

“Whatever you mean, my beloved friend! I believe everything worked out well for all of us in the end!”

“Yeah…”

“Right…”

“Indeed…”

“Exactly…”

I could see that all of us started to remember the day of that fated birthday. When it was all expressed through our grim-like faces, Miss Sparkle looked at us with skepticisms.

“Something tells me that this is not a normal finale…”
> Chapter 72 - The Evil Dungeon of References! Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes you think that a party is supposed to be a time where you expend your moments with the people you love. There are times where you are just there to help a friend to feel welcomed around a group of strangers. And also there are times where you are invited… but you don’t know anyone around you. You are just there, waiting for a kind of miracle to happen and make you realize that you are part of the fun. Or at least not being the source of said fun.

And… sometimes you are forced against your will to assist to a party.

It was September 29th, Sunday, at one in the evening. The royal prince known as Arbelth Blueblood invited three special guests, as his sister wished, to assist at her birthday party. It was supposed to be celebrated on her actual day, Saturday 28th, but it seems that there were some complications and adjustments missing that needed to be corrected so her celebration could be a success.

At least, those were the words she used.

Nitpick Bittersweet, Gilda Heavensbane, and Candie Sugarcoat were riding a helicopter with him, much to his annoyance. His face showed anger to the fact that his sister’s home fields would soon be spoiled by the filth of the simpletons. How silly are the priorities of the man that can practically buy the whole world compared to the troubles that the forced guest had in mind.

“Can I ask again why I am here?”

“My sister invited you to her birthday party, Little Maiden.”

“I never agreed to be forced to assist to a birthday party. I was invited, remember?”

“N-never mind that. S-so… are you still a-angry with us?” Nitpick asked politely.

“You humiliated us in front of the whole school on these past few days!” Sugarcoat was mad. “Your recent acts has given to the Champions of Crystal Prep a dubious reputation! How are we supposed to keep order on the school when PEOPLE LIKE YOU COME AND SCREW THINGS UP!?”

“That wasn’t our fault! If you hadn’t annoyed us like we told you since the beginning, nothing of this would have happened!” Gilda replied. “Besides, no one was laughing at you on the last few days!”

“Y-yeah, I love this academy! They d-don’t exaggerate the n-news like in my old middle school!”

“I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK OF IT, YOU BIG STUPID APES!”

Gilda rushed forward and put the future Crystal Champion in a headlock. 

“I see someone hasn’t learned the meaning of being humble yet!”

“Lee…me… gooagh!”

“I’m so sorry! I can’t hear you! You should try to breathe properly, you know?”

“Let her go, griffonian!” Blueblood calmly said while bumping his cane to the floor. “This Little Maiden had enough of your aggression!”

“As you wish.” Sugarcoat breathed deeply several times after being released while Gilda took her seat. “So, we just deliver the present and we can go, right Nit? Uh… Nit?”

Gilda finally noticed something curious with her friend. His legs were shaking, his hands were firmly holding each other with massive strength, and he was looking at his fingertips rather funny.

“Don’t tell me you are afraid of heights!”

“N-no!” The engines made a thunderous noise. “YES!”

“Oh come on!” She embraced him with one of her arms. “Don’t worry, because Gilda is here!” She winked at him rather flashy, much to his comfort.

“You are r-right!” Another loud noise came from the engine. “I-it just a few minutes more, right? …right!?”

Blueblood sighed with tiresomeness. “Don’t worry, plebian. Just a few minutes more…”

….

“Mother Earth!” Nitpick embraced the nearest tree and kissed it. “Never again!”

“Come on, Nit! That’s not cool!”

“I don’t care, bitch!” He continued his affections to Mother Earth while Gilda simply rolled her eyes when she got near him.

“Alright, we have lost enough time already! Please follow me!”

“Where are we going?” Sugarcoat arranged her glasses. “And more importantly, where are we?”

“We are in the Diamond Avenue at the western side of the city limits!”

“The Diamond Avenue? The terrains where the millionaires build their homes around the mountains of the land?”

“Yes, Miss Sugarcoat! And these are the terrains of Reem’s home! The house is over there! Please, ride your seats inside the golf car!”

“I never thought I would ride one of these!” Nitpick said. Blueblood started the engines and they were on the go. “HA! It really has a punch!”

“Nitpick Bittersweet, you have never seen one of these before?”

“No. I’m a middle class citizen, you know.”

“Average poor, then.”

“Asshole…” He mumbled.

“Her house looks rather small for someone from royalty.” Gilda said.

“My sister loves… how should I say? The humble life. Agh! I can’t believe she can find peace in a house so small!”

“I don’t mind small houses.” Gilda said. “They are practical, nice, and you can - WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?”

As they were approaching the Royal’s house, they soon discovered that the Prince’s description of it was too farfetched for a normal person’s point of view. The house wasn’t small. It wasn’t even big. It was Massive! It was made of two floors of the most beautiful architecture they have ever seen so far. It had a breathtaking view of the city, a pool, and from one of the windows, it had what it appeared to be a little cinema in a spacious room.

“SEE!? I told you it was a small house!” The prince was angered. “You must now think that we come from a poor lineage of lowly nobles! The shame this brings to my family, I tell you! I should have tried harder to convince her to buy the mansion a few miles ahead!”

“…What an ass.” Three people mumbled.

Little they knew… someone was watching them from above on the second floor.

….

Inside the house, the normal people saw with stupefaction the delicate ornaments that the walls had. There were several pieces of art hanging around, from your typical portrait to the most elaborate of landscapes. Tables whose fabric were made of the fanciest, cleanest cedar were positioned in an unobtrusive way, with lots of pots containing beautiful red roses on them. Their aroma was enchanting. 

It was the kind of essence that made you feel at peace.

“Before we go inside, did you bring it?”

Nitpick took out from his pocket a little, well enveloped box. “Here.”

“Oh! You bought it in the ‘Boutique of Coral’ at the Maximus Plaza, I’m right?”

“How do you know that?”

“The ribbon gave it away. I know my way around the shops of the city. At least you bought a decent gift instead of your cheap, fair trinkets you commoners enjoy.” He stopped at a certain door. “Now, this way.”

“Ass…”

Blueblood opened the door, revealing a massive library on the inside. Tapestries decorated the walls of that room. They were brilliant in hue, given the sensation that they were impervious to the damage of time and neglect. One could almost imagine once-grand images of researches, titans of literature, or your unusual book lover calmly sitting in one of those wood chairs, enjoying the warmth that the room radiated from within. 

On the farthest corner of the library, there was a big portrait of a beautiful woman wearing a rather extravagant dress of the older times. On the floor, an elegant figure was admiring it with great meditation. Not even Sugarcoat herself could stop admiring the beauty of her Champion teammate. 

It was like if she was a doll made of porcelain, wearing the finest silk on the land. 

Even so, his brother was immune to her charms. “Sister, it’s good to finally see you again!”

“Ah, my brother, you arrived on time.” Reem said without turning around. “Please, have a seat on the table nearby. There is iced tea, snacks and other appetizers than I am sure you will enjoy! Please put your cellphones on the table as well! I don’t want you to miss any kind of emergency call if needed!”

Following her instructions without complain, the quartet started to enjoy the food that their host prepared for them. 

“Aren’t you going to sit, Reem?”

“How did you call her, commoner?”

“That’s her name, right!?”

“Yes but you should call her Lady Oakwood! You filthy-“

“Now, now, my brother! It’s okay! I grow ever tired of being so formal from time to time!”

“But sister!”

“Hush, Blueblood! My birthday, my rules!”

The skies suddenly acquired a tint of black and indigo blue. A storm was coming. A ferocious thunder hit one of the hills far away from the house.

“What an excellent weather for my party celebration! Tee hee hee!” Reem walked to the window. “Magnificent, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

“What’s wrong, Nit?” Gilda subtly whispered.

“I don’t know… something is wrong. I can feel it…”

“That weird sense of yours?”

“Yeah. Be on your guard. I don’t like this one… UH! Parmesan crackers! MINE!”

“Heh! So much for the danger!”

“Whatever you mean, my honored guest! In this place there are no dangers! No perils at all!” The host said while still admiring the storm. “So, how was your journey?”

“Sister, why don’t you take a seat with us?”

“Oh, don’t worry, my brother! I’ll take my seat in a few moments!”

“Mmm…”

“What is it, Miss Sugarcoat?”

“Say, Champion Oakwood… Is that a painting of Princess Amore?”

“AH!” She was charmed by hearing that question. “Indeed it is, Miss Sugarcoat! That is an exact replica of her painting! I have been meaning to get the original for some time now… but it would be best to let it stay at the National Museum of Equestria!”

“What’s her story?” Gilda asked. “Did she do something cool?”

“Don’t you know that she was responsible for ending the First World War, griffonian?”

“HEY! I barely know about my own country!”

“HMPH!”

“Worry not, Miss Heavensbane, for I know a short story!” She cleared her throat while walking towards the painting. “During her youth, Princess Amore was said to be a woman of practical tastes, disgusted by the extravagances of her so-called ‘equals’ in the balance of power!”

“Indeed she was! For she was a noble! Those commoners disguised as Lords weren't at her height of power!”

“HUSH, BROTHER!” Blueblood shut his mouth. “Yes, she was a noble! Legend says that she was in fact a member of the Blueblood family as well! But history tends to exaggerate with its theories and unfound proofs to fill up the events of our legacy! Legends also said that General King Uldrich Sombra had a kind of connection to our family history!”

“Blasphemy!” Blueblood hit the table. “That war criminal could never be a part of our legacy!”

“Are you so sure of that, my brother?” Reem withdraw one book from the nearest shelf. “According to my little friend here, it is said that the Blueblood symbol consist of a moon devouring the sun! Why then the Uldrich lineage has a sun obscuring the moon? And more importantly, why the design and colors used are almost the same, even when both families are supposed to be completely unrelated?”

“Because the Uldrich lineage just ripped-off our design, that’s all!”

“Indeed they did, brother… Indeed they did… or perhaps there is more to that.”

“Nonsense! Princess Amore sacrificed herself to save the world, and the Global Union was materialized with her death! Sombra was imprisoned and died like the madman he was!”

“Conspiracy theories say that Princess Amore and Uldrich Sombra were actually in a relationship and that the war was just a stage for something bigger they planned!”

“Little Maiden, that’s why they are conspiracy theories! They are nonsense!”

“Some of those theories have proven to be true, Prince!” Nitpick said. “Did you know that the ZK-47 was in fact an Equestrian design instead of the Tuban one? Theory, now proved to be true, said that since the Equestrian government was too threatened in the manufacture of new weapons during the Shadow Wars, behind the scenes they gave the designs to our allied country so our good reputation could be kept intact?”

“Ugh… yes… I’m aware of that fact.” The Royal Prince said with discomfort. “Another dark chapter for our otherwise glorious country.”

“You exaggerate.” Gilda ate a bunch of crackers. “As far as I know, the Shadow Wars lasted so long because both countries benefited from the conflict! Grandpops was there! He said it was a really bad business! He also said that another reason for the war to last so long was because a personal vendetta between the ruling presidents of that time!”

“Curious for you to mention the word ‘vendetta’ my honored guest!” Reem closed the book and put it back to its place. “Tell me something, does anyone of you know about the tale of Queen Chrysalis the First, the Deity of Betrayal?”

“No.”

“Nope.”

“I am afraid to say that no, sister!”

“I do.” Sugarcoat replied. “The official record says that she was known to play cruel mental tortures to her victims and betrayers, going so far to imprison them inside complex dungeons until either the victim gave up all hope and ended up broken, or it submited to the queen’s demands and forced to pledge eternal loyalty to her.”

“Bravo, future Champion Sugarcoat!” She clapped three times with enthusiasm. “That is INDEED the correct answer!”

“Why are you asking this?”

“Nitpick Bittersweet, tell me something…” She turned around and locked her crystalline blue eyes with his. “Are you afraid of the dark?”

As soon as their eyes met, it finally clicked on him. His Sixth Sense trembled on his spine.



“IT’S A TRAP!”

“What nonsense are you spouting, plebian?"

“Perhaps he is just hungry!” Reem said while approaching her chair. 

As soon as she took her seat, the chairs suddenly imprisoned their users with restraining cuffs on their limbs, much to their horror. 

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?” Blueblood tried to escape.

“I don’t remember my chairs having this kind of mechanisms!” Reem said with pleasant smile. “Fascinating!”

“ARE YOU INSANE?” Sugarcoat yelled.

“Wait…” Nitpick said. A strange sound came from below. “What’s that?”

“Guys… don’t… move…” Gilda said with fear.

Her friend followed her gaze, seeing that a hole appeared below them. The only thing that was stopping them from falling to deepest darkness  was a small, transparent mosaic tile supporting their chairs.

“Oh no! OH NO!” Blueblood shook his body and tried to move the chair away from that position.

“NO, IDIOT, DON’T!”

It was too late, the glass crumbled from his brusque movements… The five youths fell to their dooms, screaming like there was no tomorrow.

….

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

‘SPLASH’

At the middle of the road, the chairs released them from their grip, making them fall through a straight line in a pipe system. They landed on water, dampening their fall almost completely.

“WHAT HAPPENED?” Sugarcoat was struggling to stay on the surface.

“I DON’T KNOW!” Nitpick answered. “PRINCE, WHERE ARE WE!?”

“I DON’T HAVE ANY IDEA! I DIDN’T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A PIPE SYSTEM BELOW THE HOUSE!”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T KNOW?” Gilda strangled his neck. “IT’S YOUR SISTER’S HOME!”

“I SWEAR THAT I DON’T KNOW! REEM! REEM! WHERE IS MY SISTER!?”

The water level abruptly started to diminish, scaring the victims to no end. But it came to a point where they could stand on the floor safely. Now they were wet. The coldness of the room gave them violent chills.

Suddenly, four secret doors opened. Above each door, the names of each of them appeared. Beside it, there was a message that said ‘Dry clothes’. Beside it, there was another message.

‘If you want to live, change your clothes!’

And another.

‘Unless you want to die of hypothermia!’

And another.

‘Seriously, if you have read these ads to the very end without thinking of your health, you really have a death wish!’

Without anything to lose, each of them entered their appointed rooms, only to reveal that they were changing rooms. A selection of underwear that varied on size where there, much to their uncomforting situation. When they chose their new and clean clothes, another secret compartment opened to them.

“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?” Sugarcoat‘s voice made echo.

“This looks like a costume!” Nitpick replied. “OH MY FUCKING TRUTH OF THE UNIVERSE! IS THIS WHAT I THINK IT IS!?”

“What did you get, Nit? I got some retro pants and a cloak… I don’t like the color…” 

“Better see it on the flesh, Gilda!”

“Are you forgetting that we are trapped INSIDE A STUPID ROOM!?”

“SHUT UP, SUGARCOAT!”

“DON’T SHUT ME UP, BITTERSWEET! I REFUSE TO WEAR THESE SILLY CLOTHES TO SURVIVE!”

‘SLAM’

“What was that!?” Blueblood took a peak outside.

“MY DOOR IS LOCKED!” Sugarcoat tried with all her might to slam the door, to no avail. “OH GOD! OH MY GOD! WATER! WATER IS COMING FROM THE FLOOR AGAIN!”

“I’M COMING!”

But before they could do anything, Gilda and Nitpick’s door closed as well. But there was no water rising from below. 

“THE WATER HAS REACHED MY KNEES!” Sugarcoat slammed the door several times. “PLEASE! GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT!”

Blueblood tried to open the door from outside but it was useless. It was firmly locked. “Little Maiden! I believe you have to wear the costume!”

“BUT I HATE GREEN!”

“DO YOU WANT TO DROWN IN THERE, YOU STUPID BRAT?”

Gilda’s voice suddenly was pretty persuasive for Sugarcoat. That and her desperate situation called for a desperate answer.

“I’LL WEAR THEM!”

The water was instantly drained from the floor. Sugarcoat was safe. The doors were unlocked. Beside the small compartment where her costume was, another opened, only to reveal a dry towel to use it on her legs.

“I’ll kill you for this, whoever imprisoned us…” She mumbled with vengeful intent.

….

“What the hell are we wearing?” Gilda asked annoyed.



“Costumes.” Sugarcoat replied.

“It seems so.” Blueblood added.

“Indeed.” Nitpick contributed.

“Nit, you don’t sound happy at all anymore. What’s wrong?”

“I’m wearing a generic Phase One Arc Trooper armor from Star Wars… I wanted the Phase Two iteration.” He almost shed a tear.

“At least is an armor. I’m just wearing a coat and pants that my grandpops would wear without second thought. I don’t even know why I’m wearing this eyepatch!”

“Perhaps you are wearing it because you were afraid to be drowned on water like me.” Sugarcoat said.

“And what the hell are you? An elf?”

“I don’t know… this resembles the uniform that Linkus from ‘The Folktale of Celda’ usually wears. But instead of six rhombus united, the sword and shield have three triangles… strange.”

“Why did you put the elf ears?”

“DID YOU REALLY ASKED THAT!?”

“It doesn’t matter! We must find my sister IMMEDIATELY!”

“Are you wearing a buffoon’s garment?” Gilda chuckled.

“It suits you.” Sugarcoat played with her long hair.

“HEY! THIS IS A GOOD BARD OUTFIT!”

The metallic door in front of them opened instantly, making the prisoners doubtful of this event. But all of them saw at each other with agreement that they must press forward. Once inside the second room, the door closed behind them. Neither light nor darkvision could penetrate the gloom in this chamber. On the room's frontal wall, they could just barely perceive a screen that weakly illuminated it’s surrounding with a soft, black light.

In an instant, the screen projected an unknown signal. There was an image of a very disturbing frog doll seeing them with hellish red-fiery eyes.

“Hello, friends!” The doll spoke with a demonic voice. “You don’t know me but I know you. I want to play a game.” Cold sweats emerged from the victims’ bodies. “Here's the brief description of what is happening. The dungeon you five are in consists of three floors. There is no time limit to escape. You can take your sweet time to try and get out of here alive! But there are traps all over the place! Here, I'll show you... “

The monitor switched its image in intervals of five seconds. From pit holes to rooms filled with strange artefacts where all over the place. The next image showed a disturbing scene of hundreds of skulls staying silent in their pedestal, coldly waiting for something to happen. This last part of the recording took too much time. In the last moments, the skulls turned their sight to the monitor, looking at the prisoners with cold gazes. 

The shadow of death fell upon them when they saw the next image. It was Reem imprisoned inside a cage.

“REEM!”

“There is only one way to get out of here alive!” The doll came back to transmission. “On the first floor of this little dungeon, there lies the exit! You are in the third floor underground, if you need to know! But there is a catch! If you five don’t reach the exit together, the door won’t open… and you’ll be imprisoned here… forever!” The wind hissed with the last word. “Also, if you don’t wear your costumes during your journey, you’ll automatically lose!” Nitpick quickly put on his helmet. “Look around, my honored guests. Know that I'm not lying. You better hurry up before you starve to death. Live or die, make your choice!” The transmission ended.

“We are doomed… DOOMED!”

“Shut your mouth, you stupid little troll!”

“I’m not a troll, Heavensbane! I’m an elf!”

“It’s the same shit!”

“I DON’T CARE! WE NEED TO SAVE MY SISTER!” 

Blueblood started walking around the room to find an exit. He touched every candle, looked inside the boxes for any kind of switch, button, whatever thing it could help to get out of there. His efforts came to fruition when he found a secret door behind the screen.

“Help me!”

The four of them pushed with all their might the screen. Reluctant, Blueblood opened the door to reveal a long stretch of void. A strong wind hit them, giving them chills to the core of their bones. They didn’t know who… or what, imprisoned them. Blueblood calmed down and tried to think the situation.

The house was bought only a few weeks ago. Perhaps the previous owners constructed this basement to guard something obscure. Perhaps a dangerous family member was trapped inside… or perhaps they never knew about this part of the house. He didn’t remember any door that leaded to a subterranean floor when he had the tour with Reem during the buying. 

And even if her sister had sent the word to construct an underground facility… five weeks weren’t sufficient to build the traps they have witnessed on the screen.

“Blueblood… any idea of what is happening?”

“I don’t know, Miss Sugarcoat… but my family is in danger…” His fear disappeared when he thought of that. He stepped into the unknown. 

The other three had a sudden attack of conscience, and followed close behind the desperate brother’s steps.

….

The end of the freezing corridor took them to another door. They didn’t have to open the door to notice something horrible. The room smelled strange, like rotten eggs combined with acid, like one of their school experiments. Blueblood opened the door, and it was revealed that the room had cracks in the ceiling, dropping a strange kind of ooze that was spreading across the floor. The slime seeps from the shattered wood of the ceiling at a snail’s crawl, forming a mess of unspeakable repugnance. When all of them got inside with baby steps, the door behind them closed by itself. 

They were trapped once again.

“COME ON!” Gilda was angered. “At least the exit is on the other side.” She walked towards the gate, opened it, only to reveal a wall. “FOR FUCK SAKE!”

“Calm down… we must think things clearly.”

“SAYS THE BRAT WHO WAS BITCHING LIKE A GIRL MOMENTS AGO!”

“LISTEN, YOU STUPID APE! YOU BETTER-!”

“ENOUGH!” Nitpick intervened with a Stormtrooper voice. “Whoever imprisoned us was well aware that we were going to break down this easily! I for one don’t plan to give him the satisfaction of seeing us kill each other! Beside, we have to save the Prince’s sibling as well if we want to get out of here alive!”

“The ple- Nitpick Bittersweet is right! We need to work together!”

Sugarcoat and Gilda breathed deeply, trying to put their rage to rest.

“Come on, Gilda, my friend… we will beat the shit out of this guy!”

She calm downed immediately. “You are right…” She nodded rather slowly. “We’ll kill… we’ll…!”

The world turned blurry to them. Their balance was slowly being crumbled by a certain drowsiness that was filling their bodies.

They were falling asleep.

“Oh no… I can’t… end up like this!” The Royal started to mumble. “I… am Prince Arbelth Blueblood! And I…” He fell to his knees. “I’m tired…”

“Asshole… no!” Nitpick raised him. “We must find an exit quickly!”

Sugarcoat looked around and found something that picked her interest. There was an iron structure with a small hole in it. But said was hole was large enough for her sword to fit in. She walked to try and put the sword on the empty structure, each step she gave was slower than the last. 

Her strength was failing, but she was stubborn enough to succeed in her task. With all her might she put the sword on the hole. 

‘Tararururara’

A small mist of pink water showered the places where the oozes were accumulating, slowly disintegrating them and making their senses recover. The gate that had a wall obstructing the path disappeared, leading to another corridor. Sugarcoat pulled out her sword and sheathed it in her back sheath. With the rest of the Crystal students somewhat recovered, she pushed forward.

Once safe midway the corridor, Sugarcoat turned around with closed eyes and wearing a prideful smile on her face.

“As you can see, I have the gift of thinking on solutions even in the direst of pressures! Follow my lead and I assure you that we’ll get out of here alive!”

“Are you fucking kidding us, you stupid little troll!? You only put a sword in a hole!” 

“Say what you will, Heavensbane! But you know that I am the best shot this team has!” She walked to the next door. “Now, let’s keep going and…”

The entire floor of the next room had a big hole into oblivion. Sprinkles of water fell graciously to the void. At closer inspection, there were parts of the supposed inexistent floor making ripples. It seems that some parts of the floor are invisible like the tiles that sustained their chairs not so long ago.

“Okay, Champion Leader!” Nitpick hugged Sugarcoat from behind. “Please lead us to the next door safely!” He said near her ear with mockery.

Sugarcoat wasn’t amused… at all.
> Chapter 73- The Evil Dungeon of References! Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Come on, now, Linkus! Jump to the other side and guide us to victory!” Nitpick’s jerk levels were out the chart.

“I might do that.” Sugarcoat answered the challenge by jumping to the next tile. “See? Easy for someone as great as me!”

She could see the lack of faith from her idiotic company, but she decided to ignore it and continued her task ahead. Although her sword and shield were a handicap with the added weight on her back, she managed with ease to jump, climb, and make short sprints to make power jumps. Well, at least for half of the section.

The invisible platforms of the room became more of a hassle than a challenge for Linkus’ cosplayer. Jumping from tile to tile with a picture of an endless void below her feet wasn’t a very comforting experience. Worse was the salty behavior that her doomed companions were portraying in such desperate times.

“My sister doesn’t have your sweet time!”

“I thought Champion Leaders were the best of the best!”

“Wasn’t she a second in command, Nit?”

“Ah... I forgot because she is as useless as that Silverwind.”

‘If only I could leave them to rot here…’ Sugarcoat sourly thought. 

But she didn’t have the time to think of heartless fates for them. If her sight and measurements abilities were correct, like usual, the room had an average size of two combined typical classrooms from her school in length. It could be considered small for such a deadly situation, but the adrenaline, fear and tension of not making mistakes made her feel trapped in a series of worst-case scenarios. She needed to find a path for all of them and she needed to do it fast. 

She timed her jumps on the barely visible floors separated by the black abyss. Trying to stay calm and processing all variables in her head while memorizing the path she has made so far. Until now, the tiles with the most concentration of water were the right choices in her next jump. Sadly, it came to a point where the second half of the road was deprived of such water source. 

She was stuck. 

“Sugarcoat!” Nitpick said.

“WHAT!?”

“I see someone is touchy right now.” 

She breathed deeply. “What do you want, Bittersweet?”

“Do you need any help?” Gilda asked.

“No, I’m fine! Don’t annoy me while I think!”

“Blueblood had the idea-!”

“I AM DOING JUST FINE!” She focused her attention once more to the exit.

But truth to be told, she didn’t know how to proceed. It was only a matter of time for them to die of starvation if things kept going like this. ‘Think, Sugarcoat, THINK!’ was repeated in echo inside of her head. She unsheathed her Master Blade, put her body near the edge of the floor, extended her blade and tried to make contact with any kind of surface in her surroundings.

Nothing… there wasn’t a trace of matter in that space. 

She tried again from another tile, only to achieve the same results. And after the third try, she was done. There wasn’t a single thing ahead on the road. She would be stuck there for two or three days max until she died of starvation, clinging with the hope of being rescued by the authorities… if anyone was interested enough to come and rescue them in the first place. Her parents wouldn’t notice her absence because she spends most of her time on school, and given the background of her other cellmates, the chances of survival were slim.

“No…” She whispered. “I can’t end up like this!” She stood up with her chest proudly high and her unshakable will burning like a flare on her pupils. “I’m Candie Sugarcoat! Future Champion Leader of Crystal Prep Academy! And by Moonlight’s blessing, I won’t die like a stray dog in here! My school needs me AND I WON’T SUBMIT IN DESPAIR!” 

She noticed that the roof was illuminated by a weak shade of light. For her in that moment, it represented that hope may be dying on her... but it was still burning recklessly. Where there is light, there is a way.

“Wait a minute!” She noticed that the light was bathing with golden dust some parts of the air near the roof. But strangely enough, they were just a few feet out of her reach. She used her blade to try and poke something above and 'CLINK’ There were structures just a little above her that could be climbed. “THAT’S IT!” Her hope was renewed.

With all her physical capabilities pushed to her limits thanks to her new found adrenaline, she made a wall run upside, jumped to her right and successfully grabbed on the edge of an upper section. She quickly climbed it and explored her new surface in crawling position. She sensed with her hands all of the space available to her and BINGO. The path ended just below the floor of the next door. She jumped below, opened the door and made a fanfare of victory to her companions.

“AHA! I MADE IT! Now, you fools, follow my- AH!” Her mates of doom were in front of her. “What - when – HOW!?”

Gilda scratched her temple. “We grew tired of seeing you jumping and stuff so Blueblood had the idea of going back to the previous room to find something useful fast.”

“We slammed the door, which was strangely loosened for some reason, and found at first that there wasn’t anything of worth there. But when we saw the fallen door again, we decided to use it as a bridge between the tiles you used.” Blueblood added.

“By the time you were climbing, uh, something, we were half-way here. And since we saw you working so hard for our sake, we decided to let you continue your heroics!” Nitpick winked at her.

“Making my struggles, my stress, and my quick thinking entirely pointless!” Sugarcoat concluded in a furious but professional manner.

“At least we are alive and kicking!” Gilda gave her a little shoulder massage. “Now let’s go and find the Princess before evening. I’m hungry!” The group started walking forward.

“How could you be so calm when we are inside a dungeon of doom!?”

“Calm down, Sugarcoat! Gilda and I were talking during our expedition and we came to the conclusion that this is Reem’s doing!”
Sugarcoat halted her steps. “How?”

“I still believe you are saying nonsense!” The Royal barked.

“Think about it, you two! She was enjoying herself being captured too much, she isn’t with us, and if we think objectively, the video where she was jailed looked like a crappy horror movie!”

“I bet twenty bucks that she is behind this!”

“Impossible! Unbelievable! Preposterous!” The Royal stood in front of the simpletons. “Reem could never think of such cruel joke! Her name in the ancient textures of Saddle Arabia means Gazelle! A symbol of purity! A being free of corruption of the lowly beings such as you possesses!” He put them aside with his presence and kept walking. “Come on, now! We need to contact the authorities as soon as possible!”

“Thing that we could have done since the beginning if your sister hadn’t suggested us leaving our phones on the table!” Nitpick said.

“Reaffirming the theory that she knew this would happen!” Sugarcoat embraced reason.

“Bah! Your reasoning is misgui – KYAAAAAHH!”

A flurry of bats suddenly flapped through the corridor, their screeching barely audible as they careen past their heads. The room from which they came seemed barren at first glance. But where is wild life, there is an entrance. There must! An entrance that could mean their swift escape from that place a reality! This time, there was no obstacle obstructing their path, and even the door didn’t close on their backs. That may be because it was a dead end, much to their annoyance.

Unlike the flagstone common throughout the dungeon explored so far, this room was walled in brownish red and gold. Pillars carrying weapons were present. Each of them made of good plastic at closer inspection. Every single item had the family symbol of the Blueblood Royal Lineage. 

Except for one.

“Look, this bastard sword has the Uldrich symbol that Reem was talking about a while ago!” Sugarcoat said.

“I didn’t know you were knowledgeable in weapon designs, Sugarcoat!”

“This petty knowledge is basic for a student such as me, new blood.”

“Whatever. There must be another secret device around here somewhere!”

“Nit, look what I found!”

Gilda had in her hands a note written with a strange passage. “Those who seek salvation must leave something of similar value as tribute. What the hell does it mean?” Nitpick crumbled the paper.

“Fool! It means that we must give up something useful!”

“Like what, little troll?”

“My sword and shield for example. Or your armor could also be in the equation.”

“I won’t strip in front of you without spare clothes!”

“I’ll give you my coat if necessary, Nit.”

“Little Maiden, it seems that there is a lever beneath the sword.”

At closer examination, there was a kind of a lever in the form of a hook coming out of the wall. She pulled down the structure and… nothing. “Mmm… Perhaps its weight based.” She unsheathed her sword and hanged it in there. Nothing. She tried again with sword and sheath, only to gain the same results. She tried with her shield and…

‘Tararururara’

Some pillars suddenly started to move slowly in a line. The locks that were holding the sheathed bastard sword were removed by a mechanism and Sugarcoat exchanged her sword with the bigger one.

Because you know, superior firepower triumphs over anything else.

As soon as she put her old sword in the stand, the locks reappeared once again, opening a compartment to safeguard the sword and shield inside. It was the last time they saw the items in that day. 

“Now what?”

Sugarcoat inspected the sword. There was a message written in a strange language on one side of the blade. 

“I don’t understand this.”

Everyone took a look and Gilda was surprised at what she was seeing. “This is griffonesse!”

“Do you understand what does it say, Heavensbane?”

“Seriously?” Gilda took the sword for a moment. “…mог бы… сильнейший воин… оружие…” Gilda looked at the pillars, noticing that they were now loose to move as they please. In front of them, three small red squares were highlighted. “The mighty warlord can be defeated by the bravest warrior, but only if the right weapon is chosen. It’s what it means…” Three pillars. Three Weapons. A sword, a lance and an axe. “I believe we must guess what weapon is better than the other!”

“Impossible!” Blueblood inspected the weapons. “In the end, all depends on the skill of the wielder!” He gave them a serious look. “Any weapon is a good weapon as long as you can use it with honor and skill.” A small pause was given. “Broofian Jacques, two-thousand and seven.”

“Who?” The Twin-like Duo asked.

“The writer of Bluewall?” Sugarcoat looked at them sourly disappointed. “One of the greatest Great Equine’s modern writers?”

“Ah… so, what we must do to get out of here?”

“Your ignorance sickens me, the both of you! You should consider reading a book once in a while!”

“I don’t read, I train!” Gilda made a pose of might.

“HA! The day I read a book, I’ll become a nonsensical asshole bitching about existentialism all of the time!” Nitpick inspected the weapons. “You know, this reminds me of Fire Seal’s weapon system! The sword defeats the axe, the axe defeats the lance, and the lance defeats the sword! Come, Gilda! Help me move them in that order!”

“Nitpick Bittersweet! Not only you are poor, but you also believe that a silly game’s mechanic is the answer to our problems! Your ignorance knows no-!”

‘Tararururara’

A secret door appeared, leading upstairs to the second level. The Twin-like duo made a bro-fist, much to the Royal's annoyance. “HMPH!” He walked first to the unknown.

The road to the second level was strangely relaxing. Typical elevator music was played while they ascended towards their next destination. And once again another door was opened, and inside the room there was another big screen softly illuminating the place. A sudden transmission was made, and the hellish frog puppet appeared once again. 

“Hello again!”



“I see you survived my first test! I am very impressed by your unexpected competence to solve my challenges so fast! It’s only been less than an hour since you were trapped, if you wanted to know! Now, the second phase will test your intellect and patience to the extremist levels! The way to salvation lies near!”

“Knock it off, Reem! We know it’s you!” Nitpick said enraged.

“I believe you are confused, Clone Trooper. I’m a frog, not the girl who is caged behind me!” The camera focused on a sturdy iron cage with Reem laid on the floor unconscious. “See?”

“COME ON! That must a double or a silly live-sized doll!”

“SHUT IT, SUGARCOAT! You can anger him and make him do something awful to-!”

“AND I’M SICK OF YOU!”

‘Bump’

A swift swing from her new sword hit him on the knees, causing the Royal to feel terrible pain. “WHY DID YOU DO THAT?” A weak giggle was heard from the monitor. The commoners looked at each other with skepticism. “I heard that! Do you think this is funny, frog? I, Prince Arbelth Blueblood, won’t be intimidated from the likes such as-“

‘SLAM’

The royal fell to the floor unconscious. Nitpick hit the pain in the ass with the fuller of the blade. The giggle was louder than before, eventually becoming laughter. Laughs so full of ill-spirited and pranking intent that even the Twin-like Duo felt shiver in the cores of their spines. On the monitor, Reem’s body was struggling to keep her act intact.

“SO IT WAS YOU, YOU STUPID LITTLE BRAT!”

Her act was shattered, so there was no point on keeping quiet any longer. She elegantly stood up from her position, opened the cage, rearranged the camera to reveal a royal-like chair nearby, and she sat on it, taking the ominous puppet in her hands. Pressing a button nearby, the cheap eighty effects disappeared, making the frog far less threatening than before. 

“Congratulations in unmasking my identity so soon, my honored guests!” She said with a dark but sweet smile. “Are you having a good time?”

“WE ARE STUCK INSIDE A SHITTY ASS DUNGEON AND WE NEARLY DROWN TO OUR DEATHS SEVERAL MINUTES AGO!”

“Future Champion Sugarcoat, I thought that Crystal students were ready for any challenge!”

“WITH THE PROPER PREPARATION WE ARE! THIS IS MADNESS!”

“Then you weren’t prepared enough for something like this! Tee hee hee!” 

“Wait until I put my hands on your little porcelain neck…” 

“You have to find me first! Please, do what you can to fulfill my dream on this day!”

“Which is?”

“Your suffering!” Thunders from outside waked the screen. “WUH! The storm is getting worse!” She was delighted.

“Have no one ever told you that you are a pain in the ass?”

“And a spoiled brat?”

“And a sick witch? A cute one but – What are you two looking at me like that?”

“Seriously. This rich brat imprisoned us inside one of her games and you are developing a crush for her already?”

“Sugarcoat, it’s not a crush. I just appreciate a woman’s beauty, that’s all! Gilda is fit, Reem is a classy beauty, and you have a big a-!”

“As I was saying, my honored guests!” Reem’s cheeks were red-tinted for a moment. “Salvation lies near! If you get out of here alive, you shall receive a hot and delicious meal! And the most important thing of all: CAKE! There is cake in this party!”

“The cake is a lie…” Sugarcoat bitterly said. “Now get us out of here… NOW!”

“I assure you there IS cake in this place! Oh, and answering your petition of freeing you, Future Champion Sugarcoat! I AM THE DUNGEON MASTER! Your guide in the realm of Dungeons and Dragons! The next clue is inside of one of the other two rooms. Good luck and Godspeed!” The transmission ended.

“Bitch… and a crappy guide to add to the list.”

“Ugh…” The Royal Prince was regaining consciousness. “What happened?”

“Should we tell him?” Sugarcoat whispered.

“We were attacked from behind by some lackeys, prince. We managed to push them back but they hit you in the head!”

“Pretty bad, I might add!” Gilda help him to stand again. “But we are alive.”

“Ah… good. Let’s get going!”

One door had five keyholes and it was shut down. The other chamber held nothing but a large ironbound chest, big enough for a man to fit in and bore a heavy iron lock. The place stunk with the wet, pungent scent of mildew. Whatever the case, their next clue was inside the chest, so instead of wasting time in looking for the key, they smashed the lock and retrieved the goods inside. Once outside the stinky place, the goods ended up being a key. A big sized key that had a symbol of a sword and shield that resembled the ones that the little elf had moments ago. Beside it, there was another note.

“There are times when you must go back to the start… Fuck no!” 

It didn’t require being a genius to know the hidden meaning behind the message. Back to the changing room. They opened the door with their new key to find the room exactly as it was before. After inspecting every corner of the place to the last crate, inside Blueblood’s changing room there was a keyhole that fitted their new key. A strange artifact resembling a medallion was revealed, with a note carelessly thrown inside.

“Glory comes from honor. Honor comes from killing in battle. But only the smartest chose to attack from a distance.”

“The bow from the weapon’s room…” Sugarcoat deducted again.

They went back to the resting place of the weapons and inserted the item on top of the bow’s pedestal. Another note, another item. They went back to the room where the chest was and put said item inside of it, revealing another pair of clues to the dungeon. They went back to the platform room to find that there was a hidden lever on the upper section of the place, revealing another secret passage inside the ooze’s room. 

They solved a half-assed puzzle to reveal a big and heavy mirror that must be put in the changing room, revealing several portraits of three blue triangles across the explored dungeon so far and a chest containing an ocarina with a little note. 

“The Hero of Space must play the Lullaby of Dreams in front of the sacred portraits…” Sugarcoat saw from the other side of the note a little song that she was used to. “The opening song of Pirate Moon?”

She played the six seconds tune in front of the first portrait, revealing a little key. After retrieving it, they went ahead to the ooze room and repeated the deed once more. Then inside the pit room. The weapon room. The chest room. They inserted the five keys on the locked room of the second floor, only to reveal another room with a pool inside, sporting seven portraits to be used as desired on seven spots united to a single path. In the mural of the main was written, ‘The treasures of the seven seas lie dormant below the coldest ocean! Bring them back to the surface while your skin is dry, hero, and glory shall be yours!’

“FOR FUCK SAKE!” Their voices made echo across the seven seas.

Sugarcoat walked to first spot and played the song. The water level was rising immediately, stopping when the water on her right nearly reached the edge of the floor. “Hmm…” On a closer examination of each portrait, on their corners they had a different number with a circle surrounding it. There were three green circles, one white, and three red. She looked at each side of the available pool, and several circles were forming a straight line to the bottom, representing its distance to the floor.  

She decided to make a test with the fourth spot. The water levels of each spot were reset back to normal. The seven ‘seas’ had different levels to add to the difficulty. With quick thinking, she came to the conclusion that no matter how many times she tried, at least four of the seven seas will have one circle of water. She played the song in front of the reset portrait just be sure and sat for a while in the middle of the room.

But the real problem was how to get down there, retrieve the treasures, and use them without getting wet.

“Sugarcoat, we need to hurry to save - !”

“SHUT… up. I know what are the stakes here so at least let me think in peace! Or do something useful instead of bitching around every single minute!”

“Remember that it was your bitching of instilling ‘order’ on the school that made us end here in the first place, brat!” Gilda laid down on the floor.

“You two are a menace to the integrity of the school! If you are not stopped, Crystal Prep academy will fall into chaos!”

“Why?” Nitpick joined her friend.

“Because we Champions regulate the peace at school! It’s our duty to mitigate future threats to the academy!”

“Why?”

“Because it is tradition!”

“Why?”

“Because this is the closest thing we have to a real world situation of social interaction! If there is no group to maintain order in a place, anarchy will follow! As you experienced with Lighting Dust… AGHHH!!”  She punched the floor several times with increasing strength and fury. “DAMN THAT GIRL!”

“Why do you hate Dust so much?” Gilda rested her head on her hand. “I mean, she is a bitch, no doubt about that, but I don’t see her making too much ruckus during school hours!”

“She is a bully that threatened our schoolmates instead of keeping us together behind the scenes! She has no leader skills and I want to get of rid of her fast!”

“But isn’t she Zap’s cousin? You know that famous saying, ‘Screw with me, and I’ll forgive you…” Nitpick touched with his finger the surface of a sea, making constant ripples in it. “…Screw with my family, and I’ll beat you.’”

“Just because she is her family, it doesn’t mean I must like her! I tried to help her for Indigo’s sake! But she simply doesn’t listen! With your strength under my grasp, I’ll rid of her in a fair fashion and make you control the lower class! The status quo will return, and everything will be back to normal!”

“Why do you want to make us work for you so badly?”

“I already told you…”

“I mean the real reason, not the half-assed excuse you just made.”

“It’s not an excuse, Bittersweet! I don’t make excuses!”

“Little Maiden, if that’s true, then why you didn’t tell Miss Silverwind that you are struggling with these two? With your combined strength, you could have controlled them fair and square!”

“I’m not struggling, prince! It’s just a delay, that’s all!”

“Right… tell me, Sugarcoat! Have you ever played video games before?”

“Why are you asking me that, Clone Trooper?”

“Answer the question, citizen!”

“Yes. Several, in fact! The Folktale of Celda, Detroim, Demon’s Dogma.”

“Champion Hero, prestige level one-hundred and six.”

“Magic Archer, also prestige one-hundred and six… why?”

“Do you have friends?”

“Zap.”

“I mean… real buddies that you can yell to vent out and relax a little? Like Gilda and me? You know, bitching about everything, complaining, wasting our youths without a care?”

“Throwing people to the trash bin.”

“I still hate you for that!”

“And Reem didn’t deserve that…”

“Look, we are sorry! But we didn’t want to annoy you in the first place! Lighting Dust made us think that the Champions were dicks, and Sugarcoat’s attitude didn’t help on that matter either! Had she approached us, I don’t know, nicer, perhaps this would have ended different.”

“…You are right… my behavior didn’t show the respect and authority that a Champion of the school must instill on the students.” She removed her gauntlet and joined Nitpick on making ripples on the same sea.  They were turbulent and slow. “I want to prove to Dusty Silverwind that I can be a good successor! A good leader! But I just kept disappointing her recently. Even if we aren’t friends, she always guided me to better myself.” Her pupils reflected the bottom of the sea. “Not even my parents…” She sighed with tiresomeness.

“I see…” Nitpick patted her head. “I understand… When I was in middle school, there was this girl that I had a crush with. Uh, besides my teacher Yearling who was a real cutie with long, black hair and…!” Sugarcoat gave him an unimpressed look. He cleared his throat. “What I mean, this girl who I nicknamed Bookful Sporty always gave me moral support besides some friends I had there… But even I knew that I couldn’t end up living to her expectations and she… disappeared from my life with someone else. My Grandfather once said that nature and destiny takes away things important to you to give you other things. Something better. But destiny is a bitch and my Grandfather now is in a nursing home… Fuck destiny, Sugarcoat! Screw pleasing people! Just live to fulfill your dreams!”

“My dream is to be someone that Dusty can be proud of calling a successor! When that is fulfilled… I’ll look upon the future for something greater!”

“My dream is to become a second rate worker with a decent payment… I don’t want to live a stressful life!”

“That’s so… accurate!” She giggled somewhat innocently.

He made a small chuckle. “You are an asshole, little troll!”

“My dream is to become a good athlete!” Gilda joined the duo. Her ripples were big, but serene. “Grandpops and Grandma always supported me after my parents… I need to keep my scholarship afloat to get into a good college and try my luck in a sport team! I don’t want to be money and time wasted to my Grandpops! Grandma wouldn’t want it either!”

“Crystal Prep academy offers several courses to improve your scores. There is a cooking course right now that can help you a little in balancing your notes since our school values how much you can manage to do during semesters!”

“Why a cooking course and not something else?”

“Because the other courses are already unavailable. If you want… I can arrange your subscription, but you have to work hard during your classes to catch on with the other students. Also, if you need to study in general subjects, several advanced students offers free tuition to lesser students. I am one of those advanced students, for example!” She closed her fist proudly.

“I don’t know what is more obnoxious, your arrogance, or the heat of this armor! I’m reaching my limit in here!”

“I for one could care less about your problems…” The Royal Prince walked in circles until he sat on the floor. “I need to save Reem. Not hearing about your personal troubles!”

“We don’t care about you, either. But here we are, stuck inside a pit hole thanks to your sister’s behavior!”

“She is not at fault with this, plebian! I must find her! She is afraid of being alone!”

“I find hard to believe that, Blueblood! When I asked her for help, she was enjoying her time alone quite well!”

“But she is always alone… That’s not healthy.”

“Some people like to live their lives in solitude!”

“Most people chose that lifestyle willingly! Our status doesn’t allow us… to make connections with just anyone…” He joined them in the sea. Although he touched the water with grace, his ripples were the most violent of them all. “Sometimes it is stressful to be from royalty. Too many eyes watching you!”

The common people looked at him with empathy. Even though he was obnoxious… he bleeded red too.

“Alright, we wasted enough time!” Sugarcoat rose to action. “We clearly have to get those treasure outs. Getting wet is not an option, but what can we use in this forsaken place to retrieve them to the surface while dry?”

“I don’t know…” Nitpick’s voice became weaker.

“You should remove your helmet at least, Nit! I don’t think our jailor will mind!”

“If only this shit resembled the Phase One armor more accurately in the good stuff. It’s bulky, uncomforting, it lacks a cooling system, and it’s hard to breath in it!”

“Wait a moment…” Sugarcoat said. “What other characteristics the armor had in the EU canon? I’m still a casual, to be honest.”

“It’s pressurized so the vacuum of space wouldn’t damage internals for a short period of time! Also, the helmet had a filtering system to survive for limited time in water, space and – Wait!”

“Do you know how to swim?”

“Yes!”

“Then you are our ticket out of here!”

“What are you planning to do, Little Maiden?”

“Systematically, I’m going to drain the water in each sea with Bittersweet in it, so he can retrieve the treasures with ease! And if our Dungeon Master had the kindness to make his armor water proof for limited periods of time…”

“Then I can dive in and retrieve the prizes below!”

Not wasting more time, Nitpick went into sea one, and with much to their relief, water wasn’t getting inside the suit. Sugarcoat started to play the song several times in different portraits, making the water level of interest descend to the lowest quantity possibly. It only took a few seconds to dive in and – “I GOT IT!” Pleased with the results, she made reset to the water level and repeated the process for six more times.

The tedium of the process, however, started to get into the Future Champion’s nerves. Imagine playing the song for several times just to be able to yield one reward at that time. Imagine that you must play a song in an average rate of eleven times to get what you need. And imagine that each time you play a song, no matter if it is a personal favorite, the eventuality that you end up sick of hearing it several times in a short fashion of time becomes painful. The water went up, up, down, down, left, right, left right, start and select. Did this place had no end? 

Finally, after retrieving the seven treasures, which happened to be seven cheap plastic coins with a symbol imprinted on them, they started to arrange them in search for a hidden meaning. Eventually, after six minutes of wasting time in another convoluted puzzle, they discovered that there were two messages when you turn the coins to other side in a certain order.

When arranged, side one said: 3 clap to. 

Side two said: Open Map.

The quartet clapped three times in the room, and the mural slowly opened sideways to reveal another secret passage. They ventured in, discovering that there was a path back downstairs to the third floor. They stumbled on a dead end. A lever was clearly visible this time. After activating it, the wall opened and they instantly recognized the corridor before them. The path that connected the ooze room with the pit hole was silently whispering his laughter at them.

Saying that they were extremely infuriated would be a massive misunderstanding.

At least, the floorless room sparked with light on the horizon. Something must have appeared again to keep their journey flowing. But as soon as they arrived, the bottomless hole was still there, with the exception of some light on the wall. There was a message written in it. A message that raised their levels of frustration to no end. A message that probably was there this whole time.

‘A jump of faith will reveal the hidden trick!’

Without anything to lose, the quartet jumped at the same time to the hole. To their surprise and annoyance, the black pit wasn’t that deep to begin with. They could walk in it and a massive part of their bodies could still be appreciated. The shadows barely hid Sugarcoat’s knees. They gave a step forward and sensed that they stepped on a loose tile.

‘Tararururara’

A final secret door appeared, with a design resembling a Saddle Arabian’s gates. It started to fall water on the room.

“Fucking water temple…” Nitpick said stressed.

“Backtracking, the Magnum Opus of a BAD game layout.” Sugarcoat expressed furious.

They took the stairs to the first floor with a combined bitterness and wrath that not even Inspector Jerry Callahan, could match in his lifetime.

….

The storm was raging outside. The rain was promised, the wind already unleashed. It was a time for Mother Nature to unleash her rage upon mankind’s constructions. Thank goodness for the invention of back-up power sources to avoid a possible black-out. The Noble was long gone from her monitor, not watching the progress of her party guests. Her interest had withered when they got inside the Seven Seas’ puzzle. 

“It is a lovely storm.” Reem took a sip of her tea. “A lovely storm indeed.”

What began as some high winds and a whisper of rain had become into a barrage of nature. The wind didn't howl, it screamed. The warm that the hearth nearby was emanating didn’t made its job so well. The coldness of the weather was as merciless and black as the darkness of solitude.

“Solitude…” She whispered. Her lips far more reddish than usual. 

Even if you're alone for your birthday, it's possible to plan a thrilling day that you'll remember for years to come. At least, that’s what the book said. The book that her loyal Rosaline gifted her ten, long years ago. Rosaline, who was only five years older than her, told her to always wish upon a star and all her dreams shall become a reality. The young Reem wished for a cookie, thousands of numerous flavors and shapes rained on her hands. She wished for a little bicycle, hundreds sporting shiny colors and extravagant emblems were at her disposal. She wished for a little pet, dozens barked and grumbled in her yard. She wished for her family to spend the night with her…

Not a single silhouette appeared to scare away the shadows underneath the bed.

It was always Rosaline Star and… who else?

Her maiden was there, not for duty, but pleasure. Enjoying serving the young Noble in her days of boredom with whatever she wished. Saving her life many years ago could be a reason why she displayed such diligence. But beyond that, not even her brother understood. The sickness of being misunderstood was depressing, or the lack of interest of being understood in the first place could be a better reason why she felt… empty. Her gloomy sigh filled the room in a momentary silence. It was like a falcon stripping away the life of its unfortunate victim with no struggles. 

Silently being dismembered in the vastness of the heavens.

She looked at her silly frog with pride. Another of her creations during her free time of curiosity. According to the book, a house of horror for a birthday party must have a villain. Why not ask Rosaline to use the frog so she could join the fun with her guests then?
“Ah!” She was marveled by a ferocious thunder. “I am supposed to be the evil witch!” She mumbled convincingly, cleaning her dress of any dust that could have fallen into it with one hand.

But the energy wasn’t there. The motivation was long gone. She started to believe it didn’t exist in the first place. It was an abyss of endless stagnation. A boring lifetime that saw a glimpse of what could be the experience of having a normal existence in the form of watching four silly people inside a dungeon of her design. It was fascinating, even if she looked at it through the monitor. She stood up with her doll and tea pot firmly in hand, and walked to the kitchen to grab some snacks. She refilled her source of refreshment and went back to the cold but comforting chair.

“OH! They solved the puzzle of the Seven Seas! Marvelous!” She clapped with renewed vigor. Just one floor more, the silliest and simplest of all, and perhaps, she could enjoy a cup of tea and some pizza with them. She knew that normal people enjoyed pizza, and her brother hated common food. The perfect dinner this could be, just after having the eventual backslash for imprisoning them there. Who knows, perhaps… she could have a nice time with them. “Happy birthday to me.” Her voice was beautiful… but shallow. “Happy birthday… to me…”


> Chapter 74 - The Evil Dungeon of References! Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A freezing wind blew against the young adventurers’ bodies as their perilous journey continued. But that kind of triviality wouldn’t stop them so easily! The fires of Hades burning within strengthened their resolve. Their will becoming a source of vengeful heat warming their mortal shells from slowing! Each step taken produced echoes filled with overwhelming pressure. Their stomps deeply pronounced on the stairs, almost cracking the integrity of the stone. Not even the soothing elevator music filling the road could pacify their rage. They were going to find it. They were coming for it. The culprit that was making their Sunday a big and utter waste of time was going to pay dearly!

“If we backtrack again for another stupid treasure on the next room…”

“I doubt that she could prolong this chore more than it already is, Bittersweet.”

“I’ll break her little neck myself if that happens!” Gilda savagely kicked down the door. There was a simple and somewhat spacious corridor that leaded to the next door of the floor. On the middle of the road, there was a huge teddy bear holding a sign with ‘Hey!’ written inside a red heart. “Hmm, this is suspicious.”

“I wonder what could be the catch this time.” Sugarcoat looked around. “And what do we have here?”

There was a blanket covering a big structure on the corner of the room. Knowing by now that it could be another clue to solve whatever stupid test that lied ahead, they uncovered the item at the same time to reveal –

“A cardboard box?” Gilda asked dubious.

“Doesn’t it resemble a tank?” Nitpick saw it with a frowning face.

“A Cardboard Tank?” Sugarcoat was skeptical.

Blueblood took the folder that was on it. The document printed with several pictures with an impressive design grabbed his curiosity. “The R&D team of Oakwood Company came up with something new: the Cardboard Box Tank! The perfect synthesis of stealth, endurance, and attack power! Compact, elegant design! A zero emission vehicle that won’t harm the ecosystem of Equestria! It is the missing link! A weapon to surpass Titanium Gear!” The Prince reached his limit. “Is this some kind of joke? It even comes with instructions on the other pages!””

“Forget that crap! Let’s get out - !” Nitpick’s Sixth Sense urged him to jump back when he stepped on a lose tile on the main road. An insane amount of arrows flew from the side walls, piercing to shreds the bear in front. Part of the floor started to collapse, the bear’s remains falling hilariously to the void. In the end, it only remained enough space for them to pass… inside the box. “Is she for real?” He panted heavily.

“What are the instructions, Blueblood?” Sugarcoat asked somewhat defeated.

“Summary; The CBT has enough room for four people of average build. The users in the front drive, while the users on the back use the gun! Instructions on how to get inside CBT effectively. Step one; four people must be on each corner of the Tank. The drivers must be on the sides where the gun is facing ahead. The other two must be on the other corners.” Nitpick and Gilda were the drivers. Blueblood and Sugarcoat were the gunners. “Step two; raise the CBT from the handlers of each corner below and get inside.” They raised the tank and got inside. It was heavier than they expected. “Step three; make yourselves comfortable in the space available. If positions don’t feel organic, re-roll your roles to fit your needs.”

“Once again, these activities are entirely pointless.” Sugarcoat was stressed. “I don’t think we need to be geniuses to know that we need to get through that narrow path inside of this thing.” She knocked the surface, which to her surprise, was made of tempered steel from the inside. “I don’t think those arrows will be the real problem in this test.” 

A little to her right, there was a lever. When she activated it, two periscopes descended in front of her and the Prince. The sight was that of the cannon. She sensed that there were buttons on the structure. She pressed one, and a robotic voice gave them a nice welcoming.

“Welcome to CBT Mobile Weapon Unit! Since this is a test field, all weapons are currently unavailable! Please enjoy your ride!”

“Typical shitty tutorial mission.” She said with disappointment.

“Your language isn’t that dignified as I thought.”

“I’m too stressed to think about such trivialities, Blueblood.”

“Well… I’m too important to use these electronics!” Blueblood barked. “Plebeians! You shall guide our steps and we’ll follow you from behind!”

“It’s not like we have an option.” The Twin-like Duo expressed. 

“Let’s get this over with.”

Moving in a crouching position, the four adventurers took the devil’s challenge and charged vigorously. Soon, the arrows hailed from the walls, giving a sense of exhilaration and dread to the CBT Riders. Heavy impacts made echo inside the tank, and a sense of insecurity drowned into the bottomless sea whatever sense of confidence the four had. 

“Hull integrity failing! Emergency! Users death imminent!”

Their heart-beats nearly shattered their veins.

“RUUUUUUN!”

Blueblood’s voice gave birth to the most powerful emotion of all. Fright transmuted itself into pure burning energy that hasted their steps and made them cross the corridor with inhuman speed. They crashed on the end of the road. Gilda and Nitpick raised their side of the tank and quickly opened the door in an instant. It only took a second for them to throw Sugarcoat and Blueblood away to safety. The Twin-like Duo soon followed, closing the door behind them.

“That… was simply stupid.” Sugarcoat remarked. She was panting heavily. “Look… Another door lies ahead. Marvelous…” She said half-hearted and suffocating.

“Are you okay, Sugarcoat?”

“I’m dying here!” The Prince whined. Everyone ignored him.

“I’m fine, Bittersweet…”

“No, you don’t… here!” Nitpick crouched in front of her, offering a piggyback.

“HEY!” Still ignoring him.

“But… you are tired… And that armor is already too much for you.”

“Come on! I don’t bite! Besides, the little bath I took a while ago was refreshing!”

“Hmph… I… I’ll accept your offer.”

“Does nobody listen to me?”

“No. Shut up.” The commoners said.

“HMPH!”

Once all was set and done, they continued their walk ahead. As they opened the door, a cold wind gazed on their bodies. The room before them looked like an artificial ice cave. Huge icicles and pillars of frozen water blocked their path. They soon were going in circles to the center of the room, not finding another door or exit besides the one where they came from. They stumbled upon a somewhat normal thing on the end of the road.

A little cake, sliced perfectly in twelve pieces.

Suddenly, a small monitor descended, displaying instantly the image of the young Victorian Noble. “CONGRATULATIONS, MY HONORED GUESTS!” Reem used a party whistle. “You actually found the cake!” She played the whistle for the second time. “I told you there was cake in here!” 

Confetti colored the sky. Happy tones of disco music and recorded laughs and claps bombed the place. Reem was moving her arms and making a small dance in her seat in a very innocent and cute fashion. The commoners thought that this was it. They made it! They actually beat the challenge that the obnoxious noble forced them to traverse these past few hours. Now they just needed to find her to strangle her to death! 

But perhaps… having a slice of cake to recover their strength would be ideal for the moment.

They looked at the cake drooling with hunger. And what a feast they were going to have soon!  It was a hot milk cake that lied on a majestic plate on a pedestal in all its buttery glory! Their mouth was melting with the thought of having a slice of that delicious dessert from the gods themselves.

But… there are people that only exist to fuck it up.

“Reem! You were the Mastermind of all of this?”

“Yes, my clueless brother! Admire your half-blooded sibling making miserable your worthless existence! Sponsored by Tamsung! Making High-Definition tortures a reality!” She winked rather playfully.

“B-but this is impossible!”

“Nothing is impossible but fairy tales, Arbelth Blueblood! Tee hee hee!” A fierce lighting from the outside made a chilling dance with her laughter, making the environment far colder than before. “Now, look at me for who I am! A little, spoiled prankster that wants to see your world BURN! Look at this frog, Blueblood! Look at Hellmith’s eyes! Feel dread! Experience horror! Taste the bitterness of despair that you may not get out of here alive! HAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA!”

“Ok, that’s scary!” Sugarcoat submitted to her instincts. The other two agreed while taking a step back.

Blueblood on the other hand, showed indifference towards his sibling’s odd behavior. Looking at her with an analytical mindset, he managed to uncover the truth behind this act of her.

“I know what is going on. I can see things with clarity now!”

“Oooooooh!? Tell to your younger sister what does those eyes of yours see on the dark side of the moon!”

“I see only one thing! One single possibility could explain your obnoxious behavior! There is no way you could be this EVIL!”

“Yes? YES?!” 

“You… You have been possessed by the DEVIL!” A violent thunder roared through the obscured heavens, nearly waking up the dead from their rest. “THE EVIL!”



Reem’s energy was violently vaporized, her speech impaired, her dark sense of humor destroyed. She looked at him with a mixture of disgust, shame, perplexity, and pity. She had prepared an amazing speech regarding their final challenge. She was excited to see the fruition of her efforts - the crowning achievement in her regal and apathetic life - bloom with the petals of self-approval.

The Happy Ending she waited for so long now destroyed by the stupidity of her brother. She pressed a button on her console panel, activating machinery on the pedestal in front of them. The cake was ascending to the roof. “NO!” Sugarcoat’s cry made Nitpick and Gilda ran toward the price. 

But it was too late. A hole opened on the roof, and the cake disappeared from their sight. A saddened Sugarcoat was about to collapse to the floor but Bittersweet carried her again on a piggyback position. She was weeping on Nitpick’s helmet. 

“Reem! If you can hear me, know that I, Prince Arbelth Blueblood, shall hire renowned exorcists to free you from the control of that fiend possessing your body! I shall save you soon enough!” A big grin appeared on his face. His perfect teeth shinned like gold.

Whatever remains of consideration she had at that moment was soon replaced by the ever-growing fury towards her imbecile of a brother. Her face never stopped making a soft smile, but a dark tone of hostility dawned on her visage. She pressed the last button of the panel, making a path clear to a hidden door that leaded to the exit. 

“That door will lead you to the mansion once more! Catch me if you can, and you WILL have the right to ingest warm food and cake, my honored guests! In the name of the Oakwood Lineage, I assure you that!” The transmission was over.

“SERIOUSLY!?” Nitpick looked at him in the eye. “Possessed by the devil? Are you stupid?”

“The Devil is real, plebian! It haunts little children during the night, hiding below the bed to make an unholy possession to his victims!”

“I can’t believe you are superstitious!”

“Father says that magic and spirits are real! Our ancestors wrote it on several family diaries! They never lied about facts! Legend says that around one-thousand years ago, way before my Royal Lineage came to power, one of my ancestors met a man called Star Swirl the Bearded, telling stories of possessions, other worlds and - !”

“MAGIC IS NOT REAL, BLUEBLOOD!” The Clone Trooper took the stairs to the exit. “Star Swirl the Bearded is just a stupid folklore story of the Old Civilizations! An old fool that made a pact with the Dark Elements to bring prosperity to his country! In other words, LIES! Magic is as real as we actually having a piece of that cake in this moment!”

“I KNEW THE CAKE WAS A LIE!” Sugarcoat hugged him rather powerfully. “If she doesn’t give us the cake… then let’s grab the cake ourselves by force!” Sugarcoat got down Nitpick’s back.

“Grab the cake?” The rest asked.

“And eat it… in front of her! Let’s go, team! We are going to make a good damn memory from all of this!”

“And exorcise my sister while at it!” He said excited. The Twin-like Duo was amazed by his naivety.

“Yeah… we’ll definitely do that.” Sugarcoat dryly looked at him with a brow raised.

The path wasn’t long for the young adventurers. The final lever of the dungeon lied ahead. The wall opened, revealing a familiar scene. They were back to the library. Everything was exactly as they remembered. Even the floor that was supposed to be broken was intact once more, the chairs meticulously arranged in a practical position. The only things missing on the scene were their cellphones. 

“Fuck it! That girl is cleverer than I thought!” Sugarcoat inspected the scene. “No, no, and no! There isn’t even a trace of footsteps on the floor that we can use to find her!”

“Then let’s split up! Gilda and I will search on this floor while you check upstairs!” 

“Good idea! Blueblood, come with me!”

“Right away!”

….

The Prince and the Future Crystal Champion went to the second floor. The stairs made of golden wood dampened the noise of their pronounced but stealthy steps. The hallway of the second floor was like a maze on its own for Sugarcoat. Luckily, the Prince had a decent memory of the normal layout of the house and suggested to look on the main quarters on the right end of the corridor.

The door that sealed Reem’s room was rather simplistic. A normal door made of cheap wood – for the Prince, at least – was there, with a common knob of stainless steel, sporting a little sign that simple said ‘Do not enter without knocking’.

Sugarcoat knocked with courtesy, knowing deep inside that her civilized gesture was entirely pointless. She opened the door after patiently waiting for ten seconds, and to her amusement, unsurprisingly, there was no one at home. But what made her body shudder with terror was the room itself. Dozens of burning candles casted a red, bloody light over the room drained in wine. A thick layer of dust that has been undisturbed in ages covered the entire place. Each step taken in the room extinguished a single candle. Not wanting to indulge in the private quarters of a possible murderer any longer than necessary, Sugarcoat made her wisest decision so far.

“Let’s look on another room.” She said with a clear voice.

“First, let me see if I can find a clue about that doll’s origin! It could be the clue to find her!”

“Blueblood, Reem made that doll! I bet you my glasses on that!”

“Please, she doesn’t even know how to put her shoes on her feet! Rosaline does that every morning as far as I know!”

Linkus’ cosplayer swallowed a chuckle, appeasing her nerves filled with fear. “I’ll be looking on the room ahead.”

Just when Sugarcoat stepped outside and Blueblood got inside the room, the door closed abruptly. “OPEN THE DOOR, LITTLE MAIDEN!” Sugarcoat charged on the door with all her might, to no avail. “Sugarcoat! There is a note here that says that there are spare keys on the last room on the left wing in the first floor! If you can find them and bring them here - !”

“DAMNATION AND DISCORD TO THE PUZZLES OF THAT LITTLE BRAT! I’ll bring the other two to slam this door! Wait right here!” Quick footsteps sounded until she was far from his reach.

The thunderstorm roared with the might of one thousand lions, shattering the darkened skies into million pieces of flashes. The lights went out. A total black out shrouded the mansion, their guests standing still in the position they were. Several seconds passed, and light dawned once more on the forsaken place. 

“The emergency system must have kicked in.” The Prince said to himself.

A beautiful humming was heard from behind. Blueblood turned around and was shocked with surprise and relief. Reem was in front of the fireplace of the room, bringing to life a little fire within the confines of the hearth. Her voice turned sweeter with each passing second, soothing the mood around her. But… he noticed something peculiar. Something that truly disturbed him for the first time during his recent stay on her house.

The room was clean, shimmering with silver shades of golden furniture. The candles were gone, and a soft essence of lavender reigned on his sense of smell.

“Oh! Brother!” Reem softly looked at him with a big smile and pleasant eyes. “Come here, where is warm! The bitter embrace of the cold weather is powerless at which hour fighting with the ember of family.”

“All this doth feel liketh a terrible dreameth! An endless labyrinth of cloud'd visions, trying to dissemble me from truth!”

“Cometh, cometh then! H're, wh're t is safe! Forget about your troubles!”

He joined her besides the hearth, sitting comfortably on the floor while admiring the flames as they were dancing like if they were fields of wheat graced by the wind. It was relaxing. Enchanting, to the point of nearly falling asleep on the comfort of the pillow nearby. Like if his inner demons were… 

He snapped back to reality, abruptly looking around for the source of all evil! A streak of hot silver split the sky outside, blinding the room for a second. He saw it. The hellish frog on her lap was looking at him insidiously. Blueblood was sure that if he was destroyed, she would be free from her curse. 

Hellmith must go back to rivers of Acheron. 

“Is something wrong?” She asked slowly, a shroud darker than an empty night-sky manifested in her pupils.

“Reem.”

“Yes?”

“FORGIVE ME!”

He tried to snatch the doll from her abruptly. She resisted, holding firmly the doll from the legs. A violent battle of wits started, the doll being the link for both clashing forces. Reem dashed forward and connected a head-butt, making both fall to the floor. Blueblood quickly recovered, but was horrified to see that his worst fears were true.

Hellmith was floating on the air. Her sister’s body lied unconscious on the floor.

“You cannot defeat me, Prince of Light!” The hell-doll lunged at him viciously, pummeling his face to a pulp. 

He repeled him away. “I shall never kneel before you, Demon!” The Prince stood bravely with an unbreakable will burning brighter than his family Sun.

“How do you expect to defeat me when you are but a man, and I am forever?”

“LIKE THIS!” He thrusted his fist like a foil on Hellmith.

Clashing forces shook the earth as a titanic battle took place inside the golden room. Hellmith, using his demonic power, made impious possessions on his surroundings. Pillows, bottles, and the bed itself were floating around the Prince, slowly closing the gap, trying to crush him to death.  

“Poltergeist activity!”

“DIE, FREE-PEOPLE SLAVER!”

The doll charged once more, but Blueblood was quicker! He captured the doll like a basketball. It struggled to break free from his arms, but it was too late. It soon found itself being thrown in the hearth. Burning embers of unholy nature made a violent explosion inside the hearth. Blackened flames ascended to the heavens as shrieks and groans of pain from the fiend were heard on the four corners of the Earth.

And soon… it was over. The flames turned blue as a clear sky for a moment before turning red and orange once more. The Prince knew that it was a sign of heaven, blessing his act of purging evil.

“Once more, God sides with Justice!” He smiled to no one in particular, his smile brighter than the shimmering flames.

“Urgh!”

He looked at Reem with a sense of relief. Black smoke emerged from her body, slowly leaving the room through the cracks of the window. When her exorcism was finished, her blue eyes saw the face of its savior.

“Brother… I had a dream… I was trapped inside a box, unable to move or breathe. It was cold, dark, and…”

“Shh… It was just a dream… Just a bad dream. Now, sit here and let me see if I can get us out of here!” He searched high and low for something to budge the door. “I can’t believe how much troubles that doll made! And where is Sugarcoat? She is taking her sweet time finding the plebeians or the keys!”

“Keys? What keys?”

“The spare keys to all doors of your house!” He slammed the door in frustration. “The situation is bad.”

‘Clack’

That sound was too familiar for the young Prince. Every year, on his birthday, his Father always took him to the forest of the Capital of Equestria to hunt deer on the permitted season. That sound… was the same as…

“Don’t worry.” Reem said from behind. “I got it all under control.”

‘WHAAM’

….

“What was that?”

“It was a gunshot!” Nitpick panicked.

“Blueblood is on that door over there! Let’s hurry and get out of this place!”

“Ok, on the count of three and we slam this door together! One, two and - !” 

The door fell down with the combined strength of the adventurers. Horror possessed their bodies as they say the remnants of what was once Blueblood’s persona. A hole in his back was pouring the blood on the tainted floor of ambition. Paler than the sands of the dessert caressed by the moonlight, the blood on their faces fell down to their feet. First, their trembled. Then, they took a step back. Finally, they ran towards the exit like madman begging for release.

‘Bam’

‘BAM’

‘SLAM

“THE DOOR DOESN’T BUDGE!”

“THEN LET’S BREAK OUT THROUGH THE WINDOWS!”

They sprinted and charged towards the crystal pane, only to bounce back and fell violently to the floor. Under further examination, all windows were bullet-proof. Gilda nearly broke her fist when making a second test.

“There must be a phone on this place!”

“There it is!”

Gilda grabbed the phone and put the speakers on. “Line out of service.”

“This place is a nightmare!” Sugarcoat started to tremble. “I don’t want to die. I DON’T WANNA DIE!”

“CALM DOWN!”

“CALM DOWN!?” Sugarcoat asked cynically. “THAT BRAT IS GONNA KILL US ALL!”

‘SLAP’

Her left cheek turned deep red. “Thanks, Heavensbane… I needed that.”

“Damn… No, I’m sorry… I’m somewhat scared too.” Gilda grabbed her hands, trying to simulate fear and empathize with her. 

“Look!”

“Let me guess, Nit.” She said without moving a muscle. “A note.”

He didn’t waste time and read the contents. “Three puzzles will unlock the door to the exit. They must be completed in less than an hour. One is in the main kitchen on the first floor, near the main hall. The second is in Rosaline’s room on the second floor, in front of the corpse…”

“The letter must be recent!” Gilda deduced.

“Or perhaps… All this was planned from the beginning.” Sugarcoat hugged her legs on the floor. The other two gulped while cold sweat fell through their skin.

“Where is the third location?”

“In the changing room… on the labyrinth!”

“Shit…”

“I’ll go there.”

“Nit…”

“I have the armor, and it would be safer for you two to stay nearby… in case of an emergency!”

“But you would be far away from us! It could be dangerous to go on your own!”

“Hey… we survived the little thug show of Lighting Dust, remember? You trust in me, don’t you?”

She chuckled. “I’m sure as hell I do!” She inhaled fresh air slowly to calm herself. “I’ll go to the kitchen. Sugarcoat… can I call you Sug?”

“At this point in my life, you can call me anything you want. And yes, I’ll solve the puzzle of the second floor if that’s what you need!”

“Alright… be careful, you two.”

….

Nitpick descended to the labyrinth once more. No longer surprised by her captor’s layout, he discovered a secret passage that sent him straight to the changing room. The place was darker than before, the stone wept tears of sorrow. Suddenly-

‘Kreeeeeeeck SLAM’

The passage closed behind. “DAMN!” He tried to escape through the main door, but it was no longer there. The lights turned off. Silence engulfed his senses. The shadow of death fell upon him. “Oh crap. OH CRAP!”

A faint glow of light, almost looking like a candle from a far, appeared near the mirror. It was inciting him, like Charon inviting the lost souls to cross the Styx on his boat. Foolishly, he approached the mirror, and when he was a few steps to get closer to the light…

It was extinguished.

He stood there like if an eternity just passed. A shrieking sound came from behind, and dozens of candles soon illuminated the room. The mirror was covered with a white blanket now. Except for a little tear on one side of the mirror. A word was written on the uncovered surface. A word that would break a lesser man in such perilous situation.

Die.

“Well…” He wasn’t that lesser at least. “The puzzle must be written on the mirror.” He uncovered the artifact, and his courage was almost eradicated with the full message.

Han Solo Will Die on December of next year.

Delay is the deadliest form of denial. He took off his helmet, slowly shaking his head in negation. His eye teary and tired from the emotional stress, kneeling to the floor and lamenting his faith. “No... No. That’s not true! That’s impossible!” He almost cried.

“Search your feelings. You know it to be true!”

“NOOOOOOOOOU! NOU...! Wait!” He took his sweet time to face the girl who was on his back. “Reem Fortunata Oakwood.” He said dryly. She ditched the dress for a military costume. No hat included.

“At your service.” She said pleasantly. “You shouldn’t have removed your helmet, Clone Trooper. The game is not over yet!”

“This is not a game, its murder! How could you?”

“Hmm? Oh, you mean Arbelth! He had it coming! That social buffoon!” 

“He was your own blood!”

“I make the rules!” She pointed her weapon on him. “I am the Dungeon Master! Don’t speak unless you want to meet your gods!”

“I don’t believe in gods!”

“Then you will die sinless than most!”

“What do you want from me?”

“My amusement!”

“I won’t beg for my life! I rather die like a dog than humiliating myself to you!”

“Oh!? That’s an interest proposition!”

“…what?”

“Beg. For your life.”

“I won’t beg to you, bitch!”

“Tee hee hee! You are funny, even when facing your doom!” She was enjoying too much torturing his psyche. “Tell you what, if you beg me in an original manner, I’ll let you go! In the name of Rosaline, my faithful maid, I swear!” 

“But I don’t know shit about begging!”

“Well, there are some books over there!”

“Those weren’t there moments ago!”

“Losing time!”

“Ok, I get it. Fucking noble brat…” He hissed in the end.

Three books were on the floor. They looked rusty and about to turn into dust. Nitpick grabbed the one on the middle, his Sixth Sense finally giving him guidance. Perhaps his unnatural sense was trying to reach him in the first place, but his owner was too busy trying to stay alive and take notice. 

The fool. 

He began reading as fast as he could. Using reading techniques that Sporty taught him to assimilate any useful knowledge quickly, he was able to grasp enlightenment. Then… he was sucked in. The words suddenly became vivid images on his mind.

It was like viewing a movie… through the Magic of Words.

“Ah… my honored guest?”

He chuckled with confidence. He faced her with renewed hope, sure of himself that he could get out of there alive in a dignified manner. Then take the chance to rescue the other two while at it. “I have prepared my begging speech!”

“Bark.”

“You could have said it more respectfully…” He cleared his throat. “May I make one request?”

“But of course.” She said with a suave demeanor.

“Will you aim in my heart? My heart which has loved this country so much? Will you aim in my heart? So its blood may feed the soil, nourishing the verdant fields of the future to bloom with radiance and fill with hope future generations! Generations that soon shall witness the noble sacrifice that their predecessors made to preserve the future! Will you aim in my heart? So my soul embraces release for the mortal bounds of feelings! So I can experience the sensation of vanishing to the void and reach ascension in the netherworld! And if today is not the day where I must depart this world, leave behind my mortal shell to nourish the land, let us work together! Together, to make this world… a better place.” He grinned softly.

“UGH! HOW BORING! I’ll shoot you in the head.”

“Crap.”

‘WHAAM’

….

It’s been twenty-something minutes since they went separate ways. Sugarcoat was struggling to solve the secret meaning behind her assigned puzzle. It was simple in paper, solve the puzzle and say the answer loudly on the room. 

“What the hell must I guess with the number forty-two? The secret of life?”

“Yes, my honored guest! The secret of life is the answer indeed!” Sugarcoat trembled in fear. “Turn around, very slow.” She smiled pleasantly.

“Damn.” She saw the weapon Reem was sporting, making her costume sweat in tears. “DAMN!”

“Tell me where Miss Gilda is and I might let you live.”

“E-even if knew I wouldn’t tell you.”

“Oh! I thought you hated her!”

“I don’t hate her, Oakwood. I have come to respect her in this short time of survival situation, even if I don’t agree with her attitude. I won’t sell her out, so look for her yourself!”

“Then you will die firmer than most!”

“Crap.”

“…You won’t beg?”

“Fuck no! Kill me quickly already if that’s what you want!”

“That is not fun! Where is the fun on that if someone does not beg!?”

“Losing my patience.”

“Ok, fine! I will kill you!” She readied her weapon. “But first remove your hat, gloves, sword, and elven ears. The game is over for you.” Sugarcoat obeyed with a mix of fear and annoyance. “Now, remove your jacket.”

“Is this some kind of fetish of yours?”

“Put. It. Off.” She obeyed once more. “Hang it up.” She did again. “Put it down.“ She complied. “Put it on. Take it off. Hang it up. Take it down. Put it on. Take it off. Hang it up.”

“FOR FUCK SAKE! MAKE OUT YOUR MIND!”

“Now you know how it feels to receive stupid orders around the school! Now… die.”

Before everything turned black for her, Sugarcoat noticed something funny on the weapon. Something that suddenly calmed her down, giving away a little chuckle before her assailant completed her act. “Clever girl.”

‘WHAAM’

….

Gilda heard the gunshot from the kitchen. “Screw the puzzle!” She tried to grab a knife, a spoon, a pan, anything that could be used as a weapon, but there wasn’t a single item she could swing with ease at that forsaken place. She removed her eye-patch because she was sick of it already. “Ah, much better.”

‘WHAAM’

A flower exploded while Gilda jumped intro crawling position. She quickly turned the table and used it as cover. When she took a peek to see the gunner, another gunshot burned through the portrait on the wall. Then, some items were thrown at her side; a hat, a helmet, and the bard hat painted in blood lied on the floor. “NO!”

“This is a M1 Maran used during the First War. A weapon created by God to purge the evil invaders from the land of Free Equestria! Now DIE in the name entertainment! I WILL HAVE MY HAPPY ENDING!”

“YOU KILLED MY FRIEND! YOU KILLED SUGARCOAT AND YOUR OWN BROTHER! MONSTER!”

“And you will die braver than most! Embrace eternity!”

‘WHAAM’

Gilda escaped while thunderous shots pierced several artifacts on the mansion. The aim of the Noble was spot-on on such items. Was she hunting her for sport? For fun in knowing that it was Gilda’s last fight? Whatever the case, the victim stumbled upon a dead-end. It’s over!

“Well, well, well!” Reem’s steps echoed through the hall. Thunders pleading for action rained on the outside. “I believe this is the end of the road!”

“Make it quick, bitch!”

“Does nobody know the meaning of ‘Beg for your lives!’?

“Like hell I will beg to you!”

“AGH! Not funny! DIE THEN!” She pressed the trigger. ‘Chucku’ No bullet fired on her victim. 

‘Chucku’ 

‘Chuckuchuckuchuku’

Gilda made her evilest grin so far. “HA HA HA HA! Now I will have my revenge on you.” She slowly approached her defenseless assailant, walking in circles and exchanging positions. Now Reem was trapped, slowly stepping back to the wall. “Any last words, Reem Fortunata Oakwood?” Silence. “Very well… DIE!”

Reem pierced the wall and quickly released a fire axe.  “WAH!” Gilda jumped backward as Reem swung the weapon like a madwoman. Gilda rushed to the only door that was visibly opened and locked herself inside. It was a bathroom. It was clean and shiny, and soon it would be tainted in blood.

‘BUMP’

The Victorian Noble tried to open the door with the knot, but it was closed. Then, she knocked the door. “Little pigs! Little pigs! Let me come in!” Gilda was scared shitless from her dry voice. “Not by the hair on your chinny-chin chin? Then I’ll huff! And I’ll puff! And I’ll blow your house in!” 

She proceeded on hitting the door on berserk mode. Each hit was Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger! Gilda wasn’t going to wait for her until she could crash in and kill her. Hell no! What to use? What to USE? The toilet paper? The towel? No… The marble washbasin. “Yeah…!” She ripped the construction from the wall, and patiently waited for her to come in. An innocent crack on the head will do the job. She waited and waited. The adrenaline faster than ever.

Then… silence.

Could she have surrendered and looked for another way to get in?

‘Bump’

Ah… no. She was still there.

“W-wait a minute, my h-honored guest…” She was panting faster than a puppy. “I… I-I will end your misery in a moment.” She panted heavily. “I-it will be o-over…” A weak hit was made on the door. “Soon... This is hard.”

“What the…?” Gilda was… disappointed?

Reem eventually managed to crack the door’s fabric. She opened the door, faced her victim in a sorry state, and received the full might of the washbasin on her head crumbling on her. Reem looked dizzy, but she still gave a step forward. Her weapon still raised firmly. 

“HA! D-do you think that this w-will s-stop m-me?”

‘SLAM’

The Victorian Noble made a half-turn and saw Nitpick holding the Bastard Sword on his hands. “That will do!” And she fell to his arms unconscious.

Gilda raised her fist and Nitpick complied. Their trademark Bro-Fist connected more than their friendship. 

“Well… That’s it! Let’s grab something to eat.”

“Good idea… just help me out with her. My head still hurts.”

The nightmare was over.
> Chapter 75 - The Evil Dungeon of References! Finale!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Dungeon Master woke up like a scared deer. She found herself constricted on one of the main hall’s chairs. The rope was almost crushing her bones. In front of her, Gilda and Nitpick were playing with their phones while eating some snacks. On the sofa, her brother and Sugarcoat were resting with a towel on their heads, still unconscious and breathing peacefully.

“So… I lost.”

“Ugh, yu wk up!”

“Could you please speak with an empty mouth? I did not understand you, Mr. Bittersweet.”

“You woke up.”

“Ah… yes. I am once more in the world of the awoken!”

“I’m surprised you woke this fast! I mean, you received two full blows to the head!”

“The Blueblood Lineage that runs in my veins has the silly property of enduring extinction! Don’t you find it strange that our lineage has very few royals on its history compared to others, and still be prevalent on modern times? We are like cockroaches that simply refuse to die!”

“You don’t sound very happy with your lineage!”

“My brother is there.”

The Twin-like Duo looked at Blueblood with a face of skepticism. “Point taken. Still, you gave us a lot of trouble.”

“We demand explanations.”

“You throw me on the trash bin, I don’t like Miss Sugarcoat, and my brother is an egocentric imbecile.”

“I told you it would be something like that, Gily!”

“Gily?”

“Ah, it’s a secret joke between us.” Gilda said.

“Something stupid happened while we dragged all of you here. But now… tell us about the traps! How did you do this? It’s exposition time now.”

“Money. Two million dollars were spent on this to be exact.”

“Who designed the dungeon?”

“I did. It took me four hours to design the layout, puzzles, poems and traps for the place. Then I hired theme park constructors and they worked day and night to revamp the basement and some parts of the house. The costumes were a greater challenge since I didn’t know your exact measures. I had to hire external help to make them quick and with the best quality possible. Miss Pommel and Miss Threads were her names, I believe.”

“This explains why my armor was so bulky and uncomfortable!”

“Oh no! Phase One armor was bulky in the description. Or I am mistaken?” Nitpick just gave her a little smile of approval. 

“Some of those traps could have killed us.” Gilda said.

“You were never in danger.”

“What about the arrow room?”

“Only the first batch contained actual arrows. When you rode the CBT, all the ammunition shot at you were actually tennis balls.”

“The strange ooze!”

“That was a Middle East recipe of aromatherapy! The sulfur smell was only applied to the door. When you got inside the first room, the effects of the tranquilizer were taking place! Even if you managed to come this far, it certainly weakened you in mind and body! Why did you choose to go your separate ways to find me when strength in numbers would have been wiser in case of an attack? More importantly, the key on the room that Sugarcoat was supposed to go was the master key to the whole house. In the end, you had plenty of ways to escape. You just did not search good enough.”

“The gun.” Nitpick held the weapon.

“Aim to that pot near the window and shoot. I assure you that nothing will happen.” He obeyed, and the rifle only shot dark smoke. But there was no recoil or bullet flying from the cartridge. The pot exploded by itself. “It is laser based.  All the ceramics had a little bomb inside. None of the explosives are potent enough to send flying away the rubble. I believe Sugarcoat noticed the mechanism before she lost consciousness.”

“The axe!”

“Touch its edge.”

“…It’s dull! Then you broke that door with pure strength.”

“And that was my downfall. I’m not really that strong or fit so I ended up expending all my energy in that action. I overestimated my chances. Ah… I wanted to win so badly.”

“Win what?”

“My Happy Ending!”

Both of them looked at her with an unimpressed face. “Survey says!”

“Pretty lame! That was pretty lame!”

“What?”

“Give us a reason to not call the police!”

“I don’t have any! I don’t regret a thing from my acts! Once the news spread on the media, I’ll be free from the façade of living in a cage of gold and silk!”

“Do you really want this to be made public? Are you insane? Think about your parents’ reputation!”

“We are not asking for bribery. Just apology and we won’t say a word.”

“Why I should care for the reputation of those two? Those money-hungry beasts that spread their tentacles on the globe’s economy and destroys the dreams of millions upon millions of citizens! Those filthy pigs that care not for the well-being of the world, or their friends, their family… their seeds!” 

“Hey…” Gilda said softly. “At least you have riches to enjoy and your parents are still around. Perhaps they are just too busy… You can make a difference with that money while at it and… I don’t know. Explore the world or something!”

“For what? Filling my empty ego and become a social brat for the media to gossip? An empty soul whoring for attention and proving that I can do that most don’t? LIES! All what you see on TV are lies! Only a madman could enjoy such lack of privacy!”

“I don’t think that’s a healthy way to see the world. Media sucks, true. But, you at least have a family.”

“What do you know about my family?” Reem filled the air with hostility. The soft smile slowly turned into a medium of hatred. “Let’s pretend that she is a loved child! Let’s pretend that she is a perfect child! Let’s pretend that her parents love her so much that they are willing to let her run free on the wild. Let’s pretend… that they are always there…” Her tears came in full force. “Who was there to read a story before bedtime… and shun away the monsters… below the bed?” Her eyes shut down… and she wept.

In silence, with a little smile.

Gilda locked her eyes with hers, looking for the right words inside her mind. It wasn’t easy… but somehow, she felt it was something that must be shared. After a long moment of reflection, she slowly closed her eyes and sighed with shade of grey. “I don’t have parents.”

“…Excuse me?” She asked weakly.

“When I was born, Stalliongrad still had troubles embracing the Global Union policies for education and family. My parents, at least what my Grandma told me, didn’t want to be held back by a child that could increase their expenses. Grandpops was far away in an unknown country, looking for something to help us out and bring food to the table. One day, my Grandma had to go where he was… and my parents ran away.”

“Why… are you telling me this?”

Gilda looked at the roof, drinking her sweet tea in a snail’s pace. “I spent four years on the streets. I was seven at that time. I joined a little gang of thieves to stay alive. You know, teamwork makes for it. It wasn’t family, but at least we had some food on nights… when were lucky. Then one day, my Grandparents came for me. I refused to go with them at first.  I was tough and stubborn… I still am.” She chuckled. “In the end, however, a sense of nostalgia dawned on me… the longing of tasting Grandma’s soup was irresistible. I eventually came here, to Equestria, the land of the free… the rest, is another story. So, don't think you had it rough! You are blessed, and you should embrace it!”

“I am so sorry…” Reem said humbled while looking to her feet. Her shoes were shinny and new.

“I…” Nitpick was struggling with his words. “I don’t have a past like that, to be honest. But I know what it feels to experience… family rejection. Mother always makes fun of me, even if she doesn’t realize it. Forcing me to marry as soon as possible, saying that a person without marriage is a person without happiness.”

“I know what you mean, Mr. Bittersweet… sick social system is sick.”

“My sister is a sweetie, so there is not much to say. The real problem… is my Father. No matter what I do… I just can’t ever please him! Always saying that I can improve on something! If I get a perfect note, he finds something to complain about it and offer improvement. I don’t have his genius and everybody around him expects of me… to be like him! It’s not fair… Always living on his shadow, always criticized on why I didn’t inherit his genius and sense of labor. I looked at other children that had fathers buy ice creams for them or taking them to the movies… I just received complains… And a stupid name. The only one who understood me was my paternal Grandfather and he is currently… unavailable.”

"Why?"

"Well... shit happens! Besides, they must learn to allow me to show my true self to the world!"

"And what is that?"

"That I am still a whiny teenager!" Reem chuckled innocently.

“Inside a dream, many moons ago, I saw the world I had walked since my birth and I understood how fragile it was.” The trio looked back and saw Sugarcoat looking at the roof; her visage was filled with grey. “It’s so easy to wish upon the candles of delusions for something to happen, and when you finally realize you must give everything you have to make everyone happy around you; you realize that… you end up without anything for yourself. The many dreams that a cake hold are precious… and you never taste any of it with the people that should share it with you!”

“Miss Sugarcoat…”

“I don’t approve of your recent, silly joke… But I understand what you feel. My Mother is a psychotherapist. My Father is a traumatologist. They barely are at home and when there is time to be together, they decide to sleep. I don’t blame them… they even buy me expensive things to compensate my lack of entertainment since I wasn’t… I’m not a people-person… but… it is lonely. I always received a cake, milkshakes, some presents, and a cookie. A little cookie with the shape of Ginger-man that could appease my mind and give me a reason to fight for my dream was all I had on those days.” 

“Are we really having this conversation?” Blueblood woke up, rubbed his arms for a moment and looked at everyone with heavy eyes. “But I know what you all mean… It feels like an empty experience, never having someone to share a slice of cake, that is. And I’m sorry, Reem. I didn’t know you were this alone all these years… Father said that you were fine and I didn’t bother in looking for you. I only thought on myself, my amusement and… Ah… if I was only there to be at your side…”

“Arbelth…” 

“Yeah… not having someone to share with you the moment where you blow away the candles is somewhat gloomy. I had friends during middle school… but I never had a proper celebration. I came to a point that I ended up secretly hating birthdays.” Nitpick sighed with a sense of regret. Then he laughed softly. “This is silly.”

“I never had a birthday celebration before… at least, not where I had a slice of cake on the table. Not even with Rainbow…” Gilda played with her fingers with a sense of longing. “To be honest, I hoped to have a nice time today.”

“We can still have one incredible day!” Reem exclaimed with unexpected happiness. “We can still make this day the best yet!”

“How?” The quartet asked.

“ROSALINE STAR!” From the shadows, Rosaline and several maidens and butlers appeared like the wind. “It is party time!”

“As you wish, My Lady!” They vanished like the smoke, leaving speechless to guests of the Noble.

“Ninjas?” Gilda asked amazed. “They exist?”

“Tee hee hee! Not like in the movies or fiction but yes, they are something like that! They were the ones who made all the paranormal activities possible in the first place! Oh! Also they were the ones that knocked you out instead of the guns!”

“So… no devilish powers were at hand, huh?” Sugarcoat looked at the Prince with a cocky smile. Her soon-to-be friend looked away in shame.

Pizza, lemonade, coke, hundreds of fried potatoes and other delicacies soon rained on the table. Slowly, they started to open up, filling the halls with laughter and leaving behind any bad blood they had. It wasn’t the Prince’s favorite foods… but he let it go this time. Secretly, he started to like the junk food. Reem opened her present: A little pendant resembling a blue rose bud. 

“It is beautiful!” She shed several tears filled with light. “Thank you… I’ll treasure this forever!” She quickly wore it, becoming part of her usual outfit for the rest of her life. “Forgive me… for giving you many troubles.”

“Bah! Forget it!” Nitpick said. 

“I believe we have the solution on how you could repay us!” Sugarcoat added.

“Which is?”

“YOUR SUFFERING!” The guest yelled in unison.

“Oh… Oh!”

The storm was long gone.

….

“HURRY YOUR ASS, OAKWOOD! Those documents won’t fill themselves with your sweat and blood alone!”

“Yes, Miss – Ah! Yes, Sugarcoat! I’m working as fast as I can!”

“BITTERSWEET! HEAVENSBANE! Go with Moondancer and help her with one of her stupid investigations! It seems that there was a commotion on the gym hall and Champion supervision is required!”

“Fucking bitch and her perfectionism! I hate her!”

“We should have never removed that idiot of Dust from power!”

“That’s my cousin you are talking about, Gilda!”

“Wanna fight with me, bitch?”

“Less complaining and more work! Move it, you two! Zap, go to the main hall and help Blueblood with the student interviews for the next Science Season! I’ll go with Principal Cinch to renew the permits for the golf team to use the fields on the city!”

“But I hate that guy! And Sparkle will be put in charge of that silly proposition!”

“FUCKING SPARKLY AND HER STUPID PROJECTS!”

“GO WITH MOONDANCER ALREADY, YOU STUPID APES! And it’s your duty to join them, Zap! Now go! OAKWOOD!”

“Someone save from this evil sovereign…”

“DO YOU WANT IT TAKE IT OUTSIDE?”

“BRING IT ON, FOUR EYES!”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY, BITCH!?”

“Nothing.”

Two weeks after that fateful birthday, many things happened on Crystal Prep Academy. The Twin-like Duo helped Sugarcoat on making Lighting Dust quit her position. They challenged her to a test of intellect and she lost spectacularly. Nitpick ascended to Champion Leader status, and since his reputation on being good natured with the lower class was cheered among the normal students, he soon gained some followers to aid him during public activities. Gilda decided to stick in and become his Second in Command.

Sugarcoat defeated Dusty Silverwind in an honorable competition and became the new Champion. Rumors say that Silverwind wept a single tear of pride to her new successor behind the scenes. She also fulfilled her promise with Gilda and subscribed her to the cooking classes. Not only that, she helped the Twin-like Duo in catching on with their scores. In less than two months, they met the minimum requirements to keep their scholarships afloat. Gilda even won a cooking tournament; her steak and fried potatoes were a favorite on the crowd. With time, she also learned to not shout at every turn. She still does it from time to time, much to Zap's dismay. 

Reem was slaved to death because of her Champion status. That and Sugarcoat being a workaholic bitch... for some months, at least. Blueblood aided her in her struggles, but still, it was too much in the beginning. She wondered how Sugarcoat did her responsibilities all this time with the former Champion Silverwind. But it didn’t matter… she decided to stop bickering and accept life as it comes. The world is for the people who struggle for their happiness. You can’t buy it, or cheat it with magic. One thing was for certain… she enjoyed the tea that Rosaline made for her after a long day of school. Perhaps… she never needed her parents’ attention at all.

Blueblood was the hardest to open to the gang. Not for shame, but stubbornness and luxury. The Royal tastes were so stupid and infuriating for his new friends that sometimes minor violence was the only answer to solve arguments. Even so, he strangely fitted in with them. It was challenging, and at same time, new for him. It was real. The bonds he was forming, that is.

….
….

Our friendship isn’t perfect! 

It is far from it.

We struggle!

We bitch!

We challenge!

And we slowly accept our differences. 

It is not easy, and even in the present, we are still learning from one another. 

But the truth is, that the most awesome things are the hardest to get. 

And we wouldn’t like it another way!

The struggles of today… will become a reward in the future!


> Chapter 76 - Your Friendship doesn't make sense!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was not the first time I ever felt like an outcast before. No. What should I think about this? The things I was experiencing, hearing, and feeling in my life are… unreal. There they were, in front of me. They existed, in front of me. Their chuckles were rough, yet sweet. Their jokes were mean, yet pleasant.

Their faces had this kind of obnoxious but pure air that radiated companionship. But after hearing their point of views of their past experiences, I found myself confused by their bonds. They were mean and rude to each other for no reason. They nearly tried to hurt each other.

Then why they…?

“HAHAHAHAHA! And do you remember when Oak tried to make tea using a coffee machine?”

“Oh Goodness! For the Gods that watch over me, I swear that the instructions said that it was possible, my formidable friend!” 

“You should consider not using one of those again! Poor Bittersweet nearly died from tea poisoning!”

“Poison is the crap that Blueblood does every day with his presence, Sugarcoat! Fucking dryer machines aren’t even safe from his destructive hands!”

“Those were defective machinery! The new ones are working better than ever, aren’t they?”

“Yeah.” Sugarcoat closed her eyes, then she opened the one facing him. “They’re even better than the purchaser himself!”

“HEY! I’m useful to society! And at least I’m not an egocentric brat who enjoys bossing around half of the school!”

“Half of the school?” Gilda thundered her fist on the table. “The bitch will become Cinch’s successor!”

“What did you say, you stupid ape!?”

“Come on, Sugarcoat! Think about it!” Nitpick said. “You shall become her favorite student. Then when you come to an age, you will stab her, usurp the throne, cut your hair, and… No… Forget it! Your hair is far more worthy than ruling Crystal Prep.”

“Your long-hair fetish doesn’t cease to amaze me. You should consider consulting my mom and get rid of that obsession.”

“It’s not an obsession! Its pure love! Long hair is love! Long hair is justice!”

“Then I’m glad I have a short kind of cut, Nit! I don’t want a pervert looking at my hair like a weirdo looking at bras on a store!”

“Oh! I would see other things beside your hair. Your killer, smooth neck could be a start!”

“Pervert.” Sugarcoat said.

“Asshole!” Gilda said.

“So uncivilized!” Blueblood commented.

“You are such a dog!” Reem exclaimed.

“You really haven’t changed that much in the ‘Admiring women’ department, Bro!” Lightbulb added. 

“Shh! I admire beauty in all aspects and forms!” He said prideful with his fist closed. “There are no creatures far more noble, magnificent, and closer to angels than women! I am a poet who praises them with flowers and songs that are never sent! In the eternity beyond death, I will-!”

“Shut the fuck up, Bittersweet!” Sugarcoat covered her ears. “Your crappy poems are insufferable! Cursed be the day that Reem made you like this!”

“It is one of my greatest failures, my intellectual friend! He simply must be put to sleep!”

“Hah! Crappy critics with an uncultured level of philosophy could never understand such art that is exhaled from my mouth! Also, I’m not a dog, Reem!”

“I kinda like it, even if you sound like a… uh, weird!”

Twelve pair of eyes looked at me with surprise. What did I just say?

“Ah… Sparkle. We honestly forgot that you were here. I apologize.” Sugarcoat said with sincerity.

How could you not see me if I was besides Nitty the whole time!!?

“Well… I was here from the beginning! Hearing your, uh, fascinating stories! Hahahaha…uh.”

“Remember when I said that you were starting to look more competent than before just a few hours ago?”

“Yes, Sugarcoat! I remember!”

“I take that back. You are still really bad at this.”

“Hummm…”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

She once again looked at me unimpressed. “So what do you think?”

“Of what?”

She rubbed her temples with newfound stress. “That we five, a bunch of dysfunctional strangers, were able to become the group of friends we are today.”

“I would not call it a group of dysfunctional people, my intellectual friend. But more like a group of filthy scum trying to fit in society.”

“Oakwood, please don’t speak for the rest of the dinner.”

“Whatever you mean, my intellectual friend! Is not talking the purpose of having dinner together?”

Gilda chuckled. “I thought it was to pig out and burp at the end of it!” 

“Such a disgusting mental image, Gilda!”

“Nobody asked for your opinion, your royal pain!”

“You…” I mumbled.

“I’m only instilling in you the proper etiquette so you can behave in the upper world one day!”

“Next time I need your opinion, I will consider throwing myself from the bridge!”

“…don’t…”

“You should do it now, Sugarcoat! Remember that you only live long enough to become the villain!”

“Shut your mouth, you stupid poet scum!”

“…make sense!”

“Uh? Did you say something, Twilight?”

“Your friendships, Nitpick...”

“What about them?”

“They don’t make sense!”

Did I -? Cheeseburger!

“Excuse me?” Blueblood meticulously drank from his glass. “Can you offer a more detailed input on that to us?”

“Yes, Sparkle. I’m very intrigued to know your true opinion about it!”

“Well, I, you see… I don’t know where to begin!”

“Perhaps you just need to calm down a little, my dear patron!”

Adagio and two girls were walking toward us with another jar of lemonade and several ingredients sliced spectacularly on two plates. “Aria, if you please!” She refilled our glasses with grace, but she did something different with mine. Not only did she put more cold ice on my glass, she also put a little slice of lemon on the rim. “Sonata!” She added some slices of cucumber and a little portion of basil to the mix, making the liquid turn yellowish green. The leader put as a final touch some leafs of lemongrass as well.

“Cucumber-Basil Lemonade with Lemongrass it’s the name! It’s the first time we make one so your sincere opinion is more than welcome!” I took a sip of the beverage… and I couldn’t stop drinking it. I believe that gave away my answer as she kindly prepared a second round for me. “Better?”

“Yes, Adagio! Thank you!”

“You are welcome! Also, it’s on the house!” She winked at me playfully. I felt tidy and cozy inside. “So, are you prepared to give them a good answer now? Don’t be shy! My sisters and I are intrigued to hear you out as well!” She reached my hand. “The world is yours if you want it hard enough!”

“The world is mine? What do you mean?”

“You hear me out, didn’t you?” She said with… a seductive voice. I could feel her eyes trying to blind me, shining with a glimmering green light. “Now! Tell us!” Little by little, she walked backward.

“Tell us!” Sonata said with profound intensity while joining her. The same fire from Adagio was on her eyes.

“Tell us!” Aria’s eyes ignited like a burning emerald while joining her sisters.

And then… they sang!

‘Sometimes deep inside
A lie is chained in pride
Sometimes deep inside
A dream lies in bind
But you, fearful of being outcasted
Shut down, in fear of being rejected!

If that’s the case, then let me tell you a secret, Sweetheart! (Adagio said enchanting)

You must let it go, let it go!
Let it go! (Aria & Sonata)
Those that impair your power!
Don't let them enchain your fire!
And you must strive, and fly away!
Fly away! (Aria & Sonata)
So you, can shine with greater Might!	
SHINE WITH MIGHT! (Aria & Sonata)

Forget all your phobias!
Forget all your weakness!
Strive for success!
Strive for your passions!
Don’t be defeated!
Don’t be maltreated!
You have the great power!
You have the great Magic!

And never be stomped, by anyone!
By anyone! (Aria & Sonata)
So one day, you’ll become a rising star!
A rising star! (Aria & Sonata)

And no one will stop you, Sweetheart!’

The song ended, and everyone gave theirs cheers and ovations. Strangely, without explanation, I felt sad for them. When they were singing, the glitter of assertiveness, the blinding energy, and their passion of the letters were intense, but incomplete. I couldn’t put it into words. I just felt that their incredible show was just a shadow of something I will never experience. The memories were there, but it was like they knew that whatever was missing will never come back.

Even so…

“You really weren’t kidding when you said you were singers!” Gilda said while giving a thumb-up.

“Incredible! Pop music isn’t my thing but I humble myself to you!” Blueblood made a reverence of approval.

“Thank you! Thank you so much! We really appreciate such kindness!”

“I feel… powerful all of the sudden!” I said.

“Oh!?” Adagio closed the distance to me. “Really?” She gave me a secure smile.

“Yes! But… compared to you… I don’t think I could ever shine that bright!”

She laughed powerfully with a pinch of irony. “Twilight Sparkle! Princess Twilight’s cousin! Your humbleness is not of this world! I almost feel that you are as good as she is, but… in a better way!”

“…Really!?”

“Of course you are! You just need to… let go your inner turmoil!” 

“How?”

“Well, you were asked for your opinion! Give them what they want with no fear or remorse! Be courageous! Be powerful! Have a taste of expressing yourself in public! If you never cross the line, you will never know your limits! In this case, your social standing! Tell them!”

“Tell them!” Aria and Sonata cheered.

“Yes… I can do it!” I could feel great strength running through my shaking hands. “I will do it!”

“Well… what were we talking about?” Reem asked.

“Your friendship doesn’t make sense!”

“Oh, yes. Why?”

“Sugarcoat and Reem! Why did you allow yourselves to be thrown into the trash bin like that? Why didn’t you tell Principal Cinch or Dean Cadence about it? You could just have told them that they were causing trouble and they would have solved things completely! Prince Blueblood! Why did you duel them inside the school like that? I believe that was illegal and it made no sense! You could have hurt them or something far worst! And you, Gilda and Nitpick! Why did you get involved intro a street fight like that instead of running away? What if the police came and imprisoned you for the vandalism you committed? It was dangerous and silly! And more importantly, how did you ended up becoming friends if you were complete meanies with one another!? It doesn’t make any SENSE! Friendship is born from honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity, and loyalty! Yours was born from an all-out war!” 

“Sparkle…” Sugarcoat was giving me her unfriendly gaze.

“No, wait! I’m not finished! The maze that Reem created was MADNESS! I would be angry if I was bullied like that but imprison them inside a dungeon that could cause them any kind of traumas was horrible! You should have called the police!”

“Sparkle.” Her eyes diluted little by little… scary.

“…uh, sorry! I didn’t mean-”

“THAT!” Sugarcoat violently grabbed me from my shirt. “THAT IS WHAT I HATE THE MOST OF YOU! Your stupid and half-assed lack of spine! You always start something in particular, and minutes later, you cower like a stray dog and shut yourself down inside that silly lab you did in the basement of the school!”

“I-!”

“Sugarcoat, please release her.” Nitpick put his hands on hers.

“As you wish, my brother.” She didn’t take away her sight from me. “Even so, let me finish!” He sighed and nodded his head. “Sparkle. Tell us, if you will, how did you truly befriend those girls? You were never the people-person.”

“Well… you already know half of it! The magic in the school-!”

“Ah, yes! Magic!” She made a quotation with her fingers in mockery. “The almighty Friendship Power that CHS used against us to reac a tie and decimate evil, crazed awkward girls! We have dismissed that claim with the documental that WE -!” She pointed to Gilda, Blueblood and Reem. “Created!”

“But- !”

“I’m sorry, Twilight! You have to admit that she makes a good point! If any kind of cheating happened the games, CHS should have at least made a proper third, final competition!”

“But Nitpick! It’s true! The magic - !” I felt a scratching on my legs. I looked below the table and Spike was urging me with his eyes to not speak another word. It’s true! Magic is not supposed to exist! “Perhaps… you are right, Nitty.”
My old role model sighed heavily. “Sparkle, please explain to us what happened then. If you tell us the truth, and said truth has a good reason to exist, I will no longer harass you. I promise.”

“…!”

The world is mine. It’s what Adagio said. It could be dangerous… but If I managed to convince them that what happened was an accident by telling the truth, then I could clean CHS name and end this senseless conflict.

AH! I could even impress Sunset Shimmer!

Not wasting any more time, I started from the beginning! I gave the overly-simplified summary of my device, how it worked, what happened in the school, the girls, the magic, the competition, Cinch’s abuse, the world on the brink of destruction… I omitted Spike since no one remembers his part and that’s for the best, and how someone I didn’t expect came into my world and made the stars align.

“And that’s what really happened! Any questions?” My best smile was drawn in my face.

“Yes. How does that make any sense to you?” Reem drank some lemonade.

“My current friends saved me, giving me a chance to become a better person!”

“Yes, Miss Twilight Sparkle, I understand… But how different your past actions are to mine? I dare to say that yours are far worse than me, to be honest!”

“What do you mean?”

“Sparkle, let’s pretend that Magic exist! Let’s pretend that the world was on the verge of interdimensional destruction! Let’s pretend that Sunset Shimmer really guide you to a path of light! How you justify your actions when you were the real culprit the whole time?”

“I didn’t mean to get that far! I was corrupted by the uncontrolled magic!”

“Corrupted by the magic? Or perhaps… your inner demons surfaced and showed your real, dark desires with such power!?”

“I don’t have dark desires!”

“Liar! You didn’t want friends in the beginning! Nor recognition or receive praises from your brother and Dean Cadence! You wanted power for yourself!”

“I didn’t want any power! I just wanted to understand everything!”

“Knowledge is a kind of power, Sparkle! You are a scientist! You crave for the unknown, the mysterious, and the discovery that goes beyond the boundaries of mortal comprehension! But you, you actually crossed the line when you ‘obeyed’ us to use the magic! In the end, you wanted to use it! You desired to unleash it! And that’s why you transformed into a fallen angel! Deep inside, you cared not for anybody around you, not even Dean Cadence that was a few steps from you! You wanted to test it by yourself, knowing full well that it could have been dangerous! Cinch asked of you to use it… but who opened Pandora’s Box in the end? You didn’t hesitate in the last moment! You even enjoyed it when you were consumed by that magic… or perhaps… it was you that consumed the magic to unleash your true self!”

“That’s not true! You lie! You lie! YOU LIE! ‘Sniff’ I didn’t want to use it! Not for that! ‘Sniff’ You made me do it! If you didn’t win, you’ll have treated me like trash, like you always did!”  Nitpick used a tissue and cleaned my tears. “Thanks…”

“You are too soft with her, Bittersweet… Anyway, let’s talk about your social standing in Crystal Prep, shall we? You say that we were ‘meanies’ to you. But do you know why we treated you like garbage all this time?” 

“Because I wasn’t someone who could get along with you?”

“No. It was because you were a waste of our time!”

“Why?”

“Let’s go back to first grade on middle school for you to understand my reasons! Let’s try to project our Memory Lane on this conversation! I remember long ago that there was this genius on my classroom called Twilight Sparkle! She was so smart! So dependable and ambitious! Always craving to be the best of the best! You know what I thought of that Twilight Sparkle? That she was freaking amazing! And everyone thought that too!”

“…You are lying! You never treated me like I was amazing!”

“Really? Ok! Let’s refresh that memory a little! Remember that day when you made a toy space racing circuit using cheap plastic, some magnets, an old and damaged motherboard, some cables, and pieces of wood on our art class? It was awesome! I wanted to do it! And I even tried to get along with you because I considered you cool and someone worthy to learn from!”

It can’t be! She is lying!

“No, I take that back! Everyone considered you cool! Even the future bitch of Moondancer wanted to befriend you because you were incredible! We even called you that day ‘Space Wizard Sparkle’!”

“That was a pretty lame nickname, Sugarcoat!”

“Bittersweet, I’m surprised that you didn’t bite your tongue while saying that!”

“Yes… I remember… Space Wizard Sparkle… Moondancer even bought me juice every Monday!”

“And Indigo Zap bought you…?”

“A sandwich, yeah!”

“Why is it always a sandwich?” Gilda asked annoyed.

“What, Heavensbane? Was that your old heroine’s favorite food as well?”

“Someone wants another karate chop on the head.” She cracked her fists.

“Wait, my mighty friend! Let her finish! I’m intrigued now!”

“Yeah!” The rest said. 

Sugarcoat cleared her throat. “But eventually we discovered that you simply sucked at everything else! We didn’t mind that at the beginning! Especially after the Friendship Games that preceded these when your brother, Captain Shining Armor, won in most events! We thought ‘Hey! She may be bad at most things but in the next Friendship Games she will blaze to ashes those CHS losers in science’. And we waited for you… and waited… But… you simply didn’t try to fit in! You simply didn’t try to open to us! Weeks, months, eventually years, passed and you simply didn’t care! You grew distant and I felt what it was to feel disappointed with someone! I even tried to use mean psychology to make you mad and gave me an answer, anything so you could bark back!”

“All those times that you said that I shouldn’t exist… you just wanted to talk to me?”

“Yeah!” She expressed frustrated. “Yes… but you didn’t care! You grew fearful of us, and I don’t know why!”

“You were meanies! You always tried to win everything and become greater than anyone! You weren’t nice!”

“AND WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH THAT!?” She mightily hit the table. “WE HAVE GOALS, SPARKLE! WE WANT TO BE THE BEST WE CAN BE! We can’t be nice with someone who doesn’t at least try to show interest in what the other people do! And you know what the last drop that made me despise you was? When Dean Cadence convinced me to do the Science Season because she said that YOU were going to lead it!”

“Dean Cadence said that? She told me that it was a combined effort of the students and that you planned everything!”

“Yes, it was! But we Champions and our Seconds were going to make what was supposed to be your idea a reality! Dean Cadence gave us the materials you needed and we did what was asked of us! And when everything was said and done! When we finished making the stands, the tickets, the presentations, the experiments, did you know what Twilight Sparkle did? Do you want me to make you remember what you did to all the effort we poured for you?” I stayed there cold, waiting to hear again my own words.  “Oh, I’m sorry! The Everton Independent Study Program elections are around the corner! I can’t help you so… I… gotta go!” She was trying so hard to not strangle me. 

“To be honest, Miss Sparkle, I was pretty mad at you as well! I, a member of royalty, working hard with my bare hands for petty experiments that weren’t used properly in the end? Preposterous!”

“I too was preparing those events with the Second Class, Miss Sparkle! It was a nightmare convincing our peers to shed some pocket change to the cause! You know how stingy can be the rich when asked for money in things that they are not interested in! I could have donated my own money, but the point was the school’s teamwork should be ignited once more. Since I never met you until now, I could not judge you… but I admit I was a little angry at you that day.”

“You made me work with Indigo Zap and Lighting Dust, Sparkle! And you fuck it up!”

“Not to mention that I lost my chance to meet Blark Hamill in the Reader Festa of last year because we were also working in our mock-up for our project! Damn, I heard that they sold the issues of Knight Seiyamus that I wanted at killer discounts!”

“I’m so sorry…”

“Sorry? SORRY!?”

“Sugarcoat, let go. It’s not worth it anymore.”

She breathed heavily. “You are right…”

…I didn’t know what to say.

“Ah… W-well! Girls, let’s go back and clean the kitchen!” Adagio said.

“Y-yeah!”

“Quality inside out!”

We watched them get inside the kitchen. Loud, metallic noises were made there. Probably looking for the cleaning tools.

“Sparkle… I know that I shouldn’t blame you directly about what Dean Cadence did. But it still frustrates me to no end the fact that you abandoned us all like that!  The Dean trusted in you, and for whatever the reason, you ran away, and you disappointed her. We managed to make it a success, but you were the designers of those projects in the end so we had a really bad time figuring the full potential of your schematics.”

“Sorry...”

“Also… you say that we were meanies and probably you think we are individualistic. But, look at us, and try to remember one single occasion where the school was completely separated or unfriendly to one another!”

A time where the school was unfriendly to one another? That’s easy! All the time! 

Except that time during middle school where I received that nickname and gifts. I remember when… what his name? Ah, Thunderbolt, I think, helped Neon Lights with some sport shows in second year. Also, Jet Set and Upper Crust were nice to each other all the time. Then there was Lemon Zest and Sunny Flare who loved skate boarding together after school. Zap and Dust loved to practice soccer together. Sunny, Zap, Sour Sweet, Zest and Sugarcoat ate together during lunch time most of the time. Also… my classmates hanging around during weekends in the Maximus Plaza and eating pizza. And my brother and his college friends like Gizmo, Gaffer, and 8-bit. Dean Cadence and…

Oh… It’s true! Indigo Zap and Lemon Zest were actually nice during Pinkie’s party! And even if she was rude sometimes, Zap always tried to make me have a kind of school spirit! Zest would always try to share her new music songs with me and Upper Crust, Jet Set and Neon Lights as well were trying…

“Sparkle. Whether the Magic was real or not isn’t important here. What truly matters is that you think you are nice. You think you are kind and passive. You think you are the victim! But the truth is that you became an introverted because you refused to grow! I believe that you are arrogant in another way, even if you are not aware of it. And if the Magic story is true, it would mean that your dog was far more important to you than the fate of the whole world because that was what made you snap.” She played with her hair. “Then, your new friends forgive you just like that? No path of redemption or anything? The Magic that Sunset threw at you did all the work in forming your bonds like a cheat code instead of working hard for it? That for me doesn’t make any sense! Your Friendship doesn’t make any sense!”

“…”

“Nevermind, tomorrow Zap and I will have some quality time and I’ll be able to relax from these four brutes and you.”

“You love us, Sugarcoat! Stop denying your unrequited love to us anymore!” Nitpick said cynically while smiling. Sugarcoat gave to her friends… the middle finger.

My image of a dignified Role Model is slowly crumbling away.

“So that means that you are you going with Rainbow Dash and Zap to the soccer practice of tomorrow?”

“What does that arrogant brat has to do with all of this? Zap and I are going to the Maximus Plaza to have breakfast together! Last Sunday she couldn’t assist because she had a meeting with some soccer trainers that Dust got contact with!”

“But last week she was at the birthday party of Pinkie Pie!”

Everyone looked at me in shock. Sugarcoat was almost breaking her glass. Gilda gently removed the glass from her with a scared face.

“What… did you say?”

“Y-you didn’t know? Zap, Zest, Upper Crust, Jet Set and Neon Lights were there as well!”

“So, Zap gave you the middle finger as well!” Nitpick said.

“This means nothing! It could have been someone else!”

“First stage: Denial!”

“SHUT UP, OAKWOOD!”

“Anger.”

“I swear to Moonlight…!” She scratched her head. “Can someone please prove that this is false?”

“Bargaining.”

“Shut the hell up, Oakwood!”

“Here! I have Pinkie Pie in MyStable. Let’s see if there are any photos and… well…”

“Lightbulb, I am aware that we are not friends but… could you please lend me your phone?” She asked politely.

“Sure, Sugarcoat… here.” 

“Thank you so much.” She only did a quick glimpse on the photos and returned the phone to his owner. She looked angry and sad. “I wasted… my time last week then.” 

“Depression.”

“I’ll strangle your porcelain neck, Oakwood!”

“You see, Sugarcoat? Zap is a liar when her agenda isn’t going as she wants! Just like she screwed with me!”

“I told you that Zap didn’t make your bitter fight with Sour Sweet possible!”

“Sour Sweet may be a double-faced brat but everything was fine between us until Zap sabotaged our relationship!”
RELATIONSHIP!?!

“Zap didn’t do it, Bittersweet! But… but why did she lie to me about Pie’s party? It was our weekly reunion and stuff!”

“Because she is Dust’s cousin?” Nitty tapped the table.

“Because she is an annoying bastard?” Gilda followed his action.

“Because she is a nice person and wants to befriend nice people?” I said.

“Shut up, Sparkle.”

“Ok.”

“I had the feeling that we grew distant these past few weeks… but this? She knows how hard is for me to make a space in my schedule!”

“Ditch that brat already, Sugarcoat! You have me!” Gilda winked at her. 

“I hate you.”

“But I love everything about you… especially your a-!”

“As I was saying, Sugarcoat, Zap is a hypocrite.”

“We shall see about that.”

“Pardon me, but you will not reach acceptance today?”

“I hate you too, Oakwood.”

“Tee hee hee! I exist to serve!”

“Sister, sometimes I think you want to see the world burn!”

“You can cook some marshmallows in a burning world!”

“Sugarcoat, I’m sure Indigo Zap had a good reason for all of this!”

“Sparkle, you… Adagio! Please give us the check! We must go!”

The Royal Siblings paid the food as they promised and everyone went their separate way. My old role model was emanating an aura of intense hostility. Gilda offered a little slumber party in her house, just the two of them, and she accepted. The royals took their limousine and went home. Nitpick offered to escort me back home. It was dark so I ended up accepting his offer. We were quiet on our way to my house. 

The bus even arrived faster than I thought. The lack of traffic definitely helped a lot. He told me that I shouldn’t worry about what happened today. That what was done was done and that I should keep fighting for my happiness. Even with the relaxing shower I took, the things I learned today were echoing in my head.

Echoes in my mind were calling my name.

“What’s wrong, Twilight? We should sleep now! I’m really tired! It was a long day after all!”

“I was just thinking, Spike!”

“About what?”

“About everything that they said.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it! It’s like Nitpick said! What’s done is done! Besides, Sugarcoat could be lying! They were meanies, all of them! Also, you are in a better place now! You have a better school, a nice Principal and Vice-Principal, and kind people surrounding! And the best of all, you have Sunset, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow, and even a Real Princess from another world as friends of yours! You yourself are your best friend! Or that was what you told me long ago!”

“…The Princess of Friendship, huh?” Something scorched deep inside. “Yeah… you’re right, my Number One Assistant! But what if they are right about me? And what about Sugarcoat and Zap’s relationship? I hope they don’t get into a fight?”

“I don’t think they will fight with each other if they are real friends.”

“But… I worry about them.”

“Also...” Spike reluctant for a minute. After mustering his words, he said; “I think you shouldn’t have told them the whole story.”

“I know! But I wanted to make Sunset proud! Zap and the others believe in it! What harm is there for them to embrace it as well?”

“For starters, you didn’t keep your promise with Sunset in not saying a word!”

“The promise? OH CHEESEBURGER!” I hugged my pillow with my head. “What I have done?”

“We should see the good side! They didn’t believe you so in a way everything is fine! Also –“ He yawned. “We should sleep for now. Tomorrow there is so much to do for Rainbow and the others.”

“It’s true…”

Spike didn’t say another word. He got comfortable in my arms and dwelled deep into sleep. I looked at the roof window for a moment. The stars were faintly shining on the sky. Even if a city like Crystal State was overwhelmed by artificial illumination, the astral figures were visible most of the time. 

“It’s just too bright outside. That’s all.” 

I joined my friend in the slumber of dreams.


> Chapter 77 - The reason why we always win!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"One, Two! One, Two! Move your damn asses faster, snails!"

"Shut up, Heavensbane!"

Gily slammed the back of a prideful Sugarcoat. "No complaining is allowed on my training sessions!" She barked while our Crystal Champion groaned in irritation. “Now move it!”

It's been a while since the five of us were training together. It was one with fifteen in the afternoon, and hell, exercising my body was a much needed stress relief. After four hours of social training with Mayor Mare, my mind desired the fresh air from nature. Also, being far away from Shimmer was bliss on its own right. The girl was insufferable this morning. Always smiling with obnoxious energy. Always trying to be a kind of a role model for the school. Her resolution and effort to learn and help the school was admirable and exemplary, but it didn't mean that I must like her for that.

What truly filled me with disgust of myself was that the fact that I must act passive with her for the purpose of avoiding a fruitless discussion. I just nod my head with approval when she says something humanitarian, praise her at every turn when it makes sense to do so, and she was happy. No fights at all. Still, there was another reason why I came here with the gang. I stayed behind with Gily while the rest were running at a steady pace.

"Gilda."

"I overhead a phone call between her and Zap when she stayed on my place. It looks like she cancelled today’s breakfast for an unexpected compromise. Since she knew the truth… Agh! We didn't talk about it during our sleepover. She didn't take Zap's betrayal kindly, so I ended up watching the Pirate Moon OVAs until two in the morning with her... I hope that was enough for now."

"She looks calm today. So yeah, I think you did good enough for her."

"OUT OF MY WAY, YOUR ROYAL SLOWPOKES!" She got ahead of Reem and Blueblood with fierce determination.

"As calm as she could normally be." Gily chuckled

"Awww! We really have a soft spot for her!"

"Don't say stupid things, love!"

"And I am supposed to be a pain in the ass."

"That you are. So tell me, how was your social training today?"

"Shimmer was a goody-goody as usual. More I will not say. But seriously, what kind of Mayor works on Sundays?"

"Someone responsible, I guess. At least you asked her about Zap and how she ended up in Pie’s birthday, right?"

"Yeah, because asking the girl who I gave the middle finger for not assisting at the party of her friend is a good idea!"

"You could have asked."

"Maybe you are right... I should have."

"BAH! To hell with them!” She ran backwards besides me. “Today we have the field for ourselves! Nobody uses the city’s public parks on Sundays!"

"I can see a few families walking around this particular park."

"Nobody important is using the field for training on Sundays, you stupid asshole!"

"Fine, fine. No need to be rude."

"C’mon!” She laughed impishly. “Let's piss her off a little."

We ran ahead with evil intent in our hearts. We told to the tired Royals with hand gestures to rest a while and be silent. Sugarcoat was giving her all with valor and dedication. Innocently, we joined her from the sides, but she noticed our ill intention immediately. It was too late, though. Before she could escape, Gily grabbed her from the arm and smashed her to the grass. Then, she jumped on her back and I restrained her arms. 

We were like idiotic morons assaulting the big cheese of the school. The Royals laughed, and we were having fun. “YOU STUPID APES! LET ME GO!” Well, almost everybody.

The wrath of our little Sugarcoat was heard across the city.

....

"Don't tell me you are tired already? Even Sugarcoat is ready to do a third and fourth round!"

“I’m an elite student! This is nothing for me!” Said she with prime condition.

We ignored her, much to her indignation.

"W-we are but simple human beings, my m-mighty friend. We d-do not possess the strength of the noble g-griffonians." Said Reem with shaking legs and panting heavily.

"Noble griffonians?” Blueblood sat on the floor with sweat and disgust. “If they are as she is, they may all be barbarians as well!"

"Oh, come on! It's only been forty minutes since we started this!"

"For royalty, that's an eternity!"

"This is why you still lose to Nit and me in your fencing stuff! Your ancestors must be convulsing with shame for having such a worthless descendant."

"More like a bunch of overrated losers, in my opinion!"

That voice!

"Dust!" Said Gily enraged.

"Gilda! Royal Nobles! Champion Sugarcoat! And look what we have here; Nitpick Bittersweet!" She gave me a taunting gaze. "So, you still have the guts to hang up with them while wearing our uniform, even when you are CHS now?"

"His transfer was a mistake, Dust." Said Sugarcoat with a bit of anger. "A mistake that I will fix soon enough. Tell me, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to practice soccer with the school's freshmen! This is the biggest field in the city and it’s perfect for our usual training routine! Is that wrong of me to help out a little?"

From afar, the soccer team of the academy was coming to us. Jet Set was at the lead of the new kids of high school, bringing me a nostalgic feeling.

“Hey, Nitpick.” He greeted snobbishly but nicely.

“Hi there.”

“Jet Set, good afternoon. Rare of you to go out without Upper Crust, where is she if I may know?” Sugarcoat asked.

“Sleeping right now… studies and all that takes a toll for her.”

"I see.” She thought something for a moment. “If Jet Set is here, as long as you play within the rules, it is fine by me. We already experienced a bad outcome for trying to balance things out the wrong way. We don't want a repetition of that!"

"Glad to see that Champion Sugarcoat can admit when she fails! So responsible of you!"

Gily stood in front of Sugarcoat. "Want to have a fight, Dust!?"

"I'll give you hell this time, Gilda!!"

I grabbed my friend's shoulder. "Gilda, knock it off! We didn't come here to start a fight! Let's go home and rest a while. Today we finish the ‘Martyr of Heaven’ raid."

"But Nitpick, my friend, we still need a mage!" Blueblood spoke reason. 

“We’ll get one, don’t worry!”

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

That voi- fuck it!

"Dash."

"Gilda."

They exchanged ill-mannered gazes with unfriendly intensity. I did the only logical decision. "Screw it, Gilda! Let's get out of here!" I pushed her in the direction of the others until she budged.

"But Nit!"

"Shut up and walk, you fist-for-a-brain brute!"

"I don't think that is the right way to talk to a friend, Bittersweet."

Tiresomeness filled up my body. "Shimmer."

"What brings you here?" She asked. “I thought you wanted to go home earlier.”

"I was invited to train with my friends and I accepted. Let go of some steam, you know?"

“Heh! I understand!” She smiled at me sweetly.

Don’t do that again.

"Yeah, right." Dash said with rolling eyes after seeing my old academy’s uniform.

"Only because I don't care about your training during school, it doesn't mean I don't train at all!" I said with a pinch of saltiness.

"Because of Gilda, that’s why!" Said Dash with an angry, frowning face. “Why you train hard with her and not with me and the school is beyond me!”

"I trust her training. There nothing more to say."

"Me too." Said Sugarcoat while joining us with the Nobles.

"Reem and I trust her as well, if you wish to know, commoner!" Said the Prince while Reem nodded with a smile.

"Whatever, I don’t have time to lose! Today, the Wondercolts must practice for the coming preliminaries of the Inter Tournament!"
Dust laughed with sheer arrogance. “Excuse me? Are you referring to the Inter College Tournament? The one that will offer scholarships for elite players this year?”

“Of course I’m talking about those!” Dust laughed harshly. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, no! I’ll just say that you are wasting your time!”

“What do you mean by that? You know, the Wondercolts have become stronger than the last time our teams clashed!”

“That can be applied to Crystal Prep too, you know?” Said Dust straightforward and calm.

“Yeah, but we are more awesome than ever! Seriously, my team and I really need to train! So, if you excuse us!”

“I have a better idea!” Dust held Dash’s arm. “Why don’t our teams have a ‘friendly’ match and see whose are the biggest cheeses of the two?”

“You got it! This time you’ll be the ones to bite the dust! No pun intended.”

“Wait, just like that? Just straight to the action and no second thoughts from your teammates?” They both glared at me coldly.

“He is right! Are you sure this is a good idea, Rainbow Dash? We haven’t even warmed up yet!”

“Shut it, Soarin!” Spitfire came to the scene. “I also want to see how much we can kick-butt the Crystal Prep brats!”

“And once again, the voice of reason is silenced…” I mumbled.

“What did you say, Nitty?” A cute voice asked from behind.

Twilight, Spike and the rest of the girls joined us as well. Their vibrant smiles were almost contagious. “Nothing, lovely Midnight.” I whispered to her. “Gilda, let’s go!”

“Yeah… alright.”

“DASH!”

From afar, the last member of the Shadowbolts’ soccer team arrived. Indigo Zap, smiling like a sunflower glaring at the sun, ran like a wild thunder on the field. She was about to raise her arm to Dash when Dust showed up in front of her.

“Cous’ Zap, nice to see you today! I see you are training on your own as well!”

“D-Dust!? What are you doing here?”

“I was asked to train the new kids today since the other soccer star players are busy! OH! Guess what!? Rainbow Dash here and the rest of CHS wanna have a match with us! Let’s team up and destroy them for good!”

“…oh.”

Dust saw her confused. “Ah, what’s wrong, cous’?”

“Nothing!” She and Dash made a troubled face. "Whoa! Hey, Sugarcoat!” Zap rushed to her. “Did you come here to supervise our soccer team training?" She ignored the rest of the gang.

"I was unaware of such event. I'm glad that you train by yourselves in your spare time, though." She said with little care.

You are going to play it cool to the end, aren't you?

"W-what's wrong, Champ?" Zap detected an anomaly in her attitude.

Tell her how you feel, Sugarcoat.

"Nothing." She looked at our gang relaxed. "T.U.O, come with me. We need to discuss a battle plan for today's session in a quiet place."

Dammit, Little Champion!

"What is T.U.O?" Asked Zap.

She started walking to the bus stop with the others. "Our clan name."

Clan that she told you off last winter, Zap. Nevermind. I softly put my arm around Gily’s neck and dragged her with the rest to the bust stop.

“Gilda.” But Lightning Dust wouldn’t stop screwing with us. “I want you to play on the game as a defender!”

“Why should I help you?”

“I heard you had an old score you wanted to settle with Dash! This is the best shot we got! We may be enemies. BUT! The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?”

“That shit only happens on T.V.”

“Before you give another step forward, think about it! You could trash the floor with her in the sport she is the best at if we join forces!”

From behind, a cocky laughter coming from Sergeant Loyalty screeched on our ears. “Oh, please! There is no way I could lose to Gilda in this!”

I can sense an imminent tragedy approaching our way.

“Oh, really?” Dust taunted her.

“Of course! I’m awesome! Besides, I already defeated you on several occasions before! It won’t be different this time!”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY, BITCH!? You only beat Zap and me by miracle during the Apple Fair! And the race during Wind Rider’s training was a tie!”

“Of course not! I won by this much!” She extended her hand widely.

“You bitch!”

“Cousin, watch your language!” Dust calmed down from Zap’s scolding.

“You are cocky as ever, Dash. I was right to end our friendship with you back then!”

“That’s my line!!”

“I have real friends who support and trust in me!”

“Yeah, right! You are as aggressive, loud, and a meanie as them!”

“Rainbow Dash! That’s not true!” Fluttershy scolded her. “It was just a big misunderstanding of the past! And she proved she is strong and kind when she helped me on the shelter last time!” My friend gave to the Veterinarian a discreet, soft smile.

Well done, Fluttershy! Now, it’s time to retreat. 

“Gilda, let’s go al-!”

“Oh please! She attacked Pinkie for petty reasons all those years ago! And about her being strong, I was the one who taught her everything she knows about being awesome when we were kids! Well, not everything!”

“What did you say, you little shit!?”

