I sighed and straightened my vest as I stood in front of Canterlot High School. I was comfortable with the black button-up shirt because I had worn it plenty, but the vest and tie? That was a different matter. The uniform didn't feel right.

But Celestia had assured me that it wouldn’t look weird. And really, after the exhausting conversation with Cinch, I didn’t have the energy to go back to the car and ditch them. Besides, first impressions mattered, right?

I shoved my hands into my pockets and paused to look at the marble statue of a rearing horse in front of the school.Weird choice, but whatever. It was surrounded by a handful of students a girl with elegant violet hair, a country-looking blonde, two different pink girls, and one with rainbow-colored hair.

They sat together, talking about something, but as I made my way toward the school doors, I could feel their eyes on me.

Sizing me up.

They didn’t say anything, though.

Huh.

Maybe Celestia was right.

At Crystal Prep, everything was rigid and calculated. If you didn’t belong to a group, you were a nobody. Here? Students dressed however they wanted. They laughed and talked openly in ways I wasn’t used to. Of course, there were still groups—cliques always existed. But something about this place felt... different.

There was no tension. No sense of constant competition.

If Crystal Prep was a chessboard where everyone played to win, Canterlot High was more like a coffee shop where everyone just existed together.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that yet.

Okey, where’s the office?

I walked down the hall, taking in the layout. Bright, colorful lockers. Posters about school dances and friendship. That was another thing—everyone talked to each other. Some groups leaned against lockers, others strolled casually while laughing. Even total opposites seemed to interact.

I had never seen that before.

I turned a corner and realized

—yeah, I had no idea where I was.

I exhaled through my nose, scanning the hallway for someone who didn’t look busy. Most students were already engaged in conversation, except—

A girl, that stood near a row of lockers, nodding her head to music blasting through large headphones. She had light blue hair with electric blue streaks styled in a spiky, messy way.

She looked effortlessly cool.

Alright, let’s see how this goes.

I approached her.

"Hey" I said, keeping my voice clear but not too loud.

No response.

Her fingers tapped against the locker in rhythm with her music.

"Hey" I tried again, a bit louder. "I’m new here. Do you know where the principal’s office is?"

This time, she turned her head slightly, looking at me through purple-tinted sunglasses. She didn’t take off her headphones—she didn’t even pause her music. Instead, she just tilted her head back, gestured with her thumb to the left, then pointed forward.

That was… efficient.

"Uh. Thanks"

She responded with a simple finger-gun gesture before returning to her music.

I stared for a second before shaking my head.Weird, but thanks for the help, I guess.

I followed her directions, and sure enough, after turning left, I spotted a door with a big sign reading ‘Principal’s Office.’

Well. Could’ve probably found it myself, But I guess a guy in a bartender outfit aimlessly walking around would’ve looked weird.

Well.

Weirder than usual.

I adjusted my vest, took a deep breath, and knocked.

The door almost immediately swung open.

Celestia stood there, smiling.

"He—" I started but quickly caught myself.

"Welcome, Principal" I corrected.

Her smile widened slightly. "Good that you remember our talk. Come in."

I stepped inside.

The office… screamed Celestia.

Warm colors. A few framed pictures. Her desk was organized, but not in a strict way—like she wanted things neat but not intimidating.

I sat in the chair across from her desk as she took her seat opposite me.

"So" she began, her voice measured but laced with curiosity, "how did your talk with Cinch go?"

I let out a breath through my nose.

"Oh, Ce—" I caught myself mid-word and sighed. "We’re alone, right? Can I just talk normally? I don’t want to use up all my formality in one conversation, and trust me, there’s a lot to say."

Celestia tilted her head slightly with a hint of amusement in her expression. "Okey?" she said, a little hesitant but allowing it. "I think when we’re alone, I can permit that. But what? Cinch did something?"

"Oh, she did" I answered immediately, leaning back in my chair. "The whole talk—all of it—was bad."

Celestia simply watched, waiting for me to elaborate. I did.

"She threatened me. She had the nerve to sit there in that office of hers, all stiff and proper, and tell me that if I left, my bar would suffer ‘consequences.’ Like she thinks she has that kind of power over me. Like she really believes she can control me. What a joke."

Celestia’s brows knit together in concern, but I wasn’t finished.

