Of Dreams and Magic

Lemon Zest slumped in her chair as she idly flipped a pencil over between her fingers as she gazed around the classroom. Others mirrored her enthusiasm for being in the summer classes but had the discipline to look interested at the teacher continued on in his never-ending speech of local history. It wasn’t as if she didn’t want to be here, as the classes were voluntary for the extra credit and route into advanced classes at Crystal Prep. It was that her mind was elsewhere thinking back on the events of two days ago.

“Symbolism is an important facet of our culture. Ever since the early revolution against the…” spoke the elderly teacher in such monotone that Lemon tuned it out as she had already read over this section in the book. Lemon smiled as she thought about it only having been a couple days. The large headphones that hung around her neck were once again a soothing weight on her shoulders instead of a burden that brought fear.

Lemon no longer had to look over her shoulder afraid of shadows that she felt followed her, nor did she stray away from lights and technology with fear of them malfunctioning or even exploding. She had slept comfortably the last two nights although she didn’t experience any dreams. If she did she didn’t remember them but guessed that it wasn’t too odd an occurrence. After constant night terrors having no dreams at all was a blessing.

She glanced at the time again; five minutes until it turned three o'clock. Just a few minutes until she was free to go. Lemon thought about what those girls had said in the dream-like world. That school wasn’t the entire world, no matter how everyone claimed its importance. When was it she started feeling like she wasn’t free?

“...and that’s why we often wear personalized marks or symbols on our vestments. Ah, it seems our time is up for today,” the teacher said right before the bell rang signaling the end of school. “I hope everyone will prepare their papers on what you all view a world where such a defining event didn’t happen would be like. I’ll be interested in reading what you all come up with. Now then, off you all go.”

Right as he finished speaking everyone in class stood up, began to gather their things and leave. Lemon beat them all to the door as she hustled into the hallway and down towards her locker. She opened it and deposited all her books and utensils inside before grabbing her phone. The rules on placing all phones and other devices in lockers was one that she detested and only got away with wearing her headphones like she did because they weren’t plugged in or connected to anything.

“I’ll fix that problem,” muttered Lemon as she synced her phone up with her headphones and immediately pulled up one of her favorite playlists. The urge to press play was the worst thing she had to resist doing all day as she had to wait until she was outside of the school. There wasn’t any direct rule on music in the halls but she didn’t want to risk it.

A loud slam of the locker door to her right startled Lemon out of her reverie. The light gold skinned, long rosy-haired girl shoved her books into her locker that was next to Lemon’s with force. Each book slammed against the thin metal backing so hard Lemon swore it left a dent.

“Oh don’t worry, dearies. It’ll be held again in a month,” said Sour Sweet in a pleasantly sarcastic tone. She slammed another book into her locker as she ground her teeth. “A month more for those loser’s to try and one-up me!”

The locker to Lemon’s left was opened up quietly by the light purplish-blue skinned, gray-haired teen with a half-lidded expression. “You’re upset because you think you’ll lose when Twilight Sparkle enters.”

Sour Sweet clenched her fingers in frustration before nearly throwing her last book into the locker and slamming it. “This was it, Sugarcoat. Finally a chance for someone other than that know-it-all to win. Then an error in the alarm system ruined it! Aren’t you upset?”

“Yes, but I wasn’t going to win,” said Sugarcoat as she calmly placed all her belongings in the locker and pulled out her shoulder bag.

“Oh, don’t say that. You know you had a good chance at winning,” said Sour Sweet. “Not as good as me though.”

The events at the robotics fair brought a rush of feelings for Lemon. It was terrifying pretty much throughout the entirety of it as she feared for her sanity, her life and then even more when it started to get weird. Then even when it was explained to be magic and they had to enter that otherworldly dream to fight it still was horrifying, but she got to meet three really cool people.

She knew Twilight already, but not on a personal level. Sunset Shimmer was intimidating if she was honest, something about her presence could make her feel on edge. Yet she was nothing but supportive and kind in a way no one else she knew around her would be. Then there was Trixie. Just the thought of the coolest girl she got to meet brought a smile to her face.

“What are you smiling about?”

Lemon looked up to see Sour Sweet uncomfortably close and staring at her.

