Hollywood Gold

Just as the bell rings, Marigold seats herself in the very back of her next class. She figures that if nobody sees her, she won't be made fun of any more than she already has. Her second class is Science with Mrs. Scientia. The teacher appears normal enough, a plump mare with a magenta body and short, straight hair with streaks of gray blending in with her light cherry-blossom colored locks. Her eyes consist of calm, soft ocean blue colors.

"Hello, class!" Mrs. Scientia calls out cheerily, proceeding with roll call.

When her name is said aloud, Marigold raises a gray hoof and says quietly: "Here..."

The filly next to her looks eager to learn. Her mane and tail are smooth and rounded, like leaves. The color of her mane is the same as magnolia leaves, her body a light green hue. On her face there rest two radiant optics, all in green hues. She has black, squarish glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.

Marigold gives the green pony a friendly smile.

"Hi!" The filly beams, waving excitedly. "I'm Herbal Essence! I want to be an herbalist when I grow up! It's obviously my destiny..." She rambles on, nodding towards her flank. On that flank there is a cutie mark. It appears to be a mortar and pestle, with some kind of leaves nestled in the bowl of the mortar.

"I'm Marigold Valley." Marigold replies.

"Ooh! Your name is plant related as well... Do you want to be an herbalist, too?"

"I dunno yet..." Marigold states. "All I know is that my mother wanted to name me Marigold Valley. She was a florist..."

"Cool! Well, we better pay attention! Science is my favorite subject!" She dragged out the 'favorite' a bit.

"I can tell." Marigold giggles, picking up the pencil that she was bombarded with in the previous class.

Mrs. Scientia smiles down on her classroom.

"Today," The teacher speaks, "We will just be getting to know each other a bit. Maybe watch a few short science-related videos."

The classroom heaves a sigh of relief. At least they wouldn't have homework from this particular class.

"You can move around and talk, just not too loud!" Mrs. Scientia smiles.

The class moves around and talks. It gets a bit too loud. The teacher doesn't seem to mind. Probably because it is just the first day.

"Anyways," Essence, the green filly, perks back up. "What do you do for fun? What's your favorite color? Favorite animal? Favorite Food..."

Marigold grins, happy that at least one person wants to talk to her.

Marigold opens her mouth and says, "I like reading or going to the public theater to watch ponies rehearsing... I like purple and yellow. I suppose dogs and cats are my favorite animals. I enjoy a good strawberry and poppy seed salad... Not that I get to eat very heavy. My dad hasn't worked for years now..."

"Oh," Herbal Essence looks up. "Why hasn't he worked? He does have a special talent, right?"

"Well, yes..." Marigold answers. "He was a locksmith. But he was fired a few years after I was born. He started drinking and it affected his career..."

"Wow... Well, I hope it gets better!" Essence offers.

Marigold is surprised at how much she is opening up. But she thinks that she might as well be honest in her first friendship.

Just as she is about to ask Herbal about her parents, a pale blue filly walks up to the pair. It's the same filly who'd tripped Marigold in her last hour.

"Oh, hey! It's the pony who came in late, with no supplies, and couldn't walk straight!" She laughs in a shrill, patronizing tone.

"You tripped me!" Marigold shouts.

"Liar! I did not!" The bully snaps back.

"Oh, shut up, Pacific!" Herbal Essence chimes in. "Stop being such a bully!"

"Says the filly who bragged about her cutie mark all through last year!"

"I didn't brag! I was just excited!"

Then, Mrs. Scientia steps in. " Marigold Valley, Herbal Essence, and Blue Pacific! I am surprised! Arguing on the first day of school? Unacceptable! Break it up, now!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Marigold whispers.

Pacific sneers and walks away to a group of other ponies, giggling and whispering while throwing glances at Marigold once in a while.

For the rest of the class duration, they watch cool videos about volcanoes, oceans, earthquakes, and other stuff. When the bell rings, Marigold looks at her schedule and sees that her next hour is lunch. What a relief.