Rainbow Dash's condition was to have her newly formed band perform as the opening act at Trixie's magic show.
Trixie agreed to her request because she felt that having a supporting act would better highlight The Great and All-Powerful Trixie.
Besides, taking someone's handouts makes it hard to refuse them...
However, this was the first time she had heard about Rainbow Dash starting a band; she previously only knew that Rainbow Dash's guitar skills were decent, just slightly inferior to her own. (Rainbow Dash: Who said that?)
Trixie also wanted to join Rainbow Dash's band to show off her guitar skills, but was vetoed by both Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer.
Rainbow Dash's reason was that the band already had a lead guitarist, which was herself; unless Trixie was willing to be the rhythm guitarist, there was no deal.
Sunset Shimmer's reason was even simpler: she just hoped that Trixie would focus on her magic performance and not get distracted by other things.
"By the way, so both of you know how to play the guitar?"
On the way to find the next target, Sunset Shimmer listened to the two of them arguing over who was better at guitar and couldn't help but interject.
"Yeah, what's wrong with that? Don't tell me you can play too?"
As they spoke, both of them simultaneously looked at Sunset Shimmer with a scrutinizing gaze; honestly speaking, Sunset Shimmer really looked like she had potential for rock and roll.
"No, I can't, I've just been a little interested in it lately..."
"That's a good thing! Do you want to learn? I'll teach you."
Hearing that there was someone interested in getting into it, Rainbow Dash immediately became interested and grabbed Sunset Shimmer's shoulders, extending an invitation.
"Anyone who likes guitars has good taste. Don't say you're just 'a little interested', just do it! I can lend you a guitar to try out, and you'll definitely fall in love with it."
Trixie grabbed Sunset Shimmer's other shoulder, forming a pincer movement with Rainbow Dash.
"Consider it a small reward for helping The Great and All-Powerful Trixie; I believe that when it comes to teaching guitar, Trixie is also better than some colorful-haired person."
"You're still bragging without thinking; my guitar skills are definitely way cooler than yours! At least 20% cooler!"
"Ugh, here we go again..."
Listening to the two of them arguing like elementary school students on her left and right, Sunset Shimmer wearily covered her forehead.
"By the way, who are we going to find first? Rainbow Dash, what's your idea?"
In order to stop these two kids from continuing to bicker in her ears, Sunset Shimmer had to change the subject and find something for them to do to divert their attention.
"Find? Why is it so troublesome? I've already sent a message in the chat group, we can just meet at the gym later!"
Rainbow Dash took out her phone and waved it at Sunset Shimmer, telling her not to be so anxious.
"Oh right. Since we're teaming up, let's add each other as friends so we can contact each other whenever."
"Trixie agrees with this."
Trixie also took out her phone, scanned Rainbow Dash's QR code, added her as a friend, and added a note: Rainbow-haired arrogant jerk.
Rainbow Dash also accepted Trixie's friend request; starting today, her friend list had one more person named "Toothpaste-haired braggart."
"Sunset, what about yours?" x2
Rainbow Dash and Trixie opened the scan function and looked at Sunset Shimmer, who was holding her phone but hadn't shown her friend code.
"Sorry, I don't really use this feature, let me find it..."
Sunset Shimmer fumbled around like an elderly person who had never used a smartphone, so the other two impatient people walked over to her side to help her click through it step by step.
"Good grief, how do you not have a single friend? Is this a newly registered account? Did you live in a primitive society for the first half of your life?"
"'Transportation basically relies on walking, and communication basically relies on shouting?' I've heard this joke."
"I'm only in my teens, I haven't finished the first half of my life yet. I just... don't use this app often, I used WhatsApp before."
Sunset Shimmer retorted, telling a little lie in the process.
After all, she couldn't exactly say that she used to live in Equestria as a pony and had never used such novel electronic products, could she?
This account was set up by Sunset Shimmer using a prepaid SIM card she bought at a convenience store a few days ago; she considered that she might need a modern way of contact and a virtual social media account at school, so she went to buy a temporary card.
Registering the account took Sunset Shimmer a long time because not all apps could accept registration applications from prepaid SIM cards, and some wouldn't receive verification code messages.
"...This is the first time I've met a weirdo even weirder than you."
Rainbow Dash looked at Sunset Shimmer and couldn't help but complain to Trixie.
"What's wrong with that? Everyone has some strange quirks, Rainbow Dash, I advise you not to be so surprised by everything."
"Like how you don't believe in wheels?"
"How did you know?"
Rainbow Dash speechlessly showed her phone screen to her, which displayed Trixie's personal profile page, where the signature column clearly stated, "The Great and All-Powerful Trixie never believes in wheels."
A rare look of embarrassment appeared on Trixie's face, but she feigned calmness and changed the subject.
"Alright, stop being so long-winded here, we still have important things to do!"
Trixie waved her hand, then walked forward quickly, instructing the other two to hurry up and follow, while secretly taking out her phone to quickly change her signature.
This was a signature she had set a long time ago when she had a sudden burst of inspiration (or a sudden fit of madness), and she had forgotten to change it back ever since.
"Alright... looks like she's the weirder one after all."
Rainbow Dash whispered a bad word about Trixie to Sunset Shimmer, then followed after her.
Sunset Shimmer chuckled awkwardly and put away her phone with lingering fear.
It seems that adapting to life in a new world isn't just a transition from one species to another, but also integrating into the culture and habits of this world.
Just a small detail like not knowing how to use a phone could make them think of so many things; if it weren't for the fact that her being an alien weird pony was even more shocking, who knows what they would think of her.
Sunset Shimmer hadn't yet found the technique to perfectly integrate into this new society; she felt that she was now more like a magical pony wearing human skin, using a few "human memes" she had learned to avoid exposing herself.
Sunset Shimmer sighed nervously, feeling inexplicably that she was now somewhat like what Aurora used to do.
Is growing up just turning into the person you hate?
Sunset Shimmer calmed herself down and quickened her pace to catch up with the two who had already walked ahead. She wasn't familiar enough with the layout of this school yet and needed them to lead the way to find the gym more easily.
'But why would Aurora do such a thing?'
A strange question suddenly emerged in Sunset Shimmer's mind.
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I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"