“Aha! No Clue! There you are!” Blueblood extended a hand in greeting. “What’s the word, my good man?”

Clue blinked at the strangeness of the greeting, but otherwise took the boy’s hand and shook it firmly. “I’m, ah, good, Blueblood. Thanks for asking. How are you?”

“Simply splendid, I do believe so.” His gaze drifted to the window, looking past the glass and onto the courtyard that lay just outside the front of the school. “It is quite a stupendous Monday, don’t you think?”

No Clue as well turned his head as well. Despite it being October and quite cold, he could still see that the grass remained a healthy shade of green. If rumors were to be believed, that was the work of both Scrubby the strange janitor, plus whatever magic had been left over due to the Battle of the Bands (something that, while wildly unbelievable, he had no choice but to accept as having indeed happened). He could even see small pockets of dandelions still popping up, the stubborn weeds refusing nature’s call to yield.

The seasons came and went, but this sight, he knew, he would never be tired of.

“For autumn, it is quite beautiful,” he admitted. “Hmm… by the way, where’s Brutos?”

“Something to do with sports, I believe,” Blueblood said. “There’s some sort of meet going on right now, if his text is to be believed.”

“What, do you think he’d lie to you?”

“Well, I wouldn’t put it past anyone, really. Aside from you, of course.” Blueblood narrowed his eyes. “You’re much too good-hearted for this world sometimes, you know that?”

No Clue gave a grin. “Hey. If it’s part of what makes me endearing, I’ll take it.”

“Ah. I suppose that’s to be expected.” Blueblood let out a hum. “But, I must wonder, since you brought it up: what would you lie about?”

“You know how loaded that question is. I could tell you a lie and have you believe it—”

“Or tell me the truth and I might not trust you—”

“Or I could believe my own lie to be true.”

“That is a good point, my fine friend, but you miss the larger picture. Lying requires a level of subtlety, intrigue, prowess, to truly possess and call your own. It’s more than not telling the truth; it requires levels of social skills never before seen in any other species of animal!”

They began walking down the hall towards their next class. “It’s lying, Blueblood,” said No Clue, “not an art.”

“Hmm.” The boy tapped his chin, looking half-at the ceiling, half-at the floor. “Criminals would have you believe otherwise.”

“But that’s why they’re in jail in the first place!”

“The caught ones, you mean. Not the ones who successfully lied and got away with it.”

“Blueblood.” No Clue paused; “Don’t tell me you worship criminals. Oh my God, you do, don’t you?”

The boy shrugged, but had on a mocking smile. “Only the good ones,” he said, and then laughed at the paradox. “Besides, the world likes to tell tall tales of the underdog, even if the underdog has probably done something wrong.”

Clue rolled his eyes. “Leave it to you, Blue, to support the criminal underground. The next thing you’ll tell me is that your family has connections to the Mafia!”

Blueblood winked at him, and Clue felt his heart drop into his stomach. “I was kidding. You’re a gangster?!”

“A gangster? Please.” Blueblood snorted. “As if I’d settle for anything less than a mob boss. You do know how I feel about power and control, after all.”

Meanwhile, No Clue wasn’t sure whether to pinch himself or run. Am I friends with a criminal mastermind? He does look the type.

This was yet another series of conversations that the young boy and the rich boy had grown to continuously have over the days. Their schedules, while different, allowed them to meet up in various place throughout the school and walk to their next class together. Sometimes Brutos would tag along, but, as today demonstrated, he often had other obligations. Not that Clue minded; what he and Blueblood talked about ranged from simple, to straight-up bombastic, a quality that he had initially thought the other boy incapable of having. It was enough to make up for the absence of the strangely perceptive jock, that strangely calm, taller boy.

