Chapter 1: Fresh Start

Monday mornings usually couldn't be described as 'intimidating'.

Two figures stared in awe at the monolithic brick building that faced them in all its glory. A myriad of pristine windows that adorned the front of the building shone the morning sun’s light back to small piles of leaves scattered on the ground. Behind them stood a large marble-white statue with a stallion, reared up on its hind legs, made of stone on top, looking rather threatening yet majestic from their point of view.

Students who laid eyes on them as the duo looked around continued with their exchanged glances and whispers about the the two unknown girls, blissfully unaware of the reasons that brought them there in the first place.

A calm breeze blew across the front lawn of Canterlot High, scattering fallen leaves slowly across the grass. Starbreeze shifted uncomfortably towards her friend, pulling her dark purple jacket closer to her as the wind began to pick up. Worried cobalt eyes stared at small pebbles on the ground as the anxious girl’s brain worked in overtime to stave away fear that was creeping up on its host, finally causing her to work up the nerve to speak.

“I'm not too sure about this, Autumn…don't you think people will realize that-”

A comforting hand was placed on her shoulder as emerald eyes met her own, stopping Starbreeze mid-sentence. Several strands of pale orange hair were pushed behind her friend’s right ear as a red, leaf-shaped hair clip held back a portion of her hair on the opposite side. A warm smile crossed her lips, causing the corners of Starbreeze’s mouth to rise a little in response.

“What, that we’re former Shadowbolts?” Autumn spilled, glancing around to see if anyone overheard her, noticing several pairs of eyes turn towards them and away again after a moment. Fortunately for her, people seemingly didn’t hear or cared what she said. After a few more moments of silence and realizing the coast was clear, she whispered, “I don't think it would be much of a secret, considering what we’re wearing.”

Starbreeze pulled at her jacket once again, giving a glance at the Shadowbolts patch that was stitched to it before quickly looking up with an ashamed expression. “I-I'm sorry, Autumn. I just wanted to-”

A smirk rose. “Starbreeze,” She replied. “You don't have apologize for wanting to reminisce a little bit. I admit, Crystal Prep wasn't all bad...I guess.”

Starbreeze gave an incredulous glare at Autumn, remembering all the moments leading up to the point in time they were at. Sure it wasn't. You liar. She sighed. Might as well say something...

Standing on her tiptoes to place a hand to her friend’s ear, she said in a hushed voice, lower in tone, “Autumn...didn't you say that you wanted to move here because-”

A finger was placed to her lips as Autumn’s eyes met hers. “Honestly, I'd rather not talk about that now, okay?” she spoke in a whisper. Memories flooded Autumn’s mind as she spoke, forcing her to take a deep breath to repress those memories and get back on track. Before bitter tears could surface, she quickly pivoted on a heel to face the school with a giant grin. Starbreeze let out an audible squeak of surprise in response.

“And besides, this was your idea, remember?” she continued, looking over her shoulder at Starbreeze as she took hold of a trembling hand with equal parts warmth and resolve. Starbreeze wanted to push these memories back as much as she wanted to; she could see it, clear as day, in her determined yet anxious cobalt gaze. Adjusting her backpack with her free hand, Autumn began to move ahead at a brisk pace. Starbreeze was stammering behind her all the while as she was taken along for the ride.

“W-Wait, no it wa-” Starbreeze barely managed to sputter out as Autumn continued ahead.

"C'mon, I'm sure everything will be fine!" Autumn reassured.

“I-If you say so…” Starbreeze meekly said in response, unsure if Autumn was lying to make her feel better or attempting to convince herself of a not-so-blatant lie. Either way, she saw right through her false confidence.

A mischievous grin that her best friend couldn't see crossed Autumn’s face. “Don't you trust me, Starry?”

She felt her eye twitch in response to hearing the all-too familiar nickname Autumn had given her in the months leading up to their transfer to CHS. “I-I thought I told you not to call me that anymore, Autumn!”

“I’m pretty sure I never heard you say that.”

“...Liar.”

Starbreeze couldn't help feeling awkward as students took the time to glance at her jacket, turning their heads away in apparent disdain at the sight of Shadowbolts in their midst. As soon as Autumn had opened the double doors leading inside, it felt as though all eyes were now on them. Unfortunately, she was far too used to feeling isolated.

Starbreeze took the time to look at each student as they passed by, noticing the movement of their lips and their eyes darting back and forth between Autumn and her. A wave of anxiety washed over her as she continued to study every movement in a meticulous fashion, even those of the students that paid them no mind. That was a really bad habit she needed to break from; unfortunately, she didn’t think that would happen anytime soon.

No doubt some of them are talking about us, Starbreeze thought, biting her lip. She tried to divert her attention from the whispers, taking in her surroundings the best could despite the anxiety snaking through her already-rattled brain. The best thing she could do was to ignore them, hoping the moths left the flame alone.

She drew herself to two trophy cases that were embedded in the far walls opposite to them, for no particular reason other than to distract herself, displaying numerous award ribbons and trophies won by Canterlot High over the years. Each award glistened from the small lights above them in each case, lending a small bit more weight to the victory that claimed them as they shone neatly behind the glass. I wonder...how many victories were taken by Crystal Prep instead of CHS? Probably too many to count, if I remember correctly. Stupid, victory-obsessed school...

She stepped further into the lobby to interrupt her train of thought as Autumn trailed behind, noticing the mostly empty cafeteria save for a few students eating breakfast or gathering their belongings. Her eyes darted to the right, noticing a hallway stretch beyond as students turned the corner, whispering when they approached or passed by the newcomers. In some attempt to put the chatter behind her, Starbreeze spun on her foot to face two staircases leading to the second floor. Her smile widened as she thought of many possibilities, her mind immediately wandering to the thought of a library being beyond the staircase.

It took all her willpower to not to let a out a squeal of joy at the thought. Curiosity and excitement overtook her as her legs gained a mind of their own, guiding Starbreeze to the nearest stairwell to escape from the moths to her own personal sanctuary, a place where her own creative mind could flourish.

Autumn tapped her friend on the shoulder before she could run as fast as her legs could carry her, grinding her progress to a severe halt. Just as she did, Starbreeze's head turned towards her. With just enough movement that one eye was visible, Starbreeze shot a glare that could make anybody back off out of fear for their life. Autumn only chuckled in response, snuffing out Starbreeze's ire with her rather quickly. That look never seemed to faze her, did it? Might as well hear her out before I do anything stupid. Autumn, what the heck would I do without you?

“You do realize we're not going to get anywhere just wandering around, right?” She said, donning a smirk afterward. A quiet sigh escaped Starbreeze’s lips as her eyes scanned the nearby area for any signs of life. The coast was clear. Just how she wanted it to be.

“R-Right…sorry.” Starbreeze, thoroughly embarrassed, dusted off her jeans before falling in step with Autumn to their destination. Her hand intertwined with Autumn’s subconsciously on the way there, receiving a stronger grip from her friend to calm her racing nerves. The library stayed on her mind all the while, the only other solace she had in this unfamiliar place.

A single door left of the lobby was where the girls headed after gathering directions from an awfully energetic student with pink hair. Starbreeze was rather thankful that the girl, as nosy as she seemed, didn’t make a point to antagonize them. Before she could dwell on the situation for too long, the duo reached their destination, standing before them in the form of a wooden door. Mustering courage, Starbreeze slowly knocked on the wooden door with a shaky hand after receiving some encouragement from Autumn to do so.

A serene and rather mature voice sounded from the other side, calming her down almost immediately “Come in.”

The door creaked open, revealing to the girls a young woman with long, pastel-colored hair and a golden suit-jacket who sat in a rather large chair, leafing through several papers in a folder that had reached her desk. As the duo entered, she set it aside and motioned for the girls to come closer.

“Ah, you must be our two new students we've heard about. Autumn Dawn and Starbreeze, correct? Your parents contacted us beforehand to tell us about your arrival.

“U-um...yes, that’s us…” Starbreeze replied, albeit shakily as she nervously held her right arm out of habit. “You must be...Principal Celestia, right? I-I've heard a lot about you and the vice-principal from our dean…”

“Ah, yes. Dean Cadance, I assume? Vice Principal Luna and I are rather close to her. Honestly, it’s no surprise that she’d speak of you both to us, especially if you spoke to her about your transferring here.” Starbreeze swore she heard the principal chuckle a bit as she headed over to a small filing cabinet in the corner of the room. Opening it, she leafed through several folders, examining each with a passing glance before moving on to the next one. “Starbreeze and Autumn Dawn, transferring from Crystal Prep High School to Canterlot High School...let’s see…ah, yes. Here they are."

She held two folders forward, labeled with each girl’s name in small writing, coaxing the duo to take them. As they complied, beginning to look through them, Celestia spoke up with the same warm tone as she at back down in her chair.

“I suppose I should begin with a formal introduction. On behalf of the staff and the current student body, we happily welcome both of you to Canterlot High. I hope your time with us will be as enriching and delightful as possible.” A hand gestured to the folders as a warm smile crossed Celestia’s face. “Inside those folders are schedules for each of you, a handbook explaining the dress code and other rules of CHS, and several other documents containing information regarding sports and other activities, if you’re interested, of course.” As the girls continued to leaf through the folders, two small combination locks were set in front of them; taped to the back were small slips of paper with a three-digit number and passcodes on each of them.

A quick glance at their schedules revealed that they had a few classes together. Statistics, Visual Art, History...it wasn't much of a consolation, if she was being honest; there were other worries that plagued Starbreeze's mind, not being relieved in the slightest from those minor victories.

“On a side note,” Celestia said, breaking Starbreeze’s concentration from much more unpleasant thoughts. “I’m sure you both are aware that the Friendship Games are occurring this year, correct?” The girls nodded in unison. Starbreeze, after noticing the creeping annoyance on Autumn’s face, glanced down at the ground, fumbling with the zipper pull on her jacket. Autumn reached for her unoccupied hand, holding it firmly, calming not only her friend down, but herself as well.

“What about it?” Autumn’s shaky voice asked, waiting for an answer from the principal.

The silence ensuing it stretched on for an eternity in Starbreeze’s mind, infinite possibilities forming a bubble of anxiety that was ready to pop at any moment. Luckily, Autumn squeezed her hand tighter, barely noticing the principal leaning into an intercom on her desk, saying something that she didn't care enough to hear. She took a deep breath in response to her friend’s encouragement to relax, thankful that Celestia began to speak up at that point in time to diffuse the rising tension.

“Well, I understand that you came here because of some...unfortunate circumstances at Crystal Prep, from what both your parents and Cadance explained, but I assure you,” Celestia adopted a motherly tone, eyes softening as they trained on Autumn. “If anything does happen, especially concerning any upcoming events, you can always find me here to talk if you need to,” she mentioned, producing two light blue slips of paper from a small pack to give to the girls after she signed them, smiling all the while. “You might need these passes as well, I suppose.”

The duo thanked her as they grabbed their bags that laid beside them on the floor, placing the folders inside. As the two gathered their belongings and headed out, Celestia trailed behind.

“One more thing girls, before you head out,” Celestia mentioned, freezing the duo in their tracks as they turned to face her. “I've taken the liberty of calling someone down to the main foyer to give you a tour of CHS during your first period. I'd just thought I'd let you know so it didn't come as too much of a shock.”

“U-um...thanks, Principal,” Autumn said. “Oh, by the way, do you think you could tell Candance we said hello sometime? I think she’d like to hear it, honestly.”

"Of course, Autumn,” she responded with a warm smile. She spoke up again as she headed inside her office. “Just remember, if you need me for anything, my door is always open."

The door shut rather abruptly afterwards.

Silence reigned for a few moments between the two girls, save for the occasional sniffle from Autumn as she tried to fight back tears and the shuffling of Starbreeze moving closer to her for comfort. Autumn still held her hand tightly.