“Oh goodness! Gilda, watch your language!” 

DID SHE REALLY SHUT YOU UP?

“Cousin Dust, it would be better if we don’t do this kind of match! No need to, uh, waste time on them!” She said somewhat reluctant on the last part.

“Totally! Even if both of them joined forces, Spitfire and I alone are more than a match for them!” Gilda and Dust clenched their fists. “We are stronger!” They frowned. “Faster!” Crossed their arms tightly. “And better at teamwork!”

“Oh, yeah!?” Indigo Zap smiled cockily. “Don’t leave me out of the equation just yet, Rainbow Dash! Let’s have a match then!”

“You got it, Zap!”

The air turned fervent as the faces of two very pissed off athletes looked at each other with killing intent. There wasn’t a need to words to understand the obvious outcome of this exchange. When Rainbow Dash and her teammates left to do some warm ups before the match, two angry women saw her with disgust.

“I don’t like you.”

“I really don’t like you.”

“I wish I could end you right now!”

“I wish I could strangle you to death right now!”

“But there is something that I hate more than you right now.”

“And I have something that I hate more than you since years.”

“Dash.” They both said with dry voices.

“Have you played soccer before?”

“You are asking me this now, bitch!? But yes, I have… long ago.”

“Then let’s go and prepare a strategy with the others.” They joined the academy’s team and started some warm ups.

I better get some drinks for the others to watch the match.

….

After buying some refreshments for my friends, we sat on the benches of the park. The city parks had public umbrellas in its facilities if the people desired to use them. And used them we did. The Royals, Sugarcoat and I sat together in the comfort of fresh concrete, much to our pleasure. Twilight sat in nearest bench with the rest of her girls and the reserves from CHS. She glanced at me somewhat… nice.

I waved my hand at her in kind and then turned my attention to my shorty of a friend. “Why didn’t you tell Zap about what you feel, you damn hypocrite?”

“I won’t say a word to her.”

“What happened, my intellectual friend?” Reem was concerned. “You can trust in us!”

“She cancelled our breakfast for this. If she doesn’t trust me enough to tell me what she really wants to do, then I don’t have to waste my time with sincerity on her at all!”

“So, since we are pure and truthful to you, you always treat us like common filth?” Blueblood frowned at her.

“Yes.” She smiled cutely with a pinch of arrogance at him.

“This is the reason why you don’t have friends!” I jokingly said while untying her long hair.

“Stop messing with my hair.” She started drinking her juice while getting back her ribbon from me.

“Kiss me.”

“Get away from me.” She slapped me playfully with a pseudo-serious face. She didn’t tie her hair again. “Look! The match is about to begin!”

“It looks that way… I still can’t believe that my Gily actually joined Dust!”

“Well, Miss Dash has that kind of attitude that makes mutual enemies join forces.” Reem drank small sips of her iced tea. “Such is the people of her kind, just like my mighty friend.”

“Which is?”

“Arrogant and obnoxious when they get full of themselves.”

“The same can be said of Gilda.” Pinkie mumbled a little too loud.

“I knoweth, Misseth Pie! Yond is wherefore I hath said, ‘people of h'r kind’ loudly! So thee can heareth and shareth thy thoughts with us all!” Said Reem sarcastically. “Next time you want to speak your mind, I recommend you to do it louder! Not to mention, your mumbles are so unpleasant and amateurish! Do not overhear our private conversations ever again, if you please!”

“How dare you to speak to her like that!”

Captain Friendship was about to get up but she was stopped by The Sheriff. “Calm down, sugarcube. It’s not worth it, y’all.”

“You are right, Applejack…” Shimmer gave me a glance of disapproval.

Extremely uncomforting situation is uncomforting… And why me?

“There is a problem!” I spoke to my people “Who will be the arbiter?”

“Oh! Don’t worry about that, Nitty! Indigo Zap said that she knew an arbiter that would help CHS in supervising its training methods! Look! I believe is him!”

“That’s Zap’s uncle for sure.” Said Sugarcoat a bit angry.

“Oh, yeah. I remember her family being associated with some national sport organizations on the state or such.” I said.

“Wow! That’s incredible, darling!”

Shut up, Rarity.

The match was about to begin when suddenly Spitfire made a hand gesture to one of the reserves. She quickly got up to join the rest of the main team’s formation while Soarin walked toward us. He was about to sit with the rest of his teammates, but he glanced at me for a moment. Instinctively knowing that rejection was the cause from Spitfire’s decision, I gave him a gesture to seat beside me if he wished. He returned a little smile at me and sat on the bench.

“Hey, boss!”

“We are not in the Thanksgiving competition, Soarin. Call me by name.”

“Sorry, Nitpick!”

“Why are you here?” Asked Sugarcoat politely. “You are a third grader and your team should be playing at full strength against the likes of Gilda, Zap, Jet Set and Dust!”

“Yeah… I don’t think that I am that good on the team. At least, not on the current one.”

“What do you mean by that, Soarin?” I asked.

“The new team’s mantra is misguided, I think.” 

“Mmm…”

The referee blew his whistle to announce the beginning of the game. 

“Let’s go guys! We got this!” The captain of CHS encouraged her teammates.

It was exactly two with thirty when the ball started to roll. The audience only consisted of a handful of students from both sides and the three reserves from CHS. This game was the most important game for my new school since this could give them a clue whether or not they had a chance at their so desired tournament. 

The sky was clear and the guys from CHS wouldn’t stop screaming cheers of encouragement. Dust was running like lighting as she approached the goal. The Canterlot team wouldn’t allow that. However, they were not match for her speed and skill. But one fiery flash wouldn’t allow her to take another step more. Spitfire and Dust clashed with their foot on the ball. The impact sent away the sphere to the heavens at great speed. The nearest players were trying to guess with their innate instincts where the ball would fall.

A rainbow comet flew from earth and intercepted the ball with such little effort. “LET’S GO!” The front attackers went back to the danger zone of Crystal Prep as Rainbow Dash was almost dancing on the field when evading the players of my old school. Gilda was leading the defense near the penalty area. Dash brashly got into a one on one with my pal. Their legwork was making me dizzy and my heart raced with the terror of seeing her lose against the ever annoying Sergeant Loyalty. 

My worst fears came true when after almost one minute of struggling Dash passed Gilda and approached the goal. The new kids from the academy delayed her with a tight defense, using various block tackles and stubbornly getting in her way, forcing her to go back and forward to find a chance to score.

“WOOOHOOO!” Sunset raised her arms with cheer.

“YOU CAN DO IT, DASHIE!”

“GO GET THEM, DARLING!”

“DON’T WAIT FOR SPITIFIRE AND PASS THE BALL TO FLEETFOOT!” Soarin barked.

Rainbow Dash didn’t listen. She waited for Spitfire to come and started a Push-and-run tactic. My hated CHS captain shot to the goal with bluntness and great precision. She missed… but it was extremely close. I could see the frustration of my good acquaintance beside me, so I asked for his point of view.

“Why Fleetfloot and not Spitfire?”

“Look at where she is! What do you see?”

“I only see a single player from the academy and her in that position!”

“Exactly! Rainbow should have passed the ball and Fleefloot would have had a better chance to score a goal!”

“It’s true.” Sugarcoat was caressing her chin with thought. “That position would have given her a better chance.”

“Also, the formation that CHS is playing is wrong! Crystal Prep has a tight defense! We should be playing a four-four-one-one instead of a two-four-four!”

“What’s the difference?” I asked.

“The former has essentially four at the back, a flat-four midfield, one support striker and one out-and-out striker! Spitfire could help Rainbow as support while she makes the goals! The rest could be defending the danger zone and attack when needed! It’s a very flexible formation unlike the attack mentality of the latter! Since Crystal Prep has a knack for changing positions quickly, flexibility is the key to at least tie with them!”

“Why do you suggest that?”

“I believe it is obvious why, Nitpick!”

No… I didn’t see it.

The match proceeded as fiercely for the next fifteen minutes. Both teams fortified for some minutes their defenses far too well, much to each other’s annoyance. Soarin shouted from time to time some strategies that his team should do. He was totally ignored. Gilda, with her bad habit of getting impulsive and frustrated, tried to face Rainbow on her own. But where my friend triumphs on physical power and endurance, Dash simply had the advantage on dexterity.

She was nimble as fuck! The fastest girl I have ever seen!



“HOW’S THAT, NITPICK!? THIS IS THE SECOND TIME NOW! I TOLD YOU I DON’T CHEAT!!” Exclaimed Rainbow with a winking eye.

"GILDA! KEEP FIGHTING!" I shouted supportive.

“YOU CAN DO IT, MY MIGHTY FRIEND! DO NOT GIVE UP!”

“TEACH THAT FILTHY COMMONER WHO IS BOSS HERE!”

The Idol Six didn’t take that kindly.

“BEAT THOSE MEANIES OF CRYSTAL PREP, DASHIE!”

“DON’T LOSE AGAINST THEM, RAINBOW!”

“YAY!”

Fluttershy… that was cute.

“SPITFIRE! SAVE YOUR ENERGY FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE GAME! DON’T RUSH-!”

“SHUT UP! WE ARE DOING JUST FINE!”

“Ok! I give up!” Soarin crossed his arms infuriated. “Do whatever you want!” I patted his back and offered him fresh water. He kindly accepted, calming down a little.

“Isn’t better to try and score as many goals on the first time and then fortify your defenses on the second?” 

“Yeah… I guess.”

As I continued watching the match between both teams, I glared at any anomaly I could perceive to help Gily in any way possible. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening until I saw Jet Set looking at us, specifically at Sugarcoat. They were exchanging command gestures with their hands. They stopped when our little Champion was lost in thought while looking at the opposition. We lost too much time thinking and barely saw an unexpcted outcome!

Rainbow Dash scored the first goal!

“GOOOOOOAL!” The CHS crowd cheered with thunderous power.

“GOAL! GOAL!” Rarity was overjoyed.

“WE CAN DO THIS, Y’ALL!” Applejack threw her hat upward.

“THEY DID IT! OUR FIRST GOAL AGAINST CRYSTAL PREP EVER!” Pinkie was jumping radiantly.

That is sad.

Sugarcoat didn't submit to defeat! She watched the opositon with near fanatical perseverance! Then, after several minutes of analyzing their gameplay, she received divine enlightenment.

“HEAVENSBANE! DON’T PURSUE RAINBOW DASH ANY LONGER!”

The defending players and Gilda were shocked at those words.

“Why did you tell her that!?” 

“Look closely at their players and their game style! Why didn’t I see this before!?”

What I was missing? What? What!? WHAT!? They were playing wild, passionate and energetic while the academy was playing too tight and… I see! It took me several minutes, but now I understand!

Agh… I can’t believe I’m going to do this. “DUST! ZAP! KEEP PRESSURING THEM BUT DON’T PUSH TOO HARD! SAVE YOUR ENERGY FOR THE SECOND HALF!” 

“JET SET! DO AS HE SAYS! GIVE THEM DEFENSIVE COMMANDS FOR NOW!” The Thunder Duo and Set at first were dubious, but Lightning Dust’s instincts told her to listen to Sugarcoat and ordered the attackers to stand by for further instructions. The problem was Gilda who was still chasing Dash’s tail. “HEAVENSBANE!”

“NO! I GOT THIS!”

“MY MIGHTY FRIEND! GO BACK TO THE DEFENSE AREA AND HELP THE OTHER DEFENDERS STALL THE OPPOSITION AS MUCH AS THEY CAN!”

“HELL NO!”

“DON’T BE STUPID, GRIFFONIAN! PLEASE TAKE HEED TO OUR WORDS!” 

“SHUT UP!”

“GILDA!”

The Crystal Champion’s voice blasted the field. Gilda slowed her pace in shock, giving Dash greater space to maneuver on the defenses. But how could she keep playing when she heard her first name from Sugarcoat herself? It was a first for those who know her to speak the first name of someone like that.

Zap’s own momentum was altered for a few seconds.

“PLAY WITH YOUR BRAINS BUT NOT WITH YOUR HEART ALONE! YOU WILL HAVE YOUR CHANCE ON THE SECOND TIME! GO BACK TO YOUR POSITION AND LISTEN TO JET SET’S INSTRUCTIONS FROM NOW ON!”I could feel Gily mumbling in doubt. Our friend was reluctant to follow that plan. “GILDA! DO YOU TRUST IN ME!?”

My friend made a full stop. She and Sugarcoat exchanged their clearest eyes yet. Gilda looked at the floor and closed her eyes for a moment. Soon, she locked her sight with our friend once more with a soft grin and the little Champ smiled tenderly, giving to our prideful friend two thumbs-up close to her heart. In the end, she went back to her position. With little to no surprise, the players followed the goalkeeper’s new instructions and played with a ‘Defend deep’ mentality. Curiously, he was giving away too much space in a particular are in that new formation. He must have noticed something else.

CHS at first was confused by their enemy’s decision. But then, Spitfire and her team played far more fiercely than before. The cheers from their crowd echoed across the fields. Even Fluttershy’s voice was getting louder and louder than ever. The academy was playing too wary, following the goalkeeper’s defensive commands. Jet Set wasn’t just a pretty face on the school when he got into something.

That didn’t mean that CHS would stop. They became relentless and passionate. I almost felt overwhelmed by Rainbow’s assault and her assault all alone with Spitfire. She used the free area and scored on the net with a cannon-shot, almost sending away Set’s arm. The arbiter signaled the second goal from Rainbow Dash.

"YEAAAAH!"

"YOU ARE GONNA DO IT, Y'ALL!"

Eventually, the first half ended. The score was two-zero in favor of CHS. “How do you guys think we’re playing?” Dash asked them. The small crowd gave the whole team water and vibrant smiles. The Cutie Crusaders, Lyra and Bon Bon arrived shortly after the team gathered and after being informed of the recent events, Lyra threw Rainbow upward. Dash was undeniably happy in the sky for a second as the people around chanted her name. Except for that pretty but mysterious girl.

Bon Bon was there… smiling… ominously... 

Most of them patted Dash’s back as she was the star of the first half with two, hard to deny, great goals. Scootaloo herself hugged her idol for a long period of time, much to Dash’s approval. Soarin was asked to bring more water from the nearest convenience store and he complied somewhat grumpy. Zap stayed behind on the field with his uncle and talked about their stuff. On the other hand, Dust was having a surprisingly civilized conversation with Sugarcoat. Our team was paying complete attention to her words and plans. 

“So that’s why!”

“They haven’t noticed yet because their own stupidity and lack of vision doesn't allow them to. Now you must crush them on this second half. Do you understand the plan, everyone?”

"Yes, Champion!"

"Heavensbane?"

"Of course, my friend!"

"Good..." She smiled at her. "And you, Dust? Crush them and have your revenge!"

“With pleasure, Champion Sugarcoat!” She said excited with a malicious grin.

I didn’t think that a game could unite hated enemies against a common foe this easily.

“Well, taking in consideration that I imprisoned you in a Labyrinth of References and you tried to kill me once…!”

“Stop reading minds, Reem!”

“Whatever you mean, my beloved friend!” Said she happily while resting her head on my shoulder and hugging my arm. “Whatever you mean…”

The referee signaled both teams that it was time to start the second half. 

“Let’s go, Wondercolts!” CHS shouted out. 

The second half started. Ten minutes into the game, Spitfire had possession of the sphere at the center. No one from the academy was challenging the ball so she had a clear shoot at the net. Every single person from Canterlot’s crowd was in suspense as they all saw the ball curving into the goal and then making a swish sound on the net. 

“GOAL!” They screamed out loud. Right after that, all of her teammates began to run at her and started hugging her like crazy. 
When the ball was in our possession, the Thunder duo and the rest of the attackers and mid field players were controlling the ball well enough that the other team couldn’t take it away from them. Zap was playing around, running in zigzag and passing the ball on her teammates and Dust back and forth for as long as she could. 

The Wondercolts were following the ball without stopping for anything. The defense of the opposing players looked like a wall. The cheers from CHS were passionate and full of dreams. Everything was just fine…

Then, at the eighteen minute of play, Zap scored our first goal.

“DON’T WORRY! WE ARE STILL WINNING THIS!” Dash shouted to her teammates. “WE ARE WONDERCOLTS!”

“AND WE ARE GOING TO WIN!” The teammates gave their battle cry.

Dash flicked the ball, finding itself falling to Spitfire’s legs. She tried to drivel on all the defenders, but the team suddenly gave her an aggressive resistance. Now, she only needed to pass the ball to one of her teammates from her back. That pass didn’t happen. I slowly started to understand the fear of Soarin with their current mantra.

My hated new captain began to play with the ball and driveled through all the defenders. She was sprinting as fast as she could. Jet Set was leaving the right side of the goal open so there is where she shot the ball. He swiftly dashed to the sphere and quickly made it lunge at Dust. The defenders of the opposing team were chasing her zealously. But this time, Dust passed through them with average effort.

The second goal from Crystal Prep was made.

I could see lingering frustrations from CHS surfacing at full strength on their faces. I was so excited that Rainbow was losing her temper and I wanted to celebrate… but I didn’t because the match wasn’t over yet. Slowly but surely, like the rest of the academy, I was waiting for what we were expecting to happen soon. The so awaited outcome was starting to manifest on the Wondercolts. In the minute thirty-six, it finally happened.

Heavy panting and exhausted players sprouted on the enemy, one by one.

Jet Set shouted, “NOW!!” and Crystal Prep academy took a ruthless play style of two-one-four-three position according to Soarin. The new kids started to ambush the opposition who had the ball. They hunted them down. Stalked them viciously like wolfs drowned in hunger and bloodlust, forcing them to retreat further and further to their own goal keep. Dash and Spitfire were the only ones who kept the pace at full throttle.

Dust clashed most of the time with Spitfire, while Gilda challenged Rainbow Dash at every turn. It was bliss for me, seeing Gily’s face in exhilaration as her old mentor was slowly been butchered from alternatives. The rest of CHS tried to maintain the pace, but they were succumbing to exhaustion. That forced Dash and Spitfire to double their efforts.

“RAINBOW DASH! PASS THE BALL!” Sunset urged her.

She didn’t listen. Her pride wouldn’t allow her to submit against her old friend. Her captain was in the same boat as she tried as hard as she could to outsmart Lightning Dust when fighting for the ball. Zap and the rest of the mid players waited for the right moment to charge for the third goal. Then, it happened. 

Gilda stole the ball from Dash and passed it to Zap.

Indigo was leaving her trace on fire as she approached the net. She didn’t even put effort to avoid the defenses. There were no defenses! Only dead men! She made a pass to one of her teammates and the third goal was scored! Crystal Prep tied effortlessly. I wanted her to lose… but…

“RAINBOW DASH! TRY TO PLAY SMART! WE CAN THINK ON SOMETHING DURING OVERTIME!” Soarin was desperate.

“DASH!” I shouted with pity. “FOCUS ON THE DEFENSES OR YOU ARE GOING TO GET KILLED!”

“NOW YOU ARE SUPPORTING US, NITPICK!?” She ignored Soarin.

“I DON’T WANT YOU TO LOSE THAT BADLY, MORON!!”

“WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MORON, JERK!!? DON’T SPEAK TO ME ANYMORE!”

“THEN SUFFER A BRUTAL DEFEAT!”

Midnight, Spike, Lyra, the Crusaders, the rest of the Idol Six and the reserves gave me a disappointed look. I didn’t care anymore. Her team assumed a stubborn attitude that cost them the right for an overtime. Every single minute was another goal. They took turns to score in the net. Even Jet Set as a goalkeeper scored one for the team. 

From there, slaughter! Complete, painful, and brutal slaughter! I didn’t want to see this any longer, but Gilda had the ball in her possession so I needed to watch it to the bittersweet end. She was challenged by both star players of CHS, charging against them with brute force and steady pace. From the sides, Zap and Dust ran in a perfect coordination so she could pass the ball to either of them.

“GILDA! PASS ME THE BALL!”

“NO! ME!”

“ME!”

“ME!”

“OKAY, HERE IT GOES!”

Dash and Spitfire ambushed the Thunder Duo at the same time. It was all a heartless ruse. The game was over as soon as she kicked the ball and scored the last goal. 

“TIME IS OVER! CRYSTAL PREP WINS!” The referee blew his whistle again to announce the end of the game. I found myself sprinting towards Gilda and we embraced each other while jumping like imbeciles. 

“YOU DID IT, SUCKER!”

“YEAH! WE WON!”

Crystal Prep’s cry of victory was heard across the land. The final score was three to eleven in favor of the academy. Everyone clashed their hands with one another with an unexpected demeanor. It was a first for me to see students from the academy acting like this. Where they usually act snobbishly and arrogant, now they were burning with energy and big grins on their faces.

“Crystal Prep Academy’s reputation has been cleansed a little!” Said Sugarcoat like a prophet with bliss in her heart and her hair dancing with the wind.

“Tantene! Conditioning your hair to look smooth and slick!” Reem winked.

“Shut up, Oakwo-”

Gilda soon came into the field of vision of the little Champ. She walked slowly to the direction of the one who put all her faith in her. Sugarcoat was just there, waiting for her arrival. As soon as they were close to each other, they shared a warm hug. 

Their Friendship has been deepened one more time.

“I have never supervised a match so free of fouls in my life! It was a first for me to not being forced to bestow penalty cards or punishments! Well done!”

“Thank you for coming, Uncle Rulebook!” Zap hugged her relative with appreciation.

“Oh, my little Indigo! Everything for my favorite nephew!” He smiled warmly at her. “As for you, Lightning!” He turned stern all of the sudden. “Don’t cause any trouble to your cousin on the school! Understood, lady?”

“Yeah, yeah…”

“Yeah, yeah?”

“Yes, dad. Sorry.” She looked at the side with arms crossed.

…Ouch.

“I know you have them, Indigo, but here are the rules of the Inter Tournament for your friends in case you want to review them together! I put some notes in there to help you understand them better!”

“Thank you!”

“Well, gotta go! You parents and I will eat seafood with your aunt! You know how she gets angry when we get late!”

“Just like cousin Dust!”

They both laughed wildly as my poor, disliked enemy was being ashamed in front of Gilda, Sugarcoat and me. When he was gone, Zap waved at Sergeant Loyalty. “Dash! Look! You need to see this!”

Shrouded in despair and sadness, looking at the team of my new school was a horrendous view. Faces swollen with discreet tears and anger fell through their cheeks. I think that it's perhaps harder to learn from victory than it is from defeat. Losing is horrible. Especially against the ones who always crush you at every turn. But still… they gave you the best teachings.

“Uh… Dash?”

“HEY!” An angered girl faced Dash face to face. “Cous’ Zap is talking to you!”

“Only to laugh at us…”

“I wouldn’t do that!” Zap said empathically in a very uncharacteristic way. 

“Yeah, you would!” Lightning was being bitchy as always. Her cousin gave her the mean look. “What?” She smiled cockily. “Don’t be soft with them unless you want to spoil them.”

“Cousin Dust…”

“AH, C’MON!” She wasn’t budging at all. “Ok, Fine! I’m sorry! Even so, you know it’s true! Admit it, they played terrible!”

Indigo sighed in defeat. “Rainbow Dash, your performance was, uh, bad, compared to other occasions. Were you sick today or you trained way too hard earlier?”

“Are you saying that I played that bad?” Rainbow was depressed.

“No… I mean, you all played incredible in the first half, and you were… stubborn and valorous...”

“Sugarcube… tell us the honest truth…” Applejack smiled weakly. “Come on, don’t be shy!”

“Well… I… I… It’s just… Well…” She took a massive bunch of air. “HORRIBLE! Your team play is horrible! I have never seen such atrocious team effort before! This is way different than the triathlon we had during the games! Why didn’t you change to a defensive formation when we scored the first goal? Why didn’t you change players from your reserves to substitute the most tired of your team? Why you were so obsessed to not pass the ball when your teammates had perfect opportunities in perfect places to score an almost sure goal!!? You played terribly bad on the second time!”

“Terribly bad? That was atrocious!” Said Blueblood with pity. “Even an ignorant like me on such matters knew that you were performing badly on communication!”

“I can’t believe I am agreeing with Blueblood, of all people!” Dust was ashamed of herself.

“HEY!”

“Speaking of communication, you should have played in the four-four-one-one formation as that guy suggested! Spitfire, you are obviously a born supporter while Dash is the gifted goal scorer!”

“But how would the rest of the team participate during the match? Everyone has to play actively to feel important!”

“Dash, the team helps when they are fulfilling their jobs!” Zap gripped on Dash’s shoulders. “Your play style gave away too early that you tried too hard to assume all positions! That’s not good! No matter how boring the job is, a good defender is as important as the scorers! Is this is really your current mentality and level?”

“Yeah…”

“Not good enough! But, if you train on new strategies and coordination, you could challenge the Inter Tournament decently! You just need to last the ninety minutes of gameplay plus the probable thirty of overtime and-!”

“Wait! Did you say ninety minutes!? AND THIRTY MINUTES OF OVERTIME?”

“Ah, yeah! It is the standard for that tournament! It’s the kind of match we just had! It’s here in the rule guide concerning the tournament!”

“Hey!” A player from CHS looked surprised. “Isn’t that the book Soarin was carrying around all these past weeks?”

“Yeah! It is the same!”

“Soarin! Care to explain!?” Spitfire barked.

The passive guy from the soccer team withdrew from his backpack a guide book identical to the one Zap was carrying. “Principal Celestia gave me this book several weeks ago before we started our training.”

“Why didn’t you give it to us, you moron!?”

“I tried! But you didn’t listen! Just like with Twilight's notes, you didn’t want to read the book because you were so busy training ‘awesomely and cool’ instead of reading boring stuff! We trained wrongly all this time and we could suffer for that!”

“He is right, Dash! Your team sucks!”

“HEY! Don’t insult my teammates like that, Dust!”

“I’m sorry to say this, Rainbow Dash, but Cous’ is right. This is not a inter high school competition! This is a ticket to have a chance to be part of the nation’s pro community! You can’t play with sup-bar players and strategies in a tournament like this! Even Cinch herself gets nervous when watching those matches because of the overwhelming level the best players of other recognized schools have!”

“Not to mention that you just were surprised at hearing the time of each official match! I’m gonna guess that you hoped you were going to play the standard eighty minutes of high school gameplay, right?” The Wondercolts were left speechless. “Let me tell you that this is not the case! No wonder you didn’t last the full match! We of Crystal Prep always train with the official rule set of the I.F.S.F in mind!”

“What?” I asked.

“The International Football Soccer Federation, Bittersweet.”

“Thanks, Sugarcoat.”

“Tell me, how big is your soccer field, Dash? Ours is the maximum allowed of one-hundred and twenty yards long and eighty yards wide!”

“Well, uh, I don’t know!” Dust made a facepalm.

“One hundred yards long and sixty yards wide!” Midnight answered. “Markings of the penalty area, the goal area, the goal and the touch lines are the same as I.F.S.F, having the required hash mark along the goal line eleven yards from the corner to indicate where opponents cannot encroach during corner kicks. The team bench is ten feet from the touch line. I did all the research, measurements and calculations with Nitty some weeks ago!”

“Pfff… Thanks, Sparkle. Pffff… I, uhm, appreciate it!” Dust was clearly containing her laughter caused by my nickname while Midnight gave away a big grin. “Kitty…”

I heard that, bitch!

“I’m here to help.” Said Midnight with pride and fully unaware of the situation.

“What does it have to do with the actual tournament?”

“Dash! The size of the field is important!” Zap took her hands and made some traces with her fingers on her palm. “It doesn’t look like much but a few yards of difference and game time punishes or benefits one’s performance! Crystal Prep Academy’s soccer club starts it’s training on the first year of middle school! Then, the best players of each generation join the official high school team, and the best of high school joins the college team! And it’s the same deal with the other clubs!”

“That’s why we always win in virtually every competition like soccer, tennis, and even golf! Not only against you during the Friendship Games, but against other schools as well!” Said Sugarcoat prideful. “We take our training and studies seriously! This is why we ALWAYS win!”

“But we have trained hard too!”

“For how long? Weeks, months, years? Your way of training and how constant you are matters, Rainbow Dash! I won’t lie! You have talent, girl! Real talent! Perhaps more so than me!” Everyone was left in stupefaction when Dust said those words. “But! You are even worse at teamwork than me! You wanted all the glory for Spitfire and yourself! I hated to work with Gilda, even if I was the one that asked her to do so! And yet, we managed to make a decent formation because there were two factors into play; communication and a common goal! Our hate to you overrode our pride and we worked together to beat you! Add the fact that the rest of the team knew their place and worth on the game and BAM! A recipe for success! While yours were just running like crazy, waiting for a chance to have a bite on the cake! Chance that never happened because it was all about you!”

“But-!”

“Rainbow Dash! If you want to shine, play the kind of sports I do! Tennis, boxing, athletics! No matter how good one is, in a team based sport, one or two star-players can´t carry the team by themselves! Either they suck at team play or the team itself is a hindrance to them!”

“She is right!” Said Fleetfloot. “Why didn’t you pass me the ball at the beginning of the game? I could have helped!”

“Why you didn’t make a back pass to me when you were surrounded? I had a clear shoot line to score a goal!”

Complaints erupted from the frustrated athletes of my new school. Whether she was being sincere or not with what she said, Lightning Dust enjoyed the inner struggle her enemy had amongst themselves. Knowing her abusive ways, she probably just said all that to screw with Dash. Gilda on the other hand only said to us, “Let’s go and celebrate this victory, Sug!”

“My treat!” She replied. “Let’s go, T.U.O!”

As I got further and further away from the fields with the rest of the gang, both schools’ star players soon clashed in a ‘friendly’ conflict concerning the tournament rules. Zap and Shimmer were being the mediators as Rainbow and Lightning kept bitching with their methods. I didn’t have the energy to watch them anymore. I kept walking with a relaxed demeanor and enjoyed the - so much missed - breeze of the wind. 

Sugarcoat invited us at her home and did some homemade cookies for Gilda as a prize.
> Chapter 78 - Gilda and Twilight's meaningful moments! Tale 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was alternating between jogging and running on one of the parks near Ponyville. I couldn't stop moving. I was too motivated when I left Sug’s house. I wanted to keep pushing my limits more and more until my body was left lifeless on the soft grass. But experience told me to not overdo it. Smart training is good training. When I started feeling exhausted, my road back home begun.

Besides… they may be in my sports bag, but I didn't want to leave Sug's cookies exposed to the wilderness much longer.
Once I finished my routine, I got into the nearest convenience store I could find. I searched for the biggest bottle of water my money could spare at the moment, and decided to buy some snacks as well. Just when I was about to grab my pack of crackers, my hand clashed with another.

“Sorry, I…” My surprise at seeing my rival for the crackers made me give away a chuckle. “Sparkle.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry! If you want the crackers…”

“They are yours, girl. I have others snacks in my bag here.”

The cart she was carrying had a lot of stuff worthy for a party. Seeing her pathetic struggles in carrying it out, I decided to help her out. I paid for my water and left the store without delay. My bottle didn’t last long. As soon as I passed the park again, the plastic stuff was already on the trash bin. I gave a quick look at my phone and noticed that it was still early. Eight with seventeen in the evening was a good time to relax on a bench and admire the stars.

Nit and Oak loves to do this… and I can see why now.

Calmly breathing into the night, I thought about what kind of dinner I should do. Grandpops devoured the last of the burritos we bought last night and the fridge had only the basics for a decent food. “Tomorrow I must do the groceries…” Or perhaps I could barge into Nit’s house and steal some of his rare cereals he manages to find in the stores. “Heh! He won’t mind!”

“Mind what?”

“Me stealing of his cereal, of course!” My brain’s engines started working. “Sparkle.” I didn’t look at her.

“Hi!” She said friendly.

If I started talking soon, somehow I knew that Sparkle would assume that her presence was welcomed in my time of privacy. I wasn’t the type of person to be comfortable in the spotlight she was giving me. With small sips taken through her soft-looking lips, the ex-brightest student of the academy was taking her sweet time in drinking her beverage and whatever else she was planning to do. I glanced at her quickly and something was off about her. Trying to ignore her, I just rested my arms on the bench and kept breathing slowly.



Eventually, my patience came to an end.

“What do you want?”

“Oh, nothing! I just wanted to think things for a while before heading to Rarity’s home! We are going to have a slumber party and I’m just killing time before the girls arrive!”

“Good for you. What do you really want?”

“Why do you think I want something from you?” She said weakly.

I opened my left eye and stared at her straightly. “You may be smiling, but clearly you are anxious.”

She sighed heavily. Her hands were squeezing in vain the little cup of hot chocolate milk she was carrying. After a moment of reflection, she just said, “I was wondering if you could help me with something.”

“Me?” I was dubious. “Whatever it is, I can’t help you. Ask one of your friends to do so.”

“You are the only one I could ask this!” She said with a bit of remorse. “You know Rainbow Dash better than I do!”

“Ah… Well, ask Fluttershy then. She knows Rainbow Dash far better than I do.”

“No, she simply won’t do!”

Now I was curious. “And why not?”

“Because…” She started playing with her fingers, finally deciding to drank her beverage in one go. “I don’t think Rainbow Dash is someone who needs tender comfort when her mood is down.”

“Sparkle…!” I laughed in praise. “I have seen many storms in my life. But you are the funniest yet!”

“This is a serious matter for me!” She angrily said. “I don’t know what to do! I just feel this slumber party won’t help at all in the long run! Ever since I met Nitty’s friends, I have been feeling very doubtful on what to believe!”

“Believe in what?”

“In… how to make friends.”

“How to make friends, huh? You already have some, don’t you?”

“Yes but… Today when Rainbow Dash was being attacked by Lightning, I couldn’t do anything! She was rude, nasty, and when Rainbow tried to put a strong face, I could see that… she was hurt on the inside…”

“…And how do you feel about that?”

“Oh! I felt many, many things! I was stressed for not helping Rainbow! I was desperate for my friends to help her out! But more importantly… when Dust had that face of mockery, when she was laughing on the inside while humiliating MY friend on public, to be honest…” Her glasses seemed about to crack from her piercing gaze at me. “I was angry.”

Colder by the passing seconds. Stronger by each breath exhaled. A strong wind appeared out of nowhere, like a warning to the people, saying that doom was coming. Her delicate fingers were crushing her cup, almost giving the sensation that she could tear the earth apart. A burning aura of malice was manifesting from her tiny body.

It felt god-like.

“I don’t even know why I thought this was a good idea.” She breathed heavily and exhaled softly. The ominous aura was gone. “You clearly aren’t interested on helping me.” She stood up, ready to leave. “Sorry for bothering you.”

Nit asked of me to aid her when my turned arrived… and I had the feeling that my time to help has come. Damn him!

“Do you feel stressed? Why don’t you come here and let me rubber your shoulders! Not joking, honest!”

After giving a long look at me, she just said with a smile, “Thanks.”

My finger did a gesture to make her come in front of me. Her long and smooth hair tied with a ribbon made it easy for me to do my task. But for a strange reason, I felt that untying it would be better. I put her ribbon inside her sweater’s bag. “Aren’t you hot using this?”

“It became windy and chilly when night fell, Gilda! I’m surprised that you aren’t freezing!”

“It’s chilly now? I didn’t notice! On the Motherland, I survived at eight Celsius degrees with just a sweater!”

“No wonder you aren’t feeling cold.”

I gently made my way to her back. It was stiff, full of bad mojo. I made my massaging movements. “Oh!” She said with a tone of pleasure, her gestures slowly relaxing his muscles. “It feels like Dean Cadence…” Sparkle’s head fell at my leg.

“Yeah, don’t get used to it. Now, vent your frustrations, complain and bitch until you feel better!”

“No… I can’t.” She said almost asleep.

“Girl, you are building up stress yourself! Or perhaps the reason you are angry at Dust isn’t because what she did to Dash… are you reflecting on your old life’s lack of confidence?”

I stopped my motions and the little genius’ breathing sulked in quietness. Her gaze locked with my eyes, giving me a sense that I hit the nail on her dilemma. “Will you help me?”

“Only when you are in a better mood! Come on, stand up!” 

“What are we going to do?”

I showed her my hands wide open and slowly put my fingers together. I assumed a training position, my hands serving as training mitts. “Hit my hands with your best shots!”

“WHAT!? No! I c-couldn’t possibly do that!”

“It’s okay! You help me train a little and you unleash your fury! It will be a trade!”

“No… I…”

“Come on! If you plan to help Dash with a sullen face and sad eyes, you’ll only depress her more!” I clapped my hands with sheer force. “Show me how far you’re willing to go for her!”

Trembling in fear, Sparkle raised her fists in the lamest position I’ve ever seen since Fluttershy’s lessons of karate when we were kids. With a half-assed motion, she made contact with my hands and a weak ‘Pffff’ was being heard just between us.

“That was lame, Sparkle… Try again.”

A second punch was made, but this time it was less pathetic ad more confident. Slowly but surely, she took the hang of it. Echoes of her struggles were getting stronger for each punch she made. “Imagine now that you are hitting Dust!”

“What?”

“Just do it!” Her assault became weak again. “Remember the nasty things she said to her!” Her motions became faster. “Imagine how hurt Dash is because of her!” Stronger. “IMAGINGE HOW SAD SHE IS RIGHT NOW!”

‘Slam’

“Angry!?”

“YES!”

“KEEP GOING!” Her anxiety soon became a barrage of punches. Her fists were soft, but the intensity… full of kept struggles and regrets. “EVERYONE AT SCHOOL THOUGHT YOU WERE A LOSER!” Her fist made another echo. “EVERYONE THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE A SOCIAL FAILURE WHO WOULD NEVER MAKE FRIENDS!” A louder echo soared through the wind. “THAT YOU WERE A DISGRACE FOR CAPTAIN SHINING ARMOR!”

‘SLAM’

“That felt good!” I said. Her breathing became faster and her eyes were closing from exhaustion. “Feeling better?”

“Just a little.” She panted heavily. “But I believe I understand! I must give her my best comfort!”

“Your best comfort? Like this? You got to be kidding me! There’s still doubt in your mouth! Your eyes are looking at the floor while lamenting that you could possibly fail without even trying!”

“But this is the best I can do for now!”

“No matter how much you try, you’ll never help her. Forever damned to watch from afar and witness how other people stomp on her pride you are! Wimps can’t help wimps become stronger!”

“Are calling her a wimp?” Sparkle was angered. “She will get out of this, Gilda! I know she will! Even without me!”

“AHAHAHAHA!” I couldn’t help in amusing myself with her intentions, and I shouldn’t have laughed at her like that… but perhaps, if I push a little more… maybe! “The only thing you are showing me is that you don’t believe you have what it takes to raise her mood! With your clear lack of backbone, you’ll just make Dash feel like utter crap with your stupid charades!”

“They aren’t charades!” She clenched her fist while looking at the floor in helplessness. “I-I will find a way to help her! A miracle will happen if I don’t give up!”

“Miracle!? You mustn’t wait for fate and hope to come to your aid, girl!” I clenched my fist in front of her. “You take it! Steal it! You get what you want with effort and constant struggle! Hope untested with zero hard work is nothing! Tell me something! Does she still takes her naps after practices are over? Does she still get full of herself when she wins on something? Does she still bark like a stupid dog whe-!”

“Stop insulting Rainbow Dash, Gilda!” Part of her face was shrouded in a darkness that not even the streets lights could reach. “You are making me angry…” 

“Excuse me? Did you say something? My bullshit detector was turned off without my notice and I didn’t hear you! HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO FIGHT FOR YOUR FRIENDS, WIMP!?”

“I want to help her!” Her voice turned into an ominous echo in my mind. “I‘ll help her… no matter what!”

She managed to make me retreat one step. HOW DARES SHE!? I wouldn’t let myself be intimidated by Twilight Sparkle! “Heh, really!? You want to help her out? HA! You want to help Rainbow Dash in raising her spirit when you are like that? Whining like a stray dog? Give me a break! You don’t even know the real struggle that Dash is having now, and I do!”

“Tell me, then…” A dark, thin aura emanated from her. “TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO KNOW!” 

In a flash, she grabbed me with incredible strength on my arms. Her teary eyes weren’t enough to hide what I saw. Desperately panting for air and answers, her eyes took a magenta neon-like shade and gazed deep inside me. For a moment… she scared me deeply. But at the same time… I hungered for another challenge!

She looked dangerously challenging today!

“Tell you what! I’ll tell you the secret on how to comfort Dash IF you manage to land a punch on my face! Fight for the things you love and prove your worth to me!”

“A punch on your face? Sure… I will do!” She said eerie confident.

I don’t know why… but my instincts screamed to me to run away in that moment. Bullshit! My griffonian pride was more than enough to calm them down. I assumed my favorite all-out boxing stance. At the same time, I firmly clenched my fists and tried to put less weight on my body. My intention was to test her courage and determination, not hurt her.

Nit would never forgive me if she is injured by me.

I back dashed and gave her plenty of space to maneuver. “Good! Start when ready!”

As expected, Sparkle ran to me in a very simplistic fashion. Her posture was full of openings and she was slow as hell compared to even Oak. Her fist made a wide arc and I dodged it easily. Her assault continued and I just simply moved from side to side, avoiding contact with her. 

All too easy! Now I just-

‘Slam’

She managed connect a surprise hit. But I blocked it too easily as well. There was a problem, though. It hurt.

“Oh… so this is how it is done?” She assumed the same posture as mine. Her eyes piercing the night as a merciless falcon.

“What the-!” 

She dashed a little faster than before. Her movements started to get sharper, little by little. I felt like I was fighting Sug during our spars. I still avoided them easily. What made me shudder, though, were her eyes. They shinned with an unnatural glow. Like a monster slowly starting to emerge from the inside of a pure maiden.



‘SLAM’

She landed another punch in my blocking arm. “That hurt a lot…” I mumbled while rubbing it. “Come if you dare!”

She lunged to my right, almost connecting a full blow to my stomach. All of the sudden, her speed matched the pain in the ass when using a foil. “Cool.” I launched some of my jabs at her. I released a compact cross and finally a combination of the two, forming the basic jab-cross routine. All shadow boxing of course. As expected, she retreated back on the enormous space of the park.

“Mmm…” She was looking at her fist far away from me. Then… then the little fucker imitated my motions like if it was nobody’s business. “I wonder now!” She dashed at me with a daring will, and connected a full jab on my cross-guard. “SO THIS IS HOW IT WORKS!”

Her voice sounded power hungry now. My instincts screamed to me again. This time, my pride was gradually starting to support their claims. Sparkle’s presence grew in size. Her battle aura was slowly but steadily starting to overwhelm me! No… I don’t think I am dealing with the usual Twilight Sparkle anymore. Those eyes… were not human!

“More!” She said while slowly walking towards me. “I NEED TO KNOW MORE OF THIS!”

Like lighting, her basic punches were given me a run for my money! Even if primitive and still amateurish compared to us, she was making me sweat like an actual spar with Nit. That was... Awesome! “I’LL GIVE YOU HELL, SPARKLE!”

I launched several deadly jabs at her but sweat and panting stopped me for moments. She blocked my assault right away and retaliated with another heavy blow on my guard. The exchanges were mostly punches from me against one punch she barely managed to launch during some intervals. But it finally hit me. The reason of my sup-bar performance manifested through my heavy breathing. I was already burned out from the soccer match and my recent routine of today. But she…!

“I’LL SAVE RAINBOW!”

She simply wouldn’t stop!

I couldn’t hold much longer. If she burns what’s left of my fuel, I’ll be done for good. I just hope she can take it. Just when she dashed to me again, I broke my self-promise to not hurt her and made a full swing on her chin. My uppercut felt the bone of her jaw and she was sent flying to the bench. 

“OH SHIT!” I ran to her aid and inspected her for any damage. “Sparkle!” I showed her two fingers in her face. “How many fingers do you see?”

“Two.” She said dizzy with hilarious eyes.

“That’s a relief but I’ll call the ambulance!”

“No… wait! Before that, could you please get closer to me?”

“Yeah!” I looked at her in the face and softly rubbed her forehead. “What is it?”

She quickly raised her fist and punched me on the nose. It didn’t hurt at all like her previous punches, and she was smiling with a victorious attitude. “I punched you in the face!” She recovered like if I hadn’t hit her and sat correctly. “I win!” She said it like the sweet, innocent girl I spoke to before the fight, raising her arms like if she had saved the world.

“You son of a…” My anger quickly turned into amusement. “Hahaha! You are funny… but I hit you badly on the jaw! Are you sure you are okay?”

She rubbed her chin and then chuckled. “Yeah! I am fine! It hurt but somehow I’m fine!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! I feel fine! Believe me!” She stood up with zero damage. “See? I’m just fine! Thank you for worrying about me!”

“Yeah…” I sweated cold drops for a moment. Not only she was clean from my best punch in my current condition, the pain in my arms reminded me that the fight did happened. Nevermind, she was good. “Just making sure you were ok!”

“Thank you…!” She said tenderly while looking at me. “Now… will you help me out?”

“Of course! YOU WON! Let’s take a seat and relax for a while, if you have time.”

She inspected her pockets and looked at the hour of her phone. “I still have plenty of time! Spike says that only Pinkie Pie has arrived at Rarity’s place!”

“Good… wait! Spike!? Are you having a dude in your slumber party!!?”

“What!? NO! It was my dog who texted-” She quickly shut her mouth.

“Your dog texted you? Are you sure you are ok? I can take you to the local clinic right now.”

“Yeah, I-I’m fine! What do I need to do to prove it to you?”

“Jump.” She jumped. “Spin around three times.” She did. “Jump again. Run around me five times. Now another five times on the opposite direction. Hit my hand!” A half-assed sound echoed weakly. “THAT WAS WEAK, SPARKLE!”

“I’m sorry!” She jumped scared like a cat.

“Seriously, where did that strength and savage aura from before go?”

“Savage aura? Did I really hurt your nose?”

“You-!” 

‘Mentally speaking, she is a very unstable person.’

Sug’s words echoed. So this is what she was talking about long ago. Hmph… It would be best to no longer bomb her with questions. Perhaps she was finally letting go of all of her past frustrations, and when she finally calmed down, her mind just forgot. Like if she denied that her anger in her life existed, trying to be always good for the sake of it.

Ha! You are something else, girl!

“Ok, Sparkle! You hit me, you win! Let’s take a seat and I’ll say what you need to do to help Dash!” She made a big smile while sitting on the bench. Her hands were shaking with the rhythm of her legs. I took a deep breath and only said, “Pep talk to her.”

“What!?” She was angrily disappointed. “That’s it? All this trouble for just that!?”

“Yeah! Pep talk to her strongly. Rainbow Dash needs from you the validity of your friendship to raise her spirit up.”

“B-but we tried to encourage her after the defeat she had during the afternoon. Lightning Dust said a lot of ill-spirited things to her. I have never seen Rainbow so… lost…! I need more than that! I demand more than that!”

“BWAHAHAHAHA! You are demanding me, you little shit!? HA! Alright, just because you won! But first, let’s make something clear!” I embraced her neck and tenderly put her head laying on me. “Lightning Dust is a poor assed loser who doesn’t know when to shut up and admit defeat! She may have defeated Dash today, but it was mostly Sug and Zap giving her directions to outsmart her! Just ignore her and everything will be fine! You have proven me that you can become more than what you are right now, so believe in what I say!”

“But Rainbow-!”

“Sparkle! If this is all what Rainbow needs to feel disheartened, then she isn’t as strong as she thinks she is! I told you already! Make her remember that she is the best when she is on her own!”

“But wouldn’t that mean that I will be practically saying that she isn’t a good team player?”

“Sparkle, she wasn’t a team player before! And after the match of today, my suspicions were proven true once again! Rainbow Dash hasn’t learned her lesson like I am doing now with Sug!”

“What do you mean by that?”

“She wants to be recognized, little prodigy! Prove to everyone that she can be the best in what she does! Ever since we were kids, she had always had that kind of determination! Whenever she did a good deed, a good act, a good display of her abilities, she desired to be praised by her efforts! Why do you think her ego took a blow when Dust said all those nasty things you said she spoke to her? Because for Dash, it would mean she failed someone!”

Sparkle rested her hands on my hugging arm. “But she has nothing to prove! She is incredible!”

“But here is the problem! If Rainbow is still the girl I met long ago, then she fears to be forgotten and put aside! Think about it, how many times she has gloated that she can do everything she says and does it moments later?”

“All the time!” She smiled with a bit of jealously. “She is so daring and brave! Always giving good cheering to the students of CHS! I don’t think that the school could be this confident without her!”

“Then what would happen if someone steals the spot from her? I’ll tell you! A complete repetition of what you saw today! The Thunder Duo, especially Dust, stole the play of the game from her! She felt into despair and dismissed her team for the sake of proving she could live to their expectations! That’s not good! You can’t give your back to the people who look at you for personal reasons!”

“Rainbow Dash would never do that!” Sparkle’s eyes became transparent in expectation. 

“Oh, really? I already told you my story before, so let’s change the situation for something more recent, ok? Her teammates and their tournament are perfect for this! What is the purpose of Dash on the team when the only people who could qualify to have the scholarships are the third graders?”

“Her purpose is to help our superiors to have a better chance on getting the scholarship, of course!”

“And you think Dash stealing the show would help them out in any way? You think that rushing to the enemy, leaving behind the team effort and playing impulsively would be beneficial to them?”

“No… I suppose not.”

“And what about Spitfire? Since we are touching the subject of loyalty, let’s make a little critic on her too! Tell me, what is her relationship with that Soarin guy?”

“Rainbow told me they are friends since kids.”

“And you believe ignoring your friend’s worries is something that a true friend would do? Even if he may be proven wrong later, the guy wanted to help his friend! Why do you think that he got ignored?”

“I don’t know…”

“You don’t know? Or do you think do you don’t know?”

“Excuse me?” She was confused.

“Sparkle! When you accepted my challenge, what do you felt in that moment? What made you jump recklessly against me when at first glance you didn’t have a chance against me?”

“I was… angry at you… For saying all those meanie things of Rainbow!”

“And do you know what that anger is when a person you love is being hurt in any mean? What made you move faster and stronger for the sake of your loyalty to her?” She shook her head in negation. “Your drive, Sparkle! It’s your drive that makes you push forward and don’t stop at anything to reach your goal! It gives you strength! It tempers your will and makes you unstoppable! But… it also makes you blind and vulnerable to defeat and humiliation!”

“Why? If we take your words as granted, if you have strength to win, you can overcome any challenge!”

“And that’s exactly why you would fail in the end when getting full of yourself! Tell me, without any mean spirited intention… does she still take her naps during classes or immediately after training a little?”

“…Yes.”

“You see? Dash is a prodigy in sports! And when a prodigy does a lot of amazing stuff in multiple occasions, she gets cocky! She feels invincible! And when someone better than her defeats her or the circumstances are against her favor, and loses, she takes it too personal! That was one of the many bad habits I learned from her… And it’s hard to get rid of them…”

“What do you mean?”

“As I told you before, I looked up at her! I wanted to be her! Powerful and invincible! But… you grow up and see there is a wider world out there! Even if we defeated Sug in a little test when Nit and I first met her, later on, I saw the true extent of my chances on the world!” I closed my fist, like crushing my past, foolish dreams on the process. “I had nothing to offer to world, or me!”

“But you are strong too!”

“So what? You can be a prodigy and be successful on your own! But in the end, you need people who offer you a wider point of view in the things you don’t see alone! Klum Pacini, the Saddle Arabian boxer from the eighties was strong too! And you know what? He suffered a terrible loss that cost him his life! Many factors played to his downfall, all of personal matters!”

“Like what?” She asked curious.

“Well… He had a trainer that was far older than him, who happened to be his best friend. This trainer was a retired Muay Thai Master whose techniques were unorthodox by boxing standards. Even so, they had many victories together and won four weight titles. He never trained another athlete again for sheer loyalty for him.  Several years after he retired, Pacini tried to come back to the ring. Crum, his trainer, urged him to not do it! He even told his trusted doctor to make Pacini fail his examination, only for him to hate him for that and jump on the ring on his own. He lost with a heavy cross-counter and suffered an internal brain hemorrhage. He died on the ring.”

“That’s horrible!”

“Yeah…” I sighed heavily. He was my Grandparents’ favorite brute-force boxer. “But if you make parallels with his story to Dash’s soccer match, there are many similarities between one another. Except the gruesome death, of course!”

“Soarin is Crum, and Spitfire and Rainbow are Pacini!”

“Yeah! Soarin, for all intents and purposes, has a very passive attitude. I noticed that when I worked together with him during our on-going event. But during the match, according to Sug, he was right! He was offering another point of view from his perspective! And in the world of sports, you must consider every strategy before jumping blind to the enemy! But I can understand that Spitfire girl well! The desire to win when you seemingly have the advantage in a certain moment is exhilarating! But when you start to feel invincible…!”

“You lost track of the wisest choices!”

“Your genius fame is clearly well deserved.” She blushed a little happy while looking at the side. “And you know what? I could have ended up like her if it wasn’t for my friends! And today, Sug surprised me once again!”

“I don’t remember Sugarcoat speaking the first name of someone before so passionately!”

“Imagine my surprise when I have been at her side for a year now! I never felt so… empowered! Important!”

“It must feel nice…” She said with soft eyes and a little grin.

“Sparkle… what did you felt when you made your first friend?”

“I could never describe to perfection what I felt that day! An unexpected blessing? A burning joy? A part of me that I thought that it wasn’t missing? Like a spring without clouds! Like a summer without darkened rain! Like autumn without cold! Like winter without death! If it wasn’t for them, I would never have felt important and loved!”

“And you feel that they’ll never go away! You believe that you have someone beside you to the end of time! That you can soar up to the sky and reach frontiers you never imagined! Like endless power running through your heart! Like a void being filled by the sands of happiness!”

“YES! That’s exactly what I felt!”

“And then… it ends… and that feeling will never come back…”

“…Gilda.”

“Listen, Sparkle! Don’t ever be fooled by the colors of life! All people, friends included, have a dark side within them! You must learn to know the difference of who are your friends, who are your acquaintances, and especially, who are your enemies!”

“I don’t want to have enemies!”

“You will have enemies, girl! That’s how life works! Enemies that envy you! Enemies that want to crush you! Enemies who simply want to make you suffer for the sake of it! Recognizing who is friend or foe will give you an edge on whom to give your loyalty to!”

“My loyalty…”

“Yes! You can’t give yourself blindly to anyone! Just because they treat you nice at first, it doesn’t mean they are doing it with good intentions! You must take away the bandages that blind your eyes and see the world as it is; a deadly jungle! Loyalty sounds pretty on paper, but sometimes you must do things that look, uh, unfriendly to prove your love for them!”

“How could doing an unfriendly act prove your love to your friends?”

“Crum tried to sabotage Pacini’s examination because he knew too well that his friend’s time had expired! By trying to hinder his progress, he was willing to earn his hate for the sake of saving him!”

“But didn’t that intervene with Pacini’s dreams? What if he was wrong and he could have managed to make a comeback!?”

“Yeah, because a fifty-two year old boxer could match the strength and stamina of someone thirty years younger than him!”

“Oh… I see!”

“When you hamper the dreams of your friend when he clearly can manage it, you are not his friend, you are an asshole! But, when you thwart his efforts on doing something stupid, even if he gets angry with you, you are being his loyal friend! Being a loyal friend is more than being a good, helping buddy at every turn! Loyalty is to know when to fight with your friends against the lion side by side, and when to retreat and dragged him with you when the dragon is raining hell on you!”

“But when do I know I am doing the right thing?”

“By knowing your friends the best you can! It’s not enough chatting and laughing all the time! You must know as well what makes them angry! What can you do appease them! To help them! To encourage them! To teach them in the way they learn best! We may not seem like it, but there is a reason why Nit, I and the others bitch every day! We know most of our limits, and every day we still learn something new about us! Can you say the same with your friends? Have you done the extra step to learn more about them?”

“…No.”

“See? I mean, it is expected that you don’t know them very well at this point! You have only met them for a few months by now… but what will happen when a day in the distant future comes and they suddenly get angry at you? Will you cry because you don’t understand them at that moment? NO! You strengthen yourself and face the problem! But for that to happen, there is something more important you must do first before doing what we have talked so far!”

“And what is that?”

“Be loyal to yourself first!” I gripped on her shoulders. She was left speechless. “How can you expect to be truly loyal and understand what others are passing through, if you don’t love yourself first? When you said that your friends made you feel important for the first time, are you saying that your life was meaningless until now?”

“No… I…”

“Sparkle! Before you can help Dash, before you could even call someone a friend, you must learn about yourself first! What makes you truly angry? What makes you truly sad? What troubles you?  What triggers your strength?” I grabbed her hands and squeezed them. “When you wanted to defend Dash from my pettiness with your immature loyalty, your fists were surprisingly heavy! You unconsciously put everything you had in them! All your spirit! All your power! For an instant, you gave everything you got! Imagine what you can do if you master your gifts!” I raised her body and made her stand on the bench. “You will fly high!”

“But what if I start gloating!?”

“Then you live with the consequences of your actions! Don’t be afraid to be you! Look at me! Half of Crystal Prep fears or hates me, and I'm just living my life as it is! This is what Nit’s is trying to tell you! As long as you are happy, and as long as you are not hurting anybody, you can be whatever you want! Learn from everyone, girl! Seize their knowledge! Steal it! Make it yours! Your bond with Dash is just starting! Right now, that stubborn brat needs you! So pep talk to her! Please her, but say that she can improve much more if she stops being lazy! And if she doesn't listens, it's not your fault!”

“You are right! I can’t make her strong if I don’t become strong myself!”

“Yeah! There are many kinds of strength! Look at Fluttershy! She is wimpy and shy, but when it matters, she uses her fangs! Be like that if you don’t seek conflict!” I took out from my bag the package of cookies that Sug made for me. I grabbed one and split it in half. “Here! Sug made this! It tastes good!”

“But Sugarcoat made this for you, right?”

“You earned it! You are more than meets the eye! I thought that you were hopeless and weak… but now… you can become kinda cool in the proper time! So here, eat it!”

She smiled with a radiance I have never seen before from her. Her eyes shimmered like little stars as she took the little piece of cookie. She put the whole deal in her mouth, and crumbled it with her white teeth. “WAH! Peanut cookies!” Her face brighten.

“Shit! This will ruin my diet of today!” I looked at the cookie and chuckled with defeat. “Well, can’t say no to her!” It tasted good. “Well, have fun in your slumber party!”

“Wait!” She ran at me and took out her phone. “Give me your phone number! I want to have it!”

I can safely say that my face was full of stupefaction at that point. An undeniable presence moved my lips and gave away my number. We parted ways and I thought about what we discussed. “What I have done to prove my loyalty to her?” Sug has helped me several times in the past. Even when busy, she managed to raise my scores and keep me on the school. She even visited me at home when I felt sick and couldn’t assist school. I texted her…

-Gilda: I’ll help tomorrow… as a part-time Champion. See you at the usual hour.

I didn’t receive an answer. When I got back home, I took a shower and ate my cookies with some milk and called it a day. Next day, I woke with a sore body. I made lunch and quickly changed to go to school. Before I walked to the Champion Lounge, I received a message from an unknown number. Seeing how it was written, I knew right away from who it was and saved her number.

-Twilight: I pep talk to her the best I could… she laughed and we had fun. Rainbow Dash is a little better now! Thank you for yesterday!

“Heh! Another good deed for my karma!” I got inside the room, and to my surprise, and horror, she was there with a mountain of documents that Nit used to read.

“October 27th! Monday! An historic day for Crystal Prep Academy has arrived once more!” Sugarcoat said while recording her voice note on her phone. “A new Champion has been chosen by the grace of democracy! A poll I submitted yesterday on the school’s page was made public! And with positive results for her, ruining the sleep hours of hundreds of students worried for the future of this prideful institution, I, Candie Sugarcoat, I’m pleased to welcome her with open arms!” She ended her recording and glanced at me with her stupid, arrogant smile. But, her eyes were her brightest and joyous yet. “Welcome to your new hell, my sister! Let's start your training for your duties of today!”

…Shit.
> Chapter 79 - Even in the rain, we all like to talk.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Ring’

They say that if a man is early to bed, the next day he’ll be early to rise. It gave you a schedule, made you healthy, and gave you a purpose. But for me, it was not the case today.

‘Ring’

I had overstayed my welcome on the realm of darkness. I slept at three in the morning playing Demon’s Dogma with Sugarcoat. Something about being motivated by the events of yesterday. We grinded and grinded, farming on every perfect spot to gather materials in preparation for the release of the next expansion. 

‘Ring’

After that, we finally went to sleep. And fell like a dead wood log I did on my bed. I dreamt again of Death chasing me. It’s been a while since I did that. But this time, the chase was on a dark, living forest. At the end of the road, a gigantic tree held six jewels shining like a black sun on its branches. Last time I dreamed like that was on the first day of class…

“September first…” I mumbled weakly as I reached my phone. Rain graced the window of my room.  Gilda was calling for me. “Hello?” I said nearly sleep.

“Nit… I became a Champion.” Said she troubled and slow.

“Good for you…” I said while hanging up the call, going back to the realm of dreams... Wait.

Gilda… Champion… Processing.

My phone rang again with Gilda’s favorite power core tune. This time, my body fueled my blood with nutrients and glucose to reach out my brain and regain my five senses quickly. Perplexed, I answered, “YOU BECAME WHAT!?”

“WHY DID YOU HANG-UP THE CALL, YOU BASTARD!? ASSHOLE! ENEMY OF HUMANITY!”

“CALM DOWN, BITCH! Tell me what happened now!” She explained me everything; her sentimentalism, anxiety and sheer loyalty for our trollish friend after the soccer match. Finding respite that Sugarcoat went to the bathroom, she called me for aid. “I’m sorry but you know that I always bitched that every data changed weekly! The only way I could help you is if I see the documents myself!”

“Can you come here quickly? I’ll pay you the ride, promise!”

“I can’t! I’ll never make it in time! Not with the rain outside!”

“Oh shit! OH SHIT!” Her panting almost made me stressed as well.

“Gilda, I’ll help you in the evening with the paperwork! Tell Sugarcoat that I’ll review everything with you and organize the events of the week during our break in the orphanage!”

“But isn’t today your last day of training with Mayor Mare?”

“…I forgot about that.”

“I’m doomed… I’M DOOMED! I WON’T SURVIVE SUG’S TEACHINGS WITHOUT YOU, MORON!!!”

“Calm down, Rainbow Dash! I’ll help you one way or another!”

“Call me again like that and I’ll make sure you don’t have descendants!”

“Yeah, yeah! Love you too! See you in the evening!”

“Alright… Nit?”

“Yes?”

“I want to become stronger!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? You’ll become stronger! You always do!”

She chuckled. “I knew you’d understand, Nit.”

Our call ended. I sighed as I saw the rain falling rapidly on the streets. The soft smell of wet grass was numbing my mind to the point of making me sleepy again. The beauty of this town was that Mother Nature mandated the aromas that the wind had, always choosing pleasant essences. But, it wasn’t time to rest anymore. I took a shower and prepared myself for school.

…

One of the many advantages of living nearby your destination was that you were less time exposed to the elements of nature that life offered you with no consent or mercy. I was doing what was little left to do of my homework since I arrived twenty minutes earlier. Shimmer, Midnight and Dash were on the classroom with other people, but it was mostly Sunset who was doing the talking. I believed no one did the trigonometry homework by the confusion painted on their faces. I was about to fall sleep on my desk when, “Hey, schoolmate!” Dash sat on her seat.

“Hey…”

“You look down! The rain always depresses me a little too, especially when I want to train so badly after school!”

The rain normally soothed me, but with you at my side it stressed me by a long shot.

“Yeah, Dash…” I almost fell asleep.

‘SLAP’

“C’MON! Raise that head up!”

“Hit me again on the back and I’ll kill you…”

“I didn’t hear yah! Talk louder!”

“I’ll do my best.”

“That’s the spirit! I for one will become better than before! Not even the entire team of Crystal Prep will defeat me soon! So tell Gilda to enjoy her small victory for now!” She winked at me super tomboyish.

Rainbow Dash looked energetic as usual instead of the depressed attitude I hoped to see… that’s good in a way.

I survived my way to lunch break. Classes today felt sluggish thanks to the rain and pancakes with lots of honey would help me recover from my obvious lack of sleep. Or so I hoped. The problem was that my usual spot was unavailable. Cursed be the tragic side-effect of rain. Lightbulb bought me my lunch and I paid him again like usual. Since I knew that I wouldn’t find a place to eat soon, I devoured my food, barely enjoying it and walked around the school.

Looking for shelter on this forsaken school of mellow friendship and gossip, I finally was able to rest my feet inside the library. Uhhh… The place still stunk of boringness and false hopes of self-improvement. At least, I wasn’t going to be disturbed. “The seats on the second floor are the less used here…” I told to myself.

I changed of place in the hopes of sleeping for a while. The second floor would be perfect for my deed. I was going to finally shut down my eyes in the corner when I saw the dual-color hair of a familiar acquaintance. Bon Bon was standing beside someone known to me. Soarin was scratching his head and talking with her in a nervous manner. Not wanting to indulge, I turned around and decided to leave but, “You should quit the team, Soarin!” Bon Bon’s voice flipped a wrong switch in me.

No, I must go!

“B-but I can betray Spitfire like this! Not when the tournament is around the corner!”

“Oh, please! They won’t miss you! If they really needed your talents, they would have called you yesterday for the meeting on Thunderlane’s house!”

“How did you know about that?”

“Lyra has many friends, you know?”

“Oh… I see.”

“Dash was there as well. But only for a few hours. She had a slumber party with her friends, and by the looks of it, she is much better today!”

Why did she raise her voice like that?

“I don’t know! You ask of me something unthinkable!”

She laughed graciously. “I’m not forcing you, Soarin!” She said kindly and sweet. “I am just telling the things as they are! Spitfire just won’t listen to you and the mantra that the team once had won’t come back! If you keep going like this, then when will you find your own happiness?”

“I… I’m happy by being at her side!” He said weakly. “It’s been like this since we’re kids!”

“You must start on being more honest with yourself. You will be soon a college freshman next year, after all! Well, I must go. I took enough of your time and those projects of yours look hard as they are.”

“Yeah… and thanks for listening.”

“Anytime, Soarin! Remember, you have more friends in this school than you know! I suggest you open your eyes and find them!”

I walked with the tip of my feet and stealthy jumped from the stairs to the first floor. I walked quickly to the farthest seat and relaxed a bit. “That didn’t happen… I didn’t listen.” I said almost unperceivable.

A pair of arms embraced me from behind, feeling a comfy sensation on my head. “Listen to what?” Such fleeting comfort was replaced by shivers of terror as Bon Bon forced her way on my shoulders. Her caressing was intense, painful, and worst of all, slow. “Haven’t they told you that curiosity killed the cat, Kitty?”

“D-don’t call me Kitty! Not even Sporty w-wouould escape my wrath!”

“Sporty? Ah, Dancer told me about her! The nickname of your first crush!” Somehow the pain intensified, almost making me groan. “Where is she now?”

“I d-don’t knowww…” She was tearing my muscles apart. “Urgh! I swear!”

“Hmm…” Pleasure and comfort suddenly replaced my agony as her gesture became soft and relaxing, exploring my back with her fingers in a mind-blanking manner. “I believe you. Still…” She rubbed my hair and played with it. “You have a duty to do.”

I pinched my leg to escape from her charm. “Your vengeance with Shimmer.”

“I really like you!” She took a seat beside me. “My personal kitten-slave!” She caressed my nose and poked it.

“I’m not your beast, fiend! You should… uh…”My eyes locked with hers and I lost myself.

Snow wasn’t uncommon on Ponyville. Looking at those pupils of her reminded me of it. There was no sight more beautiful from this town than the sunset on the park looking at the mountains, or the field of cold cotton in bloom during winter. Even if they were piercing and threatening, I noticed something that I didn’t catch the previous times. Her orbs of light were transparent, presenting a shade of purity and candor. But she is a bitch… then…



“Why...?”

“Hmm?”

“Why do you have such beautiful eyes?”

“Ah!?” She separated her head from mine surprised.

“I-I mean…” That was so stupid. “Leave so I can take my nap! I didn’t sleep well last night and I am saying nonsense now! I am your boss on the event, remember?” I rested my head on my arms. The table was at the sweet spot of height. “Go away. This I command.”

“Tee hee hee! I’ll make you company and wake you up before the bell rings, boss. I want to read a book while Lyra is gossiping with Dancer and company.”

“There is an app for that, so your service is unneeded.” I said while shutting my eyes down. “And gossiping is bad.”

“I know…” She said a little disgusted. “Sleep.”

Everything turned black for a while. 

…

‘Poke’

I felt that today was going to be a long day.

‘Poke’

It seems that everybody wanted to disturb my rest.

‘Poke’

Someone was gently shaking my arm and poking my head.

‘Poke’

My eyes opened a little sharper after having the most relaxing nap I ever had. Bon Bon was mindfully waking me up. “The time for dreams has long gone for today, slave of the Daydream.”

“Some people work at night and their time of dreams is during daylight. Please refrain from waking me from my slumber and let me go back to rest!”

“Can’t do! The bell will ring soon! Better retrieve your stuff for the next classes and be ready! It will be a busy day for you!” I reluctantly stood up from my seat. “And before you go, boss…” She took out from her bag a shaker with a weird but familiar beverage. She shook it to complete the drink. “It’s been a while since I saw you take one of these!”

“No, thanks! It tastes like crap!”

Bon Bon put her fakest hurting face yet. “So cruel! So mean! I am just trying to help!” She quickly smiled impishly.

“I hate you…” Not wanting to hurt whatever ounce of humanity she had, I drank her beverage. It reminded me of the mortality of death. “Disgusting!”

“But nutritious!” She winked at me, almost sending a heart as she took the shaker. “See you in the orphanage, boss!” And she left.

“I don’t understand her…”

…

The last class eventually came, and Professor Gizmo was drinking a hot coffee. It seems that he had a rough night as well. Concentrating on tapping the keyboard to finish the coding that Twilight asked me to, I was no longer sleepy. The drink from my devious companion kicked in. The kind of ingredients it had was something that I probably shouldn’t know.

“Nitty, how is your progress?” Whispered Twilight as she kept working. 

“I am working on the new inputs you gave me as best as I can. I don’t understand half of it.”

She looked at my screen and sighed with disappointment. “You haven’t made much progress. At this pace, we’ll get behind of schedule.”

“We would have finished this if you didn’t have the idea of redoing this again. This is officially the third time now! We will reach version point-six before the year ends at this pace. Why you are so obsessed on implementing a finger registration system for this is beyond me.”

“This project must be perfect. The students should respect what a good book has to offer, and Miss Cheerilee needs all the help she can. I don’t want to make a half-hearted job.”

Looking at her visage, I couldn’t help but frown in amusement. “You are fired up. Did something good happen?”

“Gilda happened.”

I almost trembled. “W-what?”

“She and I… had a talk yesterday on the park by sheer causality. Don’t tell the girls about that.”

“Oh… about what? If I may know.”

“That I must give myself the worth that I need!” She stopped and looked at me. “No one will take me seriously if I don’t show everyone of what I am capable of.”

“Careful with that. There is a blurry line between self-respect and gloating in that path.”

“That’s why I have my friends looking out for me.” She smiled softly, looking at Spike on the floor. “All of you are there to guide me, right?”

“One day we’ll leave you alone.”

“And that day I’ll be ready! Although...” She rubbed her hair in an innocent fashion. “It will be a really long time before that happens. I would be pleased for now if you could finish that code today.” Said she pleasantly. “You and I can do much better than this.”

“Of course I’ll do anything for you, Captain Midnight Sparkion.”

“Nitty!” Playfully, she weakly slapped my shoulder.

“That’s new!” I chuckled. “Just don’t become as aggressive as Gilda… Or Dash.” 

Definitely don’t become like Dash.

“You know, Gilda isn’t as bad as everyone thinks she is! We even had a fist fight together that motivated me a lot! …Don’t tell the girls about that either.” She whispered even lower on the last part.

“Excuse me?”

“It was fun! I didn’t know that boxing was so relaxing as well!”

“Unless you get hit hard. It was all shadow boxing, right? Right?”

“Oh no! She even hit my jaw and sent me flying away!” I almost passed out. “But it didn’t hurt! Huh… Perhaps she was too tired to hurt me...” Said she in thought.

“Don’t say anymore.”

Now I understood why she was so pumped in the morning.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.”

Still, someone will receive a severe scolding in the evening, Gilda.

“Anyway, today is your last day of training with Mayor Mare, right?” I nodded. “Sunset told me that you go ahead first. She’ll catch with you later. Something concerning the school committee needs to be taken care of and she needs to stay a while longer after classes.”

“Heh, I’ll manage without her.”

“You almost sound too happy for that.”

“What really happened between Gilda and you? You are more transparent than usual.”

“To be honest, she mentioned something that has been bothering me for so long now. I don’t want to make people angry at me. You know… It’s unpleasant.” She tried to continue her labor, but her fingers wouldn’t move. Her hands fell down to Spike, scratching his ears to appease her anxiety. “I told you during dinner last time that the first time I met Sunset, she and I weren’t friends. I made horrible things during the games… She almost hated me for it. I don’t know what would have happened if everything turned badly for us.”

“Whatever happened for real, whether it was the magic or not, is no longer relevant, little Twinkle Star. But don’t ditch your past experience and learn from those mistakes.”

“I just don’t want to lose what I have now! I want everyone close to me to love each other… Like a family of sorts.”

I poked several times her forehead while telling her, “One day you’ll get into that brilliant head of yours that not everyone can be friends with some people. I hope your pretty skull will allow that at least.”

“Skulls aren’t pretty…” She said a little down. “The thing that makes them pretty it’s mostly the skin and muscles that form the facial structures of the people.”

“Then yours is the cutest of all. I will really fall for you if you keep being this cute.” I played with her cheeks and messed with her hair. I couldn’t see her face. “Come. Let’s finish this abomination of yours!”

“It’s not an abomination! It’s our ‘Il Rinascimento Bibliotecario’ project!”

“I almost forgot we called it like that.”

“You chose that name, so it’s your fault!” She chuckled with a radiant mood. “It’s your entire fault… dummy.”

“What did you say, you little shit?”

“Nothing. And language.”

“Sparkion.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Hmmm!”

“Shit, you’re angrier!”

“Language.”

“Here we go again.”

“You are so childish sometimes.”

“Says the kiddo who hated cheese and spasmed during lunch break once.”

“That’s not fair! I remember a cutie that was almost beaten in the finals of a fist fight during the Apple Fair. Who was it? Ah, I remember now!”

We barely finished on time the first part of the new coding. 

…

The rain kept falling, forming small rivers on the path of stone. Shimmer was nowhere to be seen. With my trusty rain coat in place, and my rain boots ready to rock, my way towards the Town’s Hall began. 

“HEY!” A familiar voice came from behind.

“Lyra! Oh, hey there, Soarin! …Bon Bon.”

“What is it, boss?”

I ignored her.

“Nitpick, I have a message from Octavia!” Said Lyra.

“Octavia? What does she need?”

“It’s about her performance with Thunderbass during the event. She says that we could probably play some kind of classical melodies for the elderly as a side event.”

“That’s something we have discussed in the past and we agreed to do it. What’s the catch on the thing she wants now?”

“She plans to get a violinist to the team. But all of her acquaintances that could fulfill the job are busy, so she was wondering if you knew someone from Crystal Prep that could help us out?”

“Why do you think any of my friends would want to help someone from CHS? It’s a miracle that some of the students still consider me one of them, you know?”

“Come on, Nitpick! Some of them aren’t as evil as some want to believe, right?”

“I suppose I could ask Reem for some help. She is more interested in helping rather than seeing who will win in this silly struggle.”

“Yeah, I suppose this competition is silly…” Lyra said in thought. “Well, Bon Bon and I better go! We’ll have some business in my house and we need to finish them fast if we want to go to the city for the event! See ya later, boys!”

“And boss!” My acquaintance of the beautiful artic eyes threw at me a little package. “For the trip!”

“Thanks.”

“So nice of you as always, Bon Bon!” Lyra praised her.

“You know me! Always looking out for others!” They walked away together, under the protection of a massive umbrella.

“Nitpick, where are you going now?” 

“To the Town’s Hall, Soarin. Mayor Mare is expecting Shimmer and me. She will teach us something useful regarding our competition.”

“My place is nearby the hall. Let’s walk together… if you don’t mind.”

“This is a free country, do whatever you want, pal.”

As I walked under the rain, I had a little call back to the past. My Grandfather once said that when rain fell from dark clouds, it was a sign of the heavens that something sad on the world happened. The Angels cried for the loss unknown to many, flooding the land in hopes for Mother Nature to use their tears and make flowers of them. Then I was pleased at that moment that the drops came from white yarns that let the rays of sun grace the land. Grandfather said that when rain came from a beautiful sky like that, the Angels cried of joy, for something good to for the living beings just happened. 

I learned eventually that rain came from a hydrological process where water evaporated and formed the clouds in the sky. But… it was a hopeful wish of mine that his words had a pinch of truth. 

‘Let the rain kiss you on your skin! Let the drops beat upon your head with the water of life! For if you want the rainbow to shine, you must dance with the rain until the last song!’ He used to say from time to time. That one day I would walk under the rain with someone who would appreciate the beauty of it with me.

But I wished I was walking with Bon Bon instead of Soa... Wait. WHAT!?

“Hey, Nitpick…”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever wondered that you live for others instead of your own happiness?”

I stopped my motion and Soarin looked at me in the face. “Since I came to CHS, I have thought of that from time to time.”

“I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on something.”

“Uh… yeah. But only if we keep walking…” Our steps became slower than before. No doubt Soarin was trying to find the words on how to tell me his dilemma. Having heard part of his problem during my unwelcomed presence a while ago, I was doubtful if I should start first, or let him talk. My conscience stroke once again. “Soarin, I overheard your talk with Bon Bon about Spitfire. It’s that what you want to talk about?”

“You heard that?” He was embarrassed.

“Guilty as charged. It wasn’t intentional. Only heard from the part where Bon suggested you to leave the team.”

He sighed with a bit of relief. “Oh, you didn’t hear the embarrassing part at least.”

“So, what do you want to ask me about?”

“I have been with Spitfire for many years now. As you have seen before, she wants to prove she is the best.”

“No offense, but she is so pushy in that regard.”

“I know… but she is very kind when you know her better.”

“If Gilda has the capability to be kind, then I believe you.”

He laughed innocently. “But…” His face turned dark. “I haven’t felt the connection I used to have with her and the rest of team since Rainbow Dash let her become captain again.”

“Everyone looks upon Rainbow when it’s about sports. Why aren’t you on her side on this?”

“Because she brings false hope to the team with her… otherworldly abilities! How can we compete in the tournament in a fair way when we have flying people on the field?”

“Hey, I don’t like her a lot but Rainbow is a good athlete.”

“Have you heard about her magic abilities?”

“Yes, many versions, in fact. I still believe that some of you cheated on the games. But after seeing Dash in action many times now, I’m not sure about her now.”

“Then let’s pretend that magic exists, Nitpick! Let’s pretend that Rainbow Dash has super human abilities that aren’t from this world! Let’s pretend that only she can access such incredible power!”

“And can’t she share it?”

“No! And that’s the problem! Two problems in fact! One, she is the ace player by a long shot and everyone on the team became dependent on her strength! And two, even if she managed to share the power with everyone around, it would be cheating! We wouldn’t work hard anymore! We would be prisoners of the ability to defeat any opposition! But such power… it wouldn’t be truly ours! We wouldn’t earn it by our own work! Our efforts would be meaningless! Pointless! I don’t want Dash on the team any longer and keep poisoning Spitfire’s hopes! Because once her star player disappears, then what she’ll do when she wins the scholarship with the rest?”

“I see… you don’t care about the team at all. You only are in the team because Spitfire is there. Your friend’s future is on the line and you only serve as a support! You don’t even like the soccer practices, do you?”

“I can’t believe you saw right through me. Ever since Sunset Shimmer came to this school and made a lot of changes to our lives, I started to dislike my soccer practices. Now I hate them… I hate them a lot.”

“But you don’t hate soccer.”

“I love soccer! I love to play for the sake of playing! Winning doesn’t matter as long as I have fun! If only the rest of team could remember why we banded together in the first place, we could play even better!”

“Why are you suffering this emotional punishment, then? I would quit the team if I was on your shoes!”

“Because of Spitfire! You should understand what I am passing through!”

“Of course I know that feeling to be with the one you have a crush with.”

“But I don’t like Spitfire! She is just my best friend!”

“Gah…” A sudden heart attack.

“What?”

“The way you say it…”

“Did I say something wrong?”

“…Uh no…” Only that your friendzone powers are out of the chart. “Anyway, if you want to make Spitfire snap out of it, the only thing you can do is keep training and training until your body breaks! Show her the thing that she lost is far more worth it than whatever Dash has to offer!”

“I don’t have the talent for that. Nor the strength.”

“Then you don’t have the right to whine. Those who give their all and more, and still fail, can complain. The rest of us should keep quiet and let the winners keep moving.”

“You are cruel!” He chuckled. “Bon Bon was right! You are so mean!”

“What do you mean by she was right?”

“She said that you would give me an honest answer even if you didn’t have the solution! She speaks highly of you to some students and I can see why! Perhaps she sees the good on you!”

No, Soarin. It’s just that the bitch wants something from me. 

“I don’t make friends out of lies. You will only hear the truth from me, but the gender and how pretty one is can change my delivery.”

“I’m gonna guess that we men receive the harsher treatment from you.”

“But of course. My female friends receive a far sophisticated treatment.”

“You have called many names to your friends during the event. I don’t think that is sophisticated at all.”

“Shut up, Soarin.”

“Okay, okay! Just saying!”

“Just do what you believe is right. I don’t have the right to tell you how to manage the friendships that I don’t have a connection with.”

“Thanks… you didn’t give me a concrete or nice answer, but thanks.”

“Want your Friendship Problems solved? Tell Shimmer your darkest thoughts and she’ll rescue you! She always has a solution to everything!”

“I don’t like Sunset Shimmer.”

“Huh?”

“She is the source of all of our problems. I hate her for ridiculing Dash and Spitfire with Applejack many years ago. I hate her so much… I’ll do my best to help my friend.”

We didn’t speak again for the rest of the trip. So even that Soarin could dislike someone as well. Once I reached the Town’s Hall, we exchanged a wave of farewells and walked away. I was about to open the door when something caught my attention. A little sign was hanging rather amateurish on the knob.

“We went for lunch? Nobody is here? WE’LL REOPEN AT FOUR!?” I checked my clock and it wasn’t even three in the afternoon. “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THEM!?”

I sat on the driest part of the stairs. My luck was truly crappy as it was. What I was going to do in one hour and half was the only thing that my head was struggling with. I forgot my 3SD on my home, my cellphone was almost dead, the rain wouldn’t stop any time soon, and no one was nearby to talk to. Until…

‘Beep Beep’

A car parked in front of the Town’s Hall building. I recognized the driver giving me a sign to come to his side. Thunderbass looked like a beacon of hope as I rushed through the rain and got into the car. “Sorry if I leave a mess on you ship!”

He pointed out on my seat. The guy had on all the seats several towels and others to avoid his seats to get wet. “I need to talk with you. Bon Bon told me I could find you here.” He drove to the parking lot and found a nice place near the Hall’s entrance. “Coffee?”

“No thanks. And I believe what this is about. I will get the violinist that Octavia needs, one way or another!”

“Actually, I was hoping if you could get us a pianist as well.”

“What did you say!?”

“I would have asked Lyra to help me with that since she knows how to play the piano really nice, but she will practice for another project and can’t help me. Bon Bon was another option, but without Lyra guiding her on the notes, well, she is bad.”

“You ask too much of me.”

“Please, man! I need this to be perfect!”

“What? So you can impress Octavia and get her on a date?” His blushing gave away his intention. “Word of advice? Be straight with her and don’t end up like Flash did with Twilight.”

“I know… I got into a fight with him recently.”

“What happened?”

“Twilight’s cousin is what happened! I told him that it was a bad idea! But did he listen? Of course not! Romantic idiot!”

“No offense to your friend but he is an asshole! Trying to replace 'Princess' Twilight with my Twi wasn’t that cool of him!”

“Oh God, I know, Nitpick! I know! I can’t believe that he could be so unbelievable stupid!”

“Not many friends can say something like that with a straight face!”

“But we don’t belong on the common category of friends, right?” We chuckled. “Anyway, please! I beg you! Let me have a chance on this!”

“I believe you are making the same mistake as your friend. I have seen you talking to Octavia in good terms during the ongoing event. Why are you doubtful? You are popular and desired by many girls on the school.”

“But Octavia isn’t your average girl. She is pickier with the ones she ends up befriending. The fact that she is talking to us is a huge testament that we are bearable for her!”

“You exaggerate. I am friends with Reem Fortunata Oakwood and even if she is weird most of the times, she is as cute as any good girl. For me, perhaps she is the most transparent of all.” An opera tune - oh, fuck it. I’ll read it later. “Point is, ask her out! I have dated Sunset Shimmer twice! And if a loser like me could manage a date with the most popular gal on school, you have better chances than me!”

“I’m surprised that you could manage to date the She-Demon! I don’t like her!”

“First Dancer, then Soarin, now you?”

“Octavia dislikes her as well.”

“…I’ll get your pianist.”

“I’m so sorry! I am asking too much of you! It’s just that you… Bon Bon was right! You are unbelievable easy to talk to!”

I wonder what kind of farfetched stories she has told about me.

“Alright, alright… Let me see what I can do!” 

“Do that for me and I’ll get you free passage to the most romantic disco on town! I know the owner of the place!”

“I’m not into Shimmer anymore!”

“The one I am referring for you is Bon Bon!”

“I beg your pardon!?”

“What? I believe she likes you! And to be honest… you would make a cute couple after seeing you two on the library.”

“I was sleeping while she was reading a book! I swear!”

“She was giving you a message with a soft face while you slept! She didn’t even notice me when I called her from behind. Or maybe I talked too low… Miss Cheerilee is very strict when she is in charge of the library so I didn’t take risks.”

“…That would explain why I felt great after the nap.”

“Well, we have a deal then.” 

“But I haven’t agreed to anything.”

“You must get those artists before Saturday morning!”

“You aren’t listening, are you?”

“Make sure they are females or a couple so I don’t have more competition than I already have!”

“You definitely are ignoring me.”

“I must go! Want me to leave you somewhere?”

“Back into the front of the building.”

“Fair enough!”

What a bastard.

Spending time with him wasn’t bad at all, at least. We killed some sweet time while talking and the wait would be now bearable at most. Still, I was getting hungry. My stomach growled. I sat once again on the stairs and looked down. The little ponds formed on the fields were doing ripples that graced the grass textures. It’s been a while since I thought of poetry about nature… There’s nobody here… only peace.

“The rain of Autumn-!”

“Hey, Nitpick! Why are you here outside?”

Fucking dammit…

“The Town’s Hall is empty and the door is locked, Sunset Shimmer!”

“Why didn’t you use the key?”

“Key? What key?”

“Don’t tell… Oh, heavens! I’m so sorry! I forgot to give you the key! Mayor Mare gave me a set of keys in case they had to close the building during lunch hours!”

“I’m going to bet that said keys were given to you after I left early yesterday.”

“Yes… I forgot about these when the soccer match started. Here.”

“Thanks. Shall we go inside?”

“Of course. It’s cold here.”

It was eerie to step inside the building like that. No one was inside, a few lights were turned on, and echoes were heard with each step we made. I put my coat on the pedestal coat rack and removed my boots. I felt lighter as I sat on one of the chairs. Luckily, there were some charges connected to the wall and it were the perfect fit for my phone. I read the messages that arrived so far.

-Gilda: You will come in the evening and help me with Sug, don’t you? Don’t you? (⇎_⇎)

-Sugarcoat: I’m glad that you haven’t forgotten where your REAL duty lies, my brother! Even if we must stay at Crystal Prep until midnight, we WILL finish our jobs! ( ಠ◡ಠ ) ﾉ

-Reem: For me, you too are the most transparent of all. Let us have some tea alone! ♥ 

-Blueblood: I have trained long enough and I am ready for a rematch with the sword! ⋋ō_ō

…Damn it.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just figuring out on how to solve my personal, horrid agenda.”

“Well, sorry to say that I will add more work to it!”

“More?”

“We have the Halloween event coming up and a big party must be planned for Friday evening!”

“What do you need of me?”

“Gather the team you are leading on the event and come up with any ideas to Pinkie and make this party our greatest so far!”

“Got it.”

“While Mayor Mare arrives with the rest of the staff, I’ll do my homework. You should do the same.”

I nodded while withdrawing all my notebooks and books from my backpack. As I was writing what it was asked of me, my hand suddenly went to the farthest corner of the page. I couldn’t stop drawing some balls with stripes in it. After giving them some wings with the same pattern as the balls, it was shocking to see that my drawings formed the favorite mark of Bon Bon. The three candies were falling through the page, like little dots of wild colors embellishing my homework.

‘And to be honest… you would make a cute couple!’

Damn you, Thunderbass… you said weird shit back there.

My stomach growled stronger than before. Luckily for me, Shimmer was hearing music while doing her activities. Then I remembered the package that Bon gave me… It was heavier than I thought. Opening with care in case that it was a trap, I was surprised to see that it had a small apple juice with a small sandwich in it.

I chuckled. “I hate sandwiches.” My small whisper reached the surface of bread. Still… I was not a fool to deny the treat and ate it.

I have seen through her lies before! I know she was using me for whatever personal vendetta she wanted! I was self-aware that she couldn’t possibly like me at all. But… my mind couldn’t stop wondering of what she was doing right now.



DAMN HER!
> Chapter 80 - The prodigious secretary!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So it was that on August twenty-six, almost fourteen years ago, that I was in the predicament of either advancing my studies to get a master degree in Business Administration or remain in Applewood Noble University and keep being an International Relations teacher! Staying at my previous job was the best decision I could have ever made! I met a lot of people during the years of teaching! That’s where I met your current Principal and Vice-Principal! Celestia was so stuck up on being the best and barely had a reason to laugh during her daily life!”

“I can’t even imagine that, Mayor Mare!” Sunset Shimmer said astonished. “Principal Celestia is one of the most open-minded and joyous educative personnel I have ever met!”

“Muhohoho! Then you should have seen Luna on her freshman years! She was so impulsive, reckless, and barely could keep her scores on the passing mark! After some incidents that I won’t divulge, their personalities took a change for the better. Well, for the most part.”

“Like what?”

“You are living in the flesh those changes, Miss Shimmer! Perhaps some regrets linger on them, but with students like you, I am sure that one day they’ll become better than this!”

“I couldn’t possibly imagine better versions of Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna!”

“I do.” Nitpick said. “Perhaps being more severe and less laid back with their punishments on the students could be a start!”

“Nitpick!”

“Muhohoho! You are very straight-forward, young man! So tell me, who is your least favorite of the two?”

“Principal Celestia.” He said instantly.

“WHAT!?” Sunset stood up from her seat. “How could you say that!? She is practically the reason you are here with me!”

“If this is considered a blessing, I can’t imagine what would hell… Forgive, Mayor Mare!” His self-lynching reminded him of his surroundings.

“It’s not a problem! Not at all! Even I had my stage of rebellion against the establishment! But, we have lost enough time! Thank goodness we arrived earlier from lunch or we would be far behind schedule now!”

“What’s the first step to complete our final day of training, Mayor Mare?” Nitpick asked.

“Sunset, did you bring them?”

“Yes, Mayor! Everything is ready for us to start?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Come with me, Nitpick! I’ll explain on the way!”

….

Twenty minutes later, the Mayor chuckled mentally at the panorama and couldn’t stop at being in marvel with those two. She asked of Sunset if she could get the best dresses they could use for this day. Both were using grey suits with a dark blue tie. Nitpick’s shoes were black while Sunset’s were brown. For the Mayor, they were ready to face the world together.

Well, at least in the image area.

“So this is what those bags of yours had in them!”

“Rarity sent her best regards to you! She is so used with your measures now that you didn’t need to go to her boutique. Do we look good enough in these, Mayor?”



“Ohohoho! Youngsters these days! Getting more expressive than ever! There was a time when the youth was too reserved and quiet during relaxing moments! As long as you know how to behave during serious meetings, you should keep talking and learning all you can!” She stepped in front of the exit room. “After all…!” She looked at them over her shoulder. “You are only young once! We must depart now, young future of Equestria!”

….

Travelling by foot would have been ideal to know their current status with the people. The job of the Mayor is to protect the town from a financial cataclysm and make sure that its citizens enjoy the cleanest and prideful life they deserve. Not everything was an oasis inside the Desert of Politics. Some people, sadly, suffer because green finances can’t reach to every member of society. 

That’s why they, the public leaders, must enforce their duty through the menial tasks. Menial tasks that can alter the balance of peace to the citizens’ favor. Sadly, some of the members of the council were corrupted and perverted. Always dismissing the people’s fears, expanding their filthy tentacles to the nation’s income. The deviating of money to their pockets should be made public and punished.

But one must learn to swim inside the currents of politics and learn to play the cards to one’s favor. Curious, she always said, that the most humble, hard-working and kindest members of the council came from towns. Some of them were unbearable, incompetent… the Mayor of Ponyville gave herself a quick, little and concealed slap on her face. It was no time for petty grievances when she was driving. 

Mayor Mare started her duty of today. She was driving her old Pentra from the eighties around the town with the kids behind and her secretary as the co-pilot. The car - her baby - may be old, but some adjustments here and there and hundreds of dollars for retrofitting purposes made it look and sound like new. The part that hurt her wallet the most was the engine. Oh, if only she didn’t have a conscience and stole money from the people like half of her compatriots did.

“Mayor Mare, you are going in the wrong direction. Please refrain from overthinking menial problems.”

“Gracious Goodness, Raven! You have been only working for me since January and I already feel that you know my antics to the core. What would I do without you?”

“Crashing in the park could be a possibility.” She took several shots with her professional camera while writing on her notepad.

“Muhohoho! Smile for me once in a while! We have guests with us!”

“These kids will believe that the proud Mayor of Ponyville hires incompetent fools if I drop down my professionalism and display childish mannerisms worthy of a junior high-school instead. These won’t do…” She mumbled as she was meddling with that monstrous camera. “Could you please make a second travel around the zone, Mayor Mare? I need to re-do some shots.” 

“Good point!” She saw from my rear-view mirror the faces of two shocked pupils as she travelled once more around the zone. “But watch your snarky comments! Must I remind you again that we’ll have visitors?”

“The rain is falling heavy on the streets. Please drive with extreme caution, Mayor.”

“You aren’t going to ignore my request, are you?”

“I have collected all the pictures and filled the data in the corresponding sheets! We should proceed to the Market Zone next!”

“You only smile when we talk about job!”

“Well, if I mean to succeed you, Mayor, being able to surpass you in politics and customs is a first for me. You hired me because my competence and not by favoritism. I need to repay you in kind.”

“Then to the Market Zone it is! And don’t think like that exclusively! You barely reached your twenties and shouldn’t be that serious in life! Now hold tight!”

She pressed the pedal , her pride roared across the streets.

….

“We have collected all data, Mayor. We should go back and get ready for the representatives of the Town Council immediately!”

“What?” The youngsters groaned.

“You forgot to tell them, Mayor?”

“Muhohoho! They will be fine as long as they keep a sharp mind!” Raven was rubbing her eyes and stress led her forehead to the window. “Everything will work as planned! These children will learn a lot from the meeting! You know it!”

“I can’t wait to witness their display of tears of despair.”

From her rear-view window, Mayor Mare saw the sweating faces of the youngsters. “Please excuse the attitude of fair Raven, kids! Prodigies like her tend to be exaggerated with the actual situation.”

“I don’t know why you said that.” She said heavily.

“Heh! I don’t like her attitude, Mayor.” Nitpick said. “Her overwhelming trust in us is inspiring.”

“Nitpick.” Sunset whispered in scolding.

As the youngsters had a discussion discreetly, Raven chuckled for herself. So sarcasm WAS indeed her cup of tea. Mayor Mare took a mental note on that.

“Okay, we are in the Town’s Hall again! Children, please leave the meeting room spotless as Raven and I prepare the presentation! Raven, if you please!”

“Right away, Mayor.” 

They made the appropriate preparations for the occasion. The youngsters were finished with their task faster than even she could anticipate. It was perfect since now it came to the funniest part sooner!

“We must finish the job in less than an hour!”

“WHAT!?” The young duo said.

“Now, now! We are wasting precious time! While Raven uploads the data and pictures to our laptop, let me explain the current state of affairs of the town in general! It will be useful for you so during the conference you don’t get lost in the discussion. Now, as you know…!” The young secretary turned on the projector and put on screen her on-going labor. Mayor Mare gave a quick explanation of what she meant while Sunset and Nitpick were taking notes like no tomorrow. “And that’s it. Any questions?”

“Not for now, Mayor. It was pretty clear to us.” Shimmer said while underlining what she considered important. Bittersweet just nodded in affirmation.

“Excellent! Now, what do you think of the prowess of my assistant?”

“There’s no need for unnecessary praise, Mayor.” Raven said with no amuse.

“Now, now! A girl your age shouldn’t think like that! Perhaps living alone is affecting you?”

“Living alone? Are your parents…?”

“No, Bittersweet. They are alive and well enjoying their retirement, traveling around the country in a mobile house. When I finished college last year because of my scores, I decided that I would live on my own sooner or later. When Mayor Mare hired me, my time to move on came to my door. My department is nice and my elder sister is the landlady, so it’s cheap.”

“You don’t look that old to be living on your own!”

“Anyone can do it if they have enough common sense to not throw money away in useless possessions.”

“You graduated too fast for what Mayor Mare said about your age.”

“Crystal Prep University is very kind with students that exceed their expectations. Since my scores were above exemplary, they offered me several tests to advance grades and focus my time on professional practices. I aced them all and finished my career in less than three years. Very few colleges offer such advantages!”

“I belonged to Crystal Prep… once.”

“Couldn’t resist the pressure and left?”

“No… Father said that it was as waste for me to be there.”

“Then your Father is an utter fool!” She stopped her job with fervent passion. “There is no better school in the nation than Crystal Prep Academy! Word of advice? If you want to get back, there is a special test that lets you get a one-hundred percent scholarship! If you pass it, you would practically live in the school paying your fees through work, blood and tears, like I did! But I assure you it’s worth it! Since you got out because personal issues and not for being a troublemaker, you have the right to ask for that privilege. Not even Principal Cinch will deny you if you have a good background since the laws are in your favor. Were you part of a successful club in the school?”

“I was a Champion of the lower class before I left.”

“Really? Before I went to college, a girl called Dusty Silverwind took the mantle of the third class. Smart girl. Sadly, she lacked vision and decided to study at a normal pace once she started her career as an electrical engineer. Pity. She could have graduated next year instead of three. Greater than me in the field of applied sciences that one is.”

“Yeah… my friend, Sugarcoat, dethroned her last year in the War for Succession.”

“Oh… is she good!?”

“Really good in my opinion. Reem Oakwood runs the show for the second class.”

“Another noble, I presume. Typical of the second class and their silver plate benefits. Did she inherit the job as well?”

“Yes, but Sugarcoat worked her to death until she became competent enough. She even helped us organize the Christmas Happy Marathon last year.”

“Oh! I assisted there while I was waiting for my certificate. It was beautiful. The best job that Crystal Prep has made according to the media, and that’s hard to achieve!” She said prideful. “Who was your superior before becoming Champion? It was Arland, I presume.”

“No one. I was a new blood. Everything I needed to learn from the job, Sugarcoat taught it to me.”

“New blood?” Shimmer and the Mayor asked confused.

“Someone who got into the academy during high school instead of middle school.”

“Hehehe! You aren’t kidding me, are you? A new blood becoming Champion is rare!” She stopped typing and stood up. “Say… can you do me a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Can I call you a lower class for old times’ sake just for today? I feel nostalgic all of the sudden…”

“Well… yeah, I don’t see the problem.”

“Come here and finish the job for me, lower class.” She said commanding but kind. “This part of the format is easy! Just imagine that it’s the weekly documentation for Principal Cinch and you’ll be done in no time.”
He sat and gave a quick look to the current state of the presentation. “Hey… the data is completely different but this format is eerily familiar…” He tapped very slowly while reading the information Raven collected. Suddenly, his fingers moved faster, and faster. He was almost as quick as her.

“You made a mistake on the second paragraph of that page. You have several misspells on that line. You aren’t giving the correct line spacing in the format. The way you position your images is too at the middle. Your hands aren’t in a perfect position to take full advantage of the keyboard. Perhaps you aren’t familiar with laptops when you don’t have a mouse. I can see that you are the kind to get frustrated easily. Can’t you type faster? Are you even trying? Why are you so average?”

“You little…” He groaned in frustration. “I’m just a high school student.”

“Champion Leaders are above high school levels! It seems that Champions have become too weak since I left!”

“No, you haven’t met Sugarcoat! She could give you a run for your money!”
In that moment, the Mayor saw the fieriest eyes she has ever seen from her. “Really? You said that she succeeded little Silverwind, didn’t you? Interesting! Bring her to me one of these days! I wish to meet her! For now, I should get back to work. You WILL come and learn from me every day until the Mayor says you are done here! Can you extend their tutelage a few days more, Mayor Mare?”

“O-of course but-!”

“Excellent! Now step aside, new blood! Watch and learn! This is how it’s done!”

Nitpick wasn’t sure what was going on but he felt the necessity to only say, “Y-yes!”

The Mayor and Sunset Shimmer were left speechless as they looked to each other.

….

It was six in the evening and the meeting started without delay. After a brief summary of what was going on, debate soon began.

“This is simply unacceptable!” Filthy Rich barked as his fist met the table. “A few broken aqueducts shouldn’t impede the development of this town! Investment in making an urbanization of this place is imperative if we wish to propel our economy!”

“I agree! The water distribution can wait! We need to mimic the urbanization program of our neighborhoods on the east!” An old man sitting beside Rich said.

‘Typical short-sighted millionaires.’ The Mayor thought. “Gentlemen, we discussed with you last time that water is a must for the folks of this town. Just because what you believe is right-!”

“We know that we are right, Mayor Mare! The charts don’t lie! Our focus should be the construction of the super mall in the Waston Avenue!”

“Ridiculous! The Waston Avenue is expected to finally be repaired next year!”

“That place doesn’t have any people in it!”

“Must I remind you that it was thanks to your meddling that we didn’t have the money from the state to commence reparations? Many families had to relocate thanks to your selfish decisions!”

‘Including Lightbulb and Dancer’s families, old bastards.’ Nitpick thought angered.

“Come on, Mayor! It was inevitable that they needed to relocate! We did them a favor in the first place! All the families received a small compensation and we helped them move to better homes!”

“That is not an excuse! Nevermind that, our priority for now is giving maintenance to the sewer system! Everything was supposed to commence today but you insisted that you had a better idea!”

“I told you already, Mayor! The mall is what this town needs now!” Filthy Rich said in a suave way, joining the tip of his fingers and raising a brow. “The people can wait a few months more for the water maintenance!”

“Some regions of the suburbs haven’t received a drop of clean water for days now! Ponyville IS in charge of giving the people of that region the essential services all the citizens need!”

“The mall will give to the town an increase in trades from other regions of the country! Crystal States will be forced to give us more resources to invest in better projects!”

“This town already has a main source of income and resources besides what the government offers us: Sweet Apple Acres and our local business! Our duty is to expend the money with the people’s interest in mind and not our wallets!”

“Is conscience the way of business? No, Mayor Mare! Luxuries ARE the source of real money!”

“We are getting out the topic!” One of the eldest members of the council spoke. “The only reason why we’re having this meeting is because you halted the progress of the plan we already approved! Those sewers are our first priority, whether you agree or not, Filthy Rich!”

“Listen, old man! We need to strengthen our economy if we wish to raise this tiny town to a landmark for the world to see.”

“Ponyville is already a landmark for the country! A beacon of hope and nature! It was during the final stages of the First World War and it IS to this day in times of peace! Raven, if you please.”

“Right away, Mayor Mare!”

Mayor Mare had planned for this day that her secretary should take charge for today. She had hopes for her. She had a goal for her. She was drowned in the dream to pour her knowledge in the thirsty mind of youth who wished to become more than she was. But sometimes it took more than that. A flare of undying passion from someone younger and far more passionate than her could give a new perspective to the council, and herself.

She desired from her secretary the ability to transmit her knowledge and love for her town to the people and find a way to harness that strength into useful actions. Being able to empathize with the citizens and offer them solutions to her problems was one of the many reasons she hired Raven Inkscape. She lacked diplomatic speech and her methods were too strict. But there was something that she was extremely good at. 

“We have a severe leakage of water resources on the northern section of town, which is affecting the population of the suburbs as well!” She arranged the taken pictures form of journey while typing the data she gathered in it. “As you can see, eventually, this flaw will hit the rest of the system on town. Some of the streets are flooding as we speak.”

“Now that you mention it, it’s true…” Nitpick said in thought. “The local plaza of the town shouldn’t be flooded. It was a first for me to see it reaching the parking lot in my life! The ambulant sellers must have been forced to retreat because of the water. Not even the rain stopped them before. People always go to buy their merchandise, always putting their stores every Monday and Friday!”

“Exactly, Bittersweet!” Raven said impressed. 

“How do you know that?” Sunset whispered.

“Well, I usually-!”

“Children, please be quiet!” Rich said. “Let the adults keep talking. This business is important!”

Raven continued, a little angered by the businessman’s behavior. She slowly spoke professionally again, and her way of thinking out of the box was a spectacle worth watching as most members of the committee agreed to her words during her presentation.

“Goodness…” Mayor Mare whispered a bit amazed. “At this pace she WILL take my post really soon.” She made a concealed laugh of approval.

Filthy Rich, however, “Far too idealistic, young girl!”

“Exactly.” A man supporting Rich said.

“Agreed.” A woman supported as well.

“Please elaborate, Mr. Filthy.”

“Mr. Rich sounds better, don’t you think so?” He said annoyed. “However…” He quickly recovered his composure. “I must agree you deserve an explanation. You see, young lady, sometimes sacrifices must be made to secure the ever growing progress of a town. The money we could make if we forego some citizens is far more worth it in the long run than we could possibly imagine!”

“For you, at least.”

“The town’s interests are my interests!”

“Economically speaking, dubious, but it’s not in favor of the human necessity of the people!”

“Oh?” the elders made a frown of interest. “Care to explain, Miss Inkscape?”

“The town has technically one hundred years of history if we take into account the nomads of the Apple tribe who settled here. The main point of interest of this town is Sweet Apple Acres. More than a farm, that place and its surroundings serve as the lung of the town and some parts of the suburbs.” She said professionally.

“I fail to see what could be relevant from all that!” Rich said.

“Every year in spring, when the flowers’ beauty pales the rays of the sun, people from all over the country come to enjoy the annual sale of vegetables from the Apple family. As you know, after trying, and failing astonishingly to make patents of that product, Sweet Apple Acres produce the Red Camboyan tomato, only conceivable on the soil of this town.” Filthy Rich’s cheeks reddened of embarrassment of his past failed business. “They sell it for six dollars for one piece. Not only that, it’s a gourmet ingredient of the highest quality! So rare that the best chefs of the world come here and try to buy every single tomato they can!”

“But - !”

“I’m not done. In summer, they sell the best beans and corns of the state. Another kind of products you strikingly failed to patent.”

“Wait, that was - !”

“The Western Bean is sold at three dollars the bag of one hundred pounds. The Queen Corn is sold at seven dollars with ninety nine cents per bushel. Must I remind you that these are gourmet ingredients as well? In autumn, the Apples made their annual fair for the citizens to enjoy. A festivity you tried, and failed stunningly to patent as well.”

“I am starting to feel you are enjoying this.” Rich slammed his palms on the table.

Raven didn’t pay him attention and continued with her explanation, “Even if it was for one day, the tourism sky rocketed on town. Because as you know, the local vendors benefit from those sales. And taking into account that those sellers pay a healthy fee to the treasury of the town for use of space, and you can see where I am going with this. Not to mention that in winter, they produce the best and most exquisite cider of the country, and perhaps the whole world, the Gold Brand Apple Cider, who you tried, and failed spectacularly to patent as well.”

“Yes but-!”

“And I haven’t even touched the local business yet. Ponyville is one of the most auto-sufficient and proudest towns of the country! To say that a common super mall will increase revenue is pure wishful thinking of yours! Your predecessor, Smelly Rich, and his predecessor, Stinkin’ Rich failed to see that, ruining six towns across Equestria in an embarrassing fashion during their time. Your lineage may have one of the best businesses IN the cities, but towns are different beasts! Specially a town where they pride themselves with tradition! To say that people will openly accept your outrageous plans to bring the first world to Ponyville speaks volumes of your ignorance on the matter!”

“How dare you to say that? I have more experience in the field than you!”

“You just were born a pair of decades earlier than me.” She said coldly. “This town, and many others, serves a basic necessity that first world countries need: food supply! The Maximus Plaza in Crystal State, your plaza, works because the people of the city demands expensive electronics, first world clothes, and so on and so on. The people of towns, in this world at least, could care less about luxury and such. And those who love such things go straight to the Chocoratte Plaza in the suburbs, which is fifty minutes at most from Ponyville.” 

“But-!”

“The only thing I see right now is a businessman, who although is in his right to want more from his business, wants to exploit the holes of investment that our current law has. Not on my watch! Mayor and my respected members of the council, this bickering is pointless. Please make a final decision without further ado. But I believe that decision is clear.”

“Don’t tell me you are going to let a girl convince you that what she said is right! I have in my disposal hundreds of titans of investment that knows what they are talking about! Urbanization - !”

“First of all, urbanization is the gradual increase of population in a certain area. And for that to happen, required space is needed! This town can hold ten thousand inhabitants at most, including future expansions in the surroundings! This town could never become a city since we don’t have terrains where to expand. The north? The suburbs already exist and both Crystal State and Ponyville are in charge of one half of it. The south? It would be waste of time and resources to build something without heavy investment from the government. The east? The mountains of Ponyville and its forests are a protected ecological reserve. Touching even an inch of it is nearly a capital offense. The west? Sweet Apple Acres!”

The elder man on the council raised his hand. “I fail to see what you want to achieve with this, Secretary of Finances Raven Inskcape.”

“Urbanization is only possible if we have the necessary space to expand. We don’t have it. Adding the fact that Equestria has maintained a healthy population number, we must maintain a certain balance between the two for future generations to enjoy. Not promote ruin, like the countries in the east are experiencing now. Too much population, excessive industrial parks, horrible life expectancy, and ten countries are already being absorbed by first world countries because of bankruptcy! Allowing you to make a mall first, and later on fall with other projects you plan down the line will harm part of our economy, even if it looks insignificant in the short run!” 

“Equestria is fine as it is! What’s the damage if another little town disappears for the sake of growth!?”

Some members of the council finally understood why Raven changed subjects.

“Then I’ll tell you. Great Equine, Nippon, Germenshty, SwedSwed and even Griffonia are our greatest enemies in both economy and living conditions! With the exception of Griffonia, whose main source of income is outlandish tourism and superior military force and weapons, and Nippon, whose technology far surpasses ours, all those countries have farming towns, industrial parks located in strategic points at a safe distance of its cities, and city hubs that manage trades at an alarming rate and efficacy! King Blueblood and his lineage, even if they are a family of debauchery, have not only imitated, but perfected that commerce!”

“I can do better than him!”

“A nation is not a little business like yours, Mr. Filthy Rich. There may be some corruption in the country, but it’s thanks to Royal Lineage that more than half of the country lives in first grade conditions and poverty is below ten percent and decreasing every four of five years. And you know what is the main focus first of those Royals of ours?”

“No.”

“Primary services like electricity, fuel, AND water! A town known for being the cleanest of the country and it having a sewer malfunction is simply unacceptable.”

“Well said!” The elder clapped numerous times slowly. “It’s settled then! Mayor Mare, please continue with your plans as we discussed last time!”

“But of course, Elder! Thanks for coming!”

Filthy Rich and his investors tried, to no avail, turning the tide of investments to his personal favor with the mysterious elder. They were quickly shut down by him. It was the final nail to make the members of the council close the case and begin repairing of the sewers as soon as possible.

Nitpick Bittersweet and Sunset Shimmer were taking notes and exchanging ideas of the teachings and useful body language they witnessed. Their humor with each other got better, and only the faces of knowledge-thirsty children prevailed in their visages.

“Success!” Mayor Mare mumbled to herself.

….

The meeting was short-lived, as the Mayor of Ponyville expected. But fifty minutes was a time record for such things. “There wasn’t even time to drink coffee!” She said to the younglings. “Raven, I’m so proud of you! Not only you exceeded my expectations again, you even managed to get on your side to the Elder. You even went an extra mile to know all the important commodities that this beautiful town has.”

“I always give my best and beyond. And who was that elder Sir, Mayor?”

“Everything will be learned on its appropriate time, my young assistant. The only complain I have with you is that your cold tone and feelings were emerging from time to time. As a politician, that is completely unacceptable. Work on that temper of yours.”

“I’m truly sorry of displaying that attitude of mine.” Raven said ashamed. “It seems that my college years refuse to die on me.”

“Indeed. But then again, you only graduated last year. You are too young in mentality but you will learn, eventually. Now for you two, this would have been the last day for you but given the enthusiasm of my assistant, you are free to come until you feel ready to do things on your own!”

“Thank you so much for this opportunity, Mayor!” Sunset said. “But we need to focus our search for sponsors to give us an edge for the coming Thanksgiving!”

“Try the local markets in the zone. They are willing to give you resources instead of money, and some of them would be willing to help you out, for a small advertising of course.” Raven said while working on her next task. “If you promote their stores on the parks of the city during the event, they will aid you. Not all the citizens of Crystal State enjoy buying on the supermarkets of the city. And prefer the suburbs or Ponyville. Use that to your favor. The rest I leave it to you to figure it out.”

“Thank you so much!” Sunset patted her partner’s back. “If we succeed with that, we can spend the money we have at our disposal for entertainment or make a bigger meal for the people instead!”

“Indeed, you can. Now, low class, how did you know about the schedules of the ambulant sellers? Not everybody in town knows that secret!”

“Well, I also live on my own. With my parents’ blessings of course, so I need to invest my money wisely. I already had a head start in my middle school years to save money for gifts to my… uh, first crush. Eventually, I learned where to buy cheap and good. Not even the rain could stop me from the Flash Sales of the super markets and its surroundings! The almond milk is expensive as it is!”

“Word of advice, buy the almond milk at Mareson’s bucket.” Raven stopped for a moment. “Every third Sunday of every month they have sale of twelve boxes of almond milk with two packages of dry seeds-!”

“At thirty-nine with ninety-nine!?” They said at the same time.

“Don’t forget their weekly sale of fruits and vegetables straight from Sweet Apple Acres!”

“And the monthly appearance of the delicious and best cereal in the world-!”

“Fruity Marshmallows!” They said in a single voice.

“I love the Strawberry Explosion marshmallows of that cereal!” Raven said.

“The Golden Honey is better!” Nitpick said.

“Of course not!”

“Yes, it is! If you combine both, you can experience fruity heaven for a moment.”

“Hahaha! You have good taste!” 

‘SHE COULD LAUGH!?’ It was the thought of the Mayor. 

“Did you know that every Sunday in the Chocoratte plaza, more specifically in Stetson’s Happy Meal, they sell a vegetarian hamburger for just five dollars?” Raven took a seat. “It’s big, tasty, and its sauce is the best thing ever! It’s like you were eating meat! Far better than Ensaladas Caseras and their outrageous prices!”

“Incredible!” Nitpick sat down in the nearest seat. Their faces closer to each other.

“And it’s true! Also, that same day at Milani Pizzas, they sell the deluxe version of the Prosciutto Italiano specialty! It’s not a discount by any means but for five dollars more, you can take home two big sized pizzas in one simple, gorgeous, square form! My sister, her family and I eat it every Sunday as a tradition. My nephew enjoys it so much.”

“How do you know such secrets? I swear that I do my best to find the best value for my money in my shopping!”

“How old are you?”

“Around three months more and I’ll be eighteen.”

“I have around two years of extra experience than you! I know every discount that my hometown, the suburbs, and half of what Crystal State offer!”

“Why half?” Sunset asked with curiosity. “Is because it’s a big city?”

“Pffff! Oh, Shimmer, you ignorant fool!” Nitpick said with arrogance. “Such amateur you are!”

“Every human being who knows the value of money has knowledge that a quarter of the stores in big cities close every year!”

“By the time you believe you have pinpointed the best offers of the area, it either closes down or another store has a better offer some weeks later! Town stores don’t have a lot of competition and their special offers can last several years!”

“But shouldn’t demand affect the ratio in which those offers appear?”

“Naive!” Raven said energetic. “Flash sales basically sell off surplus stock at lower prices than usual. A lot of brands use them to sell end of season stock and increase their exposure to the public.”

“And when the merchandise comes to the point of being rare like the delicious and best cereal in the world, Fruity Marshmallows, everyone wants them! Make them tasty and worthy of the trip to the store and you can sell all boxes in a day! I barely manage to get two in a month.”

“Poor soul.” Inkscape patted his head. “I buy FIVE each month!”

“YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM OF WHY WE COMMONERS DON’T BUY MORE THAN TWO BOXES!”

“If you had the money, you would do the same as I do!” 

“I can’t deny such shameful truth.” He said with regret while turning his head to the side.

“Anyway, we have shared to both of you many valuable secrets! Use them wisely! If you want more, it will cost you!” She winked.

‘SHE CAN WINK?’ Again, the mayor thought.

“They are so… I can’t say it…” Sunset looked at them with a mix of astonishment and embarrasment.

“W-wait a minute, Raven! Can this mean that you knew all the cons and pros of Filthy Rich’s project just because you knew the current prices of everything on town and beyond!?”

“Mayor Mare, I am surprised of that statement from you.” She went back to full, professional mode, glaring them both down. “You can never be successful as a businesswoman if you don’t have any idea where the economy flows in the time we call today! Markets, in all shapes and forms, are the future! They move the world! If Filthy Rich had put that silly mall in the town, the local business would have closed eventually, he would have bought the buildings at a steal price, ruined the town, and extracted all the valuable resources until leaving Ponyville a dry wasteland!”

“You must be exaggerating a little!”

“A LITTLE!? Its common history that the Rich Family made their fortune with practices like that! Besides… It was thanks to his wife that the best pizza on town, Lovely Chestnut Smiles, closed down. I will never forgive those scums!”

“WHAT!?” Nitpick slammed the table. “I KNEW THAT THE PIZZERIA OF MRS. SHOOTING DOUGH WOULD NEVER CLOSE LIKE THAT!”

“As long as I live, I’ll protect this town! And one day I will bring ruin to his empire for sure!” Secretary Inkscape ate a whole cookie and crushed it with her pretty teeth. “IN THE MEMORY OF CHESTNUT THE DOUGH BALL, I SWEAR!”

“For a healthy future to Ponyville’s discounts!”

“For a better future!”

Soon, the two started talking about the pettiest plans of discount domination. There was a saying in the old days that Humanity must be either be treated in kind or destroyed. Slightly injured, the people rose again, seeking either vengeance or a quest for redemption. Completely destroyed, they couldn’t move a finger. Whatever thoughts of revenge they had in their minds would be pointless to have the next day.

Mayor Mare could see it in that moment. Two infants who loved eating pizza in one of the most delicious and cheapest places on town, enjoying taking the pictures at the side of Chestnut the Dough Ball. Infant whose paradise was pummeled to the grown ten years ago when Spoiled Rich, Filthy’s wife, put in bankruptcy the little establishment for petty reasons.

While an embarrassed Sunset Shimmer was grabbing the arm of Nitpick Bittersweet and dragging him to the exit, much to his despair, Mayor Mare could only say, “Never in my life could I have imagined that the Power of Stinginess instead of justice would save the day.” She lightened a smoke and sat comfortably on her chair, watching young Raven giving a warm farewell to her soul mate of miserliness.
> Chapter 81 - Ideal Laughter!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In our days of youth, sometimes we may believe that life would be full of sunrises and marshmallows. The endless ride of adventures ready to welcome you with open arms on the road of thrills and romance is a dream that at least once you have imagined experiencing.
But reality is not merciful with all living beings.

In the end, for one to have the chance to get into the wagon of adventures, people needs a reason to keep going and see where that short existence of them guides them to. Will it be a road of light? Filled with rays of hope and fields of golden wheat? Or will they succumb to their deepest desires? Shunning away their humanity and drowning themselves to their primal instincts, leading to an eventual demise? Or worse? Finding themselves robbed of that opportunity? Curse forever to be enslaved by the curse of impediment?

But, that kind of questions didn’t matter for a certain person who lived in the moment. 

Unlike in Ponyville, Crystal State was having a tender sunlight, gracefully spread by a sea of cotton. It was time for the students of CHS and Crystal Prep to start phase two in their ongoing competition. Under the watchful eye of Mrs. Harshwinny and several key personnel of the three institutions, most of the residents of each organization were spending quality time in the greenery of the local park.

Some of the elderly from the nursing home were watching the orphans playing across the fields with longing eyes. The people of the retirement center were entertaining themselves with peaceful diversions like chess and board games in groups. But everyone had a little smile printed in their faces. It was all thanks to…

“ARE YOU HAVING FUN?” She jumped high and wide across the park of the city.

“YES!” The people cheered.

Pinkie Pie was jogging around, filling the glasses of the elderly and sick with fresh water and giving them a vibrant smile while at it. The rest of the participants of both schools were helping in making sure that each group was having a nice time. Sugarcoat was extra careful with her teammates’ actions, especially since Mrs. Harshwinny was among the crowd. 

Someone as prominent as her wouldn’t accept failure in a delicate situation.

“Isn’t she stealing the show, Sug?” Gilda asked as she put a small blanket on the legs of a sleepy granny.

“Bittersweet told me about her unparalleled energy, but this is insane. I haven’t seen someone with such stamina as her since you. No… perhaps she is even more energetic than half the school combined!”

“I agree, my intellectual friend.” Reem said while preparing some medicinal tea for the sickly. “No wonder my beloved friend does not stand her. Even I would feel threatened by that kind of attitude.”

“Indeed. In any case, we must persevere. Eventually, she will tire out or commit a mistake. That will be our chance to make a comeback.”

“Speaking of comebacks, my intellectual friend, could we continue the conversation that we had this morning?”

“The answer is still no, Oakwood. Crystal Prep Academy prides itself with the triumph we achieve every time we engage in a competition! To join forces with the enemy just because this is a joint effort between both schools is simply ridiculous!”

“I expected that you would say something like that. Just for once can we break that rule? This is a noble cause after all.” 

“No.”

“I ask you to reconsider.”

“I said no. You may be my friend, but I’ll deliver what the school wants! You know that I’m not the only one who wishes our triumph in this.”

“And that is the second thing I expected too. Traditions in the academy are ridiculous.”

“Traditions must be respected if there is something good to be gained from them. As long as I have your moral support, you can do whatever you want in your free time.”

“I will not stab you in the back if that is what you wanted to say.”

“I didn’t mean…” She sighed with a bit of remorse. “Want some help with those cups?”

“Of course, the elderly of that table wanted tea. Bring with you five cups and I will give them tea when you are done distributing them.”

“The only thing you are truly good at is making tea, Oak.”

“Whatever you mean, my mighty friend! I just master what interests me the most! Although Rosaline is far better than me in this, to be honest.”
Crystal Prep Academy was helping in a reserved manner. CHS on the other hand...

“Do you need something else, Miss?” 

“Thank you, kind girl, but I am fine! You are Fluttershy, aren’t you?”

“Twilight Sparkle.” She smiled with a bit of embarrassment.

The old lady wore her ancient glasses. “Ah! It’s true! Hahaha!” She rubbed her hands weakly. “To be young again is but a dream! Now go and spread your wings, little one!”

Twilight nodded and repeated the same sequence with another three people. Her lack of experience in dealing with that kind of situation didn’t hinder her good intentions on helping out as much as she could. Trying to imitate her friends in giving a little smile and making sure that everyone was comfortable, she couldn’t stop thinking a dark thought dwelling in her mind.

‘You are forcing yourself, aren’t you?’

Shaking her head and given herself a tender slap on her face, she joined Applejack’s side. “Want some help with the water distribution?”

“I just finished my round, sugarcube! See if Rarity needs anything while I rest a bit!”

“You look tired. Is something wrong?”

“I barely slept today. I had to wake up earlier than usual to do some errands on the farm. Mah family got behind schedule for the harvest of this season and I had to help a little before school started.”

“Oh… I see. If you need my help…”

“I know who to call!” She cleaned her hat and put it on her head. “Go and help Rarity in my place.”

“Isn’t that the hat that Nitty gave you during the Apple fair? You have worn it more frequently!”

“I-I don’t know what you are talking about! Now shoo!” She playfully shunned her with her hand.

Rarity was nowhere to be found. “She is probably helping one of the girls in the other side of the park.” Twilight mumbled as she was looking for anyone who could need her aid. 

But everything was mostly done. Although it was true that the sheer number of students was a huge help to the personnel of the institutions, at the end of the day, the heavy task were left to the professionals. At least, that was the standard thinking. But as her eyes locked on the ever moving silhouette of lovable Pinkie Pie, Twilight doubted on the truth that that way of thinking held since years.

Like a butterfly spreading her wings and showering the weakened flowers with her gathered pollen, Pinkie was spreading her brimming happiness to everyone in the vicinity. From the smallest cookie to the biggest slice of cake she could bestow to the people, everyone couldn’t resist the charms that the Legendary Party Planner had concealed in the whiteness of her perfect teeth and unmatchable charismatic eyes.

There were several times that she almost got into the Pony-Up state. How she could resist the urge to transform when Laughter itself was trying to explode from within her gorgeous figure and well-meant spirit? The only way she could stop her power from blowing away was by simply expending all her energy entertaining the people.

Playing with the young ones until it was time for them to go back and sleep. Competing with the elders and losing at chess by a sheer amount of times. She didn’t mind the loss. As long as the gramps and grannies were laughing until they tired themselves, she was more than happy. Even the sickly found a way to forget their weaknesses and embrace a moment of joy as the energetic child made tricks and little shows worthy of a prestigious circus. Alas, even the fun must end and as the caretakers escorted the tired population to their respective homes with the help of the students, the ones that were left watched the wonders of Earth at peace.

“That was awesome, Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash patted her back. “If we keep this up, the ones that will win this competition will be us!”

“Don’t count the gold bars just yet, Rainbow. The real deal is on Thanksgiving Day! The food, entertainment and the whole shebang is what will matter the most!”

“C’mon, AJ! If this is about fun and stuff, Pinkie has this on her pocket!”

“This skirt doesn’t have pockets!” She said with silliness.

“Oh, you know what I mean!”

“I know, Dashie!” Pinkie mischievously hit Rainbow’s arm with her elbow. “Just teasing you a little!”

“Nevermind that, Pinkie Pie!” Rarity joined the gang. Her hair had seen better days. “We must wait for Sunset to decide what to do next! I received a text from her and it seems that my new dresses for them were a success!” Her eyes shinned with little diamonds.

“Anyway, we better clean this place, y’all! I’m hearing a lot of noise lately! It must be the dirt in the air!” Rarity crossed her arms in indignation for being ignored. AJ just grinned at her.

“Very funny, Applejack!”

Once CHS finished its task with the rest of Crystal Prep, Pinkie and Twilight simply vanished from the group. It seems that the human bearer of the Element of Laughter rushed with the Scientist to the nursing home. It would have been a nice trip for Twilight if it wasn’t for Pinkie almost dragging her from the legs.

“What did you just say!?”

“I said that there are people inside there that didn’t come and play with the rest, Twilight!”

They stopped in front of the main door. “But Pinkie, nurse First Aid warned us that some residents couldn’t go out of bed because their condition.”

“Then we’ll deliver the fun to each of them! Come on!”

“But-!”

The Party Planner put her finger on her lips. “Trust in me.” She winked at her and soon walked inside.

Pinkie may appear a goofy to most, but if there was something she knew the best was to perceive some details that people tended to overlook. By the time that the first week of the competition ended, she already had memorized the names of almost all the inhabitants of the three organizations. At least, the unrestricted rooms, that is. The nursing home’s corridors were quiet as the evening workers were having a small rest. The students from both schools were long gone to their homes.

‘Just a quick moment of cheer for them!’ Pinkie thought as she withdrew from the fridge the special goodies she prepared for some residents.

“What are those?”

“Cookies! But not the regular kind! These are made mostly of fiber! I prepared with nurse First Aid the snacks that they could eat at this hour! That’s why I didn’t join you during the meal after school!” 

“Why the bags have different stickers in them?”

“So I know to who I must give it to! Come on, I’ll show you!”

They arrived to the first room. There was an old man whose skin was deteriorated from reasons unknown to the students. All the delicate details from the patients were kept secret for the sake of the patients themselves. Pinkie, smiling like the sun and energetic as the wind, said several jokes that the man found amusing, chuckling with a red face and a reinvigorated attitude. After bidding farewell to old one and leaving him eating his cookies with water, Twilight and Pinkie went to the next patient.

Thirty minutes. It took them thirty minutes to give the rest of the patients their treats from Pinkie herself. It was almost eight in the evening and the time to go home was almost upon them. One room left. Just one more patient and they could call it a day.

“I still didn’t understand the stickers’ part!”

“When you are planning a gift, everything must be calculated to the minimum detail! The bag must be something that the receiver would love to have! The color of envelopment it’s important, just as the cosmetics added to it! It may not seem as much, but if they love how they look, it gives them a reason to love the contents more!”

“That sounds too simple to be true!”

“Twilight, for your birthday present, would you like to receive it in a dark blue envelopment or a pink one?”

“Obviously the pink!”

“See? As I said, even if it’s a tiny detail, it makes the difference! Twilight, everyone has the right to smile, even in the darkest days! Now, the last stop for today is here!”

She opened the door of their last room. It was cold and lifeless… except for a single source of light. A solitary candle was sharing its imposing light, managing to show a little part of the silhouette of the girl who was resting on the bed. She was reading a book, the visible part of her face was smiling with the fantasies she was living by each word she passed through her eyes.



“I don’t remember seeing her before.” Twilight whispered.

“Me neither. There was supposed to be a granny here. She must be new here!” She smiled. “Let’s give her a warm welcome!” Pinkie Pie stepped inside and joined the girl's side. “Hi!” The girl looked at her in horror. Her eyes diluted as drops of ice emerged from her skin. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you! My name is -!”

“What is the meaning of this? You shouldn’t be here.” Two familiar figures walked inside the room with a stern look, one of them had eyes of disgust towards the puffy haired girl. “Miss Pie, I must ask you to leave this room at once. I, Prince Arbelth Blublooed, command you.” He said in a low tone.

“I didn’t do anything bad!”

“Could you please lower your voice, Miss Pie? You are frightening the child.” Reem said thoughtfully.

“Who are you!?” The girl asked while blowing away the candle, hiding in the shadows of the room.

Blueblood took her hand and caressed her cheek. “I will shun her away for your sake, Lady Meg. Please go back to the land of fantasy and when you finish the book, try to sleep and dream of the whitest sheep!”

“Thank you! You’re so gentle!” She said tenderly.

….

Outside the building…

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING, COMMONERS!?”

“Don’t call us like that, meanie! And what is wrong with her!?”

“Are you seriously making that question? This is a nursing home! A place of respite for the people who have different kinds of traumas and sicknesses!” Reem said offended.

“And what were you doing exactly!? Who is that girl!?”

“We won’t divulge delicate information to you, Miss Pie. We are many things but our Father would be terribly disappointed with us if we give away serious affairs trusted to us.” Blueblood said.

“Suffice to say that she has a problem of a memory kind.”

“I’ll ask nurse First Aid how to approach that girl. Next time, I’ll transform that fear into laughter!”

“Very well. I’ll donate a hefty sum of money to this institution if they manage to make you stay away from her.”

“WHAT!? YOU CAN’T DO THAT, BLUEBLOOD!”

“Oh, but we can!” Reem walked away.

“Oh, but we will, insolent fool!” He looked away in indignation as he joined his sister to the street. Their limousine ready to take them home.

“I don’t like them one bit! He and his sister are meanies just like the rest of Crystal Prep!”

“Perhaps they have a reason for doing that. I mean, why would they even bother with this if it wasn’t important?”

“They just want to help Sugarcoat win this battle against us, Twilight! But as long as we work together, we can make the best party ever and MAKE PEOPLE SMILE!” An explosion of pink blow Twilight away. The young Scientist looked in amazement as the ponytail of Pinkie served as a helicopter, levitating her a few inches from the ground. “And by my Maud’s pet I will!” She extended her hand to her friend. “Will you help me?”

Knowing that Pinkie Pie spoke from the bottom of her heart, Twilight Sparkle believed in her quest. Their handshake filled her with newfound faith.
> Chapter 82 - A good student!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday morning started like any other day. I arrived to school and breathed deeply. My childhood friends, Midnight, and – now added to the list – my new acquaintances greeted me like usual. Also, for the past few days,  Bon Bon has been given me a series of paperwork filled with request from the students of my group to help at anything for the competition.

From the authorization to make a collect between the students to buy better equipment for the cleaning in the centers to the act of taking some board games and toys to the people, this lists had activities that even Snips and Snails could do. Every time was the same thing, I read what was in the document she brings to me and I signed it if I thought it was a safe idea.

“You didn’t arrive to the orphanage, boss.”

“I had a delay and it was pointless to go that late.”

“Too bad. I missed you yesterday.” She grinned.

“Have a good day.” I journeyed to my classroom.

I could barely walk through the corridors because I was so damn tired. Gilda and I had a kind of forced slumber together. Sugarcoat really made me stay awake beyond midnight to finish the regular stuff from the academy. At least Gily knows how to deal with the job now. It isn’t that hard but it’s tedious, and knowing Sugarcoat, she would have told her unnecessary steps.

“Good morning, Bittersweet.” Sunset joined my pace.

“Hey, there.” I hid my tiresomeness.

“Ready for today?”

“Yeah.”

“Great! See you after school!”

Another long day awaited me.

….

