Derpy sighed and snuggled her backpack as her mom drove her to Canterlot High.
"Why so nervous, sweetie?" Her mother asked, directing a glance at Derpy. "Your friends will be so happy to see you after all this time!"
"I know," Derpy responded, absently twirling her pale gold hair around her pointer finger. "It's just like the first day of school, I guess."
"Ah." Derpy's mother nodded. "Don't fret, dear. Now, here we are! Canterlot High School." Derpy looked up at her towering school and popped the car door open. She placed one foot on the smooth pavement, then the next.
"Thanks for driving me, Mom." Derpy put her fingers to her mouth and blew her mom a kiss. Her mom returned the gesture with her own air kiss.
"See you after school, Derpy!" She responded, driving away. Derpy watched for several seconds, then turned back to the school. Several students were talking with each other outside the entrance. Derpy spotted Blueberry Cake and Octavia among one group.
"Guys!" She called happily, waving her arm in the air in hopes they would see her. "Blueberry! Octavia!" She began running over to them- only to crash into a blur of tan and turquoise!
"Whoops! Sorry, Tennis Match," Derpy apologized to the other girl. "Are you alright?"
Tennis Match didn't answer the question. Instead, she continued what she had apparently been singing earlier, "Let's have a battle, battle, battle, battle of the bands!" She waved at Derpy but ran off.
"That was weird," Derpy commented, watching the Athlete leave. "But catchy tune! Now, where was I? Oh yeah!" Derpy began running again. "Blueberry! Octavia!" The girls didn't look up from their conversation as Derpy approached.
"...I was thinking that we borrow Cherry Crash's lyrics for our own performance," Blueberry Cake was saying. Octavia nodded in agreement. "After all, Mystery's locker is right next to mine. It wouldn't be too hard."
"What are you guys talking about?" Derpy asked. Octavia glanced at her.
"Oh Derpy, you're back!" She exclaimed. Drawing Derpy closer, she added, "Listen, you can't talk to those no good Rocker kids."
"But you're a Rocker," Derpy pointed out, confused. "And besides, I thought we didn't judge people by cliche anymore..." Octavia snorted.
"I may be a Rocker, but my music is an art. Like the Fashionistas make," she explained.
"Oh my gosh!" Blueberry exclaimed suddenly. "Derpy, have you met Adagio, Sonata, and Aria?" Derpy shook her head.
"No, I-"
"Lady Sonata is here!" Drama Letter shouted, pointing to a pale blue convertible that pulled up in front of the school.
"They're awesome girls, they can sing really well!" Octavia explained before she rushed to meet a blue girl with bangs and a pony tail. Derpy stared at the scene.
"Who are they?" She wondered aloud.
"Sonata's my sister," answered a voice between smacks of gum. Derpy turned sideways to see Mystery Mint, who was chomping down on some gum.
"Since when do you eat gum? Or, um, have a sister?" Derpy asked, shifting her backpack on her back. Mystery smirked.
"Adagio told my sister to tell me that I should act 'cool' for the Battle. And I'm totes trying. Diggin' my style?" Mystery asked, and Derpy realized she was wearing a leather jacket and a studded collar.
"What?" was all Derpy could find to say. Mystery shrugged and blew a bubble. It popped right on Derpy's face.
As Derpy peeled the pink goo off her face, she heard snippets of conversation from her peers.
"So, did you buy an instrument yet?"
"Adagio spoke to me, personally."
"Stop lying, Sweet Leaf."
"It's true!"
"I'm gonna knock your pants off with my drum solo!"
"Let's have a Battle of the Bands!"
What is this 'Battle of the Bands'? Derpy wondered as she stuffed the gum wad in the trashcan. Suddenly, a girl appeared right in front of her. She had buttercup yellow skin, and poofy orange hair that reached almost to the floor. She had purple "short shorts" and a.matching purple shirt on. Her eyes were deep magenta, and they held a menacing look that reminded Derpy of Sunset Shimmer before she became good.
"I haven't seen you before," the girl said in a rich, stirring voice. Derpy shook her head.
"I've been out with mono. Who are you?" She asked. The girl smiled and played a gloved hand on her hip.