Starbreeze knew it was pointless to even ask why her best friend was fighting tears. She knew all too well that the only thing she could do is be there for Autumn in her time of need. Her hand instinctively went to Autumn’s shoulder, guiding her along as they headed to the main lobby.

After waiting for several minutes that felt like days, Autumn finally heard footsteps from the top of the staircase to their right. Emerging from the second floor was a rather beautiful girl with crimson-and-gold-striped hair and cyan eyes that shone like gems. Standing out about her the most was her slightly-tattered leather jacket with a magenta shirt underneath, emblazoned with a shining red-and-yellow sun.

“Oh, hey! You two must be the new girls I'm supposed to show around CHS, right?” She spoke with a twinge of excitement. Freaking adorable.

“U-um...yeah, t-that's us…” Starbreeze spoke up, stammering a little as her cheeks shone slightly red, proving to Autumn how simply adorable she could be, too. She outstretched her hand as she murmured, barely loud enough for anyone to hear, “I-It's nice to meet you...u-um…”

“Sunset Shimmer. And, well...it’s nice to meet you both, I guess,” she responded, shaking Starbreeze’s hand firmly. “So, uh...I guess we should start with the main foyer, huh?”

Autumn smiled warmly in response to the girl’s hidden enthusiasm. Although, she realized they forgot one little detail…

“By the way, Sunset,” Autumn spoke up, causing the girl to stop and slowly turn to face her. “My name’s Autumn Dawn. And this little one-” she said, placing a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “-is Starbreeze.”

“I-I'm not that short, you know…” Starbreeze retorted, messing with her jacket's zipper pull again.

“..Yeah, you're right. 5’5” might not be that bad...Starry.”

Starbreeze glared up at her when the familiar nickname reached her ears, speaking volumes more than words could ever say. “Don't call me that, Autumn, please,” she murmured, staring at the floor and blushing. “Not in front of Sunset.”

Sunset smiled in response, placing a hand on Starbreeze’s shoulder. “Y’know, we really should get going,” she said, pointing a thumb directly behind herself.

“Heh, yeah. I guess you're right, Sunny.”

“C’mon, Autumn, don't do the same thing to her, dammit!” Starbreeze protested as Sunset led them halfway through the empty cafeteria to show them around, chuckling softly as she did so. “It’s already embarrassing enough when you do that to me all the time!”

“Yeah, I know...besides, that's just what make you so damn cute.”

Starbreeze didn't even bother responding to that one, choosing instead to bury her face into Autumn’s shoulder as Sunset attempted to hold back slight laughter in the middle of leading the duo down the right hallway after leaving the cafeteria.

I can see right through you, Sunset. You’re really nervous right now, scared even. Shit, I can’t blame you, Autumn thought to herself, glancing down at Starbreeze now and again to focus on her bright-red cheeks. Maybe the whole school hates her just as much as us; at least she isn’t showing it much, but...I guess we’re not too different in that regard. Ah well, maybe things might turn out okay after all...hell, maybe this fresh start is exactly what we needed all along. At least I've got you by my side in all this, Starry. There’s no way I would've been able to get through this alone.

Chapter 2: One is Silver

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“So, there’s the gymnasium to your right, and down the hall is one of the science classrooms…’ Sunset mentioned, largely unenthused as she gave the tour despite her slight excitement earlier. Her voice slowly trailed off as she noticed the duo stopped in front of the gymnasium, peering inside. Since the first bell had rung, a small group of students had gathered inside for a P.E. class. Some students on the sidelines noticed the three girls, shooting glares their way when Sunset must have come into their vision. Sunset shot one back, causing the students to quickly avert their eyes away in annoyance and possible anger as she led Autumn and Starbreeze down the hall.

Starbreeze sighed before speaking up, nearing the end of the hall and the aforementioned science lab. “Hey Sunset,” she began, drawing Sunset’s gaze toward her as the trio stopped in front of a wall lined with lockers. Starbreeze opened up her own locker before continuing, placing the folder from Principal Celestia inside. “Why is everyone acting so...hostile towards us?”

“Well…” Sunset began to respond, scratching the back of her head before crossing her arms with a sigh escaping her mouth. She looked as though she was choosing her words carefully, eyes glancing down at the floor for a second before saying anything. “To be honest, I’m not too sure. It probably has something to do with the Friendship Games being this year...or maybe that it’s me of all people leading you both around.”

Wait a minute, Starbreeze thought to herself. What happened around here that would make people hate Sunset? She’s been nothing but courteous to us this whole time...maybe she’s trying to make a good first impression. I don’t blame her.

“Figures,” Autumn chimed in, completely deadpan in her expression. Starbreeze could only assume that she didn’t hear the last thing Sunset said as she sighed deeply. Her brow furrowed as she continued on, leaning against her locker with folded arms. “They probably think we’re gonna go and sabotage the games, or maybe dig up some dirt about CHS to let Crystal Prep get the upper hand in some dumb sport's game or something, right?”

“Maybe they think we’ll deface the statue again...” Starbreeze muttered, barely being heard by anyone around her.

“As implausible as that sounds, you might be right...kind of,” Sunset explained. “Most likely, it's just be a simple case of distrust. After all, Crystal Prep has been-”

“Continually kicking the collective ass of CHS for years in pretty much every competition they’ve ever faced off in, including the Friendship Games?” Autumn divulged, eyes narrowing in annoyance as her voice took on a deeper tone. “Yeah, I know. Nobody would shut up about it back there.”

“Y-Yeah...I guess that’s one way to put it.” Sunset muttered. In lieu of saying anything else, preventing an already uncomfortable conversation from continuing, she instead brought the duo through the halls to continue the tour, avoiding eye contact with as many people as she possible could. After a while, the trio ended back up where they started in the foyer. Sunset led them up the stairs after wrapping everything up, taking notice of Starbreeze’s sudden burst of enthusiasm when she mentioned the library. All she could do was smile. It reminded her of someone else she knew, as much as she loathed to admit it.

Starbreeze could barely contain her excitement when she flung open the door to Canterlot High’s library, eyes wide with wonder at the enormous amount of books packed in every shelf in a library that had two stories.

“Am I...in heaven?” She murmured with her mouth agape in excitement soon after.

Sunset smiled warmly as she stood beside the awe-struck girl. “Yeah, I guess you could say that…” Her train of thought tapered off as her eyes caught Starbreeze beginning to head toward the middle of the room with Autumn trailing not too far behind. “Y’know, if you actually enjoy being cooped up in one room reading books all day.”

“Trust me, she really does.” Autumn called to Sunset over her shoulder as her hands rested in her jacket pockets, trying way too hard to seem disinterested.

“But,” she began again, grabbing hold of Starbreeze’s hand and guiding her to a nearby table, ignoring her whines of protest. “She does have some other things she enjoys...right?” Starbreeze’s cheeks shone a deep red soon after the words left Autumn's lips, apparently not thinking about the same thing Autumn was referring to, causing her to speak up again while holding her hand up to her mouth in a vain attempt to hold back bursting into laughter. Sunset couldn’t help but do the same. “I’m pretty sure I was talking about your sketchbook, you dork.”

“O-oh...right.” Avoiding eye contact while twirling a strand of her hair in complete embarrassment, Starbreeze fiddled with the navy blue backpack’s zipper with her free hand until she finally got it open. Poor kid...judging from the smirk Autumn gave her, Sunset gleaned that this was something Starbreeze was rather used to. Her hunch seemed to be right as Starbreeze let out a giggle shortly after.

Flipping through her sketchbook drew Sunset closer to her, noticing the art that graced the pages was rather well done and consisted mostly of a characterization of herself or hearts with wings, breaking free from chains or being held back with them. Every now and then, a page would depict the same person, smiling and happy with bright white wings spread wide across the paper or some other piece of art that was completely unrelated to the main theme. Intriguing didn’t even begin to describe the collection, and yet Sunset could think of nothing else remotely adequate.

“It’s all pretty damn good, isn’t it?” Autumn said with a cheeky grin and a hand pressed to Starbreeze’s back, taking a seat soon after her friend did.

“Y-yeah...it is, actually…” Sunset trailed off again, glancing up at a nearby clock. They had twenty minutes until she had to get to her next class, so maybe now would be a good time to ask about something that’s been on her mind more than any, right? “Um...girls,” she spoke, drawing the duo’s attention away from the sketchbook. “So, why...why did you two come here in the first place?”

“Why? Well…” Autumn began, seemingly concentrating on how to respond from the sudden shift in her eyes from lackadaisical to serious. “To make a long story short, we came here to CHS because-

“We want to feel like we belong somewhere,” Starbreeze interrupted, standing tall and confident with a piercing stare aimed directly at Sunset. Even she didn’t seem to know where this burst of confidence came from, as her eyes darted back to Autumn, nervous and unsure. She reassured her with an incredibly warm smile, causing Starbreeze to turn her head back in Sunset’s direction.

Where the heck did this come from? Sunset mused to herself, focused on Starbreeze’s sharp cobalt gaze. Maybe this was a little too personal to ask, but...I might as well hear her out. Go ahead. Give me your best shot.

“I know I’m just painting the situation with a broad brush, but…” She paused, taking a deep breath while placing her hand on her heart. “We’re just…I’m just so sick of being isolated from everyone else all the goddamn time! All I want to do is make some more friends and feel like I belong somewhere!” Her voice raised in volume, just loud enough to make an impact not just with Sunset, but with herself as well, judging from the look in her eyes alone. “I’m sick of being made fun of just because I’m a little different from everyone else and I’m sick of not being able to defend myself from it every fucking time!” Tears started to form in her eyes as she continued on, her voice lowering to barely a whisper, not caring about anyone else around her except Autumn and Sunset.

“I just…don’t want to be left alone anymore, dammit. I…I hate it so much…”

“And that’s why we came here,” Autumn added, placing an arm across Starbreeze’s shoulder for comfort. “Crystal Prep was everything we weren't looking for, so we pretty much said ‘screw it’ and decided to transfer here soon after we moved further from the place. ‘Course, it’s a hell of a lot more complicated than that, but…”

“Does it really matter that much to you two? Just...feeling like you belong somewhere?” Sunset chimed in, eyes drifting toward the floor as she drew the duo's gazes to her.

“My question is...does it not matter to you?” Starbreeze muttered, causing Sunset to have to strain to hear her clearly. When what she said finally clicked, Sunset gave a quiet sigh, folding her arms and refusing to make eye contact.

I guess what Twilight said did make some sense after all, huh? All the memories of the Fall Formal and the few days before came rushing back, filling her with anger that felt dead and cold toward someone that wasn’t even in the same dimension as her at the moment. What she said toward Sunset stuck in her mind, and it, most likely, would never leave.

The magic of friendship doesn’t just exist in Equestria. It’s everywhere. You can seek it out, or you can forever be alone. The choice is yours.

Everything finally clicked in Sunset’s mind as her eyes narrowed in defeat and disgust.

“I...I guess it didn’t. I never thought there was another way, at least, not when I tried to-” Sunset’s train of self-deprecating thought was interrupted by Autumn placing her free hand on her shoulder, forcing her to gaze deep into the girl’s emerald eyes instead of looking at the floor any longer.

“Got another question for you,” Autumn began, staring Sunset down with a determined glare. “Does anything that happened in the past matter in the present? And hell, even if it does...you can learn from those mistakes, whatever they might have been, right?”

