It was just an ordinary weekend at the sweet shoppe known as Sugarcube Corner. The students were mingling, enjoying the baked goods and sweets sold at the shop. However, the Rainbooms were not at their usual spot. Instead, there was Micro Chips, texting on his cellphone. With him was one of his closest and best friends, Flash Sentry. In the past, the two did not talk very much to each other as Micro was a techie and Flash was a rocker. But once Twilight ca!me into their lives, the two started to get to know each other. They also befriended an ecokid named Sandalwood. Soon, Flash started hanging with them more than his own band mates.
Sandalwood was coming to their tables with a tray carrying a box of muffins (baker's dozen), five cups of cocoa and one of chamomile tea for himself. There were three othere joining them today and just as he put the tray on the table, the doorbell rang. Coming through the door were Muffins (whom everyone called Derpy), Lyra and Sweetie Drops (whom everyone knew as Bon Bon). The three joined the bpys at the table.
"Ooooh, muffins!" Derpy said, grabbing her one. She took a huge bite out of it and scoffed the whole thing down.
"Slow down, Derpy," Flash said. "We've got plenty of muffins between the six of us. And we make sure you get the extra muffin."
"It's no use, Flash," Bon Bon said. "You know she loves her muffins."
"So much so, she's even named after them," Lyra said.
They all took their seats and their cups. They were having such a great time together.
"So, the Friendship Games had quite the turnabout," Lyra said.
"No doubt," Micro Chips said, giggling. "It was hilarious when Flash and Bon Bon baked a loaf of bread instead of a cake. And then covered it with sprinkles!" He then rolled on the floor laughing while Flash and Bon Bon blushed in embarrassment at this.
"Yeah, well," Flash said with a smirk, "At least, we made something good. What were you and Sandal thinking making a birdhouse like that?"
"Well, what we like thinking was building a home for our feathered friends without sacrificing wood," Sandalwood said. Flash did his best to hold back his laughter.
"Oo, oo, no one's commented about how the beaker blew up in my face!" Derpy said. They all then giggled with joy. They have absolutely no idea why they didn't all hang out before. They've enjoyed each other's company so much. Sure, there was Sunset Shimmer preventing them from hanging out at school but that never stopped Lyra and Bon Bon. The two knew each other for who knows how long are were pretty much inseparable. Even when they were hypnotized by the Dazzlings the two were still the best of friends.
Time had passed and their drinks and snacks have been consumed. All but one last muffin which Derpy grabbed and began to eat.
"And after all that, everyone was declared a winner," Lyra said. "We even got medals just for competing." She pulled her medal from her bag to show to them. Bon Bon followed suit as did the others.
"Yeah, dudette, the Games, like, really brought everyone together," Sandalwood said.
"Guess our history with the Shadowbolts is water under the bridge," Micro Chips said.
"Yeah," Flash said. But then his smile became a saddened look. "I just wish it didn't have to come at such a high price. Twilight must be pretty traumatized about the whole thing."
"What happened wasn't her fault, Flash," Derpy said, hoping to reassure him. Her talking with her mouth full in itself made Flash smile, just a little bit. "Cinch manipulated her."
"I know, it's just seeing her...like that...it was more than I can bare."
"What is with you and dating ponies that at some point turn into mons-" Lyra began to say but stopped.
"Please don't use that term. I don't wanna think like that about her."
"S-sorry." Lyra knew that it was really upsetting for him, to have seen his girl Twilight, someone whom they all saw as pure of heart and incorruptible, be corrupted by dark magic. She understood him. If anything like that happened to Bon Bon, she wouldn't know what to do.
"Well, your ex-girl did save her," Sandal said. Then, he just realized what he just said. "Oops. Too soon, dude?"
"No, Sandal. We're passed that now. Twilight means a lot to her as well so it must have been harder for her to fight her. But yes, she did save her." He then started to smile a bit more. "And well, I'm just glad things turned out okay."
"And don't think we didn't see the look on your face when you saw her like...that," Micro said. Flash then made a rather shocked look.
"Wh-whatever do you mean?"
"While many of us were panicking and screaming, I caught you just staring at her."
"Mabye I was paralyzed by...fear and disbelief?"
"Nice try. But I recognize the look all too well. You found her darkside appealing."
"Why would I be attracted to someone with pretty dark skin, tremendous Raven wings, a bewitching voice, and-Whoops!" Everyone looked at him, all stunned. "Did I say all that out loud?"
"Yes you did," Derpy said. Flash then blushed out of embarrassment.
