Twin Trouble

New School

After moving back to Cloudsdale with their parents, Rainbow Sandstorm and Stronghold Skies must now enter their new school in Ponyville. Will they survive?

"Dashie... are you sure they can't go to the Cloudsdale Public School?" Soarin asked his wife, Rainbow Dash. Dash simply shook her head, before sitting down across from him on the dining table.

"Soar... think of it this way. If anything were to happen, they'd be safe with my friends, and some of their children. Don't you think that would be the best for them?" she asked. Soarin raised an eyebrow.

"Your friend's children?" he questioned. Dash nodded.

"Yeah. I mean, not every single friend of mine. But, Rarity's daughter Starlet is there, along with Twilight's filly Illusion, as much as the kids hate her, and Applejack's adopted son Adobe! Pinkie and Fluttershy's kids are all younger, but Sandy and Strong will at least have three trustworthy friends, right?"

Soarin thought about this, before shrugging, and nodding.

"Yeah... I guess so," he complied. Dash smiled, as she heard the clopping of hooves, resulting in two foals with their school bags on, and big smiles on their faces.

"We're ready to go, Mom!" Sandstorm said, turning to her brother, who only nodded.

"Yeah! Let's go!" Stronghold said, starting to trot out of the large cloud house. Soarin smiled, and waved to them, but Dash only frowned.

"Hey! Wait up! I'm coming with you!" she yelled out, flapping her wings to catch up with them. Soarin furrowed his eyebrows.

"Dashie... I think they'll be fine. It's only a ten minute flight, and besides, I don't think you should be flying while you're pregnant," he said. Dash bit her lip, as she stared at the figures of her two young children. She shook her head.

"No. I'll go with them. Just to be safe. And anyway, I'm only one month, I'll be fine," she said, blowing her husband a kiss, and closing the door, as she and the kids made their way out. Soarin stared after them, and shrugged, going back to his coffee and newspaper.

"Oh! This is so exciting!" Sandstorm exclaimed, getting giddy all of a sudden. Stronghold just pretended to barf.

"You're kidding, right? How can you be excited about school?" he asked. Sandstorm grinned, and started to think.

"How can you NOT? There's so much to see, and so much to do! School's so fun!" she exclaimed, flying higher, and faster after every word. Dash giggled, and looked at her son.

"Don't worry, Strongy. I'm with you. As a filly, I couldn't stand school! I was just too awesome for it!" she said, earning a laugh from the baby blue colt. Stronghold flew besides his mother.

"Oh good. I'm not alone!" he said, glancing up to his sister, who was doing a few excited loops in the air above them. Dash and Stronghold burst out laughing, as they flew side by side to the Ponyville Schoolhouse.

"Welcome, class! Go right on inside, and pick your desks for the year!" Miss Cheerilee exclaimed. Sandstorm and Stronghold entered the large red building, and looked around them.

The small classroom had a large chalkboard, plus a teacher's desk at the front, plus many rows of desks scattered throughout the rest of the room. Sandstorm released a small squeal, and ran over to one of the desks in the middle of the room, emptying her bag, and settling herself in. Stronghold rolled his eyes, and sat down in the desk to her left, taking out his own belongings, and putting them inside.

Then, a small grey colt with a bright green mane trotted up to them, with a tall orange mare with a blonde mane close behind. Sandstorm and Stronghold both looked up, as the grey colt set his things inside the desk besides Stronghold's, and took a seat. He turned to the twins, and gave them a small smile.

"Hey," he said simply, turning back to looking at the desk. The orange mare rolled her eyes, and turned to Dash with a smile.

"Adobe was never one to talk a lot," she explained, giving her a hug. Dash returned it, and pulled away.

"Hehe... I get it, AJ," she said, turning to her own foals, embracing them in a tight hug.

"Will you two be alright?" she asked. They both nodded with reassuring smiles.

"Yeah, Mom. We're going to be fine. No need to be so overprotective, you know!" Stronghold insisted, rolling his eyes slightly. Dash frowned, as Sandstorm nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, Mom. Take a chill pill. We've got it under control," she said. Dash bit her lip, and looked away, memories of her past flooding back to her. She shook her head, and waved slowly at them, her smile fading as she saw them looking away from her. Applejack came up to her with a small smile.

