The Other Journal

Chapters

Chapter 2: First Impressions
Chapter 3: School and Protégé
Chapter 4: The Mirror
Chapter 5: Fall
Chapter 6: Adjustments
Chapter 7: Flash Sentry
Chapter 8: Principal Celestia
Chapter 9: The Gang's All Here
Chapter 10: Deception
Chapter 11: Friends/Minions
Chapter 12: The Interview
Chapter 14: Sunset Sentry
Chapter 15: Theft!
Chapter 16: Confrontation
Chapter 17: Meeting the Competition
Chapter 18: Blackmail
Chapter 19: Framed
Chapter 20: The "Big" Night
Chapter 21: Demon
Chapter 22: To Be Alone
Chapter 23: Punishment
Chapter 24: The Unexpected Gift
Chapter 25: Musical Showcase
Chapter 26: Dazzlings
Chapter 27: Battle!
Chapter 28: Isolation
Chapter 30: Party Crashers
Chapter 31: To Talk at Midnight
Chapter 32: Bad Counter-Spell
Chapter 33: Sabotage!
Chapter 34: Weakened Resolve
Chapter 35: Awesome As I Wanna Be
Chapter 36: Manipulation
Chapter 37: Shattered Friendship
Chapter 38: We Got the Band Back Together
Chapter 40: Musical Aftermath
Chapter 42: Helping Disaster
Chapter 43: The Trouble With Trixie
Chapter 44: Shine
Chapter 45: Winter Break
Chapter 46: Slumber Party
Chapter 47: Piggly-Wiggly
Chapter 48: Closet of Shame
Chapter 49: Shattered Sunset
Chapter 50: False Accusation
Chapter 51: Legend
Chapter 52: Exposed
Chapter 53: New Look
Chapter 54: My Past is Not Today
Chapter 55: Magical Science
Chapter 56: Spying
Chapter 57: Tryouts
Chapter 58: Emergency Text
Chapter 59: Stranger
Chapter 60: Pep Rally
Chapter 61: Pressure
Chapter 63: Closure
Chapter 64: The Party
Chapter 65: The Friendship Games
Chapter 66: Equation
Chapter 67: Suspect
Chapter 68: The Relay
Chapter 69: Accusation
Chapter 70: Celestial Sunset
Chapter 71: Capture the Flag
Chapter 72: Midnight and Daydream
Chapter 73: Everyone Wins
Chapter 74: End of the Journal
Bonus Chapter 1: Cold Sunset
Bonus Chapter 2: Sleepover Surprise
Chapter 1: The Beginning
Chapter 13: The Coronation
Chapter 29: Return of the Princess
Chapter 39: Welcome to the Show
Chapter 41: The Fundraiser
Chapter 62: Costume Changes

Chapter 2: First Impressions

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Chapter 3: School and Protégé

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Cloudy, possible chance of rain
Time: 8:00am

So this is Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns? I was expecting it to be so much grander, yet it looks small... insignificant to someone of my talent. Then again, I could just be looking at one part of this place, and that there is more to it than that. Oh well, I have more important things to worry about. Today, my life truly begins anew as I start my first day at the school...

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
October 28, 2015
Chapter 3: School and Protégé.

" What do you mean, the school wasn't ready for you? I thought you were looking forward considering it meant moving away from your family." Twilight said, scratching her head in confusion over my choice of words.

" Do you remember your first day?" I asked, glaring up from my journal, and looking at Twilight with a curious look on my face. My intent here wasn't to change the subject with regards to my troubled past, but rather it was a sense of curiosity that needed to be quelled. She was so much like her... Princess Twilight, yet their origins are completely different--at least I think so, yet my heart yearned for this knowledge like I were a ravenous beast.

" If you mean Crystal Prep, then it went rather well although I quickly learned the hard way what it means to survive in such a prestigious school." Twilight answered, lifting up her skirt ever slightly to show me a scar, but my heart was racing as though my mind were focused on more than that. Shaking my head back and forth a few times, I got such notions out of my head, and waited to hear what she had to say about... that!

" I got this as a sort of initiation on my first day... one of the students didn't take too kindly to me being gifted, so she pushed me into a locker where my leg scraped along the side resulting in this scar. Every day, when I see that scar, it's a reminder of the heartache and anguish I endured there because everyone always looked down on me, but I'm sure that didn't happen to you Sunset, so what you said surely isn't what you mean." Twilight smiled before covering up her scar, and her cheery expression made me look down at my journal in shame, for my words were accurate.

" No..." I began after hesitating for a moment, "... I never got picked on like that, but my experiences on my first day were different, and would lead me into a path which culminated when Princess Celestia decided to intervene.

Her School for Gifted Unicorns was famous throughout Equestria as being the school where young unicorns would be trained in the way of magic. The classes were fairly sized in terms of students, and the instructors all hand-picked by the princess herself, as she wanted the very best for her students. Naturally, I was happy about going there as it meant finally leaving my family of whom I had grown distant with, but that happiness quickly shattered to pieces when I discovered what I perceived as a horrible truth. I... I... I had to interact with other unicorns my age, but I didn't know how to because of my parents neglecting me like they did. I mean, I can walk amongst them, no sweat, but talking to them was a different thing altogether.

My first day at the school was meant to be a new start, but my family problems followed me as though I were chained to them. No matter how much I struggled to break free of those accursed shackles, they remained dangling from me like a festering wound that refuses to heal. I wasn't nervous about speaking to the other students--of course not as I had confidence especially after Princess Celestia praised my magical skills... my problem was more emotional, more mental... I couldn't handle being around them as in my mind, their incessant chatter would just drag me down to their level. I wanted to be the best and prove that my family was wrong about me, and to do that, I couldn't afford to make friends, as friendship to me was nothing but a distraction. On the first day, my instructor wanted to do a class orientation where each of us was to briefly talk about ourselves, and what some of the students said made me want to cut my own ears off, as it was just agonizing.

" I come from the richest family in all of Canterlot--"

" My parents spent a lot of money to have me enroll in this school--"

" I'm here so that one day I can become a famous unicorn wizard--"

" Hopefully, you'll want to be friends with me--"

" I just live down the street, so I can easily walk to this school without any problems--"

Then, it was my turn to introduce myself, and provide a brief explanation about my life, but I wasn't about to tell them that I came from a family who ignored me. If I told them that, I would never hear the end of it where everyone offers me sympathy thus making me feel weak! Instead, I had something else in mind that I wanted to say in order to get my point across. I suppose at that moment, I should have rethought my approach, for if I had said something else... well... that's an alternate reality, and not what happened.

" I'm here to become the best unicorn, and I'm not about to let anyone stand in my way! Don't expect me to make friends with any of you, as all I care about is being the best!" My response drew nothing but gasps from the instructor, and several of the students began to burst into tears. I know now that I shouldn't have said that, but back then I didn't care about their feelings. All I cared about was myself! I had my own interests to take care of!

" My word!" The Instructor immediately stood upright on all four hooves, used her magic to pull me towards her, and took me outside of the classroom where she gave me quite the scolding, but I feigned ignorance as what I said I believed to be true. " This is Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns--the finest institute in all of Equestria! I don't know what made you utter those words, but know that this is your first, and only warning!" Her eyes went bloodshot as though she were about to explode, and the veins protruding from her face made me want to turn away in disgust, yet she made sure I stared deep into her face through using her magic. " I'm willing to give you another chance as I'm sure your little outburst was nothing more than you wanting attention, but know that if you do anything like that again, your time here will end just like that!"

" Yes ma'am." I said softly.

" What was that?" asked the Instructor.

" Yes ma'am!" I answered, using a more louder voice, prompting her to release me from her magical hold, turning around, and walking back into the classroom leaving me to ponder over everything she said... for about less than ten seconds as in my mind, my actions were justified. I was going to be the best unicorn, and no one was going to get in my way, especially other unicorns as they could potentially ruin me!

" Why did you stop reading?" Twilight asked, noticing that I had placed my hand over the pages of the journal, and was looking down without showing signs of moving, but I was breathing. This caused my friend to start freaking out as she thought that I was suffering a heart attack, so she began rummaging through her bag, her movements both clumsy, and erratic as she struggled to find something to help me out. Twilight's breathing also became erratic where she almost needed to breathe into a paper bag to calm herself down, but she didn't bring any bags, so her breathing went out of control. Upon finding some pills which she found in a small pocket on her bag, she began to feverishly try to pop open the cap, yet her sweaty hands were slowing her down, but when she looked up at me, I was staring right back at her. " I-I-I thought something bad had happened to you! I was panicking and everything--" Twilight said.

" Sorry, I just needed to think for a moment." I said.

" It would have been nice if you had told me, but I can understand as you have a lot on your mind right now. Still--" Twilight said, putting down the pills before reaching over to me, and slapping me in the face using as much force as possible in her hand. The impact of her slap caused my face to turn to the right where I spat out some spit, my eyes bugging out due to the impact of her palm colliding against my skin, the force almost knocking me over, but I managed to regain my footing despite sitting down. " Sorry... I'm so sorry that I did that to you. I... I... I don't know what came over me!" Twilight started to burst into tears, causing her glasses to become soiled with salty tears tricking down her face from her eyes, and all I did was rub the bruise she left upon slapping me on the left side of my face.

" I deserved that." I said, rubbing my bruise carefully while wincing in pain from the impact of the slap.

" Sorry!" Twilight said, struggling to wipe away her tears from both her face, and glasses, but then she felt something touch her face, and she looked forward to see me using a tissue to wipe away her sorrows, each stroke of the tissue felt like velvet was pressing on her skin, yet all I was doing was being gentle.

" I didn't mean to give off the impression that something had happened to me Twilight, but I needed to think hard for a moment as this next part of the journal is where things take a turn for the worse depending on perspective." I said, sliding back over to where I dropped the journal prior to assisting my friend with her tear problem, and picking it up before flipping through several pages until I found where I left off.

Over the next few months, my behaviour at the school remained the same although my attitude did change mainly because I wanted to remain there, and not be kicked out where I'd have no choice but to go back home to my family... I doubted they even missed me as they never noticed me before until Princess Celestia entered my life. My studies became my life... my career... my obsession, and even when asked to have some fun with the other students, I chose to focus on my work as I had much to prove. I chose not to engage the other unicorns out of not wanting to be distracted, and when it came to various field trips, everyone else paired up into groups, yet I insisted on working alone as I felt more comfortable. While my grades were the highest among the class, the instructor who taught me was concerned that my desire to remain isolated from my fellow ponies needed to be addressed, so she asked Princess Celestia to pay a visit to the school in hopes of finding a solution.

" Her grades are the highest this school has ever seen which shows how dedicated she is to her studies, and yet, because of how she doesn't interact with the other unicorns, I feel she has grown colder by closing her heart off to them." The Instructor said, taking a sip from a coffee cup using her magic to levitate the cup up to her mouth.

" Sunset Shimmer comes from... extenuating circumstances, so the fact that she chooses to isolate herself was expected. I believe this was written down in her records you received when she was first admitted to my school, correct?" Princess Celestia asked.

" Yes, your highness. I have the records right here." The Instructor said.

" Her choice to isolate herself is not what I am concerned with, but rather I am concerned about how the other students are reacting to her." Princess Celestia said.

" They have tried asking her to get involved in their activities, yet she refuses their requests, and even looks down on them by saying that unlike her, they won't amount to anything because all they do is like to have fun, and not take their studies seriously." The Instructor said, taking off her glasses using her magic, wiping them with a cloth, and placing them back on the bridge of her muzzle. " She could become a bad influence on them should she continue with her current attitude, so I am suggesting that maybe she should be dismissed from the school your highness before things get worse."

" You make valid points..." Princess Celestia began, "... however, again I must bring up Sunset Shimmer's circumstances being the problem, and one that I intend to resolve personally, for I believe she will become an outstanding unicorn with the proper guidance. All she needs are strong lessons on humility, and perhaps not seeing the other students as inferior to herself."

" Are you suggesting?" asked the Instructor.

" I shall take Sunset Shimmer under my guidance, and teach her myself." Princess Celestia answered.

" Are you sure this is a wise decision your highness? I mean no disrespect to you, or your decisions, but making her your prized pupil could only serve to further evolve her already inflated ego." The Instructor said. If I had been in that room at the time, I would have agreed with the instructor, as I was simply too loose of a cannon to be given such a privilege as being the protégé of Princess Celestia... yet... it also meant moving one step closer to becoming the best unicorn, and being taught personally by the ruler of Equestria would grant me some interesting perks that few others will ever receive. Princess Celestia took the advice of the instructor, one of the best the school has to offer when it comes to teaching unicorns, yet she was determined to stay the course she had chosen.

" If anyone can show her the way, it shall be me." Princess Celestia said, with powerful boldness in her voice. " When she comes to the school tomorrow, please inform her that she is to go to Canterlot Castle where I shall be waiting for her by the main entrance, where she shall begin her new role as my faithful student." She then rose from her seat, and immediately left leaving the instructor to ponder over what she had been tasked to do by the edict of the ruler of Equestria.

The Instructor at first was hesitant in carrying out such an edict as she knew what kind of pony I was, and feared my ego would just inflate like a balloon, but then she resigned herself for the princess had given her a tasks, and she must see it through even if it meant going against her own sense of judgement. At the time, I assumed tomorrow was going to be another day, but it would become the first day in what can only be described as the beginning of my new position, and my undoing...

Chapter 4: The Mirror

Day: Monday
Weather: Night-time, cloudy, then clear skies complete with moonlight
Time: 8:30pm

After passing my latest examination with flying colours, and maybe some slight damage due to being slightly excessive, Princess Celestia congratulated me on my performance, but also scolded me because of lacking what she called humility due to an incident in the park regarding several other ponies... bah! She's been saying this to me ever since I first became her pupil, yet I don't see what the problem is. She told me that there is something she wishes to show me, and I can hardly wait to see what it is. Surely, it won't change the dynamic that she and I have with one another...

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
October 29, 2015
Chapter 4: The Mirror

When I went to school the next day, the Instructor blocked my way in, and straight away I had every incentive to berate her for denying me my education as a unicorn all because my attitude with regards to everypony else was deplorable, yet when she told me that Princess Celestia desired to see me at the castle, I didn't really know what to think. I was eternally grateful for what she did for me as it got me away from my family even though deep down I saw her kind gesture as nothing more than a stepping stone on the path to becoming the best, yet I had a sense of fear. Had I done something to offend Princess Celestia? Granted, my attitude at the school did cause problems such as insulting my fellow students, refusing to work with them, undermining their intellect, and even flat-out telling them that they had no future, but surely that wasn't why she summoned me.

It didn't take long for me to arrive at Canterlot Castle, yet along the way my mind was filled with all kinds of questions and concerns, each one too horrible to think about as though my mind was the verge of experiencing an orgasm. What if she did intend on sending me back home? No, I can't go back there now! Not when I've come this far in asserting myself as a powerful unicorn! Maybe... maybe I can sweet-talk her somehow into giving me another chance? Yes, that sounded like a good idea to me, but what I didn't know then as opposed to what I know now, Princess Celestia had ulterior motives behind her actions.

When our paths finally crossed outside in the front garden... I was expecting this to be a confrontation that would change my life. Instead, she dropped a book in front of my muzzle, asking me to use my magic to pick it up, and placing it into my schoolbag. This book featured my cutie mark on it on the front cover, but I had no idea as to what it meant until she told me to look through the pages where the answer would come into focus... and yet, I only had a question.

" This book has nothing written in it! Why would you give me a book with no text for me to read?" I asked, feeling confused by what I thought was an insensitive gesture, and reassuring my fears that Princess Celestia planned on sending me back home to my family. I quickly used my magic to skim through all of the pages, and not a single word, image, or chart appeared causing me to start sweating in profound fear and confusion. Was this her way of pulling a prank? No... the princess would never stoop to that, for it would go against her dignity which ponies in Canterlot self-proclaimed she had. I skimmed through the book for a second time, and then a third, each time getting more and more frustrated with what this all meant. " I don't understand!" I shouted, having finally lost my nerves. " Why have you done this to me? What did I do to deserve this?"

" You have done nothing wrong Sunset Shimmer." Princess Celestia answered, using a calm and soothing voice which affected my demeanour, and managing to calm me down before I would have literally exploded with rage. " That book is one of two of its kind with the other being in my possession, and it is blank for a reason, as it will serve as your journal where you can write something down into it, and I shall see what you have written in my book via magical means. Likewise, if I were to write something in my book, it shall appear in yours."

" But why give me something like this?" I asked.

" I am aware of what has been going on at my school regarding you, and the behaviour you have been displaying." Princess Celestia answered. I knew it! She was planning on sending me back home after all, and this book of hers was nothing more than a ploy designed to lull me into a false sense of security. The amount of rage inside of me suddenly grew exponentially, and to think that I respected Princess Celestia because of her kind heart. Now I see that she is nothing more than a master manipulator... a monarch who enjoys building up a pony's expectations before crushing them beneath her hooves just because she could.

" So... you know about my... issues?" I asked.

" The Instructor who has been teaching you these past months informed that while your grades have been the best, and that your attention to detail is remarkable, she felt as though your attitude towards the other students was causing a problem. She even suggested that you should be sent back home as a precaution in case your influence was to spread to the others, but I refused to hear of such a thing. Sunset Shimmer... I know that your life has been a difficult one, and that you have... certain needs which are difficult to fulfill." Princess Celestia answered. Each word she said about my problems felt like daggers had been plunged through my heart, every one inflicting small amounts of damage over time until the festering wound was too much for me to deal with anymore.

" Are you sending me back home?" I asked, tears streaming down my face, trickling onto the ground, and resulting in me trying to wipe them away with my hoof in a futile effort as my tears flowed too quickly. " I know my attitude has been a problem at your school, but I can't help it as I've been ignored by my family my entire life. They never gave me any kind of love... compassion... guidance, so it resulted in me doing things on my own without a morale compass to rely on."

" That is the reason why you are here." Princess Celestia said.

" I don't understand." I said, tears washing down my face.

" You have never been taught the ways of humility, and for that you lash out against other ponies in fear that they will drag you down, thus denying you your dream of becoming the best unicorn that you can possibly be. I realized that a student such as yourself requires a different kind of learning... one where you can go at your own pace, and help you reassert yourself in the eyes of your peers as a pony who can be relied on." Princess Celestia said, walking over to me where she proceeded to wipe away the tears from my eyes using her hoof, and while it felt cold because her hoof had a piece of armament as a sign of her status, it quickly grew warm giving me a feeling which I've never had before.

" And this book?" I asked.

" It is yours to keep Sunset Shimmer, for not only will you be using it to send me the assignments I will be asking of you, but also to send me various letters and reports regarding your progress." Princess Celestia answered. I looked down at the book which had frustrated me since she first presented it, yet now it was beginning to make sense as though my eyes were no longer blind to it. What was once deemed something narrow-minded, and insensitive turned out to be the greatest gift anyone has ever given me. " I am expecting great things from you Sunset Shimmer, and I know that you will not let me down."

" So, I guess I should head back to the school now." I said.

" That is the other reason you are here, as you will no longer be attending my school. It's facilities are beyond compare throughout Canterlot, yet they are not able to help you with the difficulties you possess." Princess Celestia said, making me feel heartbroken because her school just couldn't handle me. Typical! Her school is regarded as the best institute for young unicorns to perfect their magical talents, but if they can't handle someone like me, such a place shouldn't be allowed to call themselves a school! " Instead, I shall be taking you on as my own personal student... my protégé to be more precise." Princess Celestia's announcement caught me off guard that my entire body shut down in an instant, and I felt as though everything I had known had just scattered away in the wind. Did she just call me her protégé? Am I to become her personal student?

" Why me?" I asked.

" Because you have potential to be truly great, yet you need to be shown the proper guidance... something which your life has tragically been missing. I will teach you what it means to have humility Sunset Shimmer, show you just how far you can go with your magic, and perhaps... perhaps become something more." Princess Celestia answered. It was her last few words that had the biggest influence on me... an influence which I now wish that I hadn't caught onto until much later in life. There was only one general direction a unicorn could go once they reached the pinnacle of their training, and mastered their magic... becoming an alicorn, or maybe even a prince or princess! Becoming the best unicorn now had a true purpose, and that was to become an alicorn which filled my heart with desires... the kind that can twist and turn into something hideous because of succumbing to a temptation... the temptation of wanting power!

" I'm... I'm not sure what to say." I said.

" Through my guidance, you shall blossom." Princess Celestia said.

" Blossom... that's something my parents never said to me among other things, and it drove me towards wanting to learn things on my own. If you believe that I have the potential, then I accept your proposal, Princess Celestia, and follow your guiding light." I said. In response, the princess gave me a hug as her sign of making me feel welcomed, and for a brief moment, I felt compassion for somepony else all because it was given to me. At that moment, my life felt complete... whole... as though the shadows which plagued my heart had finally dispelled, and I could finally turn things around.

However, I was only fooling myself as such inhibitions could not be cast away so easily. By becoming the personal student of Princess Celestia, it made me feel more important than other ponies, as though I were now truly better than them. Whether she was aware of it or not, Princess Celestia was about to make my dreams come true, and I would one day stand by her side as a fellow alicorn. That was my plan... to become the best which would allow me to ascend to her very status as a result. Surely, nothing would deviate me from this goal.

" So that's how you got that magic journal?" Twilight asked.

" It was the first gift anyone had ever given to me." I answered, reaching into my schoolbag, and taking out an almost identical copy of the journal which I had been showing my friend for these past hours, yet this one had my cutie mark emblazoned on the front to indicate that it was mine. As I stared longingly at it, I remembered all of the times where I wrote something down which I learned during my studies, and receiving appropriate feedback from Princess Celestia. Placing my hand firmly in the center where my cutie mark was, I began to cry because I knew what ended up happening to me... my dream... what started out as a simple wish became distorted... corrupted... contaminated by a desire for power. Tried as I could to contain my sorrow, I just couldn't, and that's when I felt something warm pressing up against me, causing me to look where I discovered Twilight was giving me the strongest hug I've ever had.

" Sunset..." Twilight said, uttering only my name before burying her head into my chest, and I didn't push her away this time like before. My heart, for some reason, wanted her to be that close to me, and it just felt right. Without even thinking about it, I placed my hand on top of head, and began fondling her hair as though I was having one of those childhood moments which rise to the surface after being neglected for so long. " Sunset, we can take a break for a while if you'd like, as I know you telling me all about your troubled past must be really draining on your psyche."

" I'm alright, as I've been needing to share these secrets with someone." I said.

" I insist we take a break, but just for a few minutes as you really need it given what happened between us earlier what with me... you know... doing that to you, and feeling immensely guilty over it." Twilight said. I looked into her eyes, and they were filled with determination, something I've learned to appreciate in recent months, yet her eyes were burning with a white hot flame that would not take no for an answer, so I closed the other journal before putting it aside, and picking up the magical one. " So that journal, the magic one I mean, not the one you've been reading to me. You say that it contains magic?" Twilight asked.

" Before I left Equestria, I wrote something down in it everyday for Princess Celestia, but then I neglected it for several years after coming here, and it wasn't until the crisis of the Sirens where I finally had the courage to use it again. These days, I write friendship reports among other messages where they are read, and replied to by her... Princess Twilight, the Twilight who comes from the same world as I do." I said, stopping myself as Twilight looked downwards at the floor upon my mentioning that name. Even now, she feels that she has to compare herself to Princess Twilight, or that the rest of us have to do so because despite their similarities, both are different individuals. That's when Twilight reached into her pocket, and pulled out something I thought I'd never see again. " Isn't that your device? Why do you still have it considering the damage it did?"

" I thought to keep it as a memento because despite what I did, it ended up giving me friends even if it does sound contrived." Twilight answered. The device in question was a spectrometer which I recognized from my studies in this world, but it was custom-made in that Twilight put it together herself in an effort to understand what she perceived was "bizarre energy" when in reality it was magic, a fact which Twilight understands is real as she experienced magic first-hand. " You don't have to worry about a thing Sunset, as when you used the magic to transform to deal with what I became, it got damaged when you threw it to the ground, so now it doesn't do anything. Much like you, I have something which causes me to suffer lingering pain in the form of regretting my past actions. I should have resisted their urges of me unleashing all that magic, and my own curiosity which convinced me."

" Twilight..." I said, my hand sliding down her head, and wrapping itself around her neck.

" Why don't we get back to your other journal, as you're starting to look really tense." Twilight suggested, her words referring to my teeth which had been grinding back and forth, an indication that I was getting stressed as I didn't really want to stop reading as there is so much more for me to reveal. Upon hearing her say that I can continue, my mouth relaxed before my teeth could chip or something, and I removed my arm from her neck before picking up the other journal where I opened it up to where I had left off. " In case you were wondering Twilight, the magic journal Princess Celestia had is now in the possession of Princess Twilight through what can only be described as fate."

" That thought did cross my mind." Twilight said.

" I'll be explaining it all to you when we get to that point." I said.

And so began my one-on-one tutoring with Princess Celestia where she aimed to make me the best unicorn I could be, and within a proper teaching environment where I could easily flourish, yet she made sure to teach me about humility... quite literally, as she made sure to constantly drill the notions and concepts of humility into my head so that one day I'd be able to see fellow ponies as equals rather than inferior. Throughout the next couple of years, I would report to her everyday where she gave me an assignment which took advantage of my skills, and I had a certain amount of time to complete them to receive a passing grade which always surpassed her expectations. At first, Princess Celestia simply told me to read all kinds of books about various subjects, yet within a matter of weeks, I told her that while reading was fine for other ponies, I craved something a little more out there, which is why I made a request on how to better enhance my studying experience.

" That is a most unusual request." Princess Celestia said.

" I know it is, Princess Celestia, but after reading book after book after book, I've reached the point where they don't interest me as much. I mean, I'll still read a book on occasion as that kind of knowledge gaining is essential to my studies, but I feel that I should get myself out there in the field. I should experience the wonders of Equestria from a first-hand perspective as opposed to just reading about it." I said.

" Seeing is better than reading, but my concern is your safety." Princess Celestia said.

" I'll be sure to have everything I need for such excursions, as even if I know that going out into the field without the proper preparations would be foolish. Your highness, I truly feel that doing this will elevate my studies to the next level, and maybe help me understand Equestria a lot more." I said, smiling on the outside, but doing so with a slightly evil expression from within. As far as she was concerned, that was my reason for wanting to go out into the field, and it actually was my truest desire, yet I also wanted to practice some of my magic on my own instead of with her as sometimes I felt like she was holding me back. Finally, it would mean not having to see any of her attendants, guards, and the like as they were all beneath me given how I had such a prestigious position in the royal court of Canterlot.

" Very well Sunset Shimmer, you have my permission, but I expect you to continue at your current pace. If your grades start to slip, then I will annul your request, and you will be back to reading books." Princess Celestia said. In truth, the idea of going into the field proved beneficial as there were so many things in Equestria that those musty old books never mentioned, such as how Dragon Sneeze Trees could be used to make special medicine as opposed to just being an unusual distraction.

As those years passed, I not only grew older, but more powerful as well which was all thanks to the nurturing of Princess Celestia... yet... my maturity remained a contentious issue especially when it came to humility. While I was praised by many for my magic being stronger than most unicorns, my attitude towards other ponies never improved, and I was still viewing them as being inferior. Ponies often had lukewarm reactions whenever I was around, as they had grown tired of my egotistical manners, but I had every right to show off as Princess Celestia chose me to be her personal student... her protégé... they were all just jealous of me.

Every magic test that was thrown my way, I passed with flying colours, and each time my magic grew more and more powerful, as did my ego. I truly believed myself to be better than everyone else, and deep down I believed that I was superior to that of Princess Celestia herself. While she was a benevolent ruler, she lacked a certain edge which could make her reign over Equestria that much better! I had that edge in spades, and I figured that when the time comes for me to become a princess, an alicorn, I'd be able to show everypony what kind of ruler I could be. Everything was going absolutely perfect... until one day when everything would change all because of looking at a mirror...

" A mirror? Seriously?" Twilight asked, confusion written all over her face.

" This is the very mirror which would connect this world with Equestria." I said.

" The one located on the other side of the Wondercolt Statue in front of Canterlot High?" Twilight asked, reaching into her pocket, and taking out her spectrometer again before taking a long look at it before putting it away again. " I remember seeing a ripple on that side of the statue when I was trying to understand what I perceived was strange energy, and not magic. I would have eventually figured it out had you not frightened me away when you decided to communicate with me. So if someone were to have walked through that, they would appear in your world, this Equestria?" Twilight asked.

" Yes, but the transition takes time to get used to." I answered.

" But, how could a mirror have caused all of this to happen?" Twilight asked.

" A question which even now continues to elude me, but that mirror has been one of the primary sources behind what happened to me." I answered.

I remember that day well... perhaps a little too well. I was at the castle preparing to take yet another test where I along with other students from her school were to impress three judges who were pretty stuck up, but then they were just doing their jobs. Every time I came before these three judges, I had wowed them with impressive feats which made everypony else pale in comparison to me, and I was completely fine with it as I was enveloped within my own greatness. The judges were expecting me to do something that was worthy of one in my position as Princess Celestia's protégé, and they were going to be amazed as I planned on performing a simple growth spell. Well, simple to somepony like me as I was going to give them a real blast that would once again prove my dominance.

" We're expecting big things from you Sunset Shimmer, for you are the prized pupil of Princess Celestia, so we shall grade you accordingly." One judge said.

" Since this is your final test, we only expect your very best as anything less just won't cut it. Your performance from last semester was the best thing any of us have ever seen, so it will be difficult for you to somehow top that. Now, when you feel ready to begin, let us know by activating your magic via your horn, and we shall begin grading you the moment your magic starts affecting the object you are using for this test." The Second Judge said. It sounded to me that they didn't think I was going to top my own personal best, but they were about to discover that my magic had improved since last time, and they were going to eat their words.

" I'm ready." I said, lighting up my horn with my magic.

" What will you be showing us today?" The Third Judge asked.

" A growth spell." I answered.

" A classic spell... well, nothing wrong with wanting to go with something simple, yet it will need to really wow us if you hope to pass with top marks. Other students have tried the same technique with varying results, so there is a lot of pressure riding on you." The First Judge said. I knew what I was doing as growth spells were nothing to someone like me, and I could have easily done this with my eyes closed, and one hoof tied behind my back. Turning away from the judges, and whistling which was my way of showing how completely confidant I was, I paced about for a few seconds before turning around, and firing my magic at full power on the plant pot which caused the plant to grow... and burst through the walls of the hall in several places... SMASH!... CRASH!... TINKLE! TINKLE!... CRUMBLE!... the sounds of the hall collapsing under the magic imbued vines where they expanded outwards before finally coming to a stop several moments later. I did say that I was going to give them a real blast, and what I did definitely proved it.

" And there we go!" I shouted with confidence.

" It looks like you passed with flying colours as always." Princess Celestia said, calling from all the way down in the gardens where she had witnessed the results of my test which made me proud of my accomplishment. " I had no doubt that this mid-term would be easy for you, my faithful student." Princess Celestia paid no attention to the damage I had accrued, as in her eyes her only concern was me having lived up to expectations. Turning my attention back to the judges, they were slightly shaken up by what I had done, yet the praise they gave me more than made up for it.

" Bravo! Well done!" The First Judge shouted.

" Once again you have lived up to the expectations as Princess Celestia's pupil!" The Second Judge shouted.

" We are looking forward to the next test where you'll no doubt once again get the top marks!" The Third Judge shouted. Their praise only served to fuel my hunger, my hunger for wanting to become even better, and I knew that I still had a lot to learn which is why I asked Princess Celestia if I could spend the rest of the day at the park in order to get some studying done. While she questioned why because of how well I did, I told her that I could have done better, and that had I studied harder, I'm sure those vines would have covered the entire castle instead of just partly. Knowing that I was going to pout until I got my way, Princess Celestia gave me permission, so I made my way over to the park where I immediately began reading, and while I thought it would be a peaceful time, other ponies came along. While I managed to ignore most of them, there was one whose incessant chatter prompted me to turn around... that was the first time I saw her..."

" The other me... the other Twilight?" Twilight asked.

" She was a few years younger than I was, and didn't have her cutie mark yet, but I saw her having fun with her brother and Princess Cadance, who was an adopted niece of Princess Celestia, who happened to be famous for her magic of love... and for being the best foal-sitter in all of Canterlot. Back then, I had no idea that our paths would end up crossing one another." I answered.

" Is that... how you think of me?" Twilight asked.

" Not at all, and don't you ever think that!" I answered, my voice raised and filled with slight anger. " I'm different now than I was back then, but now that I look back on it, I wish that she and I had met on more peaceful terms rather than what ended up happening much later."

After spending a few minutes watching what Princess Twilight, or rather, regular Twilight as she wasn't a princess yet, was doing, she waved at me which prompted me to do the same, but with a slightly awkward wave as I felt her presence was a distraction. Princess Cadance noticed me looking at Twilight, and waved to me as well, prompting me to wave back at her, but in a more formal manner. While I've never spoken to her directly as most of my interactions in Canterlot were restricted only to Princess Celestia, and maybe several of her royal guard, I've seen her hanging out with Princess Twilight's brother, and secretly I mocked her for having fallen in love with somepony like him. With that, I turned back around where I resumed reading my book until I was interrupted by a group of ponies who came along, their purpose involved wanting me to have some fun with them. Just looking at them made me want to throw up, as they were all at the school back when I attended there before becoming Princess Celestia's protégé.

" We saw the results of your test, and we were just amazed at how large those vines got." One of the ponies said... I never did learn their names as I never interacted with them even when I was attending the school.

" No doubt you're going to become the greatest unicorn of all time!" Another pony said.

" Princess Celestia was right to have made you her prized pupil." A third pony said.

" Makes me jealous!" The second pony said.

" Want to have lunch with us?" The first pony asked.

" Excuse me?" I asked, my voice filled with both surprise and disgust. I was in the middle of studying in order to improve my magic for a future test, and one of them had the gall to ask me something like that? If I were to accept their offer, it would mean having to dumb myself down to their level, and I wasn't about to have any of that. No way was I going to neglect my studies for even a moment, so I used my magic to close my book, and levitated it to my side where I proceeded to get up from the bench seat, and heading back to the castle, but not before I gave those ponies a stern warning. " You have a lot of nerve to ask me something like that when you all clearly can see that I was in the middle of studying for my future test which I shall pass with flying colours as always! I have better things to do than socialize, as resorting to such things will only make me lose my edge. You ponies can have all the lunch you want, for your futures are filled with nothing but disappointment. You could be in much better positions than you are now had you chosen to stick with your studies rather than goofing off!"

I left in a huff thinking my words were true as those ponies weren't going to amount to anything, yet they said things behind my back such as calling me rude, insensitive, a pony whose ego was beyond the stratosphere, yet I ignored their childish insults as I was going places while they were merely floundering around with no future. Apparently, news of my actions would reach Princess Celestia, and upon coming back from my abysmal private studying time, she immediately began to talk about the same rhetoric which she had spewing out for the last couple of years.

" I have heard all about what happened in the park earlier Sunset Shimmer, and I must admit that I am disappointed in how you continue to struggle with personal relationships, but then it's not your fault as your upbringing certainly played a factor in your resistance to make friends." Princess Celestia said. While I know now that she only had my best interests in mind, I wasn't having any of it as friendship was something I deemed to be a weakness. My only goal in life was to become the best unicorn, and eventually ascend to an alicorn where my magical prowess would make me equal to, if not better than Princess Celestia. " Still, I must remind you about humility... something which you still appear to lack even now after all this time."

" I don't need to make friends, as all they do is hold you back from greatness!" I shouted.

" I know it's difficult for you to grasp Sunset Shimmer, but I won't give up on you when it comes to understanding humility, and that making friends and opening your heart to everypony isn't a bad thing. Studying is never a bad thing either as everypony strives to be the best that they can be, but you should still take the time to build personal relationships even if you don't believe them to be of importance." Princess Celestia said.

" It's just that I don't think making friends is important." I said.

" There is no need for you to rush into these things straight away, but you will eventually need to learn to accept friendship into your heart otherwise you could end up experiencing a tragic fall without even realizing it." Princess Celestia said, her words a forewarning of what was to eventually come. I then said something under my breath which was my displeasure of how boring it was having to hear the same lecture from her about friendship and humility over and over again, but when she asked me what I was saying, I went silent so as to mask my true feelings on the subject. " Sigh... I suppose we'll just have to work on that later on, as right now I have something to show you."

" What is it?" I asked.

" It's something I feel you should see, as one day you may end up inheriting it." Princess Celestia answered. What I didn't know is that what she was about to show me was going to change my life forever, and no one was prepared for the consequences. She led me into a room where she presented what looked like an ordinary mirror, and my initial reaction was one of disappointment. She was going to give me nothing but a stupid mirror!?!? Granted, it was certainly luxurious in design, but she wants me to eventually have something that's essentially pointless!?!? " Now I know you must feel frustrated Sunset Shimmer, but let me tell you that this mirror is not what it appears to be. In fact, it contains a magic which only the most powerful of unicorns and alicorns can control. Tell me, you know of Star Swirl the Bearded?" Princess Celestia asked.

" Are you kidding me!?!? One of the first books you asked me to read when I became your student was all about his history, and the achievements he accomplished throughout his life. Please! I know everything about Star Swirl the Bearded!" I answered with a huff.

" Not everything he did was written down in a book." Princess Celestia said.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" 1,000 years ago, after I had to banish my own sister to the moon, I began to grow closer to Star Swirl where he became my friend, and most trusted confidant during the early years of my reign over Equestria. He had been creating all kinds of magic spells which he said enabled him to further his own powers, but there was one spell in particular which he insisted I helped him with, and what you see before you are the results. This mirror, in truth, is actually an improved version of what Star Swirl and I worked on, yet the premise still remains the same. This mirror has the ability to reveal a pony's future should they happen to stare at their own reflection." Princess Celestia answered.

" But why tell me this?" I asked.

" One day, you will be showing this very mirror to your own protégé, and they will be asking you those same questions." Princess Celestia answered. Hearing her say those words filled my heart with glee, and also fueled my own ego because she admitted that I would one day become just like her. Still, I never knew that somepony as legendary as Star Swirl the Bearded had created a mirror like this.

" Does this mirror possess other powers?" I asked.

" That is something which you will learn in time Sunset Shimmer, but for now we shall focus on you looking at your reflection. In case you were curious, Star Swirl and I had some problems when it came to figuring out the additional power this mirror wielded, yet I won't bore you with those details as it would just be me droning on and on about things which wouldn't make much sense. Now, please look into this mirror, and tell me what your reflection shows." Princess Celestia answered, raising her hoof as a sign to beckon me to take a closer look at the mirror. To me, it looked just like an ordinary mirror, so my response to her request was a reflection of that.

" A beautiful pony who has so much potential to become something much more than she is." I said.

" Want to try again?" Princess Celestia asked.

" Why?" I asked.

" This is why you need to understand humility Sunset Shimmer, for without it and the magic of friendship by your side, you will not be able to achieve your truest desires no matter how hard you try. Now, please look into the mirror again, and this time I want you to take humility into consideration." Princess Celestia answered. I mumbled something under my breath, the same thing I said before about hearing that humility speech, but then I decided that I would humour her by using a sense of humility if it would please her, and get her off my case. Looking into the mirror for the second time... I saw an image looking back at me, but was it a sign of things to come?

" I see... myself... or a reasonable facsimile, but there's something different about her, or me. She... I, appears weak, worthless, not powerful enough to become the best that she, er I, can be, but perhaps she, I, whoever, can become more powerful than ever should they stick to their chosen path in life. They could one day become powerful enough to rule all of Equestria." I said, becoming mesmerized by the image of myself in the mirror, an image of me as a powerful alicorn where my expression was one of having incredible power, and commanding all that I survey while being blanketed by a veil of darkness.

" Are you sure?" Princess Celestia asked.

" You wanted me to tell you what I'm looking at, and what I just said is the absolute truth. I don't know if the pony I'm looking at is a mere reflection of what I could become one day, or is some kind of alternate version whose aim is to psyche me out, but I am really liking the possibility of this future." I answered, lying to Princess Celestia about being confused as to who it was I was looking at. I knew that this was my reflection, and the thought of me becoming a powerful alicorn made my hunger for power grow even more powerful than ever before, and I struggled to keep it in check so as to not reveal my true desire.

" Maybe we should move on." Princess Celestia suggested.

" Hold on!" I shouted, reacting to something else that was starting to appear in the mirror. " I... I can see some other image, but I have no idea what it even is!" This other image sort of looked like me, but it wasn't a pony by any means. Was this another future that could happen to me?

Chapter 5: Fall

Day: Friday
Weather: Rainy
Time: 12:30pm

It's been several weeks since Princess Celestia showed me that mirror, and I still can't get what I saw out of my mind! What was that image of me that appeared before she abruptly ended our lesson? I've been trying to steer the conversations towards her telling me more about it, yet she keeps on refusing me, and saying that I'm not ready. Me? Not ready? I've become so much more powerful since she took me under her wing, and she had the gall to say that? Well, if she won't tell me what I want to know, then I guess I've got to take matters into my own hooves, and do some "outside learning", but where can I find out more about the mirror... of course! I'll need to check their security before attempting this, but I think I know where to get my answers...

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
October 31, 2015
Chapter 5: Fall

" What did you see?" Twilight asked, her one hand clutching onto her shirt tightly, and the other holding onto my arm, shaking it wildly as her curiosity knew no bounds, but when I turned to face her before pointing a finger at my own face, she quickly figured out what I saw, and let go of me although she didn't let go of her shirt. " So... you saw you... I mean, the human version of yourself?"

" Back then, I didn't know what it was I was looking at, but the image was one that I just couldn't get out of mind." I answered, reaching into my backpack, and producing a small compact mirror which I then opened in order to look at myself. I wasn't using it to powder my nose or anything as that's not my cup of tea, but rather I needed to take a good long look at what I've become now, compared to what I was back then before everything changed. " Twilight... that mirror... what it showed me wasn't the only thing that changed my life, but rather it contributed to another factor which I'm sure you've already figured out."

" You coming into this world?" Twilight asked.

" Yes." I answered.

" How did you manage to come here?" Twilight asked.

" That's what the next pages of my journal reveal, and the emotions I had were ones of anger, frustration, shock, and even disgust that my own mentor would purposefully deny me the knowledge that revolved around what the mirror was really all about. Looking back on it now, I realize that I had an ego, a superiority complex... a taste for power which slowly began to grow where it continued to grow all because of my innate curiosity." I answered, looking down at myself before clenching my hand into a fist, and punching myself as hard as I could into my own stomach, causing me to exude spit from my mouth. Twilight was shocked at what I had just done, and immediately wanted to see if I was okay, but I held up my hand as an indicator that I was fine. " I wanted to do that to myself as a self-punishment for how stupid I was."

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" I knew that I wasn't ready to learn everything about the mirror, but my immaturity, my lack of humility, the weakness of my own heart, made me oblivious to it all, and the only thing that mattered was learning those secrets... no matter what the cost would be! Not a day goes by where I don't punch, or kick myself for what I did, and I deserve it all because I threw away what could have been a fantastic life!" I answered, the tears resuming their tricking down my face, and Twilight handed over a hanky which I used to immediately blow my nose with a loud honking sound... HONK!... " My current life is good now, but before friendship entered my life, before so many good things would change my whole perspective, my old life was about to be shattered to pieces... like a mirror..."

" Did Princess Celestia teach you anything else about the mirror after that incident?" Twilight asked.

" In my mind, I was hoping she would because after all, I was her prized pupil, and she knew how much progress I made despite some obvious flaws, but I wasn't ready for what she was about to do upon my seeing the second reflection... the one that resembled what I look like now." I answered, turning the page in my journal to the next chapter, and going completely numb for a few moments in which Twilight refused to act as she knew this next part was essentially a game-changer in the saga that was my own existence.

The second image of myself was barely recognizable, but I knew that it had to be me, but why did I look different? What happened to my hooves? Why was I wearing strange attire? What happened to my muzzle, and my horn? My words reached the ears of Princess Celestia, whose reaction was one I'll never forget. It was one of absolute shock as though she knew the truth, but felt that it wasn't meant for me to know about. Before the image fully formed, she pushed me to the side where the image faded away, and turned the mirror slightly to the left hoping that I wouldn't see anymore of it.

" What was that?" I asked, the image of myself clearly hewn into my mind.

" I am sure that it was just a trick of the light, so I would not heed it as being of significance." Princess Celestia answered, her choice words telling my mind and my heart that what she was saying wasn't a sincere answer. " Perhaps it was a little hasty of me to introduce you to this mirror considering that even somepony as Star Swirl the Bearded had issues trying to understand what it truly meant, as while he was able to figure out how the prototype worked with my support, this mirror proved to be even more perplexing. That is why it has always been here in this room." Princess Celestia said, my curiosity getting stronger with every passing moment.

" Have you shown it to your previous protégés?" I asked.

" Each of them have seen it at least once, yet none of them were ever able to grasp the true nature behind it." Princess Celestia answered. Hearing her say that made me feel angry that I was just the latest to be shown the mirror, but at the same time I was eager to become her first pupil to find out all of its secrets. " Sometimes, I have questioned myself as to why it remains here in the castle, but I suppose it reminds me of a legacy... that of Star Swirl as this was one of his greatest works, and one which even now continues to baffle me."

" Huh? I thought you knew about it?" I asked.

" Star Swirl did have his secrets which he kept close to his heart, secrets that he never shared with me because of a certain incident long ago which placed a strain on our relationship which never fully healed. One such secret involved the true nature behind this mirror, for while he told me that it had the power to show ponies their future, it's remaining powers he chose to keep to himself until the very end. However, he knew that one day, I, or some other pony would want to know, so he wrote down the secrets in a book, and placed it within the one section of the library none may enter." Princess Celestia answered. The section she was talking about was one where all of Equestria's knowledge of dark magic was stored... rather than simply destroy those books thus ridding Equestria of such magic, Princess Celestia chose to keep them there because among the dark magic were historical records which needed to be preserved for future generations.

" Do you think I could be the one to figure out its secrets?" I asked.

" Perhaps..." Princess Celestia answered, her train of thought desiring to change the subject out of fear that I could learn more than I should... that's what I assumed was her behind her hesitation towards telling me more. " Our lesson is over for today Sunset Shimmer, so I suggest that you get all knowledge of what you saw out of your head, and prepare yourself for tomorrow. In the meantime, I would like you to think about what I said about humility, and accepting friendship into your heart."

" If you say so." I said, mumbling under my breath that she didn't want me to know more about the mirror, but when I turned back to take one last look at it, I swore that the image I saw of me that was different was trying to reveal itself as though it wanted me to never forget this moment. Princess Celestia then ushered me out of the room before locking it behind her, and in her mind that concluded my lesson on the mirror, but I wasn't satisfied with the result. No... I wanted to know more about it as my curiosity hungered for such knowledge, and it refused to be sated for anything else other than knowing more about the mirror.

" I can certainly understand the desire for wanting knowledge, as I'll admit that my curiosity has gotten me into plenty of trouble." Twilight said, looking up at the ceiling behind her to remind both her and myself that her becoming a demonic monster was the result of her own curious mind succumbing not only to pressure, but also expectation, and the urge of wanting to expand one's own horizons.

" My curiosity was about to change me." I said.

" What surprises me in all of this is that Princess Celestia was able to tolerate your behaviour for such a long time, yet surely she would have removed you from your position as her own personal student considering you were in it for yourself--" Twilight said before clasping her hand over her mouth upon saying those words, as she noticed me lowering my head down in complete shame. It took her only a few seconds to come to the conclusion that what she had just said ended up happening, resulting in her turning her face away from me, embarrassment streaked across her face. " I'm sorry! I didn't realize that she actually did that to you! I was only assuming that she would have done that considering your attitude and all, but I never thought that she actually would."

" Princess Celestia is very calm and forgiving." I said, reached out to my hand on Twilight's shoulder which caused her to turn around and look me in the eyes again. " She has so much patience despite the many mistakes she has made, but even she has her limits where her anger will explode, and I was about to find that out first hand all because my own curiosity was about to burn me from the inside-out.

The next day, I was reading a book which she had assigned for me to read, and while I showed general interest in it, my mind was fixated on the mirror. Ever since I saw that second image of myself, the one where I looked different, I just couldn't get it out of my mind no matter how hard I tried. Even within my own subconscious of the dream world, the image haunted me at every moment, whispering into my ears using honeyed words to learn more about what I saw.

" You know you want to... you know you want to learn more..."

" Princess Celestia doesn't want me to!" I shouted.

" She is holding you back from what you deserve, and that just isn't fair to you! You're the best pupil she's ever had, and you're superior to all other unicorns!"

" I know that I'm the best, but--" I said.

" But nothing! You deserve to know the secrets of the mirror, and Princess Celestia is weak from keeping it from you! She is afraid that you will become more powerful than she is, so she is denying you your right to become an alicorn! If you want to become the best... then get her to tell you the secrets of the mirror! She may have said Star Swirl kept them from her, but she is lying to you! She knows the secrets, but refuses to share them as she sees you as a threat!"

" I'm... a threat?" I asked.

" You have what it takes to become an alicorn, a princess, and she is preventing you from fulfilling your destiny! Now... you know you want to... " This eerie voice would haunt me all night, and instead of just ignoring its words, I embraced them as truth! I believed Princess Celestia was denying me important knowledge which in turn was denying me my dream of being the best, so I had to know the truth about the mirror. When she was preoccupied with sorting through some books using her magic, I waited for a free moment where I asked my innocent question.

" About that mirror from the other day..." I said.

" No, you're not ready to learn more about its secrets." Princess Celestia answered.

" When will I be?" I asked.

" Please focus on the book which I have assigned you to read." Princess Celestia answered, changing the subject completely, and my anger seething below the surface, but not to the point where she would notice. This was the beginning of a trend that lasted several weeks where I would bring up the mirror whenever we had a conversation, and in turn she would continue to say no. In her mind, she didn't want to say anything about it, but I wanted to which is why I continued relying on the same rhetoric over and over. The next day came, and I asked her the same question being more forward with the delivery.

" So... about the mirror you showed me." I said.

" No." Princess Celestia said, being straight to the point, and ignoring my question completely. Several weeks passed where I continued asking about the mirror, and she remained steadfast in her refusal to tell me more, but then one day things got to a boiling point. I believe Princess Celestia at this point had gotten tired of me wanting to know because it was all I ever asked, and she made certain to bring down her judgment upon me... even though my question was innocent, and slightly different from usual. We were having a picnic out in the field where it started to rain, so we took shelter under a tree where we continued to eat, and that was when I made my move...

" Do you know what I find fascinating these days Princess Celestia? Mirrors! They are so full of mysteries that you just want to know more about them. I know! Like that one you showed me some time ago--" I said before being cut off.

" Sunset Shimmer! I have refused to discuss more about the mirror for a good reason, and that is because you are not ready to learn more about it. No matter how many times you continue to bring it up, I will not yield to your curious nature. It will be revealed to you later in the future among other lessons which you will need in order to realize your true destiny, but not until you are ready. Please do not ask me about it anymore!" Princess Celestia said, her words stern and harsh, an indication that her patience was at an end, and she was beginning to get testy. She then turned and headed off into the rain leaving me alone with the picnic supplies, but the expression I gave her behind her back was one of sheer malice, of anger... of hatred because she was denying me.

The honeyed words from the image in my mind had been telling me the truth, and I realized now that Princess Celestia was afraid of me being better than her. I had to know more about the mirror's secrets, and there was only one course of action that I could think of. She mentioned Star Swirl the Bearded had written down the secrets into a book, and placed it within the section of the Canterlot Library that was dedicated to Dark magic, but no pony was allowed to enter that section as it was forbidden, yet by choosing to deny me my right, I had to take matters into my own hooves, and learn what I can from reading from that book, or one that contained similar information.

" I AM READY!!!!" I mumbled to myself before leaving to put my plan into motion.

" You were willing to break a fundamental rule just to learn about a mirror?" Twilight asked.

" I thought she was holding me back out of fear that I was getting too powerful and arrogant, but in truth she was trying to protect me, and prevent me from making a mistake which I'd later regret... but... I didn't listen as my mind had been poisoned... poisoned with the desire for power and knowledge." I answered, burying my head into my hands.

" Sunset..." Twilight said.

" I could have turned back from the path I was about to choose, rethink my life right there and then, but instead I chose to go through with it. I was a unicorn who never turned herself away from something once I was dedicated towards succeeding at it, and this would result in a conflict I hoped would never happen, but it did. Every night for the last few years, I've been replaying this conflict over and over in my head, trying to tell myself not to go through with it, yet my words to my unicorn self fall on deaf ears, and I witness what happened as a result... an eternal nightmare if you will." I said. Sweat then tricked from my brow down my face, and onto my hands, yet this sweat was a combination of fear, depression, hopelessness, and extreme guilt because I could have stopped myself had I listened to my heart... except my heart was caked in corruption, darkness, hatred... I hated being denied... I hated Princess Celestia for denying me.

" How do you feel about her now? You know, Princess Celestia?" Twilight asked.

" Hatred... I hated her for denying me, but this feeling isn't as strong now as it was back then. I guess a part of me hangs onto what she said to me, and I never forgave her even though she didn't do anything wrong. Twilight, this is an example of an aspect of my character which you, none of you, are aware of. The others have never known what truly happened back in Equestria, for I always kept it to myself out of fear that they would hate me because of what I was like." I answered, bursting into tears once again.

" We're your friends Sunset, and we would never judge you for what happened." Twilight said, wrapping her arms around my neck before squeezing me tight, tears trickling down her face. You were confused, consumed by your own desires, and became blinded by your own ambitions, but you've changed since then. You're no longer that kind of person since opening your heart to friendship which is what Princess Celestia wanted you to experience. You ended up fulfilling her expectations... it just took you a lot longer to do so because of bad decisions." Twilight said, squeezing ever tighter, and while my heart became at ease thanks to her words, it quickly grew stiff again, as this was still just the beginning of my journal. There was much more to go where things were about to get worse...

" Twilight--" I began.

" Everything will be fine." Twilight said.

" Twilight." I said, pushing her away from me slightly so as to get her arms off of my neck, and enabling me to turn the page. " What happened in Equestria was just the start, for there were things I did in this world which I'm not proud of, but first, you need to know what happened during that confrontation."

" Alright." Twilight said.

That night, I made my way over to the Canterlot Library until I was standing in front of the entrance to the Dark Magic section, and I chuckled to myself because what constituted as security was asleep at her post which made it easy for me to sneak past without being detected. There was a reason why this part of the library was off-limits as the magic contained within these books were deemed too dangerous as they had the potential to corrupt ponies... a fact which I was about to learn first-hand.

" She thinks I'm not ready? I'll prove to her that she is wrong, and have her begging me for forgiveness! I just can't believe they only have the one pony acting as security for this section... you'd think there would be more considering what's in here, but I shouldn't let it be a distraction as I'm on a mission." I said to myself, slowly creeping through until I came across a promising shelf near where the security pony was sleeping. There were several books, scrolls, and even pieces of paper with various diagrams on them, yet there were so many to choose from, and so little time to read through as much as possible.

" Hello? What's this?" I said to myself, noticing one particular book which had a depiction of a horrifying face on it that compelled me to take a closer look. Within its pages were a number of spells which I've never heard of before, yet they were easy enough for me to perform given how powerful I was. " While this isn't what I was looking for, these spells could come in handy down the road just in case I need to get my point across. I can't believe such spells exist, and Princess Celestia keeps them hidden away like this." I said, speaking out loud this time which caused the security pony to wake up where she noticed me reading, yet I didn't know that she was awake as my mind was occupied with trying to learn the secrets behind the mirror myself. She would run out of the room much to my own obliviousness, and after searching a few more books, I came upon exactly what I had come for.

" This is it!" I exclaimed, but I was confused at why Star Swirl the Bearded had written a book about the history of Canterlot Castle. Then again, he was Princess Celestia's most trusted confidant, so that would mean he was privy to such information that other ponies would never have gained access to. It was also the second volume of the book which means there was a first volume somewhere, but I was more interested in the mirror which he must have created late in his life, so using my magic to flip through the pages, I eventually came across the exact information I needed.

" After my initial attempts to create a mirror that would serve a unique function because of what her highness did behind my back, I decided to give her another chance which was a sign of weakness in that I hesitated when I should have remained diligent towards her. Taking what I learned from my previous experiences, I created a second mirror more powerful than the prototype, yet who knows where this one leads to... the prototype lead to an "anti-Equestria" where everypony was the opposite of who they were here, but this one... this "crystal mirror" as I shall christen it... it too shall lead one to another world. However, I must place a restriction on when it can be used, so as to not repeat the mistake I had before with Celestia. This mirror shall activate every 30 moons where it will open a portal to another world, and shall remain open for three moons before it closes again." I said to myself... a portal to another world? Was this the secret Star Swirl had kept? And Princess Celestia knew about it? The rage in my heart once again reached a fevered pitch, so I skimmed ahead several more pages where I read another entry.

" It is with a heavy heart that I write this down, knowing that I acted without the consent of her highness. Even though I believed they could have been reformed thus allowing them to exist in Equestria, my heart was far too bitter to allow me to consider such an option. The Sirens became far too powerful, and had their reign of terror continued, all of Equestria would have succumbed to their twisted desires, so I activated the crystal mirror, and send them to another world where their magic has been all but taken away. This shall be known as my greatest failure in life, and it shall forever remain a personal torment... that is why the secrets of this mirror must remain exactly that! I shall write them down in this book, and present it to Celestia where she must swear to me that it will never be opened until some pony is worthy to learn the truth. I fear the ramifications of some pony who tries to control the mirror in the name of power... Star Swirl the Bearded..." I said to myself. Huh? Sirens? I don't remember anything in my studies about something like that? So Star Swirl carried immense guilt with him throughout his final years... such sentimentality doesn't mean a thing, yet looking at it now, this was a forewarning of a future event.

" Anyway, back to reading about what the crystal mirror does." I said out loud.

" That's not really for you know now, is it my "faithful student." My expression changed to one of complete shock as the one who said that was Princess Celestia, and she sounded cold and unforgiving, so I turned around to face her along with two of the royal guard, where she had a look of extreme disappointment on her face. At first I was thinking of going with a sorrowful look in the hopes of earning some sympathy, but something inside of me wanted me to lash out in frustration over how she had been keeping something from me in the hopes of denying me my dreams.

" Why? Why did you decide to keep this magic away from me? Why did you tell me that I wasn't ready when clearly I am! My magic has become incredibly powerful since you took me under your wing, yet you had the gall to hide something like this? How dare you! How dare you deny me the potential to become even greater than I am now? Well? Why don't you answer me! Or, are you afraid that I am getting too powerful?" I asked, my anger building every second, and showing no signs of holding back my frustration. My hatred for her had finally come out, and I was letting her know exactly how I felt.

" You could be great Sunset Shimmer, that is, until I saw the truth about you right here and now." Princess Celestia answered, her eyes filled with anger, her mannerism of kindness slowly chipping away, revealing an anger which she has rarely had to use because of being so patient. " I originally believed that you had potential to become something great, that you possessed the passion, dedication, compassion, and sincerity to take your studies seriously! Despite your troubled beginnings, and your lack of understanding both humility and friendship, I was willing to continue guiding you along believing that you would eventually get over such weaknesses. It appears that I was mistaken about you, and what I thought you had was nothing more than ambition, selfishness."

" How dare you say that?" I asked, my hatred growing ever stronger.

" If you step back and reflect upon yourself right now, perhaps we can resolve this issue in a peaceful manner without things spiraling further out of control. Your selfishness has blinded you Sunset Shimmer where you've allowed it to consume your every waking thought!" Princess Celestia answered.

" Selfish? Me? If anyone is selfish around here, it's you! That book written by Star Swirl reaffirms what you said about the mirror, and this book right here--" I shouted, pointing my hoof down at a book lying on the floor which I used my hoof to kick it at Princess Celestia, who used her magic to knock it away with a simple force field where it opened up to the pages that talked about alicorn ascension, " the one which I looked at before reading his one... it showed me that I can become a powerful alicorn princess, that it's my destiny to achieve such a position! I could rule here, and bring about new changes to Equestria... changes that you yourself were too afraid to do out of a deep rooted fear. You're being selfish to deny me my destiny, my dream... one which you encouraged me to seek out back when we first met." I shouted.

" Because I thought you were sincere--" Princess Celestia said before I interrupted her.

" I deserve to be a princess for I am your equal, if not your better because I understand things better than you do!" I shouted.

" Enough!" Princess Celestia said with a firm voice, and an image of my angered face gleaming at me from her eyes. " To become an alicorn, to become a princess, it must be earned rather than demanded! I have tried to teach you everything you needed to know to prepare you for when the day comes where you would earn the right to become a princess, but you have decided to take a far different path than the one I was offering. You say that you "deserve" to become an alicorn, "deserve" to be a princess, "deserve" to rule over this land because you think you can do better... it tells me that you're not willing to earn it through tremendous effort, but rather have it given unto you. You are not ready!"

" What are you saying?" I asked.

" Sunset Shimmer! If we cannot get past this issue of you demanding everything to be given to you, then I am afraid that your studies end here and now! It pains me to have to do this, but you have left me with no other choice... I am removing you from the position of my pupil, and furthermore you are never to set foot inside this castle again until you have come to understand where you are going wrong. However, you are allowed to remain in Canterlot... that is all I can give you at this moment." Princess Celestia answered, my heart crushed under the combination of her casting me aside because of what I deserve, and having finally lost it when it comes to the hatred I have of her. I could have used the dark magic I learned to end her life there and then, and assume the throne in her stead, but a tiny shred of compassion prevented me from carrying that out.

" Then this is something we'll never agree on." I said.

" The guards will show you out." Princess Celestia said.

" You know how great I deserve to be because of how powerful I've become, yet here you are denying me my destiny! I thought you understood me... I thought you wanted me to prove that I could be the best because my parents never had the kind of faith in me that you have!" I shouted.

" I thought I did, until you revealed your true ambitions." Princess Celestia said.

" Is that all you have to say to me now?" I asked.

" ..." Princess Celestia refused to answer my question, and raised her hoof to inform the guards that they were to escort me outside the castle. The two guards then told me to get moving, and they followed behind as I was being escorted away.

" This is the biggest mistake you'll make in your entire life." I said coldly, the hatred within my heart shredding that last remaining piece of compassion that lingered, yet I refused to say this to her face, for that would have made me lash out at her which would have caused me to be arrested on the spot. Instead, I just walked away repeating that same sentence several more times as a means of hewning it into her mind and heart. It wasn't Princess Celestia who had made the biggest mistake of her life... it was me, but back then I was far too ignorant, far too consumed with hatred to see this for the truth it was. To me, my mentor had betrayed me, denied me my destiny, and now she was cutting our ties as though they meant nothing.

" One of many." Princess Celestia said, her words reaching my ears, but I was too consumed with hatred to comprehend them. I know now that she was referring to the incident where she had to banish her only sister, and also how she had lied to Star Swirl the Bearded which is something Princess Twilight once told me when I inquired about it out of curiosity. What happened to Princess Celestia after that, I don't know because this is where my story in Equestria would come to an end... until I would choose to return on two additional occasions because of the desire to fulfill my dreams of becoming a princess...

" What did you do next?" Twilight asked.

" The mirror, Twilight, I was going to use the mirror as Star Swirl had intended." I answered.

Chapter 6: Adjustments

Day: Friday
Weather: Night-time, slightly cold
Time: 9:45pm

After going through the mirror which was a portal to another world, I've found myself in a strange place, and worst of all, I don't have access to my magic! Not only that, but my muzzle has disappeared, and I'm finding it rather difficult to walk as though my entire body has changed. What does this mean? I'm not sure, but if I can find some kind of reflective surface, I should have an answer. In any case, the hatred I have towards Princess Celestia keeps me warm despite it being cold outside... how dare she deny me! I'll never forgive her for what she has done! If she won't make me an alicorn princess, then I'll just have to find another way to achieve my goal...

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 2, 2015
Chapter 6: Adjustments

" I can't believe that your relationship with Princess Celestia was shattered because you were so demanding." Twilight said.

" She was trying her best to make me turn back before it was too late, but my anger blinded me Twilight... it blinded me to the truth of what I was becoming. She had every right to remove me from her side as her personal student, as I was ambitious... wanting... hungry for power." I said, looking up at the ceiling again in order to reflect upon everything which had happened to me on that fateful night.

" What do you suppose would have happened had you turned back?" Twilight asked.

" If her words had pierced the veil of darkness that caked my heart in such twisted bile, I suppose we would have spent a couple of months trying to sort things out before I would have resumed my studies. Princess Celestia knew about my circumstances which relates back to my upbringing, and she did everything she could so that I would become the kind of unicorn who was both worthy, and had earned the right to become a princess." I answered, an image popping into my mind at that exact moment. What would my life be like had I chosen not to go down the path of malice? I would have overcome my own personal issues, discovered the magic of friendship, learned humility... and... I would be a princess as opposed to Twilight... as in, the other one... Princess Twilight. Her life would have become much different, and she may not have even been chosen to be Princess Celestia's pupil had I not abandoned my studies. In fact, I might have made her my pupil instead... a thought like that frightened me to the core.

" What are you thinking about?" Twilight asked.

" My life in Equestria would have been different had I stayed true to the intended path Princess Celestia had envisioned for me--" I answered, cutting myself off as another image popped into my mind... one which showed me my new friends in this world. Had I not come here after what happened, I wouldn't have the friends I do now, this world wouldn't have become infected with magic, and certain events wouldn't have happened. " Twilight... your life, the lives of our friends... they would be different had I not come through the portal originally." I said, shivering at the thought because my one key decision could have altered everything forever had I gone the other way.

" When you think about it Sunset, your decision to leave Equestria started out as a big mistake which resulted in this world being introduced to magic, but over time you ended up changing for the better, and everyone who has entered into your life loves you for who you are." Twilight said, yet I raised my hand in front of her face before waving it back and forth as a sign that her words weren't exactly accurate. She responded by grabbing onto my arm with both of her hands, pulling it down because she desired to tell me something straight to my face. " You think my words aren't true? You know that everyone cares about you despite what happened to you back in Equestria!"

" That was in Equestria yes, but what I did here after first arriving is a different matter." I said.

" Right... you told me about some of the things you did, and I guess I blocked them from my mind in an attempt to make you feel better." Twilight said, blushing as she let go of my hands before slightly sliding backwards as though she didn't want to be anywhere near me, and I felt hurt by her action. " I take it that the reason magic was introduced into this world was because of you?" Twilight asked.

" It didn't enter when I first came, but you are correct." I answered.

Before I entered this world, I first had to deal with the issue that still persisted in Equestria, and I am not referring to Princess Celestia. The two members of the Canterlot Royal Guard who came with her had been ordered to take me out of the castle, yet they were merely Pegasi, and I was a powerful unicorn who could easily overpower them without even breaking a sweat, but even if I were to subdue them, it would have been a futile effort. They could have easily alerted more guards to try and subdue me... which would have done no good, yet Princess Celestia was still more powerful than I was, and having to face her right now was the last thing I wanted. There had to be a way out of this predicament, a place where I could go to forge my own path, and become the princess I was destined to be... and then it hit me like a lightning bolt. I did have a way out, and it had been staring in front of me this entire time, but first I needed to lighten my load so to speak.

" If not for the fact that she still had some compassion towards you, you would have been thrown into the dungeon, or even worse, exiled from Equestria!" The first Pegasus Guard said.

" ..." I said nothing while the guard had his little tirade, as I was merely biding my time until we reached the correct door.

" While neither of us understand what happened to you in your past, Sunset Shimmer, it doesn't excuse you for breaking one of the most fundamental laws Equestria has with regards to dark magic! Like her highness said, you have been given permission to remain in Canterlot, but you are forbidden from setting hoof into this castle. I hope that you have another career option to fall back on, as your dreams are now dashed." The first Pegasus Guard said, his words biting me in my heart, ripping it apart like fabric being ripped off of cloth.

" ..."

" No need to overstep your boundaries." The Second Guard warned.

" You're right! I allowed my own frustration over what Sunset Shimmer did get in the way of performing my duty! Once we have taken you outside of the castle, you are free to do whatever you want, and like Princess Celestia said, you will be welcomed back provided that you figure out what you need to do." The First Guard said. I already knew what I was going to do, and a small part of me wanted to make an example of this Pegasus who had the audacity to insult my greatness! I could have used one of those dark magic spells to turn both of these idiots into statues before using my hooves to shatter them to pieces, but I chose restraint when it came to the darkness, so instead I was going to knock them about as soon as we were in the right place... which was coming up within mere seconds.

" ..."

" Do you have anything to say?" The Second Guard asked.

" ... I do..." I answered, catching the two guards by surprise.

" And here I thought you decided to remain silent for the rest of your days or something, so go ahead and say whatever is on your mind, for it will be the last thing you get to say in the castle before you are to be ejected." The First Guard said. The moment we came up to the door which lead to the room that contained the mirror... the very one which caused the argument between myself and Princess Celestia to begin originally, an evil smile spread itself across my face, my eyes darting towards the door, my horn glowing with magical energy. " What are you doing!?!?" The First Guard asked. Before either guard could say another word, I used my magic to create a small concentrated area of blinding light which enabled me to get away from them, and open the door where the mirror stood there before me, the image which had been speaking to me in my dreams was forming in the reflection... I had to know what it meant, for it had been tormenting me for some time.

" It's time for me to find my own path." I said to myself.

" Stop!" The First Guard shouted.

" What are you doing?" The Second Guard asked.

" Hanging out with you two was fun for a while, but I'm afraid that the pleasure has finally worn out, and that means I no longer have any need for either of you to hang around me like you were my executioners or something." I answered, using my magic to throw one of the guards to the ground, his helmeted head smacking into the cold floor with a sickening THUD! effectively knocking him out. The other then tried to subdue me, but when my horn began to glow, he came to a stop, but not fast enough as I lifted him up without any effort, and slammed him into two steps which lead up to where the mirror was situated.

I could have shattered the mirror upon coming out of the other side, but then that would have prevented me from returning to Equestria... I planned on returning one day, and when that happens... it will be with the power I need to rule over it. " Going through this portal shall open up new doors for me... and my destiny will come true." I said, galloping as fast as possible where I went into the mirror, the image whose honeyed words compelled me to act disappearing as I did, my life never being the same again.

" You didn't need to be so cruel to them." Twilight said, her hands on her hips indicating that she didn't appreciate my actions.

" I was different back then Twilight. I didn't care about anyone other than myself, so when I attacked those two members of the Royal Guard without hesitation, I relished in what I was doing to them because it allowed me to vent out some much needed frustration." I said, looking at one of my hands where it trembled slightly... a reminder that I can be mentally unstable in that I allow my feelings to get the better of me which can result in unfortunate circumstances... just like how I allowed them to lash out at Twilight who didn't deserve it as she didn't know any better. My mental state may have improved since the Fall Formal, yet there are times where I just go into a relapse, and all inhibitions just shut down allowing my raw emotions to take control of every facet of my body. If there was one person I hated more than anyone else, it would be myself because I should be able to control my own feelings, yet instead they cause pain whenever I lose it. " If I had truly been sadistic in nature, those two could have ended up even worse if you know what I mean." I continued, my eyes filling up with tears, but not a single drop shed from them as I was holding back this time.

" It was a desire of sheer dominance which you loved, the desire of being able to do whatever you wanted without fear of backlash, the desire to finally cut loose without fear of holding back for any reason." Twilight said, prompting me to slowly nod my head in approval. " I speak from experience Sunset, as when I became that demonic monster, my deepest desires had become open to me, and I wanted to indulge myself in them because before that transformation, I never took them as being a concern. My inhibitions and morals shut down instantly when the magic corrupted every last fibre of my being, yet I didn't care because my desires were what I wanted." Twilight said. She really was just like me, except her desires came about at the last minute because of circumstance, and mine had been there for years stemming from a troubled childhood. " Anyway, you went through the mirror, and ended up in this world, but I'm curious as to what the transition was like."

" Excuse me?" I asked, a look of surprise appearing on my face.

" When you changed from a pony into a human, what was it like?" Twilight asked, again the look of surprise appeared on my face, yet it was even bigger because I was taken aback by such a question. " I'm only asking this from a scientific perspective as while I'm not denying magic and that it exists in this world, I believe that it was a logical reasoning which caused you to change forms."

" Have you ever been exposed to psychedelic colours?" I asked.

" More than a dozen times due to looking through microscopes." Twilight answered.

" Well, picture going through a tunnel where nothing but psychedelic colours surround you, attempt to blind you with their intense radiance--" I said, stopping immediately as I knew Twilight wouldn't understand what I was talking about, so I began to shake my hands in an effort to explain things. My gestures looked similar to someone playing a game of charades, yet this was more of a visual explanation, my hands moving about in a frantic pace as I told Twilight what my experience was like, and despite how terrible I was using my hands, she completely understood which both satisfied, and disturbed me as even I didn't think I did a good job. " The transition lasts only a few seconds, yet you don't really feel anything change until it just does when a bright light flashes before you... a light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak."

" So, what was it like for you to leave as a pony, and come out as a human?" Twilight asked.

" On a mental level, I wasn't thrilled about what happened, but on a curious one, it was something new." I answered.

When I came out of the portal from this side, which I literally walked out from the base of the Wondercolt Statue, I immediately had trouble standing on my hooves, and when my body crumpled to the ground upon losing my balance, I looked at my hooves... only to discover that they had been replaced with something else... something strange, foreign, alien to me. Whatever these things were which replaced my hooves, they had five long things attached to them which acted independently on their own until I was able to reign them in under my control. I know what these different body parts are called now, but at the time they were new to me... foreign to me... I had no idea what they were. That's when I noticed something else, or rather, not sensing something else... my magic! I could no longer use my magic which scared me to the bone as though a small part of me didn't make it through the mirror... like it had died along the way.

" What's happened to me? Where am I? Why has my magic left me?" I asked myself before looking around at my new surroundings in order to get a sense of where I was, and right away I knew that this wasn't Equestria as the buildings looked... well, they looked normal. There was one building in front of me which looked to be some kind of grand castle, yet it was small in stature, and lacked any kind of sense, design-wise. Other, smaller buildings were located nearby on the other side of a street, yet I had no idea what was situated in the middle of said street, yet it gave off a slight stench which made me wonder just what it was. The moon was shining above me, yet I couldn't see the image of Nightmare Moon reflecting on its surface, a reminder of what Princess Celestia once did 1,000 years ago--

" Princess Celestia... she removed me from her side because she feared my potential... I could be a princess right now, but she denied me the right because my ambition and hunger for power got in the way... she will rue the day she cast me aside!" I said to myself, the hatred towards her even stronger than ever, and serving as a fuel to keep me going as though I were an engine that ran on negativity. I then tried moving forward on whatever constituted as my hooves, yet I stopped just a few inches after starting as a searing pain was coming my back hooves. " What in the world are these!?!?" I shouted, noticing that my back hooves were gone, and had been replaced with long things which could bend halfway down, each one wearing boots which I didn't have before. That's when I attempted to use what my front hooves had become, and to my shock they were able to grab onto some kind of cloth which was now on my body. " A mirror... I need to find a mirror right now!"

Since walking on all fours causes the middle part of the long things to turn red which meant bruising, I had to walk on what I suppose were the tips of my hooves, or whatever these things were, so began a struggle where I tried standing up, only to fall flat on my face! Undeterred, I tried again where I managed to stand up, yet I immediately began swaying about before falling down again, causing me to slam my front things into the ground in sheer frustration! " Why am I like this!?!?" I shouted to no one in particular, my frustration having reached a critical point, so I slowly got back up where I took a single step forward, and almost fell again, but I managed to keep my balance where I proceeded to taking a few more steps. " This is so strange, and yet at the same time there is this sense of allure about being here." I said to myself. I had noticed the entrance to this supposed castle had glass which would suit my needs to understanding just what I had become, and upon reaching the glass, my entire body fell forward due to not being used to climbing steps on two hooves as opposed to four, and when I regained my composure, I looked at the reflection which was now staring back at me.

" What in the world am I?" I asked myself. This was the one question which flashed through my mind, but then an answer quickly came in the form of the second image which I saw in the mirror, the one Princess Celestia didn't want me to see... she knew all along what that form was, yet didn't want me to know because she feared that I would want to rule over this world given that my desire to rule Equestria had now been dashed. I also understood why I couldn't use my magic, as I no longer had a horn, as evidence by touching the top of my forehead, and not feeling a horn in response to that. The clothes that were now on my body didn't make me think of them as being all that important, yet I would quickly learn to adapt to them as well as my new surroundings. " Well, well, well, this is an interesting development... I was destined to come here according to the mirror, and the image of me being a princess can still happen... even if I'm not in Equestria right now. It shouldn't be too difficult to reign everyone in this world under my rule, but first I will need to get adjusted to this new body! I don't think I can do much of anything until I'm fully adjusted, but the question is... are there others who look the same way I do? If so, perhaps learning from them will enable me to understand more about this body... it will be a painful experience given how such creatures are inferior to me, but I've no choice." I said to myself.

There was one other problem which involved finding a place to stay, for I had no intention of spending outside in the cold especially looking the way I do, so I began to search for adequate lodging where I could rest for the night, and plan out my next moves in the start of what would be my ascension to princesshood! It didn't take long for me to find a place which could house me for the night, so I slowly walked towards it, the goal of adjusting to this new world being my first priority, and once I've done that, I can begin asserting myself into their society... and eventually taking it for my very own.

" Want to know the strangest thing?" I asked.

" What's that?" Twilight asked.

" When Princess Twilight came into this world for the first time, she had the same problem when it came to walking on two legs." I answered, laughing hard until a tear trickled down my face where I wiped it away, and the sadness returned because I knew there was even more for me to tell this Twilight, so much more. " Despite my frustration over being denied by Princess Celestia, I was still able to process a coherent thought in addition to an instinct." I said.

" Your instinct was to get out of the cold, and inside somewhere warm." Twilight said.

" I would quickly find such an idea place, but let's just say that it wasn't my first choice." I said.

Chapter 7: Flash Sentry

Day: Friday
Weather: Night-time, slightly cold
Time: 10:15pm

It's not even been 30 minutes since I came through the mirror, and already I feel miserable about where I am, and what I've become. I mean, I'll get used to this new body sure, but the emotional scars are going to take longer to heal... provided they do. Not only am I experiencing misery, but also hatred towards my now former mentor! I'll never forgive her for her transgressions against me! Anyway, this strange young man who was riding in something he calls a car discovered me wandering outside in the cold dead of night, and decided to help me out of sympathy... like I need anyone's help! Still, this could prove useful as I do need someone to show me the ropes of this world.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 4, 2015
Chapter 7: Flash Sentry

" So where did you end up spending the night?" Twilight asked.

" It wasn't a matter of where I ended up, but rather who I ended up with if that makes sense." I answered, reaching into my pocket, and pulling out a wallet which had been given to me as a gift back when I first came to this world. It had certainly seen better days given that it was tattered, about to fall apart at any moment, a decaying front, and worst of all, it had this weird smell which is both musty, and slightly putrid, but not to the point where it would make someone want to throw up. Opening up the wallet, I took out a small picture, and stared at it longingly for a few moments before the tapping of Twilight's finger on the rim of her glasses snapped me out of it. " Huh? Oh... sorry about that Twilight. I was just taking a slightly different trip down memory lane."

" What's that you have there?" Twilight asked.

" It's a small picture of the guy who gave me this wallet when I first came to this world a few years ago." I answered, looking at Twilight closely which made her feel rather uncomfortable, yet I had to remind myself that this wasn't the Twilight that I've come to know... as such, the one in front of me doesn't know who I'm talking about. " Here." I said, handing the picture over to Twilight, " this is someone who at one point sort of meant something to me--"

" I remember seeing him when Crystal Prep came over to Canterlot High to attend both the party that took place the night before the Friendship Games, and during the games themselves." Twilight said, reaching into her bag, and pulling out a small notebook where she began flipping through several pages using her finger before coming to a stop by pressing hard on the page. " According to my research, his name is Flash Sentry, and his occupation is a 'rocker' according to clique names of CHS. Not only can he best described as one of the most popular students of CHS, but he's also someone who can be relied upon whenever you have need of him." Twilight said, my reaction one of complete shock, as she had talked about him in so much detail, you'd think she were some kind of dictionary, and when did she find the time to write down anything about Flash?

Then again, she might have done this for just about everyone else including the faculty. " He supposedly knew me although I suspect he confused me with her... the other Twilight, yet I ignored what people would call 'advances' when it came to his behaviour as I was more focused on understand what I would eventually discover as magic."

" He's a really great guy once you get to know him, but I suppose he does allow his love for music consume his mind." I said.

" So this Flash Sentry was the one who found you when you first came here?" Twilight asked.

" When I said that where I would end up spending the night wasn't what I was expecting, I was referring to Flash Sentry." I answered, taking the photo back from Twilight upon her giving it back, and placing it back into my wallet before putting it back into my pocket again. " My heart wanted me to spend the night on my own because I wanted to be alone with my thoughts, but fate had other plans when his car appeared on the scene."

I guess from the perspective of both Flash Sentry and his father, I was nothing more than a homeless teenager living out in the cold streets, and I suppose they took sympathy on me even though I didn't feel like having any of it given what my current attitude was at the time. It also didn't help that I was struggling to walk because of being new to this world, so when Flash noticed me, I had no say in the matter as his instinct was to help someone in need... even though he had no idea that he was helping a pony who had been changed into a human.

When I began making my way towards somewhere to sleep for the night, it quickly dawned on me that I had no where to go, as this world was new to me, and who in there right mind would accept a stranger? When I heard the sound of something screeching to a stop right in front of me, I had to cover my eyes because of the bright light coming from the headlights, I knew things were about to change relatively quickly.

" Hey! Are you okay?" Flash Sentry asked, having gotten out of his father's car in order to see if I was alright. Even though he was slightly younger than he is right now, he still possessed the same personality then as he does now... wanting to help out those who were in need no matter what kind of person they were. Despite not being able to see his face because those bright lights were blinding me, I could tell from his voice that he was nothing but a fool. Who in their right mind would just come up to someone in the street, and ask if they were okay? Maybe, just maybe... it was my ignorance kicking in, as someone showed signs of concern... I mean, I didn't care about their concerns as I was more than capable of taking care of myself, yet Flash Sentry had a legitimate worry about me. You could say that he had a similar way of thinking like Princess Celestia, yet he was just a weak little boy pretending to be a hero, and I was a powerful unicorn who could easily use my magic to bring him to his knees... except... my magic was gone.

"..." I said nothing to him in response to his question.

" What's wrong? Can't speak?" Flash Sentry asked, inching slightly closer to me before I stared at him with such a cold expression, he immediately backed off slightly, yet remained undeterred in his apparent bid to help me. " Okay, I'll take that as a sign that you can talk, but you'd rather just be left alone. Am I right?" He then saw that I was nodding my head in agreement, and he placed his hand onto his chin to indicate that he was thinking about how to deal with the situation. I found it amusing that he assumed I needed his help in the first place, yet I was starting to grow tired of his presence as I really wanted to find somewhere to rest for the night.

"..."

" My dad and I were driving home from this concert which was the most amazing thing I've ever seen, yet we noticed you stumbling about near the Wondercolt Statue, and I thought that you needed help which is why I asked my dad to pull over! I thought you were some kind of homeless girl given how you're outside in the cold, yet your appearance suggests you're more better off than I expected, so maybe I'm just interfering with your personal business." Flash Sentry said, his words starting to mix up a little... a sign that he was having trouble talking to me, and in response this was making me feel annoyed. Why is he struggling to speak to me? What could possibly be his pitiful excuse? At first I thought it was love, but I threw that notion away instantly, and instead concluded that he just didn't know what to make of the situation. " I'm not sure why you came to Canterlot High given it's closed for the night, but maybe you came here based on instinct?" Flash Sentry asked, scratching his head as he really didn't know what he was doing.

"..." For the third time, I refused to answer his questions, so maybe now he will get the hint that I just want to be left alone, but then something occurred to me which didn't register into my mind until just now. He sounded very familiar with this castle as though he lived there, so perhaps listening to what he has to say may prove useful... until I don't need him anymore, in which case he can just go away or something.

" Guess I'll just leave you alone then." Flash Sentry sighed, turning around where he was about to walk back to his father before he came to a stop when something tugged on his jacket, prompting him to turn around. " Huh? What are you doing?" He saw that I had grabbed onto his jacket as an act of desperation, yet that's what I want him to think as in truth, my intentions were much more meticulous in design.

"...shimmer..." I said quietly.

" What was that?" Flash Sentry asked.

" I'm... Sunset Shimmer..." I answered quietly.

" That's a pretty cool name, and it suits you because of your hair. Anyway, my name is Flash Sentry, a freshman attending Canterlot High, the local high-school in this part of town, but I'm guessing you're not from around here given you were stumbling about as though you were lost." Flash Sentry said, and while I ignored that last bit he said, what he said about a "school" proved much more interesting to me. This world also understands the concept of schools, yet I doubt they have no knowledge of magic... which will make this easier to accomplish than I thought. When I was attending Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, I kept to myself because I wanted to focus on my studies, yet ponies constantly tried to get me to join them in their pointless activities, but there was another side to it... I was often on the receiving end of things despite the Instructor claiming that it was me who was acting as the bully. The other students kept on trying to force me into being their friend, but I wouldn't have any of it, so they chose to tease me because of being different from them. This person... Flash Sentry... he could be the answer I'm looking for.

" What's this school like?" I asked, pretending to act ignorant.

" Canterlot High? It's an amazing place although I wouldn't know too much as I've only been attending for the past month seeing as the semester started a month ago, but the students are really swell once you get to know them, and there are so many different groups such as rockers, techies, eco-kids, and fashionistas. We may have our own cliques where we hang out with other like-minded kids, but we're pretty united regardless." Flash Sentry answered, and I made sure to listen to every word that he said not because of being interested in their feelings, but rather I can use this knowledge to establish a foothold as the dominant "student" as he called them. " You're roughly around my age, so that would make you a shoe-in if you wanted to attend Canterlot High, but I'm not sure if that's possible given how we're already a month into the school year." Flash Sentry said.

" I have quite the expansive education." I said.

" Really? What school did you attend last?" Flash Sentry asked, causing me to freeze up because I hadn't expected him to ask me that. How could I tell him that the last school I was a part of comprised of magical unicorns who studied hard to perfect their magical talent? He'd never believe that in an instant even though he doesn't appear to be all that intelligent given his stumbling of his words earlier. Maybe talking with him wasn't a good idea after all, for already, I'm growing tired of seeing his face in addition to hearing both his voice, and his constant staring at me, so I chose not to respond to his question. " Oh... so you'd rather not talk about that then... that's fine as I'm sure you have a reason for wanting to keep silent about it."

" Are we done now?" I asked.

" Yeah, I think so, but not in the manner that you're thinking of." Flash Sentry answered.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" We really shouldn't be talking out here in the cold like this, as you could catch a cold at any moment, plus my dad looks to be getting impatient what with me trying to help a complete stranger." Flash Sentry answered, reaching out with his hand in an effort to have me hold onto it in return so as to help me along given my horrible walking. I slapped his hand to indicate that I had no need of his assistance, but when I took a single step forward, I tripped on my two long things where I fell over only to have him catch me in his arms which looked really embarrassing for me, yet something strange came over me.

Why did his action feel good to me? Bah! He's probably trying to earn my respective by him helping someone who he thinks is utterly helpless. " That was a close one Sunset Shimmer, but I'm glad that you weren't hurt. Anyway, why don't you come with me and my dad? You can spend the night at our place!" Flash Sentry said, catching me by surprise regarding his status of having a family. It reminded me of the fact that I had such a miserable upbringing, so the thought of being among another family made me want to throw up, yet if I wanted to get out of the cold, I had no alternative but to go along with him.

" It sounds like a plan." I said, my expression a false smile.

" If you had said no, I wasn't going to accept that because there's no way I was going to let someone as beautiful as you spend the night out in the cold especially during this time of the year when the weather slowly grows colder. " Flash Sentry said, pulling me along gently so that I wouldn't trip over again, and while this was humiliating especially because of how great I am, I was slowly getting adjusted to walking in this world. Now I just needed to figured out how to use this strange little things on the end of what used to be my front hooves...

" Like I said Twilight, Flash Sentry is a really great guy, but he does have his obvious faults." I said.

" He wanted to help you out because he didn't like the idea of you spending the night out in the cold, yet I can't help but suspect that he had an ulterior motive which revolved around the notion of having a small crush on you." Twilight said, her words being the honest truth despite being somewhat wordy and overcomplicated in their delivery thus making it rather awkward. " I'm taking it that you didn't accept his advances?"

" Huh? No, he didn't do anything of the sort as his concern was helping me out. Granted, he would eventually fall in love in me, but that's something that I won't be talking about until later." I answered, blushing slightly in response to her attempt at an interrogation. It did make me think back on how Flash and I were once a couple, yet it wasn't what you would call a two-way street in that sense of the word. In truth, it was a one-way street where he genuinely was in love with me, yet I didn't see that way... a truth which even now I regret immensely as it's a reminder of how horrible I used to be. " Twilight, I'll be sure to explain more about that when we get to that point--" I said, cutting myself off on purpose as just thinking about how I treated Flash made my heart start to cry in emotional pain.

" If that's what you want Sunset, then I won't force the issue on you. In any case, that Flash Sentry certainly is an interesting fellow despite him confusing me for her just because she and I look identical. I mean, how did he not know that I wasn't her? I would have thought my glasses, and Crystal Prep uniform would have been enough for him... for all of you to have figured out!" Twilight shouted, her face slightly contorting as she began to freak out... one of Princess Twilight's more adorable reactions, so it was nice to see that this Twilight had the same mannerism, but she did make a valid point. I don't know why none of us figured out that she wasn't the Twilight we've come to know, as the signs were clearly there what with her choice of attire, and overall appearance. It was awkward for us when we learned the truth, and it must have been just as awkward, if not more for Flash... assuming he figured it out. " Sorry for going off on a tangent like that, but I just needed to vent that out. So, you weren't expecting to spend the night at his place?" Twilight asked.

" No, but he was insistent on it, and because I wanted to know more about Canterlot High as well as how to walk, I ended up going with him and his dad. It was a weird experience... not being around him, but rather travelling around in his dad's car, as such a vehicle doesn't exist in Equestria." I answered.

" Really?" Twilight asked.

" We do have some technological marvels including trains, and helicopters, but mainly we rely on wagons, flying provided you're a Pegasus, trotting, galloping, teleporting provided you're a unicorn, and maybe a boat, but I'm not sure on that one." I answered. It dawned on me that compared to this world, Equestria lacks when it comes to modern conveniences, yet nopony aside from Princess Twilight and myself are aware that this world is the way it is.

" So your first car ride?" Twilight asked.

" I thought I would be ejected for sure as it wasn't what I would call comfortable! I've gotten used to it now seeing as I drive cars, and ride motorbikes every now and then, but at the time it was a new sensation which made me fear for my own life." I answered.

" And when you got to your destination?" Twilight asked.

The car ride was horrendous, yet Flash Sentry and his father laughed at my expense, and that caused inner turmoil to swell within me. They were laughing at me! I was going to teach them a lesson they wouldn't soon forget, but then I remembered that I had no magic, so my attempts at threatening them would just be nothing more than a temper tantrum where I was throwing a fit because I couldn't have my way. Once we arrived at his place, I got out where I breathed a sigh of relief as it was an experience I didn't want to go through again any time soon... Flash Sentry's home looked rather plain and boring, nothing compared to the majestic flow of Canterlot Castle, but I knew that this world was different, so I had to curb my tendencies by simply accepting that this world was home challenged. The interior wasn't any better... everything looked plain where nothing stood out as impressive... was this world really that bad when it comes to showing off majestic beauty? Have I really gone from splendour to squalor?

" Mom's not home from work yet, but you can settle yourself down on the couch." Flash Sentry said, pointing to an ugly looking couch which made me cringe, but I forced myself to sit down on it where it proved to be really comfy despite appearances. " We've got a spare room upstairs which you can use for the night, but I don't know how long you'll be allowed to stay here if you needed more time to get yourself back on your feet." Flash Sentry said, his words bringing up another valid point. I can't stay here every night for who knows how long as I'd rather not sink down to the level of these creatures, so I need to make some other arrangements and fast! Surely there was somewhere I could go without anyone caring about it.

" Tell me more about this 'Canterlot High'." I said.

" You seem to be really interested in it, but who can blame you seeing as it's one of the best schools around... apart from that fancy school located in the city... Crystal Prep, a fancy prepatory school where everyone is so serious when it comes to preparing for their college and university careers." Flash Sentry said. It sounds like this other school is much better when it comes to aspiring to be the best, but I doubt this fool would even know where to find it, and I doubt I'd even make it given my lack of knowledge of this world, so it looks like Canterlot High will have to do. " I didn't mention it before because of the cold, but you should talk to Principal Celestia, who runs the school, if you want to register there as an official student."

" What did you say?" I asked, my eyes burning with the fires of rage.

" Principal Celestia..." Flash Sentry answered meekly. No way! Impossible! Did Princess Celestia follow me through the mirror in an attempt to reconcile with me? Was he trying to pull a prank on me? If he was then I was about to unleash all of my fury upon him, but then he doesn't know where I'm truly from, so this is most likely sheer coincidence... which means I need to pay a visit to this Principal Celestia, and perhaps find out much more about this new world in the process. " Are you okay?" Flash Sentry asked, " you seem to have taken her name pretty badly as though she wronged you or something."

" It's just... the name surprised me." I said, cursing under my breath as I couldn't let on that this principal had the same name as my former mentor.

" Oh... okay." Flash Sentry said.

" Have you met her before?" I asked.

" I've only seen her on a few occasions, but she did welcome us all to CHS with a pep rally on the first day." Flash Sentry answered. I couldn't be sure based on this one statement alone, but it sounds as though Principal Celestia may slightly differ from Princess Celestia, but I won't know for sure until I speak to her face-to-face. " If you'd like, my dad and I can drop you off at the school in the morning, and you can speak to her in order to register."

" That would be just fine." I said, smiling an evil smile.

" I... I could take you to her office as I don't think you'll be able to find it." Flash Sentry said.

" You think I'm too incompetent?" I asked.

" No... it's just you're new in town, so you could do with someone to help show you around." Flash Sentry answered. He was right about me needing someone to show me how this world operates, and considering he's thrown himself out there... this Flash Sentry is going to be very useful to me... yet I don't quite understand why he is blushing right now whenever he stares at me. I'll just ignore it as all it does is distract me from my true objective which is to become a princess... yes... that goal is still one that I desire, and despite this current setback, I will achieve my goal no matter what! " If you want, I can maybe show you how to walk properly, yet it doesn't make sense as someone of your age should have known how to back at the age of two at the most!" Flash Sentry said, offering his hand once again. I'll have to humour him by accepting his proposal, for I can learn how to get used to my new body by following some of his acceptable mannerisms. By this time tomorrow... things will definitely get interesting...

" I'm not surprised about you freaking out about Principal Celestia being someone who is familiar to you... I had a similar reaction when I saw Princess Twilight, and she was just as surprised given what she said about seeing me was the strangest thing she had ever seen." Twilight said.

" Princess Twilight has seen human versions of her friends, mentors, colleagues, and more who live in Equestria, yet she somehow manages to maintain control of her reactions." I said.

" So you were going to register for Canterlot High?" Twilight asked.

" Crystal Prep would have been my preferred choice at the time because the way Flash Sentry described it, it was a school where I could focus on my studies, and become the best student among them, but my restrictions prevented me from going. Canterlot High would prove itself to be a worthwhile place to attend given what you've seen of it, but when I first went there to meet with Principal Celestia, I saw much in the way of opportunity..." I answered.

Chapter 8: Principal Celestia

Day: Saturday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 9:00am

Flash Sentry took me to Canterlot High, where I discovered that there were no classes scheduled because it was the weekend. Why would he bring me here if no one was going to be around in the first place!? That's when he told me they were having something he called "intramural sports", and that Principal Celestia organized the event for the students, which is why the sports are on school grounds. This meant I had the chance to talk to her in order to register as a student... there were mixed messages about this that plagued my mind. On the one hoof, she was a different person compared to Princess Celestia, yet on the other hoof, she was a reminder of the one who denied me my right. I would need to approach this impending encounter so as to not give myself away, and perhaps learn more about this place...

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 6, 2015
Chapter 8: Principal Celestia.

Later that night, when Flash Sentry and his parents went off to bed, I remained awake in the room which had been provided for me. Compared to the chambers of Canterlot castle, this room was a sorry excuse if I ever saw one, yet this was something which I had to slowly accept, since I was forbidden to return to the castle until I've "sorted myself out", according to Princess Celestia... not her exact words mind you, but close enough as far as I was concerned. Everything in this room was plain, ugly, and devoid of elegance, a reminder of how far I've fallen, and yet this family has no quarrels about it. They enjoy living in such squalor, but not me; I lived in the lap of luxury, yet that was gone now, and this had become my fate. Thanks to Flash Sentry, I know much about where I am going tomorrow with him. Ugh, that thought alone will give me nightmares. I'll be given an audience with Principal Celestia, someone who has the same name as my former mentor, yet that's all I know about her.

If I could convince her to make me a student of this school, I could proceed to make it my own. After all, I'm far superior to these other creatures. Just because I no longer had access to my magic didn't make me weak! Far from it! In fact, it just means I could use my cunning to get everything I want... everything I want... these three words would keep me awake for much of the night, since while my dream may have been denied, deep down I believed that one day, I would become a princess, and it didn't matter who I had to step on in order to achieve my goal. I then looked down at my hands, as Flash Sentry called them, and clenched each one into a fist, squeezing them until I could no longer tolerate the pain. A far cry from having hooves, but I supposed these would have to do along with these different legs. I was able to mimic some of his more acceptable mannerisms, and while I still had some work to do, I'd soon be able to walk like these creatures in no time, and none of them would even suspect that I am a unicorn from a magical world.

" This world isn't so bad, apart from the lack of magic." I said to myself, staring up at the ceiling, which was just as ugly as the rest of the room. I may have only been here for a few hours, but already I was starting to get used to its charms, however few of them there actually were. " These creatures--humans, as Flash Sentry said in his pathetic attempt to correct me--are simplistic in their intelligence, and their lack of creativity is painfully obvious, yet they have proven themselves useful by providing food, shelter, and knowledge to a complete stranger. I don't know if I should show them pity, or laugh at their ignorance! I suppose I should tolerate their presence to some extent. Otherwise, if I play my hand far too soon, everything could backfire, and I'll be in an even worse position than I am in now." I said to myself. Feeling my eyelids growing heavy, I struggled to remain awake, yet there was still much that remained on my mind, with all of it revolving around this Principal Celestia. Was she really a different version of my mentor? Or was she someone who just so happened to have the same name, and all of this was a mere coincidence? The morning couldn't come soon enough, as I needed to know the answer...

" You didn't think too highly of us humans, did you?" Twilight asked.

" Back then, I saw the people of this world as inferior to me because I felt that I came from a world which was superior in every sense of the word. Now that I've been living here for the last few years, I know that my opinions were nothing but ignorance and immaturity spewing forth from my twisted mouth. Humans have proven themselves to be brilliant in their own right, and while there are one or two things about them which I believe ponies are better at, I see both sides as equal in my books." I answered.

" It must have been difficult for you to get adjusted to a foreign place, huh? I mean, you had spent all that time living in Equestria, and then it just disappeared like that all because of a poor decision on your part." Twilight said, taking off her glasses and wiping them with a cloth, since the dust in the library smudged itself all over the lens. When she was finished, she placed them back on her face before pushing them up with her finger. " I actually know what you went through, Sunset, as I had a similar experience when I first started attending Crystal Prep. I had just transferred over from a previous school because of my high grades, yet I didn't anticipate the atmosphere of the school to be so cold, icy, miserable, as though the only thing that mattered was your own self-interests. Of course, what I experienced was nothing compared to you, since all I did was go from one school to another, while you went from one world to another." Twilight said.

" It was a pretty big life change for me." I said.

" Still, I can't believe you saw humans in such a negative light." Twilight said.

" As a pony who desired to be the best, and who had gone from one dimension to another, I wasn't going to let anyone stand in my way, and that included the people of this world, who were nothing more than pawns for me to use however I saw fit!" I shouted before tears started to swell my eyelids; once again, I had to remember everything I did in the name of wanting power above all else. I could have started over, begun a new life in this world where I didn't have to worry about Equestria, but my hatred and desire to become a princess refused to die. These two feelings alone kept me from abandoning my true self... No wonder I hate the old me so much: She was nothing but a monster who desired power above everything else, and anything that wasn't power she spat on before crushing it beneath her foot. That's when I felt the warmth of another body close by, and turned to see Twilight had snuggled up next to me in order to wipe away my tears. She grabbed my hands and held them in hers like a cradle. It felt good to me, so much so that I didn't want this moment to end.

" At least you changed." Twilight said.

" It just took me a few years to get around to it." I said.

" I suppose my next question is going to be a rather personal one, but I'm sure you'll be able to handle it. Before you go and answer it, though, let me just grab some tissues which I brought with me. No, I didn't bring them because of you crying on me, Sunset, even though that is now a logical reason. I brought them along because I have to wipe myself clean quite often, which comes with the territory of having to use equipment, books, abacuses, and the like, since they're all caked in dirt." Twilight said, her hands separating from mine, which made me feel as though I had just lost my best friend even though she was only going a very short distance. This Twilight I can relate to more than the one I've come to know, as this Twilight and I have so much more in common, and I'm not just referring to the Friendship Games. We both come from similar walks of life where we have struggled to find our place in the world, yet her struggle was more introverted while mine was extroverted.

Twilight had since walked over to her bag, grabbed it, and come back before sitting down next to me. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a box of tissues, which had a cute unicorn design on them... quite the subtle reference, if I do say so myself. " When you first saw Principal Celestia, what was your reaction like? I mean, she resembled someone you knew, and given your current state of mind, did you lash out in any way? What did she think of you? What about your academic records?" Twilight asked, her constant barrage of questions was enough to make me place my hand in front of her mouth to stop her from talking. She actually sounded like a real-life exam, which I thought was really cute... ahem! I removed my hand from her mouth, when she blushed, but I paid it no mind, as she was just being curious.

" To tell you the truth, I didn't know what to expect; all that was on my mind was hatred towards Princess Celestia." I answered.

" Sunset..." Twilight said.

" Besides, I would soon learn that she wasn't the only one who was a familiar face..." I said.

The next morning, Flash Sentry had gotten up early in order to practice for the intramural sports event taking place at Canterlot High, and try as he might to prevent himself from waking me up, an errant football knocked against the window of the room I was residing in, and I woke up in the foulest mood imaginable. Sleeping proved much more difficult than before because of my new body; I wasn't used to sleeping like a human, and what constituted as a bed was unbearable, what with the lumpy mattress, awkwardly-shaped pillows, the size of the bed, and even worse things. Compared to Equestria, this was nothing short of torture! Upon getting up, my mind was completely fuzzy due to how poorly I slept, and because I had no idea as to how this world worked, I stumbled into the bathroom where I went back to sleep in the bathtub... not my most graceful moment. When Flash called me to get ready as we were to leave for Canterlot High within the next twenty minutes, he came to check up on me when I refused to answer his call, and when he discovered where I had ended up, he laughed at me, which really angered me to the point where I could have thrown him down the stairs.

But I was far too groggy to even comprehend such a thing, so I lay there in the tub while he laughed before helping me get out and bringing me back to the guest room, where he told me that we were leaving within twenty minutes and that I could have breakfast if I wanted to. Food... something I haven't had in my belly for quite some time, so upon slapping myself in the face numerous times to make myself fully conscious of what I was doing, I changed out of the pajamas his father provided for me--something I was glad to be out of, as those things felt itchy, were slightly too big, and had a weird smell--and put on the clothes which I gained upon entering this world. My belly then growled again as a sign that I really needed something in me, so I walked down the stairs, making sure not to embarrass myself. But when I came into the kitchen, and saw what was on the table...

" What's this?" I asked.

" Breakfast!" Flash Sentry answered.

" You expect me to eat whatever that is?" I asked, looking at the food on the table which looked nothing like what I was used to back in Equestria. " When you said that breakfast was ready, I was expecting there to be oats, carrots, hay, and daisy sandwiches, yet all I'm seeing are strange things which look absolutely disgusting! You can't expect me to fill my belly with whatever this is!"

" Oats? Hay? That's the kind of thing horses eat." Flash Sentry said.

" Of course, because I--" I said, stopping myself short before closing my mouth and sitting down at the table without saying another word. In my tantrum, I had completely forgotten about where I was, so what I view as food makes no sense to someone like Flash Sentry, and no doubt he probably thinks me as being weird for wanting food that humans would never eat... well, aside from the carrots, of course. The worse thing about all of this was that I almost blurted out that I was a horse in response to what he said, and that would have been the worst disaster. " Sorry, but I guess I'm still feeling slightly groggy because of how I was so rudely woken up earlier!" I said, giving Flash Sentry a cold expression so as to change the subject, and to make him feel guilty about what he did earlier. I then tried reaching out for the food on the table only to knock a cup over where its contents spilled onto the tapestry on the table, yet Flash was able to catch it before it shattered on the floor. I remained undeterred, however, and I reached out again, grabbing something soft and fluffy before sniffing it for a second, and then shoving it into my mouth as my belly really needed something.

" What do you think?" Flash Sentry asked.

" This is pretty good." I answered, mumbling some parts my mouth being full.

" Guess you do like pancakes seeing as you just grabbed another one after eating that one in no time at all." Flash Sentry said. I didn't care what he called them. I just needed more of them to feed my belly and stop it from making those annoying sounds. I kept on reaching for them one at a time until he pushed the plate forward so that I wouldn't have to strain myself, but if he was trying to warm up to me, he'd best forget about it, as all he was to me was a tool. Once I had gotten my fill of food, Flash mentioned that we had to leave; my food binge used up a good deal of time, so I told him to hurry up, otherwise I was going to run to Canterlot High even though I didn't know the way, another slight error of judgement on my part...

"I'm surprised you didn't eat him out of house and home." Twilight laughed.

" My belly was famished, so I ate as much as I could without stopping until it was satisfied, but it was one of the best things I've ever eaten, and has since become a part of my own breakfast each morning." I said, laughing along with Twilight, because I really could have done that to Flash, yet he probably wouldn't have taken it too kindly, and his parents would have been even worse. All of that laughter eventually brought a tear to my eye which I wiped away with my sleeve, and then the reality of the situation sank back in, and I resumed my miserable expression, a reminder that this was still just the beginning of what I've written down in this journal, this accursed book whose secrets I had to share with someone, even if it meant reopening old wounds long forgotten by even myself.

" That was a good laugh right there, but now back to serious business." Twilight said.

" It didn't take long to get to Canterlot High." I said.

" Did you see Principal Celestia in her office?" Twilight asked.

" That was my first instinct, given she was in charge of the school, so it made sense that she would be there overseeing everything, but in truth she was outside helping to coordinate the event along with a few other members of the staff, and even to this day I've never forgotten the first time my eyes and hers made contact with one another. I don't mean that in a sexual manner, Twilight, but one of fate, as she was an alternate version of Princess Celestia, a fact I would figure out that day when we met." I answered.

" What about seeing other faces?" Twilight asked.

Upon arriving at Canterlot High, Flash Sentry told me to go straight to the field located behind the school, as that was where Principal Celestia was. When I asked him why he didn't want to come with me, he said that he needed to get prepared, since he was taking part in the intramural sports he kept on talking about. As he ran off hoping that things would turn out okay, I felt relieved knowing I didn't have to deal with him again, but a really tiny part of me missed his company. I quickly got rid of that notion by reminding myself that he was just a means to an end and nothing more. Seeing the school during the day made it appear more inviting, more majestic, yet it paled in comparison to Equestria standards, but I supposed it was better than nothing. As I began to make my way to the field where Principal Celestia was supposedly located, I came to a stop because something else caught my attention, and I couldn't believe who I saw.

" That girl... she looks just like one of those ponies who always pestered me about wanting to have fun with them." I said to myself. While I never bothered to remember their names, as they were unimportant, their appearances were ones I could never forget, and this girl was clearly the same one I know from the School for Gifted Unicorns, but how could that be possible? Another girl then appeared, walking out from behind the statue of the horse, and she looked like someone I knew, as well. Both of them were ponies back in Equestria, yet they were here in this world, and with bodies similar to what I have. " Is this some kind of magic? How could these two be here in this world? Neither of them went through the mirror like I did, so seeing them here makes no sense at all." I said to myself. Since I didn't want to waste any time speaking with these two, I quietly tip-toed to the left, making sure to keep eye contact on them, and that's when I ran into someone else who I recognized from Equestria.

" Sorry!" She said.

" Watch where you're going next time!" I shouted.

" Sorry!" The girl said as she apologized to me several times before running off to join the other two girls, and as they walked off together, the one who ran into me didn't even bother to look back at me, likely intimidated by me? Choosing to simply ignore her, and cursing all three girls under my breath because of how useless they were, I continued on towards the field where I witnessed other students going by, each of them focused on something different, yet none of it made sense.

" This place feels so warm, kind, and caring... it makes me want to throw up. Why aren't any of them focusing on their studies? That should be their primary goal around here if they aspire to become the best that they can be. Perhaps they don't even care about that? What a waste of good talents, focusing on pointless pursuits instead of the desire to gain more power until no one can stand in your way." I said to myself. An evil expression appeared on my face; something had just occurred to me. Because these students were so lax when it came to their goals, it would be easy for me to exert my will over them, and practically become the ruler around here. I had the superior intellect, after all, so none of them would be able to challenge me, but I needed to make sure that they knew their place. The first thing I needed to do before doing any of that was to register as a student and, from there, plan out how I will hold this school in the palm of my hand. I may not become a princess in Equestria just yet, but this place would have to do for the time being.

When I arrived at the field, I saw that it was in pretty good condition and was presentable, unlike everything else around here. Seeing the lush green grass reminded me of back home, where I used to gallop all the time, my mane blowing free in the wind, my magic flowing about without restraint, and writing down things in my journal to Princess Celestia that I discovered because of strong fascination. Such a mental image was marred by the fact that there were so many people here, but I supposed it's something I'd get used to, even if it does make me cringe. That's when my entire body froze on the spot, for the one I had been waiting to see was right in front of me. Her body may be different from her Equestrian counterpart, yet her flowing multi-coloured hair was a dead giveaway to me. Princess Celestia. How could I face her after our falling out? Before I could make any kind of action, she turned around and noticed me, and while I wanted to run away, my legs wouldn't respond, and my brain felt like it had shut down.

" Oh? You must be new around here." Principal Celestia said, a smile appearing on her face.

I was unable to say anything in response to her.

" Is something wrong?" Principal Celestia asked.

Again, I could say nothing.

" There's no need for you to be afraid, despite my station as the principal of Canterlot High, but I will not force you to say anything if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Just relax a little bit, and allow yourself to feel calm and secure." Principal Celestia said. Her words... her mannerisms... her appearance... she was just like Princess Celestia! It felt as though I was back at home as a foal when I first met her and impressed her with my display of magic, and for a few moments my hatred towards my former mentor disappeared; seeing her here made me remember the good times we had together. That's when reality sunk in again, reminding me that my mentor denied me my destiny, and this person who looked just like her could do the exact same thing. Could she really, though? I didn't know what to think at this point! " Flash Sentry told me that I would be receiving a visitor, and it was you he was talking about, correct?" Principal Celestia asked.

I said nothing, but I did nod my head in the affirmative.

" At least that is a good start, you acknowledging me by nodding to answer my question, but I think you can do an even better job of expressing yourself by speaking. There is nothing to worry about; you are in a safe environment where everyone believes in friendship and wants to make this school the best experience they've had in their entire lives. Now, why don't you tell me your name?" Principal Celestia asked, her soothing voice compelling me to answer her.

" Sunset Shimmer..." I answered.

" You see? That must have felt good, right?" Principal Celestia asked.

" I guess..." I answered.

" And I see that you have a fine name, one that burns with a fiery hot passion, one who is destined for great things. Anyway, I am Principal Celestia, and now I'd like to ask why you wanted to speak with me. Flash said something about you registering here as a student, and even though I know that he is telling me the truth, I want to hear it straight from you." Principal Celestia said. Every time she spoke and looked at me with those eyes of hers, it felt like knives were skewering my heart, and that pain continued to worsen with every passing moment. She acted just like Princess Celestia, and such a notion was tearing me apart. " Sunset Shimmer? Is something wrong?" Principal Celestia asked.

" You... just remind me of someone I know." I answered.

" If my presence is making you uneasy, perhaps you should speak to my sister Vice Principal Luna." Principal Celestia suggested.

" No, it's okay. It's just that where I come from, I had a teacher who you remind me of, a teacher who always aspired me to become the best I could be. But then we had a falling out over a pointless issue which was all her fault, and she ended my studies there and then." I said.

" She sounds like someone who is not very trustworthy." Principal Celestia said.

" You don't even know the half of it." I said.

" It sounds to me that this teacher of yours focused all of her efforts on you personally, a private tutor, not an uncommon thing. But I suppose she wanted better from you, and felt that you were not worthy to take your studies to the next level." Principal Celestia said. Hearing her say this made me feel anger and rage towards Princess Celestia, yet at the same time I felt this way towards the version before me, since she was making me out to be the problem. Then again, it was probably her ignorance showing, as compared to my former mentor, who was the ruler of an entire kingdom, this Principal Celestia merely served as the ruler of this much smaller piece of land. " Tell me, Sunset Shimmer, what kind of school did you attend before coming here?"

" It's something I don't like talking about." I answered.

" No need to feel ashamed about it." Principal Celestia said.

" At my last school, I strove to be the best student that I could, completing all of my assignments, reading the assigned books, passing tests with flying colours, and generally thinking about my future, but my fellow students kept on trying to interrupt my studies, which upset me. They weren't going anywhere in terms of their future, so they wanted to drag me down to their level, but I wasn't about to have any of it. My mentor kept on trying to tell me to accept this perspective, but I didn't want to, because of how bad my childhood was, what with parents who ignored me in favour of my siblings." I said. It actually felt good to vent out so much frustration, yet while I had the urge to keep going, I noticed that Principal Celestia's expression was one of shock, as though she didn't know how to respond to what I had just said. Rather than tell the truth, as she wouldn't have believed any of it, I decided to go with a slight alteration in the hopes she would buy it. " I moved here in order to start my life over, to get away from the troubles of my past, and this school seems like it can help me move on with my future."

" That was... an interesting story, Sunset Shimmer, but I believe you do desire to attend this school." Principal Celestia said.

" So I can register?" I asked.

" Right now, I need to focus on these intramural sports; the students have been looking forward to this all month. But if you could stick around here for a few hours, I'll be sure to get you registered as an official student of CHS, and you can join us Wondercolts." Principal Celestia answered.

" Did you say 'Wonderbolts'?" I asked.

" No, I distinctly said 'Wondercolts', the name of our school team." Principal Celestia answered.

" Then I'll just wait here until you're done." I said, prompting her to turn around, and walk towards a group that looked as though they were lost. I felt angry that she was focusing on them instead of me; I should have been taken care of first! I was far more important than these other students, including the ones who reminded me of those ponies who kept bothering me before... that's when I started to realize something, yet it took until that moment for it to become clear to me. I needed to test my theory a bit further in order to prove it, but if I could find other people around here who looked like ponies I've seen back in Equestria, I may have figured out what this world really is. I had plenty of time to indulge in this activity, and it could help me learn more about the students here, as I intended on making sure they all know their place.

" It took me a while to figure out that this world was an alternate version of Equestria, where people here are human instead of ponies." I said.

" Who did you speak to in order to confirm your suspicions?" Twilight asked.

" Principal Celestia suggested speaking to her sister Vice-Principal Luna, so that was an option right there, but there were certain students who happened to be there for those intramural sports who really piqued my interest." I answered.

" Who?" Twilight asked.

" You already know them." I answered.

Chapter 9: The Gang's All Here

Day: Saturday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 10:00am

Principal Celestia told me to hang around Canterlot High for a while, as she needed to take care of the students and their intramural sports before she could get me registered. I was so angry beyond words; she was clearly ignoring me in favour of them, just like my parents did where they ignored me. I figured there was no other choice but to just wait, but this did give me the opportunity to investigate these other students. If I was going to rule over them and put them in their place, I needed to get as much information as I can, including some juicy information with which to further assert my position. At the same time, I needed to test that theory which has been nagging me since seeing those students who resembled ponies I knew and Principal Celestia's resemblance to my former mentor. Guess I'm pulling double duty here...

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 8, 2015
Chapter 9: The Gang's All Here.

" You mean our friends?" Twilight asked, her jaw dropping in response to what I had just revealed to her.

" Flash Sentry wasn't the only one who attended that day to compete in the intramural sports, Twilight. Our friends were there, too, but back then I had no idea who they were, and I didn't suspect them of playing a major factor in my life years down the road." I answered, turning the page in my journal where a photo suddenly slid out between the pages, floating gently to the ground before I picked it up and took a long look at it. " Wow... I completely forgot about this photo, yet it does bring back some rather mixed feelings given what I just said."

" Can I take a look?" Twilight asked. I handed the photo over to her carefully, mainly because it had been stuffed in between the pages of my journal, so it hasn't had what I would call the best preservation. When she held it in her hands and adjusted her glasses, Twilight was shocked over what she was looking at. " Was this photo taken during the day in question?" I nodded my head. " Judging from their expressions, our friends look as though they don't really know what is going on around them, and as for you Sunset... You look miserable, as though you didn't want to be there." Twilight said.

" Back then, they were freshmen just like everyone else who attended the intramural sports, yet I would learn much later that each of them had met years ago during a fair of some kind, but eventually went their separate ways because of living in different places. It wasn't until Canterlot High that they were reunited, but because this was such a big change for them--attending high school--they couldn't help but be nervous as they wanted to make a good first impression." I said, looking down at the pages, a glum look crossing my face. If there was one thing I feel that I failed miserably at upon looking back on it, it would be the impression that I gave to the students of the school, for while I would later give off the impression of being an intimidating bully, on that day, I was more like a miserable loner who just wanted to be left alone to my own devices.

" What are you thinking about?" Twilight asked.

" Seeing that photo again brings mixed feelings. On the one hand, I got to meet my future friends that day, but on the other, I gave off the impression that I just wasn't interested in making friends with anyone. In my mind, I wanted to focus on the new studies I would have to apply to myself in order to live in this world without drawing any kind of suspicion about where I was really from, and to do all of that, I couldn't allow myself to become involved with friendship." I answered.

" No wonder you wanted to see me in particular." Twilight said.

" We both have a lot in common." I said.

" I wanted to focus on my studies as well, but I didn't have any kind of hidden motive that revolved around wanting to rule over Crystal Prep. I was pretty content with the pursuit of knowledge, but looking back on my time there from the perspective of an outsider, I was picked on for being too smart for my own good." Twilight said, the features on her face following my face's example, but unlike me, she sighed a heavy sigh as though she still had some kind of lingering regret about having left her old school behind in order to attend Canterlot High, and just when Crystal Prep was beginning to turn things around. " But, we're not here to discuss my problems, but yours, Sunset. So, what happened when you met our friends?" Twilight asked, but before I answered her, I held out my hand like I was asking for a bribe, but the truth was that I wanted my photo back, despite it representing mixed messages. She blushed meekly before giving it back, when I looked at it for a few moments before sliding it in between some different pages.

Since Principal Celestia told me to wait around school grounds for a few hours, I had no other choice but to do just that until she could register me as an official student and a "Wondercolt", whatever that meant. I didn't want to do much in the way of exploring the school, as that would have been a time waster. I sat down on a nearby bench and began staring as other students went by, all while I had my head in my hands as a sign of boredom. As the students passed me by without taking the time to say any kind of greeting, I was mentally laughing at how pathetic they were, doing all of this nonsense instead of focusing more on their studies. No wonder their intellects were smaller than my own, even if that was my own opinion: They are more interested in having fun and making friends rather than wanting to be the best students they can be. The more I watched them, the simpler it would be to instill my dominance over them. I couldn't, however, just go out there and declare that I was going to rule over them. That would be the worst this I could do, and they would probably chew me out or worse, so I needed some other kind of tactic.

Most of the students who went by were holding all kinds of equipment: footballs, soccer balls, golf clubs, tennis nets, pylons, baseball bases, and even some odd pieces which looked like they belonged in the circus. Some of these activities did exist in Equestria, which is how I knew what they were, but others I found out due to overhearing the students yammering on about them as though they were the most important thing in the world. These students didn't resemble anyone I knew from back home, so my theory wasn't working, but that would quickly change when I noticed five students walk by. They attended Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, or the pony versions of them did, anyway. I even knew the name of the one in front because she always made it her goal to let everypony know who she was, and I always resented her for having such a loud mouth like that. Just because she was the daughter of a noble family didn't give her the right to boast like that, making the rest of us feel worthless in comparison.

" Look at her... Even in this world, Sassy Saddles just has to show off." I said to myself, staring angrily at the girl who wasn't holding anything, but rather was telling those surrounding her how good she looked and that she was on the verge of starting her career in the world of fashion. Her friends were in awe as they listened to everything that came out of her mouth, but hearing the sound of her voice made me cringe. I wanted to rip off my own ears, as she bothered me so much. " Why does she of all ponies have to have a human version of herself? Of all those who annoyed me at school, she was one of the worst, even when she wasn't trying to talk to me as a means of showing kindness just because Princess Celestia requested it from all of her students. Waiting here to get registered as a student just isn't worth it when you have the likes of her around." I said to myself, turning away from Sassy Saddles, who continued to praise herself to no end.

" I take it you don't like Sassy Saddles all that much?"

" Huh?" I exclaimed as the voice of Flash Sentry caught me by surprise, prompting me to turn around and face him. He was wearing different clothes that made him look even more pathetic than usual, but there was something about his current appearance which made me stare at him for just a few moments before turning back to face Sassy Saddles, who had since walked away with her group of idiots following along, listening to her every word like love-struck canaries.

" Most of the students here at CHS aren't really fond of her because of how much praise she gives herself, and all because her family is one of the richest in town. It's given her a superiority complex the size of a crater. You'd think Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna would have told her to tone it down, but because Sassy's family have such a high status around here, they have enough influence to force the two sisters out of a job." Flash Sentry said. His words reaffirmed my initial suspicions of Principal Celestia, that she was just in charge of this school, and therefore had no real power, unlike my former mentor who was the ruler of an entire kingdom. Hearing how a rich family can easily manipulate things around here just like that made me smile, as it meant my own ambitions of dominating this school would be much easier than I thought.

" She sounds like she could rule this school if she wanted." I said.

" In truth, underneath that boisterous exterior is someone who is afraid of being judged, especially by her own parents. That's why she puts on all this bravado; she doesn't want to be seen as a failure, especially when she leaves CHS in a couple of months." Flash Sentry said.

" Why would she leave?" I asked.

" Sassy Saddles has been attending CHS for four years now and is on the verge of graduating, but she needed to spend one more semester here, due to needing a couple of extra credits she lacked at the end of the last school year. The students are looking forward to when she finally leaves, since it means that we won't have to deal with her and her superiority complex, and that we won't have to worry about someone else wanting to become the talk of the town." Flash Sentry answered. He didn't notice that I was rubbing my hands with glee and smiling a wicked, cruel smile, as this meant that there was no one who could stand in the way of me becoming a proper ruler of this school. If Sassy were to stick around even longer, I would have made her life miserable; she deserved to be knocked down a few pegs. " By the way, how come you were just sitting here on your own? I would have thought you were going to join in on the intramural sports." Flash Sentry said.

" I have no time for such pointless things. My studies take precedence! Besides, I have to wait until Principal Celestia is done with all of this before she can register me as a student, which she should have done first instead of this!" I said.

" You really do take your studies seriously, don't you?" Flash Sentry asked.

" To become the best, you need to study and not allow distractions to get in the way." I answered. My response caused Flash to scratch his head, since he didn't know how to respond to what I had just said, but after a while he was able to come up with an answer.

" Nothing wrong with wanting good grades, but you should try to lighten up a little, Sunset Shimmer." Flash Sentry said, taking his leave of me in order to partake in the intramural sport that he was involved in. I resumed staring at the students who were going by. How dare he tell me to "lighten up"! It's that kind of talk which made him weak and useless to me because he was just wasting his time with pointless pursuits. Everyone at this school was just like that! That's why it would be so easy to take over this place, as their way of thinking is easy enough to take advantage of. What may have taken me several weeks is bound to take several days, provided I play my cards correctly.

" Canterlot High was known for its friendships and loving atmosphere, but grades were another story, altogether." I said.

" When I attended Crystal Prep, Principal Cinch told me prior to the Friendship Games that test scores, grades, and athletics had been improving at CHS over the last couple of months, so you're saying that it was worse off before you appeared?" Twilight asked.

" No, it was pretty bad before I arrived, and it actually got worse because of my manipulations. In Principal Celestia's eyes, she just wanted her students to experience friendship, harmony, and a safe environment, with their academic future being a minor issue." I answered. It must have hard for Twilight to learn all of that about CHS, seeing as she had chosen to transfer to the school upon the conclusion to the Friendship Games, but hopefully we're not too far below the expectations she has come to know during her time at Crystal Prep. Otherwise, her academic career could take an unfortunate nosedive downwards into a spiral that it wouldn't be able to recover from.

" No wonder you felt so isolated; everyone was inferior to your intellect." Twilight said.

" They were the smart ones after all, as they understood what I had been missing from my life, but as you already know Twilight, I would eventually come to understand what they all already knew. Back then, though, I saw myself as better than all of them combined." I said.

" What about our friends?" Twilight asked.

After Flash Sentry finished speaking with me, I resumed watching students pass me by, and my disdain towards them continued to grow in strength. The more I watched them waste their lives pursuing fun instead of knowledge, the more I felt sorry for them, but not in the traditional means of the word. No, I felt sorry because they were going to end up amounting to nothing, their very existences having no future plans. Upon turning to my left because of hearing a loud group of students entering the field, my eyes opened wide, and I began to stare intently at the group, or rather, at five individuals who happened to be among the group. There was something about them which made them different from the others, as though they possessed something special. Yet I couldn't tell what that something was; they looked like ordinary humans. All five of my future friends were standing right there before me: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy. All of them stood together, with confused looks on their faces as though they had no idea what was going on.

None of them paid me any attention, as I wasn't trying to make myself known, but when Fluttershy noticed me sitting on my own, she waved at me. I just stared at her and the others as though I were in some kind of trance, and she stopped waving before backing away slightly. I then shook my head to get out of this self-enchantment I found myself in. They were just ordinary girls who had no futures just like the rest of the students, and I was the only one who would have a future: being the ruler of this school, and making all of them fear my very name. I knew that this was a pretty lofty goal; they were familiar with this world, while I wasn't, but there had to be something I could do that would enable me to gain as much power as possible within a short period of time. Turning my attention towards the five girls who had intrigued me, I saw that they were no longer there, seemingly having gone off to play their silly games. That's when I felt as though someone were close to me, and when I looked around me, I saw that they had come over for some reason.

" Fluttershy insisted that we come over here and speak with you, since you looked miserable, though if you want my opinion, dear, you were looking at us as though we were strange to you. Now, I don't know about the rest of my friends, but to be perfectly frank, I didn't mind you looking at me, as I do my best to look fabulous." Rarity said. She then took out a small device, which I would later find out was called a compact mirror, and began looking at it all while doing something to her face, yet I remained silent, as I didn't want to speak to any of them despite being fascinated with their very presence.

" Are you sure she needs help?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Why else would she be sitting over here on her own?" Fluttershy asked.

" Some people just wanna be on their own with their own thoughts, and who are we to get in the way of that? I know ya had a noble gesture here, Fluttershy, but I don't think this girl here appreciates that kinda help, if you know what I mean." Applejack answered, her words a ring of truth, even though I had trouble understanding her, what with that thick accent she had. It made me want to tell her to just shut up, but instead I chose to continue saying nothing in the hopes that they would leave me alone. " We're sorry if we went and interrupted whatever it is ya were doin', so if ya don't mind, I reckon we'll just be on our way." Applejack said.

" We can't just leave her here--" Fluttershy began.

" Darling, this girl clearly wants to be left alone, and we should respect her decision." Rarity said.

" Okay... I guess she didn't need help after all." Fluttershy said.

" I do have one question fer ya if you're willin' to answer it. Why were you lookin' at us a few moments ago like you were some kinda creep? I don't mean that in a disrespecting way, but you were just starin' at us fer a few moments, and it just felt wrong." Applejack said. Despite the fact that I wanted them to leave me alone, something inside my heart compelled me to give them an answer, and not the kind that would be enough to get rid of them, but rather something a little closer to home.

" I... sensed something special about you." I said.

" Special? Us?" Fluttershy asked.

" None of us are anything special, unless you mean what we're good at. Take me, for example: I'm the best athlete around!" Rainbow Dash answered, waving her hand through her hair as though she were trying to impress everyone. In my own opinion, all she was doing was acting like a selfish braggart who probably isn't as good as she claims to be, and if I saw her fail miserably, I'd just laugh at her because she deserved it.

" Well, I'm not sure why you would think that way about us, darling, but I suppose it is the thought that counts. We would love for this conversation to continue, but I think we should rejoin our friends in the intramural sports. Don't see this as us abandoning you, though. Quite the opposite!" Rarity said.

" She means that we need to focus on our extra-curricular activities, since part of our grades revolve around participating in these here kinds of events, so I hope fer your sake that y'all are plannin' on taking part, eventually. Otherwise, you could end up failin', as studying isn't gonna be enough around here." Applejack said. Hearing what she just said rubbed me the wrong way, and I was trying my best not to erupt in a fit of rage because of her saying that I was inferior to her and her friends because I focused on studying, while they focused on wasting away their pathetic lives.

" When we're finished, are we going over to Sugarcube Corner to order some cakes, talk about what we're going to be doing for the Fall Formal, and finding some of those fancy-schmancy outfits you have stored away, right, Rarity?" Pinkie Pie asked, speaking in a rather hectic manner which I found difficult to understand. Such a waste really; all that energy could be used to further her own intellect, and instead she chooses to keep what little she has and focuses on eating sweets and having fun.

" Of course, Pinkie Pie. We must look fabulous for the Formal; it's the first big school event of the year, and the first one of our lives as freshmen." Rarity answered. All five girls then slowly walked away from me, and refused to look back, as though my attitude had been enough to frighten them away from me. Once they were out of range, I breathed a sigh of relief; I thought they would never leave me alone, and their incessant talk about my well-being just proved how ignorant they really were. However, there was one thing that crazy-acting one said which I couldn't get out of my mind, and that was this "Formal" she brought up before they left. It sounded to me that whatever that is, a lot of students were going to be there, and that would include me, as I would be a student by the time it comes along. It looked like I would need to learn more about it, and Principal Celestia was just the person who could tell me everything.

" That was pretty cold." Twilight said.

" I know, and not a day goes by that I regret treating them like that by ignoring their efforts to help me, but what I did on that day was nothing compared to what I was going to do to them several months later." I said.

" I'm sure you'll be telling me that soon enough, but it looks as though you'll be talking about some kind of formal, and judging from how they were all excited about it, it sounds like it was going to be quite the event where everyone dresses in formal attire and shares research notes with one another all in the name of knowledge." Twilight smiled, yet my reaction to that was one of slight surprise, followed by rolling my eyes towards the back of my head. I knew she was going to assume that's what a formal was, and while it was very cute, I had to tell it to her straight so that she wouldn't get confused. This also meant that she probably never attended a formal before.

" Um, Twilight? A formal, in this case, would be a dance." I said.

Chapter 10: Deception

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Cloudy, possible chance of sun later
Time: 12:15pm

It has been three weeks since I registered as a student at Canterlot High, and things have been progressing a little slowly when it came to me ruling over the school. Try as I could, I just couldn't find my foothold, and this has left me feeling bitter; this was supposed to have been simple! The students simply ignored me... I guess my attitude during the day of those intramural sports left a bad impression, but I wasn't about to sink to their level. There was a chance for me to turn this around before things became too big of a hurdle to overcome, and it had to do with the Fall Formal, which everyone has been talking about non-stop. I learned from Principal Celestia that the winner is crowned princess of the Formal and could shape events that are to come in the school's future. While it may not be an alicorn princess, this was the next best thing, so naturally, I chose to go for it, but I also heard that there were several others who coveted the crown as well... I couldn't allow them to take what shall be mine, so perhaps a little bit of persuasion was in order? If that didn't do the trick, then I'd have to rely on more severe methods...

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 10, 2015
Chapter 10: Deception.

" A dance?" Twilight asked, confused by this sudden revelation.

" At first I didn't know what the Fall Formal was, but when I found out about it, I thought it was exactly what I needed in order to begin my quest to rule over CHS and bring both fear and intimidation to everyone who attended. Looking back on it now, after all I've been through, I wish that I had never went for it in the first place. Refusing to go for it would have resigned me into accepting humility... the one thing Princess Celestia said I was lacking." I answered. Holding the journal firmly in one hand, I used the other to flip past several pages, prompting Twilight to ask why I would want to ignore what was contained on those pages. I told her that those pages didn't contribute to what I wanted to reveal. In truth, those pages were just a series of rants I wrote down about my first days at CHS and how the school was inferior to the School for Gifted Unicorns, but my ranting only lasted the first week; my attitude began to change when the Fall Formal drew closer. " My first days were just me having tantrum after tantrum, and I expressed those rages by writing them down into my journal, yet I managed to maintain my demeanour even when I wanted to literally explode with frustration over having been reduced to being a powerless human who lacked any kind of magic."

" Couldn't you have gone back to Equestria?" Twilight asked.

The portal had a strange mechanic which was implemented by Star Swirl the Bearded to prevent anyone from misusing it from either side: the portal only opens once every thirty moons, which is actually roughly thirty months in this world, and it will remain open for the following three nights until it closes again. After that, you have to wait for thirty moons until it opens again. So you see, once I came out of the mirror, I was trapped here for many months until it opened." I answered. I then looked at Twilight with a sad look on my face, and she instantly knew where I was going next with my explanation. She blushed as a sign of embarrassment as she had gotten her answer without any words, but I chose to speak anyway in case my message didn't quite get through to her. " I couldn't return to Equestria... not after the falling out I had with Princess Celestia. To go back would mean to do so with my tail between my legs, and I wasn't about to let her have the satisfaction of making me beg for forgiveness. If I could go back into the past and have a good, long talk with my past self, I would have told her to go back and straighten things out, and I would tell her the horrible things we would do in time, and make her feel immense regret if she were to love the idea of wanting to continue on down that path." I said.

" Is that mechanic still in place?" Twilight asked.

" No; Princess Twilight--the other you--created her own portal by using the journal which Princess Celestia kept--which is how Princess Twilight is able to read all of my Friendship Reports--as an energy source, and now she can come here whenever she wants." I answered.

" And what about you?" Twilight asked. My immediate silence told her without words that it was a subject I would rather not talk about, because while I have become a much better person within the span of the last year, what happened in Equestria between me and Princess Celestia has never been resolved. Because of that, there's this pathological fear I have about facing her after so many years. I really want to see her again, and apologize for everything that went wrong, as it was entirely my fault, but a part of me isn't quite ready to go back to Equestria just yet. " Sorry if I've touched some kind of nerve. I didn't know that you haven't had a chance to go back home." Twilight said.

" Actually, I did tell you a small white lie--" I began.

" What?" Twilight asked.

" I did go back to Equestria briefly on two different occasions." I answered, burying my head into my hands because I had been dishonest with Twilight, yet while I was expecting her to scold me for having deceived her, she merely shrugged her shoulders, and said it was fine; she has done similar things herself. Lifting up my head, and wiping away the tears that were trickling down my eyes, I began to focus on what I needed to share with her next. " The Fall Formal is a dance where everyone attends to, well, dance, but there was another part to it where students vote on a girl to become the princess of the Formal."

" And here I thought it was a gathering of the minds." Twilight said.

When I officially became a student after Principal Celestia had completed the registration process, I remember the words Pinkie Pie said, despite how frantic they were, and inquired as to what the Fall Formal was. Her explanation was pretty mundane, and I ignored most of it, as it was just pointless rhetoric which had no meaning to me, but when she brought up a student being crowned princess, I asked her to tell me more. Students vote on one of their peers to be crowned "Princess of the Fall Formal", but they needed to register with whoever was in charge of the planning committee, and ironically, Principal Celestia was covering it this year as no student had volunteered. That meant not having to speak to any of the other students, which made me feel relieved. I was told that in order to win the crown, I had to get the most number of votes as determined by my fellow students, yet this notion didn't settle well with me at all. I should just be given the crown no questions asked due to being superior to everyone else in this cesspool of a school, but I had to win it in a legitimate fashion. I also learned that four other students were vying for the same thing, and I wasn't going to allow any competition to get in the way. I may not become an alicorn princess through this Fall Formal, but this will have to do until my destiny comes.

Over the next three weeks, I began to do some research about Canterlot High, so that I could become the Princess of the Fall Formal, and while I would have preferred to study up on something really important, if I was to live in the human world, I might as well learn as much about the local customs as possible. According to what I read, to become the princess, I would need to display certain characteristics that the voters were looking for. Already I knew this would be a problem; I lacked those characteristics, or rather, I just didn't care about them. That meant I was guaranteed to lose because I didn't have those qualities, but perhaps there was another approach that could lead me to victory. This whole voting aspect is something Equestria goes through constantly when it came to selecting leaders, barring the monarchy, and from what I remember, if there is only the one candidate left because the others dropped out of contention, the one who remains automatically wins by default.

I had to get rid of the competition so that I would be the only one who could win, but I just couldn't outright eliminate them, as that would expose my true intentions, and I want to avoid that path as long as possible. This required a more delicate approach, which revolved around manipulation, deceit, dishonesty, doing everything in the shadows, and more so that I wouldn't be discovered. When it came to getting what I want, I was willing to do whatever it took, even if it meant having to break a few rules in the process. The day before the Fall Formal was to take place, I had been keeping track of who the students wanted to vote for, and it wasn't surprising to see that I was at the bottom, with no one lending me their support. Soon, however, they would have no choice but to vote for me, as I would be the only one left. My opponents were a mixture of the popular, the fashionable, the smart, and even a student who was relatively quiet, yet I wasn't worried; they each had flaws that were easy to exploit. Even though Principal Celestia was in charge of the committee for the Formal, she had asked one of the students to assist her, and it turned out to be none other than Pinkie Pie. While she had an overactive mind, she also was known for babbling out secrets. She just couldn't keep them.

I needed some information about my opponents, and Pinkie was going to share them. All I had to do was use the proper incentives. Pinkie was sitting down at a table during lunch period, working on various party decorations for the Formal, but she quickly stopped when I sat down on the opposite side. She smiled before offering me a balloon. That took me by surprise, yet I mentally cringed, as she was just acting like an immature child. That was something about Pinkie Pie which always bothered me: her immaturity. Surely, it must be somewhat lacking. Why else would she act like she does? I'm used to it now, and even accept it as part of who she is, but back then it just annoyed me.

" Aren't you one of the students who wants to become Princess of the Fall Formal?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Yes, and I was hoping that you could help me with something." I answered, pretending to be subtle when in truth I was looking for information. Pinkie Pie then held up her hand to signal that she needed to blow up some balloons she had with her. My response was mumbling to myself over how this was wasting precious time, but she kept holding it up and kept blowing, until she came to a stop and put the remaining balloons to one side before turning her attention to me. She placed her elbows on the table and her head in her hands. Poor Pinkie Pie... she was going to become a pawn in my game, and she was oblivious to it.

" What can I help you with?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Well, I've been pretty open about how I have described myself as a contender for the crown of the Fall Formal, but I don't think my opponents have been quite as honest. It's like they were hiding some secrets which they don't want anyone to know, otherwise it would ruin them." I answered.

" Really? Huh... I don't recall you saying much about yourself, Sunset Shimmer, but then, you probably might have done so, but I wasn't there to hear it, or I was there and was focusing on something else, so I couldn't hear anything you were saying." Pinkie Pie said, her incessant chatter making me want to just tape her mouth shut permanently, but throttling her would've given me away, so I would just have to endure.

" I know that a lot about me remains unknown, but those are private matters which I prefer to keep to myself." I said.

" Yeah, but you shouldn't keep such things bottled up; the students want their princess to be approachable." Pinkie Pie said. She had no right to say that to me; what I went through before coming to this world is something their minds could never even begin to comprehend, so I had every right to yell back at her. However, I chose to bite the bottom half of my lip, which prompted Pinkie to look at me oddly. " You okay? You look as though you're stressing out!" I told her that I was fine, even though my biting almost caused my lip to start bleeding, given how tense I felt, so she resumed with her chatter, all while looking at me with an expression that could be described with a single word: creepy. That smile of hers looked so unnatural, like someone had given her plastic surgery. No face should look like that, even if they were always cheerful. " Okay, I get that you don't like all of your little teeny tiny secrets to be known, but you may have to share them one day."

" That's for me to decide." I said, growling slightly to let her know that she should just drop the subject of my past before things got worse.

" Well, moving on to the topic at hand, your opponents do have their secrets which they did tell me, but they told me not to reveal anything, because it would just be so damaging to their chances of becoming Princess of the Fall Formal. You don't have anything to worry about, Sunset Shimmer, since you have no such secrets. You're keeping them locked away in a chest somewhere, but everyone else has been on edge. They know that secrets have a nasty habit of biting you when you least expect it." Pinkie Pie said.

" Oh, you can't mean that?" I asked, saying just the right words to trick her into confessing.

" I do mean it, missy, and you wouldn't believe what kind of secrets they are." Pinkie Pie answered.

" Then by all... nah. On second thought, don't tell me about them. They are meant to be kept secret, after all, and we wouldn't want their chances to be dashed a mere day before the Formal is to take place. I mean, it's not like those secrets have the potential to cause that kind of trouble. If they were that serious, they wouldn't have told you, because you're an assistant as dictated by Principal Celestia, and they had to be up front with both her and you." I said, watching Pinkie's reactions very closely. Her cheeks started to swell up, but not because she was suddenly feeling sick. Rather, she was holding her breath, seemingly because she wanted to share those secrets with me. It really was just too easy to manipulate someone who had such a small mind to begin with, yet I needed to goad her further. I needed to know how to take care of the competition. " Those secrets couldn't be that important, Pinkie Pie, so why don't we just change the topic to something more pleasant--" I said.

" OKAY! You've talked me into it!" Pinkie Pie shouted before quickly covering up her mouth when everyone in the lunch hall were looking in her direction, yet she nor anyone else could see the evil smile across my face. She had fallen into my trap without any problems, and now she was about to reveal all to me, yet I will admit this was a little too close for comfort; I don't like the idea of having to get this close and personal just to learn something. " You know how Lemony Gems always wears that pad on her left shoulder, and everyone keeps thinking it's to do with an injury? That isn't really the case; she actually wears it to hide her birthmark, which she's shown me, and if the rest of the students knew what it looked like, she would be humiliated for all time!" Pinkie Pie said.

" Do tell..." I said, making sure to write this information down on a hidden notepad.

" And then there's the secret which Sapphire Shores practically begged to have kept secret; Sassy Saddles would never let her live it down if anyone knew that Sapphire wears false eyelashes, as her real ones are way too small for her liking. Oh, and let me tell you about..." Pinkie Pie said, rattling on about her classmates' secrets. Each word that came from her mouth were music to my ears; this was information that I was going to use in order to get rid of my competition. My opponents would be too ashamed to show their faces upon learning that their secrets were exposed to the student body, and Pinkie would take the fall, since she was the one who blabbed, as opposed to myself, who would do nothing more than spread the rumours, all by slipping them around here and there without anyone knowing I said anything. There was only one problem with my plan, and it didn't involve the plan itself, but rather having to listen to Pinkie Pie go on, and on, and on like she were a broken record. I suppose some sacrifices need to be made in order to become the dominant student...

" I never would have guessed that Pinkie Pie didn't know how to keep secrets." Twilight said.

" It's the one character flaw she says is her biggest liability. Whenever she learns about something, she just wants to spread it to the world, but when she is told that it has to be kept a secret, well... it usually doesn't last that long as a secret, as she just can't help herself." I said, turning the page in the journal where something else fell out, drifting over to Twilight before landing in her hands, allowing her to take a long look at it. " I remember getting that during that particular Fall Formal. I wanted it as a memento, but also to serve as a reminder that I used deceitful tactics to win it. It's no wonder that I hate the old me so much." I said.

" This has your name on it." Twilight said, looking confused as she stared at the small card that had my name printed on it with fancy lettering.

" The winner of the formal is announced by reading the name on the card after opening up the envelope." I said.

" What did you mean by 'hate the old me', Sunset? It sounds like you're viewing your past as a separate entity." Twilight said.

" Back then, I didn't care who I had to hurt so long as I succeeded in my goal of ruling the school. I was just craving attention because of being denied the title of alicorn princess, so I wanted to prove that I could become a princess, and that involved taking advantage of my intellect by using everyone at CHS against one another without anyone knowing about it until I had ascended to my position." I said. My reaction at this moment was to cry once again, but I wasn't upset over what I used to be. No, I was angry, frustrated, appalled, downright furious at what I used to be, so when Twilight noticed what I was doing, and attempted to stop me, I raised my hand indicating that I wanted her to let me do what I was about to do. I first slapped myself in the face with my left hand, using as much force as as I could, leaving behind a really nasty bruise which was bound to get swollen later. I followed this by punching myself in the stomach with my right hand, forcing me to spit out some bile, but I kept pushing my fist into my stomach as a means of punishing myself even more because of who I used to be.

" That's enough!" Twilight said, surprising me by having grabbed my right arm, and pulling it out of my stomach where she proceeded to hold my hand. " You don't need to punish yourself in such a manner, Sunset. All you're doing is just allowing yourself to fall deeper into despair. I know that you've done some horrible things, but there is no need to be so excessive with it."

" Believe me, this isn't the worst of it." I said.

" The demon?" Twilight asked.

" We'll be getting to that." I answered.

" If you want to beat yourself up, then do so when we get to that section; you'd be more justified in doing so. Just don't go overboard. For now, I won't let you hurt yourself in such a foolish manner anymore." Twilight said. There was something in her eyes which made me react to them, as though she were protecting me from my own worst enemy: myself. Her holding my hand felt right, as if she were meant to do it from the start. I had no idea what this feeling was, but it just felt good to me, and surely she felt the same way. " Despite your deceitful manner, you became Princess of the Fall Formal?"

" You sound like you've never been to a dance before." I answered.

" We never had anything like that at Crystal Prep; Principal Cinch felt they were a waste of time. Dances would just distract us from our studies and also weaken the reputation the school was known for, so instead of doing things like that, we just had massive study sessions, seminars, and even the occasional surprise exam, all to keep our grades as high as possible, which in turn made the academy the pinnacle of academia in Canterlot, where only the best would attend." Twilight said. I could tell without even looking at her that she still had some hesitation about transferring over to CHS. She would miss the tests and study habits, since that was what she was interested in, and coming to CHS would mean not having the same experience.

" Still regret transferring?" I asked.

" A little, but while I'll miss the intense study regimen, I feel that Crystal Prep has become far too strict for its own good, and you have Principal Cinch to thank for that. She was determined to bring out the best in her students, at the cost of their humanity. Being at CHS will allow me to feel human for the first time in a very long time, and while my decision may not be approved by everyone in my family, it was my decision to make." Twilight answered. I pondered at what she said. Humanity was something that took me a long time to finally accept. I may be a pony in reality, but in this world I am a human, and I have to embrace that--something I refused to do back then, because I was a fool.

" Which is why the others and I will help you with the transition." I said, taking back the card that Twilight had been holding all this time and sliding it in between the same pages where I had placed the photo taken on the day of the intramural sports event.

Thanks to Pinkie Pie spilling the beans about my opponents' secrets, I had everything I needed to eliminate them from the competition, leaving myself as the only one viable to become Princess of the Fall Formal. Once I finished my conversation with Pinkie, who resumed her activities without realizing what she had done, I began looking over the notes I had taken. Every word made me smile an even crueler smile than before; the possibilities were endless in terms of how I could ruin my opponents' chances. The one thing I was aware of was that I needed to show discretion on where to reveal this information without any of the details coming back to me; exposing myself could potentially get me expelled.

" All of this glorious information I hold in my hands... It feels like I hold a wealth of knowledge, corrupted and dishonest as it may be, but I am here to win no matter what and seal my dominion over this pathetic school. I'll show Princess Celestia that I am worthy of becoming a princess, as all that's really needed is power, determination, and the will to carry out tasks without fear of holding back because of sentimental weakness." I said to myself, lifting the notepad I had used above my head, a sign that things were about to change for the better. For me, anyway, as only I will benefit from it. Throughout the rest of the day, I made sure to hide in inconspicuous places to remain undetected, and I slightly altered my voice every time I spoke, which strained my throat, but I couldn't allow anyone to know that it was me revealing this information. By pretending to be random students, and outright saying these secrets out of view by mentioning Pinkie Pie, other students overheard me and immediately spread it to other students, who in turn would spread it to others, and the cycle would continue, until everyone knew within the hour.

At the end of the day, I paid a visit to Principal Celestia's office, and sure enough, my opponents were all inside complaining that they were being ridiculed, humiliated, laughed at, and more because their secrets had been exposed to the student body. I could hear Principal Celestia trying in vain to calm them all down, but they refused, saying that the idea of them having to divulge all possible details in order to compete for the crown was unfair, yet their anguish was like nourishment to me. Their cries were like a banquet, and I was feasting on their shattered dreams, making sure nothing was left behind.

" I can't believe my secret was exposed!"

" What about me? Because everyone knows about my embarrassing secrets, I can't even show my face around here without being ridiculed!"

" I'm dropping out of the competition!"

" That's what I was going to do! I just can't afford to stay in it any longer!"

" What a horrible way to start my first year at CHS!"

" Yeah? Well, this is my last year, and my legacy has been tarnished forever!"

" I wish I'd never shared my secrets with Pinkie Pie!"

" She ruined our lives by not keeping her mouth shut!" When the four students burst out of Principal Celestia's office, tears streaming down their faces, which were bright red with anger and frustration, themselves wanting to get away as fast as possible, the only expression on my face was sheer delight; I had effectively removed my competition, and taken my first steps towards ruling the school, but I would need to have the authority first before I could truly say that I was in charge. Since Pinkie Pie was the one who inadvertently helped me in my goal, the least I could do for her was spread the blame across multiple fronts, so that the seeds of distrust could begin to spread. I wasn't going to take any chances; you never know when someone might rise up against you.

" This is a disaster--" Principal Celestia began, coming out of her office, her face filled with frustration. " Perhaps I shouldn't have placed so much trust in Pinkie Pie. Her actions have effectively removed all potential candidates to become Princess of the Fall Formal."

" I'm still competing." I said, making sure to pretend that I was ignorant.

" That's right! Because you chose not to divulge your secrets as per the rules and regulations, you weren't affected by what has transpired, so I guess that would make you the winner by default, Sunset Shimmer. That's a first for the school. To think that you have achieved such a high honor here at CHS without having spent any time wanting to make friends, but I suppose it does mean your methods of wanting to focus on your studies do hold much merit." Principal Celestia said. I was thinking that she was going to give me the crown right there and then, which would have resolved things without having to drag them out, but she hesitated for a brief moment before continuing. " The Formal will still go on as planned, as there's no reason to cancel it, despite this unfortunate setback, yet it does mean you'll be receiving the crown tomorrow night. I trust that you are okay with having to wait until then?"

" It's fine with me." I answered.

" I shall speak with my sister about this and make the necessary adjustments so that this doesn't happen again. As for Pinkie Pie... I'm afraid that this does not look good in her records, and she will surely face suspension for what she has done." Principal Celestia said.

" Actually, Pinkie wasn't the one who started this..." I began.

" What do you mean?" Principal Celestia asked.

" Some of the students overheard her accidentally saying those secrets without even realizing it, so they ended up spreading rapidly with no signs of stopping. She didn't mean to cause so much trouble, so you don't need to punish her for making an honest mistake." I answered, pretending to act all innocent so that Principal Celestia would believe my words, and not suspect anything was amiss.

" If that is the case, then Pinkie merely made a mistake. Still, I will speak to my sister about changing the rules so that future formals do not have this issue. If you would excuse me, Sunset Shimmer, I must be going, as there is much to be done before tomorrow night." Principal Celestia said. As she walked off, a sigh of relief in her voice as she was afraid of the worst case scenario, I waited for her to disappear before entering her office, and closing the door where I laughed maniacally because of what I've done. Nothing could stop me from claiming that crown, yet this was just the beginning, and I was only getting started. However, something had occurred to me, and that was that I could have been caught had I not altered my voice, so the idea of doing all of this on my own wasn't a long-term solution. Maybe I could do with some help, using others to do my work for me and allowing them to take the fall, should that situation ever come up.

Better to be safe than sorry, right? By pretending to be friends with these potential pawns, I'd be able to get much more work done in my bid to rule the school, and I could give them the false hope that they would be achieving something good. Who knows? If they were just as deceitful as I am, I may just end up becoming friends with them... until I no longer had any use for them. The question on my mind now was that of who would make for an ideal pawn in this matter? Who truly lacked any common sense and would be easy for me to control without having to rely on anything? Oh, I was sure there were students like that, and all I needed to do was appeal to their lust for power...

" Did you find any students like that?" Twilight asked.

" I did, but they weren't exactly my first choice." I answered.

" Were they really that bad?" Twilight.

" That all depends on how you look at it, but I was desperate by the time I approached them, and it was around this point where I finally figured what this world was when compared to Equestria. My mind had trouble comprehending what I had discovered, and it was a secret no one in Equestria knew, apart from Princess Celestia and Star Swirl the Bearded..." I answered.

Chapter 11: Friends/Minions

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Rainy
Time: 11:10am

After celebrating my "honest" victory and being crowned Princess of the Fall Formal, I immediately began flexing my newfound position by asserting my authority over the school by shaping events that were suited to my liking. The students did complain after a while that these events were catered to me, but I would remind them that they voted me as princess, so that meant my authority trumped anything they said. Winning this one competition wasn't enough; I needed to win all of them from now on so as to maintain my dominance, but the students may eventually suspect me of being behind what caused my opponents to forfeit. The students may have been inferior to me, but they weren't completely stupid, so they were bound to figure it out eventually. I needed some help to further spread my influence... and to take the fall should I be uncovered.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 12, 2015
Chapter 11: Friends/Minions.

The following night was when the Fall Formal took place, and Principal Celestia made the announcement which I had been patiently waiting for: The crown was to be mine, since I was the only candidate who remained. Everyone else had chosen to forfeit because their secrets had been exposed, and the fear of ridicule proved too much for them. While I could have said nothing, and thus have allowed Pinkie Pie to take the fall, I figured she should be spared for the time being. After all, she did give me what I needed to prevail, so for now she has earned herself a slight reprieve. Until, that is, I chose to make her life as miserable. Then again, my competition certainly had plenty of things to say to her, and they were planning on letting her know exactly how they felt about her apparent betrayal, but I wasn't going to come to her defence just because she helped me out. Let them have their little in-fighting; I had bigger things to look forward to.

When she took to the stage, Principal Celestia at first looked glum, like her spirit had been drained from her body, but then she quickly changed her demeanour knowing that a winner still needed to be announced, as refusing to do so would have caused a controversy. In her hand, she held an envelope which contained the name of the student who had been chosen by her peers to become princess, yet this was just a pointless formality which she had to go through. I could tell from her lack of enthusiasm that she really didn't want to have to do it this way, but her own rules state that she had to even though everyone knew who had won as there was only one candidate left: me. From my perspective, I really should have been given the crown the day before the Formal, for that would have meant Principal Celestia not having to go through this ridicule, but a part of me felt glad that I agreed to wait it out. Seeing her standing in front of so many students and having to reveal who won the formal when it was so blatantly obvious was both delicious and ironic. While she wasn't the same Celestia that I knew and despised, it felt relieving to know that I have scarred her mentally.

" As you all know, the other day most of the candidates running for Princess of the Fall Formal forfeited due to... unusual and unfortunate circumstances, and because of this, we were originally going to not crown a princess this year, until we realized that there was still one candidate left." Principal Celestia said, sweat dripping from her brow as she felt immense pressure to try and prevent things from getting worse. " I know many of you are disappointed that your votes hold no real value now due to the sudden forfeits, but rest assured that things will be different come next year."

" Of course we're disappointed!"

" They spent an entire week vying for support for their bid!"

" All of that time and effort wasted because of some secrets slipping out!"

" We all know that it was Pinkie Pie who ruined their chances by not keeping her big mouth shut! If it wasn't for her, our votes and voices would have had an actual purpose rather than just simply giving the crown to the only one who didn't quit because she chose not to trust the likes of Pinkie!"

" Now, now... I have reason to believe that Pinkie Pie did not inadvertently reveal such 'sensitive' information, and that a number of unknown students overheard her, and decided to spread this information around." Principal Celestia said, yet her words weren't enough as the students were growing restless, and while this was happening, I was standing at the back quietly laughing to myself. Seeing all of this chaos and strife made me feel better, but this was just the beginning; I intended on going even further with this. " Everyone, please calm down as I announce the winner of the title of Princess of the Fall Formal." Principal Celestia said. The students were anything but calm; they continued to get pretty rowdy with their displeasure, but it quickly dawned on me that should things spiral out of control, I won't be able to get my crown, and there was no way I was going to let that be taken away from me. Just when it looked like the students were going to lose it, a loud finger snap echoed throughout the gym, bringing an immediate end to the arguing as the students were wondering what had just happened.

" That should bring everyone to attention!" I declared, having snapped my finger next to a microphone I had quickly moved towards.

" May I present your princess... Sunset Shimmer!" Principal Celestia announced. The students at first were beside themselves, as they had no idea how to react to me given my prior attitude made them ignore my presence, but since they realized that there was no one else left to vie for the crown, they began to clap and cheer as I made my way over to the stage pretending to look surprised about having just won. Deep down, I was laughing with glee as my manipulation had given me something I desired, and no one would even suspect any foul play, my tracks having been covered discreetly to prevent the likes of them from bringing me down. Upon stepping onto the stage, the crowd of students went silent as the crown was placed upon my head, and my expression was one of sheer delight before Principal Celestia waved her hand as a sign that she wanted me to say something.

" I... want to thank you all for this prestigious honor." I began, pretending to show compassion towards my fellow students when in reality I couldn't care less about their feelings. All they were, were pawns to me to use for my own personal amusement. " I know that things didn't go quite the way we were expecting, what with my opponents choosing to forfeit because of certain information being made available, yet I persevered and stand before you as your Princess of the Fall Formal! My reign as your princess shall be a glorious one, as by right, I am allowed to influence how future events at CHS are to be handled, but I won't abuse my power, and you can be sure of that!" Upon hearing my speech, the students began to clap and cheer for me, and deep down I was loving not only the attention, but also the fact that they had bought into my speech as though it were fact. As their clapping and cheering gained in strength, I continued maintaining the image of being innocent about it all, yet I wanted them to praise me even more so that I could feel good about myself.

" Congratulations!" Principal Celestia announced.

" Truly, this is the happiest day of my life! I shall make you proud that you chose--accepted me as your princess!" I declared, changing my words at the last minute, as they didn't choose for me to win, but rather there was no one they could choose. In their minds, I was completely happy having won this Formal, but in my mind, it was nothing more than a glorified popularity contest designed to stroke the egos of those who won and make them think they were actually special. I'm not a real princess by any stretch of the mind, but rather a false one who holds no true power other than through self-declaration.

" As is per the custom of winning, Sunset Shimmer, you must now have your picture taken where it shall be immortalized by my office." Principal Celestia said.

" But of course." I said, knowing that such a thing only serves to further fuel my ambitions towards ruling the school. The students would always see that photo, and any future ones of me being crowned, as I had no intention of losing. I would be the only princess they would ever know, and anyone who tried to challenge me would suffer! When one student came forward holding what looked like a bizarre camera, I posed using my innocent expression to convince everyone that I didn't know this would happen, but something else was on my mind that made it difficult for me to maintain my stance. The photographer... I remember seeing photos of her in magazines back in Equestria. That's when I noticed the students surrounding her also resembled those from back home. I thought what happened before was just a coincidence. All of these familiar faces, both from personal experience and who I knew from their statuses. How can they be here!?

It then came to me... right there, and even though I couldn't fathom such a coincidence, it was right there before me. This world... it was identical to Equestria in some ways, yet different in others, which made this place a sort of alternate reality. It reminded me of those "what-if" scenarios I learned as part of my studies, yet I never would have guessed that going through the mirror would bring me to an alternate Equestria, where humans existed instead of ponies. Knowing this vital piece of information, thanks in part to sheer coincidence where so many familiar faces appeared in one place, I knew that ruling this school wouldn't be enough for me. No, I wanted to rule this entire world! It may have been a lofty goal, but it was one I was determined to see through.

" You wanted to rule the world?" Twilight asked.

" Back then, I was really ambitious." I answered.

" More like one of those super villains one reads in a comic book, but not that I would know; I don't like reading those. Several students at Crystal Prep would secretly bring them to school in order to read them because they wanted some time off from studying, and Principal Cinch always caught them in the act, since she knew what the tell-tale signs were, based on mannerisms and postures." Twilight said. I couldn't believe that she compared me to a comic book villain, but I supposed there were some parallels, such as wanting to rule the world with an iron fist, yet what I was doing was real, as opposed to the fictitious actions committed by those characters. " I still can't believe that you took advantage of people just so you could win a crown."

" I would eventually apologize to them for my actions, but it wouldn't be for a couple of years." I said.

" While you did save Pinkie Pie from suspension, or quite possibly expulsion, you merely did so in order to protect your own hide. You also remind me of Principal Cinch in that she used similar excuses in order to justify her harsh rules, and parents usually didn't question her ethics; in their eyes, their children were attending the best academy in town, and perfection is seen as a must if you hope to last through the entire experience. When she was faced by parents who did have legitimate complaints, she always blamed the child for not being capable of handling things, and also blamed the parents themselves for not applying enough discipline." Twilight said. The very thought of me being similar to Cinch based on my past actions chilled me to the core of my being. I felt sorry for the students she targeted simply to maintain her reputation. Just thinking about everything she has done in the name of wanting to be the best sickened me. What a monster, and yet, I looked down at my hands for a reminder. I used to be the same as Cinch, wanting to be the best unicorn, and not allowing anypony to get in the way. That was my reputation, one where I blamed others for my own weakness.

" Guess she and I had things in common." I said.

" You changed, Sunset, and I've seen that with my own eyes on more than one occasion. Principal Cinch shows no desire to change, but maybe she will one day, since now all of Crystal Prep knows what she truly is, and any power she had is gone. Okay, not gone completely, but weakened from what it was before." Twilight said. My jaw dropped and my eyes widened with shock over what she had just said, as those words were almost identical to what Princess Twilight said to me when I was exposed for the kind of monster I truly was back then. No wonder Twilight here reminds me so much of her, as despite their different upbringings and mannerisms, they both have similar characteristics, which made it feel like I was speaking to her, even though she is in Equestria. " Sunset? Was it something I said?" Twilight asked, having noticed my facial expression.

" It's nothing." I answered, changing my expression back to normal. Twilight simply folded her arms, look completely unconvinced, but I couldn't blame her, since I did essentially lie to her again, though unintentionally, this time.

" So, who did you end up getting to help you?" Twilight asked.

" You've never met them before, but they are two guys called Snips and Snails." I answered.

" Those are some... interesting names, I think?" Twilight said, confused.

" They're both pretty impressionable, and they do mean well, but they tend to cause trouble without ever thinking about the consequences behind it." I said.

I wanted to continue with my manipulations of the students, but I knew that I couldn't continue on my own, as I knew they would one day put two and two together and figure out that I was behind everything. I also needed some additional help to spread my manipulations, but also to have someone who could take the fall for me in case I was on the verge of being discovered. The week following the Fall Formal, I began looking around to see if there was anyone that fit the kind of description I had in mind, and my future friends were my first choice. Why consider them straight away? It had to do with being more interested in why I felt they were special as opposed to them being useful pawns, but I would eventually abandon that idea, as I couldn't see them wanting to hurt other students emotionally; they lacked the killer instinct I was looking for. Then, I tried to see if Sassy Saddles would make for an ideal "assistant", but that idea quickly fizzled; I remembered that I couldn't stand her for even a second. So, my next idea was to use Flash Sentry, but something in my heart compelled me to look elsewhere, yet I had other plans for him to take advantage of his ever growing popularity.

Everywhere I looked across CHS, students were becoming closer as friends, and I knew this needed to be dashed soon, otherwise my dominion would be threatened, and it hasn't even begun to take off. My search continued which lead me to the four students whose chances of winning the Fall Formal I ruined. Each of them had a good reason for wanting to help me; their own lives were ruined, so they could do the same to everyone else. However, this idea became a bust, as they were bound to get revenge against me were they to learn the truth about what happened the day before the Formal. Just when it looked like I wasn't going to find anyone, I chanced upon an encounter that gave me what I was looking for... and I wished that I could have chosen better.

SPLASH! SPLASH!

" What the!? Why did you two do that!?"

" You were looking a little pale, so we thought we'd brighten up your complexion!"

" Yeah! Complexion!"

" I'm pale because of being slightly under the weather, and now you two have gone and thrown paint-filled balloons at me!? How immature do you two have to be in order to get any kind of attention? This is an outrage of epic proportions!" I recognized the screaming voice as belonging to Sassy Saddles, so when I walked around the corner, I came to a complete stop. She was covered from head to toe in pink paint, and her fuming expression was a sight to behold. It was about time someone took her down a peg, so seeing her flummoxed beyond words brought a smile to my face, and that was when I saw them for the first time: Snips and Snails. Both of them looked as though they lacked any kind of moral compass, and their expressions were ones that said they had enjoyed pulling something so juvenile. They were perfect, and I couldn't believe I just said that.

" That's enough!" Principal Celestia shouted as she and Vice Principal Luna appeared on the scene, and I wiped the smile off of my face. " Snips? Snails? How many times have we told you two about pulling these asinine pranks on your fellow students?"

" About a dozen times or so, but I kinda lost count." Snips answered.

" I think it was about fifteen." Snails added.

" Regardless of how many times, you're both in a lot of trouble... again. I suppose this means you'll be staying behind after school as usual, but this time you'll be getting an extra punishment, and while it may seem unfair compared with before, know that this was your own doing." Principal Celestia said, sighing.

" We didn't do anything wrong." Snips protested.

" Yeah! Nothing wrong." Snails added.

" A number of students just witnessed what you did to Sassy Saddles, and no doubt we'll be getting an earful from her parents soon enough. Luna, would you please help get Sassy Saddles cleaned up, and find her a warm change of clothes?" Principal Celestia asked, prompting Vice Principal Luna to take that loudmouth away. I was secretly cheering because of what she deserved, but I knew what I was doing come the end of the day. " Sassy Saddles was genuinely sick; she gave me a note excusing her from any strenuous activity. It seems you two clearly did not understand this, so I expect to see you in detention later!" Principal Celestia said as she walked away, causing the gathered crowd to disperse, while Snips and Snails walked away looking proud of what they did, and I was certainly proud because of seeing Sassy Saddles get humiliated. Granted, these two weren't my best choices. I was looking for students with more intellect, but then again, if they had that, I'd have to keep them on a tight leash in case they tried to assert their own opinions onto me, so perhaps these two were what I needed, after all.

Wanting to have others who could take the fall for me, and against my better judgment, I waited for the two to finish their detention. They were surprised at seeing me waiting outside, yet their first instinct was to just brush me aside because they had nothing in common with me. I, however, had an advantage over them: These two were the kind of boys who were simple-minded and easy to control by simply using the right words.

" What do you want?" Snips asked.

" Yeah! What do you want?" Snails asked.

" I witnessed what you did to Sassy Saddles a while ago, and while everyone else ridiculed you for what you did, I found it a sheer delight. That girl deserved to suffer utter humiliation, even if she is sick. You two deserve a lot of praise for performing such a prank, even if it was juvenile and completely childish. But what if I told you that things could be better?" I asked.

" Why should we listen to you?" Snips asked.

" Because I can give you anything you want." I answered.

" You should be a comedian for saying that, Sunset Shimmer." Snips said.

" Yeah! A comedian!" Snails added.

" Really? Is that what you think about my offer? A shame really; I was expecting so much more from you two. I could have made it so that no one would ever ridicule you just because you enjoy pulling pranks, and I also could've given you a new sense of purpose that wasn't there before. I've seen what guys like you want, and it's so obvious you both crave power, the kind where you can do whatever you want and not be judged by others, as you would be in control." I said, using a soothing voice in order to appeal to their obnoxious natures in addition to their inhibitions. My methods were working; their expressions were those of interest, a sentiment which made things just too easy for me. " I shall rule this school, as I have the power to do just that, and I'm not just talking about being Princess of the Fall Formal."

" What's in it for us?" Snips asked.

" For us?" Snails asked.

" I want you two to help me assert my dominance over this school, and in the process you will reap the rewards of being able to do whatever you want without fear of retribution. Together, we can rule CHS, and no one would be able to stop us, as they will be far too weak-willed to even raise a finger. And when I'm finished manipulating them into lashing out against one another, friendship around here will cease, and they will remain isolated from one another, making them easy to control." I answered. I could tell they were interested; going by their expressions, they were thrilled about the idea of having so much control. Yet they didn't know that I would be controlling them, as I'm the only one who was allowed to have all of the power around here. I knew my words would be enough to convince them, but I needed to sweeten the deal, just to be safe. " Help me, and you don't have to perform those mundane pranks for attention, as you will be able to go far beyond what your imaginations can come up with. Everyone at this school will be at your mercy, with the exception of myself, of course, as I am the one giving you this chance. Betraying me would be a grave crime." I said.

" It does sound tempting." Snips said.

" And you will grow to love it." I said.

" Will we really get to rule this school?" Snips asked.

" I will be doing all of the ruling, and all you two have to do is carrying out my will in whatever manner you see fit." I answered. It then became apparent to me that I may have said more than I wanted when trying to convince them, for now they were aware of my true intentions, but I was fortunate in that these two had too little common sense to realize I was going to be using them as minions who would do everything I say in exchange for power and prestige.

" Okay, we'll do it." Snips said.

" We'll do it." Snails added.

" You two have made the right decision, and made a powerful friend in the process." I said. With Snips and Snails now on board, I had the means to spread chaos all throughout CHS without having to act on my own, but the most important thing to me was that I can use them as fall guys should I be discovered as the source behind the manipulations. Hopefully, that won't be an issue for a long time to come, and if it does end up being that way, it would be far too late to stop it; I would have complete control within a matter of weeks, provided these two don't mess things up. " Now, the first thing I need you to do is to help me procure some camera equipment, as I wish to do a little inquiry about some specific students who have proven both intriguing and threatening at the same time." I said.

" Did you mean our friends?" Twilight asked.

" Because I felt they were special, I also felt they could have been a threat to my plans." I answered.

" What did you end up doing to them?" Twilight asked.

Chapter 12: The Interview

Day: Monday
Weather: Mildly sunny
Time: 9:47am

After acquiring some camera equipment, I joined the Canterlot High Newspaper to mask the true intentions behind what I was about to do, making me seem like a normal student, joining normal clubs. It also gave me access to additional materials which would help me with my cause. The five girls whom I deemed special had agreed to be interviewed as I insisted that they share their story of how they became friends and what their first experiences were like at CHS. That's what they believe is the purpose behind my inquiry, but in truth I wanted to learn everything about them. These five were potential threats to my dominion of the school, so they needed to be brought down in a special manner, and by the time I was done with them, they would never acknowledge each other's existence again.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 14, 2015
Chapter 12: The Interview.

" Snips and Snails helped me find some equipment, and it was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. I assumed there was going to be a lot of red tape and the like to go through, but it turns out that being the Princess of the Fall Formal provided some perks, which I would quickly grow to love." I said.

" What kind of perks?" Twilight asked.

" Aside from being allowed to influence future events, I also had access to various equipment, in case I ever needed to make a speech, but the one perk I had which, looking back on it now, was the only one that I truly deserved, considering what I did to become princess in the first place, was having one free soda pop per day." I answered, turning the page in the journal, when yet another thing slid out from between the pages. This time I managed to catch this out of the corner of my eye, so whipping out my hand in a quick fashion, I caught the piece of paper before lifting it up and showing it to Twilight, who adjusted her glasses as the text was rather small. " This was the reason why I needed the equipment, and just seeing that photo in the corner brings back painful memories."

" This is a newspaper article." Twilight said, confused. " Why would you have this in your journal?"

" My plan was to turn our friends against one another through manipulation, but because of how special they were, I knew that my usual tactics weren't going to be enough, and not even the likes of Snips and Snails would prove effective. No, I had to strike them when they were at their most vulnerable, and that involved using their own experiences to tear them apart." I answered. As I stared longingly at the newspaper article which I had the displeasure of writing, I began to reminisce about that day in question, and how all of my friends were there under false pretenses. Was it because I was afraid of them, that I assumed they were a threat, and had to take care of them in such a heinous manner? Or was it because I was so twisted and vile, that my actions were due to wanting the satisfaction of breaking apart a friendship by the roots?

" Sunset... you're crying again." Twilight said.

" Can you blame me? After all, what I did to our friends was one of the worst thing I've ever done in my entire life. I had no right to do what I did to them, but I did it anyway because of wanting to fulfill a twisted desire, one filled with hatred towards those I didn't even know, and I felt that way just because of some strange sensation I had about them." I said, tears trickling down my cheeks, prompting me to close my eyes tightly while gritting my teeth. I may have changed for the better, but reminding myself of who I used to be for Twilight's sake was beginning to affect me mentally as well as emotionally. Have I really changed? Or, was this just a false pretense on my part? My friends forgave me eventually, yet they haven't forgotten, and most likely will never forget what I did during this moment in our lives. I felt as though darkness itself was choking me slowly, making me suffer a slow and agonizing death, but then I felt Twilight's warm arms wrap themselves around my neck as she squeezed me as hard as she could. I hoped she didn't go too far, otherwise she'll choke me as opposed to the darkness.

" Why don't I sit next to you in comfort while you read this next part?" Twilight suggested, her body pressing next to mine, which stopped my tears from falling. I felt that weird sensation again that I felt before, when she comforted me. What was it about her doing that which made me feel such emotions? I wondered if she was aware of the same thing, but simply chooses to ignore them in favour of helping me deal with all of these issues I have? It then dawned on me that I was pretty messed up, and Twilight had been doing her best to effectively repair me like I were a broken machine. " Just continue reading while I remain by your side, so that I can apply tissues, comfort, compassion, and anything else to help you feel better. Also, I'd like to look at that article you wrote. For curiosity's sake, of course." Twilight said, prompting me to hand it over to her before looking down at the words written on the page; words that had droplets surrounding them--teardrops, as I remember feeling so much guilt for when I originally wrote this during the time where my life was at its lowest point.

It didn't take long for me to procure some camera equipment, but there was one slight problem that I didn't take into consideration: How I was going to get all five of the girls to even agree with what I was planning. After all, I did shun their efforts when they tried conversing with me during the day of the intramural sports, but then, that was because I didn't want to be bothered by them, even though something about them felt special to me. So, I needed something that could get them to spill all of their secrets without being too obvious about it, and that's when an idea popped into my mind. If I were to join the Canterlot High Newspaper, I could claim that my intentions were noble and that I wanted to interview them in order to publish their story. They would never know that my real reason was to learn everything about them and destroy their friendship by using their own experiences as attacks against their relationships.

Joining the newspaper was something which I had been considering for quite some time, as I figured I could easily spread chaos around CHS by using an appropriate outlet which would also allow me to do so through anonymous means, but what I was going to do to those girls prompted me to finally join. As the Princess of the Fall Formal, I was allowed to influence what kind of articles the paper was allowed to publish. It didn't matter whether or not I was a part of the team, but if I could get close to those who worked behind the scenes on the paper, I could gain access to additional materials which could help further my dominance over the school. Luckily for me, Snips and Snails were on hand to provide some unique assistance. When I presented myself before the editor with the two boys flanking either side of me, he knew that it was in his best interest to allow me to join the team, for if he were to refuse my request, things could take a turn for the worse, yet I held my two minions in check just to make sure my intentions weren't compromised.

" You really want to write for the Canterlot High Newspaper?" The editor asked, his eyes darting back and forth, seeing Snips and Snails acting like enforcers, which actually had a nice ring to it. " I wouldn't have guessed that a Princess of the Fall Formal would want to get her hands dirty writing articles, as someone of your status would instead provide suggestions on what direction we should take the paper in."

" Oh, I have every intention of doing just that, but I would like to join because I want to interview students and see how they feel about attending such an establishment as CHS, as their opinions do matter." I said, pretending to be nice about it, though my reasons for joining were to spread hatred. I suppose that I could have told the editor that interviews with the other students were mandatory as a means of asserting my influence due to being princess, but I figured that would make him suspicious, so doing this of my own accord would enable me to remain undetected.

" Well, you certainly are passionate about it." The editor said.

" I already have some equipment which I borrowed from the school." I said.

" Talk about being well-prepared to interview our peers, but what about those two?" The editor asked, looking at both Snips and Snails, who were obviously making him feel uncomfortable. This was rather pleasant; I do so enjoy seeing people squirm whenever they feel uneasy. " I'll let you join the paper, no problem, Sunset Shimmer, but Snips and Snails aren't what I would call newspaper material, given their status for wanting to make pranks. They can hang around with you all they want, but not when you're doing any interviews, unless you were interviewing them for some reason."

" Is that all?" I asked.

" Essentially, yes." The editor answered.

" Very well! I'll make sure Snips and Snails aren't around when I'm doing my interviews." I said.

" Then, may I say, welcome to the Canterlot High Newspaper!" The editor announced.

" You have definitely made me feel very happy today, and would you believe that I already have an interview in mind?" I asked.

" Really? Well, if you get permission from those who you would like to interview, just let me know about it, and I can set up a room where you can conduct your interview with them, but it might take a couple of days; we've been pretty swamped lately, what with so many things happening, like what happened before the events of the Fall Formal. In fact, we still need to interview you at some point, Sunset Shimmer, as you were crowned princess, so we'd like to hear your thoughts on winning the coveted crown that so many desired." The editor answered. While the idea of having to wait before I can interview those girls was an annoying setback, I merely shrugged it off, as it would give me enough time to convince them to share their stories with me, and I could always use Snips and Snails to force them into accepting my request. I would have to do so through subtle means so that I wouldn't expose my true intentions. Unfortunately, when I was about to take my leave with my minions, the editor just had to bring up something else that did place me on a slightly defensive front. " So, who do you want to interview?"

" I'm taking it that this is something you need to know?" I asked.

" Think of it as a requirement. I need to make sure that the interviews will be with the right people." The editor said. Thinking that this was just pointless rhetoric in order for him to ensure that the integrity of the newspaper remained intact, I cursed under my breath before I told him the names of those I was planning to interview: Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. " Huh? You want to interview those five? I'm not sure why you would want to do that; I would have thought you would have wanted to interview one of the more popular students, like Flash Sentry, Sassy Saddles, or even Sapphire Shores." The editor said, confused by my choice.

" Those five are the perfect students to interview." I said, making sure not to reveal my true reason for all of this.

" Well, if you think they are, then I guess you can go ahead and interview them." The editor said. Finally taking my leave with Snips and Snails, I now had the blessings of the Canterlot High Newspaper on my side. Now I needed to convince those five into agreeing with doing an interview. Looking at my two minions, who appeared somewhat clueless as to what I was scheming, I told them that I wanted them to observe my potential subjects, so that I would know what kind of schedules they had during the course of the school day. My idea involved getting all five them together, or none of them at all, as not even a single one of them could be omitted from this. Upon hearing what I had asked of them, Snips and Snails gave me a salute, which looked utterly ridiculous, and then they collided with one another in comedic fashion before heading off. I slapped my forehead, reminding myself that they weren't my best choice.

This was going to be one interview those five were never going to forget, because once I am finished with them, they'll practically beg to be transferred to different schools in order to get as far away from each other as possible.

" That article you're holding in your hands, Twilight, is only a small portion of what I actually wrote." I said, looking up from the pages of the journal.

" Why keep a small part? Why not the whole thing?" Twilight asked.

" It was roughly five or six pages in length with only the one photo, as seen on the piece of paper you're holding, but I wanted to keep that photo. It originally served as a reminder that I had ruined their friendships with what I did, yet when I look at it now, having made friends with them, I wish that I'd never interviewed them in the first place, and that the editor had convinced me to ask other students." I answered.

" Did you condemn them in the article?" Twilight asked.

" No, the article was actually an honest piece of work, as my intention back then was to use their personal secrets against them while being secretive about it. I published it with the masked intention that it would provide a positive spin for the school, yet I kept the juicy stuff to myself." I answered, turning another page of the journal, where an envelope had been taped to the back of it. I carefully pulled the envelope off without damaging the page, and opened it using my finger nail. A small notepad dropped out and landed on the floor with a soft thud before Twilight picked it up. She tried to give it back to me, but I raised my hand, indicating that I didn't want it, not yet. " That notepad contains everything our friends told me about them: their hopes, their dreams, their secrets, everything, and I would use that knowledge to ruin their lives." Twilight then began to comb through what I had written down, and her expressions were exactly what I was expecting from her: ones of shock, horror, disgust, and most importantly, fury.

" Why did you keep these after all this time?" Twilight asked.

" As a reminder that those were the very words that hurt them so much." I answered.

" Do they know you kept this knowledge?" Twilight asked.

" No." I answered, burying my head into my hands, weeping again. " I never told them that I kept that information about their secrets. They assumed that I had thrown that away when I reformed after the most recent Fall Formal, yet I couldn't bring myself to do so, as I wanted to punish myself by constantly being reminded that those were the hateful things I exposed, which destroyed their friendships." I said, my crying getting worse until I needed a tissue to blow my nose. Twilight handed one over to me, and I blew my nose with a loud HONK! " Then again, this isn't the first time I've had to deal with their secrets being used against them."

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" Another incident occurred several months ago, but it had more to do with a personal grudge against me out of spite for being left alone. I know that doesn't make much sense to you Twilight, but you'll discover what I'm talking about a lot later. While I still keep records of their secrets, I have never shared such knowledge with anyone else, and that is the honest truth, yet I suppose I should come clean and tell them that I have this guilt-ridden stash." I answered.

" They won't be mad at you, Sunset. Just tell them that you kept such information as a means of punishing yourself for how you hurt them. It's not the most comforting thing one can say to a friend, but they know what kind of person you are, so they will surely understand why you did it." Twilight said. Her words did make me feel better, and she was right in that I should have told my friends about what I kept, but I guess that I was afraid of them turning against me despite how close we've all come. " For now, why don't I just put this notepad back in its envelope, and put it to one side where it will be out of sight and out of mind. While I did read the information you wrote down, I swear on my life that their secrets will not be shared by these lips, no matter what!" Twilight declared.

" You've certainly come a long way in such a short period." I said, smiling.

" I have you and our friends to thank." Twilight replied, smiling as widely.

" Where were we? Oh yes! Even though the editor said that it would take a couple of days to get us a room where I could conduct the interview, it ended up taking a lot longer than that, because there was some inner turmoil happening in the Canterlot High Newspaper which I didn't know about. Overall, it took three months." I said.

When the Editor finally told me that a room had been provided, I chastised him for taking his sweet time, but he said that due to unfortunate circumstances, there was a huge backlog of interviews, articles, and the like that needed to be taken care of first. In my mind, he showed how incompetent he was as an editor, as someone of his position would have resolved such a problem within a matter of days and used his authority to get everyone under control, even if it meant hurting their feelings. He begged for forgiveness for having made me wait, but I had no desire to forgive him for his idiocy, and I secretly planned on taking him down as well by exposing what happened to Principal Celestia. You see, neither she nor Vice Principal Luna were aware of what happened among the members of the paper, so this was the perfect opportunity to ruin the editor's career. Since I had more important things to take care of, I had Snips and Snails bring this to the attention of the two sisters, while I prepared to hold my interview.

I didn't need the help of my minions to get my future friends to agree to being interviewed. Each of them were up for it, giving various reasons: one wanted to express her thoughts, one thought it would be tons of fun, one was sure it would be fabulous, one said it be awesome, and one simply gave a quiet "yay". While their reasons felt important to them, they had no significance to me, other than the fact that they had been lured into my clutches, and the moment was at hand to learn all that I could about them. I made sure that I was waiting for them in the interview room, and by the time they arrived, I had finished some last minute checks to make sure the equipment was working correctly. Not only did I intend on writing down their information, but I also planned to record it, because the editor also mentioned that the paper on occasion liked to publish videos online; the Internet was a perfect tool for spreading chaos because you can be so anonymous about it.

" I'm so glad that you all agreed to be interviewed." I said.

" Well, we weren't sure if we would, considering what happened a few months ago." Rainbow Dash said, her words obviously referring to when the five of them approached me because I had been looking at them, but I chose to ignore her; all I cared about was learning their secrets. " Fluttershy managed to convince us to go along with this, since she kept saying that you needed a proper friend, going by current choice of company. I don't know why anyone would want to be friends with Snips and Snails. Those two are more interested in pulling pranks than wanting to be model students around here."

" I think they can be tamed." I said, lying because they were my minions more than anything else.

" I know ya became Princess of the Fall Formal just a short time ago, but y'all sound like yer enjoying havin' all that power a little too much fer my liking. I mean, ya said that you can tame Snips and Snails, but someone who somehow won the Formal would prefer to befriend them rather than treat them like they were critters." Applejack said, and much like I did with Rainbow Dash, I ignored her words for the most part, but there were a few that stood out to me. It seemed that this farm girl had a feeling that my winning the crown was something more than it seemed, so perhaps she should go down first. I can also treat people anyway I want; the crown gave me that authority. I know it wasn't supposed to, but I'd make sure that it did over time, as Canterlot High would be mine! " I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable or anything, Sunset Shimmer, but I reckon you could refer to those two boys with a more appropriate analogy."

" I'll make a note of that somewhere." I said.

" So, shall we get this interview started?" Rarity asked, hoping to change the discussion.

" That's a good idea. I would like to know how the five of you first met." I answered, smiling a gentle smile while internally grinning maniacally. " The school newspaper wants a profile on students who happen to be good friends with one another, as we want to showcase how much friendship is valued here at CHS. Also, we believe that their opinions matter, so by all means express yourselves to your hearts' content." Just saying all of that made me want to throw up; it felt so vile that I had to say that this was for the benefit of the entire school, though it was also beneficial to me, which was the important thing.

" That's an easy-peasy question, so I'll give it a shot. I hope that you write this down, Sunset Shimmer, because I'm very descriptive when I explain things, even if they don't need much explanation." Pinkie Pie said. I acknowledged her concern by showing both my notepad and the camera equipment behind me, which I had turned on when I asked about how they met. Now the time had come for me to learn everything about my subjects. " We all met during the Freshman Fair, which happened a few weeks before you transferred to our school. The Fair was for students to sign up for the clubs that they really liked.

" So each of you were there to join a club?" I asked.

" Yes, but we were having some trouble, as there were so many different clubs." Rarity answered.

" Chance encounters brought us all together through interesting means, such as Pinkie Pie scaring Applejack when she popped out of a tree, and Applejack bumping into Rarity because she wasn't watching where she was going. Eventually, we would all come together where our picture was taken, but we weren't friends at that exact moment. We were really more like acquaintances who just happened to bump into each other." Fluttershy said. This was like a goldmine; all of this glorious information was making me rich, rich with the desire to ruin their lives. This was merely the start, as there was so much more that needed to be said, and I wasn't going to rest until I had gotten every last drop of information from them.

" We didn't know each other much back then. I mean, we hardly knew ourselves. All we had in common was wanting to know who we were going to be when we were done with school, but our chance meeting at the Freshman Fair wasn't just a coincidence." Rainbow Dash said.

" How do you figure that?" I asked.

" On the first day of school, we discovered that we were all in the same homeroom!" Rainbow Dash answered, prompting all of them to high-five one another, although the only one among them who felt hesitant about doing so was Fluttershy. That wasn't important to me, though. What was important was that they continued to reveal more information, yet that all depended on what I asked them, so naturally I was the one in control of them.

" Tell me, were you looking forward to the first day?" I asked.

" I was most certainly excited for my first day, and I made sure that I was fabulous when I got to school, and when I discovered that we were all together again, it felt like a dream had come true. Unfortunately, that would soon be tested in ways we couldn't even begin to imagine. I remember how Applejack and Pinkie Pie couldn't pronounce Fluttershy's name properly, and yet I was the only one who managed to pull that off without any problems. Fluttershy would have told them, but she was a little apprehensive towards the whole thing, what with how shy she is." Rarity answered.

" And the rest of you?" I asked. Judging from their less than enthusiastic responses, that was definitely a no, which was absolutely perfect; this was more fuel that was being added to a fire that was constantly growing, what with all of this information being exposed to me. Now I needed to take things up a notch. So far, all I was getting from these five were the basics, yet I needed to dig deeper into their souls and see what really made them tick. It meant going into personal details, and asking in just the right way to avoid any suspicion. " You mentioned a few moments ago about wanting to figure out what you wanted to be. Care to elaborate on that?"

" I wanted to make the Wondercolts soccer team." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Even though I had no problems, given how I don't allow that kinda thing to get in my way, others kept on tellin' me that I had a style issue which would make me th' laughing stock of th' entire school. Just because I come from a farm doesn't mean I can't wear somethin' that shows my family roots, yet people kept on referring to me as a hayseed, bumpkin, fashion disaster, and even worse things, which could really crawl under yer skin." Applejack said. The other three told me similar stories, such as how Fluttershy ended up getting food all over her because of what Applejack did, and Rarity wanting to help her out. There was another incident with Fluttershy that involved a sick animal, and she was too shy to want to come forward in order to help the poor thing. As for Rainbow Dash, she allowed her own ego to get in the way of what she wanted. No one could take her seriously when she couldn't place the needs of her team ahead of her own ambition. The only one who didn't say anything was Pinkie Pie, so I needed to coax something out of her, otherwise I won't be able to take her down with the rest.

" Pinkie Pie, what did you want out of high school?" I asked.

" Clubs!" Pinkie Pie answered.

" Care to elaborate?" I asked.

" So many students came up to me, practically begging me to join their clubs! Okay, they didn't get on all fours or anything, or even got onto their knees when they were begging me, since that would just be silly, but I refused their requests one by one, not because I thought their clubs were bad or anything, but because I wanted everyone else to have fun. So, I decided to start my own club, where the aim was to have as much fun as possible. Did that make any sense to you, Sunset Shimmer? I sure hope so, otherwise I may have to explain everything using the longer approach, which would just be boring." Pinkie Pie answered. It was a good thing that I was recording this interview, as there was no way I was fast enough to write down everything that she was saying. I cursed her hyperactivity under my breath; it made her more annoying than ever. Pinkie then told me that she felt confused with so many different factors that they were tearing her apart on the inside, but to me this was bliss, as it meant she had something which confused her. Before I could ask another question, though, she countered with one of her own. " Why did you join the paper?"

" I believe that I'm the one asking the questions." I answered.

" You can still answer, you know." Pinkie Pie said.

" I thought it would be fun." I said, which was true, to an extent; I was the one who would have all of the fun. However, I didn't like being put on the spot, which angered me immensely, but I maintained my composure, as I didn't want to show my hand this early in the game. Over the course of the next hour, I would learn that all five girls had their respective issues that drove them apart, yet none of them was able to resolve it out of fear that their statuses would be in danger. This must have all been resolved mere days before I came to the school, so this was more towards being recent events they experienced rather than something from long ago. Quite the interesting turn of events, if I do say so, as it meant manipulating them just got much more delicious and ironic. So many moments where they were lost and confused, all in my hands to use against them. Yet, something was missing from the interview: one final secret that would be the final nail in the coffin, so to speak.

" Wow! I must admit that you five definitely went through tremendous ordeals." I said.

" It was some of the worst experiences of our lives." Fluttershy said.

" Surely what you told me so far was the worst of it, right?" I asked.

" No, there was one more thing that happened." Fluttershy answered.

" What was it?" I asked.

" There was an incident where everything came to a head, and even though Applejack lost the respect of her cousins, and Rarity lost the admiration of those who wanted to keep her to themselves all for the sake of being popular, they came to my defence because I was trying to do the right thing by helping a poor animal who really needed it. I think that was the thing that finally brought us all together... Wait, no, there was one last thing. Pinkie Pie was able to rally all of the students together, and Rainbow Dash was able to realize that being on a team meant you were one player among many, not just the whole team with everyone else looking on." Fluttershy answered. I didn't care about the happy conclusion; my focus was on getting the secrets, but it did tell me that Rainbow Dash's ego was her Achilles' heel, which I suspected.

After answering a few more questions, I finally switched off the equipment and put my notepad down, indicating that the interview had come to an end. While the girls all believed that their stories would make for a great article in the paper, they were completely unaware of what was about to happen. By revealing to me their deepest secrets, I could now systematically humiliate them just by spreading this information around. Through sublte work, and by using Snips and Snails, these five would never repair their shattered friendships, and what I sensed about them from the start would amount to nothing. Yet they were just the beginning, as I intended on interviewing more students so that I could get their secrets without them knowing it and use them to spread chaos. In all of the confusion, I would rise up to the top, where I would claim my title as ruler of the school, and no one would be able to stop me! Granted, there were a few things I needed to work out, but it would be worth it once everyone has been put in their place. I then remembered what the editor said about Flash Sentry, and how he suddenly became popular. I figured now was the time to make good use of him.

" What you described was exactly what you wrote down on that notepad." Twilight said.

" I wanted every last possible secret from them, and they gave them to me without even realizing what happened." I said.

" But how could you have destroyed their friendships using this information?" Twilight asked.

" Well, what I wrote down was essentially the template that got me started, but I applied it to future situations which took advantage of their secrets. I broke the friendship between Applejack and Rainbow Dash by pretending to be Applejack and sending text messages regarding an important bake sale. Writing the text as Applejack, I said that the day of the bake sale had been moved to another day, so when Rainbow Dash showed up with the softball team, she assumed that Applejack had stood her up, as there was no bake sale. On the other side of the spectrum, Applejack got branded with being a liar as she assumed the softball team was coming on the day in question." I answered.

" Am I to deduce that you used text message for the others?" Twilight asked.

" Rarity wanted to volunteer to help out with some school projects, but I pretended to be Pinkie and sent her text messages saying that she had plenty of help, and didn't need anymore. Yet, this didn't deter Rarity, who decided to investigate, and she discovered that Pinkie had done all of the work on her own. Fluttershy had a silent auction at the animal shelter, but I pretended to be her, and told Pinkie that it was to be a loud party, where noise makers, party cannons, and the like were all encouraged." I answered, prompting me to turn my face away from Twilight out of sheer guilt over what I did. Yet she grabbed my face before turning it back so that I was looking at her again, and her smile was her way of saying that if she had been in our friends' shoes, she would have forgiven me, as well, simply because my life had hit a proverbial roadblock.

After regaining my composure, I turned the page of the journal, and my eyes opened up in complete shock. " I... I... I completely forgot that this happened."

" What was it?" Twilight asked.

" The day of the other Twilight's coronation." I answered.

Chapter 14: Sunset Sentry

Day: Monday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 11:28am

I guess coming back to Equestria has been both a blessing and a curse for me, as on the positive side, I've returned home for the first time in years, but on the negative side, I've learned that Princess Celestia found a new protégé, and she became a princess. This upstart Twilight Sparkle has gone and claimed the one goal which should have been mine, and knowing what she has done, I had every mind to make sure she paid dearly! My plans, however, have been derailed, as those Royal Guard began taking the mirror away, and I needed it in order to go back to the other world. So, soon I found myself masquerading as one of their own, as I needed to keep close, or I'd never get back. It seemed they were taking it to another castle, and this one was far different from Canterlot; it was a castle made entirely of crystal.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 18, 2015
Chapter 14: Sunset Sentry.

" The Royal Guard were taking the mirror away?" Twilight asked, repeating the exact same thing that I just said, but in the form of a question. " They must have been issued an order to take it with them, because otherwise, there would be no real logical sense to it. I mean, surely they knew what the mirror really was, but I doubt they knew that you had recently used it to pay a visit to this Equestria."

" At first I had no idea why they were taking it, but I managed to overhear a couple of them saying that Princess Celestia had ordered that the mirror be transferred over to the Crystal Castle for Princess Cadance to watch over. I remember panicking as I had no idea where this Crystal Castle was, and if I were to lose track of where my ticket back to this world was being taken, I would have been stuck in Equestria." I said.

" That would have been a blessing for you, though, right?" Twilight asked.

" Back then, it was a curse, since I still felt animosity towards Princess Celestia, and I was seen as a wanted criminal in the eyes of the Royal Guard because of the falling out I had with the princess." I answered.

" What is this Crystal Castle?" Twilight asked.

" It was a subject that I never learned during my studies with Princess Celestia, so during one of my friendship reports with Princess Twilight, the idea of learning more about it popped into my mind, and so I inquired about it. The Crystal Palace is the royal castle of the Crystal Empire, a kingdom which had been lost for a thousand years due to a curse, though when it returned, Princess Twilight and her friends were able to save it. Since then, she said that it has become a popular destination spot for tourists, yet Canterlot still gets more attention because of being at the heart of Equestria. I didn't know anything about the empire or its castle, but I did know that I had to remain close to the mirror and use it before it would be beyond my reach." I answered. When I turned the page of the journal, my face immediately turned red, but this was an expression of embarrassment rather than one of anger, and when I tried hiding this page from Twilight, she frowned at my attempt, and pulled my hands away and saw the page in question... and began to burst out laughing.

" It says there that you actually dressed up as one of the Royal Guard!" Twilight laughed, falling over onto her back, arms folded, and kicking her legs about in the air as she couldn't contain her laughter. All I did was just look at her with a frown, yet she didn't take notice and continued laughing, which didn't feel like Twilight one bit. I mean, she's often way too serious and logical to be reduced to laughter like this unless it has something to do with her work, but seeing her in such a good mood made me forget about my own issues for a moment, and I began laughing as well, but not to the same extent that she was. " Oh! I'm so sorry for laughing like that, Sunset, but I thought what you wrote down was sheer delight despite how this journal is filled with so much pain and anguish." Twilight then noticed the previous expression I had on my face, frowning, and she blushed red before clapping her hands over her mouth tightly.

" Yes, I actually did do that." I said.

" I thought it was some kind of joke." Twilight said, removing her hands from around her mouth.

" No, I really did pass myself off as one of the Royal Guard, but I didn't temporarily join them in order to stay as close to the mirror as possible. Instead, I lured one of them away long enough to knock him out cold, and I stole his armour and put it on." I said.

" Another act of desperation?" Twilight asked.

" Considering they were taking my only means of returning to this world with them, I didn't exactly have much of a choice, and part of me wanted to vent out some more frustration over what I had just witnessed." I answered, looking down at my hands, turning them about several times before looking forward again. " Something I never really believed until much later was that I had quite the temper, but then it was so easy for me to get frustrated over even the smallest thing. Back then, such tendencies would have compelled me to do something really bad, actions that could never be forgiven no matter how sincere I'd be."

" I can attest to you having a temper." Twilight said. She, of all people, experienced my temper first-hand, when I lashed out against her after she stole Rainbow Dash's magic after the Tri-Cross Relay during the Friendship Games; I was already under a lot of stress prior to the event, and while racing on that bike relieved me of some stress, when those plants from Equestria appeared out of nowhere, I began losing control of my emotions, and after I saw what happened to Rainbow as well as that portal to Equestria appearing above our heads, my emotions shattered like glass, and I vented out all of my frustration at Twilight without a care in the world. It was like a switch in my brain had been shut off which controlled my conscience, and nothing was holding me back. " You don't need to feel bad about what you said to me at the time, Sunset; you were feeling so much pressure because of what was going on, so you snapping was your way of finally cutting loose and doing something that could let you release all that pent-up rage. Granted, it was my fault for pushing you over the edge, what with the desire I had to learn about what I believed was 'strange energy', so you were justified in your anger." Twilight said.