"And the way she said it" I continued, the memory of her cold, condescending tone made my skin crawl. "That I’m intelligent, but that I’d rot outside of Crystal Prep? Do you understand what that means?" I leaned forward, my voice growing more animated. "She didn’t see me as a student. She didn’t see me as a person. She saw me as a resource. A tool. A machine she could polish up and show off. That’s all I ever was to her."

Celestia remained silent, letting me speak.

"She never cared about me," I went on. "Not my life, not my struggles, not the fact that I work two shifts just to keep my place running. She only cared about my mind. My grades. Nothing less, nothing more."

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. "It’s disgusting. The way she looked at me, Celestia. Like I was a prize that had just slipped out of her grasp. She even tried to get inside my head—tried to make me doubt myself. Like I was making some kind of terrible mistake by leaving."

Celestia’s expression softened.

"You know what?" I said, shifting back in my chair, my voice calmer was now but still firm. "I follow the words my dad gave me when I was little. He told me:

Follow your heart. Do what you love, and every workday won’t even feel like work.

"And I’ve lived by that. I don’t know what my future is gonna be, but I know one thing—I couldn’t stay there. I couldn’t let her dictate my life just because she wanted another student to add to her success stories. You were right. Just being here—just sitting in this chair—it already feels different. It already feels like everything is changing."

Celestia finally spoke "And… you really think she can do something bad to your bar?"

That was the one thing that lingered in the back of my mind. Cinch was powerful. Not in a supernatural way, not in an actual way, but in the way people like her always seemed to be. Connections. Influence. The ability to make things harder for people she didn’t like.

Celestia gently touched her chin, considering. "Hmm. Cinch talks a lot but does little," she said thoughtfully. "Maybe? Who knows. But I would stay on guard."

"Okey"

There was a pause.

"So?" I finally asked, exhaling and straightening up. "How are we doing this? Do I just… start my school day today?"

Celestia smiled, shaking her head. "Oh no, not today. You don’t even have your lesson plan, and I don’t have it with me either." She tapped her desk. "Your school day will start tomorrow. But for today, what do you think about someone giving you a tour? That way, you can get familiar with the school before you start."

I raised a brow. "A tour?"

She nodded. "And then, I’ll take you to your dorm."

I stared at her for a moment, then leaned back, exhaling.

"So, let me get this straight," I said, a slow grin forming. "You’re telling me that I won’t have to sit through classes today, and instead, I get a free tour of the school before I go to lay in bed after pulling two shifts at the bar?"

Celestia gave a small, knowing smile.

I huffed a quiet laugh.

"You had me at beggining."

Celestia chuckled softly at my words, then pressed a button on her desk. A faint buzz followed before she spoke into the microphone.

"Aria, could you come to my office?"

"Who’s Aria?"

Celestia clasped her hands together, tilting her head slightly. "Just one of our new students. She and her sisters enrolled here after the Battle of the Bands. I was hoping you’d get along with them."

"And… what exactly was this Battle of the Bands?" I asked, frowning slightly.

Celestia smiled knowingly, as if she’d been expecting the question. "I think Sunset would be happy to tell you all about it," she said with a small, amused smirk. "She was quite literally at the center of it."

I narrowed my eyes. "Oookay… weird," I muttered. "But who knows."

Before I could push the subject further, the door suddenly swung open without so much as a knock. A girl strolled in like she owned the place, her hands stuffed into the pockets of a purple hoodie. Her long, dark teal pigtails cascaded over her shoulders, and her sharp, bored eyes scanned the room.

She looked at me. Then at Celestia.

Then back at me again.

"So, the feds finally came to get us, huh?" she deadpanned, barely sounding concerned. She sighed dramatically and then—to my complete confusion—held out her wrists in front of her as if she was waiting for me to cuff her. "Alright, fine. I’ll go. But leave my sisters out of this."

I turned to Celestia.

Then back to her.

"What?" was all I managed to say.

Celestia just sighed, rubbing her temples. "Aria."

"What?" Aria shot back. "I see some guy in a formal suit sitting in your office, looking all serious. How was I not supposed to think he’s some kind of government agent?"

I let out a small, incredulous laugh. "H-hey, I’m James," I introduced myself, still thrown off by her reaction. "Nice to meet you?"

She gave me a long, unimpressed stare. Then sighed. "Ugh. That outfit is a little too clean-cut for a high school student. But whatever." She jerked a thumb toward the door. "Come on, then. I’ll show you around."

