Best Foot Forward

[Scribbler]

Taking yourself to school wasn’t supposed to be as hard as this, surely? Octavia surveyed the abundance of teenagers dotted around the bus station and wondered which were headed her way. Several wore distinctive uniforms, immediately discounting them from her musings. Canterlot High was a proper American school inasmuch as movies and TV shows had taught her. Students there wore their own clothes, took electives, emphasized sports to an alarming degree and had a cheerleading squad un by (presumably) a catty Head Cheerleader in a ponytail and pouty lipstick.

She might have thought about this too much.

Hefting her shiny new briefcase, she stepped onto the bus whose number she had memorized from the online timetable. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Incoming text. She slid it free as she took a seat right behind the driver.

Good luck today sweetheart. You can do it. Dad.

A smile crept across her lips.

Thanks Dad. Don’t let Doctor Farmbrew catch you using your phone at work. Will message you when I get home. Octavia.

She returned the phone to her pocket and quietly watched the streets flash by. This little town was so much like home and yet … not like it at all. The trees wafted in the morning breeze, bright and green with springtime buds. Telephone wires strung along the horizon like gigantic half-deconstructed spiderwebs. In the middle distance the square bulk of the hospital loomed. Octavia raised her hand and gave it a tiny wave, hoping somewhere in is depths her father sensed the gesture.

The bus stopped a few times, picking up commuters and more students. Cliques of girls clustered together, giggling and poring over messages from boys, to dissect them with the grace and finesse of a master biologist over the corpse of a frog. A boy in a leather jacket swung a guitar case into his lap next to Octavia, nodding an amiable if silent greeting. With some effort, she was able to summon a weak smile in return, but he had already looked away. She watched him position the guitar case lovingly between his knees so it would not get knocked by other passengers.

A girl with mulberry hair holding onto a pole in the crowded aisle was also watching. She skewed him a sultry smile. One finger snaked out to poke him in his shoulder.

“What happened to your car, Flash?” she purred in a voice like ripping lace.

“It’s in the shop.” He tilted his head back, exposing a pale throat that bobbed as he talked. “Complete overhaul. Totally sucks.”

“Not so much. You get to spend more time with us.” The girl giggled throatily into her hand.

“Ah, leave off, Berry,” the boy replied good naturedly.

Snippets of other conversations reached Octavia’s ears. She tuned in and out, ever more aware that they were drawing closer to their destination. Her stomach clenched. She thought about the instructions written into her notebook so carefully the night bore. First, she was to seek out Vice Principal Luna for orientation, locker assignment, a class schedule –

“Hey, watch it!”

Her head snapped up at the sudden screech from the mulberry girl. Octavia was just in time to see a flash of bright hair disappearing towards the front of the bus, bumping through the crowd of schoolkids to reach the front of the line to get off when they arrived.

“Rude much?” The mulberry girl sniffed and pushed thick locks of hair from her face.

Octavia wondered what that had been about. Instinctively she hunched closer to the window. As such, she had a perfect view when the bus turned the corner and the school hove into view.

There it was: Canterlot High School. She wondered if it was as nice and the literature she had been sent suggested. It couldn’t be any worse than her old school. Then again, Trottingham Comp would be difficult to beat in terms of awfulness.

Don’t think about that, Octavia scolded herself. Things will be better here. Fresh start. Fresh chance. Fresh … everything.

She waited until the bus emptied out before stepped off herself. Once outside, she spent a frantic moment getting her bearings as students swarmed around her, all intent on their own morning routines. It really was like stepping into some American high school movie. She hoped none of the nastier clichés of those films lasted into real life.

Best foot forward.

Pushing her hair from her eyes, she made her way up to the front entrance and allowed herself to be swept inside. Luckily, signs on the wall guided her to the front office, where she made enquires about Vice Principal Luna.

“Her door is just down the hall and to the left, dearie,” said the nasally receptionist, pointing.

“Thank you, sir.”

“That’s a lovely accent, hun. You from England?”

“Um, yes.”

“Well I’m sure you’re gonna have a wonderful time here.” He beamed at her, smile brighter than bright. No wonder they put him front of house.

Octavia backed away from the incandescent smile, clutching her briefcase even tighter. “Um … th-thank you.”