" No, I did you a great wrong Twilight, and I apologize for that." I said.

" Sunset, having a temper makes you special in your own way, as you are capable of expressing emotions in a way that most would rather choose to keep within themselves and merely try to bury them within their own subconscious. You've got a fiery passion which blazes onward even now, and while there may be times where having a level head is ideal, never stop being yourself, because we all love you for who you are." Twilight said.

" That... was a pretty bad speech." I said, smiling meekly.

" It was a spur of the moment, and I didn't have time to prepare it, accordingly." Twilight said. Both of us then started to laugh again because of how funny it was, and once tears streamed down our faces after laughing too hard, Twilight handed a tissue over to me, grabbing one for herself, and we wiped away the tears before focusing on the matter at hand: continuing to read the journal. " Okay, the Royal Guard were taking the mirror to this Crystal Empire, and you disguised yourself as one of the Royal Guard to make sure that you stayed close to it so that you could go through it the moment you had the opportunity, correct?"

" What made it even worse, was that I had never been to the Crystal Empire before, so I had no idea what to expect." I answered.

None of the Royal Guard noticed me as they were taking the mirror away; they were too focused on their task. So much was racing through my mind regarding how I was to approach this sudden change in my plans. I wanted to simply go back down into the basement where the mirror had been previously, and return to this world in order to prepare an ideal plan, but now I had to find a way to follow the guards without looking like some kind of stalker. Before they truly began to take the mirror away, one of the Royal Guard needed to check to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything, and I followed him because he was going to be my meal ticket, or rather, his armour was, as I needed it. Luckily for me, this unicorn wasn't of particular merit, so none of the others would have noticed that he suddenly changed his appearance slightly, as they all practically looked alike anyway.

Once we were far enough away from the others, I used my magic to stun him in place before knocking him out by removing his helmet with my teeth and smacking him in the side of the head with as much force as possible. Once he was out of commission, I removed his armour as quickly as possible, as I didn't want the others to come check up on him to see what was taking so long. Once I placed the armour on my own body, I used my magic to levitate his body and threw him into a nearby closet before sealing it with more magic before returning to the others, who didn't even suspect a thing. If there was one drawback to my actions, it would be that if these Royal Guards were to somehow encounter Princess Celestia, she may be able to see through my ruse, and I'd be in even more trouble, so I had to make sure we avoided her at all costs, even if it meant having to derail these dense guards. They were idiots for not suspecting a thing.

" Is everything secure?"

" Yes sir! I made sure to double check, and everything is perfect." I answered.

" There's something... different about. You seem... smaller, thinner..." Sweat began dripping from my forehead, and my heart began beating rapidly because this one guard might have figured out that I'm not the same pony who went off on his own just a few moments ago. But how could someone as idiotic as this guy have seen through my disguise? I used dark magic after all! " ... I'm probably seeing things, though. I haven't had much sleep lately, what with the coronation requiring us to be on patrol during ridiculous hours, so I'm groggy, right now, and not really seeing straight."

" It's understandable, sir; we all have our issues with this event." I said, breathing a sigh of relief as my disguise had not been penetrated.

" Princess Twilight will make for a fine princess, but hopefully, she doesn't give any of us any ridiculous shifts."

" So, shall we be on our way sir?" I asked.

" Yes. We need to deliver this mirror to the Crystal Empire as soon as possible, since Princess Cadance has been tasked with watching over it. Personally, I don't see what's so important about an oversized mirror, but Her Highness insisted that we take extra care to make sure it doesn't break or anything. Okay! I need all unicorns to use their magic to keep this mirror floating while we make our way to the train station." I found myself using my own magic to help move the mirror along, and it was convenient that the pony whom I replaced was a unicorn otherwise they might have figured things out. As we slowly moved throughout the castle in our efforts to transport the mirror outside, I was laughing in my head over how this apparent "superior officer" blurted out exactly what these guards were doing, but then, he assumes I'm one of them, yet I just found it all convenient that he would just say something like that without thinking of the consequences.

It didn't take us too long to get outside, and my eyes were filled with amazement, as everything looked the same as I remember before leaving Equestria years ago. Well, with the exception of what sounded like a parade, which most likely was in celebration of Twilight Sparkle becoming a princess. As much as I would have liked to go over there and see her with my own eyes again as a reminder of the hatred inside of me, I refrained from such actions, as I had to maintain my deception as a member of the Royal Guard. Then again, perhaps I could learn something about it by asking the same guard who had spoken before, as he sounded like a pony who was in the know, and that made him a reliable pawn who had no idea what he was going to be doing for me.

" Why the celebration?" I asked.

" When you have a new princess crowned, it's to be expected that a celebration would be thrown."

" I get that, but what I don't understand is why Twilight Sparkle was chosen." I said.

" We of the Royal Guard don't know that much either, as we just serve and protect, but what I do know is that Princess Twilight went above and beyond what was expected of her, and achieved something most will never get to experience. Yet she herself doesn't really get why there needs to be such a grand spectacle. If she could have had her way, she probably would have wanted everything to be a low-key affair."

" Really? She certainly is an unusual princess." I said.

" That's what makes her unique, I suppose." So, this upstart of a princess feels like she's better than everypony by not wanting a big celebration? Ha! Not only is she delusional--I would have had an even bigger celebration had I been made a princess--but she also shows hesitation already, which will help me get what I want from her. I just needed to bide my time until everything has been sorted out, as rushing into things will leave me vulnerable. Our group continued making its way through the streets of Canterlot, where several guards requested that bystanders move out of the way by order of Princess Celestia, and we unicorns were even asked to hide the mirror by flipping it upside down so that the polished side was facing downwards so that no one could see their reflection. As we got closer to the train station, I couldn't help but feel that this decision to hide the mirror was Celestia's way of making sure nopony made the mistake I made, and that really burned me up inside. She was using her failure to pin the blame squarely on me! Why did she continue to pin the blame on somepony as innocent as me while avoiding taking responsibility for her actions? That's why she needed to go, so that somepony with more common sense could lead this kingdom down a path of glory; somepony like me!

" I thought you were going to tell me what this Crystal Empire was like?" Twilight asked, feeling rather annoyed that I said one thing but ended up doing something else entirely. My response to her accusation was that I needed to explain how I was able to go there in the first place. I couldn't just waltz over there thinking that I could use the mirror and come back to this world, as I had no idea where the empire was even located, and even if I did, I had no knowledge of the Crystal Castle. " Oh, so what you just described is how you ended up getting there. Wow, while the thought of you dressed up as a guard is something I just can't picture in my head, you must have felt all kinds of pressure, seeing as one slip up would have exposed your real identity." Twilight said.

" At first, I did feel pressure, what with maintaining my disguise, but as we made our way over to the Crystal Empire, I actually enjoyed the experience." I said, placing a hand onto my chest before breathing heavily for a few moments. " When I was a student of Princess Celestia, I secretly had a fascination with the Royal Guard; they were so majestic in their nature, serving to protect ponies of all kinds, and I'll admit that I was jealous, because they got to experience things which I never saw. As time passed, something within my heart changed, and I started to view them as incompetent, useless, even gullible."

" Did you once desire to be a Royal Guard?" Twilight asked.

" Perish the thought! I may have had a fascination which lead to jealousy, but I would have never done anything of the sort, as I was destined for greater things. I suppose in an alternate timeline, becoming a Royal Guard may have been a possibility." I answered, turning the page of the journal, revealing a rather crude drawing, and my memories immediately kicked in, as I remembered this incident quite vividly. Twilight wanted to see what it was, and I knew that trying to hide this would have been impossible, given how it was difficult to deny her anything, so I showed her the drawing, and blushed because I was embarrassed at what it looked like and for being a lousy artist.

" This looks like you stealing something, and the room is filled with crystals." Twilight said.

" It doesn't picture me in a positive light, does it?" I asked.

" I should say not, but why would you resort to thievery given everything you've done as a unicorn? I would have thought that, despite everything that happened to you after your falling out with Princess Celestia, you'd have some dignity left to not reduce yourself to such a low standard as stealing." Twilight answered, her words reminding me once again of Principal Cinch. The head of Crystal Prep wasn't a thief by any means, but rather when she was ridiculed at the end of the Friendship Games for wanting to take up the implications of magic to the school board, she managed to walk away from that incident with her dignity intact. Dignity... there have been many times where I would lose it, struggling to get it back, or would be on the verge of losing it, backing off before it was too late.

" I had a mean streak." I said, shamelessly.

" Doesn't change the fact that you stole something." Twilight said.

" This wouldn't be the only time where stealing became a necessity for me, Twilight, but I'll be getting to that really soon, as what I would do ended up changing everything in this world, and it doesn't take an egghead to figure out what I mean." I said. Twilight just sat there for a few moments after I said that, her muscles refusing to move, her expression blank, no words coming from her mouth, as though she were in some kind of trance. She knew what I was talking about, and she had to recall what can be described as her own internal nightmare: becoming a monster, just like I did.

" You mentioned putting on a crown, and being overwhelmed." Twilight said.

" Again, I'll be getting to that. First, I need to reveal what happened when I arrived at the Crystal Empire. Don't think of this as me trying to change the subject. I just want to focus on what leads into perhaps my biggest mistake, even bigger than my falling out with Princess Celestia." I said.

When we arrived at the train station, the only ponies there who were "official" were delegates representing Canterlot, as Princess Celestia was unavailable due to being preoccupied with the coronation. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that I didn't have to deal with her. We unicorns used our magic to carefully load the mirror onto the train before it departed. Oddly enough, we were the only ones on board. My former mentor was really serious about making sure that no pony was to see this mirror, and I merely scoffed at her typical weakness, yet I made sure to keep this feeling to myself; these guards were fanatically loyal to her. As the train chugged along the track, the guards were given free reign to relax until the train reached its destination, which the commander said would take an hour. I myself took the liberty of seeing the beautiful scenery as it whizzed by. To think that I would once again be witnessing such beauty after being away for so long, yet I could never truly come back here as long as Princess Celestia was the ruler. Her methods were nothing short of weak, and Equestria needed a pony who could rule them with an iron fist, like me.

Yet, how could I achieve such a goal? I know Equestria deserves a ruler like me, but I don't have the power to take the throne, as Princess Celestia was perhaps more powerful than any pony, with the possible exception of her sister Princess Luna, who was on equal footing. To rule Equestria, I needed something which would grant me more power. That was how I ruled over CHS without trouble: gaining more power through unscrupulous means. But those humans were easy to conquer. The ponies of Equestria are far greater than those two-legged beings with no concept of magic. Then it dawned on me. The crown that upstart Twilight Sparkle was wearing. There was something about it which reminded me of one of my early lessons as Princess Celestia's protégé, but my mind was drawing a blank. Regardless, I was sure it would come to me before heading back to the other world.

Eventually, the train arrived at the entrance to the Crystal Empire, and I was completely in awe of it all. Never had I seen anything so gorgeous as this place; it even made the likes of Canterlot pale in comparison. Every last facet of this place sparkled due to the crystals, which covered all nooks and crannies. Even the ponies of this empire looked as though they were made of crystal. However, I couldn't allow myself to become consumed with such pointless thoughts. My aim was to go back to the other world, and I needed to focus on that and not allow my thoughts to become twisted by false hopes of grandeur like the social elite, as they would be beside themselves upon seeing this place.

" I take it you've never been here before?" The commander in charge of this group of the Royal Guard spoke out to me, which did catch me off guard, but I quickly regained my composure before responding to him.

" This is my first time being here, sir." I answered.

" That isn't surprising; this place used to be lost for a thousand years, and thanks to the support of Princess Twilight and her friends, the empire has returned and now has new rulers in the form of Princess Cadance and her husband Prince Shining Armour, Princess Twilight's older brother."

" Her brother is royalty too?" I asked.

" He used to be the Captain of the Royal Guard back in Canterlot, and my superior, but ever since his marriage, he took up residence here in the empire, and a new captain was personally picked by him to succeed as the new leader of the Royal Guard." I just couldn't believe it! Not only did the upstart become a princess--which was my destiny--but her older brother had become a prince simply by marrying a princess! Why was this one family giving me so much grief? It's like they were popping up like weeds, entangling my hooves, and preventing me from getting anywhere in life. " Is something wrong? You look like you're about to explode."

" Sorry about that, sir." I began, lying to maintain my disguise, " I was just thinking about something personal, but don't let that distract you from leading this group to the Crystal Castle. Actually, this may sound a little personal, sir, but why did we bring this mirror here?"

" Her Highness wished for Princess Cadance to watch over it, as the thoughts of what happened in the past involving her former student Sunset Shimmer continue to weigh down on her heart, and she could no longer look back upon what happened. The mirror became a sort of painful memory. Hopefully, she and the other princesses won't need to come and see it when they come here for the Royal Summit many moons from now."

" They are coming here?" I asked.

" Correct." Despite once again being annoyed at how Princess Celestia was trying to forget all about my existence, blaming me for what happened, this little tidbit of information was exactly what I needed to hear. The upstart was going to be here for a summit. It was at this moment that I suddenly remembered what I had forgotten, but could this idiot of a commander even know anything, given how insignificant his position was.

" Do you know of the Elements of Harmony?" I asked, nervously as to avoid being too obvious.

" I don't know too much, since how it doesn't come in the job description, but I hear that Princess Twilight and her friends have been using them to save Equestria from all kinds of problems that have plagued this fair land. A fun fact is that Princess Twilight's crown actually contains her Element of Harmony, and it is the one among the six which binds the other five together, or so the legend goes. You could say that her crown is one of the most powerful artefacts in all of Equestria." This idiot had just sealed the fate of Equestria by telling me that, as now I knew where to get all the power I needed. Princess Twilight's crown contains magic which I can use to conquer this world without even batting an eyelash, yet it would involve me somehow stealing it away without anyone knowing what had happened. Twisted thoughts ran through my head: me wearing her crown upon my head, conquering Equestria with ease, banishing Princess Celestia for how she treated me, sitting on a throne while other ponies bowed before me... I had to go back to the other world as soon as possible, and prepare accordingly.

The Royal Guard then made their way through the backstreets of the Crystal Empire so as to not draw any attention to themselves, and despite what was going on within my mind, I still managed to take everything around me in awe, yet my eyes were still on the prize of Princess Twilight's crown. All kinds of crystal ponies, as I soon discovered they were called, were watching our every move curiously, yet the guards insisted they not interfere, as this was an interest of national security. Complete hogwash; it was just a mirror that goes to another world and can show ponies their future if they were to look at it long enough. We weaved our way through the streets, making detours every so often to avoid curious onlookers, and soon I would find myself staring at the Crystal Castle itself. Words alone couldn't do justice to what I was seeing. This was the kind of place a pony like myself could get used to, especially when I become ruler.

" Where are we taking this mirror, sir?" I asked.

" Princess Celestia ordered us to take it to a room located behind the throne room, so that only the royal family may have access to it."

" And after that?" I asked.

" We go back to Canterlot and await our next command." Unfortunately for him, I had no intention of going back to Canterlot, as doing so would likely drive me insane, what with that upstart flaunting about her new title, and me having to constantly be reminded of it. We were then greeted at the entrance of the castle by a crystal pony, and she ushered inside, but we took our time, as the mirror had to remain intact until it had reached its intended destination. While the exterior of the castle was beautiful beyond all reasoning, the interior felt lacklustre, as though it were a mere shell that just couldn't compete. I would soon discover that this castle had many different passageways, which would be confusing were I to carry out my plan without getting a lay of the land, so when we finally escorted the mirror to its final location, the commander told us all to take five before we were to go back to the train station.

This gave me a chance to get a better sense of where everything was in the castle, so I began walking around, making sure to check every room I could because any one of them could be used to house the likes of Princess Twilight. In order for my plan to succeed, I needed to know exactly where I was going; going blind was not an option. However, the plan also depended on when the portal would actually open as intended, as my being here in Equestria was the result of sheer coincidence. Each corridor within the castle looked almost identical to the next one, and it eventually started giving me a headache, so then I started to think practically on the matter by thinking about where each of the princesses would reside when they have that summit of theirs. They'd need to be situated close to one another, in case they need to meet in an emergency, and I guessed that Twilight Sparkle wasn't familiar with this place, as she knows only the likes of a backwater town like Ponyville, so she would want to be as close to the central hallway as possible. That means the only logical place she would stay is a room near the throne room, or at least within the general area.

" Alright everypony! It's time for us to head back to Canterlot!"

" This is where we part ways, you gullible idiot." I said to myself, removing the armour from my body before tossing it aside in a heap in the corner of the room I was currently in. " I've gotten everything I need from you, and while it was slightly pleasant to pass myself off as a member of the Royal Guard, I'm not going to be making a habit out of it." Since I knew exactly where the portal was now, I quickly made my way over to it, avoiding any pony who may have been wandering around. I finally reached the portal, which was a pleasant sight to see, but before I went through and back to the other world, I used the same dark magic spell to remove the disguise I had been wearing and change my cutie mark back to normal. Finally, I put on my raincoat, which I materialized out of thin air. Without waiting another moment, I went through the portal, and came out the other side as a human again. No one was around, making the transition a flawless one. " Now I just need to wait for the portal to open again as intended, and that's when my dreams will come true."

" What were you stealing in that drawing?" Twilight asked.

" Something small and insignificant, but it was nothing compared to what I was going to steal." I answered.

" The crown the other Twilight wears?" Twilight asked.

" Wearing it would give me everything I wanted. Or so I thought, at least." I answered.

" The same crown you mentioned when you were trying to reach out to me when I became that demonic creature." Twilight said, her brain already coming up with all sorts of answers, which lead her to conclude that everything was beginning to connect together, like one of those connect-the-dot puzzles that children and avid fans constantly thrive over not only because of how simple they are but also because of how fun they could be. " Sunset, how did magic come into this world to begin with? I mean, as a scholar, I must acquire as much knowledge as possible, especially if the information proves itself to be practical."

" Magic came here because of me." I said.

" That would mean you brought the crown to this world--" Twilight said, stopping herself when she covered her mouth with both hands and gasping. She had just figured out the answer to her own question, and I merely lowered my head in shame because I alone was solely responsible for the changes this world would receive.

Chapter 15: Theft!

Day: Friday
Time: 11:30pm
Weather: Cold

It finally happened, after having to wait many moons: the portal to Equestria had finally opened intentionally, rather than the accidental opening from before. During those moons of waiting, I strengthened my dominance over the students of CHS, yet it did come at a price, which probably wouldn't be too big of a concern. Flash Sentry, who had been dating me, decided to break our romance, stating he could no longer love someone who was more concerned with power instead of love. How dare he break up with me!? I hesitated to make him suffer because of how useful he had been, but now he had forced my hand, so he would suffer immensely when I chose to make my strike. I didn't need Flash anymore, as I'm on the verge of claiming what should have been mine all along. I know exactly where I'd be going once I come out the other side, and it would be easy to avoid the guards. Good thing I made that little pit stop before coming to the statue, as this 'crown' is about to get a new home.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 20, 2015
Chapter 15: Theft!

" Yes Twilight! My biggest mistake was stealing the crown from Princess Twilight and bringing it back here to this world." I said, my head still lowered down in shame as tremendous guilt wracked my entire being. There were times where I found it difficult to even breathe. " I... I was so desperate to have more than what I already had, I would resort to an act of thievery just to get my hands on her crown! I could have been content with having control of the school, even though I know now that was another mistake, but my heart was filled with greed, and nothing could deter me from getting what I wanted."

" But stealing?" Twilight asked.

" I had stolen things in the past during my time as Princess Celestia's student, yet those were minor things which she never scolded me over, because she assumed that I was going through a phase. But those were nothing compared to what I was about to do. As I mentioned before, my earliest lessons with Her Highness revolved around learning all about the Elements of Harmony, which served as the main source of defence for Equestria during times of crisis. One thing I discovered, which didn't make sense at the time, was that were one of the elements removed from Equestria--say, taken to another world--the ramifications could prove to be disastrous. To think that what I thought was a pointless subject would become a reality, especially when I committed such a treasonous act." I answered.

" You make it sound like what you did would warrant a harsh penalty in response." Twilight said.

" The Elements of Harmony are a national treasure, and stealing the one that gave power to the other five rendered them useless. Thus, Equestria would be without one of its main lines of defence. I knew that stealing one of the elements could condemn my world to being overrun by evil, but I didn't care, as the only thing that mattered to me was getting power at any cost, and using that power to become a princess who would rule Equestria." I said, tears once again trickling down my face, but I didn't need Twilight's help in wiping them away, as she had already given me a tissue earlier. Yet, I found it difficult to wipe away the tears with my trembling hands. I backed away from the journal, it having caused me to experience so much grief despite wanting to share what was written within it to someone. It dropped to the floor with a gentle thud. I raised my hands up to my face, making sure they were a slight distance away, and as I stared longingly at them, the trembling got even worse, and despite Twilight calling out to me, asking what was wrong, I knew exactly why I was acting like this. I had been dreading telling her this part of my troubled past.

Everything that I had done since first becoming the personal student of Princess Celestia up to the point where I became a she-demon, one whose heart was filled with rage, immaturity, anger, delight over seeing people suffer, had been small pieces of a much larger enigma that was unleashed the instant I put on Princess Twilight's crown. My actions before that moment were malicious in nature, yet I never went so far as to enslave others to do my bidding, seek to conquer a world by using an army, and even attempt to commit murder. Wearing that crown brought out the absolute worst in me, it took everything about me, and increased the hatred ten fold.

" Sunset? What's wrong?" Twilight asked.

" I'm not going to lie to you." I answered, struggling to keep my shaking hands under control. " I've been afraid of telling you this part of my past, despite having hinted at it several times so far tonight, and my heart is telling me not to go through with it, because if you learn what I really did, you'd never forgive me, and our friendship would be irreparably shattered."

" You said that you were overwhelmed by the magic the crown contained." Twilight said, her memory being rather accurate, as she repeated the same thing I said to her when she was a demon. I was impressed with how articulate she was with the delivery, but that was beside the point. " Tell me, what did you do that could possibly warrant me to not forgive you? After all, you and everyone else from both CHS and Crystal Prep witnessed what I did, and even now I still feel guilty over doing it because I had a weak will. If only I had stronger willpower, I wouldn't have succumbed to all that pressure when Principal Cinch and the Shadowbolts egged me on." My hands continued to tremble, my mouth suddenly felt dry, as though I were chewing on sand paper, and it prevented me from saying anything. " Sunset!" Twilight then slapped me in the face just like she had done previously, yet this time I didn't have the same reaction as before. No, I just took the hit directly, without even feeling it. This lack of a response prompted Twilight to slap me a second time with no change, and when she slapped me for the third time, it was enough to snap me out of it.

" Twilight..." I began, looking in her direction where she was experiencing the same hand tremoring as I was. " I'm going to tell you what I did when I put on that crown, but not yet. I need to tell you what happened which lead up to me being exposed for the person I truly was." My words were enough for Twilight to stop trembling, and I feared that she was crying because she slapped me in the face three times, yet when she lifted her head up, not a single tear could be seen, which made me suspect she held back for my sake. " I'm not going to lose my temper or anything should you decide to end our friendship once you learn what I did; I know you better than that. Rather, I'm going to let the pieces fall where they may, and try to salvage what I can. There's no point in holding this information back, so let me begin with what happened when I returned home for the second time." I said. Twilight nodded in approval without saying a word, and that made me feel uneasy; who knows what she would do once she learns that my actions were nothing short of monstrous?

I had to wait many moons before the portal would open again, and when that time came, I knew that it had opened as intended, according to the book I read before leaving Equestria originally. During the interval between returning from Equestria after witnessing that sham of a coronation and going there again to enact my plan, my desire to acquire Princess Twilight's crown continued to burn inside of me, but having to wait made me lash out against my fellow students in a manner not previously seen. I became more aggressive, cruel, manipulative, feared, and even detested because I made everyone's lives a living nightmare, yet I didn't care as I wanted to vent out my frustration, and they were the perfect outlet for that. This change of attitude did come at a price, yet it wasn't as bad as it sounded. Flash Sentry had been dating me for almost two years, and during that time he gotten to see what kind of person I was, or rather what I allowed him to see; he didn't know that I had been manipulating friendships, destroying them in the process. As far as he was concerned, I was just being expressive by having a mean streak, yet he maintained the relationship, believing that he could one day make me change my ways.

That's when things between us reached a boiling point. Roughly two weeks before the portal opened, Flash confronted me in the hallway and openly stated that he was breaking up with me. A part of me didn't really care, because he had served his purpose well by continuing to rise in popularity, and I took advantage by feeding off of his success and applying it to my own popularity. Another part, albeit as tiny as a speckle of dust, actually felt some kind of compassion towards him. Still, the fact that he was ending our relationship surprised me, and the reasoning behind it became quickly obvious when he said a few choice words.

" You've become too hungry for power!" Flash Sentry said.

" And what's wrong with wanting more power?" I asked.

" I thought you could have changed, become someone better than the person you've become now, but I guess that I was wrong about you Sunset. I honestly thought that you would turn away from the path you've chosen, but you chose otherwise, which is why I have no other choice but to break off our relationship." Flash Sentry answered.

" You can't break up with me just because I want power!" I shouted.

" Sorry Sunset, but my mind has been made up. I still do care about you; I think you have the potential to become so much more. But you love power way more than actual love itself, and I just can't take that anymore. I'm sorry, but it's over between us. I just hope that we can remain friends despite this." Flash Sentry said. Those words of his felt like daggers; he had betrayed me, all because of my recent change in attitude after returning from Equestria. No doubt about it: Flash Sentry was going to pay dearly for this betrayal!

By the night when the portal would open, remaining that way for the next three nights, I had been spending the last several nights sleeping in the shed of the school's gardener; he had conveniently gone on vacation, so I had no problems using his shed as a temporary residence. Before breaking up with me, I slept at Flash Sentry's home, because he had invited me to do so as his way of helping me out when he learned that I had no home of my own, and despite how apprehensive I was to the idea of residing in such a bland establishment he and his family inexplicably enjoyed, it gave me a roof over my head. As I approached the Wondercolt statue, the magic glossing from the one side was such a beautiful sight to behold, yet no one in this pathetic world was even aware that the portal even existed, a reminder that their intellects were inferior to that of ponies. While I could use some of those dark magic spells like before, I chose to refrain from doing so, as the Crystal Castle would no doubt be under heavy guard, what with four princesses located in the same general area.

Just the thought of being in a place with four alicorns was enough to make me want to consider resorting to methods too horrifying even for me, but I had to remain focused on the prize. Before entering the portal, I made sure that I had the other crown in my possession, and when I took it out of the saddlebag I had around my neck, I just couldn't believe that this useless piece of junk looked identical to Princess Twilight's crown. I also thought it was a coincidence that this crown bore such a striking resemblance, that when Principal Celestia revealed it to us during an assembly three days ago as a means of promoting the upcoming Fall Formal, I knew that it would prove to be more useful than anyone would have suspected. One thing that I've learned in my time here is that these humans are really bad when it came to locking things away. Before I left school earlier, Principal Celestia had to tend to something important, and that allowed me to sneak into her office, carefully open up the cabinet where this crown was stored, and take it before softly closing the cabinet and making my escape, leaving no sign that someone had entered without her knowledge.

" Another act of thievery?" Twilight asked.

" My plan involved switching the crown that was to be awarded to the Princess of the Fall Formal with the crown Princess Twilight had and make an escape before anyone figured out the deception, but you could say I blundered at the last moment due to an unforeseen error on my part." I answered.

" What kind of error?" Twilight asked.

" The dragon kind." I answered. My answer left Twilight with a confused look on her face, and it quickly became apparent that she isn't aware that other creatures besides ponies exist in Equestria, so I explained to her about some of those creatures in basic terms so as to not confuse her even further. I told her about timberwolves, hydras, and even a rare creature called the Sturomak, yet she merely shrugged these off as being figments of my imagination, and who could blame her? She is someone who believes in logic, but upon mentioning dragons, she perked her ears up, which had me wondering why she did that. " Do you believe in dragons?" I asked.

" Not really, as there is no scientific evidence to support that they even existed, but a small part of me is curious to be proven wrong." Twilight answered. For some reason, I felt like she wasn't being sincere with me, but I had to take her word for it. I explained that even though dragons exist in Equestria, they rarely interact with other species due to being deemed too dangerous because of their size, strength, ferocity, and temperment, yet there was one exception to the rule. That exception was Spike, Princess Twilight's faithful assistant, who was a baby dragon, but takes on the form of a dog when in this world. " So the other Spike is a baby dragon? Well, I can't really picture that image in my mind, or maybe I can picture it. Does this other Spike look identical to my Spike?" Twilight asked.

" Right down to the last detail." I answered.

" I guess I should have known that would be the answer, considering Princess Twilight is an alternate version of me, or maybe I'm an alternate version of her. Gah! This whole multiple dimensions can be so frustrating at times; none of it makes any sense!" Twilight said, throwing her arms up into the air in frustration.

" It can be a daunting task, and while I'm not saying that I know any better, Princess Twilight went through the same experiences, and she definitely had some freak-out moments, according to what she said in one of her replies to one of the first Friendship Reports I sent her way. Of course, I can sympathize with both of you, as I had my own experiences that I've already told you about, but such thoughts would eventually leave my mind when I got used to living here." I said.

" Anyway, what did the other Spike do?" Twilight asked, changing the subject.

" Princess Twilight has often told me that her assistant means well whenever he sets his sights on something, but usually his ideas end up backfiring or snowballing out of control, causing panic, yet sometimes he makes a mistake without really meaning it. It was that last 'mistake' which sort of ruined my plans." I answered.

" Sort of?" Twilight asked.

" I would steal the crown as intended, but making a clean getaway didn't happen." I answered.

" Fate had other plans." Twilight said.

" You could say it like that, yes, and I was about to learn that trying to mess with fate could have some unintended consequences." I said.

When I came out of the portal and returned to Equestria, I had to quickly get adjusted to being on four hooves again instead of two legs, and even then, I had to remind myself on how to use my magic, as it had been some time since I last got to use any. I suppose I could have done this during the day so as to have more light, as the interior of the Crystal Castle was pretty dark, especially at night, but what if I had come before Princess Twilight had arrived? I was only told that the four princesses were having some kind of summit, but not the exact time it was going to take place, so I could have made a complete fool of myself had I shown up sooner than expected. Luckily though, I came at the right time, as Princess Twilight had arrived several hours beforehand and was currently asleep, which would make this all the easier as confronting her head-on would be a fool's gambit, considering her magic was that of an alicorn, and all I had was the magic of a unicorn.

Speaking of magic, I had to refrain from using it during this operation, aside from the extreme basics, as I didn't want the guards to know that I was here, and above all else, the other princesses would come bearing down on me were they to sense my more powerful magic. I may not be an alicorn, but I still took pride in being one of the strongest unicorns Equestria had ever known. Peeking out of the door, I looked into the throne room, seeing no guards on patrol, but I knew they were most likely on patrol in the hallways, which meant avoiding their gaze was imperative. I dashed across the throne room as I didn't really want to be in there that long, as seeing the throne would have compelled me to want to sit on it for posterity sake. Upon reaching the next door, I held my breath and froze like a statue as a guard walked by, his magic being used as a flashlight to allow him to see what was going on around him.

" Security around here is going to be really tight, so I'll need to be extra cautious." I said to myself, knowing that there would be a lot of guards compared to whatever the norm was for the Crystal Castle. After all, they were protecting four princesses, so they needed as many able bodies as possible, which goes to show that the princesses either want to have many guards to give off a sense of superiority, or that they were afraid someone or somepony was going to attack them. After waiting a few minutes, the guard walked off down the hallway, and I breathed a sigh of relief before leaving the throne room. I quickly ducked into another room upon hearing a second guard come by, but he didn't notice me at all, though I did cut it a little too close. " I've got to remember the layout of this area of the castle so that I can find where that upstart is located." I said to myself, thinking hard on what I saw when I was last here, disguised as one of the Royal Guard.

" If I'm correct about this, Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armour are sleeping in the master bedroom, since they are the co-rulers of this kingdom. Their bedroom is likely near the throne room. That leaves the remaining three princesses, who should be in the immediate area, so I may have to try my luck and see which room houses the one I'm looking for." I said to myself, leaving my current location before quietly sneaking around, making sure that none of the guards could spot me. So far, none of them were aware that I was even there, and that was good, as things would become difficult should they detect an intruder. Thankfully, my magic is more than enough to take them down without any problems. The princesses, on the other hoof, would be a concern. For me to check the rooms without making any noise, I had to peer through the keyhole slightly below each doorknob. It felt strange to do so, but then, I guess it had to do with precautions. My first attempts proved to be a waste of time, as all I could see in beyond the doors were either servants sleeping or empty rooms.

Eventually, my frustration reached a boiling point, prompting me to pick a room at random to check out. I hoped that this would be the one I was looking for. Otherwise, I would snap, ruining my plans to steal the crown. Peering through the keyhole on this door, I could hear the sounds of occupants coming from the other side, but it was the shiny object resting on a bedside table which caught my attention, so I used my teeth to open up my saddlebag that held the crown I had stolen from Principal Celestia's office. I compared it to what I could see through the keyhole. " A perfect match, which means I've found the right room." I said to myself, relaxing a little. Now the true test would begin, as I needed to do this without waking her up. Opening the door by using my teeth after closing my saddlebag, I quietly walked into her room and immediately noticed that there was someone else sleeping in a small bed on the floor.

" Is that... a dragon?" I asked myself. Upon a closer inspection, I saw that it was indeed a dragon. What was a dragon was doing here? After thinking it over for a few moments, I eventually decided that it wasn't all that important, so I proceeded towards the bedside table the crown I sought sat upon, and I laughed in my head over the fact that this Princess Twilight would just leave it out in the open without trying to hide it or anything. She really was clueless when it came to acting like a princess, but her stupidity was about to become my gain as I used my magic to levitate her crown. Yet my eagerness proved to be problematic, as I accidentally knocked the crown into a bedside lamp which fell over. Fortunately, I caught it with my magic before it smashed into the ground. " Ugh! That was so stupid of me! A broken lamp would've woken these two up in an instant, and I'd be completely trapped without a way to get myself out. I need to be more careful; this is just too delicate for me to screw up now!" I said to myself, cursing in my head over my near-blunder.

Once I placed the lamp back in its position, I resumed using my magic to take the crown, and switched it with the other one I had stolen. I made sure to place the fake crown in the exact same spot on the table so as to not leave any traces that I was there, and for a brief moment, I stared at the real thing, which had the Element of Harmony embedded into it, my mind filled with glee over the kind of power I would receive upon wearing it. " I could put this on right now, and gain even more power than I've ever dreamed of. But that would be a foolish thing to do, considering where I am right now, so I'll wait for the right opportunity to come before doing anything of the sort." I said to myself, carefully placing the real crown into my saddlebag before turning around to prepare to make my departure. Everything was going perfectly, and nothing could stop me from making a clean getaway... until I made a tactical blunder. The dragon, who had been sleeping in the smaller bed, turned in his sleep at that precise moment, and my rear right hoof accidentally tripped on it, causing me to fall to the ground with a loud thud, which woke both him and Princess Twilight up, much to my annoyance.

" Ugh." I said softly.

" Oooh! Huh?" Princess Twilight said groggily. She then turned around, noticing me, and my heart quickly sank when she noticed her crown was sticking out of my saddlebag. She gasped. " My crown! She stole my crown!" Before she could do anything, I quickly made a run for it in the hopes of getting back to the portal and going through it before I could get caught. As I bolted out of her room and ran down the hallway, I could hear her yelling the same thing she already said, prompting her friends to wake up in the confusion. They began to chase me. I cursed that dragon under my breath for fouling up my plans; this wasn't supposed to happen. But then I heard sounds of hooves galloping right behind me. The upstart had already caught up and used her magic to teleport right in front of me, so I used a little magic of my own, teleporting a short distance behind her. I did lose my cloak in the process, but that wasn't an issue, really, as none of them knew who I was, anyway.

Because I couldn't resist, I turned to face Princess Twilight with a smug look on my face before continuing to make my way towards the portal, but it seems my taunting only drove her desire to catch me even further, and at one point she tried using her teeth to bite at my tail, which was nothing short of insulting. A real princess would never resort to such a low-life act like that, which meant my suspicions of her were correct. I couldn't stop to think about that, though, as I had to keep going. Unfortunately, it had been a long time since I had to run as a pony, and my pursuer, along with her friends, were faster than I was, so when I reached the throne room, I felt exhausted, but I had to keep going, even if it meant killing myself in the process. Princess Twilight would eventually tackle me to the ground upon entering the room I had been running towards, and the crown slipped out of my saddlebag, bouncing around a few times like it were a pinball.

" Of all the rotten luck." I said to myself, but before I could retrieve it, it ended up flying into the portal, which was what I had intended, though the plan involved me actually having it in my possession rather it going through to the other world without me. All of us were in shock over what had happened, including me, as I honestly didn't expect the crown to bounce off of the walls like it did. This wasn't a major setback, though, as I could easily pick it up when I returned to CHS; it should have landed somewhere close to the Wondercolt statue.

" What did you do?" Princess Twilight asked, having turned to face me.

" Something that should have been done a long time ago." I answered, an evil look appearing on my face.

" I don't understand! Why have you done this?" Princess Twilight asked.

" Sorry it had to be this way, princess, but you becoming an alicorn was yet another one of her biggest mistakes." I answered, using my magic to teleport from underneath her, reappearing in front of the mirror. " A pony like you should never have become a princess! You're nothing special!" With that, I waved farewell in the manner that a pony would do and went through the portal, leaving Princess Twilight and her friends confused over what had happened. Despite the drawback of being discovered much sooner than expected, thanks to the bumbling of that dragon, and losing the crown in the process, I knew that things were going to turn out just fine.

" So your plan didn't go exactly as you thought?" Twilight asked.

" I had no idea that Princess Twilight had a dragon in her room. Had I taken that into account, I probably would've gotten away with it. Then again, if Spike hadn't tripped me up in the first place, all of the events that followed would never have happened, and our current meeting right now wouldn't even exist." I answered.

" That's what you meant when you said that messing with fate would have unintended consequences, and it sounds like fate was acting against you, because your actions were discovered too quickly, and Princess Twilight would follow after you in an attempt to get her crown back. Fascinating, yet at the same time it was all an unfortunate coincidence resulting from a sleeping dragon wanting to turn over in his sleep." Twilight said. When she said it like that, it did make sense that everything that followed from that point on were actions which were never intended, but happened because of coincidence. " So, did you end up retrieving the crown upon your return?"

" Fortunately for me, the crown was picked up by someone else." I answered.

" Who? Also, why were you fortunate?" Twilight asked.

" When I look back on it now, even though this all happened last year, I'm glad the crown was picked up by someone else because it meant not being in my hands. Would you seriously feel safe knowing the crown would be in the hands of someone as volatile as I was? Back then, when I discovered the crown had been picked up and taken to Principal Celestia's office, I was beyond furious, as my carefully-laid-out plan had been thwarted by someone who was curious as to how a sparkling object suddenly appeared on the front lawn, yet this mishap would be merely the beginning of the end of my reign." I answered.

" You didn't tell me who found the crown." Twilight said.

" Oh. That was Fluttershy." I answered.

Chapter 16: Confrontation

Day: Monday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 8:20am

I did it! I stole that upstart's crown! However, my plan didn't go exactly as I had hoped because of an unfortunate occurrence, and to top it all off, I've lost my stolen prize when it went through the portal after I was tackled by that infuriating Twilight Sparkle! I figured that I'd soon get my hands on the crown upon returning to the other world, so I returned to my new home, my heart was filled with glee over the prospects of having gained more power, but I discovered it wasn't where I thought it would be. In fact, it wasn't even anywhere near me, which made me wonder what could have happened. A crown just doesn't walk away on its own, and no one else would be here during such late hours! Urgh! So much frustration! Those were my feelings on Friday. On Monday, I discovered that someone had gotten their hands on the crown and given it to Principal Celestia. I'm right back where I started! I needed to know who did this to me and teach them a lesson about what happens when you get in my way!

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 22, 2015
Chapter 16: Confrontation.

" Fluttershy found the crown!?" Twilight asked, shocked by this revelation.

" Yeah, not even I was expecting her of all students to have found it, but she did. My plan was to get to school early Monday morning in the hopes of finding it before anyone else, but it turned out that Fluttershy arrived even sooner, because she was handing out flyers for the animal shelter. She didn't really do a good job, as she kept her distance from everyone, and those who walked by didn't hear her." I answered, turning the page in the journal, which had something else taped to it, so like before, I carefully removed the page to avoid damaging it. It took a few moments--the tape was more adhesive than I thought--but I eventually got it off. I unfurled the now-freed item before showing it to Twilight, who had a confused look on her face. " Yeah, I know it's weird that I'd have one of her flyers stuck in my journal, but it was a keepsake, if you will, just like those previous items that were between the pages." Twilight still had that same confused look, and I could tell that she was having trouble buying my claim, so I had to insist that I was telling her the truth, something which I've been doing an awful lot of since I first started reading from this journal. " After I was shown the error of my ways, one of the first things I did was go to the animal shelter Fluttershy worked at, but that's a story for later. I still need to tell you what happened when I came back from Equestria that night after stealing the crown."

" What I don't understand is how Fluttershy could have discovered the crown on Monday morning when, according to the date you wrote down in the previous entry, it states that you travelled to Equestria on the Friday night prior? She must have been in the vicinity of the statue just before you came back and picked up the crown, deciding to keep it on her person for the duration of the weekend, and then delivering it to the proper school authorities." Twilight said, grabbing her bottle of apple cider and pouring herself a glass before drinking thirstily. While I found it cute that she had gone and done that, I was shaking my head, my eyes rolling in the back of my head, a sign that what she believed happened wasn't the case at all.

" Nice theory, Twilight, but not exactly correct." I said.

" So Fluttershy didn't find the crown?" Twilight asked.

" No, she did find it that Monday morning, but she wasn't there that Friday night." I answered.

" If she wasn't there, then surely you would have found it yourself if you had searched hard enough." Twilight said.

" In my mind, I had everything figured out right down to the last detail, but even that wasn't enough to find the crown. Yet there was one more thing that I didn't take into consideration, and that was the wild animals that happened to have burrows on school grounds." I said. Twilight then removed her glasses before slapping herself in the face, groaning that she didn't see such a possibility as having played a factor, but then she noted that the only animals that could have made burrows were moles, gophers, badgers, raccoons, and snakes, though she didn't think that last one would have been logical. " I'd learn straight from Fluttershy herself as to how she acquired the crown, and let's just say that it wasn't my best moment. In fact, it was one of the cruelest acts I've ever had the displeasure of performing." I said.

When I came through the portal after having said farewell to Princess Twilight and her friends, I immediately began to curse out loud, because my plan had been derailed because of a bunch of stupid mishaps. First, there was that baby dragon who tripped me up with his tail, which in turn woke both him and Twilight Sparkle prematurely, forcing me to make a run for it. Then, the upstart had the nerve to tackle me to the ground, which caused me to lose the crown through the portal, but, I figured, it would be in my possession by the time I returned. Finally, I was forced to search around school grounds at night, looking for what I stole, which made me feel really irritable, as I shouldn't have had to resort to such drastic actions. One thing that I knew for certain was that Twilight Sparkle and her friends wouldn't dare follow me through the portal, as they wouldn't know the first thing about this world, so at least I could take solace knowing that I could take my sweet time trying to find the crown.

I began searching near the Wondercolt statue, in case the crown didn't bounce very far upon exiting the portal, but I found nothing, so I broadened my search to include the nearby lawn. Yet, still nothing came up, which made me start to freak out a bit. Then, in an act of desperation, I walked all the way up to the front door of the school in the hopes that, somehow, the crown bounced all the way there, but there was no trace of it. In frustration, I began pounding my right fist into the ground until my hand started bleeding, but I didn't care about that, as the crown wasn't here! My perfectly laid out plan, ruined at the last possible moment. But where could it have gone? A crown just doesn't get up and walk away. Then, an idea popped into my head. Could someone have come along and taken it mere moments before I came back from Equestria? I wasn't sure what the time difference between the two worlds was, but was that an actual possibility?

" If someone did pick up the crown in-between the time it came through the portal and the time I did the same thing, then that person is probably long-gone by now, so attempting to chase after them would do me no good. Argh! I can't believe this is happening! Everything was going perfectly until that accursed dragon tripped me up! If I hadn't been in such a hurry to begin with, I'd have used my magic to punish that lizard accordingly, but that would have incurred the wrath of Twilight Sparkle." I said to myself. All of my tension reached a boiling point, so I let it all out in the form of a temper tantrum, jumping up and down repeatedly like a little brat, ripping out sections of grass along with pounding the ground again, using both fists this time. Eventually, my anger faded, and I regained my composure. I needed to come up with another strategy in order to turn things around. " There's no point in continuing to look for the crown now; it's getting really late, and I need some sleep, since all of this unnecessary excitement has really tuckered me out. I could search the school during the weekend, but the entire place is closed, aside from the front lawn, so that idea is a bust. Ugh! I'll have to come back here early Monday morning before anyone else and hopefully find it then." I said to myself.

Since the gardener was still on vacation, I continued to reside in his shed, which gave me the perfect means of getting to school ahead of everyone else, as I was mere steps away from the entrance. The weekend went by quickly without anything significant happening. When that Monday morning came along, I was awake and ready to resume searching for the crown, only to discover that someone had managed to get here before I even began. I knew this was the case, as this someone had left behind what appeared to be a scrunched up piece of paper, but I ignored what was written on it; I was too busy freaking out over the possibility that someone had beaten me to the punch. Again! Searching around the statue again, in addition to the places that I searched on Friday night, I found no traces of the crown anywhere, and my anger had once again reached the boiling point that I've gotten used to, but before I could lash out in sheer frustration, I noticed that students were beginning to arrive, which would hamper my progress.

Sighing, I decided that there was nothing else I could do besides go to class and go through my usual mundane school day. I didn't want to go inside just yet, though, as I still believed that the crown was still outside somewhere, waiting for me to pick it up. Who was I kidding, though? If I haven't found it by now, there was no way I was going to find it without a miracle. Good thing a miracle happened, then. I began hearing voices coming from the other side of the Wondercolt statue, so I quietly slipped on over until I was standing on the opposite side they were on so as not to be detected. I groaned ever so softly when I recognized the voices belonging to Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon. Of all the students attending CHS, those two always forgave one another whenever they had a fight, so I ended up not bothering to make their lives miserable, but I did the next best thing, making other students miserable at them, which was a hollow victory at best. Lyra and Bon Bon always had an upbeat attitude, and it always got on my nerves. They were just like those ponies I knew from my days at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns: They were students who had no futures.

" Things around here have been getting pretty bad, huh?" Lyra asked.

" It's been that way ever since Sunset Shimmer first came to CHS! Since the first day she transferred over from whatever school she said she attended, student morale has reached an all-time low, and most just stick to their respective cliques because there's so much strife going around." Bon Bon answered.

" Are you accusing Sunset Shimmer of being responsible?" Lyra asked.

" No; that wouldn't be fair to her." Bon Bon answered, quickly looking left and right as though she were looking for someone, or rather hoping that a certain someone wasn't within earshot of what she was about to say next. " You do have to admit Lyra that things around here have been going south since she first showed up, and isn't it also a coincidence that whenever we have a formal, Sunset Shimmer always ends up winning, and those who competed against her end up withdrawing due to their secrets being exposed for all to see?" Bon Bon looked as though she was about to blow her top, which would have been a new look for her, but she quickly calmed down before looking around again in hopes that I wasn't listening in on her. A shame neither of them were aware that I was listening to them, but I wasn't furious about what they were saying about me. No, I was just laughing in my head over how pathetic these two were and how they will never amount to anything.

" Yeah... How does she keep on winning like that?" Lyra asked.

" Beats me; I've never once attempted to try and win one of those formals." Bon Bon answered.

" Me, neither. Why even try when Sunset wants to achieve the same thing? By the way, did you hear that Flash Sentry broke up with Sunset Shimmer a couple of weeks ago because he was tired of her attitude? I'm amazed he's still in one piece when you consider that girl has a real mean streak." Lyra said.

" Really? He broke up with her? While I'm not a fan of her attitude, both Sunset and Flash were what everyone was calling a power couple, what with their dominance over the school. At least, that's how Sunset often portrayed it as, with the others just going with it." Bon Bon said.

" I've got to give Flash's courage a lot of credit for wanting to end their relationship, but I don't think he was quite right in the head when he made such a decision. Maybe he should have done it after the upcoming Fall Formal, which, surprise-surprise, Sunset Shimmer is vying to win as well. That way, he could have avoided making her mad, which can be a pretty scary thought. I still get shivers thinking about the time back in Spring where she and I were paired together to complete a project for science class." Lyra said as she began to shake, even though it wasn't cold. I remember that incident, and it was awful; she constantly made mistakes all because she was afraid of me! I could have failed that course, which would have ruined my superior GPA, but luckily I managed to see us through by doing everything else while she just stood there, unable to say a word to me because she was just incompetent. " I would have made my contribution, but Sunset constantly intimidated me by demanding me to be absolutely perfect, and the slightest slip-up made her yell at me in frustration. Never do I want to be paired up with her again!" Lyra said.

" Why does she get to boss everyone around?" Bon Bon asked.

" She keeps winning all of the formals and becoming princess, which goes straight to her head!" Lyra answered, stopping short of going further with her weak, yet brazen, insults against my person. While I was seething behind the statue because she had the gall to call me out in such a fashion, she had taken notice of what Bon Bon was holding in her hand, and became curious about it. " What have you got there, Bon Bon?"

" What, this? Fluttershy was giving them out earlier when she was advertising for the animal shelter." Bon Bon answered.

" Really? I didn't notice her when I arrived just minutes before you did." Lyra said.

" Fluttershy got here earlier than anyone else today, as she really wanted to get those flyers out, but I feel sorry for her that everyone just walked by without taking the time to actually take one of those flyers. So, out of the goodness of my heart, I took one and have been holding onto it ever since. I admire her for wanting to get here ahead of everyone else, but I'm guessing she sacrificed some sleep, since she must have woken up just before 6:00 am to get all the way down here and get those flyers ready." Bon Bon said. So someone did manage to get here before me, and it was that animal lover Fluttershy, of all students. Ugh! That girl always ends up getting in my way, but maybe this time she chose to keep her nose clean by sticking to what she did best: being too shy and meek to be of any real significance.

" Guess we ought to get to class, huh?" Lyra asked.

" Wait! There's one thing I just remembered!" Bon Bon exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

" What?" Lyra asked impatiently.

" When I saw her earlier, Fluttershy had some kind of crown with her, but I only saw it for a couple of seconds. I thought it was weird that someone like her would carry around something that a diva would likely wear. It looked a lot like the crown Principal Celestia showed off a few days ago, yet I'm not entirely sure about it. Maybe she still has it on her, or maybe she did something with it." Bon Bon answered. They then started walking towards the front door of the school, and I punched the statue as hard as I could with my fist upon learning that Fluttershy had swooped in and taken the crown from under my nose, somehow. Pulling back my fist, which was bleeding from the impact, leaving a bloodstain on the statue, I began to pace back and forth, experiencing another temper tantrum over this latest setback, but I quickly recovered, as I knew who to speak to about what happened with the crown, and for Fluttershy's own sake, she had better give me an answer.

" Argh! Why did she have to find my crown? Also, how did she find it, when I couldn't? None of this makes any sense! Of all the students who had to find it, it would be the one who had the most trouble talking because she's too shy to make a good conversationalist! Fate is just mocking me at this point!" I said to myself, my mind burning with frustration, but then I began breathing in and out as a means of calming down, as losing my temper would only make things worse for myself. " Okay! I've got to relax and approach this with a level head. I'll just find Fluttershy and demand she give me the crown! If she refuses to cooperate, then I'll need to get my hands dirty!"

" Good thing that Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon revealed to you what you needed to know, or maybe that isn't good after all, since it meant you would be pursuing Fluttershy like she were an animal." Twilight said. Her analogy of likening me to the role of a hunter and Fluttershy to the role of an animal was well-founded, as I did act as though I were on a mission to find where she was no matter how long it took, and Fluttershy had been reduced to nothing more than a target who would receive the full brunt of my frustrations. Just thinking about it through Twilight's analogy made me feel bad, because Fluttershy had trouble talking to those she didn't know or who proved intimidating, and I treated her like some kind of trophy. " Was it a coincidence that you overhead them talking about her?" Twilight asked.

" It could have been anyone who revealed what I wanted to know, but then those two did have pretty good insight." I answered.

" You said in your journal that you never did break apart their friendship." Twilight said.

" And it's true. Both Lyra and Bon Bon have a pretty strong relationship, yet some people say that they are more than just friends, but I don't see like that. I see them as two best friends who do everything together, and even when they do have an argument, they manage to resolve their differences and shrug it all off as though nothing ever happened." I said.

" Fascinating, and quite possibly a new research project." Twilight said, her eyes twinkling with the thought of studying Lyra and Bon Bon.

" Come again?" I asked.

" I'm still inexperienced when it comes to friendship, and I have been needing to find ideal subjects to help me understand how it works. Those two seem like the perfect candidates, what with their positive attitudes and never allowing arguments and the like to break their friendship for good. I've got to write this stuff down. Otherwise, I'm going to forget about it." Twilight said. She then began to feverishly look inside of her backpack for a notepad and a pen, chucking out all kinds of things she packed, which made me curious; this was supposed to be a discussion of my past through a single night's experience, yet she had packed enough to last an entire week as though she were camping instead. " Aha! I knew packing a pen and paper would come in handy. Every waking moment is an opportunity to conduct research and write down something for research purposes." Twilight said, giggling with glee over such prospects, and all I did in response was slap myself in the forehead; I should have seen this coming from a mile away.

" You always do rely on research, don't you?" I asked.

" Of course. I'm always striving to acquire more knowledge in the pursuit of becoming a better scholar." Twilight answered. " Heh, I guess my time at Crystal Prep is still showing through. Sorry; this night should be about you, not me." She finished, catching my surprised expression.

" I'm not offended in the least Twilight. You're just being you." I said.

" I'll refrain myself from doing any kind of work until you've finished." Twilight said.

" Lyra and Bon Bon revealed to me, inadvertently of course, that Fluttershy was the one who found the crown after it came out of the portal, but they never said where she was. That wasn't surprising; it's not like they kept tabs on everyone." I said.

" So you had to find her?" Twilight asked.

" It didn't take long for me to track her down, and when I confronted her in the hallway, I wasn't what you would call subtle about it. I remember that I was in a really foul mood when I began demanding she tell me what I needed to know, and I also remember the nervous fear in her face, as though she were looking into the eyes of death itself. The first answer she gave me, which took some time to get it from her, she was so scared, took me by complete surprise." I answered.

" Right, the wild animals found it." Twilight said.

" Just before I came back from Equestria, a wild gopher had discovered the crown and took it into its burrow, which is why I couldn't find it at first. After all, I wasn't about to start digging around like some kind of miner looking for prospects. What was even more surprising was how the crown ended up in her possession. Well, it probably isn't as surprising as I make it out to be, since this is Fluttershy, the girl who has such a strong connection with animals." I said.

Knowing that I had to find Fluttershy because she had taken what was rightfully mine, I entered the front doors in my bid to track her down. The students immediately got out of my way because they could tell that I was on the warpath. All of the years I've spent intimidating them had paid off. They learned that, for their own safety, they had to avoid me at all costs, or they would feel the full weight of my fury crashing down on them. At first, my searching bore no fruit, as I had no idea where she could have been, and this frustrated me more and more, effectively making me a ticking time bomb. Thankfully, a chance encounter with a certain Captain Planet, one of the eco kids, a clique that Fluttershy was a member of, gave me the vital clue I needed.

" Whoa! Why the angry face, Sunset Shimmer?" Captain Planet asked.

" If you know what's good for you, you'll tell me where I can find Fluttershy." I answered.

" Last I checked, she headed down that hallway towards her locker." Captain Planet said.

" For your sake, you'd better be right, because I'm not in the mood for games!" I said, my voice growing angrier by the second.

" No need to make threats, here. I'm just telling you what I saw when she came this way earlier, holding a crown of some kind. Now that I think about it, she might also have been making her way towards Principal Celestia's office. It is in the same direction as her locker, after all." Captain Planet said.

" She... she took the crown... my crown..." I said, stuttering as I spoke.

" You okay?" Captain Planet asked.

" Out of my way!" I answered, pushing Captain Planet, who had a weird name for a kid, slightly aside before storming off down the hallway, and all he did was just stare at me for a few seconds before turning around and heading off in the opposite direction. I couldn't believe it! That pathetic animal lover had taken my crown to the one person in this whole school who could keep it out of my reach, Principal Celestia, and after having stolen the other crown from her last Friday without her knowledge. Gah! I was right back where I started: no crown in my possession, the supposed highest authority in the school having it stored away, and myself having no true power. All because of the curiosity of someone who shouldn't have interfered with my affairs in the first place. With every step I took, students avoided me like the plague; they knew their place was to fear my presence. Some even talked amongst themselves about who had crossed paths with me, a reminder that I ruled this school with an iron fist, and they were my pawns to do with however I saw fit. I turned around the next corner, and sure enough, there was Fluttershy by her locker. So, without taking time to think about what to say, I stormed over to her, and slammed my hand into her locker, which caused her to jump in reaction.

" Eep!" Fluttershy screamed.

" I've been looking for you!" I said.

" Sunset Shimmer? I, um, that is, what can I, um, do for you?" Fluttershy asked, stammering in her speech.

" I've been hearing rumours that you found a crown out on the front lawn this morning, so I was wondering if the rumours were true." I answered, speaking in a soothing voice so as to not show my true fury until after she told me what I needed to know.

" Well, when I came here this morning to hand out flyers for the animal shelter, I noticed a family of gophers going in and out of their burrow, which was oh so adorable, but then, um, uh, one of them had something shiny, which didn't look right. So, I, um, walked over to investigate, and that's when I saw this beautiful crown. My first assumption was that it belonged to the gophers, but then I thought it belonged to someone else who had dropped it by accident. I asked the gophers if they could give me the crown, and they did so without any problems. Um, so that's how I ended up with that crown. I didn't know who owned it, so I thought, uh, the best person to give it to was Principal Celestia. Surely, she would know what to do with it." Fluttershy said. When she finished with her explanation, she noticed that my right eye was twitching like I had an eye tic, but that was simply because she had ruined my plans without even realizing it, and all of my hard work just went up in a puff of smoke. " Um... you don't look alright."

" Did you seriously give it to Principal Celestia?" I asked.

" Yes. I thought she would know who it belonged to." Fluttershy answered.

" Why did you have to go and do something like that?" I asked, slamming my hand into her locker again out of frustration.

" Does that crown mean anything to you?" Fluttershy asked.

" You did not just say that to me. I surely hope not, anyway. If you did just say that..." I said, struggling to find the appropriate words to express how irate I was that this loser had denied me my prize, and she was one of those who I originally deemed as "special". Why was it that those five were always ruining my plans without even realizing it? I got so mad at what she had done, I slammed my fist into her locker, causing a slight dent, making her cower in fear. " That crown belonged to me! I dropped it outside last Friday, and I was going to find it this morning, until you went and found it first. You could have either left it alone in the hands of those rodents and allowed me to deal with them, or you could have come straight to me because you should have known that anything like a crown would be connected to me. Instead, you did neither of those things, and you instead chose to turn it in." I said.

" The crown was yours?" Fluttershy asked.

" Yes!" I shouted.

" Oh my! I'm really sorry, Sunset Shimmer! Um, I thought the gophers had found something that belonged to someone else, and, um, my heart was telling me to give it to the right person, but I honestly didn't know that the crown belonged to you. Um, I'm really, really sorry." Fluttershy said. Her meek nature had really gotten on my nerves, and as she continued cowering in fear at my presence, tears began trickling down her face, but I didn't care about her feelings, as she had gone and wronged me by getting involved in my affairs. " I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to take what was yours."

" Well you did! That crown was rightfully mine, and you just had to swoop in and take it! You shouldn't take things that don't belong to you! Now I need to figure out how to get it back, because it holds more value than anyone around here." I said.

" Um... " Fluttershy began.

" Got something to say?" I asked.

" I don't think that crown belongs to you." Fluttershy answered.

" Excuse me!?" I exclaimed, slamming my hand into her locker once again. " Did I hear you say that the crown doesn't belong to me? I'm hoping that wasn't what you said. Otherwise, things could get ugly, if you know what I mean." Fluttershy's reaction was exactly what I expected from her, sinking down to the ground and saying nothing, like the coward she really was. I don't know how anyone would want to be friends with someone who constantly jumps at her own shadow and has proven to be unreliable. " Well? Did you just say that the crown doesn't belong to me?" I asked, and the girl kept her mouth shut tightly which prompted me to smile an evil expression before backing away slightly. " Good! That's what I thought! The crown is mine, and you know it, despite what you ended up doing. Just look at you, Fluttershy! I've never seen anyone so pathetic before in my entire life. But then again, your only friends are those stray animals that you see on a daily basis at the animal shelter." My ridicule of her confidence was about to continue going, but then someone spoke up behind which caught me by surprise.

" How dare you speak to her that way!"

" Who said that?" I asked.

" I did!" I then turned around, and standing there was a girl wearing a purple dress. She had a serious look on her face, but there was something about her that felt... familiar, somehow. I couldn't put my finger on it. I then quickly scanned over this upstart who dared interfere in matters that didn't concern her, but again, I just couldn't picture in my mind who she reminded me of. She then continued speaking, showing disgust over what I was doing. " How dare you speak to her that way! You can't just treat people like dirt because you happen to be upset with them over something. If anything, you should be apologizing for lashing out in such a deplorable manner!"

" Is that a fact?" I asked, walking towards this mystery girl.

" Yes!" She answered, walking towards me until we were practically right in each other's faces.

" You must be a new student here." I said, smiling smugly before flicking her nose with my finger, a sign of both dominance and arrogance. " Let me give you a piece of advice so that your experience here doesn't end up becoming a disaster. In this school, I'm the boss, and that means I can speak to anyone any way I want, because everyone here is beneath me. If you want to last long, you'll remember that. Next time, I won't let you off easy." I said, walking away, but not before glaring at another student, who subsequently hid himself in a nearby locker. I turned a corner and walked down the hallway. The image of this new girl continued to haunt my mind. I wanted to know who she reminded me of, but it wasn't too important, as I had someone else that needed my attention. I needed to pay a little visit to Pinkie Pie in order to see how the decorations for my upcoming coronation were proceeding.

" Even now, I still feel bad about how I treated Fluttershy. She did the right thing by taking the crown to Principal Celestia, but I was so obsessed with wanting it that I became blinded by my own arrogance, and I took out my frustration on her. I'm glad that Princess Twilight called me out when she did. Otherwise, Fluttershy could have really suffered some serious emotional damage." I said.

" Wait! Princess Twilight was there?" Twilight asked.

" Yes." I answered.

" Where was she during all of that?" Twilight asked.

" She was the 'new student' who called me out." I answered. This caused Twilight's jaw to drop straight down, so I reached out with my hand before pushing it back up; she didn't look all that adorable with her mouth hanging open. Did I just think of her as adorable? Okay, I suppose she does have a cute charm about her, what with those glasses, her bunned-up hairstyle, and her desire to pursue knowledge, but we're just friends who have much in common, and nothing more. Twilight had since been looking at me with a confused look, because I had been staring at her since pushing her jaw up, and I blushed slightly before getting back to the subject at hand. " It's true that I didn't recognize Princess Twilight right away, as I never pictured she would look like that as a human, but this wouldn't be our only encounter with one another."

" I'm assuming that she came to this world to get her crown back?" Twilight asked.

" She told me once while responding to one of my Friendship Reports that she had been tasked by Princess Celestia to retrieve her crown, because without it, the other Elements of Harmony were useless, and Equestria was without one of its most important means of defence against evil, which I've mentioned before. She also said that her first experiences as a human were 'memorable' in that she stumbled about in a hilarious manner due to the complete change in anatomy." I answered.

" Just like what you went through when you first came." Twilight said.

" My reactions were ones of misery, while hers were more silly, yet her assistant Spike, who followed after her, got adjusted to being a dog without any problems." I said.

" How did Princess Twilight plan on getting back her crown?" Twilight asked.

" She had spoken to Principal Celestia in an effort to get it, because Fluttershy told her where she had taken it. Unfortunately she was informed that the crown was going be rewarded to the Princess of the Fall Formal, the same formal which I had won for the last three years in row. In other words, she and I would be pitted against one another. I was willing to do whatever was necessary to claim victory, and Princess Twilight would be given a crash course on how to survive in a school where I called all of the shots." I answered.

" It sounds to me that you're stalling." Twilight said.

" Can you blame me? After all, I was going to make Princess Twilight's experience at CHS a miserable one." I said.

Chapter 17: Meeting the Competition

Day: Monday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 10:09am

After my "conversation" with Fluttershy where I discovered that she found the missing crown and took it to Principal Celestia, I decided to bide my time and simply wait for it to become mine upon becoming the Princess of the Fall Formal. Naturally, I was a shoo-in, as no one else was going to oppose me. At least, that was what I originally believed, until I discovered the truth when I paid a visit to Pinkie Pie, who was in charge of the Fall Formal Committee. After criticizing her lack of decorations, in addition to having apple cider, which was nothing short of disgusting, she revealed that someone else had written their name down on the ballot sheet, giving me some competition. When I looked at the ballot to see who had the audacity to try and take what was mine, my eyelids closed slightly, as the name was none other than Twilight Sparkle. So the upstart had decided to follow me into this pathetic world after all. That's when it clicked: Twilight Sparkle was the mystery girl from before. Guess I really am going to be showing her the ropes and teach her a lesson about what happens to those who try to deny me what's rightfully mine.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 24, 2015
Chapter 17: Meeting the Competition.

As I made my way towards the gym, where Pinkie Pie was busy putting up all of the decorations for the Fall Formal, I just couldn't get the image of that girl who had the nerve to stand up to me out of my mind. While her dress was tacky beyond belief and looked like something from the 1980s, she had this aura surrounding her that I knew from somewhere, but I still couldn't grasp where I've seen her before. It kept eating away at me. I needed to determine if she was going to become a threat to my rule. And then there was the other issue that involved Fluttershy. While I thoroughly enjoyed degrading her down to quivering jelly, my worst fears were realized when she told me that she had delivered the crown to Principal Celestia after failing to figuring out who it really belonged to. Because of her interference, my plans have been slowly going slightly off-kilter, but I could easily regain my balance by simply playing a waiting game.

There was no need for me to simply demand the crown, as I knew Principal Celestia wouldn't budge on such a request, another reminder of how similar she is to my former mentor. Instead, I was just going to wait for the Formal to come around, which was in about a day or two, and then be crowned princess just like I've done every year since I first started attending this school. Thanks to a combination of my own manipulative ambitions and the somewhat reliable Snips and Snails carrying out my tasks without a moment's hesitation, no one desired to compete against me, which was exactly how I like it. Only I was allowed to become princess around here, and everyone knew it because, regardless of the principal's presence, I made the rules around here. Once the crown becomes mine, and once I place it upon my head, I would gain more power than I could imagine and become a true princess, who would show Princess Celestia that she was wrong to have denied me so long ago.

Before reaching the gym, I just so happened to run into my loyal minions Snips and Snails, both of whom had been spending these past three years under my service as my lapdogs, doing whatever I tell them in exchange for having some kind of power that involved playing pranks whenever they wanted. Despite their brains being, well, lacking, they were fiercely loyal to me, and I suppose I could consider them "friends", even though they were merely tools with which to further my own goals. Judging from the snickering they had on their faces, they had done something childish, which meant nothing to me, but I decided to humour them, if only to give them some sense of satisfaction over their actions.

" I take it you two have been doing your usual thing?" I asked.

" It was really great, Sunset Shimmer! We spray-painted someone's art project, and when they saw what had happened, we both couldn't stop laughing over how funny it was. But, it turns out that he wasn't upset or anything. He actually thought the improvement was better. Oh, well. Even if he did end up getting a good grade, the two of us feel pretty good." Snips answered.

" And we even used Grade-A spray-paint too!" Snails added.

" You two are real pieces of work, you know that?" I asked, sarcasm clearly in my voice. These two were subtle when it came to dishing out their pranks, and while they never wanted to cause any real harm, which did make them far too soft for my liking, they were clearly in it for having fun at the expense of other people. Their childish antics did serve to further weaken student morale, so what they were doing was acceptable in my books. That being said, they also had their devious moments, which usually came out whenever they had to perform a task for me. What they lacked in common sense, they made up for in obedience, yet sometimes they did have problems with restraint. They tended to overdo things. " Anyway, I'm not here to congratulate you on whatever it was you did. I need you two to come with me to the gym. We've got to see Pinkie Pie about my upcoming coronation." I said.

" No one is going to try and compete against you." Snips said.

" Yeah! They'd be dumb to do that!" Snails added.

" And I have you two to thank for digging up so much on my would-be competition." I smiled.

" It's just so much fun seeing the looks on their faces whenever their secrets get exposed, but then, it's their own fault for not wanting to share them with the rest of us in the first place. They could avoid so much stress." Snips said.

" However, you two really do need to be more careful when it comes to actually getting the information I need." I said. While Snips and Snails were good at what they do, at the same time, they did have trouble maintaining what I would call "shadow mode"; they aren't subtle towards eavesdropping, taking photos with their phones, recording video footage using their phones, and even spreading false rumours. " You almost got caught a few weeks ago, and despite how loyal you two have been to me over these past few years, who knows what you might blab if Principal Celestia gets her hands on you? In fact, you've both been pretty lax when it comes to subtlety lately, and it has me concerned that maybe you've got ulterior motives." I said.

" Well, Snails and I have been thinkin' about this relationship we have with you, and we were wondering if we could have more." Snips said.

" Yeah! We want to have more!" Snails added.

" More of what?" I asked.

" We want to have a bit more power. While we do enjoy pulling the pranks and stuff, and we enjoy your protection, we both want more power so we can be big shots. That's why we've been sloppy lately: we know you can give us power, and our help is what keeps you going, I think." Snips answered, scratching his head as though he wasn't sure if what he said was accurate or even had an ounce of truth. I had to give them credit for wanting more out of this, but at the same time I was furious that they were potentially risking my dominance over their own needs. These two are just like everyone else in this school--mine to do with however I saw fit, and should my minions forget their place and attempt to usurp me, they would go down like the rest. After all, I can easily let them take the fall, and get away completely unscathed. After all, that was always something I intended to do.

" You want more power?" I asked, speaking in a sultry voice so as to get their attention. " I suppose that you two do deserve it. After all, if not for you, then my rule over this school would have taken much longer to accomplish. But you need to remember that I am the only one who gets to call the shots!" My expression went from sultry to angry in the span of a second, which made Snips and Snails cower slightly, but then I resumed my sultry expression because I wanted to get something across to them. " Once I have gotten my hands on the crown, I guarantee you two will get the power you deserve. Until that time comes, you'll continue to do whatever I say, and for your own well-being, I suggest you shut up until then. Am I making myself clear?" I asked, staring at each of them with my right eye twitching slightly, giving my look an intimidating, if somewhat crazy, finish.

" Crystal clear." Snips answered.

" What he said." Snails added.

" Good! Now that we've got all that settled, come with me to the gym. I have need of my "enforcers" to make sure that Pinkie Pie is doing everything correctly for my coronation. I've already had one problem today with one of those girls, and I'm not about to allow any more of them to give me further grief. If there's anything you see in the gym you think doesn't match up to my expectations, feel free to take care of it in your usual manner, but don't go overboard." I said. Snips and Snails then gave me a salute, while I rolled my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose before signalling them to follow behind me. Sometimes, I wished that I could have chosen better students to become my minions, as these two clearly were missing some brain cells. I guess, though, that they were better than the alternative: students who were just as cruel and manipulative as I was.

" Wow, you didn't think too highly of Snips and Snails, back then." Twilight said.

" While they did have their problems when it came to intelligence, they definitely had pure hearts, which I ended up corrupting with promises of power, encouraging them to continue with their pranks along with getting me information, which I used to destroy friendships." I said.

" Did they ever see you as a friend, or rather, I should say, did they stick up for you when you fell from your perch?" Twilight asked. I didn't like how her analogy depicted me as some kind of grounded bird, but I knew that she had a basic understanding of what happened, even though we haven't gotten to the real meat, as it were.

" Snips and Snails stuck with me because they were promised power which I would deliver unto them. But when everything I had built up crashed all around me, they would abandon me just like that, saying they were manipulated just like everyone else was, and Principal Celestia bought it. Despite how much I respect her, this was something which I still hold a grudge over, but she had to give them the benefit of the doubt. Did I deserve to be abandoned by my so-called "friends"? Yeah, I did, because I used them, just like everyone else at CHS, and when they were welcomed back with open arms from the other students, I was alone once again, just like when I was a filly." I answered. Twilight then tried to wipe away my tears by using her own tissue, as mine had already been used, but I raised my hand and showed her my lack of tears. So, instead, she snuggled closer to me, which made me feel better. Deep within the recesses of my heart, I knew that being alone had really messed up my life, my very existence.

" Didn't you have anyone you could turn to?" Twilight asked.

" I did, but the problem was that, even though they forgave me for everything that I did to them, they weren't about to forget, and I knew they had every right to call me out by reminding me of what a horrible person I used to be. Apart from them, the others shunned me almost immediately and even began treating me in the same manner that I had treated them mere days before. Funny how things can turn around just like that!" I answered.

" You should have told Principal Celestia that you were being victimized." Twilight said.

" I could have done that, but I didn't want to, because they deserved to treat me like dirt, so I merely resigned myself to my fate and allowed the pieces to fall where they may. It became the lowest point in my entire life, yet it needed to be done so that they could get it out of their systems. While I was punished for my actions and overcame them on a physical level, my emotional state would never be the same again, and it was that experience that would take a long time to heal." I said, stopping when I heard the sound of someone sniffing, so I turned my head towards Twilight, and discovered that she had been crying during my recollection. I then used the tissue she had planned to use on me and wiped away her tears gently before holding her chin in my hand. I then gave it to her so that she could blow her nose, as a small bubble formed on the inside of her nostril, which made me gag slightly. She accepted it and blew her nose with a loud HONK before she gave the tissue back, and I threw it away appropriately. " I do regret not telling Principal Celestia, but it gave them an outlet to voice their displeasure over me. But I'm getting too ahead of myself. This is all stuff I'll be talking about later. Remember that it all worked out in the end. Otherwise, we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

" It isn't right, though." Twilight said.

" Twilight..." I said.

" No one should have to suffer emotionally, even if they had been doing that to people for years. All it does is continue the cycle of hatred. You were horrible to them, so they did the same thing in kind, then you would get back at them for making you miserable, and then they would find some way to get back you, and then--" Twilight said before I cut her off, my hand covering her mouth. She did, however, spend a few moments mumbling incomprehensible words.

" The cycle was broken much sooner." I said.

" Oh, well, but my opinion still stands." Twilight said.

" I know, but let's get to the subject at hand, as we've gone off on a tangent. Snips and Snails at that time were loyal to me because they knew they could get away with anything, so long as they were hanging out with me. They were surprisingly resilient, as I often berated them over even the smallest of details, but this didn't deter them from carrying out my tasks without question. Other students feared them because of their connection to me, yet some thought they were sucking up in order to get some kind of perk, but that was never the case. They wanted to befriend me of their own volition." I said.

" And because you coerced them?" Twilight asked.

" Yeah, that too." I answered, blushing with embarrassment. " Anyway, I was about to encounter both Pinkie Pie and Applejack in the gym, as the former was getting everything ready for the Fall Formal, while the latter was delivering cases of fizzy apple cider alongside her brother Big Macintosh, but this was a minor conversation at best, as there was something even bigger which would take place after I left the gym."

As Snips, Snails, and I approached the double-doors which lead into the gym, I was able to get a glance of the decorations Pinkie Pie had been using in preparation. I wasn't impressed at all with the results, so I was going to make sure to scold her for her shoddy work. Considering that I was the reigning princess for the last three years in a row, I was allowed to shape events at the school in any way I wanted, even if it meant crushing Pinkie's designs because my own designs took precedence over what she had been planning. I didn't care one bit about what she wanted, though, as this was my coronation, and whatever I said went, unless they wanted me to make their lives even more miserable than they already were. I then suddenly heard a familiar voice, belonging to the girl wearing the purple dress who stood up to me earlier, but I wasn't concerned with what she was doing in the gym; I was too busy thinking about some necessary "suggestions" that would make this formal even better.

Before going in, I waited until the mystery girl had left, as I didn't want to see her face; it would be nothing but a distraction. Once I had confirmed that she was no longer in the gym, I made my move, pushing the double-doors open with a startling bang. Looking around at the kinds of decorations Pinkie had provided, my only expression was of sheer annoyance at how everything looked so pathetic, like it were a children's party instead of a formal engagement where students could dance the night way. Of course, the head of this year's Fall Formal committee was Pinkie, who was still as childish as ever, what with her penchant for wanting everything to look like it was meant for five-year-olds instead of teenagers. If I had my way, she wouldn't be in charge of anything and would most likely be cleaning up after the other students as a janitor, while I would be making everything more me-oriented.

" This looks terrible!" I shouted, throwing my arms up into the air.

" Really? I think it looks really fun." Pinkie Pie said in response to me.

" There are way too many balloons! This is supposed to be an event for teenagers, not for children! As the current reigning princess, I insist that we have fewer balloons! On the other hand, we could do with more streamers, especially around the stage." I said. That's when I noticed Applejack was also in attendance, and she was giving me an expression which I didn't take too kindly, as though she wanted to say something to my face. I ignored her, though, as she was just a farm girl, a country hillbilly who had no idea how the modern world really worked. That's when I accidentally bumped into a large balloon that looked ridiculous, a relation to how Pinkie often behaved, so I popped it with my finger, which also popped the balloon next to it.

" Yeah! This setup needs more streamers!" Snips said, grabbing a streamer in his hands and showing it off to Pinkie.

" Fewer balloons; those are lame!" Snails added, squeezing a balloon with his arms before falling over, prompting me to mentally groan. Maybe bringing those two along wasn't the smartest idea I had, but then, I did need to enforce my will on how the decorations were being applied, and as my minions, they would carry out my decisions, should I choose to deploy them.

" You don't like balloons?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Just because you think this formal should be a children's party doesn't mean everyone else thinks the same way you do. Like I said, as princess, I get to influence how events here at school are presented, so get rid of the balloons, and add more streamers. Unless of course, you want me to let Principal Celestia know that you're doing a bad job and insist that someone else be put in charge of the planning committee." I answered. Hearing me say those words seem to do the trick, Pinkie's expression deflating from a smile to miserable acceptance and then back to a smile again, because she realized that having more streamers was an encouragement rather than a derivative. Turning my attention back to Applejack, who had remained quiet while I was dealing with Pinkie, I noticed she was holding a bottle, so I walked over to investigate what kind of beverage would be served to the students. " What in the world is this!?" I asked, acting surprised.

" Fizzy apple cider, fresh from mah family's farm." Applejack answered.

" I know what it is. What I want to know is why it is here." I said.

" Pinkie ordered several cases of fizzy apple cider, which Big Mac and I delivered a short time ago. We'll be servin' it at the Formal. Now, I know not everyone likes this stuff, so she made sure that other drinks would be made available, but considerin' most here at CHS love mah family's cider, there won't be much of a problem. Assuming, o'course, that you ain't got no objections to this." Applejack answered, using some sass in order to get under my skin. Really? Fizzy apple cider? I'm one of those who detest the stuff, even though I never drank any of it before, and I refuse to allow these lips of mine to taste something that came from a run-down farm run by hillbillies. I then grabbed a bottle, using only my index finger and thumb, before expressing my disgust over the choice of beverage.

" Ugh! This is supposed to be my coronation, here! As such, something of better quality is needed, rather than something one would get at a hoedown! Take all of this stuff back to your farm or dump it down the drain for all I care. I'm not going to accept fizzy apple cider as a beverage for the Formal." I said, dropping the bottle into a nearby garbage can before wiping my hand down my skirt. Applejack gave me a cold expression, which I responded to with one of my own, though it didn't seem to faze her. This farm girl thought she could act tough, but in truth she didn't realize how people truly saw her: an uneducated hick who had no fashion sense and who probably needed to act smart to cover up her apparent lack of intellect.

" Now wait just a second! It ain't necessarily gonna be your coronation this time around, Sunset Shimmer. I reckon someone is going to want to compete with ya to win that there crown and be crowned princess. No point in you makin' such a bold proclamation when you ain't got no idea who else put her name down on the ballot." Applejack said, guzzling down the bottle of apple cider she had in her hand before twirling it about on her finger as a means of mocking me. I just wanted to throttle her for not only talking back at me but making me appear as though I was wrong, when it was so obvious that I was right about being the only one vying for the crown, as usual.

" Is that so?" I asked.

" You better believe it!" Applejack answered.

" That's such an adorable response from one with your background, but then, it isn't surprising, given that hillbillies such as yourself aren't very bright." I said, walking over to Applejack with a smug look on my face, which no doubt made her blood boil, which I enjoyed quite nicely. " This is my coronation. No one else has decided to run against me, and why would they? Everyone here knows that I'm guaranteed to win, because my competition keep on forfeiting at the last minute, and even if they choose to stick it out, my popularity is enough for me to see me to victory. No wonder the other students say such mean things about you, farm girl, as your lack of intelligence makes you such an easy target." I said, grabbing the front of Applejack's Stetson hat, and pulling it down over her face to hammer home my point, before turning around and walking away laughing to myself. In response to what I did, her blood seemed to reach a boiling point. Her face began steaming, and the top part of her hat lifted up like it were a flap.

" Actually, you do have some competition!" Pinkie Pie announced.

" What did you say?" I asked, my eyes widening in shock.

" Someone else has also signed up. In fact, she was right here just a few minutes ago, but I guess she had to be elsewhere, otherwise she would have wanted to meet the defending Princess of the Fall Formal, and that would have been the most amazing thing ever! The new girl seemed like she really wants to compete, like she wants that crown just as much as you do, Sunset Shimmer. But while she does appear to have psychic powers, her hand-writing is without a doubt the worst thing I've ever seen, like she's never used a pen before. Then again, she did write down her name using her teeth, so I suppose she might have an injured hand, or even two. Which is weird, since she didn't have any bandages around them." Pinkie Pie answered.

" What!?" I exclaimed, grabbing the ballot sheet from Pinkie and looking at it.

" Even though her writing is totally ineligible, she did say that her name is Twilight Sparkle, and I think she reminds me of someone from the city who has the exact same name that she does, but I could be wrong about that." Pinkie Pie said. I had to grit my teeth harshly so as to drown out the annoying sounds coming from her mouth. However, even more annoying than Pinkie was the sudden revelation that the 'mystery girl' who stood up to me earlier was none other than that upstart. So, she decided to follow me, after all, in order to get her crown back, but since Pinkie and, to an extent, Twilight herself have given her identity away, I can now take care of her on an even more personal level.

" Where is this Twilight Sparkle?" I asked, noticing that both Pinkie and Applejack were looking at me with suspicious glares, so I changed the tone of my voice to throw them off of the potential scent. " Well, this is certainly quite the surprising turn of events, isn't it? Someone else seeks the crown just as much as I do? Like they say, the more the merrier, right? I'm looking forward to meeting this Twilight Sparkle, as I have a few choice words for her." I then grinned, pretending that I was thrilled about this. In truth, I was outraged that the upstart planned on stealing my thunder again. It wasn't bad enough that she became a princess back in Equestria, but now she planned on doing the exact same thing in this world?

" I thought you'd be more upset than that?" Snips asked.

" Not helping!" I answered, speaking through my teeth.

" Sorry for asking." Snips said.

" Why don't you and Snails do an 'inspection' of the gym to make sure that everything is to my liking, okay? As for Twilight Sparkle, I'd like to know where she went, as I really want to get to know my competition, just like I've done with everyone else who challenged me in the past." I said.

" She went that-a-way in an awful hurry." Pinkie Pie answered, pointing towards a door to the left of where I came in from, so, leaving Snips and Snails behind to do whatever they wanted, I took off after the upstart in the hopes of catching up with her.

" That explains why you said there would be a bigger conversation to come." Twilight said.

" I honestly didn't recognize Princess Twilight at the time, even when there were alarm bells ringing in my head that said otherwise." I said, chuckling to myself with Twilight joining in on the brief merriment.

" Did she really have bad handwriting?" Twilight said.

" Imagine seeing something written by a two-year-old who was just starting to learn how to write, and you've just pictured Princess Twilight's handwriting, herself being an obvious teenager." I answered.

" Wow, Pinkie was right; that is terrible." Twilight said, laughing once again over how funny it was, and even snorting once or twice, which was a new experience I was getting from her, but I merely smiled at what I was seeing, as she needed to feel better, especially after crying earlier over how often I've been alone. It also reassured Twilight that her Equestrian counterpart is her own person who is capable of flaws, and that the Twilight in front of me wasn't just a carbon copy. Her laughter got so intense that she actually fell over, and I couldn't help but join in, as though her giggling had become contagious, so for a few minutes we were laughing, not at the expense of Princess Twilight, but rather at how she struggled with something so simple. She has, however, only been a human for maybe several hours. " Okay, that was seriously funny." Twilight said, rubbing the tears from her eyes as she and I finally stopped laughing. " But on a more serious note, you were about to encounter Princess Twilight for the second time in just a short period?"

" Yeah, and this time I wasn't holding back." I answered.

" Makes sense. By that point, you came to the conclusion that she had followed you to this world in an effort to get her crown back, which you had stolen. You wanted to intimidate her to make her feel uncomfortable and much less of a threat, because she was the only one at CHS who knew what you truly were. That made her your biggest target, more than any other student." Twilight said. I was very impressed with her deduction, since what she said was true. Princess Twilight was a threat to my dominion because she knew that I was a pony like her, and I had to make sure to put her in her place before she could cause any kind of damage. Ugh! Just thinking about what I did to her made my heart ache, as she didn't deserve any of it. " Sunset? What are you thinking about?" Twilight asked.

" What I did to Princess Twilight." I answered.

" What did you do!?" Twilight asked, pushing her face forward until her nose was practically touching mine which felt awkward, but she quickly backed away knowing that her reaction didn't settle well with me, and she coughed politely by covering her mouth with her right hand before scooting over slightly so as to give me some space. " Sorry about my sudden outburst, Sunset, but you've definitely piqued my curiosity."

" You know what blackmail is right?" I asked.

" Of course; people use it to make people do whatever they want in order to keep certain things about them private." Twilight answered, her mouth dropping down a few seconds later when she put two and two together. " Did you--"

" I did." I said, sadly.

Despite Pinkie Pie being annoying to no end, what with her voice and mannerisms, she was at the very least reliable when it came to directions, as other students pointed out that someone bearing the description I gave them about Twilight Sparkle had been making her way towards one of the older hallways of CHS. The reason why everyone referred to it as old was because one of the light fixtures had fallen into disrepair and severely needed to be fixed so it wouldn't cause any eventual fire. Soon, however, there would be a more figurative fire in this hallway, for when I'm finished with the upstart, she will be roasted alive as I ruin her chances of getting her crown back. It actually didn't take long for me to find her, as she was just standing there speaking to her dog. When the dog talked back, I realized that her dragon must have come with her, which could prove problematic, assuming it could still breathe fire. I mean, the likelihood of that dog breathing white-hot dragon breath was pretty unlikely, but you never could tell what the portal would do to a person until they come out the other side.

Before confronting Princess Twilight, I decided to listen in on their conversation, and it turned out that Her Highness over there was having second thoughts about being a princess of Equestria, exactly what I initially suspected of her. I knew Princess Celestia had made a poor decision by making somepony like her an alicorn, and I was going to make sure her precious pupil would receive my full wrath. But then, she talked about how difficult it was going to be to win the Formal seeing as she didn't exactly know where to even begin, and to me, this made the competition pretty much a non-issue. Knowing this information, courtesy of her blabbing away, I stepped out from the next hallway and began walking towards her, which made her speak out in response.

" Who's there?" Princess Twilight asked.

" Why, your competition for Princess of the Fall Formal." I answered.

" Sunset Shimmer..." Princess Twilight said, turning around to see me, arms folded, grinning from ear to ear because she wasn't aware that I knew some of her secrets already without even having to do anything to learn them.

" I can't believe that I didn't recognize you earlier when you stood up to me to help out that weakling Fluttershy, but I suppose that was to be expected given how you look so much different as a human compared to a pony. Good thing I figured things out when I looked at your sorry excuse for handwriting." I said, walking towards my would-be opponent before walking around her in circles as to intimidate her and to get another good look at how pathetic she was with her choice of clothes. " I know you didn't come here willingly, upstart, as you would have been forced out of your precious comfort zone, so I suspect Princess Celestia gave you the incentive to come here to get your crown back, or should I say, my crown. Also, I'm surprised that dragon turned into nothing more than a mere mongrel, and I'll even bet that it can't breathe fire anymore."

" That crown is rightfully mine, and you know it!" Princess Twilight shouted.

" Whatever! It's just a minor setback for me." I said.

" I know everything about you, Sunset Shimmer, from what Princess Celestia told me happened between you two. I can't believe you would abandon your studies with her because you couldn't have your way. Becoming an alicorn must be earned when you've matured to the point where you're deemed ready, yet you simply demanded it be given to you." Princess Twilight said.

" Don't even bother trying to give me a lecture, you little upstart! I was a far greater student than you ever were, and unlike you, I never once hesitated when it came to the goals I wanted to achieve, yet you are already questioning your own ascension to princess-hood. For example, it only took me a few months to dominate this school, and I've ruled over it ever since! You have no clue how this world works, as you've only been here for a few hours, while I've been here for years." I said.

" Then why steal my crown when you already have this place? What good would it do for you?" Twilight asked.

" It took some time for me to steal the mundane crown that originally belonged here and switch it with the one you possessed, but thanks to that mongrel of yours, my plans were fouled up. That said, I'm still on track to become Princess of the Fall Formal for the fourth straight year." I answered. I then noticed Her Highness looked confused with how I explained my brilliant plan, and I merely laughed at her plight, because it was sheer genius, and she was just too dim-witted to understand. As I continued laughing, which eventually brought tears to my eyes, she was looking at me with anger in her eyes, so after wiping away my tears using my sleeve, I slammed my fist into a nearby locker, forcing her to pay attention. " Tell you what, I'll give you a little pop quiz, just for the fun of it. Question: what happens when you bring an Element of Harmony into an alternate world? This should be an easy one to answer, considering that element has such a strong connection to you." I said.

" Um..." Princess Twilight said, struggling to come up with an answer. Seeing her struggle made me laugh once again, tears streaming from my eyes.

" Seriously? You don't know the answer to such a simple question? And you're supposed to be Princess Celestia's star student?" I asked, but since she looked as though she were just dying to know, I decided to tell her because it would be funny to see her reaction to something so obvious. " When an Element of Harmony comes into a world, such as this one, for instance, it can cause magic to appear in that world. Although at first it will be uncontrollable, as this world doesn't understand magic, in time, someone should gain the power to control it, or it would destroy everything."

" What!?" Princess Twilight exclaimed.

" It is a possibility after all; there are other things that could happen. I can't believe someone like you ended up becoming Princess Celestia's protégé! Then again, I was the best student she ever had, considering how powerful I became under her guidance. But then, she betrayed me by denying me my destiny, so I decided to leave Equestria, which is where you come into the picture, somepony she thought would become even better than me, though clearly that isn't the case. No doubt Princess Celestia must be embarrassed, as is all of Equestria, that you were her best hope of achieving the status of princess." I said. That's when her dragon popped out of her backpack, and barked at me, which did make me step back a couple of paces, as I wasn't expecting it, but I quickly regained my composure before speaking in a sultry voice which got it to calm down. " You know, they don't allow pets on school grounds, so if I were you, I'd make sure your mutt stays hidden and, especially, quiet, because people would be thrown into a panic were they to see a talking dog. I'd hate to see it get taken away from you."

" Spike isn't an 'it', he's a 'he'." Princess Twilight said.

" Whatever. My point still stands, regardless of what his gender is. If you don't want him to be taken away from you, you'll keep him muzzled and hidden away so that no one becomes suspicious. Don't want everyone to know you don't belong here, now do you? That's right! I'm calling you out! You'll never become a princess around here; you and your mutt have no idea how this world works, and by the time you do manage to figure out something, that crown will already be on my head!" I said, laughing before turning around and heading off in the opposite direction, leaving the upstart feeling miserable about what I said. However, I knew my words alone wouldn't be enough to dissuade her from competing against me. She would keep on going, as she has this strong hope that she will prevail. Hah! Nothing but a pointless feeling that will get her nowhere. Still, she needs to be gotten rid off before she can become a true threat, and I knew just the two to help me with that task.

" I actually was surprised Princess Twilight didn't know that about the Elements of Harmony." I said.

" How did you know?" Twilight asked.

" I read about it during my early days as Princess Celestia's student." I answered.

" She must have been beside herself in frustration knowing that she didn't understand, but then, she was on the spot, considering how you were talking down at her to make her lose confidence. I suspect she would continue with her bid to compete for the crown, correct?" Twilight asked.

" Yep, and that meant she was squarely in my sights as a potential target." I answered.

" You used Snips and Snails, didn't you?" Twilight asked.

Chapter 18: Blackmail

Day: Monday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 11:21am

My worst fears had been realized. Someone wrote their name down on the ballot sheet giving me some competition for the crown, and it turned out to be Twilight Sparkle, the upstart who became a princess in Equestria. She wasn't satisfied with being a princess in our world, so now she wanted to become a princess in this one? She was just rubbing it in my face, wanting to take everything away from me! I let her get away with it once, but not this time! Before encountering Her Highness, I made an important discovery which would help me put her in her place. She had doubts about being a princess. I originally suspected she was hesitant, but hearing it straight from the horse's mouth confirmed my suspicions. Knowing that little tidbit about her insecurity, I encountered Twilight and intimated her in the hopes that she would rethink about competing against me. Yet, she had chosen to continue with her efforts,-- much to my dismay. Well, there are other methods I could use to make things difficult for her, and I would start with the obvious choice: using my minions.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 26, 2015
Chapter 18: Blackmail.

" And it didn't matter whether they were willing to do it or not. I was calling the shots, so they had to do what I told them, especially if they wanted power. That was another reason why I ultimately chose them. Snips and Snails were easy to control because they were easy to please. Had I chosen students who were more ambitious and similar to how I behaved, they would have been next to impossible to keep in check." I said.

" You didn't want to take any chances, did you?" Twilight asked.

" During the first two years of living in this world, it was easy to rein in Snips and Snails, as they were content with pulling their pranks. They knew that I had their back, despite me still having some hesitation towards them for their lack of intellect. Still, our relationship created a 'harmony' where we co-existed in what could be described as a testy friendship. During the third year, they started to become harder to control, as they developed free will in that they would carry out my plans, but had ulterior motives. What I wrote down in my journal of them demanding more power wasn't the first time they brought it up to me. There were at least two additional incidents, yet I ignored them, thinking they were trying to play a prank on me." I answered.

" Free will? They weren't machines, you know!" Twilight said, frowning at me.

" Like I said, they were nothing more than minions to me." I said.

" I've been thinking about what you said when they claimed they had been manipulated by you, which ended your relationship with them, so tell me, did they ever forgive you for what you did to them?" Twilight asked. It took me a moment to answer her question, as it meant having to think back about what happened in-between the Fall Formal and the Battle of the Bands regarding my relationship to Snips and Snails. I did, however, make sure Twilight didn't see the brief teardrops falling from my eyes. She's already felt emotional trauma about what I've been through to last a lifetime, and I didn't want her to feel sad anymore. Sniffing a few times to keep her distracted, I wiped away the tears before turning the page in my journal and addressing her question.

" When our 'friendship' ended, Snips and Snails began to mistreat me the same way I treated them, and while they weren't malicious, I had no desire to stop them because I believed everyone deserved to vent their frustration out at me. Don't get me wrong, Twilight! I had spent years ruining their lives, so when I was exposed for everything I had done, I accepted my just punishment. After all, it could have been much worse." I answered. I then began to think about what happened a couple of days after the Fall Formal ended, and it was an experience that brought back painful memories. Someone had called the local authorities to investigate why the front of the school had been destroyed, and though Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna would have pointed the finger at me because I was responsible and because they had to cooperate with the authorities, my fellow students said what happened was the result of a building project gone wrong. The authorities doubted such a claim, but accepted it anyway, as no one would believe that magic caused the damage, so the entire incident was dropped. To this day, I still don't know why they protected me. They could have said nothing and allowed me to be taken away, but they helped me after all I did.

" How could it have been worse?" Twilight asked.

" Trust me. You don't want to know." I answered.

" I'll take your word for it, I guess. For now, at least." Twilight said. I felt bad about not telling her what happened after the Formal, but it was too embarrassing for me to tell her, yet our friends were likely to answer her curious nature were she to bring it up with them. " And the forgiveness?"

" Oh yeah! They did forgive me like everyone else did, but we don't hang out all that often. I have my own interests that revolve around you and our friends, and those two have their own interests which revolve around pulling pranks all in the name of fun." I answered.

" That's good to hear, but we haven't exactly reached those 'happier moments' yet. We're still talking about what happened to you last year." Twilight said. When I turned the next page of the journal, she thrust her hand down onto a photo which had been glued onto the page, and her expression was of complete shock over what she was looking at, and I couldn't blame her. The photo was of Princess Twilight in a really awkward moment where she had a book in her mouth, her eyes derped out, and drool coming out of her mouth and trickling along the book. She then looked at me, demanding an explanation, but all I did was blush bright red, turning my face away from her in shame. " What is this!? Why is there a photo of her looking like she was suffering from constipation?"

" Remember how I said I used blackmail on Princess Twilight?" I asked.

" Um, yes." Twilight answered.

" You're looking at the result." I said, turning my face back around, but looking down at the page rather than directly at her.

Princess Twilight had really riled me up, not only because of her presence at Canterlot High but also because of her decision to write her name on the ballot sheet, giving me some competition for the crown I stole from her. I was hoping to have won without anyone opposing me like I had in the past, but while those other competitions did have other girls who were vying to win just as much as I was, they were blackmailed into dropping out, courtesy of yours truly. The upstart, however, was a much different case, as I had no idea what kind of secrets she had, aside from her self-doubt. That, though, wouldn't do me any good; these students would never believe in a place like Equestria. I needed to rely on other means of making her look bad, so I hastened my walk back to the gym. I needed the assistance of my minions.

Upon reaching the gym, Snips and Snails came out via the double doors, covered from head to toe in streamers. I groaned out loud and slapped my forehead in frustration over what I was looking at. I asked them to check over the remaining decorations to see if anything else needed improving, and what do they go and do? They come out looking like someone had gift-wrapped them! That was what I get for going with the least intelligent option instead of the smart one. The two boys struggled to make their way over to where I was standing, but tripped on a loose streamer, causing them to fall to the ground. I pinched the bridge of my nose in an attempt to refrain myself from throttling them for their sheer incompetence. If not for the fact that I needed their help, I'd have left them to be humiliated by any passers-by, yet their current condition would make me look bad. I did have an image to maintain, after all.

" What are you two doing?" I asked, anger clearly in my voice.

" We were checking out the decorations to make sure they were up to your expectations, and we, uh, kinda got wrapped up in our work." Snips answered.

" Yeah! We're all tied up!" Snails added.

" Did you two at least manage to fulfill my request?" I asked.

" Everything looked great, and Pinkie Pie was removing some of the excess balloons, just like you said." Snips answered. Well, at least they did that right without making a scene, but seeing them sprawled about on the floor covered in streamers only fueled my growing frustrations, so I helped to pick them up off the ground before grabbing a loose piece and giving it a yank, causing them to spin around several times before becoming freed from their blunder. They were still spinning at this point, so I reached out to grab their shoulders in order to bring them to a halt before turning them to face me. " Thanks for bringing us to a stop, Sunset Shimmer, but I'm still seeing stars, here."

" That was fun! Can we do it again?" Snails asked.

" I don't think now's the time for that, Snails, old buddy." Snips said.

" Why?" Snails asked. Snips promptly pointed his finger at me, and when Snails turned to face me, he quickly turned white upon seeing my bared teeth and angry look smeared across my face. Again, I would throttle them for being incompetent, but I needed their help, so for now I would let this mishap slide. However, I made sure to point at both of them with my eyes narrowing in the process, a warning that I wouldn't give them another chance were they to fail me again.

" Pinkie Pie definitely took your words to heart, but I don't think Applejack felt the same way, now that I think about it. She did look awfully mad, but she calmed down after Pinkie suggested not to let your insults, or 'funny words' as she called them, ruin her day. Not sure where she went after that, but that's when our mishap happened, and we came out here when we saw you walking on over." Snips said. Applejack could do with more ridicule as payback for trying to stand up against me, but I'd have to deal with her later, as I have an upstart who's become my prime focus.

" I've got a job for you two." I announced.

" Are we pulling another prank?" Snips asked.

" No. Rather, you'll be helping me do a little blackmail." I answered. Snips and Snails began clapping at the sound of doing something like that, but I quickly raised my hand. They immediately stopped before standing to attention. " I'm sure you two are aware that there's a new student in CHS, and that she decided to compete against me for the crown and title of Princess of the Fall Formal. You two were listening to what Pinkie Pie said, right?" I asked.

" Yeah! We heard you both say her name was Twilight Sparkle." Snips answered.

" And she had bad handwriting." Snails added.

" Good! That makes things much easier for me without having to explain everything to you. This little upstart has proven herself to be a threat to my dominion, and I want to make her experiences here so miserable, she will not only withdraw from the competition, but never show her face around here again! I want you two to follow her every move. Make sure she doesn't spot you, but then, I shouldn't have to remind you of that, considering your previous experiences. Anyway, bring me something that I can use to blackmail her into submission! I don't care what you bring me! Just make sure it will ruin her chances of winning!" I said.

" Just like what we did to that girl who competed against you during the Spring Fling?" Snips asked.

" Exactly!" I answered.

" You got it, Sunset Shimmer!" Snips said.

" We'll bring you something really juicy." Snails added.

" Despite your appalling behaviour at times and your lack of subtlety, you two definitely deliver the goods when I need it, so I have every confidence that you'll succeed with this task." I said. I then began rubbing my hands together with glee over the prospect that the upstart would soon be nothing more than a distant memory, and a cruel smile appeared on my face, warped ever so slightly out of feeling sadistic. Normally, I would have Snips and Snails do something simple so as to have fodder to use to thwart any would-be challengers to competitions I desired to win, but Princess Twilight was different. She wasn't an ordinary student, and yet, neither was I. She had to be handled with pure aggression, with no signs of holding back, humiliated to the point where she would practically die of embarrassment. " When the crown and the power it contains becomes mine before the week is out, Twilight Sparkle will wish she had stayed home safe and sound in Equestria. Setting hoof into this world will be her biggest and final mistake! And lucky me! Her failure will also prevent anypony else from wanting to come here and stop me!" I said.

" Yeah, in Equestria!" Snips said.

" Yeah, anypony!" Snails added.

" Huh!?" I exclaimed, turning around to see those two were still standing there, and my expression became one of embarrassment. They had just overheard me mentioning both Equestria and references to ponies. No one must know that I'm not an actual human! But, the way they spoke made it clear they thought I was saying something funny, yet I was furious they even listened in on my personal moment to begin with. Rrgh! Just their presence was frustrating me! " What are you two still doing here!? I swear, if either of you say anything about what you just overheard me saying, I'll make sure you regret ever coming to this school! Now, go!" I shouted, issuing my command, prompting both Snips and Snails to react by colliding with one another, my reaction, as usual, involving slapping my forehead and groaning before they ran off in the direction I came from in order to find Princess Twilight. My heart started pounding a little over how one of my own secrets accidentally slipped out from my mouth, but I wasn't worried, as those two would most likely forget it. No, they would definitely forget it, especially after my threat knocked some sense into them.

Still, I felt slightly vulnerable, like I had been violated, but I shrugged it off as a mere blunder caused by stress over the actions of the upstart. In the meantime, I decided to consider additional plans just in case that blackmail idea didn't work out. If push came to shove, I could just try to steal the crown again.

Twilight had been looking at the photo of Princess Twilight just as I was finishing up reading the opposite page, and I could tell she was thinking heavily about the ramifications her counterpart must have gone through with this photo, along with additional blackmail attacks designed to ruin her chances. I, on the other hand, continued to blush in shame because, despite not having taken the photo myself, I was the orchestrator behind what befell Her Highness, so I had the most guilt.

" What did Snips mean when he talked about what he and Snails did before?" Twilight asked.

" There was an event at school called the Spring Fling--identical to the Fall Formal except in spring--and I wanted to win the competition, but someone else wanted the same thing, making us rivals. This girl--Twinkleshine--was surprisingly popular because of being such an active participant in various projects around school, so she proved more than capable of beating me. So, I used Snips and Snails to uncover some dirt on her which I could use to make her drop out. What they discovered shocked the student body to its foundations! Twinkleshine had secretly gotten her brother to provide funding for two school projects rather than raise the money herself, as she claimed. She withdrew when this started to become known." I answered.

" In a sense, Snips and Snails exposed corruption, but I don't think Twinkleshine saw it that way, did she?" Twilight asked.

" She was devastated, and while the students forgave her for her deception, as it was all for a good cause, the damage had been done, and she wasn't allowed to compete, as it would have caused a scandal had the winner of the Spring Fling been involved in such deplorable acts. I just wanted her to withdraw, so I had her secrets exposed, yet I wasn't expecting something so deep." I answered.

" When did this happen?" Twilight asked.

" Spring of last year." I answered.

" No one figured out that you were the one who had Snips and Snails uncover Twinkleshine's secret, correct?" Twilight asked. I nodded my head in response, and she scratched her chin with her right index finger, as though she were in deep thought. To me, it looked like Twilight was trying to come to grips with how I had managed to remain undetected for so long, even when it was clear that my attitude made me the prime suspect, and as she struggled with her thought process, a tiny vein bulged on the side of her head, a sign that she was really working hard to find an answer. She eventually sighed heavily and admitted that she couldn't figure out how I got away with causing so much pain to so many students. " I just don't get it! How did you manage to always stay one step ahead?" Twilight asked.

" It paid having Snips and Snails do most of the work." I answered.

" You didn't want to get caught, did you?" Twilight asked.

" I had everything I could ever want, aside from being a princess, but you already knew that. Yet, to maintain my dominance, I had to make sure no one ever figured out that I was responsible. So, in an attempt to cover my tracks, I came up with alibis, blamed others, spread rumours, used Snips and Snails, and deceived, just to name a few examples. Underneath my bad girl persona was a frightened little girl who was insecure about herself." I answered.

" Doing things to counter-balance your own inferiority complex is natural." Twilight said.

" Yet I went completely overboard." I said.

" That you did, and since those days, you've regretted those actions because they represented the dark side of your personality. Sunset, I'm beginning to understand more about the kind of person you truly are, and despite not having reached the halfway point of your journal, I know that life has been pretty hard on you, what with your childhood, a fine example of how things would go until you would begin to understand friendship. I think you were crying out for attention, reacting to being ignored for so long, and whenever you felt like your protective bubble would be violated, you resorted to underhanded tactics to keep them away. You wanted to preserve your own existence at the cost of others. That is what I believe to be true." Twilight said. She then noticed that I was just staring at her, a blank expression on my face, and she reached out with her hand, waving it in front of my face, hoping for a reaction. Nothing happened, causing a look of worry to come over her. " Sunset?" Twilight asked. Again, I just looked at her without moving an inch, but several seconds later, I lurched forward until I was right in her face. It made her feel very uncomfortable. It looked like I was about to kiss her or something, but then I started to chuckle, before bursting out laughing moments later. " Um, what's so funny?" Twilight asked.

" I'm sorry, but you sounded like one of those self-help gurus that you see on television." I answered, laughing so hard that I gave myself hiccups, forcing me to drink some apple cider to calm my stomach down. " Face it, Twilight! Even you must think what you said sounded nothing like what a scholar would say!" Twilight was taken aback by my words, and turned away, thinking that I had insulted her, but when I patted her on the shoulder, she began smiling before chuckling a little and turning back to face me.

" Was my speech that bad?" Twilight asked.

" For something you came up with on the spot, it was pretty good." I answered.

" Were you there when Snips and Snails were getting you what you needed to give Princess Twilight problems?" Twilight asked.

" No, I wasn't there in person. I was of the mind that such things were beneath my notice; after all, that's what underlings were for. Yet, I did see the results and produce a video, which I then uploaded onto YouTube several hours later. The photo you saw in the journal was only a small part of what they gave me. There was much more damaging evidence to come." I answered.

Snips and Snails approached me several hours later with their phones and told me that they carried out their task of following Princess Twilight. It seemed she had taken an interest in the library here at CHS, so they followed her in, making sure she didn't detect their presence. According to their description of what happened, the upstart clearly had no idea how modern conveniences, such as computers, worked, giving Mrs. Cheerilee, who was working at the time, several bouts of frustration. Also in the library were Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, who were looking over a video they had uploaded onto YouTube, yet this was something that served no interest to me. I didn't care what those three were up to, as Princess Twilight was my target, but then I asked the two boys if she and the other girls interacted with one another. Snips said they didn't exactly interact; Princess Twilight attempted to say something in reaction to what the three said, but they ignored her.

Again, I have no interest in those three, but it was what the upstart did that proved to be enlightening. The boys proceeded to show me the photos and video footage they recorded, and the information proved to be an excellent gold mine of opportunity. I knew the upstart would have trouble fitting in this world due to its differences from Equestria, and her struggles in the library strengthened this resolve to publically ridicule her. Normally, I'd have had my minions expose such damaging secrets like this, but this time, I wanted to handle things personally, as she and I had much in common. My decision, naturally, made Snips and Snails curious as to what I was planning on doing.

" Huh? You want to expose her embarrassment yourself?" Snips asked.

" Don't we usually do that?" Snails asked.

" Normally, you two spread such secrets around so that none of it gets traced back to me, but I want to deal with Twilight Sparkle personally." I answered, reaching into my pocket and taking out my cell phone. " I want you two to download what you got for me onto my phone. It won't take long for me to make a video, since I'm quite skilled with computers. This will also ensure that you two don't mess this up. This is too important to risk that."

" You've never wanted to do something like this ever since we became friends." Snips said.

" That's because this girl is different from the rest who've challenged me! She's not like them by any stretch of the imagination, so, naturally, I should deal with her personally. That doesn't mean you two should stop following her around, though. I have a hunch that Twilight Sparkle will prove problematic, so I'm coming up with contingency plans, just in case blackmail isn't enough to make her withdraw from competing for Princess of the Fall Formal." I said.

" So, we should just keep doing what we're doing?" Snips asked.

" Is there a problem!?" I asked, angrily.

" No, we'll continue to follow her like you said. Besides, seeing her screw up so much was hilarious!" Snips answered.

" If she were in the rodeo, she'd make an excellent clown." Snails added.

" I'm sure she would." I said. I then held out my hand as though I were asking for a bribe, letting the boys know that I was serious about them sending me what they got to my phone. They handed their own phones over, and I downloaded the data to mine before giving them back. I could have had them do this for me to keep myself clean, but this was something I wanted to do out of spite for what the upstart had done to me. She had been ridiculing me ever since she first became a princess in Equestria, and I've hated her ever since! This was also going to be delicate work, and those two wouldn't even understand what I'm trying to achieve by making her more insecure about herself. The key to taking down the upstart is to take advantage of her fears by expanding their presence, allowing the other students to see that choosing her would be a mistake, not only for the school but for themselves, as well.

As for those contingency plans... one idea brewing about in my head was perhaps to delay the Formal by a couple of days to give myself more time to make her withdraw, but this would be an act of desperation. I've waited too long to get my hands on her crown, and I'd rather not force myself into waiting even longer. Upon turning around to pay a visit to the library, as I needed the computers there to use this footage, Snips and Snails were still standing there acting like they were brainless zombies. " What are you two still doing standing there!? I thought I told you to continue following her around?"

" You didn't actually say that." Snips answered.

" Just hinted at it." Snails added.

" Well, I'm telling you now! Keep following her and bring me back more things for me to use to ruin her!" I shouted, prompting them to salute once again before colliding with one another, which would be pretty funny... if they didn't do this every time I ordered them around. Seeing them acting like complete idiots made me groan again, and a vein on top of my forehead began pulsating. When they ran off to carry out my task, I cursed them under my breath. Was everyone at this school aside from myself, and quite possibly the upstart, a complete moron? No wonder this school was so easy to conquer! Their lack of intellect made it too easy for me. Heading off to the library and entering through the double doors, I spotted Mrs. Cheerilee on all fours attempting to pick up a large pile of books. She was mumbling to herself about how fed up she was with her job, and that the new student showed no regard for how the library's books should be handled. A cruel smile then appeared on my lips, as I had an idea on how to further ruin the upstart's chances. It would mean having to actually help someone for once, but it would be worth it, especially if Mrs. Cheerilee cooperates as intended.

" Sunset Shimmer? What are you doing here?" Mrs. Cheerilee asked, looking up at me when she saw my feet from her perspective.

" I came here in order to use the computer lab, but it looks like you've got problems of your own." I answered.

" Ugh! That new student was here a short time ago, and I've never felt so stressed in my entire life. She was spouting out nonsense about this school having magic while pounding the keyboard, as though she were a horse or something." Mrs. Cheerilee said.

" Do tell." I said, having since taken out my cell phone and pressed the record button, all without her noticing what I was doing. Mrs. Cheerilee was about to help me out without even knowing it, and her frustration would become my paradise.

" She then began taking books from different shelves, carrying them around in a stack, which toppled over when she fell into it. I can't believe someone like that has been allowed to transfer to this school! She has no intention of looking after my precious books! Other students need these, you know, and if she's damaged them, they won't be able to use them to further their own education. I've every mind to complain about this to Principal Celestia! I'm too young to be having so much stress!" Mrs. Cheerilee said.

" So, you don't think Twilight Sparkle deserves to become Princess of the Fall Formal?" I asked.

" What!? Principal Celestia has allowed a new student to compete for such a coveted prize!? I know there's nothing in the school rules that state how long a student needs to attend CHS before being permitted to take part in the competition, yet I can't believe that someone who shows so little consideration for the feelings of others is vying for the Formal crown." Mrs. Cheerliee answered. I then stopped the recording on my phone, as I felt I had gotten all I needed. If the students don't show an initiative on making the upstart feel unwelcomed around here, hearing it from a member of staff would definitely provide an ideal impact. I then helped her pick up any remaining books as thanks for telling me how she felt about the new girl. Afterward, I proceeded towards the computer lab, where I sat down before one of the machines and plugged my phone into the appropriate socket with a loud click. It asked me if I wanted to download something from my phone to my online folder. I clicked "yes" to confirm my choice.

" The only thing that bothered me about her choice of words was that what she said about Princess Twilight also applied to me as well. I mean, I was showing no consideration for my fellow students' feelings, as I had been manipulating them ever since I first showed up. I never said anything to her about it at the time. I didn't think too much of it at all, really, what with my desire to win the crown no matter what. But, looking back on it now, after all I've been through, I wish I had said something, rather than keep it to myself." I said.

" I've always believed teachers weren't allowed to show such bias towards students." Twilight said.

" Is that what Principal Cinch mandated at Crystal Prep?" I asked.

" She never allowed teachers to think that way of students, as it would have lowered their enthusiasm for wanting to maintain their sense of perfection. That helped to keep the school's reputation at an all-time high. Despite everything she had done before and during the Friendship Games, Principal Cinch always wanted her students to be the best they could be. It's a shame that it was at the cost of friendship." Twilight answered.

" Mrs. Cheerilee always had something to complain about, yet she put on a brave face so as to not distract students from their studies." I said.

" Sunset... I have a suggestion you may want to consider." Twilight began, her words piquing my interest. " What do you say we take a break from reading your journal? You've covered so much in such a short period of time, and surely you must be feeling exhausted by now." While it was true that I had been doing a lot of explaining so that Twilight could understand my troubled past, it never once occurred to me that I had been exhausting myself to the brink of collapsing. My eyes felt fine to me, although they probably had bags under them. I then checked a clock that hung on the wall; it was a pretty old-time piece, circa at least seventy years old, but it had nostalgic value. It revealed that I had been talking for about an hour, yet it felt as though I had been talking a lot longer. While it would be nice to take a small break, I had no intention of doing so, as there was still much more that needed to be revealed. Twilight, however, pretty much took the decision out of my hands, presenting me with a small bag.

" What's this?" I asked.

" While you were contemplating my suggestion, I reached into my backpack and brought out two bags of chocolate marshmallows, one for you and one for me. If I know you, Sunset, you want to continue telling me what happened because it's something that must be said, but taking a small, ten-minute break shouldn't hurt. After all, even you need to take a moment to relax, otherwise you could seriously stress yourself out." Twilight answered. Those last words talked me into it, and how could I refuse such a smiling face like that? It had a cute, innocent charm, combined with adorable glasses that accentuated her overall complexion. Despite us taking a small break, Twilight still wanted to continue asking questions, as her curious mind was ever pondering over the pursuit of knowledge. " This video which you uploaded onto YouTube... how much of an impact did it have?"

Chapter 19: Framed

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Cloudy, possible chance of sun later
Time: 1:25pm

My attempt to blackmail that upstart, Princess Twilight, had mixed results, which I'm not proud of. While I was able to show off her ineptitude before the entire student body by uploading a video onto YouTube, she kept on going instead of withdrawing from the competition. Now she's managed to undo all of the damage I caused to those girls I deemed special when I first came to this school, and they, in turn, have rallied behind her in her bid to beat me for the coveted prize. How did she turn things around so quickly!? Why have my plans failed to hurt her emotionally!? Was it possible that I was going to lose? Me? Sunset Shimmer? No! I wasn't going to allow that upstart to have the satisfaction of beating me and denying me what's mine. I'm fortunate that I came up with a contingency plan just in case blackmail wouldn't work, so now it's time for my minions Snips and Snails to do their thing, while I indulged myself in the art of framing my opponent. Twilight Sparkle has forced my hand, and she would learn what happens when you cross me!

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 28, 2015
Chapter 19: Framed.

" You were right, Twilight." I began, eating several marshmallows before taking a sip of apple cider to wash it all down. " Taking a break was a really good idea. I've been stressing myself out over recalling all of the bad things I did." Twilight's concerns over my state of mind were well-founded. I was going through a gauntlet of emotions: sadness, anger, self-pity, hatred, empathy, distance, and even fear over the actions I committed before friendship became apparent to me. At the same time, she needed a break from the journal as well, for her own state of mind had been affected, which wasn't my initial intention. I just wanted someone close who could listen to me talk about my troubled life, a sympathetic ear, I suppose, who could take it all in without being overwhelmed. I'll admit that there were doubts in my mind about whether she could handle so much, but she's proven to be rather resilient, much to my pleasure, instead of quivering in a corner somewhere trying to forget about everything she had heard. Yet despite this positive moment, eating marshmallows and relaxing from all that pressure weighing us down, the worst was coming. What was perhaps my greatest mistake was about to be known.

" We both needed it, Sunset; you were clearly showing signs of exhaustion from reading non-stop for so long, and I needed to be distracted with something else to take my mind off of what you've been reading to me. No offense, of course." Twilight said.

" You know, the others probably wouldn't have lasted as long as you." I said.

" What makes you say that?" Twilight asked.

" Some of the things I did they're aware of because they saw me commit such actions, yet they don't know the ramifications behind them. I... I was very secluded, in that I wouldn't let anyone else inside to truly understand how I felt, so I created this shell, acting arrogant, egotistical, ambitious, insensitive, and far worse things all because of being insecure with myself. Anyway, the others would have cracked by now. Fluttershy wouldn't have lasted five minutes due to how sensitive she is, Rainbow Dash would have been bored out of her mind within the same time frame, Pinkie Pie would have been too hyper to even know what was going on, so that leaves Applejack and Rarity, both of whom could probably get up to around the conclusion of the Fall Formal before not being able to take anymore." I answered.

" You're just like me, then..." Twilight began.

" Secluded?" I asked.

" I created a shell around myself to protect me from those who picked on me, though I never once lashed out at them. I simply allowed myself to take it all in and just shrug it off later. As I mentioned to you before, Sunset, when I became a demon, I dropped all kinds of inhibitions which I never even thought I had before. It was like... I... I had gained freedom from the person I had shaped myself to be through that shell, freedom to be the real me that was hidden away where no one could see it." Twilight answered. While her answer was an honest one, which did make me feel sorry for her, I would attribute her "lack of inhibitions" as a result of the magic corrupting her mind and twisting it about until she was no longer the sweet innocent girl she once was. I'm sure she knows this is the most logical answer, so her response seemed designed not to make me feel bad about what she's been through, because our meeting here tonight is about my problems.

" We took this break to get away from our problems, but it looks like we're still going on about them." I said.

" Guess we just can't escape them." Twilight said, lowering her head slightly in defeat.

" No we can't, yet we can take solace in looking on the bright side before having to delve back into what makes us miserable. Besides, I needed this break anyway; my throat has been killing me for the last several minutes. All of that talking non-stop as I read my journal really took its toll on my vocals, so I'm glad that we're kicking back." I said.

" You were yammering on for a while there." Twilight said. Her choice of the word "yammering" was odd enough that I began laughing, accidentally spitting out the apple cider I drank a few moments ago. It splattered nearby on the floor, and I rushed to clean it up, all while blushing red in embarrassment. My own reaction had Twilight laughing, lying back and kicking her legs in the air while laughing up a storm. I smiled at her antics. To think that before the events of the Friendship Games, she never was this close to people, apart from authority figures and her dog Spike. She never got to experience the magic of friendship and how it can change one's perspective on things, so seeing her so happy leaves me conflicted. On the one hand, my friendship with her has allowed her to turn a page in her life. On the other, what I will eventually tell her could destroy that friendship for good. Twilight eventually regained her composure after laughing for a couple of minutes, but she had to fumble about for her glasses when they fell off her face. Coincidentally, they landed by my feet. I picked them up and handed them back to her, and she placed them on the bridge of her nose before smiling again. " That was a bit too much excitement for me, so why don't we continue where we left off?" Twilight asked.

" I agree. We need to continue; there is a lot more to come." I answered.

My time in the computer lab was a productive one. I took the footage Snips and Snails provided and produced a thirty-second video showcasing all of that upstart's embarrassing moments in the library. My aim was to show the students that she didn't fit in because of how foreign she was and that voting for her would be nothing short of an insult to this establishment. I made certain to negative the colours during still shots to further extenuate the fact that her mannerisms weren't acceptable, yet the real closer was recording some audio of me describing her in a negative light. Luckily, no one else was in the lab with me, so recording my voice using a microphone built into the monitor wouldn't bring me any unwanted attention. I did have to admit that Snips and Snails did a decent job capturing all of this for me despite their lack of intellect. Still, I planned on exploiting that weakness once the crown became mine.

" Since this video is only going to be thirty seconds long, I need to go straight to the point with my explanation. That upstart is going to be humiliated in front of the entire student body by a simple video which I'll post onto YouTube once I'm finished. She'll be beside herself with horror. Everyone will be laughing behind her back, pointing fingers and freak, and she'll withdraw before the end of tomorrow." I said to myself. After spending the next twenty minutes making sure that everything in the video was up to my standards of excellence and nothing had been left out, I clicked on the record voice button below the video and began to speak. " Twilight Sparkle wants to be your Fall Formal Princess. What does it say about our school if we give someone like this such an important honour? We'd be the laughing stock of the entire school district, and she would be nothing more than sheer embarrassment. Voting for her to win the crown is just asking for trouble!" I said before clicking the same button to end the recording, satisfied with my choice of words. Upon saving my work, which took some time due to how slow the computers around school were, I decided to wait until school was finished to upload my masterpiece, as I needed to make sure it becomes available at an appropriate time.

The next morning, as I entered the front doors of Canterlot High, I overheard various students talking about the video that got uploaded which portrayed the new student as being too weird for them to consider for Princess of the Fall Formal. Their additional reactions included shock, embarrassment, confusion, worry, but most of all was laughter over seeing a student who acted like an animal. I rubbed my hands with glee as my plan was working; the upstart had been humiliated! Because I knew that someone would attempt to connect this back to me, I made sure to alter my voice after I finished recording it, lowering the pitch to deepen my voice. It wasn't that I was afraid of any kind of retaliation from the upstart, since she wouldn't know the first thing about doing so. It was just a precaution I wanted to take in case my plan didn't bear any fruit. Speaking of plans, I did have something else in mind just in case she didn't withdraw from the competition, but hopefully I wouldn't have to resort to such drastic actions.

" Did you see that video?"

" Can't believe the new girl had the book in her mouth!"

" Such a derpish look!"

" A student with any brains would carry only a few books at a time, not an entire stack."

" She doesn't even know how to use a copy machine."

" That's nothing! She was pounding on a keyboard with her fists like she's never used one before in her life."

" We should follow the advice of whoever created this video. The new girl would be nothing but an embarrassment to CHS. I know it means having to vote for Sunset Shimmer, again, but there's no one else aside from her who can be considered worthy to become our princess." Hearing all of this was just music to my ears and a reminder to myself that no one would ever oppose me, otherwise this is what would happen as a result. Thinking that everything was going to work out in the end, I proceeded to class, thinking of the crown that would soon be mine as of tomorrow night and waiting for Twilight Sparkle to withdraw from the competition.

" Things didn't go that way, did they?" Twilight asked.

" No, and it was due to our friends." I answered.

" What did they do?" Twilight asked.

" Princess Twilight was an expert on friendship, and she managed to undo the damage I created that split them up in the first place. Because she had proven to them of her intentions and exposed me as the one who broke them apart, they began to rally around her." I answered. I then turned the page of my journal, and immediately felt immense sadness over what I was looking at. When Twilight showed signs of concern, I showed her what it was, rendering her speechless. On this page was a drawing of Princess Twilight attempting to kick something, surrounded by a number of fixtures that looked like they belonged to a party scene. " This isn't what it looks like--" I began before being cut off.

" Why is she destroying what I'm guessing are the decorations for the Formal?" Twilight asked.

" This was a drawing I made to remind myself of what I did after it became obvious that my attempt at humiliating her failed. You see, I wanted Snips and Snails to get me more footage, which they did later that morning. Believe me when I say that I loved watching Princess Twilight struggle with what she was doing out on the field. In an act of desperation, sabotage, and playing the blame game, I framed her for something she didn't do." I answered.

" I can't say that I'm surprised, Sunset; anyone in your position would resort to that. But why did you even need to go that far?" Twilight asked. That was a question I should have asked myself back then, but I didn't, because I was too consumed with wanting to ensure my victory, no matter what. Winning that crown became an unhealthy obsession with the potential to destroy me, as it was like my very life's blood was connected with claiming it. Had my heart not been twisted and filled with jealousy and malice, I could have turned the other cheek and allowed Princess Twilight to win while I humbly accepted defeat. I then thought about punishing myself again with another blow to the stomach, but I decided against that as Twilight would surely stop me. Instead, I went with something a little more direct. Placing a bookmark so as to remember where I had gotten up to, I closed the journal before gripping it firmly with both hands, and slamming it into my face with as much force as possible. " Sunset!" Twilight gasped. She grabbed the journal from my hands. My nose was bleeding, but the rest of my face was fine.

" I needed to punish myself again, and punching myself in the stomach would have been a dead giveaway, so I did this instead. Don't worry, Twilight. I'm not going to do it anymore; once was enough." I said.

" I would've preferred you not hit yourself at all." Twilight said, reaching into her backpack and pulling out her box of tissues. " Here! Use as many as you need to stop your nose from bleeding, and make sure none of it gets onto your clothes." Her actions, along with the concern she had about me, reminded me a lot of a motherly figure, the kind that I never really had, because my own mother ignored me in favour of my siblings. This felt so unusual to me; no one had ever shown me this type of compassion, despite having experienced compassion on previous occasions. Yet, it also felt right, so I allowed Twilight to continue doing her thing without any protest. At the same time, it was pretty funny seeing her freak out over a mere nosebleed, a reminder that while she was different from Princess Twilight, they did have some things in common, which did make me feel as though she were here, as well. " Okay! You'll have to stuff two wads of tissue, one for each nostril, into your nose until the bleeding stops. It might look embarrassing, Sunset, but it's your own fault for doing that." Twilight said.

" You're right." I said, waving my hands about to admit defeat.

" You agree with me?" Twilight asked.

" I slammed my journal into my face to punish myself for what I did, but I have no regrets about it. It's over and done with, so I'll take my medicine accordingly until the bleeding stops." I answered. Twilight was left speechless for a moment, not knowing what to make of that. Eventually, she sighed, before thrusting two tissue wads up my nose, likely because she didn't think that I was going to do it, opting to just allow the blood to continue flowing. Even though I couldn't see it for myself, I knew I looked ridiculous. I was glad only Twilight could see this; the others would probably laugh at me, except for Fluttershy. She would have been more understanding than poking fun. " How do I sound?" I asked in a high-pitched, nasally voice.

" You sound like someone who has consumed a large quantity of helium." Twilight answered, trying her best not to laugh.

" It will have to do until my nose stops bleeding. Anyway, my plan to blackmail Princess Twilight did damage her reputation, yet it wasn't enough to make her want to withdraw from the competition, as she only had a short amount of time to succeed in her quest. The portal would only remain open for three nights, and by that point she had already used up one, leaving her with only two. If she failed to get the crown by that time, she would be stuck here until it opened again, naturally or no. Our friends helped her in a manner which actually made a lot of sense given how all of them, including me, formed a music band: They would rely on a song to give her a much-needed boost." I said.

" A song!? Are you sure?" Twilight asked.

" You could always ask them, but either way it took them the rest of the day to come up with this idea after what could only be described as a 'disastrous' game of soccer that pitted Princess Twilight against Rainbow Dash. She would learn the hard way that trying to win against an athlete like Rainbow, especially on the latter's turf, would be an impossible climb. Snips and Snails, meanwhile, took many photos as they were watching from the sidelines. I should know, because I was there witnessing the spectacle, and these new photos were about to be used to frame Princess Twilight when I began getting desperate." I answered.

The next day--the Formal was to be held that night--at around the lunch period, I felt so proud of myself, due to how the video I uploaded had portrayed the upstart. If she thought that she could find a miracle and turn things around, she would merely be deluding herself, as the damage was far too severe to recover from it. I even used the conversation I had with Mrs. Cheerilee to stress that even the staff here at CHS weren't thrilled about how she had been behaving. As I made my way over to the cafeteria, my mind kept on replaying what I had witnessed the previous day when Princess Twilight was schooled by Rainbow Dash in a simple game of soccer. It didn't matter that those girls had all become friends again thanks to the actions of a "new girl"; I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her being humiliated, and humiliating herself, in the span of several minutes. I had downloaded the photos Snips and Snails took on their cellphones onto mine, though I felt at that moment that additional material wasn't needed. Unfortunately, I was about to be proven wrong.

Upon reaching the double-doors which lead into the cafeteria, I could hear what sounded like students singing and dancing to music. At first I didn't pay all that much attention to it; I figured it was just them wanting to have some kind of semblance of fun. My interest quickly increased, though, upon hearing the voice of the upstart coming from within, so I peered through the glass to see what was going on in there. The students were indeed singing and dancing, all while wearing fake horse tails and horse ears. They looked ridiculous. Each of the various cliques who had stuck to themselves since I first came were all interacting with one another like my actions never meant a thing, and to top it all off, the upstart and those other girls were the ones leading the way. The same words kept on repeating in a chorus, which gave me mixed emotions: worry, anger, surprise, melancholy, and sadness, though only a tiny margin of that last one.

" Jump up! Make a sound! Hey! Stomp your hooves! Turn around! Start now, make a change, gonna come around! Jump up! Make a sound! Hey! Stomp your hooves! Turn around! Canterlot Wondercolts, help her win the crown!"

I couldn't believe it! Princess Twilight was starting to bring the students together as friends, and all in an aim to prevent me from winning the crown at the Formal. My perfectly executed plan had failed! While I had damaged her chances, she had somehow eliminated three years of work just by singing one song and was starting to change the outcome into her favour. My heart began beating in a panic, as now I had to rely on one of my contingency plans, and I was hoping not to have relied on any; I thought she would have withdrawn by now.

" Curse you, Twilight Sparkle! You've forced my hand!" I said to myself, and that's when I heard something coming from behind me that sounded like shuffling feet. I then turned around and witnessed Snips and Snails dancing to the song coming from the cafeteria, and somehow they had gotten themselves those ears and tails. Words alone couldn't describe how furious I was at seeing them wearing those stupid things, so I began to stare at them with a look that could kill anyone, were they to stare long enough, yet they ignored me and continued dancing. Next I began stomping my foot to get their attention, but this didn't do anything, either, as the music was drowning out my foot. I then decided to just simply berate them, as usual, as that gets their attention quite easily. " Take those off!" I shouted.

" Huh?" Snails asked.

" What did you say?" Snips asked.

" Take those off now!" I shouted, a vein pulsating on the top of head. " How dare you two wear those things and support the likes of her? Have you betrayed me after everything I've done for you? Does this mean that you no longer have an interest in wanting power?" My questions made them think for a few moments, which was a miracle in and of itself, but eventually they both began shaking their heads, their way of showing me that they didn't mean to make me angry. They handed over the ears and tails, and I promptly stomped on them to show my frustration. " That upstart is taking all of my hard work at making everyone at this school hate each other and throwing it out the window!"

" What are you going to do about it, Sunset Shimmer?" Snips asked.

" I need a plan to bring her crashing down before she can convince the entire student body to vote for her." I answered.

" Blackmail didn't work, so maybe something else?" Snips suggested.

" Obviously blackmail didn't work. Otherwise, I wouldn't be in this mess, now would I? Gah! Just thinking about that upstart is giving me a headache! There has to be a way to outright ban her from competing without letting anyone know that I was behind it all." I answered.

" Snails and I could get more dirt on her." Snips suggested.

" We can follow her around some more." Snails added.

" No! That isn't going to be enough anymore! She needs to be stopped entirely!" I said, my voice getting more and more insane by the second. It quickly dawned on me that all of this tension was beginning to affect me mentally, so I began calming down, breathing in and out several times. I turned my attention towards what was going on in the cafeteria, in case anyone in there heard me throwing my little temper tantrum. Luckily, they were too busy singing and dancing away, so I went unnoticed. I needed to do something before it was too late. That's when an idea popped into my head, one that was deplorable to no end but had to be done, as she had now forced my hand. Taking out my cellphone, I looked at the photos Snips and Snails took of Princess Twilight during her soccer match with Rainbow Dash, and then I looked at my minions who had blank expressions on their faces. " I have something that I want you two to do."

" Name it." Snips said.

" We'll get it done easily." Snails added.

" Go to the gym and destroy all of those decorations." I announced.

" What!?" Snips and Snails exclaimed at the same time.

" I don't care how much damage you do, but I want all of it destroyed so that the Fall Formal can be delayed until tomorrow at the earliest." I said. While it sounded like I had completely lost it, there was logic behind my madness, and it came in the form of those photos of the soccer game. " While you two are on your destruction spree, I'll be taking some photos of your work myself. Then, I'll use these photos of Twilight Sparkle that you gave to me and alter them, so that it looks like she was the one who caused the destruction, not you. I'll present these altered photos to Vice Principal Luna, who, in turn, will present them to her sister, and together, they will deny that upstart her chance to compete for the crown."

" Okay, but why does the Formal need to be delayed?" Snips asked.

" A very good question for a change, and so I'll give you a very good answer. Twilight Sparkle can only stay here until tonight, when she'll have to leave for reasons that are far too complicated for you and anyone else, save for me, to understand. So if, by some miracle, this plan doesn't work, the Formal will be delayed by an extra day. She will have to leave, unless she wants to be stuck here from now on, and were that to happen, I'd make her life so miserable that she would seek a transfer immediately!" I answered. I knew that saying "transfer" was foolish, in theory, yet I didn't want to make the same mistake from before, when I accidentally talked about Equestria. In any case, I was pinning the upstart in-between two sharp corners, and both were closing in on her, limiting her options. " Now go! Make sure nothing can be salvaged!" I ordered, prompting the two boys to salute me yet again, but this time they didn't collide with one another, a sign that maybe they were improving. Slightly. I merely laughed out loud before following after them with my phone at the ready.

" That explains the drawing." Twilight said.

" I took a photo of Twilight attempting to kick the soccer ball, cropped it, and shopped it on top of a photo of the destroyed decorations. That image remained in my head even after everything was all said and done, so I made a crude drawing as a reminder of how I tried to frame Princess Twilight for a crime she didn't commit." I said.

" Despite how horrible you were, at least you were thorough, right?" Twilight.

" Not exactly. In my desperation of framing her, I made a mistake which absolved her of the crime, and thinking back on what that mistake was, I can't believe I'd be so stupid as to simply throw the evidence in the garbage like that." I answered. Placing my hand on the drawing, I remembered how convincing I sounded to Vice Principal Luna, and just hearing my past self pretending to act all sweet and innocent made me sick to my stomach. " By the way Twilight, can I take these wads out of my nose now? They're beginning to tickle and I feel like sneezing."

" If your nose is still bleeding, I'll give you some new ones." Twilight said. I carefully pulled the wads out of each nostril before looking straight down to determine if blood would trickle down the lower part of my face and onto the journal, but no drops came, meaning my nose had run dry. " Good. Your nose has stopped, but I don't want you to do that again. Otherwise, next time, I'll have to take drastic actions."

" That's what I said too..." I began.

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" After what happened with trying to frame Princess Twilight, I would rely on drastic actions to claim the crown. I wish my plan to frame her had succeeded, as it would have meant avoiding what was about to occur that night at the Formal." I answered.

Chapter 20: The "Big" Night

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Clear skies
Time: 5:45pm

I showed Vice Principal Luna the altered photos of Twilight Sparkle destroying the decorations in the gym, and for a moment, it looked as though that upstart was going to get what was coming to her. But I made a fatal miscalculation! Because I was desperate in making her withdraw from the competition, willingly or otherwise, I threw away the photos I cut to use for the alterations, and my ex-boyfriend Flash Sentry discovered these in the garbage can I tossed them in and effectively ruined my plan! Ugh! How could I have been so stupid as to make such an obvious oversight? What's even worse was that the students have fixed the damage Snips and Snails caused, so now the Fall Formal is going to happen as scheduled, which meant I had to get my hands on the crown that night or lose it forever. Because of her acts of "charity", that upstart has gotten the student body to rally behind her, so her victory over me was inevitable, but there was still one more option I could take. It was an extreme course of action, but I've run out of options, so she has left me with no other choice. It looks like her dragon will play his role in all of this after all.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 30, 2015
Chapter 20: The "Big" Night.

After taking photos of the damage Snips and Snails caused, I left the gym in order to alter them to make it look as though Twilight Sparkle was responsible. In hindsight, I suppose I should have told my minions not to go overboard, which often happened during such delicate operations. My mind, however, was fixated squarely on framing her, so in my eagerness, I left them to their own devices without giving them a clear direction on how much should be destroyed. It didn't take long for me to cut out her image from the photos taken during her soccer game with Rainbow Dash, crop them, and alter the photos of the destroyed decorations, and when I was finished, I looked over my handiwork, chuckling to myself. This would definitely eliminate her from the competition, quite possibly also getting her suspended from the school. But in an act of sheer idiocy, I tossed the cut photos into a nearby garbage can, thinking that nothing would come of it. As I began making my way over to Vice Principal Luna's office, Snips and Snails walked up towards me, their faces telling me that things went well on their end.

" Did you destroy everything?" I asked.

" Oh, yeah. It'll take days to fix it all. If they even try, that is." Snips answered.

" We were like a tornado in there." Snips added.

" Good! I've altered the photos to make it look like Twilight Sparkle caused all of that damage instead of you two, so now we need to pay a visit to Vice Principal Luna to show her what has happened. She will no doubt deny Twilight the right to compete for the crown, perhaps even going as far as suspending her. Oh, I so hope the latter happens. That way, no one would stand in my way, during or after the Formal! Hopefully, this plan will work; I don't want to rely on extreme measures just to get what I want. You two follow me, and don't let on that something is amiss." I said. The three of us then walked to Vice Principal Luna's office, smug looks on our faces because my plan was foolproof, and when I saw the upstart and her new friends wearing those stupid horse ears, tails, and even Wondercolt shirts, they stared at me with concerned looks as I knocked on the door of the vice principal.

" Yes? Sunset Shimmer? What's wrong? You looked flustered." Vice Principal Luna asked upon opening her office door.

" Vice Principal Luna! Something awful has happened in the gym! I was walking past the gym to my locker, and when I turned my head to check out all of the decorations, I saw that everything had been destroyed." I answered.

" What!?" Vice Principal Luna exclaimed.

" I'll show you!" I said, showing signs of concern in an attempt to fool her into coming along, and when she nodded in approval, I was laughing in my head over how easy it was to trick these humans into believing anything I told them. I brought her to the gym, where she witnessed the destruction of the decorations first-hand. When I, though, really looked at what Snips and Snails had done, my heart sank slightly, because I realized I never told them how far they could go. I was fixated on Twilight Sparkle that I forgot to tell them to restrain themselves, so what they did went completely overboard, and my heart began beating rapidly. Would she believe that this was an act of sabotage? Would she fall for my ruse? The only way to know would be to act calm about this minor setback, and simply go with it, while making sure to berate those two later.

" This... This is just horrible." Vice Principal Luna said.

" Pinkie Pie worked so hard on these decorations, and to see them all destroyed like this is just too much to bear." I said.

" I am glad that you informed me of this matter, but now for the big question. Who could have done this? The Fall Formal is supposed to happen tonight, yet with the decorations in complete shambles, it could be that we must postpone it until further notice." Vice Principal Luna said.

" Why would Twilight Sparkle do something like this?" I asked, sounding innocent as I played my card.

" Twilight Sparkle? The new transfer student who arrived only two days ago? She is the other student who decided to compete for the Fall Formal crown, is she not? Why would she be responsible for this? Unless you had proof of such a claim, I would suspect you were trying to make her look bad." Vice Principal Luna answered.

" I have proof right here." I said, handing over a folder that contained the altered photos. I also cursed her under my breath; she was a lot closer to uncovering my plan than she realized, but luckily she didn't think any more on the matter. In fact, her expression told me that she was believing my words, but I needed to hammer it home, otherwise she could relapse and suspect me of using foul play. " She gave me these photos earlier and said that there was no chance anyone was going to win the crown if the Formal had to be postponed or even cancelled. I don't know what was going on in her head, but one look at those photos proves that she did it." I then buried my head into my hands as a means of providing additional sympathy, and out of the corner of my eye, Vice Principal Luna put the photos back into the folder before placing it under her arm.

" Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Sunset Shimmer. I shall speak to Twilight Sparkle so that she may explain herself. Honestly, I am shocked that she would act so desperately to win that crown that she would systematically ruin things for everyone else in the school." Vice Principal Luna said. As she walked away to no doubt call Twilight Sparkle to her office, I turned around and walked off with an evil smile on my face. My plan had worked perfectly, and the upstart's days around here were numbered. At least, that was what I thought was going to happen. What I didn't notice was that Flash Sentry had watched the entire conversation unfold before he walked off. Had I known he was there, I would have made him suffer for not only breaking up with me, but also for what he was about to do.

" I'm surprised Vice Principal Luna believed you." Twilight said.

" With a face as cute as this, anyone would believe me." I said, pointing at my face while sheepishly grinning. Twilight simple frowned at me for what I said, and after a few seconds, I lowered my hands and relaxed on my grin. " I'm kidding, Twilight!" I said, closing my eyes while waving my hands before opening them again. " I pretended to be innocent and ignorant over the whole thing, and she believed me instantly, which meant Princess Twilight would find herself in trouble."

" But you said Flash Sentry had watched the conversation." Twilight said.

" He did, because he thought it was suspicious how I was able to get my hands on those photos. Despite my saying that Princess Twilight gave them to me, he knew otherwise, as not once did he ever see her using a cellphone. I mean, he didn't know if she had one or not, because he didn't know she was a pony, but he decided to investigate which lead him to finding the discarded photos in one of the library's garbage cans. He presented them to Vice Principal Luna, who immediately absolved Princess Twilight of any wrongdoing and allowed her to continue her bid to win the crown." I said.

" And the decorations?" Twilight asked.

" Snips and Snails went overboard in that they made sure nothing was left intact, and because of this, the Formal had to be postponed until the following day, at least. While this didn't mean a thing to the other students, Princess Twilight was beside herself with worry, as the portal to Equestria would close that night, and that meant she had to return there or else be stuck in this world for a long time. While my plan to frame her didn't work as intended, I was able to delay the Formal, so now she had to choose between the crown and seeing her friends again, who were waiting for her back in Equestria." I answered.

" That must have been a difficult choice." Twilight said.

" You'd think that, but no." I said smugly.

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" Princess Twilight isn't the kind of pony who admits defeat. No matter what kind of odds are stacked against her, she will find a way to persevere, so long as she has her friends beside her." I answered. My response did sound corny, especially to someone like Twilight, who was still new to the idea of friendship, but I knew my words spoke great lengths of truth regarding my friend and mentor. Princess Twilight had been through numerous challenges in her life that tested her resolve, and through such difficulties, the magic of friendship guided her to the path of victory, even when it looked like things were hopeless. It was that very magic, the magic of friendship, that changed me; if I had never learned to accept it in my heart, I'm not sure where I'd be, right now. I placed both hands onto my chest where my heart was before closing my eyes, thinking about how much things have changed for me. Yet there was a sense of dread that loomed in the recesses. I may have changed, yet the past lingered like an old wound that refused to heal, a wound that could spread if not contained, a wound that was about to grow once I told Twilight what happened next.

" Are you alright?" Twilight asked, looking concerned over what I was doing.

" I'm alright. Just thinking about something, but it's nothing to worry yourself over." I answered.

" If you say so." Twilight said hesitantly.

" Our friends would check the damage for themselves, and confirm that Snips and Snails were responsible under my orders, yet they never did tell anyone about it, which was surprising, but relieving. Despite the odds heavily stacked against them, they began to clean up the mess, rebuilt what had been deemed lost, and even built new things. Their efforts caught the attention of other students. Soon, a large collective entered the gym in order to pitch in, and upon finishing their work, Principal Celestia announced that the Formal would happen that night after all. Before the students left, they were encouraged to cast their votes, and everyone voted for Princess Twilight, because she had successfully brought everyone back together, practically destroying three years worth of my work in the process." I said.

" How did you know that happened?" Twilight asked.

" Well, I was... I was..." I answered, trying my best to come up with the right words to describe what I was doing. It actually proved difficult to explain, because my plan hit a particularly nasty roadblock in the form of common sense. It may have been a result of desperation or having lost my mind over Princess Twilight's actions, but everything had been going according to plan. " I was with Snips and Snails, hiding in a janitorial closet in the gym, where I berated them for having no concept of restraint. Even though I was outraged over my work being ruined in the span of three days, deep down, I was surprisingly happy about it all."

" Why?" Twilight asked.

" Because I wanted the Formal to go on just as much as Princess Twilight did, and before you say anything, I know, that statement makes no sense at all! I had committed an act of sabotage in an effort to delay the Formal until the next night, yet I was happy that it was proceeding as planned. I wanted to get home to Equestria, too, after all. Anyway, I was desperate now, and my thought process was askew, yet I had one more plan up my sleeve, one that was... extreme. My previous efforts failed, so I accepted my failure to get her to withdraw or to stop the Formal altogether. Moreover, stealing the crown from Principal Celestia's office would have exposed me in an instant." I answered. I then turned the page in the journal where something new fell out and onto the floor, where it landed with a metallic sound. Twilight picked it up and began looking over it in order to determine why it could make such a noise, and when she finished her observation, she merely scratched her head. I knew the significance behind this object, and my heart began pounding against my chest, because this was the moment of truth, where I would finally start revealing the biggest mistake of my life.

" This is a chipped off piece from a sledgehammer, but why would you have this?" Twilight asked.

" I was going to use a sledgehammer..." I began.

" To do what?" Twilight asked.

" To... destroy the Wondercolt statue and effectively destroy the portal." I answered.

That night, while the other students were having the time of their lives at the Fall Formal, I was sitting by the Wondercolt statue deep in thought. All of my efforts to claim my prize had failed miserably, and that upstart was on the verge of taking my dreams away from me. Everything that I had done since first coming to this world she fixed without any problems, all those years of manipulation, lying, scheming, and more, snuffed out like a candle in mere days. I was the ruler of this school, commanding fear and respect through intimidation, but that was gone now. Twilight Sparkle... I should have been more brutal against her, but because I restrained myself, she managed to worm her way into this world and ruin my life, again. First, Equestria, and now, here.

I should have shattered the portal the instant I returned here after stealing her crown. Why didn't I do that in the first place? Why did I hesitate to do something so simple, even if it meant the possibility of being caught committing an act of damaging school property? I could have put on the crown and used its power to truly rule this school, this city, and perhaps this entire world, as no one could have stood in my way. But no, I chose to play it safe by wanting to make the upstart miserable, and all I've done is inflict that upon myself. The chances of me winning the crown were slim to none, and while I could have just entered Principal Celestia's office and stolen the crown just like before, she had taken it with her earlier in the afternoon to ensure no one would take it before it was to be awarded to the winner. I supposed that I could go into the gym where everyone else was, and just accept my defeat with some semblance of dignity, yet my heart refused me to resort to such a pathetic display.

The upstart wasn't about to get away with crushing my dreams a second time! My own mind began to frighten me as an idea popped into my head, which truly was a sign that I had become so desperate, I was willing to go to extreme measures to succeed. Snips and Snails, who were dressed up for the occasion, came by to see if I was okay, and while that was a touching sentiment, they were still nothing more than my minions, who were to do whatever I wanted. Actually, I was glad they were there, as I needed them for this last-ditch effort to work out in my favour. Twilight Sparkle had forced my hand, and there was no turning back, now. What I was about to do was a gamble. If it succeeded, I would claim more power than ever before, but if it failed, then my life here was over.

" Sunset Shimmer?" Snips asked.

" Are you okay?" Snails asked.

" What are you two doing here? I thought you would have stayed in the gym and had the time of your lives?" I asked.

" Well, we were having fun, even though lots of students were glaring at us, but we remembered that you were sitting out here by yourself, so we thought we'd come outside and hang out with you for a while." Snips answered.

" We wanted to cheer you up." Snails added.

" I know you really wanted to win that crown, and did everything you could to prevent Twilight Sparkle from getting it, but she just kept outsmarting you. I was certain your plans would work; you're the smartest girl we know and the best friend Snails and I ever had." Snips said. His words meant absolutely nothing to me. They were a pathetic attempt to make me feel better, yet all he was doing was making himself out to be a complete idiot. If anything, these two were responsible for my plans failing! Well, I suppose they could easily make it up to me by carrying out what I had in mind. " Uh, Sunset Shimmer? Why are you smiling like that?" Snips asked.

" I have something I need you two to do." I answered.

" You've come up with a new scheme?" Snips asked.

" What is it?" Snails asked.

" First, I want you to find and bring me the heaviest sledgehammer you can get your hands on. You see, I'm going to give Twilight Sparkle an ultimatum. I'm going to smash this statue to pieces, and the portal back to Equestria along with it." I answered. The two boys were shocked over what I had just said about damaging school property, yet while they would never resort to such actions, they knew that I was being serious about it. I, on the other hand, knew that I had just mentioned Equestria to them, but at this point I no longer cared about such trivialities, as getting the crown was my only concern. " I'm not really going to smash the statue, but she will think I'll carry out my threat, and hand over the crown to me without question."

" Do you think she will do it?" Snails asked.

" I'll give her no alternative, as she knows what's at stake." I answered.

" What if she refuses?" Snips asked.

" I have something else in mind just in case, but you'll find out what it is when the time comes. I'm keeping it to myself for now, in case either of you blab it out when Twilight Sparkle and her friends come here chasing after you." I answered.

" Why would they chase us?" Snips asked.

" Because you two are going to kidnap her dog the moment she wins the crown, and you'll bring him here to the statue, where I'll be waiting." I answered.

" Are you sure this is a good idea?" Snips asked.

" Do you still want power?" I asked.

" Yeah, Snails and I would still like that. You did promise, after all. But aren't you taking things a bit too far? Smashing the statue is one thing, but kidnapping an innocent dog to be used as a bargaining chip? I think you may have gone off the deep end, Sunset Shimmer." Snips answered. While he did have a valid point in that I was taking things to such extremes, I ignored his concerns, because this is what had to be. That upstart had forced me to resort to this, and she would pay dearly for it.

" Relax! I'm not going to hurt the dog. His only purpose will be to lure Twilight Sparkle out here, so make sure that nothing happens to him. Have I addressed your concerns? Will you no longer question my motivations?" I asked. Snips nodded in complete silence, and when I turned to Snails, he followed along by nodding. Good; they were going to follow my orders. Yet, their hesitancy was concerning. No matter! It would all work out in the end. " Wait by the side entrance to the gym until Principal Celestia is about to announce the winner, then go inside and capture her dog without anyone noticing you. Once you're back by the entrance, make sure he tells Twilight Sparkle that he's in trouble." The boys looked at each other in confusion, but I pointed my finger indicating that I wanted them to go. As they saluted again and ran off to find me a sledgehammer and kidnap that dragon, I looked at the statue, and began thinking about what was going to happen. Soon, my dreams would come true, and the upstart would become a mere memory.

" Dognapping!? Seriously!?" Twilight asked.

" I was desperate!" I answered.

" I know that, but did you have to take the dog?" Twilight asked.

" It was the only way to force Princess Twilight to confront me in front of the statue." I answered.

" Was this the biggest mistake you made?" Twilight asked.

" No." I answered, my head lowering in shame, my voice becoming softer until I was merely whispering. " That would happen soon after Princess Twilight and our friends arrived at the statue, where I was waiting with the sledgehammer in hand. Do you remember when I lost it and lashed out at you when you unintentionally stole the magic from Rainbow Dash?

" How could I forget that?" Twilight answered.

" That wasn't the first time I lost my temper like that. My lashing out against Princess Twilight would begin the most important game of keep-away you could imagine. I guess it's easy for me to lose control of myself, as I do have a really short fuse." I said. When I looked back up at Twilight, she looked at me with a weird expression on her face. Did I say something that offended her? No, I don't think so, otherwise she would have said so. Was she still upset over kidnapping Princess Twilight's version of Spike? Maybe, but the journal stated I didn't want him to be hurt. I began scratching my chin with my right index finger in the hopes of figuring out why she had that look, and as I continued looking at her, she maintained that expression, which made me feel uncomfortable. Then it hit me like a lightning bolt, but why would she react to that of all things? Might as well ask the question anyway and hope for a decent enough answer. " Um, Twilight? Is your face like that because I said we played keep-away?" I asked.

" The fate of this world came down to a game played by kindergartners?" Twilight asked incredulously.

" Yes." I answered.

" Can you blame me for my confusion? I honestly wasn't expecting that kind of answer from you. But I guess it does make sense when you look at it from a much grander perspective." Twilight said. She then held up the chip of metal from the sledgehammer in-between her left index finger and thumb, combing over it through extensive observations. She even wrote something down on a notepad, which she took out from her backpack. I smiled and rolled my eyes, as she was just being her egghead self, yet I quickly became curious as to what kind of observation she had. I could see the sweat dripping from her forehead, a sign that she was focusing all of her skills on trying to figure out whatever conundrum she had on her mind. After a few minutes, she breathed out, before putting her pen and pad on the ground and handing the chip back to me, where I slid it in-between a previous page in the journal. " Judging from my analysis of the chip, I can confirm that you never used the sledgehammer to destroy the Wondercolt statue." Twilight said.

" Um..." I said trying to come up with a response. She should have known that was the case a lot sooner, as the statue was in perfect condition when we were all outside during the final event of the Friendship Games. In fact, it was in perfect condition when she and I had that mishap where her pendant stole the portal.

" Yet, that chip did not come off the sledgehammer naturally, or in an attempt to shine it up. I'm certain that you did hit something with it, though." Twilight said.

" I didn't destroy the statue, but I did connect with something by complete accident." I said.

When Snips and Snails went back to the gym in order to kidnap that dragon, I just stood there, waiting for the upstart and her friends to come along. Yet I didn't realize how boring this whole experience would be. Knowing that I would be waiting for a while until they came back, I grabbed the handle of the sledgehammer, lifting it up above my head, and began swinging it around in order to get adjusted to how much weight it had. My first swing resulted in me falling over, where it landed with a heavy thud on the nearby grass. After picking myself up, I picked it up and swung it again, and this time, I managed to keep my footing, yet the sledgehammer connected ever so slightly with the edge of the statue's base. I winced; I didn't want to destroy the statue, especially before I could even present my ultimatum. Cursing at my own stupidity, I tossed the sledgehammer towards the school entrance, where it banged into the bottom step with another heavy thud before landing on the ground with a clunk from the wooden handle. A small chip came off from the head from the collision.

I walked over to where the sledgehammer had landed and pocketed the chip; I didn't want anyone to know that I had just thrown another temper tantrum. I picked up the sledgehammer and walked back to the statue, where I chose to just wait and not do anything else. The step had quite the large indentation, but hopefully, no one would take any notice of it, for my sake. That's when I heard sounds of a dog barking. Snips and Snails were heading back this way, yet they were going through the school itself, rather than using the side entrance like I told them. I should have known those two were going to screw this up, but as long as they get here, I could easily overlook their obvious blunder. After waiting for several more minutes, the two boys came bursting out of the double-doors, the mutt in their possession, and began running towards me. The doors opened again, and the upstart was standing there with her friends behind her. That's when I saw it: her crown on top of her head. I knew this would be my last chance to claim its power, so I needed to make sure to play my cards right.

" That's close enough!" I announced.

" So this is where you've been?" Princess Twilight asked.

" You just couldn't accept the fact that Twilight here beat you for Princess of the Fall Formal, so you decided to sulk because someone finally dethroned you after so many years." Rainbow Dash gloated, hands firmly on her hips. My left eye twitched for a brief moment upon hearing her say that, but I quickly shrugged it off, as I needed to maintain my composure if I wanted to pull this off. The upstart then looked at that egomaniac with a frown, and she went silent, which meant she had overstepped her boundaries. I'd have to make sure to punish her later.

" Spike!" Princess Twilight shouted.

" Twilight!" Spike shouted.

" Don't hurt him!" Princess Twilight shouted.

" Now why would I want to do something like that? I'm not a monster! I knew you wouldn't come here to the statue willingly, so I needed to coerce you into coming, which is why I had my minions abduct your mongrel. You can relax, upstart, as I told them to make sure no harm would befall him. Frankly, I'm surprised they pulled that off without accidentally having him collide with a locker or something. I did stress for them to leave through the side entrance, though, but they had to go through the building instead." I said, glaring at my minions briefly.

" Well, I'm here. Let him go." Princess Twilight said.

" Very true. I'll keep my word. Let him go. Gently." I said, turning towards Snips and Snails, who were confused by my decision. I then narrowed my eyes into a glare, and they put the dragon down. He ran over towards the upstart, who began to take notice of what I was holding above my head. I smiled at her, knowing she was looking at it. " Curious as to why I'm holding this sledgehammer? You look like you're just dying to know. Fine, I'll tell you. I'm going to use it to smash the Wondercolt statue to pieces, destroying the portal in the process."

" What!?" Princess Twilight exclaimed.

" Y'all can't do that!" Applejack shouted.

" Oh, but I can. And I will, unless Her Highness here follows what I say. You don't belong here, Twilight Sparkle, so I'm giving you a choice. If you hand over the crown to me right now, you can return home to Equestria, and that will be the end of it. If you choose to keep it, then I'll smash the statue, and you'll be stuck here forever." I said.

" Twilight! Ya can't give her your crown!" Applejack shouted.

" Either way, I'll win; she can't have both." I said.

" That's not fair!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" Tick tock, Twilight! You don't have much time to give me an answer. The portal will be closing in less than an hour, and you'll be stuck here for a long time until it opens up again." I said. The expression on the upstart's face filled me with glee, as she just didn't know what to do. As for myself, I had several ideas in mind that I would implement, depending on her decision. Hopefully, I wouldn't have to rely on the more extreme ideas, as long as she gives me the crown. " Well? What is your decision?" I asked.

" No!" Twilight answered.

" Come again?" I asked.

" I said, 'No'!" Twilight answered.

" What!? You refuse to give me your crown in exchange for going home? Are you insane? Equestria! Your friends! All of this and more will be lost to you forever if you don't give it to me right now! Don't you see what I'm about to do to the portal? I'll give you one last chance to rethink your decision, Twilight." I said. The upstart shook her head, indicating that she was firm with her decision. Thankfully, this was something I planned for. I just knew her pride as a princess of Equestria would come into play, and I have ensnared her within my trap. Now I had to play my hand carefully to avoid being called out. The moment she ignores me, thinking that she succeeded in thwarting my plan, I'll rush over and steal the crown before she even knows what happened. It might not be my best idea, but at this moment, I was desperate to rely on anything to get that crown in my hands.

" I know what you're capable of doing Sunset Shimmer, and this is without the use of magic. I've seen that you have become so obsessed with wanting my crown, you're willing to resort to vandalism in order to achieve your goal. Everyone here can see the desperation in your face. I won't yield, no matter how much you may threaten me, my friends, or the portal back home. Equestria will find a way to survive without my Element of Harmony, as our world has faced far worse things long before they were discovered. If you were to get my crown and use its power, this world will not be able to hold on; you'd be unstoppable. And I can't let that happen" Princess Twilight said.

" So you're sticking to your feelings?" I asked.

" Go ahead and destroy the portal! No matter what happens, you will not be getting this crown." Princess Twilight answered.

" Fine. You win." I said, dropping the sledgehammer behind me where it landed on the grass with a loud thud. As her friends began encircling her to perform one of those pitiful bonding moments, I chuckled to myself, as everything was going exactly as I planned. She was so distracted by being mauled about, she won't even notice me rushing up towards her and snatching the crown in one fell swoop. I would need to take the others into consideration, though. Rainbow Dash is faster than I am, and Applejack has more upper body strength, but that's what my minions are for. They'll handle her friends while I make my move. Just as I was about to dash towards the upstart, I found myself unable to move due to hearing what they were saying about her.

" You... are... so awesome!" Rainbow Dash shouted, pushing her hands against her cheeks to scrunch up her face for some reason.

" I can't believe you were gonna give up going back ta your home just to protect our world." Applejack said.

" No wonder you're a real princess, darling. You certainly understand what it means to put others ahead of yourself." Rarity said.

" Whoever made you a princess sure knew what they were doin'." Applejack said. Hearing those words made me lose my composure, so I shook my head repeatedly to try to get those thoughts out of my head. It was to no avail, as my anger grew strong once again, and I was about to let them have it. My plan on stealing the crown would still happen, but not in the way that I had hoped.

" Oh yes! She's very special!" I shouted.

" And what's that supposed to mean?" Rainbow Dash asked, turning back toward me.

" Give me that crown!" I answered, running forward as fast as I could towards the upstart. No one was able to react fast enough, not even Rainbow Dash, due to how sudden my actions were, and I tackled the upstart to the ground. Her crown fell off her head and rolled along the ground, stopping a few seconds later. Twilight Sparkle then began grappling with me, our hands clasping one another's firmly as we tried to overpower the other in an attempt to cast our opponent aside in order to get the crown. I then turned towards Snips and Snails who were just standing there, and then towards the crown, which was suddenly in the mouth of that mongrel. " Grab him, you fools!" I shouted, prompting them to salute and chase after the mongrel, who managed to wiggle his way underneath them both. I eventually managed to toss Twilight Sparkle aside, and reached for the crown, but that dragon tossed the crown, where it was caught by Rainbow Dash.

She didn't get to gloat about it, though, as Snips tackled her down to the ground, causing the crown to roll towards the school entrance. I chased after it, only to have the upstart grab me by my legs, pulling me down. I tried to kick her face to get her to let me go, while Snails ran towards the crown, only to be thwarted by Pinkie Pie, who threw some confectionary into his face, making him slam into the wall, where he collapsed. It fell onto me to succeed where they were failing. After kicking the upstart in the face, she relinquished her hold on my legs, and I lunged forward towards the crown. I was mere inches away when that dragon grabbed it by his teeth and took it away. I bared my teeth before chasing after him. He ran through both Snips and Snails, the latter having managed to recover from hitting that wall, and I ran through them as well, knocking both boys aside, my focus solely on the crown.

" Spike! Spike!" Rainbow Dash shouted, prompting him to toss the crown to her, where she caught it.

" That's mine!" I shouted.

" Guess again!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she tossed the crown to Rarity, who then tossed it to Fluttershy where she caught it after it smacked her in the head. I then ran towards the frightened girl who didn't even try to run away, proving how pathetic she truly was. But before I could reach her, a lasso came out from nowhere, wrapped itself around her, and pulled her away leaving me to catch my breath before resuming the chase. " You okay, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked. Fluttershy nodded her head, and the two ran away as I approached. From there, things began spiraling out of control. Every time I tried to grab the crown, one of those girls would toss it to someone else, forcing me to run in their direction, and this process would be repeated for several minutes. They had turned this situation into a game of keep-away, and I was the one who wasn't allowed to hold the crown. My plan could still happen, though, but I needed to get the crown, first.

" Catch it!" shouted Rarity.

" It's mine!" I shouted.

" I've got it!" Snips shouted.

" Y'all had it, you mean!" Applejack shouted.

" Over here!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" Take it!" Spike shouted.

" The crown is mine!" Snails shouted.

" Not anymore!" Princess Twilight shouted as she caught her crown, but she had no time to celebrate as my minions both collided with her, causing her to toss the crown into the air out of fear that it would be damaged.

" I'll take that!" I announced catching the crown with my hands and holding it firmly. I had a twisted expression on my face; at long last, the crown was in my hands, and that meant all of the magical power contained within it was about to become mine to do with as I saw fit. At first I just stood there, staring at it with a fixated expression. Snips and Snails asked me if I was okay, and their words snapped me back into reality, shaking my head to get back in gear. " At last! More power than I could ever imagine! This is the moment that I've been waiting for, and now it's come! I win, Twilight Sparkle. I win!" With a smug look on my face, I placed the crown onto my head. Nothing happened at first, but then, suddenly, the crown began reacting to me, its inherent magic seeping forth. I had no idea what was about to happen, but as long as it meant my dreams coming true, I didn't care what happened.

" That explains the game of keep-away." Twilight said.

" And now we come to where I made the biggest mistake of my life, and it doesn't take a genius to know what caused it." I said.

" It was putting on the crown, right?" Twilight asked. I nodded my head slowly. After all, I already told her what I became while she was a demon herself. I've been dreading this moment for quite some time now, but I knew it couldn't be held off any longer. Twilight needed to know the truth! The fact that I already told her what happened didn't mean a thing! That was a minor revelation! Now came the ugly truth, the thing I had held back for such a long time. Grabbing the edge of the current journal page, my hand started shaking, my fear evident. Twilight reached out and grabbed my hand with her own, smiling at me as reassurance that she would be there for me. So, gulping slowly, I turned the page. Both of us looked away from what we saw.

Chapter 21: Demon

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Cloudy, possible thunderstorm later
Time: 8:00pm

It took me a lot of manipulating, lying, exposing secrets, trickery, and more, but at long last, the crown was finally mine! I couldn't believe that it was in my hands! I thought it nothing more than a dream, but that dream has become a reality. Twilight Sparkle and her friends tried their best to keep it from me, but I didn't succumb to their pathetic tactics. Upon placing the crown on top of my head, the magic locked within became unleashed, and I underwent a transformation. I became a demonic monster! I'll admit that I wasn't expecting that to happen upon wearing the crown, but I definitely liked the new improvement. Most importantly, I had access to magic again. My first task was to transform my minions into demons as well, for they were still useful to me. Now, with my newfound power, I could use that one plan I had been keeping to myself. These humans needed a new purpose in life, and what better one than become obedient slaves bent to my will. Surely, this power wouldn't corrupt me... nah!

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 2, 2015
Chapter 21: Demon.

Twilight was so distraught over what she had just seen on this page of the journal that she covered her eyes immediately and turned her face away. I, on the other hand, just stared at the page before starting to cry again, as my friend's reaction was exactly what I was expecting from her. There was a photo that had been glued to the page taken by one of the students, and it was of a horrible, flying, winged, demonic monster. What really struck it home for Twilight was that this creature was wearing a crown on its head, and she knew straight away that this thing was, in fact, me. My biggest mistake: becoming a monster! Ironic, isn't it, that I said to Princess Twilight earlier in that fateful encounter that I wasn't a monster, only for the truth to come out upon wearing that crown? By the time Twilight recovered from her initial shock, she noticed me crying, and began to comfort me, knowing that this was what I had been dreading from the start.

" This is what you became?" Twilight asked.

" When I placed the crown on my head, I think it began to amplify what was in my heart--a hideous monster who only cared about power--and transformed me into that. I do remember what was going through my mind when changing, and all I could think about was having power beyond my wildest dreams. It didn't even matter that my entire body experienced such terrible anguish during the transition." I answered.

" I felt that way when I became a monster." Twilight said.

" Twilight..." I said.

" But this is about you, not me, so did Princess Twilight know this was going to happen?" Twilight asked.

" Despite being smart, not even she knew I would experience something like that! There was much about the Elements of Harmony that she didn't understand, so what happened to me was a new experience, yet there was nothing to be happy about. I had become a monster! In fact, the magic within the crown poisoned my mind. I became completely consumed by its magic and determined to carry out my true objective." I answered. Corruption... Some say that when this happens to someone, it's almost impossible for them to come back from the brink, especially if they were exposed to it for a lengthy period of time. Looking at my hands, shaking with fear, wet in places as a result of my tears, I know now that when I changed, whatever remained of my humanity became lost. There was nothing but a demon! I should have been put out of my misery for what I became! I went beyond the brink of salvation, and what made it even worse was that I dragged innocent people into my crazy desires. How could I have hurt so many? How could I have committed such an atrocity as to rob them of who they were? These questions swirled about my head with no answers attached to them. Was I afraid to know? Maybe, but there was one thing I did know. By the time this part of the journal was finished, Twilight would never look at me in the same manner again.

" Something bothering you?" Twilight asked.

" Twilight, I need to say something before we continue." I answered.

" What is it?" Twilight asked.

" When I've finished reading this next bit, if you want to leave, I won't stop you." I answered.

" Now why would I want to do something like that?" Twilight asked, her hand thrust forward to comfort me.

" I'm serious!" I snapped, smacking her hand, which she immediately pulled back out of fear. I sat there in complete shock over what I just did, and I smacked my own hand in response to my unprovoked act on my friend before looking down in complete silence. Twilight is still new to friendship, and I slapped her, all because she was trying to comfort me. I just spat on her gesture, reacting like the brat I used to be. If the end of this part of my journal wasn't going to turn her away, my sudden outburst would definitely clinch it. Looking back up whilst holding back tears, Twilight was nursing her hand. I couldn't have really hurt her, could I? No! I could never do that to any of my friends. That was the old me. The old Sunset Shimmer wouldn't care less about the feelings of others, but I'm not that person anymore. " Twilight... I'm so, so sorry for lashing out at you like that. Something in my heart just made me snap, and you were an innocent victim." I said.

" It's alright, Sunset! I've gotten used to it." Twilight smiled.

" How can you be so calm after what I just did?" I asked.

" You told me that this was something you've been fearing to tell me, so I was expecting you to freak out. Besides, you didn't hurt me at all, despite what it may look like. I was just caught by surprise. You can be really quick whenever you experience moments of frustration, but try not to make a habit out of it." Twilight answered. She was putting on a brave face for me, even when I was having a stressful moment, and this was while she had her own inner demons plaguing her at every turn. I felt this sudden urge to embrace her, hold her in my arms, and, maybe, give her a kiss as a means of thanking her for putting up with me, but I shook my head free of such feelings. She is my friend and nothing more, but... maybe I can do that later. If she is still here, that is. She could still leave, disgusted, once the truth comes out.

" I can't promise anything, but I'll try." I said.

" So, what was going through your mind as you transformed?" Twilight asked.

" As I mentioned, I had thoughts of power and of what I was going to do with it once the magic was mine. However, gaining all of that power came at a terrible price, and one that I unknowingly inflicted on myself. I lost my humanity." I answered.

As the magic within the crown began to seep forth, I couldn't contain my excitement. Even though my expressions made me appear like I was completely deranged, I couldn't help myself; after waiting such a long time, my dreams were finally coming true. All of a sudden, the crown began emanating rings which felt as though something from on high was trying to pull me upwards. I gripped the crown firmly, my face one of shock as my feet left the sanctuary of the ground. " What is happening to me?" I asked myself as my body continued rising. " The magic coming from the crown continues increasing in propensity. It feels wrong, but while I want to just take it off and toss it away, my heart is telling me not to. It wants me to go the full distance and make my dreams come true." Looking upwards slightly, clouds had since formed in the sky, yet I suspect they appeared the moment the magic began to come forth. A beam of dark light bombarded me, which is when I felt something new. It took a moment for my brain to register this new sensation. It was pain.

" Huh? Why am I feeling pain? Why do I feel like I'm being ripped apart?" I asked myself. This experience continued to worsen, causing me to start crying. It was as though the crown were trying to reject me as its master, but I wasn't going to allow that to happen. I've waited too long for this moment! I wouldn't allow a mere accessory imbued with magical properties to overcome me! As the pain reached a boiling point, I kept going, my body convulsing as though it were telling me to give up, yet that wasn't an option for me. Eventually, I opened my eyes and tried to scream, but no sound came from my lips. My eyes turned bright white with no pupils in them, my tears turned to steam that faded into nothing. " Why can't I scream? I want to so badly!" I said to myself. The crown then began to unleash dark magic, something I haven't used since my first return to Equestria, yet I wasn't prepared for what was about to happen next. My left arm suddenly changed, being replaced with a demonic arm. Then the same thing happened with my right arm, then both legs, and soon my entire body save for my face had been transformed, but into what I couldn't see, as the transformation was so painful.

" Am I changing? Yes... I can feel it... the power growing within me. I've become all-powerful, and that requires an adequate form to go along with it. My heart is saying not to fight it, and so I won't. I will see this through and become something which will allow me to fulfill my desire." I said to myself, my body suddenly being consumed by darkness, causing me to curl up slightly. Then I unleashed the darkness surrounding me, my transformation apparently finished. I slowly opened my eyes and found myself flying, and I sensed the power flowing from every part of my being. That's when I looked down at what I had become, and I was immediately impressed with the results. No longer was I a weak little human, but a powerful demonic creature who possessed power beyond my imagination. My only response to this was to laugh at my success. I would soon take notice of the upstart and her friends, who were looking at me with hatred in their faces.

It was a good look for them, as they were powerless to stop me at this point, yet at that moment I turned my attention to Snips and Snails, who were standing there in awe over what I had become. Despite my better judgment, I did promise them power in exchange for helping me, so that meant giving them what they desire. Raising my hands slightly, I conjured up dark magic, which I fired at my two minions as beams of darkness, striking them without mercy. Moments later, they had been transformed into demonic monsters, as well. Already I could tell they were satisfied with their new looks. While they now had the power they had craved, I still possessed the strongest power of all. I was still in charge because I was destined to wield it.

" This is gonna be so cool!" Snips said.

" I'm going to enjoy our pranks now." Snails added.

" Finally! After so much time waiting to get my hands on this crown, it's mine, and look at me now!" I said. I then heard the sounds of students screaming, so I turned towards the entrance of the school where a large gathering had appeared curious as to what was going on. They had no idea that this was what I was hoping they would do, as now, I would carry out my real plan. I slowly floated down towards the entrance, where the students continued screaming their heads off. I raised my right index finger to my mouth before ushering a shush, and they immediately stopped, simply staring at me. " You know, I've had to go through so many hoops tonight just to get this crown, and in truth, it should have been mine from the very beginning. I should have won the title of Princess of the Fall Formal, not this upstart who just wormed her way into your hearts." I said, turning towards Twilight Sparkle, who continued glaring at me. I simply chuckled in response to how pathetic she looked, yet I hadn't forgotten what she had done to me. I'll be taking care of her later, but for now, I had bigger things to focus on. " Keep those girls at bay! I have something I need to take off first."

" You got it." Snips said.

" They're not going anywhere." Snails added.

" To be honest," I began, growling at the students behind the double-doors to intimidate them, "at this point, becoming the princess of such a pathetic and utterly pointless formal has no meaning to me anymore, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't be treated as one. Despite all of you turning against me and giving this crown to an upstart who had no concept of fitting in, I'm not going to hold it against any of you. Let's let bygones by bygones and start with a clean slate. Of course, it doesn't matter what any of you think. Just remember this and keep it close to your hearts: I am your princess now, and you will be loyal... to me!" I then clenched my hand into a fist, after spending a couple of seconds swirling it about showing off my magic, and the moment my fist clenched, my power crushed the entire front entrance to the school. I cast it aside, leaving behind quite the opening. The students then began screaming again and started to run away in terror, but I merely shrugged my shoulders at the pitiful display. " Running away isn't going to do you any good. But then, this is just a human reaction to something that they don't understand. You can all relax, for in just a few moments, nothing will matter anymore." I said.

" What are you doing?" Princess Twilight asked.

" Wouldn't you like to know?" I answered.

" Leave those students alone!" Princess Twilight shouted.

" And who is going to stop me? You? Ha! Don't make me laugh, Twilight! Everything will become clear to you shortly, but first, I need to add to my arsenal of minions, whether they like it or not." I said. Floating into the foyer where students were still running away--but didn't get very far due to being all cramped together--I landed on the ground, where I closed my eyes, raised my hands up to the sides of my head, and began concentrating for a few moments. I opened my eyes, which gave off a hypnotic suggestion through a swirling motion. It took only a few seconds to brainwash every student in the immediate vicinity, and they began walking around under my power. Each student's eyes glowed green, indicating that they no longer had any free will of their own. Now, it was time to put the final pieces of my plan into motion.

" That's quite an amazing power." Snips said.

" Look at them all, stumbling about without any brains." Snails added.

" The best kind of servants are the ones who are blindly obedient." I laughed.

" What do we do with them now?" Snips asked.

" Round them up and bring them to the portal, and if any of them resist, bring them here by force, but not too much, otherwise their usefulness will be wasted. I don't care what order you go in, but by all means, enjoy yourselves." I answered. The two boys then walked off to carry out my task, surprising me in the process, as this was the first time that they didn't give me a stupid salute. I guess transforming them into demonic monsters was a good idea, after all. Now came the task of dealing with that upstart and her friends, who were still standing there helpless, as everything had been taken away from them. " Tell me, upstart, what do you think of my new minions?" I asked.

" This is horrible." Princess Twilight answered.

" And to think that this happened courtesy of your precious crown." I said.

" That's only because your twisted mind has corrupted my Element." Princess Twilight said.

" Perhaps, but I'm using it in a far greater fashion than you ever could, proof that I should have been made a princess in Equestria. Ever since you first became an alicorn, I have hated your very existence, as you took everything away from me. I was there when you had that sham of a coronation, and while I could have used my dark magic to make you suffer, I held back, as I didn't want Princess Celestia to detect my presence." I said.

" How were you able to open the portal?" Princess Twilight asked.

" The details are sketchy even to me, but a powerful magic from Equestria affected the portal, and opened it much sooner than expected. Why it happened is of little concern to me, as the important thing was that I had access to our home, and I used my first visit to know exactly how to find you and steal this crown." I answered. The upstart then turned away from me, as though she had some kind of guilt over the portal opening, but I ignored it, as I just saw it as her admitting defeat. Then I turned my attention towards the portal itself before looking up at the moon in the sky. There were roughly thirty minutes remaining before it closed, which was more than enough time for me. " Speaking of the portal, I guess I might as well come clean now." I said.

" What do you mean?" Princess Twilight asked.

" You all thought that I was actually going to destroy the portal? Let me tell you that I was bluffing the entire time, and you fell for it just like that! Oh, and spoiler alert: I had no intention of ruling over this pathetic high school, as it was just a small stepping stone towards a much larger ambition. I want Equestria! You see, I've always believed that Princess Celestia should have made me a princess, as I was worthy to rule by her side as her equal, or perhaps even her superior, yet she was afraid that my power was too much for her, so she denied me my demand. Her biggest mistake is going to come back and haunt her when I go through the portal with an army by my side." I answered.

" An army!? Where do you plan on getting that?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I thought you'd have figured it out by now." I answered. It took the upstart mere seconds to comprehend the meaning behind my words, and when she realized what I was talking about, she stared straight at the brainwashed students who continued stumbling about. Snips and Snails had managed to corral most of them together, which pleased me, as we were progressing on schedule. That's when Flash Sentry walked onto the scene--a mindless slave like the rest--and I laughed at what had become of him. I knew I would make him suffer eventually, but this was the best form of irony I could imagine. " With my own little teenage army behind me, I am going to conquer Equestria! Unlike ponies, who can feel pain, these minions have no sensations getting in their way. They will continue marching on under my control, and they will overwhelm anyone on the other side that stands in my way. Should my army struggle against any resistance, I'll just take care of them myself using my power." I said. Twilight Sparkle then noticed Flash Sentry stumbling about, and the expression on her face told me everything. She had developed a romantic interest in him, which made his brainwashing all the more delicious.

" By becoming a demon, I lost all sense of being human--even though I'm a pony--and I just kept on going with no signs of stopping." I said. Twilight didn't say anything in response, simply sitting there, struggling to grasp everything that I had just said. My heart was pounding rapidly at this point; I was waiting for the inevitable to happen. I know she will get up, grab her things, and run away from me because of what she now knows about me. I could have just given the crown back to Princess Twilight, and waited for my chance to become a princess. Or, maybe tried and talk things out and avoided further conflict. I did neither of those things, as my heart, my very soul, had been corrupted by the dark magic which exuded from the crown because my heart was twisted to begin with. Twilight will run away... I can see it happening already.

" Sunset..." Twilight began.

" What is it?" I asked.

" Why... why did you rob them of their free will?" Twilight asked.

" I needed an army who would fight for me no matter what, and I saw them as nothing more than expendable. I saw humans as inferior creatures, and their flaws made it easy for me to take advantage of them. After all, I did rule over Canterlot High for three years without my authority ever being questioned. I knew they wouldn't follow me of their own volition, so I took away their freedom, their identities, and turned them into soulless beings." I answered.

" And you were proud of that?" Twilight asked.

" I was, Twilight! I... I didn't care about their feelings, and I had no qualms over using them however I saw fit. Looking back on it now, I know that my actions were deplorable and foul beyond all reason, yet I relished in it because the crown's magic had poisoned me. But, deep down I allowed that to happen, as the desire for power was too much for me to ignore." I answered.

" I'm not sure what to say." Twilight said.

" I was a heartless monster! A raging she-demon!" I said.

" No, that's not it." Twilight said.

" Then what?" I asked.

" You were just confused, lashing out because your dream had been taken away from you so many years ago. Your heart felt happy knowing that you finally could realize your destiny, twisted as it was. All that time, you had to hold back because of circumstances getting in the way, and when that moment happened, when the crown was yours, you seized that moment and used it to fulfill a desire which wanted freedom. All that frustration and tension built up in your heart with no way for it to be unleashed, so when that power became yours, you now had a means of letting it out." Twilight answered. My jaw dropped when she finished her speech. I was expecting her to yell at me for what I did as a demon. Could it be that I was wrong about her feelings towards my actions? Or, was she just saying this for sympathetic reasons? I'm not sure what the answer is, so I chose to keep quiet as she continued. " If you were expecting me to say anything else, then I'm sorry to disappoint you, Sunset. I pretty much said everything that needed to be told." Twilight said.

" Are you feeling sorry for me?" I asked.

" I've been in the same position you once were, where magic corrupted my heart, and I became a demon who wanted to understand magic, not caring about the feelings of anyone else. I lashed out in a similar fashion, as up until that point, I had been picked on, blackmailed, ridiculed, ignored, and far worse, all because I was seen as Crystal Prep's greatest student. So, when I gained that power, I vented out my frustrations by attempting to destroy this world to get to yours. When you think about it, Sunset, all you did as a demon was destroy school property and brainwash students against their will, yet I did far worse. You looked like a saint compared to me." Twilight answered.

" If only the other CHS students felt the same way." I said.

" Why wouldn't they? Everyone immediately forgave me for what I did." Twilight said.

" That's because you were forced into becoming a demon who tried to destroy this world in the hopes of reaching another, all to win a competition because your former principal was so desperate to win, no matter what the cost. When I came back from the brink, I didn't get the same warm reception you did, Twilight. Deep down, I envied you for that, as my experience was far worse." I said.

" What happened?" Twilight asked.

" I told you before. The student body began mistreating me just like how I did the same to them initially, and I chose to accept my punishment, as they had every right to view me with such disdain. I never retaliated at them for how they treated me, and I just kept my feelings to myself. In a way, I got to understand what my actions towards them would have been like had I been in their shoes, instead." I answered. Sad, isn't it? One moment you are on top of the world with all the power you can imagine, and in the next moment, you have nothing but the clothes on your back. My entire world was centered around claiming Princess Twilight's crown, and when it became mine, I felt invincible, like nothing could stand in my way again. Once that power was lost to me after being shown the truth, I became a fallen angel. No. I was never an angel, back then. I was a monster pretending to be human. When it was over, I had nothing, a far cry from what I used to have back in Equestria. Did I try to regain what I lost? Of course not! There was no reason to! Turning the page in my journal, I looked at another drawing done by my hand. It depicted a tornado that was multi-coloured in scope.

" Is that suppose to be... a rainbow?" Twilight asked.

" It's the magic of friendship." I answered.

" Colour me impressed." Twilight said, inching closer to me so that she could get a closer look at the drawing. It wasn't the best thing in the world, as my artistic skills were clearly lacking, but she kept on staring at it in an attempt to understand the meaning behind it. I already knew what that meaning was, as this rainbow was created specifically to bring me down and, also, back to my senses, as my mind had been warped, poisoned by the magic from the crown I was wearing. After looking at it for a while, Twilight turned her attention towards me, her eyes sparkling as if to tell me that she knew the significance behind my drawing. " I didn't think the magic of friendship, or magic in general, was capable of such amazing feats, yet the proof is here in that drawing, but I guess you telling me about it would verify the authenticity of your claim." Twilight said, her words catching me off guard, and feeling hurt because she doubted me. " I don't mean to be insensitive, Sunset, yet I do find it hard to believe that a magical rainbow stopped you."

" Oh, it stopped me all right, but not before I did one last thing." I said.

I still couldn't believe that Twilight Sparkle, the upstart who had thwarted my plans to become Princess of the Fall Formal, had developed a romantic interest in my ex-boyfriend, but then, Flash Sentry always did know good taste when he saw it. That was the only positive thing I could say about him, as much of the time he only served to further my own popularity. To me, he was the most useful pawn of all; I used him over and over to assert my dominance over the school, and he was completely oblivious to it right until the very end, when he became a mindless zombie. In fact, I liked him better this way.

" You know, upstart, I just figured out that you have feelings towards my ex." I said.

" And?" Princess Twilight asked.

" While I find it adorable that you two have become an item, I can't help but laugh at how he has succumbed to my power just like when I was dating him, except back then, he had his free will." I answered. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head that was too good not to use, and I knew that it would hurt her emotionally, so I decided to go through with it, just to see what would happen. " I'm going to make Flash Sentry the scout of my army when we invade Equestria! He will be on the frontlines, and he will most likely be attacked by the ponies, who will retaliate once they figure out what's happening. Who knows? It might even make me love him again! Or not; his only purpose in life now is to be my obedient slave along with everyone else. Now step aside! I have a world to conquer!"

" No!" Princess Twilight announced.

" What!?" I exclaimed.

" No, you're not! You will never have Equestria." Princess Twilight said.

" And who is going to stop me from getting it? You? A princess who questions the very reason she was chosen to be one? Do you honestly believe the words coming out of your mouth right now? No, I didn't think you did. Spare me the bravado! You have no hope of doing anything that can stop me. I have magic, and you have nothing!" I said, my fiery hair expanding outward to intimidate her into accepting the fact that she was powerless. It felt good making her squirm in fear of my presence, a reminder to myself that I still maintained my reign over the school, despite several setbacks of underestimating her prowess. Just when it looked like the upstart was about to admit defeat, one of her friends decided to speak up, and I cringed over who it was.

" She's got us!" Rainbow Dash announced.

" Are you serious?" I asked.

" You may have broken our friendships, Sunset Shimmer, but Twilight was able to rekindle them again, and for that we're forever grateful to her. Even with all of that power you got, we're ready to stand up against you." Rainbow Dash answered. The other four girls then stepped forward until they were standing side by side with the upstart, who had turned to face each of them and smiled because they continued to rally behind her. I always knew these five were special from the moment I first laid my eyes on them a few years ago, but I never thought they would be facing me like this. I guess I should have dealt with them on a more permanent basis back then, but now I can easily rectify my mistake.

" You? Stand up to me? That has to be the most hilarious thing I've heard in my entire life." I said, laughing so hard that I folded my arms to prevent my sides from bursting with delight. I even managed to shed a couple of tears, but I quickly regained my composure, as I knew that all they were doing is trying to act tough, when they knew the odds were heavily stacked against them. " Just like I saw back in Equestria, the same thing has repeated itself here. The gang really is all back together again." I said, laughing again, as it was so funny to think about it like that. However, my laughter quickly changed to sheer hatred, aimed squarely at the upstart. " Now step aside! You see, Twilight Sparkle here has committed a crime against my reign, and she must be punished for it. She has tried to interfere with my plans one too many times, so I decree that her punishment is death!"

" What!?" Everyone said all at once.

" Sure, it sounds barbaric, but you brought this on yourself, Twilight. In fact, you five can join her!" I said. I then raised my hands above my head, and conjured up a large fireball, which I immediately flung towards the six girls without any hesitation. All they could do was huddle together and accept their fate at my hands. The fireball engulfed them almost instantly, and I laughed once again, as it meant there was no one left to stand against me.

" You... killed them!?" Twilight exclaimed.

" I did say that the magic poisoned me." I said.

" But to resort to murder?" Twilight asked.

" Princess Twilight kept on getting in my way, and in my mind, she had overstepped her boundaries. I could have brainwashed her and our friends, which would have solved things without resorting to ending their lives, but the thought never occurred to me. At least, not until the aftermath of my attack." I answered.

" You did act irrationally." Twilight said.

" You would, too, if someone kept on being a thorn in your side, while you had no means of getting rid of it, subjecting yourself to even greater pain unless you were to do whatever it took to get rid of them." I said.

" Wait? The aftermath?" Twilight asked.

" I learned almost immediately why brainwashing them wouldn't have worked, even though the idea didn't come to me. Once it became apparent what they were about to do to me, I knew there and then that my fate had been sealed." I answered.

" Ha, ha, ha, ha! At last! The upstart is finally out of my hair for good!" I shouted with glee before turning to face Snips and Snails, who had finally managed to round all of the students together. It wasn't surprising that it took them this long to complete a simple task, but I could easily let that slide, as those zombified students were now ready to be put to good use. " Okay! Bring them to the portal and we can begin the invasion of Equestria!" Turning back to where my fireball had connected with the upstart and her friends, I stopped laughing. Now, I had to be serious with my plans for world conquest. However, when the smoke cleared, my jaw dropped as I saw the impossible. All six girls were still standing, yet they appeared to be surrounded by some kind of magical barrier. My attack had caused no damage to them at all. How were they able to use magic when they had none to begin with? Did I make a miscalculation? No, of course not! I had everything figured out, right down to the last detail!

" We're all still alive." Princess Twilight said.

" What!? How did you six manage to survive? Where did that magical barrier come from? None of you are capable of using magic, and I definitely know that the crown didn't do anything, not even to protect its precious master." I said. The six girls then came out of their huddle and stood before me once again, their magical barrier glowing with a radiant purple hue. I could sense it growing stronger, which made no sense at all. Where was this power coming from? I knew that I had all of the magic, thanks to the crown, but could I have neglected something? " Why is this happening? Why is it that you suddenly possess magic?" I asked.

" The magic contained in my Element was able to unite with those that helped create it!" Princess Twilight answered.

" What does that even mean?" I asked. Yet, I was about to discover that answer right away, as the crown began reacting to the magic coming from the upstart, and as I looked upwards at it in confusion, the crown fired a purple beam, which struck all six girls, engulfing them in a bright light that made it difficult for me to see what was happening. I could still, however, hear the upstart saying something.

" Honesty! Kindness! Laughter! Generosity! Loyalty! Magic!" Princess Twilight said. When my vision became clear, I could see what was going on, and I couldn't believe what was happening to them. Each girl suddenly grew what looked like pony ears on top of their heads, and the bottom of their hairstyles extended downward to give them pony tails. Three of them also even grew wings out of their backs, likely indicating their Pegasus and alicorn statuses. Once the bright lights disappeared, they were floating before me, still surrounded by that purple barrier. The barrier quickly faded away, which meant their one means of protection was now gone.

" Ha! All you did was transform into half-human, half-pony hybrids!" I shouted.

" Is that what you really think?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I'll admit that these new looks really suit you; you look utterly ridiculous. However, this changes nothing. The magic still remains on my side, despite you six having some of your own, so all you're really doing is delaying the inevitable by continuing this pointless struggle against me." I answered.

" You'd be surprised." Princess Twilight began.

" Oh? Please, explain this to me." I said.

" Together with the crown, they create a power beyond anything you could imagine, but it is a power you don't have the ability to control! You may think that you have been able to master all of that magic, but in reality, you were merely deluding yourself into a false sense of personal satisfaction. The crown may be upon your head, Sunset Shimmer, but you cannot wield it, because you do not possess the most powerful magic of all: the magic of friendship!" Princess Twilight said.

" Are you serious, upstart? Friendship is just a weakness that holds you back from true potential!" I shouted.

" Is that how you really feel?" Princess Twilight asked. I refused to answer her because I was steadfast in my opinions on friendship. It was a weak feeling that only served as a distraction towards becoming the best. I had to go through this very notion with Princess Celestia, as she tried to make me understand and accept friendship, yet I didn't care, as my goal was to become a princess of Equestria who relied on strength alone. Compassion does not a ruler make. I began laughing at the upstart's feeble attempts to persuade me that her way of thinking was ideal, but what I didn't notice was that she shook her head in silence, knowing I refused to listen. She and her friends began to create a formation that allowed them to channel their magical energy into a single conduit. " Then I guess we have no other choice." Princess Twilight said.

" Choice? What are you getting at now?" I asked. Again, I was about to receive my answer in the form of a another beam of purple light firing from the crown, but this one appeared to be pulling me towards where those girls were situated. Try as I might, I wasn't able to pull myself away from whatever was pulling me. I wanted to scream in agony, as this light was causing immense discomfort for me, but nothing came out of my mouth, aside from what sounded like hissing noises. Eventually, after trying in vain to pull myself away, I finally managed to regain the use of my voice. " Hey! What's going on!?" I asked.

" Behold! The magic of friendship!" Princess Twilight answered. All six girls began glowing even brighter than before, and I struggled to maintain my vision, as the light was too bright for my eyes. They conjured up a rainbow from below that swirled around them a couple of times before it streaked across the night sky. It arced downwards towards where I was floating. I raised my hands in an effort to use my own magic to knock the rainbow away, but I found that I was unable to do anything, and soon the rainbow began swirling around me, as though I were being pulled into a tornado.

" No!" I screamed as the rainbow continued spinning around me, where it suddenly grew in an effort to consume. " What is happening!? No! You can't do this to me! I'm supposed to be the only one with magic! I refuse to be defeated in such a pathetic manner!" I then tried one last time to fly out from the tornado, but my efforts were in vain. I was completely trapped; its power vastly dwarfed my own. When the tornado completely consumed me, I looked around in a mad panic to see if there was anything I could do to prevent what was about to happen. " Nothing! There's no way out for me! I can't believe it! That upstart! She did it to me again! She has ruined my life again!" I said to myself. Then, the magic began affecting me, rainbow tornado bombarding me on all sides, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. " This feeling... why do I suddenly feel like casting aside all of my hatred? Could I... could I have been wrong? No, of course not! I was justified in my actions; she denied me my destiny. But, did she deny me as a means of protecting me from the darkness inside my heart? Princess Celestia... I... I... I failed you." I said to myself, slumping forward slightly. From outside of the tornado, the girls all began to glow again, prompting the tornado to suddenly fire numerous beams of light out across the night sky. One of them hit Flash Sentry in the forehead, releasing him from my control, and the beam subsequently struck the foreheads of every other student, freeing them.

" Here and in Equestria, it is the only magic that can truly unite us all!" Princess Twilight said.

Snips and Snails, who throughout this ordeal had just been standing there wondering what was happening to me were also struck by beams of light coming from the tornado, and they were changed back to normal before dropping to the ground. For the next few minutes, no one knew what was going on. A massive, smoke-filled crater had appeared in-between the school entrance and the Wondercolt statue, and I found myself at its bottom. No longer was I a demonic monster, but rather, an ordinary human who had several scratches all across her body. As I regained consciousness, I began crawling about in an attempt to find my way out of the crater, yet this proved difficult, as I barely had any strength left within me.

" Why... why do I feel so weak?" I asked myself, crawling along at a snail's pace. " That rainbow... it did something to me. It made me see things which I ignored out of a stupid sense of pride, feelings which I chose to close my heart off from because of what happened to me when I was a filly. I... I was wrong... about everything! Yet, why do I feel as though my very life-force has been drained from me? Is this punishment for my actions? Why do I feel like crying? Is this what it means to feel compassion? Caring? Love? I... I've lost my way. Somehow, I lost my way from the innocent filly who wanted to become the best to prove her worth to her parents, and instead I became something repulsive. Could there have been another way?" I said to myself. After crawling along the bottom of this crater, I slowly began climbing upwards. Every moment felt agonizing as my body struggled to get me to the top, tears streaking down my face, smoke from the crater surrounding me like a dark aura.

" You will never rule in Equestria, Sunset Shimmer. Any power you may have had in this world is gone, and you will never be able to achieve any power here again. Tonight, you've shown everyone who you really are. Everyone who feared you these past few years no longer need to feel intimidated by your presence, as you no longer hold sway over their lives and their futures. They now know that you were the one who manipulated them, sabotaged their friendships, even exposed their deepest secrets, doing everything imaginable just to keep your power. You've shown them what is in your heart, and it's a vile, twisted, form that was consumed by hatred." Princess Twilight said, her words being numerous truths that were pounding me like I were a nail being hit repeatedly by a hammer. This was the worst-case scenario for me. Everyone was now aware of my actions since the day I first came, yet I didn't say anything to explain myself. What Twilight said was true, and nothing could be done to change that.

" I know, upstart. No, not 'upstart'. Twilight." I said.

" Do you?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know there was another way to go about this other than relying on hatred for so long. I could say it's because of what happened to me during my childhood that shaped me into who I've become now, but that's a lousy excuse, and I know it. I.. I could have done something to change my life long ago, but I refused to, because that would have meant abandoning my dream. My dream... it was never a dream, but a nightmare. No, it wasn't even that. It was a miserable existence that I used as justification for my actions and nothing more. I'm sorry, so very sorry." I answered, crying as I finally climbed up to the top of the crater, tears flowing down my face. No one offered to give me their hand as a means of pulling me out, but who could blame them after finally learning the truth about me. Instead, I remained there on the edge, waiting in a pathetic heap for what would happen to me next. I had fallen, yet I was no angel, nor was I a demon. I wasn't human at all anymore, nor a pony for that matter. I was a soulless being who happened to exist.

