Phoenix

Fireside let out a sigh as she lowered her tea cup from her lips, a faint rose aftertaste spreading through her mouth as she looked out the window at the passing bustle of people scurrying this way and that. A smile spread across her face as she set her teacup down onto it’s delicate china platter, the ringing of a bell alerting her to newcomers.

“Fireside, love!” Octavia called out, her cultured tones saturated with warmth at seeing her friend. “So good to see you again!”

“You as well, Octavia!” Fireside’s smile deepened as she stood up, slowly walking over and embracing the girl. “You sure know a good tea shoppe, dear.”

“And Bon Bon! How is the business doing?” she asked as she hugged the shorter blue and pink haired girl right beside Octavia.

“It’s going quite well, thank you.” the confectioner smiled warmly as the pair separated, Fireside keeping her hands on the girl’s narrow shoulders.

“Yeah, thanks to DJ Booty-Three here buying all her damn caramel cubes!” Lyra grinned as her arm slugged the pale white arm of Vinyl, the spectacle wearing girl snarling playfully in response.

“Hey, she’s your girlfriend, numbnuts! You can get them whenever you want!” Fireside laughed as Vinyl stuck Lyra back, followed by one of her pale fists reaching out towards Fireside. “You seem to be doing just fine out of those casts, Shim.”

“The joys of being young and indestructible, amiright, Scratch?” Fireside’s chuckled, only to burst into soft laughter after her own fist connected with Vinyl’s, the girl pulling it back and shaking it as she cursed softly.

“Well nice to know you think of me last, Fireside.” Lyra smirked as she held out her own fist, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. Fireside laughed as her own fist started towards the mint green one of Lyra, only to open up at the last possible moment and greedily encase the shorter girl’s smaller hand.

“Silly Lyra, everyone knows paper covers rock.” Fireside’s grin erupted into laughter in time with Vinyl’s, the pair’s elation due to Lyra’s face falling when she realized what just happened.

“Sorry, Lyra, you had that coming!” Fireside giggled, letting go of Lyra’s hand and pulling her into a quick embrace before pulling back. “And congratulations on winning the affection of Bon Bon! How long did it take you to court her?”

“Er… We’ve been dating for awhile now, actually.” Lyra said slowly, obviously confused at what the girl meant, before realization dawn on her. “Did you… forget… Oh.”

“I’m guessing I did know?” Fireside chuckled as she ruffled the lyrist’s short green hair. “Don’t worry about it, everyone goofs. Now why don’t the four of you join me at the table and get some drinks? Maybe there’s other things I should know about.”

“Well I’d rather hear about you.” Vinyl said as she pulled a chair out and deposited herself onto it gracelessly. “What sorta things have you been up to at Crystal Prep?”

“Not much to be honest.” Fireside shrugged as she returned to her seat. “Got homeroom with my sisters and the other girls, followed by Advanced Math, Home Ec, and Advanced Social Studies, then lunch, Gym, Advanced English, and Advanced Chemistry to round out the daily grind.”

“I do hope you are joking, love!” Octavia looked at Fireside in utter shock. “Crystal Prep is known to have the most demanding Advanced Level courses in the country! Most students can barely manage one!”

“Really? I haven’t thought it was too tough so far, to be totally honest.” Firside smiled sheepishly as she scratched her cheek.

“Damn girl!” Lyra said a little louder than she should have, as evident by the glares she received from Octavia and Bon Bon. “You were the top student at CHS for a reason I guess.”

“What about gym? Have you put on one of your clinics yet?” Vinyl asked as she leant forward, grin spreading across her face.

“I’m guessing I was something else?” Fireside’s grin widened as she leant back into her chair.

“And then some.” Bob Bon nodded quickly, giggles bursting out around the table as Fireside started to blush deeply.

The girls continued to share small talk, even as Fireside flagged down a waitress for her friends. Octavia and Bon Bon both decided to try the same tea as Fireside at the amber girl’s recommendation, while Lyra and Vinyl just went with pop, only to have Octavia scold them for being so unrefined.

“So how's CHS been of late?” Fireside asked as she took another sip of her tea. “Hopefully there’s been no more conflict of late! Oh, what about that girl! The one trying to make amends as well as friends?”

Fireside chuckled at her word play as she looked around at the table, each of the girl’s awkwardly quiet as they shared looks of unease. Each of them were taking long sips of their drinks, obviously not wanting to talk about the situation.

“...That bad huh?” Fireside’s face fell to a sad frown as she scratched her head. “Sorry about bringing it up, girls.”

“No!” Octavia spluttered as she tried to save the situation from devolving further. “No, it’s fine, Sunse- er, Fireside.”

“I guess we should tell you about what's been happening.” Bon Bon set her teacup down daintily. “There was a major spree of cyber bullying before Christmas break, with whoever was behind it framing the girl we talked about before.”

“Really? I know you girls said she did bad stuff, but she was trying to repent, right?” Fireside watched as each of her friends nodded in response. “Why would she be targeted?”

“Whoever Anon-A-Miss is, they have a major hate-on for the girl.” Lyra said, hiccuping into the back of her hand. “And, well, they started posting secrets and other dirty laundry before the start of the holidays, and have only gotten worse since.”

“Hasn’t your school tried to do anything?” outrage was plastered across Fireside’s features. “Surely this could be negligence or something!”

“It’s the internet.” Vinyl shrugged, her head shaking around and threatening to dislodge her shades. “Trust me on this, it’s hard to deal with this sort of thing. Rumour has it that the Principals got the site and the local authorities involved.”

“Well what about you four? Has this… Anon-A-Miss was it? Have they posted anything about you girls?” Fireside looked around at her friends, worry starting to fester inside of her.

“Ha! Yeah, but nothing worthwhile.” Lyra chuckled as she finished her drink, setting the stout glass down with a firm thunk, the sound of a bell ringing in the background. “Oh yeah! There were some people askin’ about ya!”

“Lyra! I thought we agreed not to talk about them!” Bon Bon whispered harshly, her voice whistling through the air like an arrow.

“Oh? Other people were asking about me? Do I know them?” Fireside looked at the other girls in wonder, a smile slowly building across her face, only to pause and look up at the group of five girls that had just walked up behind her friends.

“We would hope so.” said the short, rainbow haired one, resting a hand on her hip as she looked directly at Fireside.