You're Not Alone

Most of you are at the Music Room ready to discuss the plans for a fundraiser. It wasn’t long you all received a message from Pinkie that Ardee and Rarity actually went on a date and to go discuss the plans without them. Some of them volunteer to help with the construction and repairs as you offer to help with them.

The fight that you had with Ardee the other day triggered a past memory that you two almost did before also another thing you need to do…

****************************************************************************

Being fed up with Principal Cinch and this environment you pack up and grab your things from your locker.

“Hey, Night Star.”

You weren’t looking but you recognize that voice to be Indigo Zap. You turned around for a moment to see it was her and went back to what you’re doing.

“So...you’re really going to leave?”

“Beat it,” Are the only words you said.

“Funny that we will lose two of our top students…”

“Leave me alone Indigo.”

“Listen, about Twilight-”

The name she mentioned triggered you as you grabbed her by her collar and slammed against the locker with your left arm on her chest as you stared daggers at her. Other students immediately back away from both of you.

“You really had the guts to say her name, do you? After what you all did to her and to me.” You respond as Indigo raises both of her hands. “You will all regret what you did.”

“Night Star stop!” You heard Sunny Flare’s voice with some footsteps which the others are with her. “Now I know we don’t want to regret what will happen next. But we are sorry about being mean to both of you, mostly Twilight. Just please release Indigo.”

“Yeah dude, we are already against Principal Cinch.” Lemon Zest added.

“P-please.,” Indigo sutter also shaking on what you will do to her next. “I’m sorry.”

Sunny Flare had a point but you still couldn’t bear after everything that happened and the struggles with Crystal Prep’s environment. You let Indigo go as you grabbed the last of your belongings and left. You thought that would be the last time you will see them...you were wrong.

Months later….

At Canterlot Mall after you got all the tools and parts that you need at the hardware store that your dad requested. You are now leaving for home…

"Night Star!"

You heard Twilight’s voice as follows to where her voice came from. You see that she is with her friends and your smile drops when you also see four familiar faces with them; Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat and Lemon Zest. You didn’t give any reaction as Twilight gestured you to come to them.

“Hey Twilight.” You greet her then your smile drops when you look at your former schoolmates. “What are they doing here?”

“Oh.” Twilight noticed your expression as you gaze at the Crystal Prep students. “Do you happen to know about this contest ‘Dance and Prance’?” She changed the topic knowing what could happen next as you bought it and nodded to her question. “Instead of competing against each other, we worked together and we won first place in the contest. So half of the prize money will go to the renovations of Camp Everfree while half of it will go to the Spring dance that Crystal prep will hold. Rarity suggests that the Rainbooms will perform for them, since I will be coming maybe you can come along-”

“I’ll pass.” You said, interrupting her words. “I’ll be going now.”

“Wait.” Twilight grabbed your arm, stopping you from leaving. “There is another thing I want to ask. Before you showed up, I was asking Sunny Flare and the others how everything is doing back at Crystal Prep Academy. Dean Cadence took over as the new principal and they say that Cinch got fired and arrested and that you know something about this.”

“I’m sorry let me rephrase what I said earlier.” Sugarcoat bluntly got in the conversation. “He didn’t know about it, HE PLOTTED IT!”

“Come on Sugarcoat, I mean we know what he can do to other students but I don’t think he can do something like this-”

“Yes...I did.” You said while still facing away from Twilight and the others.

“What?” Twilight couldn’t believe what she just heard.

“What Sugarcoat said was true.” You turned around to face your friend. “I was the one who got Principal Cinch fired. I’m impressed that Sugarcoat figured this out just now.”

“I clearly saw you holding your phone that was set on record after you had that argument with Cinch so I had to inform Dean Cadence just as she arrived as you left not too long ago. Then the day when she and Cadence attended the meeting with the school board is the day she got fired and arrested. I also saw you from a distance without revealing your presence with that evil smug as you watch Cinch being taken away by the police.” Sugarcoat responds.

“Wait Night Star, why?” Twilight turned her attention back to you.

“Originally the plan isn’t to get Principal Cinch fired...but for Crystal Prep to shut down.”