In retrospect, this wasn’t so strange. No Clue had little memories of his old life that consisted of simply talking with friends. Perhaps he had been lonely; perhaps he hadn’t realized that until he came to Canterlot High. At the same time, though, he thought that it mattered little. He was simply glad to be with Blueblood. And it was more than just the company that he enjoyed. It was the conversation, the talk, the banter, that carried him brightly through these halls. No matter the subject, he and Blueblood could debate and speak seemingly forever; or at least until their respective classes approached.

In short, No Clue had found someone who could supply something that he hadn’t had in a while: an equal in both intellect and passion.

But these conversations had another effect, one that Clue was not entirely aware of. Each time he and Blueblood talked, a little part of him slipped away. That part contained the memory of a certain, icy-blue-haired boy, with cerulean eyes and a yellow jacket, who had refused to trust him.

Perhaps Clue was indeed aware of this; but for now, he wouldn’t care. Each time he thought of that pain, that loneliness, that strange boy, he would make himself forget.

It became easier every time. Soon it was “me, Blueblood, and Brutos;” that other boy no longer was in the picture.

“—should I take, Clue?”

“Hmm?” Blueblood’s voice suddenly drew him out of his thoughts. “Sorry, didn’t quite catch that. What did you say?”

“I made mention of how that—oh, what’s it called…” Blueblood stopped at one of the bulletin boards. His eyes scanned it quickly, and then he gasped. “Right! The ‘Fall Hallows’ Eve Event. It’s coming up soon, isn’t it?”

No Clue looked where he looked, and saw a flyer announcing the Event. “Yeah, in about two weeks,” he said. “On the thirty-first. A… Friday, I think.”

“Right, right. Anyway, I was wondering if you had any opinion on whom I should bring?”

No Clue paused. Then, slowly, he turned to look at his friend, a surprised glint in his eye, and laughter dancing on the tip of his lips. “Hang on. Did you, Blueblood, self-proclaimed ‘male extraordinaire,’ just ask me, No Clue, for girl advice?”

Blueblood huffed. “No! Of course not. I just wanted your opinion, that’s all.”

Clue covered his mouth with his sleeve, and had to look away. “Right! Right. But my opinion is that you asked me for help in getting a date!”

“It’s a bloody dance, Clue! Not a dinner at the Grand Bazaar!”

“The heck is that? Oh, wait, don’t tell me; that’s where you plan to go afterwards!”

He and Clue kept on walking, with Clue chuckling while Blueblood lightly fumed. “If Brutos were here—you know, he’d probably do something similar, wouldn’t he?” the rich boy muttered.

Clue cackled. “Of course he would.”

“I thought friends were supposed to be encouraging.”

“Hey, and I am! And I encourage you to choose on your own. I’m sure there tons of girls you could pick from.” At an odd look from a passing couple, Clue added, embarrassed, “But I’m not saying that they’re like candy you rob from the store or anything like that, of course.”

“Of course.” Blueblood sighed. “Still, it is a bit of a dilemma. Who do I choose to bask in the glory that is Blueblood? It should be someone worthy; someone truly stupendous.”

“Well, that shouldn’t be too hard of a choice,” Clue said. “I’m sure there a lot of girls who would want to dance with you.”

At that, Blueblood managed to smile again, but it looked a little strained. “Perhaps there are, Clue. Perhaps there are.”

They walked on for a little while, before cutting a left and going up a staircase. It led them to the front of the first hall on the second floor; their classes were all the way down and to the right.

Clue saw Blueblood’s smile grow more cunning. “I suppose that I have been the topic of this conversation for far too long,” he said, turning to Clue. “So I suppose that means that I’ll have to ask you: who are you bringing to the dance?”

A cold pit welled up in his stomach. He jerked his head, almost like he had been pulled back. “W-what? I-I—w-well, I don’t know…”

“Ah! So you have someone in mind, then!”

“W-what? N-no, of course I don’t! W-what would she think—I mean, no! There’s no one, really!”

“Ah, but I caught that little slip, my friend.” Blueblood clapped him once on the shoulder. “So, who’s the lucky gal? One of the girls in our class? I noticed you and Lyra getting comfy.”