She fled down the corridor.

“Come in.” It took only a few hesitant knocks to elicit the mild imperative from within the Vice Principal’s office.

Octavia pushed the door open, stumbling a little over the threshold.

[LegendaryBillCipher]

The vice principal's office felt more like an observatory than something that belonged in a high school. The lighting seemed to shift, darkening as opposed to the corridor. The carpet underneath Octavia's feet was a dark blue, and matching curtains hung on the windows. The ceiling and the walls were a lighter blue in color. On a bookshelf behind the vice principal's desk were an ornate astrolabe and a worn-leather telescope, resting on display pedestals on the second shelf. On the top shelf was a detailed model of what looked like the moon.

[doverrarity]

For what seemed like hours, she stood in the doorway, not knowing what to say. It wasn't that she was scared, or nervous, just she was't exactly the most social person. She tried to avoid conversation as much as possible. She liked siting in the back, filling out papers, and being okay with getting d's in participation, just watching the minutes tick by until fifth period. AKA: band class, the only thing that made school worth while.(Of course it was probably no longer fifth period.) But here, as the new student, she would most likely be called to the front, and introduced in every class. Of course she would also have to catch up on everything in classes. Since there was no way to avoid talking with vice principal Luna, she broke the silence with an embarrassing start, "hiimnewcanipleasehavemyscedule?" To which Luna responded, "Well I can't give you your schedule if I don't know your name." She had such a nice tone of voice, it was almost comforting for a minute.

[bronyfan27]

“M-my name is Octavia. Octavia Melody..” she timidly said. Vice Principal Luna smiled warmly,”It’s alright, Octavia. There’s no need to be afraid. I don’t bite after all. Now then, what brings you here today to my office?”

[YeahButThenDragons]

"I-" Octavia's face flushed as she coughed lightly. She realized just how dry her throat had been all morning - likely from lack of speaking. "I'm a transfer student... today is my first day here."
"Ah, wonderful!" Vice Principal Luna's voice rang with a sense of genuine pleasure. "That explains why you want your schedule. Let me pull it up for you."
Octavia would have been content to sit in silence, listening to the clicks of the Vice Principal's mouse and the low hum of the air conditioning, but of course, she couldn't have her wish.
"What brings you to Canterlot High School?"
"Oh, erm..." she broke her gaze away, and after a split second of shuffling her feet, replied hesitantly, "It's a bit of a long story."
Vice Principal Luna's eyes softened slightly.
"Ah, here's your schedule." She said as the printer began whirring. Octavia stepped closer, ready to take the piece of paper and be on her way. The Vice Principal quickly scanned over the sheet. "I see that you're signed up for our symphony orchestra!" she exclaimed. "What instrument do you play?"
"Cello." Octavia replied with a hint of pride.
"Oh, I love music. Unfortunately," Luna chuckled, "I was never much of a musician myself. I tried for a while, but I could never make any instrument I tried sound remotely pleasing. My sister made sure I was aware of that."
After a moment of silence, the Vice Principal cleared her throat and handed Octavia the piece of paper that would be the foundation of her next several hours. "Well, since you're new here, I suggest that we find you a student guide. Someone to show you around the school - help you find your classes and make some new friends."
Vice Principal Luna smiled. Octavia attempted in vain to recreate the expression.

[Justin Ellis]

When she opened the door she saw something that changed her forever

[Scribbler]

It should have been an easy exit: turn handle, open door, escape Vice Principal Luna's cheerful smile and oddly familiar way of speaking to someone she had never met. Mayhap it was this distracting attempt at friendliness that felt more like intrusion which made Octavia look over her shoulder as she stepped through the office door.

"Hey, watch it!" a voice shouted.

Her head snapped around - too late. She stepped into the path of another student running down the hall. They collided in a tangle of limbs and burst backpacks, crashing to the floor and scattering possessions everywhere. The schedule slipped from Octavia's fingers as she attempted to stop the other student standing on her face as they scrambled to get up.

"Are you crazy? You nearly broke my leg! Do you realise what they could've meant for me?"

