- >Waking up is hard to do.
- >You didn't get much sleep after all.
- >Leaving the purchased apples on the stone slab, you left alone.
- >As soon as you returned to the castle, you stayed on the balcony for a few hours.
- >Looking out into the Labyrinth.
- >Maybe you'd catch a glimpse of her.
- >But she was gone.
- >Boy did you feel like the biggest jerk in the world.
- >Sleeping wasn't easy that night, but the morning came faster than you could have hoped.
- >But now's your chance to make it right!
- >Managing to get up, you rush downstairs to grab some breakfast.
- >A huge assortment of fruits is laid on the table.
- >Grabbing a banana, you start peeling it as you rush out the front door.
- >Until you're stopped.
- >"Good morning, Anon."
- >You turn back to see the Princess of the Sun.
- "Good morning."
- >"Where are you off to so eagerly?"
- "Uh...school...?"
- >The stern look on her face shows she isn't buying it.
- >Until the most unlikely, and unwanted, savior appears.
- >"Hi Anon~"
- >Cadenza.
- >"Come on Anon, we're gonna be late for school!"
- >Okay, why the heck is she here?
- >More importantly, why does Celestia look so PLEASED by this?
- >"Why hello Cadance! This explains why he was rushing off."
- >No it doesn't.
- >"Don't worry, I'll walk him to school!"
- >What are you, a pet?
- "I can walk myself, thanks."
- >You brush past Cadenza as you make your way out the front door.
- >"Have a good day, Anon!"
- >Celestia bids you farewell as you makes your way down the colossal steps.
- >As you go for the left turn towards the gardens, you're stopped by a pink roadblock.
- >"Not today you don't!"
- >This mare.
- "Out of my way."
- >"Nope! You're coming to school today."
- "I wasn't gonna skip."
- >"Right. Now come on!"
- >Looks like Chrissy will have to wait again.
- >At least she has her apples this time.
- >School is as boring as it always is.
- >You never get called on to answer questions.
- >The teacher just gives you awkward looks.
- >Some of these p0nies still aren't used to the way you look.
- >You're accustomed to it, however.
- >If by accustomed, you mean 'used to hiding'.
- >Who cares what they think anyway.
- >The day goes by and you learn nothing.
- >Any idiot can do math.
- >These p0nies apparently have the I.Q. of squirrels.
- >Once the lunch bell rings, you make your way outside, and sit on a bench, alone.
- >You wished it stayed that way.
- >However, as expected, Cadenza trots over to you near instantly, taking a seat.
- >She's followed by another p0ny, a white stallion.
- >Shining Armor, his name was.
- >He didn't talk much.
- >Kinda like you.
- >Made him tolerable.
- "Hey Shiny."
- >"Hey Anon."
- >Cadenza chirps up.
- >"Hiya Anon!"
- >You don't respond.
- >The split second pained expression is palpable.
- >Being forced to deal with company, you eat your lunch silently.
- >Cadenza and Shiny talk about little things, with her constantly trying to include you in context.
- >"Oh, Anon might have an idea..."
- >"Anon, don't you like that?"
- >"We should play that some time, Anon?"
- >None of her advances are met with a response.
- >She's keeping you from doing what you want.
- >And what you WANT is to freakin' leave.
- >After your lunch of an apple, you walk back inside behind Cadenza and Shiny.
- >Taking your seats, your teacher decides to drop a bomb.
- >Surprise math test.
- >Well, it's a bomb to everyp0ny else, because you don't give a single care.
- >Math is easy stuff.
- >When the test is passed out, you see p0nies all over the room freaking out.
- >Not you though.
- >The test makes it's way to you, and after glancing it over, you know you could do it in 10 seconds flat.
- >It's more like 2 minutes, but the idea's the same.
- >Some multiplication, long division, nothing hard.
- >You flip the test over and pull out your notebook.
- >Doodles are a great way to pass time.
- >And you doodle the only thing that's been on your mind all day.
- http://i.imgur.com/eDgsB.png
- >If you had a cutie mark, it sure wouldn't be for art.
- >You made her too tall, for certain.
- >At least you got the holes right.
- >You think.
- >She also looks mischievous.
- >...
- >...that's about right.
- >A hole here, a hole there...
- >You could slap circles anywhere on it and it would still look right.
- >Time passes while you whittle away at your pencil, sketching your changeling friend.
- >A few minutes later, the teacher notices you've finished your test.
- >"If anyP0NY is done with their test, they may bring it up to me and are free to leave."
- >You felt the acid in her voice when she said any'P0NY'.
