Thursday, March 3, 2016
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Today's Horoscope (Virgo): Watch out for a new app on your phone tonight.
After School
Music Club...
Trixie walks up to me. "We're ready for tomorrow night," she says. "I had my doubts, but...my bandmates love those songs you gave us. We've put a lot of energy into getting them just right!"
"Thanks. I'm really hoping it'll make Sonata happy."
"I hope so too," Trixie says. She frowns. "You said...her sisters are dead, right? Those songs...are all that's left of them?"
"Yeah..."
Trixie nods. "Then we'll do our best to honor their memory." She smiles. "I'm sure your friend will appreciate this."
After Music Club, I head back to the dorm to do my homework.
Evening
Before dinner, Apple Bloom asks for help with her homework.
"It was so much fun havin' all y'all out at th' farm this weekend," she says happily. She sighs. "You don't know what it's been like...don't git me wrong, Ah love mah big brother an' Granny, but...th' farm jes' ain't been th' same since Papa got sick." She looks down at the table. "This weekend...it's th' first time we've all laughed an' had a good time in ages." She sniffles. "Why'd Mama hafta die? Why'd Papa hafta git sick? Why can't we all jes' be a family, like we always was?"
"I don't know," I say. Seeing Apple Bloom wrestling with something like this makes me uncomfortable. I don't think there's anything I can say...
Apple Bloom wipes her eyes. "Sorry," she says. "Ah jes'..."
"No need to apologize," I say. "You're going through a lot." I look down. "I've never been close to my family." I shake my head. "To be honest? I'm much closer to your family, to Twilight's family, to all my friends here than I've ever been to my own family." I smile as I remember Thanksgiving and Christmas.
"Huh," Apple Bloom says thoughtfully.
"But I think...your dad wouldn't want you moping around like this," I say. "He'd want you and your sister and your brother and Granny Smith to...to keep on living your lives, do what makes you happy..." I shrug. "I know things suck right now, but you can't..."
"Yeah, Ah git it," Apple Bloom says. "Ah jes'...wish Papa was gonna git better. But...but he ain't...an' Ah gotta..."
She buries her face in her arms. Her shoulders shake with silent sobs. I sit with her until she cries herself out.
She sniffles and wipes her face. "Ah...better go git cleaned up fer supper," she says. "Thanks..."
The Middle Schooler Social Link of the Fortune Arcana has reached rank 5!
Your power to create Personas of the Fortune Arcana has grown!
She packs up her stuff and heads upstairs. I sigh and go up to my floor to wash up for dinner.
After dinner, the girls and I meet up in Cadance's living room.
"So...tomorrow, we need to be ready," Cadance says. "Has...has Fluttershy said anything that might help?"
"Kind of, in a really bitchy way," Twilight says. "She's right that we need to plan things out more carefully before we fight." She looks around. "I've been thinking...the most important thing we need to do, when we fight the next Shadow...we can't let Rarity and Pinkie get picked off. Flash, you, me, and Rainbow need to stay in front. Keeping these two safe is critical, because...because if something bad happens to the rest of us, we need them to be able to...y'know..."
"I'm all for keeping my distance and not dying," Rarity says.
Pinkie frowns. "Well...that'll make me a lot less useful, but...you've got a point. Besides, dying sucks so hard."
Our phones all go off at the same time. Blinking, we pull them out and check them.
A new app has been installed on your phone.
"What the...?" Rainbow asks.
"Black Butterfly?" Pinkie wonders. "What's...?"
There's a new app, right next to the Persona app, called Black Butterfly.
Rarity frowns. "It doesn't appear to do anything..."
You'll need this. Use it when you're in trouble.
We all look at each other.
"Uhh...I thought she wasn't helping us?" Rainbow asks.
I frown. "I think she is helping us...sort of..." I shrug. "Anyway, I'm betting this only works in Zodiac." I pocket my phone. "We should probably get to bed, guys. We need to be ready for anything tomorrow."
The others nod, and we all return to the dorm.
As we're on our way upstairs, Twilight asks, "How far do you think we can trust Fluttershy?"
I shake my head. "I don't know. I...I just don't know." I shrug. "All we can do for now is keep an eye on her, keep fighting, and...and be more careful than we have been. And pray we don't all get murdered in our sleep."