“Oh nothing, girl,” muttered Lemon as she quickly got rid of that smile.

Sour Sweet looked at Sugarcoat and nodded at Lemon Zest. Sugarcoat rolled her eyes, closed her locker and took Sour’s side as they cornered Lemon against the lockers. “Oh come now, Lemon Zest. We’re friends, aren’t we? Friends… don’t smile at their friend’s misfortune!”

“No no, I wasn’t smiling at that. Uh, just thought of the fair is all, Sour Sweet.”

“Oh?” Sour placed her hands on her hips. “And why would that make you smile? What’s so smile-worthy that happened?”

Lemon glanced at Sugarcoat who shrugged in response. “Uh. The thought of you winning in a month?”

“That was a poor attempt at lying,” stated Sugarcoat.

“Lying? You wouldn’t smile unless it made you happy,” said Sour as she thought about it carefully. “Meaning the fair closing made you happy. Happy that you weren't going to win? No, wait. Oh my gosh. Did you cause the problems at the fair?”

“Uh.” Lemon hesitated.

“You did!” Sour Sweet gasped as even Sugarcoat looked to be paying attention now. “You sabotaged the fair because you wouldn’t win.”

“I totally didn’t!” Lemon looked left and right before dashing past Sugarcoat who made no efforts to stop her.

“You won’t beat me, Lemon! Not one month, not one year will let you ever be better than me! You hear me?!” yelled Sour Sweet.

Sugarcoat looked from the fleeing Lemon Zest to the furious Sour Sweet. “True, she wouldn’t beat you but you won’t beat Sparkle in a month either.”

Just before Lemon Zest ran out of the school she heard the enraged scream of Sour Sweet. Lemon panted as she got on the edge of the campus and caught her breath. In her hand was her backpack she made sure not to forget from her locker. The locker that she had forgotten to close and lock. Lemon winced at imagining the damage the enraged teen might do to it.

“Man, that girl needs to chill,” said Lemon as she pulled out her phone and pulled up a new number. The image on the contact list was possibly the only picture that had ever been posed for before. Her thumb hovered over the call button for a minute as a lot of thoughts ran through her head over straight up calling someone she barely knew.

The dial tone lasted one ring. ”Hello, the amazing and awe-inspiring Trixie is here. What can she do for you?”

“Ah, hey Trixie. There’s still that meeting going on today, right?” asked Lemon Zest.

“Yes yes, around five or so. Does Trixie need to resend you the directions?”

“No, it’s all good. Just wanted to make sure, you know? Just got out of school so I’ll be heading over there right now. There’s no problem in being early, is there?”

“Hardly. Trixie is already here so how could it ever be a problem? No, you be quiet. What? How dare you insinuate that Trixie is a problem. Sorry, Lemon Zest, give Trixie a moment as she deals with this naysayer.”

“I’ll, uh, speak to you in a bit anyway. See you later, Trixie,” said Lemon. She waited a moment for Trixie to say something but only heard the sounds of arguing away from the phone before Trixie hung up on her instead.

Lemon stared at the phone. “Gosh, she is way too cool.”

She pulled up one of her favorite playlists on her phone, hit play and put the phone in her pocket. The subtle vibrations from her headphones made her heart beat in anticipation. Steadily, savoring the moment, she picked up the headphones off of her neck and placed them over her ears. The moment the music flowed into her brain she shivered in delight. It was amazing how much you miss something after not having it.

An empty feeling in her gut told her she was hungry and she wasn’t sure of how long she was going to be at this meeting Trixie had set up or if it would have food. She made her way over to the bus stop as she went over the directions Trixie had messaged her yesterday. It was in a residential area of Crystal City so Lemon wondered if she was going to get to see Trixie’s house.

Lemon walked along she sidewalks in sync with the beat of the rhythm of the music. Sometimes she would take a slow step and others her pace would qualify as running, but each step made her feel alive again. Music was her foundation, her bedrock much like how she would say science is to Twilight Sparkle. Lemon was just happy everything was over and she didn’t need to experience that again.

As the bus stop came into sight she spied a nacho stand near it and thought about it carefully. Nachos weren’t the most balanced of meals. Who was she kidding? Eating a full helping of nachos was probably the most unhealthy thing she could do right now. It was nothing but salted chips and layers of melted cheese.

