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Moving into the Dorms (Open to the School of Friendship)


StrongCopper

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"Sounds interesting." Spearmint answered truthfully in relation to Whistescar. "Like having a stick poked into your eye kind of 'interesting'. Considering it's full of monsters, undead, vikings and combinations of all three, why does anyone live there?"  Green Meadows had more flaws then he cared to name, but the only monster there had been his mother and it offered steady employment because there were some safety standards that even she couldn't bend or cut because a collapse and a killed or injured shift of miners were expensive delays and cut into the profit margin.

 

Thank the Moon that his mother's mad need to maximize profit and efficiency was vaguely tapered by her desire to keep the 'local economy stable', whatever that meant. Otherwise she might have turned to necromancy instead of mind control in order to create a workforce that didn't need breaks for food or sleep.

 

"Maybe you'll be able to convince a teacher or the Archancellor to make a field trip to Hollow Shades some day, just so we can see it for ourselves." Spearmint said aloud, trying very hard to throw himself into the conversation to avoid thinking further about his mother. "Also I've never had a proper sleepover before so... yeah, this is going to be a bit of a first for me. I've heard of them but... what kind of stuff do you do for sleepovers? The only thing I know for certain is that very little sleep seems to actually happen at them."

 

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Chipper was no sociologist, but he'd lived most of his life in the lands of ice and snow, and knew a thing or two about the sorts that called them home.  "Mm, I think it's mostly that the folks there like the fact they can get a fight when they want to.  If you're that sort, not only is a rough land your best bet, more peaceful sorts don't like to have you around.  If you're not welcome anywhere else, you can pick up something sharp or heavy and make yourself welcome.  A bit like how smiles and politeness work down here, really."  The colt was smiling, and carrying no weapons.  Perhaps this might explain his desire to live south of the white seas.

 

For a proposed sleepover itinerary, Chipper was equally clueless as Spearmint, but a bit more enthusiastically so.  "Well, if the longhouses back home are anything to go by, feasting, games, and general rowdiness into the wee hours of the night.  Which, the Archancellor says, is not allowed on school nights.  But we'll see what happens Friday; I know at least three I'm inviting this time!"

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There honestly wasn't much that Spearmint could say in response to that. "I... guess that makes sense." It also explained a little of Chipper's lack of social norms... after all, when the standard method of settling a dispute was to try and smash in the skull of the person you're disagreeing with before they can do the same to you, being the most charismatic of ponies requires a whole different set of skills.

 

Deciding to talk about the more enjoyable subject than their homes, Spearmint grinned as he answered "You know, that actually sounds like fun. I guess we should look into what rules apart for the day are in place as well... I mean, I'm assuming we're not allowed to inspire a riot to burn down and pillage the library. No harm in knowing there the line is, you know?"

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"Of course, of course!"  Chipper hastened to reassure Spearmint that he had no intention of ransacking the library.  "I mean, they're our books anyway.  You don't raid and pillage your own stuff, that's stupid!"  Spearmint should probably be glad that Princess Twilight was no longer archancellor, as she might have made an ill-timed joke about neighboring libraries holding coveted volumes, which the Whitescar-raised Chipper could possibly take too seriously.

 

Chipper slipped off the bed, trotting out to look back out the hall.  "Well, now that you're done packing, why don't we check back in on our new friends?  Maybe Morning's up by now!"

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As luck would have it, Morning Glow was in fact waking up. She stirred slightly before her eyes fluttered open and she began to take in her surroundings. She gave a slight groan and rolled out of bed, turning around to try and get her bearings. Her eyes followed the white line dividing the room in half and after a second or two of staring at it, she realized she was in her own dorm! Though, she was on the wrong side. She quickly hopped the line and then turned around to see the other pony whom she assumed would be sharing the room with her. 

 

Her heart sank.

 

There stood one of the ponies from the group she had just been in. And it looked like her little sister was here to tag along, too. She silently hoped they would spend most of their time together outside the dorm so that Morning Glow could concentrate on studying instead of the seventy different strains of popcorn the energetic filly seemed to carry with her at all times.

 

"Wait a minute. You're my roommate?" she asked as politely as she could (which still wasn't very polite by most pony's standards).

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The very moment the unicorn so much as twitched, a certain set of honey-colored eyes settled on her. The very moment she spoke, those eyes got a lot closer.

 

"Omigosh, you're awake you're awake!" It was as if her awakening was some grand event, fit for the greatest of fiestas and a holiday to boot as little Kettle bounded across the room in two energetic leaps to latch onto the unicorn's face like some sort of furry face-hugger, beaming all the while.