" The magic of friendship doesn't just exist in Equestria. It's everywhere, as long as there are those who aspire to use it to better themselves and everyone around them. I know that it's something you took away from all of these students, yet they will easily regain it back as it slowly becomes part of who they are again. All I did was get the ball rolling for them. They have to handle the rest, and that just leaves you, Sunset Shimmer. You can seek out friendship, or you can forever be alone. The choice is yours to make, and no one will force you into making that choice." Princess Twilight said. In all of my life, I had never been put on the spot like that, until now. Yet, she was giving me her own ultimatum that would determine my fate. I would either be granted a second chance, where I would struggle, or remain on my current path, where I would struggle. No matter what choice I picked, I knew that I was fated to struggle to see it through. So began my train of thought, where I pondered over what had been presented to me, my fate lying in my own hands, where my choice would affect my future.

" And... that is how I was defeated." I said.

" I'm just speechless." Twilight said.

" Now you know the biggest mistake I made in my entire life, Twilight. I became a demonic monster who desired power above everything else and treated all those around me as expendable pawns. Even though I've changed a lot since those days--even if it did happen just last year--there are times where I regress back to my old ways. You've already seen this when I lashed out against you during the Friendship Games, but that was minor compared to other incidents I'm not proud of." I said.

" There were other incidents? Like when?" Twilight asked.

" Like almost immediately after the Formal ended." I answered.

Chapter 22: To Be Alone

Day: Thursday
Weather: Rainy
Time: 9:00am

I've lost everything. In the span of a single night, I've lost everything that I had built up for three years. Now, I was left with nothing. An empty feeling existed in my heart where hatred used to dwell, and even that isn't enough to change my new perception of reality. Last night, the truth about myself became known to everyone at CHS, and already, I have felt the repercussions, being bullied by those I used to make miserable. According to Princess Twilight, as I have started to call her, the magic of friendship had supposedly entered my heart, yet I felt her words are misguided. My heart is empty, devoid of even the basic of necessities. While she has returned home to Equestria, a better understanding of being a princess filling her with joy, I had no emotions to call my own. I had come to accept my new reality, where I am subjugated to the hatred students had towards me, hatred which I deserved to have. Now, I was awaiting my punishment for my actions. What would become of me? I didn't know, and yet, I had no reason to fight it. I was nothing.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 4, 2015
Chapter 22: To Be Alone.

" I thought you were forgiven like I was?" Twilight asked.

" No. Compared to me, you got off easily. What you did wasn't your own doing, but what I did, I did willingly and without any remorse." I answered.

" You said the students would do to you what you did to them, right? I'm having a hard time picturing them making you miserable in the exact same manner as you did, exposing their secrets and all that." Twilight said.

" They wanted revenge against me because they knew the truth about who I was. Had things ended up differently that night, my life would have been much different than it is now, yet fate is something that one cannot change no matter how hard they try. No matter what, I was destined to be defeated by the one thing which I had refused to acknowledge because I saw it as a form of weakness. The magic of friendship would cleanse my heart of the darkness which had plagued it for years, and for the first time, I felt regret for my actions." I said. Had my plan succeeded, I would have attacked Equestria with a teenage army, despite the absurdity of it all. Yet, my chances of success would have been pitiful as the other princesses, along with the rest of Princess Twilight's friends, would have defended their home. I guess I didn't think things through; the only thing I cared about was making Princess Celestia realize that she had been wrong about me. Yet, now I realize that I had been wrong about myself, and it took being blasted by a magical rainbow to come to such a conclusion.

" Did you go back to Equestria?" Twilight asked.

" I couldn't." I answered.

" Why not?" Twilight asked.

" I... I couldn't show my face to Princess Celestia, not after everything that I had done. My heart may have been cleansed of darkness, but I could never go back, as I had committed a heinous crime, and the punishment for stealing a sacred artefact would have meant spending the remainder of my days banished to the desolate wastes that lie beyond the southern reaches of Equestria. Princess Twilight knew this, and decided that I was to remain in this world and learn about friendship." I answered. Had my mind been sharper after what happened to me, I would have accepted my punishment and be condemned to a permanent exile, yet that decision was taken away from me before I even had the chance to say anything. I've always been grateful to have been given a second chance, yet a part of me wonders what would have happened had I chosen to be exiled instead of being given a minor punishment? Turning the page of the journal, I showed Twilight a photo of the destroyed entrance to CHS, and her eyes widened with shock. She only knew of what I wrote that described my action, yet seeing it with her own eyes made her look at me, eyes still widened.

" Something like that would have attracted some unwanted attention." Twilight said.

" It did, in the form of the local authorities." I said.

" Someone actually called the police?" Twilight asked.

" Yeah, but they wouldn't arrive at the school until the following morning. Whoever called them had to explain what happened, and they had a hard time believing them until they were convinced to come on over to see for themselves. Before I go into those details, I should first tell you about the ultimatum Princess Twilight made me ponder over. You already have the gist of what the result was, but I think you need to know exactly how it transpired." I answered.

Twilight Sparkle, whose crown I had stolen in order to gain power, had given me something to think about, and now the pressure was on me to make a choice, one that would determine my future. While I pondered over her words, I struggled to come to grips with what had happened to me. I had lost everything that I had built up for three years in the span of a few minutes, yet I didn't care about it. In fact, I had no feelings at all. Where hatred once ruled over my heart, nothing existed, not even the most basic of emotions. I felt empty, devoid of existence. Being hit with that magical rainbow had affected me on a mental and emotional level; so many images were flashing through my mind, each one representing who I had become through the use of fear, intimidation, and malice.

I could see the crying faces of students, and myself mocking them, ridiculing them, treating them with contempt. Before, I would have laughed at their misery, and moved on to other victims, but now I saw things from the other side. I realized that I had done terrible things and that the "magic of friendship" had affected me in a way that changed my perspective. No matter what choice I chose that would determine my fate, deep down, I knew that I would be condemned for my actions. In having stolen a sacred artefact from Equestria, thus rendering it defenceless, and bringing magic into a foreign world, my punishment could be only one thing: exile. While Twilight's words continued to make me think of an appropriate answer, in the end, it would mean nothing, as I would be brought back to Equestria and banished to the desolate wastes beyond the southern lands. A punishment fit for a monster like me, one who had lost what it meant to be alive, human or pony.

" Sunset Shimmer? Have you made your choice?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I have." I answered.

" And?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I... I've chosen to accept friendship, but... but all I've ever done since being here is drive everyone apart. I don't know the first thing about friendship." I answered.

" I bet they can teach you." Princess Twilight said, pointing towards the five girls who had helped her create the rainbow which had affected me. I know that I've been calling them special, "five girls", and more, but I should be referring to them by their actual names: Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. However, even as Princess Twilight spoke, their expressions were ones of hesitation. How could I blame them for such feelings? If I were one of them, and if I had just been pointed at by someone who said exactly what Twilight spoke of, I'd be concerned as well.

" Twilight, I... I know you mean well, but I... I can't expect them to help me. Not after all I've done since I came here. In fact, I probably won't be around for much longer anyway; I must be brought back to Equestria to face my punishment for the crime of stealing a sacred treasure. The best-case scenario for me would involve being exiled to the desolate wastes, a place fitting for someone like me, where I can spend my remaining days wandering the desert... alone." I said.

" Why would you be exiled?" Princess Twilight asked.

" Because I deserve it after all I've done here. The look of hesitation in the eyes of your friends is enough for me to know that they aren't keen on your idea to help me understand friendship, and I know that everyone else here has the same opinion. I'm a lost cause, Twilight, so I should just be shackled up and taken back to face my punishment with whatever little I have left. I've lost everything. No, I never had anything to begin with. I'm just a soulless being who has no purpose, no reason to even exist, so I must remain alone until I can understand friendship on my own. It will take me a long time, but I will get there one day." I answered. After spending a few minutes getting myself out of the crater, since no one offered to help me, I remained on all fours for a while, contemplating what was to happen. So when I looked up at Twilight, expecting her to conjure up some shackles, all I saw was her smiling face, which confused me. I had just signed my own death warrant with what I just said, so why was she looking at me with such warmth in her eyes?

" No, I don't believe you deserve to be punished, Sunset Shimmer." Princess Twilight said.

" Princess Twilight..." I said.

" You and everyone else here may not realize it, but you have suffered just as much as they have. I may not know exactly what you experienced while growing up, but you do not deserve that kind of a harsh punishment. Again, I bet my friends can teach you about friendship, just like how I was able to reteach them after they had forgotten it for so long." Princess Twilight said. I looked around to see if everyone agreed with her assessment, but their skeptical looks were exactly what I expected. No one believed her words, yet they chose to remain silent so as to not offend Her Highness. All I did was sigh as I got on my feet and walked off towards the entrance of the school, my head held downward in shame, in complete silence. She should have made me face my punishment in Equestria, yet she believed that I deserved a second chance, but my fellow students--no, I am not one of them, not anymore, or rather, I never was--would never accept me after what I've done.

Over the course of the next thirty minutes, everyone, with the exception of Snips, Snails, and myself, had gone back to the gym in order to resume the Formal, and while my two "friends" appeared unconcerned with what had transpired, I just sat there on the steps, making sure to keep my distance from them and anyone else. My tears continued trickling down my face, my head slumped down to my knees, my mind in deep thought over what Twilight had said. Could I really learn friendship? Or, was it too late for someone like me to change? Would her friends really help me? Was my destiny to forever be alone? Alone... that had been a constant in my life since the very beginning. Aside from Princess Celestia, I had no one else to turn to, so I spent so much time alone, pretending that I was surrounded by people. As I continued sitting there without moving, without saying anything, a group came out from the destroyed front entrance.

It was Twilight and her friends. I knew without even having to speak that she was about to return home to Equestria, yet she had no idea what was going to happen the moment she walked through the portal. Those looks everyone gave me after her speech. I knew they had a desire to make me suffer, just like how I did the same to them, but I had no intention of speaking out in an attempt to be given pity. If they wanted revenge, I shall let them have it. If they wished for me to be isolated, I shall accept their rejection. If they wanted to bully me, mock me, tease me, intimidate me, and more, I shall accept these without question. No matter what choice I made, the same result would occur: I would be on the receiving end of karma.

" You'll look out for her, won't you?" Princess Twilight asked.

" We'll try to see if we can make her understand friendship, Twilight, but it won't be easy for us. While we may be able to forgive her for what she did, to simply forget isn't easy, as that pain runs deep, deeper than you might realize. Still, we shall try our best, since you believe she deserves another chance." Rarity answered.

" I know it be difficult, but I don't want her to feel isolated and alone. No one, no matter what they might have done in the past, deserves to be in such an awful position as that." Princess Twilight said.

" Although I do expect some sort of apology for last spring's debacle. Twinkleshine was my friend. She wanted to win so much, yet she had to withdraw when it was discovered that her brother had secretly funded a couple of her school projects, and she didn't earn the money honestly. I know she was desperate to win at all costs, but Sunset Shimmer should never have done that, even if it meant doing a good deed, as Twinkleshine was forced to admit that she'd done something so dishonest. Twinkleshine should have been given the chance to tell the truth herself, and not have been publically humiliated." Rarity said.

" I have a feeling she'll be handing out a lot of apologies before she can begin to understand." Princess Twilight said. I then watched Twilight walking alongside her dog until they walked through the portal and disappeared. I quickly looked up at the moon and saw it had reached its apex, and that meant the portal was now closed for another thirty moons. If only she had been a bit more ruthless and demanded that I return to Equestria to face my punishment, I could have avoided what I knew would happen starting tomorrow, but she insisted that I be shown the ways of friendship. I didn't deserve such mercy from her. I deserved to be left alone to wallow in eternal misery for the rest of my days, as I was too far gone to be given sympathy. Her friends then turned to face me after helping Pinkie Pie up from the ground after she ran into the statue in an attempt to try and follow Twilight, and I could see it in their eyes that they were hesitant towards the request Her Highness gave them.

" So, what are we to do?" Rarity asked.

" I know Twilight said we should show her what it means to have friends, but I just can't do it right now." Rainbow Dash answered.

" I don't think any of us can considering everything she's done to us since she first came to CHS." Applejack said.

" We need some time to think this over. Twilight gave us a pretty tall order, and while I do think Sunset Shimmer deserves a second chance, a part of me really doesn't wanna do it after everything she did. Yeah, I know I'll probably get over it, but it'll take time, you know? I think for now, we should leave Sunset to her own devices until we can sort this out." Rainbow Dash suggested. The other girls then nodded their agreements, each having false smiles because they felt like they were betraying Twilight, but when they turned back towards me, I had already walked away into the night, having made the decision for them. I knew they didn't want to help me. Who would help a soulless being? No one would! I was better off alone.

" Princess Twilight wanted to give you a second chance because she believed you could turn things around? I must admit, she did take a gamble; there was no way of knowing how you were going to turn out in the end." Twilight said.

" Even I didn't know what would happen, but as you can see, things did turn out well." I said.

" You seriously wanted to be left alone?" Twilight asked.

" After everything I did, I felt that I should be made to suffer in isolation." I answered. Before I could continue speaking, I felt something heavy suddenly press itself on top of my left leg, startling me. I looked downward to see that Twilight had rested her head on my leg to provide comfort. While she didn't say it, I knew that she was sad that I had chosen to punish myself in such a harsh manner, yet it was my belief that I needed to suffer like that until the students of CHS were ready to forgive me for my actions. Placing my hand on top of her head and stroking her purple hair, running several strands through my fingers, and even twirling it about as a sign of affection, I was able to continue with my explanation as to why I wanted to be left alone. " When the students discovered I was responsible for their misery, I knew they would want revenge. Humans, much like ponies, have this desire to strike against those who hurt them through various means: isolation, ridicule, physical abuse, verbal abuse, and psychological abuse. I knew to expect this the coming day, as it would be the first time I would attend CHS as not its ruler, but as its lowest subject." I said.

" At least that was the only punishment you had." Twilight said.

" I'm afraid not..." I began.

" Why?" Twilight asked.

" Self-punishment meant nothing, as the students could have claimed that I was just doing it for attention, so I had to be punished in the proper manner. Principal Celestia had spent the duration of the night coming up with a suitable punishment that would allow me to pay my debts to the school and students, and she would reveal this to me the next day. But first, she and Vice Principal Luna had to deal with the local authorities who wanted to know what happened that night." I answered.

The next day after, spending one last night in the shed of the gardener--he would return from his vacation sooner than expected, thus leaving me without a roof over my head during those cold nights--I would slowly make my way towards the destroyed entrance of the school. Just looking at what I had done made me want to just run away and never show my face again, but I knew running away would be giving in to my own fears. As I stared up in complete silence, many students walked by. Most just gave me cold expressions, which I noticed from the corners of my eyes, but others intentionally bumped into me, with one bump knocking me to the ground. A couple of students began laughing at me. As I got myself back up and dusted off the dirt from my clothes, I merely sighed before looking back up at the destroyed entrance.

To think that I caused this damage by being corrupted by the magic of Twilight's crown. Well, it wasn't just the crown that poisoned me. It was the darkness that was once in my heart, amplified by the crown's power, and I chose not to stop it by simply taking it off and throwing it away. My heart wanted me to embrace that dark feeling, and I just accepted it without thinking of any potential consequences for my actions. I wished that I could go back into the past and prevent any of this from happening, but the past cannot be changed, no matter how much one would desire for such an opportunity. I had to live with these consequences for the rest of my life. Once I was finally done looking at the damage caused by my own hands, the hands that have brought pain and misery to so many, I was about to enter the school, when I heard a voice coming from the P.A. system.

" Sunset Shimmer! Please report to Principal Celestia's Office! Sunset Shimmer! Please report to Principal Celestia's Office!"

" Guess it's time for me to accept this world's punishment instead of banishment, which I would have received in Equestria." I said to myself. As I entered the building and made my way over to Principal Celestia's office, I was being watched from all sides by the other students, each one glaring at me with hatred in their eyes, though some merely turned their noses away from me in disgust. I had no desire to lash out at them, because they had every right to treat me in such a fashion. Instead, I just continued walking through the hallways, avoiding eye contact as best as I could. Yet, I couldn't avoid their gazes forever, and some of them bumped into me just like before, a reminder that they wouldn't forgive me for my actions. Upon reaching Principal Celestia's office, I slowly knocked on the door, and she told me to enter. I stepped inside, making sure to close the door behind me, and sat down in front of the one who would determine both my punishment and my fate.

" I'm sure you know why you're here." Principal Celestia said. I said nothing in response to her, so she chose to get straight to the point, rather than try to see if she could get me to talk. " After what happened last night at the Fall Formal, Vice Principal Luna and I had thought about how best to appropriately punish you for your actions. I will admit that the two of us should have noticed this issue years ago, yet we turned a blind eye because we assumed that you and the other students were going through typical teenage problems. We know now that was not the case."

" Are you going to expel me?" I asked.

" And here I thought you were incapable of talking." Principal Celestia answered, taken aback slightly by my sudden decision to say something, when I had been quiet ever since Twilight returned to Equestria. " To answer your question, we do not want to expel you, as that would merely delay the problem, rather than solve it." Her words made no sense to me, and I wish that she had chosen the expulsion route. That would have been the best course of action to take. " In case you were wondering, Sunset Shimmer, the problem involves your perception in the eyes of your fellow students. To simply expel you would mean you would never eventually be forgiven by your peers, and you would forever be alone, without anyone to help you." Principal Celestia said.

" Being alone is what I deserve." I said.

" Is that how you truly feel?" Principal Celestia asked.

" After everything I've done during these past three years, I don't deserve to be forgiven, nor do I deserve to even be here." I answered.

" Everything is going to work out in the end for you, Sunset Shimmer, yet you first need to find yourself in order to truly begin healing. That being said, you will still need to be punished for destroying the front of the school, and you will need to make amends with the entire student body. Therefore, your punishment will--" Principal Celestia stopped as she was cut off by the sounds of a police car approaching the building. While I didn't react to what was going on outside, I was quickly ushered to follow Celestia, who looked flustered over why the police were here. It seemed she wasn't the only one who was curious, as the hallway suddenly became filled with students trying to see what was going on. I, however, just followed along, trying to keep up with Principal Celestia because she wanted me to come along despite my reluctance. When we all reached the entrance to the school several minutes later, Vice Principal Luna was already there speaking to a policeman, and judging from his expression, he was shocked over the damage I had caused.

" You came here because someone contacted you about the front of our school?" Vice Principal Luna asked.

" At first, we thought the guy was crazy, but he kept on saying the same thing: he heard a loud explosion coming from this school, and when he checked to see what had happened, he saw that the front entrance had been destroyed. I came to see for myself, and lo and behold, he was telling the truth. Tell me just why the front of Canterlot High looks like this." The policeman said.

" It is... a very complicated matter." Vice Principal Luna said.

" I hope you don't plan on trying to worm your way out of explaining this, lady! The chief was initially hesitant about investigating this, yet he sent me here anyway to confirm what that guy was saying last night. I don't want to waste your time nor do I want my time to be wasted, so I suggest explaining things quickly. It's starting to seem to me to be an act of vandalism caused by a member of the faculty in order to take advantage of taxpayers." The policeman said. He then walked back to his squad car, reached into it through an open window in order to grab something, then came back and took several photos using a camera which must be what he grabbed.

" What is going on here?" Principal Celestia asked.

" We have a problem, it seems, sister." Vice Principal Luna answered.

" Yes, I can see that." Principal Celestia said.

" I take it that you're the principal?" The policeman asked. Principal Celestia nodded her head, yet remained calm and collected despite this policeman being rather aggressive with his overall approach to this situation. " Someone phoned the station last night about an explosion that destroyed the front of the school, and it appears that the concerned citizen was correct, as I am clearly seeing the damage with my own eyes. Now, I'm assuming that you know the reason behind this damage?" The policeman asked, prompting a second nod from Principal Celestia to confirm that she knew what happened. My heart sank. I was no doubt going to be arrested for destroying public property. I slowly walked forward, but a glare from Celestia brought me to a stop. She was trying to protect me. But why would she do that for the likes of me? I didn't deserve to be given such treatment after what I've done, so I resumed walking. This time, Vice Principal Luna glared at me, stopping my advance again. The policeman had since taken notice of what they were doing, and walked towards me, which made me feel very uncomfortable. " It seems they are motioning to you stop, young lady, as though they were trying to hide you."

" I... I have something I need to say." I said.

" And that would be?" The policeman asked.

" I know what caused the front of the school to be destroyed." I answered.

" Really? Well, I must say that you're being far more cooperative than those in charge around here, but I don't want you to answer on their behalf. I noticed how uneasy you're looking right now, so I'll have them tell me what you know." The policeman said, turning his attention back to the two sisters, who appeared nervous that they were now on the spot instead of me. " Since this student knows the circumstances behind this, I trust that one of you can provide me with an answer? If not, then I'll have to assume that you are holding back key evidence which would force me to arrest both of you for obstructing justice." Both Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna looked at one another realizing that they had no other choice but to expose me as the one responsible, so I lowered my head in shame and took a single step forward before one of the students who had been watching this entire time decided to speak out.

" It was an accident!" The student answered.

" What was that?" The policeman asked.

" It was a building accident!" Another student said.

" And do you have proof?" The policeman asked.

" A maintenance machine came here last night to do some quick repairs to the front of the school, but the driver of the machine was really sloppy with their work, and accidentally destroyed the front entrance. He left with the vehicle." A third student answered. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! The students were trying to protect me from being arrested, yet why would they do that? Why would they want to protect me after all I've done to them? Why not make me suffer in some kind of dungeon? The policeman then began scanning the immediate vicinity, and noticed that there were no track marks to indicate that a machine had even been here. Then, he took notice of the large crater in front of the entrance before writing something down on a notepad that he took out from his pocket.

" I'm not sure if that is exactly what happened seeing as there is a large crater which I somehow overlooked, but I suppose that I'll have to take the words of your students, at least for the time being. I'll be reporting this, but I suggest that you fix this problem as soon as possible. Otherwise, the chief might be forced to get the mayor involved, which I'm sure is something you don't want to happen. It would ruin the school's reputation." The policeman said. He then turned around, walked back to his squad car, got into the driver's side, and left, which brought a sigh of relief to both Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna. I then looked at the students, a confused look on my face because they had protected me. But their expressions were ones of scorn, and I quickly figured out why they didn't want me to be taken away. I suspected they wanted to make me suffer for my actions, and being taken away would have prevented them from taking out their aggression on me. It wasn't a matter of saving me, but rather, keep me around long enough until they were ready to forgive me.

" Well, I suppose that was a crisis that we narrowly avoided, so everyone can go back to your respective classes." Principal Celestia announced, prompting everyone to head back inside while she placed her hand onto my shoulder. " With the exception of you, Sunset Shimmer. You will be needing this." She then handed over what looked to be a trowel, which confused me, but then she pointed towards the school entrance. Snips and Snails were standing there, each boy holding onto wheelbarrows that had cement inside of them. " This is the punishment that I had in mind for you, and for those two, as they were accomplices to your actions. All three of you will be spending your lunch periods, several hours after school, and your Saturdays until the school entrance and the crater have been repaired. In addition, Sunset Shimmer, you'll be apologizing to every student that you have wronged, one by one. I'm expecting all three of you to meet me in the gym within the next thirty minutes. I'll announce that all students report to the gym, where you'll be apologizing to them." Principal Celestia said. While Snips and Snails protested over having to repair the damages I caused, I simply lowered my head before nodding.

" You had to repair the entrance and fill up that crater?" Twilight asked.

" It was a just punishment, if I ever saw one." I answered.

" Well, at least Snips and Snails were there to lend a hand." Twilight said.

" For about two, three days, tops." I said. My throat was feeling parched at that point, so I grabbed my bottle of fizzy apple cider and took a few gulps. When I turned to see if Twilight was okay, her head was no longer resting on my left leg. In fact, she was staring right at my face, which made me almost spit out my cider at her. Thankfully, I managed to refrain from doing so and swallowed before addressing my friend's unusual actions. " Are you seriously surprised at their actions?" I asked.

" They're your friends, and friends don't do that to one another." Twilight answered.

" Friends? No. They were never my friends, despite the fact that we constantly hung out with one another. They were nothing more than my minions whom I used to uncover the secrets of my fellow students, and I would have gladly exposed them as responsible for anything that would have implicated me. That's why they would confess to having been manipulated by me all that time in order to get themselves out of their punishment." I said.

Chapter 23: Punishment

Day: Thursday
Weather: Rainy
Time: 12:00pm

Principal Celestia told me that my punishment had been divided into two parts. The first involved me apologizing to every student at CHS that I had wronged during my time there, taking place at the gym, since everyone needed to be in one place. While I did agree to doing it as the first step towards understanding friendship, I knew that the students wouldn't forgive me for what I did. Even if I repeatedly apologized for hurting them, their expressions told me that my words were in vain. Once I had finished with what turned out to be an emotional experience, I was next told to repair the front of the school. This was a fair punishment, as I was the one who caused the damage because of my magical tantrum, yet my former minions, Snips and Snails, weren't as thrilled about it. At first, all three of us were working during lunch periods, after school for several hours, and from 8:00am to 4:00pm on Saturdays, complete with a thirty minute lunch break, but then my "friends" got themselves out of their punishment by claiming that they had been manipulated by me from the start. I would find myself working alone on the school's repair after that. It didn't bother me, as I knew it was meant to be. I was destined to be alone.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 6, 2015
Chapter 23: Punishment.

" I can't believe it!" Twilight said, throwing her arms up into the air out of frustration about what I said about Snips and Snails. I couldn't blame her for reacting like that, as I had a similar reaction when they revealed to me that they had confessed. " They were your friends, who were to blame for what happened just as much as you, yet they were able to get away with it just by blaming you?"

" When they told me what they did, I just accepted it for what it was and went back to work fixing the damage." I said.

" But that's not fair! They shouldn't have been allowed to just walk away like that and abandon a friend in her time of need." Twilight said.

" Like I said, we were never friends, despite how often we hung out with each other. They were just tools that I used to make students' lives miserable, and they chose to stick around me in exchange for power and prestige . I did take advantage of them by promising them power in exchange for their cooperation, so in truth, they were innocent victims who were caught up in my obsession for wanting to become a ruler." I said. I began thinking about what happened in the months after I became "friends" with Snips and Snails. They never showed signs of being malicious, despite being mischievous, but that was because they just wanted to pull pranks and have fun. They never intended on hurting anyone with their antics. However, once I started to manipulate their thoughts with my words and my promises, the two boys changed where their pranks became more spiteful, and they were willing to do whatever it took to expose student secrets, all to make me happy. I didn't blame them for what they did to me in the end, as they were justified in their actions. " Despite blaming me for their change in behaviour, they didn't exactly get away scot free." I said.

" What happened?" Twilight asked.

" They were given three months of detention." I answered.

" Basically, they were given a light sentence, while you were given a more harsh one because you were the one solely responsible for what happened." Twilight said. I nodded my head, and she promptly flung herself to the ground before letting out a massive groan out of frustration. I understood how she felt about how I was treated after the Fall Formal, yet I didn't complain about it, because I felt that my actions needed to be punished appropriately. " So, the first thing you had to do was apologize to every student at CHS, correct?" Twilight asked, lifting herself back up before fixing her hair, which got frazzled when she flung herself.

" Principal Celestia was very adamant about it." I answered.

" How many students did you have to apologize to?" Twilight asked.

" Let's see." I said. I then began to count using my fingers, soon moving to a notepad after Twilight handed it over to me with a frown on her face, and a calculator, which she also provided me because my math work on the notepad looked terrible. As I recall, I had to spend at least two minutes with each student so that they could get the full scope of my apology, and there were a lot of faces I had to work my way through. There were also a couple of students who talked to me which did slow down my progress. I carry the two, divide by the three, add the seven to this, and finally double the result, I should have a grand total of fifty-seven. " Fifty-seven. I had to apologize to fifty-seven students, and no, I didn't need to apologize to any faculty members, as I never wronged them by any means." I said. It then dawned on me that, despite being a high school, the number of students who attended was small in number, but then, I didn't take into account anyone who may have been absent due to illness, vacation, or any other specific reason.

" Only fifty-seven? I could have sworn there were more students than that when I was there to compete in the Friendship Games, but at least it meant you were only going to spend a short period of time apologizing before having to start work on repairing the front entrance." Twilight said.

" That was my plan, but things didn't exactly work out that way." I said.

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" I was to spend two minutes per student, but there was one who delayed me because he was insistent on talking to me." I answered.

After the incident with the policeman and learning that I would have to repair the entrance to the school, alongside Snips and Snails, and apologize to the entire student body for my actions against them, Principal Celestia told the boys that they were free to go until lunchtime, when they had to report back. I, on the other hand, was asked to wait by the entrance to the gym until the students had been assembled. Looking inside of the double-doors, I noticed the decorations were still strewn about, and seeing them brought back immediate memories of what I had Snips and Snails do in order to frame Princess Twilight. Pinkie Pie had really outdone herself when it came to the decorations, yet I never took notice of this; my focus was only on winning the Fall Formal. I wondered if I would be asked to clean all of this up, as well, alongside Snips and Snails. That's when it dawned on me that they didn't look happy about having to help repair the front entrance.

Granted, they did assist me in my plans to rule the school and conquer Equestria, yet I was telling them to do all of that against their better judgment, or lack thereof. They had no reason to be punished because of following my orders, but I guess Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna saw it differently than I did. I then began to think about the kind of fun that took place beyond those doors last night and reflected on my decision to skip it because of how infuriated I was that I had been defeated in the voting process. I could have had fun alongside everyone else, but instead I chose to remain bitter. Then again, I doubt that I would have had any fun, as everyone would have just kept their distance from me out of fear that I would intimidate them. I then sighed, knowing that, once again, my actions had condemned me to this miserable existence. After waiting around for a while, Principal Celestia made her announcement over the P.A. system. The time had come for me to begin asking for forgiveness.

" Would all students please proceed to the gym! All students, please proceed to the gym!" I decided to leave the immediate area, as I doubted that the students would want to see me just before entering the gym, so I walked down a nearby hallway before stopping at a door that lead into a janitorial closet. Opening the door and walking inside, I sat down on a rickety old chair before placing my head into my hands and beginning to think about how this was going to work out. I had every intention of apologizing to everyone for my actions, yet I knew they wouldn't accept my apology, as they wouldn't trust anything that came out of my mouth. To think that here I was, wallowing inside of a mere janitor's closet, alone with my own thoughts. Whether this punishment Principal Celestia had given me would bring me closer towards understanding friendship remained to be seen, but I wasn't optimistic about it. I should have stated that I wanted to remain isolated and alone, yet she wouldn't have any of it. I admired her for wanting to help me, yet I was far too gone to be saved. I was a lost cause that should be abandoned somewhere to rot away to nothing. A few minutes later, the door opened, and Principal Celestia was standing there, her face sweating, as though she had spent some time trying to find out where I had gone.

" It took me a while to find out where you disappeared to, Sunset Shimmer." Principal Celestia said.

" I just needed to be alone with my thoughts for a while." I said.

" The students have all gathered in the gym and are waiting for you to apologize. So, can you please come with me?" Principal Celestia asked.

" I'm going to be honest for the first time in my life by saying that this punishment isn't going to go over well. I know you want me to do this as a means of healing both my and their own feelings, but they will never accept my apologies, no matter how much heart I pour into each one. I've committed far too many atrocities against them without ever showing remorse for my actions, and they still bear the emotional scars from when I bullied them, so maybe it's better for everyone in this school that I just simply leave and never come back again." I answered. Right there, I knew my words weren't going to sway Principal Celestia, because I brought up the idea of running away from my problems instead of facing them, so I decided to say something else in the hopes of making her understand how I truly felt about this. " I'm more than willing to go through with this, yet it would just be a pointless endeavour because all they desire is to see me suffer. I don't blame them for wanting horrible things to happen to me, though, as I deserve everything they choose to throw at me."

" They are frustrated because you took advantage of them for three years." Principal Celestia said.

" All because I saw them as inferior." I said.

" What you did in the past cannot be undone, Sunset Shimmer, but I believe that you can begin a brighter future for yourself. Princess Twilight believes that you deserve a second chance, and I, too, believe this, but the only one who can make that happen is you. I know the students won't be looking forward to spending quality time listening to you apologize, yet they need to see how sincere you really are. If they believe you are truly regretful for hurting them, that you desire to change, I am sure they will forgive you for your transgressions against them." Principal Celestia said. Her words for a brief moment filled my heart with hope, but deep down, I knew this wasn't going to work. I should have just said outright that I'd rather get to work on repairing the school entrance as opposed to interacting with the other students, but before I could say anything, Celestia decided to take the matter out of my hands. " Please come with me back to the gym. Your fellow students are waiting for you."

" I don't deserve to have them be referred to as my 'fellow students'." I said.

" Deeply noted, but your attitude is sure to change once you start apologizing." Principal Celestia said. Knowing that I had no other choice in the matter, she ushered me into following behind her and back to the gym, where we both entered the double doors together. My entire body froze in an instant. There, looking at me with their skeptical eyes were the other CHS students, and already they began talking amongst themselves; probably wondering what I was doing there. I took a step backward out of fear for what they were going to say in response, but Principal Celestia placed her hand onto my shoulder to comfort me. My body began feeling at ease because of her kindness, yet I still felt her intention was misguided because of those expressions. " Attention students! You have all been asked to come here in order for Sunset Shimmer to give each and every one of you an apology for what she has done to each of you since she first came to our school. She will spend at least two minutes with everyone, and as soon as you have received an apology from her, you're free to return to class."

" Is it too late for me to just leave?" I asked.

" Everything will be fine." Principal Celestia answered.

" Tell that to them." I said, prompting her to take a look for herself. Her smile quickly disappeared when she saw that the other students continued to look at me with skepticism, and some were baring their teeth to intimidate me, just like how I did the same to them.

" Just give it a try, Sunset." Principal Celestia said, her face regaining its smile before she gave me a gentle shove using the hand she had placed on my shoulder moments earlier. I sighed before walking forward towards a random student, and I quickly turned to face Celestia who nodded, indicating she wanted me to go through with it. Turning back to the student, I could tell that she wasn't thrilled about having to look at me, but I gulped before proceeding, bowing my head out of respect.

" I'm sorry! I am so, so sorry for everything that I did to you." I said, tears beginning to trickle down my face. The student merely looked at me before slightly nodding, which is when she proceeded to leave the gym without saying anything, without even waiting the full two minutes. I didn't know if that was her way of acknowledging my apology as sincere, but I had no time to contemplate it, as I still had about fifty-six more students before I was finished with this nightmare scenario. For the next half-hour, I would walk over to each student, none of them thrilled about me approaching them, and I would apologize to each of them.

" I'm very sorry for having hurt you."

" I know that this seems weird coming from the likes of me, but I want you to know that I am sorry for making your life miserable."

" I'm so, so sorry for what I did!"

" While this doesn't even make up for hurting you like I did, I apologize sincerely for my actions."

" I'm sorry!"

" Sorry... I'm just so sorry."

" I came here to say that I am sorry for everything that I did when I was so messed up!"

These apologies, along with many more, were spoken without ever taking a break, as I wanted to keep on going, even if it meant losing my voice in the process. Most of the students simply nodded before taking their leave, but a few of them did smile, which must have meant that they had forgiven me, yet I couldn't tell if they were as sincere as I was. When I approached the next student, I was shocked to discover that it was Flash Sentry. My heart began giving me mixed emotions because he and I used to be an item. He knows now that I was dating him for popularity and that I took full advantage of the kindness that he gave me in an attempt to change my perspective. Yet, now here we were, face-to-face, while I struggled to find the appropriate words.

" I've seen you apologizing to the other students before making your way to me, and I gotta admit that the old you would never have tried doing anything of the sort. I don't know what Twilight and the others did to make you come to your senses, but I really am liking the improvement." Flash Sentry said.

" Regardless, I came to apologize to you for having manipulated you for years, taking advantage of your popularity and kindness, and generally being the biggest brat this school has ever known. Flash, I don't know if words alone will ever be enough to receive your forgiveness, but I just want to say that I am sorry. I am sorry... for everything! For being a horrible girlfriend, manipulator, bully, and downright monster, I am sorry from the bottom of my heart." I said. Flash then looked at me with an expression on his face that screamed speechless. He wasn't expecting me to go all out like that, nor was I, but he was struggling to come up with an appropriate response, which made me felt like I had humiliated myself as opposed to giving him an apology.

" That was... unexpected." Flash Sentry began.

" But?" I asked.

" While I can easily forgive you for what you did to me personally, I'm still reluctant on one thing that no one, not even yourself, has brought up." Flash Sentry answered.

" What's that?" I asked.

" You need to forgive yourself, Sunset Shimmer. I know it hasn't even been a day since what happened, but you need to overcome these feelings you have towards yourself before they spiral out of control and beyond your means of rectifying. Until you can do that, all of these apologies, mine included, won't have much of a meaning. You don't have to forgive yourself right away; I'm sure there's more to this than appearances suggest. But, just think about what I said." Flash Sentry answered. I then said nothing to him, turning my face away in the process, and he merely shrugged his shoulders before walking off. How could I forgive myself for what I've done? I've caused nothing but pain since the day I first came into this world, and not just here, but in Equestria as well! Did my apologies really hold no meaning? If that were the case, then my actions in the gym had been for nothing. I should have just left right then, but I doubted Principal Celestia would understand. No one understood what I was really going through, and that was perhaps for the best, as I didn't want to be a burden, so I resumed apologizing to the other students with even less enthusiasm than before.

After spending another half-hour apologizing, the last student left the gym, leaving just Principal Celestia and myself. She placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled to give me some confidence that I had done the right thing, yet she was curious as to why Princess Twilight's friends never came to the gym to receive an apology. It was only at that moment when I realized they never came. They had been asked by Her Highness to help me understand friendship, so why had they decided to avoid coming here? I know I've hurt them more than the other students because of how special they were, but were they really that adamant against showing me another way? After mulling over it for a couple of minutes, Principal Celestia told me that I would have a chance to apologize to them later. For now, I was to head back to the front entrance and start the repairs, which would take me a long time to complete. As both of us walked away from the gym, we didn't notice that we were being watched by five figures who chose to keep their distance.

" It sounds to me like Flash Sentry was trying to help you." Twilight said.

" He always had an optimistic look on everything; he rarely allowed his judgment to get the better of him. That's why he was the most popular guy in school. His way of thinking drew students from all walks of life to him, yet he never let popularity consume him, unlike myself. Strange thing about Flash was that after the Fall Formal, he started to display some characteristics which he never mentioned to anyone before, such as being nervous and clumsy." I said.

" Do you still love him?" Twilight asked.

" You'd be surprised how often I get asked that question." I answered. Looking back on my relationship with Flash, it was always a one-sided affair; he was devoted to our love, while I was using him to further my own popularity. On the surface, we were a match made in heaven and were the ire of other couples, who were jealous that the two of us had so much influence over the school. In truth, we were mismatched from the beginning. He wanted to have a fun relationship, and I wanted power by intimidating others into fearing my presence. Flash deserved better than me, and while, back then, I was furious over him dumping me, as I see him right now, he made the right call. He had since moved on to Princess Twilight, and I remained single, which suited me fine. One thing I would never get tired of seeing was Flash and Princess Twilight bumping into one another. It was like those two are magnets, always running into each other. " I see Flash Sentry as a good friend who appreciates me for all that I've accomplished, but I could never love him again, because I never loved him in the first place. I mean, there was a very tiny spark, but it flickered out of existence over time." I said.

" I didn't mean to pry into your love life." Twilight said.

" It's okay. I never really had much of one." I said.

" Why didn't our friends go to the gym?" Twilight asked.

" They would reveal to me later on that the reason why they couldn't was because of how awkward the situation was for them. Princess Twilight had asked them from the bottom of her heart to help me understand friendship, yet it was something that proved difficult for them on an emotional level. Just because they could easily forgive me didn't mean that they could forget straight away. They needed time to figure things out, but, in fairness, they also said that they waited too long to come to a decision. You see, by the time they were willing to give me a chance, I had been working on repairing the front of the school, and I had pushed my body to the limits of endurance." I answered.

" I knew it! They wanted you to suffer!" Twilight shouted.

" No! It wasn't anything like that! If they wanted me to suffer, they would have done it themselves, but they didn't, simply because they were conflicted over the whole ordeal. I'll explain this to you in more detail, Twilight, but first I need to tell you how the repair job went." I said.

I used powerful dark magic to destroy the front entrance to CHS when I clenched my fist, crumbling the structure into a single heap before tossing it aside like it were nothing. What remained was a painful reminder that I had been consumed, poisoned by the magic contained within Princess Twilight's crown. Now, I had to repair the entrance and restore it to the way it was before the incident happened. Despite having pulled the structure from its foundation using magic, it had managed to remain somewhat intact, but there were some parts that needed to be replaced, which Principal Celestia said she was going to do the moment she left Snips, Snails, and I to begin the long and arduous process of fixing it. According to Celestia, we had to start by using cement to strengthen what remained of the foundation before moving onto the next step. That involved using a combination of the leftover structure and some new materials to slowly restore the entrance back to the way it was. We also had to constantly apply additional cement coatings to ensure that the structure would be stronger than ever, so that it wouldn't be destroyed again.

As for the crater in-between the entrance and the Wondercolt statue, Principal Celestia would hire a contractor to fill the hole up. Once she left us, I began to apply the initial cement coating by using the trowel she had given me earlier, and while it was difficult at first, as I had never done any kind of physical labour, I quickly got used to it. Snips and Snails, on the other hand constantly complained about being forced to do something so mundane, and they even criticized me constantly of dragging them into something just because I needed helpers to expose the secrets of the entire student body. Their job was to use the wheelbarrows to bring the cement to me where I would apply it to the foundation. Their task involved simply walking short distances that involved little effort, while I had the more difficult job. If anything, I should've been the one complaining.

This would become our routine. We came out to the work site during lunch periods, several hours after school, and the majority of our Saturdays to work our hardest on repairing the entrance. I never once complained; I knew this was my fault, so I had to accept my punishment accordingly. Snips and Snails, however, never stopped complaining, and they made sure to let me know their feelings on the matter. One week after starting the repairs, I came out during the lunch period, rolled up my sleeves, and proceeded to apply the cement, yet the two boys were nowhere to be found. Had they gotten sick, unable to assist me? No, they were pretty healthy the other day, so it couldn't be that, so maybe they decided to ditch their obligation? They may have been mischievous, but they wouldn't stoop to something that low. So, where exactly could they have been? I decided to pay it no mind, as I had to continue working; this was my punishment, after all. Unfortunately, I would eventually get my answer when they came out of the destroyed entrance, smug looks on their faces, which made me curious.

" Why aren't you two helping me?" I asked.

" We don't need to do anything like that no more." Snips answered.

" Yeah! We're off the hook!" Snails added.

" What!? How did you manage to pull that off? As I recall, you two were given this punishment for being my accomplices." I said.

" That's all we were, though: 'accomplices'." Snips said.

" We were just following your orders." Snails added.

" Snails and I started to think about this since the other day, and we both came to the same conclusion. Neither of us did what we did willingly. You came to us for help, and you made us your helpers, or 'minions', as you called us. So, we were manipulated by your desires to rule CHS with an iron fist. We paid a visit to Principal Celestia's office and confessed that we were victims just like everyone else whose lives you made miserable. She mulled over it for a few minutes before agreeing with our perspective, so the two of us no longer have to help you fix the school entrance. In fact, you've got to do the whole thing on your own!" Snips said.

" Yeah! You don't have anyone to help you." Snails added. Hearing this revelation shocked me to the core. Yet, at the same time, I had a feeling this would happen. I couldn't complain about the reasoning behind their decision, as they were manipulated into committing actions that were against what they believed was right, so I had no desire to berate them over having abandoned me. They were free from their obligation, as they were victims... victims of my own lust for power. Fate, once again, had delivered a reminder that I was destined to be alone, and this was more true now than ever before. I now found myself having to repair what I caused on my own. I had no one to help me. Yet, I chose to accept that without any complaints, so I congratulated Snips and Snails for being relieved of something so mundane to them and resumed covering another cracked area in cement so that it could be strengthened for when I applied the materials later.

" Why aren't you complaining?" Snips asked.

" Because there's no need for me to do so." I answered.

" We thought you'd be mad." Snails said.

" This was my punishment alone to begin with, and you two were dragged into it unfairly because I used you to carry out my deeds. Principal Celestia should never have forced you into helping me to begin with, as what happened here was caused by my hands, and mine alone. You don't need to worry about me, as I'll be sticking through with this, even if it will now take even longer to complete the repairs." I said. The two boys were taken aback by my display of wanting to punish myself even more than I already had been, yet they eventually laughed, saying that I was being way too serious for their liking. This prompted me to turn my face towards them coldly, which stopped their mocking, but then I turned back the other way before speaking again. " I wasn't joking around when I said all of that. I knew this would happen. I am destined to always be alone. It's especially true now, after what happened last week, when I became a raging she-demon. No one can help me deal with my problems. I'm meant to suffer in complete isolation. The students have decreed so because of how I hurt them. If you two want to treat me the same way I treated you, go right ahead. I won't stop you." I said.

" Wow! You really are serious." Snips said.

" We thought you were joking." Snails added.

" I've done horrible things, so I deserve to suffer the consequences. Nothing more needs to be said about the matter! You two should go and hang out with the other students. They will no doubt welcome you with open arms. Me? I'll just remain here and continue working on the repairs. I've no intention of leaving this spot. I have to carry out my punishment... alone." I said. The two boys then looked at each other for a moment before deciding to walk off, but not before mentioning that they were given three months' detention for their pranks. That changed nothing, however. I was still alone to fix what I had destroyed, so I continued working without showing any signs of wanting to stop for anyone. During the next couple of days, students would come and go through the entrance, making sure to laugh at me and bump into me intentionally every now and then, but I kept on working, as I didn't desire to complain about their behaviour. I had no right to call anyone out. That was a privilege no longer allocated to me.

The students also took note of my presence at the entrance as rumours began circulating that I was, in fact, ditching my responsibilities. This wasn't true, as not once did I ever have to leave the work site for any particular reason. Even during the half-hour lunch break on Saturdays, I brought a light lunch, as I was more focused on getting the job done as opposed to stuffing my face with food. I remained at my post while taking hordes of mockery. Three days later, I finally managed to coat the foundation with cement, so now I had to attach the material into place while providing additional coats so that it would all hold together. If there was one piece of good fortune, it was Principal Celestia telling me that the new material had arrived that morning, and was to be applied when necessary. She even asked me if I was okay with working on my own, and I responded by saying that this was my fate, my destiny. No one wanted to help me because of what I did to them. As I continued, sweat pouring down my body, as the experience proved difficult, I didn't take notice of who was watching me from a distance.

" I can't believe that she has to do everything on her own." Rarity said.

" Sunset Shimmer really does want ta prove that she's changed, yet I can't take much more of her doin' everythin' on her own." Applejack said.

" Agreed. She wants to understand friendship, yet this isn't the way to go about it! She should be asking students to help her; what she is doing is clearly far too much for just one person to handle. Speaking of our fellow students, they have really been taking advantage of this whole 'getting back at Sunset for what she did' thing, and I fear that Sunset is going to suffer a mental breakdown if they continue with their ridicule." Rarity said.

" Just because she made their lives miserable don't mean they can do the same thing to her." Applejack said.

" It is cruel indeed, Applejack, yet the students here at CHS haven't forgotten how she manipulated them by destroying their friendships, exposing their secrets, and far worse. Even the five of us have been hesitant towards helping her learn about friendship, even though we did say to Twilight that we would try." Rarity said.

" I'm glad you brought her up." Applejack began.

" What are you talking about?" Rainbow Dash asked, having decided to get involved with the conversation by speaking for Rarity. The apple farmer removed her Stetson hat and ran her fingers through her hair before placing her hat back on her head. She asked the other girls to move away from me in hopes that I wouldn't overhear anything they had to say. It wouldn't have mattered had they stayed where they were, as I was more focused on repairing the school entrance than on gossip about me. Once the girls were at a safe enough distance, Rainbow Dash continued, as she felt that Applejack had left them hanging. " Okay, so why does Rarity mentioning Twilight mean we have to come over here where Sunset Shimmer can't hear us?"

" Twilight wanted us to help Sunset, and she had every bit o' faith that we could teach her about friendship, yet in the two weeks that Twilight went back home to her world, we ain't even attempted to do anything for Sunset." Applejack answered.

" We're still trying to figure out how to approach this." Rainbow Dash said.

" Really? I reckon we're holdin' back because we don't want to be mistreated by the others." Applejack said.

" Maybe, but I mean, what are we supposed to do?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Remember when we first started attending CHS before Sunset Shimmer came along? We each went through different situations where we didn't want to be treated differently because of the kind of people we were, yet we managed to overcome those difficulties by understanding what friendship really meant. Right now, Sunset is struggling to find herself, as she don't know anything about friendship, so maybe it's time we helped her out. If we just sit by and do nothing, she will forever be alone, and that's something no one deserves, no matter what their past actions were like." Applejack answered. I had since taken notice of Princess Twilight's friends, and while they were showing some "unique" expressions, I chose to ignore them because they decided to walk away, most likely to ridicule me out of earshot. I don't blame them for not wanting to help me. I was a lost cause, a girl who had no concept of what friendship was. I suppose the best I could do would be for them to acknowledge my existence, but that would mean being subjected to more teasing, and it would be on a more personal level, as those five were my regular targets.

Another week went by where I continued repairing the front entrance, and by this time, most of the foundation was in place. There was still the issue of how to fix the top recesses of the entrance, though. That would involve at least two people: one to hold the ladder, and the other to apply the materials and cement. During this ordeal, I had worked my body to the limit, and while I did tone up my abs and other muscles, I had reached a point where I just couldn't continue. I knew I had to keep going, though, as this was my punishment, and only I was meant to fix what only I caused. Principal Celestia had praised me for working fast to get the repairs done with proficiency, but she was concerned that I was overdoing it. Yet, I insisted that I could handle things, as it was my burden alone.

Eventually, I came to the conclusion that my stubbornness had bitten off more than it could chew, and I collapsed to my knees, knowing that I had reached my limit. Looking up at what still needed to be fixed, I tried getting back onto my feet and continue, but my body refused to budge an inch. I quickly darted my head left and right in a panicking motion out of fear that the other students would see me slacking off, and my heart sank when I saw that Princess Twilight's friends were standing behind me. I had no idea how long they had been watching me, but I ignored them and tried standing up. It was no use. I began to cry because I had never felt so vulnerable before in my entire life, but I made sure to keep my sobbing away from my onlookers. Otherwise, they would take advantage of it by making me feel even worse than I already do. I sometimes wished that I had never left Equestria and simply accepted Princess Celestia's decision to end my time as her personal protégé, for I truly felt that I had just hit the lowest point. That's when someone placed a hand on my shoulder. I gasped and turned to see who had startled me. I saw that Rainbow Dash had come forward, a smile on her face, which left me confused as to her intentions.

" Need some help?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Why would you want to help me after everything I've done to you and your friends?" I asked.

" Because Twilight believed that you deserve a second chance, and we're about to give it to you." Applejack answered.

" We're sorry that we didn't act sooner, darling, but we're here for you now, and will do whatever we can to help you." Rarity said. Of all the students at this school, these five opened their hearts to me, even after how I treated them with such contempt. A part of me wanted to refuse their request, as this was my punishment, but I allowed my heart to speak on my behalf, and I accepted their help without complaining. The girls all smiled back before proceeding to see what was left to repair. I had completed much of the work, and they insisted that I step back and relax, as I had worked myself to the brink. As I sat on the ground and watched them doing everything that I had done prior, a warm feeling came alive in my heart, and for the first time in my life, it felt wonderful. Is this what it felt like to have friends? As they continued assisting me, Principal Celestia was watching from a safe distance. She had a smile on her face, as she knew that this is what I had to experience before I could begin to heal.

" That was so nice of them to help you in your hour of need, even if they waited almost three weeks to do so." Twilight said.

" It was better late than never." I said.

" So you finally had some friends?" Twilight asked.

" I'll admit that it was a new experience for me, and we did have some trust issues at first because of the past, but they were able to slowly accept me into their circle of friends, and they even stood up for me when the other students continued their usual treatment." I answered. Turning to the next page of the journal, my eyes opened wide with surprise. I recognized what was taped to the page. I was told about these incidents from my friends. While it would have been nice to have seen what happened with my own eyes, I was preoccupied with other things that related to wanting to become a better person and move on from my troubled past.

" Are those pony ears and tails?" Twilight asked.

" Yep." I answered.

" Why do you have those?" Twilight asked.

" Let's just say that Princess Twilight left a little something behind." I answered.

Chapter 24: The Unexpected Gift

Day: Friday
Weather: Mild
Time: 3:37pm

For the first time in my life, I had friends who had forgiven me for what I've done to them, and I finally started to heal my own insecurities. Yet, I knew there was a long way for me to go; friendship was a new concept to me. Princess Twilight's friends--my friends--opened their hearts to me, as they didn't want me to remain alone forever. But while I appreciated them for wanting to give me a second chance, the same couldn't be said about the other students at CHS. They still showed animosity for what I had done, glaring at me coldly and bumping into me, yet I didn't have to endure on my own, anymore. My friends had my back, even if it meant being criticized for speaking out against my tormentors. Things were now beginning to look up, but something happened that completely changed everything. My friends have told me about various incidents that could only be described as "magical". What could this mean? What was happening to them? Was I somehow responsible for this?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 8, 2015
Chapter 24: The Unexpected Gift.

Twilight didn't know what to make of a set of fake pony ears attached to a plastic headband and a fake tail attached to a belt. It was a reminder to myself about that one song Princess Twilight and the others sang about late last year during the Battle of the Bands. She was shocked that items like these were able to slide in-between the pages of my journal without pushing against the pages, but then she became curious about what I meant when I said Princess Twilight had left something behind when she returned home to Equestria. Just looking at those ears and tail gave me two different emotions: joy and sadness. The latter was because I've never worn these, because I was either being a "bad girl" or I was too far away when a handful were being thrown to students. For the former, I was given these as a memento, although, looking at them now, lying there on this page of the journal, I felt compelled to put them on as a sign of showing loyalty to the Wondercolts.

" What are you doing?" Twilight asked as I carefully removed the ears and tail carefully from the journal so as to not rip the page.

" I'm going to put these on for the first time ever." I answered. I wrapped the rope around my waist and tightened it carefully before placing the ears on my head, and already, I felt happy knowing that I finally got to feel something my friends felt last year before the Fall Formal. " Well? What do you think?" I asked.

" They certainly are interesting accessories, but why would you want to wear those in the first place? I know that Canterlot High School's team is called the Wondercolts, yet wearing things like that looks weird. Back at Crystal Prep, we never wore anything like that; Principal Cinch deemed such a notion as degrading, serving only to ridicule us in front of other schools. Granted, their team name--Shadowbolts--does give off a menacing vibe." Twilight answered.

" The ears and tail are a sign of unity." I said, reaching into my backpack and pulling out my wallet. Twilight seemed surprised, soon confessing that she thought that I was trying to bribe her or something to take back her opinions. I rolled my eyes in response before opening it up and taking out a small picture of Rarity, which I then handed over. Twilight simply looked confused. " Rarity was the one who originally came up with the pony ears and tails to promote school spirit, but they didn't sell very well at the time; school spirit was pretty weak, thanks to yours truly. Since I reformed, they have become quite iconic, especially when we need to feel good about ourselves. Plus, you have to credit Rarity for her genius by coming up with something so simple and, yet, so intricate to the CHS lifestyle."

" I never knew how much it meant to all of you." Twilight said.

" You'll soon learn a lot more about it as you grow accustomed to being at CHS. In fact, I could speak to Rarity and ask her to give you some pony ears and tail the next time we see her, if you want." I said.

" That would be nice." Twilight said.

" It may not be the same as having the real thing, but it's the same general experience." I said. When I looked up at Twilight and reached out with my hand in order to get my photo of Rarity back, she was just staring at me, jaw dropped, as though something had just shaken her perception on everything. While it was cute seeing her gobsmacked like this, I quickly changed my tune and suspected that what I just mentioned caused this reaction. I then waved my left hand in front of her face, with no reaction from her, and I followed up with this by snapping my fingers to get her out of her trance. That didn't work either, so my next idea involved splashing her with some of the fizzy apple cider she gave me earlier. Seeing what I was about to do, she reached out and grabbed my wrist with incredible force. " I guess that did the trick, Twilight, yet why did you suddenly freeze like that? I was actually getting worried that something was wrong with you." I said.

" Did you... just say the 'real thing'?" Twilight asked. My heart began beating at a fast pace as I immediately knew what she was talking about, and I couldn't believe that I said that and not realize it until she brought it up.

" That's... that's actually the real reason why I placed these ears and tail into my journal. I was so caught up in the moment of wanting to wear these that I completely forgot about their true purpose and how it relates to what happened in my past. You see, when our friends and Princess Twilight used their own magic in order to defeat me, they gained pony ears and pony tails as a result of a partial transformation which essentially turned them into half-human and half-pony hybrids because of the Element of Harmony embedded into the crown." I answered.

" As you mentioned in the journal." Twilight said.

" When she returned to Equestria, we all believed that she had taken the magic back with her, but we soon discovered that this wasn't the case. Somehow, a small portion of her magic remained and had entered our friends, which enabled them to gain their pony ears and tail whenever they unleashed their magic. Originally, it only happened whenever they played their instruments, but it would eventually start happening whenever they displayed characteristics of the elements they represented." I said. Twilight then looked at me with that confused look of hers again, and I knew she had no idea what I was talking about regarding the Elements of Harmony. Despite telling her about them while reading my journal, I guess I never explained what each one represented, so it was only fair to fill her in. Otherwise, she'd continue giving me that look, which made me feel so uncomfortable. " The elements our friends have are based on the Elements of Harmony, six artefacts that used to protect Equestria until they were returned to their place of creation, the Tree of Life. Each Element represents a defining characteristic: Applejack - Honesty, Rainbow Dash - Loyalty, Pinkie Pie - Laughter, Rarity - Generosity, Fluttershy - Kindness, and finally, Princess Twilight - Magic." I said.

" What about you?" Twilight asked.

" I never had an Element of Harmony to call my own, but if I were to give myself one, I'd have to go with something like Empathy." I answered.

" Okay, so when did these transformations started occurring?" Twilight asked.

" About a few weeks after the Fall Formal ended, yet I never witnessed any of these incidents myself; I was too busy trying to prove I had reformed and that I wanted to turn my life around. Luckily, our friends decided to let me know about their "pony-ups", as they figured that I would understand what it meant, what with me originally coming from a world where magic was prevalent." I answered.

After helping me finish fixing the rest of the school entrance I had destroyed when I became a demon, Principal Celestia congratulated me not only for completing the job but also for beginning the healing process by making friends with those I once tormented, Princess Twilight's friends: Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. Each of them had forgiven me for what I did to them, yet I also took the time to apologize because I had been given the opportunity to do just that. For the first time in my life, I finally had friends. I admit that it took some time to get used to it, but it was a wonderful feeling which might never have come to pass had I not been blasted by that magical rainbow during the Fall Formal. However, while my new friends had accepted my apologies and slowly accepted me as one of the gang, the other students at CHS weren't nearly so forgiving, and they continued with their tirade of vengeful mistreatment.

I didn't have to go it alone, anymore, though. My friends were there to protect me by sticking up for me. While they were also picked on for doing what they thought was right, it never bothered them, because they truly valued my friendship, and, in turn, I valued theirs. Granted, there were still some awkward moments between us, since I was still new to friendship, while the other girls had years of experience at their disposal. However, they were very patient with me, which made me very comfortable. But I didn't plan on just having five friends, no. I intended on having the entire student body become friends with me, and that would involve doing all kinds of extra-curricular activities in order to prove that I had changed my ways. My efforts so far have had poor results, as, while my work ethic was praised by the faculty, the other students thought it was all just a scheme to get them to forget about all I've done and then burn them again once I was accepted into the fold.

Over the course of the next few weeks, my friends were focusing on their own pet project that related to an upcoming event that Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had announced during my reconstruction. The event was known as the Canterlot High Musical Showcase, and students were encouraged to form music bands and entertain everyone with songs that they created. Rainbow Dash decided that their band would be called the Rainbooms, an obvious nod to her own name, and she assumed the role of lead singer and band leader, though she had a hard time not allowing her ego to get the best of her. The others also agreed to join the band and would spend some time trying to find instruments that appealed to their tastes. The only one of our group who wasn't included was me. It wasn't an issue for me, because I had other things that took up my free time, and I wasn't very good at playing instruments, anyway. When Rainbow Dash approached me shortly after the Rainbooms were formed, she asked me if I wanted to join, but I politely refused.

" It's not that I don't want to join your band, Rainbow Dash. It's just that I have a lot of other commitments to take care of, and my lack of musical talent is pretty obvious. I can't even play the most basic of songs on the recorder" I said.

" Yeah, I totally understand your position, Sunset Shimmer, so I'm not going to force the issue onto you. Still, it would have been pretty awesome if you accepted. It's fine, though. Besides, I'd be a pretty terrible friend for taking you away from what you've been doing these past few weeks. You know, taking part in so many activities in order to make the other students see that you have changed." Rainbow Dash said.

" It hasn't been easy; they're still tormenting me." I said.

" At least you don't let them just walk all over you like before, after the Fall Formal ended." Rainbow Dash said.

" I've got you and the others to thank for that! If you hadn't been so kind to me and forgiven me, I'd probably still be wallowing away by myself somewhere without anyone." I said. Rainbow Dash then placed her hand on my shoulder and gave me a smile which felt sincere. That's when I took notice of the carrying case she was holding in her other hand. She didn't look like the business type, as the case did resemble the kind that people who wear business suits carry around. Perhaps this was something else? " What's in the case?" I asked.

" Oh this? It's my guitar, although it's seen better days." Rainbow Dash answered, placing the case onto the ground before lifting up the locks and opening it up to reveal its contents. I then looked down at her guitar in order to see it for myself, and my jaw dropped at just how shoddy it really looked. She wasn't kidding about it having seen better days; it looked like it had been through quite an ordeal. The paint was peeling off in places, several guitar strings were either broken or missing, the nodes on the end were worn and ready to fall off, and there was this strange smell coming from the hole in the middle. " Okay! I'll admit that this is totally embarrassing, considering how I take such great care of all of my sports equipment. I can't participate in the showcase with something like this!"

" How long have you had it for?" I asked.

" About four years." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Makes sense that you'd be buying a new one, but are you sure you can afford a guitar? Musical instruments aren't, from what I've been hearing from our friends." I said.

" Which is why we're all going to the mall after school in order to see what they've got to offer at the music store. Hey! Did you know that Vinyl Scratch works there as a part-time employee?" Rainbow Dash asked. Vinyl Scratch, who is known by her professional name as DJ Pon-3 was quite an interesting student at CHS, mainly due to the fact that she never says a word, which has lead people to believe that she either lost her voice years ago or is mute. What she lacks in a voice, she makes up for with various expressions and hand gestures that make it mostly easy to understand what she's attempting to convey. There are times where it can be difficult to grasp what she's doing, but she never calls anyone out on it.

" That explains why she's usually in a rush to get out of school. I always thought she was just eager to get out of there." I said.

" Hopefully, she'll be able to get me a wicked guitar that speaks out to me. I know the music store has dozens of guitars on display that would definitely fit someone as awesome as me, but I want the right one. You know, one I can instantly bond with and treat with respect." Rainbow Dash said.

" Then you'd better make a beeline for the mall after school." I said.

" Why would I want to rush over there?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I'm sure you're not the only one who is going to be heading over there to purchase a guitar after school, so you may end up not getting the one you want if you take your sweet time getting there." I answered.

" Oh, geez, you're right. Thanks for reminding me!"

" No problem. Do you know what the other girls are going to play?"

" No idea. They all like different things, though, so they're probably all over the place."

" You have vocals covered? What kind of songs will you sing?"

" We're pretty good on vocals, but our songs are still works in progress. I did write this one song. I gotta say, it really speaks to me. Emotionally, you know?"

" It must be an amazing song if you see it in that kind of light." I said.

" It's the epitome of wicked! A song written by someone as awesome as myself? No doubt, it will become a staple of the Rainbooms. I call it 'Awesome as I Wanna Be'. It's this awesome song where I sing main vocals, and everyone else sings back-up, all before I break into a solo act, where I get to shred like never before." Rainbow Dash said. There was a single word which one could use to describe the nature of this song: egotistical. It didn't surprise me that her song would be along such lines, as she was well known throughout CHS as being an egomaniac. Despite that, her loyalty towards her friends never waivered, not even for a moment. I would have said something about how her song had the potential to cause problems in the future, but I decided against it. I felt that it wasn't my place. I was still new to this whole friendship thing, so my opinion doesn't count until I have some experience.

" And their instruments?" I asked.

" Still working on it, yet sometimes I do question their choices." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Well, I hope things work out." I smiled.

" If we work really hard at it, we're sure to win!" Rainbow Dash said. I then politely told her that I needed to get back to what I was doing because our conversation had caused me to fall behind schedule, and she told me that she wasn't offended, as she knew it was really important, so she walked off after closing up her carrying case, leaving me to ponder what kind of instruments the others would play. As I resumed working on my little projects in order to show the school that I had changed for the better, I noticed that just about every student was getting involved in this showcase in their own small way. Some were working on posters, others on costumes, and there were even a couple of students attempting to build a custom-made instrument. It didn't bother me that I wasn't contributing to the showcase, as I had my own obligations that kept me busy, but I was bothered by how students continued looking at me with disdain in their eyes. I just needed to remember that they would eventually forgive me for what I did, but it would take some time before the wounds have fully healed. At that moment in time, I felt happy, knowing that everything was mostly working out for me, but then something came up which completely changed everything, and once again my actions were connected to it.

The next day, a beautiful Saturday where the sun was blazing down on Canterlot, I was busy building a cabinet for use in the school library. Repairing the front entrance proved rather beneficial, as I've acquired a knack for building various objects or repairing them, if need be. As I was putting the finishing touches on the cabinet which would be used to house a special series of books, Rainbow Dash and the other girls approached me. They appeared to be upset about something, as their expressions were filled with worry. The sweat dripping down from their brows told me that they had run most of the way, but because I had no clue as to what was going on, I simply waved at them before quickly making one last adjustment to the cabinet and declaring it finished. My friends apparently couldn't wait for me to turn around, as both Rarity and Pinkie Pie grabbed me and turned me around.

" Woah! Hold on, give me some space; I'm all dirty." I said, showing the state of my hands and clothes.

" Sunset Shimmer! Something unusual has happened!" Rarity said.

" Considering you probably ran all the way here, it must be serious." I said.

" We were at the mall the other day getting my guitar, and I ended up facing off against Trixie in a shred-off--which I totally won, by the way--but when I began to play a guitar, I suddenly grew pony ears and a pony tail before blasting Trixie away with music." Rainbow Dash said.

" I know you like to win Rainbow Dash, but couldn't you come up with a more believable story than that?" I asked.

" She's telling the truth, darling! We were having a practice rehearsal a couple of days ago. I wanted to be elegant with my performance and brought along a piano, but I was told it was too big to lug around the school. Instead, I was given a keytar, which I quickly adapted to after only a couple of minutes, and then, I suddenly developed the same pony ears and tail Rainbow Dash mentioned." Rarity answered. Rainbow Dash may sometimes come up with hard-to-believe stories about herself, but Rarity would never do anything of the sort, so I gave them my full attention. I would quickly learn that Pinkie Pie also had a similar experience where she was chosen to become the Rainboom's drummer, gaining pony ears and a tail after beating the drums with so much ferocity. The only two not to experience this were Applejack and Fluttershy, but they insisted that it would happen to them as well, which prompted me to start thinking about what could have caused this in the first place.

" Has it happened since the initial experience?" I asked.

" It took a while for the effects to wear off, yet none of us will be comfortable playing our respective instruments if we suddenly change into hybrid versions of ourselves. It's a scandal just waiting to happen! What made it even worse, darling, was that other people seemed to take notice of what happened to us, yet didn't say anything about it. It was as though they were either actually oblivious or didn't speak up, worried that they would further add to the problem." Rarity answered.

" I do have a theory as to what might have happened, but it just can't be right." I said.

" What is it?" Rarity asked.

" You gotta tell us." Rainbow Dash added.

" When Princess Twilight returned to Equestria with the crown that I stole from her, the magic that I brought here should have gone with her. But, I think some magic stayed behind and has somehow manifested itself inside the three of you." I said. My words shocked all of my friends, as this was completely unexpected, and deep down I felt guilty, as I was the one who introduced magic into a world that can't comprehend it, resulting in this predicament. Why did the leftover magic enter their bodies rather than fade away? Was this transformation a one-time-only occurrence, or would it happen again in the future? Was I going to lose my new friends as a result of this? So many questions piled themselves onto my brain, and none had any answers attached to them.

" Is that even possible?" Applejack asked.

" Like I said, it's a theory." I answered.

" Well, Twilight did say something about elements being used that enabled us to transform like we did." Applejack said.

" She was referring to the Elements of Harmony." I said.

" The who in the what now?" Applejack asked. Hearing her say that made me want to rub the bridge of my nose in frustration, but I refrained, because my friends didn't understand what the Elements of Harmony were and how they related to Princess Twilight. Despite having become friends with Applejack, there have been times when I had to question her intellect, but I could easily let it slide this time, as this was a subject that isn't taught at school. Well, not around here, at any rate. Also, her accent still bugged me sometimes, along with those countryisms that she uses to express her feelings, but it would be something that I would accept over time. I then began explaining what the Elements of Harmony were, and when I was finished, my friends all looked confused, which didn't surprise me as it was a pretty difficult subject to grasp. " Because her crown was one of those elements, it somehow reacted to the five of us because we represent the other elements?" Applejack asked.

" Something like that." I answered.

" I take it y'all don't understand the full gist of it, do you?" Applejack asked.

" No one really does. The Elements of Harmony have existed for over a thousand years." I answered. I felt slightly miffed that Applejack would call me out like that, but she was right about the fact that I didn't understand the entire scope. The problem still hung over me like a guillotine ready to drop down and sever my head. My friends could blame me for still being able to transform despite Princess Twilight no longer being in this world, so I had to quickly come up with an idea. " Do you girls have your instruments? I was thinking that maybe if you were to play a few chords, we could see what happens."

" I always have my guitar on hand, just in case!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Neither Rarity or I have our instruments, but I reckon we could quickly go and get them." Applejack suggested.

" No, I think Rainbow Dash should be enough to give us our answers. Besides, there's a lot more riding on this than you all know." I said.

" It involves our friendship with you, right?" Applejack asked.

" How did you know?" I asked.

" I could tell something was botherin' you, Sunset, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that it had to do with what happened at the Fall Formal last month. All of us here have forgiven you for what you did, so there's no need ta continue beatin' yerself up about it. Who knows? This could be somethin' that all of us really like. Maybe it could prove useful in case a new problem comes to CHS in the future. I mean, I don't think there will be a problem, since everyone's been growing closer together after so many years apart, but you never know." Applejack answered. Aside from how awkward her conclusion was, she was right about how I shouldn't continue to punish myself. All that did was hurt.

After taking out the guitar from her carrying case, Rainbow Dash walked away from us slightly before turning around, and I was in complete awe over her new instrument. It certainly looked more impressive than what she had before, with a radiant blue casing, rainbow streaks down the middle, and a polished luster. It looked as though it had just come off the assembly line. She then adjusted the tuning before standing there, waiting for one of us to tell her what she should play.

" Any particular song you want?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Does it really matter?" Rarity asked.

" Of course it does! I'm not going to play just any old song, especially with a wicked guitar like this. It needs to be something from the heart, something that really means a lot to me. I've got just the song in mind. I'm gonna play 'Awesome as I Wanna Be', but without the lyrics." Rainbow Dash answered. Somehow, I knew that would be her answer, yet another reminder of how much she prides herself on her ego. Hopefully, she wouldn't allow it to grow beyond her means of controlling it. Otherwise, the Rainbooms could have problems with being a cohesive unit. Rainbow Dash then played the first few chords of the song, and nothing happened.

" Just keep playing until something happens." I suggested.

" Okay! I can totally go with that idea, Sunset! I'll keep playing until I start to pony up. Even if nothing happens, at least I got to play my pride and joy." Rainbow Dash said.

" Did she just say 'pony up'?" I asked.

" Uh-huh!" Everyone else, apart from Rainbow Dash, answered.

" It'll never catch on." I said. Rainbow Dash then started to perform her song without singing the lyrics. At first it was pretty catchy, despite the obvious egotistical undertones that swirled about it, but nothing happened, which made me ponder if this had all been a joke everyone wanted to play on me. Just when I was about to speak about how this wasn't funny anyone, Rainbow suddenly began to hover in the air, and pony ears appeared on her head, which caused her natural ears to disappear. This was followed by her hair extending downwards until it formed a pony tail, and, for some reason, she also developed wings, much like during the Fall Formal, which made me suspect that this form of hers was based on a Pegasus. She kept on playing, too engrossed in wanting to go the full distance, and by the time she finally finished, she retained her transformed state for a few moments before they disappeared, like they were magic, which they probably were.

" That's quite the proof right there." I said.

" So what does it mean?" Rarity asked.

" I'm not sure. This is something I've never experienced before." I answered.

" Do you think you can figure it out?" Applejack asked.

" Maybe, but it might not be easy, considering that this has only started to happen recently. Also, because I no longer have magic, it will take me some time to come up with a definitive answer. For now, I'd just continue as normal, and hope that it doesn't become consistent. Otherwise, you may have to drop out of the showcase, because I don't think the other students, or the faculty, would accept this 'unique' ability." I answered.

" Guess we have no choice but it to keep a low profile on it." Rainbow Dash said.

" Don't worry! I'll try to come up with a solution." I said. I wished that I said that differently, because the truth of the matter was that I didn't have much time, as the showcase was set to get underway within the next week, and now that my friends were invoking their transformations by simply playing music, they could prove to be a real game changer. I knew the task would fall unto me to resolve, as I take full responsibility for bringing magic into this world to begin with. Yet, I also knew that this was something that was too big for me to handle on my own. It would have been nice to have had the assistance of Princess Twilight, but the portal will remain closed for another twenty-nine moons, so I'm pretty much left to figure this out without any help, as no one else understood magic in this world as much as I did. Maybe this would just be a simple solution, and I was merely blowing it out of proportion, but could I really take that chance?

" In the following days, both Applejack and Fluttershy would experience what we now refer to as 'ponying up' when they played their respective instruments. For Applejack, she had to get her bass back after her Granny Smith accidentally sold it to a pair of conniving brothers who had recently opened an emporium that sold all kinds of knick-knacks. To make everyone happy, Applejack was forced to dress up in a banana costume and promote their business. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was taking care of a large assortment of hamsters, when Rarity came along to offer her assistance. Rarity became completely overwhelmed, but they were mesmerized back under control when Fluttershy played her tambourine. As for Princess Twilight, well, she would have her own experiences later when she returned for the second time." I said. As I began gasping due to talking for so long, I took another swig of fizzy apple cider to parch my dry throat. Twilight was frowning at me, arms folded, like she was angry with me over something. I haven't ignored anything in my journal ever since skipping over the pointless stuff during my three-year reign, so why was she giving me that expression? " Um, Twilight? Have I offended you? You look like you're about to throttle me or something." I said.

" Did you seriously say 'pony up'?" Twilight asked.

" Oh!" I answered, breathing a sigh of relief as I thought she was being serious. " Yes, I did, because that's what we ended up calling it. I know that it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but you quickly get used to it after a while."

" It sounds like a corny superhero catchphrase." Twilight said.

" Yeah, I can see why you would think of it that way, but it was a lot better than saying that we transform into half-human, half-pony hybrids whenever we play music, or doing something that represents the Element we each represent, or, in my case, what I assume was an Element." I said.

" And did you just say that Applejack wore a banana costume?" Twilight asked.

" I didn't exactly see it myself, but one of those Flim Flam Brothers took a photo of her dressed in that get-up and printed it in the local newspapers. Applejack was pretty embarrassed about it, but the rest of us couldn't help laughing. In fact, I should still have the photo somewhere." I answered. I turned the next page of the journal, and sure enough, there was the photo of Applejack wearing the banana costume, and when Twilight looked at it, she started to shed some tears before bursting out laughing, falling over, legs kicking in the air, again.

" I can't believe she had to wear that!" Twilight laughed.

" Neither can she." I said.

" At least you had nothing to do with that photo." Twilight said. I smiled in response because that was actually true. Flim and Flim, from what Applejack had told me, were pretty conniving; they tried to sell her bass back for $1,200 instead of $2, which was how much Granny Smith sold it to them for by accident. She managed to buy it back for the $2, but had to resort to wearing that costume as a means of paying off her debt. I guess some people in this world are inherently sinister in their motives, despite having an innocent look about them. After Twilight finally stopped laughing and got up from the ground, wiping away her tears with her sleeves and wiping the steam on her glasses using the front of her attire, I turned the next page, and I immediately became angry. " What's wrong?" Twilight asked.

" I was wondering when we would get to them." I answered.

" Them?" Twilight asked. She looked down at the page and saw another photo that was pasted there. It depicted three young girls who were very attractive, each one oozing sex appeal, though only the center girl wore anything sensual. They each wore what looked like a jewelled pendant around their necks, and while she didn't say it, I could tell Twilight sensed something off about these girls. " Why would you have a photo of three flamboyant girls in your journal?"

" Because they were the reason behind my emotional breakdown." I answered.

Chapter 25: Musical Showcase

Day: Tuesday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 2:50pm

My friends were slightly concerned with these "pony-ups" becoming inconvenient, but I reassured them that I would figure it out quickly. This problem was just the latest in a number of problems, including wanting to prove that I had reformed, my friends struggling to work together in a music band, and me being tormented by my fellow students. It was this last problem that would evolve into its own cataclysm two days before the Canterlot High Musical Showcase was to take place. Even when I wanted to help out despite not actually taking part in the showcase, no one wanted it, and they continued to glare at me because of what happened during the Fall Formal. It didn't make things better when Principal Celestia stated that this would be the best thing to happen at CHS since the Formal. My guilt continued to gnaw away at my heart. My friends did their best to make me feel appreciated, but I fear their efforts would be in vain.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 10, 2015
Chapter 25: Musical Showcase.

" These three girls made you suffer an emotional breakdown!?" Twilight asked, confused by my statement.

" When you look at this photo, what strikes you as being odd about them?" I asked.

" For one thing, they certainly have a flair for fashion, what with those flamboyant outfits they're wearing. They also give off quite the sexy vibe which, I must admit, does make me feel jealous--not that I care about stuff like that!" Twilight answered, blushing and waving her hands back and forth. I snickered at her response, and she turned away out of sheer embarrassment, but then I reached out and placed my hand on her shoulder. She turned back around shortly after. " Glad you didn't want to make me feel worse about what I just said, but they do look very beautiful, a fact that no one could possibly deny. Oh, and those jewelled pendants they wear around their necks look stunning, but why would anyone want to flaunt those about other than the wealthy? It just screams of wanting to be robbed by showing off such expensive baubles."

" They weren't just accessories, but also the source of their power." I said.

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" These three come from the same world that Princess Twilight and I call home." I answered.

" Really!? Does that mean they are fellow ponies? This is most certainly fascinating. From what you've described of Equestria, ponies are categorized into four subsets based on whether or not they have horns and wings: unicorns, Pegasi, earth ponies, and alicorns, if I recall. These three must have something unique about them if they possess jewels that can grant them magical abilities." Twilight said. She then noticed my expression and quickly changed her tune when she realized that what she just said wasn't entirely correct. She was right about these three girls being from Equestria, but she was wrong about everything else. " They're not ponies? Then, what are they?" Twilight asked.

" Sirens." I answered.

" As in, the mythical creatures of Greek lore?" Twilight asked.

" The very same. According to what Princess Twilight told us about them, they once lived in Equestria a thousand years ago. They were beautiful, but dangerous because of their singing abilities. In order to consume and digest food, the Sirens needed to also feed on the negative energy produced by living creatures. They did so by hypnotizing ponies through their singing into acting aggressively. Ponies would argue amongst themselves for even the most petty of reasons until their negative energy began to flow from them, and the Sirens would absorb this energy into their jewels, which further increased their powers. The stronger the negativity, the more powerful they would become, until all of Equestria was under their power." I answered.

" They sound very dangerous, but why do they look like humans in this photo? Aren't they from Equestria?" Twilight asked.

" One day, the Sirens decided to make Canterlot their next meal ticket, and despite having a few setbacks, due to their singing being archaic in the eyes of the Canterlot elite, they developed a new style of singing which enabled them to hypnotize those who had shunned them, and they grew even more powerful. Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna never knew about them or what they were doing, as another pony had tasked himself with trying to deal with them." I answered. I then turned the page, where another photo had been carefully stuck in place. It looked as though it had been taken centuries ago, and it depicted a much older pony, his luscious beard being perhaps his most unique and distinguishing feature.

" Who is that?" Twilight asked.

" That is Star Swirl the Bearded. He's called that because of how long his beard is, but that isn't what he's known for. Far from it. He was known as the greatest unicorn wizard to have ever lived, and was the one who not only banished the Sirens from Equestria but also created the portal that I used to come to this world. Princess Twilight views him as her greatest idol aside from Princess Celestia. She practically geeks out whenever someone talks about him." I answered.

" So he was the reason you came here?" Twilight asked.

" Actually, he created the portal due to a fascination with wanting to visit alternate worlds, and this world became connected with Equestria upon the mirror's creation. He decided that to stop the Sirens from further causing harm to Equestria through their singing, he had to fight them at their own game: a musical battle. According to accounts from many ancient books, Star Swirl and the Sirens were responsible for creating new musical trends as a result of their conflict." I answered. I then quickly looked up at Twilight, sensing that she would be looking back at me with that frown of hers again. Sure enough, she was, complete with her arms folded. I knew it wouldn't be easy to explain this to her, but I had to try because, despite how the whole concept sounded ridiculous, even to me, this musical battle Star Swirl had with the Sirens was significant. " Twilight, what musical trends were created are insignificant to this story, but what happened after Star Swirl conceded defeat was." I said.

" I must admit that this Star Swirl the Bearded and the Sirens facing off against one another in a musical battle sounds rather farfetched." Twilight said.

" Even I think it sounds ridiculous, but this is what happened, according to what Star Swirl revealed in his own journal. When it became apparent that he couldn't defeat them at their own game, he decided that he needed to take extreme measures, and this became known as his greatest mistake. Instead of trying to reason with the Sirens in the hopes that he could persuade them to change their ways, he chose to simply banish them here to this world." I said.

" What!? Why didn't he give them a chance?" Twilight asked.

" Princess Twilight told me that despite being a powerful unicorn, who could have become an alicorn, he had one flaw: a lack of friendship. I mean, he used to understand what it meant, but late in his life, he grew bitter about it because of an incident that happened between himself and Princess Celestia that related to a different mirror. Anyway, he chose to banish the Sirens to this world in the hopes that they would never become a threat again due to losing their power, but not even Star Swirl knew what would happen eventually. He would never use the mirror again, and kept this terrible secret until his death, a secret that haunted him for the rest of his life." I answered.

" The Sirens must have been waiting in this world for a thousand years before they could regain their power." Twilight said.

" Actually, when the Sirens came here, they were somehow sent forward in time to the present day. No one, not even Princess Twilight, knows how that could even be possible, but they pulled it off. Their true power was Equestrian in nature, but without it, they were limited to what they were capable of when they entered this world. However, as a result of what happened when I became a demon and was subsequently defeated, they became aware of a magic which they hadn't tasted for what must have felt like forever to them." I said. To think that had I never brought magic into this world, the Sirens would never have made themselves known, and would have simply disappeared into the fabric of history. Yet, they detected the magic that my friends, Princess Twilight, and I used during the Fall Formal. While it would be easy to simply blame myself entirely for what would happen, the others would never accept it. They'd reason that they were just as much to blame because they used magic, as well. And besides, none of us knew that the Sirens were even in this world to begin with. I then turned back to the page with the Sirens because the next part of my troubled past integrates immensely with them.

" Do they have names?" Twilight asked.

" The one on the right is Sonata Dusk. She can be best described as ditzy--an airhead, if you will--because of her clueless nature. The one on the left is Aria Blaze, a girl who had a negative outlook on everything. She generally kept her emotions in check while being snarky towards anyone who had to listen to anything she said. Finally, the one in the middle is Adagio Dazzle, the leader of the Sirens, who desired power just as much as I did. Yet she did things I never would have considered." I answered.

" And they learned that Equestrian magic existed in this world because of what happened at the Fall Formal?" Twilight asked.

" Which lead them to Canterlot High, where they registered as students. Unlike myself, who had previously attended a school, albeit one that was dedicated to unicorns mastering all kinds of magic, the Sirens had no such prior educational experiences. That didn't stop them from wanting to carry out their plan, though. Before I can talk about my first encounter with them, I should tell you what happened that morning that involved a rather awkward moment in the gym. You see, the Canterlot High Musical Showcase would happen in two days at the time, and everyone was excited about it. Yet, while I desired to help to prove that I had changed, Principal Celestia merely provided more ammunition to be used against me by the other students." I answered.

During the week before the Musical Showcase was to occur, both Applejack and Fluttershy experienced their own pony-ups, and I began feeling even more pressure to figure out why it was happening. So far--on the outside, at least--all of my friends were okay with it, despite how awkward it made them look in appearance. On the inside, though, they might be cursing me for doing this to them, all because I introduced magic into this world. No. They would never do something like that to me. I know we had some awkward moments when we first became friends, but they would never think such thoughts. They knew how sensitive I was. Perhaps this was all just a mind game, where they are pretending to be my friends, but really hated me because of this pony-up problem. No! I had to stop thinking such horrid thoughts! All it did was make me paranoid, and I don't need anymore stress than what I already have. In any case, it seems they only gain pony ears and pony tails whenever they play music, so it's not like it happens several times a day or something.

Still, why did it only happen when they played music? When they initially transformed in order to defeat me when I became a demon, they used the magic of friendship in connection with the Elements of Harmony. So why this sudden change? The more I thought about it, the more confused I got. Unlike in Equestria, where magic makes sense because it follows a specific pattern, the magic of this world had proven to be unpredictable. That would make it difficult for me to understand why my friends pony up. Ugh!

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse for me, they did about two days before the showcase. The students of CHS were busy working on different things in order to make it the best experience the school had ever seen. While I wasn't participating as a performer, due to my lack of musical talent, I wanted to help, too. My desire was to show everyone that I had changed since those events of the Fall Formal, so I figured on just joining in somewhere and hoping someone needs me.

" Um, excuse me." I said, walking over to where Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were busy working on a banner. I wanted to help them because I wanted to do something simple; it seemed like a good place to start. Also, they were the closest to where I was standing, and I didn't want to walk across the entire gym. The three girls ignored my words, as they were fixated on painting various colours on their banner, so I tried talking to them again. " Um, excuse me."

" Huh? What is it?" Applebloom asked.

" Want some help?" I asked, grabbing a paintbrush from the cup Sweetie Belle was holding.

" Why do y'all wanna help us?" Applebloom asked.

" I figured that I could contribute a little something to the showcase, since I'm not actually participating. Also, I thought it would give me a chance to show everyone here that I'm willing to take part without having an ulterior motive." I answered. The look on Applebloom's face told me everything that I needed to know. I knew that she felt hesitant towards me helping. Nothing ever really changed for me when it came to how everyone, besides my friends, feels about me. Hopefully, Applebloom would be willing to allow the chance for me to do something. " So? Do you want me to help you out? I promise that I won't get in your way, and only do what you ask." I said.

" You really do wanna help don't you?" Applebloom asked.

" More than anything." I answered.

" Sorry to say, but we're good right now. We don't need any help." Applebloom said. My heart felt like it had been crushed for two reasons. One, Applebloom and her friends didn't want my help because of what I did to them in the past, when I had Snips and Snails expose some of their more impractical projects around the school. Two, it was another painful reminder that what I did before being shown friendship continued to haunt me. I was being sincere when I said that I wanted to help them, but I guess words alone meant nothing to my fellow students, even if it were couple with the desire to do good. Yes, I have started referring to them as my fellow students, but it still doesn't get rid of the pain.

" Sunset Shimmer! Over here!" Pinkie Pie shouted from the other side of the gym, and hearing her voice made me smile. Despite how most of the students viewed me, at least I had my friends who had forgiven me for what I did. However, I wished Pinkie hadn't shouted so loudly. The moment she called me over, everyone else started looking in my direction, talking amongst themselves. It didn't take a genius to know that they were talking about me and about how my friends were idiots for wanting to associate with the likes of me to begin with. I knew my friends didn't care what the others thought, but I still felt they might be regretting their decision a little bit. Walking towards where Pinkie was situated, I felt really uncomfortable with so many pairs of eyes watching my every move. Once I reached Pinkie, I relaxed a little and looked back to see that my onlookers had gone back to what they were doing.

" That was so nerve-wracking." I said.

" Yeah! I still can't believe they're treating you like that! I would have thought that all of those extracurricular activities would have been enough to make them see you as being a new you, but popular opinion seems to be saying otherwise." Pinkie Pie said.

" I didn't think everyone would be here." I said.

" Are you crazy? Of course they would. The Musical Showcase starts in two days, and everyone is working hard to finish off the preparations. I think it's really mean of everyone to not let you help them, but at least you know you can expect us to want your help." Pinkie Pie said. Her words, awkwardly phrased as they were, made me smile. I still wished that the other students wouldn't keep treating me the way they did. Pinkie then showed off the poster that they had been working on, and it was really impressive, with the vibrant colours, the attention to detail, and the general size. Yet, it smelt sweet. Really sweet. Like, it gave off a scent like it had just come from a bakery.

" What do you think?" Rarity asked.

" It looks really great." I answered.

" It's quite the eye-catching advertisement, thanks to Pinkie's choice of colours and my attention to detail. I believe that our poster will definitely make for a grand spectacle promoting the upcoming showcase, if I do say so myself." Rarity said.

" The best part is that the poster smells like cake!" Pinkie Pie said.

" It does?" Fluttershy asked.

" Instead of using actual paste, I decided to go with frosting. What can I say? I love sweets, so I just had to go with frosting. The best part is that you could lick it off, if you wanted. I think I used strawberry-flavoured frosting. No wait! It's blue! I used blueberry frosting because it matched Rarity's eye colour." Pinkie Pie answered.

" Mind if I take a sniff?" Fluttershy asked.

" Go for it!" Pinkie Pie answered. Fluttershy then inched forward to see if she could smell the blueberry frosting, and Pinkie decided to push the entire poster into her face before pulling it off a couple of seconds later, leaving Fluttershy with a dab of frosting on the edge of her nose. I chuckled slightly; it was adorable. I then began to question why Pinkie would use frosting instead of the more normal, and functional, paste. After mulling over it for a few moments, I simply accepted it as Pinkie Pie just being Pinkie Pie. To think, her eccentricities used to annoy me to no end, but now they've grown on me, and I always got a laugh whenever she did something completely out of the blue.

" Um, Fluttershy..." Applejack began.

" What is it?" Fluttershy asked.

" You've got a little something on your..." Applejack answered, trying her best not to mention that Fluttershy still had the dab of frosting on her nose.

" I do? Let me try to get rid of it." Fluttershy said. She then ran her hand down the side of her face in the hopes that she had gotten rid of the frosting, but Applejack shook her head, prompting Fluttershy to run her hand on the bridge of her nose. Again, she missed the frosting. While I should have said something about this little ordeal, I chose to say nothing, in case I ended up accidentally offending Fluttershy. After spending some time getting to know her, I've gotten to know more about her anxiety issues with people she's uncomfortable with. Perhaps one day she'll overcome this fear, but she should do so at her own pace. " Did... did I get it?" Fluttershy asked.

" Not exactly." Applejack answered.

" Really? I could have sworn that I did." Fluttershy said.

" Why don't you let me get that for you?" I asked, finally getting the courage to say something. Fluttershy nodded, and Applejack handed me a towel, letting me gently wipe the frosting off of Fluttershy's nose. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, at that precise moment, entered the gym, and everyone immediately turned towards them out of courtesy before continuing with what they were doing. While I have gotten closer to Principal Celestia, having given me words of encouragement to deal with the aftermath of my little episode from the Formal, I can't say the same about Vice Principal Luna. The two of us don't really see eye to eye, and I often wondered how she felt about me. After all, I did lie to her when I tried to frame Princess Twilight, and I suspect she hadn't forgiven me for that little stunt. I don't blame her for not being amused by my presence.

" Good afternoon, students." Principal Celestia said in a booming voice that got everyone's attention. " I came here just to let all of you know how pleased we are that so many of you have decided to participate in the first ever Canterlot High Musical Showcase. I did not think that it would receive such a positive response, but judging from all of your hard work, everyone is thrilled to show off their musical talents. It does not matter whether you are a professional performer or someone who has only just started out. What matters is that everyone has a wonderful experience." Because the students had gotten more positive since Princess Twilight brought them together as friends, they were eager to do something of great importance, and I just had to marvel at their determination. Before, when I was ruling the school, such ideas would never have happened, as everyone had been driven apart by my actions. Seeing them all happy made my heart feel good, but I knew, deep down, that there was still some animosity left. The pain may have gone away, but something still lingered, refusing to die.

" I still can't believe CHS is going through with this." I said.

" It's for a good cause, after all." Applejack said.

" This is a wonderful opportunity to raise money for all our after-school programs here at CHS." Principal Celestia said. Despite having taken part in a lot of extracurricular activities, there had been a limit as to what I could do because the school budget couldn't afford certain things. That's why the students wanted a musical showcase: to earn the school some additional money while having fun in the process. I then noticed Twinkleshine in one corner of the gym. Knowing her, she was already working on bringing in even more funds. I would have waved to her, but I doubted she would want to do the same. I did expose a big secret of hers, and I doubted she had forgiven me. " I think it's going to be one of the most exciting events we've had here since the Fall Formal last month." Principal Celestia said. My heart sank the moment she mentioned that, and I quickly darted my eyes around to see if my suspicions were correct. Sure enough, they were. The other students had stopped what they were doing and looked at me with those cold expressions.

All of those eyes staring my way made me drop down to the floor, bury my head into my knees, and silently begin weeping. I wish that she hadn't said that. Now my confidence felt shaky, despite the reassurance I had from my friends a few moments ago. Principal Celestia took notice of my reaction, and covered her mouth with her hand upon realizing that she had unintentionally reminded me, and everyone else, of what I did. I had hoped to have made a good impression on everyone, but it seemed that was nothing more than a pipe dream now, with fate working against me. Pinkie Pie tried to comfort me, but I didn't react to her gestures. She sadly got back up and began talking with the others. I felt pain at that moment, a pain I thought had disappeared when friendship entered my life. But it was a pain that I could never escape from. The other students resumed their activities, while Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna left the gym in silence, the former knowing what she had done.

" Surely, Principal Celestia didn't mean to make you feel miserable." Twilight said.

" No. It was completely an accident, so I eventually forgave her. Yet, I don't think she could forgive herself for a while." I said.

" It must have been so hard for you, Sunset, seeing those expressions, a reminder that they still couldn't accept you." Twilight said.

" Like I said, it all worked out in the end, but back then, it proved to be very taxing on my mental state. I had only recently come out of a downward spiral, where I viewed myself as nothing but a soulless being. And now, those thoughts had woven themselves back into my mind. Did the other students care? No. They just wanted to see me suffer because of what I did, and they relished it. It seemed they wanted me to suffer as long as they did, but I don't know if that's true or not; I never asked about it. That was just the feeling I had." I said. Twilight then scooted closer before giving me a hug. Her grip was quite powerful, and I struggled to breathe. I didn't say anything, though, as I knew she wanted this, because of everything I've been through. Twilight had seen a lot of herself through me, thanks to my past, yet there was much about her that remained an enigma. I would ask questions about her experiences, but that might be an invasion of privacy. She might not like the idea of confessing anything along those lines, unlike myself, who had done nothing but that all evening.

" Maybe transferring to Canterlot High was a mistake." Twilight said.

" I can't believe you just said that!" I shouted.

" But, everyone treated you so horribly." Twilight said.

" I know, and I accepted their tormenting, despite how I felt about it. It took a long time for me to finally earn their trust, and while we all still remember what we all did to one another, it drew us all closer as friends. In fact, everyone at CHS looks up to me to figure out how the magic I brought into this world works. I've gotten a good grasp of it, but there is still much more for me to figure out." I said.

" They see you as a beacon of hope?" Twilight asked.

" Um, no, I wouldn't go that far. I think you may have been reading too many of those science fiction books. I'd say they see me as someone who is committed to Canterlot High and the Wondercolts and is always there to lend a hand when needed. Now, could you please release your grip? I'm on the verge of fainting, here." I answered. Twilight quickly released me, and I spent some time catching my breath. I know she can be affectionate, as far as a friend goes, yet she did need to show some signs of restraint. Then again, she didn't have much in the way of friends until after the Friendship Games, so these experiences were new to her. She had no concept on how to properly judge the situation. In time, this will become a nonissue.

" Back to the subject of these Sirens. Did you know what they were when you first met them?" Twilight asked.

" No. They were pretty clever at concealing their powers." I answered.

" And when they used those powers?" Twilight asked.

" I still didn't know what they were. I only knew that they, like me, came from Equestria. The only thing I was relying on was a hunch, sensing that something was off regarding their behaviour. They acted calm and collected like regular students, but they became very defensive of those jewelled pendants they wore around their necks. Of course, now I know that those jewels were the source of their power. Had I attempted to remove them, I could have prevented them from doing what they did to the entire student body." I answered. Looking down at the photo of the Sirens, I placed my hand firmly in the center before closing my eyes, and thinking about that initial encounter with them. Had I actually carried out what I just said to Twilight, I would have been labelled as anything but a hero. The student body would have viewed me as a petty thief, jealous of someone else's jewellery and wanting to have them for myself. At the same time, I didn't know who the Sirens were, back then, and I could have wronged three innocent girls just because I sensed something off about them. To preserve my desire for wanting to prove that I had changed, I had to give the Sirens the benefit of the doubt and silence my own thoughts of them.

" When did they arrive at CHS?" Twilight asked.

" That same morning where I had my 'incident' in the gym, but before that encounter took place, our friends and I had an important discussion in the music room that we would constantly hang out in. It was a sanctuary where we could play our music without distraction and channel our magical energies without fear of retribution. When we first started using the room, I had no magic because of having lost it when I was defeated, so all I ever did was watched the others play." I answered.

An hour later, after the disaster that occurred in the gym, my friends and I were hanging out in one of the many music rooms that CHS had to offer. We could have chosen any one of the rooms to act as a sanctuary where we could be by ourselves, but this one in particular just screamed out to us, telling us it was the right one for our needs. Inside of this music room, various instruments were scattered about. Some were hanging on hooks on the walls, others were propped up on stands, and some were just sitting there, waiting for someone to come along and use them. Rainbow Dash had taken the liberty of asking for permission to allow us to use this particular room for practice, so once everyone had set up their respective instruments, they were ready to perform a song. Well, that was their original plan, but something came up that changed all of that. That something was me, deeply hurt by Celestia's words.

Despite my friends trying their best to cheer me up, I couldn't shake off the fact that Principal Celestia had gone and said what she did. The students still had painful memories of what I did to them over the past three years, and mentioning what happened during the Fall Formal felt like I had been punched in my gut. I know that I committed a horrible act by hypnotizing everyone into becoming my teenage army. Yet, I had hoped to have moved on from such an awful experience. So, here I am, once again wallowing away in misery, my actions of the past continuing to plague me at every turn.

" That was the worst experience of my entire life." I said.

" I'll admit that Principal Celestia did overstep her boundaries when she mentioned the Fall Formal like that, but I reckon she didn't intend on making you feel guilty over what you did." Applejack said.

" I know she didn't mean to, and her expression after the fact proved it. I wish she hadn't mentioned it at all, though. Everyone just glared at me. Again. I've not been letting it get to me for the last couple of weeks, but what just happened in the gym stressed me out again. I really was starting to think that maybe the other students were getting closer towards forgiving me. Now, I'm not so sure." I said.

" What's done is done. There ain't much we can do about it." Applejack said.

" I know, but still, I wish they would forgive me." I said.

" It's not easy for them to overcome their own pain as a result of your actions, darling. They still see you as the bully who made their lives miserable for such a long time, and now that the shoe is on the other foot, they want to make you suffer. It's sort of a revenge mentality, but not to the same extreme. So far, all they've done is isolate you from their activities, talk about you behind your back, laugh at you, bump into you, and stare coldly at you." Rarity said. Hearing her say that made me bury my head into my hands, and the others looked at Rarity, frowns on their faces, her own face blushing in embarrassment. I know she was trying to mean well with her approach, but sometimes, I feel as though Rarity doesn't take the time to think before she speaks. " I didn't mean to offend you, Sunset Shimmer, so perhaps, we should change the subject to the musical showcase happening in a couple of days?"

" It's gonna be so awesome playing the songs I've come up with!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Um, we do have other songs besides yours." Fluttershy said.

" We'll get to those Fluttershy, but I think we should focus on our main ones if we really wanna rock the showcase." Rainbow Dash said.

" Okay, if you say so." Fluttershy said.

" I still can't believe that we're actually doing this. If this had been any other kind of showcase--you know, sports, video games, all that--I'd still take part because, you know, I'm awesome. But, music has always been a passion of mine, which is why I purchased my old guitar years ago. Granted, I didn't take good care of it, but I'll be sure that my new one will get the attention it deserves." Rainbow Dash said. The others agreed with what she had to say with regards to their own passions for music, yet Applejack kept on looking at me because of what happened earlier in the gym. While I was fine with them changing the subject to what was really important, I still had some frustration bottled inside, and I wanted to bring it out.

" Hey y'all! Why don't we let Sunset Shimmer get all of that stress inside her out? I reckon it'll make her feel better." Applejack suggested.

" There's no need for me to do that." I said. My choice was instantly overwritten when the girls started urging me to express my feelings. I eventually caved in to them, because they had my best interests at heart. " Okay, I'm still feeling upset about what Principal Celestia said, regarding the showcase being just as exciting as the Fall Formal was. I know it was just a few weeks ago when it happened, but why did she bring it up and remind everyone of what I did? I'm not going to deny that I royally messed up! I stole Princess Twilight's crown to gain unimaginable power so that I could rule over Equestria with an iron fist, err, hoof. Ugh! No matter what, I'm never gonna be able to live that down!"

" You were pretty bad at the Fall Formal." Fluttershy said.

" Don't I know it!" I shouted, face-palming.

" What I mean is, you, um, you became really awful when you put on her crown. It completely changed you into something horrible, and, um, I don't think anyone is going to be able to forget about it for quite some time." Fluttershy said.

" All because I wanted to be a princess!" I said.

" But, I don't think you were, um, really bad until you changed." Fluttershy said.

" No, I was bad from the very beginning of that encounter, and wearing the crown only further augmented my inner desires. A demon. I turned into a raging she-demon. One who had become completely consumed, poisoned, corrupted by the magic of Equestria. It warped me into a twisted monster who almost killed all of you, my friends." I said.

" And tried to turn everyone here into teenage zombies for your own personal army!" Pinkie Pie said.

" That was perhaps my lowest point." I said.

" What makes you think that?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" I treated everyone, including you five, as nothing more than pawns for my own personal amusement. Everyone was merely a tool to further my own ambition, and when I changed into that demon, I didn't care what happened to the students at that point. They were there for me to use as I saw fit! I... I never meant for it to go that far! I could have stopped myself and prevented it, but my heart wanted me to keep going. The hatred within my heart proved to be too powerful!" I answered. I then buried my head into my hands and began crying again, but this was not to make my friends feel pity towards me. No, it was a genuine cry, because I did such a horrible thing. While the magical rainbow that my friends and Princess Twilight used against me had freed me from the darkness that corrupted my heart, I was still regretful over my actions. My heart may have been healing over the last little while, yet the process proved difficult to overcome.

" Are you okay, darling?" Rarity asked.

" I'll be alright." I answered.

" Feeling better now?" Rarity asked.

" I just needed to cry to get all of that out. I know it won't be easy for me from now on, since the whole student body seems to be against me." I answered.

" Oh, darling, you have us, and we've forgiven you for your past, ahem, booboos." Rarity said. Did she seriously just say "booboos"? In any case, I did feel better after getting all of that frustration off my chest, but I knew that I had a long way to go in order to finally earn the forgiveness, and trust, of my fellow students. Hopefully, their constant tormenting didn't get to me. Otherwise, I could suffer a relapse and end up becoming the "bad girl" all over again, just to get back at them. In that scenario, it would be a never-ending cycle of hated. Rainbow Dash, who had been silent for quite a while now, had finally gotten bored with all of the talking and motioned that they begin playing their instruments, because they only had a short amount of time before the music rooms were locked up for the night. As the Rainbooms--a name that, again, sounds egotistical, since Rainbow Dash was both lead singer and band leader, according to herself--prepared to start performing, I got myself settled down, intending to listen to them play their hearts out. What I didn't know, then, was that soon, something would come to CHS, and it would test everyone in ways that made what I did look tame in comparison.

" The Sirens, right?" Twilight asked.

" Thanks to the actions of Princess Twilight, the students had grown closer together after I had driven them apart for years. But now, the Sirens were poised to have everyone at each other's throats, and all in the name of their desire." I answered.

" I don't think we ever did discuss what they wanted." Twilight said.

" Despite having such terrifying power, and being able to turn everyone against each other to feed on the resulting negative energy, the Sirens had no aspirations for wanting to take over the world. Nor did they want to gain power for the sake of it. In truth, they wanted this world to adore them." I said.

" Seriously!?" Twilight asked.

" It's not what I would call the most thought-out plan out there, but their beauty was complemented with their desire for attention. Their belief was that, by hypnotizing everyone in the world and having them bend to their will, they would forever be appreciated. In their eyes, popularity was what they wanted, and they would do anything in order to get as much of it as possible. In a way, they were similar to me, but while I focused on a high school, they focused on a much grander scale." I answered.

" That does make some sense, I guess. Sirens desired attention because it meant feeding off of their victims and never having to worry about food. But these three weren't like the actual Sirens of Greek mythology, were they? Because they came from Equestria, did they have a different approach?" Twilight asked.

" They wanted their Equestrian magic back. It was lost to them when Star Swirl the Bearded banished them to this world, and they were desperate to get it back because they couldn't fathom living out an existence without it. With their magic at their disposal, they could have everyone eating out of their hands merely by singing, using their true Siren forms against any who tried opposing them." I answered.

" At the very least, the Sirens had no idea what you did." Twilight said.

" Oh they knew about me, Twilight, but what I didn't know was when they found out." I said.

Author's Note

I haven't done any Author's Notes for this story before until now, and that's because I didn't feel the need to do so. In case anyone is confused about Sunset's description of the Siren's backstory, it uses a combination of what was described Rainbow Rocks and Fiendship is Magic: Issue 3.

Chapter 26: Dazzlings

Day: Tuesday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 3:55pm

After almost having a nervous breakdown, my friends began to make me feel more relaxed when they played a song. They called it "Better Than Ever", a reference to how school morale had improved, thanks in part to Princess Twilight. As they played, I began thinking about my own place in this world. I mean, I do live here, even if the circumstances of my living here could be described as unusual, yet what could my purpose be? Would I find true happiness? Would I be condemned because of my past? Would I simply just fade away and be forgotten by history? Such thoughts I chose to keep to myself. My friends wouldn't understand. These are thoughts I've had since first becoming Princess Celestia's protégé. After experiencing a brief distraction in the form of Flash Sentry, who inquired indiscreetly about Princess Twilight, I left to greet some new students who had transferred to CHS that very morning. Hopefully, I could give them a good first impression, as I really needed to prove that I was different now. Surely, nothing could possibly go wrong here, right?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 12, 2015
Chapter 26: Dazzlings.

" How do you suppose they discovered who you were?" Twilight asked.

" The Sirens existed in Equestria long before I was born, so they had no knowledge of my existence. They had, in fact, overheard some of the students talking about me and quickly figured out what I had done. In case you were wondering, Twilight, the Sirens didn't go to the library in order to look up my information, which had since been added to the school's archive. To them, they had more important things to do. All they did was listen to the right people, and they learned all they needed to know. My best guess is that they learned about me during the Battle of the Bands, as before that, I wasn't even on their radar." I answered.

" Battle of the Bands?" Twilight asked.

" It's what the students competed in." I answered.

" I thought it was the Canterlot High Musical Showcase?" Twilight asked.

" It was, but I think you can deduce the reason behind the name change." I answered. Had the Sirens never come to CHS in the first place, the musical showcase would have been exactly that; a talent show where everyone could showcase their musical skills without feeling any pressure to do well. Instead, it was turned into a competition orchestrated by the Sirens, who needed all of that negative energy to grow stronger until they could achieve their goal. They never would have come had I not brought magic into this world when I stole Princess Twilight's crown. That act alone, even now, continues to gnaw away at me like a starving beaver on a particularly firm tree. It was too late to think about what might have happened had I chosen to remain in Equestria and waited patiently to become a princess instead of striking out on my own. In another time, in another place, my life would be different. Yet, this world would also be different. There would be no magic, no Sirens, no presence of yours truly. Just an ordinary world.

" It makes sense that the Sirens would want to make the event more competitive, I suppose." Twilight said. She then waited for me to respond, yet I had completely ignored her. I was in my own little world, thinking about what could have been instead of what is. Twilight then waved her hand in front of my face, exactly what I did to her earlier. I didn't even twitch, which had her concerned, but rather than attempt to splash me with fizzy apple cider, she decided to simply shout in my left ear. " SUNSET!" That sudden burst of decibels was enough to snap me out of my trance.

" Yeow!" I shouted.

" Okay, so you are still with me." Twilight said.

" Why did you have to shout in my ear like that? And what do you mean 'I'm still with you'?" I asked.

" You were ignoring me and I thought something bad had happened to you. I'm relieved that you're okay, Sunset. I was thinking of splashing cider all over you, but I thought a more direct approach was in order." Twilight answered. That was the direct approach? Am I glad that I don't have my actual pony ears out right now! If she had yelled into one of those instead, I'd be on the floor right now, rolling around in agonizing pain. One good thing about being a human is that human ears aren't as sensitive to sounds as other creatures'. Twilight then apologized to me for her actions, while I used my pinkie to try and clean out my ear before continuing on. " As I was saying, it makes sense they would want to change the nature of the event. They needed negative energy to maintain their strength, so having the students compete with one another would allow them to achieve their goal."

" In addition to wanting everyone to adore them." I added.

" Yes, even that. I still find that goal doesn't make much sense. I can understand, in theory, why they would want to do that. They're Sirens, and it's in their nature to want to use sex appeal and allure in order to lull men and women to their doom so that they could get their energy. I know I'm using the Greek interpretation to describe their actions, but it is a similar concept, right?" Twilight asked.

" Luring the students wasn't their intention, but you hit the nail regarding their sex appeal. I would find that out for myself the hard way." I answered.

" Yes, you said that they had transferred to Canterlot High." Twilight said.

" I've seen a lot of females during my time in this world worrying about their looks, but the Sirens took it to extremes; they loved to flaunt what they had. It sounds vulgar when you think about it, but they were experts in using it to their advantage alongside their magic." I said. Turning to the next page of the journal, another photo greeted Twilight and me, yet it was much smaller than previous ones. It was one of those micro-photos that have become all the rage recently, and this one in particular had been given to me by the one who originally took it. Twilight looked at the photo, then at me, then back at the photo, and finally back at me again. She smiled smugly, and I blushed before turning my eyes away from her. " It's not what it looks like!" I said.

" Is that Flash Sentry? The one I bumped into when I came here for the Friendship Games?" Twilight asked.

" He gave me that photo as a sign of friendship, but I never meant to put into this journal." I answered. I quickly grabbed the photo, which was just hanging loose before reaching into my backpack and taking out my wallet, where I placed the photo inside before putting it back into my backpack. " Like I said before, Flash and I were never really a couple, as I was just using him more than anything else--" I cut myself off when I realized what Twilight had just said, so it was my turn to smile smugly at her, and she didn't know what to make of this. " You bumped into Flash? You never told me that happened!"

" I didn't say anything because it wasn't that big of a deal." Twilight answered.

" Fair enough. Anyway, before my first encounter with the Sirens, I had to deal with Flash, who would enter the music room just after the Rainbooms had finished playing their song." I said.

" I'm feeling much better now." I said.

" So glad to hear that, darling." Rarity said.

" Still, you can't blame me for having such feelings to begin with. I know turning everyone into zombies and using them to invade another world was horrible, and actually rather pathetic, now that I really think about it. Ahem! It will take time for them to finally move on with their lives and forgive me for my actions. Hopefully, it doesn't take until the end of our time here at CHS for them to accept me into their hearts." I said.

" To be honest, I'd say the experience has been a blessing for all of us. It's brought everyone at Canterlot High closer than ever before for the first time in such a long time, so I reckon they all owe you some kind of gratitude, Sunset Shimmer." Applejack said. I never actually thought about it that way. If I hadn't decided to take such a huge gamble, I would never have gotten my hands on Princess Twilight's crown. Everyone would still be driven apart by what I did throughout these past three years, and the status quo would mostly have remained intact. My defeat had brought about a change in attitudes--mostly against me--where everyone was now friends again, and even new friendships had been forged. I guess Applejack was right after all. What I did had a positive outcome, but what did it mean for me now? Before I could start to think about it further, my friends, began to start playing.

" Ready everyone?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Ready!" the rest answered.

" One, two, three, four!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

" There was a time we were apart,

but that's behind us now.

See how we've made a brand new start,

and the future's lookin' up (ah-oh, ah-oh)!"

I had to admit that their song was pretty catchy, and for a moment, I even tapped my foot to the music while clapping along to the lyrics. What they sung about had to do with the power of friendship having affected every last portion of the entire student body, and how before, everyone kept to themselves, as trust was something which I had personally taken away from them. I was glad that everyone was getting along again, even though they treated me like an outsider, which was technically correct, I guess. Then I started thinking about something else which had slowly entered my subconscious since the Fall Formal. After the gardener returned from his vacation, I no longer had a place to call my own. I could have crashed at Flash Sentry's place, but I knew he wouldn't have accepted because of everything I did. It was by sheer luck that Principal Celestia had made the appropriate arrangements, yet I did feel somewhat uneasy because of where exactly my "place of residence" was located.

I was told that Princess Twilight had spent a night in the recesses of the CHS Library where no one ever went. When Principal Celestia said that I was to be given the same general location to act as my "home", I felt dejected a little. It's not like I was offended by her kind gesture. Rather, it was because I could have applied to the local government and eventually gotten myself a place to live. The only ones who knew about this, aside from Principal Celestia, were my friends and Vice Principal Luna. None of them liked to talk about such an arrangement, as I insisted on it because it made me feel embarrassed that I had to live at the school. At the very least, I was given a special key that would allow me access to the school, yet it only worked on the front door, and the library door. It was kind of like a skeleton key, but more restrictive in use.

That was the least of my concerns when compared to the harsh reality that had now sunken itself into my subconscious. Throughout my time here, I had been fixated on one thing: ruling this school as a temporary measure until I could truly become a ruler. Now that I no longer had such thoughts in my mind, what exactly was my purpose? If I had gone back to Equestria, I would surely be wandering about the desolate wastelands by now after I stole an ancient artefact. I know that I'm learning all that I can about friendship, yet that was merely a hobby. What was I supposed to do now? I couldn't use magic; it had been taken away from me so that I couldn't become corrupted again. I had no musical talent, although Rainbow Dash might be willing to teach me how to play the guitar since I asked her while we were making our way to the music room.

And I couldn't forget about the proverbial elephant in the room; the one thing that still haunted me. The other students might not forgive me for my actions. If they chose to remain committed to making me miserable, I could be condemned forever with no chance at finding true happiness. While it seemed like I could do whatever I wanted with my life from this point onward, there were numerous restrictions that kept me from doing certain things. If anything, I had one, maybe two options to consider. Not the most comforting of thoughts, but it was better than having nothing at all. One thing was certain. My friends couldn't be allowed to know about this. They had their own futures to think about, and didn't need to be dragged down to my level by choosing to assist me with my problems. Speaking of my friends...

" Yeah, we're the Wondercolts forever, ah-oh, yeah!"

As they were performing, their pony ears and pony tails appeared, a reminder that the magic from Princess Twilight's crown was still within them. I had been so caught up with my own problems, that I had completely forgotten about theirs. While they didn't see it as being an issue, it meant something to me because my actions resulted in these transformations in the first place. They had to pony up in order to defeat me after I became a demon, yet seeing them change in this kind of setting, with nothing on the line, made me feel sad.

" Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!

Oh yeah, we're better than ever!

Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!

Oh yeah, we're better than ever!"

Once they stopped playing, my friend's pony extensions disappeared, and I clapped in response to their performance. While I had a lot on my mind during their singing, I made sure to continue listening because I needed something to serve as a distraction. And I needed to show my support, because this would be one of the songs they were going to perform for the musical showcase. If I knew how to play an instrument or sing, I'd be there with them instead of over here, watching. Also, I'd lack the ears and tail.

" You know, I was thinking of perhaps adding some accessories to further extenuate the pony look we all achieve. I could wear some nice clip-on earrings for the ears, and something that could extend the ponytail down a little further." Rarity said.

" None of you think it's weird that it happens?" I asked.

" It will still take time for us to get used to it, darling, but I think it's absolutely divine that we're capable of doing it!" Rarity answered.

" Have you figured out any other reasons as to why it happens?" Applejack asked.

" Not yet. I've had my mind on other things." I answered.

" I didn't meant to add any more pressure than what you've already got on yer plate. I was wonderin' if maybe Princess Twilight would know somethin' about this. No disrespect to your magical knowledge, Sunset Shimmer, but I reckon she knows a lot more about those Elements of Harmony y'all mentioned a while ago." Applejack said.

" No, I get what you're saying. All I studied about the Elements was how they used to work back in the ancient days of Equestria. Princess Twilight would be the right pony--person, whatever--who would have the answers we're looking for." I said.

" It sure would be nice to get a proper explanation as to why this is happening to us." Applejack said. I did feel slightly upset over how Applejack viewed my knowledge of magic as inferior to Princess Twilight's, but she was telling me the honest truth. I don't know much about how the Elements of Harmony work now. That's something Princess Twilight would know, as she and her friends had been using them to deal with threats against Equestria.

" Who cares why it happens!" Rainbow Dash said.

" We should." Applejack said.

" I know we all agreed not to use our pony-ups during the musical showcase, and I'm not backing down from that decision. I just think that it makes my band even more awesome than it already is. And before you say anything, Rarity, let me remind you that I'm the lead singer and guitarist, and this band was my idea from the beginning." Rainbow Dash said, leaving Rarity feeling miffed that she had been silenced without warning. I would have spoken to Rainbow about showing some humility, but I didn't want to make her upset and risk ruining our friendship. Besides, I knew next to nothing about humility. Princess Celestia tried her best to teach it to me, but I never viewed it as important. That changed, of course.

At that moment, the door to the music room opened, and Flash Sentry was standing there, a meek expression appearing on his face. He had certainly changed a lot since the Fall Formal. While he still maintained his popularity, he wasn't as cool or suave as before. Instead, he had developed a nervous habit of having trouble talking about his feelings. He would muddle up his words, or do something that would completely embarrass him. He was also clumsy, accidentally knocking things over and struggling to prevent anything from smashing to pieces. While it did make him a little more attractive, instead of being bland and generic, for lack of a better word, his new mannerisms didn't really affect me on an emotional level. My love for him was never genuine.

" I was walking by when I heard you playing that song, so I thought I'd come in and check it out for myself." Flash Sentry said.

" Y'all 're a bit too late, Flash. We just finished." Applejack said.

" Guess I wasn't fast enough, huh?" Flash Sentry asked, scratching his head while looking away from us. Like I said, he had trouble talking about his feelings. He could have easily said whatever was on his mind, but he chose to hold back. Maybe he was afraid of offending someone. I don't know if his change in attitude had to do with me, but I doubted it, as he moved on from me a while ago. Then again, he could still have feelings towards Princess Twilight. Wait! Could he!? That certainly made things more awkward! I mean, they're already awkward; he's a human, and she's a pony. Not to mention that they both come from different worlds, and the connection between them only opens for a short period of time. Perhaps I was just taking too big of a look into this, and nothing serious was going on. " From the several seconds that I heard, you all sound pretty tight. If this were a competition, you'd definitely be one of the top bands to beat."

" We're pretty good, but we're not quite there yet. I could tell during the song that there were some problems. Rarity's still coming in a little late on the second verse, and Applejack's bass solo could use a little work. But we can get those fixed in time for the showcase. I'm positive that they'll be awesome parts of my band." Rainbow Dash said.

" That's good to hear." Flash Sentry said. Judging from the cold expressions coming from Applejack and Rarity, they didn't take too kindly to Rainbow Dash calling them out like that. Personally, I thought everyone performed really well, so maybe Rainbow Dash had just made an honest mistake? Then again, her ego had clearly resurfaced. I hoped she doesn't get a swelled head by the end of the showcase. Flash then turned his attention towards me, and I remained silent, as I didn't really know what to say to him especially after what happened at the Fall Formal. " Here! I want you to have this."

" What is it?" I asked.

" Think of it as a small memento of our time together, and a symbol that we're still friends." Flash Sentry answered. He then asked me to hold out my hand and close my eyes, which I thought sounded ridiculous, yet I did it anyway because he was showing me a lot of kindness, a stark contrast from the other students. Flash then took two steps forward before dropping something soft into my palm. I opened my eyes, and I found myself looking at a small photo of his upper body. He had such a sincere smile on his face that it brought a tear to my eye.

" It's so beautiful. What's the occasion?" I asked.

" No matter what you may have done in the past, I'll always be your friend." Flash Sentry answered.

" I'll be sure to carry this photo around with me at all times." I said, blushing slightly, which made everyone else giggle slightly.

" Um, I was wondering if I could ask you girls something." Flash Sentry said, his nerves clearly getting the best of him.

" What is it?" Applejack asked.

" Um, do you suppose some of our friends from, um, out of town are going to be attending the showcase? It's a special charity event, after all, and they were the ones who did make all of this possible by bringing the students back together after they were apart for so long." Flash Sentry answered. It was pretty obvious that he was referring to Princess Twilight, but he wasn't aware of how the portal to Equestria worked. I was thinking of explaining it to him, but it was a bit complicated. I don't mean to say that Flash isn't bright--he actually is intelligent--but talking about magical portals to someone who doesn't understand magic would be difficult.

" I'm sorry, Flash, but I don't think Princess Twilight is gonna be comin' back here anytime soon. It's nice that y'all still think about her, even if it has only been several weeks since the Fall Formal, but you might want to set your sights on another gal." Applejack said.

" I just, you know, thought I'd ask just in case she did show up." Flash Sentry said. He began blushing slightly before he walked backwards until his back collided with the wall. He then brushed himself off and quickly slipped out of the room before closing the door. I could tell that he was disappointed about not being able to see Princess Twilight, even though he tried to save face by pretending to laugh about it. Again, I had no romantic feelings towards him, so I wasn't about to swoop in on the rebound because Princess Twilight wasn't around. I know he feels that way towards me as well, so the best thing for both of us would be to remain friends.

" Why don't you go after him?" Rarity asked.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" You don't still have any romantic feelings towards him? I mean, you two used to be an item for a long time, and judging from how he was being a smitten kitten with regards to Twilight, I assumed you would be jealous." Rarity answered.

" I never loved Flash. I mean, he did love me, but I merely used his popularity to become popular myself. He was just a tool for me to use in whatever way I saw fit. Ugh! The old me really was just awful, wasn't she?" I asked. That was something I recently started to do in order to further distance myself from the person I used to be. I wanted everyone to look at me as the "new" Sunset Shimmer, and the old one was just a horrible individual who no longer existed. I didn't know if this idea would prove effective over time, but it was something I felt needed to be done.

" Mm-hmm." Everyone else said.

" You've proven to us that you've turned yourself around, though." Applejack said.

" Thanks Applejack, but I still have the rest of the student body who need to be shown the same way. I don't care how long it's going to take! I will prove to them that I've changed for the better, and I'll start with those new girls who just transferred to CHS earlier today." I said. The looks on my friend's faces told me that they had no idea what I was talking about, so I decided to explain it to them. " I'm meeting three new students to give them a tour of the school. I volunteered to show newcomers that CHS is a fantastic school to attend, and hopefully, they appreciate me helping to get them used to things around here. I also want them to see me for who I am now, and not who I was. To be honest, these new girls are very mysterious. According to Vice Principal Luna, not much is known about where they attended before coming here. But maybe they'd be willing to share if they feel comfortable enough."

Little did I know just what I was actually getting myself into. I assumed that these three girls were just ordinary students who wanted to attend CHS for whatever reason. That assumption quickly got thrown out the window once I saw them with my own eyes.

" That explains the photo of Flash you showed me." Twilight said.

" It was a very nice gesture, but like I said to the others, I never loved him at all. If Princess Twilight wants to have him, or vice versa, it wouldn't bother me in any way. In fact, I think the two of them make for a cute couple." I said.

" So now you were going to meet the Sirens?" Twilight asked.

" I wasn't prepared for what I was about to encounter." I answered.

" What were your first impressions of them?" Twilight asked.

" How were they able to walk around in those outfits without two of them being asked to go home and change for violating school regulations? I mean, their outfits were gaudy but, at the same time, made them look sexy. I personally think other girls would have thrown temper tantrums, had they been given the chance." I answered.

" That bad?" Twilight asked.

" Sometimes, I wished that I could have had our friends with me." I answered. It's not like I was afraid of the Sirens. Rather, I was nervous about introducing new students to the school because if they found out how I used to act, they could easily have turned on me like the other students had done. The Sirens didn't seem to care about my past with regards to CHS, so I considered myself lucky. But, I now know that it was a ruse. They found out about me by listening in on conversations from those they had manipulated into unleashing their negative feelings. Had they been detected sooner, what transpired throughout those few days wouldn't have happened. At the same time, I would never have discovered the truth about myself.

" Sunset? Are you alright?" Twilight asked, worried that something was bothering me.

" I was just thinking about what happened when I first met them." I answered.

As I left the music room in order to greet the new students, a slew of emotions raced through my head. These new girls had never been to CHS before, so they were unaware of what happened here during the last month. To be frank, I wanted them to remain unaware because it would mean they would get a chance to know the new me and not have to be guided around by the old me. One thing that was nagging at my brain was what Principal Celestia said about their backgrounds. There was no information about where they had previously attended. It was as though these girls just showed up out of nowhere. What convinced them to come to this school in particular? Other schools existed throughout Canterlot. What was it about CHS that appealed to them? I could ask that question during the orientation, but they might not be willing to share. Not everyone was open about their personal lives. If they don't want me to know of such details, I'll accept that.

Also concerning was their behaviour. They could be the sweetest girls imaginable, or they could be bullies. I'm hoping it's not the latter. Otherwise, they could wind up just like me, the other students making their lives miserable as a result.

According to the P.A. announcement Vice Principal Luna gave me, I was to meet with the new students at the foyer and, from there, give them a tour of the school. I actually was expecting to meet them in Principal Celestia's office, but I guess she must have been too busy. Upon arriving at the foyer, I began to look around to see if I could spot the new girls. It didn't take long for me to notice them standing in the shadows. They certainly appeared friendly based on their silhouettes, but I'd find out for certain once things got underway.

" Hi! Welcome to Canterlot High!" I announced.

" Thank you!" The middle girl, the yellow-skinned one, said in response.

" Sorry if I kept you three waiting. I was busy dealing with something else that distracted me far longer than I thought." I said.

" That's okay. We actually just arrived here ourselves. We figured we'd have time to get a bite to eat before coming. To be honest, we weren't expecting someone like you to be giving us an orientation of the school. I don't mean that as an insult. It's just that we were told that our guide was someone who would be able to give us the best experience we could ask for." The middle girl said.

" I'm not offended, but I am the one who will be giving you the tour. I take it that you're the ones I'm supposed to show around?" I asked.

" We are!" The middle girl said as she and her two companions walked forward out of the shadows. My first reaction was one of shock. Their choice of clothes were certainly interesting. Or rather, I should say striking! If I didn't know any better, I'd swear they were being sexy for the sake of it. Wait! Did I just seriously think that!? I must be losing my mind to have such thoughts. I mean, they were attractive, what with their clothes and how they swayed back and forth every now and then as they walked toward me. What has this world come to by having students like this!? Either way, there's nothing I could do about it. It's a choice they made.

" Um, you three certainly have quite the flair." I said.

" We do pride ourselves on our appearances, after all." The middle girl said.

" Oh?" I asked.

" We know what people want when it comes to sex, so we appeal to their curiosity whenever possible. While we know that doing such things in a place like this would be... inappropriate, some people just can't seem to get enough of us." The middle girl said.

" Um... My name is Sunset Shimmer." I said.

" I am Adagio Dazzle and these are my two sisters, Aria Blaze to my right, and Sonata Dusk to my left." The middle girl said. Her hand gestures were mesmerizing. I found myself following them along like I were a kitten enraptured by a penlight. When I realized what I was doing, I shook my head to snap myself out of the trance. This girl wasn't kidding when she said that they pride themselves on their appearances.

" So, shall we get started with the tour?" I asked.

" By all means." Adagio answered.

" Is there any particular place you would like the tour to start? Or would you prefer me to just give you a general overview?" I asked.

" That is quite a tough choice, but I think we would like to begin where all the action is. You know, where our fellow students tend to hang out the most. We figure that getting to know such places would allow us to get a better understanding of this school's dynamic." Adagio answered. I could tell that she was being sarcastic about it being a difficult choice, and I bet she was aware of that fact. So, I decided to just let it pass. Otherwise, I could find myself trying to talk my way out of something awkward. One thing I did notice straight away was that only this Adagio Dazzle did all of the talking. Her two companions had yet to say anything, but their facial expressions told me their opinions. While it would have been nice to hear what those two had to say, I suppose it wasn't all that important.

" I can already tell that you three are going to enjoy being here." I said.

" Oh, yes, we really sense there's something... magical about this place." Adagio said. The way she said "magical"... It sounded strange to me. It was as though these three girls knew something and were keeping it to themselves. Hopefully, that was just an isolated incident, and the orientation will go smoothly. I really wanted to make a good first impression on these girls, so I had to do my best to make this a memorable experience. I then beckoned them to follow me, leading them to the library, which was where most students tended to hang out. Despite it being close to the end of the school day, there were plenty of students in the library, studying or otherwise. On occasion, I would watch the expressions of Adagio and her companions to see if they were impressed with what they saw. Their smiles told me that they were enjoying themselves, but perhaps they were enjoying it too much.

" The library is right through those double-doors, and there's a computer lab in there, as well, in case you feel the need to surf the web or something. The science lab is down the hallway to my left, and if you go down that hallway over there, you'll reach the gym." I said.

" So this is the hot spot of the school?" Adagio asked.

" I guess you could call it that." I answered.

" Sounds like the kind of place the three of us would frequently visit. Oh! What do we have over here?" Adagio asked. She had taken notice of a poster hanging on the nearby wall, and walked over to see what it was all about. It was one of the posters advertising the Musical Showcase. It sounded like Adagio was interested in wanting to participate, but I didn't know if they could because they didn't have any instruments. Then again, Principal Celestia did also mention that you could just sing, if you preferred.

" We're having a big musical showcase this weekend from Friday to Sunday! The entire school has been talking about it non-stop for the past few days, and the hype has been pretty intense. It's a charity event where we'll be raising money to provide funding towards extracurricular activities. All you have to do is either sing, play an instrument, or both." I answered.

" A musical showcase?" Adagio asked.

" I know you three have only just transferred to our school, but if you asked Principal Celestia, I'm sure she would allow you to take part as well." I answered.

" We have been known to sing from time to time." Aria said.

" Oh!" I exclaimed.

" Is there a problem?" Aria asked.

" It's just, you startled me. So far, it's only been Adagio who's been doing all of the talking, so hearing you suddenly say something caught me off guard." I answered.

" Pfft, whatever. Doesn't change the fact that we sing very well." Aria said. Based on those few words alone, I knew that she was someone who had a bad attitude and probably didn't like talking to anyone unless they were on equal footing with her. While her words weren't malicious, she might want to change her attitude before the other students got wind of it. I then turned my attention towards the final girl. Sonata, I believed her name was. What kind of personality would she have? Negative? Sultry? A mixture of the two? Or something completely different?

" Hello? We sing, like, all the time." Sonata said. I couldn't tell straight away as to what kind of personality she had, aside from being sarcastic, but I would quickly discover that she got on the nerves of the other two, especially Adagio. " It's how we get people to do what we want." The moment Sonata said that, Adagio turned toward her with a growling motion, and all I could do was watch her reaction. Did Sonata say something Adagio didn't want her to say? And what did she mean by getting people to do what they wanted? Before I could attempt to figure out the meaning behind her words, Sonata spoke again. " Wha-what did I say? Seriously, what did I say that got you so riled up? That's what we do, right? I was just saying what we usually do." She was acting like she were completely clueless! This Sonata could be best described as not being all there. As Applejack would put it, she was a few apples short of a basketful.

" Now, why would you go and say such a ridiculous thing?" Adagio asked.

" Ridiculous? It didn't sound that way to me." Sonata answered.

" Perhaps I should explain things to Sunset Shimmer here. Your choice of words have left her feeling confused." Adagio said.

" Sorry about that." Sonata said.

" What my friend meant to say is that we believe that this musical showcase would be a perfect chance for us to meet other students and get to know them better. I know you suggested that we try the library, the computer room, and the science lab, but those are places we wouldn't normally frequent because it would cramp our style. The three of us would be thrilled to take part in this showcase. While playing instruments isn't exactly our forté, our singing is beyond compare! No one can beat us when it comes to singing." Adagio said.

" It's true! We're really good at what we do!" Sonata said.

" So, what she said about making people do what we want? Completely ridiculous and baseless! Sonata here was just confused because I usually do all of the talking for her. She can get a little too excited, especially when she meets new people for the very first time. Please, Sunset Shimmer! Pay no attention to what she just said." Adagio said. While I nodded my head, I felt uncomfortable with the whole ordeal. They really wanted to drop the subject, so I decided to play along with it for the time being. Yet, it felt like they were hiding something, but what it was, I didn't know. This wasn't the kind of first impression I was thinking of. I mean, I've shown them that I could be someone that they would want to have as a friend. But their behaviour had me thinking otherwise. " So, we are all clear about this confusion, yes?" Adagio asked.

" Ohhhh, yeah. What she said I meant to say. That's what I meant. To say." Sonata answered.

" Smooth move, Sonata." Aria said, sarcastically.

" What do you mean?" Sonata asked.

" We haven't even been here for thirty minutes, and already you're acting as dumb as usual. Why do you think Adagio and I constantly tell you to keep quiet? You constantly spout out nonsense!" Aria answered.

" Can I help it if I like to be expressive?" Sonata asked.

" That's my point entirely! What you think is expression is actually just annoying! If you had any idea of what you're talking about, you would have said what Adagio said, rather than just standing there, staring off into space and having her explain your actions to a complete stranger. You're just the worst." Aria answered.

" No! You are!" Sonata shouted.

" Nice comeback." Aria said.

" Why do you have to be like that, Aria?" Sonata asked.

" Because someone has to constantly remind you that you don't think before you speak. Unfortunately, that someone is me, and it just keeps on grating me that I have to do it." Aria answered. Both girls then literally butted heads, their noses touching. Each were baring her teeth, clearly angry. It looked as though they were about to fight, but then Adagio raised her hands which caused them to stop before they looked in her direction. No wonder Adagio is so calm. She had to deal with this on a regular basis. It became second-nature to her.

" That's enough from you two!" Adagio announced.

" But--" Aria and Sonata said.

" Don't make me repeat myself!"

" Fine!"

" I am so, so sorry for their sudden outburst, Sunset Shimmer. They're both usually much better than this, but I guess they're still idiots! Canterlot High is a place where friendships abound, and arguing like children is the worst thing that we could do. I'm hoping that their idiocy doesn't make you think any less of them, or myself, of course, as I usually have to put them in their place." Adagio said. As the other two girls huffed at one another before looking away, noses turned up, I began to think about what I had just witnessed. I had assumed that these three girls were really close, but it seemed there were some issues they had to work out between them. Aria was negative, and Sonata was oblivious to everything around her. Adagio, on the other hand, had her hands full, yet she desired for all three of them to strut their stuff. As I continued to stare at them, Aria and Sonata turned back to face each other before begrudgingly hugging at the behest of Adagio.

Surprisinly, throughout that little moment, the three girls constantly swayed their bodies around in a sensual fashion, and it was difficult for me to look away. Were they trying to seduce me? I thought such expressions were meant to be performed on guys. But I guess it didn't matter to them the sex of their audience, so long as they got attention. I shook my head to get their sexual messages out of my mind, and that's when I noticed each of them were wearing a jewelled pendant around their necks. There was something alluring about them, it made me want to get a closer look. I began to step forward slowly, towards Adagio, my eyes fixated on those jewels. I couldn't help myself. The gems were so beautiful! I tried to stop my legs from continuing their movement, but it was in vain, as I kept taking step after step. Once I was close enough to Adagio, I reached out to touch her pendant, and she suddenly turned around, making this entire situation more awkward than ever.

" Oh! Um, I know this looks weird, but I have a very good explanation." I said.

" I should hope so." Adagio said, taken aback by my sudden approach.

" Those are very pretty jewelled pendants you're wearing around your necks. Where did you--" I said, reaching out for it again. Adagio suddenly grabbed my wrist, and I winced slightly. She had a powerful grip. Her sudden action also snapped me out of my little trance. Had I seriously tried to go for that pendant again? What in the world was wrong with me? Why was I trying to stoop to such a low level? My heart began to beat at a rapid pace. I was becoming fearful that I had just blown my chances of making a good first impression with such a pathetic display.

" Sorry about that." Adagio said, releasing her grip on my wrist. I clutched it with my other hand to soothe the pain.

" No, it was my fault for doing that and making you uncomfortable." I said.

" You were mesmerized by my pendant, weren't you?" Adagio asked.

" I've never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life. Where did you get them?" I answered.

" These pendants mean an awful lot to us. We received them a long time ago and became attached to them ever since. In fact, you could say that we would be nothing without them. We'd just hate for anything to happen to them. That's why I reacted the way I did. I thought that you were trying to take it from me when you reached out with your hand." Adagio said.

" Um, right." I said.

" Well, I think we've seen everything that we needed to see on this tour." Adagio said.

" But, we haven't even covered a quarter of the school." I said, protesting.

" We all appreciate you giving us this little orientation, Sunset Shimmer, but I think we will take our leave of you now. I'm certain the three of us will quickly figure out where everything is, so if you'll excuse us." Adagio said. She and Aria then started to walk away, yet Sonata kept on staring at me, and I was expecting her to actually do something other than stare with that blank expression. Adagio suddenly walked back, grabbed Sonata by the arm, and pulled her away, which was a huge relief. This had been the strangest thing I've experienced, and I'm even including what I've seen back in Equestria. They seemed to be rather defensive when it came to anyone wanting to get close to those pendants, so perhaps they will warn others about it in the future? There was also something else that I had sensed throughout the whole ordeal. I could sense a strange aura that surrounded each of them, but it was very faint. I couldn't tell what it was.

As the three girls walked out of sight, I began to think about what I had just witnessed. They seemed harmless, despite their erratic behaviour. Surely they wouldn't cause problems here at CHS. Another thought then raced through my mind. They acted as though they didn't know who I was, but what if someone out on the front lawn warned them about my past? That meant they could have been pretending to act so irrational so as to not be taken advantage of, were they to suspect me of being trouble. I really wanted to make a good first impression, but it looked like I failed. Maybe my desire to prove that I had reformed was merely a waste of time? I was expecting some kind of forgiveness by now, yet I still remained isolated and scorned by my peers. Perhaps this was just meant to be my fate after all.

" Those Sirens raised a bunch of red flags." I said.

" No wonder you wanted our friends to be by your side. They must have been really difficult to talk to, huh?" Twilight asked.

" The weirdest part was how Adagio reacted to my attempt at reaching out for her pendant. As I mentioned, those jewels were the source of their power, but I didn't know that at the time. I assumed they were just accessories, which prompted me to lose control of my inhibitions for only just a moment." I answered.

" It makes sense she would be so defensive." Twilight said.

" They were trying to protect their true nature from me." I said.

" What really had me questioning your sanity, Sunset, was when you became mesmerized by their movements. How could you be seduced like that? I mean, I know they're hot. Really, really hot. But come on!" Twilight said. She suddenly gasped, and covered her mouth with both hands when she realized what she had admitted. Quickly turning her head towards me, she was blushing a bright red before looking down at the ground. " Now I feel like they have seduced me! And through a photo of them, no less! Gah! This is truly embarrassing!" I would have laughed at her little freak-out, but I refrained from doing so. The Sirens ability to make people succumb to their charms was one of their many powers, yet it wasn't the worst that they were capable of. No, they had far greater powers that they could access, once their power had grown strong enough.

" Twilight..." I began.

" What is it?" Twilight asked.

" I was one of the lucky ones." I answered.

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" I still ultimately resisted their charms. During lunch period the next day, the other students... They weren't as fortunate." I answered.

Chapter 27: Battle!

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Thunderstorm
Time: 12:10pm

I thought that giving new students an orientation of the school would be easy, but it turned out to be more difficult than I initially suspected. These three girls--Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk--were flamboyant in appearance with their sexy clothes and sensual mannerisms, and while that was certainly unexpected, their personalities were really unexpected. My encounter with them was nothing short of stressful, and I sensed something off about them. Were they trying to hide something from me? Or was I just too stressed from of trying to come to grips with my own problems? Worst of all, my attempt at making a good first impression had failed. The next day, after speaking to Trixie Lulemoon, who held no grudges against me, I went to talk to my friends about how the orientation went. At least they believed my words. Everyone else would have turned a blind eye to me. On another note, I would soon learn an important lesson regarding CHS: The school cafeteria was prone to having musical numbers out of the blue.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 14, 2015
Chapter 27: Battle!

" While I brainwashed the entire student body for about five minutes, the Sirens had everyone under their power for a few days." I said.

" I know that they needed negative energy in order to sustain themselves, but why not go after the Equestrian magic? Why target innocent students?" Twilight asked.

" The Sirens had no idea that the magic they sought was inside the bodies of five students. At the same time, they were pretty weak. When Star Swirl the Bearded banished them to this world, they only had enough power to keep themselves alive, as I mentioned before. To just acquire Equestrian magic like that would have been impossible, so they had to gain power first. I blame myself for giving them the incentive to take advantage of everyone." I answered.

" Sunset..." Twilight said.

" They knew that humans were competitive in nature and would do whatever it took to achieve their desires. So, their plan involved manipulating student's emotions to make them more aggressive towards one another. In turn, this compelled them to want to turn the Musical Showcase into the Battle of the Bands. The idea of doing something for charity was cast aside in favour of making it an intense competition, where everyone was at each other's throats. Had I not given the Sirens the idea of joining the showcase, they would never have used everyone like that just to feed themselves." I said. I then pounded my fist into the ground with enough force to make me wince. In another bout of self-hatred, I repeated this many times, raising my other hand to stop Twilight from trying to prevent me from punishing myself. After a while, my hand began bleeding, and I finally stopped. Twilight quickly grabbed some tissues from her backpack and wrapped them around my hand to prevent the blood from dripping on the floor. I was expecting her to give me another lecture about not punishing myself, but surprisingly, she just sat there and smiled at me.

" I know you're surprised that I'm not lecturing you again, but there is one thing you didn't take into consideration." Twilight said.

" And what's that?" I asked.

" Even if you hadn't given the Sirens the idea of using the showcase to their advantage, they would have come up with something anyway." Twilight answered. Realizing the simple truth of it, I slapped my forehead with my bandaged hand, hurting myself further, though unintentionally this time. " I wish you hadn't gone and done that, Sunset. I guess I'll have to turn the pages of the journal for a while." While it meant she would be snuggling up next to me, I didn't mind. Whenever she did that, I felt immensely better. It was as though her very presence gave me the strength to fight off against the darkness that still hung over me like a veil. " What did you do after they left to do whatever?"

" It was the end of the day, so I decided to hang around the school library for a while. Since my place of residence was an area of the library no one ever visited, I took the time to get used to my new surroundings. After all, I'd be seeing it a lot in the coming days. Principal Celestia had made sure that someone--most likely Ms. Cheerilee--provided me with a small desk, a chair, a blanket, a mattress, and a key that would enable me to gain access to the library of a night." I answered.

" No one knew where the Sirens went?" Twilight asked.

" They were very secretive about what they did. Some said they just wandered about Canterlot until they disappeared, but I never paid any attention to it. I assumed they wanted some privacy, so I left it at that. Yet, throughout that night, my mind continued to be plagued with questions about their intentions. Who were they? Where did they come from? Why did I have this odd feeling about them? Why come to CHS, of all places? By the time the next day came along, I was no closer to figuring out the truth." I answered. I then noticed Twilight was writing down something on her notepad, and I became curious as to her intent. When I turned my eyes downwards in order to see what she was writing, I blushed before screaming out, scaring her out of her wits. " TWILIGHT! Why did you write something like that down!?"

" I was curious how you could shower while sleeping in the library at night." Twilight said.

" Well, don't bother trying to figure that one out. I'd rather keep that one little tidbit to myself, thank you very much." I said. Twilight simply chuckled at how defensive I was being about something so trivial. I found no humour in it myself; it was extremely private. Once she apologized for writing that down, and I reminded myself that she was simply curious, she continued on. " What about this 'Battle of the Bands' you mentioned?

" It was what the Musical Showcase was turned into when the Sirens used their singing to manipulate everyone. I wanted to tell our friends about my experiences during my orientation with the Sirens, but we would soon learn that we were dealing with something that was Equestrian in origin." I answered.

Throughout the night, my mind was plagued with questions regarding my orientation with those new girls. They appeared normal--despite their rather attractive, otherworldly vibe--as far as I could tell, yet why were they so protective of those jewelled pendants? I knew some people didn't like their personal belongings being touched, but what that Adagio Dazzle did made me felt like I had committed a crime. I guess it was also my own fault for being so enamoured with those jewels. Then, there was that strange feeling I had. I could barely sense some kind of aura coming from the three girls, but at the time, I chose to ignore it because I was stressed out with my own problems. Yet, why did it continue plaguing my mind? What was it about them that made me think like that? When I finally managed to get some sleep after pondering over it for a couple of hours, I couldn't even get such thoughts out of my dreams. It felt like I knew them from somewhere, but where, I didn't know.

The next day, I went to class as usual, and despite my fellow students continuing to torment me, I was more focused on what happened during that orientation. I even had my teacher question my attention span, as those thoughts continued to swell about my mind, distracting me during class. Try as I might, I just couldn't get those three girls out of my head. I then thought about what they might be going through after seeing how I acted. I wanted to make a good first impression on them, in the hopes that they hadn't been made aware of the troubles I used to cause at CHS before discovering friendship. Yet, my behaviour, especially when I tried to grab one of those pendants, acted against my intentions. I thought about maybe confronting them again and trying to patch things up, but I decided to talk to my friends instead. If anyone could understand my experiences, it would be them. Of course, I had to steer the subject away from the upcoming Musical Showcase. After all, that was the talk of the school.

When the lunch period came along, I made a beeline towards the cafeteria, but came to a stop when a student called and beckoned me to talk to her. Normally, that wouldn't happen, given my poor reputation after the Fall Formal, yet this one girl was different. She was one of the few students whose secrets I never exposed. I never could uncover anything--Snips and Snails never could either--because she made sure to keep it all locked away.

" You seem to be in an awful hurry, Sunset Shimmer!"

" Hello, Trixie." I said. Trixe Lulemoon. She certainly had her own unique style and flare among the students of CHS. She prided herself as being "The Great and Powerful Trixie" and constantly reminded people of that fact at every possible opportunity. To me, she was just being a braggart. Trixie saw herself as the best student at CHS, yet she would never stoop to anything malicious. Despite her attitude, she had a heart of gold. One of her more unique quirks was that she referred to herself in the third person. Because I never exposed any of her secrets, Trixie held no grudge against me, so she had no need to torment me.

" I take it that you gave those new girls their orientation?" Trixie asked.

" How did you know?" I asked.

" Trixie knows everything! Also, I happened to be in Vice Principal Luna's office the other day getting something sorted out." Trixie answered.

" What do you want?" I asked.

" I was curious about the history behind those new girls, so Trixie asked Vice Principal Luna about them. She thought that I had some ulterior motive, but I assured her that wasn't the case. She had very little to say. It was as though they just popped up out of thin air. They had no records of where they've been in terms of previous education, and weren't even registered in Canterlot's Citizen Database. I know you had a similar circumstance, Sunset Shimmer, but you've somehow dealt with that little problem. Anyway, I thought you wanted to know. Trixie, unlike most of the students who have treated you unfairly, holds nothing against you." Trixie answered. Her choice of words did make me think of her as nothing more than a annoying braggart, but she had given me a clue without even realizing it. These girls had no records at all. They were just like I was when I first came here. No... could they be? Nah. That was impossible.

" Well, I appreciate you telling me that." I said.

" Don't think that I am just giving you this information for free. You will need to pay Trixie back for it." Trixie said.

" How much do I owe you?" I asked.

" Owe? Oh no! Trixie has no intention of making you pay me back with money. I have more than enough of that, thank you very much. But, I do have the perfect way for you to pay off this little debt. As I'm sure you know, the Musical Showcase is this weekend, and numerous bands are taking part. My band 'The Illusions' have registered to perform, and your friends have registered with their band, too. What did they call themselves? The Raingoons? The Rainbrooms? The Rainblossoms? Whatever! The point is, they will be there participating, and this is where you come in, Sunset Shimmer. Trixie doesn't want you to play in their band! Period!" Trixie answered.

" I'm not going to." I said.

" Then you are smart for not wanting to." Trixie said.

" No, it's got nothing to do with that. I just don't have any skills playing an instrument. As for singing... No, I think I'll just leave it at that." I said. It wasn't surprising that someone like Trixie would consider making me pay her back for being helpful. It was a relief that she didn't ask me to pay using money. I already struggled to make ends meet, so I needed all the money I could get. Still, it was shrewish of Trixie to do what she did, proof that although she held no grudge for my past, she wasn't exactly nice to me.

" Is that so? Well, I'll accept that as your form of payment. Hopefully, you were able to make a good impression on those new students. After all, you've been picked on every day since the Fall Formal ended last month. You don't want to add to the list of those who show animosity towards you. Trixie would love to stick around and continue with this delightful conversation, but she needs to make her way to the cafeteria. Trixie needs her lunch, and if she hangs around here, she's not going to get what she wants." Trixie said. She then gave me a salute before walking down the hallway. When she was out of sight, I breathed a sigh of relief. Trixie, for better or worse, was difficult to deal with because of her behaviour. I recalled in my mind what Rainbow Dash said happened at the music store in the mall and compared it to what I had just experienced.

Trixie was a lot like the students who used to attend CHS before graduating. They were full of themselves, thinking they were the greatest thing ever. Many secretly wanted them to be brought down a peg. I know that I had a hand in making such egotistical students miserable, exposing their secrets, among other things. And while they deserved what they got, I also felt guilty over my actions. For a few moments, I stood there in the hallway, arms folded, eyes slightly crossed, thinking about how my actions hurt those who were practically hurting others. It wasn't a good feeling.

Eventually, I started thinking more about what Trixie said about the new students. I found it strange that they had no previous records. I know my credentials wouldn't have made much sense in this world, but at least I had something. These girls had nothing. Perhaps they never had an education, and this was their chance at finally getting one? No, that didn't make sense. Maybe they're truants or runaways. No, that made even less sense. The more I thought about it, the more my brain continued to ache. What could I be missing here? Clearly, there was a connection, and I just couldn't find it! My stomach then started rumbling, an indication that I needed something inside it. Otherwise, I'm not going to be hearing the end of it. I began walking towards the cafeteria, and along the way, I noticed those girls again. They were hanging out by some lockers, and while it was just a brief moment, I could see them talking amongst themselves. I had no idea what was being said, but before moving on, I noticed Adagio slap herself in the forehead after Sonata said something. I decided to pay it no mind.

" Were they up to something?" Twilight asked.

" At that moment, no. They were just having a private conversation, but I would soon discover that I was wrong about that." I answered.

" I was surprised at how you felt about that Trixie girl." Twilight said.

" Despite her tirade about being great and powerful, she can be very nice once you get past the bravado. It was actually very convenient that she happened to be curious about the Sirens, since she gave me some clues about them. They weren't the best clues, but it was better than having nothing to go on. Princess Twilight once told me about the Trixie who exists in Equestria, and compared to the one who attends CHS, we got off lucky." I said. Twilight looked at me with that cute confused expression that had really grown on me, so I explained what I mean to put her mind at rest. At least, for this particular concern. " The Equestrian Trixie was much more boisterous and even became corrupted by a magical amulet that she supposedly purchased from a shop, turning her into a cruel mistress."

" Do all artefacts from Equestria corrupt the minds of ponies?" Twilight asked.

" Some do, and that's because they were forged with dark magic. Most were created to wield good magic, yet can become corrupted if the person using them was initially corrupted themselves. I'm a living example of that." I answered. I then noticed Twilight scribbling down something on her notepad. I was curious about what she was writing in such a hurry, but I decided not to pursue. I assumed she was writing something down for her own benefit, though I had a suspicion it had to do with what I said about Equestrian artefacts. What was known about such artefacts, from what I could remember during my studies, was small compared with what remained unknown, and it was this facet that drove ponies dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge to want to uncover such secrets. Looking back on it, perhaps the jewelled pendants the Sirens used were artefacts. It made sense, as I had never seen anything quite like them.

" What happened next?" Twilight asked.

" I went to the cafeteria to get some food and to let our friends know what happened the other day with the orientation. What none of us knew was that the Sirens were about to make their first move in their bid to achieve their goal. It's funny that they chose to strike when everyone was in the cafeteria." I answered.

" How so?" Twilight asked.

" Because for the second time, the cafeteria would become the location of a musical performance." I answered.

Upon reaching the cafeteria, I could hear the sounds of many students coming from the other side. In the past, back when I was the bad girl, whenever I entered, everyone stopped what they were doing and cowered in fear of my presence. These days, they just ignored me, which allowed me to reach my friends at their usual table. This was perhaps the one time where no one looked at me with cold expressions. My friends never called out my name whenever I entered the cafeteria, as they knew what the consequences for me would be. Back when I ruled the school, everyone sat with their clique. Now, such things didn't matter; everyone mingled and sat where they wanted because of how strong friendship had gotten since the Formal. The exception to the rule was me. I couldn't sit where I wanted, as no one wanted me. If not for my friends, I'd either be sitting at a table on my own or avoiding the cafeteria altogether.

When I pushed open the double-doors softly, I could see that my hearing had been correct. Every student must have been there having lunch. Or they were serving something extra special today. The last time it ever got this noisy was when Princess Twilight and my friends performed that song which began her long march towards winning the Princess of the Fall Formal. I never did catch what those lyrics were, as I was outside watching them. It must have been a magical moment, and I missed it because of my attitude. Looking around to see if my friends were at their usual table, I instantly picked out Applejack's Stetson hat from among the large crowd and slowly walked over to their table. As usual, no one paid any attention to me, which was a relief, and when I arrived at the table, I pulled out a chair and sat down. I would have gotten something to eat, but I felt that I needed to explain what happened the other day. It was all I could think of.

" Hey!" I announced.

" You look like y'all got a lot on yer mind." Applejack said.

" That's the understatement of the year." I said.

" How did the orientation turn out?" Applejack asked.

" It could have gone better." I answered.

" You were looking forward to it for the past several days, and now you're sayin' that it didn't go very well?" Applejack asked.

" I mean, it went well enough, but I felt really uncomfortable around those new girls. At first, everything was going well, and despite their choice of clothes, they seemed really nice." I answered. The others looked at me with confused faces, so I explained to them what I meant regarding their appearances. " They were just screaming sexy, and had no problems strutting their stuff." Even I began to look just as confused, a reminder that these girls had left me thinking about them in a way that was unhealthy for me. Applejack then offered me a piece of her apple cobbler, but I politely declined. My mind was too fixated on what happened to be concerned about food, despite my stomach growling in frustration over not being fed. " As the orientation continued, they began to act really strange, like they were trying to hide something." I said.

" Strange?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Okay, more like off." I answered.

" Like, off like this?" Pinkie Pie asked, grabbing the vegetables on her plate before arranging them on her face in a goofy manner. This made me chuckle slightly. I could always rely on Pinkie to make me feel better whenever she did something like that. "Or off like this?" Pinkie then arranged the vegetables to form a new goofy expression, prompting me to chuckle again. "Or... Oh, oh! Like--" She was about to arrange them again, but was cut off by Rainbow Dash who noticed that Pinkie's antics were preventing me from being able to explain what happened.

" Maybe we should just let her tell us." Rainbow Dash said.

" Okay!" Pinkie Pie said, as she stopped arranging her vegetables before cracking a smile. A carrot hanging on the edge of her lip then dropped down onto her plate, and once more I was chuckling away. I really needed a good laugh at that moment.

" I just can't put my finger on it. They were acting normal until one of them mentioned something that had me concerned. Then another girl--I assume their leader--scolded her for apparently speaking out of line. That's when I became enthralled by the jewelled pendants they were wearing around their necks. I don't think I've ever seen jewels as beautiful as those. Even Rarity would find herself ogling them because of how fascinating they were. Yet, when I couldn't stop myself any longer and tried to reach out for one, their leader lashed out at me. It was like she wanted to protect her pendant at all costs." I said.

" Makes sense she would do that." Rainbow Dash said.

" How do you figure?" Applejack asked.

" You were probably coming off as pretty creepy to them when you did that, Sunset Shimmer, so it's not surprising that they would take offence. If I had been in their shoes at that exact moment, I'd have done the exact same thing. Some people are very protective about their belongings, even when they shouldn't be flaunting them about in the open." Rainbow Dash answered.

" It doesn't matter though." I said.

" Why not?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Maybe someone told them about the kind of person I used to be. Or maybe they found out about it by listening on someone else's conversation. Perhaps they did all of that weird stuff because they were afraid that I would bully them. I really wanted to make a good first impression, to show that I have changed from who I was before. Now, after what happened the other day, I feel like my efforts just aren't enough. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this." I answered.

" Don't say that!" Pinkie Pie said.

" She's right! You can't just give up now! Just because you had a bad experience don't mean squat! We've all seen what you've been doin' to show everyone how you've changed since the Fall Formal, and despite the mistreatment y'all have received, you keep going because you believe they will come around. Hopefully, you'll get another chance to talk to those new girls sometime. You can show 'em the real you, not what they saw before." Applejack said.

" Thanks, Applejack, but I left an awful first impression." I said, sighing.

" Uh-huh." Fluttershy said, prompting us to turn towards her, where she froze on the spot momentarily. " Oh, that's probably not it." She then began to slink down in her seat upon saying that, and we continued to look at her with frowns. That's when I noticed those girls were standing outside the double-doors, and immediately let the others know that they were out there. We couldn't hear what they were saying, but their body language suggested some kind of argument was taking place. After staring at them for a few moments, we decided to ignore them and change the subject towards the upcoming showcase.

" I was thinking we could play 'Awesome as I Wanna Be' when we perform." Rainbow Dash suggested.

" We're supposed to be playing together, not get reduced to playing as your backup." Applejack said.

" What do you suggest?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" How about what we rehearsed the other day?" Applejack asked.

" Yeah, I suppose that one could work. Or, we could try another song that I wrote a while ago." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Um, I wrote a song. I think it's really good." Fluttershy said meekly. Rainbow Dash completely ignored what she had said and instead focused on speaking with Applejack, which prompted me to turn towards her, a look of sadness on my face. Fluttershy really did struggle with expressing her opinions. She often remained quiet while allowing others to do all of the talking, yet whenever she had something to say, no one paid her any attention. I related to her because of that. Students were ignoring me--for different reasons than what Fluttershy was going through--when I tried to speak, so I felt Fluttershy's anguish on a personal level. Maybe she ought to consider being more assertive instead of remaining in the background. It could give her some much needed confidence.

" What do you think?" Rainbow Dash asked me, looking in my direction.

" Huh? Me?" I asked.

" Which song should we play?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" My opinion doesn't really matter since I'm not part of the band, but if I were to make a decision--" I began before being cut off when the double-doors suddenly burst open, which caused everyone to look in that direction. Those three girls then entered the cafeteria, where they began singing in unison. Right away, I felt something was wrong with this scenario. Just a few minutes ago, they looked to be arguing, going by their body language, yet now they were acting like nothing happened. Maybe what we saw them doing was just poor misconception on our part. In any case, this would prove interesting. These girls claimed to be amazing singers, so now I would get to see if their words were true or not. Adagio began singing.

" We heard you want to get together.

We heard you want to rock this school.

We've thought of something that is better.

Something that changes all the rules."

Judging from those first few moments of their singing, they definitely knew how to keep their audience mesmerized. Everyone was just staring at them and couldn't pull their eyes away, as though they had been put under some kind of hypnotic suggestion. Another thing I noted was that Adagio appeared to do most of the singing, while the other two were singing backup vocals. I thought all three of them sung on equal terms, but it seems that wasn't the case. Aria and Sonata looked as though they had no issues with Adagio taking the point, a stark contrast to their behaviour from the other day. Then I began to think about Adagio's choice of lyrics. It sounded like they had their own idea for how the musical showcase should be handled. If they think something needed to be changed, why sing about it? Why not ask Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna about it?

" We don't have to be one and the same thing.

Oh, what's so wrong with a little competition?

Are you afraid of failing the audition?" The three girls sung.

Were they trying to convince everyone that the musical showcase should be more competitive in nature? Granted, I could see some of them, like Rainbow Dash, being on board with the idea, but the point of the showcase was to raise money for extracurricular activities. Why would these girls not want us to have a fundraiser? I then looked around to see what everyone else thought about this message, and my eyes widened in shock. The numerous pairs of eyes staring at the girls--who never stopped moving fluidly, sexily, enchantingly--seemed completely mesmerized, yet my friends and I looked at one another in confusion before resuming our watch of this display. That's when other students began looking at one another, eyes narrowed, expressions becoming aggressive. Why was that happening all of a sudden? The answer eluded me. I didn't know what to make of this.

" Battle! You wanna win it!

Let's have a battle, battle of the bands!" The three girls sung.

Seriously!? A battle! As I looked around in a mad panic, students had since gotten up from their seats and began acting aggressively. Why were they suddenly acting out like savage beasts? They were perfectly fine before those girls entered the cafeteria. Things got worse when strange, green auras began surrounding everyone which, in turn, gave off a green mist that quickly began covering up the floor. My friends and I weren't under such strange effects. What was happening? The new girls continued with their emphasis on wanting to make the showcase competitive by repeating the same word over and over--battle--and it was having an effect on everyone, each student declaring that they wanted to win no matter what.

What was causing them to change just like that? Could it be coming from the lyrics the new girls were singing about? Or was it their voices in general that were lulling students into changing? Then, something else happened that added another dimension to the problem. Once they had finished with their singing, the girls simply stood there and appeared to be basking in all of that green mist. It was like they were absorbing it somehow, as the mist quickly flowed into them. No one, aside from my friends and me, took notice of this, as everyone else was too busy arguing with one another. If Princess Twilight had witnessed what had just happened, her heart would be crushed. She worked so hard to fix the mess that I caused, and now her efforts had been tossed aside. I also felt my heart breaking, as this was the kind of thing I didn't want to go through again. I wanted to move on from such pain. Yet, it appeared as though I couldn't escape from its influence.

" Ohhhh. They're that kind of 'off'." Pinkie Pie said. I couldn't agree more with her simple analysis of the situation.

" And that's how the Musical Showcase became the Battle of the Bands." I said.

" Just like that?" Twilight asked.

" Once the Sirens had everyone under their control through their singing, it was unanimous that they wanted the showcase to be changed." I answered.

" And our friends?" Twilight asked.

" It didn't take long for them to realize that they were unaffected by the Sirens' hypnotic vocals. This was due to the Equestrian magic inside of them that was left behind when Princess Twilight returned to Equestria. The Sirens didn't know that and just assumed they either didn't listen or weren't significant enough. In time, the Sirens would figure out why our friends were immune and would be forced to alter their plans to reflect upon that." I answered.

" That explains an awful lot, and I'm guessing Princess Twilight was also immune because her own magic protected her. But what about you, Sunset? How come you weren't affected like everyone else? You no longer had magic, right?" Twilight said.

" I thought at the time that because I was from Equestria, I had an immunity to their power, but that theory was debunked when Princess Twilight revealed the true nature of the Sirens to us. Then I assumed it was just luck that granted me protection. That idea was too unlikely to believe. So, I came to a horrible realization: Because of what I did, I was merely nothing more than an empty husk capable of having a conscience. I had no magic, no feelings, no nothing... aside from friends. The Sirens couldn't take anything from one who had nothing to give, so I was ignored completely. Eventually, I would discover the truth, but I'll reveal that later on." I said.

" Surely, you and the others told Principal Celestia about this!" Twilight said.

" We did." I said.

" Then she and Vice Principal Luna refused the Sirens' request, right?" Twilight asked.

" Um, about that..." I answered.

" Oh no!" Twilight said.

Chapter 28: Isolation

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Thunderstorms
Time: 12:56pm

What did I just experience during lunch period today? Those three girls--Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk--entered the cafeteria and started to sing, mesmerizing everyone but me and my friends. Somehow we were immune to whatever it was they were doing. But that was the least of my concerns. As their singing progressed, everyone began getting aggressive and started arguing with one another, eventually glowing with green auras and producing green mist that apparently was being absorbed into those girls. Instead of a Musical Showcase, everyone was convinced that there should be a Battle of the Bands. Why the sudden change? What kind of power did those girls use? We had to inform Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna right away, so my friends and I headed for the former's office. However, when we arrived, we found that something terrible had already happened.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 16, 2015
Chapter 28: Isolation.

Twilight looked at me hoping to get an answer, but I slowly turned away from her. She knew there and then that Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had suffered the same fate as everyone else. When the realization struck, Twilight freaked out. But, I had to quickly calm her down otherwise she might do something she would regret later.

" Calm down, Twilight--" I began.

" How can I when Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had been hypnotized by the Sirens?" Twilight asked.

" Everything turned out fine in the end. If they hadn't, I wouldn't be here reading to you, now would I? I, along with everyone else in this world, including you, would be at their beck and call by now." I answered. My words were enough to calm her down, and Twilight blushed because of overreacting. To be honest, I didn't have confidence that the Sirens would be defeated, as everything was stacked heavily against us. To think that if I hadn't stepped up when I was needed, the Sirens would be the masters of this world. Such a thought made me shiver. " We didn't know that they had been hypnotized, so we were heading to Principal Celestia's office ignorant of what happened. The Sirens made certain to get to them before going after the student body. After all, those who have authority make the rules." I said.

" Now that you mention it, I do have one question." Twilight said.

" What's that?" I asked.

" Principal Celestia is the human counterpart to Princess Celestia, right? I'm going to assume that the princess is very powerful, and therefore not susceptible to being manipulated by dark magic. I'm also going to assume that the principal has the same properties, what with being her counterpart. In that sense, Principal Celestia at the very least shouldn't have been hypnotized. I can't say the same about Vice Principal Luna as you never told me much about her counterpart in Equestria." Twilight answered. If only her assumptions were accurate, then that would have been the case. In truth, both versions of Celestia are completely different from one another, despite one being an alternate form of the other. Princess Celestia possesses arcane powers that have protected her for over a thousand years from such temptations. Principal Celestia, on the other hand, doesn't have that same power. In fact, she had none at all, save for school authority. The same could be said about the two versions of Luna.

" Twilight... Principal Celestia doesn't possess any magic. She didn't have any immunity to the Sirens' magic, so she was easy to hypnotize along with her sister. While your theory was...interesting, sadly, it holds no water." I said. Twilight then looked downward before sighing. I didn't mean to make her upset, but she had to know the truth. Otherwise, she would have eventually become confused. Turning to the next page of the journal, there were no photos, drawings, or anything to help convey this next part. No, just words that explained how things progressed. " Principal Celestia revealed to us that they were treated to a beautiful song when the Sirens paid them a visit, and that they agreed with changing the showcase into a competition. This revelation, combined with what happened to everyone in the cafeteria, made us fearful that we would be next."

" So it was you six against the entire school?" Twilight asked.

" That wasn't what we assumed when we were heading to her office." I answered.

What had just happened? What started out as another ordinary lunch period in the cafeteria had turned into something disastrous. Those three girls had finished singing a song that caused everyone to suddenly change. They went from being happy to aggressive in a heartbeat. Never in my life had I seen such a drastic change, but I suspected something was off about all of this. Those girls... was it their lyrics that changed everyone? Maybe it was their singing? Either way, they had convinced everyone that the Musical Showcase should become a Battle of the Bands instead. This went against everything that the school had been striving for! The purpose of the showcase was to raise money, and now it featured bands battling it out to see who was the best. It reminded me of what happened when I manipulated students for my own benefit. I caused them to lash out against one another, but one at a time. Those girls were able to manipulate a large gathering all at once. What kind of power did they possess? It felt familiar, like I recognized it from somewhere, yet I couldn't connect the dots.

Then there were the six of us. Why weren't we affected like everyone else? What made us special that protected us? Those girls absorbed the green mist by using those jewelled pendants. How did they do that? What was that green mist? There were so many questions, but no answers to any of them. It was times like this that I wished I had the help of Princess Twilight, as she would have an answer. While I did have confidence in my own abilities, I simply paled in comparison to Her Highness.

After waiting around for a while, the green mist disappeared, turning everything back to normal. The only exception were the angry students who continued to be in each other's faces, proclaiming that they were going to win the Battle of the Bands. As for those girls, they had since departed once the mist disappeared. While we could have gone after them, we decided against it, as we had no indication as to their intentions.

" That was really weird." Rainbow Dash said.

" Reckon I ain't seen anything quite like that before." Applejack added.

" Something about what they did is rubbing me the wrong way." I said.

" What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash.

" As I mentioned before, when I met them the other day, I sensed something strange about them. Yet, I couldn't understand why. I even began questioning myself over such feelings. I still do. What happened just now confirms my suspicions." I answered.

" You're the resident expert on these kind of things, Sunset Shimmer. None of us have any idea about this whole magic thing. I know you're not as smart as Princess Twilight, but you're the only one who can figure this out." Rainbow Dash said. That was what I didn't need. I didn't need anymore stress piled on top of what I already had. While I won't deny the fact that Her Highness is more knowledgeable, given how I lived in a world without magic for three years, I wasn't fond of having to deal with a magic problem, especially when I caused one. Magic... could that have been what I sensed coming from those girls? It sounded plausible, but without solid proof, it was nothing more than a theory.

" So what do we do now?" Rarity asked.

" I don't know about any of you, but I'm gonna speak to Principal Celestia about this here mutiny. We've all been lookin' forward to the Musical Showcase for a while, and CHS is in need of money for them extracurricular activities. Yet now, those new girls have gone and twisted everyone's minds, convincing them that we should have a competition instead. Principal Celestia needs to know what happened, so she can remind everyone what is really important." Applejack answered.

" I'm all for a competition, but not one that resulted from whatever happened." Rainbow Dash said.

" So I take that as a 'yes' that you'll come with me?" Applejack asked.

" Gotta maintain that loyalty, after all." Rainbow Dash answered, winking.

" If anyone is going to see Principal Celestia, it would be me. I mean, you all know that what we witnessed just now is a reminder of who I used to be. At least, that's what I think anyway. Besides, I believe I might know what we're up against, and I've got you to thank, Rainbow Dash." I said.

" Okay, what did I say?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" You mentioned magic when you said that I was the expert." I answered.

" Magic? What in tarnation are you getting at?" Applejack asked.

" Let's wait until everyone else is gone before we head on over to Principal Celestia's office. They're still feeling the effects of whatever those girls did, and we could still become affected if we get too close." I answered. Did I know if we would become affected by that song just by getting too close to those who had? I didn't, because this was a magic that I've never witnessed before. My lack of knowledge could cost us our freedom. Hopefully, we'd be able to figure out a solution before it's too late.

Over time, the students began to empty out of the cafeteria avoiding eye contact with one another, until we were the only ones left. I felt relieved to know that they had left; all that negativity was bringing up guilt from what I had done before. Yet at the same time, I shouldn't have felt relieved, as everyone had become hypnotized and were acting out against who they really were. To think that magic could bring out the absolute worst in people. I'm an example of that, no doubt! Those girls... was it possible that they came from Equestria? The only way they could use magic would be if they came from my world. Magic simply isn't native here. My friends were an exception to that, although they didn't quite have a firm grasp on their magic. That raises an important question. If those girls are from Equestria, when did they arrive in this world? It seemed that whenever an answer to a question was revealed, more questions lay beyond its veil.

Upon leaving the cafeteria ourselves, we began to look around to see what the mannerisms of the other students were like. So far, those we encountered in the hallways looked fine outwardly, but we had to be cautious. It would do us no good to cause a scene, especially if it meant those girls showing up and absorbing that green mist like before. As we walked down the hallways, it soon became apparent that the students really were in favour of a more competitive event. Posters and banners that had depicted the showcase has been vandalized: They were either ripped down from the walls, had graffiti on them, or both. It made me sad knowing that Equestrian magic was the cause behind this sudden change in attitude. My so-called punishment had become far worse than had I been exiled to the desolate wastes.

" Alright! What makes you think they were using magic?" Applejack asked.

" How else can you explain what happened back there? I mean, I knew there was something off about them, but I couldn't connect anything together until Rainbow Dash mentioned magic. As soon as she said that, I started to piece things together, and I can conclude that magic was used. How those girls are capable of using magic, where they got it from, and how to stop them are answers I don't have right now. In any case, they were using dark magic to hypnotize everyone and absorb whatever that green mist was." I answered.

" I never would have guessed that we would have another problem with magic at CHS." Rarity said.

" And only a month after the Fall Formal." Rainbow Dash added.

" It's my fault this is even happening in the first place. If I had never come to this world after initially leaving Equestria, there wouldn't be any magic around. Maybe I should have been taken back to Equestria and given my just punishment." I said.

" Don't blame yourself, darling." Rarity said.

" That's right! Y'all had no idea that this was gonna happen. None of us did! Those girls could have come here long before you did!" Applejack said.

" Funny thing, Applejack, is that I was thinking about that myself. If they do come from Equestria, when did they arrive? I don't think they showed up after I did, and definitely not after Princess Twilight. If they had, they would have been struggling to get used to how this world works. I know I did, and Princess Twilight must have, as well. Those girls clearly knew what they were doing, so that must mean they've been here more than three years." I said. Things were starting to make sense, but then another question immediately popped into my mind. If they had been here for a long time, why wait until now to actually do something? Why not strike back when they first showed up? Unfortunately, I had no further answers for that question. If anything, Princess Twilight would be the one to provide an answer. Yet she was unavailable and would be until the portal reopened.

" Well, it don't matter how long they've been here. We'll let Principal Celestia know all about this and those girls will be kicked to the curb in no time." Applejack said.

" Hopefully, she will be able to do something." I said.

" I'm sure she will, darling." Rarity said.

" The Musical Showcase is very important to CHS. Principal Celestia already had to deal with the aftermath of a CHS event ruined by a power-crazed lunatic once before. She doesn't need to go through that experience again." Applejack said. Her eyes widened upon saying that, and she immediately turned towards me. Despite her intention, she had referred to me as a "power-crazed lunatic" which wasn't far from the truth. Yet it still stung because of the connotation behind it. " No offence there, Sunset Shimmer. I didn't meant to imply it like that."

" None taken." I sighed.

" We'll need to carefully explain the situation. We know Principal Celestia wouldn't deny what happened during the Fall Formal, as everyone witnessed the magical rainbow, the demonic monster, our pony ears and pony tails, and the destroyed front entrance. If we make it sound like the school is going to experience more destruction, she might... panic." Rarity said.

" And how do you think we do that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" We let Sunset Shimmer tell her." Rarity answered.

" Why me?" I asked.

" You have a much better understanding of what's going on, so it makes sense that you would be the one to tell her. Don't worry; we'll be there by your side, so you won't be going through with it on your own." Rarity answered. Her reasoning made no sense, and I felt like I was being given more pressure than before. I knew I was the only one who had an idea of what was happening, but there was much that remained a mystery to me. Despite my reservations, though, I decided to go through with it anyway. My friends had my best interests in mind, and they wouldn't steer me in the wrong direction. Not on purpose, anyway.

Upon reaching Principal Celestia's office, I walked up to the door and knocked. No one replied, so I tried again. Again, there was no reply. This was odd; she was usually very punctual. I tried looking through the window to see if I could see someone, and sure enough, Principal Celestia was there, along with Vice Principal Luna. Yet, both had their backs turned, as though they were conversing amongst themselves. Still, why couldn't they hear the sounds of my knocking on the door? After knocking one more time with no response, Rainbow Dash began to lose her patience.

" Oh come on! Why are they making us wait out here like this?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Maybe they're really busy and need some time to figure things out." Applejack answered.

" It didn't look that way to me." I said.

" This is stupid! I'm about ready to kick the door down!" Rainbow Dash shouted. Applejack grabbed under her shoulders to prevent her from doing anything, which is good; if Rainbow did that, the least she would be expecting was about a few weeks of detention for damaging school property. I decided to try knocking one last time. If nothing happened, I would simply give up and maybe try again later. Upon knocking on the door, no one replied, at first, but then the sounds of shuffling could be heard coming from the other side. Curiously, I looked through the window, and saw that Principal Celestia was now sitting in her chair. Well, at least that was better than nothing. I was about to start walking away in defeat, until...

" Come in!" Principal Celestia said from the other side of the door.

" About time!" Rainbow Dash moaned.

" Let's give them the benefit of the doubt here. After all, they are in charge of running the school, so it wouldn't be a good idea to berate them." I said. Rainbow Dash pouted in response to me, and I shrugged my shoulders before grabbing the doorknob and opened the door. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna seemed to be different from their usual demeanour. Normally, Celestia would be smiling and brimming with a positive attitude, yet she had a stoic look on her face. Luna, on the other hand, usually looked stoic because of how distant she was at times. Here, she was even more distant, like she wasn't even there. As we all entered the office, Fluttershy closing the door behind us, we walked up to the desk and just stood there for a few moments. My heart was beating at an insane rate because of how awkward this felt. It reminded me of when I first met Princess Celestia a long time ago. Back then, I was just as nervous as I was right now, but at least I conjured up the means to speak. Here, not so much.

" Is there something you need?" Principal Celestia asked.

" Um, yes, there is." I answered.

" Then please tell us. We don't want you wasting our time." Principal Celestia said.

Ouch. " You see, we were in the cafeteria having lunch, and, um, those three new girls I agreed to give an orientation to the other day came in and began singing. I know that doesn't sound so bad, but it gets much worse. Their singing began hypnotizing everyone in the cafeteria, and they started arguing with one another. Not just any arguments, though. These were nasty. At first, I thought it was really strange how everyone suddenly changed like that, but I suspect those girls used some kind of dark magic. They then absorbed this weird, green mist that came from everyone before they left." I said. Both Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna looked at me with doubt in their eyes. I had a feeling my story would be one they wouldn't believe, yet why would they doubt something like that? They both saw what happened during the Fall Formal, so why give me that doubting look. What would I get from lying to them? Nothing! That's what!

" Is that all?" Principal Celestia asked.

" After we left the cafeteria, we came here to warn you about what happened." I answered.

" What do you make of this, sister?" Vice Principal Luna asked.

" Dark magic? I find that very hard to believe." Principal Celestia answered.

" As do I. The very idea that dark magic once again has invaded our school is preposterous, and blaming those new students is going too far." Vice Principal Luna said.

" Those girls came into my office earlier and were absolutely delightful." Principal Celestia said.

" Why would you think those girls would be in possession of something so absurd? Unless, of course, you are jealous of them. Yes, that does make a lot more sense than this whole dark magic excuse. At one time, you were the newest student around here, Sunset Shimmer, and you immediately took it upon yourself to 'rule the school', acting as though our authority meant nothing." Vice Principal Luna said. I never would have expected her to say it in that fashion, but I couldn't deny that her words were truthful. I did undermine them by claiming that I was dominant, but that's because my mind was consumed with wanting power. I never considered any consequences until after I was defeated because it never crossed my mind.

" These new students have come here hoping to experience everything that CHS has to offer, and you are making false accusations against them. I had thought you were much better than that, but I guess I was wrong." Principal Celestia said.

" Perhaps Sunset Shimmer is just eager to make someone else out to be a bad element. Her actions at the Fall Formal were exposed to everyone, along with the revelation of what she had been doing for the past three years. Now, she wishes for that to become old news so that we might forget. Those new girls have done nothing wrong as far as I am concerned, so I agree with my sister that you are making false accusations." Vice Principal Luna said. I couldn't believe that she said that about me! I wasn't trying to make everyone forget about my past actions. Far from it! I accepted the consequences and continue to be bullied by everyone because of it. What was going on here? Why were they making me out to be the villain when I've clearly reformed? Was this how they truly felt about me? Were Principal Celestia's kind words earlier nothing more than a façade to make me feel better? I struggled to find the appropriate words to respond with.

" Am I to assume that you have nothing to say in response?" Principal Celestia asked.

" No, I have something to say, but I'm trying to figure out how to explain it." I answered.

" Well, I'm waiting to hear it." Principal Celestia said.

" I know you two might think that I'm trying to blame those new girls while trying to cover up my own actions, but I saw everything that happened in the cafeteria. They did something to everyone which changed their personalities. What would I get from lying to you both?" I asked. If only I had gotten proof of what happened earlier, they might have been more willing to believe my claims, but I didn't think of taking a photo until after the fact.

" Hold on now!" Rainbow Dash announced.

" Do you have something to say?" Vice Principal Luna asked.

" We saw all of this go down in the cafeteria, too!" Rainbow Dash answered.

" And?" Vice Principal Luna asked.

" Sunset Shimmer isn't lying, especially if she has all of us who can back up her claim. Those girls are definitely up to something, and you need to stop them before things can get even worse." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Tell me, isn't your band participating in the Musical Showcase?" Principal Celestia asked.

" Yes." Rainbow Dash answered.

" I see where this is going now." Principal Celestia said.

" You do?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It is indeed an act of jealousy that has gripped each of you, prompting you to throw false accusations out of fear. Considering that Rainbow Dash is your band leader, according to what she wrote down when she registered, you're afraid that the Dazzlings are going to steal precious spotlight time away from you." Vice Principal Luna answered. I know that I wasn't participating personally, yet I felt Vice Principal Luna was taking things too personally in her criticisms against my friends. She had never had that kind of attitude before. She was supposed to be impartial, yet this wasn't the case at all. That's when I caught on to something she said a few moments ago. She referred to those girls as the Dazzlings? It was an unusual name, but did it imply what I think it did?

" The 'Dazzlings'?" Applejack asked.

" It's the name of their musical group. It seems that you recommended that they take part, Sunset Shimmer, so they came by earlier to do just that. I have never seen such enthusiastic students before. Some of their clothes are a bit showy, but I can overlook that. When they asked to sign up for the showcase, how could I refuse their request? They even made a suggestion on how we could improve the event, and it took us both mere seconds to agree with their proposal. They even sang a song for Vice Principal Luna and me to give us an idea on the kind of singing they were capable of. Their vocals are most exquisite, so that will make them a worthy addition." Principal Celestia answered.

" They did?" Applejack asked.

" Yes. And we think having a Battle of the Bands instead is a marvelous idea. The students are craving for a competition, and they shall receive one. I'm hoping that you six won't complain about this change." Principal Celestia answered. My worst fears had been realized! Principal Celestia and Vice Principal had finally lost it! How could they have any sense of sanity to have agreed on changing the showcase into a competition? Worst of all, my friends couldn't protest against the decision. If they did, they could be disqualified before it even started. Vice Principal Luna then moved closer to Principal Celestia, and their eyes briefly glowed green, which I noticed. They hadn't lost their sanity, after all. No, they had become hypnotized by those new girls, the Dazzlings. The situation had suddenly become a lot worse, and my friends and I looked to be the only ones who had yet to be affected. Were the Dazzlings trying to isolate us? Did they see the Rainbooms as a potential threat? Were we truly alone? If there was one grim solace here, it would be that my friends now knew what I had been going through after the Fall Formal. To be isolated and alone is the same as begging for death.

I grabbed my bookmark and placed it in between the pages before closing the journal. Twilight only took notice of this when the book slammed shut, as she was thinking about everything that I had described. Placing the journal to one side, I looked upward before immersing myself in deep thought over what happened during that particular moment where the two sisters had been hypnotized. I know it only happened several months ago, yet it felt like only yesterday. When I looked back on it, I viewed the magic used by the Sirens as a kind that brought out one's innermost feelings. Specifically, those relating to anger, jealousy, and lust.

" Why did you close the journal? Are your eyes getting tired again? Do you need some more fizzy apple cider?" Twilight asked.

" No, I'm alright, but I needed to close it for a moment. That incident in Principal Celestia's office has been on my mind for a while now. I mean, it happened last year, yet I still remember it. What Vice Principal Luna said about me still hurts, even now, despite how she and Principal Celestia had been hypnotized by the Sirens' magic. Was I really trying to make everyone forget about what I did? It's a question I've been trying to find an answer to, yet I just can't come up with one. My efforts to prove that I had reformed weren't working well then, so was I desperate to blame someone else for causing a problem and making myself out to be an innocent victim? The Sirens were bad because of what they were doing, but maybe I was just like them, only on a different plane of existence." I said. I noticed that Twilight was looking tense, as though she were readying herself for something. It quickly dawned on me that she thinks I was going to punish myself again, but she didn't have to worry about that. I had no desire to do that, this time. " You can relax Twilight. I don't intend on hurting myself."

" That's a relief." Twilight said.

" Perhaps I was trying to make everyone forget, but you can't blame me for wanting to assume that. What I did at the Fall Formal was wrong, and I had to spend a long time earning everyone's trust while exposing myself to their teasing. In the end, it was worth it, because I finally managed to close a dark chapter in my life." I said.

" When you think about it, everyone at CHS had committed horrible actions." Twilight said.

" Yes, but they had no idea they were under the sway of dark magic." I said.

" Does that really matter?" Twilight asked.

" Yes, because they couldn't help themselves. The Sirens' dark magic brought out the worst in everyone. Feelings of anger, jealousy, and lust became dominant. Their positive emotions were sealed away, unable to break free of what had influenced them." I answered.

" At least you never became hypnotized." Twilight said.

" Something I actually have over most, but I wouldn't go around celebrating it." I said.

" How did you figure out that it was your Equestrian magic that protected you, or rather, our friends, as you had no magic. I still can't believe that you were immune without any kind of protection." Twilight said.

" I'll reveal that later, but to answer your first question, it was just an assumption. However, the problem was that they didn't know how to use their magic, and I couldn't provide them with any explanation, as I had none myself, at the time. The only one who could help us was Princess Twilight, and that meant bringing her back to this world again." I said.

Chapter 30: Party Crashers

Day: Thursday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 6:30pm

After learning that Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had fallen under the hypnotic control of the Dazzlings, my friends and I decided that we needed Princess Twilight's help in order to break the dark magic which affected everyone. I would eventually come up with an ideal solution, one that I completely forgotten about. Long ago, I was given a magic journal which I could use to send messages to Princess Celestia. Despite not knowing whether or not it still worked, I sent a message to Her Highness, hoping that she, in turn, would send it to Princess Twilight. When it looked as though my idea wouldn't bear any fruit, Princess Twilight came through the portal along with her companion Spike, a sign that my idea succeeded. She would proceed to inform us about the true nature of the Dazzlings. According to Pinkie Pie, there would be a party that night in the gym for the bands that had signed up for the competition, the Rainbooms included. This would be our chance to stop those girls, provided that nothing went wrong.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 19, 2015
Chapter 30: Party Crashers.

" Huh? You and the others had insecurities? I mean, I know that everyone experiences those from time to time. But why would these be any more significant? I figured you were all a tight-knit, group especially with Princess Twilight now having returned." Twilight said.

" Princess Twilight would soon discover that things had changed in this world, far more than what she initially believed. Combine that with having a lot of pressure placed onto her shoulders due to being the only one who we assumed could save everyone, and she would begin doubting herself. She wasn't the only one with insecurities that threatened to destroy the Rainbooms from the inside out." I said.

" You mean yourself, too?" Twilight asked.

" At first, I was happy that she had come back, because we really did need her, but that's when I learned a painful truth. Because she had more knowledge about dealing with magic, she would be given praise for her actions by our friends. Me? I was cast aside almost immediately. They ignored me while basking in her presence. My own insecurities were beginning to manifest themselves. I chose to keep it bottled up inside rather than express my feelings. After all, I was still new to friendship, and I didn't want to become a burden. There were additional factors that would lead the band and our friendship to break down, but I'll reveal those to you as we go along." I answered. I suppose it was my own fault for not wanting to reveal my personal problems. Had I been stronger with my resolve instead of fearing it, I could have seen things for what they were about to become long before they happened.

" Did you... have any animosity towards Princess Twilight?" Twilight asked. Her question shook me to the core. I then began to think back on that moment when she returned to this world after receiving my message. My friends treated her like the princess she was and acted as though I didn't exist anymore. Had I possessed just as much knowledge as she did regarding the Sirens, I would have been given all of that praise, not her. Just seeing them hover around her like she was the greatest thing in the world filled my heart with anger. Yet, I chose to repress such feelings because it wasn't my place. My place... My status among the group had always been in doubt during those times. I'm thankful that it all worked out in the end, but it still does bother me at times. Twilight then noticed my angry expression and immediately started feeling concerned that I was going to do something I'd regret. " Sunset? Did I say something I shouldn't have?" Twilight asked.

" No." I answered.

" You don't need to answer my question if it bothers you." Twilight said.

" It's okay. I actually want to answer it, because it will allow me to get some personal issues off of my chest. I won't deny the fact that I did feel animosity towards her as she came in and swept our friends away from me. I'm not blaming her for that. We were all desperate, and our friends were looking for someone to save everyone. I wasn't that someone! I mean, I could have been, but my lack of knowledge condemned me. Princess Twilight was their beacon of hope, and I felt jealous towards her. There were even moments where I wanted to throttle her because she had taken our friends away from me. Had I gone down that path, I would have shattered any hope of proving that I had changed." I said.

" Sunset..." Twilight said.

" I don't have those feelings towards Princess Twilight anymore. She has since become a valued friend who has taken me under her wing. Whenever I have problems I can't figure out, I turn to her for guidance, just like how I used to with Princess Celestia back when I was her student." I said. I hoped that Twilight didn't think it odd that someone of my age would have a mentor who was the same age as I was. Then again, what most people don't know is that I'm actually a few years older than Her Highness, despite how we both appear to be the same age. Long have I assumed that when I left Equestria and came to this world, my body regressed in age while my mind remained the same. Do I have actual proof of such a thing? No, not really. It's merely an assumption, although it doesn't explain how Princess Twilight wasn't affected in a similar manner.

" She's like your big sister. No, that's not right. You're both the same age, after all. She would be your twin sister." Twilight said.

" That sounds like a good analysis to me." I said.

" Are you hiding something again?" Twilight asked.

" It's just that Princess Twilight would be the younger sister; I'm a few years older than she. I don't understand how my body got younger when I came here, and even now, I still haven't come up with an answer for it. So, it's for the best not to focus on that subject anymore." I answered. Twilight's reaction to my actual age was exactly what I was expecting from her: Eyes widened in shock and jaw dropped for added effect. I couldn't help but chuckle at the look on her face at this revelation. " Anyway, let's get back to what happened next. Princess Twilight had returned along with Spike."

" I still can't believe that her version of Spike is a dragon." Twilight said.

" Jealous?" I asked.

" Not in the least. I love my Spike far too much to be jealous." Twilight answered.

" Glad to hear that. Once she had gotten used to walking on two legs again, she would reveal to us the true nature of the Sirens. My initial suspicions only covered part of the truth about them, and Princess Twilight would reveal the rest." I said.

Princess Twilight had returned to this world for the first time since the Fall Formal, and my friends and I couldn't be more ecstatic about it. The Dazzlings' actions, both with the students and faculty, had us desperate. With Her Highness around, we believed that we now stood a chance at saving everyone from their terrible fate and preventing the Dazzlings from succeeding. I will admit that I felt sad when Princess Twilight hesitated when I offered to help her up. She must have still had some leftover animosity towards me because of what I had done to her during the Fall Formal. Would she believe that I had changed? Maybe. When she finally accepted my hand, my friends immediately surrounded her, ignoring me in the process. I suppose that was fair, considering they became friends with her first. Once Princess Twilight had gotten used to walking on two legs again, she gave us a dire warning about the Dazzlings. My initial assumptions were about to become a reality, but there was so much more.

About an hour later, we had all gathered around a table at Sugarcube Corner, a popular place where students from CHS would come to hang out. Mr. and Mrs. Cake, the owners of this establishment, always enjoyed the influx of young customers. They were surprised at how few patrons they had today and assumed that everyone was getting ready for the Musical Showcase tomorrow. None of us had the heart to tell them what was really going on. Princess Twilight then revealed that the Dazzlings were, in fact, Sirens, beautiful creatures from Equestria who fed on negative energy by hypnotizing others into being aggressive. I was on the right track about where they came from, but I had no idea that they were members of a near-extinct tribe. She continued on by saying that the Sirens were banished to this world long ago in the hopes they wouldn't cause further problems, yet something caused them to become active after so long.

She then mentioned the message that I had sent to her through the magic journal. Upon receiving it, Princess Twilight had explained to the pony versions of my friends what was happening here and built her own portal, knowing that it would take far too long for the regular portal to open. She used Princess Celestia's magic journal as a power source. She even mentioned how the pony version of Pinkie Pie was able to explain her equations to her friends, chuckling a bit as she recalled it. Upon finishing her lengthy explanation, it took us a few moments to let it all sink in. The conversation had gotten rather discouraging because of the threat to the world, so we decided to change the subject in order to lighten the mood.

" You probably wanted to come back under less dire circumstances." Rarity said.

" That would have been nice, but Sunset Shimmer's message was too big for me to ignore. I'm just glad that I was able to come back using my own portal." Princess Twilight said.

" There's so much catching up to do. Why don't we start with Sunset Shimmer, since you did just mention her." Rarity said, her attention turning towards me. I actually assumed she would explain on my behalf, yet I should have realized that she wanted me to talk about my own experiences. No reason for someone else to explain what could easily be done by oneself.

" Where do I even start?" I began, leading on to tell Princess Twilight what had happened to me since she left. I made sure not to leave out any details, as I assumed she wanted to hear everything. The only thing I left out were the moments when I broke down mentally. There was no need to make the despair that surrounded us even worse than it already was. I explained how I had to repair the front entrance of the school, being bullied by the other students out of retribution for how I treated them in the past, and trying my best to prove that I had reformed. " It hasn't been easy since the Fall Formal. I know that I caused a lot of pain to so many people, and not a day goes by that I regret what I did in the name of wanting power. The majority of the student body refuses to believe that I've changed, but I know they will come around when the time comes." I said.

" Sounds to me that you're starting to learn the fundamentals of friendship." Princess Twilight said.

" It's a work in progress."

" You'll get the hang of it."

" I hope so." I said, downcast. " I mean, I can take the heat now, but what if my resolve breaks? I'm afraid that I'll go back to what I was."

" Anyway... What else has been going on since I left?" Princess Twilight asked. Did she just change the subject, all because I said that? I felt several emotions racing through my heart: shock, disappointment, anger, and acceptance. I know she didn't intend on making me upset, so I didn't hold it against her. She still had some doubt in her voice about me having changed, so she didn't want to spend too much time talking about my personal problems.

" A certain blue-haired guitar player had been askin' about you." Applejack answered.

" Flash Sentry was asking about me?" Princess Twilight asked excitedly. She got so excited that she accidentally spilled her milkshake down the front of her dress. She blushed in embarrassment before using some tissues to clean herself up. Once she was finished, Her Highness calmed down. " Isn't that nice of him? Hopefully, I'll get to see him during my visit."

" What about you, darling? What have you been up to since you returned to your world?" Rarity asked.

" She's got an official title now." Spike answered. While others would be shocked to know that he was a dog in this world who could talk, my friends and I had gotten used to it. He then pretended that he was blowing on a trumpet to deliver some fanfare to make the next part sound more exciting. " The Princess of Friendship!" That's the title bestowed onto her? I wanted to laugh; compared with the titles "Princess of the Sun", "Princess of the Night", and even "Princess of Love", her title sounded pretty ridiculous. But I refrained; I didn't want to be rude. In fact, her title really suited her. Princess Twilight had proven that she knew how to make friends and make them understand friendship. After all, she was able to make me understand.

" Wow, that's really impressive. I guess you really were Princess Celestia's prized pupil. All that time, I assumed you were nothing more than my inferior replacement, but in truth, you ended up being the best thing that ever happened to her." I said.

" No need to sell yourself short." Princess Twilight said.

" You know I'm right. You went the full distance, while I came to a crashing halt." I said. Princess Twilight wasn't able to provide a response to what I said. She knew the truth was blatantly obvious. Deep down, I was slightly jealous that she achieved the dream of becoming a princess, a dream that I still desired. But I knew she deserved the position because of everything she had done. My dream will come true. It will just be that much more difficult after everything I'd done.

" She even has her own castle now. It grew up right out of the ground, thanks to a magic chest." Spike announced.

" A castle!? You have your own castle!?" Rarity exclaimed, causing Princess Twilight to spill her milkshake down her dress again. The rest of us didn't have the same kind of reaction as Rarity did, as we didn't really think too much of it. Even I didn't, especially since I spent many years studying inside of a castle. Rarity wanted to one day have a castle of her very own, just like in fairy tales. Whether or not she was serious about it remained to be seen. In any case, she had to wipe the stain from Princess Twilight's dress this time, since she was the one who caused it. Sometimes Rarity can be absent-minded when it came to wanting to be a princess. We've all tolerated it, since it was relatively harmless, but there were times where she went completely overboard. All we could do at those times was cringe.

As our little reunion continued onward, Princess Twilight was curious about what has been going on around CHS. The most obvious statement we got out of the way was the fact that the entire student body, along with Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, had been hypnotized by the Sirens, leaving only us left. Rainbow Dash then began explaining how everyone in the group, apart from me, were able to now pony up when playing music. I didn't like how I kept on being singled out whenever anything magical comes up. I know that I lost my magic after I was defeated, yet there was no need to continue rubbing it in my face. It then occurred to me that perhaps Princess Twilight would know why I wasn't affected by the Sirens' singing. She had more magical knowledge than I did, which Rainbow brought up a couple of times, so Her Highness should be able to give me an answer. Was I beginning to feel inadequate? It was a thought that did start to cross my mind.

" Pretty sweet, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" And it happens to all of you?" Princess Twilight asked.

" Except for me." I answered.

" Oh... Well, I'm sure that hasn't become a problem for you. Anyway, when I returned home to Equestria, I made sure to take the crown and the magic it possessed back with me, as this world wasn't ready for magic. It seems that some of its magic remained at Canterlot High and ended up being absorbed by all of you. Along with me, the six of us now have the means to defeat the Sirens by using the Magic of Friendship from before in order to free everyone from their control. It should work, considering we already used it on Sunset Shimmer when she transformed into that horrifyingly awful winged monster!" Princess Twilight said, where everyone turned to look at me. " No offence."

" None taken." I said, the frustration in my voice ignored. Guess that answers my question. I was feeling inadequate. Already, they were beginning to act like I didn't exist anymore, just because I no longer had magic. Those thoughts of being alone began to rear their ugly head, thoughts I was just beginning to overcome.

" We need to do this quickly before things get much worse." Princess Twilight said.

" How do we do that?" Fluttershy asked.

" First, we need to figure out where the Dazzlings are right now. For this to work, we need to use our magic in front of them." Princess Twilight answered.

" No one really knows where they go once school is done for the day." Applejack said.

" Then we'll need to start looking." Princess Twilight announced.

