Wednesday, August 26, 2015

2015
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Today's Horoscope (Virgo): Today will be a day of transition for you. Everything you think you know will be tested and proven false.

Early Morning

Today is my birthday.

My phone is beeping. I have messages on Canterbook.

I send replies thanking everyone for their birthday wishes, then check the horoscope app. Today's horoscope is strange and daunting.

The horoscope app is blinking, and I remember that there is a special birthday horoscope feature. I tap the blinking icon and a new horoscope appears.

Birthday Horoscope (Virgo): You are going to die today.

I nearly drop my phone in shock. What kind of sick joke is this?

I go through my morning routine, all the while thinking about that horoscope. It really bothers me, and I think I should probably report this to the principal. Telling someone they're going to die...that's just sick!

When I walk into the dining room for breakfast, everybody wishes me happy birthday in person. Pinkie has a special breakfast laid out: waffles with maple syrup and whipped cream, sausage patties, fresh strawberries, and orange juice. I sit down and have breakfast with my friends, trying not to think about that bizarre horoscope.

"So, Flash," Pinkie says, "when you come back to the dorm after school, I need you to stay up in your room until I come get you. I'm gonna need time to set up the party, and everyone else is either gonna be helping me or shopping for a birthday gift for you."

"Uhh...okay, sure," I say. "I guess I'll get my guitar practice for the day in before the party."

"And homework!" Twilight says. "Don't forget your homework!" Everyone laughs.

"What would you like for your birthday, Flash?" Rarity asks.

"Oh, don't go to any trouble on my account," I say. "Really. Just the party and having...having friends to celebrate with me is enough."

"Oh nonsense, darling!" Rarity says with an airy wave of her hand. "It's no trouble at all, really. Well, I suppose we'll just have to surprise you."

Once again, I head out with Twilight after breakfast as she walks Spike. She seems pensive. "I did a little research online before I went to bed last night," she says.

"Yeah?"

She looks down. "I learned that Tarot isn't just about phony fortune-telling. It's also about symbolism. The Major Arcana are representations of a person's journey through life." She gives Spike's leash a subtle tug, pulling him away from the sidewalk and back into the grass. "For example, the Fool card represents—"

"The beginning of the journey," I say. "Innocence and the potential for growth and change."

"Oh, you've already read your book?"

I shake my head. "No...I just...heard that somewhere." I watch Spike sniff at an anthill. "I was too tired last night to get into the Tarot stuff."

"Oh, okay." Twilight pulls Spike away from the anthill. "And the Death card...it doesn't always mean literal death. It can mean change, or loss, or..." She trails off. "Well, it should all be in that book you got."

As she falls silent, I decide to confide in her about the strange horoscope I received. "So, you know that horoscope app on Canterbook?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, today I checked my birthday horoscope." I pull out my phone. "It...it's...weird." I pull up the app, and show it to Twilight.

Her eyes widen in horror. "That's...that's really not okay," she says. "You should show that to Principal Celestia. That kind of thing is totally inappropriate!" She smiles at me. "Don't let it get to you. Today's your birthday, you should enjoy it!"

I decide to find Principal Celestia and show her the horoscope when I get to school.

Morning

During the break between second and third periods, I head for the principal's office. As I walk, I take out my phone, open Canterbook, and pull up the horoscope app.

"Huh. Wonder if somebody already reported it." Without the evidence of the strange horoscope, there's no longer any reason for me to visit the principal, so I head to class.

Besides, Principal Celestia probably already found out. That's probably why the horoscope app is down.

After School

As soon as I get back to the dorm, I'm ushered upstairs by Pinkie Pie, who reminds me I'm not to come down until she fetches me. It's still only the first week of school, so homework still isn't taking very long. I finish it up quickly, then start practicing my guitar.

I've been at it for about an hour and a half when Pinkie comes up. "Are you ready to party?" she asks.

I smile and set my guitar aside. "Lead the way!"

