Extra Credit: An Equestria Girls Group Collabby Celestias PaladinChaptersCrackers: AmanteSunset: iJabExplosion: The Princess RarityMusic: The Princess RarityChristmas: ScantrelDetention: Celestia's PaladinMirror: ScantrelStatus Quo: FanOfMostEverythingCrackers: AmanteCrackers by: Amante *** She turned her head left. Right. Nobody. Just as she liked it. She took a seat and prepared herself. A blue hand reached and rummaged in her bag, shifting here and there, searching for- found it. She brought out her very special friend, Peanut Butter Crackers. They were something she could always count on for a quick, and inconsequential, high. Whenever she indulged herself, she always made sure to savor every moment of it. Such as that first bite; when the starchy goodness of the cracker shatters at the pressure applied by her pristinely white teeth. Its flakey goodness filling up every fiber of her being. The slight pang of sweetness that accompanied it. In a word, heaven. But even that did not compare to the glory of the peanut butter. Its creamy goodness as it moves from the cracker to her waiting tongue. The thick, and sometimes oily, paste would leisurely take a stroll through the community that was her mouth, brightening up the days of all it passed. The peanutty pleasure didn’t even seem to stop at her mouth; there were times when she was sure that the sensations actually went directly to her brain. In a word, paradise. Then came the swallowing. The feeling as the ambrosia passed her throat. It was wonderful. There would even be some traces left in her mouth afterwards; she would recover them later, with her tongue. But enough of dreaming, time to return to the present. Now, it was time to take that first bite. It approached her mouth in its glistening goodness. It would get there in 3… 2… 1… The crackers were stale. Sunset: iJabSunset by: iJab *** "I had a great time, Diamond. You were great." Silver Spoon sighed as she sat next to her dearest friend on the concrete steps to her home. "I know I was." Diamond Tiara chuckled before turning to face her date. "I'm glad we decided to go to the dance together. I like it best when it's just the two of us." "Me too. It's, like, other people just don't get us..." Silver Spoon let her dress-shoes dangle on the tips of her toes as she looked up into the deep orange sky. Diamond placed her fist to her mouth as she stretched and yawned, her arm casually falling across Silver Spoon's shoulders. "How could they? It's not like they're anywhere close to being as great as us, or as rich as us... or as cute." Silver blushed and looked down at her blue silk dress gleaming in the evening light with a crooked smile. "It's a little chilly." "Want me to grab my jacket? It's just inside," Diamond offered, nodding towards the door. Silver Spoon quickly shook her head and scooted across the step, cuddling up to her friend. "No. I'm okay." Diamond Tiara gulped and bit down on her tongue. She lifted her hand and held it just above Silver Spoon's shoulder, frozen in place. She adjusted herself and fought for the nerve to set her hand down. Then, with a deep breath, she closed her eyes and gripped her friend's warm, exposed shoulder, pulling her ever slightly closer. "The sunset is... n-nice..." Diamond stammered, and Silver Spoon grinned wider. "It's very nice." Explosion: The Princess RarityExplosion by: The Princess Rarity *** "And so, the volume of the density in this beaker will calculate the mass of this weight that will, in turn, help us figure out the Standard Notation of-" Blah, blah, blah. According to Pinkie Pie, Science class might as well have been Spanish, because she didn't understand a word that the teacher was saying. What did adding and subtracting have to do with Elements like carbon and oxygen? And why were they called Elements anyway? Why was everything made out of cells - why couldn't they be made out of something else? Or was she getting cells confused with atoms? ...She wasn't sure. She never was. While she might have had a positive attitude about most things, one thing Pinkie Pie absolutely dreaded was indeed Science. It was just so boring! However... on the other side of the room, with the chemical lab, and all of it's colorful liquids and bubbling, fizzy potions (or whatever they were). That was what intrigued Pinkie, but sadly, that equipment was for Seniors Only, and she was only a Sophomore. ...Still, as Dr. Whooves had his back turned to the board, a small twinge inside of Pinkie summoned her to sneak over to the lab, which got no looks from her fellow students, who were all either texting or sleeping, much to her delight. Maybe, just maybe, she could get away with this ... after all, it'd make the class less drab and dreary. Sliding across the tile floor and ducking under the desk, Pinkie stifled a giggle as she was noticed that not a single soul had seen her escape from her seat. And with that, the hyperactive girl reached up and grabbed two random bottles - one, full of gunky green goo, and the other half empty, but it still contained some sort of steaming, sparkling blue liquid. Then... without even thinking twice... Pinkie let just one drop of the sky-colored substance fall into the gunk and then... The entire back of the room exploded into black smoke, causing everyone to burst into a fit of coughing and look back to see Pinkie standing back there, with a nervous smile. "Miss Pie," Dr. Whooves declared, grabbing the notepad off of his desk. "That's two days detention for you." 