I awoke with a groan and took a relaxing breath. Another nightmare! I have been getting them quite a bit recently. This should pass soon, or at least I hope they do, as I don't quite know what to do. I took my phone out and noticed I woke up about half an hour before my usual time. I sighed in frustration, when I noticed I got more texts from Rainbow. Thankfully, the only part of the message I could see on the notification was a crying emoji. I really don't want to deal with her right now, though school will be the perfect spot for her to corner me.

Surprisingly, that actually wasn't the case. The girls and Rainbow seemed to have decided to leave me alone. Fine by me, since I can spend a few days calming down and maybe finally give Rainbow a chance. I entered third period English, a class I happened to share with Applejack. Speaking of her, I noticed she had a nervous look, before she awkwardly looked away from me. Looks like things are going to be awkward between the girls and me. I quickly took my seat and waited for class to start. The sooner the day is over the sooner I can relax.

"Morning class," Ms. Cheerilee announced, "Today we are going to do something different than usual. We are going to start reading and analyzing Hamlet. You all will be assigned a partner and will read through it together. Once we get through each act you will work together on writing an analysis on what you both read." She added, making many Students raise their hands, but instead of picking one, she continued, "No, you can't pick. I will be picking for you. Also, to save time you all will have to meet up outside school to get it done."

This caused everyone's hand to lower. Then one by one she announced everyone's partner and I felt dread as she continued without calling mine. There's a chance I could get paired up with Applejack. A part of me was dreading it, but another was telling me that I shouldn't be since my beef is with Rainbow.

"Applejack your partner will be..."

My nervousness was so great that it felt like time was slowing down. The tension was so great, I could cut it with a knife.

"Marcus."

Of course! I am not even surprised. I can't get a break at all. Here's hoping that what happened with Rainbow doesn't actually make things awkward with us, though considering her behavior earlier, I am hoping for the impossible.

Once she finished assigning everyone else their partners, we all began to join our partners. I took a relaxing breath, as Applejack nervously walked closer to me and took a seat near me.

"Oh... Hi," She greeted me awkwardly.

"Hi."

She took her seat right, when Cheerilee placed a book on both of our desks and walked up to the front of the room.

"Now that you have your partner and your book, please get started and keep your voices to a low volume, so you don't distract everyone else."

Applejack and I quickly turned to the page, and I noticed she wanted to say something, but couldn't find the courage to.

"So?" She finally began awkwardly and nervously.

"Yes?" I asked, despite knowing what she likely was trying to say.

"I know... You are angry with Rainbow, and I don't blame you, but... Are you angry with the rest of us?" She managed to finally ask.

"No, what possibly made you think that?"

"It's just that you haven't responded to any of our texts, and I guess paranoia made all of us worried."

Despite expecting this to be the reason, it was still kind of surprising to learn they were all fearing that, when I was fearing the same thing from them. Talk about irony. Looks like I was worried about nothing. Better assure her.

"Well, I'm not. I just needed some time alone with my thoughts," I responded, before looking at the page, "If there isn't anything else, shall we get to this."

She simply nodded, before we got started on this easy to get through class period.

It was after school and apart from English, it was just a normal day. The only thing worth noting was the woman the school board sent inspecting and interviewing with the staff. This makes me wonder what's happening at Crystal Prep after this whole thing. I'm sure if anything happened, I would find out sooner or later. Normally, I would head home to relax for the rest of the day, but I have to get dog food. That should just be a quick visit, but given my track record recently, it likely won't be.

I entered the mall and right in the middle of it was once again Trixie, handing out her flyers. When I got closer her eyes lit up and she appeared to give me a flirty look. It kind of freaked me out a little, but mostly I am happy to receive such a look. Wait, what am I thinking?

"Marcus," She began happily, as she walked right up to me, "I was hoping to see you again and you are alone this time," She began gently rubbing my cheek.

"Yeah."

"I was hoping to run into you again, but without those Rain-brooms. They always seem to be near you at school."

"You were?"

"I have. I have been looking for a skilled artist to do a flier that would do my magic show justice and despite my best efforts haven't found any that could please me. At least until recently."

I can tell where she is going with this, and I don't know if I like the sound of it.

"I see."

"After catching one of your live streams, I was happy to learn you have the skills I have been looking for," She smirked, before giving my cheek another gentle rub, "That made me even more impressed with you and I didn't think that was possible. What do you say? Want to help me out? I am more than happy to make it worth your while," She finished in a flirty tone before giving me a wink, making me blush heavily.

God, I didn't think anyone other than Rarity would flirt with me like this. I barely even had more than a few conversations with her. Not to mention I haven't known the other girls for long. How am I getting all of them to fall for me? I took a relaxing breath.

"Sure, I don't mind helping out."

Though the Rainbooms definitely will but what I do is none of their business.

"I knew I could count on you," she giggled, before giving me a kiss on the cheek, to my slight surprise, "We are going to have a wonderful partnership that will benefit both of us."

I left the pet shop with the dog food in my backpack. Thankfully after that conversation with Trixie, nothing else happened that distracted me. Now I should be able to get back home without anything else distracting me. Along the way, I began to hear some people arguing. Despite wanting to get home, my curiosity became too much to ignore, so I began to follow the sound. I quickly made my way to the arcade and could hear the voices clearly.

"Sorry Lemon Zest, but since Sour Sweet couldn't make it, and you don't have someone else, you must forfeit."

"Come on Indigo! How was I supposed to know she would skip out on this?"