“Now hold on!” Sour Sweet said infuriated with what you were about to do. “We already said we were sorry and still up to now you couldn’t forgive us. Not like we care if you won’t.”

“Twilight may have forgiven you as you decided to do the right thing and go against Principal Cinch. But that doesn't mean I will owe any of you anything. You should be lucky and thank Cadence and Shining Armor came to negotiate with me and in exchange she will do what is right and the reason why I got transferred to Canterlot High. If they didn’t come, I would have achieved my revenge and posted that recording online and what will happen could be worse. All will know the school’s environment, CPA will receive bad reviews, parents file complaints, students will leave, and with no one left Crystal Prep Academy would have been history by now.”

“NOW YOU’VE GONE TOO FAR!” Sunny Flare snapped as she stood up from her seat and slammed her hands on the table. Lemon Zest tried to calm her down.

“This conversation is now over.” You said but stopped as you felt your arm being grabbed again.

You turned around to see that it isn’t Twilight but Ardee who was with them to help Rarity with buying the materials she needs for making the dresses for the CPA Spring dance. You yanked your arm from his grip. He was also against you as you clenched your fist on your prosthetic arm. Ardee countered that he just bought a new cutter as some of them stopped Ardee and Twilight moved you away from them.

“Night Star.” Twilight stopped as both of you are far enough from the others. “I understand that you just want to do the right thing, but out of revenge?”

“This is the reason why I was called ‘The Traitor’. You should have feared me when we first met. Now that you have friends than before, you don't need me anymore.”

"Why?"

"Why?" You said facing away from Twilight. "Listen because whatever happened to me I don't want you getting involve."

"You're not a bad person Night Star. From the day we first met you and I were just trying to survive Crystal Prep's environment. You are just defending yourself against trouble." You didn't answer but you felt that Twilight grabbed your hand. "I hope you can forgive them about this."

****************************************************************************

You are now heading your separate ways after the meeting but you followed Ardee and Rarity that you have something important to tell them. You apologize to both, well first to Rarity for when she was protecting her friends you pointed your flamethrower to her as Ardee got in time to protect her and to Ardee for attacking him and insulting Rarity before she became his girlfriend at the same time. They accepted your apology as they were told about the shadow that tried to take control of you.

Next business is from where you and Twilight first met, Crystal Prep Academy. You parked your ATV at the parking lot and recalled about the fight you had here when you first met Twilight. Just as you approached the back entrance, the bell rang and students started to get out of their classrooms. You maintained you serious expressions as you stroll through the crowd with some students who recognize you backed away while you see some new faces.

“Who is that?”

“It’s Night Star, he’s back.”

“What’s he doing here?”

“Stay away from him, he’s trouble if you pick on him.”

You ignored the whispers of the students since this is what they did when you were here before. You stopped in front of the room and knocked on the door for the person you’re looking for, the Principal’s office.

(Knock, knock, knock)

“Come in.” As the door opened the one sitting on the desk recognized you. “Night Star, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. What are you doing here?”

“Hello Dean-or should I say, Principal Cadence.” You closed the door behind you as you approached Cadence on her desk and sat at the chair in front. “There is something that I need to say-well to confess a long time ago.”

“Go on, I’m listening.”

“You should know that this will be about what happened after the Friendship Games, the day I plotted to takedown Cinch and the entire Crystal Prep, and when I transferred to Canterlot High.” You closed your eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “I just want to properly apologize about that. Yes I admit that was all for revenge, but I hope you can understand what me and Twilight have been through. No person deserves to be treated like that. There is this saying ‘No one is born as a bad person, it will depend on the choices they made and the environment they’re in’. Up to this day I still carry this guilt on the grudge I bore to this place and I just want to say I’m sorry and I bear that grudge no more. I’m not asking and forcing you to forgive me, I just want to say this to keep my mind at peace. But I forgave all of you.”

You stood up from your seat and approached the door.