The dining room is once against festooned with streamers and balloons, as well as a banner that says "Happy Birthday Flash!" The decor has spilled over to the lounge as well. There are wrapped presents piled up on the coffee table, and a number of folding tray tables have been set up. A Mexican buffet has been set up: there are tacos, nachos, and taquitos lined up in paper trays, with bowls and bottles of toppings such as cheese sauce, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and salsa. There are big bowls of chips and snack mix, as well as a bowl of colorful candy-coated N&Ns, and Supperware containers full of carrot sticks and apple slices. There's a cooler of drinks sitting on two chairs. At the very center of the table, there's a big rectangle cake with lavender icing, with violet decorator frosting around...the...edges...

Oh, ha ha, Pinkie. Very funny.

"Happy Birthday Flash" is written on it in pink icing, and there are sixteen candles.

All the girls are here, as is Cadance, and they're all wearing shiny paper party hats. Everyone applauds as I walk in, and Pinkie puts a party hat on my head.

"Okay everyone, help yourselves to whatever, then head for the lounge!" Cadance says as she grabs a paper plate and piles it with apples, snack mix, and candies. I fix myself two tacos, some nachos, and a drink, then head for the lounge.

Once everyone's sitting in the lounge and has a tray table to put their food on, Pinkie hands me one of the presents. "This one's from me!" she says. The wrapping paper is bright, shiny pink foil. I tear into it; the box inside contains three manga I've never heard of and five small boxes of different kinds of candy.

"I figure everybody loves candy, and those are some really good manga," she says.

"Thanks, Pinkie," I say with a smile.

"Ooh, here's one from Twilight!" Pinkie says, handing me another package. This one is irregularly-shaped and a bit lumpy. I give Twilight a quizzical smile as I open it.

Inside is a dark grey windbreaker with two horizontal stripes across the middle: one white, one red.

Twilight ducks her head. "A couple of us snuck into your room while you were in the shower this morning and took a look in your closet. I noticed you didn't have a jacket. It's only a few weeks until it starts getting cooler, so..."

"Wow. Thanks, Twilight." I examine the jacket. It looks like a perfect fit. I stand up and try it on.

"Oh, it looks quite good on you," Rarity says.

"Do you like it?" Twilight asks.

"I love it," I say. I take it off and carefully fold it up, laying it down out of the way so it won't get anything spilled on it.

"That was a very thoughtful gift," Cadance says with a smile.

The next present, from Rarity, is a very expensive black silk shirt. "I couldn't quite swing some matching slacks this time," she says apologetically. "Still, I thought it would be nice for you to have something a little...dressy. Just in case."

"Thank you. Wow, this is nice."

Rainbow Dash got me a set of three Daring Do movies. Fluttershy's gift is a reusable metal water bottle with a belt strap. Applejack's gift is a book of guitar tabs for popular country hits. "Y'know, just in case you ever wanna play somethin' a mite different," she says. She also gave me a huge bag of dried, spiced apple slices and a belt buckle with my initials, so the guitar tabs must've been her idea of a gag gift.

Last up is Cadance, who gives me a suite of mixing software for my laptop. "I've heard you playing and I think you should record yourself sometime," she says.

"Wow, this is awesome," I say. "Thank you."

"There's one more present, but it'll have to wait until after cake!" Cadance says.

"One more? Who from?"

Cadance smiles. "Your parents."

There's a lot of food to eat and nobody wants it to go bad, so we spend the next hour or so stuffing our faces and talking and watching television and having a good time. Pinkie declares it's time to light the candles and cut the cake. We all migrate to the dining room, where Cadance dims the lights while Pinkie lights the candles. The girls all sing "Happy Birthday" to me. After I blow out the candles, Cadance turns the lights back on as everyone claps.

As Pinkie starts cutting the cake, Twilight shoots her a frown. "Uhh...Pinkie..."

"Yeah, Twilight?"

"I can't help but notice that the cake...well..."

I cough. "Ahem. I'm sure it never crossed her mind..."

"Wow, Twilight! I have no idea what you could possibly mean!" Pinkie says, trying and failing to sound innocent while covering her mouth with a hand.

Cadance blinks. "What?" Then she takes a second look at the cake. "Oh. Oh my."

Applejack raises an eyebrow. "Real subtle there, Pinkie Pie."

Fluttershy looks around at the others. "What? I don't...what's everybody talking about? Oh, am I missing something again? Oh, I just know I should know what's going on..."