"You should have made sure she was coming or found a backup."

"Well said Sugarcoat."

Those sound like those Crystal Prep girls from the games. Becoming even more curious, I entered the arcade and sure enough, there were three of the Crystal Prep girls the girls and I faced, during the games. One of them with red skin and hair in various shades of green, was glaring at the other two.

"Well, unless you want to forfeit, you must find another player right now. Though it's pointless, since I never lose at this game." One of the two, who had peace skin, could almost pass as normal, and hair in various shades of blue.

"It's doubtful you will find a replacement since we are the only ones here." The third girl, with gray skin and white hair, with blue streaks done in pigtails pointed out.

This made Lemon Zest groan in anger, before she looked around and noticed me. She blinked in surprise for a brief moment, before turning towards the others with a smirk.

"Oh really? Well, look again."

The other two looked, and like Lemon Zest blinked in surprise and in the case of Sugarcoat began to lightly blush.

"You!" Indigo Zap exclaimed before all three of the girls walked right up to me, "You're the boy we faced at the friendship games. The one that almost died."

"It was a relief to see you managed to survive," Lemon Zest added.

"You were the only one in the final twelve that was worth considering as a rival. It's a shame you aren't a student at Crystal Prep." Sugarcoat stated bluntly.

" Yeah, anyone who could not only beat Twilight at academics, but also seem kind of cool, deserves a spot there with us." Indigo Zap added with a smirk.

"What brings you here?" Lemon Zest asked me.

"I heard you three arguing and being curious I decided to check it out."

This caused the three girls to lightly blush.

"We were that loud?" Indigo asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, I'm kind of surprised I am the only one to check it out."

"It seems others are either busy or don't care. As it should be," Sugarcoat said bluntly.

"Perhaps, but normally when something like this happens it usually attracts a crowd, so consider you girls lucky I am the only one." I responded.

"Right," Sugarcoat simply said with a darker blush.

"Never thought I would see anyone actually be able to respond and even out do Sugarcoat in pointing out how it is." Lemon Zest said, smirking at the still flustered girl, making her look away, "Well, you are right about us being lucky, or me at any rate."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, we were arguing because another friend of ours, Sour Sweet, agreed to be my partner against these two at Ship Wars and for some reason, she skipped out on me. You can only play with four players, so unless I find someone else, I have to forfeit, but then you showed up." Lemon Zest answered before smiling at me.

"I suppose I have time for one quick match," I answered with a sigh.

"Great!" Lemon Zest exclaimed before giving the other girls a cocky look, "Ready you two, because I have a feeling you are going to lose for once."

"Please, you may have lucked out with him showing up, but there's no way I am losing," Indigo scoffed before giving me a cocky look, "I hope you are a graceful loser, and are man enough to accept defeat."

"If your cockiness and ego are indications you aren't either of those."

My statement caused Indigo to grit her teeth in anger.

"Yeah, I'll show you!" She exclaimed before turning towards Sugarcoat, "He might be better and more annoying at that than you are," she told her, making Sugarcoat nod in agreement.

I carefully moved my ship away from Indigo's onslaught, making said girl groan in frustration and anger. We were both the only ones left and to indigo's frustration, her health was much lower than mine.

"I don't know how, but you are cheating!"

"Oh, for God's sake, Indigo! Just accept he's better than you," Lemon Zest scolded.

"Never. No one is better than me and I will prove it!" She exclaimed before rushing for another strike.

I sighed before carefully dodging and counter attacking.

"No!" She exclaimed when her health reached the critical point and tried to get away.

Unfortunately, for her, it was futile, and her ship was destroyed. She looked at the game over screen and the rest of us in pure shock, before she raged in anger.

"No! Again!" She cried out while hitting the arcade machine.

Jesus! Not even Rainbow reacts like this when she loses.

"Indigo! You lost fair and square. Stop acting like a child and accept your defeat, like you told him," Sugarcoat told her.

"But he cheated!"

"He didn't cheat! There was no possible way he could have affected the game itself and he didn't distract you or anything. You lost and he was better than you. Plain and simple." Sugarcoat blurted out in an exaggerated blunt tone.

The extra emphasis on the blunt tone seemed to have registered to her, as she simply nodded.

"Fine. I guess he didn't, but I still want to do another round," She admitted with her arms crossed.

"As much as I enjoyed seeing you get your butt handed to you for once, I think we all took up enough of his time." Lemon argued.

"I guess." Indigo conceded before turning to me, "I guess you are a worthy rival. Just know next time victory is mine. No one ever beats me and gets away with it."

"Yeah, for someone from CHS you are actually great to spend time with," Sugarcoat added in her blunt way, though the tone had a hint of happiness.

I finally returned home and after that whole thing with the Crystal Prep girls I ended up getting their numbers, in case they want to do this kind of thing again. I have to say outside of the friendship games they don't seem as bad. Sure, Indigo acted like a brat, but the other two kept her in check. I definitely wasn't expecting to not only form an agreement with Trixie, but to meet up and I guess befriend more girls, from a rival school, of all things. Ever since the split with Big Mac, I have been befriending girls, with a few even falling for me. What the heck is going on with my life? I guess I will ponder all of this and deal with it later.

This one was a bit of a struggle to get through and write. I debated whether the other girls being weary around him would be understandable, ultimately went along with it to give him the opportunity to interact with others. More specifically those they will be against him seeing. This chapter also sets up or will some upcoming events, so get ready for that.

Next chapter: Marcus helps Trixie with her artist problem.