Under the Blue Moon

Chapter 4 – Blue Moon Talking

It was Tuesday, and the roads were better than before.  Most of the snow melted off, but there was word that snow would return at the end of the week.  But for today, it was a usual day at school.  Bonbon’s mother was able to take Lyra and Bonbon to school this morning.  They arrived at the same time Rarity’s ride pulled.  As they all got out of their cars, Rarity’s sister, Sweetie Belle went on ahead to join her friends.  Rarity saw Lyra and Bonbon and decided to talk to them.

“So, any luck in getting Tidal to open up yesterday?” asked Rarity.

“Not really,” answered Lyra.

“We tried normal conversation, but he didn’t respond much,” added Bonbon.

“Looks like it’s up to Sunset to bring him over for lunch,” said Rarity.

“She’s not going to cause any trouble, is she?” asked Lyra.

“She might have to rely on drastic measures for this,” answered Rarity.  Lyra wasn’t pleased with the idea while Bonbon was concerned as to what would happen.  “Now hear me out before you judge her.  She has to rely on her past mistakes and where she stands now.  She thinks that Tidal could be heading down the same path that she went through.  And it has to do with what he faced at his old school.  The main thing we have to do is gain his trust with us.  And Sunset’s the only one who can get in his way if he decides to keep to himself.”

“You sure this is a good idea?” asked Lyra.

“I don’t think we have much of a choice.  It was Vice-Principal Luna who wanted her to help him, so we have to trust her judgment in this.  If Tidal is going to act this way, then he needs to look at an image of what he could become if he keeps this up.  And Sunset is the best image that we have to work on.”

“Let’s just let her do her part and see if it could help us,” said Bonbon.

It was lunchtime, and Tidal had his coat with him and was walking to the front of the school to have lunch alone.  Lyra and Bonbon invited him to join them again, but he felt better by himself.  But as he was at the front lobby of the school, another student was standing next to the wall, staring at him.  And it was someone who he saw before.  The fiery hair and black leather jacket was proof enough.

“Going somewhere?” she asked.

“Yea.  Outside to eat,” replied Tidal.

“I don’t think so.”  She started walking towards him until he was in front of him.

“What are you, some kind of hall monitor?” he responded.

“No.  Something much worse.”  She started to walk around him while staring at him.

“Then just leave me alone.”

“And let Vice-Principal Luna throw you in dentition?  Not going to happen.”

“Why, she put you up to this?”

“You could say that.”

“Look, you don’t know me, so-”

“I may not know you, but I know what you will become,” she interrupted.

“And that would be?”

She stopped in front of Tidal and stared straight at him.  “You’re looking at her.”

He looked away and said, “What makes you say that?”

“Because long before you came here, I was the queen of this school.  I took over everyone and destroyed friendships in the process.  I had it all.  But I wanted more.  And it was a magical crown from another world was all I needed to complete the process.”

Tidal just stood there, listening.

“But one girl came along, trying to stop me.  One girl who forged the friendships that I once destroyed.  One girl who got the entire school on her side.  And still I was able to acquire the crown I needed to control all the students and staff of this school.  And still, she and five of her friends banded together to stop me, exposing the demon for who I was.  Now I’m left here while the entire school treats me like trash.”

“Good for you,” he responded.

“You don’t understand.  From what I’ve been told, you followed the same path that I went through.  You dealt with some students, and they got the entire school on their side to take you down.  And now you’re here.”

“The only difference between you and me is that those students had their future lives destroyed doing so, and they deserved it,” he explained.

“And yet, you try to keep everyone away from being friends with you.”

“Because no one is willing to accept me for who I am.  I’m different from everyone else.”

“So what.  Everyone here is different, but they are willing to accept everyone else for who they are.”

“Then why won’t they expect you?”

“Because I still dealing with the demons that I faced!!!” she yelled.  She regained her composure.  “But I’m lucky that five girls are willing to give me a chance to prove that I can change for the better.  And those girls are willing to do the same for you.”

“So?”

“So, you’re coming with me to the cafeteria to join them.”  She started to walk away from him and towards the cafeteria, but stopped for a moment.  “Or you can spend some time with your aunt Luna in detention, along with some other troublemakers.  Besides, she doesn’t go easy on anyone at school.  Even you.”

