School Magicby Ricky OtakuChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 1In the cover of darkness, a hooded figure approached the school. It was highly unusual, given it was the middle of the night. No students should be wandering at such a late hour on school grounds, but there she was, lurking in the shadows, observing the site where so many strange phenomena had happened in the last few months. Holding some kind of device, she was inspecting the area. When she reached the school’s statue, the device started to ring. A grin spread across her face- she had found what she had searched for. Magic. “At last, I found it,” she said, letting her hand run on the surface of the statue. “The cause of all those disturbances in our world. Then, a glimmer of malevolence shone in her eyes. “And it’s up to me to fix this.” “It was… awesome!” Rainbow Dash let out enthusiastically. “Just like always!” The Rainboom had just finished their daily practice and as usual, they had “ponied up” midway. They still had their pony ears and for some of them, wings. It was now normal for them, but it would certainly be a shock for an unexpected passerby. “Twilight, darling, is it me or did your vocals improve?” Rarity asked. Twilight looked away shyly, readjusting her glasses. “I might have… practice a little bit, on my own,” she admitted. “Well, it shows,” Applejack praised. “Please, I wouldn’t sound nearly as good if it wasn’t of the lyric. So really, you should be praising Fluttershy,” Twilight deflected. “Me?” Fluttershy reached, blushing. “I… I didn’t do anything… worthy of praise, really…” “Aww, don’t be so modest!” Pinkie Pie jumped near her. “You did a great job with the lyrics!” “If… if you say so…” “How about we do one more song?” Rainbow Dash suggested. “Dash, I don’t think we have the time, class is starting soon…” Twilight replied. As her friends continued to discuss, Sunset Shimmer’s attention was drawn to the window. Or rather, something outside. Her friends eventually noticed that her attention was elsewhere. “Sunset, darling, everything alright?” Rarity suddenly asked. Sunset winced when she felt her friend’s hand on her shoulder. “Oh, uh, yes…! I just… felt like we were being observed,” Sunset replied while still glancing through the window. “Someone spying on us?” Fluttershy said. “But why?” “Probably because we are so AWESOME! Especially me,” Rainbow Dash bragged. “Hmm… I’m probably imagining things,” Sunset said. “Even if someone was watching us, it’s not like it would be unusual. I mean, look at us!” As she said that, Sunset pointed to their pony ears and tails. “Right… that sure would attract anyone’s attention,” Applejack said. “Well, if they aren’t already used to these.” “I guess most people at CHS aren’t surprised anymore,” Twilight added, “so we forget how jarring those can be to anyone else.” “Right,” Sunset nodded. “I guess I’m just being too cautious then, but still-” Before she could finish her sentence the bell suddenly rang. “Ahh, class is starting! We’re going to be late!” Twilight exclaimed, running out of the practice room. The others rolled their eyes and exited too, while Sunset glanced one last time at the window, unable to chase away the bad feeling that was growing inside of her. “Today a new student will be joining us,” Miss Cheerilee began to say. “I hope you will all be nice to her and welcome her properly to our school.” Sunset couldn’t believe her eyes. She knew that new student. What she didn’t know was what she was doing here, why was she back in this world, especially as a student… “Hey, Sunset, isn’t that your friend from the pony world?” Rainbow Dash asked. Before Sunset could answer, the teacher continued. “I’ll let her introduce herself,” Cheerilee added. “Go ahead.” The new student had a warm smile on her face. “Hi everyone, it’s a pleasure meeting you. My name is Starlight Glimmer and I hope we’ll all become good friends.” Sunset kept staring at her in disbelief. So she was indeed Starlight, yet she seemed… different. For starters, her haircut wasn’t the same as when the pony Starlight visited the human world. Instead, her hair was tied into a ponytail and she sported a fringe. Her clothing was also less colourful, she was wearing a simple gray cardigan with a shirt of the same colour. Starlight seemed to have noticed how Sunset was staring at her and waved at her. Sunset suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed to have been caught and quickly looked away. “Well, that was awkward,” she thought. She wasn’t sure why she felt that way from being caught by Starlight. After all, they were friends, right? She knew her… or did she? She couldn’t help but think something felt different about the girl she considered a friend. “Alright, you can go sit down,” Cheerilee said, gesturing to an empty seat near the window. “We are going to start class.” Starlight nodded and walked to her seat. Sunset discreetly followed her with her eyes, this time not being noticed. Sunset just couldn’t shake that strange feeling she got about Starlight out of her chest. “Alright students, open your book at page 42…” Sunset focused her attention back on the teacher. She’ll need to have a chat with Starlight after class. “Starlight, wait! Starlight Glimmer!” Sunset had managed to catch up to Starlight on her way out of the school. Starlight stopped walking, standing at the bottom of the stairs. She slowly turned down, staring at Sunset with what appeared to be a wary expression. “... yes?” “W-well, I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon after you went back to Equestria, especially not as a new student… Did Twilight send you?” Starlight continued to stare at her, but her wary expression turned into confusion. At this moment, Sunset realized her mistake, which Starlight confirmed with her next sentence. “What… are you talking about? Why are you acting like you know me?” Starlight replied. Sunset could barely keep eye contact with Starlight. This sure was embarrassing. If Sunset could just disappear right now, she would. “O-oh, sorry I… must have confused you for someone I know…” Sunset said, looking down. Starlight raised an eyebrow and cocked her head, looking uncertain. “Someone you know… who’s also named Starlight Glimmer?” Sunset laughed nervously. “Haha… yeah. It’s… a long story.” “Hmm. Well, if you’re done, I’d like to get going now-” “Wait…!” Sunset instinctively tried to reach for Starlight, to grab her by the arm and prevent her from leaving. She wasn’t done yet, despite her previous embarrassment, she wanted to talk more. Know more about this Starlight. But she didn’t expect Starlight to flinch at her contact and quickly take a few steps to be out of her reach. For a split second, Sunset could have sworn Starlight had a panic expression, before glaring at her. “Starlight…?” Sunset said, confused. Starlight’s frown suddenly turned into a smile that looked anything but genuine. “Oh, sorry, you just startled me,” Starlight replied nervously. “A-anyway, as I was saying, I really need to get going. Bye!” Without waiting for Sunset’s reply, Starlight quickly walked away. Sunset was tempted to go after her again but finally decided against it. That would feel a bit like harassment if she did at this point. “Well, that was awkward… again,” Sunset mumbled to herself. “Awkward doesn’t begin to describe what we just saw… what was that!?