'Totally worth it.' Pinkie thought, as she held back a smile. Music: The Princess RarityMusic by: The Princess Rarity *** "Well, I'm sorry," Principal Celestia declared. "but there can only be one music performer for the Spring Fling. Unless you two choose to pair up as a group then-" "You must be joking." Octavia spat. "Me, work with her?" Pretending not to hear the classical musician, Vinyl Scratch coolly leaned up against the principal's desk and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What's wrong with two?" she questioned. "Didn't they have some kinda guest performer at last year's Fall Formal?" "Yes, we did, actually," Principal Celestia replied. "and unfortunately, the guest performer trashed the hallways of the school." "Ms. Celestia, if I may state my opinion in this," Octavia said cautiously. "but Vincenza-" "My name is Vinyl." the disk jockey / part-time punk rocker muttered, rolling her eyes underneath her outrageous sunglasses. Nonetheless, Octavia paid no attention to the rude interruption and continued. "Have you heard her so-called 'music'?" she muttered. "It's like the offspring of a garbage truck and the screams of innocent children being murdered. And I've heard her and her supposed 'band' play in the music room - they're all terribly off-key and-" "Now you're just going too far!" Vinyl accused. "I am not off-key, and my band, and my music, is awesome! Wake up and realize that dubstep and rock are the music of the future, unlike the boring lullaby crap you play! When was the last time Tchaikovsky released a record anyway, huh?" Stiffening her lip, Octavia let out a huff, crossing her arms and her expression slightly melted into something a bit more ... softer. Kind, almost, rather than harsh and angry. "I doubt you even know who that is," she muttered. "He was the guy who wrote music for The Nutcracker, which is one of my favorite classic pieces, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet, along with many others." Vinyl said simply, and managed a smirk as she noticed Octavia's slight shock and surprise. "What? You thought I didn't know anything about music? That I was nothing but a hardcore rocker?" Octavia hesitated and stammered over her words, only before she was handed a card. "Stop by the music room anytime you want - I'm almost always there," Vinyl offered. "We could some more strings, anyway, and seeing how we're all lazy, you look like you could help us get back in shape." And with that, she gave a nod and a smile as she left. Curious, Octavia flipped over the small card, slightly smiling to herself that Vinyl, as brash as she was, had taken the time to make faux business cards for her little high school band. Lite Notes: Born Rockers (we are a cover band) Vinyl Scratch - Manager, Lead Singer, Disk Jockey Lyra Heartstrings - Pianist, Guitarist Neon Lights - Drummer, Pyrotechnics "Octavia? Does that mean you alone will be taking the slot for performer of the dance?" Principal Celestia questioned, snapping the classical musician out of her temporary train of thought. With a small smile, Octavia tucked the card in her dress pocket and gave a nonchalant shrug. "On second thought, Principal, I do believe I need some more time to think about it." she replied. Christmas: ScantrelChristmas by: Scantrel *** Sunset Shimmer glared at the sky, pulling her jacket tighter around her slender frame. Even after two winters in this new world, she had never gotten used to the cold. Worse yet, the gathering clouds overhead threatened to snow and that would just make her errands more miserable. The sidewalks were unusually crowded, what with everyone hustling and bustling with their last minute holiday shopping. Sunset still didn't understand why everyone pretended to be so nice this time of year, fussing about presents and banquets and the like when the rest of the year it was the status-quo. Everyone looking out for number one. A large, portly man dressed in a red velvet suit with a false beard stood by a little cauldron next to the grocery store entrance. As Sunset Shimmer walked up, he smiled at her. His gaze flicked to the cauldron and Sunset realized he wanted her bits...coins...for "charity". As if anyone had bothered to show her any