> Best Foot Forward
>  by ObabScribbler
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1. First Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Taking yourself to school wasn’t supposed to be as hard as this, surely? Octavia surveyed the abundance of teenagers dotted around the bus station and wondered which were headed her way. Several wore distinctive uniforms, immediately discounting them from her musings. Canterlot High was a proper American school inasmuch as movies and TV shows had taught her. Students there wore their own clothes, took electives, emphasized sports to an alarming degree and had a cheerleading squad un by (presumably) a catty Head Cheerleader in a ponytail and pouty lipstick.

She might have thought about this too much.

Hefting her shiny new briefcase, she stepped onto the bus whose number she had memorized from the online timetable. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Incoming text. She slid it free as she took a seat right behind the driver.

Good luck today sweetheart. You can do it. Dad.

A smile crept across her lips.

Thanks Dad. Don’t let Doctor Farmbrew catch you using your phone at work. Will message you when I get home. Octavia.

She returned the phone to her pocket and quietly watched the streets flash by. This little town was so much like home and yet … not like it at all. The trees wafted in the morning breeze, bright and green with springtime buds. Telephone wires strung along the horizon like gigantic half-deconstructed spiderwebs. In the middle distance the square bulk of the hospital loomed. Octavia raised her hand and gave it a tiny wave, hoping somewhere in is depths her father sensed the gesture.

The bus stopped a few times, picking up commuters and more students. Cliques of girls clustered together, giggling and poring over messages from boys, to dissect them with the grace and finesse of a master biologist over the corpse of a frog. A boy in a leather jacket swung a guitar case into his lap next to Octavia, nodding an amiable if silent greeting. With some effort, she was able to summon a weak smile in return, but he had already looked away. She watched him position the guitar case lovingly between his knees so it would not get knocked by other passengers.

A girl with mulberry hair holding onto a pole in the crowded aisle was also watching. She skewed him a sultry smile. One finger snaked out to poke him in his shoulder.

“What happened to your car, Flash?” she purred in a voice like ripping lace.

“It’s in the shop.” He tilted his head back, exposing a pale throat that bobbed as he talked. “Complete overhaul. Totally sucks.”

“Not so much. You get to spend more time with us.” The girl giggled throatily into her hand.

“Ah, leave off, Berry,” the boy replied good naturedly.

Snippets of other conversations reached Octavia’s ears. She tuned in and out, ever more aware that they were drawing closer to their destination. Her stomach clenched. She thought about the instructions written into her notebook so carefully the night bore. First, she was to seek out Vice Principal Luna for orientation, locker assignment, a class schedule –

“Hey, watch it!”

Her head snapped up at the sudden screech from the mulberry girl. Octavia was just in time to see a flash of bright hair disappearing towards the front of the bus, bumping through the crowd of schoolkids to reach the front of the line to get off when they arrived.

“Rude much?” The mulberry girl sniffed and pushed thick locks of hair from her face.

Octavia wondered what that had been about. Instinctively she hunched closer to the window. As such, she had a perfect view when the bus turned the corner and the school hove into view.

There it was: Canterlot High School. She wondered if it was as nice as the literature she had been sent suggested. It couldn’t be any worse than her old school. Then again, Trottingham Comp would be difficult to beat in terms of awfulness.

Don’t think about that, Octavia scolded herself. Things will be better here. Fresh start. Fresh chance. Fresh … everything.

She waited until the bus emptied out before stepped off herself. Once outside, she spent a frantic moment getting her bearings as students swarmed around her, all intent on their own morning routines. It really was like stepping into some American high school movie. She hoped none of the nastier clichés of those films lasted into real life.

Best foot forward.

Pushing her hair from her eyes, she made her way up to the front entrance and allowed herself to be swept inside. Luckily, signs on the wall guided her to the front office, where she made enquiries about Vice Principal Luna.

“Her door is just down the hall and to the left, dearie,” said the nasally receptionist, pointing.

“Thank you, sir.”

“That’s a lovely accent, hun. You from England?”

“Um, yes.”

“Well, I’m sure you’re gonna have a wonderful time here.” He beamed at her, smile brighter than bright. No wonder they put him front of house.

Octavia backed away from the incandescent smile, clutching her briefcase even tighter. “Um … th-thank you.”

She fled down the corridor.

