Encyclopedia

Pedaia and her classmates arrived at Cherry Blossom's home and Encyclopedia saw her mother's car in the driveway. Once the small party entered and left their shoes at the door, Cherry Blossom was greeted by her younger brother. "Welcome home sis, and I see you've brought home a new friend."

"Thanks Sequoia, and this is Encyclopedia or we call her Pedaia for short. How'd you do on your test this morning?"

"I got a 'B-minus' on it....I studied really hard."

"That's a good grade and your best yet! Just earlier this year you sturggled to maintain a C grade. Don't be so hard on yourself." The others also had gotten hugged by the young teenager known as Sequoia. Pedaia noticed that in comparison, her old school she saw the girls treat their younger brothers like second rate citizens or ignored them all together; however, Pedaia saw that Cherry Blossom truly cared for her brother and could tell that she had helped him with his homework. Sequoia looked at her and offered her a hand of greeting.

"Nice to meet you Encyclopedia. Make yourself at home."

"Thank you for your hospitality." Pedaia could tell that this thirteen year old lad developed his first possible crush ever." Pedaia's mother left Pedaia's duffle in the entry way and made her exit and said her good byes. Cherry Blossom teased her brother gently.

"Come on Sequoia, you'll have all night to gawk." Sequoia blushed and apologized for staring. "I know bro, she's really cute, and she's super smart. I know you've got your friends camping in the backyard tonight so have them on their best behavior."

"How embarrassing....that you'd stoop to my level." Sequoia said as he pretended to straighten some suit coat and tie. Pedaia loved how these siblings bantered. Phoenix and Sunflower poked their fun as well. Pedaia tried not to smirk, as Cherry Blossom's mother gently prodded the siblings from the entry way to the den. The young feline eyes popped as she saw that Cherry Blossom had her favorite book series.

"Pedaia, I see that you're oogling my collection of mystery books."

"The Mare Do-Well series is amazing, I love how it adapted from the super hero to the super sleuth plot line. I once cosplayed the character - and I still have the costume." Throughout the day going into the evening Pedaia noticed that Sequoia would occasionally pop in and check on them and asked if they needed anything. Cherry Blossom's parents had gone out on a date for the evening. "So....does Sequoia do this every sleepover you have or is there contract between the two of you? The girls at my old school had younger brothers and they had contracts or blackmail on each other for favors."

"He's done this since he turned thirteen this year, and ever since he was eight. I've asked him and he always told me it was his duty to make sure my events went smoothly. I say it is his reading material. He reads books about men and boys being chivalrous. I'm not going to stop him, I suppose in his own way....he's creating his own memories." Sequoia and his friends currently in the backyard swinging swords at each and having a mock battle. "My older brother calls occasionally, and he's the one who taught that research and study helps give you an edge on life. His motto was similar the phrase 'knowledge is power'. He always told me that I needed some true friends. Before going to college in Canterlot he bought me a copy of Twilight Sparkle's journal and he dared me to memorize it." Pedaia explained to everyone their weakest points and studied up on those topics and Pedaia's weakest point was oddly enough was chemistry.

Phoenix had to ask, "So, did he memorize it as well, as a challenge for sibling supreme?" Everyone laughed and Pedaia choked on the sip of soda she had just taken. The girls also talked about the young men in their classes and discussed their crushes and the typical girl conversation topics one might expect to make an appearance.

Meanwhile

"Sequoia, we see your sister got a new friend. What's her name?"

"Well Cedar, that's Encyclopedia or Pedaia by some." Cedar nodded and the two others who lived on farms were named Kernel because his folks were corn farmers; the other was Gourdon because the obvious was his family raised vegetables that were gourds. The lads looked and each one had a favorite girl as their crush. Gourdon smirked a little then asked his comrade the question that was in his mind.

"So dude, can the three of us assume you've developed a crush on Encyclopedia?"

"I guess I have, I promised my sister to help make sure this night ran smoothly and to be on my best behavior."

"We've noticed that you occasionally check on them and stuff. You do realize that your sister is a prankster and if Pedaia falls asleep first then she'll be the target for the sleepover prank."

"Gourdon....I doubt she'll be too extreme since this is Pedaia's first ever legit sleepover with friends." The lads agreed and Cedar commented while he chewed on a cheese stick.

"Don't forget that when Phoenix first slept over here, Cherry Blossom tied that gryphon to the mailbox with a note saying, 'return to sender' when Phoenix' mother picked her up."

The girls

"So what happens to the first one to fall asleep?" The other girls just smiled and innocently said nothing really: all the while Phoenix was smirking, "One time we tied Sunflower to a tree with the hammock out back."

"So we prank them?"

"We'll be nice to you since it's your first sleepover." Pedaia chuckled, she knew that the group were hoping she'd fall asleep first.

"I've still got my nine lives and I usually stay up until about two o'clock in the morning star gazing." Pedaia was going to try to bluff her way out of being pranked hoping to join in on the prank end and not the receiving end. Two O'clock rolled around and Pedaia was sound asleep and leaning up against Phoenix who snickered as she gently placed an ice cube down the t-shirt of a certain sleeping feline. Pedaia's eyes popped open and she let out a high pitched squeek of shock. Phoenix realized they her ice wasn't that cold.

"Wait a moment...." Phoenix realized that she got played as an ice cube went down her back. Sequoia and his crew were watching from the window and were laughing. Pedaia figured she might fall asleep so she paid Sequoia and his friends to put some fake ice in the ice maker in the freezer as a safety precaution. Cherry Blossom was laughing hysterically as she was catching on.

"You win Pedaia as best prankster of the group tonight! That was impressive planning - Phoenix you've been pranked two sleepovers in a row and we can't wait to see what number three had in store for you!" Cherry Blossom shouted and still trying to keep her volume down.

"Yeah, game on you guys! This school year is a prank war!" Pedaia sat on the couch watching her new friends and the studying she did with them earlier and the conversations she had as well and she finally knew these crazy people were her friends.