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Sunset only noticed now that her friends were behind her. She blushed, overwhelmed by a deep feeling of embarrassment. “Oh, you guys were there…” “Well, yeah, you kind of ran away after class was over, silly, so we followed you!” Pinkie Pie let out. “That was your friend from Equestria, right? The one we met at the mall the other day?” Twilight asked. “No, I was wrong,” Sunset replied. “I should have known better. It was obvious from the start I was being mistaken. Why didn’t I realize sooner…” “What do you mean by that?” Fluttershy asked. Sunset sighed. “This isn’t the Starlight Glimmer you met, the one from Equestria. She’s the Starlight Glimmer of this world.” Author's Note Writing something about human Starlight was something I had in mind for years now and I finally decided to do it. I always wanted to explore what Starlight's human counterpart was up to in her world. Chapter 2“Wait, so she isn’t the Starlight Glimmer we met the other day?” Applejack asked. Sunset Shimmer nodded. After that rather embarrassing encounter she had with Starlight, they went to their practice room as they usually do after school. Sunset’s friends couldn’t help but press her more about what had happened earlier. “If I remember correctly, Starlight- well, the other one- was my- I mean my other self- student,” Twilight tried to make sense of everything. “Yes, she’s Princess Twilight’s protege,” Sunset confirmed. “Gosh, I feel so dumb… I should have known it wasn’t the same Starlight. Of course the Starlight of this world was bound to run into us eventually. I mean, we did with Twilight even if you all met the one from my original world.” “Does this mean she’ll be our Twilight’s student eventually?” Rarity asked. “I don’t think I’m ready for that kind of responsibility,” Twilight replied, looking down. “No one is expecting that from you,” Sunset said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Not everything has to be one-to-one between our worlds…” “I know, but… knowing the other me is this amazing and powerful princess feels intimidating sometimes. Like I'm not up to… well, myself.” “You are your own person, you don't have to be like Princess Twilight,” Sunset tried to reassure her. “I know, but still-” “Hey, sorry to interrupt, but are we going to practice or what?” Rainbow Dash suddenly said. “Rainbow Dash!” Appledash scolded. “What? This is why we are here, isn't it?” Dash argued. “Rainbow Dash is right, we won't have access to the room for all day so we should start practicing,” Twilight said. “Still, I can't shake the feeling there's something odd with this Starlight Glimmer,” Sunset suddenly added. “Oh come on! Less talking about that girl and more music already!” Dash let out, exasperated. “I'm being serious! The way she flinched when I tried to reach out to her… it felt like she was wary somehow.” “Sunset, darling, I don't want to be rude, but… most people would feel uncomfortable if a stranger was suddenly trying to touch them without warning,” Rarity said. “But I wasn't going to hurt her or anything! She looked so… worried. Like I was going to harm her somehow…” “Speaking from personal experience, I used to be very wary if someone tried to touch me, especially a stranger,” Twilight said. “I would still feel uneasy if a stranger was trying to touch me, even in an innocent way.” Fluttershy nodded in agreement with this statement. Sunset sighed. “I suppose you are right. I got so caught up with the fact I was friends with the other Starlight that I forgot that this Starlight was her own person and didn't know me. She must have felt intimidated to have this random stranger act as if she knew her, and then try to grab her… ugh, now I see what you mean. I should apologize to her later.” “If she is anything like the Starlight we met, I'm sure she will understand,” Applejack said. “Hmmm…” Pinkie Pie looked unusually serious, rubbing her chin as she was lost in her thoughts. “What's wrong Pinkie?” Sunset asked. “I just have the strange feeling we are forgetting something important about Starlight,” Pinkie Pie said. “I also have this feeling-” Fluttershy said softly. “Oh well, if I can't remember it probably isn't important!” Pinkie exclaimed cheerfully. “Let's get the music starting!” “Finally! Let's rock and roll!” Rainbow Dash let out, grabbing her guitar. “... Nevermind…” Fluttershy muttered. The others grabbed their respective instruments, quickly forgetting about Starlight Glimmer. The Great and Powerful Trixie wasn’t feeling so great and powerful lately. Sure, she wasn’t doubting her greatness and power, that she would never- those were simply irrefutable facts- but she couldn’t help but feel like her great and powerful talents were underappreciated lately. Her magic shows, as amazing as they were, were getting less and less attraction. And it wasn’t that Trixie herself was any less incredible than she always was. No, there was something completely out of her control that made people less interested in her shows, as insane as it sounded. And she knew exactly what it was. Music came from one of the school’s rooms as Trixie passed by. She didn’t even need to check in to know it was the Rainboom practicing, probably getting their usual pony ears, tail and wings as they did so. Trixie tried to push away the ugly feeling rising in her heart. No, she was absolutely not envious of their magic. As if the Great and Powerful Trixie would ever be jealous of anyone! *But she be damned, magic being real sure wasn't good for business as a trickster.* Trixie sighed and looked down, walking to her locker to pick up her magic kit, lost in her thoughts. She didn't see that someone was walking in the same direction as her and ran into them. “Ack!” Trixie ungracefully and painfully fell on her butt. “Oops, I'm so sorry-” a feminine voice said. “You better be! Do you know who I am!?” Trixie let out. “Uh… no?” Trixie internally gasped. Someone, not knowing who she was? It was completely unfathomable! Unacceptable, even. The magician raised her head, ready to glare at the impertinent girl who dared not know her greatness, until she realized her mistake (yes, even Trixie makes mistakes). Trixie didn't know that girl. Sure, it wasn't unusual for Trixie to not be familiar with her fellow students- after all none of them were as great and memorable as her- but it wasn't just that didn't know that girl’s name, she also never saw her before. “I'm new here so I haven't had the chance to know everyone here yet,” she said “I figured,” Trixie mumbled. The other girl offered her a warm smile as she stretched her hand. “I'm Starlight Glimmer. So sorry for bumping into you. I forgot something in my locker and I was in a hurry, I mustn't have been careful where I was going.” Trixie felt taken aback. She wasn't used to people being so friendly towards her, especially not people her age. She was not unpopular by any means (the Great and Powerful Trixie was popular of course), but people were unable to really grasp her greatness and treat her accordingly. They would (wrongfully) assume she was a “boast” and avoid her. Not that Trixie cared. She was too great to lower herself to something as futile as “friendship”. As long as she was recognized for her talents it was all that mattered. She was not feeling lonely at all. Right? Trixie realized Starlight was looking at her with a curious expression. The magician looked at the hand she was offering her and with some hesitation, seized it. Starlight helped her get back on her feet. “Sorry again.” “No, there's no need to apologize, I wasn't looking where I went either. But since you don't know who I am, allow me to introduce myself!” At least since Starlight was a new student she could impress her with her tricks. She was probably not desensitized to magic already like the other students. Trixie opened her locker and quickly grabbed a few items, making sure Starlight couldn't see them. “Behold, the Great, and Powerful, Trrrrixie!” Like on cue, Trixie threw a smoke bomb to the ground. “Woah!” Starlight cried out, taken by surprise. When the smoke dissipated, Trixie was now wearing her magician hat and cape, striking a dramatic pose. “Tada!” Starlight just stood there, emotionless, staring at Trixie. “... are you what they call a ‘cosplayer’?” Starlight asked. Trixie’s jaw nearly fell. “... It appears Trixie will need to give you a demonstration,” the magician said, picking up another item from her locker. She then showed a card deck to Starlight. “Pick a card! Any card!” Trixie exclaimed. “And then put it back in the deck!” Starlight cocked her head but didn’t protest, picking a card from the deck. She took a good look at it before putting it back in the deck. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will now perform her magic!” Starlight raised an eyebrow at that. It seemed what Trixie said had caught her interest. “Is this your card?” Trixie asked with a cocky grin, holding one of the cards. Starlight smirked. For a split second, Trixie had a bad feeling until Starlight opened her mouth. “Yes.” Trixie immediately beamed with joy and pride. “It worked!” Trixie exclaimed before regaining her composure. “O-of course it worked! My Great and Powerful magic never fails!” Starlight let out a chuckle. Trixie frowned. “I'm sorry, but did Trixie say anything funny?” “I just think you're… interesting,” Starlight replied with an enigmatic smile. “Huh? Are you making fun of Trixie!?” “No, no, you got it wrong,” Starlight’s smile became comforting. “I think you're an interesting person and I'd like to get to know you better.” Trixie was surprised. She didn't recall the last time someone told her something like that. Not that she didn’t already know she was interesting, but it felt good to finally have someone recognizing it. With how down she felt recently, this was certainly welcomed. “W-well, if you’d like, Trixie could show you more of her amazing magic tricks!” “I would love to, but I don’t want to take too much of your time-” “Nonsense! The Great and Powerful Trixie has always time for those who truly appreciate the art of prestidigitation!” But as she grabbed her magic kit she suddenly recalled a certain detail. “Trixie isn’t busy, but didn’t you say you were in a hurry?” “O-oh, right, I did say that…” Starlight replied, looking away. “Well, one cannot be too busy to witness more magic tricks from the great and powerful Trixie. Don’t worry, whatever I had to do before, you are much more interesting to me now.” “Hmmm… Trixie can’t argue with that. She is definitely more interesting than anything else!” Trixie was filled with a great feeling of pride to know this girl would rather watch her magic tricks than do whatever else she was in such a hurry to do. She felt great and powerful again. Trixie wrapped her arm around Starlight's shoulders, guiding her through the corridor. Starlight didn't seem to mind the sudden physical contact and let herself be led by the magician. “Well then, let's go find ourselves an empty room so Trixie can amaze you with her incredible magic!” Author's Note Trixie joined the story! Writing her was very fun! Thanks for everyone's feedback on the story and I hope you liked this chapter ^^ btw, the card trick is inspired by this art piece Chapter 3“Behold, for my last trick…” As she said that, Trixie removed her magician hat. Starlight was sitting down in the empty classroom they had borrowed so that Trixie could put on her little private show. Starlight seemed particularly interested in the various magic tricks, as amazing (or far from impressive) as they were. Trixie was thrilled by the attention she was getting, missing the feeling of having a genuinely captivating audience for her show. She wiggled her prop magic wand above the hat before giving it a light tap. “Prepare to be amazed by the Great and Powerful Trixie’s wonderful trick!” Trixie confidently stuffed her arm inside the hat, her hand looking for something. Her self-assured expression slowly turned to confusion, then worries. Starlight cocked her head. “Trixie? Is everything alright?” Trixie gulped. “Y-yes, everything is-” “What’s this bump under your shirt?” Starlight asked. “Huh?” Trixie immediately looked down, noticing the bump on her belly. She could feel something wriggling between her t-shirt and her jacket. “Ah, it’s moving!” Trixie exclaimed. The magician quickly unzipped her jacket, revealing what was hiding under it. Starlight looked at it in confusion. “Is that…?” Yes, it was a bunny. The very bunny that was supposed to appear in the hat. The small animal jumped from Trixie’s jacket onto the nearby table. “... T-tada! This was obviously what I had planned for! Totally…!” Trixie let out as she put back her hat, trying to hide her blushing face underneath the trim. Starlight snorted, clearly trying to hold back her laughter. Trixie blushed even more in embarrassment. “No, no, I’m not laughing at you!” Starlight tried to reassure her. “I just think you’re funny.” “The Great and Powerful Trixie isn’t trying to be funny. I am a magician, not a comedian.” “This was a compliment…” Trixie sighed, sitting down. “I know… I know you meant well. But… this has to be perfect! Trixie can’t make any more mistakes!” Trixie buried her face in her hands. Starlight stood up and walked towards her. “Hey, there’s no need to feel that way. No one expects you to be perfect-” “I have to be!” Trixie suddenly jumped up. “I can’t settle for just being great and powerful now, my tricks need to be perfect and flawless, especially since…” Trixie suddenly stopped talking. She didn’t want to vent like this, especially to someone she just met. She felt pathetic for even feeling this way. It was unsightly of her. She suddenly felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. Trixie looked up, greeted by Starlight's reassuring smile. “I know we just met, but you can feel free to tell me anything that is troubling you. Trust me, I'm the last person who would judge you. When I said I wanted to get to know you, I truly meant it… but I won't force you to talk about something if you really aren't comfortable to.” Trixie felt like she had received more kindness and sympathy from this stranger she just met than her own schoolmates she had known for months. She was the first person to show her genuine interest as well as in her magic tricks for a long time, which pushed Trixie to want to trust her. “It's just that, even since there is magic at CHS- real magic- people aren't as interested in my shows anymore. And who could blame them… why bother with fake magic when they can have the real deal? If only my tricks were even better… then people would admire me again!” Trixie was rarely ever this vulnerable with others. She'd rather hide her insecurities with her boasting act and bravado. But she felt at ease with Starlight, like she could allow herself to be truthful. And it felt good to finally show what was in her heart to someone. Starlight remained still, stoic. It was like she was processing what she had just learned and carefully picking what she would say next. For a moment, Trixie was worried she may have vented too much and annoyed her new friends and started to regret this fleeting moment of vulnerability. For a brief moment, Trixie thought she saw a sad look in Starlight’s eyes- was it pity? Remorse? Trixie wasn't quite sure. But it lasted only for a split second before her expression turned warm. Maybe Trixie had imagined it. “You shouldn't put yourself down over that,” Starlight began with a soft smile. “There is nothing wrong with your magic tricks.” “But if I had real magic I could-” “Then it wouldn't be a true magic show anymore. The point is to make people wonder how you did it, there would be no point anymore if it was just actual magic. People wouldn't even think anymore. It would just be brainless entertainment. What you have is true genuine entertainment to make people think, ask questions, you leave them speechless by how you manage to pull off tricks they can't even fathom. And that, it's something ‘real’ magic can never wish to accomplish.” Those words filled Trixie with new confidence. “You are right. The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need magic to be the greatest and powerfulest magician! Even a nobody can use magic, just look at the Rainboom- but it takes genuine talent to pull off any of my tricks!” “It's already hard to get your talent acknowledged in such a biased and unfair world, there's no need to also worry about real magic,” Starlight muttered bitterly. “Exactly! I won't let these magic pony girls steal my thunder anymore! I'll show them all the best magic performances of their life!” Trixie then seized Starlight by both shoulders. “And for that, I will need your help, Starlight Glimmer!” “M-me…!?” “Most of my more amazing tricks require the help of a second person.” “Oh, you mean like… a special show helper?” “More like an assistant. Obviously, the Great and Powerful Trixie will require a great and powerful assistant to help her.” “You mean… me?” “Of course! Who else could it be? From my perspective, you are perfect for the job.” Starlight looked pensive for a moment before smirking. “Well, if you'll have me, I'd gladly accept your offer, Trixie. As your assistant, I'll do everything I can so your next show is a success.” “What… do you think these two are talking about?” Fluttershy wondered. “Beat me, I don’t think she’d have anything interesting to say to anyone, and yet…” Rainbow Dash commented. “Don’t be rude darling, with the right audience and presentation she can be quite interesting,” Rarity argued. “And clearly her current audience is interested.” “No offence, but who would be interested in hearing her talk about rocks?” Applejack said. “Hey! Maud can make anything sound exciting, even rocks! Don’t you dare disrespect my big sister!” Pinkie Pie let out. “I-I think rocks can be quite interesting personally…” Twilight nervously said, adjusting her glasses. “We are not disrespecting your sister Pinkie Pie, we are just wondering why she of all people is talking with her…” Sunset said, glancing at the person in question. Starlight was having a rather animated conversation with Maud Pie- well, as animated as Pinkie’s sister could be. Starlight did seem very interested in whatever (probably rock-related) Maud was telling her. Maud on the other hand had her usual deadpan expression. “Wow, I don’t remember the last time I saw Maud seem so excited! She must be happy to have someone to talk to!” Pinkie exclaimed cheerfully The rest of her friends all looked at Maud with confusion. To them, she looked the same stoic and emotionless Maud. “I’m sorry Pinkie, I… don’t see it,” Applejack admitted. “What!? Have you even looked at her?! Her eyes are shining with glee! And her mouth! It’s small, but she’s definitely smiling!” Pinkie insisted. “Uh… maybe the corner of her mouth is slightly smirking?” Rarity said. “Exactly! Maud is smiling from happiness because she made a friend!