“Night Star.” You heard Cadence stood up from her seat before you could reach the doorknob. Without facing her, you can hear the sound of her heels as she approaches and you feel her hand touch your shoulder. “Thanks for dropping by to say that. I understand everything that you said and forgave you. Shining Armor told me that Twilight has changed a lot since she met you and when she transferred to CHS, that I want to thank you and her friends.”

“Actually, you should also be thanking Twilight which is the reason why I changed.” You thought as you turned the doorknob, only to find out that a group is eavesdropping on your conversation with Cadence as two of them fell to the floor while they were listening from the door. “How long have you guys been listening?”

“A while now,” Lemon said, who is at the bottom. “...and Indigo, dude. Get off me!”

“Sorry.”

Sunny Flare, Lemon Zest, Indigo Zap, Sugarcoat and Sour Sweet have been listening behind the door since you entered the office. They have been waiting for you to say that since that tragic reunion at Canterlot Mall.

****************************************************************************

“Okay, easy does it.” You slowly position the metal pole with the help of your AMP as you use a blow torch and attach the screws to repair the bleachers.

The week went by after your apology to the people at CPA and to your friends here at CHS. While the others are working with their own fund raisers, you and some of the boys with a little help from the other students of Canterlot High lead assistance to patching the hole in the wall and repairing the bleachers.

After you are done for the day before heading home, you spotted Micro Chips exiting CHS. You felt bad about that day when you used his own invention against the others and Ardee had to stop it by force, this gave you an idea to set things right.

“Micro Chips.” You called and got his attention. “About what happened-”

“It’s fine.” He said cutting you but sounding a bit depressed. “Maybe upgrading jvj wasn’t a good idea at all. Now I feel guilty about what happened and the least I can do is to contribute to the repairs here.”

“Well, I also want to apologize for hacking the poor thing and having it under my control. By the way, how bad is it?”

“Quite much. Ardee didn’t just take out the arms on its back that shoot lasers, there are cuts on its main arms, also when he somehow pierced through jvj’s plating...its power battery...was smashed. So repairing jvj, might take a little longer.”

“Do you have the schematics on his first design?” You asked. “If you want, I can help repair him back to his previous form. For me it will take just a few days”

“Sure, as long as I’m not troubling you with this.”

“Of course not. We just need to check for any bugs and reprogram him. Maybe also installing an antivirus which could be the reason, I don’t know?”

Throughout the week while also finishing the repairs during your spare time, you also helped Micro Chips on repairing jvj. To avoid spending much on its main parts, both of you head to the dump where you two used recycled things for jvj’s parts. You even have to give up and use the battery you installed to your AMP to replace jvj’s broken one.

After the week when Applejack revealed her feelings to Onyx and today when the girls gave back your items and gang up on Dusk who you thought turned into that shadow again but he is still himself and Ardee had to freeze all of you to stop the fighting, you are in the room where Micro Chips is finishing jvj as he patiently waited outside.

“Micro Chips.” He turned around to see Twilight and her friends were passing by but stopped after hearing the noises coming from inside the room. “What are you doing out here and...is Night Star in there?”

“He is.”

The noise stopped as the door opened with you coming out. You took off your steampunk goggles as you wore a work apron and a glove in your right hand.

“So…”

“Here he is.” You moved as all of them see jvj, who is now rebuilt back to its original form.

“Jvj you’re back!” Micro Chips gave his little robot a hug which all of the girls ‘Aaaww’ as you watch because you added a function to it.

“Daddy.”

“Wait.” Micro Chips broke the hug as he raised his eyebrow if he wasn’t hearing stuff. “Did it just call me ‘daddy’?”

“Daddy.”

You just gave a slow nod with a smug. Micro Chips looked back at jvj then back at you and a little while he stood up.

“Again, thanks for fixing him up for me and sorry about what happened.” All of you were good that what he did was unintentional. You offered your hand as a sign that both of you are good as he shook hands with you, until he whispered something to your ear. “If you don’t mind, could you remove the voice function? I’m not ready to be called ‘daddy’ just yet.”

****************************************************************************

After two weeks of everyone working together, the repairs of CHS are now finished with some of the school belongings being replaced.