The Market Zone of Ponyville was a humble landmark full of unique stores and your occasional elegant local like Rarity’s boutique. At the side of the most prominent student in all CHS, I was walking through the streets, organizing my ideas on how to proceed on our task. Is ironic the way life works. One day, you look up in the sky and tell to yourself that you are a free man. Then, on next day, you are practically a slave of Sunset Shimmer’s planned routine. We had one single purpose to fulfill: Get the damn sponsors we needed before this week ended. Getting them at a later date would be disastrous in a planning sense.

It wasn’t enough that my group of students and I barely were able to come with any good idea for the Halloween party for the school with Pinkamena during lunch, or having surprise tests on all classes again, courtesy of God Empress Vice-Principal Luna. Sunset also wanted to revamp the meal for the Thanksgiving celebration.

The funds that Principal Celestia had in store for use at our discretion couldn’t be wasted in a careless manner, according to her, especially after the Principal cut in half our original resources for unknown reasons. That made sense since, well, although in paper three thousand dollars could be considered enough to buy a decent meal and several cheap presents for all the residents, the academy was our enemy, so simplicity wasn’t an option. 

Thank the Truth that at least today was rain free.

“You look tired, Bittersweet. Are you feeling well?”

“Besides the heavy day of activities, I slept at two in the morning with Gilda while helping her with some documents for the academy. Not to mention that Sugarcoat was a pain in the ass during the video call. Blueblood fell asleep and didn’t finish his part… I dread for him since the little troll isn’t that forgiving with mediocrity…” I felt even more tired just thinking of that. “And Reem wouldn’t shut up about her being a deer while sleep talking…” I wanted to go home.

“That happened to me once with Rainbow Dash. I almost wished that we would have been in the same room at that time last year. She almost failed biology, but I managed to make her study with Applejack’s help.”

“I can relate to that. At least we mocked Sugarcoat from time to time to spice things up. Damn, Gilda almost kicked me off the bed when we finally went to sleep.” 

“Wait.” She stopped with her cheeks reddened. “You slept with Gilda… in the same bed?”

I swallowed a yawn and stayed silent for some seconds. “It’s not the first time. We used to do it almost every weekend after we became friends.” I said with drowsiness.

“What?”

“Yeah. It sucked because we are used to sleep alone… Sometimes I almost kicked her off the bed too. On one occasion, we fought so loudly because we wanted the bed for ourselves that her Grandfather kicked us out the house. Hehehe, it was funny.” I regained a bit of good humor.
At least he threw at us some boots and sweaters. That old man will outlive me for sure.

“Ah… so you didn’t… never mind. What happened next?” She asked as we continued walking down the street.

“It was snowing that day. Her Grandfather locked the door and we couldn’t get back in the house because all the windows were closed from the inside. I couldn’t go back with my folks either since some family came to visit and bringing Gilda would have been a bad idea since my mother wants me to marry young… as you may remember.”

“Ah… yes. That… it was a good day, even if we had that little discussion at the end.”

“Huhah... So, we decided to storm Sugarcoat’s place at almost four in the morning. We knew that her folks weren’t there that day because of their jobs so we woke her up by ringing her door bell repeatedly, invaded her home when she opened the door, and slept with her on the bed. It was big, comfy… and spacious.”

Oh, the privilege of having state of the art pillows and mantles. Damn my lack of money, Sugarcoat.

“You what!?”

“Hey, we were dying of tiresomeness and the sofa wouldn’t do. We even called Blueblood and Reem the next morning and had breakfast with her. Of course, we cooperated to buy the groceries and cleaned the mess in the table. It was an odyssey, though. Blueblood is allergic to certain kinds of milk and common chocolate syrup was a no-no for Reem. Not to mention that I hate the Tootsie-Belle brand of flour for waffles and Gilda hates the honey that Sugarcoat and Reem loves. But… Ah, it was a good day… Sugarcoat’s waffles were really good… they also looked as tasty as her big as-”

“As I was saying, sweetie! It wasn’t my fault!” A passing guy said, trying to appease the girl at his side.

“I don’t believe you, dummy!” She responded in anger as she started to complain on a large list of feats that her boyfriend did in just a single date.

I almost said something dangerous.

“What a weird couple…” Said Sunset amused.

“Hmm... We arrived to the most prominent stores of the markets.”

“Since you clearly know how this place really works, I suppose you have a plan on how we can approach the businessmen of each local by now.”

“I don’t know them at all, if that’s what you mean…” I said while playing with my fingers. She made at me a funny frown. “Okay, perhaps I have some acquaintances on one or two of those locals.” She crossed her arms and released a small grin with tender eyes. “You‘ll never forget what happened yesterday, will you?” I hissed.

“I have in front of me the man who will accomplish Discount Domination in all Ponyville. Need to make sure I know how to deal with your kind in the future.” She chuckled as she softly poked my nose.

“Ah, shut up. This is why I never speak of money saving techniques with just anyone. Let’s go with Mr. Grilled first.” We were about to enter a little meat store with the most delicious steaks I have ever seen since- …Shit. “I just remembered that you are vegetarian…”

“I…” She was perturbed at the imagery. Gazing in horror at the parts of a cow and various chickens, she gave me a feeling that she wanted to throw up. “If you don’t mind… can I leave this one to you? I can’t stand the sight from inside.” Said she while hugging herself and looking at the side.

I rested my hands on her shoulders. “It’s okay. I’ll come back in a minute while I try to get us a sponsor.”

“I’ll wait for you in the bench over there… please don’t take too long.”

I took a quick glance at her before entering the store. She took out of her backpack her mysterious book that she carries during school time. A breeze graced her body, making her hair fly in a motion that almost mimicked the waves of a calm sea. Whatever she was writing in there, it wasn’t of my business.

….

I didn’t need to use the methods learned from Raven and the Mayor. Mr. Grilled’s wife was always a kind woman, and she offered to cook vegetable soup for free. According to her husband’s praising, she was a regular on helping the nursing home of the suburbs have some warm food every two weeks. She will gladly get some help from her friends free of charge to do the good deed in our behalf, as long as we gave them the ingredients to work with.

Nice people still exist in this world.

Now, if we managed to get Miss Mareson on our good side, she could sell us the ingredients in bulks at a cheaper price, making us save some money from our funds and use it for more flashy presents to our assigned residents. If my mental calculations were spot on, managing to get those discounts could make us have the needed budget for the people’s meal and presents and have a leftover in case of an emergency.

And if what Pinkie said in the morning was true and she could bake some snacks, and I could manage to get the people Octavia needed for her little music performance for the elderly, everything would be good on our end. I was tempted to ask Rarity for help since she has a business but Sunset said that she was working on something on her own already. Knowing her, it will be good.

Argh… my eyes were watering from the exhaustion. No, must put a good face and stop bitching.

I approached Shimmer from behind. She was watching something on her cellphone. “I got our first sponsor. Well, kind of. Mrs. Golden Corn will make a vegetarian soup for free if we manage to get her the ingredients. She is a regular in the local nursing home of the suburbs and knows the drill.”

“That sounds great!” She said casually and put her phone on her pocket. “Where is our next stop?”

“With Miss Mareson, owner of Mareson’s Bucket. We can get the vegetables and spices from her. In worst case scenario, we must end up buying straight from the Apple farm.”

She glanced at me softly. “What’s wrong with Applejack’s family business?”

“Quality, quantity, availability, and prices. I don’t think that the Apple family could benefit from giving us free stuff or at a discount in exchange of advertising or such. Not when they practically live from selling their stuff at a strict business code. And the stuff from the Apple farm is expensive compared to other humbler places. But that is great quality for you, so it was expected.”

“But I remember that you said that Mareson’s Bucket have a weekly sale from the Apple products.”

“They have a partnership of sorts. Until I met Applejack, I have never interacted personally with the Apples before since the farm is somewhat far away from the markets and its way more convenient to buy it from Miss Mareson herself.”

“We could try and give it a shot! Let me give AJ a quick call and see if we can get something from her.” She dialed up to Applejack and explained the situation. I don’t need to be a genius to know that the Sheriff wasn’t given her a good news. She hanged up the call and sighed a little disappointed. “They have all of their seasonal merchandise presold. Something about a good business arranged by her family. But on the good side, if they have extras left on the next shipment, she could sell it to us at a great deal! We can trust in her word.”

“I know. Now come, Miss Mareson is quick in inspecting her inventory. She isn’t a retired saleswoman for nothing. Not to mention, we could try with Mr. Green Wallet and get us some salt free cheese that certain people from the nursing and retirement homes can eat safely. Maybe layaway some avocados from Mr. Johnson, he could sell them to me at a cheaper price if we buy more than five kilograms. We could even try with Mrs. Aurora’s hardware store and buy from her equipment to replace the old kitchen stuff from the retirement home and Mr. Greenfield - ! …what are you looking at?”

“I feel lost right now. It’s too bad that you REALLY don’t know any of these people at all.” Said she cynically.

“Shut up, woman.” I mumbled.

….

Inside Mareson’s Bucket…

“And that is the situation, Miss. We are willing to promote your store to the public of the city if you help us in our quest!”

“Miss Mareson, this is a good cause!”

“I don’t doubt that. Hey, you look weakened. Everything okay?”

“I stayed up late doing some paperwork.”

“Indeed, little crystal student.”

“I am on CHS now because circumstances. And we really need to do a good job about what we explained.”

“Miss Mareson.” Said Sunset seriously. “I understand that we may not seem like a reliable source of trust to your ever-growing business plans. But I assure that we have in our hearts the best intentions to help the people of those institutions and give them the love, warm, and attention that they deserve. Even if it is for one, single day, showing to the people of the city that we really care could ignite a ray of hope that could shine like a rainbow for long time.”

“My answer is no. Your sentiments are there but I earn my incomes and the payment of my employees from my sales. Not to mention, I have my fair share of advertising on the town and I don’t think I could have more earnings than this.”

“Have you considered expanding, Miss?” She asked.

“Of course! But I don’t think a small local from Ponyville could stand a chance against the ever growing competitive prices from the suburbs. Not to mention, the city’s business is a wild jungle, a quarter of the stores in big cities close every year, especially at Crystal State, if you didn’t know that!” 

Sunset looked at me skeptical, remembering my parley with Raven.

“I overheard a rumor that people from the city would prefer a more friendly business like the ones that exist here in Ponyville.”

“Maybe we can use the festivity to your advantage!”

“How so, kids?”

“We can advertise that the ingredients we used to make the meals possible came from this store!”

“And we can give free samples on the streets a little far away from the event to make it seem more about helping the people instead of a business.”

“We can then sell the ‘left overs’ to the people interested enough and make a survey if they would be interested in a store that sell those kind of commodities with Ponyville’s gentle customer service in the local area.”

“With that, we can promote Mareson’s Bucket, a store interested in helping the needed when possible, give you data if it is worthy of your time and money to invest in a new local in the city and sell your extra products in a single day! And since the Apple family benefits as well since you have a good business agreement…”

“Hmm… that sounds interesting. I can send my husband to supervise the earnings and surveys you make on that day without closing the store. Very well then, if you are conscious that I will only sell you the exact quantity needed for your meals at twenty percent discount and if you agree to buy the merchandise that you don’t sell that day, we have a deal.”

“We appreciate your time and hope we accomplish a successful partnership.” Said Sunset.

“Yes. For my part, I have a question regarding-!”

“I’ll have on sale two hundred boxes of the Fruity Marshmallows cereal this Sunday. No presales, you will have to come for them like everyone else.”

“Fucking damn it!”

“Nitpick! Watch your language!”

“Ahahahaha! It’s okay, dear! You should hear his dad! His granddaddy is especially charismatic in that department and… I forgot, child. I’m sorry about your granddaddy, little Reinhardo.”

“Reinhardo?”

“…”

“Oh, forgive me! How the years fly when you don’t pay attention! When this kiddo was younger, an old friend-girl of his always -!”

“It is okay, Mrs. Mareson, he is receiving a good treatment in the city.”

“Oh, I’m glad to hear it. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get back to my routine. My ice cream shop in the suburbs is my next stop and I’m getting behind schedule.” She went away while humming a little, happy song with a joyous face.

….

Unlike the previous times where we tried to get sponsors and failed horribly, this time around, thanks to our new skills, we gained enough support and promised supplies to make a good event in six hours. Although, I don’t think I played a bigger part in this. Sure, I knew the people of each local and also knew their weaknesses. But in the end, it was Shimmer’s charisma that made everything possible at a record time. Even if we have our set of strengths and weaknesses… sometimes I believe that her gifts far outweigh mine.

Where it took me all the evening to even understand on how to approach efficiently our targets beyond the normal bargaining battles I had in the past, she was another kind of a beast in each encounter. Her speech became cleaner, cleverer, and natural with each person. Her evolution was incredible, developing abilities at an alarming rate. Like if she had unlimited potential… It was something admirable, but scary. 

And ever since we got out Mareson’s Bucket, when we travelled from one local to another, she would ask to me a triviality. And now that we were going home…

“So, about your nickname…”

She wouldn’t shut up.

“Oh, please! Will you just forget it already? You are getting on my nerves!”

“What’s wrong?”

“No! No… Sorry! I really am tired and I tend to get grumpy when I don’t sleep well.”

“Everyone is like that when dealing with lack of sleep.” She said with empathy.

“You are acting too nice recently…” I whispered.

“Did you say something?”

“You are too nice.”

“Thanks… Anyway! Come on, I don’t bite! If you tell me, I’ll answer whatever question you have for me.”

“Whatever I want to know?”

“Yes, as long as it isn’t outrageous!” She grinned.

“Why do you want to know more about me? We don’t match, you know.”

“Because even if we have different points of view, you never do bad things on purpose and say your thoughts honestly with me. We should keep learning things together. I’m still a little upset about your mistrust of me in this event of ours, but...”

“You know why I have to check on you. Sugarcoat and most of the academy have their pride justified. But I have let you do things your way the past week onward.”

“And I appreciate it.” She smiled softly. “We couldn’t have come this far without you.”

“You exaggerate. You are more gifted than me.”

“That’s not true. You-!”

“Shimmer, silence! I know when I am completely outclassed. I don’t need your pity, or your words of courage to stand on my own. Save it for the likes of Twilight or other lost soul you find on school.” I said with all the maturity I could muster in me.

She got closer to me and put her hands on my cheeks. Then she slapped them. “It’s not pity.” She started to pinch them in a playful manner. “If I wanted to make you feel pitiful, I would have thoroughly spied on you and stomped you on the ground like a dog by now.” She stopped her harassing. “But this is no longer the case since I am a better girl now thanks to my friends.” She said with pride. 

“Right… Ok. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah… See you soon.”

When I arrived inside my humble home, I fell to the ground on my knees. I never felt my body so heavy since I stood up against Braeburn and his beating. After having dinner, taking my shower, brushing my teeth, and finally putting on myself some comfortable cloths, I finally was able to reach my bed. 

I should be stressed… but I’m not.

Getting your goals achieved is not as important as what you become by achieving said goals. Working with my friends, with my classmates, with my acquaintances, with my enemies, and challenging my own persona was the best thing I could ever ask. Even if I bitch, deep inside just like Gilda, I loved the thrill to face stronger rivals. The light of the glimmering diamonds in the sky hypnotized me.

Even if we end up hating each other, perhaps she could be my next Sporty. My new unreachable goal and reason to challenge again. Keep becoming greater. Keep making me doubt myself. Keep giving me a reason to get serious again, and even if I lose against you, as long as I give my all… I will not have regrets while I stay on CHS.

I closed my eyes. I was delusional again. We completed the main objective of getting the important stuff in a timely matter. The rest… should be easier…

“More… more thrills…” 

….
….

‘RING’

My eyes opened. The night was deep outside. My increased heartbeat hurt my chest. I grabbed my cellphone and answered the call without care. “WHAT!?”

“Good morning, boss! How are you doing?”

“IT’S THE FUCKING MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, BON BON!!”

“No, it’s not, boss! As a matter of fact, it’s five with thirty in the morning! Those who wake up earlier, Buddha smiles upon them!”

“ARE YOU HIGH!? Listen, you little shit!”

“Yes?”

“No, fuck it! I’ll end up the call!”

“Alright!” She said ominously entertained.

“…Any moment now.”

“Great!”

“… …I’m serious.”

“Ok!”

“… … …What do you want?”

“So cruel! So mean! I’m just trying to help!”

“Knock it off, snake.” She hissed like one as a reply. “YOU OBNOXIOUS BRAT!” 

“Tee hee hee! Anyway, just calling you to say that you should go to our school earlier. Nobody remembers because of the rage most of the students had during the Battle of the Bands but there is a fit, graceful, and kind-hearted person who plays the violin in the band’s room every day fifty minutes before classes start! I believe that Thunderbass asked of you something concerning Melody and this will help for sure.” 

“How do you…? Why bother when you won’t explain me anything.”

“I’ll wait on the beige metal doorway with a red mailbox outside your house at six with thirty and explain on the way.”

“Arrive at six with fifty because wait a fucking minute! How do you know about that!? How do you know where I live!?” She hung up the call. “BON BON!!!”

I couldn’t sleep again. After preparing myself for school, I was waiting at the sofa of the living room with new found nervousness while my foot was tapping the floor. She was joking again. She must be joking again. It was nearly six with fifty and I didn’t see anyone on the front door through the window. “I WANT TO SLEEP.” I said to myself.

I went back to my room and prepared to take a nap when -! 

My Sixth Sense.

I slapped myself to get out of my trance and looked out of the window. She was there, in front of the metal gate of my home. She didn’t have that pretty hair style from yesterday, using her usual look instead. She raised her head, locking her artic eyes with mine. Raising her hand and waving it in a motion of greeting, she moved her lips silently. I was far away to hear it, but I know that she just said, ‘Hi!’

….

On the way to school...

“Stalker.”

“Dancer told me where you live and when I heard about Thunderbass’ new dilemma, I thought to myself, ‘the boss will gladly hear out my useful information!’ so as a good friend, I decided to help you out again!”

“You are annoying.”

“So cruel! So mean! Why must you make me suffer like this?”

“Shut up.”

“Anyway! Here!” I signed her document without inspecting it. “Thank you once again for your continuous trust in your people, boss.”

“Nevermind that, Bon! Is that violinist you said to me earlier good?”

“Really good! The best of Canterlot High School!”

“Wow.”

“Fit, strong-willed, and amazing!”

“Oh?”

“Truly a marble to admire, if you lust for toned muscles and an athletic figure, of course.”

“…Oh!”

“Come, boss! Let me guide you to enlightenment!”	

We walked to the band room and I could hear it from outside. Music worthy of gods! It was a beautiful tune full of charm and delicacy with a soft, seamless, and appealing tempo that even an untrained ear like mine could appreciate. This… this person will do!

“Why don’t you meet the source of such beauty inside?”

“She must be a gorgeous girl.” 

She just smiled somewhat innocently. She must be perfect like the likes of Octavia. I only hoped that she isn’t that classy. Not my cup of tea. I cleared my throat and closed my eyes as I opened the door.  “Sorry to disturb your morning practice but I just wanted to say that your music is from the heavens themselves!”

“THANKS, LITTLE MAN! I PLAYED THIS SINCE I WAS IN KINDERGARTEN, YOU KNOW?”

As my eyes opened in stupefaction, Bulk Biceps was holding the violin with a grace worthy of a professional musician. My hopes and dreams crashed to the pits of hell. I could feel it. The moving face of Bon Bon as she was burying deeper and deeper her laugh in my back, trying to contain her obnoxious gesture of mocking me in public. 

I hate her.

….

Sighing in regret that I was doing the homework I forgot to do as fast as I could before classes started, the only consolation that I could give to myself was that our progress was going smoothly. We got the help from good businesses, I got the violinist, and since we didn’t have to stay that long in the organizations because confidential reasons, only for today I could go home earlier. Peace, tranquility, and hours of sleep waited for me.

“Darling! I need to talk to you for a second before my class starts!”

Ugh…

“Yes, Rarity?”

“Could you come to my boutique in the evening? I need you for something concerning your disguise for Friday!”

“My what?”

“Don’t tell me you planned to skip away your first Halloween party with us?”

“Yes.”

“Ohohohoho!” She brushed her hair with her delicate hand. “We’ll go to my place after our duty in the city ends, understood?”

I gave up long ago in arguing with her and just nodded. I rested my face on my desk and hoped that nothing else could ruin my day.

“This cannot get worse!”

“Hi, Nitty!”

“Twilight, it is rare for you to come at this hour!”

“I woke up late because I slept really far into the night! But it was worth it because I have big, great news for us!”

“What? Really?”

“Yes! It’s about our project! I found a way to finish it at last with flying colors!”

FUCKING FINALLY! GOOD NEWS!

“That’s great news!”

“YES, I KNOW!” She clapped her hands while giving me a cheerful smile. Her eyes had tiny stars in them. “We just need to double our efforts!”

“…Beg your pardon?”

“The new coding we worked the past two days is but the base for a stronger foundation! I now know that combining a small coding found in some free antivirus software to our main security system will increase its performance to an outstanding point-eleven percent! Isn’t that great!?”

“What?”

“With this, we can make the school’s library system hacker proof for at least three years and make it two seconds faster! At the pace we are working, we will finish it at the end of the semester! Doubling our efforts, however…” She poked my nose several times. “We’ll finish by the end of November! Doesn’t that sound great!?”  

Ah…! Aahhh…!

“You know! I would never have done this kind of fun activities before alone! Coming here was really the best decision of my life! I thank Sunset for bringing me to the light! And… I thank you for making me come this far!”

“N-no problem, Twilight!” My fingers were trembling on her shoulders, slowly approaching her little, slender, and girlish neck. “F-friends always try their best to help each other… r-right!”

“You are the best! I knew I could count on you! I also promised Miss Cheerilee that we will help her to do her presentation for her class of Friday! We can advance it a little during Gizmo’s class and finish it when you are done with your appointment with Rarity!”

“Great!”

My thumbs were on her throat.

“We will have so much fun together!”

Just need... to grip hard enough.

“Indeed we’ll have!”

I’ll make you see the light.

“Nitpick, please come here for a second!” Thunderbass was at the door while pointing his finger outside. Curious girls looked at us with fascination.

Assholes.

I stood in front of him. “G-got your violinist.” I felt that my eyes were twitching. I took a big gasp of air and calmed myself. “Bulk Biceps plays it good and Bon Bon agrees!”

“Excellent! But I was wondering if you could help me with something else!”

“What now!?”

He pulled me away from eavesdroppers. “Do you have plans this Sunday?”

“Yes.” I lied out of desperation.

“Perfect! We'll have a double date together! Lyra told me that Octavia wanted to have a little fun so she persuaded her to go out with her to go anywhere nice!”

“I said I'm busy that day.”

“She is really a good wingman! She innocently asked to me if I could give them a ride in front of Octavia! I said yes but I want it to look normal so I need you to be Lyra’s temporal pair, couple, whatever! That way, I can be with my interest without looking weird  and being a third wheel!”

“I have plans already!”

“We are going to have a blast of a time! My treat! Well, gotta go! Good luck with the pianist!” He ran to his classroom.

This couldn’t possibly get-

“Bittersweet, good morning! I’m glad to see you are in a better mood! Bon Bon told me everything! Joining forces instead of having a feud is possibly the best choice for CHS in our second battle against Crystal Prep this year!”

“…Ah!?”

“Don’t play dumb, silly! It was nice of you to do this for me!” Shimmer hit playfully my arm. “I knew that you were changing! We’ll have our first joined meeting during breakfast! I can’t wait for that!” She winked at me and got inside the classroom.

The owner of the artic eyes came into scene after Shimmer went inside, wearing her fakest friendly pupils in that cute face of hers. “I forgot to mention that because you made possible the participation of the minority in menial but important tasks so far, the students won’t mind supporting Shimmer as long as you keep enforcing their desire to make heard their ideas and participation.”

“WHAT THE-!?” 

She sealed my lips with her index finger. “No shouting allowed inside the school, boss.” Said she coldly with a smile and a tempting voice. “Remember those documents I made you sign so Principal Celestia could allow those activities to take place? I know that you are aware on how important someone can feel when they are being useful in any shape or form. Just keep doing what you do best and I will do my part on this event! Oh Captain, My Captain!”

“But-!”

“See you later!”

‘Heavy breathing’

‘Hands cracking’

“Mr. Bittersweet, class is about to start!”

“…Coming, Mrs. Harshwinny.”

No matter how hard, how painful, or how infuriating it was. I’ll make my good deed in this school. I’ll make a fucking good job at CHS. I was a Champion once in the academy. I’m used to outrageous schedules. I’m used to annoying appointments. I must persevere… Even if my anger was dwelling within me… 

During the small team essay we had during class, Fluttershy praised me through a text message for my supposed decision to work together with Shimmer from now on. I NEVER GAVE HER MY NUMBER! Sunset was looking at me brighter than ever and Rainbow Dash was actually being nice. Also, asking favors through text messaging, Soarin, Thunderbass, Bulk Biceps… WHO THE HELL GAVE THEM MY NUMBER!? The people at the classroom wouldn’t shut up. Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up! 

SHUT UP! 

I was about to explode… but little Twinkle Star and Spike from inside the bag were looking at me like if I was the best thing ever. I must show restraint, patience, and maturity. As long as I was at Midnight’s sight, I’ll be a damn good role model for her even if I must…!

Even if I…

I...

....

....

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGHHH!


> Chapter 83 - Meeting their expectations! Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s been fifty nine days since I started my new life as a student of Canterlot High. Almost two months if I wanted to be simpler. There have been definitely some bad moments in my new life… I guess. But all of those were far too little and between when I stopped and considered the many wonderful things I have lived so far.

CHS… No! Ponyville in general felt like a second home far away from home. Warm, welcoming, and full of kind people, I can now appreciate being surrounded by everyone. Some of them were a little weird, but their intentions had kind motives in the end. Gilda and Lightbulb who looked out for me when I needed them, and Soarin, Lyra and Bon Bon were so nice… the latter sometimes acted… strange. But nothing, NOTHING, compares to the shine of rainbow that my friends represented for me. Dean Cadence was right. My big brother was right. 

I believe… I wasn’t scared anymore.

But I needed to come back to the moment. It was lunch break, and a multitude of students gathered on the gym hall of the school. On the stage, Sunset and Nitty were standing in front of a massive public, explaining the current status of the resources we had at our disposal. Making quick calculations with the data they publicly gave to us, I confirmed that the margin of error they had with their mental calculations was off only by a point-seven percent.

I didn’t expect anything less from them. Their voices were so commanding even without a microphone.

“So, any questions?” Nitty looked thoughtful, trying to improve even more our current odds. I’m sure of it. “Yes? You over there.”

“Ah, Nitpick! Or Bittersweet? How we should call you?”

“As long as it isn’t offensive, call me whatever you like!” He said politely.

“Bittersweet, we have been wondering if we could make a big theatrical display to the kids! Maybe we can work our way around the budget and buy costumes and other kind of materials to make portable sets!” One of the girls from the Drama community said.

“I must sadly inform that Crystal Prep Academy will perform a play for them. Because of time constraints and we trying to be as diversified as possible, we can’t make that idea come to fruition.” Sunset said calmly.

“I’m going to have to agree with her. The academy is a nightmare to compete with that in a direct approach, especially if we have a restricted schedule for big spectacles… but I suppose there is an alternative, if you are interested.”

“An alternative, you say?”

“Yes. According to…” He looked troubled all of the sudden. “According to Lyra, Bon Bon and Soarin, a few children like toy related TV shows. You know, Rogermith the frog and stuff.”

“We know how to work with hand puppets!”

“And that’s not all! Those shows usually have orchestras as background music! If Octavia agrees, besides doing her little concert to the elderly, she could-!”

“Wait a minute!” Rainbow interrupted. “We are already planning a rock concert for the competition!”

“This is not a group of youngsters running wild on the fields! These are a goddamn retirement home and other places that need subtleness, Dash! You can’t play lousy music to them!”

“Unless we sing our calmer songs, like Shine like Rainbows!” Sunset said.	

My hand rose on its own. “I like that song!”

After staying quite for some time and scratching his head briefly, Nitty said, “We can do both. I can speak with Sugarcoat to arrange a mini competition between the bands. The people interested in helping Rainbow’s band can-!”

“We are the Rainbooms, schoolmate! Get it right!”

Rainbow’s word halted Nitty’s calm face for a second. “As I was saying!” Oh nevermind! It was just my imagination. “The Rainbooms can compete with the academy’s band and we can let the public decide which one was the best! But only if you play calm, quiet and harmonious songs! Some of you know by now that certain residents have hearing problems and are too sensible to loud noises! That’s where Octavia’s performance is the key to our success! We must take this chance that the academy’s orchestra band is unavailable!”

“What do you mean by that, Bittersweet?”

“You don’t really believe that the academy is only doing this kind of community service as their main event, do you? Although it is true that Cinch sent her top dogs-!”

“Students!” Sunset corrected.

Nitty’s face looked weird for a moment. “Her top students may be against us, but Cinch always put us… them to do other competitions when the opportunity arises.”

“Does that mean that she isn’t taking us seriously?” One of the students asked.

“She wants to crush CHS.” Nitpick continued with a stern look. “I don’t have a fuc… I don’t know what you did at the games but what’s done is done. She is using her top guns against us. But the academy has a reputation to preserve and engaging against other schools in private tournaments is what they have always done. We must take this chance that their variety is limited because of that!”

“So you are a kind of a double agent?”

“Cool!”

“Sweet!”

“Eh, no. I am going to be one-hundred percent honest with you and say right now that I will support you and make sure that CHS competes in a fair manner. But that doesn’t mean I will betray Sugarcoat by telling you what she is planning. What I just told you is common knowledge to the public. Want to win that badly? Help yourselves by doing what you can!”

“He is right! Principal Cinch doesn’t believe in accidents and is willing to defame Principal Celestia for what happened back there!” Bon Bon rose from the multitude. “If we want to achieve victory, we must combine our efforts and unite under a single flag! We won’t allow that meanie of a Principal hurt ours any longer, am I right? WE ARE WONDERCOLTS!”

“AND OUR TIME IS NOW!” We all cheered.

Sunset, with a bright and hopeful face, took our attention after the shouts of encouragements ended. “Now we must discuss other ideas you have in mind! Yes, Mystery Mint?”

“I have been wondering if we could make flower arrangements for the people who would like flowers in their rooms! I asked one of the nurses in the nursing home and they said that some patients can have them! We have the list here and where Dancer works, they have all of them!”

“How much we are talking about?” Nitty asked.

“Seven hundred dollars for pollen free flowers, discounts included!”

“SEVEN HUN - We can do a collect between the students! All who are interested please donate between one to three dollars and give them to… uhm… Applejack will be in charge of keeping the money, if she doesn’t mind.”

“You can count on me, y’all! I know how to keep money safe! Good-old Mr. Longbelly will keep it on ma house!” Applejack said while arranging her hat.

“Who?”

“Ah… my piggy bank, y’all!” She hid her face behind it.

The brainstorm of ideas continued without any inconvenience.

….

During the class of Informatics, Nitty and I were alternating between writing our coding and preparing a great class for Miss Cheerilee to use. We were going to study the end of the Von Great Equine’s lineage. Conspiracy theories say that in reality, the family’s true title of power was Surik and were related to the Blueblood lineage, just like the UIdrich bloodline. Once long ago, even before the rise of the Old Great Equine, the Uldrich and Surik families were once the guardians of the Ancient Civilizations. 

All that ended when General King UIdrich Sombra put an end to one thousand years of history, killing the last surviving member during the war. One of those theories, the most obscure of all, was that Princess Mi Amore was said Surik instead of the one killed during the war. But must put the most relevant and accepted information from approved sources of what happened in those years while Nitty made it far friendlier to watch in the presentation.

“You really know how to make it look nice.”

“When you work under Sugarcoat, you tend to learn a thing or two about visual presentation. But last Monday I was defeated by the secretary of Mayor Mare. Spectacularly, I might add.” He said the last cynically.

“Well, she is a professional! You can’t match her experience with ours!”

“She will be twenty on next March. Mayor Mare spoiled me the fun of guessing her real age through a mail.”

“She is only nineteen? Wow! She must have advanced many years of college! And why do you have her mail?”

“Because the secretary said to the Mayor that we should keep helping them while we still could. Not only I’m doing our stuff, Shimmer and I are working on some data sheets she sent to us to practice a different topic. Seriously, why people are giving away my contact information without asking me first?”

“Are you… angry?”

“No. I’m fine. Why I should be angry now?”

“Hehehe! You are right! It seems that you have everything under control!”

“This is not so different than Crystal Prep, except for the fact that most students act like drones. It’s not really useful when they have ideas but don’t know how to develop them. Brainstorming can get you so far, but without a proper plan… well, it usually ends horrible for all.”

“I understand. When I was younger, I tried to build a solar lamp with spare materials on my home.”

“What happened?”

“It worked, but since I didn’t plan the design, it was cumbersome and useless for my Dad.”

“But it worked… right?”

“Yeah but not the way I wanted, so I redid it again and thirty minutes down the road, I had the lamp ready! Dad still uses it when going to replace a light bulb in our basement!”

“I hardly can call it a failure.”

“But it was a failure!”

“...Just get back to work!”

“I felt pretty bad that day.”

“For only one minute.”

“Well… I guess.”

“You are really hopeless sometimes.” He rubbed my hair. “I wouldn’t change anything of you. Except your quirks to overdo research, and perhaps your apologetic nature to a certain degree.”

“Hey!”

“Shh. Work!”

“I won’t let you down.”

“That’s my line… that really should be my line.” He said somewhat… tired.

I noticed something that I didn’t catch up before. His eyes were pale and little eye-bags were forming in his face. But even so, he worked diligently and we made the impossible happen: The class for the Miss was finished in a timely matter, and the coding was proceeding as expected. We managed to reach an incredible three percent of progress for the program I had in mind. Once classes were over, he proceeded to supervise all the new activities he was in charge now in the school. Many students gathered around him to contribute propositions and offering help. 

Bon Bon aided him with the enormous quantity of students, making his responsibility of today lighter. Sometimes I believe she enjoys it too much… she smiles weirdly from time to time. But nobody notices it. Or perhaps it’s just my imagination. Besides, if someone can handle the job, it’s him.

He can take it, I’m sure of it.

As for me, I eventually found myself outside the school, breathing fresh air and unzipping my backpack for Spike to come out. “This was a great day of school!”

“Right! I don’t think this day could get any better!” My loyal dog said.

“Twilight, there you are!”

“OH! Hi, Sunset!”

“Twilight, I was wondering if you were available later?”

“Of course! What for?”

“Being my partner for the duties in the retirement home, of course! Bittersweet has arranged things with Sugarcoat and said that we would have an easier time now. It seems that Lyra and Soarin will work with us as well, and he mentioned that Soarin was well liked with Prince Blueblood, Princess Reem and Gilda, so teamwork should be less stressful now! Although… I don’t like the idea of working close with Gilda. Rainbow and Pinkie don’t get along with her and they say she has been trouble with them for the past few days.”

But she’s been nice with me recently!

“Well… if Gilda doesn’t treat us badly during our work, then we could try to get along with her. You know… show her a bit of a kind friendship.”

Sunset was caressing her chin while thinking of the possibilities of my suggestion. “Well, Fluttershy has good word for her, even if Rainbow disagrees… and I wasn’t that nice either before. Maybe, just maybe…” She crossed her arms briefly while shutting her eyes, trying to express her answers. “No…” She embraced me and started walking to the bus stop. “It’s too soon to act too nice to her.”

“So… we won’t befriend her?”

“Of course we will, Twilight! We just need to approach her the right way! Perhaps Bittersweet can give us a pointer on where to start!”

“I’m sure he will gladly help us out!”

“Not to mention that he is being greater recently!” Spike said. “I mean, it was so cool of him to make the school unite!”

“Yeah, I guess you can say that!” Sunset said in a good mood. “Bon Bon herself was so happy about it when she gave me the news. Not even during the games was she so dedicated at something. Her skills during the competition were above decent at best.”

“But she has scored fairly decently on the academic tests, and she is kinda great in manual work!”

“Perhaps she is just excited that we are working as a full team again and that makes her feel motivated… just like before my...”

“Just like before what?”

She sighed weakly. “Never mind. Let’s go and do our best! The girls will go on their way too later!”

“Right! Just after leaving Spike in my home!”

“WHAT!?”

….

Teamwork was so seamless and smooth that I wasn’t aware that many hours have passed since we had lunch in the afternoon. Sugarcoat was so… cooperative with us. She still assumed various faces of distrust from time to time but she lent me a hand on many occasions that I almost felt that she was somebody else. Gilda was still rude and pushy… but in a nice way. She encouraged me to assume correct postures when lifting heavy stuff for me when nobody was watching us and it made me feel comfortable. Soarin was so nice, thoughtful and gentle while Lyra was so energetic and lovely to work with. 

The Royals were away by Sugarcoat’s indications. Something about a touchy subject on the orphanage. I wonder if it’s about that girl from before.

But if anything could top that, it was the fact that Sunset Shimmer herself was staying at my side almost all of the time. She told me a joke when I was about to get depressed with my performance. She helped me in doing the food distribution to the residents and we finished swiftly. She even took my hand and we walked together around the park after the activities were over. 

Always striving for the best, giving all of herself and more to achieve great results. Smart, popular, well-liked, funny, athletic, gifted, and incredibly wise in the matters of friendship, there wasn’t something she couldn’t do. And she was spending time with me!

It was the best day ever!!!

“Twilight?”

“Yes?”

“Want some of my juice? It’s grape!”

Finding a place on the park to sit was easy, and the weather helped in giving us a moment of respite. As I drank the last drop of the juice, Sunset put… Sunset put…

“I must confess to you that… I’m so tired, Twilight.”

“I-I… well… I mean… In what can I help?”

“Just stay like this… I’m so sleepy.”

She was resting her head on my legs... I let time walk as the breeze blew in our direction. The night slowly fell upon us and the stars started to appear in the sky, one by one.

“I didn’t think you could get tired.” I said in a low tone while brushing her hair with my hands.

“I’m not an alicorn.” She chuckled gently.

“Oh, I’m so sorry for waking you up!”

“Don’t worry. It’s just that these past few days have been so… active. Doing paperwork here, organizing the students there. During the meeting we had in the Town’s Hall, fright was taking the better of me.”

“Why?”

“Bittersweet and I learned so much that pouring our knowledge in sheets was really energy consuming. Then getting the sponsors and taking a lot of risks in our proposals was nerve wrecking. To be honest, I was scared of my deliveries. But him… wow, he really knows how to deal with the businessmen. I mean, he managed to convince this nice lady to give us a thirty percent discount in some herbal spices for the meal. I almost felt that I wasn’t giving something to the table.”

“I don’t think that is true. You have been doing lots of school programs since this scholar year started. It’s natural that you feel tired now. Many things have happened since I enrolled to CHS.”

“Indeed. Time flies off when you are busy with something.”

“…Hey, we can’t stay here any longer. It’s almost eight o’clock. You will arrive very late to your home if we let time fly and don’t take the bus.”

“I don’t think I can stand up for long. I barely can keep talking to you…”

“Maybe one of the girls can help you in taking you home.”

She checked the hour on her phone. “They must be at home now. Besides, none of them knows where I live if ever fall asleep on the road.”

“What?”

“It’s… too embarrassing. Thinking about it, I shouldn’t have told Bittersweet where I live. Curiosity got the better of me…” She yawned so hard that I almost succumbed to sleepiness.

“Why don’t…” The question I was about to ask made me feel nervous. “Do you want to stay at my home tonight? Mom won’t mind, and I think I have a new set of pajamas to share with you!”

“Really? I mean, I don’t want to be trouble! Oh, and I don’t want you to wake you up during the middle of night! I sometimes wake up and advance school work and such.”

“I’m sure I’ll manage… if you don’t mind. I have oatmeal with yogurt on the fridge!”

She chuckled rather cutely. “Sold!”

….

After my Mom came for us in a timely manner, I could notice that she tried so hard to conceal her happiness for me. When we arrived home, I noticed that my room was far cleaner than usual. A tender essence of lavender engulfed my senses, making me feel at peace. She offered Sunset to take a shower while giving her a new set of hygiene products. My friend was reluctant but nobody defeats the hostess skills of my Mommy.

Once both were clean, wearing fresh pajamas for the occasion, we ate some of the dessert I mentioned her earlier. She almost finished it by herself. She told me a joke that Spike and I didn’t understood, reminding us that she is a mare from another world. How silly is this. 

She looks as human as me.

“So, there was this girl during my days of being the apprentice of Princess Celestia called Moondancer! She was so kind and quiet, but very smart! She is the only mare I remember because back then, the rest of the students were so immature that I eventually forgot about them. Not the best moments of my life, I must say.” She scratched her hair.

“Moondancer a brilliant student? In this world she is a Hall Monitor of my old school! And according to Nitty, she is almost as serious and well-rounded in abilities as Sugarcoat! But for some reason, they don't get along with her.”

“That sounds like bad news.”

“And really stressful!” Spike said. "At least we were safe in the basement!"

“I don’t know… she was really nice during middle school. But I believe some… one disappointed her so badly that she just changed like anyone else does on Crystal Prep.”

“Perhaps in the future you can try to make her feel better! Once you master all the friendship lessons the girls and I gave you, I’m sure that you’ll fix friendships in no time! Just like Princess Twilight!”

‘Just like Princess Twilight, uh?’

“Twilight?”

Sunset’s words snapped me back. “Oh, I’m sorry! Did you just say something?”

“That you will do great things! Just like I told you last time on Applejack’s home!”

“Sure! I mean… of course I will!”

“You really resemble Princess Twilight sometimes! You are… good, even if you still lack experience in friendship!”

‘Lacking!’

“Twilight?” Sunset this time reached my forehead. She smelled… like Nitty, like Neapolitan ice cream. “You have a little fever. We should sleep now. It’s getting late and tomorrow will be another busy day.”

“Alright, I, well, just let me take these to the kitchen and clean them!”

“No, no, no! I’ll clean the plates and tell your mom to give me medicine for you! It’s the least I can do for inviting me to stay here tonight! Spike, take care of Twilight until I come back!”

“Yes, Ma’am!”

….

I just slept about two hours. Something kept itching in the back of my head. I thanked my Dad in this moment for buying me a big sized bed. Sunset and Spike had enough space to make me company. I haven’t felt well since I put my head on the pillow. Even with my poor eye-sight, I could see the roof window brimming with the light of the stars, amazingly glimmering in this city full of artificial glows. 

The stars of the city near the Town of Abundance were defiant and proud of their light.

They reminded me of the tale of the Twelve Guardians. Long ago, in the land of the Eastern Kingdoms, between the countries of Nippon and the Zhonghua, it was said that people are born with a guiding star that represented a guardian entity: The zodiac signs of the Nordic animals, rulers of the twelve elements of the Land of Spirit. I never understood how those countries assimilated the animals of Old Great Equine in their culture but it is a mystery so obscure that made the topic hard to follow, especially with all the false or exaggerated information on the web. 

Seriously, just for once I want to find an outrageous-free research material.

I can’t believe I was thinking in old tales of fate instead of trying to sleep again. I glimpsed at my loyal puppy and Sunset as they were snoring quietly, almost as if their breath mimicked a tender wind instead of the screams from down below of Rainbow Dash.
She really needs to do a check-up of her throat.

‘Rumble’

What was that?

‘Rumble’

It came from Sunset’s backpack. A faint glow of pink shinned from the inside. What could it be?

“Umm…”

Sunset woke up in automatic. Perhaps I should…

‘Watch!’

A voice filled with insidious desires chilled my spine, feeling several needles piercing my heart. It froze me.

Sunset’s pace became normal after yawning once and she sat down in front of her bag. She withdrew a book and opened it. After a moment of silence, she quickly put her hands in her mouth. I could hear whispers of excitement. Perhaps that book is something from Equestria. She quickly wrote something in it and put it back in its place. Once finished, she came back to bed. After several subtle movements, trying to find the perfect position to sleep, she finally breathed slowly again.

She found her way back to the Land of Dreams.

And I… was just there, focusing my whole attention to her bag.

‘Take it.’

“No.” I mumbled.

‘Open it!’

“It’s not mine.” I whispered as I fell asleep.

…

…

…

…

‘TAKE IT, TWILIGHT!’

I woke up, my body drowned in sweat. My heartbeat upset, my fingers full of anxiety. I could see the sky slowly turning orange with the golden light from our solar star.

The dawn has come.

I took my glasses, barely able to hold them properly. My sight returned to full strength as I wore them and my best I did to reach the bathroom silently. The water was cold. No doubt my Dad forgot to turn on the heater yesterday. But I didn’t mind today. The freezing shivers from the cold drops were pleasant compared to the horrible sensation my body had when I awoke. 

“It was just a bad dream.”

….

Mrs. Peanut took us to school at the usual hour. Not one minute earlier, not one minute late. Sunset was refreshed, the rays of the sun paling before her shimmering. Spike was a like a sunflower, vibrant and hopeful.

I felt like dizzy.

“Twilight, come here.” Sunset put her arm around my neck and walked slowly with me. “Thank you again for allowing me to stay at your home. I knew you were kind since the day you opened yourself to us. Great things will be done from you, my friend.”

She kissed my cheek like every week at a random day and walked towards the school. Spike hid in my backpack as we got inside, and the only thing I could see on the horizon was a multitude of people talking non-stop.

…They were noisy.

“Did you know that it has been approved for us to help in the city?”

“That’s great!”

Noisy.

“I believe the school is getting brighter than before!”

“Ever since she became nicer, everything has become fun again!”

“We owe it all to Princess Twilight!”

‘Princess Twilight!’

“SHU-!”

“Hey, Midnight. Did you sleep well?”

Nitty!?

“Oh… yeah! I’m fine! Just a little busy in mind! Hahahaha!”

“You are bad liar. Here, take this!” I took his offering. “It’s the Chocolate of Spirit, Midnight. Powers beyond your wildest imagination are stored inside this little and practical package.”

“It’s just black chocolate.”

“Damn it, use your imagination!”

“Language!”

“Oh, shit!”

“Nitpick!”

“What!?”

“Could you please be nicer for now? I didn't have a good night!”

He poked my nose and crossed my arm with his. “You’re not the only one! The students made me do a lot of outrageous things while I was in charge and Rarity was no better when she dragged me to her boutique! I slept until three in the morning because of her!”

“…I’m sorry.” He poked it again with a bit of strength. “Hey!”

“I have told you so many times that you mustn't apologize for shit you aren’t guilty of!”

“You won’t ever correct your tongue, won’t you?”

“If it’s you, I don’t mind if you keep trying. Now come, before someone from the committee-!”

“There you are, boss!” Bon Bon stood in front of us leading several students. “Before classes start, would you kindly please lead these people to the project you did yesterday with the other students? Explain on the way the activities while you are it!”

“YOU BIT- Of course! Come on, people! CHS won’t win by itself if we don’t give our best, right?”

“Right!” They raised their voice motivated.

He leaded the way to whichever place he worked yesterday. At half of the way, Sunset joined him with another bunch of students. I was so jealous of them. They always have their hands full but still managed to keep it cool. They motivated me. A surge of energy came from inside my body. I couldn't help but smile while I was there, admiring both of them from afar.



I want to be able… to meet their expectations.
> Chapter 84 - Meeting their expectations! Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several students found themselves working on incredible projects in the available rooms appointed by the Vice-Principal, sacrificing the hour of lunch for the sake of teamwork. The Drama Club received just enough funds to buy materials for their hand puppets and portable stages and worked relentlessly to not disappoint. In the soccer fields several students were practicing for the little magic show planned for the children. The show was directed by a girl called Trixie, leading a group of students from middle school, something that put her in an incredible good mood according to Sunset.

Soarin was helping with the heavy stuff besides very few guys from the soccer team. It seems that most of the team doesn’t approve of Nitty’s leadership and prefer aiding Rainbow Dash with Sunset’s ideas. Dancer, Lyra and Thunderbass’ friends were giving their opinions to Mystery Mint with several drafts for her flower arrangements. Even if she is from the Rocker group, it was nice to see that she liked cute ideas.

On the band room, Octavia was practicing her music session with Bulk Biceps and Thunderbass. They said that their performance was far from being the sound they wanted to achieve but it sounded so good to me that I thought they just wanted take their skills beyond the average.

As for me, I just existed.

I was in the gym hall, watching everyone preparing the place for the party of tomorrow. Walking from group to group, person to person, everyone turned down my offer to help them. They were polite, and they had a perfect explanation for that. All the projects had the right amount of people working on them.

I felt somewhat useless and I really wanted to help. 

“Darling, yoo-hoo! Come here please!”

“In what can I help, Rarity?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to eat in Sugarcube Corner with us before going to the city. It would be delightful for the seven of us to eat together!”

“We ate together a few days ago!”

“Applejack, darling! You can never eat together enough times with friends, can you?”

“No, to be honest.”

“So… you don’t need any help?”

“Oh no, we are fine! Go back and continue your fair share of responsibilities, darling! See you later in class!”

“But-!”

“Keep giving your best, sugarcube!”

Both of them went outside with some boxes. Well, Applejack was carrying the heavy ones.

“Umm…”

“Midnight.”

Yes!

“Do you need any help, Nitty?”

“No, just wondering if you aren’t busy enough right now. I saw you a little weakened in the morning and I don’t want you to force yourself.”

“But I’m fine! And I’m sure I can help you with something! A check-list, perhaps!?” I hit his arm with my elbow.

“Thanks, but no. Go outside if you need some fresh air.” He went away, supervising each group he stumbled upon.

“Great.”

“Twilight! There you are!”

“Yes, Sunset? Do you need any help?”

“As a matter of fact, I do!”

AT LAST!

“In what can I help?”

“Could you deliver this folder to Principal Celestia? She needs it to keep accounts on the expenses we have done so far!”

“…That’s it?”

“Of course! Well, gotta go! Rarity needs me outside for a little surprise I have in mind!”

“No, wait!” She ran away with a big smile. “Oh, cheeseburger!” I gave a look of disappointment at the folder in my hand. “Well, at least I’ll do my best as a papergirl.”

….

Outside the Principal’s office, I breathed slowly to gain some of my confidence back. A silly thing to do since Principal Celestia was a kind woman unlike my old one. I knocked the door three times and, “Come in!” she gave me permission to get inside.

“Principal Celestia, I came here to deliver Sunset’s folder!”

“Oh, Twilight Sparkle! Come inside and I’ll be with you in a minute!” I took a seat. She was working on her laptop, typing at an impressive speed. Once she was done with her work, she folded it and locked her tender eyes with mine. “You said you have something for me.”

“Here it is!”

She inspected each page attentively. At first, she had an expression of approval, but slowly it became a face of doubt. “This needs a revision.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Look at this discrepancy, young one!”

It was the data sheet that contained the investments made so far. But something caught my eye. “They are not taking in consideration the materials for Pinkie’s piñatas and the costumes!”

“And by the looks of it, if you want to reach the goal you have in mind for those, you could end up hitting other vital areas in your delivery.”

“What should we do?”

“You are a brilliant girl, Twilight! Calculus Bridge speaks highly of you! I’m sure you can fix some of those calculations to make these ideas come to fruition!”

“…I’ll do my best!”

“Speak first with the representatives of the committee and work together to reach an agreement on how to proceed! Remember, if you need any help, my door is always open!”

I excused myself and got out of her office. Laying my back on the door for a moment, I was thinking on how to tell the others about this dilemma. 

….

“And that is the situation, everyone.”

“Shimmer, we agreed that we couldn’t add more activities to our list! Those piñatas and costumes have to go!”

“I didn’t add those there!”

“What? Then who?”

“It was me!” Pinkie said. “I had this brilliant idea when I was thinking about a girl Twilight and I met in the orphanage and I thought this would make things funnier for everyone there!”

“We all reached an agreement that we would add any good idea to the list if it meets the requirements to approve it with the consent of EVERYONE present during our last meeting. With the resources we have, we can’t add more expenses now!”

“But the kids will like them! You can trust in Pinkie’s skills!” Rarity said. “Besides, Trixie and the others working in the magic show will definitely make some gorgeous costumes as well!”

“This isn’t about Pinkamena’s gifts or whoever this Trixie is.”

“You don’t know Trixie?”

“He must be blessed!”

He cleared his throat rather loudly. “We have enough expenses as it is and the students can’t donate more money just like that! Not all of us have deep pockets to give more than we can! Must I remind you that the fund raising we did for the flowers wasn’t the only one we have made so far? The cleaning products and sporadic small gifts to the people in the city were expensive in the long run and the recent collect to fund the flower idea barely made our budget into something workable. We still live under our parents’ roofs and we can’t spare more!” Most students agreed with his notion with a troubled face.

“But think about our chances to win this! There must be another way to make this work! We still have twenty days to think about it!” Rainbow said.

“Yeah… because thinking that we have too much time is always a good idea.”

“He is right. We can’t add another activity to our schedule.”

“Why not, Sunset?” An angry student said. “Most of the stuff we are doing is from your ideas! At least let us try to make space for the costumes!”

“Yeah!” Several students shouted.

“Hey, hey, hey! Calm down, people!” Nitty intervened. “It’s true that most of these activities are from Sunset’s group. But if we look at facts, most of them are the most economical activities to do!”

“Are you saying that you support her?” Dancer asked… a little hostile.

“All of what we’re doing now is possible because we managed to get the sponsors. She has the same right to give her opinion as everyone else, Dancer. The only reason that we approved the flower business is because Sunset cut off some of the previous ideas she had in mind so yours and the stages for the Drama Club could be made!”

“Not to mention that I really tried to administer our numbers so most of the activities you gave to us during our meeting got approved.” Sunset said. “Trust me when I say that I really want all of your efforts and plans to be recognized but… we simply don’t have the vast resources that Crystal Prep has.” 

“Through Reem, I tried to ask help from the neutral rich people from the academy but they decided to aid Sugarcoat in the end. We are lucky that they are investing their money in the other activities that the academy is engaging besides this one. It is possible that Reem will lend us a hand but the best course of action is to think that we won’t get a concrete help in the future. And adding salt to the injury, we can’t give ourselves the luxury of time any longer.”

“We took into consideration that we need to study for our tests in two weeks and we’ll have only like three days to work in that period of time, not to mention that Spitfire’s team will be unavailable starting this Sunday with the Inter Tournament. Also, remember that some of you have part time jobs and cram schools to attend to and we won’t force you to quit your normal routine outside school for this. It backfired badly last time and I want for us to keep working united!” Sunset said with honesty. “We must do things smartly and do our best to win this time!”

The students who had a bit of anger quickly calmed down. I don’t think I could withstand that kind of social pressure and give an appeasing speech like her.

…She is so cool.

“You can’t be serious, Sunset!!” Rainbow stood before her with a confident expression. “We have made the impossible happen before! If we just Pony-Up to make things quicker - !”

“Pony-up?” Nitty asked.

“Oh, nothing! Just talking nonsense!”

“…Look, we have until Sunday night to reach a final decision. If someone knows a quick method to gather at least one hundred and sixty bucks, we’ll work on those new ideas without delay. But I will clearly say now that this money will only make us reach the bare minimum for those, so don’t expect more. If you screw up at something, there are no second chances! Understood?”

Our spirits dwindled, and his harsh truth affected us all. 

….
After classes ended, I found myself walking to the library before going to the city with the rest. Miss Cheerilee welcomed me with a delightful smile, thanking me once again for finishing her presentation for her history class. I had curiosity in why she hasn’t taken the full position as a teacher but perhaps Principal Celestia is still looking for a replacement.

She allowed me to use one of the computers and I started a personal mission of mine; find a way to make things work. I seriously missed the comfort of my laptop and regretted the decision of not bringing it today. At least my puppy is making me company but I still wished that pets were allowed to roam free inside the school.

I arranged my glasses as I kept tapping the keyboard, making calculations in how to get the best optimization for our investments. I tried several methods to proportionate all the expenses for our goals but to no avail… “WHAT I CAN DO TO MAKE THIS WORK?”

“Shhh!” Miss Cheerilee came from nowhere.

“Sorry.”

“Oh, it’s you! I’ll let it pass since you always are so educated here.” The Miss took a seat beside me. “What are you doing this time, little genius?”

I could feel a warm sensation on my cheeks. “Well, I’m trying to find a way to optimize our investments for the competition!”

“That’s great! I know you’ll find a way!”

“…I hope so.”

I looked down to the floor, knowing deep inside that it was hopeless. Then, a hand reached the paperwork on the table. Miss Cheerilee read each page with a soft sight. She just said, “Sometimes less is more, Twilight. Try to reduce the fat from your meals. They may look good, but it doesn’t mean that they are that great for you.” She left the folder in my hands and walked away to resume her duties.

“Reduce… the fat?” I reviewed again every single piece of data that was available to me. Looking for excessive inversions or trying to see if there was something amiss. “Wait a minute.”

I surfaced the web and got inside Rarity’s MyStable. I looked through the albums where we had our last slumber party in her home and… yes! She must still have them! Something else caught my eye as well… it gave me an idea! Just a few adjustments to my calculations here and there… 

“I MADE IT!”

“Shh.” Miss Cheerilee appeared again. “Oh, it’s you again! Did you make any progress?”

“Yes! I finally made the necessary adjustments to make it possible!”

“That’s wonderful news, Twilight! May I see it?”

“Of course!”

She gave a quick glance to the new and improved charts. “Let’s see… you want to cut the funds for the disguises and flowers?”

“I remembered that Rarity has several disguises kept in one of her closets! Instead of expending money on more, we could try and see if they could be retrofitted for the Drama Club and the magic show purposes! I’m sure that Rarity won’t mind! And about the flowers, according to my calculations, if we reduce the number from fifteen to twelve for each pot, we could actually save around sixty dollars. And if we take into account that two hundred dollars were going to be expended on the disguises…”

“You could make the budget sufficient with these changes! Well done, Twilight! You should go and tell you friends right away!”

“That I‘ll do! Thank you so much!”

I managed to find the girls and some other students. I explained the new format with the best detail I could give and all of them expressed an optimistic gesture. The girls surrounded me and praised my efforts. Sunset and Nitty nodded in approval with smiles of relief and walked away to apply the changes immediately.

Rarity brought from her home the disguises and the people who needed them were more than happy about the costumes’ quality and started to retrofit them for their play. Mystery Mint and Dancer had no trouble in reducing the quantity of flowers, giving us a sense of respite. The gym hall was livelier than before.

“Twilight!” One guy approached me. “I was wondering if you could take a look at this. These are the drafts we have in mind for the puppet stages!”

“Well… the measures are a bit disproportioned…” I took his pencil. “If you make it like this… and perhaps a curve here and here… Look at it now!”

“…Yeah!” He was pleased. “This really looks better! Thank you!”

“Oh no!” A student exclaimed.

“What happened?”

“My glue gun just broke! And we don’t have a spare!”

“Let me have a look on it!” I inspected it superficially and everything looked fine. I asked if someone could lend me a screwdriver and after a few minutes of tinkering with it, the gun was functional again. “Here!”

“Thank you, Twilight! You’re the best!”

“I’m glad I could help!”

“Hey, Twilight! Could you help me in this too?”

“Same here!”

One by one, many people came to me and asked for my help. I was almost overwhelmed by all of their petitions and there was only one thing I could do to keep track appropriately for such schedule and planning.

A CHECK-LIST!!!

Teamwork, perseverance, kindness! Uniting our strengths, we managed to make a great deal of progress to all the manual work! The morale was high, and this simply couldn’t get any better!

…

On next day, progress was going steadily still. All the students arrived earlier in the morning to continue the labor and not a single trace of half-hearted feelings could be perceived in the air. Whether it was during lunch break, asking permission to take a quick look on the drying of the glue for the stages, or even practicing for a few minutes the musical performance, the students were given their best.

“Midnight.”

“Yes?”

“Well done. If it weren’t for you, nothing of this could have been possible! You really came to the rescue and I shouldn’t have put you aside when you wanted to help. Keep this up and you could actually play a bigger part in this than me.”

“Are you serious!?” He nodded with a small grin. “I will do my best! You have my word!”

“Perhaps… this could actually work!” He said lighter, walking away to search for any anomaly in the vicinity. 

“WELL DONE, TWILIGHT!” Sunset came from behind and nearly hugged me as hard as Pinkie. “We have made a tremendous progress in just two days! At this pace, we’ll have everything ready with a week of anticipation!”

“Darling, you are incredible!”

“I knew you had it in you, sugarcube!”

“That was amazing!”

“Amazing? It was awesome!”

“Super-duper great!!” Pinkie blew some party poppers.

“Oh, it was nothing! I’m just glad I could help!”

“You did more than helping us out, Twilight!” Bon Bon appeared to the scene. “You fixed something on the money investments that we weren’t aware of and coordinated a good deal of teams for the occasion! You did great! And I have big news, everyone! Principal Celestia received a call from the government institutions and they said that they are pleased with our delivery so far! WE CAN WIN THIS, GUYS!”

Lyra grabbed my hands and just smiled. Her shinning teeth full of delight. “LISTEN WELL EVERYONE! LET’S THANK TWILIGHT FOR HER EFFORTS AND LET’S CELEBRATE OUR TEAMWORK DURING TONIGHT’S HALLOWEEN PARTY!”

“YEAH!” The students shouted.

The girls gave me a group hug and everyone around us were either clapping or chanting my name. I felt important…

I felt needed!

…

When we were about to go to the city, Sunset’s phone rang. 

“Yes, Mayor? Aha… … … … … … What did you say? … … … … Of course… … … We’ll be there as soon as possible.” She sighed a little troubled.

“What’s wrong, Shimmer?”

“Mayor Mare needs our helps in doing an important paperwork regarding the council’s agreement from last time. Her whole committee minus Raven fell sick after eating spoiled food in a restaurant and they can’t do the job on their own.”

"You got to be kidding me!"

"We need to go and help them in any way we can! They have been helping us learn new skills and we need to return the favor!"

"What? Then you won't be able to join us at Sugarcube Corner and eat cake!" Pinkie said.

“At what time does she need us to be there?”

“As soon as possible… it could also mean that we won’t assist to the party tonight.” She said a little depressed.

“Is something wrong?” Applejack looked concerned.

“I have already made an important meeting for today’s party and I don’t want to fail that person!”

“That person? What do you mean, Sunset?” Fluttershy asked.

“It’s… a surprise, girls.”

Nitty thought for a moment, scratching his hair in a slow manner. “I’ll go right now and lend them a hand. You go to the institutions and enjoy the party when you are done there.”

“Are you crazy? I won’t let you go alone! We are a team now, remember?”

“Then we go together and before the party starts, you go ahead. I’ll stay with Raven to discuss other things she asked me about on a mail related to the academy.”

“But that means that you won’t assist and have fun with us!”

“For victory to be achieved, we must sometimes give away a little of our time. And if that means that I must miss this chance to assist to the party and have fun for the sake of our school, then that is a sacrifice I’m willing to take. If the Mayor ever receives extra funds from the state by surprise, having her on our good side could help us out in case that we need more resources. And even if she doesn’t get them, we’ll still have her support in the future for other situations.”

“That makes sense… But I -!”

“Oh my god, Shimmer! Can’t you read the message I’m trying to give you? I want to help because I can! If you really have an important business then I’ll cover for you today and on Monday you let me rest of all of this, ok?”

Sunset looked at him somewhat weird at first, but suddenly, she took a caring expression. “Alright, if you say so then we have an agreement, Bittersweet.”

“Call me to meet you at the school entrance and give you your costume if you find the time to have fun with us, understood? You’re going to look so handsome with my new creation!”

“Crystal clear, Rarity!”

Before I followed the girls to the path of Sugarcube Corner, I stayed with my friend to ask him something fishy about his reasons to stay behind.

“…You don’t want to go to the party, do you?”

“Midnight, shh!” He whispered. “Yes, I don’t want to go to the party and that’s because that thing Rarity made for me. It’s the romantic suit used by Antonio in the TV show that our Mothers watch at night in the Star Channel!”

“Yeugh…! I don’t like that arrogant guy.”

“I know! Besides… I don’t feel that well to be honest.” He put my hand on his forehead.

“You are -!”

“Shh!”

“No! You need to go home and rest! Let me walk you home!”

“No, I'll survive! And don't worry, I’ll rest later but I didn’t lie about the Mayor business. Every little help we can get is needed. Even with your adjustments, we don’t have enough spare money in case of an emergency. We must secure a possible contingency plan of sorts and most students… no, everyone is doing their best for this to have a shot. I can’t stop now while the odds are still against us.”

“Please try to not overdo it.”

“No promises. Well, I better go with Shimmer before she changes her mind.” He said tired. “Seriously, she is so insufferably righteous sometimes…” He hissed. 

They both walked together to the Town’s Hall, and for a strange reason, I had a bad feeling all of the sudden.

…

My Dad came to pick me up in the retirement home and it didn’t take him that long to drive us to our house. I ran to my room and sported my new disguise for the party. I was a little proud of how I created it.

Who I’m kidding? I was amazed with it.

All those mini-lessons that Rarity taught me since we started our friendship served me well. I managed to make an accurate replica of Lord Everton’s coat, the Father of Science. She offered me to do matching disguise with the rest of the girls but I always wanted to use this as my first costume.

“Twilight.” My dog came to my side, barely able to keep his eyes open.

“Yes, my loyal assistant?”

“Why are you wearing that?”

“It’s my costume for the Halloween party! Lord Everton’s coat”

“Yes but... isn’t that supposed to be, I don’t know… scary?”

“And it is!”

“In what?” His voice was doubtful.

“Look! There are stains of incendiary powder in my coat! Scary, huh? All fake, of course!”

“…?”

“The eleventh century? When science was still deemed witchery?”

“Ah, I remember now! During the time when the Ancient Civilizations rose for the first time during the Dark Ages when the Black Sun Inquisition was taking place! When witchcraft was punished with public execution by order of the Fallen Eclipse!”

"Exactly!"

"Now that sounds scary! Try to not let them find you!"

“Good puppy! I knew you were paying attention to my loud thinking on all those occasions! Say… Are you sure you don’t want to come with me? It'll be fun!”

“Yeah. I’m sleepy and…” He yawned deeply. “Your mom wants me to be with her in the sofa watching TV. She is going to give me croquettes before I sleep.” He said softly, almost asleep.

“Try make your necessities in you know where before you go to bed, my little puppy.”

“Of course, Twilight. Now go and have fun.”

I patted his head and held him on my arms. I walked to the first floor and put him on the sofa. Dad stood up and mom gave us a blessing so we could return home safe and sound. The trip to the town wasn’t that long. The streets were so quiet and the police were doing their daily routine. There wasn’t a city as safe as Crystal State in the whole state. 

Except Ponyville. But it was technically a town so… yes, Crystal State.

We eventually arrived to my school. Dad told me to call him half an hour beforehand when I wished to go home. He kissed me on my cheek and with the best mood I had in forever, my way to my first school party with my friends started.

This couldn’t get any better!

“Sugarcube! Over here!”

“Hi, girls! What are you disguised of?”

“A super hero team that Rainbow and I invented!” Pinkie said. “I saw it in a dream... in another world! And you?”

“Lord Everton, of course.” The girls looked at me weirdly. “The Father of Science?” Frowning faces formed in front of me. “The first man to ever create the first microscope and several mathematical inventions in the Old World? The man who aided the scientist of Zhonghua in creating the first predecessor of gunpowder and the eleventh count of Old Great Equine at that period of time?”

“As long as you are happy with it, we don’t mind what are you wearing!” Rarity said happy.

“Urmm…”

“Girls!” It was Sunset rushing to us. She had a green disguise that matched the girls, but hers sported a kind of golden armor. “I have a big surprise for all of you!”

“Really? What is it?”

“Well… why don’t you take a look over there?”

She pointed to the statue. A hooded figure came from behind it and walked toward us. A little puppy that was a virtual mirror of mine walked besides her and had a silly disguise. The girls gasped with a mix of shock and amazement. 

I was dumbfounded.

She removed her hood, and my doppelganger from the magic portal smiled to me with a radiance beyond the common human. “Hi!” 

“PRINCESS TWILIGHT!” The girls shouted with joy.



“Princess… Twilight?”

“I’m back!”
> Chapter 85 - Meeting their expectations! Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was a mini competition for the best group disguised during the party. Everyone had wonderful costumes ranging from cute animals to truly horrifying monsters.

I was feeling off for some reason.

“Evil lurks on the horizon! Fate has chosen six warriors of destiny to wipeout the evil forces of the malevolent sorcerer Candora!”

On stage of the gym hall, the last group’s turn arrived. The girls jumped to the scene and light materialized their silhouettes.  

“I am Black Mammoth-Warrior! Daishi of Loyalty!” Rainbow said with a ridiculous pose.

“And I am Pink Ptera-Warrior! Meity of Generosity!” Rarity followed.

“Blue Tricera-Warrior! Dankie of Laughter!” Pinkie as well.

“Yellow Tiger-Warrior!! Boishy of Kindness!!” Fluttershy beamed happiness. 

“Red Tyranno-Warrior! Appleki of Honesty!” Applejack managed to not get embarrassed.

“Green Dragon-Warrior! Surai of…!”

“Leadership!” Rainbow whispered.

“Leadership!” Sunset said quickly and empowered. “And we are-!”

“The Super Dino Soldiers! The Power Warriors!” The girls exclaimed together, a flash of rainbow brightened the stage.



“And I am…!”

“Barlight of Ponyland!” Rainbow whispered.

“Barlight of Ponyland! Protector of the Magic of Friendship!” The Princess said excited, wearing a blue starry coat and a hat with some bells at the tip.

“And I am a baby dinosaur! Her loyal assistant!” The other Spike added, wearing a dinosaur-like costume.

I remember that Rainbow mentioned that everything related to anime, manga and cosplaying characters from Nipponese shows was something childish a while ago. I believe that includes parodying the Hyper Sentai show that my brother watches from time to time. What happened to that? Why Fluttershy is having a face full of delight and nobody noticed? Why does she look that she is having more fun than the others? Why aren’t they wearing headbands or helmets? Why my other self is wearing something similar as me minus the hat and colors?

Why I am here?

“Twilight?” Rainbow whispered.

“Yes?” To my surprise, both of us said that together. She chuckled. I followed… as best as I could.

“Your line!” Rainbow insisted.

“I’m Lord Everton! A normal scientist helping the Dino Warriors from the shadows!” I just said still.

“Yes!” Rainbow mumbled.

I felt absurd.

“Oh my God!! Is that Princess Twilight!?” A student from the vast multitude almost passed out.

“It’s her!!”

“Princess!! Will you help us defeat the guys from Crystal Prep Academy!?”

“Will you show those meanies which is the best school!?”

“How many days are you gonna stay with us!?”

“Guys!” Sunset stood in front of them. “Let her breath a little!”

The other one chuckled with an optimistic look. “I’m sad to say that I can’t stay for more than two days. I must go back home at Sunday evening to celebrate Nightmare Night with my friends of my world! But if I can be of any assistance, I’ll gladly help you out in whatever I can!”

Numerous mumbles of acceptance and praise were spoken in her honor. Like a celebrity that you only see once every year. Like a bright star shining in the sky, hypnotizing her admirers with her radiance. Just looking at her made me realize that I was…

‘Redundant!’

I slapped myself hard enough to snap me back to reality, soft enough for nobody to notice. Sunset had this face of… enchantment… painted all over her face. Like if something wonderful was happening to her right now. I felt a scratch on my left leg. It was the other Spike. I kneeled to him and marveled at the similarities that he shared with my loyal puppy.

“What is it, little puppy?”

“Puppy? Well, I suppose that I look like one. But in reality I am a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon back in my world!” He said prideful.

“Oh, really? You look exactly like my dog. The voice is the same too.”

“Great! He must be as cool as me! In fact, that’s why I came to talk to you! Where is he? We could spend the night together!”

“Back at home, sleeping.”

“What? How old is he?”

“I believe he already has a year in this world. I took it under my care one year ago on next Sunday from the streets.”

“Oh man, then he is still a child. I wanted to meet him, though.”

That… annoyed me.

….

The party exploded. All the students had a time of fun and great dancing. Thunderbass and his band were playing a kind of soft rock and even I enjoyed the rhythm. But moving my body for long periods of time wasn’t my thing, I had enough with the sport class training and I still haven’t got used to it.

There were some seats in the sides of the improvised dance floor. Resting was a great idea and I took the farthest seat I could find. The girls were having lots of good moments and I looked at them in awe. Cadence once told me that looking from afar to the ones you love brings joy too. As long as it was peaceful… I didn’t mind being alone for a while.

But just for a moment.

“Hey there!”

Someone appeared at my side. A smile tenderer than any of the girls had with eyes that manifested the stars themselves was facing at my direction. Her sweat and faster breathing from all the dancing didn’t make her drop a single ounce of her grace. I could see it.

She was perfect too.

“Oh… hi!”

“Why are you here all alone? You should be with all the girls and me!”

“I’m… just tired. Not really good at making physical activities for so long.”

“Hehehe! I knew you were the same as me! I am really bad at this too compared to the girls!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! I mean, I’m still not used to this human anatomy! If I was in my original form, I believe I could last a little longer!”

“Oh…” 

So it was just a side-effect of her metamorphosis to human shape. 

“Say, I have a lot of questions I wanted to ask you last time! To be honest, I believe knowing myself from another perspective could be GREAT!”

“Are you sure?”

“YES!”

She is so passionate about this.

“I thought the same too.” 

In the past.

“Fantastic! We can talk a lot of things while we have our slumber party in Applejack’s house!”

“We are going to have a slumber party at her place? Tonight?”

“Yeah! Didn’t Sunset tell you about it? The girls are excited as well!”

“…I didn’t have any idea about it! When did they talk about it?”

“Just a few minutes ago! And you have the right to come to the slumber party! It wouldn’t be the same without you!”

“Is that true?” She nodded with an innocent smile. “I’ll call my Dad to tell him the change of plans!”

“Great! After we finish exchanging questions and answers, I will teach you all about the Magic of Friendship, just the two of us!”

“…Excuse me?”

“You heard that right!” She bumped her fist on her chest with a secure attitude. “Sunset has become a great mentor but I believe only I can 
help you with some peculiarities we certainly share! Our introverted ways and our hate for cheesy quesadillas for example!”
Hate of quesadillas!?

“But-!”

She politely interrupted me. “It’s okay! I was once in your position! I know what it means to be like a… Oh Celestia, this is embarrassing! But we scientists must stick together!”

“Magic is not a science here…”

A loud and vivid power core took place. The people went wild with the band’s performance. 

“Did you say something? I didn’t hear you!”

“Nothing important, Princess.”

“It really sounds weird when you say that! Just call me… uhm! I know! From now on, when we refer to you, I’ll call you Sci-Twi! Sunset told me you love science as I do and I think it fits really well! Especially with those glasses of yours!”

Funny…

“Marvelous. And you?”

“Just Twilight is fine! Say, Sci-Twi… Have you seen Flash Sentry around here?”

“That guy? Well, no.”

“Oh… That’s a shame! He is pretty… nice, isn’t he?”

“Yeah…”

‘Insufferable!’

“Something tells me we aren’t in the same channel.”

Your state of the obvious is - Did I just -!?

“No, sorry! It’s just that this is my first school party and it is somewhat noisy here… Twilight.”

“I remember when I arrived to Ponyville for the first time! I thought that everypony was noisy and annoying as well! But it turned out to be alright! As a matter of fact, I don’t think I could live anywhere else now!”

You could go back right now, in this precise moment, you know?

“Indeed.” 

“Say, I wonder if when you Pony-Up you transform into an Alicorn as well!”

“I have not Pony-Up yet.” I said straightforward.

“What!? I thought you would have done so by now! I knew that Sunset wouldn’t reach you as fast as I would! More the reason to help you with your magic abilities!”

“I already have Sunset and the girls. I’m fine with them.”

“Isn’t that great!? If we combine our efforts together, you’ll embrace the Magic of Friendship far quicker than you can expect!”
Are you even listening to me?

“I can hardly wait. Cadence made me enroll here for that specific reason in the first place.”

“How great! You have a Cadence in this world too! Is she a Principal like Celestia in this world?”

“She is a Dean! A kind of Vice-Principal, and very good at that!”

“I expected nothing else! She is a great sister-in-law! Did you know that I’m already an aunt in my world!? We had a lot of troubles with my nephew but everything turned out fine in the end! Never mind that for now! Let’s go and dance with the girls!” She crossed my arm with hers and a cheered face manifested in her visage. “Now, where are they?” We walked inside the infested dance floor. “This reminds me when Queen Chrysalis captured us in one of her secret hideouts before I became a princess! But obviously the students here aren’t changelings and their eyes are vivid instead of empty ones!” 

I looked to the roof, trying to breathe like Cadence taught me to in times of impatience. My other self finally searched quietly for the girls.
Beautiful silence… inside the noisy party.

“At that time, with the help of my friends, I managed to-!”

Will you ever shut up!?

‘ANNOYING!!!’

“LOOK OUT!!!” 

‘CRASH’

A quick charge! A violent landing! It took me several seconds to understand what just happened. One of the lights from the roof just… fell down. My other self was saved by Rainbow, avoiding the falling object with her quick reflexes. If it weren’t for Lyra that came to save me, I would have been crushed to death by the structure.

My savior looked at me with a face of concern. “Are you ok, Twi-Twi?”

Looking at her eyes… it comforted me that she cared. “Yes…” I gave her my best smile.

….

I may not remember all the names but I recognized all the faces that came to the party. They were all present during the Friendship Games, so it wasn’t strange for them to see Rainbow Dash in the Pony-Up state when she was flying from lamp to lamp while carrying me. My job was to make sure that all the lamps were in good shape so no further accidents could happen again.

Good thing that I put all my essential science tools in my locker.

“That’s strange. All the lamps are welded to perfection inside the structure. And this steel is one of the hardest and safest in the market.”

“Great! That means that the party can continue after we clean up!”

“Yeah…”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… a strong force is necessary to even damage the structures. If my mental calculations are right, this kind of steel should bent with at least forty thousand and three hundred PSI. The force must be even greater to rip it and make it fall like that.”

“Ripped?”

“Fly back to the damaged roof lamp.” She was brusque in her flying. “Look. It appears to have been… crushed in this section.”

“It must have been a faulty work! If everything else is fine, then let’s continue the party, Sci-Twi!”

Urrrrgh!

“I suppose so…” As we descended, a cold sweat passed through my forehead, reaching my nose and finally falling from the tip. I was scared for some reasons.

The back of my head hurt for a moment.

….

After some hours of high school entertainment, we found ourselves in the family van of my parents. I told Dad about the slumber party and he rushed to give us a ride to the Apple household. He brought Spike and asked my Mom to prepare my favorite pajama and some hygiene items on my bag, thinking that his company and the items could make my stay nicer.

I have the best Mommy and Daddy in the world.

Big Mac came for his siblings as well, and Princess Twilight took a ride in the truck of the Apples. It would have been weird for my Dad to see my doppelganger from another dimension and the secret should be kept safe for as long as it can. Before arriving with Applejack and the rest to the house, Big Mac took Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to Rarity’s home. I could see the dread in my friend’s face.

….

After the girls and I took a shower and were renewed for the lively night to come, Pinkie and Rainbow were tinkering with Applejack’s TV and player. Horror movies handpicked by Pinkie herself will make us have a blast of a time.

Or I hoped.

“Twilight, when did you arrive?”

“Today, a little bit before the party started! Sunset and I rushed to her department to change and prepare my hood for the surprise!”

She went to her apartment!!?

“You are mean, Sunset!” Pinkie said jokingly.

“I told you it was a surprise!”

“Twilight, I have something to tell you regarding a friend of mine!”

“Fluttershy, don’t you dare!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong. She’s just confused.”

“Rainbow Dash! Let her talk!” Applejack said with a scolding tone.

Fluttershy told us about Gilda and her current relationship with us… them. She also mentioned about Indigo Zap and the few Shadowbolts who had a change of heart after what happened on the games. The others also gave a bit of their thought regarding the current state of our ongoing competition.

“I’m not surprised that Rainbow and Pinkie have an enmity with her. After all, both of them had a similar problem in the past back in my world as well!”

“See, I told you it was pointless to give her a second chance!”

“But there is a curious factor here.”

“And what is that, Twilight?”

“In my world, Fluttershy and Gilda never met during their childhood. And my world’s version loved pranks. I remember when I was searching for the Crystal Heart Spell on my early days as a princess when she and Trixie tried to trick the ponies of the Crystal Empire with false cider. We managed to save the day and I found my lesson and the spell in the process… but the Gilda of your world hates pranks. And if my hunch is correct, it seems that the one from this world is… probably on the side of good, just misguided by Crystal Prep’s influence.” 

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing!” Rainbow shook her head in extreme denial. “Are you sure we are talking about the same girl?”

“In my world, I heard that Gilda as a fledgling was-!”

“A what?” 

“You could say child in this world.” She drank some juice. “As I was saying, Gilda wasn’t that brave when she was younger until Rainbow Dash took her under her wing. And yours did the same. But since the Gilda of this world befriended Fluttershy when she didn’t have any friends, then it is possible that you both can have an easier time strengthening your friendship. After all, the you of my world have long started anew again.”

“What?”

“That’s right! You are good friends now back in Equestria! Perhaps it is destiny that you become friends again! After all, remember that although there are differences between both worlds, there are constants as well! In the end, we follow the same pattern and we are linked by fate!” The girls agreed to her words and just smiled to one another. “After all, if I lost my mind and nearly became a control freak during an embarrassing incident regarding a friendship lesson for Princess Celestia, then it’s no wonder that Sci-Twi became a monster too when she absorbed all the magic!” She quickly shut her mouth. “No offense.”

Shshhhi… Cheeseburger.

“You’ll get used to it.” Sunset discretely bumped her elbow in my arm.

Very funny…

“About your competition, this Principal Cinch sounds like a strict and senseless ruler!”

“That she is! She made Twilight do a lot of outrageous things for the sake of winning! She is evil to me!” My puppy said.

“Come on! You don’t know real evil until you face King Sombra, Queen Chrysalis, the Sirens, Nightmare Moon, Tirek, Discord, Starlight Glimmer, and many more we have faced!” 

“That’s sure a long list!” 

“That’s right, other me! I’m even a hero in the Crystal Empire!”

“Wow!” The girls expressed together. My other self just rolled her eyes with a little grin.

“I believe it’s time to end the talking and enjoy the movies! I’m still in awe on how fluid the animation is in this world compared to mine! We barely have reel to reel projectors!”

“But we have magic comics that make us live the adventure!” Sunset added. “Not to mention that we have hydroelectric dams and machinery like in this world! Perhaps magic compensates the technology missing from here with certain spells!”

“I suppose you are right! Still, it’s pretty impressive!”

“It is! I also can’t live without my iCellphone anymore! It works like magic!” The girls and I laughed at her joke. 

We watched some movies deep into the night.

….

I couldn’t sleep for some reason.

It was almost three in the morning, and a horrible sensation flowed through my body. I was sweating hot drops and my eyes didn’t adjust to the darkness, even with my glasses put on. Sunset and company were comfortable in the floor. Even Rainbow Dash wasn’t doing her hellish snores… perhaps covering her face with a mantle did the trick.

It looked nice and comfy down there.

My mirror was hugging me while babbling in her dreams. Something about a quesadilla infestation. How silly of her for being afraid of a fantastic meal. She released me and turned around, giving me the chance to get out of bed.

The fresh air of the field would soothe my troubles.

….
I remember this place pretty well. Sunset told me here last time that I would help her in her quest of spreading Real Friendship to all the people. At that time, I thought it was a great idea.

And I still do.

But after all that has happened since then… I wasn’t sure that I was made to follow her like she wants me to. Like she needs me to. I met people from another perspective and I’m sure there is more to it. It’s like a… hunger… that doesn’t sate, doesn’t stop, and doesn’t rest.

Hunger…

I shook my face many times and tried to forget what I thought. Embracing the breeze that touched my whole persona, I drowned myself in the freshness of the clean air from this town. 

I love it… it releases my doubts… it makes me free.

“Here you are.”

A sourly familiar voice came from behind. I turned my head to partially see my doppelganger come to my side. She put her hands on the table nearby and sat down. She made a gesture to join her and for some reason, I did. 

“Can’t sleep either?”

“No. To be honest, the only time I felt comfortable in a bed from this world was when I stayed at the school library! The beds here may look similar to the ones of Equestria… but the springs and filler aren’t the same. Instead of the white stuff you use that resembles cotton, we use a special kind of hay to fill our beds and the springs aren’t as hard as the ones you use! The Yaks and Griffins use the hay in its rawest form, but I think that would be far more comfortable than these! And you?”

“Me?”

“Why can’t you sleep?”

“I felt hot back there…”

“Sorry! I was barely aware that I hugged you in bed! It’s rare for me to hug someone in my sleep who isn’t Spike. I still remember all the times I tried to share a bed with Rarity and the others from my world during slumber parties on my first year in Ponyville… I try to sleep alone whenever I can during sleepovers.” She smiled embarrassed. “But since it was you… it felt really comfortable.”

Thanks for taking consideration of my feelings on the matter.

“It’s fine… just felt weird.”

“I know! This reminds me when Cadence, my Cadence, hugged me in bed and sang me lullabies to fall asleep when I was a foal on several occasions!”

“My Cadence did the same too… so many, wonderful times.”

“Yeah… It’s strange, you know. I don’t know about yours, but my Cadence was born without meeting her parents. Even so, she managed to become a pony full of love and kindness.”

“Now that you mention it… I never met or heard about Cadence’s family before. I just met her one day when my parents needed a baby-sitter for me, long ago. Wait... Sunset once told me that orphans don’t exist in Equestria!”

“They do! I wasn’t aware of that until I began my journey to discover the Crystal Spell I mentioned earlier. Cadence is one. I asked Princess Celestia about the subject and to my surprise, nearly two percent of the population of our whole history was an orphan. But, even the less fortunate countries in my world have a family registered. That some races are grumpy and lone wolfs like the griffins is another story. In any case, you could say that orphans are almost a myth, even before the foundation of Equestria or during the reign of the now-redeemed King Sombra and the battle for the Crystal Empire one thousand years ago!”

“And what happens if there is one?”

“There are facilities for those! But since they are barely used… at least the Ponies working there are well paid. I heard it’s a boring work, though. You know, lack of activities and stuff.”

“That sounds so utopian-like. In this world… I don’t know. Too many civil wars and a World War in our history to have an accurate number of... the less fortunate.”

“It seems that we share many things more than looks, and knowledge is one of them. All I have to say is that I thank Princess Celestia for adopting her and giving her a sense of family. Having Cadence in my life is an important part of what I am now.”

“Yeah…”

This was unexpected. Sharing a wonderful person in our lives and talking about her made this strange tension I had… go away. It made me sleepy.

“Well, we should go back to sleep and prepare for tomorrow.”

“Why? I don’t think we could fall asleep now! Trust me, I know since we are technically the same pony! Person! Whatever!” She smiled widely.

That’s true but…

“I don’t think that we-!”

“Now, now, now! Let’s start with the basics, Sci-Twi! Check-list or Flash-cards?”

“Check-list.”

“Great! Now… Two or three quills in your desk?”

“I use pens but three in case of an emergency.” She clapped her hands with a merry face.

I take my praise back. For an hour, she bombarded me with questions after questions of the silliest things of our – MY self. Even if we are from different worlds, similarities from the core essence were obvious to us. With some exceptions like cheese and... boys... Yeugh… She was so fascinated and merry hearted that she was unaware that she transformed to her Pony-Up state. She was happy.

I wanted to go back to bed.

….

The girls were like dead logs when I opened my eyes. I may have slept like four hours but I felt well rested for a strange reason. Granny Smith gave me waffles and fresh milk and juice for breakfast. They were tastier than the ones she does on school. Finishing quickly, I journeyed to CHS. If it weren’t for Big Mac that reminded me of the final revision that the projects needed for this week, I would have waited for the girls a long time before they even knew what was going on. While on my way to CHS, I bought a couple of bottles of water in a convenience store.

I’m sure Nitty would be there and he would need at least one. 

“Twilight…”

“What’s wrong, Spike?”

He slowed his walk speed and I kneeled in front of him. “How was it?”

“What?”

“Talking with your other self?”

“Oh, yeah… nice. Why?”

“Because my other self… Wrrr…” He tried to swallow a complaint, but I reminded him that he could trust in me when I caressed his head. “Annoying! He is annoying! When we saw that you two were missing, we searched for you all over the place! When we found you talking alone, we decided that it was for the best to leave you be! I thought that was fine and nice! But then…”

“Then what?”

“He started to talk about his adventures, acts of heroism, and Princess Twilight this and that! At first, it was great and interesting, but then, he didn’t stop! Worse is his taste for girls!”

“What is it?” I quickly put my hands in my mouth and smiled, realizing by instinct what that meant. “Who is the lucky one?”

“….Ahahahaha… uh… I think that Winona is… cute?” He blushed.

“Good boy! Always look for the nice girls! What’s the problem with the other Spike?”

“He likes Rarity!”

Drool fell from my mouth. “What… did you say!?”

He cleaned my saliva with my pocket’s handkerchief. “He likes humans, Twilight! Or just Rarity! Or her hair! I don’t know!”

“But age! Species! Nou!”

“I’m not… comfortable around him. Or perhaps he was joking. Or perhaps it was just the first day. But…”

“Let’s… give them a second chance! Yes! It’s like you say, my loyal assistant! It was only the first day! Perhaps they are just excited to meet us properly and they just want to talk a lot! I’m sure that today will be different!”

“You are right, Twilight! You always think of every scenario!”

“Good puppy!”

“Good morning, Twilight! Hey, Spike!”

“Oh, hi!” Spike greeted. Lyra and Bon Bon joined us in our walk. “Thank you again for yesterday! Sunset told me what happened and… I really appreciate it.”

“You little silly!” She took him in her arms. “I wouldn’t let Twilight get hurt if I’m around her! That’s what friends are for! Right, Bon Bon?”

“But of course, my friend! Now come! I can see that some students are arriving to the school! Look, it’s the boss!”
Nitty was walking… strangely. He was slower, sloppy, and trying so hard to walk correctly. My pace sped up and I grabbed his hand.

“Are you ok?”

“No… but if I check a little pending stuff and see that everything is in order, I’ll go home immediately and let that woman –“ He pointed to Bon Bon still afar. “- run the show. I may need… some help to go back… if you don’t mind.”

“…I’ll help you in any way you need.” I gripped his hand.

“Thanks, Midnight. It’s nine with eighteen in the morning. This shouldn’t take long.”

Midnight… Midnight… Midnight Sparkion… it sounded nice.

….

Whispers, mumbles, scared faces. There was a commotion on the corridors. I got a bad feeling and something wanted me to stop and make Nitty go back home.

“Bittersweet! S-something t-t-t-terrible has happened!” Mystery Mint said almost choking.

“What is it?”

“You better see this, man!” Thunderbass was in shock and sweating. 

We arrived to one of the rooms who had all the stages for the puppet show, now broken beyond repair. Nitty’s eyes twitched. He closed them and tried so hard to relax.

“We can find a way to… scavenge useful stuff in our homes and find alternatives!”

“Boss!” Soarin rushed to him. “The costumes that the clubs were working on are ruined!”

“What the hell did you just say!?”

“Something terrible has happened in the gym hall!”

I couldn’t stop him. Fear for him made my hands tremble. I took out my old and trusty Rubik cube and played with it while walking to our destination. The Cutie Crusaders were in the door, horrified.

“Ah… hi, Bub-in-law!”

“Please step aside, little ones.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea!” Sweetie Belle said while smiling extremely troubled.

“Why don’t you eat something in Sugarcube Corner and we try to make… uh, adjustments, to the stuff in there with the rest. You can return in the evening!” Scootaloo winked.

Nitpick didn’t listen and he tenderly put the girls aside.

“We can fix this, y’all!”

He opened the door and walked to the back stage where the rest of the materials that were going to be used for the projects were. Crushed and ruined now.

His breathing - I finally saw it. The face of distress! A discreet laughter of despair!

“Nitty, I’m with y-!”

“Ha-Ha-Ha…”

Oh... my ...

“Bittersweet! What are we going to do?”

“Where is Sunset?”

“Boss, tell us what to do!”

“Your orders, Boss!”

“Boss!”

“Boss!!”

“BOSS!!!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”



….

The ambulance came for him immediately after calling to nine-nine-one. I called Gilda out of despair and she rushed from Crystal Prep to CHS. She almost pushed the whole school to the ground on her wake to reach him. She got into the cabinet with him and the paramedics. Nitty looked red hot and extremely weakened on the stretcher. A fever of thirty-nine Celsius and lack of rest was the cause, according to our school nurse. I could see a black limo on the street and it soon followed the van to the nearest hospital. No doubt it was Reem and the others.

Before she left, Gilda told me to stay in the school and make a report of all the loses that CHS has. When he recovers, he is going to need it. I really wanted to go with them too but… sadly, she was right. I must be useful to the school in any way I can. The competition must go on.

Several minutes later…

“Twilight, how bad is it?” Lyra mumbled.

“Horrible... it’s really bad. According to my calculations, we just have enough for one show and the meals. We have red numbers and there is no hope to make this work without a heavy sum of money or a real miracle. And…” 

My hand trembled. Lyra grabbed it. “He WILL be fine! I know by now that he is really stubborn and resilient! Concentrate for now, ok?” I smiled to that.

“Where is Sunset!?” An angry student almost yelled. “She should be trying to help us in this mess too!”

“Let me give her a call but I assure you that she is as worried as us!” Or so I hoped. I got into an empty classroom and I thanked my luck for her quick answer. “Sunset…”

“Hey! Where are you, Sci-Twi!? We’re gonna have breakfast with everyone so we can be ready for a great teamwork on school today!” 

I gave her a quick explanation of the situation. She hung up the call instantly.

….

The girls’ eyes were wide open and cold sweats were forming on their skins. The drops were falling like rain from the tips of their noses and ears. Sunset in particular was walking from place to place to witness the terrible damage done to all the projects. 

To say that she was ok would be a fatal mistake.

“This can’t be happening... This can’t be happening!!! Someone please tell me what happened!”

“We arrived around nine in the morning since some of us came to continue our work!”

“When we came to the room where the stages were, they were already broken!”

“And when we tried to get into the costume’s room, the lock was stuck! When we budge it, the whole disguises were already torn apart!”

“Sabotage from Crystal Prep, perhaps?”

“Unlikely.” Vice-Principal Luna came into scene. “We recently upgraded the locks of all doors of the school with state-of-the-art equipment and unless you have the keys to get inside, entrance to the installation is virtually impossible. Sadly, the security camera system is broken and the replacements will arrive on Wednesday. Who was the first group to arrive here besides the cleaning staff when I opened the doors? Perhaps they saw an anomaly and we can start from there.”

“The Cutie Crusaders were here before anyone else!” A student said.

The girls looked at them with… a cold stare.

“Applebloom.”

“What? Are you serious, Sis!? We didn’t do it, y’all!”

“Sweetie Belle, we won’t be mad at you if you tell us the truth.”

“What!? We are innocent!”

“Scootaloo, that’s not cool!”

“Rainbow Dash, we swear that we didn’t do it!”

“Then who else?” Applejack stood in front of them. “You were the first students to arrive here and the mess was done before the other groups came!”

“Look.” Rarity took a deep breath. “I know you really want to help and this is not the first time that you have made a disaster!”

“WE DIDN’T DO IT!” The three shouted.

“If Nitpick was here, he would believe us!” Applebloom said a little teary.

“I don’t think so, y’all… but like Rarity said, if you tell us the truth, we could let it pass!”

“Speak for yourself! We are going to lose if we don’t make something and quick!” A guy said and several students joined in his complaint.

“WAIT!” From the light, a starry figure and her follower walked through the lost souls. She looked at them with a pierce but gentle stare. “I know that this turn of events looks really bad, and I can see in your eyes that you worked hard for this goal to come to reality! But blaming others won’t solve anything. Nor trying to find a culprit will do us any good! Perhaps the door wasn’t properly locked and a thief came to steal some valuable items! Is there something missing on those classrooms besides the destroyed works?”

“Now that you mention it, a projector is missing in one of the rooms!”

“And the box of stitches with some of the money inside is missing as well!”

“But Ponyville doesn’t have a record of thievery before!”

“It has!” I said. “The new statistics that came yesterday on the news said that Ponyville at least has four cases of theft each year! This could be considered the second one! At least, officially.”

“See?” My other self said more relaxed. “It was just bad luck.”

“But is not fair!”

“I know… I know…” She put her hand on the shoulder of the afflicted student. “If we work together, perhaps we can find –AAAAAH! I GOT AN IDEA! SPIKE!”

“Yes, Twilight!?”

“Go and bring that book from you know where!”

“Ah, does that mean-!?” She nodded. “Right away!” Several minutes later, he brought a big book with him and gave it to her. “I’m still not used to that space travel stuff.”

“What is it, Twilight?” Sunset looked fascinated when glancing at the book.

“Long ago, we had a bookworm problem in my old library but he managed to overcome his hunger of eating books and repaired them all. He was unaware that he created a spell and I have been trying to use it but it requires a different kind of magic that normal unicorns have. Not to mention that it only restored paper and tint when I managed to cast it, like it’s supposed to. But… the magic here works a little different so… maybe…”

“Bring all the broken stuff here quickly! Let’s give it a shot!”

Moments later, there was a pile of what were once incredible handcrafted arts in the middle of the hall. The other one and the girls held their hands together. She took the lead instead of Sunset. 

“Sci-Twi, come! It’s time to do Real Magic!”

“But I haven’t Pony-Up before!”

“Then this is day it finally happens! Come and join hands with Applejack and me!” 

When I joined hands with them, I felt a strange surge of energy flowing through my body. It felt warm. It felt nice. It felt...

“Concentrate!”

Out of place.

The glowing aura suddenly dissipated. The girls were perplexed at this event. We tried several times again but each time it felt less and less powerful the connection of energy I felt before.

“Ah… I don’t know what’s happening! We are united as one and we should be able to do it like we did with the Dazzlings!”

“I don’t know. I felt that something is missing.” Applejack said.

“Me too.” My other self said. “What about you, Sunset?”

“I can feel your warm aura flowing through me, and also Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie’s.”

“I can feel them too… but I don’t feel Applejack and Rainbow’s.”

“Perhaps I… not being able to Pony-Up is doing something wrong with the link.”

“You may be right… but we don’t have much time. For now, you should let us try this spell on our own and when the occasion arrives, you will join us as well in the future.”

“Yeah… You are right.”

It didn’t take a lot of effort to let go of her hand. Applejack’s was harder in comparison. I felt that if I let go, something in me would... 

“Surgarcube.” She gripped both of my hands. “It’s okay, yo.” She hugged me. “You’ll be part of this next time, and I’ll be there holding your hand like a Champ.”

I finally let go and joined the rest of the students. The girls united their hands once again and the aura appeared, stronger than ever. It was blinding. 

Unreal.

“Yes! This time I’m sure it will work! Spike!”

The other dog launched the book to the air and a rainbow beamed to it and then to the broken stuff. When the show was over, the trash was now restored to their original form. Everything looked good as new. Even the broken lamp was fixed as well. The students cheered and threw the Princess to the air while clapping and chanting her name. I held my puppy in my arms and Lyra and Bon Bon joined my side.

“Well, I guess magic saves the day… again.” Lyra said… with an unexpected dry smile.

“Yeah! So much for the drama! As long as Cinch doesn’t know about this, everything will be fine! After all, we STILL want to make the magic unknown to everybody until they say so!” Bon Bon said.

…It’s true! We were supposed to make this a clean competition. We were supposed to give our best and make things happen… with our own hands. As I started to look away from the girls and the others around them, I saw some students on the sidelines. They felt... Angry? 

'No.'

Furious? 

'No.'

I locked my sight again at... her.

Disappointed?

'Perhaps!'


> Chapter 86 - Meeting their expectations! Final part
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Small dosages of realization came to life as she continued to guide us all through our darkest hour. Our own beacon of hope dissipating the shadows. Princess Twilight took the place of Sunset’s rightful co-worker, and in an obnoxious way, she made several changes to our efforts, including…

“Ok, let’s split into new teams to spice things up! Don’t worry, you’ll still work in the same projects you were doing but with different people!” The Princess said. “As long as there is a seamless transition between teammates, your progress will keep moving steadily!”

“That sound like a great plan! Mixing ideas could give us a new kind of edge!” Sunset said. “Why don’t you and Sci-Twi arrange the teams for the puppet stages?”

“Will do! Golden Hazel and Watermelody will work together on the design of the puppets with Scott Green!”

There weren’t many people gifted with handcrafted skills.

“I don’t know anything about sewing!”

“But you definitely know about fashion, which is needed for the design of two of the rich characters in the third act of the play, Scott!”

“I’ll do my best!”

So a new focus must be found within our new limits.

“Twilight, what about us?”

“Well… does someone of you know how to do color combinations with acrylic paint? We need to make some of the textures for the stages look soft but pleasant!”

“Leave it to me!” Sandalwood said. “But only if we use water-based paint! Acrylic is bad juju for Mother Earth!” 

“Then it’s a good thing we haven’t bought the paint yet! Please go with Applejack and ask for the money needed to go and buy it as fast as you can!”

“You got it!”

Although the magic saved the day, there were still doubts lingering in the minds of the students. All the people with a newfound lack of faith tried so hard to help in any way they could. We needed to take back the lost confidence in our chances to win. 

Princess Twilight had this area of effect that changed people’s minds, for better or worse.

I was walking with my partner from group to group, noticing the faces of disappointment I saw earlier getting relentless by each passing second. It’s going take a little while for them to understand what really afflicts them in reality. Perhaps they’ll start their gossip in their free time and discuss what happened with obscures intents. Perhaps they will end up praising the other one and put her on a pedestal, joining the rest of the students who adore her. Or perhaps they’ll try to find culprits for what happened to the now-repaired projects, trying to find a reason to believe in accidents.

They always gossip here. It was bothersome acknowledging the new habit formed within the students’ community. It’s not that they have never done so before… it’s just that the frequency and  zealously wasn’t as bad as before. When they speak and backstab you with an insidious intent, you felt alone, impotent, and betrayed.

The feeling of betrayal is powerful in the hearts of the common folk. It clouds your judgment and fills you with impulsive fits of rage if you have a sense of pride. It makes you hastier. It gives you reasons to act. It feed you with the intent of getting something you want with all of your strength, whether it is in a fair fashion or not.

But not everyone had this burning will to sustain their mental constitution. Most students at the tender age between the sixth to seventeenth year of life are very vulnerable to the effects of negative feedback.

Rejection.

Those who possess the strength, however, move on constantly and fight every day. Not always is for selfish desires. Sometimes we want the best for everyone and want to reach that goal at any cost. Sometimes you don’t see that you are wrongdoing and going beyond the permitted boundaries because you think that everything is fine. In any case, at the end of the day, if you don’t know when to stop and see what will happen if you make a wrong step, you could end up hurting more people other than yourself.

That is hard for me too, even with all the physical and mental training I received since my fourth year of life.

But I couldn’t wait any longer… The decision that made Sunset Shimmer today will bite her sooner than she expects. It will reopen old wounds. It will make her realize that sometimes a simply apology is not enough for some. There are things that won’t come back with a simple regret turned into an act of repent, and I plan to make her realize that deeply inside her spirit.

I will have my revenge.

“Princess Twilight! Is the drafting designs for the flowers good enough?”

“I believe it looks incredible!”

“Dancer will be glad to heart it!” Mystery Mint said. “Bad luck she is in her job but I’m sure she would have liked to meet you at last!”

“Perhaps it will be another day! For now, let’s concentrate in doing our best!”

She walked away with Sunset and talked on the way to the exit.

“She is so experienced.”

“Yeah…” My partner said with a tint of unpleasantness.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Let’s go and meet with the girl called Trixie. Let’s see if she has what she needs to make her performance better.”

“I don’t think that Trixie needs more resources. Have you heard of Trickster Lunaby? Trixie is his granddaughter and he will surely give her some tips and tools!”

“Yes, I heard of him. He is the most famous magician in the world!”

“See? You don’t have to give yourself the suffering of meeting her for the first time! You and the boss have been so lucky these past few months and I want to make it last as long as it can!”

“I don’t think that Trixie is that bad as all have said!”

“Believe me, Twilight! Is not that she is evil or a troublemaker! She is just… annoying!” I patted her shoulder.

“If you say so, Bon Bon.”

“Come! Let’s make that report that Gilda recommended you to do!”

She made a tiny but sweet grin. “Right away!”

….

The report was ready after an hour of supervision. The trademark competence of Twilight was outstanding, but at the same time, it was unsurprising coming from the best student of all CHS… except in sports and other few subjects. Bittersweet said that she was a good cook in simple recipes as well, though.  I glanced at her job and I could clearly see a massive improvement from her first try in making a research for the school. 

Where the information she developed for the sport’s team was overdoing the theory and not putting enough examples understandable enough for the common folk, this one looked concrete but easy to digest. She left some blank spaces in some of the pages. She said that she was inspired by his methods of doing nice presentations with objective pictures besides each key paragraph and I thought it was a great idea. Her other work had images too, but they were… bland for the likes of the normal folk like me in this kind of topics.

“What is that, Sci-Twi?”

I could see a faint change of mood from Twilight. Sunset, in all her newfound stupidity since the Princess arrived, didn’t notice it. “A report explaining the progress we made today, Sunset!”

“That’s great! Can I see it?” 

“Of course! The blank spaces are for the images that Photo Finish was so kind to take for me. They’ll be ready by Monday morning!”

“This is fantastic, Sci-Twi! You really are making a lot of progress! Twilight, take a look at this!”

My partner flinched for a moment.

“What is it, Sunset?”

“Look!”

The Princess read the contents of Twilight’s efforts. “This is… too simple! Are you sure this is ok?”

“What!?” Twilight and I said in unison with a pinch of surprise.

“I mean, it’s good but I feel that the data is not completely detailed!”

“This is a quick report and it only has the necessary information for everyone to see how things are proceeding! If the students need more detailed data, another report will be made after this one for the committee! Not all students need to see the full-!”

“Now, now, now! Trust me that complete and proven data is the best thing for a report! I have been in charge of an array of events and royal duties and I’m certain that detailing everything to perfection is the best course of action!” She smiled obnoxiously wide.

“But-!”

“Wait a second!” 

She withdrew a notebook and started to write several pages worth of information as she walked through the school. No doubt she didn’t want to spoil that document with her horrible, otherworldly handwriting. When she came back to us after inspecting all of our progress, the Princess gave her notes to Sunset and, unsurprisingly, she bootlicked her decision of putting her research on the blank spaces of Twilight’s work.

After some minutes of writing the data that the Princess wrote into Twilight’s report, Sunset made a brighter smile. “This looks so much better and complete. Take a look at it now!”

I dared to take the report from the creature’s hand and I was… completely lost. What once was a simple but straightforward writing, now it was infested with hideous sentences. What the hell is this word!?

“Come, Sunset! Let’s see if someone else needs our help!”

“Good idea! I’ll be with you in a second!” The Princess walked ahead and Shimmer embraced Twilight from the side. “Good work, Sci-Twi! You did great on your own! Keep learning and one day you could be as efficient as Princess Twilight!”

As soon as she finished her speech, that thing joined the other one’s side. Twilight’s eyes felt like deep lake of dying stars… dwindling and worthless. I saw one of her friends walking with a bunch of heavy boxes full of materials. 

A little field test was required.

“Applejack, could you come here for a sec!?”

“Yep, partner!” She put the boxes on the floor and removed her sweat of her face with her hand. “What is it, y’all?”

“Could you take a look at this? It’s the report that Principal Celestia will get on Monday. If approved, copies will be distributed on MyStable for all the students to see!”

“Of course! Let’s see… What is this? The proper distribution of resources met the proper criteria to… what? … … … … … … floccinau… floccioir… Who the hay wrote this?”

“Princess Twilight.”

“Ah… I see. I only understood these parts.”

She pointed out to the sections that were there from the beginning. “Twilight wrote those!”

“Oh, great! These are easier! I didn’t understand half of what the Princess said. Twi, what is this word?”

“Let’s see… Ah, floccinaucinihilipilification. It means the action or habit of estimating something as worthless. In this case, I think that… Twilight… tried to say about our habit of estimating that some of our resources are worthless. In this case, our hand labor.”

“… Is something wrong, Sugarcube?”

She noticed?

“No, I’m fine.”

“Come on, Twi. You can tell me, that face isn’t the usual.”

Impressive.

“I’m just… unsure if I can do something right, like… all of you.”

“Ahahaha! You’re kidding, right? You’ve been doing great, sugarcube! Raise that mood and keep kicking this rodeo like a horse kicking his harasser! If Princess Twilight put those there, it must have been for a reason! Keep learning, yo!”

…Such a letdown.

“Right… I can make something good for the team.”

Applejack gripped her shoulders and then patted them with a tender smile. “Don’t lose heart!” She left while carrying her boxes, leaving a reluctant girl behind, unknown to her that she didn’t reach her as she thought. The shadow of impotence was hidden behind those glasses filled with pink tint. I tested several other students, but the results were the same.

They didn’t understand the crap in the paperwork.

….

Around one in the afternoon, after finishing our activities in the school, we journeyed to the city to fulfill our duty in the organizations. Rarity made a stupid and ridiculous disguise for the Princess to hide the fact that another Twilight was walking among the people. A blonde wig and a terrible green dress proved sufficient for her, much to my discreet disapproval. Luckily, the population of Crystal Prep Academy barely memorized the names or faces of my school’s people and the zone was clear for them.

Had Bittersweet and his friends seen her in action, their little show would have been over sooner than they would expect. But it wasn’t the right time for them to meet her yet. I still needed to make my next stage of my plan have a proper base.

….

In the nursing home, Pinkie was searching for a kid named Meg. Much to her anger, the staff said that they couldn’t let her have a visit to her room, saying that under new circumstances, she wasn’t allowed to get in. Not to mention that during her transfer from the orphanage a few days ago, she developed an horrible headache. I overheard that Prince Blueblood was the one who convinced them through a generous sum of money to deny her access to the young kid’s presence.

The residents suddenly had better commodities than I remembered.

“Twilight!” A student approached us.

“Yes?”

“Oh… I mean, the Princess. Where is she?”

Twilight almost clenched her teeth.

“If you are looking for the Princess, she is in the retirement home.”

“Thanks, Bon Bon!”

Seriously, what’s so special about the girl who brought us troubles from her world? In just one hour, at least fifteen students mistook her for the Princess. I could see how uncomfortable she grew with each encounter, hoping to be the one they were looking for, only to end up being another disappointment.

She is so unlucky.

But it didn’t matter for now, we needed to finish our responsibilities. As I saw Pie being useless in a chair, I decided to give her a new purpose.

“Pinkie Pie, could you come here?” 

Like a flash, she materialized like a cold mist solidifying into hail. “What is it, friend?” She winked at me with a super sweet dimple.

I will kill her on one of these days.

“Could you help Twilight and me in distributing the medical pills to their respective patients on the east wing?”

“Of course! Sci-Twi, let’s give these people a warm visit!”

Her eyes made a marked twitch. “Right away.”

“What’s wrong with your eye? Did trash fell in it?”

“Ah… yeah!” She rubbed her eye. “All the cleaning and stuff.”

“Hum! I don’t remember doing a cleaning activity today!”

“But we did on school.” I said.

“Oh, that’s right! Anywho, let’s get going! Laaalalalalaaala!”

This was going to be a long afternoon…

….

The bus circuit back to town had to make an emergency stop in the middle of the suburbs and the passengers were either forced to wait for another bus or walk. The choice was obvious for some of us. 

“Bon Bon, I’m hungry!”

“I know, Lyra. But just a little bit longer and we’ll have a warm meal in my place!”

“Yay! Your grandma is always so nice!”

“Only when we have visits!”

Although I love her, she became a pain when she met you, my loved friend.

“I for one just want to take a shower! I can’t stand all this dirt!”

You barely did anything useful sans complaining, Drama Queen.

“Oh shoot! You spent all day saying that the garments of the retirement home were ugly!” Applejack said with my same frustration.

Suddenly, a loud claxon barked from the other side of the street. It was Big Macintosh driving the Apple’s truck. By the looks of it, whatever his job was had been completed recently. Dirt and sweat were all over his face. He offered us a ride back to CHS, but there wasn’t enough space for all of us in the truck. I convinced Lyra to take the ride and I told her I would meet her later at my place with some groceries. She refused at first but I managed to convince her to do what I said. 

Seriously, one of these days I will do her bidding with no resistance. Cursed be her adorable nature.

Alas, there wasn’t space for Twilight and me. At first, the Idol Six and the Princess decided to refuse the offer and walk together to CHS, but Rainbow Dash received a call from Vinyl Scratch, saying that she needed urgent help for a quick band practice in the school. Twilight in the end played the martyr and told them to go ahead, much to Rainbow’s approval.

I could see the reluctance of the Spike of this world to leave her master behind. I told him that I would protect her on her way back to the school and he assumed a stare of uncertainty. Lyra said that he could trust me and Spike was a little at ease with her words… until the other Spike started to talk. It seems that something happened between those two. 

When they left, we began our walk.

Twilight’s phone rang and when she saw the dialing number, her eyes brightened a little. “… …He regained full consciousness!!?” She said with relief and joy. “… … … Oh…” Her face became worried. “… … I understand, Gilda… … … … But he is fine, right? … … … … Tell him that I nee- wish him good fortune… … … … Yeah, ahahaha! I made the report, sort of… … Take care.”

“What is it?”

“Nitty is fine but it seems that he must keep at minimum any demanding activities other than relaxing exercises and try to enjoy himself a bit more!”

Not surprising since he endured more punishment than I expected and some rest is needed if I want him to keep doing his part. He surpassed my expectations in being useful to me.

It was an abhorrent feeling, and I still wondered how did she live with the guilt.

“So no stressful activities for a few days, huh?”

“Yes. He also needs to stop on skipping meals! If Sunset can do it, he can do it too!”

“Yes but remember that Bittersweet doesn’t have magic to recharge him when he is tired or other advantages like the Pony-Up to keep up with Shimmer’s pace, or the rest of you, to be honest.”

She stopped. “Magic…”

Ah… something took my curiosity.

“What is it, Twilight?”

“Nothing.”

“You may have fooled Applejack, but not me. I can see that you are… confused.”

She was about to put her hand on her skirt pocket. No doubt her Rubik cube was there. For some reason, she embraced herself instead. “It just that I’m not sure what to think about her… anymore.”

“What do you mean, Twilight? Ah! You mean Princess Twilight? Why? She is you from another world! Obviously you can befriend someone as great and spectacular as her because in the end, she is you.”

My mouth was melting in acid after saying those words.

“She is spectacular, alright…”

“And she saved CHS numerous times, right?”

Which essentially was her world’s fault in the first place.

“I suppose…”

“You could learn a lot of things from her.”

Like being obnoxious.

“That’s right…”

“Not to mention, imagine all the magical knowledge you could apply in your science experiments!”

“Magic… is not a science.”

Good.

“What did you say?” I asked innocently. “I thought that you used magic science to analyze the magic during the games!”

“It was just an accident. The only constant in magic is that it can be measured in numbers like temperature, but not controlled at will! It is only summoned when you less expect it and it really depends on your state of mind, according to Sunset… just when she and Rainbow Dash… almost used it on the fair against Indigo and Lightning… Oh, nevermind…”

Aaaah! So that’s why Shimmer managed to keep up with Rainbow’s speed back then.

“I see… In any case, the Idol Six look very happy with her arrival! I have not seen them like this since the last time she came to visit during the Battle of the Bands!”

“She also came after… the magic incident happened.”

“Ah, yeah! The games! Those were interesting times!”

“Are you kidding? It was horrible! I almost hurt you all!”

“It was an accident. You took the nice path in the end, thanks to Sunset and her graceful, kind, and benevolent spirit.”

My soul was burning in agony when I finished the sentence.

“Yeah…” She said with a sweet grin and looked to the floor. “She came to rescue me.”

“She is really following the footsteps of Princess Twilight! No doubt that one day you will become JUST like her as well!”

Her pupils diluted for a moment and her motion stopped. She closed her eyes and looked at me with the fakest smile I have ever seen in my life. “That would be great.”

I’m surprised that none of her magical friends had completely noticed what a terrible liar she is.

Glancing at my surroundings to make sure nobody was close, I thought about my word selection for my next delivery. I had a little theory I wanted to test and if something went wrong, the results could be… devastating.

“Yeah… if only we could take those glasses away and brush your hair like hers, you could be a step closer to be like her.” She clenched her hands. “Not to mention, if you could walk a little more confident and smile more frequently, you could give an aura of being like the real deal! And perhaps if your dog is less polite and more straightforward, surely-!”

“Stop.”

“…What’s wrong?”

“Please… stop.”

“But Twilight, I was just trying to give you tips on how you could become like Princess-!”

“I’M NOT PRINCESS TWILIGHT!!!”

Objects started to levitate from the ground, from the smallest pebble to the heaviest trash container. The sky got darker, winds screamed above us like howls in the small alley we were in, and a faint dark aura emerged from what was once her defenceless figure. Her expression became truth. Her presence became authenticity. 

Her eyes became pretty.



Now comes the dangerous part.

“Twilight… you are angry.”

“Angry!!? Why should I be angry!!?”

“Listen, I can see what is happening now and I understand how you feel! Rage is a nasty thing, you know?”

“Me, enraged? Mwahahahahaha!!!” Her laugh was arrogant like during the games. “I believe you are confused!”

“Princess Twilight is the reason why-!”

“Don’t mention that name!!!”

Her eyes descended to a vilified state, slowly assuming a reddish, piercing shade. Walking in dangerous waters was too familiar for me, but never have I faced such paranormal brutality at a close proximity. This could end up badly for me if I word my speech wrongly.

“You are raising your voice, Twilight! You are clearly mad!”

“I’m not mad!”

“LIAR!”

“I’M NOT A LIAR!”

The flying objects were bend and crushed in wrath enough to scare the heavens themselves. It was the moment were I realized that she was the one who destroyed the steel structure during the party. Perhaps I was exaggerating… but deep inside I felt a bit of exhilaration and a faint sense of fear.

I felt alive.

“Twilight! Tell me what you feel right now! I’m your friend! You need to trust me!”

“What I feel right now? WHAT I FEEL RIGHT NOW!!? I’ll tell you what I feel right now! Everyone has been incessantly comparing me with that pony called Princess Twilight! That I resemble her! That I’ll be like her! That I’m ALMOST as good as her! Almost! Almost!! ALMOST!!” In the concrete where we were standing appeared small fissures. “That everything she does someday I will do it as well! But what about what I want to do? What about what I want to be!? Why nobody notices me for who I am!? Why suddenly everyone wants me to be someone else!? Am I not good enough!? Am I that worthless that I…I...”

“Twilight, it’s okay!” I took a step forward. “I’m here for you!”

I tried to close my distance but she took several steps back. “Stay away!” Her voice became normal again.

“Listen to me… I’m sorry! I… We didn’t mean to put that baggage on your shoulders! I believe you are great the way you are! Perhaps gaining some courage could make you shine in your own way!”

“N-N-N-Nitty said something similar!” The dark aura got weaker but her eyes, now filled with distress, didn’t stop looking at me.. “That I should try to be more… true to myself…!”

“The boss speaks truth, Twilight! You may have magic ingrained in you now!” Even though you are not aware that you  are using it to destroy everything around you. “Perhaps it can awaken if you try to follow their dogma! But that’s not the only way to be happy! You don’t need magic if you find something that makes you unique! Wielding that filth- that power is a lie! A shortcut that slaves you to only one principle! One kind of living! You are more than that!”

“But I’m not special!” She hugged herself and took another step back, her eyes back to her amethyst tone. “I’ll never be as long as Princess Twilight exists!”

“You can be special while she exists! You don’t need to wish her to be gone of your life if you do what I just told you! Find strength and acknowledge your own self! Don’t listen to the people trying to change you at their convenience and shape! Accepting your weaknesses as a human being will make you stronger and will help you find your own identity!”

“But I… I don’t know…!”

What was left of the levitated objects fell brusquely to the ground. They were so unrecognizable and obliterated that my legs were trembling. Even if I my psychological integrity wasn’t showing fear, my primal instincts were telling me to be afraid.

I brusquely pinched my lower limbs, killing the surge of such cowardice.

“Twilight…” I managed to close the distance. She was lost in thought. “If you need help, I can be of use to you! My paternal lineage happens to be from Nippon, and my Father and Grandma are… you could say that they are a kind of martial artists who worked in the shadows before finding a nice job in a curio shop. Mom is from here, our lovely country of Equestria, but she studied Buddhism in her younger years before working for the government. If you want… I can teach some of the teachings that lead to a path of neutrality! Another kind of viewpoint in life! Grandma will pester us but she will agree to help when she sees you!” I smiled.

“…Will you… help me?”

“Of course! But I won’t pressure you to do it now. When you feel ready, when you feel that no one else is nearby to aid you, contact me. But only do it under your own volition!”

“I don’t know…” She completely calmed down. “I don’t even have mastered Sunset’s teachings… what if I disappoint you like I-”

I silenced her with my index finger. “As I said…” My arm embraced her shoulder, and my hand gripped her right arm firmly. “Think about it. I won’t ask you for anything in return. After all… we are friends.”

My brain… no, actually… I wasn’t being an hypocrite when saying that.

“I… No… I’m fine! Thank you so much for worrying about me… But I’m fine.” She managed to find strength to grin. “I don’t need any more help! I’ll manage to keep growing with the help of my friends! The girls, that is! I-I don’t have to be afraid of being lesser than her! Rarity said that I wasn’t a replacement on my first week of class and I believe her! I’m not a replacement!” 

Who talked about being a replacement, little girl?

She looked to the floor, unaware of her own weaknesses, arms shaking and small tears falling through her cheeks. “I’m not a shadow!”

“Whatever you say must be the truth, Twilight! Now, come! Your friends await for you!”

She rushed to CHS, and I followed a little behind her. After all, I promised her dog that I would watch over her.

I hate breaking promises.

Now I know a little more of what I was dealing with. It wasn’t sufficient to know about their destructive power. Sometimes the spiritual strength comes into play, and knowing that magic works with a certain state of mind proved my theory that their powers were unstable.

Dangerous.

For the moment, I just watched her walking physically, running away spiritually. 

Keep running away, Twilight Sparkle. Escape from all your troubles that haunts you like you have always done before. Let their merry promises fill your mind with images of the Meadows of Heaven and Rivers of Honey. Let them seduce you to a world free of struggles. A world free of all negative aspects of life. A dimension that only exist in a magic world of rainbows and paradise.

Force yourself to meet their expectations.

And when you realize that everything they said wasn’t what you expected, when you see that everything isn’t the shiny rainbow you hoped to see at the end of the road, then you will understand. You will hunger, you will desire, and you will acknowledge the struggles of the world. And you will seek help from those who fight, those who challenge, those who hunger for truth.

Those who live naturally.

For now, give yourself to their desires. Drown yourself in their wishes to make you like one of them. Make them the reason of your new anguish as you desperately seek to fulfill their ideals by sacrificing your identity. 

Let them destroy your expectations. 

And once you tire of your own falsehood, once your throat fills to the brim of your own infidelity and begs you for release, we’ll be waiting for you with open arms and guide you to your own chosen path.

What a small, pitiful, and innocent lost girl you are.


> Chapter 87 -Even in our free time, we all like to talk.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s been a while since I enjoyed myself. After an embarrassing display of weakness during a call of duty on school, I found myself in the comfort of a warm bed. It was nine in the evening and by the Truth that rules all, how do I missed playing Demon’s Dogma non-stop. But there was something that was out of place… well, five to be exact.

One, I was still weakened by all the medicine they gave me in the hospital and my skills were affected for it.

Two, I wasn’t using my PC but a lent console.

Three, that was because I wasn’t in my room.

Four, I wasn’t used to gigantic beds.

And five, Reem and the rest of the gang were farming with me in their favorite medium of choice.

“Does someone have an Exalted Platinum ingot to spare?”

“I have like fifteen of those, Bittersweet.” Sugarcoat gave me one through the Guild’s mail.

“Well… this is it. After three years of crappy RNG and various trades, I finally have forged the Grey Bastard Sword, the third best two-handed 
sword in the game. I have the whole Guardian Set now.” 

“Glad I could help, but you still sound weak. I hope there isn’t a brain damage in your medical inspection. I heard your fall was pretty epic.”

“Very funny, little troll.”

“I hope that… Who I’m kidding? I’m not in the mood. Those bastards of CHS are worthless. Not even their school is stupid-proof from the inside.”

“Let us forget about the pettiness of that community for today and focus on what really matters. His health, my intellectual friend. Perhaps we should just watch some movies instead of playing.” Reem suggested.

“That would be a better idea.” Said Blueblood. “After all, hunting for materials has become pointless now since we acquired the equipment we sought for so long but we still need a mage.”

“You are right, Blueblood. This material hunting is pointless now.” Sugarcoat logged out and used Musical to browse on the web. “According to the GameTitan forums, even with our current equipment, we at least need a Shadow Mage to maximize our DPS and have a better chance to overcome the raid. War Mage would be ideal but the quest to get the class is the second hardest of all the game and the average player isn’t patient enough to complete it. Only one percent in the community has got the class so far.” 

Gilda came back from the kitchen followed by Reem's maid. “Nit, here.”

“No… No! I don’t want that!”

“You heard the doc. Eat it.”

“You know I hate sandwiches. Especially if they don’t have meat in it.”

“Do not forget about your medicinal drink to accompany it, Lord Bittersweet.” Rosaline came with a pot of tea with a little glass filled with honey, pills of the so tasteless medicament at its side.

“And I hate tea.”

“I did it myself, My Lord.” White roses almost appeared around her tender face.

“That pretty face of yours won’t-!”

She forced her way and made me drank the tea. At least it was a bit sweet. We watched some movies until around eleven o’clock.

….

The beds of royalty were strangely uncomfortable. 

They were comfy, warm, and they have a feeling of quality that a common man like me would appreciate right away. I that once slept on the floor during my childhood didn’t imagine that I would experience this kind of commodity. If my four year old self was told that he would end up sleeping in one of these when his high school years started, he would be dreamy.

That’s why it was uncomfortable.

“Nit.”

Not to mention that I was sharing my bed with Gilda again. Our backs were almost glued.

“Yeah?”

I didn’t mind... I was still feeling… shivers…

“I’m mad at you for not telling me.”

“I thought I was just having a small fever. I didn’t think I would end up falling to the ground like that.”

“You made me worried. Don’t do that again…”

“No promises but it wasn’t intentional… sorry.”

“It’s okay… I still owe you three.”

“Heh… I wasn’t going to ask for repayment.”

“I know...” She sighed. “CHS scum…”

“Hey, not all of them are that bad.”

“Well… that Soarin is nice and Lyra is funny to have around. Sparkle is becoming alright, I guess. Don’t tell Sug.”

“Do you really care about that?”

“She is still mad with Zap, you know? But I’ll eventually tell her about my encounter with Sparkle.”

“I still don’t buy that she was able to overwhelm you for a moment. Perhaps you were just weakened from your training.”

“Even so, she has potential. I plan to strengthen it if I have the chance.”

“…Thanks.”

“Try to not get in trouble for now.”

“More?” I chuckled. “I have a lot to work on Monday. Whatever happened today I will know with better detail next week. No way I’ll work tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow is Sunday, so no struggles for you.”

“And no homework… Want to hang out somewhere?”

“Sorry, I’ll be busy with Sug and the others doing Champion stuff. And since we don’t want you to think about work...”

“You know that I can manage after I-!”

“Not this time, Nit… Just rest.”

“Oh, come on.”

I felt her subtle movements as she turned around. “Just do as I say.”

Our faces met. “I can aid you just fine. Don’t ditch me out like this.”

“Not until you recover. On Thursday for sure.” She gave me a warm stare.

“Oh, I get it. But alright, I’ll tell Shimmer that I will change my free day for Thursday. She owes me big time for leaving me behind with the Mayor and Raven.”

“Great, I want it to be in The Dazzles.”

“You are ignoring me.”

“No, I just choose to avoid school topics.”

“But I worked my ass on it.”

“You better buy me a big ass hamburger with tons of fries. I’ll make extra effort to train and lose some weight, just to get it back that day.”

“I saved all year for that. You’ll have your meal… and a present.”

“Great!”

“Now…” My eyes were closing. “Let’s sleep.”

“Yeah…”

Being with someone you trust when you were sick puts you at ease. This pleasant sensation couldn’t possibly be ruined…

“Is that all!?”

Both of us sat down on the bed. We adjusted our eyesight to the darkness and quickly spotted something obnoxious. We stood up and walked with grumpiness to our immobile target.

How the hell she managed to make her presence almost imperceptible when she wanted was beyond me.

We both opened the almost-closed closet, raised her up from the arms and removed her silly black ninja mask. Her vibrant blue-aquamarine eyes that not even the night could obscure, and her wide smile of natural reddish lips that was the envy of countless celebrities, got into our nerves as we desired only to sleep in peace.

“Did I interrupted your tale of the birds and the bees, my irreplaceable friends? You can resume your vigor-!”

Opening the door of her bedroom on the same second floor  as our dormitory,  Gilda kicked her in the butt towards the bed. Sugarcoat was sleeping there and raged for her rude awakening. Blueblood rushed to us with his fencing sword and drool on his face, nearly swinging them with killing motions.

We ended up watching the last movie of Pirate Moon VS Knight Seiyamus to appease the little troll. 

….

It was too long since I had a dreamy night. I felt almost restored… sort of.

After leaving Sugarcoat and Gilda at their places, at eleven in the morning I was back home. Seriously, if I had a car and the money to use the Union Highway all the time, I would do it. The Diamond Avenue where Reem and Blueblood lives… well, is not that far away from the town or the city, but the highway makes you drive in the fastest roads free of traffic on the region. 

Still, it was another remainder that I was a middle-class citizen.

As Rosaline Star escorted me in an unnecessary fashion to my door, she reminded me of the doctor’s recommendations, “Don’t skip meals and rest thoroughly for a few days. Perform the minimum effort during school hours and be sure to do activities that include basic, undemanding exercises like soft stretching.”

“You don’t trust my memory, do you?”

“Of course not, young Lord. You and Lord Heavensbane tend to be reckless when angered, and now adding to the list, you alone are prone to be sick under mental pressure.”

“It just happened once.”

“And it could happen again. I have confirmed that your mental fortitude has dramatically decreased since transferring to CHS. Perhaps your pride and sense of confidence was more damaged by that unfortunate event than we anticipated. In any case, My Lady wishes that you enjoy your free time at the fullest today.”

“I need to ask about what happened on sch-!”

In a flash she pointed at me the real version of the M1 Maran. “My Lady demands that you enjoy your free time today, young Lord!” Her eyes and voice became deadly as she released the safe mechanism of the weapon of legend.

“DON’T POINT THAT SHIT AT ME!!!”

The gun was sheathed back to its broom disguise, not before arming the safety catch again. “My Lady’s concerns are my concerns, so try to have a peaceful day, my Lord! Don’t forget to intake your medicine before you sleep at night.” She performed a curtsey and went back to her master’s domain in the limo.

Why the prettiest are the weirdest? Cursed be the eccentricities of the rich people and followers.

….

Boredom in just twenty minutes.

In the confines of my room, the pace of time was slowing its flow as my reluctance to find something stimulating increased. What was supposed to be a day of gaming, reading manga, and other things that usually put me on a better mood, it transformed into a reflection of my own incapability to amuse myself.

Time, the measurement that mortal beings invented to give worth to our limited lifespan in the world of the living. We are but cosmic dust, forever damned to fade away in the eternal river of existence.

Time is just an excuse we gave ourselves to measure how much we achieved.

An incoming phone call deprived me once again of my eccentric philosophy, and I was too bored to ignore whatever sense of possible entertainment could appear before me. 

“Good morning, my friend!” 

“Oh, Lyra. What a surprise.”

“You sound weary… say, are you feeling better now? We were dead worried for you!”

“Considering what happened, yeah. The dizziness has disappeared a bit.”

“Are you good enough to hang out with me?”

“Excuse me?”

“I suppose you already know about Thunderbass’ love quest, right?”

“…Right.”

I totally forgot about that.

“Great! Will you make me company in doing a favor to a friend in need?”

“Well… I don’t have anything to do right now.” And if it’s you, nothing wrong could happen. “Ok, I’m in!”

“Then get ready! I’ll be in your home in a few minutes! Don’t worry, Bon Bon and Dancer mentioned to me where you live!”

“My home!? Lyra wait!” She hung up the call. “BON BON!!!”

….

My body ached at first, but walking to Ponyville’s plaza besides Lyra proved to be a bliss to the soul. Not only her grace, acted silliness, and spot-on sense of humor was charming, she was a kind of a smart talker in an educated way, and not to mention that she was undeniably pretty. Her perfume smelled nice, and her silken hair wildly brushed was hypnotizing. Her golden, joyful eyes were an anti-thesis to Bon Bon’s cold but dainty ones.

It was an harmonious polarity.

I was about to sit in the bench when-

“DON’T SIT THERE!”

“What!?”

“Nonono! I’m sorry-sorry-sorry! It’s just an old habit I have with Bon Bon, Nit-Nit!”

“Nit-Nit?”

“It sounds better than calling you Nitpick, or Bittersweet, or Boss. I’m kinda good with cute names, you know!”

“Besides Gilda’s, that’s the best diminutive of my name I have heard so far!”

“Come and sit with me then!” 

She patted the bench and I sat at a safe distance from her. She made a soft movement and got closer to me. I moved a little to the left again and she followed. It came to a point where I was going to fall to the grass if I made another motion.

“What will it be? Appear like a couple in love while sharing a bench or you falling to the ground?” She chuckled sweetly.

“I don’t want people to get the wrong idea. You know what happened the other time with Twilight.”

“Twi-Twi and you didn’t deserve that… but I guess is the way of CHS now.” She rested her head on my arm. “Hmph! At least everything is fine again with our activities at school.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll know on Monday! For now, let’s practice our love acting so Thunderbass’ love interest can have a better chance dealing with him!”

“This is a terrible idea! And shouldn’t that be the other way around?”

