When Indigo was in middle school—a private school that had been a hell of a lot better than the absolutely toxic hellhole that was Crystal Prep—her dad had talked all about how he didn't care what career she and her siblings pursued, he was going to make sure they had the best chance at it through a good education. That was why he was paying for CPA, and why Indigo had spent three years busting her ass to get solid A’s and B’s; not as part of some contest to beat the rich trust fund kids, but to make her family proud, continue the legacy her dad started by being the first person in their family to go to college (even if it had been on a sports scholarship), and make sure that the money he spent wasn't a waste. She was the oldest, and with her brother coming in next year as a freshman, she was setting the precedent for the others to follow. So she’d done her best to keep her head down, study hard, and blow off steam on the girl’s basketball team and during track and field.

But after everything she’d seen this year, and after several weeks of helping Twilight Sparkle dodge her bullies, Indigo Zap was beginning to wonder if her dad’s money had been wasted after all. Not because of Indigo’s actions, but because no education was really worth the garbage that the other students got away with because money made teachers look the other way.

It was this thought that made her drive an aggressive elbow into the guy who’d almost knocked poor Twilight over on the track as they ran laps. “Asshole!” she hissed at him as he wheezed in pain and staggered to a halt. Then she caught up to the smaller teen who looked like she was on the verge of tears. “You okay?” she asked, feeling concerned.

Twilight gave her a look of pure frustration and she held up her hands. “Sorry, standard question.”

“…I’ve had better days,” Twilight complained. “I wasn't even supposed to be here today, but after the fight with Polaris, I had to be. I can't risk anything else on my record.”

Confused, Indigo tilted her head as they jogged along. “Why weren't you supposed to be here?”

The dark haired girl’s mood improved fractionally. “…my older brother finally got engaged over the winter to his girlfriend, and she’s always been like a sister to me, since she’s practically lived with us for as long as I can remember. And they're looking at wedding venues, and it was supposed to be this family outing, with all of us, because Mom and Dad are helping pay, and I’m Best Girl for my brother since he doesn't really have a lot of guy friends that he’s close enough to ask to stand up for him at the wedding.” Then her shoulders slumped. “But I’m here. All because of that stupid fight that wasn't even my fault.”

If Twilight sounded whiny, Indigo decided it was probably earned. Her new friend was not having a good day. Or a good week really. Their efforts to deny Suri and her clique their victory meant the school was now acting like it was open season on Twilight Sparkle. Shoving in the hall, things being thrown at her—Indigo had been deflecting balls during gym for the last week and it was starting to piss her off—and now they were hassling her whenever the Coach wasn’t looking. Poor Twilight had already been tripped twice today alone, her knees turning a lovely shade of violet bruise against lavender and her hands raw and a little scraped from catching herself.

“That sucks, Twilight. At least gym’s almost over though. You sure it's cool if I spend study hall and lunch in your lab again? I’m getting tired of Jasper poking me in the back with his damned pen. What an asshole!”

Twilight shrugged. “As long as you understand I’m working on my project and not likely up for conversation unless you have a homework question. I’m really behind, and I can't fail this.”

“And the plant girl isn't making it easier.” Indigo didn't care for the girl who shared Twilight’s space. She was abrasive and hostile, just like the rest of the school, and she treated Twilight like a misbehaving pet that wasn't quite smart enough for the current trick she was trying to teach. And she definitely didn't like Indigo being in the lab space at all. Not to mention she couldn't seem to remember what sports Indigo played in, despite being reminded every time she got catty over Indigo's presence.

Shoulders slumping further, Twilight answered, “…yeah…”

Shit. Indigo was trying to make things better, not worse. “Sorry…” she offered. “Come on, let's finish our run, so we can go cool off.”

Twilight took a breath, managing a thin, tired smile at Indigo that seemed more for the athlete’s benefit than any actual feeling on Twilight’s part. “…thank you…it should be me that should be apologizing. Wallflower’s behavior is not your fault, and I shouldn't…” She stopped there, shaking her head. “Anyway,” she continued, picking up the pace with a little grim and dogged determination, “…honestly, of late your presence has made this part of the school day the only truly tolerable part. Thank you for that.”