 

"Did you try any of my kettle corn? Did you like it? Did you not like it? If you did like it what was your favorite part? Was it the caramel? Was it the corn? Was it the butter? Oh, oh! How can I make it better?" She inhaled, then, and downgraded to simply hugging the mare's neck instead. "I made a really big batch this morning because I didn't know how many ponies would be arriving but I did have a guess so I just made a WHOLE BUNCH and that's good because it means there's plenty for everypony including you although now that I think about it not much was eaten so I'll probably have to throw the batch but that's okay because I can always make more, LOTS MORE! I can make it in all kinds of different flavors too, what's your favorite flavor? Is it blueberry? I've never tried making blueberry popcorn before so I guess I'd be the first and that would be AMAZING-"

 

Kettle went on to detail how great it'd be to invent blueberry popcorn before her words began to string together into white noise, a basket of popcorn magically appearing next to Morning Glow during the course of the conversation.

 

It wasn't there at the beginning.

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Caramel chuckled as Kettle came in and went off on her talk of popcorn and different condiments on it, though it’s not like Morning  could hear her. For now, the earth pony continued unpacking until Morning woke up and hopped over to the other side of the line. 
 

“Hmm? I guess you are. Did you make this line?” She looked at the white line briefly before Kettle got really excited again. Sighing slightly, Caramel moved over to pry her sister off her roommate. 
 

“C’mon, Kettle, you’re going to make her pass out again, let her breathe.” She said, pulling Kettle off and letting the filly rest on her back. 

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Despite her name, Morning Glow was not a morning pony, and was still slightly disoriented when the younger filly attacked her face. Luckily, with the help of the energy ball's sister, Morning Glow was able to levitate her off. "What's the matter with you?? Don't you have any personal space??" she scolded the younger filly, agitated by the sudden ambush. "And yes, I did. I like to keep my room organized, so this way neither of us ends up with stuff on the other's side. You're welcome!" she added proudly, using her magic to straighten out the blankets of the other filly's bed where she had previously been laying. "I don't expect everypony to comply with my level of organization, though, so you're welcome to keep your side as neat or messy as you like." 

 

Then she turned to the youngest of the three. "Shouldn't you be getting settled in your dorm? Orientation begins soon, doesn't it?"

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Spearmint had to resist the urge to ask if Chipper had already been scouting out other, non-school targets to pillage out of a small degree of concern that if he brought the point up, it might give Chipper ideas if he hadn't already had them. So instead he nodded his head in agreement as he answered "Sounds good. I mean I'm confident that she didn't hurt herself from the fall or anything, but there's no harm in checking up on her."

 

Before the pair of them had managed to get out of their room, Spearmint had a sudden flash of insight about what would happen if Chipper brought the crows along to see Morning Glory again. "Actually Chipper, it might be for the best if Huginn and Munin stayed here. Caramel might be okay with allowing them into her new dorm room, but she did say she was moving into a dorm that already had someone staying there and... well, it would be kind of rude not to ask permission for them to come in. No everyone likes birds after all."

 

Not wishing to be rude to Huginn and Munin (if only because that seemed like a fast way to upset Chipper), Spearmint turned to look at the pair as he added "I'll talk to Kettle about getting you guys some more food on your behalf. Sound good?"

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The very idea that anypony could dislike his avian friends seemed a foreign concept to Chipper.  "Aw, really?  Who could possibly dislike a pair both clever and handsome?"  Huginn agreed with a sharp caw, though Munin's croak was less enthusiastic.  The young pony's face grew concerned, as he helped the second crow's neck back into an angle that could pass for survivable for a living bird.  "Well... I guess you two need to nap off that feast you got from the kind popcorn filly.  But she'll come around to see you soon, don't worry!"

That seemed to reassure them, and Chipper soon found himself free to walk out with Copper back to the hallway.  "Ooh, what time is it?  I think your new student orientation is coming up; I'll tag along, even if I've been here a while already.  Oh!  And we can pick up Morning and Caramel too!"

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Candy Corn

Candy raced through the streets of Ponyville, Caramel's letter held in her levitation. "Oh why was it today we sold a record bonbons..." she said having just left the cart of her employer/landlord/friend? Ether way Pop had put her in charge of getting her sister settled in, and she wasn't even there to greet her at the train station. What kind of big sister was she... It was going to bother her the rest of the day... "It just slipped your mind is all. BonBon showed you a new recipe and you lost track of time and still had to put in a day of work. Caramel will understand...I hope."

