Greeting once more everypony! 3ndless here with yet another chapter to please those that have liked and enjoyed my story so far! And I would like to just take a moment to thank everypony that has taken the time to read and like my story. And now like always here is the next installment of Shatters of a Reflection.
Chapter 11: Welcome to Canterlot High
As the last of the snow fell from the sky's I knew it was time for me to starting getting prepared for school. It wasn't exactly something I was looking forward to but I had been here for more than a year and thou I was 15, I still need to get a normal education as Mom put it.
And besides, she said it would be nice I was to make some more friends beside the mare-maids and the guard and I knew it would make her feel a lot better knowing I was meeting ponies my age.
But aside from all that, one thing that still lingered on my mind was that other me that I saw on my Birthday. He, whatever he was I figured was the one I was seeing in those nightmares I had. The one everypony was running from wasn't me but him.
And not to mention the power he had. It felt strong but it left me weak when I used it. But I went to Mom not long after and she used her magic to look through my mind which was a bit hard to do because of my power to absorb magic. I needed to be asleep for her to do so but even then she wasn't able to find anything wrong with me and just told me to not dwell on it.
I told her I wouldn't but it still crept its way into my thoughts every now and then.
But enough of that, I woke up like I did every other morning but instead of taking my time as I usually did. I noticed the clock on the wall and it said that it was just a little past 6:30.
I looked at it before I put my head down on the pillow and closed my eyes, "Just 5 more minutes." I said as I drifted of before I was awoken by the sound of pounding on my door.
I jolted up shaking my head out of the daze I was in "Huh?" I looked around and saw my door open as I sat there in my sleepy daze.
"Jake? What are you still doing here? You're supposed to meet me downstairs so we could head to school together." Cadance said as I sat there rubbing my eyes.
"I know, but its only 6:30. What's the rush?" I said yawning but she just face hoofed.
"Jake it's already past 7:30!" She shouted to me.
I looked up at my clock and what time did I see.
It said 7:36. And school started at 8.
I stared at the clock before I looked at Cadance who just raised an eyebrow at me.
I sighed, "Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!" I shouted over and over again as I rushed out of my bed and ran into the bathroom and turned the shower on while I quickly brushed my teeth and stripped down as I jumped into the shower.
"Cold!" I shouted as the ice cold water hit me and I felt nothing but chills.
"Hurry up Jake!" I heard Cadance shout to me and I washed my hair and body before I jumped out of the shower and grabbed my towel and dried myself as I ran out of the bathroom when.
"Jake!" Cadance shouted at me as I looked at her and her face was completely red as she covered her face with her front hooves and I looked down to see that my lower half was barely covered by the towel.
I felt my face heat up, "I'm sorry!" I ran to my dresser and grabbed some clothes before I rushed back into the bathroom where I dressed up and went back out to see Cadance sitting on the ground looking away from me but I could see that she was clearly still flustered by what had just happened.
"Um, sorry about that Cadance, I didn't mean for that to happen." I said to her and she looked at me only to look away as she did.
"It's alright. But we should hurry before were late." She told me and I grabbed my bag and turned to her.
"Let's go." I said as we both left and rushed out the front of the castle doors and straight to the Academy.
And when we got there I finally got a good look at the same school that I had arrived a year ago.
"Something wrong Jake?" Cadance asked me as I stopped just outside the steps of the front entrance.
I looked at her before looking back at the school, "This is where it all began for me. This is the place where I arrived in Equestria. Heh, it's funny how I things ended up for me. Never thought I would be attending school again. I mean I still have a lot to learn but I never really liked it." I told her, and she knew the reason behind it.
She smiled at me and just turned to face me, "Well, let me be the first one to welcome you to Canterlot High." She said.
I just smirked to her, "Let's go."
Once inside I guess everything was already set for me to start attending since my classes and everything were set.
Mom apparently sent a notice ahead of time for me since as soon as I walked into the office they handed me my class and I was sent away.
I found the class thanks to Cadance being in the same one and when we walked in we barely made the school bell that rang as we got inside.
"Made it." I said as we entered the room and everypony who was in there had their eyes on me.
"Ah, you must be Jake. I was told that you would be joining us from now on." Said an older looking mare, she had a grey coat and a black mane. She wore a pair of glasses and had a scroll and feather pen as a cutie mark and wore a green tie around her neck.
"That would be me." I said to her.
She nodded, "Yes well, you may take a seat wherever you like just make sure that you are not late often. Tardiness is not something that I will tolerant." She said looking at me, "That goes double for you Ms. Cadenza. I would believe this would be your first and last warning." She said to Cadance who just agreed to not be late from now on.
I took my seat in the third row next to Cadance, which I noticed the seats around her were empty for some reason. But I left it for later as the lessons were beginning.
"Please open your books to Chapter 14…"
And with that school began.