Sunset felt compelled to answer, especially when Starbreeze’s soft eyes stared her down. Did they really? Sunset was sure that everything wouldn't be all sunshine and rainbows even if she did have a different outlook on life. People would still hate her no matter what she did...right? Even if she went on to save this world in some way, people would probably still find a reason to hate her. These girls didn't seem to, but even then…

They don't know about me much at all; they didn't even start going to this school until this morning, so...why do I feel so compelled to give them the benefit of the doubt? Maybe goody-two-shoes Twilight wasn’t just spewing nonsense after all. Is this...what having a friend is like? Having someone to trust you even when everyone else refuses to? Thoughts ran through Sunset’s mind at light-speed. She wanted to run, to get away from all this and continue being how she was before; unfortunately, she couldn't bring herself to turn away. She took a deep breath before responding, finally breaking the silence that had fallen.

“No...and, yes...right?” Sunset responded, unsure of what she was even saying.

Autumn gave the same warm smile that she gave to Starbreeze before, answering Sunset’s question louder than saying anything would. A small feeling of warmth blossomed in Sunset’s chest, something completely alien, yet...comforting, fighting down the bile that rose in protest of her newfound...friends. Oh geez, just listening to myself say this crap makes me want to puke. And yet...I have the strangest feeling that this whole friendship nonsense might not be so bad after all. Still want to vomit, though. Gotta find something to distract myself with...

“Well, I guess I’d better get you two back downstairs before the bell rings,” Sunset mentioned, glancing up at the clock to distract from her rising nausea at the thought of anybody actually making friends with her.

I’m sure if they found out what I tried to do at the Fall Formal, they’d probably hate my guts on the spot. Kinda surprised nobody’s told them yet...wait. I tried to say something, but Autumn went and interrupted me before I got a chance!

“Damn it all, what are the odds?” Sunset muttered under her breath, certain that nobody heard her as the bell rang to drown out her voice, followed by the familiar sounds of footsteps that permeated the school.

Sunset eventually brought the duo downstairs, stopping at the last flight to bid farewell with a lazy wave. All was quiet as, eventually, students made it where they needed to be, save for a few still rummaging through their lockers or chatting with friends.

Several moments passed before Starbreeze spoke up to break the silence that had fallen over them. “Looks like we don't have a class together during this second period…” she mentioned, comparing her schedule to her friend’s, handing it back to her after a few moments.

“Yeah, I guess not...but, you'll be okay, right?” Autumn asked as Starbreeze looked deep into her concerned gaze.

Starbreeze could only chuckle, diffusing some tension that built up inside her. “Yeah. I'll be fine,” she muttered, seeing the worry etched on her best friend’s face slowly fade. Not really knowing what else to say at the moment, all she could do was whisper, “I'll see you later, Autumn.”

“You too, Starry.”

Starbreeze smiled, ignoring the small part of her that fumed at the mention of that familiar nickname as she watched Autumn head down the stairs, walking away with her head held high despite the tears that she tried hard not to shed. Memories flew through her brain as they parted ways, reflections of her past bringing small tears of her own to the surface. It was time to move on from the past, though. She could only hope some of the students would help put it behind them, as hoping was the only thing she could really do, after all. Besides, isn’t that why they came here in the first place?

Starbreeze traced her finger along a map of the school in her handbook in an attempt to find her first class she had to go to. Even though the tour that Sunset gave did help a ton, she still felt like relying on the handbook for some reason...oh well, it couldn't be helped. What was her next class, anyways? English, right? She couldn’t care enough to focus on something so trivial; her mind was too wrapped up in other matters to even bat an eye at the task at hand or anybody passing by her.

Her gaze went from her handbook to a sign next to a door she stopped in front of; glancing over it caused her to smile when she realized that she found her location. It faded rather quickly when she realized exactly what that meant. The thought of a whole room full of unfamiliar people staring at her threatened to make her pivot on a heel and hide somewhere where nobody would care enough to look. Her mind spun with anxiety as she hesitated to place a shaky hand on the door handle, taking a deep breath to calm her racing nerves while turning the stainless steel handle to force herself to enter the room. Even if her legs refused to move, her mind compelled them to as she trudged along to the teacher’s desk to hand her the light blue pass. It really was a lovely color. It matched the teacher’s hair. What else was there to focus on so she wouldn’t pass out?

The teacher smiled more with warmth than annoyance, which was a first for her. Were teachers not as strict at CHS, or was she taking pity on her because she was new? The subtle shift in her eyes and lips made it seem real enough, although Starbreeze couldn’t tell. Not that she couldn’t read faces well enough, far from it, but her mind was too weighed down by an anxious wave to focus on something so trivial.

She stood and coughed, making sure to add enough force to it to break the student’s shared daze. Every pair of eyes was trained on Starbreeze like dogs eyeing a fresh meal. It was enough to make her want to puke. The only eyes that seemed genuinely happy to see her face was a girl in the back of the classroom, sporting hot pink hair and an infectious smile.

...That was the girl from earlier, wasn’t it? Crap.

Starbreeze could barely focus on what the teacher said about her, as she was more intrigued with how the excited girl looked at her over anything else. What she cared enough to hear was her name being said, that she was a transfer from Crystal Prep, and that the class should treat her so that she feels welcome. The usual. It felt difficult to breathe.

Breaking her out of her own daze was the energetic girl from before, waving her hand excitedly and pointing at a single empty seat next to her. Maybe she would have some relief after all.

Making her way to back of the class, Starbreeze couldn’t shake the sensation of eyes peering into her very soul as she took her seat, placing her backpack on the floor and her head in her arms. The only voice she cared to hear was the teacher saying to get to know the new girl. A good suggestion to be sure; it, however, wasn’t exactly one she felt like undertaking at the moment. She expected the students around her to share the same sentiment in not daring to approach her; that thought gave her some solace, as miniscule as it was.

A lone hand tapped her shoulder to rouse her, and she had a rather good idea as to who it belonged to. Starbreeze adjusted her head to have the girl in her vision, trying to ignore the several pairs of eyes that glanced back at her now and again. When she finally did, a high-pitched, bubbly voice followed.

“Omigosh! You’ve gotta be the new girl that I gave directions to this morning, right? Didn’t you and the girl that was with you move here after the Fall Formal? Everyone was talking about that for a little while!”

“Y-Yeah…” She quietly replied. She shouldn't of been surprised by how quickly the info spread, however, her heart began to sink at the thought. Starbreeze forced herself to pick her head up, even though a headache was setting in from the situation before.

“Well, it's nice to finally meet you!” She said as she extended a hand towards Starbreeze, who, accepting it rather meekly, shook it a little. The excited girl continued, her voice oddly exuberant even after being faced with someone from a rival school. “Anyway, my name’s Pinkie Pie! I know everybody here in CHS, so when I heard there were gonna be some new students coming in from Crystal Prep of all places, I was all ‘Oh my gosh, I have to meet them right away! I’m sure they’ll be so excited to transfer here!’ I mean, it’d be pretty silly not to do that, right? Besides, everyone in school was wondering when you’d show up!”

Starbreeze didn’t exactly know how to react as Pinkie Pie let go of her hand, giving her a bewildered expression in lieu of saying a word. Her smile really was infectious, as Starbreeze felt the corners of her mouth begin to lift just by looking at her, even as the thought of literally everyone in the school knowing about her and Autumn arriving at CHS attempted to pervade her thoughts. Judging by the looks she received just walking through the doors, the majority of the student body wasn’t too pleased with her being here.

At least I share their sentiment. I'd rather be anywhere but here right now. Like...with Autumn.

“Oh, I know!” Pinkie exclaimed, gripping Starbreeze's hands tightly in hers again and distracting her from her thoughts. “I’ll introduce you to all of my friends at lunch, then we can all get to know each other a whole lot better! Who knows, maybe you just might love it here! I mean, it’s gotta be way better than Crystal Prep, right? Whaddaya say, huh? Doesn’t it sound like a lot of fun?”

Yeah, sure. So much fun...wait a minute.

Starbreeze’s mind was a blur at the suggestion; if it meant seeing Autumn again to check on her, then she couldn’t really refuse the request; she'd do anything to be by her side again instead of being in a room filled with people that hate her. All except for this girl, who offered to introduce her friends to her, even if she was originally from a rival school; it honestly felt really nice to know that someone from CHS didn’t hate her on first sight aside from Sunset, and it was the least she could do to introduce her only friend to the other girls Pinkie spoke of when lunch came around.

Starbreeze had one other thought on her mind as things finally seemed to calm down as the teacher began her lesson after placing a book and a small stack of papers on Starbreeze’s desk.

These friends of hers might not be too happy to see Shadowbolts here, will they? Shit. What the hell did I just get myself into?

Chapter 3: And the Other's Gold

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“This had better be it…” Autumn whispered to herself, checking the room number aside of the door for the third time in a row. She couldn't afford to be careless, especially when one slip-up could cost her favor with the myriad of students that populated the school. Although, now that she thought about it more…maybe she was overthinking things a little much.

Reaching to knock on the door was a little more difficult than she thought, as she had to force herself from freezing in place when the teacher inside opened it and motioned for her to come in. As Autumn did so, the teacher spoke to the class about her, where she came from, to be nice to her, all the usual garbage she expected to hear. What she didn’t expect was to lock eyes with a girl with pale blue hair and contempt-filled violet eyes, sitting not too far from where Autumn stood in front of the chalkboard.

Geez...maybe I wasn’t overreacting after all. Although, nobody else seems to care too much, save for a few of these kids. Autumn took a deep breath as the teacher directed her to her seat, heading over to her desk to search for unspecified paperwork. Screw it, all I gotta do is ignore them...

Shaking her head to clear unwanted thoughts, Autumn took her seat next to a girl with long, light pink hair. On closer inspection, she noticed the girl in question had a sketchbook sprawled out on her desk, reminding her of Starbreeze as much as she didn’t want to be. All she could do was hope the poor kid was doing alright in whatever class she was in. Hell, maybe she could approach this girl and make a new friend…if she wasn’t too afraid to talk to someone from Crystal Prep. Pretty damn likely, given how most of the student body wanted nothing to do with her, but it was worth a shot.

Small talk began to surface from groups of students, chatting away about how weekends were spent, upcoming sports events, and other such nonsense. As soon as the coast was clear, Autumn turned her head toward the girl to get a better look at who she was about to talk to. Long pink hair flowed down over her back, complemented by a butterfly-shaped hairclip. The white tank top she wore, along with the light green skirt and boots, went together nicely with the shade of her hair. She looked...stunning, really.

Autumn couldn’t help but get a little jealous as she swirled strands of her vermillion hair on a finger. It was about time she said something, before the thoughts and questions swirling through her mind stopped dead in their tracks. Her head subconsciously rested on her hand as she looked ahead at the teacher, slowly approaching her desk with a textbook and a small stack of papers in her arms.

“U-um...excuse me…” A serene, yet shaky voice rose from the spot next to Autumn, causing her to search for the source instead of spacing out even more. It was the same girl she was planning on talking to. What were the odds?

“Y-You must be that new student that people keep talking about, r-right?” She whispered, barely audible among the rest of the class’ chatter.

How comforting. Information spread like wildfire around high schools, that was for certain, but Autumn never thought she and Starbreeze would be the direct center of all that gossipy nonsense. Sure, they got brought into it sometimes, but…whatever. It wasn't too surprising that people knew about them already, what with them moving here two weeks ago, but a gut feeling told her that things weren't going to be sunshine and rainbows for the next several weeks or months, especially with the fact that a pair of familiar violet eyes bored holes into her from across the room. What the hell’s her deal? If she wants to start something, she might as well say something to my face instead of acting like that...

“Uh, yeah, that’s me…” she replied to distract from her thoughts, glancing around the room only to notice several pairs of eyes meet hers for split-seconds before turning back as the teacher strode to the front of the classroom. “So...what's your name?” Autumn asked, slightly more wary of the people around her than ever, their whispers slowly cracking through the facade she tried to put up.

Taken aback by the question, Autumn noticed that the girl speaking to her looked…scared. So much so that Autumn began to feel a pang of guilt well up inside her;she could only wonder if Crystal Prep really had a bad enough history with CHS to simultaneously anger and scare most of the student body. Knowing some of the people that attended that glossy, reputation-obsessed school, however…no wonder the poor girl was terrified to even speak to her.