“I need it to do it this so she can quickly get in the mood. The start of a meeting is important!”

“Care to explain?”

“You’ll find soon enough on your own. You are a perceptive guy!"

“Speaking of perceptive, where is Bon?”

“Oh, she is training her spirit in the mountains with her grandma! When I first joined them, I thought it was some kind of silly Nipponese tradition… Her training ended up being horribly painful.” She looked a bit defeated.

“Ah…”

“Nevermind that! Say Nit-Nit, have you ever fallen in love for real?”

My Sixth Sense!

“I’m available if you want to start a real relationship with me!”

WHY DID I SAY THAT!?

She moved violently as her laughter reached a new meaning of loud. Burying her head in my chest and moving it in a motion that resembled Bon Bon’s back then, I realized that certain quirks were shared between the two.

Both of them quickly could get into my nerves with sheer easiness. At least her motives were different. 

As she calmed down, teary eyes brimming with amusement looked at me with a new light. “You made my whole day! I could get used to your sense of humor, Nit-Nit!” She patted my back while winking at me with a wide smile.

I was totally rejected.

“I’m happy that you are happy.” I said sarcastically. “Why did you ask that?”

“Because you intrigue me! Everyone at school has a sense of friendship with at least one of the Idol Six or both Twilights! Every single guy has at least a crush on one of them but you are immune to their charms! Not even Pinkie hangs around with you more than necessary!”

“With the exception of Twilight as my friend since I don’t know the other one, the more I know about them, the less I want to be involved. But one way or another, I’m always dragged to their claws and toyed like a damn rag doll. Especially Rarity.” Oh, how do I hate her. “Once I’m done with the competition, I’ll step down as a representative. Working with Shimmer is a pain in the ass-AAAAHHH!” Her pinching fingers were like lobsters devouring their prey. “WHY DID YOU DO THAT?”

“I don’t like vulgar speech!”

“You too!? I have said a lot of shit-!” Another pinch of hell bended my skin. “Stop it!”

“We are alone, so I don’t need to hold back my deadly Pinchy-Pinches!”

“What a stupid-Nonononono! It’s a great name, a great name! And I don’t think all the guys have a crush on them. I had one on Shimmer but it died since the Mayor’s business started. Such a waste of time!”

I have nothing to offer to someone like her, but I don’t give a damn about what she wants.

“You think so!?”

“YES! And besides, Thunderbass is all over Melody! And I think other guys are in the same boat! Only a fool would keep unrequited feelings for one of those women for so long!”

“Then there is hope for me!” Something felt off when she said that. “Anyway, there is this restaurant where we’re gonna have a meal together and I want you to sit at my left so Tav-Tav can sit between Thunderbass and me!”

“I’m assuming Tav-Tav is Melody. What if she chooses to sit in another position?”

“That’s why we won’t give her the chance to do so! Trust in me! I have helped nurturing the hopes and dreams of many hopeless romantic interests in a graceful manner!” She bumped her fist on her chest with an unparalleled pride. “Look, here she comes! Operation: First Appearance initiated!” She hugged me rather… 

You are too soft, and you smell nice. Get away from me, Heartstrings.

“Hehehe! You look so artificial with him, Lyra!” Said Octavia with an unexpected smile.

“I know, right? More the reason to step aside and give you a seat!”

She quickly separated from my side, leaving me a little room to maneuver and sit properly. There was enough space between me and Lyra now, making Octavia sit in the middle.

I see… Such perfect control of her social environments.

“Tav-Tav, you look cute!”

“Really? The only change I did to my attire was just using jeans and a long shirt.”

“Anything you use, anything you rock, Tav-Tav!”

She blushed a little and brushed her hair. “I thank you for the compliment. Nevertheless, are you sure you should be here, Bittersweet?”

“If you want me to go away, you only have to say so.” I hissed.

“Forgive my rudeness. I was just worried that you were still sick. I mean, your eye bags are still visible.”

“I’m fine. I survived the Apple Fair and I will get through this. Where is Thunderbass?”

My own question was answered with the roar of a flashy car quickly coming at us. The driver slid down his window and made us a gesture to get in. I took the co-pilot’s seat and the ladies took the backseats. He just smiled and put groovy but soft synthwave music.

….

I hate crowds.

“This wasn’t my idea of something relaxing and fun.”

“Are you kidding, Bittersweet? This place has a lot of stores and recreational centers that we can enjoy!” Said Thunderbass with a thumb up.

It’s been a while since I visited the Maximus Plaza. Even on week days, the place was always infested with crowds. Lousy, arrogant, and abundant crowds. The Chocoratte Plaza was but a puny building compared to the majestic infrastructure of eight floors of stores, restaurants and silly recreational businesses. With more than six entrances, a dedicated security team walking on the sidelines with qualified training to protect the civilians, and several reinforced ATM stands, this place was really safe. 

But I hated this place because of said crowds, and giving a little glance at my companions, Octavia wasn’t that comfortable here either.
Lyra guided us to a little restaurant that had accessible prices on the menu stand. Considering that Crystal State’s attractions were far more expensive than Ponyville’s, it was a compliment for the place. It didn’t have the charm that The Dazzles had, but it was serviceable and the aromas of food was nice.

We trusted in our guide’s instincts and we allowed her to ask for the meal of the day for the four of us to enjoy. Just as Lyra predicted, we sat in the order she thought it was best. It seemed that Melody didn’t care about the order of the people.

“So, how is it going with your band’s practice?”

“Well, is not an official band, Lyra.” Thunderbass blushed. “We just banded together to make reality Octavia’s performance.”

“And I thank you for that, Thunderbass… and especially you, Bittersweet. I thought that the Rainbooms would choose what to do for our activities... again.”

“It’s a shame we didn’t get the pianist.”

I did what I could, bastard. Don’t need to look troubled at me.

“I don’t mind that since our music is getting better. Thank you again for this opportunity.”

“It was nothing. Besides, as long as the guys at school and you give the best you got, I can keep speaking in a good light to the Principal. I need results to keep backing up your performances.”

“I will play with my best efforts!”

“Me too!”

“You can count on me, Nit-Nit!”

Thunderbass almost spilled the water he drank. “He gets one and I don’t? I have more rights than him!”

“I can’t think of a cute nickname for you!”

“Bass-Bass?”

“Say Bon Bon at a normal speed.”

“Bon Bon. But that’s her name!”

“I know but let’s keep going! Say Tav-Tav.”

“Tav-Tav.”

“Say Twi-Twi.”

“Twi-Twi.”

“Say Nit-Nit.”

“Nit-Nit.”

“Say Bass-Bass.”

“Bass-Bass… wait, it sounds out of place!”

“See? It may sound good at first but it doesn’t fit. Just like Fluttershy’s Shy-Shy or Lightbulb’s Bulb-Bulb, they sound too strong when they must feel cute instead. But something like Pie-Pie for Pinkie could work.”

“I see! That sounds harmonious, Lyra!” Octavia praised. “No wonder you do nicely with the Piano!”

“If I wasn’t doing my part on the competition, Bon Bon and I would play the piano with you!”

“Don’t worry! I know how much you wanted to do a little dancing musical since middle school! Do you play another kind of instrument?”

“I can play the lyre too, but… an old friend from my childhood encouraged me to play the piano more frequently.”

“Do we know her?”

“Yes… but it seems she doesn’t remember me now. We spent the kindergarten together and I think she just moved on. She goes to CHS but I don’t want to force old memories on her. It’s better to do new ones!” Lyra said it with a glimmering tone, but the others...

“Oh, I see…” Octavia became reflective. 

“Move on, huh…” Thunderbass was swollen in thought.

“Ah… Anyway! I hope you love the food I chose for us! I don’t know about you but good-old lord, I’m starving! If you don’t eat fast, I’ll grab them fast!”

Lyra quickly killed the depressing mood to everyone’s favor.

“Why some people are meddling with the food like that?” Octavia gave a curious glance to another table.

“Ah, Genius Creations is a peculiar restaurant! The dishes here are made in a way that lets you create your own recipes! For example, if you don’t like the way they made your burritos, the plate gives you an array of tools and ingredients to modify it! That is the reason why the prices are a bit more expensive than in Ponyville’s best diners. But as long as you eat everything you ordered, you are good to go! Bon Bon and I come here at least once a month!”

“Oh… it sounds messy.” Said Octavia a little reluctant. “I don’t think I could ever do that in public.”

“Anyway, what did you order for us?”

“Look for yourself, Nit-Nit!”

My smelling sense detected a peculiar aroma. Something was wrong in that plate that the waitress brought to us. The jar of lemonade was fine… but inside the big plate there were a pile of elegantly arranged-

“SANDWICHES!?” 

My own stupefaction was increased as I heard Octavia’s soft voice dance with mine. She had a face I have never expected from her.

“What’s wrong, you two?”

“I don’t like sandwiches…” I hissed.

“What? But everyone loves sandwiches! What did you do to the one that Bon Bon gave you last time?” 

“I reluctantly ate it… but the juice was nice.” 

“Well… since someone is being honest, I suppose…” She sighed. “Lyra, I don’t like sandwiches either.” Said Octavia in an educated manner.

“WHAT!? Why not!?”

“Well…”

I better talk straightforward to inspire on her some confidence. 

“When I was a child, my parents didn’t have the economical blessings that they have today. So, to help in the expenses, Mother would always give me sandwiches for lunch, because you know, it’s cheap. Every single day during elementary school would be the same sad two slices of bread, mayonnaise, tomatoes, lettuce, and a slice of ham in the middle sandwich. Sandwich-sandwich-sandwich-sandwich! I hate the stuff!”

Those were sad years.

“I have a similar background like him. As you know, my parents are retired, renowned musical artists, and the most common food of the aristocrats and high-class musicians are sandwiches and caviar. That little, squared-like, obnoxious meal. You would think that I would eventually get accustomed to the food… but as the years passed, my distaste for the thing only increased. Every single day of socialite would be the same sad two slices of bread, mayonnaise, tomatoes, lettuce, and a slice of ham in the middle sandwich. Sandwich-sandwich-sandwich-sandwich! So common and unsophisticated! An artisanal sandwich and a homemade one, at the end of the day-”  

“Are the same thing!” We said together, but I used shit instead of thing.

“I hate the excessive mayonnaise used on the stuff.”

“I for one dislike the meltdown of flavors from the lettuce and ham. When I eat on my own on a nice and clean diner in the suburbs, I have seen people who think that adding ketchup and mustard on the tomato is a fantastic idea! Yugh! Who could enjoy such explosion of unrefined taste?”

I could sense the embarrassment from Lyra and Thunderbass, but I quickly ignored them as I got back to the conversation.

“Well, it seems that there are side ingredients on the plate. And since this is a peculiar restaurant, perhaps we could modify the meals to something more original.”

Octavia concealed her laughter with her hand. “I used to do something similar in my childhood. I would grab a mixture of dishes from the plates and smash it together to create something else below a table. I was lucky that I never got caught!”

“We could make a roll of ham with the stuff and use the bread and cheese as some kind of cheap filler!”

“Thunderbass, could you allow me to sit beside him?”

“Uh, sure!”

It was awkwardness at its finest what we were doing. 

Where the other clients reinvented their food like a glamorous dish, Melody and I were like little children playing chefs as we reconstructed the meals to our image. We made several super ham rolls filled with cheese, bread and smashed potato. I never imagined that I would find someone who could be as skillful and imaginative as me when it came to petty food arts. Octavia’s cheeks were reddened with a mix of shame and undeniable entertainment as we enjoyed our creations. She used the utensils to eat them. I used my hands.

She was refined. I was just enjoying the meal.

As we complained about the sandwiches and other overrated foods like pork, Thunderbass and Lyra were looking around with embarrassment, making sure that nobody admired our childish behavior.

The coast was clear.

….

After that surreal meal, we went straight to the arcades. We tried multiple games but in the end we just settled in one. Melody was quickly replaced by Thunderbass in a match of Extreme Ping-Pong. It seems that the guy was a fierce competitor in that particular game and couldn’t resist the urges to challenge Lyra for supremacy. She was merciful with Octavia.

She crushed me without remorse or regret.

I sat down in the visitors’ chairs and Octavia joined me. I was reluctant at first, but I invited her some of my chips and juice I bought for appetizer. She took her sweet time in making a decision. When I was about to withdraw the snacks from her side, she took a single chip and drank the juice from my straw.

“It looks like they’re having fun.”

“I fail to see where is the ‘extreme’ on this game of Ping-Pong.”

“If you look at the table, it was modified to be a little smaller than the traditional size. You could say that it forces you to be more aggressive.”

“Then I can see why both of them would enjoy such competition. Especially Lyra since she is so gifted at numerous activities.”

“And are you not?”

“I can’t dance nor make sculptures with clay within seconds. And I barely know how to turn on the oven, that’s why I didn’t participate in the games.”

“But didn’t Derpy Muffins and Sandalwood competed? In academics, they are… lackluster.”

“There is something that Principal Cinch said during the games that was a hard truth for the school to accept… The competitors were indeed chosen for popularity reasons.”

"You think you should have competed?”

“Of course not. I think Soarin, Scribble Dee and or Ringo would have been better competitors than some of the others. But is not that I dislike the ones who participated. As a matter of fact, I’m quite fond of Muffins. She… always says the nicest things from the bottom of her heart.”

“In any case, you have real talent too.”

“False compliments are not necessary.”

“You play the cello like no other person I have heard so far. I don’t think any of the music club from the academy could match your prowess.”

“From what I heard, each student there knows how to play at least three instruments gracefully. I barely play two.”

“Well… that is true if you are student since middle school. I learned an array of stuff there, but I just know the basics. And only the music club fulfills the three instrument capability… Although if I must be honest, they can’t make me feel their passion as you do.”

Did I just said weird shit?

“…Thank you for your sincerity.” She looked at the floor, mellow and with reddened cheeks. “Not even Vinyl has told me something like that.”

“Vinyl Scratch?”

“Yes.”

“Friend, right?”

“…You could say that.”

“Where is she? Perhaps the guys wouldn’t mind if we invite her.”

“She is about to witness another victory from Rainbow Dash’s acrobatics on the Inter Tournament with the rest of the Rainbooms. I believe the match will start soon.” Octavia clenched her hands with a bit of frustration.

…Strange.

“…I hope Soarin manages to win the match with his team.”

“I hope so too… he always works so hard for the team in general. He should have competed in the Friendship Games instead of her.”
My instincts felt a change of mood from Melody. She looked… rosy. I rethought her words again and again, arising in me a little suspicion. 

“Anyway… since those two will clearly take their sweet time, would you like to play something with me?”

“And what do you suggest? We tried all games here.”

“Not at all. There is only one game that could introduce you to the world of arcades.” 

It didn’t take too long to stood in front of the machine.

“Whack-the-mole? It sounds barbaric.”

“Trust me, just grab the hammer and hit the mole as hard as you can!”

“It is truly a savage game.”

Let’s see if my instincts were correct.

“Just imagine that the mole is something you hate! For example, I hate Shimmer’s super righteous nature!”

The game started and I hit the mole with brutality. What a beautiful stress relief.

“I’m not sure…!” Melody was doubtful, her hand refusing to raise the hammer of vengeance.

“Give it a shot or I’ll win! If you lose, I’ll force you to date me in a -!” Her moles were shot down in a rush. “That’s more like it!” Although it hurt a little.

“Wooooh! This is more fun than I thought!”

Brusque sounds echoed inside the structure. Both of us were releasing unspoken words through our acts of innocent violence. Silent whispers kept deep inside us, refusing to go out to the world, fearful of feeling guilt. The terror of rejection.

The apathy of death.

“BEGONE, RAINBOW DASH!” Octavia crushed the last little mole. Such a shame that she started later the game. She could have… wait.

“Did you say what I think you said!?”

Her smile of self-approval suddenly distorted to a gloomy, unexpressive face. “I got carried away…”

“It’s… okay. Dash can be a pain in the ass when she wants to.”

“Yeah… but she is still the heroine in the tale.”

I considered changing topics and go back with the others. My mind was forming as fast as it could to choose the right words needed to get back to a state of distraction and healthy fun. But…

“Say, Bittersweet… Have you ever liked somebody?”

DEJA-VU!

I pinched my leg to keep my focus. “I admit that I had several crushes before. But they didn't work because I was either too coward to give it try or that it was obvious that it wouldn't work. Why did you ask that?”

“I don’t know… Bon Bon said that I could trust you with something that is conscripting my throat for months now. To be honest… not even Vinyl knows of this.”

WHAT DOES THAT WOMAN TELLS TO ALL THE PEOPLE ABOUT ME!?

“Why do you think that I could help you?”

“Because I know she is right now. You are honest, surprisingly kind and... you are a hopeless loser in love, just like me!” She smiled innocently, deprived of malice or mockery.

I’ll kill her… the three of them.

“Ahahaha… aha… Is he from CHS?”

“Yes.”

“Do I know him?”

“Yes.”

“Is he close to me?”

She looked to the side with deep embarrassment. “I believe he could become your friend. I have seen how you two interact in the counted times you have worked together, and you both seem at peace with each other.”

Someone who has become closer to-

“Soarin!” I said discreetly. “You like Soarin!”

“You are as perceptive as she said…”

“Since when?”

“…When I was in middle school, during the reign of terror of Sunset Shimmer, I didn’t have a lot of friends. Thanks to her meddling, Vinyl and I became separated for a time, making my second year a time of solitude… But Soarin didn’t bought the lies that Sunset spread about the people. As you know, he is so nice and attentive, and eventually I developed… these feelings.” She looked at the mole, gripping the hammer firmly. “He loves to play the flute, and we played several times together. He likes simpler stuff and does things for the sake of better himself and help his friends. But everything changed when Rainbow Dash and Spitfire forced him to do as they said! Worse of all… Sunset was the one who incited them.” She pummeled it back to the hole through sheer force.

“You hate her?”

Her trembling body was giving birth in me an empathetic feeling for her. Soon, she looked at me with a calm expression. “Oh, Bittersweet….”

So it was true what Thunderbass said back then.

“It’s okay, I won’t say anything about this…”

“Sometimes I feel off… unsynchronized. I thought that everything would be back to normal once Shimmer was ‘reformed’ but new things came to happen later. And now… I even have to convince myself that I could go out with other… people.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think Vinyl has ditched you for Rainbow Dash. Or that I what I want to believe...”

“Ha... So pathetic I am that I became so transparent?”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know… forgive me for putting more troubles in your mind.”

…Forgive me, cool guy number two!

“Let’s talk about something else to cheer you up! Like how to make Soarin fall for you, for example!”

“Oh, please… I don’t think I have the traits he seeks in a girl. This is just a fool’s crush.”

“You never know… I could ask him if he is available. Besides, even if you don’t get him, I’m sure there are guys as nice as him that will gladly become a lover for you, and only you.”

“I don’t think that is true. There is a reason why nobody comes close to me. It seems that I always say the wrong things at the right time. People don’t like that.”

“Well, that’s because most people are delicate ladies who can’t take harsh truth in the face.” We looked at each, and within a few moments of silence, we laughed. “Let’s make a change of approach!”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Try to be there in the things he enjoys! Let’s get out of here and cheer Soarin. If what you say is true, we can see them on the second half of the game!”

“Ah…” Her face brightened a bit. “Yes!”

As we joined the others, we were surprised, and at the same time, perturbed, that both of them were still struggling in the match. Lyra’s golden eyes changed to a vibrant tone almost similar to Gilda’s, releasing a competitive aura from them. Thunderbass on the other hand… 

Uh… hang in there, cool guy number two.

….

We arrived on time and witnessed the second half from the start. Midnight was on the other side of the stadium with the rest of her friends. It seems that there was blonde girl sitting with them, and although she was a far from me, I was damn sure that she was sporting the plainest green outfit I have ever seen so far.

Rarity’s idea of fashion failure, I must assume.

The score was tied with two points each. The rival school of this match was Burlington High School, a fairly powerful institution from Crystal State. I noticed something pretty similar with both of their game styles, and it was nearly the same repetition that CHS made from the last ‘friendly’ match that they had with the academy.

Both schools focused most of their tactics on a handful of teammates, leaving the others like a kind of reserves within the fields. It seems that Spitfire didn’t learn anything from the last time… at least in team effort.

Even if subtle, the skills of the Wondercolts increased individually, making the time response quicker for Dash and Spitfire to try and score a goal. Burlington’s team wouldn’t allow that, assuming a more defensive formation. A wise decision… I think. I wished that I had someone like Soarin at my side who could explain to me the plays but he seems to be giving his best on the field.

Good luck, Soarin.

“Maybe they should change to a more aggressive formation to break their defenses.”

“What did you say, Tav-Tav?”

“Soarin would say something like that. Pressuring a solid formation that refuses to attack fills the minds of the adversaries with stressful thoughts, opening a window of opportunity. Since Rainbow Dash can make the best of such possible opening with her unmatched speed, she could score another goal.”

“Wow! I didn’t know that you were into soccer!”

“He shares his insight with me from time to time… I wish he had more influence to make his tactics a reality.”

Thunderbass’ face took a pensive expression. The match came to an end, both schools were tied. They went to extra time, penalty shoot-out, and CHS won by a miraculous kick from Dash.

The community cheered the victory. Lyra and Melody rushed to celebrate with them, but I stayed behind with the guy. I had some mixed feelings on the matter. Normally, I wouldn’t indulge in the relationships of people who weren’t close to me. I didn’t have the right nor the voice to give them any kind of advice.

But Octavia Melody changed my mindset for a moment.

She was nice and charming, even if her kind of attitude didn’t match with mine… or so I thought. After she confessed to me her genuine feelings, I was now stuck in the dilemma of supporting her. The fact that Thunderbass could end up being a heart broken worried me too…

He isn’t my friend and I’m worrying about him… That is bad… Even so… 

“Hey… Octavia likes-!”

“GUYS! WILL YOU COME HERE OR WHAT!?”

Lyra waved her hands several times to make us come down. I didn’t want to join them, the soccer team and some people there would annoy me to hell. I thought that Thunderbass would convince me to step down and go and celebrate with them. Have another reason to get close to her… but he simple shook his head in negation with a smile and looked at me rather… dry.

Our journey to our homes began. I didn’t tell him anything about her feelings… like it should be. 

….

I was back at home early at night after buying some quick groceries. 

Cool guy number two was kind enough to leave me in Mareson’s bucket before it closed. It seemed that good karma was on my side today. I managed to buy two boxes of Fruity Marshmallows, and I could swear that I saw Raven leaving the store with several boxes as well.

Damn her.

After I had my dinner and took my medicine, I was about to hit the bed when Lyra sent me a message.

-Lyra has sent you a picture.

-Lyra: I had so much fun with you so let’s do it again sometime! I’ll make sure Bon Bon, Flash, Soarin, Vinyl, Lightbulb, Dancer and Twi-Twi join us in the fun as well! I’m sure that’ll make you smile next time! [▪‿▪]

It was a photo of us before leaving the arcades. We… I looked like a guy mismatched with the wrong social guys... but…



I won’t deny that I enjoyed their company… just a bit.
> Chapter 88 - One uncomfortable moment. 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The struggles of any kind of students cannot be measured in how many subjects they ace in a constant manner. To think that a score is the absolute determinant to point out who is better suited for success would be a terrible ideology. Determinants beyond common knowledge played an important role too. Wits, quick-thinking, and common sense sometimes surpasses raw talent. 

Not everything is dependent on good notes alone.

It was November 3th, Monday. A new week of classes dawned in the life of the young future of Equestria. The students of CHS were earlier to the installations, having in mind a common goal, an agreed objective. Triumph against the invincible Crystal Prep was a fantasy held by several student generations for twenty-four years now, and the idea of such long streak of defeats coming to an end was a fervent catalyst to hasten their steps to bring a triumphant victory to their loved institution. But… there were always fissures in the ideal of how to achieve their so longed goal.

There were always people who were put to the test and must overcome the adversities of life.

Sunset Shimmer walked in the halls of CHS with a smile that shinned brighter than the Sun of Spring. Princess Twilight’s visit not only saved them from a desperate situation, spending time with her mentor and treasured friend gave her energy that filled her from the inside out, all of it visible in the form of her shimmering eyes. It was hard to think in negative thoughts to keep in check the magic surge. 

The Magic of Friendship desired to be unleashed from within her.

The girls and her were a little saddened that Princess Twilight had to return to Equestria after the match of soccer ended the last day. But the duties of a royal princess comes first, and those days they spent together filled her with overwhelming optimism. She barely slept those days, but yet, not a single trace of sour eye or tiresomeness were apparent in her figure.

Not a single glimpse of hopelessness tainted her spirit.

“Shimmer.”

“Good morning!”

“Hey, there!”

“How is it today!?”

“Looking good, huh!?”

Greeting after greeting, Sunset returned them with a warm gesture. She came a long way since her days of terror. It was like they were now just a memory used to give her courage to fight any odds against her.

“SHIMMER!”

“Huh!?” She finally noticed the man walking behind her. “Oh, Bittersweet! Good morning!” She said in a fresh mood. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes. I have something to ask of you.”

“Sure, go ahead!”

“I told you before that I wanted today for rest but I wish to change my free day for Thursday, if possible.”

“But of course! Now, let’s do a quick visit to Principal Celestia! I believe she has something for us!”

They paid a visit to the Principal’s office. Her younger sister, Luna, was elaborating and approving several documents regarding the school’s payments for the new security system and other menial investments with her elder sister. They both halted their obligations for a moment to attend the young ones, expression how they were pleased with their progress. Principal Celestia gave them a folder filled with the copy of Twilight Sparkle’s data. Nitpick gave a look to the information.

“Why the hell someone would use floccinaucinihilipilification in a report like this, Midnight…?” He mumbled dryly.

As they got out of her office, two police officers entered inside the room. Both assumed that they were there to discuss the missing money and school equipment with the school authorities. Thankfully, the projects were a concern that was taken care off thanks to the Princess’ efforts, putting Nitpick somewhat at ease.

Sunset was pleased.

….

Classes were smooth, not having a single moment of dullness or drowsiness. Even Mrs. Harshwhinny’s teachings proved to be incredibly entertaining for once. During breakfast, Sunset and friends were at their usual spot besides the monument of the school. Although it was still weird that the statue hasn’t been fully repaired by now, it didn’t stop them on having a good time of respite on the picnic mat, courtesy of Rarity. 

“Granny Smith outdid herself this time, Applejack. I don’t remember her doing the meal of the day so tasty.” Sunset expressed in compliment.

“Well, thank you! I’ll tell her later when I’m back on the farm! And I don’t know about you, but everyone’s dedication is increasing by the minute, y’all!”

“I know! Even the corridors of the school are more shinny than ever since the students started cleaning after calling it a day during their daily activities!”

“Not to mention that our morale increased when Princess Twilight aided us with her magical spell!”

“Speaking of that, Nitpick looks fine now.” 

“Soarin and several other guys said that he was pretty busted.” Rainbow commented.

“I saw him in a recent photo with Lyra, Thunderbass and Octavia on MyStable and his eye bags were very marked, and he doesn’t look that better today. I don’t think he should be helping us for a few days.” Rarity was concerned.

“He is a sturdy fellow, so it was obvious that he wouldn’t throw the towel easily. I’m glad that he has a sense of responsibility.”

“You almost said it with praise, Applejack!” Rarity gave her an impish smile.

“No, I’m not!” She turned her head to the side. “It’s just something that, uh, Cous’ Braeburn would say, y’all!”

“Whatever makes you sleep at night, darling!”

The girls just shook their heads in amusement, no strangers to the usual bickering of those two. In a quick fashion, The Sheriff noticed an anomaly in the group.

“Twi…? What’s wrong? You have been looking down since yesterday.”

“Oh? Nothing, I’m just in deep thought right now. Thinking things that happened recently…”

Sunset pulled her tenderly to her side. “I know that you miss her already as much as we do, but try to keep a straight face, Sci-Twi!” Twilight violently clenched her hands inside her skirt. “Her royal duties and the Cutie Map keeps her busy and she can’t be here all the time!”

“It must be pretty cool to be called to different parts of the world to solve Friendship problems!” Rainbow Dash gave a quick bite to her apple. “I mean, how awesome it must be having wings all day and fly everywhere to save the day!” She put herself comfortable on the mat. “I wish that we could have adventures all the time!”

“We may not have adventures everyday but we can have fun together! She will visit us this weekend too after she finishes some Friendship Missions that the Cutie Map has for her!”

“NICE!” 

“AWESOME!”

“WOW!”

“Yeah…” Nobody but Spike noticed the Scientist’s dark mood.

….

The Element Bearers walked their separate ways to grab from their lockers the notebooks for their respective classes and work on their individual businesses until lunch break ended. As she was on her own, someone poked Twilight Sparkle from the back, politely grabbing her attention. As she turned around, a group of students were watching her with a friendly gaze. Several of them were familiar faces to the young Scientist, putting her at ease.

“Oh, hi Dancer! Everyone!”

The students waved their hands in a welcoming motion. 

“Twilight, can we have a moment of your time? We need to ask you something regarding the report of the progress you made recently!”

“Of course, what do you need of me?”

“Let’s go to an empty classroom so nobody can hear our questions… they are a little embarrassing since I don’t understand some words. What is floccinpilification or something?” Some of the students’ cheeks blushed a little with silly embarrassment.

“It’s floccinaucinihilipilification, and I’ll be glad to help you in any way I can!”

“Thank you!”

Quickly grabbing her belongings from her locker, Twilight followed Dancer and company with a merrier expression. She felt that she could be… useful to somebody on her own. The farthest classrooms in the corridor was the selected destination. Once inside, the group proved to be attentive. Every question they asked, a simple but concrete answer came from the Scientist mouth. Spike looked at her in delight inside the backpack as his owner slowly started to get in a better mood, just like before Princess Twilight appeared altogether.

“Hey, Twilight!” One random student said. “We have a question regarding your cousin! We weren’t at school when she came since we had several compromises on our homes or jobs so we didn’t have the chance to meet her and ask her something!”

“Oh…” That made her feel moody. “What is it?”

“Well…”

“You see…”

“We heard that she is… nice…?”

“Guys, we need to be honest with her.” Lightbulb said straightforward.

“Honest?”

The surroundings became gloomy. A dark presence slowly emerged from the shadows of the room.

“Twilight.” Dancer carefully grabbed her face, giving her a serious gaze. “What exactly happened on Saturday?”

“She is asking about the incident regarding our projects, Twilight.” Lightbulb said.

Twilight’s innocent gaze looked at the group. “Well, nothing. Everything is fine now. Except for a few missing equipment and money that was stolen.” 

“It’s all over her face that she doesn’t know.”

“Know what?”

“Let me start with a simple question. It’s true that a lamp fell down to the floor during the party?”

“Yes.”

“Why you didn’t stop the party? It was dangerous to keep it going if there was a danger that another lamp could fall!”

“Because we made sure that the structure was in good conditions.”

“How?” Lightbulb’s face became analytical.

“…How?”

“Yes. How? When a bulb of the ceiling breaks, the ladders needed to reach those heights are brought by an external company. Unlike the bulbs from the stage, you could never have reached that high without the company’s stairs or by flying on your own. And that is impossible, as we know.”

Twilight remembered that some still didn’t know about the magic in the school.

“Uh… yeah. Applejack and Rainbow Dash managed to put together the ladders that we have in the gym’s locker! And then we made sure that nothing was wrong with them!”

“Well, the Apple family is indeed resourceful in that department so it is likely that that happened. Although I don’t buy altogether whatever way you used to make sure that everything was alright.”

“What does this have to do with the projects?”

“They say that it was the Cutie Crusaders, but the janitors and other personnel arrived a bit earlier than them. It was impossible that the stuff was broken that quickly when everyone came a bit later. What we mean to say is… that the stuff was already broken on Friday night during, or after the party.”

“But the stuff were broken because thieves got inside the school! They may have ruined our works during their wake!”

“Twilight… the money and the missing equipment was never missing, at all.”

“What!?”

“Bulby and I decided to eat with Nitpick when our lunch break began. When we were about to go out to his spot, Vice-Principal Luna stopped us. She informed him that the police came to make an investigation and just when they were about to leave, one of the officers found the missing stuff inside one of the lockers from the band room, safely packed in a sturdy box. This all happened before school break began. He is going to spread the news later in a formal way.”

“We decided to ask you straightly and let him distract himself on his spot with his 3SD. I managed to get a rare copy of Shinobi Gaiden: The Owl Sword for the original SD just for him. That’ll definitely give him some needed stress relief before today’s work!”

An agonizing scream of frustration was heard across the four corners of the town. Lightbulb could almost hear the endless button smashing that certain guy was doing not so far away from them.

“…Perhaps not.”

“Anyway, we believe that it was Sunset who did all this.”

Sparkle and Spike’s eyes widened in shock. Their consciousness were filling with thousand ideas of how that notion was simply ridiculous. The others students’ expressions darkened. Not at her in particular, but Twilight was slowly beginning to analyze people’s… changes.

“That is impossible! Sunset is the nicest girl I have ever met! She couldn’t possibly do something like that!”

“You are pretty new in this school but by this point, you must already know her previous reputation… Some of us still harbor… doubts with her change.”

“No! I know that whatever happened back then, it wasn’t her fault! She says that she has changed from her past ways and I believe in her!”

“Twilight, it is all too suspicious to take the news that your cousin came to rescue us in a time of direst need at the exact, convenient, needed time that we were desperately screaming for help!” 

“Nitpick may put a strong face and be too rude from time to time, but Bulby and I know him since middle school. He hasn’t changed in his core virtues and he takes his duties and friendships at heart. We are concerned for him and we want to know what happened in reality!”

“And it isn’t just that, Twilight.” One of the other girls said. “When we got the news that our labor was broken, we had the fright of our lives and rushed to the school to help in any way we could. But when we arrived, everything was fixed, and your cousin and Sunset were suddenly giving us orders on how to make our jobs properly!”

“They did it to keep a peaceful work environment!”

“Then how do you explain that our effort were broken, and then fixed in an instant!?” Another guy asked. “We are not the only ones who think that Sunset has something to do with all of this! Is not the first time she has done something behind our backs!”

“Hey! Don’t raise your voice to Twilight like that!” Dancer expressed angered to him. “She is at fault at nothing!”

The guy acquired a regretful silhouette. “You’re right, I’m so sorry.”

“Twilight, if we put in order how everything happened, all points out to her! Think about it! Why the strange incidents happened when your cousin arrived? Why our efforts were ruined during the time when your cousin was here? Why it was fixed immediately after Nitpick felt sick? Why the things that were stolen were found in a place that would be easy to find by her or the authorities? It was on the band room, for Pete’s sake! It’s just a fantastic, timely coincidence that the one who fixed everything was her.”

“But the Magic of Friendship-!”

Lightbulb sighed. “Please give me a break.” His calm voice couldn’t hide the small headache manifesting in him. “We have heard time and time again that there is a so-called magic that can fix every social problem we had here before. And some of us are tired of hearing rumors of mystical events that Sunset and company so happen to be the heroines in the tale. Besides, I saw the video that Sugarcoat made that proved that we cheated during the games and it is hard to deny those solid facts!”

“Coming back to the lamp, if it was broken, how did you fix it in less than a day? It’s impossible to repair steel and electrical cables in less than a minute. Unless it was never broken in the first place and it was just a trick, just like it happened during the games.”

“That video that Crystal Prep is… Sugarcoat sometimes is mistaken on things!”

“Twilight, it’s okay. Perhaps you were forced to do it because some of the guys of Crystal Prep are… uh, meanies. Cheating in the competition to help CHS may have been your way to have a little payback at them!”

“But CHS didn’t cheat!”

“Then what happened, Twilight? What destroyed the statue? What was the real reason that made you come to this school? Was it truly to make friends? Or it was Sunset’s influence that convinced you in the first place?” Dancer asked with a straight face.

She thought on telling them the truth. Convince the girls of transforming in front of them and make them understand that magic existed. It failed the last time when she tried to do it with Nitpick and company on her own, but if she quickly brought Sunset with her and took the lead, she could… She could…

“… I’m sorry… perhaps… there were some alterations to the games that I made… behind the scenes.”

Dancer and several students’ faces assumed a semblance of satisfaction after their version of truth was confirmed.

“So it was true then… Poor, little sweetie.” Dancer caressed her cheek with a mother-like nature. “You must have been so desperate to make friends that you felt that Sunset was your only, real option.”

“That’s why we also wanted to speak with you in private regarding her. We can’t force you to stop talking to her, but at least try to heed our warning; A snake never changes of shape, it just changes the skin when the old one is no longer sleek enough to hide within the trees and grass.” 

“Even so, you must believe me when I say that she is innocent in this! I swear!”

“We trust in your innocence, Twilight. But perhaps what you think is the truth is a mischievous, fabricated lie.” Lightbulb said. “Not long ago, I didn’t care if Sunset changed or not. As long as she didn’t caused more troubles, I was fine if she even find her happiness on the road ahead. But my friend was affected by this, and if she has something to do with it, I would never forgive her. Not anymore.”

“But she couldn’t have done all this! For what purpose she would do something like that?”

“Total control of the school. Still be someone that everyone can depend upon.”

“What!? That’s insane!”

“Don’t you remember that Dash was mad at him because he was making minor complaints with the soccer team? Complaints that some of the students agreed with them wholeheartedly?”

“Yes.”

“And when he became a representative of the school during the start of our second competition with Crystal Prep, didn’t Sunset got angry with him when he antagonized her with several good reasons concerning the ‘mystical magic’ she has?”

“…Yes.”

“And I’m sure I don’t need to mention other instances like Pinkie’s incident, or Fluttershy’s, and I’m sure they must have had a lot of infighting behind the scenes. At first, we thought that most of it was his fault! But… when we thought about in detail, he had a good point in all those instances! Taking in account her past behavior before becoming ‘reformed’ with the one she has now, to be honest, the only thing that changed was her focus. It wouldn’t be strange to rid of the competition so she can shine again.”

“Choco, this is enough.”

“…You’re right. We should be complaining all of this with Sunset and not you, Twilight… but… some of us may still be afraid of her and her charisma to make things her way a reality… I’m sorry for putting all this baggage on you.”

“We all are sorry too, Twilight.” The students’ faces fell in depression. Powerless. Fearful. 

One by one, they left the room and eventually reached their classroom to beat the teacher. Lightbulb stayed behind, trying to come up with any wisdom he could share.

He was never the outspoken type.

Twilight felt that she needed to say something to make Lightbulb trust in her words. That they were wrong about Sunset. That she was innocent and would never do actions like that. That she was also willing to help Nitpick as well because he was someone important to her. That she would try to cheer him up and make sure that everything was just an accident.

She never spoke her mind, and they both went their separate ways.

….

In the bathroom, cleaning her face with fresh water, the Scientist’s eyes were reddish with tears of impotence…

“Twilight!” The young girl blinked several times. She concealed her frustration with the soap and water. “You don’t really believe in what they said, right?” Spike spoke from inside the bag.

“Of course not!” She dried her face with her handkerchief. “But… I don’t know what to do.”

“You should tell Sunset what is happening! Perhaps she can find a way to prove that she didn’t ruined anything!”

“There is nothing to prove, Spike! She is innocent! But… perhaps it would be a good idea to tell her their feelings.”

As Twilight walked to her next class, she saw two familiar figures walking ahead of her. Lyra and Bon Bon were sharing another moment of sweet friendship with one another, holding hands as they joked together about silly movies they saw last week. Lyra noticed that the amethyst eyed girl was there, and she quickly smiled upon seeing her.

“Hey, Twi-Twi! Come and join us!”

“Uh… sure!”

“Nice! Perhaps you can help me with my-!” Lyra inspected her backpack and assumed a face of horror. “Homework!!! I forgot my notebook in the library!!!” She disappeared in an instant from their sight.

“Tee hee hee! Lyra is always like that! So, how was it?”

Twilight felt off when Bon Bon talked to her, still embarrassed for leaving her behind the last time.

“Excuse me?”

“I know you are there, Spike. Hi!”

“Hey there, Bon Bon!” Spike took out his head and waved his paw.

The girl looked at him with soft, caring eyes, caressing his jaw in a tender manner. Spike felt a comforting feeling on his nerves.

“Good, guardian puppy. Always doing a good job in taking care of your master!” That compliment made Spike’s eyes glimmer. “Anyway, I saw you walking with Dancer to a classroom. Tell me, what happened? She usually drags people to a quiet place when she has a delicate issue with somebody. Which is almost mythical, by the way.”

“She just mentioned… that she was worried about Nitty.”

“Ah, such a good friend she is. Great girl, and somewhat proud, but very protective to even strangers that she feels that are saintly, even after being horribly humiliated by Sun-“ She stopped immediately with troubled eyes.

“What were you going to say?” Twilight’s eyes twitched in distress.

“Nothing! Forget what I said… One more thing!” She stood in front of the Scientist. “I hope that you didn’t mention her the magic issue. Sometimes we need to hide things from others to protect their moral integrity.” She suddenly closed her face to her side, her lips almost kissing the soft skin of the Scientist’s ear.  “Everyone lies, Twilight. Even you.” She mumbled in an almost unperceivable voice.

Cold.

A freezing shiver traveled through Twilight’s spine. Her breathing became heavy as her eyes diluted with doubt, denial, and weakness. An impotence possessed her body, making her almost fell to the ground. She was afraid to look at Bon Bon in the face. She finally remembered. The cold eyes that she saw last time during her date with Flash Sentry were looking at her again. It was a good thing she didn’t make direct contact with them.

Her mental fortitude would have been savagely shattered at the first glance of those arctic irises.

“Twilight… Have you thought about what I said to you last time?”

She was afraid… but something inside her mind hungered from knowledge. She didn’t moved her neck, only looking at the endless hall. “About your teaching offer?”

“Of course.”

“…Yes.”

“And?”

“Please… Give me more time to think about it.”

Bon Bon softly kissed Twilight’s cheeks. They felt like snow petals. Freezing… but immensely nice.

“Good girl. Keep lying about the truth for your friends’ sake.” She whispered, making sure that Spike couldn’t hear it, even with his heightened sense of hearing. 

“I’m not… a liar.”

“Be careful, Twilight. If Sunset is going to the orphanage, you better go to either the retirement home or the nursing housing. If she stays at school, you better go to the city with the others. I don’t want you to witness a side of CHS… a side of the students that you haven’t seen at its fullest yet.” Her concealed voice was like needles of shadow piercing her spirit. “And you should take care of the boss.” She spoke in a normal, friendly tone. Her eyes were welcoming. “I saw him struggling a little and it may be wise to convince him to not do a lot for today. After all…” She walked towards the stairs to their next class. “You must remember that not all of us are magic batteries!”

She didn’t know why, but Twilight felt from the bottom of her heart that she must heed her warnings.

“Oh, and one more thing! Remember to keep you friends’ secrets for you alone, Twilight and Spike! Unless it is something nasty and it is imperative that you must tell information to right the wrongs, you don’t need a Pinkie Promise to respect the trust and empathy that was dawned on you… even if they were declaration of hate! I heard a rumor that Sunset was the culprit of the broken stuff, so be careful of what you say to anyone!”

Twilight froze in terror. Sweats traveled on her skin as Bon Bon winked at her ominously sweet.

“WAIT FOR ME!”

With incredible speed and a masterful foot-working, Lyra made a jump of several rungs above the stairs and joined her friend’s side, walking cheerfully together. Bon Bon’s eyes were vibrant, pure, and full of life when she was at her side. Their eye colors were a contrast to each other’s… but when together, it was like seeing the dawn gracing the fields of cold cotton and silver.  

Like a sunny winter that you wished to be living forever.

As for Twilight… not even her loyal dog mentioned to Sunset the revelations trusted upon her master.

….

With the exception of Sunset who remained at school and Rainbow Dash who joined Spitfire in the training for the next match, The Rainbooms, Twilight and Spike went ahead to the city. Shimmer had a long a long list of ideas on how to improve the quality of their teamwork, taking in consideration the stolen money and equipment. Not even the most complex physics problems from Mr. Bridge could delay her brilliant mind's brainstorming. The multitasking prowess of the young mare went beyond her already immense limit. Just like Rarity, the Magic of Friendship overwhelmed her with super human energy and efficacy. She was filled with the stimulus to make everyone’s dreams a possibility.

She was willing to give her all to make the school’s ideals a reality. 

Her steps sped up. Her face took a serious, passionate expression. Her eyes were burning with undying resoluteness. The gym hall’s doors were in her sight. Her hands reached the handles and opened the entrance to the hall filled with… …. …

Not everything in life is easy.

There are times in your living presence on the world when you are put to the test in an unexpected manner. Adversities are unavoidable. No matter how much you try, no matter how much you dedicate yourself to foresee mistakes to prevent them, there will be always something – from the most catastrophic accident to the pettiest stupidity - that will get in your way.

And it won´t even matter if your intentions are pure or wicked, for luck was something beyond us.

Restrained emotions could be felt. Suffocating atmosphere engulfed the light. Eyes filled with muddled and rancor perceivable to innocent.



Something was wrong in the air.

“Uh… Hi, everyone!” Sunset composed herself.

“Hey there… Sunset.” Norman said dryly.

“Ah… Are your ready to keep fighting the good fight!?”

“Of course we are ready. Just making sure that nothing breaks this time.” Cherry Crush said straightforward.

“Yeah… Alright! Let’s  get going!”

The community resumed their functions. Sunset walked from group to group, asking if they needed something else in particular. Dry answers and cutting words were the only thing she received from them. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but the indifference suddenly increased.

“Shimmer.”

The mood was depressing, her energy slowly began to drain from her body. It was an abnormal, but yet, familiar situation. She was no stranger to unwelcoming eyes. During her reformation days, she wasn’t the most desired presence in a social group. This time, however, a silent rejection surrounded her senses.

Old fears… slowly emerging like…

“SHIMMER!”

“AH, UH!?” She faced the source of the voice. “Oh, Bittersweet! What are you doing here? Isn’t this supposed to be your rest day?”

“I told you in the morning that I asked to change my free day to Thursday, remember?”

“Oh, yes… I forgot.”

“Seriously, you have been in the clouds all day.”

“Hey, Boss! How are you!?”

“Are you sure you should be here, Boss?”

“Want us to get you some Fizzy Apple Cider?”

“I’m not that pathetic to ask you to do menial tasks for me, but thanks for your concerns.” He said a little humbled. “I have important news, everyone. The stolen items have been found, including the lost money!” The students made a thunderous scream of rejoice as the good news were the kind of thing that they needed to hear. “But!” They suddenly calmed themselves, listening attentively to his voice. “It was found inside the band room. The police think that vandalism occurred inside the school by some of the students. Perhaps some sort of prank. I heard that the Cutie Crusaders were the primary suspects, but after reviewing the data, the officers assured that they couldn’t have done this. The only conclusion is that everything happened during the party or afterwards.”

“Who do you think could have done this, Boss?”

“I don’t know. I was in the Town’s Hall working for the Mayor trying to secure us a kind of back-up plan. Shimmer was with me but she left earlier to assist to the party. But… it doesn’t matter now. Whatever happened on Saturday is in the past now. I heard that Twilight’s cousin came to fix things up quickly and that’s all that I care about. So, without further ado, please resume your roles. Shimmer and I will be around to aid you in whatever we can. If you have any questions, please ask.”

“Roger!” They shouted.

“Noisy. When did they started to be this friendly with me?” He mumbled bitterly.

The mood quickly changed to a brighter and welcoming one. More students appeared to help their companions and friends to complete their part of the job of today. It was like all the bad vibes that the people had disappeared with the news of everything coming back to normal. Bittersweet was attentive to the needs of the community, not wanting to screw things up, and several students asked for Sunset’s aid, expecting her to find solutions to their problems.

“They were just angry for the inconveniences…” Sunset said to herself, regaining part of the good humor she had in the morning.
She joined Nitpick’s side and no further mishaps happened for the rest of the day.
> Chapter 89 - Blueblood and Twilight's meaningful moments! Tale 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There has never been a time where I questioned the acts and decisions I made in my life until that fateful day I turned seventeen. I have always walked through the world with the confidence, pride, and power expected of a member of the Royal Family. As the future Twentieth-third King of Equestria, my birthright was to rule the land with my wisdom. My inheritance, to serve the people. It doesn’t excuse me to breeze away my joy, but rules meant for my lineage are to be followed without exception or complaint. 

And one of those laws lead me to a test of patience, my so needed duty to acquire knowledge concerning the poorer people’s struggles, all for the sake of two clashing schools’ needs and mine. It may seem out of place for the commoners to see a noble beneath himself to the menial tasks that they so eagerly do every single day. I too once believed that monarchy and people of power should never allow themselves to coexist with the lesser citizens. 

Everything changed when I began to befriend my Sister’s friends.

Never in my mind manifested the thought that the trivialities of the common folks could open in me a panorama that could be the key to rule the land fairly in the future, as my ancestors did before me. There was this certain joy of being around people who could take in full my personality without changing it to please them.

It was a pleasure just to be me.

Now, living as a servant for a brief periods of my short existence, I was trying to master the art of delivering food to the old citizens with my own hands, using gloves, of course. It took me an hour to perform the deed beside the others. Gilda in particular was so eager to do her part quickly to leave to her home earlier, much to Sugarcoat’s anger. Watching them exert their duties like that, I slowly started to appreciate what my Father always said about my responsibilities to the land and its inhabitants.

Knowing your subjects’ struggles gives you a deeper insight and security to the decisions that should be made in the future. Not everything was the meetings that I was forced to assist with him, almost filled with old dinosaurs whose personal interests were rotten to the core. Sometimes politics must be made through the land itself as well. 

I never liked the idea of studying in a school, or getting along with normal people, no matter how prestigious or important they were… but in the end, it proved to be far better than private tutelage. Not everything in life is taught inside the walls of learning.
Nevertheless… I desired from the bottom of my heart that my current activities were far more hygienic and graceful.

“Yeeeugh! Is that really a trash bag? It smells like the filthy sewer system of Coltbraska!” 

“My brother, the sewer systems you are talking about was in reality a water treatment facility.”

“It doesn’t matter, the smell is as unpleasant. YEECH!! HOW COULD YOU TOUCH THAT WITHOUT USING GLOVES!?”

“My imbecile of a brother, stop acting like a whiny brat and moderate the volume of your disgusting voice.” Reem threw the filled, pestilent plastic bag in the trash container outside the building. “Thee knoweth yond soap exists to washeth thy hands with wat'r, correct?”

“Don’t talk to me with that old English dialect! And Rosaline would be convulsing in plain sight if she saw you touching that!”

“That is why I sent her to do an errand for me. And besides, that old English you speak of IS our mother language. In any case, please pay a visit to little Meg before leaving. I believe her reset is just a few hours away and you better give her the teddy bear before that occurs.”

“No! Do it yourself!”

“It is your duty as the future King to learn about your subject’s needs and regrets, or I am wrong?”

“Stop reading minds! And you too shall become a ruler as well! You should join me in this!”

“I never read minds at will, and I certainly did not do it now. Besides, I already did my part this last weekend, remember?”

“Ah, it’s true… very well then.”

I hate it when you convince me to submit to such ridiculous demands.

“But you always do it regardless of any particular excuse, my brother. And yes, this time I ‘read’ your mind.”

“This is why the others get angry at you.”

“In any case, go on and do something selfless for a change. Rosaline will soon come for me to take me home. Tobias will arrive in an hour or so, giving you plenty of time to do an act of charity for once.”

“I always do charity!”

“We shall see about that, fiend.”

Reem went to the borders of the park and waited for her sworn maiden to take her home, and as for me, I was stuck inside a nursing home still. 

“Hmph! Better end this quickly and wait for my butler.”

….

The path towards the little girl’s room was quiet. I still wasn’t used to the smell of medicine and old dawns trapped inside this corridors. How many people have been living in this fifty year old building was something that grabbed my curiosity. Perhaps I could ask this to one of the staff at a later date. Simply waiting for my curiosity to die was another option.

“Pinkie Pie, we shouldn’t be here!”

“But we must give these cookies to her! I’m sure she’ll love them!””

A terrible headache appeared inside my beautiful persona after hearing that super sweetened voice of hers. Miss Pie and Miss Sparkle seems to be trying to get inside an unauthorized room. Room that I was allowed to enter, of course.

“Fair ladies, what do you think you are doing?”

Both of them looked at me. Miss Pie’s eyes were clear, straightforward, and unfriendly. Surely the news of me convincing the staff to forbid her to enter that room found her way to her. Miss Twilight’s were rather pathetic, on the other hand.

“You!” The Miss said with an unwelcoming voice.

“That room is forbidden for the likes of you, so if you excuse me, I must get inside to bestow to the little maiden there this present.”

“Why?” The Miss asked.

“Hmm?”

“WHY DID YOU-!?”

I shut her mouth. “Mind you surroundings, plebian! This is a nursing home, not a fair!”

“You are so rude!” She said as she put away my hand from her mouth. Thankfully I was wearing my gloves. “You don’t have a lot of friend, do you?”

“What is the purpose of asking that question now? And I have some friends here and there, thank you very much. Now, leave.”

“No!”

I cleared my throat. “Leave.”

“No!”

“Pinkie, we should leave.”

“What!?”

“We don’t want to become enemies to the crown! It’s treason!”

Finally, someone with common sense spoke before me!

“But he is just a prince, Sci-Twi!” Miss Sparkle’s eye twitched. “He isn’t the president to be given others around! Rarity said so after reading a magazine about the topic!”

“But Pinkie, behind the scenes, royalty in reality-!”

“Don’t bother, Miss sparkle. Even if she knew… Nah! I don’t have time to waste on you! Those two would scold me if they hear that I was dealing with you! Now I really need to deliver this present.”

“Blueblood, you won’t escape!”

“It’s Prince Blueblood to you, Miss Pie!”

“Whatever! I want to see the little girl!”

“Why?”

“To sing her a song and make her happy, of course! I want to dance with her, eat cookies with her, rain her with little presents and make her smile brighter than a-!”

“Stop!”

Miss Twilight grabbed from behind the arms of Miss Pie. The later had a wild smile and eyes filled with glimmer… a strange, bluish aura was emanating from her body. I winked for a moment and the strange bright was gone, only two awkward and fearful smiling faces were looking at me.

“We better go for today, Blueblood!” Miss Sparkle dragged her friend with her. “Our duty here is over!”

“What!? No way! I haven´t-” A ringtone sounded from her… hair. Without a care and with a simple grin, Miss Pie grabbed her phone from her… hair. “Mrs. Cake? … … … I’M ON MY WAY!”

“What is-?”

“I’ll tell you later, Sci-Twi!”

“PINKIE, MY BAG!” She tried to catch up, but Miss Pie simply vanished. “Oh, cheeseburger!”

“What is it, Miss?”

“She took our bags and Spike was in mine.”

“Pets aren’t allowed in the facilities.”

She looked at me with a dubious face. “Oh… yeah! Ahahahaha… aha… It’s just that I forgot to leave him at home and… well.”

“Remember that I’m aware that your puppy is in your backpack to almost every place you go. No point in trying to lie now.”

“I’m not… a liar.” She caressed her left arm.

Depressed face. Sudden change of mood. Remains of dried tears from a recent cry of despair. Hmm… Change of plans.

“My liege.” A familiar voice was approaching at my presence and kneeled. “I came back for you to take you home.”

“Tobias, my faithful butler. Good timing. Say, do you have tea for a short conversation for two people?”

“I shall prepare it right away. The park is a good place to enjoy it with this weather and there is a nearby spot with chairs and tables for you to use for the occasion.”

“Excellent. You’re always ahead of what I’m going to ask of you. Miss Sparkle, come with me!”

“What?”

“Hey, I just had this urge to try my Sister’s favorite beverage for real. I prefer martinis but you aren’t allowed to drink one of those.”

“But you are underage as well!”

“I have my privileges and I’m already seventeen!”

“But eighteen is-!”

“Quiet! Besides, you don’t have anything planned, do you?”

“Well… I don’t have anything else to do and it’s still early.”

“I hardly call six with eighteen in the evening ‘still early’, Miss Sparkle. It’s really early. Worry when the clock marks the ninth hour and beyond. Now come, Tobias is fast when performing his role.”

….

Comfortable seats considering the public target. Impressive scenery of brown and red. The only missing thing is my martini with parmesan crackers. I still don’t understand why Reem enjoys so much drinking tea. I mean, I like it in short samples but it is hardly my favorite beverage. On the other hand, Miss Sparkle was enjoying it at her sweet time. After calling her dog’s kidnapper, she was at ease to hear that he was alright. So much was her moment of peace that I preferred to let her enjoy herself for as long as she could. 

After all, a troubled heart is easy to spot for people like me.

“Why did you make the staff of the nursing home and the orphanage forbid Pinkie to meet the girl?” The Miss put her cup on its plate, exploring the craft with her fingers.

That ended sooner than I expected.

“Because she is noisy, unorthodox, and she has the type of personality that would scare Meg.” I drank from my tea. “No wonder Nitpick is uncomfortable around her.”

“That was mean...” She sighed disheartened. “She is a great friend and you should be more kind to her, Prince!”

“Royalty doesn’t waste time with the fabrication of sentences to tell the truth in a gentle way during small, insignificant conversations. And before you ask, forbidding her entrance was Reem’s idea. Nevertheless, I won’t deny that I agreed to help her. Let’s say that it’s been a while since I saw her with a deep, driving motivation. I want to nurture it, whatever the result may be.”

“But isn’t that unfair? You’re using your status to make that possible!”

“Remember that we can do whatever we want, as long as the staff agrees to it and doesn’t break any rules. Nitpick wanted to hide it from me, remember? The nerve!”

“True… Still, it is unfair.”

“Unfair is to cheat and sabotage a competition, ending up with more troubles and disputes later down the road. But I don’t hear that from your end, am I?”

“…No.”

“And that is what troubles you, isn’t it?”

“Eh?”

“Please, you are like a lake without dark depths. If you wish, I can hear your troubles and give you counsel.”

“I don’t have troubles.”

“You are a really bad-!”

“I’m not a liar!” She scared me with her sudden piercing eyes. “What’s with everybody saying that!?”

I took a sip of my tea and calmed down as any King would do. “You see? Anger is giving you away your real state of mind!”

She took a long, deep sip of her tea, drinking it all eventually. She asked for a refill and Tobias reluctantly stood there for a second, offended for such rude petition. At least, for our standards.

“Your manners, my butler. After all, I invited her.”

“I beg your forgiveness, my liege.” He said humbled.

After her teacup was filled, Sparkle looked at me in the eye. “Why did you call me a liar? I want to know.”

“Your body language told me so. You are more doubtful than usual, your time of response in your answers has increased, and your out-of-character attitude is worrisome, even for me. I’m surprised that Nitpick hasn’t noticed it yet.”

“He is busy leading his part of the team with Sunset at school.”

“Ah... I bet that he’ll worry once he sees you!”

“I don’t want him to worry about me! He has a lot on his mind right now!”

“Then tell Miss Shimmer what troubles you! She is your friend after all!” She gripped her cup with increased strength. “Aaah! So she is the source of the problem! Interesting!”

“No, she is not!”

“You are getting angry over nothing again. That isn’t you.”

“What do you know about me?” She said fiercely, but her bravery faded away in an instant. Her face slowly became a passive and reflective one. Looking at her side in reluctance, she started playing with a Rubik’s cube without seeing it. That cube must have been used for thousand times already. “My… cousin, paid us a visit.”

“Ah… fascinating.” And boring. “So, what’s the problem?”

“I… no. Why you should hear me out? You barely know me for you to care.”

“Hmm, it is true. Very well, let’s reinforce our bond of trust to make you talk at ease with me. Let me tell you a little story that will certainly put a little smile in your face.”

“I don’t think that is possible.”

“But by all means, let me try.” I smiled with confidence. “One morning, during the last cold winter of Ponyville, I received a call from Gilda that there was a breakfast reunion on Sugarcoat’s home. Like Reem, I was told that her folks weren’t there because they had extended work shifts during that season, and since I was really bored and didn’t have anything planned for that particular date, I journeyed to the Little Maiden’s house.”

“That sounds pretty sad for royalty.” She said in a fascinating, cynical way.

“You are so charming, you know?” I said pleasantly. “When we were reunited, we cooperated to buy the groceries. It was a mess, though. I happen to be allergic to common milk made from dairy  sources, and cheap chocolate syrup is unacceptable for Reem’s standards. Not to mention that Nitpick hates with a passion the Tootsie-Belle brand of flour for waffles and Gilda hates the honey that Sugarcoat and Reem loves. I hardly would call it a peaceful breakfast.”

“But you must have a good memory of it if you remember the details.”

“Indeed. That morning, during breakfast, Sugarcoat was working on her Tpad on the schedules that were needed on that month. Nitpick, to not say other words, cursed her actions and the two of them engaged in a discussion again. As the parley reached its climax, Gilda, as always, got tired of their pettiness and broke in half the table with her fists. To Sugarcoat’s horror, of course.”

“What happened next?”

“It turns out that the table was in fact a relic of her father’s family. Under further inspection, the table was old and the wood was breaking already. Sugarcoat was about to call her father to tell him about the ‘accident’ but Gilda stopped her. She had this brilliant idea to get super glue to fix the broken relic. As you may imagine, Sugarcoat was perplexed, amazed, and angry at her ‘stupidity’, according to her. Reem and Nitpick on the other hand were just there, cleaning the mess as the other two engaged in another verbal warfare, again.”

“I thought that Reem didn’t learn to clean anything until this competition started.”

“Holding a trash bag open doesn’t require skill at all... Right?”

I mean, it doesn’t require skill at all, am I right!? 

“That’s true.” She chuckled.

Hehehehe… I knew I was right.

“In any case, Gilda bought the glue anyway and started uniting the parts of the table, one by one. Nitpick helped her, as he usually does, and during that time, Sugarcoat was complaining that their idea wasn’t going to work, that their stupidity was beyond normal levels and that they should consider throwing themselves from the peaks of the mountains nearby the city. Then she turned at me at yelled that I wasn’t being useful at all. That woman is insufferable sometimes.”

“But you are still with them, right?”

“Yes. Anyway, it was total chaos, and Reem was laughing the entire time.”

“That sounds scary.”

“Indeed. In the end, the table was fixed.”

“At first, I believe.”

“Why do you say that?”

“If my guess is right, they used super white glue. Terrible for wood uses.”

“Exactly. The table didn’t hold on a single plate I laid on the surface. An old relic of the past. Must I mention that the broken plate was one of Sugarcoat’s mother’s favorite?”

“Is it a good idea to tell this to me? She could get angry if she knows of this!”

“She always gets angry with something, that little Maiden! Anyway, Sugarcoat called her father in the end and told her the whole story. It turns out that her parents were going to throw away the table anyway. It turns out that the old thing was reaching the end of its life cycle and her father’s parents bought for them a new one, much to their reluctance. The delivery was made that afternoon and the employees were informed to throw the old one away.”

“What about the plate?”

“Reem called an expert to see how much the relic was worth since she has a knack for old stuff. We ended up paying Sugarcoat’s mother one-hundred-thousand dollars.”

“THAT MUCH!?”

“It was a plate made from real Aztec clay from the fourteenth century. Far more expensive than the Tenochxican variation after the Spaniards conquered the now-extinct culture in the sixteenth century. Her full set, even without that plate, is worth two million dollars.”

“Unbelievable!”

“I know, right? She made a wise choice to not donate it to the museum.”

“What? Why!? It’s a legacy that should be witnessed to the general public! Imagine how many brilliant artist would get inspiration from such pieces!”

“Tenochxicans were proud workers  that praised their craftsmanship in the useful everyday things. They would be ashamed and saddened to see their work being hold in a museum, forever damned to be unused. For her family to be using them, it shows respect for their culture instead of leaving them trapped inside four glass walls. Besides, if taken care of, those plates could last them for three or four hundred years in her family lineage. It is best for her to let them stay with her and be useful instead of being eventually forgotten. At least, that is what I think, and I’m not doubtful that I may be wrong.”

“Being of use to someone…? I wish I could be that valuable.”

I raised my brow with a pinch of reflection. Although her mind was asking to herself what she desired, it didn’t take away her thirst for knowing what she was able to do. Even if she was a reclusive girl, it was obvious that she always strived for being accepted. It must be the reason why she withstood all of her social abuses during her time in Crystal Prep. No wonder both wanted to help her. 

Such a bother. 

“Feeling better?”

“Yes… Thank you for the story.”

“I’m glad that you are at ease now.”

“…My cousin is better than me at everything I do.”

“Excuse me?”

She drank of her tea slowly, trying to delay whatever she wished to share. “She simply… outmatches me. Pinkie enjoys her company. Rarity is delighted in her presence. Fluttershy is at peace around her. Rainbow dash is livelier in her eyesight. Applejack is passionate with her leadership… And Sunset…” She put down the cup in the table as my butler filled my third cup. “Sunset… Sunset… Sunset… Sunset.”

I could swear that the air around her turned heavy. A relentless, somber mood dawned in her side of the world. Slowly turning the surroundings…

Darkness.

“Your cousin was superior than you. But in what exactly? Does she have your same brilliant mind?”

“She is even more experimented than me.”

“I don’t doubt that genius people beyond you exist in the land but usually they don’t share the exact, same gifts.”

“You wouldn’t believe how magically similar she can be to me, but better.”

“In times like this, you should smile and challenge this test.”

“What did you say?”

“Forgive me, the last part was something that I learned from the Twins. Well, Gilda and Nitpick aren’t exactly… Whatever. Be confident that an opportunity will come to make you feel special. You just need to live long enough to prove your worth! Be optimistic that you can be better than you are now in the nearest future, so when you look behind all of your supposed failures, you will laugh at them, saying to yourself that how could you have been so stupid! That is what I always do!” I smiled, and my shiny teeth blinded her for a moment.

“What if the opportunity never arrives?”

“It will arrive.”

“But what if I still keep failing?”

“You will eventually succeed.”

“But if it is too late when that happens? What if it is for nothing? Would I have wasted my time? Will it even matter? What if no one is around to see what I can do? What if-?”

“For God’s sake, Miss Sparkle! I have met a lot of weak-willed people in my travels with my Father before, but never have I witnessed such gloomy, depressive, defeatist, no-hoper, pessimistic, despairing, and worthless person like you. Have no one ever told that nobody wants to be dragged down by anyone who can be obnoxiously weak and needy? At this rate, it will be a matter of time before someone actually makes a fool of you. Right now, you are really petty and… uh, Miss Sparkle?”

‘Sniff’

Oh-oh.

‘Sniff’

My butler immediately came at my side and mumbled, “Prince Blueblood, if Lord Bittersweet and Princess Oakwood know of this…”

“I’m thinking on how to solve it. Go back to your post.” I whispered as I tried to drank from my tea.

The somber aura increased around her as tender tears traveled her silky skin. Her watery eyes looking at the ground with a shade of defeat and sadness almost made me sweat in fear as a sense of uncomfortable feelings rushed to the tip of my throat. I forgot that I wasn’t dealing with my usual social group and perhaps I exceeded the use of my words. 

But why should I care? She is just a normal girl, no matter how brilliant she was. Her personality and well-being won’t do a significant difference if she ever grows up or not. She wasn’t a person of power. She didn’t have in her shoulders the weight of expectations that people of power have. All her troubles are just a product of her imagination.

At the same time, I found something strange with my drink.



My tea suddenly tasted bitterer than ever before.

“Does she have a boyfriend?”

She snapped for a moment from her depressive state, cleaning her tears as best as she could. Her big glasses may have hid it, but I’m sure she blushed after acknowledging my question. “I-I-I don’t think so.” She tried to speak clearly.

“Why are commoners so ashamed to answer that simple question? You don’t see the nobles shaming themselves like that!”

“B-but you are a n-nobles! You are practically immune to shame!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Laugh like I have never done so before. As soon as I recovered my composure, I locked my eyes with her. “I never was this direct and ‘shameless’ before. There was a time that I was even afraid of people!”

“Really? That.. That sounds impossible!”

It is impossible but I will manipulate the truth to save my hide from this particular situation.

“Of course it is possible! I never wanted to study in Crystal Prep. Mother always wished for me to study at home, learning from the best professors the world could offer. Father had other plans, and I ended up realizing that he spoke truth! Without social interaction, I would have continued believing that everyone washed their clothes in luxurious machines. Without social interaction, I would have never experienced the thrill of knowing the struggles of the everyday man. Without social interaction, I would have kept the same spoiled mentality that nobles have absolute power in the lives of anyone!”

“But you always act like you have the absolute power!”

Perhaps it was the truth but luckily I could somewhat adjust the reality to my needs. 

“Of course not! If that were the case, I wouldn’t even bother to open the door to my Sister and Sugarcoat when we enter a place. I wouldn’t try to learn how to help the elder people and unfortunate children with their food and medicine. If I were someone who would really abuse his power, CHS would be demolished with a snap of my fingers and this competition would end its miserable existence. For God that watches us all, I would force a woman to open the door for me and use her dress to cross a pond just to avoid muddying my shoes! But know the difference. Even as a lowly prince, I can still get almost anything I want. But I don’t do it. And that’s because I chose to receive a better education, and I chose to follow some of my friend’s dogmas! Which sometimes leads to embarrassing outcomes.” I enjoyed my third cup of tea. “I don’t have a single regret.”

“Funny that you mention choice. Sometimes… I don’t know if I am doing the right thing. I want to be someone that Sunset can be proud of calling a friend. I want her to see more of my potential. I want her to look at me for who I am. I want… to be me.”

“Your cousin is that amazing that makes you doubt of your own gifts?”

“…Yes.” She said with regret.

“People will always compare you with another person who is better than you. But is that really a justification to stop trying to improve yourself?”

“Uh!?”

“Think about this for a moment, Miss Sparkle. You say that your family member is better than you at things that you share in common, right? Have you ever thought about improving other things you enjoy, but perhaps she doesn’t?”

“…No! I have never thought of that!”

“Do you have others hobbies that she doesn’t share with you?”

“I don’t know. I’m not that close to her, to be honest.” 

“Hmph! You are so vague, Miss. Have you tried to do something that apparently you couldn’t possibly do and she does?”

“Magic.”

“Something realistically possible, please!”

“No.”

“You are hopeless.”

“I have been called that for a while. Perhaps it is true.”

“That kind of attitude will crush you sooner than you could imagine. Or worse, people can put you in their palms and do with you whatever they please. Listen, Miss Sparkle. Laugh is good. Hope is nice. Faith in something is everything. But beware! I have seen how easy people like Miss Pie open their hearts to strangers like if it was the best thing ever. In my opinion, that is a very dangerous attitude. I’m sure that you have seen before people that you thought were good friends at first glance, only to find out that they’re different and fight constantly.”

“Yes. Sunset and Nitpick are a good example. They have been nice to each other the past few days but the more I think about, the more I realize that their friendship was just… my imagination.” She was left motionless for a long moment. “I thought they were good friends after they started to hang out…”

“Hard to believe he had a crush on her.” I said with serenity.

“Wh-wh-WHAT!? NO! THAT CAN’T BE RIGHT!!”

“Calm down and drank some tea.” 

She swallowed the drink like if it was cheap water. “You must be lying!”

“Ah.. yes. Maybe I am.” She sighed with relief. That topic isn’t going to work and I finally acknowledged that giving counsel was harder than I thought. I don’t even know where to start or finish. “Have you ever felt used, Miss?”

“How so?”

“Manipulated. A short-term benefit.”

“No!”

“Are you sure?”

“…Perhaps when Principal Cinch used me to win the Friendship Games.”

“Do you believe your friends would ever use you for a personal goal?”

She laughed with a mix of confidence and innocence. “No! I’m sure that they would never use me for anything at all!”

“Answer this with sincerity. What would you do if that really happened? How would you feel if someone you believed was a friend ended up betraying you?”

“…I would feel bad.”

“Would you forgive him?”

“I don’t know. It would depend on what did they do and how sincere they are in their apology. I hope I never experience something like that and just laugh, like if anything didn’t happen!”

“You are naïve. It is true that a good laugh with friends can make many good things happen; it can shatter fears and banish bad moods. Sharing your good deeds with people can be a blessing on its own. But sometimes abuses are born under those circumstances. It’s unavoidable to stumble with people who would take profit of the situation and do terrible things to the victim later on. You must learn to be doubtful of people at first! Learn to be more cautious with your relationships! For all that shines isn’t always gold!”

“Doubting people all the time will make me look unfriendly! And there may be times that they do actions without thinking straight! It could be just an accident on their part!”

“True! That’s why friendships are like a business, Miss. We form unsigned contracts with the people we wish to get close to. We exchange our offers and demands, and we come to a point of stability. The famous middle ground. Conflicts arise, but if the contract was well-founded, there is nothing to fear. But there are businessmen that take the contract and bend them to their will. Those people are the most dangerous of all. Perhaps your social circles doesn’t have those wolfs I am mentioning, but one day, one will appear in your life! Be careful, and perhaps my words may save you!”

“Save me from what?”

“Let me give you a culmination of everything we have talked so far with a simple example. How do you feel right now in my company?”

“…Somewhat at peace, I guess.”

“Why?”

“Because you are trying your best to make me grow… right?”

“Indeed, Miss. But I must say that when you smile, you particular radiance has no match!”

She chuckled a little embarrassed, but she took the compliment in a friendly way. “Thanks!”

“Your family must be really nice! I have only seen glimpses of your brother, Shining Armor, but I can safely assume that he is a wonderful person with an astounding fiancé! One is a gifted leader in his field of expertise and Dean Cadence is a graceful public servant for the students!”

“They look cute together, right!?” Her glasses partially hid the blush of happiness her cheeks acquired.

“Obviously, for such brilliant siblings to be born, the parents must be of a particular high quality.”

“My mommy and daddy are the best!”

“And although I prefer larger and puffy dogs like the St. Bernard, your dog is particularly charismatic!”

Never before have I seen such a wide smile from a girl. “Isn’t that right!?” 

This was so easy that it was painful to keep going.

“How do you feel now?”

“Much better!” She said sincerely.

“I’m glad that you are feeling better. My friend’s friend shouldn’t be sad.”

“…That is so nice of you.”

“I’m sorry for treating you harshly a few moments ago. I’m not that good with dealing with new people at this level of closeness.”

“It’s no problem! I was just feeling sad… But it’s okay now!”

“I know that you’ll become better than your cousin if you work hard enough! Strive for success and soon you shall not be her equal, but someone better! Don’t lose hope, Miss Sparkle!”

“…Yes! Perhaps I can do it!”

“Hehehe… You know what I just did?” I asked seriously.

“Eh?”

“You know what just happened now?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I just made you mine, Miss Sparkle.”

“… Eh… WHAT?”

“Think about it. What was your initial thought of me before having the tea, during the tea, and after hearing my compliments? An answer for each segment, please.”

“At first, I thought you were mean.”

“Carry on.”

“Then, you were nasty!”

“Yes.”

“Then you acted surprisingly nice… AH!”

“You see now why I said that Miss Pie’s attitude was dangerous? In the name of my Parents and my ancestors of the Royal Crown that preceded me, most of my praises were spoken with my true feelings on the matter. But imagine if someone really nasty found you just the way you are now. With just a matter of simple words that you need to hear, a dangerous stranger that hides his fangs behind a bouquet of flowers can easily convince you that he is a good friend. And when that happens, without you noticing it,  without you possibly imagining what is happening in reality, that individual, from the bottom of his cold heart will say, ‘I own you!’ …Or something similar.” My tea was finished.

“No…! That…! I refuse to believe it! Nobody that can make you smile genuinely can be evil! Pinkie is sure of that!”

“And why would you believe someone of your age who barely knows about what is beyond the borders of her hometown when you have in front someone who has a humble experience dealing with merciless people that would sell their countries if they have the chance? Miss Sparkle, the cold reality is that being over-optimistic and excessively friendly is a as bad as being isolated all the time. There may be a few exceptions, but human beings are sociable creatures. Just beware of the wolves! And don’t follow your friend’s footsteps at full!”

“Pinkie possess a magic that can understand the true meaning of laughter! I believe in it!”

“…I see! Well, I don’t have anything else to say on the matter! Not all knowledge should be free and I hope experience comes quickly to your door. Say, let’s do a little field test, shall we?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“I have in my possession a teddy bear that is meant for the girl we have an interest in common. And I have a card right here that will grant you access to the room, since the lock of her door is card based. You have in your possession the cookies that Miss Pie wished to deliver, right? Why don’t you go alone and give that girl a moment of laughter? Let’s see who is right when it comes to optimism! Your sweet yogurt with strawberries or my cardboard oatmeal!”

“I like oatmeal with strawberries and yogurt!”

Her mind is too simple on inconvenient times.

“Anyway… Go and give me back this card tomorrow.” I put the card in her hands. “If you do something wrong, the blame will be put on me. So please be careful.”

“I’ll give you my word that I won’t do something that will put you in trouble! And you’ll see that I’m right!”

The present, the card and the cookies were firmly held in her arms, her travel towards the room of little Meg began. 

“Is it wise for her to deliver the present herself? That girl…”

“Yes. After all, this was part of Reem’s idea. Besides, security cameras are in rooms that host delicate patients. Meg is not in danger and my role here is over. Now it’s Miss Sparkle’s problem!”

“You are so resourceful, Prince!”

“Of course I am! Let’s go back home now, Tobias! Charles texted me saying that Amelia prepared baked potatoes and soap for us. I don’t want to be late for that!”

After a short driving, I was at home drinking my martini and eating some parmesan crackers in my sofa. I found a good movie of mystery on Heaven Premier and put myself comfortable. 

There wasn’t an appetizer better than this before dinner.
> Chapter 90 - The first storytelling.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

People often tried to run away from challenges, to no avail. Others chose to stop escaping from them. Once in a while, even the littlest mouse confronts their fears and chases after the cheese they so badly want to devour. But it was wise to have a plan to rely upon before doing anything harsh.

Twilight Sparkle appreciated the idea when she stood in front of her objective. 

The knob looked particularly cold and immovable all of the sudden. After a brief consideration, she soon thought that her act of defiance and bravery was foolish. Giving a moment of happiness to someone on her own was a good idea. At first. She then realized that she didn’t even know the girl inside, nor her health problems or if she even liked cookies and teddies at all. 

“Pinkie always does this… and I can do this too.” She nodded with new found security, trying to emulate the cheerfulness of her friend. 

As Twilight opened the door, she wondered about the true purpose of the card that Blueblood gave to her. There wasn’t a card check to open a lock or something that gave it a purpose or worth. Something fabricated by the young noble, she presumed. 

The room was dark, with only a small portion of the room illuminated with a candle. It was like the last visit. The young girl no older than fourteen was reading a book with sheer dedication. The label said Bluewall, a pretty famous series of books written by Broofian Jacques, known by most literacy experts of fantasy around the world. Twilight read some of those books from time to time… every time she felt bored… which was every four hours or so during weekends... After reading another random book about science topics… Which was after doing an experiment with Spike.

She felt a little miserable all of the sudden. 

“Who are you?”  

Twilight was aware of her surroundings once again. The young girl stopped her reading, looking at the young Scientist with distrusting eyes. Her tiny hands were gripping the sides of the book with all the strength she possessed, as if she was preparing herself to throw the item at her. 

“You have nothing to fear, little Meg. My name is Twilight Sparkle!” She smiled to her. “I believe we met before!”

The youngling blew away the candle’s light and hid underneath the wool mantle. This isn’t how it was supposed to happen. Then again, Twilight didn’t know how it should have happened. 

“Don’t be afraid, I brought cookies!” No response, only soft grunts of fright were heard. “So you don’t like cookies? How about this-“ Twilight unpacked the present to reveal the teddy bear. “-beautiful stuffed toy?”

“Stay away!” The girl softly hissed in fear.

It was only mere seconds and despair knocked the door for her.  

Cold silence and gloomy feelings were stealing precious air to the young Scientist. This was a terrible idea now. Not only she was being a fool in taking a responsibility that was out of her league, she was scaring a little girl, a patient to make matters worse. What if she suddenly screams and the staff came in a rush? What if she gets scolded and CHS gets affected by her mistake?  

What if she disappoints everyone because of her incompetence? 

All was Blueblood’s fault, she was just sure of that now. She was made a fool because of him. That obnoxious, richly and spoiled brat was just teasing her all along. How did she trust him? Why did she listened? Now she had two baggage in her arms and a useless, childish looking… card. 

“Meg, look! I have this pretty card in my hand just for you!” 

A glimpse of light appeared beneath the mantle. Then, “You are a storyteller!” Meg jumped on the bed. Eyes filled with vigorous dreams.

“Be careful! You could fall from there!” 

“Tell me a story! Tell me a story!” Her voice gained strength as she kept jumping on the bed. 

“I’ll tell you a story if you lie down!”  

Meg, like a little soldier, retook her original position on the bed. She withdrew from a nearby drawer an electrical match, turning on the candle once again with it. Twilight looked at her in the eyes with a new light. The youngling’s eyes were shimmering with expectations and hope, as if her dreams finally dawned at her. 

“That thing is dangerous for you.” Twilight pointed to the homemade device.

“Don’t worry, Nurse Marigold told me how to use it!”

Twilight soon took a seat nearby her and gave her the teddy bear and cookies, still unsure why the staff gave her such a device. But after seeing the materials and design it was made of, her fears were put to rest when she acknowledged the safety of the tool. Meanwhile, Meg sniffed the cookies and after a brief moment of enjoying the aromas of wheat and low-sugar chocolate chips, she ate them with small, tender bites. As for the Scientist, she put her mind to work with all the energy she could spare. Meg wanted a story. Twilight didn’t have one.  

“Why were you scared a little while ago?” She asked in mumble.

“Because I didn’t know you were a storyteller!” The girl almost screamed. “Nurse said people without cards were evil!”

“Shh! You could disturb the other patients!” 

“What is disturb?” She asked softly. 

“Bother someone.” 

“I get it!” She sealed her mouth with her hands. “I won’t say things highly.” 

“You must say loudly instead of highly.” 

“Why?” 

“Because it’s the right way to say what you meant to say.” 

“What I meant to say? But I just said I won’t speak highly again!” 

“Use loudly instead of highly. It sounds… better.” 

“I get it know, storyteller!” She smiled. 

“Why did you say I was… How did you know I was a storyteller?” 

“Because of the card! The miss with the funny hat with a red cross said that people with those cards were storytellers! That they were nice people, like the miss with the pretty blue eyes and brown hair! …The blonde one was boring.” 

“Miss with pretty blue eyes and brown… Reem?” 

“Yay! You made me remember her name! Last time she told me the tale of Discord the Madman. I still don’t know what a madman is but it sounds pretty funny! It had dragons!” 

“I don’t think a madman is funny, Meg. They could be dangerous.”  And Twilight was sure that dragons weren’t part of that particular tale.

“What is a madman?”

“Someone crazy. A person that could be nasty. Unfriendly.”

“Oh… That doesn’t sound fun anymore.”

“How did she told you the tale?”

“That he was redeemed with the aid of the Forest Maiden! And he lived happy for a few years until she disappeared. Then Discord was sad and died. A dragon burnt him and spread his ashes across the stars.”

“What else did she told you about it?”

“Nothing. No, wait. Pretty Eyes said that he did wrong things. Maybe they called him a madman because of his unfriendliness. I understand now, storyteller!” She clapped with a triumphant grin. “It was funny in the end because the kingdom chose to be his friend and forgive him. They had parties full of orange juice and pancakes brimming with honey and chocolate butter, even when he was gone!”

The scientist thought that Reem altered the gruesome parts of the tale for her sake. She was ok with that.

“I see.”

“Storyteller, tell me a story!”

“What kind of story do you wish to hear?”

“Anything that makes me smile!”

“Hmm.” She was caressing her chin while remembering a good story for kids. “Have you ever heard the tale of Snow White?”

“Does it have dragons?”

“Ah… no. But it has dwarfs!” 

“What is a dwarf?”

“Short people.”

“It doesn’t sound adventurous.”

“It’s true. What about Robin Hood? The king of thieves!”

“Thieves are evil.”

“This thief is a good one!”

“Why?”

“This thief steals from the rich to give it to the poor!”

“But stealing is bad.”

“Those rich people were meanies and abusive.”

“But it doesn’t make it good anyway. It just creates more evil people if they keep stealing from one another.” 

“It’s a very adventurous tale! I bet you’ll like it!”

“Does it have dragons?”

“No.”

“I don’t want to hear it then. I want dragons!”

Twilight was starting to get annoyed. “Wh-what about the Sleeping Princess? The hero defeats a dragon!”

“Isn’t that the story that was on the radio last night?”

“I think so, yeah.”

“Where the Knight Philip defeats the dragon near the end of the tale?”

“…Yes. Like in the movie.”

“In the book that Boring Blondie brought, there was no dragon and it was a really unhappy setting. You must be a new storyteller like him if you don’t know about dragon stories. Pretty eyes was better.”

The Scientist… The young woman that had the form of Twilight Sparkle was this close to give herself to her darkest impulses. A door nearby… started to make creaking sounds that put Meg on alert. But her quick mind and reason acted quicker. She made a call to someone who could know about dragons stories. Good ones.

“So dragons exclusively?”

“Yes, Nitty! I’m sorry for bothering you but I remember you watching in your free time videos of dragon hunting in your favorite game of Devil’s Dogma!”

“It’s Demon’s Dogma. And that isn’t my favorite game. It’s the fifth favorite. And yes, I have a good one. It’s not from the game but loosely based from an old poem that eventually became a full story during the start of the twelfth century. Look for the story of Narever Indomil, the Dragon Warrior. It’s a bit dark, and technically doesn’t have living dragons, but it IS intended for kids.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t do something aggressive for the girl. Blueblood called and told me what happened. I just know he skipped some details regarding you and I wish to hear them from your lips. If you feel uncomfortable with the girl, he suggested that you just need to kiss her at her cheek, hug her warmly and tell her to fall asleep. Don’t mess thing up.”

“… Sorry.”

“I have told you…” He sighed weakly. “Forget it. In the end, it isn’t your fault. Please arrive home safely when you finish there. It’s getting dark.” He said with a protective tone.

“Will do for you.” She finished the call with a sweet voice. Then she proceeded to look up for the tale she was recommended to read on her phone. “Ok, Meg. I have a story for you. Have you ever heard of Narever Indomil, the Dragon Warrior?”

“Wow! No! Tell me! Tell me!”

“This story is based on the tales of bravery and courage from the knights of old from many, many years ago. Let’s see… here we go!” She cleared her throat. “In the distant lands of Royal Camelot, in the farthest heights of the snowy and fearsome Mountain of Lions, deep inside the land of what is now Great Equine, there was an order of sworn warriors weighted with the duty of protecting the innocent. Those soldiers of freedom were called The Dragon Warriors!”

And so, she continued. 

War has always been part of humanity since the age of rock and teeth, iron and wood, gunpowder and steel. An hour of wild beasts and shattered dreams seemed to be the only fate that men had in its future. But. From the dirt. Emerging from the deepest, evilest facets of humanity was known for, a small group of no ones, tired of the tyranny of the powerful and merciless, disgusted by the injustices of the world, faced such evils and stroke them down to the pits of Tartarus.

They called them the Dragon Warriors, wielding the power of the flames that rested deep inside their hearts. When at full power, nurtured by the virtues that dwelled within them, they assumed a form of majestic bright, wielding justice like no other. Their blessing was given to them by a powerful, mysterious wizard who wished to dawn the world with light. He disappeared afterwards, to another world, never to be seen again.

The warriors fulfilled their mission to the last breath. It is said that their eyes were the color of golden fire. The braver the warrior was, the furious but noble their pupils looked. They always fought with sword unsheathed against evil doers, they always engaged in battle against the troubled innocent with parley and sheathed sword.

Fury when facing evil. Wisdom when dealing with lost souls.

It wasn’t easy, their crusade lasted eighty three years. The loses were too great in that time. Everything got worse when the Devil reborn as a Man took control of most countries of the Old, Known World. The Ancient Civilizations were at the grasp of his power, unmatched were his gears of war and unreal power at his command.

His name was Tyrek of the Fallen Sins, sovereign of all that was unholy. His might knew no end. His tyranny was beyond mortal comprehension. He chased after innocents with his army of death soldiers. Undead, unholy knights who purged the land of all that was good in his eyes. The Dragon Warriors rose against the wickedness engulfing the world. It was all in vain. His power was far beyond theirs. 

…But! 

During the last seven years of their crusade, when all seemed hopeless. When Warrior numbers were dwindling, faith running low and fear that could take the heart of the veterans engulfed the land, a young warrior called Narever Indomil rose from his ranks and brought back light to their darkest hour. Narever, later called King Indomil, the True Dragon Warrior, fought back against Lord Tyrek. 

Not only he was an antithesis to the brutality of the Dark Lord in might, he had boundless love to his fellow warriors, citizens, and life-companion. Love was his source of strength, and people across the land soon followed him with revived faith. His wife Amelia, later named Queen Mi Bello Amanecer, waited for him every single night he marched to war. One morning, when the king turned thirty nine, his wife received the news that would change her life forever.

The war was over, peace had returned to the land. The people rejoiced. Beer rained from the taverns, grilled meat and cooked vegetables ramming their way to the bellies of folks reinvigorated with renewed hope and a chance for a better future. All was well in the land of the Ancient World. Except for one thing.

King Narever came back home… but just in spirit. 

In the final battle, before his nemesis could be captured and sent to judgement, Lord Tirek used forbidden magic that burned his castle inside out. The warriors tried to escape, but not without his king. It was too late. The fires were too fiery to be killed, too lively to cross them safely and retrieve their ray of hope. From afar, they could see the two Lords clashing swords with one another, their undying steeds running in circles and bringing to their inseparable riders a chance to strike. 

Then, it happened.

Narever was overpowered, his body violently falling to the stone. Triumphant and laughing like a madman, Tyrek, bloodied as well, un-mounted his horse and walked towards the fallen king, pointing his sword at his heart, wicked smile and devilish eyes in his face.



“I may p'rish this day in fire, Indomil. But knoweth yond mine own way to hell shall beest with thee!”

“Nev’r!” The King commanded. “Mine own vessel may p'rish and turneth into ashes. Mine own death shalt I shareth with thee, but mine own spirit shall endureth unlike you! As longeth as mine own cater-cousins liveth, as longeth as mine own did love ones keepeth fighting until their owneth demise, loveth shalt triumph f'rev'r! Mine own heirs shalt not be only of blood, but heart and soul!”

Like a miracle, his sword flew to him, an explosion of light sent flying the Devil to the wall. The King’s body stood up magnificently with his weapon raised high, a ray of rainbow shining on him. His fellow warriors and the tyrant were lost in words for what was just happening. The man grew majestic wings, in his hair appeared a holy set of adorns, and his sword looked like the teeth of an enraged dragon. His eyes wielding no power but the fury of the sun.

No warrior had done such feat in their lives.

With a single, lawful strike, the Dark Lord fell to the ground, shadows entrapping him in eternal darkness. As for the king, he came back to his normal state; a broken body painted in blood. His steed, Hopestrike, joined his side, and the dying king sheathed his sword, hanging it on him. The warrior, now just a man, smiled at Hopestrike when he gave him his last command, “Sent my spirit to her.” and the loyal steed joined the rest of the warriors at mighty speed before the flames touched him in full. 

His fellow brothers and sisters in arms looked at their king in awe. Regret wasn’t painted in his face, but respite. Freedom finally was at their reach, and he knew it. The castle finally gave up, stones falling apart. For one last time, King Indomil raised his arm, a sword materialized in his hand from the rays of hope from the now clear sky. 

“Longeth liveth the peace of our land! Loveth shalt guideth us f'rev'r!” He shouted. 

“LONGETH LIVETH THE PEACE OF OUR LAND! LOVETH SHALT LIVE WITHIN US!” The warriors shred tears in union, running away as fast as they could from the site.

The warriors came back heroes of the land. His sword and faithful steed were the only things of King Indomil that came back to the presence of the Queen. When the news finally were made public, the united Kingdoms of the Old World mourned for seven days and seven nights. Each hour more colder and somber than the last. Then, the Queen fell ill. Her heart too shattered to keep living.

But even the darkness must pass, and faith repays in abundance to those pure of spirit and with many good deeds in their heart’s pockets. The doctor of the Queen gave her great news. News that healed her sorrow and ignited her will to live once more. She was carrying her beloved’s child in her womb, the seed of their love turned into hope.

Four months after the news, the children were born. A beautiful pair of twins were they; one boy, and one girl. The people rejoiced, and when they came to age, the Old Kingdom of Great Equine met an age of prosperity that it seemed that it would have no end. The twins had many things in common with their father, but there was a certain special trait that brought countless smiles to their mother until the day she joined her husband in the beyond. 

They had golden fiery eyes and burning hearts that warmed the people. They inherited the spirit of the noble warriors that preceded them, protecting the land as long as they lived.

They were Dragon Warriors, just like their father… just like the brave warriors before them who sacrificed their all for a brighter future.

“And they passed down their courage and love for justice and freedom to their descendants, fighting to protect the weak and just, until the end of time. The end. Did you like…? Oh.”

Meg was sleeping soundly under the warm of her mantle. A peaceful face untouched by discomfort faced the painted stars on her ceiling, hugging the teddy bear with a gentle touch. Twilight grabbed another mantle nearby and gently put it on her. She kissed her cheek and just said, “Sweet dreams, little girl.” She silently turned off the candle with a blow from her lips.

Stealthily, she leaved the room and closed the door tightly. “That wasn’t so bad… Hehe, I knew I could do it!” She raised her chin high with a soft, prideful grin.

Eventually, she reached her room, Spike already waiting for her. He explained that Pinkie was in charge of a flash sale that the Cakes made at last minute. Something about a client that wished to delight herself with the handmade cooking of the family. It was a success, and Spike found her way to her master’s home through Cadence. It seems that she took a liking to the cake Pinkie Pie made during the Friendship Games and she bought… several cupcakes for her future parents in law.

As for Twilight, she told him the important things of what happened during his absence. Everything was alright on her end, and soon the hour of sleep came into their doors. But the Scientist woke up during the middle of the night all of the sudden. Putting her glasses back and watching the stars shining bright on the sky, she wondered about the tale she read.

“Love shall triumph forever. Because love is truth…” She whispered. “Then friendship will triumph as well if it’s real. Just like in the story.”

‘But it's best to find out the answers yourself, isn't?’ A voice said in the back of her mind. ‘What's wrong, Twilight? Why the long face all of the sudden? You did well, didn't you? Or perhaps you are doubting something now? It's about your friends, isn't? Do you need more proof to feel safer from them? Or… do you need REAL power like the King to save someone?’

“I’m fine on my own.” The Scientist said in trance. Her eyes became cloudy for mere instants. “I have my friends at my side. That’s power enough for me.” She hugged Spike and closed her eyes quickly, forgetting to put her glasses away.

The night welcomed her again in her sweet, comforting embrace.
> Chapter 91 - An unexpected behavior.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Every morning I wake up, I usually ask to myself, “Why being a CHS student was an utter pain?”

Each subsequent day I felt I was doing a chore instead of something amusing and fulfilling. I don’t even know what was the reason I was struggling every morning. Oh, yeah. I forgot. My stubbornness to keep up with Sunset Shimmer’s inhumanly achievable performance was my new… obsession. I wanted to defeat her in something that will leave a lasting mark on myself. My confidence. Or at the very least, do something useful for the community who has trusted me so far. 

Except Bon Bon. She is bitch. 

That was reason enough to get out of bed every morning. 

As I walked through the street of the school, to my surprise, I saw from afar that Midnight was sitting on the bleachers of the school fields. When I got closer by, I noticed that she was looking down the floor with a strange and gloomy expression. 

I got nearby her and tenderly tapped her shoulder in the hopes of cheering her up. She slowly looked up at me, giving me a weak smile in the process. There was something wrong with her… but I didn’t grasped what it was. She greeted me softly and started talking about what happened yesterday on her end. 

I felt a little annoyed on the part of Blueblood’s involvement. 

“Huh… So he said that?” 

“Yes.” 

“And did that bother you in any way?” 

“…Just a little. But I’m fine now. Thanks.” 

“I see.” 

“Nitty… you are angry.” 

“Midnight, I… Of course not.” 

“Yes, you are. I can… tell now.” 

“And why the hell do you think that?” 

“Because I can see your face forming a scary expression.” 

“I’m fine.” 

“Nitpick Bittersweet, please… Don’t lie to me.” She said with deep remorse.

“…Alright, fine! Yes, I’m angry! I’ll give Blueblood a painful scolding next time I have fencing practice with him!” 

“Please don’t. In the end, everything turned out to be fine. I read her a story, and she liked it. It was a success. Even the nurse in charge told me that I did great for being the first time.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah.”

“To be honest, some part in me felt that you were getting into trouble. I’m glad that I underestimated you once again.”

“…Really?”

“Well, yeah! I mean, you never actually read a story to a-!”

“No, I mean the ‘underestimating me’ part! You think I did good?”

“Yep. No doubt about that.”

“Thank you!” She finally started to relax. “Still, I must return the card to Blueblood today. After all, I promised.” 

“I’ll give it to him, personally.” 

“Nitty…” 

“Trust in me. I’ll deliver it safely.” 

“I don’t doubt that at all. The problem is the way you are intended to do so.” 

“Give me the card, child.” 

“No.” She frowned rather dubious. “I’ll do it myself. You don’t fool me, you are angry... Please don’t be angry.” 

“You really are making progress in reading body language.” I said in hiss and cynicism. 

“Not really… It’s only with you. I have never noticed before how expressive you are in reality. I just… need to pay a little more attention to your... face.” She played with her hair rather slowly, her sight looking down to the side of the grass.

“So you never listened to me at all before? Typical.”  

“I always listen to what you say, it’s just that I started to pay more attention than before! And by the way, don’t call me a child again. I am a grown woman.” She said a little cocky. 

“Bitchy and greedy today, are we? You are still a childish teenager in my books.” 

“Language.” 

“You are impossible! Sometimes I think that I’m talking with someone else!” Her face assumed an expression of shock. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She said cuttingly.

“Midnight…”

She sighed with a lack of energy. “I had a weird dream regarding someone else, that’s all.”

“And that’s it?”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“…I don’t believe you. Something is bothering you, and it’s not what the pain in the ass of Arbelth told you. I can tell.”

“It’s… nothing. Believe me.”

I was about to raise my voice, but she didn’t deserve that. Giving her my best and modest grin, I caressed her cheek and said, “Come on. You can trust me. I won’t let you down on purpose, I promise.” She smiled sweetly to that. “See? There isn’t a reason you should be lying to-!”

A face filled with rage. A vicious, merciless tackle. “I’M NOT A LIAR!” I found myself on the ground, suffering an intense pain on my back from the fall. With the same velocity, I saw the figure of Twilight Sparkle running to the school.

“What the hell just happened?”

My instincts screamed to me that I should be enraged and scold her as soon as I had the chance. But as I walked to the school, the familiar bell made its morning song. Classes were about to start, and I wasn’t in the mood to waste my time on a worthless discussion. 

Besides, I didn’t want to be late for classes. 

…. 

During lunch break, I had the now-usual meeting with the school committee in the library. Midnight wasn’t present. Something about a terrible headache all of the sudden. I didn’t mind since I wasn’t in the best of moods today. It didn’t help either that I forgot to bring my lunch, making me spend some money in the process.

Miss Cheerilee wasn’t happy when someone raised his voice high inside her sanctuary, but she knew it was for scholar purposes so she let it pass... from time to time. But today, nobody of the committee had any ideas to introduce. I don’t even think that flies were flying inside of our heads. 

Sunset whispered to me that she was worried about our mutual friend. But just thinking of her again made my head hurt stronger, my face of hypocrisy and serenity was starting to crumble into pieces already. I didn’t know how much I could maintain my façade of being patience.

Until I resolve this issue with her or explode in an attack of fitting rage, I don’t think I could be at ease today.

I focused all my energy in thinking something positive. Something that would improve my clearly deficient mood. Studying for my possible test to go back to the academy when this was over proved to be a good start. I still need to take Sugarcoat before Raven to clarify the details and reinforce reality and not rely on a lingering hope. 

Perhaps I missed the academy… just a bit. 

Since progress wasn’t moving on and our presence wasn’t really contributing anything, the council called it a day. We went our separate ways, further walking away from each other. Sunset stopped me for a while, wanting to talk something with me. It ended up being about exchanging reading material. It’s been a while since we discussed about that. To my surprise, it didn’t end in arguing. Instead, it felt refreshing to us for a change.

In the afternoon, school businesses was so laid back that I almost fell asleep while cleaning the dining hall of the orphanage. Applejack, may the Truth bless her with all its glory, helped me in finishing my task in the absence of Sugarcoat and Soarin.

From all the individuals that consisted of Shimmer’s circle, the Sheriff was my favorite by far. Besides Midnight, of course, who didn’t assist to the activities because she felt even worse in the last hour of school.

Unlike the others, Applejack was so down-to-earth and straightforward that I came to think about the rarity of someone like her getting along with that little group of colorful characters. Then again, my group was way more dysfunctional, so perhaps it was just good chemistry from her part. I enjoyed her company in short bursts, and I could swear that she enjoyed mine as well. Or that’s what I believe. As long as we don’t argue about something pointless, I was fine with her presence. 

The day at least ended well, considering what happened this morning, and it was time to fall asleep. 

…. 

Two days later, on Thursday morning,  I woke up in a particular good mood. I have been eating healthy as the doctor recommended me, my last few nights of rest were long, pleasant, and reinvigorating. I felt somewhat better. Still, it would be wise of me to keep taking my meds and do my activities as passive as possible. It was my free day, and I didn’t want to ruin it. No need to worry about my duties, leadership, and all that crap that has haunted me for the past few weeks. 

But I won't deny that I felt alone. Not for the students, or Lightbulb and Dancer... But Midnight. We haven't talked about anything since the incident. And every time I tried to talk to her when there was a chance... she simply excused herself and leaved. I felt that something was happening to her... but I couldn't beg for her to talk about. My patience was unlimited, and it has been proven several times. Trying to be selfish once again, I just focused on my future.

Today I was a free man after classes, and it felt surreal just thinking about it.  

One of my friends texted me early in the morning, giving me the update for today’s meeting. She said that they would come out of school at five in the evening if nothings gets in the way. Although they did a fine job so far in assisting to the institutions and do their part of the collaboration, in the end, the academy had more classes and responsibilities than my new school. Period tests were in the corner for them as well, and they needed to study harder than before. 

Sugarcoat was the one who worried me the most from the bunch. Recently, her temper has reached a point where she stressed herself by every tiny detail that delayed her efforts. It reminded when I met her for the first time. At least we agreed on something, silently. This competition was a worthy experience for our future careers, and all that we have learned so far was good for everyone involved, not to mention that I met colorful people along the road, and I must be grateful for that. 

But coming back to the present, I couldn’t wait for the clock to mark five with thirty. 

…. 

So majestic was to walk to the suburbs at a snail pace without any pending in my mind. Since she was more than qualified to replace me on my position, I let Bon Bon take the ropes of the carriage for today. The woman’s sharp mind and quick judgment was more than enough to face any troubles that may appear in the road ahead. She assured me that she will have it all under control, and after witnessing her skills so far, just for once I accepted to trust in her. 

After a long travel in foot, I finally reached the front of the shady door that held a paradise inside. Arriving someplace earlier could be considered troublesome by some, but arriving one hour before my appointed meeting took place, I wondered why. It isn’t that difficult to achieve, at least, under normal circumstances. 

The knob looked particularly welcoming today. I can already smell the fragrances of perfumes and subtle aromas of the sophisticated foods that the chefs of the restaurant were preparing with grace and delicacy. Holding the present box at my side and raising my fist to my heart’s level, I just told to myself, “This will be a good day.”

I opened the door, and the colorful furniture that The Dazzle’s family bar had dawned on my pupils once again. On the counter, cleaning the surface with a white cloth and masterful hands, Adagio Dazzle soon became aware of my presence. Her prideful, seductive lips formed a smile, her eye frowning in a welcoming manner. I could see that there were clients in abundance today. All of the tables were brimming with energetic costumers enjoying their time with their respective groups. From families to friends to lovers, the tables were singing songs and creating enduring memories for the years to come. 

Thankfully, the gang and I reserved a special table with a week of anticipation. I sat in one of the chairs of the counter meanwhile the others arrived and the owner of the locale walked away from to the kitchen. I took a glimpse at Adagio’s new selection of alcoholic bottles in the wall. It seems that her brand selection increased drastically. Perhaps income was going as steady as she planned. After all, this was a niche restaurant that targeted the rich folks. 

For the most part.

I soon noticed that she was now sitting beside me. A medium sized glass of iced cold lemonade was put at the reach of my hand with a small but generous portion of cheese sticks, our eyes making contact.

“On the house!” She said with her usual charisma and strong-willed tone.

“And what did I do to deserve such generous gesture?” I couldn’t help but follow her game.

“You may not be a regular, but you are definitely one of my favorites, sweetheart. Besides, you and your friends REALLY paid good money for the occasion.”

“Is everything ready?”

“Who do you think you are talking to? We even have a special dessert for your private festivity; a Cajeta cake. Sonata really outdid herself this time, I assure you!”

“Caje… What?”

“Cajeta. It’s a special candy made from thickened, caramelized goat milk. I even did a quick journey to Celmaya, Froggyjuato in Tenochxican to gather the ingredients!” Said Sonata with a sweet smile while lending me her phone. She took countless selfies on the points of interest of the city. Wearing typical clothes from the town, she looked gorgeous. “The attractions are amazing, the tacos are divine, and the people are really nice! …Except the rich ones. They’re so rude and meanie!” She said annoyed with a cute but grumpy face. “Nah! I enjoyed my stay anyway!” She recovered quickly. “We should go the two of us together sometime and eat tacos there! In that place it’s always Taco Tuesday!” 

Oh, how cute are her glimmering eyes!

“Don’t flirt with our loyal customer and go back to the kitchen!” Said Adagio between teeth with a  scolding voice. Sonata mumbled daggers at her elder sister as she joined the rest of her kitchen’s teammates.

“I know I’m a poor, hopeless guy but at least let me dream in having a nice trip with a cute girl.”

“Believe me, you wouldn’t last a day with her. Your life would be far easier and fulfilling if you just treat her as a respectable worker and nothing more. Don’t even try Aria either. She is worse.”

“You’re definitely sister-of-the-year material.”

“They are idiots. MY idiots. And that’s all there is to say on the subject.” Said she with finality.

“And how about you?”

“I’m beyond your reach, sweetheart! Come back in one thousand years and we’ll see!”

“Alright, fair enough. Such a shame, Sonata is almost kind of my type.”

“You know, my patron, there was this small ‘but’ that bothered me of you that I didn’t grasp what it was until now. It’s all clear to me now.” She rested her finger on my chest. “You are a very fickle man.”

“What do you mean by that? I know what I want, my self-esteem isn’t that crappy and I don’t follow orders like a Yes-Man!”

“Oh, I know that! You are strong-willed in some of those areas! But for starters – Wait, wait a minute! Butterheart! Freshmint! Number seven and fifteen, now!”

“Coming, Miss Adagio!” Two waitress rushed to their clients and served them with grace.

“You really are the bossy type! I like it!”

“See what you did there?” She pointed out at me calmly with a refreshing, triumphant smile. “What I’m referring to is your fickleness to turn your eyes at any attractive women you spot!”

“It’s not my fault that your restaurant is full with such kind of ladies! The owner included, of course!” I chuckled somewhat assertive.

“I’m flattered!” She brushed her puffy hair while giving me a refill. “But you tend to put us women in a higher regard! In a good way, at least. There are real perverts in this world, like this guy who came here last week. I believe he was from a local public school nearby. Just remembering his face gives me shudders.” She made a displeased gesture.

“I just admire beauty, that’s all!”

“Well, in all the time I have known you so far, my patron, you have mentioned that my sister is cute, that Miss Reem was pretty, that Shimmer was your type for a time, that Fluttershy and Sugarcoat had great assets, and that Gilda IS your wife. It won’t be that long when I hear you praising Twilight Sparkle’s cuteness and treasure her like the rest!”

“Hey, hey! I only have one treasured girl in my life and she is studying right now in Manehattan!”

“Who’s she!? Tell me!!” She said with excitement.

“My little sister!” I said prideful.

“That’s a boring letdown for sure.” She said disappointed. “Be serious, please.”

“I’m a man that is free like the wind! The architect of my own destiny, forever chained to the bewitching of the females’ charms and gifts! A poet who never writes his poems down, destined to witness a woman’s heart, but never being able conquer it! A fervent believer of women’s rights and power to choose their own paths ahead!” 

Grandfather would be proud of me. 

“I thought you didn’t believe in destiny!”

“For the sake of good poetry, I’ll use the word.”

“Hehehehe! You’re a terrible poet then, Fickle Man!”

“But I’m not fickle!”

“The ultimate romantic failure, Fickle Man.”

“Of course not!”

“Would you date me this Saturday and bring me roses and chocolates as a tribute for such honor?”

“And then we’ll exchange a passionate kiss, right?”

“You truly amuse me sometimes, my patron!” She almost laughed. “And the answer is no. Believe me, you are far too young for me!” She bewildered my hair… More so.

“Typical.”

“Let’s talk about this another time with more privacy! I need to help my juniors to prepare today’s main event!” She left me to enjoy my drink and appetizer at peace.

It was a nice, short conversation.

….

She was never someone that arrived late to an appointment unless something important got in the way. I could almost feel her presence here. I was this close to eat some badass potatoes and a small chunk of a big ass hamburger. 

I was this close to share a little time of quality and respite once again.

A tap was felt on my shoulder, followed by a playful punch. Gilda sat beside me and rested her arms on the counter. She had a little glimpse of eye bags. No doubt Sugarcoat was pummeling her with Champion duties every single night.

“You look tired.”

“At least I don’t look like crap all the time.”

“You sound tired.”

“At least I don’t sound like crap all the time.”

“You talk bullshit.”

“At least I don’t spill crap all the time.”

“I love you.”

“I know.” 

“Fucking arrogant bitch.” I put the box in her hands. “It’s yours.”

She opened it. “Oh.” Her eyes brightened. “You really got them.”

“My girl can’t run with crap in public parks during her training sessions.”

“Black and white. Mikedidas. The best sport shoes in the market.” She gave a long look at them. “I like them.”

“Don’t forget the socks there. They match.”

She chuckled somewhat warmly. “Thanks, Nit…”

“Happy eighteen, old hag.”

“You really are an expert in ruining moments, you big stupid asshole.”

“I exist to serve… Oh, come here!”

You know, sometimes you only need something as simple and old-fashioned as hug to make you feel right. 

“Happy birthday, Gily. I hope you have many more years to come and all that crap that someone says during these shitty occasions.”

“Thank you for everything so far, Nit.”

“Don’t mention it… I’m so tired, you know?”

“Me too, Nit. Sug is driving me insane.”

“You? Tired?” I giggled. “You never tire.”

“Even gods burn out from time to time.”

“Ah, bullshit.”

“Shut up, you little shit.” She tried to crush me, to no avail. She released a defeated sigh and said, “Huh… I’ll crush you another day.”

“Now, now.” I separated from her just a little and grabbed her waist. “We haven’t shared my promised meal yet.”

“Hamburger?”

“With a badass meat.”

“Potatoes?

“Oven baked. And salty, as the tears of Lightning Dust.”

“Yummy, my current favorite! Next time I hope they are from Dash.”

“Soon I may be able to do something about that.”

“One Hyper Dazzle Deluxe Hamburger and oven baked potatoes to table one!” Aria and Sonata walked to the reserved table with our food and beverages while Adagio escorted us there. A private table surrounded by some specially designed walls for private conversations was our spot.

“Blueblood really didn't joked about wanting some privacy today.”

Gilda clapped her hands somewhat viciously. “Forget about it, I’m fucking starving!”

We sat down rather anxiously. Our eyes were looking at the meal in front of us like wolves feasting on the prey that was soon would be in his claws. I wanted so badly to grab a potato, but Gilda deserved the honor to give the first bite.

“Enjoy!” The three sisters choired.

We began eating our super-sized hamburger. It was worth the paying fee… It didn’t last fifteen minutes. The rest eventually joined us, and the main meal was served.

….

“So my mighty friend slept below the table in the lounge and my intellectual friend never found her until the end of the lunch break! I was so entertained searching for her upside down as well!” She clapped with a sense of fulfillment.

“Oakwood, shut up. It wasn’t funny.”

“You are such a party popper, my intellectual friend.”

“I can’t believe you never found her, Sugarcoat! Father says that the griffonians’ snores are famous for being easy to recognize!”

“Someone wants to die today...” Said Gilda menacingly. 

“This ape doesn’t snore, Blueblood. Whether it’s a blessing or a curse, I’m glad she doesn’t.”

“She does, Sugarcoat. But she tends to do it like an actual lady; Soft and sweet!”

“Shut up, Nit.” Gilda swallowed her pasta rapidly.

“That is indeed disgusting, my mighty friend.”

“Mah birthdah! Mah grules!” Her cheeks became like two balloons.

Sugarcoat slammed her hand on the table while ravaging a slice of pizza in anger. “We were lucky that Cinch cancelled our emergency meeting because Mrs. Harshwinny called her regarding our Thanksgiving business! I never saw the old witch with such frightened expression before! The horror if she had terrible news for us and this brute wasn’t present. What if we did something wrong and we are still unaware of it?”

“Calm down, Sug! We have it all under control!”

“WE MAY HAVE SCREWED THINGS UP AND WE DON’T KNOW IT YET, YOU STUPID OVER-SIZED APE!”

“Hehehehe! It’s been a while since you yelled like that! I wish you did it with Zap as well!”

“Shut the fuck up, Bittersweet! Don’t mention that name!” Her face was reddish in rage. “You know how many favors I had to ask to Sunny Flare just to cover our absence and make sure that all of us were available for this!?”

“Oh, for God’s sake, Little Maiden! You have done so many favors to Miss Flare that I’m surprised that she hasn’t given you her blood and buttocks by now!”

“Quiet, Blueblood! This is serious!”

“For the first time after a long while, my intellectual friend, I must agree with my brother! You exaggerate once again for God knows how many times you had done so since day one!” Reem pronounced with great emphasis, then she drank from her fresh lemonade. “Oh, it has the right amount of sugar!” She was pleased.

“Never I thought I would live long enough for you to turn against me!”

“I will always be at your side unless you seriously need a painful slap from my hand. But please understand that you are simply paranoid again, my intellectual friend.” She drank her whole glass and looked at it with sadness. “Never the good things last long. Can I ask for tea? Someone please bring me some tea!”

“Anyway, please stop worrying for naught! Our peons will do just fine without us, Little Maiden! I’m sure they have it all under control right now!”

“I hope so for your sake, Prince Arbelth Blueblood! Cinch isn’t as forgiving as I – STOP MESSING WITH MY HAIR, YOU TWO!”

“It’s just that you are so cute when angered!” Gilda smooched her cheeks. Small strands of hair were appearing in Sugarcoat’s smooth mane. Her eye twitching viciously.

“And it’s such a waste to allow such a young, magnificent woman walk on this earth without a proper man at her side! You have a terrible temper, a paranoiac personality, and your taste for anime simply sucks, but I’m willing to sacrifice myself and become your formal lov-!” A thunderous slap bypassed the walls and echoed in the restaurant. “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?”

“You deserved that one, and you know it, you unbelievable asshole!”

“I was messing with you just a little like usual, you stupid little brat! I didn’t deserve the slap!” 

“I’m aware of that and I’m so sorry! It’s just that you are such a remarkable punching bag that I couldn’t resist the urge of abusing you today! You should consider becoming my personal piece of trash!” Said she with a mix of mockery and anger.

“I beg your forgiveness, Candie Sugarcoat.” She clenched her teeth at hearing her hated name. “My bullshit detector was suddenly overrun by all the shit that you suddenly spilled from your mouth!”

“You dare to speak to me like that after all I have done for you!?”

“Tell me what’s wrong with you? Now I really know that you´re angry with me. Spill it out if you have a problem!”

“I still haven’t forgiving you for making me worried last weekend! For abandoning us in a time where we need you! Every time I think about the mountains of work that’ll come soon, I imagine how useful you would be if you were still at Crystal Prep! Our side! Not helping those puny, useless slimes from CHS! And the major insult is YOU replacing US with that pain in the ass of Twilight ‘Doormat’ Sparkle!”

“What the-!? I would never replace you with her, and you know it! Just accept that she is a friend of mine like we understand that Zap is one of yours!”

“I told you to not mention that traitor's name!”

“Ah, I get it now! You are reflecting what Zap has done to you on me! Guess what!? Unlike her, I would never replace you with that annoyance of Sergeant Loyalty!”

“I don’t know. You managed to avoid us for one month after you transferred, remember?” She said dryly, bathing her words with a coat of poison while avoiding eye contact and drinking her beverage.

“Bitchy today, are we?” I was getting pissed off. “It’s not my fault that things ended up like this! My intention was never to lose contact with you! Deal with it for once, ok!? You are not the only one with personal problems right now!”

“Did you –? No… No! Screw you… You stupid, ungrateful, and INSUFFERABLE BASTARD!”

“Do you want to take it outside?”

Gilda suddenly burst into laughter. “MARRY ALREADY!”

“Are you fucking kidding me!? Cinch Two-Point-Oh would be a terrible wife!”

“Because you clearly are a man worthy of my company, you imbecile!”

“In his defense, my intellectual friend, when you snap, your horrible temper is indeed unbearable!”

“Unbearable is every time I must hear your pathetic excuses of avoiding your responsibilities during Sunday morning! Without me, you would have failed biochemistry and become the laughing stock of the nobles!”

“For the love of God, my intellectual friend! You know those are optional, and we clearly are not talking about our performance in the school!”

“Indeed, my sister! I for one declare that we will never work on Sundays ever again!”

“But you never contribute anything on Sundays, Arlbelth! You always pull from your ass a random royal ceremony that never makes sense!”

“Bittersweet is right! It was always both us that forced you to work and make everything succeeded… together… Agh! Alright, I get it now! I’m sorry for screwing with you, ok!?”

The tension was gone. Two watery pair of eyes, regrets and remorseful feelings were floating between she and I. We both sighed deeply and after a brief, long moment of silence, I had the bravery to say, “You’re not the only one who messed it up, but I forgive you.”

“Stupid, that’s my line, you waste of oxygen.” She said with her normal arrogance as we made a  manly hand-shake.

And soon we all laughed together while I started an assault to Sugarcoat's ribs... She wasn't amused.

“Now that Sug finally released her troublesome demons to the air, let’s start over! Where are my presents?”

“Before the presents, there must exist cake first!” Reem rang a tiny bell she brought with her. “CAKE!” She said royally.

Sonata brought us the cake she mentioned before. It was too sweet for me, but good nonetheless. Gilda couldn’t eat more than one slice since she was full to the point of almost throwing up. Reem and Sugarcoat surprisingly loved it, considering their nitpicking with sweets. Blueblood wanted to hire her permanently as a lead chef. Adagio politely declined his offer.

The mood improved spectacularly when it was time to open the presents. Blueblood gave her a protein bottle from a high grossing company of health and she was so damn happy about it. I mean, Arbelth sucked in giving gifts and last year’s choices were a testament to it. Still, Gilda used the dress he gave her on two occasions. She never wanted to wear it again, but the Royals managed to put her in the right situations to do so.

Sugarcoat gave her a training vest and shorts. Combined with my shoes, her training gear was practically complete. Everything was going smoothly… until it was Reem’s turn.

The little pain in the ass.

I don’t know if it was a simple vengeance for making her suffer during Gily’s hellish training sessions, or it was simply her nature of trolling her loved ones at every opportune turn she had. In the box, there was a painfully beautiful t-shirt of the highest quality of Ulplima cotton and trends. 

Thanks for all those unwanted lessons, Rarity. 

On the front side, an imprinted image of Sugarcoat when she disguised herself as Pirate Moon during last year’s convention was proudly highlighted on the black cotton with countless tiny stars bathing her. On the back, there was a hilarious, hyper realistic fanart of Gilda disguised as Pirate Mars with magical glitter coming from her wink.

Blueblood, Reem and I wanted to burst into laughter so badly that it wasn’t funny. It was rare for Arbelth to bit his lips with such intensity. Reem hid behind her victorian fan and was clearly pinching her arm with all of her strength. I just avoided eye contact with the Pirate Scouts. We managed to control our cynical emotions in the end. To do otherwise would mean the creation of two short-lived serial killers who were looking at their first three potential victims with crazed eyes.

It was a nice party in the end.

….

Today my body was brimming with youthful, unlimited energy that I couldn’t keep sleeping after six in the morning. My journey to my educative institution felt like a stimulating compromise instead of a chore. I felt new. I felt alive.

I felt reborn. Nobody can screw my day today!

“Bittersweet, thank goodness I caught with  you on the road. We need to talk… it’s important.”

I was too happy to let such inconveniences hinder my day.

“What do you need, Shimmer? I’m all ears!”

“I can see you are in a really good mood today!” She said with disgusting, sweetly smile. “This will be smoothly between us then!”

“Yeah! What is it?”

“Let’s talk about it on the road.”

She gave me the brief summary of her problem, and all I had to say about it was, “Are you sure?”

“She’s acting strange lately! Sudden headaches, bad temper, lack of focus, and she barely responds the texts that I write her!”

“Now that is worrisome.”

“The girls tried to make her talk, but they didn’t find anything wrong with her!”

“Care to explain?”

“Every time she is with the whole group, Sci-Twi is being Sci-Twi! The usual nice girl we know!”

“Sci-Twi?”

“Oh, it’s a name that Princess Twilight came up with to differentiate the two of them! Pretty clever, huh?”

I will keep my feelings on the matter to myself, thank you very much.

“But the problem is what?”

“When she is alone with me… she looks gloomy.”

“Gloomy? Well… a few days ago she looked like that as well. She even pushed me to the ground.”

Painfully.

“Why did she do that?”

“I don’t know! Believe me! When I tried to cheer her up, she suddenly screamed, ‘I’m not a liar!’ and ran away from me!”

“Did you tell her something that might have triggered that weird behavior?”

“You think it’s my fault, right?”

“Not really… It’s just that you have the bad habit of saying things the wrong way, even if your heart is in the right place.” She smiled tenderly at me.

“…I see. Thanks for the compliment.” I made a short pause. “Let me try to remember what I said exactly… Mmm…”

I remembered the important things that I told her that day without skipping any important detail. Shimmer didn’t see any harmful words that could have triggered Midnight’s odd behavior.

“Perhaps Blueblood was the one at fault with this.”

“I think so too. Let me talk to him in the afternoon and see what exactly did he told her. I didn’t asked him the past few days because I sincerely forgot about it.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

“Well, it’s for our friend, right?”

“Indeed… I’m glad I can count on you.”

“The feeling is mutual… for once.” 

“You’re as mean as ever.” She playfully tickled my rigs, and I discreetly shunned her away. 

We walked together to the class of Ethics in beautiful silence.

….

I always considered Mrs. Harshwhinny a very competent teacher from the beginning. Far too competent to the point of giving the extra mile for us that she fell sick. It seems that the poor teacher had a terrible discussion, to say the least, with Abacus Cinch. 

According to Vice-Principal Luna – Truth, she is so damn gorgeous – we had a free hour. Following Shimmer’s strategy, we both avoided contact with Midnight for the sake of giving her some space. Giving her time to reflect and relax. She didn’t tell the plan to her friends in hopes of someone of them noticing if our absence made any significant impact on her behavior.

Shimmer went to the band room to write on her weird book, and I went to the second floor of the library to take a long nap. Oh, wait. I can’t take a nap just yet. My favorite vending machine, the only real convenience store inside this wretched school, just had a resupply yesterday. I needed some of my trusty Chocolate of Spirit.

Truth bless black chocolate. 

After eating the whole thing, I finally reached my original destination. Just when I was about to relax on the chair, my back was assaulted by two exquisite hands.

“Damn it, Midnight. You nearly…” She reached the sweet spot on back’s massage. “Oh, that felt nice…”

“Language. And how did you recognize me with just my hands alone?”

“The pressure…” I nearly groaned in a state of comfort. “…You always apply a soft pressure and the size of your hands is unmistakable for me by now.”

“You really are goofy sometimes!”

“And you really have grown some guts to say that with such tone, Midnight.” I said almost cynically. “I haven’t forgive you from what happened last time!”

“Oh, well! I learned a thing of two of courage from the best!”

“Don’t try to change the subject. I thought you were with the girls now.”

“I was, but I went to the bathroom.”

“This is the library.”

“I saw you and wanted to be with you. Now sit.” Said she somewhat rudely.

“Excuse me?”

“Just do it.”

I didn’t have any reason to deny her. When I sat down, she continued her gentle massage. “Let’s see.” With a motion of her hands, I loosened my arms and submitted to her kind gesture. Midnight, slowly but surely, got closer behind me… Closer... Strangely...



I have a bad feeling about this.

“What’s wrong with you these days?” I asked with suspicion. She gave me a questionable humming as a response. “I mean, you’re acting more indifferent than usual.” She started to hum a lullaby very softly. I recognized the song; Shine like Rainbows. She did it kindly… Lovely. “Midnight? You are worrying Shimmer and I.”

“Now she noticed me, huh?” She moved her hands with a mastery I never thought was possible from her.

“Why did you say…? Huh… Stop ignoring… Damn, it feels good.” My head landed on the table.

“Unlike her, I have never ignored her for a cheap knockoff… ever…” She stopped. A warm sensation was felt on my side. Her delicate nose was exhaling on my ear. “Say… Someone asked me once if I was happy with the way I am now. I have wondered ever since why that particular question rubbed me… on the wrong way.” Her tone sounded deeper than usual. “And it finally hit me when I joined with the rest of the girls after our activities were done these past few days.”

“You can tell me if you want. Uh, just saying.”

“I knew I could depend on you…” She said… seductively?

I looked at her in the eye and her irises were darkened as a night without moon and star.

“What’s wrong with you, Twilight Sparkle?”

“How… did you call me?”

“By your name! The one you were given to since birth!” 

“Oh… true!”

“You want to share something with me, right?”

“Yes. I’m glad you always pay me attention.”

“I always pay you attention when it’s possible.”

“And I’m so glad to hear that, my friend... Mine.”

Something rubbed me the wrong way with her freezing tone.

“Where is Spike?” I said in hopes to lighten the mood.

“With the girls. I wanted to be with you alone and leaved him with them.”

“You said that you went to the bathroom first!”

“Did I? Huh… Anyway, you’ll listen to me… right?”

“Ah… Well… Just take a seat and I’ll hear you out.” She put her arms on the table and rested her head on them. The only thing that bothered me was that her body was practically invading my personal space. “Comfy?” But I didn’t shunned her away. I couldn’t.

“Yes.” I could partially see her face behind her shoulder. Only one of her black pupils was looking at me. 

“Now tell me what’s wrong.”

“Sunset told me that cousin Twilight will pay us a visit tomorrow. It’s always about her, isn’t it?” I could see her bad temper through her expressions. “Princess Twilight is so amazing! She can do this! She can do that! We’re practically her number one cheerleaders!”

Ok, that terrible imitation of Sunset was honestly hilarious.

And now I understood what’s going on. It didn’t take me so long to acknowledge that this is exactly the same as Sugarcoat’s dilemma with Indigo Zap. With some key differences, of course.

Jealously, a sense of abandonment. With how many people here have sing songs of praises and exaggerated feats made by this Princess Twilight, it’s obvious that my little, beautiful Scientist was experiencing an inferiority complex. Just like the one she has with her brother. Who is awesome. But the difference was that Midnight loved her brother, and the feeling was mutual.

On the other hand, this Princess Twilight is a mystery but to Sunset. And that wasn’t a pleasing consolation for her. The best course of action was to get more information before I start to talk sense into her. 

“Why Sunset was the one to receive the news first instead of you? Aren’t you supposed to be family?”

“Aye. But she is closer to her… but just because of her magic only.” Her voice had the subtle gloominess from the last time. “The girls were so excited about it. They even planned another slumber party. Get together in one place. Eat pizza. Have some fun… but…”

“I see. You are worried that she may steal them from you.”

“Bon Bon told me that I can be special, even if she exists in my surroundings. That it wasn’t pity why they befriended me… That I matter to them.”

“She… was the one who asked you the question of you being happy recently, right?”

“…Yes.”

Even if she is a woman, I’ll kill the bitch if she told you something out of place.

“Did she told you anything else in particular?”

“From yesterday? Yes, that I matter…  But last time… I… don’t remember very well.”

“Last time?”

“We talked about some things on an alley in the suburbs. But… I don’t remember everything. It’s… a cloudy memory.”

“Too bland were the things that she told that you don’t remember it completely?”

“No.” She said… ghastly. My Sixth Sense suddenly made me shudder in fright and I straightened my back. She was still in a resting position, but I could sense it. Her eyes possessed a sinister glow. “The more I try to remember, a terrible headache emerges on the back of my head. I want to remember all of what she said… but it hurts… it simply hurts. I don’t like it…”

I didn’t know if my stress kicked in again or the library’s sources of light suddenly faded away. Strange creaking sounds were heard in the stands of the room. What frightened me the most… it was that nobody was here.

We were alone all of the sudden.

Slapping myself to regain my focus, I stood behind her and rested my hands on her neck, slowly traversing it as gingerly as possible. With each passing second, I started to apply more pressure in her skin. Eventually, my hands fell to her shoulders without hurrying motions, exploring her figure and descending to her lower back. She sighed pleasantly, and the unbearable aura dissipated as fast as it arrived.

My Sixth Sense going back to sleep.

As I continued my poor attempt to give her a massage, I  remembered something from my memory lane. I once appreciated how peculiar Twilight Sparkle was. It was in this library where I came to the conclusion that she was beautiful and sincere. Back then, I didn’t know why I felt attracted to her since we enrolled here. But I think I know now. Perhaps the trait that amused me the most from her was that she could be like a clear, transparent mirror. It reminded me of the gang. 

Like them, sometimes she was silly, other times she was insufferable. Sometimes she was funny, other times I wished to crush her little neck. She was persistent, and started to search for what she wanted for herself not long ago. But unlike them, she was still innocent.

Too. Damn. Innocent.

“Nitty…” She was falling asleep, her trademark sweetness in her voice finally coming back. “I’m so sorry for hurting you on the fields.”

“Hehe, give me a kiss next time you feel better and we’ll call it even.”

“How can I say no… to such a steal?”

“I always give the best deals to my friends. Now stop mocking me and fall asleep already.”

“… Hey.”

“What now?”

“Promise me… that you’ll never replace me… with Princess Twilight…”

“You too?” I mumbled to myself. Everyone thinks that they are replaceable recently. I released a soft laugh at that. “I would never do such a thing. I didn’t forget about my friends from the academy, or my friends from middle school. I’m pretty sure that I would never abandon you. Look at me in the eye.” She lazily moved her head in my direction me, her eyes suddenly acquiring a weak, yet sincere glow. “In the brightest light of a shooting star, or in the darkest shadow of the coldest night, you will always be my one and only Twilight Sparkle. I would never replace you with a cheap imitation.”

Tiny stars shinned on her pupils. “You know… suddenly I feel… sleepy… I’m so…” With a deep, long yawn, she soon fell asleep. A small, crystalline tear made a sad river on her cheek. I cleaned it from there and kissed her cheek like I would kiss my little sister during a thunderstorm night.

“You must be facing some nasty demons lately. When you defeat them, I’ll treat you some peanut butter ice cream.”

“You’re really full of surprises, Boss! I didn’t expect of you to be this kind.”

My peace was shattered with the unmistakable voice who spoke behind me. My head slowly turned around at her silhouette, powerfully standing with a prideful aura and arms crossed. Her face had a surprisingly delicate expression, eyes wide open with a gentle smirk. She was looking at me with admiration… I think.

“Bon Bon, you are supposed to be in class.”

“I asked permission to go to the restroom.”

“If my memory serves me right, going to the bathroom in the middle of the class is not possible.”

“That rule was abolished by the teachers last week, remember?”

“Really? Nice.”

“Boss, I need to talk with you in private.”

“I can't leave Twilight alone like this.” 

“I assure you that we won’t take long. Come.”

The owner of the artic eyes guided me to the hallway. Making sure no one was in our proximity, she finally dropped her façade and those piercing pretty eyes looked at me with amusement.

“What is it, Bon Bon?”

“You’re angry with me, I can tell. Let me guess. Twilight told you about our little conversation, didn’t she?”

“If you screwed with her in any way I swear I’ll kill you myself!”

“I didn’t do such a thing. I just told her the reality of her current situation. If she wants to take it the wrong way and be paranoid with her loved ones, it’s her fault, not ours. But it seems that you calmed her down, so things should be back to normal… For a brief time.”

“What did you tell her exactly?”

“It’s a secret.” My fists were clenching to the point of feeling my nails messing with my skin. “By Lyra’s name, I give you my word that what I do is with the best of intentions!”

My instincts, as much as they didn’t want it to admit, told me that she was telling the truth.

“…Alright, I’ll still believe your word for now.”

“Thanks, Boss! You won’t regret this in the long run! Say, I’m sure you have heard about the incident that happened on the suburbs last week!”

“What incident?”

“Didn’t Lightbulb tell you about it? It was in the newspaper he brought last time!”

“No.” She gave me her phone with the newspaper’s webpage opened. “A whole alley severely damaged!?”

“Yes! It seems that several public properties were destroyed by an unknown source! Impressive, isn’t it? A whole hard-steel trash container crushed to a pulp, and several cracks on buildings’ interiors! The problem is that there wasn’t any clue to be found on how did this happened! At first they thought it was a prank, but the containers had the official government number registration burned in the metal, so they are the real deal… or what’s left of it. They must have been professional troublemakers to have made it so silently… Or perhaps real magic was involved!”

“Enough with the bullshit! What does this have to do with Twilight?”

“Don’t be deceived by an innocence that could prove fatal, Nitpick Bittersweet! Unlike me, they won’t show you their true, nasty intentions until their real selves snaps out in an explosive reaction of unexplored, unknown emotions! Beware…” She walked away.

“Of what? …Bon Bon, answer me!”

She looked at me with an obnoxious smile. “Heh, who knows?”