"I ... I ..." Octavia fumbled for her schedule amidst the debris of their fall. "I'm sorry, I wasn't - "

"You totally should be sorry! You - "

"Rainbow Dash!" Vice Principal Luna's voice had lost is beatific charm and instead adopted an edge more like the crackle of lightning. She stepped through her office door, crouching to offer Octavia a hand. "That will be quite enough of that!"

The other student wilted. "S-sorry Vice Principal."

Octavia got a good look as she rose to her feet: biking shorts, a tight t-shirt bearing the school's crest and a shock of multicoloured hair pulled into such a wilf ponytail that it made her feel like the drabbest pile of dirt that had ever lived. She found herself sliding behind Vice Principal Luna, using the woman's body as a shield.

Vice Principal Luna smiled. It was not the same smile she had used inside her office. "Octavia, I think I just found a guide to help you find your way around and show you the ropes of how things run here at Canterlot High."

[mannulus]

"Guide?" Said Rainbow Dash "Aw do I hafta? I was just going to... ",whatever Rainbow Dash was going to say Vice Principal Luna's stare silenced her. "Guide, right."

Rainbow turned to Octavia "well come on" she said. Octavia hesitated.

Rainbow evidently a bit impatient, grabbed Octavia's hand and pulled her out of the office. Surprised Octavia stumbled a bit, causing Rainbow's sneaker to come down on her foot.

"OW!" yelled Octavia

"Oh" said Rainbow Dash, sorry about that, are you alright.
"I'll be fine said Octavia a little ruefully as she looked down at the scuff Rainbow's sneaker had left on her up until this morning freshly polished Mary Jane. Any further comment was interrupted by a voice.

"Hey ya'll Rainbow, what ya doin')

"Hey AJ, just showing this new student around. AJ this is Octavia."

A yellowy orange hand stuck itself into Octavia's field of vision "Howdy, Octavia, name's Applejack"

Octavia looked up and couldn't believe her eyes. Before her was an actual cowgirl; Stetson, denim skirt boots and all.

[Donuts diz]

As the three sets of eyes looked at her, each with a smile, Octavia's heart pounded, wondering how she should respond, panic seemed to ear in her ear as she hastily sneaked out of the office.

She fumbled with her brief case as she strolled toward the school hall, she had no idea were she was going of course, she had no idea what she was doing, but she did not care a this point.

" Is that the new girl...."

" were is she going..."

" Beats me...."

Crash!!!!

Suddenly octavia found herself sprawled on the floor. Many eyes fell upon her, rumors ran around the halls, soon mumbles turned into laughs as octavia struggled to get to her feet.

" Oh no!!! I uh..... ! am so sorry!!!... I ummm...."

Octavia looked behind her to find a girl with wild pink eyes. She had electric blue hair and white skin.

The girl quickly picked up octavia's briefcase from the littered floor and escaped the scene, leaving octavia speechless, " Who....who are you?," she whisperd

[Scribbler]

"Hey there, girl! No need to go harin' off like that!" Stetson Girl jogged up, flanked by the sporty girl designated Octavia's guide. "Sorry if'n I overwhelmed you but I'd advise against runnin' around these here halls before you're fully acquainted with the layout o' the school. Mighty easy to get lost around here without a map, a guide or, uh, both."

The sporty girl caught her sideways glance. "What? I got lost one time. One time, AJ!"

"I ain't sayin' nuthin', Sugarcube."

"ONE TIME! And okay, I ended up locked outside in just a towel, but that's besides the point. They should signpost the hallways better when they close one down to fix stupid ceiling tiles."

Ain't. Sayin' Nuthin. Sugarcube."

An orange hand waved in front of Octavia's face, snapping her from her reverie.

"Hm, what?"

"You okay there, sugarblossom?" Stetson Girl asked, a thin edge of concern to her voice, like gilt on a comfortable old armchair. "You look a mite distracted. I can leave you and RD alone if me bein' here bothers you."

N-no ... no." Octavia swallowed, glancing once more down the corridor where the peculiarly silent student had vanished. She had not even cried out when Octavia canonned into her, though Octavia knew she had caught her a glancing blow that must have hurt.

Stetson Girl followed her gaze. "Sumthin' catch your attention?"

"I ...no. Yes. Um." Octavia swallowed. "I bumped into a girl but she ran off before I could apologise."

"Well that's easy fixed. What'd she look like?"