" I know where they'll be." Pinkie Pie announced suddenly. She then took a massive sip from her milkshake like she were in a hurry to finish it off. All she did was remind us of how big of a sweet tooth she had and how all of that sugar consumption never seemed to affect her. " There's a big party tonight in the gym for all of the bands who signed up for the showcase before it became the competition. Even with the sudden change, everyone was still registered. The Dazzlings will be there because they signed up at the last minute."

" Then we've got a party to crash." Princess Twilight said. It was fortunate that Pinkie Pie had that information. Otherwise, we could have wasted several hours looking for them. Despite the party having been held for the bands who were competing, it was open to everyone to come, according to Principal Celestia. I had a feeling it was so that the Dazzlings could obtain more negative energy. Surely, Princess Twilight had the same idea. I could have chosen to stay behind--I was questioning my place among my friends--but I chose to go with them, anyway. They needed as much support as they could get. Was that what I had now been reduced to? Support? This day was getting worse and worse by the minute ever since Princess Twilight came back.

Guess I never took her presence into account when I insisted that we needed to bring her back to help deal with the crisis at CHS. I thought she and I would be treated as equals in the eyes of our friends, but it seemed I was being shafted in favour of her. Again, I could have brought this up, but I chose not to, as I didn't want to jeopardize what little friendship I had. Everyone began to talk amongst themselves as to how they were going to use that magical rainbow that they used to defeat me with, yet I just sat there, staring into the now-empty milkshake glass. They didn't need me to be a part of the conversation, as I would contribute nothing. I felt the pain of being the only one among your clique who was truly different from the rest.

" So we now had our plan and would attend the party in order to carry it out." I said.

" Without you being a part of it." Twilight said.

" I could have been involved, but without any magic, all I could do was stand at the side and wait to see how things turned out. If there was one saving grace, it was that I didn't embarrass myself when the plan ended up not working as originally intended. I did feel bad that our friends and Princess Twilight went through all that for nothing, but a part of me was glad that it wasn't me." I said.

" The plan failed? Why?" Twilight asked.

" Princess Twilight would quickly learn that what was used to defeat me wouldn't work on anyone else in the same way." I answered.

" Is this where her insecurities started to surface?" Twilight asked.

" Our friends viewed her as being able to solve all of our problems, yet they unintentionally placed a whole lot of pressure on her shoulders. That amount of stress is very unhealthy and can lead to poor decision-making." I answered. If anyone should know what it felt like to have pressure, it was I. Before the Friendship Games had begun, I had been tasked to keep magic as far away as possible. Without any idea on how to actually handle the job, I began to stress out, which made me feel frustrated. I would even lash out at my friends because of this frustration. No doubt Twilight here had a similar problem what with how she was treated at Crystal Prep. She had to contribute to her teams' success, which meant not failing, under any circumstances. You couldn't ask for more stress than that.

" Why would they do that to her?" Twilight asked.

" Like I said, she was seen as our saving grace." I answered.

" It must have been awful." Twilight said.

" You and I have been in that position ourselves." I said. Twilight nodded in agreement. She knew that Principal Cinch and the Shadowbolts had given her a lot of pressure to ensure Crystal Prep would prevail in the games. Even when she lived up to their expectations, they still continued to pressure her. In a way, her transformation into a demon allowed her to release all of that stress, yet two worlds almost paid the price for it. Some people handle stress better than others.

" This party... All of the bands would be in attendance?" Twilight asked.

" Every band that had registered prior to when the showcase was replaced with the Battle of the Bands were invited to have fun along with other students who simply wanted to have a good time. At least, that's what Principal Celestia insisted when she made that announcement over the P.A. system before school ended that day. In truth, the Sirens needed as many students as possible to continue feeding off of." I answered.

" Was it fun?" Twilight asked.

" It was anything but that. All everyone did was argue." I answered. Boy, did that experience become a disaster real quickly, especially when the Sirens decided to take advantage of the situation after our friends failed attempt to carry out the plan. They knew exactly when to push people's buttons to cause them to release their negativity, which the Sirens eagerly absorbed. " Well, it did start out somewhat peacefully when students started showing up, but tensions flared almost immediately when someone just had to say something." I said. That someone happened to be Flash Sentry. Before being affected by the Sirens' dark magic, he was shy and clumsy, but their magic had turned him into a bully who desired to win, no matter what he had to do. He reminded me of who I used to be, only worse.

" Here! Let me turn the page." Twilight said. My hand was still injured from what I did to it earlier, yet even though I had my other hand, Twilight was insistent that she turned the page on my behalf. I chose not to argue with her, so when she grabbed the edge of the page and turned it over, her face lightened up at what was present. " Another photo, yet this one looks much more pleasant than the other ones were." I looked down at the photo and cringed. This was the exact moment when Princess Twilight and our friends were about to attempt to use the Magic of Friendship to defeat the Sirens. If I recall correctly, Photo Finish took the picture and gave me a copy later on as a reminder of what happened. " This must be when they would unleash the Magic of Friendship, right?" Twilight asked.

" Photo Finish really captured the moment, as about three seconds later, it would all go horribly wrong." I answered.

That night, the different bands came to gym to partake in the party that had been arranged for them. Normally, Pinkie Pie would be in charge of organizing an event like this, with the Princess of the Fall Formal shaping how certain things would go to suit her tastes. In this case, the Dazzlings had organized everything and had no need of a princess flaunting about her opinions. We didn't suspect anything was wrong with this arrangement, so we decided to go, especially because those girls had to be stopped. The idea to stay behind floated through my head again, as I wasn't a band member and would only be getting in the way, but I stuck to my guns and came along for support. I did have to give the Sirens credit for being creative and inviting with their choice of decorations. They also insisted that we wore casual clothing rather than anything fancy. It made sense, as it was just a party, although Rarity would have complained if not for the fact that we had to remain focused on the task at hand.

At first, things were progressing smoothly, although there was tension all around, students looking at one another with distrust. This suddenly changed due to an altercation between Flash Sentry and a small group of students. It felt so strange seeing him acting like a complete jerk; he was usually friendly and easy to get along with. I guess the dark magic of the Dazzlings really did bring out the worst in those their power affected. Rather than remain close together, Princess Twilight recommended that we split up in order to see if we could find any sign of the Dazzlings. Everyone began to mingle about, making sure not to incite any problems, yet I chose to hang around by the tables. Looking over to my right, Flash had since moved onward from the group he had argued with, and was now arguing with Snips. I couldn't tell what they were talking about as they were too far away, but he didn't speak for very long, as he ended up walking into Princess Twilight.

Those two were just like magnets! No matter the situation, they were always attracted to one another. I had no idea what they were talking about, as they were too far away for me to hear, but I chose not to interfere with their moment. I didn't want to give off the impression that I was still interested in Flash, which wasn't the case at all. Hopefully, he wouldn't act too aggressively towards Princess Twilight.

Turning to my right, I saw that the Dazzlings had just entered the gym. I was surprised that no one gave them a standing ovation. They did make all of this possible, after all. I could have warned the others about their presence, but I decided to see if I could listen in on their conversation without drawing any attention to myself. Walking forward casually until I stopped at a table that had a giant bowl of fruit punch on it, I began to listen to what they were saying. Since I couldn't get too close, some things they said didn't reach my ears.

" It's the fruit punch, isn't it?" Sonata asked.

" What does that have to do with anything?" Adagio asked.

" I knew I used too much grape juice!"

" Unbelievable! Sometimes, I wonder why we bother keeping you around." Adagio moaned, slapping her forehead.

" Because you need me to bring a sunny outlook into your life."

" I wouldn't go that far..." Aria began.

" What do you mean?" Sonata asked.

" If anything, you're more annoying than cute, and we put up with you because all three of us have to sing together for our magic to work. If that weren't the case, Adagio and I would have gotten rid of you a long time ago. Besides, the punch is awful, too." Aria answered.

" Oh yeah? What do you know about good fruit punch?"

" Wow. Didn't you even notice that I insulted you?"

" Wait, you did?" Sonata asked.

" Yes! Also, I know how to make fruit punch better than you." Aria answered. The two girls butted heads, baring their teeth again. I couldn't believe that they were arguing over fruit punch, of all things. Were they aware that I was listening in on their conversation? Or were they really that concerned with the beverage they chose to serve for their party? Either way, I chose to continue listening, although at that point I became distracted when Rainbow Dash called me over. Turning back to face the Dazzlings, Adagio had broken up their little quarrel and appeared to be scolding them. Despite what they've done to everyone, I still felt pity for Adagio having to deal with her companions whenever they got out of line. She must have had quite the level of tolerance to keep herself from throttling them both, as they must have tested her patience countless times.

When I reached Rainbow Dash, she picked up a chocolate chip cookie from a nearby plate and tossed it at Princess Twilight. It landed in her hair. The gentle impact was enough to make her turn around. Rainbow Dash then nodded her head to the left to indicate that the Dazzlings were over there, and Twilight said something to Flash before coming over here. He merely walked away without a care in the world. While I should have backed up the rest of my friends with what they were about to do, I instead stayed back, as I wouldn't have contributed much anyway. I didn't want to be singled out anymore that I already had, since the student body still treated me badly. Since I had gotten closer to the Dazzlings again, I was able to listen in on their conversation again, yet I wished I could have heard the part I missed when Rainbow Dash called me over.

" This is just the kickoff party, girls. Imagine what a tizzy they'll be in by the time the Battle of the Bands starts." Adagio said.

" Hopefully, this will work out! I'd rather not go back to our usual meals." Aria said.

" Everything is going exactly as planned. What could go wrong?" Adagio asked.

" It's how we got banished here in the first place." Aria answered.

" This isn't like what happened when that infuriating Star Swirl interfered with our plans. No one so far has been able to stand up to our magic, and I doubt anyone ever will. Look at them all! They're too fixated on winning to stand in our way. The Battle of the Bands is sure to give us what we truly need."

" There isn't going to be a Battle of the Bands!" a voice shouted.

" Excuse me!?" Adagio exclaimed, turning around to see Princess Twilight and the rest of my friends standing there.

" We're gonna make sure of that! Alright, girls, let's do this!" Princess Twilight announced. This was it! This was where they would use the same magical rainbow that they used to defeat me. But, something didn't feel quite right. As I recall from before, they had pony ears and pony tails prior to creating that rainbow. They have neither of those right now. Did that mean it wasn't going to work? I had no idea what would happen, as the magic used against me was unlike anything I had seen before. Princess Twilight and the others joined hands, making everyone in the vicinity stare at them, and then they made their move.

" Friendship is magic!!!!"

Nothing. Nothing happened. My friends were simply standing there in the middle of the gym, holding hands, nothing else happening. It was the perfect definition of 'awkward'. Everyone else just stared at what had transpired, and there were even a few coughs among the absolute silence. It looked as though my assumption was correct. It didn't work! It wasn't just because they hadn't gotten their ears and tails; they weren't giving off any magical energies at all!

" What's going on?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It's working, right?" Princess Twilight asked, eyes closed.

" If it was, I don't think those girls would still be standing. Besides, weren't there rainbows and lasers and stuff last time?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" What!?" Princess Twilight answered. She opened her eyes to see that nothing had changed. Everyone was still looking at them, wondering what in the world had just happened. Even the Dazzlings were confused by all this. Princess Twilight then turned to face me, and I all I could in response was shrug my shoulders. There wasn't anything I could do; I had no magic. " I don't understand. All six of us are together now like before, so why isn't this working? It should have worked! Why isn't it? What's going on?" Spike then whispered something to Princess Twilight, and she whispered a response, but I couldn't hear what they were saying.

" Isn't this interesting!" Adagio announced.

" What is?"

" These girls!"

" What's so interesting about them? All they did was humiliate themselves in front of the entire school. If anything, the only thing interesting about them is how everyone is going to mock them everywhere they go." Aria said.

" That's not what I was getting at. They've thrown down the gauntlet. This group is obviously serious about winning, seeing as they went ahead and did this little display for everyone without a care in the world. In their eyes, only they matter, while the rest of us don't even hold a candle to them. Cocky, aren't they? They're even going so far as to say there won't really be a battle! Seems they think they've already got this thing all locked up! I'm sure everyone here has something to say about that, right? Let them know how you all really feel about such a preposterous claim!" Adagio said. Her words prompted everyone else to start arguing and claiming that their band was the best. This resulted in negative energy being released, and the Dazzlings absorbed it into their pendants.

We would have tried to alert everyone to what those girls were doing, but it would have been a waste of effort. They were so fixated on winning that they had become blind to everything else around them. Knowing that things were about to become more intense, we decided to leave the gym through a side door. What we didn't know was that we had exposed ourselves to the Dazzlings, allowing them to learn something vital.

As the side door closed behind us and we made our way to the front entrance to regroup, the sounds of arguing students continued to ring in our ears. Princess Twilight's plan had been a bust, but why didn't their magic work? Did they really need to pony up in order to use it? If that were the case, things were only going to get even worse from here.

" I've got to give Princess Twilight credit for wanting to go with the direct approach, but maybe she should have planned it out better. But, I guess you were running on borrowed time, since the competition was starting the next day, so you had little time to come up with a strategy." Twilight said.

" If things had gone exactly as planned, the students would have been freed from their hypnotic state, and the Sirens would have been defeated. Fate had other plans, though. Princess Twilight and our friends were humiliated, but they didn't allow it to dampen their spirits. Okay, Her Highness did freak out a little, but you couldn't blame her for feeling that way." I said.

" The Sirens figured out you were the ones who possessed Equestrian magic?" Twilight asked.

" It dawned on them when everyone became angry and released their negative energy. The seven of us were the only ones who didn't display any animosity, so they knew we had what they were looking for. From there, they would plan an intricate scheme that would cause the Rainbooms to fall apart due to in-fighting brought about by ridiculous reasons." I answered. Thinking back on it, the bickering actually started shortly after the band came together. Rainbow Dash desired to enter the Musical Showcase as a means of showing how awesome her guitar playing was, and the others had their own reasons for joining, only one or two actually having to be convinced by Rainbow Dash. What started out as something fun quickly became nightmarish when the first petty argument started.

Rainbow Dash considered the Rainbooms to be her band since she was the one who came up with the idea. Applejack would remind her that it was the whole group's band. It didn't seem that bad at the time; Rainbow Dash was simply letting her head swell up, and Applejack helped rein it in. But, the problems would soon grow, followed by the emotional turmoil. I should have said something sooner, but I was a novice of friendship. Anything I might have said would probably have not been taken into consideration, and worse yet, my friends would have criticized me for not understanding the group dynamic.

" Thinking again?" Twilight asked.

" I can't put anything past you." I answered.

" Be honest with me. The Sirens' plan to cause internal bickering was overall unnecessary, wasn't it?" Twilight asked.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" They wanted to absorb the Equestrian magic our friends had, so they needed them to become mired in discord. Yet, they didn't do much of anything did they? It was our friends who caused their own collapse." Twilight answered.

" You guess correctly." I said.

" It makes sense it happened like that. For the Sirens to have made you fight, it would have meant getting their hands dirty. So they chose to have our friends band implode through a combination of their own bickering, maybe using other students to cause more strife." Twilight said. I was surprised at how she figured all that out. Then again, she had probably seen that sort of thing first-hand at Crystal Prep. The Sirens did choose to use other students to do their dirty work, and all they needed to do was say the right words. Anyone could be manipulated easily by choosing words appropriately. " Your expression tells me that I was right. I'm not trying to brag or anything, Sunset, but it does sound like a rather pointless plan." Twilight said.

" They should have just taken the magic there and then." I said.

" Precisely! Why go through all of that drama when it was right there for the taking?" Twilight asked.

" Like I said before, their plan wasn't exactly the most well-thought-out, yet they were able to get results, which is what mattered to them. Anyway, once we had left the gym after Adagio made her speech, we had to come up with another plan. For Princess Twilight, it meant being part of the solution. For me, it meant being cast aside and ignored like I never existed." I answered.

Chapter 31: To Talk at Midnight

Day: Thursday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 7:00pm

Princess Twilight had revealed the true origins of the Dazzlings to us. They were magical creatures from Equestria called Sirens. They would absorb the negative energy from their victims by causing strife and discord. Armed with this new knowledge, my friends, Princess Twilight and I attended a party hosted by the Dazzlings for the bands competing in the Battle of the Bands, the event which was once the Musical Showcase. An attempt to use the same magical rainbow that had been used to defeat me failed, so now we had to come up with another course of action. My friends would accept Her Highness into the Rainbooms as their sixth member, a vocalist. I know that I should have been happy for her, seeing as she was the true magical expert, yet why was I being left out? Was it possible that my friends still hadn't fully forgiven me for what I did to them in the past? Maybe I'll find out when we go to Pinkie Pie's place for a sleepover.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 22, 2015
Chapter 31: To Talk at Midnight.

" You're being too hard on yourself again." Twilight said, checking on the condition of my injured hand. It still felt sore from pounding the ground in frustration, but at least it had stopped bleeding now. She insisted on changing the bandages, so I gently placed my hand on her lap, where she proceeded to remove the old bandages before replacing them with the new ones. " Don't worry, Sunset. The wound isn't anything serious, but you'll need to keep these bandages on for a couple of weeks until it heals completely." Her smile made me feel a lot better. I was also surprised that she knew how to treat anyone. I suppose she must've taken a first-aid class or two.

" I had a good reason to be hard on myself this time." I said.

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" We discovered that the only way we could defeat the Sirens was to fight fire with fire. Or, as the case me be, fight music with music. To break the spell that had gripped the minds of everyone at CHS, a counter-spell was needed in the form of a song. For it to be effective, everyone had to hear it, and the only time everyone would be in the same place all at once was the Battle of the Bands that weekend. The Rainbooms had suddenly become the band that every other band wanted to beat, so we were sure everyone would be paying attention to them." I answered. " I was the only one 'out of sight', since I wasn't in the band."

" I still don't get why you didn't want to be in the band. I know you can't play, but you could sing, though, right?" Twilight asked. That was something I had yet to reveal to her, but how could I go about explaining how I could sing with such finesse? Even after all this time, our other friends never once asked me where I learned to sing. Guess it wasn't an important issue to them, given what was happening at the time. After mulling over it for a few moments, I came up with an answer for Twilight, the honest truth.

" Yeah. I took private lessons from an established singer at CHS, but chose to keep it private. I didn't want anyone to laugh at the fact that I wanted to sing and was learning from one of the best." I answered. At the same time, I wanted to maintain some semblance of my previous bad girl attitude. I didn't want to go back to how horrible I had been to everyone, but I did want to maintain my coolness factor. Was I really that shallow? I should have just come clean rather than kept it private.

" Who taught you?" Twilight asked.

" She never gave me her real name out of fear that she would be picked on by the other students for associating with me. Instead, she asked me to refer to her as 'Countess' and nothing more. It sounded weird, but I agreed to her condition out of respect and wanting to keep her safe." I answered.

" Okay, so why didn't our friends choose you to become part of the band? I'm sure the rules of the competition state that band members didn't need to play an instrument in order to participate. In fact, the Sirens were an all-singing group." Twilight said.

" Yeah, but in the end they chose Princess Twilight to become the sixth member of the Rainbooms. After all, she had the magical know-how to come up with the counter-spell which would be used to break the Sirens' hold over everyone. Since she wasn't able to play an instrument, still not used to holding things with her hands, she opted to sing instead, which did upset Rainbow Dash. Me? The others didn't know that I could sing, because I had chosen to keep that a secret. I also suspected that they didn't fully trust me." I said.

" Why would you think that?" Twilight asked.

" Because they had been ignoring me since Princess Twilight returned. If they had truly trusted me, I would have been included in the plan to defeat the Sirens. Yet, I was left on the sidelines to be nothing more than a cheerleader. Sure it sounds glamourous, but you quickly discover that you don't do much of anything other than simply be there. Had I been more open with my singing ability, I could have contributed to the band. Or, had Rainbow Dash given me a crash course on playing the guitar sooner, I could have provided some decent back-up strumming." I answered.

" Sunset..." Twilight said.

" If you thought I had it bad, though, Princess Twilight had it even worse. Because everyone viewed her as their beacon of hope, the amount of pressure placed onto her shoulders would increase with every passing moment. If she could have chosen it as an option, Her Highness would have preferred not to have all that attention." I said.

If I could describe what happened during the party in one word, it would be 'disastrous'. Princess Twilight and my friends had attempted to use the Magic of Friendship--what they used to defeat me--in order to break the Dazzlings' control over everyone. When she informed us of what they really were--Sirens from Equestria--Her Highness concluded that using the same method used on me would do the trick. Since their band The Rainbooms were competing in the Battle of the Bands, they were invited to the party, arranged by the Dazzlings, being held in the school gym that evening. Their aim was to absorb more negative energy by having everyone argue again, but they needed a trigger that would stir up confusion. That came when Princess Twilight and my friends called them out, saying there wasn't going to be a competition. I sensed that something was wrong with the plan, as none of them gained their pony ears and pony tails that occurred before, but I chose to keep quiet about it.

When they attempted to use their magic, it failed miserably. Rather than freeing everyone from the Dazzlings' control, they had instead embarrassed themselves in front of the entire student body. Adagio, leader of the Dazzlings, used such a mishap to her advantage, prompting everyone to become furious over Princess Twilight's proclamation. I could have stood beside my friends, but I held back because I didn't contribute to the magic. Once we left the gym, we headed towards the Wondercolt statue in order to regroup and come up with another idea. Princess Twilight was frustrated; what happened back inside wasn't what any of us expected. A small part of me felt glad that she was experiencing frustration. Now she would know how I felt.

Ever since Her Highness returned, my friends had been praising her because she had the magical knowledge that would give us a fighting chance. Me? They ignored my very presence, as though I didn't mean anything to them. Was it because I failed as a magical expert? Maybe, but they should have known I hadn't been immersed in magic for a long time. A thought then hit me. What if my friends hadn't truly forgiven me for my actions? They did state that they've forgiven me for my past "boo-boos", as Rarity coined it, but what if that had been a ruse? Were I to reclaim the ability to use magic, they might think I would use it to conquer the school, or worse. Such thoughts truly frightened me. Was I really suspecting them of lying? They had accepted me with open arms, and now was I questioning their honesty? And what of Princess Twilight? Did I view her as a threat? Had she taken my friends away from me? I didn't dare confide this with any of them, as that might have jeopardized my fragile friendships. Were they fragile? I had no answers to any of my questions. My mind was being consumed with twisted thoughts.

" I don't understand." Princess Twilight began as she paced back and forth in frustration.

" I thought you said we'd be able to create that magical rainbow we used during the Fall Formal?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" We should have done it without any problems." Princess Twilight answered.

" Yeah, well we didn't, and now we're the laughing stock of the entire school." Rainbow Dash said, flicking her hand through her hair, trying to remain calm. The anger in her voice was pretty obvious; she and the others felt awful that the plan didn't work. I could have told them that it was obvious it wouldn't work, because they didn't pony up, but I chose to keep quiet out of fear that I would make the problem worse.

" We're all together now, and that should have enabled me to create the spark that would help us break the spell. Everything was perfect except for the end result! It worked before, so why not now?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I might have an answer." I said. I wasn't going to explain about the pony-up issue. It was just one possible theory that might not even be correct. I had another theory which sounded more plausible, so hopefully they would listen to what I had to say.

" What is it?" Princess Twilight asked.

" When you defeated me, you drew magic from the crown I was wearing. I remember when I blasted you all with that fireball. I assumed that I had roasted you alive, but then you were all surrounded by that purple barrier. I also assumed that you had no magic, but your Elements reacted to the one you represent, Princess Twilight, which, in turn, reacted to the crown, since it was yours." I answered. I honestly had no idea where I was going with that explanation; I was merely repeating the obvious. They witnessed what I had described, so I was merely wasting time. " Anyway, the Sirens' magic comes from their singing. Maybe you have to use similar magic in order to defeat them?" I asked. Everyone then looked at me with blank expressions on their faces. I felt uncomfortable with them staring, but the more important thing was that they appeared to have written my theory as ridiculous. They didn't actually say that, but I believed that was what they were thinking. " Or... maybe not." I said, slinking downward in the hopes that they would shift their focus away from me.

" No, you might be on to something." Princess Twilight said.

" You're just saying that." I said.

" I'm serious." Princess Twilight said.

" Really?" I asked.

" You transform now whenever you play music, right?" Princess Twilight asked.

" Yup. Ears, tail, the whole shebang." Applejack answered.

" Since the Sirens' magic comes from their singing, and your magic comes from playing instruments, we simply need to use a counter-spell in the form of a song. Now, to free everyone from their spell, they all need to hear it. Not a single person can be omitted." Princess Twilight said. Music against music... it did sound like a plausible idea, but were my friends up to the task? After all, the Sirens were experts in musical magic. My friends would be at a disadvantage.

" The band competition!" Rarity exclaimed. " That will be the next time where everyone is sure to be in attendance. The Dazzlings are sure to want to have every last student at CHS be present. There's no doubt it in my mind now! I know this is awful sudden of me to say, Princess Twilight, but you've just become the Rainbooms' newest member." Everyone cheered at the announcement that she had been chosen to join the band. Everyone, that is, except me. I looked down at the ground with a glum expression on my face. My feelings about them ignoring me were turning out to be true. My fears were growing once again. I couldn't be trusted with using magic, because I could relapse. I thought we had all gotten past that, but I guess I was wrong. I couldn't confess that! Not now! They were too happy about Princess Twilight's sudden anointment. My problem would only deflate that happiness, so I kept silent and pretended to be happy for her. Deep down, I felt jealous.

" So what do you wanna play?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" I have to play an instrument?" Twilight asked.

" Duh! The rest of us are playing something, so why not you as well? Luckily, I have plenty of instruments that you could play. Triangle?" Pinkie Pie asked, taking out a small metal triangle which she dinged in front of Princess Twilight. It wasn't anything too surprising; she most likely had it in her pocket for an emergency like this. " Sousaphone?" Pinkie then produced what looked like a tuba from out of nowhere and blew into the mouth piece. " Theremin?" She next produced an unusual looking device, manipulating it with her hands in order to make a warping sound. It sounded alien. We all should have expected such absurdity coming from her.

" Those are interesting instruments, but none of them are going to work." Princess Twilight answered.

" Not to worry! I've got plenty more where that came from!" Pinkie Pie said.

" It's not that, Pinkie! I mean, they're interesting and all, but I won't be able to play any of them. We don't have much time, and it would take me way too long to learn to play anything with these things." Princess Twilight said, thrusting out her hands before shaking them. She was right; she had only been in this world for roughly four days. She hadn't gotten used to using fingers, so she would struggle just holding an instrument let alone playing one. This was an advantage I had over her. I had lived here for just over three years, and I was used to having fingers. My problem was that I couldn't play an instrument, and I had chosen to keep my singing a secret. " I think the best thing course of action for me would be to sing." Princess Twilight announced.

" Like, the lead singer? That kind of 'sing'?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I guess." Princess Twilight answered meekly.

" That's usually my gig! This is my band after all." Rainbow Dash. Applejack then looked at her coldly, a silent reminder that the band belonged to everyone, not just Rainbow Dash. She appeared unaware of the expression at first, but she quickly took notice, especially when Applejack leaned forward with a sharp gaze that could make a child cry. " Are you going to give me that lecture again!? Lame!" Rainbow Dash said.

" It's our band! All of us are in this together, and since Princess Twilight has the magical know-how to pull off that there counter-spell, she's gotta become the lead singer. I doubt the rest of us would be able to cast it even if we do have magic inside of us." Applejack.

" This is only temporary..." Princess Twilight began.

" In what way?" Applejack asked.

" We don't have to win the Battle of the Bands." Princess Twilight answered. Her response caused Rainbow Dash's jaw to drop. I had a suspicion she would have that kind of reaction. After all, Rainbow Dash is very competitive and wouldn't hesitate when it came to winning. To be told that the Rainbooms weren't going to go the full distance made her gag for a few moments, but she quickly overcame that when the reality of the situation kicked in. " We just have to perform the counter-spell during the first round and defeat the Dazzlings before things can get even worse." Princess Twilight said.

" So we're going all-out at the start?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Pretty much." Princess Twilight answered.

" That's cool with me! I'll give you the spot of lead singer for the band until this is all over. Besides, this gives me a chance to hone my guitar skills. I mean, they're pretty awesome right now, but I can totally take them even further. Now, what kind of counter-spell should we use to beat the Dazzlings?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Funny you should mention that." Princess Twilight answered.

" Will I find it hilarious?" Rainbow Dash asked sarcastically.

" I don't know any counter-spells." Princess Twilight answered. Did she actually just say that!? I asked if she could repeat that, assuming she had merely misspoken, but she said she knew none. Just when it looked like things were getting better for us, it suddenly popped like an over-inflated bubble. Surely Princess Twilight would have had the common sense to come to this world in its time of need with a counter-spell. Was this a mistake on her part? Or maybe she wasn't as smart as my friends had labelled her to be? " I'm sure I can figure out how to write one in time for the competition. I just need to concentrate on what would be the best song to use, and I should have it finished before we go on."

" Of course you'll figure it out." Spike said, our eyes turning down towards him. " That's how she became a princess in Equestria! She wrote a totally new spell like it was nothing." I had often wondered about how Princess Twilight was chosen to become an alicorn instead of me, and now I finally knew the truth. She had done something which had never been achieved before in Equestria. I had to admit that she certainly was something else to have done that. It then suddenly dawned on me. That was what Princess Celestia was talking about during Princess Twilight's coronation. It sailed over my head back then, but it all made sense to me. What have I done to become chosen to be an alicorn? Nothing! No wonder my old mentor deemed me unworthy.

" Technically, I helped finish a spell. Besides, there was a little more to it than that, Spike. You know what happened to the others when I initially cast the spell when it was incomplete." Princess Twilight.

" Whatever." Spike said. So she finished a spell someone else had created? I suspected that someone was Star Swirl the Bearded. That didn't change the fact that she had created new magic and became a princess as a result. Perhaps I should ask about what happened that day whenever I had a free moment. Perhaps it could give me some much needed inspiration towards my own goals of seeking forgiveness from everyone. Princess Twilight then took Spike under her arm and took a step forward towards the entrance of the school. Why would she go back in there? The party was still going on, which meant the Dazzlings were still feeding.

" Where are you going?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" The last time Spike and I were here, we spent a night in the library." Princess Twilight answered. The library!? That's my current place of residence! I had to inform her before it was too late, but then it dawned on me. Now I understood why I was so eager to have an unused section of the library to use as living quarters. Princess Twilight had done it before, so I was following in her footsteps.

" No way! We're besties now! Slumber party at my place!" Pinkie Pie announced. That was a relief. I mean, I had no problem with Princess Twilight spending the night in the library, in itself. Rather, my concern was that she might have stumbled onto my living quarters, which would have been awkward for both of us. I had to go back into the building for my belongings, but I didn't want Her Highness to know about my arrangements. It would have been too embarrassing if she were to know that I was living out her previous experience. Having a slumber party was a wonderful idea, as we all needed to wind down especially after the disaster inside the gym. This could give Her Highness enough time to come up with a counter-spell to break the Dazzlings' control over everyone. Surely, nothing could possibly distract her from such a simple task.

Twilight had spent the last couple of minutes trying to make sense of what I had just told her, yet she was struggling to come up with an answer because of my incessant giggling. Being reminded of the various instruments Pinkie Pie pulled out from nowhere was sheer comedic gold. I'm surprised she had never once considered becoming a professional comedian instead of a baker. She would practically slay her audience with her antics, but I suppose her sweet tooth is much stronger than her sense of humour. I needed to laugh at something to compensate for the fact that I had told Twilight some pretty deep conflict that went on in my mind.

" Why are you laughing?" Twilight asked, finally having had enough of it.

" Because of Pinkie bringing out those different instruments for Princess Twilight. I can never stop laughing at whenever she decides to break reality. Surely you yourself found her antics to be hilarious, especially when she blew that sousaphone in Her Highness' face." I answered.

" Okay, it was funny, but you have been overdoing it." Twilight said.

" I need the laughter right now." I said.

" Duly noted. I actually thought Princess Twilight knew to use her fingers, seeing as this wasn't her first visit here, but I guess that being reliant on a horn to do everything for you would make her say otherwise. I'm still concerned with this jealousy angle that's present throughout what happened after Her Highness first returned." Twilight said.

" Like I said, I would get over it." I said.

" While that may be true, my concern is that it happened in the first place. Princess Twilight never intended on taking our friends away from you, nor did she intend on showing you up. Your subconscious only assumed this was a problem. Your insecurity was being threatened by an outsider. Reacting in such a manner as you did was expected. If only you could have seen a psychologist, then there would have been no issue." Twilight said. Her words made me think of something. If she didn't make it as a scientist, she would make an excellent psychologist instead. Wait! Did she seriously just say psychologist?

" Twilight, that wouldn't have been a good idea." I said.

" Why not?" Twilight asked.

" If I had seen a psychologist, they would have had me sent to an insane asylum or something. How could I explain to them about a magical kingdom filled with colourful, talking ponies without one of them declaring me legally insane? Even the local psychologist at school continues to doubt the existence of magic despite seeing it by just looking out of his window." I answered.

" Guess I hadn't thought of that." Twilight said.

" It was a kind gesture, but again, I got over those feelings." I said.

" Just like that?" Twilight asked, snapping her finger.

" No, I did have to endure another low point in my life in order for me to overcome my issues." I answered. I wasn't looking forward to when I would have to explain that bit to her. There were some choice words I said about our friends, along with other students, that I regret ever thinking about. It didn't help that the Sirens made me feel even worse when they took advantage of my insecurities. Twilight then grabbed the edge of the page and turned it over, and looked confused about what was featured on the next page. It was a drawing that depicted a slice of pizza. It took me a moment to remember the significance behind it.

" Um, care to explain?" Twilight asked.

" It's what Pinkie ordered for the slumber party." I answered. I'm familiar with the concept of having plenty of food for people to eat, yet there was a difference between having enough for seven people and enough for an entire army. Pinkie obviously went for the latter, ordering roughly a few dozen boxes of pizza. I had no idea where she got the money, but I simply attributed it to her being herself. Still, I'm glad that she took me into consideration when she made the order along with Princess Twilight. We ponies don't eat meat under any circumstances.

" You went to a slumber party?" Twilight asked.

" Have you ever been to one?" I asked.

" Before I met you and the others, the only one I was ever close to was Spike. I never had any friends, so I never got to experience what a slumber party was. I've read up on how they work, though. Truly a fascinating subject, especially the part where the girls talk about nonsensical things just because they were in the mood. Since I had no actual human friends at the time, I just focused on my schoolwork. My parents were always worried about me because I preferred the companionship of molecules as opposed to interacting with people." Twilight answered. I then wrapped my non-injured around her neck and drew her closer to give her a loving embrace. I know that I had my share of problems, yet mine were my own doing out of jealousy and anger. Twilight's problems weren't her own doing. She was forced to experience such loneliness because other people either were jealous of her intellect or deemed her too weird to hang out with them.

" I'm so sorry that you never experienced such precious moments." I said, trying my best to hold back my tears.

" It never bothered me all that much, because I had plenty of free time to work on my scientific interests." Twilight said.

" Well, I'm going to make sure you get to experience a proper slumber party, and I won't take no for an answer!" I said.

" That would be nice, but perhaps sometime after final exams." Twilight said. I began to laugh. Only Twilight would come up with an excuse that had to do with her studies, but then, that reminded me of myself at a young age. I always preferred to study and seek out knowledge. She never got to make a choice on what she wanted, while I did, choosing the friendless path. Makes me wish that I could have been in her shoes. " The slumber party you all had was a way to calm your nerves after what happened in the gym, right? Was it a peaceful experience, or did something happen?" Twilight asked.

" It went well at first. We were all just goofing off like we used to before this whole Siren thing. Princess Twilight and I would soon realize that our lives would have something in common, despite our problems being different." I answered.

Pinkie Pie was nothing short of amazing! Not only had she announced we would all be having a slumber party that night, she also had managed to get all of it arranged with her family within the span of a hour. I knew she loved parties, but this was taking it to an extreme. Still, at least I was able to sleep in an actual house. Legally, this time, unlike what I've been doing since leaving Flash Sentry's house, sneaking into people's homes or sleeping in homeless shelters.

Even though I was excited about the experience, the truth of the matter was that I had never been to a slumber party before. At least I was invited because Pinkie didn't want me left out, but did she do it just to appease me because of how I had been ignored prior? I didn't know for certain. All I could do was go and have a good time, even though I had those issues clouding my head. Combined with the problem involving the Dazzlings, things were getting pretty strenuous.

Pinkie's house looked normal on the outside, which felt awkward, since it clashed so much with her personality. On the inside, though, it was more chaotic. I guessed her family didn't mind any of the absurdity that she used to decorate the interior of the house. Me? I would have questioned her sense of ethics. Most objects around the house had something pink associated with them, and there was an obvious candy theme present. It felt like being in a candy store that had been warped into a crazy cacophony of colours that could blind someone if they weren't careful.

An hour had passed since the slumber party began, and we were all having the time of our lives. Everyone had brought their own pajamas--myself included--with the exception of Princess Twilight. She had none of her own. Luckily, Rarity let her borrow one of hers; she had brought extras, for some reason. As the night progressed, Pinkie was updating her status on a website called MyStable. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were playing video games, while Rarity, Fluttershy, and I were taking selfies. Even Spike managed to get in on the act, despite Rarity's disdain when he ruined a really good shot. Princess Twilight, on the other hand, was trying to come up with a counter-spell that could be used against the Dazzlings. While I had no idea what she was writing down, I could sense she was struggling given the various looks that appeared on her face. Once we were done taking selfies, Fluttershy inched closer to Pinkie's bed, while Rarity and I decided to watch the video game shenanigans. It didn't last very long, as Rainbow Dash slammed the console because she was losing.

" Hey! You did that on purpose! I was winnin'!" Applejack said.

" I doubt it." Rainbow Dash said.

" You know I had the higher score! Admit it!" Applejack said.

" Nope." Rainbow Dash said.

" Uh-huh. It don't matter, anyway. I know I was winnin', and I know you did that on purpose, so that's enough for me to claim victory." Applejack said.

" Whatever! So, Princess Twilight, how is that counter-spell coming along?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Huh? Oh, uh, um, good. It's good. I mean it's going great." Princess Twilight answered. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it wasn't going as well as expected, yet I was the only one who took notice of her stuttered response. I guess the others didn't take notice because they were relieved that she would soon sort everything out. I thought she would've come up with a counter-spell without any trouble, based on what Spike said about how she became a princess. Were my friends wrong about putting so much faith into her ability to solve this? I decided to watch her closely, just in case. It also gave me a chance to put some of my fears to rest. " Thanks for letting me use your notebook on such short notice, Fluttershy. I'm really liking this song you wrote for the Rainbooms." Princess Twilight said.

" Thanks." Fluttershy said before sighing.

" What's wrong?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I was hoping we would actually play it one day." Fluttershy answered.

" Why wouldn't you?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I've been trying to get Rainbow Dash to try it out, but she's more interested in her 'pride and joy' instead. She wants us to perform 'Awesome as I Wanna Be' during the competition, even though we're going to be using your counter-spell to stop the Dazzlings. Sometimes, I don't why I bother speaking with her; she completely ignores my suggestions like I don't even exist." Fluttershy answered.

" I'm sure she's just too focused on her own thing." Princess Twilight suggested.

" Maybe, but I don't know how much longer I can put up with it. For the sake of the Rainbooms, though, I'll endure as best as I can." Fluttershy said. I overheard their conversation, and I felt sad that Fluttershy's obvious talent for song-writing was being ignored. Heh, ignored... She was going through the exact same feeling of rejection that I was, but on a smaller scale. I would confront Rainbow Dash about how she had been treating Fluttershy, but I wouldn't even know what to say. I could make the situation worse if I interfere, so I chose to keep my opinions to myself.

" Princess Twilight, I think I speak for all of us when I say that I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't come back to help us." Rarity said.

" I'm glad that I could be here, but you guys don't have to refer to me as 'princess'." Princess Twilight said.

" Aren't you a princess, though, darling?" Rarity asked.

" Yes, but I don't really like the title to be used by my friends." Princess Twilight answered. " If the Dazzlings were to figure out that I was an alicorn princess from Equestria, they'd immediately figure out our true intentions. Just think of me as another ordinary teenage girl--like you do with Sunset Shimmer." Princess Twilight said. It had been a while since I referred to her as Twilight without the princess title. At that moment, there came a knock on the front door which startled everyone except for Pinkie, who must have known who it was.

"Quite understandable. We'll call you Twilight, then." Rarity said.

" Pizza's here!" Pinkie Pie shouted. The instant she said that, we all zipped out of her bedroom and down the stairs, except for Princess Twilight. When it came to pizza, nothing could stop a bunch of hungry teenage girls from pigging out. I was fortunate that Pinkie was aware that I was a vegetarian. The thought of me, a pony, a natural herbivore, eating something that clearly came from another animal was just too revolting for me to even think of. How could humans eat animals anyway? Hopefully, they offer Princess Twilight some of the vegetarian pizzas. If they don't, I will.

Normal people would only order about three pizzas at the most. Pinkie was anything but normal. She had, in fact, ordered about sixteen pizzas, all the same size, but with varying toppings, crust thickness, and slices per pizza. Now that's what I call variety, although one had to wonder where she got the money. Ordering that many wasn't cheap.

Later on, after everyone had gone off to bed, I had a bit of trouble sleeping. My mind was still filled with those thoughts about how my friends were ignoring me and fawning over Princess Twilight. If I hadn't failed to properly figure out who the Dazzlings really were, I wouldn't be feeling the way I did. Maybe I was just overthinking everything. I would try to get some sleep, but before completely dozing off, I could hear faint footsteps weaving their way across the carpet until they stopped in front of a bedside table. I opened one eye to see who had been walking around, and I couldn't tell who it was, as everything was too dark. Once they had left the bedroom and gone downstairs, I got up from my sleeping bag before weaving past my friends to avoid waking them. Leaving the room, I walked downstairs slowly so as to not alert whoever had left previously until I was certain of who it was. A light was protruding from the kitchen, so I slowly walked towards the edge of the door before listening in. Someone was writing something down, rather quickly, by the sound of it, but the immediate voice that followed was a dead giveaway.

" No. That's not going to work! How about this, instead? Ugh! That won't do it, either! Maybe this will do it? Ack! Nothing!" Princess Twilight said.

" Hey, Twilight!" I announced as I appeared in the doorway.

" Sunset Shimmer!" Twilight gasped, taken aback by my sudden presence. " How long were you standing there?"

" Not very long. I was having trouble sleeping and I heard someone sneaking out of the bedroom. I wasn't expecting to see you here. You can't sleep, either?" I asked. I then noticed the opened notebook in front of her, and before she covered it with her hands, I saw a number of scribbles, drawings, words, numbers, and a lot of Xs. I suspected something was amiss. Why would she suddenly hide her work? I chose to ignore it on the off-chance that my suspicion was incorrect. " Then again, you not being able to sleep is understandable." I said.

" Just looking over the counter-spell. We only have one chance to use it." Princess Twilight said.

" How come?" I asked.

" If this spell isn't perfect when we use it against the Dazzlings, the chances of it failing increase dramatically. If they figure out what we're trying to do, we'll never get another chance." Princess Twilight answered.

" That explains why you need it to be perfect." I said.

" I've been wracking my brains trying to figure out the final details, but so far, I'm just not getting anything." Princess Twilight said. Who was she trying to fool? Judging from what she had written down in Fluttershy's journal, it wasn't just the last pieces that confounded her. Rather, it was the entire spell that was giving her a hard time. Her Highness definitely took pride when it came to magic, as she wanted to prove that she could handle the more complex natures behind it. Maybe she should stop working on it for a while before her brains end up frying under the intense pressure. I could tell she was stressed out, as her lower lip was quivering and her fingernails had been chewed all the way to the quick. " It has to be perfect!" Princess Twilight said.

" Maybe you ought to work on it in the morning?" I asked.

" No, I can easily stay up for another hour or two." Princess Twilight answered.

" Are you sure about that?" I asked.

" Don't worry about me, Sunset. I'm used to this sort of thing; back in Equestria, I've had to spend entire nights trying to figure out spells. The more challenging the spell, the more excitement I get out of it." Princess Twilight answered. The sad expression on her face proved that she had just lied to me. Why deny that her spell wasn't working as well as she thought? Was she under a similar kind of pressure that plagued me? Whatever was going on in her mind, I should simply humour her. I don't want to be blamed by my friends for causing her to suffer a nervous breakdown.

" If you say so, Twilight. By the way, I thought you'd like to know that we're really lucky to have you here." I said.

" Everyone has been telling me that since I returned." Princess Twilight said.

" What the Dazzlings had done to everyone at CHS really had them worried, but now they feel that there is still hope. That hope is you, Twilight, the one who can light their darkest hour using the magic that you possess. I don't mean to give you any pressure or anything, but they truly look up to you. You're trying your very best to sort out this situation before it gets any worse, and no matter what happens, they will always be grateful." I said. My words weren't my best but at least I tried to make her feel better.

My stomach then started growling up a storm. Walking over to the fridge and opening it hoping to find a snack, I was disappointed to find that there was nothing edible to be found. I was shocked at what was inside, though. " Who could possibly need this much whipped cream?" I asked. The contents of the fridge consisted only of bottles of whipped cream, which made me wonder whether Pinkie had an obsession with the stuff. Or, maybe someone else in her family, instead? Grabbing a bottle on the top shelf, I turned around to face Princess Twilight before spraying a bit on my thumb. " I've been thinking about something for a while now, so I'm wondering if you want to hear me out?" I asked.

" I could do with a change of pace." Princess Twilight answered.

" It must be nice that everyone is looking to you to solve a problem. I know they are also giving you a lot of pressure, but like I said, they see you as a beacon of hope. The spell may take you some time to figure it out, but they know it will happen because they believe in you. Now, look at someone like me. Everyone thinks of me as someone who is bound to cause a problem because of how I used to be. I've tried my best to prove that I've changed, yet they refuse to believe my integrity. No one wants me to help, so they ignore me in the hopes that I would just go away. We're both on the opposite ends of the spectrum, Twilight, whether we like it or not. You're on top of a mountain, where everyone is happy to see you. I'm on the bottom, where no one is there to see me." I said.

" Just because everyone expects me to be this great saviour doesn't necessarily mean it will happen. I'm not perfect; I've made just as many mistakes as you have, Sunset Shimmer. Everyone has flaws that make them who they are. I can only do the best I can with what I know, and if it's not enough, then people just have to accept my limitations for what they are." Princess Twilight said.

" My mistakes are a lot worse." I said.

" Perhaps, but you've been trying to prove everyone wrong about you. They expect you to cause trouble because they're tied down to the past. If they could only look beyond what they see in front of them and look at the person within, they will understand the truth. Try as they might, pretending it doesn't exist is just foolhardy. I always knew you were capable of turning your life around. Most saw nothing more than the evil girl who tormented them for years. I saw you as a prisoner of your own ego who wanted to break free from the bonds that trapped her." Princess Twilight said.

" I accepted my fate by allowing them to bully me." I said.

" Fate doesn't decide what we do with our lives." Princess Twilight said.

" Then why do they expect me to remain evil?" I asked.

" Because that's all they've ever known about you. This new persona you've been applying to your life is foreign to them. They don't understand why nor do they even care, as they only see you for what you used to be." Princess Twilight answered.

" I wish that I could be like you." I said.

" The burdens I carry on my shoulders would tear you apart." Princess Twilight said.

" Mine are just as bad; I still carry a lot of guilt over what I did. Not a day goes by that I don't regret my decisions, wishing that I could turn back the clock and stop myself from making the first of many mistakes. Had I stayed on as Princess Celestia's student, I would have become a princess at the right time. Instead, I let my anger blind me to the obvious truth that I wasn't ready. Don't even get me started with what I did during my time in this world." I said.

" But you've changed." Princess Twilight said.

" Have I? Have I really? I'm still prone to temper tantrums, which really don't do me any favours. Whenever people see that side of me rear its ugly head, they condemn me straight away for not having changed. I'm also condemned in that they say that my efforts to prove that I've changed are nothing more than a lie. They say I pretend to be nice so that I can backstab them later." I said.

" Then you need to show them." Princess Twilight said.

" That makes two of us. I need to show everyone that I've changed for the better, and you need to show yourself that you can handle this counter-spell." I said. Both of us then looked at one another after having exchanged so much back and forth. We each smiled a false smile, indicating that we had a pleasant conversation, despite the pain being so apparent. I was wrong about Princess Twilight, after all. She had no desire to take my friends away from me. Her struggles with trying to please everyone are similar to my own struggles, and surely, she felt the same way. To think that only just a month ago were we at each other's throats. No doubt that this conversation had opened our eyes to the truth about us both.

" Our struggles to please everyone become ever more challenging over time." Princess Twilight said.

" They have expectations for us, and we can't meet them. Things keep getting in the way." I said.

" The last thing you want to do is..." Princess Twilight said.

" Let everybody down." We both said.

" You may not realize it, Twilight, but we have quite a lot in common." I said. I then wiped the whipped cream off of my thumb before putting the container back in the fridge and closing the door. I turned to my left, where someone was standing there, staring at me with a blank expression. I was completely caught by surprise; I had no idea they had even entered the kitchen.

"WAAAAH!"

" Boulder was hungry." It turned out that our visitor was Pinkie's older sister Maud Pie.

" When did you get here?" I asked, clutching my chest because it felt like I had just gotten a heart attack.

" Just now." Maud Pie said.

" Did you say your boulder was hungry?" I asked.

" Yes." Maud Pie answered.

" Since when do rocks eat?" I asked.

" I don't follow." Maud Pie answered.

" Never mind." I said.

" Goodnight." Maud Pie said. She then opened a nearby cupboard and took out a box of crackers, which she then proceeded to sprinkle on a small rock she was holding in her hand. As the crackers dropped to the ground, she turned around and walked off, leaving the cupboard open and a trail of crackers behind. Maud had chosen to take the box for reasons I'm sure I won't understand. Once she had left the kitchen, I turned to face Princess Twilight, who was just as confused as I was.

" I still can't believe that she's related to Pinkie Pie." I said softly. Of all her family members, Pinkie was the odd one out. Where she was peppy and full of energy, the rest of them were stoic and reserved. Sometimes, I had to wonder if Pinkie was even related to them at all, but that was a question I had no intention of asking any time soon.

" You and me both." Princess Twilight said. We both then looked at each other before giggling.

" It's getting late now, and I really could do with some sleep. I appreciate the conversation tonight, Twilight. It helped me understand you a lot better than before. You hopefully understand me a lot better, as well. Anyway, good luck with that counter-spell! Not that you need any luck, anyway. Compared with what you've experienced in Equestria before and after becoming a princess, this must be nothing to you." I said. As I turned to head out of the kitchen, Princess Twilight tried to say something, but she held back, as though her heart told her to not speak. I didn't know what it meant, so I simply smiled at her before leaving and making my way back upstairs. Aside from Maud Pie making an unexpected appearance, that conversation was something I needed to have experienced. While I could definitely rule out Her Highness for aspiring to ignore me, my friends were a different story, for they were clearly ignoring me in the big picture. I had a lot to think about before the Battle of the Bands.

" Wow..." Twilight said, speechless at what she had just heard.

" If Princess Twilight hadn't gotten up in the middle of the night, that conversation wouldn't have taken place. It gave both of us some answers to questions that were plaguing our minds. There were still many questions that lacked answers, but at least we had gotten somewhere. As far as I was aware, Princess Twilight stayed up a little while longer before she eventually turned in for the night." I said.

" I don't understand the whipped cream bit, though." Twilight said. That statement had me giggling. She then looked at me, her face swelled up in a pouting gesture, and I waved my non-injured hand in response to indicate that I wasn't laughing at her. Rather, I was laughing at that particular moment. I never did ask Pinkie why her fridge was stocked up with bottles of whipped cream. Maybe I'll ask her about it one of these days. " Alright. I'll admit it was pretty funny; no one would ever expect to see that inside of a fridge. I was surprised when you said that Pinkie was the odd one out among her family." Twilight said.

" They're all pretty traditional in their thinking, while Pinkie is anything but that." I said.

" Was she really struggling?" Twilight asked.

" Princess Twilight?" I asked.

" Yes. According to what you wrote down, what she had written in Fluttershy's journal could be amounted to an incoherent mess." Twilight answered. That was a pretty good way to describe what I saw. Maybe I should have talked to Her Highness about it rather than ignore the problem. We could have figured out a solution together instead of her having to come up with a solution on her own.

" Magic is her specialty, but not music." I said.

" I guess that explains it." Twilight said.

" If she had a better understanding of music, she could have more easily come up with an ideal counter-spell." I said.

" You sound as if she did come up with one." Twilight said. Again, I couldn't hide anything from her. She was just like Princess Twilight. Both sought the pursuit of knowledge and could easily deduce what people were trying to say. I then remembered what happened the morning after our conversation in the kitchen. It's weird, though; Princess Twilight could clearly sing. I observed her when she sang in the school cafeteria before the Fall Formal, and she was very good. To say her singing skills had drastically changed from that point to the morning after the slumber party would be an understatement. Maybe it was the pressure getting to her?

" She did." I said softly.

" I knew it!" Twilight exclaimed.

" It wasn't anything to celebrate over." I said.

Chapter 32: Bad Counter-Spell

Day: Friday
Weather: Chilly
Time: 10:41am

Princess Twilight figured out that in order to defeat the Dazzlings and save everyone from their dark magic, a counter-spell was needed in the form of a song. It was a very sound idea, although Her Highness had the displeasure of informing the rest of us that she knew no such songs. That meant we were relying on her to complete one by tomorrow. Pinkie invited us all over for a slumber party later that night, my very first one, and it was a chance for us to relax after what happened earlier. Well, relaxing became the last thing on my mind, as I confronted Princess Twilight in the kitchen. We both had much to say about our respective problems. My opinions on her changed that night after our discussion. I know now she wasn't trying to take my friends away from me. The next morning was when the Rainbooms began to practice for the Battle of the Bands. It wasn't what I would call the best session out there, because tensions would flare up. Such tensions threatened to ruin their chances of victory against the Sirens.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 24, 2015
Chapter 32: Bad Counter-Spell.

Twilight wasn't sure what to make of my previous statement. Princess Twilight had managed to write down a counter-spell to use against the Sirens, but I acted as though it wasn't an exciting moment. Truth was that it wasn't. Her Highness was clearly capable of handling something as simple as a counter-spell. Yet, I knew she was struggling because of all that pressure weighing her down.

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" If our friends had sung what she wrote in front of the Sirens, the Sirens wouldn't have stopped laughing before blasting them with their magic." I answered. That was actually the least insulting way I could describe how terrible her song really was. " You see, she would write a counter-spell after I went to bed that night. But the stress had really started to affect her confidence. The others were pinning their hopes on her success, and the result was something none of us were expecting."

" Was it really that awful?" Twilight asked.

" I wouldn't even call it a song. Rather, it sounded more like an abysmal effort in caterwauling." I answered.

" Are you sure you're not exaggerating?" Twilight asked.

" Trust me, Twilight. I was watching them perform her song. No one particularly liked the lyrics, and there were awful sound cues. If I could say one positive thing about the whole experience, it was that it didn't last very long. We even came up with an appropriate name for it: The Bad Counter-Spell Song." I answered, trying hard not to laugh. There was another thing I learned from what happened. I should have brought some headphones with me and worn them to tune out the horrible music. To be fair, though, at least Princess Twilight tried to come up with something. Under normal circumstances, most would have admitted defeat right away because of the pressure. She chose to stick it out, however. I admired Her Highness for never giving up, no matter how overwhelmed she was. I learned that the hard way when I tried to ridicule her around the time of the Fall Formal.

" Shall we continue on?" Twilight asked. The tone in her voice indicated she wasn't liking all this talk about how we were insulting the hard work Her Highness had written that night.

" We might as well." I answered. Twilight then turned the page, and something almost fell out of the journal, but she managed to catch it just in time. She unfurled it, as it had been folded up a few times. I tried to recall what it was, but my mind was drawing a blank. Once Twilight had unfolded the paper, she began combing over it. She then turned her face towards me, her eyes widened in shock.

" What is this supposed to mean?" Twilight asked.

" I don't follow." I answered.

" This piece of paper has the lyrics of a song written down. Well, partial lyrics, as the piece of paper is missing the bottom half." Twilight said.

" Can you describe one of the lines?" I asked.

" The writing looks terrible, as though whoever wrote this had never used a pen, but I should be able to find at least one line that is readable." Twilight answered. She then resumed glossing over the piece of paper in her hand, and I continued trying to remember what was important about it. " Ugh! Just reading through this makes my head hurt!" After a few more minutes, Twilight came up with something. " Okay! Here's one line that can be read. 'Yeah, we're really different, but we still get along, so hey, hey, listen to our song.' I guess you weren't exaggerating about how bad the song was after all." Now I remember what that piece of paper meant. After the Rainbooms finished their performance, Princess Twilight gave up on the song and ripped the page from Fluttershy's journal before ripping it in half and throwing it in the garbage. I managed to salvage the top half of the paper and keep it on me until I placed it into this journal as another memento.

" It definitely wasn't her best." I said.

" I'm still surprised at how her handwriting hasn't improved." Twilight said.

" Considering she's only spent a week in this world total, she never got used to using fingers. In fact, she often clenches her hands into fists and turns them downward in a manner that's similar to pony hooves. No one else has ever mentioned it; they just assume it's just an unusual quirk. I, of course, know better, as I'm a pony like her, and I went through the same experience when I first came here." I said.

" Couldn't she have fine-tuned this song to make it sound better?" Twilight asked.

" The Battle of the Bands was beginning that afternoon." I answered.

" No wonder you mentioned that time was against you all." Twilight said.

" All bands had to check in at around lunchtime, otherwise they were disqualified. They would then perform a rehearsal in front of Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna who would write down some comments which they revealed to the bands afterwards. Once the rehearsals were over, bands would be placed into a tournament-style bracket where they had to defeat an opposing band to move onto the next round. Think of it like a tennis tournament." I said.

" Why would the Sirens arrange it like that?" Twilight asked.

" They didn't. The two sisters came up with the competition's format, and we all had to quickly get used to it." I answered.

My midnight encounter with Princess Twilight lead to some unexpected revelations between herself and me. We were both suffering under immense pressure as we struggled to prove ourselves to those around us. Her Highness wanted to please our friends by creating the solution to the problem at hand. I wanted to please everyone by proving I had reformed. I also concluded that she wasn't trying to take my friends away from me. Why would she? She was known as the Princess of Friendship, according to Spike, and she would never do something that would go against her creed. At the same time, she had learned more about me than before.

I was certain she learned some parts of my past from Princess Celestia before coming to this world initially. She would have needed to learn about the pony who had stolen her crown or run the risk of not knowing what I was capable of. Underneath my former bravado was a frightened child struggling to figure out who she was. I still felt that way, although now I had insecurities rather than bravado. Despite how tense our conversation got, it had proven to be most effective, as we both needed to vent out some frustration. We even had a moment of good will when Pinkie Pie's older sister Maud Pie came into the kitchen without either of us suspecting. Princess Twilight was starting to become much more than just a princess whom I would serve were I to return one day to Equestria. She was becoming a friend, something I used to scoff at in my younger days. My other friends were still on the fence because of how they ignored me, all because I couldn't live up to their expectations. Maybe... maybe going back home to Equestria wasn't a bad idea.

Could I go back, though? After all, I stole an ancient artefact, which was punishable by being exiled to the desolate wastes. I might have changed my life for the better, but the past did have a way to come back and haunt a person when they least expected it. I suppose all I could do was wait and see where the dominoes fell. If I were to be sent to the desolate wastes despite my reformation, I would accept my punishment with dignity. Perhaps I should talk to Princess Twilight about this to see what she thought about it. Before, I wouldn't have been able to, but now, the only thing stopping me was my own indecision.

After everyone had woken up, gotten dressed, had breakfast, and gotten themselves tidied up, we made our way over to Sweet Apple Acres. Pinkie's family wasn't too keen on music, so they wouldn't appreciate having to listen to a band performing a practice session. Luckily, Applejack's residence had a barn that wasn't connected with the main house, so we decided to use it. Everyone looked positive that things were going to work out, yet Princess Twilight looked extremely nervous.

" Shame your folks aren't fans of music." Applejack said.

" That's okay. Their loss." Pinkie Pie said.

" Well, we've got the barn here to use." Applejack said.

" It's certainly roomy." Pinkie Pie commented.

" It won't take us long to get set up, Twilight. You can start singin' that counter-spell you wrote last night after that. Still can't believe you stayed up that late working on that there spell and aren't strugglin' to stay on yer feet." Applejack said. Princess Twilight simply gulped heavily, sweat dripping down her brow and her body shivering from time to time. I would have walked over and comforted her, but I chose to keep my distance in case one of the others would do it instead. My conversation with her last night may have exposed us both to the truths about each other, yet there could still be some leftover tension.

It didn't take long for the Rainbooms to set up their instruments, although there was a brief moment of tension between Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Both had collided with one another and spent a good three minutes just staring at each other with such cold expressions, everyone else merely froze while they had their spat. Honestly, those two never ceased to amaze me with how juvenile they behaviour could get at times. Princess Twilight then took her place behind a raised microphone, where she looked down at Fluttershy's journal before she waited for Pinkie Pie to give her the signal. Was she seriously just going to read from it? I thought she would have at least memorized some parts. Well, maybe it would sound better than it did written down, given how Her Highness' handwriting was abysmal.

Me? I wasn't going to just stand there and be their audience. Instead, my job was to adjust the sound in order to reduce the feedback. Rainbow Dash had given me the general gist of what I had to do, so I knew when to make the adjustments so that they sounded good. She had also promised to teach me how to play the guitar later on, myself having asked her about it a couple of days ago. It seemed that the Element of Loyalty had a problem with procrastination. Soon after Pinkie gave the signal, the Rainbooms began to play the song Princess Twilight had written, and right away I could tell it would become a disaster.

" Hey, hey, listen.

We've got a message for you.

We're not all alike.

But our friendship is true." Princess Twilight sung.

Not only was she singing off-key, but the lyrics made little to no sense. Was this what she had written down after I went to bed last night? I looked at the rest of my friends, and based on their reactions, they clearly weren't impressed. Even Pinkie looked bored while seated at her drums, and it was almost impossible for her to feel that way. No doubt that this song was a nightmare. If my friends were cringing at this song, the student body at CHS would likely be covering their ears in agony. Eventually, the song finished, and Rainbow Dash told everyone to try it again to make it work. The problem, though, was that the chances of this song actually working were slim to none, and that was being friendly about it. Princess Twilight looked as though she didn't like the idea of singing her creation again, but she knew there was no choice in the matter. The lives of everyone at CHS were on the line.

And so the Rainbooms tried playing her counter-spell again, with the same results. Her Highness then tried to alter her pitch, making her voice sound like she was younger than she really was.

" You may think you're in control.

But we're here to prove you wrong."

That didn't work either, and neither did their next two attempts. They tried playing with a faster tempo, which proved too fast for Fluttershy and Rarity. Next was seeing if they could switch some band members around to see if a change of position would help fluctuate the music. On their fifth attempt, Rainbow Dash attempted to turn the song into a solo performance, playing her guitar loudly while Princess Twilight was still singing.

" Gonna stomp our feet,

Clap our hands.

With the magic of friendship,

Gonna stop your evil plan!"

The mood in the barn was pretty evident. No one wanted to play Princess Twilight's song for a sixth time. It didn't matter what slight alterations could be made. The fact was that her song just didn't work, period! I had taken note of the fact that Rainbow Dash started to pony up towards the end of the song, but nothing materialized, which was another reminder of how bad this song was. I knew Her Highness had been struggling to come up with something, yet I didn't think it would be this bad.

" That went... well." Rarity said meekly.

" I thought we would have gotten it together on the fifth run-through." Princess Twilight said.

" No point in tryin' to hide the fact that the song is terrible." Applejack said. Both Rarity and Princess Twilight sighed. They knew the song was bad, so trying to defend it was pointless. When it came to honesty, Applejack doesn't hold back for any reason. " Sorry, I didn't mean to put down your hard work, Twilight, but y'all must admit that this just ain't workin' out for us. I mean, some of the lyrics do sound really solid and could be used for a better version of the counter-spell, but the music definitely needs improvement. In certain areas." Applejack then coldly stared at Rainbow Dash, which hinted to me that she was accusing her of being problematic.

" Why are you looking at me like that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" You know darn well why." Applejack answered.

" Nope! No idea! In any case, I think it's pretty obvious what's wrong with the counter-spell." Rainbow Dash said.

" It's obvious to me, too! You're taking control of the song by turning the chorus into a five-minute guitar solo. Why?" Applejack asked.

" Since I'm not lead singer anymore, I have to pick up the slack for the stragglers." Rainbow Dash answered. Her response drew the ire of everyone else present, and she merely scoffed it off, waving her hand like she didn't care. I could sense tensions were beginning to flare up again between Applejack and Rainbow Dash. I thought what happened earlier would be an isolated incident. Now I'm not sure what to think of it. In fact, I had been noticing other tense moments come up whenever everyone practiced. They were extremely minor occurrences, so I never paid any attention to them. Maybe I should have, as now, I feared things could get worse before the competition was over. Again, I chose to keep this insight to myself, as I didn't want to jeopardize my friendships.

" Maybe we should try it again." Princess Twilight suggested.

" Why bother?" Applejack asked.

" I mean, sure the previous five attempts were bad, but at least we know what works and what doesn't. Ha! I'm sure we can get it to work properly. Come on! I know it will work this time." Princess Twilight answered, her voice growing more nervous by the moment. I'm not sure why she wanted to try for the sixth time. Everyone else looked at each other, disdain clearly on their faces. They had no desire to play something so horrible again. Was she trying to hide the fact that she had failed them after they had praised her before? It was a possibility, or she really was stressed out from wanting to meet their expectations.

" I think we should take a break, darling." Rarity announced.

" When we're this close?" Princess Twilight asked.

" Close? Pardon me, Twilight, but we've never been close since we started practicing. Your counter-spell most likely worked in your head when you were writing it down last night, but it's obviously clear that it doesn't work as intended. I know you're eager to keep on going until we've mastered it, but continuing down this path is sure to be horrible for your health. I mean, look at you. You're a nervous wreck! What say we all practice later on when you've gotten a more productive spell?" Rarity answered.

" I have been pretty stressed, lately." Princess Twilight said.

" Alright! Onto more important business!" Rarity announced. She then walked towards the entrance of the barn, before reaching out into the shadows. At first, we had no idea what she was doing, but when she walked back with a mobile rack with various dresses hanging on it, we quickly got the picture. Not sure how she managed to get those in here while everyone was setting up, but I learned one should never question Rarity on how she did things like that. " These are some costumes I've selected from my repertoire. There are plenty of them, so by all means, take your time. I personally like this one right here, which is why I'm keeping it aside for myself." Rarity then pulled the rack in front of her. She then pushed the rack back to its previous position, and she stood before us wearing a rather bright dress. For some reason, it reminded me of something I once read in history class about fashions from the 1960s. " I suppose if this doesn't work we could always go with something more modern."

" What are you doin'?" Applejack asked.

" I already told you, darling. I'm showing off potential costumes that we could wear during the competition." Rarity answered.

" Are you serious?" Applejack asked.

" Quite." Rarity answered.

" We're trying to save the world here from power-crazed lunatics who enslaved our entire school! Enough with the costumes! It's not like we need to wear anything fancy during the Battle of the Bands, anyway." Applejack said.

" Oh, you can never have enough costumes!" Rarity said. Somehow, she had suddenly changed costumes and was now wearing a yellow jumpsuit that covered her entire body from head to toe. She was also wearing black boots, but it was the helmet that struck me as the most unique aspect of her attire. It looked like it was a modern bike helmet. Yet the flashing lights that came from the visor when Rarity spoke told me that it was some kind of futuristic style. I may have lived in this world for over three years, but I still didn't quite understand the point of fashion. Turning to my right, I noticed Pinkie Pie looked miserable while sitting at her drums. I knew she and the others had gotten fed up with playing that awful song numerous times, yet she seemed even grumpier than the others.

" What's wrong, Pinkie?" I asked, walking over to her.

" This is getting so frustrating." Pinkie Pie answered.

" How so?" I asked.

" Why is Applejack being so mean to Rarity? I mean, she only wants to make things more fun. Those costumes look really fun and I'd like to give them a try." Pinkie Pie answered.

" I've got to admit that Rarity did do a pretty good job on them." I said.

" Applejack is taking things way too seriously, and she's been lashing out a lot, lately. Isn't being in a band supposed to be fun? I think so, but it looks like some of us have completely forgotten about that." Pinkie Pie said before playing a rimshot on her drum in an angry fashion. Pinkie was the kind of girl who would rarely get annoyed by anything, but it looked like her patience had been wearing thin. I decided to take a look at my watch to see what time it was. After so many blundered performances, my friends could all do with a lengthy break. It would also ease tensions, which were getting worse. Looking at the time, I knew that wasn't an option. If this was correct, things were about to become even more hectic.

" You don't have time for any of this!" I shouted, causing everyone to turn towards me.

" What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I just checked my watch, and you're supposed to check in at the Battle of the Bands in fifteen minutes!" I answered.

" What!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

" There's no time to do anything right now! You've all got to get over there right away, or you'll be disqualified before you even start." I said. My friends then began running around like headless chickens. I never knew how disorganized they could be sometimes, but I suppose all of that tension blinded them to the constraints of time. I wasn't affected by such constraints as I wasn't a member of the band. I could have, in fact, taken my sweet time while they made a mad dash, but I didn't want to come off as not being supportive of their actions.

" It's not ready!" Princess Twilight announced, causing all of us to suddenly stop.

" We already know that." Applejack said.

" I'm well aware, Applejack, but it's a lot worse than I previously thought." Princess Twilight said.

" How so?" Applejack asked.

" If we play our counter-spell in the first round and it doesn't work, the Sirens will know what we're up to and make sure we don't get a chance to play it again! In other words, we only have one chance to do this. That's why I was insistent that we continued practicing. I thought we could have made enough adjustments to make it perfect. I didn't realize that time was so against us." Princess Twilight answered.

" How long do you think it will take you to figure it out?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" We don't necessarily need to have it ready for the first round, so that does give me some extra time to work out the kinks. I'll try to see if I can get it ready in time for the second round of the competition. If I can't, then I'll get it ready as soon as possible, which could mean it won't be finished until the finals. I'm not sure how we can buy ourselves enough time for me to finish the spell." Princess Twilight answered.

" Buy ourselves time?" Applejack asked.

" How do you propose we do that?" Rarity asked.

" We compete in the Battle of the Bands for real! I was hoping it would come to that. I can take over lead vocals again throughout the competition until either we get to the finals or Twilight has the counter-spell ready. We'll need to stay alive, so that means everyone has to bring their A-game. Come on! We've got a Battle of the Bands to win!" Rainbow Dash answered.

" That sounds fair, I suppose." Princess Twilight said.

" Will you have the spell ready?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Of course she will." Spike piped up. " Twilight Sparkle's never met a problem she couldn't solve. Right, Twilight?" Princess Twilight nodded in response, a nervous look on her face, and it had me thinking about what happened when her companion brought up her impressive skills after we left the gym last night. Spike had a lot of confidence in Her Highness' abilities, but perhaps he was bragging about it to the point where she felt incapable of living up to such hype. Or he could be giving her unwarranted pressure. He meant well, surely, yet maybe he should have just kept quiet about it. In any case, we had to leave, or else the Rainbooms would be disqualified. I wanted to speak to Princess Twilight, but she was ushered away before I could get a chance.

Maybe things would get better once the competition started. I knew that the other bands weren't going to give my friends a warm welcome. This was especially true after their failed attempt to use the Magic of Friendship to free them from the Dazzlings' control. What Applejack said about the Rainbooms being the band to beat was about to become a reality, as everyone else was determined to beat them. Anything could happen during the competition, and the two sisters were powerless to stop it. They, too, were under the Dazzlings' control and were most likely to ignore anything that happened unless it had to do with my friends. Rainbow Dash may have thought it was going to be easy to win, but I had a feeling it was going to be the hardest challenge of their lives.

" Tensions were really starting to flare." Twilight observed.

" It's because everyone was stressed over the Sirens and how they had been able to get away with so much. Well, that and our friends arguing with each other over petty things. Applejack and Rainbow arguing over anything was a given, as those two had often found themselves struggling to tolerate the other. They're much better now, but back then, there were times they could have ripped the other apart. Applejack also had issues with Rarity because she cared a lot about appearances. Applejack, on the other hand, was more about getting down and dirty and not caring about how she looked." I said.

" Applejack seems to be the cause of a lot of tension." Twilight said. I had long suspected as much even before I became friends with Applejack. During my days as the bad girl on campus, I had often seen Applejack arguing with other students over different things. I ignored such things back then, as they weren't important to me. I should have paid more attention and perhaps done something. I wouldn't say that her farming heritage was the cause behind her stubbornness. That would just be stereotyping. No, I'd say it was more deeply rooted than that. All of our friends had their share of problems, but how they handled them varied from person to person. " Does she still have that stubborn streak?" Twilight asked.

" She got over it." I answered.

" Whatever happened during the Battle of the Bands must have been something to have everyone change for the better." Twilight said.

" It brought us closer than ever, although there was one incident that I'll tell you later that tested that resolve. In any case, the Rainbooms were off to compete with so much on the line. The other bands were determined to make sure the Rainbooms had no chance of moving on to the next round, and that meant relying on sabotage in order to ensure things didn't go well for anyone. At the same time, I would be facing my own challenge when the Sirens revealed that they knew about me." I said.

Chapter 33: Sabotage!

Day: Friday
Weather: Chilly
Time: 11:00am

I couldn't believe my ears. The counter-spell that Princess Twilight had spent a good deal of the night working on sounded utterly terrible. I knew she had been struggling to come up with an ideal song to use against the Dazzlings, but I never thought it would have been that bad. The expressions my friends had regarding her effort were justified. No one liked what she had created. If they were to play the counter-spell in its current state, it would be nothing but disastrous for everyone. Time was running out, as the competition was mere minutes away from starting, so my friends, Princess Twilight and I hurried over to the school to check the band in. The atmosphere in the gym felt cold and distant, a sign that the students' attitudes had gotten worse since the previous night. The time had come for the bands to start battling it out to see who would move on and who would be cast aside in the abyss.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 26, 2015
Chapter 33: Sabotage!

" Sabotage!?" Twilight exclaimed, utterly shocked. When she looked into my eyes to see if I was telling her the truth, the expression they gave her was all she needed to see to confirm that I hadn't been deceptive. " I know that competitions can be highly competitive, but to resort to sabotage? Why?"

" It was the failed attempt to use the Magic of Friendship." I answered.

" Right! You mentioned that Adagio Dazzle took advantage by boasting that the Rainbooms were being boisterous when Princess Twilight stated that there wouldn't be a competition." Twilight said. Spot on. We all thought that the Magic of Friendship would have worked, only to learn it failed miserably. By saying what she did, Her Highness had condemned the Rainbooms, and Adagio knew exactly what to say to inflict further damage. The other bands were now under the impression that the Rainbooms viewed all of them as insignificant. They felt offended by such remarks, so their decision to sabotage the Rainbooms was pretty obvious. " Sunset? What did the other bands do to sabotage the Rainbooms?" Twilight asked.

" If you're thinking that they tried to prevent them from performing through physical altercation, you can relax; they never went that far. I personally think that the Sirens didn't want everyone to rely on violence, as they needed our friends to progress through the competition. As we would later find out, the purpose behind the competition involved absorbing the Equestrian magic they initially detected so that the Sirens could regain their full power again. The magic was inside of our friends." I answered.

" Did the Sirens know they had such magic?" Twilight asked.

" What happened in the gym prior to the slumber party confirmed the Sirens' suspicions." I answered.

" Couldn't the Sirens have simply absorbed the Equestrian magic without the need of a competition?" Twilight asked.

" That would have worked had they possessed their full power, but they lost much of that when Star Swirl the Bearded banished them here. Remember that they only had enough power to absorb small amounts of negative energy in order to stay alive. So they needed to absorb larger amounts over a short period of time to slowly increase their strength until they were strong enough to absorb the Equestrian magic they sought. Of course, our friends weren't going to give it to them unless the tensions among them got to the point where they unleashed their magic as negative energy." I answered.

" Huh? That made no sense." Twilight said. She wasn't the only one who thought that was the case. Even after looking back on it now, the whole thing didn't really add up. The Sirens could have absorbed the Equestrian magic our friends possessed through other means, especially if they had gotten strong enough to utilize the full extent of their powers. Why rely on a music competition? Perhaps their vanity towards being sexy divas compelled them to want to take such a questionable route rather than the direct approach. That had always been my guess. Twilight then turned the page, where a small envelope fell out of the journal and landed in her lap. She picked it up to take a closer look at it. " What's in this?"

" Photos taken during the early rounds of the competition." I answered.

" Did you take them?" Twilight asked.

" No. I was good at a lot of things, but photography isn't my strongest suit. They were taken by Photo Finish, who handed them over to me as a means of providing further insult towards our friends." I answered. Photo Finish... Her thick accent made it difficult to understand what she was saying at times, but there was no denying that her skills in photography were second to none. I remember being surprised that she had wanted to compete with her own band. I would have thought that she wanted to merely take photos and have them published in the school newspaper. It shows that the Sirens' power was one that wasn't to be underestimated. " If you open up that envelope, you will be able to see some of the photos. I don't exactly remember what they were; it's been a while." I said.

" These are really good." Twilight said as she combed through the photos after taking them out of the envelope. There were roughly a dozen altogether. Each photo depicted either bands, events that were happening on stage, or some of the décor inside the gym. Twilight showed me the photos, which brought back memories of what happened at the time, until she stopped on a certain photo that made her giggle. " Are those Snips and Snails!? What are they doing? Is that... rap?"

" I remember that moment vividly. They were the first to perform in front of Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, who acted as judges. Needless to say, their time away from me turned them from being bullies into being comedy relief." I answered.

My friends, Princess Twilight, and I barely made it to the school gym in order for the Rainbooms to check in and remain in the competition. The morning had been pretty hectic. The counter-spell that Her Highness had been working on had been disastrous, so now she needed more time to refine it until it was ready. That meant the Rainbooms had to compete as normal until the time came to defeat the Dazzlings. Hopefully, my friends would put their tensions aside and work together to defeat our common enemy. Oh, who am I kidding? I had a feeling their tensions were going to get even worse as the competition progressed. Rainbow Dash's arrogance had already placed her in the crosshairs of both Applejack and Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie wasn't having fun, which was a rare occurrence. Rarity was being criticized by Applejack for focusing too much on her costumes instead of her music. Finally, Her Highness had been experiencing unwanted stress from having to please everyone.

Me? While I had understood Princess Twilight a lot better now than before, I still had hesitation towards my friends for ignoring me in favour of her. I could have confronted them about my treatment while we were on our way here, but I kept it to myself. They were more fixated towards saving the school and would probably not want to hear my complaints. Perhaps it was a good thing that I wasn't a member of the Rainbooms. I would be embroiled in their arguing by saying that I was being ignored in favour of saving the world from magical creatures from Equestria, which just would've sounded childish.

The interior of the gym had been decorated to give off a competitive nature. Everything had bright colours, and the lighting was dim. While the others were checking in, I began to look around to see who else had decided to compete. I could see the Dazzlings sitting up on the rafters minding their own business, but I turned my attention away from them in case they assumed I was looking at them out of suspicion. Trixie was also present with her own band, as she mentioned to me when I ran into her the other day, but I chose to ignore her entirely. Flash Sentry then walked by with his bandmates following along, and his expression told me he was serious about winning. Some of the other bands included The Crusaders wearing flashy outfits, Octavia Melody solo, Bulk Biceps solo, Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon, and finally that one girl whose eyes looked in different directions with her band.

I could tell that tension filled the gym; no one was talking to each other. It felt eerie seeing everyone focusing their attention on one another and doing their best to refrain from lashing out in anger. If there was a positive I could take from this, it was the fact that they weren't bullying me, for a change. Knowing that, though, didn't make me feel any better; what I was seeing just wasn't natural.

" Welcome, everyone, to the first ever Canterlot High School Battle of the Bands." Principal Celestia announced while seated at a table in front of the stage alongside Vice Principal Luna. There were two clipboards, one in front of each sister, indicating that they would be writing down their opinions on the different bands that performed. " In case you are not aware, Vice Principal Luna and I will be judging this competition, and we will do so fairly. I believe I speak for everyone when I say it is by far the greatest thing we have ever done here at this school!" Her words prompted everyone in attendance to cheer, although the same couldn't be said for our group.

" Now, we have decided the order in which the bands will be performing during this initial stage of the competition. When we call your band name, you will immediately come up to the stage, where you will have five minutes to prepare accordingly. We will also be using the P.A. system in case anyone decides to leave the gymnasium." Vice Principal Luna said.

" No bands will be eliminated at this point. That will be happening once the two of us have seen each band perform." Principal Celestia said.

" The purpose behind this preliminary round is to see just good each band really is. Think of it as making a good first impression. Once we have finished seeing every band perform, we shall move on to the elimination portion of the competition." Vice Principal Luna said. She then pointed towards a large poster hanging on one of the walls, which looked like something one would see while watching a tennis tournament. Was this the format that would be used? I had a feeling this would only cause further strife and discord. No doubt that the bands who get eliminated were sure to become very vocal which would fit in with what the Dazzlings want. " Each band will be placed into a bracket depending on what number they draw. From there, we will progress through each round until the end." Vice Principal Luna said.

" I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who made this whole event possible. We are so glad our three newest students encouraged us to turn this event into something exciting! In fact, what we are doing now is much better than what we would have done before." Principal Celestia said. Everyone began clapping before turning their attention towards the Dazzlings, who simply took it all in stride. No doubt they were proud of what they had done.

" As this is now a competition, we can only choose one winner. Which band is going to be the one that wins it all?" Vice Principal Luna asked. The students then began arguing, each band proclaiming that they were going to win. More green mist appeared, which immediately began getting absorbed by the Dazzlings' jewelled pendants. They didn't even need to do anything in order for everyone to become consumed with rage. Looking in their direction again, they began giggling to themselves, although for a brief moment they looked at Princess Twilight and my friends. Had they figured out what we were up to? How? We had only come up with the plan yesterday.

I then began to think about the order the bands would be performing in. It would have been nice had the Rainbooms been chosen to go first, but that didn't happen. Snips and Snails were instead given that honour. As the two boys made their way towards the stage, I began to think about how I once treated them so horribly when I viewed them as my minions. Since then, they had avoided me altogether in the hopes of not being bullied by those who tormented me. Maybe it was a blessing for them to have been accepted back by everyone, after what they did on my behalf. When the curtain rose up to indicate that Snips and Snips were to begin, my reaction was one that would be shared with all in attendance. Snips cupped his hands to his mouth before making an attempt to replicate a musical beat. Snails followed along by doing the same thing before they started singing.

" They call me MC Snips and that ain't no lie.

My favorite food is, like, pumpkin pie." Snips sung.

" I'm DJ Snazzy Snails, I like whales.

When I go to the beach, I always bring my pails." Snails continued.

Was this their attempt at rapping? I had heard of this style of singing before, but I never really considered it as being significant. I could tell that the two boys clearly hadn't practiced beforehand; their song was just terrible. I looked around to see the reactions of everyone else, and they all had clueless expressions on their faces. Well... with the exception of both Pinkie Pie and that one member of the Dazzlings--Sonata Dusk, if I recall. Both of them were humming along, which made me wonder if they were hearing something the rest of us couldn't. If there was one thing to be said about Snips and Snails' performance, it would be that they set the bar incredibly low for everyone else.

" What do we... What do we do now?" Snips sung.

" Get off the stage, and like leave right now." Snails sung.

After a few more verses, which were worse than the previous ones, Snips and Snails finally came to a stop, much to the pleasure of everyone, except for Pinkie and Sonata, who simply looked disappointed that it was over. The two boys then dropped their microphones onto the stage, causing immense feedback. Everyone had to cover their ears due to how horrible it sounded, yet Snips and Snails remained unaffected by what they had done. Perhaps they were tone deaf? In any case, their little stunt didn't settle well with Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, who both gave them cold expressions.

" Please do not drop the microphones." Principal Celestia said.

" This applies to all other bands participating." Vice Principal Luna added.

The two boys walked off the stage before brushing past the Rainbooms, saying something which sounded like an insult. I wasn't near them, opting to pay attention to the two sisters, so I had no idea what was said. My friends' reactions indicated that they didn't think Snips and Snails made a good impression. " What did you think of their performance, sister?" Vice Principal Luna asked.

" I will give them credit for wanting to make up the lyrics as they went along, but that's as far as I would go, to be perfectly honest. Their lack of rhythm along with what they did at the very end isn't likely going to get them far." Principal Celestia answered.

" This is merely the round where each band will 'strut their stuff', as those their age would say." Vice Principal Luna said.

" Perhaps they will do better in the elimination portion of the competition. In any case, I'd be willing to give them a barely passing score for the reasons I stated." Principal Celestia said.

" I am in complete agreement on the matter. Now, which band will be the next to perform?" Vice Principal Luna asked. She then started to look at the list of bands who had registered, and who managed to check in on time before the cut-off, to see which one would be ideal to follow such an abysmal performance. I, on the other hand, began to look around to see who was likely to go next. I had a feeling they wouldn't pick the Dazzlings, as that would be too easy of a choice. My heart was beating rapidly as I had a suspicion they would pick the Rainbooms. " After going over the list a few times, sister, I believe the Rainbooms should go next. After all, they were boasting earlier about how good they are, according to what the students have been saying. Perhaps they should put their money where their mouths are." Vice Principal Luna suggested.

" Agreed. Allow me to make the announcement." Principal Celestia said. She then stood up, coughing under her breath before everyone turned towards her to pay attention. " Attention, students! The next band that will be performing are The Rainbooms. Would The Rainbooms please proceed to the stage! You have five minutes to get yourselves ready to perform." My suspicion turned out to be correct. When Principal Celestia made the announcement, I looked at the other students in attendance to see what their reactions were going to be. They were exactly what I was expecting: angry students who looked like they were about to snap because of what happened last night. Something about their expressions felt off to me. Were they planning on doing something to ruin my friends' chances of making a good first impression? If so, I had to warn them before they went on stage.

" I may not have a strong fascination towards music, but even I know that what Snips and Snails did was horrendous." Twilight said.

" If the Battle of the Bands had been a comedy show instead of a competition, those two would have won it, hands down. Still, they made it up as they went along, which was creative. They did stumble towards the end, though, which was pretty obvious when they struggled with some rhyming. Anyway, the two boys weren't seen as a band who would get in the way of the Rainbooms." I said.

" But there were other bands that could, right?" Twilight asked.

" To be perfectly honest, most of the other bands couldn't really hold a candle to our friends. I don't mean to brag, but they were really good." I answered.

" I'm not implying that at all, Sunset, but I'm glad you told me that, as a part of me did briefly think you were making out to be the best. Which bands did you think would provide a true challenge?" Twilight asked.

" The Dazzlings and Trixie and the Illusions." I answered quickly. Those two bands were the only ones who truly gave our friends trouble, as the other bands merely fell by the wayside. The Dazzlings were the bigger threat, as they possessed Equestrian magic which they could use to manipulate everyone even more than they already had. As for Trixie's band, they became a problem towards the end due to the Dazzlings deciding to use them to administer the final stage of their plan. " The other bands never really posed a threat. I did feel bad that Flash's band was eliminated, as he is always so passionate about his music."

" Who defeated his band?" Twilight asked.

" The Sirens." I answered.

" Oh." Twilight said. Flash's band was good, but the Sirens were better, as they had more experience when it came to music. They also wanted to absorb the magic of our friends, so there was no way they were going to allow themselves to be defeated by mere humans.

" I'll bet our friends were pumped to start playing, right?" Twilight asked.

" Did you just say 'pumped'?" I asked, smirking.

" Isn't that a lingo used in this kind of scenario?" Twilight asked. Rather than laughing at what she just said, as that was bound to have hurt her feelings, I decided to hug her using my non-injured arm. No doubt she figured out that her word choice was odd.

" To answer your question, everyone was excited because it meant getting to show off their skills. At least, that's what it looked like on the surface. There was still a large cloud of doubt swirling above their heads, though. Rainbow Dash was still insistent on thinking that it was her band, and that everyone else was just contributing to it. Applejack and Fluttershy were still at odds with her over her attitude, and Pinkie Pie tried to remain positive. Believe me, it wasn't easy for her, with tensions continuing to grow stronger." I answered.

" And Rarity?" Twilight asked.

" She was the only one who didn't see Snips and Snails' performance. That's because Rarity is the kind of person who wants to look fabulous whenever she performs in front of an audience. It's the diva in her that cries out for attention, which put her at odds with Applejack." I answered. I knew Rarity loved fashion and aimed to have the best outfit imaginable when it came to the competition, but the sense of practicality apparently became lost to her. The outfit she used was certainly striking, from what I remember, but it proved to more of a hindrance than anything else. " Rarity's outfit featured these small, metal tassels, which gave a flashy look to the whole thing. It also made her susceptible to being magnetized." I said.

" Who would use a magnet?" Twilight asked.

" Someone who wanted to sabotage us. I said before that the other bands would do everything they could to make the Rainbooms' performance a miserable one. The magnet was just one act of sabotage that was used when our friends went on. There was also someone manipulating a light from the walkway above the stage, and there were a couple of other issues that occurred to make things difficult." I answered.

When I reached Princess Twilight and my friends, they were already making their way onto the stage, where they would spend a few minutes getting everything in place before performing. The only person missing was Rarity. In fact, I hadn't seen her since we left Sweet Apple Acres. She said something about going home and wanting to really make a good impression. This could either be a blessing or a curse, and I was strongly leaning towards the latter. I turned towards Princess Twilight, who looked even more stressed out. Her counter-spell must not be ready, after all. It looked like they would have to progress through to at least the second round. Hopefully, it would be ready to use against the Dazzlings.

Speaking of them, they are bound to watch my friends' performance very closely. There was another fact that also needed to be taken into consideration: the Equestrian magic inside of Princess Twilight and the others. They had to maintain a low profile so as to not tip the scales against them, for doing so would allow the Dazzlings to sense their magic. A disconcerting thought then hit me. What if those girls are aware that my friends possess magic? If they were, why let this drag on?

" There! Everything looks fine." Rainbow Dash said.

" It didn't take us that long at all." Applejack said.

" So let's get ready to rock!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Wait! Where's Rarity?" Pinkie Pie asked. It took my friends that long to notice that she hadn't been here the entire time, and I couldn't help but cringe at this notion. I thought they would have remembered that she had gone home so she could make a really good impression. " We can't go on without her and her keytar! We'd sound like... like... a band without someone playing the keytar!" That didn't make any sense to me, but who was I to question Pinkie Pie logic?

" She ain't here yet?" Applejack asked.

" We go on in less than a minute." Rainbow Dash answered.

" What in tarnation is that girl doin' to be this late?" Applejack asked.

" Can we go on without her?" Fluttershy asked.

" All band members must be on stage when the curtain goes up. If a single member ain't present when that happens, the band is immediately disqualified. Rarity had better have a pretty darn good explanation for why she's takin' her sweet time." Applejack answered. The bands didn't really like that rule, but they had no other choice in the matter. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were pretty serious about the rules and regulations of the competition. Some rules were pretty reasonable, such as being given five minutes to prepare. Other rules, like the aforementioned instant disqualification, not so much.

" Do we have to forfeit?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" It sure looks that way." Applejack answered.

" Oh! I'm here! I'm here!" Rarity announced as she ran up to us before coming to a stop to catch her breath. She must have come in through the side door; the main entrance to the gym was closed due to the competition. When she was approaching us, it sounded like Rarity was wearing something metallic. It turned out she was wearing an outfit that had small, metallic pieces attached to it which jingled about. She wanted to make a good impression, but I don't think this is what any of us were expecting.

" What in the hay?" Applejack asked.

" We will be performing in front of an audience. I'm not going to wear something fabulous? Hmph. You all should know me better than that! This little outfit will certainly do. Isn't it fabulous? And it's all thanks to these metal fringes that line the sleeves. Relax! The sound they make won't distract from our music." Rarity answered. I could see the look on Applejack's face. She was completely gobsmacked over what Rarity looked like, and simply stood there for a few moments before slapping her forehead in frustration. Rarity ignored that and proceeded to take her place on stage. While she had arrived at the very last minute and could have jeopardized the plan, she was here now and ready to contribute.

" Remember everyone! We need to be good enough to make an ideal first impression, but we can't allow the Dazzlings to clue in to the fact that we possess magic like they do. They could prevent us from using it against them once the counter-spell has been completed." Princess Twilight said.

" Got it! Be cool enough to win, but not so cool that we end up showing off the whole ears, tails and rainbows thing. So... about twenty percent less cool. Yeah, I'm cool with that." Rainbow Dash said. Did that make sense to anyone else? I'm not sure, because I didn't know her as well as the others, but I decided that was just one of her more unique quirks. Pinkie Pie then gave the signal to begin, and the Rainbooms immediately began to play. I was actually expecting them to perform "Awesome as I Wanna Be" at this point, since Rainbow Dash wouldn't shut up about it. Instead, they chose something more original. So far, it sounded really solid, and everyone looked to be enjoying the experience; unlike Princess Twilight's disaster of a song from this morning, this one had rhythm.

" We don't know (we don't know) what's gonna happen.

We just know (we just know) it's gonna feel right.

All our friends are here.

And it's time to ignite the lights!

Shake your tail 'cause we're here to have a party tonight.

Shake your tail, shake your tail!"

It didn't take long for me to figure out the meaning behind the song. They were referencing the tails of ponies, referencing the fact that the Wondercolt statue was that of a horse. While I liked the song, even tapping my foot to it because it was catchy, the same couldn't be said regarding everyone else. Their emotionless expressions told me they were bored out of their minds, which I thought was disgraceful. Was it their negativity that caused this? Most likely, which meant things were only going to get tougher from here. The worst offender was Applebloom, who vocally stated her boredom, and while I could have given her a stern talking-to, that would've just caused more problems. Instead, I chose to remain on the sidelines to give my friends support.

" Do your thing, you know you're an original." Rarity sung.

" Your ideas are so funny that they're criminal." Applejack sung.

That's when I heard the sounds of snickering coming from the walkway above the stage. Standing up there were Snips and Snails, and they appeared to be holding one of the stage lights. What did they intend to do with that? I had no time to get up there and stop them from causing what was nothing less than sabotage. They turned on the light and shone it over Fluttershy. Most people performing on stage would have found such actions to be annoying or even flattering. Fluttershy wasn't like most people, however. Because of how shy she was, the moment the spotlight shone on her, she froze, before running around the stage in the hopes of hiding from it. It was a fruitless endeavour, as Snips and Snails continued to torment her, until she chose to hide behind Pinkie's drums.

" Because tonight, yeah, we're here to party.

So let's think of something fun to do."

For the next couple of minutes, things had calmed down on stage, with Snips and Snails finally stopping with their shenanigans. Unfortunately, another problem was about to rear its ugly head in the form of Photo Finish and her band. I heard giggling coming from the same walkway, and when I looked up, I saw Photo Finish standing there with her friends. She was holding a fishing rod with a magnet attached to the end. I had no idea at first as to what they were planning, but it quickly dawned on me. Rarity had metallic pieces on her outfit which were no doubt magnetic, which meant more sabotage. Again, I could do nothing, as Photo Finish and company were too far away for me to stop them. I could have called out to Rarity to warn her, but the music muted out my voice.

The magnet came down from the ceiling and the metallic pieces reacted to it causing Rarity to become attached. She tried to break free from Photo Finish's grip, but she found herself being dragged around like a doll. Applejack would become an unintentional victim when Rarity bumped into her, disrupting her performance. Eventually, after struggling for a few moments, Rarity pulled back, causing the sleeves on her dress to rip off. When she saw the sleeves dangling there on the magnet, she dropped to her knees and burst into tears over her ruined attire. With both Rarity and Fluttershy out of the picture, the rest of my friends had to finish the song on their own. No doubt finished was a huge relief for them. This performance was a disaster because of the acts of sabotage that surrounded it. While the Rainbooms would still remain in the competition, as this was just a rehearsal to see how good they were, another performance along such lines would have been enough to eliminate them. If Princess Twilight were stressed by what happened before, things were going to become even worse.

" I wish that I could have stopped the sabotage." I said.

" You couldn't have done anything, Sunset. They were too far away for you to reach. By the time you would have managed to get up to that walkway, the students responsible would have been long gone." Twilight said.

" If Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had not fallen prey to the Sirens' singing, they could have prevented the sabotage from happening. Instead, they just watched and assumed it was part of the Rainbooms' performance, even though it clearly wasn't. At least it was just a rehearsal. Had it been the actual competition itself, they would have been eliminated." I said. Would my friends have blamed me for not doing something about the saboteurs? I don't know, because despite what actually happened, it didn't dampen their spirits, so they were willing to continue on with the competition despite the obvious tensions getting stronger. The results of the sabotage further opened up wounds which my friends tried to heal, and things would only get worse from there.

" What are you thinking about?" Twilight asked.

" The tensions between our friends got worse because of what happened." I answered.

" And you? Did you have any tensions?" Twilight asked.

" Being ignored was my main issue. While I was supporting our friends in their endeavour, I felt completely useless, as I wasn't doing anything. The more they performed in each subsequent round, the more miserable I would become. It didn't help that the Sirens would further damage my self-esteem when they confronted me just before going on stage themselves to perform." I answered.

Chapter 34: Weakened Resolve

Day: Friday
Weather: Chilly
Time: 12:00pm

Wanting to get the disaster of the practice session behind us, Princess Twilight, my friends and I headed over to CHS, where they had to check in to be able to compete. Of all the bands who wanted to win the Battle of the Bands, the Dazzlings were the only ones who had ulterior motives aside from winning. We didn't know what they were planning, but they had to be stopped before they could achieve their goal. The counter-spell wasn't ready to be used, so the Rainbooms decided to carry on as normal. Their performance was pretty good, but the various acts of sabotage caused by other students threatened to undermine their chances. I knew the competition would be difficult, but I never expected anything like this. After barely finishing their song, the Rainbooms decided to practice elsewhere, while I continued to watch the other bands performing. Maybe I should have gone with them, as that would have prevented the heartbreak I soon suffered.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 28, 2015
Chapter 34: Weakened Resolve.

" When did you run into the Sirens?" Twilight asked.

" After the Rainbooms had finished their performance, they decided to practice somewhere else so that they wouldn't be sabotaged again. While I wasn't there to witness what happened, Princess Twilight told me later on that she ran into Flash Sentry. Normally, such an encounter would be charming, given how the two of them have a crush on one another, but this time would be much different. The desire to win no matter what had really affected his mind, so he accused Her Highness of trying to take that away from him. I know that he was under the influence of the Sirens' magic, yet to say those things to Her Highness was going too far." I answered.

" What did he say?" Twilight asked.

" I'm only going by what Her Highness said. Flash said that she had no idea what she was even doing with regards to helping our friends." I answered. In truth, he had said a lot more than that, but I didn't want to confess any of that to Twilight. She might take it the wrong way and attempt to demonize Flash, which would be unfair. It was the anger inside of him--courtesy of the Sirens--that made him lash out like he did. When Her Highness told me he accused her of trying to rob him of the chance to win the competition, I was completely beside myself. He was a really great guy who could get along with anyone, yet his sudden change made him act like I once did. It made me feel very uncomfortable knowing that Flash had become a bully. I should have been there! I could have convinced him to back-off and leave her alone! Instead, I chose to watch the other bands compete in case something went wrong. " What he said made Princess Twilight cry, but I could never blame him for that; he wasn't himself. Deep down, she knew that was true, as well, yet she had to keep on going for his sake and everyone else's." I said.

" The Sirens' magic truly is horrifying." Twilight said.

" Magic is divided into three main categories: Light, Dark, and Natural. From there, they are further divided into categories too numerous for me to mention, but the main three are the ones you should remember for future studies on the subject. What the Sirens used was dark magic, and such a power can manipulate the minds of weaker beings into suppressing their inhibitions, their feelings, their moral compasses. This would cause them to hurt others in ways they never would otherwise, such as what Her Highness experienced." I said.

" Fascinating." Twilight said.

" I may not have finished my studies with Princess Celestia, yet I still know plenty about magic." I said. If only I had completed my studies rather than run away all because of being denied my destiny. I could have found the solution to deal with the Sirens without the need of dragging Her Highness into our problem. Instead, I failed them when they needed me the most. While I would eventually redeem myself during the conclusion to the Friendship Games, it didn't change the fact that I failed back then. Just knowing that I could have been more useful made me want to punish myself again, but I refrained from doing so, as it would have upset Twilight.

" Maybe one of these days I should have you teach me, considering that I used magic myself." Twilight said. What was it about her that made me feel happy? Physically, she looked identical to Princess Twilight, yet her personality was completely different. While I had gotten used to her being so close to me, it felt like she actually wanted to be close to me. As in, she might be developing a slight crush on me. Is that what's going on? Hmm... I don't have the same feelings, considering she's a human and I'm a pony, but if she thinks that way about me, who am I to deny her? On a different note, the idea of me teaching someone about magic sounded like a really good idea.

" I'm sure I could teach you the historical aspects of it." I said.

" That would be great!" Twilight said.

" Anyway, after the Rainbooms had finished their performance, they had some choice words to say to each other. Namely, it was Applejack and Rarity because of the former's annoyance with the latter wanting to wear something fancy. There would also be tension between Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, but their spat was small compared with what happened between Applejack and Rarity." I said.

" What about Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

" She didn't get involved." I answered.

" And you?" Twilight asked.

" I was the only mature person of the group, as I chose to keep my emotions in check. Sometimes, I wish that I had let my emotions run loose. It would have allowed me to get a lot of things off of my chest, yet instead, I refrained, wanting to maintain my friendships. They were really important to me. The thought of losing even one was something I just couldn't accept." I answered.

I felt useless! I had just witnessed two different acts of sabotage aimed at ruining my friends' performance. I could have stopped them had I been more alert to their presence on the walkway above the stage. Instead, I just stood there and did nothing, while those saboteurs got away with their actions. First, Snips and Snails used a spotlight to make Fluttershy nervous about being on the spot. And second, Photo Finish and her friends used a magnet to swing Rarity around like a puppet. If this competition had been under fairer observations, this whole sabotage thing would have been an nonissue. Instead, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna allowed it to happen. No doubt everything was stacked against the Rainbooms thanks to the Dazzlings!

Despite the shenanigans happening above the stage, my friends were able to somehow finish their performance, which did earn applause from the two sisters. They must have thought it was all part of the act instead of sabotage. The song they sang was pretty catchy and one I had never heard before. I had to admit that it was cute that the inspiration behind the lyrics related to horses.

That was the only positive that could be taken from all of this. I knew what was going to happen the moment they left the stage and discussed how it turned out. Tensions were about to get even worse, especially between Applejack and Rarity. I know arguing amongst friends was pretty common and could, in fact, strengthen the bonds of friendship, yet they could also make things worse. One thing was certain: I would keep these thoughts to myself, as I didn't want to interfere in matters that might be above my head.

My friends left the stage with all of their equipment after receiving their score--it was confidential--and went backstage, where Rarity was the first to say something about what happened.

" Ruined! Absolutely ruined!" Rarity shouted as she dropped to her knees upon going backstage.

" What in tarnation were you doin' out there?" Applejack asked.

" I was performing, just like everyone else was." Rarity answered.

" Coulda fooled me. Were you tryin' to make us look bad on purpose!? I know this is just the rehearsal but you're startin' ta make me think that you want us to lose in the first round." Applejack said. Rarity, naturally, took offence to such accusations. I knew that she was just frustrated with what happened out there, but saying something that wasn't true would only cause tensions to rise even more.

" What!? How dare you imply something like that! It was an act of sabotage!" Rarity shouted.

" How do y'all figure that?" Applejack asked.

" Surely, you saw me being pulled about like a puppet? There was even a magnet on my sleeves, held by someone who was standing on the walkway above the stage. I had no control over my body. Why didn't you help me, Applejack? You clearly saw the magnet attached to my metallic fringes." Rarity answered.

" Yeah, well, whoever did this couldn't have done it if you didn't insist on dressin' like... like... this! We need to sound good! If we aim to make it through this here competition and defeat the other bands, our sound needs to be the best. Nothing else is important! Is there some reason ya can't get that concept?" Applejack asked.

" I'll never perform in public unless I look good." Rarity answered. She said that with confidence in her voice, but maybe she should've held her tongue. I looked in Applejack's direction and could clearly see her face was bright red, indicating that she had reached a boiling point and was liable to explode in a fit of rage. She reminded me a lot of myself, when I used to be a bully. To Rarity's credit, she didn't back down, instead waving her hand out before Applejack to try and make her see things her way. " It's my contribution to our band, alongside playing the keytar, and I have every intention of letting everyone out there know that not only are we expert musicians, we are experts in looking fabulous."

" That doesn't make a lick of sense." Applejack said.

" Changing the subject..." Rainbow Dash interrupted before turning her attention to Pinkie Pie. " What was with all of the confetti, Pinkie? I know you like the stuff, but what possessed you to fill your drum with them? Twilight choked on one, and a few pieces got caught in my guitar. How am I supposed to shred if there's paper stuck in my frets!?

" I thought it'd be fun." Pinkie Pie answered.

" Fun!? I wouldn't exactly say that." Rainbow Dash said.

" Well, it was fun to me, which is what matters." Pinkie Pie said. From what I've seen, that statement should have made Rainbow Dash angrier, but she appeared to be rather reserved. The fact that she had been looking behind her shoulder at Applejack must have contributed to her current demeanour. Fluttershy then walked up towards Pinkie, and she looked like something was on her mind. Was she going to further add to the already-building tensions? Fluttershy? Doing that? Unthinkable!

" It was pretty distracting." Fluttershy said.

" You too?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" The confetti didn't really mess me up, but I still think it caused problems." Fluttershy answered.

" Says the girl who was running from a light the whole time! A light!" Pinkie Pie said.

" You know I don't like being the center of attention. When that light shone on top of me, I, um, just panicked and tried to run from it. It kept following, so I hid behind your drums. I'm, um, sorry if I caused any problems." Fluttershy said. None of them were seeing the truth within their arguing. They had managed to make a good enough impression, judging from the smiles Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had upon telling them how well they did. Of course, my friends were fixated on the negatives, which served to tear their friendship apart. What was happening here was far worse than what I did to them, so I felt compelled to get them back on track before things could get even worse.

" There's one good thing to come from this." I said.

" What's that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" You sound better than most of the other bands around here. Use that to your advantage, and I have no doubt in my mind that you'll make it all the way to the finals. Still, we need to have that counter-spell ready. Without it, none of this is going to matter." I answered. I could have worded that differently, but I didn't want Princess Twilight to feel even more stressed than she was. The pressure was on her to perfect it, and while she was physically up to the challenge, emotionally, it was a different matter entirely.

" Then I need to work on it where I won't be disturbed." Princess Twilight announced.

" That applies with all of you." I said.

" Why us?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" If you practice out in the open, the Dazzlings are sure to hear you working on that spell and take measures to ensure that you never get the chance to use it. The best thing you all can do is to practice in one of the classrooms, since they're all empty right now. That way, no one can sabotage your efforts like what happened before, and Twilight can work on perfecting the counter-spell." I answered.

" What about you?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I'll stay here and keep an eye on things." I answered.

" Are you sure about that? I thought you would've wanted to come with us." Princess Twilight said.

" The idea's nice and all, Twilight, but remember that I'm not a part of the Rainbooms. I have no place among the group, so going with you guys would merely mean I'd be contributing nothing but dead weight. That's fine, though; I'm resigned to it. Now go on and find a place where you won't be disturbed." I said. I could see the look in Princess Twilight's eyes, a sign that our discussion last night really meant something to her. She didn't want me to be isolated just because I wasn't part of the band, yet I had to remind her that she had her place and I had mine. Her place was to bask in the glory of being one of those who were going to save everyone from dark magic. My place, on the other hand, was to remain on the sidelines as a lost cause because of my past.

" If you insist." Princess Twilight said sadly. She and the others then walked away, leaving me to look out on the stage to see who the next band was going to be. I knew that I was being hard on myself, but my friends had more important things to worry about. Hopefully, they could keep the tensions amongst them under control long enough for them to prevail against the Dazzlings. Principal Celestia then announced that a band known as "Derpy and the Pony Pickers" were next to perform. Derpy... that name sounded familiar to me. It then dawned on me that the name belonged to the cross-eyed girl who rarely says anything and has an obsession with muffins. I guess the dark magic of the Dazzlings compelled Derpy, who was normally never into competitions, into wanting to win, as well.

Looking back in the direction Princess Twilight and my friends walked down, I began to have second thoughts about my decision to remain here. Had I made the right choice, even if it meant making myself miserable? I had to keep an eye on the other bands, especially the Dazzlings, who so far haven't done anything other than watch everything that was happening on stage. Turning towards the rafters where they had been sitting since the start of the competition, I was shocked to find that the Dazzlings were no longer sitting there. Where did they go?

" Maybe they just decided to step outside in order to gather their thoughts." Twilight suggested.

" Gather their thoughts?" I asked.

" Well, it's what I would normally do." Twilight answered. I rolled my eyes. I should have known that she would say something like that, as people like her often left hectic scenarios in order to do some thinking. If only the Sirens had been compelled to do something similar to that. It would have meant not freaking out over where they had gone upon deciding to leave the gym.

" Considering the Sirens were capable of just about anything, them leaving was a sign that disaster was coming." I said.

" Good point." Twilight said, adjusting her glasses before turning to the next page of the journal. There were no photos to be found this time around, but instead there were lyrics to various songs. None of them were associated with the Rainbooms, so Twilight concluded that these had to have been performed by the other bands. " I recognize that one there as having been sung by Trixie, and I didn't even need to look at who the performer was."

" How did you figure that out?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

" The lyrics claim her to be powerful and great. Combined with what your journal described about her from that encounter you had with her, it wasn't hard to figure out. Besides, none of the other lyrics portray their singers as being superior to anyone else." Twilight answered. While the choreography was really good, the lyrics weren't anything special; they were the same words repeated several times to reiterate how she viewed herself among her peers. While Trixie did have some good intentions, they were clearly overshadowed by her egotistical mannerisms, which were as bad as, or even worse than, what Rainbow Dash used to be like.

" She always was full of herself." I said.

" But she was never a problem, right?" Twilight asked.

" No. If anything, Trixie just liked to brag about herself. Everyone in school simply ignored her; they all saw her as a broken record. If you look past the bravado and special effects, she can be a nice person to get along with." I answered. Twilight looked confused when I mentioned special effects, and I then realized that I never once explained that Trixie was infamous throughout CHS as using various effects to make herself stand out more. Most of them were pretty harmless, such as when she used smoke in order to cover any potential escape. " Trixie often claimed that she was a magician, which is the reason why her band was known as 'Trixie and the Illusions'. They even dressed up as wizards to add to the perception of being magical."

" Was she really capable of magic?" Twilight asked.

" Not in the manner that you, our friends and I are capable of." I answered. That prompted Twilight to burst into laughter, and I couldn't help but follow along. We simply laughed like children for a few moments.

" So she was more of a traditional magician, the kind who uses basic tricks in order to put on a show." Twilight said.

" Actually, she knew her craft pretty well. While her tricks weren't exactly magical, they were effective in getting her recognized by professional magicians. If she can get over her bravado, I can see her being a great professional magician." I said.

Twilight then looked at some more lyrics, recognizing who had performed each song based on the words, yet the last set left her confused. She turned towards me in hopes that I would know more about them, so when I took a closer look, I quickly pulled myself away. " Those final lyrics belong to the Sirens."

" How can you tell?" Twilight asked.

" Because the song they sang was a reminder that everyone, aside from us, were completely under their power." I answered.

" 'Under Our Spell'. Pretty obvious it's theirs, now that I think about it." Twilight said.

" That wasn't even their most influential song! It paled in comparison to the song they sang in the finals. Not only did 'Under Our Spell' reiterate their domination, it also caused everyone to lash out at one another, resulting in even more negative energy for the Sirens to absorb en masse. They were now even closer to achieving their true power. To reach their final goal, they would need our friends to reach a boiling point, where their arguing would unleash the strongest negative energy imaginable." I said.

" Weren't the Rainbooms already filled with negativity?" Twilight asked.

" Yes, but not to the point where they were throttling each other. They were still showing signs of restraint, but it would only take something really small to break them apart." I answered. While Applejack caused tensions to flare up during the start of the competition, it would be Rainbow Dash who made everything boil over in the end. Not surprising that it was the two most vocal members of the Rainbooms who would cause their downfall.

" At least you didn't end up getting caught up in their arguing." Twilight said.

" I had my own problems to deal with." I said.

" What were they?" Twilight asked.

" I'd eventually get suspicious of the Sirens leaving after the Rainbooms' performance, so I decided to go and see what they were up to. I should have waited for the others, or at least Princess Twilight, to accompany me, because I was about to have my self-confidence shattered when the Sirens took advantage of my insecurities." I answered.

The Dazzlings had decided to leave the gym. Was I being paranoid? They could have left in order to get a drink or something. Or, they could have left to cause problems for Princess Twilight and my friends, seeing as I suggested that they practice in one of the many empty classrooms. After mulling it over for a few moments, I decided that I had simply been overthinking the situation, and I paid it no mind.

Looking at the band now on stage, Derpy and the Pony Pickers, I was surprised to see the band leader--Derpy, they called her--holding what looked like a saw. At first I thought she had completely lost her mind, until I saw that she was playing it like an instrument. Of course. It was a musical saw, an instrument that gave off a wavy vibration, similar to the Theremin, to make it sound alien. One of her band mates was playing... a cow bell!? Seriously!? That actually qualifies as a musical instrument? The other band member was playing a triangle which made more sense, but still, a cow bell!? Guess anything can become an instrument.

Other bands then came up to perform, such as The Crusaders, Bulk Biceps, Octavia, and Flash Drive, each of them proving to be incredibly talented with their choice of instruments and music. It was Bulk Biceps, in particular, who stood out the most for me. Considering how big he was in comparison to most other students, I was surprised that he could play a violin with such precision.

The next band to perform were Photo Finish and the Snapshots, and I had to hold back my emotions toward what they tried to do to my friends when they were on stage. I knew it wasn't really their fault, as they, like everyone else, were under the control of the Dazzlings, so I had to give them some benefit of the doubt, although it wasn't easy. They sounded pretty good, which was surprising, as Photo Finish was more known for her photography rather than her musical skills.

After the Snapshots finished their performance, Trixie and the Illusions were called to the stage. I knew their band would go far in this competition, as Trixie was known for her skills on the electric guitar, about which she had constantly been reminding everyone in the days leading up to this.

" Sunset Shimmer... I'm surprised to see you standing back here." Trixie said as she approached me from behind.

" I see your band is next to perform." I said.

" While Trixie would have preferred her band to have gone much sooner than this, I can accept it. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna obviously know how great I truly am and wanted lesser bands to go first." Trixie said. She didn't waste time stroking her own ego, but I chose to let it slide. Otherwise, I'd find myself getting into an argument with her. That was the last thing I wanted to deal with.

" I hope you don't think that I changed my mind and decided to join my friends' band." I said.

" No, that thought hasn't crossed Trixie's mind. You're just here to provide support for your friends while they bask in the glory. Considering what happened during their performance, you must feel relieved that you didn't end up embarrassing yourself. Trixie would have caused an act of sabotage herself, but she refrained. She didn't want to distract herself with the likes of them." Trixie said. On the one hand, she had been honest with me about not trying to ruin my friends' chances. On the other hand, her boisterous remarks wanted me to throttle her, but like her, I chose to restrain myself. Unlike her, I held back because the idea of stooping to her level sickened me.

" Hopefully, no one decides to sabotage your band." I said.

" Doubtful, as I never boasted about being better than everyone else to the point where a competition wasn't even needed, unlike your friends. By the way, Trixie noticed you have been watching the Dazzlings ever since the competition began. She doesn't particularly care why you're doing that, but why do you suppose they chose to leave after your band had performed? Trixie finds that very suspicious, and surely you do as well." Trixie said. Her words were enough for me to turn around and leave the gym through the side entrance that Rarity used. Trixie merely shrugged her shoulders before proceeding to join her bandmates on stage.

I should have realized that the Dazzlings were trying to get to Princess Twilight and my friends. Why did I decide to remain behind while the Rainbooms went off to practice on their own? Hopefully, the others would be okay. The Dazzlings may decide to leave them alone out of fear that their true intentions would be exposed. That's when I began to think about what they were truly after. Those girls had gone to an awful lot of trouble setting all of this up just to feed on negative energy. They could have clearly gone elsewhere for their food--though I'm glad they didn't, because I doubt anyone else could have stopped them--but they chose to remain here. What was it about CHS that attracted them here in the first place? Could it be the Equestrian magic my friends possessed? That had been a theory of mine for some time, yet I never took it into serious consideration until now.

Turning the next corner, I found myself in the same hallway where I confronted Princess Twilight when I figured out who she really was. The ceiling light was still shorting out from time to time. Being back here brought back painful memories of what happened before, when I ridiculed Her Highness for things beyond her control. I was about to head back the other way when I heard the sound of chattering coming from the next corner in front of me. It was the Dazzlings! They were coming this way and I now had the chance to confront them! A part of me wanted to run away, as I felt unsafe without my friends to back me up. The vast majority of my subconscious insisted on staying and facing them head-on.

" Well, well, well... Look at who we have here to greet us, girls." Adagio said as she and her companions noticed me.

" I knew it was you three making that noise." I said.

" Sorry! I was just reminding my sisters that I never got to have those tacos this past Tuesday, and I guess I was a bit too loud." Sonata said. What in the world was she talking about? I looked towards her two companions, both of whom having slapped their foreheads in frustration. Also, what did she mean by "sisters"? Were these three related to each other? They never mentioned that during the tour. Sonata then looked at both Adagio and... What was the name of the other one? Right, Aria. She looked at both Adagio and Aria before looking towards me. " At least you didn't slap your face when I mentioned Taco Tuesday. They do that all the time."

" Because you just showed all of us that you have no idea what's going on." Aria said.

" Oh yeah? I know exactly what's going on." Sonata said.

" That's a good one!" Aria snorted.

" Would you two stop doing that!" I snapped, which caught all three girls by surprise. It caught me by surprise as well. Normally, Adagio would be the one to get those two back in line, from what I experienced during previous encounters, yet I was compelled to speak on her behalf. I don't know why I suddenly felt uncomfortable, but I quickly bowed my head slightly before apologizing for saying something out of turn.

" Just this once, I'll let that slide." Adagio said. It sounded like she was okay with me having spoken out like that, but I had to remain cautious. She could change her mind, which would put me in even more trouble, so I made certain to check that I had an escape route in case things spiraled out of control. " Anyway, we were heading back to the gym; we're set to perform after Trixie. After all, we're the only band in the competition who have yet to go on stage. But enough about that. I'm surprised that you would be here on your own instead of with your friends. Tell me, are they having problems dealing with all of that tension between them?"

" How would you know that?" I asked, pretending to be ignorant.

" Your friend--Twilight Sparkle, if I recall--just had an argument with someone she happens to be quite smitten over. The three of us chose not to interfere, as it wasn't our place to get involved in someone else's love life. No doubt in my mind that she is going to become more difficult for the rest of your friends to work with. Her emotions are bound to cause even more problems." Adagio answered. Princess Twilight and the others must have run into Flash Sentry and his band. Judging from Adagio's words, Flash must have been awful to her, the result of the Dazzlings' dark magic twisting his mind. I knew that was going to happen! Another reminder that I should have gone with my friends instead of staying behind.

" You're never gonna get away with this." I said.

" With what, pray tell?" Adagio asked.

" I'm well aware of what you three really are." I answered.

" We could say the same thing." Adagio said.

" So you know that I was once a pony from Equestria?" I asked.

" It didn't take us very long to figure that out along with the fact that Twilight Sparkle also happens to be a pony. You're just a mere unicorn, while she is an alicorn, which makes her your superior in every way. You wish that you could become an alicorn like her, but it will never happen because of a certain incident called the Fall Formal." Adagio answered. How did they know so much about me? They couldn't have learned all of that just by talking to other students. Could they? I suddenly felt sick to my stomach because she was reminding me of what I did back then. I had to remain focused, otherwise I could fall prey to whatever schemes they had up their sleeves.

" How did you figure that out?" I asked.

" We overheard many students talking about how they bully you because of how you bullied them. We also sensed you were different from the other students, as you have the stench of Equestrian magic all about you. Or rather, you had it until it was taken away by Twilight Sparkle. Oh, we know all about you, Sunset Shimmer. You've got quite the reputation at Canterlot High. You used to strike fear into everyone's hearts, but now you're nothing more than a shell of your former self. And now, where you failed at the final hurdle, the three of us will succeed!" Adagio answered.

" Quite confidant, aren't you?" I asked.

" Considering how far we've come, we have every right to be." Adagio answered.

" And I wouldn't worry about me. I'm in a much better place, now." I said.

" Waiting in the wings while your friends have all the fun?" Aria asked.

" Oh, yes, you girls are so tight. And yet, they didn't ask you to be in the band." Adagio answered.

" No, they asked me if I wanted to join, but I refused because I couldn't play any instrument. No problem." I said. My response certainly killed their momentum, but what I didn't realize was that I had given them an opportunity to strike me down, simply having to alter their plan a bit.

" Well, that was awkward." Aria said.

" Not to worry. We have other methods at our disposal. We still stand by our words that you are missing out on all of the fun, yet we also know that you've been keeping your true feelings bottled up. We've been watching your group ever since we learned our magic had no effect on you. You have quite a lot of emotional baggage, which must surely be weighing you down by now, Sunset Shimmer. You want to relieve yourself of such weight, but you can't, out of fear your friends will lash out at you for wanting them to focus on you instead of the competition." Adagio said. A spot-on description of me ever since Princess Twilight returned, but they clearly weren't aware of what happened beforehand. Then again, they might have been aware about it and simply didn't care.

" Probably afraid no one would want to see them play if she was in the group." Aria said.

" What does that have to do with anything?" I asked.

" Before we came here, everyone at this school had been treating you like dirt. Your friends risked their own reputations by hanging out with someone who used to be their tormentor. I wouldn't be surprised that they've been picked on, as well, just because they're defending you. This competition means a lot to them, especially with what's on the line, so they just couldn't risk you being a part of the experience." Aria answered.

" My friends would never think that!" I shouted.

" How do you know?" Aria asked. I had no response to her question; she had made a valid point. I was only assuming that my friends had been ignoring me since the return of Her Highness. I was giving them the benefit of the doubt. Aria then sauntered forward, knowing I couldn't answer her question, but she quickly moved back upon Adagio's signal. " Looks like I was right. Face it, Sunset Shimmer! You'll never be accepted by your friends! They can never truly forgive you, and their shunning you is proof of that."

" Too bad! So sad!" Sonata said.

" Why, Sonata! Don't you have something more to add?" Adagio asked.

" Yes, I do! You might as well just give up and accept your fate!" Sonata answered.

" How about that? You made sense for once." Aria said sarcastically.

" No! I refuse to accept that kind of fate!" I shouted. Had I really been living a lie this entire time? Had my friends only pretended to forgive me out of pity? These were thoughts I previously assumed I'd conquered, but now it felt as though they had merely been pushed back into the recesses of my subconscious. The Dazzlings' words had reignited those thoughts and left me wondering what was real and what was false.

" You have no other choice! Did you truly think that you could change and be loved? Once a monster, always a monster! You've caused too much pain for these pathetic humans to ever truly forgive you. Even those 'friends' of yours still remember how you hurt them. I wouldn't be surprised if they suddenly turned on you, all because you are someone who can never truly become part of their lives. You're a monster, Sunset Shimmer! Just like the three of us! But unlike you, we'll make sure that everyone remembers what we did forever. If it's any consolation, no one is going to remember you at all by the time we're done. You'll be alone, nothing but your own thoughts for company. A fitting end for someone who lost everything." Adagio said.

" But--" I began.

" Come on, girls! We're done here! We have a song to perform. Let's leave this wretch to wallow in her own misery." Adagio said. The Dazzlings then walked off towards the gym, bumping into me and knocking me down as they passed, their laughter echoing through the hallway. I wanted to follow them, but something in my mind was holding me back. I couldn't stop thinking about it. Were their words true? Was I still a monster despite my efforts to change everyone's perception of me? Did my friends still hesitate to forgive me? They had been fawning over Princess Twilight and treating her with more appreciation than me lately. No! I couldn't allow myself to believe such nonsense. But, what if it wasn't nonsense? What if it was true? Had I been cast aside because I couldn't be trusted? Was the pain I caused impossible to move on from? The Dazzlings wanted me to question my own relationships, and they definitely succeeded.

If I had planned on confronting my friends about my personal problems, I no longer desired to talk about them. How could I after all of that? My trust in them had just gotten much shakier than before. Now I had to struggle with multiple issues. Once I managed to get back onto my feet, I slowly walked back towards the gym. I knew I was going to be nothing more than an outsider to my friends. Instead of basking in the glory with them, I was trapped in the shadows with no hope for escape. Was this truly my fate? I didn't want to know.

" I never should have tried to follow the Sirens. Back then, their words really hurt. They dug deep into my insecurities." I said.

" Sunset..." Twilight said.

" After I was defeated at the Fall Formal, I was completely lost within my own heart. I struggled to figure out answers to my questions, until I managed to find them in the form of our friends. The Sirens brought those questions back to me, and I once again struggled to answer them. I tried to keep my emotions in check. I tried so hard not to lose control, but I would end up lashing out anyway in the worst possible way, a way that made everyone--even our friends--question my true nature." I said. Looking back on what happened during the semi-finals, I had been like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. While the Rainbooms continued to dominate each round, I just watched, my mind deteriorating further into despair. The Sirens had made it to the final round, having defeating Flash Sentry, and the Rainbooms were up against Trixie and the Illusions for the other coveted spot.

Trixie... I couldn't blame her for what happened next, but I could blame Rainbow Dash for once again bragging about how good she was. If only she could have left her ego behind before the competition began. It would have prevented me from making a complete fool of myself. I also wouldn't have ended up making everyone view me as the girl I used to be instead of who I had struggled to become.

" What are you thinking about, this time?" Twilight asked.

" The Sirens would perform their song, and from there, the elimination rounds began. The Rainbooms were able to make it to the semi-finals, which was expected, but they had to get through Trixie's band in order to meet the Sirens, who had claimed a spot in the finals. It would have been just another contest between Rainbow Dash and Trixie, much like their shred-off, but Rainbow Dash just had to use her most despised trait to complicate matters." I answered.

" You mean her ego, right?" Twilight asked.

" The very same." I answered.

" I can already tell that things were about to get even worse." Twilight said.

Chapter 35: Awesome As I Wanna Be

Day: Friday
Weather: Chilly
Time: 1:10pm

I insisted on Princess Twilight and my friends practicing in a secluded location so that they wouldn't be sabotaged again. I, on the other hand, opted to remain behind the stage to watch the remaining bands perform in case something else went wrong. Some of them were actually really good, yet deep down, I knew the Rainbooms were going to go the full distance. Looking back, I should have gone with my friends from the start. Had I done that, I could have avoided the Dazzlings, whom I confronted in the very same hallway I confronted Princess Twilight on that fateful day. Their words broke me down emotionally and left me questioning everything I had been striving for. What was I supposed to do now after such horrible revelations? I didn't have time to ponder over it as the competition continued. The Rainbooms would reach the semi-finals, where they had to beat Trixie's band to face off against the Dazzlings. Hopefully, Rainbow Dash's ego and my personal problems won't ruin everything. One could hope, right?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 30, 2015
Chapter 35: Awesome As I Wanna Be.

" You don't know the half of it." I moaned. As much as I liked Rainbow Dash as a friend, there were times where I would just lose all patience with her. She was very competitive and desired to win without resorting to underhanded tactics. However, once she had won something, she would brag about how good she had been. This would annoy everyone else, which would result in others lashing out at her. My friends and I had since gotten used to her bragging, especially since she had become a lot more tame, but back then she was practically unbearable. Were her actions the result of a need for attention? Did she crave attention in order to fill some void? There were many questions, yet I wouldn't even know where to begin to find the answers.

" From what I gathered from her during the Friendship Games, she didn't seem like the kind of person who would brag." Twilight said.

" That's because she learned the hard way that her bragging almost ruined her friendships for good. She still views herself as being awesome and assures us that she can handle anything, but she's more mellow about it now. When Rainbow Dash says she's awesome these days, you'd better believe her words to be true." I said.

" Did Trixie do something to rile her?" Twilight asked.

" Remember when I told you about the shred-off the two of them had?" I asked.

" Yes. In my opinion, I thought it was a pointless contest. Either one of them could have given that guitar to the other, choosing to get a different one instead of having to see who could beat whom. No wonder the competitive spirit never affected me; I just don't see the appeal of it." Twilight answered. And she was right. Even after my friends told me what happened at the music shop, I still thought it was immature of both Rainbow Dash and Trixie to have fought over a guitar. Those two always tried to one-up each other over everything, and while Rainbow Dash would often come out on top, Trixie would be compelled to try even harder to prove that she could beat her "rival". Humans were a lot like ponies in that regard. Many in Equestria would compete with one another for similar reasons.

" To be fair, had their shred-off never occurred, Rainbow Dash wouldn't have ponied up." I said.

" A mixed blessing then." Twilight said.

" Yeah, you could describe it like that. Anyway, Trixie had been getting under Rainbow's skin for some time, but Trixie's teasing during the days leading up to the Showcase bothered her to no end. Rainbow took pride in her guitar-playing skills, so when she learned that Trixie was just as skilled, an intense rivalry formed between them. They would constantly compete over even the most trivial of things to prove who was better than the other." I said.

" Guess the competition was a perfect outlet for them to stage another contest." Twilight said. Had it remained the Musical Showcase, both Rainbow Dash and Trixie would have still competed, but merely on the side, as the main purpose of the showcase would have taken precedent. Trixie was bad enough, but being affected by the Sirens' dark magic made her even worse.

" If only she hadn't pushed Rainbow's buttons." I said.

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" Rainbow Dash was proud, as I mentioned, so the thought of Trixie ridiculing her was enough to snare her into a trap." I answered.

" What happened?" Twilight asked.

" Trixie claimed that the Rainbooms were nothing without their 'magical ringer', Princess Twilight. Rainbow Dash took offence, claiming that she could win the competition by herself, without any help. Suffice to say that our friends didn't take her words very kindly. She had already put a strain on her friendships with them by being boastful, yet that little outburst almost pushed it over the edge. The fact that I contributed to the problem unintentionally further complicated things." I answered.

" You stepped in!? I thought you didn't want to get involved?" Twilight asked.

" When you have someone like Rainbow Dash almost giving away the fact that our friends possessed Equestrian magic, and you had no other options, choosing to get involved would be the ideal solution. Of course, I wasn't prepared for the backlash that awaited me on all fronts. I'll eventually get into that, but first I need to briefly go over the elimination rounds, using the lyrics from the Sirens' song for some creepy atmosphere." I answered, smirking a bit. This should be fun.

The Dazzlings had broken me. Their words had ripped apart what I believed was my reformation and left it smoldering. What was worse than all of that was the fact that they knew everything about what I had done before their arrival. I had hoped to put my troubled past behind me. That wasn't the case; those girls just had to remind me of how I had been a bully to everyone. They even called me a monster! A monster... Had I been deluding myself all along? Had I pretended to be just like everyone else, but was in fact the same monster who brainwashed everyone into being my slaves? Everything was a lie! I no longer knew what was right or wrong. My friends... The Dazzlings mentioned why they didn't really want me to join the Rainbooms. I said that I lacked skill when playing an instrument, yet it seemed they feared their reputations would be further soiled by my very existence. Was I really a burden to them? All of these questions pounded my skull repeatedly, and there were no answers to be found.

Despite what I just experienced, I had to go back and support my friends. Why would I want to do that under the impression the Dazzlings described? A part of me wanted to know the truth. The other part wanted to believe that something could still be salvaged of my friendships. As I walked back to the gym, my head continued to be plagued with all of these thoughts, and they were tearing me apart. It felt like there were two different versions of me vying for control. One represented the old me and the other represented the new me, and it was this latter one which I really wanted to become. Amongst all of these questions, there was one thing I did know for certain: Princess Twilight would be there for me and could take me away from all this grief by bringing me back home to Equestria. I would still likely be punished for stealing an Element of Harmony, yet that felt like true bliss compared with what I was currently going through.

Upon returning to the area behind the stage, Princess Twilight and my friends were watching something that was happening on stage. I wanted to talk to them about our relationships, but my heart convinced me not to. I still felt conflicted about the Dazzlings' words. Speaking of which, they were standing on stage, ready to finally perform. There was no telling what they were going to do, so we all had to brace ourselves for the worst. As the curtain went up and everyone in the audience turned to pay attention, the Dazzlings began to sing.

" Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!

You didn't know that you fell.

Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!" They sang.

" Now that you're under our spell.

Blindsided by the beat.

Clapping your hands, stomping your feet.

You didn't know that you fell." Adagio continued.

Those first lyrics proved our worst fears about the Dazzlings. They had complete control over everyone at CHS and weren't afraid to admit it. No one would complain, however, as they were focused on wanting to prove that they were the best. If there was any doubt that the Dazzlings would be a serious threat in the competition, their song did away with it. As their song continued, they reiterated that everyone was under their power and would do anything they asked. Princess Twilight mentioned, after first returning to this world, that Sirens desired complete obedience in their victims. Anything less than that would be a disaster.

The Dazzlings needed negative energy to maintain both their power and vitality, so making sure no one could resist them was important. If not for the magic my friends possessed, they would have fallen under the Sirens' spell a long time ago. I still had no answer as to why I was unaffected. Given what the Dazzlings had told me, I felt my immunity was misguided. I didn't deserve to be protected from dark magic. I should have been the first student at CHS to succumb to their power.

" We've got the music, makes you move it.

Got the song that makes you lose it.

We say 'jump', you say 'how high?'

Put your hands up to the sky." The three girls sung.

Once they had finished their song, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna got up from their seats and made their way over to the poster on the wall that displayed the brackets for the elimination portion of the competition. They then placed markers that represented each band in certain locations, indicating who would face off against whom during the second round. From what I could see, the Rainbooms had been situated in the bottom left-most bracket, while the Dazzlings were in the middle right-most bracket. Trixie's band was situated in the top left-most bracket, which meant her band and the Rainbooms may have to face off against each other. What was I saying? Of course they would face off against each other. That was inevitable. I then noticed that Flash's band were situated one bracket below the Dazzlings. The chances of his band beating them were slim to none, as the Dazzlings clearly had much more experience on their side.

" Attention students!" Principal Celestia announced.

" We have now posted the pairings for the second round of the competition. From this point onwards, the competition will consist of elimination rounds. Two bands face off, but only one will move on, while the other walks away with nothing. Each match will be decided when one band is 'thrashed', as you young people would say, by the other and are no longer able to continue. There is no time limit and you may play any songs you want." Vice Principal Luna said.

" The first match will be Trixie and the Illusions versus Crash n' Bash!" Principal Celestia announced.

" Will both bands proceed to the stage? We shall get underway." Vice Principal Luna added.

The format for the remainder of the competition sounded fair, although it did mean that each band would have to play their very best. Anything less than that was unacceptable. Some bands, such as Derpy and the Pony Pickers, would quickly discover they were completely outclassed by other bands, like The Crusaders, who easily defeated the former with no trouble. Trixie's band was easily able to crush "Crash n' Bash" within thirty seconds of their match starting. Bulk Biceps overcame Snips and Snails, while the Rainbooms defeated Octavia Melody, Rainbow Dash performing the finishing blow.

" Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!

You didn't know that you fell.

Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!

Now that you're under our spell!"

The second round came to an end with Flash Drive, Photo Finish and the Snapshots, and the Dazzlings defeating their opponents. So now the third round began. Tensions were running high as the music intensified. I had noticed that Princess Twilight's stress was worsening, and it was due to not being able to come up with a complete counter-spell. Combined with the arguing my friends were doing against each other, she was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Me? I just looked on in misery. I had been ignored entirely. My worst fear had come to pass, but I still held a faint hope that I could salvage something.

" Listen to the sound of my voice!"

" (Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh!)"

" Soon you'll find you don't have a choice." Adagio sung.

Another round had come and gone, with most of the bands having been eliminated. In the quarter-finals, the Rainbooms struggled slightly with Bulk Biceps, as he proved to be more tenacious than expected. Once again, Rainbow Dash provided the finishing touch, which only served to further stroke her ego. The rest of my friends looked on with scorn, as she had essentially turned the band into a one-person show. It wasn't surprising that Trixie's band had also won, which set the stage for a Rainbow Dash-versus-Trixie showdown. What also wasn't surprising was Flash's band being beaten by the Dazzlings. While it looked like Flash Drive was in control, in truth the Dazzlings had strung them along until they decided to end it.

" Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!

You didn't know that you fell.

Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!

Now that you're under our..."

" Spell." Adagio sung, laughing darkly.

I looked towards Flash, who, in turn, was looking at the poster with the tournament structure on it. I could tell that he was furious over his band's loss; the obvious signs of frustration and hatred were clearly in his expression. I felt sad for him. The Dazzlings' dark magic had exposed a character trait which he had kept hidden from everyone around him: He was incredibly competitive and couldn't stand losing. The other bands who got eliminated along the way were pretty steamed about it as well, but he really had it bad. The Dazzlings didn't care either way who would be eliminated when, as they got to absorb more negative energy. I turned my attention towards the other semi-finals match, which featured the Rainbooms squaring off against Trixie and the Illusions. I hoped Rainbow Dash would apply some humility and not allow her ego to dictate her actions, but who was I to try and fool myself? I knew she was going to do something that would ruin their chances.

Princess Twilight, on the other hand, continued to struggle with perfecting the counter-spell, and the bags under her eyes confirmed my suspicions: The stress must have been unbearable for her. I wanted to comfort her and perhaps try and help her work out some of the problems, but I was constantly blocked from helping by my friends, who continued to hover over her like she needed protection or something. When I finally got a free moment, I approached Her Highness, and she was happy that I came up to her.

" How's it going?" I asked.

" Terribly! This is the semi-finals and I still don't have the counter-spell ready! I just don't understand why I haven't been able to make it work! Counter-spells are relatively easy to make, so why am I having so many problems with this one!? All of this stress is giving me an ulcer." Princess Twilight answered.

" Do you want me to help?" I asked.

" That would be nice, although I don't think the others would appreciate it. They expect me to work out all of the details on my own. They still look up to me with admiration, even though it's obvious that their praise has been misguided. To see you helping me would shatter their faith in my coming up with the answers, and you'd be criticized for trying to ruin their chances of getting to the finals. I don't know why, but ever since this competition started, our friends have been growing more and more arrogant towards each other. It's like this competition has brought out the worst in them." Princess Twilight answered. Oh, if she only knew how close she was to being correct in her assumption. On a different note, I learned my friends would find it improper for me to help them even though I could be the answer to their problems. I found myself struggling to want to keep a straight face by choosing to support them, but the thought of throttling them all was growing.

" Guess I'll hold back then." I said.

" Sorry to be such a burden." Princess Twilight said.

" Welcome to my world." I said, prompting Her Highness to share a slight giggle with me. At that moment, the rest of my friends came back after having spent the last couple of minutes watching Trixie's band performing. Unlike the previous rounds, the semi-finals had the competing bands go one at a time in their respective matches, where the feedback from both the audience and the judges would determine who moved on. This was actually a last minute addition courtesy of Vice Principal Luna, so whether this would make or break the Rainbooms remained to be seen.

" Has Twilight finished the counter-spell yet?" Applejack asked.

" Not yet. She still needs more time." I answered.

" Shoot! That's mighty discouraging, but I suppose it's to be expected with all of the crazy things that have been happening since this competition started." Applejack said.

" She should be able to have it ready in time for the finals." I said.

" Should?" Applejack asked.

" Provided that she doesn't get swamped with any more stress than she already has. Look, I know you guys mean well, but maybe you shouldn't put so much pressure on her." I answered. Applejack then looked at me coldly, and I immediately froze on the spot. I could tell she thought I had overstepped my boundaries, so I chose not to speak further on the subject. Princess Twilight could have chosen to defend me, but she was too focused on getting the counter-spell figured out to have noticed. I then received similar expressions from everyone else. It was enough to have me back away slowly while maintaining my silence.

" Don't worry, Twilight. Finals aren't until tomorrow tonight, so y'all have plenty of time to get that there spell workin'. We'll get in a little more practice before we're supposed to hit the stage, but the longer Trixie and her band carries on, the more practicing we'll get. We won't let you down!" Applejack said. The others nodded, sharing similar sentiments. Things appeared to be stable as far as tensions were concerned, but I should have known something would go wrong. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy began to talk amongst themselves, and I managed to listen in to what they were saying.

" Why'd you wanna talk with me?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I, um, needed to address something." Fluttershy answered.

" Sure! What's up?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Um, I was just wondering. We haven't played any of my songs yet." Fluttershy answered.

" And?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Well, um, I thought... Why don't we play one of those?" Fluttershy answered.

" It's the semi-finals, Fluttershy. We need to go with our best song. Any other song at this point would just get us eliminated. We're so close to winning this competition. Our best bet is to go with 'Awesome As I Wanna Be'!" Rainbow Dash said.

" But--" Fluttershy began.

" No time to argue right now, Fluttershy. We've gotta play that to get past Trixie." Rainbow Dash said.

" Don't know why I even asked." Fluttershy said quietly. As she looked down at the ground, disappointed that Rainbow Dash had ignored her, I could only watch her from a distance and curse Rainbow Dash under my breath. Instead of going with something that Fluttershy must have poured her heart over, she decided the Rainbooms would go with the song that reinforced her inflated ego. If I had been Fluttershy's shoes, I would have up and quit the band in protest over having my creative contributions ignored just to keep the status quo. Knowing Rainbow Dash, she would have pouted and claimed that the Rainbooms were lost without Fluttershy, but clearly she doesn't think too highly of any of them. Maybe I was being too hard on her, though; the fate of this world was at stake.

Twilight turned the page of the journal for me once again and was exposed to a number of photos which had been glued onto the next four pages. I told her that each one had been taken by Photo Finish. You could tell because she made sure to include her logo on the bottom-right corner of each shot she took. The photos were of events that took place throughout the Battle of the Bands, and Twilight found herself enamoured with how impressive they looked. Photo Finish was serious about her photographic skills, and this was evident in her work.

" You can tell that everyone was determined to move on through the elimination rounds." Twilight said.

" The desire to win at all costs is what kept them going." I said.

" Yes, and it's completely unnatural." Twilight added. She then looked at a photo of Flash Sentry showing frustration in front of the poster that featured the tournament brackets. The anger in his eyes made her flinch, and I couldn't blame her. Twilight didn't have any feelings towards Flash, unlike Princess Twilight, yet she could still experience pain over how he had been reduced to a sore loser. " To think he would show such a mean-spirited side of himself all because he lost. If he normally had that kind of attitude, he would have easily fit into Crystal Prep. They don't take losing very easily, hating when they fail to live up to the expectations Principal Cinch has of them."

" Was that how things always were?" I asked.

" At Crystal Prep, you were expected to win at everything. If you failed, the rest of the student body would shun you until you either graduated or transferred. No one was given a second chance. It was deemed a form of weakness." Twilight answered. No wonder she never enjoyed her experiences there. She wasn't anything like her former classmates. I would have asked why she attended Crystal Prep if she didn't have the same mentality, but I chose not to, in case it was a private matter. Despite both schools being the final stepping stone before higher education, Canterlot High was for those who wanted a public education, while those who desired a more private experience flocked to Crystal Prep. " Anyway, we're going off topic. I can understand Fluttershy's frustrations over having her song ignored in favour of a more ego-driven song, but why did Applejack give you such a horrible look?" Twilight asked.

" Because I wanted to give Princess Twilight a break." I answered.

" That doesn't sound wrong to me." Twilight said.

" To you, it wouldn't, but it did to our friends. They wanted to save their world from an evil that had come from Equestria and didn't want Her Highness to rest until the counter-spell had been completed. Magic is still a foreign concept to this world, and they felt powerless because they had no idea on how to resolve the issue. That's why they asked me if I could figure things out. I'm from Equestria, and they believed I'd have the answers, but I didn't, so Princess Twilight took the reins." I said.

" So when you spoke out, Applejack scolded you, believing that you didn't have this world's best interests in mind." Twilight said.

" That's why I kept so much to myself." I said.

" It must have been awful."

" I would eventually get to speak my mind, but not in the manner I was going for."

" Oh? How did that turn out?" Twilight asked. She then turned the page of the journal, and she was immediately confronted with her answer. When I took a look at what she was looking at, my heart sank because of how humiliating it made me appear. " That answers my question." We were both looking at a photo that depicted me tackling Rainbow Dash in the middle of a guitar riff, herself completely caught off guard. It was a reminder that Photo Finish knew how to make a lasting impression, and this was an impression which I never wanted to see again. " You actually tackled her during their performance?" Twilight asked.

" I had a good reason." I answered.

" You must have to have gone and done that." Twilight said.

" Rainbow Dash's song 'Awesome As I Wanna Be' had a five minute guitar solo where she would be playing with the spotlight clearly focused on her. The rest of our friends would just be playing backup music and vocals. Her song was clearly meant to stroke her ego and make it even bigger than it already was. If she had taken things more seriously, I wouldn't have tackled her when I did." I said.

" What could she have done that would prompt you to tackle her?" Twilight asked.

" She was trying to pony up." I answered.

" In front of a large gathering? No wonder you decided to do that. She would have revealed to the Sirens that you possessed Equestrian magic, whereas you all wanted it to remain hidden until it was ready to be used along with the counter-spell." Twilight said.

" It also didn't help that Rainbow Dash had to brag about how awesome she was in front of Trixie." I said.

" ...I got tricks up my sleeve.

See me dominate

'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat!" Trixie sung.

I had to admit that Trixie was really good at singing and playing a guitar. While she may have come off as a braggart, there was no denying that she had talent. Everyone in the gym felt the same way upon Trixie and the Illusions finishing their performance. The loud cheers indicated that her song had certainly won their approval. While it was obvious that "Tricks Up My Sleeve" was written to boost Trixie's own ego, there was something about it that felt pleasant. It was calm, soothing, simple in design yet complex in overall scope. The Rainbooms were going to have to bring more than their A-game if they wanted to move on to the finals to face off against the Dazzlings.

" Fantastic!" Principal Celestia announced.

" Your performance proves that you deserve to have made it this far." Vice Principal Luna added.

" That could be enough to propel you into the finals against the Dazzlings, but first we shall see how the Rainbooms perform." Principal Celestia said.

" Attention! Will The Rainbooms please proceed to the stage! You have five minutes to prepare!" Vice Principal Luna announced. The pressure was now on for my friends to give the best performance they've done so far. It felt like they were a shoo-in to face off against the Dazzlings given how they easily beat their other opponents, but a problem was about to rear its ugly head that no one was expecting. Trixie's bandmates walked off to get some water, while Trixie herself decided to walk towards my friends and me. I had hoped she was just coming our way to wish them luck, but I should have known better than that.

" You're never gonna top that performance." Trixie said.

" Oh yeah? What makes you think that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" You guys aren't all you're cracked up to be."

" Are you saying my band isn't good enough to be in the finals?"

" You shouldn't be allowed to when you have such a big advantage over the rest of us." Trixie answered. She then focused her attention on Princess Twilight, who in return stepped back slightly. Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, paid no attention to that and instead looked at Trixie square in the eyes, the rivalry between them flaring up once again while the rest of us looked on. I had been looking at Applejack in the meantime, especially after Rainbow Dash said that the band belonged to her, and her eyes were burning with anger. Applejack had been the only one who had constantly reminded Rainbow Dash that everyone had an equal contribution to the band.

" My superior guitar-playing and off-the-charts, awesome singing voice?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Is that what you call it?" Trixie asked.

" Look, get to the point!"

" Trixie believes that what you consider to be superior skills is nothing more than a pitiful attempt to act cool. Everyone knows the real truth about the Rainbooms. Well, everyone accept you, of course, Rainbow Dash. But then, it doesn't surprise me, considering how close-minded you've been lately. If you were as good as you claim to be, you wouldn't have needed to bring in some magical ringer to give yourself a chance of making it to the finals." Trixie said. Again, she focused on Princess Twilight before giving a big smirk on her face and looking back at her rival. Her Highness chose to remain quiet, as she didn't want to bring any attention towards herself. She made the right decision in that regard, as things were about to become really testy. " While your friend Twilight Sparkle may not be approachable, she has proven to be the secret behind your band's success. I wouldn't be surprised if she were the actual leader of the Rainbooms! Then what would that make you, Rainbow Dash? Second fiddle?" Trixie asked.

" What!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

" Am I to assume that Trixie is correct?"

" Ha! Puh-leeze! I could win this thing as a solo act, and everybody knows it!" Rainbow Dash answered. I looked at Applejack again to see if she was okay with what had just been said, and her expression told me that she was completely livid. The rest of my friends, apart from Princess Twilight, had the same expression on their faces. If Rainbow Dash wanted to cause further strife amongst the group, her words had condemned her.

" Then why don't you?" Trixie asked.

" Because my friends and I will beat your band, no sweat!" Rainbow Dash answered.

" Your friends, you say? Well, Trixie suggests that you think on those words carefully. I'm not saying that as a threat, but rather as a friendly warning." Trixie said. She then reached into her pocket, pulling out a small ball. She threw it onto the ground in front of her. Upon impact, it produced a puff of smoke, blinding us and making us cough while she took advantage of the confusion and presumably disappeared. When the smoke cleared, Trixie was indeed nowhere to be found, until Pinkie Pie noticed her hiding behind some spare instruments.

" There she is!" Pinkie Pie announced, causing Trixie to run off in a mad dash.

" I wonder why she went to all that trouble?" I asked.

" It was a pretty good trick." Pinkie Pie answered.

" More like she used it for a fast getaway." I said.

" Doesn't matter! We're going to win and move on to face the Dazzlings." Rainbow Dash said. The girls then proceeded to make their way to the stage while I had to stay behind... watching them have fun while I wallowed away in misery. I could have chosen to simply leave out of not being appreciated, but something inside my heart compelled me to stick around in case something went wrong. Rainbow Dash's song was very egocentric, but perhaps she would not go overboard this time. One could only hope.

The curtain rose, and my friends began playing their instruments, before Rainbow Dash ran onto the stage and started playing a powerful rift. I had to admit that was pretty clever; no one else had done something like that. I then looked at Princess Twilight and realized she should have sung this song. She was just standing there in the background, having been reduced to backup vocals. While she may have been okay with that, the rest of our friends probably didn't agree with that assessment.

" First you see me riding on a sonic boom!

Got my guitar shreddin' up my latest tune!

There is nothin' you can do to beat me!

I'm so good that you can't defeat me!" Rainbow Dash sung.

The music was easy to dance to, if you could ignore the lyrics. I also had to give credit to Rainbow Dash for her choreography, although she was going a little overboard with some of her maneuvers. Playing her guitar behind her neck was just showing off. I could understand wanting to prove that you were as good as you claim, yet there was a fine line that shouldn't be crossed. While she was enjoying the performance, the same couldn't be said for the others. They just stared coldly at while playing along to the lyrics. Even the audience didn't seem all that impressed.

It then had me thinking. Was it a good idea to ask Rainbow Dash to teach me how to play the guitar? I mean, she was obviously very skilled, and I could learn a lot from her, but I was having second thoughts. I may not be in the mood, considering how she had been ignoring me since Princess Twilight came back. Also, her recent attitude shift was one I couldn't accept. Finally, I had this feeling she would try to mold me into her image. Yeah. That last one sounded like I was thinking too much into the whole ordeal. " The more I look at how she moves about on the stage, the more I find it fascinating." I said to myself. " I never knew there was so much more to being in a band than just playing music or singing a song. When the girls first started this band, they were overjoyed about the whole prospect. They were so excited about playing together. But then something happened after they formed the Rainbooms, and things just haven't been the same since. Tensions started almost immediately when my friends had differing opinions, yet I never said anything at the time, as I assumed they would figure it out amongst themselves." Maybe I should have been more vocal.

Reminiscing about the past made me oblivious to what was happening on stage. When I looked up at Rainbow Dash, I could see pony ears were beginning to form on her head. Was she seriously trying to pony up? What was she thinking!? If those ears fully formed, the Dazzlings would figure everything out! Everything would be ruined. I began panicking over what to do. This performance needed to be stopped! My mind was drawing a complete blank, apart from one option. Something in my mind compelled me to get out on stage and tackle Rainbow Dash out of vengeance for how she had been ignoring me. Was I really going to resort to that? Would I allow such a petty attitude dictate what I was about to do? The answer to that question, it turned out, was "yes".

" Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!" The Rainbooms sung.

In an instant, it felt like time itself had come to a stop. Everything around me just froze instantly. Even my own breathing slowed down in the moment. No one expected me to have done what I did. When Rainbow Dash realized that I was flying towards her, she couldn't react in time. I tackled her with such force that she flung her guitar. It slid across the floor, causing Applejack to trip over it. She flung her bass in reaction, it bouncing off a few objects before landing with a loud thud on Pinkie Pie's largest drum. This caused everyone on stage to stop playing, and the lights suddenly turned on. Fluttershy began to cry before running off the stage.

What had I done? No words could describe my actions. Rather than checking on Rainbow Dash to see if she was okay, I instead turned towards the audience, who had been brought to a complete silence. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna began writing something down, and it didn't take a genius to know that I had ruined my friends' chances of reaching the finals. I had been accusing them of being the ones who would prevent them from making it, yet I was the one who caused their downfall. To add insult to injury, my fellow students began to shout things at me.

" Now that's the bad girl we love to hate!" Flash Sentry said to the applause of the crowd.

" I knew she was still trouble!" Octavia Melody said.

" The real Sunset Shimmer is back!"

" Shows you that her reformation was a lie!"

" Once a monster, always a monster!"

" And the Rainbooms wanted to forgive her? Ha! They got what they deserved!"

" No. It isn't like that." I said. Once Rainbow Dash had gotten back onto her feet, she looked at me with anger in her eyes. I couldn't blame her. I had actually tackled her to the ground without provocation and ruined everything. The rest of my friends gave me similar looks before they all walked off the stage without saying a word. When I turned to Princess Twilight for comfort, she looked away with tears in her eyes. She must have thought that I had manipulated her when we had our conversation. I then followed behind the others, my head held down in shame. I hadn't just cost my friends everything, no. I had just cost my friendships with them, as well.

" Wasn't there another way?" Twilight asked.

" There were, but my mind was fixated on tackling Rainbow Dash. My desire to see her get what she deserved proved too much for me to resist, and it would strain my friendships to the breaking point." I answered.

" I take it they gave you quite the stern lecture?" Twilight asked.

" It was more like they talked down to me. I realized after the fact that I should have done something less disruptive, but the damage had been done, so I had to accept it and move on with my life. It would take several hours for our friends to forgive me for what I did, although I would receive the silent treatment for a while.

" There was one bright spot to come from this, though. Rainbow Dash would later tell me that she thought I was really strong and recommended that I try out for the wrestling team. I didn't think my tackle was anything special, but she was very persistent about it." I answered. It was either the wrestling team or the football team, as they needed someone who had a lot of power. I would tell her that I wasn't interested in trying out for sports teams; I was more interested in the sciences. Rainbow Dash accepted my answer, though I did insist on learning how to ride a motorcycle; seeing them enough times throughout Canterlot piqued my curiosity.

" I'm curious as to how the Rainbooms made it to the finals." Twilight said.

" It was magical intervention." I said.

" What?" Twilight asked.

" Trixie's band had obviously won the match after what I did, but the Sirens had other plans. They knew by that point that our friends possessed the magic that brought them to CHS in the first place, so they decided to manipulate the results. Their magic was stronger by that point, so by singing to the two sisters, they convinced them to allow the Rainbooms to move on instead of the Illusions." I answered.

" I'll bet Trixie was shocked." Twilight said.

" We all were." I said.

" Trixie didn't take the decision very well, did she?" Twilight asked.

" She, along with everyone else, believed that our friends didn't deserve to be in the finals. Even they didn't think they deserved it, but they moved on anyway because that's what the Sirens wanted. The Sirens also needed our friends to finally unleash all their pent-up rage against one another, and that's where Trixie came into the picture. The Sirens had need of her jealously to set the stage where they would achieve their goal." I answered.

Chapter 36: Manipulation

Day: Friday
Weather: Chilly
Time: 1:00pm

If I were a turtle, I'd hide away in my shell right now and never come back out. What I did was completely out-of-line even though I thought there was no other choice. I have ruined my friends' chances of reaching the finals in the Battle of the Bands when I tackled Rainbow Dash during the middle of their performance. I had to stop her from ponying up! Had she transformed, the Dazzlings would have figured out our plans. It didn't matter now, though; I'd ruined everything. Everyone had now accused me of reverting to my old ways. I'm not like that anymore! Would they care? No. They have judged me, and I must accept it. A strange turn of events would change my mistake into a questionable outcome, where the Rainbooms would actually face off against the Dazzlings in the final. The losing band, Trixie and the Illusions, were outraged by what happened, and were determined to right a terrible wrong done to them.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 1, 2016
Chapter 36: Manipulation.

Twilight and I decided to take another break from reading the journal. My eyes were getting exhausted from reading my own text, so I closed the journal and put it down next to me, blinking a few times to give my eyes some much-needed moisture. We then began to drink more fizzy apple cider, and Twilight snuggled closer to me, not that I was complaining. She felt sorry over how my past had caused so much pain for many people--myself included--and was determined to make me feel appreciated. I'll draw the line at kissing, but hugs are fine. I could do with a few of them. I looked at Twilight, who was too distracted by the taste of fizzy apple cider to notice me looking at her, and I felt bad about how misguided she had been.

She believes that what happened during the Battle of the Bands was the lowest I've ever felt in my life. While it was a pretty bad experience--feeling like the most useless being in this entire world isn't all that fun--there was far worse to come. I didn't want her to become overwhelmed, though. Otherwise, she might take things the wrong way and lash out in frustration. Looking up at the ceiling, I began to think about everything that has been revealed this night. Twilight knew next to nothing about my past, but now she was seeing a side of me that no one else had ever known. Not even Princess Twilight, my mentor, knew about my personal issues, aside from a few things that were just small pieces of a much larger puzzle. I had always been hesitant about revealing my story to anyone, but Twilight here was an exception. She and I had more in common than we initially thought. It was those common trends which kept us going through this experience. Did I fear she would run away in disgust over my actions? Of course! I won't ever deny that I used to be a monster, and one of my greatest worries was that she'd see me as the monster I was.

" Sunset?" Twilight asked, having noticed me looking up at the ceiling.

" What is it?" I asked.

" I'm glad that you decided to confide your secrets in me." Twilight answered. The truth was, if I had never gotten to know her, I would have spoken to Fluttershy first, although that would have been difficult because of how timid she was. She might have reacted poorly to some of my more questionable moments. Princess Twilight would have been my next choice. Even though she and I are fellow Equestrians, I couldn't access her as often as the others, as she had her princess duties to perform in Equestria. While I could just write to her about my problems, there were a lot of them, so it would have been better to speak with her in person. " I know that I've been a little pushy sometimes, especially when I get close, but I feel as though you need someone to cry on your shoulder when you're unable to cry yourself." Twilight said.

" It also had to be you because I've never written anything down in my journal about you." I added.

" Very true. That doesn't bother me in the least." Twilight said.

" I hope my remaining baggage doesn't push you over the edge. Believe me, there's still a lot more things which will test your resolve. I should know; it tested mine in ways that still make me feel uncomfortable about being in my own skin." I said.

" We'll get through it together." Twilight said, smiling. She then looked at me with the most beautiful smile I've ever seen from her. It felt nice knowing that she wanted to keep on going despite my warning. She was a lot tougher than she looked. Twilight reached over my lap and grabbed the journal before pulling herself back and opening it up to where we had last left off. During that brief moment, I had this urge to fall on top of her as a sign of affection, but I chose not to. That would have been weird. " Everyone in the gym accused you of having gone back to the way you used to be?" Twilight asked.

" They thought that I had merely been pretending to have changed." I answered.

" It was the Sirens' power that made them think that way." Twilight said.

" No, I'd say it was their own opinions strengthened with the dark magic of the Sirens. When you look at that photo where I tackled Rainbow Dash, the evidence was heavily stacked against me, no matter what anyone who tried defending me would say." I said. To think that what made it really bad was that Flash Sentry called me out first by stating that the "real" Sunset Shimmer had come back. That hurt; he had never once said anything of the sort to me. When we were dating, he treated me fairly well, although I never did the same in return. Despite how badly we broke up, Flash didn't let it bother him like it did me. Everyone else followed suit after Flash, and I knew right there my hopes had been shattered. It hadn't gotten to the point of no return, but it was awfully close.

" What of Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna?" Twilight asked.

" Again, they did nothing other than write down their scores on the clipboards they used." I answered.

" I know our friends probably had some choice words for you, so there's no point in me asking." Twilight said. Oh, they had some choice words, alright. Not only would I be chewed out for what I did, I'd be condemned for not asking one of them to handle the situation. How could they have? They were in their own little world arguing over petty things. They didn't even notice Rainbow Dash was mere seconds away from ponying up and exposing their magic. If anything, I had good intentions, even though I executed them horribly.

" They would end up forgiving me for what happened, but I knew that it wasn't genuine." I said.

" Can't say I blame them." Twilight said.

" One thing we all agreed on was how things turned out for the best. Or rather, how controversial it had been." I said.

" Trixie and her band mates assumed that they were moving onto the finals simply because they had the better performance. Yet, when the winner of the match was announced, it was the Rainbooms, not the Illusions, who had claimed victory." Twilight said.

" You can thank the Sirens for that. They knew that our friends possessed Equestrian magic and needed it to regain their full power. Had the Illusions won, the Sirens would never have gotten their hands on the magic. To get what they wanted, they coerced Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna to change their minds through singing." I said.

Standing alone on the stage for that brief period while students hurled accusations at me made me feel like hiding for the rest of my life. They claimed that the real me had returned and that my attempts to reform had been nothing but a sham. My heart felt like it could give way at any moment, but I had to remain steadfast in my resolve to prove to them that I had truly changed. I had hoped Princess Twilight and the others would come to my defence, but they were leaving the stage with their instruments in tow. Rather than sticking up for me, they chose to abandon me in my time of need. How could I blame them? I had ruined their chances of reaching the finals, where the Dazzlings were waiting. I had disappointed Her Highness, who cried when she turned her face away from me. The counter-spell was now useless, as Trixie's band wouldn't be able to use it. I wasn't about to continue being ignored by my friends. I was about to lose their friendships unless some kind of miracle occurred.

I then followed them backstage while avoiding the gaze of the audience, who continued their claims that I had returned to my old ways. I knew the Dazzlings' dark magic caused them to think like that, but it was also their own opinions of me that truly fueled their hurtful words. Once we were backstage, I looked at the two sisters, who were busy pondering over which band would go to the finals. I honestly had no idea why they were even bothering to draw this out. Everyone knew that the Illusions had won because of what I did to Rainbow Dash. Speaking of Rainbow, she herself paced back and forth for a few seconds, before finally turning to face me. The angry look in her eyes told me that she was going to kill me.

" What was that!?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" You were about to pony up." I answered.

" And?"

" If you had gone and done that, you would have exposed your magic for everyone to see, especially the Dazzlings."

" Really? I didn't even notice; I was in the zone." Rainbow Dash said. Her response made everyone else cringe, although none of them had the right to do so. They didn't notice that she had tried to pony up until after what happened, so they are just as much to blame as I was. However, I had a feeling they were going to blame everything squarely on me, as they were busy playing their instruments to have seen the pony ears forming.

" I panicked. I didn't know what else to do." I said.

" You... panicked?" Rarity asked.

" What would you have done?" I asked.

" Close the curtains? Unplug her amp? Give us a chance to deal with the situation? There were plenty of options, Sunset Shimmer! How were you not able to see them but readily go with the worst possible idea?" Rarity asked. While she did have a valid point, I wished that she didn't make me feel even worse than I already did. I know I made a huge mistake and probably had to live with it for the rest of my life. There was no need for her to talk down to me like I was a child.

" I'm sorry! I was only trying to help." I answered.

" Yeah, well, you didn't." Rainbow Dash.

" I'm sorry!" I said.

" While you did a really stupid thing, Sunset, you're not entirely to blame for what happened out there." Applejack said. Her words confused me, as I had assumed she was still annoyed with me for when I mentioned that Princess Twilight needed to take a break.

" No. I'll take full responsibility for my actions. There's no point in trying to protect me. Everyone else has already decided that I'm still the same person that I used to be before you guys welcomed me into your lives." I said.

" Sorry, but that's a load of bunkus. Rainbow Dash is also to blame!" Applejack announced.

" What!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

" You heard me!"

" What did I do?"

" Seriously!? You mean to tell me that y'all have no idea what you did? Let me tell it to you straight without any fancy words. None of this would've happened if you weren't tryin' to show off--as usual. I knew playin' that song o' yours would be a disaster. While y'all may think it's the best thing out there, the rest of us don't appreciate how it's all about you. We were supposed to remain low-key until Twilight got the counter-spell ready, yet you went right ahead and began to pony up, all because you wanted to prove you were better than Trixie." Applejack answered. Her words caused Rainbow Dash to reel backwards slightly. She was about to say something in response, only to be interrupted by Trixie herself, who happened to have overheard my friends bickering. She seemed pleased that we were fighting amongst ourselves, judging from her expression, yet I suspected she had come by to gloat about having one-upped Rainbow Dash.

" Trixie couldn't help but overhear your arguing." Trixie said.

" What do you want?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" That was a really good performance you had, Rainbooms. Well, save for the part at the end. I always thought that Sunset Shimmer still had remnants of her mean streak before the Fall Formal. It was a delight to see that I was correct. If you ask Trixie, the best part was when Sunset Shimmer, in a fit of jealous rage, knocked out Rainbow Dash mid-guitar solo." Trixie answered.

" What!?" I exclaimed.

" Come on! It's pretty obvious to Trixie that you have been jealous for some time, Sunset Shimmer. While you pretended to be okay with not joining the Rainbooms because you couldn't play an instrument, it was a ruse to hide the fact that you're envious of your friends' basking in the limelight. Not only that, Rainbow Dash had been getting a little too ambitious with her ego, and you couldn't take it anymore. So you had to humiliate her in front of the entire student body, all out of jealousy." Trixie said.

" It wasn't a fit of jealous rage!" I yelled, grabbing Trixie by her shirt and slightly shaking her, my cheeks turning red out of frustration. I had just about reached my limit with her and was about to do something that I would have regretted had I gone through with it. For a brief moment, I thought about punching her over and over until she was out cold. When I focused my mind and turned towards my friends, they were looking at me skeptically. Even Princess Twilight looked at me like that before lowering her head, indicating she was ashamed of me. Knowing that I was mere moments away from committing an evil act, I let Trixie go before dropping to my knees and burying my head into my hands, starting to cry.

I could have done something truly reprehensible! Trixie had pushed my buttons one too many times, and I completely lost it! My temper had become a weakness! Worst of all, my friends no longer saw me the same way as before. Now, they saw me as someone who could snap in the blink of an eye. All of my hard work to prove that I had changed for the better had been snuffed out by a single moment.

" You just proved Trixie's point with that little stunt." Trixie said.

" Leave her alone!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" I'm satisfied with seeing all of you bickering amongst yourselves, so I won't hurt Sunset Shimmer aymore. She's already doing a wonderful job of that to herself. Anyway, the real reason that Trixie is here is because they are about to announce who is going on to the final round. It shouldn't have taken this long for them to come up with a decision, but who am I to argue with how the process works?" Trixie said.

" You gonna rub it in our faces?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Just yours."

" Why just me?"

" Because you've been on your high horse for far too long! Trixie wants to knock you down a peg!" Trixie answered. Both she and Rainbow Dash glared at one another while baring their teeth, and all I could do in response was watch. I would have said something to get them to stop with their pointless rivalry, but after what I almost did to Trixie, I just stood there in complete silence. What was this competition doing to everyone? Why were we all acting like savages? The Magic of Friendship was supposed to have made things better, yet it hasn't. Instead, the "Magic of Hatred" had twisted everyone's perceptions. Even my friends and I had been affected! Was our protection from the Dazzlings' magic not as strong as we originally suspected?

That's when I noticed Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna coming backstage, the former holding a piece of paper, which most likely contained the results. Knowing Trixie, she was going to have a field day when her name gets announced, and will never let Rainbow Dash hear the end of it. I knew I wouldn't hear the end of it, either, as my friends would continue blaming me for causing their downfall. Principal Celestia was just about to speak, when she paused due to the Dazzlings suddenly appearing behind her. Why were they here? They already qualified for the finals, so they had no reason to come backstage, unless they wanted to add insult to injury by mocking the losing band. The criticism towards me was about to get even worse. While the others were talking amongst themselves, I watched the Dazzlings surround the two sisters and begin to sing.

" Why are they singing?" I asked myself. Their vocals sounded very soothing. Mesmerizing. My mind felt cloudy, but I quickly shook my head to break free of their influence. This must have been how they were able to manipulate Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna into turning the Musical Showcase into the Battle of the Bands. It all started to make sense, but there were still some questions that needed answering, and one of those questions needed an answer right now. The two sisters looked as though they were high on something, as their expressions were listless. " Their singing... They must be manipulating their minds... but why?" I asked myself as I continued watching. Could it be that the Dazzlings were trying to change the inevitable outcome? If that were the case, then it meant they were aware that the Rainbooms possessed magic.

When did they come to that conclusion? I doubt Rainbow Dash's attempt to pony up just now would have clued them in, so it must have been some time ago when they figured it out. It only took a few seconds for me to realize when the Dazzlings knew the truth. " When the Magic of Friendship failed to work in the gym during the party last night, everyone around us started arguing and giving off negative energy. We were the only ones who didn't give off such energy. When the Dazzlings saw that, they must have realized that my friends had Equestrian magic. We were trying to deceive them, but they've known all along." I said to myself. I'm surprised Princess Twilight wasn't able to reach that conclusion, while I was. Then again, she had been so preoccupied with the counter-spell that she just didn't have the time to think about it. That meant I alone knew what was really happening! I needed to tell the others, but would they even listen to me? After all, I had villified myself, which, in turn, made them look bad, as they accepted me.

" Here come the results." Applejack said.

" What can we do? There isn't going to be another opportunity for us to play." Rarity said.

" Well, I guess that counter-spell's not gonna be much use, now." Applejack said.

" I know Sunset meant well when she tackled Rainbow Dash, but that wasn't the right way to go about it. Had she gone with one of the suggestions I had made, the impact wouldn't have been as severe, and she wouldn't have been ridiculed on stage. It's a travesty, I tell you! I had the most gorgeous outfit for the finals! Now it's going to waste. I could wear it for a future occasion, I suppose, but it just wouldn't be the same." Rarity said.

" Yup, 'cause that's the real tragedy here, Rarity: That you won't get to play dress-up!" Applejack said.

" You know perfectly well that is not what I meant!"

" I reckon that is what you meant."

" Just because you don't think we should be presentable doesn't make it a bad thing! We do have to maintain some kind of dignity after all, and wearing something other than our usual ensemble shows we're serious about our performances." Rarity said. In response, Applejack grabbed the rim of her Stetson hat and pulled it down until it covered her face. She proceeded to mumble something to herself that sounded like a combination of grunting, cursing, and babbling incoherently. She was clearly aggravated by Rarity's argument, and I happened to agree with her. While wearing something fancy can help you stand out from the crowd, it shouldn't be the most important thing. I would consider one's attire to be a bonus, while your true intentions should be what truly defines you.

" You guys wanna keep it down? They're about to announce who's moving on." Rainbow Dash said.

" I thought they already did?" Fluttershy asked.

" Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were about to say who won, but they stopped suddenly. Now, they're acting like total zombies! Not only that, but the Dazzlings here too! They must want to gloat to who didn't make it!" Rainbow Dash answered.

" You know we're not the ones who are moving on to the finals." Fluttershy said.

" A little bit of hope couldn't hurt." Rainbow Dash said. I had a feeling that hope wasn't going to be the deciding factor. Rather, it would be musical intervention that would change the original outcome. If my suspicions were correct, Trixie was the one who needed to be feeling hopeful. The Dazzlings were about to throw everyone a curveball, and only I knew what was about to happen.

" Attention, students!" Vice Principal Luna announced as she walked onto the stage.

" We have reached a decision regarding this semi-final match." Princess Celestia said as she walked onto the stage. The band that will be joining the Dazzlings tomorrow night to see who will win it all is... The Rainbooms!"

I knew it! I knew she was going to say that. The Dazzlings' singing had manipulated the two sisters into going with the Rainbooms because they had magic. No doubt Trixie wasn't going to take this announcement very well, and I suspected she might try to do something to get back at my friends. I looked at the audience, who were already booing at the results, and I couldn't blame them.

" What!?" Trixie exclaimed.

" What did she just say?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" She said The Rainbooms were joining the Dazzlings tomorrow night." Pinkie Pie answered.

" That's what I thought she said." Rainbow Dash said.

" I don't believe this!" Trixie shouted.

" Neither do we." Pinkie Pie added.

" My band was clearly superior, so how did you manage to prevail? Trixie is just so mad over this travesty!" Trixie said. She then stormed off in a huff, mumbling something to herself. Everyone else assumed that the Illusions were moving on to the finals, as they clearly were better, no thanks to my blunder during my friends' performance. With this announcement, they were going to think they cheated. I thought I had it bad when the student body bullied me for the last few weeks. Now they were going to do the same thing to my friends. The Dazzlings, in the meantime, appeared to be just as surprised, but I knew deep down that this is what they wanted.

" Congratulations, girls. You deserve it." Principal Celestia said.

" Please welcome the two bands who will be competing in tomorrow's final!" Vice Principal Luna announced. The Dazzlings then proceeded to walk onto the stage, where they still pretended to be surprised, even though I knew better. My friends then followed suit, although I remained behind because I wasn't a member of the Rainbooms. I also stayed back because I didn't want the audience to yell at me even further over what I did earlier. The sound of boos and jeering echoed throughout the gym, as everyone was clearly upset over what happened, yet Vice Principal Luna waved her hands to silence them. " Tomorrow night, these two bands will face off in a final showdown that shall determine who will win the Battle of the Bands and be crowned the best band here at CHS. The stage out back will be used, but it needs to be modified slightly to accommodate the use of instruments. It will be ready to use by tomorrow."

" If, for some reason, one or both bands are unable to make it to the final, they shall be disqualified, and the bands who placed third and fourth will be given a chance to compete in the final." Principal Celestia said. Knowing the Dazzlings, they weren't going to miss such an opportunity to get their hands on Equestrian magic. As for the Rainbooms, if something were to prevent them from competing, Trixie's band would end up taking their place instead. Something told me that keeping an eye on Trixie wouldn't be a bad idea.

" The final shall start at 7:00pm tomorrow night, so both bands should get in as much practice as you can." Vice Principal Luna said.

" Now this is weird even for me." Pinkie Pie said.

" What makes you say that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" We didn't even get to finish our--" Pinkie Pie began before Rainbow Dash raised her hand to stop Pinkie from talking as Adagio suddenly stepped forward. The grin on her face told me that she was proud of what she and her companions had done. From my friends' perspective, they probably thought she was happy about the outcome either way.

" That was quite the unexpected result." Adagio said.

" I know, right? I didn't think we were going to win with how bad we were." Pinkie Pie said.

" In any case, it looks like you'll be the ones we get to defeat." Adagio said.

" Don't think we'll go down easy!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" Oh, I know that it will be an epic clash, sure to leave everyone speechless, especially when you consider what both bands are truly capable of doing. We'll be seeing you at tomorrow night's show, and I do hope that you bring your very best. We're looking forward to giving our best performance yet, and it would be so disappointing if your band doesn't deliver in the same manner." Adagio said.

She and her companions then walked off the stage, their hips swaying back and forth, strutting their stuff to remind everyone that they had the goods to reach the top. I knew the Dazzlings were lying about being surprised, so I avoided their gaze when they walked past me. Everything was going exactly as they planned. If my friends weren't careful, they could potentially allow those girls to become unstoppable.

Turning back to the audience, they were still voicing their complaints, with many members of the fallen bands contributing to the din. While I couldn't hear exactly what was being said, I could see Flash Sentry, Applebloom, Brawly Beats, Captain Planet, and even Photo Finish speaking out about what had just transpired. If the Dazzlings hadn't left the stage, they probably would have been absorbing all of that negative energy. I suspected they only wanted the magical energy my friends possessed, as they had absorbed plenty of energy over the course of the last two days. That's when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Trixie appeared to be conversing with the Dazzlings, but they were too far for me to overhear. Was she venting out her frustrations on them? Were they giving her a shoulder to cry on? Or were they planning on using her?

" No one apart from you figured out what the Sirens did?" Twilight asked.

" Princess Twilight would have come to the same conclusion had she not been preoccupied with trying to finish the counter-spell. While she didn't write anything down, she was thinking about it, and didn't see the magic being used to manipulate the two sisters into giving the win to the Rainbooms. As for our friends, they were too busy worried about the results to have even paid attention." I answered.

" I thought Trixie was going to explode with rage."

" She was pretty vocal about her band not going on to the final."

" Did the Sirens manipulate her, too?"

" Yes, but not by singing. The Sirens were going to take advantage of her frustrations and use her to do their dirty work. They knew Trixie was too proud to have simply accepted defeat and moved on, so by saying just the right words, she was convinced to sabotage the Rainbooms. Remember what Principal Celestia said about what would happen if one or both bands didn't show up for the final? Trixie was going to use that loophole by eliminating the Rainbooms from the picture and having her band take their place. Under normal circumstances, she would have been exposed almost instantly. But, because everyone was against our friends, it would simply be deemed a mysterious disappearance that lasted for several hours." I answered. Twilight's reaction made me think that she assumed I was portraying Trixie's band as having injured our friends to prevent them from competing that night. Knowing she would most likely take things out of proportion, I told her that wasn't the case at all. While she may have been a braggart, Trixie would never resort to such extreme actions.

" Okay, so what did she do?" Twilight asked.

" Use a trap door." I answered.

" What?"

" Trixie and her band used a trap door." I said. I then heard the sound of faint giggling. I quickly looked at Twilight, who had covered her mouth with her hands. She seemed to be trying really hard to hold something in. Soon, she suddenly burst out laughing, and I realized she thought the idea of the Illusions using a trap door was hilarious. I decided to humour her for a while by allowing her to continue with her outburst. This went on for a good five minutes before she finally got it all out of her system. When she turned to look at me, my expression was stoic, and she blushed out of embarrassment, before I gently nudged her in the ribs. She would do the same in return. " Sorry for giving you such a grim stare, but the look on your face was priceless!"

" That's what I get for laughing."

" In all seriousness, though, her band would use a trap door on all of us."

" Where would they get a trap door from?"

" They didn't. The stage where the final was to take place had a built-in trap door which connected to a hidden room beneath the stage, where costumes and other props were stored for safe-keeping. Many plays were performed on that stage, so the idea of having a trap door proved useful." I answered. It just wasn't so useful during our predicament, where we found ourselves at Trixie's mercy. I also thought it was rather inconvenient that an oversized lever on the side of the stage was needed to activate the trap door. Sometimes I wonder if Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna put any actual thought into how the stage was constructed.

" So now the Rainbooms had all night and most of the following day to prepare, right?" Twilight asked.

" They chose not to practice because they knew how good they were."

" And Princess Twilight?"

" She still needed time to figure out the counter-spell, but there was something else on her mind, as well, which added to the difficulty. I didn't know it at the time, but she was concerned with my most recent actions. It was Her Highness who gave me a second chance to prove that I could change, when she could have just left me to rot. She assumed I had betrayed her kindness, and she wanted to confront me about it. That night, instead of having another slumber party, everyone decided to sleep in their own beds. This was due to the ever-increasing tensions between them. Since Princess Twilight had nowhere else to sleep, I decided that she would spend the night in the library with me." I answered.

" Didn't you freak out about that before?" Twilight asked.

" That's because I thought she was going to spy on me to make sure I was behaving. This time, she wanted to have another talk with me, just like before, but I wasn't in the right state of mind." I answered.

Throughout the rest of the day, Princess Twilight, my friends, and I avoided the student body as much as possible. It wasn't easy to do, what with attending classes, walking through hallways, stopping by our lockers, and leaving the building once school was finished for the weekend. Everyone voiced their anger at us and hurled accusations of cheating, which really ticked Applejack and Rainbow Dash off. While they didn't say the same things towards me, they accused me of pretending to have changed when, in fact, I was still the bully they all knew and hated. I was used to the bullying, but the others weren't comfortable with being ridiculed every few seconds.

Once school had finished for the weekend, Pinkie suggested another slumber party in order to calm our nerves and prepare accordingly to deal with the Dazzlings. Her idea got shot down relatively quickly, as everyone else wanted to sleep in their own beds that night. I could tell that the tensions between them had gotten worse, especially after my little incident during their performance.

" I thought another slumber party would be a good idea." Pinkie Pie said.

" Well it isn't. We're not in the mood." Rainbow Dash said.

" We somehow made it to the finals against the Dazzlings, but it won't do us any good if we continue having these squabbles. It also doesn't help that Twilight has still not finished the counter-spell. We only have one more night before the big face-off, so we need the spell ready by then." Rarity said. Princess Twilight had been pretty quiet this entire time, and we all had taken notice of it. She must have been so stressed out with everything that had happened during the last couple of hours, she was afraid of speaking her mind out of fear she would be criticized. I wish I could be her right now. I wanted to remain quiet considering I've been a direct source of her stress. " I don't mean to give you anymore stress, darling, so I'll recant my somewhat harsh rhetoric. We all still believe you can finish the counter-spell, but we won't interfere anymore. You can go at your own pace until you feel it's ready." Rarity said.

" I think we all need some time apart from each other until tomorrow." Applejack suggested.

" Should we practice?" Fluttershy asked.

" Why bother? We're all really good, already, but I'd like to do some last-minute sound checks tomorrow afternoon before the finals begin. We need to make sure that our instruments will sound awesome, otherwise we're not going to have quite as much impact." Rainbow Dash answered. She did have a valid point about performing a sound check. In order to break the Dazzlings' hold on everyone, we needed to make sure that the music was able to reach the appropriate distance. Not a single student could be ignored, otherwise the plan won't work.

" So... Who is going to have Twilight bunk with them?" I asked, having finally said something after my angry fit at Trixie. I was expecting the group to ignore me because of what I did to Rainbow Dash earlier, yet she was the one who decided to answer my question. It certainly took me by surprise.

" I guess she should be the one to decide that." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Glad to see you guys are talking to me again." I said.

" We haven't completely forgiven you for that stunt you pulled, but you only did what you thought was right under the pressure. Heck, I'd have done the exact, same thing had I been in your shoes." Rainbow Dash said. I scratched my head in response. It sounded like a compliment, but my friends' expressions suggested otherwise. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

" I'll stay with Sunset." Princess Twilight announced.

" Are you sure?" I asked.

" I am."

" Well, if that's what you want, then I guess I'll need to prepare some accommodations for you." I said. It's not that I was nervous about having Her Highness spend the night with me in the library, as she would essentially be at home with the familiar surroundings of bookshelves. There was a reason why she wanted to bunk with me, and I was afraid of knowing what her intentions were.

For the rest of the afternoon, Princess Twilight and I hung out in the library, reading books to keep our minds distracted from what was happening. She would occasionally look at me with concern in her eyes, and I struggled to avoid her gaze as best I could. What was she trying to do? Had my actions really affected her opinion of me? Did it mean that our bonding from the previous night now held no meaning? Once the school closed for the night, Her Highness and I decided to get an early night because tomorrow was going to be a big day for her. She needed to have the counter-spell ready to use against the Dazzlings. Me? All I was doing was standing on the sidelines, as usual. I sometimes wished that I had revealed my singing skills, as I could have joined the band. Princess Twilight was once again unwillingly living out my dream. At least I could play an instrument, albeit badly. Her fingers weren't accustomed to using anything, so instruments were out of the question for her. Perhaps Rainbow Dash would give me that crash course tomorrow during the sound check.

Luckily for me, Her Highness had brought along her own sleeping bag--actually, it was one of Rarity's--so there was no need of using books to make a makeshift bed. I don't know how anyone could sleep on a bed made of books, but somehow, she managed to pull it off. While I wanted to get some sleep in the hopes of forgetting about today, the same couldn't be said about Princess Twilight. She climbed out of her sleeping bag, made her way over to me, and shook my shoulder.

" Huh? Twilight? Why aren't you asleep?" I asked.

" I need to talk to you."

" I'm guessing this is the reason why you wanted to spend the night with me?"

" Sunset Shimmer... I need to know. What happened to you when you decided to tackle Rainbow Dash?"

" I'd rather not talk about it. Besides, I need to get some sleep. I've had a lot on my mind all afternoon." I answered. I then turned to my side in order to get back to sleep, but more shaking of my shoulder from Her Highness made me turn to face her. I wasn't grouchy but rather annoyed that she wanted to talk now. She could have done so either earlier tonight or tomorrow morning, when we were both well-rested. " Twilight, can we talk about this in the morning?" I asked.

" No. I must know now." Princess Twilight answered. I never knew her to be so pushy. I refused once again by turning to my side and closing my eyes, hoping she got the message. I heard the sounds of someone crying behind me. I was someone who didn't like to see anyone in tears. It gave me painful reminders of who I used to be. Turning back towards her, she had gone back to her sleeping bag, where she had been crying for the last few minutes. Climbing out of my sleeping bag, I walked over to Princess Twilight. She looked at me when she heard me approach. " Why? Why did you suddenly change, and after everything you did to prove that you were different?"

" I haven't changed Twilight. I'm not the person I used to be. I know it's hard to believe me, especially when there is so much evidence that's been stacked against me, but I'm better off now than I was before. It's all thanks to you giving me a second chance. I've... figured out the truth about what the Dazzlings want." I answered.

" You have?"

" They want your Equestrian magic."

" I'm not sure if I can believe that." Princess Twilight said. I couldn't blame her for thinking that as my actions earlier had caused a rift to form between us. If she can't place her trust in my words, then it means I'm on my own. Nothing I say will have any effect. I would simply be wasting my breath.

" Twilight, the Dazzlings figured out that you and the others possess magic. They've been manipulating everything in order to ensure the Rainbooms reach the finals, because they need your magic in order to fully regain theirs. I'm not sure how they plan on actually taking your magic, as their singing has had no effect on you, but I'm sure I'll come up with an answer." I said. In truth, I had a pretty good idea what they were going to do in order to get it. However, I couldn't even trust myself with such an answer; it was merely a hunch. I couldn't tell Her Highness, as I didn't want to give her any false hope. I've done that too much over the last few days, constantly failing to live up to my friends' expectations.

" I'm sorry." Princess Twilight said.

" It's not your fault. I almost ruined everything with what I did. I've said my piece on the subject and have given you an answer, whether or not you can believe it. I just... don't want you to cry anymore, Twilight. Everything should work out in the end, and if not, then I'll allow the pieces to fall where they may and accept my fate." I said. Princess Twilight didn't say anything to me at first, but the instant I walked back to my sleeping bag, she said something to herself before finally going to sleep. Me? I decided to stay up just a little while longer and think about what was going to happen tomorrow.

The Rainbooms will face the Dazzlings, the fate of both the school and the world hanging in the balance. The Magic of Friendship should prevail provided my friends can keep those tensions at bay. I felt bad that Princess Twilight didn't want to believe what I said. My actions today have made me very untrustworthy. I guess everyone was going to watch me closely to make sure I don't cause any further grief. Maybe I will end up being forgotten, like the Dazzlings said. It would be so much better than having to endure so much anguish from my peers.

" Princess Twilight wanted to believe me, but her head was telling her not to, while her heart insisted. In the end, she chose to go with her head, which is why she was just as surprised when Trixie and her bandmates used that trap door the next day." I said.

" Did she ever finish the counter-spell?" Twilight asked.

" Despite her best intentions, she was unable to complete it. No matter how much work she poured into it, she just couldn't come up with the right kind of song. I suppose she should havetaken a pre-existing song, or one that someone else had written which had yet to be performed, and alter it slightly so that it could be used to counter the dark magic of the Sirens." I answered.

" That would have made things a lot easier."

" Well, Her Highness would actually do that."

" Really? I'm going to guess that the idea didn't come to her until the very last minute?" Twilight asked. I nodded, and she clapped her hands together, squealing with glee. From where I was sitting, the fact that Princess Twilight decided to go with that decision of using someone else's song for the counter-spell shows that she gave herself unwanted stress. The Sirens could have been defeated much sooner, eliminating the need for the Battle of the Bands. " Wow... No offence, but she really dropped the ball. Had she come up with that idea sooner, a lot of grief could have been avoided." Twilight said.

" That wasn't the worst thing though."

" Then what was?"

" As I mentioned earlier, the trap door connects with a room below the stage, where they store costumes and props. It's also locked whenever the stage wasn't being used for plays, so we were trapped down there for several hours." I answered. Under normal circumstances, people being trapped like that would have set a bad image for the school. That room had no ventilation aside from a small draft that came from under the door. I'm not sure how Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna could have explained why seven students were locked up in there should the police have paid another visit, which they probably would have, because my friends' parents would have called them in. Soon enough, Princess Twilight's friends and mentors in Equestria would have gotten involved. That would have been a real disaster.

" Several hours!? That's terrible!" Twilight said.

" We somehow managed to survive down there without killing each other for several hours."

" What did you all do to pass the time?"

" Are you sure you want to know? I'm going to warn you right now that the answer isn't pleasant."

" I've made it this far, so I might as well keep going."

" Okay, but you asked for it."

Chapter 37: Shattered Friendship

Day: Saturday
Weather: Sunny, with a cool breeze
Time: I'm guessing somewhere between 1:00pm to 7:00pm.

I realize now that I have a problem with my temper. If even a tiny little thing annoys me, I'm likely to lash out without thinking of the consequences. That happened when Trixie claimed that my tackling Rainbow Dash was out of jealous rage. While I claimed otherwise, my friends weren't so sure I was sincere. Even Princess Twilight didn't know what to think, and deep down, she felt like I had betrayed her kindness of giving me another chance. She decided to spend the night with me, wanting to know what really happened. I gave her an answer, but she had trouble believing it. My actions have made me untrustworthy. The next day was supposed to have been a sound check for the Rainbooms, and it was, but Trixie and her friends had other plans. They removed the Rainbooms from the competition and would take their place that night. I also learned something very important. When you're trapped in a closed-off room, tensions had a tendency to explode.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 3, 2016
Chapter 37: Shattered Friendship.

" Well? What did you all do to pass the time while trapped?" Twilight asked.

" Before I answer that, I should mention that Princess Twilight's version of Spike was never imprisoned like the rest of us." I answered. It was by sheer luck that he wasn't standing where we were at the time. Otherwise, he would have fallen through the trap door as well. Spike had been playing with some kind of chew toy when Trixie and her bandmates decided to prevent the Rainbooms from competing that night. I'm surprised Trixie never thought of kidnapping him. If she had, he never would have gone to find someone to help us, and we'd have been trapped even longer. To think that there was one other student at CHS who hadn't been affected by the Sirens' singing. Now that I think about it, I do find her reasoning to be unusual at best. Headphones don't really work that way... Do they? " We owe a lot to Spike, as he managed to get help." I said.

" I'd never doubt Spike--both versions. He's always been there for me, and the same can be said for Princess Twilight." Twilight said.

" Despite all of our tension, Spike was the only one who never succumbed to any negative thoughts. Of course, if he hadn't been praising Her Highness like she were some kind of deity, she never would have started questioning her abilities. In a way, he started the ball rolling, though it wasn't on purpose; he was only trying to help." I said.

" Okay, so how did you pass the time?" Twilight asked.

" Alright, since you're dying to know. We were trapped down there for what seemed like forever, though it was actually several hours, as I mentioned before. The only ventilation we had came from a small draft underneath the door, so we had to conserve oxygen. Anyway, to cut a long story short, the conditions of the room combined with how everyone was feeling that day resulted in what I would call an explosion of rage." I answered.

" In other words?" Twilight asked.

" Tensions reached a boiling point. Everyone lashed out at one another. Well, except for Princess Twilight and myself. She had been reduced to quivering jelly, while I remained quiet out of guilt that I had caused much of the tension due to my stunt the previous day. To say that the Magic of Friendship imploded on itself would be an accurate description. In fact, that's what happened." I answered.

When you have so much pent-up rage inside of you, accumulated from various events within a matter of days, you just want to let it all come out, regardless of any consequences. That's what our friends would end up doing. All that frustration, unleashed like an unrestrained animal. In a matter of moments, friendships came apart at the seams. The Sirens knew that to get the magic, they needed the Rainbooms to fall apart.

" I... I don't believe it." Twilight said. She had been staring off into the distance when I revealed what happened in that storage room. I found it strange that she would react like that, considering she must have experienced something to a lesser degree during her time at Crystal Prep. From what all of us witnessed during the Friendship Games, her former classmates often bullied her because she was an easy target to express their frustrations upon. Eventually, Twilight's staring started to make me worry, so I waved my hand in front of her face. She snapped out of her trance before turning towards me. " Sorry about that. I guess I wasn't expecting you to have said something along those lines." Twilight said.

" Do you actually doubt me?" I asked.

" Yes, honestly." Twilight answered.

" It is a pretty difficult pill to swallow, but I believe that I wrote down some of the things our friends said to one another when they let it all out in the journal." I said. Was it weird that I would write down such things? Or better yet, how was it that I remembered I even did it? Much of the time, I couldn't recall what I wrote down originally, as it had been a long time, yet this appeared to be the exception. Did it really have so much of an impact on my life that I would remember it vividly?

Twilight turned the page. Her eyes opened wide, and her jaw dropped. There were a number of expletives which she just couldn't look at, but I could; I was the one who wrote them down. Those were some of the harsher words our friends said to one another. When you lose control of your emotions, you are liable to say just about anything out of frustration. Our friends had snapped. Their anger exploded into a fury that almost couldn't be stopped. Twilight would eventually will herself into looking at what I had written down, but I didn't force her into doing so. She spent a few moments glossing over everything, and when she was finished, she just stared at me with her eyes wide open.

" Did they really say such things?" Twilight asked.

" Yes." I answered.

" I didn't think any one of them could say such horrible things to each other." Twilight said.

" Frustration, anger, malice, and hatred make people blind to everything that happens around them. Our friends had all of those traits and more when they lashed out at each other, and their words would continue to sting for quite some time. You can easily forgive people, but the emotional scars take a while to fully heal. You don't need to look at those words if they make you feel uncomfortable, Twilight. In fact, I'll omit them when we get to that part unless you want me to include them." I said.

" Just give me some time to think about it." Twilight said.

" While you do that, allow me to tell you what happened before Trixie and her bandmates activated that trap door." I said.

I had trouble sleeping for the duration of the night. Princess Twilight wanted to know why I tackled Rainbow Dash during the middle of the Rainbooms' performance, yet she refused to believe what I said in response. I told her the Dazzlings knew she and the others possessed Equestrian magic. She really wanted to believe me, but my actions had rendered me untrustworthy in her eyes. Just when it looked like she and I had come to an understanding of one another, something happened which completely ruined it. I don't blame her for not wanting to accept my words as the truth, yet it still hurt me just the same. I was the only one who knew the truth about what the Dazzlings were after. Everyone else was completely ignorant, too entrenched in the tensions driving them apart. One thing kept on appearing in my dreams as I struggled to sleep: I saw an image of my friends--Princess Twilight included--walking away and leaving me behind. I was on the floor, covered from head to toe in dirt, and crying my eyes out.

Was it a premonition of things to come? I certainly hoped not; that was one scenario which would destroy me. I had to remain positive and hope that everything would turn out okay in the end. It wasn't easy for me, however, as there was so much stacked against me. Should the Dazzlings succeed in their plan, I would be forgotten by everyone and would most likely wander about this world alone forever. Such a thought frightened me to the very core. I didn't want to go back to such an awful experience. My friends meant everything to me, and losing them wasn't an option. Somehow, I had to find a way to salvage my friendships, even if it meant taking the fall for them.

The next morning, after doing those little things humans have to do to get themselves ready--and also sleeping in a little bit--Princess Twilight and I would meet our friends in the field behind CHS, where the location of the finals was. We had gotten there early, as Rainbow Dash wanted to perform a few sound checks to make sure the Rainbooms played at an appropriate sound level, but I suspected she had an ulterior motive. While the others were busy setting up their equipment, Rainbow Dash walked over to where I was standing and presented me with a guitar.

" Huh? What's this for?" I asked.

" You asked me if I could give you a crash course on playing the guitar." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, things have been pretty tense over the last twenty-four hours." I said, referring to what happened the other day when I tackled Rainbow Dash to the ground. I assumed she wouldn't want anything to do with me because I almost ruined their chances of reaching the finals. Yet, she took the time to come over here and fulfill a promise she made to me. I wanted to learn how to play an instrument in case the Rainbooms ever needed an additional guitarist. This was because I didn't want to feel left out, and I also wanted prove that I had changed from the way I once was.

" I'm not going to hold that against you. Besides, you asked me to teach you and I'm gonna do just that." Rainbow Dash said.

" Why now?" I asked.

" My band has been so busy what with the competition that I didn't have time, but I figured that I could perform a lengthy sound check while also showing you some of the basics as quickly as possible. It's not my best idea, but this all I can really do." Rainbow Dash answered. Once again, she referred to the Rainbooms as her band when, in fact, it belonged to the entire group. I rubbed the bridge of my nose in frustration over how she just didn't understand that her ego was problematic. I chose to ignore that, though, and I agreed to be given a brief crash course on guitar-playing.

" Alright... You can teach me." I said.

" You won't be able to play much of this guitar until the afternoon when we have more free time. That's why I suggest you watch what I do during the sound check. You can help me adjust the settings until our sound is where we need it to be. That should give you some extra know-how on guitar playing." Rainbow Dash suggested. I had no other choice but to do it that way. The others may not appreciate her teaching me on the side when she should be doing a sound check. I propped the guitar up against a wall before following Rainbow Dash towards where the equipment was located.

It was similar to what was used during the rehearsal back at Sweet Apple Acres, so I would have no problem figuring out what to adjust. Rainbow Dash then took out her guitar and began strumming a few notes while I watched her fingers carefully. Each delicate stroke was like poetry in motion; she knew exactly what she was doing. Despite all of that bravado, Rainbow Dash was a very skilled guitarist. All those years of playing had really paid off. She could really go far in a career as a professional musician, but she would need to understand what humility meant. Her self-centered attitude needed to change, otherwise her life would simply spiral out of control. Rainbow Dash continued with her strumming while adjusting the knobs on the end of the guitar. She told me doing so would alter the pitch, which could be helpful when playing something fast or slow, depending on what a song required.

Things were pretty peaceful, which made a nice change of pace. I thought everyone would be lashing out at each other in frustration, yet they were showing tremendous amounts of restraint. Perhaps things were going to get better after all. That's when I noticed that we weren't alone. I tilted my head several times to the right to inform my friends that we were being watched by the Dazzlings. I had no idea how long they had been sitting in the bleachers, but things could turn ugly were they to come over.

" What should we do about them?" Fluttershy asked.

" Just ignore them. I made sure to let Principal Celestia know yesterday that we needed this time to perform a sound check. They'll just have to wait their turn for whatever it is they're going to be doing before the finals." Rainbow Dash answered. It felt really unnerving that the Dazzlings were watching our every move, yet Rainbow was pretty adamant about ignoring them. She was clearly focused on that sound check. " Check, one, two. Testing, testing." She then tapped a microphone several times with her finger and little sound came out of it in response.