- >You get it, you aren't like everyone else.
- >She sure loves mentioning it though.
- >You stash your notebook back in your desk, an stand up, test in hand.
- >Being the first one done, as usual, you get a few stares.
- >Specifically from front-row Cadenza, who now rushes to finish her test.
- >You place the paper on your teacher's desk and walk out of the schoolhouse.
- >Goodbye, and good riddance.
- >You pick up the pace slightly as you head for the castle.
- >The sun is still high in the sky, meaning it's not too late to see Chrissy.
- >You'll still get yelled at, for sure.
- >Especially after yesterday.
- >But it's better than nothing.
- >While you think happily to yourself, the train of thought is interrupted by a far off shout.
- >"Anon!!"
- >You have to be kidding me.
- >Will she ever leave you ALONE?!
- >You don't want to spend another day with tea-party princess, especially when you need to see Chrissy.
- >Think, Anon, think...
- >...got it.
- >Thinking swiftly, you rip off your jacket and throw it in a nearby bush.
- >Turning around, you notice Cadenza running towards you full speed.
- >She stops right in front of you.
- >"Anon, I'm NOT letting you run off again!"
- "Cadenza-"
- >"CADANCE!"
- "...Cadance..."
- >She smiles happily when you use her favorite moniker.
- "...I can't come over your house dressed like this!"
- >You point to yourself.
- >"What do you mean?"
- "We're having another tea party right"
- >"Well, we COULD..."
- >Hook, line, now reel it in.
- "I need to look my best then! I need a good shirt, and my ja-"
- >You pat yourself down.
- "My jacket? Where did I-"
- >A theatrical slap to the forehead drives your point home.
- "I left my jacket back at the school!"
- >You look down to the ground.
- "I need that jacket or I'll look stupid..."
- >Come on, take the bait...
- >"Oh, I can get it for you!"
- >YES.
- "Really? That'd be awesome!"
- >You smile wide.
- >Damn good actor, you are.
- >Well, enough to fool her.
- >Celestia, on the other hand...
- >"I'll grab it and go back to my house, okay?"
- "Okay! I'll go change."
- >With a smile, she dashes off towards the schoolhouse once more.
- >Grade A Sucker.
- >Once she's out of view, you swipe your jacket and make a break for the gardens.
- >You get closer to Chrissy with every step, as the Labyrinth appears once more.
- >Left, right, right, left, straight, left...
- >Like clockwork.
- >You make the final turn, and the statues come into view.
- >As does the pile of apples you left there last night.
- >She...hasn't even come back yet.
- >With a sigh, you reunite with the stone bench.
- >She must be really mad to not have come back at all...
- >That or she's busy!
- >But, she's never busy.
- >Ever.
- >You lie back on the slab, it being as comfortable to you as any bed.
- >Grabbing an apple from the pile, you take a bite.
- >Delicious.
- >Tastes better with company though.
- >After a few bites, the exhaustion from running catches up to you.
- >Your eyelids become heavy as you rest the half-eaten apple on top of the pile.
- >A little nap couldn't hurt.
- >Meanwhile...
- >Jacket, jacket, jacket, jacket...
- >You have to find his jacket!
- >Returning to the schoolhouse, every storage space is empty.
- >No bags, no books, but more importantly, no jacket!
- >He ALWAYS has it on, how could he have left it here?
- >He can be such an idiot.
- >At least he said he's coming to another tea party!
- >But you NEED TO FIND HIM HIS JACKET!
- >Where else could it be?
- >Ah, that's his desk!
- >You open it and find...
- >...no jacket.
- >DARN IT ALL!
- >You do notice a doodle he was drawing earlier that day.
- >When he finished that super hard math test early!
- >He's so smart~
- >What did he draw?
- >It looks like...a p0ny.
- >Made of cheese.
- >He has the WEIRDEST ideas.
- >You put the notebook back and close the desk.
- >Maybe he just forgot his jacket at home?
- >Oh well, you need to get back to your house pronto!
- >There's tea to be had!
- >A few hours pass...
- >The sun has started to set, as you creak open your eyes.
- >It's been a while since you've had such a nice nap.
- >*crunch*
- >The sound of a freshly eaten apple is heard.
- >Turning your head, you see Chrissy on the ground, eating an apple.
- >She looks up to you.
- >When your eyes meet, she turns away abruptly.
- >"Hmph."
- >Oh boy, it's like this, is it?
- >You sit upright, stretching slightly.
- "Good morning."
- >Maybe the joke will lighten her up.