"Oookay?" I muttered, glancing at Celestia. "If I don’t come back in an hour, assume the worst and start searching for my body."

Celestia let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "I’ll be sure to do that."

Aria sighed again. "Drama queen," she muttered, turning on her heel and walking out.

I followed her into the halls.

The students turned their heads as we walked by, their gazes lingering longer than I was comfortable with. I could feel their eyes on me, analyzing, whispering, nudging their friends.

Then, out of nowhere, someone threw a crumpled-up piece of paper at Aria.

It hit her shoulder, bounced off, and landed on the ground.

She didn’t even flinch.

Didn’t react. Didn’t stop walking. Didn’t even acknowledge that it had happened. She just kept moving, completely unfazed.

"You’re just gonna ignore that?"

Aria shrugged. "Happens all the time.Alright," she said, stopping in front of a set of double doors. "Library’s in here."

I barely glanced at it before shaking my head. "Yeah, not really my thing."

Aria smirked slightly, leaning her elbow into my side. "Okay, so you’re not some kind of nerd. Cool."

"Guess not."

She led me through a few more hallways, occasionally pointing out classrooms, the gym, and the cafeteria. But one thing kept nagging at me.

The way people looked at her.

It wasn’t just the occasional glance. No, it was more than that.

It was hostility.

Murmurs followed her wherever she walked. Some students shot her looks of disgust. A few even scoffed under their breath. I caught one girl rolling her eyes dramatically, and another muttering something I couldn’t make out.

Aria didn’t react.

Not once.

Not even a little.

She just kept walking. Like she was used to it. Like it was normal.

Finally, after another long hallway, I decided to ask.

"Alright, Why does everyone look at you like you’re some kind of monster?"

Aria stopped.

She turned her head, locking eyes with me. "Oh yeah. You’re new."

There was a brief pause before she stuffed her hands back into her hoodie pockets.

"Okay," she said casually. "So, here’s the thing. A while back, my sisters—Sonata and Adagio—and I tried to take over the school with magic. It was kinda our thing. We used to be sirens—actual, magical sirens from another world. We fed on negativity, manipulating people with our voices to stir up conflict, and basically used their bad emotions as our food source. And for a while? We were pretty damn good at it."

She glanced at me, watching my reaction.

I gave her a slow blink.

She smirked slightly and kept going.

"But then Sunset and some other dumb girls had to go and ruin everything. They hit us with their stupid rainbow magic or whatever, and bam—we lost our powers. Now we’re stuck here. Mortal. Pathetic." She made a vague gesture toward the students around us. "And since we kinda, y’know, brainwashed the whole school into fighting each other… yeah. No one really likes us now."

She said it so casually. Like it was just another Tuesday.

I stared at her for a solid five seconds before—

—I bursted out laughing.

"Okay, okay," I said between chuckles. "Another magic thing? Seriously?" I wiped at my eye, still grinning. "You almost got me with that whole ‘my worker Sunset has magic’ bit, but come on, really?"

Aria narrowed her eyes. "Believe what you want. I’m just saying the truth."

"Magic doesn’t exist. Trust me—I know."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? And how’s that?"

I shrugged. "Back at Crystal Prep, I had this one friend who was obsessed with magic. Thought it was the secret to everything. But here’s the thing—she never proved anything. It was all just theories. Fantasy."

Aria snorted. "Sounds like a nerd."

"Oh, big nerd. But smart. Smarter than me, even. And if she couldn’t prove magic was real? Then no one can."

Aria crossed her arms. "Well, you’re in for a rude awakening, then."

"Sure," I said, grinning. "I’ll believe in magic when I see it."

Aria just smirked.

"Careful what you wish for."

We completed the loop around the school, finding ourselves once again outside Principal Celestia’s office. Despite how the conversation had started, I had to admit, the tour had actually been pretty fun. Aria wasn’t nearly as bad as I had assumed she’d be when she first strutted into the office.

“Thanks, that was actually fu,” I said as I turned to her.

She rolled her eyes but didn’t immediately walk away. “No worries. Good to know at least one student here doesn’t treat me like a monster.” Her tone was casual, but there was something behind it—something I recognized. She wasn’t just making a throwaway comment. She had meant that.

Sure, I had noticed the way students had thrown looks her way, the way some of them whispered, and, of course, the paper that had been tossed at her. It was obvious she and her sisters weren’t exactly popular around here, but the way she said it made it seem like she’d gotten used to it. That wasn’t normal.