“We were working on our homework!” Clue replied hastily. “And, besides, she’s already in a relationship with Bon Bon!”

“Mmm. Good point. I guess I’ll have to keep guessing, then.”

He groaned. “Oh, please don’t.”

“Oh, but I simply must! Is it Sky Drops?”

“No!”

“Flitter?’

“No!”

“How about her sister, Cloud Chaser?”

“No!”

“Man, you really like saying your own name. What about Blossomforth? I admit, she does seem like a rather nice girl.”

“No, it’s not Blossomforth either! Would you cut it out? How you would like it if I started randomly guessing your dance date?”

Blueblood wagged a finger. “Oh, No Clue. How adorable it is that you try to counter this. But the problem is that I haven’t the faintest idea of who I might enjoy the night with. You, on the other hand, do, and thus give me the ammo to keep guessing.”

Suddenly, he fell silent. He stared at Clue for several moments, before asking, “… it is a girl, right? I mean, I won’t judge if it isn’t. I’m sure that whoever he is, he’s a nice person.”

No Clue heavily blushed. “Blueblood, I’m not… that way. Not that there’s anything wrong with it! But I’m not. Really.”

“Alright. But just so we’re clear, I wouldn’t be against that.”

“… right.”

“… so is it Carrot Top?”

“Blueblood, I will throw you out the window if you keep guessing.”

“So it is Carrot Top!”

No Clue answered with a huff, and then practically wrenched open his classroom’s door, slamming it in Blueblood’s face not long after.

Blueblood blinked. “Maybe it’s not her… oh, well.”

No Clue couldn’t concentrate. Blueblood’s inquiries hounded him, and he attempted to drown them out by drowning himself in a textbook. When that didn’t work, he slammed the book shut, much louder than he had anticipated, and all eyes suddenly trained upon him.

He let out a nervous giggle. “Um, sorry about that. Guess I don’t know my own strength?”

The students didn’t bother him after that. He slipped the textbook back into his backpack, letting out a silent sigh. Then he sat back down, and stared at his desk in equal silence.

It seemed to not make any sense at first; but, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that it actually did. He was bothered because he hadn’t realized how much it bothered him. It shouldn’t have; but it did.

But, I mean… how do I even ask her? I mean, how do I even go about that?

He shook his head. The dance is still a long time away, he tried to reassure himself. I still have time… right?

His mind drifted, to her, and her rainbow-hued locks, that confident smile. He balled his hands into fists, feeling more nervous than he had ever had. Attempting to calm himself, he forced himself to breathe slowly, quietly, so as to still his rapidly-beating heart.

Once the bell rang, all the students piled back into the halls, heading for their final class of the day. No Clue was a bit late on the uptake, resulting in him coming out somewhat last. He already knew who was outside waiting for him, no doubt still grinning devilishly. He already anticipated the question.

“Is it—”

“No, it isn’t, actually, Blueblood,” Clue said. “Can you stop bothering me about it?”

“You know my answer already,” the boy said. “C’mon, I was just teasing.”

“Yeah, I know, and I’m starting to get annoyed with it.”

Blueblood audibly hesitated, as his voice stuttered a little. “No Clue, that really got to you, didn’t it?”

No Clue blushed and continued looking away. “W-well, I mean… kind of.”

“Hrm. That is surprising. I had thought you hardier than most people.”

“Hey! I have feelings, too!”

“Right you are, right you are, indeed.” Blueblood cast a narrow look down, ruminating over silently-moving lips.

Clue couldn’t say he was rightly mad at Blueblood; in fact, he doubted he was truly irritated towards the richer boy. If anything, as he watched people go by, with several couples and groups passing them, he realized that the one person he was frustrated with was himself.

They paused at a locker for Clue to gather himself and his belongings better; they had been slipping. Blueblood looked back up, and appeared to be struggling to say something.