"Flash wants to 'eat' Twilight," Rainbow says with a shit-eating grin.

I facepalm.

"Rainbow Dash! Honestly!" Rarity says. However, she can't entirely suppress the giggle that's threatening to escape.

I grab a fork from the table, using it to cut off a large bite of the cake. I walk over to Rainbow and shove the fork into her mouth.

Rarity loses it and doubles over laughing.

"Oh-KAAAAY," Pinkie says, giggling as she cuts the cake and places a piece on a paper plate for each of us.

I sit down next to Twilight, whose face is beet red. "So, uh...how mad are you?"

"I'm not mad," she says. "Well, maybe at Rainbow Dash. Pinkie's little 'prank' is embarrassing, but I don't think she meant any harm by it."

Cadance sits down on Twilight's other side. She leans in close. "Is there something I should know about?" she asks.

"I've been hanging out with Twilight a lot this week," I say. "Walking Spike with her, going to the bookstore, sitting with her at lunch." I take a bite of cake, then continue, "I do have a crush on her. I told her that straight out the other day."

Twilight's blushing even harder now. "We're really just friends," she says. "I mean, I could...maybe...when I get to know Flash better. We haven't even known each other a week yet, and you know I don't really have many friends. I'm not...ready for a..." She ducks her head. "A boyfriend. Yet."

A twinkle enters Cadance's eyes, and she smiles in a way that scares me a little bit. "And the others are egging the two of you on?"

I look at the cake in front of me. "You could say that."

"Don't tell Shining Armor any of this, okay?" Twilight asks. "I don't want him acting all...big brothery."

"I won't say anything to Shining," Cadance says. "But I expect you to. When you're ready. You know, if something does happen."

There's a knowing look in her eye.

A little bit later, once everyone's had their fill of cake, Cadance leaves to get my present from my folks. The rest of us start cleaning up some of the mess, then head for the lounge.

Five minutes later, Cadance returns. "It...isn't wrapped," she wheezes. I turn, and I can't believe what I'm seeing.

"Oh, wooooooooow," Pinkie says.

It's a brand new candy apple red electric guitar, complete with a compact amp. She sets the guitar and amp down, then ducks back outside and returns with a gig bag and a medium-sized box. "The other stuff that goes with this is all in the box," she says. She drops heavily into one of the recliners. "Now, don't play it too loud, and no playing at night," she warns. "Well, except tonight. Or if the girls all want you to play. But keep it at a reasonable volume."

"Sure thing," I say. I pull out my phone, e-mail my folks a quick thanks, then hurry over to start setting up the guitar. The box has the amp cable, a whammy bar, and a wah pedal, as well as a box of picks. I tune up the guitar, then spend the next hour breaking it in while the girls listen, talk, and finish off the rest of the food.

Evening

By the time the party winds down, it's almost eleven at night. Twilight helps me carry my presents up to my room. She stands right outside the door, digging a toe into the floor and wringing her hands in front of her. "Well...goodnight, Flash. See you in the morning. Happy birthday...again."

"Thanks," I say. "Goodnight, Twilight."

She heads down the hall. I watch her until she reaches the stairs, then I close the door. I look over all the awesome stuff I got—especially my brand new guitar—and sigh contentedly. This was a pretty awesome birthday.

I put up my new stuff, then turn down the bed. I'm tired from partying so hard on top of a full day of school.

I'm just about to start undressing when my phone chimes. I pull it out and look at the screen.

On the main screen of Canterbook, I see that to the left of the horoscope app, which seems to be working again, there's a new tile:

I've seen this before, of course. It's a Zodiac wheel. Is this a new horoscope app?

Whatever it is, I'm too tired to worry about it right now. I exit out of Canterbook...

...Canterbook won't let me exit!

The Zodiac tile begins glowing. The Zodiac wheel starts to spin. The wedge for Virgo starts flashing red.

A wave of dizziness washes over me...

Cadance walks toward me, her eyes wide and her face pale. "Flash?" she asks.

I try to say something...I try to stand up...

But I can't.

The last thing I see is the ground rushing up to meet me.