Persona EG LTE | Mythril Moth Creations

Today's Horoscope (Virgo): "An eye for an eye" may seem tempting, but there are better uses of your time. Let go of your anger.

Early Morning

Twilight's birthday is tomorrow.

Breakfast is a somber affair this morning. We're all worried about Rainbow Dash.

"I can't believe Rainbow's gonna miss Twilight's party," Pinkie says sadly as she picks at her cinnamon toast.

"Her missing my birthday party is kind of a lot less important than her losing her place as captain of the soccer team," Twilight says.

"Dammit," Applejack growls, slamming a fist on the table. "Ah wanna get hold'a them varmints that did this an'...an'...!"

"It's already being handled," Cadance says as she walks in, Coach behind her. They plop down at the table; they both look miserable.

"The police are going to be waiting for them when they arrive at school this morning," Shining Armor says.

I frown. "Couldn't they have picked them up last night?"

Shining Armor smiles grimly. "Vice-Principal Luna didn't want this to go down quietly. She talked Principal Celestia into making a big scene about the whole thing."

"Good," Rarity says viciously, stabbing her grapefruit half with a spoon. "They deserve to be arrested in front of the entire school."

Fluttershy looks sad. "I...I wish you all wouldn't be so...vicious about this. Isn't it enough that they're being kicked out of school and sent to juvenile hall? Do we...do we really have to be so..." She pokes at her toast. "I mean...yes, I'm upset about what they did to Rainbow Dash too...she didn't deserve that. But...all this anger doesn't help anybody..."

An uncomfortable silence descends.

"Fluttershy's right," Cadance says softly. "It's handled. We need to focus on cheering up Rainbow Dash." She smiles. "And getting ready for Twilight's party tomorrow."

"So how long's Rainbow gonna be in the hospital?" I ask.

Cadance sighs. "At least a week. Then she'll be on crutches for a few weeks. The doctor doesn't want to take any chances. The sprain is bad enough, but the tissue damage...if she puts any weight on that leg before it's completely healed, her ankle or her knee could go. Then she'd really be through with soccer for good."

We all sit and eat quietly after that.

"Yeah, still kinda wanna kill those guys." I'm honestly not even sure which one of us said that. Nobody comments.

"I'm...not gonna go to tennis practice today," Pinkie says. "I think cheering up Rainbow Dash is more important."

"Yeah, I agree," I say. "I'll skip today too. Coach'll understand."

Twilight and I walk Spike, then get ready for school.

Morning

There's a huge commotion in the courtyard when we arrive. A few dozen students are gathered around. Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna are blocking the doors. There's a man in a trenchcoat standing beside them, as well as a serious-looking woman in a suit. Looking around, I can spot four uniformed police officers stationed around the school entrance.

"What's going on?" I hear someone ask.

"I don't know," someone else says.

Across the courtyard, I see Sunset Shimmer and her two friends standing at the edge of the crowd. Sunset Shimmer looks nervous. That's interesting.

Principal Celestia holds up a megaphone and blasts a squeal of feedback. "Students, quiet please," she says. As everyone falls silent, she continues, "Yesterday afternoon, a student was assaulted and seriously injured. The two students responsible for this assault have been identified. As soon as they arrive, they will be arrested and removed from the premises by police. They are to be expelled from Canterlot High School."

Murmurs ripple through the crowd.

"An assault?"

"Wow, expelled?"

"Wonder who it was?"

"I didn't hear anything about this..."

Two burly jocks amble up the sidewalk and turn into the courtyard, talking and laughing. One of them has light amber skin and a mop of messy brown hair which covers his eyes. He's wearing a CHS letter jacket over a T-shirt with a trio of basketballs on the front. The other has light grey skin; his shaggy black hair also hangs over his eyes. He's wearing a green T-shirt with a football field print and three footballs in the center.

Vice-Principal Luna nudges Principal Celestia and points. The man and woman standing with them stir to action, and the uniformed officers around the yard close ranks.

Celestia raises her megaphone again. "Hoops! Score! Stay right where you are."

The two jocks freeze, whipping their heads left and right.

The man in the trenchcoat strides purposefully toward them, reaching into his coat and pulling out a badge. "You two are under arrest," he says.

"What? Why?"

"We ain't done nothin'!"

"You've been charged with assault," the detective says. "You attacked and crippled one Rainbow Dash yesterday afternoon."

"We...no...we didn't...!"

"This is a mistake!"

"We'll discuss that at the station," the detective says. The uniformed cops walk up, cuffs ready. The jocks keep protesting feebly, but are subdued and cuffed.

Principal Celestia raises her megaphone again. "Hoops, Score...you're both expelled from Canterlot High."

The police lead them away. The crowd is buzzing excitedly.

Vice-Principal Luna takes the megaphone from her sister. "To class, everybody. It's a school day. There will be time to discuss this later."

When I get to homeroom, everyone is restless and anxious. Mr. Turner is already at the head of the class. "Settle down, everyone," he says.

The class doesn't seem interested in settling down. People are trying to get my attention. My computer is flashing Canterbook message notifications constantly.