“I—well, I—hmm, why is this so hard to say?” Blueblood rubbed his temples. “God, it makes you wonder politicians can do this…”

Clue quirked an eyebrow. “Lie?”

“No, lying is far, too easy. I meant apologize.” He looked at the other boy. “I did not mean to put you in an uncomfortable spot, No Clue.”

“It’s fine, Blueblood. You didn’t mean any harm by it.” No Clue paused, then let out a breath. He couldn’t stop himself. “But… the truth is, there has been someone on my mind…”

“As much as I would love to hear it, you don’t have to tell me.” Blueblood winked. “Until the day of the dance, at the very latest.”

No Clue offered a laugh. “Well, if that’s the case, then you have to tell me who you’re going with the day before!”

“Hmm, sounds like a fine deal. Shake on it?” He stretched out a lean hand.

Clue grabbed it with a smile. “No fingers crossed?”

“Please, Clue. A good businessman doesn’t cop out on a good proposition.” He brought out his other hand, and waved it. “See?”

They shook. It felt solid. Like a promise between two, surprisingly good friends.

“Right-o!” Blueblood said. “We’d better get going, before the lunch crowd completely envelops us both. The usual lunch spot, then?”

“Yep, the usual. And maybe Brutos will join us.”

“Perhaps he will.”

They turned to leave, but just as they began to walk, something tugged on Clue’s backpack. He nearly toppled over.

“Whoa, man!” Blueblood exclaimed. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” No Clue frowned. “Huh. Looks like my backpack got caught on the edge of the locker.”

He reached out to grab hold of the edge, intending to pry it out, when a voice above said, “Here, let me get it.” A hand stretched out over his, unintentionally brushing against it.

“Hmm? Oh, thank you—” As he turned to the voice, his eyes shrunk, and his own voice receded into his throat. Something akin to a gasp and a squeak escaped his lips, but the other person didn’t mind.

“Wait, No Clue? Is that really you?” Rainbow Dash, the Rainbow Dash, beamed down at him. “Holy cow! I can’t believe I finally found you!”

“H-huh? I—I mean, yeah, this is where I am!” He let go of his backpack and pulled away from her hand. “I-I mean, why wouldn’t I be here!”

“I dunno! But seriously, man, I have been looking all over for you!”

“Y-you have? Y-you’ve been looking for me?”

She playfully rolled her eyes. “Well, duh! Course I have! I mean, you’re my friend, so why wouldn’t I want to know what you’re up to?”

She wrestled a bit with the caught end of the backpack, before pulling it out triumphantly. “There! Got it!”

Afterwards, she helped him up. “Hey, so, I was gonna ask you something.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah. I need your help, actually.”

“O-oh!” No Clue eagerly jumped at the chance presented. “Well, I can help, really! What is it?”

“Really? You will?” Rainbow beamed again, and her smile was absolutely brilliant in Clue’s eyes. “Awesome! That’s really awesome of you, Clue. I knew I could count on you!”

She laced an arm around his shoulder, and he let himself be drawn closer to her. A goofy smile stretched across his face. “Man! Having you back is gonna be great!” she said. “I can see it now: you, me, and Artifex, all back together again!”

He kept his smile on at first, but then it slowly slipped off. “W-wait. Artifex? What about him?”

“Hmm?” She glanced back. “Oh, right. You probably haven’t seen him lately, have you?”

“N-no. Should I have?”

“Nah, it’s fine. Anyway, point is: I think he needs our help, Clue. Like, he really needs it. Of course,” she added under her breath, “it’d be nice if he saw that he needs help, but oh well.”

No Clue fumbled for words. “Uh… so… like… what does Artifex need help with?”

Rainbow sighed. “He’s in a bad state. He’s super mopey all the time.”

“Maybe…” No Clue licked his lips. Why did his mouth suddenly grow dry? “Maybe he needs some time alone?”

