“Sunset! Sunset Shimmer!” Twilight Sparkle called out, running up the paved hill. She held her books firmly in her arms as her bangs bobbed up and down with the sound of her foot steps. High above the hill was a small area of grass and a few trees, overlooking a calm golden sea. A figure sat atop the railing of the ledge, swinging her legs to and fro as she stared out at the horizon. Again the voice called.
Sunset Shimmer turned her head away from the orange and purples of the sky and peered down the hill, smiling as she made eye contact with Twilight. “Oh, Twilight. You left your work-study early?”
Twilight slowed her pace to a walk, dragging her feet closer towards Sunset Shimmer. “No, I got someone else to take my shift,” she wheezed, dropping her books in front of her and plopping down in front of a tree.
“Huh, really? You of all people decided to skip out on a study session?” Sunset chuckled.
“It’s a work-study, meaning I also do a job while I study,” Twilight corrected. “Besides, I’m already caught up on all of my assignments, and am fully prepared for Mr. Laungbouh’s test. Not to mention, I achieved sufficient overtime hours to compensate for my lack of attendance this evening at my work-study.”
“Pfft, whatever. There you go again, acting all studious and snooty,” Sunset sighed, crossing her arms. She peered over at Twilight who was now looking at the ground, her glasses sliding down the bridge of her nose. Sunset walked over and bent down, pushing Twilight’s frames up.
“S-sunset—”
“Shh,” Sunset Shimmer replied, fixing the glasses, then pushing in with her finger. She let out a laugh as Twilight shrieked.
“Ouch! Idiot!” she shouted, slapping Sunset’s hand away. “You know I hate it when you do that, you’ll break my glasses one day, I swear.”
“So, you been thinking of what high school you want to attend?” Sunset said then, taking a seat as well. Twilight adjusted her glasses correctly and looked over the cliff, sighing. “What, that’s not an answer.”
“Where are you going?” she asked back.The question nearly swept Sunset off of her feet.
“Look, Twi, I told you that you shouldn’t worry about me. I don’t want you to be deprived of a proper education just because of me,” she replied, moving a strand of hair out of her face. She turned towards Twilight and scrunched her face up, letting out a small huff.
Twilight closed her mouth and straightened up then.
“Look, whether you like it or not, I’m going to Canterlot High because they’re the only school in this region that accepted me. I know it’s not the grandest of locations, but they’re not too terrible,” Sunset began. She stretched out the polo in her hands. “This… this is what defines us from kindergarten through middle school, and I’ll be damned if I let you receive such a poor secondary education!”
“Language,” Twilight pouted, crossing her arms. “And anyway, who do you think you are, telling me where I can and can’t go to school? Canterlot High is close by, and like you said, it’s not as bad as everybody makes it out to be!”
“You don’t get it,” Sunset growled. “You and I know you’re capable of so much more, and you hold yourself back because of me.”
“That’s not true—”
“Twilight,” Sunset said, cupping her hand over Twi’s mouth, “Crystal Private Academy is where you belong. It’s where you can finally better yourself and not have to worry about holding yourself back.”
“CPA?!” Twilight shouted in a muffled cry. She removed Sunset’s hand. “But… CPA is a prestigious school. There’s no way—”
“Hey, I’m just going to keep interrupting you until I’ve changed your mind,” Sunset interjected. “Look, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about this since we took the Practice Exit Exam a week ago.”
“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.
“I mean, I know how you intentionally scored low so you could stay in the same division as me,” Sunset replied.
“Th-that’s… No, I…” Twilight adjusted her glasses and stepped back. Sunset smiled and grabbed her shoulder.
“Damn, you’re awful at lying.”
“Language,” Twilight said. “That was a difficult test, it’s understandable the grade I received wasn’t above proficient. Aside from that, it was a practice one, and thus I intentionally scored lower because I knew it wouldn’t count.”
“Yeah, sure,” Sunset scoffed. She placed her shirt back on and sighed. “We’re best friends, Twilight.”
Twilight looked at her and blinked. “Of course,” she replied.
“I’m not turning you away,” Sunset said, grabbing Twi’s hand. “I’m asking you to at least consider it. You’ll do much more good at Crystal Private than with me. I’ll only slow you down.”
“Sunset... “
Both girls looked each other in the eye, Sunset Shimmer staring intently through Twilight’s glasses, and Twilight peering hesitantly into Sunset’s eyes. They tightened their grip on each other’s hands and smiled, bringing their bodies close together..
“Hey, look, it’s the Lesbozos!”
They immediately broke their bond and turned to face three young boys, each wearing the same middle school uniforms. The child in the center held a laptop bag around his shoulder and sported short, brown, tufted hair. To his left was a slightly larger boy, pale in complexion and wearing a backwards baseball cap. The other on his right had long black spikey hair and wore pointed sunglasses. His polo was completely unbuttoned and his shorts tattered at the frills.
Sunset growled, cracking her knuckles as Twilight shifted behind her. “Unless you want your faces pounded in, I suggest you leave!” Sunset held her hands open in front of her and spread her legs apart.
The boy in the center laughed and pointed at her. “What are you going to do? You know who my father is, Shimmer. If you hurt me, you’re done for!” The other boys gave a small chuckle and crossed their arms along with their boss.
“Sunset, just let them leave. They can say what they want,” Twilight said.
“No, they can’t,” Sunset replied, baring her teeth at the boys. “This is exactly why you need to go to Crystal Private Academy. You won’t have to deal with these losers.”
“Crystal Private? Heh, like either of you has a chance to get in!”
