"Come on, wake up, wake up, today's the day! The Friendship Games start today!" The Doctor shouted excitedly, running into Twilight's bedroom, waving his hands about.
Twilight reached over, and put on her glasses, as the Doctor opened the window. "Oh, what a morning!" The Doctor said in glee.
"Doctor, what time is it?" Twilight asked, still tired.
"Oh, it's about seven-thirty." The Doctor said, checking his watch.
"You should probably wake up Sunset." Twilight said.
"You're probably right." The Doctor stood up, and entered Twilight's room, but, he was surprised when he saw she was already up. She was sitting at a desk in the back of the room, writing in her journal.
She spoke aloud:
Dear Princess Twilight,
I need your help. I've been tasked with helping understanding magic here at CHS, but, I'm not having any luck. The Twilight here is helping, and the Doctor is here too, but, I don't think he understands magic as well as he thinks he does. If you could offer any incite, I'd be grateful. I don't expect you to come over here, I'm sure your duties as a Princess come first, but, I would love it if you were to tell me something that could help.
Your Friend,
Sunset Shimmer.
Sunset closed the journal, and put her faces in her hands and started crying. The Doctor was going to talk to her, but instead walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, which Sunset heard.
Moondancer walked up to the bus, and walked over towards Dean Cadance. "Dean Cadance, I'm not sure where to go."
Cadance smiled warmly. "It's alright Moondancer, just stay here for a bit while I have with the bus driver." She stepped into the bus.
Moondancer looked behind her, and gazed at the girls standing behind her. It was Sour Sweet. She had a frown on her face. "Well, Moondancer, going to take a break from your studies?"
Moondancer frowned. "I'm here for one reason Sour Sweet. Revenge."
Sour raised an eyebrow. "Revenge on who? Canterlot High?"
"No." Moondancer said. "On Twilight Sparkle."
Sunset walked out of her bedroom, wearing a blue dress, and a leather jacket over it. "Are we ready?" She asked.
"The food's all packed in the TARDIS." The Doctor explained. "We're running a tad late, so I figured we'd take a short cut."
Sunset nodded. "Where's Twilight?"
"In the TARDIS." The Doctor explained, "Come on, let's go!" He cheerfully walked outside.
Sunset followed him, and looked at the Doctor's clothing. "Back to the purple coat, I see."
"I thought it'd be better." The Doctor was wearing his usual pants and boots, but now wore a light blue dress shirt, black suspenders, purple bowtie, and his purple coat. They entered the TARDIS, and saw Twilight standing at the console frowning.
"How did you get my magical scanner?" She asked, holding it up.
"I'm a teacher, I can teleport anywhere in this machine, take your pick." The Doctor explained, and started fiddling with the console controls. He pulled the primary lever, and the TARDIS noise began ringing through the room.
"I wouldn't preferred if you'd have gotten it with my consent." Twilight said.
"I didn't think I needed it." The Doctor said.
"It's okay this time, I'd just prefer it if you'd let me know next time, okay?" Twilight said.
"Okay." The Doctor agreed, and the TARDIS noised stopped.
The three exited the TARDIS, and came face-to-face with an angry Rainbow Dash. "Where have you been?! It's almost nine-thirty!"
The Doctor recoiled. "But, we left at eight o' clock!" He stormed back into the TARDIS. "Did you make me late?!" He shouted, addressing the time machine, "You know I don't like to be late!"
"Come on, the Shadowbolts will be here any minute!" Rainbow pushed the Doctor, "We need to get ready! We don't want to look like we are slobs to the Shadowbolts!"
The Doctor stomped out of the TARDIS. "Alright, let's hop to it. We have half an hour to get ready."
Moondancer stepped off the bus, and looked around. Canterlot High, the place where so so-called friend moved to. It looked like a bit of a dump, compared to Crystal Prep. It was so bland and boring. It made Moondancer's blood boil.
