Ch.3

Twilight sat in Shining Armor's cat as he drove the school the next say, staring out the window quietly. She had trouble falling asleep last night and seemed a bit sleep deprived. Her mother's statement last night shocked her, and left her thinking about all night. A part of her knew her mother was right; how could she work with other people in the near future if she couldn't even have a decent conversation with her fellow schoolmates? On the other hand, the other part of her says that she's doing fine on her own, that friends will only distract her from her true goal in life, and does not wish to get sidetracked because of group of kids. Twilight sighed. She always had to make decisions growing up, but never life this.

"You're quiet today, Twily," Shining Armor said, breaking her free from her prison of thoughts. "What's on your mind?"

Twilight shrugged and chewed the inside of her mouth. "I've been thinking about what mom said last night," she started. "And maybe she's right. I mean, the majority of scientists do work together to solve some of the world's pressing issues. Maybe she has a right to call me a pessimistic."

"Twily, not to be rude or anything, but you're so cold, you make Elsa's powers melt," Shining Armor said.

Twilight gave him a questioning look, then looked back out the window. "Twily, I'm not saying this to be cruel or anything, but I really want you to make friends this time. You never had any friends growing up, and that's not healthy," Shining Armor continued. "I was hoping this move can change all that." Twilight sighed and played with her shirt ribbon. "I guess I can try to make friends. I know mom would just scold me for being such an anti-social again," she said, sounding unconvinced

"You should at least talk to some people, Twily," Shining Armor suggested. "Talk to a couple people and get to know who they really are. And if they're not friendship material, move on."

"Shining, that's-" Twilight stopped and thought about it. 'It does sound like a good idea, and it gives me an opportunity to get to know that boy,' she thought. Twilight blushed at who she was referring to, and continued to fix her gaze out the window. "-actually not a bad idea." She finished.

"Well, being the oldest, my wisdom always tells me the right things," he said.

"Did your wisdom tell you that you just drove under a red light?"

Shining Armor's smile dropped and looked behind him quickly, before focusing his view in front of him. "It's early in the morning, Twily. My wisdom doesn't function properly until lunch time," he jokingly defended himself. Twilight chuckled and rolled her eyes at her brother as he parked into a parking lot space in front of the school. The two exited out of the vehicle and walked towards the school building. Candace leaned against the statue and ran over to them the moment she saw them. She jumps into Shining's arms and plants a kiss on his lips.

"Good morning, love," she cooed.

"Hello, beautiful," Shining Armor chuckled.

Twilight smiled and made a gagging sound. "I'll leave you two alone so you can peacefully converse with each other," she said. Walking up the school steps, she entered the school and walked down to her class. She couldn't help but look how many students talked and laughed with each other. "Canterlot High seems like a very friendly place," she said. "It's amazing how so many people can talk freely to one another." Twilight remembered the girls from yesterday and how she shut them down on their offer.

"I owe those girls an apology," she murmured. "I don't see why I can't spend a day with them."

Twilight walked into her geometry class, only to be greeted by her classmates abruptly breaking into song. Pinkie Pie stepped out of the crowd, held up a megaphone and sang loudly into it. "Welcome to CHS, where friends are all around! Work all day, party all night, that's what it's all about! Take a cake and munch it down, so we can play all day! We're friends, we tight, we homies now, and we'll party till midnight, HEY!" Pinkie took out a noisemaker and blew into it, the paper tube uncurling itself and blaring out its sound.

"Wow, that was… unexpected," Twilight said, her hand over her chest. "I didn't see that coming."

"That's the official Pinkie Pie greeting, a welcoming gift for you, Twilight!" Pinkie exclaimed, "Now that you attend Canterlot High, you're gonna want this, so here!" Pinkie dug into her bag and pulled out a blue button pin with the school logo and pinned it onto Twilight's shirt. "There! Now you can show the whole world that you're a Canterlot Wondercolt!"

"Thank you all so much. And I do believe I owe you girls an apology," Twilight said. "Moving was a big step for me, and wasn't ready to adjust to the new environment around me. I also wasn't ready to make new friends, and I apologize for coming off as some cold Ice Queen."

"It's okay, Twilight," Fluttershy said. "Moving is pretty big step in your life. I can understand how hard it must be for you."