“Shut up, Abacus,” Sunset shouted. “It’s none of your business what we say or do, so get out of here, you and your goons!”
“Goons?” the pale boy cried.
“Relax, Hulker, it’s not that far off a description, actually,” the spiky haired boy chuckled.
“Aw, Greaser, why you gotta be mean?!” Hulker shouted back.
“Shut up, both of you,” Abacus shouted. “Hmph, we weren’t going to stay, I just wanted to catch them kissing or something. It’d be a nice blackmailing photo, or even a personal memoir of our middle school years!”
“You’re a sick pervert, Abacus!” Sunset Shimmer spat.
“It’s not like that!” Twilight cried. “I’ve seen you guys get friendly with each other too!”
“That’s called wrastling, nerd, and it’s what guys do. We don’t hug each other or grab each other’s hands, unless we’re meaning to get rough,” Abacus snorted with his head held high.
“Hmm, I don’t think I’d mind seeing a picture of that,” Sunset teased, forcing Abacus to blush. He held his hand out now and Sunset resumed her earlier position.
“I’m not like you two freaks,” he said. “I’m smarter, stronger, and more popular. When I grab a boy or a girl, they’re going to end up on their back, with both legs twisted!”
Twilight yelped and grabbed Sunset’s arm. “Okay, we get it, we don’t want to start anything! If the principal found out we were all involved in a fight, it could affect our graduation status!”
“Yeah, that’s right… Listen to your little lover, Sunset,” Abacus said. “You don’t want to fight me anyway… I know Twilight can’t defend herself, and you can’t take on all three of us.”
“All three of you? A pervert, a dunce, and a slime ball. If you ask me, I have the upper hand here,” Sunset replied. Twilight tugged on her arm again. Sunset Shimmer looked at her, and then back at the boys. “Just go,” she said, lowering her hands.
“Fine, it’s not like I want to spend all night with you two,” Abacus scoffed. He swished his hand in the air and turned around, walking back down the hill. Hulker and Greaser followed, chuckling and giving each other a high five. “What would you do without your dear Twilight Sparkle, Sunset,” Abacus suddenly called out. “She can’t talk you out of your problems from Crystal Private Academy!”
“That’s it, you little shit!” Sunset shouted, bringing her right arm up.
“Language!” Twilight cried, but was drowned out by the powerful roar of the swirling ball of fire within Sunset’s palm.
Sunset Shimmer threw a punch, and the fire ball rocketed from her fist, soaring through the air towards the trio halfway down the hill. Abacus turned around and brought his left arm up, swiping at the air as a light blue aura filled his palms. An ethereal barrier materialized from the aura, absorbing the fireball, but shattering the shield.
“I knew she couldn’t resist,” he said, a smile over his face.
“I’ll get her,” Hulker snorted, making his way back up the hill. He charged up the slope, roaring at the girls as he stomped upwards. Sunset Shimmer made two more fireballs, one in each palm and shot them at the boy. He dodged the first one, but was struck by the second, tripping and rolling back down the hill.
“Useless,” Greaser chuckled, leaping high into the air. He cleared the entire slope in a single bound and threw a punch at Sunset.
Sunset Shimmer shoved Twilight out of the way and dodged, making a fiery fist and ramming it at Greaser’s chest. He leapt away just in time, and landed safely several feet away from her. She growled at him and tossed several fireballs in his direction, but he managed to duck under and dodge over each one, quickly closing the distance between himself and her. “Stupid Fleet-Foot!” Sunset shouted, spewing fire from all over her body.
Greaser leapt into the air and landed a good distance away again. He chuckled and brushed some dust from his clothes. “Stupid Majik,” he replied, pointing behind her.
Sunset turned around, but was already within Hulker Bicep’s bear hug. She yelled as he tightened his grip, but even more so after he lifted her off of the ground and head-first into the floor.
“Sunset Shimmer!” Twilight shouted, taking cover behind a tree. She rushed out to meet her, but one glance from Abacus sent her back to the trunk. Abacus smirked, and walked over to Sunset who had managed to get on her hands and knees.
“I told you what happens when a boy grabs something, didn’t I?” he said. She lifted her hand up towards him, still holding her head down. He laughed and motioned for it. “Admitting defeat like the girl that you a—”
“Let me show you what happens when a pissed off girl grabs a cocky boy!” Sunset shouted, locking her grip over his wrist.
“Let me go!”
“Gladly, you little shit!” Sunset’s free hand burned a bright red, and she pulled Abacus close, striking him. A loud shockwave resounded throughout the area, and the hillside erupted in a cloud of smoke.
“Abacus!” Hulker and Greaser shouted.
“Sunset!” Twilight called out.
“I’m fine!” came both voices from the murky cloud. As the smoke cleared, Sunset still had her grip on Abacus’s left wrist, but where she had struck with her palm, he had met her, wielding a similar spell with a blue aura. Sparks ignited from their clasped hands, and steam poured out from in between their fingers.
“Such a temper… It’s a wonder why my father hasn’t expelled you yet!” Abacus said through gritted teeth.
“Maybe because he’s afraid of me, like you are!” Sunset replied, straining just as hard as he was.
“We gotta help him!” Hulker shouted, charging at them. Greaser grabbed him by the collar however, and pulled him back.
“You dumbass, you don’t want to get in between two fighting Majiks. You’re better off on the sidelines you useless Mule,” he said.
“Sunset, Abacus, stop!” Twilight shouted, stepping out again.
“What does this bitch want?” Abacus growled.
