/x/x/x/

You pretend you're high
You pretend you're bored
You pretend you're anything
Just to be adored

/x/x/x/

"Come on, come on!"

"Hit the button!

"I'm trying, I'm trying!"

"Try harder!"

"Gah!"

GAME
OVER

Pinkie gave Rainbow the controller, and a sheepish grin. Star Destroyer 8 may have had a better story and game engine, but Star Destroyer 7 clearly had the edge in controls for newcomers, especially if you were a filthy casual fan of Star Destroyer 5 (clearly the worst in the series) like Pinkie was.

After the shots, impromptu dance party, and drunken attempt at charades, the girls were all mostly sobered back up by now, but for a few differences. For example, Rarity was drinking her third (or fourth?) of what Applejack had called a redneck martini, which was gin and vermouth in a mason jar that used to hold olives. However, the fashionista certainly knew how to handle her alcohol and she didn't appear to have been inebriated in the slightest.

Pinkie had smoked a little bit to settle her restless legs (hmm, so maybe that's why her reaction time was so slow?), Twilight was drinking a shandy, and Sunset... was awake now. She and the rest were sober enough to not get chewed out by their respective parents if they appeared.

The seven girls were now sitting in a rough circle. Applejack was sitting in an armchair on the side wall, texting Juniper directions to her house for when she got off work just in case she'd want to come later (but she would most likely politely decline like she did last time). Fluttershy was sitting on the corner of the couch stroking a sleepy Wynona. Next to her were Sunset and Twilight, no longer embracing each other, and next to them on the far end was Rarity. Rainbow and Pinkie were of course at the television.

Sunset stretched her arms in the air, removing the excess tiredness from her body. "Okay," she said, nestling back into the couch. "I think I'm awake now."

"Thanks fer joinin' us, sleepin' beauty. Almost thought y'all was Rarity for a second."

"Were." Twilight cut in, absentmindedly checking her own phone.

"Ha, ha!" Rarity laughed with the sincerity of a bratty four year old who just got told to say sorry for not playing nice. "Maybe if you actually did sleep as much as Rainbow Dash or myself then you could possibly understand the benefits of being fully rested."

"Pretty sure I sleep more than you do though, Rare," Rainbow interjected. "Considering school."

"Oh!" Twilight cried, pocketing her phone. "That reminds me!" As she continued to speak, Rainbow's heart dropped through the floor. "We should read off our grades now that we're all awake and sober!" She looked down at the drink in her hands. "...ish."

"That sounds like a good idea," Sunset said, rolling her shoulders before she pulled the envelope out of her bra and shirt where it had been sitting the whole time. As she unfolded it, everyone else reached for their own and began to open them. Everyone... except for Rainbow Dash, who could feel the beads of sweat forming in her forehead. Quickly she wiped it away with the back of her hand, hoping that nobody noticed. They didn't.

"So, uh..." Twilight began, trying and failing to come off as nonchalant. "Who wants to go first?" She asked, attempting to be dismissive.

"Twi, do you wanna go fir-" Applejack began before she was cut off.

"Oh well I mean sure if you really want me to start then I can, it really isn't any big deal or anything... okay fine I'll do it!" She giggled gleefully as she tore into the envelope like it was the first present on Hearth's Warming morning.

Rainbow gave everyone a quick once over. They were all focused on Twilight. Soon their gazes would all be collectively be glued to her. This is bad, this is really bad!

Twilight's grin persisted as she unfolded the paper and scanned the document. Her smile faded slightly as she got about halfway down. "Oh..." she muttered, disheartened.

"What's up?" Sunset asked, suddenly concerned. She moved her head over, then put a hand to her mouth. "Oh no..." she said.

Rarity also leaned over to read, and Twilight leaned the paper over to her. Rarity looked at the paper and then at Twilight, frowned, and rested her hand comfortingly on Twilight's leg. Fluttershy and Applejack gave each other an uneasy glance before both getting up and walking towards Twilight.

She set the paper on the coffee table in front of her, now in full view of everyone. Morbid curiosity more than anything else is what drove Rainbow to look, and what she saw made her want to throw up.