Indigo jostled her a bit with a shoulder—even she had picked up that Twilight Sparkle didn't like to be touched too much unless she invited it. “No sweat—that's why friends exist, right? To make shitty places suck less?”

It got a tiny laugh, so Indigo figured she’d take it. The day was pretty much already lousy, but they only had one more to tough out and then a three day weekend. She was going to enjoy that too—her family had plans to order stupid amounts of pizza and play video games all weekend long, interspersed with a few pickup games in the backyard or whatever. Thankfully, gym class was just about over, and Coach was still happy with her and Twilight’s work in preparing for the Games, so their grades were good. It was about the only thing that had been good lately: her grades. Hanging with Twilight had meant help when she didn't get something in math or chemistry, and the girl had figured out a way to make it make sense to her.

As the gym teacher sent them on their way to get changed, Indigo was almost thinking the day might be looking up. Until Suri opened her big fat stupid mouth. Holy shit, did Indigo just want to punch her hard enough to ruin that orthodontist-assisted row of perfect teeth.

“Running off to your secret clubhouse to change clothes, Princess? Still too good now to use the locker room like everyone else?”

Indigo growled. “Oh fuck off, Polomare. Everyone knows the reason we stopped coming in was the permanent reek of cheap perfume and low tide that rolls off you like you're some kind of Halloween fog machine.”

“You should really learn to mind your own business, ‘kay? We were talking to the princess here, not you.” Suri stared down her nose at Indigo—though she had to tilt her head back pretty far to do it and Indigo thought it made her look even stupider than normal.

“And you should learn to shut your mouth before someone who doesn't care about your mom’s money beats the shit out of you,” Indigo shot back. “No one actually wants to hear your voice. It's like speaker feedback on the soul and it smells just as bad as the rest of you. Learn to use mouthwash after you get done gargling whatever boy you're paying for this week.”

Suri turned a rather interesting shade of…well, actually Indigo wasn't sure what color that was. Something ugly, just like the rest of Suri. “I was going to let you off easy, because you’ve always known your place, Indigo, but if that's how you want to play, ‘kay. You’ll be sorry.”

“Maybe she’s just desperate for a girlfriend, and Princess Twilight’s the only one at the school willing to put out for her.”

Twilight went about four shades paler and was starting to look a little ill. Indigo didn't know why, but the words hit the girl hard, and that wasn't okay. As far as she’d ever seen Twilight never did anything to any of her bullies other than avoid them until she couldn't. Drawing herself up to her full height and looming over the other girls, Indigo gestured coldly. “Look, just because the rest of you have tastes that run towards whatever’s cheapest on the nearest street corner doesn't mean the only thing the rest of us are interested in other people for is their tongue game. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I hang with Twilight because she’s the only one in this school who isn't a massive bitch with her head up her own ass? Because seriously—get a damned life, and maybe a personality while you're at it, Suri, cuz you're about to age out of this school and your mom and dad aren't so rich that they can pay men to overlook the one you have.”

While Suri stood there, gaping like a fish, Indigo nudged Twilight gently. “Come on. Let’s get out of here before the stink makes me lose my appetite.”

In the quiet of the halls as they headed for the library, Indigo watched Twilight. The younger teen was still shaken and a bit too pale from the hostile encounter; she looked a bit wild around the eyes, like a frightened animal seeking an escape. Indigo wasn't sure what about it had rattled her so badly, but she felt bad for not ending it sooner. “…you gonna be okay?”

The eyes staring at her through thick lenses were on the verge of tears, and the voice came out with a tremor, tongue stumbling over words like there wasn't enough air behind them. “…I…it's…no…y-yes…I n-need my m-meds. In…in my b-bag.”

Frowning, Indigo hurried her along. She hadn't known the genius girl took meds. Couldn't be asthma—anxiety maybe? She seemed like the type to maybe need meds for that. What the hell were you supposed to do for someone freaking out? She had no clue—panicking over stuff was not something her family did. They tended to get shouty instead, or did like her aunt and got quiet and stressed out. Was she supposed to hug her? Not touch her? Help her get her meds? Ugh. She needed a playbook for how to deal with high-strung smart people!

Okay, Indigo, think. She said she needs her meds, so let's get her to them. Worry about the rest after.