“Come in.” It took only a few hesitant knocks to elicit the mild imperative from within the Vice Principal’s office.

Octavia pushed the door open, stumbling a little over the threshold.

The vice principal's office felt more like an observatory than something that belonged in a high school. The lighting seemed to shift, darkening as opposed to the corridor. The carpet underneath Octavia's feet was a dark blue and matching curtains hung on the windows. The ceiling and the walls were a lighter blue in colour. On a bookshelf behind the vice principal's desk were an ornate astrolabe and a worn-leather telescope, resting on display pedestals on the second shelf. On the top shelf was a detailed model of what looked like the moon.

For what seemed like hours, she stood in the doorway, not knowing what to say. It wasn't that she was scared or nervous, just that she wasn’t exactly the most social person. She tried to avoid conversation as much as possible. She liked sitting in the back, filling out papers, and being okay with getting a solid C+ in participation, just watching the minutes tick by until fifth period aka band class, the only thing that made school worthwhile. Of course, it was probably no longer fifth period. But here, as the new student, she would most likely be called to the front, and introduced in every class. Of course, she would also have to catch up on everything in classes. 

Since there was no way to avoid talking with vice principal Luna, she broke the silence with an embarrassing start: "Hiimnewcanipleasehavemyscedule?" 

"Well, I can't give you your schedule if I don't know your name." Vice Principal Luna had such a nice tone of voice; it was almost comforting for a minute.

“M-my name is Octavia. Octavia Melody.” 

Vice Principal Luna smiled warmly. “It’s all right, Octavia. There’s no need to be afraid. I don’t bite. Now then, what brings you here today to my office?”

"I-" Octavia's face flushed as she coughed lightly. She realized just how dry her throat had been all morning - likely from lack of speaking. "I'm a transfer student... today is my first day here."

"Ah, wonderful!" Vice Principal Luna's voice rang with a sense of genuine pleasure. "That explains why you want your schedule. Let me pull it up for you."

Octavia would have been content to sit in silence, listening to the clicks of the Vice Principal's mouse and the low hum of the air conditioning, but of course, she couldn't have her wish.

"What brings you to Canterlot High School?"

"Oh, erm..." she broke her gaze away, and after a split second of shuffling her feet, replied hesitantly, "It's a bit of a long story."

Vice Principal Luna's eyes softened slightly. "Ah, here's your schedule." 

The printer began whirring. Octavia stepped closer, ready to take the piece of paper and be on her way. 

The Vice Principal quickly scanned over the sheet. "I see that you're signed up for our symphony orchestra!" she exclaimed. "What instrument do you play?"

"Cello," Octavia replied with a hint of pride.

"Oh, I love music. Unfortunately," Luna chuckled, "I was never much of a musician myself. I tried for a while, but I could never make any instrument I tried sound remotely pleasing. My sister made sure I was aware of that."

After a moment of silence, the Vice Principal cleared her throat and handed Octavia the piece of paper that would be the foundation of her next several hours. "Well, since you're new here, I suggest that we find you a student guide. Someone to show you around the school - help you find your classes and make some new friends."

Vice Principal Luna smiled. Octavia attempted in vain to recreate the expression.

It should have been an easy exit: turn handle, open door, escape Vice Principal Luna's cheerful smile and oddly familiar way of speaking to someone she had never met. Mayhap it was this distracting attempt at friendliness that felt more like intrusion which made Octavia look over her shoulder as she stepped through the office door.

"Hey, watch it!" a voice shouted.

Her head snapped around - too late. She stepped into the path of another student running down the hall. They collided in a tangle of limbs and burst backpacks, crashing to the floor and scattering possessions everywhere. The schedule slipped from Octavia's fingers as she attempted to stop the other student standing on her face as they scrambled to get up.

"Are you crazy? You nearly broke my leg! Do you realise what they could've meant for me?"

"I ... I ..." Octavia fumbled for her schedule amidst the debris of their fall. "I'm sorry, I wasn't - "

"You totally should be sorry! You - "

"Rainbow Dash!" Vice Principal Luna's voice had lost is beatific charm and instead adopted an edge more like the crackle of lightning. She stepped through her office door, crouching to offer Octavia a hand. "That will be quite enough of that!"

The other student wilted. "S-sorry Vice Principal."