Twilight smiled a bit and nodded. "Thank you. And I was wondering, if it's not too late, if I can join you sometimes and, uh…" Twilight looked at the ground, not knowing what else to say. 'This is a lot harder than I thought,' Twilight thought to herself. Applejack smiled and took Twilight's hands, vigorously shaking it.

"Of course you can join us, Twilight," she said. "We wondercolts sure do like making new friends."

"So I've heard," Twilight said, her voice shaking. "You're very strong, Applejack."

Applejack dropped Twilight's hand and smiled. "So Twilight, during free period, the Rainbooms-that's us- will be practicing in the band room," Rainbow Dash said. "You can join us if you'd like."

Twilight smiled and nodded. "I'd like that a lot," she replied. Sunset patted Twilight on her shoulder and smiled. "You'll like Canterlot High, Twilight. I guarantee it," Sunset assured her. Twilight smiled and nodded. The girls smiled back and pulled Twilight into a group hug.

"This is gonna be the best day EVER!" Pinkie Pie screeched.

---

The day passed by quickly and it was lunchtime. Twilight purchased her lunch and looked around the cafeteria. She spotted Shining Armor sitting with his new football friends, and Candace was with her friends. She walked past everyone, searching for a place to sit. Her hunt had ended when she found a vacant table and plopped down. She slid her backpack off her shoulders and dug her hand in it, rummaging her hand around. She pulled out "The Fault in our Stars" novel. She flipped to her bookmarked and began reading, absentmindedly taking a bite out of her apple.

"Mind if we join you?"

Twilight looked up and saw the girls smiling at her. Twilight smiled and nodded, and the girls sat down with her. "So whatcha reading there, Twilight?" Sunset asked her. Twilight showed the front cover and Rarity nearly choked on her soda. "You're reading the Fault in our Stars too?!" she exclaimed. She pulled out the same novel from her backpack hugged it tightly. "It's my favorite book of all time! Nothing can compare to it!"

"You'll have to excuse Rarity over here," Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes. "She's a sucker for love."

Rarity glared at the multicolored haired girl and shoved her. "You'll have to excuse Rainbow Dash," she replied, using the same tone that Rainbow used. "She doesn't know true love when she sees it."

Twilight chuckled and flipped through the pages. "I can't blame you, Rarity," she said. "Though I've never been interested in romance and all, this is a book even I couldn't ignore. I love how the characters seem so realistic, and I think the cuteness got the best of me."

Rarity nodded as if she understood and smiled. "Growing up, I loved romantic stories and movies and whatnot. I believe that Disney makes the best ones. My favorite would have to be a tie between Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. They both have something that always gets to me."

Twilight smiled at Rarity and sipped on her chocolate milk. "I don't blame you, Rarity. I love Beauty and the Beast," Twilight agreed, then slightly blushed. "I loved the song 'Beauty and the Beast.' I believe that it can draw a couple closer than ever." Her eyes aimlessly scanned the lunchroom in a bored manner, when she spotted Flash on the other side of the cafeteria. He sat on top of the table, playing on his guitar while laughing with a couple of guys who she thought it was his band. She smiled a bit and blushed, twirling her hair around.

"TWILIGHT!"

She jumped a bit at the sound of her name and looked at Pinkie with a startled look. "W-what?" she asked. Pinkie bounded up to her feet and pulled Twilight up. "C'mon, c'mon! We're gonna go rehearse now!" she exclaimed. Twilight grabbed her backpack and shrieked as Pinkie ran out of the lunchroom, hurrying up to catch up with the other girls, with Twilight in hand. Pinkie burst into the band room, with a queasy looking Twilight in hand.

"A-are you okay, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, taking note that Twilight's green face.

Twilight nodded and sat on top of a table. "I'll be fine. Just give me a moment to let my stomach settle down," she moaned, taking a sit from her water bottle. The girls got their instruments together and Sunset got her camcorder ready.

"We're gonna practice our song, Twilight," Rainbow Dash said. "Just tell us what you think when we're done."

"One, two, three!" Pinkie shouted.

There was a time we were apart

But that's behind us now

See how we've made a brand new start

And the future's lookin' up, ah-oh, ah-oh

And when you walk these halls

You feel it everywhere

Yeah, we're the Wondercolts forever, oh, yeah!