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Only you can see through Maud’s stoic demeanor huh,” Rainbow Dash said. “Of course! We’re sisters after all! BSFF! BEST SISTER FRIENDS FOREVER!” Twilight stepped closer to Sunset and whispered into her ears. “I still can’t believe these two are part of the same family.” “You are not the only one,” Sunset replied. While her friends simply mused lightly about the situation, Sunset couldn’t help but feel unease. Why was Starlight talking with Pinkie Pie’s sister? Was she really that interested in rocks? Or was there a more nefarious reason why she had an interest in Maud? Sunset tried to chase away those doubts. “I’m being paranoid. Why would this Starlight be up to no good? Just because she’s talking to Pinkie’s sister? It feels like I’m just making up reasons…” And yet, Sunset simply couldn’t fully chase away this bad feeling in her chest. Starlight eventually walked away, waving goodbye to Maud. The latter reciprocated with a more nonchalant waving. Unable to contain her excitement and curiosity anymore, Pinkie Pie rushed towards her sister as soon as she was alone. “Maud! Congratulations on making a new friend!” she said, tightly hugging her older sister. “Oh, Pinkie Pie,” Maud said, deadpan. “I didn’t see you coming.” “What were you two talking about?” Sunset asked, suspicious despite her. “The usual. Rocks.” “I doubt ‘rocks’ are a usual topic of discussion…” Applejack said. “It is for me,” Maud replied. “But is it for Starlight?” Sunset inquired. “She’s the one who brought up the subject,” Maud revealed. “Huh, really,” Sunset said. “Maybe Starlight is also interested in rocks,” Twilight added. “She wanted to know more about them. We are supposed to hang out later to talk more about it,” Maud revealed. “Is that so-” Sunset began to say. “It’s awesome!” Pinkie Pie interrupted, hugging her sister once again. “I’m so happy for you that you made a friend who shares your interest in rocks!” “Yes. I’m happy too,” Maud said, emotionless. Sunset wanted to ask more but she felt like it might be inappropriate. Both Pie sisters seemed happy- in their own ways. She didn’t want to ruin the moment with her suspicions. “But still, I feel like we are forgetting something about Starlight Glimmer,” Pinkie Pie suddenly said. “I do too-” Fluttershy whispered. “Oh, well, if we can’t remember it’s probably not important. What matters is that Maud made a new friend!” “... never mind.” Despite Pinkie Pie’s enthusiasm, Sunset couldn’t share her happy feeling. Something odd was going on, and she needed to get to the bottom of it before something bad might happen to her friends. “The trick with an S.L.K. is not to make the spars too heavy. But if they're too light, you've got no ballast and then good luck tacking against the A.O.I.!” Starlight was explaining with enthusiasm all the little complexities of kites while flying one in a park near the school. Maud was silently listening to her, with her usual stoic expression. Starlight suddenly looked embarrassed. “I'm sorry, I've been rambling ever since we got here, I just… really like kites.” Maud continued to stare at her with her expressionless eyes and Starlight looked even more nervous. “Kites are cool,” Maud eventually said, breaking the unbearable silence. Starlight sighed in relief. “But enough about kites, I’m interested to learn more about rocks,” Starlight said. “Which rocks in particular? Minerals? Gems? Precious stones? Granites? Crystals?” “Uh… rocks out of the ordinary, unique even. Special if you'd prefer.” “All rocks are unique and special in their own way,” Maud replied as she pulled out a small rock from her pocket, deadpan. “This one’s name is Boulder. The line over there tells me he's over two thousand years old.” “Woah, you can tell that only from a line!?” “You’d be surprised by what one can tell simply by observing a rock. Each one has a different story to tell.” “I see… Is that why you're so fascinated by them?” “Among other things. I also like them because they don't judge or exclude you if you happen to be… different from others.” It was rare for Maud to be so talkative, especially with someone she barely knew. But when it came to rocks, she was always happy to share her passion with whoever was willing to listen. She had a hard time telling if someone was interested or not, so for her to have someone actually ask her about rocks felt like a blessing. She couldn't help but get a little personal. Starlight nodded at her explanation. “I think I understand… I do admire your passion and enthusiasm for them. Making friends can be so hard, you never know what could happen… but rocks wouldn't betray you.” “Boulder sure wouldn't,” Maud said nonchalantly, giving a little smirk at her rock pal. “Does your sister also like rocks?” “My sister and I are very different, as you probably noticed.” “Yeah… I imagine you're the odd one out in your family.” “Quite the contrary, Pinkie Pie is the odd one out. I come from a family of geologists. Pinkie is the only one who doesn't share our passion for rocks.” “Oh… wow. I was not expecting that. Interesting,” Starlight looked pensive for a moment. “I assumed she must be given her rock necklace.” “Rock necklace?” “Yeah, well I think it's a rock?” Starlight had that thoughtful expression again. “Now that I think about it, her friends also wear similar necklaces, just in different colours and with a different symbol engraved on them.” “Oh, you mean their magic geodes.” “Magic… geodes?” “A geode is a nodule of stone having a cavity lined with crystals or mineral matter-” “Yes, I know what a geode is… I meant the magic part.” “Oh. My bad. I forgot you were new at CHS. This kind of thing isn’t really uncommon there so I didn’t feel the need to elaborate further.” “It’s alright,” Starlight replied. “I’m just wondering… why do your sister and her friends have those magic geodes? What do they do?” “They gave them powers,” Maud replied nonchalantly. “Powers…? Like, superpowers?” “Yep. Magic powers essentially.” “That sounds… incredible. Almost unbelievable… where did they find something this powerful?” “A crystal cave at camp Everfree.” “Huh. Interesting…” Starlight remained thoughtful for a moment before she suddenly handed her kite to Maud. “Wanna try?” “Sure,” Maud accepted. “I think kites are starting to grow on me.” “And I think I’ll become quite fond of certain types of rocks myself,” Starlight said with a smirk. “So, about that crystal cave…” “Alright students, it seems our class keeps growing bigger! Four new friends will be joining us today!” Miss Cheerilee said cheerfully. Sunset raised her head. Having one transfer student at this time of the year was already unusual, but now five? This wasn’t just highly unusual, it was… odd. Suspicious even. Four teenagers step inside the classroom, two boys and two girls. The first boy to step inside had short straight white hair with a long fringe and skin of the same color and blue eyes. He had a “pretty boy” esthetic and looked charming. The other boy had short curly blue hair and skin of the same colour, but lighter. His eyes were also blue and he had a wide, cheerful smile on his face. As for the girls, one of them had pink skin and long curly purple hair kept in a single braid and bright cherry eyes. Contrasty with her more girly and feminine appearance, the second girl was more tomboyish and sporty. She had dark blue skin and short wild white hair, and her eyes were electric blue. “Please, introduce yourself,” the teacher asked. “The name’s Double Diamond, nice to meet you!” the white-haired boy said. “I’m Party Favor! Let’s have fun!” the blue-haired boy exclaimed. “My name is Sugar Belle. I hope we can get along,” the girl with a braid said with a warm smile. “Night Glider. ‘Sup,” the other girl said nonchalantly. Instinctively, Sunset looked at Starlight’s seat. Much to her surprise, Starlight was absent today, Was she sick? Was it only a coincidence? Or was it somehow related to these four new students? One thing was sure. Sunset had a bad feeling about this. Author's Note Much longer chapter than the two previous ones. Hopefully I'll keep that up for the rest of the fic. Here's a drawing of the four new students