I made a mental note to ask Sunset about it later.

“Well, we’ll be in touch, ‘kay?” Aria said, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her hoodie.

“Yeah, see you later, Aria,” I replied.

She gave me one last look before walking away, and I turned back to Celestia’s office, knocking again before stepping inside.

This time, instead of Celestia, Vice Principal Luna was sitting behind the desk, her boots propped up like she had no care in the world, and had sandwich in one hand.

“Heeey, barkeep,” she greeted through a mouthful of food.

“I thought we were formal here?”

She swallowed before grinning. “Yeah, yeah, but we’re alone. And to be honest i dont care”

It was hard not to smirk at that. Unlike Celestia, who carried herself with a composed and professional demeanor at all times, Luna was much more relaxed. Some might even say lazy. She gave off the vibe of someone who had once been rebellious but had been forced to take a position of authority—probably against her will. And yet, despite her apparent lack of discipline, there was something about her that made me believe she was actually good at her job when she wanted to be. She just… didn’t always want to be.

“So, where’s Celestia?” I asked, noting her absence.

“She had something to do, so I’m the one giving you the rest of the details,” Luna said, shifting in her chair before tossing something onto the desk with a clink.

I looked down to see a set of keys.

“These are for your dorm,” Luna said, motioning to them. “You be staying there, so don’t lose them. Somebody will take you there,”

“I hope it’s not you,” I joked, folding my arms.

“Oh, I have too much work even if I wanted to,” she said, waving me off before taking another bite of her sandwich.

I chuckled. “Yeah, sure. You seem real busy.”

She shot me a look but didn’t argue. Instead, she leaned back further in her chair.

“Okay, so, is it Aria again?” I asked, figuring she’d be the one to show me around some more.

“No” Luna said between bites, “Applejack will do it.”

I blinked. “Apple… what?”

Luna rolled her eyes. “A girl with a hat. You probably saw her in front of the school.”

I thought back and vaguely recalled a blonde girl wearing a Stetson. “Oh yeah.”

“She’s one of Sunset’s friends” Luna added.

That made sense. Celestia had mentioned Sunset having a close group of friends. Though, now that I thought about it, I hadn’t actually seen Sunset at all since I arrived.

“Wait" I said, frowning, “why isn’t Sunset at school?”

Luna took a second to answer, as if considering her words. “She probably overslept. It happens sometimes. If her boss didn’t give her night hours, I think it wouldn’t happen.” She gave me a pointed look, clearly teasing.

I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. “Luna, I need help. I can’t work alone at the bar.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, yeah, no need to get mad. I’m just joking.”

But she wasn’t joking. Sure, I could handle the bar, but it wasn’t easy managing everything on my own. And Sunset… she had school. She actually cared about school, which meant she should be focusing on it instead of picking up night shifts just to keep things running.

Luna must’ve noticed my serious expression because she let out a small sigh, finally putting her sandwich down.

“Alright, alright, I get it. You’re probably right. She’s got school to focus on, so I should let her go earlier sometimes. I’ll keep that in mind. So,” I said, deciding to change the subject, “are you gonna call this Applejack or what?”

Luna suddenly looked like she was choking on her food. “Oh no, no, no,” she coughed. “I can’t use the microphone. After last time, Celestia gave me a big ‘no’ on that.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What happened last time?”

She waved a hand dismissively. “Long story. Let’s just say it involved the entire school being dismissed at the wrong time.”

I snorted. “Of course.”

“So,” Luna continued, “you’ll have to search for her yourself.”

“Great,” I muttered. “Guess I’ll start looking.”

As I turned to leave, I glanced back at her, noticing that her boots were still resting on the desk.

“You know,” I said with a smirk, “you should probably take your boots off the desk before Celestia finds out.”

Luna smirked back. “And who’s gonna tell her?”

I tapped my chin, pretending to think. “Hmm. Maybe someone who values authority and rules.”

She rolled her eyes before finally taking her boots off the desk. “Alright, alright, good luck finding Applejack.”

“Thanks,” I said, heading for the door.

Just as I stepped out, she called after me, “Oh, and remember—you’re gonna be living with a girl, so don’t just barge into the dorm without knocking.”

I waved her off. “Yeah, yeah.”

She grinned. “Good. Now get going, barkeep.”

With that, I stepped out into the hallway, ready to start my search.