“Um...my name’s Autumn Dawn...what’s yours?” she replied and subsequently questioned with as warm a tone as she could muster without sounding forced. It wouldn't look to good on an already bad reputation if she made a shy girl like her cry, even though the only offense she committed was walking through several doors and down several hallways in the school with Starbreeze. Oh no. Call the cops.

She seemed to shrink back at the question as it left Autumn’s lips, leaving her with not a single clue what to do other than smile warmly like before.

“I-it’s...Fluttershy…” She responded, voice even quieter than before, if that was even possible. She could've guessed the ‘shy’ part immediately, if her body language had anything to do with it. It fit her personality rather well. Maybe too well.

“Well...it’s nice to meet you, Fluttershy,” Autumn responded, opting not to shake her hand in fear that she would freak Fluttershy out even more.

With how soft-spoken she was, it was a wonder how she even got through each day without straining her voice too badly. It almost reminded her of...no, damn it, she needed to focus. Her eyes darted around the room for a topic of conversation; there had to have been something...right? The sketchbook entered her vision after a moment of searching, along with several well-drawn, detailed clothing designs that caught her eye.

“So..um, Fluttershy?” Cyan eyes turned to her in response, causing Autumn to hesitate for a split-second. “I noticed the stuff in your sketchbook,” she mentioned. She noticed the tense rise and fall of Fluttershy’s shoulders and eyes glancing at her shoes, wondering if she was trying to calm herself. “I...I thought they were really well done.” A giant weight lifted off her own shoulders as she finished speaking, noticing the corners of Fluttershy’s mouth beginning to shift upwards. Just what she wanted to see.

“O-oh, um...thank you, Autumn,” the quiet girl responded in the same low volume, eyes shining with cheer. “Well, you see…they’re for a friend of mine…she owns a boutique here in the city and she needed a little help coming up with designs for the rest of the fall season.”

A fashion designer for a friend? It sounded almost too good to be true. She took a quick glance at her current clothing choices, mostly consisting of a dark purple and gray. Nothing special, really, but she wondered if it would benefit her and Starbreeze to take a visit to the place. It might get students off their back for once if they had a change of wardrobe. Wouldn't hurt to ask a little more about it, right?

“Hey, Fluttershy. Do you think you could introduce me to this friend of yours? I, uh, might need some help fitting in here a little better. Wardrobe-wise, I mean.”

“Oh, of course! Maybe…maybe I could introduce her to you sometime today if she isn’t too busy?” Fluttershy mentioned, beaming as her voice slightly increased in volume. That wasn’t saying much, but at least Autumn didn’t have to strain herself to hear her better.

For once in her time here feeling genuine relief, Autumn smiled again. Sounded good to her. All she had to do now was wait. The relief she felt was short-lived as she once again noticed the violet eyes that tracked her down, turning back to a paper in front of her now and again to divert attention from herself.

Autumn leaned on her hand, feeling dread course through her as she continued to study the odd girl.

I’d better keep an eye out for her, huh? Damn it, I hate being right sometimes…

A cacophonous bell rang through every hallway in the school, students pouring from their classrooms as soon as the shrill metal sound reached their ears. The teacher’s reminders of assignments being due fell on deaf ears as most of Autumn’s class headed to where they needed to be next. For her and the painfully shy girl she noticed was trailing her, it was the cafeteria.

Her stomach churned with hunger as she made her way there; coupling it with having to sit through several boring lectures about working hard despite the events from two weeks prior, even though she didn’t have a clue what anybody was talking about, left her feeling faint. The pairs of eyes that bored into during most classes didn’t help much either. Any more of it and she might of left then and there.

A burst of delicious scents wafted around the cafeteria as she opened and strode through the double doors, causing her stomach to growl in protest of being empty again. Her eyes scanned the room for any sign of a blue-haired girl in a purple jacket and jeans as Fluttershy disappeared to find her own friends without a word spoken to her. Guess she’s still afraid to talk to me too much. Can’t blame her, I guess.

“Hey, Autumn! O-Over here!” The voice belonged to the girl she searched for, who currently sat next to Sunset at a table a decent ways away from Fluttershy and a group of girls she didn’t recognize. Sunset shot a lazy wave and a smirk Autumn’s way while she took her seat next to Starbreeze, careful to avoid eye contact with anybody at any nearby tables, as she fidgeted in her chair slightly in an attempt to get comfortable.

If only calming Starbreeze down was as easy to do to myself, she mused, attempting to ignore the ever-present whispers that tried to make her crack under pressure. Why the hell am I letting these guys to get to me so much? I’ve gotta stay strong and try to ignore them...all for Starbreeze.

“Um...Autumn? Are you alright?” A voice sounded from her right, quiet and calming yet shaking Autumn from her thoughts like a strong storm. She glanced up into worried cobalt eyes, the same look that was given when they both stood in front of the school, wary of seeing what might happen if they entered. She snapped back to the present when Starbreeze gave a weak, warm smile, speaking volumes more than words could ever say.

This is for her, after all.

“Yeah...I am now. I guess,” Autumn replied, aware of eyes taking glances at her from all over.

“Alright...if you say so,” Sunset added, resting a hand in her chin as she glossed over a line of people waiting to grab lunch. “You sure it’s nothing too serious?” she asked, slowly standing up to head over to the shortening line.

A nod from Autumn signaled her to speak up again. “Okay, suit yourself,” she muttered, standing up rather suddenly. “I’m gonna go grab something from the line; I’ll be back as soon as I can, got it?”

The duo waved as she left, letting a few seconds of silence fall between them before Autumn spoke up to break it.

“S-So, uh…how was your day so far? Hopefully it wasn’t too bad without me around…” Autumn tentatively asked, a far cry from her usual tone of voice.

“It was…okay, I guess?” Starbreeze responded, looking lost in thought. “I mean, I felt like eyes were constantly trained on me no matter what I was doing or what class I was in, so that wasn’t too fun…” Her eyes widened for a second as she seemed to remember something else. Hopefully it was some good news…

“Oh yeah! I actually managed to meet someone that didn’t hate my guts as soon as I walked in a room, so…that’s good, I guess. We actually managed to talk a bit too, so hopefully I gave her a good first impression…”

“Yeah, I guess so. All we can do is hope that you did.” Autumn smiled as she remembered meeting Fluttershy just three periods before as a small smile was brought forth. “Pretty much did the same on my end, although she was pretty scared to talk to me…”

“Not too surprising, to be honest. I’m just more shocked that we actually managed to make some friends...well, sort of.” Starbreeze’s eyes glanced over her shoulder when the sound of footsteps reached her ears, noticing a pink-haired girl with a spring in her step and a tray of food in her hands. Autumn looked back as well when she swore she heard a voice attempt to call someone back, but it didn’t seem to be any help as the girl reached their table.

“Speaking of…” Starbreeze muttered under her breath.

Pink hair that seemed to defy gravity, an infectious smile, and a sickeningly pastel-colored outfit caught Autumn’s attention the most, and she didn’t know what to think of the girl until she opened her mouth. Didn’t she see her somewhere before?

“Oh my gosh, you must be the other new girl I helped this morning, right?” she said rather quickly, setting her tray of food across from Autumn and grabbing her hand to shake it. Autumn didn’t even know what to say as a puzzled expression stuck on her face; Starbreeze let out a barely-audible chuckle behind her as the girl continued, letting go of Autumn’s hand in the process.

“U-uh…yeah, that’s me…I-I guess that means you know Starbreeze already is, right?” Autumn managed to say even as her words seemed to catch in her throat.

“Well, duh! I just met her three periods ago, after all! Besides, you looked kind of upset and there were a lot of people staring at you and whispering about you two, so I decided to come by to cheer you up! I did ask my friends if they wanted to come with, but…” She jerked a thumb in the general direction of the table she came from as an annoyed expression crossed her face for a moment. “They ended up turning it down, the bunch of party poopers, so I decided to come here and just meet you myself!”

Autumn thought she saw another pair of eyes, cerise in color, track her down when the girl mentioned her friends, but she decided it wasn’t too important. She’d probably have to deal with her soon anyways, and she certainly wasn’t looking forward to that point in time. No need to worry about that right now.

The energetic girl grasped Autumn’s hands again, derailing her train of thought, an even wider smile getting rid of all prior traces of annoyance crossing her face as light blue eyes met her own emerald ones. “My name’s Pinkie Pie! What’s yours?”

“I-It’s Autumn…Autumn Dawn,” she replied, forcing herself to speak instead of letting awkward silence fall. Luckily, Sunset finally came back, eyes narrowing in irritation when she noticed Pinkie taking her seat.

"What are you doing here, Pinkie?” She asked, quickly noticing Autumn and Starbreeze shaking their heads back and forth slightly with wide eyes as she took her own seat next to Starbreeze.

She sighed for a moment. “Whatever, it’s not important,” she muttered as the duo headed for the lunch line to get some-much needed food, leaving her alone with an all-too excited Pinkie Pie.

Silence that creeped up slowly was soon extinguished by Sunset. “So...Pinkie,” she began, smirking when Pinkie revealed to have a piece of lettuce sticking out from her mouth when she looked at her.

“What?” she asked, her voice muffled by another mouthful of salad she took.

“Why did you even do this to begin with?” Sunset prodded, unfazed by how ridiculous Pinkie sounded as someone with a mouth full of lettuce would.

“Well…” she began after swallowing her food. “I just figured they could use a little cheering up, that’s all! Besides, nobody deserves being sad and lonely all the time!” Pinkie pointed her fork at Sunset as she slowly picked at her own food. “Not even someone who tried to take over the world by becoming a magical she-demon!”

Don’t call me that, you annoying little…

Sunset stopped herself mid-insult, realizing that Pinkie’s words didn’t seem malicious in intent after all, if the wide smile she gave afterwards was any indication. It didn’t mean the innocuous jab hurt any less, but…

She’s right though…isn’t she? Maybe there’s some truth to it after all, as much as I hate to say it…

Her thoughts scattered when Autumn and Starbreeze returned with trays of food in their hands and satisfied smiles on their faces.

Silence reigned for a while as the duo took their seats and began to pick at their food. Pinkie’s eyes widened moments after they did, a wide smile again crossing her face.

“Hey, Starbreeze!” Pinkie exclaimed, startling her enough to make her jump and stop eating.

“Y-yes! U-um…what’s the matter, Pinkie?”

A giggle escaped her lips before she replied. “Oh, nothing much…I just got a super amazing idea, that’s all!”

“Shoot.”

“Do you three want to come to Sugarcube Corner with me and the girls after school?” She asked, waiting for a response as Starbreeze looked up into her cerulean eyes with a confused expression and a fork in her mouth.

Autumn beat Starbreeze to responding, crossing her arms and shooting a smile her way much to her friend’s chagrin. “I’m not really sure if I could make it because of some stuff I gotta do after school, but I’m sure Starbreeze would love to go…” Autumn, leaning closer to her friend with narrowed eyes and an all-too familiar smirk, muttered, “Isn’t that right, Starry?”

The sounds of Starbreeze struggling not to choke on her food emerged a split-second later as her eyes narrowed, mouthing a single word.

“What?”

Starbreeze didn’t have enough time to call Autumn out on her obvious bullshit before Pinkie spoke up in excitement. “That’s great to hear! Omigosh, I can’t wait to see you two later, okay? I’m gonna go tell the girls; I’ll be back in a jiffy!” She exclaimed, getting up from her seat to do exactly that.

Starbreeze slouched in her chair with an aggravated glare and tightly pursed lips shot in Autumn’s direction. Mumbling something Autumn couldn’t hear caused her to lean closer to her friend.