Chapter 1In the cover of darkness, a hooded figure approached the school. It was highly unusual, given it was the middle of the night. No students should be wandering at such a late hour on school grounds, but there she was, lurking in the shadows, observing the site where so many strange phenomena had happened in the last few months. Holding some kind of device, she was inspecting the area. When she reached the school’s statue, the device started to ring. A grin spread across her face- she had found what she had searched for. Magic. “At last, I found it,” she said, letting her hand run on the surface of the statue. “The cause of all those disturbances in our world. Then, a glimmer of malevolence shone in her eyes. “And it’s up to me to fix this.” “It was… awesome!” Rainbow Dash let out enthusiastically. “Just like always!” The Rainboom had just finished their daily practice and as usual, they had “ponied up” midway. They still had their pony ears and for some of them, wings. It was now normal for them, but it would certainly be a shock for an unexpected passerby. “Twilight, darling, is it me or did your vocals improve?” Rarity asked. Twilight looked away shyly, readjusting her glasses. “I might have… practice a little bit, on my own,” she admitted. “Well, it shows,” Applejack praised. “Please, I wouldn’t sound nearly as good if it wasn’t of the lyric. So really, you should be praising Fluttershy,” Twilight deflected. “Me?” Fluttershy reached, blushing. “I… I didn’t do anything… worthy of praise, really…” “Aww, don’t be so modest!” Pinkie Pie jumped near her. “You did a great job with the lyrics!” “If… if you say so…” “How about we do one more song?” Rainbow Dash suggested. “Dash, I don’t think we have the time, class is starting soon…” Twilight replied. As her friends continued to discuss, Sunset Shimmer’s attention was drawn to the window. Or rather, something outside. Her friends eventually noticed that her attention was elsewhere. “Sunset, darling, everything alright?” Rarity suddenly asked. Sunset winced when she felt her friend’s hand on her shoulder. “Oh, uh, yes…! I just… felt like we were being observed,” Sunset replied while still glancing through the window. “Someone spying on us?” Fluttershy said. “But why?” “Probably because we are so AWESOME! Especially me,” Rainbow Dash bragged. “Hmm… I’m probably imagining things,” Sunset said. “Even if someone was watching us, it’s not like it would be unusual. I mean, look at us!” As she said that, Sunset pointed to their pony ears and tails. “Right… that sure would attract anyone’s attention,” Applejack said. “Well, if they aren’t already used to these.” “I guess most people at CHS aren’t surprised anymore,” Twilight added, “so we forget how jarring those can be to anyone else.” “Right,” Sunset nodded. “I guess I’m just being too cautious then, but still-” Before she could finish her sentence the bell suddenly rang. “Ahh, class is starting! We’re going to be late!” Twilight exclaimed, running out of the practice room. The others rolled their eyes and exited too, while Sunset glanced one last time at the window, unable to chase away the bad feeling that was growing inside of her. “Today a new student will be joining us,” Miss Cheerilee began to say. “I hope you will all be nice to her and welcome her properly to our school.” Sunset couldn’t believe her eyes. She knew that new student. What she didn’t know was what she was doing here, why was she back in this world, especially as a student… “Hey, Sunset, isn’t that your friend from the pony world?” Rainbow Dash asked. Before Sunset could answer, the teacher continued. “I’ll let her introduce herself,” Cheerilee added. “Go ahead.” The new student had a warm smile on her face. “Hi everyone, it’s a pleasure meeting you. My name is Starlight Glimmer and I hope we’ll all become good friends.” Sunset kept staring at her in disbelief. So she was indeed Starlight, yet she seemed… different. For starters, her haircut wasn’t the same as when the pony Starlight visited the human world. Instead, her hair was tied into a ponytail and she sported a fringe. Her clothing was also less colourful, she was wearing a simple gray cardigan with a shirt of the same colour. Starlight seemed to have noticed how Sunset was staring at her and waved at her. Sunset suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed to have been caught and quickly looked away. “Well, that was awkward,” she thought. She wasn’t sure why she felt that way from being caught by Starlight. After all, they were friends, right? She knew her… or did she? She couldn’t help but think something felt different about the girl she considered a friend. “Alright, you can go sit down,” Cheerilee said, gesturing to an empty seat near the window. “We are going to start class.” Starlight nodded and walked to her seat. Sunset discreetly followed her with her eyes, this time not being noticed. Sunset just couldn’t shake that strange feeling she got about Starlight out of her chest. “Alright students, open your book at page 42…” Sunset focused her attention back on the teacher. She’ll need to have a chat with Starlight after class. “Starlight, wait! Starlight Glimmer!” Sunset had managed to catch up to Starlight on her way out of the school. Starlight stopped walking, standing at the bottom of the stairs. She slowly turned down, staring at Sunset with what appeared to be a wary expression. “... yes?” “W-well, I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon after you went back to Equestria, especially not as a new student… Did Twilight send you?” Starlight continued to stare at her, but her wary expression turned into confusion. At this moment, Sunset realized her mistake, which Starlight confirmed with her next sentence. “What… are you talking about? Why are you acting like you know me?” Starlight replied. Sunset could barely keep eye contact with Starlight. This sure was embarrassing. If Sunset could just disappear right now, she would. “O-oh, sorry I… must have confused you for someone I know…” Sunset said, looking down. Starlight raised an eyebrow and cocked her head, looking uncertain. “Someone you know… who’s also named Starlight Glimmer?” Sunset laughed nervously. “Haha… yeah. It’s… a long story.” “Hmm. Well, if you’re done, I’d like to get going now-” “Wait…!” Sunset instinctively tried to reach for Starlight, to grab her by the arm and prevent her from leaving. She wasn’t done yet, despite her previous embarrassment, she wanted to talk more. Know more about this Starlight. But she didn’t expect Starlight to flinch at her contact and quickly take a few steps to be out of her reach. For a split second, Sunset could have sworn Starlight had a panic expression, before glaring at her. “Starlight…?” Sunset said, confused. Starlight’s frown suddenly turned into a smile that looked anything but genuine. “Oh, sorry, you just startled me,” Starlight replied nervously. “A-anyway, as I was saying, I really need to get going. Bye!” Without waiting for Sunset’s reply, Starlight quickly walked away. Sunset was tempted to go after her again but finally decided against it. That would feel a bit like harassment if she did at this point. “Well, that was awkward… again,” Sunset mumbled to herself. “Awkward doesn’t begin to describe what we just saw… what was that!?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Sunset only noticed now that her friends were behind her. She blushed, overwhelmed by a deep feeling of embarrassment. “Oh, you guys were there…” “Well, yeah, you kind of ran away after class was over, silly, so we followed you!” Pinkie Pie let out. “That was your friend from Equestria, right? The one we met at the mall the other day?” Twilight asked. “No, I was wrong,” Sunset replied. “I should have known better. It was obvious from the start I was being mistaken. Why didn’t I realize sooner…” “What do you mean by that?” Fluttershy asked. Sunset sighed. “This isn’t the Starlight Glimmer you met, the one from Equestria. She’s the Starlight Glimmer of this world.” Author's Note Writing something about human Starlight was something I had in mind for years now and I finally decided to do it. I always wanted to explore what Starlight's human counterpart was up to in her world.