 

The school grew nearer and nearer as the white young mare trotted as fast as she could. "Guardian coming through! Which way to the first year dorms?!" as a rather confused staff member pointed, she turned that direction still in a tizzy. As she leaped over a small hedge, she overheard a parent of another student make a remark about her. She was only about six months older then most of the students starting their last year at the school, but she shook it off. She had to get to her sister...sisters? Did she read that note wrong? Second floor, room 14....214? 214 it was. She'd quickly flash her letter to the pony whom must have been acting as the resident before quickly looking for the directional signs or directory.

 

She'd find the stairs and make her way up to the second floor as quickly as her hooves would carrier her. Other creatures where in the hall as she quickly walked, looking at each door number. Finally she was there, and with the glow of her horn, the tired, tizzied big sister stood there, panting. "I...I didn't. Didn't forget..." as she continued to breath hard. 

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Kettle was about to explain that, no, the oblivious little corn cook hadn't the slightest clue where she was supposed to go so she stuck with her sister instead- because separating the two was an unthinkable crime against equinity that could never happen.

 

And then her the less horny of her three sisters arrived. 

 

Now, the traditional greeting in Equestria would be a hug, or a friendly hoofbump. Kettle was not a traditional pony, as evidenced by her response to Glow's awakening and, not too long after, how she reacted to seeing Candy Corn show up.

 

Thwump!

 

Kettle glomped the tall pony's foreleg, nuzzling her enthusiastically as she radiated butter-colored joy. "Candy Corn is here, Candy Corn is here!" She announced, just incase anypony somehow missed that fact.

 

"Big Sis Candy Corn! You're here!" She added one more time, just for good measure, peeling her face away from Candy Corn's coat to beam up at her, tail wagging. "Have you met Spearmint? Or Chipper Demise? Spear's kinda wonky and Chipper can be kinda creepy but in the good sort of way because if he was creepy in the bad sorta way he'd never make friends and then he'd be lonely but he has skeletons to keep him company so he may turn ponies into skeletons to keep him company- by the way this is Morning Glow!"

 

Gesturing behind her with a hoof, she pointed at the perplexed unicorn, bouncing in place as she fully dislodged herself from Candy Corn's personal space. "She can be grumpy and kinda rude, but I'm sure she's just shy and she'd LOVE to be your friend!" It was at that moment that she gasped, squishing her cheeks for dramatic effect.

 

Her horn shone- or it was more of a POP! Really- and a bucket of piping hot popcorn identical to the one that still occupied the space next to Morning materialized in her magic field- which was promptly thrust before Candy Corn's face, a single kernel taking that moment to making its daring escape.

 

"Oh, oh! You HAVE to try my kettle corn! I'm working on a new recipe with blueberry and marshmallow I'm calling Kettle-Cream! It's going to be so delicious that all the colts and fillies at school will want to be my friend and learn my secrets and then we'll go on a montage where the student becomes the master and they create their own kettle corn and go on to form an entire CULT of corns and spread happiness and sugar WORLDWIDE! EEEEE!!!"

 

The maniacal filly danced in place, the thought of creating a pop-pocalypse a delicious fantasy to indulge in for sure. 

 

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Caramel tilted her head as Morning admitted to the line, appreciating the straightening of her bed though. She wasn’t sure why they’d need the line to not encroach on the others space, but it was fair enough. Before she could say anything more though, Candy showed up, and Kettle launched into another of her exuberant greetings. 
 

“Nice of you to make it, sis.” She chuckled, trotting over to pull both her sisters into a big hug. 

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Spearmint glanced around to see if he could spy a clock... and failing that, checked his leg for a watch that wasn't there. "No idea what time it is. We'll ask the girls when we find them." He didn't bother trying to explain to Chipper why some ponies might not be fond of birds; He didn't want to have to deal with that question and answer session. Instead he walked over to the open door that he had seen Morning be carried to before glancing inside... and not only seeing her up and walking around again, but also a new pony who the kettle sisters had welcomed with gusto.

 

Politely knocking on the door frame, he called out "Hey. Just us again. We wanted to stop by to see how Morning was doing."

 

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Chipper popped his head in right after Spearmint, beaming at the now awake and aware Morning Glow.  "Hey, there you are!  Bright-eyed and bushy tailed!  Better find a brush for that, hang on..."  The young colt trotted into the room, presumably to find a brush of some description.  Communal grooming was sometimes practiced among the caribou clans (and some pony frontier communities, for that matter), so Chipper evidently showed no embarrassment over giving a dormmate brushies dubiously consented to.