charity ever since turning over a new leaf. With a dismissive wave, Sunset entered the store and went about her shopping. What should have been a ten minute task dragged on for thirty, thanks to waiting behind the overloaded baskets at the checkout stands. Sunset simply gritted her teeth to endure it, along with the repetitive holiday music blaring over the loudspeakers. Satisfied that she had enough supplies to last the weekend, Sunset set out again for her apartment. It had started to snow, making navigating the sidewalk even more treacherous. At least twice, Sunset nearly fell from the ice starting to glaze over the sidewalks and by the time she made it to her place her mood was as dark as the clouds above. To Sunset's surprise, someone had placed a box with a green envelope taped to it at her doorstep. Setting down her grocery sacks with a grumble, Sunset tore the envelope from the box and ripped it open, pulling out the letter within. Dear Sunset, I'm guessing you haven't been able to enjoy Christmas before and I know it's not your thing. I'm inviting you for dinner on Christmas Eve with my family and Scootaloo, then later the girls are coming over to watch movies. It would mean a lot to me if you came too, you're one of the gang now! Call or text me when you get this so I know you're coming. Oh, and inside the box is your present. Not the most creative gift, but one you'll like. Love, Rainbow Sunset Shimmer read the letter a second time, and then knelt down and opened the box. Inside was a soccer ball with a note on top that read "You are so on my team this spring!" Sunset blinked, surely the wind had stung her eyes to form the tears there. Pulling out her cellphone, she sent a quick message to Rainbow Dash: See you for dinner, Happy Hearth's Warming Eve. Thanks for the ball and everything. Maybe there was something to this "Christmas spirit" after all, Sunset decided. Author's Note Paladin's Notes: Sorry for wait, I had classwork to do and kept forgetting that I had this to update. Detention: Celestia's PaladinDetention by: Celestia's Paladin *** Sunset Shimmer sighs as stands in front of Principle Oliver’s office. She knows why she is here, and what she has done to deserve to have a one-on-one meeting Princess Celestia’s doppelgänger. She knew the moment she crawled out of that crater she help made that she would be in deep doo-doo, and despite what her new found friends may think there is no way in hell she will walk away from that much property damage with a slap on the wrist. She raises a hand and knocks on the door, trying to ignore the brass nameplate reading “Dr. Celeste Oliver, Ed.D. Ph.D., Principle of Concordia Academy.” “Come in Miss Shimmer.” Sunset opens the door and steps in. The office is cozy with tall book shelves crammed with books and knick-knacks, and in the center is a large desk and behind the desk is a tanned woman with rainbow hair. While much younger than her pony counterpart the principle does carry herself the same as the princess. “Please take a seat Miss Shimmer, you and I have much to discuss,” she waves a hand to the lone chair sitting in front of the desk. Without question Sunset takes the seat though she feels very uneasy, this situation reminds her when she was expelled from the Royal Academy. “Do you know why I called you here,” Celeste asks. “My actions from the previous night Ma’am,” Sunset answers, “that and the giant crater in the front lawn.” Any attempt at humor dies as Celeste frowns, Sunset kicks herself. Of course it’s not funny I blew up part of the school, I am damn lucky no one was killed. “No, or at least not quite. Fortunately for you Miss Shimmer there are no witnesses to the incident that are willing to say anything, and I honestly don’t blame them.” Sunset snorts, “neither do I, and I was the fire-breathing demon. So what am I here for then?” Celeste taps a folder sitting on her desk, “I have here all the accounts of bullying and harassment that have been leveled against you.” She levels a hard look on the former unicorn. “I have every right to expel you from Concordia, but I won’t.” Sunset’s eyes widen, that was not what she expected, “why not? I did all that!” “You did but from all account we can chalk it up to mental issues,” Celeste retorts. “Your new friends out right claim that you weren’t in the right mind, and I am inclined to believe them.” The young woman brightens up, “so I’m not being punished?” Celeste grins, “oh I didn’t say that.” The grin vanishes. “You will have detention every weekday from now till your graduation, your grades will be audited by RIDE, you will not be allowed to join any extracurricular activities without permission, you will forfeit your grades for the past two semesters, and you will join the JROTC program.” Sunset closes her eyes as she digests the information, in all honesty she would rather be expelled