Chapter 2“Wait, so she isn’t the Starlight Glimmer we met the other day?” Applejack asked. Sunset Shimmer nodded. After that rather embarrassing encounter she had with Starlight, they went to their practice room as they usually do after school. Sunset’s friends couldn’t help but press her more about what had happened earlier. “If I remember correctly, Starlight- well, the other one- was my- I mean my other self- student,” Twilight tried to make sense of everything. “Yes, she’s Princess Twilight’s protege,” Sunset confirmed. “Gosh, I feel so dumb… I should have known it wasn’t the same Starlight. Of course the Starlight of this world was bound to run into us eventually. I mean, we did with Twilight even if you all met the one from my original world.” “Does this mean she’ll be our Twilight’s student eventually?” Rarity asked. “I don’t think I’m ready for that kind of responsibility,” Twilight replied, looking down. “No one is expecting that from you,” Sunset said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Not everything has to be one-to-one between our worlds…” “I know, but… knowing the other me is this amazing and powerful princess feels intimidating sometimes. Like I'm not up to… well, myself.” “You are your own person, you don't have to be like Princess Twilight,” Sunset tried to reassure her. “I know, but still-” “Hey, sorry to interrupt, but are we going to practice or what?” Rainbow Dash suddenly said. “Rainbow Dash!” Appledash scolded. “What? This is why we are here, isn't it?” Dash argued. “Rainbow Dash is right, we won't have access to the room for all day so we should start practicing,” Twilight said. “Still, I can't shake the feeling there's something odd with this Starlight Glimmer,” Sunset suddenly added. “Oh come on! Less talking about that girl and more music already!” Dash let out, exasperated. “I'm being serious! The way she flinched when I tried to reach out to her… it felt like she was wary somehow.” “Sunset, darling, I don't want to be rude, but… most people would feel uncomfortable if a stranger was suddenly trying to touch them without warning,” Rarity said. “But I wasn't going to hurt her or anything! She looked so… worried. Like I was going to harm her somehow…” “Speaking from personal experience, I used to be very wary if someone tried to touch me, especially a stranger,” Twilight said. “I would still feel uneasy if a stranger was trying to touch me, even in an innocent way.” Fluttershy nodded in agreement with this statement. Sunset sighed. “I suppose you are right. I got so caught up with the fact I was friends with the other Starlight that I forgot that this Starlight was her own person and didn't know me. She must have felt intimidated to have this random stranger act as if she knew her, and then try to grab her… ugh, now I see what you mean. I should apologize to her later.” “If she is anything like the Starlight we met, I'm sure she will understand,” Applejack said. “Hmmm…” Pinkie Pie looked unusually serious, rubbing her chin as she was lost in her thoughts. “What's wrong Pinkie?” Sunset asked. “I just have the strange feeling we are forgetting something important about Starlight,” Pinkie Pie said. “I also have this feeling-” Fluttershy said softly. “Oh well, if I can't remember it probably isn't important!” Pinkie exclaimed cheerfully. “Let's get the music starting!” “Finally! Let's rock and roll!” Rainbow Dash let out, grabbing her guitar. “... Nevermind…” Fluttershy muttered. The others grabbed their respective instruments, quickly forgetting about Starlight Glimmer. The Great and Powerful Trixie wasn’t feeling so great and powerful lately. Sure, she wasn’t doubting her greatness and power, that she would never- those were simply irrefutable facts- but she couldn’t help but feel like her great and powerful talents were underappreciated lately. Her magic shows, as amazing as they were, were getting less and less attraction. And it wasn’t that Trixie herself was any less incredible than she always was. No, there was something completely out of her control that made people less interested in her shows, as insane as it sounded. And she knew exactly what it was. Music came from one of the school’s rooms as Trixie passed by. She didn’t even need to check in to know it was the Rainboom practicing, probably getting their usual pony ears, tail and wings as they did so. Trixie tried to push away the ugly feeling rising in her heart. No, she was absolutely not envious of their magic. As if the Great and Powerful Trixie would ever be jealous of anyone! *But she be damned, magic being real sure wasn't good for business as a trickster.* Trixie sighed and looked down, walking to her locker to pick up her magic kit, lost in her thoughts. She didn't see that someone was walking in the same direction as her and ran into them. “Ack!” Trixie ungracefully and painfully fell on her butt. “Oops, I'm so sorry-” a feminine voice said. “You better be! Do you know who I am!?” Trixie let out. “Uh… no?” Trixie internally gasped. Someone, not knowing who she was? It was completely unfathomable! Unacceptable, even. The magician raised her head, ready to glare at the impertinent girl who dared not know her greatness, until she realized her mistake (yes, even Trixie makes mistakes). Trixie didn't know that girl. Sure, it wasn't unusual for Trixie to not be familiar with her fellow students- after all none of them were as great and memorable as her- but it wasn't just that didn't know that girl’s name, she also never saw her before. “I'm new here so I haven't had the chance to know everyone here yet,” she said “I figured,” Trixie mumbled. The other girl offered her a warm smile as she stretched her hand. “I'm Starlight Glimmer. So sorry for bumping into you. I forgot something in my locker and I was in a hurry, I mustn't have been careful where I was going.” Trixie felt taken aback. She wasn't used to people being so friendly towards her, especially not people her age. She was not unpopular by any means (the Great and Powerful Trixie was popular of course), but people were unable to really grasp her greatness and treat her accordingly. They would (wrongfully) assume she was a “boast” and avoid her. Not that Trixie cared. She was too great to lower herself to something as futile as “friendship”. As long as she was recognized for her talents it was all that mattered. She was not feeling lonely at all. Right? Trixie realized Starlight was looking at her with a curious expression. The magician looked at the hand she was offering her and with some hesitation, seized it. Starlight helped her get back on her feet. “Sorry again.” “No, there's no need to apologize, I wasn't looking where I went either. But since you don't know who I am, allow me to introduce myself!” At least since Starlight was a new student she could impress her with her tricks. She was probably not desensitized to magic already like the other students. Trixie opened her locker and quickly grabbed a few items, making sure Starlight couldn't see them. “Behold, the Great, and Powerful, Trrrrixie!” Like on cue, Trixie threw a smoke bomb to the ground. “Woah!” Starlight cried out, taken by surprise. When the smoke dissipated, Trixie was now wearing her magician hat and cape, striking a dramatic pose. “Tada!” Starlight just stood there, emotionless, staring at Trixie. “... are you what they call a ‘cosplayer’?” Starlight asked. Trixie’s jaw nearly fell. “... It appears Trixie will need to give you a demonstration,” the magician said, picking up another item from her locker. She then showed a card deck to Starlight. “Pick a card! Any card!” Trixie exclaimed. “And then put it back in the deck!” Starlight cocked her head but didn’t protest, picking a card from the deck. She took a good look at it before putting it back in the deck. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will now perform her magic!” Starlight raised an eyebrow at that. It seemed what Trixie said had caught her interest. “Is this your card?” Trixie asked with a cocky grin, holding one of the cards. Starlight smirked. For a split second, Trixie had a bad feeling until Starlight opened her mouth. “Yes.” Trixie immediately beamed with joy and pride. “It worked!” Trixie exclaimed before regaining her composure. “O-of course it worked! My Great and Powerful magic never fails!” Starlight let out a chuckle. Trixie frowned. “I'm sorry, but did Trixie say anything funny?” “I just think you're… interesting,” Starlight replied with an enigmatic smile. “Huh? Are you making fun of Trixie!?” “No, no, you got it wrong,” Starlight’s smile became comforting. “I think you're an interesting person and I'd like to get to know you better.” Trixie was surprised. She didn't recall the last time someone told her something like that. Not that she didn’t already know she was interesting, but it felt good to finally have someone recognizing it. With how down she felt recently, this was certainly welcomed. “W-well, if you’d like, Trixie could show you more of her amazing magic tricks!” “I would love to, but I don’t want to take too much of your time-” “Nonsense! The Great and Powerful Trixie has always time for those who truly appreciate the art of prestidigitation!” But as she grabbed her magic kit she suddenly recalled a certain detail. “Trixie isn’t busy, but didn’t you say you were in a hurry?” “O-oh, right, I did say that…” Starlight replied, looking away. “Well, one cannot be too busy to witness more magic tricks from the great and powerful Trixie. Don’t worry, whatever I had to do before, you are much more interesting to me now.” “Hmmm… Trixie can’t argue with that. She is definitely more interesting than anything else!” Trixie was filled with a great feeling of pride to know this girl would rather watch her magic tricks than do whatever else she was in such a hurry to do. She felt great and powerful again. Trixie wrapped her arm around Starlight's shoulders, guiding her through the corridor. Starlight didn't seem to mind the sudden physical contact and let herself be led by the magician. “Well then, let's go find ourselves an empty room so Trixie can amaze you with her incredible magic!” Author's Note Trixie joined the story! Writing her was very fun! Thanks for everyone's feedback on the story and I hope you liked this chapter ^^ btw, the card trick is inspired by this art piece
Chapter 3“Behold, for my last trick…” As she said that, Trixie removed her magician hat. Starlight was sitting down in the empty classroom they had borrowed so that Trixie could put on her little private show. Starlight seemed particularly interested in the various magic tricks, as amazing (or far from impressive) as they were. Trixie was thrilled by the attention she was getting, missing the feeling of having a genuinely captivating audience for her show. She wiggled her prop magic wand above the hat before giving it a light tap. “Prepare to be amazed by the Great and Powerful Trixie’s wonderful trick!” Trixie confidently stuffed her arm inside the hat, her hand looking for something. Her self-assured expression slowly turned to confusion, then worries. Starlight cocked her head. “Trixie? Is everything alright?” Trixie gulped. “Y-yes, everything is-” “What’s this bump under your shirt?” Starlight asked. “Huh?” Trixie immediately looked down, noticing the bump on her belly. She could feel something wriggling between her t-shirt and her jacket. “Ah, it’s moving!” Trixie exclaimed. The magician quickly unzipped her jacket, revealing what was hiding under it. Starlight looked at it in confusion. “Is that…?” Yes, it was a bunny. The very bunny that was supposed to appear in the hat. The small animal jumped from Trixie’s jacket onto the nearby table. “... T-tada! This was obviously what I had planned for! Totally…!” Trixie let out as she put back her hat, trying to hide her blushing face underneath the trim. Starlight snorted, clearly trying to hold back her laughter. Trixie blushed even more in embarrassment. “No, no, I’m not laughing at you!” Starlight tried to reassure her. “I just think you’re funny.” “The Great and Powerful Trixie isn’t trying to be funny. I am a magician, not a comedian.” “This was a compliment…” Trixie sighed, sitting down. “I know… I know you meant well. But… this has to be perfect! Trixie can’t make any more mistakes!” Trixie buried her face in her hands. Starlight stood up and walked towards her. “Hey, there’s no need to feel that way. No one expects you to be perfect-” “I have to be!” Trixie suddenly jumped up. “I can’t settle for just being great and powerful now, my tricks need to be perfect and flawless, especially since…” Trixie suddenly stopped talking. She didn’t want to vent like this, especially to someone she just met. She felt pathetic for even feeling this way. It was unsightly of her. She suddenly felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. Trixie looked up, greeted by Starlight's reassuring smile. “I know we just met, but you can feel free to tell me anything that is troubling you. Trust me, I'm the last person who would judge you. When I said I wanted to get to know you, I truly meant it… but I won't force you to talk about something if you really aren't comfortable to.” Trixie felt like she had received more kindness and sympathy from this stranger she just met than her own schoolmates she had known for months. She was the first person to show her genuine interest as well as in her magic tricks for a long time, which pushed Trixie to want to trust her. “It's just that, even since there is magic at CHS- real magic- people aren't as interested in my shows anymore. And who could blame them… why bother with fake magic when they can have the real deal? If only my tricks were even better… then people would admire me again!” Trixie was rarely ever this vulnerable with others. She'd rather hide her insecurities with her boasting act and bravado. But she felt at ease with Starlight, like she could allow herself to be truthful. And it felt good to finally show what was in her heart to someone. Starlight remained still, stoic. It was like she was processing what she had just learned and carefully picking what she would say next. For a moment, Trixie was worried she may have vented too much and annoyed her new friends and started to regret this fleeting moment of vulnerability. For a brief moment, Trixie thought she saw a sad look in Starlight’s eyes- was it pity? Remorse? Trixie wasn't quite sure. But it lasted only for a split second before her expression turned warm. Maybe Trixie had imagined it. “You shouldn't put yourself down over that,” Starlight began with a soft smile. “There is nothing wrong with your magic tricks.” “But if I had real magic I could-” “Then it wouldn't be a true magic show anymore. The point is to make people wonder how you did it, there would be no point anymore if it was just actual magic. People wouldn't even think anymore. It would just be brainless entertainment. What you have is true genuine entertainment to make people think, ask questions, you leave them speechless by how you manage to pull off tricks they can't even fathom. And that, it's something ‘real’ magic can never wish to accomplish.” Those words filled Trixie with new confidence. “You are right. The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need magic to be the greatest and powerfulest magician! Even a nobody can use magic, just look at the Rainboom- but it takes genuine talent to pull off any of my tricks!” “It's already hard to get your talent acknowledged in such a biased and unfair world, there's no need to also worry about real magic,” Starlight muttered bitterly. “Exactly! I won't let these magic pony girls steal my thunder anymore! I'll show them all the best magic performances of their life!” Trixie then seized Starlight by both shoulders. “And for that, I will need your help, Starlight Glimmer!” “M-me…!?” “Most of my more amazing tricks require the help of a second person.” “Oh, you mean like… a special show helper?” “More like an assistant. Obviously, the Great and Powerful Trixie will require a great and powerful assistant to help her.” “You mean… me?” “Of course! Who else could it be? From my perspective, you are perfect for the job.” Starlight looked pensive for a moment before smirking. “Well, if you'll have me, I'd gladly accept your offer, Trixie. As your assistant, I'll do everything I can so your next show is a success.” “What… do you think these two are talking about?” Fluttershy wondered. “Beat me, I don’t think she’d have anything interesting to say to anyone, and yet…” Rainbow Dash commented. “Don’t be rude darling, with the right audience and presentation she can be quite interesting,” Rarity argued. “And clearly her current audience is interested.” “No offence, but who would be interested in hearing her talk about rocks?” Applejack said. “Hey! Maud can make anything sound exciting, even rocks! Don’t you dare disrespect my big sister!” Pinkie Pie let out. “I-I think rocks can be quite interesting personally…” Twilight nervously said, adjusting her glasses. “We are not disrespecting your sister Pinkie Pie, we are just wondering why she of all people is talking with her…” Sunset said, glancing at the person in question. Starlight was having a rather animated conversation with Maud Pie- well, as animated as Pinkie’s sister could be. Starlight did seem very interested in whatever (probably rock-related) Maud was telling her. Maud on the other hand had her usual deadpan expression. “Wow, I don’t remember the last time I saw Maud seem so excited! She must be happy to have someone to talk to!” Pinkie exclaimed cheerfully The rest of her friends all looked at Maud with confusion. To them, she looked the same stoic and emotionless Maud. “I’m sorry Pinkie, I… don’t see it,” Applejack admitted. “What!? Have you even looked at her?! Her eyes are shining with glee! And her mouth! It’s small, but she’s definitely smiling!” Pinkie insisted. “Uh… maybe the corner of her mouth is slightly smirking?” Rarity said. “Exactly! Maud is smiling from happiness because she made a friend!