A
A
A
A
A
B+
A

Twilight had removed her glasses, and her face was hidden in her hands. The room had fallen silent sans only the bleep-bloop of the video game. Rainbow reached over and pressed the power button on the console since clearly it wouldn't be getting much more use for the time being. She had to try very hard to force herself not to roll her eyes at the spectacle before her, but they did anyway. But just a little bit.

Everyone was offering her condolences, sympathy, and affirmations that she could totally bring it up by the end of the semester. Oh Twilight you're so smart, oh Twilight you're such an academic, Twilight can do anything she puts her mind to! Rainbow felt physically sick, and her heart felt like it was going to tear its way out of her skin, pull her stomach out through the hole, tear it open, and begin suffocating her with it.

Twilight finally looked up, and brushed away the moisture that had welled up inside her eyes before putting her glasses back on. "I'm sorry, guys," she said, nervously glancing between the sympathetic faces of her friends. "I just... expected better of myself..."

"S'okay," Applejack said, hand on Twilight's shoulder. "Trust us when we say that we all know what disappointment feels like. But we'll be here to help out if y'all need a study buddy or somethin'." She reached into the cooler that had been brought in at some point earlier, for easier access to drinks. "But for the time bein' it's time for you to forget about school and get to partyin', whaddaya say?" she asked, offering a frosty vodka lemonade.

Twilight gave a small smile at this, and reached for the bottle. "Thanks Applejack. I guess you're right that it's not the time and place..." she took a long swig, before pulling the bottle away and inhaling strongly through her teeth. "That burns... and it's not like these are final grades anyway."

The conversation turned cheery again as another round of drinks got passed around but Rainbow's aura darkened considerably unbeknownst to everyone else.

Really? REALLY? Are you freaking serious? It's just a B, no need to be such a drama queen. You're not gonna die if you don't get a 4.0, Creator forbid you get a 3.9 instead! Oh no, what a nightmare! Are you gonna cry about it? If you really are then I hope you do!

Rainbow shook her head of the toxic thoughts running through it. 'Twilight's my friend,' she chided herself. 'I shouldn't compare myself to her, I'll just be miserable if I do...'

"So who's up next?" Pinkie asked, before taking a sip of cola spiked with cinnamon whiskey. Everybody had returned to their previous seats, drinks in hand. "Are we still doing this thang?"

Sunset shared a glance with Twilight, who shrugged. She turned back to Pinkie and said "I don't see why not."

Sunset was the only girl drinking water: she was still new to alcohol and had a very low tolerance. Last time she had a single drink she got a hangover so bad that she literally went back through the mirror and begged Twilight (the other one) to magically seal it away. Unfortunately for her, no such spell existed, but she did get a poultice. It might as well have just been over the counter at the local pharmacy though, for all the good it did.

"Anybody wanna go next?" She continued, before picking up the envelope she'd placed on the table during Twilight's upset. "We could just go counter clockwise."

A round of affirmations from everybody besides Rainbow gave her the all clear, and she unfolded the paper. Clearing her throat, she read:

"B, A, C plus, B, B minus, A, and A minus." She paused to take a sip as Pinkie gave a cheer. "I can take the C in history since I've only lived here for a couple years, right?"

"History's dumb anyway," Applejack said with a shrug between drinks of a craft beer. She cocked her head to the side and adjusted her seat as she continued. "No point in knowing who did what if ya don't tell us the why."

"But darling, the finer points of history are important enough to suffer through the brutish aspects of it, no?" Rarity interjected, still on her 'martini'. "Surely if not culture then at least the economics and technology of olden times concern you?"

"Eh." the farmer bluntly replied.

"Those who fail to study history are doomed to repeat it," Twilight quoted, defensively at first but warming up as she spoke. "Or something like that. Although if we focus too much on events that happened in the past, we can lose sight of the present. We once believed the sun revolved around the earth, after all." At this Sunset's eyes darted suspiciously back and forth.

Applejack merely shrugged and took another drink. Rainbow couldn't help but feel the slightest twinge of envy, as it felt really hot in the room. She knew, though, that if she got up for another drink now she could be forced into the spotlight, and for once in her life, Rainbow wanted to avoid the attention at all costs.

Sunset's sooo smart. Sunset's sooo nice. Sunset's sooo perfect. She's so much better than you, and to think she was evil just a couple years ago. She's made leaps and bounds of progress. What have YOU made?