and sent back to Equestria. She quashes those thoughts, she deserve whatever punishment she gets. “Of course Ma’am, is there anything else?” “Just that this afternoon you will report to the groundskeeper and help in the repairs. You’re dismissed, oh and check with my secretary for your new schedule.” Mirror: ScantrelMirror by: Scantrel *** Applejack cocked her head with surprise as she watched Pinkie Pie press her nose up against her reflection. She hadn't planned on saying anything at first, in case Pinkie was just checking her makeup or something. But once Pinkie had cleaned up onto the counter and gone face-first against the glass, Applejack decided she could hold her tongue no longer. "Pinkie Pie, what in tarnation are you doin'?" Applejack inquired. Pinkie Pie jumped a bit at Applejack's question, smooshing her face against the mirror. Turning to look at the blond cowgirl, Pinkie replied, "Oh hey Applejack! Just checking the mirrors to see if maybe they might be portals. You never know until you try!" "Come again?" Applejack blinked. "Well, you remember how Twilight said she stepped through a magical mirror they had hidden away in a castle to come to our world? I was thinking maybe someone put up a mirror like that here! And if we found it, we could all go see her again." Pinkie climbed back down off the lavatory counter and straightened her skirt. Applejack had to fight to keep from burying her face in her palm. "An' how many mirrors have you checked out so far?" Applejack asked dryly. "Well, there were two at home, then when I got to school I've been checking here. This was the last girl's restroom to check. I sure hope they didn't put one in the boy's restroom. I'll have to sneak in there after school or something." Pinkie answered, her expression growing thoughtful. "Pinkie, you know darn well that the portal to Equestria is in the base of the statue out front of the school." Applejack said with exasperation. "Oooh, right." Pinkie nodded. "That will save me tons of time." Pinkie walked past Applejack to make her way out of the restroom, but then looked back over her shoulder. "You'll help me make a list of statues, so I can go check the rest after class, right?" Applejack sighed and hung her head, admitting defeat. "Fine, I'll help you." "Okie Dokie!" Pinkie Pie beamed as she sauntered off to class. Applejack walked to the far lavatory and washed her hands. Tentatively, looking back to the door, she reached up and gingerly pressed a finger against the mirror above the sink. "Jus' this once, jus' in case." she told herself. Status Quo: FanOfMostEverythingStatus Quo by: FanOfMostEverything *** Fluttershy stifled a sigh. Every day, it was the same routine. The same classes, the same bullies, the same struggle to make the uncaring masses... well, care. Care about some creatures other than themselves. Of course, that it was literally a struggle to make herself heard didn't help. "Excuse me," she murmured, spending yet another lunch period timidly presenting fliers for the local animal shelter that no one would take (and poetically berating herself for trying.) "Would you..." The boy walked by without even looking at her, answering the question before she could finish it. Sometimes, Fluttershy just wanted to scream at the sheer apathy, the utter heedlessness her peers had towards anything beyond their meaningless little world of popularity. Then she admitted that she was hardly any better. Even she surrounded herself with like minds, from the eco-kids to the animals she smuggled into the school via backpack. She was too much of a coward to reach out to others... though if they turned out like Pinkie Pie, then they weren't worth the effort. "Help support the Canterlot Animal Shelter?" The sentence came out reflexively, a rote recitation with all the attention-demanding force of a gentle breeze. Even Fluttershy herself didn't pay attention to it. She was powerless. An automaton, destined to carry out this same routine until the end of the year, only to repeat it again with ever-so-slight variations until graduation. And then what? College, the same, only more so. Oh, there were hints of parties and such, but Fluttershy had no illusions about whether she'd participate in such things. No, she'd just keep going through the motions until she ran into the brick wall of real life. Such was her fate, and nothing could— CLONG Fluttershy stumbled to her feet. She couldn't help but notice that even now, no one seemed to be paying her any attention. Not even whoever had thrown that... That... Golden crown? She bent to pick it up and gasped a bit as she felt the weight. This... this was different. This was important. This was... probably not for her. Fluttershy slumped a little as she headed back inside to deliver her find to Principal Celestia. Well, if nothing else, at least she'd help whoever it belonged to.