Tidal shrugged his shoulders and said, “Fine.”

“Good.  By the way, my name’s Sunset Shimmer.  And I know you’re Tidal Wave Blue, so we can skip the introductions and join up with the others.”

Tidal walked with Sunset to the cafeteria, but stopped right before the entrance.  Sunset looked back at Tidal and said, “Best that we go in at separate times.  I don’t want others to get the wrong idea about us together.  I’ll go in and tell Rarity that you’re here, and she’ll come up to meet you.  Once you see her in sight, come in and she’ll escort you to our table.”

Tidal just stood there as Sunset walked in.  As she was walking through the cafeteria, she was getting some looks that she didn’t like to see, but when she made eye contact with Rarity, they each exchanged nods and Rarity got up and made her way to the entrance.  Tidal was able to see her and went in as she told him to.  He joined Rarity and both of them walked to the table where the others were.

Tidal saw Lyra and Bonbon next to each other and sat next to Bonbon.  Rarity sat on the other side of Tidal, with her boyfriend, Clyde next to her.  Tidal noticed some faces from yesterday, but some new ones as well.  Applejack was next to Lyra.  On the other side was Pinkie Pie at one end, and Fluttershy on the other.  Next to Pinkie Pie was a cyan skinned boy with short black hair, who was wearing a white shirt that have a gray shield with scales on them and a blue hoodie.  Next to him was another boy with tan skin and brown hair, and was wearing a gray shirt with a cog that had wings on it and a green jacket.  Between him and Fluttershy was a cyan girl with rainbow hair, and was wearing a white shirt with a rainbow like thunderbolt and a blue jacket.  It wasn’t long before Sunset Shimmer was able to join the table and sat next to Fluttershy.

“Well, now that everyone’s here, I think introductions are in order,” said Rarity.  “I’m sure you know Lyra and Bonbon.”  Both of them smiled at Tidal.  “And you already met my boyfriend Clyde.”  He waved his hand to Tidal.

“And just to be sure that you remember some of us, I’m Applejack.  You met Pinkie Pie before.”  She gave out a big grin and waved.  “That’s Swift,” as she pointed to the cyan boy, “Rivet,” who was next to Swift, “and Rainbow Dash” what was next to Rivet.

“And you remember Fluttershy,” said Rarity.  Fluttershy just gave a small nod.

“And last but not least, our troublemaker, Sunset Shimmer,” said Lyra.

**SMACK**

“OW!  All right, all right AJ.  I get the message.”

“Sounds like someone’s been watching NCIS a lot,” said Swift.

“Darn right I have,” replied Applejack.  “Even catching the older seasons when I can.”

Each one of them were eating lunch in silence, hoping that one of them with help Tidal break the ice.  It was Rainbow Dash who spoke first.

“So Tidal, I heard that you live up north, right?”

“New Hampshire to be exact,” replied Tidal.

“Did you parents come here or stayed behind and planned to move later,” asked Rainbow Dash.

“They stayed behind.”

“Tell me, Tidal.  What do your parents do for a living?” asked Rarity.

“Me dad’s a meteorologist. For the national weather channel.”

“He is?” said Applejack.  “What’s his name?”

“Sky Blue.”

Everyone at the table stopped and looked at Tidal.

“You mean the winter weather expert Sky Blue?” asked Rivet.

“Yes.”

“The one who has taken part with the sport science crew Sky Blue?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Yes.”

“The one who was on the scene of a snow storm in the northeast when five thunder-snows took place Sky Blue?” asked Pinkie Pie.

Tidal just slammed his head on the table.  Then he looked back up and said, “YES!!!”

“Well I’ll be.  You’re father was the talk of the town in our science classes last year,” explained Applejack.

“We learned a lot about the weather at times, and the thunder-snow event was the biggest event to learn when it happened,” Swift added.

“Plus my soccer team was able to watch videos on how weather conditions and wind can have an effect on a soccer ball, which have helped our team improved and get to the semi-finals last season,” explained Rainbow Dash.  “This season, we plan to go all the way.”

“Oh great,” Tidal responded as he rolled his eyes.

“Tidal dear.  Your father’s videos have helped us learn new things that we have never knew existed.  You should be proud of him,” explained Rarity.