The other Shadowbolts exited the bus.
Lemon Zest was rocking out to her music as always. Moondancer always thought she was a little excessive. Moondancer stared at the school, thinking about why Twilight transferred there.
"Moondancer, you need to check in with the others." Dean Cadance said, catching Moondancer's attention.
"Oh, of course, Dean Cadance." Moondancer said, and followed her fellow classmates.
"There we go!" The Doctor said excitedly, holding up a jammie dodger and taking a bite out of it.
Adagio raised an eyebrow. "What is that?" She asked gesturing toward a plate of dessert the Doctor brought.
"Yorkshire Pudding." The Doctor explained, "Pudding, yet savory. I invented it a while back."
"That's not pudding," Adagio said, and pointed toward a bowl the Doctor also brought, "That's pudding."
"No, that's custard." The Doctor explained, "What you do, is take a fish finger-"
"That's a fish stick." Adagio corrected.
"A fish finger," The Doctor continued, holding up one, "And dip it into the custard, and eat it." The Doctor took a bite out of his custard covered fish finger, and the eight girls and let out some form of disgust. "Oi, it's not that bad. I've had worse. It's called an apple."
"Hey!" Applejack gasped, "What's wrong with apples?"
"Apples are rubbish." The Doctor said flatly.
Applejack looked as though she was about to blow a gasket, when Sunset placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright AJ, I'm sure he didn't mean to be rude."
Sunset gestured to the girls, and walked off, with the other seven on her tail. "Hold on, where are you going?" The Doctor called after them.
"We're going to change," Rarity explained, "We can't go to a greeting party wearing our normal clothes, darling. We have to look better than just très bien, we have to look fantastique!"
"Alright then." The Doctor proceeded to follow them.
Adagio stopped him. "Sorry, Time-Boy, but, you're not watching us change clothes."
The Doctor's face became confused, "Why not?" He asked.
Adagio chuckled and patted him on the head. "Oh, one day you'll understand." She walked off with the others.
Moondancer entered the gym, and looked around. No one was really talking, or enjoying themselves. But, Moondancer didn't care. She only cared about one thing. She walked over to a blonde student with crossed-eyes, and asked, "Where's Twilight?
"Aw, no one's mingling," Adagio said, "It's like there's some underlying tension that could bubble to the surface at any minute."
"Gee, you think?" Rainbow Dash said, "Maybe it's because no one is very happy about the Friendship Games, and have a terrible feeling about what's to come."
"Well, at least you didn't blame the fruit punch." Adagio said, looking around.
"What do you mean, I can't be around the students?" The Doctor asked, surprised.
"As faculty, you're not supposed to socialize with the students on a personal level." Celestia explained.
"But-"
"I'm sorry Doctor Smith, but you are not allowed to socialize with the students at this time." Luna said, "At least not while the Crystal Prep students are around. When they aren't here, you may of course proceed to be with them."
The Doctor nodded, "Thank you Vice-Principal Luna." The Doctor smiled and began to walk off.
"Also, Doctor Smith," Celestia asked, causing the Doctor to turn back around. "In case one of our judges fails to show up, we'd like you to take their place. This also helps, as being a substitute, you are not loyal to either school, while the principals are."
"Of course I will, Principal Celestia, it would be my honor." The Doctor said, bowing slightly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get to the buffet table before all the fish fingers and custard are gone."
Moondancer spotted her. She was standing quietly in a corner, looking around at the students. Moondancer proceeded toward her, and stared into her eyes, with fury.
Her eyes widened, and she stared back towards Moondancer.
Moondancer was now inches away from her, and she said, with very little emotion. "Hello Twilight."
Welcome to Canterlot High
Twilight gulped. She had completely forgotten about Moondancer. After all this time, after everything that had happened, her past was back to haunt her. "What's the matter, Twilight? Forget me?" Moondancer asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Moondancer, I-"
"Save it." Moondancer snapped, "I'm not here to ask for forgiveness, or try to be friends, or any sentimental thing like that. I'm here for one reason: To beat the Wondercolts in the Friendship Games."