“Hey!” Sunset Shimmer growled, pushing harder. In the face of Sunset’s sudden burst, Abacus lost his grip. Her palm smacked his out of the way. “Watch your language around Twilight, you limp-dick fuckwad!” she shouted, smashing her fist into the boy’s cheek. She let go of his wrist and he flew back, crashing into one of the trees in the small area.
“A-Abacus?!” Hulker gasped, rushing over to him.
“Don’t you dare use that word to describe her, got it?!” Sunset yelled, rubbing the hand she had used to hit him.
Abacus shoved Hulker to the side and got up, tears hanging in the corner of his eyes, but also a fiery glare within his pupils. His face was darkened where she had hit him, and blood trickled down his puffed chin. “Shunshwet Shwimer!” he yelled, but grabbed his mouth and howled shortly afterwards.
“You broke his jaw!” Twilight shrieked.
“Don’t worry, the idiot will be fine, he can heal himself. He’s just being a baby right now,” Sunset said, spitting on the ground.
Abacus growled, holding his cheek with one hand. A faint green light emanated from his palm and within seconds the blood down his chin disappeared and the swelling in his face had gone down. His skin returned to its normal pigment and he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly afterwards.
“Great, that’s all the magic I had today!” he shouted. “When my dad finds out, he’ll kill me! Then he’ll expel you!”
“I doubt that,” Sunset scoffed. “He would’ve done so by now. Now then, doesn’t this make the score five-oh?”
“Seven-zero,” Hulker corrected, to which Abacus promptly smacked him.
“Come on, Twilight,” Sunset said, grabbing her arm.
“What? Where are we going?!”
“Away from here, I need to eat something sweet,” she explained. They walked by the three boys without even a parting glance, ignoring the shouts and cries they delivered from afar.
“You know, we should’ve done this in the first place,” Twilight said.
“Shut up,” Sunset said, letting go of her arm. “I hate it when you’re right…”
“Oh wait! My books!”
***
“Y-you ordered the whole left side of the menu!” Twilight gasped, setting her burger down.
“And? I have the money to pay for it,” Sunset replied.
“That’s not it,” Twilight said, “It’s that there’s nothing on your plate that doesn’t have sugar or milk in it!”
“Hey, back off, I don’t obsess over your bad eating habits.” Sunset Shimmer picked up a few unwrapped chocolate truffles and tossed them all into her mouth. As she chewed, she scooped a spoonful of rocky road ice-cream and shoved it in as well.
“Bad eating habits?” Twilight licked her lips and wiped her face with her arm.
“You know my thing is sweets anyway,” Sunset said, slurping a large milkshake and taking a bite out of a candy bar. “Oh, so good…”
“That’s only to replenish your magic,” Twilight said. “You still need to eat like a normal person. I swear, I don’t know how your dad puts up with you…”
Sunset swallowed whatever was in her mouth and blew a raspberry. “Are you kidding, my dad is the one who passed this damn thing onto me,” Sunset replied.
“Ah, language, especially around people!” Twilight reminded her, tapping her hand with a french fry.
“Yes, mom,” Sunset said with a half smirk. She took a spoonful of a parfait and hummed lightly to herself.
“Sunset,” Twilight said, wiping her mouth, and grabbing her friend’s attention.
“Yeah, what is it?” Sunset Shimmer replied, taking a forkful of vanilla cake into her mouth.
“I’ve decided where I want to go for high school.”
Sunset Shimmer blinked several times before swallowing. “Okay, let’s hear it then,” she said, twirling the utensil like a baton.
Twilight cleared her throat and shifted in her seat a little, but looked straight ahead at Sunset Shimmer. “I’ve decided, I’m going to Canterlot High.”
“Twi,” Sunset began, but was quieted with a sudden chocolate coated banana. Twilight retreated to her seat and held her finger up, pursing her lips against it.
“Hear me out, Sunshine,” Twilight said, adjusting her glasses. Sunset inhaled quickly, taking in a large chunk of the chocolate banana in her throat. She gagged a little and coughed it back up, chewing it up this time before swallowing. She took a sip of her soda and coughed, beating on her chest.
“I told you not to call me that, ever,” she said, coughing still.
“Then you know how serious my answer is, and my explanation,” Twilight replied. Sunset nodded, sliding some food away so they could see each other more clearly.
“I’m going to Canterlot High because I want to help you.”
“Hey, I’m not that bad at my studies!”
“You’re not understanding!” Twilight said a little louder. The diner suddenly grew quiet, and everybody peered in their direction for a moment. “I’m sorry, but it’s not to help you like that,” she said.
“How else would you help me then?”
Twilight exhaled and brought her hands above the table, resting them calmly over each other. “Your attitude and your behavior towards me. I’ll help you curb that,” she said. She fixed her glasses as they slipped off of her face once more.
Sunset looked at her with a raised brow. She placed her elbows on the table and rested her head down on her hands. “I’m not getting it,” she finally said.
“Look,” Twilight said, bringing her hand up and then down, softly but firmly on the table, “the way you see me and try to look out for me, I’m grateful for that, and I do love it, but at the same time, I have to learn how to do things on my own and make my own decisions.”
“You can make your own decisions, but you should make the right ones, not the wrong ones, and this is a wrong one,” Sunset berated.
“You’re still not listening!” Twilight sighed.
“I am, I just have to keep my common sense machine fully functional to do that, but you’re messing it up!”
“D-darn it, Sunset Shimmer, I’m going to Canterlot High so I can learn how to fend for myself!” Twilight shouted, rising from her chair. Sunset looked back at her, her mouth slightly ajar. Twi quickly seated herself and brushed her hair back, once again fixing the glasses on her face. Sunset Shimmer blew a sigh and beat on the table a bit before looking at the girl directly across from her.