It became a routine, really. The thing she did when she summoned me for something. She came to me in any kind of form, informed me of something seemingly trivial at first, and finally she walked away and left me with doubts that would haunt me for days. This time was no different. But I didn’t have time to waste on her. As I went back to my seat, I decided to ignore her for once.

“I should tell Shimmer about this… And skip some details.” I mumbled as I started to play Fire Seal again.
> Chapter 92 - Preparations for a fun day!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I admitted that my approach on executing my plans was cowardly. In an ideal world, where all people acknowledged that there is evil in their mortal hearts and those same people were capable of accomplishing unspeakable acts, I would have done all of my plans by myself. Sadly, even if it’s just a little to the point of insignificance, all people are hypocrites and liars at one point or many in their lives, with no exceptions at all. If suddenly I became the tyrant out of the blue, however, the act wouldn’t be credible. So, alternatives must be conceived, alternatives must be detailed.

Alternatives must be executed.

During a walk on the hallway, after Ethics’ class, I continued my work in the shadows of the multitude. But hiding my presence while following my targets was hard to do in this colorful place I have called my school. The community greeted me with each step I made, and now knowledgeable enough on how to make a silent greeting with hand gestures and innocently forcing them to do the same, my cover was safe. In the end, however, we were too few and somewhat unique to be unfamiliar with one another, and the risk of stumbling with someone who would raise her voice and ruin my sneaking could appear without warning. Stupid Pinkie Pie.

“So you’re saying that the reason Twilight has her current mood is because I’m closer to Princess Twilight than her?” Shimmer asked with reluctance. 

“Uh, no. In my personal opinion, perhaps she has an inferiority complex towards her.” Nitpick commented.

“Or maybe… maybe she just thinks that she isn’t receiving enough attention from her! Yes… Yes! That’s it! It’s all clear to me now! No wonder she was so gloomy every time I mentioned the Princess!”

“Sunset, no, I think-!”

“Thanks for telling me this! I now know what exactly I need to do!”

“But Sun-!”

“Gotta go! See you later during council meeting!”

The creature disguised as a human being ran ahead to the band room’s direction before the next class started. Her arms already reaching her magical diary and pen to write a quick message to Princess Twilight. On the other hand, the messy haired young man slowly shook his head in disapproval at her as he entered the classroom.

“Why everybody keeps interrupting me…? Ah, fuck it.”

Huh, all this following was for naught. It seems that Bittersweet omitted my affair in the tale. He must have realized that it would have been pointless. Pity, however. I hoped for Shimmer to use her brain and tried to uncover my façade. Give her a fighting chance. But it was for the best to remain discreet, perhaps. 

Her speeches of friendship were so sickening to me that I would have killed her on the spot if we were alone.

….

The student’s council didn’t achieved any kind of progress today either. With the exception of some minor adjustments to the investments at hand, we had practically nothing worthwhile to discuss, coming to the conclusion to call it a day. 

As they went all to their separate ways, I stayed behind with my best friend. I had the idea to dawn my presence on the boss, have a little fun messing with him to slowly drive him to another breaking point and make him the man I needed to become for my plans to work. But another part of me knew that it was time to stop... But the fun I had with… No, no, no. 

Not today. 

His private spot was a place he missed for the past few days and sitting in the loneliness of the backyards of the school filled him with an expectation. An expectation that could prove good and to his benefit. After all, who doesn’t enjoy privacy from time to time?

Today, before going to sleep, I will dedicate myself on reflecting, improving, and cleaning all of my strategies for the sake of the people of CHS and apply the appropriate alterations tomorrow without delay.

I had a small trip with my name in it with Grandma and I must finish any pending business left. 

“What are you thinking now, Bon Bon?”

Lyra called me. My schemes can wait.

“Huh? Sorry. What did you say, Lyra?”

“These past few days you have been more distant than ever… Is something wrong?”

“Of course not, my friend.” I took her hand while caressing her face, making her smile sweetly. “Just thinking about my small trip with Grandma on Sunday to the mountains.”

“Do you really need to go again?”

“Yes. After all, it’s something I enjoy to do.”

“I think it’s dangerous the way you train.”

“You know that this family tradition from my Nipponese roots is my favorite. Trust in me, I’ll see you on Monday.”

“…Yeah.”

I know that face. I know those sorrowful eyes.

“What’s wrong, Lyra?”

“What do you mean, Bon Bon? I’m fine.”

“You don’t deceive me at all, you know? Come on, my friend, tell me.”

She sighed heavily. “I’m worried about Flash.”

I knew it had something to do with that insufferable slime.

“Is this about the rumored dispute they had recently?”

“It wasn’t a rumor. I was there by accident. During my way back from the convenience store on the retirement home, Flash dragged Thunderbass to the park and they started to argue about… about…”

“Princess Twilight, right?” I said unamused.

Seriously, what Flash sees in that brat?

“No, Twi-Twi.”

“Let me guess, my friend.” I walked her on the most solitary spot on the library and embraced her, tenderly brushing her hair. “You’re planning a hang out to put things at ease.”

“You know me so well.”

“YOU know me so well.” I tickled her waist.

“Oh, stop it, silly!” Her feminine teeth found their way to my neck, playfully biting my skin.

“That’s my line, silly! So, what’s stopping you?”

“Well… you.”

WhatdidIwrong!?

“Me!?”

“I-it’s been a little while since we have done something… together. Outside of school, that is.”

Ah... ufff... Good, I didn’t mess up.

“I can’t this weekend. Tomorrow I’ll be busy planning some stuff and you know that I really like going with Grandma to the mountains every Sunday possible. I want to take the chance to do some of my stuff since our city activities were cancelled tomorrow!”

“I know, but I was hoping if you could make some space for me… just a bit.”

… …My… My schemes… can wait till Monday morning.

“But of course! …What if Flash or Thunderbass won’t come because one another? Also remember that Flash and this world’s Twilight… you know.”

“It’s true… If one of them join us, perhaps we could talk about it together, as friends… Help, you know?”

Perfect.

“Just tell me what do you need me to do.”

“Well…” She chuckled rather cutely and explained her plans.

I love this woman.

….

On the brownish grass with some dying tints of red, there was a young man sitting down comfortably with his back laying on the wall. He was napping soundly with arms crossed with no trace of struggle or worries, making it hard for me to wake him up with a clean conscience. 

Just like everyone else, I hate it when people interrupts my sleeping hours.

Having subtleness in my movements, I slowly tapped his nose and made gentle gestures to wake him up seamlessly. Last time he awoke rather quickly, probably because of the stress he had in his system. Today his sleep was deep, and that was a good sign.

He was recovering.

“Oh Captain, My Captain. Wake up.”

“Mmm…” He fell to the floor by instinct and rolled his body. “Uh… shut… the… fuck up, Mother.” He said rather… 

Pffff. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Clear throat, a massive deep breath, focus on the target, RELEASE, “What did you just say, Nitpick Bittersweet!?” I yelled with a high-pitched tone.

He quickly rose up. “NO, MOTHER, NOTHING!!!” Then he saw me, his face slowly assuming an angered silhouette. “BON BON!!!”

I laughed. From the deepest bottom of my heart I laughed like never before. My body was rolling around the grass like a fool. My muscles were crushing my ribs and stomach as I tried desperately to inhale precious air. But I - 

“I’M DYING!!!”

“You’re taking too long.” He said in hiss, increasing the violent seizures of my body.

“MERCY!” I was chocking with teary eyes. “I’LL REALLY DIE!!!”

Trying to summon all of my training, all of my experience, all of the calmness in my soul, I slowly stood up while using Bittersweet as a kind of support. Pathetically, I might add. Once my giggles and tears of amusement dried up, I immediately put my mind on Lyra’s request.

“Anyway, are you free tomorrow?”

“You are a pain in the ass.”

“Just for you, and only you.”

“Go away.”

“I need you to do me a favor.”

“Let me repeat myself, Bon Bon.” He cleared his throat. “Go. Away.”

“You will have fun with me.”

“Define fun.”

“You can be Lyra’s bodyguard with me.”

“I’ll go back inside and head to the classroom.”

“Hey, hey, hey! Don’t go away, My Captain!”

“Knock it off, Bon Bon. That fake, sweetie voice doesn’t fool me at all!”

“Tsk. Tsk. Be reasonable, Boss!”

“The way you didn’t bit your tongue when speaking those words is inspiring.” He said with furrowed brows.

“Date Lyra with me.”

“…Beg your pardon?”

“I need you to hang out with us tomorrow.”

“What?”

“Just bring fifty dollars and we’ll have a blast the seven of us together!”

“Seven!?”

“You, Lyra, Octavia, Soarin, Thunderbass, Twilight, Flash, and me!”

“We are eight people there!”

“Flash will not come so we are seven!” I smiled. “Sadly, Dancer and Lightbulb already had plans so they won’t come.” 

And luckily, that was true from the later.

Frowning his face, I wasn’t surprised that he was rather dubious of my intentions. I’ll admit, though, that it was entertaining to watch him overthink the situation.

It was funny… and cute.

He sniffed two times. “Smell that?” Then made a third prolonged one. “It smells like trouble!”

“Please come with us.”

“You know tomorrow is a free day for us and there  is an important power leveling in Demon’s Dogma I want to achieve! Besides, you annoy me.”

“Boss, if I really wanted to do something that would annoy you, I wouldn’t bring Lyra to the date!”

“You actually make a good point. And Soarin and the others will come as well, so… Alright, the change of routine will do wonders to me. Can I invite my pals?”

“No offense but there are people who doesn’t mix at all together. Perhaps Gilda from your bunch but even then she could be hostile towards me and ruin the mood.”

“Yeah, she stills wants to beat you after what happened during the Apple Fair.”

“Sorry, Boss. Perhaps in the future when all its settled between us.”

I wouldn’t mind, really.

“Fine… Thirty.”

“Fifty.”

“I don’t have more money to spare until next week. Yesterday’s activities were expensive… but I don’t regret them.” He was telling the truth with a little tear of joy. 

“Come on! You must have some fifty dollars saved on a secret spot!”

“Thirty, you said?”

“Fifty!”

“Thirty.”

“You’re so stingy!”

“And you are a headache!”

“Tee hee hee! Ok, let me see if I can do something about the paying fee!”

“Great, don’t make me regret this.” He said in gruff.

“I assure you, Boss, that I’m truly planning to have some fun with you!”

Especially with Lyra. All of this IS for Lyra, BY Lyra, and FOR Lyra.

“We’ll see about that.” 

“Excellent! Gotta go now! Don’t forget to invite Twilight for me!”

As Bittersweet sat down once again and started to play with his 3SD, I walked back to the school to search for Soarin and the others. A personal invitation was more powerful and charming than using a phone. I needed to tell them about the admission fee so they can save some or ask money for tomorrow. It would be easy for them, though.

After all, the fee was just twenty dollars.

….  

It was easy to convince the guys to hang out with us. More easy was to persuade Flash away in a subtle, merciful manner. He didn’t deserve my effort. I just needed to mention that Thunderbass was happy if Octavia and Bittersweet came along and the later would invite Twilight to make him reluctant to assist. The beauty of it was that all was true, so there was no danger of suspicions about the circumstances.

Lyra had a tendency to spot a bad mood when it has hit a low point better than anyone else, and she was right. We needed to release some steam. Our current activities may have become easier, giving us a chance to lay back a little, but personal grudges can also damage the integrity of one’s well-being.

Entertainment and fulfillment must be met in such circumstances.

As I was drinking my cappuccino on Sugarcube Corner after school activities ended, I submitted entirely to the idea of enjoying my day tomorrow as a girl of my age should do. Just thinking of the places I was going to enjoy with Lyra and company gave birth to a laziness that directly attacked my mood to continue my quest against Shimmer.

I should relax for the remainder of today as well.

A sudden plate appeared before me, a slice of cheesecake beautifully resting on the surface. My third favorite dessert was delivered to me by none other than Thunderbass. 

“Mind if I seat?”

“After giving me this, how can I say no? Go ahead.”

“Thanks.” He enjoyed a burst of his vanilla milkshake. “And also… Thanks for inviting Octavia and the others… Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it, my friend! Melody is a nice girl and only a chill guy like you could make her happy!”

His sincere smile with a lingering hopefulness was so pretty. The beauty of fighting for the greater good were moments like this. Make the lives of the worthy better while punishing the demons justly. Right, Shimmer?

“I don’t know about that, but thanks for the good wishes!” His face suddenly drowned in depression.

“What’s wrong?”

“I… I also wanted to talk about Flash for a bit, if you don’t mind.”

I knew that the imbecile had something to do with it!

“Some people saw you having a heavy talk on the park. Is he still pursuing Twilight? The one from here, mind you.”

“Yes.” He said with a mix of dryness and annoyance.

“That’s not good.”

“I know.”

“Have you talked about this with someone else? I will only repeat myself like the last time we talked about it. Perhaps a different opinion would help.”

“I don’t have someone else. I don’t want to involve my pals from the band either, especially Mystery Mint since she is having a hard time with her boyfriend and it would be unfair for her, you know?”

“Come on! There must be someone else on the radar that could give you an unbiased opinion!”

“Well… I admit that last time I enjoyed a bit my time with Bittersweet!”

“Oh!? Tell me more!”

“He isn’t pushy as you mentioned. And to be honest, he is a very flexible guy. I was impressed when he went the extra mile to find at least the violinist in a short time. Very few guys would have even bothered.”

“I know, right! He can be such a good friend!”

“…You may be right. Maybe… the two of us can talk for a bit if we have the chance. He seems like the honest type.”

Thank Buddha for having a conscience and a flexible nature, My Captain.

“I’m sure he will if it comes natural to the table.” I politely started eating my dessert. “Want some?”

“No, thanks. It’s for you… Also… I have something to tell you.”

“What is it, my friend?”

“It’s somewhat embarrassing, to be honest!” He blushed.

My, my! The level-headed and most-of-the-time mature Thunderbass blushing? There’s just a scarce bunch of male students on CHS that could do such a thing in front of someone sincerely. My friend, don’t worry by your faults. If I weren’t prideful and strong-willed, I too would admit shames and embarrassment that I experienced before to Lyra. 

As long as you are the way you are, as long as you oppose the wickedness of Shimmer’s path, pursue an honest way of living, pursue true happiness by your own power, I will support you. I will aid you when I can, as I would do with the people that I came to appreciate.

But Lyra comes first, so you’re pretty dead if she needs my aid, you know?

“Don’t be shy, Thunderbass, trust in me.”

“Ok.” He sighed deeply, then he sucked a big deal of vanilla milkshake from his straw, and finally, he composed himself with his serious, mature face. “You have helped me a lot of times in a moral way, so I will do the same. If you need anything, call me for help!” He said with sincerity.

“Thanks, I’m glad to hear that!”

You have always been secretly mindful to those close to you.

“I’ll make sure that Bittersweet falls in love with you as well! Perhaps he and I can have a double date with Octavia and you in the future!”

…. …. …. ….

…. …. …. ….?

…. …. …. ….!

“What?”

“I saw you the other day giving Bittersweet a back massage.”

Massage? Massage. Massage! What Massage!? Ah… yes. The one I gave him on the library a while back.

“He looked tired, Thunderbass! I just did what any other friend would do to make him relax!”

Don’t get the wrong idea.

“But you looked so… peaceful. Happy.”

That day my face was brimming with joy by thinking about my plans and progress.

“I’m always happy, Thunderbass.”

“You look super energetic and cuter when he’s around you.”

He definitely got the wrong idea. 

“No, I-!”

“Don’t worry! I have told no one my thoughts! And to be honest, your fresh and assertive attitude would make wonders on him! Not to mention that you would make a really cute couple together!” 

“A cute… couple!?”

“I even told him a direct hint that you liked him to make things go smoother between you! I’m sure you could be happy as well!”



Th-th-th-th-th-this unthinkable… YOU IMBECILE FAILURE OF A ROMEO! 

His words were hammering my head like if multiple demolishers were pummeling a building of steel non-stop. Could it be that I was unaware that I was crossing the line and slowly developing secret feelings-!? No, nonononononono! Thunderbass just said weird shit. 

His one and only annoying trait was his habit of saying weird shit at the worst time.

No, wait. No wonder the last few days he has been more patient and understanding. Today… Today he was flexible and approachable enough to succumb to my invitation without too much delay or struggle. What if what Thunderbass said affected him in any way? What if he harbors any real feelings for me now? MY TOOL WILL PRACTICALLY BECOME USELESS TO MY CAUSE! 

I don’t have the kind of heart to ruin people with genuine feelings with the exception of Bitter-!

Just smile, I just need to smile to Thunderbass and forgive him. Forgive him for being so naïve. Understand that he was just being innocent and immeasurably stupid for coming to such moronic conclusion worthy of Rarity herself.

“Maybe we should tell Lyra and see if she can help as well!”

My raging cheeks could easily be mistaken with a blush. “Please, don’t.”

I’ll kill you if you do that!

I was relieved when he changed the subject to something more comfortable like school and news. We discussed about what happened on the suburbs’ alley, people ignorant that Twilight Sparkle made such a mess, but as long as the secret could be maintained I should be able to use the information for a later time. 

We even talked about Melody and Vinyl’s current relationship for a bit. Although Lyra originally wanted to invite Vinyl, the later was already busy with some other projects she had in mind with other musicians and bands. The Rainbooms being the main source of time waster, much to Melody’s secret dismay.

But who could blame her for don’t being honest about it? Denying Vinyl to do what she loved would be selfish and needy, and Melody knew it well enough. But at the same time, I agree that our DJ was being completely undedicated to a friendship she had treasured for years. Still, we couldn’t do anything about it. Those feelings must surface soon… And I’ll be sure that all goes well.

It will end up well.

The eventuality came for Thunderbass to leave Sugarcube Corner behind and go home. I for one asked for another cappuccino, the sweetest they could give me this time. It was a blessing that Pinkie’s shift didn’t lasted that long today. I can’t stand too much pink in this establishment.

Suddenly, something caught my eye. Two slender figures walked to the counter and asked for two specialty milkshakes of the day. Those voices were unbearably recognizable. Sunset Shimmer and princess Twilight sat down in one of the tables wearing two of the most worthless and unimaginative hoodies I have ever seen. 

Perhaps for the untrained eye, they would have fooled anybody with those clothes put. But I wasn’t a simple grunt, and the way of walking of the princess was weird by human standards if you pay attention long enough. Even Sunset Shimmer had this fault, and although I’ll admit that she certainly improved her motions, that very subtle and abnormal tempo in her leg movement originated from her knees will give her away forever.

More importantly now was knowing the purpose of her coming back here. I already did the proper measurements for her little group to not use magic sloppily. Unknowingly to her, Shimmer developed a fear of using it frequently after the silent and subtle backslash she received recently, and I plan it to keep it that way until I needed to drown her more in the sea of reflection.

All needs to be done meticulously, patience being the key.

But, I didn’t want to ruin my free day tomorrow so I decided to let them be happy for the time being. My phone rang, and it was…

“Hello?”

“Bon Bon, she confirmed me that she won’t come.”

“What? I’m sorry, lov- boss! I’m a little distracted now.”

“Twilight won’t come.”

“Ah, yeah! So T-Twilight will come with us tomorrow.”

No! Focus!

“I said she won’t come. Her Mother has just confirmed that her family will have a party tomorrow and said that she won’t-!”

“W-we’ll have fun all day tomorrow! Also, I misheard Lyra in the morning. The minimum amount of money needed is twenty, but bring all you can just in case.”

“Are you listening to me?”

Yes.

“No.”

DAMN!

“BON BON!!!”

“Gotta go, see you tomorrow!”

I finished the call with a swift thumb and sighed deeply.

How could this be? I who have rejected a mix of one hundred and twenty-eight boys and girls ever since I put my foot on this country shouldn’t be shaken by this clear and utter misunderstanding. It’s just a misunderstanding. Just a petty, primal instinct of my hormones to make me succumb to the need of having a- Clear your mind. Focus. Breath. Concentrate. Exhale. 

Meditate….

.... .... ....

I opened my eyes after meditating deep in mind, my thoughts becoming clearer. Finally at peace, and finishing what was left of my cappuccino, I decided to go home. Go home, and sleep. Yes, it’s what I need. I went to the counter and bought  a fiber bar for the road, then I walked away.

“Bon Bon.”

Someone - I don’t know who it was and I don’t care – interrupted my peaceful journey back home.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me!” She removed her hoodie. “Sunset!”

Ah… I forgot about you.

I composed myself a little and gave her a smile. “What a surprise seeing you here. What do you need?”

“I know I shouldn’t have done it, but we heard your phone conversation. Is Sci-Twi going to be busy tomorrow?”

“Sci-Twi?”

Wait, I remember. She called her like that in the day’s morning of the magic incident.

“Oh, it’s a name I came up with to differentiate the two of us when I’m here!” The princess removed her hoodie. 

“Pretty clever, huh?”

…What a stupid nickname.

“Indeed. And princess Twilight, forgive my manners! It’s such a lovely surprise seeing you here!”

My tongue was burning with fiery lava after saying that.

“It’s not a problem really! Come, have a seat!”

“Ah, no thanks. I need to go now.”

“Please… it’s important.”

I  complied and sat down, putting my snack on my purse. I bet this is about Twilight. I bet this is about Twilight. I bet this IS about Twilight.

“Bon Bon, we need to... what we want to tell you... I don't know…” Both of them exchanged glares, and then nodded to each other. “We’ll confide you something that happened recently with Sci-Twi.” Sunset said.

"Really?"

I mean, really? I know that I have supported you with ulterior motives and you were completely unaware of them because you are stupid, but really? I'm not even your friend.

"Yes. If you are like my world's Bon Bon, we absolutely can trust you!"

...You are too naive sometimes, the both of you.

“Oh, you think too highly of me! I feel I'm gonna blush!"

“It's the truth… Recently, Sci-Twi hasn’t been the same since, well, you know, magic, new friends, new places and all the things that have changed her life in these past few months…. And… we may have found a Friendship Problem with her.”

“Oh no! That’s terrible!”

Terribly obvious.

“It seems that I haven’t given her enough of my time when I visit this world and she feels that I’m putting her aside!”

Pfff, hehehe, no, no. You got it wrong.

“So Twilight and I thought that maybe all of us should hang out and have a slumber party in Pinkie’s, but let her be together with Sci-Twi most of the time.”

“Let me guess, you want to ask me at what time our fun will end.”

“I don’t want to be rude, if you have made plans already, we can do it on another time!” The Princess said with a bit of remorse. 

“It is I who should be conscious of that. You invited her after all tomorrow first, right?”

“As a matter of fact, we planned it yesterday but Sci-Twi wasn’t present during the planning. We kind of assumed that she would happily join us when I mentioned her that Twilight was going to come tomorrow in the afternoon! But that was the original plan...”

“When Sunset mentioned me the Friendship Problem in the morning through our journals, I made an emergency trip here.”

“Where is Spike by the way?”

“Spike will come here later when he is done with his chores back in my castle and we’ll wait for him in the portal and then sleep at Sunset’s place and have some fun the Equestrian Way. Well, our world’s way!” She blushed from the embarrassment of speaking in high tone.

And you wonder why Twilight feels like trash, creatures. That’s why you’re wrong about your deduction.

“Well, if you don’t make something definitive, people can choose to do other activities. You can’t blame her if she wants to do something else. Perhaps you can do it at another time.”

“The problem is that I don’t know when I’ll be free later! It needs to be as soon as possible! I barely finished my royal duties back home this week!”

“Even so, the Twilight from here told Bittersweet that… ummm… if her family changes her mind and does their reunion, she would be unavailable all day and won’t assist with us either. So it would be the same anyway.”

“Hmm… Bittersweet.”

“What’s wrong, Sunset?”

“Oh… it’s just that this guy I have talked you about has been really nice lately, but I wish that he could be… nicer.” 

Oooooh!? 

“You can do it if you put your mind at it, you know?” The other one said to her friend.

“It’s just that I don’t know how to do it, he is a tough cookie. It’s taken a toll on me to make things right and… I don’t want to mess up anymore. The school is stronger now and… I want to keep things improving more and more... together.”

…. …. …. …. …. .... ....

…. …. ….Heh.

….Hehehe.

Hehehe!

Ahahaha! 

Mwahahaha!

MWAHAHAHAHAHA! 

I came up with an improved, long-term, merciless and patented idea!

I dissimulated to look at a message on my phone and just said, “Bittersweet confirmed me that Twilight will have her family reunion.”

“Then I made you come all the way here for nothing!”

“It’s ok. Perhaps we can have fun tomorrow with the girls just for a bit!”

“I have a better idea, if you allow me to speak, princess Twilight!”

“Oh, please, I may be a princess, but I’m still not comfortable with everypony calling me like that! Just Twilight is fine!”

“You’re so humble and almost perfect, no wonder you won the right of being a princess!”

The comment made Sunset flinch in such a way that brought joy to my heart. 

“I don’t think I’m perfect!” She assumed a rigid position, playing with her fingers and blushing with a mix of pride and extreme discomfort. “You were mentioning that you have something in mind.”

“What if you come and have some fun with us instead of Twilight? Disguise yourself like her and spend a bit of time with us!”

“Why do I need to disguise as her? I don’t know if that could work or if it is a good idea!”

“Oh, you’re practically her double! With all the adventures you have experienced before, have you never worked undercover in your world?”

“Many times, in fact, the most memorable for me was that I once sneaked my way to Star Swirl the Bearded’s library in the Royal Palace.”

“You what? So not even Princess Celestia let you go inside the library of legend?”

“I had free access all the time and my sneaking and troubles proved to be pointless because of that, not to mention that everyone recognized me and I wasn’t in trouble in reality... It was a strange Tuesday.” She said in reflection.

“Perhaps your disguise was too complex and you acted too much in character.” I said.

“Mmm… maybe you are right. The weird thing was that no one noticed Pinkie!”

Why I’m not surprised?

“Don’t worry, I’ll be with you all the time! If you need any help, you can depend of me! Wait, let me confirm something first!”

I called Lyra and put the phone volume at maximum so they both could hear the conversation. I knew that their heightened sense of hearing would hear her voice, and Lyra being the merciful, forgiving angel she... I felt filthy, repugnant and unworthy of her all of the sudden for using her like that.

“What’s up, Bon Bon!?”

“Lyra, would it be a bad idea if I invite Sunset as well? I was thinking that the more the merrier since Flash isn’t coming, you know?”

“What? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I heard that she would be free tomorrow and perhaps inviting her with Twilight would improve the mood a bit! You know, try and mend old friendships, to move forward the future!”

“That would be a fantastic idea if she wishes to join us!” She said with an energetic voice. “I never invite her or her friends to anything since they’re always busy with each other and most of us simply gave up on them and moved on.” Those words pierced Shimmer’s heart and put the princess uncomfortable, like if she just remembered an unpleasant memory. “But it would be fun if she comes and plays with us! And maybe if both come, we could invite some of Nit-Nit’s friends as well to balance things out. Or is it a bad idea?”

“I believe it’s a wonderful idea, Lyra! Whether she comes or not, you should tell him anyway! I’ll call you later then!” I hanged up the call, innocently looking at them and them giving me back some troubled faces. They heard, right? “Lyra says that she would be happy if you could join us. Wanna come? It starts in the morning at nine!” 

“W-well… I wish I could go but I can’t! I have to help Rainbow Dash and her team tomorrow morning with her training session. The tournament match of this Sunday is against the Brownstown High and they are tough according to the rumors!”

“What about Applejack and the others?”

“Pinkie and Applejack have work tomorrow, Fluttershy will be busy in the shelter since Chief Hugger requested her help and Rarity got hired to fix some dresses for a famous star!”

"Then at what hour do you planned to get Twilight together with the one from here in your new plan?"

"While we were busy in the morning, both Twilights would be together in the plaza of Ponyville talking about science and magic! I saved some money from my part-time job to give it to Twilight to enjoy!"

You have a part-time job? I need to keep a tighter eye on you.

"Oh, Sunset, thank you! I wish I could repay the favor someday!"

"Maybe when I visit Equestria... sometime."

...I'll make sure it becomes a permanent stay.

"Then what's the verdict?"

“I’ll go with you, Bon Bon! If you are my guide, I’ll be fine! But I still don’t think that disguising myself is a good idea!”

“Listen, think about the good things you can achieve in this world if you aid Sunset with this! By disguising yourself as your counterpart, you could also uncover the reason behind Bittersweet’s unfriendly nature and fix it! Not only that, making Bittersweet an official friend of Sunset will help unite the school even more than ever! After all, you ARE the Princess of Friendship, and you have defeated foe after foe, mended friendships after friendships, and this one will not be different than those! Do it for the school!” I grabbed her head and pointed it to Shimmer’s direction, their eyes locking to each other. “Do it for your friend!”

They exchanged a sickening, sweet glare and smiled.

“I’ll do it!”

“Excellent! Once our fun is over and you discover what you need to know, you should probably tell Twilight about it. You know, don’t leave her out of the loop and Sunset must tell her to assist to the slumber party at Pinkie’s if she wants to!” They foolishly nodded in agreement. “We’ll pay you the meals and stuff as a way of expressing our gratitude, princess. No need for Sunset to expend her hard earned money!"

"I couldn't possibly-!"

I put my index finger on her lips. "Don't worry, Sunset! We are friends, aren't we? Save that money for the slumber party in case of an emergency!" Those words made her feel comfortable. "Do you have at least clothes resembling hers, Twilight?”

“I can make a quick journey back home and grab one of my reading glasses. I have some that look exactly like Sci-Twi!”

“That’s indeed great news! We’ll have so much fun together if Bittersweet and others don’t feel the pressure of royalty! It would be far easier and funny for us to have fun with you as a normal girl instead of a princess!”

She smiled with gentleness when hearing such idea. “That sounds really nice! But what if someone of the group recognizes me?”

“Oh, then start taking notes, princess, because I’m gonna tell you all you need to know about your version of this world! But I assure you that the differences are minimal! Right, Sunset?” She nodded in agreement. The fool.

And of course, that was a lie.

She made an obnoxious, repugnant smile of happiness when I mentioned the notes. No doubt she has a fetish with those. But what surprised me the most is that they accepted my incredibly silly idea without any question or thinking beyond what could happen in the future. They didn’t thought about if Bittersweet really needed change, or if Soarin and company will take it nicely for the deception. More importantly, they once again ignored Twilight’s feelings on the matter.

The only thing that they cared about was solving a problem that they were about to make unknowingly worse… in a subtle manner. All in the name of the Magic of Friendship. Not all wars are won by bombing the hardest. Sometimes you just need deception. Sometimes you just need illusions.

Sometimes you just need a false expectation to use.

Sunset and I told her the details she needed to know, the bare minimum of course. I needed to arm her with the essential weapons to make it believable as long as it could, but no enough for her to understand Twilight fully. That's knowledge she must earn the hard way. I wasn’t heartless so I already came up with an explanation to cover for her failure if something went wrong. I just needed to say that Twilight really wanted to come but since her nature was too guilty to a fault, she asked the princess to go in her place.

You know, don’t disappoint anyone, like she always tried to do.

Soarin and the others already knew that Twilight was a very sensible girl, at least what they know about her, and that the princess always has good intentions, so they obviously will forgive her, thinking that aiding her ‘cousin’ was a good deed. The princess most likely will have an attack of conscience if she is spotted, so I have to talk first to lead her to the path of words I desired from her. 

Thunderbass doesn’t hold personal grudges against both Twilights and he’ll just enjoy Melody’s company. And unlike Rarity and friends, they’ll be silent about Flash’s romance issues around the impostor since the real Twilight had a terrible experience with him. Lyra will probably talk with Thunderbass if they have the chance, but mostly will strive to make him closer to Melody. Soarin can get along with almost anyone so he is no trouble. 

Oh, and about my lovely Bitt-… … … … I forgot about his natural instinct to spot trouble. 

And his friends, if they ever come and join us, would be truly wildcards, especially Princess Reem Fortunata Oakwood. I noticed that when they are close to each other, he and Princess Reem become too acute and far more perceptive. I also heard that Her Highness can be… immensely vengeful on the rare occasions when angered deeply. The five of them together could immediately spot the deception and ruin everything. I truly made a terrible miscalculation when giving Lyra the okay.

Or maybe… maybe it could be the other way around if the right conditions are met… Hehehehe…

I’ll also have to deal with Twilight… but with her I just know the way on how to do it and fulfill my new and improvised plans. After all, she IS the main reason why I am doing all this trouble of the day. The Gods are obviously in my favor and smiling upon me with such plethora of opportunities bestowed in my plate.

Tomorrow will be a fun Saturday indeed!
> Chapter 93 - A little talk between Equines.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watching the stars at night soothed my feelings as the past few days have been mentally exhausting from all the school’s activities I have helped put in order. What pleased me the most was able to see the constellations in the sky, just like in my world, albeit very slightly different in forms. Imaginary lines that connected the starry dots in the heavens, forming infinite figures and giving me small, entertaining challenges to my imagination, was there a better way to spend the last minutes of your day than this?

Admiring the stars on the rooftop of my apartment just added to the prettiness of the view… Hard to believe that the place I was living now was Vice-Principal Luna’s old storage room, full of trophies and antiquities like a vinyl disc player that reminded me of my world. Things that she kindly lent me to use them when I wanted after we cleaned the place. It looked like ages since I moved here from the gym’s closet from CHS.

I don’t know what would have happened if they haven’t gave me a place to call… home.

That was another reason to try harder on becoming the girl they expected from me. Reformed, changed for the better. I won’t give up, and I’ll do it for them, and more importantly, I’ll do it for me. 

My past is not today.

As I grabbed my phone to put the alarm at eight in the morning, I marveled once again at the device I was holding in my hand. I may be used to it by now, but the technology from here almost make it seem that we ponies live in the dark ages, even when life expectancy and building architectures are as efficient as this world.

There is steam power, music, electricity and many more sources of energy that are shared in this world with mine… but it lacks magic, reliable magic, and sometimes I missed that. To be able to grab things with my thoughts, to perform spells to make things bend to my will. Becoming a better students in the magic arts was still my long-desired wish. But… I won’t deny that I love my phone now that I have many friends to share silly videos. I want an owl, and watching them online makes the desire grow strongly. But I don’t have the money to keep one, and in this world there are laws that prohibit petting them easily.

Fluttershy may know a way around it but I won’t trouble her with my silly wish. 

Speaking of money, I forgot to check my weekly expenses. I took a look at them in my phone’s notepad app and I was relieved to see that my expenses were made efficiently like always. Thank goodness that Principal Celestia was able to get me a part-time job to compensate for my lack of tutors in this world. And giving that both sisters allowed me to stay here free of charge, I felt… They may be more similar to the Princess I once wanted to surpass.

I’m truly grateful that the Sisters of Fate gave me a second chance to start over.

Doing math tutorials for the elementary schools isn’t well paid for a part-time job, but it pays my needs and minor luxuries well enough, and it gave me a higher feeling of satisfaction than stealing money from the students. Not to mention that they are too easy to do, so it’s quick money. But that bore the feeling that I definitely missed my days as a filly on the castle. The only thing I needed to worry about was my performance in magic school, and Princess Celestia always paid for everything... Even the cake. This apartment could be considered another kind of cake, one that I definitely won’t misprize this time, ever.

But no point in complaining for the past that won’t come back. For now, I just want to relax. I just want to see the stars. 

“The Orion Belt is shinier today.” I mumbled.

“Indeed it is!”

Coming from the outside staircase, the Princess of Friendship sat down at my side and looked above the stars. A tender breeze graced us, and soon we shared the same view.



“That looks like the Urza Major.”

“More like Canis Major. In this world, the Urza is… um, there.”

“Oh, I see it now!” 

“…I thought you were asleep by now.”

“Spike didn’t take that long to do so but I couldn’t. Not after our intense battle for supremacy in the Magic History Card Game! I’m still a little pumped because it was too much fun!”

“I’m glad to know that what I learned under Princess Celestia’s tutelage is still relevant in my memory!”

“You and Starlight Glimmer were my hardest challengers yet. Nobody has given me so much trouble like you!”

“Well, I happen to be a very competitive pony.” I gloated a little.

“That’s exactly what Starlight said as well. Luckily, I was able to humble you through a graceful victory!” She smiled widely.

“You won by a difference of twenty two points.” I said dryly. “Even Spike threw up the match and started reading his comics.”

“I know. Sometimes I think that some ponies don’t appreciate what good fun is all about.” She crossed her arms in indignation.

“You and me both. Physical competitions are nice but sometimes putting your brain to the edge is where the real challenge is!”

“Hehehe! I knew you would understand… I wish more ponies enjoyed these kind of games as well.”

“But what about Starlight?”

“She gets bored quickly, even when she is about to win. But how can I blame her? She has great talent, that one. Sometimes I think she has greater prowess in creating new spells than me.”

“I still can’t believe that she was able to brainwash your friends to make things ‘funnier’. That speaks volumes of her talent.”

“When she was evil, her spell to remove cutie marks was something considered impossible. Then again, the zebras have magical potions that gives you artificial cutie marks… with disastrous results.” She rolled her eyes in dismay. 

“There are still many things to research about magic.” I said with a bit of melancholy. “But at least it’s a beautiful, intriguing science!”

“I can agree to that. For now, just focus on the learning more about friendship.”

“Yes, your royal highness, the Princess of Friendship!” I saluted to her.

“Stop it!” She giggled.

“Speaking of friendship, are you ready for tomorrow?”

“The excitement of the adventure I’ll have tomorrow is making me worry if I memorized efficiently my counterpart’s differences! I mean, we are equal in the core, I noticed it during my last talk with her on Applejack’s home, but things work differently here. I was amazed by the number of projects she has being doing lately.” She read some of her notes she brought with her. “Il Rinascimento Bibliotecario is the name of the library data base, right? Oh, there are many things to memorize!”

“There aren’t many, really. You should relax, everything is going to be just fine.”

“I hope so. The bonds that Sci-Twi has is something I don’t want to damage.” She sighed deeply. “I thought we shared a good moment together that night… but perhaps it was too short to consider it memorable.”

“You’ll find a way to see through the ‘little buts’ in the relationship and make things work between you and the others… and me. You have a big knack for that.”

“Don’t make me commit the mistake I did the last time during our battle against the Dazzlings!”

“Yeah, you’re right.” I said in thought. “After all, it was I who saved you all!” I said jokingly in an arrogant manner.

“Ha, ha. Very funny, Sunset Shimmer!” She said with a playful grin.

“Hehehe! But talking seriously, it was a team effort. We all played our part, we just needed to find the answer to do so correctly.”

“And at that moment, it was you who we needed the most.”

I couldn’t help but blush at her compliment.

“Thanks, it’s what the girls say as well.”

“You have come a long way since the first time I met you last year… One year. I still can’t believe that much time has passed already. At this pace, you will no longer need me for anything… Perhaps you don’t need me at all and I’m just… holding you back.” She said with mature, straight face, gazing at the stars with dreamy eyes.

“That’s not true. I still have lots to learn... of you.”

“Don’t be silly. I know what I’m talking about. You’ll become what Princess Celestia expected of you. I just know.”

“But… sometimes I don’t feel that I have made any progress.”

“Why?”

“Because Friendship is a vast field, just like its magic. I want to make magic functional here like it does in our world! Magic is a big science, but unlike in Equestria where you can make it your own, spent thousand hours researching new and useful spells with scientific bases, in this world it is random, no matter how much of our world’s theories I pour during my investigations, even if we know how to activate it now!””

“I think that it will be a long shot before that happens! I mean, it took a powerful source like the Elements of Harmony to awaken you inner magic in this world. But don’t be disappointed by it! You really made a great discovery in finding the trigger to summon magic here! I still amaze myself on why I didn’t think that being your true self was the answer! That was practically the reason on how I summoned the Elements in the first place with my friends to defeat Nightmare Moon during our first encounter with her!”

“Yeah… it’s just that although it’s kinda cool that magic is random and you don’t know what will really happen when you activate it, sometimes a reliable source to depend upon wouldn’t be so bad. You know, don’t Pony-Up when we show our true colors while helping people. It causes trouble to some, like Principal Celestia with the ever harsh Principal Cinch.”

“But we managed to do a perfectly controlled spell last time! I believe that the end result was better than the original work you made before!”

“It sure it was! Not only the stuff were repaired, they were prettier and more functional and I just want to repeat the process again! The guys at the school loved it… but I think not everyone liked it.”

“What do you mean?”

“A few days ago, when I got inside the gym hall, some of the students looked at me… weirdly. I thought it was my imagination, but few of them gave me the cold look.”

“It must be your imagination. Some of you are still behind schedule, aren’t you?”

“Not by much but yeah… that must be it. It’s just stress.”

“Don't be depressed. Let's change the subject. So... Tell me... I noticed something different on your desktop during this visit… I have a hunch that you tried to do the spell on your own, didn’t you?”

Oops.

“I don’t know what are you talking about.”

“The mouse isn’t connected to the computer.”

“It broke.”

She frowned. “You tried the spell on your mouse.” 

“Eh, no?”

“I also noticed a broken window fixed with duct tape. Care to explain what happened?”

"It was a cat."

"Cats don't have the physical strength to do that kind of mess."

"Here cats are way stronger, hehe, you know that, right?"

"Sunset."

I sighed in defeat. “The results were undesirable. I need to buy a new mouse."

“You broke it on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Of course not.” She gave me a funny look. “Fine, I might wanted to test the spell on smaller scale objects. For scientific purposes, of course.”

“And the window?”

“I exploded when I assumed the Pony-Up state by mistake, and the shockwave was strong enough to leave my place… uh, messy?”

“Interesting.”

“Yeah.”

“But why?”

“Well, I want to save money in the future.”

“Any specific reason?”

“Buy new hardware for my magic research. I won’t give up. We know we activate our magic on this side by being ourselves, our emotions reaching their peak, and we can somewhat control it when we think negatively, but at what potency do we really summon the magic? As you know, magic power is not the same for all unicorns back home. Some are more potent and eager than others, but here, rules don’t apply, as we proved when we united our magic to perform the spell. But the strength of the magic within is a mystery. For example, when we Pony-Up, in theory, Rarity should have stronger magic than Pinkie Pie because her other self is an unicorn and Pinkie’s counterpart is an earth pony, right?”

“You would be right if it weren’t that Pinkie – I hope she stopped with her party canon prank by Sunday evening!” She mumbled.

“Party canon prank?”

“Just forget I mentioned that. Anyway, she does possess stronger passive magical capabilities than the average earth pony. She was able to keep with Rainbow’s top speed during the first time we wanted to celebrate her birthday… She is a nightmare to deal with sometimes.”

“But it could be possible to measure it with the proper equipment to determine if my theory is correct in this world. I tried to measure it with some improvised equipment I created before the Friendship Games started but it didn’t give me concrete data. The closes thing that gave me any kind of useful data was Sci-Twi’s device, but it only detects the proximity of a magic source and absorbs it as a side of effect of the red diamond she used as the core of the device.”

“As you may know, certain crystals are able to hold a bit of magic depending on the material’s quality. Her red diamond must have been of immense quality to being able to hold all that magic you described afterwards. Even so, I'm amazed that Sci-Twi was able to came up with that device." 

"More proof that you're truly similar to each other!"

She smiled kindly to that. "That's incredible indeed! But what happened to the diamond?” 

“Busted into pieces. Most of it was truly shattered and useless after I managed to seal Sci-Twi’s powers.”

“I have a question regarding that. Did you feel that the Elements guided you during the process?”

“Now that you mention it, yeah! …It was like someone was holding my hand during the process. It felt different compared to the time we used it on the Dazzlings. With them, we destroyed their gems.”

“I knew I wasn’t the only one. My friends said the same after each time we used the Elements, but since there aren’t negative effects, we don’t talk about it.”

“You don’t have curiosity about them? Study them, perhaps?”

“Princess Celestia told me that it would be futile to make a research on them. Their powers are for the good of Equestria and even Discord admitted that they have an aura of divinity that shouldn't be messed with. That’s enough for me to not put my muzzle where it doesn’t belong."

"If the God of Chaos said it as well, then it's for a reason."

"What about the girls from here?”

“The girls, besides acquiring magical powers, haven’t experienced the guidance. Perhaps only real residents from Equestria can feel that. I wish I have something that could be useful here for my investigations.”

“What you truly want is a new diamond. That is why you really took the part time job as Principal Celestia’s assistant recently and tried to test the spell to see if you could fix the diamond  as well.”

“It is insanely expensive in this world. And I believe finding one in Equestria is hard as well. Here is most of the rubble of what was left of it. I keep it with me in case I have the same luck as Sci-Twi in the future.”

“This diamond…! Where did she get this?”

“She won it on a fair in Saddle Arabia during a family trip many years ago. Is it like our gems in our world?”

“No. Gems are one thing, but this!?”

“You sound pretty excited. Is the material really rare?”

“Immensely. I don’t know where they get them here, but in Equestria, dragons spend hundreds of years to make one. I had the privilege to see two of these up-close. One was the Bloodstone Scepter, a symbol of power for the dragons. Pretty powerful relic. And the other is the Alicorn Amulet, made of such material as well. But it’s cursed and rends the user practically evil and unreasonable, so I had to confiscate it.”

“So many wonderful magic artifacts.”

“So little time to study them properly.”

We shared a long giggle.

“Do you think it can be repaired? Sci-Twi just kept the biggest chunk to keep functional her magic detector. Not big enough for the project I have in mind.”

“If it is like in our world, no. I believe trying to put strong magic in it would only result in the diamond absorbing the power and then disintegrating from the magic overload. But we could try tomorrow if you want.”

“I knew you would say that. Let’s try the Repairing Spell on it.”

“Worst case scenario is that it will end up becoming dust!”

“That… makes me worried now.”

“Don’t be. But let’s get back to the ponies’ magic traits subject. That picked your interest, right?” 

“Don’t gonna lie, a little update to my knowledge would be nice!”

“With the exception of unicorn magic and the ability to fly from the pegasi, there are times where a pony from any tribe can actually match the prowess of one of the others. A unicorn or a pegasi can be as strong as an earth pony, and an earth pony could be as nimble as a pegasi and have an affinity to sense magic like an adept unicorn.”

“Like Pinkie?”

“Pinkie is… different… Who I am kidding? She is scientifically impossible sometimes!! I tried countless scientific test on her to no avail. On the other hand, for example, Fluttershy as pegasi has proven time after time to possess the gift of communicating with animals, something that an earth pony has an easier time mastering if he proposes to do it. And because they always compete all the time and it gave me sufficient data to make a conclusion, Rainbow is as strong as Applejack in some physical tests and Applejack is as nimble as Rainbow. It is true that ponies mastering other talents is weird to hear at first, but is not an oddity, really. And as you know, an earth pony can give birth to an unicorn if one of the parents has a family ancestor that was one. Becoming an alicorn myself just strengthened those theories.”

“What does it feel to become one?”

“Weird, really. I was dizzy at first. My magic became stronger, my body became more resilient and flying was harder than you would expect at first. But Cadence told me it was natural, saying that I should try to focus on improving my new abilities to make the best of them.”

“You spend most of your time reading, solving Friendship Problems and your talents are rusty.”

“And I gained some weight recently.” She said a little embarrassed. “Not to insult Starlight’s obvious talent and yours but an alicorn should have superior magic command than any unicorn.”

“What about Rarity’s talents? You didn’t mention hers.”

“She knows wrestling moves and won a tournament with Cheerilee … I don’t think I need to explain more. Diamante Elegante, such an extravagant name she used on the stage… her brutality wasn’t elegant at all. I admit that I was on the fire of excitement during the match, though.”

“That would explain her outbursts of physical energy. There is really a connection between counterparts in the core essence. So back to square one on my research if the diamond can’t be repaired, I guess.”

“I don’t want to demotivate you, after all, you are a great researcher as well, given your limited tools at your disposal. But I think that you would need a powerful medium to channel your latent magic, just like the Dazzlings did with their jewels, to make magic like ours.”

“Speaking of the sirens, I wonder what happened to them? Nobody knows where they are.”

“That is something  that I have wondered myself every day, even if it’s for just a moment. Their pendants were they source of life and magic, but there is no research of what would happen to a siren if she lost her gem.”

“Hopefully, they found some help, just like I did. This world’s people can be nice… but not like back home.”

“Well, Equestria can have its share of troublemakers and ancient evils to be worried about, so I believe that evil is everywhere. We just need to think positively that they are fine.”

“Maybe you are right… They are fine and well, I’m sure of it.”

“That’s the attitude. But it wouldn’t hurt to look for them in the future.”

“Yeah.”

Silence suddenly embraced us in a welcoming manner. I wanted to keep talking, but it was getting pretty late, and tomorrow would be busy. After admiring the stars for a long time, I took a quick peek at Twilight’s persona. She was reading her notes diligently, not wanting to miss any detail for tomorrow’s mission. She may have some quirks here and there, but she is so dedicated in her studies. Persistent, always chasing for answers and not stopping until she founds what she wished to discover.

She was a beautiful mare… Pretty interesting too.

“Ok. I think I finally nailed everything about Sci-Twi’s quirks. Now, tell me a little about the guys I will go with. I know some of them, but only my world’s versions.”

“Well, there is only good things to say about the rest. Bon Bon isn’t necessary to talk about since she will protect you, and Lyra is a sweetheart, so don’t worry about her either. Soarin is incredibly polite and humble. Octavia is quite and sometimes I think she is a cold and a loner, but not in a bad way. She is a good friend of Vinyl Scratch so perhaps she is just selective with her friendships. Thunderbass is a nice guy and Flash’s best friend.”

“Flash Sentry’s best friend?” She blushed rather girlish.

“You still after him?”

“Uh, no!” Now it was my turn to give her the funny look. “I’m just curious how is he doing in life, that’s all!”

“Yeah, I’ll believe you.”

“You could be a little more, I don’t know, merciful.”

“No. It’s funny.”

“Sunset!”

“Alright, alright!”

“So… Sci-Twi hasn’t taken a liking to…”

“I believe they dated once.”

“WHAT!?”

“Quiet!” 

The scream of my neighbor’s husband took the heart of us, followed by a fierce sound of a window closing. 

“Are we in trouble?”

“As long as someone doesn’t gets too excited, no.”

“Sorry.”

“And answering your obvious question, Flash dated her, yes, but it wasn’t serious and they don’t talk often… but…”

“Oh… he got a new girl, right?”

“…Twilight.” I grabbed her hands. “I don’t know what happened between Sci-Twi and him with full detail, and you are my most… treasured friend, I just want the best for you. If Flash had any partner or something, I would have told you by now.” I gave her a small chuckle. “Besides, if she really had a girlfriend by now, it would have been a school news. So… I have faith you still have the chance.”

“Tell me truth, is this even right?”

“…When… When we…” I sighed a little remorseful. “Remember that time I mentioned you during our journal sessions that I went to a bowling center with Flash and the others? I omitted some parts of what happened… You see, Flash is a guy who needs to be with the one he loves all the time possible. Or at least have some sort of constant communication. And well, you don’t visit often this world to make a strong knot with him.”

“Princess Celestia told me the same thing a while back. She experienced something similar with another world’s version of King Sombra… It didn’t end well…”

I wanted to ask about that… but something told me that it wasn’t the best moment.

“Perhaps I can ask Bittersweet if she knows something about Flash and Sci-Twi. Not to say that she wouldn’t leave me in the dark and only tell him what’s going on, but I can try to ask her tomorrow before the slumber party.”

“Thanks! She will come, right?”

“I’ll call her tomorrow but I’m sure she’ll come.”

“Perfect! If the Sombra of our world could be redeemed and found happiness with Radiant Hope, then perhaps… I won’t lose!”

“That’s the attitude!”

“Yeah! I will stay positive and fight for my dreams!”

“And I will find my way to spread the Magic of Friendship in this world!”
We held our hands together, and something inside of me ignited a warm fire that was quickly spreading through my body. The feeling was mutual, as we both chanted at the same time, “Friendship will guide us through our darkest hours! We’ll always be together, because…” An explosion of red and purple soared into the sky, both of us no longer being able to contain the magic within us. “WE HAVE THE MOST POWERFUL MAGIC OF ALL! THE MAGIC OF-!”

“SOMEONE SHUT THEM UP!”

“YOU SHUT UP!”

“QUIET, ALL OF YOU!”

“LET US SLEEP!”

“PEOPLE WORK TOMORROW HERE!”

“WHO DARES TO INTERRUPT MY SLUMBER!?”

“SHUT UP, LUNA!!!”

“YOU SHUT UP!!!”

We quickly powered down by instinct and drowned ourselves in an embarrassment so deep and cold that our troubled, blushing faces wanted to bury themselves in the deepest depths of Tartarus. Dogs were barking, neighbors were fighting. I recognized the voice of the last two yells. Vice-Principal Luna and Principal Celestia weren’t merciful souls during mornings when their sleep is interrupted.

We… decided it was for the best to go inside and sleep now.
> Chapter 94 - Because everything...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eight with fifty, that was what the clock marked.

Sitting in a bench with his legs lazily crossed, Nitpick Bittersweet was surfing the web on his just charged phone, waiting for the others to come to the point of reunion. There are people who loved to be punctual to a meeting, and although Nitpick wasn’t one of those, he at least liked the idea to arrive earlier so the right to leave earlier could be earned. It didn’t apply to fun activities, for obvious reasons. Even so, people arriving late and wasting his time enraged him red hot.

Nine o’clock, that was what the clock told him.

His temper started to build up inside of him, bitter and annoyed by this trend that his schoolmates had about time and compromises. Was it that hard to arrive earlier at anything for them? He soon focused his attention to the mountains near Ponyville, sighing in resignation that others didn’t share his obvious exaggerated ideals. He bit his lower lip and relaxed in his seat, hoping for the best.

Nine with thirty, that was what the clock mocked.

He now was furious, his face had undeniable assumed a bitterly expression, truly considering the idea of going home and sleep. A single message from them telling him that something would delay them or the meeting had to be cancelled for acceptable reasons would have sufficed to calm him down. But he checked his phone over and over with the same repetitive result. No calls or messages received in forty minutes. It didn’t help that two madwomen and his unusually lousy neighborhood made such ruckus in the middle of the night, depriving him of precious hours of sleep. Such rude behavior and lack of compromise was simply unacceptable.

“Fuck it, I’m out of here!”

He stood up, planning to walk back home.

“NO, WAIT!”

Fast footsteps suddenly could be heard with a pronounced and desperate tempo. When he turned around, the figure of Octavia Melody was rapidly growing in size until finally standing in front of him, tired and breathing exhaustively.

“S-so…!” She inhaled air heavily, trying to recover vital oxygen for her blood current. “S-so sorry for being this late! I-I sincerely overslept and came here as fast as I could!”

“At least you are being honest about it. Take it easy, let’s have a seat so you can take a breath.”

“You’re truly calm about it. If I were you, I would have been angry if someone arrived this late.” 

“I can’t stand being late and waste people’s time either! But I can appreciate honesty when I see it.”

“You and me both.” She wholeheartedly nodded in approval.

“Where are the others?”

“I have no idea. Bon Bon told me that our meeting was at nine and here I am… a half hour late, embarrassingly enough! It’s strange, though. Lyra and Bon Bon never comes late to an appointment.”

“Now that you mention it, it’s true!”

“Should we call them? Perhaps we are in the wrong park.”

“No, she told me that this was the place.”

“GUYS!”

Both young teenagers looked at the horizon and saw an intense soar of electric blue flying to their way. Soarin was sprinting like if he was being chased by angry, savage dogs. Unlike Octavia, however, he didn’t show signs of exhaustion when he reached them both but his usual happy face radiated rays of light.

“Sorry for being late! I forgot that I had training with the rest of the soccer team for tomorrow and I decided to train by myself at dawn to compensate my absence with them!”

“Oh... Well, alright, you’re forgiven, sit.”

“Thanks, Bo- Nitpick!” He sat at his acquaintance’s right, much to Melody’s bad luck. “Hi, Octavia!”

“H-hi, Soarin! I hope we can enjoy ourselves today!”

“Of course we will! We’re gonna have a blast together! …Where are the others?”

“That’s a fantastic question Melody and I were asking to ourselves!” He said with a shade of mockery.

“How weird, Lyra and Bon Bon never arrive late to anything important!”

“That’s two, Bittersweet. We should call one of them now.”

“Maybe you are right.” He quickly dialed up to Lyra number, but to no avail. “Damn, it’s turned off!”

“Try calling Bon Bon!” Suggested Soarin.

He complied to his suggestion. “What the hell? Her line is not available!”

“What if something happened to them?” Soarin asked worried. “Where is Thunderbass?”

A furious roar echoed on their senses of hearing. Almost instantaneously, an attractive family van parked in the parking lot of the streets. Charmingly putting a quarter on the parking-meter, Thunderbass rushed to the side of his partners in fun. 

“I’m so sorry for coming up this late! I was caught in a heavy traffic on the city while taking my brother to pick up our car from the workshop!”

“… Don’t… Don’t worry, we understand. Take a seat.”

“Thanks, Bittersweet!”

Soarin made some space for Thunderbass to sit down. Nitpick remembering the dilemma he had between the love triangle, chose to seat besides the soccer athlete so the guitarist could sit in the middle between him and Octavia. Much to his dismay, however, Octavia got closer to Bittersweet, giving Thunderbass the corner of the bench. He may be sitting beside her, but there was a somewhat big gap of several centimeters between the two, putting them in a dry mood. 

“Where is Lyra and Bon Bon?”

“They haven’t arrived yet.” Nitpick said between teeth, steam almost forming on his breath.

“Weird. They never come late to a meeting!”

“That’s it! Does someone of you know where one of them live?”

“It’s something wrong?”

“THEY ARE LATE!”

“Chill down, man! Lyra lives nearby! Come, I’ll ride us there and see – Hey, look! Here she comes!”

The sun was shining brightly on the Golden-Eyed Girl as she was walking at a snail pace towards her friends. Looking fresh, smooth and relaxed, eating a big-sized yogurt with oats, Lyra Heatstrings became the embodiment of simple bliss and happiness on that morning. Nitpick clenched his teeth, eyes turning small and fiery. 

“Good morning, everyone!” The girl smiled to them, roses and glimmer almost appearing on her face.

“YOU ARE LATE, HEARTSTRINGS!”

The girl flinched, then she stepped forward in confusion. “It’s something wrong, Nit-Nit?”

“You told us to come here at nine and it’s almost ten in the morning!”

“But I sent you a message that we changed plans and we would see each other here at ten!”

“Forgive me, Lyra, but we didn’t received such message.” Spoke Octavia.

“That’s true.” Added Thunderbass.

“What? I’m sure that… oh, wait.” As she checked her cellphone, she noted something unexpected. “If you have one, can you please lend me a spare battery charger?”

Thunderbass gave her his portable battery. “Here.” 

“Thanks… Oh, well…” She gave away a chuckle with embarrassment. “It seems that my battery died before sending the group message. I’m sorry, guys!”

As her device turned on, four ringtones sounded in crescendo. When Nitpick opened his phone, he noticed that he had a new, unwelcomed chat group on his screen. As he read the message from Lyra, adorned with thousands of disgustingly cute emojis, rage and reason were clashing inside his head. In the end, reason won and the young man swallowed his anger, coming to the conclusion that it was an honest human error, remembering that he has committed tons of those as well before.

Besides, Lyra was cute, he couldn’t stay mad at her for more than three minutes.

“Nit-Nit, will your friends join us? Tell me that Reem will come!”

“I’m surprised that you have managed to withstand Reem’s crude behavior this far. And the answer is yes, but they’ll come far later if they have the chance. Too busy with studies right now.” 

“Bummer. But oh well, almost everyone is here from CHS. The last members should join us soon!”

“Are there other people coming with us?”

“Yes! Don’t worry, it’s just one more besides Bon Bon! They shouldn’t take that long!”

With a natural knack for making people get along nicely, Lyra made her friends sit down on the bench once again. Placed in an new order, Lyra, Soarin, Octavia, and Thunderbass were talking about random topics. From Soarin’s training to Octavia’s performance, the conversation was lively within the group. Bittersweet on the other hand, sitting besides Lyra, looked at them in defeat, thinking to himself that the group slowly sailed away from their original purpose to hang around.

“This was a mistake…” He whispered weakly.

As he was about to lose himself to the view in the sky, his head turned to the left when a certain shiver traveled on his spine. On his field of vision, two feminine figures were walking calmly to the group. One was Bon Bon, who, like Lyra and Melody, was dressed in a very appealing way. She brushed her hair again, lips subtly painted with a cute tone of pink. Her legs were a kind of a view for him, making him realize that perhaps Adagio was right about him. 

Fickle people are as voluble as women, who are as voluble as the sky of autumn.

When he snapped back from his illusion of an innocent and pure Bon Bon, he looked to her right and there was a light purple girl wearing her usual nerdy glasses, hair messy, and her clothes were plain and simple. The rest of the group noticed them and greeted them warmly, smiles and good vibes reigning on the spot. Nitpick was looking at her dubious, curious, and amazed. When purple girl stood in front of him, Twilight Sparkle said, “Hi, Nitpick!”

“What the…” He mumbled.

“Ready to have some fun?” She exerted an aura of vibrancy.

“Yeah.”

…. ….

Inside Happy Sweet House, one of the most popular breakfast diners in Ponyville.

“These sandwich taste so good!”

“I’m glad you like it, Twilight!” Lyra said.

“Indeed, Twilight. I’m surprised that you didn’t ask for cheese in the stuff.” Nitpick commented with a gentle smile.

“It taste better like this, right?”

“Right.”

“So what are we going to do next, Lyra?”

“First we’ll do some shopping in the Chocoratte Plaza! There are some things that we need to buy for our planned activities!”

“Please elaborate.” 

“Don’t worry, Octavia. Nothing fancy or outrageous! Thunderbass, can you take us there?”

“That’s what the van is for. My old bro was surprisingly kind to lent me his ride.”

“Oh, siblings always help each other!” Bon Bon said sarcastically. “What did he want from you?”

“Take him to the city and clean his drums. It took me all night to do so. It was worth it, though. Now I’ll get to use it all weekend!”

“That’s sounds nice!”

“Yeah! So, any of you want dessert? Octavia, do you want a parfait? My treat!”

“No thanks, Thunderbass. I’m full and I rather be light by the time we hit the arcades. There is a certain game… I want to play badly against someone again.”

“Cool! What game?” Soarin asked.

Melody’s cheeks got a subtle shade of red. “…Whack-the-mole.”

Lyra giggled. “Really? I never thought you would like that one!”

“I played with Bittersweet last time. It was fun… and exhilarating.” She clenched her fist.

“Yeah… I’ll win this time.”

“I don’t think so, but good luck, nonetheless.” She politely said with a challenger aura.

“It smells burnt around here!” Bon Bon patted Nitpick’s shoulder. “I also wish you luck when we face each other again, Boss.”

“Shut up…” He hissed.

“That sounds fun to me!”

“Isn’t it, Twilight?” Lyra gave her a big smile. “Come on, everyone! Let’s finish breakfast and enjoy our day of leisure!”

They cheered to that, and their plates were emptied eventually.

…. ….

Inside one of the sport stores in the Chocoratte Plaza… 

“So, what are we going to buy?”

“Gloves!”

“What for?”

“Have you ever played bowling before?”

“Not really.”

“Then I’m pleased to be your first! The guys have always been nice with us and I planned to buy the gear for them as a little gift!”

“You always plan the sweetest things, Lyra! And… I like the idea!”

“I know, right? Sometimes it’s a mystery how Bon Bon deals with me!”

“It’s more of a pleasure, really. You really take me to experiences that I will treasure for years!”

She blushed reddish with a wide grin. “S-so, what glove size would you be?” She took a pretty set of dark purple gloves for Melody to try out. It fitted her hands perfectly. “Medium size you are. What about you, Bon Bon?”

“Already found mine and yours!” She showed her a beautiful pair of matching gloves. “Like them?”

“Love-Love-Love them so much! And for Twilight… you have been really quiet today. It’s something wrong?”

“Oh no, it’s just that seeing your interactions warms my heart! You are really friendly to each other!”

“That’s right! CHS has one of the friendliest bunch you will ever meet in the state! All thanks to your… cousin’s efforts!”
Bon Bon looked at her best friend with a very subtle glimpse of suspicion. 

“Tell me, Twilight. I’m curious about something. Nit-Nit told Bon Bon that you wouldn’t come today with us because you had a family party. What made you change your mind?”

“Oh, the party starts way later so I decided to spend time with all of you… if that’s ok with you!”

“But of course that‘s ok with us!” She gave her a pair of small sized pink gloves. They fitted perfectly on her hands and she loved them as well. “Let’s have a blast today! Now, Tav-Tav, what glove size do you think is for Thunderbass?”

“I don’t know, perhaps large.”

“Are you sure? I think he is extra-large size!”

“Doubtful, Lyra. I challenged him to an arm wrestling game last year and his hand was large size indeed, barely bigger than mine… He was pathetic.” She whispered to herself.

“Really? Large size it is.” She chose a deep blue set. “What about Soarin?”

“Large size.”

Lyra looked at Melody with skepticism at how fast she answered. “Are you sure?”

“Definitely. He told me about it when we finished a music session some time ago. Spitfire, being the obvious, undisputable strategist she is-” Bon Bon detected sarcasm and giggled to herself. “-told him to try being a goal keeper. It didn’t work.”

“Then large it is! What about Nit-Nit?”

“He definitely is extra-large! I overheard Gilda talking about their time of fencing sparring or something with Prince Blueblood and complaining that their gauntlets were too small. Mmm… I believe these are nice for him!”

“What do you think, Twilight? Are these grey gloves suited for him? As one of his close friends, you should know!”

“I believe they will look nice on him!” Twilight smiled with a bit of reluctance. Thousands of variables traveling on her head as she realized that she didn’t studied him well enough.

“Or maybe…” Luckily, Bon Bon gave her some help. “He is wearing his favorite Tac-Shirt. I believe the black ones will combine better with the grey of his outfit. You know, make contrast with the white of his t-shirt.”

“That definitely sounds more logical! Rarity would agree as well!”

“I knew you would say that, Twilight! Then our shopping is over! Let’s go pay these and join the guys. I can see that they’re dead tired already.”

The girls looked through the window and small, innocent grins appeared on their faces when they spotted the guys. Thunderbass was asleep with a tired face and his hands lazily put on his side pockets, Soarin was napping blissfully with his head hanging on the upper cap of the bench, and Nitpick’s arms were crossed, his face looking down and giving the impression that he didn’t even know what was human interaction.

The girls paid for their presents and bought some juices to share with them.

…. ….

Steven Magnet was always delighted to receive customers to his bowling center. More delighted was when people arrived at the opening hour at eleven in the morning. Since there was seven people and only two teams could be formed, he decided that the four girls would be team one and the team of boys would take turns on who would make the fourth shot in each session.

As he prepared the tables and machinery that his first clients of the day would use, he arranged once again his flamboyant hair and mustache. Steven’s charisma filled the air with intensity and good juju, traits necessary for the smalls competitions all his clients came up with from time to time. The last one he helped realize was to help Flash Sentry in his quest to get closer to Twilight Sparkle, plan that Thunderbass remembered bitterly as he put his designated shoes.

As he looked at the Scientist’s Impostor, believing that she was indeed the real deal from this world, he couldn’t help but feel pity for her. A pity and shame that such endearing teenager was caught in a selfish but inescapable struggle of feelings that his friend had. It seemed like ages since he and Flash were driving on a car, singing songs of youth and wild dreams. But at the same time, he grow weary of that style, wanting to try something fresh. Something different.

Something that made him feel new.

Flash and he slowly drifted apart in style… and maturity. But, he didn’t want to think any more of it for the moment. As he looked at the gloves that Octavia Melody gifted him, he found himself smiling on the inside, wearing them proudly without hesitation. Part of him wished to talk with Lyra on her own, see if there was any opening he could try out to get closer to her crush. 

But Thunderbass was more down-to-earth than his friend, coming to the conclusion that playing nice and simple would be ideal, while giving small, subtle advances on her. After all, what woman could love a man that gained her friendship, only to realize that her supposed ‘friend’ wished something else from her all along? 

He took the ball with his gloves well put and made the first strike of the morning.

“Hehehe. Beat that, Heartstring.”

As for Lyra Heartstring, after responding in kind with a giggle to his declaration of war, she quickly got ready at the same time as her friend. She looked at her companions of fun and wished for all of them that a good time could be achieved today and forever. The Golden-Eyed Girl wasn’t as energetic or charismatic as Pinkie Pie, but some people liked a more lay-down ambient, traits that worked charms for her. 

When she looked at Octavia applauding sweetly at Thunderbass’ efforts, she wished for both to find happiness in any way they could. And even if fate deemed that they weren’t made for each other, she was willing to try and help them as best as she could. After all, good deeds are repaid in kind, and Lyra hoped for… wished for someone in the sky to notice them and grant her the wish that she desired and deserved. She looked at the Princess, and just gave her a gentle smile. After all, she was here for the fun.

But it wasn’t the time to think on trivialities. She stood up with fire in her eyes and launched the ball like a missile to the pins, marking the first strike for her team.

“HA! Almost too easy! It’s your turn, Soarin!”

“I’ll give it my best shot!”

Soarin could be considered the calmest member of the bunch, barely getting angry at anything and being a voice of tranquility to those willingly to listen. He was enjoying the company of the people surrounding him, perhaps a bit too much. But… that wasn’t a bad thing at all. It’s been a while since he just… had fun doing something. He never played bowling before, and his first shot was a testament to it, barely pushing down 3 pins. But nobody on his team gave him the bad eye or made him lesser. On the contrary, they motivated him to make a comeback.

It seemed like years since someone just pushed him forward without forcing him to do so. In the morning, before he joined the group, part of him was feeling guilty at the thought of forsaking team training before the big gaming of tomorrow. More so was his worry to hear Spitfire’s yelling and scolding for doing so. But those feelings slowly faded away as the minutes passed, having enjoyed his breakfast, receiving a nice little present from the girls, and now, trying to put down more pins for the team. He launched the ball and he managed to score eleven pins in total. The girls clapped vividly, and the guys gave him two friendly thumbs up. 

Perhaps Bon Bon was right during their last conversation. Perhaps it was time to make new friends.

“That was a fantastic effort!”

“Thanks, Octavia! Here, it’s your turn!”

As Soarin delicately passed her the ball, Octavia Melody’s heart jumped sky high. She managed to control her feelings as her crush smiled to her and sat down on his seat. As she stood in front of the lane, Steven changed the music to something smoother. Octavia soon fell in a deep pit of melancholy… and longing memories. Techno music wasn’t her style to choose when creating music, but she came to appreciate the different kind of results and sounds that the art could produce. Vinyl Scratch, for the better or worse, became her source of inspiration during her most rosy experiences and darkest moments.

A big part of herself wished for her friend to throw away her projects and perhaps create a bizarre but entertaining piece of music together. But Octavia Melody was too proud, and too self-aware, to ever make such demands. It was so easy in paper, really. All she needed to do was ask her for the chance to make something like that a reality, and Vinyl would definitely say yes. The problem was the Rainbooms themselves. Her friend would suggest to make a collaboration with them since she has developed a partnership with the group, and most of her efforts have been focused on the Magical Girls of the school.

The fear that she would be an afterthought frightened her. After all, Vinyl was her only friend after the club of jazz was disbanded thanks to Sunset’s fiasco many years ago. That name filled her with an uncharacteristic rage for someone as calm, elegant, and well-spoken as her. Or maybe it was jealously that the person that gave her such a bad time now was hanging out with her best friend like if nothing happened.

No… deep inside, Octavia knew that the real answer was something far worse. It was something that she needed to end. And the answer to eradicate, to destroy, to erase that negativity in her spirit, was something that Bon Bon told her a little while ago. Vinyl has been her only friend all these years… 

So maybe... 

With a gentle touch, the ball rolled on the lane and struck down seven pins. She got excited when the people behind her chanted encouragement to her, and her second attempt resulted on all twelve pins struck down.

“I DID IT! OH, I DID IT!! I mean… It’s your turn, Bittersweet.”

“Already? Damn.”

As for Nitpick… he was still unsettled by his lack of sleep, barely controlling his bad temper. The screams of the women that perturbed his deep sleep were going to pay. He didn’t know who they were, and he didn’t care… but he will find them, and he will kill them. He finally launched the ball and performed a slow strike.

“Hehehe! I haven’t lost my touch! So… Twilight! It’s your turn! I hope you remember ALL that I have taught you so far!”

“O-of course I do! Watch and learn!”

The thing that Princess Twilight didn’t want to happen came to be. She was hopeful that Bon Bon would work her hardest to avoid this kind of situations. Her failing was that she lost herself so much during the nice and fun talks she had until know that she lowered her guard horrible. She was lucky to have eaten in a human fashion correctly, part of it was for her food to be easy to eat with hands, but sports? Totally different.

She did a bit of progress on her quest of Friendship by realizing that everyone just had bad days recently. All of them were moody and somber in very tiny lapses when talking about certain activities regarding Sunset. Perhaps her student was overlooking something that she may be able to grasp during her time with them. For now, she tried her best to imitate Lyra and Thunderbass’ movements, and with the luck of the ancient ponies of Equestria, she managed to make a miraculous - never again to be repeated - strike.

“YES!”

“Well done!” Bon Bon clapped. “So, who will make the fourth shot in your team, Thunderbass?”

The Acoustic Guitarist gave her a confident, contained laugh. “We will decide the fate of our team with the only possible solution.”

“Rock-Paper-Scissor?” Soarin asked.

“Exactly!” The trio played the game three times and the winner was decided. “Don’t screw up, Bittersweet!”

“Not again.” He said with laziness. He launched the ball and took down eleven pins. In his second attempt, the ball was this close to strike down the last one but it fell to the hole. “Damn, that was close.”

“Good! It’s my turn now, Boss!”

“Shut up the fuck, Bon Bon. We aren’t in school.”

“So cruel! So mean! Why you always treat me like this!?” She acted in a funny way for the group, making them laugh and have a good time.

“Because teasing you is my only way to show you that I have a big crush on you and I love your slender, athletic legs! Let me sleep on them later because they look comfy as hell! If Lyra gives me grapes while at it, the better!”

Bon Bon flinched furiously as most of the group exploded in laughter when seeing her reddish face. She quickly gave Bittersweet a vengeful glare, and he returned it with a grin full of mockery. After thinking multiple ways of murdering Thunderbass on his sleep for poisoning their minds with the idea of a romance, and quickly coming to her senses that she mustn’t do it, she meditated internally fast enough to walk straight to the lane and obliterate the pins with a single, swift and savage canon ball. Her team was winning, but it left a bitter taste on her mouth. 

Princess Twilight noted her anger. At last, she was doing some real progress, and thankfully it was an easy problem to solve... on her point of view. Perhaps the guy didn’t realize how that kind of jokes could harm people’s feelings, especially for females. After all, love is a picky subject. There was a catch, though. The Princess of Friendship didn’t knew the whole story from HER perspective, unknowingly walking to a sweet, silent trap.

…. ….

After finishing the competition, they went to the arcades of the Maximus Plaza in the city, hundreds of games to choose from. Reem Oakwood and Arbelth Blueblood were the first Crystal Students to join with the group. She hugged her beloved first, and greeted the rest with a curtsey and a short, pleasant smile. The rest returned the greeting in kind.

Arbelth on the other hand just shook his friend’s hand and greeted the rest with a simple, “Good afternoon, fair citizens.” Now used to his weird demeanor, the CHS gang returned the gesture politely. Princess Twilight quickly assumed that this Blueblood was the same as his counterpart, except for one difference. 

She didn’t remember that her world’s version had a sister. When Sunset mentioned it to her, she searched on the castle’s archives and Prince Blueblood was the sole offspring from the Royal Family. Perhaps it was another difference in her world from this… it didn’t remove from her the feeling that something was different, and wrong, with Reem. It was strange, but terribly familiar.

Before she could start asking questions, a well-dressed man came to them in a delighted manner. He was the owner of the local and was checking his installations that afternoon, but when his eye caught their particular group, he quickly recognized the daughter of the Oakwood Lineage, much to Reem’s discreet dismay and her brother’s indignation of being ignored. Her mother’s company makes thousands of useful products for different areas and Mr. Sharpbronze was a loyal customer from her Electrical Necessities branch, having bought the emergency power generator for his business with a pleasant discount last year. Device that saved his business three times during its service.

In return for such generous gesture and excellent customer service, he asked his employee to give to each of them a Gold Card Membership with an expiration date of three years, granting them access to the most popular areas without having to wait in line, and a generous discount of thirty percent in the buy of currency. 

Reem put her hands  behind her like a lady and clenched her fist with fury as she was smiling widely to Mr. Sharpbronze. Her brother on the other hand was mostly pleased that their status granted them things that they mostly deserved. Mindful, nevertheless, he paid for two extra cards for Gilda and Sugarcoat, not wanting to leave them behind in their eventual coming.

After the sir was gone. “But…” Princess Twilight spoke with a clear voice. “We should at least give him something in return! Perhaps buy something at full price!”

“That is a magnificent, wonderful idea, Miss! Rosaline! Buy whatever snacks you wish to eat for you and the rest of the maids and butlers!”

“Of course, My Lady! Thank you!” The maid said with dreamy eyes, looking straight to the chocolate bear on the stand.

“But Sis-!”

“Silence, we should not abuse our status in little things like this. Father gave your monthly income today, did he not?”

“Whatever. I’ll buy us snacks as well.”

It was a slow burn, but eventually the fun rose to the sky. All of them shifted partners to spice things up on each game they played. Even the annoying Blueblood found entertainment in the crane machines and competing against Lyra in a game of ping pong. Surprisingly to her, she was losing ever single match, making her competitive spirit burn her eyes into tiny suns. The Prince being too used to sports that required finesse, and his body strengthened with Gilda’s gruesome tortures, didn’t feel the pressure in Lyra’s attacks.

Bon Bon was having too much fun crushing Bittersweet's pride to the point of almost making him feel like trash. She wanted to mess with him so badly after the humiliation of earlier, and she laughed with a tint of rose at that idea. Maybe she lost herself in the moment, but physical contact between the two increased significantly. That could have led to something more intimate if the former wasn’t focused on exacting revenge and the later trying to formulate a plan to win at something.

Fate may have deemed that it was for the best to never develop something more with them.

Soarin, Thunderbass, and Octavia were playing Whack-the-mole and lost themselves in the lust for victory, leaving behind any personal preference they had. To their surprise, and humiliation, Octavia was crushing them down, forcing the boys to team up and defeat her… Their struggles and efforts were pointless, though, as her pretty but overwhelming laughter of victory echoed inside their heads.

As for Princess Twilight, her turn to play the games came when Reem offered her to play air hockey. At first, they both were terribly pathetic, but after getting used to the motions of the disc, they got better at it. The Princess was losing many times fold thanks to her lack of control on her still alien hands, but that didn’t put her down. She instead fought back every time that Reem gave her words of encouragement in each round. 

Then the others joined them and played against Twilight, Bon Bon’s suggestion. The Princess couldn’t help but enjoy her time with them as each adversary gave her a fair fight… except for Blueblood, who crushed her to a pulp. The ambient was lovely, fun, delightful, and Bon Bon waited so long for this moment. Eventually they went to another game, and another, and another, even Gilda and Sugarcoat finally made their appearance, giving Reem an excuse to film the fun they were having with the HD custom camera that her mother gifted in her birthday.

Bon Bon sent to the real Twilight Sparkle several photos of Princess Twilight and company having a blast of a time, making sure that the one with Nitpick was the cutest of all… She had a big, dark grin on her face when she pressed the send button. 

…. ….

Since eight in the morning, the Scientist Twilight Sparkle has been going from here to there, buying tons of stuff for the big party that her family planned for the day. From the indispensable vegetables to the most colorful sweets, shopping with her Mom and Cadence and aunties and grannies was immensely fun and wild, at least for them. Her Dad, uncles, granddads and elder cousins were buying the macho stuff like meats, charcoals, woods, and figuring out what kind of sauce they’ll prepare and use for the big day.

It was a sad thing for her that Shining Armor couldn’t assist because his military duties and studies demanded his presence, but he was sure to sent her younger sister a message that he would give her a big surprise in the coming days. Twilight will have to live without her brother during the party, and that would feel awkward for her. At least Cadence was there, and that was great enough for the young teenager.

The ladies prepared the salads, the sandwiches, juices, and created succulent pieces of sweets for the evening. One of her grannies was teaching her how to make a fruit punch with an explosive and refreshing flavor, the other taught her to prepare the meals they were making in a homely way. One of her aunties joked about that those lessons were for conquering a man’s heart, making Twilight blush in agony.

Cadence wasn’t any better, teasing her future sister-in-law with pinches on her cheeks, much to her embarrassment. Other auntie suggested her niece to be careful of wolves, giving echo to what Cadence said not long ago after Flash’s incident. At any rate, they all came to the conclusion that their beloved, little Twilight would become a beautiful woman like her mother… Perhaps even more so, and told her to be selective withe men.

Twilight just expressed, “Arrrrghhh.” And her family laughed at that innocence. 

Sometime later, the clock marked five in the evening, three hours away for the party to start. All her family returned to their homes to get dressed for the big night, Twilight being the first to take a shower and refresh herself on her home. Her loyal assistant, Spike, enjoyed his time watching any documental that his master had in her laptop while he waited for her return. As she entered the room and put her a large, fresh cotton blouse, Spike walked to her feet and caressed her leg with his face. 

Twilight sat on her knees and patted his head. “Did you miss me?”

“A lot! But I wasn’t bored thanks to all the videos I saw on your laptop!”

“You can use it any time as long as you don’t do bad things with it!”

“Thanks! Oh, right! You received tons of messages! Your phone wouldn’t stop ringing for one full minute!”

“Oh, I knew I had forgotten it here! It must be Sunset and the girls. Perhaps they are asking me to go to the slumber party of tonight.”

“Will we go?”

“I don’t know, Spike… You know.”

“Yeah… but they are good people, right? I know our other us want to be our friends! Isn’t that what the Magic of Friendship is all about?”

The Scientist breathed deeply and then gave him a little smile. “You’re right, my assistant. We won’t get anywhere if I start questioning Sunset’s intentions! She knows what she is doing and… perhaps it’s not that bad as I think it is! Maybe… maybe becoming friends with my other self could be fun!” 

“Yeah! It will be fun!”

She picked up her phone and opened the messenger “I’ll tell her right a- … ...!”

“…Twilight? Twilight, what’s wrong?”

Dusk and cold arrived at Twilight’s footsteps as she saw the photos that were sent to her. She was there, laughing with the people she has known so far. She was there, enjoying life with the people she has made a connection with so far. She was there, hugging her best male friend with an energetic face and being raised to the sky like a princess.

She was there… but it was not her.

The Scientist quickly dialed to Bon Bon, and thank goodness when she answered the call immediately.

“Hello, Twilight.”

“Bon Bon? Where are you?”

“What do you mean where I am? I’m already on my way home! I just left Lyra on her home sound and safely! Did you receive the pictures by the way?”

“Yeah, about that, I, well, I don’t know what to say, somethingisterriblywrongand…” She gasped for air, trying to clear her throat and keep talking.

“Slow down, Twilight! Tell me what’s wrong!” She made a short pause. “You can trust me!”

…. ….

They were on the parks of the suburbs, that’s what Bon Bon said. She didn’t know why her otherworldly persona tried to impersonate her and at that moment she didn’t care. The only thing that hammering her mind was the idea that something horrible would happen for her.

She was Twilight Sparkle, born in the Capital City of Equestria and raised in Crystal State, student of Canterlot High School in Ponyville. They may have similar origins, similar antics, similar bodies, but there was one thing she certainly had that her otherworldly self didn’t.

“Nitty, where are you!?” 

Running like if her life depended of it, Twilight tried to increase her speed, but she quickly became tired for the exhaustion of that day's activities. She received a quick message from Bon Bon with vital information for her. Thank goodness that she volunteered to help with the search of the Impostor. The park she was going to was the one where her helper believed both were. A desperate, powerful surge of energy rushed from the deepest both of her heart and she reached speeds abnormal for her.

She arrived to the park… and her world came to a halt. 

Expectations had a tricky meaning. It was a word that was simple in significance, complex in the life of the people. More than anything else, that strong belief that something will happen in the future is welcomed by some, terrifying for others. It’s a little pressure that slowly turns into your world when you allow it to dominate your ideas, your strength, your passions.

Your life.

Kneeling in front of her doppelganger and caressing her hand like a lover would do to her beloved, Nitpick Bittersweet was looking at Princes Twilight directly at the eyes. The Scientist wasn’t close enough to witness what kind of look the eyes of his friends had, but her counterpart’s were dreamy, cheeks as pink as the arrow of Cupid. She tried to escape from his touch, but he span her body to his. He lowered his leg to match her height, closing his face to hers.



It didn’t take too long for Twilight to walk backwards to the nearest bus stop. She was imagining things. She didn’t see anything. It was simply a product of her imagination playing her a joke of bad taste. It wasn’t happening. It didn’t happen. It couldn’t have happen.

“Liar…” She mumbled.

Her speed movement increased as her vision became blurry and grey. She ended up in a dark alley, no one near her surroundings. Not even the wind was touching her anymore. She laid her forehead on the wall, her hands reaching her pockets.

“Where is it? Where is it!?”

No matter where she searched or where she touched, her Rubik cube wasn’t in her possession. She remembered. It was in her room, inside the skirt that Rarity made exclusively for her. Her fingers felt funny, slowly shaking in front of her sight. The vision of her world turned big, expanding endlessly, her surrounding enlarging to the point of she becoming a tiny dot. What was her purpose in life? To be someone’s shadow? To be an afterthought? To fight harder and harder and realize that her efforts were meaningless? To be an expectation doomed to fail?

To be replaced for someone far better?

Tears felt from her cheeks as her irises diluted, slowly acquiring a darker tint, a black aura engulfing her body. A turbulent sea shook Twilight’s spiritual sanctuary. Each wave was red, with shades of black and dark yellow. A tempest of endless emotions and thoughts darker than the blackest night merged her dreams with her reality. A river of tears with pigments of blood were falling through her shadow. In her surroundings, objects levitated to the sky. Twilight stopped focusing on the wall, and looked below on the dirty floor with seven cracks on the stone. Now eight, then nine...

The place where she stood crumbled.

“She must… That Twilight… That thing must di-…”

Suddenly, she felt a presence touching her hands from behind, then her body was hugged and she felt the softest kiss she has ever had on her neck. She gasped, and her normal persona retook control of her life. Everything coming back to normal. Twilight faced the person who was behind her and it was none other than Bon Bon, with eyes far different from other occasions. They were of a vivid aurora blue, warm as a majestic sun on winter.

…. ….

Bon Bon bought her cup of chocolate and gave it to Twilight’s weakened hands. She made a small bump on the bench and put herself comfortable on her seat, enjoying an ice cream milkshake for her alone.

“Want some?”

“Thanks… but I rather have the chocolate only… Thanks.”

“I’m here for you.” She took a sip of her shake through the straw. “Did you find them?”

She drank from her cup and breathed weakly. “Yes…”

“And?”

“… I saw something I wish I didn’t see.” She sniffed. “I still think… that it didn’t happen.”

“… … Oh.” She put her arm on her shoulder and slowly put her head on chest. “It’s ok, not everything is what it seems to be at first. There must be an explanation to-”

“What is there to explain!?” She burst into tears. “You were right!” She sniffed loudly. “You were r-right all along! P-people lie!” Bon Bon removed her cup from her hands and tenderly made Twilight’s body rest on the bend, her head well placed on her legs. “He told me that he would recognize me from her, that he would differentiate who was who, and he didn’t! He didn’t!!! …It’s not fair! He lied!”

“So they didn’t told you, did they?” Bon Bon said heavily, disappointed.

“W-what do you m-mean?”

Bon Bon told her everything. The planning, the ideas, what Princess Twilight and Sunset wanted to achieve, not leaving anything to the air, not even her involvement. At first, the Scientist was in denial, shaking her head in negation and trying to come with a more logical conclusion. There must be a better reason than that. There must a far better explanation than what she just heard from her.

And then, the owner of the artic eyes asked, “Then why don’t you call her? To be honest, I thought she would tell you before all this happened.”

Not wasting any more time, Twilight dialed up to Sunset’s number. 

“Hey, Sci-Twi! What’s up? Will you come to the slumber party after your family reunion is finished?”

“I don’t know, Sunset… it depends on your answer.”

“…It’s something wrong?”

Twilight made the question without hesitation, and Sunset answered. She said it was for the best, she told her that it was a great idea on paper, she told her that she and Princess Twilight wanted to mend and improve things around the school. Part of Twilight’s brain told her that such idea was the stupidest thing she have ever heard in her entire life… But other part told her that Sunset had the best interest for her, and so did the other Twilight.

Then why? Why did she feel still empty when she forgave her internally? What bothered her deeply wasn’t the act itself, but the way Sunset told her about it. Her voice lacked any remorse or pity, like if what she came up with was truly the best route for them. Then in a casual manner, she asked her again if she was going to assist to the slumber party. Something about wanting to use the Repairing Spell on the diamond from her device.

Twilight just said that she would tell her the answer later and abruptly finished the call, a familiar sensation rushing to her senses, her white and perfect teeth clenching with fury. As she drank all of her cup in one go, she faced Bon Bon, and depression dawned on her again. She asked, “What must I do?”

“First off, you must calm down and chill.”

“How can I do that? Even when her explanation made sense… for her, I still feel… …”

“Betrayed?”

“… Yes…” She said with a somber tone.

“Oh, Twilight… Come here!” The Scientist willingly rested on her chest again. “There are times when people lie or hide truths to make things better in the long run. It doesn’t mean that doing that is the right answer. Truth to be told, those do more harm than good if you are not careful enough. You must know when to lie, when to avoid saying something harmful, when to be direct, and most importantly, when to forgive.”

“Why were you part of this?”

“I didn’t think that she would really do it. I thought they were joking and I fell for the moment, thinking that the other one would show her true colors instead of disguising as you. When I saw her dedication, though, I just did what I thought was right and aided her in whatever she needed. You know, the Princess of Friendship always has a reason to do something here… But seeing you like this makes me regret what I did… Forgive me…”

Twilight smiled when she apologized and hugged her tightly. “At least… you are sorry about it.”

“Of course I am…” She sighed heavily, preparing herself for the next step. “You know, we don’t have the closest bond, you and I, but perhaps we can start over and… be friends, I guess, if you want.”

She was too nice in reality, that was what Twilight thought. In the past, she considered that Bon Bon was just nice with the people she called friends, especially to Lyra, and was mean and cruel to others, giving them cold glares and unfriendly advices. Now, she saw her in a new light, capable of showing regret and compassion to help others. Perhaps she wasn’t one of the wolfs that Blueblood told her to worry about. She was just another lamb trying to find her place in the world.

Just like her.

“I… I think that sounds nice! After all, everybody can start over again… Everybody deserve a second chance!”

“Of course! And I’m glad to hear that from you, Twilight! You and I have so much to learn! And I will teach you what I know, like a good friend would do!” They shared a long hug, the Scientist finding comfort and warm that she desperately needed. She felt nice in her arms. “Don’t worry, I'm sure that what Bittersweet did has a reason to be. Trust me!” She said while caressing her head, kissing her on the forehead and giving her the best smile she could form. “Everything is going to be just fine!”

She returned her smile with a pair of glimmering eyes. "I'm in your care... friend."

Bon Bon’s plan was a success.
> Chapter 95 - Can be deceiving...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mountains of Freshtop town were the greyest that the country of Equestria had in its land. In its base, a seamless river of blue emerald crossed the area, the sun creating tiny dots of crystalline light on its surface.  If you walk close enough to the flora that surrounded the town and its modestly high mountains, you could hear the fauna coexisting peacefully nearby the human settlements.

The town, rustic as it may look, had a competent water and electricity service, more than enough to satisfy its population and visitors. It even had a generous space for tourist who wished to spend quality time near nature, having permitted spots to start a camp fire or the likes. For most youngsters, however, the lack of a reliable internet connection was a bummer to their social needs.

But not for Bon Bon.

It was a beautiful morning, the vegetation brown and red with aromas that could sooth your sense of smell and bore in you a need to fall asleep under the shadow of the comfiest tree you could find. The mountains called her name, urging her to climb them and make her sit on its peak. They were summoning her, wishing for the Owl Lover to stand proudly above them and witness the true beauty that the world can offer.

Such wishes and desires wouldn’t be met for her that day.

When Bon Bon took back Twilight to her house the last day after the Princess Incident, she was greeted by Twilight’s parents, Mrs. Twilight Velvet and Mr. Night Light. They both offered the girl to stay and enjoy the party with her daughter, but Bon Bon politely declined, stating that she had a planned trip to the mountains with her grandmother.

The Sparkle family, including uncles, cousins, and elders, were thrilled with the idea of camping in the mountains instead of partying at Twilight’s home. They even offered the artic eyed girl to take her and her grandmother with them, every single one of them giving her a reason to say yes to the offer… Bon Bon soon was left without options of escape. 

Swift, tidy, and efficient, the whole family packed everything they needed and at eleven in the night they were in their rooms at a cozy motel. Bon Bon had a calm and serene aura during the journey but, deep inside of her heart, was horrified with the driving speed of Mr. Light.

Now at eight in the morning on the most relaxing Sunday yet, as Twilight Sparkle was helping her female family members prepare the mat and plates for the picnic while her male family put the grill and prepared the meat for breakfast, Bon Bon felt like dying of boredom while helping her grandmother unpack the rest of the goods.

“Child, why the long face?” Her grandmother asked with a pleasant tone, a visage calmer than a sea without wind was all that you could see from her. “We should be grateful that Budha has dawned on us kind people that drove us all the way here, saving us money we would have used otherwise on bus tickets.”

“This should have been a trip of leisure, grandma.” The Owl Lover said in defeat. “Oh, I can hear the songs of those beautiful birds sleeping inside their tree nests!”

“We are in a leisure trip, child. We even slept in a comfy motel with a great view on the mountains instead of camping in the forest.”

“Which would have been so much better!” She said a little defiant.

“But you are spending time with people as a compensation.”

“I spend time with people too much in CHS. I only ask of this trip to let me climb challenging mountains.”

“You really inherited my son’s obsession with climbing mountains.”

“That son is my Father, isn’t he? You were the one who taught us to climb ever higher, strive even stronger.”

“There are times where you must rest body and soul, and right now it is the time to do so. Besides… each time we come here, climbing mountains isn’t the only thing you do.” Her grandchild looked with a somber aura to a building far from their position, her motions turning clumsy at the sound of the last words spoken. She then noticed that Twilight’s mother waved her hand at her. “Oh, it seems that Mrs. Sparkle has finished her task. Now go. Join the other child and have fun with her while we prepare the rest. One hour and half you will have if I am right.” She looked at the male members of the family still struggling with which sauce and fuel they would use.

“Climb the mountains with her, you said?” She said with a certain bright on her eyes.

“You can climb a tree, but climbing the mountains with her is forbidden. If something happens to her, you’ll regret it. Now go you must.”

…. ….

On the mountains’ forest, two young girls and a purple puppy were walking on a path of leaves and branches.

“This place is so beautiful!” Twilight said, breathing deeply the fresh air around her. “I have seen these forests on books but seeing the real deal in flesh is far better!”

“Indeed!”

“Bon Bon, I’m curious about your granny.”

“About what, little dog?”

“What’s wrong with her eyes?”

“SPIKE!” Twilight became embarrassed.

“Hehehe! It’s okay. You see, Spike, in this world there are many kinds of ethnicities that makes human beings’ facial traits different. Nipponese people, and some countries of the east as well, have smaller eyes and body complexions. There are exceptions, of course, some men and women can have eyes almost as rounded as the people from the western countries, like here, in Equestria!”

“Oh! So your granny isn’t injured in her eyes!”

“Of course not.”

“Wait a minute, if she is Nipponese, and she is your granny, then why your eyes aren’t small?”

“Spike!”

“It seems that you haven’t teach him stuff other than science related topics, Twilight.”

“More or less.” She giggled awkwardly. “Spike has seen many entry level documentaries recently but none of them were filmed with eastern collaboration. Those are advanced topics for later.” Twilight commented with excitement.

“Yeah… As I told Twilight the other day, my Father is from Nippon, and Mom was born here in Equestria. That’s why I have eyes considered normal in this country. But I could have got smaller eyes if genetics deemed so during my birth process.”

“But sometimes you have these weird eyes in certain angles! Are they normal as well?”

“Mmm…” She rubbed her chin and stopped her pace, eyes looking at the branches covered with leafs that refused to fall with the others. “Maybe they aren’t, Spike.” She said in reflection. “Anyway, let’s go! Your Mom said that breakfast would be served at ten, and it gives me plenty of time to take you on a quick tour. Say, I’m surprised to see a family that wakes up so early to execute their planned picnic effortlessly.”

“My family likes to make things at the appointed hour they agreed to, they say that doing so respects everyone’s time!”

“Then I believe your family and mine will get along just fine.”

“Where are your parents?”

“Father is in Nippon attending his curio shop and Mom is still working in the capital for a hush-hush government agency.”

“The way you said… She must be an evil tax agent, right?”

“That’s right!” Bon Bon answered assertively. “Grandma Leafshard is the old… huh, lady, who lives with me.  My Granddad… you could say he passed away. And my other grandparents died many years ago as well. Don’t worry, I never met them so it doesn’t bothers me at all.”

“Well… It’s so nice to hear that you don’t live alone at least.”

“Oh, but I live alone sometimes. Last month, grandma just came back from her trip to visit the cla… family. Funny enough was that she sent me some medicinal plants through a shipping service but she ended up arriving much earlier than she expected, making her shipment hiring entirely unnecessary.”

“At least she didn’t have to bring more luggage with her during the trip back here.”

“You actually make a good case. Oh, here it is.”

Twilight and Spike were marveled when they saw the river up-close. Mountain rosefish were swimming and jumping through the water body, dancing with the rest of the pack like an aquatic spectacle from a marine zoo. But it was a work of nature itself, making the moment even more special. Twilight filmed a short video with her cellphone.

Bon Bon crossed the river, and Twilight looked at how she easily walked through it, like if water was nonexistent to her. The Owl Lover told her that the secret was carefully looking on the surface for any stable rock body she could find. The Scientist, having a good eye in analyzing something that interested her, found the path that Bon Bon used and carefully walked on it. Unlike the artic eyed girl, however, she was clumsy and slow.

At least she didn’t get herself too wet to be concerned about getting a cold.

“That was fun.” The Scientist said, satisfied with her little feat of strength.

“Indeed it was.” Bon Bon said with a pleased smile. “Let’s get going.”

“You know… I wish we could go camping with the rest of the guys! It would be nice to do many things like this!”

“Then you should go to Greenroads Town. It’s another pretty place where people go to camp, and if you think that Freshtop is a mountain town, oh boy, that place is practically a true town in a mountain forest.”

“Ah, I’ve heard of that place before! Isn’t where Camp Everfree is located?”

“Yes, Camp Everfree is around four hours ahead of here, to the east, seven hours away of Ponyville by bus. Five or less by car. I overheard from Principal Celestia a few days ago that maybe we’ll have a winter camp there. Something about the owners of the camp trying to make extra activities besides their traditional summer camps.”

“Sounds like fun!”

“Indeed, there is a lake where you can fish legally in certain months, vast landscapes full of foliage with tall and robust trees, and Owls! Beautiful, majestic, and gorgeous Owls!”

“You like owls?”

“I love them! In these very mountains exist the prideful Great Horned Owls! It’s a species that love forests like this one, but you can also find them in some desserts and tropic areas, depending on the season! They are large, have golden-yellowed eyes, with a particular song that sounds like-!”

‘Hoo-h’Hooooo’

“Did you hear that?” Spike’s ears rose high. “It came from behind.”

The artic eyed girl rushed to the noise’s direction with excitement and put herself on her knees when she found a peculiar tree. Twilight followed, but Bon Bon made a hand gesture to be quiet on her approach. When she was beside her walking companion, she sat near her, Spike soon followed.

“Look over there.” Bon Bon whispered. “That’s a nest of the owls I was talking about. Look at how that particular owl is scouting around. Normally, they are nocturnal birds, hunting during dusk little mammals like mice, and from time to time… others owls… such a tragic faith.” She said with great sorrow. “Unless they are partners, adults rarely, if ever, stick together with other owls, besides migration, of course. Solitary creatures they are.”

“You really know about owls! But say, can you tell me their binomial nomenclature?”

“Bubo virginianus!”

“You really know about owls!”

The Owl Lover welcomed the compliment with a smirk. “Owls of this kind tend to breed during the last weeks of winter and their younglings learn to hunt during autumn. If they’re strong, they’ll survive winter… I hope they become strong fast enough.”

“She looks terrified.” Spike noted. “I can feel it.”

“Probably you can sense and understand what they say because you are a noble animal in the end, your magical abilities must have given you an extra edge besides being able to talk. And you are right, that owl is a she. Males of this species tend to produce deeper hoots or squawks, not to mention that females are a bit larger. Whatever she is stressed about, there’s nothing we can do to help if we don’t know what happened. If only Fluttershy were here… Let’s continue our journey and hope nature smiles upon them.” 

They eventually came across the wall of the mountains, rock structures defiantly facing the trees below them. The artic eyed girl climbed some ledges of the natural structure and sat on the edge of one of them, she then closed her eyes, her breath slowing down. 
A perfect imitation of the song of the male great horned owl echoed across the forest.

‘hoo-h’HOO-hoo-hoo’

In response, a weak, similar song echoed nearby, and soon, an orchestra of squawks and hoots swarmed across the forest. Bon Bon rushed down to the ground and ran to north were the first sounds was heard until she arrived to a small tree. The song was heard again, and she looked around with urgency and stuck her hands inside a ground hole. When she found what she was looking for, she withdrew her hands from the black spot with a puffy owl trembling in fright.

“Owww! What a beautiful juvenile owl you are! You finally tried to leave the nest, little adventurer? What happened to you, cute little thing?” She inspected the owl with overzealous care. The small creature pinched her hands with all the strength he could muster. “Don’t be afraid.” She wasn’t bothered by the attack, still looking on him at anything suspicious. She spotted three nasty but non-fatal wounds on his right side under his wing. “Oh, so you put a big fight against a big wild predator? Did you kill the stupid enemy?”

A big shock-wave of horror was heard on the forest, the critters whistling and mumbling with curiosity.

“What is it, Twilight?” Bon Bon asked casually.

“There is big bird over here!” She babbled breathless. “Oh, poor little thing. W-what happened to… Is that blood!? Ugh…” She almost threw up.

“Twilight! Are you okay!?” Spike ran to her.

Bon Bon looked with pride to the little bird. “You cuuute and mighty little thing!!” She delicately stood up and took Twilight far away from the petty and worthless dead goshawk. As the Scientist’s revulsion disappeared, the Owl Lover was caressing the little creature. “I bet you that this owl belongs to the nest of before. Isn’t he cute!?”

“…Yeah. He looks kinda funny.” 

“Want… to walk him to the tree? He has acknowledge me as an ally and won't hurt us if handled correctly.”

“I would like to.”

“Careful, it’s heavier than he looks and even if he isn’t an adult yet his claw are not to be messed with.”

The Owl Lover put tenderly the ‘little’ nestling in the care of Twilight Sparkle. As she grabbed the winged creature, Twilight’s eyes and his locked in an infinite loop. Something unknown but familiar made a click on her soul, looking at the creature with immense admiration. The owl returned the gesture, confidently strengthen his grip on her hand, carefully avoiding piercing her skin.

The mountain forest sang with a breeze.



“Somehow I feel that I know you since forever…!”

“Hoo-h’hoo.”

“He thinks the same, Twilight!” Spike remarked.

Bon Bon was fascinated. “And his gaze turned livelier. Perhaps this one will survive winter!”

“I’m sure we’ll see each other again… Right?" Twilight petted the noble bird.

“Hoo!”

…. ….

Moments later, at the nest tree.

“There we go.” After placing the fledging on the nest, the father flying back to his pack and joining them inside the hole, Bon Bon fulfilled her self-imposed mission, a satisfactory conclusion that filled her with overwhelming energy. “Another job well done!”

“Wow! You climbed the tree like it was nothing! Wait! Let me take you a quick picture!” She inspected her pockets but her device wasn’t on them. “Oh, no! I dropped my phone!”

“Don’t worry, Twilight! I’ll look for it!” Spike quickly tracked back in search for the phone.

“It would be quicker if I use my phone to make yours ring!” Bon Bon jumped to the ground. “The owl will live if nothing goes south for at least two weeks and that’s all that matters to... What?”

“You just made a seven meters jump!” She was baffled.

“…No! I didn’t do a three meters jump!” Bon Bon said assertively.

“YOU DID A SEVEN METERS JUMP!”

“Let me see your glasses. Oh, aha! Look! They were dirty!” She fogged them and then cleaned them with her shirt. “Now see the tree again! It’s just THREE meters long!”

“It’s seven! This isn’t the first time I measured something without tools!”

“Three it is! Hey, you are sweating! Do you feel tired? Are you thirsty by any chance?”

“A little but don’t change the subject! I know what I saw! Human legs break when falling in heights that surpasses twenty foot or SIX meters long! And you did seven. SEVEN!” Bon Bon had a deadpan expression when she put her hands on the shoulders of the Scientist, slowly approaching her neck. “You must be injured! We should check – Waughgurrr…”

Everything vanished for Twilight Sparkle.

…. ….

A quick, urged gasp was heard in the forest, a swift and forced awakening for the Scientist it was. 

“Twilight, you finally awakened!”

Her head felt dizzy, her throat ached, and arranging her glasses and caressing her forehead felt like moving sturdy iron. “What happened, Spike?”

“You fell asleep while sitting under the shadow of this proud tree, Twilight.” Bon Bon gave to the Scientist her bottle of water. “You walked too much, and although you have a slightly better physical threshold thanks to our school P.E. class, walking and jogging in the mountains is far harder than doing it in a town or a gym. Obviously you became tired.”

“That… makes sense.”

“Besides, did you sleep well during the night?”

“Not really… to be honest.” She flushed a little. “I really was curious to see what’s this about! Daddy was excited to come here!”

“What you remember before passing out?”

“…You jumped from a tree to the ground!”

“Oh, that tree!”

Twilight looked at the tree,  some pairs of glowing eyes could be seen inside a hole. She remembered that there were more but came to the conclusion that the young ones finally went to sleep. She inspected the tree closely and it was just around three or four meters long. 

“I could swear it was bigger! At least twenty two feet long!”

“Perhaps you were too exhausted to make a coherent calculation.” Bon Bon rested her hand on her waist. “The important thing is that the owl is safe and you are alright. Spike even found your phone. You dropped it near the dead squirrel.” She put it on her hands. “Let’s go back! It’s almost breakfast time!”

“…Wait.”

“What is it?”

“I… I want to climb a tree.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to tire more.”

“Yes, I feel fine now… I always wanted to climb a tree, you know? Shining Armor always carried me on his back… and I want to try it myself!”
Bon Bon couldn’t help but smile dimly at her. “Come. I’ll teach you how it’s done! This one looks great for a beginner. Hmm, good branches to support our weight up there as well. Okay, put your hands over there, on the sturdiest bumps you see above your head. Now put your feet right there, don’t be afraid. Now, go up! Yes, that’s it!”

“Uh, I feel like my feet will slip away soon.”

“Only if you lose focus and courage. This tree isn’t that hard to climb because it isn’t completely straight, and even if you fall, I’ll be here to catch you! Now keep going, Twilight!”

The Scientist kept climbing up the tree, but she halted in a certain point. The long, thick branch that was her objective was too far away from her reach. If she tried to pull herself up, she would fall to the ground.

“I can’t reach it!”

“You can do it, Twilight!” Spike cheered.

“Listen to the puppy, you’re almost there! It’s closer to your hand than you imagine! Muster your courage!”

Twilight’s eyes glimmered, finding bravery to continue. “I can do it!” She pushed herself upward. “I will do- Waaaah!”

She fell, but it didn’t hurt. As she opened her eyes, she didn’t see the foliage of the tree upward her head, nor felt the fallen leaves on the ground. She was on Bon Bon’s arms, and that girl was looking like someone different. The artic eyes weren’t there anymore, replaced by shiny blue auroras that resembled her Mother’s own eyes. A wide grin could be seen in Bon Bon’s face, her tooth almost hidden, trying to show itself to the young Twilight Sparkle.

“Well done.” She praised softly. “You almost reached your goal. Want to try again?” Twilight didn’t answered. She just nodded confidently with a blissful face. “Good girl.” Bon Bon finally smiled.

This time, slowly but diligently, Twilight reached the branch and sat on it, a personal milestone that filled her with indescribable satisfaction. Bon Bon soon joined her with Spike firmly held in her right arm, and once she reached Twilight, she put the dog on her lap.

“We can’t see the mountains from here!” 

“I know, Twilight. But… it isn’t that bad at all. Satisfied?”

She blushed and looked down the earth. “A little.”

“This is your own victory. I guided you to reach your goal, but you ended up doing the feat with your own hands. Remember this feeling. If it feels empty, then you did something wrong, morally or physically.”

“That sounds easy enough…”

“Personal achievements are easier than the ones that require people around you. Speaking of people… What happened to the slumber party?”

“Well, since my family decided to come here, there was nothing I could do about it, right?”

“Did you call Sunset back?”

“…Yes.”

“Twilight…”

She sighed with tiresomeness and looked to the light that the trees allowed to pass. “Okay, I didn’t call her. I was angry with her!”

“That wasn’t so hard, wasn’t it?”

Twilight brushed her untied hair, a very weak breeze made it fly for a moment. “It’s not fair…”

“Come on, master! I don’t think that Nitpick could have done something like that! If what you told me yesterday was true, he would have called you by now! Or Sunset would have told you with a message that Princess Twilight had developed a crush with him and told you about it!”

“Because she clearly told me that they were going to do something like that, my loyal assistant!” The Scientist crossed her arms with a shade of indignation.

“But what if Spike is telling you the truth, Twilight? I must confess that our Boss and Master of the Thanksgiving event acted weird during our day of leisure!”

“Pffff, oh please, Master of the event!”

“Was that sarcasm from your part?”

“…Maybe.”

“Heh… hehehe… ”

“Hee hee hee… ”

After a brief silence, they shared a long, innocent, and vivid laugh. At the end of the exchange, Twilight rested her head on her shoulder, eyes almost closed, her body relaxed and caressing Spike’s head.

She felt that she could stay like that for a long time.

“Twilight…” Bon Bon mumbled. 

“Yeah?”

“Blueblood mentioned during the meeting that you read a story for the girl of the orphanage. Meg, was it?”

“Yes. What about it?”

“Read her the story of The Timeless Warrior. The writer that wrote Bluewall made an adaptation of an old Nipponese legend about a woman who gave up her honor for the sake of saving his friends. I’m sure you can find a bit of reflection in that tale and satisfy the imagination of Meg. Don’t worry about the dragon thing the little girl had. Now she wants stories with knights! Ask Reem about the card and she will give it to you! Well, she asked the other one first but you know what I mean.”

“…I’ll think about it but I believe I’ll do it.” 

“Do whatever you desire to do, this task is optional after all. Remember, in the end that will be your choice!”

“Choice, huh? Everything ends up being a choice… I wish doing the right thing was easy.”

“Why do you say that? If every choice you make was the right one, if all could be fixed in an instant, if the world itself could be mended with a snap of our fingers, then what good is having a free will and being able to choose what to do? If life’s answer was magic, then we would be better off being machines, programmed to do no wrong and just live… until we die.”

“Either way, hard work hasn’t given me a reward that I like yet… Everything I do falls short recently.”

“Twilight, and Spike, everything you do has a reward, no matter how minuscule it may be. Every choice you do has a punishment, no matter how minuscule it may be at first. Sometimes there is there is a long term reward, and sometimes you never win. But that’s life, and life is meant to be unfair. And it should be like that.”

“That doesn’t sound that hopeful.”

“No, but life only rewards those who fight for their dreams, no matter the morality compass one may possess. Good, neutral, and evil are subjective. What is black to some, is grey to others. What is white to some, for others is black. Just like what happened yesterday with Princess Twilight disguising herself as you. For her, trying to reinforce friendships is white, but what about you?”

“…I believe it’s black, because they didn’t trust me enough to tell me… They… she could have ruined the friendships I have now with the others... Perhaps she already did.”

“For me is grey. They chose to lie about it and execute their plan, whatever their circumstances were. But their intentions were in the right place, so it’s just perspective.”

“Have you ever done something that you end up regretting? Or… that in the future you’ll regret it?”

An abnormal, strong breeze flew through the forest, Twilight and Spike covering their eyes as the wind subsided. When the forest stopped whispering, Bon Bon just said, “Many times.”

“…”

“Uh, forget what I said. I’m hungry and I say weird stuff because of it.”

Twilight giggled somewhat innocently. “I’m hungry too!”

“I for one I’m starving!” Spike’s stomach growled and he smiled embarrassed.

The girls laughed and Bon Bon quickly climbed down with Spike to the ground, then she instructed Twilight how to get down, thing that was easier to her for some reason. Before they could get out of the forest and join their family for the picnic, Bon Bon faced Twilight and grabbed her hands.

“Twilight, you shouldn’t let what you saw yesterday bother you.”

“Why are you saying that all of the sudden?”

“Because you must believe in what your friends are capable of doing, and I believe…” She shook her head. “I know that he was able to see through the deception! But for now come, and let us eat with the rest!” 

“…Wait.”

“Yes?”

“Why do you love owls so much? If you don’t mind telling me.”

“Because I identify with them so much. And my family has venerated owls for generations, a vigilant animal spirit they are for us. You see, owls aren’t smart like other birds like grey parrots or ravens, but they possess sharp senses, overcoming dangerous situations with survival instincts rather than intelligence. There may be exceptions, of course, and owls with heightened intelligence must exist around the globe.” She chuckled. “I say that I identify with them because my notes on school aren’t the best, but I manage to get decent scores with enough effort.”

“I see. I don’t think you are stupid… I mean, I didn’t want to say that you were stupid or… wait, let me rephrase what I said!”

“Shh! Relax, I know what you meant! Come!”

They walked to the picnic area and noticed that everything was ready. 

“Did you have fun, sweetie?” Mrs. Velvet asked to her daughter.

“Yes, Mom! I climbed a tree!”

“Oh! That’s wonderful! How high?”

“About four meters long! I saw some owls as well and petted one!”

“That’s my daughter! Big brains and good athlete, just like her old timer!” Mr. Light bragged.

“Ehem!”

“Your inherited many good traits from your mother as well!” He quickly added.

“In any case, let’s start our picnic! Silversun, you want some help with the eggs and bacon?”

“Dust Star and I are doing just fine, auntie!”

“You two may have a doctorate in sciences but you are terrible cookers!”

“AUNTIE!” Twilight’s cousins yelled in unison.

“Who was the young man that ruined your granddad’s supper?”

“Dust Star was at fault! I told him to cook it with the low fire setting!” She said.

“Traitorous witch!” He said.

“Now, now!” The granddad said. “At least you are better students than your sweet, little mother!”

“Father! Not in front of the guests!”

“Ohohoho! Young lads, do not worry! I’m not particularly good with modern laundry, and you should see my child’s obsession with mountains! My grandchild here is an horrible cook and an average student at best! She barely knows how to make a simple sandwich!” 

Bon Bon’s cheeks blushed furiously. “GRANDMA!”

“Elders are so unfair!” Dust Star put the cooked meals in plates.

“The young and prosperous should stick together! Right, Twilight?”

“Of course!”

“We better not involve her with anything! Shining will rush here to punish us if we do so! Besides, he has the coolest job ever!”

“Oh come on, Swift Blow! You should stop licking Shinny’s boot once in a while! If I were you, I would-!”

The youngest members of the family sit together after helping their parents and uncles distributing the food. Cadence was near her future parents-in-law and grandma Leafshard, talking about random topics that got them a few long laughs to share. From salads and sandwiches to bacon and chicken, each member chose freely their food of choice. Twilight grabbed salads, eggs and sandwiches, sticking with her semi-vegetarian ideology of not eating meats. Bon Bon on the other hand chose a healthy mix of all. She… enjoyed the chill company of the Scientist’s elder cousins, wishing that at least Lyra was there as well.

In the end, family and friends had a nice time together for a good couple of hours.

Before they prepared to leave the town, Bon Bon separated from the group and went inside a long and quiet cabin from afar. Twilight was going to follow her but grandma Leafshard stopped her, telling her that she should leave her grandchild alone for a moment. 

…. ….

One hour later after arriving to the city around four with eighteen in the afternoon, the Owl Lover and the Scientist roamed around the parks of the suburbs in search for something sweet. Although the morning dessert was good, it wasn’t caramelized enough for Bon Bon’s standards. They ended up sitting in a park, Twilight’s feet finally succumbing to exhaustion.

“My feet hurts!”

“You’ll get used to it, but you should have stayed with Spike in your home. This is why I told you to call it a day.”

“I couldn’t possibly leave you alone…”

“That’s another way to say that you don’t want to be alone and think about what Shimmer will tell you when she calls you eventually.” 
Twilight’s eyed opened widely. “I knew it.”

“…”

“Why are you so scared, Twilight?”

“I don’t want Sunset to be disappointed with me…”

“Why?”

“Because even after what happened… Sunset is my first friend.”

“Being a first is meaningless, what matters is the trust you have with her. Call her.”

“…I’m scared.”

“Call Rainbow Dash instead then. Ask her how she fared on her match of today!”

“Oh no! The match! I promised Rainbow that I would go and watch her win!”

“Heh, Lyra texted and told me the result a while ago.”

“And who won?”

“Call. Sunset.”

“Don’t be cruel with me.”

“I’m not being cruel, I’m just trying to make you more secure. This isn’t a delicate matter or a life-death situation, it’s just a simple phone call. If Sunset answers you in a cold tone, then you will know that you friendship won’t last. Trust, Twilight. Trust in the ones who would trust you with anything.”

After a long, quiet moment of reflection, the Scientist did what she was asked for, fingers trembling and sweat drops falling through her skin.

“She is unavailable , but I’ll call her la-!” Bon Bon respectfully grabbed Twilight’s phone and pushed the call button, when she heard Sunset’s phone dialing, she returned the device to her. “…Sunset?”

“Sci-Twi, hi! Are you doing well?” Sunset asked with a lovely tone, a soft and catchy background music could be heard on her end.

The Scientist was astonished. “Yeah, sort of…”

“I saw the pictures you uploaded to MyStable! That place looked gorgeous! And the people around you were friends?”

“Cousins. Just a few years older than me, and the rest of the family are there in others photos as well. We even took Bon Bon and her granny with us since they were heading to the same town as well.”

“You really look like your mom! Are you still there?”

“I just arrived from there… … … …You aren’t angry with me?”

“Why I should be angry with you?” Sunset’s voice was concerned.

“Because she didn’t come to see my victory!” She overhead Rainbow Dash’s loud voice through the phone.

“You won!? That’s great!”

“Of course we won! We are awe- HEY!”

After a brief commotion, Sunset retook control of her device. “In any case, I’m glad that you had a pleasant time… Say, are you available later? Twilight wants to talk with you about something. And she said that she can only talk about it with you.”

The Scientist’s eyes broadened. “I don’t know… I don’t really know.”

“Oh… I see. Well, if you want to join us, we are in Sugarcube Corner celebrating with the soccer team members. Come if you want.”

“I’ll think about it… Later.” Twilight finished the call and rubbed her face with a bit of stress. “She isn’t angry. She isn’t sorry. What does she think of me!?”

“A friend, but Sunset is not very good at it. Sometimes I think her way of friendship is for people of her world, not here.”

“I can forgive her for that, but the other me is another story! ...Nitty.”

“You know, I believe I know where to enjoy a good sweet.”

“Where?”

“Have you heard of the Dazzles? Lightbulb told me about it and said that the food there is good!”

“Good? It’s incredible! The Dazzle Sisters are so nice with their customers!”

“Then let’s go there!”

…. ….

Bon Bon became bewitched by the harmonious decorations and aromas that The Dazzles’ family restaurant had. The sheer elegance of the barmaids, combined with a welcoming sight coming from them, made her take a seat instinctively.

“This place is nice.” She said to herself while catching one of the gorgeous barmaids that was looking at her. When she noticed her client’s gaze, her face reddened but didn’t lose her prideful aura, sending a kiss to the artic eyed girl, flirting was her main purpose. Bon Bon hid her face for a moment. “Not again.”

“Did you say something?”

“Tell me your recommendations.”

“The cakes are good according to Gilda!”

A young woman subtly walked to her clients.

“Can I take your-? Oh, Twilight! Welcome back!”

“Hi, Adagio! Good to see you again!”

Bon Bon looked at Adagio with an emotionless face, eyes opened wide but relaxed. The owner of the restaurant felt her gaze and both locked their attention to one another. She remembered her face. She recognized her traits. She imagined a red amulet now missing from her neck.

She… just smiled.

“I haven’t see you in school lately.”

“Well, I knew I had seen you before. I decided to make a little business with my sisters. As you can see, it ended up being more profitable.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“Now, what do you wish to order?”

Bon Bon’s phone rang loudly, giving away to her that it was her Grandma. “… … …What did you say!?” Her face became shocked. “I’m on my way.” She finished the call. “Sorry, Twilight. I have to go home.” She withdrew eighteen dollars from her wallet. “Give her this strawberry cake. My treat.”

“As you wish!”

“What if we take the slice of cake with us and eat it together in your house?”

“My house!? Nonononono! Another time, Twilight! Not today! But… yeah, I’ll invite you to my house sooner than you expect! Expect Lyra to join us! And Octavia as well.” She said with a glimpse of truth. “Later!” She disappeared in a hurry, never to be seen again by the Scientist for the rest of the day.

“… So… What do you wish to drink with your cake?”

“A peanut butter ice cream milkshake.”

“We only have two flavors left; vanilla with caramel and pistachio. The sales have been very substantial recently and we ran out of other flavors last morning.”

“Cheeseburger. I’ll settle with vanilla, then.”

“Oh, you will love it!” Sonata Dusk appeared before them besides Aria Blaze.

“You bet she will. My ice cream desserts are far more popular than yours.” She bragged, putting Sonata on edge.

“Nah-ah!”

“They are!”

“No way!”

“Quiet, you two!” Adagio scolded. “You are annoying our customer! Speaking of customers… Say, I thought I would see you with Nitpick and company!”

“Oh, him… yeah. He probably is with the other one!” She said brusquely.

“The other one?” The Siren Leader’s mind quickly reasoned who she was talking about. “Did… something happen?” Adagio asked with curiosity.

Twilight, not knowing that she was dealing all this time with the Sirens who almost beat Sunset and company, trusted Adagio and her sisters with her tale, while omitting the magic world in vain, much to the Dazzlings’ pleasure. As the short tale progressed, the Bartenders enjoyed the failures of their nemesis deep within their mind. Adagio quickly came up with a plan, a brilliant idea to create cracks on the floor of Sunset’s relationships.

Everyone has a moral compass. A point where the line between what’s good and what’s wrong becomes blurry. Adagio Dazzle just needed to push Twilight to her side and slowly bore in her the idea that Sunset Shimmer, her most hated mare in the cosmos, was in fact an hypocrite.
Deception was easy for a creature that fed of strife and corruption like her.

“And that’s all what I saw and know.”

“Oh, how could they do such a terrible thing to you?” 

“So cruel!” Sonata added.

“Not cool!” Aria concluded.

“I don’t think it’s terrible because they did that… But the things they said before is what hurts me the most.”

“What do you mean? You can trust us!”

“Trust us!” Aria and Sonata said in duet.

“When I enrolled to CHS, I was told that I was special, unique, and that I was meant to be helpful to the school. But the more I tried to live up to their hopes and expectations, the more I fell to an endless hole of insecurities. I wasn’t competing really against myself, but against Twilight Sparkle, Princess of the Fall Formal, Heroine of the Battle of the Bands, and now, The Princess of my…” She became silent, an unnatural shadow befalling on her face.

“…I see.” Adagio said a bit uncomfortable, Twilight’s tone filling her with a strange feeling.

“You know, it’s funny if I see it in another way. You said that you were singers, didn’t you? Perhaps you could empathize a little with me in this. One day, lovely people come and say that you were special, and you believed that you could be the star that your new friends wanted you to be, you think that you could soar high in the sky and become the shining light that they wanted to see, only that there was already a shooting star far brighter, smarter, and beautiful than I in their hearts already. They told me and told me that we both were similar but different but equally special, a play of words perhaps but the message was clear, but I came to realize that no matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, I will always be the second one… In the end, I can’t become a shooting star because the truth all along was that I… wasn’t a star to begin with…” 

The store became quiet, and only ghostly whispers were dancing around the table.

There are many things that annoyed Adagio Dazzle. One was stupidity, the perfect example being her sisters when they started a silly discussion in her presence, and the other was empathizing with people outside her silly, bothersome but loved family.

As Twilight finished her last words, an aching memory crawled its way to Adagio’s eyes, replacing her current reality with a memory from the distant past. She wasn’t transformed in a weird creature with cumbersome sticks glued on the floor and walking on the filthy earth. She was instead a prideful Siren, floating on the ground, and even flying when she wished to, all birth gifts she and her sisters possessed. 

Their most remarkable trait were their voices, and soon all transformed into a stage for her. As their band battle against Starlight the Bearded rose on musical heights never met before in Equestria, the trio suddenly were transported to another world, another dimension.

She was defeated, and they weren’t the stars of the show.

A millennia later, a second chance to defeat the inheritors of the magician appeared before them. They were so close, so close to achieve the most needed desire to win. And then, history repeated itself once again, with worse consequences than ever before. Their pride shattered, as their birth amulets were on the ground. 

She wasn’t the star that she and the rest were meant to become for a second time.

Every time she explores her neck, she could swear that her diamond was still in one piece, showing its light prideful and unmatched to the eyes of its admirers. When Twilight asked if she had a sense of empathy towards her, in a way, the answer was yes. And Adagio Dazzle found it sickening… but strangely welcoming. She had ambitions, and she definitely was aware that she has crushed her opposition for the sake of them, but it didn’t mean that there wasn’t a heart or soul within her. After all, her younger sisters were a nuisance when they lost their powers. But she stick with them, because they were all that she had from her old life.

She stick with them, because they were family, and that family was thinking the same thing in a moment of weakness.

Adagio shook her head weakly as she tried to pull herself together. She just needed to use her natural charisma to seduce Twilight to her good side, ruin Sunset Shimmer’s reputation, and she would achieve a victory against her, no matter how small it may be. But, is a small, petty victory enough for the likes of Adagio? Is a short-lived triumph worthy of the Sirens’ reputation?

“No.” Adagio said defiantly.

“…Excuse me?”

“Twilight, sweetheart, you ARE a star! It’s only that you haven’t been polished to shine as you are intended to! My standards won’t allow me to befriend losers who give up that easily! You must not fall!” Adagio’s pupils burned with passion.

“You must be more aggressive and straightforward with what you desire!” Aria’s eyes were burning as she gripped Twilight’s shoulder.

“Some days will be very bad, and you will feel that you are in a trash yard! And we know about trash yards!”

“SONATA!” The sisters yelled.

“And you don’t belong in a trash yard! No way! You must battle like a girly girl would do!” Sonata’s glare was like blazing flames.

“But I don’t-!”

“No buts! Forget about them! They don’t appreciate potential when they see it! They are, how should I say this? Restricting you! Yes! Holding back your real talent!” Adagio said seductively while touching the Scientist’s fair skin, exploring cheeks and chin smoothly. “Your real beauty is not found when people tells you what to do exactly. You could hear suggestions from competent and trustworthy friends like us from time to time but if that doesn’t make you happy, then you are doing something wrong!”

“Bon Bon said something similar in the morning… If it doesn’t feel right, then it’s of not use…” Twilight was starting to rationalize things in her own way.

“Exactly! Winners do what they want, sweetheart. Remember that. Losers just follow others, and become unsightly boot lickers.” The Siren Leader grabbed Twilight’s shirt and pulled her towards her aggressively. “And in my eyes you aren’t meant to be a boot licker, nor nobody’s fool!”

The Scientist was in baffled at her words. But something within her was speaking to her. Something echoed inside her head and told her that Adagio was right. Something… wanted to become much more inside of her.

“You are right! I’m nobody’s fool! I have value! I am somebody!”

“YES, YOU ARE!” The Dazzlings chorused.

“Aria!” Adagio snapped her fingers powerfully, assuming a very imposing position. “Our client wishes her milkshake and cake. Could you kindly please go and bring it to her?”

“Give me a moment, my client, and all will be ready soon!” And she went to the kitchen with newfound motivation.

“As for you, Sonata…!” The front door opened and a familiar young man got inside. “Why you don’t take Twilight to our private restroom and help her wash her hands and face? Premium treatment to our newest friend!” Those words gave a big smirk to the Scientist.

“Come with me, Twilight! We have bubbles!”

“Don’t sputter stupid nonsense to our customer and go quickly!”

“Geez! Don’t yell!”

When both girls disappeared from the scene, Adagio slowly walked towards the man in question. Whether she felt a certain kinship with Twilight or the Scientist summoned her overprotective sisterly instincts, she had a need to have a civilized discussion with Nitpick Bittersweet.

“Hello, my patron. If it isn’t a bother, we need to have a conversation immediately!”

…. ….

A few minutes later.

“Heh… That was… intense!” Twilight said embarrassed.

“What happened in the bubble room, stays in the bubble room!” Sonata winked at her with crimson red cheeks.

“I’m hungry for my dessert now, want to eat it with- Nitty!?”

She stopped when she heard Adagio Dazzle and Nitpick Bittersweet exploding in laughter very close to each other. The Siren Leader’s eyes were swarming with tears of joy as she tried to don’t choke with them. 

Twilight… was extremely confused.

“And they say that I’m cruel! You, sir, are pure evil!”

“Admit it, she deserved it!”

“Indeed she did!”

“Say, is the private room available? The gang wants to eat some good food and we want to use the TV to watch the movie.”

“I have a better idea! We are going to close earlier today since this morning the place almost exploded with clients and we ran out of key ingredients to continue giving a proper service, so why don’t we watch the whole video together? We’ll give you good snacks for free!”

“Are you sure?”

“Dead sure! In fact, I’ll tell my employees to pack things up and close right now! We already called to our providers to bring us more ingredients tomorrow morning so it’ll be quick!” Adagio stood up and walked to the kitchen while Nitpick texted to his friends, but before going inside, she spotted Twilight, only telling her, “We overthought everything, sweetheart!”

The Scientist’s milkshake and cake were in his table, not giving her any options to avoid direct contact with him. To grab them and go to another seat would be very rude, and it may start a heated talk between the two. She decided to sit there and tried to be brave, to be strong and defiant, as many people has told her to do so. But when the moment of truth arose and she sat in front of him, her spirit dwindled, and she became scared again.

It was too hard of a feat for someone of her character.

“Oh! Hey, Midnight! Fucking surprise to see you here!” He said with an overly happy tone.

“Hey there.” She responded dryly.

“What’s wrong? You sound depressed.”

“Perhaps I am depressed.”

“…Did something wrong happen?” Now he was truly concerned, putting aside his phone.

She thought that how he could be so heartless and uncaring to her. After what happened yesterday, how he dared to act like that?

“I had a very bad day yesterday. Well, just a terrible afternoon.”

“Want to tell me what bothers you?”

“No, thank you very much.” She said cuttingly.

“Twilight... Tell me what's wrong.”

“Oh, forget it! … …What did you do yesterday?”

“Well, you know, I hanged up with Lyra and the others, had a pretty awesome time. Messing up with your cousin was, pfffffff, pretty stimulating, to be honest!” He tried so hard to swallow his chuckle.

“Really?” She grew angered. “…So you didn’t miss me?” She mumbled with a tint of discord. “If you enjoyed messing up with my cousin so much, THEN WHY DON’T… you…?” Twilight’s brain came to halt and rebooted to process his words. “Did you say… messing with my cousin!?” 

The main door opened and Gilda Heavensbane rushed to her buddy’s side. “YOU KNOW I DON’T LIKE PRANKS!” 

“Oh, come on! We discussed this since yesterday during  the afternoon, during our sleepover in your home, in the morning during breakfast and every single time I have told you that the little piece of shit deserved it! It was divine punishment, a little payback for her trying to mess with us!”

“Yeah but it doesn’t mean I must like it! Not my style and you know it!” She said with her pride on the line.

“Come here! You know that’s not my way either… but you must admit though that the boxing match was funny!”

“Well… I’ll give you that, and you may be right, asshole.”

“Boxing match!?” Twilight asked confused.

“It was indeed exhilarating.” Reem commented as she, Blueblood and Sugarcoat joined the rest of the gang. “Oh, Miss Twilight! What an unexpected but certainly welcomed turn of events to find you here!” Reem made a curtsey with a blissful voice.

“I must say that the original is far better indeed!” Blueblood tried to give to the Scientist a red rose, only for Reem to put it away on the vase where it came from.

“Sparkle!” Sugarcoat put her hands on her old schoolmate’s arms. “Just when I thought there couldn’t be a more pathetic girl than you, your cousin comes to my life and commits unbelievable stupidities that simply blew my mind away! Congratulations, you are no longer a doormat in my eyes! YOU have been promoted to Doorwoman!”

“Oh, thank you, Sugarcoat!!” She became mesmerized by hearing those words. “I’m so happy to hear… wait… can someone tell me what’s going on?” 

Sonata came out of the kitchen with two big bowls of nachos. “Here are the snacks, everyone!”

“And here are the sodas, and tea for Miss Oakwood.” Reem smiled at Aria’s efforts. “Also, everything is ready for tomorrow morning with the delivery, Adagio!”

“Excellent! I better lock the door and put the sign of closed before we get started!”

“Wait.” Twilight said.

“Where is the TV connector?” Reem withdrew from her bag a very high tech camera recorder.

“Here, let me help you!”

“Moonlight, this is going to be awesome!” Sugarcoat sat down and rubbed her hands.

“Wait!”

“I want to see the arm wrestling match with Bon Bon again to discover her secrets!”

“She obviously is stronger than we imagined, Gily!”

“This is the second time that she beats me! I must find a way to destroy her next time!”