" That didn't sound all that loud." Fluttershy said.

" Yeah, so how about we raise the decibels a little." Rainbow Dash suggested. I then turned the knob slightly before she tested it again to see if it was better. The shaking of her head indicated that it still wasn't loud enough. I turned the knob almost the entire way, and Rainbow proceeded to test the microphone. " Testing." This time, there was a massive amount of feedback, which almost caused all of us to go deaf. I quickly turned the knob back before blushing out of embarrassment.

" Sorry about that." I said.

" Good thing that didn't attract their attention." Rainbow Dash said looking over to where the Dazzlings were still sitting. It amazed me that those girls didn't run away screaming with their hands covering their ears. Either they were deaf to all sounds save their own, or they had a lot of discipline to maintain their composure. I turned the knob about halfway, and Rainbow Dash waited a few seconds before testing again. " Check, one, two. Testing. Hey! This sounds just about right." I felt relieved knowing that I managed to get it to the appropriate volume.

" Something has been bothering me..." Fluttershy began.

" Like what?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It, um, has to do with what happened the other day when Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna revealed the results. Um, they did seem rather strange when they announced that our band was moving on instead of Trixie and the Illusions." Fluttershy answered. I gulped in response to what she said, as I knew what had happened to the two sisters. The Dazzlings used their singing to hypnotize them into giving the win to the Rainbooms, which is why they were preparing for the finals tonight. A part of me really wanted to tell them, but I hesitated out of fear that they wouldn't believe me. My previous actions had made me a liability.

" We made it through in the end, and that's what counts." Rainbow Dash said.

" Maybe." Fluttershy said.

" Maybe? Maybe what?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It's just that, um, I, um, think it doesn't make sense. We were awful. Doesn't anybody else think it's strange that we're the ones that made it to the finals? Um, I know we needed to 'go the full distance' in order to take on the Dazzlings, but I feel like we did Trixie a great wrong. I know you two haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but perhaps we should try to explain it to her so that she might feel better about it." Fluttershy suggested.

" I guess we could do that." Rainbow Dash said.

" Don't bother!" We all turned towards the left side of the stage upon hearing that voice, and standing there was Trixie and her two bandmates. I assumed she had been listening in on the entire conversation, but her cold demeanour told me she had no interest in listening to what we had to say. I was curious about why one of her bandmates was holding onto a rather oversized lever. " Trixie finds it very strange that my superior band lost to a band that didn't even finish their performance. I would point fingers at who caused that little fiasco, but I think we all know without pointing her out." She was glaring at me when she said that. I decided to say nothing in case I lose control of my temper and do something I would regret.

" What do you want?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" My friends and I wanted to come here in order to take care of a small problem." Trixie answered.

" Pretty sure the losers are supposed to be up there in the cheap seats." Rainbow Dash said.

" Very funny coming from the true losers." Trixie said.

" What's that supposed to mean?" Rainbow Dash asked. It seemed I wasn't the only one who had a problem with her temper. Rainbow was just as quick to react to something as much as I was, yet she was holding back. I would have walked right up to Trixie's face and let her have it.

" The Great and Powerful Trixie is the most talented girl at Canterlot High. My band deserves to be in the finals, and everyone knows it. Even you lot think that's true according to what you were all saying as we arrived." She motioned to her bandmate. " I'm sure you're all curious about why one of my bandmates happens to be holding onto this giant lever. Trixie believes that her band has been cheated out of its rightful place in the finals, and we shall rectify that little mistake right now." Trixie answered. She then snapped her fingers, prompting her friend to pull the lever with a loud click. Suddenly, the floor below Princess Twilight, my friends and me gave way, and we fell down into a room below the stage, landing on the ground with several loud thuds. " Trixie shall never be denied."

" What are you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked, shouting up to the top of the trap door.

" Getting rid of the competition who didn't deserve to be there to begin with! Since Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna stated that should either of the final bands be unable to make it to tonight's performance, the runners-up would take their places. I knew getting rid of the Dazzlings would have been impossible, so I decided to focus on you Rainbooms instead. By the time anyone has figured out where you all are, my band will already have been declared the winner! See you never!" Trixie said, laughing evilly. She then had her bandmate pull the lever back, which closed the trap door with a loud slam. The Dazzlings, who had watched everything that transpired on stage, also decided to join in on the laughter, but I couldn't hear them very well over Trixie's cackling.

Judging from all the spare costumes and props lying around, this room was used for storage between plays. There were no windows, and the only means of ventilation came from under the door itself. If something wanted to be preserved in here, it had a pretty good chance of surviving, yet the same couldn't be said for us. Rainbow Dash got up and walked over to the door. She tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge; it had been locked from the outside, most likely to prevent someone from sneaking in and stealing costumes and props. That meant no one was aware that we were all trapped down here aside from the Dazzlings and the Illusions, neither band willing to let us out until the competition was over. Just when things were starting to look up, it all came crashing down on top of us.

" How far did you fall when the trap door opened?" Twilight asked.

" I'd say about three meters before we landed on solid concrete." I answered. Twilight's jaw dropped in response, and I couldn't blame her. It still boggles my mind how none of us suffered any broken bones from falling so far. Not only that, the girls' instruments also fell with us, but they were completely intact. If there was one positive about being trapped in a room with no ventilation, it would be not having to worry about freezing to death. Instead, we just had to worry about stuffiness and dust. All of those costumes and props took up a lot of space.

" You could have been paralyzed or killed." Twilight said.

" I think the former would have been more likely." I said.

" Still, why did she resort to something like that in the first place? I know she was upset that the Rainbooms were given the win instead of her band, but to use such tactics? I'm surprised she didn't have to talk to the police." Twilight said. Considering no one witnessed what happened, aside from Trixie's band and the Sirens, the chances of her being arrested were slim. I doubt the Sirens would have wanted to get the police involved, especially when they were so close to achieving their goal of regaining their full power.

" Remember when I said Trixie had an encounter with the Sirens when she stormed off after learning the results?" I asked.

" I did find that an odd thing for her to do." Twilight answered.

" We would later learn from Trixie herself that they manipulated her into getting rid of our friends from the competition. By using the right words, she was convinced that preventing the Rainbooms from making it to the finals would guarantee the Illusions getting their spot instead. Trixie wanted to be in the finals more than anything, so she was willing to do whatever it took." I said.

" So her actions were a mixture of her own ambitions and the Sirens' influence?" Twilight asked.

" Yes."

" I do find it strange that they had a storage room built right under the stage with that trap door." Twilight said. For a while, I had often wondered what the point of having a large trap door situated in such a crucial section of the stage was. Most could have easily stumbled into it during a performance, and unless they had something to cushion their fall, I could see a lot of potential lawsuits being made. I would learn from the Drama Kids that the trap door allowed them to enter and exit the stage if the play they were performing had need of it. There was always someone on hand who would operate the mechanism. They also used smoke and other special effects to add to the illusion that they were disappearing instead of just going into the room below. " Sunset, how long were you and our friends trapped down there for?" Twilight asked.

" That's a tough question." I answered. I didn't have the heart to tell her that we were trapped down there for roughly six hours. While that may not seem like much, it was without any food, water, or access to any washrooms. Not having those essentials would make such an experience unbearable for just about anyone. Yet, we somehow managed to survive, which was a miracle. I looked at Twilight's face, and she was giving me the puppy dog pout. It was an expression that I never liked, because it always forced me into revealing the truth, no matter what might happen. I knew right away that denying Twilight would be impossible, so I told her the truth. " We were trapped for about six hours, although it may have been seven." I said.

" How did you manage to avoid losing your minds?" Twilight asked.

" Princess Twilight had completely caved in under all of the pressure she had been receiving, and was completely unable to do anything. I would constantly look up at the ceiling, where I could hear the sounds of singing and music coming from the stage, courtesy of both the Sirens and the Illusions. As for our friends... It took only a few minutes for them to start ripping each other apart." I answered.

" None of it involved you, did it?" Twilight asked.

" Our friends did have some grievances with me over my more recent actions, but those were pretty tame compared with what they said to each other. Well, you already have a good idea on that, as you've seen some of their more hurtful words written down in my journal." I answered. While ponies back in Equestria had times where they would get into arguments with their friends over different things, they, at the very least, never resorted to violence. You could thank Princess Celestia for having made that decree a thousand years ago as a result of her banishing her sister when she became Nightmare Moon. Humans were much more prone to violence, a result of being exposed to different forms of culture that vary from place to place. " Anyway, I should first explain what happened after Trixie and her bandmates locked us up in the storage room. While I wasn't a threat to her ambitions, she decided to get rid of me, too, just in case." I said.

Trixie's laughter still echoed through my ears, even after she had her bandmate pull the lever and trap us in this storage room. Princess Twilight and my friends had all managed to recover after falling several meters, and while their instruments remained intact, I could tell their spirits had sustained a lot of damage. They were all set for a final showdown with the Dazzlings, despite not feeling they deserved to be there, but Trixie had thrown a monkey wrench into the plan. No doubt she was going to wait until the very last minute to inform both Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna that the Rainbooms weren't going to show. I could envision her saying they were too afraid of performing in front of a crowd who had condemned them for cheating, so the Illusions had come to fill the void. With a locked door between us and the outside world, we just waited for some kind of miracle to happen. We waited... for a long time... doing nothing... just waiting.

Several hours had passed. At least, I think it had been that long. My watch sustained some damage when we fell down here, so it wasn't able to tell the time. Our cellphones had no signal, either, so there was no way of knowing what time it was. Why we needed a signal to see the time, I'll never know. Rainbow Dash had been spending the last couple of hours trying to knock the door down, but her efforts were wasted. The door had been locked from the outside, and it was too thick to budge without Herculean strength. We couldn't even tell if the sun were still out. All we had were our own thoughts for company. I looked at Princess Twilight. She was sitting by herself, curled up in the fetal position and mumbling some words, which made me suspect she was on the verge of a mental breakdown. At least she had something to do to occupy her time. Me? I had spent most of my time looking up at the trap door, and wondering where everything went wrong. Our friends had been busy trying to relieve themselves of boredom, but I knew someone was going to crack. It was just a matter of when as opposed to if.

Another hour passed with us still down here, but we now had the displeasure of hearing the sounds of singing and music coming from above. The finals must have started by now, and because the Rainbooms were trapped below the stage, they were unable to perform. They had been disqualified as a result, with Trixie's band filling in as the runner-up. I could tell that hearing her singing made my friends get really testy. It should have been them on stage performing right now! Instead, they were down here wasting away with no signs of seeing freedom. One thing did cross my mind when I looked at my friends again. Everyone was down here except for Princess Twilight's companion Spike. I don't believe he fell down here with the rest of us, so that meant he was still free. Perhaps he could find a way to get us out.

" Ya better believe,

I got tricks up my sleeve.

See me dominate!

'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat!" Trixie sung, although it was slightly muffled because of the ceiling.

While the music was really good, the lyrics could have been something other than Trixie making herself out to be the greatest thing around. I did find it strange that her band chose to sing "Tricks Up My Sleeve", as they sang that during the semi-finals. Could it be the only song Trixie knows how to sing, or was her ego too proud to want to play anything else? Rainbow Dash, in the meantime, decided to try her hand at knocking down the door again. She ended up hurting her shoulder rather than making the door budge.

" Give it up, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack said, finally breaking the silence.

" If I give it one more try, I'm sure we can get out of here." Rainbow Dash said.

" You've been tryin' for hours, and all you've gotten out of it is a banged-up shoulder. Face it! That door isn't going to be openin' any time soon! I reckon we should have asked for the key to this storage room in case something like this happened." Applejack said.

" Okay! I won't tackle the door again! Besides, my shoulder feels like it could fall off at any moment." Rainbow Dash said, sitting down and rubbing her bruised shoulder until the pain started to subside a little. It was a valiant effort on her part for thinking she could knock down the door, but there was no way any of us were going to be budging it, so we had to remain down here until someone let us out.

" Maybe it doesn't even matter that we're trapped down here. I don't think the counter-spell would have worked anyway." Princess Twilight said. Her first words in quite some time, and they were her admitting defeat. " I just don't understand why nothing I did was able to create an good spell to counter the Dazzlings'. I even spent several hours this morning trying to come up with something. Nothing ever clicked for me. If I were still attending Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, this would've been my first failed assignment." Her Highness must have felt really bad to have gone and said that. If only she had accepted my help instead of refusing because our friends would have protested, we could have come up with something passible, at least.

" It's not your fault, Twilight." Applejack said.

" Then I'm to blame." I said.

" It's not your fault either, Sunset. I reckon the counter-spell could have worked, no problem! Assumin' a certain band member didn't try to hog the spotlight the whole time we were tryin' to play it!" Applejack said.

" Hey! If you wanna tell Twilight she's getting a little too caught up trying to be the new leader of this band, you don't have to be all cryptic about it." Rainbow Dash said.

" Did you just... I can't believe you..." Applejack said while trying to hold back her temper.

" What's with her?" Rainbow Dash asked. The sounds of several foreheads being slapped echoed throughout the room. We've been trapped down here for several hours, and she still hasn't realized that she had been the source of much of the band's current dysfunction. Rainbow Dash had finally made Applejack crack, but it looked as though someone else was about to step up and tell it to her straight.

" She was talking about you, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity said.

" Me? What did I do?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" If you haven't figured it out by now, then you're completely hopeless." Rarity answered.

" I'm just trying to make sure my band rocks as hard as it needs to!" Rainbow Dash said. Uh-oh. She just referred to the Rainbooms as being her band again. I knew right away that the others were about to give her a loud response.

" OUR BAND!!!!" Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie shouted.

" Are you okay, Twilight?" I asked.

" But why wasn't it working? It should have worked! Why? I should know what to do. Magic is my Element, after all. It represents my special talent, which means there is no spell that I'm unable to figure out, yet I couldn't write a simple counter-spell. How could I not know what to do? How could I have failed like this? Everyone is looking to me to figure things out, but all I've done is fail them each time." Princess Twilight answered.

" You haven't failed us yet." I said.

" I'm a failure." Princess Twilight said as she resumed the fetal position. Well, she lost her last shred of sanity. Things were beginning to look really grim. We had our only true magical expert succumbing to her own failures and effectively taking herself out of the equation. We had five humans arguing over who really "owned" the band, and were only getting worse with every passing moment. And then we had me, who had no idea what to even do anymore. I felt as though my whole life was crashing all around me. I couldn't help anyone. All I did was make things worse.

" Twilight..." I said.

" This world is going to succumb to the Sirens because I failed." Princess Twilight said.

" It might've been your idea to start a band, but it's not just your band, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack shouted. It looked like things were about to get even worse as my friends continued to argue. Now everyone seemed to be ganging on Rainbow, and all she could do in response was resort to a defensive stance before going on the attack in order to get her point across.

" Of course it's my band. I named it after me! I'm the lead singer, and I write all of the songs we play. I have the most experience at playing an instrument! I've been pulling my weight a lot in order to make up for the slackers who insist on giving me a hard time." Rainbow Dash said.

" I write songs, too!" Fluttershy shouted.

" You do? Since when?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I've always been writing songs in my journal! Twilight knows because she's actually seen them for herself, and she told me they were really good. I always ask you if we can play some of my songs, but you completely ignore me like I don't even exist! To top it off, you insist that we play your songs! I don't know if you've noticed, but none of us like them. They're all about inflating that big head of yours!" Fluttershy answered. Despite being quiet most of the time, Fluttershy certainly knew how to speak her mind whenever she felt the need to. Rainbow Dash looked quite taken aback, as she never expected someone like Fluttershy to speak to her in such a fashion.

" I had the most perfect outfits to wear!" Rarity shouted.

" Again with the costumes! No one cares what we're wearin'!" Applejack shouted.

" What are you saying?" Rarity asked.

" The most important thing that our band needs is to sound good and provide solid entertainment. Costumes and them other fancy things don't mean anythin'! Wearing all that nonsense would only cause people to ridicule us!" Applejack answered.

" No one has ever done that to us!" Rarity shouted.

" I've been hearing students talking about how you've been focusing too much of your time on pointless costumes and not enough time on your music. They say that you're the weakest member of the Rainbooms, and I'm startin' ta think they may be onto something. I'd say you could be a whole lot better if you focused on what's important and leave that fancy dressin' at home where it belongs. I'm tellin' you, no one cares about the costumes." Applejack said.

" I care, Applejack! So sorry if I enjoy trying to make a creative contribution to the band!" Rarity shouted.

" You call that a contribution?"

" I do!"

" Could've fooled me."

" Take that back!"

" I'm just tellin' it like it is." Applejack said. That little statement pushed Rarity over the edge. Her face turned bright red, and I could have sworn that her eyes had suddenly burst into flames. She then walked up and pushed Applejack who in turn pushed her back. They shoved each other back and forth several times before bumping their foreheads against one another. This lasted a few moments before breaking it up when Pinkie Pie finally decided to say something. She had been relatively quiet since we first became trapped down here, and I had every reason to be afraid. My friends had told me about the other persona that Pinkie is said to have: an alter-ego whose mind is on the brink of insanity. She was known as Pinkamena Diane Pie, which was strange, as that was Pinkie's full name. Should her poofy hair suddenly become flat, Pinkamena shall take over, and things will become really scary, really fast.

" Hey! Anybody here remember fun?! I'll give you a hint: It's the exact opposite of being in the Rainbooms!" Pinkie Pie shouted, waving her arms up and down in a crazy fashion.

" We're still having fun." Rainbow Dash said.

" Yeah, right! I know what fun is all about, and right now I'm not having it." Pinkie Pie said.

" Oh, what would you know?" Rainbow Dash said.

" More than you ever will in an entire lifetime! This band started out with so much fun and happiness, and now look at what it's been reduced to! It's ruined! No one enjoys being a part of it. All you've done is turn this into a one-person show like Applejack said! You know, when you really think about it, this band should be called the Rainboom." Pinkie Pie said.

" I wish I never asked any of you to be in my band!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" I wish I'd never agreed to be in it!" Rarity shouted.

" I wish that I formed my own band, where everyone could have fun and play together!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

" I wish my songs could be used more often!" Fluttershy shouted.

" I wish I didn't have to listen to all your bellyachin'!" Applejack shouted.

Just like that, my friends had gone past the point of no return and began to argue, violently shouting at one another. Applejack then started pushing Rainbow Dash around. Rainbow, in return, grabbed Applejack's Stetson hat and slammed it on the ground before stepping on it. That caused Applejack to slap her in the face before picking her hat back up and brushing off the dirt. Rainbow Dash reeled back for a few seconds as she checked the bruise on her face, then she tackled Applejack to the ground. Seeing that reminded me of what I did to her, so I couldn't believe she went and did that.

Applejack got to her feet, and Rarity started laughing at her because her tough farm girl attitude had just been challenged. In response, Applejack picked up one of Rarity's spare costumes she had brought along, none of which anyone noticed until now, and ripped it down the center of the fabric before tossing it aside. Rarity was beside herself with horror over witnessing something so deplorable. She pushed Applejack as hard as she could, resulting in the farm girl falling to the ground. Applejack then got back onto her feet again and butted heads with Rarity like before. This time both of them were baring their teeth, blinded with fury. It was then that Rainbow Dash decided to join in, as she had some issues with both Applejack and Rarity.

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, in the meantime, had been shouting at one another. While it was a relief to see that neither of them resorted to physical altercation, their verbal insults proved to be just as damaging. Pinkie criticized Fluttershy for being too shy to stand up for herself, told her to grow a spine, and worst of all, claimed that her soft nature would make her a doormat for the rest of her life. Those words were enough to make Fluttershy burst into tears, but she wasn't about to back down. She criticized Pinkie for only caring about parties and making a complete fool of herself, acting weirder than any person she's ever met. She even stated that Pinkie was nothing more than comedy relief that people took pity on. Pinkie gasped in horror before they were soon joined by Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity, and they all started arguing with each other again.

As I looked at what I had just witnessed, I turned towards Princess Twilight, who was still in a fetal position. I felt utterly helpless at that moment. Her Highness was too upset with her own perception of failure, and my friends hated each other. Their friendships had just come crashing down with no signs of being able to get them fixed. I then looked up at the ceiling, where I could still hear Trixie's band playing their song. It seemed all of the noise from down here didn't filter up onto the stage, yet when I turned back towards my friends, something else was filtering upwards. They were all surrounded by green barriers and were producing green mist, just like our fellow students had done when the Dazzlings took advantage of their feelings. This mist was different, though; it appeared to have a magical property to it. That's when I came to the conclusion that they were releasing negative magic... exactly what the Dazzlings had been wanting.

" I... I don't know what to say." Twilight said.

" We had all hit rock-bottom at that precise moment. No one on stage was even aware of what was happening. All of that tension finally exploded, and our friends were at each other's throats like savage animals. They had fallen afoul of the Sirens' dark magic, though the Sirens weren't only to blame. Our friends lost sight of what was truly important." I said.

" And their magic?" Twilight asked.

" It had become tainted with hatred and no longer represented the Magic of Friendship." I answered.

" What about you?" Twilight asked.

" I was still reeling from when I tackled Rainbow Dash the previous day, but I'll admit that I wasn't feeling as helpless as I claimed. I knew that I was the only one who could make everyone see the truth, yet it took me a while to come to that realization." I answered.

" Hopefully all of that arguing didn't cause too much damage." Twilight said. I scratched my head in response while turning my eyes away from her. The truth of it was that our friends said a lot of horrible things in addition to being rather physical when they snapped. It wouldn't all just go away with the snap of a finger. It would take some time after the competition concluded before everyone would forgive each other for acting out the way they did. This was just the beginning for me, as I would soon have another experience where everyone turned on me with hatred. I wasn't looking forward to that.

Twilight then turned the page, and she picked up the journal, which had been sitting on my lap for some time. I felt relieved knowing I could move my legs again after having the slightly heavy book on top of my legs. Twilight adjusted her glasses before pushing her nose into my journal as though she had seen something of great importance. She combed through the two pages for what felt like forever, but she would eventually pull her face out before placing it down onto her lap. I then looked down at the page in question, and there was yet another photo glued onto the page. Once again, Photo Finish knew how to take good photos. This one was difficult to recognize at first because of how big the object in the photo was, but it didn't take long for me to recognize it.

" I'm still amazed we managed to create something like that." I said.

" What is it?" Twilight asked.

" Equestrian magic used at full power." I answered.

" I don't follow." Twilight said.

" The object in the photo is a giant alicorn that resembles what humans would call a 'proper' horse, but with wings and a horn. I know it sounds ridiculous, but believe me when I say that it would be what we used to resolve the Siren problem." I said.

Chapter 38: We Got the Band Back Together

Day: Saturday
Weather: Evening Chill
Time: 7:40pm

The sound check Rainbow Dash wanted to perform was a lot more interesting than I initially thought. She would teach me how to play a guitar, although through an unorthodox method. She didn't want our friends to know this in case they accused her of doing something else instead of her intention. While her crash course involved watching her strumming, I found it fascinating. I hoped to be somewhat decent when I get my own guitar. The sound check was interrupted by Trixie and her band. One of them pulled a lever, and we plunged into the storage room below the stage. She did this to replace the Rainbooms during the finals of the competition. Her actions would leave us trapped in that room for several hours, and my friends would finally explode at one another. Their arguing produced magical negative energy, and I had to find a way to get them to see what was really happening. We also needed to get out of this room. I wonder who is trying to unlock that door?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 5, 2016
Chapter 38: We Got the Band Back Together.

" A giant alicorn... I hope you're not implying that either you or Princess Twilight would suddenly transform into this thing." Twilight said. I looked at her skeptically, but her reaction indicated she was serious. While the thought of becoming a giant alicorn sounded pleasant, it was also rather impractical as well as impossible. Ponies, or any other creatures who come from Equestria and into this world, are changed into humans. Or, we become something that is based on our current lot in life, such as how Spike, a dragon, becomes a dog instead of a human.

" That alicorn in the photo was entirely forged by magic." I said.

" Princess Twilight and our other friends must have created it." Twilight said. I wasn't sure why she made such an obvious statement, but I had a hunch there was more to her observation. I could tell, as whenever her left eye twitches, she was in deep thought and can easily become distracted. It was another of Twilight's adorable little quirks that I had gotten to appreciate throughout the night. " I'm going to guess that you had something to do with it as well, Sunset. I mean, you did use magic during the Friendship Games to stop me when I had my 'problem', but how did you get your magic back? I thought Her Highness stated that you could never have it after what you did?" Twilight asked.

" One thing you should know about Princess Twilight is that she isn't perfect. She is capable of making mistakes. It turns out that she didn't have all of the facts. I always had my magic deep inside of me. I just needed to do the right thing in order to be able to use it again. Helping our friends see the truth was what triggered a magical surge, though it took a few minutes for me to realize it was there." I answered. I began thinking about what I was going through my mind when my magic came back to me. It was like I had been reunited with an old friend. Magic had always been a big part of my life, and not using it made my life feel incomplete.

" It must have been weird to regain your magic yet again." Twilight said, giggling.

" Even though I used magic during my two trips back to Equestria, I was restricted to what I could use. I didn't want Princess Celestia at the time to detect my presence, and facing her after our falling out was something I couldn't do. The magic I gained from wearing Princess Twilight's crown wasn't my own natural magic. No, it was corrupted alicorn magic resulting from the hatred in my heart. What I would get during the final battle was raw magical energies which I hadn't used in years." I said.

" Final battle?" Twilight asked.

" I thought it was obvious that Princess Twilight, our friends and I would eventually escape from that storage room. If we hadn't, I wouldn't be talking to you about my problems right now." I answered before starting to giggle, myself. Twilight took notice and gently elbowed me in the stomach before I gave her a brief noogie, which did mess up her hair slightly. " When we escaped, our friends had to find an ideal location to perform the counter-spell." I then looked at Twilight, who was using a hairbrush to fix her hair, and again, I found it adorable that she had all of these different quirks. They made her stand out a lot from Her Highness.

" Did you get to finally sing?" Twilight asked.

" Not in the manner that I was expecting, but I did get to sing, which caught everyone by surprise. The 'Countess', as she preferred to be called, proved to be an excellent coach, who taught me a lot of different techniques that could improve my vocals. She was basically a singing prodigy, whose voice could captivate even the most cynical of people, just like that. Many music agents wanted to become her manager, and she still goes to high school. I heard that she has been talking with a really nice man called Svengallop. His name does sound weird, but he is one of the best in the business. He even used to be a singer himself, according to the Countess." I answered.

" You were lucky she took you under her wing." Twilight said.

" If it wasn't for the Countess agreeing to teach me, the Sirens would have ended up turning this world into their plaything." I said.

" How did you manage to get our friends to stop arguing?" Twilight asked.

" That proved to be a miracle in and of itself!" I answered.

" Ya better believe,

I got tricks up my sleeve!

See me dominate

'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat!" Trixie sung.

I could hear the sounds of people cheering above, along with the sounds of fireworks blazing. Trixie's song had come to an end which, meant the Dazzlings were going to be coming onto the stage to perform. If only her singing could have lasted a little bit longer, as I needed more time to figure out what I could do. Princess Twilight was still in the fetal position and was mumbling words to herself, so she wasn't going to be much help. My friends were still arguing with one another after getting rather physical over who was to blame for their falling out, among other problems. This resulted in their magic seeping forth from their bodies in the form of negative energy, and it was this that the Dazzlings had sought all along. They had been manipulating everything just to get to this exact moment, and we unwillingly played our role in their plans.

If the Dazzlings regained their full power, could anyone oppose them? Aside from the Rainbooms, no one in this world had the power to go toe-to-toe against those girls, so I needed to get everyone back on track. Would they even listen to me? After all, I had made some questionable decisions which made them suspect that I had been pretending to have changed so that I could stab them in the back whenever I wanted. It wasn't going to be easy for me, but I had to speak to my friends. It didn't matter if they decided to never speak to me again! They needed to overcome their petty differences now, or everyone would lose.

I took a step forward only to come to a stop as the cheering from above suddenly went silent. Did this mean I had run out of time already? I didn't know and was afraid to find out, but my answer quickly came when I heard three familiar voices. It sounded like the Dazzlings were laughing about something, and I quickly figured they were laughing about how their plans had progressed so far without anyone being able to stop them. Just hearing them made me mad; I had once done the exact same thing. When I acquired my full power when I put on Princess Twilight's crown, I was under the belief that no one could stop my plans for conquering Equestria. Glad to know that my belief ended up being incorrect. My friends defeated and put me in my place, so now they had to do the same to the Dazzlings.

" Ahh, ah-ah, ahh!

Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah!

Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah!" The Dazzlings sung.

Their singing began to mesmerize me; it was much stronger due to them absorbing my friends' magic. I was barely able to break free of their influence by shaking my head repeatedly. Once I had regained my senses, I walked over to my friends and called out to them! They completely ignored me! Would I have to get physical just to get their attention? It was a possibility I hoped to avoid at all costs. I still hadn't gotten over how I almost roasted them alive with magic during the Fall Formal. I had to make sure to keep my temper under control. Losing it would mean ending up just like my friends.

" Stop! You have to stop!" I shouted. Again, they chose to ignore me, but I wasn't about to have any of that. " Please! You must listen to me! You have to stop with this pointless bickering, otherwise the Dazzlings will win, and this world will fall!" Once again, my words fell on deaf ears, which really tested my patience. I wished Princess Twilight were helping me, but she wasn't of any use to anyone in her current condition. So, I had to keep on trying until they would finally listen. I then grabbed Rainbow Dash's arm making her turn around to face me. I could see her eyes were burning with sheer hatred, and I'll admit that it frightened me to see that.

" What do you want?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Please, listen to me! You have to stop!" I answered.

" Why should we? They've had this coming for a long time now! I'm fed up with being pushed around when it's crystal clear that I've been doing everything to make sure my band is as awesome as me!" Rainbow Dash said.

" For the last time, it's our band!" Applejack shouted.

" Sorry! Couldn't hear you over all that yelling!" Rainbow Dash shouted, pointing towards Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Both of them were in each other's face and screaming at the top of their lungs. I was surprised no one above on stage could hear all this arguing. Were the walls down here sound-proof? If so, then my friends could shout as loud as they wanted, and no one would bat an eyelid in response. I then grabbed Rainbow's shoulder again and she pushed me back slightly. " Don't touch me!" The anger in her voice told me that she was considering resorting to brute force, so I walked back to her where I grabbed her shoulder for a third time. I found myself being pushed even harder. " I said don't touch me!" Regaining my composure, I grabbed Rainbow Dash's shoulder one last time, and she turned to face me before pushing me with all the strength she had. " Gah! What is it you don't get!? When I say don't touch me, I really mean don't touch me!"

The force of her push sent me smacking into a wall where I hit my head hard on the concrete before slumping down in pain. Rainbow Dash took notice immediately of what she had done and ran over to see if I was alright. The anger that was in her eyes had disappeared when she saw that she had hurt me. It didn't take long for the others to check on me, and even Princess Twilight looked concerned.

" Sunset Shimmer!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

" What have I done!?" Rainbow Dash asked while freaked out.

" You went and pushed her into the wall." Applejack answered.

" I... I didn't mean to! I was so frustrated that she kept on grabbing my shoulder, and I guess I finally snapped." Rainbow Dash said. She then stood there in complete silence for a moment, where she looked down at my crumpled body. In an instant, she had come to an awful truth. Her arguing had caused me to suffer the consequences, and all I was trying to do was make her and our friends realize what was happening. " Sunset... Can you hear me? Please-oh-please say something! Anything!" Rainbow Dash said, her heart beating ever faster.

" Is she alright?" Rarity asked.

" Looks like she's comin' round." Applejack answered.

" Oh, thank goodness." Fluttershy said.

" Uhhhh..."

" Are you alright?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I think so." I answered. To be honest, I had a splitting headache. The injury wasn't life-threatening, so that was a relief, although I should have it looked at to ensure that I wouldn't suffer from any lingering side-effects. When I looked up, I saw Rainbow Dash holding out her hand, a huge smile on her face that felt warm and inviting. I reached out to grab her hand and found myself being pulled onto my feet. " I'm glad you all finally stopped arguing when you noticed that I was hurt."

" I'm so sorry for doing that!" Rainbow Dash said, tears flowing down her cheeks.

" I understand. You only lashed out in frustration. Now, you all need to listen to me very carefully. In case you didn't notice, for a few minutes, your magic was seeping forth from your bodies in the form of negative energy. This is what they've been after all along! They're feeding off the magic inside of you." I said. My friends were shocked, and I pointed up at the ceiling, their eyes following. The ceiling looked like it had a large green stain, but it was, in fact, residue from magical energy. " I've no doubt they have just regained their full power."

" How can they be using our magic? It's the Magic of Friendship." Applejack said.

" That's something I've been meaning to talk to all of you about for a long time." I said.

" Considering we're not getting out here anytime soon, we're all ears." Rainbow Dash said.

" We won't interrupt." Fluttershy added.

" Ever since you started this band, you've been letting little things get to you, such as Applejack complaining whenever Rainbow Dash said that the band belonged to her. I've had a lot on my mind in the last couple of days which I've been wanting to say, but I kept it to myself in case any of you criticized me for getting involved in something that didn't involve me. Not when I'm so new to this whole 'friendship' thing. That fear continued getting worse as time passed, and you've all seen some of the results, where I made some questionable decisions." I said.

" Sunset..." Princess Twilight said.

" I still have a lot to learn, and I'm okay with that because friendship is something I had to earn the hard way. But I do know that if you don't work out even the smallest problems right at the start, the Magic of Friendship can be turned into something else. The Dazzlings figured that out and took advantage of it. They let you win by hypnotizing the two sisters, convinced Trixie's band to send us down here, and led all of you to lash out in rage. I should have spoken up much sooner, but was afraid of losing my friendships. You guys have become the family that I once had." I said. Deep down, I was afraid that I may have made my little speech a bit too mushy and controversial because of mentioning my family in the past tense, but my friends didn't take offence to it.

" I can't believe all this tension was happening right under my nose and I didn't realize it. My mind was so preoccupied with creating the counter-spell that I became oblivious, which put all of you in danger. Especially you, Sunset Shimmer. You had to endure an awful lot which you didn't deserve, and for that I owe you a big apology. I'm supposed to be the one with all the answers. Magic is my specialty, after all. And all I've done since I got here is let you down." Princess Twilight said.

" You never once let us down." I said.

" But I didn't get the spell finished! Even now, I still can't quite wrap my head around it." Princess Twilight said.

" It was a difficult undertakin'. It was apparently harder than anythin' you might have done back home." Applejack said.

" Applejack makes a valid point, Twilight. I don't think anyone is supposed to have all the answers, but you can count on your friends to help you find them. Like I said to you before, I will gladly help you come up with a counter-spell, because that's what friends do." I said. My words were enough for Princess Twilight to stand on her feet, wiping away the tears streaming down her face. She then spread out her arms, and I complied with her unasked request with a bear hug that almost made her eyes bug out. While that was a little much, Her Highness did appreciate the sentiment, and it looked like she had been given new inspiration. She once said that friendship was a power that allowed one to accomplish anything they set their minds to. It was also the most powerful magic of all, which united people together to do what they believed was right. I'm not sure if that's what she actually said, but it's close enough, as far as I'm concerned.

" First, we need to figure out how to complete the counter-spell." Princess Twilight said.

" I reckon just about anything would work." Applejack suggested.

" Yeah! We just play any song as friends, and the magic will do the rest." Rainbow Dash added.

" That would be easy enough, but there's more to it than that. I should have mentioned this to you last night, Twilight, but I didn't think you wanted to be reminded of having so much stress. I've been thinking that perhaps coming up with an original composition for a counter-spell is just too difficult, given the situation. I'm not questioning your magical know-how; it's just a problem with time. What I was thinking is that perhaps you could take a pre-existing song, or maybe a song that hasn't been performed by anyone, and slightly modify it to include magical properties." I said.

" What did you say!?" Princess Twilight asked. Her eyes suddenly widened, which made me feel rather uncomfortable. It felt like I had overstepped my boundaries, so I chose to keep quiet, but Her Highness grabbed my shoulders and began shaking me, serious about asking me to repeat what I just said. She was in thinking mode.

" Um, use a pre-existing song?" I asked.

" No, the other part!" Princess Twilight answered.

" Oh! Use a song that hasn't been performed yet?" I asked.

" Exactly! Why didn't I think of doing that in the first place? I could have saved myself all kinds of grief. I still have Fluttershy's journal on hand, so if we took the more effective words that I came up with and apply them to a Rainbooms song, it should be enough to make an ideal counter-spell. There is no guarantee that it will work, however. So it would be one of those one-chance deals." Princess Twilight answered.

" Now we just need the song." Applejack said.

" Where can we get one on such short notice?" Rarity asked. She then looked at Rainbow Dash followed by the rest of us, who, in turn, felt hesitant about being thrust into the spotlight like that. We knew Rainbow had a variety of songs at her disposal, so all we needed was her best song. It then dawned on me that her best song, "Awesome As I Wanna Be", also happened to be the one that almost drove everyone apart because of how it inflated her ego. I don't think anyone--Rainbow Dash included--wanted it to become the counter-spell, so another song needed to be used. We didn't really have any time to come up with new lyrics, as the Dazzlings were on the verge of succeeding with their plan.

" I know of a song..." Rainbow Dash began.

" You do?" Applejack asked.

" Fluttershy's written a really great one. I guess it took me until just now to realize that. Sorry, Fluttershy, for never taking your songs into consideration. I was just too full of myself to see your obvious talent. I'm sure Twilight knows which song I'm talking about. It's the one on the last page of your journal. It'll definitely be an awesome counter-spell." Rainbow Dash answered. I turned towards Fluttershy, who suddenly squealed like a baby over how happy she was that her song was finally being used. Her face lit up, and she placed her hands on either side of her mouth and stared longingly at Rainbow Dash, who paid it no mind. Now this is what I wanted to see from my friends for quite some time.

I wanted them to work together on solving a problem and working out their differences before those differences could swallow them up. It was those factors that enabled me to become a member of their group and slowly be forgiven for what I once did. I had a feeling that my actions here had given me a new lease on life, a chance to perhaps move on from my troubled past. We now had a song that could be modified to become the much-needed counter-spell. Fluttershy had the perfect song and Princess Twilight had the ideal words that could be substituted. There was still one more problem that needed to be resolved, and that was figuring out a way to get out of this storage room.

" So how do we get out of here?" Rarity asked.

" I tried to bust the door down earlier, but that thing isn't budging." Rainbow Dash answered.

" That's because it's locked on the other side to preserve the costumes and props. It also doesn't help that it's so sturdy." Applejack said.

" We're still trapped?" Fluttershy asked.

" Seems so." Applejack answered.

" Hopefully, someone will open the door for us." Rarity said.

" Just about every student at CHS is currently under the Dazzlings' spell, so don't expect one of them to come down under the stage anytime soon. They're too busy watching the competition to even know that we're down here." Rainbow Dash said. Her words made us all sigh in response, and we slumped to the ground in frustration. She didn't mean to deflate our balloon, but Rainbow was, unfortunately, correct. No one would be willing to free us, as they were nothing but eternal admirers for the Dazzlings. They had gone on from being food, although it was a much worse fate. If there was any solace regarding our current predicament, it would be that my friends were no longer arguing with one another. In fact, they were starting to apologize for what they said and did. Now I was truly understanding what friendship was all about.

A few more minutes had passed, with no sign of us ever getting out of here. Applejack made the suggestion that we try to knock down the door together. Rainbow Dash's solo attempt didn't amount to anything apart from a bruised shoulder, so perhaps seven girls combined would do the trick? Since we didn't have any other ideas to consider, we all got up and charged at the door. It refused to budge. Well, that was it. That had been our last hope, so the world was now at the Dazzlings' mercy... That is, until the door clicked on the other side. Someone was unlocking it, but who else apart from Trixie's band and the Dazzlings knew we were down here? Could it have been Spike? It was possible, but then he doesn't know his way around the school. Could it be another student? Maybe, but they are all under hypnotic suggestion. Guess we'd know soon enough.

" I was lucky that I didn't get a concussion when my head hit the wall." I said.

" Rainbow Dash must have been beside herself with grief over seeing what she had done to you." Twilight said.

" That's what hatred can do to a person. It twists their feelings until it becomes nothing but a corrupted mass, forcing them to lash out. I knew she didn't meant to hurt me, but it was a risk I had to take so that I could get through to them." I said. When Twilight looked the other way for a few moments, I used my non-injured hand to rub a small area on the back of my head. I still had a small bump from the impact. It didn't hurt or anything, yet it felt awkward because it was still healing, even now. I guess humans heal at a much slower rate than ponies do. I moved my hand back when she turned to face me again, and I merely smiled, which made her slightly suspicious. " Everyone was now on the same page after letting out their frustrations, but we still had the problem of getting out of the storage room." I said.

" How did Spike end up getting you out?" Twilight asked.

" What makes you assume that he did it all on his own?" I asked.

" He witnessed Trixie's band pull the lever, which caused you to plunge into the storage room, but since they never noticed him, he was able to make his way down to the door and unlock it from the outside. That's how you all managed to escape because of his resourcefulness." Twilight answered. It's true Spike saved the day by letting us out, but there was no way he could have opened the door by himself. Since he was a dog in this world instead of a dragon, he had no fingers--claws in his case--or opposable thumbs. He couldn't use a doorknob, no matter how hard he tried. He also couldn't reach the doorknob; he was much too small. Someone who had both features he lacked was required to rescue us. It still boggles my mind that of all the students at CHS, she would be our saviour.

" He was resourceful in that he found someone to help us." I said.

" Who?" Twilight asked.

" Vinyl Scratch."

" The name sounds familiar, but it doesn't quite ring a bell."

" She was the one who always wore headphones and listens to music all day. Also, she is a complete mute; she never says a word. Expressions and hand gestures are how she communicates." I said. While she wasn't much of a conversationalist, Vinyl Scratch--or DJ Pon-3, her stage name--certainly knew her craft well. She was also capable of unexpected surprises. I've often wondered how she manages to afford some of her more "unique" accessories. Twilight was still drawing a blank with regards to Vinyl Scratch, so I turned the page this time and revealed yet another photo. This one made me smile, as it showed all seven of us performing during the final battle against the Sirens. Everyone aside from me had ponied up, but it was still a good photo, courtesy of Photo Finish. Even from so far away, she knew how to take a great photo.

" Who is that behind all of you, and what is she sitting in?" Twilight asked.

" That would be Vinyl Scratch." I answered.

" And the other thing?"

" Her stereo sound system which, without a doubt, was the most awesome thing I've ever seen."

Who would be greeting us when the door opened? We had no idea, although Princess Twilight suspected that Spike had pulled through. While I was a little skeptical, given that he was a dog, I had to believe in him just as much as she did. Whoever was on the other side of the door certainly took their sweet time to unlock it. It felt like they spent twenty minutes trying to figure out something so simple, but it really only took them about two minutes before the door swung open.

" Spike!" Princess Twilight exclaimed.

" Sorry I took so long. I had to find somebody who wasn't under the Sirens' spell to help me get you out." Spike said.

" Wait! Someone else wasn't affected?" Applejack asked.

" Pretty convenient, isn't it?" Spike asked.

" More like a coincidence." I answered.

" How is that even possible? The six of us possess magic and Sunset Shimmer herself has an immunity to the Sirens' magic. Unless this student also has magic of her own, I find it hard to believe." Princess Twilight said. Spike rolled his eyes in response, before he stuck out his paw and urged someone who was standing outside to poke their head through the door to introduce themselves. The person in question turned out to be Vinyl Scratch, or DJ Pon-3, as she is known on stage. I had to agree with the assessment Her Highness just described. How could she not succumb like everyone else? Did she possess magic of her own? If so, then that would mean she came from Equestria. I don't recall ever seeing her during my time at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, which was a long time ago, when I think back on it. She might have been there after my departure.

" Oh! That there's Vinyl Scratch!" Applejack announced.

" Why isn't she under their control?" Princess Twilight asked.

" Never takes off her headphones." Spike answered.

" Seriously!?" Rainbow Dash asked. Vinyl Scratch responded by giving a thumbs up. No one knows why she never says a word, instead relying on expressions and hand movements to express herself. To be honest, it would make things a whole lot easier if she would talk like everyone else. But, they do say that actions speak louder than words. For all intents and purposes, she had proven herself to be a valued friend with her actions. I was also curious how Spike was able to convince her to come with him in the first place. I can't imagine that conversation being all that riveting.

" Guess it's time for us to get down to business." Princess Twilight said.

" Time to prove we've still got the Magic of Friendship inside us!" Applejack said.

" Whee!" Pinkie Pie shouted with excitement.

" Has anyone figured out how exactly you're going to counter the Dazzlings?" I asked. My question made my friends give me confused looks until they realized what I was getting at. There was no way they would be performing on the same stage, so there had to be another location where the counter-spell could be used. We then began to think about the perfect location, and one place did come to mind. There was a large hill on the far side of the school's field, that overlooked all of CHS. It would take about five minutes for us to make our way there. The counter-spell could easily spread across the entire student body from up on top, so we all nodded in agreement that the hill would do.

" Okay, we've got everything we need." Princess Twilight said.

" Except for good sound." Rainbow Dash said.

" I don't think your instruments alone will be enough to send out a loud burst of music." I said. Vinyl Scratch, who had been listening to our conversation the entire time, snapped her finger. I didn't know what to think about it, but since my friends needed all the help they could get, placing our trust in her was necessary.

" We still need one last, little thing." Applejack said before turning towards Rarity. " We're about to save the world here. Personally, I think we should do it in style. Rarity?"

" I'd thought you'd never ask." Rarity answered. She reached out and placed her hand behind a stack of boxes before pulling out a rack of costumes that looked really fancy. Well, the colours and patterns were questionable, at best, but beggars can't be choosers. What I wanted to know was how she managed to get these down here! Then again, they could be costumes from a play, and she was just borrowing them. There were six costumes altogether on the rack, one for each member of the Rainbooms. I felt dejected, as there wasn't one for me, a reminder that my role involved being nothing more than a supporter. " Don't look so glum, darling. I have an outfit that will look absolutely stunning on you! We all realize that you're part of this, as well, even though you won't be performing." Rarity said.

That made me feel slightly better, yet I wished that I could join them by singing as a backup vocalist behind Princess Twilight. I may have learned a bit of how to play a guitar, but I wasn't ready to apply those skills towards something of great importance. At the very least, though, I wasn't being ignored anymore. Grabbing a costume each, my friends went behind the boxes, and came out a minute later, having changed into them. I'll admit that the costumes were striking, but they weren't Rarity's best designs. They didn't stick out like sore thumbs, either, as I suspected the Dazzlings were probably wearing something similar.

Now that we had everything, finally, we left the storage room and made our way towards the hill, yet time was against us. The Dazzlings had absorbed enough Equestrian magic, and that meant they had their complete power. No one without magical protection were safe from their singing, and they were about to prove that point by using their current song to let the students of CHS know that they were in complete control.

" Welcome to the show!" Adagio sung.

While we were moving away from them towards the hill, the Dazzlings made sure to use as many speakers as possible. They even cranked up the volume so that each speaker was producing the maximum sound it could muster. I was surprised that local residents didn't complain about the music, or even bring in the authorities to try and make us tone our noise down.

" (Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah.)"

" We're here to let you know."

" (Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah.)"

" Our time is now!"

" (Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah.)"

" Your time is running out!"

It was pretty obvious that the Dazzlings were talking about how they were about to finally achieve their goal. It seemed that they possessed egos as well as sex appeal, and theirs was even worse than what Rainbow Dash and Trixie had.

While we were making our way towards the hill, Princess Twilight and Fluttershy talked about how to modify the latter's song to turn it into a counter-spell. From what I could hear of their conversation, much of Fluttershy's lyrics would remain the same. There would be some slight changes to accommodate what Her Highness said were essential to make the spell more potent.

" I'm so glad you don't mind changing some of the words." Princess Twilight said.

" It's for a good cause." Fluttershy said.

" Again, we only have one shot to make this work. If the Sirens' magic isn't broken by this song, then we can say goodbye to our free will. I know that I'm just making us all nervous, but I want us to perform like everything is stacked against us." Twilight said.

" What do you mean?"

" The Sirens have had more experience with musical magic than even I have, so they are going to be difficult to defeat. The Magic of Friendship is going to need to be at full power, which means we need to transform. We're all together now so that is possible." Princess Twilight answered. It still felt weird how I was with the group even though I won't be contributing anything. I would have been content to have gone back to the stage in order to keep an eye on things, yet Her Highness wouldn't hear of it. She was insistent about me staying, as though she believed that I would play a huge role in the coming minutes. There was still one question that burned in my mind, and try as I might, I just couldn't get rid of the thought. How was I unaffected by the magic of the Dazzlings?

I had thought about this question several times over the last couple of days, without an answer to be found. I had no magic, so I shouldn't be immune. It had nothing to do with being from Equestria, as ponies succumbed to the Dazzlings' singing. Were my friends protecting me with their magic? That was a possibility, but the chances of that were slim, at best. They only had basic knowledge of magic and probably didn't know how to create magical barriers. Princess Twilight wasn't protecting me, either. She arrived the day after CHS became the Sirens' feeding ground. As we reached the top of the hill, I became distracted by my thoughts, but I snapped out of it when Her Highness snapped her fingers. The view of the school was exquisite from up here, yet it was what was happening by the outdoor stage that worried us.

" What in tarnation are they doin'?" Applejack asked.

" They appear to be glowing in a rather gruesome green." Rarity answered.

" That would be your magic doing that to them." I said.

" I don't know what it is, but I can sense their power continue to grow at an alarming rate. If we don't act soon, the counter-spell may not be enough to break the hold they have over everyone." Princess Twilight said. The Dazzlings appeared normal, yet I would quickly sense what Her Highness felt. Their power was growing. Was it fear that was gripping my heart? Fear that everyone would become lost because of Equestrian magic, magic that came into this world because of my own actions. Would I be blamed for dooming this world? It never occurred to me until now, standing here on the brink of what was to be the final battle against the Dazzlings. Had I never brought magic here, they wouldn't have done all of this just to get it. Even when all of this was said and done, I had a lot to think about.

" Okay, we should be doing something by now." Rainbow Dash said.

" Where is Vinyl Scratch?" Rarity asked.

" She said she'd be here." Applejack answered.

" You could tell?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Her expressions were enough fer me ta figure out what she said. At least, I think I understood." Applejack answered.

" One thing we never established was how we're supposed to play over them from up here. Our instruments will be loud, yeah, but unless we can somehow find some awesome, top-of-the-line speakers, we'll be drowned out by the Dazzlings." Rainbow Dash said. The sound of a car horn then echoed throughout the top of the hill, and we turned to discover that Vinyl Scratch had arrived in her car. I don't know how she managed to get it up here, but perhaps she had some stereo equipment in its trunk. She had a big smile on her face, which told me she was about to impress us. When she pressed a small button located on her car's dashboard, Vinyl Scratch folded her arms behind her neck, relaxing. Without warning, her car suddenly began making a variety of noises like it were malfunctioning. If this was her idea of a joke, then the humour had left about thirty seconds ago. Yet, what happened next was nothing short of amazing.

Her car began transforming, some parts folding inward while other parts folded outward. The wheels turned on their sides before slamming into the ground, reinforced by armour that provided additional support for the weight of the vehicle. I knew she must have had speakers in the trunk, but not ones that were literally part of the car, sticking out to the left and right of the main body upon coming out. As it began to rise slightly, the dashboard changed into a control center that allowed her to monitor different sounds. Finally, an assortment of flashing lights came out from the trunk as well as the front, serving to give off some impressive atmosphere. If Vinyl Scratch wanted to make this a big surprise, she had definitely succeeded. My friends were now ready to perform, with the world hanging in the balance. I knew not to get in their way, so I stood aside and gave them as much support as I could muster. A part of me still wanted to join them, though.

" A transforming car?" Twilight asked.

" Equestria has plenty of things that are capable of transforming, but nothing compared to what Vinyl Scratch did. I never would have thought I'd see anything amazing come from this world, yet what she showcased proved that humans are capable of much more than I though." I answered.

" I'll take that as a compliment. Anyway, I'm surprised that you decided to stop reading, Sunset. We just reached an important moment for everyone, and I was hoping that you could continue on. I normally don't say things like this, but I'm completely psyched over what's about to happen." Twilight said. She wasn't kidding. Not once since I've known her had she ever said anything of the sort. Hanging out with other people has really changed her for the better. On the subject at hand, however, her enthusiasm was misguided, as things would hit rock bottom before they ended up getting better. I remember how everything went from something so simple to a battle where magical entities fought one another to determine who was more powerful.

" Twilight, the final battle against the Sirens wasn't what you would call a traditional musical showdown." I said.

" I've read a lot about the subject out of curiosity, of course. What happened in each round of the Battle of the Bands were seen as minor battles that held no meaning other than the desire to move on. A final showdown would be where both bands would rely on their best songs in an attempt to sway over the audience to their side. There would even be some crazy stunts performed to appeal to the audience." Twilight said. Despite not being a huge fan of music, she certainly knew her stuff about some of the more intricate traditions bands are known for. Her knowledge wasn't going to be of any help when I finished explaining what this particular battle was all about, though. The Sirens wanted to make it a real battle in response to the Rainbooms proving to be a threat.

" I'm impressed, but that didn't happen." I said.

" Oh? Then what did?" Twilight asked.

" A battle where magic ran wild."

" Like what happened between you and me?"

" I'd say that our fight was tame compared to what happened during the final. All you and I did was collide our fists against one another to test our power before we used magical beams to see who would prevail. A similar thing would occur here, where Princess Twilight and the Sirens used magical beams, but not before all kinds of magical attacks were being flung around. I'm amazed that there was no property damage." I answered.

" That giant alicorn was one such attack?" Twilight asked.

" Think of it as our ace in the hole."

" I really want you to continue reading."

" I'm thirsty again. Let me take another swig of fizzy apple cider. You look like you need to have some too. You look a little stressed. We'll take a ten-minute break before continuing." I said.

Chapter 40: Musical Aftermath

Day: Monday
Weather: Cloudy
Time: 8:30pm

Princess Twilight and my friends competed against the Dazzlings using the counter-spell. At first, they managed to hold their own, but those girls proved to be far more experienced with using magical music. They even summoned spiritual versions of their true selves! They were hippocampi! Things quickly spiraled out of control, the Rainbooms flinging magical attacks to no effect, while the Dazzlings overpowered them. It seemed all was lost until Princess Twilight said they needed me. Me? I wanted to contribute to the band, and I did so in a way that can be described as awesome incarnate. I mean, I ponied up! I got my magic back! I've become the newest Rainboom! So much happened all at once that I'm still trying to come to grips with it. I do feel bad about the Dazzlings, though. Maybe one day they will see the light, as I had. Something else has since come up. It had to do with me. I needed to know more about how magic worked in this world. Why? I felt responsible, because I brought it here.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 11. 2016
Chapter 40: Musical Aftermath.

" I just assumed you were given some kind of trophy for winning the Battle of the Bands, and everything just wrapped itself up." Twilight said.

" To be honest, there never was a winner." I said.

" What!?"

" There wasn't an actual winner determined. You see, when the Sirens' pendants were destroyed, their influence over the student body, Principal Celestia, and Vice Principal Luna disappeared. While everyone remembered what happened--much to their dismay--and began apologizing for their actions, no one really knew what to make of how the competition ended. The two sisters decided to declare it unresolved as a means of saving face. Our friends weren't disappointed--not even Rainbow Dash--as we had achieved what we set out to accomplish. CHS was once again purged of evil beings wanting to use magic to take over this world. It also meant that Her Highness would be leaving us shortly." I said.

" She had to go back?" Twilight asked.

" Equestria needed her." I answered. While Her Highness would have loved to have stayed for a while longer, she knew that her duties as a princess required her to return. I do feel bad that she doesn't have as much freedom as I do. While I've got some responsibilities around Canterlot, they're nothing compared to what she goes through on a regular basis. Her Highness often wrote about such responsibilities in her responses to my Friendship Reports. While she enjoyed solving "friendship problems", as she called them, there were times where she broke down and confided in me about no longer having any freedom.

Her Highness often tried doing too much at once, and it overwhelmed her. I know she has the pony versions of my friends to help her, but perhaps she should take a vacation to get away from all that stress. Coming here and spending a couple of days with me and our human friends would do her some good. Sometimes, I'm glad that I didn't become an alicorn. I probably wouldn't be able to deal with all that stress, either.

" Guess her duties come before pleasure." Twilight said.

" You have no idea."

" That bad, huh?"

" While I can't say what she told me in private, Princess Twilight has a lot of duties to handle." I answered. Twilight looked at me, her face glum, as though I sidestepped her question. I really did want to tell her more, but I made a promise to keep what Her Highness said between us. Not even Princess Celestia is aware of how she felt about being stressed out with so many obligations. Princess Twilight had to maintain a brave face, otherwise ponies would lose faith in her to guide them. They relied on her to solve those friendship problems. " Sorry if I can't say anything more, but I have to keep my promise." I said.

" It's fine. Besides, I was only teasing. I had a feeling there was something else to it." Twilight said.

" The Battle of the Bands changed people's opinions of me." I said.

" In what way?"

" Everyone had noticed that I contributed to the defeat of the Sirens. In fact, Princess Twilight said that if it weren't for me, those girls would have had the entire school under their control. When she said that, the students started to approach me and apologize for bullying me. I just stood there as student after student accepted me with open arms, giving me hugs before saying they were sorry." I answered.

" That must have been a true blessing." Twilight said. Oh, it definitely was. I was afraid that the student body would hate me for causing so much trouble. After all, I was responsible for bringing Equestrian magic into this world, so I assumed they would hold it against me. It felt relieving to know that I had finally been accepted after spending so many years alone. Princess Twilight showed me what friendship was all about. I had begun my reformation with five friends, then six with Her Highness, then seven with Spike, and now I had many more. I was loved. Without realizing it, I began to shed a few tears, which Twilight took notice of. " Um, why are you crying?"

" I am?"

" What happened?"

" I was just thinking about what happened when everyone forgave me. That was the first time in my life where I felt like I had finally become free from my past. It had been holding me down for a long time, and I finally broke free of its shackles." I answered. I tried wiping away the tears using my sleeve but to no avail. Twilight then flashed a piece of tissue in front of my face. I grabbed it, a sheepish expression appearing on my face. It was very soft on my skin, which was appreciated. I gently wiped away the tears before placing the tissue to the side. I knew I'd be needing it later.

" Okay, so what happened after the Sirens left?" Twilight asked.

" That would be everyone coming up to apologize for bullying me and to accept me with open arms. At the same time, Princess Twilight would have a romantic moment with Flash Sentry, although they both denied there was anything between them. However, there is always one person who has to ruin everything. Not everyone was willing to forgive me. In fact, only one student still had doubts." I answered.

" Who was it?"

" Trixie."

I had watched the Dazzlings run off into the night. I know that they did a lot of terrible things in their quest to become adored, but they went about it all wrong. They needed to earn admiration by getting the respect of those they wanted to have notice them. Using magic didn't help them, either. In fact, I'd say that using magic is what caused their eventual defeat. Still, I felt bad for them. They would now wander about this world as ordinary teenage girls. They were just like me after I was defeated. Would they ever return? Perhaps, but how they decided to go about their lives would be up to them to decide. If they chose to settle down in another town, they could start their lives over where no one would ever recognize them. If they ever came back here to Canterlot, I could see the student body giving them a hard time for a while. Humans were a fickle bunch. They lash out at those who are different from themselves. But give those who are different a chance, and you might see something that you missed before.

Princess Twilight, in the meantime, had been answering questions from the students. While they were under the hypnotic spell of the Dazzlings, they still had some semblance of free will. They were aware of what happened and felt guilty about how they treated one another. It would take some time for friendship to return to CHS. The students then asked why I was on stage with the Rainbooms. Her Highness had hoped I would be noticed and explained that if not for me, everyone would still be slaves. She even said that I was essential in the Dazzlings' defeat. It wouldn't have been possible without me. Upon hearing what I had done, I suddenly found myself being approached by students. Each came up one at a time and apologized for how they treated me. They even forgave me for my past actions and welcomed me with open arms. I couldn't believe it! I had finally been accepted by my peers.

Satisfied that her work was finished, Her Highness was contemplating her next course of action when she was suddenly hugged by Flash Sentry. It was strange seeing him hug her in a friendly manner. Earlier, I learned how she had been brought to tears by his harsh words. I knew Flash didn't mean what he said. His frustration over Princess Twilight not wanting to help him win the competition drove him to lash out like that. Negative emotions really did bring out the worst in people. I could tell that he was really happy about how the Rainbooms had saved everyone. In fact, I believe this was their first moment together that had nothing to do with anything going on at the school. It would have been the perfect time to give them some space, but someone didn't want to give it to them. I noticed Trixie was making her way towards Her Highness, and I had a strong suspicion that she wasn't happy about how the Rainbooms had stolen the show.

" Rainbooms rule!" Flash shouted.

" Glad to see you back to normal." Princess Twilight said.

" Once my mind got free of whatever it is those Dazzlings did, everything just started to make sense again. Look, Twilight... I'm not sure if you'd be willing to forgive me after the way I treated you the other day. My heart really wanted to talk with you, but my head was telling me to focus only on winning the competition. I became so obsessed with it that everything else just didn't matter. I know I'm not the only one who feels that way. Everyone else is still coping with what's been going on these last few days." Flash said.

" It's over now, so you don't have to worry about it." Princess Twilight said. Flash began scratching the back of his head while looking at Her Highness sheepishly. He was just surprised at how she was able to forgive him so easily, despite not actually being at fault. The Dazzlings' magic brought out the worst in everyone. They didn't care who they had to step on in order to come out on top so long as they did. It was like a competitive game taken to an extreme. No one ever wins in a scenario like that, no matter how good their intentions were, apart from whoever conceived it.

Turning my attention towards Trixie for a few moments, it appeared my friends had gotten the same perception as I had regarding her. Pinkie Pie had been distracting her with her usual antics, and the angry looks on Trixie's face told me she was getting fed up. Her Highness and Flash needed to have this time to themselves, considering they've yet to have the chance with everything that's happened. Pinkie could easily make her distraction last practically forever, but I doubted Trixie would be willing to take much more of it.

" So... I guess you decided to come back after all." Flash said.

" My friends needed me, so here I am." Princess Twilight said.

" Ever since the Fall Formal, I've never stopped thinking about you."

" I'll be honest and say that the same can't be said with me, but you must understand that I have duties where I come from which need my attention. When I came back here to Canterlot, one of the first things I needed to know regarding current events was you." Princess Twilight said. For a moment there, it looked like Flash was going to walk away when she said that she hadn't been thinking about him. Princess Twilight meant well, but sometimes her choice of words did more harm than good. In this case, he understood that her role as a princess came before personal pleasure. I don't think Flash was aware that Her Highness and I come from a world populated by magical talking ponies. Maybe it's good for him not to know about that. It would definitely raise some alarms if he knew where we were really from. Then again, he might already know but refused to see it as a problem.

" I heard from Sunset Shimmer that you have to leave shortly." Flash said.

" I'm sorry, but I'm needed where I come from." Princess Twilight said.

" I was hoping to take you out for a soda or something, but maybe we can do that whenever you come back." Flash suggested.

" That would be nice."

" Then it's a date... err, I mean..."

" Whatever you consider it to be, I know I'll enjoy it." Princess Twilight said, giggling slightly as Flash stumbled on his words. It was a shame that Her Highness had to go back to Equestria almost immediately after the competition, but Equestria needed her to guide them through any difficult times ahead. That actually reminded me of something important I needed to speak to her about. Considering how she had helped me understand the nuances of friendship, perhaps she could do me a small favour. I walked over to where my backpack had been propped up against the same guitar Rainbow Dash presented to me earlier. Upon opening it up, I looked at the magic journal Princess Celestia gave me. It was time for it to get some much needed use again.

" Enough! I demand to speak to her now!" Trixie shouted, having reached her limit with Pinkie's antics. She pushed her way past my friends' barricade before coming right between Princess Twilight and Flash, disrupting their embrace. Putting the journal back into my backpack, I turned to face Trixie, who appeared flummoxed over how she had been denied her chances of victory. That is, according to what she was spouting. " I cannot believe that you Rainbooms won the competition. Especially after you blew your shot in the semi-finals!" She made a valid point. The Rainbooms were given a spot in the finals illegitimately because of the Dazzlings manipulating Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, so Trixie being robbed was a concern she had every right to gripe about. Then again, she had resorted to questionable tactics to remove us from the competition.

" I know you feel upset over losing." Princess Twilight said.

" Trixie isn't just upset. No! Trixie is downright furious!"

" You'll be happy to know that there was no actual winner."

" What!?"

" Since everyone was under the influence of evil magic, the competition was tainted from the very start. Besides, your band removed ours from competing with that stunt you pulled earlier with the trap door. If anything, that would raise some eyebrows." Princess Twilight said.

" Well, I, um, you see... Gah! You know what? Forget Trixie ever said anything! You may have vanquished the Dazzlings, but you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie! Just speaking to you vexes me to no end!" Trixie said. She reached into her pocket and took out another one of those balls before throwing it. It exploded upon impact with the ground, releasing a large volume of smoke, forcing all of us to cough for a few moments. By the time our vision returned, Trixie had disappeared, although Pinkie was quick to point out that she had run towards the edge of the bleachers. She ended up falling to the ground with a lout thud in an attempt to climb down. " Trixie's okay!" I would have laughed at her misery, but I knew she had been through enough, already. I began to wonder if she would really be okay after what I almost did to her.

That image still haunted my mind. I was holding her by the collar and could have easily choked her after what she accused me of doing. While I may have finally been accepted by my peers, I knew that my temper would become an issue in the future should I not get it under control. I suppose it was my passion towards my friends which made me lash out in the first place. I'm not the person I used to be. I had to overcome this problem, or I would just end up as that bad girl that once defined who I was for a long time.

Flash Sentry eventually said goodbye to Princess Twilight and walked off to speak with his bandmates, but there was one small problem Her Highness needed to take care of before she went back to Equestria. The Rainbooms were going to lose one of their members and would be short-handed for the foreseeable future. While that didn't sound all that important, it was a big deal for my friends. We had all gotten closer, thanks in large part to the competition, and her absence would be noticed. Rainbow Dash would assume leadership of the Rainbooms again, but this time she knew to appreciate all of her bandmates and not just focus entirely on herself.

" Our band won't be the same without you." Rainbow Dash said.

" I know, but I must return to Equestria." Princess Twilight said.

" The Rainbooms could really use someone to help Fluttershy on backup vocals and maybe play an instrument while they're at it. I know I'm still the lead singer, but it's reached a point where it kinda feels weird being the only one singing. That's why I asked Fluttershy about singing with me. Before Trixie had to show up and throw her little hissy fit, that is. Another singer would be cool, especially if they can hit the really high notes." Rainbow Dash said. Both she and Princess Twilight were looking in my direction like they were waiting for me to do something. It took me a few moments to understand what they were trying to do, and I ran over to where the guitar Rainbow gave me was still propped up against the wall.

Slinging the guitar over my shoulder, I played a riff with little trouble, and I could tell Rainbow was impressed with the result. She may have just given me a crash course, but I was a very fast learner. I even sang a few lines of the song Fluttershy had written which was used for the counter-spell. Everyone else was quite surprised at my demonstration, and I felt rather sheepish about showing off my skills.

" I was taught how to sing by a professional. I really wanted to contribute to the Musical Showcase before the Dazzlings changed it, and I wanted to show everyone that I had changed for the better. I can't say who my teacher was--she wanted me to keep it secret--but she taught me well. As for my guitar-playing, someone very close to me showed me the basics, and I figured things out from there." I said. I knew Rainbow Dash didn't want me to reveal to everyone that she was the one who taught me. She probably figured that would make students believe she still had an ego problem. She winked at me without anyone noticing. The group then turned their attention to Rainbow in order to see what her answer would be to my request of replacing Her Highness as a Rainboom.

" We'll see." That essentially meant yes, although the winking gesture did seal the deal for me. I still needed some more practice playing the guitar; while my riff was solid, I would have trouble handling the more complex riffs. Hopefully, Rainbow will find some spare time to teach me on the side.

" Sure wish you could stay longer." Applejack said.

" Me too. But I have responsibilities in Equestria that I have to get back to. Its citizens need me. But now I can go through the portal whenever I need to. There will no longer be any need for me to wait for a really long time before the portal opens naturally. The same can be said about using it from this side, but if I feel that the portal has to be closed to prevent the wrong people coming through it and into Equestria, I'll close it from my end until it's safe to reopen it. So this isn't goodbye. It's just goodbye 'til next time. I'm not sure when that will be, but hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later." Princess Twilight said.

" Before you go, Twilight, I was wondering if I could ask you something in private." I said. Her Highness nodded and we both walked over to the other side of the stage, where I presented her the magic journal Princess Celestia gave me. My friends went back to what they were doing, knowing that I needed a private moment with Her Highness. " This is how you were able to receive my message. This journal was presented to me by Princess Celestia. Because she was so busy with diplomatic issues, we didn't have much free time to see one another in person. We came up with the idea of sending messages back and forth through our journals, but we soon abandoned the practice when she insisted on focusing on my studies more closely."

" What did you have in mind?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I want to resume using this journal. You have given me so much and I want to return the favour in the only way I know how. Twilight, I'd like for you to become my new mentor and guide me along the right path. I know this is sudden, but I'm very serious about it. Princess Celestia taught me as best as she could before I chose to betray her and seek out my own destiny. You brought me back to the path she had intended for me, so now I'd like for you to continue helping me." I answered. My request must have been really awkward for her, given how I just mentioned it without any prior hints. I knew Her Highness had a lot on her plate waiting for her when she returned to Equestria, yet this was something I really needed. My life would be different right now if not for her.

" That was sudden, but I accept." Princess Twilight said, smiling. Hearing her say that filled my heart with joy, and we both hugged one another. I wanted this moment to last forever, but she had to return home where our people needed her guidance. Perhaps one day I would consider returning to Equestria myself. I still had a lot to answer for, but hopefully, it would be an easy transition with Princess Twilight by my side. As she walked through the portal with her faithful companion Spike at her side, I knew that I didn't need to wait for a long time before the portal opened again. In the meantime, I had obligations at CHS that needed my immediate attention.

" And that is how the Battle of the Bands concluded." I said.

" Glad to see that you became a member of the Rainbooms and the student of Princess Twilight. You said that you had obligations to take care of. Did they involve the sticker and ticket?" Twilight asked.

" Those had to do with an idea that Rainbow Dash pitched the following Monday. My concern involved the magic, which had now become a part of this world, whether I liked it or not. I had a responsibility to understand how it was supposed to work compared to the magic of Equestria. I didn't want anyone to get hurt trying to use something they didn't understand." I answered. Unlike Equestria, where magic was predictable and easy to figure out, this world had a much different make-up. Magic here was more wild. You never knew what it would do next until it was too late. Back then, I had no idea this would even happen. I was solely focused on getting more power until I gained enough to go back to Equestria and become a princess through brute force. Even now, there is still much that doesn't make sense, but I'm slowly coming to grips with how it works, one small step at a time.

" Did you ask for any help?" Twilight asked.

" Aside from Princess Twilight, I had no one else to turn to. I had once again become this world's resident magical expert. While my magical experience was lacking compared with Her Highness, I felt confident in my abilities. At first, things started out smoothly, but I'd quickly become frustrated, as things weren't making sense. I quickly learned that magic in this world behaved differently compared to Equestria. It was a challenge that I wasn't prepared to handle." I answered. I could have ignored trying to make sense of it and instead focused my efforts on helping our friends, but I wasn't exactly into the same interests they were. I only had myself to blame for not getting more involved in the school's numerous activities. I used to be a part of the school newspaper, but I was kicked out after the Fall Formal. Since then, all I ever did was hang out in the library until nightfall, reading books in order to immerse myself in this world's cultures. Compared to Equestria, this world had plenty of problems. Not every society could exist as a utopia.

" You're just like me, then." Twilight said.

" In what way?"

" You strive to make sense of the world around you. I seek knowledge to better myself as a person. You seek knowledge to prevent disaster from happening. Our roads are similar, but they diverge at different points." Twilight answered. I'm not sure if I would say that I was just like her. Rather, I'd say I was someone who worked behind the scenes. I wasn't doing what I did to receive any kind of recognition; I'm actually trying to keep this on the down-low. My aim was to prevent this world from suffering any further damage from Equestrian magic running freely. No doubt, Twilight will do something in the future and gain instant gratification. Me? I prefer to remain anonymous. I wasn't comfortable with standing out, considering how successful it had been in the past. " So, what significance do the sticker and ticket have?" Twilight asked.

" On that upcoming Monday, we had an exam which no one aside from me was looking forward to. Our friends had a study session, which I unfortunately missed because I wasn't informed about it. What happened during the test isn't important, so I didn't write anything else about it in my journal. What I did write down was what happened later that night, which would lead into the next situation. I would soon learn that my obligations would clash with those of our friends." I answered.

Monday finally came along, and all of CHS had resumed what could be described as a regular day. My friends and I had an exam which took much of the morning. While I had complete confidence that I would easily pass it, I felt upset because I didn't attend the study session my friends had at Rarity's place the day before. None of them had told me about the session, and I felt like they had intentionally left me out. It wasn't my fault that I was smarter than most students at CHS. After all, I was the personal protégé of Princess Celestia, an honour given only to the most worthy of unicorns in Equestria. They would later tell me that they completely forgot. They were focused on understanding various chemical compounds which would be featured as questions on the exam. I would have appreciated some kind of warning from them, though.

When Princess Twilight left two days ago to return to Equestria, my friends and I performed a song together as a tribute to everything Her Highness had done. I sensed our magic had gotten slightly stronger since the competition ended, yet how could it have increased so quickly? Magic just doesn't work like that! What was different about magic here compared to Equestria? Ugh! Just thinking about these questions gave me nothing but headaches. I could have simply decided to accept things the way they were and move forward with my life, but instead I chose to fight back against this absurdity. Magic isn't meant to be wild and chaotic. I needed help to figure out some of these answers, so I decided to write to Her Highness and see what she thought.

Later that night, we all had a slumber party at Pinkie Pie's place to relieve ourselves of the stress from the exam. I had hoped to talk to the others about the magic issue that had been bothering me, but they had been busy with their extracurricular activities after school. That made me look at my own life. After I was kicked from the school paper, I never went back to them. Or any club, for that matter. My friends were experiencing so much, and I couldn't join in, which made me feel bad. Perhaps I should try and change my stance and become more active in their activities. It would help me understand their individual talents a lot more.

" I reckon that was the most difficult test I ever did take." Applejack said, removing her Stetson before wiping her brow.

" Why do they insist on making us take something that challenging?" Rarity asked.

" It wasn't that difficult." I answered.

" Of course it wasn't to you, darling. After all, you are one of the most gifted students CHS has ever known. You could even be the most gifted student which would really give you a lot of clout when it comes to future endeavours, like, say, a university degree, or maybe even a doctorate." Rarity said. While that was a nice compliment, I didn't want to make myself out to be better than everyone else. I tried doing that when I was a bully, and that was nothing short of a disaster, so now, I prefer to remain humble and just go about my own business without drawing any attention to myself.

" I'm not thinking that far ahead Rarity." I said.

" Why ever not? You know that we won't be at CHS forever! The time will come when we must decide on our futures, and if you really want to get into the best universities in Canterlot and beyond, applying sooner rather than later would guarantee you a spot. You've got the ideal grades to be accepted without any question." Rarity said.

" I don't think Sunset is that far focused ahead on her future." Applejack said.

" It doesn't hurt to think about it." Rarity replied in a huff.

" Actually, I'm just taking it all in one stride at a time. This morning, when I came to school, so many people swamped me and offered their congratulations for my helping you guys beat the Dazzlings. The last time I had so many people surrounding me was after the Fall Formal when I had to apologize to everyone. It feels so weird that everyone at school has accepted me with open arms just because of my contribution. It feels like I'm just having a very long dream and a mere pinch would wake me from it." I said. I quickly grabbed Pinkie's hand and prevented her from pinching me. When I turned to look at her, she smiled sheepishly with that goofy grin I admired, and I released my grip on her hand. " For the first time in my life, I feel like I can finally let go of my past and move on."

" You've definitely turned things around." Applejack said.

" But I know there is still much more for me to understand about friendship." I said.

" We can help you with that if you want." Rarity suggested.

" I appreciate that, although there is something else that needs immediate attention." I said. All eyes then looked in my direction, which made me feel uncomfortable at first, but I'd quickly calm myself down through some breathing exercises. Once I felt content enough with my nerves, I continued on with my explanation. " I still feel bad about missing out on your study session last night and your afterschool activities, so it got me thinking that maybe I should consider doing something extracurricular again. I used to be part of the school newspaper, but they kicked me out after my manipulations were exposed." Despite the falling out that resulted between myself and the editor, it was a worthwhile experience. It allowed me to get a firm grasp on how technology worked in this world, and it took me about three months to get adjusted to it. I wasn't trying to convince my friends that I wanted to rejoin the paper. I had moved on from that and wanted to try something else, preferably an activity that involved them.

" You want an afterschool activity, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" What are you plannin'?" Applejack asked Rainbow.

" It's nothing illegal, if that's what you're thinking."

" Then what?"

" The Friendship Games." Rainbow Dash answered. The sudden gasps that came from everyone certainly surprised me. I would have done the exact same thing, except I had no idea what she was talking about. Judging from the tone in her voice, Rainbow was very serious about it. " They're coming up next year, but there's a small problem which needs to be sorted out as soon as possible. The Wondercolts teams could do with some new uniforms; our current ones have gotten really outdated. I know there's still a while before the Games, but we really could do with those uniforms. We don't want Crystal Prep to make fun of us for using hand-me-downs while they continue to use the best uniforms money can buy." Rainbow Dash said. That didn't sound like much of an afterschool activity. In fact, it sounded more like labor. My expression quickly turned sour, as I was expecting Rainbow to say suggest a club I could join.

" What's wrong, darling?" Rarity asked.

" It's just that what Rainbow said didn't sound like an afterschool activity, nor did it really sound fun." I answered.

" I reckon you're right, so what's the big deal here?" Applejack asked.

" Okay! You got me! I don't know what Sunset likes, but she was looking pretty upset about it, so I tried to make her feel better. Guess my idea didn't exactly work out that well." Rainbow Dash answered. While the others scolded her for giving me false hope, I was smiling in appreciation for her wanting to cheer me up. It was the thought that counted, after all. Secretly, I was curious about her uniform problem. " We just need enough money to purchase the uniforms and we're golden. I did bring this to Principal Celestia's attention, but she said that the school budget couldn't put anything towards uniforms."

" Y'all got any ideas?" Applejack asked.

" None."

" What about a fundraiser?" I asked.

" Would that work?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" If we all contributed by doing something that we're really good at, it would get the students and the neighbourhood to support the cause. For example, Rarity could have a fashion show where the new uniforms would be showcased, Pinkie Pie could have a bake sale, and Fluttershy could have a pet parade. I'm sure that you and Applejack can easily come up with your own contributions. You're both resourceful enough to come up with something." I answered. My friends agreed with my suggestion of having a fundraiser, and despite needing permission from Principal Celestia, it was sure to be a huge success. It then dawned on me that I had nothing to contribute. They all had something special, while I remained devoid of a purpose. Maybe I didn't think this through enough. I couldn't consider a different idea, as my friends were starting to talk amongst themselves about what they could do to make their contributions more special.

I now felt miserable again, as my idea ended up hurting me as opposed to helping me. I had no special talent to call my own, so what would I do for the fundraiser? If I did nothing, then Rainbow Dash would accuse me of abandoning her in her moment of need. Just when it looked like I had figured everything out about my life, something new had to come along and disrupt it. What made it even worse was the magical problem which continued eating away at me. By focusing on Rainbow's problem, I completely ignored my own, and I doubted my friends would be interested in trying to figure out why we pony up. They were too focused on the fundraiser. My only hope to get some kind of answers regarding the magic problem was to get them from Princess Twilight.

" A fundraiser doesn't sound like much of a problem, unless it ends up happening like the Musical Showcase." Twilight said.

" It could have gone a lot better had I not made a mess of everything." I said.

" What did you do?"

" I really wanted to figure out the magic problem."

" And?"

" Our friends were contributing to the fundraiser in their usual manner, but I wasn't able to find anything I was particularly special at. I decided to help them with what they were doing, but at the same time they would help me with my own problem." I answered. In retrospect, I should have been more forward with my tests by telling our friends my intentions instead of keeping it all a secret. I could have prevented a lot of frustration that way.

" Maybe you should have shelved the magic problem." Twilight suggested.

" I could have, but my mind was fixated on trying to make sense of it. I was responsible for magic coming into this world, so I took it upon myself to figure out how it was different from the magic seen in Equestria. I'll admit that my approach made our friends uncomfortable, but I had to see it through in the name of research." I said. I just realized right there that I was beginning to sound a lot like Twilight. I was pursuing knowledge in the form of understanding magic, and nothing was going to stand in my until all of my questions had been answered. Was I being stubborn with my approach? Probably. Could I have done things differently? Definitely. Despite the huge mess that I would cause in the name of understanding the magic of this world, nothing happened to CHS. It was just a huge misunderstanding.

" So you spoke to Principal Celestia, and she agreed to the idea?" Twilight asked.

" She had no problem with it, but her only concern was about who would be in charge of the fundraiser. There were a lot of different things which needed to be done for it to be successful, and that meant the one in charge needed to be an expert in multi-tasking." I answered.

" I could see Princess Twilight handling that."

" Unfortunately, Her Highness was unavailable."

" Okay, then who was selected."

" Me."

Chapter 42: Helping Disaster

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 3:29pm

Rainbow Dash wanted new uniforms for the various Wondercolts teams. The ones they currently used were outdated, so Rainbow figured that they should get new ones in time for something she called the Friendship Games. My idea involved holding a fundraiser, as the school budget couldn't accommodate spare money. It took some convincing to get her to agree, but Principal Celestia gave us the go ahead. Yet, there was one problem I didn't take into account. My friends were contributing something based on their talents, yet I lacked any special talents. So I decided on helping them along while getting them to help me. The magic problem was still an issue, and I needed to figure it out quickly before something happened. Rainbow Dash and Applejack have questioned my ethics, and I sensed Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity doing the same when I saw them. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right? Maybe I should have listened to my inner voice, who was telling me that everything would fall apart.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 15, 2015
Chapter 42: Helping Disaster.

Twilight had been spending the last few minutes glossing over the photos I had taken. Each featured one of our friends staring at the disaster which ruined their contribution to the fundraiser all because I had to saddle them with the burden of helping me figure out how the magic worked in this world. While my blunder hadn't caused any property damage, nor did it place anyone under the power of dark magic, it was still viewed as a problem. If there was any positive that could be taken from this, it was Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie not being in any of the photos. I never got a chance to "help" Pinkie with her contribution, and Rainbow had merely been practicing. The others? They were harmed by my interference.

" I can't believe all this happened, all because you wanted to do too much at once." Twilight said.

" The burden of figuring out the magic problem was mine alone to deal with. Our friends had nothing to do with it. I should have had more patience and waited for the appropriate time to address it, but I was blinded by my own ignorance. Part of me wanted to contact Princess Twilight for help, but that would have involved dragging her back here not long after she returned home to Equestria." I said. In hindsight, maybe I should have sent a message to Her Highness to ask her opinion. Doing that instead of what I would eventually do could have prevented the problem from taking place. After all, she had more experience with magic than I did. Why did I not ask for help? Her Highness was needed in Equestria, and taking her away to fix the mess I made would have been unfair to her.

" Is that... a photo of animals running loose?" Twilight asked.

" Not one of my better moments."

" And that one features a kitchen covered completely in dough and machine parts." Twilight said.

" It took the janitors several days to clean that up."

" Sunset..."

" No need to show any sympathy towards me, Twilight. What happened here was my own fault, and I didn't try to pass the blame onto someone else. I would accept my punishment with my dignity intact. To be honest, I actually expected Principal Celestia to suspend me at the very least." I said. I knew she didn't have the heart to expel me; she knew that would have resulted in a downward spiral for me. At the very least, suspension should have been considered. Instead, she gave me a verbal lashing. Those words would really sting for quite some time, and my friends began to lose faith in me. Faith... That had been a problem that continued giving me nothing but grief. I pass myself off as being trustworthy and responsible, only to blow it a short time later.

" You're not thinking of punishing yourself again, are you?" Twilight asked.

" No, but the thought was there." I answered.

" Surely, what Principal Celestia said wasn't the worst thing that happened."

" Then you have a lot to learn."

" What do you mean?"

" I'll get more into that later, but first let me explain what happened when I went to see the others after leaving Applejack." I answered.

Things were progressing better than expected. Despite their hesitation, Rainbow Dash and Applejack agreed to help me figure out how magic worked here. At first, I felt overwhelmed because I was essentially trying to figure out the problem on my own. With my friends helping me--only slightly willingly now--it shouldn't take long to find some answers. Why were we capable of ponying up? Why did it involve playing instruments? Why did the magic decide to remain here and not go back to Equestria? Those were just a few of the questions plaguing my mind. Answering them wouldn't guarantee an acceptable outcome. No. Instead, it would just lead to more questions, which would require doing further research. I didn't deny that magic, as a field of study, was one that had become lost to me over time. Prior to stealing Princess Twilight's crown, I had to do things without magic. It proved difficult and unbearable, yet I managed to pull off some kind of existence here. Now that magic was here, I felt like I now had a purpose. As a magic investigator, my job was to make sure that no one succumbed to what I had brought here.

Was it wrong to get my friends involved in something I caused? Perhaps, but I knew they wouldn't refuse my requests. I knew they had the fundraiser to work on, but they could take some time out of their busy schedules to provide me with the data I needed for my research. Rainbow Dash would provide me evidence through physical activity, and Applejack would provide a more hands-on approach, courtesy of my equipment.

By the time I reached the gym, I could tell that Pinkie Pie had certainly been busy. The ceiling--from what I could see through the windows on the double doors--was almost completely covered with balloons, streamers, confetti, and what looked like giant candy. If I had hoped to have helped her out, that option had flown away before I even had a chance to ask. Opening the doors, I entered the gym, only to become buried under a large stack of streamers. Pinkie had taken notice and rushed over to pull me out of the tangled mess.

" Sorry about that! I guess I wasn't expecting someone to come in through the main entrance until everything was ready." Pinkie Pie said.

" You've certainly done a lot of decorating for the fashion show." I said while brushing off excess streamer pieces.

" What can I say? I'm good at what I do."

" By the way, where's Rarity?"

" She's not here."

" I thought she'd be in here with you going over some of the preparations for the fashion show." I said. Rarity said she'd would be in the gym during her free time, so not seeing her made me suspect that something was amiss. Rarity was rather punctual and would only be running behind schedule if she had a fashion emergency. Now it looked like I wouldn't have any time to focus on the magic problem.

" You actually just missed her." Pinkie Pie said.

" Seriously!?"

" She said she needed to go to the art room to do some last-minute touches to the outfits she plans on showcasing for the fashion show. You know how Rarity is with her outfits." Pinkie Pie said. Rarity was one who made sure that every last detail had been addressed before presenting her outfits. If even a tiny bit of detail was incorrect, she wouldn't rest until it was resolved. I admired her dedication to something that fascinated her, but at the same time I had to question whether she was being a tad obsessive with perfection. I felt annoyed about having to go and find Rarity, yet I needed to see if she needed my help and if she could help me, as well. I was about to leave when I addressed something which bothered me about Pinkie.

" You know, you can ask for the other students to help you, right?" I asked.

" Nope!" Pinkie Pie answered.

" What do you mean 'nope'?"

" I'm perfectly capable of handling things on my own, Sunset. Besides, most don't seem to understand my creative vision. I don't know why. I just imagine something in my mind and do it on a whim." Pinkie Pie answered. I should have known she would say something like that. Thanking her, I left the gym and began making my way to the art room. I then began thinking about the magic problem and how it related to Pinkie. Her zany attitude combined with her ability to defy logic made me think that perhaps her magic was an embodiment of all that was unusual, or a representation of having the freedom to do what you wanted. I could have asked her to clarify, but I wasn't willing to sit there for who knows how long and listen to her chatter on and on.

As I arrived at the art room, I could hear the sounds of someone being dramatic coming from the other side of the door. Rarity must be inside! She was known for being melodramatic, which did get annoying at times. I could understand being frustrated, but acting out like everything had gone wrong in the world would raise eyebrows. Opening the door, I saw Rarity, who was running about, trying to accomplish several tasks at once. She looked incredibly stressed. When she noticed I was looking at her, she stopped what she was doing before walking over to me, pretending nothing was wrong.

" Sunset? I thought you would be in the gym." Rarity said.

" I was until Pinkie told me that you were here." I said.

" Oh my! I simply must apologize for giving you the run-around, darling. I wanted to make sure that the outfits I'm presenting for the fashion show were perfect, so I came here to do some last-minute touch-ups. These are, without a doubt, my best outfits yet! The athletes are going to look simply divine when they showcase these! Rainbow Dash certainly surprised me when she agreed to wear one. After all, she isn't known for wanting to wear anything fancy. The same applies with Applejack." Rarity said.

" What's with the papers on the table over there?" I asked, changing the subject. I walked over and saw that each paper had uniform designs on them. Was Rarity going to be making the new uniforms, or was this some other project she was working on?

" If you really must know, darling, they are some rough-drafts for uniforms in case the fundraiser doesn't work out. I'm really hoping that it does, as it would do wonders for school morale, but it doesn't hurt to have a back-up plan. They're not finished yet, so there's no need for you to fawn over them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I simply must get back to finishing off these outfits. I don't want Rainbow Dash and the others to wear inferior attire!" Rarity answered. She then walked back over to where her outfits were each hanging on plastic mannequins. They really were stunning. Once again, Rarity had outdone herself, but my attention was on the papers she left behind. From my perspective, they looked good enough, but she shouldn't keep them to herself. I'd bet she could get more attention for the fashion show if students saw these.

Without Rarity noticing, I pulled out my cellphone and took several photos of the designs before quietly leaving the room. I then logged on to the internet and uploaded the photos onto the Rainbooms website. It wasn't the most glamourous site out there, but it was useful in expressing our thoughts and letting everyone know what each of us were up to. Once I finished uploading the photos, I left the building, as Fluttershy was at the local animal shelter; she was a regular volunteer whenever she had any spare time. Because of how much she loved being around so many animals, she sometimes felt like one of them. She always felt at ease whenever she found herself surrounded by animals.

It didn't take long for me to reach the animal shelter, and when I walked in through the main entrance, I could see that things were pretty quiet. Fluttershy was busy attending to each animal, so I waited until she was finished. I knew that making an announcement while she was concentrating would just scare her. The animal shelter was a pretty impressive facility: clean, plenty of space for various animals, fully qualified veterinarians, and easily accessible. One could easily work in such a well-kept place, plus there were the animals, though some did cause problems.

" Sunset!" Fluttershy said when she finally noticed me. " How long have you been here for?"

" I just arrived." I answered.

" I'm guessing you came all this way to see how the animals are doing?" Fluttershy asked.

" You sure do love looking after them."

" Uh-huh. Nothing pleases me more than seeing an animal happy. They often aren't able to take care of themselves, and that's why so many end up here. When kind-hearted people come through those doors to adopt one of these critters, I just know things will be better for everyone involved." Fluttershy said.

" Are those some of the animals that will be in the pet parade?"

" Yes. Each of them have been fully trained, so there won't be any accidents or anything like that. Um, I should let you know that none of the exotic animals are permitted to be included in the parade. The doctors don't want them to be surrounded by prying eyes." Fluttershy answered.

" Fair enough."

" You should volunteer here sometime."

" I'd love to, but I have a lot on my mind right now."

" Oh, yes. The events for the fundraiser must be coming along very nicely by now."

" That's not all that's been bothering me." I said. Fluttershy tilted her head slightly in confusion, so I then explained to her about the magic problem. I also realized that I didn't get a chance to explain the magic problem to both Pinkie and Rarity. While explaining things, Fluttershy continued tending the animals, which didn't bother me. It was actually rather adorable seeing those little guys smile at her. " So you see, I've been wracking my brain trying to make sense of how magic works in this world. I've got both Rainbow Dash and Applejack helping me, although it took a little convincing to get them on board."

" Um, I could help you with your magic problem." Fluttershy said.

" What about the animals?"

" My shift is just about done, so I can go back to school with you."

" Doesn't it feel weird that you come here during the middle of a school day?"

" Not at all. Principal Celestia knows how much taking care of animals means to me, so she allows me to come here so long as I don't neglect my studies. You know, I've actually been thinking about something, as well. Um, I'm not sure how to best explain this, but I'll try. You, um, come from another world, right? A world filled with talking ponies? Equestria, wasn't it? What do you miss about it?" Fluttershy asked. I was taken aback by her question. Throughout all my years of living here, no one had ever asked me how I felt about being away from my true home. Granted, no one ever knew about it until the Fall Formal, when I became a demon. No one born in this world would have the ability to become a horrifying creature.

" What did you say?" I asked.

" Do you miss your pony friends there?" Fluttershy asked.

" My friends? To be honest, I don't miss them, because I didn't have any friends. I was a much different person back then. When I was growing up, I was ignored by my parents in favour of my siblings. No matter how hard I tried to impress them with my magic, they never took notice of me. I had resented them for doting over them and leaving me to find my own path, yet I still do think of them on a rare occasion. Their neglect towards me reflected itself when I eventually left home to study at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Many ponies wanted to become friends with me, but I didn't want to be hurt like I was with my family. Rather than accept them as friends, I scorned them by calling them weak for thinking that friendship was important. I told them they would never amount to anything." I answered.

" You never told this to any of us before." Fluttershy said.

" It was a long time ago."

" That does explain why you acted the way you did when you first came to CHS."

" If not for Princess Twilight, I wouldn't have the friends that I do now."

" Then it's good that she came after you." Fluttershy said. I wished she hadn't brought up the theft of Her Highness' crown. That was the catalyst which caused all of this insanity with magic to happen in the first place. Had I chosen to not steal her crown, this world would have carried on like normal. I could have lived a relatively peaceful life while battling an urge to return home. " Sunset? If you'd like, we can drop the subject. I don't want to sound like I'm, um, intruding on your private life." Fluttershy said. My past was something that I didn't like talking about. It was a reminder of all my failures in life.

" I appreciate that."

" What you said to me... I won't tell anyone else."

" Thanks."

" By the way, what did you say Rainbow Dash was doing?"

" She's using a monitoring device to check on her heart rate and caloric burn. It's my way of having her provide me some information on how magic works. Applejack is also helping me out, and you did say that you'd help as well." I answered.

" Um, what do you want me to do?"

" I'll think of something when we get back to school."

" I, um, suppose that's fair."

" Why don't you go on ahead? I need to check this place out for research purposes anyway. After all, you could be using magic here and not even realize it. I'll probably take a few minutes, as I need to get back in time for class." I said. Fluttershy nodded before turning around and leaving after she slipped a time card into a slot, indicating that her shift had concluded. Taking out a small notepad and a pencil from my pocket, I began to look around to see if there was any magical essence from Fluttershy. There had to be a magical reason why the animals were so attracted to her. The looks on their faces when she comforted them must have something to do with her magic. What started out as a few minutes quickly turned into almost half-an-hour. When I noticed how much time had passed, I panicked and left the animal shelter. I was going to be so late! I was sure I closed the door behind me as I left. Yeah. I was sure of it.

That was all of my friends accounted for, yet I was disappointed that Pinkie and Rarity didn't need my help with their contributions. I was able to help Fluttershy briefly when she needed me to help feed the animals while she listened to what I had to say about my past. I felt uncomfortable just thinking about how my life had once been filled with nothing but contempt for everyone around me. That was the old Sunset Shimmer. The new me had everything under control! Once I got a little closer to the school, I slowed my running down to a brisk walk, confidant things would only get better from there.

" You do realize that was an oversight on your part." Twilight said.

" About leaving the door to the shelter open?" I asked.

" No, not that!"

" Oh... What I said to Fluttershy about my childhood."

" You said that none of our friends knew anything about your past, yet you mentioned that little tidbit to Fluttershy." Twilight said. I quickly looked in the journal to see if I had written something down, and sure enough there it was in plain sight. How could I have forgotten something like that? Had my mind tried to make me forget because it would remind me of the pain I endured during those days? Twilight had since been looking at me with her hands on her hips, an angry look spread across her face. I had been telling her a lie all this time and never realized it until now. " Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Twilight asked.

" My mind may have blocked that incident from my memory. I don't ever recall telling Fluttershy about my childhood, but the proof is there in the journal. I wrote that entry down late last year, so it's been some time." I answered.

" That's not a very good excuse."

" No, it really isn't."

" But I'm not going to scold you for it. I know you must have had a lot on your mind when you wrote that down, and you most likely repressed that memory. You were just as shocked as I was when you read that part." Twilight said. She really was sweet for not putting me on the spot, but were there other instances of this? Had I blocked out other memories out of fear? Or, was I suffering from memory lapses? I pray that there are no more unexpected twists like this one. " Now, onto the fact that you left the door to the animal shelter open. Did you even know that you did that?"

" I was running behind schedule and my only thought was to get back to class." I answered.

" I'll bet those in charge of the shelter were pretty irate about it."

" They weren't the only ones."

" Principal Celestia?"

" Yep."

" When did she find out what was going on?"

" That afternoon when an explosion happened in the kitchen." I answered. Twilight's eyes lit up in shock. I knew she would react to the word explosion, so I told her the school was still intact. The equipment I left behind with Applejack malfunctioned and blew up, but it wasn't as bad as initially suspected. " It blew off some steam before exploding, which did cause some slight damage to the surrounding area. However, Applejack tried to figure out what was wrong, and didn't pay attention to what she had placed in the oven." I then pointed at the photo that featured Applejack looking at the destruction of the kitchen. When Twilight took a closer look, she noticed that much of the kitchen had been covered with cake batter. While it did look cartoonish, she was clearly devastated. " When news of the explosion reached Principal Celestia, she immediately summoned me to her office."

Several hours passed since I got back from the animal shelter, and I continued feeling good about myself. At first, I thought that being in charge of planning the fundraiser would be nothing but misery, but it was a lot more fun than I initially expected. If it were this easy, then perhaps I should volunteer more often. The magic problem was still proving itself a daunting task, however. Hopefully, my friends would be able to give me some worthwhile results that would help me figure it out.

Math class was going the same as it always did: dull and boring. Most of what was being taught posed little to no challenge for me, and sometimes, I felt like I should just stop attending because of how much I knew. But, I chose to stick around, as some students were struggling, yet none of them ever asked for my help. I was seen as one of the smartest in school, so why avoid me in the first place? Were they afraid that I would be too harsh of a tutor? That was something else which I had been thinking about. While I had been accepted by the students, they still showed signs of not wanting to speak to me, other than the occasional 'hello'. Did I frighten them? Nah. Perhaps I was just overstressed; there was a lot on my mind. I chose to ignore such things and focus on what was important. Namely, the fundraiser and the magic problem.

All of a sudden, everything started to vibrate due to an explosion which could be heard throughout the school. My first instinct was that another problem that had to do with magic had show up, but I was surprised when Flash Sentry opened the door to the classroom five minutes later. Judging from the sweat dripping down his face, he ran here looking for something, or someone. The teacher at first didn't appreciate him interrupting her lesson, but she quickly changed her tune upon realizing the gravity of the situation.

" Why are you so exhausted Flash?"

" I need Sunset Shimmer to come with me." Flash answered.

" And why do you need her?"

" Principal Celestia asked me to tell her to report to her office." Flash answered.

" If that's the case then why not make an announcement over the P.A. system?"

" I just happened to be walking by her office, and she was too busy trying to deal with anything but the explosion. Sunset, you really should go and see her right now. She's really frustrated with what's been happening all afternoon." Flash said. Something didn't seem right about all of this, but I decided to see Principal Celestia to understand why I was needed. In hindsight, I should have suspected a problem, but I remained ignorant of the whole thing. Rather than accompany me, Flash said that he was needed elsewhere in order to calm some of the students down. That made no sense at all. Why would students be frustrated about anything but preparing for exams? CHS was a pretty good school these days, especially after my reformation, so what was going on?

It didn't take long for me to reach Principal Celestia's office, and I had to quickly duck out of the way to avoid a group of athletes who were leaving angrily. What was up with them? They looked like they were about to have a temper tantrum. Before I could think about it any further, Principal Celestia noticed me standing outside her office door, and ordered me to come inside. She had a furious look on her face, and I had a feeling she was directing her anger specifically at me.

" What is going on here?" Principal Celestia asked.

" I don't know." I answered.

" You should, considering that you broke your promise to me."

" What!? I did no such thing! Everything is still on track for the fundraiser."

" That's not what I've been hearing in the past hour, Sunset."

" I don't understand."

" The cafeteria kitchen is in shambles, and the art room is littered with fabric. I've got athletes coming into my office telling me there is no way they want to do a fashion show, and I just got a call from the animal shelter telling me that all the animals have somehow escaped. Perhaps I placed too much faith in you. Perhaps the fundraiser was a bad decision on my part, given all of these disasters." Principal Celestia said. My heart felt like it had been shattered to pieces. All of my friends' efforts had gone completely wrong. How could this have happened? Everything was going so smoothly. Did I make a mistake? As I tried to come to grips with what I had just been told, Principal Celestia asked me to come with her so that I could see the disaster with my own eyes. " First, we will go to the kitchen, where I suspect you had something to do with the explosion that just happened."

" I had everything under control." I said.

" I'm sorry to say, Sunset, but I think you may not have been the best choice to be in charge, after all. Your friends did insist on you being given such an important job, so what has happened will also be placed on their shoulders." Principal Celestia said. My friends had nothing to do with this! She couldn't pin the blame on them. I would soon learn that her words had a lot of truth to them.

The kitchen was completely covered in dough, the source of it being the oven. The device I had left behind for Applejack had indeed exploded, causing some slight damage around the immediate area. Applejack herself just stared at everything before turning towards me in utter shock. She wasn't the only one feeling that way. I couldn't believe what I was looking at. I felt compelled to take out my cellphone and take a photo of this mess, so I did before Principal Celestia asked me to follow her to the art room. When we arrived there and walked through the door, my jaw dropped upon seeing so much fabric littered about. In the middle of the room was Rarity and, once again, she was being overdramatic, although there appeared to be a reason behind it, for once. She noticed me standing by the door and rushed over to me, tears gushing from her eyes.

" I'm ruined! Absolutely ruined!" Rarity shouted.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" Students have been ridiculing my outfits after seeing photos of my uniform designs on our website. Sunset! Why did you post those? No one was meant to see those. They were still in the planning stages! No one will ever take me seriously again! I'm ruined!" Rarity answered. She then ran back to the middle of the room before bursting into more tears, and I took another photo with my cellphone for no reason. I was about to go over and comfort her, but Principal Celestia beckoned me to follow her outside. A group of athletes were shouting at Rainbow Dash, and I barely heard her say that she didn't get in enough practice. I knew right away she was talking about the monitoring device I placed on her wrist earlier. I slapped my forehead upon realizing that I forgot Rainbow Dash and the soccer team were having a practice session for tonight's game.

" I am very disappointed in you, Sunset." Principal Celestia said.

" I'm so sorry things spiraled out of control." I said.

" Once all of this has been sorted out, I'll need to find someone else to be in charge of the fundraiser."

" It's still happening?"

" I'm not going to cancel it just because of all these mishaps, but again, I must reiterate that perhaps you weren't the best choice." Principal Celestia.

" Please give me another chance!" I said.

" And why do you think you deserve one?"

" Because I can fix all of this in time for the fashion show tomorrow. I just need to be given a chance to prove myself worthy of your trust. I know I really messed up and my friends are sure to tell me how things went wrong. But, if I don't fix this, then it means I've failed in my job as overseer." I answered.

" Very well, Sunset. I'll give you another chance. Your determination to fix your mistakes shows me that you're taking this very seriously. I do hope that you will get everything back in order before long." Principal Celestia said. As she walked away, I slumped down to my knees and began to cry. There was no doubt about it. I never should have forced my friends into helping me figure out the magic problem. They should have focused on the fundraiser instead. How could I have been so blind? I had to fix all of these problems before they snowball further out of control. My friends may not be willing to forgive me straight away for my blunders, but I hoped they would find it in their hearts to forgive me a later date.

The first thing I needed to do was gather my friends and apologize to them. Luckily, we were all meeting in the library later, as was discussed yesterday. That would happen in roughly an hour, so for the time being, I returned to class, thinking of how to fix this mess.

" You must have been so heartbroken." Twilight said.

" I truly messed up." I said.

" Did they ever round all the animals up?"

" They did, which was very fortunate." I sighed. " I shouldn't have focused on solving the magic problem. That alone was the reason why everything fell apart. Our friends couldn't concentrate on their own contributions while having to do some extra work just to give me research. I should have been honest with them from the start by explaining my true motives. That would have made things a lot easier, and it would have prevented the mistakes from happening." I said.

" At least everyone forgave you and all was well." Twilight said. She wouldn't have said that had she known what would happen several weeks after the fundraiser. I wasn't looking forward to telling her about that incident, but I knew that it was coming up very soon. My mental anguish during the Battle of the Bands was nothing compared to what happened during those four days before the winter break. I shuddered at the thought of having to relive that experience again. Twilight took notice of my sudden reaction, but chose not to say anything about it. She had gotten used to seeing me drift off into my own subconscious by this point.

" I'm not going to say how wrong that statement was until later." I said.

" Fair enough."

" Anyway, we would all meet at our favourite spot in the library where no one could hear us."

" Where was that?"

" On the second floor, at a small table past rows A through J." I answered. Heh! It had just occurred to me that we were past rows A through J--AJ, our seldom-used nickname for Applejack. I was surprised that Twilight wanted to know where we sat in the library. Perhaps she desired to see our favourite spot for herself one day. I should make a mental note to do just that. After all, she was part of our group now.

My friends and I met in the library at our favourite spot. While there were much better locations for us to hang-out, we found that this exact location just spoke to us, as though it wanted us to convene here whenever we had an emergency and our regular music room was unavailable. I had been pretty nervous confronting them. After all, I had a lot to answer for, given that I had caused so many mistakes all at once. I ruined Rainbow Dash's practice, I ruined Applejack's baking, I ruined Rarity's reputation as a fashion designer, and I allowed animals under Fluttershy's care to run loose throughout Canterlot. Pinkie was the only one whose contribution hadn't been tainted by my hands. Worst of all, my promise to Principal Celestia had been broken. She had lost faith in me to be a good leader.

For the first few minutes, everyone was silent, apart from the occasional cough. I felt stressed beyond belief. I was waiting for someone to say something, because I knew they had much to say. It felt like I was standing before a jury in a courtroom and nervously awaiting the inevitable guilty response. Eventually, Rainbow Dash, as expected, would finally break the silence.

" What were you thinking!?"

" I know I really messed things up." I answered.

" More like you caused several disasters!"

" Y'all don't need to overcomplicate things." Applejack said.

" We shouldn't have agreed to help you deal with the magic problem." Rainbow Dash said.

" I know, and it's my fault that I didn't come clean when we had our discussion last night. When I saw all of you talking about what you wanted to contribute, I really wanted to bring up the issue regarding the magic, but my heart just couldn't do it. I didn't want to ruin the moment. Before we all came here, I quickly sent Princess Twilight a message explaining what happened." I said, Her response was exactly what I had expected from Her Highness. She showed utter disappointment in how I allowed myself to get overwhelmed by trying to do so much all at once. She even scolded me for not being honest with our friends. I would have really gotten an earful from her had she witnessed the blunders I made in person. My friends could tell that I was really upset, but I raised my hand to stop them from showing me any kind of pity. " I'm not about to pretend that nothing went wrong and that everything is perfect. I screwed up, and nothing can be done to change that."

" If you had told us, darling, I am sure we could have come up with a reasonable compromise." Rarity said.

" We're your friends, Sunset! You can always rely on us to be there to help you. Now, I know none of us are as experienced with magic as you, but I reckon that don't mean nothing at all. We can still give our own input whenever y'all need it." Applejack said.

" Guess I wasn't being a good friend." I said.

" You're still learnin'." Applejack said.

" You'll have it mastered, easy-peasy!" Pinkie Pie said.

" However! We ain't about to forgive you straight away for almost ruining the fundraiser. You don't want any pity fer your actions, so we won't be giving you any. I'd say it'll take us a few days for us to get over it. None of us could ever hold a grudge against you, Sunset." Applejack said. The smile on her face told me she and the others were serious about forgiving me, so I smiled back at her in response. I'm glad they weren't going to go easy on me; I wouldn't learn anything about friendship if I'm easily forgiven for making even a small mistake. Sometimes you had to experience hardships, which, in turn, could result in stronger bonds being forged.

" Um, so how do you plan on helping us out?" Fluttershy asked. We then looked at one another before everyone turned their attention towards me. While I had been nervous about being chewed out, I had come up with ideal solutions to help resolve any issues. Principal Celestia had given me a second chance to prove myself of her trust, and I wasn't about to squander the opportunity.

" Just tell me what to do and I'll do it." I answered.

" You think you can persuade my teammates to model in the fashion show?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Can you repair my style status?" Rarity asked.

" Can you do some real cooking if I show you how?" Applejack asked.

" Can you blow up some balloons?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Can you help me bring the animals here for the pet parade?" Fluttershy asked.

" I can do it all." I answered. While it did sound like a pretty tall order, I was going to give it my all to fix my mistakes. This time, I was going to do the smart thing and ignore the magic problem. At least, for the time being. The fundraiser was the more important thing. " While I help each of you with your contributions, I'd also like to apologize for my mistakes and for making you do something you weren't comfortable with."

" We accept that." Applejack said.

" What about the uniforms? Have you figured out a way for people to realize their potential, as you claim?" Rarity asked.

" I've been thinking about that, and I do have something which should prove effective. It'll take me until late tonight before I finish it. You can relax, Rarity. I know what needs to be done to ensure the right responses are heard." I answered. Rarity hugged me, followed by the rest of my friends, and I smiled in response to their loving embrace. It felt wonderful knowing that I was experiencing friendship instead of wandering about alone. There was still the matter of selling enough tickets for the fashion show, though Rarity said that she would handle that. At least that was one thing I didn't need to worry about. Things were starting to turn around for the better once again, but I couldn't help but feel that something could still cause a problem.

Should I be worried about that? Yes. You never know when something could come along and hinder any chance of progress.

" Nice to see that you managed to get things under control." Twilight said.

" I made sure to do exactly what our friends told me." I said.

" No doubt it all worked out."

" In fact, it went much better than any of us expected. Granted, I did have to do a lot of convincing to get the athletes to want to be in the fashion show. They were still being pretty stubborn, but Rainbow Dash was on hand to get them on board." I said.

" Did something else go wrong?"

" It did, and I wasn't surprised about it."

" What happened?"

" Trixie happened."

Chapter 43: The Trouble With Trixie

Day: Friday
Weather: Rain
Time: 2:00pm

After learning Pinkie Pie didn't need my help, I went to assist both Rarity and Fluttershy with their contributions to the fundraiser. My only goal was to get a better understanding of my friends and have them, in turn, provide some concrete evidence of their magic. Everything was going perfectly. It wouldn't last. Principal Celestia revealed to me how things really went. The kitchen was a mess, as was the art room. I had accidentally let the animals at the shelter escape. The athletes refused to participate in the fashion show, hating Rarity's designs. I had broken my promise to Principal Celestia, but I wasn't about to give up. I began to fix the mess I had made by helping my friends in the right way, but there was another problem. Ticket sales for the fashion show were abysmal, my school image being the reason. Someone was spreading nasty rumours about me, and I suspected Trixie of being behind it. After all, she still had a grudge over how I almost choked her.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 17, 2016
Chapter 43: The Trouble With Trixie.

" Trixie again!?" Twilight exclaimed. I was surprised that she was surprised. I expected her to have seen it coming, considering Trixie had been causing problems for the Rainbooms during those two weeks. Trixie usually had an issue with Rainbow Dash, but this time she was fixated solely on me. I knew why she made my life miserable. My past had come back to haunt me much sooner than expected. " Why is she so insistent on causing so much trouble? I mean, I understand she was upset about not winning the Battle of the Bands, but she should've accepted her band's defeat with dignity." Twilight said.

" Oh, she did." I said.

" What do you mean?"

" Trixie quickly got over not winning, but there was another reason for her actions. She accepted her defeat, but not what I almost did to her. Remember when I said that I nearly choked her after she accused me of being jealous? That was the source behind Trixie's grudge with me. Everyone had forgiven me for my past actions, yet only she believed I was still a bully. If you had been in her shoes, and if I almost choked you to death, you'd still think I was nothing but a monster." I answered. A monster... Trixie accused me of being one despite how I'd changed, yet she had a valid point. I blame myself for losing control of my emotions. Had I tried to reason with her instead of lashing out, there would have been no further problems with the fundraiser. Instead, I had to do some damage control, otherwise our hard work would have been for nothing. Unlike other problems, this one didn't involve magic in any way.

" Sunset..." Twilight said.

" I made good on my promise to help our friends with their contributions, but the only thing that remained was selling the tickets to the fashion show. We had printed out at least several hundred, with the goal being to sell them in a single day, and the show would happen that Thursday night." I said.

" Did you?" Twilight asked.

" We sold roughly ten tickets from Wednesday afternoon to midday Thursday."

" Only ten!?"

" The student body may have forgiven me for what I did to them, but my school image was still pretty bad. It would take a couple of months for it to improve. Everyone knew that I was in charge of the fundraiser, as Principal Celestia informed them. However, my image worsened when rumours started to spread that vilified me. That was why ticket sales was so low. No one wanted to watch something that I helped organize." I answered. Forgiveness was one thing, but trust was something else. When I discovered what those rumours depicted, I was beside myself with horror. I wanted to finally put my past behind me, but it proved difficult when it continued to find new ways to get under my skin. Trixie didn't know everything about my past, which was a relief, but what she did know would prove damaging.

" What kind of rumours?" Twilight asked.

" Trixie claimed that I was only pretending to be a nice girl and was secretly planning on ruling the school again once things calmed down. She also accused me of scaring away Princess Twilight from CHS twice out of fear that I knew her greatest secret. None of that is true. First of all, I would never hurt my friends. Second, I didn't know everything about Her Highness. I still don't even now, and I'm fine with that! She has every right to have some things about her remain private." I answered.

" How did our friends react to the rumours?" Twilight asked.

" I was with them when they were being spread, so they knew I wasn't doing it deliberately." I answered.

" And Principal Celestia?"

" She didn't know what was happening."

" Oh?"

" Her assumption was that ticket sales were bad because of a lack of interest."

" Sounds like everything was always stacked against you."

" I'm used to it."

After our meeting, Rarity printed off several hundred tickets for the fashion show and asked a fellow fashionista she trusted to handle ticket sales. With that small problem taken care of, I would spend the duration of the afternoon and evening helping my friends with their contributions. I accompanied Rainbow Dash to speak to the athletes. It took some convincing from her in addition to an apology from me to get them on board for showcasing the outfits during the show. Using my computer skills, I created a special application that showcased Rarity's outfits in a more positive light than what I uploaded onto the Rainbooms' website. I aided Applejack with baking, helping her clean up after she had prepared one of her dishes. I even got to bake, although I went with something really simple; I wasn't ready for anything complicated. Pinkie Pie allowed me to blow up some extra balloons for the fashion show, and she even allowed me to use her party cannon. I'm not sure when she got that, nor did I know if it was legal, but I'll admit it was a blast to fire that thing, pun intended. Finally, I accompanied Fluttershy to the animal shelter before closing time and apologized for letting the animals out. I even got to see which animals would be part of the pet parade.

Principal Celestia offered her congratulations when she witnessed my hard work on fixing the mistakes I made. Hearing her words of encouragement was exactly what I needed. I even got additional encouragement from Princess Twilight via an unexpected message in my magic journal. If there was one disappointment, it would be that I still didn't know what to contribute to the fundraiser. Then again, after almost ruining the current contributions, perhaps it was best that I stuck with helping my friends.

That night, I was able to get a good night's sleep. Everything had really come full circle. By taking responsibility for my actions and fixing the problems I caused, I had proven myself to be quite the capable leader. Of course, I couldn't have done it if my friends hadn't been there to help me. Maybe this whole leadership thing wasn't a bad idea. It was something I could consider as a possible career, although in what capacity, I couldn't figure out. As I slept, one image danced about in my dreams. I was standing there in front of a large audience, and performing on stage with my friends. The audience were chanting my name, and in response, I thanked them for giving me a second chance. I followed up by dedicating the Rainbooms' next song to them. Was it a coincidence that I would be dreaming about performing as a Rainboom? Perhaps it was a premonition?

Throughout this brief ordeal, I kept the urge to work on solving the magic problem at bay. I already allowed my obsession with it to cause problems, and I wasn't about to let it happen again. There would be better opportunities for me later to really get my hands dirty and focus on figuring it out. The next day, I spent my free period walking around the neighbourhood where CHS was situated. I rarely did anything like this, as before, I felt this world was beneath me. It shows that once you take the time to appreciate something, you get a better understanding of not only your surroundings but of yourself, as well. When I got back to school, my friends were waiting for me. They looked jittery, but as I got closer, I could see they were actually panicking.

" Are we glad you're back, darling!" Rarity said.

" I just thought I'd take the time to appreciate the neighbourhood." I said.

" Reckon you should have come back a lot sooner." Applejack said.

" Why? What happened?" I asked.

" We checked to see how many tickets for the fashion show have been sold, and we only counted ten purchases." Applejack answered. Ten? That didn't sound like a bad number to me, but my friends obviously knew something that I didn't. Otherwise, they wouldn't be freaking out on me right now.

" Has that been within the last hour or two? I know the tickets started going on sale late yesterday afternoon, so perhaps people didn't hear about it?" I asked.

" Oh, they heard, all right." Applejack answered.

" We've only sold ten since yesterday, and the show is supposed to be tonight!" Rainbow Dash shouted. What!? Only ten have been sold since last night? That couldn't be right. I know the fundraiser had experienced problems because of how I screwed up, but things had gotten much better within the last twenty-four hours. How could this have happened? Why were students and the local residents hesitating? What was going on? Once again, there were plenty of questions, but no answers for them.

" This is an absolute disaster! The worst possible thing!" Rarity shouted.

" Now calm down, Rarity. No need to start panicking." I said.

" Of course we have to panic, Sunset! Because of the lack of ticket sales, we'll need to postpone the fashion show until tomorrow. That means having to reschedule the pet parade as well, and I don't think the doctors there are going to be happy about that." Rainbow Dash said. I wasn't sure why we needed to postpone things, but Rainbow quickly explained that we now needed an extra day to make up for poor sales. I had a feeling if things continued like this, a single day wouldn't be enough. " Shoot! Why are these things happening? It's so frustrating, especially since you've done such an awesome job of turning everything around." Rainbow Dash said.

" Um, I'm sure I can explain things over at the shelter." Fluttershy said.

" Do ya need any of us to come with you?" Applejack asked.

" No, I'll be fine. It won't be easy for me to explain, but I think I can manage." Fluttershy answered.

" Does Principal Celestia know about this?" I asked.

" Not yet, as far as we know." Applejack answered.

" That's probably the only bit of good news we have." Rarity added. I then turned my attention to Pinkie Pie, and she had a look on her face that told me she was dying to tell me something. I tilted my head at Rarity a few times to get her attention; she had since starting overreacting by dropping to her knees in despair. " Huh? Oh yes! There is something you need to know, Sunset. While it would be prudent for me to explain things, I'll allow Pinkie to handle it. After all, she looks like she is about to burst."

" Rumours have been spread about you!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

" I'm sorry, what?" I asked.

" I said rumours have been spread about you." Pinkie Pie answered. That's what I thought she said. I couldn't quite catch it the first time, as she spoke too quickly, but hearing that made my heart shatter. What did that have to do with the lack of ticket sales? Why would anyone want to spread false rumours about me? Granted, I probably deserved it, considering I did the same thing, but I don't do that anymore. I began shaking Pinkie's shoulders out of desperation. I needed to know why this was happening. " Okay, I get that you really want to know. You look so excited about it." That wasn't what I'd call it. " Earlier, I overheard some students say they originally planned on buying tickets, but chose not to when they found out that the fundraiser had been your idea. In fact, the entire student body were the same way."

" They aren't buying tickets because I was put in charge?" I asked.

" Well, no, it doesn't have to do with that, really. They refuse to buy tickets because of the rumours about you. Someone said that you're still a bully and that your whole reformation was a sham. That person also insists that you plan on ruling CHS again once everyone has completely forgotten what you did." Pinkie Pie answered. Ridiculous! I had no intention of taking over the school again. I've learned from my mistakes and have become better for it! Whoever was spreading these false rumours really had an axe to grind with me.

" Your reputation is sunk." Rainbow Dash said.

" Not really helping." Applejack said.

" There's more." Pinkie Pie announced.

" What next?" I asked.

" Finally, this person says that you caused Princess Twilight to run away twice from CHS and go back to wherever she came from. It has something to do with you knowing her greatest secret." Pinkie Pie answered.

I couldn't believe it! My efforts in the last twenty-four hours to fix the mistakes I made had just amounted to nothing. I dropped to my knees and buried my head in my hands, bursting into tears. These rumours had effectively frightened students into not buying tickets to the fashion show. Rainbow Dash's dream was crushed! The athletes would never get their uniforms now, and everyone was going to blame me for this. Why? How? What could I do?

" Sunset! Snap out of it!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" How can I when these rumours have ruined everything?" I asked.

" We can still fix this! You were helpin' each of us the other day. If anyone thinks these rumours are true, then we'll back ya up. You're our friend." Applejack answered.

" Now it's our turn to help you, darling." Rarity added.

" Thank you." I said. I got back up onto my feet, and Fluttershy wiped away the tears on my face with a hankerchief. My friends were right! We could easily fix this problem before it spiraled even further out of control. I started to think about what Pinkie said regarding those rumours. Whoever it was must have had a grudge against me. They also had to have known some things about me to have come up with rumours that related to me. At first, no one in particular fit the description I was thinking of, so I had to dig a little deeper, focusing on those I had wronged during my time here. Unfortunately, that narrowed things down to pretty much everyone. Already, this was proving itself to be a daunting task, but there was a solution. " I have an idea that might work to nip this rumour thing in the bud."

" What did you have in mind?" Fluttershy asked.

" Remember how I apologized to every student in the gym after the Fall Formal? Well, I was thinking that I should befriend all of them this time and prove that I'm not the same person who once bullied them for three years. If I can get everyone to gather in the gym, then the one student who doesn't show up is the one behind this." I answered.

" And if they don't want to meet there?" Applejack asked.

" I could always walk about the halls and befriend them that way." I answered.

" Do you need our help, darling?" Rarity asked.

" I think this is something I need to do on my own." I answered.

" Reckon that's a good idea, Sunset. The rest of us need to focus on finishing our contributions for the fundraiser, but if y'all need any kind of help, just give us a holler and we'll come a-runnin'." Applejack said. My friends then walked inside, leaving me to come up with a way to get everyone else to go to the gym. The most obvious solution would have been to make an announcement on the P.A. system, but that would have meant informing Principal Celestia about this. It wasn't a good idea to have her get involved. While this one student had made me feel miserable, I held no anger towards them. Instead, I felt sympathetic and believed that I could resolve this problem without further conflict. Perhaps I was getting better at understanding friendship than I initially thought.

So then, how do I get everyone to the gym? I realized that wouldn't be a good idea anyway. The gym was currently being used for the fashion show, and Pinkie had filled it up with countless decorations. No one would have any room to maneuver about in there, so it looked like my second option was the way to go. It would mean taking a long time to get through this, but I had plenty of time on my hands. Besides, I wanted to make a good first impression without coming off as desperate. There were about fifty-six students attending CHS, so if I spend about two or three minutes getting to know them, that would take one hundred and twelve to one hundred and sixty-eight minutes. Roughly three hours.

" Guess I'd better get started. It'll take the rest of the afternoon. I know I have class to attend, but I'm going to do this." I said to myself. My first students to talk to happened to be approaching the school at that moment. There were a dozen of them, and when they came up to me, I began a conversation, explaining that the rumours about me were false. They appeared skeptical initially, but I reassured them that my intentions were noble. I said that if I were as bad as the rumours claimed, then why would I take the time to talk? I would have bullied them. The students then started talking back, and we discussed school life and future careers. When we finished talking, they walked inside with smiles on their faces. That went rather well. Would it be just as easy with everyone else, or would it only get harder from here?

" Why did you stop right there?" Twilight asked.

" I'm thirsty. I could do with some more cider." I answered.

" Sometimes I think you're just being cruel by stopping at such inappropriate moments." Twilight moaned before folding her arms and pouting. I know that my interruptions were annoying, especially when going into the real juicy bits, but my throat can only take so much.

One thing that remained adorable was Twilight's face whenever she pouted. She would scrunch up her face, which made me smile. It's like she were a little girl who was upset that she wasn't getting her way. Taking the bottle of cider she had provided, I poured another three cups, gulping down one at a time until my throat felt better. I then urged Twilight to have some, but she insisted on maintaining her pout. This was something about her I had learned from our meeting tonight. Whenever she pouted, it was impossible to deal with her. Luckily, I had plenty of patience, despite having to endure so much anguish.

" Okay, we can continue now." I said.

" What was it like talking to the students on more friendly terms as opposed to apologizing to them?" Twilight asked.

" Despite having to prove that the rumours about me were false, I didn't feel like I was being judged. In fact, once they started to get to know me, they wanted to know if I could hang out with them in the future. To think that a month ago back then, they would have been afraid to speak with me. I had come a long way in a short period of time. With each student I spoke to, I grew more confident in myself. I just wish I could have spoken to everyone in the gym. It would have saved some time." I answered.

" What about Trixie?" Twilight asked.

" She was the last one I talked to."

" Is it because you approached her last after figuring it out?"

" No. When I walked around talking to everyone, Trixie was the only one that I never ran into. When she ended up being the lone student I hadn't spoken with, I figured she was the one who had spread the rumours. If she hadn't been guilty, she would have spoken to me much sooner." I answered. It also paid to ask the right questions, especially to those who knew her best. Despite her self-righteous attitude, Trixie was popular at CHS. I had asked the other students why someone like her had been avoiding me. Her popularity meant in theory she would have been one of the first students I approached to further her own credibility. When they told me they didn't know where she was, I grew suspicious, but ignored it. That was idiotic of me. If I had followed my suspicion, she would have been found out immediately.

" Did she admit or deny having been responsible?" Twilight asked.

" Neither."

" What's that supposed to mean?"

" All she said was 'maybe' when I asked."

" That sounds like a guilty response to me."

" I guess."

" At least you managed to befriend everyone in the span of an entire afternoon."

" Actually, it took a lot longer than that. I still had classes to attend at the time, so I had to squeeze in greeting my fellow students in-between. I ended up spending the rest of that Thursday and much of Friday talking to everyone, but it was worth it. I got to appreciate them a lot better than I had in the past. It's kind of funny. A lot of them had similar anxieties as mine when they first came to CHS, and it took them several months before finally fitting in. Of course, they didn't come from a magical world filled with talking ponies, but that's not important. It felt nice knowing I had so much in common with them." I said. The only drawback was the rumour issue and the lack of ticket sales forced us to delay the fashion show until the following Monday.

It still amazes me that Principal Celestia never once suspected that the delay involved me being made to look bad. I had to give Trixie some credit when she made sure every loose end had been covered up when she spread the rumours. Turning my attention to Twilight, she was pointing down at the journal, a glum expression on her face. When I looked down to see what she was complaining about, I was surprised to see that she had turned the page without me noticing. On this page, there was yet another photo, this one a selfie of Trixie complete with her autograph on the bottom of it.

" Why would you have a selfie of her?" Twilight asked.

" Because I did the right thing."

Talking to the other students and befriending them proved to be more difficult than I thought. I had to speak to them during the five-minute gaps in-between classes, meaning I needed longer than one afternoon. By the time school finished for the day, I had spoken to roughly fifteen students, and there was still another forty remaining. Of the students I had spoken to, it felt invigorating to hear what they were thinking about. Initially, my assumption was that they didn't want to talk out of fear that I would bully them. I was surprised when roughly half of the students initiated the conversation upon seeing me approach. Through my conversations, I learned the students were always worried about what they were going to do after graduating from CHS, among other things, including puberty, romance, and financial stability. The students of CHS were generally laid-back, but I guess I never knew what had been on their minds. Just thinking about how I used to bully them while they had such thoughts made me sick to my stomach. I also learned that the one who had been spreading rumours about me thought highly of themselves.

Perhaps the strangest thing I experienced during my meet-and-greet was that the more popular students wanted me to speak with them before anyone else. Popularity... At one time, it was something I strove for, my mind consumed with wanting to rule over everyone else. It didn't matter who I crushed beneath my heel on the way to the top. My goal was to rule the school through fear and intimidation. I never want to go back there again. All popularity does is hurt those less fortunate by others who are nothing more than bullies who view themselves as perfection. When the popular students desired my friendship, I needed to make sure they were sincere about it. If they only wanted my friendship just to further their own popularity, I'd refuse their requests because they weren't worthy. If they insisted, I'd teach them about humility, something I lacked, the catalyst that lead me down the path that consumed my life for many years.

The next day came, and I continued speaking with students and becoming friends with them. Ticket sales for the fashion show were still abysmal, the number sold not rising past ten, but I wasn't about to let that get in the way of making friends. It soon became apparent that one student had been avoiding me. For some reason, I hadn't seen Trixie since I started talking with the student body. Given how she claimed herself to be incredibly popular--along with great and powerful--I was certain she would have wanted to become my friend. Yet, I knew she still hadn't gotten over what I did to her when I lost control of my emotions. I still felt bad that I almost did something terrible all because she said something mean. Maybe I should find her instead and apologize for acting so irrationally.

One thing I still wished could have happened was having spoken with everyone in the gym. Having to go around the school proved exhausting, and being in-between classes meant having to get right to the point. I'd say my efforts were working despite how restrictive it felt. When I spoke with more students, I asked them if they had seen Trixie lately, and their responses were surprising. She had been avoiding everyone and not just me. Why would she do something like that? Trixie loved showing off, as she needed to entertain her "audience". The thought of her hiding from everyone made no sense, but I paid it no mind. That feeling wouldn't last very long, however.

I started growing suspicious of Trixie's actions. Why was she avoiding everyone? Why do it now? I made sure to keep those questions in the back of my mind as I continued with my meet-and-greet. Eventually, I spoke with everyone... except for Trixie. Now I really felt suspicious. The only reason she was avoiding me was because she had something to hide. " Why would Trixie want to avoid me? She's the only student in school I haven't talked to. Did I really scare her that bad when I freaked out on her?" I asked myself. That's when it all suddenly clicked in my head! The one spreading the rumours had a huge ego, according to the students. I know Rainbow Dash didn't do it. That left one person: Trixie. " She's responsible! But why?" I asked myself. It didn't take long for me to find her. In fact, I could have sworn she had been looking for me.

" Trixie..." I said.

" Sunset Shimmer..." Trixie said.

" I've been looking all over for you." I said.

" Oh, have you, now?"

" Isn't it strange that you have been avoiding everyone including me?"

" That's because I don't feel the need to speak to anyone."

" Ha! I knew it!"

" Knew what?"

" You've been spreading rumors about me so that nobody wants to come to the fashion show." I answered. I was expecting Trixie to flat out deny my accusations and accuse me of trying to vilify her. Instead, she just stood there with a blank expression on her face.

" Maybe." Trixie said. Maybe? Maybe!? That was her response? She neither admits nor denies that she was responsible for making me miserable and sabotaging the fundraiser. Did she even care that she was hurting the entire school with her actions? While I continued to grow angry, Trixie remained stoic. I quickly realized that I needed to remain calm before I did something stupid. Could Trixie be intentionally trying to rouse my anger all because of what happened during the semi-finals of the Battle of the Bands? No! I'm better than that!

" Trixie... I want to know why." I said.

" Why what?" Trixie asked.

" Why you've been spreading those rumours? You do realize that no one is buying tickets to the fashion show. Because of that, it had to be rescheduled for tonight, although I think it might need to be rescheduled for next Monday now. The Wondercolts teams really need those new uniforms, and by sabotaging the fundraiser, we won't raise enough money to get them." I answered. I had a feeling Trixie had planned every last detail of her plan. She must have. After all, she continued to give me that stoic look. It was like she wasn't afraid of what could potentially happen to her. If Principal Celestia were to find out about this, Trixie could very well be suspended. Despite how much she had hurt me emotionally, I couldn't let her be punished. This was my chance to talk to her and discover the kind of person she really is. In turn, I could share things about me--even the things about Equestria. " Trixie, I want to talk to you. I want to know what compelled you to do this. I want to help you."

" You? Help Trixie? That's a laugh!"

" Why?"

" If you think this has to do with the Rainbooms beating my band, then you're dead wrong!"

" Then why?"

" I still recall what you did when you blew up at me, Sunset Shimmer. How could I ever forget your face when you grabbed me by the collar? You could have choked me to death!" Trixie answered. So this was about what I almost did to her. I was hoping it didn't have to do with that moment. But, it appeared fate wasn't being kind to me. I looked into her eyes and saw fear staring back at me. I could have throttled Trixie out of revenge, but that would accomplish nothing. She would then get back at me and I would get back at her and so on in an endless cycle. That was something I must not allow to happen. Hatred had driven everyone apart at CHS for far too long! I had to end it!

" Trixie... I'm sorry." I said.

" You're... sorry?"

" I never meant to hurt you. I did lose control of my emotions and lash out at you in rage. You didn't deserve to be treated like that. It's just that you were testing my patience, but that's no excuse for my actions." I answered. Trixie winced in response. I suspected she feared that I would tell Principal Celestia about what she had done. I had no desire to do anything of the sort. That would make me no better than her and would only serve to continue the hatred. " You can relax. I'm not going to tell anyone that you were behind the rumours. You were targeting me because of my mistake, and I have no right to judge you."

" Are you serious?" Trixie asked.

" More than I've ever been in a very long time. I'm so very sorry."

" Trixie's not sure she can believe you. After all, you happen to be friends with her!"

" I'd like to be friends with you, Trixie."

" Huh?"

" You’ve got a lot of energy. You really do. It's kind of amazing. But I'm also friends with the Rainbooms--including Rainbow Dash. After all, they've stayed friends with me despite everything I've done. They could have left me to be alone, yet they chose to give me a second chance. I'd like to give you that same chance, and, perhaps, you could do the same for me." I answered. My words made Trixie start thinking really hard. I wanted to stop the cycle of hatred not just between her and myself but also between her and Rainbow Dash. The two of them could learn to appreciate one another and gradually blossom into friends, but they had to put and end to their rivalry once and for all. All they needed to do was take that first step.

" I don't know what to say." Trixie said.

" Yes or no."

" Alright. I accept your friendship."

" I was hoping you'd say that."

" But, what about the ticket sales for the fashion show? You've only sold a small amount, which isn't going to be enough. It will be a disaster and the fundraiser will be ruined all because of me." Trixie said.

" We can fix this if we work together." I said.

" You... want Trixie's help?"

" I do."

" Trixie appreciates that." One thing I would never get used to was Trixie constantly referring to herself in the third person. She would prove herself to be an invaluable friend almost immediately when she assisted me in selling tickets. To get people interested in purchasing tickets, Trixie opted to perform some magic. While her magic was simple when compared to Equestrian magic, I appreciated her efforts. I kept what she had done a secret and went on record to say to everyone that the one responsible for spreading the false rumours couldn't be determined. While some suspected that I was trying to protect the perpetrator, I maintained my story. Trixie couldn't believe that I had saved her from being found out and punished.

The good news was that we would eventually sell more than enough tickets for the fashion show. We even needed to print out another hundred because interest in the show had grown thanks to Trixie's magic show. The bad news was that it now had to be postponed until the following Monday. Despite the sudden surge in ticket sales, there wasn't enough time to get everything ready. Rarity could do a lot of things, but some miracles were beyond even her capacity. Principal Celestia believed that no one was interested in the fashion show, hence the poor ticket sales. I thought it was for the best that she didn't know the actual reason. She would approach me after the last tickets were sold, and I could tell she wanted some answers.

" I'm very impressed with how you managed to turn things around with the ticket sales, Sunset. I have no doubt that the fashion show will be very successful and would provide enough money for the fundraiser to also be a success. You should be proud of your accomplishment in such a small period of time." Principal Celestia said.

" I couldn't have done it without all of my friends." I said, pointing to Trixie to indicate that she was my friend.

" However, I am not happy about one thing."

" What's that?" I asked. I quickly turned towards Trixie. She began to sweat profusely, clearly thinking that I was going to reveal that she was the reason why ticket sales were slow to begin with. With a gesture of my hand, I assured her that everything was going to be fine.

" I want to know why the fashion show had to be delayed on two occasions. It was supposed to have happened last night, but then it got delayed until tonight. Now I'm being told that it has been delayed until next Monday. Would you care to explain what happened?" Principal Celestia asked.

" I'm not going to lie to you. We needed more time to get things organized." I answered.

" No need to feel ashamed about it. Not everything can go according to plan, but you persevered despite having to fix quite a lot of problems. I do believe that you have the potential to become a princess in your own right someday. A princess unlike your reign as Princess of the Fall Formal. A princess who appreciates those around her, and relies on their strength to help her through tough times. Keep up the good work." Principal Celestia said. As she walked back to her office, I cringed over what she had just said about me. Me? A princess? I wasn't ready to have that honourific bestowed upon me. I'll stick with being just a regular student who is trying to figure things out about the world.

What I had said about needing more time wasn't just a lie to protect Trixie. We really were behind schedule. Pinkie wanted to add more decorations and said she needed about a day before what she had ordered some time ago would arrive. Fluttershy wanted to make sure that the animals for the pet parade had been given their shots, and the shelter was behind its own schedule. Rarity wanted to make something extra special and needed more time. Only Applejack and Rainbow Dash stuck to their respective schedules. All that remained now was the fashion show itself. I had no idea what was going to happen, but hopefully there wouldn't be anymore surprises.

" Guess I had Trixie all wrong." Twilight said.

" Once you get past the bravado, she can be a nice person. You do have to get used to her referring to herself in the third person." I said. That response caused Twilight to start laughing, and I couldn't help but join her. Trixie was the only student at CHS who spoke in the third person. It did make her unique, but it also made her someone who you could laugh at for the fun of it. That said, neither of us were showing any disrespect towards Trixie. Far from it. She deserved plenty of respect. If she hadn't helped me to sell those tickets, the fundraiser would have been an utter disaster.

" At least you two are friends now." Twilight said.

" Yes, but even friends can get into disagreements."

" You mean you and Trixie argue in the future?"

" I wrongly suspected her of something she had no involvement in." I answered. That accusation was one of my more embarrassing moments. I should have known Trixie would never have stooped to spreading secrets about other people. Twilight then gave me another puppy dog pout, trying to convince me to explain what I meant. I raised my non-injured hand to refuse her expression. " You'll find out soon enough what happened, Twilight. I'm not looking forward to it if I must be completely honest."

" It must be really bad for you to say that." Twilight said.

" The holidays were nothing short of a nightmare."

" That bad? Usually they're a time of cheer."

" Not when you're someone like me."

" Anyway, what happened during the fashion show?"

" I would receive a surprise that I wasn't expecting, yet it was the calm before the storm. The fundraiser fiasco was just a minor blip in the CHS school year. What happened at the end of the actual year destroyed my life and left me broken and alone." I answered.

" I'm sure you meant to say that it almost destroyed your life." Twilight said.

" No, I meant what I said. My life was destroyed." I said.

Chapter 44: Shine

Day: Tuesday
Weather: Mild
Time: 12:15pm

My hard work in fixing the mistakes I made had paid off. Things were starting to look up, until my friends informed me that ticket sales for the fashion show were abysmal. On top of that, someone had been spreading false rumours about me. Why couldn't I catch a break? Due to poor ticket sales, the show had to be delayed. I then decided to speak to every student at CHS in an effort to get to know them better and to show them who I really was. It was a very interesting experience, and I realized how much in common I had with them. I also learned that Trixie spread those rumours. She did so because of what I almost did to her. Rather than seek revenge, I offered her friendship. The cycle of hatred couldn't continue. A week after the fashion show, my friends began talking about their plans for the upcoming winter break. I wasn't as optimistic as they were about it, far from it. I knew what was going to happen to me. After all, I had been experiencing the pain of loneliness at this time for years.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 19, 2016
Chapter 44: Shine.

" I'm being very serious about this, Twilight. My life was destroyed before the end of last year." I said. Twilight, in response, shook her head. She continued to refuse to believe that my words were truthful. I could understand the need for wanting to remain optimistic, but she was wrong here. I know what happened to me before the winter break. My heart started beating rapidly, and I knew I needed to calm down before I ended up doing something stupid. I took another swig of cider before breathing heavily several times to reduce my stress. My actions hadn't gone unnoticed by Twilight, who had been staring at me, wondering if things were okay. I sighed, knowing that I just couldn't stay mad at her. " Twilight, I know you want me to remain positive, but you have to realize that my words are true. Everything I had done in order to prove I had changed was shattered." I said.

" But, how could you have thrown everything away?" Twilight asked.

" What do you mean?"

" I thought what happened to you was the result of your own actions." Twilight answered. Now I was beginning to understand her perspective. She assumed that my life was destroyed because I had done something that turned all of CHS against me. Well, she was partially correct. Everyone had turned against me, but not by my own hand. I'm not sure if Twilight had ever been a victim of online bullying, yet I've never asked, because it never crossed my mind--and I've only known her for several weeks.

" My life at that point was perfect, or as close to being perfect as I could hope for. Why would I want to throw that away?" I asked.

" I don't know!" Twilight answered.

" The answer is that I wouldn't!"

" Okay, then what caused it?"

" Online bullying."

" You... were a victim of that?" Twilight asked. Judging from the tone in her voice, it sounded like she had been affected by online bullying at one point in her life. I wasn't going to inquire about it. I'm certain she would rather keep that to herself. However, I wasn't a victim in the normal sense. I was blamed for being the cause of so many secrets being passed around online, and no one believed in my innocence. Not even our friends believed in me. That revelation alone haunts me even now. " Sunset... I'm sorry that I thought you had destroyed your own life." Twilight said.

" It took two or three months for me to get my life back on track." I said.

" Why would anyone want to bully you online?"

" No, I wasn't that kind of victim."

" I don't understand."

" Everyone at CHS was a victim of what happened before winter break, yet I was different from them, because I was blamed for spreading secrets." I said. It was strange. A lot of the problems that have occurred around school that didn't involve magic instead involved the secrets of students. Why do humans always feel a need to expose secrets? Don't they understand the notion of privacy? Ha. I shouldn't be criticizing them on having such a flaw. After all, I used to do the very thing I'm preaching against. Students who were considering transferring to CHS would have had second thoughts had they learned that going there would mean your secrets weren't safe. I then turned the page of the journal using my non-injured hand, but before I could continue, Twilight placed her hand on top of mine. I looked at her. Tears were streaming down her face. " Twilight, why don't we focus on what happened during the fashion show? I think we both could use some cheering up right now. It'll help us prepare for the inevitable sadness that's to come." I said.

" Alright, but I think it's unfair how you always get blamed for problems." Twilight said. Using my injured hand, I wiped the tears from her face, wincing as I did so.

" When I was a bully, I caused those problems, and everyone at CHS knew it. After I reformed, they continued to pin the blame on me for a while. I guess it's because they had trouble believing my reformation was legitimate. They used me as a scapegoat to vent their frustration whenever something went wrong. I accepted it at first; I allowed them to bully me after all I've done. After the Battle of the Bands, they had no excuse for what they did." I said. Twilight then looked down towards the page and saw yet another photo glued there, one taken by Photo Finish. I was standing on stage with the rest of the Rainbooms, and all of us had ponied up. The audience were cheering for us while we performed, and fireworks of all kinds were shooting about. It looked very magical.

" You all look so happy here." Twilight said.

" Notice what I'm wearing?"

" Yes. When did you get that?"

" About ten minutes before we went on stage."

" Was it the dress that Rarity needed time to work on?"

" Yep."

" Surely it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows."

" Not in the least. I was actually a nervous wreck before we went on stage to perform. I may have stopped the rumours from spreading by befriending Trixie, but I didn't know if my efforts were enough to ensure the fashion show would be a success." I said.

I had succeeded in stopping the slanderous rumours about me. Trixie, who still bore a grudge for what I almost did to her during the competition, wanted the fundraiser to fail, and to do so, she branded me as a bully who pretended to have changed. I could have gotten my revenge against her, but that would have accomplished nothing. The best course of action I could take was to offer my hand in friendship. Despite everything Trixie had done to me, I couldn't allow the cycle of hatred to continue. I always knew she had the potential to become something truly special. I also made a promise that I would never let anyone know that she had been spreading the rumours. My aim was to protect her because she had lost her direction, and I could help her find her way back on the right path.

By choosing to become her friend, I had reached out to someone in the name of friendship. Usually, people would have offered me their friendship instead. Now I was starting to understand why Princess Twilight chose "Princess of Friendshp" as her title in Equestria. At first, I thought she was trying to prove a point. She could have left me to wander about this world, alone, for the rest of my life. Yet, she gave me a second chance. I realize now she was destined to spread friendship to all corners of Equestria and beyond. I had taken what she showed me and applied it by giving someone else the very opportunity given to me. Trixie still had some issues that needed to be worked out, but I knew things were going to get better for her from here. I also insisted on Rainbow Dash ending their rivalry and restart with a clean slate. Again, the cycle of hated couldn't be allowed to continue. All hatred ever does is create more hatred.

The fashion show had been delayed until the following Monday, yet my friends saw this as a blessing. Apart from Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the rest of them needed that extra time in order to finish their contributions. It's kind of funny how everything worked out just like that despite how chaotic things got. I wasn't going to make a habit of it, however. We were lucky that the problem was resolved. Had things gotten any worse... I'd rather not think about it.

Over the course of the weekend, my friends finished their projects under my supervision. I made sure to only be an observer and to allow them to do their work without having to worry about me making things worse. In my free time in-between helping out, I continued doing research on the magic problem. I discovered that the magic was surprisingly stable. I feared that it would be nothing more than an uncontrollable force. Unfortunately, there was much more that continued to elude me. No one ever said being a magic investigator would be easy. For now, I figured on doing a lot of research on my own, only asking for my friends' help if I feel there is no other alternate. The same could be said about contacting Princess Twilight and asking her opinion.

That Monday night, the gym was packed with so many people who purchased tickets to see the fashion show. We had initially produced several hundred, but we ended up needing a lot more. It was thanks to Trixie that the tickets were sold in the first place. Her little magic show was enough to get people interested. While she insisted on not being given any kind of reward for helping us out, I insisted that she perform on stage as the opening act before Rarity's outfits are showcased. I'll never forget Trixie's expression when she learned she would be performing. Yet, I do wish she hadn't given me a photo that was nothing but a selfie. Her desire to show off was deeply rooted, apparently, but at least it was a start. My friends had been looking forward to the fashion show for quite some time. Me? I was anything but excited.

" What's wrong, Sunset?" Applejack asked.

" I'm sorry. It's just that I'm really nervous about this whole thing." I answered.

" You should ask the butterflies in your stomach to beat it." Pinkie Pie suggested.

" That would be wonderful Pinkie, but I don't think that's going to work." I said.

" Are you still upset over how someone spread those rumours about you?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Not at all. The one who did that put a stop to that once I confronted them and showed them the error of their ways." I answered.

" I wish you'd tell us who was making you look bad. I mean, you've been through an awful lot this past month, so no one had the right to make you feel even worse! People like that are the worst." Rainbow Dash said. Despite the strong temptation of revealing her name, I promised Trixie that I wouldn't tell anyone she was responsible. If I did, everyone would be trying to get back at her. As far as everyone is concerned, the one who spread the rumours was a random student who I choose to keep anonymous.

" Sorry, but I'm not going to say who it was." I said.

" No need to force her into saying anythin', Rainbow Dash. If Sunset wants to keep the culprit secret, then she has every right to do so. I, for one, believe that Sunset did the right thing by resolving the issue with understandin', not just tryin' to get revenge." Applejack said.

" I agree with Applejack. This school has seen more than enough bullying to last us an entire lifetime. Um, Sunset, I know it must have been difficult to deal with so many emotions when you confronted the person who made you upset, but I consider you an inspiration. After all, you ended the problem without things getting worse. I, um, believe you truly have changed from who you used to be." Fluttershy said.

Truth be told, it was difficult for me to keep my temper under control. Had I snapped and lashed out at Trixie, things would be different than they are right now. I know that I still have some anger issues, but I think I can rein it in whenever it tries to consume me.

" There's one thing that still bothers me a little." Rainbow Dash said.

" What's that?" Fluttershy asked.

" How come Trixie got to headline the fashion show?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking out onto the stage, prompting us to do so as well. Trixie had been performing for about thirty minutes now, and the audience were simply fascinated by her magical skills. While her human magic paled in comparison with Equestrian magic, it was still very good. Her bandmates acted as her assistants, aiding Trixie with her more complicated tricks.

" If it weren't fer Trixie helping out Sunset, we wouldn't have sold enough tickets." Applejack answered.

" Um, you could say that Trixie saved the fundraiser." Fluttershy added.

" Remember what I said, Rainbow Dash? You needed to end your rivalry with Trixie once and for all. I know you two enjoyed trying to outdo one another, but your various conflicts are just another form of bad blood being spilled." I said. It wasn't easy, but I managed to get both Rainbow and Trixie to sit down together at the same table earlier during lunch period and have them talk things out. At first, it looked like neither one of them would budge on ending their pointless rivalry, but then, Trixie surprised everyone when she offered her hand in friendship. Rainbow Dash responded in kind, and just like that, they forged a friendship, which will make them both better people.

" By the way, Sunset..." Pinkie Pie began.

" What is it?" I asked.

" Did you ever figure out what to contribute to the fundraiser?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Nothing came to mind."

" Why not?"

" I don't know. I was considering putting on a magic show, but that wouldn't have been a good idea. The magic I have would have been met with not just shock and awe but quite possibly also a visit from the police. When I found that I couldn't think of anything, I decided to help each of you instead with your contributions. It was my way of getting to know each of you better and strengthen our bonds of friendship, though in truth, I was just hiding from the truth about my lack of abilities." I answered.

" Think of it like being on a team." Rainbow Dash said.

" Why?"

" It's just hard sometimes to find your place on the team. To know how best to play your position. If you know what I mean." Rainbow Dash answered. I had no idea what she was even talking about. Unlike her, I had little experience with playing sports. The truth was that I lacked any abilities compared to my friends, and it made me feel inadequate when compared to them. While I accepted being put in charge of the fundraiser, I wasn't really happy about it.

" But, I don't have any special talents like the rest of you..." I said.

" Being on a team is not about being a star--it's about working together." Rainbow Dash said. Those were some serious words coming from Rainbow. I was actually amazed at how much she had changed since the competition. When I tried doing so much on my own, it caused nothing but trouble. When I reached out to my friends, we managed to pull all of this off. Could it be that my talent was being helpful? While it didn't sound quite so glamourous as what the others were capable of, it was something I could be proud of. I hugged Rainbow Dash for her inspiration, and the others joined in on the hug. " See Sunset? I knew I was right!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Don't let it go to yer head." Applejack said.

" I'm not gonna do anything like that." Rainbow Dash said, winking.

" Gee! I wonder where Rarity is? I don't know how much longer Trixie can keep on entertaining the audience. She's been looking this way for the last couple of minutes. If I didn't know any better, I think she wants us to get on with the fashion show." Pinkie Pie said.

" What!?" The rest of us exclaimed. We looked out at the stage, and sure enough, Trixie was quickly tapping on her watch. I knew that we could go on with the show any time we wanted and allow Trixie to rest, but none of us had any idea on how to present outfits. Only Rarity knew how to do that. She should have been here thirty minutes ago, but she was running late. I knew Rarity to fall behind schedule at times, but this wasn't like her at all. What if something happened to her? No! I can't think of that. She's fine, I know it.

" So sorry I'm late!" Rarity said as she rushed inside.

" Where in the hay have you been?" Applejack asked.

" I had to spend a little more time on this particular ensemble." Rarity answered. She then presented a small suitcase, opened it, and took out the most beautiful dress any of us had ever seen. This was definitely the best work I've ever seen from Rarity, but why bring something so beautiful to a place like this? I would have expected her to use it for a more formal occasion than a simple fashion show. " You can tell Trixie that she can finish her magic act. The fashion show is about to begin!"

" Will this outfit be in the show?" Applejack asked.

" No. I've got plenty of outfits to showcase for that." Rarity answered.

" Then why bring it here?" I asked.

" For you, darling." Rarity answered.

" Me!?" I exclaimed. I couldn't believe it! This beautiful dress was for me! I was speechless over such a wondrous gift! I could tell that Rarity had poured her heart and soul into making it, and there was no way I could refuse something like this.

" Why don't you change into it now, darling? It will be some time before we have to go out and perform, so you can spend that time getting used to wearing my magnificent creation. Now come along, Rainbow Dash! You and the other athletes must change into the outfits for the fashion show, and yes, you will be the lead. We simply must get the show started within the next five minutes. Oh, and I'll be sure to apologize to Trixie for making her perform longer than she needed to." Rarity said. Rainbow Dash mumbled something under her breath before following, her head hung low in embarrassment. Despite participating in the show for charity purposes, Rainbow just didn't feel comfortable about wearing anything fancy.

" How about that? Y'all got yourself a fancy new outfit!" Applejack said.

" You must be over the moon with joy." Fluttershy added.

" We should hold a party to celebrate." Pinkie Pie added.

" That's gonna happen after the fashion show." Applejack said.

" By the way, Fluttershy. How did things go with the pet parade?" I asked.

" Fantastic. The animals received so much attention, and the children instantly fell in love with them. I think there are going to be more visitors to the animal shelter in the future." Fluttershy answered.

" I think I'll take you up on that offer."

" Um, what offer?"

" Being a volunteer at the shelter. In fact, I think I'm going to volunteer in other places as well. I want to expand on my own repertoire of skills and help others with whatever problems they may have." I answered.

" Aren't ya gonna change into your new outfit?" Applejack asked.

" Of course I am! I... just wanted to gaze at it for a bit. It truly is a beautiful dress, and Rarity made it especially for me." I answered. The other girls laughed heartily, and I couldn't help but laugh along with them. I then began thinking about what might have been had I chosen to remain alone instead of embracing friendship. I've had these thoughts several times before, but I couldn't help but wonder about it.

" What are you thinking about?" Fluttershy asked.

" I'm thinking that I'm lucky to have such good friends." I answered. Taking the dress, I walked out of the side entrance and made my way over to the changing rooms. I could hear Rarity's voice through a microphone, indicating that the fashion show was now finally getting underway. I could also hear the cheers from the audience followed by a series of ahhs. As I entered the changing room, I imagined what was happening inside the gym right now. Rarity must have made some spectacular outfits for the athletes to showcase, as the audience continued getting louder. It didn't take long for me to change into my new dress, and upon looking at myself in the mirror, I felt like a princess. The dress had been made to cater to not only my body shape, but also my favourite colours. The best part was seeing my cutie mark in the centre of my chest, a reminder that the sun would continue to blaze as I move forward.

When the fashion show ended roughly two hours later, there was a fifteen minute intermission to let the audience get some snacks, go to the bathroom, or take a closer look at Rarity's designs. Even Trixie managed to get in on the act by entertaining some of the children with her magic. I made sure to tell her that she only needed to perform for about five minutes. I didn't want her to overexert herself.

Once everyone had returned to their seats, my friends and I spent a couple of minutes setting up our equipment on the stage. We were about to give them a music performance the likes of which they had never seen before. This also proved that the dream I had where I was performing with my friends was indeed a premonition. Once the curtain rose up, we all began to sing a song which Fluttershy had written, with Rainbow Dash providing extra lyrics. Rainbow and I were the main vocals, and the others provided backup during choruses. During our performance, we all ponied up, which at first took everyone by surprise, but they all began cheering soon enough. Now this was exactly what I had hoped would happen: everyone having a good time and not having to worry about any of our problems bringing us down.

The fundraiser was a success; we had earned enough money to buy new uniforms for the Friendship Games next year. That was something I needed to ask someone about one of these days. What were the Friendship Games? For now, though, I had to resume my research on the magic problem. I wonder what Princess Twilight thinks of me now? I had sent her a message explaining how everything turned out after the concert ended. Not only had I become a volunteer at the animal shelter, I had also joined several clubs, so I was spending a lot of time with the other students. I was also approached by students who were having trouble with math, and I decided to become a part-time math tutor. After all, I was one of the smartest students at school, so it made sense to help those who couldn't figure it out on their own.

Here's hoping that things continue to improve for me.

" Rarity made you a dress!? Do you still have it?" Twilight asked.

" Of course I do! It's just that I only want to wear it for special occasions. I don't want to get it dirty. It's far too special for that." I answered. Realizing I was sounding just like Rarity, I quickly shut up, blushing. Twilight laughed at my display, and I would soon join in on the laughter. We really needed this moment to have ourselves a good time. It would soon be crushed once I start explaining what happened days before the winter break.

" Glad to see that Trixie patched things up with Rainbow Dash and got to put on a show." Twilight said.

" Like I said. Once you get past the bravado, she can be a very nice person."

" So you're now a math tutor?"

" Part-time."

" We should get together and study sometime, since we both seem to really like mathematics. We could have a lot of fun challenging ourselves." Twilight suggested. I knew exactly what she was referring to when she said that. During the first round of the Friendship Games, she and I had to solve one of the longest math problems I've ever confronted. Despite losing to her, I actually enjoyed the experience, even though I said otherwise at the time. It seemed my friendship with Twilight was even stronger than what I had with Princess Twilight. It made sense, considering I don't see Her Highness that often. " I almost forgot! You said that you were wondering what Princess Twilight thought about what you had accomplished for the fundraiser. Did you ever get a response from her?" Twilight asked.

" Not really." I answered.

" That's too bad."

" I would be told a few months later when she had a free moment."

" What did she say?"

" She said, 'I'll just have to hope those girls keep you busy. Very busy.' It took me some time to understand what she was talking about. Her Highness wanted to make sure I wouldn't be tempted by power and wanted our friends to help me out should I find myself succumbing." I answered.

Twilight then looked at me angrily, but I suspect her scorn was directed towards Her Highness rather than me. The princess was only looking out for my best interests and knew what she was doing. I learned through her answers to my Friendship Reports that she had witnessed many ponies become enchanted with power. Their personalities changed slowly over time as their power grew, and they barely managed to come back from the brink. If anyone should understand that feeling, it would be Twilight herself. She became a demon by succumbing in the same manner I experienced, yet the one difference she had was that she didn't want power. Our magic chose her because she had been within its proximity, and it somehow sensed her inner desires.

" It sounds like Princess Twilight wants to ensure you behave." Twilight said.

" Power is a temptation most aren't able to resist. It takes someone with a lot of willpower to break free." I said. Suddenly, I felt an uncomfortable sensation coming from my stomach. I drank too much cider. Placing a bookmark onto the current page of the journal and putting it on the floor, I got up onto my feet before spending a few moments stretching my legs; sitting down all that time had cramped up my legs. " Twilight, I need to head over to the washroom. I'll only be gone for a few minutes, but I'll be sure to leave you a flashlight just in case you start getting worried."

" Do you even have access to one?" Twilight asked.

" Remember that I live in the library, so Principal Celestia gave me a key that opens the library's doors as well as the main doors." I answered. Twilight then looked at me with those puppy dog eyes again, but she needed to relax. I've been living in the library for over six months now, so I knew my way around the school. Besides, the washroom was located just outside the library entrance, so I wasn't going all that far anyway. " I'll be fine, Twilight, but because I don't want you to worry, I'll take the other flashlight I brought along. I'll be back in ten minutes." Reaching into my backpack, I took out two flashlights, and handed one of them over to Twilight. They were a wise investment, as I've had to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the washroom countless times, and the school was pitch-black when the lights were off. I also learned that it paid to be prepared, so I made sure to always have two flashlights in case one of them suddenly stopped working.

I then took my leave of Twilight and made my way towards the library entrance. CHS was a completely different place at night, and in some ways, I actually preferred it this way compared with the hustle and bustle that comes during the day. While I do appreciate being around other students, I also liked having time to myself to think about everything that has happened to me since I first left Equestria. Now was one of those times. The same thought would always surface in my mind: What would my life be like right now had I chosen to stay in Equestria and attempted to talk things out with Princess Celestia? I didn't have an answer to that question until I met Princess Twilight. She was essentially the embodiment of what I could have been. Do I resent her for it? Not at all. While I do regret leaving Equestria, my life wouldn't be what it is now had I stayed.

Leaving the library, I stepped outside into the infinite darkness. Luckily, my flashlight helped me see where I needed to go, as it was much darker than usual. Just being surrounded by so much darkness made my heart beat quickly, and a deep rooted fear began to climb up to the surface of my subconscious. I would soon reveal to Twilight how my life was destroyed. Was I being overdramatic like Rarity? Maybe, but it did happen that way. I couldn't avoid it forever, as much as I wanted to, so sighing heavily, I walked towards the washroom.

" You were longer than ten minutes." Twilight said when I got back.

" Sorry. I had a lot on my mind." I said.

" Does it have to do with what happened before the winter break?"

" Yeah."

" If you want, we don't have to talk about it.

" We have to; it's a part of my past that you need to know about. Before I get into what happened, I want to start with a discussion I had with our friends about a week after the fundraiser was deemed a success. We were just hanging out like we usually did, but Pinkie Pie got the ball rolling when she announced her plans for the break. The others soon announced their plans, yet I was the only one who remained silent." I said.

It had been about a week since the fundraiser, and only two more weeks to go before CHS broke up for winter break. There was so much excitement throughout the school as students were eagerly awaiting for those two weeks of relaxation with loved ones. Me? I wasn't as enthusiastic. It had to do with the fact that during the winter break, Christmas would be celebrated by much of the world, followed a week later with New Year's Day. In Equestria, the equivalent of Christmas was Hearth's Warming Day, yet it didn't mean all that much to me, just like Christmas. You could say that I was nothing but grumpy this time of the year. I would never mention this to anyone. How could I? If I did, I'd get nothing but scornful looks from my peers, and I'd feel like a complete outcast. So, I had to keep my thoughts bottled up until everyone had left.

My friends and I were hanging out at our usual spot in the library. Normally, we'd come here to either do some studying, talk about all kinds of things, or just relax after having written a difficult exam. Today was different. We were just sitting there, quiet and still, like statues. I hoped this would've lasted until the final bell rang, but the silence was quickly broken when Pinkie Pie decided to make an announcement.

" I know what I'll be doing!"

" For what?" Applejack asked.

" For the upcoming winter break, silly! I've been thinking about oh so much now for the last ten minutes." Pinkie Pie answered. The rest of us groaned in response. While some of her statements were hilarious, this just wasn't one of them. " Anyway, I was thinking that I'd throw a slumber party every single night of the break."

" Are you sure your parents would approve, darling?" Rarity asked.

" Your family is a lot more conservative compared to you." Rainbow Dash added.

" They'll be going to the family rock quarry for the holidays this year. I got permission to stay behind and throw my slumber parties, provided that the police don't show up or anything. My sister Maud will be coming home from college, although she insisted on not going to the rock quarry. She'll be too exhausted to want to make the trip, so I don't blame her. As much as I want to go to the quarry, my parents also wanted me to stay home and spend some time with Maud. I don't see her that often, so I'm also throwing my slumber parties for her." Pinkie Pie said. I still thought it was weird that Pinkie's family had their own rock quarry outside of Canterlot. Most families would want to spend the holidays at either a fancy hotel or a cabin out in the woods. But, a rock quarry? Whatever. I did wish Pinkie hadn't brought up the holidays, as now some of the other girls felt compelled to reveal what their plans were. Me? I chose to simply hear them out while remaining absolutely quiet.

" My plans will be the same as every year! Eating junk food, catching up on winter sports, and hanging out with my friends." Rainbow Dash said.

" That sounds lovely." Fluttershy said.

" I'll be spending the holidays over at Sweet Apple Acres with my family." Applejack said.

" What about you, Sunset?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Huh? Who, me?" I asked.

" Do y'all have any plans for the holidays?" Applejack asked.

" I'm... probably going to spend my time focusing on my studies and trying to figure out more of the magic problem." I answered. That was a lie. I couldn't tell them what I was really going to be doing. How could I? If they knew, it would prevent them from enjoying the holidays, so I decided not to say anything else and just to allow them to continue talking about their respective plans.

" Studying? Seriously?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Nothin' wrong with that." Applejack answered.

" Exactly. Sunset is focused on doing well in school, unlike you, Rainbow Dash. If her grades remain as consistent as they have, she could easily get into the most prestigious university in Canterlot or anywhere else across the country. It would be a dream come true." Rarity said.

" I've got good grades, too!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" Nothing compared with what Sunset has." Rarity said. Just looking at how happy my friends were with the upcoming winter break was enough for me to keep my silence on how this time of the year affected me emotionally. Unlike my friends, I was going to be spending the holidays alone, and not for the first time, either. It had become an unfortunate tradition, that goes as far back as my days living in Equestria. When I left home and began attending Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, the other fillies always went home to celebrate Hearth's Warming with their families. I never did that. My parents had neglected me in favour of my siblings, so I could never go back there again. I had no idea if my parents were even aware that I now live in this world. Because Princess Celestia was always too busy, I ended up spending the holidays on my own. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I had gotten used to isolating myself from my fellow ponies. After all, I viewed everypony around me as weak.

Part of me had hoped that one of my friends would have invited me to spend the holidays with them. I had hoped to have broken free of my tradition, but it appeared that wouldn't be the case at all. I guess I was destined to be alone until the new year started, and things would go back to normal until the next winter holidays came along. Could one of the other CHS students invited me? Maybe, but there were still some trust issues. Despite how everyone had accepted my friendship, I wasn't at the point where I had earned the right to be given such a chance. Perhaps deep down, my fellow students still feared that I could be pretending to have changed. I wasn't going to blame them for that way of thinking. If I were in their shoes, I'd have done the same thing.

" Sunset? Sunset?"

" Huh?"

" You were daydreaming just now." Pinkie Pie answered.

" Really? Guess I just went off into my own train of thought." I said.

" Are you sure y'all are really alright?" Applejack asked.

" I'm fine. No need to worry about me." I answered. I was anything but fine, but again, I couldn't let my friends know the truth. Even Principal Celestia had shown signs of concern regarding what I was going to do for the winter break. She asked me if I was going to remain at school for the two-week holiday, and I said yes, because the library was my place of residence. The look she had in her eyes told me everything. I knew she felt concerned about my choosing to stay here instead of going somewhere else. However, I assured her that I would be fine.

" Anyway, what are your plans, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I haven't really decided what I'm going to do." Fluttershy answered.

" I'm in the same boat as you, darling. I've been so preoccupied lately that I haven't had any time to think about it. There are still two weeks to go before everyone leaves until the new year, so I am certain that I will come up with something ideal." Rarity added.

" You girls could always join me at my slumber parties." Pinkie Pie said.

" I reckon you'd want to spend those with your sister." Applejack said.

" Yes, but it wouldn't bother Maud at all. In fact, she would love to have more company around. If you girls end up changing your mind, you all know where to find me until we break for the holidays." Pinkie Pie said.

" Um, excuse me..." I began.

" What's wrong, darling?" Rarity asked.

" I need to get going. I promised myself that I would spend the rest of the lunch period trying to solve the magic problem. So far, things have progressed slowly, but I'm hoping to make a breakthrough. I'll... I'll see you all later." I answered. As I grabbed my backpack and walked away from my friends, I noticed that Applejack was staring at me with her eyes narrowed. I had a feeling she knew that I was hiding something from everyone, but I had no time to see if that were the case. My mind was telling me to get as far away from all that talk about the winter break as possible.

The holidays were just regular days to me. While everyone else in Canterlot and beyond would be celebrating, I would be continuing my research. It was quite the mundane existence, but one that I've gotten used to for a long time now. I slowly walked through the hallways of CHS, making sure to avoid eye contact with everyone until I stepped outside and took out my notepad and a pencil from my pocket. The excuse of leaving my friends was actually a legitimate one. It had occurred to me that the storage room under the stage where my friends' magic was unleashed could still have some magical residue lying about. If I could acquire some of that residue, I should get some vital clues out of it. It would also give me a chance to get the thought of the winter break out of my mind.

" You've been spending Christmas alone?" Twilight asked.

" Had done so for the first few years I've been living here and throughout my life in Equestria." I answered. I then felt a strong grip around my stomach. When I looked down to see what Twilight was doing, she was hugging me as hard as she could, tears trickling down her face. My mind was telling me to ask her to let me go, but I just couldn't refuse such a kind gesture as this. I then place my non-injured hand on top of her head and began running my fingers through her hair. I could feel my heart wanting me to go so much further than what I was currently doing, but I quickly shook away those ideas. Twilight is my friend and perhaps even a sister, but she would never be anything more than that. For a few minutes, I just sat there combing through Twilight's hair while she continued to hug me. Her grip around my stomach was surprisingly strong. If I didn't know any better, I could swear that she possessed tremendous strength that she probably isn't even aware of.

" All those Christmases you missed out on." Twilight said.

" Before I understood what friendship meant, both Christmas and Hearth's Warming Day held no meaning. Whenever I walked around both versions of Canterlot during those times of the year, everyone looked so happy with their families, yet I had nothing but scorn for them. I secretly was jealous that they all had a loving family while I never had the same thing. I secretly cursed those families under my breath, and hoped they would suffer miserably in the coming year. Whenever anyone came up to me to wish me a happy holiday, I merely shrugged my shoulders--tilted my head slightly in Equestria--before continuing on." I said. Things had changed since my friends entered my life. Now the winter break actually held a purpose. It will probably take me another year or two to fully comprehend what it means to celebrate with loved ones. I removed my hand from Twilight's head and turned the page. We were greeted by another photo that depicted the outside of CHS.

" It's snowing in this photo." Twilight said.

" I took it when Applejack and I entered school on the day where everything began to go wrong."

" Was your life destroyed that day?"

" No."

" Then when?"

" About two days after the picture was taken."

" You said that you were a different kind of victim of online bullying and were blamed for spreading secrets around school. What happened?" Twilight asked.

" I blame MyStable." I answered.

" Come again?"

Chapter 45: Winter Break

Day: Monday
Weather: Snow
Time: 8:00am

We managed to salvage the fashion show, despite it being delayed twice. Trixie proved to be immensely helpful. Not only did she help us sell more tickets than we originally expected, she even got to put on a magic show under my recommendation as the opening act. I still felt nervous, however. I felt something was going to go wrong, but those fears quickly disappeared when my friends and I performed on stage after the show. I even got to showcase a brand new dress Rarity made just for me. I had hoped things would get better again, but they soured when Pinkie brought up the upcoming winter break. Unlike my friends, I wasn't looking forward to the occasion. It meant having to spend another holiday on my own, something I had long gotten used to. Applejack knew something was wrong, and convinced me to share my feelings. My friends have put their own plans on hold in order to make me feel better, but five slumber parties?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 21, 2016
Chapter 45: Winter Break.

" I blame MyStable for causing me to feel so much misery." I said.

" I've heard of that name before, but I never really paid much attention to it." Twilight said.

" You've never used MyStable!? I thought you would have used it constantly in order to let your friends know what you were up to. Almost everyone I know has used it for that exact purpose." I said. It dawned on me that my choice of words was poor. I had forgotten that the only friend Twilight ever had before becoming friends with all of us was her dog Spike. At the same time, Twilight was very smart for not wanting to use something like MyStable. People use it to post just about anything that happens to be on their minds, and never think about any possible consequences that could occur. Unfortunately, one such consequence involved secrets of other students being passed around, causing nothing but chaos. I had an account on the site myself, but I rarely used it other than to let people know that I was still alive. You'd think that whoever created MyStable had the decency to prevent users from spreading secrets. I'm certain the creators hadn't intended it for that purpose and people took advantage of it. " Twilight... I'm sorry if I said something insensitive. I should have known you'd never use MyStable because of, well, you know." I said.

" It's alright Sunset. I've heard all kinds of stories about MyStable back when I attended Crystal Prep." Twilight said.

" Really? Crystal Prep allowed the use of MyStable?"

" Not exactly. Principal Cinch forbade anyone from using it on school grounds. She didn't want the integrity of her students to be tarnished by a website that wastes away one's life when they could be using that time to study. That's what she's always said about it. I never saw. From what I heard from those who had accounts, they often said it was better than talking to people in person because of the anonymity behind it. Some even said nasty things about Principal Cinch." Twilight answered.

" Students talked about her behind her back?" I asked.

" They showed her respect on school grounds, but it didn't translate to the online world. The reason I know about it is because students always talked about it on the bus, during free periods, and outside the building. They'd never mention anything during class unless they wanted Principal Cinch to come bearing down on them." Twilight answered. I never knew that the Crystal Prep students really felt that way about their principal. I was always under the assumption that they thought of her as the greatest thing out there. Their opinions of her might become more vocal in the months to come. After all, they discovered what kind of person she really was during the Friendship Games. " Does CHS have a similar policy with regards to the use of MyStable on school grounds?" Twilight asked.

" There is one but it doesn't really get enforced all that much. The teachers just see it as one of those online fads for their students to express themselves. If they had known what happened when secrets started to become public, they would have banned MyStable from school grounds instantly. Not only that, they would have gone with disciplinary action had the problem persisted with students not adhering to the rules." I answered.

" Do you use MyStable?" Twilight asked.

" I have an account, but I rarely use it. If my friends on the site were lucky enough, I'd post maybe one thing every month or two." I answered.

" I'm curious as to how many friends you have on there."

" About 1,600."

" That's pretty impressive."

" Nothing compared to Pinkie Pie."

" How many does she have?"

" The last time I checked, it was around 75,000." I answered. Twilight was taking a sip of cider when I said that, and she spat it out of her mouth onto the floor in response. She coughed before cleaning up the cider with a piece of tissue she had taken from her backpack. My own response to how many friends Pinkie had on MyStable was simply shrugging it off. Pinkie had this uncanny ability to make friends with just about anyone she comes into contact with. How could anyone resist the kind of charm she had? She didn't have just friends at CHS and throughout Canterlot. She had them all over the world.

" How can anyone have that many?" Twilight asked.

" She's just being Pinkie Pie."

" Oh."

" Anyway, we should continue because we got distracted. MyStable would be the catalyst that drove the entire school to turn on me. Someone had been posting students' secrets, which became known in a matter of hours. People blamed me because the one responsible had a user profile icon that bore a striking resemblance to me. Of course, this had been intentional. Their aim was to make me look bad out of jealously. To be honest, I always felt someone still had a grudge against me despite Trixie and I finally becoming friends. If I had stuck with those feelings, I could have prevented so much emotional damage from happening." I said.

" Who was responsible?" Twilight asked.

" You'll find out when we get to the end." I answered. Twilight, in response, folded her arms and started to pout, but this time I wasn't going to cave in. I had a reason why I couldn't tell her straight away. " I know you're thinking that I should tell you straight away, but you've acted rather irrational whenever you learn about someone who had given me a hard time. You've got a lot of passion, Twilight, but you need to show some restraint." She turned her head away from me in a huff, but when I placed my hand onto her arm, she turned back the other way and slowly nodded her head. " I suppose I should start at the beginning of that week. The winter break was several days away, and everyone at CHS were getting excited about it. You would, too, if it meant spending two weeks off from school and getting to do whatever you wanted."

" All I ever did was study." Twilight said.

" So did I, but that year would be different, because our friends would learn about how lonely I got during the holidays. I'll let you know right now, Twilight, before you decide to throw a hissy fit, but I would reveal some aspects of my past to Applejack. I sensed that she knew something was wrong with me, and she would confront me on it when I tried to change the subject." I said.

During the next two weeks, the students of CHS continued going about their regular routines, going to class, hanging out with friends, studying, and enjoying extracurricular activities after school. Things had gotten pretty peaceful, something everyone truly appreciated. There had been no magical problems coming from Equestria in an attempt to take over the world. There were no big events planned until the Spring Fling next year, which would be followed by the Friendship Games. Everything was just going along smoothly, yet I felt like a nervous wreck.

No, I wasn't struggling with trying to figure out the magic problem. I had made advances in my research, although I wish that I could have had more data to work with. The magic used by my friends and me only came up every now and again through the playing of our instruments, but it wasn't enough to come up with a definitive answer. I suppose I've got these next two weeks on my own to find additional clues.

It had been snowing heavily for the last couple of days, and despite how much had fallen, Canterlot High remained open. I had mixed feelings about snow. It was certainly majestic, and how it covered everything in a white blanket never ceased to amaze me. However, I didn't like how cold it would get. I'm someone who preferred to stay in a nice warm place until things improved outside. I did feel bad about the students who had no choice but to brave through the deep snow in addition to the freezing temperatures. I suppose living in the school library did have some perks, yet I couldn't stay there until the snow melted. I had no intention of becoming a hermit. While my mind wanted me to continue on with my research, my heart wanted me to go outside in order to see the beauty of winter.

Grabbing my scarf--the only winter clothing I had--I left the library and began heading towards the school entrance. Along the way, I could see the faces of students as they entered through the main entrance, their boots caked with snow, their expressions unpleasant. People loved playing with snow and would make snowmen and snow angels, but had disdain for it when it came to walking through it. They may be unhappy about the snow right now, but that would soon change once everyone left for winter break.

While everyone else had something exciting which would keep them busy until the new year, I didn't have that kind of luxury. This was the reason behind my nervousness. I wasn't looking forward to the winter break. I've always spent this time of the year on my own, both in this world and in Equestria. While I've long since gotten used to it, there have been times where I did feel lonely. It was the one punishment I've never managed to overcome. I might have friends now and have changed for the better, this unfortunate tradition of mine still persisted. Would things finally change for me? It was doubtful. I mean, I've been alone for the holidays as long as I could remember. My attitude prevented ponies and people from wanting to associate with me during this time.

Stepping outside, I could see that the snow was still falling, and students were making their way to the building. Upon stepping onto the snow, it made a crunching sound beneath my feet. I had no complaints about it. In fact, I loved it; I would often jump about like I were a filly again. I'd only do that in private, though. Someone my age would be pretty embarrassed if her close friends had seen her prance about like that.

Speaking of my friends, Applejack was walking towards me. She was wearing her winter coat and appeared to be wanting to get inside as quick as possible. While I was happy to see her, I wished that it could have been someone else. I wasn't angry with Applejack or anything, but rather, I had this feeling she would be grilling me about my sudden departure when we were talking about winter break plans a couple of weeks ago. She had looked at me with squinted eyes.

It's not that I didn't want to leave them to talk about their plans. I actually needed to conduct more research into the magic problem. But in truth, I didn't want any of them to know that the holidays were the worst time of the year for me. Applejack finally noticed me standing in the road after having walked towards her, and she waved in return before walking faster in order to reach me. I knew I wasn't going to be able to hide the truth for much longer. Applejack had a way to get people to tell the truth. At times, it was convenient, but at others times, it was nothing short of bothersome.

" Hi, Sunset!"

" Oh, hi, Applejack."

" Reckon I'm surprised to see you standing out here in the cold. I thought you would have wanted to stay inside where it's nice and warm. You do live in the school library, so you can easily ride out this here snowstorm without having to worry about trudging through the snow. I still find it weird that y'all live in the library, but who am I to judge someone on where they live." Applejack said.

" I wanted to come out here and see the majestic beauty of winter. Oh, and to continue with my research on the magic problem." I said.

" Y'all are gonna be workin' on that during the holidays?"

" It really needs to be taken care of. Equestrian magic can be very dangerous, especially if it roams free without restraint." I answered.

" Don't overexert yourself none."

" I'm not going to."

" Still, I feel bad that you're doing somethin' like that during such a wondrous time." Applejack said. No one else was capable of solving the problem! I was the only official authority on magic this world had, so it fell onto me to solve the problem. I had to for a more personal reason, as well. If not for me, magic wouldn't even be here. This world would have gone on like it always had. So, I felt responsible for keeping magic under control as a magic investigator. I could have asked Princess Twilight for help, but I suspected she had more pressing matters to attend to. Namely, celebrating Hearth's Warming Day in Equestria. It occurred at roughly the same time as this world's equivalent: Christmas.

" It's something I'm dedicated towards." I said.

" Nothin' wrong with that."

" My head wanted me to do some more research, but my heart wanted me to come out here and look at it all."

" Your heart was the wiser choice."

" I suppose so."

" You know, I love winter."

" Really? You're one of the few people I know who actually appreciates this weather. Most people around here have complained about it because of how cold it gets and how it's so difficult to navigate through." I said.

" Naw! I love it for different reasons. Hot cocoa, the smell of new snow, buildin' a fire in the fireplace... But my favourite part is just bein' home for the holidays with all of my family. It doesn't get any better than that. While I can't say anything about how our friends feel about it, I'm sure they would say somethin' similar." Applejack said.

My heart shrank in response to her words. I had hoped the conversation wouldn't have steered towards spending time with loved ones during the holidays. I knew immediately that I was going to be explaining myself to Applejack, and I wasn't going to enjoy it one bit. I wanted to bury my head in the snow and keep it there until the snow melted in the spring. Fluttershy wasn't the only one who would learn about my past. Applejack was going to find out, and I had no way of getting myself out of this mess.

" Ain't it the best?" Applejack asked.

" Um, yeah, it really is." I answered.

" Sunset? Is something botherin' you?"

" Why would there be?"

" You turned away from me when I mentioned the holidays." Applejack answered. I knew it! Her narrow-eyed expression from two weeks ago! She did suspect that something was off about me. I closed my eyes tightly and gritted my teeth before clenching my hands into fists, awaiting the inevitable inquisition. For a few moments, I just stood there waiting, but Applejack neither said nor did anything. What was she waiting for? I opened my eyes slowly, and I could see her, arms folded across her chest, her eyes narrowed like before, with a look that could pierce one's heart from a mile away. " Alright Sunset! Something's goin' on with you, so you oughta come clean and tell me what's wrong. There's no point in hidin'; you know that I can get anyone to tell the truth."

" Okay. You win." I said.

" So what's been eatin' you?"

" All that talk about spending the holidays with your family. You, our friends, pretty much everyone at CHS! When you girls began talking about it, I had to get away because of how it made me feel. You see, I don't understand what the appeal is for the holidays. I... I haven't been home for the holidays in a... long time." I answered.

" What!? Why not?"

" I was never really that close to my family, unlike you and our other friends. When I was growing up, I wanted to prove to them that I was the best unicorn. I knew I had potential, and constantly strove to get their attention. Unfortunately, they never took much notice. Instead, they fawned over my siblings. It crushed my heart to know that my efforts had been in vain. Since then, I rarely thought about my family, as it brings back so much pain." I answered. What I had just said was similar to what I said to Fluttershy, yet I chose not to go into as much detail. It was always difficult for me to talk about my past. There were many memories I preferred to have buried under several slabs of concrete for all eternity.

" I'm sorry ta hear that." Applejack said.

" It was a long time ago."

" Let me change the subject. Did they have the same holidays back in Equestria?"

" I wouldn't say they were exactly the same, but yeah. Everypony--everybody gets together with their families in the winter. They celebrate Hearth's Warming Day by having a traditional dinner, making special figures, and the family's youngest raising a special flag. There are a few more things, but I don't remember them off the top of my head. The only reason I'm able to remember what I do know is because Princess Celestia made sure to drill the legends and customs of Hearth's Warming Day into my head." I answered.

We were both getting cold by that point, so we decided to go inside and continue our conversation. Upon walking into the building, I walked down a hallway with Applejack walking beside me until we reached our lockers. It was a coincidence that our lockers were right next to one another.

" This Princess Celestia... Was she like a mother to you?" Applejack asked.

" Kind of. She took me under her wing and taught me everything I needed to know to eventually become a princess myself. She saw that I had great potential, but also saw that I had darkness inside of my heart, the result of my upbringing. As you and the others already know, I fell from her good graces by demanding to be made a princess. It was the greatest mistake of my entire life. Not a day goes by that I wish things had turned out differently. Anyway, before coming here, I wanted to be close with Her Highness, but I knew that could never be. She was the ruler of Equestria, an alicorn whose purpose was to guide her subjects through their lives. I was just her protégé and nothing more. And the first few years of living in this world... Well, I wasn't close to anyone." I answered.

" Was it because of how you treated everyone?" Applejack asked.

" 'Fraid so. I mean, I couldn't blame anyone for not wanting to hang out with me. I did sabotage friendships and manipulate people to become the ruler of this school. It didn't matter who ended up getting crushed underneath my heel. In my eyes, the only one who was important was me. Because of my attitude, I ended up spending every holiday on my own. I would get used to it over time." I answered.

I struggled to get my backpack into my locker and got really frustrated. Applejack offered to help, but I politely refused her offer. I could get it in there on my own by just giving it one more push. Eventually, I managed to get it in there. I had to remind myself to either clean out my locker or arrange some things to give myself more room. I then took off my scarf and placed it into my locker with ease before closing it up with a loud clank.

" So let me get this straight! You've been alone on the holidays... for all that time?" Applejack asked.

" Yep."

" That... That's awful!"

" Again, I'm used to it. I've been doing it through my life in Equestria and here."

" Wouldn't y'all like to change that?"

" I suppose that would be nice."

" Then go for it!"

" I'm not sure if I can, Applejack. It's been far too many years, and the loving embrace of the holidays just never reached my heart. I always spent my free time studying; there was nothing else I could do. In the case of this holiday, I'm likely to spend it working on the magic problem." I said.

" Sunset..."

" I'm not going to lie to you, though. Deep down, I would love to spend at least one holiday with family and friends, but again, it's been far too long. Besides, you and the others have got your own holiday plans to worry about. No need to be concerned about me. I've got you guys, now. If you ever feel the need to drop by and pay me a visit, I'll be here in the school doing my thing. Principal Celestia said that I'll still have access while everyone else is away. Her only condition was that I could only enter the library and no other room until everyone gets back in the new year." I said.

" Does Principal Celestia know you're spending the holidays on your own?" Applejack asked.

" She did show some concern, but I told her that I'd be here for the duration."

" Alone in a school... Doesn't sound right."

" I know, but it's not like I can live elsewhere."

" Why not?"

" I'm basically an alien from another world. While I may have been able to register successfully at CHS, I'm pretty much living in this world under the radar. I've no records that can help me prove who I really am! Besides, if people beyond this school discovered that I'm a magical, talking pony, I could be taken away to some kind of research facility." I answered. That might have been a bit of stretch, there.

I looked towards Applejack again. She had since removed her Stetson hat, and was holding it in her hands while looking at me in shock. If there was some kind of consolation here, it would be that no one else had paid any attention to my rambling. I didn't want to embarrass myself again. I've had enough of those kinds of experiences already.

" Uh, I don't know what to say about that." Applejack said.

" Sorry. I didn't mean to say something so stupid!"

" How do you figure that?"

" I've spent too much time watching those corny B-list movies Rainbow Dash has in her collection."

" Y'all still view yourself as an alien?"

" I'm the same as everyone else... apart from the fact that I was once a pony."

" But, you are tellin' me the truth about not being able to live anywhere else, right?"

" I am. I'm not bothered about my current lot in life, though. Living in the school library does give me some perks, like having access to all those books, a roof over my head, the computer lab, and a place that I'm familiar with. I don't get to explore much of Canterlot, but I'm willing to expand on my horizons next year." I answered. Applejack then gave me a powerful hug, which did cause me to experience a quick bout of breathing trouble. I knew she was passionate about her friends, but she was overdoing it a little. She most likely felt upset about how my living conditions and general attitude left me at a disadvantage to everyone else. I couldn't think of any other explanation behind her actions, so I decided to stick with that. " Like I said, Applejack, I've got you guys now, so it's not like I'm actually alone for the holidays in that sense." I said.

" No, I suppose not." Applejack said.

" I need to get going, so I guess I'll see you later."

" Sure, Sunset..." Applejack said.

I then turned around and walked off down the hallway, leaving Applejack to do her own thing. I didn't notice her taking out her cellphone; I was too busy looking up at the ceiling out of sheer embarrassment. How could a conversation about the holidays have gone so badly? It went from talking about that to talking about my current living arrangements. Was it really a big deal for me to be living at the library? Granted, no one in my current position would have done that. Everyone I knew either lived on their own, with other students, or at home with their parents. When Principal Celestia allocated a small, unused section of the library to me, I accepted it because there was nowhere else for me to go. I could have tried to apply for an apartment, but that would have required some income and official records. I had neither of these.

There had been times where my fellow students often asked me where I go after the sun goes down. My responses were nothing more than lies and it was difficult to come up with new ones. I could never tell them where I really went. I'd never hear the end of it! Princess Twilight was able to get away with it, as she only stayed in this world for a few days at a time. I've been living in the library now for the past two months.

I started to feel miserable again, all because of telling Applejack the truth about what the holidays meant to me. Why did she have to make me tell her the truth about my past? There was nothing that could be done about it now. I've told her so all I can do is keep on going and hope my friends don't try to cheer me up at the expense of their own plans. I should have just stayed in bed, or better yet, not have went outside in the first place.

" That explains why you live here." Twilight said.

" We already established that some time ago, but yeah, that is pretty much the reason why the library is my home." I said.

" While I'll give Applejack credit for having you open up about your opinion of the holidays, I wish she didn't force it upon you like that." Twilight said. I couldn't agree more. While her intentions were noble, Applejack shouldn't have pressured me into talking about my past. While I've been comfortable talking about my past with Twilight, it's because she and I had a close connection. I don't share such a connection with my other friends. I guess it was because I was afraid that they wouldn't understand me. Rather than talk to them about my past, I instead closed myself off to them and hid within a cocoon. They had succeeded to some degree, but I just couldn't bring myself to talk about it. Because of that, I shouldn't be so hard on Applejack or the others. She only wanted to help me, and I pushed her away. " How did you know Applejack had taken out her cellphone? You left before she did that." Twilight said.

" Pinkie Pie told me about it." I answered. " She would also tell me what our friends had decided to do."

" What do you mean?"

" After I left Applejack, she sent the others a text message to tell them to meet her in the library. Under no circumstances was I to know about it. Now, before you start throwing a hissy fit about how they left me out, let me explain. They had intended on leaving me out of their meeting because the meeting was about me and what could be done to make me feel better about the holidays." I answered.

" They were willing to give up their plans for you?" Twilight asked.

" Yes."

" Such thoughtful friends."

" It was too good to be true."

" What do you mean?"

" Looking back on it now, I should have refused their request. If I had, none of the problems that revolved around me would have happened." I answered. Of course, I can't see the future, so I had no idea what was going to happen. While my friends only had my best interests at heart, I walked right into a trap that resulted in my reputation, friendships, and very existence being destroyed. The signs were there that something was going on, but none of us paid any attention to it. If anyone should have noticed a problem, it would have been me. " Our friends wanted me to be happy, but they would be making others feel unhappy."

" Who was unhappy?" Twilight asked. I stayed quiet, knowing full well that she would be upset about it, but I had to keep their identities a secret until we had gotten to the end. I didn't want them to suffer the consequences because I just happened to be around. Once Twilight concluded that I wasn't answering her question, she sighed before shrugging her shoulders and taking a sip of cider to clear her mind. " Alright! There's no point in trying to get you to tell me."

" Sorry."

" It's alright. I'm sure you have a valid reason, and I have to respect that decision."

" Anyway, our friends had decided to host a slumber party, or rather, five slumber parties."

" Five!? Why would they need that many?"

" One for each of them."

" Oh."

" After the fifth and final slumber party, we were all to go to Sweet Apple Acres in order to celebrate Christmas together. It sounded like a perfect plan... even if Pinkie had her goofy grin while explaining their plans to me. Sometimes, I feel like she is going to do something sadistic. No one smiles like that unless they were either nervous or planning to do something sinister." I said.

" Pinkie Pie explained things to you?" Twilight asked.

" She wanted to be the first to host a slumber party for me, and no one was going to deny her that right." I answered.

The rest of the morning passed by without incident, and it left me wondering if something was up with my friends. They had been avoiding me, and whenever I tried talking to one of them, they just ignored me. Had my conversation with Applejack really been that problematic? Could I have jeopardized my friendships all because of what the holidays truly felt like to me? Nah. I shouldn't let such thoughts cloud my judgment. I knew my friends better than that. Still, they must be avoiding me for a good reason. Besides, I had more important things on my mind, with the most obvious being the magic problem.

The Rainbooms' performance after the fashion show had become the latest incident where we ponied up and unleashed magic, which didn't cause any damage. I had been spending some of my free time in the gym trying to find any magical residue. I did have to deal with the ire of students who were having gym class whenever I needed to conduct my research. I did learn something important about the magic. Unlike in Equestria, where it existed indefinitely, it only lasted a short period of time in this world. After that, it just faded away. Why does it do that? I must know before I can continue any further.

Lunch time came around, and I was still miserable about how my friends were acting. Try as I could, I just couldn't get them out of my mind. Maybe they were ignoring me so that they wouldn't upset me over their holiday plans. I suppose that was somewhat credible, yet why not tell it to my face? I've been through a lot worse than being made upset over a pointless holiday. No... I shouldn't think about it like that. This time of year means a whole lot to them, so I have no right to tell them otherwise. I walked over to my locker slowly, and upon opening it, I just stared longingly at the empty space at the back. Why did the holidays have such a negative effect on me? I already knew the answer, yet I always kept on asking that same question every time.

After staring for a few minutes, I finally closed the door to my locker and discovered that Pinkie Pie was standing right behind it. Her face had that goofy expression she was known for whenever she was really excited about something. But, sometimes I thought it was really creepy how her smile could be so big. Usually, I would have freaked out over seeing her standing there out of the blue, but my mind was too preoccupied to have made an appropriate reaction. I knew she wanted to speak to me. It was obvious. Hopefully, it would be a pleasant conversation.

" Eeeee!" Pinkie Pie squealed.

" Um, can I help you, Pinkie?" I asked.

" Maybe."

" Ugh! I don't have time for your games right now, Pinkie."

" No, but you will, starting tonight."

" What's that supposed to mean?"

" Me and the others have been talking about what you said to Applejack." Pinkie Pie answered. I suspected Applejack had told the others what I said to her. I couldn't blame her, though, as she was worried about my well-being. Judging from Pinkie's expression, she must have been okay with what they discussed, but I had no way of knowing how the others felt. If I had said what I did to some other student, they probably wouldn't have taken it very well. In fact, I could guarantee my friendship with them would end. Pinkie obviously had no intention of leaving me alone, so I decided to humour her and perhaps learn more about what they had talked about.

" Okay, and what did you conclude?" I asked.

" We want to spend the holidays with you!"

" Are you sure about that?"

" Yep!"

" But, you've all had plans that you've been talking about non-stop for weeks! Why would you want to throw those away just to make me feel better. If anything, doing that would make me feel even worse than I already do." I said.

" Sunset, you don't know us as well as you might think. We all knew that doing this would mean sacrificing our own plans, but the holidays wouldn't be any fun if you weren't able to share the experience with your closest friends. Heck, none of us were even planning on leaving Canterlot anyway, so it's not like our plans have been completely derailed because of you. No one should have to spend the holidays by themselves, and the same goes for you." Pinkie Pie said.

" Do you really want to include me?"

" Well, duh!"

" I... I don't know what to say."

" I'm sure you'll come up with something once we get things underway." Pinkie Pie said.

Wow... my friends were willing to give up their own plans just so that I wouldn't feel left out because of my past experiences. I didn't deserve to have such good friends. They would give up the very clothes on their backs for me! I tried to cry because of how happy Pinkie's words had made me, but no tears trickled down my face. I then blushed out of embarrassment, but Pinkie didn't seem to mind. Deep down, she knew that I wanted to cry. At the very least, I gave her a hug, acknowledging that I was grateful.

" There you go!" she said. " All you needed was some holiday cheer to put you in a good mood."

" Thanks, Pinkie. So, how do you plan on spending the holidays with me?" I asked.

" Slumber parties!"

" Of course."

" I'm serious, Sunset, and you know how serious I can be about parties. We're each going to be hosting a slumber party at our own houses. That's five slumber parties, one for each of your friends. We would've had a sixth slumber party at your place, but I don't think Principal Celestia would appreciate that." I agree, there. Since CHS was public property, having a slumber party in the library would be impossible. It wasn't illegal or anything, but rather, if we caused any damage, Principal Celestia would be blamed for it. She was responsible for keeping her students under control. I'd feel awful if she were to lose her job all because of a slumber party. It was for the best then that we don't have one at my place. That's when I finally caught onto something that Pinkie said.

"After the fifth and final party, we're all going down to Sweet Apple Acres to spend the holidays together. The Apple family home has more than enough room for all of us. Since parties are my thing, I decided that the first slumber party will be at my house." Pinkie Pie said.

" Did you just say... five slumber parties?" I asked.

" Yep!"

" I hope you girls planned this carefully."

" We did."

" In that case, I suppose I should bring over the essentials tonight."

" I just knew you would accept!"

" How could I refuse my friends?"

" Exactly!"

" Um, do your parents know about this sudden change in plans?"

" I already left them a message."

" Okay, then. I guess that wraps up everything." I said. Pinkie didn't seem to agree with me, for she began jumping up and down in an effort to let me know that she had something else she wanted to say. I admired her boundless energy, but sometimes I felt like she should tone it down for her own sake. Students have been known to stare at her while giggling under their breath. No doubt Pinkie ignores such things, blissfully in her own world, yet perhaps it's something she might want to change in the new year. You know, one of those New Year's Resolutions humans are known to making just after the holidays end. Pinkie's jumping antics finally got under my skin, so I grabbed her shoulders to stop her from continuing. " Okay! I can tell you want to say something, but there's no need to jump about like a lunatic!"

" What can I say? It's who I am!" Pinkie Pie said. She completely ignored the fact that I just insulted her. It wasn't surprising, as she often did that without realizing it.

" Anyway, what do you want to say?" I asked.

" Will Princess Twilight be coming over to spend the holidays with us? I know there's more than enough room at my place for her." Pinkie Pie answered.

" I don't think she will."

" Why not?"

" Her Highness has her own family and friends to celebrate the holidays with in Equestria. In addition, she probably has some royal duties to take care of. Being a princess doesn't mean she just sits around and does nothing all day." I answered.

" That's too bad." Pinkie Pie said.

" Maybe next year."

" Or, we could go to Equestria!"

" I'm not sure that would be a good idea. There are versions of you and the others who live in Equestria, and I don't think they would be able to accept alternate versions of themselves suddenly popping out of the portal. The same can be said if the opposite were true. It's a fine thought, Pinkie, but now isn't the proper time. Perhaps in a few years, it would be possible for all of us to get together." I said.

" Fair enough." Pinkie Pie said.

" So, what time do you want me over?"

" Sometime around 6:00pm will be just fine."

" Got it!"

" Okay! See you later!" Pinkie Pie said. She then turned around and began to skip along while humming to herself. No matter how often she tended to annoy me with her antics, I just couldn't stay mad at her. She was just being herself and beating to her own drum. I was surprised that she inquired about Princess Twilight, though.

Opening the door to my locker and grabbing the magic journal, I opened it up to the last entry I wrote down. I thought about sending a message to Her Highness, but decided against it. She was probably too busy dealing with her new lodgings to respond back. I still couldn't believe that she lost her original home, all because of some kind of demonic centaur. I couldn't relate to her, because I've never had a proper home of my own--excluding the section of the library allocated to me. When she told us that she had her own castle, everyone else was shocked, but not me. It was expected that she would get her own castle. After all, she was a princess in Equestria, and since when do princesses live inside hollowed-out trees?