-Lunch time-
"Man." I groaned out as Cadance was putting her papers away into her bag, "I don't remember school being this boring." I said making her giggled a bit.
"Maybe it would be better if you didn't sleep at the start of it all." She said to me and it was true. I had fallen asleep a bit after the first lesson began.
"When am I ever going to need to know how half the things she said? Most of it was things I already knew." I said remember back to my self-studies. I learned all these things a few months ago already.
"Besides that, come on. It's time for lunch." She said putting her bags over her back.
I gathered my things and we were about to leave when an older colt walked in and gave me one look before he shouted and walked right back into the door.
"Huh?" I looked at the shocked look on his face and something about him looked familiar to me for some reason.
He pointed a hoof to me and he stuttered out, "I-I-It's y-you!" he said suddenly as I remembered who he was and why I knew him.
He was the unicorn that I encountered when I first arrived.
"You're that Unicorn that was walking around the halls that night, aren't you?" I asked him and he only gulped as he stared at me.
"Y-yeah.! That was me. But what are you doing here! This is a school of only gifted unicorns. What are you are doing here." He asked in a not so happy tone that sounded like I wasn't allowed to be here.
"Well, I'm a student here now. Is that a problem?" I asked staring him down which seemed to work as she flinched back.
"N-no. Now I have a class to prepare for so if you'll excuse me." He said as she rushed out the door before I knew it.
"Well, not something I was expecting but ok." I shrugged it off as bad timing.
"Did something happen between you and Professor Light Jake?" Cadance asked me as she walked to my side.
"Remember that Unicorn I told you that found me when I first got here. That was him." I told her and she gasped.
"Wait, you don't mean that he was the one that were talking about do you?" She asked me.
I nodded my head, "Yup, I'm certain he was the one. I mean, why else would he react like that."
She had to agree, "That is true, but then again that would explain why he was to take a leave last year."
I looked at her, "A leave? What do you mean?"
"Professor Light had to be excused from teaching because he suffered from magical exhaustion. He was on leave for 3 months before he came back like nothing was wrong. But he wasn't the same. I guess it makes sense now."
I thought about it for a moment, 'Did I do that to him?' I thought when for a spilt seconds I heard someone laughing at me as the world turned gray around me and everypony froze.
"That would be correct. After all you're the reason he was put in that state."
I looked next to me to see the other me back again and leaning against the wall.
"Just who are you anyway!" I shouted at him.
He just laughed as his body broke apart into a cloud of smoke before he appeared in front of me.
"That's a stupid question to ask when you already know the answer to it little Jaky." And then he disappeared as everything around me began to return to normal.
"Damn it." I cursed out which didn't go unnoticed by Cadance.
"Is something wrong Jake?" She asked me.
I just shook my head, "No, at least I hope not. But let's go get something to eat. I'm starved." I told her which she just took the lead and showed me where the Cafeteria was.
I got a salad and some bread, along with a fresh apple from a noticeable farm called Apple Acres. They had them at the Palace too so I guessed they shipped them here too.
Cadance just got a Daisy sandwich and some French hay-fries.
We went and sat down at a table outside which was away from the crowded tables.
"Man, I remember back when I was in my world that lunch was the one thing I would forward to since it was a free meal." I said as we sat down.
"You told me that before." Cadance said as she started to eat her sandwich.
I dug in and started to eat mine food which was good but it wasn't anything like the Castle chefs food.
"Mì Amore Cadenza."
I looked up to see a group of unicorns walking over towards our table.
I saw Cadance sigh as she looked to see who it was, "What do you want Sunset." She said in a not so amused tone.
The lead pony had a light amber coat and a crimson mane with a yellow streak going right through it.
(I couldn't help but use Sunset Shimmer in this, but she in no way plays nothing more than a cameo in this fanfic. And just a reminder that this story doesn't tie into the real Canon storyline so I think it's alright if things are changed around a bit.)
I don't what it was about her but the way she carried herself and the two unicorns that followed her gave me the impression that she thought she was better. Which is was the feeling I got from most Canterlot Unicorns I met over the year.
"Oh, please forgive me Princess Cadenza. I didn't mean for this to sound rude but is that any way for somepony such as yours elf to speak?" She asked in a mocking way.
"Leave me alone Sunset. I really don't want to start this right now." Cadance said as she went back to eating her food.
Which didn't settle well with this mare since she lashed out with her magic and tried to grab Cadance's tray and take it but I waved my hand over it before she could do anything and drained the magic from it?
This clearly made her confused as she gained this look of confusion on her face.
"What happened?" She asked and I just grinned at Cadance who saw what I did, "How did you do that!" She ordered me.
I just looked at her with a lazy face and raised an eyebrow to her, "Huh? Did you say something?" I said to her but apparently she took that as an insult as she groaned out in frustration and stomped away with her two followers in tow.
