Lunchtime

Rose didn't say anything, instead reaching into her overlarge tote and pulling out her laptop. Gently, she opened it and pulled up a word processor, feeling more comfortable if there were no words to be said where they could be heard.

She typed, "It all started with a stupid, stupid crush on a very sullen boy. I was different back then, very bubbly and happy, and all I wanted to do was see others be happy, too. So, I guess this guy was my chance at a challenge, and I loved the idea. See, I talked to him all of once, and I turned it into this fantasy... it was bad when I found out he was dating another girl. I tried to kill myself, but I suppose it was really Her who tried to kill us. She was the fantasy... She loved him so much, a boy she had pretty much created in her head... and I grew to love the fake him, too. That's how it started, and that's how it still is."

She slid the computer to Brew.

Swift simply sat, creating his Grim Reaper costume.

Meanwhile, in the lunch room...

Starlight was nearly asleep at the table by herself when two others, a boy and a girl, sat down at the same table. She mustered up all of her strength, slapped herself, and scooted closer to the two.

"Hi! How are you? Oh cool, is that a computer? Lemme see! ... Oh, that's a really sad story, miss. Flesh it out a bit moire, and you'll ace that english class!" She said very quickly, reading the story in about two seconds.

She scooted really, really close to the guy and said "Oh hi there mister! I'm Starlight! Oh, and you must be Brew! My boyfriend told me all about you! You're really nice, you know? So am I, actually! Too bad I'm taken!" She grinned and giggled before taking a large bite out of Brew's food and letting her head fall to the table. She then started snoring, still uncomfortably close (Like, 1 centimeter) to Brew

(( (>^_^)><(^_^<) ))

Brew was getting more and more terrified by the second- this lunatic kept saying creepier and creepier things to him. Finally, she just fell asleep near him. He quickly dashed to the opposite side of the table, sitting next to Rose.

(Note- this is in the Library, not the lunch hall, Error. You silly pony. We'll just say Starlight followed Swift in if that's okay.)

After taking deep breaths to calm himself, Brew looked at Rose.

"Jesus was she creepy...like girlfriend, like boyfriend I suppose. Anyway, that's really a shame. I wish I could have helped. All I can really do is this."

He gritted his teeth and hugged Rose. He wanted to comfort his new friend after all, even if he was screaming in terror inside.

In response to Starlight, Rose slammed her computer shut and half wanted to throw it across the room, but she repressed the urge and just slipped it back into her bag.

"It's a wonder I don't just transfer back home," she muttered. "I'm sorry, Brew, but now's just not the time, I guess."

She allowed Brew to hug her, but she couldn't help the way her body wanted to react. That feeling of pure panic overtook her as she felt her bodily control ripped from her. She cried as she was stuffed into a corner of her mind, watching Her emerge.

"Get off of me," She snarled. "What do you think I am, a pillow?"

Swift had finished his awesome scythe, paint and all. No mess either, which was usual for him. He dumped his scraps in the trash and twirled the prop elegantly, testing its balance. Perfect, also as per usual. He then began practicing with the weapon, its foam blade slicing through the air surprisingly well. As a finale, he vaulted over a table and back-flipped, before landing with the scythe being flung from mid-air towards the trio. It went straight at Brew, slamming him with a surprisingly soft impact in the chest before beginning to fall to the ground, at which point Swift caught it. He bowed, as though he was a performer.

All of the freshmen gaped at his display, while anyone who had known him sighed and moved on with their research. And, being a senior, quite a few people knew him. The scythe glinted in the light, like metal, as he slipped it into his bag. It ended up sticking out, but he didn't care.

"I've observed that you have been introduced to Starlight." He said as he hoisted her over his shoulder. She was still snoring as he set her down on one of the couches and returned to his table, deciding to make a pair of sickles.

"I'll make sure this shall be your last encounter with her." he said coldly, cutting out EVA foam.

Brew actually smiled at Swift. He would have gotten annoyed about the scythe getting thrown at him, but any oppurtunity to avoid the creepy girl was welcome, so he decided to just roll with it.