“Yea.  I think I remember hearing that he was married to some athlete that helped him get with the sport science crew for their videos,” said Rainbow Dash.

“That would be my mother, Ocean Blue.  She even gave me her maiden name as my middle name, Wave.”

Rainbow’s jaw dropped for a moment before she asked, “You mean your mother is Ocean Wave?”

“Yes.”

Rainbow Dash went ecstatic.  “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!!!  I can’t believe it.  Your mother is AWESOME!!!”

“Um, care to explain to us how you know his mother?” asked Applejack.

“You mean you never knew?” said Clyde.  “She’s the three time Olympic gold medalist in the 1500 meter freestyle swimming event.  That happened long before any of us were born.”

“Not to mention that she broke the world record in the finals when she won her first gold medal,” Rainbow Dash added.  “It was the first time it happened since they started to keep track of all timed records.  And no swimmer has yet to break it since that day.  It’s been brought up at times when the Summer Olympics happen as that event comes up.  There have been some that came close to breaking it, but fall behind after finishing two-thirds of the race.  It’s how I learned that having a lot of endurance could help go a long way in sports.  She even works as the swimming coach when the Olympics come around these past years after retiring from the sport.”

“Sounds like your parents are famous,” said Sunset.

“I never wanted to think of it that way,” replied Tidal.  “It’s something I would rather steer clear of.”

“Oh come on dear.  You should be proud of them,” explained Rarity.

“Yea.  Being popular should be great for you,” said Pinkie Pie.

“Um Pinkie, in case you haven’t noticed, I tried to be that way once, and look where it gotten me into,” explained Sunset.

“Yea.  You turned into a de-OW!!!”  Lyra received another slap at the back of her head from Applejack.

“Lyra, you really need to watch what you say in front of others,” explained Applejack.

“Sorry,” replied Lyra as she was rubbing the back of her head.

“The main thing is that your parents experienced things that most students our age have started getting in to,” explained Bonbon.

“She’s right,” added Applejack.  “My family runs our own apple farm, and we have started to learn more about the weather so that we can see the signs when something good or bad happens.  It helps our family be prepared for anything.”

“And most of the students here who take part in outdoor sports have used what they’ve learned to improve their game,” said Rainbow Dash.  “Plus woman’s sports have become more popular these days.”

“You see.  There are some people who are able to motivate others to the things they love to do,” said Bonbon.

“I already am working to become a famous fashion designer in the future,” said Rarity.

“And I plan to be a veterinarian in the future…as long as I can get used to seeing blood when I’m helping others,” said Fluttershy.

“Does everyone have their future planed out?” asked Tidal.

“Not everyone,” said Lyra.  “Me and Bonbon have yet to figure out what we want to do after high school.”

“That goes the same for me,” added Rivet.  “I like to play my guitar, but there’s no telling what I would like to do after high school.  And my sister always likes to try something new, hoping it would be something that she would like to do.  But she changes interests all the time.”

“Our younger sisters are like that as well at times,” said Swift as he was pointing to Applejack and Rarity.

“What about you, Tidal?  Have you made any plans for your future, or are you still undecided?” asked Rarity.

Tidal sighed and said, “I just want to get through my life one day at a time, that’s all.”

“So you’re just…winging it, aren’t you?” said Rainbow Dash.

“Yep.”

“Kind of risky, if you ask me,” said Sunset.  “There’s no telling what would happen if the choice you make is the right one of the wrong one unless you think about it.”

“Well, that’s my life and not yours.”

“Well still, it always helps to plan ahead for anything.  If things don’t work out, then look for something new,” explained Rarity.

“Right now, I just want to finish up with high school and move on with my life.”

Before anyone could respond, the bell rang and everyone was now starting to leave the cafeteria, throwing away any of their trash in the trash bins along the way.  The students at Tidal’s table decided to do the same.  As Tidal started to leave their view, Rarity and Sunset looked at each other for a moment.

“Well, we learned a bit about his family,” said Rarity.

“But we have yet to learn much of his past expect for the fact that he hates being…well known,” added Sunset.

“We just have to keep on trying, and hope that he finally opens up to the problems that he’s been going through in his past.”