Octavia got a good look as she rose to her feet: biking shorts, a tight t-shirt bearing the school's crest and a shock of multicoloured hair pulled into such a wild ponytail that it made her feel like the drabbest pile of dirt that had ever lived. She found herself sliding behind Vice Principal Luna, using the woman's body as a shield.

Vice Principal Luna smiled. It was not the same smile she had used inside her office. "Octavia, I think I just found a guide to help you find your way around and show you the ropes of how things run here at Canterlot High."

"Guide?" Said Rainbow Dash "Aw do I have to? I was just going to -”

Whatever Rainbow Dash was going to say Vice Principal Luna's stare silenced her. 

"Guide, right." Rainbow turned to Octavia. "Well come on." 

Octavia hesitated. Rainbow evidently a bit impatient, grabbed Octavia's hand and pulled her out of the office. Surprised Octavia stumbled a bit, causing Rainbow's sneaker to come down on her foot.

"OW!" yelled Octavia

"Oh!" said Rainbow Dash “Sorry. Are you okay?”

"I'll be fine.” said Octavia a little ruefully. She looked down at the scuff Rainbow's sneaker had left on her up until this morning freshly polished Mary Jane. 

Any further comment was interrupted by a voice. "Hey Rainbow, what ya doin'?”

Rainbow Dash folded her arms truculently. "Hey AJ, just showing this new student around. AJ this is Octavia. Octavia, Applejack."

A yellowy orange hand stuck itself into Octavia's field of vision. "Howdy, Octavia. Is Rainbow treatin’ you right?"

Octavia looked up and couldn't believe her eyes. Before her was an actual cowgirl; Stetson, denim skirt boots and all. Applejack stuck out her hand. Gingerly, Octavia shook it. The other girl had a firm handshake, her palms calloused from hard work and rough to the touch.

“Um … um …” Of all the things she had been expecting at this school, cowgirls and rainbow-haired rude jocks did not top the list. Her tongue welded itself to the bottom of her mouth, rendering further comment impossible.

“Applejack, would you please help Rainbow Dash guide Octavia around? It’s her first day,” Vice Principal Luna asked.

The cowgirl actually tilted her hat using her thumb and forefinger. Octavia had half believed that gesture was made up for western movies. “Sure thing, ma’am.”

“Great. Does that mean I don’t have to do it?” Rainbow Dash asked hopefully.

Vice Principal Luna shook her head. “Not a chance. You’re both to be her guides for the day.”

“Aw, man.”





Octavia's heart pounded. She fumbled with her brief case as she strolled alongside Rainbow Dash and Applejack. She had no idea where she was going of course; without looking at her printout timetable she had no idea what she was doing but quite frankly she did not care at this point. She just hoped she could get wherever they were going without falling on her face and making even more of a fool of herself.

Voice chuntered in a low rumble as they passed. Applejack was saying something but Octavia could only hear the murmurs of bystanders that went along with their curious stares.

"Is that a new girl?"

"She’s pretty cute.”

“Are you kidding? She’s totes unbangable.”

"She looks like she fell out of the 1940s.”

“What the fuck is she wearing?”

“Oh my god, look at her feet!”

“Lesbo shoes. Ugh.”

Octavia’s ears and cheeks burned. She looked at her feet. Lesbian shoes? What did that even mean? Mary-Janes were just comfortable and practical footwear. She looked sideways at the feet of those they passed. Everyone else seemed to be wearing sneakers or high heels of some kind; even Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Octavia was the only one wearing anything different. Unreasonable humiliation crept down her spine. This was ridiculous; they were just shoes for heaven’s sake –

Crash!

Suddenly Octavia found herself sprawled on the floor. Many eyes fell upon her, mumbles turning into laughs as she struggled to get back to her unfashionable feet. A few metres ahead, Applejack and Rainbow Dash turned and rushed back towards where she had blindly walked right into a student crossing her path at the intersection of hallways.

"I’m so sorry!” Octavia exclaimed. “I wasn’t looking where I was going! Are you …” She looked at the student also getting to her feet. “… okay?”

