Dedicated to Benjamin LaMontagne. I'll miss you LaMountain. You were an inspiration to everyone, and loss to us too.
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The train comes to a halt, and you wake for a few moments. Drifting back into the warm darkness of sleep, your arm suddenly hurts. You wake from the shock, and look over to the friend who just hit you.
“Why did you just punch me?” You grumble.
“Because we’re here.” He answers.
“We are?” You respond.
“Yup. Now get your stuff. I’m not going to be waiting on your sleepy ass.”
“Shut it."
“Just get your bags.”
You groan, but stand and stretch. On the bright side, the train ride was finally over. You grab your bag from the compartment above the seats, and follow your friend out onto the station platform. Great Western Station is impressive to say the least. It’s a place almost everyone sees when they visit Manehattan, considering it’s the primary train station. The “Great” part sure is accurate; the building is huge.
Grabbing a time table, you head further into the station. You look around, and notice your friend stopped following you, and was instead chatting up some chick with spiky blue hair. You approach him as the girl walks away..
“We’ve been here for five minutes, and you’re already trying to hook up with someone?” You laugh.
“Yeah, and doing a better job at it than you.” He gives a smug smile.
“Because I wasn’t focused on that. I’m focused on getting to school.”
“And that’s why I think you’re a nerd with no social life.”
“Yeah, keep talking. Let’s see how much longer you have thirty two teeth.”
"Pfft, you make that threat all the time."
You raise a fist , and he flinches. You snicker at him and smile.
"Come on, let's just get to the train." You say.
“You know what I just started wondering?” He responds.
“What?”
“Who let’s two dudes our age travel to Manehattan alone?”
“Dude, we’re 16. Besides, I’ve been traveling on my own for a while now.”
“But still....”
“You’re a wimp.”
"Fuck you." He laughs
You shut up, and check the schedule. You then find out which track to head to, and head off in that direction.
*****
The train looks ready to leave, and the two of you need to run in order to catch it. You get on with five minutes to spare, and look for seats.
The car seems packed with people, and you wind up in separate rows this time. Your friend heads towards the front while you take an open seat near the back. You set your stuff on the rack above, and take your seat beside a girl in a purple long sleeve shirt and knee length skirt. She appears to be wrapped up in a book, but picks up on the presence of another rather quickly.
"Oh, umm, hello." She says, looking at you.
"Hey. How's it going?" You reply.
"Fine, thank you."
"What're you reading?"
"Daring Do. The newest one." She smiles a bit.
"Well, don't let me disturb you."
You smile, and she nods before returning to her book. You can see her purple eyes whipping side to side as she reads at breakneck speed. She is clearly a bookworm. All of her attention is placed firmly in the novel. In fact, the only time you see her move a hand off her book is to either turn the page or move her hair out of her eyes.
You face forward and relax a bit as the train lurches forward. Assuming nobody will bother you, sleep eagerly welcomes you back.
*****
You wake this time to a tap on your shoulder. You look over, and get up once you realize that the girl beside you has no way to exit. You get up to let her out, and stretch. Your friend is standing with his things, so you fetch your own bags and exit the train.
You step onto the station platform, and look around. There isn't much, just a small town. There’s a sign, but you could really care less about the name of this place. It's easy to notice that the town is close to the city. It’s just some suburb, really. The Manehattan Skyline is visible from where you're standing. Off in the opposite direction is a forest and a trail. A sign with the words "Royal Sisters Academy" and an arrow pointing up said trail can be seen from your current location. Looking up at the top of a nearby hill, you can see rooftops and a clock tower.
Something scratches at your leg, and you instantly turn your attention to a brown and white dog at your feet. You blink, and crouch down to inspect the tag on her collar.
"Hi there...Winona. You lost?" You say, hesitantly petting the dog.
The dog known as Winona barks in response.
You chuckle, "Let's try and find your owner."
"Who's dog?" Your friend asks, walking over.
"Beats me. But she's friendly." You answer.
“Well...what’re we gonna do with it?”
“Ask around town, and see who the owner is.”
Your friend nods, “Sounds like a plan.”
So, for the next hour you find yourself distracted with the quest of finding the dog’s owner. You can’t find anyone who’s seen the dog before, and decide to take her with you as you head to your final destination. You, your friend, and Winona head up the trail you saw when getting off the train.
******
The walk isn’t too long. It’s only about a mile from the train station to the other end. The trail opens up to a large cleared area with a few large brick buildings. The sign by the gate has the same words as the sign at the base of the trail. This was Royal Sisters Academy, one of Equestria’s most renowned schools.
You’re still not entirely sure why you’re here. The family had fallen on some rough times, yes. But is sending your child away to an incredibly expensive private school really the best idea in that situation? That’s when you remember the letter in your pocket. That should explain some things.