With that, Moondancer walked off to chat with other Shadowbolts. Twilight was crushed.
Sunset could see Twilight was on the verge of crying as the red-haired girl walked away. She frowned and approached her. "What did you say to Twilight?" She asked, crossing her arms.
The girl adjusted her glasses, and said, "Well, if you must know, I said-"
"Who wants to know?" A blue-haired girl with lightning earrings said, getting in Sunset's face.
Rainbow Dash butted in, and said, "Uh, we do?"
The two girls glared at each other, and Applejack walked over, placed a hand on their shoulders, and said, "Now calm down y'all. Let's not get too competitive before the Games even start."
A white haired girl with big pigtails said, "The Games aren't really competitive since we've never lost."
"That's not a very nice thing to say..." Fluttershy said.
"Sorry, dearie," a girl with short, pink and purple punk-styled hair said, "But, these Games aren't about being nice."
"Well, you might use a little tact." Rarity said.
The Doctor came running up, and said, "What's going on?"
"Just a minor disagreement, it's not of your concern." A girl with a pink ponytail said.
"I'm a teacher, of course it's my concern." the Doctor said, and looked at the girls before him, "I don't think we've met, what are your names?"
"My name is Sour Sweet." The girl with the pink ponytail said.
"Indigo Zap." The girl with the blue hair said.
"I'm Sunny Flare, dearie." The girl with the short purple and pink hair said.
"My name is Sugarcoat, and you should now that by now, considering you're faculty." The girl with the pigtails said.
A girl with lime and lemon colored hair waltzed up, and shouted, "I'm Lemon Zest! You gotta listen to this!" She pulled off her headphones, and was about to put them around the Doctor's ears, but he stopped her.
The red-haired girl groaned, "I'm Moondancer." and walked off without another word.
While the group started arguing again, Adagio and Pinkie Pie were standing by each other. "You know, this is a little dull. Trust me, I do enjoy a fair amount of tension at a party, it makes things interesting, but this is overkill. They're about to rip each other's throats out." Adagio said, distastefully.
"There's something we can do about that." Pinkie Pie said, enthusiastically. She tugged on Adagio's dress, and the two skidded out of the gym.
At this point, Principal Celestia stepped up on stage, catching everyone's attention. "Hello everyone," Celestia began, "I'd like to take this moment to officially greet our visitors from Crystal Prep Academy, and welcome them to CHS." Upon spotting the principal, the Doctor quickly left the room, knowing he shouldn't be seen with students.
A series of groans filled the room.
Pinkie and Adagio pushed the large boxes into the gym entrance. "Since when was it okay to have armed artillery at school?" Adagio asked, breathing heavily.
"Since forever!" Pinkie Pie said, gleefully, as she removed the boxes from over their contains.
"And, lastly," Celestia continued on the stage, "The twelve student CHS has elected to compete. I don't think we could've chosen to display the excellence, sportsmanship, and friendship the Games stand for." Several students exchanged glances, and groaned.
Off to the side, Adagio asked Pinkie Pie, "Are you sure about this?"
Pinkie grinned mischievously, "Absolutely." She tugged on the cords of her party cannons, and confetti shot out of them, coating the room. At the same time, dance music began playing, and a disco ball began swirling at the top of the room. Students smiled, and began socializing, no matter what school they were from.
"Now this is a party!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, and them she began to glow pink. Then pony ears spouted from her head, and her hair extended, forming a tail. She began to levitate off the ground. "Ooh, floaty."
In the hallway, the Doctor's sonic screwdriver began beeping in his pocket. He quickly pulled it out, extending it. The emitter was flashing purple. "Magic setting..." The Doctor mumbled to himself. He followed the magical trail, until he reached it, and was Pinkie Pie floating in front of him.