 

His search was interrupted by the realization of the presence of a fellow unicorn.  "Oh, are you Candy?  My new friend Kettle Corn told me about you, glad you could make it, I'm Chipper!"  A statement of fact and also an introduction.  On that note, once Kettle thrust the bucket of popcorn in Morning's face, the young necromancer managed to smoothly catch the stray kernel in his magic and chomp it.  "Mmm!  Oh, speaking of cult induction, we have orientation in the assembly hall in..."  His eyes roamed towards the clock next to the door.  "Let's see, minute hand is the long one- Five Minutes!"

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Oh great. Another corn-obsessed pony to join the circus. This family was becoming more than she could take. 

 

But she didn't have to think too hard about it for long, because just after Candy Corn's arrival, Spearmint and Chipper Demise entered the room. Spearmint was at least courteous and knocked and waited for an invitation to enter, but Chipper showed his usual lack of respect for social customs and marched straight into the dorm, which was now becoming crowded with ponies. "What in Equestria are you doing??" she asked frantically, using her magic to push him towards the door. "This is a girls' dorm! That means boys aren't supposed to be in it! Especially without invitation!" She said a silent prayer she would have very few classes with this... rough-around-the-edges pony. "Now stand outside and try it again," she said condescendingly as she finally moved the colt beyond the doorframe. She knew that with as uncultured as he was, trying to teach him manners had the potential to make her late for orientation, but she felt it was an important lesson for him to learn for the future -- for her sake. She couldn't have him barging in on her any time he liked! That thought made her shiver a bit. "Say, 'Excuse me, but may I please come in?' and then wait to be told yes."

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Kettle squeed as Caramel joined in the hug, beaming up at both of them with a buttery warmth in her heart. "I love you guys!"

 

It was at that moment, shared between three sisters, that Chipper and Spearmint also appeared. More friends! Kettle enthusiastically waved at the more chipper of the two from her spot clinging to Candy's leg, raising her voice just high enough to only barely cause everyone in the room to go deaf.

 

"Hi Chipper! Hi Spearmint!" Aaand there went Chipper! Morning was being a bit rude- so she'd get less popcorn- but that didn't matter so much because she still had Spearmint there too. "Hey Minty, why don't you join us! We can be BEST FRIENDS and make some kettle corn for orientation!"

 

 

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The eldest Corn sibling was quickly met by her youngest sister as she clung to her forelegs, before receiving a more traditional hug from Caramel. Candy returned the embraces before realizing that quite a few ponies had entered the room. The first one she noticed was whom she assumed was to be Caramel's room mate, next where two more...Spearmint and Chipper. She would nod her head at Chipper's question. "Yep. That'd be me. Candy Corn." Candy's horn would glow orange as she lifted Kettle onto her back, a place where she had grown accustomed to carrying her sister many of times. "I'm here because Pop couldn't make it. As the oldest sibling, and a now resident of Ponyville, I'm both of Yinz acting guardian," she gave a quick giggle before looking back to Kettle. "Now as for you, we need to go on an adventure to find your dorm and let your sister and her new roommate get acquainted. Remember, you two are already besties. You both need to make new friends."

 

"I see you already made at least one Kettle. Spearmint , right?" She said extending a hoof. "Now then, which way is this orientation, and then I need to speak with who's in charge of housing to find your room," as she turned to face Kettle. "It was nice to meet Yinz. See ya all dawn at the orientation. And I'm sorry if we bothered anypony. I guess we're all a little Corny."

 

 

 

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Spearmint tried not to pay attention to Morning's makeshift lesson to Chipper about walking into rooms uninvited. After all, it was kind of an important lesson to learn and the sooner he did, the less likely he was to have something hard thrown at his head. Instead the colt turned his attention to Kettle and her newly introduced older sister Candy. Offering the small of the two a small wave from his spot by the door, he quickly answered "I would normally but... well, if we've got orientation in five minutes we really should get going to that." He answered somewhat politely. While he doubted Kettle would have noticed it, her loudness and overwhelming energy that she poured into her friendliness was... somewhat new to Spearmint; It wasn't that it was a bad or unwanted thing, but it was unexpected and the urge to run like an uncomfortable cat was strong.

 

Turning to the much softer spoken Candy who was offering him a hoof, Spearmint looked at her for a moment... before shyly connecting his hoof with hers as he nodded his head dumbly as he found himself clamming up.  