******************
Son,
Now that you remembered to read this. we’ll explain exactly why you’re going to this school. The first and most obvious reason is because we want the best for you. This is one of the best schools around. The second reason is because, well, we needed to get you out of the house. It sounds bad, yes, but you need to understand that we can’t really afford three kids right now. We managed to pull a favor with old family friends. They owed you something after what you did for their daughter, so they offered to help us out. They’re paying your tuition as though you’re their own. They’re very kind, so make sure you thank them if you get the chance. Your dad and I are doing this because we love you, remember that. Write soon!
Love, mom and dad.
******************
Well, it explained things alright. At least your hunch was correct, they needed you gone. Really, the most surprising part of the letter is the part about the family friend. The school is by no means cheap. Everyone knew that. So that means there’s a rich family friend who has a daughter you used to know. Odd, considering you don’t remember having any rich friends. But, then again memory has failed you before.
The three of you continue into the main building. You and your friend find out where your dorms are. They’re in separate buildings, so your friend heads off with a quick goodbye. You head out to the courtyard with the dog, and stop for a moment to take in what the place looks like. It consists of at least four large rectangular buildings. They’re built in such a way that they create a large open area. This open area is the courtyard where you are currently standing. According to the woman you spoke to a few moments ago, there are two dorm buildings. They flank the school itself, making up the left and right walls of the square you’re in.
The square looks nice. There’s a few assorted trees, shrubs, a couple of flower gardens. It’s pleasing to the eyes, and the people you see out and about seem to enjoy it. The most obvious feature is the large statue square in the center of the, well, square. It was of the rulers of the land, princesses Celestia and Luna. It was their mythical representation: Two tall, winged unicorns. They seemed to be facing in opposite directions. You smile a bit as you come to appreciate the calm and attractive landscape around you. You look down to check the card that you were given.
Alright, let’s see. 6R. Are they running through the entire alphabet? How many students go to this school?
You look back up and straight into a pair of vibrant blue eyes. You jump, and take a step back. The eyes belong to a girl who is wearing a large smile. She has poofy pink hair and is wearing a pink T-shirt and blue jeans. She seems excited for some reason.
"Um, hi." You say.
"Hiya! Are you new here?" She asks, still beaming.
"Uh, yes."
"Oh goodie! A new friend!" She exclaims, suddenly hugging you.
You blink, "Friend?"
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself!" She giggles at her mistake,
"My name is Pinkie Pie, and everyone here is my friend! And since I've never seen you until right now, that meant that not everyone was my friend, and I needed to fix that but we didn't know each other but now we do so now we're friends!"
You stare blankly for a moment. The entire time she'd been talking, it had been getting faster and faster. You were to have listened to the whole thing and survived.
"Uh, okay then." You smile.
You look down at Winona. When you look back up to ask if Pinkie knew the owner, she's gone. There is no trace of her whatsoever.
Am I going crazy?
As confused as you are, you decide to shrug it off and begin exploring a bit. The square is much larger than you expected. You notice that there is even a small cluster of apple trees off in one corner. Hearing a growl come from your stomach, your brain steers you in that direction. Suddenly, Winona barks and takes off towards one of said apple trees. You chase after her, and find her licking the face of a girl. You can hear her giggling, and see her giving Winona plenty of attention.
"Um, is this your dog?" You ask.
"Sure is!" The girl replies.
"Well, that solves that." You mumble.
"You say sumthin'?" She asks with an obvious drawl.
"Huh? Oh, no. I just found this dog at the train station. Glad I found the owner."
"Well, thank ya kindly." She stands up, and extends a hand, "Ah'm Applejack. Glad t'meet ya."
"Um, likewise!" You shake her hand.
She smiles, and reaches into her pocket. She pulls out a handful of bits and offers them to you.
“What’s that?”
“A reward. Ah’m truly grateful that you found mah dog. So here.”
“You don’t need to do that, Applejack.”
“Ah do. Here, y’all went outta your way to do this. Jus’ take it.”
“Really Applejack, it’s okay. You can hang onto your money.”
“Y’all sure?”
“Positive. Just happy to help.”
“Well...that’s mighty kind of ya. Thanks...um, what was yer name again?”
As you go to introduce yourself, Winona jumps on you, and begins licking your face as well. Applejack laughs.
"Well, Winona sure likes ya. Ah have a feelin' we might make good friends." She smiles.
You nod, and begin to walk away. You stop for a moment to take in what she looks like, and then play a little mental guessing game. It's a trick you developed to help yourself remember people.
She's maybe 5'7", and looks pretty strong. That coupled with her tan and the orange work shirt and blue jeans she's wearing lead you to assume she's no stranger to hard work. She probably has a family that farms. She seems friendly, so at least she isn't a workaholic. She also gives off a bit of a cowgirl vibe, and you think that a stetson would just make it all complete. The one thing you'll remember the most clearly are her green eyes. It's just something about how unique they are that makes them stick in your mind.