“Fend fer yerself, eh?” Sunset asked again. Twilight nodded.
“If I’m going to take over my family business someday, I have to be prepared to take charge and be in command, not to mention make my own decisions, good or bad,” Twi explained. Sunset Shimmer sat there, silent, but nodded at everything Twilight was explaining to her.
“I know why you want me to go to Crystal Academy, but to be honest, it wouldn’t matter. I think separating ourselves is the wrong decision here, because it’s through our friendship that we’ve been able to get through so much together.
You worry about me, and I worry about you, but in reality, that’s how it’s supposed to be between friends.I get that you’re saying I could potentially find my calling as some renowned scholar, and you wouldn’t have to worry about dragging me into your string of problems if we separated, but don’t you think it’s those little quirks about us that make us unique?”
Sunset rolled her eyes at that last statement. “You’re babbling now, did the waiter spike your drink or something?” She sighed.
“I’m trying to be deep and emotional!” Twilight crossed her arms and huffed. “To shorten my explanation then, I’m going to Canterlot High because of my own reasons, not because of you.”
Sunset Shimmer’s eyes widened. She looked at Twilight and blinked. “What…”
“Yes, you’re my reason, but at the same time, my reason is my own, and if you think it’s the wrong choice, then it’s not me you doubt, it’s yourself,” Twilight said. “You trust me to make the right choice, so if I’m making the wrong one, you’re to blame, not me.”
“Y-you… Twi,” Sunset started, getting out of her chair. Twilight flinched as Sunset raised her arms. She closed her eyes, but felt something light grab her shoulder. Opening them again, she saw her friend, smiling at her. “You really know how to get under my skin, Egghead.”
“Of course, I’ve known you darn near all my life,” Twilight replied.
“You have to promise me one thing though,” Sunset said. “You won’t hold back this time. I want you to shine like the brightest star in the night sky, and graduate at the top of the class; leave me in the dust!”
“Ha, okay, only if you promise to behave yourself and make more friends. Not to mention, don’t worry about me or protect me like some kind of momma bear,” Twilight replied.
“Alright, I can accept those terms, though, no promises on the behaving part,” Sunset chuckled, shoving a whole brownie into her mouth. She swallowed and then laughed. “Well, the hard part wasn’t convincing me, it’ll be telling your parents you want to go to some public institution in a middle-class urban area.”
“Don’t worry, they’ll get over it. Especially if I participate in every academic club, join the Honors program, and keep my GPA above 3.957,” Twilight said with a wink.
“Goodbye middle school slow life then,” Sunset Shimmer said, grabbing her half-full soda glass and raising it up. “They were some fun times.”
“Let’s have more fun times in our high school years then,” Twilight Sparkle said, raising her glass as well.
It was crowded. Very crowded. Sunset Shimmer wiped away the few drops of sweat that clung loosely to her brow. She removed her leather jacket and began fanning herself with her hand, swiveling her head around once more within the packed quad of Canterlot High. As she rose on the tips of her toes, she could make out the bobbing head of a particular purple-haired girl weaving in and out of the crowd. Sunset smiled and returned to the ground, watching as Twilight Sparkle politely maneuvered through a pair of bodies to reach her.
“It’s about time,” Sunset said, wrapping her jacket around her waist. “I didn’t take you for one to be late either, but I guess since you’re in highschool now, you can slack off a little.”
“Don’t be silly, I’m only late because my mom made me eat breakfast this morning,” Twilight replied.
“Let me guess, you were spending all morning preparing for a tour of the school? It’s still Summer Break, we’ve got two weeks before it starts,” Sunset laughed.
“I know,” Twilight began, “but do you really want to come off as unprepared and so lackadaisical?”
Sunset Shimmer stared back at her, hands on her hips and bottom lip puffed out. “All I’m asking for is two more weeks before I start thinking about stuff like papers and exams.”
“It’s that kind of attitude that led to you barely passing the exit exam in middle school,” Abacus remarked from behind them. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight turned around, but only Sunset growled. Bulk Biceps and Greaser were both at Abacus’s side.
“Like annoying gnats around a cow’s ass,” Sunset Shimmer spat.
“Watch your mouth,” Twilight hissed in a harsh whisper.
“That must make you the ass,” Abacus said, garnering a chuckle from his lackeys.
“I was talking about your sorry excuse for a posse, Abacus,” Sunset replied.
“Listen, Sunset, we could do this all day, but c’mon, I was only teasing you. I know how you’ll react, so I push all the buttons I can,” Abacus said, smiling. “But I’m not in middle school anymore, I’ve matured since last year.”
“Is that a fact?” Sunset asked. She examined him up and down, rolling her eyes at all of the maturity Abacus had attained since last year. “By the way, what happened to you going to CPA, oh mature one?”
Abacus chuckled, wiping his hair back with his hands and then throwing them in his pockets. “What, do you think I’ll retaliate via insult? For your information, CPA would’ve accepted me no problem, but I didn’t feel like going that far for school, especially since it’s a private boarding school,” he replied.
“I find that hard to believe,” Sunset Shimmer scoffed. She raised her hand up and spun around. “Whatever, it’s not like I care anyway. If you’ve matured so much, take yourself and your goof troop elsewhere, they’re about to start the tour.”
“Heh, whatever you say, Shimmer,” Abacus said, making a mock bow. “C’mon guys, let’s leave the condiment-head alone.”