“Some time? Dude, he’s been like this for the past month!”

For a moment, surprised flushed out his flustered feelings. “Wait. A month?”

“I know, right? I’m pretty sure that’s cause for alarm.”

“Y-yeah, it is! Um… what do you want to do, again?”

“Oh, right! I haven’t told you yet. Y’see—”

“Ahem.”

No Clue only momentarily seized up, and relaxed once he had fully processed the voice. “Oh, shoot! Sorry, Blue, didn’t mean to forget you there.” He turned around, and noticed that the other boy had a distinct frown crossing his features.

Unsure what to do next, he opted for introductions. “Um, Rainbow? I’d like for you to meet my friend, Blueblood—”

“We’re acquainted,” Blueblood interrupted coldly.

“Unfortunately.” Rainbow made a gagging sound. “Ugh, hang on. Did you just call him your ‘friend’?”

No Clue blinked. “Wait, you know each other? How?”

“Through mutual association, Clue,” Blueblood responded, “and nothing more, I should hope, Miss Dash.”

“Don’t you ‘Miss Dash’ me!” She stomped towards him. “I still haven’t forgiven you for making Rarity cry last year!”

“That was an unfortunate occurrence.”

“You spilled fruit punch on her, you arrogant asshole!”

“I’m arrogant? Why, I ought to—”

“Hey, hey!” No Clue, much to his own surprise, stepped between them. Furthering his surprise was the fact that his voice regained the same level of confidence it had held before Rainbow had arrived. “Both of you calm down!”

They both stared in surprise at No Clue, before, grudgingly, they backed off. Their glares remained transfixed on each other.

Clue let out a huff. “Now, before you guys start slugging it out or whatever, do you mind telling me what’s with you both?”

They didn’t immediately answer. Gazes breaking, they each looked away, unwilling to even remotely glance at where the other stood. Clue let out an exasperated sigh. “Well, I gather that it has something to do with Rarity…”

Blueblood, in the corner of No Clue’s vision, flinched slightly, like he had been struck by an invisible force.

“Well, of course it has to do with Rarity,” Rainbow said, crossing her arms. “You mean you don’t know?”

Clue fought his own emotions and gave Rainbow a plain stare. “Should I?”

She sighed. “Nah, I guess not. It happened, what, a year ago, I think.”

“A year and a half,” Blueblood corrected.

Rainbow glared at him. “Shut it, Blueblood.”

Blueblood appeared ready to reply in kind, but one glance from No Clue kept him quiet. “Alright,” said the boy, “what exactly happened?”

“It was another dance,” said Rainbow. “A small one, but a lot of people still came.”

“Was this before the Battle of the Bands?”

“Way, way before, actually. It was before Sunset tried to take over and—” At Clue’s incredulous look, Rainbow stopped. “Oh. Right. You don’t know a lot about that. Look, I’ll tell you it later, okay?”

He nodded slowly. “Um… okay.”

“Anyway, we girls were together for a while, but we became separated during the dance to have our own fun and all, y’know?” She tilted her head a little to her right, looking up as she remembered the dance. “I was having fun hanging out with the other athletes, when, all of a sudden, I heard this sharp and shrill scream! So, naturally, I looked over, and what do I see? Rarity, soaked with punch! And who else was next to her, holding an empty cup, then Blueblood himself?!”

Clue turned to the other boy. “You spilled punch?”

Blueblood bristled. “It was an accident, I assure you!”

Rainbow scoffed. “Yeah, well, the first time was an accident, alright.”

Clue’s eyes bulged. “You spilled punch twice?!”

“And the second time was intentional!” exclaimed the girl behind him. “Oh, don’t even bother defending yourself, Blueblood! Cause you know exactly what you did!”