'Stop it.' Rainbow internally said to the smarmy niggling voice that resided in the back of her mind. 'I helped make a web of friendship for someone who had nobody else. I helped her to where she is now!'

"Regardless," Sunset said, having the floor again. "I think I did pretty well all in all. I'm not too disappointed. Fluttershy?"

Upon her name being called, Fluttershy looked up from the sleeping Wynona and set her wine glass down. "Should I go next?"

"If you want."

Fluttershy looked between Sunset, the envelope, and the rest of her friends (who each offered comforting smiles, Rainbow included), and then back the the envelope again. She took a large drink of her wine and ripped into the paper. Well, she opened it very gently, but with a zeal only her friends could tell existed. Upon reading the results she gave a half smile before looking back up at the rest of the girls.

"What's it say, Shy-Shy?" Pinkie asked, visibly impatient. She was practically vibrating on the floor.

"Well..." she began, nervous despite the liquid courage. "I um... got two Cs... four Bs... and an A."

Beat.

"OH! EM! GEE!" Pinkie cried, suddenly standing. "You got an A!" She pulled a balloon out of her hair and began blowing it up. On it was printed 'Congratulations' in block letters. Fluttershy brushed her hair behind her ear, shyly.

The phrases "Yeehaw!", "Get it, filly!", "All right Fluttershy!", and "Oh darling, I'm so proud of you!" bled together in a singular exclamation of praise. Fluttershy's eyes avoided everybody who was yelling though, and found themselves on Rainbow's.

Rainbow nodded and gave her a supportive smile and a thumbs up. The smile didn't reach her eyes, but Fluttershy returned it and dared to look back at everybody else. The next few moments were a blur.

Wow. Good for Fluttershy. An A, isn't that lovely? Remember when you got As? Huh? That sure was a long time ago. Maybe if you bothered to pay attention one day a week-

Rainbow stood up, and walked to the cooler. 'Shut up!' she silently screamed. 'Fluttershy works hard, and she deserves this! I'm proud of her, so why the fuck cant you be too?' She pulled out a cherry vodka and tore the cap off with a bit more force than was necessary. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Rarity raise a brow at this, but didn't say anything.

"...don't really think that Home Ec counts though..." Fluttershy murmured, catching Rainbow's ear.

"Nonsense, Shy!" Applejack cried, dismissing her timid friend's deflection. "Only reason I didn't take it is 'cuz there wasn't nothin' else I coulda learned. Y'all got cookin', budgets, makin' clothes, an' all sorts a other stuff you'll need when yer older. Heck, between me an' my brother an' granny last week we probably did everything yer learnin' this year!"

"Well... I guess you have a point there."

"Sure as shootin'! Maybe one day you'll use this stuff when you settle down with a nice bo... uh, girl, sorry. But yeah."

Fluttershy gave a warm smile. "Thank you Applejack. We've studied a few things that I'll be using for when I get my sanctuary ideas up and running, so there's that too."

"You just let me know how we can do business when it gets to that point, and I'd love to be there to help every step o' the way."

"I appreciate that." both girls took a drink. "Would you like to go next?"

Applejack set down her now-empty bottle and cracked her knuckles. "Well I figure I should get it out of the way." She took the paper tucked in her hat and unceremoniously opened it. "Eh. Got a couple Cs and a D in algebra but the rest are low Bs. Still, passing's passing."

Twilight's eye twitched.

"Yay!" Pinkie cried. "No Fs!"

"Ha!" Applejack barked. "The day I get an F is the day I eat my hat and wear one of Rarity's favorite frilly little dresses." Rainbow grit her teeth.

"Oh no, darling!" Rarity cried, aghast. "None of my personal wardrobe would complement your features well at all! Haven't you paid attention to anything I've told you!? Your aesthetic is completely different!"

Applejack shrugged. "I wasn't actually gonna do it, Rares," she placated. "I know you're all for wearing stuff that flatters yer curves an' such but ain't nobody needs to see my curves except my future husband." She opened another beer before sitting back in the chair. "Besides, I ain't a genius but I ain't stupid, and I'm never gonna let things get so bad as to get Fs anyway."

Did you catch that? Huh?

"Stop it..." Rainbow growled under her breath. "You are really killing the mood today."

"Did you say something, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked, concerned. She placed her hand on Rainbow's thigh, which prompted her attention.

"Huh?"