As you walk towards the building where your dorm is, you're suddenly hit by a massive amount of force. You hit your head on the ground, and black out.
*****
As you wake from your momentary unconsciousness, you notice that there is something on your back.
"Oops, um sorry." They say, "Hehe, here. Let me help you."
Yet another girl gets off of your back and offers you a hand. You pull yourself up, and shake your head out a bit. She's clearly trying not to laugh.
You stare for a minute as you regain your bearings. The girl in front of you is wearing a light blue hoodie with the hood up and a pair of sweatpants. They're duct taped in certain places, making you assume she does parkour. You notice she has magenta eyes, which is really something you don't see every day. Be that as it may, you're still a bit pissed.
"You okay, kid?" She asks.
"I'm fine."
"Sorry about that."
"Yeah, yeah." You begin to leave.
"See ya, I guess."
"Bye."
You walk away without a second glance. Yes, it's a little rude, but getting bowled over by someone doesn't really leave room for good manners. You grab your bags, and head inside your dorm building.
Really? Dorms? No wonder this place is so expensive.
Just as you walk in, you get in another collision. This time it's your fault. You were observing the decor, which is acceptable but not really good, and not paying attention. Next thing you know, you and a girl in a white dress are on the floor. You come to your feet and instantly offer her a hand.
"I'm really sorry." You say instantly.
"It's quite alright. I should have been paying more attention as well." She replies.
She takes your hand and pulls herself to her feet before straightening her dress. You pick up the bag she dropped, and freeze up as you go to hand it to her. This girl is absolutely beautiful. She’d fit the description of most guy’s ideal girl if you tweaked a few details. She has gleaming purple hair that curls over and over, stopping a little lower than her shoulder blades, and has a slight bounce to it. Her dress is all white, very silky, and from what you can tell, expensive as fuck. She has the perfect amount of makeup, and it really makes her blue eyes just... glisten. Her frame... She’s just...wow.
"Oh, thank you." She smiles.
"Um, y-you uhh, you're w-welcome." You respond, nervous.
"Oh my, what happened to your shirt?"
You look down and notice that your T-shirt has a large rip in it. It's probably the fault of that freerunner that knocked you down a few minutes ago.
"Um, it ripped." You say, stating the blatantly obvious.
"Come with me. I shall fix that right up for you." She smiles again.
"Uh, thanks."
You follow her upstairs to the beginning of a long hallway on the top floor. She unlocks the door to her room, and enters with you in tow. The rooms appear to be much bigger than you expected. Not so much dorms, but more or less lofts.
"You don't have to do this, ummm...."
"Rarity, and I insist."
"Uh...why?"
"What? Can't a lady do a good deed now and again?"
"I guess...."
Lady? Does she think she’s royalty or something?
“Come now. Hand over that shirt.”
You did as she instructed, not giving it much of a second thought. She looks a bit...awestruck for some reason.
“You okay Rarity?” You ask.
“Yes. But are you?” She points to a couple of rather large scars.
“Huh? Oh. Yeah....”
“What happened?” She walks to a table with a sewing machine, and begins working.
“An...incident with a timber wolf. I don’t really remember it. It messed with my memory a bit.” You reply.
She mutters something, and you can’t really tell if she was actually listening or not. Not that it mattered, the past is the past. Best not to dwell on it. You look around a bit instead, and notice a practical line down the middle of the room. There are two beds, one at either wall. One side is neat and proper, and another looks a lot like your room back home used to. It’s obvious that Rarity’s side of the room was the neat one, and a stetson hat and stray apple core on the other side lead you to assume she’s rooming with Applejack.
Ha! Applejack actually has a stetson! So much win.
“Uh...messy roommate?” You ask, trying to create a conversation.
“Oh, you noticed? Yes, my roommate isn’t nearly as orderly as I.” Rarity replies.
“I’m gonna take a wild guess. You room with Applejack, right?”
“Yes, actually. How did you know?”
“The hat.”
“Ah, yes. I suppose that hat would give away anyone nearly as country as Applejack acts.”
She smiles, and hands you the shirt “There you are. Good as new.”
“Thanks Rarity. Is there any way I can pay you back?”
“You don’t need to do that. It was nothing. Really.”
“You sure?”
“Hmm, how about this. If I think of something, then I’ll let you know.” She smiles again.
You nod, and thank her again. You leave, and then stop as you realize something. You still have no clue where you’re supposed to be going. You spot the room number beside Rarity’s loft. 6A.
6A? But this building only has three floors! How the- never mind, it’s not that important.