Blueblood struggled to keep his composure. “What happened was… was…”

“Entirely on purpose!” Rainbow shouted. “Sure, you apologized the first time, but the next time Rarity showed up—and she wasn’t even trying to get your attention, you jerk! She was just trying to get a cup for the rest of us!—you, in all your ‘kingly splendor’ or whatever the hell you call it, freaking dumped the entire punch bowl on her!”

The hall went dead silent. Every other student’s eyes drew towards the trio. Blueblood cringed under their gazes, while Rainbow and Clue remained standing. Eventually, Clue’s hand promptly decided to amply express exactly what his owner felt.

Head on; apply directly to the forehead, it said, as it practically slammed itself against his forehead.

None said anything, and seeing this, the curious gazes of the other students gradually turned away. The hall became loud and busy once more; though, for those three, awkwardness was plentiful.

Clue found his voice several moments later. “Wow. I… I don’t know what to say.” He turned to Blueblood. “Did you actually do that?”

The boy actually shivered under Clue’s penetrating stare. “Y-yes, I did.”

“How? Why?”

“I was…” Blueblood paused, searching for the right word, but found he couldn’t locate a good enough euphemism. “Okay, I was an arsehole back then. A ripe, smelly arsehole. With just a touch of—”

At Clue and Rainbow’s disgusted looks, Blueblood paused. “Right. Well. That analogy has gone on long enough. But yes, I am aware of how awful of a person I was back then. And I will always regret doing what I did, believe me. Which is why I am trying to do better; to be better.” He suddenly looked directly at Clue, and his voice became more subdued, like he was pleading. “You… you can see that, right, No Clue? That I am trying to be something more than what I appear?”

No Clue tapped his chin. “Well, to be fair, I don’t really know any sort of ‘old you,’ so I can’t say for certain.” He saw Blueblood cringe a little more, so frantically he continued, “But that doesn’t mean that you aren’t less of a person! I mean, I think you’re okay—well, not just okay, but—you’re a good friend in your own regard, alright?”

“Wait, wait-wait-wait-wait; hang on.” At Rainbow’s tone, Clue whirled around, blushing once again when he found himself under the athlete’s own, penetrating stare. “Blueblood’s your friend?!”

He gulped. “Y-yeah. I mean—yeah, he is.”

“How?!”

Taken aback by her hoarse voice, he stuttered, “W-what do you mean?”

“I mean how can you be friends with this guy? How can you be friends with someone as condescending, arrogant, stuck-up jerk?!”

“The same way,” Blueblood said, “you can be friends with Sunset Shimmer.”

“That’s different!” Rainbow exploded. “She’s different! She’s changed for the better!”

“And so have I!” Blueblood shouted back. “Or, at least I’m trying to change! Shouldn’t that be enough? Is that enough?”

“It is enough, Blueblood,” Clue said. He frowned. “If people are willing to do better, then… then you have to give them the benefit of the doubt. That’s what friendship is, right? Giving people a chance?”

His words brought Rainbow’s to a grinding halt. She slowly processed what he had just said. Blueblood did the same, and both stared at Clue, for different reasons.

No Clue closed his eyes. His hands shook; his body quivered. They expected some sort of follow-up, because they knew he had more to say.

He slowly breathed in and out. I think… I think I’m going to regret this.

“R-Rainbow.” He cleared his throat, then said again, more clearly, “Rainbow.”

“Hmm?” Even she sounded hesitant. She looked at him. “What is it?”

“… Listen. You’re… you’re a good person. You’re… amazing, and strong, and…” He stopped himself before he unintentionally spilled everything. “I just… I need… I mean…”

Damn it! Can’t I just get this one, simple request out of my mouth already?!

“I… I…” Again he gulped, and then he pounded the back of his fist against the palm of his hand. “B-Blueblood. He’s… he’s my friend. The first real one here.”

“Huh?” Rainbow replied with a frown. “What about me and Artifex?”

“No, it’s—” Clue had to take another breath before continuing. He was shaking all over, nervously anxious. “He’s—Blueblood, I mean—he’s been around me the longest. So… so… isn’t that enough?”