"Aint easy watching your kids grow up, is it?" she asked. Dash only sighed, and nodded.

"Yeah..." she said, starting to walk out, but was stopped by two other mares.

"Oh, darling! What's gotten you in the slumps?" Rarity asked, shoving her daughter into view, as she made her way around Dash and Applejack. Twilight was following close behind, with her eyes on a young filly.

"You'll be safe now, won't you?" she asked. The little orange filly only nodded, her purple mane dropping in a style almost identical to her mother's behind her.

"Yes, Mom. I'll be fine," she insisted, grabbing a seat behind Sandstorm. Twilight raised an eyebrow, but cautiously nodded.

"Oh, alright. Bye, Illusion. I'll be coming to pick you up at three o'clock, okay?" she said. Illusion nodded.

"Okay, Mom. Bye," she said, waving to her mother as she stepped out of the classroom with Dash and Applejack. Rarity though, was settling her filly into the seat behind Stronghold.

"Remember darling, just do your best!" she said. The snow white filly with a silver mane only nodded.

"Okay, Mom. Bye, love you," she said, giving Rarity a kiss on her cheek. The older unicorn smiled, and walked out the door as well, starting to talk with Twilight, Dash, and Applejack, as the four of them walked away from the schoolhouse.

Stronghold looked besides him, and met the eyes with the grey colt from earlier. He gave him a wave, and smiled.

"Hey! I'm Stronghold Skies," he said. Adobe looked down, and grinned.

"I'm Adobe," he said quietly. Stronghold raised an eyebrow, but shrugged nevertheless.

"Nice to meet you, Adobe. Who are your parents?" he asked. Adobe looked up with wide eyes. Stronghold instantly knew he said something he shouldn't have, and backed away slightly. "Um... did I say something wrong?"

"I never knew my parents," Adobe said. Stronghold's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Yeah... I was put in an orphanage at a very young age. Just a few years ago, two wonderful ponies came to it. Well, actually, one pony, and one dragon, and they adopted me! It was possibly the happiest day of my life!" Adobe went on, his frown turning into a large smile.

"Well, that's wonderful!" Stronghold exclaimed. Adobe smiled, and nodded. Stronghold then turned behind him, to see a white filly, and an orange filly sitting at two desks. Sandstorm turned around, and did the same.

"Hey there! I'm Rainbow Sandstorm," she said. Starlet looked up, and smiled wide.

"Oh, hello, Rainbow Sandstorm! It's nice to meet you!" she exclaimed. Sandstorm chuckled inwardly.

"Just call me Sandstorm," she said. Starlet grinned, and nodded, before locking eyes with Stronghold.

"Hey," she said. Stronghold gave her a small smile, and nodded.

"Hey," he replied. "I'm Stronghold."

"Starlet. Pleasure."

"Yeah... you too."

"Oh look! It's the brats!" a new voice chimed in. Sandstorm and Stronghold both groaned, and looked over at the orange filly with an annoyed glare.

"Illusion," Sandstorm said with disgust. Illusion scoffed.

"Well, it's nice to see you too, Sandstorm," she said, snorting slightly. Stronghold looked between the two mares, before shrugging, and turning back to Adobe.

Sandstorm, not wanting to be a bother to anypony anymore, turned away from the group, and proceeded to look through her school books for the year. She smiled, as she gazed down upon the many subjects the class would go over.

Suddenly, a turquoise blue colt plopped down onto the seat to her left, groaning as a mare put different bags down in front of him. She had a golden mane, and the same colored coat as the colt.

"Why couldn't I go to the Cloudsdale Public School? Why Ponyville, of all places?" he asked. The older mare scoffed.

"Because apparently, you need to be in good financial standings for that..." she mumbled. The younger pony sighed, and started rummaging through his books.

"Alright, Mom. You can leave, now," he said. The mare's expression softened, as she planted a small kiss on her son's forehead.

"Alright. Let Ms. Cheerilee know if you need anything. I'll be back in a few hours," she said, before trotting out the door. Sandstorm glanced over at the colt, who's golden mane was falling over his eyes. She smiled, and poked her head up slightly.

"Hey," she said, earning a confused look from the colt.