"Thanks for that Jake." Cadance said as I watch Sunset disappear from sight.
"No problem. You know that I don't take kindly to bullies." I said since I could have done a lot worse to her if she had really done that to Cadance.
"Who was that away way? A friend of yours?"
She just sighed, "That was Sunset Shimmer. She isn't really a friend but just somepony that thinks she is better than others. She thinks of herself as the school Princess just because her father is on the board." Cadance said as she finished her food.
"Let me get that." I said taking her tray.
"Thanks."
I tossed the extra food and placed the trays in the holders above the trash cans, "But why was she coming over to bother you?" I asked, she just sighed again.
"Well, I'm not exactly one of the most popular mares in school." She said shyly.
"Wait really? I would have thought that if anything you were one of the most popular mares in school." I told her.
She smiled at that, "Thanks Jake, but I'm sure you noticed how others treat me here." She said flaring her wings out behind her.
Sometimes I forget that she is an Alicron too like Mom. They aren't exactly many of them around.
"Because you're different." I said to her which seems I was right, "Well, look at the bright side. You're not the only one different here." I said pointing my thumb at myself which got a chuckle from her.
"That's true. But you're even weirder then I am." She said making the both of us laugh.
The bell rang and lunch was over, "Come on, we have P.E next. I think you'll manage to stay awake in this class at least." She said as she got up.
I just smiled as I got my bag and followed her.
Maybe school wouldn't be that bad after all with Cadance here with me.
-Time Skip 6 months
And just like that six months had past right before my eyes.
I managed to finally see Shining Armor who was a part of the in training part of the royal Guards.
Surprisingly they had classes on campus too which meant I would be seeing him more often than I thought.
He over the past 6 months had become a close friend of mine.
We'd often skip some classes to go hang out somewhere or even to just get away.
I even learned that he had a bit of a hot streak going for him. He like he told be before was a very promising unicorn.
He specialized in making shield magic.
Not to mention he had a knack for fighting with some of the other ponies there.
Even I had a few every now and then. Some pony would come up saying just what was so special about me and me and my big mouth. I would end up saying something that set the pony off and I'm sure you can imagine how those ended.
But every time they thing they can beat me with magic but I mean come on. I literally absorb the stuff when I'm near it.
But every time I would get hurt or whoever I was fighting landed a lucky hit on me.
Cadance was there to help patch me up.
She would scold me for fighting. And even got on Shining's case when fought alongside me.
But she was always there with us.
The three of us had become the beat of friends and our little group was made.
It's funny how things turn out. But anyway, when it came to school work it wasn't as hard as I thought and it was simple enough for me to pass.
But when we had to start using magic, some of the ponies in the class would blame me that I was draining their energy which is why they couldn't do what they had to.
I was excused from a lot of lessons because of this.
But hey, I already know most of the stuff they were doing since I had Mom to show me how to control my magic. But I needed to gather it before I could even use it. And that alone was hard enough.
But that is pretty much what happened over the past. And with summer coming up it meant that it would be summer vacation.
I had already planned to do something for Cadance since it was going to be her birthday soon but what I didn't know.
But Mom was more than happy to lend me a helping hoof.
I had gotten a custom made golden laced necklace with a golden heart with a teal shaped heart gem on it. All in all it was worth every bit I spent on it and Mom even said she would love it.
But I had to hide from her which wasn't that hard to do but the anticipation was killing me inside.
"Jake are you ready for school yet?" I heard Cadance call from my door as I put my shirt on and grabbed my bag.
"Yeah, just give me a second." I answered her as I placed my bracer on and put my necklace around my neck, "Done."
I walked over to the door and opened it to see Cadance standing there tapping a hoof on the ground.
"I swear sometimes. You take longer than a mare to get ready." She joked as we walked down the halls towards the Castle entrance.
"I do not, if anypony takes long to get ready that would be you." I said poking at her side making her 'eep' at the sudden touch to which she smacked me in the back with her wing.
"What have I told you about do that to me!" she shouted as we exited the castle and started towards the Academy.
"Well, let's see, you told me to stop doing that but we both know that it won't." I told her with a grin on my face.
She just snorts as she turned to look away from me but at the same time I could make a smile out on her face.
"Let's just hurry to school. Today's field day so that means were spending the entire day outside!" She said sounding happy.
"Oh, that's right. I completely forgot about that. Well at least this way I can catch some more Z's while outside." I said yawning but Cadance tapped me with her wing once again.
"Do that and you won't have any of the snacks I made for us to eat?" She said already knowing that I would do as she said since I loved to eat the snacks she made.
"Fine, I'll try and stay awake." I grumbled out.
Field day is a day that everyone has gym outside. Games like Hoofball which is kind of like Football, or even soccer and basketball. But there were also a few tests that you had to complete like a psychical so they could make sure you were healthy.