Now he looked at Rainbow with his own, pleading eyes. “Can’t… can’t I at least have that? I think… I think Blueblood is my friend. That… that should be enough, right? I mean, I think it should. No, that’s not… Rainbow. I need you to let me know that this is okay.”

There. I finally said it. No, wait, that’s not what I wanted to say—damn it, Clue! Why do I have to get tongue-tied at times like this?

He barely registered her shocked expression. Look, man, she’s just a girl. Another person, I mean. A really… kind of attractive person… Agh! Never mind that. Try saying it again!

“Rainbow—”

“You’re right.”

Both Clue and Blueblood were taken aback at Rainbow’s tone. It was defeatist in nature; low, downtrodden, like all of her enthusiasm, her anger, her energy, had been thoroughly drained. Clue grew aware of her hair and how disheveled it appeared. That feature both made him blush and grow even more concerned. Has… has she been messing up her hair? Is she nervous?

Rainbow could scarcely bear to look at him. “You’re right, Clue. You really are.” She let out an empty laugh. “Always knew deep down you were a pretty smart guy.”

“Rainbow, I—”

“Please, just… let me finish first. Okay?”

“… Okay.”

“Thank you.” She finally offered him a smile, but that fell quickly. “But you’re right, Clue. I haven’t been that much of a friend to you, have I? I haven’t even gone out of my way to see you over the past month until today.” She suddenly looked at Blueblood; there was barely any trace of antagonistic intent in her eyes. “How long have you two known each other?”

Blueblood started. “Um… Nearly two weeks, which is, admittedly, kind of short.”

“Still more than between me and him,” Rainbow muttered. She looked back at Clue, then back away. “I haven’t even known you—like, really know you—for a full week. I guess that means… how can I say who your friends are?”

Another hollow laugh bubbled in her throat. “I just was so worried about my other friends that I forgot about you, Clue.”

Other friends? Could that mean…?

She finally looked directly at him. “I’m really sorry, Clue, for the way I’ve been treating you. It wasn’t right, and because of that, because I haven’t been a good friend towards you, I don’t have the right to judge who you become friends with. Even if that person is Blueblood.” She shot the rich boy a glare, but it appeared more halfhearted than anything. “The point is, Clue, is that you deserve to have your friends. You deserve to choose who you become friends with. Even if—” She hesitated, her voice dropping several octaves. “Even if I’m not one of them.”

No Clue nearly responded; in fact, he would have immediately come to Rainbow’s defense.

Blueblood, instead, spoke in his place. “Rainbow Dash.”

“Oh, what do you want, Blueblood?” she asked, half as cold as she could have asked.

“I wanted to apologize, you know. To Rarity.”

“You did?”

He nodded. “But I was a coward back then. And… I think I still am a bit. I just want to let you know that you have every right to regard me with scrutiny. After all, I myself would find it hard to forgive me.” He looked to the other boy. “Clue, I know we haven’t known each other for that long, but, I’d like to think that so far, our friendship has been helping me far more than hindering me.”

Clue managed a smile. “I’d like to think the same,” he said. Blueblood nodded, before stepping back.

He looked back at Rainbow, swallowing his nervousness. “It’s not completely your fault, Rainbow. I haven’t talked to you, or tried to. Not that I didn’t mean to, though; it’s just… y’know… life stuff.”

“Nah, I getcha.” She sighed, then looked at the bell. “I still feel pretty awful, though. How about I make it up to you?”

“Make it up to me? Well, I’m not sure how you could…”

For several heavy seconds, the three of them stood in complete silence. No Clue felt an itch, and tried to scratch it away, while Blueblood uncharacteristically shuffled his feet. Rainbow, meanwhile, had placed her hands behind her back, and had crossed her legs, appearing almost guarded.

“A-actually,” she muttered, so softly that at first Clue didn’t hear her. “M-maybe there is a way.”