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Only you can see through Maud’s stoic demeanor huh,” Rainbow Dash said. “Of course! We’re sisters after all! BSFF! BEST SISTER FRIENDS FOREVER!” Twilight stepped closer to Sunset and whispered into her ears. “I still can’t believe these two are part of the same family.” “You are not the only one,” Sunset replied. While her friends simply mused lightly about the situation, Sunset couldn’t help but feel unease. Why was Starlight talking with Pinkie Pie’s sister? Was she really that interested in rocks? Or was there a more nefarious reason why she had an interest in Maud? Sunset tried to chase away those doubts. “I’m being paranoid. Why would this Starlight be up to no good? Just because she’s talking to Pinkie’s sister? It feels like I’m just making up reasons…” And yet, Sunset simply couldn’t fully chase away this bad feeling in her chest. Starlight eventually walked away, waving goodbye to Maud. The latter reciprocated with a more nonchalant waving. Unable to contain her excitement and curiosity anymore, Pinkie Pie rushed towards her sister as soon as she was alone. “Maud! Congratulations on making a new friend!” she said, tightly hugging her older sister. “Oh, Pinkie Pie,” Maud said, deadpan. “I didn’t see you coming.” “What were you two talking about?” Sunset asked, suspicious despite her. “The usual. Rocks.” “I doubt ‘rocks’ are a usual topic of discussion…” Applejack said. “It is for me,” Maud replied. “But is it for Starlight?” Sunset inquired. “She’s the one who brought up the subject,” Maud revealed. “Huh, really,” Sunset said. “Maybe Starlight is also interested in rocks,” Twilight added. “She wanted to know more about them. We are supposed to hang out later to talk more about it,” Maud revealed. “Is that so-” Sunset began to say. “It’s awesome!” Pinkie Pie interrupted, hugging her sister once again. “I’m so happy for you that you made a friend who shares your interest in rocks!” “Yes. I’m happy too,” Maud said, emotionless. Sunset wanted to ask more but she felt like it might be inappropriate. Both Pie sisters seemed happy- in their own ways. She didn’t want to ruin the moment with her suspicions. “But still, I feel like we are forgetting something about Starlight Glimmer,” Pinkie Pie suddenly said. “I do too-” Fluttershy whispered. “Oh, well, if we can’t remember it’s probably not important. What matters is that Maud made a new friend!” “... never mind.” Despite Pinkie Pie’s enthusiasm, Sunset couldn’t share her happy feeling. Something odd was going on, and she needed to get to the bottom of it before something bad might happen to her friends. “The trick with an S.L.K. is not to make the spars too heavy. But if they're too light, you've got no ballast and then good luck tacking against the A.O.I.!” Starlight was explaining with enthusiasm all the little complexities of kites while flying one in a park near the school. Maud was silently listening to her, with her usual stoic expression. Starlight suddenly looked embarrassed. “I'm sorry, I've been rambling ever since we got here, I just… really like kites.” Maud continued to stare at her with her expressionless eyes and Starlight looked even more nervous. “Kites are cool,” Maud eventually said, breaking the unbearable silence. Starlight sighed in relief. “But enough about kites, I’m interested to learn more about rocks,” Starlight said. “Which rocks in particular? Minerals? Gems? Precious stones? Granites? Crystals?” “Uh… rocks out of the ordinary, unique even. Special if you'd prefer.” “All rocks are unique and special in their own way,” Maud replied as she pulled out a small rock from her pocket, deadpan. “This one’s name is Boulder. The line over there tells me he's over two thousand years old.” “Woah, you can tell that only from a line!?” “You’d be surprised by what one can tell simply by observing a rock. Each one has a different story to tell.” “I see… Is that why you're so fascinated by them?” “Among other things. I also like them because they don't judge or exclude you if you happen to be… different from others.” It was rare for Maud to be so talkative, especially with someone she barely knew. But when it came to rocks, she was always happy to share her passion with whoever was willing to listen. She had a hard time telling if someone was interested or not, so for her to have someone actually ask her about rocks felt like a blessing. She couldn't help but get a little personal. Starlight nodded at her explanation. “I think I understand… I do admire your passion and enthusiasm for them. Making friends can be so hard, you never know what could happen… but rocks wouldn't betray you.” “Boulder sure wouldn't,” Maud said nonchalantly, giving a little smirk at her rock pal. “Does your sister also like rocks?” “My sister and I are very different, as you probably noticed.” “Yeah… I imagine you're the odd one out in your family.” “Quite the contrary, Pinkie Pie is the odd one out. I come from a family of geologists. Pinkie is the only one who doesn't share our passion for rocks.” “Oh… wow. I was not expecting that. Interesting,” Starlight looked pensive for a moment. “I assumed she must be given her rock necklace.” “Rock necklace?” “Yeah, well I think it's a rock?” Starlight had that thoughtful expression again. “Now that I think about it, her friends also wear similar necklaces, just in different colours and with a different symbol engraved on them.” “Oh, you mean their magic geodes.” “Magic… geodes?” “A geode is a nodule of stone having a cavity lined with crystals or mineral matter-” “Yes, I know what a geode is… I meant the magic part.” “Oh. My bad. I forgot you were new at CHS. This kind of thing isn’t really uncommon there so I didn’t feel the need to elaborate further.” “It’s alright,” Starlight replied. “I’m just wondering… why do your sister and her friends have those magic geodes? What do they do?” “They gave them powers,” Maud replied nonchalantly. “Powers…? Like, superpowers?” “Yep. Magic powers essentially.” “That sounds… incredible. Almost unbelievable… where did they find something this powerful?” “A crystal cave at camp Everfree.” “Huh. Interesting…” Starlight remained thoughtful for a moment before she suddenly handed her kite to Maud. “Wanna try?” “Sure,” Maud accepted. “I think kites are starting to grow on me.” “And I think I’ll become quite fond of certain types of rocks myself,” Starlight said with a smirk. “So, about that crystal cave…” “Alright students, it seems our class keeps growing bigger! Four new friends will be joining us today!” Miss Cheerilee said cheerfully. Sunset raised her head. Having one transfer student at this time of the year was already unusual, but now five? This wasn’t just highly unusual, it was… odd. Suspicious even. Four teenagers step inside the classroom, two boys and two girls. The first boy to step inside had short straight white hair with a long fringe and skin of the same color and blue eyes. He had a “pretty boy” esthetic and looked charming. The other boy had short curly blue hair and skin of the same colour, but lighter. His eyes were also blue and he had a wide, cheerful smile on his face. As for the girls, one of them had pink skin and long curly purple hair kept in a single braid and bright cherry eyes. Contrasty with her more girly and feminine appearance, the second girl was more tomboyish and sporty. She had dark blue skin and short wild white hair, and her eyes were electric blue. “Please, introduce yourself,” the teacher asked. “The name’s Double Diamond, nice to meet you!” the white-haired boy said. “I’m Party Favor! Let’s have fun!” the blue-haired boy exclaimed. “My name is Sugar Belle. I hope we can get along,” the girl with a braid said with a warm smile. “Night Glider. ‘Sup,” the other girl said nonchalantly. Instinctively, Sunset looked at Starlight’s seat. Much to her surprise, Starlight was absent today, Was she sick? Was it only a coincidence? Or was it somehow related to these four new students? One thing was sure. Sunset had a bad feeling about this. Author's Note Much longer chapter than the two previous ones. Hopefully I'll keep that up for the rest of the fic. Here's a drawing of the four new students