- >No response.
- >Hm.
- "Toss me an apple?"
- >You hold your hand open to catch a tasty red morsel.
- >However, it goes whizzing by your face and into the bush-wall behind you.
- >Yikes.
- "Look, I'm sorry."
- >"I don't want to hear it."
- >She stands up, brushes off a few blades of grass, and walks away a few steps.
- >Oh no, she doesn't get to leave that easy!
- "Hey, I SAID I was sorry."
- >"And I SAID I don't want to hear it!"
- >She's nearly yelling at you.
- "Why are you so mad?"
- >"Why? I don't know, maybe because you're a huge liar!"
- "I didn't lie about anything!"
- >"You said you'd be back with apples!"
- "I am here, and there are apples!"
- >"It took you a whole day?!?"
- >The back and forth keeps going.
- >Eventually, you take a step back.
- "I don't even have to come here you know."
- >"Oh, you're going to lie again? What happened to seeing me every day?"
- >Before you can get a word in edge-wise, she continues.
- >"It's because of that Cadenza girl, isn't it?"
- >Rolling your eyes, you sit on the side of the bench and bury your head in your arms.
- "I don't need to hear anymore of her."
- >"Is that so?"
- >With a flash of green, Chrissy's voice changes in an instant.
- >"I'm Mi Amore Cadenza, I like playing dumb games and hanging out with Ano~n!"
- >The mocking tone is perfectly matched to Cadenza's.
- >Lifting your head to tell her off, you notice something.
- >Her voice isn't the only thing perfectly matching Cadenza's.
- >Her neck and up is pink, with the head you normally know replaced with that of Cadenza.
- >You double-take.
- >You have to be seeing things.
- >Did she really just...change?
- >Chrissy notices the weird looks you're giving her.
- >"What?"
- >You point, stammering out a few words.
- "Your....your head..."
- >With a questionable look, she runs a hoof through her hair.
- >She hold it out in front of her.
- >White, pink, and purple.
- >Not her normal hair color.
- >She shrieks and falls backwards.
- >"WHAT HAPPENED?!"
- "You...look like Cadenza."
- >As soon as you say it, her look of shock turns into one of pure joy.
- >"I...changed?!? I CHANGED?!?!"
- >She bounces up to her feet, and rushes over to you.
- >"I changed, I changed, I changed!"
- >It's so weird watching her saying this in Cadenza's visage.
- >"I've been waiting until I could change, and now I can!"
- "What do you think...well...changed...to make it so you can?"
- >"Maybe I'm just growing up!"
- >Seems logical.
- >"I gotta try more!"
- >She crouches down, her horn glowing a bright green, when suddenly the magic rushes over her whole body.
- >The black holed hooves are replaced with pink.
- >She sprouts feathery wings.
- >She IS Cadenza.
- "Wow..."
- >"This is so GREAT!"
- >She stares at herself, turning to see her changed form.
- >Noticing your looks of amazement, she gets a playful smirk.
- >"Do you LIKE me this way?"
- >That question breaks your stunned expression.
- "What? NO! I've had enough of Cadenza."
- >"You suuuure?"
- >She steps towards the bench, pressing her hooves on your legs.
- >They don't feel like her harder, holed hooves.
- >They feel like a normal p0ny's.
- >"I bet 'I' want to see you more!"
- >She giggles, continuing to imitate Cadenza.
- "Please stop."
- >"But Ano~n..."
- >The mimicry of that whine pains your ears.
- >It's just. Like. Cadenza.
- >"You promised we were going to pla~y..."
- >She pushes you, your back falling flat on the stone bench.
- >Standing on top of you, she leans in close.
- >"Found you!"
- >Serious deja vu hits.
- >Just like when Cadenza tackled you yesterday.
- >Was she...watching?
- >You don't say anything, not sure how to respond.
- >The devilish smile on Chrissy...Cadenza...her face only grows as she continues to pin you down.
- >Why are you nervous?
- >Last time Cadenza pushed you down you just threw her off.
- >But this isn't Cadenza.
- >It's Chrissy.
- >Why is this different?
- >Get her off you!
- >But...you don't move.
- >You just let her pin you.
- >As you just stare at her, the grin on her face wide...
- >You both freeze.
- >It couldn't be...
- >...steps?
- >You heard it.
- >She heard it.
- >Hoof-steps grow louder as something walks into the area.
- >Simultaneously, you turn your heads to the Labyrinth's exit.
- >You can see somep0ny staring at you two.
- >This isn't good...
- >Chrissy's been seen.