“Condiment-head?! Fuck you!” Sunset Shimmer lunged for him, but she was quickly restrained. Abacus and his friends laughed, taking off deeper into the crowd.
“Sunset!” Twilight shouted, cupping her hands over Sunset’s mouth. A few people turned around and stared at the two girls. Twilight chuckled nervously, dragging her friend to another part of the crowd. “What’s wrong with you, making an outburst like that?!”
“I’ll hold my tongue if that prick holds his! Who does he think he is, instigating trouble like that?” She broke out of Twilight’s hold and brushed herself off. She began straightening her hair, but quickly shoved it aside as she caught a glimpse of her red and yellow locks.
Before either of them could speak further, a figure appeared at the head of the crowd, taking her position in front of the podium and microphone. Both girls widened their eyes as they gazed upon this woman standing before them. She wore a pristine white blazer over a vibrant purple blouse. Clinging to her hips and thighs were a matching skirt and white leggings, accentuating her perfect curves even more so. Her posture was powerful and elegant; she was standing as stalwart as a tree trunk, yet as refined as a perfectly sculpted hourglass.
Her multicolored hair seemed to flow in a non-existent breeze, though the girls were sure it was just a trick of the sun. Speaking of, the sun seemed to have grown more intense as this woman took the stage. The woman’s earrings and necklace gave off a blinding sheen at her slightest movement. It was as if even the burning ball in the sky recognized there was something unique about the presence of this woman.
She tapped the microphone with her index finger, and then cleared her throat. “Welcome, prospective students, to Canterlot High School,” she spoke, gathering everyone’s attention in the mob before her. All eyes faced her, and every ear was doubtless tuned into her direction.
“Heh, look at the bunch. It never ceases to amaze me how easily you captivate people, Les,” a white-haired man said, walking up the back steps now. He was an older gentleman, garbed in a brown sweater vest and a button-up shirt with two different colored sleeves. His pants were an unorthodox combination of brown and green colors, and he held a wooden cane in one hand. He brought it up to fix the glasses on his face and smiled at the students as he stroked his goatee.
He was followed by another woman, just as elegant and stunning as the one at the podium. She, however, wore a deep blue dress, separated in two parts by a sash around her waist. The lower half of her clothes shone just as much as the first woman, however these glimmered in a different manner, almost as if they were stars flashing across the night sky. She too wore a blazer to cover her top, though this one was colored solid black.
Her dark hair flowed smoothly down her face and around her shoulders. She had on the same necklace and earrings as the first woman, and stared at the crowd, demanding just as much respect and exuding an equivalent amount of authority.
“Oh, look. They must be the staff,” Twilight noted.
“Are you sure this is Canterlot High? These guys look too pretentious to be running a backwater school like this,” Sunset commented. Her eyes drifted back to the woman in white. “And look at her… So gaudy and uptight. It’s sickening.” The first woman poised herself in front of the microphone again, and Sunset shut her mouth, though she gave that a second thought after the fact.
“I thank you all for coming out today. I am Principal Celestia Regalia, and these whom you see before you, standing with me, are Vice-principal Luna Regalia, and Academic Advisor Dis Cord,” she announced.
“His name is Discord?” Sunset giggled. “I believe it, look at the way he’s dressed, and look at how he holds himself,” she said.
Twilight examined the man on the stage and nodded. While the other two held upright, proper stances, Dis kind of slouched. He was tapping his foot on the stage and it looked like he might’ve been humming to himself as Celestia was talking.
“Oh shoot!” Twilight panicked.
“What?! What is it?!” Sunset yelled.
“You made me miss what Principal Regalia said just now!”
“You dork,” Sunset sighed. “She was still introducing herself and her staff, don’t worry, you didn’t miss anything.”
“A-are you sure? I’d hate to miss anything she’d have to say… I mean, anything important she talks about,” Twilight stammered, adjusting her glasses. Sunset looked at her with a raised brow, and an open mouth. She blinked and removed Twilight’s glasses, wiping the lenses with her finger.
“Your glasses are fogging up…”
“It has come to my attention that you all have chosen to come here for your secondary education, because you realized the potential that this academy has to offer you, and the potential that this academy sees in you,” Celestia continued. “That is why, as per the norm of every incoming class, we shall take a wonderful tour of our amazing school, and show you what awaits you within the halls of this building.”
“Oh boy, classrooms and hallways, how fun,” Sunset mocked, crossing her arms.
“Well, why did you come if you thought it was going to be boring?” Twilight asked. The crowd began to move now, from the front of the school into the actual building.
“This tour was mandatory, I thought you knew that,” Sunset replied. Twilight shook her head. Sunset Shimmer sighed and started walking, prompting Twilight to follow after.
It wasn’t a very big crowd, but even so, the amount of bodies in the quad before was enough to fill up almost half of the front of the school. Yet, every prospective student that was once gathered outside were now standing in the main foyer of the building, admiring the spotless laminated flooring, and the open space above their heads. A large glass dome covered the room, layering a shadow of the school’s insignia on the floor.
“Wow, it’s bigger than I thought, and cleaner too,” Abacus said, suddenly standing right next to Sunset and Twilight.
“Geez, get away, jerk,” Sunset said, shoving him.
He growled, pushing back. “Relax, Sunshine, I’m not here to bother you. I told you I plan on taking this seriously, I’ve matured, and I’ll prove it to you today.” He gave her a smug grin and crossed his arms.