“Is there?” he asked. “I mean, not that I’m asking for a favor. If you don’t want to, that’s fine, too.”

“No, it’s fine, Clue,” she said, letting out a slow breath. “Oh, boy… this is gonna sound really weird.”

“I’m sure it isn’t, Rainbow,” Blueblood managed to say. “It’s not like you’re going to ask Clue here to the Fall Hallows’ Eve Event, are you?”

More silence followed. Blueblood blinked. “… Are you?”

“Uh…” Rainbow let out a nervous giggle. “M-Maybe…?”

Clue blinked. Had he heard that right?

“Dash!” Blueblood scolded. “You can’t just turn a very important dance into a chance to turn in a favor!”

“It’s not that important!” She paused. “Okay, it’s pretty important. But I’m not doing just to turn in a favor!”

“Then why are you doing it?”

“Because… because that’s all I could come up with to show Clue that I’m truly sorry!”

“Couldn’t you just do his homework for a week?”

“You and I both know that I couldn’t handle his homework!”

“I—Alright, you have me there. But the point is that you obviously didn’t think this through!”

“Well, I’m sorry, Blueblood, but I can’t exactly think on the fly, okay?”

“And I’m not saying I can either, but clearly this is some serious lack of regard for—”

“Guys,” Clue said, cutting both of them off. “Rainbow,” he further addressed. “Are you… are you asking me to the dance?”

“Huh? Y-yeah, I—I am. Yeah.” She cleared her throat, repeating herself several more times, before slowly growing quiet at Clue’s lack of response. “Um… Clue? You okay?”

No way…

“Clue? You’re… you’re not mad, are you?”

Is this really happening?

All thoughts of his confusion over Rainbow and Blueblood’s fighting, over his problems with Artifex, all of it, vanished, revealing to him a single, lit path. Opportunity lay at the end; opportunity that he knew, deep down, he would never find again.

No Clue was many things, and he was not many things. But he was anything but unwilling to take that chance when he saw it.

A wide, open smile crested his lips, and he looked at Rainbow with renewed happiness and joy. And when he spoke, an unexpected wave of calmness washed over him, filling him with just the right amount of confidence that he needed. “I-I mean, if you’re offering, then, yes. I’d love to go to the dance with you.”

“Y-you’re serious?” Blueblood said.

“As serious as I will ever be.”

Rainbow stared at him, eyes wide, mouth gaping; then, her mouth slipped into a beaming smile of her own. “A-Awesome! I, uh… y-yeah! That’s… that’s great, really.” She began backing up, and grabbed her bag. “I, well… I… I’ll see you in two weeks, I guess?”

“Yep!” Clue exclaimed.

“C-cool! I mean, cool. Yeah. That. Um… Bye!”

Rainbow Dash dashed away (No Clue would later facepalm because of that pun). Clue stared after her, the smile slowly diminishing as he realized she was gone. But the elated feelings remained.

His heart beat a thousand miles a minute, like it just had a huge surge of pure adrenaline; yet, he didn’t feel like he might collapse. Throw up, maybe, but not faint.

When he turned back around to grab his belongings, he found Blueblood giving him a dumbfounded look. “What is it?” he asked.

The richer boy shook his head. “I am absolutely confounded as to how that happened. You’ve managed to score yourself a date before me!”

“Is that all you care about?”

“No! It’s just… surprising. Absolutely surprising.”

No Clue turned away, staring down the hall for a second. When he turned back, he found Blueblood with a smile on his face.

The richer boy offered a hand, and No Clue shook his in it. “I’m still dumbfounded about all that, but… thanks for sticking up for me, Clue. It means a lot.”

“O-Of course, Blueblood.”

“There you go, stuttering again! Come on, man, where was all that confidence from mere minutes ago?”

As Blueblood laughed, Clue’s smile grew. They began to walk down the hall, going the opposite way.

Today had been a good Monday morning.