Lemon found herself at the front of the nacho stand in no time at all. The time of day meant that there wasn’t a soul in line except for herself. A perky long-haired girl slumped against the stand with a smile on her face.

“Welcome to Nitrous Nachos, what kind of nachos do you want? Oh, and if you get a grande supreme you get a free drink!” said the young server.

Lemon Zest couldn’t help the good feelings she had from the day, school not included, from taking over her decision. She took out five dollars and beamed at the server. “Alright, a grande supreme it is! Cola for the drink, girl.”

“Alright times two,” replied the server. “Give me a minute and I’ll totally have it ready.”

She watched the server take out a comically large paper tray and started filling it with chips. A little salt, an absolute ton of cheese and various peppers later Lemon had her nachos. In fact, she would guess that it was almost literally a minute later.

“I know you said grande, but this is, uh, a little bit bigger than what I thought for five bucks,” said Lemon.

“Hah, I know, right?” The server girl leaned against the stand with one arm and smirked. “You’re, like, the only customer to totally get what I said. That and you’re the only customer I’ve had in two hours so I added a bit extra, with extra bits!”

Lemon couldn’t help but laugh. “Dang, girl. That’s really cool of you.”

The bus pulled up to the stop a bit ways. “Oh shoot, that’s my ride. Have a good day!”

“Yeah, you too. Nice headphones!” called the server girl as Lemon hustled over to the bus with her large nachos in hand. She quickly boarded and took the seat in the very front. The bus driver eyed her and her nachos before grunting to himself and closed the bus doors.

Her music played in her ears, not loud enough to drown out everything around her, as she ate a chip from the nachos. The greasy texture of the cheese and crunch of the chips was excellent. Lemon must’ve been hungrier than she assumed because over the fifteen-minute ride on the bus she had devoured every single chip of the huge serving and still didn’t feel full.

Lemon stared at the empty paper tray. “That’s weird, right?”

The bus pulled up at her stop and Lemon got off quickly. Most of the drive and while she exited was uncomfortable due to the odd glare that the bus driver had given her the entire time. Was it the nachos? She glanced back at the old driver who continued to glare at her as she stood at on the sidewalk a step away from the doors. He pointed at a red sign above him, one with bold white lettering.

’No Drinks, Food or Consumables On The Vehicle’.

“Oh. Sorry,” apologized Lemon.

The driver grunted, closed the bus doors with a hiss and drove off.

“Cool of him to let me finish eating though.”

Lemon pulled out her phone and reread the directions Trixie had texted her. They weren’t complicated directions, far from it, but Trixie had an odd habit of describing the points of interest in her own colorful way. She had just gotten off at the smelly bench full of common folk and was to follow the north sidewalk alongside the mindless drone factories until reaching the crosswalk.

“Take a left here and a right up here,” mumbled Lemon as she hurriedly walked through the thin street crowd into a large walled housing complex stuck in the middle of tall office buildings. She continued alongside the brick wall before finding the entrance inside.

“Third street, a right turn.” Very blunt directions when Lemon saw past all the opinionated information. She turned down the sidewalk and continued until stopped at her destination.

“Number Forty-two Cosmic Lane. Guess this is the place.” The two-story house was painted a pale white with wooden walls and dark blue borders and trimming. It was obvious from looking that all the windows were tinted so heavily they might as well have been blacked out.

Lemon looked for the doorbell but had to settle with knocking on the white door with a black gargoyle head door knocker. It was silent for a couple minutes. She fidgeted outside the door of the stranger’s house wondering if she got the address wrong. Was it the house next door, or was everyone out because she was really early?

The click of the door unlocking snapped her out of it before it was opened revealing an older woman with pale blue skin and long two-toned blue hair. “Ah, you were Miss Zest if I recall correctly, are you not? You are far earlier than scheduled. I will assume that is Trixie’s influence at hand, for better or worse.”

Lemon blinked twice as she stared at the adult. “Miss Luna? Vice Principal Luna?”

“Oh, of course, do come in,” said Luna as she stepped aside and held the door open. “And please. Call me Luna.”