Crackers: AmanteCrackers by: Amante *** She turned her head left. Right. Nobody. Just as she liked it. She took a seat and prepared herself. A blue hand reached and rummaged in her bag, shifting here and there, searching for- found it. She brought out her very special friend, Peanut Butter Crackers. They were something she could always count on for a quick, and inconsequential, high. Whenever she indulged herself, she always made sure to savor every moment of it. Such as that first bite; when the starchy goodness of the cracker shatters at the pressure applied by her pristinely white teeth. Its flakey goodness filling up every fiber of her being. The slight pang of sweetness that accompanied it. In a word, heaven. But even that did not compare to the glory of the peanut butter. Its creamy goodness as it moves from the cracker to her waiting tongue. The thick, and sometimes oily, paste would leisurely take a stroll through the community that was her mouth, brightening up the days of all it passed. The peanutty pleasure didn’t even seem to stop at her mouth; there were times when she was sure that the sensations actually went directly to her brain. In a word, paradise. Then came the swallowing. The feeling as the ambrosia passed her throat. It was wonderful. There would even be some traces left in her mouth afterwards; she would recover them later, with her tongue. But enough of dreaming, time to return to the present. Now, it was time to take that first bite. It approached her mouth in its glistening goodness. It would get there in 3… 2… 1… The crackers were stale.
Sunset: iJabSunset by: iJab *** "I had a great time, Diamond. You were great." Silver Spoon sighed as she sat next to her dearest friend on the concrete steps to her home. "I know I was." Diamond Tiara chuckled before turning to face her date. "I'm glad we decided to go to the dance together. I like it best when it's just the two of us." "Me too. It's, like, other people just don't get us..." Silver Spoon let her dress-shoes dangle on the tips of her toes as she looked up into the deep orange sky. Diamond placed her fist to her mouth as she stretched and yawned, her arm casually falling across Silver Spoon's shoulders. "How could they? It's not like they're anywhere close to being as great as us, or as rich as us... or as cute." Silver blushed and looked down at her blue silk dress gleaming in the evening light with a crooked smile. "It's a little chilly." "Want me to grab my jacket? It's just inside," Diamond offered, nodding towards the door. Silver Spoon quickly shook her head and scooted across the step, cuddling up to her friend. "No. I'm okay." Diamond Tiara gulped and bit down on her tongue. She lifted her hand and held it just above Silver Spoon's shoulder, frozen in place. She adjusted herself and fought for the nerve to set her hand down. Then, with a deep breath, she closed her eyes and gripped her friend's warm, exposed shoulder, pulling her ever slightly closer. "The sunset is... n-nice..." Diamond stammered, and Silver Spoon grinned wider. "It's very nice."
Explosion: The Princess RarityExplosion by: The Princess Rarity *** "And so, the volume of the density in this beaker will calculate the mass of this weight that will, in turn, help us figure out the Standard Notation of-" Blah, blah, blah. According to Pinkie Pie, Science class might as well have been Spanish, because she didn't understand a word that the teacher was saying. What did adding and subtracting have to do with Elements like carbon and oxygen? And why were they called Elements anyway? Why was everything made out of cells - why couldn't they be made out of something else? Or was she getting cells confused with atoms? ...She wasn't sure. She never was. While she might have had a positive attitude about most things, one thing Pinkie Pie absolutely dreaded was indeed Science. It was just so boring! However... on the other side of the room, with the chemical lab, and all of it's colorful liquids and bubbling, fizzy potions (or whatever they were). That was what intrigued Pinkie, but sadly, that equipment was for Seniors Only, and she was only a Sophomore. ...Still, as Dr. Whooves had his back turned to the board, a small twinge inside of Pinkie summoned her to sneak over to the lab, which got no looks from her fellow students, who were all either texting or sleeping, much to her delight. Maybe, just maybe, she could get away with this ... after all, it'd make the class less drab and dreary. Sliding across the tile floor and ducking under the desk, Pinkie stifled a giggle as she was noticed that not a single soul had seen her escape from her seat. And with that, the hyperactive girl reached up and grabbed two random bottles - one, full of gunky green goo, and the other half empty, but it still contained some sort of steaming, sparkling blue liquid. Then... without even thinking twice... Pinkie let just one drop of the sky-colored substance fall into the gunk and then... The entire back of the room exploded into black smoke, causing everyone to burst into a fit of coughing and look back to see Pinkie standing back there, with a nervous smile. "Miss Pie," Dr. Whooves declared, grabbing the notepad off of his desk. "That's two days detention for you." 'Totally worth it.' Pinkie thought, as she held back a smile.
