Author's Note

Well, here it is. A project half a year in the making. I've got a nice little BGM system going on for you guys (which is optional, I just gave it to you guys to help set the scenes), so each time the Now Playing shows up, just click on it and immerse yourself. I know this opening seems short, but this is just to set up the story. Chapters will definitely be longer than a thousand words and change.

So, without further ado, let's dive in.

Prologue: Arrival

Monday <> 4/16 <> Evening

Now Playing - GRAY

Today is a very important day. It’s your first day in Canterlot, and as you stand in front of Carousel Boutique, your new home for the next year, you take in all the new sights and sounds from all around you. At the corner of the street is a bakery with the smell of sugary sweets calling out to you. A bit closer is a restaurant that, while it has no smell, is very pleasing to the eye. You recall seeing a library on your way over, too. It seems like there’s much to do in this town. You have no time to think about that, though, as you are pulled from your thoughts by girl’s voice coming from the boutique.

“Cousin Liberty, how are you, darling?” You turn to face the voice and find your cousin Rarity racing towards you, arms outstretched. You embrace her in a hug as she says, “Oh, Sweetie Belle has been talking about you coming since forever! You must tell us about your trip, honey!”

You chuckle as you say, “Let me get my stuff inside first, Rarity. As you can see, I’ve got quite a bit of luggage.”

“Oh, of course!” Rarity says. “Sweetie Belle, your cousin Liberty’s here! Help me bring her bags in!”

Out of the shop runs a little girl with curly purple hair, passing the luggage to jump into your arms. “Ohmigosh, you’re finally here!” she shouts with a crack in her voice. “I didn’t think you were ever gonna get here! I have soooo much to tell you! So this one time, at school…”

“Uh, Sweetie,” Rarity interrupts, “shouldn’t you be helping with the luggage?”

“Oh yeah! Sorry!”

As Sweetie begins to bring in some of the luggage, Rarity says, “She’s got quite an active imagination. Anyways, you’ll be happy to know that I got everything all set up and ready for school tomorrow, so all you have to do is head to the front desk. The receptionist, Cadence, is a really nice lady, and I’m sure she’ll help you with whatever you need.”

“Thanks, Rarity,” you say as you roll a case up to the front door. “I think, for now, I need to rest. It’s been a long trip from Amareica.”

“Oh, of course! I’ve prepared the guest bedroom for you, so go on up and sleep. It’s the second door on the left on the second floor. I’ll bring the rest of your stuff in for you.”

“Thanks again, Rares.” You walk through the boutique and up the stairs in the back to get to the second floor where the sisters live. Heading into the guest room, you find it looking impeccable. The decor seems to have all been handmade by Rarity herself, showing off her skill as an expert seamstress. You plop down on the bed and allow yourself to drift off to the dream world…

Monday <> 4/16 <> Night

Now Playing - HOME

When you next wake up, it’s night time. You groggily get up and stumble your way out of the room and down the hall. As you pass by the bathroom, you walk in to get a good look at yourself.

Your gray skin is prominent behind your white t-shirt. On it is a red, white, and blue star symbolizing Amareica, your home country. Your jeans are ripped at the knees, giving them a worn look. Your Amareican look is driven home by your messy blue hair, usually kept at a medium length. It seems odd to you that all the girls in the country of Equestria wear skirts all the time, but that seems like something you’ll get used to. It feels weird to be the odd one out, however. Maybe you’ll ask Rarity to make you a dress later. However, for now, you decide that you’ve stared at yourself for long enough. You walk back into the hall and down to the dining room, where Rarity and Sweetie Belle are both eating dinner.

“Good evening, dearie,” Rarity says as she puts her fork down. “I made some salad if you’re hungry for dinner.”

“No thanks,” you say, taking a seat at the table in between the two. “I had a big lunch on the way over.”

“If you insist,” Rarity says, taking a bite out of her own salad. She swallows before she continues. “So, why again did you come over to Canterlot?”

“My parents wanted me to leave my comfort zone,” you explain. “They wanted me to get out and see the world, something they never did. I dunno why they’re pushing it on me, though. I didn’t ask for it, they just gave it to me.” You take a look at Sweetie Belle and add, “But, nevertheless, I’m glad to be here with you girls.”

“We’re glad to have you here, too,” Rarity says as she finishes her salad. “What do you say I take both of you out onto the town, give Liberty here a tour of our home?”

“Sounds great!” you say as you get up. “Let me just make myself look more… presentable, and then we can go.”

Now Playing - NIGHT TIME

The three of you walk down the sidewalk, the lights from various stores and street lamps both lighting up the way. Since your tour started, you passed by the bakery from before, the Sweet Shoppe, the restaurant, a popular date spot named The Sweetheart Inn, and a guitar shop called Rocker World. You pass by a police station when Rarity speaks up.

“Listen, I know this may seem very… overprotective of me, but I’d like for you to hang out with my friends and I during the first few days of school,” she says. “The last couple of kids who came in were… a lot of trouble, to say the least, and I’m afraid all the students will think the same of you.”

“Uh… sure, I guess,” you reply. “What kind of trouble are we talking about, though?”

“Remember that one time your family took us to Fillydelphia?”

“Yikes,” you say, remembering a horrible memory that resulted in the family being kicked out of the Town Hall and asked never to come back. It wasn’t a fun memory.

“It’s worse than Fillydelphia, dear. Just… don’t mention it to anyone, alright?”

“My lips are sealed,” you say before Sweetie Belle pipes up.

“You guys were so cool, though!”

Rarity takes her sister by the arm. “Sweetie,” she says, gritting her teeth, “this is neither the time nor the place to talk about this.”

“Alright…” the younger sister says as she pulls her arm away dejectedly. Although it seems incredibly odd, you decide not to probe further. The trouble that the new kids caused seems like a very touchy subject.

It seems like no time at all that the three of you are back at Carousel Boutique, and even less time before you get back into your bed. You hear Sweetie Belle excitedly talking to her sister about the next day of school before you drift off to sleep, hoping that this coming year will be as exciting as your parents hope.