"Thanks. No offense, but she was creeping me out. Is she like that with all ponies or just me?"

He noticed Rose's sudden personality switch. 

"Ah, you must be the other Rose. Am I right? And what are you here for? Also, you're cuddly like a pillow."

Brew broke off the hug and looked at Rose. He was interested to see what this sudden change was going to do. He also noticed he was slightly regressing back to his former self- he hated saying she was cuddly, but it was amusing to see her reaction. Hopefully anyway.

"What am I here for?" She asked, glaring at him. "What do you mean, why am I here? Why are you here? I was under the impression that I was the only person here during this period."

She turned her gaze to Swift.

"Ah, the creep in the mask," She said distastefully. The girl felt the urge to yell at him. After all, he was intruding on her space. And LARP? Lame.

This Rose looked different. Her hair was straight and flat, her skin lacked the healthy glow that seemed to follow her everywhere, and her eyes were a dull brown, no longer the pretty gold that they usually were.

Answering Brew, Swift said "Like what? Do you intend to imply that my girlfriend is somehow inadequate in her behavior. Also, we are not young equines. We are juvenile homosapiens."

As for Rose, he simply said, "It would be in your best interest to release Rose. You know what I do to those that defy me." Swift said. Being a senior, almost everyone at the school knew the story of how he killed a kid who bullied him. While this was not true, he often used it to his advantage. The fact that the dagger on his belt was real seemed to help. He used it as a letter opener, but people were scared of it.

The one who killed that kid was his older brother, Darkloom. Dark was an evil mass-murderer with a deity complex. His first victim was Tough Skin, a nasty bully at Canterlot High who liked to pick on Swift. Darkloom used an antique rifle to shoot the kid on his way home. Everyone thought it was Swift, even after his brother was convicted.

Brew had two reactions to Swift. The first was before he registered the threat. He started to say:

"Well, yeah leaning that close to a strange-"

Then he registered Swift's threat.

"Hey! Leave her be. I don't think she's in control any more than regular Rose is. She'll just have been brought out. I'm not even sure if she knows about the disorder. Don't hurt her- if you do, it'll hurt my friend."

He was really starting to dislike Swift- such a cold, malevolent guy was he.

(AAAAAAH OH GAWD SOWWU ABOUT LATE POST RELATIONSHIP CONFUSION BEEN RESOLVED NOW AAAAAAAH)

Miraculously, the normal Rose shoved her way through, pulling herself back into reality before she slapped Swift in the face.

"Don't threaten me, and certainly don't threaten her," she said, glaring at him. "Who the hell do you think you are, Jesus? I could talk to Principal Celestia and get you suspended for threatening other students! You idiot, you don't understand that she doesn't know that I exist! Just stay out of it, would you?"

She gathered her books and stood abruptly.

"I'll go study somewhere else. I can't concentrate here. See you later, Brew."

Sea M. Salt stumbled his way in the cafeteria, trying to find somewhere to sit. He was happy that no one had made a single remark about his leg, and felt like he was really fitting in. With a wide smile, he came across a table with few inhabitants.

"Ah, hello, the name's Sea, I'm new here, nice to meet you all," he said, holding out his hand, sheepishly smiling.

Brew watched Rose go. He wanted to go after her, but he felt that wasn't a good idea. He called after her:

"Alright then. See you tomorrow."

He looked at Swift, and said in a deathly voice:

"Go. You've hurt the only friend I've got so far in this school. Could've driven her off. Thanks pal. Just once I thought things were getting better, you come along and ruin it. Bravo."

Brew turned to the new guy at the table.

"Oh. Sorry you had to see that. I'm Brew. Nice to meetcha, even at this kinds awkward moment."

Brew certainly wasn't happy- he thought he'd found a damn friend, then some creepy weirdo comes along and chases her off. Just Dandy. He took out his chemistry textbook- might as well catch up on what he'd have missed.