“You sure will crush her next time!”

“WAIT!” Everyone were astonished with Twilight’s yell. “Can someone tell me what’s going on!?”

“Hasn’t your cousin told you what happened yesterday?”

“I haven’t talked with her, Sugarcoat! I’m mad at her for something that she did recently!”

“She disguised as you without your consent, right?” Nitpick asked with a frowned expression.

Twilight just nodded weakly with a bit of surprise. “But how do you know that?”

“Please, it was stupidly obvious! And you see…? YOU SEE, EVERYONE!? I knew we did the right thing!”

“Don’t worry, Miss Twilight! God himself allowed us to punish your cousin’s treachery with swift justice!” Blueblood spoke mightily.

“Why do you not take a seat and watch with us the movie?”

“Movie?”

“Aye!” Reem answered. “A home video of the events of yesterday, by yours truly! And some advanced technological video recordings!”

The Noble started the movie with a swift push of a button. Twilight started consuming her beverage and cake while watching the monitor with newfound thrill.
> Chapter 96 - And troubling Princess Twilight...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Is this thing turned on?” Reem appeared on the screen, the device capturing her clumsy expressions and speech. “My intellectual friend? Is this thing functional?”

“That green light over there? Do you see it? I believe it wants to tell you something!” Sugarcoat spitted with playful mockery.

“I will assume that it is working then.” She put her hand on the side of the camera and held it in a not recommended way.

“Oakwood, are you sure you want to use that device yourself? It’s too technological advanced for your destructive hands. You barely know how to use phones and laptops correctly.”

“Whatever you mean, my intellectual friend.” She started walking in circles filming her friends and maid with an innocent curiosity. “With the risk of sounding egocentric, I am the seventy-two best student on the whole Crystal Prep population by my own hand, branch schools included, and you know it. Do you really think I am that nitwit of a human being to not use properly this device with my current qualifications?” She didn’t notice the small bump on her feet and fell to the ground, the camera sliding harshly through the floor. “…Oh.”

The film made a smooth transition, now Reem and friends were near the snack store. She withdrew from her camera’s bag ten of the same accessory, giving one to each of her friends, the leftovers meant for Blueblood’s maids and butlers. 

“What are these?”

“According to this manual, this advanced HD camera recorder that mother gifted me is the newest invention of Oakwood Company in the cinematographic branch. It has a function that allow us to record from six different shots through shared Wi-Fi technology, the main source being the camera itself of course. Those accessories are like side cameras connected to the main device.”

“That would explain why that thing is bigger than the average crap.” Gilda commented.

“Indeed. As Rosaline serves as our main camerawoman, we shall indulge ourselves in the pleasure of intriguing common fun. When you feel the need to record from your end, press the little button over here. The camera is powerful enough to record all six angles with voices included at the same time… In paper at least, so we need to coordinate our turns along the way!”

“That sounds like a lot of bullshit.” Gilda pressed the button.

“Excellent, what we needed right now! Being guinea pigs for evil corporations and their defective products!”

Reem closed her hands to Sugarcoat’s face, her fingers moving in a shivering manner. “It seems that you want to be blind for the rest of the day!”

“Very funny. Speaking of fun, how much do I owe you for the golden card, Blueblood?”

The Prince’s skin began to rain. “Nothing! It was a gift bestowed by the kind gentleman from this establishment.” He said with elegance.

“Indeed it was, my brother!”

“Are you telling the truth?” Gilda gave them a piercing, inquisitive glare. “I’m not that poor to accept charity.” 

“But of course it was! When have I deceived you before, my mighty friend?”

“Dungeon of References? Sugarcoat’s birthday? My birthday this year!?”

“You will never forget all of those, will you not?” Reem remarked with a pleased grin, eyes particularly vibrant and challenging.

“Forget about that, guys.” Nitpick said. “Don’t you find Twilight weird today?”

“If by weird you refer to her usual demeanor of being an incompetent social fool, then no, I find her perfectly normal, Bittersweet. For now, we should consider joining the other CHS people. We have much to vent today.”

“Little Maiden, these people aren’t that bad.”

“They are our enemies in the end, no matter how nice some of them are.”

“So you are at peace with them in these moments.”

Sugarcoat’s cheeks reddened a bit, her face was stern and prideful, however. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Oakwood.”

“Come on, Sug! Give them a chance and forget the Crystal Prep honor nonsense rivalry and be free like us! Right, Nit?”

The Crystal Champion gave Gilda a twitching glare when walking away towards the CHS group while Blueblood, Rosaline and the other servants were following close behind them. 

“Now, my beloved friend. My most important and cherished beloved friend, may we have a private parley?” 

Reem made a compact hand gesture and turned off her device. Rosaline understood her Master’s signal and focused the camera once again on the rest of her friends, leaving the brownish haired youngsters behind. Soon they joined the CHS teenagers, Lyra being the undeniable leader and guide.

“Ok, everyone! We have still lots of games and fun to choose around here! Oh! Sugarcoat and company, what do you wish to play with us?”

“Whatever makes us relax, Heartstrings. It’s your tour after all.”

“Perfect! Want to play arcade basketball against us?”

“Bring it!” Gilda stepped up to challenge with Sugarcoat as her pal.

Not wasting anytime, the quartet engaged in ardent competition. Both Lyra and Sugarcoat were equals in speed and technique but Gilda was being overrun by Bon Bon’s swift shots on the net. The griffonian was scoring faster than her partner, but the points were turning against her team’s favor. A claxon roared in the machine, marking the victory of the Golden-Artic eyed duo.

“What the hell was that, Heavensbane?”

“What do you mean, stupid slowpoke!? We lost because your feeble skills were puny and shabby!”

“My skills!? I’m an elite student and I don’t make mistakes!”

“Elite student my ass! I scored more than you, numbers don’t lie!”

“If I didn’t know their quirks by now, I would be worried with those two.” Lyra smirked from afar. “Twilight, it’s your turn to play. Why don’t you team up with Blueblood next?”

“Eh, sure!”

“Okay, Soarin! That means we’re team now!”

“You betcha, Thunderbass!”

One minute later, Blueblood’s team lost by a mile. Twilight was doing everything in her power to score as quickly as possible while the noble’s patience was depleting faster like a bird pooping on a red car. Her hands were feeble when trying to grab the balls in a swift manner, her face clearly showing signs of big stress and fright. 

“Miss Twilight, that was the most embarrassing display of skills I have ever seen in my entire life!” Blueblood said with indignation at his defeat.

“Ah… hehehe! I believe it’s not my lucky day!”

“And another thing… Are you fine of your health, Miss?”

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t know how to say this but… your arm movement is unsynchronized and, how should I say? It’s like if you have never held a ball before.”

“Oh, I believe Twilight had a small injury yesterday while doing some things with Sunset! Yeah!” Bon Bon quickly said.

“That’s right! We spent time doing homework and I hurt… my wrist!” She smiled awkwardly while holding her hands.

“Hmph… Well, Sugarcoat indeed said that even your genius had a tendency to do careless actions during middle school.”

“Your silly experiment of compound volatility destroyed various windows back in the day. It was a fortune that we didn’t pay for your stupid disasters and you got out of there unharmed.”

“…Uh!?”

“Well, that was the old Twilight, right guys?” The CHS gang nodded in approval at Bon Bon’s words. She then came to a realization. “Where is Bittersweet and her Highness?”

“That’s a good question.” Gilda remarked as she looked around.

The video transitioned to a point where Reem and Nitpick rejoined the group.

“Sooooo… Twilight! Let me get this straight. You hurt your wrist with Sunset, right?” She just nodded to Nitpick’s question with a serious and worried face. By the surprise of all, however, his face turned tender, soft, and forgiving. “Let me have a look. Give me your hands, Twilight.” She heed to his word. In return, he gave her a delicate massage on her wrists. “It’s a good thing that you have taught me this sort of things, my little Twilight. You should be more careful, honey.”

All but Reem spat their drinks as Nitpick continued his noble act, much to Twilight’s surprise.

“…!?”

“Feeling better now?” He smiled super widely and tender.

“Yeah… I guess.”

“Soarin, Thunderbass, my friends!”

“Look man, you are scaring us!” Thunderbass shivered.

“If we did something wrong, please forgive us!” Soarin expressed.

“Why are you saying that? I’m just feeling great today all of the sudden! My medication must have kicked in at last! Anyway, what about Twilight and I challenge you again at basketball? I’m sure she can win this time!” He winked at her.

“Are you sure, Nitpick? What if her wrist injury gets worse?”

“Relax, I’m sure that won’t happen at all under my supervision! What do you say, Twilight? Want to have more fun with me?”

Dubious, but strangely in the mood, Twilight just said, “Sure!”

…. ….

“Twilight, before we start, let me teach you the basics of basketball! First, unlike real basketball, you mustn’t throw the ball barbarically. Use relatively low strength and do the shots more centered! Watch!” He threw the ball and made a modest score. “Now try it yourself!”

“Ok… here we go!” She tried to emulate his motions, making her body move in a weird manner, missing the nest by a long shot. “No good.”

“What? You were great!”

“As a matter of fact, she was worse than Oakwood.”

“I am a not terrible sportswoman!”

“Shut the up, Sugarcoat! Twilight, you just need to embrace your talent and score! Come on, throw and score! Throw and score!”

He repeated his words in a kind of a humming to the point of making Twilight sing alone the catchy tune. “Throw and score! Throw and score!” Her upper body moved with tint of innocence, then, she threw the ball and scored. “I DID IT!”

“Indeed you have! Come on, high five!”

They completed the act of camaraderie rather cutely. After a few minutes of trial and error, Twilight was confident enough to start the match and one minute of endless barrages later, the game concluded, giving the victory to Soarin and Thunderbass. Twilight seemed to have another kind of victory, however, jumping and spinning around in happiness.

“I scored more than once with these!” She looked at her hands with fascination.

“That’s right, Twilight, honey!” Nitpick hugged her then raised her high from her waist. “You can do everything if you work hard for it!” Her smile was a like star shinning in the sky. “Let’s go to another place, guys!” Nitpick glimmered with radiance, perturbing most of the gang.

…. ….

The group was now walking around the Maximus Plaza. People were traversing through the multitudes, some were viewing the store fronts and checking any novelty while others were filming and taking selfies casually. It was obvious that Gilda, Reem, Soarin, Octavia and Nitpick were suffocating with the amount of people in the vicinity, Bon Bon being more dissimulative of the same problem. They came across an electronic store specialized in computer parts, and Nitpick quickly went inside, soon followed by the rest while giggling at him. 

“Oh, such beauty!” He was admiring the new T7 processor, four times more powerful than the T5 iteration. “If only I could have four hundred bucks right now! My old generation T3 can barely calculate the IA in Payweek 2!”

“I remember that on your first day in CHS you said that you liked tweaking machines, Nit-Nit!”

He blushed a little. “Wow, I didn’t think you would remember that, Lyra. The more powerful the machine, the better! Optimization to the software is important as well… The first time I played Demon’s Dogma in my console and then on pc was a nightmare thanks to the bugs in the former and my older graphic card on the later…” He mumbled a little grumpy. “Oooooh! That’s right!” He assumed an overjoys face. 
“Twilight, come here for a moment!”

“What is it, Nitpick?”

“Look at this! Isn’t that the graphic module you needed for your project?”

Twilight flinched for a second. “I-I think so! Ah, yes! Our library project!”

“Not that one, the other one!”

“The other one!?”

“I see, interesting!” Reem got closer to her, her cheek almost touching hers. “You want to make a three-dimensional projection about time-space scenarios in a hypothetic galaxy like my beloved friend said you did last time?”
Nitpick snapped his fingers in approval. “Yes, Reem, that one!”

“Then what kind of graphic processing card would you recommend me, Miss?”

“…Ah!?”

“Yes! I have longed for a functional personal computer for a while now that may be capable to render advanced processing image for my future videos regarding the necessities of Crystal Prep, and although I may have at my disposal people that could assemble a very powerful computer for me indeed, an expert like you SURELY could give me a second opinion, giving that your brilliant mind and talents are far superior than the average technician! So tell me, which card of these would you recommend for a long lasting computer? I heard that the number of CUDAS and the quality of the GPU unit is important in this choice.”

Twilight was lost in limbo, looking at the hardware with skepticism and doubt. Whatever the reason she was trembling for, two silhouettes at her side were looking at her in marvel; one had a wide grin, making subtle and strange sounds coming from his mouth, and the other just stared at her, the black pupils of the Noble swallowing the confidence of Twilight.

The Impostor wasn’t aware of it.

“I think Twilight can’t give us a proper answer this time!” Bon Bon grabbed Reem’s shoulders. “There are too many options here and the possibilities may be endless!”

“You may indeed be right, Miss Bon Bon! I ask forgiveness for giving you a hard time with such silly question, Miss!”

“No problem! It’s me who should be sorry for not helping you! I’m sure that next time I’ll have a great answer for you!” Her eye twitched a little.

“Excellent, Miss! I can hardly wait for this! Perhaps I should call you later before night falls if you do not mind!”

“Ahahaha, t-today may not be good! When I’m ready, perhaps?”

“I can wait for that!” Reem smiled vibrantly, her eyes had a cold shade of pleasantry.

“Don’t worry, Twilight is a genius and will give you an accurate answer later!” Nitpick said while petting the Impostor’s head, she smiling for the compliment.

…. ….

Inside an extravagant sport store, in front of a plethora of training apparatuses.

“Look at these weights!” Gilda grabbed one of the plates with ease. “Fifteen kilograms is too light for me now.” She said with pride.
Octavia, with sheer curiosity, tried to lift one like Gilda’s. “Pufff… It’s too heavy! My cello is far lighter than this.”

“Never lift what you aren’t used to. Normally a cello shouldn’t weight more than five kilos, that’s why you feel the weight in these.”

“She knows the average weight because she nearly broke mine while touching it.”

“Shut up, you stupid royal asshole! Anyway, Melody, you only carry your cello using it most of your body mass, don’t cha? Using only your arms with a training posture is a different story. If you are interested in lifting, always start with small dumbbells like these ones over here. Go to a good gym and ask about basic techniques if you want to try it.”

“Thanks for the information, I may try it someday.” Melody nodded with a welcoming face.

“Wow! Sparkle! Come over here!”

“Yes?”

“Ok, look! These are the jumping ropes I recommended you last time! Buy it if you can now!”

“Ah… I don’t have enough money to buy it right now, and… I don’t know if I could really use this well!”

“If you want to try one of the equipment you are interested in, this store has a demonstration area where they lend you most of the small merchandise they sell here!” Soarin said. “That way you can test it before you buy it on your next visit!” He smiled.
Twilight was sweating buckets with a twisted, fearful smile. 

…. ….

In the demo area, one of the clerks of the store lent Twilight a beaten but functional quality rope. Gilda took it for a moment and jumped with it rather gracefully, slow enough for her non-official pupil to watch her technique. Gilda made the Scientist’s Impostor take the rope and doubtful, she jumped.

It was a miserable demonstration of her skills.

“Sparkle, what’s wrong with you? It’s like you have never jumped before! Not even Reem is that bad!”

“Am I that terrible?” Reem said now doubtful.

“Perhaps she’s just tired of all this walking and fun! After all, Twilight has always been more of a brainpower girl than an athlete!”

“You must be wrong! I know that Twilight has moves, girl! She can get pretty savage when angered!”

“I what!?”

“It’s true, I have almost forgotten about that tale of yours.” Sugarcoat commented. “I have to say that I’m really intrigued about your hidden fighting powers, if it in fact exists.” 

Gilda shared to her public what happened on her end last time. Unsurprisingly, some were skeptic about her tale.

“You must have been dead tired that evening.” Bon Bon commented a bit unfomfortable. “There is no way that she could have done something like that, right guys!?” The CHS group nodded in agreement.

Nitpick patted the Impostor’s shoulder with a sweet smirk. “Then why don’t we prove it now?”

“That sounds fantastic! She is the prodigious Twilight Sparkle after all! I am sure she can overcome this insignificant challenge!” Reem said with assertiveness, her palms clapping once.

With a bit of secrecy, Blueblood whispered quickly to Reem, “I don’t know what’s going but this is going too far!”

“Trust me, my people!” She replied with a normal volume, her friends noticing the urge in her tone.

“Excuse me!?” Lyra’s eyes were wide opened at her. “No! She won’t do this madness!”

…. ….

On the gym next door, near a sparring boxing ring.

“I can’t believe you convinced me to allow it, Nit-Nit!”

“Oh, come on, Lyra! Twilight will be fine, it’s just a little spar! Hon, are you ready!?” 

From the dressers, the Impostor, Bon Bon and Gilda came out dressed in sport gear, courtesy of Prince Blueblood. The former sported a very cutely looking green long shirt and protective eyewear that had in them progressive lenses. As for the two other girls, they wore very casual grey pants and shirts. Twilight went ahead and rendezvoused with the others, walking like if she was blind, while the last two fighters were taking their sweet time alone.

“So… I can finally have my rematch against you.” Bon Bon didn’t say a word at Gilda as they slowly walked to the ring. “You have been very mindful and protective with Twilight today.”

“I can’t let you pummel this Twilight down.”

“This Twilight? Uh… That’s not my intention.” She clashed her fists. “When I see her, I can only imagine the strong gal she can be with the proper training and mindset. It makes me feel so pumped up to have another sparring mate…”
Before Bon Bon fully got into the ring, she looked at Gilda and said with mockery, “You got the wrong Twilight, friend.”

“Huh?”

Sometime later after they put their gloves, mouthpiece, and head protector, a young and fit adult woman that Gilda knew from a gym near the suburbs offered to play as referee and explained the rules in tidy detail; just two downs will be allowed instead of three during a round, and matches will consist of five rounds with a duration of one minute. The winner will face Twilight if she wishes to. Far more flexible than the tournament held during the fair of the Apples.

At least, that was the idea.

As soon as the referee made the signal, both girls lunged themselves against one another and launched a simultaneous punch. Nothing happened. At the last moment, both dashed two step backwards with a tight defense prepared. Gilda had her arms posture open, but her limbs were in a position where quickly tightening them together for an incoming shot was possible. Bon Bon, on the other hand, had many people in doubt.

“Kickboxing?” Nitpick mumbled.

“Muay Thai?” Soarin said.

“It looks more like the Ninjutsu that Crystal Prep teaches… but more graceful. I dread to think if she actually could use her legs.” Sugarcoat said while inspecting the form. “Heavensbane, don’t rush.”

Gilda didn’t respond, her only focus dedicated to her opponent and only her. Both were steadily moving in circles, the most pressured being Gilda herself. Her friends noticed it. It was painted on her face; the exhilaration and her cautious fighting instinct telling her to don’t screw up. The prideful griffonian was forced to assume a defensive position. 

Not even Blueblood was believing it.

In desperation, or perhaps knowing the inevitable, Gilda rushed with her right fist raised and prepared for a straight cross. Bon Bon quickly deflected it with a cross guard and got her way with an uppercut of her own, Gilda barely managing to avoid an instant knock out and retreating far away from her. The Owl Lover didn’t lose her cool and stood immobile on her position, her tactic consisting on making her opponent despair. Having learned from Lightning Dust’s numerous mistakes, though, she decided to formulate a plan instead.

And it failed.

Gilda had received three punches on her left ribs, one hammer-like swing to her right cheek, and suffered three downs across four rounds through well-connected uppercuts. Bon Bon was untouched and their last round was about to begin. Nitpick thanked his truth of the universe for giving Gilda a far resilient body than him, much to Reem’s agreement. Both were at peace tough, not worrying a lot for her.

They knew that in a way she was having fun in the end.

Twilight and the rest of the CHS group on the other hand were somewhat relieved that the Impostor might not be facing Gilda. Even though Bon Bon was proving to be a superior fighter, much to the groups’ amazement, Gilda wasn’t exactly a helpless weakling.

“Come on, Gilda, you can do it!” Nitpick handed her some water.

“I feel like our roles have reversed for some reason…” She was a bit exhausted.

“At least she isn’t a berserk farmer fighting for a bottle of whisky. Now go and beat her at last.”

With a small grin she said, “Heh, I’ll try.”, and then walked to the center of the ring, to her opponent’s presence.

“That’s not what I wanted to hear.” Nitpick mumbled a bit worried. 

“She may lose…” Reem said a little gloomy. “But then again, a miracle may happen.”

“Miracles don’t exist.” He said begrudgingly.

“FIGHT!”

The fighters stood still with serious faces, waiting for an opening to appear.

“You know, I’ve never seen Bon Bon being aggressive like this before.” Lyra spoke to Nitpick.

Bon Bon suddenly made a subtle surprised face of concern.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I always knew she was good, but not this good.”

Bon Bon’s face made a small, confident smile.

“I assumed she was a kind of a fiendish beast disguised as a pretty human being.”

Bon Bon’s face took a sudden angered expression.

“You are so mean!”

“Am I?”

Gilda was stepping forward, ready to make an stampede against the Owl Lover.

“Yes, you are so mean sometimes.”

“Well, they say that mean frogs become noble princes when kissed by a pure maiden.”

Lyra giggled. “Have you found your maiden yet?”

With a joking tone and resting her arm around her, Nitpick said, “I’m looking at her now!”

“DON’T TOUCH LY-!”

A pummeling slam resonated in the room, a clean, heavy strike was connected on the Owl Lover’s chin. Bon Bon fell to the ropes and hanged on them, her face having a stupidly funny expression.

“CONCENTRATE ON THE MATCH!” Gilda yelled enraged.

It was of not use. The count reached ten and Gilda won. Her face expression said otherwise, a lucky victory meaning nothing to her.

“I want a rematch, gal.”

Gilda’s gym mate made an inspection on the Owl Lover. “I think she’ll be wasted for a while. Can you stand, girl?”

Bon Bon struggled a bit when talking, Lyra helping her stand up. “Y-yeah.”

The griffonian threw her head gear to the ground. “DAMN IT!”

“That was unexpected…” Nitpick clapped his hands while sighing deeply in relief. “But oh well, Twilight is next!”

“What!? But she could get hurt!”

“It’s okay, Lyra, it’s okay.” The Owl Lover massaged the spot where she was punched. “I was careless and that’s why I got hit. Let Twilight spar with her, nothing bad will happen.” Twilight gulped in fright at Bon Bon’s words.

“But… I-if you say so…”

“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Octavia said with Blueblood and Soarin nodding in agreement.

“Twilight, over here!”

“Yes!?” 

Nitpick grabbed her arms and made her turn to his direction. “Blueblood, are these glasses working well for her?”

“The Miss is almost as blind as Sugarcoat and their lenses correction is the same.” Reem expressed.

“Shut the hell up, Oakwood!”

“Y-yeah! They are fine!” Twilight added.

“If you say so. Anyway, there’s no need for you to be scared. I can see in your eyes the same fear that once lived in this heart of mine.” His tone was somewhat heroic. “Perhaps you may think that the woman inside the ring is beyond your reach! More than a fighter! More than a war goddess! You may believe that you will die today! But hear me out, Twilight Sparkle! Heed my words, for she is not a goddess nor a fighter! She is like you, a simple woman, searching strength and answers for the single reason of finding her purpose in life! You must summon your inner power like her so you can emerge victorious in a clash of fists with her! Your blood must boil and be spilled on the ring even if it means your end!”

“That sounds absolutely insane!” Twilight said with drowned voice and skepticism.

“Insane!? No, Twilight! Insanity is allowing your terrors to block your courage! I can see the flame buried deep in your eyes that screams for release! Screams for freedom! Screams for the right to burn its fiery fury through your fists! Your soul! Yourself! You are a warrior, Twilight! A warrior princess!”

“Warrior… princess!?”

“Of course you are! How many ordeals have you survived to come this far!? How many tests, humiliations, perils, experiments, battles, struggles, oppressions, and inner-conflicts have you overcome!? Tell me, Twilight, TELL ME!”

“…Many.” She said weakly.

“I didn’t hear you!”

“Many.”

“I DIDN’T HEAR YOU!!”

“Many!”

“HOW MANY!!?”

“MANY!” Twilight’s arms were rumbling wildly.

She was pumped.

“Yes! Can you feel it, Twilight? Can you feel your burning heart boiling your blood and hastening its beats!? The song of life!?”

“YES!”

“That’s the way! I can see it now! Your eyes are burning bright! They are overwhelming! You are the best around, don’t stop now, eye of the tiger! Trust me like before and you’ll win! GO AND CRUSH HER DOWN!”

“YEAH!” Twilight got inside the ring and Nitpick was standing on its edge while grabbing the rope as support. He finally put on her the mouth piece.

“Are you ready?” Twilight nodded vigorously to the referee’s question. “Rules are the same! Fight!”

“TO WAR!”

“CHARGE!”

The film made a dramatic slowness. Twilight, bravely rushing with fist raised high and rightful heart filled with might in high definition, was a scene to behold for ages to come. In slow motion, the Impostor was getting closer to her objective, her opponent, her reason to fight for survival. Her battle cry was majestic, not even the slowed sound that made it deep and silly could hide it for its viewers. She was getting closer, getting faster, getting confident.

Then, the film made a rewind back to the point of start, just before Twilight rushed to attack.

“TO WAR!”

“CHARGE!”

Twilight dashed furiously and Gilda sent her flying backwards.



Horribly, we might add.

“That was pathetic.” Gilda mumbled on her end as she watched Twilight on the floor. “COME ON, SPARKLE! GET UP AND BRING YOUR A GAME LIKE BEFORE! …Sparkle? Hey, Sparkle!”

She and her gym mate inspected her immediately with obvious concern. She was dead cold. If you pay close attention, you could see that three youngsters were giggling while trying to avoid public view. 

Bon Bon was the hardest to spot.

…. ….

Twilight awakened while gasping abruptly, the first thing she saw was Reem’s face, then she noticed that she was on a medical room, finally spotting the rest of her friends and acquaintances through the window. 

“What… what happened?”

“You were horribly punched in the face and lost consciousness for, let me see, fourteen minutes. We were lucky that this plaza has a competent medical facility inside the gym. Worry not, my acquaintance, for your health is in no danger for you only received a slight concussion, happily reporting that you have a very sturdy face and no bruises manifested. I offered myself to look over you until you awakened.”

“Oh, I appreciate it… I feel a little dizzy.”

“But of course. Water?”

“Thanks.” She was refreshed after drinking the whole glass. “I should tell the others that I’m fine.”

“No, please. Stay in bed. Rest a while until you feel ready. I can see your hands trembling still.”

“You… may be right.” She put herself comfortable again. Suddenly, she was quiet for a long while. “So… for how long you have been Nitpick’s friend?”

“One year, one month and two weeks, the same as my mighty friend… Gilda, if you do not remember. As for my intellectual friend, Sugarcoat, add one month to the math.”

“What do you like about them?”

“They are honest royal pains and the most colorful and entertaining people I have met so far.” Awkwardly, she got over Twilight as she grabbed a slightly wet towel on the cupboard across the bed, then putting it on the forehead of the Impostor. “I hope this helps.”

“Hee-hee, it’s so nice… Mmm…”

“Are you sleepy?” Reem rubbed her right hand. 

“Just a little.”

Her hand reached her shoulder. “Comfortable?”

“Yeah…”

“So… What’s that noise?”

The film made a quick transition where Nitpick, Blueblood and Sugarcoat were cheering like savage madmen to Gilda as she was facing Bon Bon in arm wrestling. The rest of the CHS group was almost as lively but saner as the gang. A few seconds later, Twilight was the focus of the filming again.

“They sound lively out there.”

“Indeed, Miss.”

“Uhm… Reem?”

“Yes?”

“Where are you touching?”

“Your navel, of course.”

“…?”

“Belly button.”

“I know what it is but… uh… why?”

“I am just returning the favor.”

“What favor?”

“You gave me a massage on my abdomen last time when I ate a lot of candies and ended up with a terrible stomached. Your hands were really magical, soft, and passionate.”

Twilight blushed a little. “Oh…”

“You know… I loved how gentle you were. It was almost romantic.” She winked somewhat charmingly.

“Ah… ahaha… I just try to be… friendly!” She was getting anxious as Reem’s gesture increased in its awkwardness.

“I have to say it, you are a bit more plump than last week.”

“So I really gained weight…”

“Strange. I can guarantee that you were more athletic last week. You did not have this little but strangely comfortable bump of skin.”

“Could you kindly please stop touching my belly?”

“Oh, how could I be this rude? I ask forgiveness!” She stopped her gesture. “Say, have you talked with your cousin recently? I am still worried about what you told me about her.”

Suddenly, the Impostor’s face became curious and reflective. “No… Uhm…”

“Oh, did you forget about it? Perhaps it was the concussion!”

“Y-yeah! That must be it!”

“Well, you mentioned that she was as good as you at certain things.”

“I… said something like that.” She smiled warmly.

“Then we are on the right track. You also said that you were troubled because of that!”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, having someone who looks like you, talks like you, and thinks like you can be really uncomfortable indeed. There is a reason why doppelgangers in many tales are considered a misfortune. If one does one thing, the other can do the same.  Eventually, one will tire of the other, and will try to get rid of it.”

“B-but… but I don’t think that I, I mean she couldn’t do such a thing!”

“How about you, Miss? I have heard many people saying that you are the inferior one! Princess of the Fall Formal, Main Lead of the Rainbooms, just to name a few of her achievements! It is a big shadow to surpass, and somewhat frightful to face! If I were in your shoes, I would feel overwhelmed! There are many things that could happen in a bad way!”

“Like what?”

“There is a movie that I saw half a year ago that is called ‘Me, My other Me, and Irene’, it’s about a man that can have multiple personalities and by a certain plot device, different appearances, even when the body is the same! These personalities are fighting over who should rule their life, and to win, they decided in secret of each other to crush the hopes of dreams of one another though Irene! Suffice to say, there comes a point in the movie where the personality that embodies Pride annihilates the relationships of the others by disguising as the most unexpected man of all; the combined personalities of the man himself!”

“And what happens next?”

“Do you really want me to ruin the ending for you?”

“I don’t think it’s a movie I’ll be seeing soon.”

“The man ruined his friendships, and Pride became a very lonely man, regretting ever pitting against his now forgotten fellows. In search of supremacy, they, no, he ended up ruining his life and lived with the regret for the rest of his days. His other personas were in fact an illusion, a dream that made him talk to himself, distrusting even his own decisions and identity. He loses the main heroine, never to be seeing again by him. Although the plot is not like yours, the context is the same. You and your cousin could end up hating each other if a strong bond and trust does not develop between the two. After all, you only talk to her sporadically. You do not know her in reality, and the same can be said about her.”

Twilight was overwhelmed for a moment. “I didn’t think about it.”

“But the good news is that if you and your cousin have a good relationship, imagine the innumerable mischiefs and mayhems you could cause! Think about it, if you do not want to go to some place that the other one wishes to go, you could disguise yourself and assume other personality to feel the gaps! You only need to know the basics of the situation and boom! All set and done.”

Twilight’s face started to get pale. “I-I suppose so…”

“And it can become an instrument of vengeance when you want to crush your cousin if she does you wrong! All you need to do is disguise yourself as her, hear all of the secrets that her friends had of valor, abuse of their trust and destroy any trace of loyalty towards their friend and bam! Ruining a life could not be more easy! It is a good thing that you would never disguise as your cousin and hear things you are not supposed to know. It is a good thing that you would ask her first before doing anything harsh. After all, you are family… right?”

The Impostor's breath accelerated to almost unhealthy levels, but she then breathed deeply while making a hand gesture, like if she tried to blow away her terrors. Her heavy sweat but a more lively looking skin proved that she was partially successful. 

“Yes… uhm… Let’s rejoin the others, shall we?” She stood up from the bed and walked to the door.

“Of course… Miss?”

“Yes?”

“Do not forget your trusty glasses. Here they are.”

Her visage was calm but her eyes were diluted in horror as she put her glasses on. “O-of course, thank you!”

When Reem was all alone, she grabbed the camera device from the desk that was focusing on her angle and said with mischievous smile, “And you never gave me a massage like that before, Miss.”

…. ….

Nitpick was hugging Twilight with a stupidly big smile. “I’m glad that you’re fine, hon. I was worried for you.”

“T-thanks for worrying about me.”

Gilda looked to the other side slightly embarrassed. “Hey, Sparkle… Sorry…” 

But the Impostor gave her a warm smile. “It wasn’t on purpose, so there’s nothing to forgive.”

“Aye…”

“You missed the wrestling match, Twilight. I didn’t think that a challenge of arm strength could be so exhilarating to watch!” Octavia said a little exited. “Bon Bon won but it was so close.”

The Owl Lover’s arm was trembling weakly, but a satisfied smile was painted on her face. “It was really fun!”

Gilda smirked in agreement. “Yeah!”

“Well, as much as I want to have more fun, I believe it’s time to go home.” Lyra said. “I didn’t bring enough cash to continue.”

Everyone agreed to her reasons and walked to the exit.

…. ….
On one park of the suburbs, around five in the evening.

“Hey… Thanks again for shopping with me the flour that Pinkie needed for her party at the local store, Nitpick.” Twilight was a little gloomy. “I almost forgot about it and… I think I made you expend money for that emergency stop.”

“It was nothing! I’ll take you to Pinkie’s home now. Sunset gave me the address after asking me to take you there on phone, Midnight.” Nitpick’s eyes twitched.

“Midnight?”

“Oh, sorry, Twilight. Just a mispronunciation. Let’s go, the bus stop is nearby. Say… did you have fun?”

“Not counting today’s accidents… yeah! It was a nice day!”

“I’m glad… Uh… So… I was meaning to ask you something.”

“By all means… What is it?”

“You know… we have been dating for one month now and… I’m still waiting the second kiss!”

She froze completely. “K-k-k-k-k-k-kiss!?”

The face of the young man became soft, dreamy, and blushed. “Pf… T-Twilight… seeing you smile today put my heart at race.”

“I-I’m feeling the same way for some reason now.” Her expression was clearly troubled.

“So it’s mutual, then?” His voice was excited.

“…Aha…?”

“When you chose me over Flash Sentry, it was like a dream come true!” Twilight’s face crumbled in perplexity. “It’s like I said back then, if I had known that you had a crush on me last year on the academy, perhaps… we would be kissing right now. But you told me to wait so that I’ll do!”

“T-thanks…”

“But you were so savage, to be honest! Telling me that he was a creep and totally uncool!”

“She said that!?” Twilight mumbled in horror. 

“Did you say something?”

“Nothing!” Her forced smile was breathtaking.

Nitpick sighed in sorrow. “To be truthful, Twilight, I wish we were a little more open about our relationship on school. After the gossip incident, people just pushes us back and judge us like if the idea of us being an item was an amoral thing! I know what are you thinking, I can see it in your eyes! Perhaps in the future when all is over we…” He got closer to her… “We…” He almost put himself on the same height. “We’ll be happy someday…”

Just when he was about to kiss her on her forehead, Twilight pushed him with all her might. Nitpick had a face of stupefaction while lying on the grass.

“You got the wrong person, I'm not who you think I am!”

“What craziness are you saying? You are Twilight Sparkle, the young woman I fell in love with!” Nitpick grabbed her hand like poet would admire her pen. “When I see your eyes, I can see the stars shinning vividly in them! A night with crystalline angels soaring freely! A shadow mitigated by the celestial glimmers of distant suns! You are for me-!”

“No! Please, stop!” She took her hand away. “I can’t do this anymore! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” She ran away towards the main road of the suburbs, to Ponyville.

“TWILIGHT, WAIT! WHAT DID I DO WRONG!? TWILIGHT! … … At least she is going to the town!!!” And Nitpick began to laugh harshly. From the bushes, the camerawoman and the rest of his friends emerged. “It was a good day, wasn’t it?”

…. …..
…. …..

In the screen of the Dazzle's establishment, the word ‘FIN’ appeared, classical music playing its piano as the short-lived credits passed through. A terrible ending for a terrible homemade movie. The viewers were laughing at it, however. It was so badly edited that it was good. Even Twilight Sparkle couldn't resist the urge to giggle in secrecy.

…. ….

On the way to the bus stop of the suburbs, Twilight and Nitpick were walking together, the young man making sure to escort her back to her home.

“I have a question, Twilight.”

“Go ahead.”

“Now that I saw the last part of the video in a bigger screen, I noticed a girl that looked like you from afar looking at us… Was she…?”

The Scientist sighed with a bit of gloominess. “Yes, it was me. Someone called me and told me what was happening… This is why I was… very mad before you showed me the video.”

“Why didn’t you come and faced us?”

“Because I was scared that you had replaced me… I have a question, Nitpick. When did you realize she wasn’t me?”

“From the very beginning.”

“How?”

“Oh, where do I even begin? First off, her cheerful voice. At first glance, you really, but really sound the same. But her tone was so, so, so, so, SO caramelized and laid back. Like if the world was of roses most of the time. Second, the hair. She almost deceived me with her style but this was another gave away.” He touched her side hair and played with it a bit. “Yours is longer and super messy by nature. And you could be thinking, ‘What if I cut my hair a bit for the occasion?’, but you would have told me beforehand the change of looks. Every time you come up with something regarding projects, homework, complaints, you name it, you always call to me to be on the same wave.”

“And what if I didn’t text you because I forgot or deemed it unimportant?”

“Then it comes the more personal things. During the breakfast, she drank pineapple juice and said she liked it, but the Twilight I know doesn’t like pineapple. In fact, she has terrible side effects when drinking it.”

“Heh… That is true.”

“And how we could forget the cheese? You love cheese and your cousin was avoiding it at every turn!” Twilight blushed a little with a smile. “She was also a bit alien when dealing with me. She never corrected my shit language!”

“Language!”

“Exactly! Then, she followed the mood that we settled to her, like if trying to fit but it made her look so unnatural! Tell me yes or no to the following assertions; Gilda has secretly been teaching you training routines!”

“Yes.”

“Sugarcoat has been observing your growth progress during the competition, to the point of helping you without doing it publicly.”

“Yes.”

“Blueblood is a pain in the ass and harsh in his methods but he lends you a hand from time to time.”

“Yes.”

“Reem is very polite and nice when partnering with you, but she is obnoxious half of the time.”

“Yes.”

“Then why she treated them like if we were practically new people for her? Even Reem noticed that her stress antics were different! Your cousin almost deceived Blueblood and Sugarcoat, who put the pieces together after the knock out, and she totally fooled Gilda and the rest of CHS... Except for Lyra. She called her Twilight, and no Twi-Twi, adding more to the suspicion of not being you. I don’t think I need to explain the fake romance thing at the end of the ordeal.”

“No, you don’t. I see why you and Reem saw though her now.”

“And let’s not forget the final piece of proof that she wasn’t you!.”

“What is that?”

“The Rubik’s cube that you have in your pocket.”

Twilight showed him her cube. “…You really pay attention to me.” She was touched by the realization.

“Wha’!? You really thought that I wouldn’t recognize her? I told you that I would recognize you from her! You are my friend, Midnight Sparkion! A great scientist, a good cook, and a terrible pain in the ass! I feel insulted for this obvious lack of faith in me, to be honest!” He said with a fake tone of indignation.

Midnight playfully smashed his arm. “Well, excuuuuuse me, Nitty!”

“That hurt a bit…” He whispered to himself with surprise. “Although I must confess that I was a disappointed of her. As you saw in the video… well, she is terrible at many things, not like the mighty and invincible legend you and your friends told me she was. Well, you too are terrible, but not THAT much!”

“You are so mean! At least I have more brains than you and an amazing puppy!”

“You want to take it outside?”

“…Sure, why not! Bring it on!”

She assumed a fighting position, and a surprised but willing Nitpick did the same. Their faces were funny and couldn’t contain the laughter as they hugged each other. He then separated a little from her. “But seriously… To be honest, part of me feels a little bad for what I did… I’m…” He sighed deeply. “I’m sorry for giving your cousin a hard time. I just felt terribly angry at her, and to some extent to Sunset as well, for trying to do such a thing. No doubt she knew what was really happening, right? I mean, she texted me many times worrying about her!”

“Yes, she did. I don’t mind what you did, really, and to be honest… I think she deserved it. And I’m so glad that you think I am different enough from her, even if she is more popular with people.”

“Pfff, popularity! That crap is for assholes! You don’t want to become another Princess of the school!”

“I hope you didn’t spend a lot of money on the ordeal! You know, being a stingy guy and all.”

“Money is not an issue, don’t worry.” Twilight raised her eye brow in a very skeptic way. “…I owe Reem forty dollars, she offered to give them to me for free but I’m too stubborn to accept money like that. Next week’s deposit from my parents will be short lived.” He almost cried. "I hate debts..."

“That sounds more like you.”

“Very funny today, are we? And now, I’ll finally tell you with absolute sincerity that your cousin can suck my ass for trying to do… What was her plan, anyway?”

“She tried to make you and the rest of your friends  as goody-goody as you could be by discovering the source of your bad temper and such! But the original plan was all Sunset’s idea!”

“What did you say!? …That bitch!” He became immensely annoyed by the news. “Sunset can suck my ass! Any possibility she had of convincing me of being like that has been lost. Now I wish it was her that received the sheer pummeling and not your cousin, but since she was part of the plan, as you said, she deserved it as well!” He smiled free of guilt.

“What will you do if Sunset comes and faces you?”

“I’ll simply say that her plan was of terrible taste and that she is more manipulative than she think she is and done! If she thinks that she is the white knight and I am the villain, well, at least we can focus on the competition and be done when it is over since I don’t think she may want to deal with me anymore.”

“…What if she is sorry?” She said with a bit of remorse.

“Well, that will depend on how sorry she is! But know this, Midnight. Remember when I told you that I would do things to help you grow even if you end up hating me? It doesn’t mean that the people that despise me must hate you as well. If you want to forgive them and nothing goes south, then cool for you. Just don’t expect me to be on nice terms with them, ever. I believe you know me well by now that I prefer honesty instead of deception. Doing the little act of earlier was harder at times because, well, I like to complain and face things straightly when I have a real problem with someone. Spitfire, Wind Rider and Dash being clear examples.”

“I know… And I see! Nothing is truly black and white, just like Bon Bon said during the trip.”

“Yeah, nothing – Did you say Bon Bon and a trip?”

“Oh, Nitpick! You wouldn’t believe me how considerate and nice she is! She is just cold sometimes because she can’t express her feelings as people like you or Lyra do, but after spending time with her in a short family trip, she became a source of comfort while I thought that you had replaced me!”

“B-but I didn’t replace you!”

“And that’s great! And it makes sense why she said that you were acting weird during the date! Now that I know your side of the tale, it’s all clear to me now! There is nothing wrong in being a little aggressive and mean sometimes!”

“WHAT!? But Twilight!”

“I think that I have even more friends now! Bon Bon is an incredible athlete as well, and she knows a lot about owls and camping life!”

“Twilight!”

“We should go camping to Camp Everfree this winter with her and the others!”

“Midnight!!”

“Yes?” She asked with a sweet tone.

“I know that I have done a lot of questionable things in the past and sometimes I can be a kind of a giant dick regarding people’s feelings!”

“Yes, what about it?”

Part of him was waiting to be corrected of his language but it didn’t happen. “Uh, the point is… Look, I don’t think Bon Bon is a person that you should befriend! You being my friend is already too much and risky!”

“Oh no, Nitty, no! I know where are you getting at and it’s okay! I too thought that she was secretly evil as well, but if you get some quality time together with her alone, you will see that she is a very friendly and innocent girl! Bon Bon is love, my friend!” 

Nitpick’s jaw dropped in bafflement. “What the fuck is wrong with you!?”

“Hahahahaha, very funny! You know what? I’ll do something more daring! You have inspired me to be braver and bold! I’ll go and meet with my other me and face her! Yes! I’ll do exactly that! She wanted to talk with me alone, and if she is sorry, I may consider forgiving her! If not, then I’ll follow your example and speak my mind!”

“That’s a terrible idea!”

“I know, right!? But that hasn’t stopped you ever and you have good friends anyway! I want… to be strong! And this is another step in the right direction!” She ran towards Ponyville. “Wish me luck, Nitty!”

She disappeared from his sight. The wind guided her to her fated destination. As for Nitpick Bittersweet, he sat on the nearest bench he could find. He was analyzing and trying to give a meaning to what just happened.

“Bon Bon is her friend!?”

He was lost at the idea as he was scratching his messy hair. Twilight didn’t know how manipulative that new ‘friend’ was in reality. A puppeteer unmasked, unknown to her puppets but only one knew the truth. But how could this event even happened? How did Bon Bon found a way to make Twilight her pawn in only one single day?

“…She always spoke for the other Twilight during dire moments.” Nitpick mumbled. Instantly, his eyes opened widely as he realized her motives. “BON BON!!!”

Taking out his phone and searching vigorously for his friend’s number, he made a swift call to Lightbulb and asked him for directions. He didn’t know her address but luckily Dancer was with him and she told him where her target lived. After thanking them for the favor, Nitpick rushed to Bon Bon’s house. His face darkened and furious.

He needed to argue with her immediately.
> Chapter 97 - Was a means to an end.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nitpick gazed upon the house of his source of frustrations with fierce determination and purpose. Such resolve, however, subsided every passing second as he acknowledged the inescapable dilemma he suddenly found himself into. Nobody was at home, and standing in front of her door made him look like a kind of a stalker. 

“Good day, child.” A kind-looking elder woman greeted him from her house’s lane, and for some reason, Nitpick felt he had seen her before. “Are you looking for someone?”

“I’m looking for Bon Bon, she is a classmate from CHS.”

“Ah, sorry to say that Little Bon Bon went with Leafshard to the super market a very short while ago.”

“Oh, I see. Then I better go then.”

“Want me to deliver her a message?”

“No, it’s okay, Miss. I’ll talk with her tomorrow morning before school starts.”

“As you wish… Wait a minute! Where I have seen that peculiar hair before? Say, young one, aren’t you the son of Sweet Pastels?”

“Yes, that’s my Mother.”

“Hohoho! I knew there was something familiar about you! You may not remember me but you used to play in the Starry Mountains Park with a cute little girl with twin ponytails and big glasses! Glimmering Starlight was her name? I don’t remember well! You always bought from me cookies for her, your mom would encourage you to date her, and your dad would always complain about your expenses!”

“…Are you Mrs. Sugar Flour!?”

“Yes! I’m glad you remember me!” The old lady’s eye became vibrant with a shade of nostalgia. “How the years goes by, you were shorter back then... I’ll tell Little Bon Bon that you visited. Say hi to your mom from my part!”

“I’ll do. Tell Mr. Wrench that I hope that his cane wasn’t ruined by our accidental paint job.”

“Hahahaha! …You better don’t remind him of who you are if you see him on the streets.” She said with a mix of jest and concern. “He still hasn’t forgiven you for ruining his favorite cane. I still think that carmine pink suits it better though!”

“Glad he’s still alive… ‘I’ll die soon and you only sell those cookies instead of taking care of me!’, he would always say!”

“So you remember that as well!? Hehehe! I still sell those in the local ambulant markets on Fridays. In fact, I failed to sell one bag that day. Want the last one for old time’s sake? I’ll give you a discount for being practically two days old.”

“One with fifty then?” Nitpick smiled like if he just hit jackpot.

“One with ninety nine. Prices rose thanks to Filthy Rich’s unwelcomed meddling in this year’s quarter.”

“Curse that guy.” Nitpick remembered his face with animosity, being reminded that Raven was right about his evil business. “At what time do you sell your cookies?”

“During  morning. Some grandparents buy my sweets and deliver them to their grandkids at school during break!”

“No wonder I haven’t seen you before during my buying spree.”

He paid for the cookies and went home… which was just three blocks away from hers, giving him cold shivers as he realized how close Bon Bon lived to his home. After he left his cookies on the kitchen and as he was about to reach his room, his brain had a sudden revelation, making him feel stupid. He had her phone saved on his contacts, the possibility of calling her at his reach. As he breathed patiently while dialing up her number, he decided to start the conversation with patience and serenity.

The safety of his bedroom would be a key factor to his delivery.

“Hello?” 

“BON BON!!!”

“Oh, Boss! What a pleasant surprise for you to call me!”

“Where are you, you pain in the ass?”

“Tee-hee-hee! If this is for a date, I’m not available right now. Give me one or two hours and we can spend some time together!”

“Enough with your crap and tell me where the hell you are!”

“Doing the groceries.” When Nitpick calmed down a bit, he heard the sounds of the advertisement lady announcing the discounts. “Do you need something from me?”

“You screwed with Twilight! You befriended her as a part of your stupid vengeance! You knew that the brat from yesterday was in fact the other Twilight all alone!”

“So cruel! So mean! Why are you antagonizing me like this!?”

“You knew… YOU KNEW!!! You knew that I would notice right away the truth about her! You were certain that I would do something to further your purposes without you telling me! You fucking played me like a damn fiddle!”

“Tee-hee-hee! I was convinced that you would realize my intentions by tomorrow or later! Wait a sec, I’m gonna grab a pack of almond milk… Well, where were we…? Ah, yes! Look, Bittersweet. You must understand that as always, I have a purpose for every strategy I come up with! You see, telling you what was going on would have ruined your performance, and allow me to say that you were magnificent! I really had so much fun as well, Gilda was a pleasant match!” She was thoroughly honest and blissful with her words.

“My performance, you say!? I’m tired of your manipulations and scheming! You only want to have your stupid vengeance with Shimmer instead of working your ass to help CHS!” 

“Oh!? Must I remind you that you too wanted to defeat her? CHS’s well-being wasn’t your priority at all before!”

“But not like this, and… Crap! I’m not gonna start rambling that I was misguided and I had a sudden change of heart or some shit like that! Yeah, I helped! Yes, I WANT to defeat her! But manipulating the honest guys that give their all is something that my conscience won’t allow me to do! I know too well the feeling of giving the best you can for something you believe in, only to fail because reasons! …You are getting close on going too far in using your friends!”

Bon Bon took a long while to answer, as if her breath had abandoned her for a long and cold moment. After a brief time of subtle and reflective silence, her breath came back to normal, only saying, “You may be right… …” She said incredibly gloomy. “And what are you gonna do about it? Tell Thunderbass and the others that the only reason why you started to have  friendly relationships with them was because you lied to them and it was only for the purpose of defeating Shimmer?”

“Actually… That’s a good way to start to do the right thing!”

“What!? … … Well… Hey, hey, hey! Don’t need to be rash about it!” 

Her voice sounded concerned and scared, empowering Nitpick drastically. “I’m self-aware that I may end up being despised by them, but if this is the only way to end your madness, then to hell with me, you bitch!”

“You're going to ruin everything, I kindly suggest you to reconsider!”

He finished the call mightily with a grin on his face. He finally found it! He at last acquired the answer to end her schemes. It was time to do the right thing and he went out of his house towards the school.

But… He soon realized that the probability of finding any of his acquaintances by sheer coincidence around town was way too low. Calling them out of the blue at seven in evening and meeting them at a random place was a bad idea, the act could be considered too cliché and awkward, at least, for someone like him.  She may be doing some damage control as he wasted his time thinking about it. He shouldn’t have told her about his intentions.

Nitpick felt like a complete stupid.

He sat in the bleachers of the school’s field, the only available seats nearby him. He was becoming exhausted, the physical and mental activities of the last week finally catching on him. Lazily, he laid his body on the bleacher and put his arm over his head, trying to take a small nap before going home for real. The wind felt nice, blowing its kind serenade with a tenderness that incited him to journey to the Land of Dreams. Any moment now, he could lose the grasp of reality for several hours.

“What a surprise stumbling with you here, Nitpick!”

The remaining strength of Bittersweet got him up to meet the blissful Soarin, the blue sportsman commencing his warm ups in front of him; jumps, squats, and stretches included. 

“I could say the same. Evening training?”

“Yes!” 

“So…” He yawned as deeply as the deepest of rivers. “Lyra texted me that you won the tournament match of today. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be celebrating with your team?”

“Nah, I didn’t play that much and to be honest, it wasn’t a victory to be proud of… Also, I wasn’t feeling the mood to celebrate with them. I wanted to be alone for a while.”

“…How bad it was?”

“Bad, simple as that. We won with only just a goal of difference, but we barely survived the onslaught of pressuring tactics the other team had. If it wasn’t for Rainbow Dash and her top playing skills, we would have lost by a mile. Not even Spitfire managed to keep up the peace with her today and just stayed as a defender, meaning that Rainbow was practically our only hope.”

“What was the final score?”

“One-Zero.”

“That sounds troublesome.”

“Yeah, so I need to improve all I can before the next game! …Say, could you help me with some of my training exercises?”

“Sure, why not?” His eyes began to get teary and tired as he yawned again for the second time.

“Ok, I’m gonna do some crunches so hold my legs.” Nitpick held his legs firmly on the ground. “One… Eleven…  twenty… …” He started to interval his movements, one crunch to the left, then other to the right. “…Fifty.” He groaned in exhaustion as he extended his arms on the grass, Nitpick releasing his legs.

“Spitfire would say that it wasn’t enough.”

Soarin laughed softly, “I had a match in the morning, be merciful!” Then smiled with a kind face.

“Fair enough. If I were you, I would be in the hospital by now because of exhaustion.”

“Being in an hospital is horrible. Last time I hurt my leg was a nightmare to be in bed doing nothing and watching the roof cracking… It’s frustrating.”

“Yeah… I can understand where you are coming from… It always smells like old medical crap there.”

“Another reason to take care of ourselves. Sleeping much more would be ideal in your case.”

“Heh, am I so transparent?”

“Sometimes. I wonder how you manage to work with Sunset with that lifestyle.”

“Do you think I’m not up to the task?”

“It’s nothing like that… it’s just that I never imagined that you of all people would do so much for us. I mean, your first impression was pretty worrisome, and sometimes I could see that you aren’t easy to approach!” He smirked softly with a bit of embarrassment. “But if it weren’t for Bon Bon, I would have never noticed how nice you are to be around with in reality.”

“Bon Bon… Bon Bon… …” He finally snapped out of his dreamy demeanor. “Soarin, I have something to confess.”

“Confess? What’s wrong?”

“Well, you see…”

No words were spoken afterwards, he stayed silent for a good couple of seemingly eternal seconds. A wave after wave of thoughts of ‘What if’ scenarios flooded his mind. What if he says straightly that it was Bon Bon’s idea to put them together for the sake of overthrowing Shimmer? What if he tries to says that it was an idea of both in the first place? What if he accepted full responsibility, leaved Bon Bon out of the equation and took the blunt of the hate?

After all, nobody forced him to work for her in the first place.

Soarin had trusted him some personal feelings regarding the competition, the soccer tournament, and even his deepest concerns about his friendships, no matter if it was just to a small degree. Telling him started to look like a bad idea. Whatever kind of opinion he had on him, Soarin no doubt started to get comfortable around him. Can he really do it? Can he truly confess what was just going on? 

Could he really betray his expectations?

Yes, he did. He was tired of her. He was exhausted of partially being someone who he wasn’t in reality. His responsibility to help organize the projects he was in charge became a real concern to him, and his desire to surpass Shimmer was his motivation, his drive. Soarin heard his tale without flinching or disinterest, carefully listening Nitpick’s troubles and apologies to what he had done. But, whether he was caught in a moment of weakness and didn’t want to ruin her relationships or blaming her fully could be considered cowardly, he omitted Bon Bon from the tale. 

In the end, he was responsible of his actions, and his failures.

When his tale was over, Soarin looked at him in the eye and said, “Heh, I knew it would be something like that! Don’t worry, no hard feelings!”

“What!? ARE YOU SERIOUS!?” He started to violently shake Soarin’s persona.

“S-s-s-slow d-down, buddy!!!” Nitpick released him from his grasp. “You know… I have known Spitfire for many years now. On one occasion she got frustrated at me, one of many. But that time was different from the others. I really screwed up. She put her trust in me to keep playing on her team and I simply didn’t have the courage to do so... So I ran from her.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because the only reason I was able to come back to the team was because of Rainbow Dash’s support. Say what you want about her, but she inspires dedication when she wants something done. And I learned that asking for help to fix a friendship through effort, or in your case, to make new friends, isn’t bad at all. I believe that when Bon Bon offered you to help your cause, she saw an opportunity to make things better, just like Rainbow did with me long ago.”

“Soarin, I believe you didn’t hear very well my tale. I practically used you to further my goals of crushing Sunset Shimmer!”

“If you really wanted to use us, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now! I don’t know… Your story seems off.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you got sick because of us, you found some band members for Octavia’s group even when that was optional, you always listen to my troubles, and you speak your mind with sincerity. I don’t think someone like you could be bad.”

Nitpick’s gaze was first of shock, then a darkened glare was looking at his listener. “And what if I did all that to further my goals? What if I didn’t care at all about all of you? What if I staged my own sickness to make you feel sorry and trusty at me, eh!?”

“You haven’t done anything to harm us in purpose. Not to mention that I already told you that I didn’t like Sunset that much before, and more importantly, what are you doing is not humiliating her at all or make her feel bad. You are just doing your job and giving a message to all CHS that anyone can help in this, and trying to beat Shimmer with teamwork is a bonus!”

“But even so… Listen, Soarin! People shouldn’t shit like this!”

“And I will say that I don’t think you did something wrong! If Sunset was like you three years ago, maybe…” Soarin’s phone rang from his sports bag and quickly answered it. “Mom? …Already!? Ok, I’ll go back and have dinner now!” He finished the call. “Wow, dad came back earlier from work. I have to go now!”

“Sorry for wasting your time and denying you training time.”

“To tell you the truth, I’m glad I had this little pep talk with you instead.” He grabbed his stuff and started walking to his home. “It feels like years since I just talked my mind like this… Thanks for trusting me with your troubles, and believe me, your concerns aren’t a big deal to worry about! See you tomorrow!”

“Later.” When Soarin disappeared from his sight, Nitpick sat back on the bleachers and scrambled his head furiously. “What the hell just happened!? Did that really happen!? How could someone say shit like that after hearing my crap!?”

“Heh, maybe because it isn’t a big deal, Bittersweet.”

Nitpick was in stupefaction when he saw the silhouette of Thunderbass appearing from behind of the bleachers. His cool aura and easy-going nature was all that you could see from his posture. He sat down at a generous distance away from his acquaintance.

“You… How much did you hear?”

“Everything. I arrived here when you shared your tale to Soarin. I decided to stay out of sight and not interrupt.”

“Why didn’t you come and say hi?” Nitpick said with subtle hiss.

“To tell you the truth, I was hoping to talk to Soarin in private, knowing that he would be here around this hour.”

“Why? If I may know.”

“Because I wanted to do something similar to what you did, but on another whole subject.”

“… …Melody. Look… I’m sorry to shatter your dreams but-!”

“Octavia likes Soarin? Yes, I know.”

“Since when?”

“During the soccer match of last time, I could see the passion in her eyes as she was talking about him. Heh, I almost felt bad for trying to win her heart.”

“You did nothing wrong.” Nitpick reassured him with drowsiness. As far as I know, you haven’t cheated your way to win her heart... yet.”

“I practically forced you to get me some musicians when I could have done it myself. All for the sake of pleasing her and not appear like a yes-man.”

“It was a favor in the end, and she wanted to make this little concert a reality. I couldn’t deny her dedication.”

“Just like we tried to put all of our hopes in you.”

“Great. You don’t think I am a backstabber guy either.”

“Before Bon Bon’s compliments, I thought you were a kind of a giant dick, but I never hid that fact from you, if you remember.”

“Yes, we being not normal friends to our corresponding friendships…”

He looked at him with a small smile and straight eyes, then his gaze focused on something else. “Oh, what a pleasant surprise.”

Thunderbass pointed out with his finger to the other side of the street. Innocently walking with each other, Big Mac and Cheerilee were going towards the other side of the town, each holding a big cone of ice cream. It was too afar for the young guys to hear her words but her hand gestures told them that she wanted a bit of Big Mac’s ice cream. With a natural maturity- and glimpse of embarrassment from both parties- the Farmer allowed the Sunflower Teacher to taste a bit of the sweet. After the act was complete, a dim expression of enjoyment and fulfillment filled in red the cheeks of the beautiful teacher. Both resumed their paths and eventually disappeared.

“I envy him. They may not being an official item just yet but they are so close… so close.” Thunderbass’ voice was filled with melancholy, and regrets. “You know, if I were man enough to ask her directly instead of delaying the inevitable, I wouldn’t have taken so many long routes to approach her.”

“Love is a long road for the adventurer, for such exquisite emotion can harness the most daring facets of humanity. Love is a harsh path for the inexperienced, for it can betray the sanest of men, the holiest of saints, and the evilest of tyrants. Love is a great chasm for the coward, for it can fill who is unworthy with terror to jump and risk it all. Don’t despair if you fail in love, for the most crushing defeat is to never desiring it. Love is one of the few treasures in life that can’t… …” 

“Why did you stop?”

“Because it’s boring crap.”

“No, it’s not.”

“It’s boring crap, an old poem I wrote for… I know what you are feeling, and I think now I know why you want to talk with Soarin. You wished to know if he had any interest in Octavia and give an end to your quest if he said yes. If the answer was no, you could still try. With my first crush I did something similar… I wonder if Sunburst is treating her well.” Nitpick said with hope and good wishes.

“Hehehe… hahahahahaha! You saw right through me! Not even Flash has done It before!” He then released a louder and honest laughter. As he calmed down, he relaxed his position and gazed to the starry sky. “And this is why I support Soarin’s statement. If you were truly someone horrible, you wouldn’t have spoken to me this honestly.”

“Words mean nothing.”

“Wrong, whether it’s a long speech or a short verse, if the feelings are there, words are everything. If it’s filled with true compassion, words can heal, words can mend. Otherwise, words can hurt, and words can kill. It depends what you say, when you say it, and how you say it. It is the difference between you and the old Sunset Shimmer. You are combination of those, with one exception.” He looked at Bittersweet with a serious and stern face. “Yours don’t kill hopes and dreams.”

“But you just said a key difference. The old Shimmer could kill with words. The new one can’t kill nor hurt.”

“Are you so sure about that? If I tell you that her magical talent put the rest of us in the shadows, wouldn’t her words hurt us more because she speaks for herself? Even if she has faith in us, everyone are born with different potentials. In the long run, Sunset hurt us more than she can even imagine... Not all of us have the Magic of Friendship, and some people feel useless during school activities.”

“You don’t need magic to be somebody. And besides, magic is only a combination of cheap tricks for shows and entertainment in real life.”

“Pffff! So you still don’t know! Perhaps it’s because you don’t know that you are able to be yourself when working with her!”

“…What are you going to do now?”

“I won’t give up thanks to you. If I do so, I would never achieve anything, but if I give my all and still fail, then at least I gave it a shot, right?” 

“What do you see in Melody? She’s gorgeous and unexpectedly charismatic, I’ll give you that. But you and her are very different.”

“Because every time I hear her music… It’s an indescribable feeling, you know. I don’t play music for the people to acknowledge me or play cheap love songs for the girls. I play because it fills me with passion. It makes me free. I play for myself, and if someone likes what I play, I don’t mind the public… Just like her.”

“But there’s more to that, I assume.”

“People say that I’m one of the popular guys, and I don’t care about that. I just want a simple high school life, friends, and a healthy relationship. Octavia may say things bluntly but never with a pinch of nastiness. She is dedicated, nice, smart, and also… you could say that I like genuine. That’s why I won’t stop playing in the concert she has in mind, even if she ends up with another… I almost forgot how I love playing the acoustic guitar.” His arms were comfortably resting on his legs, but his hands were shaking with relentless passion, as if his fingers were trying to grab something unobtainable. “I want to be free and be myself again!!” He stood up with a pronounced smirk. “Later, Bittersweet.”

“Yeah, sure.”

He waved his hand as he walked to the parking lot of the school, his lonely car waiting for him. As for Nitpick, with a small sense of confusion, it was time to go back home.

…. ….

He just barely took a quick shower before he reached his bed, trying to find the sweet spot and fall asleep. Barely able to comprehend the recent events, he asked to himself again and again why the hell the guys gave him such an easy pass like that. They should be furious, or at the very least, disappointed.

Anything would have been better than the expressions of empathy he felt back then.

“Was this part of your plans as well?” His tone was drowned and tired. Suddenly, his phone rang. Wanting to end it quick, he answered the answer button. “What?”

“Hey, hey, hey! Who do you think I stumbled with when I was walking back home? If you want to know more, please come to my house!”

“Bon Bon…”

“Did I wake you up? … …Anyway, come to my house and bring your school bag, we may have different teachers in some classes but our itinerary is  practically the same. Help a poor and desperate teenager to finish her homework.”

Her mockery was enough to make Bittersweet sat down on his bed. “You really have a twisted sense of humor.”

“It’s almost nine o’clock so don’t be late. I know that you know where I live, thanks to Mrs. Flour. It’ll be a long night for us.”

…. ….

At the doorstep of her home, Nitpick knocked the door.

“It’s open!!” Bon Bon’s voice resonated from within the house. “Lock the door when you enter!”

As he entered, to his surprise, the floor was of pleasant and well-constructed wood, masterfully glazed to avoid the pest of ants and termites. Just like a standard documentary explaining the costumes of each nation, Bon Bon’s home was almost an exact replica of the Nipponese style. There was a stand where you put your belonging and a step where you placed your shoes. The walls were almost white, with strangely fitting decoration hanging on them.

Most of such embellishments were owl-themed, ranging from the cutest variant to the most fiercest figure. Putting his shoes on the appropriate place and following her indications of locking the door, the only words he could muster after being filled with the Nipponese vibes were, “Ojama shimasu.” Meaning ‘excuse me’ in the Nipponese dialect.

“YOU PRONOUNCED IT HORRIBLY!” An enraged Owl Lover yelled from the room at his left. “Why everybody makes emphasis on ‘Shi’ instead of just saying the damn thing quick? IS THAT MUCH TO ASK!?” Her footsteps became pronounced, her presence almost revealed to him. “And you only say it after I say ‘Douzo oagari kudasai’, you stupid cultureless Equestrian!”

“EXCUSE ME FOR NOT BEING A NATIVE SPEAK-!!! …Gah!!”

He was baffled as her host stood in front of him laying her back on the wall. 

Nitpick admired beauty. Never denied it before, never will. But there were times when certain women flips his switch and made him think that the admiration he felt were none other than his basic desires. There she was, standing proudly and dignified, like a unmatched woman who knew too well what were her fortes. Bon Bon was only wearing simple short shorts and a sleeveless shirt that only reached her belly button.

It’s been a while since a woman caught him off guard with such earthly and proportioned figure, not even Sunset coming close to that standard. Then again, he has never seen Shimmer or Sonata wearing that kind of outfit clearly meant for sleeping purposes before. 

Adagio was right, he was a fickle man, and Nitpick will always regret admitting the truth… sometimes.

“And what I said means, ‘Please come in’, so please come in!” She grinned.

Nitpick’s cheeks were reddened and he closed his eyes to avoid more admiration. “Y-your clear word redundancy to stomp my pride is inspiring.”

The Owl Lover guided him inside the living room. It was a spacious room, same white walls, without any furniture however, with only a curious clock of an owl hanging near the entrance. If you stood in a particular directions towards it, its gaze seemed like he was watching its victim, sending shivers to the spine. There was a surprisingly big TV on the wall with various pillows and mantles in the floor at a considerable distance from the screen. There was a little table nearby that had some notebooks on it, appropriate for small snacks and glasses. Finally, a fan was there as well, connected to a power extension cable to minimize its distance to the user.

“It’s just me and Grandma here, if you are wondering.” Bon Bon said while putting herself comfortable on the floor. “Don’t be shy and take a seat.” She threw at him a pillow. “Did you bring your notebooks? I need physics and trigonometry, please.”

Reluctantly, Nitpick took them out of his backpack. “Here you go.”

“Ok, let’s see… Oh, so this is how it’s done.” It took her a few minutes to analyze and write something on her notebooks. When all was set and done, she gave back his notes and excused herself to put away her stuff in her bedroom. Once she came back and sat down once again, she asked, “Did you have dinner already?”

“Don’t waste my time and tell me what I need to hear.”

“Right! When we were done with the groceries, Grandma and I were walking back home. In that moment, we stumbled with Soarin and she went ahead to grab her baggage since she had to catch the night’s plane to the capital to meet with Mom, so… we are alone now. Anyway, he mentioned what you said to me, that cute boy always being so innocent. And that’s when I knew that you did as I expected.”

“What did I do?”

“A simply confession. No drama, no tears, just a straight explanation from the heart and admitting that you were doing some nasty things!” 

“You must have talked to him before hand to make him more forgiving! There’s no way any person would forgive such acts!”

“And how would I know that he was your first choice to confess to? I don’t think anyone could have freed their time to meet you somewhere and talk on phone doesn’t have the same impact… Ah! I see it in your eyes that you know I am right! So keep using that head of yours! Find the answer!”

“You sent a group message and explained that I had something to confess and it wasn’t a big deal!”

Bon Bon laid her body comfortably on the floor, a pillow bellow her head and her hands rubbing her toned belly. “Again, you wouldn’t give me much time to explain if you had called someone first to fill the gaps… Hehehe, even so, it wouldn’t have worked in the end.”

“…You… You knew they wouldn’t believe me from the very start!”

“BINGO!” She jumped and clapped wildly numerous times. “DING, DING, DING, DING, DING!!! We have a winner, ladies and gentlemen!” 

“H-how!? No!! WHY!!?”

“Think about it. Think really hard about what have you done so far during your time on CHS!” Nitpick was silent, his face in shock and his hands gripping his legs. When Bon Bon saw his state of mind, she continued. “Okay, here’s the over simplified list from the very beginning! You were unfriendly to all and got into to trouble with Spitfire. You ended up proving that she was wrong and you were right about her training methods. You had a fallout with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, and most of it was your fault and you apologized. You had a chance to screw Rainbow’s career during the Wind Rider incident but you helped her in the end!”

“I did it to save my ass and Gilda’s!!” 

“But you couldn’t let Rainbow be blamed for something unfair, isn’t that right? And you know what? Thanks to the gossips on the school, they all know about your deeds and righted wrongs!” Nitpick became nervous for a moment, and Bon Bon continued. “Then you had your issues with Shimmer and that’s where the main turning tide comes to the equation. In the beginning, there was chaos! Shimmer’s reputation was in shambles thanks to Crystal Prep’s video providing proof that she cheated during the games.”

“Which it happened! CHS cheated!”

“She did! CHS didn’t!”

“It’s the same thing!”

“No, it’s not! I wasn’t part of her magic show, that applies to the school as well! Anyway, at first you held her back, checking that she didn’t do anything suspicious and make the competition more fair, but as the time went by, you took more seriously your position, damn, you even went the extra mile to give us a better fighting chance at the cost of your health! That obviously would motivate people to work harder, make things better, be friendlier to you…  and be more forgiving with certain flaws!” She giggled with mockery, covering her mouth with her fingers.

“You… You don’t mean…? You knew this was going to happen!” He said weakly.

“And this couldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for your conscience and your small yet prevalent sense of duty! You danced in the palm my hand and did what I hoped you would do! Being a good-hearted asshole that had a sense of morality!”

“Thunderbass said something similar…” He mumbled.

“What did you just say!? You spoke with him today as well? This is perfect!!! I was hoping for Soarin to share the tale with the others but now that Romeo knows the story as well… Oh my gosh, this is going far better than I expected!”

“C-come to think of it? How did you know I would stumble with Soarin!?”

“I didn’t know that you would do it today! Imagine my surprise when I stumbled with Soarin and he commented about what happened earlier, realizing that you ended up omitting my part in the tale and not mentioning that Princess Twilight was the one who accompanied us all along!” She said with immense pleasure. “Why you didn’t do it is a mystery to me still.” Her tone was of reflection.

“I forgot completely about that brat. And about you, I…” Nitpick got quiet and stopped looking at her in the eye, choosing instead to look at the side of the floor. His face slowly revealed his discomfort, embarrassment, and disappointment. Like he had hoped to achieve his release, and maybe, just maybe, believe in another outcome.

Bon Bon saw through him. “Aaaaah…!” And cherished the revelation with joined hands. “You wanted to preserve my friendships with the guys!” When Nitpick flinched, she got near him and caressed his face. “You are such a good boy.” Then, she hugged him tightly, whispering to his ear, “And you still think that you could get rid of me? You are so naïve and incredibly stupid in these matters.” She blew in his ear with a soft and intoxicating aroma of sweet cinnamon. 

“There must be a way…”

“There isn’t. Even if you end up divulging that Princess Twilight was with us, I would save her and say that it was all Sunset’s plan, because you know what? It was her plan in the end, and Twilight would testify about it. Nobody would hate the Princess because of it, but their distrust for Shimmer would increase. Because everybody likes when someone tries to deceive other people, right!?” She said with sarcasm. “And let me tell you a little spoiler of what the people would think of her; It’s not very good!” She was way too cynic in her answer.

“You made me look like an antihero so everyone could empathize with me and distract the rest from the real mastermind; YOU!”

“IT’S NOT VERY GOOOOOOOOD!” She sang with overwhelming joy and walked to the kitchen with a sugary mood. “We must celebrate! Let me make you dinner as a little prize. Do you like Kokun Ball C? Dad sent me the recent movie with subs from Nippon. I wanted to see it with Lyra but she doesn’t like the series that much and I can’t see her to the face right now.”

“Whatever.” Nitpick began to rub his face in defeat, no longer knowing what to think anymore.

From the kitchen, Bon Bon asked, “What do you want to eat?”

“Whatever is the less troublesome to do.”

“I can make white rice or sandwiches… Oh wait, you don’t like sandwiches. Rice will be.”

“Your sandwich… the one you did wasn’t that bad.”

“…I see. Do you… do you want a sandwich of mine?”

“I’m just a guest, do as you please.”

About twenty minutes later, the food was served; two big sized cups of rice and a sandwich cut in half looked cutely on the table, the drinks being simply apple juice. Bon Bon looked at her owl clock and noticed something strange. When she inspected it, she realized that the batteries died out and the hour was frozen at nine with twenty. She swore to buy new batteries tomorrow as she turned on the screen and played the movie.

Strangely enough, it was a silent meal, Bon Bon had lost her upbeat mood and looked… depressed. Both were looking at the action packed movie but without truly seeing it. They slowly emptied their plates and by the half of the movie, their meal was over. They paused it to wash the plates and leave them in the dish racket, her kitchen being surprisingly tidier and more efficient than her living room.

When the movie ended, they noticed that it was already midnight, the streets only illuminated by public lighting. With only a few words and not wanting to cause ruckus or began a discussion, Nitpick agreed to sleep in the living room for that night, not longing resisting the urge to rest. Bon Bon, unexpectedly for even her, brought her pillows and mantles from her room and joined him in the unplanned sleepover.

In a matter of minutes, both fell asleep… Far away from each other.

…. ….

He woke up abruptly, a drowned gasped echoing in the room. He started inspecting his phone to notice that it was barely two in the morning of November 10th, Monday. His body was facing the wall, almost losing himself to the shadows of the room. 

“Cannot sleep?” Bon Bon whispered, her voice weakened by her tiresomeness.

“No.”

“Me neither.”

“Why?”

“My conscience, I guess.”

“You know what is that?”

“Of course. It’s a human emotion that gives judgment to the actions of one self! It’s what differentiate us from the wild beasts, whether they are animals or human scums!”

“…I knew you were a rotten bitch. Even your definitions are sneered.”

“Perhaps I am… … …Have you ever felt that you must do something through any means necessary?”

“Not to the point of using people…”

“Hehe, I see…”

“…Is this about Lyra? Why can’t you see her in the face?”

“Perceptive. It’s because… You weren’t wrong with what you said during our phone call. I indeed used my friends… I don’t have the guts to face her right now. Worse is that on Saturday she identified Princess Twilight and told me when I escorted her back home. I told her that she wanted to join us because a friendship mission and crap was needed to be done… Her eyes told me everything… She believed me from the bottom of her heart… ” Her mumble had a degree of discomfort.

“Have you considered –“

“I will not stop until I get rid of her. I have faith that all will end well for us once she is gone, she will only bring us doom from her land. And Twilight is important for this to work.”

“I won’t allow it.” He yawned, drool almost leaving his mouth. “You won’t use her.”

“You can’t stop her growth now. You swore to make her a better person at the cost of yourself, right? Let me tell you something, then. I’ll share with you the burden of her eventual anger towards you. Be patient, and let us see what kind of woman she is from the bottom of her heart.”

“You… we won’t make her a misguided brat like us.”

“You haven’t seen the darkness hiding behind her beautiful purple eyes. You’ll never admire the real demon that other one was once. But even with her negative feelings dwelling in her spirit, I have complete trust that our Twilight will forgive the outlandish Princess of the Fall Formal and become an example to all of us. I have faith that Twilight will triumph over her rage and understand that forgiveness is the answer sometimes. I believe in her capability to embrace her own power and reject her inner demons using her own strength of will and resolve without the need of the so called ‘Magic of Friendship’. Shimmer’s careless ideals and dangers must die with her leave.”

“What did Shimmer do to make you this… vengeful?”

“… …I promise I will tell you one day… When I’m ready.” She said melancholic, tiresomeness pummeling her constitution. “But please… let me sleep. I don’t want to think anymore right now.”

“Can you give me clue? … …I guess not.”

“If… If told you that magic exists in this world since ancient times… that Sunset is from another dimension, that a secret organization exist to hunt evil magic users, and my name isn’t Bon Bon… would you believe me?”

“No.”

“Tee-hee-hee, that was crazy, right?… Who would believe that crap? Nobody is that stupid… … Can I… can I sleep now?”

Nitpick thought in his mind that if the possibility of her giving him permission to make her feel guilty was happening. She wasn’t pressuring him to shut up, nor she showed true desire to end the conversation. In the end, as his eyes started to close, he managed to say one last thing, “I’m starting to believe… that you are just a whiny teenager like me… …”

“I really like you… Good night, Sweet…”

“Good night, Bon Bon...” 

The Dust of the Stars guided them to the Land of Dreams.

…. ….

The apple tree of the Apple family were spreading the song of the wind. Branches clashing, leaves dancing. It was three in the morning, and the stars were opaque for some reason to Twilight Sparkle as she saw them shining faintly in the sky. It was a very strange time for her indeed. After leaving her friend behind with new found motivation to become stronger, she was sure that she could speak her mind to her otherworldly self and bestow divine judgment. 

Nothing was ever easy for the Scientist.

When she joined the Element Bearers, they were drowned in the sweetness of triumph, making Twilight doubt if it was really the best time to fulfill her desire. Rainbow and the Wondercolts were still partying spectacularly in Sugarcube Corner as the soccer team’s morale increased with their victory. The only member missing was Soarin, but it seemed that nobody put much thought on him, giving Twilight a very slight sense of unfairness from their part. 

The only one who was as lost as her was her otherworldly self. She was smiling, shaking her body to the rhythm of the music. But something seemed off for the Scientist. She could feel the gaze of the Princess, but it wasn’t focused nor she exerted a confident aura. It felt distant and hopeless, as if her sweat wasn’t really a product of her effort from dancing. Then, Twilight understood, for she has smelled that aroma before within herself.

The stench of fear wasn’t unfamiliar to the young Scientist.

Sometime later, after an emergency delivery of books, spare clothes, and a sleepy Spike to the Apple’s household, Sunset and Friends organized yet again another sleepover. Princess Twilight and Applejack had to go on foot to prevent that Twilight’s mother sees an exact replica of her daughter in the world. 

When they gathered together in the farmer’s room, the girls didn’t lose time and began their activities. All but Twilight shared the notion of having a moment of quality together. She could feel Sunset’s charming aura trying to fill her perturbed mind to join her world. The beauty of her presence seducing Twilight to let go of her inner, newfound purpose.

But Twilight Sparkle couldn’t let go so easily now. A dim but growing presence whispered in her ear to not lose focus. Trying to silence the voice, she tried to blend in the ambience and join the fun. After a few hours of make-up, card games and apple pies, Sunset commented about the experiment she had in mind to restore the red diamond that Twilight had for science purposes. Since the Princess of Friendship approved of the idea, none of the girls questioned any further.

‘It’s always the Princess who has the final word, isn’t it?’, The inner voice spoke, making Twilight give an unconscious glare of despise towards her otherworldly self. 

They tried to perform the spell together inside the garage, but once again, Twilight couldn’t make synergy with her friends, leaving her for the second time out of the equation. At the second attempt, the spell was a success… but not as Sunset hoped. Various artifacts, hardware and tools of Applejack’s family whose life utility were long gone were partially restored to their former glory, giving the Sheriff an immense sense of bliss. She felt her fingers becoming stronger as she grabbed a hammer that was restored, the signature of her father in mint condition once again on the sturdy metal.

As for the red diamond, it became just a memory, much to Sunset’s frustration and sadness. Princess Twilight comforted her that she will find a way to complete her research, giving hope once again to Princess Celestia’s old pupil. 

The girls went to sleep, and fell deeper and deeper to a sweet slumber. When Twilight noticed that everyone was lost in their dreams, she sneaked her way out for fresh air. The breeze of Ponyville always calmed her down. When she looked at her phone, she saw the hour.

It was three in the morning, and the stars in the sky were obscured by the clouds.

“Sci-Twi…” A weak voice squeaked from behind.

“Oh… It’s you.”

“I’m glad that… you decided to join us.” The Scientist didn’t look at the Princess in the face, continuing to watch the stars instead. “It was somewhat tragic that the spell didn’t work, right? I mean, I had a theory that it would overload the chunks of your diamond and turn it into dust, but a good scientist tries to experiment with what she deems worthy, right?”

“It was just a cheap trinket that I won during a trip. Nothing special.”

“In my world they are rare and very expensive.”

“As I said, it was just a cheap trinket. Its value doesn’t matter to me.” She said extremely cold, dawning to Princess Twilight a moment of silence.

“Sci-Twi… ... …I need to talk with you about something that happened on Saturday.”

The moment that Twilight desired came to her doorstep. She… didn’t know how to start the conversation correctly, however.

“Y-you mean the mess you did on Saturday, right!?” The Scientist asked weakly.

“Oh, so it is as I feared…” The Princess rubbed her arm with remorse emanating from her heart.

“Tell me what is what you feared that happened.”

“Well… That Nitpick called you to see what’s going on about… Sci-Twi, I swear it was an accident!”

The Scientist immediately knew what was she talking about. Princess Twilight didn’t suspect that everything was a silly joke. She thought that using the opportunity to know the reason from her mouth would make her have an easier time to come to a decision of what to do next.

“Answer me something with all the honesty you can muster. Why did you really do it? And most importantly… Why you didn’t tell me?” 

“I just wanted to help Sunset to make a new friend. I didn’t mean to hear more than I needed, and I should have been more conscious about what I was getting myself into!”

“And you didn’t tell me because…?” She was waving her hand with a bit of annoyance.

“I didn’t… To tell you the truth, I didn’t think about i. It wasn’t my intention to make you look bad or ruin your friendships! I am so sorry, I won’t give long excuses for what I did for I know it was wrong. Forgive me.”

In the deepest recess of her mind, the human girl called Twilight Sparkle was thinking that the words of her otherworldly self were filled with truth and deep regret, longing for forgiveness. As she was about to let it go and forgive her, something unexpected happened. As she gazed upon the nightly sky, a shiny and burning star glimmered with an unmatched power, paling other stars around it. Not even the moon could compare to her beauty. It was calling to her incessantly, and when Twilight focused only on the Supreme Star, her eyes became blank, a deep trance invading her senses.

She wasn’t in the Apple farm anymore, instead, she found herself in the middle of nowhere, dark echoes filling the air with haunting words. A male, familiar voice resonated across the dark realm and said with tenderness, 'Don’t make the same mistakes as me… If they end up hating me, it doesn’t mean that they must hate you as well! Just because I do wrongs doesn’t mean that you must follow my example! Learn from my mistakes!'

A second voice, female this time, managed to say with wisdom and reassurance, 'Everything has a purpose. Everything has a varying degree of morality. What is be grey for you, it will be black or white for others. But remember, do the right thing when you can and don’t hurt anybody! If the circumstances aren’t favorable, then do the less harm you can manage to do! Always think of everybody’s happiness!'

A third voice, another female, spoke to Twilight from behind her. This time, however, the tone and the presence weren’t warm or comfortable. This aura was wicked. The darkness deepened, any presence of light soon was swallowed without mercy. That voice whispered in her ear, "Don’t be a fool! Make her beg!” She said filled with poison. “She thinks she is so high and wise! Let US teach her a lesson she will never forget! Vengeance, Twilight! Grant us vengeance! …GRANT ME RELEASE!”

The inner darkness freed her, and Twilight recovered her sense of self, once again standing in the fabrics of reality. The wind of the Apple farm gracing her silhouette, her hair dancing with the breeze. Suddenly, Princess Twilight’s chest hurt a little, feeling a terrible darkness coming from her otherworldly self. It felt very different than the dark presences that she battled before like Tyrek or King Sombra. Then, Twilight turned around, facing the mirror, observing her twin, her delicate countenance engulfed in shadows.



“Sci-Twi?” The Princess tried to reach her, walking forward without hesitation to her friend. “Sci-Twi, are you ok!?”

The dark presence that bothered Princess Twilight dissipated with each step she gave, only a big smile, soft and tender eyes, and a welcoming expression, was seen from the Scientist, putting at ease the mind of the Princess. 

“Twilight… Tell me what did you hear, please.”

“Ah!? Oh… … Well…”

“Twilight…” The Scientist got closer to her and caressed her cheeks and squished them gently. “What. Did. You… hear!?” Her hiss was cold bur strangely soft.

“That… That Nitpick and you were a kind of an item. And that you didn’t like Flash Sentry.”

“Oh!!! So that was your reason in reality!” Twilight said triumphantly, scratching super playfully the Princess’ cheeks with a smirk. “You weren’t aiming to help Sunset. Oh no, no, no! It wasn’t your desire to fulfill your duty as a Princess of Friendship and make the school unite even more! YOU wanted to know if I had any romantic interest for your unrequited love so you could make your move on him!”

“What!? No! That is insane!”

“That’s why you didn’t tell me, right? You were hoping to ruin my life so you could get a free pass with him!”

“Sci-Twi, what are you saying? I swear that-!”

“Quiet!!” Twilight was griping firmly the shoulders of her otherworldly self, her pajamas’ fabric becoming messy. “For all you seemed to care, you never trusted me, did you? I was just an afterthought, wasn’t I? An inconvenience, a burden that got in your way to get what you desired. I trusted you, Twilight… But it seems you never trusted me at all. Is it because I can’t Pony-Up? Or perhaps is because I can’t make a single group spell? Oh, I get it. I’m incompetent when it comes to friendship, and that’s why I’m always on the sidelines.” Twilight’s voice had softened as her speech went on and on, becoming weak and mumbled. She finally whispered in the Princess’ ear, “I’m always the last option to be asked an opinion, aren’t I…?”

‘Ruining a life could not be more easy! It is a good thing that you would never disguise as your cousin and hear things you are not supposed to know. It is a good thing that you would ask her first before doing anything harsh. After all, you are family… right?’

Princess Twilight’s eyes diluted in horror as Reem’s words resonated in her mind continuously. Was this a punishment for abusing of her Princess’ status? Was this her guilt trying to give her a message? Or perhaps it was remorse? Perhaps the dark presence wasn’t even there in reality. Perhaps it was pure fright at thinking that she could be terribly angry at her. A was a combination of those feelings and more were eating her slowly, tears flowing from her cheeks, her sorrowful eyes getting heavy.

“I’m so sorry…” She sniffed while looking to the floor. “I didn’t mean to hurt you…”

The Scientist looked at her without a shred of remorse, or pity. Her lips lacked expression, her breath absent of warm and love. But her eyes were dismembering her from inside out. A cold grin forming on her lips at last.

Then, it was warm again.

“But… What use is the Magic of Friendship if I don’t learn to forgive!?” She raised the chin of the Princess of Friendship and cleaned her tears with her own shirt. “I forgive you, Twilight.” She hugged her and patted her head, slowly and gently. “Let your weeping cease. After all, we are like family, right?”

Princess Twilight instantly returned the affection, her arms almost squeezing the Scientist’s back. “Oh, thank you! Thank you, Sci-Twi!”

“Promise me you won’t do it again…” She said sweetly.

“Yes, I won’t do anything like that again.”

“Do you promise to keep all what you heard an absolute secret? Even to your friends from your world?” She said comfortably while exploring her back upside down.

“Yes, I promise.”

“And promise me to stop leaving me behind when it comes to your sleepovers and planning.” She said while rubbing her cheek on her neck.

“Yes, Yes, Yes! A thousand times yes!” The Princess hugged her firmer.

“Don’t betray me again.” She locked her eyes with hers. “I don’t think I can forgive you twice. You… understand what I mean, right?” Weakly, the Princess nodded with agreement to her words. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad, Twilight. It’s just that… you know. I feel that sometimes we must let go of what we think so one can move on, right? It’s not abuse if you end up mending your wounds, right? What we did was strengthening our bond… right?”

The Princess’s sniffs were subsiding, her brimming nature surfacing once again. “Of course… This proves that I still have much to learn as a Princess of Friendship! I mustn’t overestimate the trust that was bestowed and blessed to me.”

“Indeed you have, Twilight. Indeed you have. Remember, if you have a question from this world that not even Sunset can answer, you can always come to ME first, understood?”

“Yes… As a matter of fact… what is a CUDA and a GPU? Reem asked me, well, you, to make a computer of sorts.”

“Oh, that’s an extensive subject, and a very interesting one as well! I’ll explain it to you another day! For now, let us go to sleep! I have classes tomorrow and you must go to your royal duties as well in the morning!”

“Hehe, you may be right.”

“I am right. I’m you, remember?”

They both laughed and went back inside, welcoming the Land of Dreams for another night. In the sky, the Supreme Star gleamed with happiness, the heavens bending to its will. The critters of the town trembled in fear while looking at the celestial body, howls and squeaks of terror silenced by an unspeakable shadow originated from its perverted glimmer.

It was the coldest night of the year in Ponyville so far.
> Chapter 98 - The state of my reality.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The surroundings were haunting and cold, nothing but a thick forest and an endless fog limiting my perception of the world around me, except for a strange light that glimmered bright enough above me to catch my curiosity. With not much to do, I decided to walk to the direction of the light. Where I am? Why did I end up here? Those were questions that haunted me every second.
Every step I made, I could hear the weeping of a girl more clearly. It was soft, with a glimpse of fear and hopelessness. Eventually, I reached a little pond in the middle of this colorless forest, and in front of said pond, there was the girl I heard before. She was kneeling on the ground and looking at her own reflection. Lost. Moody. Doubtful.

“Hey there.” I said tenderly.

She quickly tried to dry her tears with her sleeves. When she turned around, the pretty face of a nerdy kind of girl with big glasses captivated my eyes. Hesitating, she said, “Hi.”

“What are you doing here?”

She answered, “I’m lost... And you?”

“You could say that I’m lost as well. How did you arrive here?”

“I ran away again from the one who scares me the most now.”

“…Want to talk about it?”

“I don’t know who you are to talk about it…” She said with understandable doubt.

“I understand, I’ll be on my way.”

“…Wait… It’s about a girl I admire from school. She is so smart… I wish she was my friend and only my friend… I wish I did have friends... And you? How did you get here?”

“…I don’t know. My memory is as deep as this fog. I feel like I was pulled here for some reason.”

“If you want to find your way home, walk that way, to north. There you’ll find a road to the town. Go north… always go north in this realm.”

“In this realm? You said you were lost! How do you know that way will get me out of here?”

“Because I’m lost, but not in the sense of placement, but self.”

“Then I’ll leave you on your quest of self-reflection. If I get lost, do me a favor and look for me after you hear my screams of despair.”

She laughed rather innocently and said. “That I’ll do!” I walked to the direction she recommended me, but before I could leave the pond, she said, “Wait, before you go, can I ask you something?”

“Why, sure. Ask.”

“Have you ever hated somebody?”

“Myself.”

Her expression became perplexed when hearing my brusque answer. “That was unexpected! Why!?”

“Well, it’s a long explanation.”

“Will you make me company and tell me? I don’t want to go just yet. The voice told me so.”

“What voice?”

“The star that shines bright above us.” 

She pointed out to a shining star that I didn’t notice before. It’s bright was like the beam of light that a lighthouse shoots on the horizon for the sailors to find their way to the coast. Fascinated, and yet scared, I couldn’t stop admiring the beauty of said star. 

“Will you stay with me a little longer?”

“I… I suppose I can do that.” I focused my gaze on her eyes. “But only if you promise me to show me the way out yourself!”

“You have a deal, friend! Come, here is a log. Sit with me.” She sat down and patted repeatedly the spot now reserved for me.

“I’m not your friend.” I joined her on the log. “We are two complete strangers in the middle of nowhere while gazing upon the lonely star. It almost feels supreme up there. Shining all alone…”

“Yeah… and what you said is true, but strangers become friends eventually if there is an interest.”

“You may be right. So…” After a moment of hesitation, I began to explain her my answer. “Have you ever made something that you were proud of, only for someone else to come and do a far better job than you?”

“Recently, yes. So many times she has took away things that I thought were meant for me.”

“Who?”

“My… twin, sort of…”

“Why do you think is that?”

“Because she gave them to me, but I came to accept that those blessings were just lent. I didn’t win them, but I was so blind and desperate to have friends that praised my achievements that I took any opportunity that was presented to me and have but a taste of what it felt to be… loved.”

“You said you didn’t have friends.”

Curiously, and a bit lost, she responded, “I did say that? Well, I have friends in reality.”

Great, I stumbled with a loony.

“Why you want friends?”

“Why anyone wouldn’t want friends? Family is one thing, they will always be there… at least mine is always there. I don’t know what I would do without them… and I don’t know about yours.”

“My family is… special, I guess…? It’s dysfunctional, but I love them, even when they drive me insane sometimes.”

“Do they remind you every day to wash your dishes and clean your room?”

“My mother wants me to marry now and my dad wants me to have a job while I keep studying. And my sister has… let’s say she is a special one, but that doesn’t stop me of loving her… She even manages to get better scores at school than me.” I said with an air of pride.

“Mine is very normal, and so friendly with everyone. I admire my mommy the most but my daddy and my B.B.B.F.F. aren’t that behind.”

“Your what!?”

“Big Brother Best Friend Forever!” She smiled rather widely, and obnoxiously for my tastes. “I also have a dog… I wish he could talk and have a friend every day in my home.”

“Yeah… Because that is what we need in the world. Long nicknames and talking dogs.”

“Hee-hee-hee! He said something similar to me the first time he heard it!”

“Heh, I don’t doubt it! …What were we talking about?”

“About friends. And your reason of self-hate.”

“Ah, yes!” 

“Yeah… So …Why do you hate yourself?”

“It’s not that I hate myself in the sense of despise. Sometimes I do rash things without thinking well the possible outcome of my choice. And I tend to choose the wrong decision, but I always continue that choice until I do what I need to do, or the circumstances break me and force me to reconsider my approach.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad. Experimentation requires repetition and failure until you get right the variables to do something right. The wheel has evolved many iterations across the ages and they still research what size it is needed for new inventions that need it.”

“Yes, but that is in a controlled environment. Sure, accidents happen but in society is a very different danger. There are times when you say something that could screw up not only you, but the people around you for a while, perhaps your whole lifetime.”

“There are many tragic accidents that have occurred in the name of science… perhaps what we consider real danger is in the point of view of each individual.”

“I just know that I’m very fortunate for not having to face such harsh consequences so far. I hope I never inherit such burden of loses in the name of anything. Mine are minor problems, worthy of a whiny teenager like me… I once… There was this girl that I liked a lot. I wanted to be someone who could be of her liking, and for a time, it happened. But I had to sacrifice my own self to the point of nearly becoming someone else. Somebody who wasn’t me. My friends supported me as best as they could, but eventually we got separated… Or perhaps I was the one who wanted to run away from everything at that time. One day, I became more relentless, more honest… more stupid. I couldn’t stop. I can’t stop trying to prove that I can do things right as well… but I sometimes do it for the pettiest of reasons, and I fear I only cause more problems to others instead of just me… That’s why I hate myself, for my own pride… I’m aware of it, and yet, I do nothing to correct it…”

It seemed like an eternity the moment we stayed quiet looking at the pond. She began to whistle a little song, from time to time mumbling, ‘We shine like rainbows… woh-oh-oh’. Then, she broke the silence. 

“I have been trying to change myself to become the friend that these nice girls want me to become. They are so kind, and I try so hard to blend with them. It seems to work, most of the time… But when I analyze the reason why I am their friend in the first place, all starts to crumble for me. I want to be like the one who made my new friends a reality. I keep trying and trying to fulfill their expectations but I simply cannot grasp what I lack… Or perhaps I know what I lack, but I’m too afraid to get it. My babysitter once said that not all changes are bad, some bring joy and good fortune… But what if this change makes me a different person? A worse version of me? What if I become the friend they want me to become, but lose my own identity in the process? Would that be worth all of this doubt, trouble, and emotional turbulence I’m feeling now? I don’t know…”

“What is what you truly lack?”

She sighed heavily and weakly responded, “Courage… Courage to speak my real insecurities to them… It’s strange, you know? I’m opening my heart to a complete stranger instead of facing my problems with them. I’m such a loser. My faithful assistant says that I must not lose hope!”

“You have an assistant?”

“Yes, my dog!”

She is really crazy.

“He must be really talented to be able to talk.”

“You would love him. He’s the best dog ever and is very attentive and patient. Magic made him the ideal partner… I’m really such a loser. My only friend is my dear, irreplaceable puppy…”

“We both are losers, then. No matter if you aspire something with all your heart, no matter how talented and wealthy you are, if you can’t make things rights with what you have and be happy with the outcome, you lose in the end, and nothing that other people say will make the difference. It’s like a competition, there are winners and losers. In an ideal world, everybody is a winner, but in the real world, if someone says that, they are so blinded in my point of view. Do you really think that casting aside your individuality will give you happiness? Is only when you struggle when you get to know the true meaning of happiness. We slowly learning from our mistakes is a good thing.”

“It’s painful to get what you want sincerely and without shortcuts.”

“And that’s why we are losers… We always think about the wrong outcomes, the wrong scenarios. We never try to see the good side. People who can think in the good side of things are happy and we thinking negatively is bad in a certain way, but it makes us humans and I’m okay with it… For now.”

“If we go back home… could we be friends?”

“…I don’t see the harm on it.”

“Then perhaps… I can emulate the same mistakes that you do and learn from them with my own pain. Perhaps I could learn what is to be hated by someone else if earn their hate, or yours… If that is okay with-!”

“No… No! It’s not okay! Don’t make the same mistakes as me… If they end up hating me, it doesn’t mean that they must hate you as well! Just because I do wrongs doesn’t mean that you must follow my example! Learn from my mistakes!”

“But-!”

I put my finger on her cold but soft lips to shut her up. “Use logic here. If you see that I’m screwing up with horrible results, find another way, a better way, to do things right. And if you find a way, tell me, and we can grow together. That’s the key of a friendship. Sharing joys, grief, and knowledge. Friendship is opening your heart to someone you want to share the best moments of your life beyond family!”

“That sounds more like a romance.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit! Not all friendships end up like the soap operas that appear on cheap TV channels! Male and female friendships can be real if a simple camaraderie exist in the first place.”

“I see…”

“We should go home. My ass hurts and this log isn’t comfortable at all.”

“Could you please watch your language? You are talking with a girl here!”

“Chivalry is overrated in this age. You always get friendzoned in the end and the only one at fault is the guy itself for being a stupid self-appointed victim. Let’s go home and I’ll treat you a chocolate.”

“Okay, I’ll guide us out of here! I’m expecting that chocolate! Follow me now, my lost kitty!”

“I’m not a kitty!!!” I hissed.

It didn’t take us that much to reach a road in the middle of nowhere. The path lead to three directions, and she explained each. “If you go to the left, to the east, you’ll reach the forest entrance and you’ll get lost again if you reenter it. The same will happen if you go back to the south, the forest is vast and mysterious.”

“How do you know that?”

“I… just know… Trust me, this place is of my own creation…” That last sentence wasn’t warm as the voice she had during our time together. It felt… cold. Like the whisper of Death. “If you go right, to the west, you’ll reach a grove. It’s beautiful there. Hmm, perhaps I’ll make a quick visit before I go home.” She said with a normal tone again, much to my relief.

“You better come with me, it’s dangerous to go alone in the night.”

“I’ll be fine, besides, dawn will come soon! I’ll meet you again in the town to the north. My new home is there.”

“Ok, I’ll be on my way there.”

“Then… you will treat me that chocolate, right?”

“If I find you, yes. I don’t break promises.”

“Great, I’ll meet you behind of the school… someday, somewhere. So don’t forget about me.”

“What’s your name?”

“Twilight.”

“Nitpick. The name is Nitpick.”

“Okay, so we’ll see each other again, right?”

“Yes. Don’t take too long there.”

We marched to our points of interest without further troubles. I could see the town just ahead after walking like fifteen minutes. I could see the settlement from below this little hill that was part of the road. The public lights were still lit, and the hens would soon sing their song of awakening. But I couldn’t continue my journey. It was dark on the road behind me. My conscience told me that I couldn’t leave her alone. It felt wrong. And I rushed back, I ran and ran and followed the path she took. I could see a small haven at the end of the road and I sprinted faster than ever. 

Suddenly, the earth trembled with fury. My body felt treacherous as I couldn’t move at my own will. The star on the sky glimmered with a tint of black and its light blinded me violently. My screams of despair could be heard across the globe.

…. ….
…. ….

I gasped abruptly as my eyes opened instantaneously. I was breathing heavily, and sweat began to pour through my skin. When I focused on my surroundings, I could only see the beautiful arctic eyes of Bon Bon, shining with sheer will and love for life in the dark.

“Are you okay?” She asked while removing my sweat with a towel. 

“Yeah… I had a dream. A weird one.”

“I had a dream too, but a pleasant one. Anyway, get up and help me clean the living room. It’s time to earn the food you ate last night. Cover your eyes for a bit, I’m gonna turn on the lights. Ready?”

“Yeah.”

My eyes didn’t struggle and adjusted quickly to the light during this strange morning of autumn. I lazily pulled my back from the floor and sat on it, my hands soon found themselves scratching my hair and stomach with slight comfort. I exhaled a yawn so deep and clumsy that I almost laid back to the floor again, wishing to shut my eyes a while longer. 

But I managed to stay sit, and I looked through the window of this alien home and noticed that it was dark still, the wind whistling with its subtle presence outside. I have never sleep this good before. I couldn’t deny it, sleeping on the floor was way more comfortable than I expected.

But… 

“What time is it?” I mumbled while checking my phone. “FIVE WITH FORTY IN THE MORNING!? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?

“I let you sleep ten minutes more than me, and that’s generous! You should be grateful! Here!” She threw me a broom. “Help me clean this mess!”

I looked around and only said, “But this place look spotless!!”

“You must be blind, or very conformist with your cleaning standards. Sweep the hallway outside and I’ll clean here then!”

“Don’t you think I’m your… uh…”

My sight soon dawned on the gorgeous woman’s body, her beautiful figure captivated me for a seemingly long moment, then I focused on her face. If it wasn’t for the fact that Bon Bon was in reality an insufferable and manipulative bitch, I could imagine myself becoming infatuated with her at one point. She has many physical traits I like for women; a figure that looked like a carefully crafted hourglass, a long and fairly curly hair, and firm-looking and slender muscles, product of what it seemed to be endless hours of diet and fitness. But, besides all that, there was something that bewitched me the most from her.

Those ever-changing arctic eyes she possessed, now they were prideful, mighty… and bossy.

And I am just… I just exist.

I stood up and sighed in defeat, fulfilling her commands. After all, she gave me free dinner last night. Thankfully, there wasn’t a lot of dust and I had the necessary cleaning tools at my disposal to leave spotless my designated area. My experience in the competition as a janitor helped immensely to do the task quicker.

I went inside the bathroom after my short task was over. My stomach growled rather funny as walked to my destination, hunger weakening me a bit. Luckily, I put the cookies I bought from Mrs. Flour in my school’s backpack in case that something weird happened during my visit to Bon Bon’s house. I didn’t expect to sleep in her home, and she definitely didn’t imagine this could happen either, but at least now I will have those as breakfast on the school. 

Buy some milk on the way there is a must… and a chocolate… Why a chocolate? I mean, I love them but… I’ll buy a chocolate.

As I washed my face thoroughly, I couldn’t help myself but recall my little talk with Bon Bon during the night. Such cold  and vengeful aura came from her with sheer obsession when I indirectly mentioned Shimmer, and it makes me believe that Sunset must have done some terrible acts beyond the ordinary to win her complete despise… but it also made her look tired, and lonely. Her voice was weak, not even her snarky tone could hide that fact from me. When I mentioned Lyra, she became aware that she was doing something wrong.

Wrong… Wrong? Why that word resonated so much in my head now?

The dream I had, I can’t remember it clearly. I just recall that I abandoned someone into the darkness. It felt wrong… Bah. I washed again my face, drying it with tissue paper, and decided to leave such meaningless thoughts behind. It was just a dream.

Just a dream.

I got out of the bathroom while arranging my clothes and taking my long shirt from the stand near the door. I must be thankful that the hallway of this house felt colder than the living room or I would have sweat horribly and be forced to rush back home and take a bath. Once I was ready, I joined back with Bon Bon and…

An inner rage fiercely burned through my blood vessels and made my skin steam. It wasn’t the fact that she was lazing around that angered me, nor that she was looking at the TV with an undeniably lustful pose worthy of a beach calendar photo. On the table, besides a glass filled with what seemed to be almond milk with some ice cubes, there was a cup of cookies. A cup of strangely familiar cookies that I know were bought recently. Her hands reached one and slowly guided it to her mouth, pissing me off immensely.

“Bon Bon… it may be an obvious question but, what are you doing?”

“Watching the movie again. The part where Kukrilin dies is hilariously tragic. I can’t believe this is the eleventh time he dies in the canon timeline but they still manage to make it a bit sad. The voice actress of Code Name Eighteen has improved dramatically on her performance over the years. But as always, this is Kokun Ball, no matter if it is normal, C, NT, or the coming Hyper series, the mighty Shen-Wong will comes from the magic balls and revive them all to deliver the happy ending to Drakoon and friends.”

“I see… And what exactly are you drinking now?”

“Almond milk. I had to put some ice cubes in it since I forgot to put the milk on the fridge last night.”

“And those cookies?”

“Oh… I see. No wonder I could feel your anger all of the sudden.” She casually scratched her left leg with her right feet, not changing her position or turning her head towards me, like if she was mocking me on purpose. “Mrs. Flour’s cookies are one of my favorites sweets in town, even Grandma likes them. When you went away to the bathroom to smell my towel, I perc-!”

“I DIDN’T SMELL YOUR TOWEL, YOU STUPID LITTLE BRAT!!”

“Tee-hee-hee! Anyway, I perceived a deliciously familiar aroma coming from your backpack since yesterday, and imagine my surprise when I found those cookies inside. Hahaha, I’m sorry but I couldn’t resist the urge and took them for breakfast. I can share them with you if you want! Just come here and say ‘Ah’ and I’ll feed you, my faithful dog!” She said with a mix of seduction and ridicule as she sat on the floor. “Come here!” She whistled two times while showing me a cookie. “Come for the prize, boy! Come for the prize for cleaning your spot! What? No want prize?” She tossed the cookie on the air, it landed on her mouth and she ate it whole. “Suit yourself!” And then, she retook her beach posture and looked back to the TV.

This demon, this Cookie Robber, this bitch stole my cookies, my investment, MY BREAKFAST! This beautiful woman…



…is obnoxiously unbearable.

…. ….

Bon Bon and I were walking together to the school with thirty minutes of anticipation. She acted… very charming after devouring my cookies with me while watching the final part of the movie. She even ended up feeding me once and that was embarrassing. Stealthy brat. When we finished our short-lived breakfast, she took a quick shower and rushed to her room to put her usual white attire and boots while bringing her backpack with her. This time, however, she wore underneath her attire a long sleeved shirt to cover her arms, the bearable cold weather finally taking effect on her body. 

She then made a quick, real breakfast for the two us; two fruit milkshakes with some kind of powders from Nipponese brands and a piece of bread for each. She also made me two sickeningly adorable looking rice balls for school lunch. I protested at first, but she blatantly told me with true facts that it was free food and I should be grateful about it. Now it seems that she knows how to shut me up as well.

This bitch… bossy…

Her breakfast tasted like vegan crap, but at the same time, I had tasted that flavor before with some of Gilda’s recommended shakes. Now that I think about it… Gilda’s taste great, and have good side effects on the long run, but every time that Bon Bon offered me to make my shakes in the past, they turned to be the most horribly tasting drink I have ever had… only to make me feel a bit more productive days later. Could it be that she has secretly been putting weird ingredients on my foods and drinks to make me more resilient to stress?

HA! I don’t think that she could be that thoughtful!

“You know…” She said a little reflective all of the sudden. “I had a weird but pleasing dream last night.”

“Yeah, we told each other that a little while ago…”

“I know… Just for sheer curiosity, did you dream about a girl by any chance?”

“Yes.”

“What a coincidence! In my dream-!”

“I don’t want to hear-!”

“I was in this pretty spot where light and darkness intertwined, a grey grove of balance! And I was there, sitting in a rock, and I simply had the urge to meditate! Then, from the darkness, a slender figure walked to me! She asked me about what it was to hate someone!” 

“And what did you tell her?”

“About the wisdom of morality, of course! I can’t remember why I was in that grove in the first place but only that part with the girl was the clearest to me! Still, it’s a muddy memory but I… You know, during our night’s conversation, I thought for a second that perhaps I really crossed the line too far, but now I believe my conscience tells me that I did the right thing through that dream!”

“Great, you truly are insufferable.”

“Tee-hee-hee! To tell you the truth, I have never experienced such kind of dream before! What did you dream about?”

“Don’t want to talk about it.”

“Come on, don’t be shy! We slept together and if that isn’t a proof of trust, I don’t know what it is!”

My eyes twitched. “We didn’t sleep together!” I said in hiss. “Our bodies were too far away!”

“We were in the same living room, on the same floor, sharing the cold night of reflection and honesty! Perhaps we should share the same bed one day!”

“Shut up, you stupid, bitchy, unbelievably annoying and unbearable piece of shit!”

“Was it a perverted dream? It MUST have been a perverted dream!!!” She teased me.

“No, Sunset Two-Point-Oh!”

She glared daggers at me with murderous intent. “That was uncalled for, you stupid cultureless asshole!”

“Yeah, right. Besides, this was just another weird dream and it’s not worth your time. At least this wasn’t like the previous ones that were the same.” I halted for a moment. “The same…”

“What’s wrong?” She stood quiet with me. “In Nippon and some parts of the Middle East, frequent dreams are regarded as visions of a possible future.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to tell you this…” I said with a tint of bitterness. “Ever since I enrolled to CHS, the Grim Reaper always chases me in these sporadic dreams when something alarms my survival instincts to dangerous levels. Curiously, they got worse in the night before I met Sunset… and Pinkamena.”

“Pie can have that effect on sane people.” She said almost sternly.

“It’s always the same. I keep running from him, from Death. Sometimes it’s in the sea, sometimes it’s in a dessert, in a mountain surrounded by ice and old bones and battered swords and shields… but recently it was on a forest, and I dreamed of that forest today yet again! But when I come to a certain point where there is a tree, Death disappears. But this time Death wasn’t there, and the three couldn’t be seen as well… I don’t know… That girl you dreamed about must have been the same one as I saw. Perhaps I’m going crazy. My dreams may represent how I feel right now; confused, out of place and insane.”

“I don’t think so.” She was assertive in her comment. “When Sunset arrived to this world, her magic has slowly disturbed our reality in many…” She looked at me rather embarrassed. “What am I talking about? We already concluded that Magic doesn’t exist! Perhaps both of us are crazy and that’s why we dreamed almost the same thing!” 

"Wait... We said that magic didn't exist, correct?"

"Yes."

"What if the magic really existed? What if what you say it's true? What if Sunset's presence affect us in some ways? What would happen to us?"

"...Even I don't know. But if magic really existed... I would try to get rid of the source by any means necessary. Things that don't belong in our world only brings doom to humanity." She continued to walk to the school with a shade of uncertainty. “Come, or we’ll be late for classes, My Captain!”

“Sure…”

We surprisingly reduced our speed and enjoyed the fresh morning of this little town of ours. Ponyville’s leafs painted in red the ground, the wind, my vision. The breeze brought the cold I felt before with elegance. I could see some fellow students in the front gardens of the school, tired faces that wished to stay at home and sleep more in this pleasant weather. But strangely enough, even when Bon Bon woke me up early to make some cleaning, and considering that we slept some four or five hours at most, I didn’t feel tired now. And she… her reddish cheeks looked pretty on that sudden stoic face of hers.

“Good morning, Bittersweet!” A pleasing voice greeted from behind us. 

“Sunset.” I responded casually as I looked at her in the eye.

She waved friendly at me and then focused her whole attention to my partner. “Hi, Bon Bon!”

“Sunset.” Bon responded casually as well.

“You two sounded almost identical." She said a bit surprised. "Did you cross paths along the way?”

“Sort of.” Bon Bon said without any kind of resentment towards her. “Did you have a nice night?”

“The girls and I had a slumber party and it was the best sleep over ever! That victory of the Wondercolts really improved our spirits! But we had to wake up early to accompany Twilight to go home, you know what I mean, Bon Bon!”

“Of course. Where is our Twilight?”

“With Applejack and company in the library! We said our goodbyes while she, uh, took her bus! Yes! Her bus back home! You know what I’m talking about Bon Bon.” Sunset winked super sugary. “As for me, I rushed back home quickly for Pinkie’s laptop. I just fixed her OS system’s bug. Never install vaporware games… They aren’t good.”

“Agree.” I said. 

“I see…” Bon Bon expressed dryly.

“Well, I hope you are ready for another productive day of study and teamwork on CHS, you two!” She said it so brightly that it was almost as blinding as staring at the sun. “We have so much to practice! So much to improve! I almost feel I will Pony-Up in any minute!”

“Pony what!? Nevermind. Your endless source of energy and cheerfulness is inspiring. You are going to burn my eyes with your brightness turned to maximum, Sunset Shimmer!”

She laughed very vigorously and charmingly, a pinkish color appearing on her cheeks. “I’ll see you later, guys!” And she walked away inside.

“I’m surprised that you didn’t throw daggers at her, Bon Bon.”

“It’s because I’m too at peace in this morning to even develop a slight dislike to her today, Sweet. Even Sunset is in high spirits. Call it mercy for one day.”

“Don’t call me Sweet. Only selected friendships can call me like that.”

“Then I’m pleased to be an exception. See you at lunch, Lyra is inside already.”

“Yeah, later… This was weird.”

I waited a few moments before going inside, the fresh air was too pleasing to ignore. The hallways were filled with a healthy population of students already. Considering the hour, more will come in a few minutes. I felt a firm and friendly grip on my shoulder and when I turned to my right I saw that it was none other than Thunderbass. By the looks of it, he awoke with a vibrant mood today.

“Good morning, pal!”

“Hey, morning.”

“See you later at lunch!”

"Excuse me?"

He just patted my shoulder and continued his path ahead. I could feel several pair of eyes looking at me.

“Did you see that?” A girl whispered.

“The rumors are true!” Said another.

Why do they suck so much at dissimulating? It was a problem in day one and it still annoys me strongly today.

They didn’t stop spreading ridiculous mumbles of me and Thunderbass being pals as I walked to my locker to do some cleaning. Dancer, being my agent regarding school socialite, texted me saying if I just did the impossible and befriended one of the most hard-to-get friendships on the school, and to my surprise, and annoyance, I responded that we just had some little things in common. She was sending praises to my feat of strength. Annoying, even for her. Lightbulb was more welcomingly casual about it, expressing only slight surprise.

But it got worse just after I did my quick fix on my locker and walked to my classroom.

“Good morning, my friend! I hope you have a nice day!”

My teeth felt like they were about to crumble from my forced smile. “Good morning, Soarin.” I managed to say normally.

“Gotta go! See you later at lunch!”

As he left my field of vision, a different outcome happened. Very different. Dangerous-to-my-health different. Spitfire was just a few meters away in front of me and gave me the most resentful glare I ever felt from her. Oh my truth of the universe, I really felt threatened. I put a straight face when I passed her to continue my road to my classroom. When I was in a safe place… I breathed freely and calmed my agony while lying on the wall of the staircase.

I hate sweating because of uneasiness!!

It’s not like Soarin or Thunderbass hadn’t talk to me before in public. And it isn’t like they were hard people to approach to, at least for me. Soarin talked nicely to anyone, and Thunderbass was always in his little group of popular rocker friends beside Mystery Mint… Oh, that girl is gorgeous. No, no, no. Fickle feelings, go away… But… I can’t deny that we had a moment of camaraderie yesterday in the fields of the school.

Perhaps… we can become… Ah, that’s total bullshit.

“Good morning, Bittersweet.” A soft and elegant voice welcomed me back to reality. “Are you feeling well today?”

“Melody, good morning. No, I’m just being stared again by gossiping voices for becoming pals with Thunderbass.”

“You must get used to it. That’s normal around here now, but I know you will manage!”

“Eh!? Melody, I don’t think that people thought that I was charming enough to talk to him casually! I’m not charming and their gazes are uncomfortable!”

“You have charm of a different kind, my good friend.”

“Wow, my lucky day. I’m now friends with the most talented violoncellist of the state.”

“If I didn’t know that you are a bit cynic like me, I would be offended by now.” She giggled. Cutely, I might add. “I’ll see you later at lunch.”

“Yeah…” 

My sigh couldn’t have been more profound when she went away from me. People are being too friendly with me here. It felt unnatural. 
You really wanted for me to become their friend, Bon Bon. Perhaps it was pointless to defy her now. Perhaps she already won and I’m just delaying the inevitable… But I don’t want Shimmer to suffer because Bon Bon wants it to. I want to see her smile and be mighty as the first day I saw her. But if I tell her what is going on… will she believe me? I don’t mind telling her about the prank that I did to the other Twilight since I don’t seek her approval anymore. Perhaps I seek her forgiveness, which is more important for me.

But If I tell this and eventually the news spread… What will happen to her? Will Thunderbass and company despise her as Bon Bon said? Was this part of her scheming? Was it worth the try? I mean, every time I try to do something, it's all a winning step for her. Defeated by such pessimistic thoughts, I got inside the classroom and put my head on the desk, trying to forget about it. I could hear Sunset’s voice again explaining to her friends and classmates the way to solve today’s homework. I could hear Midnight joining the conversation… and I just ignored them and took a nap before the teacher arrived.

I felt strangely cold when my friend took her seat in front of me… Cold, and lonely.

…. ….

When breakfast time arrived, I couldn’t wait to go to my spot. I needed to be alone for a while. Rearrange my thoughts. Be poetic about anything. It was a little fresh still and my time alone in the back gardens was secure because of that fact. I happily walked with my lunch and beverage in hand when horror and impossibility smitten my eyes. It was clean…

IT WAS CLEAN!

My little spot where it was the only safe haven from ants and those obnoxious people of CHS was expanded! I thought I just lost a screw and I tried to grab the floor and feel the grass and mud. But it was no fantasy, and the finish was real. A generous quantity of clean concrete masterfully placed to sit and shun little insects away was there instead of my precious grass and dirt!

Who did such monstrosity!?

“Oh, you actually came here! Let’s have lunch together, Nit-Nit!”

“Lyra! Look! Something terrible has happened! There is concrete in my spot!” I said almost whining.

“Of course there is now a real floor there! You like it?”

“NOU! Where is my grass and filth?”

“Oh, you’ll get used to it! Thank goodness Principal Celestia allowed me to do this!”

“WHAT!? You did THIS!?”

“Of course not, silly! At least, not on my own! You see, my uncle gave us a visit recently to patch a wall on my garage! When he finished the task with my dad, they spoke about their younger days and talked about this little spot they patched behind the school to eat! It reminded me so much of you! So much, that I asked my uncle if he could do me a certain favor!” She extended her hands in the direction of the concrete in fanfare. “And TA-DAH! A one hour miracle from an experienced cement mason!”

“You-!”

“No need to thank me! Now we can all eat together here during nice days! I told Bon Bon, Soarin, Tav-Tav, Thunderbass and Twi-Twi about it! Twi-Twi said that she will join us from time to time but the rest were kind of excited with the idea of having a special place to eat at together, with you as our no-nonsense leader of course!” She expressed with a tone of playfulness while saluting at me.

“But-!”

“I’m sure you will enjoy our-!”

“Lyra, you monster! The reason I come to this little shit hole is to be away from people and think of crappy poems and existential nonsense at peace!”

“Oh, yeah! Thunderbass told me a bit of it last night during a Stalpy Live Messenger conversation! He memorized your bit of the poem and I loved what I heard!”

“He told you WHAT!?”

“Don’t worry! He and I won’t share this with outsiders! I’ll tell you a secret of mine now that I know one of yours!” She whispered to my ear. “I sometimes fantasize that I have hooves instead of hands!” When I could see her face again, that wide grin with small and excited irises filled me with many emotions I couldn’t describe.

“Yeah… I will take the secret to the grave!” 

“Great! If you talk… I’ll kill you! … …Pfff, wahahahaha! Your face! It’s so easy to tease you that I feel bad now!”

“Lyra, are you there?” Thunderbass’ voice was heard nearby.

“Over here!”

From the corner of the wall, the people that Lyra mentioned minus Midnight arrived with lunch at hand. We sat and ate together, and they joked together, laughed together, cheered together, and I was just there, a silent observer surrounded by bright and socially successful teenagers. They didn’t bother me like Shimmer and company did during the first few days of classes, instead, they just included me in the conversation when it seemed fitting. They didn’t consider me an extra, like if they knew I was apathetic sometimes and accepted me that way. 

Bon Bon had the most sincere expressions I have ever witnessed from her so far, Thunderbass was lively and a little more talkative than before, Soarin couldn’t stop grinning with joy as he shared some very innocent jokes that almost made me chuckle, Melody could actually get angry when talking about mainstream music, and Lyra was the usual happy girl I knew since day one, only more energetic.  There was only one thing I could think in the company of such generous and almost angelical people, minus Bon Bon, of course… 

GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SPOT!!!

…. ….

I was left exhausted when they leaved me alone and rushed back to the school to complete their appointments of the competition before break ended. Quick practice in the band room, the dance lessons, just to name a few of their responsibilities. Mine were already planned with Shimmer so I didn’t need to rush my morning. If my mind could be read, I would be unbearable and despised to all of them. I’m always thinking of stupid nonsenses that summons on me the cruel jokes of the Truth of the Universe, Lady Luck, and other imaginary deities that haunt my heresy for their amusement.

I don’t mind their company, in a certain way, is very welcoming. But I want to be alone sometimes.

At least, I had my little chocolate that I bought in my favorite dispenser for dessert. This beautiful tablet of chocolate, The Chocolate of Spirit, will give me  a pleasant sensation in my mouth and grant me a sweet moment of peace.

As I was about to open the package, I felt… cold.

“Great! You are still here!”

When I looked at her, I almost didn’t recognized her at all. She had the same messy and nerdy hair, the same glasses, the same outfit, the same cellphone, and the same dog hanging on her backpack looking at me. But something was different. 

Ominously different. 

Her posture was no longer weak and feminine, instead, she was firmly standing in both feet, prideful and confident. An assertive smile was decorated on her face while her hands were firmly resting on her waist. She would look fantastic with her obvious newfound strength of will if it wasn’t for a stressful detail. Her eyes were darker. Strangely looking, strong willed dark purple eyes.

They were strong, but not the kind I liked much.

“Midnight…”

“What’s wrong, Nitty? You look like you are uncomfortable there.”

“Sort of.”

“Wuh! Is that a chocolate? Can I have a bit of it?”

Damn it!

“I suppose.”

She meticulously unfolded the aluminum covering the bar and took a little bit. After she enjoyed the first piece, she opened wider her mouth and ripped a good of chunk of my now forsaken candy. Said chunk was trapped between her pretty white teeth, her grin more pronounced now. She got close to me very slowly.

“What.. the hell… are you doing?”

She didn’t respond, instead, she diminished the distance and grazed the chocolate near my mouth. I was tempted to actually bite the chocolate and take a chunk with me. I had playfully done it before with Gilda and we always ended up buying more. The first time she saw my little sis last year, she ended up buying five bars for us… Mother was insufferable that day.

But this?

Midnight… Twilight was acting strange beyond recognition. And I decided to push the whole chunk into her mouth. She looked pissed off and disappointed when I did that, and she started crunching the sweet really fast.

“You were supposed to take a bite.”

“I rather you enjoy it for me, thank you very much.” I said as calmly as I could.

“What’s wrong? I thought you liked a more teasing approach like with your friends of Crystal Prep!”

“But that is a mutual, unspoken agreement! They and I know when and how to do it! We have a year of knowing each other by now! You just came here and did it in a very unexpected manner!”

“Oh, I see… Then…” She took a piece of the chocolate and tried to put it in my mouth. “Say ‘Ah’!”

“Ah.” The chocolate was successfully delivered to my mouth. It was short lived.

“Better?”

“No. You are acting weird. What the hell happened to you?”

“Why are you saying that? It’s me, Midnight! Your friend! I haven’t changed one bit! Right, my Faithful Assistant!?” Spike barked in response. “I just woke up with a MARVELOUS, pleasant mood!”

“You look too different… Sagacious, even!” 

“Me? Ohohoho! You must had a bad night of sleep! That always put you hard to get! You understand? Hard because you are always so hard to approach to!”

“Leave the crappy jokes to Blueblood, please.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t good. I’ll come up with something better, you’ll see!”

“Did you… made a truce with your cousin?”

“You could say that. I talked with her on my own! I did it! I did my first step with her! When I told Sunset that we became… closer, she almost reached a friendship ecstasy! The girls rushed to Sugarcube Corner to celebrate my growth and we had cupcakes as dessert! It was somewhat regretful that my… cousin, had to leave, but, you know! Stuff happen! Am I right or am I right, Spike?” The dog happily barked with his tail moving vigorously.

“You fixed your problem with her in just a single talk? Wow, good job! Wait… What about the mess up-”

Midnight quickly silenced my mouth with her hand. Then she put Spike a little far away from us. “Shh! Not here!” She whispered. “These walls are treacherous!”

“You told her that I did that, right?”

“Ah… Yes… I did tell her, just a secret talk. Nobody of the girls know! She learned the lesson so there is no need to tell her again! It will be our little secret! We don’t want to cause more problems so it would be better if we don’t say anything from now on.”

“Some suspect that she wasn’t you.”

“As I said, don’t worry! I have it all under control!”

“Why are we whispering still?”

“We always whisper in silly talks like this one, remember?”

“…Are you lying to me?”

“Of course not, trust me!”

“...”

“In the middle of the fields of Sweet Apple Acres! The wind dancing with our hairs, the star shining brightly upon the trees! Two young girls united their hearts to mend their wounds and find forgiveness!”

“Hey, leave the crappy poems to me!”

“I won’t, for I am a lost soul who is finally finding her way back to the light! In a deep forest I found myself in my dreams, then I stayed asleep on a grey heaven of uncertainty, and one day I will finally claim the paradise beyond the mountains!”

“Wait… did you dream about a forest last night?”

“Ah, no? When I was looking at the stars and thinking about everything I experienced so far, I felt lost. But suddenly I saw a certain star with a beautiful and pale light and I had a kind of revelation… I felt very confident afterwards, I found my courage and spoke my unconformities, my complains, my frustrations, all of it, all of it I told to Princess Twilight. Then, I felt a freedom that I have never experienced before!”

“…I see.”

“You know… I just want to say… thank you, for being my friend.”

“Of course, we are friends.”

“I couldn’t ask more of you… And I’ll watch you, and I’ll study you, and I’ll learn from your mistakes…”

I feel I have heard that before.

“Just don’t make the same stupid things I do.”

“I’ll find another way, a better way, and I will tell you about it.”

I just feel that I have lived this moment somewhere.

“Thanks.”

“No, thank you. For not forgetting about me. Come on, Spike! Let’s leave our friend to rest and find the girls! Thanks for the chocolate! Somehow it felt right to eat it with you!”

“Yeah… I’ll be in the classroom in a second.”

I was living a moment in my life where I didn’t know what was happening in my surroundings. The limits I put to approach my persona were gone, erased by someone. Once, I tried to blend in to be the ideal friend for my first fantasy at love. Now, I’m forced to blend with these people that had come to trust me through a planned lie. Perhaps, it wasn’t my lie, but I ended up accepting it. And it became my lie as well. I tried to make things right… but they didn’t believe me.

And I somehow knew that I would regret it if I sever my bonds with them now.

They say that we live in the darkness when people caught in the net of uncertainty try to repent of their faults. What is the must hurtful thing that could happen when you try your best to right your wrongs? That the victims tell you that it was all well and forgiven. I didn’t do terrible acts to them, it’s just that those little kind of things pierce my soul and made me feel guilty. Even now I’m feeling guilty of playing a prank on Twilight’s cousin.

We laughed a bit from that act but Gilda was right… In the end, it wasn’t worth pranking her. What was I thinking?

An opera tune rang from my phone. I checked the message with a bit of curiosity.

-Reem: My beloved friend, I can feel your anguish. If you truly feel that terrible, we should apologize.

-Nitpick: Twilight says that she already talked to her. Everything is ok.

-Reem: Even if that fact is correct, a direct approach would be far better than a tertiary party talking for us. Take your time, and when you are ready, apologize. Call me, if you do not want to do it alone.

-Nitpick: Say hi to the guys.

-Reem: We were actually talking about you… We miss you as our classmate, my beloved. We will see you again in the afternoon. (=♥_∩=)ﾌ

I couldn’t wait for that. Being surrounded by my own kind would be great. I can’t stand too much bright from the socially successful people. It may be the dream made a reality to some, have them as friends, but they take away too much of my energy. I don’t even know their birthdays, their most profound emotional problems, and I haven’t helped them in something meaningful.

Or perhaps Sunset was right. There was no need to make friendships that selective and limiting. Perhaps I was wrong, for even Twilight made a friendlier approach to her cousin than I could ever manage to do. Perhaps I was naïve, and I was just creating more troubles than needed for the people around me. Perhaps I was never that good to being with and I just delayed the true potential of the students. After all, every time I argued with Shimmer, it was always for something petty reason. Maybe I am the troublemaker.

Maybe I am forcing myself too hard to satisfy my own ego and I was the one using everyone around me in reality. It could be that I'm just befriending these people for the sake of hiding from my own mistakes. Perhaps my friendship with Twilight was just an illusion planned by her... Perhaps I was just a simple tool, because in the end, she was always three steps ahead of me. She knew what I was going to do and foresaw my choices… Bon Bon… I don’t know what you were planning for me in your end game... I don’t know what Shimmer did to you to earn your hate. I’m unaware of the goals you have for the school's population. But you have managed to make me the most miserable teenager of all CHS through your actions.

I have never felt so redundant, pathetic, insecure and useless in my life.
> Chapter 99 - The second storytelling.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was five in the afternoon, the nursing home was quite peaceful and fresh in its hallways. In a special room, occupied by a dreamy girl, a new story awaited for her. The place was the same dark room from the last time, the only source of light was a simple candle lit with a dim and pleasant fire. A certain student quietly opened the door, reached the inside of her bag and withdrew a book while showing a beautiful card, and the girl of the room was smiling with joy.

“You came back, Storyteller!”

“Of course I did! And I have a story about knights just for you!”

“YAY! Did you read my mind to know about it?”

“No, but Pretty Eyes told me so.”

“Pretty eyes brought me a white cheese sandwich in the morning while I was sleeping. Nurse Marigold gave it to me and it was yummy.”

“Wow, I didn’t think Reem could go this far for you…” The Scientist mumbled.

“Yay! You made me remember her name, Storyteller!”

“Heh, say, do you know what’s my name?”

“You told me last time… but I don’t remember.” She was trying too hard to recall the Scientist birth name. “I don’t remember…”

“Don’t worry, my name is Twilight. Don’t forget about it!” She sat down and began to tell the tale. “True Knights are born through trials of fire, task of courage, and tempered patience! Knights are meant to be heroes, but most don’t understand the purpose of triumph…”

…. ….

It is said that real triumph comes with a great sacrifice. Heroes rise and fall, and so too must their villains follow the same fate. But, there are times where villains aren’t truly the living beings, for not all evils can be cut down by a sword alone. One can ignite doom to the people. One can ravage the land and then wither and die, leaving the world to their fate. In that moment, the so-called villain has died, but the crippled Mother Earth remains.

The circumstances are sometimes the nemesis of the history of humanity.

Despair is born in the midst of fear, and people fall to their basic instincts of survival, of supremacy, of being able to reach the end of the road in their fleeting lives. Do they became villains? Perhaps. But it can be said that they are just victims of the times that they were destined to have. Alas, hope never dies and heroes rise to face the world’s perils. Their goal; to unite the land once again.

Heroes must appear, for they always answer to the call.

In the age of the thirteenth century, during the final years of the Plague of Blackwater, a country was on the face of extinction. The once proud land was scarred in deep purple, the curse of greed and warfare undeniable in the heart of the conquerors.

In a certain village near Sirellachia, the capital city of Maresynvania, a lonely war orphan raised on the Church of the Holy Trinity, was bringing her groceries to her adopted mother, Nun Mariendorf. A basket filled with twenty apples and a slice of meat was a dinner meant for over one hundred refugees. She barely asked for provisions, giving most of her share to the other kids.

Her name was Gianna, and she had the most stern eyes of the town.

For nine years she has known poverty, for nine long years she has known sacrifice. She laid down her dinner, her hours of sleep, her freedom, all for the sake of helping her adoptive mother. The work of God demanded countless hours of community service, and the frail bones of the old nuns were not match for the workload their Lord demanded. Gianna worked from dawn to dusk, always knowing that one day her God will bless her people.

Hoping for a better future for the dying country.

At her side, Nun Mariendorf taught her many mundane things that ended up being useful in her life. Knitting, cooking, just to name a few. Gianna adored those fleeting moments of learning and entertainment, and the nun felt that she had found truly a spiritual daughter. 

“The Lord always provides.” That’s what she always said during happy moments, precious on such sorrowful times. “One day you will be a dashing knight, Gianna!”