Putting the journal back into my locker and closing the door, I pressed my hand up against it, followed by my forehead. Was I doing the right thing by agreeing to go to these slumber parties? While I appreciated my friends wanting to include me, they did so at the cost of their own plans, and that just didn't settle well with me. I could have refused politely, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. If only I hadn't encountered Applejack earlier this morning. I could have avoided all this grief and continued with my tradition of spending the holidays alone. Well, there was nothing else that could be done about it now. I had agreed with their idea, so I had to go through with it. Who knows? I might enjoy the experience and spending time with my friends.

" Pinkie wanted to know about Princess Twilight's holiday plans?" Twilight asked.

" She was our friend too, and Pinkie figured she could come through the portal and spend the holidays with us. While that would have been nice, Her Highness couldn't just leave her friends in Equestria for us. That wouldn't have been fair to either her or them. Besides, Her Highness wouldn't know the first thing about how to celebrate the holidays here. I've lived here long enough to understand most of the traditions used, but she might confuse them with those used for Hearth's Warming Day." I answered.

" Did you at least talk with Her Highness?" Twilight asked.

" I would send her three message during the holidays." I answered. Twilight noticed that my expression turned glum and she placed her hand on my shoulder. I smiled back in response before continuing. " The first two I sent were positive, but the third one was sent after everything came crashing down." Tears then started to trickle down my face, and Twilight quickly wiped them off. " Thanks for that, Twilight. I'd show you what I wrote to Her Highness, but I'll be covering those messages anyway, so we'll focus on what happened during that first party."

I then turned the page and blushed before turning away in embarrassment. On the page was a crude drawing of a cartoon pig's head. It looked confused. Twilight scratched her head initially but quickly noticed my reaction. " I remember what happened when this picture got spread around school. Applejack did her best to shrug off the teasing, but she got overwhelmed by all the comments."

" What's the significance behind the drawing?" Twilight asked.

" You sure you want to know?"

" Of course."

" Alright, but you're going to be shocked when I tell you the meaning."

" I can handle anything you throw at me."

" The drawing relates to a nickname that Applejack was called by her Granny Smith. It was meant to be one of endearment, but it ended up embarrassing her when others got word of it." I said.

" What was the nickname?" Twilight asked.

" Piggly-Wiggly."

Chapter 46: Slumber Party

Day: Monday
Weather: Snow
Time: 6:30pm

Winter break was several days away, and everyone was excited about it. Well, everyone except me. I would experience yet another holiday on my own at this time of the year, but my friends were determined to change that. I told Applejack, regretfully, of how the holidays held so little meaning to me, and she, in turn, told the others. They decided to change their plans by including me, yet I was hesitant about it. I didn't want them to give up their plans just because I had none of my own. After Pinkie pleaded their case, I reluctantly agreed to their idea of having five slumber parties. The first was at Pinkie's place. Once I arrived there with the others, I started feeling more comfortable about the whole thing. The evening went well, and I must admit that Pinkie knew how to throw a party, yet an unexpected phone call from Applebloom would bring up something from Applejack's past. Why mention something like that anyway? I suppose I'll just sleep on that one and leave it at that.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 24, 2016
Chapter 46: Slumber Party.

" Piggly-Wiggly!? Are you serious?" Twilight asked.

" What would I get from lying to you?" I asked.

" I was expecting you to say Applejack's nickname had something to do with apples and not pigs." Twilight answered. That was a misconception a lot of people had when it came to Applejack and her family. Because she worked on an apple farm, everyone assumed the Apple Family had nothing but apples on their minds. She was much more than that, but many simply ignored that aspect of her character. I used to refer to her as a country hick, among other insulting names, and that was because I didn't understand her feelings. I get her better than most, but there were some things she kept bottled up inside. Applejack was a proud girl. She never allowed anything to upset her, something that I admire. At the same time, she never allowed anyone aside from her family and closest friends close to her heart.

" The Apple Family wasn't just involved in apple produce." I said.

" What else could they have?"

" Sweet Apple Acres is famous throughout Canterlot for its orchard fields, yet many often ignore their other interests. They've been breeding horses for several generations, and many that you see racing in those events on television originated from there. They also have several cows that produce milk that they sell to market. They have several pigs, complete with their own pigpen, and it's those adorable little fellows that are the reason why Applejack has that nickname. They even have a goat on the farm, although I'm not really sure why. Applejack says it kept her Granny Smith company, but I have my doubts about that." I answered.

" Okay, so about this 'Piggly-Wiggly' thing?" Twilight asked.

" To cut a long story short, when she was much younger, Applejack decided to play in the pigpen." I answered.

" And that's where the nickname came from?"

" Uh-huh."

" Then how did it become known by everyone?"

" Originally, only Applejack, her family, and our friends were aware of the story. Then she told it to me during the first slumber party. The next day... it became known by the entire school, all because someone decided to post that information on MyStable. It would be the first instance of a secret being exposed through that site, but not the last, as many more would soon be made public." I answered.

" Applejack must have been beside herself with horror." Twilight said.

" She put on a brave face, but even she knew that she was no match for the taunting from the other students." I said. That's something about humans that disgusts me. Most had no compassion for anyone when it came to their secrets being exposed, and they would just laugh at their misery, all because it wasn't happening to them. It was even worse when they did the same thing online by posting comments. They chose to remain anonymous because it makes them think they're tough. They're nothing but cowards! Just thinking about how they treat their own made me punch my non-injured hand into the ground. Twilight took immediate action by rummaging through her backpack and taking out a bandage. I didn't injure my hand to the point where it bled, so that was a relief. Still, I lost control of my emotions, and Twilight had to witness it.

" Are you alright?" Twilight asked.

" I was thinking about how Applejack was teased for the Piggly-Wiggly comment, and I guess I lost control. I used to think it was amusing to see others suffer humiliation, so long as it didn't happen to me. But now, I don't feel that way. I feel nothing but contempt for anyone who gets a kick out of making people miserable." I answered.

" Sunset..."

" I'll be alright, Twilight. I just needed to vent a little steam is all."

" I don't like the idea of someone bullying someone else for the sake of it." Twilight said. That's right! When she attended Crystal Prep, her former students treated her like she was their personal punching bag. No one gave her any kind of compassion and instead aimed to make her feel like garbage. I blame Principal Cinch's school policies for making them act like utter jerks. If anyone could understand what it was like to be a victim, it was Twilight, and perhaps it does explain why she changed into a demon. She had always been picked on for being the smartest student at Crystal Prep, so perhaps her former students were jealous that she was the best and they weren't. The thought of wanting to lash out against her tormentors might have triggered the transformation. She wanted to understand magic, but perhaps there was something more at play? It was just a theory of mine, and one that held no merit unless Twilight wanted to talk about it. Since the end of the Friendship Games, she had been hesitant to talk about what she became. I'm going to ask her about it one of these days, but not today.

" Now you know why I said MyStable destroyed my life." I said.

" When did the Piggly-Wiggly comments start?" Twilight asked.

" The day after the slumber party. Before I get to that, I should tell you what happened during the slumber party. The snow had been falling throughout the day, but I had no other choice but to walk out in it in order to get to Pinkie's place. One thing I should invest in one of these days is a proper mode of transportation." I answered.

Pinkie Pie's party was happening in roughly a half-hour, and I was still putting together what I planned on bringing. Had it had been just a regular slumber party, I would have been finished by now, but this party had been altered from its original purpose in order to make me feel better. Despite agreeing to go along with it, I still showed signs of hesitancy, such as still trying to figure out what to bring. I knew to take along the absolute essentials: pajamas, toothbrush, sleeping bag, reading material, my research notes, and a flashlight in case there's a power failure. The one thing that had caused my packing delay was whether or not to bring along my magic journal. While I wanted to spend the night with my friends, I also wanted to check in on Princess Twilight, sending her a message telling her Happy Hearth's Warming. She didn't mind me sending her messages whenever I needed her opinion on something, although I didn't know what she was planning on doing to celebrate the occasion. I could potentially interrupt an important gathering with one of my messages, which would look bad on her. After mulling over it for a few minutes, I finally decided on taking it with me. It was too valuable to leave behind--not to mention dangerous. I could also send Her Highness a message before going to bed.

Once I had finished with my packing, I put on my jacket and scarf and walked out of the library before locking it up with the key Principal Celestia gave me. It felt weird leaving the library in this fashion. No one else was around, as they had all gone home, so in theory, I could do anything I want, and no one would scold me for it. I'd never actually stoop that low, however, as I've been trusted with a special privilege. I noticed the lights were still on throughout the building, and that meant the janitors were out doing their usual cleaning in preparation for tomorrow. Some of them have questioned Principal Celestia as to why a student has living quarters in an unused section of the library. She has told them that it has to do with circumstances that were beyond their pay grade, or something to that effect. I've run into a few janitors in the evening hours, and they've scolded me by demanding I tell them what I was doing in school that late. I complained to Principal Celestia about their rude behaviour, so now I've got this testy relationship with them. I don't mind them cleaning my residence, though, so long as they don't touch anything.

When I left the school and locked it up, I was disheartened to see that there was more snow than there was earlier. The weather forecast did say that today would feature quite the powerful snowstorm, yet people still needed to go about their business; they couldn't afford to allow the weather to slow them down. A part of me dreaded the long walk that lay ahead of me, but I had no other choice. One of these days, I should consider getting myself a motorbike, or maybe even a car, to avoid this scenario. I'm not sure if I could take any tests, given my lack of official records. At least Pinkie's place isn't that far from the school, so I should be able to make it there in time. I quickly turned and looked up at the school, my mind thinking about everything that had happened to me since I first came here. I've come a long way since those dark days. Looking back down, I started to walk forward, each step proving somewhat difficult with the heavy snow all around.

As I turned to walk down the path which ran past the school, I noticed a lack of vehicles on the road. It made sense that no one wanted to drive in such conditions, and I cursed them for being inside where it was warm. I had to walk out here in the cold with nothing but my own thoughts for company. If I had known that there would be more snow as opposed to earlier, I would have asked one of my friends for a ride. Instead, I had to walk to Pinkie's. Normally, that would take about twenty minutes, but with the weather like it is, it would take at least forty minutes, maybe even longer.

Sighing, I walked onward and began thinking about Equestria for a change. It had been some time since my last visit, yet that was during the dark time of my life. If I were to return now, despite having helped save this world, would I still be arrested? Would I still be punished for stealing an Element of Harmony and be exiled forever to the desolate wastes? Even if Princess Twilight could vouch for me, there was no guarantee she could do anything. And then there was Princess Celestia. Would I be able to face her after all this time? I had betrayed her by learning dark magic. Maybe the idea of going back home wasn't a wise course of action.

Some time had passed and I checked my watch. The time was 5:55pm, and I was nowhere near Pinkie's house. All this snow was really slowing me down, and the winter chill wasn't doing me any favours, either. If only I hadn't taken so long on deciding on whether to bring my magic journal or not. I could've been there by now. Despite it still snowing, my vision was pretty good. I then noticed the shadow of someone further up ahead. Who would be out here in this weather? I walked closer to see who it was.

" Heh. Fancy seeing you out here!"

" Rainbow Dash! I could say the same about you!" I shouted. I was certainly surprised to see Rainbow, of all people, walking about out here. I would have assumed she had hitched a ride over to Pinkie's, although maybe she wanted to prove how tough she could be. She enjoyed trying to prove herself by doing some crazy stunts, yet this was too much. Or, she could be out here because she wanted to.

" I'm surprised you managed to catch up to me." Rainbow Dash said.

" How do you figure that?"

" Well, I kinda left my house later than expected. I couldn't decide what video games I wanted to bring over, so I crammed as many as possible into my backpack. I thought I'd be the last one there, but it looks like we're both going to be crashing the party late." Rainbow Dash answered. Her reason for being late had more credibility than mine. She couldn't decide on what games to bring, and I couldn't decide on whether to bring perhaps the most important book of my entire life. At least I didn't have to worry about walking the rest of the way alone, as now I had company. Rainbow and I walked side-by-side, and for a while, we just kept quiet and concentrated on getting to our destination. The silence would quickly disappear when Rainbow wanted to say something to me. " You know, I was thinking. When you first came here, how did you keep warm during times like these?"

" You're the first person to ask about that." I answered.

" Really? I thought one of the others would've said something. Guess they were too preoccupied with their own things to be curious." Rainbow Dash said.

" Then what's your excuse?"

" I'm just curious."

" Curiosity can be a bad habit."

" Pfft! I don't believe in any of that bad luck nonsense."

" Luck is a form of magic you know."

" Yeah? Still don't believe in it!"

" Ugh! Well, to answer your question, when I came here, I spent my first night at Flash Sentry's place." I said. Rainbow Dash then turned away from me, her eyes rolling behind her head. If I didn't know any better, I could swear she was trying to avoid laughing. While she may have tempered her ego, she still showed signs of being insensitive. I had every mind to just ignore her entirely, but when she noticed my expression, she turned to face me before looking serious again.

" Sorry, please continue." Rainbow Dash said.

" He was the first human I ran into, but there wasn't any actual romance between us. He was just a tool for me to use until I got adjusted to my new body. Eventually, I had to sneak into people's basements without them knowing when I needed somewhere to sleep. I made sure not to touch anything in the process. That way, it was like I was never even there to begin with. When that no longer became an option for me, I used the gardener's shed while he was on vacation." I said.

" You had to scurry about like a rat." Rainbow Dash said.

" A little crude, but generally correct."

" Why not get your own place?"

" Couldn't afford it."

" Someone could have vouched for you."

" I had no friends to rely on apart from Snips and Snails at the time. Though, they were more like my minions as opposed to my friends. For three years, I used other people's homes as my own, and no one ever suspected me. By making myself look presentable, I gave off the impression that I came from a well-to-do family. That's all changed now since I started living in the library." I said.

" Seriously though, why the library?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Princess Twilight spent her first nights there, and I wanted to follow in her footsteps." I answered. I would have told her that I didn't have any official records, but I remembered that she already knew that based on what Applejack told her and the others earlier. Rainbow Dash was smart, yet she did forget things that had nothing to do with her own interests. I'm expecting her to eventually forget about my housing problem and simply focus on her own agenda. I felt slightly guilty over viewing her in such a negative way. I should give her more credit than that.

" You should get your own place one day." Rainbow Dash said.

" I'll work on it when I get to it. Right now, I've got the magic problem and my own studies to worry about. Besides, as long as I've got a roof over my head, it doesn't really matter what my residence is like so long as it feels like home." I said. I also had to make sure the other students never find out that I live in the library. They all assume that I live somewhere really close to the building which, would explain how I arrive before everyone else. I'd never be able to live it down were the truth revealed. My reputation may have slowly increased a little since the fundraiser, but it was still pretty low. While my school image meant little to me, it would have a negative effect on those closest to me.

Rainbow and I continued walking through the snow, and I checked my watch every now and then to see what time it was. We were over twenty minutes late, and it was because of the weather hampering our progress. I'm certain Pinkie Pie and the others were having a fun time right now in the warm. Meanwhile, the two of us were getting colder and grumpier. We both should have left much sooner. Winter looked majestic, but it was an absolute pain to trudge through it. We hadn't even started the first slumber party yet, and already, I was losing my patience.

Eventually, we arrived at the front doorstep of Pinkie's place. Both Rainbow and I were clearly exhausted from our ordeal, but our concern was what our host would say when she answers the door and sees us standing there. Rainbow wanted me to do the honours while she chose to stand back. While I knew she didn't want to face Pinkie's wrath, she could've at least shown some initiative instead of letting me lead the way. Knocking three times on the wooden oak of the door, the sounds of shuffling footsteps could be heard coming from the other side. Pinkie really wanted to make us suffer a little while longer just because we were late. I knew she would never consider that, but I was so cold at this point that I wasn't thinking straight. When the door opened, we were greeted by one of the Pie family, just not the one we expected.

" Hello."

" Um, Rainbow Dash and I are here for the slumber party." I answered.

" I will let my sister know that you two have arrived."

" Uh, what are you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Closing the door so I don't let the heat out."

" We're still outside, here!" I shouted.

" Oh. I suppose you can come in." Pinkie's sister Maud Pie ushered us inside before closing the door and shuffling towards the kitchen. Just as she reached the door, she turned around and looked at us with a blank expression on her face. " My sister and your other friends are in the kitchen. They're ordering pizza, but I will still announce you." She then entered the kitchen leaving Rainbow and I to warm up.

" Why would she want us to stay outside?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I don't know, but at least we're here now." I answered.

" Wonder how Pinkie will berate us?"

" What makes you think that?"

" One thing no one should ever break when it comes to Pinkie Pie is one of her Pinkie Promises. If you do, you will incur the wrath of Pinkamena Diane Pie. Believe me, I've been there myself, and it isn't pretty." Rainbow Dash answered. I suspected Rainbow had agreed to one of those promises. I never made such a promise, although would agreeing to be here by 6:00pm qualify as one? A few moments later, Pinkie came out of the kitchen, and she looked incredibly happy to see us before bouncing her way over. I explained why we were so late, but she completely understood, and figured it was the snow that slowed us down. As I removed my scarf from around my neck, Pinkie walked back to the kitchen, but not before saying we should have gotten a ride over here. We could have avoided so much grief that way. Rainbow slapped her forehead in frustration, and I simply hung my scarf on a rack without saying another word.

We both finally managed to get here, but we had to do it the hard way.

" That had been one of the worst experiences of my entire life. It didn't help that Maud Pie wanted us to stay outside in the cold while she went to tell Pinkie that Rainbow and I finally arrived. Neither of us could tolerate the cold for even a second longer." I said.

" Maud... She seems distant." Twilight said.

" Unlike Pinkie, who is full of energy, the rest of the Pie family are stoic. They don't like to express their emotions, although Pinkie's sister Limestone, I hear, does have quite the bad attitude. Anyway, Maud usually just stands there without doing anything, and while she doesn't mean to scare people, she has been known to freak people out when she appears out of nowhere." I said. I still hadn't gotten over when Maud surprised me during my conversation with Princess Twilight that night. I had no idea how long she had been standing there or how much she overheard, but she had this creepy vibe about her. The rest of our friends often had trouble interacting with Pinkie's family, according to what they wrote down on their MyStable accounts and on the Rainbooms' website. Pinkie knew how they felt and never once paid it any mind. Either she was really good at maintaining her composure or deep down, she was outraged that her friends thought that way about her family.

" Quite the contrast in family." Twilight said.

" Maybe, but they love Pinkie all the same."

" Was she upset about how late you and Rainbow Dash were?"

" Applejack and Rarity were annoyed at how late we were, and Fluttershy was just relieved that we arrived safely." I answered.

" So what did you all do at the slumber party?" Twilight asked.

" Pinkie had ordered pizzas for all of us... sixteen to be exact." I answered. Twilight's eyes widened with surprise, but she should have expected that from Pinkie. I'm still not sure why she wanted that many. There were only six of us, and she ordered enough to feed a small army, but I suppose it did give us variety. Technically, Maud would have counted as well, despite her not actually being part of the group. I don't recall her taking one of the pizzas when she came up to Pinkie's room with the order. " Rainbow Dash got Fluttershy hooked onto video games through a rather convincing method, and the rest of us just decided to hang out."

" What convinced her?"

" She could play as a fuzzy bunny."

" That doesn't sound like something Rainbow Dash would say."

" Who drove around in a monster truck."

" I stand corrected."

" While I had been to a few slumber parties in the past, this one felt extra special, because our friends wanted to make me feel better. Everything felt perfect, like nothing could go wrong, and then the phone call happened which would change everything." I said.

" Phone call?"

" None of us knew that Granny Smith had asked Applebloom to check up on Applejack. I couldn't tell at the time, but Applebloom didn't sound very happy with it." I answered. Maybe I shouldn't have blurted out what I did. If I had remained quiet, I could have prevented the events of the following days from happening. Then again, Applejack's plans on cheering me up had already been made known to her family.

" Sunset? What are you thinking about?" Twilight asked, looking at me with a concerned look.

" I was just musing over Applebloom's phone call." I answered.

" Did it really have that much of an impact?"

" Of course, since it was Applebloom who mentioned Piggly-Wiggly."

" Makes sense; she's related to Applejack."

Rainbow Dash and I hadn't been inside for even ten minutes before Applejack and Rarity berated us for being late. We both claimed that the snow had caused our delay, and that we both should have hitched a ride in order to get here on time. Rarity chose to believe our excuse, as she herself had a bit of trouble getting here as a result of the weather. The same couldn't be said about Applejack, however. She knew that we had taken our sweet time trying to figure out what to bring to this slumber party. Rainbow contested that she had too many games to choose from, yet I didn't have as valid an excuse. I struggled on whether to bring my magic journal or leave it behind back at the school library. I had actually figured out another reason why I couldn't leave it behind. If someone were to find it and tried using it--accidental or otherwise--they would discover that it uses magic and would want to learn more. That would be a disaster. For that, I must always have it on my person.

Pinkie revealed she had ordered sixteen pizzas, and my jaw dropped in response. Who in their right mind would order that many pizzas for just six people? That was enough for every student in my grade, let alone for six high-school girls. One could've been be for Maud, but I had no idea if she even liked pizza.

There was one advantage to ordering so many pizzas, though, and that was having a large variety. I wasn't a lover of meat--what with being a pony--so I preferred vegetarian. Knowing Pinkie, she was most likely to eat the most pizzas. She could eat pretty much anything without having to worry about gaining a pound. I was a little envious about her for that.

Several minutes later, Pinkie escorted all of us to her room, or "Party Central", as she called it. She had made sure to decorate her room with everything we needed to enjoy ourselves, yet who was she trying to impress? I could understand the need for wanting to show off that you could host a slumber party, but she did go a little overboard. I remember what she had in her room the last time we came here for a party. There wasn't as much clutter as before. My friends, though, didn't share my opinion. Their minds were fixated clearly on the holidays. Rainbow Dash, for example, took notice of the gaming console located next to Pinkie's television and immediately ran towards it as we entered Pinkie's room. I guess her excuse for being late just got thrown out the window. Rainbow had brought her own games along, but it looked like she wanted to play what was present.

" Welcome to Party Central!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

" Wow, Pinkie... You, um, really went all out." I said, trying my best to sound impressed with the setup.

" Nothing but the very best for my gal pals."

" Dibs on the games!" Rainbow Dash shouted, sitting down in front of the television and grabbing a game controller. She began to shiver while holding it in her hand, and while I thought it looked like she was freezing, she was, in fact, getting overexcited. " Someone wanna play me in 'Magic Drive Racer VI Deluxe'? As much as I could easily play it on my own, it'd be boring just playing against computer opponents. I need a human challenger to give me some real competition." While Pinkie would have made for an ideal partner, she was the host of this party. Applejack would have been too easy a choice and Rarity would've deemed it uncouth. Me? I was okay with playing video games, but I wasn't avid about it. That only left Fluttershy, but could she give Rainbow the desired challenge? " Here, Fluttershy, try a round!" Rainbow Dash said, picking up a second controller and holding it up without even looking at whether her would-be opponent was willing to go along with it. She was completely mesmerized with what was happening on the screen.

" Um, thanks, I guess, but, um, I don't think..." Fluttershy began.

" C'mon! It'll help you relax." Rainbow Dash said. I wasn't so sure if that was entirely accurate, but again, I wasn't an avid gamer.

" Thank you, but, um, I think I'll pass on this one."

" Look! You can play as a fuzzy bunny! With a monster truck!"

" I will destroy all of my enemies!" Fluttershy shouted, her eyes suddenly burning with a fiery passion. Who would've guessed that the quietest among us had such a mean streak hidden inside her? I guess video games bring out the competitive side of people, even those with a calming nature, like Fluttershy. I was thinking of protesting on her behalf for being forced into playing, but I backed away from that when she started to play. Wow... I didn't think she could give Rainbow such a difficult time. Could she be an expert gamer masquerading as a shy girl?

" Whoa! You're pretty good!" Rainbow Dash said.

" I haven't even gotten started!"

" Okay, I think you're overdoing it a little."

" I will crush you!"

" Yeow!"

" Mwa ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!"

" Maybe I should have asked you to play me instead, Sunset. At least you would have been an easy challenge. I didn't think Fluttershy was such a pro." Rainbow Dash said. I didn't like that little jab she made, but then, she wanted a challenge, and has gotten more than she bargained for.

Over the course of the next hour, Rarity took the liberty of braiding my hair--a kind gesture--while Pinkie was on the floor and looking up at the ceiling. Applejack had been talking to me about how much fun slumber parties could really be. Even though this wasn't my first party--I had been to two others--I didn't have as much experience as my friends did, and there were some nuances that I never knew about. For instance, I didn't know that they had pillow fights as a way of letting out aggression. It sounded a little barbaric, but I could find myself having fun with it. Other activities Applejack mentioned included telling stories and gossiping. While the latter wasn't to my liking, the former was definitely up my alley. The stories I could share with my friends about what I experienced while growing up in Equestria would have them both intrigued and scared. If they thought their prior experiences were intense, they were nothing compared to the true horrors my home world possessed.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, in the meantime, had their eyes glued to the television as they continued playing the same game. I had initially thought Fluttershy would have stopped playing after five minutes, but she insisted on continuing. Roughly thirty-five minutes later, Rainbow wanted to stop, but Fluttershy convinced her to keep playing when she decided to raise the stakes. Eventually, Rainbow turned the console off before comforting Fluttershy, who appeared really shaken up by her whole ordeal. In my experience, once you become engrossed with a game, you lose all sense of reality around you, and only a strong desire to win no matter what keeps you going. You could say Fluttershy became an entirely different person and changed back to normal once Rainbow had ended the fun. It was kind of like the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but without the physical transformations.

" Is Fluttershy okay?" I asked.

" Uh... I think she needs to lie down for a while. She kinda overdid it on the whole gaming thing." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Wasn't expecting her to be so good, were you?"

" Okay! I admit that I shouldn't have forced her to play thinking she could be a pushover!"

" At least you have someone who can give you a real challenge."

" Maybe she could tone it down a little next time."

" Use your Limit Break, Mr. Fuzzles." Fluttershy said, a far-off look on her face. Rainbow then pushed her over to the bed, where she fell down on top of it with a soft thud before staring up at the ceiling, mumbling "Limit Break" over and over. Once she knew Fluttershy would be okay, Rainbow walked over to a chair before sitting down, taking a book from the shelf, starting to read it. I had a feeling she wasn't going to be playing any video games for a while. Several minutes later, there was a knock at Pinkie's door, and Pinkie reacted in her usual manner.

" Ooh! I got it!" Pinkie dashed over to the door and opened it up, and standing there holding numerous pizza boxes was Maud. I was pretty impressed with how strong she was, considering all that pizza must have weighed quite a bit, but I wasn't as impressed with the boxes. Again, I had to question why anyone would want to order that many. Not only that, but how much did it cost Pinkie in the first place. Pizza doesn't come cheap, and unless her parents were okay with such a large purchase, they'll be getting one heck of a bill upon returning from their vacation.

" Hello, Pinkie. The sixteen pizzas you ordered have arrived." Maud said.

" Did they have any trouble getting here?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" They knew which house to look for. They always know because you make sure to have enough loud noises for them to find us. By the way, the weather has gotten worse. It's been snowing heavily for the last hour. Perhaps you should look on the weather channel." Maud answered.

" Oh Maud! You're the best sister ever!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

" They're dripping grease on my shoes."

" Do you want to have a pizza all to yourself."

" No, thank you. I have some leftover tofu in the fridge. It's been calling out to me."

" Okay, but I'll save you one anyway."

" Enjoy the rest of your night." Maud said before handing the pizzas over to Pinkie and closing the door. She was having leftover tofu!? Oh, well; while I couldn't stomach that stuff myself, as long as she enjoys it, that's what mattered. Still, it does reinforce my question of how she was related to Pinkie. They were complete opposites of one another. I suppose I could never understand the bond between siblings, despite having my own in Equestria. I don't really consider them to be anything other than ponies who took away my parents' attention and left me to fend for myself, though.

Another hour had passed, and after having our fill of pizza, snacks, and drinks, we had all decided to relax for the remainder of the evening. We had since changed into our pajamas, and while I was resting comfortably on Pinkie's bed, Rarity had been doing Applejack's nails--something I never expected to see happen--and she didn't know what to make of it. Fluttershy was braiding Rainbow Dash's hair, much to the latter's annoyance, and Pinkie was finishing some leftover pizza. Of all of us, she ate the most, which wasn't surprising. She really could eat an awful lot without gaining a single pound.

" I must admit. I'm glad that you convinced me to go along with this." I said.

" I knew you'd enjoy yourself." Pinkie Pie said.

" Reckon y'all are lookin' forward to the other slumber parties?" Applejack asked.

" After what happened tonight, I actually can't wait to get to the next one, but I'm going to take it one step at a time. Speaking of time, there is something I've been meaning to say all night, but I never could find the words until now. Seeing you all like this was enough to inspire me. I want to say thank you." I answered.

" For what?" Rarity asked.

" For all of this. I haven't done anything like this in so long, not including the slumber party we had with Princess Twilight or the one after the exam. I never had a chance to do this in Equestria, as my focus was always on my studies, but here, I'm able to cut loose and be myself, without any kind of weight pushing down on me. It makes me feel alive knowing I'm experiencing this with those who are the closest to me, and they feel the same way I do. It's good to have friends." I answered. I then lifted myself up slightly in the hopes that my friends would say something in response. My little speech was from the heart, although at the same time, it did sound really mushy. Guess I was a little too engrossed with it, yet it just needed to be said. The others remained silent for a few moments, which made me feel nervous, but then Rainbow Dash broke that silence by adding her own sentiment.

" Hey, I feel the same way you do, Sunset. I don't know what I'd be like without you guys, and frankly, I hope I never have to know. While we've all had our share of disagreements, they just brought us closer as friends." Rainbow Dash said.

" Same here. It means a lot to me. Havin' friends to support me makes--" Applejack began, before she was interrupted by her cellphone, it ringing with a cheery tone that reminded me of the wild open fields of Equestria, where ponies could run all they wanted without ever stopping. " Goldurn it! That's my phone! Can someone get that for me?" Since I was the closest to her bag, I walked over to it and took out her cellphone before bringing it over to her. I placed it on the bed where she was lying and sat down myself to get comfy. The image of Applejack's sister told me who was calling, but Applejack didn't notice this as she immediately clicked Answer. " Whoever this is, you just ruined a real heartwarmin' moment."

" Hey, big sis."

" Applebloom!? Sorry, sugarcube, I wasn't expectin' you to call me." Applejack said.

" No one usually does." Applebloom said.

" Why did you call?"

" Granny Smith wanted me to call and make sure you're doin' all right. I told her there was no real need to, since you're just spendin' the night over at Pinkie's, but she insisted on forcing me to give you a holler. I think she might be gettin' a little too overprotective of you." Applebloom answered.

" 'Course I'm all right! I'm with my friends, and aside from having too much pizza, we've pretty much been hanging out. Tell Granny Smith that she shouldn't worry about me all the time; it'll just make her feel worse. If anythin', she should be more worried about what you're doin'." Applejack said.

" I'm not doing anything... unlike you." Applebloom said. Something sounded off about the way she said that. It felt like she was clearly upset about having to phone her sister and just wanted to be doing something fun. I decided to ignore this feeling. I didn't know what happened at Sweet Apple Acres between the Apple family members, but who was I to pry into their private lives.

" Yeah! AJ's fine! She wearing nail polish!" I shouted.

" Ya don't say? Sure wish I could see that for myself. I'll bet Applejack looks plum ridiculous wearing somethin' fancy." Applebloom said.

" Oh... I didn't mean to imply."

" It's fine."

" Again, Granny Smith don't need to worry." Applejack said.

" All right! All right! I'm just the messenger here! A messenger who didn't wanna do this in the first place. Anyway, I might as well let y'all get back to your little party, so I guess this is goodnight. Have a good one... Piggly-Wiggly." Applebloom said as she hung up the phone.

Wait a moment! Was it my imagination, or did I hear her just call Applejack Piggly-Wiggly? What in the world did that even mean? Looking at my friends, they all stared to snicker, as though they have heard this name before. Applejack, on the other hand, looked embarrassed. One disadvantage of being the newest addition to a group dynamic was being on the outside looking in when it came to things like this. Why would Applebloom say something like that to make Applejack uncomfortable. I must know more!

" Um, did she just call you... Piggly-Wiggly?" I asked.

" Uh... yeah, she did. I was hopin' I wouldn't have to tell this story again." Applejack answered.

" You don't have to tell me about it if you don't feel up to it." I said.

" Naw! Y'all have the right to know, Sunset. After all, you did tell me part of your past early this mornin', so it's the least I could do." Applejack said.

" If that's want you want." I said.

" When I was real little, I used to follow Granny Smith around when she was doin' chores. I 'specially loved it when she fed the pigs. Those little guys were so full of life when you see 'em wallowing about in their pig pen. It may not look like much to us, but it means everything to them. One day, Granny Smith had to go and get their food from the other side of the farm, and something in my head compelled me to join the pigs. I... I couldn't help myself. I snuck into their pen and began playing with the pigs. I had so much fun that I just couldn't stop, but what I didn't know till afterwards was that Granny Smith had been watchin' me and was laughing up a storm. She told me that I had stayed in there for hours. Whether or not that was true made no difference to me. I had fun, and that's what mattered." Applejack said.

" I know the feeling." I said.

" Unlike you, Sunset, I wouldn't end up causing a worldwide crisis."

" Touché."

" You got better though."

" I shouldn't have done it in the first place."

" We forgave you for what you did."

" And I'm grateful."

" So anyway, Granny Smith started callin' me 'Piggly-Wiggly', and it stuck as a family nickname. No one aside from my family and closest friends know about this nickname, and that now includes you, Sunset. Anyway, it's never really bothered me at all. In fact, I see it as a badge of honour and a reminder of why I love my dear granny so much. There's only one negative, though. Applebloom likes to use it when she thinks I'm gettin' too big for my britches, but it's somethin' I've gotten myself adjusted to. Well, that's family for you, I guess. Gotta take the good with the bad." Applejack said.

" That explains why the others snickered when Applebloom mentioned that nickname." I said.

" I've told each of them the story, and they never get tired of hearing it."

" Yet you get tired of telling it."

" It can be a little embarrassing."

" I promise that I won't tell a soul."

" Thanks."

" I'm now curious about what the others have to say about your story." I said. Turning my attention towards my friends, I noticed that they had all since fallen asleep. That couldn't be right. Applejack had only spent several minutes telling me her tale, but when I looked at the clock hanging on the wall, it had, in fact, been over thirty minutes. It had been such a fun story that we completely lost track of the time and were now the only ones still awake. Well, at least Applejack didn't have to feel alone about still being awake. If anything, I was to blame for wanting to hear her story to begin with. I should have perhaps waited until morning. No point in worrying about what could have been. Applejack would eventually fall asleep herself, yet I still remained awake. I actually couldn't sleep, as there was much on my mind.

While the nickname Piggly-Wiggly sounded really silly, it held such a deeper meaning for Applejack. It represented the love her Granny Smith had for her. It was a term of endearment--under other circumstances it would be an insult--and she should be proud of it. That wasn't what was really bothering me, though. No, it was the fact that my friends had interesting lives which I could never hope to experience on my own. I was still isolated. While this slumber party had brought us all closer together, I never felt so alone. Would it be a bad decision to refuse the remaining parties? It would, and I couldn't do that to them. They gave up their own plans for me. I felt conflicted. I wanted to have fun, but I couldn't with this inferiority complex. What could I do? Perhaps an answer could be found by asking the one person who could understand my problem.

" What did you mean by that?" Twilight asked.

" By what?" I asked.

" You needed to speak to the one who could understand you."

" I was referring to Princess Twilight."

" Oh."

" She understood me not because we were friends but rather because we were both ponies who had struggled to find our respective places in the world. While Her Highness would eventually discover her place, she still copes with trying to come to terms with it. Me? I'm still trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing. I've come up with some possibilities, but I haven't fully committed myself to them." I said.

" Fair enough. My next question: Did you suspect Applebloom of anything?" Twilight asked. That was going to be a difficult question for me to answer. I couldn't let her know just yet that Applebloom was greatly involved in my life taking a downward turn, but I couldn't lie to her either. Twilight's eyes were sharp as they stared into my own, and I couldn't break away from such a powerful gaze. She would notice how I felt about her stare, so she blinked several times before backing off slightly. " I didn't mean to put you on the spot or anything, Sunset."

" It's difficult to answer your question." I said.

" Then tell me what you can."

" I did think that Applebloom sounded like something was on her mind."

" But you never thought much about it?"

" No."

" It's not like she held a grudge against you or anything. Unlike Trixie, Applebloom was someone that you didn't interact with all that much." Twilight said. Just because I don't interact with someone doesn't mean that I can't upset them. I should have caught the signs much sooner than I had. I should've known Applebloom was clearly upset with how she felt about Applejack being with her friends and not the Apple family. Why did I ignore it? Was I oblivious because I was having too much fun? Should I have kept silent so as to not have made her feel even worse? There were many what-if scenarios that stem from what actually happened, and I sometimes wish one of those had occurred instead. Realizing something, I slapped my forehead, prompting Twilight to get herself into position to help me in case I try to hurt myself again. The others were just as guilty. They should have understood the situation a lot better and not allowed me to become the true victim in all of this. " Thinking again?" Twilight asked.

" Our friends allowed me to be victimized." I answered.

" Why would you think that?"

" Because they could have done something."

" Sunset..."

" It's all water under the bridge now, but I still wish they did something."

" Maybe we should move on to what happened the next day."

" I'll tell you this much: Applejack was about to have the worst day of her life!"

Chapter 47: Piggly-Wiggly

Day: Tuesday
Weather: Snow
Time: 9:00am

Against my own judgment, I've agreed to go to five slumber parties, one hosted by each of my friends. While I appreciate them doing this for me, they shouldn't have given up their plans to celebrate the holidays. One thing I did learn from this experience, though, was to ask for a ride if I needed to get somewhere. Trudging through the snow didn't do me any favours, but at least I had Rainbow Dash to keep me company. We walked the remaining distance and arrived late at Pinkie Pie's place, much to the displeasure of the others. It was a wonderful experience, and I learned something about Applejack's past. While everyone else slept, I sent a message to Princess Twilight and told her about my experiences that night. The next day, things became complicated when students began using the nickname Applejack mentioned in her story. How did they come to know that? Had someone revealed her secret? Also, who was this Anon-A-Miss person? And why did their MyStable profile look like something I'd do?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 27, 2016
Chapter 47: Piggly-Wiggly

" As you mentioned earlier when you mentioned online bullying." Twilight said.

" Remember how I said MyStable destroyed my life?" I asked.

" Yes."

" This would be the first instance of that site inflicting its damage. None of us were aware that anything was amiss, so we all went to sleep that night, looking forward to the next slumber party at Rarity's place." I said.

" What about that message to Princess Twilight? Does it have any significance?" Twilight asked.

" Not really. All I did was explain what my experiences were that night."

" Oh."

" What's wrong?"

" I was hoping that you could have mentioned what you wrote to Her Highness and say what she said in response. It's not that I'm jealous of her or anything, so don't even think about it like that! She's just a different version of me who happens to be a magical princess." Twilight answered. The tone in her voice suggested otherwise, but I never considered her feelings towards Her Highness all that often. Twilight should never have to compare herself with Princess Twilight; that would just be unfair to both of them. Between the two of them, I prefer this version. She is much more approachable, and we have much in common. I know Her Highness and I have some things in common as well, but those are more along professional lines than anything else.

" To be honest, the message I sent to Her Highness wasn't anything special." I said.

" It would have been nice to know."

" Let me bookmark the journal right here, and I'll see if I can find that message in the magic journal." I suggested. I had no intention of arguing with Twilight over this. I had gotten used to that glare in her eyes that she gives me whenever she wants to have her way with things. The only option was to simply accept that she wanted to know and go ahead and reveal it. I wasn't trying very hard to keep this information from her. I knew what I wrote to Her Highness wasn't all that much.

Placing the bookmark in the journal, I reached into my backpack and took out the magic journal. I should probably just leave it out from now on, as I have a feeling I'll be coming back to it again, especially with Twilight's attitude.

I opened it and began leafing through the pages until I reached the message in question. It wasn't very long, but she wanted to see it with her own eyes. I handed it over to Twilight, and she started to read it. It didn't take long before she began oohing and aahing over what she was seeing, and I rolled my eyes in response. I found it adorable that she was so fascinated by what was written down, yet it was just my messages and Friendship Reports, normal practice for me at this point.

" I never get tired of reading what the two of you send to one another." Twilight said.

" See? I told you there wasn't much there."

" Do you think I could borrow this sometime?"

" What for?"

" I'd really like to study the scientific applications this journal possesses. I know it uses powerful magic to send messages between dimensions, but I think there's a logical explanation behind how it really works. I can see myself getting the Nobel Peace Prize for this endeavour, or a Pulitzer at the very least." Twilight answered. Her eyes started flashing stars so consuming was she with wanting to uncover the journal's secrets, and again I rolled my eyes over how cute she was being. My reaction hadn't gone unnoticed by Twilight, who blushed before handing the journal back. " I am so, so sorry for even thinking of such things. I know this journal means a great deal to you, and I was obsessed with wanting personal glory."

" You were just being you, Twilight. If I were in your shoes, I'd have had the exact same reaction." I said.

" Doesn't excuse me from how I acted."

" At least you were cute in your little moment." I said. Twilight blushed again, and I closed the magic journal and placed it aside. I could have done what she desired a long time ago and become famous for having an item that could transcend dimensions. I never considered it because of the potential consequences and because I buried it in my locker in hopes of forgetting all about Princess Celestia.

I opened the other journal to where the bookmark was placed and turned the page before groaning in anger. Twilight was confused by my behaviour and looked down at the page.

" There's just one word on this page."

" A word I hate."

" 'Anon-A-Miss'... I can't say that's a subtle name."

" It wasn't."

" I take it that was the name used by the person who framed you for spilling secrets?"

" Yep. They registered on MyStable on the night of the first slumber party, according to their page. They quickly gained friends who weren't exactly on good terms with the Rainbooms, but what really stung was her profile picture. It was an outline of me where my entire body was coloured in yellow and surrounded by a red background. This would be updated later to make it even look more like me." I answered.

" Did anyone suspect you of being this person straight away?" Twilight asked.

" No. Students were more interested in what was said about Applejack and ignored that little fact. However, there was one student who blamed me for revealing that secret, and she made sure to let Applejack know." I answered.

" You were told later?"

" Yep."

" Who told Applejack?"

" Her sister."

Everyone was still sound asleep, aside from me, but that was because I had a lot on my mind. I enjoyed the first of five slumber parties my friends had put together for me, but I still felt bad about them giving up on their own plans. Granted, what they wanted to do wasn't all that much compared with some of the more ambitious plans other students had come up with. Nevertheless, I wish they didn't have to make such a sacrifice. I should have remained quiet when Applejack grilled me earlier. Oh well; there was no sense in talking about what could have been.

My friends felt like they belonged here, while I was merely a spectator pretending to be part of the group. Why did I feel like I was the only one who wasn't truly happy? Could it be that I missed Hearth's Warming? I never really cared much for it, as I didn't spend time with anyone during that holiday. My friends wouldn't be able to understand my feelings on the matter. How could they? They were humans, and I was a pony in the shape of one.

Maybe... Maybe I'm just overthinking all of this and allowing my anxieties to get the better of me? Perhaps. I needed to soothe these feelings before they ended up consuming my very thoughts.

Reaching into my backpack, I took out the magic journal before staring at it longingly. Aside from the portal, this journal was my only connection to my place of birth. Part of me really wanted to go back to Equestria again and run around on four hooves instead of two legs and use my magic freely without restraint. But, I was only kidding myself. I could never return. Not yet, at any rate. I may have forged a friendship with Princess Twilight and become her student, but my actions prior to that still condemn me. I was certain Princess Celestia would welcome me back with open hooves, but I couldn't say the same for everypony else. I would be shunned for what I did and exiled to the desolate wastes. Was I overthinking that, too? I really needed to get my mind off of such matters or I'd start to lose it.

Looking down at my journal, I felt the urge to send Her Highness a message of holiday greeting and perhaps inquire about how she was getting used to her new castle. It must be difficult for her to get used to such large surroundings compared with her much smaller library. I never did see the Golden Oak Library in all its glory, nor did I see Ponyville, for that matter. Should I ever return home, I'd need to pay a visit to Ponyville to see what made it so special.

Opening the journal and taking out a pen from my pocket, I thought hard before beginning to write down my message.

Dear Princess Twilight,

Hope you're not surprised that I'm sending you a message at this time of night. Our friends decided to host five slumber parties to make me feel better, and so far, I'm really enjoying the experience. I'm also reminded of my disdain towards snow. Trudging through it isn't fun at all, but at least I used two legs instead of four hooves. Tomorrow will be the second slumber party at Rarity's, so I expect it to be really fancy. I'll be honest with you. This time of the year brings me nothing but pain. It's because I've spent the holidays alone, not in the company of family and friends. This experience with our friends is one that I'll surely cherish. By the way, I'm curious as to how you've managed to get adjusted to your new castle. Also, how go the Hearth's Warming celebrations in Equestria?

That's all I have to say for now, but I hope to hear back from you soon.

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer.

I knew Her Highness would receive my message, yet I didn't want to go to sleep. I was under the assumption that she would be responding to me right this very moment, yet she was probably asleep herself. Time in Equestria was different from that of this world, yet there were similarities to be had. I initially hesitated to tell her how I really felt about the slumber parties, but I chose to go through with it. With Princess Twilight, I never felt the need to hide the truth from her. Unlike our other friends, she could understand me better than most; our histories were nearly identical up until I made that fateful decision. It's a harsh reality which had given me new experiences in life, but it also gave me heartache over losing so much.

A few minutes had passed, and my eyelids struggled to keep themselves open. Just as I started drifting off, the journal started glowing. Her Highness had responded to my message--quickly, thankfully--so I looked down at what she had written.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

Glad to see that you've accepted our friends' hospitality despite your reservations. I know it's difficult for you to accept their gift, but you need to open up your heart and not give in to despair. I didn't think that world got any snow, yet I suspect it comes naturally, without any Pegasi delivering it from a flying cloud city. Hearth's Warming is just a few days away, and already, everypony has been getting themselves prepared. I plan on spending the holidays with Spike at my castle this year, although I do plan on dropping by my parents' place for a visit. I haven't seen them since my coronation.

My castle? It's taken some getting used to, but it's a work in progress. I've made a most remarkable discovery when the pony versions of our friends and I sat on our respective thrones. A map appeared, and it shows me places across Equestria where a Friendship Problem needs solving. Rather than bore you with the details, I'll simply explain things to you the next time I come through the portal, and I have a feeling it will be sooner than expected. Call it a hunch.

Remember that I'll always be here if you need to send me any messages. I love hearing from you.

Your friend,

Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Her castle had a map!? In all my years of going to Princess Celestia's castle in Canterlot, I had never seen nor heard anything like that before. It must be nice to have your own castle. Was I getting jealous of Her Highness? I shouldn't be; she was destined for her role. It was my destiny, but that had since been discarded in favour of what I had now. At least she didn't pry into my parent issues. I shouldn't feel upset over how she had a strong bond with her parents. They were crucial to her upbringing and probably encouraged her to study magic. My parents never had my best interests at heart. Ugh! Just thinking of them gives me a headache. I decided to try and get some sleep before my troubled childhood caused even more stress.

The next day, my friends and I all travelled to school together, and that meant having to trudge through the snow. The weather forecast had stated that more snow would fall overnight, while I wished that it could have been sunny enough to melt it all away. We had partied a little too hard last night, so we were all exhausted. I was the worst among our group due to staying up and writing that message to Princess Twilight. At least Rainbow Dash and I could mock the others about what it felt like trudging through deep snow. We had all agreed that leaving early was the best course of action, mainly because it was our only option. Everyone else's rides were too busy to pick any of us up. Would this exhaustion repeat itself for the remaining slumber parties? My body wasn't looking forward to that.

The silence was broken when Pinkie yawned. Loudly.

" You sleepy, Pinkie?" Applejack asked.

" Don't be silly! Why would you think that?"

" A yawn that loud tells me you had a little too much fun last night."

" I think we all did."

" Reckon y'all are right."

" Um, you do look sleepy right now. I mean, you've got big bags under your eyes." Fluttershy said. This was the case for all of us. Pinkie's parties usually were crazy, but the one last night was in a league of its own. The idea of making me feel better was appreciated, but not at the expense of our sleep cycles.

" Never! Parties give me energy! Parties are my... my... my something important!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

" She was just makin' a comment there, Pinkie." Applejack said.

" Hey, Piggly-Wiggly!"

" Wha!" Applejack immediately turned her head the moment she heard that name, and it took me a few seconds to figure out what it was. Did I really hear that? Impossible! Like Applejack, I turned towards where the voice had come from. All we saw were students chatting amongst themselves as they walked past us and down the hallway. Maybe all that partying had affected me more than I thought. I could have sworn that I heard someone say "Piggly-Wiggly" While I tried to figure out what my ears had heard, Applebloom, Applejack's younger sister, came running up to us, and she looked like something had her pretty concerned.

" Sis! Sis!" Applebloom said as she tried to catch her breath. " You gotta see this! Look!" She then held up her cellphone, which Applejack took from her hand before looking over it to see what was wrong. Upon finishing, she showed it to the rest of us. On the screen was Applejack's MyStable page. It looked pretty normal to me, but then I noticed the most recent message that had been posted three hours ago.

Did you guys know when AJ was a kid she loved playing with her pigs? OMG! She sat in the mud for hours! Her whole family calls her "Piggly-Wiggly" cause she loves them so much! What a PIG!

There was the nickname again, but now it had been made public. Judging from the number of likes, this message had been seen by a lot of people. This wasn't right. How did this person know about her nickname? My instincts were telling me that someone blabbed when they shouldn't have, but that was quickly replaced with a more considerate perspective. Maybe someone accidentally overheard Applejack mention her nickname and decided to share it through MyStable. I quickly looked up at Applejack after staring at the cellphone long enough, and the expression she had said it all. She was completely beside herself in shock.

" What!? How th-- What th--"

" It got posted a couple of hours ago!" Applebloom shouted.

" Look at the name." I said, pointing at the message on the cellphone.

" It says 'Anon-A-Miss'. Ooh, catchy!" Pinkie Pie said.

" I disagree." I said.

" Who's this Anon-A-Miss?" Applejack asked.

" Her profile was created at the same time as those posts. No clue who she is." Applebloom answered. This person had obviously taken a lot of precautions to hide their identity, even going with a rather ridiculous-sounding username, but that wasn't what was worrying me. I couldn't see the icon this Anon-A-Miss used very well, but there was something awfully familiar about it. I decided to pay it no mind and instead focus my efforts on comforting Applejack.

" That means... anyone could be her." Applejack said.

" Or it could be a him." Pinkie Pie said.

" Why would it be a guy? The username clearly has the word 'miss' in it, so it has to have been a girl." Rainbow Dash said.

" Do you suppose the male version would be Anon-A-Mous, or maybe Anon-A-Master?"

" Not helping!" Actually, Pinkie's antics do eliminate roughly half of the entire student body. The name alone indicated that this someone was a female, but that still meant having to figure out who among the remaining half could have done this.

" This wasn't just posted on yer page sis! She posted this on my page, your pages... Heck, the entire school probably knows about it by now. I ain't sure if the teachers know that something like this has been spreadin' 'round school. I don't know if they use MyStable." Applebloon said.

The Piggly-Wiggly comments started getting more vocal, eventually followed up with oinking noises. How could our fellow students treat one of their own like this? We never had anything like this in Equestria! While there were quarrels between ponies, nopony would ever resort to defamation of character. Princess Celestia wouldn't have any of it under any circumstances.

" Well, this ain't gonna bother me." Applejack announced.

" Are you sure about that?" I asked.

" They are getting worse." Fluttershy added.

" I can handle a little teasing." Applejack answered. While that was true, I don't think she understood the seriousness of the situation. Applejack was proud. She usually never allowed things like this to annoy her, but I'm sure that deep down, she felt like her whole world had come crashing down on top of her.

" Yeah, well, I'm not fine with this!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" What are you gettin' at?" Applejack asked.

" You might be willing to accept this, but I'm sure not gonna start! What about this 'Anon-A-Miss'? How did she know about your nickname? I thought it was something only your family and closest friends knew about." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Must be some kinda coincidence."

" Oh, I'm so sure."

" Look! I'm not gonna let this get to me, okay!"

" I'm not saying you are!"

" Um, can I, uh, say something?" Fluttershy asked, breaking up the argument.

" Sure, sugarcube." Applejack answered.

" Why would she post something like that online where anyone can see it? That's... That's just cruel!" Fluttershy said. While everyone else was pondering over what had just transpired, I had been looking at the female students as they passed by. None of them had any grudges towards Applejack, as she was popular in her own right and never really came off as arrogant. Yet, could they have had hidden desires to see her life completely ruined? Maybe I was overthinking things again, and I just shouldn't jump to any conclusions. We had very little information to go on, so accusing someone without proof would be foolish.

What Fluttershy said finally caught my attention, and she made a valid point. Whoever this Anon-A-Miss was, they wanted to cause as much chaos as possible, apparently in an attempt to humiliate Applejack. While only the students of CHS were aware of this secret, it could quickly spread throughout Canterlot. That would make things even worse! This problem must remain isolated to the school.

Before any of us could consider our next move, the school bell started to ring. That was inconvenient. At least we could take some time to come up with a solution, although my concern was towards Applejack. This whole experience had rattled her nerves something fierce, and she was putting on a brave face just to maintain her composure. If anyone could sympathize with what she was going through, it would be me.

" I guess the questions are gonna have to wait until after school." Applejack said as she started to walk off.

" Let us know if we can help, AJ." I said.

" Sure thing, Sunset." Applejack said. While she and Applebloom walked off in one direction, the rest of us walked off in the opposite one, our thoughts fixated on our friend who had been publically humiliated by someone who wanted Applejack to suffer. As we were walking away, I could barely hear a conversation between the two sisters, but I didn't want to turn back and see what it was all about. It probably didn't involve us.

What had originally started out as a celebration of the holidays with slumber parties in my honour had taken a downward turn. So far, it was an isolated incident, yet one of our group had been targeted for reasons currently unknown. Perhaps I should suggest to the others that we cancel the remaining parties for Applejack's sake. I didn't think she'd have the willpower to want to continue on until this problem had been resolved.

I then started thinking about the icon this Anon-A-Miss had again. What was it about it that struck a familiar chord with me? I thought I could simply ignore it, but I couldn't. I had no time to ponder over it, though, as Rainbow Dash announced that we were to meet at our usual spot during the lunch period instead of the cafeteria. Applejack would most likely be late, as her classes were on the other side of the school, but I had a feeling I knew what was to be discussed.

" That explains why you said MyStable destroyed your life." Twilight said.

" Like any online site where you could post your opinions, anyone could say anything without fear of being exposed. A lot of people tend to post such horrible things under the shield of anonymity. Who they were was almost impossible to uncover. In any case, Anon-A-Miss could have been anyone among the female students at CHS, and since we had no idea as to the reason behind this attack on Applejack, we were running around without any evidence." I said.

" Did Applejack really not let it get to her?"

" She tried her best to ignore the taunting, but deep down, she was slowly losing her sanity. Thankfully, Applejack was someone who never resorted to violence under any circumstances. She knew better than that." I answered. During such moments, she would also rely on her most powerful weapon, which brought many to their knees: the truth. Applejack's ability to get the truth out of people was remarkably uncanny, and I'd attribute it to the Element of Harmony she represented: Honesty.

While Applejack remained calm, Rainbow Dash was anything but that. Thinking back on it now, I'd say she did more harm than good. " I'm sure you've already come to the conclusion that Rainbow didn't take it lying down." I said.

" What did she try to do?" Twilight asked.

" She wanted to take matters into her own hands."

" Why not let Principal Celestia know?"

" That was the smart decision we could've used, but Rainbow insisted that we figure it out on our own. Besides, I told you that if the teachers had discovered what was going on, they would have cracked down on the use of MyStable and banned it from school grounds ." I answered. It still amazed me how Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna never found out about Anon-A-Miss. They were usually on top of situations like this.

" Maybe you shouldn't have gone with Rainbow Dash's idea." Twilight said.

" It didn't amount to much in the end."

" Why do you say that?"

" Applejack would finally arrive at our usual spot and insist on talking to me in private."

" About what?"

" Remember that conversation she had with Applebloom?"

" The one you couldn't hear?"

" Applejack told me about it. Before I get into it, why don't we look at the next page of the journal. I know it sounds like I'm being optimistic, yet that isn't the case at all. This is only the beginning, Twilight, and things are only going to get worse from here." I answered.

" Here, let me do it." Twilight said. She reached out for the journal and grabbed it, placing it on her lap and turning the page over. There was another photo glued onto the page, but there was also another drawing, yet it looked really fancy compared to the previous ones. Upon closer inspection, Twilight determined this drawing had also been glued into place. She knew that I wasn't the artist; I don't draw so well. This one had clearly been drawn by a professional. The drawing was that of a dress, yet it looked different from anything Twilight had seen. Simply put, it looked tacky. It took me a few moments to remember the significance behind it. " Whose house does this belong to? It looks like it had been built during the late nineteenth century." Twilight said.

" That's Rarity's house." I answered.

" Makes sense that she would live in a fancy residence."

" She was the one who made the drawing."

" I didn't know she dabbled in art."

" Most people don't. Rarity dedicates her free time to her designs, but on a rare occasion, she draws something for fun. That drawing depicts a dress which she has in her collection, yet it's part of her infamous collection that rarely sees the light of day." I said.

" Rarity has something like that? Wow... I didn't think she would have anything tasteless." Twilight said.

" Hence why she doesn't like anyone knowing she has it."

" Are you going to explain the meaning behind the drawing?"

" First, I'll tell you what Applejack said to me about her conversation with Applebloom. I should have taken her words more seriously. If I hadn't been so ignorant of it all, I could have figured out the problem much sooner." I answered.

The rest of the morning passed by without incident, mostly. As I walked through the hallways in-between classes, I could hear students whispering the name Piggly-Wiggly and oinking. Just seeing them acting like that made me feel sick to my stomach. I often thought of this world as a positive alternative to Equestria, but after seeing everyone ridicule Applejack, I started to think my home world was a much better place. Still, my own thoughts were one thing, but what did Applejack think of it? She claimed that none of this bothered her, but she could snap at any moment. I needed speak to her whenever I had a free moment to make sure she's okay. If anyone understood what it's like to be teased, it would be me. I've been both a victim and an instigator of bullying, so I have both perspectives close to my chest.

Rainbow Dash had insisted we all meet at our usual spot in the library in order to discuss what to do to find out who had spilled Applejack's secret. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to take matters into our own hands. When it came to a situation like this, letting Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna know would resolve things quickly. They were the proper authorities, and while I wanted to tell them, Rainbow said otherwise, which surprised me. I thought she was regressing back to her egotistical ways, but when she mentioned her reason for keeping the teachers out of the loop, it sort of made sense. If the teachers were to discover that someone had blackmailed another student through MyStable, they would ban the site from school grounds. While I had no problem with that, since I rarely used MyStable, Rainbow said it would stifle school morale. Apparently, a lot of students used MyStable whenever they had a free moment, so banning it would anger a lot of students. Sometimes, I think students would be better off without all of this multimedia nonsense dictating their lives.

By the time I reached the library, students were still laughing at Applejack's expense. They were saying that Anon-A-Miss' MyStable page had exploded in views and friend requests within a span of several hours, and I felt crestfallen over them praising this person. Why would anyone praise someone who exposed a secret about someone else? That should be condemned! If anything, I should look at myself. I used to expose student's secrets all the time without fear of being caught. Students at first praised my work, but they quickly changed their tune once their own secrets became known. Could this be someone's attempt at recreating the chaos I caused? I surely hoped not. CHS has slowly recovered from the three years of damage I caused. I don't think it can recover from another one.

My friends were sitting at our usual table, and while Rainbow Dash scolded me for being slightly late, she mostly ignored my tardiness, as her mind was clearly focused on what had happened to Applejack. The others all looked visibly upset over this whole Anon-A-Miss thing, and upon me sitting down at the table, Rainbow slammed her fists down with a loud thud that surely could have drawn unwanted attention.

" I can't believe this happened to Applejack!"

" Agreed, darling! This is truly the most horrific scandal this school has ever seen." Rarity said.

" I don't think it's quite like that, Rarity." Rainbow Dash said.

" Why ever not?"

" This is a school, not one of those Miss Equestria competitions!"

" It could be."

" Um, shouldn't we wait until Applejack arrives before we discuss what we can do?" Fluttershy asked.

" She'll be running a little late; she still has class." I answered. I was in agreement over waiting for Applejack to arrive, but Rainbow Dash wasn't in the mood. While she had gotten over her self-centered attitude, her impatience continued to pose a problem. I'm not sure why Rainbow felt this way over something that didn't even ruin her reputation. This was a problem Applejack needed to resolve. All we could do was provide emotional support and perhaps inform the two sisters of Anon-A-Miss. Again, Rainbow was insistent on keeping the teachers out of this. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear Applejack's stubbornness were rubbing off on her.

" Okay, we need to figure out who's behind this." Rainbow Dash said.

" Shouldn't we let Principal Celestia know?" I asked.

" I'm in complete agreement with Sunset." Rarity added.

" What!? And lose our privilege to use MyStable on school grounds? No way! We can't let them know!" Rainbow Dash answered.

" It's not that big of a loss." I said.

" Of course it is! You may not understand it, Sunset, since you barely use the thing anyway, but to those of us who use MyStable to get in touch with our friends, having it taken away would be like a kick in every student's gut. Just because one person decided to act like a complete jerk shouldn't mean the rest of us have to pay the price!" Rainbow Dash said.

" But keeping the teachers out? Principal Celestia would easily be able to figure this one out." I said.

" I, uh, agree with Sunset on this one, Rainbow Dash. We shouldn't try playing detective, especially when we have next to no information. If, uh, we were to, um, accuse the wrong students, that would just hurt all of our reputations. That would cause Applejack even more problems, and, uh, I don't think she would appreciate that. I know MyStable means an awful lot to everyone, but we still have access to it outside of school grounds. It's not that big a deal." Fluttershy added.

" Got anything to add, Pinkie Pie?" Rarity asked. Our eyes then turned towards the most hyper-active member of our group. Pinkie usually would be spouting all kinds of things to make herself get noticed, but she had been relatively quiet. The reason soon became clear. Pinkie was drinking a soft drink, and her responses were regulated to slurping sounds and moving her head. Rarity asked her question again, and Pinkie shook her head back and forth several times.

" Then let's come up with a strategy." Rainbow Dash announced.

" Hey, everyone! Sorry I'm late!"

We all turned around upon hearing that familiar voice, and sure enough, there was Applejack. It looked like all of our quarreling had lasted long enough for her to make it here and not miss out on anything. For some reason, Applejack was looking in my direction, which made me feel very uncomfortable. It felt like she wanted to say something, but wanted to do so in private. Why would she want to speak to me? What could I possibly do to make her feel better?

" We were just talking about you." Rarity said.

" And about to come up with a plan to find out who posted your secret." Rainbow Dash added.

" If y'all don't mind, I'd like to speak with Sunset about somethin'." Applejack said.

" By all means." Rarity said.

" I mean, I'd like to speak to her in private."

" In private, you say?"

" Yeah."

" Come on, Applejack." I began. " We can talk over there by that bookshelf."

" Perish the thought!" Rarity said. " If anything, the rest of us should leave you two alone to have your private conversation. Come along, everyone! We should leave them to deal with whatever it is Applejack has on her mind. That includes you as well, Rainbow Dash!"

My friends then started packing up their things before getting up from their seats and leaving our usual spot. Rainbow hesitated at first, under the assumption that they should be allowed to hear this conversation, but Rarity dragged her away by her ear, much to her annoyance. This left Applejack and I alone, and I felt nervous about this whole situation. Why speak in private? Why with me? As Applejack walked over to the table and sat down, she beckoned me to join her. Knowing there was no other choice, I nodded before pulling out a chair and sitting down near her. Something was on her mind, her expression told me that much, at least.

" So, what did you want to speak to me about?" I asked.

" When y'all left to go to class, I reckon you overheard my conversation with Applebloom." Applejack answered.

" No. I could barely hear anything due to the noise."

" I was hopin' you had."

" Why?"

" Sunset... I'll be honest when I say that this is a little difficult for me, so y'all excuse me for takin' this slow. You see, when y'all left, Applebloom mentioned somethin' that really got under my skin." Applejack answered.

" What was it?" I asked.

" She said that the colours on Anon-A-Miss' page were the same as your hair." Applejack answered. My eyes opened wide with shock and my jaw dropped. Did her sister accuse me of being Anon-A-Miss just because the colours she uses were identical to the colour of my hair? I had no words to describe how I felt about such an accusation. How could my friend's sister think such a horrible thing? I know that I used to expose students' secrets all the time, but that was the old me. I'd never do anything like that anymore. I looked at Applejack to see if she was kidding, but she had since lowered her head. She was being serious. I felt like throwing up, but I kept my composure, but still, how could she make such an accusation? There were many questions yet no answers, but perhaps Applejack had some. " Judgin' from the look on yer face, you ain't takin' this very well."

" Can you blame me?" I asked.

" No, I can't."

" Why would Applebloom accuse me?"

" Well, she said that you had only heard the story of where I got my nickname from just the other night."

" So? You told the others, right?"

" 'Course I did, and I refused to believe what Applebloom had to say. You're my friend, Sunset, and what could you possibly gain from bein' Anon-A-Miss. Granted, I reckon it's a might coincidental that your hair colour matches the colours on Anon-A-Miss' page, but that don't mean anythin'." Applejack answered. My heart, which had been beating like a jackhammer, started to calm itself down. Still, I felt like the damage had already been done. The sister of my friend accused me of revealing an important secret, yet I had done nothing of the sort. Unfortunately, my only claim of innocence were my own words. That wouldn't hold up very well against the student body, and I knew from experience that they could turn against anyone at the drop of a hat.

" You... don't think I did it, do you?" I asked.

" Not at all."

" Thanks, Applejack."

" Are you gonna be okay?"

" I... just need some time to think about this, but I'm glad you brought it to my attention."

" That's what friends are for."

" Yeah."

" Reckon I oughta go to the cafeteria and grab me a bite before headin' on over to my next class. I'll see you later, Sunset." Applejack said. She then got up from her seat and walked away, leaving me to think about what I had been told. My mind was thinking about what happened after I was defeated when I became a demon. I've already had the displeasure of being isolated from my peers once before, and the thought of having to experience it again was just too much for me.

I'm glad that Applejack didn't believe what her sister said, but why did she accuse me in the first place? As far as I knew, I never once did anything to Applebloom. Perhaps this was her way of getting back at all those times I made her sister suffer during my darker times around here? The thought of getting revenge briefly crossed my mind, yet I knew doing that would only make things worse. I'm better than that! Besides, I accused Applebloom of wanting revenge herself. Am I really that petty? This whole accusation thing was giving me a headache. I needed to take my mind off of such things. There was the second slumber party at Rarity's place tonight, so that was something to look forward to. I also had the remaining parties in the coming days, as well. Also, I could always send another message to Princess Twilight if I felt the need to find out what was happening back home. Yes, all of this stress over Applebloom's words wasn't doing me any favours. I just needed to forget all about this nonsense and focus on what's important.

All that reading made my throat dry, so I popped open my bottle of cider and took a big gulp before wiping my arm across my mouth. I then felt something latching onto my arm, so I looked down and saw that Twilight was holding on tightly, tears trickling down her face. It didn't take me long to figure out that she was upset over how Applebloom had accused me of being Anon-A-Miss. However, I knew she would get even worse, especially when I eventually tell her how Applebloom truly connects with what happened. I started to cough to let Twilight know that I needed her to let go of my arm. When she heard me, she immediately relinquished it before blushing.

" Why... Why would Applebloom accuse you?" Twilight asked.

" She seemed to assume that Anon-A-Miss was me because her page used colours that were the same as my hair colour." I answered.

" That's so petty!"

" Maybe, but I paid no attention to her ramblings thanks to Applejack's advice."

" Applejack is such a good friend."

" I should have listened."

" To Applebloom?"

" Yeah."

" Why?"

" Let's just say that her words had more significance than I initially suspected. I would eventually figure out their meaning, but at that time, I was ignorant. What happened to Applejack was only the beginning. Anon-A-Miss would post more secrets that night, and these proved to be more damaging than what she posted before." I answered.

" Are you going to tell me the significance behind the photo and drawing?" Twilight asked.

" The photo has nothing to tell you because it's just Rarity's house, but what I can say is that she wanted us to experience a more refined party as opposed to what Pinkie had given us. Would you believe that Rarity had ordered some of that really fancy food you'd find at those posh restaurants?" I asked. Twilight scratched her head as she pondered over my question, but I quickly gave her the answer when I nodded. This made Twilight cover up her mouth before turning her head away from me, and I could barely make out what sounded like suppressed giggling. Was she trying hard not to laugh at what Rarity did? I don't know why she thought it was funny; Rarity did things like that all the time.

A few moments later, Twilight finally turned around, laughing in my face before falling over with laughter. All I did was roll my eyes, as usual, and wait for her to get it out of her system. Rarity's choice of style often got a laugh from others, but she didn't allow that to deter her from wanting to be fabulous whenever she did anything. I'll admit that it did take me some time to get used to her mannerisms, but it was well worth the wait. " Are you finished now?" I asked.

" I couldn't help but laugh, but I feel like I was being insensitive to Rarity." Twilight answered when she calmed down.

" Most do what you did."

" Doesn't change the fact that I was wrong to have laughed."

" You can apologize to Rarity when you next see her. Anyway, the drawing of the dress is an example from what she refers to as her 'Closet of Shame'. Not everything she makes or purchases turned out the way she had wanted, so she hides them away so that no one can see them, not even herself. Rarity is always dead serious when it comes to her fashion, and this made her an ideal target for Anon-A-Miss." I said.

" Anon-A-Miss got to her?" Twilight asked.

" 'Fraid so."

" How did she pull that off?"

" Would you believe she got unexpected assistance from me?"

Chapter 48: Closet of Shame

Day: Tuesday
Weather: Snow
Time: 9:30pm

Before I sent my message to Princess Twilight, I felt unsure about what I should do. But, when she responded back to my concerns, I felt relieved knowing she would encourage me. Applejack's story about her childhood nickname was interesting, yet I had no idea it would become relevant in the here and now. When we arrived at school the next morning, students called out Piggly-Wiggly, leaving Applejack in shock. How did they come to know about her nickname? Applebloom said that a mysterious username who recently appeared on MyStable was the cause. Her name was Anon-A-Miss. What's worse is that Applebloom claims that I'm this person. Why would I want to expose one of my friends' secrets? I wouldn't! The second slumber party is tonight at Rarity's, and when I arrived after hitching a ride with Pinkie Pie, Rarity told me what Applejack had been through during the course of the day. Anon-A-Miss... why?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 30, 2016
Chapter 48: Closet of Shame.

" You... helped Anon-A-Miss? Why would you do something like that?" Twilight asked.

" It wasn't intentional, if that's what you're thinking." I answered.

" I think you ought to explain this one to me."

" Anon-A-Miss would get what she needed from this." I said. Reaching into my pocket, I took out my cellphone and started searching through several applications until I came to where I house all of the photos I've taken with it. I then showed one in particular to Twilight, and when I handed it over to her, she looked at it for several moments. I could tell she was snickering under her breath and didn't want me to find out, but she wasn't doing a good job hiding that fact. Twilight then noticed the frown on my face before handing back my cellphone and blushing slightly out of embarrassment.

" I couldn't help it. You'd have snickered too if you were shown something like that." Twilight said.

" Maybe... No, you're right. I'd have done the same thing."

" So what were you all wearing? Also, why not print off that photo and stick it in your journal?"

" Those were outfits from Rarity's Closet of Shame, and while she didn't like the idea of us strutting our stuff in such deplorable fashion, we insisted out of a sense of fascination. I'd say she was a little dramatic about some of what she had in her closet. Not everything was as shameful as she said. In fact, she had some vintage costumes and even some dresses from Japan." I answered.

" And the photo?" Twilight asked.

" That photo, along with several others I took that night, were posted by Anon-A-Miss two days later." I answered.

" It doesn't take a genius to see where this is going."

" The only reason I still keep these on my cellphone is out of guilt."

" Why not just delete them?"

" I can't!"

" I'm suspecting it has to do with more than feeling guilty, but I know that trying to make you explain would be pointless. After all, you're remaining steadfast on not telling who was responsible for destroying your life." Twilight said. The truth is, there was no actual reason why I never deleted that photo along with the others I took that night. I didn't even transfer them over to a laptop or something similar after what happened. I guess my brain just wanted me to keep them there as a reminder of how my friends were humiliated all because I had to take some photos of Rarity's most hated clothes. Twilight was right about how I was being stubborn about who destroyed my life. I couldn't tell her until she had heard every last detail about what occurred. If I told her right now, I knew she would react poorly. She had been growing more and more protective of me as more about my past became known to her. While it was really sweet, it was also a little creepy. " Sunset? I'm curious about this Closet of Shame that Rarity has. You say that it's where she hides her more embarrassing outfits?" Twilight asked.

" As I mentioned before, some of the dresses she's made or purchased didn't quite work out as well as she had hoped. So, she keeps them all tucked away in a closet until she can donate them." I answered.

" How did you come by her closet?"

" I didn't, but Pinkie did."

" What did she do?"

" Crash into the closet door."

" Seriously?"

" She was singing and dancing when she decided to pretend she was at a concert, and she wanted her audience--our friends--to catch her, but she miscalculated and crashed into the closet door. I remember Rarity's expression the moment those dresses were exposed. She is very self-conscious about her fashion choices. Should students learn that she had such ugly dresses, it would have crushed her reputation." I answered.

" And Anon-A-Miss took advantage by using your photos to make Rarity look bad?" Twilight asked.

" Something to that effect." I answered. I didn't have the heart to tell her that the photos were copied from my phone all because I left it out in the open. She was going to find this out eventually when we reach that part of the journal, but I didn't want her to know that this all could have been avoided had I implemented better protection. I should have used a password. I'm one of the smartest students at CHS, yet I missed such an obvious solution.

" How was Applejack doing?" Twilight asked.

" Funny you should mention her."

" How so?"

" Rarity decided to pick up Applejack, and they talked about how she was coping with the teasing. When I arrived at her place after getting a ride with Pinkie, Rarity took me aside and explained what they discussed. Normally, I would've expected her to keep it between them, but she wanted me to know about it." I answered.

" Why?"

" She wanted to get a second opinion from someone who had been in Applejack's shoes."

" That works with everyone at CHS given what you did."

" It was also because she trusted me."

With the second slumber party, I decided to play it smart and plan accordingly. I had no intention of walking through the snow for the second straight night, so I made arrangements to get a ride with Pinkie to Rarity's place. I initially thought that Pinkie would be driving--a scary thought, given her energetic nature--but she wasn't old enough to earn her learner's permit, so instead, we would be driven to our destination by her sister Maud. My only concern was that Maud would give me a hard time for living in the school library, but I was fortunate in that she paid it no mind. Unlike the other day, I knew exactly what to bring for this slumber party, so I was ready long before Pinkie and Maud showed up. I had no hesitancy towards leaving behind the magic journal, as I planned on sending another message to Princess Twilight. On the one hand, I wanted to tell her about what happened regarding Applejack. On the other, I wanted to know how Hearth's Warming had been for her.

Pinkie and Maud picked me up at roughly 5:30pm, and we began the long drive to Rarity's place. While Pinkie's place was much closer to the school, Rarity lived a fair distance away. If I had decided to walk through the snow to reach her residence, I'd have taken roughly an hour, and that would have made her really upset.

As Maud drove us through Canterlot, my mind was focused on what Applejack experienced throughout the entire day. Everywhere she went, the mockery of the students followed close by. They continued calling her Piggly-Wiggly and making those accursed pig noises just to add further insult to injury. I was expecting her to throttle them, especially when they got right into her face, but she maintained a calm, collected composure and simply shrugged it off before walking away. Applejack had definitely earned my respect. If I had been in her shoes, I'd probably be suspended right now. I still had some problems dealing with my temper, so the likelihood of me remaining calm was minimal.

Then there was this Anon-A-Miss, the one who revealed Applejack's secret. None of us knew how she managed to find that information, but I was starting to suspect that someone close to Applejack decided to make her life miserable. Were Anon-A-Miss' actions a means of getting revenge? Perhaps she wanted to rule the school like how I used to before discovering friendship? What could she hope to gain from all this? These were plenty of questions that lacked answers, and many more were waiting to be revealed.

Perhaps the worst thing so far was how Applebloom had accused me of being Anon-A-Miss. Granted, the similarities between her profile colours and my hair colour were uncanny, yet I've changed since those days. I'd never expose anyone's secrets! Maybe Applebloom bore a grudge against me after all? I had dismissed it before, but perhaps it was well-founded? At least Applejack didn't believe what her sister had to say, yet I wish it had never been said to begin with.

Upon arriving at Rarity's place, Pinkie and I got out of Maud's car and waved goodbye to her as she drove off. This was the first time I'd ever been to Rarity's, and her home was certainly, albeit expectedly, stunning. It looked like something from a fairy tale. I had heard from several students that her entire family had the exact same mindset. It must be nice having family who appreciate what you do and who guided you into becoming the person you were destined to be. I never had such an experience with my family. Once my parents ignored me in favour of my siblings, there was no turning back for me. I would fend for myself in a world where your fate would be determined based on your special talent. If I had remained at home and tried to sort out my family problems, would my cutie mark have been related to magic? Could it have become something else entirely? I shudder to think about what might have been had I stayed.

Unlike Pinkie, Rarity's family were all staying home for the holidays, but they had agreed not to bother us while we had our slumber party. Her parents did have one condition, and that was to not make enough noise to call in the police. I chucked to myself about that. That condition always had to do with Pinkie. She had a tendency to go overboard whenever there was a party.

Rarity's mother, Cookie Crumbles, let us in when we reached the front door. While Pinkie immediately made her way to the kitchen after taking off her winter gear, I remained by the door. I wanted to take it all in slowly. The interior of Rarity's home was truly remarkable. Every last nook and cranny was covered in fancy decorations, yet I'll admit that perhaps they went overboard. There were some really tacky decorations mixed in among the splendour. In fact, most of it was tacky. I knew to keep that opinion to myself, as Rarity was sensitive when it came to her family's sense of fashion.

" I see you've taken a shining to our accessories?"

" Rarity? When did you get here?" I asked.

" Just now, darling! I decided to pick up Applejack rather than have her walk through the snow. I must admit that the weather has gotten much worse since last night, so of course I didn't want her to walk through it. Why, I showed that snow who was in charge!" Rarity answered. Among my friends, she was the only one who had her driver's license. I thought it quite the honour. Rarity was always serious about her driving. She said she was obligated to show a good example of what it meant to be a modest driver. I could tell she was only propping up her own ego. It's never a good idea to rely heavily on your ego; it'll just cause problems later on.

" You must feel so lucky to be able to drive." I said.

" Quite, but this weather is simply murder on my stress levels."

" That's usually the case with everyone who has to drive in the snow."

" It makes me wish our family went to the tropics for the holidays."

" Doing that would mean not spending time with your friends, though."

" Yes, a most unfortunate side-effect." Rarity said. It then dawned on me that I hadn't seen Applejack come in when Rarity surprised me a few moments ago. Could it be that she was standing outside, wanting some alone time after all that's happened to her today? Or, could she be having second thoughts on what her little sister, Applebloom, said about me being Anon-A-Miss? I'm seriously hoping it's not the latter.

" How's Applejack doing? I didn't see her come in. Does she want some time to herself?" I asked.

" Oh, heavens, no, darling. She slipped on by just as I was starting to talk to you." Rarity answered.

" I never noticed her." I said. Gah! Applejack must surely be thinking her sister was telling the truth! Why else would she choose to avoid me? This was already starting to turn into a disaster, and the party hadn't even started yet. I began biting my fingernails in a panic. Rarity noticed that I was acting peculiar and placed her hand onto my shoulder before smiling, which immediately calmed me down.

" Are you, perchance, thinking about what Applejack said to you?" Rarity asked.

" How did you--" I began before being cut off.

" She told me on the way here, but you can relax now, Sunset. She doesn't believe what her sister said about you being that horrible Anon-A-Miss. Actually, she'd rather not talk about it at all until tomorrow. Applejack is putting on a brave face, as this party is meant for your benefit, and her problem would only make us all miserable. If anything, I'd like to believe that this was some kind of horrible nightmare we're all having, and we'll soon wake up from it." Rarity said. It did feel like a nightmare. I knew what it was like to be mistreated by everyone else. Rarity's words made me think back on what happened after I had initially lost my magic. Unlike me, though, Applejack wouldn't just lie back and take it. Instead, she would remain proud and not allow a bunch of immature students to ruin her day.

Was I wrong, though? Had my friend chosen to go the same route as I had done? Had she given in to their teasing?

" Maybe we shouldn't have tonight's party." I suggested.

" Perish the thought! Applejack will be just fine, darling! Besides, we're doing this to make you feel better."

" I know, and I appreciate that. It's just that she looked so distraught when I spoke with her earlier."

" Actually, I'm glad you brought that up."

" How come?"

" I... want to talk to you about what Applejack said to me when we were on our way here."

" Huh? Why me? Why not one of the others?"

" You're the only one who knows what it's like to be both a bully and a victim. Besides, I don't think the others would understand what she said quite as well as you would. I know this is rather unusual, but I'd like you to hear me out for Applejack's sake, and maybe for your own sake, too." Rarity answered. Her reasoning made sense, yet why did she have to mention my bullying? It's part of my life I want to move on from and forget it ever existed. Unfortunately, what she said was true, no matter how much I detest myself for what I did. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy wouldn't be arriving for another ten minutes, given how bad the weather was, so I had some free time to listen to what Rarity had to say.

" Alright. If you think this will help Applejack, then tell me what you two talked about." I said.

" At first, she was thrilled about coming to the second slumber party. Once she got into the car, however, her mood suddenly changed, and I could tell that she was bothered by what happened with that whole Anon-A-Miss nonsense." Rarity said.

" She told me her sister thinks I'm the one who revealed her secret." I said.

" Yes, Applejack mentioned it to me when I asked her what was wrong. She is still in disbelief over how Applebloom could falsely accuse you, yet I think deep down, she might actually believe some of what she said. You can't ignore the fact that Anon-A-Miss' profile colours match your hair colour perfectly, but don't believe that I'm trying to pin the blame on you, darling. You were just as shocked as the rest of us when we saw that message on Applejack's MyStable account." Rarity said. My heart started to pound very quickly over hearing that Applejack did, in fact, believe what Applebloom had claimed. My worst case scenario was starting to become a reality! I didn't want to lose a friend over something that someone else caused. I had to know for certain if Applejack truly believed that I was responsible for posting her secret. I know Rarity said she might believe it, but I couldn't take any chances.

" I'm thinking that Applebloom holds a grudge against me because of how I used to treat Applejack when I was a bully." I said.

" An interesting theory. Do you have any evidence?"

" No, it's just a hunch."

" I wouldn't allow the mutterings of a young child upset you, Sunset. You've already paid your debt to society when you helped us defeat those awful Sirens. If anything, you would be the last person anyone would consider pinning the blame on. This is all an unfortunate coincidence, one that just happened to come around mere days away from the holiday. Already, this has caused a slight friction amongst our group, but we simply cannot allow it to continue any further." Rarity said.

" Then what should I do about it?" I asked.

" You? Why, nothing, of course. This is something that Applejack simply must come to terms with on her own. Someone out there has discovered her personal secret, and now every student at CHS knows about it." Rarity answered.

" Could it have been one of us?" I asked.

" Maybe, but I wouldn't start accusing our friends. I think we should just forget about this whole affair and focus on having a good time."

" I guess, but did Applejack mention anything else to you?"

" Oh, yes! I asked her if people were still making fun of her, and she said that she had been oinked in every one of her classes. She then mentioned that it wasn't going to bother her and that she was looking forward to 'partying down', but the anger in her voice was pretty evident. That's everything Applejack said on the way here. Why don't we go upstairs, where Pinkie and Applejack are surely waiting for us? If you want, you can check out my family's kitchen and look for a snack if you're feeling peckish. Don't dawdle, now!" Rarity answered.

She then walked upstairs, seemingly without a care in the world, yet I still had a lot on my mind--and my stomach. Applejack had been teased relentlessly all day by the other students, yet she decided to do the right thing by not letting it get to her. I had no idea how long she'd be able to keep that up, though. When people tease you over something without showing any signs of stopping, you eventually get the urge to lash out at them. I'm sure the urge Applejack has right now had been difficult for her to overcome.

Perhaps Rarity is right, though. We shouldn't be dwelling on what happened earlier. We should instead focus on having ourselves a good time. There were still three more slumber parties after this one, so I needed to get my head in the game for tonight if I hoped to enjoy what's to come.

It was at that moment when I heard the sound of a car pulling up into the driveway outside. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had arrived, but while they got settled down, I was going to take Rarity's advice and make my way over to the kitchen. My stomach had been rumbling up something fierce, so a little snack shouldn't hurt before the main course.

" Like me, Applejack had a temper, yet she had much better control over it. Me? I get frustrated so easily, I lose control without even realizing it." I said.

" It must have been difficult to have to listen to those awful oinking sounds all day." Twilight said.

" All because of someone using MyStable to ridicule someone else."

" At least she didn't allow it to bring her down."

" She knew that she had to be brave for the rest of us. She was the pillar had kept us from tumbling over. To her, she's the one who comforts those who cry, not the one who cries. It sounds horrible when you think about it, but that's just the kind of person she is. We all owe her a debt of gratitude for being there whenever we needed her." I said.

Twilight looked at me like she didn't believe that Applejack never cries, and at one time, I doubted the same thing myself. I asked Pinkie Pie why Applejack never cries. Her response? " Applejack cries on the inside." When I asked Applejack about that, she admitted that it was true. After that, I never questioned her emotions again. I guess some people are just really good at keeping their emotions under control. The entirety of Pinkie's family are a perfect example of that.

" So, now the party was about to begin?" Twilight asked.

" Not quite."

" Did something else go wrong?"

" I wouldn't say it like that."

" Then what?"

" Rarity had been looking forward to beginning her slumber party, yet our friends had been busy talking with Sweetie Belle. She happened to be in Rarity's bedroom at the time, and she was about to be ejected from the room for cramping Rarity's style." I answered.

" Who's Sweetie Belle?"

" Really? You don't know who she is? I'm surprised Rarity never mentioned her at all, but then, I guess I shouldn't be. The two of them may be related, yet they don't spend as much time together as they would like. Sweetie Belle is her younger sister. She also attends CHS and has often tested Rarity's patience with her antics. She likes to become closer with her sister, but has found it difficult with their different personalities. The two of them have an unusual relationship. Sweetie Belle would do anything to become more involved with what her sister does, yet she never gets the chance and winds up being ignored." I answered.

" She reminds me a lot about you." Twilight said. A very interesting observation, one that I would agree with wholeheartedly. Sweetie Belle did remind me of myself when I was a filly growing up in Equestria. While she was adored by her parents, she was more interested in trying to forge a relationship with her older sister. Rarity often ignored Sweetie's presence because her mind was focused on her fashion and work, and this kind of neglect is one that Sweetie Belle really took to heart. These days, they are closer than ever before, but back then, it was like they hardly knew each other despite living under the same roof. Rarity learned a valuable lesson about what it means to ignore those who strive to follow in her footsteps but are treated as being invisible.

" I didn't know it at the time, but Sweetie Belle wasn't as happy as she appeared to be." I said.

" Just like Applebloom."

" Are you starting to see a pattern here?"

" I am, and you never once caught onto it?"

" No. If I had, none of this would have happened."

" Sunset..."

" But yes, Sweetie Belle was upset, although she hid her feelings a lot better than Applebloom. You could easily tell that the latter was upset with having to spend time at home without Applejack, yet the former pretended that nothing was wrong. In fact, Sweetie thought she was going to be joining us, but Rarity had other ideas." I said.

" Maybe Rarity shouldn't have kicked her out." Twilight said.

" No, she shouldn't have." I said sarcastically. I blame myself for leaving my cellphone out in the open, but I also blame Rarity for kicking Sweetie Belle out just because she didn't want her sister to bother us during the slumber party. It was a trend of this world which slowly became known to me, one I had no love for. Older siblings cast aside their younger ones out of fear that they would be embarrassing or because they wanted to be part of something that didn't involve them. This kind of thing never happened in Equestria, although I never paid much attention to anyone else back then. I knew that deep down, Rarity cared a lot about Sweetie Belle, but to drive her away? Hopefully, Twilight doesn't get the wrong impression when I eventually tell her what I've so far hidden from her.

" Okay, so where do we go from here?" Twilight asked.

" About ten minutes later, I walked up the stairs to Rarity's room, unaware of what was about to happen." I answered. I then turned the page of the journal, and glued there was another photo, yet it looked crisp, like a proper camera had been used to take it. The photo depicted a closet door in Rarity's bedroom, yet it had a massive hole in it, as though someone had flung themselves through it. I was sure it would take Twilight a few seconds for her to figure out how that happened.

" Is that what Pinkie did?" Twilight asked.

" And it was the twelfth time, too." I answered.

While the choice of food Rarity offered at her slumber party was different from what Pinkie offered, I could relate to the former's refined tastes. Pizza was good and all, but too much of it got old. Some of my friends felt confused by seeing fancy hors d'oeuvres, small portions, and even food that looked like it had been imported from somewhere overseas. Yet, our host insisted that everything was edible. So long as I don't have any meat, I had no problems dealing with this "unique" spread. Unlike last night, where we all had pizza in Pinkie's room, Rarity ordered us to have our food in the family dining room. It made sense she would want to do it that way. After all, she didn't want her room getting soiled by the stain of food.

I had spent much of my evening so far keeping a close eye on Applejack, yet I made sure not to let on that I was watching her every move. So far, she appeared to be fine, but deep down, she was still coming to grips with having her secret revealed online. When I exposed people's secrets, it never occurred to me just how much I was hurting them. That's because friendship never meant anything to me. But, now that I have friends who care about me, I've realized just how awful I really was. I hoped Applejack wouldn't resort to something drastic. I knew she wouldn't normally consider anything of the sort, but people are known to do some crazy things if they're provoked enough.

Without anyone else knowing, I'd been doing a little research on the side in order to figure out who Anon-A-Miss really was. We had already established that she was indeed a female, so that eliminated half of the student body from the equation. There were still many questions, with the most important one being why. Why did Anon-A-Miss expose something so personal? I learned that not everyone at CHS viewed Applejack as their friend. They resented her for her work ethic, countryisms, and being labelled as one of the saviours of the school. So some students bore a grudge against her for petty reasons. It was jealousy that fueled them. If I can figure out the answer to the main question, it wouldn't take long to figure out the rest. My best course of action would be to ask around at school but not let anyone on to my true intentions. Students were fickle about answering anything that made them uneasy, so I had my work cut out for me. My questions were all designed to get right to the very root of the problem. Anon-A-Miss... I'll find out who you are!

Once we had finished dinner and made our way up to Rarity's room, we spent fifteen minutes waiting for her and Applejack to arrive. By the time they came up the stairs, Rainbow Dash had almost fallen asleep out of boredom. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had been talking with Sweetie Belle, Rarity's sister. As for me, I'd been looking at the décor and was both enthralled and disturbed by the more intricate design choices.

" Hello, girls! Sorry that we had to make you wait, but my parents were just so insistent on me doing that little chore." Rarity said.

" It didn't take us long to get 'er done." Applejack added.

" Yes, quite right, Applejack. Now, who here is ready to have some fun?" Rarity asked.

" Don't worry about how long you took. We were just chatting with Sweetie Belle while you two were downstairs." Fluttershy answered.

" Is that so?" Rarity asked, glaring at her sister, who smiled awkwardly. I could tell that Sweetie Belle wasn't liking how Rarity was looking at her, but I decided not to get involved in a family matter. If anything, it was just a usual occurrence, and would be resolved in their usual manner.

" Oh, yes. She was just telling us what she and her friends have been up to." Fluttershy answered.

" That sounds simply fascinating, but I'm afraid that it's now past my dear sister's bedtime. I'm sure that you've been a lovely conversationalist, but I'm afraid this is where we must get on with our party. I'm certain our mother will come to tuck you in when she has a free moment." Rarity said. She then began pushing Sweetie Belle towards the door, the younger girl clearly unhappy. Also, Rarity sounded rather cold, so perhaps I should have spoken out in defence of her sister. Still, I didn't want to interfere in their family affairs in case I overstep my boundaries.

" What!? Hey! It's not my bedtime yet!" Sweetie Belle shouted.

" Come along, little sister! It's time for your big sister and her friends to spend some time together." Rarity said.

" Aw, c'mon! I can be cool!"

" I'm sure you can, but this is a party for grown-ups."

" Not fair, Rarity!"

" Nothing in life is ever fair, Sweetie Belle. Now, why don't you go and do something like call one of your friends? I'm sure the three of you can have your own slumber party sometime next week if our father permits it. I promise that I won't interrupt if he agrees to it." Rarity said.

" But--"

" Goodnight, little sister!" Rarity said as she closed the door, leaving Sweetie Belle to walk off to her own room. Something was amiss, as her footsteps seemed pretty loud outside the bedroom door. I'm not sure why Rarity had to treat her own sister like that. They were supposed to be family towards one another, yet it looked more like one sister just barked orders that the other hated. I wouldn't have minded Sweetie Belle joining us for the slumber party. She wasn't doing anything wrong, and I could have gotten to know her better.

All of a sudden, Pinkie Pie donned a cloak, and pretended that she was some kind of gatekeeper, the kind that guards a graveyard. I had no idea where she managed to pull that costume from, as she clearly didn't have it on her person when I last checked. Her sudden change of attire did catch Rarity and Rainbow Dash by surprise, but I wasn't so easily phased. It wasn't like this was unusual for Pinkie.

"Okay! Who's ready for GHOST STORIES? I got some creepy tales lined up." Pinkie Pie said.

" You know, Pinkie--If you want to hear weird stories about beings in another world, then I can tell you about my experiences when I lived in Equestria. What you girls have seen is nothing compared to what happens there. Not only that, I can also tell you what Princess Twilight has witnessed since you all last saw her. I still have the magic journal. It's proven to be very useful whenever I need to send her a message." I said.

" Does that thing still work?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Sure! I use it all the time, and I make sure to never let it out of my sight. If anyone were to try and use it who don't understand the nuances of true magic, they could cause all kinds of problems, and then we'd have to go and fix it. Oh, and Princess Twilight says hi, by the way." I answered.

" A shame that she couldn't join us for these slumber parties." Rarity said.

" What is she even up to?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Like I said to Pinkie, Princess Twilight has important duties to take care of in Equestria. Also, they're celebrating their equivalent to our Christmas within the next couple of days: Hearth's Warming. She plans on spending time with her parents and the pony versions of each of you." I answered. I don't believe that I've ever told them about their pony versions, but then, I know very little about them myself.

The only time I ever encountered them personally was when I stole Princess Twilight's crown and fled to this world in order to use its magic for my own selfish reasons. I'm not sure if they ever forgave me for what I did; I never asked. Perhaps I should ask Her Highness someday. Both versions of the girls did share similar characteristics. For example, the two Rainbow Dashes both view themselves as the most awesome thing out there. They also share the same egotism, yet I believe the pony version has never improved on that, unlike the human version.

" That magic journal is really something." Fluttershy said.

" Do you two actually communicate with each other?" Applejack asked.

" I send her a message, and she sends me a response. It also works the other way around, in case any of you think it only works the one way. Sometimes, we just write each other back and forth like we're chatting in one of those online chat rooms." I answered. I wasn't trying to make myself sound like I was special when I described how incredible my journal was. It was a big responsibility having such a powerful, and easily abusable, magical item.

I walked over and sat down on Rarity's bed before taking off my backpack and opening it up. There, tucked away among the essentials I brought, was the journal. If not for Princess Celestia, I wouldn't even have it to begin with. I know that I stopped using it for a while after I first came here out of spite towards her, but I'm glad to be using it again and communicating with Princess Twilight.

" It's like texting, but to another world." Fluttershy said.

" Texting is much more convenient. The closet thing we had to cellphones back home was magic burping dragons. Whenever somepony needed to send a message, we would have the dragon use his fiery breath to magically send the message forward to its destination. When a message came back, the dragon would burp it out completely intact. It does sound rather disgusting, but it proved incredibly useful. The only problem is that ponies don't really understand that much about dragons. Some have tried to establish some kind of connection, yet ended up failing due to... unfortunate circumstances." I said. There was no need to tell my friends what those circumstances were. I'm sure they already had a pretty good idea as to what I was talking about.

" Then how do you explain the dragon who accompanies Princess Twilight?" Rarity asked.

" Spike? Well, she said that she hatched him from an egg when he was first discovered by Princess Celestia years ago. No one really knows where Spike comes from, but he considers himself a pony, despite being a baby dragon. If he were a grown up dragon, you'd have to look really high up just to see his head." I answered. Dragons, while merely the stuff of fairy tales in this world, exist in several colonies across Equestria. They migrate several times a year, and the other creatures make sure to keep out of their way. No one ever wants to incur the wrath of an adult dragon.

" When do you plan on sending her another message?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Probably later tonight, just before I go to bed." I answered.

" Then be sure to tell Princess Twilight everything. I'm sure she would definitely appreciate being told about what happens around here. After all, she is our friend, and I'm sure she feels like this world is her home, as well. Now, let's party!" Rarity said.

Those were the magic words that Pinkie had been waiting for. She immediately grabbed the edge of her cloak and tossed it aside, producing a microphone from out of nowhere and jumping onto Rarity's bed. She then started to sing a song which I had never heard properly, but that was because I was watching it from outside the cafeteria. I had no idea what compelled Pinkie to suddenly break out into song, but who was I to deny her the chance to strut her stuff.

" Hey! Hey! Everybody!

We got something to say!

We may be as different

as the night is from the day!" Pinkie Pie sang.

Despite not having any music to accompany her singing, she was still able to hold a pretty good tune. I guess playing the drums had given her a better grasp of musical tones.

In the meantime, I had since taken out my cellphone and began recording everything that was happening. The quality may not be all that good, but that wasn't important. This was an experience that needed to be recorded so that I could view it again in the future.

" Why ever are you recording this, darling?" Rarity asked.

" I want to capture the memories." I answered.

" I'm all for wanting to make good memories, and you could definitely use some of those, Sunset. Reckon y'all have had way too many negative ones throughout your life. Recording Pinkie Pie's silliness and watching it later is a great way to make yourself feel better. She just has this uncanny ability to make anyone laugh. I don't know how she keeps on doing it, but I hope she never stops." Applejack said.

" Stage dive!" Pinkie Pie shouted. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had been dancing along to Pinkie's singing, yet they were completely unprepared for her sudden decision to jump off Rarity's bed and pretend that she was jumping into a large crowd in a concert hall. They managed to get out of the way just in time, and Pinkie crashed into a closet door, completely ruining the bottom half of it. I hoped Rarity's parents didn't hear that sound. Thankfully, the damage wasn't too serious, although I think it's going to cost Rarity at least a hundred bucks to get a replacement closet door. Perhaps this would teach Pinkie a lesson about keeping her party animal instincts under control. She wasn't hurt or anything, which was a relief.

As she came back out, we saw that she had apparently landed in a closet that contained many kinds of costumes. " I guess that works better when there's a stage." Pinkie Pie said.

" I think that's the sixth time you've broken a door by dancing." Fluttershy said.

" Nope, twelfth." I amended.

" You're actually keeping track of that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It's a little something I do on the side. It helps me to get in the zone when I need to do some research." I answered.

" Rarity? What are all these clothes?" Pinkie Pie asked. All eyes then turned towards Rarity, who in response rubbed the bridge of her nose before sighing. It sounded like she didn't want anyone to know that she had these particular clothes. Why would she be hesitant about something like that? To Rarity, clothes meant everything. Eventually, she caved in when everyone else continued staring at her. I, on the other hand, found myself helping Pinkie out of the clothes pile.

" Well, if you all simply must know, this is my Closet of Shame. It's where I put the clothes that I either make or purchase that turn out horrible. I won't deny the fact that not all of my clothing choices are fabulous. I clean it out every now and then and donate everything to a clothing drive. I think it's high time to pay them another visit, and I'll be sure to do so after school tomorrow." Rarity answered.

" You certainly have a lot in there." Applejack said.

" Yes, much to my eternal shame. If I'd known this would happen, I'd have donated those clothes the other week. The damage has been done, though so there's nothing more to do other than put these into a box and remind myself to drive down to the clothing drive." Rarity said.

" What are you talking about?" Pinkie Pie asked. I had since managed to pull out of the clothes pile, and she was somehow wearing a business suit, but with a bowtie instead of a regular tie, and a top hat. She looked like one of those cabaret performers you'd see on television late at night. " This stuff is great! It's the perfect material for us to take some outrageous selfies!" Judging from Rarity's expression, she didn't like that idea one bit. I had to admit that a lot of the clothes she had stashed away in her closet looked pretty archaic. I'd say there were clothes from the 1950s all the way to the early 2000s. Personally, I had no idea what any of that meant, but it's what I had read about in history class when one topic was dedicated to fashion.

" These are pretty funky clothes, Rarity." I said, wearing something that looked to be from the 1960s: A sweatshirt that was one size too big, leggings with warmers on the ankles, and shoes which looked like something worn by an astronaut.

" Yeah! Check me out!" Rainbow Dash shouted. She was wearing a vampire Halloween costume, complete with bat-like wings underneath the arms.

" Well... Feel free to try them on, I suppose." Rarity said. She still sounded hesitant about doing this, but thanks to some encouragement by Pinkie, she was convinced to go along with our crazy plan.

Throughout the course of the next hour, we all tried on different clothes, and it was official: We all looked completely ridiculous! Some examples included Rainbow Dash wearing a Victorian costume with frills, Applejack wearing a rocker's outfit from the 1980s that also included an electric guitar for some reason, Pinkie Pie wearing a kimono, which actually looked pretty good and normal, me sporting a detective getup that made me resemble Sherlock Holmes, Fluttershy wearing a winter parka, which made sense with the weather outside, and finally, Rarity wearing a fluffy, fake mink around her neck while pretending to appear stuck up. Without a doubt, this was the most fun I had ever experienced in my life, and it made me look forward to what was going to happen tomorrow night. I had also taken the liberty of taking these selfies using my cellphone's camera, still wanting to keep a record of the memories I've made tonight. I even took a few group shots of us wearing other costumes. Despite how embarrassing they made us all look, we didn't care. After all, no one was going to know that we were making ourselves look like idiots. This would be our little secret.

" So that's how Pinkie ruined that closet door?" Twilight asked.

" While she had a lot of energy, she was also rather clumsy. Luckily, Rarity's parents weren't terribly upset about the door needing to be repaired. They planned on replacing it anyway, so it wasn't a complete loss." I answered.

" Twelve times... If Pinkie ever thought about it, she could get a job as a demolitions expert." Twilight said. I burst into laughter when she said that, falling down onto my back and almost kicking both journals away without realizing. Luckily, Twilight managed to grab both before my legs could accidentally kick her. She merely chuckled at my laughter, and I blushed out of embarrassment after I calmed down. I usually don't do anything that silly, but at least Twilight wasn't going to hold it against me. " Rarity certainly had quite a variety of clothes."

" She still desired to get rid of them." I said.

" Did she?"

" After what happened, she immediately got rid of all those clothes. She even had to make sure no one recognized her when she went to the clothing drive. Anon-A-Miss would post those images on her own MyStable page, and we became ridiculed in the process. No... Not we but rather our friends became ridiculed." I answered.

" I don't understand." Twilight said.

" When my photos were posted, they were only the ones of our friends. None of the photos of me were ever posted, and the group shots had been altered to where I was no longer in the image. It had been done to make it look like that I was Anon-A-Miss." I said, tears starting to stream down my face, prompting Twilight to reach into her backpack and pull out a tissue. I batted away her hand out of frustration, but she began to gently wipe away the tears as I sat there.

Why did I take those photos? Was I really that pathetic about wanting to have precious memories? I should have had someone else take the photos instead. I should have also made sure to check to see if my password was working on my cellphone. Ugh! So many mistakes! I hated myself for not being more aware of what was really going on!

" Are you alright?" Twilight asked.

" No."

" Sunset..."

" This is where things are about to get really heartrending. I've been dreading this part of the journal for quite some time, but I know that I have to reveal to you what happened to me. In order for me to get this off of my chest, I must tell you how my life was destroyed at that exact moment." I said.

" I'm ready for it." Twilight said.

" I won't be holding anything back."

" I know."

" Before heading to bed that night, I wrote another message to Princess Twilight. I was curious as to how she had spent her time with her parents. She also needed to know about what was happening at school with Anon-A-Miss. However, I blame myself for not being aware of what was going on around me. I also blame myself for not checking my cellphone to see if I had activated my password." I said.

Chapter 49: Shattered Sunset

Day: Thursday
Weather: Snow
Time: 9:00am

The second slumber party was just as exciting as the first one was, yet it felt more reserved thanks to Rarity's stylistic choices. I had been concerned about Applejack's well-being since her secret got exposed, but that soon changed to being concerned about myself. Rarity revealed that Applejack had second thoughts regarding her sister's claim, and I struggled to come to grips that perhaps she believed Applebloom. I was encouraged to not allow such thoughts to consume my mind, so I carried on through the night without worrying about what might be true. After spending a good hour taking selfies using my cellphone while wearing some of Rarity's tacky outfits, I sent a message to Princess Twilight before heading to bed, my head held high. My photos somehow ended up on MyStable the next morning. I knew they were mine. I recognized the various shots instantly. My friends were devastated by this sudden revelation, and the life that I had was about to end.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 1, 2016
Chapter 49: Shattered Sunset.

" You forgot to activate the password on your cellphone?" Twilight asked.

" I never thought it was important. If I had been out and about, then I would have made sure the password had been turned on in case I were to misplace it. Since I was with our friends, the thought just never occurred to me. My password was complicated, one that most would never have figured out unless they really knew me." I answered. Most people use a combination of letters and numbers, words that held important meaning to them, or something completely farfetched as passwords for their cellphones. Mine was one that held sentimental value and a longing for wanting to someday make amends for being such a horrible student: Princess_Celestia_Ruler_of_the_Sun. It may have been impractical given how long it was, but it meant everything and more. Even now, I refuse to change it. My desire to return home to Equestria remains ever close to my heart. I just need to overcome my own insecurities of having to deal with a possible punishment for my actions.

" You could have prevented Anon-A-Miss from gaining access to those photos." Twilight said.

" She was resourceful. Even if I had prevented her from getting her hands on those photos, she would have found some other way to convince everyone at school that she and I were one and the same. No matter what, the outcome would have been the same." I said.

" Sunset..."

" However, Anon-A-Miss would make one fatal mistake."

" What was that?"

" She underestimated the power of people's desire to know everything about those they interact with." I answered. Humans were curious creatures by nature. They didn't care what they had to go through in order to uncover anyone's secrets. It was this lust for knowing the truth which compelled them. They all wanted power to dominate others, and that meant knowing everything. It would give them an advantage, but at the cost of losing friendships, family, and even themselves in the process. Anon-A-Miss learned that when you expose someone's secrets, people always want to have more. It's a vicious cycle where no one wins.

" I have a feeling more than just Applejack's and Rarity's secrets were exposed." Twilight said.

" How about the whole student body?"

" Seriously!?"

" I'm dead serious, Twilight. Students started sending other secrets to Anon-A-Miss in the hopes that she would post them online. She did because there was no other choice for her but to cave in to their demands. This started a chain reaction. Everyone began lashing out at one another over what had been posted. Friendships were brought to horrifying ends, some students insisted on changing schools over what had been revealed about them, but the worst thing was that the school had regressed back to the status quo before Princess Twilight first showed up. You could say Anon-A-Miss became Sunset Shimmer 2.0." I said.

" Did it really get that bad?" Twilight asked.

" I caused a lot of emotional damage in my first years at CHS. What Anon-A-Miss did was exactly what I had done, but at a much faster pace." I answered. It's a good thing that Princess Twilight never returned to this world during this time. If she had, her heart would have been broken beyond repair. She had placed her own future on the line when she united the entire school to defeat me, and Anon-A-Miss had taken it all away in the span of two days.

Now that I think about it, Her Highness not coming here was a blessing; she had her own secrets that couldn't be exposed. I mean, the student body and the teachers were aware that she was a pony, along with myself, but that was all they could really know. The existence of Equestria and the magic that exists there could never be made known to these humans. They would become delusional with the desire of power, and that could destroy both worlds. Twilight is a perfect example of what can happen were a non-magical person suddenly granted powers they don't really understand. In addition to the secrets behind what exists in Equestria, some of Her Highness' more intimate secrets would have been scandalous.

One time, she wrote to me about when one of her secrets, or rather, an exaggeration of one, was exposed across Ponyville. It was claimed that Princess Twilight, before she became an alicorn, viewed Ponyville as a backwater town when compared to Canterlot. Her Highness never said anything like that, yet ponies assumed she had and didn't care what the actual truth was. It was a secret being exposed, and they loved every moment. In that sense, ponies were similar to humans. In the case of what happened with Anon-A-Miss, though, the secrets she posted online were all real.

" And the teachers never found out about any of this?" Twilight asked.

" It still amazes me how it slipped past them."

" Okay, so what happened after you took those photos?"

" We had so much fun messing around that we lost track of time. We would eventually put all of those clothes away and start getting prepared for bed. Fluttershy, who had been curious about the magic journal, approached me and wanted to learn more about how it worked. No one among our friends had ever been curious about it before. I couldn't blame them, as they still doubted its ability to communicate with Equestria. Fluttershy was an exception. She genuinely wanted to know."

My friends and I continued having fun posing in so many outlandish costumes. Despite Rarity's insistence that they were nothing short of embarrassing, she couldn't help but enjoy wearing them, showing us that she was okay with doing something out of her comfort zone. Among all of us, Pinkie was the most reserved. She posed wearing outfits that one could possibly wear for formal occasions. I expected her to go completely crazy with the different zany combinations of clothes. That honour went to Applejack, who decided to cut loose and wear outfits that were really out there. Some of what she wore I didn't even know existed. Deep down, I knew she wanted to take her mind off of what happened earlier with the whole "Piggly-Wiggly" problem.

Eventually, I looked at the clock hanging on the wall and alerted the others to a horrible truth. We had completely lost track of time. What had originally been an hour of us having fun and not caring about what others would think had suddenly turned into four hours. Rarity at first felt disappointed that her plans for her slumber party didn't get carried out, but she quickly changed her mind, saying that things went better than expected. It was actually good that we stopped when we did; my cellphone's memory card had gotten completely filled up with photos of us posing.

Would I consider printing some of these off? Perhaps. I thought that these photos represented cherished memories, ones where we could have fun just being ourselves. We deserved this private moment, so I decided to keep some of the photos. Yes, only some. I had to delete a lot of the really bad ones to free up space on my memory card. Those things weren't cheap, and financial income wasn't something I could rely on consistently.

It took us about five minutes to pick up all of the outfits and place them back in Rarity's closet. Despite having so much fun, she was still insistent on donating them to the charity drive she frequents. Pinkie Pie protested that she should reconsider after the fun we had, but I had to agree with Rarity. If you don't plan on wearing something, then why even keep it in the first place? They would be better off donated so that someone else, who might be struggling out there in the world, could have it instead. Besides, Rarity's closet was bound to have future "bad" outfits, so we can easily repeat this experience if we wanted.

Soon, everyone started to get sleepy, and we all agreed on getting an early night to avoid the exhaustion we had from this morning. I had chosen a small corner of Rarity's bedroom as my resting place, so I walked over to my sleeping bag and climbed into it. I reached into my backpack and took out the magic journal with the intention of sending another message to Princess Twilight. Opening it up and flipping through the pages until I reached the last message, I looked at what I had written, before staring upwards at the ceiling. I wondered if Her Highness was really okay about me sending her messages, especially at inopportune times. As a princess in Equestria, she had responsibilities and obligations, and responding to someone living in an alternate dimension would be the last thing she ought to be doing. If she ever were to ask me to stop writing to her so frequently, I'd do so without a second thought.

" What are you thinking about, Sunset?"

" Waah!" I almost jumped right out of my sleeping bag when Fluttershy startled me. I had been so deep in thought, I didn't even notice her sitting down next to me. Still, I felt embarrassed about my reaction.

" I'm sorry for, um, disturbing you."

" If anyone should apologize, it's me for reacting like that."

" Um, I could leave you alone and head off to bed, uh, if you want."

" No. You came over to talk to me. So, what did you want?"

" I'm, um, curious."

" About what?"

" That magic journal you're holding in your hands. I'm, uh, curious as to how it really works. I still find it fascinating that you can communicate directly with Princess Twilight even though she's in a different dimension." Fluttershy answered. I was taken by surprise by what she just said. While my friends had acknowledged that my journal contained powerful magic, they still had their doubts as to what it could really do. Humans tended to denounce anything that's supernatural, yet Fluttershy was an exception. She had a genuine curiosity about her. I could tell, as she constantly stared down at the pages of the journal. " How do you suppose it connects with what Princess Twilight has in Equestria? Is it a simple spell or one that's really complicated?" Fluttershy asked.

" Communicating via inter-dimensional means is magic of the highest caliber. Neither Her Highness nor myself are capable of casting such magic ourselves. If anyone back home were capable of such a feat, it would either be Princess Celestia or Star Swirl the Bearded in his prime. I'm personally leaning towards the latter, as his extensive knowledge on magic was far beyond the reach of all other ponies." I answered.

" He must still be very powerful." Fluttershy said.

" I'm afraid that he's been dead for close to a thousand years."

" Oh, um, I'm sorry about that."

" You don't need to be, Fluttershy. Star Swirl lived long before anypony in Equestria was born, save for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. We only know of him from all the achievements he accomplished in his field." I said. I found it strange that Fluttershy was concerned about a pony who was alive around the time Equestria was founded and even more strange that she wasn't freaked out about the fact that I came from a world filled with ponies capable of talking. I suppose that could apply to my other friends as well. I've never really asked them their opinions on my place of birth, but then, they were accepting of such a truth when Princess Twilight revealed her true origins. Maybe I'm just not giving my friends enough credit?

" So, when you write something down, it can be read by Princess Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

" Yes. I told this to you all before when I first showed it to you." I answered.

" Oh, that's right. I, uh, forgot."

" While it may seem like it takes minutes for my message to reach her, I think it actually takes mere seconds. In fact, if I were to write down a single word, I'm pretty sure it would appear in the other journal instantly. That said, I have no idea how long it takes." I answered.

Since Fluttershy had such a strong interest in my journal, maybe I should consider teaching her and the others more about Equestrian magic. I'm certain they would be up for it. After all, when we pony up, we channel the magic each of us possesses. Who wouldn't want to learn more about how their powers work in a world which can't comprehend it? Should I ask them right now? Nah! I'll wait until after the holiday. Besides, they're more interested in spending the holidays just relaxing. No sense in trying to make them study anything during such a wondrous time of the year.

" Um, I have a small request." Fluttershy said.

" What is it?"

" I, uh, want to send a message to Princess Twilight."

" Oh? And what brought that on?"

" Well, I want to say hello and maybe ask why she couldn't be here with us."

" I already told you and the others that Her Highness has obligations in Equestria. She also has her family and friends there to consider. Finally, they are currently celebrating their own version of Christmas." I said. Fluttershy then looked at me, her eyes filling slightly with tears. If she was trying to make me cave in, then she had definitely succeeded. " Alright. You can send a message to her, but you'll get the same thing from her as you got from me. She'll tell you why she can't come here for the holidays. On the positive side, I'm sure she would appreciate you writing something." I said, handing Fluttershy the journal and a pen. It took her a few minutes before she began writing down what she wanted to say.

Once she had finished, she handed it back, and I proceeded to read what she had written.

Dear Princess Twilight,

This is Fluttershy. I was curious about how this journal works, and Sunset gave me permission to write something to you. I'm not really sure what I want to say; I didn't put much thought into this. I do have one question, though. Why aren't you able to be here with us for the holidays? I'm sorry if I'm sounding too forward, so I'll end this message right now. I'm sorry for wasting your time.

Fluttershy

I'm not sure why she continued insisting that she was doing the wrong thing. Fluttershy may have had a heart of gold, but she was lacking in confidence. Perhaps she should consider taking some assertiveness training in the new year? I don't want her to become something she's not, but I'd rather not have her be someone who other people constantly walk all over. About a minute later, the journal began to glow, and a message appeared in its pages. This made me happy, as it meant Princess Twilight would respond to the message I planned on sending her after everyone else has gone to bed.

Dear Fluttershy,

I am surprised that you're curious about the journal's magic, but it's always a good idea to broaden your horizons. I'm sure if you ask her, Sunset will teach you more about the journal and quite possibly about other forms of Equestrian magic. Just don't ask her to teach you too much. The magic of Equestria is difficult for other creatures to fathom if they're not fully used to it. To answer your main question, I would have come, but I couldn't miss out on celebrating Hearth's Warming. I also have my duties as a princess, which limit my freedom, but don't worry; I plan on paying everyone another visit in due time. There is much of your world that fascinates me, and it would be nice to visit without having to save it from magical beings like the ones that plague my world constantly.

Yours sincerely,

Princess Twilight Sparkle.

" She wants to visit us again?" Fluttershy asked.

" I think I've got a pretty good idea as to what 'fascinated' her." I answered, chuckling to myself.

" I don't get it."

" Remind me to tell you sometime. I guarantee you'll get a real kick out of it."

" Well, I think I'll get off to bed now. Goodnight, Sunset, and thank you for letting me use your journal." Fluttershy said. She then got up and walked over to her sleeping bag, making sure not to wake up everyone else. They had all since fallen asleep. Soon, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, leaving me the only one still awake. I planned on going to sleep shortly, but first, I wanted to send my own message to Princess Twilight. The events of that day were something she needed to know about, but I couldn't be too serious about it. I didn't want her to consider dropping everything in Equestria and coming here to solve a simple problem of online bullying. Instead, I'm going to have a little bit of fun with her, and mention that Flash Sentry went to spend his holidays in the Carribean. I chuckled under my breath thinking about how Her Highness reacts over every small detail about Flash. It was really cute whenever she did that.

Looking up at the ceiling, my thoughts on Princess Twilight faded away momentarily and began to focus on Anon-A-Miss. I was still having trouble coming to grips with how she came upon Applejack's secret. The idea that someone overheard her was just preposterous. Applejack never talks about her family life unless you've truly earned her trust, so that meant someone close to her decided to betray her trust. I had no idea who it could be, and I wasn't about to spend the rest of the night pondering over it. I'd try to figure out an answer the next day. Opening up the journal again, I tapped my pen on the page for several minutes before I began writing.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I've had my second slumber party with the girls, and it went better than expected. Despite what I've said about my inferiority complex, I'm starting to find more common ground with everyone. I feel as though I'm now even closer to you all. It's kind of weird. I've never felt this accepted since, well, ever. I feel like I finally have a family again. I mean, I do have an actual family in Equestria, but they're just a distant memory. Without all of you to help and support me, I'd still be a bully trying to rule the school.

By the way, in case you wanted to come here as soon as possible in order to see a certain blue-haired boy, I'm afraid you're out of luck until next year. Flash is currently away on vacation with his family, but he did mention a desire to see you again before he left. I think you've found yourself a real keeper, but I'm not going to press the issue. What you do with your love life is up to you.

There is one more thing I need to tell you. A problem has occurred at school involving a personal secret of Applejack's being made public. Now, before you overreact and drop everything in order to come here, do know that we can handle things, so you can relax. I'm sure it will all be resolved by tomorrow morning. Oh yeah, how did spending time with your parents turn out? Anything exciting happening in Equestria right now?

Anyway, I should get some sleep, but before I do that, I want to mention something that I feel needs to be said. I truly appreciate everything that you've all done for me. I love you all.

Sunset Shimmer

Once I finished my message, I closed the journal. My eyelids were getting heavy at this point, so I struggled with putting the journal into my backpack quietly. I didn't want to accidentally wake anyone up. My eyes slowly closed, and I fell asleep, but for some reason, my ears picked up the sounds of shuffling on the carpet. It felt like someone was getting close to me, but I assumed it was Pinkie Pie having one of her midnight snack binges. I didn't feel like opening my eyes and confronting whoever was shuffling about. I was too exhausted at that point.

" Who was shuffling around that late at night?" Twilight asked.

" I actually thought it was Pinkie, but it turned out to have been Anon-A-Miss." I answered.

" How could she have been at Rarity's house? Unless, someone there was behind her identity?" Twilight asked. Once again, I chose to remain quiet, and she knew that nothing would convince me to reveal the answer. I couldn't tell her the identity of Anon-A-Miss--at least, not yet--without her overreacting. Twilight had been growing ever more passionate about me, and I could tell she would lash out at anyone who tried to harm me. Was it a little bizarre that she felt that way ever since I started reading my journal? Or, was it because I offered her friendship during a time where she was on the verge of being left alone forever? There's no denying how cute it was, but being cute doesn't excuse anyone from taking things the wrong way. Twilight then sighed, knowing I wouldn't budge. " I had a feeling you weren't going to mention a name, but that's okay; I'll find out eventually. Did Princess Twilight ever send you a response to your message? I'm actually curious about what she said in response about Flash Sentry."

" Really? You want to know about that?" I asked.

" What? I'm just curious." Twilight answered, blushing for a brief moment before she turned away in embarrassment. Did she have a crush on Flash too? I wasn't an expert on love, but it looks like she may have a very tiny crush on him. I'll attribute it to what I've said about him. I did feel bad about Flash, though. He had no idea that the Twilight he was talking to isn't the one he went to the Fall Formal with. Her glasses should have been a dead giveaway, but I suppose most people assumed she had been wearing contacts and suddenly decided she'd switch back.

" Sure, I'll show you the message." I picked up the magic journal and flipped through the pages until I came to Princess Twilight's response. Of all the messages I've received from Her Highness since we started doing this, it was this one in particular which always made me laugh. Her introduction was simply priceless, as she had done the same thing when Applejack brought Flash up after she returned to help deal with the Sirens. " Here we are, Twilight. This is what she said in response, but I didn't get a chance to look at it until after things calmed down." I said.

" Wow... I didn't think she could be more obvious." Twilight said.

" Flash was always on her mind, even when it didn't look like it."

" She comes off as immature here."

" Aren't you the same with science?"

" Touché."

" You're starting to pick up some of my habits."

" Sorry."

" No, it's completely fine. I just never expected anyone to mimic my qualities, given what I've been like over the years. Anyway, her response was quick and to the point. I figured she wanted to go to bed herself or was on her way out." I said.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

What!? Flash Sentry went on vacation? Where did he go? Did he say anything about bringing back souvenirs? Why didn't you tell me sooner?

That sounds very nice, and I hope he has a good time. Glad to see that your friendships with everyone are growing stronger. I am surprised that Applejack's secret got revealed, and while I think I should be there just in case, I'll respect your decision and remain in Equestria. Just don't get too overwhelmed, okay?

I loved my visit to my parents, and I plan on having them here at my castle tomorrow. As for other business, I don't really have anything else to say. Still wish you could have told me about Flash, though. He hasn't forgotten about me, has he? Maybe he'll get me something from his vacation? Perhaps I should make plans on visiting sooner rather than later. To see all of you, of course.

Your friend,

Princess Twilight Sparkle

Twilight stared at the response for a few moments before falling over backwards and laughing hysterically. I'll admit that Her Highness' response was pretty funny. It showed that despite being a princess, she was still an immature child, just like the rest of us. Closing the magic journal and placing it to one side, I picked up the other journal and opened to where I had left off before turning the page. My entire body froze for a few moments, when I started shaking. This is what I had been fearing. I tried to say something, but my mouth was incapable of uttering a single word. To get Twilight's attention to what was happening, I began tapping my finger on the page. The sound of paper rustling didn't appear to phase her, but I needed her attention now!

When Twilight finally pulled herself back up after laughing so hard, she immediately noticed my shivering body. At first, she assumed that I was feeling cold, so she got up, took a flashlight, and was about to go looking for the thermostat, before she looked back at me. My eyes were looking downward, prompting her to realize what the actual problem was. I eventually managed to sputter out a single word.

" Pain."

" Pain? What do you mean?"

" Look down at the page." I answered. Twilight did as I asked, and covered her mouth in horror upon seeing another photo. It had been taken by Photo Finish, and it depicted me in a heap, surrounded by other students, crying my eyes out. " Is... Is this what you've been afraid to reveal?" Twilight asked.

" Yes."

Wednesday had proven to be a dull day, and for that, I was relieved. Anon-A-Miss hadn't posted anything on MyStable, so I assumed that the danger had past. It must have been some kind of prank on Applejack. In any case, the third slumber party just so happened to be at Sweet Apple Acres. It wasn't what I'd call the most exciting party I've ever been too. While there was plenty of food to go around--a little too much--much of our time was dedicated to working on some chores Granny Smith needed to have done in time for the Christmas gathering at the end of next week.

Because her family needed the main house in order to finish their decorating, we were forced to spend the night in the barn. It was actually rather cozy, and we got some free time to practice our music. At least there weren't any animals wandering about in the barn. The noise from our instruments would have driven them bonkers.

Just like during Rarity's party, we all decided to get to bed earlier than usual. We didn't want to be exhausted the next day. While everyone else had left for school, I decided to remain behind in the barn. All our music playing had triggered our pony-ups, and I had to write down some notes to aid in my research regarding the magic problem. Despite everything that had happened, I was still determined to solve this problem.

After an hour of combing through everything, I packed my things and headed off for school. I had no intention of being late. When I arrived, students began looking at me, suspicion clearly in their eyes. Had I done something to offend them? No, I don't think I did.

Entering the building, more students were looking in my direction, and I started feeling uncomfortable. Why were they staring at me? Had I become the next victim of Anon-A-Miss? I had to find my friends, so I ran down the hallway, turned at the next corner, and resumed walking when I saw them by some lockers. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn they were giving me the same look of suspicion. Something was wrong with this picture.

" Hey girls!" I called out, only to be ignored. " What's going... on?" They looked angry. My eyes weren't playing tricks on me.

" Sunset, I want to ask you a question." Applejack said.

" What is it?"

" Have you lost your phone recently?"

" Um, no? I have it right here." I answered. I reached into my pocket and took out my cellphone, confusion spread across my face. What did my phone have to do with the way my friends were looking at me? Applejack's expression suddenly changed from calm to anger, and I needed to know what was going on. " As you can see, it's been in my pocket all this time. Why?"

" Then you need to explain this!" Applejack answered angrily before handing her cellphone over to me. I had no idea what was going on, so I looked at what was on the screen, and my jaw dropped.

The screen displayed Anon-A-Miss' profile on MyStable, and right there for all to see were the photos I had taken during Rarity's slumber party. I then noticed Anon-A-Miss' profile image had changed. It still displayed an image of my head, but was now in full colour, yet with certain features made to look monstrous. My own profile image was in her group of friends, along with other students who could be described as not being the best role models. Since when did I become friends with her? I barely even use MyStable. There was also a message posted by Anon-A-Miss, and I reluctantly began to read it.

OMG... what a bunch of dorks! Hahaha!

There was another message posted by her earlier.

I know a secret...

It didn't take long for me to put two and two together. She had sent a warning message that she was going to post something, and the next post was the photos I had taken on my cellphone. Why didn't any of the group shots feature me in them? Where were the photos of me wearing Rarity's ridiculous outfits? I was so distraught, I didn't even notice this discrepancy until I read those messages. Still, what were my friends getting at? I only post on MyStable every month or two, yet Anon-A-Miss had been posting every few hours since creating her account a few days ago. I'd worry about that detail later, as my main concern was dealing with this unexpected revelation.

" What!? How is this possible? How did she get our pictures?" I asked.

" They're not our pictures, Sunset." Applejack answered.

" They're yours." Rainbow Dash added.

" All those pictures were taken by you." Applejack said.

" I know I took those photos! Heck, you and Rarity saw me taking them. I've had my phone all this time, and not once has it ever been out of my sight." I said. I was starting to get anxious over what Applejack had been saying. I knew she had second thoughts on believing what her sister claimed, but I didn't think it would be this bad. " I don't know how my photos ended up getting onto MyStable, but I swear to you that it's been on my person."

" Then can you explain what's on my phone's screen?" Applejack asked.

" I... I can't."

" It all makes sense. How did she know about my nickname? How did she get the pictures from your phone? We all thought that one of the other girls was responsible for doing this, but the truth was that it was someone much closer to us. It was you all along! You're Anon-A-Miss!" Applejack said.

My heart felt like it had just been shattered into pieces upon hearing her say those words. She couldn't have been serious! Why in the world would my friends accuse me of being responsible for exposing their secrets? No! They had it all wrong! I'm not Anon-A-Miss, yet I lacked proof to make them believe that. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie looked at me with scorn in their eyes. Fluttershy and Rarity simply looked disappointed.

" We trusted you, Sunset!" Rainbow Dash said.

" We thought you were our friend." Fluttershy added.

" How could you do this?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" After all we've been through." Rarity added.

" No. Wait, you guys--" I said, struggling to find the appropriate words to say. Various images of all the good times I've had with my friends began racing through my head and suddenly started popping as a result of these accusations. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. My life was starting to crumble all around me, and I needed to apply some damage control to stop the bleeding. " Listen! I didn't do this! You've got it all wrong! I could never hurt any of you!"

" But you did! You must've just been pretending to be our friend. The other students always believed you weren't serious about changing your ways. They warned us not to accept your forgiveness, and we should have listened. All along, you were after our secrets! You... you... secret stealer!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

" No! No! I don't know how she got this stuff, but it wasn't me. I'm not the one who did this to all of you. I'm not this person." I said.

" Princess Twilight believed you deserved a second chance. She was wrong! That was one of the worst decisions she's ever made." Pinkie Pie said.

" That was kinda takin' things a mighty bit too far there, Pinkie." Applejack said.

" You're right. I shouldn't drag Princess Twilight into this mess, even if she was the one who insisted on asking us to be Sunset's friend. After all, she didn't make Sunset lie to us all this time." Pinkie Pie said. I struggled to refrain from throttling Pinkie for bringing Her Highness into this. I may live in this world, but I take offence when anyone disrespects one of the Princesses of Equestria. In hindsight, however, I realized my hypocrisy. I disrespected both Celestia and Twilight many times before I changed. Still, my hands trembled with the notion that Pinkie had crossed a line, but at least she backed off.

" I'm not that person!" I reiterated.

" No, you're not!" Fluttershy said, slapping my hand in frustration.

That shocked me. " I never thought you would ever do something like that." I said.

" Then I guess you don't know that much about me. Oh, wait! You do, and you chose to expose our secrets online!"

" That wasn't me!"

" I don't believe you!"

" Fluttershy... What happened to the shy, quiet girl who talked to me two nights ago?"

" That was when I thought you were our friend, but after what we've seen posted on Anon-A-Miss' page--no, on your page--I now understand the truth. All this time, I thought you were someone who struggled through hardships in order to start a new beginning. Now I realize it was all just a lie!" Fluttershy answered. She had since started to burst into tears, her frustration continuing to grow. I couldn't believe what I was staring at. When she wrote that message to Princess Twilight, she was filled with both joy and curiosity. Now she was filled with anger. It wounded my heart to see tears gushing down her face and dropping down to the ground below. " You're not the person we thought you were. You're not our friend anymore, Sunset!" Fluttershy then turned her face away from me, and Rarity started comforting her.

" No. I... I am. I promise!" I said, tears gushing forth from my eyes as well. This was nothing short of a nightmare. If I were to pinch myself right now, I'd surely wake up in my sleeping bag, and none of this would have happened. Yet, I knew this was real. As much as it pained me to admit it, this was really happening. My life was hanging on by a mere thread, and that thread was quickly breaking. I tried to approach Fluttershy in the hopes of making her realize that I had nothing to with this, but Applejack stood in front of me, arms folded across her chest, a stern look on her face.

" Alright! That's enough."

" What are you saying?" I asked.

" It's alright, Fluttershy. You can go over there and Rarity will give you as much support as she can give you." Applejack answered.

" Applejack... Do you honestly think that I could be responsible for any of this? Did you end up believing what your sister claimed a few days ago?" I asked. At first, Rarity's eyes opened wide, and I immediately knew why she reacted like that. She was the one who told me that Applejack had second thoughts. I decided to do the right thing and not indicate that I learned from her about Applejack's sudden change of thought. I doubt this would make my friends suddenly believe me, but it was worth a try. Applejack simply stood there for a few moments without moving, but then she lowered her head before mumbling something to herself. A few moments later, she raised her head, and anger was spread all across her face.

" I thought Applebloom was wrong about you, but I began havin' doubts after I looked back at what Anon-A-Miss posted. I even went and looked at her profile thinkin' I could come up with an answer. But, I reckon y'all just proved that my sister was right. What you just said was meant to be between the two of us, yet you went and told everyone within ear shot. My mind is clear, Sunset. You did this! You're Anon-A-Miss, and that's that!" Applejack answered. Wait a minute! She never said anything about our conversation two days ago being just between the two of us. I suspected that her frustration wasn't making her think clearly, and she was now making stuff up as she went along.

" You never said--" I began before being cut off.

" This is it, Sunset! You're not going to take advantage of us anymore." Applejack said.

" But I never took advantage of you to begin with."

" I'm sorry, but I just don't believe what's comin' out of your mouth. You did this to yourself. Tell whatever secrets you want, but we don't have to listen to any of them. Come on, girls! Let's get out of here before we do somethin' we might regret later. Sunset... As of this moment, our friendship is over. I'm officially kicking you out of the Rainbooms. You're also not allowed to visit any of our homes again. We're gonna warn our parents about you, so you best keep your distance! Finally, don't try to call us on our cellphones! We ain't gonna answer you!" Applejack said.

She and the others then turned around and walked away, leaving me to comprehend what had just happened. I dropped to my knees, my backpack fell off my shoulder, a pencil and piece of paper rolling out along the floor before stopping a short distance away, and I began to cry even more than ever. Other students had walked by and witnessed what had transpired, yet none of them offered to give me any comfort. In fact, they had chosen to completely ignore me and allow me to wallow away.

My worst fear had been realized. My friends... My friends had chosen to end all association with me. Just like that, my entire life had been reduced to rubble. It felt like my heart had been stabbed with a dagger until I could no longer breathe.

Anon-A-Miss... she had made me both a victim and the one responsible for her actions. She had framed me, and her distortion of the truth had just cost me everything I'd worked hard for since the Fall Formal. I wanted to speak to my friends, to get them to understand, but I knew that my efforts would have been in vain.

Just like that, everything had reverted back to the way it was after Princess Twilight and my friends--former friends now--defeated me after I became a monster. Monster... That very word had become a curse to me. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't shake off the grip it held over me. There was no doubt that this incident would soon spread throughout the entire school and that everyone would turn against me like before. Now there was no one left for me to turn to, aside from Her Highness, but what if she had become just like the girls and decides to end my friendship with her? No! My heart wouldn't be able to take that. My path was clear. I'd need to send another message to Her Highness to explain what has happened. Maybe she will have some words of wisdom? I could sure use some of those right about now.

There was also something I could do right now, and that was find out who Anon-A-Miss really was. I did say to myself that I was going to uncover her identity, and now, that has become my main objective. The magic problem is going to be taking a back seat until all this has been sorted out. When I do find out who she is, will I be able to contain my emotions, or will I do something that could potentially land me in the worst possible trouble of my entire life? I pray that my heart guides me to the right path.

" Well, it took a lot of effort to hold back my emotions, but I finally revealed to you how my life was destroyed. Unfortunately, things would only get worse from there, but at the very least, I had Princess Twilight, who knew that I was innocent." I said. It suddenly occurred to me that I had been talking to myself--for quite some time, it seemed. Twilight had since gotten up and walked away. Now why would she have done something like that? Had she finally reached her limit and left in disgust over what happened? I couldn't blame her. I'd have done the same thing if I were in her shoes. Standing up and stretching my legs, I took a single step forward before suddenly stopping upon realizing my foot had suddenly stepped in what looked like a tiny puddle of water. On a closer inspection, it looked like a puddle of tears.

Grabbing one of my flashlights, I walked forward, making sure to follow the sparse puddles, which lead me down several aisles of books. I'd soon stop when I heard the sounds of someone crying from a bookshelf a dozen aisles away. The crying grew louder as I walked closer, my flashlight showing me the way so as to not walk into anything--or anyone. I turned to look down the aisle. Standing there with her back towards me was Twilight. She had been crying, and I knew why. It was because of how our friends had ended their friendships with me. The moment I took a small step forward, the floor beneath my foot creaked under my weight, and Twilight turned around to face me. Her complexion looked dreadful. She must have been crying for quite a while.

There was nothing that needed to be said. I knew what I had to do in this situation. I quickly walked towards Twilight before she could run away, and I gave her the strongest hug I could muster. I even winced a little because of my injured hand, but I didn't care. My concern was making sure that Twilight was okay and that she was strong enough to continue listening to the tragedy that we'd both become accustomed to.

" How did you know I was here?" Twilight asked.

" When I discovered that you left, I assumed you left in disgust, and that was a fear even worse than my past. The moment I heard the sounds of crying, I simply followed the sound until I reached the source. Twilight... I'm not going to pretend to understand how you feel right now. What happened to me is something that scarred me for quite some time. Yet, I managed to regain what I had lost. While things may look bleak right now, it turns out good in the end." I answered.

" Why... Why did our friends do that to you?" Twilight asked.

" They were frustrated with those photos being exposed, and they lashed out at the one they thought did it." I answered.

" It's not fair! You didn't deserve that."

" I know, and I felt the same way you do."

" Didn't you try to plead with them?"

" That wouldn't have accomplished much. Our friends were dead-set in their opinion that I was Anon-A-Miss, and they refused to acknowledge my existence. I was now dead to them; they didn't care about anything I did." I answered. Twilight started crying again, prompting me to comfort her. I also started crying out of concern for my friend, but I knew that we had to continue reading the journal. There was still a ways to go before reaching the end.

I began inching my way forward and Twilight knew that we had to go back to my residence in the library. The flashlight made sure we didn't bump into anything, and soon we arrived back at our campsite--not really much of one, since it was in the library. We both sat down and I picked up my journal before turning the page. " You didn't hear me say this, so I'll repeat myself. Princess Twilight knew I was innocent when I told her what had happened. While she wanted to come over immediately to help me out, I knew she couldn't, as she had her obligations to tend to."

" She was still on your side?" Twilight asked.

" Yes, and she would tell me what I needed to do in order to figure out who Anon-A-Miss was."

" Did you suspect anyone?"

" I had one person in mind, the very person who I had offered my friendship towards."

" Trixie?"

" Yes."

Chapter 50: False Accusation

Day: Tuesday
Weather: Snow
Time: 12:00pm

It's over... Everything I've worked hard for had been taken away from me. My friends believe that I was Anon-A-Miss after the photos I took at Rarity's slumber party were posted online via MyStable. My efforts to prove my innocence failed. They refused to listen and ended their friendships with me. My life had been destroyed. Just like that! Anon-A-Miss had made me out to be the person I used to be, and it wasn't my friends--former friends--who would become victimized by her. Within the following days, more of my former friends' secrets got published on her MyStable page, but these would soon by joined by secrets of other students. It seemed everyone was so enthralled with secrets being exposed, they wanted to contribute to the ever-increasing madness. As for me, I tried to salvage what little remained of my life and attempted to figure out who was really behind all of this. My first suspect would be someone who I offered friendship towards.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 4, 2016
Chapter 50: False Accusation.

" Oh that's right! I recall you mentioned that you wrongfully accused Trixie of something." Twilight said.

" And the accusation related to Anon-A-Miss. I knew that Trixie could never have posted so many secrets online, yet my mind was distraught with how my friendships had suddenly come to an end. Anyone could have been responsible for Anon-A-Miss, yet I focused squarely on Trixie. I thought she had only pretended to be my friend and secretly engineered my downfall for revenge." I said. The truth was that I wanted to find someone to blame. It didn't matter who it was! I needed someone, anyone, to vent my frustrations towards, and she was the ideal target. Trixie had a reputation for causing trouble so students were leery towards her. While she had changed her ways, not everyone believed her sincerity. I placed my trust in her after I discovered she spread those rumours to discredit my reputation, yet I would target her based on petty reasoning. Frustration can cause anyone to suddenly become misguided and question their own thoughts.

" Was that the end of it?" Twilight asked.

" What do you mean?"

" Anon-A-Miss had posted those photos online and had destroyed your life. So, was that all she did?"

" Unfortunately, no."

" I'm afraid to ask what happens next, but I know you'll tell me anyway."

" Throughout the next few days, Anon-A-Miss would post more secrets about our friends, yet something didn't seem quite right. Some of the secrets were ones I didn't even know had happened. I kept tabs on our friends because of the magic problem, yet I didn't watch over them every waking moment. An example would be an essay Rainbow Dash had written. She got it back a couple of days after our falling out. It wasn't the most glamourous of grades, yet I didn't know she had written it until I looked on MyStable. I was surprised that she didn't even suspect anything was amiss--pardon the bad pun--but in her eyes, I had published her essay." I said.

" I'm surprised you didn't notice that." Twilight said. I couldn't agree more. If I had paid more attention to that essay, I would have figured out who was responsible much sooner and avoided a lot of grief. What was unfortunate was that Rainbow's essay would actually be how I pieced the puzzle together in the end. I only had myself to blame.

" Our friends continued to be humiliated as their secrets continued to be made public." I said.

" Did they confront you about it?"

" No. They were done with me."

" They could've done something, right?"

" Oh, of course. If they had put the problem aside and listened to me, we could have worked together to solve it. Instead, I was left to figure it out on my own. All they did was hide in shame over their personal information being made known." I answered.

" At least they were the only ones to suffer." Twilight said.

" Not the most comforting statement there."

" Sorry, but I couldn't come up with a nicer way of saying it."

" However, you'd be wrong about it confined to our friends."

" You don't mean...?"

" Anon-A-Miss would soon begin posting secrets of other students." I answered. I looked up at the ceiling and thought back to what happened. Students were at each other's throats, disharmony was running rampant, friendships had been broken, and trust was next to impossible to find. The entire school had been thrust back to the days where I had been exposing secrets in my bid to remain dominant over everyone. All of Princess Twilight's hard work had been shattered. Just seeing all that madness would have broken her heart. Yet, through it all the students pinned the blame squarely on my shoulders. Anon-A-Miss made sure I was the one responsible. She'd get away, leaving me to take the fall for what she had done.

" How did she uncover so many secrets?" Twilight asked.

" She didn't."

" Then how did she post so much information?"

" Remember when I said Anon-A-Miss made a fatal mistake?"

" Yes."

" This was it! By exposing our friends' secrets, she unknowingly inspired the curiosity of the student body. They were so engrossed with those secrets being spilt, they began sending her additional secrets in the hopes that she would make them public. What had initially been a plan to cause me misery had suddenly transformed into something that affected everyone. It all spiraled out of control and went beyond what Anon-A-Miss expected." I said.

" Yet you were still blamed, right?" Twilight asked.

" That was the unfortunate thing." I answered. I noticed Twilight tried to comfort me, but I raised my hand to let her know that I was fine. " You don't need to be concerned for me this time, Twilight. Being accused of doing something had become somewhat of a cliché around CHS. Most students would point the finger at me whenever anything bad happened. I got used to the accusations, yet they still hurt deep inside. I'm thankful no one blames me for anything these days. This incident would prove that I had truly changed and that any misconceptions about me were purely false." Twilight tried comforting me again by pushing her hand forward, but after a few hesitations, she pulled her hand back before nodding her head. I knew she wanted to make me feel better, but I didn't want her to become too protective. She still had problems of her own to deal with, and having to be bogged down by my own problems would be unhealthy.

" Let's go back to Trixie for a moment." Twilight suggested. I was surprised by her sudden change in subject, but maybe this would do her some good. Flipping the journal back several pages until I reached the page that featured the selfie Trixie gave to me, Twilight placed her hand on it before looking downwards at it. " Was she surprised that you accused her of being Anon-A-Miss?"

" It was difficult to determine."

" How so?"

" Trixie's mood often changed without warning, so I couldn't tell if she was surprised or sarcastic when I approached her."

" But she did talk to you, right?"

" Yes, and she had a lot more to say other than respond to my accusation."

" Did you find her right away?"

" No. I had no intention of looking for Trixie, but that would change when I overheard students mentioning her name."

Just like that, my life was over. Everything I had done, everything I had worked hard for, all the sweat and tears proving to everyone that I had changed had all been shattered to pieces in a matter of moments. I tried convincing my friends that I wasn't Anon-A-Miss, but they refused to listen to me. Instead, they decided to stand with the physical evidence posted online by the true mastermind behind all of this. I was alone once again... just like before. The only difference was that I had not been hit with the Magic of Friendship. My friends--no, my former friends--left me to wallow away in tears, and other students who had been walking by chose to ignore me. None of them desired to comfort me. In their eyes, I was guilty of committing a heinous crime. The sentence: my life destroyed. I knew that no words could convince them otherwise.

After picking myself up off the floor, I gathered my belongings and headed straight for my locker. I could have run after the girls, perhaps try one last time to prove my innocence, but I knew that wouldn't work. Applejack had already denounced any association with me, and the others followed suit. All I could do now was salvage what remained of a once-promising life.

Walking down the hallway, everyone passed by without uttering a single word. Already, I was reminded of what happened after the Fall Formal. The student body viewed me with contempt, and I was left isolated and alone. It was like everything that happened during the past month never existed. All the fun times I had with my friends, my struggles with finding my place in this world, building friendships, and saving the world. It all seemed like a distant memory.

When I reached my locker, I was expecting it to have been vandalized by my former friends, but I knew they wouldn't stoop that low. Despite believing in the increasing evidence against me, they still had their honour.

When I opened my locker, I was greeted with a familiar sight: the guitar Rainbow Dash had given me when she gave me that crash course on playing it. Just staring at it filled my heart with frustration. How could they have done this to me? We were supposed to be best friends! I didn't get a chance to prove my innocence! I had every mind to take that guitar and smash it on the ground! Grabbing it by the handle and taking it out of my locker, I raised it above my head and held it there for a few minutes before lowering my arm and putting it back. No... I could never do something like that. Despite what had happened, they still meant so much to me. I can't give up on them now, even if they refuse to listen. Closing my locker, I turned to the students who continued walking about. One among the girls had to be Anon-A-Miss. The question was who.

I thought things were going to blow over, but it only got worse regarding my former friends. Everywhere they went, students ridiculed them over the photos and videos I took, and they tried desperately to ignore it all. They couldn't even have a private moment to themselves without someone following just so that they could taunt them. I used my cellphone to see what the fuss was on MyStable, and my heart broke upon seeing the results.

There was a video of Fluttershy singing along to what Pinkie Pie sang during Rarity's party. What made it truly heart-wrenching was how there were so many likes and comments posted in favour of it. How could the students of CHS be so cruel? Did they actually get pleasure of seeing others suffer? Would they have that same feeling if they were the victims? It reminded me that humans were flawed creatures. Anything that was different would be ridiculed. They took friendship for granted and were ignorant of the consequences.

There was another photo posted by Anon-A-Miss that struck me as odd. The photo depicted an essay that Rainbow Dash had written some time ago and only now had gotten it back. I don't recall her ever writing one of those. Then again, she might have mentioned it somewhere while I wasn't paying attention. The grade wasn't very good either, and I suspected that was why it was posted online.

Things were relatively calm during the weekend, but on Monday and Tuesday, the problem only worsened for my former friends. Rarity had spent much of her time walking around school while wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a casual suit, trying to hide from her tormentors who ridiculed her fashion sense, yet she knew that she could never truly hide from them. Her Closet of Shame had become known to everyone, a harsh reality which all of us caused, though I had the most guilt. I should never have taken those photos and videos in the first place. My actions condemned the girls.

Applejack, in the meantime, continued to be called Piggly-Wiggly, and now she had to deal with a drawing of a cartoon pig's head that students had taped to lockers, walls, and doors. It looked like Pinkie Pie had gotten off scot-free, but I had seen students laughing at her. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, they suddenly reached a new level that Tuesday.

I was walking towards my locker when I overheard someone mention Anon-A-Miss.

" Did you hear? They say Anon-A-Miss is starting to post secrets that aren't about those five losers!"

Had I heard that student correctly? The one who destroyed my life and my former friends' lives was now starting to target other students? I needed to know more, so I crept forward slightly and pressed my back against some nearby lockers before listening in on the conversation. I knew my actions were wrong, but I needed to know this stuff. Hopefully, these students wouldn't notice me. I could cause myself even more grief should I be discovered.

" Really? Since when did she decide to do that?"

" Just the other day."

" Guess she's gonna be really popular now."

" She's gotten over three hundred friend requests in the last hour alone!"

" Wow!"

" Some students must have really liked reading about those losers' secrets that now she's posting what they send her."

" Forgive me if I find that hard to believe."

" I'll give you an example. Do you know Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?"

" Those two rich kids? Yeah, I've seen them hanging around together all the time. They look like they're best friends."

" That friendship just got broken."

" How!?"

" Apparently, Silver Spoon stole Diamond Tiara's favourite necklace. She claimed it wasn't her, yet a photo of her clearly wearing the necklace for all to see popped up several minutes ago on Anon-A-Miss' MyStable page. I've never seen Diamond Tiara so absolutely livid. You could hear those two arguing across the entire cafeteria! Silver Spoon said that the necklace didn't look good on her anyway, and that's when the two of them went their separate ways."

" Over a piece of jewelry?"

" Sad, isn't it?"

" I'll say."

" Did you hear about Vinyl Scratch?"

" Isn't she that girl who never says a word?"

" Yeah."

" What about her?"

" According to a photo made public by Anon-A-Miss from 'a fellow musical enthusiast', Vinyl Scratch lives like a total slob at home. Her place looked like it had never been cleaned before, yet she comes here as one of the fancier-looking students. When she learned that her poor habits were revealed, she freaked out and yelled non-stop for several minutes. No one had any idea what she was saying. She only made herself look even more pathetic by doing that. I don't think anyone is going to take her music seriously again."

" What about the student who exposed Vinyl?"

" There's only one other student who is that much into music, so I'm guessing Vinyl is going to get back at her."

" I shudder to think if my secret gets exposed."

" Same with me. I wouldn't be able to show my face around here if that happened."

" I... um... have something I need to do right now, so I'll see you later."

" Err, yeah, same here."

The two students then went their separate ways, and I stepped out from my hiding spot a few moments later. I couldn't believe it! I knew they were going to expose the other's secrets by sending them to Anon-A-Miss. How could they jeopardize their friendships like that? Then again, from what they said about Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Vinyl Scratch, and, I assume, Octavia Melody, no one cared who was getting hurt so long as secrets continued to be made public. This was just like what I did when I was a bully. No! This was even worse! Anon-A-Miss had proven herself to be a heartless monster who took pride in her work. She wasn't going to stop until every student at CHS had their life ruined. I had to find out who she really was and quickly.

That proved to be more difficult than I initially thought. I doubted she was stupid enough to leave behind an obvious trail of clues. That meant I had to rely on a little sleuthing in order to uncover the truth. Taking out my notepad and pencil from my leather jacket's pocket, I started walking around to listen in on other conversations.

At first, the students I eavesdropped on didn't have anything important to add to what I already knew, but I would soon strike pay dirt. Three students had said that not everyone had been victimized by Anon-A-Miss. Some had made sure to keep their secrets under lock and key. One then said that Anon-A-Miss had been getting private messages at a rate of fifty per half-hour with new tantalizing secrets for her. I'd soon leave them in order to listen in on someone else. I also left because one of them might have spotted me, and I didn't want to take that chance.

It would be the next two students who provided me with an answer. One was Bulk Biceps, a large, muscular student who looked more like a man than a teenager. The other student was Captain Planet, one of the eco kids. I found it strange that these two were hanging out with one another, but I suppose all friendships became possible no matter what kind of differences existed. I had Princess Twilight to thank for fixing the damage I caused.

" Hey! Like, did you hear about those secrets being passed around?" Captain Planet asked.

" YEAH!" Bulk Biceps answered, his mouth wide open and veins protruding on his lower jaw. Bulk Biceps was quite vocal when he needed to be. His responses to anything usually consisted of him shouting "yeah", but sometimes he could be very philosophical. You just had to get past all that bravado to truly understand how he operates as a person.

" I know, right? Can't believe so many are, like, trying to spread such negative vibes just because they want to. Their ebbs and flows are all seriously out of whack! I don't get why they have such a fascination in making people suffer." Captain Planet said.

" As long as it's not them, they'll eat anything up!" Bulk Biceps said.

" Like, a major bummer or what? That Anon-A-Miss character has been working overtime just to make them secrets become non-secrets, you dig? I don't think I've ever seen so many people logging onto MyStable and sending so many messages her way." Captain Planet said. He darted his head back and forth several times, as though he didn't want anyone to notice what he was doing. He then opened up his backpack and took out a laptop. Upon lifting up the front part and revealing the screen, I was shocked to see it was already on MyStable. It didn't take a genius to figure out his next move.

" Don't tell me you're gonna get in on the action?" Bulk Biceps asked.

" I'm, like, on the fence right now."

" Unlike you and everyone else, I'm not going to stoop that low."

" At least there's still one good person around."

" Do you think Sunset Shimmer could be Anon-A-Miss?"

" She says she changed her ways, and like, I totally dig that she worked so hard to make amends. Not sure why she'd throw it all away, but I guess people like her are tough to figure out. Many students are starting to say she's the one behind all that bad karma, but I don't think it's fair to judge her so quickly." Captain Planet answered. Knowing that not everyone was sending secrets to Anon-A-Miss was a relief, but I didn't like hearing how many were agreeing with Applejack's accusation. Now I really needed to find out who was framing me. I had to save what little of my school image remained.

" Everyone at CHS has been victimized by Anon-A-Miss." Bulk Biceps said, flexing his muscles.

" That's not, like, you know, true, dude."

" What do you mean?"

" I've seen so many things posted on MyStable about everyone, except for Trixie."

" YEAH! Wait, yeah? Are you sure?"

" Dude! Of course I'm sure! Although, I think, like, a few others haven't been targeted yet."

" Coincidence?"

" Maybe."

" YEAH!"

That was all the information I needed to hear. I walked away, leaving Captain Planet and Bulk Biceps to continue their conversation, and I immediately began to think about everything I had heard. Not everyone was jumping on the "sending Anon-A-Miss secrets" bandwagon. However, those who were clearly had no qualms with their actions. All they cared about was seeing others suffer. Despite feeling angry towards Captain Planet for his abhorrent behaviour, he gave me a vital clue that could prove very useful to me.

Trixie had yet to be victimized. Could she be the one behind Anon-A-Miss? Why would she? I offered her my friendship, but could it have been a lie? I had to find out if she was involved in this.

My mind was filled with images from the fundraiser, particularly ones involving Trixie. She had spread rumours about me to get back at for how I lost my temper with her. I had chosen to take the high road, yet it looked like she had regressed back to her tricky ways. Now I knew how my former friends felt. They think I betrayed and spat on their friendships, and now I felt that way about Trixie. Finding her would be a simple enough task. She was most likely by her locker, so I started heading that way to confront her. If she had betrayed our friendship by being Anon-A-Miss, I had no idea what I was going to do.

" Quite convenient that you overheard the right pair of students." Twilight said.

" I was just lucky. That's all." I said.

" Does that Bulk Biceps seriously scream 'yeah' like that?"

" It makes him appear intimidating to those who don't know him, but he's as gentle as a lamb. He does get a little overexcited, though. Sometimes, I think he forgets to breathe whenever he shouts, but to each their own, I suppose." I answered. Twilight started chuckling to herself, and a warm smile appeared on my face. It felt nice knowing she was feeling better despite what happened earlier when she broke down in tears. Still, I knew she would do that again. It was inevitable. There was one remaining moment of despair I experienced, which is coming up soon. I had something in mind to ensure everything would be alright.

" How does a student get all that muscle?" Twilight asked.

" Working out?"

" You think so?"

" I honestly don't know. I don't interact with him all that much."

" Oh. So, Anon-A-Miss was posting the secrets of every student on MyStable?"

" She had to post everything she received."

" I'm not sure why she would do that."

" The whole point behind Anon-A-Miss was to make me look bad. Those responsible had covered their tracks well. However, she soon realized the price you have to pay when you suddenly start becoming popular. You have a certain obligation to live up to, and not doing so could easily reverse your popularity. I was the greatest victim of all during this time, but everyone suffered instead of just our friends." I said. Twilight then looked at me, eyes wide open, like I had said something wrong. Quickly running through what I said in my mind, I stopped when it hit me that I referred to Anon-A-Miss as more than one person. It merely was a slip of the tongue, but I knew she wasn't going to buy that. Well, we'd come pretty far in this unfortunate part of the journal, so at the very least, she deserved to have a small answer.

" Did you just say 'those', as in, more than one?" Twilight asked.

" Yes."

" She was more than one person?"

" Three people, actually."

" Did you know that?"

" I was under the assumption that she was just one person. I didn't find out the truth until right at the very end, when I pieced everything together. After what you've just been through, combined with my unintentional slip-up, I figured you deserved a tiny answer regarding Anon-A-Miss' identity. You'll still have to wait until I'm done with this section to find out who she really was." I answered. Twilight nodded without taking the issue any further. Turning the page of the journal, I slapped my forehead at the photo that was staring right back at me. Of all the photos that I glued into this thing, why did this one have to be included? I'd completely forgotten it was there to begin with. Curiously, Twilight took a peek and looked at me for a brief moment before looking back at the photo.

" Um, what in the world is this?"

" That would be my other photo of Trixie."

" She looks... happy here, I think?"

" With Trixie, you can never tell what her mood is."

" When was this photo taken?"

" During my conversation with her when I accused her of being Anon-A-Miss. She proved to me that she had nothing to do with it and insisted I take a photo of her as a reminder that I was wrong. Why she insisted on a photo is beyond me." I answered. I remember that conversation vividly. At first, Trixie sidestepped my questions and pretended to have a little fun at my expense, but once I got serious, so did she, and she told me the truth I was too ignorant to accept. She must have known I was coming to find her. It made sense she'd know.

" What are you thinking about?" Twilight asked.

" My conversation with Trixie."

" Did it go well?"

" To be honest, it could have gone better."

While I still felt awful about eavesdropping on other people's conversations, it had proven to be very lucrative. I had learned that it wasn't just my former friends who had been victimized by Anon-A-Miss. Almost everyone in the entire school had been affected by her actions. Also, not everyone desired to expose other people's secrets in order to have fun at their expense. However, all of this was going to be redirected back at me. Anon-A-Miss had effectively pinned the blame on me and would likely get away with it. I wasn't going to let that happen. I was going to find out her identity no matter what I had to endure in the process.

Captain Planet and Bulk Biceps had perhaps given me the best information of all. It seemed Trixie had yet to be a victim. The signs were pointing towards her being involved in this, but I'll admit that it wasn't a well-thought theory. I didn't really care if Trixie was responsible or not. I was just fed up with being blamed for something I didn't do. My former friends were one thing, but to have other students believe me to be the cause? I needed someone to blame. Anyone would do. Trixie was going to be that someone. This problem needed to be resolved before it could get even worse than it already had.

Unlike last time, where Trixie proved difficult to find, this time, she didn't even try hiding from me. I suspected she was by her locker, and sure enough, when I reached its location, there she was, putting something away. Was it evidence that could prove her guilt, or was it something else? Either way, I didn't care, so long as I confronted her about this and put an end to it. At first, I simply glared at Trixie's back, hoping she would sense my presence with her so-called magic. That amounted to nothing, so I coughed softly to get her attention. That idea didn't work either. When I attempted a third plan, Trixie suddenly stopped what she was doing and, in a calm voice, began to speak to me. I sensed she knew I'd be paying her a little visit.

" I've been expecting you." Trixie said.

" Cut the talk, Trixie! You know why I'm here!" I said.

" Really? Is that any way to greet your friend? Trixie thought you had much better class than that. She'll talk to you, but first, you must acknowledge her with the standard greeting or a reasonable alternative." Trixie said. She had a lot of nerve! I didn't want to bother with all this, but I knew I had no other choice. Trixie enjoyed running people around for her own amusement. " Well? I'm waiting for a greeting. If you don't give me one, then I've nothing to say to you, and I'll be on my way. Come on! You know you have to if you hope to get some answers." My eyes opened wide in shock when she said that. No doubt she knew something about Anon-A-Miss. Why else would she mention that? " Oh? Did I strike a nerve? I honestly had no intention of doing so." Trixie turned around, and I could see the sarcasm in her eyes. While she may have accepted my friendship, her attitude didn't appear to have changed all that much since then.

" Fine! You win!" I said, cursing her under my breath.

" That's more like it, and Trixie will forgive you for mumbling."

" Hello, Trixie."

" See? Wasn't that so much better than just starting a conversation without a greeting?"

" Can we talk now?"

" Yes, but first, Trixie must give you a greeting in return. Ah, Miss Sunset. How are you, dear? Whatever it is you need to speak to me about, please make it quick! I do have a class to attend to in exactly ten minutes, and I refuse to be tardy. I do have a perfect attendance record to maintain, after all." Trixie answered. She turned back to her locker and resumed her activity prior to my arrival. She had been putting a large book away. I still assumed it was evidence until I caught the words written on the front of it: Magic Spells for Advanced Magicians, 8th Edition. I'd forgotten Trixie was aspiring to become a famous magician. That little misconception aside, I knew she was involved with Anon-A-Miss, and I was about to prove it.

" Save it, Trixie. I know what you're doing." I said.

" Of course you do. You've been watching my actions for the last few minutes." Trixie said.

" Not that!"

" Then what, pray tell, is on your mind?"

" You're Anon-A-Miss, aren't you?" I asked. Trixie suddenly stopped what she was doing and immediately turned around to face me. I could already imagine what she was going to say to me in response to my accusation. She would criticize me because pinning the blame on her would have been too easy. Then, she would likely walk away and declare that we weren't friends anymore.

At first, Trixie looked at me with scorn, but then she started laughing before turning around again. Something wasn't right here. Why would she laugh at being accused? Shouldn't she be furious instead?

" Why are you laughing, Trixie? Are you trying to convince me that you're not responsible for exposing students' secrets? You're not doing a good job of it!"

" I'm not trying to convince anyone." Trixie said.

" Then what's with the laughter?"

" You seriously think that Trixie has something to do with Anon-A-Miss?"

" Yes!"

" Wow! You must be really paranoid to accuse someone just because of what they used to do."

" What's that supposed to mean?"

" Anon-A-Miss has made you the most hated person at CHS right now, and in response, you've been looking around for someone to blame for framing you. It doesn't take a genius to read you like a book, Sunset. I also see that you still have a temper. You really should consider getting that under control." Trixie answered. She was right. My emotions have been causing me problems but I still refused to admit it. What in the world have I just done?

" Then, does that mean--" I began.

" Trixie may be a lot of things, but Anon-A-Miss isn't one of them. If she was this Anon-A-Miss, as you falsely claim her to be, she would have used much more flare, not simply pretending to be someone else. Despite the fact that I could become one of her victims at any moment, I actually have to thank her for her work. Anon-A-Miss has caused more trouble at this school than Trixie ever could. Whoever she really is, she is clearly a genius." Trixie said.

Just like that, my accusations had fallen apart, but then, they weren't that strong to begin with. I was accusing her because I needed someone to vent my frustration towards. I should have gotten the facts straight before coming here and opening my big mouth. I wasn't not sure if Trixie was going to forgive me for thinking she was responsible, but I had to try and salvage this friendship.

" So, you don't know who she is?" I asked.

" Not a clue."

" I'm sorry for accusing you, Trixie."

" It was an honest mistake. I can tell you're simply frustrated! If it's any consolation, Trixie actually assumed that you were the one behind Anon-A-Miss. You tricked your friends, stole their secrets, and posted them for everyone to see. That's what I've been hearing students say for the last couple of days. I honestly don't know if I should believe them. After all, they have been sending secrets to Anon-A-Miss themselves. Trixie hasn't resorted to such pitiful tactics as sending secrets to someone she doesn't even know. I may still view myself as 'Great and Powerful', yet you showed me friendship, which I took to heart. I'll never deny how I used to behave, but I'm not the same as I once was." Trixie said.

" My former friends now hate me." I said.

" They're just lashing out in the only way they know how."

" I wish this was all just a nightmare."

" Does it remind you of anything?"

" The status quo of the school has gone back to the way things were before Twilight Sparkle first came here, and students are bullying me again. It's like what I did to everyone before has come back, but it's now even worse." I answered.

" History has repeated itself for you, Sunset, but at least you didn't hear what your former friends were talking about. Now, if you'll excuse Trixie, she must make her way to class, as she doesn't want to be late." Trixie said.

She closed her locker and was about to walk away when I slammed my hand onto the metal door with a loud thud. Did she just say something about my former friends? I had been so busy trying to find out Anon-A-Miss' identity, my mind lost track of keeping an eye on them. Trixie wasn't surprised at my sudden reaction. It seemed that she had expected me to do that.

" Oh my! I think Trixie has hit another nerve. You still have concern for your former friends? I must say that you're loyal despite how they cast you aside like trash."

" You listened in on their conversation?" I asked.

" You're not the only one capable of eavesdropping around here." Trixie answered. I blushed, knowing she had found me out. Trixie then walked around me a few times, which made me feel uneasy, but she then stopped before flicking back her head and chuckling slightly. " Alright! I'll tell you, Sunset, but you'll have to do something for me in return. Don't worry, it's only a small thing. It'll only take a few seconds." Was she really serious!? I thought she had gotten over that bad habit. Unfortunately, I wasn't in a position to argue with her, so I had no choice but to agree. I nodded my head in acceptance. " I knew you'd say yes."

" This had better be worth it."

" It is. I was in the cafeteria a short while ago before coming here to my locker. I overheard Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy talking about you after seeing so many students arguing with one another. It seems they doubt you're Anon-A-Miss, but they are struggling to accept that. I don't know what you've been through with them, but it must be really special if they think of you as family." Trixie said.

" They... think of me... as family?" I asked.

" That's all I overheard. The other students were starting to get rowdy, and I wasn't about to let their bickering upset me." Trixie answered.

" I... I'm not sure what to make of it."

" Trixie is going to leave you to figure that one out."

" You don't want to help?"

" I'd love to, Sunset, but I'm going to be late for class if I stick around any longer. I'm afraid you'll have to find your own answer, unless you've still got that magical ringer from the Battle of the Bands to talk to--wherever she is. I'd be surprised if she were still willing to associate with you after all that's happened these past several days. If Trixie were still her old self, she'd wouldn't be jealous of what Anon-A-Miss has done around here. After all, she couldn't have done a much better job." Trixie answered.

She then turned and walked down the hallway, leaving me to look at her with scorn. I couldn't tell if she had been serious or had just been playing around to test my patience. I was surely convinced that she was responsible, but I should have known better than to go after the most obvious suspect in my eyes.

" Oh wait! I almost forgot!"

" WAAAAH!" I yelled as Trixie re-appeared out of nowhere.

" You didn't carry out your end of the deal."

" What do I have to do?"

" Take a picture of me on your cellphone and have it on display somewhere."

" Seriously?"

" Trixie is always serious."

Choosing to go along with her idea--arguing over taking a photo would have been pointless--I took out my phone and snapped a single photo. It took some time for me to take it as Trixie was insistent on striking a really fancy pose. I could tell she loved tormenting me, but it was something I just had to grin and bear.

Once the photo was taken and Trixie looked to see I had done it, she walked off once again, only to start running when she checked her watch. Once she was gone, I began to think about where to go from there.

Who else among the female students could be behind this? I know that I gave them a hard time when I was a bully, yet they forgave me for my actions when I proved that I had changed from who I used to be. Had one of them harbored a hidden grudge against me and waited until now to act? It made sense since the holidays were right around the corner. However, simply accusing someone like that for those reasons wouldn't look good.

Despite her attitude, Trixie had given me some food for thought. My former friends are doubting that I'm responsible for exposing so many secrets. However, it was a pitiful victory at best. They could easily ignore the facts, decide that I'm to blame, and leave it at that. I needed some other way to prove that it wasn't me. I wracked my brain for several minutes in an attempt to come up with an answer, but my mind was drawing a complete blank. Everything was stacked against me, and Anon-A-Miss wanted that to happen. Just when it looked like a silver lining had been discovered, it quickly disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

It then occurred to me that Trixie was referring to Princess Twilight when she mentioned "magical ringer", her name for Her Highness during the competition. I hoped she could help me come up with a solution to this mess. I should have given her the opportunity to come here to make sure things were going alright. Instead, I claimed everything was fine and that we didn't need her help. I was an idiot for rejecting Her Highness like that. Hopefully, she still views me as a friend. I'd say Princess Twilight would soon become my only friend before Anon-A-Miss has finally run out of secrets to expose. For now, all I can do is go about my business until tonight, which is when I'll make contact with Her Highness. In the meantime, I'll just have to endure the eventual hatred that was going to be coming my way.

" Trixie... I still find her intolerable." Twilight said.

" She just has a unique personality that you really need to understand before you can truly converse with her." I said.

" At least she proved that she wasn't Anon-A-Miss."

" Part of me actually doubted her at first when she said that."

" Can't say I blame you."

" I thought she was trying to take advantage of how distraught I was over the falling out I had with our friends. We may have patched things up between us, but she was still as egotistical as ever. It'd be a few more months before she finally got that out of her system. Hearing what she said about Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy filled me with hope, yet I knew not to take it seriously." I said. Had I tried to approach them, they'd have walked away from me. If I insisted on speaking to them, they'd have chewed me out. If I had told them what Trixie had said, they would have really taken it the wrong way and would have accused me of spying. No matter what, nothing I could've said or done would've been effective.

" What did Princess Twilight have to say?" Twilight asked.

" I had trouble dealing with that problem."

" Why? I assume she showed up and helped you sort things out, right?" Twilight asked. My lack of an answer told her everything she needed to know, and she slapped her forehead in frustration. Her Highness still had her obligations in Equestria, so she couldn't just come over and help me. I knew that prior to sending her the initial message. " You had to sort everything out on your own, didn't you?" Twilight asked. I nodded my head, and she responded by pinching the bridge of her nose before sighing. " I can understand why she couldn't come, what with her duties in Equestria, but wasn't she able to make an exception? I mean, you were her student, and you were desperate."

" Back then, I was ignorant of what it meant to be a princess. I had always cared about it because of the power and prestige, yet I didn't care for the responsibilities that came with it. Her Highness understood that and had proven herself worthy of her status. I thought she could just pop through the portal whenever she wanted, but I knew doing so when Equestria needed her would have had dire consequences." I said.

" This might sound inappropriate, but couldn't she have chosen to give up her title?" Twilight asked.

" You'd be surprised at how many times she has thought of doing that." I answered.

" Really? I thought she loved being a princess."

" It was never in her future plans."

" Do you think you'll ever become a princess like her?"

" After everything I did before discovering friendship, I think the chances of me becoming an alicorn are slim to none. I'm not bothered by it, though. I mean, sure, it'd be nice to become one, since Princess Celestia did train me for the position. But, I'm happy with being who I am." I answered. Being a princess was a big responsibility and one I'm not ready for just yet. I still lack the maturity, thanks in no small part to my temper, and I still need to learn more about humility. Maybe someday, my time will come, but not right now. First things first, and that's going back to Equestria to find out if I won't be exiled to the desolate wastes. " Anyway, I would send a message to Her Highness that night."

" What did she say?" Twilight asked.

" More than what I was expecting."

" Did she give you a lecture?"

" You could say that."

" Really? What was it about?"

" Tell me, Twilight. Have you ever heard of Windigos?"

Chapter 51: Legend

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Snow
Time: 11:30pm

Losing my friends continued to hurt, but I had to concentrate in order to find out who was behind Anon-A-Miss. Even though it meant going back to a bad habit, I had to eavesdrop on other people's conversations. Surely, someone had some clues for me to consider. My investigation uncovered some surprising details. Not everyone at CHS was victimized, so that could make them possible suspects. Yet, it was a conversation between Bulk Biceps and Captain Planet which lead me to suspect Trixie. My confrontation proved to be an embarrassment; she was innocent, yet I blamed her out of frustration. At least she told me my former friends had doubts about my guilt, but I knew that wasn't going to be enough for them to forgive me. That night, I spoke with Princess Twilight through my magic journal and was reminded of an ancient Equestrian legend. Was it possible those creatures had come through to this world? Or, had they always been here?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 7, 2016
Chapter 51: Legend.

" Windigos? No, I can't say that I've heard of them." Twilight answered.

" Really? You've never heard the legend of the Windigos?" I asked.

" I've never been to Equestria, so how could I know about that?" Twilight asked. It then occurred to me that I had never told her anything about the lore of Equestria, and the same applied to our friends. They all knew of my true heritage of being a unicorn but nothing else. I slapped my forehead over making such an obvious blunder. It looked like I would be teaching her about the Windigos, which was a difficult task in and of itself. It had been some time since I last talked about them. In fact, Princess Twilight discussed that very subject with me late last year. Turning my attention to Twilight, she was suddenly holding a notepad and pencil in her hands, which surprised me, to say the least. I think she wanted to know more about the Windigos. I could tell; she had that sparkle in her eyes. " Well? I'm ready to learn all I can about these Windigos!" Twilight said with enthusiasm.

" You seem a lot more cheerful now than you were a while ago." I said.

" Nothing gets in my way when it comes to the pursuit of knowledge. There is so much about your world that eludes my grasp, but this story is sure to give me a much better idea as to how a world of ponies operates as a society." Twilight said. I rolled my eyes at what she said. I should have known she'd have an ulterior motive, but then, that's one of her more appealing qualities. Twilight was always striving to understand something that's beyond her comprehension. No matter what the cost, she would make sure to learn every last aspect of a subject. I know that I had good studying habits, yet she was truly dedicated. I could never hope to match her example. Thankfully, I wasn't even trying to.

" To understand the Windigos, you first need to learn about Hearth's Warming." I said.

" They have a connection to that holiday?"

" If not for them, Equestria wouldn't even exist as a kingdom."

" Make sure you don't leave out any details. I want to learn everything imaginable."

" I know that means a lot to you, Twilight, but we've still got to continue with the next part of the journal. I'll just give you a crash course on the subject so as to not waste too much time. Also, I'm rusty on specifics about the legend. After all, it's been some time since Her Highness reminded me of the story." I said. Twilight folded her arms and started pouting, but she quickly stopped upon realizing that I didn't have the luxury of going into a full explanation regarding Windigos. What made it worse was that I also had to talk about how Equestria was founded. Guess what Princess Twilight told me about was about to pay off. " Ponies were divided into three tribes: unicorn, Pegasus, and earth pony. Each one contributed to the precarious peace that existed. However, tensions were mounting and would soon manifest themselves during one terrible winter." I said.

" What kind of tensions?" Twilight asked.

" The earth ponies were good with crops and would have to give equal portions to the other two tribes. Pegasi were masters of the weather, so in exchange for food, they provided the weather and would determine whether it would be hot or cold. Unicorns raised and lowered the sun and moon with their magic, but only if they received payment. This went on until that winter I mentioned happened. A meeting between the three tribal leaders amounted to nothing, so they decided to seek out a new land, one where they didn't have to deal with the other tribes. Unfortunately, they ended up in the same general location, and their bickering came along with them." I answered.

" Who were these leaders?" Twilight asked.

" The unicorns were lead by their king, although, his representative and de facto leader was Princess Platinum. Her closest advisor was Clover the Clever, who was once the apprentice of Star Swirl the Bearded. Commander Hurricane led the Pegasus tribe, yet his second-in-command Private Pansy wasn't very fond of him. Finally, the earth ponies were lead by Chancellor Puddinghead, who was assisted by her secretary Smart Cookie." I answered. Twilight, upon hearing the name "Chancellor Puddinghead", started laughing, as I expected. I even found myself chuckling along, but not too much, as she was one of the founders of Equestria. These six were responsible for my world coming into existence as a kingdom. The two sisters would become rulers several years later, according to legend. Once Twilight finally calmed down, I continued on with the story. " Despite initially setting off to get away from the cold, their arguing brought the Windingos back."

" What do these Windigos have to do with cold weather?" Twilight asked.

" The Windigos are ethereal spirits that resemble real-world horses yet are feared by all creatures in Equestria. They feed on the hatred of ponies and grow stronger as more hate spreads throughout the land. As they gain in power, the cold they bring gets worse until everything freezes over. Unless you can defeat it with the 'Fire of Friendship', nothing can stop a Windigo. If you suddenly hear the howling of a Windigo, you know one is nearby." I answered.

" Okay, then what is this Fire of Friendship?" Twilight asked.

" The three leaders kept on arguing with no signs of stopping. They would eventually become encased within chunks of solid ice caused by the Windigos. It would be Private Pansy, Smart Cookie, and Clover the Clever who formed the Fire of Friendship by becoming friends. This freed the three leaders, who finally understood what caused the cold weather to begin with. From there, they united each tribe together under one royal banner, and Equestria came into existence." I answered. Twilight had actually been writing down everything I've said since I first started the story. I could tell as she had gone through a lot of pages on her notepad and her pencil had gone dull. Hopefully, she doesn't have any additional questions for me to answer. My past still needed to be told.

" Fascinating! Truly fascinating! I can't believe that such a legend exists in Equestria. No doubt there are other legends, each one adding more to the lore your world possesses. You must tell me more stories like this in the future, Sunset. The knowledge I could gain would be invaluable. If I could've revealed this information, I'd definitely get the Nobel Prize, or perhaps something even higher. But, I know that this world isn't ready to learn about Equestria." Twilight said. Her love of knowledge was adorable, yet she definitely had problems with ethics. If she could, Twilight would reveal everything about my world, and then everyone would want to go through the portal. In turn, ponies would freak out over the sudden influx of humans becoming ponies--maybe something else entirely--until things just completely spiral out of control. Glad she doesn't wish to reveal anything for my sake.

" That was the shortened version. Princess Twilight knows a lot more than I do; she's experienced Hearth's Warming every year, unlike me." I said.

" They remind me of the Sirens."

" In what way?"

" Both they and the Windigos feed off of negative energy in order to grow stronger."

" The only difference is that the Sirens manipulated everyone into unleashing negative energy. The Windigos aren't capable of doing that. They can only wait for their victims to start spreading hatred of their own volition." I said.

" I'd like to know what a Windigo looks like."

" You doubt my story?"

" Of course not, but it would be nice."

" The next part of the journal covers my conversation with Her Highness. While everything was written down in the magic journal, I prefer to use this one in my lap to explain what happened that night." I said. Turning the page over with my non-injured hand, destiny had given Twilight exactly what she wanted. There, glued onto the page, was a photo of a Windigo itself. Showing it to Twilight, she grabbed the journal to get a closer look, and she seemed pretty calm about it. Compared to other creatures, Windigos weren't hideous or anything.

" So, what does this have to do with what happened?" Twilight asked.

" That night, Her Highness and I talked about how our friends ended their relationship with me. I made sure to tell her everything, as I didn't want to leave out any details. I could tell she was devastated by what happened based on her words. She would remind me of the legend of the Windigos and how it related to my problem at the time. What made our talk a true blessing to me was a reminder that she was still my friend." I answered.

I just wanted this day to be over and never have to think back on it again. It was bad enough that my best friends, my family, had wrongfully accused me of spilling their precious secrets and ended their friendships with me. But now, I was jumping to conclusions and accusing others when they were clearly innocent. My mind had been taxed with trying to figure out the identity of Anon-A-Miss. Whenever it looked like I'd find an important clue, it ended up being completely wrong. I learned from eavesdropping--it was painful doing such a nasty thing like that again--that not everyone at CHS had been victimized. They might have taken some precautions and kept their secrets closely guarded, yet all they did was delay the inevitable. It seemed that Anon-A-Miss just had her way of making secrets public and ruining lives in the process.

It was eavesdropping that lured me onto the prospect that Trixie herself was behind all of this. Her secrets hadn't been exposed, and she was said to have been acting rather suspiciously in the last couple of days. I was so desperate to find out who had made me look bad, I was blinded by my own impatience. When Trixie's name came up, I didn't care whether or not she was guilty. I needed to vent out my frustrations, and she was the ideal target. When she revealed that she had nothing to do with Anon-A-Miss, my case against her fell apart, which made me feel utterly humiliated. Trixie was someone who I offered friendship towards, and there I was making false accusations. I was fortunate that she forgave me for my pathetic display, yet she had given me one piece of good news. My former friends Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had been having mixed feelings about blaming me for being Anon-A-Miss. I would consider going to them and seeing if they were willing to forgive me, but I knew that would be impossible.

They may have mixed feelings, but I was sure they were just confused over what was happening. I doubted they'd even acknowledge my presence, but at least I knew that perhaps my former friends could be wrong.

Over the course of the last couple of days, things had been spiraling out of control at CHS. I hadn't seen so much hatred being thrown back and forth since the dark days when I was responsible for causing such chaos. Back then, seeing so many students yelling at one another would have given me nothing but joy. Now, after seeing things from a new perspective, the pain I felt brought tears to my eyes. Everything Princess Twilight had done to bring respect back to this school had been shattered to pieces, the damage permanent unless something was done to fix it. While I could cry over my fellow students, they didn't show the same sympathy towards me. Thanks to Anon-A-Miss, everyone thought that I was the one behind her posting craze. I've tried to prove my innocence, yet no one would listen to me. To them, I was guilty, and nothing could change that. In the thralls of this chaos, I started to think about going back home. I knew that I'd be judged immediately upon my return. Fate would be cruel to me no matter what decision I chose to make. Either I was condemned to the desolate wastes or condemned to spend the rest of my life here, alone.

There was only one person I could turn to now during my hour of need. Princess Twilight had not seen the devastation with her own eyes, and for that, I am thankful. She must never witness this atrocity. Her heart wouldn't be able to take it. The only concern I had was whether Her Highness would believe that I had nothing to do with this. It was by her kindness that I had been given a second chance. Despite some setbacks along the way--specifically, the Battle of the Bands--I've changed for the better and proven that the old me would never rear her ugly head again. If she didn't believe me, then I'd have no one left. No! She had to believe me! There is no other option!

That night, I stared up at the library ceiling, the moonlight shining through a window and beaming down onto my face. It felt strange being here on my own instead of in the comfort of my former friends. Again, fate had dealt me a horrible hand. The remaining slumber parties had since been cancelled, and there was no doubt I'd be spending the holidays alone, as usual. Being here in the library afforded some piece and quiet, a sharp contrast to the madness from earlier. Here, no one could judge me based on false accusations. I was free to do whatever I wanted. One thing that had confused me, though, was why the girls never told anyone that I lived in the library. I'd think they would have mentioned it in retaliation for what I had supposedly done to them. Yet, they said nothing. Perhaps they truly did think of me as innocent but couldn't fully accept it. It's an answer which I'll never know, as the question was never given.

Opening up the magic journal and taking out a pen from my backpack, I began pondering over how to speak to Princess Twilight. I thought about sending her another message like before and hope she had the time to respond. In the end, I felt that wasn't going to be enough. The situation required me to have an actual conversation, something I hadn't done with the journal since I stopped using it when Princess Celestia thought it unnecessary. Did I know what time it was back home? No. I was taking a gamble on whether she would still be awake on her side. Without any more hesitation, I raised my hand and began writing.

" Twilight? Are you there?" I wrote. For a few minutes there was no response, and my heart started beating faster out of fear. What if she was asleep? I'd have to wait until morning before getting an answer, and even then, she might be needed elsewhere. She might not even get my message for a few days. It looked like my efforts had been in vain, so just as I was about to close the journal, it started glowing. Words began appearing on the page. Princess Twilight had responded!

" Sunset? This is the first time you've sent me something where you didn't begin with 'Dear Princess Twilight'. Is something wrong?" Princess Twilight wrote.

" I really need to talk to you."

" You did catch me at a good time. I was actually about to head off to bed when I saw my journal glowing."

" Oh. Well, if you'd prefer to talk in the morning..."

" No. I sense something is wrong, so I'll go to sleep after this."

" It's going to be difficult for you to accept this, but I won't hold anything back." I wrote. I quickly looked up at the ceiling again and wondered how Her Highness would react to what I would write down. Everything she did had been for the benefit of everyone, yet they chose to spit on her kindness by spreading hatred. It made me think that all humans were scum for being heartless monsters. However, I knew my words were inappropriate as it wasn't everyone's fault there was so much strife. One person had chosen to shatter Twilight's dream, all to make me look bad, and the students helped her out. I could never judge an entire species based on the actions of a relative few individuals. " When I last sent you a message, I felt appreciated by everyone, like I was on top of the world. Yet... I now realize that dreams can be shattered like glass." I wrote.

" What do you mean?" Princess Twilight wrote.

" Remember when I said that Applejack's secret got exposed?"

" Yes."

" A couple of days after the second slumber party, the photos I had taken using my cellphone that night were posted online. The one responsible--Anon-A-Miss--has a page on MyStable where she posts all kinds of secrets about students. She makes it look like I'm the one behind her actions by having her profile image resemble a monstrous version of myself. She also uses my hair colour and the colour of my clothes to further discredit me. Finally, she made sure that any photos of me weren't uploaded and that any group shots had me removed from them." I wrote. It immediately dawned on me that Her Highness would have no idea what MyStable was all about, so I quickly explained that it was an online journal that allowed anyone to post whatever was on their mind.

Every word was described in full detail so as to not confuse Her Highness. While she had been to this world on two prior occasions, using school computers wasn't exactly one of her greatest experiences. By the time I finished talking about MyStable, Princess Twilight went silent for a moment before responding with what looked like panic in her writing.

" What!? Someone framed you for bringing disharmony to the school!? I knew I should've been there! This is a disaster! Why don't you gather our friends? I'm sure they can help you figure out who is doing this."

" That's not going to happen, Twilight."

" Why not?"

" Because our friends believe that I am Anon-A-Miss! I'll admit that the evidence against me is very strong, yet I know that I'm innocent. Because of this, they have ended their friendships with me. I'm once again on my own, like I was after you returned to Equestria after the Fall Formal. My life has been destroyed, Twilight. Nothing remains to be salvaged. Everything that I poured so much effort into is gone." I wrote. Again, Her Highness was silent when I finished writing. I knew she was struggling to come up with a response, yet it wouldn't be easy for her. She was the only one who truly understood me, and it wasn't just because we're both ponies. We've both had similar experiences in our childhood, even her childhood was overall wonderful, while mine was horrible. What we had in common which was positive was the loving embrace of Princess Celestia--until I betrayed her.

" I... I don't believe this. Sunset... You should have told me this sooner." Princess Twilight wrote.

" You're a princess in Equestria. You have commitments."

" Yes, but I'd have dropped it all to help you."

" Don't be so naïve, Twilight. You know that you had to remain in Equestria, not only for your duties, but also for your family and friends."

" Sunset..."

" What happened was my own fault for not realizing that there was a much bigger problem brewing. If I had seen the signs much sooner, I could have prevented this, and I'd probably be at the final slumber party right now. Anyway, now the student body have slowly been turning against me. Your hard work in fixing the mess I caused has been shattered to pieces. Everyone hates each other, everything has gone back to what it was before you came." I wrote.

" Such needless pain, and all because of one person's actions." Princess Twilight wrote.

" So that's the whole story. Nobody will believe that I'm not Anon-A-Miss, not even my friends. My former friends, I guess."

" I'm so sorry, Sunset. I wish there was some way I could help you. If I had been there, I could have vouched for your innocence. Despite everything that you've said, I still view you as a friend, and that will never change. I've always believed in giving others a second chance if they are worthy. I don't regret giving you that chance. Most would have thrown it away within a matter of days, yet you persevered and achieved something wonderful. Still, it's never easy to lose good friends." Princess Twilight wrote. It felt reassuring to know that Her Highness still valued my friendship. She also believed my story, so that was another problem off my chest. I wouldn't know where I'd be right now if she had chosen not to believe me. Glad I won't have to find out. If only my former friends could be just like her.

" Have you experienced the loss of friendship?" I wrote.

" Yes, and it wasn't easy for me to cope. I may be the Princess of Friendship, but that doesn't mean I'm perfect at it. I've lost friends because of focusing on my own studies, shutting out everypony else. Would I have done things differently? Yes. However, rather than wallow away at what was lost, I chose to find a way to resolve any differences and repair the friendship." Princess Twilight wrote.

" My problem is even worse."

" I know."

" To be honest, Twilight, I don't think my problem can be solved."

" Sunset... Do you remember the Legend of the Windigos? From the story of Hearth's Warming Eve?" Princess Twilight wrote. It had been a very long time since I last heard that story. Much of it I've forgotten since I had to learn what humans celebrated in order to be able to fit in. I looked back up at the ceiling again and began thinking about a time back in Equestria where Princess Celestia told me the legend. My parents never bothered, as they were fixated on my siblings, so my former teacher gladly shared the tale. The only part that I can truly remember was how the Windigos could spread a cold winter chill by feeding on hatred. Of all the things to recall, it had to be the most negative aspect. Looking back at the question Her Highness asked me, I quickly jotted down that I could only remember a certain part--shameful as it was. " I suspected as much. Living over there has made you forget about the legend which allowed Equestria to exist as a kingdom."

" You're not going to lecture me about how Equestria was founded, are you?" I wrote.

" I won't force it on you."

" It wouldn't bother me to relearn about it. In fact, I'd be glad to remember something from back home. Since the holidays in this world have now lost all meaning, I might as well embrace the one from the land of my birth." I wrote.

" Alright, but I'll need to make this quick. You need your sleep just as much as I do. Before Equestria came into existence, the three pony tribes existed separately, but were forced to depend on one another in order to survive. The earth ponies produced crops which they gave to the other tribes in exchange for their services. Pegasi would manipulate the weather, making it ideal for growing crops and living comfortably. Unicorns would use their magic to raise and lower the sun and moon to determine when ponies would play and sleep. Times were difficult for all three tribes. Their peace was a precarious one that could falter at any moment." Twilight wrote. As I continued reading the words as they appeared in the magic journal, I began imagining what things must have been like for those ponies long ago. We've certainly come a long way since those days, although I didn't exactly follow in their hoofsteps. I always felt bitter over how I had been neglected by my parents. Despite doing her best to help me get over them, Princess Celestia just couldn't get through to me. My resentment towards them never changed.

" When the three tribal leaders met to discuss the cold winter that suddenly gripped all of them, they couldn't agree on how to solve the problem. Each one blamed the other for something none of them knew had been their fault. Princess Platinum of the unicorns, Commander Hurricane of the Pegasi, and Chancellor Puddinghead of the earth ponies each decided to go out and seek a new land where none of the other tribes would exist." Princess Twilight wrote.

" Seriously!? The leader of the Earth Ponies was named Chancellor Puddinghead?" I wrote as I burst into laughter. Just reading that name briefly took my mind off of what had happened regarding Anon-A-Miss, but reality soon settled back into my mind.

" Careful, Sunset. Earth ponies take offence when someone mocks their great ancestor."

" Sorry. Please, continue."

" Each leader was accompanied by their trusted retainers: Clover the Clever of the unicorns, Private Pansy of the Pegasi, and Smart Cookie of the earth ponies. When it was discovered that all three tribes had claimed the exact same location as their new home, tensions flared up again as each leader said that they found it first. What had started the problem initially had come back once again, only stronger. The three retainers found common ground with one another, but the same couldn't be said about the leaders. Each was too selfish to consider that what they were doing was wrong." Princess Twilight wrote. Clover the Clever... That name sounded awfully familiar to me. I scratched my chin, hoping I could remember something, but my mind just couldn't come up with anything.

" Twilight, who was Clover the Clever?"

" He was the apprentice to Star Swirl the Bearded." Princess Twilight wrote. That's why the name sounded familiar! Like Her Highness, I too had learned about the most powerful unicorn wizard Equestria had ever known through my studies. I didn't go into as much depth as she did, however. I was more focused on perfecting my own magic than reading up on ancient history. Perhaps I should consider taking the time to read up on what made Equestria into the kingdom it is now. Considering what's been happening with the students of CHS, it'd be a nice change of pace.

" Is this where the Windigos come in?" I wrote.

" They were evil spirits that fed on fighting and hatred, causing the cold of winter. Because the three tribes always argued with one another, the Windigos always appeared and consumed as much hatred as they could gorge themselves on. Their power grew as the hatred continued. If not for the three retainers, Equestria would never have come into existence. It was their friendship that brought about the defeat of the Windigos through an artefact known as the Fire of Friendship. Unfortunately, Windigos can never truly be destroyed no matter how much effort we dedicate towards ridding ourselves of them. So long as someone is spreading hatred, they will be close by, ready to sow the seeds of cold winter by feeding on the hate." Princess Twilight wrote.

" Why bring up this legend, other than to remind me of it?" I wrote.

" Hatred in Equestria is no different from the hatred that currently exists at CHS."

" You think there are similarities?"

" Yes. The human world and our world are much closer than you think. Many ponies in Equestria have human counterparts, and this can also be attributed to locations. I am certain other variations across the multiverse exist, as well. Hatred always bring out the truest cruelty in people." Princess Twilight wrote.

" Do you think there are Windigos in this world?"

" I don't know."

" If they do exist here, then perhaps they came through the portal?"

" Maybe, but that would be somewhat farfetched. Windigos are ethereal beings that exist on a magical plane. I know magic exists over there now, but Windigos aren't drawn towards magic. If they were something like the Sirens, then you'd see them coming through the portal in large numbers. No, I don't think they need to be there in order to induce hatred." Princess Twilight wrote. She had a good point. Windigos only feed on hatred that's created by others when they start arguing with one another. They aren't capable of creating it themselves. Perhaps what's happened here is the result of a world that's gotten a little too advanced. With technology being prevalent everywhere you go, no one is safe from its grasp. Anyone can say anything they want without having to worry about any repercussions coming their way.

" I've learned that humans are flawed creatures." I wrote.

" Nopony is perfect, Sunset. Everyone has flaws that can be exploited if you know how. I'd like to think that having imperfections makes us better. If we were all perfect all the time, everything would just be boring and devoid of warmth. Those who choose to take advantage of other people do so out of fear of being labelled as inferior. This Anon-A-Miss is revealing secrets because, deep down, she is afraid. She doesn't want anyone discovering her true identity, so she needed to exploit someone's flaws. That someone, unfortunately, was you, Sunset." Princess Twilight wrote. That was the same conclusion I came up with. Anon-A-Miss had made me the true victim in all of this by using me as a scapegoat. She must have known about my troubled past and decided to use that as the foundation of her plan, choosing me out of all the students at CHS to frame. Her cowardice had become apparent to me. Why hide behind an online persona? Why not face me in person? Was she afraid I'd uncover her identity? Like many things, there were plenty of questions yet no answers.

" So how do you explain what's been going on?" I wrote.

" I see it as an unfortunate coincidence."

" In what way?"

" I think anypony--anybody--can spread hatred and chaos." Princess Twilight wrote. I then envisioned a group of students walking towards me in a hallway. There was a blue colouration throughout the vision, and I could see the malicious nature in the eyes of the students. Strange ethereal beings were swirling about them, whispering words into their ears that I couldn't hear. Could those be human manifestations of Windigos? Was I seeing things from the perspective of those who had been victimized? I always thought that I knew what they were going through, but it looked like I still had much to learn about them. If anyone should be seeing this image, it should be Anon-A-Miss. She caused all of this to begin with, so she deserved to be on the receiving end. And yet, she most likely based her actions on what I did long ago. I began the trend of revealing secrets and making people's lives miserable. It seemed I was destined to suffer even now, despite my efforts to change.

" Anon-A-Miss has certainly done that." I wrote.

" She had a choice to stop before doing something she would regret."

" Yet, she went through with it anyway."

" In her mind, she knew what she wanted to do."

" So, it was never a matter of being conflicted."

" Exactly."

" I must have done something to her during my dark days."

" That does seem to be the only logical explanation."

" Figured it would lead back to me. It always does." I wrote. The more I learned about the horrible truth behind my actions, the more I hated myself for it. If I had never come to this world, everyone wouldn't be in the situation they're in right now. They would be living lives of peace, where magic wasn't an issue. The same couldn't be said about what my life would be like. I'd still be scheming to acquire power behind Princess Celestia's back. If it wasn't this world that would suffer my fury, then it would have been another world. I was a walking time bomb that was on the verge of exploding.

" You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

" It's difficult not to be."

" Given your situation, I won't argue with you, yet try to rethink things. As I was saying, anybody can spread hatred and chaos. It doesn't have to be caused by Windigos, or magic spells, or even curses to be effective. It can be spread as easily as pushing a button." Princess Twilight wrote.

" If it's so easy to spread, how do you stop it?"

" I wish I knew. If it could be stopped, then no one would have to feel like they were alone. As long as there are people out there whose sole purpose in life is to spread hatred, it will never end. The individual may be removed from the equation, yet someone else will take their place and continue on as though nothing changed. There are those out there who are dedicated towards stopping hatred. They often have their work cut out for them, as they are usually a small number compared to a near infinite amount who spread hatred." Princess Twilight wrote.

" Then I'm grateful to you for giving me a second chance." I wrote. Hearing Her Highness say that brought tears to my eyes. A few of them trickled down my face and splashed onto the journal, so I wiped the rest away with my sleeve before any damage could occur. I was one of those who incited hatred, and it was because of what happened while growing up. I gained a mean streak out of resentment and abandonment. When I got accepted by my former friends, I became someone who fought against those who still victimize others, but now my life had hit a roadblock.

" I always knew you were destined for greater things, Sunset."

" Thanks, Twilight."

" Sometimes, all you can do is stay strong."

" By not giving into despair?"

" Yes. Things may be difficult for you right now, but you need to remember who you are and find your family."

" My family?"

" You must speak to our friends and show them the real you. They have become confused by the hatred that plagues CHS, and you're the only one now who can resolve this before everything is lost forever. While I may not be able to be there in person, I shall be with you in spirit. Just remember my words, Sunset. I'd love to continue with our conversation, but it's getting late for both of us, so try and get some sleep. Several delegates are coming to my castle in the morning, and I must be ready when they arrive. I had hoped one of the other princesses could handle the task, but they were busy, so it's fallen onto me." Princess Twilight wrote.

" The joys of being a princess."

" It can be taxing sometimes."

" I'd better call it a night, as well. I've got a busy day tomorrow."

" Goodnight, Sunset, and good luck."

" Goodnight, Twilight." No further messages appeared in the journal from Her Highness, so I knew that she had gone to bed. It had been one of the most pleasant conversations I've ever had with her in my entire life. Previous chats revolved around me referring to her as an upstart and thwarting my efforts towards getting what I wanted. They also focused on trying to find common ground. I appreciated her telling me the story of Hearth's Warming Day. It had been so long since I last heard it, yet it felt like it had only been yesterday since the last time I heard it. She had also given me plenty to think about. Hatred had once again affected CHS. Anon-A-Miss had decided to take everything positive about the school and cast it into a sea of darkness. If she thought to imitate me, then she chose the wrong person to emulate. Her second mistake was thinking she could get away without facing the consequences.

Princess Twilight had effectively given me the task of keeping friendship alive at CHS. I realize that now and no longer blame her for not coming through the portal, especially given my insistence that she stay her hand--hoof. I had a lot on my plate that needed cleansing. I also needed to strike at the heart of the problem. Anon-A-Miss...I'm going to find out who she really is tomorrow, no matter the cost.

I was worried about one thing, though. The rest of the student body was no doubt going to come after me because of what she had done. I was likely to be subjected to their torment once again. Hopefully, I'll be able to make it through without too much mental anguish.

" That was one intense conversation." Twilight said.

" I had a lot that I needed to get off of my chest, and she was the only one who still believed in me. She was accepting of how I vented my frustration after I told her what happened regarding Anon-A-Miss." I said.

" She really wanted to come here, didn't she?"