"Ooooh, " Micro said in a teasing tone. "Somebody likes Twilight's bad side. Meow!"
"Well, I admit she did look lovely, but looks aren't everything. I like her cute, smart, genuinely good side much better."
"Hey, what's this?" Micro said, seeing something in Flash's guitar case Flash left it open to get out his medal. It was sheet music, entitled "Midnight Sparkle". "You gave her a nickname?"
"Uh, that's not mine. I'm holding onto it for a friend. And it's not about that."
"Hey, he's even wrote lyrics." The others all wanted to hear it. He began reading aloud. "Am I trapped a nightmare or is what I'm seeing right before me the girl of my dreams..."
"Okay, let's stop pretending you're a drama, give me the paper and..." Flash said with an embarrassed smile but Micro continued reading.
"Going beautifully mad off the edge of darkness and tearing my world at the very seams?"
"I SAID GIVE ME THAT SONG!" He stated charging to Micro but the others were holding him back as Micro kept on reading. And they were, they noticed Flash was smiling. Sure, he was getting embarrassed that his friends were reading and listening to something very private but he knew they were just messing with him, to try and get his spirits up which it did. Besides, it's not like Twilight was actually around to hear it.
"I still cannot believe you did that!" Flash said, his face all red. He meant to look and sound angry but he couldn't stop smiling.
"It was actually a very good song, Flash," Lyra said.
"I was going to throw it away as soon as I had written it all down and got it out of my system. It was never something I intended to play. I don't wanna make her feel worse for what happened."
"Actually, you did manage to put in that you would prefer her good personality over her bad looks," Bon Bon said. "And that you don't think less of her because of that incident that lasted what, three, five minutes? I'm sure she won't tink less of you."
"Thanks, Bon Bon, but I think itwouod be best if she didn't know about it. Besides, I think she actually lost interest in me."
"Really?" Derpy said.
"I just thought it was part of her act at Crystal Prep that got a little...out of hand," Bon Bon said.
"Act?" Sandalwood said. "Like, what do you mean act?"
"Well, I think Twilight joined Crystal Prep and pretended to be a Shadowbolts so she could teach them the Magic of Friendship. You know, being the Princess of Friendship and all. And obviously, her plan worked. Just not in the way she expected."
"I don't think it was an act," Derpy said. They all turned to her with confusion. "Well, this may sound silly but she seemed pretty serious about it all. And it's not that I don't enjoy her company, but...has anybody noticed she's been staying at the school for quite some time recently? Even though there hasn't been any magic trouble?"
"Well, now that you mention it," Micro said, "she's been attending classes like us. I have her in science."
"You think that's odd?" Sandalwood said. "One time, I was staying after school and as I left, I like saw her pass by the portal to Equestria and got a ride from some elder woman who looked a little like her. Like she was her mother driving her home."
"Well, that can't be right!" Flash said. "How is that even possible?"
"Has anyone ever ask the Rainbooms about this?" Lyra asked. But everyone just slapped their face as they felt like idiots for forgetting to ask.
"Anyone know where they are then?" Bon Bon asked. "We didn't see them at Sugarcube Corner."
"Last I checked they were preparing for the school's next big event," Flash said. "Man, do we ever have a lot of those? Fall Formal, Battle of the Bands, Friendship Games..."
Micro said, "And everytime they happen, some monster shows up to-oops! Sorry, Flash! I didn't mean-
"It's okay. I know you didn't mean anything by it. I'm sure she wouldn't take it personal. She's not the first after all. Please continue."
"We need some...magic...world-threatening...thing...to solve any problem we may be having! Why?"
"Doesn't matter. The Rainbooms will probably be busy so we can't bother them about it right now. Hopefully this time, we won't get one of those...things. After it gets resolved, we'll go ask them if there's anything wrong with Twilight."
"I sure hope nothing's happened in Equestria that has forced Twilight to stay with us," Lyra said.
"Could explain why her funky flow was out of sink, bros," Sandalwood said.
"If something has happened, I wanna help her anyway I can," Flash said.
"How noble of you, Flash," Bon Bon said.
"And hey, you know what? I might just play that song for her. To let her know how I really feel about her and that those feelings are unchanged."
His five friends cheered him on. He often times considered himself completely unlucky as after he and Sunset broke up, he was pretty much ignored by everyone except his band mates, who weren't all that nice to him. But knowing he had such good friends that he can be himself around made him feel like the luckiest guy around. And with them at his side, he believed that he could win back Twilight's heart.