The girl had wild pink eyes, visible beneath the sunglasses the fall had knocked askew. Her thin frame was furnished with a mass if spiky electric blue hair and the palest skin Octavia had ever scene. The other girl looked like some sort of electro-punk ghost. Wordlessly, the girl shrugged, readjusted her shades, picked up Octavia’s briefcase from where it had fallen and tried to shove it back into Octavia’s hand. When Octavia just continued to gawp mindlessly, she grabbed one of her hands and literally placed the briefcase handle into it. Her touch was warm, belying the ghostly appearance of her skin tone, her grip firm and sure. Before Octavia could thank her, the girl shrugged again, turned and hurried away. 

Octavia did not know what possessed her: she took off after the girl and grabbed the hand that had just touched hers. The girl paused, looking down at it and then up at Octavia’s face, one eyebrow rising above the top if her sunglasses. 

"Who … who are you?" Octavia whispered.

The girl pointed at her mouth. Octavia frowned, not understanding. The girl pointed again, looked down at her trapped hand and pulled it out of Octavia’s grip. Suddenly realising what she was doing, Octavia snatched her own hand up to her chest, cheeks burning with fresh humiliation.

“I’m sorry!”

The pale girl shrugged, pulled a pack of post-its and a pen from her pocket, scribbled something on the top one and stuck it to the briefcase Octavia was currently using as a shield. Then she fired off a thumbs-up and sauntered away, leaving Octavia speechless in the middle of the hall.

"Hey there, girl! No need to go harin' off like that!" Applejack jogged up, flanked by Rainbow Dash. "Sorry if'n we overwhelmed you but I'd advise against runnin' around these here halls before you're fully acquainted with the layout o' the school. Mighty easy to get lost around here without a map, a guide or, uh, both."

Rainbow Dash caught her sideways glance. "What? I got lost one time. One time, AJ!"

"I ain't sayin' nuthin', Sugarcube."

"ONE TIME! And okay, I ended up locked outside in just a towel, but that's beside the point. They should signpost the hallways better when they close one down to fix stupid ceiling tiles."

“I. Ain't. Sayin' Nuthin. Sugarcube."

An orange hand waved in front of Octavia's face, snapping her from her reverie.

"Hm, what?"

"You okay there, sugarblossom?" Applejack asked, a thin edge of concern to her voice, like gilt on a comfortable old armchair. "You look a mite distracted. I can leave you and RD alone if me bein' here bothers you."

“N-no ... no." Octavia swallowed, glancing once more down the corridor where the peculiarly silent student had vanished. She had not even cried out when Octavia cannoned into her, though Octavia knew she had caught her a glancing blow that must have hurt.

Applejack followed her gaze. "Sumthin' catch your attention?"

"I ...no. Yes. Um." Octavia swallowed. "I bumped into a girl but she ran off before I could, uh, apologise."

"Well, that's easy fixed. What'd she look like?"

Octavia described her in a few words. Applejack frowned in thought.

"Sounds a lot like half a dozen girls here at school. What was she wearin'?"

"Some kind of leggings. Big shoes. Um ... headphones? Rather large ones. And sunglasses."

"Ah, that narrowed it down. That'd be Vinyl Scratch."

"She's a weirdo."

"Rainbow!"

Rainbow Dash spread her hands wide. "What? She is! She never freaking talks!"

Applejack gritted her teeth so hard a muscle in her cheek jumped as she tried to keep her smile in place. Beaming fixedly at Octavia, she elbowed Rainbow Dash in the ribs. "That's because she can't you idjit. Sakes alive, Rainbow, ain't you got a thought in your head?"

"Ow! Well excuse me! I thought she was just choosing not to so she could ... iunno, look cool or something."

"An' I suppose she uses sign language to look cool too, huh? Or wears them high collars an' big ol' chokers around her neck just for show?"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Well, she might - ow! Okay, I get it! I get it!"

"Um ..." Octavia could not help but feel like she had walked in on someone else's private conversation. The two girls' obvious closeness left her feeling more alone than ever, despite the student body surrounding them.

Applejack sighed. She pinched the spot between her eyes. "Let's start over, shall we? I'm Applejack. This here's Rainbow Dash. We'll be showin' you around Canterlot High for your first day an' as long as you need us to. Please don’t run off without us."

"But Principal Luna only said I had to for today!” Rainbow Dash took a step back to avoid another jab. “Okay, okay, as long as she needs. Jeeeez, AJ, do you sharpen your elbows with a file or something?"