“Shortly after the tour, those of you interested can take part in the little seminar we hold before classes start.” This was the other woman talking now, Vice-principal Luna. “Of course, participation in this event is not required, and it won’t give you any extra credit or assistive learning outside of our regular studies.”
“What’s the point in staying then?” Sunset asked.
“There is no point,” Dis replied. He swung his cane around and tapped it on the floor as he spoke. “It’s just a tradition at this school; a little pre-semester lecture, if you will.” Twilight peeked over at Sunset, who blew her hair out of her face. Sunset glared back, pouting harder at her friend’s wide eyes and wider smile.
“Canterlot High was first established by my sister and I twenty-five years ago. We believed that in helping the youth of our community master their Artes, we can improve society and educate the populace into responsible and caring individuals. While it’s true that we have a rather… unconventional history, it is also important to note that we take pride in our academia and mission statement,” Celestia explained.
“And, what exactly is that mission statement?” Twilight called out, waving her hand. Sunset hid her face as Abacus and a few other kids chuckled.
“To prepare our students for the coming world and help them lead successful lives; To imbue a sense of honesty in one’s heart, loyalty in one’s actions, kindness in one’s intent, generosity in one’s gifts, and laughter in one’s soul, by teaching them to care for themselves and their community through the mastering of the magic each one possesses,” Celestia finished, looking at Twilight. The young girl clasped her hands together, staring up at the principal with a flushed face.
“Heh, it’s just a rip off from CPA’s mission statement,” Abacus whispered to Sunset on the side. “All she did was add the generosity and other useless virtues in there.”
“Good to know, now don’t get so close to me,” Sunset replied.
“Now then, if you all would follow me, there is much to see,” Celestia said, motioning for the throng to make way. She led the kids down the first hall and pointed out each of the classrooms, beginning with the one on the right. Sunset Shimmer raced ahead to Twilight, who was practically next to Celestia now, and held her back.
“So, you couldn’t resist, huh?” Twilight giggled at Sunset’s question.
“Oh, come on. I already knew the mission statement. I just wanted to hear it come from the principal herself. That’ll help me gauge my expectations for the general consensus of the student body,” she explained.
“What are you talking about, that makes no sense,” Sunset replied.
“If the principal knows the mission statement, then I know it’s going to be an okay school.”
“Of course she’s going to know the mission statement! It’d be a idiot move to make her the principal if she didn’t know the mission statement!”
Twilight giggled again. “Y-you’re right… I just wanted to hear her speak…”
“I don’t believe this, you’ve got a crush on the principal, and it’s not even the first day of school,” Sunset gasped. She smacked her face and pulled hard as she wiped her hand down. “Fine, go enjoy yourself… I’ll stay back here and keep the ass-face company.”
“Okay, enjoy your time with Abacus!” Twilight said, taking off for the front of the crowd again.
“Hey, aren’t you going to tell me to watch my language?!” Sunset shouted.
“If she won’t, I will. Watch your mouth, Condiment-head,” Abacus said, standing next to her. Sunset grabbed Abacus’s arm and twisted it. She shuffled behind him and pulled on his hair, tugging hard in order to break his reluctance to scream.
“What was that about being mature, Ass-face?!”
***
“We are staying for the after-tour lecture, aren’t we?” Twilight asked, sipping juice from her orange shaped carton. She set the box down and picked up the sandwich on the lunch tray, biting into it with a sweet smile. “Oh man, this sure beats the gruel our middle school served us!”
“Cafeteria food is cafeteria food, no matter where you go,” Sunset replied, poking at her salad with her fork. She held her head in her other hand, looking around the large cafeteria room. “I will say, it’s a lot bigger than middle school, though. I guess it has to be, considering I see kids who went to our rival schools in here too.”
“Hey, you haven’t eaten,” Twilight said, poking Sunset in the arm. “Even your chocolate-covered cookies are untouched.”
“I guess I’m not hungry… And I haven’t been using any of my artes today, unlike some idiots,” she replied, casting a glare across the room. Abacus sat with his two buddies, and some other kids Sunset didn’t know, showing off his magic secretly.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Twilight said.
“Yeah, whatever, we’ll go to that stupid lecture, considering you’re my ride home tonight, and you told your parents you’d be staying after,” Sunset sighed.
“Oh, your father can’t come get you?”
“Nah, he’s busy with work. It’s okay, I told him I would just sleep over with you tonight.”
“Eh?! I-I still have to clear that with my parents!” Twilight shouted, spewing bits of sandwich at Sunset. She swallowed the food in her mouth and pulled out her phone. “You know they don’t like it when you spring these things up on me.”
“Relax,” Sunset laughed, “Your parents love me. It’s that brother of yours that thinks I’m no good.” Twilight halted her action and looked at Sunset. Sunset Shimmer had dropped her fork completely and was drinking from a juice pouch, staring out at the campus through the large cafeteria windows.
“He’s not so bad, you guys just got off on the wrong foot,” Twilight said.
Sunset gave a small grunt and set the empty pouch down. “C’mon, it’s almost time for that thingy to start. The other kids’ parents will be flooding the halls soon, so I don’t want to get caught in the traffic.”
“Huh? Hey, wait!” Twilight called out, stuffing the rest of her sandwich in her mouth. She placed the apple in her skirt pocket and collected both her and Sunset’s tray. After disposing of the waste, she rushed out, catching her friend just as she swallowed the last bit of her lunch. “I could’ve choked back there!”
“You’re fine, you have healing Artes. Plus, you can deliver oxygen to the rest of your body without breathing, dummy,” Sunset scoffed. “Now if it were me, that would be different. I can’t very well burn something lodged in my throat, at least not without unwanted consequences.”