“Wait, what did you say, Starbreeze?” She asked, fighting the urge to laugh at her friend’s exaggerated annoyance. Sunset attempted to do the same with a hand over her mouth and a snicker escaping her lips, causing Autumn to smile even wider than before.

Silence lingered for longer than it had to before Starbreeze sighed in exasperation, slouching even further while opening her mouth to respond.

“I hate you so much right now.”

The rest of the day went on without much incident, aside from the usual awkward glance in Starbreeze’s direction as she waited for Sunset in the main foyer while reading the book she received from her English teacher. The words on the page didn’t even sink in, as her mind was preoccupied with other thoughts, as per usual. At least Autumn reminded me to text her mom before she left, she thought as she glanced at the simple ‘ok, have fun and stay safe’, followed by a smiley face that graced the lit screen of her phone. At least Autumn has a mom that gives a shit about her kid and her best friend, unlike mine.

Shaken from her thoughts and the words before her by Sunset, she stood up slowly after gathering her belonging to face Sunset with a weak smile.

“You alright?” Sunset asked, a hint of worry tinged in her voice.

“Yeah. I’m okay.” She wished she could be, anyway. Autumn wasn’t here, her mother was on her mind…

You wanna think of anything else, brain? Literally anything else would be better than thinking about…her. Not after what happened that day.

Thoughts that swirled through her mind stopped dead in her tracks as Sunset spoke up again after setting her backpack on the floor.

“Sorry I made you wait. Forgot something at my locker.”

Starbreeze held up the book she read prior with a smirk in lieu of saying anything.

“Yeah, that’s the one,” Sunset replied as she placed an identical book inside before zipping up the bag and getting back to her feet. “Guess you don’t mind reading this kinda stuff outside of school, huh?”

“Nah, not really. Always had a soft spot for things like that. ‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players’; stuff like that, y’know?” She quoted, waving her hand slightly for accentuation.

“Heh…yeah, I could maybe see the appeal to older works like that,” Sunset replied, glancing at the time on her phone. “Looks like we have a little time before we have to meet Pinkie, but-”

“You want to get going? Alright then…let’s go,” Starbreeze said, taking Sunset’s hand and leading her through the double doors.

Fallen leaves swirled around the sidewalk for a brief moment as a cool breeze swept them up, giving Starbreeze something to look at as she guided Sunset along. At least it was a better sight than that of the annoyed gazes of students passing them by, still unnerved by her presence as they were this morning.

One glare she couldn’t ignore was one directed at her by a girl with pale blue hair and violet eyes, a gaze that held so much contempt for her and Sunset that it stood out from the others by a fair margin.

“Hey, Sunset,” Starbreeze whispered as soon as she was certain the coast was clear from the girl and her violet glare. “Who…was that?”

Sunset apparently recognized the girl that Starbreeze mentioned, her eyes narrowing in annoyance soon after she realized who was glaring at them.

“Oh…Trixie? Honestly…” She paused, turning her gaze back toward Starbreeze. “I wouldn’t worry about her. She’s pretty harmless, but she’s pretty stubborn and kind of a nuisance. Just don’t worry about her and I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“O-Oh…okay then…”

Even if Sunset said not to worry, that only made her mind race more. Why does this girl feel like she has it out for me? She doesn’t seem like she’ll be much of a threat, but still…I don’t think I’ll be forgetting those eyes anytime soon. She sighed, looking on ahead at the sidewalk that stretched beyond. I should tell Autumn about this then when I’m done here…let’s just hope you’re right about her, Sunset.

Chapter 4: Little Talks

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The doors to Sugarcube Corner slowly opened as Starbreeze and Sunset headed inside, taking in the sweet smells of smoothies and fresh-made pastries that filled the cafe. The entire place seemed to glow with a welcoming aura as the duo headed further inside, trying to find who they were looking for.

Starbreeze made an attempt to avoid eye contact with the numerous annoyed glances from other students she noticed when she strode through the door, searching for Pinkie with renewed determination to get away from the moths around her.

“Hey, Starbreeze, Sunset! Over here!” A voice sounded from the other side of the cafe, drawing the girl’s gazes to Pinkie as well as a few unwanted glares from a few students around them.

Pinkie took a huge drink from her milkshake as she motioned for the girls to come over and sit down; a girl with lighter pink hair sitting next to her shrunk at Sunset’s presence as she approached. All Sunset did was look away and sigh, annoyed at her reaction as she sat down next to Starbreeze.

“Looks like you two are the third ones here!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, pointing a thumb at Fluttershy.

She squeaked, shrinking back again slightly before whispering, “H-Hello…”

Pinkie leaned back in her chair, an irritated look crossing her face. “I’m pretty sure I remember asking Rainbow and Applejack to come by, but they said they had stuff to do. Bunch of party poopers…”

“I’m guessing that means that Rarity can make it, right?” Sunset questioned, looking less than enthused from what Starbreeze noticed. Pinkie looked up, nodding enthusiastically in response when she heard what was said. Sunset slouched in her chair at the response, trying her best to not let herself leave the table.

“Lovely.”

The words, muttered through clenched teeth, gave Starbreeze more than a clue as to how Sunset felt. Glancing around, she motioned for Sunset to follow her as she took a small wallet out of her backpack before standing up. Sunset eventually followed as Starbreeze looked around the room again, a nervous tic she realized she was developing and one that had to be snuffed out as soon as possible. Even though she desperately wanted to, she still couldn’t hide how anxious she felt.

As they reached the counter and relayed their orders to the kind woman behind it, Sunset leaned to Starbreeze, whispering, “Are you doing alright? I noticed you looked a little freaked out when we walked in here…”

She would've loved to say that she was doing fine, but…she just couldn’t bring herself to lie, even if the response could’ve been a simple ‘yes’.

“Not really, no,” she began, taking a deep breath before continuing, successfully calming her frayed nerves for the time being. “I just feel like-”

“Like everyone’s staring us down? Judging us for being in the same space as them? Yeah, I figured that’s what was bothering you.”

“I…I wish Autumn came here with me,” Starbreeze slipped out, looking down at her feet and cursing herself out internally for not keeping the fact hidden away.

“Well…” Sunset began, taking hold of the bags and drinks that were sat on the counter a moment ago as Starbreeze produced some money from her wallet, setting it on the counter as Sunset continued. “I’m sure she didn’t do this for no reason at all. I think she really does trust you enough to know that you’d be okay without her for an hour or two, don’t you think?”

“Y-Yeah, but-” Starbreeze stammered, about to retort before stopping herself.

She’s probably right. Maybe Autumn did this knowing I’d be okay? Not that I like admitting it, but…she might of been right after all.

She snapped out of her thoughts as she heard the sound of a bag being opened to her right. Sunset stood beside her, a smirk slowly forming on her face as she looked inside the beige bag to find a few sweet-smelling pastries that laid inside.

“Geez, how many chocolate turnovers did you buy?” Sunset asked before noticing the bag was snatched away from her by Starbreeze, whose cheeks were now an impressive shade of red from embarrassment.

“S-Shut up…I like chocolate, okay?” She muttered as they eventually made their way back to the table. At that moment, Starbreeze turned her head to notice the doors on the other side of the cafe open up, revealing a girl with gorgeous purple hair, a light blue blouse and purple skirt with matching boots. Making her way to the table they sat at, Starbreeze noticed her eyes were a beautiful azure shade.

“I’m so sorry I’m late, darling,” she apologized to Pinkie, who simply shrugged before shooting a warm smile the girl’s way after removing a straw from her mouth. “I was quite busy with a simply eye-catching dress that I’ve been working on lately, and I didn’t realize I was going to be late until a few minutes ago!” She continued, taking notice of both Sunset and Starbreeze’s presence while giving a small wave. “And, um…who might you be, darling?”

Before she could respond, Pinkie answered as she wrapped an arm across her shoulders. “Her name’s Starbreeze, Rarity! She’s one of the new girls that moved here from Crystal Prep with her friend Autumn!”

“Oh, of course!” She said, seeming to remember something as her eyes widened. “I do seem to remember someone moving in not too long after the Fall Formal, correct?”

“U-Uh…yeah, that was us,” Starbreeze responded, not sure what else to do except take a bite out of the turnover that sat in front of her.

“Well, it’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, darling!” Rarity proclaimed as she took a seat next to Pinkie.

“You too, Rarity,” Starbreeze murmured as she noticed Sunset slouching in her chair again, taking a sip of her smoothie.

“U-Um…Rarity?” Fluttershy whispered, barely catching the girl’s attention.

“Yes, Fluttershy? What is it?”

“I, um…” She began as she at up in her chair a little. “I remember saying to Autumn that I would introduce her to you, but-”

“Wait, you met Autumn already?” Starbreeze interrupted, eyes wide as the words left Fluttershy’s mouth.

“U-Um…yes, I did,” Fluttershy mentioned in the same tone of voice she held prior. “She seemed kind of nervous to talk to me, but she was really kind…she even said what I was drawing in my sketchbook was really well done, so…”

“Didn’t know you picked up art at all,” Sunset said as all the pictures she saw in Starbreeze’s sketchbook rushed through her mind, as well as a few less-than-pleasant memories of what she did to the painfully shy girl. “That’s…nice.”

“Whoa, I didn’t know you could draw, Fluttershy! That’s so cool!” Pinkie exclaimed, taking another swig of her milkshake as Fluttershy gave a warm smile in response.

Rarity smiled as she spoke up to shake Sunset from her thoughts. “That was awfully kind of her to say, but…what did you want to speak to me about before, Fluttershy?” She said, smiling again when Sunset looked up from the table.

She just rolled her eyes as Fluttershy continued.

Don’t really know why she’s being nice to me…whatever. I’ll have all the time in the world to beat myself up when I get home.

“O-Oh! That’s right…Autumn said she wanted to know if she could stop by your boutique to pick up some new clothes, from what I remember…” Fluttershy said.

Rarity perked up, eyes widening with excitement at Fluttershy’s words. “Oh, that sounds absolutely lovely!” She said, smiling with joy present in her eyes as she leaned closer to Fluttershy. “So, tell me, did she come up with a time when she could stop by?”

“I-I don’t think she did, Rarity…sorry about that.”

“Oh.” The fashionista's shoulders slumped, her eyes narrowed in disappointment to complement the gesture. “That’s a shame…I would be available any time this week if she wanted to peruse what I have to offer…”

“Figures she’d forget something like that,” Starbreeze spoke up, drawing Rarity’s eyes toward her. “I mean, if Autumn didn’t say anything, then I might as well,” she continued, sitting back in her chair with crossed arms. “What about Wednesday? I’m guessing that would give you enough time to get ready, and-”

“That’s perfect, darling!” Rarity exclaimed, interrupting Starbreeze from her train of thought. “I promise you, I’ll have such a fabulous selection by the time Wednesday comes around that you’d be shopping for a very long time!” She said, punctuated by a small giggle from her building excitement.

All Starbreeze could do was laugh a little at the girl’s visible eagerness, looking down at her phone to notice that forty-five minutes had passed in the blink of an eye. A text from Autumn presented itself at the top of the screen, causing Starbreeze to smile as she began to tune the ensuing chatter from the other girls out of her mind. The only thing she cared to notice was a very bored-looking Sunset Shimmer.

‘You OK?’ The text read. Starbreeze warmly smiled as she began to think of a response soon after reading Autumn’s simple text, keeping Sunset’s disinterested expression in the back of her mind as a simple idea began to form.

She held up her phone’s camera in the direction of the girls a moment afterwards, attempting to keep herself in the frame; one after another, each girl smiled, some much wider than others or with peace signs to compliment them, as Starbreeze went to snap a photo, beginning to type underneath the picture as she prepared to send it.

‘Yeah, I’m okay.’