It didn't take much encouragement to get Twilight to speed walk to the library, though it was strangely quiet when they entered. Normally, the librarian was seated at the check-in desk when they got back, and had a smile and a wave for the two girls. She wasn't there, and Indigo felt an uncomfortable prickling at the back of her neck. Something was off. Wrong. Like ‘going past an alley at night and knowing you're about to get mugged’ wrong.

Her instincts were right on the money when they rounded the desk to enter the librarian’s small office. She could see the devastation right away in the form of torn papers and scattered textbooks. “Aw, shit…” she moaned, knowing that this was going to take forever to pick up.

What she didn't quite expect—though she probably should have, with how agitated the other girl already was—was how Twilight let out a sharp, loud sound of distress and ran into the small room, dropping to her knees. “No!” she whimpered. “Nononononononoooo…” Desperate hands scrabbled for the backpack that had been ripped open, searching frantically for something.

Indigo followed, surprised to learn that only Twilight’s bag had been ripped apart and gone through by whoever had done this. It angered her, the level of bullying that was going on, and she squatted down to start picking up the papers that had been violently ripped from the girl’s neat notebooks, or from the well loved paperback novel that had been in the bag. “I’m sorry, Twilight…this has never happened before. Ms. Stacks is always here to watch the stuff.”

There was no answer other than some stressed breathing that was picking up speed, and a stuttering, incoherent whine.

Her head whipped around. Twilight was on her knees, rocking slightly, clutching her inside out bookbag. “Twilight?” Still no answer, other than a choked breath. What was—her medicine, Indigo realized belatedly. She had been talking about it in the hall, and she wasn't holding any kind of pill bottle yet. “Your meds were stolen.”

A jerky nod, and then eyes widened, looking around wildly. “…p-pho…ne…” she hiccuped.

Honey colored eyes started to help her look, and she spotted it under an open text book, not far from a pretty shattered laptop. “Here,” she said, grabbing the phone…only to realize that it looked like someone had stomped on it, hard. “…I think it might be broken,” she finished lamely.

Snatching it out of her hand, Twilight started trying to make it work with hands that were shaking worse and worse as gasping sobs ripped free of her. “Nononononono…” she babbled, before dropping the phone from nerveless fingers and curling up into a hyperventilating, crying ball.

Now Indigo was starting to freak out a bit herself. What could she do? Grabbing the phone, she began trying to see if she could even turn it on. A few hard presses of buttons and holding it just so, she managed to get the screen to come on…not that she could do much with it.

She could, however, make out part of a recent message through the cracks on the screen. The name and contents of the message were undecipherable, but the number was clear to read. She pulled her own phone out of her bag. Twilight’s phone might’ve been busted, but Indigo’s was working. Maybe she could let Twilight’s family know things had gone wrong, before she tried to get the girl to the nurse. It wasn't like the nurse would be any help—that bitch was an entitled Bob-Cut who thought all the kids who came into her office were faking it for attention. She would never call Twilight’s parents for anything, and Indigo’s gut was telling her that her friend’s parents needed to know as soon as possible.

“Don't worry, Twilight,” she told her. “I’ve got your back, like I said.”

Resolutely, the blue haired girl began to enter the number in her phone, hoping the recipient would be someone in Twilight’s family.

Since Indigo doesnt have an official pony version, I had to look the character over for something that looked like a cutie mark. Only thing that I found were the lightning bolt earrings she wears. So yeah. That'll be there for the time being.

Anywho.

Twilight is not having a good time at school, things are still uncomfortable between her and Wallflower, and now her things have been destroyed.

Wonder who Indigo is about to contact?

*cackles evilly*

On the uphand, we get a little bit of Indigo backstory--she's actually got a little in common with Rarity. Her dad was also a scholarship athlete, though in his case, different sport (basketball), and unlike Rarity's father, who retired at the end of a long, successful career, Indigo's pop got a career ending injury a few years after he went pro. It was enough that he set aside a bunch of money to make sure his siblings, kids, and nieces/nephews could go on to college, and to set his immediate family up in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. Nowadays, he works from home most days using that degree he went to school for and make sure that his kids dont get into too much trouble.