Applejack planted both hands on her hips. "Now, Octavia, let's get a look at that schedule to see which homeroom we gotta escort you to. I had kinda assumed RD already checked that but apparently I was wrong."

“Whaaaaat?” Rainbow Dash whined.

"Oh ... o-okay." Octavia forced a fake smile and handed over her schedule. 





At lunchtime, Applejack and Rainbow Dash arrived to collect Octavia from class and escort her to the cafeteria. Once done there, she strolled along with the two girls as they pointed out important landmarks around the school.

"Uh, well okay,” said Rainbow Dash. "So, we’re supposed to show you the school ... so … yeah whatever. Okay so there is, well, the cafeteria we just left, it’s kind of boring ... and oh! There’s the library, where there’s a whole shelf full of nothing but Daring Do books! Have you ever heard of those?" She beamed expectantly. 

"Uhm." Octavia fumbled with her silky hair. “No. Sorry.”

“Oh.” Rainbow Dash deflated. “Lame.”

“RD!” Applejack chastised.

“Whatever.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I guess you’d like to see the music rooms and junk if that’s what you’re more into?”

“That would be nice,” Octavia replied timidly.

“Come on then. They’re upstairs.”

Unsure what to do as she climbed the staircase behind Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Octavia looked down at her briefcase, the thing that carried her music and thus her heart. The case gave her hope. But contrasting from the dark leather case was a neon square of yellow. She gaped, remembering the post-it the strange pale girl had put on there during her public humiliation earlier that day. How could she had forgotten to actually read it? Gingerly she peeled the post-it from the case and read it as they walked.

Meet me in the bathroom outside the music prep room at 1pm – Vinyl Scratch

She glanced at her wristwatch. 12:45pm. The timing was so coincidental it seemed almost cliché. Even so … did she dare?

“Could I … uh … visit the bathroom first?”

Apparently, she did dare.

“Sure, sugarblossom.” Applejack strolled over to a pair of doors set in the wall and gestured. “I’ll go see if Professor Shores is around. I’m sure she’d like to talk to you about joining band or something.”

“You sure you don’t just wanna go see if Coloratura is around?” Rainbow Dash leered. 

Applejack’s cheeks turned bright pink. “Shut up, RD.”

Rainbow Dash pressed her palms against both of her cheeks and made kissy noises. “AJ and Rara sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-owww!”

Octavia gratefully escaped into the bathroom. She was early but maybe that would be okay. She stood in front of the mirror bank and stared at herself for a few minutes, taking in her grey pallor and neatly brushed hair. The murmurs of the other students that morning came back to her and she examined her appearance. Did she really look so out of place compared with everyone else? Should she dress differently to fit in at this school? Style her hair differently? Wear different shoes? She began to get fidgety and paced up and down, the hard smooth soles of her Mary-Janes clicking on the linoleum. It wasn't doing much good at relieving her tension. Plus, pacing gave her hands nothing to do so they were clenching and relaxing around her briefcase handle. Gazing down, she noticed the scuff Rainbow Dash's sneaker had left on her shoe. 

Ah, there’s something to do with my hands, she thought.

She went over to the bank of sinks and wetted a wad of paper towels. Having done so she went into one of the stalls, sat down, pulled off her right shoe and began trying to buff out the scuff. She soon became totally engaged in this activity and so was totally unaware of the soft footsteps that entered the room. Suddenly, after a pause there was a knock on the door. Octavia shrieked and almost dropped her shoe in the toilet.

"Beggin' your pardon but ... did y'all fall in?" asked a soft, nasally voice.

"I ... I ... occupied!" Octavia squeaked. She froze. Was that Vinyl Scratch here for their … meeting? Rendezvous? What even was this meant to be? No, it couldn’t be: Applejack had said she wasn’t physically capable of talking.

"I reckon so,” said the voice outside the stall. “But you've been in there a mighty long time an' ... well, my big sister always said a person in need is a someone an Apple should prioritise."

"I ... what?" Octavia blinked at the inside of the stall door.

"Uh ... maybe I should start again. Hi. I ain't a pervert, just someone who's concerned that you've been in the bathroom for ages. Are you okay?"

Octavia straightened and slipped her shoe back on. “I’m fine, thank you.” She unbolted the stall door and stepped out. “I was just cleaning my shoe.”