“You have a very strange sense of humor,” Twilight replied. “I think it bothers me more that it doesn’t bother me at all.” They both laughed as they made their way down the hall, following a set of directions on the back of the school flyers Dis had handed out during the tour.
“So, this is the seminar room,” Sunset said, stopping in front of a set of large double doors. Both girls entered, finding it sparsely filled with kids and adults. “Hmm, these guys must’ve convinced their parents to stay too.”
“Either that or the parents have questions about the school. Aww, I should’ve told my mom and dad,” Twilight cried.
They grabbed a seat somewhere in the middle of the large room. All of the desks and chairs were situated in a gradually descending slope, each level jutting out far enough to hold three rows and two sets of stairs. At the bottom of the room, on the seminar stage sat the three faculty members from before: Celestia, Luna, and Dis.
“Were they just waiting here the whole time we were eating?” Sunset asked.
“It makes sense, after all, they don’t technically have to watch over the students if the parents are coming to pick them up,” Twilight replied.
Sunset leaned back in her seat and stared at the three adults again. Celestia remained perfectly still, sitting patiently and reading from an unmarked book. Even her legs were crossed in a perfect manner. Sunset clicked her tongue at the sight, and shifted her gaze onto Luna.
Almost immediately, Luna stared right back. She quickly lifted her gaze, shrugging off the goosebumps the Vice-principal gave her and set her sights on Dis. The odd one out, that was for sure. His eyes were closed, and he was leaning back in his chair, his right hand tapping his thigh in rhythm while his left supported him and the rocking chair via his wooden cane. He had a pair of earbuds in, and was moving his mouth slightly. At least he acted somewhat regular, even if he dressed a little odd.
A clock hung above them, the second hand ticking away as the time drew closer towards 1:30. It was about a minute till, and an obnoxious voice filled the lecture hall, followed by the laughter of two more equally distasteful boys.
“What a surprise,” Greaser said, taking a seat in the row directly above Sunset and Twilight. “I guess you do whatever your girl wants you to, huh? Don’t you know a relationship goes both ways?”
“I’m pretty sure she does,” Bulk Biceps laughed. Greaser chuckled, nudging Abacus with his elbow.
“Hey now, what did I say? Let’s lay off a little. I did promise Shimmer I’d act more mature than I was in middle school,” Abacus said.
“You’ve done a damn good job at disappointing me, then,” Sunset replied without looking.
“Language,” Twilight chimed in.
At that instant, the sound of a thousand pages clashing together filled the room. The echoing of the book Celestia shut pervaded a little while longer, silencing the random chatter in the background.
“Thank you all for staying,” Celestia began, setting her book in her chair. She walked over to the podium in the room and stood in front of the microphone.
“Not like she needs that,” Sunset whispered.
“You’re right, I don’t,” Celestia replied, looking at her. Sunset’s face burned red, and the boys above cackled in poor restraint. “Forgive me, I did not mean to embarrass you, I was simply acknowledging your opinion, and decided that I agree with it.”
Everyone in the chamber straightened up now, leaning in closer despite the fact that her voice already carried well in the room.
“You already know who I am, so I’ll forgo the introductions. Instead, I’ll cut to the chase. I know we said that participating in this assembly was not required, but in actuality, your attendance here means far more than you know. I promise you when I say, it will not go unrecalled in our minds.” She moved away from the podium now and held out her left arm. Using her other hand, she slid away her sleeve and revealed a silver armlet, embedded with a yellow jewel just below her wrist. It pulsated with a light blue glow that surrounded the jewel and danced all across the band itself.
“What you are looking at is called a G.A.L.A.,” Dis said now, rising from his seat. “A nifty little thing I invented myself. It’s what we use here to regulate and monitor the progress of your success at our school.” He twirled his cane around and used it to lift his sleeve now, revealing one as well. His jewel, however, was a dark emerald color.
“G.A.L.A. stands for Gene Activated Latent Arte,” Luna explained, revealing hers. It chilled the room with its sleek, cobalt vigor. “Each student, upon enrollment into Canterlot High, will be given one, and will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of his or her own G.A.L.A.”
“H-hold on,” Twilight interrupted, rising out of her seat. “Don’t you think all of the students should know about this, and not just us?”
“They will know, on their first day,” Celestia explained. “However, G.A.L.A.s are not cheap, and not toys. Those who receive one on the first day will more than likely flunk out of Canterlot High due to their inability to operate one.”
The crowd starting speaking amongst themselves. “However,” Celestia continued, “you few in this room will be among those in our student body with the privilege of owning your G.A.L.A. before then.”
“That just doesn’t seem fair,” another student said from across the room. “Sure, we showed initiative, but you said at the beginning of the tour that coming to this seminar wouldn’t give us extra credit or anything.”
“You misquote me,” Luna said, facing the boy. “I had said, ‘it will not garner you extra credit, nor assistance outside of regular academic studies.’ Of course, I’m even now paraphrasing myself, but my point is that this is within the scope of regular academia at Canterlot High.”
“Our school is notorious for its drop-outs, and the supposed youth that its environment brings up,” Celestia entered again. “Of course, looking from the outside in, one would assume this is because of facetious reasonings such as low budgets and poor location. In actuality, our standards here are much higher than any private school you all could ever afford to go to.”