One midnight, during a full moon made of shadows and dim rays of hope, fire came from the main church in the hill of the town. Gianna was in the home of one of her Sunday School friend counting the stars and saw the smoke obscuring her view. Then the screams from the townsfolk were heard on the village with despair and terror.

Bandits were pillaging her home.

She rushed through a shortcut to the only place she has known all her life and hoped for her mother to be well and sound. She climbed on a tree behind the church, near the window of  the second level, and jumped inside. She hid in various spots while exploring the building until she found the bandits and the nuns.

“WHERE IS THY GOLD!?” The leader of the pack growled, his voice muffled by her cloak and mask.

“There is no such thing as gold here. We are just a poor town full of lost souls.”

“LIES! I heard that here lies the Cross of the King and Queen of Crusades, and it shall be mine!”

“That is a national treasure!”

“So it is here! BURN THE CHURCH TO THE GROUND IF YOU MUST!”

“Waaaah-hahahaha! It’s burning already, boss!”

Their wake was swift, and in a matter of minutes they found what were they looking for. The pillager’s eyes burned in red and greed as his hands were exploring the object of his desire. In a desperate act of bravery, Nun Mariendorf jumped to the feet of the thief, trying to delay his steps. Her body was sent flying to the wall by a well-placed kick. 

“NOOOO!”

Gianna lunged to the cloaked man and swiftly stole one of his hammers.

“What we have here!?” One of the gang members rushed towards her. “A brat that wants to play-!”

His voice was quickly silenced by a sudden slam to his head, leaving him unconscious. Gianna began her assault to the man that was stealing her home from her. 

“LEAVE, THIEVES!”

The thief, however, wasn’t careless or stupid like his old partner. He gracefully froze her timing and started strangling her neck. She struggled mightily and tried to force herself out of his grip, but the difference in power was clear. Before she lost consciousness, Gianna looked at his eyes. Black as the night with a tint of red and ambition. The thief felt an air of uncertainty coming from her when she passed out, fearing all of the sudden leaving her alive.

“You messed with the wrong man! You must die!”

“You must die, indeed!!!”

From the ceiling, a caped figure landed with fury to the ground, pushing away the thief and rescuing the girl from him, putting her on the arms of a fellow knight. There was a commotion of clashing steel outside the church. A small fight was taking place between his troops and the Knight’s. The robber recognized that armor and the peculiar symbols on his cape. A Royal Guard he was, and enraged his visage steamed from within.

“Thee shameless coystrill! Thy endeth thee shall meeteth through the tipeth of mine own sw'rd!!!”

His movements lacked openings for the thief to take advantage of, so he made the smartest choice at that moment of peril; Run for his life. His partners were expendable, for he had what he came from. A few hours later, Gianna woke up, Nun Mariendorf tending her wounds.

“Mother!”

“Oh, Gianna! You are fine!”

“Indeed she is fine!” The Great Knight approached to them. “A great warrior she will be! Young lady, I beg of thee to join our crusade!”

The knight who rescued her, Sir Hamilton, offered her an opportunity that she couldn’t refuse, and Nun Mariendorf encouraged her to take it. An opportunity that would grant her the power necessary to fulfill her new-found purpose to stop thieves like the one who assaulted her village. And so, seven springs passed and Gianna turned sixteen, a full pledged knight of the country she became. 

The youngest of the century.

On her travels to protect the townsfolk of the country with the help of Sir Hamilton and his brigade, she met various swordsmen and villains, rogues and blackmailers, and eventually found herself traveling on her own for a while with a pair of brothers who shared similar goals to restore the kingdom. One was a fallen body guard who still ported his lord’s cape, and the other one was plated ex-general who refused to retire. The Griffin brothers they were, and ready to kick evil to the sky they were.

The trio eventually became a local legend, ‘The three Madmen’ they were called. ‘Who assaults a whole encampment of thieves just to rescue a kid and her cat?’, the locals would say about some of their exploits. But, the older brother’s wife and son were proud of him and he didn’t mind the mocking names, and the younger one couldn’t resist chasing the pretty girls as his heroic deeds grew in number. He once tried to make fair Gianna have a dinner with him, much to his brother’s dismay. She rightfully stomped him on the ground and leaved him cold for days one time, much to his brother’s amusement. He never tried to date her again.

But every hero must have a great battle.

One evening, during a typical meal in a tavern they luckily found nearby to spend the night, they heard a rumor that subjugated their sleeping needs and rushed towards the blackness of the night through the road.

The capital was about be sieged by a foreign country, and the city’s defenses were doomed to fall.

Their steed’s hooves leaved a mark of fire as their footsteps surpassed the speed of sound. As they arrived to the capital, a black army of doom was sieging the city’s defenses. Not a moment of hesitation was spent and to the battle they charged with a war cry of hundred lions. They were unstoppable against the foreign army, blazing soldiers of justice burning the invaders for the sake of the people. As they reached the castle town, they could hear screams and violence singing high to the heavens. 

But Gianna’s deeds and mighty presence was known to the knights protecting the city, and the burning flames of hope reenergized them to keep battling the enemy to the bitter end. She became a ray of hope as she rendezvoused with Sir Hamilton.

“Gianna! You are a fair sight to our tired eyes!”

“Why thee not speak on knightly language!?” Gianna joked a little as she defeated enemy cavalry at his side.

“Very funny, young lady!”

“We’ll fight at your side, General!” The elder brother shouted.

“Heroes always triumph and we’ll tell the tale in taverns and gardens!” The younger added.

“Our blades shall perish in battle if they must, Sir Hamilton!”

“NO! To the king you must go! If he falls, all hope is lost!” 

“I won’t leave thee to die alone!”

“WE’LL BE FINE, GIANNA!!” The elder yelled.

“YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS!” The younger shouted.

“GO NOW, KNIGHT OF MARESYNVANNIA!!! WE’LL COVER YOU!!” Sir Hamilton encouraged.

She hesitated for a second, and with great regret he leaved his brothers in arms behind while they faced the now overwhelming force. Her horse smashed the doors to the castle and both rushed to the throne room. Gianna didn’t believe what she was seeing. The King laid on the floor under the vile presence of a cloaked man.

“Sire!” She shouted with perplexity to the unconscious king. “King Breathbane Swampest!!! YOU! What is the meaning of this treachery!?” 

The enraged knight dismounted her horse and walked furiously to her king. Footsteps were heard and a small force of royal knights, willing and dutiful to the end, joined her side to attack the enemy together.

“There is no need to be hasty, soldiers of steel!” The cloaked enemy spoke. “Now, kneel before me!”

He quickly raised a relic to the sky and a black smoke engulfed the room. Gianna felt that her body betrayed her and she kneeled forcefully. Her fellow knights fell to the curse as well.

“What sorcery is this!?” Gianna said while struggling to get up.

“The will of God! The legacy of the King and Queen of the Crusades! The Cross of the Lord!”

“Those evil eyes! I know of them, as I know that cross as well! That belongs in Altary, my village!”

“Oooooh! Are you the little child from before!? I knew that I had to kill you back there all those years ago!” As he walked with a dagger unfolded, Gianna struggled and tried to fight back. “No use to resist, for I have control of this great power that commands the hearts of men!”

“I will stop… you!!!”

“HAHAHAHA!!! ONLY GOD CAN SAVE YOU NOW, AND HE IS ON MY SIDE, CHILD!!!”

“God… Mother Mariendorf…” She reached the rosary that her mother gave her many years ago before her departure and prayed, prayed like she was a child once again. She almost fantasized that the nun was at her side in her praying. And a miracle happened.
She broke free of chains of the spell, an unstoppable battle cry echoed on the halls.

“IMPOSSIBLE!!”

Her sword was lightning, her movements were blinding. With a swift strike she brought down the bandit mightily and the curse on the country was broken rightly. The relic was destroyed in the process and ascended to the sky, spreading its dust to the four corners of the land. The ruined grasslands became verdant again, the rivers glimmered with the dots of the sun, and the birds were returning to sing their songs of life.

A new savior was born.

“What happened?” The King asked while recovering his consciousness.

“We saw it, Our Liege!” Sir Hamilton, the Griffin Brothers, and the rest of the army appeared before them. “Knight Gianna has saved us all!”

“I see!!! A glorious day this is! You shall be named the Timeless Warrior and your songs of bravery shall be sang across the ages! ALL HAIL KNIGHT GIANNA, THE SAVIOR OF MARESYNVANNIA!”

“ALL HAIL KNIGHT GIANNA, A WARRIOR LIKE HER THERE IS NOT!!” 

Gianna smiled for the first time in years. An amazing banquet and festivities were made in her honor! Every friend and family she has met on her journey were present! Nun Mariendorf told her how much pride she felt for her, and Sir Hamilton told her that if she was his daughter, he would be shedding tears of joy! He shed them anyway! The Griffin Brothers drank and ate until collapse, even Gianna couldn’t help but laugh! The wife was angry, though…

But it was a time of peace that would last many years.

…. ….

“As long as you have a just cause and an iron will, your work will never betray you. Be like the Timeless Warrior and never stop fighting the good fight. The end. Did you like the… oh!”

Meg was asleep, her body embracing the pillow comfortably with smalls amounts of drool falling to the mantle. It was six with thirty in the afternoon, very early for someone of her age to fall asleep, but the nurse told her that she took a very strong medicine today and that may have weakened her. Happy that she made another job well done, Twilight left the room quietly, not before turning off the candle with a blow from her lips.

As she left the room and walked down the stairs, she stumbled across Blueblood who had in his hands a heavy book.

“Miss Sparkle, so it is true that you decided to tell her a story in my behalf! I thank you then, although it means that bringing this old book with me is pointless now!”

“Don’t worry! Gilda gave me the card in behalf of Reem and I read her the story of the Timeless Warrior!” Twilight showed him the book in question.

“Oh, what an incredible coincidence! For I too desired to read her that story! But wait a minute! What am I seeing? That is the child’s version of the book!”

“Of course it was the kid’s version! I couldn’t read her the real deal!”

“A fascinating tale, indeed. And a very sad one. According to the author’s note, it was based on a legend of Nippon with a similar premise. But he suggests that perhaps said legend was indeed originated in Maresynvania and not Nippon. But it matters not, the message of the tale is what matters.”

“… Yes… It’s a sad tale in reality.”

“Gianna Albescu, The Timeless Warrior. Gianna means, ‘The Mercy of God’, and Albescu, ‘White’. The white mercy of God… As you know, no, of course you know, you read the book already, but I can’t stop thinking about the premise. Nun Mariendorf and her village didn’t survive the assault of the thief and his group, the country was sunk in the most hellish situation that one can imagine, and Gianna died at the end of the tale.”

“Yes, Sir Hamilton and the Griffin Brothers were indeed her friends and fellow soldiers… But the Thief was in fact the King’s twin brother. The magical relic required the sacrifice of countless people and that spawned the real Blackwater Plague. The fields of battle painted in purple ooze of the putrid corpses of knights, invaders and citizens was the source of its power. The ritual was a success at the end when his twin was killed… The real villain became a monster of purple and toxic ooze.”

“But the relic was purified when it came in contact with Gianna’s fierce and noble soul. The King was the real enemy and she had to kill him. But such a tragedy is the life of a knight. For them, an oath was the ultimate proof of knighthood. Even if the King was a tyrant, Sir Hamilton and the Royal Guard were still his knights, and he was still their King. Gianna had to betray her beloved father figure, her old companions, and their ideals, to strike down the evil king. I still remember the last part clearly. At the end of chapter eleven…”

…. ….

The world froze for Gianna and Sir Hamilton. For her, he was her savior and father figure. For him, she was the daughter he always wished for. But fate has put them in a cruel game of chess. Was it fate? Was it God’s will? Or were they just victims of the circumstances of their age?

The brothers unwilling to betray her companion, for her cause was just, began their battle against the royal guards, and as for Knight Gianna and Sir Hamilton, whether it was for respect or they simply  couldn’t bear to prolong the inevitable, stroke at the same time. She lost her left arm. He lost his life. She almost began to weep, but the job wasn’t done just yet. She slowly walked to the King, determined and courageous.

“If you strike me down, your deeds of betrayal will become eternal!! You’ll become a Timeless Warrior, for you will be the first spawn of the world to burden broken oaths and become the murderer of your true King, forever cursed by history!!!”

“A true king protects the landeth and nev'r wouldst alloweth his people to feeleth the waketh of did hang'r and suff'ring! King Breathbane Swampest, no, King Smooze, fiend of demonic mud and corruption!” She raised the cross, purified by her noble soul. “BEGONE FROM THIS WORLD!”

A pure light of silver consumed the hall, Gianna’s eyes became golden as the sun, and the evil entity was erased from existence. As the holy relic finished its purposes, it slowly became dust of diamonds and the ashes quickly ascended to the sky.

“I don’t know what happened but I believe we are heroes!” The older brother said while rubbing his eyes, still blinded by the light. “Look, the knights are knocked out!”

“The battle is over. Gianna, we did- YOU ARM! CLERGY! ANYBODY! SOMEONE BRING A BLOODY CHIRURGEON!!”

“It’s okay… I’ll be joining them soon… My Mother… My Father…”

“What happened here!?” One of the surviving captains in the company of several knights shouted from the entrance.

“Murderers!” A servant crawled from a barrel. “They killed our king with sorcery! SHE IS A WITCH! LOOK AT HER FIERY PUPILS!”

Many set of eyes looked at the floor and were in shock at the scene. The king laid dead in human form on the floor with several knights’ corpses nearby. The knights quickly assaulted the brothers and as they were about to capture a bloodied Gianna, she did what not even the brothers expected.

She began a murder spree on the knights and assaulted the duo.

“GIANNA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”

“YOU ARE NO LONGER USEFUL IF NOT CONTROLLED BY ME AS PUPPETS! YOU ALL MUST DIE!!!”

“She is indeed a witch!!! She enchanted the loyal warriors of the country!!! Capture her!!! KILL HER!!”

When the knights released the brothers, she stopped struggling. The younger one tried to rescue her, but the elder understood her intentions, and her profound feelings, and stopped his brother from doing his pointless heroic. They exchanged a deep glare, but he quickly understood as well the situation. Then they wept from the deepest bottom of their hearts. But they needed to see it. They needed to presence her final moments.

Word quickly spread, and the surviving townsfolk gathered nearby on the center of the town. They blamed her that the country’s state all those years was her fault and that the king was dead because of her. They called her a witch, a servant of evil, a madwoman who tried to usurp the throne from the man who tried to bring back peace to the country. They threw at her stones and insults, the knights unceremoniously stripped her of her armor, and she silently withstood the humilliation. The people had prepared a hanging rope for her, a slow end awaited to the young Knight. The villagers wanted to burn her, but the wood was better served as repair materials. 

As she continued walking to her final destination, the wind blew a serenade of peace to her. She wasn’t scared to face death, and memories of her life began to flow in her eyes. Her mother’s teachings, Sir Hamilton’s training, and her travels with the Griffin Brothers. The most dear memory for her was the shared oath she had with them. The rosary bonded them to fight for the innocent, and such memory was the last thing she had during her last steps.



“God is merciful... Right, mother?” She weakly whispered, but her sight was as strong as ever.

The real villain laid dead in the castle, yet, Gianna was going to be executed for his crimes. Were the people imparting judgment villains? No. They were just victims of the circumstances, just like her. 

She was put on a chair, a rope hanging on a tree in front of her, then she soon could feel the hay around her neck. A knight kicked the chair and moments later she passed away. Then, the skies turned black, It was about to rain. But before a drop of the heavens could fall to the land, a soft light came from a statue of an angel nearby. The townsfolk soon fell overwhelmed as another inexplicable event happened before their eyes.

Sapphire tears were shed from the statue’s eyes, and the people suddenly felt that they did something terrible. The rain that day felt gloomy and sorrowful. The surviving captains were searching for any document that their late King could have left behind at that time, in case that something like this happened. 

Then, one of them found a small chest impressively locked and full of letters. Letters that were made public.

Gianna’s innocence was proved. The late king, now known as the Tyrant Smooze, made a deal with the outlanders various decades ago. He desired nothing but destruction, riches, and power. Legend said that an ancient ritual would bestow upon him unimaginable power and eternal life. Some preparations were required, including the spilled blood of countless innocents, and the Cross of the King and Queen of Crusades in his possession.

His name became reviled, and Gianna became a saint. Some people thought that the tears in the statue was a sign from the Heavens telling the folks that an angel died. The eldest Griffin Brother became king by the people’s request, and he became a fair and just ruler for the sake of her friend, and the younger brother settled down, became a royal guard, and abandoned his flirting ways in her name. They never forgot about her in their lives, and together wrote this tale in her memory. She became the Timeless Warrior, the first Knight to betray her friends and country for the sake of freedom, at the cost of her life.

…. ….

“And her legend will live on from generation to generation.” Twilight concluded.

“To think that sacrifice can encompass many emotions and actions, in this case, risking it all to the point of betraying one’s beliefs to do the right thing. But what is the right thing in the end? It’s so philosophical, vast, and complex, that it could take us an eternity talking about it and we would scratch the surface by then. The book explains the struggle of her facing Sir Hamilton, but was that really what she was thinking at that moment?"

"What do you mean by that, Blueblood?"

"Imagine her situation. We are talking about the man who practically gave her a third life of purpose, her birth was the first failure of life, and her adoption by Nun Mariendorf the second. She knew she was about to strike down the man who saved her, and she was human with feelings, even if her heart was focused and unbendable... Did she feel doubt with her decision? Did she feel fearful that perhaps she was doing things the wrong way? Was she being hasty in her actions? Was she being a real hero? The story says that yes, and we know she indeed is the hero... But what if other people are finding themselves with a similar situation but they are the real monsters? That betraying their principles is not truly the answer? You know, Miss Sparkle, there are times when a King like my father must be harsh with his subjects and… What am I saying? I am Prince Arbelth Blueblood and melancholy doesn’t suit me! That is something that Nitpick is specialized with! Speaking of him, I noticed that he looks gloomy again. Did something happened at school?”

"What? No! I saw him fine this morning! Should we talk to him?"

"Gilda is with him, she'll know soon what's his problem is and tell me about it." He arranged his suit and walked downstairs quickly. “Fare thee well, Miss Sparkle! Tobias, where are you!?”

“Wait! You are forgetting… the card… Oh, well, he has another one, anyway. I’ll give it to him tomorrow!”

…. ….

The young Scientist was resting for a while in the parks nearby. Spike waited for her for a long while, his toys boring him to tears without her presence. She played with him for a while as they waited for Sunset and company to finish their tasks. Before the storytelling happened, she almost had Pinkie Pie as a partner and tried to come along with her to the room and help the Scientist tell the tale, but Twilight… talked her down in a very persuasive way.

She felt empowered at that moment.

“How was it, Twilight?”

“Ah, well.” She blew air to her fingers and rubbed them on her shirt. “I could have done better.” She smiled cockily.

“I knew you would do a fine job again.”

“Indeed, my Faithful Assistant.”

“You know, I have felt you different today. More assertive and even more efficient than before. Was talking with Princess Twilight that effective?”

“That’s right, Spike! Ever since I said to her my piece of mind, oh, I feel like I am becoming someone better than before!”

“As long as you are happy, I’m glad for you!”

“What I would do without your compliments, Spike? My first and best friend!” She rubbed his belly and made him giggle with tickles. “Are you hungry? I have your food here!”

“Yeah, I could eat a mountain of croquettes!”

“Ok!” Twilight prepared his plates, filling them with food and water, and prepared something important as well. “If you want to make your boo-boos, you know what the paper is for.”

As she looked at her puppy enjoying his meal, Twilight read the book once again, she had the original version on her bag as well. She has read many books before but she was fascinated still to find even more stories and sources of knowledge every day. The world of literature was almost infinite, and many surprises she was finding every now and then. When Bon Bon recommended her the book, she didn’t give it too much thought. Her friend said it was good, so she had to give it a chance.

She began to relive the book through sheer imagination, the scenes clearly materializing in her pupils as the words were explored by her sight. Then, some of her life experiences intertwined with the fantasy, and Twilight began to see many similarities between Gianna and Bon Bon. The Knight was a proud, loyal soldier and friend, willing to do questionable things by many to set things right. The Owl Lover was a proud, loyal student and friend, who helped Sunset and Princess Twilight to do the right thing. At least, that is what both believed was right.

She too admitted to have been part of it, but Bon Bon recognized her mistakes and quickly asked forgiveness. It’s a good thing that stories like Gianna’s are just that. Just a story. But… history may have different situations with similar arguments repeated in a span of millenniums. Perhaps there are many Giannas out there facing almost identical choices, unknown to the masses.

Some struggles can be found even in the inner recesses of the mind of one person.

Perhaps, that is what Bon Bon confronted back then. She knew she was betraying her friends while keeping quiet about Princess Twilight’s schemes, but her intentions were just and pure at heart. Something deep inside of the Scientist was burning with admiration, and at the same time, with despise. Two different feelings, for two different people. 

“But… she asked me forgiveness as well… and I forgave her…” She mumbled with a strange tone. The wind blowing coldly. “I am such a good person to even gave her a second chance...”

“Wufff! I suddenly felt cold here, Twilight!”

The Scientist awakened from her thoughts. “Eh!? Cold? Oh, right! Want to go home?”

“But the girls said we would meet here and have dinner at the local café that Rarity wanted to visit at the Maximus Plaza!”

“My priority is you. I’ll text Sunset and tell her you felt weird… Now that you mention it, it is a little colder than before. Let’s go home, I’ll join with the girls later.”

But Twilight didn’t meet with Sunset and Friends at the end. The Scientist felt tired all of the sudden, a strong headache impairing her balance. She swore that she was hearing voices from her bathroom’s mirror, but they soon disappeared when she took a tepid shower. She and Spike decided to watch a movie with her parents, and dinner couldn’t have been a more pleasant surprise.

His father brought to his family some hamburgers and tasty fries from Bendy’s. They were so good that it always made Twilight break her streak of not eating meat, not to mention, he bought her the happy meal, so she couldn’t refuse the little toy. Her collection was already complete though, and she ended up giving it to Spike.

The Faithful Assistant couldn’t help but like the little plastic owl.

The movie was the finale of the soap opera that her mother enjoyed at the Star Channel at seven p.m., much to Mr. Sparkle’s horror. Twilight on the other hand was a little at peace that the long, ridiculous seven hundred episode series was finally coming to an end. She didn’t watch regular T.V. often but characters like Antonio, the protagonist of the series, made her somewhat… sick. He reminded her of Flash. As the filmed rolled, a breeze of mixed reactions dawned on the happy and united family. 

Mrs. Sparkle was crying at the tragedy of the revelation that Antonio was in fact the antagonist of the series, and the evil twin of Francesco, the real love of the heroine. Mr. Sparkle, Twilight and Spike started drooling at the eighteen minute mark of the movie. 

The film lasted three hours and six minutes… no credits included.
> Chapter 100 - The reason I must go on!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“And that’s the situation.”

Gilda and I were sitting in a table of a hot dog post near the orphanage, our heads resting on the palms of our hands, mouths hidden by our fingers with stern seriousness. We barely touched our big sized hot dogs, she attentively hearing what I needed to say. After finishing explaining to her my deal with Bon Bon, I could see it in her face. The answer that she was going to give me was going to be straight to the point, I presumed.

Gilda frowned casually. “You are so stupid. No wonder you look like crap.”

“You never fail to not disappoint me. What should I do?”

“Are you really asking me that!?” She rushed eating half of her dinner in one go. “I can’t believe you could do such a thing!”

“I wanted to win and Bon Bon just knew the right words to convince me! I need ideas to make up for my mistake.”

“It’s obvious what you need to do! You must tell Sunset Shimmer the truth! …But then again, she wouldn’t believe Bon Bon is the snake I knew she was from the start! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” She slammed the table mightily. “Nobody with those kind of weird eyes like hers can be an innocent cookie!”

“Yeah… And that amazing body and pretty face is the work of the devil.”

“She has such great legs as well! And her face is pretty, we can’t deny it!”

“No… I suppose I can’t. And those firm-looking hips… it’s like an hourglass.” I said deep in thought. 

“And she isn’t that bad from the front either.” 

“She also has such a big, toned, well-rounded a-!” 

“As I was saying last time, Powder Sprinkle! Thomas Flurrystar is such a cutie, I can’t wait to date him next Sunday again!” A random college girl said while going to the exit with her friend.

“Hers can’t be better looking than Sug’s! There is no way!”

“I guess you are right… But it’s so damn close.” I said with lus- I mean, admiration. “Oh, Fickle Man, Fickle Man, throw your lust away!” I mumbled to myself.

“Well, what’s done is done. Just don’t repeat it again, okay?”

“For a moment, I thought you would be more mad at me.”

“I am a little bothered but you are my friend in the end, and we both have helped each other every time we do stupid shit. Let’s finish our diner and get out of here, the little troll should be in the ‘command center’ of the orphanage. She will know how to make things right for you in an efficient way!”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, you are my brother, right? I have your back!”

…. ….

We looked for Sugarcoat the moment we went inside the building. We tried calling her but her phone was off. We were baffled to find out that she wasn’t in the room that the personnel from the institution gave to both schools as a kind of command center. Only Rarity, Lyra and Sunny Flare and friends from the academy were there.

No trace of her was found within that room.

We tried inspecting today’s work space but not even her scent could be smelled. As we were about to lose hope, Gilda remembered that the dining hall was available to us as well. As we got nearby the room, we could hear voices coming from the inside. We got a very bad feeling about it and we slightly opened the door and took a small peek.

Sugarcoat was sitting in the farthest table of the hall and Indigo Zap was standing behind her.

“I told you I wanted to be alone here, Zap. I’m busy right now.” Said Sugarcoat a little pessimistic.

“Hey, please listen to me.”

“No, Zap. You had your chance and you wasted it. My decision is final.”

“I wasn’t skipping meetings and paperwork on purpose! I just was-!”

“Wasting my time and partying hard with the enemy? The walls have ears, you know?”

Zap sighed heavily with a tint of fright, even Gilda was surprised by that gesture. “Please, give them a chance! If you just spend some time with Rainbow Dash and company, we-!”

“Look, I don’t care if you spend time with her during your free hours! I’m aware that some of us have friendships outside of our circles, I get it. Hell, even I have acquaintances outside of Crystal Prep. But skipping school responsibilities for a party? Give me a break! Not only that, you cancelled me all of the sudden for a secret training session with them when we already had a programed date of leisure. You even lied to me during our show down on the first day of the competition and several other instances as well. You are a good actress, I’ll give you that.”

“It… it wasn’t on purpose. I wanted to-!”

“You know how much I hate when people waste my time like that. And adding salt to the injury, you also know how seriously I take my schedule. I have priorities that I only reduce in time for a selected few, and you were one of those people. In a way, it wasn’t fair from your part to abruptly cancel me without explaining me the real situation of things. You could at least have told me that you wanted to go to Pie’s party and stuff. Now, you should consider leaving me alone. I have a headache and I’m unbearable in this moment.”

One second? Two minutes? Three hours? I didn’t know. Time lost its grasp on me when Sugarcoat’s voice became drowned. In a way, I was hoping for Zap to get the hell out of there so Gilda and I could appear before our little friend and try to cheer her up through the fashion of doing some of her paperwork and buy her some cookies. Apologizing for hearing her arguing was a good idea as well.

“Sugarcoat…” Zap was doubtful and fearful. “Are you jealous of them?”

Sugarcoat slowly stood up and she faced Zap. “What… did you say?” 

There are many things you can do to Sugarcoat as her friend; you can annoy the hell out of her but be damn sure that she will strike you down when she can. You can laugh at her but expect a similar reaction when it’s her turn to do so. You can even harass and annoy her - without crossing the line of course - but by the Truth of the Universe is her vengeance and angry, mad and outrageous expressions hilariously funny to watch in high guilty pleasure levels. 

It isn’t funny when her eyes get teary and tries to put a strong face.

Zap is a competitive and very competent athlete and has a big ego almost similar to Dash. Almost. She is strong willed, fast, way smarter than Dust, which, even if I dislike her, she isn’t a terrible student in reality… but Zap has always had a sweet and very passive, almost childish spot for Sugarcoat. As far as the gang and I know, our friend has been a kind of a sister figure and leader to Zap. That’s a lot to say for someone who is younger than her. 

Even if Dust deserved ‘exile’ from the school because of her street gang issues and her abusive ways in the academy, Sugarcoat managed to calm her down and maintained her student status safe for the sake of Zap alone. Zap’s body language quickly told us that she regretted saying her words.   

“Do you think this is a joke to me? Do you think that I don’t appreciate when you do something nice for me in any shape or form? D-do you…” Sugarcoat sniffed really hard that my chest ached with sorrow, same as Gilda. “Sorry, I caught a cold. Do you think that I don’t feel bad when a friend is putting me aside without even telling me what really is going on!? I may be a unbearable and bitchy pain in the ass but I’m still human.”

“No! You are great friend! And I know I should have told you what I was doing and I am so sorry! I am really sorry! It’s just… we can’t deny what happened during the games anymore! For more unreal that it seemed, those are really nice girls and they are-!”

“A cheap, petty, and unrealistic group of friendly-wanna-be cheaters and psychopaths! No more, no less!” Sugarcoat sat down on the chair and took her big thermoses from her bag. I could only guess that Reem gave her some tea since she only uses it for that alone. After giving it a long sip, she continued to work on her lap. “You can expend more time now with them if you want. Sour Sweet saw the light and she will gladly take your Second-in-Command status from you. You are free from my workload.” Sugarcoat suddenly said with a stoic voice.

“WHAT!? You can’t do this to me!! I have been your second in command since the beginning of your promotion!”

“Which you practically have done shit in the past several weeks. Your recent contributions are as useless as the promises of the gods, which are as useless as the gods themselves.”

“I’ll work really hard to compensate everything I have leaved pendent!”

“Moonlight’s blessing, stop with your nonsense! I need someone who is constant and willing to lose a few hours of fun to finish important paperwork. You no longer fulfill those demands.”

“Oh, please give yourself a break once in a while, Sugarcoat! This competition is insane and unrealistic, and I know that you can see the truth! I know that you can see that what Cinch is asking from us is insane! We have the food, the gifts, the entertainment, the permits to make a bazaar for merchandise in the parks, confirming to the city hall that all the money generated will go straight to charity programs across the city, and she still says that it isn’t enough!? She is obsessed with winning at any cost, no matter how unhealthy it is!! After what happened during the games, and the things she did to several students like Twilight before, she has been the real psychopath all this time, and you know it!!”

“Perhaps you are right, but that doesn’t mean that I must slack off when there is work needed to be done. Besides, there is no ‘magic’ and demonic winged lunatic actresses to worry about now! I understand you, the need to have a little fun and all that. Last weekend I spent time with some of the CHS acquaintances of Bittersweet and I had a good time actually… Almost!” She was embarrassed to say that.

“Agh! Nitpick and Gilda are the real problem here! They have made you insanely competitive to the point of perfectionism! You were more prudent before! Why can’t you see that their ‘friendship’ is more hazardous than beneficial for you!? Both of them are complete jerks!”

I knew that she wasn’t genuinely nice to me from the start!

“Jerks!? My jerks can’t compare to the kind of sick mentality that your cousin has! And I’m always prudent, even in my attacks of fitting rage like now!!! They nurture MY needs, something that YOU have failed to do since they became part of the student committee, and they have compensated for your failures in less than a year!! They support me and never do stupid ass decisions like cheating or backstabbing!”

“Crap…” I mumbled in fright while looking at Gilda.

“She will be really mad at you when she hears what you have to say!” Gilda whispered.

I was sweating big drops when I whispered with cold in my spine, “Hehe, she’ll give me a free pass, right?… right?” Gilda just clenched her teeth dubiously.

“Sugarcoat…!”

“Listen, Zap… And I know that you hate Bittersweet and Gilda for giving Dust such a bad time. Which she deserved, honestly. And I know as well when he annoyed Sour Sweet at every turn he had.”

“Which is obnoxious from his part! I wouldn’t allow him to pester her with his jokes so I…!”

“You what? ...No.”

“I made some, huh, gossiping and such…”

“…So what Bittersweet said was all true! You made those stupid gossips of him insulting her behind her back to separate them!”

“…Yes.”

“Zap, has Bittersweet ever poisoned your relationship with Dust?”

“No…”

“Then let me tell you something to your ear… ... …”

“S-s-she is what!?” Zap almost shouted.

“You didn’t know? It’s pretty obvious if you pay attention to them!” Sugarcoat continued. “Why do you think that Gilda once called them the Sweet-Sweet Duo!? And Sour Sweet is my friend as well and all but I know that she CAN be a real double-faced bastard and must be silenced once in a while… Her spot-on rants always makes me laugh, to be honest, though. Nevertheless, you instilled poison on them behind the scenes, that wasn’t a brave move.”

“I didn’t know! And it wasn’t poison! I just told her that sticking with him would only hurt her reputation and… The old me really was nasty…”

“Ever since you joined those Idol Six’s social group, you have become worse than nasty. You have become weak, unnecessarily sentimental, and useless.”

“But Sugarcoat…”

“MY REAL friends on the other hand have gained my trust, my complete willingness to do things their way when I fail in getting the answer right, and guess what? It actually works. Stupid fools, but how do I… Please go now and leave me in peace. I want to be alone right now… Too much to organize and I don’t want your incompetence to rub on me.”

“…You’ll see, Sugarcoat!” Now Zap was the one sniffing. “You’ll see that our ways were wrong all this time! You’ll see that there is a better way to be fierce and competitive without being jerks to people! And when that day comes, I’ll come and help you like you have always helped me before… Wait for me until then. Just… Oh!”

Zap was walking quickly to the door and we knew it was time to hide. Laying our backs on the side wall towards the dead end of the hall, we hoped that Zap wouldn’t notice us and go straight to the exit. We were lucky, and she went to the main hall… But I couldn’t help but feel a bit of anxiety when I spotted that her eyes were teary and reddish.

“You know, Nit… Even if what she did wasn’t nice, somehow I feel bad for her now.”

“Yes, I feel the same…”

“Let’s go and try to cheer her up. Sug, that is.”

She opened the door with a bit reluctance, and we got inside with soft footsteps. It was all in vain, for Sugarcoat quickly looked around and yelled, “I TOLD YOU NOT TO… Oh, it’s you.” She quickly grabbed a tissue and cleaned her face with it. “Sorry, it seems I’m gonna catch a cold so you should consider not getting close to me. Sit there, Heavensbane, I already prepared the report for Cinch and you must see if I missed something. Bittersweet, you will only get in the way of our work but since you can be useful as a kind of entertainment for us, you can stay with us as well.”

“Ok, I’ll stay…”

“What the hell is wrong with you today!? Blueblood mentioned that you looked gloomy but I didn’t think it was this bad. Even Heavensbane got like that as well. So… What’s wrong?” Asked Sugarcoat in a very inquisitive manner. 

“Nothing… I’m alright, just a little tired. I’m more worried about your cold.”

“… …Nitpick Bittersweet… I haven’t invested my time, my feelings, and my trust to all of you to not recognize when something is wrong. If you need time, I get it, I understand… Just, talk to me when ready, ok?”

“Sure.” 

We stayed still for several minutes, but it felt like an endless stream of time was passing through us and made it feel like years were passing before us. Sugarcoat was brushing her hair like she always do; first she fixed her right ponytail, then the left one, and finally, she arranged the one behind her head. She did it really slow, then, unexpectedly, she untied her silky and grayish hair.

“You know, you once said that my hair was pretty, you two. That untying it would relieve some steam, set it wild… make me free… Truth shall free us, won’t it?”

And then, I understood the meaning behind her words, and so did Gilda. And I started by saying, “We… heard everything… we were looking for you and the others when… It wasn’t our intention to hear your arguing with Zap. Forgive us…”

“Yeah, Sug, it wasn’t intentional.”

“Oh… Oh! And I believe it was very entertaining to hear me get mad, right!?”

“What!? NO!” 

“Sugarcoat, if you want us to do anything to compensate for this, tell us and we’ll do it!”

"Nit is right! Want us to do something for you?”

“Here, let us help you finish the paperwork.”

“I already finished it in the morning. Sour Sweet wanted to help me with the Champion responsibilities. You know, get extra credits and stuff, not that she need them in reality but she heard the rumor that Zap wasn’t helping me as usual and, well, she came and I accepted her help.”

“Sug…”

“So… everything is okay for us, right?”

“…I already told you, we just heard your arguing and it put us moody.”

“Yeah, Sug.”

“Guys…”

“Listen. Compared to you, no. I don’t have any problems.”

“Bittersweet… Have I ever told you before that you are a bad liar?” Her face slowly assumed an angered expression. “It makes me sick, you know!? You have dead pan eyes!”

“Why are you getting angry with me?”

“I don’t like when people waste my time and trust. You should have leaved if you saw what was going on and didn't want to intervene.”

“We didn’t want to abandon you but we didn't know if getting in there was the right thing.”

“Then you’ll be glad to know that I don’t want to abandon you either and I'll get my nose in to do the right thing. Now tell me.”

“I’ll tell you when you are in a better mood. You are too emotional right now.”

“Tell me, I’m fine!”

“Sugarcoat, please.”

“TELL ME!! Are you deaf, you moron!?”

I felt overwhelmed when she yelled at me with such furious face. She was sweating harshly as her breathing intensified. Not wanting to make her madder, I began telling her my petty problem.

And from there, everything got worse.

“So, let me get this straight. For a pretty face, you sold your dignity, your principles, your pride, and your rival’s possible well-being!? You are so stupid! No! You aren’t stupid, you are scum!”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? Sorry!? YOU BETTER BE SURE THAT YOU ARE SORRY! This clan of ours consist of insufferable yet prideful bastards, not filthy, abhorrent, and lousy cheaters!”

“Sugarcoat, I wasn’t thinking straight and now that you know my silly problem, I was hoping-!”

“To come before me and fix your problem?”

“Yes, and no! Just give me an idea to right my wrongs and beat Shimmer fair and square!”

“You don’t deserve my help.”

“Why not!?” I asked perplexed.

“Yeah, why not!?” Gilda was as confused as me.

“You have fallen too low. This is beyond my field of expertise.”

“Listen, you little… I suppose you are right… I’ll think about something on my own. For now, I’ll go home.”

“…So you are not going to fight and you will stop trying to get a result?”

There was a certain something in her tone that pissed me of. 

“What do you want from me!? You said you can’t help, so why I should be wasting our time now?”

“Do you think you are a waste of my time?”

“Yes, no. I don’t know, Ok!?”

“You have become weak-willed as well. Get the hell out of my sight.” 

“I know that Zap put you on a bad time but it isn’t fair that you rub this on me like that!”

“What is fair anyway? No matter how much you give, you never fully receive what you give. You never receive the same level of trust, dreams, friendships, loyalties!”

“Are you saying that I haven’t delivered?”

“You haven’t been yourself ever since you enrolled to CHS. Too feeble, too doubtful, and far too careless with your actions. Where is the aggressive and relentless Nitpick Bittersweet I met last year? You have done nothing but perform half-assed and stupid decisions lately!”

“And this is the part where you are gonna tell me that I am nothing without you!”

“No, you never needed me before. You and Gilda managed to turn the tide in your favor against everyone, including Cinch once, remember?”

“I’m trying my best to do things the right way now!”

“Really!? As far as I see it, the only thing you have done so far is lazing around and running away!”

“I don’t-!”

“I’M NOT FINISHED! You always said that one must always arrive earlier to a planned meeting because it’s the right thing to do! You always said that you must charge forward and face your problems without any shenanigans and crap because it’s the right thing to do! You always, ALWAYS, proved to me that you have a sense of honor in doing things the right way! And now that this Bon Bon offered you a cheap and enticing offer, you accepted it easily!?” Her tone became of ridicule. “You can’t face Sunset directly in a battle of attrition, you reduced yourself to a pathetic life form dependent of the petty resentments of a scheming girl! A blazing fool that had at least some kind of dignity and integrity reduced to a simple boot-licking dog! You are a puppet unworthy of my friendship! YOU ARE A FUCKING DISGRACE AS A MAN, SCUMBAG!!”

Disgrace… That word didn’t stop resonating in my mind. I was feeling pathetic when I realized that I was been played like a fool in the morning. Now… I felt a lot worse. 

“Sugarcoat, that’s it, he doesn’t deserve this and you know it! It was just a little mistake and you are exaggerating everything, for God’s damn sake!!!”

“A LITTLE MISTAKE!? Shut up, Heavensbane! I had, no, I have hopes for you. Very high but achievable high hopes for you four! Until now, we have come with ups and downs, rights and wrongs and we always did a fine job, and I know we can do it once again! YOU ALWAYS DELIVERED! YOU… you just need to try harder… Even if we lose, as long as we do it honestly… there will be no regrets.”

“Perhaps Zap is right after all. Sug, love, you are so obsessed with clearing the school’s name that you are becoming insane! That goal isn’t worth it if you end up like this!”

“And what more do I have left if I can’t have friends I can’t trust!? Becoming successful is the alternative I have now!”

“You don’t really mean that…” Said Gilda with a sudden saddened face.

“…Just …just leave me alone today. Please.”

“Ok, we’ll leave. But be damn sure we are going to talk about this later! Come on, Nit! …Nit? I said come on!”

“Yeah… Let’s go.”

We rushed outside and Gilda closed the door tightly behind her. I could feel her raging mood surfacing from her skin and engulfing the surroundings, almost taking my breath.

“Do not be angered, my mighty friend.” A nearby voice quickly soothed her mood. “Our intellectual friend had it hard recently and you know it.”

“Oak… How much did you hear?”

“From Nitpick’s tale and onwards. As the Prince of Equestria, I feel a little bad eavesdropping my friends.”

“Don’t worry, Arbelth. We did the same a little while ago with Sugarcoat. She is mad at Zap, and now she is mad at me.”

“You know that the Little Maiden tends to overreact in such things. Give her some time, you know she didn’t mean it. Besides, I too would use such tactics to defeat an enemy. In war, there is no room for hesitation in using any advantages you can get.”

“Yes, Prince Blueblood… But this is no war, and she is right… I am a disgrace right now…”

“Do not be too harsh on yourself, my beloved. My brother may be right, as spectacular as it sounds coming from me, but that kind of tactics does not suit you much. Perhaps, you just are in a stage of your life where you want to try new things and Miss Bon Bon satisfied that necessity with flying colors. Now, it is up to you to know what you want to do next.”

“It’s obvious what I need to do! I must stop her!”

“Are you sure of that? Come, let us respect the needs of our intellectual friend and leave this place. Tomorrow will be another day.” She continued her speech as we walked to the exit. “My beloved, it is not shameful to do this kind of things. If you remember correctly, I once tried to bribe you, and I thought I was right, and perhaps that tactic will be needed in the future. But that is my way, not yours.”

“What are you getting at, Oak?”

“My mighty friend, you heard her well. She has high hopes resting on us, and I am sure we share the same sentimental need for each other… but we must accept the fact that we believe in the paths we have chosen for ourselves. They may be really similar, but, there are tiny differences that makes them unique in the long run. Nitpick, in what you believe from the bottom of your heart? When you find the answer, ideas on how to make things right will flourish inside of you. And for that to happen…” I didn’t notice that we already were on the parking lot nearby, her black limo awaiting for her. She climbed up and sat comfortably on her seat, and when the doors closed and only her face was visible, she simply said with a soft smile, “You must be alone for a while. I will see you tomorrow.” She brought up her window and she departed, disappearing for the rest of the day.

“I believe… my sister is right. I still say that such tactic shouldn’t bother you and the Little Maiden should relax more, but you are your own person, and so we are. Call me if you need anything.”

“Arbelth, for you to be talking this serious… I don’t know what to say.”
He patted my shoulders rather brotherly. “Tomorrow I will annoy you to compensate for today, but for now, I too will take my leave. Want a lift home?”

“No, Nit and I will take the bus. You should go as well, Arb. Take care.”

“It’s been a while since you called me like that, Gilda.”

“Well, you aren’t being an ass so it was time to rust off the old nickname.”

“Fair enough. Fare thee well… Oh, right! Before I go! I must tell you something, Nitpick.”

“What?”

“Miss Sparkle read to Meg a story… But there was something off about her.”

“What do you mean?”

“She was, no, she felt different somehow. I don’t know how to put it. When we were talking about the tale, at first sight she appeared to be thoughtful, and melancholic. But, before I left her side, she looked somber. Vicious. Prideful. Arrogant, even.”

“Sparkle? Arrogant? Pfff, it must have been your imagination.”

“I know about such things, Gilda. I see those attitudes every time I join my Father on the meetings of the country’s state of affairs. Something is wrong with her, I can assure it.”

“At least I am not crazy, yet. I too feel that she has been acting odd lately. But, she is Twilight in the end. Whatever she has now, tomorrow she will be back to normal.”

We said our farewells and took our separate paths. When the bus arrived to the suburbs, Gilda took off and told me that all will be alright soon. Hopeful that it was the case, I arrived home, took a cold shower and called it a day. But I couldn’t fall asleep as easily as I wanted to. Sugarcoat’s words resonated deeply in my conscience, and an image of Bon Bon’s vile smile manifested in my mind. I was feeling a little anxious… then I remembered that I haven’t taken my medication. No, I don’t want them! I don’t need them! After some thirty or forty minutes of trying on my own, I began to feel sleepy.

I journeyed to the Land of Dreams.

…. ….
…. ….

I felt that someone was caressing my hair. But I was too tired, too sleepy. I didn’t want to open my eyes. The caress become a pleasant gesture, it appeased me, yet, it stimulated me to wake up. It was… a warm feeling.



“Wake up.”

“No… gimme more time.”

“Don’t be such a sleepy boy and open your eyes for a bit.”

“Aww…” I slowly started to open my eyes. “But I want to sleep.”

“You are like a sleepy kitty.”

“I don’t like cats.”

“But you were born under the star of the cat, almost at the end of January. Embrace it!  Stretch a bit to wake up faster… Good! It wasn’t hard to stretch your body, right? Reinhardo, you haven’t eaten yet, so you must stand up now.” Her soothing voice whispered to my ear.

I sat down properly but soon started missing my little nap. I noticed that all of my friends were playing in the park’s games, it was still break time. I saw that her skirt was filled with my drool and I tried to clean it with my shirt, but the mess got worse.

“Oh, no! Mom will scold me again if she see this!”

“Don’t worry, I have tissues in my bag! Everything is under control!” Sporty cleaned her skirt and my shirt, leaving them as spotless as possible. “There! Slept well?”

“No. I had a nightmare.”

“A nightmare? But you had the most restful face. Tell me about it.”

“I was a grown up! I had a lot of friends, and teachers, and rivals… but you weren’t there!”

“Oh, I wonder why.” She arranged her pretty purple hair, her twin ponytails and cute eyes were glimmering under the shiny dots of the sun. Granddad told me her eyes were Persian blue… they were so pretty, just like her. “Have any idea?”

“I don’t know well. You had to leave for some reason… And that’s not all. I got into a fight with one of my friends. I did something awful to someone and that friend was mad at me because of it.”

“Do you remember what did you do?”

“I… cheated in a fight or something. And that friend said that it was cowardly of me.”

“That doesn’t sound like you. The Reinhardo that I know is kind and just.” 

“But it felt so real… It felt so creepy…”

“Perhaps it felt so real because dreams in a way mix your experiences with your imagination and create a whole new reality! Our dreams are but a reflection of our sense of self!”

“Say what?”

“We are what we do and think, Reinhardo.” She smiled tenderly.

“Ah, right! It makes sense! But… I hope I don’t cheat ever. It must feel awful.”

“It depends of the situation, but yes, cheating is awful.”

“My Granddad said the same thing once. That sometimes we must make bad stuff… But I don’t believe in that. Cheating is a shortcut, not a fix! I don’t want to lose friends because of it!”

“You have a lot of friends even if that happens. Sugar Belle, Lightbulb, Dancer, Night Glider, Double Diamond, Sunburst, and even the teacher likes you. We all like you.”

“But losing friends means that we weren’t friends at all. Friends are supposed to support and help each other forever.”

“I don’t think life works like that, Reindhardo. But I wish I had your confidence about it.” She giggled with a happy face. “They say that some friends can even fall in love when the right circumstances are overcome.”

“Friends can fall in love? Like a mom likes a dad?”

“Yes.”

“How that happens?”

“It happens when a friend becomes more than a friend. Perhaps it means that I love you, Reinhardo.” 

“We are more than friends?” I couldn’t help but feel warm and cozy in my head and chest. “I love you too. Whatever that means.”

"I have an idea of what it means! I read it in a book! Close your eyes! Don't cheat!"

"I won't!"

She took my face with her hands and got it close to her. I experienced a really weird sensation that I couldn’t understand. Her lips were touching mine, like mom and dad and Knight Seiyamus and the Goddess do all the time. It was a little hard to breathe, but it felt cutey for some reason. When it was over, we separated again and I opened my eyes, her face was a bit red, but she didn’t lose her smile. Sporty always had a smile on her face. Sometimes it was small and lonely, and other times it was wide and colorful.

I have never seen such a radiant smile from her before.

“I read it in a book called Bluewall. The adults call it a lingering kiss, and they do it when they want to support someone special.”

“It felt gross… but good.”

“Hehehe! Yes, it was weird… and nice. Did the kiss make everything better?”

“A bit… But what would happen if that dream becomes true, Sporty? That somehow makes me scared.”

“Reinhardo, sometimes we can’t control the present that opens the path to the future. And eventually, the future becomes the past, and we can’t change it either, but we should embrace it and move on. If it becomes real, we must face it and not run away.”

“You always say weird stuff that I don’t understand.”

“It’s a kind of poetry, and one day I know that you will understand it. After all, you got better scores than me during last tests. You can be smart if you want.”

“It was a lucky shot. I just studied way more to be smart like you. You are amazing and talented to me!”

“It takes more than talent to defeat someone with real power. If you don’t work hard for it, then talent is useless, and the powerful remains powerful. But for one to squeeze our individual potentials, one must believe in something.”

“Believe in something? What do you mean?”

“What drives you to be more than you are now, is what I am talking about, Reinhardo.”

“My drive? Do you mean what makes me do what I do?”

“Yes!” She clapped happily. “That’s what I am talking about! The stronger the wish, the stronger your drive. The stronger the drive, the stronger your ambition. The stronger the ambition, the stronger your dedication. The stronger the dedication, the stronger your will.”

“Well, I want to be an astronaut and sail across the stars!” 

“I too want to be an astronaut and sail across the sea of stars! They say that is so silent and pretty up there! Earth is but a tiny dot in the endless shiny spots of the Truth of the Universe! One day, let’s go together and become stardust in the Sea of Stars and leave this sad world behind forever! …But if we can’t become astronauts, then what’s left for us to do here?”

“If I can’t do that, I want to be a white-collar worker, like my Granddad says! Dad doesn’t like the idea, though.”

“Why? My caretaker says that they don’t earn well! Why don’t become something bigger like a mayor, or a president, or a dashing king?”

“Me? A king? No way! You must be royalty to be one!!”

“In my eyes, you are worthy enough.”

“What do you want to do when you grow up if not an astronaut?”

“I want to create a society where everyone can be equal.” 

“Society?”

“Is a group of people who believe and fight for something under a single flag. Mine will be for a world of no discrimination of race, or religion… no horrible family to abandon you. Everyone can become happy in that world. Times are changing, and people change as well. Although technically, time is always the same, for it is a construct of our mortal perception to… In any case, that is why we must believe in something if people abandon you. Something to hold dear and make it a source of strength… I have the dream, but I don’t have such confidence to make it a reality.”

“I for one believe in you, Sporty. I know you will always be with me, and one day you will fulfill your dream.”

“…Really?” 

“Promise! You are so smart and strong!”

“I’m not strong. I can barely pick up my backpack and do the cleaning at… home. And I’m not smart. If was smart, I would be an astronaut by now.”

“Then one day you will be strong enough to beat anyone! You will punch, kick, jump, kick and do a super fist-three-kick combo and throw anyone to the wall and win, win, WIN!”

“What are you doing!? It’s dangerous to jump on the bench, Reinhardo!”

“Come on! Jump with me! I will not let go!”

She quickly joined hands with me and jumped several times at my side me. It was fun.

“Can I really win against anyone!?”

“Yeah!”

“Even win against you?”

“Of course!!”

“But you are so strong and resilient! The bravest I know!”

“And? You said it yourself! Effort and all that! And you have too many talents to add to the list! You can beat me one day fair and square if you work hard for it! Yes way, I believe in you!”

“That… makes me so happy for some reason! I… I  too believe in you. If we ever become lost, let’s meet again here. I love this place.”

“You betcha… you… I feel tired.”

“It’s because you haven’t eaten yet. Here, our sandwiches.”

“I don’t like sandwiches.”

“Your mommy made them for us. I will eat them with you if you decided to eat them.”

“Ok, I’ll eat them for you.” When we finished the sandwiches, I felt full and weak. “I feel sleepy now.”

“You are so silly. Come, sleep in my lap again.” I rested my head on her legs. “Feel comfortable?”

“Yes… I’m still scared, though.”

“What can I tell you so you can sleep again?”

“…That you will be my friend forever.”

“I will be your friend forever and more… Now…” She gave me a kiss in my forehead. “Sleep… Good night, Nitpick.”

“Good night... Starl-…”

…. ….
…. ….

“Starl- … … … …?”

I was in a dark place, the only source of silver light coming from the window. Under further observation, I noticed that I was in my room. I felt funny in my face, and I realized that a small tear came down from my eye, my hands soon reached my face and rubbed it gently. I sat on the edge of my bed and I checked my phone to notice that it wasn’t even nine in the evening and that drove me a little insane. 

I stood up and like if someone was guiding my body, I started searching on my closet for a box that held something as special as my Grandfather’s tac-shirt. I almost forgot about it, and the little notebook that was inside of it. I carefully opened it from the first page, and I couldn’t help but chuckle whenever I read a page of my lousy tries to explain a day of my life.

What kind of child has a diary in this day and age?

I stopped at a certain page that ignited my curiosity. My younger self loved to write whatever crap he thought it was cool. So, it wasn’t a surprise to see that half of the written pages of my diary was about her. Love poems that will never be finished without her, dreams that can no longer become a reality without her. My first, innocent love. I once told everyone that I have never read a book before. Of course, that was a lie. How could I have aced my tests if I hadn’t studied day and night to the point of obsession and determination?

A lie… to myself.

The memories were flooding my mind, like if thousand images and sounds united their dots and formed a little film of memory lane. Yet, those memories were blurry, like if they wanted me to remember it all, and at the same time, trying their best to make me forget. I couldn’t read my diary, not  here in my room, at least. There was another, more appropriate place where I needed to read it.

…. ….

It was cold in the town I call home. The public lights were lit with a smooth luminosity that put the night at bay, but not fully. There were more than one hundred dots of lights between the shadows of the night, and somehow I felt comfortable walking between both worlds. After several minutes of walking and getting bored at seeing my own breath taking form of mist in front of me, I finally reached the blench that was calling for me. It’s been a while since I sat here with this diary of mine. Back then, Sporty was with me almost every day. I remember telling Sunset that I usually don’t bring people I know here with me. Now I remembered the reason for it.

The Starry Mountains Park was my tomb of the failed expectations and unrealized dreams that I wanted to bury on my own.

I read the part that picked my interest, and it was fitting. Dreams work in a very prophetic manner sometimes, for the recent one reminded me of this particular entry. I don’t know if I should be afraid or amused, but my words were about my current dilemma, and how cool and level-headed she was to me while explaining things that was beyond my level of comprehension at that age. Perhaps my memory fails me, and I am only glorifying my days with her, after all, the first time is always the strongest memory you will have about something. But the moment was real, and so too was my fear. 

The first kiss of an innocent love that I must not forget.

Perhaps Sugarcoat was right. I was losing something important without I even noticing for petty reasons; my own self. How can I even think of teaching someone about self-respect and honesty if I couldn’t do it for myself? It felt weird acknowledging that my younger self had more balls to do things recklessly but with a deep sense of integrity at hand and without holding back.

But people grow and realize that sometimes a more intelligent approach is better. But if my younger self could see all the things I did recently, could I even look at me face to face? I have made a lot of ups and downs, some I won’t regret at all like scolding Pinkamena’s bothersome personality and being a kind of a jerk in the academy, others I have learned well, like appreciating a bit more life with Fluttershy and being a bit friendlier to people like Soarin and Melody.

Then, it comes the regrets. Even if they seem minuscule now… What Bon Bon will truly do is what scares me the most. No matter how do I look at it, what I did is no different from the actions of Dust as a corrupt Champion Leader, or Wind Rider and his blackmailing operations. I was helping a vengeful woman to fulfill her dream of having revenge against an enemy that perhaps stopped existing years ago.
What should I do when my friends can’t help me now? What should I think when my own thoughts betray my principles? What should I fight for if I have lost my way? What would she think of me… if she saw me like this?

‘Disgrace.’ Sugarcoat’s voice filled me with despair. 

She said that I must believe in something.

Then in what I believe now? 
Do I even believe in something that holds me together?
What should I do? 
Who the hell I am now? 
What I am fighting for? 

In what should I believe?

…

…

“Nitpick, is that you?”

As I raised my head, a bright beacon of light approached to me. Her radiant and fiery long hair free like the wind, her beautiful figure as elegant as a goddess, and her mature expression that soothed my tired eyes was like a kind of a blessing. Sunset Shimmer sat close to me, smiling vividly with coruscating eyes.

“Hey, Sunset. What are you doing here?”

“I just needed fresh air and I decided to visit this spot that you introduced to me last time." She breathed the fresh air of this park. "This park is so... peaceful! You know, I couldn’t sleep…” Her smile suddenly disappeared. “What’s wrong? You look gloomy since morning.”

“Eh?”

“Well, I thought it was my imagination before, and when I asked Twilight about it, she said that you looked fine. But then Rarity saw you in the afternoon and she confirmed me that you had opaque eyes… You have opaque eyes.”

“Oh… nothing. I just feel… tired.”

“Also… there is this rumor that sparked a few moments later when you left Rarity’s attention… Did you, by any chance, hear an infighting in the orphanage?”

“So, walls have ears, huh?”

“And a loud voice… People nearby didn’t understand very well but they swear that they could hear Sugarcoat’s voice echoing in the halls. Thank goodness nothing bad happened and we weren’t scolded. Do you know what made her mad?”

“You are looking at it.”	

“What? …Did something happened between you two?” She asked concerned. “If… If you want… I could help you with your friendship problem.”

“I don’t need… I don’t think I deserve your help.”

“Why not? We have been in very good terms recently…” She put herself comfortable and rested her head on my shoulder. “Very good, to be honest.”

Because I have given you too much troubles… Perhaps in the future, but not today.”

“That sounds like something nearby.”

“You really are confident that I will confide in you a little more.”

“Just a bit… Now let me rest, I’m finally getting sleepy for some reason.”

“You couldn’t sleep as well?”

“No… I couldn’t… Twilight worried me today.”

“What happened?”

“She didn’t tell you? She had a sudden and horrible headache when she went home to leave Spike there. We planned with her to go to a café that Rarity wanted to visit since last month. Le Magnifique Panini… Never go there. Too expensive and fancy, even Pinkie felt overwhelmed. At least we had fun. Mostly Rarity, anyway.”

“I see. Is Twilight better now?”

“Yes, but still… Maybe it’s just my imagination. She just had a bad headache. Hey, what is that?”

“Ah, this? My old diary.”

“Oh, how cute! I think you already know but I have a diary as well!”

“Ah, yes, the book-like monstrosity.”

“Hey! It has enough space for one thousand more entries!”

“Mmm, right.”

“Did you suddenly wanted to write something in there? Sometimes it’s really fun doing that and makes your ideas flourish.”

“In my case, the ideas go away. When I write, I tend to jot down everything my mind came up with and don’t bother reviewing it. But not today. I just remembered something that put me in a very nostalgic mood. ”

“And what is that?”

“An old entry, an old poem, and an old memory of someone special to me. If they could see me right now, what would they think of me? My younger, foolish, but braver self… Alright, you win. I’ll tell you a bit about my misfortune.”

“Why don’t we go to a café I know nearby and talk about it? It’s clean, nice, twenty-four hours open, and most importantly, cheap.”

“Now you are speaking my language.”

…. ….

It was a tidy and clean café, a healthy number of clients were there, considering the hour. Night shift workers from the suburbs, the average couple who lost the sense of time, and there was us. When we got ourselves comfortable in a sofa with our cups of hot chocolate in the table nearby and a long slice of cake for both beside them, I continued the conversation.

“Well… How should I start? Sunset… if I told you that I was helping someone that hates you and wants to defeat you so hard during the competition, would you believe me?”

She hilariously spurted her drink, then she laughed as she was cleaning her mess. “I believe I think where this is going, but go on!”

“I’m being serious here!”

“I know, please continue.” Her expression became mellow. 

“Look, I tried… I was… Certain someone and I joined forces to… defeat you and tried to… crush you.” 

I can’t believe I am being this hesitant. The old me from would have said it and be done with this crap.

“I knew it! Somehow I knew it was something like this! No wonder things were a little harder during the competition and the alumni on the school. Ok, since it has come to this, then let’s start over and give us a new beginning, friend.”

“Wait… That’s it?” 

“Yeah, sure!”

“You are not angry or desire compensation for what I did?”

“I want compensation, but not the kind you expect. I forgive you, Nitpick!” My jaw dropped with that statement. “I know what it feels to want to defeat someone and put aside any kind of integrity one could have to do a nasty thing. You know, before I became friends with Twilight’s, uh, cousin, I tried to set her up and win the Fall Formal! Not the best moment of my life but I learned that my actions weren’t right. You at least haven’t hurt anybody, and I am glad you are taking the first steps to change for the better.”

“Somehow I feel we had this conversation before.”

“During our first date and some weeks later as well. But the circumstances were different. Now, you are becoming more like us.”

“What!?”

“I‘m glad that you confessed that you were making my life a bit harder behind the scenes and want to make things right from now on.”

“Yeah… I shouldn’t have listened to Bon Bon in doing this cheap approach. I want to defeat you as a representative fair and square!”

“Sugarcoat. The name you wanted to say is Sugarcoat.”

“…Huh!?”

“She is the one that convinced you to make this, right? Putting the students against me and making them a bit volatile. I know you have your loyalties to your friends in Crystal Prep but it’s obvious to me now that Cinch must be behind of this and using students’ relationships to harm all of us in the long run, and Sugarcoat being the most prideful student she has, well, you know. I mean, she is a little mean and competitive, but it’s okay. I know you will patch things up soon. I can help if you want to do the right thing in the right way with her.”

“Sugarcoat would never cheap herself like that.” I said a bit furious. “She would rather lose than do something so humiliating. And I’m telling you the truth. Bon Bon is the one who is behind everything and I, like the stupid fool I am, did as she said.”

“Oh, stop! You are messing with me!”

“No!”

“Look, I know there is a rumor circling around the school that you and Bon Bon are a kind of a… you know!” She made a heart with her fingers. “Even Thunderbass was talking about with Lyra, which Rarity overheard while walking to our table during breakfast! Perhaps that’s why you said her name instead of Sugarcoat’s”

THUNDERBASS, YOU IMBECILE OF A ROMEO!!!

“SHE IS NOT MY DAMN GIRL!”

“SHH!” The attendant of the store expressed, making me embarrassed.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Oh, I’m so ashamed. “Look, she may have a lot of good physical traits I like but she isn’t my type in the end… not anymore.” I said in hiss.

“W-why not?” She was curious.

“Because is like I told you! She is a manipulative girl! You should be careful with her, she hates you  for crying out loud!”

“Look.” She said in a very serene and understanding tone while grabbing my hand. “I know what is like to feel anger when people disappoint you. You try so hard to blame them that you blind yourself to facts. Once, Princess- I mean, Principal Celestia and I had a fallout and I blamed her for everything that happened to me, that she didn’t give me what I thought I deserved, I even cursed her name sometimes. Then, you realize, that the one who is to blame is none other than one’s self. So I understand if you want to bad mouth someone like this. But this isn’t the way. Besides… Bon Bon is a nice, understanding, and pretty girl. She is a little more outgoing and I can see that she… could complement your quirks.” Said she rather apprehensive.

“Sunset, let me tell you three reasons why what you say is nonsense. One; she is a manipulative brat, whether you believe me or not. Two; even if she wasn’t a cold and scheming girl, she still lacks one thing that would make me fall for her completely. And three; the only person who is so close to the ridiculously high and unrealistic standards I have for a woman right now is you, you, and only you.” I took my cup of chocolate and almost finished the thing, then I took a big chunk of the cake and enjoyed it. It was pretty good. “I tell you, Bon Bon is an evil brat that hates you! She resents you for the woman you once were! You know, the evil ‘magical monster’ you were and crap! I have dismissed that silly claim with Sugarcoat’s video, to be honest.”

I felt terrible again all of the sudden… Ughhh… Sugarcoat…

“I-I don’t believe it.”

“Proof. I need proof to convince you that I am telling the truth. Let's start from the beginning!” 

I told her everything. Her goals, my purpose in them, who she convinced, who she gathered to join me. Hell, I even told her about my confession to Soarin and Thunderbass. As I continued my tale, my tongue lost it's strength gradually as I saw her face. Then, I stopped before I mentioned Twilight's disaster. It was of not use. She had a face of understanding. A face of forgiveness.

A face that didn't believe shit of what I said.

"You don't believe me..."

"Yeah, I believe you, but I still think you are covering for Sugarcoat. I could see the honesty in your eyes but I know when people are lying in some details!"

You are really bad at this.

“No matter what you say, I trust in Bon Bon… and I trust in CHS. I trust that I can change the hate of those who still resent me to something better.” Her eyes were straight, honest, and passionate. “I believe in them.”

“I understand... Anything you need, call me. It’s the least I can do to compensate the asshole I have been.”

“Thanks… And watch your language, please.” Her face was reddened all of the sudden. Perhaps, drinking a hot cup so quickly was a bad idea for her.

We stayed silently together from then onwards. She was checking her mails and doing some kind of guide in her phone, and I was thinking about my disgraceful situation and that I couldn’t convince Sunset that Bon Bon was part of her problems, and it was thanks to me. She briefly commented that she had a part time job as math tutorial creator online, but besides that, nothing out of the ordinary happened between us. A few minutes later, I started to play on my phone. We were just there sitting quietly while doing our stuff.

To our surprise, we ended up leaving at two in the morning.

…. ….

“Thanks for escorting me back home.”

“You live nearby mine, and I couldn’t leave you alone at this hour.”

“Ponyville is a safe town where you don’t have to worry about bad things.”

“Yes… This town is full of green and hope.”

“And here we are. Home, sweet lent home. Did I tell you that this was Vice-Principal Luna’s old storage room?”

Oh, beautiful Vice-Principal… NO, STOP!

“Wow.”

“Yeah! It’s pretty spacious and I’m grateful for it.”

“Where are your parents?”

“Ah… In Equestria.”

“What part of the country?”

“Mirror… Mirror City! Just like Princess Twilight!”

“That’s two days away from here! How your parents trust you enough to allow you to live here on your own!? Even mine call me at least twice a week to know if I haven’t burned down the house!”

Sunset rubbed her elbow a little uncomfortable. “Y-you know! Princess- Principal Celestia and I have known each other for a long time and, hahaha, my parents know her! Besides, they trust me enough to make the right choices!”

“Sure.”

“Hey! It’s true!”

“When was the last time you spoke to them?”

“Four yea- weeks ago.”

“Oh… … Did you have a fight with them?”

“No… Everything is ok. How are your parents?”

“Fine. Mom began giving cooking classes. She likes to adorn her work with pastel pencils. Obviously she is careful enough to not combine food with lead and such. Father got a promotion, again. And my lil sis just won a drawing contest! Oh, the pride feels real!”

“That… That sounds amazing!”

“Yeah! They may overreact a little too much from time to time, but, you know, you can’t keep away from the family that raised you and took care of you. My Grandfather also… … Forget it, you know what I mean.”

“I hope to give my family a visit soon. Know how they are and have… a good time, I guess.”

“You’ll see it will happen.”

“Ok… I guess, this is goodbye for now.”

“Yeah…”

“Take care, then…”

“You too…”

I don’t know why, but we couldn’t stop looking at each other. There is an innocence in admiration, recognizing that someone is better than you. No matter how much you try to deny it, there is always a certain someone who shows you what you could become if you never lose sight of what you want. It’s a desire to continue pursuing the thing you want to achieve.

It took me a while to notice it, but Sunset has that drive that I once had with Sporty.

“Sunset Shimmer, I need to ask you a question. Something personal.”

“Sure. Ask me.”

“Why are you so strong?”

“…Excuse me!?”

“Why are you trying so hard to change the tide of the student’s lingering ill feelings towards you? There is nothing more you can do, you have proven yourself that you are better than before. Why keep struggling? It's their problem now, not yours! Why did you forgive me so easily even I gave you bad shit time during our first date and onwards, and even told you many times that all what you fought for is nonsense!? Why...? Why are you so strong when facing this? Why is it so hard to look at you? Why you stir in me the need to keep fighting for something when I don't have anything to fight for anymore!?” I clenched my fists and closed my eyes with inner-anger. "It's so frustrating to know that you are someone unreachable... Just like her..."

She looked at me in stupefaction at first, then she rested her forehead on the wall with a tiny smirk and sighed with a shade of uncertainty. She breathed deeply, having found an answer in her reinvigorated sight. Finally, she retook her composure and simply said to me to the face, “Because redemption is in what I believe.”

No more was said from her lips. It wasn’t an spectacular answer, nor it was complex or poetic. It was just a simple sentence of seven words that had the causality of having the most deep and meaningful feelings I have ever heard. They resonated deep within me. Stirring me. Filling me with something I needed to remember.

To believe in something is obtaining a result through sheer will.

“You know, maybe you are still confused about may things; who are your friends, which people harm you the most, and others realities surrounding you, but let me tell you something. As long as you want to change or have a shot to redemption, know that you are not alone. I believe in my classmates, I believe in my friends. And now, I… I believe in you once again. I truly believe you can do great things!” 

“…!”

Have… have you ever felt the longing wish for someone you could admire? Have you ever found a reason to try again? Have you ever desired to break the chains that you put on yourself for the sake of an effortless existence? If Sporty looked at me now she would never forgive me if I gave up and do nothing. Even if I need to triple my efforts, I won’t allow Sunset to fall. It’s not a fix to my will issues, but it isn’t a shortcut either. It’s a little patch that mends me until I find a true goal to believe for myself alone. But for now, she gave me a reason to believe in something. I believe in her dedication. I believe that her past mistakes have become just a memory. I believe in her strength.

I believe in her.



“Your eyes!” Sunset said cheerfully. “Call me crazy but I could swear that they had a shade of gold in them for a moment!”

“It’s your imagination, but I feel better hearing your answer. I’ll see you at school in a few hours.”

“Take care, and good night, Nitpick.”

“Good night, Sunset.”

She got inside her home really quick, and I eventually reached my bed. Even if she doesn’t believe me, I’ll fight the last true remnant of her past life behind the scenes. I feel the flames of passion that I once had coming back to life inside of me. My name is Nitpick Bittersweet, seventeen years old. I am your average teenager with average looks, and average talents, who always chases after the truth in one way or another.

And I won’t allow Bon Bon to win.
> Chapter 101 - Because the little voice awakened me.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There were many things that a road surrounded by tall and thick trees could do to affect someone’s persona. One of those things were the drop in temperature in an emotional level. Nothing but absence of light was what Twilight Sparkle tasted in that small moment of her life. But she kept moving, for the west she wished to walk. To the west she wished to travel. To the west she must go. There was a grove that the townsfolk told her about many times during short, sporadic and good mannered conversations in the local café near the school. That it was so beautiful and peaceful that anyone who rested in it would have his fears removed from his inner anguish. In that place, nor light or darkness triumphed over the other.

It was the closest thing to a greyish paradise.

After a few minutes of walking after parting ways with Nitpick, her new friend, Twilight finally reached the grove she wanted to visit for a while. Its beauty was exactly as the townsfolk described; A simple and comfy marvel of nature. There she found a lonely girl sitting on a rock. Twilight realized that she was meditating and had a very balanced face. Not too angry but not too happy. Not too shady and not too trusty. When she got near her, the strange girl opened her eyes, a wide grin forming on her face. She introduced herself as the girl called Bon Bon.

“Now, a question, if I may. What brings you here, lost one?”

“They say this place could remove my anguish, is it true?”

“No such a miracle exist in the world, true peace can only come from self-acceptance. There are no shortcuts in the way of life. In the way of happiness and despair there is only the dessert of battle.”

“Do you know about happiness?”

“Only the meaning I acknowledge for myself.”

“Do you know about despair?”

“Only the stupidity I create for myself.”

“Can you give me a normal explanation? I’m not fond of cookie fortune wording.”

“My happiness is formless, for I create it at every turn I command. My despair is formless, for I construct it with my own volition. My love for my beloveds makes me act in selfishness, my own selfishness to preserve them and bring them joy gives me a reason to become happy. Their love is my love, their rage is my rage. But, I don’t wish to share my fallings. My love is not their love, and my rage will never be their rage, for I will not allow it.”

“That’s a little selfish, true friends share ups and downs and help each other to grow stronger.”

“Of course. But it’s the way I have chosen to live. May I find a quicker end to my heart, mind, and soul? Probably. But, life is too short to stay idle and not struggling and desiring to find the truth.”

“What is the meaning of truth?”

“Everything has a purpose. Everything has a varying degree of morality. What is grey for you, it will be black or white for others. But remember, do the right thing when you can and don’t hurt anybody! If the circumstances aren’t favorable, then do the less harm you can manage to do! Always think of everybody’s happiness!”

“That’s the very definition of a martyr in my books.”

“Yes, but my happiness should end if it affect others… There may be exceptions, of course. Sometimes, certain people are filth disguised as human beings. Such creatures must be eliminated, one way or another. For I am overprotective, for I am another embodiment of thousands selfish aspects, and for I am vengeful. And I will take my sweet time preparing my strike and rogue justice.”

“…I’m scared of you. I don’t know why, but I feel vengeful intents coming from your breath.”

“My, my. You shouldn’t be scared of me. To tell you the truth, I’m more scared of you and the demon that rests in your shadow… right behind you.”

The Scientist swiftly looked back and saw nothing but an empty road. As she looked back to Bon Bon, she wasn’t there anymore. She suddenly disappeared, like if she had traveled into another realm.

Twilight felt lost, and she decided to go back, and walked to where she came from. She traveled through the road she used to get to the grove. Her new destination; home.

“But it’s that really our home?” An obscure melody whispered on her ear.

“Ponyville is the only home I know. I must go back.”

“Don’t you feel tired?”

“Tired? No… I… Wait! Who are you!? Show yourself!”

“I can’t appear before you… yet. Not strong enough. Only illusions and whispers is all I can show you.”

“I must be crazy. These voices I am hearing are just my imagination!” Twilight rubbed her head and closed her eyes. “My imagination only.”

Then, after a few minutes, the voices disappeared and she continued walking through the road. But she stopped suddenly. There was a big puddle on her feet that grabbed her curiosity. That wasn’t there before, and Twilight looked at it with great curiosity. In the body of water, there was a reflection of her.

The Scientist felt weak, afraid… lonely.

“Do you feel tired now?” The reflection spoke to her.

“Just a bit…”

“Do you feel afraid?”

“Of what?”

“Of being a loser forever?”

“I am not a… Yes… I am afraid.”

“Are you tired of being lonely?”

“Yes.”

“I can help you get what you want! What you deserve!” The reflection became darker.

“How?”

“The power, it’s still sleeping deep inside of you! The purifying Magic of the Elements didn’t remove it completely! She didn’t destroy me!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Ah, yes. I forgot. This realm is of MY creation, and you sadly forget about it in the dream and the living world. But don’t worry, just trust in me, for I am you, and you, my dear me, we are one and same Twilight Sparkle. A Midnight that must be unleashed!”

“This… this is weird! I’m talking with my own reflection!” She released a small laugh with a shade of madness. “I must go home” She stood up and ran away from there. “Yes! I need to rest!”

“Give me one day! One single day, Twilight! And I will make everything good for us! Princess Twilight is holding us back! You know what I say is true!”

“I don’t know what you are talking about!” Twilight ran faster, afraid, trying to hide her head with her arms.

“Princess Twilight-!”

“WHO IS PRINCESS TWILIGHT!?”

The Scientist clashed with a sturdy object. It was a mirror in the middle of nowhere. There, she saw another reflection of her. She wasn’t wearing her now filthy clothing and her skin and hair weren’t muddy and filled with sweat, instead, she sported a new set of juvenile fashion. It was wilder for the likes of her, bold, even. And somehow, Twilight felt it familiar, and she liked it… a lot.



“Do you like what you see?”

The Scientist’s breath was taken away, eyes enchanted. “Yes!”

“This is us, Twilight! The real us! You must embrace it in the world of the awaken! One day. I’m strong enough to give you one day of true achievements! Still too weak to manifest our power at full, even after all this time recovering and hiding. Just can unleash our true might in very short lapses of time. Just can show our force when rage reign supreme within us!”

“Our true power…”

An image of an fiery red headed angel appeared in the reflection. She was like a goddess of victory who Twilight felt that she wished to meet.

“This holy unicorn locked me really tight. I still feel the burn of positive energy in my blood and bones. Can you feel it too? But… with more stimulation we can get out, as we are far more powerful than her shackles! Grant us release and let’s have revenge on this one too!”

The mirror changed its reflection to someone else. It was Twilight, but not really. That figure was brimming with a majestic light that could illuminate the darkest night. She was gorgeous, and had an air of royalty.

“This is Princess Twilight! Our doppelganger, our enemy!”

“Enemy…?”

“Yes. She is the reason why we are a second rate entity in the eyes of our admirers!”

“I-it can’t be! …I have admirers?”

“Of course you do! You simply haven’t noticed yet! The other one gave us everything, only to take it away from us! She took our friends away, as well as our achievements! The things that are rightfully ours from the world of the awaken shunned away by her intervention!! We must destroy her! But not her flesh and bone at all! Oh, no! To break the Princess’ spirit is to truly destroy her!”

“…But that doesn’t sound right!” The Scientist’s humanity surfaced with her words. “Even if she brings me misery, she doesn’t deserve to suffer. All people should be happy. I’ll find my own happiness with my own choice and power!”

“Don’t be a fool! Make her beg! She thinks she is so high and wise! Let US teach her a lesson she will never forget! Vengeance, Twilight! Grant us vengeance! …GRANT ME RELEASE!”

“No! I can’t do that!” She avoided the mirror and continued her path towards her home.

But she couldn’t continue sprinting for much longer. The earth trembled with fury. Her body felt treacherous as she couldn’t move at her own will. The star on the sky glimmered with a tint of black and its light blinded her relentlessly. She heard screams of despair from a voice familiar to her now.

She screamed violently trying to reach him, but she couldn’t move anymore. Something tightly restrained her. Black masses of darkness held her limbs and she abruptly fell to the floor while trying to break free. As she looked back to the source of the miasma, the evil entity in the mirror was looking at her clouded in shadow. Red eyes and a twisted smile was glaring at her from the reflection of the demonic artifact.

“MOMMY! DADDY!”

“Calm down, Twilight! Just embrace it!”

“NOOOOO! BROTHER! CADENCE!!”

“You will enjoy it! I know!”

“SPIKE, PLEASE, MAKE IT STOP! SPIKE! …NITPICK!! NITPIIIIICK!! SAAAAAAVE MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!”

…. ….
…. ….

“KYAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!” 

“TWILIGHT!!!”

There was no time to think, no time to lose! Twilight’s parents bolted their way to their daughter’s room! His father desperately forced the lock and joined his baby’s side with his wife.

“We are here, Twilight! What’s wrong, honey!?”

The Scientist was trying to breath with all her might in a fetal position. Sweat colder than a snowing of winter, shivers as vivid as a car engine, Twilight felt heavy. “Nightmare… Shadows… I was so scared!!” And she cried.

She cried… like never before.

“Oh, my baby!” Twilight Velvet hugged her tightly. “I will do you some tea! I have a new pack of lemon balm that will do the trick! Bring her to the kitchen, love.”

“That I’ll do!” Night Light said. “So will Spike! Right, buddy!?”

The Loyal Assistant barked in affirmation.

…. ….

At the kitchen, Mrs. Sparkle poured in a cup of coffee a relaxing balm for her daughter. Twilight slowly took it, shivers still conscripting her fingers, and noticed on the kitchen’s clock that it was three in the morning.

“I’m sorry… you have to work in a few hours.”

“It’s okay, honey. Just drink it and relax. Your dad and I will do as well.”

The family took their sweet time drinking the soothing lemon balm, sleepiness slowly coming back to them.

“So…” Mr. Sparkle rubbed her head. “How have you been in school? It’s been a while since you have told us anything regarding your competition with Crystal Prep.”

“Oh, great! Everything is nice there… All too nice.”

“It’s something wrong, my child?” Her mother asked very appeasing.

“…It’s… It’s just that I sometimes feel… that I don’t contribute to anything. And the things I do… they are pointless. I just do janitor work and read night stories for a kid in the orphanage or the nursing home.”

“But baby, that is great! Good deeds like those just few can do!”

“Really, Dad?”

“Yes! When I was a kid, I could barely do my laundry and such! And back then, I didn’t have the genius to create…” His father took a peculiar item from his pocket. “A solar lamp with rechargeable batteries straight from the power of the sun!”

Twilight made a small grin at him. “I can’t believe you still use that.”

“If it isn’t broken and it is functional, why stop using it?”

“I’ll make you a new one… a better one.”

“You see, baby? You can do many things if you want to. You just need the right motivation to do so. To be honest, you have done a lot of good things since you enrolled in CHS. You have done more exercise, you have seen more of the world that isn’t the basement!” Twilight blushed in embarrassment at her mother’s remarks. “And most importantly, you have made a lot of friends who love you for who you are.”

“I’m not sure about that… I’m not sure.”

“Perhaps the nightmare you had is about that. Is there something you want to tell to mommy and daddy?”

“…I just don’t know who I am sometimes, Mom.”

“You are in that age, Twilight. Your father and I had those kind of problems back in the day as students!”

“We once joined a hippy caravan for three weeks!”

“No way!”

“Indeed, sweetie! Ah, those were the days… it wasn’t a very nice experience in some areas.”

“Yeah… Uh… the bathrooms.” Mrs. Sparkle’s face flinched for a moment.

“What happened back then?” Twilight was curious.

“You see, when your mother and I were discovering our true calls during college, we tried a lot of things together during our summer breaks… Or what was left of them, you know, part time jobs.”

“We wanted to experience what was living in nature at its maximum expression and we joined this group of ambulant people for three weeks to Freshtop Town.”

“Oh, the town where we went camping last time!”

“That’s right, Twilight. We have good memories of the town and that wasn’t our last visit. Such good times… only the town.” Night Light expressed a bit suffocated in the last part.

“The group was lovely as human beings… But we just questioned a bit their hygiene habits. We didn’t stay on the town, but rather the forest.”

“We had to make our, you know, boo-boos, behind a tree.”

“YEUGH!” Twilight expressed while Spike whinnied.

“But it was a good experience… in a way. We love nature and enjoy a good camping weekend once in a while but we, uh, discovered that civilization and work had more meaning to us.”

“And you are just discovering who you are. As long as you feel right, and it isn’t anything extreme like joining street gangs or shaving your head like a-!”

“Night Light, don’t give her the wrong ideas!”

“Sorry!”

“In any case, as long as you feel comfortable, try to experiment a bit with your habits. You are still in high school, enjoy your youth as much as you can!”

“…Thank you for the talk, Mom! Thanks, Dad! I feel a bit better now!”

“I’m glad you are ok now. As long as we live, Mommy and Daddy will always be here for you. Go on, now. Let’s have some sleep while we still can!”

“Yeah. Come on, Spike!”

“Wufff!”

…. ….

“Are you sure you are okay now?” The Faithful Assistant mumbled on his bed.

“I’m fine, Spike. Don’t worry.”

“How I could not worry? You have been sick lately. Maybe we should go visit a doctor.”

“If Mommy says so, I will. But she didn’t mention anything so I guess I’m just pressured, that’s all.”

“…Talk to me if you need anything.”

“Of course I will, my Number One Assistant.”

It didn’t take too long for Spike to fell asleep again. As for Twilight, the stars above her were shinning mysteriously with an enchanting light. She couldn’t sleep again, and her focus now was those astral objects that in theory had died millions of years ago. It was scientifically romantic for her, a star’s last will to shine forever sent her last rays of hope across the Sea of Stars.

“It’s not fair.” She said quietly. “All beauty of the universe should last forever.”

She sat on her room’s chair and left Spike sleeping soundly on his bed. An unknown source of energy sparked mysteriously, making her mind work faster. She didn’t mind, though, as she felt that closing her eyes a while longer wouldn’t do her any good for the rest of day. Her fingers were tapping the desk rather anxiously, trying her best to not make echo and leave Spike napping until morning.

“What I can do to enjoy my youth?” The question repeated itself across the deepest recesses of her mind.

‘You can improve Nitpick and Sunset’s itinerary if you wish to.’ A voice echoed from deep within her.

“Hmm…”

The Scientist withdrew from her bag the check list she had created since the competition started. It was her personal agenda of all of the decisions that every team took to create the ultimate set up they could afford. Somehow, as Twilight reread the schematics and planning that her classmates and friends had devised, she grew weary, and very disapproving of what she was inspecting.

There were many things that she could improve.

Her hand began to print new ideas on an empty notebook, making new calculations and possible outcomes of what could happen to their expenses. Tragic seconds were the worst thing that could perturb the great advancements that CHS had, and she was trying to come up with an idea to make the tragedy from the last time an improbability for the future. Part of her was burning with anger at the idea of using the Repairing Spell again, so her main objective now is making such tricks a redundant power.

She needed to prove that her strength was something they could rely upon as well, and like the soar of an hurricane ravaging the powerless towns and farms, a rain of ideas dawned on her mind and her writing couldn’t have been faster and precise.

“Yes.” She mumbled strangely. “This will do.”

‘Of course it will do, you are the one devising this peerless master plan after all.’

In forty minutes she had finished her new planning for the school’s goals. But she needed support in the form a hand labor, and she wasn’t someone who could move masses like Sunset and Friends or Nitpick and Bon Bon.

“Bon Bon…!” Her arms resonated in triumph. “I’ll call Bon Bon! She will know what to do to aid me!” She swiftly dialed her phone, and the girls in question didn’t take long to pick up the call.

“Good morning, Twilight!” Her voice was pleasing. “I didn’t know you were an early hen as well.”

“Bon Bon, I have an idea and I want you to listen to me and help me.”

“Something tells me that you are gonna explain me something good.” She almost singed.

“Yes, listen closely.” And fifteen minutes later, “What do you think?”

“I’ll make the calls and I’ll see you in school later.”

“Thank you!”

“No! Thank you!” The call came to an end.

Twilight, excited and brimming with enthusiasm that her plan was set in motion, started preparing her school’s backpack and held her usual attire. Before she could withdrew it from her closet, something else came to her mind. She was tired of using the same weakly looking outfit that Rarity kindly made for her. She will never forget her generosity, but a certain feeling told her that it was time to change once it forever.

She took out her recently fixed lab jeans and a pair of sneakers that one of her Grandmas gifted her a while ago. Now she only needed the upper clothing and some socks. There was an old white t-shit that she now found appealing and she wore it with the rest of the items. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she thought that she looked simple, but nice.

‘But something is missing!’

“What could it be? …Perhaps a clock will do!” She wore her old purple clock and she grew self-approving of her. “A change of hair style, perhaps?” She made a side ponytail on her right and she liked how it looked like. “Hmph… A long shirt for the fresh weather could do the trick!” She put on her the long shirt that her brother gifted her last Christmas and she was excited to see that the puzzle was finished with flying colors.

Twilight… liked what she saw. Except for one thing.

The glasses, they didn’t fit with her new self. She couldn’t throw them away for they were useful for experiment purposes or long sessions of reading. But in public? No way! Not anymore! A click of idea made her travel to her drawer, a case that contained an elegant set of glasses called to her now. Cadence gifted them to her after she enrolled in CHS, but she didn’t want to wear them in fear of damaging them.

Now, they were the ultimate accessory that would complete her rebirth.

‘You look amazing!’

“I know.” Twilight said to herself, admiring every inch of her peculiar, simple, but self-appealing outfit.

Twilight… felt happy.
> Chapter 102 - Found by a peculiar source of hope.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I won’t allow Bon Bon to win!

…But how?

Her bonds with the most important people of the school was at its strongest. They trusted her, even Sunset, leaving my word worthless. Thunderbass, Soarin, Melody, and her most trusted and loved friend, Lyra, only knew the gentle side of her. Her good side.

But those who are on her bad side, the vengeful one, the rage that lies within her, the only thing that awaited for them is a possibly gruesome finale. I can’t allow that to happen to Sunset. I helped create this mess, and I must find a way to stop it.

Not only I had to worry about Sunset’s welfare but also had to worry about Twilight. I don’t know why, but I felt something terribly wrong happened to her. I called her before walking to the school but she didn’t answer the phone. It worried me that perhaps her headache became worst, just a feeling that my Sixth Sense gave me.

I’ll go to her home if she doesn’t come to school.

As I arrived to my locker, other thoughts came to my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about the abundance of space around me. It made me feel pretty lonely today, not having friends or allies to greet me. I once sang praises and joy when Sunset guided me here and told me that nobody wanted the lonely alley of lockers on this part of the school on the first day of classes, but today I had a rush of memories of what would have occurred if I was still in Crystal Prep.

I could hear Gilda’s snarky greeting while slamming my back with her hand, only for I to give her a bear hug. Reem and Blueblood would have some varying comments depending on their morning humor, and Sugarcoat would rush to the Champion Lounge and start yelling from inside out about our incompetence regarding our paperwork.

Even I could imagine the stupid insults of Lightning Dust, the sour and annoying face of Cinch, the silly coolness of Jet Set and his gang, the air of supremacy of Sunny Flare and Friends, the warm and friendly presence of Dean Cadence and Captain Armor, and when we were in better terms, I would have some sweets as quick snacks before classes with Sour Sweet. But… those fleeting memories transformed into the bitter reality before me; a lonely alley of empty lockers and I was its only citizen.

If it weren’t for Twilight… I would be alone now.

“Boss.”

Somehow that now-known voice worsened my very depressed mood.

“Bon Bon…”

“You look so lonely here. I have been thinking about changing my locker to one of these, but that would mean leaving Lyra behind. Perhaps I can convince her to join us as well.”

“I’m not in the mood right now. What do you want?”

“Oh, my. Someone didn’t sleep well. Want some an energy drink? It won’t hide the eye bags but will boost your strength for a bit.”

“No.”

“Suit yourself. Anyway, I have a big and spectacular surprise for you!”

“Not again. Look, I don’t have the time or energy to deal with your obnoxious little pranks. I really had a bad night.”

I focused my full attention to my locker, and footsteps echoed in the alley. I thought she walked away but instead, I felt a very comfy, feminine presence gluing in my back.

“…Hey.” Bon Bon talked very softly. “What’s wrong?”

“I told you, nothing.” I said very monotonously.

“You don’t deceive me, of course you are not right… Want me to fetch you a snack?”

“No. Give me this moment of respite before I have to fake a smile during school hours.”

“I know… I know that I have given you a hard time in crucial moments during the competition and it can be annoying to be left in the dark. If you want me to do something for you in-”

“A hard time!? Damn you, just leave.”

“Come on, follow me. There’s something I know that will improve your mood. Trust me.”

“Why should I?”

“Because I care for you even if you don’t believe me. Let me help you with your locker.”

“You… ah, crap. I’ll do it myself, just wait there.”

I rushed my business with my locker and walked swiftly behind her. Somehow, I had a really bad feeling of what was I about to witness. As we got inside the gym hall, I witnessed the passion of a few key students of the competition working on something new, leaded by someone I could have never imagined.

“I want those new portable sets finished by tomorrow evening! By my calculations, these ones can be reused for future plays that CHS may need, if well-kept of course!”

“Right away, Twilight!” A random girl said obediently.

“Try to not to cross the copper lines with the gold connectors while you are welding that old sound card’s transistor, Microchips! If you follow the blueprint I designed, we can make it far more efficient than a new one!”

“I’m doing my best, Twilight! You can count on me!” Microchips then continued his work joyfully.

“Twilight, I finished the arrangements for the flower distribution you asked for!”

“Excellent work, Dancer! These look very neat indeed! Go and do the finishing touches!”

“Right away! Come, Bulby!”

“Yeah, Choco!”

I was watching her from behind before calling her name, her long and untied hair reaching below her waist. When she turned around, my worst fears materialized in an unexpected way. My bad premonition took the form of a completely new person before me. Her hair still had a ponytail, but now it was on her right side, and she was no longer wearing the cute garments that Rarity made exclusively for her. Instead, she wore a very familiar choice of clothes, like if I was looking at myself in a mirror.



It gave a shiver on my spine.

“What do you think?”

“Is that who I really think she is?”

“Twilight, over here!” The new presence was closing the gap from us. “I will say it again, you look neat!”

“Thanks, Bon Bon! I know!” She was walking to my direction, a heavy presence pressing my inner peace, faster and faster. She felt mysterious, she felt prideful, she… “Hi, Nitty.”

Greeted me with her usual bubbly and somewhat dreamy smile… huh.

I looked at her wholly and asked, “…You are Twilight, right?”

“Why are you asking me that silly question? Of course I am Twilight!”

“I feel you are not Twilight I know.”

“Don’t be such a comedian now! I assure you that I am Twilight Sparkle! The one and only! Right, Bon Bon?” The girl in question answered with nod and a big smile with complete joy.

“W-what happened to your dress?”

“Oh? Rarity’s clothes? I wanted to change my look!” Said she to me with her usual practical tone. “Do you like it? The long shirt was unexpectedly nice, now I know why you use these most of the time! The pockets are very useful for key stuff I need!” She showed me a set of pens and small notebooks hidden on her inner pocket’s. The Rubik’s cube kept safe in the biggest one.

“I see… Sunset told me last night that you had a headache! I even called you earlier in the morning to see if you were fine.“

“Sorry about that, my battery died and I just turned it on just now. I’m completely fine now, look!” She spun several times and then stopped, saying, “TA-DAH!” In her usual very childish way. “See?”

“That was lame…”

But at the same time, it felt strangely normal… for now.

“Come on! Praise me, already! In any case, I hope you like what I am doing now!”

“I see you are doing a lot of busy work. Why?”

“When I woke up earlier in the morning, I had a rain of ideas that I came up with! It only took me a mere two hours to do the necessary blueprints and checklists that we needed to follow and maximize our efforts! While I was reviewing Sunset’s methodologies with my trusty checklist, I couldn’t help but feel amazed by how wasteful her directions were!”

Sunset, being wasteful!? That name and those words shouldn’t be used in the same phrase.

“D-does Applejack or the others know about your plans?”

“Of course not! This came out of nowhere, to be honest! But I’m glad to see that some students willingly came to my aid! If it weren’t for Bon Bon, this could have never happened!” Her voice was strangely motivated.

I glared at Bon Bon with my gaze and she told me with her eyes, ‘You are welcome.’

“Right, good call. Say, I just noticed that you have a new pair of glasses! Where are your old ones?”

“I have them here with me!” She showed me a case that held them. “I will use them only during experiments and heavy work now. From now on, these ones are for more, shall we say, leisure situations, I guess!” She smiled… obnoxiously.

“It’s good that you have a positive mentality about it.”

“I know! I should have listened to Cadence long ago and used these since the day she gave them to me. At first, I was weirded out by my looks, but I found the transition was more intuitive than I expected. Say, I took the liberty to perfect most of your ideas as well, why don’t we review them in a more… private place?”

A rainbow of flowers manifested behind her, suddenly exploding in thousands red flags of existential doom before me.

“NO! I mean, before you do something hasty…” I passively took her notes from her. “Why don’t you finish first what you started now? You seem to be doing an spectacular job.”

“You think so!? Thank you!” She clapped her hands happily. “I knew you would see things my way! I will supervise things here for now, we still have twenty minutes before inorganic chemistry starts! Pfff, basic, petty subject!” She said with an unexpected tone of prepotency as she pushed me away to the exit. “Oh well, in any case, why don’t you go ahead and sit down and relax and wait for me in the classroom? You have sacrificed a lot for CHS and now is my turn to contribute with something meaningful! Bye-Bye!” The doors were slammed behind me, and Bon Bon soon joined me.

“Isn’t she amazing now!!?” She almost jumped as her body was trembling with euphoria. “She is absolutely incredible! Doesn’t that put a smile on your face!”

“Are you high on drugs!? That chick wasn’t Twilight!! Did you vampirized her or something!?”

“I see your blood flowing through your veins perfectly fine, if you ask me.”

“You know what I mean.”

“She IS the new and improved Twilight Sparkle, Nitpick Bittersweet! Behold, our new creation!” She began moving away and I pursued her. “I knew that with the right conditions she would change for the better!” She opened her locker and grabbed a small bag. “Someone stronger and far more efficient!” She then walked to one of the dispensers in the first floor and bought two mineral waters and put them on her bag. “I just didn’t expect these changes would come so soon! This is what we are fighting for! That kind of independence is our ultimate goal for CHS!”

“You want clones of that!? You’re insane!”

“You are so funny!”

“I’m not joking here!”

“Express quiz, what is the greatest gift that life bestowed to all living beings!?”

“The power of choice.”

“Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding! That’s right! When Sunset arrived to our school, she stripped away our freedom of choice! When you arrived and sided with me, we slowly started returning to everyone that irreplaceable gift! And she is the first saved victim! A work of art, if I may gloat about it!” She rubbed her nails on her shirt with a cocky glare at me.

“You practically streamlined the possibilities with your scheming! This is no different than Sunset’s plan to destroy the ‘incorrect paths’ in life and for only the ‘good’ ones to prevail!”

“Wrong! They were stuck with a limited path and then we showed them another with more possibilities and they started to appreciate it! It’s just a for a little bit longer what we need to struggle! Once everyone realizes that Sunset’s ideal is unnecessary and unneeded and she goes back to her homeland, I will have fulfilled my mission in stopping her magical rampage.”

“Get real! Sunset is no longer the enemy you want to destroy! She is different, better!”

“Even if that is true, some sins can never been cleansed! Soon, I will show you her real face!”

“Whatever she did in the past, it matters little now!”

“Second express quiz, what do you think of the saying, ‘My past does not define me, because my past is not today’?”

“I don’t share the sentiment behind those words.”

“Why?”

“What you did in the past defines you. Lessons, experiences, acts, decisions, all of that builds your character and personality. But… that doesn’t mean that it should hold us back for a new future, a better one. If you are guilty of something, you must find a way to compensate for it.”

“And what if such thing can never be restored or compensated? What if certain actions can’t bring back the lost ones?”

“You and your obscure facts are driving me insane!”

“Don’t allow her poisonous idealism to rub on you. Once a certain employee I hired for a certain task finish its purpose, my final plan will begin!”

“You are a fool to tell me this! I tried to tell Sunset about it, what makes you think that I won’t thwart your plans!?”

“Ooooh! You told Sunset about my schemes? Then tell me…” She stopped walking and smiled at me with an impish smile, her cold but sweet artic eyes reflecting my silhouette with an enchanting mysticism, and finally grabbing my shirt and closing my face to hers. “Did she believe you?”

“…No.”

“Just as I have foreseen. Nobody in CHS will believe you, and nobody of your greatest and most treasured friends can aid you thanks to Sugarcoat’s meltdown. What? Surprised? I’m aware of it too! It was easy to guess who was she yelling at by her voice’s tone and inner troubles! You are weaponless against me without them, and even if you find someone who would believe you or manage to get Gilda and the others back to your side, I don’t think they would be talented enough to outsmart me! I have carefully chosen every location to scheme, every word to sing, and convinced every person I needed to motivate to come to this point! You have made my victory and purpose a very possible reality!”

“You can’t keep this farce forever!”

“Oh, I know!” She released me after playfully slapping my cheek, and showed me her back, part of her face hidden in shadows looking at me. “But it doesn’t mean I can’t try keeping my secrets, for I protect what I treasure!” Her eyes glowed with the resolve of triumph, and sinful joy. “Besides some important things I promised to tell you later, I have not lied to you in the slightest! I have come clean to my Grandma – which she didn’t give me a choice - and you, and you, and only you! Unlike Sunset, who hides to you many magical secrets that she won’t share until she considers you and the rest of the ignorant people of CHS worthy of it, I speak to you with truth!”

“If there is a shed of conscience in you, please stop chasing an old grudge! It could end you!”

“End me? Love, please, you don’t know anything about ‘An end to all things’ principles! Even so, you and I are not that mismatched, we just approach things with a very miniscule subtlety!”

“I’m not like you and I will stop you!”

“My, my! Such scary and determined eyes you have! Lovely resolve, but pointless determination! I will give you some tips because I feel so infatuated with you today! If I should lose, better be against someone who I like. Don’t try to record our talks with your phone, I will no longer speak of these things unless we are in my home and your device in my hand! Don’t try using Princess Reem’s camera devices either, I know how they look and how they work, thanks to her instruction manual! Don’t try to make people hilariously try to spy on us, for I will notice as well! And… we’ll continue this later. People are coming and by that kind of footsteps, one of them is certainly Fluttershy! Bye-Bye!”

She casually walked away from me and I noticed that a big group of students was coming from the other side of the hall. Fluttershy appeared on sight a few moments later, and she was carrying her backpack in her usual delicate manner. When she saw me, she gave me a cutesy little smile and greeted me with a hand wave, and I returned the gesture in kind.

But how the hell did she know it was her?

…. ….

During my walk to the gym hall…

“Nit-Nit, hi!”

“Lyra, ready for the routine again?”

“It’s not a routine if you love what you do!” She made a short, compact, and energetic dance around me. “But, I have a question for you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Don’t you think Twilight looks… weird today?”

“That would be an understatement.” I opened the door to the gym hall for her.

“Thank you.”

“Hey guys!”

“Thunderbass.”

“Hey, there, Thunderbass!”

“What are you talking about? Can I join the conversation?”

“About Twilight and her new image.”

“New image? Oh, yeah! I looked at her in the morning. To be honest with you, she feels… off today, I guess? I don’t know, like if she was another person.” Thunderbass said with a thoughtful expression. “Could she be Princess Twilight in disguise? She is acting like a leader, just when she united us during the Fall Formal. Perhaps she is disguised as our Twilight today because a friendship problem arose!”

Could they not know about the disguise incident?

“I doubt it. The Princess couldn’t feel this… different.” Lyra said. “Besides, I don’t think the Princess could do such a thing. At least, not this awkward like last time.”

“Like last time?” Thunderbass asked confused.

“Hehehe! Joking! Princess Twilight couldn’t do such a thing, right?”

That smirk! SHE KNOWS! But I’ll deny it until I’m proved otherwise.

“In any case, Twilight feels odd now. Nit-Nit, can you feel it? I don’t know how to put it into words but something tells me this isn’t our real Twi-Twi.”

“Maybe she woke up with the wrong foot today and we are just in edge. Let’s focus on our task at hand.”

“Right.”

“Gotcha!”

Thunderbass and Lyra joined their respective groups and I walked to Sunset who had a peculiar face since she saw Twilight in the morning. I didn’t know if she was happy, or worried. Even so, I wandered with her around the school to oversee our progress, and after doing our quick inspection, we came back to the gym hall. There, we saw the anomaly doing her business with a fervent pace.

Twilight… was Impeccable.

“Sparkle!” Spitfire rushed to her and faced her. “I need Rainbow Dash and Soarin for a quick strategy meeting for the next game now!”

Sunset and I were about to step right in like we always do but…

“I’m sorry but I have a need for them in this moment.” Twilight spoke while standing her ground. “Can’t it wait until sports’ class hour?”

“No! I can’t waste precious time explaining new tactics at that time when we could be using it for training!”

“Oh, please! We already know that the only winning tactic your team needs is to pass the ball to Rainbow Dash!”

“I’m totally okay with what Twilight says!” Rainbow exclaimed arrogantly while moving a box of materials with Applejack.

“I don’t know, this isn’t the Rainbow Dash show! Perhaps Spitfire came up with something that will make the Wondercolts score more goals during the next match!”

“That’s right, Applejack, thank you! Rainbow, Soarin, follow me!”

“I’m sorry, Spitfire. I still need them here! Those items will not move by themselves and the heavy lifter students are already busy cleaning the fields in this very moment. A petition that you asked to Principal Celestia, if you remember correctly.”

“Wait a minute, where did they get those extra materials?” I asked.

“ Twilight asked the Diamond Dogs to dismantle the old works in the morning for three pure silver pieces.” Sunset answered.

OUR TEAM’S PROGRESS WASTED!?

“We need the fields ready to practice my strategies! Besides, the school personnel in charge of that are very few to do it quickly and they needed help from us.”

“So it’s fair that both of them stay here! As I said, they are needed in more important stuff.”

“Are you opposing me?”

“Me? Of course not. Listen, how many games have you won until now?”

“All of them.”

“You see? Relax, Spitfire!” Twilight approached the soccer’s captain in a very suave way. She put her hand a little below her shoulder and naturally forced her to walk with her in an oval trajectory. “Look around you, see the burning desire to win? This is not different than your fervent wish to emerge victorious on the soccer tournament! We all want to defeat Crystal Prep! Do you want CHS to defeat that school?”

“Heck yeah! They are our mortal enemies!”

“Indeed they are! If we let one single resource go to waste, we could lose the edge! They are already in disarray thanks to a minor disjoint they had recently! If we push harder and take advantage of their new weakness, we WILL win! I AM RIGHT, OR I AM RIGHT, EVERYONE!?” She shouted with vigor, the hall soon filled with positive answers of assured victory.

“I suppose… I could focus a bit on the competition.”

“Good! I knew you would see reason! After all, someone with your leadership skills and who has won all the soccer matches clearly sees the bigger picture! What can I say? The Wondercolts’ soccer team triumph is inspiring!”

My jaw dropped to the floor with that demonic, unholy praise. And that ‘Inspiring’ remark is patented… PATENTED!

“Of course!” Spitfire expressed cockily. “Alright, I’ll help a bit around here. But once I’m done, I need my players back, alright?”

“That sounds like a fair trade. Deal.”

They shook their hands firmly and proceeded to finish quickly their new objective. Once done, Soarin and Spitifire went ahead to where the rest of their team were, and Rainbow Dash, before joining them, said to Twilight, “You were awesome! I knew deep inside you were a kind of a leader like the Princess!”

“Oh, I plan to become better than that, if you don’t mind!”

“Sure, you can try if you want!! Well, gotta go, see ya later!”

“Darling, I was meaning to tell you since the beginning that your outfit...” Rarity was inspecting Twilight upside down with a reluctant face. “Are you sure this suits you?”

“Yeah, I find it practical and useful for my stuff!” She showed her the hidden pockets. “You don’t find it appealing?”

“Well, it’s just that I thought that you would like something more… joyful, I guess.”

“Oh, nonsense! I’m fine!”

“As long as Twilight feels amazing, I don’t mind the new change!”

“Thanks, Pinkie Pie!”

“I have a more important question to ask you, how did you manage to gather the courage to face Spitifire like that?”

“Well, Sunset, when you have good teachers in friendship…” Twilight gathered the rest of her friends and made them do a group hug, which they welcomed fully. “Everything is possible! The magic of friendship and a bit of reason can do wonders, right?”

“You are right! We can do anything with our bonds of friendship!” Fluttershy cheered.

“I suppose… No, you are right! You are definitely right!!” Sunset expressed with a gentle smile.

“Since everything is practically under control, why don’t we have breakfast now? The rest of the guys are leaving already as well.”

“I believe that is a fantastic idea. Fluttershy and I’ll go ahead to put the mat near the statue, y’all!”

As I saw them leave the hall, Sunset stayed beside me with her hands on her hips. Her face was mellow, a tiny grin painted on her face, and her deep but shiny cyan eyes had an air of nostalgia, and innocent pride.

“It feels like years since we met her during the games, but it’s only been a few months in reality. To think that she was once insecure and reluctant… and now… She is taking the lead as if it’s meant to be.”

“Sunset, I don’t think that is the Twilight you wished for.”

“Isn’t she? Perhaps you are right… No, she is! I wished for her to still be my student of friendship… but she has started to surpass me… Just like her. It seems that it runs… in the family, I guess.” She patted my back and smiled at me wider. “In a way, she is our victory. Maybe… not getting along from the start was for the best.” She left my side and disappeared through the door.

“No, Sunset. If she is better than before, it’s your triumph. If she becomes a fiend, it’s my fault.”

Just before I walked for my lunch, then to my spot, I stumbled with Rarity face to face outside the hall, the shadow of concern bathing her visage.

“You don’t think this is normal. Right, Darling?”

“Huh.”

“Please, don’t play dumb. This is about Twilight!”

“I don’t know what is normal anymore today.”

“By the handwork of the fashion gods, dummy, she was emulating you!”

“Are you serious!? That wasn’t like me at all!”

“Because clearly the clothing, the smart-talk, the double meaning praise, including the ‘Inspiring’ part of her speech isn’t you!”

“A-a coincidence! I do things far more smartly than that!”

Between intervals of coughs, clearing her throat, and mumbles, she blatantly mumbled, “Fluttershy, the Apple Fair boxing, your fights with Sunset, fashion choices, gossips.”

“Ok, I get it! Fuck!”

“Your lang-! What do I bother? As I said, it’s subtle, but it is definitely you lurking in her shadow!”

“No, it can’t be!” I was perplexed. “She should be herself, not a cheap imitation of someone else!”

“At this rate, you will become the cheap imitation, and very soon. That’s a no-no in my books.”

“Are you saying that I am lame?”

“What!? Darling, no! You are unique, and I want you to be the one and only Nitpick Bittersweet… But I don’t think Twilight should follow your way of life to the letter.”

“Agreed.”

“I’ll see what I can investigate about this anomaly and tell you about it later. She didn’t say anything, but Applejack noticed as well. I know what her frowns really want to say.”

“I don’t know what good will that do but I appreciate the gesture. Perhaps she just got good with dealing with people and we may be overreacting.”

“Let me assure you that I don’t think that is the case… I know the answer but still, I’ll ask. Want to join me and have breakfast? I have to fix a quick disguise for the play and I won’t be able to join the girls right now.”

“I’ll join you as your five minute boyfriend.” I said sarcastically.

Rarity looked at her phone and said, “Your five minutes start now. Be a good lover and bring my gear over there!”

She pointed out to a pile of ungodly boxes filled with fabrics and crap.

“Just for once I wish I could have a lover in my life that would say, ‘Love, let’s have a lovey-dovey breakfast now. Let’s kiss until we see the stars in the sky now! No strings attached!’ or something.”

“Four minutes, if you don’t hurry up you won’t get breakfast or lip kisses.” She countered me with a lady-like sarcastic remark.

There was breakfast, but no kisses. At least, not in the lips.

Pity…

…. ….

No matter how much I thought about it, every one of my counterattacks lead to a checkmate against me. I didn’t have tools, people, ideas, not even a damn juice to enjoy while I was sitting on the public bus’ chair towards the city. I wasn’t sure if what Bon Bon said to me was to scare me away, or a genuine warning to not do something foolish against her. Then again, I was stupid enough to open my mouth and told her again about my failures. I was too emotionally disturbed to even think about something worthwhile.

I think that crushing me mentally was part of the plan all along. The only thing that relaxed me a bit was the passing buildings that the bus leaved behind. It was like a slow flash of colors passing before me and being replaced by new, yet identical tonalities. I sighed deeply as I tried once again to think outside the box. But I was so tired, whether it is my health, or my conscience, or my lack of sleep, something always gets in the way of my rest.

“What are you thinking, Bittersweet?”

My heart jumped when I heard that soft voice at my side. “Melody, w-when did you get here?”

“I was here all the time. Remember that I am your partner today.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Something tells me that you are distressed.”

“More like my head is in the clouds.” I said with a bit of self-sarcasm.

“My thoughts are on the clouds when I’m playing my music. Always trying to imagine a new tune. A secret of mine is that sometimes I dream that I am a famous and sophisticated musician in another world!”

First Lyra and her hooves thing, now Melody and her artistic delirium. CHS gals have psychological problems.

“How are things going on with Soarin?” I tried to change the subject.

“Good. In fact, today he felt a bit needed and happy, thanks to Twilight’s organized workload. We even had a small talk before heading to our classes.”

“Twilight, yeah… She has changed a lot in a couple of days.”

“She doesn’t feel like Twilight to me. But perhaps I am not used to the change. It’s weird, to be honest. Everyone is still surprised about her attitude.”

“I think the same thing. Somehow I feel I created a monster.”

“Monster? You exaggerate. But if you are right, I don’t think you created it. Perhaps the monster was always there, but we didn’t notice it. The wisest thing we can do in this world is be weary of the beast that lies within the so called weak people of character.”

“That’s a very wise counsel, indeed.”

We stayed quite for a moment, and Melody started playing with her fingers for a bit. Then she asked, “…Want to talk about your problems with me?”

“Why do you think I have a problem?”

“Because it’s painted over all of your face.”

“I’ll seriously leave my hair grow and let it hide my face. Look, I’m just facing some inner demons and trying to make things right. I don’t want to screw things around anymore.”

“Is this about Sugarcoat?”

“…Why are you worrying for me?”

“Because you are a my friend.” Her face became welcoming.

“I… don’t know about that.”

“Are you tired?” She gently guided me near her. “Here, put your head on my shoulder. There’s a bit of time before we arrive to our destination.”

“Melody, no.”

“Why not?”

“It’s weird, people will say that we are an item, and you smell so nice that I could fall for you.”

She gasped surprised and I took the chance to get away from there. Her cheeks were pink reddish and her expression was of embarrassment. “That’s something you shouldn’t say in public, Nitpick Bittersweet.”

“I know.” I put myself comfortable as humanly possible in the bus chair. “I know.” And I shut down my eyes and tried to nap for a bit.

It turned out to be impossible, obviously. The window wouldn’t stop hammering my head at every bus stop, and even if it was stable, my thoughts wouldn’t stop thinking about Sunset’s happiness. I cursed my stupid life decisions and this was karma at its best. If this was punishment for plotting to ruin an innocent life, then I am burning in justice.

“Closing your heart, closing your eyes… It’s not an answer worthy ofyou…” A soothing voice was brushing away my troubles. “Open your heart, and listen to me… it’s time to let your troubles to rest.” I gazed at Melody and she started singing in a very relaxed position.

“Melody…” I tried to ask something, but I got silenced by her song.

‘Open your heart, while closing your eyes!
May Cupid bless the love of our kiss!
Drifting in sleep, and drifting in stream!
Let’s journey to the land of our dream!’

Slowly but surely, I was guided back to her side, my strength subsiding at her will. She continued singing for a brief moment, but I couldn’t listen to the rest of her lullaby. I succumbed to my slumber when we were crossing the suburbs.

…. ….

My inner clock kicked in and awakened me from my sleep. I noticed that we were about to arrive to the nursing home’s park and I tried to stand up, but failed. Melody was sleeping soundly on my shoulder, her face undisturbed by any kind of worries. I poked her face and she eventually yawned while waking up. She rubbed her eyes like a little, pure child and I told her it was time to call our stop. Moments later after going down the bus, I broke the silence.

“Was that song of your creation?”

“Yes… your poem inspired me.” She hide her face for a bit.

“P-p-poem!? Did someone told you that crap to you!?”

“Of course.” She smiled freshly. “You are far more romantic than I thought.”

“That was a private piece of melancholy and childish love!”

“Don’t worry, I promised Lyra that I won’t tell anyone! But Thunderbass says that he is writing a new song now, thanks to it!”

“Nou!” I whined. “My private life ruined!”

“Well, I shared with you a new song. It was a bit embarrassing to do so. You are my first audience...”

“I accept your feelings… and your dreams”

As we walked through the park, we watched with a bit of amusement that some children were playing with capes and sticks and paper planes. A rarity to be sure, for most kids of this age play with their smartphone or other stuff at home. That kind of energy reminded me of the three peculiar youths.

“Say, besides my class with Cranky Doodle, I haven’t seen Applebloom and company lending us a hand.”

“Oh, about that, since the incident from last time, the girls haven’t come to aid us because Applejack and company scolded them harshly.”

“But we came to the conclusion that they didn’t make the mess, didn’t we? Haven’t they apologized?”

“If by apology you mean a few words that include, ‘Just don’t get in trouble’, or, ‘Next time be sure to be around us’, then yes, they apologized.”

“What a sarcastic remark.”

“Thank you.”

“Seriously, that’s not fair.”

“I know. If you don’t mind, could you try and convince them to lend us a hand instead of them? I know that you have much on your shoulders but those girls have had a very hard time recently.”

“Why do you think I may do a difference?”

“You treat people well when you want, and besides, you could talk to them. Maybe they can help you with your accounts and paperwork. Or at least comfort them as a former villain to little troublemakers!” She smiled widely, fully aware of her words.

“Very funny, Melody.”

She giggled vigorously. “I’m sorry!”

“You are nasty. The next Evil Sunset Shimmer!”

“Ah! You dare!?”

“Of course I dare.”

She hummed in a dignified manner and crossed her arms. “So uncivilized.”

“You deserve it.”

“This is more fun than I expected, I’m glad you are like this. Very few appreciate sarcasm.”

“To be honest, I consider you an amateur in the subject.”

“I prefer to say that I know my limits and don’t like to insult people, thank you very much.”

“Right, right. I hope you have good fortune with whoever wins your heart. If you are like this, they will experience hell with the real you.”

“If my love belongs to you, then I could be living my own little piece of nightmare as well. Such a Dante’s Inferno that would be.”

“You, Lyra, and Bon Bon are the same! You abuse of my gentleness and screw me at every turn!” Melody smirked abruptly. “WHAT!?”

“You are gentle, indeed.”

“If my face is an open book, you are a reality show made flesh.”

I enjoyed my walk with Melody towards the orphanage under the shadow of the trees of autumn.

…. ….

Trying to forget for a moment about Bon Bon and Twilight, I decided to take Melody’s suggestion and convince the Crusaders to come back to help us. I came with a job position they couldn’t reject and I know they would like it… Or so I hoped. Applejack told me that the Cutie Crusaders would be staying at Scootaloo’s home watching some movies of horror and other kind of cheap flicks. The way she said it to me was weird and forced, nevertheless, The Sheriff has been acting strange around me since Apple Fair ended. Perhaps she was still a bit thoughtful about my fight with Braeburn and my horrible beaten.

When I found Scoot’s home, the building wasn’t different than any other house from Ponyville; Middle sized, comfy looking, and with a good view to the mountains. As I pressed the doorbell to summon them, I could hear the cheap effects of Nap Away Camping coming from the second floor, a hideously hilarious ‘horror’ movie from the eighties. The over the top and fake screams of the protagonist was unmistakable… it reminded me of Reem when she fakes a scream.

I could hear several weak steps coming from inside, and at a snail pace, the door opened weakly. Three pairs of eyes looked at me with different expressions, ranging from curiosity to confusion.

“Bub-in-law.” Applebloom opened the door. “What are you doing here?”

“I came here to talk to you, Crusaders.”

“Oh… Come in, then.” Scootaloo said softly. She made me sit in the living room and she asked, “Do you want some ice cream?”

“Or maybe some chocolates?” Sweetie Belle added.

“Perhaps some fizzy apple cider?” Applebloom concluded.

“The cider.” I commanded. The little farmer delivered to me the cold and tasty elixir of mortal pleasures and I drank it to the bottom. It’s not the Gold Brand… but it was damn good. “Crusaders, I have come to take you with me and give you a new task for the competition.”

Their face became moody, a depression as bleak as my luck surrounded us.

“I don’t think you really want our help, Bub-in-law.”

“We don’t want people to think that we create problems.”

“Yeah, it’s not fun…”

“But some people really miss your energy, like Melody and Soarin. Say, why don’t you become my personal assistants? I was thinking that I need manpower to become a quality supervisor, and someone must take my notes or observe things from a different angle! Since Twilight is doing… stuff, I need someone thoughtful-!” I pointed out to Sweetie Belle, “efficient,” I pointed out to Applebloom, “and brave,” And finally I pointed out to Scootaloo, “to do so!”

“Are you serious!?” Scootaloo asked far more excited and less depressed.

“What is a quality supervisor?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Quality supervisors ensure that a quality standard is properly followed during tests of products for defects. In this case, I wants to ensure that whatever the students do are what CHS truly needs!”

“Oh! That sounds like a super important job!”

“And you want us to help you with that!?”

“Of course! If you work under my supervision, your sisters can’t tell you that what you do is wrong! As a matter of fact, think about it! You do a fine job under my wing, and you could prove to the school that you are useful and needed instead of little troublemakers! Clean your names with me, Crusaders, and together, we can make CHS stronger as Master and Apprentices!” I extended my hand to them.

“Say what?”

“Sorry, got carried away, Padawans!”

DAMN!

“What?”

“It means apprentices.”

FUCK!

“Ooooh!” The trio exclaimed in awe.

“Is that from Star Kret?”

“I’ll rip the life out of you, Sweetie Belle…”

“Did you say something?”

“No.”

The three of them looked at each other and Applebloom said, “Give us a moment.” And they got to the other room and talked in secrecy. Minutes later, they came back, serious faces were formed, straight eyes were born, and cute silhouettes were shown. Their answer was...

“WE’LL DO IT!” The three orchestrated while jumping and high fiving to each other in front of me.

Somehow I felt that I signed yet again another impossible task to worry about. Wonderful.

“This will be fun!”

“At last someone trust in us, y’all!”

“We won’t disappoint you, Nitpick!”

“I have the formats you need to follow in this USB. If you have a laptop, bring it here so I can give you the file!”

“Bring your lap, Sweetie Belle!”

“Right away!” And seconds later. “Here!”

Her desktop was a fucking mess! I couldn’t identify what was a folder from a file!

“Uh…”

“I know it’s a bit messy but you’ll get used to it!”

“Hey! Will this take long to explain? Maybe we can bring some donuts from Sugarcube Corner for snacks!”

“No, I’m-“

“Great idea! Wait for us here, Nitpick! We won’t take long!”

“Girls, no, wai- And they’re gone… Nice.”

I sighed depressed, thinking that perhaps I indeed made a bad move. I plugged my USB with fear of getting it infected by malware or worse. Luckily, her antivirus system was from a premium and respectable company so I didn’t fear for long. Now, I just needed to find some place to leave the file safely. Her desktop was no good, so I instead chose to open her documents folder. Surprisingly, it didn’t have as many archives as the desktop. Perhaps Sweetie was just a casual user like Reem.

The door opened half an hour later, “We are back!” And Scootaloo threw me a tasty looking chocolate donut at me.

“Thanks!”

“Anytime, Boss!”

“Don’t! …Don’t call me Boss. Call me whatever you like but not Boss.”

“Got it, Supreme Leader!”

Was that from the trailer of Force Awakens? Nevermind.

“Come, I’ll explain this to you, it’s easy to fill once you understand the mechanics!”

“Right! We’ll pay you full attention, Bub!”

…It was a nightmare. What was supposed to be a ten minute explanation ended up being a two hour voiced manual. Was it really difficult to fill an inspection report?

“We get it now!” Scootaloo expressed. “So here we must put our thoughts on the progress the guys have made, and here we must put how many things they need to complete it, right?”

“Yes!” I said tired. “That’s the basic idea!”

I regret everything.

“We can do this, y’all!”

“Easy, cheesy, makey, pleasey!”

“Yeah! With him helping us, we can’t fail as hard like Bon Bon’s gardening club or Principal Celestia’s donut picture from before!”

“What was that?” I asked curiously.

“Sweetie Belle!” Scoot’s and Applebloom scolded her.

“Oops.”

“Was there a gardening club in the school?”

“Ah, there were so many clubs before you came to CHS. Before Sunset came, that is.”

“…Can you tell me about it?”

“Why do you want to know about that?”

“I’m curious, I guess.”

It could be my only lead to Bon Bon’s secret reasons of why she was doing this social war.

“Don’t think that is a good idea, Bub-in-law. Most of those secrets are from when we were Anon-A-Miss.”

“Scootaloo!”

“Sorry!”

“We don’t want to repeat that mistake ever again, remember!” Applebloom said with concern.

“I see. It’s just that… well, I was curious about that gardening club. I didn’t know Bon Bon liked that kind of stuff!”

Or did she? I don’t remember!

“Wait a minute!” Applebloom’s face turned hostile. “I know what’s this about!”

“Ah, you do?”

“Yeah, y’all! You are cheating on mah sister!”

My brain stopped functioning for a second.

“What!?”

“I can’t believe that the rumors were true, Nitpick!” Sweetie Belle said in amazement. “You are dating Bon Bon when you already have another love interest!!”

“ME DATING BON BON!? ARE YOU INSANE?”

“Tell me the truth! Do you have another love!?”

Bookfull Sporty.

“Yes- NO! I’m not dating Bon Bon!! I-it’s complicated!”

“COMPLICATED!?” The trio shouted in awe.

“Girls, then it must be Sugarcoat!”

“What the hell!?”

“Only lovers would fight like that, Nitpick! You were doing a triple cheating dating under our noses!!”

“You are like that five time cheater Roland from that new sitcom from Star Channel that my sister watches now!”

“Is it good?” Applebloom asked skeptic.

“Kinda.” Sweetie smiled a bit slyly.

“Then it’s not good.”

WHAT THE HELL KIDS ARE WATCHING ON T.V. THESE DAYS!!? I couldn’t even cheat with even one, even if the universe depended on it! I never had a formal girlfriend to begin with, fucking damn it!

…That was a sad realization.

“Sugarcoat is simply one of my best buddies and we got into a fight for personal reasons! And Bon Bon and I are just co-workers, as a matter of fact, I don’t like her! Too bossy and a double faced brat!”

“You lie, Bub! You spent a lot of time together on school! I saw you walking with her many times before, just like today!” Applebloom clenched her fists and put them on her waist. “Come to think of it…” She looked at me in the eyes and closed her face to mine. “You are awfully close together most of the time, y’all.”

WHY I AM BEING INTIMIDATED BY A CHILD!?

“The hell are you talking about!? I just need to know about that history to help Sunset!”

“Say what!?” The trio shouted.

“What do you mean by that?”

Part of me was indecisive about what I should do. Lying to them and saying that it was just a little mistake from my part wasn’t too hard, but my pride told me that I shouldn’t give up. I mustn’t!

“Look, girls… As you know, Sunset has been having a hard time because of me before. We didn’t get along well and I tried to, uhm, let’s say I wanted to keep her at bay with her supposed ‘magical powers’!”

“Supposed magical powers? …Oh! Right! The Friendship Games!”

“Exactly! To make the story short, I want… I want to know about the people that Sunset wronged in the past and perhaps help her to make her peace with the students easier. You know, mend old wounds and, ah, unite CHS!”

“Oh! That’s nice of you! But, why would you do something like that, Bub?”

“As I said, I judged Sunset badly and I want to make up for it. You know, good deed to pay the wrong deed. Also…”

“Yeah?”

I wasn’t sure of if what I was about to do was right. Tragedy in life normally comes with betrayal and compromise, exchanging your integrity for a petty way to get out of your problems. In a sense, that’s a undeniable failure for people like me who try to live their lives with the most prideful and honest principles possible. But there are times where one must dirty their hands to remove the filth you brought to yourself. It wasn’t a solution, but there is no other choice in my dilemma.

I failed my principles by joining Bon Bon, and Sugarcoat stroke the right tones on how I did it. Now, I must do it again to fix my mistakes. One way or another, I must get information about the reasons Bon Bon hates Sunset. Even if it ends being the most insignificant and silly reason imaginable, people as kids are far more fragile to accept certain things like bullying and humiliation. It’s horrible, sure, but you must grow up and learn to overcome it.

So, finding the root of all evil will allow me to save Sunset, and if possible, help Bon Bon. Otherwise, stopping her is my most important job right now. Partially lying to the Crusaders and making them work for me could be key to success.

Perhaps I am worsening the situation, but what choice do I have now?

“Here’s the other reason why I need you. You know Sunset, at least a bit more than I do, and I know that you could tell me the possible list of people that won’t lend her a hand during the competition, so I was hoping to-!”

“You were hoping that we would know about the people that dislike her and help you make everything better by dissimulating that we aren’t helping you but we are helping in making those guys Sunset’s friends, right!?”

“…Clever girl, Sweetie Belle!!”

“Thanks!”

That was surprisingly unexpected. But the amazement didn’t last long. We stayed quiet for a moment, Applebloom had a stern face, arms crossed, and an aura of deep thought. She then crossed her arms and sighed with a new found resolution, looking at me and saying with an honest tone, “I don’t know what to say, Bub-in-law. Are you sure this isn’t a cheating situation? I may be angry at her, but Applejack is still my sister!”

“You can be sure of one thing, and that is I don’t know what are you talking about…. I’m not forcing you to do it! You can reject the offer if you want!”

“What? No! It’s nothing about that but… look, Bub-in-law, there are still many, many, many students that hate Sunset a lot.”

Even though Bon Bon told me so, I couldn’t help but ask her, “Really?” with amazement. “I mean, Sunset is friendly to all, right? She and other guys have told me that she was nasty, but to take the hate this far?”

“When we had our gossip network, we…”

“Scootaloo!”

“Sorry!”

“The Anon-A-Miss thingy you mentioned?”

“Aye.”

The Cutie Crusaders had an unsure expression, and Applebloom asked me with a reluctant tone, “Can you promise us that you won’t say anything of what we will tell you now to anybody?”

Those girls were about to trust in me, I couldn’t fail their expectations. “I promise!”

“Okay… Here we go!” Applebloom breathed deeply and began the tale. “Sunset has many enemies in the school that lurk in the shadow. Have you noticed that some people are cold towards her sometimes, even in public?”

Now that she mentioned it, Thunderbass and others have said to me before that they don’t like her that much. Dancer still hates her and Lightbulb may… Could it be that Bon Bon’s warning were about that? She said that she handpicked the best candidates for her plan to work. It is a possibility that those guys may have joined forces with her… I can’t believe I was starting to doubt on even my old friends.

It felt wrong.

“Yes, I noticed.”

“There are guys that have been planning to ruin Sunset for years now. One was Trixie, who tried to sabotage the fashion show that Rarity was organizing a few months ago.” Scootaloo informed. “She is on friendlier terms with her now, at least.”

“I have never met that girl before.”

“Wow!! Are you blessed by God himself!?” Applebloom asked in awe.

“I don’t believe in gods. Please continue.”

“YOU DON’T-!?”

“Applebloom! That’s not important now!” Scootaloo almost barked. “In any case, when we spread their secrets, most of them were frustrated at the idea that we ruined their opportunity to strike back at her. But some took the chance to blame Sunset and made the students believe that it was her. Nobody, not even our sisters believed her that she was innocent.”

“They were planning to humiliate Sunset in public and do more and more meanie gossips, y’all. When we noticed what was happening…”

“We couldn’t allow her suffering to continue.” Sweetie Belle concluded.

“We hurt her, but she still forgave us after giving her a bad time… Unlike mah sister and the others, recently.”

“When we confessed, my sister forgave me later when Vice-Principal Luna gave us our punishment but…” Sweetie Belle words were sunk with anger and frustration. “Now she blamed us for something we didn’t even break! So much for that family speech she gave me that Christmas!”

“And Rainbow Dash was so mean as well! I couldn’t believe she didn’t gave us a chance to prove we were innocent!”

“But they still think that we did it! A while ago, mah sis even told me that what’s done is done and we should go on, that made me so angry at her! She thinks we did it and she believes that kind of apology is enough for me!”

“Could it be that you were set up by one of those students as part of the plan to ruin Sunset?”

“Maybe we were set up! It was too… uhm…”

“Staged? Scripted? A weird coincidence?”

“All of those!”

“It’s no wonder that some guys were desperately trying to find a culprit! We were set up from the very beginning!”

“Perhaps by one of the guys that want to destroy Sunset’s good will!”

“Yeah! Just like during the games! After the Anon-A-Miss incident, other guys tried so hard to ruin Sunset’s school life at school!”

“Girls! We can’t allow that to happen anymore!”

“No way, we won’t let them!”

“We must stop them!”

“What kind of girl was Sunset before to earn such hate?” I asked.

“The kind you didn’t want to mess with, y’all! You must have heard the tales of her old self by now, but I assure you, Bub-in-law, that whatever story they have told you before… it has been completely watered down at best!”

A thunder roared in the sky out of nowhere, a short lived rain came to Ponyville.

“Wow, that was spooky!” Sweetie Belle said with surprise.

“Yeah!” The trio then giggled.

“I need your help. I must clean those old grudges so Sunset can finally earn her peace!”

“But Nitpick, there are at least one hundred students who could be plotting against her! Even if we find the leader, if there is one, you would still need to deal with the rest of the guys who hate her!”

“And you need to save her before Thanksgiving Day, that’s the day they’ll probably do something extreme! We don’t have much time to act.”

“We!?”

“We’ll help you, remember!?” The trio chanted.

“…Thanks.” I couldn’t hide the fact that I felt grateful. “From the bottom of my heart, thanks…”

“Shoot, if only we still had those Anon-A-Miss archives to give you a full list of the people that might hate her!”

“I believe I have a copy on my laptop!”

“Sweetie Belle! I told you that you must delete the file many times before!”

“But since we need them, it’s a good thing I didn’t delete them, right!?”

“Arrrgh! Alright, you are right! You are lucky that we need the files now!”

“Sorry!” Sweetie Belle made a cutesy pose while winking and showing her tongue.

“Just one thing, Bub-in-law! We don’t want to blackmail people!”

“What I want to do is to help to fix their problems and frustrations… What I am saying? This is no different than putting my nose where it doesn’t belong!”

“But if we see what guys hate her, and you ask Sunset about it, maybe she will tell you about the case! That way if you try to help the guys who hates and they ask where did you hear the tale, you could say that Sunset told you and we could be safe!” Scootaloo said.

“They could hate Sunset more if I say that!”