Alright, think, James. If I were a girl, where would I be?

I checked the time on my phone—8:34 AM.

Okay, so she’s probably in class.

That immediately ruled out wandering the halls blindly. I wasn’t about to go from classroom to classroom only to strike out five or six times in a row, looking like a complete idiot. No, I needed a better plan. Somewhere she might naturally show up.

The cafeteria.

That made sense. If she was free, she might stop by to grab something. Plus, I was kind of hungry myself. I reached into my pocket to check for my wallet—some spare change. Yeah, that’ll do.

Following the path Aria had shown me earlier, I found my way to the cafeteria without much trouble. My memory was sharp—I rarely forgot details once I’d seen them. One of the perks of tending bar.

Stepping inside, I quickly took stock of the room. It was nearly empty, which made sense given the time. There were only three students sitting at different tables. One was a guy with blue hair, sitting across from a girl with an over-the-top magician’s hat and cape. She was talking animatedly, waving her hands around like she was telling some grand tale. Across the room, sitting alone, was another girl—long black hair, refined posture, a cup of tea in hand. She looked like the kind of person who’d listen to classical music and judge you silently.

I ignored them and walked up to the food counter, where an older woman stood behind the register. She had white hair, tied in a bun, and wore an apron over her clothes. Her wrinkled face carried a certain warmth, the kind you only see in grandmothers who have been through life and still find ways to laugh about it.

Before I could say anything, she took one look at me and immediately shook her head.

“Food ain’t ready yet, sugar. You’re a lil’ too early.”

Damn. I had been hoping for at least a piece of toast or something. I sighed, preparing to turn around and find a seat when she spoke again.

“Wait a minute…” She squinted at me. “You new ‘round here? I know all the students at CHS, but I don’t recognize yer face.”

Something about her gave off the impression that she could read people like a book, and I had no reason to lie anyway.

“Yeah, I’m new,” I said, shrugging. “Someone showed me around, but right now I’m looking for Applejack. She’s supposed to take me to my dorm.”

The woman’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Ooooh, Applejack, huh? Well, ya don’t gotta worry ‘bout that—I’ll text her for ya.”

She pulled out a phone—one of those old-fashioned flip phones—and started typing with surprising speed. I couldn’t help but find that amusing.

Even with all these students using the latest smartphones, she sticks with that old thing.

“Now, young man,” she said, “just keep yer eyes on that door and enjoy the spectacle.”

That raised a red flag in my mind.

Spectacle? What the hell did she text her?

Before I could ask, I heard the rapid sound of footsteps approaching.

Then, bam!

A girl in a cowboy hat rushed through the cafeteria doors, clearly out of breath from running. She looked around frantically before making a beeline for the older woman.

“Granny!” she panted, her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. “What happened? Somethin’ wrong? Are ya okay?”

Oh, hell.

I suddenly had the sinking realization that this woman who I now knew was Granny Smith had texted Applejack something vague enough to make her think there was an emergency.

Granny just laughed, patting Applejack’s arm like it was no big deal. “Oh, don’t you fret none, sweetheart! Everythin’s fine.”

Applejack blinked. “Wait… what?”

Granny Smith grinned and pointed toward me. “I just needed ya to come quick, that’s all.”

Applejack turned her head to look at me, tilting it slightly in confusion.

I had about half a second to process my next move. On one hand, I could call Granny out for overreacting and sending an unnecessary text. On the other hand, Applejack already looked frustrated—probably from the unnecessary sprint across campus.

Yeah, thanks, Granny. Really appreciate that.

I cleared my throat, shifting slightly under Applejack’s sharp gaze.

Before I could say anything, though, her expression softened. She walked up to me and extended her hand.

“The name’s Applejack,” she said.

Relieved that I wasn’t about to get tackled, I reached out and shook her hand.

“James,” I introduced myself.

The moment our hands met, I realized something—her grip was strong.

Like, farmhand-level strong.

I wasn’t exactly weak, but I could tell she had a hell of a lot more experience with physical labor than I did.

She raised an eyebrow at my suit. “Ya work here or somethin’? Yer awfully dressed up for school.”

“No, I just didn’t have time to change after work.”

Applejack’s expression shifted, like she was reassessing me. “Work, huh? You got a job already?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I run a bar.”

That clearly caught her off guard. She blinked. “You run a bar?”

I smirked. “It’s a family business.”