You look across the hall, and see 6B. You run through the alphabet, alternating which side each letter will be on. After doing some quick math, you figure out that it’s the ninth door on your right, and walk down the hallway. As you head towards your room, one of the doors opens and you narrowly avoid collision with another girl.
Criminy, is every student here a girl?
The girl squeals, and retreats a bit. You blink, and look at her. She has long pink hair which falls over one of her light blue eyes. She’s wearing a yellow sweater despite it being the end of summer and almost 82 degrees outside. She also has a long skirt on, and shrinks back a bit as you look at her. She seems strangely familiar.
“Oh...umm...I-I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” She says, barely above a whisper.
“It’s fine. It’s kinda my fault too.” You reply.
“Oh...umm...o-okay.”
An awkward silence begins to grow. She stands there, staring at the ground and half hidden in her hair. You keep trying to figure out where you’ve seen her before, but you can’t place her. Your memory decided to get rid of her, or so it seems.
“Um...what’s your name?” You ask, trying to start a conversation.
“Uh...my name is Fluttershy.” She says, her voice fading away.
“I’m sorry?”
“My name is Fluttershy.” She says, still whispering.
“Fluttershy?”
She nods, and backs up a bit. She squeaks, which sounds kinda cute. You can’t help but feel a little bad for her. She seems so desperately shy that it hurts. You give her your name, and she shoots her head up. She blinks, and stares at you as though she just found a long lost family member. You blink, and she opens her mouth to say something. Unfortunately, her shyness gets the better of her, and she shrinks back a bit more. She looks back at the floor.
“Everything okay Fluttershy?”
“Um...you just...sounded a little familiar. But you’re probably not who I think you are. S-Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine.” You smile, hoping to reassure her.
She simply nods, and continues looking down.
“Um...well. I guess I’ll see you around then, Fluttershy.”
“Bye.” She whispers.
You walk away, now a bit curious. You want to ask her some questions, but figure that it would be impossible to break through that shy shield so quickly.
Why’d she recognize me? More importantly, why’d I recognize her?
You stop to think in the hall for a moment, and then feel a tap on your shoulder.
Sweet Celestia, if I have to meet another person within twelve seconds of the last one, I swear....
You, being your best to stay polite, turn around and see a familiar face. It’s the girl from the train. You get a better look at her now, but notice nothing too different. The only new detail to pick up is how her hair changes from dark purple to a couple of violet highlights, followed by a pinkish one in the middle. She blinks as she remembers you.
“Oh. Hello again.” She says, no expression coming to her face.
“Uh, hi there.”
“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Twilight Sparkle.”
“Nice to meet you, Twilight Sparkle.”
“I’m a bit lost. Can you help me find my room?”
“I guess. What room are you in?”
“6T.”
“Hmmm...I think you’re right next door to me. Come on.”
Just as you turn to walk down the hall, you hear an obvious grunting. You look behind Twilight to see a young boy dragging a trunk down the hall and stopping beside her. The kid looked to be about twelve, and was in a green T-Shirt under an unzipped purple hoodie. His green hair was up in a mohawk, which looked a bit funny.
“Twilight, did you really need to carry all these books from Canterlot?” The kid groans.
“Oh, calm down Spike. They’re just the ones I absolutely needed.” She replies.
“You needed the whole library?” Spike mumbles.
You stifle laughter, and look back at Twilight. She seems a bit confused.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
You lead the way down the hall, and stop in front of your door. You walk down to the next one and find its number. 6T.
“Well, there you go.”
“Thank you, umm....”
You introduce yourself, and smile. She gives a small smile, and looks at the kid beside her.
“Who is that, your servant?” You point at Spike.
“Huh? Oh, this is Spike. He’s my little brother.” She replies.
“And servant.” He grumbles, causing you to snicker.
Twilight rolls her eyes, “Spike, quit being so dramatic.”
About then they start bickering like siblings often do. You should know, considering you’re the middle child of three. You sneak out of their company, and get the key to your room. You can hear what sounds like rock music through the door.
At least I’m rooming with someone who likes good music.
You open the door, and are suddenly blasted with a loud guitar solo. You blink, and then smile a bit. It seems like the two of you will get along just fine. You look around the room a bit, and notice that there is a large TV in one corner. There’s a gaming console attached to it, and all of the games in the Haylo series sitting idly beside it. There are two beds on either side of the room. One of them is messy, the other had folded sheets on it. The walls had posters for the Wonderbolts, Equestria’s premiere flying team.
You set your stuff down, and flop onto the bed with the folded sheets. You can faintly hear a shower running behind the music, and notice some rather familiar clothes on a chair across the room. A cyan hoodie with scraps of duct tape still on it.
Oh don’t tell me.
The shower stops, and after a couple of minutes, a girl with magenta eyes comes out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around herself.