Then, something happened the Doctor did not intend. His screwdriver began absorbing the magic, causing it to vibrate heavily in his hand. The Doctor let out a quiet shriek of both confusion and fear, as the magic was drained from Pinkie Pie. Once the screwdriver absorbed it all, the screwdriver whipped the Doctor's hand to the side, and sent the magic flying down the hallway, until it had completely left the sonic device, returning the emitter to it's regular green.
Unknown to the Doctor the magic flew out of the school, and landed right on the TARDIS light bulb. The time machine began taking in all the magic, and inside it, the lights flashed, and the TARDIS noise began ringing. Once it was completely absorbed, the lights went out completely, and returned back to normal. But, one of the lights in the central column was a cool cherry-lavender, rather than it's usual light green.
Someone tapped the microphone, causing a loud, high-pitched ringing to go around the gym. The music stopped, and the flicked back to normal, and everyone turned to the stage, to see Crystal Prep's own Principal, Abacus Cinch. "I'd like to thank Principal Celestia for her... unconventional welcoming."
As she spoke, the Doctor rushed over to Pinkie Pie, who was collapsed on the floor. "Are you alright Pinkie?" The Doctor asked.
"Just... tired." Pinkie said, lacking her usual enthusiasm.
The Doctor frowned, and Principal Cinch continued, "It has been four years since the last Friendship Games, but it feels as though nothing has changed. Canterlot High continues to pick it's students in a popularity contest, and Crystal Prep continues to field it's top twelve students. It is a comfort to know that even after so many loses, your school remains committed to it's ideals, however misguided they may be.
"I wish you all the best of luck, regardless if the inevitable outcome." Cinch grinned.
"EXCUSE ME!!!" A voice rang out through the gym, "But, I think you've forgotten where you are!" The Doctor stepped on stage, hands in his pockets, and a small smile on his face.
"What do you mean by that?" Cinch asked, "And who are you anyway?"
"I'm the Doctor, you're nuts, and you seem to have forgotten that Canterlot High isn't exactly the same as you left it." The Doctor said, walking around Cinch.
"Nuts?!" Cinch recoiled, disgusted, "And, Canterlot High is exactly the same!"
"Now, now Principal Cinch, answer me this: Are the student's here the same?" The Doctor quizzed.
"Well, no-"
"Have these students done anything to mean that they are lesser than the students at Crystal Prep?"
"They go the Canterlot High."
"So?"
"They are clearly lesser than the students and Crystal Prep."
The Doctor nodded. "Why?"
"Why?"
"Yes, why?"
"Well, as past history has seen, the students at Crystal Prep have been, and always will be superior than the students and CHS."
The Doctor clapped slowly. "So, according to past history, you think that Crystal Prep will automatically win?"
"Precisely." Cinch clarified.
"Abacus, I may call you Abacus, can't I? Abacus, you fail to realize that this is here and now, not then. Things have changed in the last four years, and Crystal Prep might just loose this year. In fact, the odds are in favor of Canterlot High this year. Trust me, I did the research. So, perhaps you shouldn't hold your breath just yet."
"What did you say your name was?" Cinch asked, her anger beginning to show.
"Doctor John Smith."
Cinch approached the Doctor, till she was in his face. "Well, Doctor Smith, we'll discover how these Games happen, won't we?"
"It appears that way." The Doctor agreed. "See you at the first round?"
"I look forward to it." Cinch replied, and walked off the stage.
The Doctor jumped off the stage, and approached the others. "Well, that was fun."
"You just confronted the principal of Crystal Prep." Rainbow Dash said, "That was so awesome."
"Well," Rarity began, "Why don't we go to the changing room and try on some of the outfits I've prepared for the Games?"
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Really Rarity?"
"Of course Applejack." Rarity replied, motioning the others to follow her, which they did, but the Doctor stayed.
"Hold on," the Doctor mumbled to himself, "Where's Twilight?"
