The Wrong Crowd

Okay, I've got another.

Would you rather play fetch with a raterpillar

or ride the Skyberry Trail with Ms. Furi?

Mmm.

-Raterpillar! -Raterpillar!

Thanks for helping me keep an eye on the last crown star, Ava.

-It goes a lot faster with a friend. -No problem. Stargazing with my BFFFF?

Best night ever!

- Worst night ever. -Studying can be fun, Rory.

Try thinking of it as a game. Race you to the end of this chapter.

What?

Even I'm not taking that bait.

Hey, dude, where you been?

Uh, nowhere.

Where's Sophia?

She and Ava are watching in case the last crown star falls.

I thought tonight we were going to be focusing on school work,

as in prepping for the final test

that could affect our whole lives as unicorn riders.

Half the reason I came to a unicorn academy

was to not have homework.

I mean, what is this "meteorology"? Why do I have to study this stuff?

Maybe because your unicorn has weather powers?

Fine, sure, but does Storm have number powers I don't know about?

How will math ever help me in the real world?

Come on, Rory. You're smart. You know the equations.

You're just not following through.

Yes, because math is boring and I hate it.

Okay, then what about that fizz bomb you dropped in the toilets last week?

It was crude, but it showed a real understanding of chemistry.

Well, yeah. Pranks I'm good at. School not so much.

Rory, I'm gonna tell you what my old coach told me

when I got stressed out about competitions.

Buck up! Yeah, this is hard. And sure, if you try, you might fail.

This is not helping.

But you can only get better if you face the hard stuff head-on.

So quit running away. Woman up, and get back on the saddle, blondie!

Feels like this doesn't all apply to me.

You'd better get it together before our final test.

Sophia's already distracting everyone with this star stuff--

- The crown star is falling! - The crown star!

- All right! -Seriously?

-Wow! -

You just missed it. A star fell that way, towards Starglow Lake.

It's the last I need to bring Dad back.

Need I remind you what happened the last time we went after a star?

Between the volcano and the Star Snatcher, we barely made it out alive.

I get that you wanna play hero,

but do you not care about the danger you're putting us in?

I can't stop now. I'm so close.

But this is my fight. I won't force anyone else to be a part of it.

Are you kidding? We're so in.

Yeah, the finish line's in sight.

-Uh-huh. -Yes!

Glad to know where your priorities are.

Sounds like we have a mission to go on.

Your only mission is to finish your homework.

Don't worry, I've got him.

How are you gonna sneak away without teachers catching you?

Good question. Ms. Primrose is already suspicious.

She knows more than you think, Mendoza.

Sounds like you need a distraction. Time for a little chemistry homework.

I know, I know. I should have got more sleep before dawn patrol.

But Dwerpin book club was so rousing.

- -

What was that?

- -

- -

That's our cue.

Ugh. Please no. Not bubbles. My phobia.

Ugh. There's too many bubbles!

- - Oh no.

-No, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no. -

Okay, I had my fun.

Now I guess I'd better, ugh, study.

- -

- What do you think? -

Is the mane pointy enough?

- -

Everyone's a critic.

- -

What?

Classic!

Huh? "Meet us at Emerald Dorm."

"Come alone."

Oh, intrigue. Well, this could be a matter of life and death.

-It would be irresponsible not to go. -

Sorry, girl. They said come alone.

Whoa!

Uh, hello?

- Hello, freshman. -Huh?

Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life.

Whoa!

Hyah!

Sophia, I've been thinking.

What if using the crown stars to bring your dad back

brings Grimoria back too?

Whoa, that would not be good.

Honestly, I've been worrying about that too. But this is my dad.

I know, and I'm not trying to stop you.

I just want us to consider the outcome so we're prepared.

-Yeah. We've got your back no matter what. -

Listen, if this is getting too dangerous, I understand.

- -Wait. Did you hear that?

I… I'm sure it was nothing. But we should keep moving.

Come on, rookie! Time to drop and give me ten equations.

Where is he?

Jamie and I have been watching you.

Huh?

Your pranks are impressive, you know, for a freshman.

We've decided to invite you to join our secret society of pranksters.

A secret pranking society?

A secret pranking society?

Oh man, this is the coolest thing that's ever happened to me.

We know. Aseda, tell him.

Eons ago, a dark force attacked Unicorn Island.

All hope was lost until a rider, and his trusty unicorn, Court Jester,

saved the day.

Now they had the power of laughter,

and they used this magic to unite the riders

against the dark force.

Now, we honor the memory of these heroes by bringing laughter to all.

And you want me to join? Finally, people who understand me.

Yes! Yes! A million times, yes!

Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up, freshman.

You'll have to prove yourself if you want to join the Laughingstocks.

Yeah. First, we've got to see if you can make us laugh.

-She really can't see us? -

Y'all may have giddyap in your gallop,

but the most important lesson a rider's gotta learn is--

Huh. Sounds like a storm's coming.

But like I was saying, the most important lesson I can give you--

Uh, the important thing is to be calm--

Calm in the face--

Consarnit!

Be calm in the face of danger!

- Forget it! -

Come on, girl. I know it's not our usual shtick.

We gotta try something fresh to make 'em laugh.

Hey, buddies. It's been way too long. How the heck are you?

Do we know you?

Oh, Delia or Jacinta, you crack me up.

He's in Sapphire with Valentina. You're like Sophia's sidekick, right?

Uh, pretty sure she's my sidekick. Hear how I saved her from a raterpillar?

So there was this, like, huge, gross raterpillar, right?

And Sophia was like, "Ew, help me," and I'm like, "Yeah, I guess I can help,

'cause I'm just that great at figuring these things out."

And then-- There's one now!

False alarm. Okay, bye!

That was a bad story.

-Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew! -

The star must be really close.

Um, sort of.