The speaker was a younger girl with reddish hair that looked like it was made from wool and amber eyes so bright and cheerful it was impossible not to shyly return her smile. She planted her hands on her hips and nodded. “Well, just so long as you’re okay.” 

Her voice, stance and something about the kindness in her eyes reminded Octavia a lot of her guide. “Are … are you perchance related to Applejack?”

The girl beamed. “She’s my big sister.”

“She’s my guide around the school today. It’s my first day.”

“Well you ain’t gonna get a nicer or more responsible guide than my big sis. She’ll see you’re okay.”

Octavia nodded and, feeling like it was the appropriate thing to do even though she had not used the toilet, went to wash her hands. Apple Bloom darted into a different stall and Octavia escaped before she could listen to whatever she was doing in there. She checked her wristwatch: 1:10pm. Her heart sank a little. Vinyl Scratch had not come. 

Well, what was I expecting? It was probably just a prank or something. God, I’m so stupid. Meeting in a bathroom at an appointed time with someone I literally bumped into in a hallway?

Rainbow Dash was tapping her foot outside. She looked wound so tight with pent up energy she might drill straight through the floor. “Finally! You got the squits or something?”

Octavia gawped. “Wh-what?”

“The backdoor trots. Dehli belly. Montezuma’s revenge. The skitters. The Aztec two-step. Y’know, diarrhoea.”

“N-no! I don’t … I mean, I’m fine! I was just … cleaning my sh-shoes …”

“Rainbow Dash, you are singularly the most disgusting creature in this whole school.”

For a moment Octavia thought Vinyl Scratch had finally arrived. Then she took in the outfit and hair of the approaching pale student and realised it was not her. This girl was a vision of loveliness topped with large curls of purple hair and azure eyes that sparkled like sapphires. She frowned at Rainbow Dash. She was beautiful, and yet, looking at her pale face did not inspire the same breathlessness in Octavia that she had experienced when she first looked at Vinyl Scratch.

What is wrong with me? she thought angrily.

“What?” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “If she has an upset stomach and has to go home, I don’t have to guide her around school anymore.”

The pale girl rolled her eyes and thrust out a delicate hand for Octavia to shake. “Hello there. My name is Rarity. You must be Octavia. Rainbow Dash has been talking about you in our WhatsApp group for the last twenty minutes so I thought I would come up and rescue you from her tiresome impatience.” She shot Rainbow Dash an imperious look. “We were all new to the school once, Rainbow, and it behooves us all to be kind whenever we can. Have you learned nothing from being around Fluttershy?”

Rainbow Dash blew a lock of hair from her eyes and hunched in obvious embarrassment. “Oh, bite me.”

“Not even if you paid me, darling.”

Octavia wished she was back in the bathroom. She tugged at her hair with one hand, the other shifting her grip on her briefcase. She had put the post-it inside, evidence of her embarrassment safely hidden away where no-one could see it.

"Are you quite all right, darling?" queried Rarity. "You look quite flush."

"Interesting choice of wording there, Rares."

"Rainbow Dash, you're beginning to get on my nerves."

"Seriously, put a sock in it, RD." Apple Bloom emerged from the bathroom and glared like she wasn't talking to girls several grades her senior. She had to crane her neck to meet Rainbow Dash's eyes but that did nothing to dim her ferocity. "You're so busy complainin', you ain't makin' the poor girl feel at all welcome at Canterlot High. Can you imagine how you'd have felt if on your first day someone had treated you like you were nuthin' but an inconvenience?"

Rainbow Dash had the good grace to look embarassed. "Okay, okay, I get it, jeez."

Apple Bloom treated her to one last scowl and then turned a bright smile on Octavia. "I gotta go meet up with my friends now but if RD keeps bein' mean, you just tell me sister an' she'll take care of her."

"Whoa, did you just threaten to set Applejack on me?"

"Darn tootin'!" Apple Bloom skipped away. 

Octavia watched her go. If she had not been looking up at that precise moment, she would have missed the flash of blue hair disappearing around he corner. Vinyl Scratch had been watching the exchange but fled as soon as she was spotted.

Octavia blinked at the spot where she had been. What on earth ...?

"C'mon." Rainbow Dash hooked her elbow into Octavia's in a clear attempt at niceness. "I'll show you to the music rooms."

"As will I." Rarity's smile was dazzling. "As her supervisor."

"Jeez, Rarity."