"Are you feeling well, Dash?" Rarity reiterated. "You've been acting strangely, are you sure you should be drinking more?"

"Oh..." Rainbow looked down at Rarity, then to Sunset and Fluttershy who also held their gazes. Twilight and Applejack were leaning towards each other and discussing something and Pinkie... was gone, presumably to the kitchen. "I'm fine." She took another large swig. "I'm probably just crossfading a little, or... something." She hoped the burn of the alcohol explained the rush of blood to her cheeks and didn't reveal she was lying.

"I'm worried is all," Rarity continued. "You don't usually act like this, drunk or stoned. Or both." She took one final sip of her own drink. "I'd hate to know that you weren't enjoying yourself."

"Yeah, are you sure everything's okay?" Sunset supplied. "You look like you'd be literally anywhere besides here with us."

"It's not that!" Rainbow cried. "It's just..." Thinking quickly she found her escape. "I came here to get away from school, you know?"

"Oh..." the girls chimed simultaneously. The gears in their heads started turning and Rainbow thought she was home free. Until...

"Well we're already over halfway done," Pinkie gleefully pointed out. "Me next, me next!"

"Yeah, Pinkie's got a point," Sunset indicated, shrugging. "It wouldn't really be fair to you three who haven't gone yet, you know?"

Rainbow shot Rarity a pleading glance, hoping and praying that she would say something argumentative, but alas.

"If you'd like then you can go next so you can tune out for a moment if it's really that boring," Rarity supplied, either ignoring or just not recognizing the look that said 'please do me a solid and spare me some major humiliation, Rares'. More likely the second option. "But I've been wanting to know my own grades as well. I'm sure that Twilight was looking forward to this unveiling as well."

"Do you wanna go next, Dashie?" Pinkie asked, innocent as can be. Creator damn your selflessness, Pinkie!

"No, that's cool..." Rainbow took another swig. "You can go on ahead of me." She contemplated chugging the rest but figured if would have been unfair to the rest of the girls if she did so.

"Okie doki loki!" She exclaimed before tearing open the envelope that she most definitely wasn't holding just a moment ago. Stars shined in her eyes as she beheld the letters she'd earned.

"Woohoo!" she exclaimed, jumping in the air as she did so. "I got straaaaaiiiiight Bs!"

A round of affirmations went around again and a cold sweat broke out on Rainbow's back.

'I'm next.'

I hope you're ready for the judging stares and the pointed fingers and the laughing you miserable failure. You pathetic idiotic child. Look how happy they all are. Twilight is doing amazingly well. Sunset is doing good. Fluttershy is improving markedly. Applejack is doing subpar but she's clearly doing a lot better than you ever will. And Pinkie? She's PINKIE for the Creator's sake!

'Shut up shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP!'

"Rainbow?"

'They're not gonna do that, they aren't like the next class, they aren't mean and taunting and ruthless like they are, like you are! They're my friends and they're going to be fine and Pinkie is really really smart and they deserve this. Why can't you just see that and get out of my head!?'

"She's out of it. Go ahead and go, Rarity."

If that's so... if they're different. If they're ~nice~. If they won't be mean to you or treat you differently when they see how dumb you really are...

"All right then, I shall."

Then why is your heart beating so fast? Why are you sweating? Why are you so AFRAID?

"Well it seems I let my language arts slip. I had a dress order take up my time so my essay was a bit rushed. But still, a C on an otherwise clean spread of As and high Bs isn't the worst thing in the world."

Because you know they will.

"Are you with us, Rainbow?"

First Applejack will taunt you. Then Fluttershy will give you that pitiful stare she reserves for lost causes. Twilight will roll her eyes and go to her phone, making a snarky comment that she later won't remember having made. Sunset will raise her eyebrows and jeer, Pinkie will start laughing, and Rarity will start tsk'ing. You might as well do it now and get it over with.

"Dashie?"

A hand on her shoulder woke Dash from her reverie. Everybody in the room now had their eyes locked on her own. Even the dog. The bottle felt heavy in her grasp, palm sweat causing her to grip it tighter. The refrigerator started humming, and a bead of sweat dripped down her back.

Pinkie was holding Rainbow's paper in front of her face. She had apparently taken it out of Rainbow's pants pocket, somehow, but pondering the when and more importantly the why was the least of her concerns. This is it, the paper that ruins her life, her friendships.