Music: The Princess RarityMusic by: The Princess Rarity *** "Well, I'm sorry," Principal Celestia declared. "but there can only be one music performer for the Spring Fling. Unless you two choose to pair up as a group then-" "You must be joking." Octavia spat. "Me, work with her?" Pretending not to hear the classical musician, Vinyl Scratch coolly leaned up against the principal's desk and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What's wrong with two?" she questioned. "Didn't they have some kinda guest performer at last year's Fall Formal?" "Yes, we did, actually," Principal Celestia replied. "and unfortunately, the guest performer trashed the hallways of the school." "Ms. Celestia, if I may state my opinion in this," Octavia said cautiously. "but Vincenza-" "My name is Vinyl." the disk jockey / part-time punk rocker muttered, rolling her eyes underneath her outrageous sunglasses. Nonetheless, Octavia paid no attention to the rude interruption and continued. "Have you heard her so-called 'music'?" she muttered. "It's like the offspring of a garbage truck and the screams of innocent children being murdered. And I've heard her and her supposed 'band' play in the music room - they're all terribly off-key and-" "Now you're just going too far!" Vinyl accused. "I am not off-key, and my band, and my music, is awesome! Wake up and realize that dubstep and rock are the music of the future, unlike the boring lullaby crap you play! When was the last time Tchaikovsky released a record anyway, huh?" Stiffening her lip, Octavia let out a huff, crossing her arms and her expression slightly melted into something a bit more ... softer. Kind, almost, rather than harsh and angry. "I doubt you even know who that is," she muttered. "He was the guy who wrote music for The Nutcracker, which is one of my favorite classic pieces, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet, along with many others." Vinyl said simply, and managed a smirk as she noticed Octavia's slight shock and surprise. "What? You thought I didn't know anything about music? That I was nothing but a hardcore rocker?" Octavia hesitated and stammered over her words, only before she was handed a card. "Stop by the music room anytime you want - I'm almost always there," Vinyl offered. "We could some more strings, anyway, and seeing how we're all lazy, you look like you could help us get back in shape." And with that, she gave a nod and a smile as she left. Curious, Octavia flipped over the small card, slightly smiling to herself that Vinyl, as brash as she was, had taken the time to make faux business cards for her little high school band. Lite Notes: Born Rockers (we are a cover band) Vinyl Scratch - Manager, Lead Singer, Disk Jockey Lyra Heartstrings - Pianist, Guitarist Neon Lights - Drummer, Pyrotechnics "Octavia? Does that mean you alone will be taking the slot for performer of the dance?" Principal Celestia questioned, snapping the classical musician out of her temporary train of thought. With a small smile, Octavia tucked the card in her dress pocket and gave a nonchalant shrug. "On second thought, Principal, I do believe I need some more time to think about it." she replied.