"Uh... hi?" he said uncertainly. Sandstorm quirked her eyebrow.

"Why are you sounding so unsure?" she asked. The colt looked away.

"Well, because nopony's ever really talked to me before..." he said. Sandstorm's eyes widened.

"You mean... you've never had a friend?"

"Yep. Pretty much."

"Well, you've got one now! I'm Sandstorm!" Sandstorm introduced in a lively tone. The colt smiled slightly.

"Oh. Well, my name is Lightning Bolt. But you can call me Bolt," he said. Sandstorm nodded, and leaned back in her chair.

"This is exciting, isn't it?" she asked suddenly.

"What is?"

"School! It's so exciting to be here!" she exclaimed, earning a weird look from the colt besides her.

"What? How can you like scho-"

"DID I JUST HEAR SOMEPONY SAY THEY DIDN'T LIKE SCHOOL?" a new voice chimed in. Sandstorm and Bolt both turned around to see Stronghold looking at them excitedly. Sandstorm groaned.

"He did. His name's Bolt," she said, gesturing to the turquoise colt besides her. Stronghold grinned.

"Oooh! You and I are going to be great friends!" he exclaimed. Bolt looked surprised, but shrugged.

"Class! It's time to get started!" Ms. Cheerilee yelled, immediately silencing them all. Sandstorm looked up eagerly, waiting to see what wonders her new school would offer.

"Class dismissed."

All the little fillies and colts rushed outside, and into the front gardens of the schoolhouse. Sandstorm instantly met up with Starlet, Adobe, Bolt and her brother, as they all looked around for their parents.

Bolt then came up to Sandstorm.

"Do you need help finding your parents?" he asked. Sandstorm shrugged.

"Nah. It's no big deal. You should go find your mom!"

Rainbow Dash and Soarin, who had been standing nearby, suddenly noticed Sandstorm talking to the turquoise colt.

"Hey who do you think that colt is?" Soarin asked her. Dash looked at him with a confused glance.

"Hmm... I'm not sure, but I can't help feeling like I know him from somewhere..." she said mysteriously. Dash and Soarin trotted up to Sandstorm and her companion, and looked upon them curiously.

"Oh! Hey, Mom!" Sandstorm said, looking up at her mother. Dash smiled, and pulled her in for a hug.

"Hello, my little angel. How was your first day of school?" she asked. Sandstorm grinned.

"It was awesome! I made so many cool friends! Like Starlet, Adobe, and even this dude, Lightning Bolt!" she said. Dash gasped, as something inside her clicked. She quickly looked over to Bolt with raised eyebrows.

"Lightning Bolt? Is that your name?" she asked. Bolt's eyes widened, as he nodded.

"Uh... yeah," he said uncertainly. Dash released an inward gasp, as she quickly looked around her.

"Where are your parents?" she asked. Bolt started to look around him.

"Um... my mom should be here any moment, now," he said.

Suddenly, the turquoise mare from the beginning of the school day came up to them, only looking at her son.

"Ah! Bolt! That's where you were! Talking to..." she started, before finally noticing Sandstorm. "Hey... I could've sworn you were-"

"Lightning..." a new voice cut in. The mare quickly whipped around, to come face to face with her old pal. Her eyes dialated, as she realized what was happening.

"Rainbow Dash?" she choked out. Dash grabbed Sandstorm's tail, and pulled her away from Bolt.

"Lightning Dust. How ya been?" she asked in a low voice, before gesturing over to Bolt. "This your kid?"

Dust's eyes narrowed, as she slowly nodded.

"Yes. You got a problem with that?" she asked. Dash glared at her, before bringing Sandstorm to her side.

"No. As long as you keep him away from my Sandstorm," she said. Lightning smirked, and did the same with Bolt.

"My pleasure, and tell your kid to stay away from my Bolt," she said. Dash scoffed, and whipped around.

"Deal," she said, as she started walking away with Soarin and Sandstorm.

"What? But Mom-" Sandstorm started.

"No buts, young lady," she said, as she grabbed Stronghold from near her, and put him on her back.

"Oh! Hey, Mom!" he said casually. "What's up?"

"Nothing is up, mister," Dash replied. "We're going home."