" My intent was not forcing her to stay behind to keep her safe. No, it was because she had her duties as a princess. That was more important than helping out a friend, yet we both knew that sometimes commitments could prove troublesome. I had to solve the problem alone because I was the one who started it in the first place." I answered. In truth, I did want Princess Twilight to remain safe. Everyone at CHS knew she gave me a second chance. They could've lashed out at her for that decision and claimed it was the biggest mistake of her entire life. I wasn't even sure if our friends would have come to her defence. It's not like I doubted them, but given how they had turned on me like that, I couldn't afford to take the risk of placing the life of a princess in danger.

" What about Anon-A-Miss?" Twilight asked.

" I had no intention of stopping until I discovered who she really was."

" How did you figure out her identity?"

" It was a simple clue. I originally overlooked it, but when I was given more information about how Anon-A-Miss had obtained it, I put two and two together and came up with the answer. Also, it helped that she chose to reveal her identity right before I did." I answered.

" She exposed herself?"

" The guilt of causing so much pain had taken its toll on Anon-A-Miss. She realized that everything she had planned out had backfired, resulting in things going beyond her ability to control." I answered. When you're that young, you believe yourself incapable of doing no wrong simply because you see the world from a different perspective. That didn't hold any water, and they knew it upon coming forward when I had figured it out. If I had not become such good friends with everyone, I would have made my fury very much known, maybe scarring them for life. My friends would have disowned me afterwards, and I'd be all alone. It was the one time where my temper didn't come forth to make things worse. Looking at Twilight, I thought back to what happened when I lashed out at her for stealing our magic without reason. Had I been more in control of my emotions, I could have resolved things without coming off as a jerk.

" What are you thinking about this time?" Twilight asked.

" Oh, just about how not succumbing to my emotions got me out of something big." I answered.

" Does it have to do with Anon-A-Miss?"

" Yes, but first I have to tell you what happened the following morning."

" Is it good?"

" When I spoke with Princess Twilight, it was the calm before the storm. I had remained relatively calm and safe that night despite some slight anger issues, but I wasn't prepared for what would happen when the student body decided to take matters into their own hands. Never had I seen such angry faces before!" I answered.

Chapter 52: Exposed

Day: Thursday
Weather: Snow
Time: 4:48pm

That night, I spoke with Princess Twilight through our magic journals. It was like talking online, only without the actual online. When I told her what had happened regarding our friends, she reminded me of an old legend that's been passed down through the generations in Equestria. Windigos, ethereal spirits, fed on hatred caused by ponies and would bring about the cold of winter. What was happening at CHS with Anon-A-Miss' actions were similar to what the legend told. Despite not being able to come here and assist me, Her Highness nevertheless gave me some encouraging words. I must remember who I am, and find my family. My former friends are my family, and they know it. I must show them that I am not responsible for what happened. The student body, on the other hand, would give me a hard time as I left the building to head on over to Sugarcube Corner. There, I would solve this problem by finding out who Anon-A-Miss truly was.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 9, 2016
Chapter 52: Exposed.

" Okay! I may have exaggerated a bit." I said.

" About how the students had such angry faces?" Twilight asked.

" Yeah. They were pretty annoyed with what happened, but not to the point where they wanted to tear me apart. It was by their own hands that Anon-A-Miss had gotten her hands on so many secrets. If anyone were to be blamed for what was revealed, it would be them and no one else. Anon-A-Miss herself wasn't solely at fault anymore. Granted, she posted everything that was given to her, but it's not like she was going around and looking to find something. Curiosity killed the cat, and that's exactly what the students had done. They wanted to know more secrets without taking the consequences into consideration." I answered.

" Where were our friends during this time?" Twilight asked.

" They had already left the school by then, but I had a pretty good idea as to where they went." I answered.

" Not your usual spot?"

" If they had been there, they wouldn't have left the school."

" Good point."

" While our favourite spot was no doubt that table in the library, we did have other locations we'd go to in order to meet up and discuss things. There was the statue in front of the school--pretty obvious, given it houses the portal--and there was Sugarcube Corner, a popular location students frequented. I believe I mentioned this place to you before earlier this evening, but I never really got a chance to explain it." I said.

" It wouldn't have mattered since I've never been there."

" Seriously!?"

" Sugarcube Corner is located near CHS, and at the time, I attended Crystal Prep, which was located in the city. What we had was a posh bakery that made delicious baked goods, but the prices weren't cheap. They also made sure to focus heavily on nutrition instead of using those artificial colours one would mostly find in cakes sold in other bakeries." Twilight said. It made sense that she had never been to Sugarcube Corner. It was a local bakery that served the needs of those who lived in the neighbourhood CHS was located in. The proprietors of the establishment, Mr. and Mrs. Cake were famous for their baking skills. If you wanted something that was completely out there, they could make it without fail. It was their slogan, which they took very seriously. The place also served as a coffee shop, although this was a recent addition they added to their menu about two years ago.

When I was a bully, I never went inside the place, as I didn't want to associate with people who I viewed as beneath me. I saw them as losers who were wasting away their time getting drunk on sugar and coffee instead of focusing on being the best they could be. Upon changing my ways, I paid a visit and realized how much I had truly missed out on. Now, I go to Sugarcube Corner at least once a day if I can.

" Were they happy to see you?" Twilight asked.

" I'm afraid I can't answer that question."

" What? Why not?"

" I mean, I'll answer it, but not yet, as I have to tell what happened before going to Sugarcube Corner."

" That thing about the students, right?"

" Uh-huh."

" How bad was it?"

" I ended up suffering a mental breakdown." I answered. Twilight reached out with her arm, and I allowed her to comfort me this time. What happened in the hallway was something no one should ever have to experience. Even if they committed the most heinous act without showing signs of remorse, they wouldn't deserve to suffer like I did. The hug from Twilight felt warm, but I could also feel her tears dripping down onto my neck, which felt uncomfortable. When she pulled herself back, I wiped the tears from my neck while she used a tissue she got out of her backpack to wipe away what remained from her face.

Turning the page of the journal, relieved that I didn't have to look at that selfie of Trixie anymore, there was a note I wrote down. I struggled, trying to remember the meaning behind it, yet I didn't get a chance to really think about it. Twilight grabbed the journal--accidentally knocking my injured hand to the ground--and began reading the note in order to understand what it meant.

You are not useless! You've seen and been through things very few could ever hope to achieve! You must never give up! You're the blazing sunset that shimmers down on people to give them a brighter tomorrow. Remember who you are! Remember who your family is! Don't put yourself down! Never succumb to despair! She will forgive you for what happened, so don't be afraid! Beware the desolate wastes.

Judging from how her eyes followed every word written down in the note, she must know the significance behind it. She then showed it to me and I read through it myself before slapping my forehead several moments later. How could I have been so stupid to forget about this? I had written this down so that I could remind myself to always remain positive whenever I'm suffering from despair. It had proven to be rather effective, considering things got better after the holidays.

" This feels like you were coaching yourself." Twilight said.

" I wanted something to remind me that I should keep going despite the odds." I said.

" Princess Twilight's words are here and I'm betting that the 'she' you wrote is Princess Celestia, but I don't quite understand why you wrote down 'desolate wastes' at the very end of that statement. In fact, you've been mentioning those two words together for quite some time." Twilight said.

" It's a scary place."

" In what way?"

" The desolate wastes are a vast stretch of desert that exist south of Equestria. Ponies--and other creatures--sent there can never come back, as a magical barrier prevents anything from coming through. To wind up being banished there is as good as being killed. Anything that is sent there never comes back out. Most perish under the intense heat, yet there have been cases where some have managed to carve out an existence in the desert. Princess Celestia usually sends ponies and other creatures there who have violated some of the more sacred laws of Equestria. The worst ones are instead sent to Tartarus." I answered.

" The ancient Greek prison of lost souls?"

" It's not as bad as that one. The Tartarus of Equestria serves as a prison for the most evil of threats."

" Now I understand why they are sent there. If they were banished to the desolate wastes, they could still use their power to find a way to break free and cause trouble. Such a risk would be too great to the security of Equestria. Yet, why do you continue writing about being banished to the desert? Don't ponies in Equestria know that you've changed for the better? Or, is that something which hasn't been revealed to them?" Twilight asked. I breathed a heavy sigh, indicating to her that it was the second reason. Nopony knew I had changed, aside from Her Highness and Princess Celestia. They could vouch for me all they wanted, yet it couldn't convince others to believe them. In the eyes of my fellow ponies, my actions threatened to destroy Equestria. An act like that is punishable by being sent to Tartarus, but I'm hoping to get a lighter sentence and get banished to the desolate wastes instead. " Sunset... You shouldn't worry so much about it." Twilight said.

" You'd worry if you were in my shoes."

" I guess that's a fair point."

" If I'm to be banished, then I'll accept it with dignity."

" Maybe we should change the subject. What happened when you came out of the library?"

" I attended classes like I usually did. However, towards the end of the day, I wanted to leave the building for a while in order to think about how to best handle Anon-A-Miss. There was no point in trying to get the other students to help me out. They had all turned against me, believing that I was responsible for exposing their secrets. They were about to remind me why." I answered.

I had trouble sleeping that night. Princess Twilight and I had a memorable conversation, yet there was a lot of things she said that continued plaguing my mind. She had scolded me for not alerting her to the problem when it spiraled out of control days earlier. She felt saddened over not being able to come through the portal to stick up for me when everyone else I knew had abandoned me. Her duties as a princess prevented her from coming, and also, I wanted to protect her from being attacked. Everyone knew she had personally given me a second chance, and they'd definitely call her out on it.

Would she have made a difference, though? Her Highness was the Princess of Friendship and possessed the ability to forge friendships everywhere she went. That's how she was able to fix the damage I caused back when I was ruthless. However, even she couldn't perform miracles. What had happened at CHS throughout these past few days may be impossible for her--or anyone else--to fix.

Perhaps the most important thing Her Highness told me was to find my family. It had nothing to do with my old family. In my mind, the family who raised me during my early years were nothing but shadows, faceless creatures who probably don't even know I'm still alive. My former friends always appreciated what I did in order to prove I had changed for the better. We've had arguments in the past, but I knew they could never truly stay mad at me. I had to believe right until the very end that they would hear me out. My family needed me just as much as I needed them.

There was still one thing that haunted my dreams, and that was the faceless image of Anon-A-Miss, the one who had been the source of all my anguish. She was still going about her business of posting secrets and blaming her actions on me by claiming she and I were the same person. Every female student at school with the exception of Trixie and my former friends could be behind the masquerade that is Anon-A-Miss. Was there something so simple that I overlooked during my investigation? No, I believed that I had everything taken into account. So, why was her faceless laughter causing me to have horrible nightmares? Was it a message that she would never be uncovered? Were my efforts in vain? Am I to be alone forever?

The next morning, I woke up but felt groggy as a result of my nightmares. There were only a couple of days to go before the big holiday celebration, and I still didn't know what I could do to resolve this problem. At this rate, I was going to celebrate it on my own, as usual, unless a miracle happened that enabled me to find out who Anon-A-Miss was. I could've spend the day eavesdropping on other students in the hopes of learning anything else, but I had classes I needed to attend. Was it a smart idea for me to go out in public, especially when everything was stacked against me? I couldn't remain in the library for the rest of my life. That would be absolutely pathetic and admitting defeat. Once I had gotten a good breakfast--or, as close to what one could expect given my resources--and cleaned myself up, I left my place of residence and walked towards the library entrance. At least no one knew where I lived during all of this. I was sure I'd be vandalized by the others out of frustration, my precious belongings stolen.

Classes turned out okay despite students constantly looking at me with scorn in their eyes. I tried my best to avoid their gazes, but it proved to be very difficult. They behaved normally, which was expected, given we were under the watchful gaze of the teacher, but the moments in-between classes were where the challenge truly began. I was expecting them to make my life miserable, just like before, but I wasn't prepared for just how far they were willing to go. Sometimes, I wish that I, or someone else, had chosen to let the teachers know what had been going on over the last few days. No, if anyone should have spoken out, it should have been me. The students didn't want the teachers involved, as it meant losing their rights to MyStable. If I had informed them, the students could easily trace it back to me. I'd be scorned more than I already was. So, I decided--painfully--not to inform Principal Celestia of Anon-A-Miss.

Was it a mistake? Most definitely. Was I being a coward? I'd say yes to that. Was I trying to salvage my friendships? That was the most important thing. I didn't want to make things even worse, so I stayed my hand by keeping Principal Celestia out of it.

Once everyone had left the classroom after the bell rang, I slowly walked out before looking left and right to make sure no one was nearby. Taking the magic journal out of my backpack, I opened it up to my conversation with Princess Twilight. My eyes scanned the last thing she wrote before she went off to bed: "Find your family." Those words continued eating away at me. What could she have meant? Who was my family in this world? My former friends? I do see them as being more than just friends, but perhaps Her Highness may have been a bit too liberal with her words. Closing the journal and walking onwards, I walked down the stairs, the journal cradled in my arms, and noticed that students were everywhere. Almost immediately, they took notice of my presence, but I continued forward in an effort to reach my locker. A few moments later, someone bumped into me on purpose, causing me to drop the journal. It landed on the floor with a thud.

" Who did that?" One student asked as I dropped to my knees in order to pick it back up.

" Maybe it was Anon-A-Miss."

" Anon-A-Miss." I began to freak out as more and more students surrounded me while staring with their cruel expressions. I wanted to get away, but I couldn't. There was no way out for me! They had blocked off every possible escape route. I was at their mercy.

" Secret stealer!"

" I can't believe she did that."

" Way to go!"

" Anon-A-Miss!"

" Too many secrets!"

" Traitor!"

" How could she?"

All of their hateful comments was enough for me to curl up and burst into tears, closing my eyes tightly. I felt like this was nothing but a nightmare and that it would all soon go away. But, it was all very real, much to my sadness. The student's expressions got even worse and they towered over me before resuming their onslaught.

Everyone had turned against me and treated me like I was an outsider. It was what happened after the Fall Formal all over again. Why was I being treated like a piece of garbage? Surely, they knew that I'd been framed? Did they even care about that? I opened my eyes and raised my hand in an effort to defend myself in case one of them decided to get physical. As I cowered there, begging for mercy, I could hear what was being said. It was a combination of unfortunate praise and sheer hatred towards me.

" Thief!"

" Hope she does more!"

" Spill all the secrets."

" Who would do this?"

" You ruined my life!"

" Too many secrets."

" You're nothing but a monster!"

" How can she still be allowed to attend this school?"

There were even messages posted on MyStable which several students thrust into my face with their cellphones. I tried turning away in order to avoid the hatred they showed me, but I couldn't keep my eyes away. They continued forcing it down my throat until I caved in. When I turned back and saw what had been written, I wanted my eyes to melt away and render me blind. The hatred in their messages was worse than their vocal comments.

Omg did you see what she posted about u???

Keep posting more.

No, please take this down! If my parents see this, I'm ground for life. Please!

I can't get her to take this down. This sucks!!! :(

Anon-A-Miss is the best.

She caused my breakup.

How is she getting away with doing this? One of the teachers should stop her before its too late.

This will go down in the school's history as the greatest tragedy of all time!

In the midst of my tears, I looked down at the journal again. When it landed on the floor, it had miraculously opened up to the page where Princess Twilight had written down those last words which prevented me from sleeping. Was it a sign that I should heed her words? Ignoring the ridicule all around me, I began reading her message.

Sometimes, all you can do is stay strong. Remember who you are, and find your family.

I knew what I had to do. I had to speak to my former friends in order to sort this out once and for all. I knew that I wasn't going to receive a warm welcome, but I was going to make them listen to me, even if it means dragging them back here by their legs. I began thinking about where they could be at this point. They wouldn't be at our favourite spot in the library. That was close to my place of residence there. Perhaps our favourite table in the cafeteria? No, it was well past lunch time, so they'd have no reason to be in there. I then thought about the music room. We were usually playing our instruments in there whenever we had any free time, but I knew they wouldn't be there practicing. The Rainbooms just weren't complete without me contributing to the music.

That left only one location: Sugarcube Corner. It made sense, as it was a popular hangout for students, and they probably needed something sweet to take their minds off of what had been happening. It was a longshot, though; I could be wrong about all of this. They might not even be there. If they were at one of their homes, I might as well just give up. I had to hope that they were there.

Picking up the journal and running off, leaving my tormentors behind, I made a beeline towards the main entrance without taking the time to grab my scarf. For the sake of the girls, I'd walk through this winter weather with just a swimsuit on. They meant everything to me! As I ran, I barely caught a glimpse of Applebloom from the corner of my eyes. She was looking at me as though she had something to say.

Should I stop and see what she wanted? Perhaps, but then I remembered that she accused me. My heart wanted to talk to her, but my head insisted on running.

My throat had gotten parched, so I put the journal down before reaching for the bottle of cider Twilight had provided me when she first arrived. I was expecting her to be all over me because of what she heard me read, but she had spent the last few minutes just staring off into the distance. It reached the point where it just got plain creepy, so I snapped my fingers, which brought her out of her trance.

" Are you alright?" I asked.

" I'm okay, but I just can't believe that the students would say those terrible things to you. Surely, they should've known that you weren't behind Anon-A-Miss. It's like they were simply following what had been posted online like blind, obedient sheep." Twilight answered.

" They didn't care about my feelings. I was Anon-A-Miss in their eyes, and that's all that mattered."

" Heartless monsters!"

" No, I prefer to call them misguided kids who allowed their minds to be corrupted by online media." I said. If it hadn't been for MyStable, none of these problems would have occurred in the first place. Still, though,, I couldn't blame a website where anyone could post anything. MyStable was just an innocent place that someone had managed to take advantage of. I know that I've often said it had been responsible for destroying my life, but in truth, all it had done really was act as an enabler. Anon-A-Miss was the true culprit behind everything, and she used the power of the media to spread so much hatred. Humans proved that they allowed the media to dictate their actions. If it's appealing enough, they are all over it. This was something Equestria was superior in. Back home, we had no media to tell us what to do. All we had were the postal service, who delivered letters among other messages, and the daily edicts from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

" Did you say you ran past Applebloom?" Twilight asked.

" She had been watching me from one of the side hallways."

" I can understand why you didn't want to talk to her, but do you think you should have?"

" Her face had a look of concern, as though she had something she needed to say. If I knew back then what I know now, I would've stopped and listened to her. My temper would have needed to be kept under control in order to prevent myself from doing something horrible, however. Upon looking back on it, that had actually been the first time I saw her since she initially revealed that Applejack's Piggly-Wiggly nickname was exposed. I never realized she had been avoiding me all that time." I answered. If my heart had been shattered entirely from the torment, I would have most likely throttled Applebloom. Luckily, Princess Twilight taught me that one had to be forgiving, even when they are wronged. To think that they were going through the same thing which plagued me.

" Could she have been hiding a secret?" Twilight asked.

" It was a bombshell."

" Does this mean you'll finally tell me who Anon-A-Miss really was?"

" Once we get to the end of this next section."

" You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear those words." Twilight said, clapping her hands with glee. The crisis had been averted regarding what happened to me before I decided to go and find our friends. My fear was that Twilight would become too clingy or run off somewhere and cry again like before. Instead, she simply felt sad over how everyone had labelled me as a monster without looking at the facts. Perhaps she was far more mature than I gave her credit for? I had a feeling, though, about how Twilight would react upon finally learning who framed me and why, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

Upon finishing my cider, Twilight filled it up again while I turned the page in the journal before quickly covering up what was displayed there. Would she even know what their respective symbols even looked like? The only CHS students she's interacted with are those who competed in the Friendship Games. She had been around many other students during her orientation of the school, but perhaps she didn't pay much attention to them? When I turned towards Twilight, her arms were folded across her chest, and she was giving me another pouting expression. I decided that it wouldn't hurt for her to see these, so I moved my hand away, and she took a closer look.

" These don't make any sense."

" I figured as much."

" So why did you cover them up? What wasn't I meant to see?"

" I thought you knew what these meant, but I was wrong."

" No, I don't understand their significance."

" Then allow me to explain. One thing I learned from this experience was to never go out into the snow without the proper gear. I could've caught a nasty case of pneumonia had Sugarcube Corner not been so close to the school. Our friends had been moping about there for some time--I'm not sure how long--and when I opened the front door and stepped inside, they were hostile towards me." I said.

What in the world was I thinking? Who in their right mind would run outside into the cold without at least putting on a scarf? I would answer my own question, as I ran out the building before tripping on a loose piece of gravel, landing face-first in the snow. It didn't bother me that I could wind up getting pneumonia. I had to get to Sugarcube Corner as quickly as possible. It was most fortunate that it was located just a short distance away from CHS. Given the lousy weather all around me, I should make it in about ten minutes if nothing distracts me. Picking myself up from the ground and brushing the snow off my clothes, I resumed running in my effort to get to my destination. However, once again, my eye caught a glimpse of Applebloom, who was now standing by the main entrance. Was she stalking me? Why would she do that? I didn't have the time to go back and see what she wanted. I'd have to come back here later and speak to her once this had all been settled.

It felt like Sugarcube Corner was much further away than I predicted, but I attributed it to the snow slowing everything down. The icy pavements didn't do me any favours, either. This was probably one of the advantages humans had over ponies. Humans had two legs, and when combined with appropriate footwear, they could easily traverse the ice without any problems. Ponies had four hooves, so they were more likely to slip on the ice. We also rarely wore shoes, so our hooves could easily get cold.

After a few more mishaps of falling face-first into the snow--better than face-first into the ice--and getting colder, I finally reached Sugarcube Corner. I could see the girls sitting at the table closest to the door, yet I had no idea if they were saying anything. Knowing that I had to confront them on this issue, I opened the door, causing a small bell on top to ring to inform Mr. and Mrs. Cake that a customer was coming in. Running through the snow and falling into it had left me feeling exhausted, but it was a small sacrifice if it meant having a chance to speak to my friends.

When they saw me standing in the entrance, they didn't look too thrilled to see me. I couldn't blame them for that. In their minds, I was still guilty of revealing their secrets, but I knew I was innocent. I needed to make them see it for themselves. At first, none of them said anything, which made me feel nervous, but eventually, Rainbow Dash decided to speak up and break the silence. She could have gone with something less insulting.

" Hey! Get out!"

" Yer not welcome here, Sunset!" Applejack added. Technically, neither of them had the right to say that to me. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were the proprietors, so it was up to them to decide who was allowed to come into their establishment. Regardless of what happened, I was still a valued customer; I had been coming here every single day since I first set foot in here over a month ago. The rest of the girls glared at me, but I wasn't about to let this discourage me.

" I suggest that you vacate the premises immediately!" Rarity said.

" Go away!" Fluttershy added.

" We don't need you to make us feel even worse." Pinkie Pie added.

" No, wait--please!" I began before reaching into my backpack and taking out the magic journal. I had taken the liberty of placing it in there before leaving the building, not wanting it to be damaged by the elements. You'd think I'd have gone back to my locker to get my scarf at the very least. I guess my journal was more important than my health. " I know you don't trust me, and I can't prove that I'm innocent, but please--look at this." Rainbow Dash appeared skeptical and refused to look at me, yet her opinion wasn't the same as the others. They were fixated on the journal.

" Why are y'all showin' us this?" Applejack asked.

" I've been telling Twilight everything that's been happening." I answered.

" So, she knows as well?" Rarity asked.

" Is she going to come here and sort this out?" Applejack asked.

" No. Unfortunately, she has commitments in Equestria that require her attention. But, if she could drop all of that and come here, then she would do so in a heartbeat. In case any of you think I've been telling her any secrets, I'm not. All she knows is what has happened to everyone as a group. No one specific person was talked about during our conversation last night. If you still doubt me, open the journal up to the last entry and read it for yourselves." I answered.

Fluttershy took the journal from my hand and opened it up, and she and the others--except Rainbow Dash--began reading it. Their expressions were mainly ones of shock over what Her Highness and I talked about. I could tell they were enthralled by what had been written down. Their eyes remained glued to the pages, as though they couldn't look away no matter how much they wanted to.

Eventually, Rainbow Dash asked to read the journal as well, and she went through the same emotions they did.

" And she reminded me of something very important. You're more than just my friends--you're my family. It took me all this time to finally understand what she meant by saying that I had to find my family. The five of you have been there for me when everyone else decided that I wasn't worth the trouble. You all gave me a second chance. Why would I give up something like that? After everything we've experienced together, you all know me better than anyone! Ask yourselves this question: Would the Sunset Shimmer you know--the real Sunset Shimmer, the person I am now--Would she do this?" I asked.

I was half-expecting my friends to throw my journal back at me or toss it aside because of how they felt about what happened. Yet, they did neither of those things. Instead, they continued looking at the journal. Could it be that I've found a common ground with them? I knew not to force the issue in case one of them felt I was trying to deceive them.

Fluttershy soon looked up at me, and I could tell that she had something to say.

" If... If you're not Anon-A-Miss, then who is?"

" That's what I've been trying to figure out. I had to eavesdrop on students in order to learn all that I could, and believe me, I didn't enjoy the experience one bit. I learned that not everyone has been victimized by Anon-A-Miss, and Trixie's name was specifically mentioned." I answered.

" Did you accuse her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I was so desperate to blame someone for destroying my life, so I confronted her on the matter." I answered.

" She didn't do it, did she?" Rarity asked.

" No, and I felt bad for accusing her without proof." I answered.

" Your life was destroyed? That seems pretty harsh." Pinkie Pie said.

" When you five decided to end our friendship, my heart shattered to pieces. In fact, it shattered the moment Applejack said that I was Anon-A-Miss. It felt like everything I had worked so hard on to achieve suddenly meant nothing. Without you in my life, there's no point in continuing on, yet I did so in order to prove my innocence and to not lose any of you to someone who wishes for everyone to suffer." I said. Tears then started flowing down my cheeks, and it was Pinkie Pie who walked over and wiped them away with some tissue she took out from her pocket. It smelled of cake. She then placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled, showing me that she believed I wasn't responsible. " AJ, you said that the only ones who knew about your nickname was us and your family, right?" I asked.

" Yeah, but I know none of my family would tell, and I trust you five--you four." Applejack answered. I wasn't going to call her out when she said that. Even though we were all talking to each other, only Pinkie had believed in my innocence. The others still had doubts, so it was a work in progress.

" Maybe someone overheard it?" Rainbow Dash suggested.

" Didn't we conclude that theory was full of bunkus?" Applejack asked.

" It's still possible, you know."

" That would mean I was practically yellin' out my secret to everyone in earshot."

" Yeah, I guess."

" Maybe, but what about the party photos? How do you explain that?" I asked.

" You said that you had your phone on you the entire time, right?" Applejack asked.

" Yes, and both you and Rarity had watched me taking those photos that night. You knew how important my phone and the memories mean to me." I answered. This had proven itself to be a real complicated mess. The photos posted by Anon-A-Miss were definitely mine, and there was no way I would deny that. Yet, how did she manage to take my phone in the first place? None of my friends would've taken it. What could they have accomplished by being Anon-A-Miss? If anything, it had to be someone else. Then again, Pinkie had a tendency to sleep walk in the middle of the night or go on a snack binge, yet that wouldn't make her responsible. She'd need to have been hypnotized to have specifically gone for my phone.

" And the only people at the party were us! Well, and my family, of course." Rarity said. It suddenly hit me the instant she said the word "family". Why didn't I notice it before until this exact moment? I slapped my forehead; the answer had been right there all along. I then remembered something Anon-A-Miss had posted last week after our falling out. She had posted an essay Rainbow Dash had written, which I ignored. I thought it wasn't significant, but it turned out that it was the most important clue. I didn't know Rainbow wrote it, let alone gotten it back, so how did Anon-A-Miss know about it? The only way to know for certain was to ask the question.

" Dash! I want to ask you a question."

" What is it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Anon-A-Miss posted an essay you wrote, didn't she?"

" Uh, yeah, and it was actually a science paper."

" Did you happen to have soccer practice the day you got it back?" I asked. While it sounded like I was going absolutely nowhere with these questions, in truth, I was beginning to piece everything together. Even though they weren't related, Rainbow Dash considered Scootaloo to be like a little sister. Well, it was more like the other way around, in that Scootaloo wanted Rainbow to be her guidance. I don't entirely know all of the details, but it's something Rainbow kept on mentioning to us like a broken record. If my next question receives the answer I'm hoping for, I can uncover Anon-A-Miss' identity. Why did I think of Scootaloo of all students? It was Rarity and Applejack bringing up their respective families that made me think of it.

" Soccer practice? Um, yeah? What about it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" And the junior soccer was practicing at the same time, right?"

" Well, sure, they usually do."

" I've got it!"

" What have you got?" Rarity asked.

" I hope it's not catching." Pinkie Pie said.

" That was the last piece of information I needed." I said. Everything now made perfect sense, yet there were still questions that remained unanswered. Why would they choose to victimize me? What did I ever do to them? Would they actually confess to their actions or try to cover it up? I then looked towards the entrance to Sugarcube Corner and saw what looked like three figures approaching in an awful hurry. Could it be them? Or, was it just three customers who couldn't wait to get inside and out of the cold? My friends then began pestering me about what I meant about the last piece of information. " When Rainbow Dash answered my questions, it confirmed a suspicion I had been forming for the last few minutes. When family was mentioned, I thought about that science paper Anon-A-Miss posted that Rainbow wrote. I never knew you wrote that until looking on MyStable. There's only one person I know besides us who views Rainbow as more than just a friend."

" You came up with an answer based on that?" Applejack asked.

" I should've seen the signs from the start. Anyway, I know who Anon-A-Miss is. It's--" I answered before being cut off by the sound of the entrance to Sugarcube Corner opening and the bell ringing out for all to hear.

" It was us!"

We all turned around when we heard that familiar voice, and standing there were Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. Each of them had a look of guilt on their faces, and while my friends were shocked at this revelation, I simply stared at them. It's exactly as I suspected. The three of them were responsible for being behind Anon-A-Miss and pinning the blame squarely on me. Posting the science paper was the missing clue that brought it all together for me. Also, I now realize that Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had been showing signs of misery over these past few days, the latter doing a better job of hiding that fact. I've only myself to blame for not noticing these obvious signs. I wasn't entirely sure as to how Scootaloo fitted in with all of this, but I was sure to get my answer soon enough.

" What!?" My soon-to-be-renewed friends shouted.

" Applebloom! How could you?" Applejack asked.

" We didn't mean to take it this far. Honest." Applebloom answered.

" Y'all turned Sunset into a monster!"

" We can explain!"

" I reckon you ought to for her sake."

" Why did you do it?" I asked.

" Because... Because of you, Sunset." Applebloom answered. Me? They caused so much pain and suffering because of me? I wasn't liking where this was going, but I suspected there was more to this than appearances suggested. It also reminded me of something I didn't particularly enjoy. Whenever something happened at CHS since the Fall Formal, the blame would automatically be placed on me. I've grown accustomed to such accusations, yet they still hurt all the same. I know I did horrible things, but did they have to constantly villainize me? What could've convinced them to target me? I did make the lives of their sisters--pseudo-sister for Scootaloo--miserable when I was a bully, yet I never once did anything to them. I didn't see them as worth my time, so I ignored them.

" Why me?" I asked.

" I was jealous that my sister was spendin' time with you and her friends 'stead of with her family. I wanted to make you look bad. So, I made up Anon-A-Miss and posted the story about Applejack and made it look like you'd done it." Applebloom answered.

Jealousy!? This was because of something as petty as jealousy!? Applejack mentioned to her family that we were having slumber parties to help me feel better about the holidays, but I guess Applebloom didn't feel the same way. She was the mastermind behind all of this, but I wasn't going to simply cast off the other two. No, I suspected they had equal involvement. No wonder she was upset that night. Applebloom couldn't handle the fact that she was being left out, so she went for me because everything had been planned for my enjoyment.

" Was it only just you behind this?" Applejack asked.

" No... I think it's obvious that Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were involved as well." Applebloom answered.

" Reckon that's true. After all, if you two weren't involved, y'all wouldn't be here right now, 'cept for support, I guess."

" Shall I explain their sides of the story?"

" They are more than capable of doin' so themselves."

" Applebloom told me about it, and... and I felt the same way." Sweetie Belle said.

" What!? Why didn't you ever say something?" Rarity asked.

" You pushed me out of your room before I had a chance to explain myself. I wanted to join you all for your slumber party, but you cast me aside like I didn't even exist. You don't know how that feels, Rarity. That night, at your party, when everyone was asleep, I snuck in quietly and took Sunset's phone. I'm not sure why she left it out in the open like that, but when I left, I downloaded all of her photos and videos. I made sure that anything that featured her was either omitted or edited to remove her. I then passed it along to Applebloom, who proceeded to make it public." Sweetie Belle answered.

" Then I did hear someone shuffling about that night." I said.

" You have pretty good hearing, Sunset, and I was afraid you'd noticed me when you were looking at me with your eyes barely open. Once I had finished with your phone, it was easy to sneak back into Rarity's room to place it exactly where it was. It was like it had never been taken in the first place." Sweetie Belle answered. Not only did I not implement my password, I also forgot to put my phone away in my backpack. I must have been really exhausted to not have done that, at least. The person I thought was Pinkie Pie shuffling about turned out to be Sweetie Belle. She was upset over being left out and decided to do something about it. I was starting to notice a trend here, but whether or not it was important depended on what Scootaloo had to say.

" And what about your story, squirt?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Applebloom would tell me what she was doing the following day after Anon-A-Miss first posted on MyStable. I wasn't interested at first, but I soon started agreeing with both her and Sweetie Belle about how to make Sunset look bad. I was actually going to ask Rainbow Dash if I could spend the holidays with her. When she told me that she was spending time with her friends and would hang with me 'maybe some other time', I got mad. So, when Rainbow got her science paper back, I took a picture of it when she wasn't looking. I made sure to focus on the lousy grade she received. I gave the photo to Applebloom, who posted it online." Scootaloo answered.

" Unbelievable! All this time I was blaming Sunset, and she didn't even do anything wrong." Rainbow Dash said.

" We had to cover our tracks in case anyone got too close to figuring it out." Scootaloo said. There it was again! All three girls had said the exact same thing. They did this because they had been left alone. Now it all made sense, and actually, I knew how they felt. If anyone knew the pain that comes with being completely alone, it was me. I was isolated after the Fall Formal and treated like an outcast. No one wanted to open up to me until my friends did.

" I'm guessing this is where you mention the other secrets?" Fluttershy asked.

" Anon-A-Miss got out of hand! People started sending her other secrets, new pictures. We posted everything! We tried our best not to do what they wanted, but they kept on sending us messages. It got to a point where it was too much. We never knew that the students of CHS wanted to learn every last detail, even if it meant ruining their friendships in the process. They even threatened to expose Anon-A-Miss unless she kept posting secrets." Scootaloo answered.

" So you basically trapped yourselves?" Applejack asked.

" And we deserved it for what we did." Scootaloo answered.

" Can you ever forgive us?" Applebloom asked. All eyes then turned towards me, and I didn't like how I suddenly had a lot of weight on my shoulders. After hearing each of the girls revealing their reasons for doing what they did, my mind became conflicted about how to best approach things. On the one hand, I wanted to forgive them. They didn't mean for me to suffer so much, and they were feeling left out of family activities. On the other hand, my emotions were growing stronger, and that meant losing control of my temper. What I do isn't a reflection on my friends. I'm certain they'll have their own things to say once I make a decision.

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo had destroyed my life by pulling this stunt. They were jealous of me and wanted to make me suffer. While I have no doubt that I can repair my reputation, it's going to take a very long time. I had every mind to throttle them there and then! Nothing would hold me back from making an example of them, but that would be the stupidest mistake I could ever make. I'm not the monster most claimed me to be throughout this whole experience. The girls didn't deserve to be scarred for life, and who was I to do that? At the very least, they did need to be held accountable. That meant Principal Celestia needed to be informed of what happened.

After a few moments of pondering over what to do, I looked at the girls to see what their reactions were like. Applebloom was in tears, Sweetie Belle was blowing into a handkerchief, while Scootaloo just kept looking at the ground in shame. I could tell this wasn't an act in order to convince me to forgive them. Their emotions were honest and true. I didn't want them to suffer anymore, so I nodded my head, forgiving them.

" In the end, the Cutie Mark Crusaders--their group name--were simply fed up with being ignored. They thought I was the cause of their misery, so they wanted me to look bad to get back at me." I said.

" I can't believe it was them!" Twilight shouted.

" The clues were there in plain sight, yet I never considered them until I began piecing it all together. While the girls claimed they had covered their tracks, they didn't do as well as they thought. They made a lot of mistakes along the way. Scootaloo made the most obvious error by going after Rainbow Dash's essay. If she had gone with something I already knew Rainbow had done, they might've gotten away with it. For a little while longer, at least." I said.

" What of the other two?" Twilight asked.

" Applebloom's misery was blatantly obvious, and she made no attempt to hide that fact. I was idiotic for ignoring it and also for speaking out, which only fueled her desire to lash out at me. Sweetie Belle, without a doubt, was the hardest to figure out. She knew exactly how to hide her feelings, but she did give herself away by going for my phone in a house where everyone knew each other. Had she tried in a more open location, I might not have noticed anything." I answered. If Twilight had been in my shoes, she would have figured everything out within a matter of hours. While I'll admit that I'm intelligent, my flaws are pretty apparent, especially when it came to overlooking the obvious. If I had been more observant, Anon-A-Miss would have been stopped long before things spiraled out of control. I wonder what that would have been like to solve the problem as quickly as Twilight surely would have.

" I'm not sure you should have been so forgiving." Twilight said.

" Figured you'd say that."

" After what they did to you?"

" I knew that lashing out at them would've been wrong."

" I'm not saying you were wrong, Sunset, but rather that they shouldn't have gotten away with it."

" Oh, they didn't."

" What do you mean?"

" The CMC would receive a punishment, but not from my hands or from our friends'. Principal Celestia was going to be the one to give that to them. They knew that she would need to be informed, and that meant trying to come up with an explanation that would result in them getting a fair punishment." I answered. Most of what was given unto them felt appropriate, according to what I had been told by Applejack, yet there was one thing I felt wasn't strict enough. I didn't want them to receive the ultimate school discipline--expulsion--but what they ended up getting should've been extended by about two or three months. But, it was Principal Celestia's decision, and I wasn't about to argue over it with her or anyone. Since it was their first offence, they were given some leniency.

" What did they receive?" Twilight asked.

" You really want to know?"

" I'm curious."

" Their punishment does conclude this Christmas odyssey, from what I recall. I probably wrote something down about it in my journal, so I might as well show you what happened next. Oh, and you need to know whether our friends were as forgiving of the CMC as I was." I said.

Chapter 53: New Look

Day: Thursday
Weather: Snow
Time: 7:00pm

I knew the students would give me a hard time that morning, but I wasn't expecting them to go to the extreme. They towered over me and treated me like an unwanted outcast. The experience threatened to break me mentally, but the words Princess Twilight wrote gave me strength. Guessing where my friends would be, I left CHS for Sugarcube Corner, yet the lack of a welcome was to be expected. My friends didn't want to talk, but I convinced them otherwise by showing the magic journal. Our discussion revealed important clues that allowed me to finally put it all together and reveal who Anon-A-Miss was. It was the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They wanted to make me look bad out of jealousy and anger at being left alone. I knew I could've made them suffer for hurting me, but that would accomplish nothing. I had easily forgiven them, as I knew what they were going through, but now they needed to atone for their actions. That meant apologizing to everyone, something I once did.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 12, 2016
Chapter 53: New Look.

" Yep! I did write something down about the CMC's punishment!" I exclaimed. On the page with the symbols that represented them, there was a small amendment at the bottom that revealed what happened to them. Applejack's name was listed as having informed me about Principal Celestia's decision. I knew the girls were sorry for everything they did, but I do feel that they got off relatively light. They received detention--standard punishment many students face--but it just wasn't enough for me. I'd have preferred at least eight months as opposed to six, which is what they received, but the remaining conditions were pretty stiff. The hardest thing they had to do was apologize to the entire student body. I've done that myself, so I know how it feels to have to go in front of so many people and beg for forgiveness.

" Mind if I read them for myself?" Twilight asked. I nodded, and she took the journal and began to read it. From what I remember, Applejack told me what Applebloom told her about the punishment she was given. It was something I had a right to know, as I had been the biggest victim of all. My reputation--bad as it was--had been reduced to a smoldering heap. While everyone apologized for the way they acted towards me, I knew they all weren't being sincere. Some felt like I had tricked the CMC into coming up with the whole Anon-A-Miss scheme as a means of getting sympathy. Why would I do something like that? What compelled them to think such stupid thoughts? These were questions that didn't need answers, and I for one wouldn't mind just leaving them be.

Twilight finished reading the amendment before giving the journal back to me, and I could tell she was just as frustrated as I was about their punishment. It was the detention length that most likely annoyed her.

" They only got six months!?"

" It's what Principal Celestia decided to give them on top of everything else." I said.

" I'm surprised they weren't suspended."

" Applejack told me that had been considered early on, but Principal Celestia went easy on them, as it had been their first offence. Taking down Anon-A-Miss' account over on MyStable was minor at best. Telling Principal Celestia what they did proved challenging, as they didn't want to say anything out of fear of being expelled. Their actions were a serious crime according to school conduct, but it was apologizing to everyone that really did them in." I said.

" What were reactions like from the students?"

" Outrage, anger, hatred, shock, disgust--those were some of what they expressed."

" I feel sorry for the CMC."

" That's why it was easy for me to forgive them, Twilight." I said. I had been in a similar position. After the Fall Formal, everyone treated me like I was still a monster and refused to associate with me. That kind of rejection really hurt, and it made me long for a time where I'd be viewed as one of them. The Battle of the Bands showed everyone that I was sincere about changing for the better, yet this perception was shattered during those days before winter break. I wouldn't allow my hatred to blind me, but that was just my own opinion. The rest of the students had their own thoughts that the CMC needed to win over. It's like Scootaloo said: Anon-A-Miss got out of hand. They thought they could control what was happening, but it ended up controlling them until it became its own entity.

" You've come a long way." Twilight said.

" I know, and I have all of my friends to thank for that. Without them, I'd still be alone right now, wallowing away in the shadows." I said.

" What about our friends? How did they feel about what the CMC did?"

" It wasn't easy for them to forgive them."

" How come?"

" Our friends said some really hurtful things about me and accused me of something I didn't do. They felt like they had betrayed their friendship with me by falling for the nonsense being posted on MyStable. It took them a few days before they could stand before me and beg for forgiveness. I told them they didn't need to, but they insisted. If I recall correctly, Applejack was the only one who had issues forgiving the CMC." I answered.

On the outside, I displayed no emotion when we learned that Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were the ones behind Anon-A-Miss. However, deep in my mind, I was seething with anger over how they had hurt me. They were jealous over being left out while their sisters spent time with me, so they decided to make me look bad, which damaged my reputation--what little of it there was.

I understood what it meant to be ignored by everyone around you, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders were much younger than I was. They didn't deserve to go through such pain at their age, as it would affect them in the future. Since I was much older than most people suspected, I had grown accustomed to being alone. Yet, I never enjoyed it, as all it did was remind me of how much I yearned for comfort. In that sense, there was no need to hold a grudge. The three girls would be punished for their actions by a higher authority than me.

However, that same anger was trying to assume control of my thoughts. I felt a strong desire to throttle each of them for how they made me suffer. I didn't care if it meant losing the only friends who truly understood me. I wanted revenge! I could picture it now! The satisfaction of striking fear into their hearts! Fortunately, friendship had since entered my heart, so the desire for blood was easy to suppress. To lash out against them would just prove that I was still a monster, a heartless beast who lacked no morals. To go back down that dark path would be a betrayal of the chance Princess Twilight had given me. She believed in second chances and was nice enough to give me one. I proved that I could change once and I aim to do so again. It would certainly take some time for everyone to gradually warm up to me again. I knew some students would be hesitant towards accepting me after what had happened.

My friends asked for my forgiveness over how they treated me after I had forgiven the CMC. I told them that they didn't need to be worried about it, but they insisted because of how they had wronged me. If I had been in their shoes, I'd have done the same thing. I may have accepted their apology, but I knew that it would take time for the wounds to heal. Words take much longer to heal compared to injuries. Sometimes it can take forever and even carry over from one generation to the next. Before I could say anything else after forgiving the CMC, Sweetie Belle suddenly tackled me, and I almost fell over.

" Oof!"

" We're so sorry! We had no idea what would happen to you!" Sweetie Belle said.

" You've got quite a powerful tackle!"

" It's because I help Rarity by lifting up and carrying around her clothes."

" Doesn't that bother you?"

" As long as I get to spend time with my sister, it doesn't matter what kind of manual labour I have to do for her." Sweetie Belle answered. My eyes then focused on Rarity before I glowered at her. No doubt she knew the reason behind my sudden reaction. Her sister did everything she asked in exchange for being noticed. She felt incredible guilt over taking her sister for granted, but I think this was a good experience for them. Rarity needed to be more appreciative and Sweetie Belle needed more attention. " I'm so glad that you've chosen to forgive us for what we did, Sunset. Um, you did say that you forgave us, right?" Sweetie Belle asked.

" You don't need to worry. I've forgiven you, but I want the three of you to believe me when I say this. I know what's it like to feel like you're all alone. It's a feeling no one should ever have to experience in their lives." I answered.

" Do you think everyone else at school will ask you to forgive them?" Sweetie Belle asked.

" I know it's going to take some time before they can muster up the courage to say that to me. Not everyone is going to ask straight away; there are still some leftover grudges from my past that linger about the school. I hope those will be resolved one day. Besides, I'm not the one who'll be getting apologies. That honour goes to the entire student body, and you don't need me to tell you what that means." I answered.

" No... I guess not."

" If you want, I could help you three come up with a proper explanation for Principal Celestia."

" Thanks, Sunset, but I think the three of us need to figure that one out for ourselves." Sweetie Belle said. I was hoping she would say that. It wouldn't have been right of me to assist them with something they must do. They caused all this pain, so they must resolve it by going before everyone and apologizing. I then looked around and saw that Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash had reconciled with one another. I turned back towards Sweetie Belle, who started talking with Rarity before they hugged one another. The only ones who were having trouble were Applebloom and Applejack. It wasn't surprising to see the older Apple sister showing hesitation. I could even tell exactly what was going on in her head right now. Her little sister had been dishonest with her and she took honesty very seriously.

" You girls... I can't believe y'all did this." Applejack said.

" It was a huge mistake!" Applebloom said.

" Maybe so, but you lied to everyone in school and betrayed their trust by posting their personal secrets. Heck, you even posted my secret! What's even worse is that you dragged Sunset's good name into the mud and left her to wallow in it until she lost everythin'. I know y'all were feelin' upset about bein' ignored, but that doesn't give you the right to blame it on someone who did you no wrong." Applejack said.

" We realize that now."

" Still, Sunset is right about you three havin' to apologize to everyone for hurtin' 'em. You've caused a lot of damage by pullin' this here stunt. Friendships have been broken, trust has been shattered, honesty got thrown out the window, and even worse things have happened this past week. The holidays are supposed to be a time where everyone from all walks of life come together to celebrate. What we have at CHS is disharmony of the worst kind." Applejack said. Her words were true, and there was no way of trying to sugarcoat their meaning. The CMC had ruined people's lives, regardless of whether they intended to or not. Granted, those same people ruined their own lives by sending secrets, but it should have been obvious to them that what they were doing was wrong.

" We'll do that and more." Applebloom said.

" What really makes this uneasy for me is the fact that I lied to Sunset." Applejack said.

" How do you figure that?"

" I called her Anon-A-Miss by believin' in false evidence and said some other things which I now regret. If it hadn't been for you and your friends, little sis, none of this woulda happened, and we coulda spent these past few days havin' fun at the remaining slumber parties we promised her. That was also a lie! In fact, all of us, her friends--no, her family--lied to her throughout all of this, and that's just wrong!" Applejack answered. Her expression became cold, which made Applebloom cower away in fear. I thought she was taking things too far, but then, she suddenly began smiling, placing her hand on Applebloom's shoulder. I had a feeling things were going to be alright between them. " But, y'all also confessed, which took a heck of a lot of courage to do." Applejack was correct. Most people who do what the CMC did would never consider owning up to their actions. They don't want to be punished, so they either cover it up, blame someone else, or disappear until things calm down.

People like that are cowards. And yet, Applejack's words also resonated with me. I used to do those things when I was a bully and relished in it. While it was another example of how much I hated myself, I'm not that person anymore. My friends--newly restored--now realize that I'm the real Sunset Shimmer, the one I was always meant to be, not the old one who hopefully never comes back again.

" Please forgive us, big sister! We're really sorry!" Applebloom said, tears trickling down her face.

" 'Course I forgive you, Applebloom. You're family, and you've reminded me that I shouldn't take it for granted. It's a lesson I'll never forget." Applejack said. The two sisters then hugged one another, which brought tears to my eyes. This is exactly what family meant, and mine had six members who truly cared about me. One of them doesn't come by as often as the other five, but I know she's always there for me whenever I need her. I also finally understood how humans celebrated this holiday, and I liked it. All those years of being on my own never did me any favours, but that's all in the past now. There were some customs I still needed to figure out, but I'm sure to get a firm grasp of them by next year.

A couple of days had passed, and everyone had been invited to Sweet Apple Acres to celebrate the holidays together. This had been Applejack's original plan from the start, yet her family would get additional members. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were going to be the last ones to arrive--not surprising, because it was Rarity--and hopefully the snow didn't cause too much of a delay. The weather forecast said even more snow would fall over Canterlot, and they weren't kidding. Walking out there almost seemed impossible with how deep it was.

My concern wasn't on when the final guests would arrive, but rather on Applejack, who wanted to talk to me in private. At first, I assumed she wanted to apologize on behalf of herself and our friends for what they said to be. It turned out she wanted to tell me about what happened with Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. A part of me desired to know what their punishment would be for everything they had done. No, I didn't feel sadistic over their suffering. I was legitimately concerned for their well-being. It was possible that they could be expelled from CHS, but I'm sure it wouldn't come to that. Principal Celestia was a lot of things, but merciless wasn't one of them. I knew she had to dish out reasonable discipline to prevent others from trying the same thing in the future, but even then, expelling them would be too drastic.

" So, what kind of punishment did they receive?" I asked.

" From what Applebloom told me the other night, it could have been a whole lot worse." Applejack answered.

" How so?"

" Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna weren't happy that the teachers were kept out of the loop regardin' what happened. We should have confessed to them that somethin' was wrong instead of tryin' to figure it out on our own." Applejack answered.

" If anyone should have confessed, it should have been me. I was afraid that students would shun me even more than they were if they found out I had decided to get the teachers involved. Also, they would've freaked out over the loss of MyStable on school grounds. You know that would've been taken away as punishment for using it for deceitful purposes, so I decided against my better judgment and kept quiet." I said.

" Not fair y'all were stuck like that."

" Just like your sister."

" Good point."

" Okay, so what did Applebloom tell you?"

" First of all, they took down Anon-A-Miss' profile on MyStable, which doesn't sound like much, but it means no one will be sendin' any messages to that account. They then had to tell Principal Celestia everythin', and that, according to Applebloom, was very stressful. She and the other crusaders were afraid Principal Celestia was gonna blow her top, but they discovered she wasn't that scary. No, she was very understanding while being disappointed that three of her youngest students caused so much trouble. They also had to apologize to every student who they made miserable in a manner I'm guessing was somethin' like you did." Applejack answered. I shuddered when she said that last bit. It made me remember when I had to go to the gym to apologize for my actions. I'd never forget that experience for as long as I lived. But, it's something I'd rather not talk about.

" Does that include me?" I asked.

" They'll be apologizin' to you later, before we head to bed."

" In all things considered, they got off pretty light."

" Oh, and they got six months detention." Applejack said.

Wait, what!? They were given just six months of detention? If anything, they deserved to have eight months at the very least, but I suppose the other punishments made up for it. The worst one was having to apologize to everyone for exposing their secrets. I doubt the girls enjoyed staring at so many angry faces all that much, but they had no other choice, as Principal Celestia handed down her judgment. There was one other drawback that came from this experience. Those secrets had become public now, and there was nothing we could do to delete them. They had been spread throughout the online world for far too long, so it meant everyone now had to live more discreetly. It was the price we all had to pay for relying so much on a convenience we took for granted.

Anyone could take advantage of something as innocent as a simple website and turn it into a full-blown nightmare. Despite what the CMC had done, they also owned up to their mistakes and tried their best to fix what they could. That was better than simply doing nothing. If Princess Twilight were here, she'd be proud of how everything had resolved itself even when things looked bleak.

One thing still needed to be solved, though, and that was the magic problem. This whole Anon-A-Miss business made me forget that Equestrian magic continued flowing about this world unrestrained. I was thankful it never came up, but now, I had to focus on understanding it. That meant continuing with my research in the hopes of uncovering all that I could.

" So, the holidays last year turned out to be very interesting." Twilight said.

" I could've done without my life being shattered, but it certainly was a good experience. It helped me understand friendship a lot better than I used to, and our friends and I became even closer than ever. Sure, we still had our occasional arguments, but that's expected to happen among friends. We haven't had any incidents since the holidays where our relationships were truly tested. Not even the Friendship Games brought out the worst in us." I said.

" Will we be skipping over some things until we arrive at the games?"

" No. There are some things that happened beforehand."

" Like what?"

" After the holidays, most believed that I now had everything: friends, family, a good education, a roof over my head--they didn't know about my living in the library--and having a good future to look forward to. Those who knew me the most understood the truth. It looked like everything was going swell, but I was still just as miserable as ever. I had overcome many obstacles, yet there was still one that continued to linger about. I had come to terms with my past, yet it felt like I needed to truly accept what I had done. Everywhere you'd walk throughout CHS, remnants of what I did could still be found. The worst of these offences were three framed portraits of me winning the Fall Formal. Each was worse than the previous one, and they reminded me that my past haunted me wherever I went." I answered.

" Didn't you try asking to have those removed?" Twilight asked.

" I didn't want to see those photos ever again, but Principal Celestia insisted on keeping them around for a while longer." I answered. The photos were originally located outside of her office, but she was forced to bring them inside for a while after the most recent formal. At that time, students weren't exactly thrilled with me and wanted to make an example by using those photos for target practice. I had no problem with them doing that, as I deserved it, but Principal Celestia didn't see things that way. Did she preserve those photos all that time in order to prove a point? Was it to teach me a lesson about humility? Or, was there some other reason? Even now after personally throwing them into the garbage, I still don't have an answer. I could've asked Principal Celestia, but I just never felt compelled to say anything.

" Are they still there?"

" I personally took them down and tossed them away."

" Did you get in trouble?"

" Vice Principal Luna scolded me for throwing away school property, but I knew Principal Celestia was okay with what I did. It was my way of finally coming to terms with my old life and moving on with my new one. I never asked why she wanted to keep them around, though." I answered.

" I'm sure she had her reasons." Twilight said.

" It doesn't bother me if I never find out those reasons. Principal Celestia is entitled to her privacy on such matters, and I wasn't about to start asking questions I didn't care about getting answered. Anyway, there was one other thing I needed to do to truly move on from my past." I said.

I turned the page of the journal. Another photo had been glued there, but it was different. It had been spliced together from two other photos and depicted me wearing two different outfits. Twilight looked at both outfits carefully to see what kind of reaction I had. The photo on the left gave her the impression that I was miserable. The one on the right showed me smiling away. She then turned towards me in confusion, but I merely chuckled before explaining what it all meant.

" I wanted a new wardrobe that reflected my new outlook on life. I enjoyed wearing my leather jacket, yet it represented the old me, who used to be a monster." I said.

" When did you come up with the decision to change?" Twilight asked.

" A couple of days after the holidays. Our friends started questioning me whenever we walked by a certain clothing store on the main shopping street in our area. I was never good at being subtle with my approach, so they quickly figured it out. I don't know what compelled me to constantly look through that window, but they knew that I wanted something from there. Sadly, money proved to be a problem. They also made a decision for me." I answered.

" What kind of decision?" Twilight asked.

" They wanted me to have a new outfit as well, but not in the manner that I was thinking of. All I wanted was something simple, yet they wanted me to have much more than that." I answered.

With the holidays having come and gone, things slowly returned back to normal at CHS. The damage caused by Anon-A-Miss still lingered about, what with people's secrets now being made public, but life for the student body was better. However, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna didn't have the same experience.

Apparently, one student's parents accidentally looked at their profile on MyStable. They had posted a response to what Anon-A-Miss posted about them, and this resulted in a firestorm that embroiled CHS in another scandal. What the parents of this student looked at prompted them to spread the word to other parents, and the two sisters found themselves trying to calm down parents who were outraged that something like Anon-A-Miss hadn't been resolved much sooner. There were talks about a potential lawsuit that could've cost the school millions in damages, but luckily, it never went that far.

Principal Celestia was skilled with dealing with problems like that. After all, she had dealt with two magical-based problems and a fundraiser fiasco. It was easy for her to come up with an ideal solution the students didn't appreciate. MyStable, the website that was the source of Anon-A-Miss' posting abilities, had been banned from school grounds, but it wasn't a permanent ban. It would be allowed to come back once parents were convinced their kids had matured enough--and got better grades. It could have been a lot worse than that, so we're thankful everything worked out for the best. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna did receive a visit from members of the School Board regarding the ordeal, something no authority figures in a school ever want to experience.

My reputation had taken serious damage courtesy of the CMC--who were eventually forgiven by the other students after a couple of weeks--yet it didn't bother me. I no longer cared about whether I was popular or not. Popularity always had a drawback most were ignorant about, but I knew it all too well. Never strive to become popular, as it places a target on your back.

Anyway, my friends quickly accepted me back into the fold and even agreed to help me deal with the magic problem. I didn't think they would want to help me with it given what happened during the fundraiser, but it was their way of asking for forgiveness. There was still much that needed to be figured out, and ponying up would prove invaluable towards our research. Princess Twilight, on occasion, would provide her own input, which was appreciated.

Ever since we rang in the new year, my friends and I hung out like we always did, effectively putting the Anon-A-Miss fiasco behind us. At Rarity's insistence, we go to the main shopping street in the area each afternoon. While she was at home with such surroundings, the rest of us didn't feel the same way. Rainbow Dash didn't enjoy it one bit and wanted to do something else. I happened to agree with her. Shopping wasn't high on my list of priorities, yet that changed one day when we passed by a clothing store. There was a mannequin in the window, and it was wearing the finest jacket I'd ever seen. It made the current leather jacket I wore pale in comparison. Since then, I always had the others walk by the store so that I could stare at the jacket. I really wanted to wear it for myself, but I knew it could never be mine. Money was something I lacked. My friends quickly figured out that I desired the jacket, yet they didn't know why.

In truth, I wanted to change my image. The whole leather jacket and wearing clothes that looked like they came from the 1970s was fine and all, but they made me feel like I was trapped. They represented my troubled past, and I wanted to show everyone a new me. I believed the jacket would make a good start, yet my friends had other ideas.

Rarity had somehow anticipated that I wanted a new outfit, so she spent her recent evenings putting together something she felt I'd enjoy. I was completely unaware that she was doing that for me, so I chalked it up as a late Christmas present. The others wanted to do something similar, and they had the perfect gift in mind for me. A couple of days later, we all met in the school library by going to our favourite spot. I assumed it involved us working on the magic problem, but I soon discovered one thing new about my friends: Like me, they had trouble hiding their subtlety.

" Okay, so what's up with this meeting, and why did you bring a suitcase?" I asked, my eyes fixated on what was next to Rarity's feet.

" This? Why, um, it's just an ordinary suitcase, darling. Nothing at all to be curious about." Rarity answered. Her awkward smile betrayed the fact that she was obviously hiding something, but I chose to ignore it.

" Well, we wanted to have this meetin', Sunset, to discuss where we're goin' with that there whole magic problem." Applejack said.

" I'll be honest. Things haven't been good on my end. The magic which was unleashed during the Fall Formal has completely dissipated, but at least that confirms that magic can't sustain itself for very long in this world." I said. In Equestria, magic was always there, even if it had been several months since a spell had been cast. The human world had a different makeup that caused magic to only last for a period of time. When it vanishes, it doesn't return.

The magical residue in the storage room we were all trapped in during the Battle of the Bands is still there, but it's not as strong as before. I suspected the residue would fade away within a couple of days, so I had to make one more trip there to see what else I could uncover. It wasn't easy to gain access to the storage room because of how much snow had fallen these past few weeks. No one could even open the door to that room below the stage, so hopefully the weather warms up long enough to melt the entrance open.

" We could pool our resources together." Fluttershy suggested.

" That sounds like a good idea to me." Applejack said.

" I'm still surprised you all decided on helping me figure this out." I said.

" What's so surprising about your friends doing something like that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It's just... During the fundraiser for those new uniforms, you all provided me with important data regarding our ability to use magic. Yet, you were hesitant about it because you were focused on your contributions, and I accepted that after I almost ruined everything by trying to do too much. Why change your minds now? What brought on the desire to help with deal with a problem that's actually beyond your understanding--no offence." I answered. Magic was something I was an expert in, while my friends often struggled with coming to grips with how it all worked. Unlike regular magic, which consisted of illusions designed to trick one's perception, Equestrian magic had unusual properties that made it powerful in anyone's hands. I was living proof of that when I became a demon. Despite ponying up a few times here and there, the girls still had their doubts about the whole spectacle. It fell to me to educate them accordingly.

" I think y'all know the answer to that." Applejack said.

" Does it have to do with Anon-A-Miss?"

" Even now, we all still feel guilty for blaming you for something you had no involvement with at all." Rarity answered.

" You may think we're doin' this to return a favour, but we're not! We betrayed your friendship, Sunset, as well as your trust. We didn't believe what you said. We were fixated on what we just thought was the truth. We shouldn't have allowed our feelings to make us doubt the person who had gone to great lengths in order to prove to everyone that she had changed for the better. No matter how many times each of us apologize, the fact remains that we wronged you." Applejack said.

" So, we want to make amends for the way we treated you." Fluttershy added.

" Working on this magical problem also helps us. We won't need to keep asking you to repeat yourself when you explain magic stuff." Rainbow Dash added.

" Just let us help you, Sunset." Pinkie Pie added.

" How could I refuse such enthusiasm?" I asked. My eyes then turned towards Rarity, who suddenly knocked over her suitcase with her foot. I couldn't tell if she did that on purpose or not, but now my attention was once more on the suitcase. " Okay! What is up with bringing that here? Don't tell me it's just an ordinary suitcase. You're not very good at being subtle."

" Fine! I admit it! This suitcase isn't normal!" Rarity shouted.

" Keep your voice down!" Applejack said.

" We don't want to disturb the other students." Fluttershy added.

" It looks normal to me." I said.

" Of course it looks normal, darling, but what's contained inside of it is anything but that." Rarity said.

" It has absolutely nothing to do with fashion!" Pinkie Pie said. Everyone else's eyes suddenly turned in her direction, and she smiled with a goofy grin before quickly running behind one of the bookcases.

I was confused with what just happened, but I knew something was wrong. Why scold Pinkie for stating something that was out there? She usually did that to make us laugh. Rarity often carried outfits inside of suitcases like the one she had with her, so it wasn't exactly a big deal for me. A few minutes later, Pinkie came back to the table, where she sat down and darted her eyes back and forth. Was she looking for a sympathetic ear? I didn't think my friends were really here to discuss the magic problem, so I started packing my things into my backpack.

" No! You mustn't leave, darling." Rarity said.

" I might as well, since you're not obviously taking the magic seriously." I said.

" Shoot! We should just come clean, y'all, and tell her." Applejack said. This meeting had been for something other than magic, and it involved that suitcase. No wonder they looked coldly at Pinkie when she made that statement. Did Rarity have a new outfit to show off? I didn't see why they wanted to keep that a secret. When it comes to new outfits, Rarity always keeps them under lock and key until she's ready to reveal them. " Sunset, do you regret wearing that jacket of yours?" Applejack asked before sitting down at the table. She began tapping her hand to indicate I sit down, as well, so I did. I then caught Rarity picking up the suitcase and placing it onto the table with a loud thud.

" What? You mean this old thing? I've been wearing it every day since I first came here." I answered.

" That's not the answer I wanted."

" Oh, right. I suppose wearing it these days brings back painful memories of what I used to do to the five of you and everyone else. This jacket represents the old me, a bully who enjoyed inflicting pain on others for my own personal amusement. I've been thinking for these past few days about maybe changing the way I look. I mean, my personality has changed, so why not go the full distance and wear something new?" I asked.

" Like that jacket in that store window?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" So you knew I was interested in it?" I asked.

" It was pretty obvious; you were ogling it every time we walked by." Applejack answered. I couldn't help but be fascinated by that jacket. It represented everything I wanted to showcase in my new look, but I knew that I could never afford something that expensive. Money wasn't exactly easy for me to procure in this world. Without any proper records, I couldn't get a job if my life depended on it. It was the price I had to pay for choosing to remain in this world and not going back home. Aside from the magic journal and the clothes which appeared on me when I came out of the portal, everything else in my possession were either given to me or found through sheer luck. I felt like a hobo for relying on such demeaning methods instead of doing things for myself.

" The moment I saw it, I knew that I wanted it, but it's impossible." I said.

" Why is that?" Fluttershy asked.

" It's expensive." I answered.

" That store does have some of the highest prices when it comes to clothes, darling, but they make up for the cost with excellent quality. I happen to be a regular there and get discounts for being so devoted to their business." Rarity said.

" $200 is a lot to someone like me." I said.

" Unless you happen to be fancy and rich." Applejack added.

" So, what's in the suitcase?" I asked.

" I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." Rarity answered before pushing it forward until it was right in front of me.

My mind was telling me two things. One, this was some kind of prank designed to make me smile, but I wouldn't be if that were the case. Two, there was an outfit inside that suitcase, and Rarity wanted my opinion on it. I heaved a heavy sigh before opening up the suitcase, and to my surprise, the very jacket I had been looking at these past few days was nestled within. At first I couldn't believe my eyes, but then it dawned on me that Rarity must have purchased it for herself. This was as close to holding it as I'd get.

" You bought it?"

" We paid $25 less than the asking price thanks to my discount, but it was well worth it."

" Wait! Did you say 'we'?"

" All of us pitched in some money to buy it." Applejack answered.

" Why would you do that for Rarity?" I asked.

" I never said anything about that jacket being for me, darling. If you want my opinion, I could never wear anything like that; it clashes with my complexion. However, I know for a fact that it will look absolutely amazing on you." Rarity answered. Did my friends seriously buy this jacket for me? Using their own money? I had no words to describe my emotions, but did they get it in order to ask me to forgive them? No, that would be too petty. Then, what was the reason? " I know you probably think we got you the jacket as a means of apologizing for how we treated you, but you're wrong. We all realized that you mean so much to us, Sunset. We could have lost you forever had we not come to our senses, so we decided to pool our resources together and get you the jacket you desired." Rarity said. I then started crying over her words. I truly underestimated my friends' values. They got this for me out of the kindness of their hearts and because I meant the world to them. Pinkie made sure to pull the suitcase out of the way just in case my tears ended up ruining the fabric.

" This is the nicest thing anyone has ever given me." I cried.

" There was something else underneath the jacket, and Pinkie took it away from you before you could see it. I won't take offence to what she did, as she didn't want your tears ruining your new jacket. I knew it would look fabulous on you, but your current attire clashes with the material. So, I spent... You know, I think it's best if I stop talking and allow you to see what was underneath." Rarity said.

Pinkie pushed the suitcase back to where it was while I wiped away the tears from my eyes. Lifting up the jacket from the bottom of the suitcase, my jaw dropped upon seeing a brand new outfit hiding underneath. I could tell Rarity had made it. I just got that feeling.

It consisted of a light-blue, short-sleeved shirt with a white frill on the bottom to simulate a skirt, pants that were slightly darker than the shirt and tight enough to pass off as tights, and a new pair of shoes that Rarity probably had stashed around in her home somewhere. I doubted she could make shoes; she's never talked about it before. I was, once again, speechless over what I was looking at. My heart felt like it was going to swell to bursting.

" Thank you... I don't deserve to have friends like you." I cried. I then hugged Rarity as hard as I could, before everyone else decided to join in. If there were any doubts about their sincerity, they had finally been put to rest. From this point onward, I now had a new outlook on life, complete with a new outfit that I planned on wearing from then on, starting tomorrow.

There still remained something else which I needed to take care of, though, but it involved asking Principal Celestia permission to go through with it. I had no idea if she was going to agree with my request, but I planned on asking anyway. There was a certain something in her office that needed to be removed permanently from the school, and I'd do whatever was necessary to see it done.

" What happened to your old outfit?" Twilight asked.

" I still have it, as well as my old jacket. They're stored away inside that cardboard box over there next to my bed." I answered, pointing towards a box--the kind used by movers--before Twilight took a good look at it herself. There was a label taped to it which read, "Do not steal the contents under any circumstances! Please refrain from donating this to charity or anything else." She was confused by what it meant, so I explained that I didn't want those old clothes and jacket to go anywhere.

" If you're never going to wear them again, then why bother keeping them?"

" That's actually a difficult question to answer."

" Why?"

" I can answer it for you, but you might not understand the reason."

" Try me!"

" As you know, when I left Equestria to come here for the first time, I left as a unicorn who wore no clothes. When I stumbled out of the other side of the portal, I was suddenly wearing the clothes, boots, and jacket you see in this photo. Even now, after all this time, I don't know where this outfit came from. My only explanation is that they came to be on my body through sheer willpower." I said. It wasn't the best explanation, and Twilight's expression further cemented that fact, but then this was something that didn't happen to just me. Princess Twilight and the Sirens also went through a similar experience of suddenly finding themselves wearing clothes. Whatever the actual reason behind our getting clothes, I didn't want to get rid of my old attire. They could be carrying magical residue, which would be dangerous in the hands of someone unfamiliar with how Equestrian magic works. Or, they could represent some kind of extension of my being.

" That's not a very good answer." Twilight said.

" It's all I can think of. Not even Her Highness knows why it happens, and she has been trying to figure out how the portal truly works. There are still many mysteries about it that continue to plague her, and I know she has spent many a late night conducting tests." I said.

" Maybe I could help?"

" Do you have any experience in understanding magical portals that connect between two different dimensions in the multiverse?"

" Well, no."

" I have no such experience, either. In fact, the only one who probably knew anything about how the portal worked was Star Swirl the Bearded. He did create the portal that connects this world to Equestria, and he did write down this information in one of his many books. Princess Twilight told me a few days ago that she has been visiting the section of the Royal Canterlot Library that houses his works in hopes of finding what he wrote." I said.

" If it's not there?" Twilight asked.

" She may have to go to one of the many sanctums Star Swirl constructed throughout Equestria." I answered. Star Swirl the Bearded may have been the most powerful unicorn wizard Equestria ever knew, yet he always was paranoid when it came to the spells he worked on. According to what I remember from history books, he had close to a dozen different places to focus on his work. Most of them were known to ponies, yet legend says there was one location which was known only to him until recently. This hidden location contains his greatest work in life. Princess Twilight said it was the location for something personal and planned on visiting it again in the future in hopes of finding some answers about the portal.

" Why would anyone have more than one?" Twilight asked.

" Paranoia."

" Oh."

" Princess Twilight can explain it better than I could. After all, even though she's a princess now, she still wishes to be like Star Swirl one day."

" So, how did your conversation with Principal Celestia go?"

Chapter 54: My Past is Not Today

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Melting Snow
Time: 5:28pm

The Anon-A-Miss issue had been sewn up! The Cutie Mark Crusaders were forgiven by their sisters after I had forgiven them and were given an appropriate punishment for all the pain they caused to the student body. Apologizing to everyone wasn't going to be easy for them, but it had to be done as per Principal Celestia's decision. I still felt that six months of detention wasn't enough. It should have been eight! A few weeks had passed, and my friends and I met at our favourite spot to discuss the magic problem. However, they had an ulterior motive that made me question their integrity. I had my eyes on a jacket in the display window of a clothing store, and they knew that I really wanted it; I desired to change my look to reflect my new life. Rarity also made me a new outfit, which brought tears to my eyes. I truly believed everything would be fine from now on, yet one thing still remained that needed taking care of. I had to see Principal Celestia about some pictures.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 14, 2016
Chapter 54: My Past is Not Today.

" I didn't see her straight away, if that's what you're thinking." I answered.

" Really? I assumed you wanted to get it out of the way quickly." Twilight said.

" Principal Celestia had a lot on her mind, so I couldn't talk to her about the portraits until a week after the fact. Dealing with so many angry parents took its toll on her, but something else came up that required her immediate attention. It made no sense to me at the time, but I'm sure you have a pretty good idea what happened." I said. Twilight scratched her head while trying to figure out the meaning behind my words, but I knew that she knew what Principal Celestia was dealing with. Despite having heard the name a couple of times, back then, the "Friendship Games" didn't resonate with me. I thought it was something fun where those involved would end up making fools of themselves, but I never thought it to be a serious competition with high stakes. If I had been informed sooner rather than later, I would have been more enthusiastic.

" I remember now." Twilight announced.

" Principal Celestia had to go to Crystal Prep in order to begin the official countdown to the Friendship Games."

" While everyone else was excited that the games were approaching, I didn't think too highly of it. Even now, after experiencing the games for myself, I still see it as nothing but nonsense designed to entice students into promoting the spirit of friendship--hence the name. Principal Cinch made sure that Principal Celestia was very uncomfortable during her visit as though to make a point. I personally thought it was immature to resort to such a deplorable display, but my former classmates didn't care. They simply looked forward to dominating the games like they always did. Principal Celestia was even forced into standing in front of an assembly of students to start the countdown. Normally, there was no need for a fancy display, but Principal Cinch relished the thought of making a fellow principal feel inferior." Twilight said.

I still don't understand the full scope of the rivalry between CHS and Crystal Prep, but what I did know was interesting--if you were into that sort of thing. The two schools have been rivals for years, yet their differences are like day and night. Both represent the final hurdle students experience in the educational system before college and university, but while CHS was a public school that was lax in how students approached their studies, Crystal Prep was a private school dedicated towards bringing out a student's full potential. In the eyes of Principal Cinch, Crystal Prep always had to be on top no matter what.

Given that Twilight recounted what happened during Principal Celestia's visit, she saw everything that happened during the latter's visit. I often wondered why she never wanted to talk about the experience when she got back to CHS before the day was out. No wonder I couldn't speak to her for several days. It must have been too much for her and she needed some time alone to collect her thoughts. When the countdown started, the games would begin in roughly ninety days, but no one at CHS showed that much excitement over it. Why would they? It was just another reminder that Crystal Prep asserted its dominion throughout Canterlot. To me, both schools were on equal footing--and completely inferior to the likes of Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns--but Cinch could never view it that way.

" So, I had to wait about a week before I could speak to Principal Celestia." I said.

" Was she in a good mood at the time?"

" I could tell she had something worrying her, but I chose not to inquire into it."

" This may sound strange, but do you have any pictures of those three portraits?"

" Didn't I show them to you earlier?"

" If you did, I've forgotten what they look like." Twilight answered, chuckling to herself. I rolled my eyes before chuckling as well. We had gone through so much in the journal tonight, we struggled to remember the smaller details. I had photos of the portraits stashed away on my cellphone, a punishment, if you will, that reminded me of the horrible person I once was, yet I suspected they were in the journal. Turning the page, my suspicion was proven correct. Three photos had been glued to this page, each one depicted me wearing formal attire and a crown on top of my head. What was immediately striking was the expression I had on each one. I looked pleasantly surprised in the first photo, smug in the second, and laughing maniacally in the third. Twilight couldn't believe what her eyes were looking at, and my response was slapping my forehead.

" This is the reason why I wanted to get rid of them." I said.

" Wow... You couldn't have made it any more complicated."

" These were a reminder of the monster I was."

" But you look so happy in that first photo."

" I was only pretending to have been surprised to win the Fall Formal that year, remember? I manipulated events from the shadows by exposing the secrets of my opponents so that they would drop out from embarrassment. Snips and Snails aided me at the time, the promise of power being their reward. No one could stop me, as they never discovered my deception until Princess Twilight thwarted my plans last year." I said. Just seeing my face in each photo made me sick to my stomach. I regret having ruined people's lives all in the name of wanting power. While everyone had since forgiven me for these atrocities, I still felt guilt over it, which constantly held me back from moving on with my life. I had to remove every last trace of my former life. The old Sunset Shimmer couldn't be allowed to exist at CHS in any form.

" Did you at least wear your new outfit?" Twilight asked.

" I wore that the day after receiving it, and I never looked better."

" People gave you looks, right?"

" Most definitely! Some actually thought I was a different Sunset Shimmer, as they were used to my old attire. While Principal Celestia was in favour of my look, the same couldn't be said regarding Vice Principal Luna. She happened to be in the former's office comforting her sister, and I had to listen to them talk for a while until they were ready to address my reasoning for paying them a visit." I answered.

I still couldn't believe what my friends had gone and done for me. They used their own money to buy me a jacket that had been on my mind since I first saw it in a store window, and Rarity went one step further by making me a new outfit to go along with the jacket. I could have spent months scrounging up the money to buy it myself, but they did it out of the goodness in their hearts. Truly, I didn't deserve to have them as friends. However, this also meant finally retiring my current outfit. I had mixed feelings about changing my clothes, but not because of what I told my friends was the reason. Yes, I wanted to have a new look that reflected my new life, but I couldn't simply throw away my old outfit. I never told my friends about how these old clothes just appeared on my body for no reason when I first came through the portal to this world.

As a unicorn in Equestria, I never felt the need to wear clothes. I was pretty fine with strutting about without wearing any accessories, yet coming here gave me clothes that didn't exist beforehand. Were they the result of a hidden desire I chose to keep locked away in my subconscious? Did the mirror provide the clothes to me knowing where I would end up going to? Or, was there a magical explanation? The answers eluded me. There was also a fear that these old clothes contained magical residue. Any non-magical person wearing them could gain powers they were never meant to have. I couldn't allow that to happen under any circumstances. I decided to place my old outfit into a cardboard box next to my bed so that I knew where it was at all times. The janitors would likely think of it as just an ordinary box to be thrown away or donated, so I included a label indicating it was to be left untouched. Even though Principal Celestia told them to leave my living quarters in the library alone, I remained cautious because they saw my arrangement as a hazard.

The next day came, and I came out of the library wearing my new outfit. Already, it felt like my life had begun anew, and people commented on how I looked. Some thought I was a different Sunset Shimmer, as they were used to the old duds. Rarity had truly outdone herself with the materials she used to make this. I didn't mean to brag, but I wanted to show off in order to make the other girls jealous. I couldn't help myself. Humans loved making people feel inferior whenever they showed off something new they acquired, whether it was practical or not. They felt compelled to remind their peers that they were better off than most. I wasn't going to do anything of the sort. Compared to most students, I lived in poverty and struggled to make ends meet. It was a fact of life I couldn't escape from. Had I the proper records on hand, I wouldn't be forced to live in the library. I didn't complain about it, though, as I had a roof over my head, and that's what mattered the most. Still, a part of me dreamed about living in my own residence and having things that weren't just handed to me.

A week had passed since I debuted my new outfit. It was lunch-time, and while my friends gathered at the cafeteria, I told them that I had other plans. I might be wearing a new outfit that symbolized my new life, but there was one remnant of the old one that continued to linger. For a long time now, it had plagued my mind, but I never bothered to do something about it until now. I guessed the new outfit convinced me to get it resolved.

I made my way over to Principal Celestia's office, and upon reaching her door, I saw that three nails lined in a row were stuck in the wall to the left. What had been hanging there was what needed to be taken care of, and that meant asking for permission to appropriately remove them from the school. Three portraits had been hung over the years that represented the winners of the Fall Formal, or, in this case, the one winner, as each portrait was a photo of me. When I was a bully, I loved seeing those photos, because it reminded me of how powerful I had become. No one could stop me from ruling over the school with an iron fist. Just knowing they still exist even now after learning about friendship felt sickening. I could no longer look at those photos without punishing myself for being a complete and utter jerk. After my defeat at the most recent Fall Formal, Principal Celestia moved the portraits into her office. Students used them as target practice out of anger when they learned the truth about me.

Not once did I condemn them for their actions. If anything, I'd have done the exact same thing. I wanted to smash those photos and move on with my life. However, I knew that resorting to anger got me nowhere. I had to be more delicate than that. Despite wanting to get rid of them, the portraits were declared as school property. Without permission, there wasn't much I could do without taking extreme measures. I didn't want to do that, either.

Knocking on Principal Celestia's door, a voice inside told me to enter. When I opened the door and walked inside, I saw Principal Celestia sitting at her desk, and she looked like she had experienced something horrible. Vice Principal Luna was standing next to her and appeared to be comforting her older sister. I originally wanted to see her the day after I got my new outfit, but I was told to come back after a few days. Apparently, Principal Celestia had an important meeting at a different school that day, and when she came back, she needed some time to collect her thoughts. I'd heard about a rival school that existed in the city from a few students, but I never thought too much about it.

" Sunset Shimmer! I must ask that you sit down over there until I am finished speaking with my sister. She will be with you after that." Vice Principal Luna said. She was the only person at CHS who referred to me by my full name. Everyone else had been calling me Sunset since the Battle of the Bands, so why did she felt the need to do that? Even her sister called me Sunset as a term of endearment. " It has been a week since your visit to Crystal Prep Academy, sister, yet what happened there continues to bother you. I suggest you regain your focus! Your students have need of you, including the one who has come here."

" Luna... I don't think going there was a smart idea. You should've gone in my place." Principal Celestia said.

" Nonsense! You're in charge of CHS, so it falls onto your shoulders to represent us when dealing with another principal."

" Even... her?"

" Yes, especially one as difficult as Principal Cinch."

" I went to Crystal Prep to start the official countdown towards the upcoming Friendship Games and was expecting it to be a private matter like it always has been. But, for some reason, Principal Cinch insisted it be presented in front of her students." Principal Celestia said.

" Perhaps she wanted to make us feel weak, considering her school beats us every time."

" Sometimes, I don't understand why she goes out of her way to ensure that Crystal Prep remains on top as the most dominant school in Canterlot. All high schools in the city offer the same experiences and help prepare students for post-secondary education, yet she demands perfection from her students. I am surprised no one who attends there has complained about how Crystal Prep operates." Principal Celestia said.

" That school is also the richest in the city. Many well-to-do families send their children there in hopes of them receiving the best education possible. Principal Cinch makes sure to spare no expense when it comes to producing the finest students around. I'm not saying that CHS can't compete against that, but I believe that we can provide the same kind of education Crystal Prep has." Vice Principal Luna said.

I had overheard their conversation up to that point, and it had me thinking about what kind of place this Crystal Prep was. It sounded like the students who go there were forced to become the best they could be, not allowing anything to get in their way. It sounded an awful like the other school I could've gone to when I first came here, but how coincidental was that? I never went there because its location wasn't beneficial to my plans at the time, so I'm glad I chose CHS instead. The students of this school sounded an awful lot like how I used to behave, thinking only of perfection. I always thought schools were meant to be places where friendships abound, but it seemed that wasn't always the case. There were some exceptions, such as Crystal Prep.

Principal Celestia finally noticed me sitting down and waved her hand to inform me that she was ready to see me. Their talk about this other school had intrigued my curiosity, but was she willing to talk about it? Vice Principal Luna glared at me, and I felt uncomfortable. She obviously didn't appreciate my presence, as she wanted her sister to have some more time to overcome her experience at Crystal Prep. Yet, it was unfair of her to treat me in such a manner.

" Luna! There's no need to give that look to Sunset." Principal Celestia said.

" You still haven't gotten over what happened to you, and I think her presence will serve as a distraction." Vice Principal Luna said.

" I could come back another time." I said.

" No, Sunset. You've been waiting long enough to speak to me, and I apologize for making you listen to our conversation. I could tell from your expressions that you don't know much about our fellow high school Crystal Prep Academy?" Principal Celestia asked.

" Some of my fellow students told me about a rival school, but I ignored them."

" Crystal Prep has been this school's rival for many years, and despite both schools providing excellent education, the principal of Crystal Prep--Abacus Cinch--has always strove to see her school remain an elite institution. While I have no qualms about how she goes about her business, there are times where I get frustrated over how she looks down on our school. I put on a brave face on behalf of CHS, yet Principal Cinch knows just what to do to get under my skin. I went to her school the other week to start the countdown for the upcoming Friendship Games, but my students aren't thrilled about the whole spectacle. Not anymore, at least." Principal Celestia said.

She mentioned that name again: "Friendship Games". Rainbow Dash mentioned it when we hosted the fundraiser before the holiday break, yet no one had explained to me what it actually was. It did sound rather silly with a name like that, but was there a deeper meaning behind it? Also, what did she mean that her students weren't interested? It sounded like these games have grown mundane around here, so why even bother participating if no one was excited? Why waste time doing something you don't like when you could do something else instead? Principal Celestia seemed enthusiastic about the prospect, so perhaps she wanted to keep the spirit of these games going, while the students had practically given up. I'd have asked more questions about this Friendship Games, but I had more important things to take care of.

" Um, I actually came here to discuss something else." I said.

" Oh! Well, I do apologize for wasting your time talking about my own problems."

" I didn't meant to imply--"

" Not at all. Now, why did you come here, Sunset?"

" I'm sure you and Vice Principal Luna are aware of how I've been changing my appearance to reflect my new life? I mean, you must know, as you make sure to be in on just about everything that goes on in this school. Anyway, I came to the conclusion that something from my past continues to linger about, and I aim to rectify that problem. I'm certain the two of you know what I'm getting at." I answered, tilting my head towards three portraits hanging on the back wall of the office. They were the three photos of me that were taken when I won the three Fall Formals before losing the crown at the hands of Princess Twilight. I stared at those photos for just a few seconds before turning my head away in disgust. They represented who I used to be, and I wanted them gone from this school.

" The three pictures of you? What about them?" Vice Principal Luna asked.

" I want to get rid of them."

" What!? Are you serious, Sunset Shimmer? You do realize those are school property, do you not?"

" I'm aware, yes, but I feel as though they remind me of how horrible I used to be towards everyone. Just seeing my expression in each one makes me sick! I want to move on from my past! Those portraits are a remnant of a life I never want to experience again! This will sound highly unusual coming from me, but I want to throw those portraits into a garbage can. Hopefully, they get incinerated." I answered.

Principal Celestia looked at me while rubbing her chin. She was thinking about my proposition, but the same wasn't true with Vice Principal Luna. She stared at me coldly, and I knew she didn't like the thought of me making off with school property. Technically, I had a right to remove them, as they were photos of me. But, would the school rules swing in my favour?

" Sister! You cannot give permission for her to remove school property!" Vice Principal Luna said.

" No need to start shouting! She does have a valid point in wanting them removed. They do portray her in a negative fashion, yet at the same time, they do brighten up my office with their 'unique' charm." Principal Celestia said.

" They were originally outside before you brought them in here." I said.

" School property could have been vandalized by unruly students." Vice Principal Luna said.

" I wouldn't have stopped them."

" And why not?"

" I did some questionable things during my first years here. If anything, you two should've expelled me a long time ago rather than keeping me here. Heck, I should've been arrested after what happened at the Fall Formal. Those portraits of me represent the monster that I was, a child who was too ignorant to realize how much she hurt everyone around her for the sake of power. Princess Twilight gave me a second chance, and I've worked hard since then to prove to everyone that my change was genuine. I know my reasons for wanting those portraits removed sound selfish and petty, but I'll never be able to move on knowing those remain as a reminder of how much I hate myself for the past." I answered. It felt good getting all of that off of my chest. I had a lot of pent up anger within me regarding my past. I made sure to remain calm, though. No need to have another incident like what happened with Trixie during the band competition.

Principal Celestia appeared to be in favour of allowing me to remove those portraits, but Vice Principal Luna still showed hesitancy towards it. Unfortunately, both sisters needed to be in agreement on anything, as they both run the school together. Sometimes, that proved to be problematic. I saw students talking to the two sisters in the hopes of seeing some changes applied, but were turned down because one sister didn't agree with the other. They did agree on a lot of things, yet I thought Vice Principal Luna secretly desired to be in charge of CHS. It was a terrible accusation to consider, but within reason, as she did question Principal Celestia's leadership on rare occasions.

" Very well, Sunset! You may remove them." Principal Celestia announced.

" Really?" I asked.

" Are you sure about this?" Vice Principal Luna asked.

" I have watched over your progress since you first came to this school, Sunset. Despite your attitude, I knew there was potential hidden inside of you. After the Fall Formal, you slowly changed by accepting that what happened was entirely by your hands. There were still some hiccups you needed to overcome, but I'm happy to say that you've become one of the best role models our school has ever seen. In fact, you might be on equal footing with the best student Crystal Prep has. Sister, I know you don't like the idea of Sunset taking school property to remove it from the building, yet I'll make an exception in this case." Principal Celestia answered.

" As you say, sister." Vice Principal Luna said.

" If it's okay with you, I'd like to come back and get them later. I've got class in a few minutes, and I'd rather not let anyone see me carrying those around. If you could hang them back outside your office after school, it'd be better than me coming in here to get them personally." I said. Principal Celestia nodded, and I clapped my hands together with glee before getting up from my seat and leaving her office.

That went better than I expected, although Vice Principal Luna did scold me for wanting to do something that was important to my life. I didn't get along with her all that well, as she was less approachable than her sister. But, I suppose she comes off as the voice of reason, while Principal Celestia wanted everyone to be happy.

One thing I learned from this experience was how they viewed Crystal Prep. They didn't like this Cinch person, as she sounded like she only cared about perfection and wanting her students to be the best. I wondered if it were possible to pay a visit to Crystal Prep in order to see the school with my own eyes. I heard from one perspective, yet there were others that could paint a different opinion of the school.

I was also curious about what Principal Celestia said about a student who attends this school. I could be just as smart as they are. I wasn't sure whether I could accept a compliment like that without knowing who I was being compared to. Perhaps I'd meet them someday--like during these upcoming Friendship Games. That was something else I needed to understand. What were these games, and what purpose did they have for CHS?

" Vice Principal Luna comes off as rather cold, a vast contrast from what I saw of her after you changed me back to normal." Twilight said.

" That's because she never could stand Principal Cinch. The same was true with Principal Celestia, yet she had to refrain from any harsh criticism. Her reputation as a principal would have been tarnished had she resorted to petty insults. While they both run CHS together as a team, they did have some issues of conflict regarding specific policies one favoured while the other didn't. I'd say Vice Principal Luna wishes the school to be more conservative, but she could never actually enforce it unless her sister agreed with the change." I said.

" But, they do watch each other's backs, right?"

" Oh, yes. Despite some differences, they are the only family they have."

" Do they remind you of their pony selves from Equestria?"

" I don't know regarding Princess Luna, as she was on the moon when I was growing up, so I never got the chance to meet her in person. She returned three years after I left, but Princess Twilight often speaks about her whenever she responds to my Friendship Reports." I answered. Almost immediately upon saying that, I covered my mouth, but it was too late. I turned towards Twilight, who was looking at me with that expression I've now come to know and loathe. There was no point in trying to change the subject. I knew what she wanted to know, but I needed to focus on the journal. This had to be a quick explanation. " To make a long story short, Princess Luna grew jealous of Princess Celestia and became a monster who desired eternal night. She was banished for a thousand years when the Elements of Harmony were used against her. Upon returning, she desired to make the night last forever, but was changed back by Princess Twilight and the pony versions of our friends."

" A thousand years!? I find that hard to believe." Twilight said.

" In Equestria, pure-blooded alicorns are able to live for centuries."

" What about Princess Twilight?"

" She was born a unicorn but ascended to an alicorn. Her lifespan hasn't changed, so she'll live as long as a regular unicorn."

" Which is?"

" About a hundred and twenty years, give or take."

" And Principal Celestia?"

" Her pony counterpart is just as motherly as she is, but has a much greater authority, in addition to vast magical powers. Also, Princess Celestia allowed certain events to occur that enabled Princess Twilight to fulfill her destiny and become an alicorn in her own right. Between the two Celestias, the pony version has experienced more hardship than anyone I know, yet she rarely expresses such feelings. She maintains a strong demeanour, even when she wishes to cry because of what happened throughout her reign. Her relationship with Princess Luna is incredibly strong, but they aren't perfect. Even sisters as close as them can argue over petty things." I answered.

I had no intention of telling Twilight about a story Princess Twilight told me about two months ago regarding the royal sisters. They had an argument--their first in a thousand years--and it revolved around a wedding gift. The two most powerful ponies in Equestria, conflicted over a mere wedding present. I didn't know whether or not to believe Her Highness' story, but then, she was told about this story by her version of Spike. Princess Twilight never did see the wedding in person, a mishap involving being locked out being the reason. The old me would have laughed at Princess Celestia's misery, but the real me felt sympathetic towards her. She needed a chance to break free of the shackles that prevent her from truly expressing her feelings, instead of hiding them behind a mask.

" You're thinking about something again, but there's no point in me asking, is there?" Twilight asked.

" It's something personal."

" Fair enough. Anyway, what happened when you came back for those portraits?"

" I wanted to wait until after everyone else had gone home."

" Yes, but that doesn't answer my question."

" I had... I had some issues I needed to deal with on my own. I didn't want anyone around to see what I was about to do."

" Why didn't you ask our friends to help you?"

" This was really personal, and I knew they wouldn't understand."

Throughout the rest of the day, my mind was focused on two things: my studies and those three portraits of me winning the Fall Formal. It was the latter that plagued my mind with images of what my life might have been like had friendship never resonated with me. I couldn't bear living in a world without my friends by my side. They were more than just friends--they were family. We cried together, laughed together, played together, and so on.

Before they entered my life, I had no one to turn to for guidance. In my twisted, black heart, I only cared about myself and no one else. The only thing I considered a "friend" was power, and I realized that brought nothing but sadness. Despite having changed, I was still haunted by the spectre of the demonic monster I transformed into upon wearing Princess Twilight's crown. It was something I never mentioned to my friends. They would have tried to convince me that my mind was just tired from all the studying, but I knew better than that. The she-demon, vile and twisted, was a painful reminder that I once lost my way. Princess Celestia tried to help me, but I was too ignorant to listen.

Ever since I started wearing my new outfit, I kept on seeing my demonic self in my reflection. Was she trying to tell me that no matter what I do to change, I could never be rid of her existence? Was it a fool's gambit? I had to believe that this was something I could overcome, or else I'd be forever tormented by this spectre. No one could help me deal with this problem; they cannot help what they cannot see. Only my eyes could see the she-demon, as she was a reflection of myself.

Once school finished for the day and everyone started streaming out of the building, I made my way to my locker and put my backpack away. I then walked over to the library, making sure to check whether any janitors were going about doing their cleaning. I didn't want any of them to know about my plan for going up to the school's roof. It was an ideal location to think about the images of the demon without anyone noticing. The janitors couldn't be trusted. They were against Principal Celestia's decision to allow me to live in the school library. I didn't want them interrupting my train of thought. Fortunately, the library had an emergency exit which connected to the roof and was conveniently located close to my place of residence.

There were no janitors around, but that didn't mean I was completely on my own. Principal Celestia sometimes stayed late in order to finish some paperwork before going home. I didn't want her to see me on the roof either.

The roof of CHS was barren, aside from the occasional ventilation shaft strewn about. There was also the dome in the middle of the roof which connected to a tower that housed a giant clock. I felt sorry for whoever had to make sure it was always working.

I opened the door that lead to the roof from the library, and my body became enveloped with all kinds of new sensations. I never went up there before then, so I felt nervous about standing in an area students weren't allowed to be. The cool breeze of the afternoon felt nice on my skin, though. Sitting down near the edge of the building, the expanse that was Canterlot greeted my vision. I never knew just how big this city was, but then, I didn't travel beyond the neighbourhood CHS was located in. As I stared longingly at my surroundings, the time just seemed to fly by, and soon, the sun started to set. The beauty around me was magnificent, but my mind had been preoccupied with the images of the she-demon I was seeing everywhere. It made me think about my former priorities in life, stupid as they were.

Why did I forsake friends for the pursuit of power? Could my childhood have been different if I had better role models? As I continued to think, my thoughts became a song, one I had created to express disdain towards myself.

" Power...

Was all I desired,

But all that grew inside me

Was the darkness I acquired." I sang to myself.

The lyrics were a retelling of my troubled past without any kindness or sympathy. They also told of when friendship entered my life and how it was the greatest experience I ever felt. I had no desire to treat this song as an act of desperation or a cry for help to anyone who happened to overhear me singing. I wanted to confront my inner demons, even if it meant condemning myself through self-inflicted torment. I wanted to break free. The past needed to become exactly that!

" When I began to fall,

And I lost the path ahead,

That's when your friendship found me,

And it lifted me instead."

Standing up, I walked over to the dome, and I immediately saw the she-demon. She began taunting me before reaching out with both hands in an attempt to hug me or pull me into the mirrored surface of her reflection. I backed away at first, knowing full well that I wasn't going to let her dictate my life. The demon then started laughing, mocking everything I stood for. My mind told me to run and never look back, but that meant giving into my despair. I wasn't going to allow this monster--me--to hover over my life anymore! I've paid my debt to society more times than I could count. It was time for me to take control and never look back again.

The past was history! My future begins now! Walking back over to the she-demon, she taunted me again before sticking out her tongue. This time, I stood my ground and stared at my twisted reflection, a stern look spread across my face. " I'm not going to let you haunt every facet of my life. You're nothing more than a shade that serves to punish me for my misdeeds. I will stop kicking myself for what I did, and focus on the future that now lies ahead. You represent the old Sunset Shimmer, a monster who sought power above all else. This world doesn't need the likes of you tormenting it for guilty pleasures. I'm taking a stand and declaring my freedom! The new me, the new Sunset Shimmer, shall be a shining beacon of hope for those who need it. I'll be their guiding light!" I said to myself.

Using my hand, which suddenly began glowing, I wiped it across the glass, and the she-demon faded away into nothing. Was this a new kind of magic? One that I never knew existed until now? Either way, I felt good knowing that monster would no longer haunt me. I knew it had been destroyed. Freedom... It felt wonderful. Yet, I felt sad knowing it wasn't the she-demon's fault for being a monster. She was just a reflection of myself. With those thoughts in mind, I resumed singing to myself.

" Ambition...

Is what I believed

Would be the only way

To set me free."

I felt the time was right to take care of those portraits, and I hoped Principal Celestia had placed them back outside of her office. I didn't have a key to her office, so if they were still in there, I'd be waiting until tomorrow morning before gaining access to them. Walking back through the emergency exit and across the library, the janitors had since begun their daily rounds of cleaning the school in preparation for the next day. If they saw me skulking about, there was going to be trouble. As I carefully weaved my way towards the library entrance, I began to think about my old ambition. I believed power was what I needed to secure my dreams. I thought doing things properly was a waste of time and deprived me of the chance to further my abilities. I should have been more patient.

Once I was out of the library and into the main hallway, I headed for Principal Celestia's office. Sure enough, the three portraits were hanging on the wall, just as I asked. I stared at each one, lowering my head each time out of shame. My hatred of these images grew with every passing moment, but I knew that anger only caused further pain. Grabbing the earliest portrait and taking it off the wall, I placed my hand on it before reaching for the next one. Grabbing it, I walked over to the final portrait, and looked away in disgust for a brief moment. This one was the worst of all. My expression was monstrous, and it made my entire body shiver. Refusing to look at it any longer, I removed it from the wall and slammed all three into the nearest garbage can.

I then thought about the students I hurt when I was a bully. After my defeat, they ignored me even though I wanted to be friends. My desire for power left me with nothing but the clothes on my back. It was a thought that pained me for many weeks. Then the incident with Anon-A-Miss brought their old misery back to the surface, and I was left alone once again.

I imagined a scenario after the Fall Formal. I was walking along, and everyone turned their backs to me out of hatred. Two students even whispered something about me that I couldn't hear. It made me want to curl up and never look at anyone again.

Then I imagined being surrounded by my friends, and I continued singing.

" But when it disappeared,

And I found myself alone,

That's when you came and got me,

And it felt like I was home."

Friends were a nice thing to have and I won't take them for granted. With their images in my mind, I walked away from Principal Celestia's office, back to the library, through the emergency exit, and onto the roof. My entire body glowed this time, and something within compelled me to take off my new jacket and toss it behind me. I had no intention of seeing it get dirty--Rarity would kill me for doing that--so I caught it while it was falling, placing it on the ground folded up.

This magical sensation continued to grow stronger, and I was worried. I didn't want to become a monster again, so I considered relinquishing it in case it corrupted me. A second thought then occurred to me. Perhaps it was a magic that represented what Princess Twilight possessed, but not to the same extent. I was practically her replacement in this world, but I was more than that. I was my own person, who could do her best to ensure this world remained safe from wild magic coming from Equestria. This magic... It reminded me of a mythical creature seldom seen in Equestria: the phoenix. Was I experiencing a manifestation of this majestic bird through my body?

" Like a phoenix burning bright

In the sky,

I'll show there's another side to me

You can't deny!

I may not know what the future holds,

But hear me when I say,

That my past does not define me,

'Cause my past is not today!!!!"

Upon singing those final words, my body lifted itself into the air with this sudden burst of magic. I thought it was normal given that in Equestria, the power of levitation was common practice among unicorns. However, I wasn't expecting my body to be consumed with fire, resulting in fiery wings appearing on my back. Was it a sign that one day I would ascend to an alicorn? I wasn't sure; this new magic was foreign to me. I must test it further by analyzing its properties under proper conditions. This world lacked the means to understand magic, a fact I needed to deal with all too often.

Perhaps a combination of my own magical knowledge and the technology this world offered could provide an answer. I also needed my friends to provide additional magical information to further support this sudden change. The school's budget wouldn't allow something beyond simple means to be considered. While everyone was aware that CHS now had magic in its midst, they still had trouble believing in its existence. I must build my own invention that can understand magic, or as close to one as possible.

" I have no words to describe how beautiful that was." Twilight said.

" My song was the final key I needed to free myself from the shackles of my past." I said.

" Did you actually build something that could monitor magic?"

" Yes, but it took a lot longer to build than I thought." I answered. The school couldn't afford the expensive components I needed, so I had to make do with what I could salvage from various pieces of technology. Perhaps my results would've been more accurate had I not used inferior parts. I'm still amazed over how easy it was for me to build a machine that could analyze magical energy signatures.

" I could possibly view you as a rival."

" Really?"

" I've built my share of inventions over the years. While I may not have won any awards, I'm proud that I'm able to use what I've learned to create something that had the potential to benefit mankind. Granted, that magic stealing device wasn't my best invention. That thing almost caused two worlds to be destroyed." Twilight answered. I knew she didn't intend on stealing our magic at the time, but she should've realized that dealing with something beyond your limitations always leads into disaster. Curiosity can cause one to experience a lot of pain if they don't stop themselves from going too far. Twilight realizes that now, what with her transformation and all, but I admired her desire to keep on going despite knowing what dangers lie ahead. She wouldn't let anything stop her from achieving her goal, and I was the exact, same way. Despite my own invention not living up to the expectations I had for it, I was determined to figure out the magic problem. " Sunset... Do you still have that device of yours?" Twilight asked.

" Not anymore."

" What happened?"

" It overloaded when it tried to analyze Rainbow Dash's magic."

" That's too bad."

" It was a valiant effort but one ultimately designed to fail. Technology cannot fathom the properties of magic. The two just don't go hand-in-hand. I knew that, but I still decided to go through with it. I'm glad our friends were willing to be experimented on." I said.

" You did what!?"

" I experimented on them."

Chapter 55: Magical Science

Day: Monday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 12:08pm

It didn't take much to convince Principal Celestia to allow me to remove those three pictures. I had a feeling she wanted me to throw them away, as they represented the old me, but why hold onto them for such a long time? Why not throw them out after the Battle of the Bands? While waiting in her office, I did overhear her talking with Vice Principal Luna about the upcoming Friendship Games. I had heard that name several times but I didn't understand what it meant. I also heard that Principal Celestia didn't get a warm reception when she paid a visit to Crystal Prep, the rival school of CHS. Who was Principal Cinch? Who was this student that was my equal? I didn't want to be bogged down with such concerns, so I focused instead on the magic problem. I spent a few months building a machine that could analyze magical energies. Equestrian magic didn't last long enough for me to get concrete results, so I needed my friends to provide me with what I needed.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 17, 2016
Chapter 55: Magical Science.

Twilight stared straight at me, eyes unblinking, over what I had just said. She assumed that experimenting on our friends meant exposing them to dangerous concoctions like I was a mad scientist. I'll admit that I wasn't honest with them when they came to the music room. They thought we were all going to practice, but in truth I needed them to play in order to figure out why their instruments played such an integral part to their magic. Their initial pony-up was the result of Princess Twilight invoking the Elements of Harmony they represented in order to defeat me, but then after that, it was music which triggered the transformation. My efforts in trying to figure out how magic worked in this world had been disappointing, so a different approach was required.

" Why would you subject our friends to such torture?" Twilight asked.

" You're overreacting, Twilight. You know that I built a machine designed to analyze magic." I answered.

" But, you made it sound like they were guinea pigs."

" Yeah, I guess my words were poorly chosen. Our friends were willing to help me figure out how the magic functioned, but they needed to have the proper motivation. I figured them playing their instruments would be enough to give me the data I needed, so I told them that we were going to practice one of Rainbow Dash's newest songs. They had no idea they were going to become involved in an experiment." I said.

" Were they surprised with the equipment?"

" Definitely! Initially, they thought Principal Celestia had borrowed the equipment from a lab somewhere in Canterlot and had to shell out a lot of money from the school's budget to pay for it. When I told them that I built it myself, they were left speechless. I do wish that I could've used better parts, but I made do with what I had on hand. The only one who was hesitant to partake in the experiment was Fluttershy, so I decided to go with her first. My approach also brought up a key difference between myself and Princess Twilight. I prefer to go out into the field instead of sitting somewhere with a book in my face." I answered.

" I remember you mentioning that earlier." Twilight said.

" If only my invention didn't blow up at the very end. I could've done so much more with it."

" It's like you said, Sunset. Technology and magic don't go hand-in-hand."

" A lesson I learned the hard way."

" What do you mean?"

" Rainbow Dash's magic caused the destruction of my device, but she wasn't the only one to have magical surges. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what I had to go through in my vain attempt to figure it out." I answered. You'd think I would've figured out that my methods were incorrect after the third surge, but I continued on anyway, thinking something right would happen. If it wasn't for the fact that I possessed magic as well, I could have been seriously hurt when everything kept on blowing up in my face. The misery of enjoying the pursuit of knowledge; there was an incredible amount of pain involved.

Turning to the next page of the journal, there was another photo glued there, but Twilight's eyes were interested in the mathematical equation written below it. If I recalled correctly, it was something I learned during my studies as Princess Celestia's student. She never did go into much detail about its significance--she actually wanted me to find out on my own--so I thought it could be used to figure out how the magic of this world worked. I learned from Princess Twilight that the equation revolved around advanced physics that allowed a unicorn to conserve their magic when using it for anything. It was something only high-level unicorns would know about, yet I never got that far. I thought I could go about finding my own way, and look how that turned out.

" What kind of equation is that?" Twilight asked, scratching her head in confusion. " I've seen my share of equations in textbooks over the years, but this one feels like it isn't of this world."

" That's because it isn't."

" It's Equestrian?"

" I thought it could help me figure out the magic problem, but it was a formula that made unicorns more proficient with their magic. The only reason I wrote it down in the journal was to remind me that I made a serious blunder." I answered.

" Sunset..."

" Take a close look at the photo." I said. Twilight shifted her head forward slightly to see what the photo depicted. She turned to look at me before looking back at the photo, and she quickly covered her mouth to hide her impending laughter. The photo was of me having collided with the back wall of the music room. My hair was frazzled resulting from being bombarded with static electricity courtesy of Pinkie Pie. There were several dozen balloons floating about coupled with several electrical sparks the camera had managed to include in the photo. Twilight couldn't hold back her laughter anymore and removed her hands from her mouth. Her laughter caused her to fall over onto her back, yet I just frowned, the photo a painful reminder that my methods failed miserably. " Rainbow Dash took that photo the instant I slammed into the wall. I'll never get the image of her laughing out of my head. This wasn't even the worst pain inflicted on me." I said.

" There was more?" Twilight asked, her laughter quickly coming to a stop when I said that.

" All our friends had magical surges, remember?"

" Oh... I'm so sorry for laughing."

" It's funny to laugh at when looking back on it, but I wasn't having a good time when those setbacks occurred."

" Couldn't you have asked for some help?"

" Aside from our friends and myself, no one else at CHS would've been able to do anything. While everyone acknowledged that magic now existed around them, they had no idea how it really worked. I was the only resident magical expert, so coming up with an answer fell onto me." I answered.

" Such a terrible burden."

" One I'd be reminded of constantly."

" What about Princess Twilight? Couldn't she have come through the portal?"

" Yes, but you have to remember that she has obligations as a princess in Equestria. She can't just say that she's coming to this world and leave her subjects behind. Her duties must come before pleasure, and I accepted this truth despite secretly wishing otherwise." I answered. Her Highness had more magical knowledge thanks to my living here in this world for too long. I still retained some knowledge, but it was nothing compared to what she knew. Of course, it helped that Princess Twilight's cutie mark represented magic, and her Element of Harmony was magic.

" So, what did you do?" Twilight asked.

" I conducted the experiments on my own."

I couldn't stop thinking about what happened when I sang on top of the school's roof. Had I seriously sprouted fiery wings like a phoenix? At first, I thought it was a trick. I knew my magic was powerful, but I wasn't expecting something like that. Was my magic starting to change? Equestrian magic had the possibility to change its form into something else, but it depended on a magic user to make that happen. Wild magic could change on its own without any pony interfering, yet that was seldom seen. Ponies could make magic do whatever they wanted, and the gifted ones often performed miracles that had never been done before. If my magic was undergoing a transformation, did that apply to my friends, as well? Compared to me, their magic was more limited in scope. They could control it like a unicorn or alicorn, yet they lacked experience.

I had to conduct tests to determine what this new magic was capable of. Unfortunately, it wasn't easy, considering I lived in a world where Equestrian magic was virtually unheard of aside from those who attended CHS. If I was in Equestria, I could've had access to the finest resources imaginable, but instead, I had to rely on my own knowledge. The magic that appeared during the Fall Formal had since dissipated--same with the magic that appeared during the Battle of the Bands--so solving the magic problem required me to adjust my calculations to compensate.

It occurred to me that technology was akin to the magic of Equestria. Throughout my time living in this world, humans had advanced their technological skills in ways that went beyond the limits of one's imagination. Unicorns and alicorns constantly improved on their magic to make it transcend into something that could benefit themselves and, to an extent, Equestria as a whole. Since I lacked access to magic scrolls and textbooks from my world, I used what was available in this one.

To uncover these secrets, I had to build my own device that could analyze magical properties. The school's budget, sadly, couldn't accommodate for my needs, so I had to scrounge up various parts and hope they all fit together to form something. It took a few months before my invention was finally finished, and I was eager to begin testing by using myself as the subject. However, I soon discovered a flaw with my ambition.

Because I was originally from Equestria, magic was natural to me. Numerous tests determined there was nothing strange at all about what I possessed. Only on a few occasions did the results display abnormality, but I concluded my own results couldn't be trusted. The magical residue I had researched also proved inconclusive. Had it been examined straight away instead of several weeks after the fact, it would have been more potent. It left me feeling frustrated knowing that my hard work building this device was in vain. One option involved asking Princess Twilight for help. Her knowledge of magic vastly dwarfed my own, so she could figure out what constantly evaded me. Yet, her role as a princess prevented her from coming to this world. Unless I somehow go back to Equestria to seek her guidance in person, I was on my own.

Her Highness controlled the portal between the two worlds, so only she could open and close it. Also, I was afraid of going back home in case I was to be arrested for stealing one of the Elements of Harmony. Princess Twilight could easily vouch for me based on my actions lately in this world, but the fear still consumed me. One day, I'll walk on Equestrian soil with my own four hooves, but not today.

There was one option left that could provide accurate results: my friends. Their magic was still fresh despite everything that had happened to them. It was also attuned to the makeup of this world as opposed to Equestria. I needed to conduct experiments on them to figure out how the magic works. They agreed to aid me with the problem whenever I needed their assistance, but I couldn't let on that they were to be treated as less than human. It sickened me to reduce them to mere lab animals in the name of research, yet what other choice did I have? My own results couldn't be trusted, nor could the magical residue that remained. I needed results from my friends. I had one idea that I hoped would convince them to participate, and I hoped they were good sports about it.

During one of our regular meet-ups in the library a week later, I suggested that we get together in the music room to practice. We had been getting rather lax with our instruments and needed a refresher so as to not get rusty. Rainbow Dash wanted us to get the practice done straight away, but I convinced her to wait until the following week. I also convinced her that we should practice in a different room. I needed a room that had a built-in studio, which I could use to study my friends magic. I also needed time to move my device in there; it was large and required several people to push it around. Luckily, the tech students assisted me in that endeavour.

The following week, my friends entered the music room I wanted us to "practice" in and were surprised at what they saw.

" I was wondering when you'd get here." I said, my back turned away from my friends.

" Err, I thought we were going to be practicing?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Well, you are, sort of."

" Darling, what's with all of this equipment?" Rarity asked.

" This little beauty right here was put together by yours truly. It took a lot longer than expected due to the school's budget not being able to allocate enough money. So, I used spare parts here and there instead." I answered. My device looked like something you'd find in a mad scientist's lab in one of those cheap monster movies. It had various dials and buttons strewn about it. Loose wires connected different energy outputs together, and the top of my device featured two nodes, an electrical current flowing back and forth between them. The remaining pieces of equipment were borrowed from the science lab. I was also wearing a lab coat that further gave off the impression that my friends had stumbled into a mad scientist's lab.

" Um, what's it even do?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It can analyze magical energy, although I'll admit that it hasn't been as effective as I'd hoped." I answered.

" Why is that?" Fluttershy asked.

" The magic problem has been on my mind for the last few months. I came to the conclusion that the magical residue left over from the previous magical problems that plagued our school no longer can be trusted. I also learned that my own magic suddenly changed, so I decided to experiment on myself to determine if it would be enough. Like the residue, my own magic is inconclusive." I answered.

" Hold on a second! When did your magic change?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Remember those three pictures that were hung up in Principal Celestia's office? You know, the ones of me winning the Fall Formal three years running? I needed to remove them, as they represented my past life. I also had hallucinations of my demonic form plaguing me. I never told any of you about it out of fear that you might think I'd gone crazy from all the work I've been doing lately. I overcame my insecurities over what I did, and it resulted in my body suddenly developing phoenix-like wings. That had never happened to me before, so it prompted me to take my research to another level." I answered. My friends stared at me for a few moments. I was afraid that they'd lash out at me for not trusting their judgement of my character was evident. I also feared they wouldn't take all of this seriously. Finally, they could display anger over being deceived into thinking they were coming here to practice. I was afraid, so I closed my eyes and waited for their response.

" It would've been nice if y'all let us in and let us help you, Sunset. But, I reckon you needed to handle it on your own." Applejack said.

" And what about this magical change?" Rarity asked.

" I have no idea why it happened." I answered.

" Couldn't you travel to Equestria and ask Princess Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

" I think you know the answer to that." I answered. It took Fluttershy a few moments to remember the reason why I couldn't go back home. She then blushed out of embarrassment before backing away slowly. As long as the fear of being arrested remained in my mind, going back was tantamount to suicide.

" Okay, so why are we here?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Are we going to be practicing after all?" Pinkie Pie added.

" What makes you think that?" Rarity asked.

" Sunset did say that we needed to bring our instruments along. But, how come she doesn't have her guitar with her? We can't really practice as a group without our third guitarist. Also, what's with the funky equipment? If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were trying to pass yourself off as a mad scientist and you lured us here with the intent of using us in your crazy experiments." Pinkie Pie answered. How in the world did she keep on doing that? She had just explained my intentions, albeit in the wrong context, without giving me the chance to explain myself. I looked in her direction, scorn clearly across my face, and she grinned with her usual, goofy expression.

" Reckon you should explain yourself here." Applejack said.

" Back when I was Princess Celestia's student, I learned best by going out into the field and actually doing something. Studying ancient books is fine for some people, but I like to solve magical mysteries by rolling up my sleeves and getting my hooves--uh, hands dirty." I said while putting on a blue, rubber glove, not wanting my hands to contaminate any of the results.

" I remember you sayin' something about that."

" Princess Twilight prefers to read books and gain information like that."

" Nothin' wrong with that."

" It also helped that she once lived in a library and spends much of her free time in the library of her castle."

" Then again..."

" So yeah, I prefer to see things up close rather than read about them."

" I can relate to workin' hard outdoors, but what does that have to do with us bein' here with our instruments?"

" I've concluded that I need to rely on the five of you to provide me with information on how the magic works here. Your magic is akin to what's been swirling about CHS for the last few months, but your magic doesn't fade away. It remains completely intact! My magic is different from yours because I'm from Equestria. Equestrian magic has affected you differently, while to me, it's pretty much just a normal occurrence. I'm also curious why you all gain ears, tails, and wings whenever you pony up. I suspect your instruments are connected in some way, so that's why I've set all this up." I answered.

I walked over to a giant plug that was lying on the ground. I was surprised my friends didn't comment on how anything that big was even possible. The plug was an essential component that gave my device the necessary power it needed to operate. It lacked the capability to be self-powering, so I had to tap into the school's power grid. Picking up both pieces of the plug in my hands, I connected them together before dropping them.

" I guess Princess Twilight was unavailable?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Princess duties." I answered.

" That figures."

" So, would it be okay if you allow me to experiment on you?" I asked.

" Do we have to?" Fluttershy asked.

" I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't like."

" Um, well, okay."

" You'll do it?"

" I wish that we, um, didn't have to do it right away, but it does mean an awful lot to you, Sunset. Plus, we did promise that we would help you from now on, and we'd be terrible friends if we started breaking promises." Fluttershy answered.

" Since you still appear to be hesitant about doing this, Fluttershy, I'll start with you so that you don't have to worry over what's going to happen. You will need to wear this helmet so that my device can record any data. It'll be fun! Just start playing. You won't even know I'm here!" I said. The "helmet" was actually a colander. Inserted through its holes were numerous poles connected to wires that reached up to the ceiling, connecting back to my device. There was a strap on the bottom to hold it in place while being worn by the test subject, in this case, Fluttershy. Once I had secured it onto her head, I walked over to a viewing monitor next to my device and waited until she was comfortable enough to start playing.

The rest of my friends looked on in bewilderment over what they had gotten themselves into. Since time wasn't on my side, I needed to conduct these tests within the span of about fifteen minutes. It meant my results could be compromised due to time, but I didn't want to drag this out any longer than necessary. What Fluttershy had been hooked up to wasn't the only thing I had on hand. The other devices I borrowed would conduct tests under different conditions. I had to cover all possibilities when it came to magic. Nothing could be overlooked, otherwise the whole experiment would be wasted.

I turned back towards Fluttershy, who still appeared nervous, so I smiled at her to make her feel comfortable. She responded by giving me a thumbs up, so I turned on the monitor and looked at the screen to see what kind of reading would appear. The easy part was now out of the way. I had gotten my friends to go along with these experiments, but now came the difficult part of getting the exact information I needed.

" I'm intrigued about the lab equipment." Twilight said.

" How so?" I asked.

" Granted, it's probably nowhere near as good as what I used back at Crystal Prep, but I'm sure to appreciate what CHS has to offer. I must ask Principal Celestia if she would allow me to have access to my own private lab. I may have accepted friendship much like you have, Sunset, but I still must pursue knowledge in order to understand it. Then again, I could always ask Dean Cadance if she could send over the equipment that belonged to me. Principal Cinch provided most of what I used, but I purchased some things every now and then, as she deemed them impractical." Twilight answered.

Even though she now attends CHS, Twilight still displayed affection towards her former school Crystal Prep. While I've never been there in person, she told me enough for me to determine that it wasn't the kind of school I'd attend. Compared to CHS, Crystal Prep had more resources available designed to bring out the best qualities students had. That was because Principal Cinch believed in perfection. She never tolerated disobedience nor failure to prove her school was superior. Cinch relied on her reputation to manipulate events behind the scenes to garner all kinds of support for her school. Twilight, according to her, was the best student Crystal Prep had ever seen. She was their shining beacon, though she was treated like dirt by everyone else. The school would eventually find another student to replace Twilight as the best, but I think the place needed some remodeling from a moral standpoint given what happened during the Friendship Games.

Everyone at Crystal Prep had their eyes opened to the truth about Principal Cinch. I doubt she was going to leave her position of power, but the school would change, hopefully for the better. She could no longer treat those around her without being harshly judged. If Cinch had any moral compass within her heart, it would tell her that she needed to embrace her students' capabilities through understanding, not through fear and intimidation. One had to wonder what her life was like before becoming the principal of Crystal Prep, but that's something I was never interested in.

It then dawned on me that Twilight said she had her own equipment in addition to what was provided to her. Her family must be pretty wealthy to enable her to buy such fancy equipment. Why would she need a private lab to conduct any research? Did she seriously have her own lab at Crystal Prep!? Twilight never told me about that before, but then, I never bothered to ask. What about that device she had that stole our magic? She designed it, according to what she said earlier, yet how could she have knowledge of magical energies? She didn't get exposed to magic until after transforming into a demon.

" That device you built... What was it really designed for?" I asked.

" I built it to track EM frequencies, but it could also contain anomalies. Since magic was an anomaly, my device could track it down and contain it so that it couldn't be used again until being released by opening it up. I'll admit that it did suffer some problems when I accidentally absorbed your magic. I still don't understand why my device caused those rifts in the space-time continuum to appear." Twilight answered.

" You didn't just absorb my magic."

" What else did I take?"

" The portal."

" I see."

" The portal between this world and Equestria is stable, but when your device absorbed its magic, it became unstable and only got worse as more magic was applied. You initially created small openings that connected to random locations in Equestria, yet they got bigger until your transformation. Then you opened portals all over the place in an effort to bring down both worlds in the name of knowledge." I said.

" Not a day goes by that I don't regret my mistake." Twilight said.

" I didn't mean to reopen old wounds."

" You've been doing that all night with your journal."

" I know."

" Back to the matter at hand. Fluttershy felt very nervous about being used as a test subject, but surely, she was able to pull through in the end, right? I know you'd never hurt any of our friends." Twilight said.

" She provided me with some data, but I wasn't exactly expecting the kind of results I got, and neither did anyone else." I said.

The machine came to life, and on the screen, a purple line was displayed that represented Fluttershy's magical energy. It was flat because, despite giving me the thumbs up, she was still nervous about playing her tambourine in such an unusual situation. All she had to do was hit her instrument a few times to get into the groove. From there, she would be able to hit it at a consistent rate, altering the purple line accordingly.

The rest of my friends continued looking on at what was happening, and I knew a couple of them were snickering. I believed they were mocking my ambition. I waited a few more minutes for Fluttershy to start playing, yet she still hesitated. I took matters into my own hands, walking over to her and giving her some words of encouragement to get her in the mood. I also told her that she only needed to perform for about fifteen seconds.

That proved to be the clincher. Fluttershy nervously raised her hand and hit her tambourine as I walked back to the monitor. She then hit a second time, followed by a third, until she started hitting it repeatedly. It took some doing but I finally managed to get the purple line to start fluctuating. Things were going well at first, as to be expected, but I soon learned that analyzing magic through the use of technology proved hazardous.

As I wrote down what was showing up on the screen, the purple line started warping, until it changed into the image of a butterfly and spread outward in an admittedly adorable pattern. Was something wrong with the equipment? I checked to make sure everything was okay, as this stuff was very delicate, yet I quickly realized it wasn't the equipment. No, it was Fluttershy.

I turned around to catch her ponying up, but before I could do anything, the helmet suddenly popped off of her head. Butterflies appeared from underneath it and began flying about while glowing radiantly. The light was so bright that it forced me to turn away. Eventually, the lights in the room overloaded from too many butterflies and burned out, leaving everything in complete darkness. One butterfly then hovered about my face until it landed on my nose. This hadn't been what I expected from Fluttershy. I expected a simple magical surge that the monitor could detect and send over to my device for analysis. In any case, I had to hold off on performing any additional tests until something was done about the lights. I could have used those butterflies as an energy source, but I doubted Fluttershy would approve of it.

About twenty minutes later, after the power to the room was restored, I decided to experiment on Applejack next. The problem I had with Fluttershy was that I relied too much on technology to provide me with accurate information. This time, I wanted to study a subject up close and write down any reactions that occurred. Sometimes, the simplest approach was the best one.

" So what do y'all want me to do?" Applejack asked.

" Just play your bass, and I'll write down what happens." I answered.

" That's it?"

" Pretty much."

" I reckon you were gonna use one of them fancy gizmos to analyze my magic."

" After what just happened with Fluttershy? I think a simple approach should prove enlightening."

" If you say so."

" Play for about twenty seconds, AJ. That should be enough to give me some solid information." I said. Applejack shrugged her shoulders over my decision to go with a simple approach, but she wasn't in a position to argue with me about it. She then started to play her bass, strumming the strings in the center. A few moments later, she ponied up and continued playing, while I wrote down everything that happened. So far, things were working out better than with Fluttershy, yet something didn't seem quite right. By the time Applejack finished playing and changed back to normal, nothing out of the ordinary occurred.

" Nothin' happened." Applejack said.

" That's strange. I was expecting something, but maybe it's a delayed reaction?"

" How can you be sure?"

" I can't. The magic in this world has proven unpredictable already. It could take several seconds, several minutes, or even several hours before something happens. At least I managed to write down everything that happened when you ponied up. Guess this can be chalked up as a partial success." I answered.

" Um, you might want to look up." Applejack said.

" Why should I?"

" I reckon that delayed reaction is about to kick in."

" That's utterly--" I said, looking up at the ceiling before cutting myself off. Hovering above my head were roughly two hundred apples glowing in an ethereal light. The magic from Applejack's playing caused them to appear, and I should've figured it was apple-related, given her family lifestyle. Before I could do anything, the hoard of apples fell on top of me, burying me under their sweet, magical goodness. Several even managed to hit me on my head, which hurt a bit. The lesson here was to always wear a helmet. The last one that fell down bounced off the pile and into Applejack's hand, where she proceeded to eat it just as I managed to get my head out from under the apples. Why did she just walk away and leave me to get out? I wasn't in any danger or anything, but it would have been nice if she offered her assistance.

Rarity was the next person to experiment on, and I decided to go back to using equipment. I had no intention of taking the simple approach with her--I also didn't want to be flattened by anything falling from the ceiling. I placed a number of suction cups all over her body that were connected with wires which, in turn, were connected to my device. I could tell that she didn't appreciate having such things on her body, but I told her that it was necessary for research purposes.

" I find this most invasive, darling!" Rarity said.

" Just remember that you're only doing this for a short period of time." I said.

" Isn't there an easier way?"

" I tried that method and ended up getting buried under a ton of apples."

" Yes. It wasn't the most comforting experience for you, now was it?"

" I still smell like apples!"

" Could be worse."

" Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, all you need to do here is play your keytar for about fifteen seconds, and I'll write down any magical changes that occur. Hopefully, nothing magical comes out at me. So far, I've had butterflies knocking the power out, and apples that knocked me out." I said.

" Hmph! If I were in your shoes, darling, I'd appreciate seeing magical diamonds coming forth from my magic. Wouldn't that just be simply divine? Ooh! I hope that it does happen. It could give me some fantastic accessories to use for future fashion designs. Or, I could just use them." Rarity said. I rolled my eyes to the back of my head. Only Rarity would consider something like that when it came to magic. While she wanted to see magical diamonds form, I had no desire to see that happen. This equipment wouldn't appreciate being bombarded suddenly by falling diamonds.

With my pen ready to jot down information, Rarity began playing her keytar. Her instrument looked unusual. It was in the shape of a guitar but featured the keys one would find on a piano. I remember when she originally thought to use an actual piano for the Musical Showcase. The rest of us couldn't believe she was willing to drag such a heavy instrument around simply because it looked fancy compared with what the others were using. Ever since she first started playing it, Rarity immediately grew attached. It was like she was destined to play it.

As I wrote on my clipboard, Rarity played several keys, ponying up in the process. However, I was so distracted with writing, I didn't pay any attention to what was happening to her. The more keys she struck, the more her magic reacted, until she began floating upwards towards the ceiling.

I learned a valuable lesson during this experience: Never stand on top of wires, especially when they suddenly start to float. One wire had inconveniently wrapped itself around my ankle, and when Rarity reached the ceiling, the wire tripped me up. I landed hard on my back, while my clipboard and pen were thrown across the room.

" Ouch!"

" Oh, my! Are you alright, darling?" Rarity asked.

" I've had better days!"

" Maybe we should stop all of these tests before someone--namely, you--gets hurt."

" No. I can keep on going until everyone has been properly tested."

" You simply mustn't overexert yourself. You know what can happen to someone when they try to do too much all at once."

" I'll be fine, Rarity. You should stop playing, otherwise you'll be stuck up there." I suggested. That was the third magical mishap in a row resulting in something unfortunate happening to me. Was it a sign that I ought to quit while I was ahead? Perhaps, but I wasn't about to admit defeat. I still had two more friends who needed to give me results. Wires had proven themselves dangerous to be around, so the next test needed to not involve any. Looking around at the surrounding equipment, the only device that proved effective was my own. The wires it had weren't connected to anything but itself, aside from the giant plug.

Up next was Pinkie Pie, and I was concerned. It had nothing to do with the experiment. No, it had to do with Pinkie's randomness. In hindsight, I should have had her go first, given her unpredictability. Much like with Applejack, I decided not to rely on anything complicated. Instead, I measured Pinkie's magical energy through my device while keeping my distance. I'd already been pelted by apples and tripped over by a wire. I didn't want to suffer anymore.

" So, what do I get to do?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Just play your drums, and I'll record what appears on my screen." I answered.

" That sounds really boring."

" It'll keep me safe."

" Oh, don't be silly! You've been perfectly fine so far."

" That's what worries me."

" Why are you standing all the way over there? Wouldn't you get a better look by standing right next to me?" Pinkie Pie asked. I gulped heavily before slowly backing away from her, turning my attention towards my device. I didn't want to experience another mishap, so the further away I was, the better. From my safe distance, I told Pinkie my reasons for staying away, and she shrugged her shoulders before turning her attention towards her drums. " Now watch me rock this thang! Since you didn't give me a specific song, I'll just play a random ditty until something happens."

" Whenever you're ready." I said.

" Hope you don't mind being blasted by loud music!" Pinkie Pie said. I should have taken her words more seriously, but I was too focused on seeing what appeared on the screen. She began beating her drums slowly in order to build up a good tempo, and the display on the screen was recording her every drum beat. Was this going to be what would allow me to understand the magic of this world? Pinkie's pony ears and tail started forming, which was expected, but then she started getting faster, until her drumming was like a complete blur. I was so enthralled with the data coming through, I failed to notice Pinkie's magic beginning to increase in power.

Without warning, she beat her drums so hard, a shower of magical balloons came forth from her largest drum toward me. I was caught completely off-guard and got blasted by the balloons. The force was so strong, I was shoved right into the back wall of the music room. The balloons floated away from my body and up to the ceiling, where they disappeared, yet I remained stuck on the wall due to the incredibly strong static electricity.

My hair was all frazzled, but that wasn't an issue for me. The sparks of electricity weren't an issue, either. No, I was upset over being the victim of yet another magical surge. I should have quit right there and then. However, I was too stubborn to admit defeat. I still had Rainbow Dash to test. Pinkie was also right about me having been blasted by loud music. I don't know how she did it, but she always did.

" This... is a lot more painful than it looks." I said.

" I wasn't expecting that to happen." Pinkie Pie said.

" I'll need a few minutes to let the static electricity wear off."

" Why not stay up there for a while? I wish I were in your shoes right now, Sunset! You're having so much fun hanging around up there. Plus, all that electricity must be really tingling, like a certain someone I know who got bitten by a spider. Or, was he bitten by a cat? Eh, I never could figure that one out. Ooh! Ooh! Maybe I should stand in front of my drums when they're about to fire and join you up there." Pinkie Pie suggested.

" No, no! That's quite all right!" I protested.

" Suit yourself."

" I'm going to need to take a safer approach once I get down."

" And maybe a pillow."

" Why would I need one of those?" I asked. My own question got answered a few seconds later when my body fell off from the wall. The static electricity wore off a lot quicker than I expected, resulting in a slightly painful landing on my back. Pinkie was right... I really needed a pillow. My friends continued watching and looked concerned, but I shrugged off their worries with a flick of my wrist. I walked over to Rainbow Dash and told her it was now her turn to be tested on. So far, all of my tests had proven ineffective because of those magical surges, but hopefully, Rainbow would provide accurate results.

This time, I wasn't taking any chances. I wanted to stay as far away from any possible magical surges, so I chose to monitor Rainbow Dash from a recording studio that was adjacent to the music room while Rainbow performed. My device had also been hooked up to the equipment in the studio, and I made sure to bring my laptop inside. It recorded any possible changes to her energy readings.

" I'm ready to rock!" Rainbow Dash announced.

" That's what I expect to see from you. I'm safely secured in this studio, so feel free to go all-out with your guitar playing." I said.

" You sure you wanna hide in there?"

" It's not hiding!"

" Then what is it?"

" Being safe, Rainbow. You've seen all the stuff that's happened to me since I started these tests."

" Yeah, yeah! You've been through a lot worse, Sunset."

" I know, but I want to be cautious."

" It's cool, it's cool." Rainbow Dash said before snickering to herself. She loved the fact that I was being too cautious. I just didn't want to suffer another magical surge, so being in a different room should keep her magic from reaching me. Unfortunately, I forgot all about how magic could transfer effortlessly from place to place. That was one of its more annoying attributes. " Okay! How long do you wanna hear my jamming session? Also, any specific tune?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Play for about twenty seconds, and anything will do." I answered.

" One quick rock concert it is!" Rainbow Dash said. She then started strumming her guitar's strings with her eyes closed. Cocky. Just like the previous tests, things started off pretty well. In fact, I believed that these would be the results I needed to come up with an answer. Rainbow Dash began floating into the air as Rarity had before her and ponied up. This was it! Everything was going perfectly! Nothing could go wrong now!

And yet, I failed to take notice of the rainbow energy that began flowing through the wire that connected Rainbow's electric guitar to an outlet in the wall. It ran through the wire with incredible speed, and it was at that point that I took notice. I didn't think anything bad could happen so I ignored the energy and focused on Rainbow's data. I couldn't believe the output she gave off. The rainbow energy then entered the outlet on the wall and into my laptop. I was shocked that her magic had infiltrated my laptop. Before I could react appropriately, my laptop's screen began glowing in various colours before they splatted out all over me in a magical explosion. It caused the window of the recording studio to be covered in rainbow paint. The explosion then travelled through the main plug connecting to my device, which itself blew up.

" My device!" I cried.

" Oops! Guess I went a little too far." Rainbow Dash said.

" Even my laptop got fried."

" Sorry about that, Sunset."

" Good thing I saved all of my data on a memory stick before I came in here. I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. The only problem is getting a new laptop, which costs a good amount. I'll be with you and the others in just a second, Rainbow Dash. I've got to take care of something first." I said. I had to stumble my way about in the confusion of smoke and bright colours caused by Rainbow's magic blowing up in my face. I had to face facts by that point. After five magical surged affecting me, I couldn't take it anymore. Not only that, but I also had to admit defeat on a more important matter.

Several minutes later, I came out of the recording studio to meet my waiting friends. Each of them looked at me with shock in her face. I was already aware of what happened to me when looking into a mirror that was hanging on a wall in the studio. My hair was frazzled again, static electricity was running through my hair, my face was covered in smoke, and my hair and clothes were smoking.

" You don't look so good." Applejack said.

" Guess things didn't go as well as expected." Rarity added.

" No. No, they didn't." I said.

" What about the results of your tests?" Fluttershy asked.

" Finally, after all this testing, I've come to a definitive conclusion!" I said, coughing out a small rainbow from my mouth. I quickly looked at the notes I wrote down on my clipboard before addressing my friends. My body began swaying back and forth; I was exhausted. " I have no idea how magic works in this world." Groaning, I fell over backward and landed on the ground with a loud crash. All of my efforts had been in vain. My friends weren't able to provide me with the information I needed. Now I was back to square one all over again.

" That was fun! We should do this again tomorrow." Pinkie Pie said.

" I don't think Sunset would like that." Rainbow Dash said.

Where did I go wrong? How could my device have failed to provide me with concrete evidence of the magic problem? Magic and technology didn't cooperate with one another, and my slight bruises were proof of that. My friends' magic proved unstable in lab conditions, and I should have expected that. If I had, I could have avoided all that grief. They were still inexperienced with their powers, and I alone wasn't able to handle it without having it blow up in my face. I had to contact Princess Twilight and see what she had to say about this. If anyone could figure out what went wrong with my tests, she could. I just needed to find some free time in her schedule.

" You really should have quit while you were ahead." Twilight said.

" I really thought I could figure out the magic problem with my friends providing me with evidence, but all I ended up doing was embarrassing myself five times when the magical surges affected me in different ways. Sometimes, you have to endure much in order to get results." I said.

" Were you angry that your efforts failed?"

" I was seething, but I kept it under control."

" Oh, right! Your temper issues."

" Exactly!"

" What about the equipment you borrowed from the science lab?"

" None of it was damaged when Rainbow Dash's magic caused that explosion." I answered. If it had gotten damaged, I would've faced more than just detention for damaging school property. I'd have lost several privileges around the school that were essential to me figuring out the magic problem. Also, there was no way I could afford to replace any lab equipment, and the school's budget couldn't have, either. If there was one saving grace, it was the explosion not causing any damage to the music room. What happened in the cafeteria was still fresh in my memory. I didn't want another repeat of that. A shame my device ended up becoming useless after the explosion. I didn't get a chance to really see what it could do, but perhaps it was a sign that building a better version was possible.

" Magic certainly is unpredictable." Twilight said.

" Only in this world."

" It's not in Equestria?"

" Magic there is always predictable. You know exactly what it's going to do when you begin using it. Anyone could figure out the pattern, whether they were an experienced scholar or not. In this world, I had no idea what the magic was capable of. My fear was that it would change into something that was beyond anyone's comprehension. Until I could understand the mechanics behind it, it remained a serious threat." I answered.

" Did Princess Twilight come through the portal to help you?" Twilight asked.

" She came for a brief visit, but it didn't involve the magic problem."

" What did it involve then?"

" I'll get to that in a little while. First, I must show you what happened several days before the Friendship Games started." I answered. I turned the page, and glued there was a player roster for the Wondercolt team that competed in the games. Twilight was surprised that I had that in my journal, but then, she had seen stranger things come up as we went through it. Unlike most rosters, this one only had a few names listed, mine being one of them. " A few days before the Friendship Games, Vice Principal Luna needed to find students who were willing to compete against Crystal Prep." I said.

" Was it difficult?" Twilight asked.

" Surely even you know that answer."

" I'm afraid I do."

" Morale for the Games at CHS was at an all-time low."

Chapter 56: Spying

Day: Thursday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 10:00am

I learned the hard way about trying to figure out how Equestrian magic worked in this world. Originally, I was only going to rely on my own magic and any magical residue that hadn't faded away. However, I concluded that those two factors were inconclusive; I couldn't trust my own findings. To figure out the solution, I had to experiment on my friends by using a sophisticated device that analyzed magic. I had built it for that purpose, but things didn't go the way I had hoped they would. My friends experienced magical surges during each test, and I was the unfortunate victim every time. Rainbow Dash was the worse test. Her magic destroyed my device, but perhaps that was for the best; it had been built using spare parts and was somewhat unstable. I now felt annoyed that I still didn't understand why magic worked like it did. What could I be missing? I didn't have time to find an answer. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie had come back from visiting Crystal Prep, saying they were spying on them. But, why!?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 20, 2016
Chapter 56: Spying.

" I know that Crystal Prep had always beaten CHS every time the Friendship Games came along, but I didn't think it would hurt student morale." Twilight said.

" Because you were more interested in your studies, and I was kept in the dark regarding the competition, neither of us really took it to heart. Our friends would educate me on the nuances of the games, yet I was shocked at how everyone else aside from them weren't excited about it. Rainbow Dash in particular was the one who really wanted the students to get pumped up, and that involved using a very convincing pep rally. I'll go into that later, though." I said.

" That's two now."

" Of what?"

" You saying that you'll tell me about something later on. First was Princess Twilight, and the other was the pep rally you just mentioned. I find it amusing that you jump around when it comes to specific details you wrote down in your journal. It's always a good idea to remain consistent so as to not get confused by your own thoughts. I've been there plenty of times." Twilight answered. Did she just give me a lecture? I knew exactly what I was doing! This was my past I was talking about, after all. But, I suppose there was truth in her words. I shouldn't have mentioned the pep rally so soon. That didn't happen at CHS until the day before the games, and we were just now getting into the tryouts that happened about a couple of weeks beforehand. Was I really making this more confusing than it needed to be?

" Yeah, maybe I should be more consistent." I said.

" What did you learn about the Friendship Games and CHS?"

" I learned that students no longer really cared about the Games at our school. One time, they used to be so thrilled about representing CHS, but that energy slowly diminished over the years, thanks in large part to Crystal Prep. Principal Celestia chose the best students she thought would be enough to overcome Principal Cinch's elite team based on tryout results and enthusiasm, but the differences between the two teams at each games were obvious." I answered.

" Was it that bad?"

" The Wondercolts were beaten so badly by the Shadowbolts, it was more akin to a slaughter than a competition. I saw the photos in the yearbooks, Twilight, and they didn't paint a pretty picture." I answered. My words did sound horrible, but they were the truth. Crystal Prep took the games more seriously than CHS. For Principal Cinch, winning meant everything, and anything less than that was unacceptable in her eyes. Her students went through rigorous training to prove themselves worthy to become Shadowbolts, the team representing Crystal Prep. Their success in the games reflected on the reputation Principal Cinch was infamous for. She had built herself an empire where only the best were selected to go and become perfection. CHS never took reputation seriously and simply went about its own business, aiming to be a school for everyone.

The Wonderbolts were a team built on friendship and understanding. The Shadowbolts were a team built on punishing your opponents by showing your dominance, and any weakness wasn't tolerated. Our respective schools were supposed to get along in Canterlot, but Cinch never could accept CHS as equal to Crystal Prep. To compete with the likes of the Shadowbolts, a team would have to tap into their competitive drive. While it meant being on equal footing with them, it came at a terrible price: the loss of their true identities.

I remember hearing the Crystal Prep students brag about how their school wins every Friendship Games during that welcoming party. Their arrogance was unbearable, yet they had a valid reason for being that cocky. Their team backed up the bravado with talent. CHS students, on the other hand, were showing doubts that our team could stand a chance, as we lacked that competitive spirit. We had talent, but if it wasn't channeled towards winning, it meant nothing. To think that I didn't care much about the Games until our friends told me of its significance.

" Maybe CHS should've stopped competing in the Games, given their losing streak." Twilight suggested.

" That was an option many students considered, but Principal Celestia wouldn't have any of it. She believed CHS was just as good as Crystal Prep. Only she looked forward to the Friendship Games every time they came around. I'm not sure if Vice Principal Luna showed any enthusiasm, though." I said.

" I think she might have."

" Given how competitive the Games can get, you'd think we were playing in the Olympics or the Equestria Games."

" The what?"

" Equestria Games. It's the equivalent of this world's Olympics. The teams consisted of athletes from different cities across Equestria who were chosen to represent their nation by qualifying for specific events. Athletes were only allowed to compete in one event, the one they were best suited for. The last time I saw the Games, it had been hosted by the city of Cloudsdale, an impressive sight, given that it exists in the clouds. We all required special magic to be used on us so that non-Pegasi could move about on the clouds without falling through them." I answered.

" It sounds like a lot of fun." Twilight said.

" There is competitiveness to be found, but nothing that goes to any extreme." I said.

" But, why only the one event for athletes to compete in?"

" I never did understand that."

" That's not the answer I was expecting."

" Sorry, Twilight. It's been a long time since I last saw the Equestria Games."

" Do you wish you competed?"

" At the time, I was studying to be the best unicorn. Competing in the Equestria Games was far down on my list of priorities. Anyway, we should get back to what we're supposed to be talking about. Vice Principal Luna held tryouts for anyone wanting to become part of the Wondercolts team. She made an announcement and expected dozens to come out and see if they were what the team needed. She barely got the twelve-student requirement." I answered.

" Like you said, student morale was low."

" When you lose to the same school over and over again, your heart just loses all interest. Rainbow Dash was different from most students. She believed that we could finally win against Crystal Prep because we had the power of friendship on our side." I said. Friendship was a truly remarkable thing. Many would never view it as being powerful, especially when you show dominion over something, yet it was a strong force when utilized properly. Crystal Prep may have possessed power, experience, intellect, and more, but they lacked any compassion. They only cared about winning. CHS used its friendship to further improve student morale long before the games. Princess Twilight had truly left her mark when she fixed the mess that I had made. I couldn't even begin to imagine what the school would be like had she never followed me here to get her crown back.

" That leads into the pep rally, right?" Twilight asked.

" Yes, but I'll be getting to that eventually. First, I want to share with you what Princess Twilight and I discussed when I sent her a message. It was about two weeks before the Friendship Games took place. Before you ask, yes, she did visit this world briefly, but it involved dealing with my personal issues regarding the magic problem and the Games. My message was before the latter had ever entered my mind.

Why was the magic problem giving me so much trouble? I thought it was something I could easily handle, given my experiences with Equestrian magic. Was I just fooling myself into thinking I could solve it? My friends went through my tests to determine how their magic comes forth whenever they play their instruments. Despite my best efforts to come up with a definitive answer, all I received was one magical surge in my face after another. It was good that I was magical as well; those surges might have done something more serious had my body not possessed magical energies. Such a thought was too scary for me to even think about.

My device, which I used to analyze their magic, was destroyed--blown up--when Rainbow Dash unleashed her magic. I was angry at first that something I worked hard on building was reduced to scrap, but then, I didn't have much of an attachment to it. It had been built using spare parts taken from other devices. If anything, it was a miracle that it even functioned at all. If the school budget had been better, I could've used more refined parts to truly make it a spectacular invention. Because of the shoddy work, I couldn't trust any possible results had it survived Rainbow's magic. My anger was replaced with confusion over why I couldn't figure out how the magic worked in this world. It should have been simple enough to figure out. My mind was wracked with stress over being mad that I almost ripped out my own hair. Gah! What was I missing? In Equestria, magic always worked in a specific manner that made it easy to understand. Here, that same magic constantly changed into something else.

For the next month, I continued trying to come up with an answer. It was to no avail. I felt crestfallen. I was supposed to be a prodigy, according to Princess Celestia, and I couldn't even figure out a simple thing like understanding how magic worked in a world foreign to its native origin. If this had been my final exam at the School for Gifted Unicorns, my failure was assured. The magical residue leftover from the Battle of the Bands had since dissipated, so that left nothing but the magic inside of my friends and me to rely on. In addition, my own magic had changed when I suddenly developed those phoenix-like wings a while ago. If my magic was capable of changing, was the same true of the others? I had to find an answer soon before this got far beyond my ability to control.

While I was working on figuring out the magic problem, everyone else at CHS were getting themselves ready for the upcoming Friendship Games. Of course, by "getting ready", I mean "hoping it got cancelled or some other event was happening". Principal Celestia remained enthusiastic about it and hoped a team would be formed, but the students weren't thrilled about taking part.

I still had no idea what the Friendship Games were about, but I couldn't let that distract me. The magic problem was too big an issue to simply be ignored, and it was only a matter of time before someone innocent got hurt. I took full responsibility for the safety of those at CHS and beyond. I brought magic into this world when I brought the crown belonging to Princess Twilight here. So, I was dedicated towards finding a solution.

About two weeks before the start of the Friendship Games, I made a fateful decision. I had reached the point where I just couldn't come up with anything. I had to make contact with Her Highness and seek out her guidance. Her knowledge in the magic arts was vastly superior to my own.

That day was a particularly sunny one, the kind of day anyone could go out and enjoy without a care in the world. I wanted to go outside to get my mind off of what gave me so much stress. Leaving the school with my backpack, I walked around the front lawn to find a good tree to sit under. Every tree looked good, but I wanted one that spoke out to me. I eventually found it behind a fence next to the parking lot. Luckily, none of the teachers were going anywhere, so it was a quiet, secluded spot that allowed me to concentrate on writing a message to Princess Twilight. Sitting down under the tree, I looked up to see a cascade of apples growing on the branches. CHS was very serious regarding the condition of any plants growing on school grounds. This apple tree was especially vibrant with energy. The fruit looked luscious and full of life. It could compete with what Sweet Apple Acres had grown for generations.

I then took out the magic journal from my backpack, opened it up to the most recent entry, and took out a pen from my jacket pocket. It took a few moments to come up with a good message to send to Her Highness.

Dear Princess Twilight,

Hope I didn't catch you at a bad time. I'm not sending this to you as a friendly greeting but rather as a serious situation that has proven too much for me. I've been trying to figure out a certain "problem" that's been bothering me for several months now. Despite my best efforts, nothing's working, and now I find myself doubting my own abilities. I know it sounds like I'm desperate, but I really need some advice on how to deal with this issue.

It's the magic problem I told you about. In order to understand how magic works in this world, I experimented on our friends by testing their magic under various conditions. The surges blew up in my face several times, yet through it all, I didn't make progress. You have more knowledge than I do regarding magic, so I hope you can help me find an answer, or come here and solve the problem like you always do.

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer

At first, I hesitated towards telling Her Highness what the problem was. She expected me to carry on the legacy she left behind when she returned to Equestria, and already, I was failing to live up to her expectations. She was one of the greatest things to ever come to this world, while I, unfortunately, was one of the worst. Despite having finally earned the trust of everyone even after almost losing it during the holidays, I still suffered from an inferiority complex. Compared to Her Highness, I was small and insignificant. I knew I had plenty of potential inside of me, but I had trouble proving that to myself given the stress over the magic problem. While I did eventually reveal my true intentions, could Princess Twilight even help me? She had her royal duties to attend to as a princess. Would she respond at all?

My answer came a few moments later. The magic journal started glowing and the words of Princess Twilight began appearing.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

You tested our friends for their magic? When you said that you experimented on them, the first thing that popped into my mind was a mad scientist. Glad to hear that it didn't go quite as far as I thought. I know what it feels like to be frustrated when trying to solve a problem. I've had plenty of experiences where my mind just couldn't find an answer, and it bothered me, too. Just because things aren't going the way you expect doesn't mean you should give up. The world you call home is different from Equestria. What works in our world may not work the same way in that one. I'm not able to come pay you a visit at this time; I've been practicing for an important gathering of unicorns at the School for Gifted Unicorns. I'm to give a speech about cutie marks and how they can change the destiny of a pony.

I'd ask you to come--you are a unicorn, after all--but I won't force the issue. I know you still have doubts regarding your freedom should you return. I can offer you some advice, though, that should make things better. To understand how magic works, try to view things from the perspective of magic. What is it capable of? Why do we ponies use it? Is it a simple incantation, or a very complicated spell? You know, questions of that nature. There are other examples, but that's what came to mind. I know things look difficult, but you can accomplish this task, Sunset. Nothing is beyond your scope so long as you don't admit defeat.

Your friend,

Princess Twilight Sparkle

P.S. I would refrain from being blasted by magical surges. Those can really mess you up if you are exposed to them too often.

That last part would come back to haunt me later on.

Her Highness didn't give me the answer I was hoping for. I was also disappointed over her not being able to pay me a visit. I knew she couldn't, as her duties as a princess came before personal pleasure, but I hoped she could slip on through the portal for just a few minutes. However, she didn't just decide to leave me to figure things out. She gave me some food for thought that could provide some clues as to how magic worked here. Perhaps I should see things from the perspective of magic. It sounded rather farfetched, but I wasn't going to question Princess Twilight.

Closing the journal and putting it back into my backpack, I stared up at the apples growing on the tree again. After everything I had been through in those past few months, I wanted to relax and not worry about anything. The magic problem was still an issue, but it was something my friends and I could deal with. Aside from that, things had gotten pretty peaceful in Canterlot. There were no threats coming from Equestria, no one wanted to take over this world, everyone accepted me as one of the gang, and it was getting close to summer break. My friends mentioned something about a camping trip a week ago, but I thought of it as just one of several possibilities they considered. For the first time in my life, I would experience what it was like spending summer break with friends. I wondered if Princess Twilight wanted to join us. She needed some time away from her princess duties.

" We've been lookin' for you, Sunset!"

The familiar voice of Applejack greeted my ears. Looking forward, I smiled as my friends were approaching me, yet why were Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash exhausted? They looked like they had run a marathon within the last ten minutes. Also, was Pinkie wearing a bush around her waist? Something didn't seem quite right here. The rest of my friends looked embarrassed about how Rainbow and Pinkie appeared, so it was a serious matter.

" Um, what happened to you two?" I asked.

" Well, Sunset, I reckon what they did was pretty stupid." Applejack answered.

" I'm sure it was, Applejack, but I think I should hear what they have to say instead. After all, they were there doing whatever it was they were doing." I said.

" Pinkie and I decided to hop on a bus and head over to Crystal Prep Academy." Rainbow Dash announced. That name... It was the name of the school Principal Celestia visited a couple of months ago. Her experience there wasn't very pleasant because of what the principal of that school did, so why did those two want to go there? I didn't want to ask in case the answer was ridiculous, but Rainbow Dash was insistent on telling us the story. " We thought it'd be a good idea to see what was going on."

" We went spying!" Pinkie Pie announced.

" But only one of us knew what you have to do to be a good spy!"

" I think I did a pretty good job, Rainbow. Besides, weren't you the one who cut our trip short when you decided to shout?"

" That... That was your fault!"

" Nope! I hid when you shouted, and the students noticed you hiding. Although, maybe I should've stayed hidden instead of running away with this bush with me. Hey! Maybe this will become a new fashion sensation among spies one day!" Pinkie Pie said.

" Wait! You two did what!?" I asked.

" Spying!" Pinkie Pie answered.

Unbelievable! What compelled them to do something like that? Granted, I understood why Rainbow Dash wanted to go. She always loved danger, and going to a different school without permission definitely fit that description. I didn't know why Pinkie wanted to go, however. Why go to another school to spy on them? It made no sense whatsoever! Applejack was right! What they did was pretty stupid, not to mention crazy. What started out as a carefree day had just transformed into something potentially dangerous--or nothing more than sheer nonsense designed to give me stress.

Pinkie suddenly pulled a briefcase out of nowhere and dropped it on the ground. It opened up upon impact. Inside were several disguises--including a bunny suit and a tree suit? A tree? How could anyone disguise themselves as a tree!? I then remembered that this was Pinkie Pie I was talking about. She was capable of doing anything.

She took those disguises out along with the rest of her gear before placing the bush inside and piling the rest on top. I also saw a grappling hook, a metal pole with a microphone attached to the end of it, and several items I couldn't put my finger on sticking out of Pinkie's briefcase as she closed it up again.

I wanted to inform my friends about Princess Twilight's response to my message about the magic problem, but I had to put that on hold to deal with the current crisis. I was appalled at how Rainbow and Pinkie snuck around another school to spy on them. If they had done something really stupid, Crystal Prep could've issued a complaint to Principal Celesitia over the conduct of her students. Our actions reflected upon her ability to guide us along on the right path.

" And what, exactly, were you hoping to get information about?" I asked.

" The Friendship Games!" Pinkie answered.

" Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie spied on Crystal Prep?" Twilight asked.

" You didn't know about it?" I asked.

" No one ever mentioned anything about students from another school sneaking into Crystal Prep uninvited. Now that I think about, one of the coaches did mention something about two random girls hiding in the bushes and being a distraction during lunch period. While he and his students simply downplayed it as a confusing situation that went nowhere, Principal Cinch took it differently. She assumed someone was trying to uncover a secret about how the academy trains its athletes and declared her intention of informing the school board. The coach convinced her that nothing bad happened, so she chose not to go any further." Twilight answered.

" Their aim was to learn about the competition competing in the Friendship Games."

" Was CHS that desperate to win?"

" Only Rainbow Dash had that mentality. She had gotten sick and tired of our school always losing to Crystal Prep, so she came up with a plan to learn as much about their skill as possible. Unfortunately, her plan was doomed to fail from the start. Rainbow didn't know that the students she and Pinkie spied on were in the middle of gym class. They weren't competing in the Friendship Games at all." I answered.

" Principal Cinch always selects the top twelve students to represent the Shadowbolts whenever they had a serious competition. Even if those students weren't exactly the most well-fit of athletes, she forced them to train rigorously until they perfect whatever sport was the focus." Twilight said. CHS always chose its competitors based on a combination of factors that included skill, speed, strength, friendship, and teamwork, among others. Crystal Prep's mentality involved everyone working as a mindless cohesive unit who were guaranteed to give the best results in order to please Cinch. If they failed, then they would be scorned by their peers and their education at the academy being brought to an unfortunate end. That was what made Cinch infamous throughout the school district. Her ruthless approach wasn't popular among other principals, yet it granted her victory after victory, so she had to be doing something right.

I've often wondered why Principal Cinch acts the way she does. Did she have to endure such a harsh regimen when she was in school? Maybe she had military-like parents who only noticed her if she was living up to their expectations? Maybe it was something else entirely? Much about her remains a mystery. Cinch was described in a number of magazines as being a private woman whose sole purpose was to ensure her students went beyond their limits regarding their education. In some sense, her way of thinking was a reversal of mine. I wanted to be the best unicorn and student no matter the cost. She wanted her students to be the best. Had I chosen to go to Crystal Prep instead of CHS, I would have been molded by Cinch into becoming the best. Then again, given my attitude at the time, I'd have tried to overthrow her within the first few months.

" How did you get picked anyway?" I asked.

" I never mentioned it?"

" No."

" I wanted to apply to the Everton Independent Study Program, a program designed for students who wanted to apply their own advanced math and science skills by taking courses where they would study on their own. I... I didn't have any friends at the time, aside from Spike." Twilight said. She and I were a lot more alike than we both would like to admit. I had no friends when I first came here, yet we had our reasons. I wanted power, which meant manipulating everyone around me. Twilight wanted to focus on her studies and couldn't let friendship serve as a distraction. Even Princess Twilight herself started out with no friends. She was dedicated to her studies and believed friends were nothing but crazy ponies who didn't know the first thing about privacy. " Principal Cinch blackmailed me into competing in the Friendship Games by using my application as bait. If I participated, she would use her reputation to guarantee my application would be approved." Twilight said.

" And if you refused?" I asked.

" She would have it denied and my dreams would be snuffed out. Even my own brother wanted me to join the team in order to represent the school. My work was far too important to be wasted on some silly games, but it was what Principal Cinch had counted on. She had my future hanging by a loose thread, and I couldn't let it slip away from me. So, I had no other choice but to become the twelfth member of the Shadowbolts team for the Games. What I lacked in physical prowess, I made up with my vast intellect. There are times where I've cursed myself for having such a brilliant mind. If I had been dumber, I wouldn't have been dragged into that mess." Twilight answered.

" But, you wouldn't have made friends and transfered to CHS."

" That's true."

" So really, everything worked out for the best."

" Aside from the emotional trauma."

" What Principal Cinch did was wrong. I'm surprised that the school board never bothered to look into such a deplorable act as blackmail." I said. Any teacher, no matter what their position was, was forbidden to use bribery to make their students do something that goes against their beliefs. If they were caught, the punishment handed down by the board involved arrest, their removal from the educational system, and imprisonment. I learned this shortly after the Games concluded, when I asked Principal Celestia about why Cinch was so adamant about her plan to expose CHS's magic situation to the board. She told me that Dean Cadance, who had been filled in by Twilight, had told her what was really going on regarding Twilight's sudden inclusion into the games. Celestia thought it best to save face and not expose Cinch for the monster she was. She would spend the rest of her days as a principal knowing that her twisted mannerisms were now known to everyone.

" What did Rainbow Dash tell you about this little spy game she and Pinkie Pie did?" Twilight asked.

" If I could describe it in a single word, it would be 'absurdity'."

There was that name mentioned again: Friendship Games. Everyone in school had been talking about it, but their choice of words were anything but positive. I heard they weren't looking forward to seeing the Wondercolts beaten once again in a lopsided affair. Apparently, this had been going on for many years, CHS never once prevailing over Crystal Prep. Every four years, the two schools would gather together with the best students from either side competing to see which school walked away with the victory and the bragging rights. The most recent games took place at Crystal Prep, so this time, it was CHS who was hosting. Many students said they had no plans on trying out because it was pointless. This is what I had heard from students, but I couldn't confirm if they had told me the truth. I wasn't doubting their claims, but I wanted to have further proof, and that meant asking my friends about it.

On the subject of Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie going all the way to Crystal Prep to spy on the supposed competition, I was shocked that they did something so stupid. What did they hope to gain from their misadventure? I wanted to cover my ears so that I couldn't listen to such absurdity, but my efforts proved to be in vain. Rainbow insisted that we listened because it meant the very morale of CHS was hanging in the balance.

" I wanted to check out the Crystal Prep students to see what kind of skills they had. I figured we could come up with some strategies to shut down their maneuvers to give us an edge and a chance at beating them." Rainbow Dash said.

" What made you think the students you spied on were even competin'?" Applejack asked.

" We have no idea who'll be on their team, so why not spy on as the most likely ones. I was planning on going myself, but I decided I needed a wingman to help me spy on the competition. I didn't go with you, Applejack, because you would've been against it, Rarity would just be worried about getting dirty, Fluttershy would've been too scared, and Sunset doesn't know her way around Canterlot; she only knows this area. That left Pinkie Pie, and believe me, I wished someone else had gone." Rainbow Dash answered.

" So you wouldn't feel like a dork?" I asked.

" Something like that." Rainbow Dash answered. She prided herself on being awesome, and that meant having a certain degree of flare. Going to another school on her own would make her appear uncool in the eyes of her peers. Despite having mellowed out since the Battle of the Bands, Rainbow still possessed a small amount of ego, but not to the point that it became an issue for everyone.

I turned my attention towards Pinkie, who was still fiddling about with that briefcase filled with disguises and other spy gear. I understood why Rainbow wanted someone other than her to go to Crystal Prep. Someone with the innate ability to defy reality was just begging to be seen. Pinkie meant no harm in wanting to prove worthy of being by Rainbow's side, but the latter didn't reciprocate those feelings. It's nothing new; we tend to argue over even petty things. I was curious about the disguises Pinkie had, though. I wasn't going to ask if I could borrow them or anything. I just wanted to know more about what she did.

" What else do you have in that briefcase?" I asked.

" I already mentioned the tree and bunny suit disguises, so what else do I have?" Pinkie Pie asked herself. She raised a finger upon recalling what she brought with her to spy on Crystal Prep. " I have a cat burglar outfit, a dog burglar outfit--which is the same as the other one, but I wear a Spike facemask--and a pink camouflage suit. I don't remember when I got any of that stuff, but I think it proves that I'm serious when it comes to spying." Did she say a Spike mask? That sounded way too weird for my own liking. Then again, it sounded pretty normal for Pinkie. " I always carry a set of balloons in case we need to get a better view of the situation. Finally, I have a microphone complete with headset to overhear anyone in case they're speaking softly. I'm always prepared to go on a spy adventure." Pinkie Pie said.

" That sounds a little unrealistic to me." I said.

" No, she really does have all that stuff." Rainbow Dash said.

" You saw it?"

" I had to put up with it while we were there!"

" Good point."

" The rumours of Crystal Prep being serious turned out to be true. They've always prided themselves as the best school in the city, and the list of achievements they've won is pretty sweet. I know CHS can achieve the same greatness, but everyone else has given up on that dream." Rainbow Dash said.

" Losing so much will do that to 'em." Applejack said.

" We just need to have the right amount of inspiration!"

" I know y'all really want to believe we have a chance this time, but face the truth, Rainbow Dash. Our school is lacking compared to Crystal Prep. We're pretty lax and not worried about bein' the best, while that's all they care about over there." Applejack said.

" That isn't going to make me change my mind on the tryouts."

" They're still havin' those?"

" Vice Principal Luna will be choosing twelve students to represent CHS. She's gonna be holding tryouts to see who's the best. I'm definitely gonna be part of that; I know we can win this time if everything goes according to plan. I was hoping that you guys would back me up by taking part in the tryouts. C'mon! Our school needs the boost in confidence, and we did have that fundraiser last year to get new uniforms to show off during the Games." Rainbow Dash answered.

In a rare instance for her, she began pouting to convince us to take these Games seriously. While I couldn't speak for everyone, I still had no idea what the premise behind these games were. All I had to go on was random bits of information that might not be accurate. The others looked away from Rainbow Dash, glum expressions on their faces. They didn't want to go through with competing in these games. I couldn't sympathize with them until I knew every last detail.

" Oh yeah!" Pinkie Pie began. " I forgot to mention that none of the Crystal Prep students we saw are competing."

" What!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

" They were just regular students who were having their gym class. They weren't taking things seriously if they were really competing in the games, so we ended up wasting our time when she should have gone inside the building to see other athletes." Pinkie Pie said. She followed up with her trademark goofy grin and we all knew that she just had one of those "moments" where she immediately figures out something without ever explaining how. It was one of her more unique characteristics.

" Well, there goes that plan!" Rainbow Dash moaned while slapping her forehead.

" We can go back tomorrow and try again." Pinkie Pie suggested.

" No, I think I'll focus on the tryouts and making the team. I'm sure there'll be plenty of students lined up itching to play in the Games." Rainbow Dash said. I didn't want to tell her the horrible truth and rain on her parade, but even she knew that students just didn't have the enthusiasm she had. She was just doing her best to deny that no one cared about representing school pride. She and Principal Celestia were perhaps the only two people who believed that the Friendship Games still held significance. I had to know just what these games were all about. Only Rainbow Dash could tell me!

" What are these games exactly?" I asked.

" You seriously don't know?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I've never heard of them before you first mentioned it when we had the fundraiser. In-between trying to figure out the magic problem, I've been pondering over just what these Friendship Games are supposed to be about. Some of our fellow students told me some things, but I'm not sure if they were being honest with me. They didn't feel at all energetic over it." I answered.

" That's 'cause we can't beat Crystal Prep." Applejack said.

" And why's that?" I asked.

" We can beat them! Just because they have the best resources that money can buy doesn't mean they're invincible." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Kinda hard to get that message across to the others." Applejack said.

" It sounds like Crystal Prep has been dominating CHS for a very long time." I said. I had no idea that I was right on the mark with that statement. Rainbow confirmed what others had told me about the Friendship Games and its significance to school pride. Why it was held every four years made no sense at all, but it was a tradition the two schools had relied on for far longer than most even knew. Only Principal Celestia and this Principal Cinch knew the reason why. Not only did pride play a factor, it was also about reputation. Crystal Prep had a reputation for having athletes who were beyond exceptional, according to what students told me. If they were that good, going up against them was a foolish ambition.

" And they're likely to keep going, at this rate." Applejack added.

" So, what kind of events do they have at these games?" I asked.

" No one knows until the Games begin. I never understood why they just don't mention anything ahead of time. It'd be really handy knowing what we'll be competing in." Rainbow Dash answered. I rolled my eyes. I knew why it was all kept secret from athletes: It was to prevent anyone from cheating. The idea was to give everyone an equal opportunity to show their talents, yet this only applied to Crystal Prep students. CHS students lacked a competitive spirit, so they lost faith in themselves once it got to the point where victory was impossible. " Anyway, there are three events, and the winning school must win two of the three. Events revolve around different aspects of each school's curriculum, so there's some familiarity, yet mostly, it's all unknown." Rainbow Dash said.

" The games never go to the third event; Crystal Prep sweeps the first two without any problems." Applejack said.

" It sounds pretty challenging." I said.

" CHS just needs the right attitude to compete with." Rainbow Dash said.

" Not to mention skill." Applejack added.

" Look! Just trust me on this, guys! I say we go and try out for the games. I know we can really make a difference since we saved our school from two magical problems that almost destroyed the world. The six of us have enough experience to carry us straight to the top and finally end Crystal Prep's reign. What have we got to lose just by trying out?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Our dignity, for starters." Applejack answered.

" I say we go for it." I announced.

" You sure about that, Sunset?"

" These games, while still confusing to me in places, mean an awful lot to Rainbow Dash. I also think there are some students who believe they can finally end this losing streak CHS has had for many years. Not everyone must be going through doom and gloom over these upcoming games. If Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna can come up with a cohesive team that has many strengths and covers its weaknesses, we might just stand a chance." I answered.

Aside from Rainbow Dash, the rest of my friends weren't thrilled about the idea of trying out for the Wondercolts team. The odds of defeating Crystal Prep were heavily stacked against us, but we had to try, even if it meant failing at the final hurdle. I didn't know exactly what happened during previous Friendship Games, so it was something else I had to research to get a proper understanding. I knew there had to be students who wanted to try out to compete. They just needed a proper incentive, not allowing negativity to cloud their judgment. We had the opportunity to show everyone that CHS was just as good as the best school in the city.

There was one problem I didn't take into consideration when I insisted we try out. My friends and I possessed Equestrian magic, and that had the possibility of giving us an unfair advantage. The Crystal Prep team would compete with their natural abilities, while half of CHS's team would use powers that came from another world. We couldn't allow ourselves to use magic under any circumstances, as it had to be kept a secret from the outside world. I suspected some students at CHS recorded footage from both the Fall Formal and the Battle of the Bands and uploaded it online to expose the magic. Whether or not viewers believed it remained to be seen. If they did believe magic existed here, it meant our school being used like guinea pigs by government agents. Also, my ability to solve the magic problem would become more difficult. Even barring all of that, we'd be accused of cheating, which wouldn't look good on CHS at all.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to try out after all.

" Did you guys use magic during the Games?" Twilight asked.

" No. We were told to keep it as far away as possible to avoid being accused of cheating. However, only Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash had their magic when the games began. If you recall, Twilight, your device stole my magic, along with Rarity's and Pinkie's. As the Games continued onward, the thought of CHS cheating diminished, as we didn't have the means inside of us." I answered.

" I'm glad that you didn't resort to cheating."

" What would that have accomplished? We wanted to prove that we could beat Crystal Prep by going beyond the limits of endurance and match them head-on. Resorting to underhanded tactics to achieve victory would have proven nothing and would have left a bad taste in our mouths. Not only that, Principal Celestia's image as a kind, loving principal would've been tarnished. Like I said to you before, our actions were reflected on her." I said.

" You mentioned that you were worried about the outside world learning of Equestrian magic."

" It had to be kept secret."

" Was it because you feared its misuse?"

" Humans--with a few exceptions, I'm sure--cannot comprehend the true force of Equestrian magic. If one of your kind attempted to control such magic, it would give them great power enabling them to perform feats that defy this world's natural order. At the same time, however, it can corrupt their minds and turn them into power-hungry maniacs." I answered. Twilight then turned away from me, and I knew why she did. The thought of her actions when she became a demon torments her even now, yet she wasn't the only one who felt the taste of power. I was corrupted long before becoming a demon myself, but my transformation only furthered my twisted mind. For Twilight, what happened was an eternal nightmare that can never be faced. She controlled the Equestrian magic she absorbed from her device, but she couldn't fathom the consequences behind her actions.

I would still help her to overcome her inner demons, just like how our friends helped me to overcome mine. I looked up at a ceiling fixture above and thought back to the conversation Vice Principal Luna had with us. She didn't want to see any surprises, but the incidents involving the plants and Twilight's transformation were beyond our control. If I had been more observant and knowledgeable, I could've prevented the disaster from happening. I'm this world's magical expert, yet I couldn't see the answer that had been right under my nose. I should've taken Twilight's device away from her after the relay race instead of going off on her in my rage. Fluttershy told me what it did, but I ignored it, thinking that Princess Twilight knew of a better answer. There were plenty of what-if scenarios that could've happened, and the worst became our reality.

Then there was the threat Equestria could have gotten if a corrupted human went through the portal. Different people have different goals in life, so there was no telling what kind of threat would be facing my fellow ponies. If they conquered Equestria, I'd be blamed for it because I stole Princess Twilight's crown to begin with. The more I thought about it, the more I cursed myself for being so stubborn and not accepting things at a natural progression.

" I'm a living example of that." Twilight said.

" It could've happened to anyone."

" Why did your magic corrupt me?"

" My only answer for you, is that you were in close proximity every time your device absorbed our magic. It sensed that you were someone who was struggling to deal with so many issues at once. Equestrian magic might not look like it, but what it can do is reflected upon the person. You wanted to understand as much magic as possible, so you had the ability to open up so many portals connecting this world to Equestria. Think of my world's magic as a sentient being that's an extension of yourself." I answered.

" It's a living, breathing entity?"

" Magic isn't alive, but it does sense the thoughts of the user."

" So, I transformed based on a desire to understand magic, and it wanted to see my wishes fulfilled."

" Yes."

" Not sure I can believe that."

" Do you have an explanation, then, that doesn't relate to science?"

" No."

" Then there you go." I said. The signs were there that someone was absorbing all of the collected magic when her device was opened. I actually thought that someone like Principal Cinch would've gone and absorbed it all instead of Twilight. She had a reason for wanting power, as she wanted to maintain dominance over the school district. She cared about her own success while ignoring those of her students who failed to live up to her expectations. Instead, it was Twilight who absorbed the magic, albeit unintentionally, as she was an innocent child who got caught up in something she shouldn't have trifled with. What would Cinch have been like as a demon? I shivered just thinking about it. I don't think anyone wanted to witness that!

" How many went to the tryouts?" Twilight asked.

" We were actually expecting none."

" But?"

" Twelve decided to go for it."

" Isn't that the exact number both teams needed?"

" Yes."

" I understand why you and our friends wanted to try out, but what about the others on your team?"

Chapter 57: Tryouts

Day: Monday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 4:05pm

Princess Twilight responded to my message regarding the magic problem. Unfortunately, she didn't give me the answer I was hoping for, nor was she coming to pay me and my friends a visit. However, she gave me something to think about. I should look at the issue from the magic's own perspective. It sounded bizarre, but Her Highness was famous in Equestria for her vast knowledge of magic. I knew she wasn't trying to misguide me. I also learned that Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie travelled to Crystal Prep Academy in order to spy on its students to get an advantage for the upcoming Friendship Games. Why would anyone do something so stupid? Then I realized who had gone and done it, answering my own question. At least she explained what these games were. Despite knowing that our magic could be made known to those beyond CHS, we all agreed to try out for the games. I shouldn't have asked Pinkie for assistance. She had a tendency to go overboard.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 23, 2016
Chapter 57: Tryouts.

I was surprised. I actually expected Twilight to freak out over the fact that only twelve students showed interest in trying out for the Friendship Games for CHS. Had she started to view such things as normal? Or, perhaps it hadn't quite sunken in yet? In either case, her question made me think back to that day. I never went to any tryouts the school hosted. When I was a bully, they were beneath my notice. Anyone who wanted to volunteer made themselves out to be idiots. By actually experiencing one with my own eyes and with a different outlook on life, it was obvious as to what I had missed out on for so long. The aim for students was reminding their peers that the school's pride was hanging in the balance, and they would rally behind this cause.

It was a noble gesture, but it only worked if the other students were interested. Opinions of the Friendship Games were mostly negative at CHS. Because Crystal Prep had been beating them every time, enthusiasm was practically nonexistent. If they had their way, they'd have boycotted the whole thing in an attempt to not suffer from any further humiliation at the hands of Crystal Prep. Still, one had to admire those who refused to give up despite the odds being heavily stacked against them and the school. Rainbow Dash held firm to her belief that CHS would finally prevail after so many years of losses. I believed in Rainbow's opinion, and I certainly didn't want her to feel upset. Our friends showed hesitation until eventually agreeing to go along with it. The remaining athletes who joined the team had their reasons for doing so. Some were silly, others were serious.

" Do you recall the names of those who were on the Wondercolts team?" I asked.

" I only remember you, our friends, and Flash Sentry, the latter of whom you've mentioned a lot throughout the course of the evening. I don't believe I ever got the names of the rest of your teammates." Twilight answered.

" Sandalwood, Micro Chips, Lyra Heartstrings, Bon Bon, and Derpy."

" What was that last one?"

" Derpy."

" I'm afraid to ask why, but I feel that I must know."

" Her actual name is Muffins. Apt, because she's always walking around with a muffin in her hand. Everyone just calls her by her nickname of Derpy. It has to do with one eye looking one way and the other looking in another. We don't tease her about it, as she was born with the condition." I said.

" Why did she try out?"

" She wanted to be in on the action and believed herself worthy enough to make the team. In spite of the fact that she doesn't say much, she has a lot of heart and an upbeat attitude most could never emulate. Sandalwood believed that competing in the Friendship Games would bring him one step closer to surpassing his spirit guide. Micro Chips wanted to show that a scientific mind was just as capable of achieving victory as one who was solely dedicated to being an athlete. Lyra and Bon Bon are an interesting case. They both claimed they had the most school spirit among everyone at CHS. From what I heard and saw from footage recorded on cellphones, their respective tryouts were very memorable." I answered.

" How so?"

" Do you really want to know?" I asked. Twilight had that look of curiosity in her eyes again, and it made me feel uncomfortable. When will I ever learn not to mention things like that? She wanted to know every last possible detail of what happened. There was nothing I would say that'd persuade her otherwise. I sighed before continuing. At least I wouldn't be repeating these words later when I described my own experiences at the tryouts. " The point of a tryout is to show whoever is the judge that you have what it takes to be part of the team representing your school, right? Everyone else showed Vice Principal Luna what they could do, but Lyra and Bon Bon had to take things up to another level."

" It sounds serious."

" No. It was nothing short of absurdity."

" Did they take lessons from Pinkie Pie?"

" That's what everyone who didn't initially see it were suggesting when the footage went online. They each tried to outdo the other through ridiculous means, including performing the caber toss, planting flowers, making a sculpture out of marble, bending a dumbbell using their teeth, ripping a phone book in half, eating hotdogs without swallowing, and wearing mascot costumes, just to name a few examples." I answered.

" Those were only a few examples!?" Twilight exclaimed. I knew she wouldn't believe my words. Who could blame her? I wasn't there when Lyra and Bon Bon did their routine, so I had to watch it online when Micro Chips and a few others recorded the footage. Even now, I still find it difficult to believe those two actually did all that stuff. I knew they were dedicated, but there was a fine between dedication and absolute absurdity. Reaching into my pocket and taking out my cellphone, I fiddled about with it for several moments until I came across what Rainbow Dash had sent to me. She had originally received it from Micro Chips.

I handed my phone over to Twilight, and she watched the entire spectacle with her own eyes. When she finished watching, she returned my phone but remained eerily silent for several minutes. It was like she had just stared at something that couldn't be explained, and I knew that feeling particularly well. By the time Twilight finally regained her composure, she stared at me with bags under her eyes. The footage had left an awful impact she hadn't counted on. Her curiosity had caused this affliction to happen, something that plagues even the most honest of people.

" What in the world did you just show me!?"

" That was their routine."

" It looked more like a circus that went horribly wrong!"

" Lyra and Bon Bon are best friends, and they both really wanted to make the team."

" But, to do all of that!?"

" You could say Vice Principal Luna and the other students who witnessed it for themselves were given quite the performance. If those two hadn't made the team, they could've joined a performing circus troupe with an act like that." I said.

" What about Flash Sentry?" Twilight asked.

" Yes, he was on the team. You talked to him briefly after the first event, from what I witnessed."

" That's not what I meant."

" Then what?"

" Why did he join the team?"

" Flash was pretty confident as a rocker, and his band Flashdrive was pretty popular during the Battle of the Bands, but he was also secretly a pretty good athlete. He wasn't in the same league as, say, someone like Rainbow Dash, but he proved himself worthy in a pinch. When Rainbow told him what her plans were, he decided to try out in the hopes of improving school morale. He wasn't completely on board, however, as part of him didn't feel like competing for a lost cause." I said.

" How do you know that?" Twilight asked.

" He told me when I encountered him in the gym." I answered. That was one of the most awkward moments I've ever had in my entire life. I mean, I've got no problems talking with Flash, as we've become good friends, but I wasn't expecting him to be covered in paint with glitter in his hair. If it wasn't for the fact that he had been making a banner alongside Sandalwood and Micro Chips to welcome Crystal Prep, I'd have thought him crazy. The gym looked like toddlers had caused a hurricane. I'll admit that their banner was pretty cool. I didn't understand the significance behind it, but Flash said that Vice Principal Luna understood.

" Do you think you two will ever get back together?" Twilight asked.

" No. I think we've both gone past that point. Like I said, I didn't love him truthfully, even though he did for me. I used him to become more popular, and he never found out about it until the end when he broke up with me. We've become good friends since, although we don't hang out together all that much. No, Flash has got his eyes set on Princess Twilight, and maybe someday, something will blossom forth from it. I'm no love expert, though, so my opinion probably doesn't mean much." I answered.

" Fair enough. Now, tell me about your tryout experience." Twilight said.

" Our friends and I tried out before the debacle of Lyra and Bon Bon. It wasn't the most comforting experience, but I still managed to impress Vice Principal Luna. I just wish that Pinkie hadn't offered to help me." I said.

" What did she do?"

" She insisted on pizzazz, and that involved me wearing a humiliating costume."

I couldn't believe that Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie went to Crystal Prep to spy on their students all because of a competition. They could've been caught trespassing. That, in turn, would've brought the police, their parents, Principal Celestia, and even Principal Cinch into the mix. That was an ending no one wanted, so I was glad things resolved themselves peacefully. Still, I knew Rainbow Dash wanted to ensure our school prevailed in the Friendship Games, but she had taken it to an extreme that crossed the line of common sense. I did admit that Pinkie's costumes were hilarious. I imagined her wearing each one and how Rainbow must have reacted. No matter what situation she finds herself in, Pinkie had an answer to get herself out of it.

My problem now--aside from the magic problem--was dealing with the thought of trying out for these games. My intention was to make Rainbow happy by agreeing to join the team that would compete against Crystal Prep's elite students. I was thankful for not going into this blind! The rules and general structure of the games were something I had to quickly memorize to be a contributing factor. The more I thought about how it works, the more it reminded me of what we had back in Equestria. I remember that one time long ago where Princess Celestia brought me along to Cloudsdale to see the Equestria Games.

I hated the experience! I thought it was pointless seeing ponies competing against one another for pitiful medals. In my mind, I wanted nothing more than to focus on my studies and look down upon ponies who had no futures. Princess Celestia tried in vain to spark my interest, but I didn't have any of it, so she left me to study while she took in the Games by watching from the VIP box. I wished I could've seen those Games for myself. I felt like I missed out on such a crucial learning experience all because my superiority complex blinded me. The Friendship Games were the closest thing I'd ever experience to what Equestria had, so it was something I wasn't going to miss out on. Unlike in Equestria, in which the entire kingdom was involved by sending their best athletes to compete, the Friendship Games involved two schools. A much less grand scale, but it was better than nothing.

That Friday, Vice Principal Luna made an announcement over the P.A. system regarding tryouts for those interested in making the team: the Canterlot Wondercolts. She said anyone could try out regardless of whether they were athletic or not. That made sense, as not everyone at CHS was an athlete, and what my friends described about previous events from past games indicated that it consisted of sports, cooking, math, teamwork, and other exercises. Luna stated that tryouts would be next Monday after school and that there were only a limited number of spots available.

Rainbow Dash was expecting a massive turnout, but the rest of us knew better. We were expecting the bare minimum, which was twelve, the number needed to form a team. Why not have the tryouts that afternoon instead of next Monday? According to Principal Celestia, the field was unavailable that afternoon because of a special contractor coming over to check things out. What could a contractor do with our school's field? I'd find out soon enough... to an extent.

The following Monday, I woke up to the sounds of someone using a loud drill. I sat up groggily in my makeshift bed of books before getting up and walking over to a nearby window, looking down at what was making the noise. My eyes were greeted by a giant crane digging up dirt. Alongside it was a truck that was hauling the dirt away and several other machines. Among those were workers wielding various tools who were busy breaking the ground, while others carried pieces of wood, steel, plastic, and more. What in the world was going on out there? Before I could make a move, the window suddenly got covered by a large tarp. Were they trying to keep something hidden? Why would anyone do something like that? This was a public school, so nothing should be kept private from students.

Students were curious throughout the day as the sounds continued. Teachers told them not to pay attention to what was happening outside, but it was difficult, considering the noises drowned out everything else. At least there were no tests being held that day. The noise would have caused more than simple irritation among the students over not having a quiet environment to write in. Once school finished, my friends and I walked out the main entrance and around to a small area located on the left side of the building. We had expected to be using the field out back, but that was where the construction was taking place; Principal Celestia revealed this through a brief P.A. announcement.

" I had a feeling you six would want to try out for the team." Vice Principal Luna announced as we arrived in the area. Bleachers had been set up and were filled with at least two dozen students. That wasn't a problem for me, yet Rainbow Dash felt disappointed with the spectacle. She expected more students to be down here with us trying out instead of up there watching the action. " I suspect you all are curious as to why the field has become off-limits for the foreseeable future? You are not the only ones who have asked me that question, but I am getting tired of having to answer it." Vice Principal Luna said.

" What's going on back there?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Both CHS and Crystal Prep have hired contractors to construct one of the events for the Friendship Games. No students are permitted to see what they are doing until the games are underway. Only Dean Cadance and Principal Cinch of Crystal Prep, my sister, and I know what is happening back there. I must apologize for the inconvenience of all that noise we've been hearing all day. I can assure you that they will be finished in time for the Games." Vice Principal Luna answered.

" Might as well just accept that, y'all, and focus on why we're here." Applejack said.

" I noticed there aren't many students down here with us." I said.

" Man! I was hoping more would want to try out for the team!" Rainbow Dash said angrily.

" Students are still hesitant about it, Rainbow Dash. They don't want to have to deal with another loss to Crystal Prep, so they've got no school spirit. Their get-up-and-go got up and left 'em a long time ago." Applejack said.

" While the thought of having to get dirty is appalling, I must admit that this was a good idea." Rarity said.

" I knew you guys would agree eventually." Rainbow Dash said.

" It took some mighty convincin' to get us to realize that CHS really needs to win to raise school spirit. Things have been pretty bad around here on that front, 'specially with the Battle of the Bands and the Anon-A-Miss incident." Applejack said.

" Much of that revolved around me." I said.

" No need to blame yourself, Sunset."

" Sometimes, it's hard to remind myself that I've moved on from that." I said.

We then noticed the other students who had decided to try out for the games. Flash Sentry was among them, as was expected, since Rainbow Dash explained the situation to him about the school needing a morale boost. He seemed rather distant, an unusual expression coming from him. He had something on his mind, but I wouldn't find out until later. Derpy was also among the students, and I was surprised she wanted to make the team. I never really thought of her as all that exceptional, yet she had a lot of positive energy. I wasn't going to underestimate her. Sandalwood and Micro Chips, who were best friends despite being on opposite ends of how they viewed life, were pacing about back and forth. Finally, Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon had come onto the scene after my friends and I arrived. Those two were always together, yet something felt different about them. They seemed determined to outdo each other given how each one looked at the other with fierce determination.

" How many have come to try out?" Rarity asked.

" Only twelve, from the looks of it." Applejack answered.

" That's how many spots are available." Rainbow Dash added.

" Um, so shouldn't that mean everyone makes the team because there are only twelve of us?" Fluttershy asked.

" I don't think it works that way, sugarcube." Applejack answered.

" If we had more students down here, everyone would have to try their hardest to ensure they get a spot. Ugh! This is a real lousy turnout! I know the thought of going up against the very best that Crystal Prep has isn't fun to think about, but couldn't they at least try out of wanting to improve school pride?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Maybe? Everyone has been saying that we're going to lose just like before. They're also saying that we should just forfeit, but we can't really do that. Those construction workers have been working on the playing field all day. The thought of them wasting their time is just so heartbreaking. Also, Crystal Prep wouldn't be very happy, as I'm sure they don't like the idea of wasting their own money and time." Fluttershy answered.

" Way to think outside of the box!"

" Um, thank you, I guess. It wasn't really all that much."

" What about our magic!?" Pinkie Pie said in a random outburst. " We can't exactly use that to make the team, or can we? Everyone around here knows that the six of us have magic. It wouldn't be considered cheating, because we're not doing anything other than showing our talents, and having magic from another world does count as talent. Any ideas about that, Sunset?"

" Well..." I began before looking around at everyone. That was something I feared was going to play a factor. Vice Principal Luna knew we'd come here, because we had saved the school on two different occasions--except the one I caused; that was all you guys--using our Equestrian magic. She believed we were ideal to make the team, yet using magic to win a competition was cheating. I had no doubts that Crystal Prep wouldn't resort to such tactics. They were confident in their skills, so cheating was not on their radar. While we only activated our magic and ponied up while playing our instruments in the past, I wasn't sure that was the case anymore. My recent experience of getting phoenix wings told me our magic was evolving, changing into something new. " I've been thinking about it for a while now, Pinkie, and I don't think we should rely on it. We don't want to win if it means we have to cheat to do it. Plus, Crystal Prep isn't aware of magic existing here. It's best to maintain that perspective."

" Okay! Then I have the perfect idea to make sure everyone puts on a good performance." Pinkie Pie said.

" What do you mean?"

" Haven't you been to a tryout before, Sunset?"

" This is my first time."

" Really!? Then you need a crash course in knowing the ins and outs, and I'm the perfect candidate to explain it to you. All I need is about two minutes, some props, open space, and my party cannon." Pinkie Pie said.

" Ahem! If you are quite finished, I would like to explain how this is going to work." Vice Principal Luna said. Pinkie immediately stopped talking, and the vice principal started walking around with a clipboard in her hand, eyeing us carefully. " You will each have three minutes to showcase your abilities before me and a group of your peers. I shall be writing down what I think was good and what needed improvement. Once I've seen everyone, I shall make my decision by posting the results in the main entrance bulletin board. You may use whatever you want in your pitch to show me that you deserve a spot on the team. You have five minutes to prepare yourselves." Vice Principal Luna then turned her attention towards my friends and me. I knew what she was going to say next. It was so obvious. " Magic is strictly prohibited. I want this to be a fair process." She walked back to the bottom row of the bleachers before sitting down and clicking her pen.

" Okay, Pinkie! What do you say to that?" I asked.

" You don't need that crash course anymore." Pinkie Pie answered.

" No. I mean, what were you saying about props and cannons?"

" Everyone else already knows what they're going to be doing, Sunset, yet you're the only one who is doesn't have something spectacular. As one of the best premiere party planners in Canterlot, I can help you make a really good impression. No need to thank me or anything for doing this for you." Pinkie Pie answered.

" I wasn't planning to." I said sarcastically.

" I'm seeing you wearing this costume I happen to have here with me, and balancing some of these tiny dumbbells showing how dexterous you are. Or, you could demonstrate some strength by using this much larger dumbbell while still wearing the costume." Pinkie Pie said. She pulled from behind her back, a pink coloured bodysuit that didn't look my size, yet I was more surprised when she pulled out several small dumbbells and a larger one after that. I wasn't liking where this was going. I wanted to prove that I was capable of being on the team, not to humiliate myself beyond all reckoning.

" Oh no! I am not wearing that!" I announced.

" It'll be fun!" Pinkie Pie said, smiling with her goofy grin.

" That's not what I'd call it."

" Trust me."

" In order to make this process fair, I shall put these twelve numbered balls into a hat." Vice Principal Luna announced, interrupting my argument with Pinkie. She was holding onto a hat one of the students had been wearing, and from her pocket, she took out a dozen green balls that had numbers on them. She dumped them all into the hat and shook it several times before getting up and walking forward to where we were standing. " I want each of you to reach into this hat and take out a ball. The number written on it will determine in what order you'll be trying out. So, for example, if you pull out the ball with the number one on it, you'll be going first. It doesn't matter what order you decide to go in to pull out a ball so long as it's accomplished."

Since I was the closest to Vice Principal Luna, I reached into the hat, juggled my hand around for several seconds, and took out a ball. Looking at the number printed on it, I was saddened to see that I had picked number one. Of all the numbers, I had to pick out the one that forced me to go first. If there was any consolation, it was that I didn't have to wait nervously for my turn. Turning my eyes back to Pinkie, she held up her costume and a dumbbell, a reminder of what she wanted me to do. I would've outright refused her suggestion of using that stuff had I gone later, but since I was going first, I had no other choice but to go with it.

While I didn't see what most of the others had gotten for their numbers, I did manage to see what Pinkie, Lyra, and Bon Bon pulled. Pinkie pulled number three, Lyra pulled number eleven and Bon Bon pulled number twelve. Quite the coincidence those two ended up going last given how close they were as friends.

" Sunset Shimmer will be going first, so please prepare accordingly within the next five minutes." Vice Principal Luna said as she returned to her seat and gave the hat back to the student who provided it for her.

" Guess I've got to use what you brought, Pinkie." I said.

" Don't worry, it'll be fun." Pinkie Pie said. Without warning, she took the bodysuit and placed it over my head, and it suddenly ended up on my body exactly the way it was supposed to be worn--including the white gloves and shoes that came with it. I had no idea how she did that without any trouble, but I wasn't about to question her ability to defy reality. At least I didn't have to go off somewhere private to change into that thing. It did feel pretty comfortable, though it was tight in some places. " A perfect fit! I knew you'd fit into it easily; that material stretches to accommodate whoever wears it. Here are your dumbbells!" Pinkie Pie said. She tossed three of the small dumbbells at me, and I had to quickly catch them to prevent myself from being hurt. " I don't think you'll need the big one for this, but I'll keep it on hand just in case. Now get out there and show Vice Principal Luna your stuff!"

Never had I felt so humiliated. I was walking around wearing a stupid outfit that made me look like I was trying out for a circus rather than a sports team. If Pinkie wasn't my friend, I'd have made her rue the day she decided to "help" me. I started regretting my decision of helping Rainbow Dash. If I had known that I was going to lose my dignity, I'd have walked away before any of this happened. But, since I did promise Rainbow, I had to go through with this.

" Well, I must admit that I wasn't expecting you to come out wearing something like that, Sunset Shimmer." Vice Principal Luna said as I walked towards her, everyone on the bleachers staring at me. None of them knew what to say about my choice of attire, but deep down, I knew they were laughing at me. I blushed fiercely. I wished that I was anywhere except there. I wasn't nervous about performing a routine, but performing while wearing something like that? Had Pinkie done this just to make me look bad? Or, did she really think I could pull off one of her wild ideas? " Normally, that kind of costume isn't allowed to be worn for official school events, given how suggestive it is, but for something like this, it's completely acceptable." Vice Principal Luna said.

" Am I ready to start?" I asked.

" As soon as you make your first move, I shall be writing down everything that you do. I will be watching every movement you make, so think of this as taking an exam, your future on the team hanging in the balance." Vice Principal Luna answered. Those weren't the most encouraging words she ever gave to me, but then, she still had some issues with me over my past as a bully. Her sister had forgiven me for my actions soon after the Fall Formal, yet she continued giving me a hard time. I knew Vice Principal Luna was struggling to come to grips with what I did, but the hesitation to remain angry was evident. " You shall have three minutes to perform whatever routine you shall be presenting to us. You may begin when ready." Vice Principal Luna said.

Since Pinkie gave me three dumbbells, I came up with the idea of juggling them to show dexterity, concentration, and strength. I didn't have much experience juggling, but I knew enough to not embarrass myself even further. Holding two in one hand and one in the other, I started juggling the dumbbells making sure to maintain a steady pace so as to not toss one ahead of another. The bodysuit became a nonissue, as my focus was on my performance, but there were some boys in the audience who thought otherwise. I ignored them all and pretended I was on my own like before. It sounded cruel to think of myself as being alone given all the friends I had, but I had to maintain my concentration. One mistake would have cost me everything.

Once I got into the swing of things, I went with more complex juggling to show off a little, but not too much. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Vice Principal Luna watching my every move closely. Not once did she blink nor turn away other than to write down her opinions of my routine. I felt nervous. I had to concentrate on doing well and not allow her observation to be a distraction. I began sweating, but luckily, the bodysuit didn't cause the sweat to exude through the fabric. Perhaps Pinkie's insanity wasn't as bad as I originally thought. I had every intention of keeping this suit for myself, but I would speak to Pinkie about it in private. I didn't want to give off any bad impressions.

It felt like time was passing by slowly. I had no idea how much longer I had to keep on juggling until Vice Principal Luna could tell me to stop. Pinkie, in the meantime, had been twirling about the large dumbbell as her way of informing me that I should use it. How did she have no trouble swinging something so heavy around? Was she much stronger than she let on? Or, was it one of her reality defying moments? In any case, she was distracting me from my objective. I didn't want to use that larger dumbbell, as it would have disrupted my flow. It also would have left me more exhausted.

My arms eventually got tired and I was about to drop everything, when Vice Principal Luna announced, " Your three minutes are up, Sunset Shimmer! Please finish your routine so that the next student can perform."

I wanted to drop the dumbbells, but that could've made one hit my head. Instead, I tossed all three up into the air and caught them using one hand, balancing them in place. Vice Principal Luna and the others began clapping, prompting me to bow slightly before walking off towards my friends. They were ecstatic over how my performance went, and I actually felt proud of what I did. I could have done without the bodysuit, and I hoped it wouldn't factor into Vice Principal Luna's opinion of me.

" That was amazing, darling!" Rarity said.

" I knew that costume was a good idea." Pinkie Pie said.

" Yeah, I guess it was effective, and I didn't need the party cannon." I said.

" Um, where are you goin'?" Applejack asked.

" I need to go inside and change out of this bodysuit. I might be able to make it back in time to see the rest of the tryouts, but if not, then I'll meet you all at the bulletin board in the main entry hall. Oh, and Pinkie... I want to talk to you about doing what you did later on between us." I answered. Pinkie gave me a salute--perfectly normal for her--and I turned to walk towards the front of the building.

My tryout didn't go exactly as I planned. Well, I didn't actually have a plan--I was just going to wing it--but I suppose Pinkie did end up making a difference. While it would have been interesting to see what the others did, I wanted to get out of that suit as quickly as possible. Despite liking it, wearing it in public wasn't the best idea.

As I turned the corner that lead to the front of the school, I found myself gazing at the Wondercolt statue. I never knew how radiant it looked during that time of the day. That statue had such a strong place in my heart, but not because of what most people thought. While to them it was a source of school pride, to me, it was the gateway between two worlds. I still longed for the day when I could return home to Equestria on my own terms.

Staring at the statue, I thought about Princess Twilight and what she might have been doing at that exact moment. I wanted her to pay a visit again. Hopefully, she could get some free time after she was finished with that presentation she told me about, or before, in case she needed some time to relax before speaking in front of so many unicorns.

" What happened to that bodysuit?" Twilight asked.

" I knew you'd ask about it." I answered. I pointed towards the same wooden box that contained my old clothes, indicating the bodysuit had been placed in there. Twilight didn't understand why I'd put it there instead of in my backpack or somewhere more convenient, but I shook my head, silencing her curiosity. I didn't intend on putting the suit in that box, but there was no other choice when an unfortunate setback happened. Even my own sweat contained magic, a fact I never once thought of as significant, until I changed out of it when I got back to my residence. " During my routine, I began sweating, which the bodysuit absorbed without anyone seeing it. It would have been embarrassing, but that wasn't an issue for me. The issue was that my sweat contained magical residue."

" No need to tell me any further details, Sunset. I've got the idea as to where you're going with this." Twilight said.

" It's been inside that box ever since."

" Did you inform Pinkie of the reason you wanted to keep it?"

" She somehow knew I was going to hold onto it, but not because of magic. And yes, I did tell her that as my reason. Since the sweat on the bodysuit came from me, I couldn't test it to figure out the magic problem, as samples from myself couldn't be trusted." I answered.

" According to the roster, you glued onto that journal page, your name is listed first. Vice Principal Luna must have really liked your performance to have immediately placed you on the team. That, or she wrote down names in order from the best to the worst. You were touted as being the best CHS had to offer and compared with someone you never met before until later--me. Naturally, you would be given top billing, with everyone else following suit." Twilight said.