She let out a low whistle. “Well, shoot. That’s somethin’ ya don’t hear every day.”

Granny Smith chuckled. “He’s a hard-workin’ fella, I tell ya. That’s why I figured you’d be a good one to help him get settled.”

Applejack gave her grandmother a look. “Yeah, but did ya have to make me think it was an emergency?”

Granny shrugged. “I wanted ya to come quick, didn’t I?”

Applejack sighed, rubbing her temples. “Granny, ya can’t just go scarin’ me like that. I thought somethin’ happened.”

Granny reached over and patted her shoulder. “Aww, ya worry too much. Besides, yer here now, ain't ya?”

Applejack let out another sigh but didn’t argue further.

At this point, I was just standing there awkwardly, watching the exchange. It was clear that Applejack genuinely cared about her grandmother’s well-being—probably more than Granny let on. Despite her frustration, there was real concern in her voice when she first arrived, and I could tell she had probably dropped everything the moment she got the text.

Granny went a little too far with that one.

Shaking her head, Applejack turned her attention back to me. “Alright, James. Let’s get ya to yer dorm.”

I nodded, ready to follow her lead.

Then she hesitated, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Wait, who are ya roomin’ with?”

“Sunset Shimmer,” I answered. “I’m assigned to her dorm.”

Applejack’s entire demeanor changed in an instant. She looked downright puzzled.

“So…” she said slowly, tilting her head, “you’re her… boyfriend?”

I immediately felt my brain hit the brakes.

Oh, crap.

This was about to get awkward.

“So, you’re that James,” she said.

“That James?”

She let out a chuckle and patted my back—hard. “The one Sunset talks about.”

I frowned. “Wait, she talks about me?”

Applejack grinned, clearly enjoying my confusion. “Nothin’ bad, sugarcube. Don’t you go worryin’ ‘bout that.”

That’s not reassuring at all, I thought, but I laughed along anyway. “Now I’m definitely worried.”

“Relax,” she said, waving a hand. “I’ll take ya to her. She’s prob’ly still sleepin’, though.” Then she raised an eyebrow. “Why ain’t you sleepin’? Sunset said y’all worked the same shift.”

I shrugged. “I guess I’m just used to it. One day on, one day off. I run the bar by myself, so I gotta work hard.”

That seemed to hit her differently. The teasing grin on her face faltered just a little, and she gave me a more thoughtful look. “Oh… I guess that’s been rough on ya.”

I shook my head. “I wouldn’t say rough, just… tiring, y’know?”

Applejack didn’t respond right away. Instead, she just nodded, like she was turning that over in her head.

With that, we left the school building, stepping out into the cool morning air.

Outside, the dorms were tucked behind the main school grounds, separate from the usual traffic of students coming and going. The buildings were lined up neatly, like a little neighborhood—small, but functional.

“Didn’t expect CHS to have its own little town,” I said, taking in the sight. The houses weren’t huge, but they weren’t cramped either. They had a cozy, practical look—nothing too fancy, but well-maintained.

Applejack smirked. “Yeah, it’s nice an’ all, but I wouldn’t wanna live here. Feels like bein’ on a leash. I prefer the scent of apples over hearin’ folks yellin’ outside my window.”

“Yeah, you do seem like a country girl.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

The dirt path between the dorms was lined with patches of grass and a few small trees that tried their best to look decorative. There were benches scattered around, probably for students to sit and talk after class. It had that school-funded-but-we-tried aesthetic.

The dorm buildings themselves were made of brick, each one with a small porch and a single window facing the front. They weren’t identical, though—some had decorations, like a string of lights or a few potted plants, while others were plain. Sunset’s dorm, however, was slightly bigger than the rest.

“Looks kinda big for one person” I

Applejack nodded. “It’s meant for four folks, but she’s got it all to herself.”

That was interesting. Most dorms were cramped enough as it was.

“Well, I guess I should knock” I said, stepping up to the door. “Oh, also, she doesn’t know I transferred. Celestia and Luna thought it’d be a fun surprise.”

Applejack’s smirk returned. “Ooooh, I get it. Yeah, ya should probably knock. And more than once it’s real hard to wake her up sometimes.”

With that in mind, I gave the door a few solid knocks.

…Nothing.

I waited.

Still nothing.

I knocked again—harder this time.

Five minutes. No response.