-Later on-
I put all my things inside my locker and changed into my gym clothes which were just shorts and a simple white shirt. I left my Necklace and Bracer inside my locker only because I didn't want to damage them.
"Jake!" I looked to see Shining waiting on the field with Cadance next to him.
"Hey Shining, you ready for today?" I asked him as he clapped his front hoofs together.
"Ready as I'll ever be pal. How about you?"
I just grinned at him, "I hope you like second place since I'm going to win this one." I joked with him but he and I had this little bet going on. The winner had to fork over their half of their snacks Cadance had made.
"Can I get everypony over by the track so we can start off." The gym teacher an Earth pony shouted out as we all went over to the track.
The first test was a 40 meter dash which Shining had won since by literally a second. But for the next test it was the hurdle and I was able to get more air time since I had longer legs then him. Making it a tie.
And for the last test it was a full on sprint to the finish line around the track. Everypony was tired already but me and Shining were ready.
"Alright, on your mark." The both of us got ready to run at a seconds notice, "Go!" He shouted as he pulled the trigger in the race gun and we were off.
….
"Ha-ha! And the winner once again is me!" Shining cheered as he looked just as winded as I was.
"You only won because I can't run as fast as you guys since I have two feet and not four." I said taking in deep breaths.
"Yeah, I'm sure that was the reason I won. Anyway I believe that I have won the snacks for myself!" He said as Cadance hoofed over my snacks along with Shining's to him.
"Sweet!" He said as he started to scarf them down. It was Cadance's cupcakes which I loved. But fair is fair and I lost.
"Jake." I looked up to see Cadance smiling at me as she held out her Cupcake to me, "You can have mine." She said as she placed it in my hand.
"Huh? I can't take this Cadance it's yours." I said to her but she shook her head.
"It's alright; I've been trying to cut back on all the sweets I eat so you can have mine." She said as she just continued to smile at me.
I thought of something and I grabbed both sides of the cupcake and pulled it right down the middle breaking it in half, "Here, I'm sure you can sneak in half a cupcake. Besides, you look great already." I said as she just stared at me, "Take it." I told her making her slowly take it from my hand.
A smile crept onto her face as she looked at me, "Thanks Jake." She said as she started to eat the cupcake and I joined her.
"Jeez, get a room you two." Shining said breaking the silence, "I swear sometimes it makes me wonder why you two aren't married yet with how to act around each other." He as Cadance gained a blush that she buried her face in her hooves while I looked away as a blush was on my face too.
"It's not like that!"
"It's not like that!"
I looked at Cadance as she did the same,
"We're not."
"We're not."
We both looked away from each other.
"Together." I said finishing what we were going to both say.
"I think I'll be heading back now." Cadance said getting up and she ran off back to the locker room.
I glared at Shining who was just smiling at me, "What." I asked him in a slightly ticked off tone.
"Hey, hey don't give me that. Besides you know it's true. Cadance likes you Jake and don't pretend that you can't tell. I mean after all you two are always together with each other. Wither it's here at the Academy or at the Castle. Or even out around Canterlot! Anypony with eyes can see that you both like each other so why not just come out with it." He said.
I just sat there with a blank look on my face, "But it's complicated." I said to him.
"What, because she's a pony and you're not? Didn't you say once before during class that Love has no bounds? So why don't you just up and tell her. Because the more you wait the worse this is going to get. Because if you don't move in somepony else is going to come in and take her from you." He said making sense but it was complicated.
"You just don't get it Shining. Cadance is my best friend. My very first best friend I ever had. And I don't want to lose that." I told him.
"So basically you're afraid right?"
I nodded to him, "Man, why is it always me." I groaned out as I lay back on the ground.
Shining just laughed, "Because you my friend just have bad luck. Now come on, let's head back and get cleaned up." He said as I got up and we headed back to the lockers and got cleaned up.
Only thing was, when I opened my locker I noticed that I was off. I moved a few things before I came across a letter. I quickly opened it and read the contents inside before I slammed my locker closed scaring Shining who was changing next to me.
"What's wrong Jake?" He asked me.
I felt my anger growing inside me, "Nothing, but I need to go somewhere." I said as I walked out of the locker room with a letter crushed in my hand before it was burned by a red aura that formed around my fist.
Somepony stole my pendant and bracer and they told me where to find them. And when I did, they were going to wish they were never born.
-TBC
-Ah, writers block how I hate thee, but alas after re writing this chapter over and over again I found something to make it fit and now next time on Shatters of a Reflection, "Somepony stole from Jake and they left a letter telling him to come alone to the gym where they had his things. Only thing was Jake was not in the mood to be played with. And does Shining have a point with both Cadance and Jake?" next time: The Arrival.