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Despite the unexpected, and unexpectedly rude, lecture on etiquette Chipper got from Morning, it didn't diminish his smile in any way.  He took it as he might any lesson in friendship, even from the Princess of it herself!  "Okay!"  Turning around, he clip-clopped out of the dorm, and knocked on the still-open door?  "Excuse me, may I please come in?"  He paused, waiting for the signal to enter.  Upon doing so, he raised his hoof.  "May I ask a question too?  I need to know if its more rude to run late for orientation, or run late for orientation.  Because we're gonna have to do one or the other now, nyaha!"

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Surprisingly, Chipper seemed to be a quick study in the ways of etiquette. He even raised his hand when he wanted to say something, which Morning Glow figured was his way of mocking her, but she didn't mind as long as he knocked before coming into their dorm in the future. She gasped as she realized he was right about one thing, though: She was going to be late for orientation if she didn't hurry. She took this opportunity, what with the door being crowded, to practice her teleportation. Her horn glowed for a few moments as she focused her energy, and then with a sphere of  turquoise light and a loud POP!, she disappeared from the dorm and reappeared just outside it. She couldn't teleport very far, but it was certainly a start, especially for her age. She gave a joyful giggle and then galloped off toward the entrance hall where orientation was supposed to begin. 

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Thoughts of Dorm Adventures vanished the instant the little filly witnessed Morning Glow's magic trick. "oh my gosh, oh my gosh I WANNA DO THAT!" standing up on candy's back, her face twisted in concentration, trying to pop like a kernel- only instead of just popping, she'd pop twice! Once there, and once... Somewhere else. Maybe a cornfield!

 

Her horn glowed, and... 

 

POP!

 

The basket of popcorn she'd left next to Glow appeared on top of Candy's head. She stared at it dumbly, as if surprised, even though she'd done exactly that only minutes ago. Trying again, her horn positively radiated hope and enthusiasm.

 

POP!

 

This time a new bucket of popcorn appeared, this one she recognized from... Someplace in Ponyville.

 

The ponies could practically hear her frown as much as see it as she whined in frustration. "Waaaahhhh! I wanna do that too-hooooo!!!" Then, like a switch, she was up back to her chipper self, bouncing on her hooves with an energetic smile as she leveled a nigh manic-grin at Chipper. "Hey, hey, you're a horny-corn too! Do you know how to do that trick!? Do ya do ya!?"

 

 

 

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"It's nice to know my sisters have made connections already," she'd say to Spearmint before looking to Chipper as well.

 

Candy would watch as Caramel's roommate teleported just outside. Her mouth hung open in awe of the small magical feat. Candy herself wasn't the strongest in the arcane arts, but she knew some spells for making all kinds of candies and of course her family's namesake. It wouldn't take long for her to hear a small pop directly behind her before her mind thought the worst. What had Kettle done? She could still feel her hooves on her back, thank Celestia, but in a blink of an eye a bucket of popcorn found itself hanging upside down from her horn, a few pieces of popcorn in her mane. She'd turn her head to look at her smallest sister. Without saying a word, her expression was enough to communicate her thoughts. She'd sigh before rolling her eyes and levitating the bucket down and placing it on a nearby table. When the next bucket appeared, Candy let out a frustrated sigh. "Your to stay with you big sis Kettle. I'm sure you'll learn some new things here. Just for now I need you to come with me. I don't need you getting ported to someplace nopony would be able to find you. Then my life would get boring."

 

When she heard the others talking about how soon orientation was about to begin, she looked to Caramel. "Do you have everything sis? Do I have everything?" as she frantically checked her bag for the paperwork. "Good, there it is." Looking around to all those there, she would ask a rather blunt question. "Dose anypony know where we're headed? Caramel, you been talking about this place since I came to apprentice under BonBon. Did you learn the layout of the school?" 

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The fact that at least one of his future classmates knew how to teleport was mind boggling to Spearmint.

 

However, as much as he would have loved to continue this conversation there was the prior appointment of orientation to go to. Not really trusting himself with remembering the directions on the map that he had left in his dorm room he instead turned to the most logical source of direction that came to mind: Chipper. "So... care to lead the way? I think you might know where we're going a lot better then I do."

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Well, things had gotten a little crazy since the hug, it seemed. Caramel looked around, trying to process that Kettle somehow knew how to teleport her popcorn, and Morning was capable of the more traditional self-teleportation, blinking a bit as Candy addressed her about the school’s layout. 
 

“Hmm? Umm, hold on.” She said, starting to dig through her bag and trying to find something. “I didn’t memorize this place, I was more focused on other stuff. But I’ve got this!” She said, pulling a map of the school out and opening it up. She seemed to twist it around a bit, glancing down the hall to orient herself before heading off and waving for the others to follow her. 

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