Applejack let out a groan. “Oh, for the love of—”

She stepped past me and slammed her fist against the door several times, hard enough to shake it in its frame.

From inside, we finally heard movement. A groggy, half-asleep groan. Rustling sheets.

And then, a muffled voice.

“…Ughhh… I swear, if this is another salesperson—”

The door creaked open just a little, and there stood Sunset Shimmer, rubbing one eye with the sleeve of her pajama shirt. The fabric was a soft purple, loose-fitting, with a faded sun emblem printed in the center probably an old favorite of hers. Her hair was an absolute mess, strands sticking out in random directions, and she had that unmistakable expression of someone who had just been dragged out of a very deep sleep.

She squinted at us, barely registering who was standing at her door.

“Oh hey, James… AJ…” she mumbled through a half-yawn. “Why are you he—”

Then her sleepy brain caught up with reality.

Her teal eyes shot open in recognition, and in a split second, she slammed the door almost completely shut, leaving only a tiny gap for her to peek through.

“Wait. James?” she repeated, her voice suddenly laced with confusion.

“Uh… yeah?” I said, raising an eyebrow at her reaction.

She frowned, still trying to process what was happening. “What are you doing here? I haven’t overslept, right? It’s not my shift? Please tell me it’s not my shift…”

Her voice wavered with concern, and I could practically see the gears turning in her head.

I shook my head quickly. “No, no, nothing like that. You’re good.”

She let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, thank Celestia…”

“I actually came here because… well, I live here now,” I explained. “I wanted to bring my stuff in.” Well like i had a lot of stuff anyway, i still need to get it from my mother hause.

Sunset, still half-asleep, nodded along as if that made perfect sense.

“Yeah, that makes sen—” she stopped mid-sentence.

The next second, her tired eyes widened. Her brain finally caught up.

“Wait. You what?”

SLAM.

The door shut in my face.

I blinked, turning to Applejack, who just chuckled.

“That’s how she is” AJ said, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Give her a sec. She ain’t exactly a mornin’ person.”

I sighed. “Noted.”

From inside, I could hear frantic movement—papers shuffling, probably a few objects being shoved under the bed, and the distinct sound of fabric rustling. Sunset was scrambling to get changed.

“Did she just—?”

“Yup,” Applejack confirmed.

“She does realize she just left us standing out here, right?”

“Eeyup.”

I sighed, stuffing my hands into my pockets while we waited. “At least she cares about appearances, I guess.”

Applejack snickered. “You have no idea.”

After about five minutes—maybe longer—the door creaked open again.

Sunset now stood in front of us in her usual outfit, though her hair still had a few rogue strands sticking up. She must’ve thrown her clothes on in record time because there was no way she fully brushed it out. Despite her best efforts, she still had that sleepy, slightly frazzled look.

She folded her arms, eyeing me carefully.

“Okay. Explain.”

I took a deep breath. “Alright, so… I transferred to CHS.”

She nodded slowly, still waking up. “Okay…”

“And this dorm? It’s my dorm now too.”

Pause.

Her eyes darted to Applejack, then back to me.

“…Sooo…” she started, narrowing her eyes slightly. “We’re… roommates?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Is that a problem?”

Sunset immediately shook her head. “No! No, no, no—” she cut me off quickly. “It’s just… random.”

Her voice was somewhere between confused and overwhelmed. She ran a hand through her hair—probably regretting not brushing it properly—before sighing.

“But it’s okay,” she finally said, giving a small nod. “Just… unexpected.”

I gave her a half-smile. “Yeah, you’re definitely still waking up.”

She shot me a tired glare. “Shut up.”

Applejack chuckled. “He’s got ya there, sugarcube.”

Sunset groaned, but there was no real annoyance in her voice. Instead, she glanced back at her dorm, as if suddenly remembering the state she left it in.

“Oh, uh—sorry about the mess,” she said, stepping aside to let us in.

“Like always,” Applejack muttered under her breath.

Sunset shot her a sharp look. “AJ.”

Applejack smirked, holding up her hands. “Just sayin’.”

Rolling her eyes, Sunset gestured for me to come inside. “C’mon, James. Welcome home, I guess.”

And with that, I stepped inside my new home.

Author's Note

Helo, im tired today, sleepless night but i've put all the effort i could, maybe a little more rushed than i wanted but, james saw saw some students, he also met aria, its just a little portion and in speed like this the story will have more than 300k words. have fun reading i go sleepin mode now