Christmas: ScantrelChristmas by: Scantrel *** Sunset Shimmer glared at the sky, pulling her jacket tighter around her slender frame. Even after two winters in this new world, she had never gotten used to the cold. Worse yet, the gathering clouds overhead threatened to snow and that would just make her errands more miserable. The sidewalks were unusually crowded, what with everyone hustling and bustling with their last minute holiday shopping. Sunset still didn't understand why everyone pretended to be so nice this time of year, fussing about presents and banquets and the like when the rest of the year it was the status-quo. Everyone looking out for number one. A large, portly man dressed in a red velvet suit with a false beard stood by a little cauldron next to the grocery store entrance. As Sunset Shimmer walked up, he smiled at her. His gaze flicked to the cauldron and Sunset realized he wanted her bits...coins...for "charity". As if anyone had bothered to show her any charity ever since turning over a new leaf. With a dismissive wave, Sunset entered the store and went about her shopping. What should have been a ten minute task dragged on for thirty, thanks to waiting behind the overloaded baskets at the checkout stands. Sunset simply gritted her teeth to endure it, along with the repetitive holiday music blaring over the loudspeakers. Satisfied that she had enough supplies to last the weekend, Sunset set out again for her apartment. It had started to snow, making navigating the sidewalk even more treacherous. At least twice, Sunset nearly fell from the ice starting to glaze over the sidewalks and by the time she made it to her place her mood was as dark as the clouds above. To Sunset's surprise, someone had placed a box with a green envelope taped to it at her doorstep. Setting down her grocery sacks with a grumble, Sunset tore the envelope from the box and ripped it open, pulling out the letter within. Dear Sunset, I'm guessing you haven't been able to enjoy Christmas before and I know it's not your thing. I'm inviting you for dinner on Christmas Eve with my family and Scootaloo, then later the girls are coming over to watch movies. It would mean a lot to me if you came too, you're one of the gang now! Call or text me when you get this so I know you're coming. Oh, and inside the box is your present. Not the most creative gift, but one you'll like. Love, Rainbow Sunset Shimmer read the letter a second time, and then knelt down and opened the box. Inside was a soccer ball with a note on top that read "You are so on my team this spring!" Sunset blinked, surely the wind had stung her eyes to form the tears there. Pulling out her cellphone, she sent a quick message to Rainbow Dash: See you for dinner, Happy Hearth's Warming Eve. Thanks for the ball and everything. Maybe there was something to this "Christmas spirit" after all, Sunset decided. Author's Note Paladin's Notes: Sorry for wait, I had classwork to do and kept forgetting that I had this to update.
Detention: Celestia's PaladinDetention by: Celestia's Paladin *** Sunset Shimmer sighs as stands in front of Principle Oliver’s office. She knows why she is here, and what she has done to deserve to have a one-on-one meeting Princess Celestia’s doppelgänger. She knew the moment she crawled out of that crater she help made that she would be in deep doo-doo, and despite what her new found friends may think there is no way in hell she will walk away from that much property damage with a slap on the wrist. She raises a hand and knocks on the door, trying to ignore the brass nameplate reading “Dr. Celeste Oliver, Ed.D. Ph.D., Principle of Concordia Academy.” “Come in Miss Shimmer.” Sunset opens the door and steps in. The office is cozy with tall book shelves crammed with books and knick-knacks, and in the center is a large desk and behind the desk is a tanned woman with rainbow hair. While much younger than her pony counterpart the principle does carry herself the same as the princess. “Please take a seat Miss Shimmer, you and I have much to discuss,” she waves a hand to the lone chair sitting in front of the desk. Without question Sunset takes the seat though she feels very uneasy, this situation reminds her when she was expelled from the Royal Academy. “Do you know why I called you here,” Celeste asks. “My actions from the previous night Ma’am,” Sunset answers, “that and the giant crater in the front lawn.” Any attempt at humor dies as Celeste frowns, Sunset kicks herself. Of course it’s not funny I blew up part of the school, I am damn lucky no one was killed. “No, or at least not quite. Fortunately for you Miss Shimmer there are no witnesses to the incident that are willing to say anything, and I honestly don’t blame them.” Sunset snorts, “neither do I, and I was the fire-breathing demon. So what am I here for then?” Celeste taps a folder sitting on her desk, “I have here all the accounts of bullying and harassment that have been leveled against you.” She levels a hard look on the former unicorn. “I have every right to expel you from Concordia, but I won’t.” Sunset’s eyes widen, that was not what she expected, “why not? I did all that!” “You did but from all account we can chalk it up to mental issues,” Celeste retorts. “Your new friends out right claim that you weren’t in the right mind, and I am inclined to believe them.” The young woman brightens up, “so I’m not being punished?” Celeste grins, “oh I didn’t say that.” The grin vanishes. “You will have detention every weekday from now till your graduation, your grades will be audited by RIDE, you will not be allowed to join any extracurricular activities without permission, you will forfeit your grades for the past two semesters, and you will join the JROTC program.” Sunset closes her eyes as she digests the information, in all honesty she would rather be expelled and sent back to Equestria. She quashes those thoughts, she deserve whatever punishment she gets. “Of course Ma’am, is there anything else?” “Just that this afternoon you will report to the groundskeeper and help in the repairs. You’re dismissed, oh and check with my secretary for your new schedule.”