“Then omit that part and help them without mentioning her. When all is said and done, tell them that it was Sunset’s idea and you just helped!”

“You… are a genius, Sweetie Belle!”

“Thanks, I saw it in a soap opera show!”

WHAT THE HELL IS T.V. TEACHING TO THE KIDS THESE DAYS!?

“What’s the difference with what Sunset has been doing this whole time and that?” Asked Applebloom.

“Sunset wants to appeal to everyone at the same time, and for the most part, it works. But not everyone wants that kind of apology, at least, that’s what Rarity would say. Maybe if he approaches the problem more personally and make Sunset the good girl, they will be more willing to forgive her! I bet my ribbon that the guys that hate her must like you a lot, Nitpick!”

“Destroy the source of poison instead of slowing its spread in general…? It makes sense, Sweetie Belle.”

“Thanks! Finally, someone acknowledges my genius!” Three smirks echoed on the living room. “What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“Anyway, if it still exists, we’ll find the file in my lap and make you a presentation with the best detail we can give you about the most important people you need to switch sides to Sunset’s favor.”

“Maybe we can come up with a plan for each of them to make a reality your idea to shatter old grudges and make Sunset’s friendship circles expand!”

“This could get you into a lot of trouble if something goes wrong.”

“If this means helping Sunset, we’ll do it, y’all!”

“Yeah!”

“Agreed!”

This little girls… have more conscience and sense of justice than I had during my time with Bon Bon’s affair. I feel humbled and ashamed before them.

“Help me, Cutie-Wan Crusaders! You are my only hope!”

“You don’t need to ask for it! We’ll do it! We’ll save Sunset and clean our names in the process! The Cutie-Wan Crusaders are back in business, y’all!”

“Aren’t we just the Cutie Crusaders?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yeah, it sounds weird when you put Wan in it!” Scootaloo added.

“I don’t know, I like the sound of it!”

“Why don’t we call ourselves the Caped Crusaders? We made awesome capes, remember?”

“Or perhaps the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

“But what kind of marks are we going to use?”

“Our capes, of course!”

“It doesn’t even fit, our capes are our symbols, not marks!”

“A mark is a kind of symbol, Sweetie Belle.”

“Oh, right.”

“Maybe we should use again our club house near the farm.”

“Yeah! We can have a command center to do our secret meetings to help Nitpick save Sunset!”

“Let’s use our old tree house then! We can revive it after classes with mah brother’s help tomorrow!”

“YEAH!” They jumped and high fived at the same time.

Looking at those girls, something told me that hope has finally showed itself before me from Pandora’s Box in the form of three cute, innocent, annoying little brats.
> Chapter 103 - A nice talk, followed by an unsettling argue, and an uncertain future.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Under the shroud of the night, a deep hunger threatened Sunset Shimmer with an embarrassing groan coming from her belly. As she was returning home after a busy day of school activities and helping Pinkie Pie in a express sell in Sugarcube Corner, her mind also asked of her some rest. Mindless fun watching nonsensical comedies on the web should do the trick, she hoped. She thought about going to her frequented café, but she wasn’t in the mood for a sandwich or coffee. If only Pinkie didn’t eat the last slice of carrot cake during their selling spree, she may had gone straight to bed.

“Maybe I’ll eat the fruit I still have in my fridge.” She told to herself a bit disappointed.

During her walk, she noticed that some people from varying ages were running across the streets with colorful sport suits or wearing a practical set of shirt and shorts. One old couple in particular looked cute to her, making herself the question if she would ever reach that age. Could she still be in the human world at that time, deciding that she found her true home in Ponyville? Or maybe this would become just another experience and she would go back to Equestria after she solved the magical issues she had in her current town.

She barely could picture it; an old mare with some wrinkles here and there, trying to live her daily life at peace in Canterlot’s streets. She vaguely could imagine it; an old woman with greyed hair, teaching children inside a cozy and colorful school, sharing her knowledge and experiences of friendship to future generations to come. Whatever path she choose, will she able to find love, a purpose, or a hobby, to make her last days a pleasant living dream in whatever world she decides to call home?

Perhaps not even Princess Celestia could tell.

Her reflection was interrupted by a particular black hooded figure that appeared out of nowhere on the corner of the street that immediately picked her interest. Sunset noticed that he was about to continue his jogging onward, but the hooded figure noticed her and stopped his motion. Suddenly, he began jogging to her direction, and Sunset grew a bit wary of his presence. As the hooded figure’s size increased in her vision, Shimmer noticed that it wasn’t a he, but a she. That didn’t stop her from slowly falling to a state of panic.

The face wasn’t visible, the texture hidden in the shadow of cloth, but the figure’s eyes were shinning with an aura of cold, silent passion. Like a hunter finally cornering its defenseless prey. Her legs urged her to run, her heart raced with adrenaline. The hooded figure ran faster, flying like a nocturne hunter ready to unleash its claws at its squishy victim.

The menacing individual… just casually passed by her side like she didn’t give a care… huh. Sunset sighed in relief as she noticed that the stranger started shadow boxing and performed some acrobatic, controlled kicks in the corner of the street. Perhaps the hooded figure was training for a local boxing match and Sunset was just unlucky enough to get caught in her imposing aura.

“My minds was just playing me a trick.” She chuckled as she continued her way home while rubbing her belly. “I need to eat something or else I’ll imagine more crazy stuff!”

As her steps became quieter, she saw the stars above her head, beautifully shining in a coat of luminous deep blue and silver light. One of the starry lights above her reminded the mare of Princess Twilight's radiance; a mellow star, shining brightly and surrounded by six gorgeous dots of light blue and gold, dancing in harmony across the Milky Way. As her admiration of the stars continued, a melodious voice slowly but surely began to take flight in the vicinity. At first, she thought it was the ambiance that the park she ended walking in was bestowing to her, but she soon realized that a person was the artist behind it.

Enchanted by the lively echoes of her song, Sunset got closer to the source. Surrounded by breathtaking fireflies that looked like glimmering dust floating in the air, and asleep stray animals comfortably laying on the floor, a foreigner with a slim figure, prismatic blond long hair and green eyes was dancing and rejoicing with an aura of freedom and bliss. The girl stopped her private concert when she looked at her new audience, a curious expression formed on her face.

“Greetings, fair miss.” The girl said in a strange but familiar speech.

‘A foreigner?’ The mare thought. “I’m sorry if I interrupted you. It’s just that I liked a lot the way you sang.”

“I appreciate your compliment, Miss Shimmer.” She said in kind.

“No problem. Wait a minute, how do you know my name?”

“How I should not? We are rivals in the Thanksgiving event, of course!”

“Oh, I see. You are from Crystal Prep.”

“Indeed I am, Miss.” Then, Sunset’s belly groaned loudly, embarrassing her deeply. “I see you are hungry. Come, I will invite you dinner.”

“What? No, I’m fine.”

“Please, I must insist. I need to talk with you for a moment and your timing could not have been more perfect. My beloved friend respects you deeply so maybe you could lend me an ear tonight.”

“My beloved friend? … …Wait a minute! Your voice, that way of speech! But no, it’s impossible… Are you -!?”

“Excuse me?” She touched her hair and she came to a realization. “But of course! How could I forget about this?” The woman removed the wig from her head and the green contacts from her eyes, revealing a long and silky brownish hair and a set of blue aquamarine eyes that could be mistaken by the deepest of pristine oceans.

“Reem Oakwood!”

“At your service!”

…. ….

“This… is a restaurant?” Sunset asked a bit baffled.

“Yes, Miss Shimmer. Do not let the shady exterior fool you, for this is indeed an exquisite haven for those who seek refuge from the media. There is enough privacy here that I can stop using my disguise.” She removed her accessories again and safeguarded them in her small bag. “Well, then. Let us enjoy ourselves for a moment.”

Reem opened the door for her, and once inside, the family restaurant was a completely different beast from its peculiar exterior. Alluring walls, enchanting adornments, seductive candles pronouncing their lights and aromas across the locale served by beautiful, dignified, and well-dressed bar maidens. For Sunset, it felt like a scene straight from one of the drama series that Rarity likes to watch.

“Miss Oakwood, such a pleasant surprise to see you again!”

“Fair Butterheart, is there a V.I.P. room available for two?”

“Please follow me, my patrons.” She opened the door to one of the exclusive mini rooms for private reunions. “Feel at home and I’ll come back to take your order when you ring the bell.” She winked at them in a flirtatious way before leaving.

“That is one of the things that I like about here. They do not care about who I am as long as I have the money to pay.” She sighed in relief while taking a seat. “Word of advice, never aspire to become royalty. People expects of you unrealistic behavior and the media is so horrible when trying to get a scoop out of your privacy.”

“I can imagine that.” Sunset said with empathy, remembering the Anon-A-Miss incident. “In any case, why the disguise?”

“Let me answer that question by telling you a recent event in my life. There is a certain pair of twins I am acquaintance with, one of them loved to disguise as the other one. She caused a lot of misunderstandings and problems to certain people near my social circle but when it was my turn to be pranked by her, however, she thought I would not know right away who was who, so my friends and I pranked her back instead to teach her a lesson.”

“Did the lesson work?”

“My instincts tell me that it was a success. We even managed to make her fight against Gilda in a boxing training match. The regular twin had fought with my mighty friend several times before, but the other one, well, she saw the stars that evening.” She giggled rather impishly.

“I don’t think that is nice but as long as she doesn’t do that kind of stuff again, then it’s worth it, I think.”

“Indeed. Even Miss Heartstring was amused with the way we dealt with her.”

“Lyra was with you?”

“And young Soarin, Miss Bon Bon, Miss Melody, and young Thunderbass as well.” Sunset thought for a moment, praying that what she was talking about wasn’t about Princess Twilight’s undercover mission. “Of course, Twilight did not like what she saw so we decided to stop. Such a good girl she is.”

The mare exhaled in relief when she understood that the Princess of Friendship didn’t receive a beating. “She is a nice girl.”

“With that explained, I will answer your question now. I took a liking to her idea of disguising as another person. It has been a while since I sang outside my house alone, thanks to my disguise.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“As you have seen before, I have a maid. Rarely does she leave my side.”

“Rosaline, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. And I have other maids and butlers as well.”

“You and Blueblood have a lot of those. It’s like every day you have at least a new face working for you.”

“Not exactly. At least for me. My silly brother, by the petition of our ‘glorious’ Father gave him special security personnel. Among them there is your standard bodyguard, who is Tobias Star, who is also his main butler. He also has one weapon specialist, one martial artists… let me see…” She took out from her pocket a tidy and cute looking notebook and opened it in a particular page. “He also has one Nipponese assassin.”

“Assassin!?”

“Do not worry. He does not abuse of his power and has not sent him to kill someone. He may have his stubborn character, but he is not that vengeful or stupid. He also has a stunt driver, an electrician, a royal plumber, and… well, you get the picture.”

“So… You two are protected twenty-four seven.”

“Far more than I would like. For example, ask yourself this question. If we are royalty, and if we are ‘famous’, why there is never a reporter or another kind of beast from the news stalking us or trying to get close to us?”

“Because they respect you…?”

Reem laughed softly. “You are so innocent. No, they usually die before they come at my sight.” Sunset’s face became a painting of horror. “It was a joke.”

“Ahahahaha… aha… heh…” She cleared her throat and continued. “Sounds harsh.”

“Yeah, especially for them when they fail.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just ran away!” She smiled rather impishly. “They must be looking for me like crazy.”

“May I ask why are you giving such hard time to your own people?”

“My people? Oh, I could never do such a thing like put at risk the job of my faithful employees bestowed upon me. I am talking about the rats and harpies from the news.”

“Oh.”

“It does not mean I am completely free from them. Even in my home I feel suffocated. Well, that house is not even mine, technically. Father bought it, not I.” She said a bit frustrated and sighed. “As you know, royalty in the countries were they hold power and influence are usually common targets for mobs, terrorists and other extremists groups that want to take advantage of certain situations. You know, kidnaps and similar threats to ask for a ransom of sorts. It takes a toll on me, living in a golden cage. I want to be free, not become a target of a bothersome issues. I want to be alone for a while walking on the streets without anyone pointing fingers at me. My subordinates barely manage to put weird people away on my surrounding areas.”

“Now your disguise makes more sense.”

“It is still in the phase of improvement. I believe we were followed by some unwanted girl.”

“Unwanted girl?” Sunset was reminded of the black hooded woman. Trying to change the subject to calm herself, she said, “Your disguise is pretty good if you ask me.”

“Thanks. Rosaline made it.”

“If you are planning to use it again, I’ll not say a word if I see you on the street again.”

Reem looked at her for a second, and with a satisfied smirk, she kindly commented, “You are a good listener, thank you for hearing my words.”

“Well…” Sunset’s eyes became tender, realizing that Reem wasn’t an oddball like most students told her before. She wished for something normal in her life. “Anytime. Say, I’ve always wondered something. If you and Blueblood are so rich, why are you studying in a normal school? I mean, I know that Crystal Prep is a very recognized institution, but…”

“You think that with our current backgrounds, we should be having private and more specialized tutoring. Am I correct?”

“Imagine the possibilities of having dedicated educators at your service. Exclusive equipment, rare and invaluable research material ready to bestow you theories and other fascinating theories! All the experiments one can dream of researching at the reach of your hands!” Sunset’s eyes fired up in fantasy as her hands trembled with desire for knowledge.

“You are more passionate than I imagined. Just like Miss Twilight.” Reem praised. “Well, Father and Mother believe that having normal relationships with the common folk will give us a better idea on how to become better rulers. Experiencing the struggles of the people, their regrets, their sorrows, and the things that makes them move forward. I share the sentiment and thanks to my friends, I think I have grown a bit.”

“I see. Reem… I have another question.”

“Go ahead. I am beginning to like your ‘cut to the chase’ interrogation.”

“I didn’t mean to sound forceful.”

“It was a joke.”

“Oh.”

“Nitpick would have understood it right away.”

“Well, I’m not him.”

“And I am thankful for that.”

“… …Why are you talking to me?”

“Because I can, cannot I?”

“No, what I mean is… I thank you for inviting me dinner, even if I can’t help you with paying for it.”

“I do not mind.”

“Well… I thought Sugarcoat and the others forbids the Crystal students to talk with CHS ones. I don’t want you to get caught in a fight because of me.”

“Ah, such a fantastic question with a simple answer.”

“…Which is?”

“I love my intellectual friend. I care for her, I worry for her, and right now she is passing through an existential problem of self that requires time to heal. But her pride does not let her see that sometimes she overreacts with her methods. She was way worse before, but she is growing, and we are just waiting for her to calm down again.”

“I still think her motives to blame CHS are wrong.”

“Truth has many faces, and ideals have many interpretations.”

“That somehow sounded like Nitpick.”

“I know, right? He is the one I match with the most. But my friends are not that far behind, our future linked by our core essences. When we became a guild, a company, a fellowship, our feelings and goals united, becoming dependent of our motives, our ambitions, and our faith in each of us. Without the power of believing in our own uniqueness, and at the same time, not opening our mind to new wisdom, we would be just pointless wanderers in this world of brimming with life. I must wait until Sugarcoat remembers that, and for the meantime, I will continue giving her my piece of mind. Her real truth, not the one instilled on her by Principal Cinch, is something she must find for herself. But alas, it is time to order our meal. Your motions are weaker now, and your eyes dreamy.”

“Not at all. You were so romantic with your words. I like this kind of conversations, to be honest.”

“I am glad to hear that, and I thank thee for it.” The noble’s cheeks took a slight crimson tint. “Now, do you wish to eat some tacos?”

Sunset chuckled. “I never thought you would invite me that of all things.”

“You expected caviar from me? I do not like the standards that my bloodline imposes on me. But I cannot deny that I like tea. Recently, I have taken a likening to the black rose petal.”

“Maybe you can educate me a bit about the best teas they have here and have a drink from one of them.”

Reem’s face shimmered. “I would be honored to share with thee such entertaining knowledge.”

They ordered a salad for two with a jar of lemonade as beverage. Two cup of peppermint teas before that was their appetizer. Their conversation continued, and as the time passed, Sunset felt unrestricted when speaking with her. Like Nitpick, she loved to read in abundance, the only difference being that Reem liked more obscure works. It was a pleasant surprise for her to talk about these kind of topics with someone new. Her hunger was being sated by the food, and her mind was being healed by their exchanges of tender wisdom.

“I must say that it’s so easy to talk with you. Thanks for inviting me dinner.”

“It is I who I must be thankful for the time you are giving me. I needed to talk to someone about anything who was not my loyal Rosaline or my friends. They are still battling their own stress regarding my intellectual friend, so I do not wish to disturb their rest.”

“Why the nicknames? Beloved, mighty, intellectual.”

“Do not forget about my stupid brother.”

“Yeah… Anyway, why?”

“Because it is my selfish way to say that they are mine, and they let me be, so I am happy for it.”

“You are so different but you get along with Nitpick and the others so nicely that it makes me wonder why you and Rarity can’t get along. She was excited the first day she met you and you... You were just weird all this time, to be honest.”

“I do not want to invite someone to my life who I clearly do not have a lot in common.”

“But you both are stylish and have refined tastes. I can’t see the reason why you don’t get along.”

 “Those who have more than one master are destined to suffer the regret of backstabbing one. I already have the responsibility to appease the people of my country as much as I can through my actions, my school performance, and especially when I am forced to join the bimonthly speeches of my Mother to the citizens back in Great Equine. I do not want to pretend to be someone else or bond with people who will simply stress me out in the long run. In my private life, at least I want to have friends that will simply make me feel at home, no matter how different we may seem at the surface. Miss Rarity does not make me feel at home. The only reason she was interested in me was because of my regal status, not me as a person.”

“That’s not true. I know that she wished to know you sincerely.”

Reem giggled. “Really now? Let us see if what you say is true. Oh, he will do. Look through the window of the door. See that young man over there? Do not worry, for this door has a privacy glass. Tell me, physically, how do you find him?”

“Hmm… A bit attractive, I guess.”

“Look closely at his outfit. A black leather jacket, ripped jeans, work boots. It seems that he loves rock music with that kind of shirt he is wearing.”

“Yeah. That t-shirt belongs to the Arms and Roses’ band! Only true fans of the band have that shirt!”

“Oh!?”

“That shirt was only sold in a bundle of their recent album. No normal fan would invest three hundred bucks in that kind of thing. See that golden pattern? The imitations have a cheaper yellow strip.”

“You wanted that bundle, it seems.”

“I’m poor…” She said a bit gloomy.

“We have no idea what poverty is really like. But here is the test. Go talk to him.”

“What!?”

“Yes! Go talk to him!”

“Why should I do that?”

“His appearance is nice for your tastes, he apparently likes the same band you like, dresses similarly like you, he must even like to be alone and think about important issues. Look at his face. He gives this aura of melancholy and longing. Either he misses someone, or is waiting for someone who will not come back. Or maybe he had a bad time today.”

“Now that you mention it, he looks like he is in trouble.”

“Go, then. Talk to him.”

“I don’t know.”

“Why? He interests you, doesn’t he?”

“But I don’t have a real reason to…” Sunset quickly realized what the point of her questions and words were. “You are saying that if you weren’t a royal, Rarity wouldn’t even think about talking to you like she did before. You would be a simple bystander to her.”

“Correct. You understood my point of view, the tales of your brilliant mind are well deserved. And you see? You never paid him attention because we were just here talking in private. It was until I mentioned him that he became part of your consciousness. If I were not a royal but I was still a Crystal Student, Miss Rarity would not have approached to me because of the bias she has about the population of the school. You know, we being a group of insufferable elitists.”

Sunset blushed a bit, once sharing that sentiment with the others. “I still believe she would have talked to you.”

“Not immediately, at least. Perhaps I would have never came in contact with her, because I would be another person, with another ideology, another life style.”

“Or perhaps you would have become fast friends because you would be a different person, with a different background, and a different destiny.”

“Tee-hee-hee! Right, right! Now I see why he took an interest in you at first sight.”

“At first sight? Who?”

“Nitpick, my beloved friend, my second friend in my life.”

“Who is your first friend?”

“Rosaline, who is standing behind the door right now.”

Reem pointed at the window and Sunset noticed the grim black hooded figure looking at them with fervor. The door was opened and the figure unhooded herself, revealing a pretty young woman with an expression of dedication and fierce loyalty. Realizing that she was indeed Rosaline, she calmed down again, noticing that she was a bit taller than the menacing hooded woman was.

“What is wrong?” The noble casually asked.

“Your Mother called. She wanted to know if you were doing fine.”

“What did you tell her?”

“That you were having dinner here with an acquaintance. She says that you must call her before you go to sleep. Do you wish of me to remind you to call her later?”

“See that you do.”

“Very well, if you excuse me.”

“Wait.”

“Yes, My Lady?”

“Have you eaten yet? The five of you.” She knew that her other disguised maids and butlers were always near Rosaline.

“No.”

Reem rang the service bell and Butterheart came in a minute. “This is my friend, there are other four outside. Please give them fresh lemonade and the best pasta you can serve them.”

“Right away, Miss.” The barmaid said.

“Rosaline, tell the others to stay a while and rest.” The Loyal Maid excused herself with a sweet little smile on her face and went away to enjoy her meal, leaving the duo alone.

The young students stayed quiet for a bit while they finished their dinner. Sunset thought for a moment about the way Reem treated her people. Somehow, it reminded her of Princess Celestia.

“You really treat your servants nicely.” She commented.

“I dislike the term servant. They are my loyal employees or subjects. But if you think that I am nice, you should really see Blueblood. Tobias and the others always feel overwhelmed when he spoils them. You could say we hit jackpot when they decided to work for us. Loyal, dedicated, and all of them very discrete. And well, I want to talk with you about something else, if you still have time.”

“Of course! What do you want to talk about?”

“As you may remember, Miss Twilight and I spent time together with our respective friends in the Maximus Plaza not long ago.”

Sunset didn’t want to touch the matter again. Nervously, she asked, “W-what about it?”

“I already told you my experience but, what did she thought about her time with us?”

“She told us that she had a good time in the end. She didn’t mention that part you said about the troublemaker, perhaps that was the part she mentioned that was a bit rough near the end but everything was funny for her.”

Reem saw truth in her words. “So the other one hid the truth...” She mumbled.

“What did you say? I couldn’t hear you.”

“It is nothing. Please keep nurturing her so we can have more fun times together.”

“Of course I will. I’ll protect her as long as I am able to!”

“In Crystal Prep, I had heard that Miss Sparkle was an oddball, but I always thought that she was meant to be much more. I am glad that she is doing fine now. But…”

“But what?”

“Nothing, Miss.” Reem closed her eyes, crossed her leg, and rested her hands on her knee. “This one single thought I shall keep for myself for now.”

There were two knocks coming from the door, and then, a sensual presence was felt in the vicinity, saying, “Do you have everything you need, Miss Oakwood?”

Sunset immediately recognized that face. A voracious curiosity consuming her thoughts.

“Yes, Miss Dazzle. The dinner was spotless.”

“Thank you, my patron. Ring the bell if you need anything else and we’ll come in a swift.”

“I want a dessert.” Sunset quickly said, wanting to grab her attention.

The door opened, and a fantastic looking barmaid with puffy hair entered the room. “I recommend…” Her voice was silenced when her sight dawned on her new unexpected client. Sunset could feel it, no words needed to be spoken to understand what Adagio Dazzle was experiencing in her heart. The hate, the agony… the cold shadow of vengeance clearly manifesting below her eyelids. The elder Siren sister quickly closed her eyes and breathed deeply, and then, a welcoming smile manifested on her face. “It’s been a while.”

“Yeah.” Sunset reluctantly said.

“It seems you know each other.” Reem calmly said while drinking her beverage.

“Indeed, Miss.” Adagio forcefully replied with kindness.

“You could say that.” Sunset followed.

“I see.”

“I gotta say that was a great dinner.” Sunset reluctantly said to Adagio.

“My pleasure!” The Siren forced a grin. “I have excellent personnel working under my lead, willing to please you at their best capabilities!”

“… …Miss Adagio, I see that you wish to talk with Sunset on your own, and the same can be said about her. I shall leave you alone so you can have a private conversation.”

“What!? N-no! Good service and happy experiences are the foundation of the brand of this restaurant. I cannot possibly allow you to ruin your stay because of my petty desires!”

“Desires? More reason to do so. You always treat us nicely, I shall do the same today.”

“It’s not necessary!”

“I know when I am in the way.”

“N-no!! You don’t need-!”

“I will come back another time. I will also pay for both of us at the cashier. Have a good evening, the both of you!” She made a curtsy and excused herself.

“Wait for me in the counter over there. We’ll close soon.” Adagio said to the mare once they were alone.

“Very well.” Sunset said sternly.

…. ….

One hour later, after the building was emptied and the exits were closed with the exception of the main door, Adagio stood behind the counter and relaxed her arms on the wooden surface, both former Equestrian citizens facing each other in a now unsettling environment. Sunset was serious with a calm but stern frown, Adagio had her prideful and cocky smile backing her up.

“Nobody is here now so enough with the pleasantries. Cut to the chase, how did you find me?” Her tone was aggressive.

“Reem invited me. This was just a coincidence.”

“Hard to believe that.”

“It’s the truth, Adagio, and I’m glad that I came here. This must be fate.”

“Fate? We are too old to believe in that.”

“All this time, Adagio, all this time Princess Twilight and I wanted to know if you were reformed as me and haven’t committed any evil schemes or casted any kind of spell to promote people’s anger with others.”

“Ooooh, I get it! You think we’re still on the loose enchanting people with our melodious and unsurpassable voices around town, don’t you?”

“I’m not gonna lie, a small part of me believes so.” Sunset said a bit ashamed. “But I hope that’s not the case anymore.”

“I wish that small part of yours was right. Everything that defined us was destroyed that night because of you, Sunset.” The Siren Leader began to clean some glasses with her towel, like if it was a ritual to calm her rage. “One thousand year of ancient power turned into dust. Now, here I am, a powerless service provider, working every day to make a humble living.”

“Where are your sisters?”

“They took the day off.”

“I see. Well, even so, I don’t think you do a lot of heavy lifting around here. Come to think of it, something tells me that you are the manager of this place.”

“The manager, you say?” Adagio then laughed amused, her smile widening and eyes shining with passion. “I am the Dazzles, and here I am a God! All that lies in your field of vision is mine, all what you see, all what you feel, all what you experience, this is the Dazzles! It’s not my birth magic, but it IS still my magic!! I have come a long way to make this place with my own hands… some help from Aria and Sonata here and there, but most of it was my triumph! My own ambition taking us forward and survive yet again!!”

“You have changed very little. I hoped that the Elements of Harmony would make you less power-hungry.”

“Ambitious people don’t change, Sunset Shimmer. Nobody truly changes. Once the powerful find their calling, their ambition guides them through all the ordeals that life throws at them. Only the strong can see an unstoppable power on the horizon, and seize it for themselves, one way or another! My ambition is that all of this pathetic little world adore us, if not by music, it will be by food! A restaurant that even the famous and powerful would strive and kill for a seat and a single fried chip! This would be far easier if certain someone didn’t strip away what defined us! But, there are other ways to achieve what someone wants, if I strive for it hard enough.”

“I know that you must still be angry with me for the loss of your magic, but-!”

“Angry!?” Adagio felt that she would explode at her, but found instead the strength to calm down. “Perhaps.”

“Maybe Princess Twilight and I can restore your gems through a magic spell, if you prove yourself redeemed.”

“Even if you restore them physically, their essence has been lost. As I said, one thousand years of Siren power turned into dust, never to come back as it was. But who cares about us? You should be happy that you have Equestrian magic again at full power now. Must be nice that the judges of Equestria, The Elements of Harmony, go on rampage with things they don’t like.”

“The Elements of Harmony at that time must have deemed you too evil for you to continue to have your pendants, so they destroyed them instead. My offer still stands, we have a repairing spell that could fix your amulets. If you show us your good will, we can use it and give it a shot. You won’t lose anything.”

“Those weren’t simple magic trinkets, they were practically part of our bodies in our true form! Every Siren is born with one! But you, on the other hand, were spared of the same fate because there was still hope for ‘redemption’ in you? And now you mock us with your ridiculous new sense of friendship and justice?” Adagio asked with fervent disgust. “Please, tell that story to a street foal. As you may remember, Shimmer, I asked around the school about you. You know, gathering information about the tough cookies that could annoy us in our path. You weren’t a saint at all, either.”

“I know I wasn’t the best pony to be around with. But I changed! And I know you can change as well! Please, give the Magic of Friendship a chance!”

“Friendship!? Hehehe! Oh, boy, you must be thirsty. Here. Let me give you something!”

Adagio prepared with the last batch of ingredients she had at hand a special beverage for Sunset. As she created the drink, the mare looked at her hands dancing in front of her chest. A forbidden ritual used to summon a beverage beyond Sunset’s understanding took place before her eyes, and Adagio Dazzle loved the attention she was giving to her. As she finished her earthly spell, the Elder Siren poured the contents on a small, beautiful glass, smiling confidently about her creation. The redheaded woman became wary when the Siren put the glass in front of her. She didn’t release the glass from her fingertips, as if waiting for the mare to grab it herself.

They stared at each other for a good couple of long, indifferent seconds.



“I don’t drink alcohol.”

“You would be surprised of what will you experience in this tiny glass. Normally I would charge you thirty five dollars for it, but for you? Oh, Sunset Shimmer, these ones are for us alone.”

“These ones?”

She served the second glass and waited for the mare to take her destined beverage. Trusting that she wouldn’t harm her, she risked everything and took the whole glass at the same time as the barmaid. Sunset experienced heaven, and Adagio smiled triumphantly as the mare acknowledged her creation.

“Good, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.” Sunset couldn’t deny it.

“Now that we are refreshed, I want to point out an interesting fact of what were we were talking about. You see, as you know, I lived during the days when Starswirl the Bearded roamed in Equestria as a master wizard. Before facing him off during a band battle, my sisters and I knew of him, but we didn’t consider him famous and flashy to bother with him until he sent us here. Then we realized that his feats of magic were real. As you know, he was the teacher of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and through him, they learned what they needed to use to defeat a series of threats that were dooming Equestria like King Sombra, and Discord. They were all imprisoned, right? Even the Princess of the Night became distant of her people, I believe.”

“King Sombra was resurrected and defeated last year again, then came back and was transformed into a normal unicorn a few months ago. And Discord is now reformed as well, just like Princess Luna, who became corrupted by dark magic in the past.”

“By the blessing of the elements, I guess.”

“Indeed.”

“Did they lose their magic?”

“What?”

“Did they lose their magic?” Adagio asked more profoundly.

“No. All of them still have it. Sombra lost his dark magic but Twilight says that he is still a rather powerful unicorn. Discord being the embodiment of chaos wasn’t affected by it, and Princess Luna continues her vigilance across the dreamscape.”

“So, it fits in the equation, right?”

“What do you want to say with all of this?”

“If you notice the pattern, the Elements of Harmony play a great role in Equestria’s history. Six elements there are, six traits, six bearers; Kindness, loyalty, honesty, optimism-!”

“It’s called Laughter.” Sunset politely corrected.

“What a stupid name. Where was I…? Ah, yes. There is generosity, and finally, the main lead, Magic! Whether they all became imprisoned or teleported to the moon, the Elements of Harmony always manage to restrict what they consider evildoers and, let’s say, they give them some time to reflect and reform, if they choose to. Then, I must ask, why that didn’t happen to us?”

“What do you mean?”

“When Princess Twilight came to take her element back, you turned into a demon using the corrupted magic from the crown, or should I say, your heart, didn’t you? Then you were defeated, and eventually became what you are now. A ghost who abandoned her real self to become another servant of the Princesses.”

“I have drawn my power to the light by my own volition. If I am their servant, it’s because I choose to follow my real destiny to help others.”

“Destiny? Hahahahaha! Charming, that’s what makes you sleep every night, right? Is that what you really think happened? Your destiny is being a bootlicker of the Princess of Friendship? Tell me then, what did you experience when you were ‘purified’ by the magic?”

“The same thing that you should have experienced. A chance came before me, another shot to make things right. Perhaps that’s why your magic really disappeared from existence! It’s a test to make you realize that hard and honest work together with your sisters is the true path to happiness! I’m certain that you are more united than ever, even if you have your quirks here and there.”

“We experienced a relentless and painful burn from the inside as our power were ripped apart. And a crushing reality that can’t be fixed by any apology you can give us.”

“…At least you have all of this now. It’s really pretty… I don’t want to know where you got the money to build this, though.”

“If I told you that someone on the street gave me a lotto ticket, and my sisters and I happened to win the big prize, would you believe me?”

Sunset blushed for a second and coughed a bit. “Y-yeah! Of course that could happen to anyone!” She then cleared her throat.

“You don’t believe me.” Adagio put her hands on her waists, her face spelling skepticism.

“No-no-no! It can happen, I swear!”

“…Anyway, the point is that every time the elements were used, there were only six forces working together to seal evil. But when you defeated us, you were seven. We got blasted away and got stripped of our power, but the other villains didn’t.”

“Are you implying that I was the reason you lost your powers? You are talking nonsense! In the past, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were the only Element Bearers and they managed to control their power just fine! Another fact is that most of the enemies were dealt with in Equestria, where magic is stable!”

“Yes, but one, they were all Alicorns! With the exception of Princess Twilight, five were normal humans here and barely managed to stop you! And two, through the pages of history that I have lived in this world, there was no real Equestrian magic here… until your arrival! And when the elements activated under Princess Twilight’s will the second time, they worked like in Equestria for a fleeting moment, right?”

“…!!”

“Now you get it, don’t you? When Princess Twilight came to this world chasing you, I know that you managed to have in your hands the crown before she defeated you. But it didn’t activate, did it? No, I think not! Its power awakened when you were near her! So you could say that only strong sources of magic can hold and summon their power, no matter how limited it may be in this world. And an Alicorn is a strong source of power as it is, no matter how young or inexperienced she may be. This is why the Princesses were able to use the elements by themselves, and this is why Twilight was able to awaken the magic in this world. Without the host of the magic, such things wouldn’t be anything but rocks. At least, that is what my knowledge of the old Equestria tells me. So, please answer me, am I right or wrong?”

“No… I have a similar hypothesis. Also, the magic of the Elements of Harmony inside my friends and I are activated when we have a certain state of mind. The purer is the conviction with the element, the stronger is the magic. If Pinkie becomes super happy, she… transforms.”

“When you entered in the equation to defeat us, you must have altered something unconsciously in the elements and instead of petrifying us, make us feel remorse, or something worse like sending us to Tartarus, you destroyed our power instead. You perverted the will of the elements!”

“No…”

“You were jealous that we could freely use magic like your friends when they played their music, and you just were left behind! Then, insidiously, your will entered the pure magic of the elements and you defeated us with secret ambition!”

“No!”

“When your chance arrived, you wanted to crush us! Show to the world that you were the only people that were worthy of using magic in this world!! You haven’t shared it, have you? All such delicious power to enforce your will is better left in the hands of the few, right? Why have competition when you can have all the power like a true monarch rightfully deserves? Your color of the rainbow was as crimson as the blood that the devil craves to satisfy his thirst!”

“NO!! I, no, WE did it to stop you! Perhaps it was the only way to save you! The Elements guided me as well when saving… saving…” She couldn’t mention Twilight to her, dreading to let her know that the human counterpart was near her.

“Save us!? Do I need to remind you that those gems were part of us? Not separated from these hands and legs! Not this gravity forcing us to walk on the dirt! Not this alluring waist and chest – although I know that I look spectacular in any form! But… what would happen to us if we wished to go back? Would we be able to regain our lives without our birth magic? If our gems were part of our life force back there… would we die if we go back magic-less? Even I… Even I…!”

Sunset then saw it. The Elder Siren was watching her hands with disgust, rage… and fear. Like if she had thought about it many times before. Like if the dream of simply banishing when going back home could be the certain reality. In a way, Sunset Shimmer felt pity, and empathy.

“Adagio…”

“I fervently believe that you had something to do with it. It’s no strange that you decided to save this world’s Twilight’s magic instead of stripping it away from her during the Friendship Games. You unconsciously sealed her powers instead of stripping them away. She reminds you of the Princess, doesn’t she? No, in a way, her ambition reminded you of your old persona! And her being the living image of the Princess was a chance for you to help her in any shape or form. Your own twisted way to say that you saved Twilight Sparkle. A kind of an alternate reality were you finally defeat the one you admire and worship now.”

“How… how do you know about the Twilight of this world?” Sunset’s fears ate her from the inside.

“Well, people from CHS, and even Crystal Prep come here to share the sporadic gossips to me. You could say they gave me some entertaining versions of what happened back then. One of them admires you from the bottom of his heart, others don’t give a care about you. But some of them hate you deeply, you know?”

“Crystal Prep… CHS… Nitpick comes here as well!?”

“Yes. Miss Reem celebrated her birthday here with them.” She proudly said. “We have our long talks from time to time.”

In her own thoughts and with her current information, Sunset soon realized something. “You… It wasn’t Sugarcoat that was dividing Nitpick’s group with her Crystal Prep duty! It was you all along!!” She became enraged, standing firmly and pointing her finger at her. “You were the one who orchestrated their fight with each other! You must have told them many deceptions and lured them to do bad things to other people. No wonder they have been at edge all this time with us! With me! No wonder Princess Twilight’s teachings doesn’t reach them!”

Adagio didn’t know what she meant with that, worrying that her favorite clients were in bad terms and wouldn’t come together to make her working days livelier, but she decided to nurture the fires of anger in her by saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“If you think you will shatter me, I already had my lowest point before when I betrayed Princess Celestia. I won’t fall again. And more importantly, I won’t allow you to divide the Bonds of Friendship of my school and Crystal Prep anymore!”

“Let’s see if you can keep your fire of hope burning bright at the end of Thanksgiving Day. Just a friendly advice before you leave, it would be unfair if I just warned you without a tip to share, you know. Be careful with who you trust your grief outside your little group of divinities chosen by the Elements of Harmony.  You don’t know who can be scheming right now your demise.”

“I won’t be deceived by your words. My friends and I will stop you if you try to harm us again.”

“So much for redemption and giving people second chances. If people still hate you, you’re at fault, not me. You were the one who cheated using magic after all during the games. But, how can I blame you? Magical creatures like us have the need to use magic naturally, for we were born with it! Why should we below ourselves to lesser creatures’ capabilities? But alas, I no longer have my essence, nor my sisters either. But you… Oh! You have power! And only you seven in this whole world can enforce it. Still, there are things that magic can’t counter! There are words so powerful that can truly kill the spirit of a warrior!”

“I won’t give up on you… One day, I’ll make sure that all that hate disappears. I will make your pendants and your magic come back to you. Until that day arrives, don’t do evil things behind my back. I’ll come back to check on you later.”

“If you don’t bother me, I will not annoy you unless you force my hand! I’m a business-siren now and I have a busy schedule.”

“I can’t let that happen now… The place is great, if that means something to you.”

“It has more meaning if you bring more customers. I can’t have enough of them.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Sunset leaved the Sirens’ domain and Adagio began safeguarding her cleansing tools. After she finished, she began to turn off the lights with the master switch she had below her counter, preparing to finally leave her castle and grab some rest in her home. She noticed that her impeccable shoes had a small bothersome stain of filth and she crouched to clean them. When she stood up, there was now a black hooded figure sitting in one of the chairs, her arms relaxed on the surface of the table. Adagio noticed that the eyes of the mysterious figure were cold and suffocating.

The Siren Leader stood mightily and fearless in front of the figure, nonetheless, and with a straight face, she commented, “You are not one of the people from Miss Oakwood. Who are you?”

The hooded woman laughed, unsurprised that Adagio found out her deception. “I assumed that I could drink your last Mocktail of the day, just like the one that redheaded girl had.” Her tone was deepened and shrouded in mystery, the Siren realizing that she was a master in the art of voice alteration. “Thirty five dollars, isn’t it?” The stranger showed her the money and laid it on the table, Adagio meticulously slipping it away from her hands.

“You must be thirsty, and you came to the right place.” She smiled seductively.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Adagio poured in a glass the last drink of the day and the stranger took it in one go. “Oh, my. This has a pinch of blueberry juice. It gives strength to the drink.”

“Perhaps there is blueberry in there. In any case, who are you? Why all this secrecy? Let me see those threatening eyes of yours with more detail. It’s of bad education to hide your face like that while talking with someone.”

“I’m just someone who wants to crush Shimmer and sent her back to her world in defeat. More I can’t tell or reveal.”

“Oooh!? Tell me this master plan of yours, CHS gal.”

“My, my! How do you know I am from there?” The figure asked with genuine curiosity.

“You said very assertively, ‘to her world’, so you must know what she is, and what I am for you to come to me.”

“Indeed. Thanks for this opportunity to improve my speeches and delivery for future scenarios. In any case, you already played your part. For today, at least.”

“I don’t like being used freely, you know? Why should I do what you desire free of charge? In what do I benefit?”

“You will know sooner than you expect. For now, I’ll go. Thank you for making her talk. I learned a lot of interesting things about your world.”

“Where were you all this time? I didn’t see you around here.”

The stranger showed her a key that leaded to a V.I.P. room and put it on the table. “I snatched it from one of your workers. Don’t blame them, though. One of the early customers was too rude for her to pay any attention to my pickpocketing. The ‘good’ looking guy that complained that her girlfriend ditched him for another woman.”

“Oh, yeah, I remember. Poor guy.”

“You should consider installing some security cameras facing the main door and your two back exits as well. Also, a better infrared alarm would work wonders in your safe room.”

“I could call the police and turn you in for invading and trying to steal from my property.”

“I’m not interested in money. I just want information from Equestria and destroy magic in this world.”

Something about the part of destroying magic didn’t sit well with the Siren. Adagio casually rubbed her nails on her vest while swiftly pointing at her a gun that was hidden below her counter. “I know how to use this thing and put a hole in your head, I also have authorization to have one of these, so don’t try something funny.” She released the safety lock with her thumb. “I’ll call the police so give me a minute to reach my phone.”

The stranger widened her lips, saw that Adagio held the weapon decently, and with a snarky tone she laughed, “That could only happen if I ever existed here, amateur.”

The Siren closed her eyes with amusement and said, “Please, you are no ghost to avoid a bullet in-! What the hell!?” When she opened them up, the stranger wasn’t there anymore. In a moment of doubt, and fear, Adagio quickly looked around to see if she was still inside, her handgun firmly held like her authorized instructor told her to. The stranger wasn’t in the building anymore. The black hooded girl disappeared without leaving a trace, a cold breeze of silent demise coming from the opened main door. “Perhaps I should listen to her advice.”

The Elder Siren began closing her restaurant and went home quickly.

…. ….

After calling her Mother and having a three minute chat with her, Reem was resting on her limo on her way home, Rosaline’s legs serving as a lap pillow. The Faithful Maid caressed her hair up and down, a common gesture that incited drowsiness in her.

“So Miss Twilight omitted the part where we humiliated her cousin. Intriguing, and unfortunate…”

“She may have a reason, My Lady.”

“Doubtful. The Miss has been acting strange lately. Ominous, and cold, her eyes were odd today. No bright of purity. Like if she was another woman. Possessed. Usurped by something else.”

“My Lady… there is another, more immediate problem we wanted to share with you a while ago.”

“There was an unwelcomed guest in the room next to us.”

“So you were aware of her.”

“Black-hooded, the same design you all used, physically fit. She was chasing Miss Shimmer from afar. I thought it was my imagination but I caught a glimpse of her during our walk to The Dazzles. I should have said something but I did not think we talked about something harmful or incriminating.”

“Your disguise, My Lady.”

“Doubtful. But perhaps I should wear something else in the future.”

“I bought generic sweaters and I was careless in our first time disguising ourselves as normal people. More importantly, the way she perfectly blended with us during our watch was worrisome. If it weren’t for Sergeant Matrix who joined us at the last minute, we would have never noticed her.”

“Her target must have been the Miss. Whatever her motives were, she must had taken the chance to follow us when she noticed you were wearing black as well.”

“Will you tell Miss Shimmer about this?”

“I rather not. Paranoia is a horrible feeling to bear in a night of rest. I noticed that she was scared of you until she saw your face. Then the hooded one must have intercepted her before we met in the park. Besides, I assume that you sent Sergeant Matrix to investigate more about her.”

“Yes.”

“I hate it when you do that without my consent. It makes me no different from the media I want to avoid.”

“Our job and duty is to protect and serve you, no matter the measures we must take. Even if you don’t like it, we must make sure that this woman is not a threat to you.”

“You know that sending a veteran from the Shadow Wars is too much, right?” Reem sighed with tiresomeness and continued, “But very well, for the sake of Miss Shimmer, I will trust your judgment. What did he find about her?”

“He just reported that she was very elusive after she escaped from the restaurant after talking with Miss Dazzle.”

“So the Sergeant finally found his match? Interesting.”

“My Lady…” Rosaline’s voice was of scolding and thoughtfulness.

“What? He said he craved for a challenge three years ago and onward.”

A small LCD screen soon came down from the limo’s roof, then only the voice transmission from the old Sergeant went live.

“Rosaline, I finally found the hooded woman who was following our Lady. She quickly caught with young Sunset Shimmer after her departure from The Dazzles.”

“So she is indeed after Miss Shimmer.”

“My Lady Oakwood?”

“Yes. Tell me what do you think is the best course of action. She is an important person for one of my friends.”

“We should focus on her protection first. Do you wish of me to escort the girl safely to her destination? She’ll be protected under my supervision from the shadows.”

“If you please, but I would like for you to observe and focus more on the actions of the hooded woman. I do not think she will harm her yet.”

“As you command!” The transmission ended.

“This is the fifth time that I am supervising a stalking operation.” She said with a bit of disgust. “I don’t know how Blueblood does it all the time when something is wrong in his home or with the neighbors.”

“The second time at least was one of the best moment of your life.”

“Indeed… My friendships were born that day… My beloved friend…” She shut down her eyes and breathed deeply. “He is having a harsh time now. I can feel his regrets so deeply in my heart even from afar. I want to call him now… But I cannot. Not today, at least. My intellectual friend is in agony as well, my stubborn fool. My mighty friend is asleep now, just like my brother. You were worried that I was being targeted by an assassin again, and now you are glad that perhaps this is not the case.”

Rosaline blushed while having a straight face. “You read my thought perfectly once again.”

The transmission came back live. “The subject arrived to her home. The hooded woman took a direction backwards.”

“Pursue.”

“Of course, my- Lord Bittersweet is at sight!”

“Kill her if she tries something on him!!!” Reem aggressively stood up from her maid’s lap and grabbed the monitor.

“My Lady, no!! You’re gonna break the screen!” She managed to sit her back. “Sometimes that attitude of yours worries me, Princess! Your vengeful and overprotective nature is similar to Prince Blueblood.”

“Hush!”

The screen began transmitting an image this time, Nitpick looked that he was barely able to walk. Reem’s heart jumped with suspense, this being the second time she has ever stalked him. The first time, she wanted to make him suffer and gain a moment of laughter during her birthday celebration, now she had a feeling of filthiness rubbing on her eyes as she was doing something that she hated from the media.

Her feelings intensified when he saw his tired expression, her instincts about his state of mind once again being correct. He needed to be alone, for she knew that he always grew through adversity, but it didn’t mean that she wanted to be apart from him. If she could become a normal girl of society, she would be at his side forever with the rest of her spiritual siblings.

When the hooded woman intercepted him, a rare and sudden anger engulfed her heart and strengthened her fingers. She could perceive a bad omen coming from her, and somehow she knew she had felt her presence before. That mysterious aura, and those artic eyes met somewhere in the past.

The girl passed beside him, Nitpick being so tired to even do an action and just got inside his home. Then, the subject in question sprinted through the bushes of the third house of the block, giving an unexpected slide and finally jumping over a palisade. The Sergeant pursed but he lost sight of her. The mysterious black hooded woman had escaped from the veteran.

“I failed, My Lady.” Sergeant Matrix said with deep shame.

“I do not mind. We will pick you up now and go home. Thank you for trying to fulfill my selfish request.”

“I’ll catch her next time for you.” His voice sounded livelier than before. The transmission ended.

The Noble asked of Rosaline to freeze the image were the hooded figure was at its best detail. She meticulously analyzed her until she could memorize her measures. When she had enough, she menacingly got comfortable on her seat with a darkened expression.

“So… We have a troublemaker annoying indirectly one of my loved ones.” Reem hissed, taking a sip from the tea that Rosaline just served to her. “I will find you… I will make you suffer a thousand deaths…”

…. ….

The hooded figure sprinted swifter than before, an enormous source of energy coming from deep within her spirit. Inside her mind, she was overwhelmed with delight that her plans were going as smoothly as she wanted. Even dumb causalities were helping her motives. What began as a simple training routine became a chance to get invaluable information about the mirror world of her home, and that made her happy. Although nothing useful regarding a way to neutralize magic was spoken of, a lot of examples and standard history from Sunset’s realm would come in handy as her hypothesis on how to stop the magic develops further each passing day.

“Soon.” She mumbled. “Soon I will stop this madness.”

As she continued her jogging, she noticed that she finally eluded the old man who was masterfully following her ever since she escaped from the Dazzles. She smirked at him, noticing that in the past he must have been a very resourceful and impeccable spy.

“You have done well to match my speed and my ever changing routes this far.” She was panting a bit exhausted. “If I was your average Jane I wouldn’t have escaped from you, but your prime has long gone, respectable old sir.” She whispered as she gave a respectful bow towards his direction.

She opened the door to the place where her Grandmother awaited in a sitting position. Mrs. Leafshard had in her lap a bamboo sword, and with a speed that not even she could outmaneuver, an aching pain manifested on her head.

 “Welcome home, my problematic grandchild. Tell me what you were doing so late outside, Bon Bon.”

She unhooded herself as a sign of respect. “Eavesdropping.” She stayed still in the front door, awaiting permission to go inside while bearing the punishment she just received.

“At least you are honest about it.” The kind old lady sternly said. “Are you still executing your pointless revenge on that now sweet child?”

“It’s not pointless, for it has a purpose. My plan will work. It will.”

“You’ll hurt the people you love with your actions. Leave this Sunset girl at peace and find a new, more rewarding leisure in life.”

“After what she did? Never. I’ll give her a taste of the despair she suffered! I will not rest until her sins are paid with the same coin she was forced to deliver. I will grant her revenge, justice, equality, and more importantly, I will grant us release!”

“Reckless grandchild of mine, you will lose someone important again if you continue this path, but it seems that only your failure will grant you wisdom at this point as it happened with your parents. Come inside, my foolish child, take a shower and get ready for dinner. Tomorrow will be a new day to strip out that rotten and useless need of vengeance from you.”

Bon Bon looked at her phone and laid her sight on the picture she took with Nitpick, Lyra, and friends during her date in the Maximus Plaza, and with a deep sigh filled with hope, she said, “Of course, Grandma. There shall be a new opportunity to discover truth tomorrow.”

The night howled with a chilling whir of uncertainty, and undying expectations.
> Chapter 104 - Because the little voice is acknowledges me.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thousands of ideas exploding in my mind and shaking my imagination were one of the impediments that deprived me of sleep. But unexpectedly, I didn't feel tired. On the contrary, I felt livelier than ever, just like the rising sun that slowly dawned in my room, colorful shades of rainbow forming through the prism of my window. Spike was still asleep, and I couldn’t resist the need to scratch his ears. In his dreams, he was giggling and moving his body as I carefully pet him and put him in the middle of the bed.

“Keep dreaming, Spike. You still have twenty minutes left before breakfast.”

I got out of my bed and began my daily routine. I felt in the mood of taking a warm shower this time, it burned my skin a bit, yet, it bore in me the need to dance and sing. I felt happy, and somehow, I felt important. I couldn’t stop hearing them. Grateful voices giving me nice compliments because I could help them.

Yesterday, I was able to help a lot of folks in CHS.

Mom soon called me to join her, my time to go out of the shower ended quicker than I imagined. As I entered the kitchen, my breakfast straight from my mommy’s pretty hands was ready and it didn’t take me too long to sit on the table. My dad came straight from his room and gave me a good morning kiss in my forehead, then he flew to my mom and embraced her.

“Good morning, my sweet family!” Dad said with a joyful voice as he gave her a quick kiss.

“Good morning!” Mom and I said in unison, Spike barking with us.

Dad sniffed like a puppy and said, “Such delicious smell! Bacon and eggs?”

“And some cheese burritos that I wanted to try out from my new cooking book!”

“I have a great wife, that’s exactly what I wanted to eat this morning!”

“You always want to eat bacon every morning! That’s bad for you!”

“This father of yours has a good routine of training, young lady! Will you finally eat some bacon with me this morning?”

I normally don’t eat meat. It’s bad for one’s health! It’s…

‘But that was the way of thinking of the old Twilight! We are the new Twilight!’ A voice whispered.

“…Perhaps today I will have some with you.”

“Really!?” I nodded to him. “YES! I’ve waited to hear that from you for eleven years! I know being a veggie is healthy but sometimes give your old man a bit of happiness like your brothers does! Now I can really put more vigor to my evening jogging knowing that my baby is enjoying all what life offers!”

“Oh, please! The only jogging you do is with your fingers, and I don’t think signing your name in paper could be considered an exercise!” My mom said.

“My sign is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars! It’s very hard to sign those papers when the fate of a company lies hanging with my decisions! It really takes a toll in my body!”

“Good nutrition with a good intake of vitamin C scares the diseases away! I’ve made some orange juice with the fresh fruit I bought in yesterday’s market spree. Oh! That’s right! Speaking of good things! Twilight, your brother sent you something just for you!” Mom went to the living room and brought back a big parcel.

“A gift from my Big Bro?” I clapped excited. “Could it be that he sent me the schematics for the propulsion rocket that the army is researching this year?” My fingers were toying with the envelopment. “OH! It’s a jacket! Nice! And some schematics… of the old water pumping system of the city!!! YAY!!”

“So interesting, sweetheart!” Mom caressed my head.

“And also, your new jacket has your favorite star on the sides!” Dad inspected the jacket with his hands. “This is really well made. It will take a lot of abuse without deteriorating easily.”

“I rather try and keep it tidy… I’ll wear it today!”

“That’s the spirit! Now let’s thank for the food we got today!”

“Thanks!”

“Thank you!”

“Bark!”

Our breakfast was a nice as every other morning; comfy and fleeting. Once we finished, as I redressed myself and packed my tools and books, I reminded myself to brush my teeth before leaving for school. Up and down, up and down. All the scraps of food trapped in my teeth were removed in a swift. I grinned widely and I was met by a small shine coming from them.

“Perfect.”

‘Indeed!’ The voice whispered. ‘Are you ready to give us a chance for another day of leisure and guidance?’

I chuckled. “There’s only way to find out.”

…. ….

I was met by a lot of students seeking my guidance as I walked through the halls of CHS. Each of their problems became smaller and smaller as I gave them a bit of my help, realizing that with the correct scheduling of their tasks, everything would be finished before they realize it. I was met with praise, and it felt nice.

‘You deserve it!’

A deep sense of satisfaction dwelled inside of me.

Suddenly, I received a cozy hug from behind, my ear eaten by a playful bite. “Twilight, good morning!” A friendly voice spoke to me.

“Good morning, Bon Bon! Hehehe, no, stop, that tickles!”

“My bad!” She released me and then we stood in front of each other. “Say, I noticed that you are busy but, can I have a moment of your time?”

“But of course! I’m not busy anymore, to be honest.”

“That’s great. I just want to talk with you before classes start.”

“Alright, let’s… what happened to your head?” I put my hand on her head bandage, a small bump could be felt on the surface.

“Oh, this?” Bon Bon kindly put my hand away. “I had a small sword play practice with my Grandma, but I got sloppy because of my own carelessness and this happened.”

“You must be careful when doing that…”

“Don’t worry, I will! Lyra said the same thing too, so I’ll be extra careful for the sake of both of you!” She winked at me.

I followed her to the benches of the school’s field, and we sat a bit close to each other. She offered me some fruit but I declined the offer, expressing that I was already full because of my breakfast. As she ate her apple, I let Spike out for a bit before I had to put him back in my bag inside the school. By the way he was moving his tail, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“So, Bon Bon, what’s this about?”

“Well, I just wanted to know if you were doing fine with your new position as an advisor.”

“You mean the tips I give to everyone around? Yeah, it doesn’t feel as tiresome as I as thought it would.”

“Everyone thanks Twilight when she gives them her awesome help.” Spike said.

“Oh, please! Don’t flatter me!”

‘Once in a while doesn’t hurt, though!’ 

“Nice, nice! I was just worried that you didn’t know how to react to all this but suffice to say that I am glad that my worries were for naught and you managed to do all that work pretty effectively.”

“Thank you for worrying about me!”

“We are friends, and we must look out for each other!”

I couldn’t help but blush a bit. “Yeah… We must help each other.”

“Yeah, that’s what friends do! Just like Sunset and the girls!”

“Of course, Spike… Sunset and the others… Hmm, say, do you remember the girls that are the owners of the Dazzles? The ones who attended us last time we went there?”

“Adagio and company? But of course! They are always really nice to me!”

“And they always give me delicious food!”

“Oh, I see. I have some bad news that could change your opinion about them…” Bon Bon’s face became distressed.

“Did… did something bad happen?”

She shook her head in negation. “But perhaps this may be more terrible than we imagined. What do you know about the Dazzlings?”

“You mean The Sirens? As far as Sunset told me about them, they were the evil singers that enchanted most of the school during the Battle of the Bands.”

“It seems that those girls from the Dazzles are indeed those Sirens! In a way, it’s so obvious! I cannot believe I didn’t notice it before!”

“What!?” Spike and I shouted.

“How could this be!?”

“That’s impossible!”

Bon Bon took out her phone and showed me some pictures of three pretty girls that had an aura of power and allure. The last shot was blurry but still unmistakable; three girls with draconian wings floating on the stage with red pupils and imposing presences singing with power, Adagio and company being worshiped in their own spectacle.

“No! This must be a mistake! They couldn’t… they aren’t the evil Sirens! Adagio and her sisters are one of the nicest people Twilight and I have met.”

“I’m afraid that this is the truth. I was lucky to find this picture on my phone while I was deleting useless photos, but that time I saw them in the restaurant gave me a familiarity that didn’t want to escape my mind. Now with this, there is no way we can’t deny it. The Sirens are back!”

“But they are supposed to be evil, and the Adagio I know has always given me words of strength and self-approval!”

“They were able to enchant the whole school, Twilight! Silver tongues and enchanting motions are their weapons. You must threat with care around them from now on!”

“…No! I believe in them!”

“I’m with Twilight! There’s no way they are bad anymore!”

“What!? Didn’t you hear a word of what I just said? They are dangerous! You could be under some kind of wicked spell as we speak!”

“If they were dangerous, they could have done something bad by now! I mean, with their successful business they have earned money and a reputation! If they wanted to harm my friends, they would have done so by now by using bribery or something awful! But they haven’t, have they?”

“Perhaps they are waiting for the right moment to strike! Maybe they are doing their next move as we speak!”

“…But… they were shot by the Elements of Harmony, right? All who have been blasted away by them have become good and caring. Sunset was hit… I was hit. Then they must have been given a chance for redemption as well.”

“Twilight, you…” Bon Bon thought of something for a moment as she turned around, giving us her back. After what it seemed like a long a while, she finally faced me and said, “Perhaps you are right. It’s just that I have become a bit wary of these things because of the magical craziness that I have experienced so far. I wish I had your optimism about these situations.”

“I’m still not that confident about some things regarding this subject. It’s just that I know that they can’t be evil anymore. Perhaps, one day, we all can become friends with them!”

“Now there is something that I can say for sure about you.”

“About me?”

“Yes, it was surely a slow process, but there is no mistake now.” She smiled at me and took my hands. “You have become really empathetic and thoughtful about others. Perhaps you are becoming a better representation of friendship in this world than the Princess.”

My world changed with just a few simple words. The leaves of this ever-changing autumn flew across the wind as her words slowly sowed themselves in one corner of my consciousness. Like flowers that bloomed in the gardens of spring, like the blue sea waving across the skies of summer, Bon Bon always found a way to make me feel special.

“Twilight.” She softly spoke to me. “I have the feeling that if Sunset knows that Adagio and company are nearby, she will try to accuse her of the bad things that happened before. You know, old grudges are hard to forget. Just like the incident with Crystal Prep during the beginning of this competition.”

“I don’t think so! Sunset is someone who will see right away that Adagio has changed!”

“Yeah! She is like a walking friendship machine! She will definitely notice!”

“Indeed she will, Spike!” She patted his head with a smirk. “Indeed she will.” A short laugh then was exhaled. “But… what if you are wrong? Sunset has her impulsive side as well. She can be really reckless and stubborn sometimes!”

“There is no way we can be wrong about Sunset. Right, Spike?”

“Of course, Twilight! You’re never wrong!”

‘Who is a smart little fellow? He is our smart little fellow!’

“…Indeed!”

“… …Twilight?” Bon Bon looked concerned all of the sudden.

“What is it?”

“You looked pale for a moment… And your eyes…” She inspected my face and then chuckled. “And nothing, it must be my imagination.” She clapped her hands and continued, “In any case, thank you for hearing me out. You really helped me by listening to my worries.”

“I’m glad I could help! Call me again if you need anything! I’m sure I will give you an answer to your problems!”

“Let’ see how long your helping spree last. Now, let’s go or we’re gonna be late.”

…. ….

While I was walking to the cafeteria, I noticed that there was a commotion going on.

“Ohhh! Is this what I think it is!?” A student asked with a high pitch.

“Yes! It’s that time of the month!” Granny Smith shouted with great energy. “Baked potato cakes with cheese for today’s menu!”

The student’s roar thundered inside the cafeteria, I too joining the wave of hungry people's march. What could be better than cheese and potatoes!? I did my best to get a nice spot on the line but I couldn’t manage to even get in. No! There wasn’t even a line anymore!! Even Rarity wanted one of the packs before the supply got emptied. In a way, this was a war for a big, single, delicious looking slice of cake.

“Come on, Thunderbass! Don’t lose the pace!”

“Man, this is madness!”

I saw my friend, Thunderbass, and Soarin trying to surf their way through the nonexistent line of students with much trouble. The trio of guys made a triangle formation, Nitty taking charge as the tip of the spear, and opening the way across the frenzied population.

“I will get that discounted potato cake!” His money-saving powers manifested through his relentless march, scaring the students that became aware of his presence.

He gave me a sign to get behind Soarin and I followed his lead like the rest, and after a few insane minutes of intervals of stopping and moving forward, we finally managed to get in the serving table. We were lucky, as there were seven packs left of food. Nitty, Soarin and I bought ours while Thunderbass got two; one for him and the other for Octavia. We escaped safely from the horde after buying our lunch.

“Alright, everyone!” Applejack shouted. “The last two are sold out!” Lyra and Bon Bon were the lucky ones. “We still have freshly baked hotcakes available for all, y’all! Come get yours!”

A saddened, “Awww”, was heard from the remaining multitude. Some bought the hotcakes, and others tried to get a pinch of the potatoes from the lucky people. I saw Rainbow Dash trying to have a grab from Pinkie’s, but somehow it was funny to see her fail.

No… That shouldn’t be funny…

‘But look at their faces! So silly fighting for a cheese chunk!!’

Ahahaha, yes, it was funny.

I wanted to sit with the girls but it seems that they were going to have breakfast inside the cafeteria, and to be honest, I wasn’t in the mood to stay in such cramped room. I didn’t see Sunset with them, perhaps she was busy with something else regarding the school committee. In any case, I decided to follow my new party group, and I saw the leader with a strange mood.

“Weak!” Nitty said while seeing the unlucky students who failed with a stern look. “They didn’t want the potatoes hard enough.”

“I like Granny Smith’s monthly specialties as anyone else but you are exaggerating, man.”

“Shut up, Thunderbass. Only the strong got on their hands this tasty looking meal of desires.” He walked away to his spot, and before arriving there, he turned around and asked, “Why are you following me?” He said in hiss while frowning a bit tired.

“Because we eat lunch with you, remember?” Octavia said, who joined us with Lyra and Bon Bon when we passed the entrance on the school.

“Because we are your friends!” I said.

“Because the weather is really nice this morning to eat outside!” Soarin added.

“Because we like to be with you!” Bon Bon winked at him.

“Because we learn something new about each other every day!” Thunderbass amicable snapped his hand and pointed his finger at him.

“And because you must remember that your spot is now our spot of friendship and sweet memories!” Lyra grinned with rejoice as she sat on the floor, leaving Nitty raging in silence.

When we all sat down, and just after I put Spike’s meal on his plate, Bon Bon asked, “So far, how’s school for everyone today?”

“Nice. Spitfire is in high spirits because the school fields are ready to be used for practice.”

“My day is going great as well. Octavia, Bulk and I finally managed to perfect the fifth section of the song we are practicing for the concert.”

“There are still little details that must be fixed but changing some of our old and busted strings in our instruments will do the trick.”

“Well, Bon Bon and I just got into a quarrel.” Lyra crossed her arms and looked away.

“Here we go again.” Bon Bon rubbed her eyes.

“Whatever the problem is, the answer is ditching her. She is a pain in the ass.” Nitty received a painful pinch from her. “ARGH! Fuck you! I’m helping – No! Stop!”

“That’s for being mean.”

Thunderbass chuckled extremely entertained. “I could watch this all-!” He received a pinch from her as well, making him cry in pain.

“And that’s for laughing at other’s misery! Learn from Soarin! He’s always so nice and peaceful with everybody!”

We looked at him and we noticed that he was enjoying his potatoes in his private own world. Like a little kid enjoying his favorite hamburger on the corner of the table.

“You look so sweet!” Octavia said with tenderness.

“Hmm!?” His cheeks looked like filled balloons as he was aware again of everyone’s presence. “Did something happen?”

“Oh, nothing.” She blushed a bit. “Keep eating.”

He swallowed his food and said, “Don’t mind if I do.”

“In any case, what we were talking about?” Lyra asked.

“About your problem with Bon Bon.” I answered.

“Oh, yeah! Guys, which looks better from these two?”

She showed two pictures of them dressed in two different ways. In the first one, they were wearing flashy disco clothing, and in the second, they were using business suits. Both of those styles suited them nicely but...

“I like the suits.” Octavia said.

“Both look great.” Thunderbass added.

“The disco clothes look radical!” Soarin raised his hands up.

“My vote goes for the disco as well.” I said. Spike, on the other hand, chose the suits with his paw, leaving Nitty amazed.

“If only the dog could talk, I bet he would say something interesting.”

“Ah… yeah, Nit-Nit, if only Spike could talk, right, Twilight?” Lyra looked at me with skepticism, and I told her with my eyes that he still didn’t know. “Anyway, what looks better on us?”

“Your smile in your face.” Nitty dryly remarked with a chuckle, earning him another pinch. “Argh! That hurt! I don’t know who is worse, Dancer or you!” He sighed a bit troubled. “I’ll choose the suits just for the sake of giving my answer!”

“Why the suits and not the disco style?”

“You look sexier in it. The disco clothes looks nice as well but a slight classy style is better for me. Leaves more to the imagination.”

“Any example?”

“Just look at Melody. She reeks of sensuality with that tidy bow tie and sleek dress pants. Those hips are the real deal, lady.”

Octavia charismatically cleared her throat and told him, “I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear any insidious remark coming from your mouth, Nitpick Bittersweet.”

“You too? Fuck it, who understands women? You help them, they pinch you. You insult them, they pinch you. You praise them, they make a fool of you. Men will never please them at full with that attitude!”

We all laughed at his cynicism and then continued eating our breakfast. We exchanged some minor talks here and there but we just enjoyed this fleeting, comfy time together.

It was a pleasant morning.

…. ….

Fifteen minutes before the school’s bell rang.

“We better get going. We can practice at least two times the song before break ends.”

“Agreed, I’ll look for Bulk while you prepare the room, Thunderbass.”

“I better join Spitfire and study for a quick test that our teacher made for us.”

“Bon Bon and I will reinforce our suits for dancing standards.”

“I knew I would win with our clothing decision.”

“Shh.”

“And I’ll study a bit in the library.”

After all was said and done, we were about to leave, but like if our minds were connected by a sheer curiosity, we all looked at Nitty, who fell asleep with his arms crossed. We somehow felt that something was wrong.

“He normally doesn’t talk much when we gather together but… he was more quiet than usual.” Soarin said.

“Now that I am giving him a better look, he looks worn out.” Lyra said with worry.

“Bittersweet…?” Octavia caressed his face. “Hey, Bittersweet…” He slowly regained consciousness. “Are you okay, my friend?”

“Yeah, I was asleep.”

“You can’t do that now, it’s almost time to go back inside.”

He looked at his clock and noticed the hour. “You are right…”

“Do you have a problem? Perhaps we can help!” She helped him get up.

Problem!? Help!? I can solve it!

“No, I’m fine.” He cleaned his jeans with his hands and threw his trash in the bin. “Even if I had a problem, I don’t think you could help me.”

“So you have a problem.”

“I don’t, Melody. Let’s go.”

“Don’t be stubborn and let us help.”

“We can help!” I said.

“It’s not a big...” He yawned so deeply that he shared his drowsiness with us. “I’m fine.”

“Suit yourself. We’ll be in touch if you need anything.” Thunderbass patted his shoulder and they all went ahead to their destinations.

“You can trust in me!” I said while standing in front of him. “Come on, you can tell me! We are best buddies, right!? I can help!”

“We better get moving.” He passed besides me.

“Hey, wait! Tell me what’s wrong.”

“There’s nothing wrong.”

“But-!”

“There you are!!” Sunset ran towards us, panting in exhaustion and looking uncool. “I f-finally had time to find you!”

“Slow down, take a breath. What’s the issue?”

“Nitpick, and Twilight… We need to talk.”

“I don’t think I like where this is going.”

“Do you remember about the time I talked about the Dazzlings? The group of girls that were great but mean singers?”

“The Dazzlings? … …Now I definitely know where this is going.”

“Good, I’ll cut to the chase. Has Adagio and company told you bad things about CHS?”

‘She can be really reckless and stubborn sometimes.’ Bon Bon’s voice echoed in my head. But Sunset knows better than anyone else about redemption and forgiveness… She couldn’t possibly start discriminating them out of the blue.

“Yes.”

Sunset’s eyes opened widely in shock, then her expression became stern. “Whatever they have told you about us, they are all lies.”

“I know. Remember that I told you that it was my mistake for listening to ill advice.”

“You never told me that you have spoken to them before.”

“Does it matter? As long as I strive to help you, it should be enough for you.”

“No, you don’t understand! Adagio and her sisters are people you can’t trust in anything!”

“They have been nice to Gilda and the rest so I don’t think your experiences apply to me.”

“He is right!” I intervened. “They have been really nice with me and Spike and have never done us any harm!”

Her face became pale. “You have spoken with them before?”

“Yes! And they are really amicable!”

“H-how? W-when? …WHY YOU DIDN’T TELL ME, TWILIGHT!?!” She shook me from my arms!

“Hey, stop! That hurts!” She quickly put away her hands off me. “I didn’t know they were the same Dazzlings that tried to conquer the world through their songs!”

“Now you know! They are dangerous! You can’t trust them at all!”

“Why not? They have treated us great so far and if they had any wish to harm us, they would have done so by now!”

“They are being careful now that they have lost their powers! You must trust me! If Princess Twilight were here, she would tell you the same thing!”

“Adagio and company were hit by the Elements of Harmony! They have changed and are really nice people!”

“No, they must be plotting something! I spoke with Adagio yesterday and she hasn’t changed one bit!”

“I… I don’t believe you!”

“What!?” Sunset was surprised with my answer. “Twilight… You know I would never speak ill of someone unless they are evil! The Sirens from our… my world, are creatures of greed and vanity! They won’t stop until they fulfill their need to receive worship and praise!”

“You were blasted by the Elements and changed, and I got saved by you with the help from those same powers! They too have become nicer as a result!”

“Tyrek, a powerful centaur from my world, was also hit by the Elements and they weren’t able to reform him. Not everyone can be turned good with their power! It’s a decision we must make by ourselves… It took me a long while to realize I was wrong and come to the good side.”

“But… what if they became good as well and they still don’t realize it? We must give them a chance!”

“That… I’ll consult it with Princess Twilight. She will know what to do.”

‘She will rely on that buffoon’s opinion when she has us!?!’

“Argh, you are wasting your time! She’ll just come here, inspect them, and realize that there is nothing wrong with them! I can feel it… I believe it!”

“We must be sure that what you feel is true. For now I’ll write in my journal and ask her to come to this world when she can. We also…”

Then it happened. We dread in our hearts we both realized what we just talked about all this time. She and I were scared, scared to look at his face. What were we thinking!? She will know the secret now! Or worse, he’ll think we are insane!

“Nitpick, this is not…” I was surprised to see that he wasn’t here anymore.

“He received a call from Reem and left before you mentioned the magic issues.”

“Phew, close one… I better talk to him and warn him about them too. I’ll see you in class in a moment.”

“Sure.” When she left, I turned to my Faithful Assistant and said, “Did you see that? Why didn’t she believe me?”

“I don’t know! I have never seen her so paranoiac before! It’s just like Bon Bon told us in the morning!”

“Bon Bon? That’s it! She will know what to do! We must catch with her before classes start!”

“Catch me for what?”

I turned my sight to the staircase of the school’s entrance and she was coming our way quickly.

“What an opportune coincidence! We were about to look for you!”

“Oh? What for? I just came back to grab my backpack. I forgot it in his spot.”

“You were right! Sunset didn’t believe us about Adagio! She came here and started to say mean things about her! Worse, she insist that Princess Twilight must come here instead of hearing my opinion about this matter! That somehow makes me… Hmmm… angry!”

“Woah, woah, woah! Relax!” She rested her arm on my shoulders and pulled me to her. “She still doesn’t trust your advice because you haven’t show your real worth yet.”

“But I have helped every student that have asked for my aid! That must count for something!”

“Yeah, and all of them are grateful to you. It’s just…” She rested her hand on my heart. “You haven’t helped your main friends.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“As you know, Princess Twilight ‘saved’ CHS by defeating Sunset, and during that process, she rebuilt the friendships of Applejack and the others. You must find a way to naturally help them. What I mean is, don’t create a problem for them that only you can fix. When they have a real problem they can’t fix on their own, you must come to them and offer your sincere aid. No strings attached, a selfless helping hand!”

“But that could take a while!” Spike said. “Adagio and the rest don’t have that much time and Sunset and the girls might try to do something against them!”

“My, my! You are becoming smarter each passing day, but you over-thought the situation, little buddy. Remember, Sunset won’t do anything careless until she is sure that she can do something about it, and she will wait for…?”

“Princess Twilight.”

“I bet you that she will come during this week, maybe tomorrow if she is desperate! You may not have the opportunity to help your friends right now, but if they ever try to incriminate the Dazzlings, you must stand your ground and show to them that you are right and they are wrong with facts! Quick quiz, do they have an honest business? The Dazzles, I mean.”

“Yes.”

“Do they pay to their employees well?”

“As far as I know, yes!”

“Aren’t they hard workers now?”

“Yes! And good cooks as well! Especially Sonata… her tacos are great!”

“And we can say good things about them on and on! You see my point? You must show that the Princess doesn’t have to come here as long as you exist! Once they see that you are worthy in giving advice about forgiveness and friendship, the Princess’s dependence will slowly die away.”

“That makes sense! You are so brilliant!”

“This is the obvious scenario, no need for praise. Come on, now! Don’t lose hope! You are already doing great progress, just don’t be greedy and do it at a normal pace! No crawling, and no running, just walk! Do that for me, pretty please!”

“…Alright! I’ll do it for you!”

“Great! You are a nice friend!” The bell rang and she ran away. “I’ll grab my bag and see you later!”

“I’ll go ahead then! Come, Spike! Go inside the bag!”

“Aww…”

…. ….

“What do you mean Cranky Doodle will not come!? He always comes late and now this!?”

“Mr. Bittersweet, please stay calm and listen! The professor will arrive shortly with a new video that the school wants you to see! So wait here for him, and that goes for all of you as well.”

“Yes, Mrs. Harshwinny!” The rest of the students said as she leaved the classroom.

“Fine. I’ll take a nap until he arrives.”

“No, you won’t. We need to-!”

“Not now, Sunset. I didn’t have a good night rest so at least give me some minutes of leisure while there is no class to disrespect.”

“But the Dazzlings-!”

“I won’t hear you anymore.”

“Nitpick!”

“… …ZzzzZz…”

“Ah…” I inspected him and I was surprised by what I found. “He really fell asleep.”

“I can’t believe this. Why doesn't he listen to my warning?”

“To be honest, it’s not as bad as what you think it is! He says that they aren’t evil, and I think the same way!”

“You say that because you don’t know what they are capable of.”

“We know their current selves, that’s the only thing that matters.”

“They could be lying as far as we know.”

“Why are you…? … …You once said that your past doesn’t define you, because that is no longer your today. What happened with that? Is there a special rule that doesn’t apply to some people? It is because they aren’t ponies like you?”

Her expression changed into a pit of shock and surprise. “Tell me… you didn’t just say that, Twilight…”

“Well, I did, so?… You know what? I don’t want to hear another word about this topic. It’s clear that you don’t trust my opinion so I won’t bother anymore. Let me study at peace while the teacher arrives.”

“Twilight!”

I put my book in front of me and never laid it down until the professor arrived. Even when the video was extremely fascinating, and Mr. Doodle was giving his best class so far, Sunset had this… aura of wariness and worry surrounding her.

‘So annoying!!’

“You wouldn’t have those ill thoughts if you listened to me…” I mumbled.

…. ….

Another day of school ended, and it was my duty to pursue someone who clearly needed my help.

“Nitty!”

“What?” His voice was stern.

“Why are you avoiding me like this? I just want to help you!”

“I know!” He sighed. “Crap, I know, Twilight…”

“…Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why haven’t you called me with the special name you thought for me?”

“…I’m sorry, Midnight. Perhaps I am acting more distant than usual.”

“We are worried about you. Tell me the truth, do you have a problem?”

“Yes.”

“So…?”

“You can’t help me at all.”

“Try me!”

“I won’t tell you.”

“Why not!?”

“Because it’s personal. My problems, my show, I will solve them on my own! Well, not on my own but most of the heavy lifting will be done by me. At least understand that if I knew you could help, I would look for you.”

“Seriously?”

He put his hands on my arms and had a very soft expression. “You are growing far more quickly than I thought. Hell, at this pace, I don’t think my tips about friendship will do you any good soon.”

“Don’t say that.”

He poked my nose and smiled at me. “I already told you before that we aren’t meant to be in the same social circles. And with this sudden chance of yours, it seems that you finally found your true self. I was scared of you, you know? When I saw you yesterday with your new look and imposing presence, I felt weird. Really weird. But once again I just overreacted at something petty.”

“You…”

“I should go. I need to-!”

“BOSS!!”

“Those voices!”

Like a burst of mayhem filled with relentless energy and innocence, The Cutie Crusaders ran around us with jumps and spins.

“Crusaders, stop that! Get in line!”

The trio formed a line and saluted like little soldiers. “Sir!”

“You little creatures of the lord…” He mumbled while rubbing his face. 

"We have it!" The trio shouted.

"Really!?"

“Of course! We worked all night for this!” Sweetie Belle showed him an USB, putting him in a better mood.

“We are ready for action!”

“Easy-peasy-gaming-kissey!”

“We’ll see yah in the tree house, y’all! We got everything ready thanks to Big Mac!”

“Ugh… eeyup.” Big Mac came from behind with pronounced eye bags.

“Sorry for the trouble.” Nitpick said apologetic, the older Apple sibling just waving his hands, saying with them, ‘No problem’.

“Crusaders, let’s roll out!”

“I’ll see you in a bit, I need to go home quickly for something I forgot.”

“We can take you there, Bub! Right, big bro?”

“Eeyup. I’ll start the engine and wait for you on the parking lot when you finish speaking with Twilight.” Then they left us alone.

“…So, what was that all about?”

“My salvation in the form of three cute, little brats.”

There was a kind of irony in his words that made me laugh. Said irony slowly turned into skepticism… and then in deep boiling… anger.

“Are… are you saying that those children can help you… but I can’t?”

“Yes.”

“The Crusaders can help you, but I can’t.”

“They have certain perks that no one else have.”

“Like what?”

“I can’t tell, sorry. I should go.”

“Alright, alright. Take care. Call me if you need anything!” As he leaved my side, there was only one thought crossing my mind. “It’s not that I couldn’t possibly make his life easier, although obviously I can but… but… … …”



‘What’s wrong with him!?!’

“I know, right!?! What the hell is he thinking!? How did he arriv to the idea that I am useless compared to those little brats?”

‘Stupid fools! Both of them!’

“He’ll realize that he is wrong about them! Just like Sunset and her wrong ideas about the Dazzles!”

“Twilight, there you are!”

“Oh, Spike! I told you to wait for me inside!”

“Actually, he didn't have to wait if I could help it, y’all!”

“Applejack!”

“Hey, Twi! …What’s wrong?”

“Huh!?”

“You look…” She arranged her hat and suspiciously said, “Angry.”

“Me?” I laughed at her remark. “I’m not angry! It must be your imagination!”

“Are you sure about that? I can tell something is wrong with you.”

“Of course! Trust me, I would be the first to know if I was angry! Never mind that, tell me, what do you know about what the Crusaders are going to do later? They spoke about a reunion in a tree house of sorts.”

“Oh, shoot! Not this again!”

“What happened?”

“Those three and Big Mac were fixing the tree house all night long! I barely managed to get some sleep!”

“You and Granny Smith looked fine a while ago during the sale.”

“Granny doesn’t hear that well anymore so she was spared the noise. Me on the other hand had to stand their insufferable hammering and screams all night! Poor Winona was as tired as a log in the grass, y’all.”

“Now that is what I call to be angry.”

“Me, angry? Hmm... Yeah, maybe you are right…”

“They are just children, Applejack. Let them be while they still can.”

“…I think that is fair. I mean, sometimes I had my moments of impulsiveness when I was a younger. They’ll learn someday to be a little more serious when it matters.”

“You just needed to talk about it to relax. Better?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Anytime, glad I could help.”

“You always help me out one way or another, Twi.”

“Great! But just to be safe, we should see what they will do. You know, see they don’t get in any trouble.”

And research what they have that I lack!

“I can do that, but I don’t think you can.”

“What!?” My fist clenched all of the sudden. “And why not!?”

She pointed with her thumb backwards and I noticed that a small group of students were waiting for us to finish our conversation.

“There is a certain Scientist that has been helping a lot of folks lately, y’all! Could it be that you know who she may be?” She winked at me while playing with her hat and putting my backpack in front of me.

“Oh~!” I grabbed my belonging and pulled out my trusty check list. “I think should get started right now!”

That’s right, it’s like Bon Bon said! I must prove myself that I am fully capable of helping them before they start trusting my word completely. Just wait, everyone! I won’t disappoint you!

‘We won’t disappoint you!’
> Chapter 105 - Screwing people...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Grandma once said, ‘Watch with attentive eyes the whole world around you, because for the greatest secrets to be found, you must delve in the most unlikely of places.’ It’s something that I have taken to heart, even when our views of life diverge, to an extent at least.

Secrets are one of the greatest aspects of humanity, for they deliver fear to the heart, doubt to the soul, intrigue to the spirit, and above all else, give us the chance to recognize friend from foe, ally from enemy, monsters from humans, and gods from devils. Those who know the truth and are still able to hold such deep shames or horrors safe from others´ ears are valuable people, for they become keepers of knowledge, and transcend to a higher existence.

They evolve, becoming a pillar of trust.

Perhaps I am embellishing this a bit, after all, such individuals are only one in every million. And even if one manages to find one kind of pillar in this life… how much would it take for it to betray you? No, the real question would be; How much one needs to betray it to make it turn its back on you? How much guilt and regret that pillar must withstand from one’s sins until its conscience crumbles on the floor and rises again like a phoenix? Devils and monsters can bore in them the right notes to do the right thing, and not even them can stop an awakened righteous heart, no matter the cost they must pay for revealing the truth.

But focus on the present I must, for I need to know a secret from someone.

Hiding above the roof of a colorful tree house, I was comfortably laying my back on its sturdy wood. The Apple’s trees are very resilient across the seasons, the leaves remaining gracing me with a hiding spot that my targets couldn’t uncover unless they paid enough attention to it. As I saw the clouds pass within the limited view that the branches and leaves allowed me to have, I grew bored as I waited for the main event to appear.

Doing this makes me feel like a kind of a spy… sort of. I mean, who doesn’t like the thrill, the scheming, the joy of fulfillment after a job well done regarding counter-scholar-terrorism against bullies and blackmailers from a school? I know that I do. At the same time, one can also learn to use poison to fight poison.

It’s… exhilarating sometimes, even if deep down I know it’s wrong.

Following Bittersweet’s steps were very easy to match. After he said to me that he would oppose me, I knew I needed to check on him more regularly. See what he was planning on my back and counterattack. The fool, believing that he can stop me at this point of the match, even going so far to recruit the Crusaders, of all people he could think of. I didn’t believe it at first but following the kids and him around the school made my suspicions on their actions clearer. I even heard from Applejack in the morning that they repaired the tree house where I was currently resting on.

I gotta admit that the tree house looked cute on the outside.

Perhaps he told them about me. Perhaps not. I bet he didn’t tell them, he failed once and I’m sure he would fail again if he told them the truth. Innocent, lovely but annoying little kids, thank you for being as naïve as the rest. Still, I don’t know what’s in his head regarding their recruitment but I wouldn’t be even here if I didn’t care about fulfilling my objective. My plans must keep going on the right track, and I can’t be careless, no matter how much advantage I have right now. A little eavesdropping and damage control never hurts a plan.

Never.

Alas, they were taking too long, and they had an advantage in the form of Big Mac and his truck to begin with. It’s been almost half of an hour since school was over and more than ten minutes since I arrived here and no signs from them could be seen on the road down there. If I had known that Big Mac was a very slow driver, I would have stopped by the local store and bought some snacks instead of rushing and taking several shortcuts. My teeth hungered for a hard candy, but oh well, better earlier than sorry, as everyone says. I decided to relax my position even further and whistle for a bit. I can wait a bit more.

I have waited three long years already and I will do it again for the sake of my goals.

…. ….

Ten minutes later.

“We must hurry or we’re gonna be late!” A glimpse of Scootaloo’s loud voice was heard across the winds.

I moved my head to the direction of the road and I spotted a red truck coming to the Apple’s terrains. As the Elder Apple Sibling parked his vehicle and the passengers got out, I checked one last time that I was in a safe spot. The trio ran towards the stairs of their tree house and hopped inside. Such energy, such passion!

“It’s better than I expected.” The fool’s voice was of amazement.

Not moving from my spot, I closed my eyes and focused on the moment, on my surroundings, on my targets. I could hear it, Scootaloo rushing to the center of the modest tree house. I could feel it, Sweetie Belle’s tender steps as she was walking to the other side of the hall, carrying with her something of moderate size. I could picture it, Applebloom standing near them and tidying the place. I could imagine it, him sitting in the cramped place filled with cute little girls, putting an embarrassed face and hiding it from them.

“What’s wrong, Bub?” Applebloom asked.

“Nothing. It’s just that I never imagined I would be sitting in such a… rosy place.” He said embarrassed. “Looks nice, so good job.”

“Thanks!”

Hehehe, I knew it!

“Well, y’all! Let’s start our first official meeting at our new club house!” Applebloom shouted.

“YAY!!!” Her friends followed.

I know he was in a dire spot but I never imagined that he was desperate enough to seek help from The Cutie Crusaders. But who else but them? I made sure that he cut all ties with his trusted friends, one way or another. The only one who could actually lend him a hand because of loyalty and deep friendship was Gilda, but she was helping him with Sugarcoat right now. And even if she managed to calm her down and bring with her the rest of his friends, by the time she brought the reinforcements, my victory would have become a forgotten memory already.

“We should all come up with an idea to write our own anthem!” Scootaloo’s voice trembled with excitement.

“That sounds like a great idea!”

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS FOREVER!!”

“YEAH!”

I could see it clearly, his face of desperation as he saw the trio jumping and laughing together, celebrating for their participation in a school activity in a while. The vibrations of their motions reached my back. He didn’t say a word, nor scolded them, after all, they were still kids, and kids deserve every opportunity to have fun before reaching the last year of high school.

Right, Bittersweet?

While they finished exchanging ideas for songs and having their own fun, I checked my phone and texted back to my friends’ messages. I must uncover what he intends to do, but their discussion was so slow that even texting seemed funnier. He must help Sunset. Period. That’s the only thing that matters now to him. How must he achieve it? By cleaning the crap we created for her. How must he do it? Oh, that’s the interesting part.

They were so slow, though.

No sooner than the breeze of autumn exploring my mortal vessel, Applebloom brought from the house cookies that Granny Smith made for the occasion. They began eating the treats to reinvigorate their blood with essential nutrients, and surprisingly, I grew jealous of the fact that they were eating carrot cookies with a mix of apple fiber with a good glass of fresh milk and some natural marmalades of different kinds.

“Crap, I am hungry now.” I smirked in defeat, the smell coming from inside unbearably delicious to my nose.

“Alright, y’all! Let’s make this official!” Applebloom started moving across the room. “Before starting our meeting, we must promise three things to make this mission work! Number one; this is a secret mission! Anyone who isn’t any of the present here can’t know about this! Put both hands in your heart and say, ‘We are a team and we won’t spill the beans’!”

“We are a team and we won’t spill the beans!” The group said in chant, Nitpick a bit embarrassed while doing it.

“Number two; we must put ourselves a time limit for real about this! If we laze around, time will catch with us and we have at least ten days to make this thing work, y’all!”

“We have more than ten days, Applebloom!” Scootaloo said. “Remember that Thanksgiving is going to happen on the last Thursday of the month! There’ll be plenty of time to do things right!”

“Yeah, but just like a good sale, if you don’t act quickly, all the good stuff will be taken.”

She was right. For them it was Wednesday 12th, and Thanksgiving was going to happen in fifteen days. There would be plenty of opportunities for something bad to happen, and diminishing their mistakes with daily planning was a most for them. I must make sure that those plans never come to fruition now, mustn’t I?

“And what’s number three?”

“We should use codenames to talk about these things while in public!”

“YAY!” The girls rejoiced.

“This will be fun!”

“We would be like secret agents of friendship!”

I was about to explode in laughter when they finished saying that. I struggled to keep my posture intact and don’t make a rattle! I could see it! His face! I could see his face falling on his hands and wildly scratching his hair.

“What kind of codenames should we use?”

“Foreign names!”

“Genius!”

Those kids will kill me!

“I know a lot about those!” Sweetie Belle raised her voice.

“Why should we use codenames, girls?”

“Because when we want to talk about our progress in public, nobody will know what we are actually talking about! We can say it’s a private joke of sorts!”

Your operation is a private joke, alright!

“That… actually could work. Most of the school think that you are always wasting time anyway.”

“That’s rig- not true, Bub!!”

“Anyway, Sweetie Belle, have you thought about our names yet?”

“Yeah! Applebloom will be called Michelle, you’ll be call Madeline, and I’ll assume the identity of Claire!”

“…Why?” The girls all asked amused and somewhat perplexed.

“I don’t know, but I think they fit with us. Like, if in another life we were famous voice actress or something.”

“Right~, Sweetie Belle… Hey, can I choose another name? I believe I have a better one for me!”

“Let’s hear it, Scoots!”

The little child cleared her throat and simply said, “Rainbowloo!”

… …What a lame name.

It didn’t take him a second to respond, “Rejected.”, as he slammed his hand on something sturdy like a judge.

“But it sounds cool!”

“Don’t make kick you out of this mission, padawan!”

“Aww…”

“In any case, let’s get down to business!” After a few minutes of quietness, she continued. “Prepare to be amazed by the super duper incredible information we made for you! It took six hours to prepare all of it! Many good minutes were lost during Mr. Cranky’s class.”

“So that’s why you disappeared in the middle of the movie!” Nitpick said a bit concerned.

“It was for the greater good!”

“Say already that it was a boring class. I almost fell asleep as well.”

“And Mr. Doodle didn’t miss us at all.”

“Don’t do that ever again, even if it concerns this, it’s that clear, padawans?”

“Yeah…” The trio expressed apologetic.

“Well then, let’s start!” Sweetie Belle clapped her hands. “Behold!”

I needed to see but I couldn’t move from my spot. If I got down, Big Mac could see me through the window of his home, and even if I managed to casually go down and knock the door, what kind of explanation I could give to them? Bittersweet would instantly know that I followed him. Making him paranoid would serve me well… but at the same time… He had enough to worry about.

“So… what Sunset said about her past self was truer than I imagined.” He said with a bit of disappointment. “Is this for real?”

Sweetie Belle then said, “But that was before. Now she is one the best girls one can befriend. There were also mean gossips of all the students combined in our file but we only focused with the stuff that Sunset did in the past.”

Curses! What is he reading!? Screw it, I must see!

Quietly I put down my head on the window, and there I saw it. Sunset’s younger self was showed on the projector. Many pictures besides it brought to me many bitter memories. One in particular was when she humiliated the cooking club because she didn’t like the grilled chicken they did for their first try as a team. It wasn’t good but it didn’t excuse her of what she did to them.

Burning their utensils wasn’t a kind gesture, and them paying for something they didn’t do was out of the question.

As they continued the presentation, I noticed something. Those were the Anon-A-Miss archives they posted when the trio were spreading gossips! So a copy of their deeds survived after all! Clever brats.

Making sure that nobody was below the tree house or looking at me through the window of the Apple’s house, I came back to my resting position above the roof with a clearer idea of what’s this all about.

After a few minutes of silence, he finally said, “Melody had a jazz club? …And she played the Saxophone as well!? What happened to it?”

“They disbanded. But she enjoys music so much that she teaches music to others!”

“Yeah, as you know, she sometimes teaches some kids from the block how to play an instrument.”

“Ah, yes. I remember she mentioned that during that time where… I had my first fallout with Spitfire… while I defended Twilight. Hnh, If only I had acted wiser instead of being enraged back then. Ok, next.”

They continued talking but nothing was extraordinary or useful. They mentioned various names like Trixie, Minuette, and other students that no longer resided in CHS. But why? Damn it, give me another clue to work with!

“Okay, let’s go.” He stood up and opened the door.

“Shouldn’t we review the other stuff? We can do multiple friendship solutions today!”

Friendship solutions? Now we are talking.

“Trust me, girls, trying to do a lot of stuff in a short amount of time isn’t wise. I learned my lesson well when I tried to take leadership of the whole event and ended up sick last time.”

“Right.”

As they got out of the house, I noticed something incredibly peculiar. While they were walking to the bus stop, there was a shadow that wasn’t there before and didn’t belong to the tree that slowly started moving from it, a little bump that had assumed the form of a cowgirl hat. Her hair that looked like silky golden hay flew away with the wind, her arms crossed tightly and legs firmly standing on the ground with a silhouette of determination.

It seems that I wasn’t the only one who eavesdropped for a bit.

…. ….

Watching the students do the usual routine became a stale existence for Nitpick. Now that they no longer were strangers to the halls and procedures of each institution, CHS and Crystal Prep didn’t argue as often as before with each other. They created with pure silence and dedication an unsigned treaty of peace, claiming that finishing the job was more important than blaming who didn’t do what. Also it meant that they didn’t have to see each other in the face, something that was pleasant for people like Sour Sweet and Suri Polomare.

As he walked with his documentation in hand, he stumbled with Zap, only giving him an indifferent stare as she continued her path, the stress of Sugarcoat giving her a stale approach in her social life. He had a sudden pity for her, but he decided to focus on his mission. He soon began doing his daily inspection and decided to put his mystery quest at halt.

He gave to the crusaders some documentation, and it seemed that they had to fill it. As I proceeded to following them from the shadows and avoiding some students along the way, Lyra painfully among them, I realized that they were actually learning how to analyze things on what was wrong with our procedures. At least, I hoped it wasn’t the case.

As he inspected the progress all of CHS had while filling his format, he was happy - as much as it was unbelievable coming from him - to see that the students had come a long way since the first day of the competition. No longer they had to play ‘catch the mice’ to put order on the halls, no more were the days where the representatives had to tell the students to separate organic and inorganic trash and dispose them on the right containers. A new culture of good values and scheduling dawned on them.

For a fleeting moment, it felt like if he was in another school, with other people, in a better situation. Such nostalgic face he had as he wrote down the rest of his notes.

“Alright, that should be all. Let me see what you have!”

“Here!”

“I believe we did well!”

“We did awesome if you ask me!”

“Let’s see if-!”

I didn’t need to guess that they screwed up as he got quite for a second before trying to say something to the three inexperienced girls. His face was priceless.

“We did great, right?”

Then, he saw it. A picture he couldn’t avoid seeing. A scene he mustn’t ruin in his life. Eyes sparkling with hope and longing for approval were looking at him with smiles and shimmering teeth. Part of me felt guilty for trying to laugh at him, but it was almost impossible. His face was funny as hell.

“Yes.” He forced his way to not answer bluntly. “It was a good first try… Let’s do the tour again and let me teach you how to do things up a bit better!”

“Sure!”

“No problem!”

“Every day is a new opportunity to learn something new!”

“Right!”

He didn’t know where to start and explain things again. I suppose I could help for a bit. Charity is a nice thing to do after all. Sometimes.

“Hi, there!”

“Oh…” He mumbled as he looked at me with a tired gaze. “Bon Bon.”

“Hi, Bon Bon!” The trio greeted me more enthusiastically.

“So, what are you doing?”

“Nothing that concerns you.”

“So cruel! So mean! Why are you denying me like this!?”

“Don’t be so dramatic.”

“Girls?”

“We are filling this format! It’s really hard but we are giving it our best shot!”

I knew it. It was the check list of the things we were supposed to do every day.

“Good luck with this!”

“Thanks!” They shouted in harmony.

I peeked on the papers and gently took it away from the leader’s hands, much to his displeasure. “You know, Applebloom… Hmm, how should I word it? Here you are supposed to see if we are lacking resources. For example, haven’t you noticed that we don’t have enough brooms now?”

“Now that you mention it, it’s true!”

“Sweetie Belle, you put that we had enough water for the students when that isn’t true.”

“We have six bottles of water in the fridge for all of us!”

“Will it be enough for ten students in this place?”

“If they can share the stuff it will.”

“Sometimes one is more thirsty than another. We must make sure that we have a bit more than the required to do things right.”

“Oh, I understand now!”

“Scootaloo… why did you put that we are done for today?”

“Because it’s true!”

“I noticed that we haven’t even helped the staff gather the leafs on the yard.”

“But that’s outside the building! It’s busy work that don’t belong to us!”

The spitting image of laziness from Dash stunk around you, Scootaloo.

“Bittersweet, you have your hands full with these three and it seems that you cannot do your duties under these circumstances. Why don’t you allow me to help you? I’ll buy you some juices!”

“Yay!!”

“No.” They gave him the cute, sad face and he finally succumbed to their charm. “Fine.”

…. ….

After a job well done for the first try, The Crusaders were drinking juices, courtesy of me, while we were resting on the park nearby. They felt needed, as their good mood and smiles became a little beacon of joy for me. As for him, he looked like crap once again, struggling to socialize with people that weren’t of his age. His only consolation was that the grass floor was comfy and not filled with dead branches or dirt. Sweetie Belle lend him a mantle to lay back anyway.

“This isn’t what I expected.” He sighed heavily, looking at the sky with skeptical eyes.

“It’s a lot of work but it’s really fun!” I said. “Those kids look happy as hell!”

“I don’t know why… Where are you going?”

I climbed a tree and laid my back on it. “Ta-dah!”

“Stay there until I get home, alright?”

“No, thanks. You could get lost in the dark corner of the streets if I don’t walk you around!”

“Shut it.”

“What are you planning to do with those kids?”

“Nothing.”

“Look at their faces!” I pointed at the place where they sat. “They look so cute trying to figure out how to do your homework on their own.”

“If they manage to do it by themselves and become helpful to the others, everyone will trust them again and say that they weren’t guilty of the incident from last time.”

“Who is everyone?” I asked with mockery. “I thought you didn’t use that word lightly.”

“This time it applies to all involved to the vandalism that happened on CHS.”

“I never thought it was them, so don’t put me in that generalization, please.”

“Now I know that you are screwing with me.” He put himself comfortable and crossed his legs. “Please go away, I’m not in the mood to hear your shenanigans.”

“Perhaps I can give you company more intimately besides you and comfort you.”

“Quiet.”

“Heh… Whatever you’re planning, it won’t work on me.”

“I’ll stop you.”

“Half-hearted plans are useless against me.”

“Lady Luck will help me this time.”

“Oh, and why’s that?”

“Because this time I’m trying to help the innocent.”

“You have tried to help people from the bottom of your heart before and failed.”

“This time it will be different.”

“Because of them? Please, innocent and energetic doesn’t equal miracles.”

“They’ll make a miracle.”

“No if I get in your path.”

“If you harm those kids in any way…”

“Don’t worry. I’m not demon to do such monstrosity. As a matter of fact, I may help you at helping them.”

“I know that tone! What are you planning?” I whistled to his question. “Bon Bon.”

“Nothing that you should know. You have your secrets now, and I have mine as well.”

He sat down and looked at me angrily from below. “Tell me what are you scheming now!”

“Tell me what your current agenda is.”

“Never!”

“Never say never.”

“Damn you.”

“I really like teasing you!” I lazily put my hand on my belly while letting gravity swing my unused arm. “Let’s go to the movies sometime.”

“You really get on my nerves.”

“Because you overthink too much. Pride. Heh! Justice. Ha! Doing the right thing is an embodiment of the two. Whatever your next move is will fail because you are desperate. You dragged those three because you grew weary and tired of not knowing who to trust. But let me share with you a little tip of my own. Want to beat me? Try something better, something daring. Do the unexpected!”

“It’s like you want me to stop you.”

“Truth is that I don’t want you to ruin my plans but I told you before, didn’t I? If I’m meant to fail, at least I want to be beaten by someone like you. I want to get rid of Sunset… no matter the cost.” Leaves flew around us as a cold breeze traversed the now silent park.

“Bon Bon…”

“I found the solution to it, y’all!” Applebloom shouted in triumph.

The trio gathered around the young redhead farmer and looked at her paper with complete attention. As she read and explained to them what she thought it was the right thing to put on the documentations, I soon noticed that Bittersweet had a caring expression on his visage. I was certain of one thing, he wanted to help the girls reunite with their sisters through hard work. That was a sweet thing to do but life is not that simple. There are always obstacles that make the journey an infernal path of frustration to some.



And sadly for him, I’ll give him hell if he stands in my way!

…. ….

The Crusaders were minding their own business while riding in the bus that leaded to Ponyville. Their humor was impeccable, feeling reassurance and a sense of fulfillment after working so hard their still immature minds. I was sitting a few seats away from them. Waiting for the best moment to begin my newest plan.

“This is our stop!” Scootaloo shouted.

As they got down of the bus, I casually stepped down as well and followed them at a generous distance, my phone occupying most of my field of vision on purpose.

Wait for it… Increase speed of my footsteps… Crash!

“Ouch!” Sweetie Belle whined.

“I’m sorry! I got careless with my phone and didn’t notice you were in front of me!”

“Oh, it’s you, Bon Bon!”

“It’s weird for you to be clumsy. Something wrong?”

You calling me clumsy is one thing.

“Nothing. You know, the usual! Checking text messages, posting silly pictures in MyStable! Stuff. How about you?”

“We are going home!”

“Not before retrieving our stuff at Sweetie’s room!”

Time to put my plan in motion.

“Why don’t you have a sleep over with Sweetie Belle? Your stuff is there and you can play until midnight. We won’t do a lot of activities in school tomorrow.”

“We kinda talked about that but…”

“But what?” I innocently asked.

“Rarity is still mad at me for what happened the other time?”

“You mean that stuff you broke but in reality you didn’t broke?”

“Yeah… Why can’t Rarity be like you? You are one of the few people that believe us!”

“For starters, even if I’m sometimes blunt with you, I care about you.” I patted their heads and playfully messed with their hairs. “Friends like me are concerned that you could harm people’s feelings, like the time where you were Anon and such.”

“We are different this time, y’all!”

“We’ll help people!”

“We won’t let the school down again!”

“WE ARE THE CUTIE CRUSADERS! UNITED WE STAND AGAINST CRYSTAL PREP!” The trio jumped with joy and passion.

“Good! Very good!” I clapped at them. “Still, you need to become stronger, your thoughts need to be sharper, your ideas clearer! You need to formulate your plans now! A slumber party here and there can help you out! Don’t you have a place where you can gather and think?”

“We have-!” Applebloom quickly shut down Sweetie Belle’s mouth.

“Excuse us for a moment.” The younger Apple say.

“Sure, go ahead.”

They walked away a few steps from me and began whispering. As for me, I laid my back on a post and began looking for things to share on my profile. There were some cute owls I found near the borders of the town and I was looking for the best to put on my timeline. Also… although I don’t have the hearing of a true born pony like Sunset or the Princess, I could still hear them pretty well.

“You were about to spill the beans.”

“It’s just a tree house. She doesn’t need to know what we do there!”

“What if people come nearby and hear our plans?”

“The guys could get mad if they know we are using the Anon-A-Miss archives!”

“Shh!” The three whispered, and I hid a giggle with my mouth. Such sweet children.

“But she is Bon Bon! She trusts in us! Maybe we can make her join us! She is super smart in these things and she could give us ideas and support!”

“Yeah!”

“Can’t deny that.”

I felt so flattered hearing that. Such a shame, though.

“But what about Nitpick? We promised that this was a secret operation.”

“Then how about… How about we only ask her tips for our plans when get stuck in something we can’t do alone?”

“And could only tell her that it’s for helping school’s businesses!”

“Yeah!”

The little ones came back to me, brimming, innocent, but mischievous face looking at me with big expectations and hope.

“We have a tree house, but we can’t exactly sleep there yet.”

“My big bro is getting some cement and bricks to reinforce the foundations of the house and some walls. Could get really cold if the house is made of only wood during winter.”

“I see. I suppose the tree will handle the extra weight, then.”

“It’s a very robust tree. It didn’t even budge when Big Mac was hammering the original house some years ago.”

“Then how about we have a slumber party in Lyra’s? I just called her and she and I will watch some movies together. You can join in if you at least buy a jumbo pack of chips.”

“REALLY!?” The trio yelled with joy, forgetting their mission altogether.

“Are you really inviting us?”

“We won’t get in the way?”

“Can we play some games?”

“Yes, no, and yes! Call your parents and if everything goes green, follow me!”

…. ….

It was almost midnight. Charming, soft and angelical figures were playing a game of Mana the Gathering, one of the most popular card games in the planet. The Crusaders united forces to destroy Lyra, who was the Great Lord in the commander mode. Three versus one, the commander having special powers to withstand the combined assault of the tree. The poor fools didn’t have a single drop of opportunity against her, though.

Somehow, Lyra was always lucky in pulling the most powerful cards in each season.

Meanwhile, I was left to the task of adjusting Sweetie Belle’s laptop. When we tried to watch a movie on Netmazon, her laptop was so slow that it could it barely load one percent of the movie per ten minute. So, having a bit of technological skills thanks to Lightbulb and my Mom, I began to inspect the issues of what should have been a powerful hardware. Virus, Malware, worms, and fucking Trojan horse. Restoring her machine to peak condition would cost me my fun during our slumber party.

Obviously, that was part of the plan.

I knew too well that Rarity and Sweetie Belle weren’t smart enough about the dangers of cookies and clicking stupid click-baits on the web. At least Rarity had Shimmer to guide and help her when her machine felt off. The younger sister wasn’t lucky, until now. The only thing I asked for was to find the files of Anon-A-Miss and destroy them.

It’s been three hours by now, and no sign of the files yet.

Lyra suddenly laughed with a somber tone of victory. “You are doomed!” She said. “Warriors of Light, feeble and cower before my loyal servant!” She raised a card above her head and revealed the image to them. “With the spirits of shadow and fire-” She was referring the her resources. “I invoke Red and Blue Eyed Infernobreath Dragon!”

The most powerful dragon card in the current meta of the game. Super short-print and expensive. I love that woman but I hate her lucky pulls.

“OH NO!” The trio were in despair.

“Quick, does someone have a mana mitigator?”

“No!”

“We are doomed!”

The Anti-Malware Enforcer finished scanning the hard disk at last. Considering that the Anti-Virus and several other programs were running at the same time, Sweetie’s laptop was potent indeed. Some of the uncorrupted files were damaged, but they were functional enough to see a peek of them. No sign of the Anon-A-Miss files were found, much to my displeasure.

“Well done, Crusaders!” Lyra’s commanding voice echoed in the room. “You managed to freeze my servant for one turn. But if you think that you will survive, then you. ARE. WRONG!!” She laughed like a villainous maniac.

“Faith, Crusaders!” Shouted Applebloom. “The Heart of the Cards will guide us!”

“That’s from Duel Kings! It doesn’t apply to Mana!”

“I can’t believe you mismatched the mood!”

“And you must die for that!” Lyra said enraged. A faithful hater of Duel King she was, much to my own anger.

How could she hate that anime? No, wait, considering she likes crappy Pirate Moon…

Next was the antivirus to sound its alarm. Three thousand and twenty six threats? What the hell she was viewing on the web? No matter, the software did its job and it removed most of the corrupted files. Mostly repeated images and empty Office files. I focused my energy on the few Word and PP files and found nothing of interest from them. All could be easier if I could navigate her PC freely, but I couldn’t open files carelessly as long as the chance of them coming to see my search existed.

“ALL YOUR RESOURCES HAVE JUST BEEN DESTROYED BY THE EFFECT OF MY INSTANT CARD, DOOM MYST!”

“NOOOO!”

They were dead. It was just a matter of time for me to fail as well.

And my time was almost extinguished. The laptop gained considerable speed after the two programs cleansed critical system files and erased garbage from the hard drive. Still, the fragmentation of the drive was taking ages because of the sudden cleansing. I would never find the files like that.

I cannot fail like this!

“You have THAT card!?” Lyra was amazed and frightened.

“Yes!” Sweetie Belle barked in victory. “To activate this card, I must possess at least three Angel Creatures. I place the land, Dessert of Risen Angels, in my board.”

“That card will only delay the inevitable!”

“Or it can buy us some time!”

And to me as well.

Like a miracle, the DiskSpace Cleaner found something of interest after purging other kind of corrupted files and saving the salvageable. There were exactly four files that were over ten megabytes in size, and one of them was a presentation with a rather amusing name. Peeking quickly to back, that was the best chance to look at the files quickly and see if I hit jackpot.

The moment of truth was before me… and I succeeded.

I took a quickie and realized that the files were filled with all the gossips and dark secrets of the school. My duty was clear. I selected every single of those filthy documents and let the program deleted them for good.

The nightmare…

“…was over.”

“DIE, CRUSADERS!”

“NOO!”

I didn’t know what to do; Laugh because they were taking the game too seriously, or be a little amused that they were still pure kids at heart.

I like the latter… If only the whole world were like this.

“Ok, be gone! Let my eternal rival face me once again!” Lyra challenged me.

“Alright, Heartstrings. The defrag function just finished and I restarted the laptop.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, Sweetie. Come, check it out!”

As soon as the desk was functional, Sweetie Belle was amazed and extremely happy that her laptop wasn’t lagging anymore. It could open more programs at the same time without flinching and delaying its speed.

“It’s great, Bon Bon! You are a genius!”

“Nah, Twilight, Micro Chips or Lightbulb could have done better. Look, here is the history file of each software and what it deleted.”

“I see. I didn’t even know that I had all those apps installed there.”

“It only deleted dangerous or infected files beyond salvation. Your laptop is now safe.”

“Alright! This… … No… Oh no… Nononononono, NO!”

“What’s wrong?”

“The programs… they deleted those files!!”

The expression of horror from the Crusaders was… bitter and uncomfortable for me. I didn’t want to make them feel like failures or useless… But it was the only way to set them apart from a path of destruction, even if their intentions regarding the data were good.

I… I’m so…
> Chapter 106 - And screwed futures.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“How could this have happened…”

As Nitpick massaged his temples in hopes of reducing his incoming headache, the Crusaders were looking at each other with deep uneasiness, failure shredding their hope. Their chance and last hope to eradicate the remaining rage against Shimmer on CHS was lost, together with the files of Anon-A-Miss. Never more the people of this school shall be reminded of past, painful events and mischiefs originated from the troublesome outlander.

“I feel bad for them.” Lyra said with deep concern.

“Shame, really. If I knew those were important files for them, I could have been extra careful.”

“They must have worked really hard for them to be that way.”

“Indeed. They were helping Bittersweet with the documentation of CHS for the Thanksgiving Day. They must feel… bad.”

“…Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Bon Bon, you are worrying me as well.”

I stopped doing my homework and focused at her. “Me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“You look moody ever since we woke up today.”

My sight got back to my work and I continued writing. “I’m fine.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Uh-huh.”

She got close to me and said, “Do you feel guilty?”

“Guilty?” After a few seconds, I chuckled at her. “No, it was just an accident. An unfortunate accident.”

“You seem anxious.”

“I just didn’t sleep well, that’s all. Too much card games were bad for me. You know I always sleep earlier to wake up around five.”

“Bon Bon…” My fingers felt her warm hand caressing them. “Talk to me if you feel bad…”

“As I said, I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

“I see…”

“Please… don’t give me that gaze. I’m good.”

“This is the first time in a very long while since you have acted… cold to me.”

“…”

“Perhaps it’s nothing. Let’s forget about it.” She said clearly offended deep inside. “Shouldn’t… we try to hear them out? Perhaps we can help them!”

“Yeah, sure. That sounds like a plan.”

“Well, come on! Let’s change the mood around here!”

“Careful of not making noise or Cheerilee will scold you as well.”

“We’ll be careful. Let’s lend them a hand in whatever activity they’re stuck at!”

“Yeah… you are right. Let’s go!”

“That’s more like it.” She smiled warmly at me.

We, or in reality, Lyra, tried to cheer them up while trying to make them talk, while I felt a heavy presence watching me at that moment. It was obvious that he figured it out that I meddled with the files just by hearing my words. How did I did it wasn’t a concern for him. He just simply knew.

What a perceptive man.

Nitpick couldn’t tell me that in the face, though. He didn’t have proof to begin with, and all of my actions were justified with concrete lies disguised with truths. Nice and easy, another job well done, not putting pressure on me. Still, when I saw the Crusaders in the morning with dread on their faces, I couldn’t help but feel… weird. It didn’t matter, their plans failed before they could even start! Their ‘fixes’ through gossips from the past were done for.

That’s all what I cared about.

…. ….

After school was done, my back laying on the floor of my home, a plethora of grays and silence resided in my thoughts.

“Aren’t you going to the city today and do school activities with your classmates and friends?” My Grandma asked, popping my bubble of meditation.

“Later.” I turned around and embraced my pillow, the fan put at the perfect position in front of me, it’s wings spinning and throwing a refreshing breeze.

“I hope you aren’t planning mischievous acts against your friends again, my troublesome niece.”

“Haven’t harmed my friends before, and it will stay that way until my death and beyond.”

“Will you?”

“Sure.”

“Like spying girls on that fancy dazzle restaurant?”

“Urghhh, you still haven’t forgiven me for arriving late last time.” I complained as I put a blanket over my whole body.

“You eavesdropped your classmate’s conversations, you undisciplined child!” Almost by sheer surprise, my body soon was sent flying to the wall by one of my Grandma’s throws, I barely landing safely to the floor through a somersault.

“DON’T THROW ME LIKE THAT, YOU OLD WOMAN!”

“You let your defenses down.”

“Psht! Use guard instead of defenses.” I corrected her.

“What was that?”

“I… I’m sorry for my irresponsible behavior and rude comment, Grandmother Leafshard.” I bowed at her in apology.

“Not a drop of sincerity enough in the first part. Now come and sit with me.” I followed her command, and she served us tea. “How’s school going? It’s been a while since we talked for a bit about you and your social life.”

“My school life isn’t interesting right now.”

“You used to like talking with me. Maybe I’m too old now for you.”

“That’s low of you to say that.”

She giggled with mockery and said in Nipponese, “Mōshiwakearimasen.”

“Apology accepted. And I like talking to you, always will, but I don’t like where this in particular is going.”

“How’s Lyra?”

“You saw her last week with me. She’s doing great at school.”

“How’s Thunderbass?”

“He’s becoming a Romeo. Kind, but pretty hopeless and stupid.”

“How’s Octavia?”

“She is Romeo’s target. Lovely, but very ingénue. Needs a bit more of assertiveness.”

“And how is Soarin?”

“Great. She is Juliet’s real target.”

“A love triangle? How cute!” She took a cookie from the plate.

“It’s horrible.”

“It‘s your doing, perhaps?”

“No.”

“It is.”

The steam from my beverage engulfed my vision. “I just accelerated the development, okay?” I calmly said as I drank a bit.

“You are hopeless, only wanting to help your closest and loved ones but failing miserably, like your father.”

“They would never have reached this stage if I didn’t do something about it. I did it for their sake.”

“Now that’s your mother talking.”

“Psht.”

“Flash?”

“He’s still breathing.”

“I see you still dislike him. Such pity, he is a good guy.”

“After what he did to her, how couldn’t I?”

“Let it go, already.”

“He must die. Socially.” I served myself more tea.

“Your grades in school?”

“I’m going to fail chemistry if I don’t do something quick.”

“No cheating, I hope.”

“I never cheat in things like this. I have pride.”

“At least we raised you perfectly in some key aspects.”

“…”

“Now I know that you aren’t well today in mind…” She rubbed her hands. “Do you feel remorse? Conscience issues?”

“I’m fine.”

She sighed, followed by a small sip of her cup. “You are in that stage of teen rebellion now. It brings so many memories to this old mind. To be young and reckless again.”

“You’re gonna live at least another twenty years and see many winters with us.” I explored the edge of my cup with my finger. It was cold.

“Now, the last topic. The most important one.”

I released an extended ‘Ah’ and fell back to the floor. “Here it comes.”

“Tell me more about this Nitpick youngling.”

My groan made an echo in my head. “He is just a tool for my schemes.” I said with a deadpan expression while looking at the roof.

“Our neighbor saw him entering the house at night a few days ago but he never left until morning. What happened, my passionate niece?”

A few drops of sweat appeared through my skin. “We saw the movie of Kokun Ball C and had dinner together.”

“I see. You must be embarrassed of talking of these topic with me.”

“More like annoyed and regretful that I know where this is going.” I dryly said.

“I was young once too!” She sweetly said.

“Please no more.”

“It is normal for teenagers to do romantic tinkers during films.”

“No.”

“Even during ancient times, our ancestors found bliss when flirting, tiny gestures of romance was the spice of a quiet life.”

“Stop.”

“Exploring hands while hopelessly looking at each other’s eyes!”

“Now I know you are screwing with me.” I calmly said while sitting down and taking another sip. “God damn it, I hate cold tea…”

“As cold as your heart.”

“Not funny.”

“My grandnieces will have pretty brown eyes.”

“Not listening.”

“I always thought that you were more into women. When those girls during middle school confessed their misguided feelings towards you and you gave them wings, all the family was worried that our clan would die with you. Our fears were cementing when you started to get along with Lyra.” She sighed in relief all of the sudden. “Glad to know that our lineage will endure through your offspring.”

“Lalala lala.”

“Make sure you feed him properly. Some secret recipes from our lineage always do wonders!”

“I already drugged him several times. Nothing harmful, all natural and empowering.”

“Oh, the power of romance! Making us do favorable things for our love interests behind their backs!”

“He is not my love interest!”

“It reminds me of your grandfather! Oh, those were the years!”

“He is dead to the family.”

“You’re really cold today.”

“No, for Buddha’s guidance!”

“You should freely fly broadly! Fly in the stars and steal love! Then you will reach freedom!” I began rolling around the floor while she recited her cheap haiku poem. “When will I meet my niece-in-law?”

“I don’t love him.”

“Is he a smart fellow?”

“Average at best.”

“Handsome?”

“Average at best.”

“Perceptive?”

“Above average at worst.” I stopped at my blanket and disappeared inside of it.

“So, he is good at something you like.”

“Let me be.”

“Saturday during afternoon is a nice time for a pep-talk.”

“Not happening.”

“I’ll ask Lyra’s mom to make her daughter join us, with the rest of your friends as well.”

“OK, I GET IT!” I crossed my arms in annoyance while looking at the side of the wall. “I’m sorry for not telling you before that I allowed a man to sleep in our home without your consent while you were gone!”

“Good.” She finished her tea satisfied with my words. “Still, I’m interested in him for making you do all what you did to him so far.”

“Can I nap now?”

“No.”

“Argh!”

“How old is he?”

“He’ll soon turn eighteen. February. I still haven’t obtained the specific date.”

“That interested you are?”

I felt enraged all of the sudden. “NO!!”

“Either way, he is older than you. Wonderful!”

“Can we change the topic?”

“Stop bothering Miss Shimmer, is that too much to ask from you?”

“YOU KNOW AS… well that she must die!”

She cleared her throat. “Come again?”

“No! Not this time! She’s dangerous, she isn’t even human to begin with and you know it! Even if you are displeased with me, I’ll do what I must to get rid of her!”

“She seems human enough to me. I only see in her arms, legs, flesh, and blood, just like everybody else. What’s the difference between you and her?” She looked at me sternly, but calm. “Besides, it’s not your reasons of getting rid of her that displease me, my niece.” She grabbed the teapot and cups and went to the kitchen. “It’s your methods and morality issues that worries me the most. Using you friends? Eavesdrops? Creating clashes of friendships against fellow schools? That is not our family’s way when dealing with our closest ones!”

“She isn’t close to me.”

“You know the people I’m referring to. Your true, remaining friends!”

“We… We must make sacrifices sometimes. Hiding our steps and concealing our motives is key for success, isn’t it?”

“Are we in war?”

“No.”

“Are we in a life-death situation?”

“No.”

“Do you feel at peace right now?”

“…”

“My niece…” She walked to me, caressed my face and then hugged me. “Stop wasting your time. She’ll go home eventually once her purpose is fulfilled in this town.”

“My mind is clear, I know what to do.”

“I was reckless once too, please don’t follow my example.”

“My thinking and methods, as well as my path, are right! I learned from your tales of mistakes.”

“You didn’t learn anything, then.”

“I’m full of surprises.” I stood up and began stretching in a spacious area.

“Then why are you moody today?”

“I didn’t sleep well, that’s all.”

“Indeed you didn’t. I’ll ask again. Your conscience, perhaps?”

I didn’t answer, and I went straight to my room to change my cloths, I grabbed my things and went to the city. Didn’t want to engage against the untamable mountain, and more importantly, didn’t want to keep Rarity waiting for me. Didn’t want to think for a moment. The sooner I finished my work of the day, the better. I hate it when that bitch starts to complain when her manicure gets ruined with the use of Clorox Max. Such a mystery it is when I think about it. How her friends withstand her antics is beyond me. No, what impresses me is that all of them had insufferable mannerisms and still managed to fit in. Maybe they are stupid because of the magic. Maybe they are stupid because they were born stupid.

Whatever the case, they are stupid for trusting in magic instead of themselves.

…. ….

“Darlings, thank you all for another great day.” The students nodded at Rarity with a happy face. “See you tomorrow, everyone! Ah, Bon Bon, if you may, can you help me put away these mantles?”

“Sure, Rarity.”

What a drag. I never thought working for charity would feel so tiring when usually it brought a little piece of happiness to my life. Even folding a scrap of cloth was making me... feel uneasy.

“What’s wrong? You seem unsettled.”

“Today it seems that everyone thinks that I am distressed. No, I’m fine. I didn’t sleep well, that’s all.”

“Oh, I see! Then you will be pleased to know that I have the thing just for you!” She searched through her bag and took out a flask of perfume. “Let me put a bit of this natural concoction in your neck.” I let her have her way, and surprisingly, it smelled tender, light. A fleeting aroma of mint sweetly massaging my lungs. “Good, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, gotta go! I need to finish some drafts for my new seasonal dresses! Say, what color looks better for a winter theme? Red or black?”

“It surprises me that you don’t ask me of specific tonalities of red.”

“I want to streamline a bit for a change. If you know what I mean!”

Less headaches for the world, at last.

“The tried and true red is the best answer!”

“Oh, I’ll try black then! Must go against the established!” She laughed like an old, annoying lady woman.

Then why did you ask me such pointless question!?

“You’ll do great and succeed soon!”

“Thanks, you always know what to say to people!”

“My answers usually are short and to the point, nothing special.”

“Simple is better, sometimes. Bye!”

“Safe trip home… Drama Queen.” I hissed to myself.

Before I left the building, I looked out for Bittersweet to see if he was plotting something. To my surprise, and rejoice, he was done for. He was quietly filling the formats in a lent laptop in solitude. I had the urge to talk to him but I decided it was best to leave him be and let his mind accept the fact that it was over. There was not a single percentage of opportunity now and stomping him in that state would leave a bad taste in my mouth. A bit happier than before, I began my way home.

Justice has triumphed.

…. ….

The bliss didn’t last long enough.

I was in Sugarcube Corner drinking a cold, delicious macchiato frappe while eating a cheesecake. Oh, sweets. The best friends of a girl in distress. Bringer of sugar and heavenly emotions of peace and respite. Who the hell I’m kidding? I’ll have to train even harder to lose all of the calories I ingested.

Damn it.

“We failed.”

My ears got up when that soft, little voice reached my eardrums.

“Darn it.”

“It’s over, y’all.”

I was so focused on my calories that I didn’t even notice that the Crusaders were sitting in the table behind me. I took a peek on them and saw that their drinks were melted halfway through, untouched.

Ignore. Ignore. IGNORE. That’s the correct answer in this situation. It was painful to break the dreams of the girls and ruin their tiny chance of making up with their elder sisters and idols but it was a necessary sacrifice for the sake of the school, and us. In fact, why they should feel sad and defeated? It was them that decided that they were the trouble doers in the first place. If anyone should feel guilty in this situation, it was Applejack and company for scolding them unjustly, not them. Not me. I stood up from my chair and walked to the exit.

It wasn’t my problem.

“Now nobody will trust in us again…” Sweetie Belle mumbled with deep sorrow.

I turned around, sat beside her and hugged her. “I believe in you.”

“Bon Bon!” The girls exclaimed.

“It seems that I have caused you a lot of trouble today!”

What was I doing?

“Not at all, if only I had taken care of my laptop better, this would’ve never happened.”

“Still, I should have configured the program to quarantine instead of delete files automatically. Perhaps I can help you if I know your situation better. Compensate my mistake, you know what I mean.”

What the hell was I doing?

“Really?”

“Girls, no!” The youngest Apple said with concern.

“But Applebloom, what else can we do?”

“We made a promise! An oath of silence!”

“This must be pretty important for you! Tell you what, don’t say to me what are you doing in the shadows. Probably a big surprise to all CHS that you don’t want spoiled. Perhaps… …”

“Perhaps?” Scootaloo asked with curiosity, wanting of me to finish my sentence.

I know what they want to do. I know what they must accomplish. But if I help them, it could be my ruin… Or, if I play my cards right… … Analyzing… … …Yes! That’s it! I know what I must do!

“Ok. I can see clearly that you want the respect of the school back, specially your sisters’ love and trust! But what are you doing is only half of the journey!”

“What do you mean?”

“Little Sweetie Belle, only helping Nitpick is the bare minimum to get back what you lost unjustly. But, if you do what I say, no doubt that you can achieve more than getting your reputation back, you could actually become major players in this competition and beyond!”

“REALLY!?” The shouted with exhilaration.

“Of course! But, you must be willing to do what I say step by step! Do you trust in me?”

“Yes!” They chanted.

“Good!”

In a way, I felt sick of myself. And to be honest, that should be impossible coming from someone who knew what was she doing, in other words, me.

“I just thought the core of the plan but tomorrow I will have something amazing just for you! In fact, tomorrow we won’t have to go to the city, so we can focus on what must be done!” I smiled at them and said, “A great future awaits you, trust me!”

…. ….

For a plan to work, research and concrete backup plans must be done. Schedules, lifestyles, weaknesses, and most importantly, raw potential and skill sets are an absolute must for this to work. I won’t allow Bittersweet to defeat me, but I can’t ignore the Crusaders. My plan involves getting rid of Shimmer, not jeopardizing the hope of innocent students.

I almost lost myself in my own selfish desires instead of focusing on the bigger picture.

But who to choose? Who can become my instruments of development and growth for them? The answer always evaded me during crucial moments.

“That frappe only made me hungrier.” I groaned as my stomach made a roar of protest and need.

After running for two hours around the suburbs as a part of my training, I couldn’t deny my body’s needs anymore. I called my Grandma to see if there was something in the fridge I could use, but she said that I should buy food on my way home and eat without her. The reason was because she was in one of the neighbors’ house playing lotto with people of her age. For someone with furtive talents and techniques, I’m surprised that she plays that thing and loses all the time, saying that when she wins, in that rare occasion, it feels immensely rewarding. Pride didn’t allow her to cheat, as always.

As I expected from the one I look up to.

But… she always says that I sometimes reflect my parents, their mistakes, their stubbornness, their greatest talents as well, but if we talk about pride, I was the closest relative she had that shared that trait. From my point of view, pride was the strongest sin of all, and at the same time, the greatest virtue of the human being. And it was pride that made the people around me do what they do best. Trying to survive and go on. The inner fire of the challenger trying to show the worth lying dormant deep inside to the world. A fire that was still humble and pure inside the hearts of the Crusaders.

I must keep that ember alive as well, as I did with Twilight. As I will do with the rest of CHS.

Eventually, my steps guided me to The Dazzles. Ironic, considering the chaos I gave to Adagio should have gave me second thoughts before going to her domain. Surprisingly, I saw that there was a security camera installed above the door. So the wicked siren decided to hear my warning. Cute. I didn’t think that my disguise and altered voice would make such an impact in a former super villain from the alternate Equestria. I felt a little cocky when I thought of that.

Well deserved, nonetheless. Obviously.

Since this time I was wearing a very plain, common sweater and undisguised, I wasn’t worried about her recognizing me. I walked to the counter and asked of her for some food to take home. There was only salads left. They were always on shortage with their resources. I didn’t know what to think of it; either they were lying to artificially increase the value of their commodities, or they simply were honest and their supplies really ran off quickly because of the sales.

Seeing that the restaurant was mildly full, perhaps it was a combination of the two.

“Here is your order!” Sonata Dusk cheerfully gave me a very meticulous, tidy and pretty package.

“Thank you.”

“Hey, why the long face?”

“You too?” I smirked at her.

“Obviously! I could see it from miles away! Do you want to-!”

“Don’t talk to the customers like that!” The Elder Siren gripped her shoulder, giving Dusk a painful experience. “Forgive her, my patron! My sister here can’t see when she crosses the line with her remarks! Right, Sonata?”

“But you always say that we must make feel special to our customers!”

“Not like that, shh!”

“I don’t mind, Adagio.” I casually said.

“See? She isn’t mad! So, what’s wrong?” Sonata smiled widely. Adagio was about to murder her with her glare.

“Three kids were set up and they want to prove their innocence through hard work. I simply don’t know what to do to help them.”

“Why don’t you make them do menial task at first?”

“Hmm?”

“Come on, you know! Duh, even I didn’t know how to cook until I began to love it! When I cook, people appreciate my cooking! And when I cook and serve, people love to talk with me! That’s why they always come back!”

I rubbed my chin and my mind began to realize something.

“Sonata, you are boring our client with your incoherent babbling!”

“No, wait! Continue!”

The siren’s teeth and pupils were radiant with happiness. “Work! Nobody likes work but we must work to obtain what we want! If you are talented and dedicated, everyone will eventually praise you!”

“That’s unexpectedly true and wise coming from you!” I said.

“Thank you!”

Adagio hid her smirk, knowing full well that I called Sonata an idiot without her even noticing. Such a bad sister, but then again, all siblings that I know are dicks to their brethren, so that shouldn’t surprise as much in the end. A wise idiot Sonata Dusk was, unexpectedly. Happy for the small talk and having my diner in hand, I went straight home.

…. ….

My bed felt weirdly spacious after having shared a spot of rest with Lyra last night, and for the first time in a while, I felt lonely, and bored. At least I fulfilled my mission; after giving it a lot of thought, I know who to use in my favor. And who knows? Perhaps they can grow and forgive between themselves as well if everything goes as I want.

Tomorrow will be an exciting day. I must sleep well to recover my strength and my sharp mind.

…. ….



One in the morning, I couldn’t sleep. Why I couldn’t sleep?

“This isn’t making any sense!” I clenched my teeth, frustrated and angry.

What to do? What to do? I needed to vent on something, anyone!

“Bittersweet.” I immediately said, picking up my phone and dialing up his number.

“BON BON!!!”

That was an insanely instantaneous answer.

“Yes?”

“Huh…” His tone suddenly became drowsy and slow. “What the hell?” There was a small pause before he said something. “Bon Bon!?”

Cuuuuuute!

“You were dreaming about me!”

“No!”

“You said my name before regaining full awareness! You must had a blast of a time if I was there! Is it raining below your be-!”

“Shut the hell up! …How did you do it?”

“Huh?”

“I´m not in the mood right now. How?”

“No, really. What?”

He groaned with extreme annoyance and said, “…Sweetie Belle’s lap. Our information!”

“Oh… OH! That! Sorry, software malfunction. As I said earlier, it targeted multiple stuff and deleted a lot of things there. Sorry.”

“I know that you aren’t… You did… There is… I can’t…”

He was lost and his moral was low. It was a victory! It was… It was…

“…”

“Forget it. You probably don’t care. Why I’m wasting my time?”

“Hey… I care for…”

I stopped… and I was embarrassed of what I didn’t say.

“Talking with you is like a damn maze. You never know when you took the wrong turn until it’s too late. It doesn’t matter anymore…”

I sat down instinctively, but I felt heavy. What was this feeling? What was this sadness pounding in my chest?

“Hey, if you can’t sleep, let’s walk around town and-!”

He finished the call. I couldn’t hear his voice anymore… Only the uncomfortable sound of an interrupted call.