There was a momentary pause before another bright tone sounded from Starbreeze’s phone, causing her to check what the text said. The corners of her mouth lifted again as her eyes quickly scanned the message, eyes softening.

‘Good.’

“Okay, let’s get going,” Starbreeze said, pocketing her phone after sending another text to Autumn that she was on her way home; Sunset followed along after she began to walk away from the doors of Sugarcube Corner. The streets seemed to glow from the setting sun’s light as leaves were swirled around by a light breeze across the sidewalk. Sunset and Starbreeze, after saying their goodbyes to the girls, left the cafe, heading in the general direction of Autumn’s house.

“I thought I saw you buying something else before we left…” Sunset mentioned, noticing a slight blush creeping up on Starbreeze’s face. “You bought three more of those turnovers, didn’t you?”

“N-no...” Starbreeze weakly denied, followed by equally weak laughter. “I-I just…I…yeah. I did,” she conceded as her shoulders slumped.

Sunset’s eyes narrowed into slits as her mouth widened smugly to accompany them.

One look at her face from Starbreeze and she began to smile herself, feebly attempting to hold back laughter. “Okay, okay...I might like them a little too much…”

“No shit, Sherlock.” Sunset replied, trying to hold back bursting into laughter again. She cleared her throat before continuing, noticing that Starbreeze began to glance at her feet as she walked. “S-so, uh...how’d the rest of your day go? Y’know, after I left and everything, and besides meeting Pinkie…”

“It was…okay? Honestly, aside from the near-constant stares I got from some people, it wasn’t anything to write home about,” she said as Sunset realized they were heading towards some rather fancy housing near the edge of the city.

“Kinda figured,” Sunset replied, glancing at Starbreeze’s sullen expression that she held for a few moments. “Although, it looks like you have something on your mind other than that.”

“Oh?” She looked up quickly, cobalt eyes attempting to make vanish all prior traces of sadness as a weak giggle escaped her lips, punctuated by a nonchalant wave of her hand. “I-It’s nothing, I promise.”

Sunset sighed, not knowing what else to say. “Suit yourself.”

If she doesn’t want to talk to me, then that’s her problem. Not like I should force her to, anyways…

“By the way, what the heck does your house even look like?” she questioned, unsure of which house to stop at as Starbreeze glanced at each one that they passed.

Yep, definitely don’t know where I’m at; probably some ritzy part of the city I’ve never been to, judging from the sizes of these houses. It would be awfully nice if Starbreeze spoke up about the place at all, but I guess I just have to keep following her. I’m sure we’ll get there eventually.

Starbreeze chuckled as her eyes continued to scan each house they passed by, apparently taking in the scenery around her as Sunset trailed behind, still unsure what to make of the area around her. Clearly it was out of her league, as loathe as she was to admit it, but she never would've thought that Starbreeze’s friend was that rich, right?

“Okay, here we are!” Starbreeze exclaimed, causing Sunset to glance up at the house she stood in front of.

Although her house had a similar structure than that of the others that stood next to it, it seemed to stand out in major ways from what Sunset saw. A pale blue coat of paint covered the perimeter of the house, shining nicely from the setting sun’s rays. Organized flowerbeds filled with both red and white carnations flanked the stairs leading up to the front door, with every other step being decorated with red chrysanthemums in small flower pots. The whole house seemed to glow with an aura of calmness that the other houses didn’t feel like they had.

“Nice place,” Sunset muttered, admiring the scenery a bit more before continuing. “Heck of a lot better than I could afford…”

“Hey, stranger. Nice to see you here.” A voice sounded from the front steps, drawing the girl’s eyes toward the source.

Autumn, eyes trained on Sunset, closed the door behind her before sitting down on a small cushioned chair near the door. She motioned for Starbreeze and Sunset to come up the stairs closer to her with a small wave of her hand.

As they did, Starbreeze said quietly, “Well, there is one thing I wanted to ask you.” She stopped, facing her at the top of the staircase while her worried cobalt gaze fixed onto Sunset.

She crossed her arms, sighing. Whatever she wanted to ask couldn’t be that bad; Sunset figured she could hear the girl out before she headed back home.

“What?”

Starbreeze glanced down at her feet for a moment before looking back up. “What happened at Canterlot High that…that everybody seems to hate you for?”

Sunset froze, replaying the familiar events at a breakneck pace. Teal eyes bordered in black stood out the most of all, as much as she didn’t want them to. Her mind reeled to formulate a decent response as she tried to distract herself from the flood of horrible memories; when she couldn’t come up with one, all she did was sigh again, finally regaining her composure.

“Starbreeze…I don’t think you’re ready,” she stated with a serious tone etched into her voice.

“Not ready for what?” Autumn questioned, standing beside Starbreeze with similarly crossed arms.

“You’re not ready to hear the truth. The both of you,” she retorted harsher than would've liked, turning around to face the way she came. “But…” she continued, turning her head slightly toward the duo. “I’ll tell you when I think we’re all ready. I…I promise.”

“That’s fine, if a little vague…suit yourself,” Autumn responded, earning a chuckle and a wave from Sunset as she slowly walked away, leaving the girls to ponder on what she meant.

“I guess that’s all we can do, huh?” Starbreeze asked, watching Sunset as she left her line of sight.

“Wait? Yeah…it kinda sucks, but I guess you’re right.” Autumn chuckled. “I’m sure Sunset will come around eventually…” she said, shrugging slightly.

She led Starbreeze inside after opening the door, noticing that her mother wasn’t home yet; she checked the clock on the wall close to the door, seeing that it was only five o’clock. Not too much of a surprise that she wasn’t here, considering her line of work.

After heading to the kitchen and setting the bag of chocolate turnovers on a nearby counter, Starbreeze noticed that Autumn was facing her, leaning her arms on the counter across from her with a smug grin.

“So,” Autumn asked. “How many turnovers did you end up buying?”

Starbreeze held back a chuckle while taking one out of the bag. “Shut up, Autumn.”

“Whatever you say, Starry,” she replied, shrugging as a chuckle escaped her mouth.

Silence took hold of the room as Starbreeze took a bite of the delicious pastry in her hand to prevent herself from retorting, looking up when Autumn began to speak up again.

“So, uh…you alright? You look like you have something on your mind,” she questioned.

Starbreeze’s response was to take her friend’s hand and led her upstairs with her turnover still in her mouth, Autumn letting out a surprised squeak at the sudden movement that was rather unlike her.

Starbreeze could only hope that the blush that creeped on her cheeks was one that Autumn didn’t notice as her bedroom door came into view. After all, she had to get her mind back on track to what she really wanted to talk about.

I can deal with these weird feelings later. Right now, talking about my parents seems a little more important.

With the door finally closed behind them, Starbreeze decided to finish the delicious turnover, motioning for Autumn to sit in a nearby bean-bag chair in what used to be the house’s guest room.

Transformed into something more suited to Starbreeze’s tastes, the room was decorated with star-shaped lights strung on the walls and two sky blue bean-bag chairs in one corner, along with deep blue bedsheets and blankets dotted with pale yellow stars. A stuffed, white and purple dog sat in the corner of the bed with its beady eyes staring up at the ceiling, the one thing she wanted to take from her former home the most. The room felt like a pocket dimension compared to the rest of the house, and Starbreeze was rather grateful she was allowed to shop for most of the room’s decor after she decided to live with Autumn full-time.

“So,” Autumn spoke up as Starbreeze sat on the edge of her bed. “What’s up? I’m guessing it’s something pretty important if you brought me up here.”

Starbreeze sighed, bringing her knees up to her chest. Her voice, muffled as her head rested against her knees, was quiet, yet it was loud enough so Autumn could just barely make out what she said.

“I…” She paused. “My parents are on my mind again.”

“Oh...really?” Sympathy tinged Autumn’s voice, noticing Starbreeze’s shift in position to make herself more comfortable. Standing up, she moved to sit next to her friend on the edge of the bed. After clearing her throat, she began to speak again. “I think I lost track...it was a couple months ago, right? When you came to us, I mean.”

“Two-and-a-half months,” Starbreeze muttered. “I can’t believe it’s been that long since I decided to leave my mother,” she finished, glancing at a calendar on the wall with crossed-out days leading up to a circle on the first day of school’s date.

“Do you ever regret it?” Autumn questioned, looking down at her with softening eyes.

Starbreeze covered her forehead with her arm, fixing her gaze on a small blue lantern hooked into the ceiling. “No, not necessarily,” she murmured, pausing a bit to gather her thoughts. “But…I miss her…kind of. I miss what I had with her before, you know? Even if most of the good moments were drowning in apparent manipulation, they were still…nice.”

“...Yeah, I get it. What your mother decided to do was awful, but I can understand still missing her even when you have my mom around.” Autumn mentioned, noticing Starbreeze’s subtle melancholic shift in her expression. She decided to change the conversation’s course for her sake; she would never forgive herself if she made Starbreeze shed even a single tear.

“What about your dad?”

The words seemed to linger in the air for a few seconds before Starbreeze sighed, removing her arm from her forehead to glance into Autumn’s emerald eyes. “Honestly, if he reached out to me some time in the future, I don’t really know how I’d feel. I mean, I miss him too, don’t get me wrong, but he just has a bad habit of being so…”

“Stubborn? Pig-headed? Unobservant until the last possible second?” Autumn listed, extending a finger for each description.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Doesn’t really help that he didn’t realize what your mother was doing until you left the both of them for me.”

Another sigh escaped Starbreeze’s lips, feeling like more of a reflexive response than anything else. “I don’t think he was too angry about it though,” she mentioned, flipping herself over on her right side and bringing her knees up to her chest. “I mean, he was distraught, that much was for certain, but at least he didn’t aim his anger towards me.”

“I think it's time to start trying put the past behind you, Starbreeze,” Autumn spoke firmly after a few moments of silence.

“Autumn…what do you mean?”

“What do you think I mean, you dork?” Autumn said, a smug grin crossing her face before being replaced with a warmer smile. “Now that we're going to CHS and we’re making some new friends…this fresh start might be exactly what you need, and I honestly think this whole ordeal ended up doing you more good than harm.”

“Maybe in the grand scheme of things, sure…” Starbreeze muttered incredulously with her eyes turned away from Autumn, beginning to focus on the stars that dotted her comforter.

“I mean it, you know. Even if things didn’t turn out too well at Crystal Prep, it still made us realize that we deserved better than the crap that was getting thrown at us for all those years.”

“I think I still remember when some of the students stood up for us every now and then…” Starbreeze murmured as she sat up, resting her head on her knees as they were brought back up to her chest. It was a vain attempt to remember one good thing about the academy, to be sure, but it was better than nothing.

“Wasn’t too often, but I think I remember this one girl…glasses, purple hair…” Autumn mentioned, moving to lie on her back with her eyes trained on the ceiling.

“Sugarcoat?”

“No, it wasn’t her…she was the one that always told us to try and stand up for ourselves more in that deadpan tone of hers, remember?”

“I think that was mostly aimed at me, though…” Starbreeze muttered to herself.

After a moment, Autumn quickly sat up, causing Starbreeze to flinch. “Ah, whatever! Can’t remember her name, but anyways…”

Autumn wrapped her arms tightly around Starbreeze, causing her to quickly turn her head away as she felt her cheeks begin to burn at the sudden contact.

“I’m proud of you, Starbreeze. You know that, right?” She muttered into her friend’s shoulder.

“Y-Yeah…” Starbreeze stammered back. Unsure of how to respond, she let her mind wander as warmth enveloped her body. The sound of a door unlocking and a serene voice filling the hallway downstairs drew Autumn towards the source soon after, releasing Starbreeze from her embrace as she waved at her. A smile crossed her face before she left calling to her mother as she closed the door behind her.

Starbreeze was finally alone with only her thoughts to keep her company, something she was all too familiar with but wasn’t averse to. At least it was somewhere she felt safe. That was the least she could ask for.