Octavia described her in a few words. Stetson Girl frowned in thought.

"Sounds a lot like half a dozen girls here at school. What was she wearin'?"

"Some kind of leggings. Big shoes. Um ... headphones? Rather large ones. And sunglasses."

"Ah, that narrowed it down. That'd be Vinyl Scratch."

"She's a weirdo."

"Rainbow!"

"What? She is! She never freaking talks!"

Stetson Girl gritted her teeth so hard a muscle in her cheek jumped as she tried to keep her smile in place. Beaming fixedly at Octavia, she elbowed the sporty girl in the ribs.

"That's because she *can't* you idjit. Sakes alive, Rainbow, ain't you got a thought in your head?"

"Ow! Well excuse me! I thought she was just choosing not to so she could ... iunno, look cool or something."

"An' I suppose she uses sign language to look cool too, huh? Or wears them high collars an' big ol' chokers around her neck just for show?"

"Well she might - ow! Okay, I get it! I get it!"

"Um ..." Octavia could not help but feel like she had walked in on someone else's private conversation. The two girls' obvious closeness left her feeling more alone than ever, despite the student body surrounding them.

Stetson Girl sighed. She pinched the spot between her eyes. "Let's start over, shall we? I'm Applejack. This here's Rainbow Dash. We'll be showin' you around Canterlot High for your first day an' as long as you need us to."

"But Principal Luna only said I had to for today - ow! Okay, okay, as long as she needs. Jeeeez, AJ, do you sharpen your elbows with a file or something?"

Applejack stuck out her hand. Gingerly, Octavia shook it. The other girl had a firm handshake, her palms calloused from hard work and rough to the touch. She pulled away and planted both hands on her hips.

"Now, let's get a look at that schedule to see which homeroom we gotta escort you to."

[Donuts diz]

" Oh... o... ok."

Octavia forced a fake smile and strolled along with the two girls.

" Uh, well ok,' said Rainbow dash, " So on the way there we are supposed to show you the school... so yeah whatever. ok so there is well the cafiteria, kind of boring... and oh! there is the libary, there is a whole shelf full of daring do books!!! Have you ever hears of it!?!"

" uhh." Octavia fumbled with her silky hair. She unsure what to do looked down at her breifcase, the thing that carried her music her heart. The case gave her hope. But contrasting from the dark leather case was a neon letter. Gingerly she peeled the letter from the case and read it:

"M33t m3 1n th3 bathr00m at 1o- v1n3l scrach"

[mannulus]

Octavia arrived at the Canterlot High bathroom at 9:45. Under the circumstances, she thought it was best to arrive early. She stood in front of the mirror bank and waited a few minutes. After that she began to get fidgety and so began to pace up and down, the hard smooth soles of her shoes clicking on the linoleum. It wasn't doing much good at relieving her tension. plus, pacing gave her hands nothing to do so they were clenching and relaxing. Gazing down, she noticed the scuff Rainbow Dash's sneaker had left on her shoe. Ah there is something to do with my hands she thought.

She went over to the bank of sinks and wetted a wad of paper towels. Having done so she went into one of the stalls, sat down, pulled off her right shoe, and began trying to buff out the scuff.
 She soon became totally engaged in this activity and so was totally unaware of the soft footsteps that entered the room. Suddenly, after a pause there was a knock on the door. Octavia shrieked and almost dropped her shoe in the toilet. 

[Blarkle]

"Beggin' your pardon but ... did y'all fall in?" asked a soft, nasally voice.

"I ... I ... occupied!" Octavia squeaked.

"I reckon so, but you've been in there a mighty long time an' ... well, my big sister always said a person in need is a someone an Apple should prioritise."

"I ... what?" Octavia blinked at the stall door.

"Uh ... maybe I should start again. Hi. I ain't a pervert, just someone who's concerned that you've been in the bathroom for ages. Are you okay?"

[Scribbler]

Octavia straightened and slipped her shoe back on. “I’m fine, thank you.” She unbolted the stall door and stepped out. “I was just cleaning my shoe.”

The speaker was a younger girl with reddish hair that looked like it was made from wool and amber eyes so bright and cheerful it was impossible not to shyly return her smile. She planted her hands on her hips and nodded. “Well, just so long as you’re okay.”