“Then what’s with the high acceptance rates?” Sunset cupped her hand over her mouth. Shit… I didn’t mean to…
“We accept a high volume of students to weed out the acceptable from the trash, so to speak,” Dis said. “We’re not saying those who receive their G.A.L.A.s on the first day will automatically drop out. Some of our best third and fourth years are just those kinds of students. No, what we’re saying is… our school may appear to be a run-down, delinquent-filled, backwater of an institution, but in reality, it’s the best place a parent could send their child.”
“We offer the same methods and quality of study a private academy does, for free. We only ask that our students abide by our guidelines and follow our customs. On this campus, wearing a G.A.L.A. is like wearing a uniform. Come to school without it, and it could cost you,” Luna revealed.
“In that same manner, having a G.A.L.A. break or losing it will result in immediate expulsion,” Celestia declared. The room exploded in a quiet uproar of murmurs and whispers.
“Geez, and here I thought I was going to a laid back school,” Sunset Shimmer sighed.
“So much for avoiding regiment and militarism,” Abacus sighed as well.
“Th-this interesting…” Twilight said, taking down notes.
“Because of your attendance, those of you here will automatically be enrolled into the GALA Honors Society and take part in the Advanced G.A.L.A. training course,” Celestia said. “What you do with your membership is up to you, however it would benefit you to not let it go to waste. Do well in your classes, and your practicals will be less painful.”
“An Honors Society? Bulk, you just paved a golden path, buddy,” Abacus said, smiling and patting him on the back.
“Oh, well, I like to be honored!” he replied.
“I counted about 37 of you in here. A significant number, considering there are over 300+ students in your freshman class,” Dis said. “You will each receive a G.A.L.A. by the end of this seminar, and will report to the gym for some field testing before you can go home.”
“What is this? I thought school didn’t start until after next week, someone else complained.
“For you, it starts today,” Luna growled. The student straightened her posture.
“On the first day of school, I will call two of you up by random, and you will demonstrate your G.A.L.A.s in front of your peers,” Celestia explained. “You will then compete, one-on-one and determine who makes the cut.”
“Now that’s my kind of exam,” Abacus chuckled. “I hope I get picked for that.”
“Why? You’d fall flat on your face at the sight of a pretty girl,” Sunset said.
“This is a lot of responsibility you’re giving to us, the students… Shouldn’t a professor decide who gets accepted or not?” Twilight asked.
“There are no professors at Canterlot High,” Celestia revealed. The entire room went silent.
“No professors…” Sunset repeated.
“All of your studies will be self-learned, so it’ll be up to you whether or not you graduate from here,” Celestia continued. “We have upperclassmen that will guide you and tutor you, should you need, but we three that you see before you are the only faculty members aside from the kitchen and janitorial staff.”
“It’s more fun this way, trust us,” Dis laughed. “We believe in learning through self-discovery, and motivation. If you can’t do it, then you’re not fit to wear a G.A.L.A. Maybe you should go someplace else lame, like CPA for example!” Dis laughed again, this time much harder than before.
“It’s a nightmare,” Sunset Shimmer groaned. “I can barely do well enough when a hardass teacher is on my butt… I’ll totally fail if I try to teach myself!”
“No, you won’t,” Twilight said suddenly. Sunset looked at her and cocked her head sideways.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I know why I was destined to come here. Why we were supposed to come here. This is why we couldn’t be separated!” A spark grew in Twilight’s eyes, but Sunset Shimmer scooted away some.
“Although we have no professors, there are still set hours for classes, and an attendance policy will be in effect the entire time. We can track you through your G.A.L.A., so we know if you play hookey,” Dis explained. “What you decide to do on campus is of your own accord, as long as it pertains to the subject of which you study in at that current time.”
“These things will eventually become natural to you, and should you ever feel out of place, do not hesitate to confront one of us or an upperclassmen for assistance,” Luna relayed. “We are here to help, at all times.”
“How exactly will we get our G.A.L.A.s, and what exactly do they do?” a student asked.
“I’ll take this, Lessy, you should sit down,” Dis said to Celestia. She agreed and allowed him to take the spotlight.
“The G.A.L.A. is a device that amplifies the magic in your body and reconstructs it into a different form of matter, often taking the appearance and characteristics of your Arte Style. No one G.A.L.A. has the same configuration, thus using someone else’s or stealing one will not help you in any way.
The G.A.L.A. imprints on the wearer and manifests their Arte Style in the form of a symbol. The magic one uses from then on relates entirely to their artes, and is given an augmentation in power.
When you first stepped into the room, I was paying attention right away. I wasn’t rocking out to music, at least, not in the sense that you think. I can more or less hear Arte Styles, and based on the symphony your magic played, I was able to relay that information to my main computer, thus your G.A.L.A.s are being printed as we speak.”
He bowed slightly, and returned to his seat. Celestia rose again, and surveyed the room before speaking.
“You are the individuals I know that will change the world. Together, we will accomplish many things and make many wonderful memories,” she began.
“Whoa, it’s like she’s a totally different person now,” Sunset pointed out. Twilight was too busy scrawling to listen, and Abacus and his crew were up above, goofing off again. Sunset Shimmer growled and crossed her arms.
“If there are no further questions, then allow me to proudly present to you all your G.A.L.As,” Celestia announced, pointing to the backstage.
A panel in the floor opened up and lifted a large case from below into the lecture hall. The case was divided into sections, each section bearing one armlet like they were told earlier. Each armlet boasted a finely crafted jewel near the top opening of the band, and the same blue harmonizing lights that pulsated around the three faculty members’ bands.
“Step right up,” Dis said, laughing at the students in the room. “I’ll give you your G.A.L.A., and you’ll be off! Welcome to Canterlot High, and I sincerely hope you make it here, kiddies!”