Maybe Autumn’s right, she thought, taking a mechanical pencil and a small sketchbook from her bag, flipping to an empty page as her mind continued to wander. This whole thing with my parents is something I can get through, even if I can’t get them off my mind half the time. School is a bit of a different story though, isn’t it? And these weird feelings I keep getting…I’ll deal with them later. Romance isn’t exactly my strong suit.

The familiar click of the pencil brought her into a different frame of mind, focusing on an image she’d imagined far too many times. Her heart felt like it was about to sprout wings and burst from her chest as she remembered Autumn’s embrace from earlier, motivating her to begin.

“Art, on the other hand?” She heard the words spill from her mouth in a whisper. “That’s something I’m good at…kind of.”

Chapter 5: Alexandrite

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Tuesday came and went as students poured out from their classrooms at the final bell’s toll. A general feeling of relief seemed to wash over the student body, and it was one that Starbreeze shared. Equally relieved to hear the familiar sound, she trailed behind her fellow classmates from her History course without locking eyes with a single one.

Without Autumn around, Starbreeze felt more justifiably nervous than usual. Even if the typical barrage of glares and whispers were toned down as she compared it to yesterday, she still couldn't help but feel anxious as her locker finally came into sight. Sighing, she placed her backpack on the ground next to her. Opening the locker door, she started replayed the events from yesterday afternoon as she organized her belongings. She still couldn’t pinpoint what Sunset meant by saying she wasn’t ready to hear ‘the truth’, unable to shake the thought from her mind no matter how hard she tried. What did it all mean, anyway?

With the locker door shut and new textbooks safely stored away for the day, Starbreeze heaved a sigh she didn’t realize she was holding inside.

Is there really any reason for me to keep dwelling on it? If she’s not ready to tell me, then I’ll just have to be patient, Starbreeze thought, slinging her backpack over her shoulder while she made a beeline for the double doors, head held down just enough as to not look into anyone’s eyes. Even if she trusted Sunset, she barely trusted anyone else in CHS. She wanted to so very badly, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to. Not yet.

Every step felt like she was wading through molasses as she forced herself to reach the doors, taking one glance back at the myriad of students that gathered in the halls and main foyer after a few minutes. The chatter that rose from the crowd barely reached her ears as she finally walked outside, taking in the sight of fall in full swing, and with it, a feeling of genuine relief.

That is, until a pair of arms quickly snaked around her torso.

A squeak of surprise escaped Starbreeze’s lips, much to her own embarrassment, as she broke herself free. Turning quickly on a heel revealed Pinkie Pie standing behind her, chuckling slightly as Rarity followed behind, massaging the bridge of her nose in apparent frustration.

“P-Pinkie! What the heck was that for?!” Starbreeze shouted, trying her best to stem the shocked blush that crept on her face.

Another laugh from Pinkie diffused some of the tension that built within Starbreeze, finally allowing herself to relax, even if it was only slightly. “I just wanted to get your attention, Starbreeze! Still, you should’ve seen the look on your face!” she said, breaking into another chuckle much to Starbreeze’s chagrin.

“Pinkie Pie, darling, I don’t exactly recommend behavior like this toward, well…anyone, especially not the new girls,” Rarity chided, placing a hand on Pinkie’s shoulder before leaning closer to her, whispering sharply, “Besides, we’re trying to make a good first impression, remember?”

“Well, yeah, duh! I thought we already did that yesterday, Rarity…didn’t we?”

“I’m pretty sure she meant continuing that, though.” A voice sounded from behind the three girls, causing warmth to well up within Starbreeze as she laid eyes on Autumn emerging from the doorway with a small pink poster in her hand.

A small wave from Starbreeze alerted Autumn to her presence, smiles forming on both their faces at each other's presence before she spoke up.

“H-Hey, Autumn…what’s that poster you have there?” she asked, motioning for her to hand the paper over for a moment as the girls walked down the stairs, stopping when they reached the marble statue that stood proudly as ever in front of the school.

“Oh, this?” Autumn began as Starbreeze glanced over the forest green font that graced the poster. “I decided to stop by the library after the final bell rung; thought I’d find you there, but I ended up seeing Fluttershy instead…”

“Oh, that’s right!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Fluttershy volunteers at the local animal shelter each Saturday, see?” She said, pointing to a spot on the poster that mentioned it. “She hands these out every Wednesday, doesn’t she? Maybe she just needed to print out some more!”

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Autumn said, receiving the poster back from Starbreeze. “She just handed one of these to me after she asked me if I could help her out…poor girl. Probably doesn’t get a lot of volunteers…”

“It might be in your girl's best interest to volunteer for her then, wouldn’t you say?” Rarity asked, shooting Starbreeze a warm smile. “I’m rather positive it might help your reputation here, and if nothing else, I’m sure Fluttershy would greatly appreciate your assistance.”

Autumn studied the poster for another moment before looking back up at Starbreeze. All she did was nod, accepting Rarity’s request to help her friend, as Autumn smiled warmly to accompany the gesture.

“Sure, Rarity. We’ll help her out,” Autumn confirmed, heading closer to Starbreeze to place a hand on her shoulder while not noticing the blush that slowly crept on her friend’s cheeks from the simple touch. “Oh yeah, Rarity, about the whole meet-up we were gonna do…”

Starbreeze could barely speak, too tangled up in thoughts of her own to really focus on the rest of what the girls spoke of, only hearing snippets of conversation about where they needed to be. Her heart felt like it was about to sprout wings as she tried to stop her body from beginning to shake from Autumn being so close to her. And yet…she didn’t understand why she felt the way she did. Certainly, after nearly three months of living with Autumn she would’ve come to fully realize the feelings she had toward her best friend, but…

Better late than never I guess.

Snapping back to reality when Rarity mentioned the Carousel Boutique, the girls went their separate ways after exchanging waves and goodbyes. Autumn and Starbreeze began to make their way past the statue as the rest of the girls did, Autumn mentioning to Starbreeze that Rarity had offered to drive them there.

“Why’d you go and turn that down, anyway?” Starbreeze questioned, giving a playfully light punch to Autumn’s upper arm.

Before Autumn could answer, a voice sounded from behind them.

“So, where are you two headed?” The source of the voice, coming from a figure leaning against the statue, froze the girls in their tracks. Breaking out of their momentary paralysis, the duo turned to lock eyes with a girl donning pale blue hair that poked out of a darker blue hoodie, violet eyes shining underneath with pure contempt for their presence.

Autumn caught on quickly, eyebrows furrowed as she racked her brain trying to remember where she had seen someone like her. She took a step forward, startling Starbreeze as she could only gaze on with quickly widening, scared eyes. “You’re that girl from my second period class, aren’t you? Couldn’t of thought those death glares were coming from any normal violet eyes.”

“So, you do know of the Great and Powerful Trixie?” She said while she removed the hood from her head, eyes narrowing as she spoke with an air of superiority that took Autumn by surprise.

I really shouldn’t be taking any chances with this girl, Autumn thought as she glanced back at Starbreeze. Quickly noticing her deer-in-the-headlights expression, Autumn focused her gaze back on Trixie, bravado quickly returning.

I’ll try to make this quick, Starry.

“So, Trixie…” Autumn began. “What’s your deal?”

“My deal? Trixie was wondering the same exact thing about you two,” she remarked as she crossed her arms. “What could two students from Crystal Prep Academy possibly want with CHS other than to ruin its reputation?” Autumn recoiled slightly, causing Trixie to smirk and continue. “After all, the Friendship Games are this year, are they not?”

“Your point being…what, exactly?”

Trixie donned a deep scowl, causing a look of incredulity to cross Autumn's face.

“You really are clueless, aren’t you? It’s obvious you both are here to sabotage the Friendship Games and ruin Canterlot High’s reputation!”

“What.”

The girl’s eyes narrowed again. “Don’t play dumb with Trixie.”

Against all odds, Autumn managed to throw her a wry smirk. “Is that your shtick? Please, don’t tell me that’s your shtick,” she said, receiving a glare for her trouble. “But, seriously, we’re not trying to cause any trouble around here,” she retorted, noticing a few students were hanging around the general area, glancing back and forth between her and Trixie. We just-”

“Do you really expect me to believe you?” Trixie interrupted, pointing an accusatory finger Autumn’s way. “Especially after you insulted the Great and Powerful Trixie? You both must take me for a fool, don’t you?”

With theatrics like that? Yes, I do. Better keep my mouth shut on that topic, though...

“I never said that, did I?” Well, almost. “I’m just trying to tell you that we came here-”

“To cause nothing but strife for CHS and its students? Trixie can see through those lies you spew.”

“What.” As much as she wanted to, Autumn couldn’t deflect Trixie’s words with snarky bravado any longer as frustration began to build up inside her, freezing her in her tracks as much as she wanted to move back to comfort Starbreeze, whose eyes were still wide with building shock at Trixie’s words.

“You heard me, right? Trixie. Doesn’t. Believe. You.” With every emphasized word, she took a confident step forward in Autumn’s direction, stopping only when there was about an inch or two separating them in order to lock eyes with her. “I’m fairly certain the entire school doesn’t, either; those few girls you call your friends probably doubt you as much as I do.”

Silence greeted her as she smugly walked back several steps to give some distance, throwing a mocking smirk Autumn's way. The students around them began to form together in a small crowd, eyes equally wide not with terror, but with anticipation.

Trixie chuckled. “Now you’re both shaking like leaves. I guess that’s why your name is Autumn, huh? It makes sense that someone named that could only be so…fragile…at least, under all that bravado, anyway.”

Starbreeze looked down at her feet, eyes still wide, with hitched, shaky breaths as the words that left Trixie’s lips sank deep into her mind, replaying like a broken record. The collective eyes of the ring of students that surrounded them seemed to focus directly on her and Autumn, waiting for something to happen or something to be said.

Autumn didn’t say a single word, eyes equally wide with shock, a side of her completely divorced from the image of her seared in Starbreeze’s mind. A small crack in the surface, to be sure, but one that she never wished to see from the girl who defended her all those years ago from torment she endured for far too long.

That’s enough.

Quiet, dark laughter Starbreeze didn’t believe she was capable of before escaped her lips. It scared her, and yet…it almost felt like a defense mechanism. One that she desperately needed, apparently, as adrenaline rushed through her system, replacing all previous fear with fury.

I guess it’s time to repay the favor, isn’t it? I’m not just gonna stand there and let you take this, Autumn. Not now.

She looked up quickly, startling the crowd and Trixie herself with what they saw. A furious glare, akin to a fiery cobalt blaze and worlds apart from the timid, scared eyes they saw before, held nothing but determination and pure, unleaded anger aimed directly at Trixie herself.

Autumn looked back at her friend, not entirely surprised that the anger on display was unleashed at all; all she could do was wait to see how it played out, replaying Trixie’s scathing words in her mind as her feet entered her field of vision. A slight breeze began to blow as silence fell, scattering fallen leaves across the gray pavement.

“Do you really think I’d let you get away with insulting her like that?” Starbreeze began to speak quietly, dispersing tense silence that gripped the surrounding area for what seemed like an eternity. Starbreeze’s eyes narrowed, harboring a deathly cold stare that froze Trixie in her tracks.

“Well?” Starbreeze murmured, voice holding the same chill. “Do you?”

“D-Do you really think someone like you could-” Trixie stammered, bravado quickly fading as she scrambled to set it back up.

“Shut up,” Starbreeze murmured, loud enough compared to the silence that gripped the crowd that Trixie did so out of sudden shock at the burst of confidence on display. She continued forward, stepping in front of Autumn when she reached her position, looking up to lock eyes with Trixie. “And listen.”

Trixie couldn’t say a word, eyes wide with shock that resonated with the crowd around them.

I won’t let her speak. Not after what she said.