With her free hand, Rainbow took the paper, trembling the whole way. Pulse racing, ears ringing, everything seemed to stop for a moment.

Pinkie must have asked if she should hold the bottle because Rainbow felt it leave her hand. Everybody's eyes were so loud, their gazes hot and piercing. Judging. They can tell, they already know, they're just waiting, circling like vultures, counting down the seconds until they could release the torrent of their jeering and insults. Finally a reason to make fun of Rainbow!

"Aren't you gonna open it, silly?"

Rainbow's hands disobeyed her as she carefully unwrapped the paper. 'Put it down!' she cried to no avail. 'Just book it and run! Now's your chance!'

The trifold page was now out in the open, and the envelope fell slowly to the ground. Wispy, graceful, elegant. Now laying upon the floor. The creamy paper was thick, and it couldn't be seen through by the light. Hands shaking almost uncontrollably. Every detail burning vividly, brightly. Someone's phone buzzed.

Crinkling paper, sliding against itself, becoming straight. Eight and a half by eleven. Educational jargon from a template laid over a simple grid, classes across from letters.

D. F. F. F. F. D-. F.

One F became a smudge; wet. Rainbow took in a shallow, shuddering breath as her vision distorted. Another drop fell. Then another. And another. Her body became racked with sobs as her hands clenched into fists, irreparably damaging the paper. Her jaw clenched and she hunched over.

Did you really think this could have gone any better? And now you're crying. The amazing Rainbow Dash is crying because she's failing all of her classes. Stupid girl.

She turned on her heel, dropping the page and covering her wet eyes with one forearm, reaching for her necklace with the other. She took a step before becoming a blur, leaving behind a gust of wind, a rainbow, an anguished cry, and six shocked friends.

Pinkie grabbed the paper out of the air and quickly scanned it. "...oh." She looked up at the rest of the girls who had stood up, sharing confused glances.

Pinkie opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it, looked back at the paper, and handed it to Sunset. She looked down, stared for a moment, and then slammed it down on the coffee table.

"Fluttershy, give me your keys!" Sunset cried, holding her hand out.

"Th... they're in my p-purse!" she said, having war flashbacks to evil Sunset.

Sunset was up and in the bedroom, and went directly to the pastel yellow bag. She stuck her hand in, rifled through the rodents, birds, and what she hoped was a gecko, looking for the keys. She found them and pulled them out, before slipping on her jacket and shoes.

When she exited the door, she had her necklace in one hand and set the other on Fluttershy's bare shoulder. Her eyes began to glow while Fluttershy blushed. After a moment of this she pulled her hand away.

"Alright. Fluttershy, I need to use your car. You're all drunk and Rainbow is who knows where right now and we need to find her. I need you," she turned to each name as she pointed. "Twilight, and Rarity. Pinkie, Applejack, you two stay here in case she comes back."

Pinkie snapped a salute as the rest of the girls (sans AJ) gave each other uneasy looks before entering the bedroom, grabbing their things, and following Sunset out the door.

"Hold on," Applejack proclaimed. "What's goin' on?"

"I'll have Fluttershy text you," Sunset responded, opening the door for her recruited trio. "But right now Rainbow needs us. I saw how uncomfortable she was when it was her turn. I should have done or said something earlier but I didn't, and now she's hurt, bad. We'll be back!"

Sunset shut the door and left Applejack stunned and silent. She tried to put pieces together but her mind was too slow and sludgy to do so. She felt a tap on her shoulder so turned around to see Pinkie standing behind her. Upset.

"I didn't know Dashie was having problems like that," she said. "Am I... a bad friend?"

Applejack stepped forward and put her arms around her distant cousin. "Y'all are one o' the best friends any person could ever have, Pinkie." She stepped back and looked her in the eyes. "Y'all didn't even know there was a problem. T'ain't yer fault. None of us knew." Applejack kissed Pinkie on the forehead before pulling her head in to her chest, and began to stroke her hair. "So don't go beatin' yourself up over this. No feelin' guilty allowed, you hear me?"

Pinkie wrapped her arms around Applejack's waist before nodding.

"Good." she said. Then after a brief pause, "To getcher mind off it you wanna cuddle and play Star Destroyer 5?"

/x/x/x/