After a few minutes, Mr. Turner lets out an exasperated sigh. "Alright, fine. You're more interested in current events than history right now..." He shakes his head. "Flash? Everybody seems to think you have the answers."

I stand and walk to the front of the room. Everybody falls silent, staring at me. Even Mr. Turner seems interested. Has he not been informed?

"Those two guys that were expelled this morning assaulted Rainbow Dash after soccer practice yesterday," I say. "The soccer team's captain just transferred out of CHS. The coach picked Rainbow Dash as the new captain. Those guys didn't like that very much, so they tried to break her leg."

Everybody gasps.

"Her leg's all torn up, her ankle's sprained, and she's gonna be healing for about a month," I say. "They pretty much benched her for the season." I sit back down.

Mr. Turner seems stunned. "Thank you for sharing that with us, Flash."

Class resumes, but nobody's really interested in learning today...

Lunch

As with every other time some huge incident has happened, the cafeteria is buzzing with conversation and gossip today. My friends and I aren't really talking much, though. We're too distracted and worried.

Pinkie Pie is on the phone with Rainbow Dash, making sure she's alright. I'm checking my messages, most of which are about the incident.

Twilight frowns at the heap of grey slop on her tray. "What is this?"

"You're probably better off not knowing," Applejack says. "Here, have half of mah sandwich."

"Thanks," Twilight says. "I guess I wasn't really paying attention..."

"Wow, something even you won't eat," I say.

Twilight sticks her tongue out at me. "Jerk."

"Speaking of eating, what do you want at your party, Twilight?" Pinkie asks. "I've gotta get a cake ready and get the food together after school tomorrow."

"Well, I like red velvet cake," Twilight says. "And...honestly? I'm okay with pizza."

"Pizza and red velvet cake it is," Pinkie says. "I hope they'll let me sneak a piece of birthday cake into the hospital for Rainbow Dash."

After School

Earlier today, I let the coach know over Canterbook that I'd be missing tennis practice today. As soon as the final bell rings, I meet up with the others at the front of the school, and we head for the hospital.

Rainbow is sitting up in bed watching television when we arrive. Her computer is in her lap, and it looks like she's halfway through a math assignment. "Hey guys," she says.

"How are you feeling?" Fluttershy asks.

Rainbow blows upward on her bangs. "I hate sitting still, and this brace is makin' my foot sweat."

"Well, the ruffians who did this to you are in police custody," Rarity says. "They were expelled from school and arrested this morning in front of a rather large crowd of students."

Rainbow grins. "Yeah, I heard. I've been gettin' messages on Canterbook all day." She sighs. "Sucks that people only start bein' nice to you when some crap like this happens."

We spend time visiting with Rainbow. About a half hour after we arrive, my phone rings. I excuse myself into the hall to answer it.

It's Sterling Silver, the silversmith. Twilight's present is ready.

I duck back into the room. "Guys, I've got an errand to run," I say. "I'll head back to the dorm after I'm done. I'll text you later, okay Rainbow?"

"Cool," Rainbow says.

It's a long walk to Sterling Silver's shop. When I arrive, his daughter calls him into the front room. He presents me with a velvet-covered jewelry box, inside which is a highly polished silver locket on a fine silver chain. "I'm throwing in the chain for no charge," he says. "If the chain's not quite right, it's easy enough to change."

I nod. "I'll let her decide," I say. "It's beautiful...it's perfect."

Sterling Silver shows me how the swivel-front cover works, as well as the sliding back piece for inserting photos. It's an amazing piece of work. After I pay, he bags the locket.

"Your girlfriend's lucky," Sterling's daughter says. There's a faint blush on her cheeks.

I grin. "Nah, I'm the lucky one."

Evening

After I pick up Twilight's present, I grab some takeout from McBurger and head back to the dorm. I'm already in my room when I realize I don't have any wrapping paper. Hopefully one of the other girls has something...I'm sure Pinkie Pie does.

By the time I've eaten and finished my homework, the others come back to the dorm. They grabbed takeout on the way home too.

"Hey Flash," Twilight calls as I poke my head into the dining room.

"Hey. Sorry I ducked out early like that. I had to pick up something."

Pinkie looks up and grins. "Something...like a birthday present?"

Twilight looks up at me.

"Yeah," I say. "Speaking of...Pinkie, you got any wrapping paper? I spaced and forgot to buy any."

"Sure, no problem," Pinkie says. "I'll bring it up in a bit."

"Thanks." I look at Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. "You'll keep Twilight from trying to peek, right?"

"Of course, darling," Rarity says with a grin.

"I—I wouldn't try to..." Twilight stammers, blushing. We all laugh.

A short while later, Pinkie brings some wrapping paper to my room, and I wrap Twilight's present. Pinkie asks to see it first, and squeals in delight. "Oh my gosh, she's gonna LOVE that!"

"I hope so," I say.

"She will," Pinkie says with a grin.

I didn't manage to get any guitar practice in today, but...it's late, and I've got too much else on my mind. After I put Twilight's present away in a secure place, I spend a few minutes chatting with Rainbow over Canterbook, then I turn in for the night.