Mirror: ScantrelMirror by: Scantrel *** Applejack cocked her head with surprise as she watched Pinkie Pie press her nose up against her reflection. She hadn't planned on saying anything at first, in case Pinkie was just checking her makeup or something. But once Pinkie had cleaned up onto the counter and gone face-first against the glass, Applejack decided she could hold her tongue no longer. "Pinkie Pie, what in tarnation are you doin'?" Applejack inquired. Pinkie Pie jumped a bit at Applejack's question, smooshing her face against the mirror. Turning to look at the blond cowgirl, Pinkie replied, "Oh hey Applejack! Just checking the mirrors to see if maybe they might be portals. You never know until you try!" "Come again?" Applejack blinked. "Well, you remember how Twilight said she stepped through a magical mirror they had hidden away in a castle to come to our world? I was thinking maybe someone put up a mirror like that here! And if we found it, we could all go see her again." Pinkie climbed back down off the lavatory counter and straightened her skirt. Applejack had to fight to keep from burying her face in her palm. "An' how many mirrors have you checked out so far?" Applejack asked dryly. "Well, there were two at home, then when I got to school I've been checking here. This was the last girl's restroom to check. I sure hope they didn't put one in the boy's restroom. I'll have to sneak in there after school or something." Pinkie answered, her expression growing thoughtful. "Pinkie, you know darn well that the portal to Equestria is in the base of the statue out front of the school." Applejack said with exasperation. "Oooh, right." Pinkie nodded. "That will save me tons of time." Pinkie walked past Applejack to make her way out of the restroom, but then looked back over her shoulder. "You'll help me make a list of statues, so I can go check the rest after class, right?" Applejack sighed and hung her head, admitting defeat. "Fine, I'll help you." "Okie Dokie!" Pinkie Pie beamed as she sauntered off to class. Applejack walked to the far lavatory and washed her hands. Tentatively, looking back to the door, she reached up and gingerly pressed a finger against the mirror above the sink. "Jus' this once, jus' in case." she told herself.
Status Quo: FanOfMostEverythingStatus Quo by: FanOfMostEverything *** Fluttershy stifled a sigh. Every day, it was the same routine. The same classes, the same bullies, the same struggle to make the uncaring masses... well, care. Care about some creatures other than themselves. Of course, that it was literally a struggle to make herself heard didn't help. "Excuse me," she murmured, spending yet another lunch period timidly presenting fliers for the local animal shelter that no one would take (and poetically berating herself for trying.) "Would you..." The boy walked by without even looking at her, answering the question before she could finish it. Sometimes, Fluttershy just wanted to scream at the sheer apathy, the utter heedlessness her peers had towards anything beyond their meaningless little world of popularity. Then she admitted that she was hardly any better. Even she surrounded herself with like minds, from the eco-kids to the animals she smuggled into the school via backpack. She was too much of a coward to reach out to others... though if they turned out like Pinkie Pie, then they weren't worth the effort. "Help support the Canterlot Animal Shelter?" The sentence came out reflexively, a rote recitation with all the attention-demanding force of a gentle breeze. Even Fluttershy herself didn't pay attention to it. She was powerless. An automaton, destined to carry out this same routine until the end of the year, only to repeat it again with ever-so-slight variations until graduation. And then what? College, the same, only more so. Oh, there were hints of parties and such, but Fluttershy had no illusions about whether she'd participate in such things. No, she'd just keep going through the motions until she ran into the brick wall of real life. Such was her fate, and nothing could— CLONG Fluttershy stumbled to her feet. She couldn't help but notice that even now, no one seemed to be paying her any attention. Not even whoever had thrown that... That... Golden crown? She bent to pick it up and gasped a bit as she felt the weight. This... this was different. This was important. This was... probably not for her. Fluttershy slumped a little as she headed back inside to deliver her find to Principal Celestia. Well, if nothing else, at least she'd help whoever it belonged to.