Her voice, stance and something about the kindness in her eyes reminded Octavia a lot of her guide. “Are … are you perchance related to Applejack?”

The girl beamed. “She’s my big sister.”

“She’s my guide around the school today. It’s my first day.”

“Well you ain’t gonna get a nicer or more responsible guide than my big sis. She’ll see you’re okay.”

Octavia nodded and, feeling like it was the appropriate thing to do even though she had not used the toilet, went to wash her hands. Apple Bloom darted into a different stall and Octavia escaped before she could listen to whatever she was doing in there. She checked her wristwatch: 1:10pm. Her heart sank a little. Vinyl Scratch had not come.

Well, what was I expecting? It was probably just a prank or something. God, I’m so stupid. Meeting in a bathroom at an appointed time with someone I literally bumped into in a hallway?

Rainbow dash was tapping her foot outside. She looked wound so tight with pent up energy she might drill straight through the floor. “Finally! You got the squits or something?”

Octavia gawped. “Wh-what?”

“The backdoor trots. Dehli belly. Montezuma’s revenge. The skitters. The Aztec two-step. Y’know, diarrhoea.”

“N-no! I don’t … I mean, I’m fine! I was just … cleaning my sh-shoes …”

“Rainbow Dash, you are singularly the most disgusting creature in this whole school.”

For a moment Octavia thought Vinyl Scratch had finally arrived. Then she took in the outfit and hair of the approaching pale student and realised it was not her. This girl was a vision of loveliness topped with large curls of purple hair and azure eyes that sparkled like sapphires even as she frowned at Rainbow Dash. She was beautiful, and yet, looking at her pale face did not inspire the same breathlessness in Octavia that she had experienced when she first looked at Vinyl Scratch.

What is wrong with me? she thought angrily.

“What?” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “If she has an upset stomach and has to go home, I don’t have to guide her around school anymore.”

The pale girl rolled her eyes and thrust out a delicate hand for Octavia to shake. “hello there. My name is Rarity. You must be Octavia. Rainbow Dash has been talking about you in our WhatsApp group for the last twenty minutes so I thought I would come up and rescue you from her tiresome impatience.” She shot Rainbow Dash an imperious look. “We were all new to the school once, Rainbow, and it behoves us all to be kind whenever we can. Have you learned nothing from being around Fluttershy?”

Rainbow Dash blew a lock of hair from her eyes and hunched in obvious embarrassment. “Oh bite me.”

“Not even if you paid me, darling.”

[Scribbler]

Octavia wished she was back in the bathroom. She tugged at her hair with one hand, the other shifting her grip on her briefcase. She had put the post-it inside, evidence of her embarrassment safely hidden away where no-one could see it.

"Are you quite all right, darling?" queried Rarity. "You look quite flush."

"Interesting choice of wording there, Rares."

"Rainbow Dash, you're beginning to get on my nerves."

"Seriously, put a sock in it, RD." Apple Bloom emerged from the bathroom and glared like she wasn't talking to girls several grades her senior. She had to crane her neck to meet Rainbow Dash's eyes but that did nothing to dim her ferocity. "You're so busy complainin', you ain't makin' the poor girl feel at all welcome at Canterlot High. Can you imagine how you'd have felt if on your first day someone had treated you like you were nuthin' but an inconvenience?"

Rainbow Dash had the good grace to look embarassed. "Okay, okay, I get it, jeez."

Apple Bloom treated her to one last scowl and then turned a bright smile on Octavia. "I gotta go meet up with my friends now but if RD keeps bein' mean, you just tell me sister an' she'll take care of her."

"Whoa, did you just threaten to set Applejack on me?"

"Darn tootin'!" Apple Bloom skipped away.

Octavia watched her go. If she had not been looking up at that precise moment, she would have missed the flash of blue hair disappearing around he corner. Vinyl Scratch had been watching the exchange but fled as soon as she was spotted.

Octavia blinked at the spot where she had been. What on earth ...?

"C'mon." Rainbow Dash hooked her elbow into Octavia's in a clear attempt at niceness. "I'll show you to the music rooms."

"As will I." Rarity's smile was dazzling. "As her supervisor."

"Jeez, Rarity."