You are now sitting at a bench by the pier of Canterlot beach. You are venting out all the stress that you and Twilight had in the past and with things all cleared up, both of you now await what will happen onwards.

"Hey."

You were deep in your thoughts as you weren't paying attention to the one talking. You jumped back to reality as you felt something cold touch your cheek. You thought it could be Ardee with his ice powers only to see its just Twilight's boyfriend, Timber Spruce, holding two cups of milkshakes.

"Oh, Mr. Spruce."

"Pffftt," Timber held his laughter since the day Twilight introduced you to him, you misinterpret his first name on something like a tree falling which he gets the joke. He hands over one of the milkshakes which you accept as he sat next to you. "There is really no need for formalities, Timber is fine."

“So.” You started the conversation while moving your shake around in your hands. “Aren’t you supposed to be down there at the beach?” You asked since his job here is a lifeguard besides being a counselor at Camp Everfree

“Just taking a break but I will be back there in a little while. You?”

“Just leaving some bad memories behind.” You said as you took a sip from your shake. “Funny, how me and Twilight are boht smart even though with different personalities the day we first met at Crystal Prep. Then after she moved here to Canterlot High followed by me a few days later, and after coming back from Camp Everfree she is now a whole different person than before. She has her friends and here you are as her boyfriend, I’m happy for her.” You lean back on the bench as you take another sip.

"Sorry to say, but...we broke up."

Your eyes went wide as choke and spew your drink from your mouth. Timber pat your back as you cough to clear the contents from your mouth since you didn't expect to hear that.

"WHAT?!!" You shouted which Timber gestures that people around are looking at you. "I mean, seriously? She broke up with a nice, funny, friendly guy like you, what happened?"

“Where to start.” Timber tappe his chin a few times then he started explaining what happened. “It was when we were going to, you know…” Timber formed a ring with his pointer finger and thumb as he inserted his other pointer finger in and out of the ring. You thought it was proposing which is awkward since you guys are still in highschool, until he whispered it directly in your ear instead.which you now get it. I found out she has a liking for this guy and she has some conflict between me and him. So I let her decide and whatever she says, I’ll respect it.”

“Ouch, sorry I ask. Out of curiosity, do you know this guy that she likes?” You ask as Timber points to you which you turn around in panic that he is here only to see no one is behind you. “Timber, there is no one there.”

“I meant you, you’re the one Twilight likes.”

You remained there with your mouth hanging open and staring without even blinking. Timber waved his hand in front of you and after a flick of his fingers, je snapped you put of your trance.

“No seriously, me?” You asked which he nodded. “Why, I mean you are a better match for her already, why did she waste it?”

“To admit yes I do have knowledge when it comes to rocks and plants. There was this time when she asked me out for a date at the planetarium, I had to do a lot of research and study to impress her when we should be star gazing but it didn’t push through. You and Twilight’s relationship was longer than me and her since you always compete to see who is smarter and because you have...that.” Timber pointed to your left arm.

“Timber, there is nothing good about having a prosthetic arm if you are born with one arm only, so this doesn't count.”

“Sorry, but I gave her time to think this through. She was so stressed out between choosing me and you that she started to cry and I had to comfort her. It was also painful for me but that’s how it is.”

“Geez, maybe it's better if she was with you. No hard feelings.”

“Of course not. Besides, I need to help my sister with running Camp Everfree. The number of visitors have increased
just recently since CHS was there and we may need more hands.”

You had an idea as you took out a business card from your pocket and handed it to Timber. You asked if he knows Applejack which he nods that she worked as a substitute lifeguard one time and explained that Onyx Steel, her boyfriend, and his family run hotels and resorts if they can do a contract with Camp Everfree to help advertise the place to draw more visitors and even hire extra hands to help managing the camp. Timber had second thoughts after all the help Twilight and her friends did to save the camp, after thinking this through he accepted the card. Timber then has to get back to the beach for his break time is up, not after he mentioned about you and Twilight.

You are both happy and guilty that Twilight chose you over Timber. Now you are given this opportunity and you cannot waste it. You started thinking on what you and Twilight will do for your first date, the only thing that comes to your mind...