“Do you of all people expect me to believe I would just stand there, shaking like a leaf after you insulted my friend to her face?” She spoke, voice raising in intensity with every word that left her lips even if the general tone in her voice was tranquil. At least, that’s how she wanted it to sound.

“You must take me for a fool, like I’m some kind of pushover, don’t you? Well, here’s a wake-up call for you, oh Great and Powerful Trixie. I’m not. I never will be, no matter how shy I may seem. You and all the students around you can insult me all you please until the end of time, just like the students at Crystal Prep did,” she continued to speak, stepping closer and closer to Trixie until she was right up in her face.

The prior calm facade Starbreeze held began to crack as her cobalt glare bored holes into Trixie, her pupils reducing to a simple blue pinprick. She felt tears begin to well up in the corners of her eyes, adrenaline beginning to fade as the floodgates in her mind began to crack.

All Autumn could do was stand in shock at her friend’s sudden burst of confidence, sharing her reaction with the rest of the crowd of students. Was this really the same person she defended all those years ago? Was this really the same Starbreeze she’d known for all that time?

“But just remember this, Trixie,” Starbreeze shouted, her previous calm demeanor replaced with nothing but rage, almost taking a sick satisfaction in the way Trixie flinched from her sudden increase in volume. Almost. “As soon as you dare to insult Autumn again…”

Starbreeze managed corner Trixie up to where she had her back against the smooth marble of the statue, placing a single finger on her chest as she looked deep into Trixie’s scared violet eyes. She knew Trixie wanted to get away. She wouldn’t let her.

“This won’t be the first time you hear from me, and it certainly will not be the last,” Starbreeze spoke, with a deep, guttural growl to her voice that made Trixie shudder in fear. Noticing the attempt to rebuild her confidence and bravado from the sudden shift in her eyes and posture, Starbreeze finally decided she had done enough. The threat was there. Now all Trixie had to do was not taunt Autumn again, which seemed likely for the time being.

Taking a step away, she turned away from a very shaky Trixie to head back to where Autumn stood. Shooting another glare her way, she murmured, “Just…go away. Leave us alone, damn it.”

Silence spread over the crowd as the shock of Starbreeze’s words and actions began to sink in.

Trixie, however, managed to take a step forward despite the shakiness in her legs. “Tch. Y-you really think that your words got to me? You must be as gullible as you look, for the Great and Powerful Trixie will not stoop to such pettiness!” Trixie exclaimed, rummaging through her jacket pockets soon after.

Autumn reclaimed her own confidence after some deep breaths, placing a comforting hand on Starbreeze.

All she could do afterwards was hold her head down, unable to keep most of the adrenaline she had before as tears began to stream down her cheeks. An all-too-familiar blush creeped on her face, hidden from the crowd and Autumn’s view. Just how she wanted it to be, at least for now.

“Pretty sure you did a little bit ago if you pissed off Starbreeze of all people,” Autumn retorted, smirking until a cloud of smoke filled the area. The pale blue haze surrounded the duo and the crowd around them for a moment until it eventually dissipated, spurring coughs from everyone affected. As the crowd began to thin and Trixie ran away from a tree she hid behind with her hood pulled over her head, Autumn noticed a girl with a cowboy hat and denim skirt throw a thumbs-up their way before departing herself.

Autumn wordlessly led Starbreeze in the direction of the Carousel Boutique, wiping tears from her eyes with one hand while having her other hand on Starbreeze’s right shoulder. One thought shone above all else, even as Starbreeze’s declaration replayed in her mind over and over.

I really owe you for that one, don’t I Starry? Don’t you worry…one of these days, I’ll repay the favor tenfold. I promise.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Autumn mused, looking upon the exterior of the Carousel Boutique with equal parts curiosity and confusion. A mix of light blue and purple swamped her vision, standing out from the dull colors the buildings flanking it had to offer, as a small sign with a dress and purse hung over them. It swayed in the breeze that picked up as the duo made their way there, as a few fallen leaves on the sidewalk strode in front of their feet.

Starbreeze chuckled, throwing her a wry smirk. “Seems about right to me; I mean, the place is called the Carousel Boutique, after all…”

“True.”

Stepping through the door after a few moments of window-shopping revealed the same amount of color as the shop’s exterior held. A warm, inviting aura enveloped the duo as Autumn began to look around among the myriad of clothing for any sign of violet hair. Some of the options were every bit as fancy as Rarity was, and it took all of Autumn’s willpower to not browse until she spoke to her first.

“Oh, hello, darlings!”

Right on cue.

A voice sounded from the top of the staircase at the back of the store as a familiar face framed with purple, curled hair entered their vision. Donning red glasses and attire similar to Monday’s, Rarity strode up to them with a pincushion in her hand.

“I'm so glad you two could make it!” She exclaimed as she took a tape measure off a nearby table, heading towards the girls, sizing them up when she finally reached their position. A wave of shock washed over Autumn for a second or two before she began to relax; Starbreeze seemed the same way, as she noticed she was clutching her arm again out of shyness.

“Oh, this is just perfect!” Rarity turned towards them with a look of satisfaction after jotting numbers down in a nearby notepad. “When Fluttershy had mentioned to me about how you girls wanted a wardrobe update, I could barely hold myself together!” She exclaimed.

“Yeah, we noticed,” Autumn said, snickering a little until Starbreeze elbowed her in the arm.

Rarity paused, turning around to face away from the duo with a hand on her chin in thought. “Of course, I could always make something custom for you both, if nothing here catches your eye. Now that I have some measurements, it would be rather trivial…”

Turning Autumn and Starbreeze around to face the large amount of options around them, she motioned them towards some nearby clothing racks to browse. “But, no matter! Take all the time you need, girls. The most expensive item each of you pick out is on the house!” She said, her voice brimming with excitement that Autumn wasn’t aware she was capable of.

“W-Wait, seriously? That doesn’t seem like a good business practice, you know.” Autumn threw her an incredulous look, kneeling down to dig through her backpack near her on the floor for her wallet. “We can cover the cost, Ra-”

Rarity helped her up and placed a finger to Autumn’s lips to cut her off.

“I am very serious, darling,” she said, a determined smile taking hold soon after she spoke. “Take as much time as you need! I’ll be around if you need anything, okay?” Rarity mentioned, waving elegantly as she headed towards other customers who had wandered inside.

“A-Alright…I-I mean, if it’s okay with you, then…” Starbreeze murmured, clearly too shy to speak up about much as she trailed off, slowly making her way to a shelf filled with pairs of shoes.

Something just didn't sit right in Autumn’s gut about having something given to her for free, even if Rarity seemed not to want to budge on the topic. The generosity Rarity displayed to her and Starbreeze…felt nice.

Her eyes eventually fixed on Starbreeze and her position in the store, noticing that she already had her eye on some cute long-sleeved shirts. Autumn could’ve sworn she saw a pang of guilt in her eyes, however small it seemed. At least she was enjoying herself compared to how she was earlier…even she couldn’t believe Starbreeze was capable of standing up for her like that.

When was the last time she stood up for herself like that, anyway? Maybe it was when…when she left her parents, right?

Autumn decided it was high time she stopped dwelling on the past. Her eyes drifted to a deep red scarf and denim jacket on a mannequin, placed near a table that displayed several different scarves for the season in a decent amount of colors, in order to distract herself. She smiled wide as several possibilities began to pop up in her mind.

There was a lot of shopping to be done, that much was for sure.

Houses, trees and cars seemed to blend together in a sea of color, illuminated by the streetlights above as Autumn stared out the passenger-side window of Rarity’s car. Rarity’s generosity knew no limits, apparently, when she offered to drive her and Starbreeze home to avoid walking through the strong winds that began to pick up outside. They really did spend a lot of time there, now that she thought about it; with Rarity’s attempts to show off more fall discounts than someone could shake a stick at, they certainly had a lot to look through. Even when the pressure was taken off of them for small moments at a time, due to other customers coming and going, she didn’t let up too much.

Two bags of clothes for each of them that sat next to Starbreeze in the backseat showed the fruits of Rarity’s labor. Not even the usually timid Starbreeze could resist a good deal, after all.

Emphasis on usually, Autumn thought to herself, her mind beginning to wander back to the moment in time when Starbreeze stood up for her so fiercely. Never thought that Starry of all people would be able to do all that.

“You know,” Rarity spoke up to break the encroaching silence. “I know about the…incident between you girls and Trixie.”

“...What?” Starbreeze, surprisingly, was the first to say something, cutting Autumn off before she could even form a thought of what to respond with. Her voice was monotone, just barely hiding the shock Autumn knew, all too well, that she must have been feeling from Rarity’s statement.

“W-Well, you see…a good friend of mine had relayed the event to me after I had returned to the boutique. I assume she saw most of the ordeal, as her description was rather…detailed,” Rarity explained, taking care not to fray already-strained nerves by speaking in a calm tone. Without looking from the road, she asked in a very concerned voice, “Are you alright, darlings? I wouldn't want you getting into any unnecessary trouble with anyone, especially not Trixie…”

Silence gripped the duo in response.

“We’ll be okay, Rarity,” Starbreeze murmured in an attempt to deter the silence from creeping any further upon them. “I promise, whatever Trixie tries to do…I’ll stop her.”

Said with such steely determination, Autumn didn’t exactly know what to make of her friend’s declaration; neither did Rarity, if her concerned look aimed at the road ahead was any indication. Noticing blue paint and familiar flowers shining in the sunset gave her, at least, a small idea.

“Hey, Rarity,” Autumn spoke up, catching the fashionista’s attention as she pointed towards her home. The car, and with it, the building tension, stopped in front of the garage door.

“I’m sorry for asking about a rather touchy subject, darlings,” Rarity apologized, turning to face Starbreeze with a warm, understanding smile. “But, I just want to ask one more little thing before you go.”

“What’s up?” Autumn asked, unbuckling her seatbelt as she did.

“Did you both have a lovely time shopping?” Rarity asked with apparently sparkling eyes.

“Yeah, actually. It was kind of surprising seeing all the stuff you had, so we might of taken a bit too long looking around…” Autumn responded.

Rarity waved her hand down at the mention, gazing upon the house she had parked in front of with greater interest. “Now that is a stunning abode…” She muttered, staring in awe at the architecture in front of her. She quickly stopped herself from getting caught up in the house’s details as she locked eyes with Autumn again. “O-Oh, it’s not an issue at all, darlings! I’m rather happy to know you had a lovely time, and it’s been a pleasure helping you both.”

She leaned in close to Autumn, placing a hand opposite to her mouth as she whispered sharply, “You can come back anytime, right?”

Autumn could only giggle in response before giving a simple nod. Rarity looked ecstatic as her blue eyes seemed to shine from happiness again. “Fantastic, darlings! Oh, I just can't wait to see you both again!” she exclaimed as the duo closed the car doors behind them, multicolored bags and other belongings in hand. The duo waved to Rarity as they approached the front door to Autumn’s house; she did the same, waving goodbye rather fancifully before heading out of the driveway.

Autumn let out a sigh she didn’t realize she was holding.

It was really a shame that Autumn couldn't see more of that charitable behavior at Crystal Prep before they transferred or, hell, at CHS with their current standing with most of the school’s occupants.

Even if Rarity wasn't too fond of us, she at least had the courtesy to hide it pretty damn well. Or...maybe that kind of animosity genuinely doesn’t exist with her?

Autumn could barely tell anymore from the blurring lines in her mind, but it really didn't matter. All that mattered was that they made it home okay, for the most part. She was thankful for that at the very least; she was certain that Starbreeze was too, if the weak smile that faced her was any indication.

Bury the Hatchet

by SapphireStar98

Chapter 1: Fresh Start

Chapter 2: One is Silver

Chapter 3: And the Other's Gold

Chapter 4: Little Talks

Chapter 5: Alexandrite