Twilight smiled and nodded her head to the beat, patting her hands on her lap as the Rainbooms continued to practice.

We are all together

(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)

Now it's better than ever

(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)

You can feel it, we are back (You... can... feel... it...)

And I'm so glad that we're better

Better than ever

Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh

Oh yeah, we're better than ever

Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh

There was a time we couldn't see

Past the differences

That separated you and me

And it left us on our own

But now you walk these halls

And friends are everywhere

Yeah, we're the Wondercolts forever, oh, yeah!

As the Rainbooms performed, their pony ears began to sprout from their heads and their hair grew longer. But they didn't stop playing, their merely smiled at each other and continued to play.

We are all together

(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)

Now it's better than ever

(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)

Now that we are back on track (Now... that... we... are...)

Yes, I'm so glad that we're better

Better than ever

Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh

Oh yeah, we're better than ever

Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh

Oh yeah, we're better than ever

Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh

Oh yeah, we're better than ever!

"And, cut!" Sunset cried out, smiling. She pressed the stop button on the recorder and gave the girls a thumbs up. Like girls knew it would happen, their ears disappeared and their hairs shortened and reverted back to their original state. Twilight stared at the girls in awe. "W-what?" she stuttered. "H-how did you guys get pony ears? A-and your hair grew longer, and-what?"

"Yeah, that happens whenever play," Rainbow said nonchalantly. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"We're just magical like that!" Pinkie added cheerfully. "We have special powers that no one can deny."

Twilight raised an eyebrow quizzically, but didn't press into it. Flash then walked in and smiled at the girls. "Heard you guys outside! You guys are killing it!" he said. Rainbow smiled at him and crossed her arms, smirking. "Well, we are the best band around," she boasted. Applejack opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it and closed her mouth.

"Yeah, right. Stampede's the best, but whatever," Flash said.

"Is there a reason why you're here, Flash?" Sunset asked. She held up the instrument and smirked. "Looking for something, perhaps?"

Flash frowned and tried to grab it from her, but she pulled it away before he could take it away. "This isn't funny, Sunset. Give it back!" he exclaimed. Sunset smiled and pretended to think. "How about not?" she replied. Flash glare at her and snatched his guitar out of her grip and slipped the strap onto his shoulders. He turned to Twilight and smirked at her. "Keep your eyes on this demon. She'll come at you at the most random times." Sunset frowned at Flash and shoved him really hard. Flash stumbled forward and grabbed the nearest table. He sighed and looked up, only to lock eyes with Twilight. The two stared at each other for a while, before Flash pulled away, not breaking eye contact.

"Sorry 'bout that," he mumbled.

Twilight smiled shyly and twirled her finger around her hair. "No, it's okay. No harm done," Twilight murmured. "I can't wait to see you perform on Saturday." Flash smiled and stared into her eyes. "I… don't think I got your name."

"Twilight Sparkle," she said.

Flash smirked and took Twilight's hand. "Well, Miss Twilight Sparkle. It's an honor to meet a beautiful lady such as yourself," he said. "Flash Sentry, at your service, my lady." Twilight blushed and giggled as Flash kissed her hand. "Well, Mr. Sentry. That was quite a greeting," Twilight teased. "What a gentleman." Flash smirked at her, but was pulled back by Rainbow.

"Sorry, Casanova, but we have to practice. So if you don't mind," she said.

"Alright, alright, I'm leaving," he said. He looked up and smiled at Twilight. "I'll see you later, Twilight. Keep rockin' it, girls." He bumped into the wall, smiled sheepishly at Twilight and ran out. Rarity smirked and gave Twilight a side glance, her hands on her hip. "Well, well, well, Twilight. Looks like you've casted a spell upon young Flash Sentry," she said. "You already have a victim at your fingertips, and its only your second day here." Twilight blushed and crossed her arms. Luckily, Rainbow Dash calmed everyone down and clapped her eyes.

"Okay, guys. We only have fifteen minutes before lunch ends, so let's practice "Awesome as I Want To Be," she said.

"Um, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy piped up in her usual timid voice. "I was wondering if we could do the song I wrote."

Rainbow Dash turned her back on her and waved her hand. "We'll get to that," she said, not noticing Fluttershy's deflated face. "Oh, okay," she murmured.