FBT In The Palms of Their Hands - Prologue (On-Campus Edit)

Prologue - The Rumor is Born.

 

Canterlot High.

 

Canterlot High was full of students, some teens, some pre-teens, All popping in bloom here and there. Romance wasn’t easy: Who was approachable? Who would talk to whom? Who’d dare venture out of their social cliques to be with someone? Who’d risk anything from their identity to be with someone else, only to be rejected and have something against them for others to use. But no matter what was on the line or who was watching, it was clear: Someone wanted to be with somebody.

 

It was the second semester of the year and it seemed that everyone’s hormones suddenly intensified. Boys drooling over the popular girls like animals, girls fawning and gossiping over the cool guys. But it was also very tense: Students were just gaining courage to talk to the opposite sex, and it felt weird. Which is saying something, considering what went on at the school most of the time with its charismatic students.

 

It was at a lunch table during that period that it reared its head: The rumor. It was being told by an average Joe, not into any of the extra-curricular that went on at the school. It came out of blue, as a question that could’ve meant a variety of things, but it dragged the right type of attention. The student himself was plain, with a sort of sleepy look to him.

 

“So, you guys hear about that site?”

 

The conversations grew dim at that table as some stopped altogether. Some had interest on their faces, and others had skepticism on their faces. What site? What did that matter at all with who was in love with whom or who had a sliver of a chance with whom?

 

“What site?” Someone finally asked, sipping their milk casually. It was a laid-back student, with a beanie on. He looked interested, his eyes on the newcomer as he tipped the carton upwards.

 

“That site with toys based on some of the students here.”

 

The milk ejected from his nose, a look of shock on his face. It was mixed in with similar ones and looks of incredulousness among the others.

 

“What?!” A girl with glasses exclaimed, nearly knocking her tray in surprise.

 

“Bullshit!” A preppy girl said, bending down to scoop up her phone she dropped from the shock.

 

“Really?! Holy…” A boy that’d been marking something down in a book from his handheld said, losing all interest in the task.

 

There were excited murmurs and whispers until someone spoke up at the end of the table: a student with a jacket and a hoodie on, leaning back in his seat.

 

“Wait. It’s probably fake. Made up.”

 

“…yeah, how do we know that you’re not full of it?” The preppy girl asked, looking at him with a disapproving glare.

 

The newcomer slid a piece of paper in front of him, a smirk on his face. “Trust me on this one. This ain’t fake.”

 

A website was scrawled on it. Everyone at the table crowded it, looking over the domain name hastily.

 

“DarkCanterlotCorner.com?”

 

“Pff. The NAME sounds fake…”

 

“I see you putting it in your phone, though…” The gamer kid pointed out, looking over her shoulder.  

 

“S-shut up! It’s just gonna bring up a blank page…” She replied, looking doubtful and a little afraid.

 

They went from the paper to the female student holding the phone, and the student took the paper back without a word.

 

“Oh shit, it’s loading!” A nerdy kid piped, leaning in closer.

 

“Calm down you perv! It’s just-“

 

The screen flashed a warning. Everyone blinked and read the text. “You must be 18 or older to view this site… But I can’t really stop you, can I?” Some chuckled at the warning, as it noticed it was going to be bypassed anyway.

After a tap on the “Yes, I am 18 or older.” Button, the site briefly flashed, loaded, and then…

 

“Oh my GOD.” She exclaimed, as another whistled.

 

“Shit. That looks real to me, man…” Another said, motioning to the phone.

 

“Oh man, what the hell…? Look at them! They got fuzz, too!” The gamer pointed out, his eyes wide with disbelief.

 

“Looks and feels real? Comes with an “appropriately scented lube? “ Damn. That’s fucking creepy…” The nerdy girl remarked, obviously disgusted.

 

“Dude, they have MALE students, too?! The FUCK?!” The beanie student hissed, pulling his cap over his eyes.

 

Everyone chatted over the phone, scrolling the site and pointing, exclaiming under hushed whispers and exited

breaths. One of them turned to look at the paper, but it was gone. So was the student. They looked around the lunchroom, and only noted the curious glances of some people.

 

“Shit man. What if it IS real?!” The beanie student whispered, looking at the jacketed student.

 

“This is a lot of work for a prank… The hell would do this?” The tough guy said, crossing his arms and looking around at some passerby.

 

Suddenly, the girl with the phone hit the information page. Everyone read over the text there, but were equally confused at the message. “This is a non-profit organization. Any money spent for any of the items on this site are immediately put to use on more products to relieve stress for some people... Anything legal can be redirected to absolutely no one. This site is very special, and I doubt any action can be taken against it. Have fun and leave feedback! Maybe you’ll inspire us to make your special someone…”

 

“What the hell does it mean, Anything legal can be redirected to no one?” The nerdy girl repeated, the look on his face more sick then mad.

 

“No phone, no contact… fully anonymous?! How is this site real at all?!” The preppy girl squeaked, looking close at the margins of the page.

 

More squabble over if it was real or not, but the tough student finally spoke up and said something that made the entire table quiet.

 

“Someone try and order something from it.”

 

Everyone looked at him in disbelief. He continued his line of reasoning.

 

“If it’s real, someone’s got to order or something. How else will we know it’s a scam unless we have evidence?”

 

“I’m not gonna buy anything from there.” The gamer kid said, turning on his handheld and looking away from everyone.

 

“What about you? You got the page up, already.” The nerdy kid suggested, adjusting his glasses.

 

“Why would I need to be buy ANYTHING from there?!” She snapped, loud enough to startle a student walking to his seat.

 

Everyone looked at each other with questioning glares, but no one said anything but that they weren’t going to buy anything from that site. As they stared and looked around, the bell rang, and the period was over. Everyone went

to class, the name of the site in their minds. Surely no one would buy anything… or anyone would tell anyone about

it.

 

It was sick, and probably a joke.

 

But it became a rumor, nonetheless. And it only took an act of desperation to make someone actually buy one. And it just so happened to involve one of the more well-known students, too…