"I'm Adagio Dazzle," she introduced herself. "And who are you?"
"I'm Derpy Hooves, but you can call me Derpy," Derpy responded, bouncing on one foot. She was briefly distracted by Adagio's curls, which framed her face.
I wish I had hair like that, Derpy thought.
"It's very nice to meet you, Derpy," Adagio responded, running her hand through Derpy's mop of blonde hair. Derpy tried not to cringe; she wasn't used to touching people outside her family, not even her friends.
"Hey, do you know why everyone's talking about a Battle of the Bands?" Derpy asked. Adagio simply smiled.
"I'm sure you'll find out," she answered mysteriously, her fingertips flying to the bright red jewel on her necklace. "Ta ta!" Adagio waved and trotted down the hall, her hair bouncing behind her.
Derpy was suddenly surrounded by students.
"Did you just talk to Adagio Dazzle?" Sweet Leaf demanded.
"Did she tell you how to win?" Trixie asked eagerly.
"Tell me!" Captain Planet exclaimed, shoving Trixie out of the way. Derpy backed up against the wall as more classmates piled around her, demanding answers and shouting at each other.
"Stop fighting," Derpy whispered. A pale arm suddenly reached out and grabbed Derpy. The crowd didn't seem to notice she was missing.
"Thanks, Vinyl," Derpy said to her rescuer. Vinyl gave her a thumbs up and a smile, then disappeared down the hall.
Derpy continued to her locker and hung her backpack on the back hook.
"Derpy! You're back!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, suddenly appearing behind Derpy. "We all missed you!"
"That makes you the first," Derpy sadly muttered under her breath. In reply to Pinkie, she exclaimed, "Thanks, Pinkie! You really can cheer me up!" The two girls hugged.
"I have to go to Language Arts!" Pinkie waved a textbook in front of Derpy's face. "See ya in a buzz, Derpy!"
"Bye!" Derpy responded, smiling. She turned back to her locker and pulled out a textbook.
"Derpy, I was wondering where you were," a snide voice commented. Derpy straightened to face Rose Heart, a Fashionista with a not-so-nice attitude towards others. Was she downright mean? Derpy wouldn't say that. But she definitely wasn't super friendly.
"Hello, Rose Heart," Derpy replied. "Can I do something for you?" Rose Heart studied her fingernails.
"Well, I'm making these gorgeous rock star outfits, but I need a band to put them on." She smiled and straightened her cream skirt. "So, I was thinking, how would you like to join my band? I've heard from some sources you can drum."
"Band? For what?" Derpy asked, though she knew quite well. Rose Heart flipped her rose red ponytail.
"For the Battle of the Bands, of course! Only the most ambitious, most talented, most gorgeous girls can win!" She responded. "Nothing will stand in our way if we team up! Why-"
"I'm sorry, Rose Heart." Derpy cut her off. "But this stuff is making people weird. Mystery Mint? Her sister is Sonata Dusk and-"
"I knew there was something about those two! Sonata Dusk's heritage is tainted with that no good punk!" Rose Heart growled. Derpy frowned.
"Um, Rose Heart?" Suddenly, Cloudy Kicks skipped up to the girls.
"Sing with me, Rose Heart!" She exclaimed. Rose Heart's fierce expression melted. She nodded, and Derpy watch them break into song.
"Let's have a battle! We'll go all in it!" They chorused. Other students joined into the song. "Let's have a battle! Battle! BATTLE! BATTLE OF THE BANDS!"
"Best song ever, am I right, bandmate?" One girl asked. She and her apparent handmade high fived.
"What's up with everyone?" Derpy murmured, still clutching her textbook in her hands.
"They're just so excited," Adagio Dazzle replied, marching up to Derpy with Sonata Dusk and another girl (Aria, Derpy supposed) beside her, "for the Battle of the Bands."
Derpy's eyes were fixed on the identical necklaces the girls wore as they began to glow. Adagio smirked.
"Join in, Derpy. It will be quite fun."
Author's Note
Cliffhanger ending! I think this is a sufficient story, no need of exploration further. What happens between the Battle of the Bands and this story is up for you to think about!