" I'm leaning towards the latter myself." I said. Since I never witnessed the other tryouts, aside from the one posted online that featured Lyra and Bon Bon, I had to figure that Twilight was right.

I didn't like being referred to as the best student in school. It brought back painful memories of when I thought of myself as actually being the best during my troubled days. I never want to go back to that old life ever again. I'm satisfied with being a regular student who just so happens to be gifted but doesn't see it as the greatest thing to ever happen around here. Now that I think about it, why didn't anyone post my tryout online? It was as ridiculous as Lyra and Bon Bon's little fiasco, but perhaps they were too mesmerized by what I was wearing. The male students certainly were. I shuddered just thinking that they were only interested in my attire instead of my skill.

" At least your routine wasn't made public." Twilight said.

" It should've been."

" Lyra and Bon Bon definitely had you beat, according to what you described."

" No one knows where they got those items from."

" Even Pinkie?"

" According to Flash, the rest of our friends left after Rainbow Dash finished her routine. They had other commitments to take of, and Vice Principal Luna did state that we could leave after we had performed. Perhaps it was a good thing they didn't see it for themselves, especially Pinkie. She might have thought Lyra and Bon Bon were trying to upstage her ability to defy reality. Actually, she would've put them in their place had she chosen to stick around." I answered.

" I'm glad that you mentioned him." Twilight said.

" How come?"

" What did you two talk about in the gym?"

" Oh, that. It wasn't a long conversation, but it happened the day after the tryouts."

By the time the tryouts were over, Vice Principal Luna had to wait until tomorrow morning to post the roster for the Wondercolts team. That was because according to what some students said, it went on a lot longer than expected. Lyra and Bon Bon, the last two who tried out, got carried away by trying to outdo one another in order to prove themselves worthy of making the team. I thought my routine was humiliating, but what they did was ten times worse. I knew those two had a competitive streak when I saw them, but I didn't think they would go to such an extreme. Several students had recorded everything that happened and published it online through MyStable. Unlike what happened with Anon-A-Miss, they didn't hide their identities. They wanted to show others just how bizarre it was.

My friends and I watched the footage on our own time and were shocked that they did so many strange things to prove their point. Not even Pinkie could have pulled so many things from out of nowhere like they did. From the marble slab to the telephone book being ripped in half and from the pottery machine to the ridiculous mascot battle, they had garnered so much attention for all the wrong things. If we wanted Crystal Prep to take us seriously, we needed better students than Lyra and Bon Bon. I know it was harsh of me to look down on them like that, but their routine was just a disaster.

And yet, I was proven wrong. The next day, as I was leaving a class to head to the cafeteria for lunch, I walked through the main entrance, and the roster had been posted on the bulletin board. A lot of students were hovering around it in order to see who was representing them in the Friendship Games. To no surprise, my friends and I made the team. Flash was also listed on there, along with everyone else, including Lyra and Bon Bon. Perhaps it was their boundless energy that proved enough for them to be included. In any case, CHS now had a team ready to face off against Crystal Prep's elite students in the Games. None of us had any idea on how good they were, but we knew that we had to be on top of our game to last long enough without being utterly destroyed.

My friends weren't aware that they had made the team, so I ran towards the cafeteria to tell them. Along the way, I ran past the gym entrance, only to stop, double back a few steps and look inside. There was paint everywhere with some glitter mixed in with it. I also saw hand and foot prints, telling me that someone didn't bother to check before leaving the gym, most likely to clean themselves up. Standing in the middle of the gym was Flash Sentry, yet he didn't notice me straight away. He was fixated on a large piece of paper that was lying by his feet. I coughed slightly to get his attention.

" Sunset? What are you doing here?" Flash asked.

" I was going to the cafeteria, but when I saw what happened in here, I had to find out." I answered.

" Yeah, it's not a pretty sight."

" I'll say. It looks like a bunch of toddlers wrecked the gym when no one was looking."

" More like three guys with different ideas."

" Uh, I don't understand."

" Vice Principal Luna asked Sandalwood, Micro Chips, and me to come up with a banner to welcome Crystal Prep when they come here for the Friendship Games. We each had our own ideas on what should be on the banner that would represent our school as being both welcoming and serious about competing. But, our egos ended up almost ruining everything. What we came up with was by a complete accident. None of us were aware of what we were doing." Flash said.

" Mind if I take a look?" I asked.

" Go right ahead, but be prepared for what you're about to see." Flash answered. Stepping into the gym while making sure not to step in any paint, I walked over to the banner and looked down at it. I was expecting it to be something simple, but it was anything but that. It consisted of music sheets complete with treble clefs that connected with a DNA strand. There was a handshake drawn below that represented friendship and harmony, and several other symbols strewn about, including a peace sign, a smiley face, a guitar covered in fire, a mathematical equation, and what looked to be water. There was a second DNA strand that connected to a blue trail which, in turn, connected with the sign. I wasn't sure what to make of their design other than it was a mish-mash of different ideals. " I'm not surprised by your expression, Sunset. The three of us were pretty shocked as well when we saw this, yet Vice Principal Luna was impressed." Flash said.

" It's... pretty festive, I think."

" And we have to make five more just like it by the end of the day."

" What!? How do you plan on doing that?"

" No idea."

" Need some help?"

" Thanks, but I think we should handle it ourselves. No offense, but Vice Principal Luna did ask the three of us to work on the banners by ourselves. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Sandalwood and Micro Chips left for the cafeteria a few minutes ago before you got here. I was going to go with them, but I decided to remain here and think about some things." Flash answered.

He was looking distant again, just like he was the other day during the tryouts. Something was definitely on his mind, and now was an ideal time to ask about it. I had to be careful not to get too personal in case he got offended. I spent a few minutes thinking about what to say, and eventually, I came up with a question.

" Are you glad that you made the team for the Friendship Games?" I asked.

" I'm fine with it, but I'll admit that I wasn't thrilled at first when Rainbow Dash asked me."

" How come?"

" While I understand the need for CHS to beat Crystal Prep and finally end our losing streak, Rainbow's expectations are way too high. No Wondercolts team has ever beaten the Shadowbolts in the Friendship Games since it first became a tradition over forty years ago. Even then, they beat us in almost every other competition outside the Games aside from a rare victory we get maybe once a year." Flash answered. Shadowbolts? That was the first time I ever heard that name. I had no idea what it meant, so I asked Flash. He told me it was the name of Crystal Prep's team, much like how CHS's team was the Wondercolts. It sounded similar to something from Equestria that Princess Celestia once mentioned during my early days as her student. " No one is excited about the Games; we always lose. That's why only a dozen students wanted to try out! No one else cared, because they knew it would be pointless." Flash said.

" And those who tried out?" I asked.

" Did so because Rainbow Dash convinced them to do it."

" She really wants us to win."

" It would be nice if that happened, but the chances of doing so are incredibly slim. We'd need a miracle to match skills with the Shadowbolts. Crystal Prep isn't the number one school in the district for nothing, you know. They're determined to win no matter what with their elite squads, and they've succeeded every time where it counts. Compared to them, we're nothing more than an ant before a giant." Flash said.

" You think we'll lose?"

" I don't know."

" All we can do is try our best."

" Yeah."

" Want to come to the cafeteria?"

" No. I'm going to wait here for the guys to come back. Thanks for the offer and all, but I need to think about what I'm really doing regarding the Games. It'd be nice if Twilight were here to help us out. She is a student of CHS, after all, despite being from out of town, so we could use her help. If she's too busy to come back, though, I understand completely; she has her own life and problems." Flash answered.

" I wish she were here, too." I said, turning around and leaving the gym, telling him that I'd see him later. I wanted Her Highness to come here for completely different reasons, but the thought of her competing for CHS was one I didn't consider. What she lacked in physical strength, she made up for in intellect. The Games featured all kinds of events that included brain teasers, something she excelled in. For her to join the team now meant someone on the roster had to be removed to enable her to get in. I doubted anyone was going to give her that satisfaction, despite all she had done.

As I walked towards the cafeteria, I began to think about what Flash said. These Shadowbolts were the best in Canterlot and had the credentials to back up their claim. We were going up against a powerful force that consisted of fellow high-school students, not magical beings from Equestria--our usual type at that point. Rainbow Dash strongly believed this was going to be our year to finally beat Crystal Prep and end their dominance. Did I feel the same way? I had mixed opinions. CHS had talented students but was casual compared to Crystal Prep, whose students were dedicated to their studies. It was going to be a battle between friendship and raw power, and we were vastly outclassed.

" Flash Sentry tried to remain optimistic, but it wasn't easy for him, Twilight. It wasn't easy for any of us. Except for Rainbow Dash, that is; she honestly believed that we stood a chance at beating Crystal Prep. The rest of us felt that we were going to be slaughtered just like in the previous Games." I said.

" I take it you took the time to learn about the rivalry between the two schools?" Twilight asked.

" There was a book in the library that was dedicated to it. Truly a fascinating read. I had to witness the rivalry for myself to understand the nuances that surrounded it." I answered.

" The odds were stacked against you."

" If CHS wasn't a fellow high school, Crystal Prep wouldn't have viewed us as a threat to their dominion." I said. Our school wasn't an actual threat, yet Principal Cinch saw it that way and wanted to make an example. She didn't like the idea of any other school being superior or even equal to her own, so she drilled her students into performing at peak efficiency at all times. Anyone who slipped up was cast aside as weak and deemed a failure in her eyes. That's the impression I got during all of the times Cinch said anything. In her world, Crystal Prep was supreme, and nothing else could compare.

No wonder her students were miserable despite not openly showing it. They always had to be perfect. It was the only goal that mattered because that's what they were taught. Twilight was an exception. She was Cinch's best student but was miserable because she wanted more in her life, and her fellow students at the time resented her for it.

To be competitive, one shouldn't have to give up their very humanity just to achieve victory. No one ever wins in a situation like that. Perhaps Dean Cadance will be able to implement some changes to make Crystal Prep a better school than it was before. I still found it hard to believe that she was Cinch's assistant, although it was easy to see why she was a guidance counselor of sorts. Compared with Cinch, Cadance was much nicer and more motherly. Perhaps she should become the principal instead and have Cinch be her assistant. On second thought, getting rid of the latter would be a better idea.

" Principal Cinch views all schools in the district as a threat." Twilight said.

" Even postsecondary?"

" Yes."

" Talk about being obsessed."

" It was unhealthy, but no one ever complained about it."

" Is it true that the top twelve students at Crystal Prep are selected to compete in every event your school is involved in?"

" No. That only applies to the Friendship Games. For other events, Principal Cinch always picked the best students to represent the academy based on their skill level, willingness to win at all costs, and ability to follow commands right down to the letter. I'd say everyone there ends up competing as a Shadowbolt once a semester. That's just how good they really are compared with other schools in the district." Twilight answered.

" And you were forced to compete, right?"

" Principal Cinch used my application to the Everton Independent Study Program."

" Yes, as you mentioned before."

" If that hadn't been the deciding factor, I would've been able to refuse."

" I doubt Cinch would accept that."

" Shall we move on with your journal?"

" If you really want to continue on, I'm okay with that, but don't think you should keep all that bottled up inside. It won't do you any good." I answered. Turning to the next page of the journal, my jaw dropped upon seeing yet another photo glued there. Unlike previous photos, this one was special because of its importance to both of us. Twilight leaned forward to get a closer look at what I had seen, and she had the exact reaction. The logo in the bottom-right-hand corner reminded me that Photo Finish had given it to me the day before the Games began. The photo was a shot of the Wondercolt statue and featured a figure wearing a hoodie observing it with a strange device. " At the time, I didn't think highly of this because of not knowing what I do now. I just glued it in here as a reminder of how awkward the encounter was." I said.

" Is that... me?"

" Yes, and you are holding the device you used to analyze the portal."

" Does this mean you wrote about me in your journal?"

Chapter 58: Emergency Text

Day: Tuesday
Weather: Mild
Time: 4:00pm

I didn't think trying out for the Wondercolts would be so embarrassing, but it was, thanks to Pinkie Pie. Because I had the unfortunate pleasure of going first, I didn't have adequate time to prepare a routine to impress Vice Principal Luna. Pinkie gave me a bodysuit and some dumbbells to show how dexterous I was, and while my routine was good, I wish it didn't involve dressing both suggestively and weirdly. In the end, I suppose making the team was all that mattered. Two weeks remained until the Games began, but something still bothered me. I had to see Princess Twilight. I knew she was busy preparing for her presentation, but I needed her guidance now more than ever. However, our friends had to be kept in the dark, a thought which hurt me. I wanted this to just be between the two of us. Two days before the Games, I learned that Rainbow Dash overexaggerates.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 26, 2016
Chapter 58: Emergency Text.

Twilight should have known that this was coming. The events of the Friendship Games were written down in my journal. Despite how recent those events were--it had been a couple of weeks--they proved pivotal to how I understood this world. My numerous encounters with her left me with mixed feelings that even now continue confusing me. On the one hand, she was the human version of the one who gave me a second chance. On the other, she almost destroyed everything in an attempt to understand magic. In this journal, I wrote down my opinions of Twilight, just like I had done with everyone else who I've interacted with since first coming here. She was no exception. I assumed she thought things had come to an end once we reached the day before the Games, but if so, she was wrong.

I had other thoughts going through my mind other than her. Thoughts that no one knew about, because I kept them close to my heart. The magic problem continued to plague me with every passing moment, coupled with Twilight existing in this world without ever knowing until the Friendship Games. I also had a longing to finally go back home after being away from it for so long. I didn't care about whether or not I would be punished for my crimes. I wanted to go back to Equestria. The magic was the driving force behind that mentality. The stress I received from trying to figure out the magic of this world worked really affected my attitude. My anger constantly rose whenever I couldn't find answers, and I lost my temper a lot. I yelled at and insulted everyone around me, it got so bad.

Princess Twilight was the one person who knew me better than anyone. Her words often relieved me of stress, especially when she told me in her responses that she had experienced something similar. I wished she had come to this world during the Friendship Games, not getting caught up in her own problem. I had no problem figuring out how to deal with this world's Twilight, as she became a mirror image of who I used to be. I needed Her Highness to help me answer the one question that was tearing me apart: Do I remain here, or do I go back home to where I truly belonged?

" Yes, Twilight. I did write about you." I answered, my head lowered in shame.

" I should be mad about that, but I just feel indifferent. I think I just pity you." Twilight said.

" Pity me?"

" Considering that you wrote down your true feelings towards our friends, other people you've interacted with, and yourself, it's not surprising to know that you had true feelings about me written in it." Twilight answered.

" Twilight..."

" You've every right to your opinions in that journal of yours, Sunset. No one can deny you that privilege, even if they show resentment towards you for thinking of them like that behind their backs. I know I'm not going to like what's written down about me, but I've got to accept it anyway. I've heard everything else so far, so I might as well go the rest of the way." Twilight said.

" I... I don't deserve a friend like you." I said.

" I'm a lot tougher than I appear to be, even if I have suffered a couple of mental breakdowns."

" What were your opinions of me when you first saw me?" My question appeared to have stumped Twilight, as she was taken aback slightly when I changed the subject. I had never asked her that question before, but I felt now was the time to finally address it. Twilight took off her glasses and started cleaning them with her shirt, breathing on them from time to time. I had no idea if she was stalling or thinking about what to say in response, but it was driving me crazy. " Twilight... I need an answer, now!" She then looked at me, squinting--her eyesight was pretty bad--before putting her glasses back on the bridge of her nose and sliding them back up.

" I thought you were one of those popular students." Twilight said.

" Seriously!?"

" Oh, yes. When I entered the music room after absorbing Rarity's magic, I looked up and saw all of you, aside from her, wearing those costumes. You were in the middle of the group, and I figured that you were the leader. Given their position compared with yours, I concluded that you had quite the sphere of influence amongst them. I never did understand why you wore a welder's mask and oven mitts." Twilight answered.

What I was wearing at the time was Rarity's idea. She thought the idea of me wearing a mask and mitts would help in events that involved building something using a powerful machine, or using an oven to bake something. I was never good at cooking, and the idea of using machines brought back painful memories of losing my device when Rainbow Dash's music blew it up. I was surprised that Twilight thought of me as a popular student. I know that I did a good job of remaining in the shadows while letting others take all of the glory, but I didn't take her perception into account.

" I was only the 'leader' because I knew more about magic. For everything else, I was just an ordinary student. Did you ever think something was wrong with me based on how I acted? Did I look off in any way?" I asked.

" No. You seemed fine to me, although you did have a temper." Twilight answered.

" I'm sorry for asking you so many personal questions."

" It was beginning to worry me."

" While it's true that I did write about my true feelings of you in my journal, I also wrote about something else. None of our friends know this happened, so you'll be the first to discover yet another dark secret I've kept. This one isn't anything dreadful like my life being destroyed. Instead, it involves a longing fueled by the stress I was receiving from my failed attempts at solving the magic problem." I said. On the opposite page that featured the photo of the Wondercolt statue and Twilight, there was a hidden flap. I lifted it up, and underneath was another photo taken by my cellphone, complete with poor quality. Princess Twilight and I were sitting at a table in Sugarcube Corner, and we were both hugging each other. In the hands of Her Highness were some unusual coins, and I was holding regular coins and a dollar bill. " I... I met with Her Highness two days after the tryouts. I had something on my mind that required her immediate input." I said.

" What's with the coins?" Twilight asked.

" Her Highness is holding Equestrian bits, the currency we use in Equestria. For some reason, they ended up coming through when she came to visit. I don't think they're worth anything in this world, yet I might be wrong; I'm not an expert when it comes to money. I was holding my own money that I scrounged up from my volunteer work. They don't pay much, which is fine--my aim is to help, not to get rich--but the point is that this meeting between us happened without our friends knowing." I answered.

" Did Princess Twilight actually try to pay for something with those coins?"

" She thought she had change before realizing the truth." I answered. Twilight began giggling to herself, and I chose not to stop her. I could do with genuine laughter from her right now. What happened in that photo was difficult for me to explain, but I knew I had to be honest with her. " She ordered some drinks, and was going to pay until she realized Equestrian bits don't work here. So, I told her I'd pay for it and that she could pay me back the next time I see her. I actually had no plans to have Her Highness do that. I felt it was pointless giving her an I.O.U. for about $1.20." Twilight continued laughing for a bit more until she calmed down after a few minutes. I did find it cute that she was able to provide some happiness before I got down to business. I also found it cute when Princess Twilight had that reaction upon discovering what she had. She needed some more lessons on living in this world.

" So, what was so important that you had to meet her in private?"

" It doesn't matter anymore. We can skip over it and focus on when I first saw you."

" No. If you think this is something I must know, Sunset, then by all means, tell me what happened."

" Alright. The reason I wanted to speak to Her Highness privately had to do with coming to a realization. I had struggled for months trying to understand how magic worked in this world. Her advice proved ineffective and my stress levels were reaching their peak. So... I thought about going back home to Equestria and leaving this world behind. I wanted to go home; magic in Equestria made sense." I said.

" You wanted to go back? But, weren't you afraid of being arrested?" Twilight asked.

" I didn't care about that anymore. I really wanted to go back and experience the joy of being a pony again."

" Sunset..."

" However, I was also conflicted. In my attempt to convince myself that going home was the right thing to do, I remembered that I also made a commitment. I made the Wondercolts team, and that meant all of CHS would be looking to me and the rest of the team to lead them to victory." I said.

With the confirmation from Vice Principal Luna's roster on the bulletin board, I was now a member of the Wondercolts competing in the Friendship Games. Despite my displeasure of having to wear that ridiculous bodysuit and juggling three dumbbells, my routine proved enough for me to be accepted. My friends also made it, and I told them after I had left Flash Sentry after speaking with him in the gym.

Even though he also made the team, he still had doubts on whether we were good enough to beat the Shadowbolts, the unknown students of Crystal Prep who we were to face in the Games. Their school prided itself on being the best in the district and had backed up their claim numerous times. To defeat them and claim victory, we had to bring our A game. I did wonder how Principal Cinch selected her team from what she had at her school. We had tryouts that determined who made it--despite only twelve students showing up to begin with--yet what did Crystal Prep have?

There was still much about that school that remained a mystery for me. I found it difficult to believe that the students there were incapable of displaying emotion and were instead focused on completing their studies. There was nothing wrong with studying. There were students who were dedicated to getting good grades because they had their eyes set on prestigious universities. The idea of them being emotionless robots just held no credibility to me. I would discover for myself when they came two weeks later to compete. Not only did the Shadowbolts come along but a large retinue of Crystal Prep regulars also came to cheer on their team. If they truly lacked emotion, then cheering for their team would be impossible.

As the school day came to an end, my friends asked me if I wanted to go with them to Sugarcube Corner. I politely refused their offer, saying that I wanted to focus more on the magic problem. I had neglected my efforts to solve it because of trying out for the Friendship Games, so it came down to doubling my efforts until an answer was found.

Taking refuge within the library and taking out every last paper, chart, calculation, and book, I began feverishly reading over everything. I had hoped to find something I overlooked, but instead, I got a headache from reading so much without taking even a small break. I looked over my notes twice, three times, and then a fourth before numbers, words, and other things started swirling around my head. And yet, I kept on going. I had to figure out the answer before the Friendship Games began. The Games would be a nightmare if Equestrian magic began showing up, and I'd have just felt more guilty over not keeping it under control.

Eventually, the pressure was too much for me, and I tossed all of my work to the side. It all hit a bookshelf with a loud thud and dropped to the floor. I stopped moving and my heart began to beat rapidly. Surely, the janitors must have heard that noise from wherever they were working. They'd use my anger as an excuse to have me evicted from living in the library. For about five minutes, I remained still as a statue, afraid that a janitor would come around the corner to confront me. I was fortunate; none of them came this way to investigate. I was safe but also mad for losing control of my temper. I just wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, rip out my hair, and push over several bookshelves. I had finally reached the limits of my patience.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't figure out how magic worked in this world. Everything I had written down just didn't add up to anything! I didn't want to deal with this problem anymore! It was too much for me to handle on my own! I was about to lose it, when an idea popped into my mind.

Looking towards my backpack, which had slid across the floor slightly during my brief temper tantrum, I walked over to it, took out the magic journal, grabbed my pen hanging out of my jacket pocket, and began to hastily write down a message for Her Highness to read. I had reached wit's end.

Twilight

If you are able to receive this message, then know that I really need to speak to you. I know this is really abrupt, but I'm about to lose my sanity. I'm serious! Hope to get a response as soon as possible.

Sunset Shimmer

Would she even receive it? She had that presentation coming up at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, and my message sounded like I was acting like a spoiled brat. Had I been hasty? Should I have spent the night ignoring the magic problem and focussing on something fun and constructive instead? That would've worked for most people, but not for me. Once I've started something, I can't stop until it's finished. I began getting antsy waiting for a response from Her Highness, and sure enough, I received an answer from her a couple of minutes later.

This sounds very serious, Sunset. I was planning on practicing my speech for my presentation tomorrow, but I'll come through the portal to speak with you. Would you prefer if we chat in front of the statue, or do you have some place in mind? Also, will our friends have a chance to see me? It's been a while since I last saw them.

It didn't take long for me to come with a response.

I don't want our friends to know about this meeting. I just want it to be between the two of us, pony to pony--human to human. I know it sounds selfish of me to deny them the right to see you again, but this is something I must speak to you about. As for the location, can you meet me at Sugarcube Corner in about an hour?

Alright. I won't question your reasons, Sunset. I'll see you there in an hour.

Looking up at a clock hanging on a nearby wall, I deduced that it had been thirty minutes since I came here after school finished. My friends usually spent forty-five minutes at Sugarcube Corner before going elsewhere. By the time Princess Twilight and I would meet each other, they'd have been gone for at least half an hour. I felt guilty over keeping them in the dark regarding this meeting with Her Highness, but I needed for this to just involve us. They didn't understand what I was going through.

An hour passed, and I was almost at Sugarcube Corner. The streets of Canterlot during the sunset hours were pretty peaceful, aside from rush hour traffic with people being in a hurry to get home from work. While walking to the meeting spot, I felt relaxed knowing that I was going to be getting help from Princess Twilight. I hoped she wouldn't take it the wrong way and accuse me of taking advantage of her. I started getting nervous, my heart rate increasing, so I breathed several times in an effort to relax.

Once I had calmed my nerves, I walked to the entrance of Sugarcube Corner and went inside. The sounds of patrons gossiping immediately filled my ears, but luckily, no one from school was in sight. I looked around in hopes of spotting Princess Twilight. It didn't take long to find her. In fact, the instant my eyes took notice of her, she raised her hand to let me know that she had waited for me.

" Sunset?" Princess Twilight asked. I waved at Her Highness before walking over and sitting down at a table at the far back of the room. It felt wonderful seeing her again in person after having written to her many times since the Battle of the Bands. Once I was comfortable, Her Highness gently pushed a glass filled with water towards me. I picked it up and held it in my hand while she resumed. " Why did you want to meet? Is something wrong?"

" I... I'm finally at my wit's end with the whole magic problem." I answered.

" I had a feeling that was the reason why you wanted to talk to me."

" I've been trying to figure out how it works in this world, and nothing has worked! I just don't understand why it behaves the way it does! All of my tests! All of my research! All of my free time, wasted because I just can't find an answer." I said. Princess Twilight simply stared at me, blinking every few seconds, and I simply blushed in embarrassment before turning away. I had just vented my frustration out on the one person who helped me turn my life around. What was I thinking? I had acted like a complete bonehead! Turning towards Her Highness again, she was still staring, until she smiled. It took me by surprise. " How can you smile at me after that?"

" Your frustration over not being able to figure out this problem was expected, Sunset. I've been in your shoes many times before and after I became a princess. I tried so desperately to find an answer, and when I couldn't, I completely lost my mind. Anyone within range became a victim of my anger." Princess Twilight said.

" I'm about ready to give all this up and go back." I said.

" To Equestria?"

" Yes! Although, I doubt that I'd get a warm welcome after what I did. But, I don't care about that anymore!"

" You'd go back knowing you could be punished?"

" If it means leaving this world and the nonsense magic in favour of a world where magic works the way it's supposed to, I'm all for it!" I answered. I looked at the glass of water in my hand and swirled it about a little. As I continued swirling it, I felt the rage boiling away inside of me with no signs of slowing down. The reflection of Her Highness was clearly visible in the water, so I looked up at her; her smile had disappeared and was replaced with sadness. " I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't mean to say it like that. I guess my temper has once again gotten away from me. You must be so disappointed at seeing your student reduced to this." I said.

" I cannot pretend to understand the stress you're feeling." Princess Twilight said.

" There's another problem that only complicates things further. There's this competition coming up at school in a couple of weeks. Despite what many at CHS are saying, everyone is looking forward to it, and I am too, but the problem is that it feels pretty ordinary and not magical like the Equestria Games back home. Rainbow Dash convinced all of us and several others to try out for the Friendship Games. I made the team along with the rest of them, but maybe I should've thought more about it." I said. Her Highness then started giggling, and it didn't take me long to figure out what caused it. That was her first time hearing the name "Friendship Games", and she was giggling over how cute it sounded. I had to tell her that the Games were serious, especially with who we were up against. " Crystal Prep has always won because they're the best in Canterlot, and we've got to be on equal footing if we hope to win."

" Crystal Prep? It sounds like the Crystal Empire back home." Princess Twilight said.

" There's probably a connection there."

" Why were you hesitant?"

" I've studied magic in Equestria, travelled to a different dimension, made friends for the first time in my life, and fought against evil. Somehow, intramural sports just doesn't have the same sense of excitement. Also, I didn't understand what was at stake until after I agreed to try out. These Games mean a lot to the school, even if they say otherwise. Losing so many years in a row has definitely hurt school morale." I answered.

" Do the others at least know about your feelings regarding these Games?"

" Sort of, but I don't want them to think that I don't support them or want CHS to win."

" How do you really feel about it?"

" I wanted to support Rainbow Dash since she's my friend, and now I've got to stick with that resolve despite my feelings. Maybe a part of me still has a strong attachment to this world and doesn't want me to leave it all behind." I answered. I felt even more conflicted. I wanted to go back home where magic was normal, but it meant leaving behind my friends who had helped change my life around. Could I have really abandoned them for my own selfish needs? My heart was torn between home and friendship. No matter what side I chose to follow, the other one would feel like I betrayed it. " And then there's one other problem that could affect the Games. Our friends and I all made it, yes, but we also possess magic that could give us an unfair advantage. The thought of CHS being disqualified because of something as foreign as magic would crush everyone's spirits, and I'd take the blame. After all, I brought magic here when I stole your crown." I said.

" You still feel guilty about that?"

" Not a day goes by that I don't regret stealing it all to fulfill my own selfish desires."

" Perhaps magic was meant to come to this world, just not in the way either of us was expecting. I know that you won't resort to using magic to win, Sunset." Princess Twilight said.

" What about the phoenix-like wings I mentioned in my last letter?"

" Ah, that. Well, I'm not really sure why that happened, but I'm going to see what I can discover when I go back. I've got some free time before I have to resume practicing for my presentation. I won't be able to give you an answer until afterwards, which won't be until the day after tomorrow. Or, you could always come through the portal yourself and get the results from me that way. You'd also get the opportunity to see the inside of my castle. It's impressive, but I don't exactly fawn over it like most newly-crowned princesses would do. I'm still finding new rooms that I never even knew existed. One of these days, I'm going to have to consider making a map to find my way around." Princess Twilight answered.

" I'm not sure I can go through the portal because of what might happen."

" No one is going to lay a hand--hoof--on you, Sunset, and that's my royal decree! You'll be under my protection, and if anyone tries to arrest you, they'll have me to deal with, as well as Princess Celestia. As long as the portal remains open, you can come back to Equestria any time you want." Princess Twilight said.

This conversation had turned out a lot better than I was expecting. Her Highness' words were enough to leave me satisfied with how I should approach my problems, yet I still had some doubts swirling about in my mind. Competing in the Friendship Games and representing CHS was something I wasn't going to back down from. I had to do everything in my power to insure our team's victory. I was also happy that I could go back home to Equestria should that need ever arise. The magic problem remained the one thing Her Highness didn't address. I was going to bring it up with her again in hopes of getting an answer, but then she went ahead and addressed it for me.

" You needn't worry about the magic problem, Sunset. I know it's given you a lot of stress lately, but don't let it consume your thoughts. Like I said before, try to understand it from the magic's perspective. You might find some answers that were previously hidden from view."

At that moment, a woman walked by holding a tray that contained held drink and what appeared to be a bill. She placed all three objects onto the table and filled up another cup with some juice. Princess Twilight blushed slightly for a moment. She revealed that she had ordered drinks for us when she arrived five minutes before I did but couldn't wait, so she ordered a third one the moment she got here. The bill came to $4.50, and Her Highness reached into her pocket and took out some coins to pay with.

She looked down at her coins, and a shocked expression appeared on her face. I had no idea why she looked so distraught, but when I leaned closer to see what was wrong, I, too, was shocked to see that she was holding Equestrian bits. I could tell what they were, as one side featured a horseshoe, and the other, an image of Princess Celestia. I didn't think that the currency of Equestria could be brought over to this world, but Her Highness had gone and proven that inadvertently. While it was a pleasant sight to see something from back home again, I knew our waitress wouldn't be thrilled with coins that were worthless around here. Reaching into my own pocket, I took out some coins and a dollar bill--the proper currency--and held them in my hand.

" Here, I've got it. You can pay me back when I come to see you."

" Thanks."

" Excuse me, but do you mind if I do something first before I pay for the drinks?" I asked the waitress. She nodded, and I took out my cellphone and went around to the other side of the table. Princess Twilight had no idea what I was doing, but she started to figure it out when I held out my arm. " I hope you don't mind me taking a selfie of us holding our coins. I just want to have this moment to look back on later." Her Highness shook her head; she didn't mind. I fiddled about with the buttons on my phone before Her Highness and I held out our coins, and I snapped a couple of photos.

Once I was done, I handed over the money to the waitress, while Her Highness put her money away. We spent the next hour talking about random nonsense before we both left to go back to the portal to Equestria.

When we arrived at the portal, I gave Princess Twilight a hug and wished her luck with her presentation tomorrow. I also wanted her to tell me everything that happened. I might not have been able to see it myself, but that was the next best thing.

As she entered the portal and disappeared, I turned to look at the school. I knew the Friendship Games were going to test my resolve and that of everyone else. Crystal Prep was going to throw everything they had at us to guarantee their victory, so we couldn't succumb to whatever they planned.

Was I doing the right thing by competing? I didn't know at the time, but the Games were going to be unlike anything anyone was expecting.

" I've got to give Princess Twilight a lot of credit for remaining calm while you were letting your emotions run wild." Twilight said.

" She's matured a lot since she first became a princess. Before ascending to an alicorn, Her Highness had her moments of immaturity, like freaking out over the tiniest of details, yet she still remained on the path that had been planned for her by Princess Celestia. Despite becoming a motherly figure by helping others understand friendship and helping fillies mature into fine ponies, she continues having those moments." I said.

" What was this presentation she had?"

" I don't know the exact details, but she had been asked by Princess Celestia to present to a large gathering of unicorns and teach them about cutie mark magic. The pony versions of our friends became friends with her during a terrible crisis, that I mentioned before, yet it was a sonic rainboom that resulted in the discovery of their special talents in life. I wish that I could've gone and witnessed the presentation, but that wasn't possible." I answered.

" Yes, you were a unicorn in Equestria, right?"

" I used to think of myself as the best to have ever come out of the School for Gifted Unicorns. These days, I view myself as one of its greatest failures because of what happened between me and Princess Celestia." I answered.

" Sunset..."

" I'm not bitter about it, Twilight. I know I messed up big time and lost my status as Celestia's protégé by going behind her back and learning dark magic. It's a learning experience that will help to remind me what not to do should a future scenario like that happen." I said. Maybe someday, I'll return to the school to finish what I started. Despite what happened, I was never officially kicked out of the school. Instead, I was no longer permitted to enter the castle until my attitude changed. Princess Celestia left the door open for me to return and seek out her guidance. I'm now Princess Twilight's student, yet when I'm ready, I'll confront my former teacher and finally resolve the lingering incident from my past that continues haunting me. If I do return to the school and finish my education, I'd be the oldest unicorn to have ever graced its hallowed walls.

Did I see myself eventually becoming the protégé of Princess Celestia again? No. That opportunity had long since passed. No matter how much I've worked hard to change my life and become someone who was dedicated to friendship, I could never become her prized student again. Once you've proven yourself unworthy in her eyes, that's it; you don't get a second chance! None of her other failed students received a second chance, and she couldn't play favourites and give me that which they were denied. All I could do was ask for forgiveness and move on from that.

" What's a cutie mark?"

I stuck my fingers into both ears to clean out the wax from them when she said that, and thought I might have misheard her. Did Twilight just say that she had no idea what a cutie mark was? Then again, I stopped mentioning events from Equestria after I came back here with the crown. Knowing Twilight, she was going to give me her pouting expression until I cave in and explain what a cutie mark was. Unlike most other things she's learned about Equestria tonight, cutie marks were easy to explain, but difficult to go into the true depths of their purpose to ponies. I had to make this brief, otherwise I'd have to spend at least an hour or two explaining something that doesn't involve my journal. Now, how was I going to explain what they looked like on a pony? I thought about it for a few moments before coming up with an answer.

" Cutie marks are like tattoos that appear on a pony's flank. They come in different symbols that represent their special talent in life. Ponies aren't born with their marks, but instead earn them when they discover what they're supposed to do. I know that I've explained it to you before, Twilight, but I guess I have to explain it once again. Some ponies get their marks faster than others, depending on their situations. I was actually one of the first fillies in my class to receive my mark." I answered.

" Do you think I have one?"

" Most likely, if you suddenly decided to travel to Equestria. It could be the same mark as what Princess Twilight has, or it could be something more akin to what makes you who you are inside. Anyway, I'm going to move on and tell you what happened roughly ten minutes before you arrived at CHS. Originally, I was at Sugarcube Corner, and in the process of lining up to be served. Things were normal until I received a text message from Rainbow Dash." I answered.

" What did she have to say?" Twilight asked.

" She had an emergency and I needed to get over to CHS immediately."

" It sounds serious."

" I thought it was until I got back to school and learned that Rainbow Dash loved exaggerating."

Seeing Princess Twilight again made me feel better despite the looming threat of the magic problem and the Friendship Games. I still had thoughts about leaving everything behind in this world and going back to Equestria. I was missing how I used to run around on four hooves instead of two legs, flinging around magic like I had no care in the world, going on quests, meeting mythical creatures, and even taking Princess Celestia's tests. Equestria was a much better place than this world. All that existed here was going to school, trying to earn a living afterwards, starting a family, and being overall restricted in freedoms. However, I didn't want to leave all of my friends behind. We had been through so much together during the past several months. Despite being pushed around by forces bent on harming us, we prevailed against the odds. If I could, I'd have allowed them to go through the portal with me and see my world. Of course, I knew that was nothing more than a fantasy. The pony versions of my friends and my friends could never interact with one another.

I needed more time to think about what I wanted to do. The right time to make a decision was after the Games had concluded. That way, I could contribute to the team without giving off the impression that I was trying to ditch them in favour of fulfilling my own desires.

Two days before the Friendship Games were to take place at CHS, I was at Sugarcube Corner during my free period from school. I had felt peckish and wanted to get myself a delicious treat and a drink to go along with it. Unfortunately, I was forced to abandon my goal when I received what I assumed was disastrous news. I had spent about ten minutes waiting in line, and I was anxious. Mr. and Mrs. Cake had introduced a new item to their menu, and everyone had been talking about it for the last couple of days. Their words were enough to convince me to use my free period to find out about it for myself. I could've spent that time on solving the magic problem, but my sweet tooth was suggesting otherwise.

I was about two people away from being served, when I suddenly received a text on my cellphone. At first, I decided to ignore it in favour of waiting for my turn to be served, but then the same text appeared again with some extra content. Rainbow Dash needed all of us to come over to the main entrance right away. I didn't want to leave when I was so close to having that delicious treat, but when Rainbow sent an additional text that read "emergency" in the title, I broke free from the lineup and ran out the door. I was disappointed in giving up my spot in the line, yet my friend was in trouble and needed my help. Hopefully, Mr. and Mrs. Cake didn't view my behaviour as unusual. I had been a loyal customer to them those past few months, and leaving suddenly like that was tantamount to saying that I found a better place elsewhere.

Running on the sidewalk and passing by houses, I contemplated on several things. The leaves were blowing about the warm day, telling that spring was in the air and that summer was coming up soon. My shadow was pretty large, due to the sun's position above me. And, I realized that running in these boots definitely hurt my feet, as they weren't designed for running, and the tapping sound got on my nerves. Eventually, I reached CHS, noticing Rainbow Dash and Applejack by the entrance. I had no idea how AJ managed to get there so quickly. She must have been in the school somewhere when she received the text. I saw the rest of my friends running towards Rainbow from different directions, with Pinkie running up behind me.

" I got your text, Rainbow Dash!" I said, coming to a stop and catching my breath. " Did something come through the portal? Is Equestrian magic on the loose? Did Twilight come back with a problem that only we can solve!?" I had become weary of anyone coming to this world by using the portal unless it was Her Highness, especially if they meant harm.

" Has a giant cake monster covered all the cakes in the world in cake!?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

" Did you seriously just say that?" I asked.

" Rainbow said this was an emergency, and a giant cake monster is nothing to be taken lightly." Pinkie Pie answered before putting two cupcakes--still in their wrappers--into her mouth and swallowing them without chewing. I looked at her with a serious expression. I didn't want to encourage her to say something else that was bizarre. Turning my attention towards what was happening in front of me, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were looking at one another, with the latter seeming unimpressed.

" Well, is this emergency of yours one of the things I mentioned?" I asked.

" Um, not exactly." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Oh. Well, is it something that requires the use of our magic?"

" No."

" Then what is it?"

" Heh. You're going to laugh when you hear this."

" Uh, I don't understand."

" Well, Sunset, I was just tellin' Rainbow Dash here that a broken guitar string doesn't really qualify as an emergency." Applejack said. Wait a minute! Rainbow dragged me away from having quite possibly the most delicious treat throughout Canterlot because her guitar had a broken string!? The rage within me started boiling over from what I had just heard, and Applejack noticed my reaction. " I know it sounds bad, Sunset, but I reckon Rainbow can explain why she went and dragged us all away from our activities. Since we all came runnin' without a second thought, we're ready to hear you out. Hopin' this'll be a good reason."

" Okay! What's going on here?" I asked.

" My guitar string broke, so I sent out an emergency text so that you could come over to help. You all know how important my guitar is to me. Without it, I'd have never been able to do so much shredding, and I'd have been forced to play a much lamer instrument." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Applejack was right. This isn't an emergency."

" It totally is!"

" Really, Rainbow Dash! I was in the middle of sewing a very complex appliqué on my latest frock." Rarity said. I noticed that she was holding a red pincushion with several needles stuck in it and had a yellow measuring tape around her neck. Well, that's disappointing. I knew she planned on showing us the finished product, but it certainly didn't help that she's being interrupted for something stupid. " I wish that you could have waited until tomorrow to call us all together to help you out. I simply must get this frock completed, otherwise I'll lose my inspiration."

" Do you plan on showing us?" I asked.

" Well, of course, darling! Why would I deny my friends the opportunity to see my newest fashion creation. It will take longer for me to finish, however, because of this unfortunate mishap involving a simple guitar string." Rarity answered.

" At least you're the only one who's complaining." Rainbow Dash said.

" And I was just about to tuck everyone in for the night at the shelter. Now we'll have to start stories all over again." Fluttershy said. She was holding her favourite pet, a rabbit named Angel, who looked at her with a sad expression in his eyes. During my time volunteering at the animal shelter, not once did I ever see her telling stories to the animals to make them sleep easier. Then again, I was usually there just after school every Thursday and Friday, assuming they needed me, until around 6:00pm. Fluttershy often stayed until they closed at around 9:00pm, but she never complained about it. She just loved taking care of those animals. I was confused as to why she was telling them bedtime stories at 4:00pm, which was way too soon. " I agree with Rarity. You should have waited until tomorrow. We could have easily helped you without the need for us to be pulled away from our commitments."

" Why would you send all of us an emergency text for a guitar string?" I asked.

" It's kinda a silly reason." Rainbow Dash answered.

" I've got all this free time on my hands to kill, so I'm not going anywhere."

" Heh, guess you've got a point there."

" We'd have been okay coming here and putting what we were doing on hold had you not declared it to be an emergency. What were you thinking? I know that guitar holds a lot of meaning to you, and I have no problem with that, but to drag us here just for one lousy string? I'm sorry, Rainbow, but you clearly didn't think things through when you were freaking out. You may as well explain yourself." I said.

" Well, I was going to pony up and show our fans some awesome guitar licks." Rainbow Dash said, turning towards someone who was sitting a short distance away. I turned to see who these so-called "fans" were that warranted us to be summoned here abruptly. It was Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, the same three girls who only several months ago almost destroyed my life when they framed me out of jealousy. They were eventually forgiven for their actions by the student body, and they did apologize for the way they treated me during the holidays. All three girls then waved when Rainbow acknowledged their presence. " But I kinda need all six strings to do it. Got any extra?" Rainbow Dash asked.

The rest of us groaned in response. All she wanted to do was perform for our fans, and she couldn't wait until tomorrow. She just had to perform right now! I'm sure the Crusaders wouldn't have minded waiting an extra day, yet Rainbow wasn't exactly a patient person. She wanted everything to come her way and hated waiting. The girls started to look at one another to see who among them had a spare guitar string. I knew Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy didn't have any, as their instruments don't use any strings. Applejack's bass used strings, yet I knew she never needed any extras. She was good at taking care of her things, unlike Rainbow Dash.

All eyes then turned towards me, the only other person who played an instrument with strings. I always had a spare string just in case one of mine broke. I took my backpack off of my shoulders, opened it up, and pulled out a guitar string that didn't quite match what Rainbow used.

" Here!"

" You actually had a spare on you?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I'm still trying to learn how to play the guitar, and I've broken more than one string on occasion. So, I make it my goal to always have a spare on hand. I'm going to have to find another one, as I don't like not having one on my person, but this should be enough to give you the rhythm you need. Next time, I suggest that you bring your own extra so that you don't have to go through this again and drag us here without warning." I answered. I stuck out my hand, and Rainbow grabbed the string before applying it to her guitar. A question then crossed my mind. Where did Rainbow plan on performing for the Crusaders? She didn't think that one through, either. " But everyone finished practicing for the day. I'm pretty sure all the music rooms are locked." I said.

" No problem. The acoustics in the hallway are perfect for power chords." Rainbow Dash said. She then played a chord on her guitar, and a powerful burst of music came forth from it. My extra string had proved useful, yet how did she play her guitar without it plugged into a socket? " C'mon! Let's go!" Rainbow turned and walked into the building, with the others and the Crusaders following close behind. Applejack was just about to enter herself, when she turned to look at me.

" You comin', Sunset?"

" I'll catch up in a bit." I answered. Applejack walked inside, and the door closed with a loud click. I wiped my forehead before cursing Rainbow Dash under my breath. I was really looking forward to having that new treat at Sugarcube Corner. Her antics had denied me the pleasure of experiencing its sugary goodness. I planned on going back there later and getting my fill as originally intended, but for the time being, I wanted to think about other things. Namely, I was curious as to what Princess Twilight was up to. I knew it had only been two weeks since I saw her in person, yet much can happen in that amount of time. I really wanted to know how her presentation went. I'd never experienced one of her speeches before, and I was certain the unicorns who had gathered to hear her were impressed.

Sitting down in front of the stairs leading up to the front door, I put my backpack down, opened it, took out the magic journal, and fished a pen from my pocket. Before I began to write a message, I took a moment to gaze upon the Wondercolt statue. Most students didn't know about the portal that lead to Equestria. They just saw the statue as a representation of what the school stood for. Knowing that they remained clueless about the statue's secret was essential. No one must know what lies on the other side. Many knew that I came from another world, but I never mentioned anything more about it. I wasn't going to have my world suddenly bombarded by humans who had no idea how Equestria operates.

Breathing heavily several times to calm my nerves over such nonsense, I clicked on my pen and looked down at my journal. I could barely make out the sound of a bus making its way towards the school. I didn't think anything of it and just focused on my message. That bus contained someone who was about to change everything.

" That was her emergency!?" Twilight exclaimed.

" I told you that she loved to exaggerate. I never did get that extra string back, so I had to go and find another one." I said.

" If I had been in your shoes, I'd have given her a stern talking-to about not dragging your friends to help you deal with a problem that isn't even one. I do admire your dedication towards wanting to help her out, even if there was no need." Twilight said.

" It took me about half an hour to get over what she did. Rainbow Dash is very passionate about her guitar and breaks down whenever something bad happens to it. She actually views her instrument as being more important than herself sometimes. A disturbing way to look at it, but it's what makes her happy. I was actually glad that her emergency involved needing a new guitar string. Could you imagine if it had been to do with the Friendship Games?" I asked. Even while I was running towards the school at the time, the thought of Rainbow's emergency relating to the Games was slim to none. I mean, we were ready to face off against the Shadowbolts, despite having some jitters. We had spent those past two weeks training hard in all kinds of events to give ourselves some much needed experience in working together.

Our friends and I already had great chemistry with one another, yet the same couldn't be said with our other teammates. We had worked with Flash Sentry in the past, but he was the only one. Derpy was someone we had never worked with before, so we needed to fully comprehend what kind of abilities she possessed. We were surprised by how skillful she was, especially in events that focused on pure strength. Lyra and Bon Bon were also difficult, as they insisted on always being paired together, even in events designed with single competition segments. They had to learn that they needed others to help them in situations where their own combined efforts weren't enough. It took some convincing to finally bring them on board.

Sandalwood and Micro Chips were, without a doubt, the odd couple among the Wondercolt athletes. None of us knew exactly what enabled them to work together so flawlessly, given their different backgrounds and interests. Their methods for completing events were "unique", to say the least. The Shadowbolts would have been caught off guard with how they used a combination of computer knowledge and spiritual guidance to accomplish their tasks. Their only problem was relying too much on their interests. They needed to broaden their horizons by trying something outside of their comfort zones.

" None of your teammates were hurt, were they?" Twilight asked.

" No. Vice Principal Luna did name four additional students who were part of the Wondercolts' reserves. If one of the main twelve suddenly experienced a problem, a substitute player would come in and take their place. We never did end up using them, but she wanted to make sure that they were there, just in case." I answered.

" Who were they?"

" Trixie, Captain Planet, and two students named Cecil and Poindexter."

" Were they upset that they never got to compete?"

" Not really. Trixie was the only one who cared about being on the reserves, but when she saw what kind of events we were competing in, she was glad that none of us got injured beforehand. She didn't know much about cooking, and building something like a birdhouse wasn't in her skill set, either. If one of the events had been a magic act, she'd have done everything in her power to ensure she was part of the action." I answered.

" Our first encounter is coming up." Twilight said.

" I didn't know it was you at the time."

" Did you ever figure out that it was me?"

" Actually, no."

Chapter 59: Stranger

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 8:48am

With the embarrassment of the tryouts behind me, I thought I could focus on the magic problem. However, it proved too difficult for me to solve, and in the thralls of a mental breakdown, I contacted Princess Twilight. I needed to talk to her immediately. I revealed that I wanted to go back home. The magic had pushed my stress levels beyond where I could no longer take it, its unpredictable mien confounding my every waking moment. Her Highness encouraged me to keep on trying to understand it, but also gave me the opportunity to go back to Equestria whenever I wanted. Could I go back and leave everything I worked so hard on behind? I didn't know the answer. Two days before the Friendship Games began, I received an emergency text from Rainbow Dash that wasn't as serious as she lead us to believe. I had my own emergency to deal with. Someone came to CHS in order to investigate the statue. Could someone other than my friends know the secret the statue held?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 29, 2016
Chapter 59: Stranger.

" Are you serious!? You never once figured out that I was the one investigating the Wondercolt statue?" Twilight asked.

" It never occurred to me that I was watching you." I answered.

" I thought I was being pretty obvious with my choice in clothes."

" Princess Twilight wore an outfit that fit in amongst the CHS students, yet you came along wearing a plain shirt with hoodie, pants, and shoes that looked out of place. I knew that you weren't a regular student, but I didn't recognize you at all." I said. It also didn't help that Twilight wore a pair of sunglasses to mask her identity, and her hoodie did cover up her hairstyle. I knew she was trying hard to remain incognito, yet was unaware that Princess Twilight, a near-exact duplicate, had attended CHS prior to her initial visit. If Twilight had chosen to sneak around in regular attire, someone would have stopped her, thinking she was someone she wasn't. No wonder this whole humans-resembling-ponies thing often got so confusing.

I could only imagine how difficult it was for Princess Twilight to differentiate between the two sets of individuals she knows. I wasn't so unlucky, since I only know a few ponies from Equestria. As for Twilight here, she still has trouble accepting the fact that she looks like Her Highness but with some slight differences. During and after her first meeting with Her Highness, and during the early stages of this meeting, Twilight referred to Her Highness as the "other Twilight", "other me", or simply "her". She felt like she was inferior and labelled Princess Twilight as such without really getting to understand the true scope of it all. Once we established that she was her own person and not just simply a human equivalent, she started calling her by her proper title. I guess one would feel that way if their other self was a princess in a magical land.

" I'm... I'm not sure what to say here." Twilight said.

" You never told me that was you who was observing the statue."

" Again, I thought it was obvious."

" What were you doing to the statue anyway?"

" I was trying to study its strange energy and perhaps find a way to contain it."

" Strange energy?"

" Well, I didn't know that it was magic. Ever since magic first appeared at CHS last year, I became curious and dedicated my studies into understanding what it was. I had to make sure no one found out about my little hobby, especially Principal Cinch. If she found out, she would have taken away the equipment Crystal Prep gave to me. As I mentioned before, much of my lab was supported by the academy." Twilight answered.

" Yes, as you stated."

" As the best student at Crystal Prep academically, I was under pressure to maintain the academy's reputation as the number one school in the district. If her best student suddenly was exposed for researching something most would describe as baseless fantasy, Principal Cinch would have been humiliated, and my career would be sunk. She uses her reputation to browbeat others into accepting her way of thinking. That's how she has managed to avoid getting into trouble with the school board over her more controversial decisions, like blackmailing one of her students." Twilight said.

This was a side of Twilight she had never mentioned before. All of this must have been difficult for her to keep bottled up inside, knowing that she could've easily exposed Principal Cinch for the manipulative women that she was. Twilight kept her opinions to herself out of respect and fear of Cinch and simply allowed herself to be intimidated into complete and total obedience. I suspect everyone else at Crystal Prep did the same thing in order to not suddenly find themselves kicked out for speaking up. I stated that Cinch was the reverse of me, and this new revelation only strengthens that conviction.

I had to wonder just how much influence Cinch really possesses. If it were strong enough, she could in theory have complete control of the school board. They would be nothing more than a puppet organization who appear to be carrying out decisions intended to improve schools. Even after being exposed, would Cinch still possess the same influence she had before? That depends on what the school board thinks. I don't know if she ever decided on proceeding with taking up the whole "CHS is cheating by using magic" excuse to the board. They might think her insane, and she deserves to be treated as such, but Cinch does deserve some slight sympathy. The magic wouldn't even be an issue had I not brought it here originally.

" So, what did you learn from your initial research?" I asked.

" After what happened last fall, I began to observe CHS from a safe distance. If I found anything that could help me uncover what was happening, I took it with me and pinned it to my own bulletin board. I had so many pieces of evidence collected that at times it was difficult to determine what was more valuable. Some examples of evidence include a poster of a guitar which I now know was to do with the Battle of the Bands, another poster that featured three tacos and a drink, pie charts, a photo of CHS looking at it from the front, and some graphs. All of these and more were connected using red string because everything was related." Twilight said.

" A poster of three tacos?" I asked.

" It came into contact with one of those Sirens." Twilight answered. I should've known that they were responsible for that, but I had no idea which of the three had a strong fascination towards tacos. I must admit that Twilight went through so much detail in trying to piece it all together. In a way, she was looking to solve the magic problem without even knowing that magic was the cause. She was also trying to solve the problem that had stumped me. " Even with all of that evidence, I needed more, and that involved coming to CHS to get a closer look at the portal. I had put together a device that was designed to track EM frequencies, yet what you saw was a prototype."

" You mean, your pendant wasn't always the way it was?" I asked.

" The original version was too clunky, so when I got back to Crystal Prep, I spent the evening taking it apart and reworking it until it became what you all saw me wear around my neck. I never knew that my desire to understand what was going on would end up causing so much trouble." Twilight answered.

" You should've stopped using the pendant."

" I know, but I didn't want to, because I was so determined to find out the truth."

" Knowledge is a dangerous thing to pursue."

" A harsh lesson I now fully understand."

" Why did you come to CHS that day in particular?" I asked. It occurred to me that I was starting to sound an awful lot like Twilight had been throughout the evening. She had been asking me questions about my past non-stop, making sure not to miss out on any details, and now I found myself doing the exact same thing. There was still much about her that I didn't know about, so perhaps this was a golden opportunity for me.

" It was two days before the Friendship Games. While I didn't know what Principal Cinch had in store for me until the following day, I assumed that I was going to be watching the Shadowbolts competing. Since Crystal Prep was going to be busy making final preparations, I thought it was ideal to see what my device could pick up. Your presence was unexpected, Sunset; I believed no one would be there when I arrived." Twilight answered.

" Well, expect me to ask some more questions as we continue onward." I said.

" Quite the reversal, isn't it?"

" Oh, you'll still have questions for me. Just because we interacted many times before, during, and after the Friendship Games doesn't mean you know everything. While I was trying to maintain a positive composure, underneath the surface, I was still dealing with personal problems that stemmed from the magic running wild. The Games' presence didn't do me any favours either, as I had to juggle my priorities." I answered.

" Sunset..."

" Anyway, before you arrived on that bus from the city, I was writing to Princess Twilight once again. I was curious as to how her presentation went and was still upset that I couldn't be there in person. I know it had only been two weeks since we saw one another, but I really wanted to have another chat like we had during the holidays." I said.

I was still upset over how Rainbow Dash had dragged me away from experiencing a delectable treat by sending an emergency text. It wasn't even an emergency! I thought something horrible had happened, which is why I ran to CHS as fast as my legs carried me. If I had known that all she wanted was a guitar string to replace the one that broke, I'd have ignored that text and focused on what I wanted at Sugarcube Corner. But no, I went all the way back to school and learned the truth. I really wanted her to know just how annoyed I really was, but I maintained control of my anger. I didn't want to lose my temper over something so trivial as a guitar string. There were some questions, even after the issue was resolved, that continued to torment me.

Was it a coincidence that Rainbow wanted a guitar string? Why did she ask all of us to come and help her? Aside from Applejack, I was the only one who used an instrument that utilized strings. AJ took care of her bass, so she wouldn't have a spare string on hand. Why not just ask me? Then again, why not wait until tomorrow to fix her guitar? I knew she desired to entertain the Crusaders, who had been sitting there for who knows how long, but the rest of us were busy with our own projects. Despite having gotten her ego under control, Rainbow still enjoyed testing our patience. With the Friendship Games in two days, she wanted to take her mind off of the impending competition.

During the last couple of weeks, those of us who made the team were subjected to a strict training regimen that Vice Principal Luna concocted. She believed that we needed to show Crystal Prep that we were serious about competing against them. There was only one problem with her plan: Since we had no idea what the events were going to be, she made us practice almost every possible activity that she could think of. When some of our teammates complained that she was training us incorrectly, she took offence and stated this is what the competition was most likely doing. I had actually asked Luna whether she knew what some of the events were, but her response was anything but pleasant. She felt frustrated over not being told anything about the potential events. She said that only her sister and Principal Cinch were privy to what we were going to do. I knew she would have that kind of reaction. It was plainly obvious.

Vice Principal Luna continued to have issues regarding how Principal Celestia was told certain things while she herself was left in the shadows. The two sisters were meant to be a team, yet too often, the one was favored over the other. Did I have any sympathy towards the younger sister? Perhaps, because I knew what it felt like to be left out, but she needed to refrain from speaking out inappropriately. She was the vice principal, so her actions reflected upon Principal Celestia just as much as those of the students and other members of staff.

Could she become something akin to Nightmare Moon? Princess Twilight had told me that story just after the holidays to refresh me on Equestrian history. In the story, Princess Luna grew jealous that her sister was shining brighter than her and transformed into a monster in her fit of envy. Princess Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to banish her sister to the moon, and she remained there for a thousand years.

I didn't know that Princess Luna returned to Equestria and to normal. I left roughly two years before that, so to me, the legend of Nightmare Moon was still just that: a legend designed to frighten ponies. While I don't think Vice Principal Luna would ever go as far as being corrupted, she should be careful with her choice of actions. After all, she had me to remind her about what can happen when you allowed hatred to consume your every thought.

That was enough thinking about not only the ancient past but the most recent past, as well. I still had aches all over my body from the training we received. Since we all committed towards making the Wondercolts, we had to endure physical pain in the process. Yet, my discomfort wasn't going to stop me writing a message to Princess Twilight. I knew it had only been two weeks since our private meeting at Sugarcube Corner, yet I was curious as to her latest adventures. She was my eyes and ears to knowing what was happening in Equestria. I still desired to go back and leave all this behind, but my commitments kept me in place. I had to work around that problem without offending my friends. They didn't know about my meeting with Her Highness, which I planned on keeping a secret until I was ready.

After spending a couple of moments thinking about what to write, an idea came to me, and I began writing it down in the magic journal.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I know it's only been a couple of weeks since we saw each other in person, but I still wanted to write a message to see how life was treating you in Equestria. I've been curious about how your presentation to Princess Celestia's School of Gifted Unicorns turned out. I've no doubt that you inspired not only experienced unicorns but also the up-and-comers who are only just starting out learning how to use their magic. Speaking of magic, did you figure out any cool new spells? You may be a princess, but surely you've had some free time to conjure up a new spell or two.

I never mentioned this next bit when I saw you, as I was focused on figuring out what to do with my life. Aside from the magic problem, things have been pretty quiet here at CHS since the holidays, a huge contrast from before. We still pony up when we play music, which Rainbow Dash just loves to show off. Yeah, she still has some remnants of her ego but has mellowed out a bit since those days. I still haven't quite grasped the magic problem and why it relates to us playing our instruments, but I haven't given up hope. I believe that I can still figure out an answer despite the odds being stacked against me.

My decision on whether or not to return to Equestria still remains undecided. I want to go back, but I have to stick to my commitments, so I'm taking it one step at a time. By the way, I'd love to hear what you think about the magic problem. Not sure if you discovered anything that has eluded me, but I still want to hear your opinion. That is, when you get a sec.

In two days, the Friendship Games begin. While I still don't understand all of the nuances behind it, it's sure to be an epic competition. The chances of CHS winning are slim, but we're going to try our best to perform a miracle. Anyway, I should get going, as I've lots to do to welcome Crystal Prep.

Hope to hear back from you real soon.

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer

As I was writing my message to Her Highness, the bus that had been driving up to the school finally came to a stop. I didn't pay much attention to it, as I was more concerned with my message, yet it quickly drove away again, which made me take notice. Someone was standing there, and my first instinct told me that this wasn't a regular student. For one thing, this person was wearing a hoodie that covered their head. " Why would anyone want to wear a hoodie in this warm weather? Whoever that is must really not like the sun. They're gonna get heatstroke in that." I said to myself before looking back down at my journal. I quickly looked back up at this person out of curiosity, who was still standing there and doing nothing. I had no reason to suspect anything was amiss. It could have been a new student who wanted to transfer here, or a random person looking for handouts, a common trend I've been noticing for several months.

" Why haven't they moved yet? I don't believe they've spotted me sitting over here. If they have, I must be intimidating them into pretending that they don't exist. I know I've never seen anyone like that around here, so why am I suddenly fixated on them? I should just stick to my own business and leave it at that." I said to myself. I lowered my head down again and continued writing in my journal. While my eyes weren't paying attention to that person, the same couldn't be said about my ears.

The sound of a device suddenly broke the silence, but I assumed it was a malfunction in my cellphone. It had been acting up in the last couple of days, no thanks to Pinkie accidentally throwing that medicine ball that conveniently slammed into my locker. I don't know how she managed to pull that off, but it was infuriating to know that my phone got hit by the locker door when it got dented from the impact of the medicine ball. It's not like I could afford to fix it, given how I didn't earn much money from the clubs I'm a part of. I took my phone out of my pocket and shook it a little to see if it was glitchy. Nothing sounded out of place, although the keyboard had some loose keys.

" Hmmm... It doesn't sound like my phone is making that weird noise, so what else could be doing it?" I asked myself. In the meantime, I hadn't taken notice of the person who got off the bus. They had since walked toward the Wondercolt statue while holding some kind of weird device that looked like something from a science fiction program. They then arrived and began walking around the statue's base. I had since looked up again, because their shadow went across my journal, yet I didn't know what to make of it. Was it one of those contractors who came by to start constructing whatever they were doing out in the field? No. They didn't wear any uniform to indicate that. That's when I noticed the device for the first time. It surely looked sophisticated, and that lead me to think this person was conducting research. If that were the case, why wear something so odd? " Why do I even care, though?" I asked myself.

Deciding to finally ignore them completely, I resumed writing, but I should have paid more attention right there and then. The person walked around the corner until their back was to me. My train of thought suddenly got interrupted again, but this time by a sound that shook me to my core. I looked up and saw that my visitor had placed their hand on the statue, and it was giving off a magical ripple. " No! That's the portal to Equestria! How did they know exactly where it was? They can't walk through; that would just be trouble." I said to myself. My heart was beating frantically with sweat pouring down the sides of my face. I had to do something before it was too late.

" Hey!" I called out, prompting the person to suddenly turn towards me. They appeared shocked that I was talking to them, but I kept my distance until I could come up with a proper course of action. I also got a better look at the device they were holding. It was reacting to the portal like it were drawn towards the magic coming from it. Was it capable of detecting magic? If so, then why didn't it react to me? I had magic. Unless, the device focused on a specific kind of magic. " What are you doing?" I asked. The person began to shiver on the spot before taking a few steps backward. " No need to be afraid of me. I promise that I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to know what you're doing."

The person said nothing.

" Can you talk?"

The person continued giving me the silent treatment.

" No need to be silent for my sake."

" I... I..."

" Oh! So you can talk?"

" Why... Why is this...?"

" I'm not sure what that device is for, but I suggest you step away from the statue right now. The students of CHS are very protective of the statue that represents their school pride and will take offence to anyone messing around with it." I answered. I pretended to be oblivious about what the statue truly was. I didn't want anyone outside of my group of friends to know that going through the portal would lead to a world filled with pastel-coloured ponies. I took a few steps forward in hopes of making the person back away from the statue, but I wasn't expecting them to suddenly turn around and run towards the road. I ran after them in the hopes of getting some answers. " Wait! Stop!" I shouted, but my efforts were in vain, as they were much faster than I was, so catching up proved impossible. This was further proven when another bus came along on the other side of the road.

They ran across the street and performed a bit of parkour--it was very impressive for having been done on the spot--to fly around a street lamp and onto the bus. It began pulling away a few seconds later. I ran across the road until I stopped, knowing the futility of continuing. Whoever they were, I had no chance of catching them. What were they were doing to the statue?

Was it possible that they knew something about magic? No one beyond CHS was even aware that this world contained magic, but perhaps one of the students said something that caught the attention of the one who was just here. I couldn't blame them, as they most likely didn't know whether someone was listening on their conversation. I had hoped things would remain peaceful, especially with the Friendship Games just around the corner, but it seemed that peace had just been shattered. It was too late to rally my friends into action, and they were too busy performing to consider what I had experienced. I planned on telling them about this the next day, yet I needed to calm my nerves. Since I still had some time, I decided to go to Sugarcube Corner and indulge myself as originally planned.

Little did I know that I hadn't seen the last of that person.

" I didn't mean to make you worry like that." Twilight said.

" The portal to Equestria was always open, so I had to make sure no one accidentally walked through it. I know Princess Twilight said that she would make sure that it was closed on her end, but she often forgot about it. That's what can happen when you're a princess: You tend to forget about the small things." I said.

" Even though you forced me to run away before I could fully understand the nature of the magic--I don't blame you for taking such precautions--I still managed to collect sufficient data to modify my device into the pendant that caused so much trouble. My reason for going to CHS was to conduct a field test. I had all that evidence, yet it meant nothing unless I experienced it for myself." Twilight said.

" Did you ever have a plan for dealing with the magic your pendant absorbed?" I asked.

" It involved containing it and studying it to see what kind of properties it possessed. When I finished getting all the information that I required, my aim was to expose the magic to powerful radio-magnetic waves. That would have caused it to become distorted until fading away into nothing." Twilight answered. Her method did have a gaping hole in it, but one I wasn't going to criticize her for it. After all, she didn't know that her device had detected magic. She thought it was some kind of foreign energy and believed it could be dissipated in an appropriate manner. Perhaps it was fortunate that Twilight didn't succeed in her plan. Our magic was vital to our way of life, and it enabled us to protect this world from threats that came over from Equestria.

In a twisted fashion, I suppose I had Principal Cinch to thank. She was the one who goaded Twilight into opening up her pendant and releasing all of the magic she had been absorbing from us. It prevented her from getting rid of it, but it also caused her to become a demon obsessed with wanting more knowledge. Still, I was careless by allowing Twilight to snoop around the portal without any proper supervision. Had I been more cautious, she wouldn't have taken steps to alter her device, and the conclusion to the Friendship Games wouldn't have happened like it did. Once again, my own actions proved dangerous for this world.

" I'm also curious about something else." I said.

" What's that?"

" You said that Principal Cinch coerced you into competing for Crystal Prep by using your application, right? I'm having doubts believing that she could've orchestrated that on her own. She must have had some kind of help to motivate you." I answered.

" Never underestimate someone like Principal Cinch. She has plenty of resources on her side, even ones that only she is privy to. But, she did have help in the form of my brother, who was a previous winner in the Friendship Games. I was told that I had to compete to represent the school, and Shining Armour was adamant about it. I was his little sister, after all, and he believed he was helping me do what was best for the school and our family. Our father also competed in the Games, along with our grandfather, so we had built quite the reputation in our family." Twilight said.

" But you didn't want to follow that tradition, did you?"

" Not even close. I wanted to focus on my studies, as I desired to have the best education ever, yet my brother and Principal Cinch had other plans. As you already figured out, Sunset, I joined the Shadowbolts, much to my displeasure." Twilight answered.

I never knew Twilight had any siblings. Did that mean Her Highness also had them? I never did ask who she was related to in my Friendship Reports, so perhaps that was something to remember for the future. I felt bad at how Twilight had no freedom regarding her choice of whether or not to compete. A true sibling would be on the side with their family, not with the cold, emotionless spectre of her family's tradition hovering over her.

I wanted to comfort Twilight, but I held back in case I was overstepping my boundaries. She was like me in that she felt inferior to her sibling, yet I sensed that she still cared deeply about him, according to the tone in her voice. That difference between us was evident. I never forgave my siblings for taking my parents' attention away from me. If I suddenly ran into them somewhere in Equestria, and they asked for forgiveness, I'd just ignore them and move on. They were dead to me. Twilight noticed that I had gotten distant and leaned closer to me, but stopped short of doing what I assumed she was thinking. " I still can't believe that you never figured out that I was the one snooping around."

" Even after meeting you in person, I didn't know you came to CHS until you told me." I said.

" What did you say to our friends about me?"

" I had to warn them that someone was messing around with the statue. The six of us had to make sure that no one knew that the statue contained magic, and this was especially true for me. I brought magic into this world, so I felt truly obligated in keeping Equestria safe from a possible human invasion." I answered.

Even after getting my fill at Sugarcube Corner, I couldn't savour the taste of that new delectable treat. How could I when I knew someone was snooping around the statue and discovered the secret it contained? I most likely prevented them from learning too much about the portal, but they still got away before I could confront them. If news were to spread that a statue in front of a local high school lead to another world, there would be scientists of all kinds swarming over CHS within days. There would even be paranormal researchers, among other groups, wanting a piece of the action. I could've sent a message to Her Highness to ask her to close the portal on her end, but I didn't want to bother her. She was probably exhausted from her presentation and needed some time to herself.

That night, I had trouble sleeping because of a nightmare. In it, the person who was snooping around the statue approached it once again, and this time I wasn't there to prevent them from accidentally walking through. They did exactly that and wound up in Equestria, although they came out into a large open field instead of Princess Twilight's castle, which is where the portal truly connected to. Upon seeing a new world all around them, the person raised their arms and began laughing maniacally before taking out that device and using it to analyze what made Equestria the way it was. Ponies from across the land came to stop them but were powerless against that device. Even Princess Celestia couldn't stand against them, and I woke up when she collapsed to the ground upon being defeated. I couldn't allow my world to be threatened by a foreign invader.

The next morning, my friends had gathered in the library to discuss the Friendship Games, but when I walked onto the scene from my place of residence--a mere eight bookshelves away--they were shocked at my complexion. I knew what I looked like and didn't want them to point it out, but Rarity did so any way because she thought my look marred my beauty or something like that.

" Sunset! Whatever is the matter with you? You look simply ragged!" Rarity said.

" I didn't sleep well last night." I said.

" Did you have a scary dream?" Fluttershy asked.

" More like a real-life nightmare that could have ramifications on the future of Equestria." I answered.

" Now calm down, sugarcube! Why don't y'all take a deep breath before explainin' what's gotten you so riled up." Applejack suggested. I could always rely on her to be the voice of reason for our group, even when she too had her own issues that plagued her. I tried taking deep breaths, but I quickly started hiccupping, leading to Fluttershy patting my back to help relieve them. Then I tried pacing back and forth in hopes of calming down, but that didn't do me any good, either. I had considered taking a paper bag and breathing into it, but Applejack quickly placed her hands on my shoulders, and looked me straight in the eye. " Maybe you should just come out and say it, Sunset. Relaxin' doesn't quite seem like your cup of tea."

" Girls, we have a problem." I announced.

" Tell me you don't want to quit before the Games! We all agreed to join the team and beat Crystal Prep for the first time since, well, ever." Rainbow Dash said.

" That's not even close to what the problem is." I said.

" Then out with it!"

" After you all went inside the other day, I wrote a message to Princess Twilight to see how she was doing. A bus went by the front of the school as they usually do, so I paid no attention to it and assumed things were normal. That's when I noticed someone standing there on the other side of the statue. I had no idea who they were, but I knew they weren't from CHS, as their clothing was unlike what is seen around here. They walked up to the statue and began using some weird device, like they were analyzing it, and my heart sank when the shimmer from the portal started to appear." I said.

My friends gasped in horror over what I had just told them. Since they knew that the Wondercolt statue also contained a portal to Equestria, this meant a great deal to them. I had the most to lose, as the portal lead to my home. They all started looking at one another before turning their attention towards me. I had often told them that no one on this side could go through and into Equestria. The ponies living there would react badly if something foreign appeared out of nowhere. While Princess Twilight and I go from ponies to humans and back again, it didn't mean that was true of all creatures. Spike, the assistant to Her Highness, goes from a dragon to a dog and back again, and I had no idea what if a human would actually turn into a pony if they cross the portal.

" Are you sure about this, Sunset?" Applejack asked.

" I know what I saw." I answered.

" What about that strange device?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" I'm not sure what it was supposed to do, but I knew it wasn't going to be good. All I know is that they were definitely doing something to the statue--or were going to, until I called out and caught their attention. Whoever they were simply turned and ran away from me. Naturally, I followed in hopes of finding out more, but they managed to get on a bus that happened to be coming along and were soon beyond my reach." I answered.

" Do you think they came through the portal from Equestria?" Fluttershy asked.

" No, I think I would've noticed that. Also, when I first saw them, they were standing on the pavement that runs by the front of the school. They'd have had to have come out of the portal and walk a short distance all while making footsteps that I could easily hear before getting over there. I think they were from over here, but I'm not sure where. I only lived in this world for over three years. There is still so much for me to learn." I answered.

" Well, that's a relief. The last thing we need is another magical so-and-so bent on world domination comin' over from Equestria." Applejack said before winking at me. She had since sat down and kicked back, and all I could do was smile at both her pose and suggestion. I was glad that this person had no connection to my world. CHS had already been through two magic-related problems. No one wanted to experience a third one, especially during the Friendship Games. That would be a disaster for not only us but for our opponents, as well, who were coming here the next day.

" Agreed. I have no interest in another fight against the powers of evil magic. The wear and tear on my wardrobe is just too much to keep up with." Rarity said.

" It might not be another instance of fightin' evil magic."

" Perhaps, but you can never be sure, darling."

" Can't argue with that."

" Still, a mysterious figure snooping around the portal? Don't you wanna know what they were up to?" I asked.

" I don't even want to guess." Fluttershy answered. She shuddered for a few moments before quickly calming herself by stroking the fur of her pet bunny Angel. While the rules stated that pets weren't allowed on school property, we all agreed not to tell anyone about it. Fluttershy was always timid over everything, and comforting an animal helped her to cope with the more stressful aspects of life at CHS. To think that at one time, I ridiculed her for having animals as friends. These days, I envied her for being able to communicate with them better than anyone else I knew.

" Well, you don't have to. Because I've totally figured out who it was!" Rainbow Dash announced, having come back from going around the corner, and holding a yearbook in her hand, likely from the section of the library that actually housed the many yearbooks of CHS. " It's plainly easy to know where this person came from just by eliminating everything until you've got a sweet answer you can be proud of.

" You sure you've got it all figured out?" Applejack asked.

" What's that supposed to mean?"

" Well, I reckon you have jumped to the wrong conclusions a bit too often, lately."

" Yeah, well, I know I'm definitely right about this one!"

" Ooh, ooh! A nighttime statue cleaner? A magical portal maintenance maintainer? A gardener!?" Pinkie Pie asked, thrusting two books into Rainbow Dash's face. I actually thought she was only joking around when she showed off those two books. I didn't think anyone had written a book about how to maintain a magical portal, but sure enough, Pinkie showed me the cover, and I was surprised. Not shocked, but surprised.

" I'm not going to even answer that." Rainbow Dash said, pushing Pinkie away by using her hand on the latter's face. " Seeing as how they got off a bus from the city and got back on a bus headed to the city, I'll bet they go to--"

" Crystal Prep!" Everyone else said.

" How can you be sure they're from the city?" I asked.

" Who else would come to CHS?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Someone who might consider transferring here?"

" I know a lot of people in this part of Canterlot, and none of them acted like our mystery guest."

" But, from Crystal Prep?"

" Makes sense."

" Does it?"

" Yep. With the Friendship Games starting tomorrow, they'd totally try to prank us by defacing the Wondercolts statue." Rainbow Dash answered. Now she started to sound ridiculous to consider someone from another school coming here to act like a delinquent. The others showed their unity with her when they nodded their heads in agreement. I couldn't believe they agreed to such nonsense like that.

" Surely you're joking!" I said.

" As if! Crystal Prep have been doing that sort of thing to us for years."

" Even if that were true, why would anyone take a bus all the way from the city for that?"

" Because the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts are our biggest rivals?" Applejack asked.

" Just because both our schools go back a long way doesn't mean either side should resort to something so childish." I answered.

" Because that's just what the students at Crystal Prep would do." Rarity asked.

" Then we need to prove ourselves better than that." I answered.

" Because even though they beat us in everything--soccer, tennis, golf--they still have to gloat!" Rainbow Dash said. She then opened the yearbook and pushed it into my face to make sure that I saw what was there. On the first page was a group of CHS students lowering their heads in disappointment, while Crystal Prep students held up trophies, seemingly from a soccer tournament they clearly just won. I quickly figured out that they were Friendship Games trophies. Rainbow then flipped the page, and the same students appeared again. This time, the winners were holding tennis trophies, while the losers looked more dejected. She turned the page, and once again those same students were featured. Now the winners held golden golf clubs, and the losers were sprawled on the floor, weeping.

" That only proves what everyone has been saying about Crystal Prep winning all the time." I said.

" And here's the other proof!" Rainbow Dash shouted. She turned the page once more, and I received quite a shock. There was a photo of the Wondercolt statue, but it had been covered from top to bottom in a ridiculous costume, most likely done by Crystal Prep students after the previous games ended. The statue looked like a clown, and I wondered how they got those oversized shoes onto it? No way could they move a heavy object like the statue. " See? This is what CHS has had to put up with from Crystal Prep for years! We're not gonna let them walk all over us anymore! We're gonna beat them at their own game! Well? What do you have to say to that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Seems kinda silly to me." I answered.

" Silly!?" Everyone else asked.

" I can't believe you said that!" Applejack said.

" Oh my." Fluttershy added.

" Seeing the statue in that getup would get anyone riled up, but there's no need to get so worked up about it. Whoever did that proved themselves nothing more than children wanting attention by going with the lowest possible denominator. Believe me, I did this sort of thing all the time when I was a bully, and that right there is small compared to how creative I got." I said. My friends then looked at me angrily. Had I said something to offend them? Maybe, but I was correct about not stooping down to their level. Or, did they think my opinion changed regarding the Friendship Games? I was on board with competing, yet I still had doubts over whether it was even necessary.

" So, I guess you think the Friendship Games are silly, too?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" What!? I didn't say that, and you know it!"

" Then why'd you just call it silly, huh?"

" Not the Games, but this pointless rivalry."

" You want us to actually get along with them? Wow! I never thought I'd hear anyone say that around here."

" Why not?"

" Sunset, the students of Crystal Prep ain't never gonna change. They view themselves as high and mighty but don't really have a lick o' sense when it comes to the real world outside of their school. Every other school in the district has gotten sick and tired of them boastin' about their greatness. Heck! The entire school is like one big Rainbow Dash." Applejack answered.

" Hey!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" You know I'm right.

" Don't use my name like that."

" Well, it's not like we'll be fighting the powers of evil magic." I said.

" No. We'll be fighting against a school full of meanies. Not everything has to be magical to be important." Fluttershy said. Her words were enough to make me reconsider my position on the matter. I had been so fixated on dealing with any magic-related problem, I neglected the kind of problems students here had to face every day. I felt bad knowing I had taken their feelings for granted, but I knew I needed to be better than that. I had to support their efforts despite my reservations. Crystal Prep might not have had students who understand magic, yet they were still seen as a threat.

" You're right. I'm sorry." I said.

" I am?"

" I know it's a big deal to everyone, and you reminded me that it's a big deal to me, too. I'm a student at this school, after all."

" Ugh! That's putting it mildly, darling. While we're on the subject, they're still revamping the playing field in preparation for the Games tomorrow. I'm still surprised at how they managed to get all that work done without anyone noticing them. Security out in the field must be working hard to keep anyone from trying to spy on them. The only thing Principal Celestia has mentioned is that it will cover much of the regular one. To be honest, they did go overboard with wanting to use so much." Rarity said.

" They used the entire field?" I asked.

" No, she said much of it was covered, so that does give us a small amount to work with after the Games."

" I just don't understand why there's this big rivalry. Aren't the 'Friendship Games' supposed to be about our two schools getting along?" I asked. It then occurred to me that I had answered my own question and didn't realize it until later on. Crystal Prep and CHS never had a strong relationship. There was this whole "Jack versus the Giant" vibe, with CHS being Jack and Crystal Prep being the Giant. One school keeps dominating the other, with the loser getting sick and tired of it. That's why CHS wanted to win so badly: to finally put an end to their losing streak. They wanted to show that Crystal Prep wasn't invincible and that any school could defeat them.

" Well, it's kinda hard to get along with someone who beats you at everything." Applejack answered.

" Has Crystal Prep always done that?"

" As long as any of us can remember."

" My condolences."

" Not anymore! This time, things are gonna be different! We're gonna beat Crystal Prep at their own game!" Rainbow Dash announced. She then tossed the yearbook aside, and it landed a few feet away with a soft thud on the ground. Good thing Ms. Cheerilee didn't hear the sound of a book being mistreated, otherwise Rainbow would have incurred her wrath, something no student ever wanted to experience.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" Oh, you'll find out." Rainbow Dash answered. She had an evil smile on her face, and I had every right to be worried about that. Whenever Rainbow came up with an idea, something unexpected was bound to happen. Everything to her involved flair and bravado. It was her way of getting her point across.

I should've expected this, given she was so adamant about winning the Friendship Games. The rest of my friends looked worried, as well, over hearing that Rainbow was concocting a plan. Her plans often involved dragging several or all of us into a complicated mess, and then, we would have to dig ourselves back out. Was I concerned about this? Yes. I didn't want to have something blow up in my face again. Was I being too hard on her? Perhaps; she did often learn her lesson when her plans backfire, which was frequent. I had the urge to speak up, but something deep within my heart told me to hold back.

Was I going to regret keeping silent? In about twenty minutes from that point, I was going to find out.

" You've only known Rainbow Dash for a short while, but you never knew that she often comes up with crazy plans. Most of the time, they don't work exactly as intended, but her heart is in the right place." I said.

" Did you honestly think of me as a threat to Equestria?" Twilight asked.

" The portal is the only link between the two worlds. If anything were to go through from this side, they'd wind up in Equestria, but who knows what they'd look like. They could become ponies or something completely unexpected." I answered. I then noticed Twilight starting to cry, and I knew why she felt that way. She thought I saw her as an enemy to my world, all because she wanted to learn more about magic. My words were horribly chosen. I wanted to wrap my arm around her, but I settled for patting her hand instead. " Equestria has had plenty of problems with beings from beyond its borders. From what Princess Twilight told me, such threats occur almost every other week, so I had to ensure the portal remained secure in case ponies saw humans as threats."

" And what if the reverse is true?" Twilight asked.

" If ponies were to suddenly show up in this world? It'd be just as disastrous! Can you imagine there being two of everyone all of a sudden? No one would remember who was talking to who, and chaos would gradually consume everything until nothing remained." I answered. Twilight just looked at me, and I knew straight away that I messed up. She knew what it was like to have another version of herself running around. Her Highness had been doing so infrequently, yet neither of them ever met the other until after the Games. I should learn to keep my mouth shut. That way, it won't say something that can cause a controversy.

" Sunset... Do you think there's a human version of you in this world?" Twilight asked.

" That was unexpected."

" Well, do you?"

" To be honest, I never really thought about it like that before. I always imagined myself as being the bridge that connects the two worlds together. Everyone in this world has a pony counterpart, or other creature, in Equestria, yet I'm the only one who has no other self. You know, it would be nice if there was a human Sunset Shimmer. I'd like to know what decisions she made in her life. Did she end up becoming what I am now, or did she take the path of a monster like I used to? Does she even live in Canterlot? Maybe she's a foreign exchange student? The questions are so numerous and the answers so mysterious." I answered.

Deep down, I was worried about what an actual human version of me would be like. I had other concerns that I chose not to share with Twilight. I didn't want to make her feel bad knowing that Princess Twilight was who she was, and couldn't be changed. Did this world's Sunset experience friendship? Was she popular? A brainiac? Timid? Or something out of left field in the vein of Pinkie Pie? It made sense that there was another me out there somewhere. Equestria was slightly incomplete without my presence--minimal as it was in the grand scheme of things--and being here gave this world more than it needed.

" Sunset? Are you alright?"

" Yeah. I'm fine."

" Did I say something wrong?"

" No. It's just that I never contemplated being in a world where another Sunset existed. Princess Twilight felt the same way when she first came here. She never once believed that she would encounter another of her, and here you are, living proof that you are a Twilight of a much different colour. Both human and pony versions of those Her Highness knows are almost mirror images, yet with one or two slight tweaks." I answered. Looking up at the ceiling, I began imaging what a potential other Sunset would be like. Two images came to mind. In one, she looked like Twilight did in her Crystal Prep uniform. That one seemed plausible, yet the other had her appearing as a strict, no-nonsense army type. I wasn't fond of that one, so I shook my head several times to get those images out of my head.

" Feeling okay?" Twilight asked.

" Just needed to get something off of my mind." I answered. Turning to the next page of the journal, I stared longingly at a photo before covering my eyes with my hand and looking downwards in humiliation. Twilight had no idea what was going on, but when she leaned forward, she saw the picture of my demonic form. However, it looked really crude, as though someone had drawn it in their spare time and didn't get all the details right. Underneath that horrible drawing was a picture of Princess Twilight's crown, and it was a spot-on image. " I know they wanted to remind everyone of what CHS had overcome to get to where it is now, but did they have to use such a horrible caricature? If the Sirens hadn't left after the Battle of the Bands and instead stayed to be reformed, they'd be upset as well."

" What is that?"

" That's my demon form, exaggerated."

" Why would they show that to the students?"

" You can blame Rainbow Dash for that."

" What did she do?"

" She wanted to give the students the proper motivation, yet this one moment rubbed me the wrong way."

Chapter 60: Pep Rally

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 9:57am

One of my greatest fears became a reality. A human outside of my group of friends had discovered the secret of the Wondercolt statue. Equestria could be threatened by this person were they to walk through the portal, so I confronted them in the hope that they would explain their intentions. They possessed a strange device that reacted to the magic coming from the statue, and while I didn't understand what it meant, I knew it was trouble for my world. They proved to be slippery, easily escaping me. Who could it have been? What was their aim at inspecting the statue? I told my friends about my encounter the following day, and they believed it nothing more than a prank by Crystal Prep to ridicule CHS. I didn't believe someone came here just to humiliate us. Something else was going on, and I had to protect the portal at all costs. Rainbow Dash, in the meantime, revealed her plan to inspire students to believe in our school, yet I wish she had warned us about her use of visuals.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
March 2, 2016
Chapter 60: Pep Rally.

" Would this be that pep rally you mentioned a short time ago?" Twilight asked.

" Yes. Rainbow Dash had been planning it for about a week and even managed to get the school's marching band in on it. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had scheduled a school assembly that very morning to discuss the Friendship Games, and Rainbow saw it as a perfect opportunity to enact her plan. She did have trouble convincing them to go along with it. They assumed she wasn't being serious about holding a pep rally, but she got them to agree when she mentioned it would involve singing." I answered.

" Singing? I thought pep rallies were more about cheering than singing."

" If you want to get students interested in something they detest, doing so through song can make them forget about the negatives and instead focus on the positives. It was also Rainbow's way of getting attention and trying out a new song she had been working on in her spare time." I answered. It still amazes me that she managed to change everyone's opinion around just by singing a song. Granted, the way her speech started out could've gone better, but she had to be brutally honest in her assessment. I also personally liked how she got the marching band to perform as instruments and backup vocals. I never did get the name of that one student who sang alongside Rainbow, but she was a prominent member of their group.

I didn't like the caricature of my demonic form, however. I had finally broken free of that part of my life, so seeing it again brought back those painful memories. While that monster was an obstacle that got in the way of CHS's future, did they have to make her, and by extension, me, look like a cheap-looking cartoon character? The caricature of the Sirens did look better than mine, but I knew something was wrong about that one. Whoever made those caricatures might want to consider paying closer attention to colours. Adagio was given the wrong colours. Had she been there and saw the caricature of her... I'd rather not think about that. Still, the important thing was the caricature of me and how it reminded me that I wasn't always a model student.

Friendship was something that took me months to finally understand. If not for Princess Twilight, I'd probably still be a bully and making people miserable. I'd also be doing that at another school. Principal Celestia would've kicked me out had I chosen to remain my old self, and the only place that would have accepted me was Crystal Prep. One school would remove a problem that had plagued them for years, and become the problem for another school. I'd gotten pretty good at dispensing words of wisdom regarding the nuances of friendship and teaching others so that they could follow along in my example. Dare I say it? It was possible that I was even better at solving friendship problems than Her Highness, but I doubted that. Princess Twilight had accomplished more here than I could ever hope to achieve.

" Are you daydreaming again?" Twilight asked.

" I was just thinking about this and that."

" Want to share it with me this time, or is it one of those moments that you'll be keeping to yourself?"

" There's a part of it that I can tell you about." I answered. Twilight paused at that. She hadn't expected me to say something like that. Usually, my private thoughts were for me to think about what had gone right and wrong in my life, but there was something I could tell her that didn't reveal anything I wanted to keep hidden. " I've gotten pretty good at solving friendship problems. I'll admit that I'm no where near as good as Her Highness, but I'd like to think I'm aware of what goes into figuring out the underlying issues that exist between people." I said.

" You never mentioned anything about being a friendship solver." Twilight said.

" The thought never crosses my mind all that much. Helping Trixie overcome her jealousy towards me and her fierce rivalry with Rainbow Dash gave me the confidence to solve similar problems. I did manage to get everyone at school back together again by exposing the identities of Anon-A-Miss." I said.

" Then what do you do in your spare time, aside from trying to solve the magic problem?"

" Trying to figure out my place in this world."

" You, too?"

" Once I let friendship into my heart, and experienced all of the new joys and sensations that go along with it, I was stuck at a crossroads. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Part of me wanted to go back home to Equestria to live in peace, while the other part insisted I remained here as a human. Aside from Princess Twilight and Princess Celestia, I have no attachments towards my fellow ponies, unless you consider resentment because of how messed up I was." I answered.

" Did you ever find an answer to what you wanted to do?"

" No, I'm still working on that one, too." I answered. The more I thought about it, the more I sounded like someone who was cursed to find answers to questions that proved almost impossible. Was Her Highness always this conflicted with her life? That's something I should ask her the next time I see her. Why do I have all this pressure? That's an easy one to answer. I can only blame myself for making poor decisions in the past. Those choices have since reflected the kind of person people see me as and will continue to shape my life for many years to come. " Twilight? Have you figured out what you want to do?" I asked.

" My plan is to become a famous scientist known throughout the world for uncovering the great mysteries of the world. I know that coming to CHS might be viewed as a roadblock, considering that attending Crystal Prep did guarantee me a shot at the best university around, yet I'll still get to where I want to go by doing what I did before, just with friendship to guide me along. Don't you have plans for after high school?" Twilight asked.

That was a surprise question no one had ever asked me before. I had been so busy trying to figure out the magic problem, finding my own place in this world, struggling with my feelings towards going back home, and competing for CHS in the Friendship Games. I had an answer to her question, but I knew she wasn't going to like it. Since I have no official records to confirm my existence, I have no means of getting into any college or university like everyone else. Money was another issue, yet I think the lack of documentation was my greatest enemy. Twilight began looking my way with curiosity. She wanted me to answer her question, but she couldn't know the truth. It pained me to have to deceive her, but then, she might have already figured out that I don't have the same opportunities our friends have.

" Not right now, but I think you know why. After all, I did mention it when I explained why I had to live in the library." I answered. Twilight blinked twice before cringing, the memory coming to her. She tried to offer her condolences by giving me a hug, but I refused, saying that it was something I'd figure out eventually. For now, I wanted to focus on the journal and what I was going to tell her next. " Anyway, to get back on track, the pep rally was something none of us were expecting; we all assumed it was another assembly. I remember how morbid everyone felt. Crystal Prep were coming the next day, and no one, aside from Rainbow Dash, were looking forward to the Games." I said.

" I thought you and our friends were excited. Did your opinions change since joining the team?" Twilight asked.

" Despite agreeing to try out, we still had our doubts over the whole thing. We all knew Crystal Prep had students who were superior to us and that our chances of defeating them were slim to none. Rainbow maintained her positive attitude, and her pep rally plan was meant to give us the confidence we needed. It worked really well; everyone joined in on the singing once she had sung a couple of choruses." I answered.

" Was it easy for Rainbow to get everyone motivated?"

" Not exactly."

" How come?"

" There's one thing she isn't good at, and that's giving a motivational speech."

" I don't understand."

" You will once we get to the end of this part."

I couldn't get that image out of my mind. Someone outside of my group of friends had discovered the true nature of the portal. While they didn't try to go through it and wind up in Equestria, the damage had already been done. No one was to know that an innocent statue connected to a world filled with magic and talking ponies. It might not have been my duty to prevent anyone from going through the portal, yet I found myself adopting it anyway. Equestria was frequently plagued with problems and didn't need a sudden invasion from humans added on top of that. My standing back home was most likely in jeopardy because of what I did in the past, and allowing humans to slip past me and into Equestria would just make me look even worse. If that person hadn't run away from me, I could've grabbed that device and shattered it to pieces. I knew that sounded cruel, but I couldn't allow Equestria's national security to be compromised.

Their device had proven curious to me, however. I had dabbled in building inventions, and what they used had definitely been built from scratch. Whether they had built it themselves or were given it by someone else remained a mystery. It had left me feeling inadequate about my own skills. My invention--that Rainbow Dash destroyed--failed to analyze magical energies--even my own--yet this person's device was able to detect the magic coming from the portal without any trouble. I wasn't dealing with an average student but rather someone whose intellect vastly exceeded most other people's. My own intellect was inferior compared to them.

Was what my friends said true? Was this person from Crystal Prep? Did they come here to pull a prank on CHS? Was this Crystal Prep's method of psyching us out before the Games had even begun? I could easily believe the first question. I knew everyone at CHS, and that person who came by the other day was clearly not from around this part of Canterlot. The second question was just ludicrous. They were focused on the statue and nothing more. If they had intended on pulling a prank, they would have done that the moment they arrived instead of analyzing anything. The third question proved difficult to come to a definitive conclusion about. Crystal Prep were clearly dominant in the school district according to what I've been told, so relying on mental warfare seemed almost beneath their notice. Then again, they could've been secretly afraid that CHS had become more powerful than they initially suspected. That would prompt them into intimidating us by sending someone to check out the competition--without resorting to spying, unlike a certain other girl.

So many questions and very few answers. I had hoped that the Friendship Games would be a fun competition between two vastly different schools, yet it turned out to be a battle to determine who would survive. It was like the previous problems all over again, only without magic playing a huge factor.

In the meantime, Rainbow Dash had told all of us that she had a plan to help deal with Crystal Prep's dominance over the Games. While I admired her tenacity, her plans left something to be desired. Most of the time, they backfired, with her being the unfortunate victim. It was because Rainbow wanted everything to come her way immediately. She had no patience for waiting! She did have an uphill battle on her hands, however. While she and the rest of the athletes on the Wondercolts were thrilled about competing, that attitude sadly didn't reflect in the hearts of everyone else. Deep down, the Wondercolts--excluding Rainbow--weren't entirely confident about their abilities. We had been training for the past couple of weeks to prepare for Crystal Prep's Shadowbolts, yet was it even going to make a difference? Whatever her plan was, it needed to bring about a positive outlook. I personally felt that morale would hit an all-time low, though, were we to be utterly humiliated.

Later that morning, Principal Celestia asked all of the students to gather in the gym for an assembly. My friends and I sat in the middle of the bleachers, and already, I could tell students weren't thrilled about being there. It was blatantly obvious just by looking at the expressions on their faces that they knew why they were there. It was an assembly made to remind them that Crystal Prep would be arriving at CHS the next day for the Games. To the students, it was one day of doom and gloom before being obliterated by the competition in spectacular fashion. I also noticed that there weren't as many students in attendance as usual. Had many of them decided not to attend the assembly? I didn't blame them for not wanting to be there to be reminded of the school's eternal shame. Those who did show up didn't want to be there either, yet Principal Celestia insisted on them coming. I knew she was doing everything in her power to keep them interested in a school tradition that had lost its way.

" As I am sure you all know, tomorrow, Canterlot High School will be hosting our fellow students from Crystal Prep Academy as we join together in the spirit of excellence, sportsmanship, and fidelity to compete in the Friendship Games." Principal Celestia announced. Response to her announcement was met with unenthusiastic claps and hardly any cheering from students. I looked around and saw most were already bored, and the assembly had only just gotten started. I knew they didn't like the thought of being beaten yet again, but I didn't think it would be that bad. " Yes, I'm fully aware that the Games aren't considered as exciting as they once were, but you should still feel proud knowing that we've kept the tradition going for so many years."

" Why should we feel proud?"

" Yeah!"

" Crystal Prep beats us all the time, and you want us to be happy with tradition!?"

" We should just leave before we lose our minds with all the reminders that we lose."

" Now, now, everyone! There's no need for that kind of talk." Principal Celestia said.

" I'm afraid you're already losing them, dear sister." Vice Principal Luna said. I might have been sitting on the bleachers, and the two sisters were standing on the stage a fair distance away, yet I was able to hear everything they said between themselves. My hearing was pretty good--better than what most humans were capable of--thanks in part to my originally being a pony. " Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all. You and I both know how upset students get whenever the Friendship Games come around. Sometimes, I wonder why we bother having it against Crystal Prep still. They have defeated our school every time since the Games were first started decades ago, so you can imagine how much anger and frustration the students possess."

" How do you think I feel about it, Luna?" Principal Celestia asked.

" You bear the brunt of it more than I."

" As principal of this school, I wanted to remind the students of the true importance behind the Games. It's just that Crystal Prep have taken that importance out by changing the focus into one where winning is all that matters. Principal Cinch may have an elite team on her side, but that's no excuse for wanting to be cruel just to win a competition. If I had decided to not have the Games, she would've ridiculed my students, calling them cowards for not wanting to compete. Worse still, the entire school district would label me a coward, as well, by walking away instead of accepting an undignified defeat." Principal Celestia said.

" You can blame Cinch for that."

" She knows exactly what to do to make sure she's always on top."

" Why does the school board not take action?"

" How can they? Despite how she treats her students, she hasn't done anything illegal."

" Then we are at a loss."

" Yes, little sister. There isn't much I can do other than maintain a positive attitude." Principal Celestia said. I felt terrible that she had to endure that kind of pain all because of another principal flexing her muscles. I knew about the kinds of things committed by Cinch from what the two sisters discussed when I waited to speak with Celestia about taking those portraits of me down. How could anyone like that be a principal of a respected academic institution? Perhaps the Friendship Games might not have happened had Cinch been exposed much sooner. That way, the nightmare we all experienced at the end wouldn't have become a reality. " I must get the students interested once again in the Games despite their negativity. We are fortunate one of them decided to take matters into her own hands." Principal Celestia said.

" Are you sure we can trust Rainbow Dash to bring a positive influence?"

" She can be very passionate, but I think she knows what she is doing. We both agreed to her proposal, after all."

" Yes. I am surprised that she was able to get them to assist her."

" It should prove to be most entertaining."

" We still have one other issue to deal with.

" Once this assembly is over, we shall make sure they know that they must keep that under control." Principal Celestia said. I didn't know who she was referring to, but then, I couldn't quite make it out entirely. The students had gotten rowdy, and order needed to be enforced to prevent the assembly from spiraling out of control. " Alright! Everyone please settle down. There is no need for such hostility towards a tradition this school has held for decades. Since the games only happen every four years, I'm sure you're all curious what goes on."

Every four years!? I was lead to believe that it occurred, at the longest, every two years based on what I had heard around school those past few weeks. It made sense that it was something that occurred infrequently. When I first came to this world, I missed the previous Friendship Games, and the students never complained. Why would they? Crystal Prep had defeated CHS on their home turf last time, and the students simply wanted to forget it ever happened. I felt guilty over making them feel worse when I began my rise to power. Had I known of their prior humiliation, I wouldn't have been so horrible. Then again, if I hadn't cared only about power back then, I could've strove to make them feel better.

When Principal Celestia mentioned "four years", it reminded me of the Equestria Games again. Those were also held every four years, yet the location wasn't confined to just two locations that interchanged. Cities all across Equestria were eligible to become a host city and were chosen based on the opinion of the Games Inspector. I never met her in person, but I was told stories about how Ms. Harshwhinny--appropriate name for one with her attitude--was harsh towards organizing committees who wanted their city to become the host. The only ponies she never berated were members of the royal family. The Equestria Games were a major event in Equestria, yet the Friendship Games was just a competition between two schools who were vying for prestige.

" You mean other than us losing!?" Flash Sentry announced, his voice echoed across the gym, prompting me to look in his direction. He had been sitting close by to where I was, and his words caught me by surprise. I didn't think he'd resort to such childishness, but then, like everyone else, he didn't feel confident about beating Crystal Prep. If it was any consolation, I actually agreed with his little outburst, but I refrained from telling Rainbow Dash.

" Yes, Flash! I know CHS has lost every time." Principal Celestia said.

" We know what happens behind the scenes. We've studied the previous Games and the athletes' humiliation. Their spirits, their dignity, all crushed by the Shadowbolts with no mercy. I know CHS has a team to take them on, but can we really defeat them knowing how inexperienced we are? They live and breathe competition! They strive for perfection above all else!" Flash said.

" An astute observation."

" Are we in over our heads?"

" I believe someone wishes to address those concerns."

" You got a student to give us a pep talk!?"

" That is exactly why I've asked Rainbow Dash to come up and give you all a little, um... context." Principal Celestia announced. I noticed that Rainbow Dash had disappeared from where we were sitting in a group. She had apparently made her way down to the stage without anyone noticing her and walked onto it to the cheers of no one. She didn't allow their lack of applause to bring her down. Before addressing the students, Rainbow walked over to the curtain, which was closed for some reason, and peaked into it. Someone was standing back there, and it looked like she told them to wait for something to happen. Was this part of her plan? " Well, Rainbow Dash? The stage is now yours, so I hope that what you have planned will prove effective." Principal Celestia said. She handed over her microphone, and she and Vice Principal Luna stepped to the side, leaving Rainbow standing alone on stage.

" Thank you, Principal Celestia." Rainbow Dash said, clearing her throat before continuing. " Okay, we all heard what Flash had to say, so now it's my turn! I know a lot of you might think there's no way we can beat a fancy school like Crystal Prep at anything, right? Wrong! They're not so tough! We've always lost to them because we lacked confidence in ourselves to win. We've gotta get rid of that thought in our heads and come out fighting! Just because Crystal Prep has the best resources in the city, they've already won before the Games have even begun, right? Wrong! That don't mean anything!"

" Are you sure about that?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Of course I am!"

" They've beaten us in all competitions, you know."

" Okay, so they're tough. Doesn't matter! We can take 'em! Besides, they haven't beaten us in everything. We've had our victories over them, so that's gotta count for something, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Unless it's a 'losing to Crystal Prep' competition! 'Cause we're really good at that!" Pinkie Pie answered. Rainbow slapped her head before turning her attention towards another group of students. So far, her efforts to get students excited for the Games wasn't going over very well. No one was interested, because they believed the same result was going to happen once again. They believed it was their fate to be schooled by Crystal Prep every time. Whatever she had planned, it might not work out if things continued like they did.

" And I know that CHS has never won the Friendship Games even once."

" Oh, dear. I hope this speech isn't meant to be motivational." Rarity said.

" You think it sounds like one?" I asked.

" Rainbow Dash certainly has a lot of heart, darling, but her execution leaves much to be desired. If she wanted to get everyone excited for the Games, her choice of words aren't going to get her any sympathy." Rarity answered.

" I kind of feel bad for not being up on stage and supporting her."

" We all have the same feeling, Sunset, but you can't deny the fact that CHS has never beaten Crystal Prep and hoisted the trophy. Students over the years at this school have had to watch them brag about their dominance, and it got to a point where they just no longer cared. If you want my opinion, students of Crystal Prep are just so vulgar and arrogant over how they think of themselves as better than everyone else." Rarity said.

" Reminds me a lot about how I used to be."

" I didn't mean it like that!"

" I know, but I still think about it."

" Why even relapse into it, darling? You moved on from your past when you got those phoenix wings, so shouldn't that mean you only need to look forward? Or, do you have some kind of lingering regret deep within that festers like an open wound? Gah! How simply dreadful it must be to have on your conscience." Rarity said. Her words, while slightly insulting, were truthful. I still felt guilty about bringing magic into a world that didn't understand it. The magic problem then, in essence, was my own doing, so I had to solve it to fix my own mistake. In a way, I was like Princess Celestia; we both made mistakes we regret. " Sunset? Are you alright?" Rarity asked.

" I'm okay. Just thinking about something, but it's not important." I answered.

Back on the stage, Rainbow Dash looked upset over the lack of enthusiasm coming from students, but she then turned to face the curtain. If I didn't know better, I could've sworn that a pair of eyes looked back at her. I already figured out someone was back there, but was there more than one? My answer came within the next few seconds.

" Crystal Prep students are super athletic, super smart, and super motivated. But there's one thing they aren't. They aren't Wondercolts!" Rainbow Dash said. As she spoke, the sounds of instruments came from behind the curtain. I thought she had hired some musicians, but I quickly concluded that it was the school's marching band. The curtain opened up, and there they were, each member playing a different instrument, except for one. She was their leader, providing vocals and twirling a baton. Was this Rainbow's plan? To sing a song aimed to encourage students?

" We've fought magic more than once

And come out on top." Rainbow Dash sang.

I didn't interact all that much with the marching band, so I couldn't describe my feelings about the kind of students they were. Since they were professionals, they weren't allowed to compete in the Battle of the Bands late last year. It wouldn't have been fair for the others if a truly dedicated band were in the running to be the best. I'll admit that their musical skills were pretty impressive, though.

" Is she really singing a song?" Rarity asked.

" It looks like it." I answered.

" There's other schools, but none can make those claims." Rainbow Dash sang.

" Na, na-na-na-na, oh!" The marching band's leader had good vocals as well, yet it sounded like multiple students were singing instead of just her. Was there some kind of special effect being used? Or, were some of the other students in the bleachers singing along? I quickly looked around to find out, and everyone was simply staring at what was happening on stage. No one had expected Rainbow to come up with a pep rally song.

" Together we are Canterlot,

Come and cheer our name."

" Oh, oh!"

" This will be our year to win these games." she continued.

" So this was her plan, was it?" Rarity asked.

" Rainbow did say she wanted to get everyone on board for the Friendship Games, and this is definitely one way to go about it. I've got to admit that this was actually a well-thought-out plan, considering they usually don't work as intended. It must have taken them weeks to get the choreography perfected." I answered.

" I'm surprised she didn't ask us to be her backup."

" Maybe we were in her original plans, but she decided to go with something with a bit more oomph?" I asked. I didn't really know how to best answer Rarity, so I came up with something on the spot without thinking about it. The Rainbooms could've been her backup, but then, we all sang together as a group. Rainbow's song had been designed for her to be the sole singer, with occasional vocals from the band leader. As I didn't have any animosity for not being asked, I wasn't going to hold it against her. Besides, it gave me an opportunity to see how far Rainbow had come since those days where singing solo caused her ego to flare up.

Looking back at the stage, Rainbow Dash jumped down from the stage and began parading about with the marching band following her. She continued singing her song, but my mind was focused on how well-coordinated they all were. It made sense now why she didn't need us to perform her song. Pinkie's drums weren't mobile, so lugging them around was impossible. Applejack's bass was slightly heavy, and while she was capable of lugging it around, Rainbow probably didn't want her to strain a muscle. I quickly turned to the lower steps of the bleachers, and saw Vinyl Scratch, who was sitting there with a laptop on her lap. At least, I thought it was a laptop. I couldn't tell from my position.

She then inserted a plug into it that suddenly amped up the volume through speakers located on the ceiling. Was she involved in the song as well? Or, had she somehow anticipated Rainbow's intentions and wanted to get in on the action? Either way, Rainbow's song gained momentum, and everyone couldn't look away from what was happening. That's when I noticed students sitting on the bleachers opposite where we were sitting. They were holding pieces of cardboard in two 9 x 9 squares with the Wondercolt insignia spread across the pieces, and I immediately recognized what they were doing. I had to give props to Rainbow for coming up with such extra detail to get her point across.

" We're not the school we were before." Rainbow Dash sang.

" Before!"

" Yeah, we're different now!"

" Oh, oh!"

" Hey, hey!"

" We overcame the obstacles we faced!"

" Overcame the obstacles we faced."

The first set of squares turned around, and my heart sank when I saw the image of my demonic form with Princess Twilight's crown below. I had different emotions running through my head that ranged between anger, annoyance, sadness, pity, acceptance, and confusion--the last was because I knew they didn't get the proportions correct. That's what happens with caricatures; they aren't accurate. The other squares flipped over to reveal the Sirens in their true forms along with their pendants, and it was obvious something was wrong. Adagio's colours were incorrect, along with Sonata's. Aria's colours appeared correct from where I was sitting, but I suspected they were wrong as well.

It had been some time since they left CHS after they were exposed as monsters, yet I still remembered their names. I still believed that they would return one day and change their lives for the better, just as I had done. Would they take that chance? Only the Sirens knew that answer.

" Are you okay, Sunset?" Applejack asked.

" Why do you ask?"

" Y'all seem mighty riled up when those students revealed that there picture of your demon form. I know you got over that a few months ago, yet I reckon seeing that opened up some old wounds you'd rather remain closed." Applejack answered.

" Yeah! I know Rainbow Dash wanted to remind everyone of the magical problems that plagued this school, but did she have to use my demonic form, even if it is just a caricature? I'd have preferred she just went with the crown with my eyes looking down on it. I know it wouldn't be the same, but everyone knows what I did, so this little stunt doesn't do me much good with my confidence." I said.

" Want to talk to her about it?"

" No. I know she didn't mean to bring it up."

" Alright, but if you change your mind, we'll be there for you."

" Thanks."

" We're Canterlot united,

And we'll never bow,

So get ready to see us in first place!

We'll always be Wondercolts forever,

(Three! Two! One! Go!)

And now our time has finally arrived.

(Our time is now!)

'Cause we believe in the magic of friendship,

And you know, at the end of the day, it is we who survive,

At the end of the day, it is we who survive!" Rainbow Dash sang.

During the chorus, the marching band leader twirled her baton at the audience, and suddenly, a parade of pony ears were tossed their way. Students grabbed them and put them on as a sign of unity. Even Trixie got in on the action, and Rainbow personally put pony ears on her head. That was a sign that their rivalry had truly come to an end. Rainbow's song gave everyone the confidence they needed to defeat Crystal Prep, yet it was the team itself who felt the most pressure. We were the ones going up against the Shadowbolts, so if anyone needed a positive attitude, it was us. I supposed having the students cheer us gave us the attitude needed to bring our A game.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of students singing and clapping. I then noticed Principal Celestia clapping along, as well, out of the corner of my eye. While I felt an urge to go along with the crowd, I chose not to, because something else suddenly happened. Rainbow Dash walked back to the stage and climbed onto it, but then she started glowing, and I immediately recognized it as what I experienced when those phoenix wings appeared on my back. Without warning, Rainbow started to pony up before taking to the air. How did she manage to do that? In the past, we always ponied up by playing our instruments. Did this mean I wasn't the only one going through an unusual transition?

Just when I thought I could relax and not worry about the magic problem, it suddenly took on a new form.

" You decided not to confront Rainbow Dash about that caricature?" Twilight asked.

" I changed my mind after the song was over." I answered.

" Really?"

" I mulled over it for a few minutes, and I concluded that Applejack was right. Rainbow should've consulted me before asking someone to draw my demonic form. After the song ended and the students left the gym, we all went backstage to congratulate her for inspiring everyone." I answered.

" What did you say to her?"

" You'll find out soon enough. I do recall writing down what I said to her in my journal." I answered. I also recall that it was a heated confrontation. Rainbow obviously didn't mean to remind me of what I did back during the Fall Formal, yet she should've known that it would hurt me. Just because I said that I got over my past doesn't mean that I actually did. Even now, there are lingering reminders of my past swirling around this school. Something that has been there for so long doesn't just go away overnight. It takes a long time for it to finally fade away from memory. Sometimes, it never goes away and becomes a haunting presence.

While Rainbow and I didn't lunge at each other's throats, there was some animosity between us. It quickly dissipated when the subject focused on what happened when the song reached its end.

I quickly looked in Twilight's direction. She had turned away from me and was writing something down on her notepad. Surely she was going to ask me about the unusual pony-up Rainbow experienced during the song. I know it was going to be her next question. So why was she just writing away? I was afraid to see what she was writing. After a few tense minutes of waiting, Twilight turned to face me.

" Curious about what I wrote down?"

" Yeah."

" I was just writing down a mathematical equation for a future test." Twilight said. She had put me on edge for an equation? I should've known she was focusing on her studies again, but why didn't she just up and tell me? Why put me through so much pressure? " Sorry if I didn't say anything, Sunset, but it was a really important equation, and I needed to concentrate on it so I wouldn't forget. Anyway, you mentioned that Rainbow Dash ponied up without playing her guitar? How did that happen? I thought your instruments were necessary to cause the transformation?" I felt annoyed at how she left me to sweat like that, but I suppose she could be forgiven for it. I patted her on the shoulder, indicating that her apology was accepted, yet I needed a moment to think about her question.

" We always believed that was the secret behind our pony-ups."

" And yet?"

" All we were doing was going with random guesswork. None of us had any clue as to how it all worked, so this sudden revelation caught us off guard. My transformation several months prior, and now Rainbow's sudden pony up. Everything was getting more confusing by the moment with regards to the magic problem." I answered.

" Did Princess Twilight have anything to say about it?"

" She wasn't responding to my messages."

" Yes. I learned as such from what you and Her Highness were talking about when she came through the portal."

" There was one other problem."

" What's that?"

" Rainbow Dash ponying up came at a major inconvenience for us. If it had happened after the Friendship Games or in private, we could've taken the time to figure it out on our own, but everyone witnessed what happened. Vice Principal Luna had some choice words for us after everyone left the gym. It made me feel very uncomfortable knowing that she demanded us to keep the magic under control." I answered.

What in the world had I just witnessed at the end of that song? Did Rainbow Dash pony up without playing her guitar? Impossible! There was no way she could've done that, but she did, and that introduced a new slew of problems. While my friends were excited about that, I felt worried that something was happening to Rainbow. The magic in this world had just gotten more difficult to understand than before. I knew that this sudden revelation was going to cause us trouble. I quickly looked at Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna. Both were chatting amongst themselves while looking in my direction every now and again. They were concerned about the magic. There was no other explanation for how they looked at me with distrust.

I had thought about what Rainbow had done showing the caricature of my demonic form. Why did she do that knowing I was going to be affected by it? I feared that students were going to look at me with hatred in their eyes. While they had forgiven me for what happened, they could still be harbouring some resentment that had been dormant within their minds. Forgiveness was easy enough to achieve, but forgetting is something different altogether. I decided to confront Rainbow and get some answers. Her cause might have been noble, but it came at the price of reminding me of all the torment I inflicted on so many lives.

Once everyone else had left the gym, my friends and I walked to the back of the stage, and we saw Rainbow Dash waving to the marching band's leader. Only Applejack knew what I was going to do, so she made sure that I was in front of everyone. Rarity and Fluttershy were too fixated on the positive energy that came from Rainbow's song, and Pinkie was in one of her happy moods, so she didn't notice. Once Rainbow turned around to face us, she was standing face to face with me, and I wasn't happy one bit.

" Whoa, Sunset! Why are you giving me such a dirty look?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Care to explain to me why you used that caricature of my demonic form?" I asked.

" Oh, that. Heh. The thing is, I wanted everyone to know that we overcame your alter ego."

" Did you even take my feelings into consideration?"

" Huh? What are you talking about?"

" Unbelievable! I should've known you'd pull a stunt like that without knowing what it would do to me. Seeing that caricature has reopened some old wounds I was able to finally forget about after tormenting myself for so long. Now I have to get those thoughts out of my head. I may have reformed, but that doesn't mean I'm completely in the clear. There's no telling if I might suddenly relapse and seek out that power again." I answered. I admit that I was overreacting, but I wanted to get my point across to Rainbow Dash. She didn't care that my feelings got hurt by that image. All she cared about was winning the Friendship Games. My temper began boiling deep within me, but I breathed several times in order to calm down again. " I'm very upset with what you did, Rainbow. I thought you would understand what I went through. Maybe you care too much about beating Crystal Prep. Maybe you've become obsessed with beating them."

" Hey! That's not true!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" Then why torment me like that?"

" I... I didn't mean to."

" You should've consulted me first."

" Yeah, maybe I should've, but I really wanted to get everyone pumped for the Friendship Games. You all saw how down they all were. I needed to get them motivated, and that meant reminding them that CHS has overcome the odds by beating magical forces from another world. One of them was you, I know, but the point is that we saved the school from being conquered by monsters." Rainbow Dash said. I glared at her with a look that could freeze a venomous snake in its tracks, and she backed away slightly. She knew she had made a big mistake and allowed her desire to win to get in the way of knowing the truth. Rainbow then began scratching her head in hopes of finding a way out of this mess, and I knew that she was struggling to reach a definitive answer. Our friends made sure not to get involved, and I had Applejack to thank for that. She raised her hand when Rarity tried getting involved, stopping her in the process.

" I'm not going to end our friendship over this Rainbow, but you need to be more responsible with and for your actions. You need to understand everyone's perspective about a problem before you suddenly go and do something about it. If I had been told ahead of time, we wouldn't be having this conversation." I said.

" That's a relief."

" And...?"

" Oh, right. I'm sorry for doing that without telling you. Guess I did get carried away a little bit."

" More like a lot, but I'll forgive you."

" Thanks."

" Um, is it okay to change the subject now?" Fluttershy asked. We all turned our eyes towards her, and she quickly stepped behind Applejack. I had gotten so engrossed in giving Rainbow Dash a piece of my mind that I completely forgot about why we came backstage. I walked over to Fluttershy and told her it was okay, so she shifted out from her hiding place and moved some hair away from her face before continuing. " Rainbow Dash, that was amazing! Even I feel like we can win!"

" I feel like my school pride is at an all-time high!" Rarity added.

" That's great and all, but there's just one little problem that makes all o' this fishy." Applejack said.

" And what's that?" Fluttershy asked.

" What we all saw happen at the end of that song."

" Oh, um, I guess we should be concerned about what happened."

" Is anybody else wonderin' how Dash ponied up without playin' her guitar? I know I wasn't the only one who saw that happen." Applejack said. The entire school witnessed it, yet they didn't freak out or anything. Because students had seen us pony up during times of crisis, they had gotten used to the spectacle. However, that wasn't true about those from beyond the school, who didn't know about the magic swirling about this place. That was a concern we needed to be wary about. The two magic problems did unleash powerful bursts of magic that were seen for miles away, and it caused people to start snooping around trying to uncover the truth.

" I know, right? It's probably because I'm so awesome!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Ya reckon that's accurate?" Applejack asked me.

" Maybe, but there's got to be more to it than that." I answered.

" What do you mean?"

" It just seemed so random to me. When I experimented on you girls, you all ponied up like normal, and nothing unusual happened. Perhaps I would've noticed something had my device been built with better parts rather than pieces of junk I found all over the place. Coupled with what happened to me, I have this feeling that our magic might be undergoing some kind of transition." I answered.

" Is that what happens with Equestrian magic?"

" No. Magic in Equestria never changes of its own volition. It can only be changed if the caster decides to alter it. What happened with me and Rainbow wasn't natural by any means." I answered.

" Well, it would be nice if you girls could get a handle on it."

I almost jumped out of my skin when Vice Principal Luna announced that. I had no idea she was even standing behind me, and neither did my friends. We were so focused on trying to understand what happened to Rainbow Dash, we didn't notice she walked up to us. I turned around to face Vice Principal Luna, and the expression on her face was obvious: She had approached us to talk about the magic problem. She and Principal Celestia had been worried about it since we tried out for the team, and Rainbow Dash ponying up forced their hand.

" Whatever do you mean?" I asked.

" Please don't try to play dumb with me. I am well aware of the special abilities you girls possess. While I still have my doubts, what happened on stage earlier proves that we have a serious problem that must be taken care of before Crystal Prep arrives tomorrow." Vice Principal Luna answered.

" I didn't mean to question your intellect."

" Not everyone is as gifted as you are, but trying to cover up something everyone has witnessed is simply unacceptable."

" I'm sorry."

" My sister and I have been discussing how to approach this problem, and we have come to a conclusion, which is why I am here. We have no desire of removing the six of you from the Wondercolts. You each proved yourselves worthy, and without the use of magic, but I'm afraid the situation has gotten to the point where drastic measures must be implemented to prevent future issues. We'd like to keep magic as far away from the Friendship Games as possible. We don't want to be accused of cheating. I know none of you would ever stoop that low, but Crystal Prep is unaware that you possess 'unique' capabilities." Vice Principal Luna said.

" So, we should refrain from using it?" I asked.

" Correct. Principal Cinch would like nothing more than to accuse my sister of relying on an unfair advantage, so it's best that option doesn't materialize. I know you girls rely on your magic to bring about miracles around here, but this time, you must keep it under control at all times." Vice Principal Luna answered.

" We don't need magic to defeat those hoity-toity Crystal Preppers." Rarity announced. The rest of my friends began cheering in agreement, but I wasn't so sure, so I kept quiet. None of us had been successful in mastering our magic, simply because it proved too unpredictable. Playing our instruments helped keep it under lock and key, yet we couldn't compete in the Friendship Games while holding onto them. The Shadowbolts would just laugh at us, and Principal Celestia would be humiliated. Since we had no control, there was no telling when we'd unleash our magic. It could happen during the Games or in-between events. The thought of us ponying up in front of Crystal Prep was too devastating to think about.

" Still, the Friendship Games are serious business. Your pep rally has inspired everyone to give it their all, Rainbow Dash. Even my sister and I felt like this could be the year where CHS finally defeats our rivals in a competition they've dominated for decades. As such, we are taking this seriously. No one at this school is going to shy away from supporting you and the rest of the Wondercolts. I know it sounds like I'm giving you unwarranted pressure, but you must understand that our pride hangs in the balance. Anyway, we don't want any magical surprises. Especially the kind that could cause us to forfeit." Vice Principal Luna said.

" What can we do about it?" I asked.

" I was hoping you'd ask that."

" You did?"

" Sunset Shimmer, you came here from a world of magic, correct?"

" Yes."

" Perhaps you can get to the bottom of our magical development. You are the only one around here who knows how this magic works, so it falls onto you to find a solution and prevent Crystal Prep from seeing what cannot be explained. It's most unfortunate that Twilight Sparkle isn't available. Surely, she would have been able to assist you in this monumental task, but we only have you, Sunset Shimmer. I know that you will not fail to keep the magic under control until the Games have concluded." Vice Principal Luna said.

" I'll do my best." I said. Vice Principal Luna turned and walked away, leaving me feeling like a nervous wreck. I had enough pressure to try and figure out the magic problem, but now she had gone and made it my priority to make sure magic didn't appear during the Games. My friends couldn't help me; they didn't have as much knowledge compared to me, though my knowledge paled in comparison to Her Highness. Perhaps Princess Twilight should have been there, not just to provide assistance but to also figure everything out. She was an expert in magic, after all, but she had told me what I should try in an effort to understand the magic.

Understand it... I had no idea how I was going to do that, but I had to find an answer, and quickly. The Friendship Games were less than a day away, so I had very little time to comb over my research to see if I'd overlooked something. Rainbow Dash's ponying up had proven itself to be a hindrance that brought the two sisters down on my neck. Not only that, but the person who snooped around the statue the other day could come back and try it again. Also, my magic along with Rainbow's had begun changing, yet did that mean the others were also capable of the same thing? One problem kept on piling on top of the other, and the weight was pulling me down. What was I going to do?

" Wow... I didn't think Vice Principal Luna would force the issue on you like that." Twilight said.

" Rainbow Dash's pep rally succeeded in getting everyone pumped up for the Games, but it also exposed the magic problem as being exactly that. I knew it was going to become an issue during the Games, yet I hoped it wouldn't come up until afterwards. Sometimes, you want something to happen, but it ends up happening in a way that you weren't expecting. All Luna did was add more pressure onto me, and I was already caving under what I had prior." I said.

" Sunset..."

" That's what happens when you're the only magical expert at CHS. It fell onto me to figure everything out. If Princess Twilight had been there, we'd have had two experts pooling their resources together to find an answer, but she had her duties as a princess in Equestria. She couldn't leave those behind in order to come here and solve a problem that I originally created. Okay, that might have been a slight exaggeration on my part, but I was responsible for the recent magic problem." I said.

" What do you mean?"

" The Sirens came to this world long before I did."

" Weren't they banished here by Star Swirl the Bearded, as you called him?"

" Yes. He used the magic mirror that Princess Twilight and I used to send them here. In that sense, Star Swirl introduced magic into this world, but it never amounted to anything serious, so no one ever knew something was wrong. The Sirens were reduced to absorbing small amounts of negative energy to stay alive, so their true magic remained lost to them until I became a demon. Until I became a monster, anyone or anything from Equestria had nothing." I answered.

Twilight scooted over to me and wrapped her arm around my neck. I was expecting her to start crying, but she simply embraced me for a brief moment before scooting back over to her previous spot. She then began writing something down on her notepad again, but I ignored that in favour of looking at the lamp fixture next to my makeshift bed. I do still blame myself for bringing the current iteration of magic into this world. I doubt that Star Swirl had predicted someone like me coming here with the very thing the Sirens needed to regain their lost power. When you really think about it, I was a magnet designed to attract trouble from all walks of life. It was a curse that plagued me everywhere I went.

I then began thinking about the demon Twilight became.

What happened during the Friendship Games was something I didn't even think was possible. I had heard stories from Princess Celestia that Equestrian magic could merge together with different variations and be used to create either a great miracle or a great disaster, depending on what kind of heart you possessed. I never believed those stories, but after witnessing Twilight's transformation with these, my own two eyes, I no longer doubt any of the Equestrian legends. Twilight must have done something to have been able to absorb so much magic without being destroyed in the process. I still don't understand how I was able to achieve a similar form to what she had. Princess Twilight tried coming up with an answer, yet it stumped even her.

If anyone should've been able to absorb so much magic into their bodies, it was Princess Twilight. She had experienced that sensation already when she was given the magic from her fellow princesses. From what Her Highness told me, she had some interesting side-effects that eventually subsided. If only Twilight could've experienced something fun instead of ripping a world apart with magical portals. There were some things about Equestrian magic that no one, other than Star Swirl, knew the secrets behind.

" There! I wrote down another equation while you were off daydreaming." Twilight said.

" Thanks for the comfort."

" You were feeling upset, so I did what I thought was best. So, what happened after Vice Principal Luna left?

" Actually, before I go into that, I want to do something a little different."

" Oh?"

" I know much about you Twilight, but I'm curious about what happened before you came to CHS with the rest of Crystal Prep."

" You... want to know about my meeting with Principal Cinch?"

" Yes."

" Why?"

" If I know what happened to you there, it will make the next part of my journal make more sense."

Chapter 61: Pressure

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 11:15am

Principal Celestia held an assembly later that morning to discuss the Friendship Games. As was expected, students weren't thrilled about losing to Crystal Prep yet again, and some were very vocal about their displeasure. Her efforts in maintaining order failed, so Rainbow Dash came onto the stage to give some motivation of her own. My friends and I knew she had a plan, but we weren't expecting a pep talk coupled with a song designed to inspire CHS to take the Games seriously. I didn't approve of her use of a caricature of my demonic form, as it reminded me of my past, yet that wasn't the worst of it. No, Rainbow suddenly ponied up without playing her guitar. How did that happen? Before I could begin any research, I was approached by Vice Principal Luna, who warned me that we had to keep magic away from the Games. I already had enough commitments on my shoulders, and now a new one had been applied. What else was going to go wrong?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
March 5, 2016
Chapter 61: Pressure.

" Well, I already told you that she used my application and forced me into competing for the Shadowbolts." Twilight said.

" Yes, but why did Principal Cinch need your skills? No offence, Twilight, but you don't exactly look like much of an athlete." I said. Sporting events usually required athletes who trained for months in preparation of their competition. Twilight, from what I recall of her during the Tri-Cross Relay, wasn't exactly an ideal athlete. She made so many mistakes that I had to question why anyone would want her on their team. She possessed a strong intellect, stronger than anyone I knew aside from the princesses, yet physical prowess was her biggest drawback. " You're more at home with studying books and looking at test tubes than running in a marathon."

" I know, and I completely agree with you." Twilight said.

" You do?"

" Yes. Athleticism isn't my strongest suit, and it never has been while I was growing up. My parents always wanted me to be more like my brother: a well-rounded man who had a combination of strength and smarts to lead him through life. I wanted the intelligence, as that was part of my family's history, but the strength was something I didn't need. When I first started attending Crystal Prep, I was something of a child prodigy, and my time there furthered my brilliant mind. However, I was envied by those around me. They despised me for coming into their domain and taking it over in such a short time." Twilight answered.

" That wasn't your intention, was it?"

" No. I just really enjoyed studying and strove to reach my full potential. It wasn't my fault that my grades were the best among everyone. It also wasn't my fault that I was labelled 'the best student Crystal Prep had ever seen', a title Principal Cinch personally gave me. To her, I was her secret weapon who could turn things around to give Crystal Prep the victory in any intellectual contest." Twilight answered.

" Okay, then how did you get dragged into the Shadowbolts?"

" You can thank my brother for that."

" What did he do?"

" Shining Armour graduated from Crystal Prep several years ago. Principal Cinch thought he could provide some unique perspective, but in truth, he was brought in to convince me to compete in the Friendship Games. He was my brother, so how could I refuse his advice?" Twilight asked. I noticed Twilight began to cry, yet I didn't know what I could do for her. When it came to family affairs, I had no experiences to share with her.

Twilight had a very close bond with her brother, yet he was willing to cast that aside just to have her represent Crystal Prep and please Principal Cinch. He sounded like a heartless guy, but I couldn't fault him for conforming to the whims of Cinch. He most likely acted like that to try and save face.

At least Twilight has a blood sibling that she could relate to. My siblings were nothing more than a memory in the back of my mind filled with hatred. I don't remember much of what they looked like, nor do I care if they were still alive. They took away what little joy I had as a child. Could I ever forgive them? Probably not, as the emotional scars still run deep. I could never forgive them for making my parents fawn over them and ignore my potential.

My friends were my family now, and they treated me as an equal. Yet, when it came to problems associated with magic, they would thrust me into the position of leader. Just because I came from a world of magic didn't mean I was ready to become a leader. Assuming such a position meant having lots of power, and I didn't want to go through that again. Even during the Friendship Games, they wanted me to be team captain, yet I had no desire to do that. I simply wanted to be someone who followed the orders of others, not be the one giving them out. I did have to step up when the magic was unleashed, however, yet that was an emergency situation.

" I... I don't know what to say." I said.

" It's okay, Sunset." Twilight said, having since grabbed a tissue and blown her nose on it. The honking noise was adorable, but the distraction quickly disappeared when reality sank back in again. " Shining Armour was only trying to do what he thought was best for me. I never told him or my family that the other students constantly bullied me all because of how smart I really was compared to them." My eyes opened wide with shock. I remember her telling me that she was a victim just as much as I was, but there was more to it than she initially said. Her family never knew her problems, either. Why would she keep all of that bottled up? It did her no good! " I know what you're probably thinking. Why did my fellow students give me such a hard time?" Twilight asked.

" Um, yeah!"

" Jealousy."

" That's it!?"

" Yes. I mentioned it a few minutes ago. They all desired the coveted distinction of being the best student and never accepted me as being deserving of it. I was an introvert, spending time by myself in my lab working on various projects. I had no desire to interact with other people. They weren't worth my time and didn't understand that my work meant so much to me." Twilight answered. She sounded a lot like I did back when I was a bully, except she never intimidated anyone. We both viewed people as being beneath our notice, yet she had the option of interacting with them. I was forced to do that during my first years at CHS. " Anyway, my brother's efforts to convince me didn't work, so Principal Cinch relied on using my application as a bargaining chip."

" And that's how you joined the Shadowbolts?"

" I should also mention that Dean Cadance wanted me to join the team as well, but she had a much different approach. She wanted me to search my heart and come up with a decision based on my convictions. Principal Cinch silenced her into not saying anything during that meeting other than what Shining Armour's purpose was. She wanted my agile mind to crush the Wondercolts and remind them that their efforts were futile." Twilight answered.

" Now it all makes sense." I said.

" What do you mean?"

" Whenever I saw you around CHS during the Games, I didn't know that something personal was eating away at you. When I learned that you weren't Princess Twilight, I suspected you were an imposter, claiming to be Her Highness in an effort to ruin her reputation." I answered. I quickly blushed and looked at Twilight in hopes that she didn't think of me badly for telling her my opinions of her upon my initial look. She shook her head and I breathed a sigh of relief. " Sorry if that sounded harsh, but I actually thought you were my mentor, even though you were wearing a different uniform."

" I was trying to understand why the CHS students knew who I was." Twilight said.

" It's because Her Highness saved the school twice, so she instantly became recognizable."

" How could they not tell that I wasn't her!? I mean, I was wearing a school uniform, and she was wearing that dress."

" They remember her for her determination and not her attire."

" Is that how you felt when you first saw me?" Twilight asked. I did think that she was Her Highness, even when the obvious was right in front of me. Why did I think they were one and the same? Was it their familiar faces? Their voices? Or, perhaps something else? I know it had only been two weeks since I last saw Her Highness, but it doesn't happen that often. I always enjoy seeing her in hopes of catching up with events happening back home. " Well? Is that how you felt?" Twilight asked.

With a slow nod of my head, Twilight gasped in surprise, but she quickly calmed down and smiled slightly. I thought she was going to throw a hissy fit at me, but she had proven to be unpredictable emotionally. At the very least, I didn't have that conviction for very long. The instant Twilight mentioned the word "uniform", I knew something wasn't right with that scenario, but I kept it to myself until after she left with Principal Cinch. I didn't want to make an incorrect assumption and make the entire problem worse. Also, it would've looked bad on Principal Celestia to see her students fawning over a student from a different school for reasons that were hard to explain.

" At least you were honest with me, Sunset. If I ever met the human version of you, I'd have reacted in the same way. So, what happened after Vice Principal Luna told you to keep the magic under control? She sounded very stern when she approached you." Twilight said.

" I'll be going into more detail later when we get to that fateful meeting between us. To answer your question, I was already under a lot of stress from dealing with the magic problem and dealing with someone--you--snooping around the statue. Having to keep the magic under control only made things worse. I learned that controlling it proved difficult, as it was unpredictable, unlike in Equestria." I said.

Vice Principal Luna's timing couldn't have been worse. I was already dealing with the magic problem, the mystery person who snooped around the statue, and now the mystery behind Rainbow Dash ponying up without playing her guitar. She added another problem on top of that by telling my friends and me to keep the magic under control while Crystal Prep was here to compete in the Friendship Games. I would've argued that her plan had a serious flaw, but I knew she wouldn't want to hear any of it. In her mind, she had assigned the only magical expert at CHS to deal with the problem, and she could focus on running the school with her sister. While I said that I'd do my best to come up with an answer, I knew that doing so wouldn't be easy.

The main issue was that the magic in this world couldn't be controlled. It roamed around formless like a free spirit. In Equestria, the magic was more predictable and that made it easy to control. Even when I pony up along with Rarity, neither of us gain any horns. It was especially bad for me, as I was a unicorn. If we did, then we'd have a chance at finding a way to get the magic to obey our whims and gather it together.

If the magic were in one place, it'd be easy to analyze and come up with a solution. However, since it's unrestrained, we had to actively go out and find traces of magical residue before it faded away into nothing.

What Vice Principal Luna was asking of me was essentially impossible. Not even the most powerful magic user in all of Equestria would've been able to find an answer among the questions that grew at an alarming rate. She didn't want to hear any excuses, however. All she wanted were results and nothing more. My friends didn't take her words seriously. They believed I'd already found a solution. And yet, I had no answers. How could I? My efforts were ineffective.

I thought about sending another message to Princess Twilight in hopes that she knew something, but there was one problem that arose. The letter that I sent her the previous day had yet to be answered. Whenever I wrote something down in the magic journal, Her Highness would respond within a matter of minutes. It had been over twenty-four hours, and so far, there was no reply. It had me worried. She had never done that since we first started sending messages to one another. Did her presentation to all of those unicorns take that much out of her? I couldn't tell my friends that I hadn't heard back from Princess Twilight. They had a close connection with her and would be more concerned with her well-being as opposed to the Games.

" You okay, Sunset?" Applejack asked. While I had smiled when I confirmed to Vice Principal Luna that I would keep the magic under control, my expression quickly soured when she walked away. My stress had skyrocketed thanks to Luna giving me my extra job in addition to competing as a Wondercolt. I also blamed Principal Celestia for wanting to rely on me to solve a problem that proved difficult. I knew she didn't want Crystal Prep to know about the new changes our school had, but she was asking the impossible, just like her sister. " You look like the entire world just up and turned on you." Applejack said.

" I wish she hadn't put more pressure onto me." I answered.

" Reckon you can't blame her and Principal Celestia for wantin' to be cautious about the whole magic thing."

" But to come out and say it like that?"

" Yeah. That wasn't her best approach, but then, she wanted to get straight to the point."

" I'm still struggling with the magic problem, but I have made some progress in figuring out how it works." I said. My friends started clapping. They knew that I had worked my tail off trying to make sense of it all, yet they would be disappointed knowing that what I learned didn't really bring me that much closer to getting that elusive answer. " The magic in this world cannot be controlled, unlike in Equestria."

" What's that supposed to mean?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It's unpredictable." I answered.

" Say what?" Applejack asked.

" The magic here keeps on changing and that makes it difficult to analyze."

" Uh-huh, so what does that mean?"

" It means that trying to understand how it works has gotten more complicated than before." I answered. I knew my friends would be disappointed. Granted, only Applejack appeared to be disappointed, yet I needed to know if the others felt the same way. What really made this problematic for me was that the Friendship Games started the next day. I had to focus on supporting the team, but it was difficult when other factors reared their ugly heads. " I take it you're disappointed, AJ?"

" This whole magic thing don't make a lick o' sense to me, Sunset, but I know you're tryin' real hard to get a firm grasp on it. I'm not disappointed that you only moved a smidgen closer to figurin' it out. Heck, it's better than saying you didn't get anywhere and simply wasted your time." Applejack answered.

" What about the rest of you?"

" I'm disappointed, Sunset. You've worked really hard and deserve so much more." Fluttershy answered.

" Nothing can be done about it now, darling. You simply must redouble your efforts." Rarity added.

" Being unpredictable is my job!" Pinkie Pie added.

" Why are we even bothering with the magic problem anyway? We need to focus on preparing to welcome the Shadowbolts tomorrow." Rainbow Dash added. I knew she was going to change the subject to Crystal Prep. We all turned our eyes toward Rainbow, and she stepped back a few steps to give herself some distance. " Why are you all looking at me like that? You know we've gotta concentrate for the Games." While she did have a valid point, her lack of manners was very self-evident. I knew what was at stake the next day, but couldn't she have been more supportive? After all, it was her sudden magical change that prompted Vice Principal Luna to approach me about the problem.

" Can't you think of somethin' else besides the Games?" Applejack asked.

" It's important to the school to focus our efforts on winning." Rainbow Dash answered.

" What about Sunset? She's been getting stressed out with being given more commitments than she can handle."

" Yeah, I know it's unfair!"

" Then why not say somethin' more encouragin' instead of worrying about Crystal Prep?"

" You're right, Applejack! Sorry for not thinking about your feelings, Sunset. I know my pony-up was the reason why Vice Principal Luna came down on you like that. I swear that I had no idea that was going to happen. I just had this strange urge going through me during that song, and I just had to unleash it. You were right about the magic around here changing." Rainbow Dash answered.

She didn't realize it until much later, but Rainbow had given me a vital clue that would prove useful in my research. She mentioned a strange surge before her transformation came from within and had to be unleashed. I felt the exact same way when I gained those phoenix-like wings months ago. Was there a connection I wasn't seeing? Princess Twilight knew more about their magic than I did, as she enabled them to receive it originally. If only I could've made contact with her. She held the missing pieces of the puzzle but wasn't available due to an unfortunate mishap that occurred after concluding her presentation at the School for Gifted Unicorns. In any case, I had to question Rainbow Dash about what she said. Anything would do that could help in my cause.

" What did you say?" I asked, grabbing Rainbow by the shoulders and shaking her repeatedly.

" Hey! Let go! No need to shake me like that!" Rainbow Dash answered. I stopped and let go before blushing. " Wow! You really are desperate, aren't you? I like that kind of determination! We'll definitely need it for tomorrow. Anyway, I said that I felt a strange surge during my song. I don't know what it was, but seeing everyone singing and clapping to show their unity towards the CHS just made me want to unleash that magic."

" Anything else?"

" Nope."

" Well, it's a start, at least." I said, sighing heavily before rubbing the bridge of my nose. I was now getting somewhere, but it still wasn't enough. I needed more information, and that meant combing through my research again. I would try to refrain from contacting Princess Twilight, but my frustration ended up clouding my judgment. " Alright! Why don't we focus on the Friendship Games and leave me to deal with the magic problem. I know you all want to talk about tomorrow, so we might as well do just that." While it sounded like I was giving up, I wasn't. I didn't want to burden my friends any more than I already had. Equestrian magic was still relatively unknown to them, and they were bound to eventually say that they were fed up talking about it.

" You sure about that?" Applejack asked.

" I am." I answered, pacing back and forth a few times before walking towards the door, stopping short of it.

" Okay. Anybody have any guesses what the events are gonna be?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" How are we supposed to do somethin' like that? They must have hundreds of different events that they could use." Applejack answered.

" Like I said, we guess!"

" I hope the events are fun and safe. I don't like the idea of an event that involve fighting and insults. I have a feeling that we're going to see those, though. Crystal Prep would feel right at home in that environment." Fluttershy said.

" Yeah, I'm with you on that one, Fluttershy. I prefer somethin' down to Earth that lets anyone get down and dirty, all while havin' a rip roarin' good time. I was thinkin' that maybe one of the events will be an apple pickin' contest, or maybe we can steer some broncos. Without hurting them, of course." Applejack said. I could tell she suddenly changed her opinion when she spoke those last words. She knew Fluttershy was a huge animal lover, and hurting horses would've made her very upset. I'd have been upset about it too. After all, I was a unicorn, a magical pony, who was similar in nature to actual horses.

" Really, Applejack!? Getting 'down and dirty' is a simply horrid thought. I wouldn't dream of such a thing, and I hope that the Games do not include anything like that. While I would prefer it if one of the events was a fashion show, perhaps something more refined is in order. Like say, tennis, or perhaps badminton. Now those are events I would like." Rarity said.

" Figures you'd want somethin' dainty instead of physical, but I guess the thought of playin' tennis does sound nice." Applejack said.

" What about you, Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy asked.

" Pie eating?" Pinkie Pie asked while taking a pie out from her hair. I had no idea where she got that from, but I wasn't about to ask. " Cake eating?" She then took out a cake from behind her back and held it in her other hand. Perhaps she wanted an event that involved baking? Cooking was seen as competitive by many and home economics was one of CHS's more popular courses simply because Pinkie often went crazy with her skills in the kitchen. " Pie-cake eating!?" Pinkie Pie shouted, banging her goods together, turning both into piles of mush and covering all of us in a mixture of batter, frosting, and pastry. I knew she was excited about the prospect of there being food involved, but she went overboard with her little stunt. " What!? I just wanted to make a pie-cake, or would that be a cake-pie?"

" I'd call it a huge mess." Rainbow Dash said.

" Eh, that doesn't have the same ring."

" In any case, all of our guessin' ain't gonna mean a thing." Applejack said.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" They won't even let us see what they're doin' to the field. You think they'd at least tell competitors what they're competing in."

" Only Principal Celestia and Principal Cinch know what the events will be."

" Yep, and I doubt either one of them is gonna spill the beans."

" Then, that means it could be anything." Fluttershy said.

" Anything!? How will I ever pick the right outfit!?" Rarity asked.

" I really wanna help, but I think I better go focus on figuring out why Rainbow Dash ponied up. I know it sounds sudden, but I think finding out could help us in case the rest of you suddenly pony up without warning." I answered. I turned to start walking forward when a hand landed on my shoulder. Looking behind me, I saw Applejack was gazing at me with strong eyes, the kind that you knew were dead serious about something. I had a feeling I knew what she was going to say, and I had to retain my composure.

" Maybe you ought to get Princess Twilight to help you."

" Yeah, I should consult with her." I answered, turning my head away slightly.

" Is somethin' wrong?"

" No. I'm just worried that Rainbow's condition could spread to the rest of you." I answered. Applejack wasn't buying my response. I could tell. She had the uncanny ability to sense when people were telling her the truth or not. I had told her a lie. I couldn't let my friends know that I hadn't heard from Princess Twilight in over twenty-fours hours. They'd have insisted on me going to Equestria in order to bring her here or something. While it hurt to lie directly to her face, it was a burden I wanted to face alone. " Applejack... I know you know that I wasn't being honest with you, but I've got a lot on my mind that's not making me think straight."

" Then why not just come out and say it?" Applejack asked.

" I don't know if I can right now, as I'm not entirely sure of it myself. Once I know for certain, I can say it without hesitation. I need something to take my mind off of my stress, and I think working on Rainbow Dash's sudden pony-up should work. Don't worry about me. I'm not going to get in over my head like in the past." I answered.

As I turned to walk away, I wasn't sure if I was right. My stress had been getting worse and Vice Principal Luna's recent addition didn't make it any easier. Applejack wanted to continue the conversation, but she knew not to further intrude in case I did something I'd regret later.

Sometimes, I wondered why I was the one who had to receive so much pressure. Why was everyone turning to me for help? Weren't they able to solve their own problems? I thought long on those two questions for quite some time, and it made me come to a realization: Princess Twilight went through the same experience. People were turning to her, yet she was willing to help them, even if it meant her own freedom was restricted. I could never last long in an environment like that. I was helpful, yes, but I wanted to go beyond that and do my own things while others solve problems on their own. It didn't occur to me until later that by wanting to ask Her Highness for help, I'd fallen to the very thing I preached against. If I had a better understanding of the world around me, I wouldn't need her help as much as I thought.

Leaving my friends behind to think about the Friendship Games, I decided to go to the library. I had a lot to comb over in order to figure out why Rainbow Dash ponied up. I managed to hear Pinkie Pie mention that I had everything figured out and that there wasn't anything they should be concerned about. If only I had that same kind of optimism instead of questioning my decisions constantly, my life wouldn't be so complicated. Pinkie didn't know what I was going through. None of my friends did, a fact I regret even now. I didn't want them to experience the stress that coiled around my neck. They didn't deserve such a fate.

" You know, if you had gone to Crystal Prep, your stress would've been even worse." Twilight said.

" What makes you say that?" I asked.

" The academy is known for bringing out the best in its students. That meant pushing them to their limits until they succeeded. Failure wasn't an option, otherwise you'd likely be kicked out for not having the tenacity that Principal Cinch looks for. You were always in a stressful environment because expectations were so high, and those who suffered from stress-related conditions just couldn't cope." Twilight answered.

" But, the Crystal Prep students didn't look like they were stressed out."

" We were trained to repress it."

" Really?"

" When we were on academy grounds, in front of Principal Cinch, or anywhere else where a higher-up was watching, we refrained from 'freaking out'. Such behaviour was deemed inadequate and made us appear weak. In our private moments, however, we suffered mental breakdowns, and no one ever comforted us. Everyone was out to be the best, and that meant sacrificing the weak in order to salvage the strong." Twilight answered.

The more she talked about her experiences at Crystal Prep, the more I felt sorry for what she had been put through. It's no wonder that what happens inside those walls never makes it outside. Principal Cinch wants to maintain the presence of a school that dominates all others, so any outbursts were resolved without incident. All this time, I thought I had a large assortment of problems, but it turns out that there were people out there who had it even worse. I suppose I should be grateful that my life didn't spiral out of control. Still, how could anyone go to an institution only to be treated as an emotionless husk instead of as a human?

There was a bright spot to all of it. So long as Cinch wasn't watching over them like a hawk, they were free to cut loose and express happy thoughts that didn't relate to their studies or future plans after graduation. The same couldn't be said about Dean Cadance, however. Unlike her superior, she strove to make students at Crystal Prep feel like they were important and that they were capable of succeeding even when odds were against them. She was a mother figure to them, and that gave her a heart, unlike Cinch, who had a chunk of ice where a heart should be.

" Even though CHS isn't as intense as Crystal Prep, we do experience our share of problems." I said.

" Most of it revolving around you."

" Yeah. I guess you could say that I was a magnet that attracted all sorts of problems."

" I didn't mean to imply that you were to blame."

" No, I know that I caused so much trouble. CHS must have been a different place before I first entered its halls, and since then, I've made my mark that slowly changed it into something those who used to go there would probably no longer recognize. My stress often resulted from my past actions in addition to problems formed after the fact." I said.

" Hopefully, Princess Twilight responded to your previous message to give you some encouragement." Twilight said.

" She didn't."

" What?"

" I didn't get a reply from her."

" Why not?"

" At the time, I thought her duties as a princess prevented her from sending me anything. I know now that she was involved in something that could've changed Equestria's future forever, and when you think about it, that kind of stress dwarfed my own." I answered. Turning to the next page, I began thinking about what Her Highness told us after she came through the portal. I never dabbled in time magic, so I believed it to be nothing more than a legend. But, she witnessed it being used to alter Equestria's present all by changing one critical moment that proved far more valuable than most suspected. The stress she got from struggling to reverse so much damage multiple times must have been unbearable. " I tried my best to figure out why Rainbow Dash ponied up, but I got frustrated and resorted to sending another message to Princess Twilight." I said.

" Did anyone question your sudden temper tantrum?" Twilight asked.

" Mrs. Cheerilee did briefly, but only to remind me to remain civil."

Once I entered the library, I sat down at a random table, before taking out books, charts, graphs, and more from my backpack. I wasn't what you would call neat, as everything just spread itself out, but I didn't have time to organize everything. I had to work fast in order to figure out what happened during the pep rally. Rainbow Dash had ponied up without the use of her guitar, but how did she do that? There was no magical residue in the gym, as that faded away months ago, but perhaps what she said was the key to solving this. Rainbow felt a strong surge coming from within when everyone joined in the song. Could she have reacted to their contribution? Did the other students possess magic? The latter question seemed highly unlikely, but the former was plausible.

I began combing through my research to see if I had missed something. It proved to be a daunting task. I had written down so much information that I struggled to figure out what was more lucrative towards finding an answer.

After about ten minutes, I finally stumbled onto something I hadn't noticed previously. I remembered something that Princess Twilight kept on mentioning with regards to the magic. She constantly referred to it as "friendship magic", a form of magic stronger than any other that existed. Originally, I scoffed at that notion and believed it to be nothing more than desperation on her part. That was because I didn't believe in friendship, so I was ignorant of that magic. It had since made sense to me, and I understood just how powerful it could become if harnessed properly. Why I never came to that conclusion bothered me, and it still does even now. I should've known that the magic we all used was related to the power of friendship, yet I didn't see it.

With this new speck of information, I redoubled my efforts in finding a solution. In the midst of my research, I drew a few doodles in hopes that they would help me figure out exactly where Rainbow's magic came from. She said that it came from within, but where exactly was that? Her mind? Her heart? Perhaps a hidden depository of magic that she never knew she had until just recently? So many questions and no answers attached to them.

Eventually, my inability to come up with a solution reached a boiling point, and I pushed everything aside, catching the attention of other students. They all looked at me with irritation in their eyes, and I blushed, turning away to avoid their gazes. Footsteps then started walking towards me, and a shadow soon hovered over the table, followed by a loud shush. Turning my attention towards who had come before me, I was staring into the eyes of Mrs. Cheerilee, and she wasn't happy with my conduct.

" Please refrain from making so much racket! Students here are trying to study."

" Sorry. I didn't meant to disrupt them." I said.

" Just because you live here doesn't mean that you get to make the rules. Unlike the janitors, who thought it was crazy to have a student reside in the library, I thought it was a good idea. Too many students are wasting their lives pursuing other activities instead of coming here. Sometimes, I don't even know why I bother with this job. My mother always told me that I should've gone into a different profession, but no, I had to be a teacher and librarian!" Mrs. Cheerilee said.

" Sounds like you're just as stressed as I am." I said.

" Yes. I could tell something was bothering you, as you're usually much more quiet than that."

" Why do we have all this pressure?"

" Society demands that certain individuals be plagued with responsibilities that they'd rather have placed onto someone else. Not much we can do about it other than accept it or complain that life dealt us a bad hand. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get back to reorganizing these books. Some students just don't care that these are for everyone. Why, just this morning, I had to pick up one of the yearbooks some thoughtless student threw away as though it were a plaything. Ugh! I'm going to make a formal complaint to Principal Celestia before the day is done and ask her to give me the authority to administer detention to any who mistreat the resources we have here." Mrs. Cheerilee answered.

" I'll refrain from making anymore noise." I said.

" You'd better, otherwise I will have to ask you to leave." Mrs. Cheerilee said. As she walked away while pushing a cart filled with books, I could tell she was clearly upset with all the stress she had boiled up inside. And I thought I had stress-related problems. I guess some people had it way worse than I did.

Rather than subject myself to further mental anguish, I took out my magic journal from my backpack, opened it up, and thought for a few seconds before writing.

Hey, Twilight,

Haven't heard back from you yet. I guess you must be pretty busy with your role as princess. That, or you're simply too exhausted to come to the journal right now from having to do that presentation. I still want to hear all of the details. I'm hoping that you can respond to me as soon as possible, as I could really use your advice.

You see, I've been given the job of keeping magic under control here at CHS. Strange, isn't it? I already declared myself as a magical investigator because of wanting to understand how the magic works, but I guess that didn't reach the ears of Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna. Anyway, they want me to do this in order to prevent magic from coming up during the Friendship Games that start tomorrow, but the problem is that I still haven't quite wrapped my head around it.

I also discovered that I'm not the only one whose magic might be changing. During a pep rally we had earlier, Rainbow Dash ponied up without playing her guitar. She said that she experienced a surge when everyone joined in a song she performed. While everyone else thought it was amazing, I knew that things had gotten much worse, hence why I've been tasked with my new responsibility. I suspect the others will eventually go through their own magical change, yet I fear it will only cause me further distress.

Everyone is looking to me to figure things out, and I really don't wanna let them down. But I'm not sure I have enough experience with friendship magic to solve this. That's why I really hope you can find some time and reply to me.

Sunset Shimmer

Ever since I changed my ways, I didn't want to be put into the spotlight. I knew that wanting to be popular would cause me to suffer a relapse that would, in turn, make me go back to being a bully and undo all of my efforts. All I desired was to become an ordinary girl who just so happened to be a unicorn. Yet, I found myself being thrust into a position that would make me stand out among others. Was this how Princess Twilight felt whenever she had to deal with a problem? She didn't ask to be popular, yet she was forced into becoming a princess because she had been chosen long ago to receive such a gift.

Closing my journal, I stared longingly at a bookshelf, thoughts of what could happen during the Friendship Games flashing through my head. If the magic were to cause trouble, someone could get seriously hurt--or even worse, killed. If that came to pass, I wouldn't be able to face anyone ever again. I had earned the trust of my fellow students after a long and arduous process. Losing them would just destroy me. What was even worse was the notion that this school's greatest secret could become exposed to Crystal Prep, who, in turn, would accuse us of cheating and reveal our secret to the world. That would place Equestria in great danger, and my only connection to my home would be lost. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I found things reaching a new level.

" That Mrs. Cheerilee isn't really as cheerful as her name suggests." Twilight said.

" While she appears to be happy with her lot in life, it's just a mask that hides the truth from everyone. She is just miserable about everything she has to put up with and has no choice but to keep on going until she either finds a bright point or wallows away in self-pity. Principal Celestia is well aware that Mrs. Cheerilee isn't the most approachable among the school staff and has tried to get her to lighten up, but she doesn't take the time to see just how she affects everyone around her." I said.

" Did you take her words to heart?"

" About accepting my responsibilities? Yeah, I took her advice, although I wished that I could've told someone that I didn't want to be burdened with so much. People at my age shouldn't be saddled with so many obligations." I answered.

" Why not ask our friends?"

" No, I could never do that to them."

" Sunset..."

" They had enough on their minds and didn't need my burdens dragging them down."

" How old are you?" Twilight asked. That was an unusual question. Well, not unusual in that she asked me for my current age, but rather because she deviated from the topic so abruptly. I thought I already told her that I was older than my appearance suggested. While I had the body of a teenager, my mind was more akin to a person who was roughly in their mid-to-late twenties.

" Didn't I tell you already?" I asked.

" No, I don't believe so."

" I might as well answer it whether I did before or not. I'm between twenty-five and thirty." I answered. Twilight opened her eyes wide. I had anticipated her reaction to that, reaching into my backpack and taking out a small pendant. It wasn't anything fancy or anything. It was just an ordinary pendant that lacked any special abilities but held a lot of sentimental value. " This was given to me by Princess Celestia when I reached my eighteenth birthday. She had it crafted specifically to celebrate the occasion. I know it looks dull, but then, it was the thought that counted." Back then, I never appreciated this gift, as I was a much different pony. What I wanted from her was instant recognition of my hard work as her student, but instead, I received this pendant. Clutching it in my hand, a few tears trickled down my face before I put it away again.

" Anyway, I'm a lot older than all the other students at CHS. Truth is, no one really knows that I'm that old. Not even our friends know that I'm older than I look." I said.

" Why not tell them?"

" It'd be really awkward. I mean, they still have trouble coming to terms with me being a pony."

" Point taken."

" I don't let it get to me. In fact, I find it funny that I'm an adult in a teenager's body. It gives me a chance to redo some parts of my life better than before, yet it does come at the cost of not being home in Equestria with the rest of my kind. Oh, well! I made that decision a long time ago, and I've stuck with it this entire time." I said. Turning the page, I immediately began laughing. Twilight leaned forward to see what had brought about my laughter, and she saw yet another photo glued onto the page. " Despite what you did before entering the music room, I can't help but laugh at what we were all wearing. Rarity certainly knows her way around fashion, but sometimes, she does go overboard. I still say that I looked the weirdest among our friends." I said. The photo consisted of our friends and me--except Rarity--wearing costumes, and we looked completely ridiculous.

" Why were you wearing those?" Twilight asked.

" Rarity wanted us to try them out."

" That doesn't sound that bad."

" Well, it kind of does when you consider how many she made."

" How many?"

" About six or seven racks' worth."

" Seriously!? What for?"

" For the Friendship Games, of course."

Chapter 63: Closure

Day: Thursday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 9:56am

Having a jam session with my friends helped relieve me of stress, yet I still felt unsure about all the problems burdening me. I almost lost it again when Rainbow Dash teased me about the possibility of there being a music competition in the Friendship Games. Couldn't she take things seriously just once!? Rarity changed the subject by showcasing a lot of costumes she made for us to use in the Games, and I do mean a lot. There must have been at least six or seven racks filled with costumes, and I agreed with Applejack in wondering why she made so many in the first place. We each tried on different costumes at Rarity's insistence, yet things suddenly changed when she ponied up without playing her keytar. That made her the third among us who transformed in that manner, and I feared the others would experience their own changes. I thought things would calm down after that, but Rarity's magic suddenly disappeared, and a familiar face entered the music room.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
March 8, 2016
Chapter 63: Closure.

" What did Principal Celestia say about me?" Twilight asked.

" At first, she thought you were Princess Twilight." I answered.

" Really!? How could anyone mistake me for her? I know we both look identical, yet there were obvious differences. I wore a proper school uniform, had my hair knotted up into a bun, and wearing these very glasses because of poor vision." Twilight said. She took her glasses off and waved them in front of my face, her way of proving her point about how no one figured out that she wasn't who we thought she was. As she put them back on, I immediately remembered what happened when Principal Celestia and Principal Cinch showed up at the music room. None of us expected Cinch would mention that Twilight was her best student. That alone should've been the clue to unravel the mystery, yet we simply ignored it and focused our efforts into assuming that she was our friend--my mentor--from Equestria. " I can understand the students not figuring it out, but Principal Celestia being clueless? I'm shocked that she didn't see it right away." Twilight said.

" The idea of someone changing the way they look is normal in this world." I said.

" You think everyone thought I was Princess Twilight, but with a different look?"

" I'll admit the glasses should've tipped us off."

" Does that happen in Equestria?"

" What do you mean?"

" Do ponies confuse each other for someone else?"

" Not exactly. Unlike in this world, most ponies don't really wear clothes. We prefer to live out our lives without the need for accessories, though there are exceptions. Celebrities strut their stuff by wearing costumes--usually made by Rarity--while other well-to-do ponies wear clothes because it's part of their profession. No one complains about ponies who refuse to wear anything; they are the majority living in Equestria." I answered.

" That didn't answer my question."

" I was about to get to that. In Equestria, there exists a race called the Changelings." I said. I had to pause for a few minutes in order to remember everything I learned about those shape-shifters. It had been years since I personally saw one with my own eyes, yet Princess Twilight mentioned several encounters she had with them along with their queen during her responses to my Friendship Reports. To think that Her Highness learned the name of the Changeling Queen by sheer coincidence. Not once did her name appear in any of the books I read while I was Princess Celestia's student, yet many of those authors never got a chance to actually witness the name being uttered. To truly understand how Changelings worked, one had to study them up close, and that meant getting caught wasn't an option. " Does the name sound familiar to you?" I asked.

" Changelings are a mythical race of creatures in fantasy. According to folklore, they are the offspring of fairies, elves, and other creatures of legend that replace human children with themselves in order to be raised appropriately. No one is aware that such a switch had even taken place, and the children taken fulfill various conditions based on what the creatures desire. Some children are taken to be servants, while others are taken to be raised lovingly." Twilight answered.

I wasn't expecting that to be her answer. What she described was not at all related to Equestrian Changelings. I had hoped she understood what they were to an extent so that I wouldn't need to go into full detail, but it appeared that I had no other choice but to explain everything. I knew trying to change the subject was futile with Twilight. Once she heard something new that wasn't in her repertoire of knowledge, she wanted to know every last shred of information. While I admired her for wanting to understand much about a subject, there were some things one shouldn't try to understand. It could become dangerous trying to learn what must remain elusive.

" That's not what Changelings are in Equestria." I said.

" What are they there?"

" Changelings resemble ponies to some degree in that they are four-legged, but they possess insect-like characteristics. They have insect-like wings, insect-like mouths, holes in their legs, no cutie marks, sharp fangs, and no manes. Many ponies believe them to be something from out of one's worst nightmare, yet legends do say they simply came to be through a primordial plant that grew from a corrupted acorn somewhere in a cemetery." I answered.

" Very, uh, morbid." Twilight said.

" Their origin is something I learned during my studies, but also from what Princess Twilight told me about them. Much of what I'm about to tell you is from her experiences; I only encountered them one time, so my knowledge is limited. Anyway, Changelings feed off the love created by ponies in order to become stronger. The role of their queen is to seek out new locations for her subjects where love is particularly strong. They can change into any pony they desire to further spread their evil influence and can easily infiltrate pony society without anyone ever knowing they were there." I said.

" Changelings in folklore also feed on love."

" Really? Well, that's one common connection right there."

" So, the queen does all the work?"

" Her subjects mean everything to her, and she won't rest until they have become powerful enough to conquer Equestria."

" Does she have a name?"

" Chrysalis... Princess Twilight found out her name by overhearing her correcting one of her captives. Her Highness and Chrysalis have a huge animosity towards one another because of what the latter has done in her bid for power. Whenever they see one another, you can be sure that spells will be cast. You see, Chrysalis almost killed Shining Armour--not your version but the pony version--and his fiancé Princess Cadance during their wedding. Princess Twilight has never forgiven such an act and has made it her personal mission to ensure that Chrysalis never threatens Equestria under any circumstances." I answered.

" I didn't think Princess Twilight was capable of bearing a grudge."

" It stems back to before she became a princess." I said. Her Highness, Twilight and I had all experienced personal grudges against those who had caused us harm. For me, it was Princess Celestia refusing to make me an alicorn. It was a resentment I held in my heart for years, but have since overcome it when I finally accepted my lot in life. I could still ascend and become an alicorn like Her Highness had done, but when the proper time comes. Twilight herself bore a grudge against Crystal Prep for how everyone there treated her. By transforming into a demon, she released all that pent-up rage she had repressed for so long and wanted to destroy everything. She may have craved knowledge, but she wanted to bring about destruction and masquerade it as a logical reasoning in the pursuit of learning.

" Okay, so what else did Principal Celestia say about me?" Twilight asked.

" Huh? You don't want to hear more about what the Changelings have done?"

" It's tempting, but it sounds like a lot of it is personal."

" Not for me."

" I know, but it's personal to Princess Twilight. I don't think it's appropriate for me to ask any further questions, yet I'm going to keep the option open whenever I get the opportunity to ask Her Highness again. If anyone should tell me what happened in those additional encounters, she should be the one." Twilight said. I was surprised at her decision to not pursue the history of Changelings, yet I respected her choice. What Her Highness told me was pretty confidential, yet some things she didn't mind me sharing with others; specifically, what happened in that alternate timeline where Chrysalis ruled Equestria. I still don't know how that could've resulted from the famous Sonic Rainboom being denied its rightful existence in Equestrian history, but Her Highness was pretty adamant about it.

" So, what did she say?"

" Principal Celestia thought you were Princess Twilight's twin sister."

" What!?"

" You weren't the only one who thought that."

" Did Vice Principal Luna think I was related to Her Highness?"

" No. It was Pinkie Pie who came up with the whole 'twin sister' idea, yet she believed that Princess Twilight was related to you. When Her Highness first came to CHS--long before you appeared on the scene--she and Pinkie had a discussion that resulted in the theory being created. Remember when I complained about the decorations in the gym and apple cider as the drink of choice before the Fall Formal?" I asked. Twilight nodded her head. At least I didn't have to remind her of that again. " They had that conversation after I left, but it wasn't the only time Pinkie had spouted out something pivotal without warning."

" Oh?"

" Her Highness was going to reveal her true origins to our friends, but Pinkie got to it before she could. Then there's what happened after Principal Cinch left with you in tow. I still don't know how Pinkie does it, but she does, and that's all the satisfaction I need. No point in trying to understand her logic. Also, I had certain feelings about seeing who I thought was my mentor." I answered.

I couldn't believe my eyes! Princess Twilight had made an unexpected appearance at CHS! At least, that's what I thought, until I realized that something was wrong. When this person who came into the music room raised her head, my friends and I were surprised that our friend had appeared. For them, it had been several months since they last saw her; I had seen her two weeks prior. I ignored the fact that she was wearing an entirely different uniform compared with what she had worn during her previous visits. I also ignored at how she reacted upon seeing us. If this person had been Her Highness, she would've run toward us and embraced us. Instead, she looked confused at the staring eyes looking at her, the confusion on her face clearly obvious.

Rarity was the one who made me come to the realization that this girl wasn't Twilight but rather her human counterpart. When she asked why she was wearing those clothes, she didn't answer but instead mentioned liking her glasses. Her Highness had never once worn glasses during any of her previous visits. A thought came to me. What if she had worn contact lenses during those other times? This time, she wanted to wear glasses for reasons known only to her. The only problem with that theory was that Her Highness' eyesight was never called into question. I never asked if her eyes ever gave her trouble. Also, I don't believe contacts of that nature exist in Equestria. Ponies usually had pretty strong vision, though some would succumb to eye problems during the early years of their lives.

Perhaps the biggest clue was what this Twilight said afterwards. Fluttershy was curious as to what her uniform was all about, and she answered by saying Crystal Prep. I didn't know that students who attended there wore uniforms. The moment she said that, I knew she wasn't Princess Twilight. I never would've imagined that a human version of Her Highness existed in this world. Did it mean that there was a human version of me running around somewhere? That thought wasn't important, yet I kept it in the back of my mind. This version of Twilight appeared much more meek, like she lacked confidence in her own abilities.

Another thing that bothered me was how she knew exactly where to find us. I assumed this Twilight had never been to CHS before, yet she was able to pinpoint our location without any trouble. Did she ask some other students beforehand? Maybe, but that didn't seem likely. She probably didn't know anyone, and given her timidity, I doubt she felt the courage to ask. Was it luck that enabled her to find us? That was a possibility, yet I wasn't a believer in relying on luck. I then noticed she was wearing some kind of pendant around her neck. It certainly looked different from a typical pendant, and it gave off a powerful magical aura that only I sensed. Was this Twilight capable of using magic? That seemed likely, and it was also my worst fear come to life. I feared someone from this world would attempt to control Equestrian magic and fail to fathom its power.

My ears picked up the sound of two individuals making their way towards the music room. One of them was Principal Celestia, and the other was Principal Cinch. Why were the two of them coming this way? Had they discovered this Twilight was missing and had gone to search for her? Or, perhaps it involved that conversation I witnessed between them while staring out the window? In any case, this situation was about to become hectic. I planned on saying something, but Rainbow Dash beat me to the punch. I knew she was going to make things worse than they already were. Rainbow meant well, but her choice of words often backfired.

" I'm sorry, but what did you just say?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I said, Crystal Prep." Twilight answered.

" Funny. That's what I thought you said."

" I'm not sure I understand why the name of the school I attend is important."

" Why would you attend Crystal Prep!?"

" Um, because my parents paid a lot of money to get me into it?"

" Last time you were here, you practically became a CHS student. I know you're not technically one of us, but we still treated you like family."

" But, this is the first time I've ever been here. I came here on the bus with my fellow students, and decided to... um... take a good look around this facility to see what it has to offer in comparison. Everyone I encountered in the hallways acted as though they've seen me before. That made no sense to me at all. How could you know someone whose never stepped foot in this part of Canterlot?" Twilight asked.

" Are you serious?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Yes."

" Yeah, right! That's a good one, Twilight! I didn't think you had it in you to pull off this prank on us." Rainbow Dash said. Somehow, I knew that this wasn't a joke. This Twilight clearly wasn't who we thought she was, and her personal experiences around school proved it. I wanted to prove myself wrong in case Rainbow was right about her trying to have a laugh at our expense, but it was slowly becoming apparent that I was right.

Gazing upon this other Twilight, she didn't have the majestic grace of Her Highness. The Twilight I knew was confident in her abilities and wasn't shy about expressing her feelings about anything. The one standing in front of us was nervous and had a desire to be somewhere else. My friends continued looking at her with both curiosity and surprise. Did they still believe her to be who they thought? I knew the truth, or at least what I assumed was the truth.

" I'm telling you the truth." Twilight said.

" Okay! I think you oughta calm down, and Rainbow oughta back off and give you some space." Applejack said.

" Thank you. At least you appear to be reasonable."

" I can tell upon first glance that you're tellin' me the truth. You really don't know why everyone here thinks you're who they think you are. Now, I don't understand what the hay is goin' on, but I'm more interested in how y'all managed to track us down to this room." Applejack said.

" Ah, um, that."

" You claim that you've never been here before, yet how did you know exactly where to find us?"

" I tried asking around, but everyone kept saying hello, as I mentioned."

" But, there's more to it than that, isn't there?"

" Well..."

" No point in tryin' to hide the truth from me. Everyone who talks to me face-to-face always ends up tellin' me the truth. Try as they might, they ain't never been able to tell a lie without trippin' themselves up. I believe you stumbled onto this room by accident, yet you were brought here by somethin'." Applejack said. I looked at the other Twilight, and she immediately went limp. She was definitely hiding something, and she was trying her hardest not to reveal it. Her efforts in trying to come up with an excuse would prove ineffective. Once someone looked Applejack in the eyes, it was impossible not to confess the truth. " Well, I'm waitin' for an answer. I know you're thinkin' of somethin' to get yourself out of this conversation, but I reckon you've got no other choice but to tell us what's going on."

" Why do I have to tell you anything?" Twilight asked.

" What do you mean?"

" You haven't said anything about what you are all doing, so I do have the right not to tell you."

" I guess that's true."

" Oh, come on!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" She's right about not havin' to tell us her business."

" First, you tell her that she has to tell you the truth, and now, you're saying she doesn't? Make up your mind, Applejack! Here! Why don't you let me take care of things while you go and help Rarity back onto her feet." Rainbow Dash said. I didn't know what kind of methods Rainbow planned on using to get Twilight to say anything, but a miracle came to her in the form of her companion. He suddenly decided to pop his head out from her backpack, yet it only served to cause even more confusion.

" Spike!" Rarity and Fluttershy said.

" You know my dog's name too?" Twilight asked.

" Of course we know who he is, darling." Rarity answered.

" But, that's impossible." Twilight said. The strange thing was that Spike didn't utter a single word. Instead, he chose simply to bark. He was either pretending to be a dog in order to maintain his hidden identity as a dragon, or he really was a dog. I would later find out through Fluttershy that this Spike was a dog who bore an exact resemblance to Princess Twilight's assistant. That was why my friends and I were so confused. Before we could further question what was going on, the footsteps I heard earlier finally stopped, and standing in front of the music room's door was Principal Celestia. She appeared shocked at seeing Twilight, yet my eyes were fixated on Principal Cinch, and she didn't appear to be amused with what was happening in front of her.

I had only seen her from either a distance or heard about her from what Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had said about her, yet now, I was seeing her up close. She definitely looked intimidating, what with that serious expression and her cold aura. No wonder other schools across Canterlot feared her. Just looking at how Cinch observed every last detail using those hawkish eyes of hers was unsettling. No wonder students at Crystal Prep acted like stuck-up jerks. She was always watching their every move and made sure they never stepped out of line. I was looking at the one person who was the complete opposite of who I was. What was perhaps the weirdest thing, though, is that she wasn't from Equestria. She was a full-fledged human.

" Twilight!?" Principal Celestia said.

" Yes, that's me." Twilight answered.

" I didn't know that you came back to us, but why are you wearing that uniform?"

" Why does everyone keep asking me about that? This is getting ridiculous."

" It's just that I've never seen you wearing it before, and it had me curious about the sudden change."

" This is what I always wear while at school."

" I must apologize for the curiosity of my prized student." Principal Cinch announced. Her voice was calm, reassuring, and all-around creepy. The moment she started talking, everyone turned towards her and remained silent. It was like she had gone into a den of newly-born pups and they all stopped to pay attention to her commands. Did my opinion of her change after this? No. I still believed her to be a problem for her students.

" What do you mean 'your student'?" Principal Celestia asked.

" She is the shining beacon of Crystal Prep."

" The what?"

" I thought it prudent to use a metaphor that would make sense to you, but it appears that I was misguided about your intellect. Twilight Sparkle here is the best student my academy has ever produced and is the secret weapon the Shadowbolts shall rely on to win the Friendship Games." Principal Cinch answered.

" But, she is a student--well, technically--of CHS."

" Really, now! It seems that you are so desperate to finally end the losing streak that you make up false beliefs in order to give your students hope. I am not surprised by your abhorrent behaviour, but perhaps I shall humour you a little. Twilight has been attending Crystal Prep these past three years and has received instant recognition from the top universities across the city and beyond. What has Canterlot High produced to receive such a distinction? The answer is obvious, so I will not explain it to you. There is no doubt in my mind that she will go far in her future career." Principal Cinch said.

" Then how do you explain her presence here?"

" Yes, I must admit that I was a little surprised to see her here. Perhaps one of your students would like to explain what my prized student is doing in here and not checking in like she was supposed to when we arrived?" Principal Cinch asked. My friends and I remained quiet. The truth was, we had no idea why this Twilight had come to see us. We would figure out later that she had followed Rarity's magic through her pendant, but at that time, we were just as much in the dark as Cinch was. " Judging from your lack of a response, you do not possess an answer. You six seem different from most Canterlot High students I have seen, but pay me no mind."

" Do you have an answer as to why your student is here?" Principal Celestia asked.

" Curiosity."

" Excuse me?"

" Curiosity, the pursuit of knowledge, the urge to understand something that compels you to investigate. No doubt that Twilight's curiosity compelled her to come to this very room and to speak to these six students. Like I said, they are different from most other students. The smart ones are always curious. They cannot help but sate their minds with questions in the hopes of finding answers to them. Such intellectuals end up losing track of what is important in their pursuit of knowledge." Principal Cinch answered.

" What will you do?"

" I shall return her to check in with the rest of her classmates."

" Then I guess your tour of the school is over."

" Indeed it is. Much of what you have shown remains the same as it did when I last visited four years ago, yet these six students show tremendous promise. There is something about them that sparks intrigue. Perhaps after all these years, Canterlot High finally produced ideal students who have promising futures? You must be pleased with your efforts, Principal Celestia, yet their true test shall begin once the Games start tomorrow." Principal Cinch said.

She then placed her hand on Twilight's back and began pushing in order to make her walk forward. Both of them then turned the corner and were gone. My friends and I had no words to describe what had just happened. Cinch had essentially insulted CHS by questioning Principal Celestia's integrity and saying that the students had no futures compared with her own students. I knew Rainbow Dash wanted to say something, but Applejack quickly covered her mouth to prevent her from making things worse. Celestia simply stood there for a moment without saying anything. She had grown adjusted to Cinch's mannerisms, but had she finally been pushed too far?

" Are you okay?" I asked.

" I'm alright, Sunset, but I take it you've never met Principal Cinch before?" Principal Celestia asked.

" All I've known was from what you and your sister discussed and from looking at her from outside the music room's window."

" What you witnessed just now was pretty tame compared with what I've personally experienced."

" How can someone like that be a principal?"

" Despite her mannerisms, she has produced the best students Canterlot has ever seen. That is enough to convince parents that her methods are effective, so they send their children to Crystal Prep in hopes that they she will mold them into sheer perfection. Enrollment at Crystal Prep has reached an all-time high within these past months, yet the same can't be said about CHS. We've had a decrease lately, what with the magical problems that plagued us late last year." Principal Celestia answered. Hearing her say that broke my heart. My actions in bringing Princess Twilight's crown to this world had caused a terrible effect towards the school that had finally accepted me for who I was. I felt guilty for causing so much agony towards those who forgave me. " Now, I need one of you to answer a question for me."

" What is it?" I asked.

" That student was Twilight Sparkle, wasn't it?"

" Not exactly."

" Oh? Perhaps her twin sister? Strange that she never mentioned anything about her before, but who am I to question someone's private life? Still, I didn't know Twilight had a twin sister all this time. The resemblance is uncanny, yet you can see the differences between them." Principal Celestia said.

" Um, well, you see..."

" She doesn't! That Twilight is obviously the Twilight from this world since it couldn't possibly be the Twilight from the pony world since the Twilight from the pony world doesn't go to Crystal Prep or wear glasses." Pinkie Pie announced. Once again, she uttered something completely out there without any of us knowing. She had also meticulously said what I was about to mention, but without any refinement.

Looking at Principal Celestia, she appeared confused with what Pinkie said, and I couldn't agree more.

" What do you mean by that, Pinkie Pie?" Principal Celestia asked.

" Our Twilight possesses magic, and that one doesn't."

" Okay?"

" The Twilight of this world wears glasses to help out her eyesight, yet our Twilight has perfect vision."

" Never mind."

" I thought you wanted to understand?"

" Perhaps it's for the best that I don't find out what you mean. In any case, I must get back to work. This day just went from normal to bizarre within a matter of minutes. I trust you will make sure to keep your magic and any other magic under control." Principal Celestia answered, looking directly at me. She walked away, leaving us to try and understand what had transpired. The Twilight Sparkle who we had encountered was from this world and appeared to be our enemy in the Friendship Games. Yet, something bothered me about that. I sensed that she felt upset about Cinch labeling her as the best.

While Cinch was praising her, Twilight looked miserable. I didn't know why she felt that way, considering her status as the best student at her school. Perhaps, she wanted to get away from there and into a more accepting atmosphere. Why anyone from Crystal Prep desired to get away from such an institution was beyond me. If I had gotten the opportunity, I'd have talked to Twilight in order to understand just who she really was. However, that never came, as she was always around the other Shadowbolts. The only problem my idea had was that my friends wouldn't have liked the idea of me trying to befriend someone from the other team. They were too confused that two Twilights existed in their world.

I felt the same way, and I wanted to find answers.

" Pinkie said that!?" Twilight asked.

" She based her assumption on your glasses and where you attended." I answered.

" No wonder Principal Celestia was confused. I mean, not because of seeing someone she thought was someone else, but rather by what Pinkie said. I do feel bad that she had to remind you to keep the magic under control." Twilight said.

" It was a decision she and Vice Principal Luna agreed on. She didn't want to say anything at first, since her sister was more direct with giving out requests, but I think seeing what happened at that moment convinced her to be more direct as well. It made me feel even worse than I already was. I knew I had a lot of expectations riding on me, from making sure that CHS prevailed over Crystal Prep to solving the magic problem. Pressure became a constant problem for me." I answered.

" I also liked your opinion of Principal Cinch."

" All I ever heard was from what others talked about and from looking at her from a distance. I wanted to base my own conclusions on what I saw up close. I didn't think of her as a monster but rather as a harsh taskmaster who watched everyone's actions in the hopes of looking for a weakness to exploit. Despite everything she's done to you and the other students of Crystal Prep, she does know how to maintain a calm demeanour." I said.

" That's one of her more charming qualities."

" Do you still view her in a positive light?"

" Despite her actions, Principal Cinch was responsible for giving me the best education around. If not for her, I wouldn't have been able to advance so far in my studies. For that, she deserves some sympathy." Twilight answered. In a strange twist, Cinch was like a surrogate mother to Twilight. She helped her acquire everything she needed to obtain an ideal education, but was stern with her approach. Someone like that wouldn't take any nonsense from students she thought weren't up to snuff. Twilight must have been really special to be doted on so much, even though she was viewed negatively by others.

Princess Celestia was a lot like Cinch, in that she was also a surrogate mother. At times, she made sure to help me with exactly what I needed, but much of the time, she chose a hands-off approach and insisted that I handled a problem on my own. Princess Twilight can easily vouch for me on that, as she had her own experiences with Princess Celestia when she became her student. I'm not sure why anyone would task a filly to care for a baby dragon, but Her Highness never forgot the stress of having to juggle the responsibility of caring for an innocent baby and her future career. Did Princess Celestia make us both suffer to make us understand something? Or, was she trying to supress her own stress from what happened with Princess Luna by tasking her students with monumental responsibilities?

Maybe that's one of the reasons why I wanted to strike out on my own. I believed myself to be worthy of ruling because of a superiority complex spawned from being neglected by my family, but there was more to it than that. Princess Celestia kept on giving me unfair tasks that no filly should ever experience at that age. She showed compassion but mainly wanted to cover her own guilt. A combination of my own neglect and her denial took me down the path that made me a monster, yet my own problems far outweighed what she contributed.

" Everyone deserves some sympathy." I said.

" Thinking about your past again?"

" Something like that."

" Perhaps we should move on."

" Yeah."

" What happened next? I know that you and I met again by the Wondercolt statue where that unfortunate thing happened."

" I wrote that down in my journal, yet I had a discussion with our friends about discovering who you were."

We were all fooled. The person who we thought was Princess Twilight--our friend, my mentor--was in fact the Twilight Sparkle from this world. Of all the humanized versions of ponies I had seen since first coming to this world, I never expected to see her.

Unlike Her Highness, this version of her was the best student at Crystal Prep, and that essentially made her our enemy. At least, that's what my friends and my peers saw: a gifted intellectual who would bring her school victory. I viewed this Twilight in a different light. I saw her trapped in a world that tried to force her into doing something she didn't like. I could tell something was wrong.

The moment Principal Cinch appeared with Principal Celestia, she went from nervous to downright uncomfortable. Did Twilight not like being at her school even though she was their best? Perhaps she was more afraid of Cinch than she was letting on? Or, maybe the idea of being the best was too much for her to handle, and she's experiencing an incredible amount of stress? These were just a few questions that were plaguing my mind. Many more remained, yet I had no intention of waiting for them. I wanted to know those answers right away.

My encounter with this other Twilight also confirmed that Her Highness had yet to respond to my two previous messages. What could be happening in Equestria that was preventing her from answering? It also meant keeping my friends in the dark about the meeting I had with her. It pained me to not share that secret with them, but I didn't want them to think I was planning on leaving this world and going back home. That was still on my mind, the thought of leaving, yet my obligations to the Wondercolts remained strong. Would it be enough to convince me to stay, or to return to Equestria?

Once we had all changed out of our costumes, we left the music room, and walked down the hallways until we were in the one that connected with the main foyer. We had been walking in complete silence, until Rarity decided to finally break that. We were all annoyed with the other Twilight going to Crystal Prep, but I was taking it especially personally.

" I can't believe our world's Twilight goes to Crystal Prep!" Rarity said.

" I know, right? Of all the schools across Canterlot, why did it have to be that one?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" That's not exactly what I meant, darling."

" Okay, then what?"

" When we saw that other Twilight wearing that repugnant uniform, I thought she was trying to play a joke on us, but when Principal Cinch confirmed that she was the best student at Crystal Prep, our joy quickly joined to sorrow. She could very well be on the Shadowbolts in the Games tomorrow instead of a spectator." Rarity answered.

" Reckon she's gonna be on their team one way or another." Applejack said.

" You're saying that Twilight's gonna play against us? She'd never do that!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Our Twilight wouldn't." Fluttershy added.

" But that's just it, dear. That isn't our Twilight." Rarity said.

" I know, Rarity. Our Twilight would never want to face off against us under any circumstances. We've become so close. Why, the idea of her fighting us is just unthinkable. As for the Twilight who paid us a visit earlier, I'm not sure what to think." Fluttershy said.

" That could become a problem." Applejack said.

" If push comes to shove, we'll take her down!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Our Twilight is a princess in Equestria and an expert in friendship magic!" I shouted, causing my friends to suddenly look in my direction. The stress deep within my heart combined with their bickering finally took its toll on me. I wanted to say something in a calm fashion, but instead I shouted out my frustration with everything that had been happening in the last couple of days. " And if she was here, we'd have already figured out why magic is randomly popping up during pep rallies and costume changes." I then looked at my friends before realizing that I had vented out in anger against them, and they didn't deserve to be treated as such.

If there was one salvation to be had, it was that I didn't mention anything about wanting to return home. There was enough on my mind without dragging that into a problem that continued to expand with every passing moment. My temper still proved to be my biggest weakness. I had reformed, yes, but the resentment of my failures in life continued to manifest itself in the form of my temper. No matter how hard I tried, it was difficult for me not to rely on anger to help me come to grips with a problem. " Sorry. I'm just frustrated that I haven't heard back from her." I said.

" Whatever are you talking about?" Rarity asked.

" Huh? Did I just--" I answered before cutting myself off. I couldn't believe that I made such an obvious blunder. I didn't want my friends to know that Her Highness hadn't responded back to me, twice, yet it seemed I got caught within my own little white lie.

" Sunset? Is there somethin' you ain't tellin' us?" Applejack asked.

" I might as well come clean." I answered, sighing heavily and looking dejected. " Princess Twilight hasn't been responding to my messages lately, and it's starting to make me feel worried that something has gone wrong in Equestria. I didn't want to tell any of you about it, because you'd have insisted on me going there and bring her back. You know what will happen to me if I return home, right? You know, banishment to the desolate wastes and all that?"

" You thought we couldn't handle it?" Applejack asked.

" Pretty much."

" You've gotta give us more credit than that, Sunset. We're always worried about Twilight, but we'd never force you to do something you don't like." Rainbow Dash said.

" Really?"

" Well, duh!" Pinkie Pie answered.

" Thanks, guys."

" Glad we got that sorted out so easily. Now, what did you say in your messages to Twilight?" Applejack asked. I told her that the first message was about how she was doing regarding her presentation, and the other was about helping me deal with Rainbow Dash ponying up during the pep rally earlier. I made sure not to mention anything about meeting Her Highness prior to sending those messages. That was a private matter I wanted to remain a secret for the time being. " Yeah. I can understand the need to ask Twilight about what Rainbow Dash did. We all thought it was pretty darn amazin' until we realized what kind of effect it had on you."

" I'm still worried about what might have happened." I said.

" She's a princess in Equestria. Probably got problems of her own to deal with."

" I know, but I can't help but think she could be in danger."

" Nothin' wrong with worryin' 'bout her, yet you need to remember that Twilight is a grown woman who can take care of herself. After all, we've all seen the kinds of things she's done 'round here to restore friendship back to CHS. Don't forget you've been receivin' messages from her through that journal of yours. You know more about what she's been up to than the rest of us." Applejack said.

" We certainly can't expect her to drop everything and pop through the portal whenever. Especially if it's to deal with something as minor as a few random pony-ups. You've often told us that she has important duties that she must attend to as a princess." Rarity added.

" I'm not sure I'd call them 'minor'." I said.

" Whatever do you mean?"

" Magic came into this world when I stole Twilight's crown. Even now, after all this time, I continue to blame myself for coming here with it in my possession. Despite not having their full power, the Sirens' presence here didn't matter until I used Her Highness' crown to become a monster." I answered.

" So, wouldn't that mean the one who created the portal brought magic here?" Fluttershy asked. It was Star Swirl the Bearded who originally created the mirror Princess Twilight and I used to come to this world, yet he only ever used it once to banish the Sirens. Without their magic, they were relatively harmless until I returned from Equestria with the crown. If my priorities had been different, magic would be nothing more than a child's fantasy, not a pandemic waiting to spread.

" Even so, I've had to take responsibility for my actions despite how difficult it's been, yet it did give me something I never had before. It gave me friendship for the first time in my life, but it wasn't easy for me. It's taken a lot for me to earn everyone's trust though the Battle of the Bands, and the holidays almost destroyed what I was trying to do. That trust could easily be broken again because of the magic problem. If we have to forfeit the games because I can't think of a way to keep it under control..." I answered, trailing off as I slumped my back against a nearby locker. My mind was fixated on what could become an absolute disaster for both myself and this world. The magic was already unpredictable, so allowing it to get worse... the very thought frightened me to my core.

" Oh, Sunset, I'm sure you'll be able to figure things out." Fluttershy said.

" So far, it's not going very well."

" You're the one who helped us understand what was goin' on with the sirens. Remember?" Applejack asked.

" I guess. But Twilight was the one who really figured out what we needed to defeat them. All I did was offer emotional support and try hard not to interfere in things I didn't understand. Granted, I clued in on what they were doing before the rest of you, but that was because they possessed magic. I can sense it better than all of you combined. Still, give credit to Her Highness for always being able to solve a problem." I answered.

" But, don't you remember, darling? What we needed to defeat them was you." Rarity said, using her finger to push a loose strand of my hair back into place.

" All right. You made your point." I said. My friends started to cheer for having made me feel better, yet something was still on my mind. I wanted to go outside to the statue to reflect on things, but I knew they wouldn't let me go off alone. Fortunately, Rainbow Dash brought up a suggestion that gave me the perfect opportunity.

She insisted on us going to see if we could find out anything about the events for the Friendship Games. I told her that I would catch up in a bit, and that satisfied her. The moment my friends were out of sight, I walked outside and gazed upon the Wondercolt statue. It truly was an amazing piece of work, and at one time, I actually mocked everyone for being inspired by it. Now, I saw it for what it truly was: a symbol of school pride. Sadly, my gaze was marred by the yellow-and-black buses belonging to Crystal Prep. I was surprised they were still out on the front lawn.

I took out my magic journal and opened it up to empty pages. I thought Princess Twilight might have responded to my messages while I was talking with my friends, but the lack of text on the pages indicated that I was mistaken. " Still no reply. What could be going on back home? I know Applejack told me not to worry so much, but I can't stand not knowing whether Her Highness is safe or not. It's strange that I'm so worried about her. In the past, she was concerned about my own safety. How the times have changed since then." I said to myself, splitting my attention between my journal and the statue.

Then I felt a strange surge coming from my heart. It was compelling me to go through the portal and return to Equestria in order to find Her Highness. With that in mind, I took a few steps forward, only to stop and rethink things. I could go back and find her, but what if I wanted to go back and leave all of this behind? The stress from trying to solve the magic problem had taken its toll on me, both physically and mentally. In Equestria, I wouldn't have such stress affecting me. I could go home, accept my punishment, and never have to worry about anything in this world ever again. Yet, doing that would be the coward's way out. I couldn't abandon my friends after all we've been through. Plus, Princess Twilight's vouch might not be enough, and I might just be exiled to the desolate wastes.

My decision was simple. I would tell them what I was truly feeling about my desire to go back.

Walking forward until I stood right in front of the statue, I could hear the sound of something humming coming from the other side, but I paid no attention to it. I just thought it was someone's cellphone. If I had known now what I didn't then, I would've gone around to that side and prevented what was about to happen next. After thinking it over for a few moments, I decided that I needed to go through the portal and find Her Highness. Despite what my heart was telling me, I wanted to do this in the name of national security and friendship. The instant my hand touched the portal, I could feel something pulling my magic through the marble and to the other side.

" Hey, let go!" I shouted, struggling to break free of whatever was pulling me. Eventually, after pulling back against this unknown force, I broke free and landed on my butt, but at the same time, I heard the sound of Twilight going through the same thing. I knew she would be out here in order to check in, but what was she doing around the statue? Quickly rising to my feet and racing around to where I heard her fall down, I noticed her pendant crackling electricity. " What did you do!?"

" Um..." Twilight answered.

" Answer me!"

" Well, the thing is..."

" Twilight, you have to check in with the others."

I didn't know who said that, but Twilight immediately got up and ran off before I could get an answer from her. My only thought was trying to figure out what she might have done to the statue. Looking at it from every possible angle, it seemed okay, but appearances were deceptive. Physically, the statue remained intact, so Twilight trying to play some kind of prank in an effort to annoy CHS was a nonissue. The only thing left to do was to make sure the portal was still working. Placing my hand onto the statue again, I was shocked to learn that nothing happened. I placed my hand on it again. Nothing happened. I tried a third time, and still, nothing happened.

" Where's the portal? Where's the portal!?" I shouted.

Even now, I still don't know how she managed to pull it off, but she did. My worst fear had been realized. The portal had been taken away from me, and it wasn't caused by anything from the other side in Equestria. The many times I hesitated over going back because of being punished came back to haunt me. I could've gone home at any time, and now, that opportunity had been taken away. I was forever trapped in this world. While my friends would've been thrilled over that, I was just devastated. Once it became apparent that I wasn't going back home, I slumped to the ground, placed both hands on the statue and slowly wept.

It seemed I would never be able to go back to Equestria.

Placing a bookmark into the journal, closing it, and setting it aside, I took out my bottle of apple cider and chugged some of it down. That was one of the more taxing parts of the journal thus far, and my throat didn't appreciate me going to such great lengths. Looking at where the bookmark was situated among the pages, I knew there wasn't much left to go, and that meant coming to terms with how I was planning on revealing this information to my other friends. When I first started reading to Twilight, my mind was fixated on just letting her know how I truly felt about the events and people in my life. Among my friends, she was the only one I could view as a trusted confidant. When it comes time for me to finally reveal my deepest secrets, I'm hoping Twilight will be there to give me as much support as possible.

I then felt something bump into my shoulder before it began pressing hard. I turned my eyes and noticed Twilight had slumped her head into my shoulder. I was expecting her to be crying over how she had acted during the incident involving the portal, but instead, she simply kept her head there without making a sound.

Was she sleeping? I didn't hear any snoring, so what else could it be?

" Twilight? Are you okay?" I asked.

" I'm so sorry that I took away the one thing that allowed you to go back home." Twilight answered.

" I'll admit that it did shock me, and for a while, I was freaking out, but I eventually came to terms with the fact that I was stuck here until I figured out what happened. I knew you had done something, but I never thought to suspect that pendant had drained the magic of the portal. It does explain why it opened up random portals all over the place after you absorbed the magic of our friends, excluding Rarity and me." I said. Twilight lifted her head from my shoulder and looked at me with a puzzled expression. Did she not understand why her pendant was opening up multiple portals that lead to different parts of Equestria? I suppose she wouldn't have figured out something that complex. After all, the pendant probably wasn't designed to absorb interdimensional magic.

" It does?"

" Your pendant was designed to absorb anomalies, according to what you said, but the portal contained a magic far greater--and also more unpredictable--than the magic that exists in this world. Princess Twilight has often told me that the portal was unstable because of how ancient the spell used to create it was. It's possible that one day, it could simply fall apart and never work again, but I hope that never happens." I answered.

" But, Her Highness created her own version of the portal."

" And used Star Swirl the Bearded's method of creating it, combined with a little ingenuity of her own."

" So, it's still unstable?"

" Yes."

" No wonder you never attempted to return to Equestria while the portal was in its original form of stasis, even after it was altered by Princess Twilight. The high risk of going from one dimension to another is pretty evident, from what you said. If something happened that caused the portal to shut down while you were in the transition phase, you could end up wiping yourself out of existence. Or, you could be flung into another dimension with no chance of escape." Twilight said. I found it cute that she was able to apply both a scientific and logical reasoning to something that was created through arcane magic. It showed me that she was understanding magic by applying her own studies and figuring things out. " By the way, did I ever absorb your magic? I never once saw you pony up like our friends."

" I think you took my magic along with the portal."

" It didn't upset you, did it?"

" Nah. I got used to having no magic long ago. Our friends were a different story, however. They felt like a big part of them had suddenly disappeared. Of course, it's only a temporary problem. Magic can only been taken away for a short period of time before it comes back. Only through extreme measures can it be taken permanently, and that knowledge is strictly forbidden for any pony to learn. Not even I wanted to go that far when I had my mean streak." I answered.

" Okay, so where do we go from here?" Twilight asked.

" Later that night, we had the party to celebrate the two schools coming together."

" I missed a part of it due to Pinkie dragging me away."

" It was pretty dull until she changed things."

" Everyone started getting along when she did change things."

" Before I focus on what I was doing during the party, I'll tell you what I had to tell my friends about what I had been keeping from them."

Chapter 64: The Party

Day: Thursday
Weather: Clear, starry skies
Time: 7:00pm

Once again, my worst fears had been realized, but they were also clouded by confusion. The person I thought was Princess Twilight turned out to be the human version of her. My heart never once imagined that scenario, yet my mind believed it to be a possibility. This other Twilight Sparkle looked identical to Her Highness aside from a few aesthetic differences, but she was similar enough for my friends to believe we had been reunited with our friend. Once Principal Cinch came along and revealed the truth, we were all heartbroken and longing for answers. I unintentionally revealed that I hadn't been receiving replies from Her Highness. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, Twilight did something to the Wondercolt statue. The portal to Equestria had vanished! I intended on telling my friends about this immediately and perhaps finding out what she did during the party that was happening later that night.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
March 18, 2016
Chapter 64: The Party.

" You know, I was thinking. Couldn't Princess Twilight create a new portal?" Twilight asked.

" To replace the one you accidentally stole?" I asked.

" Yes."

" As I mentioned, she used what was written down by Star Swirl the Bearded, her own ingenuity, and the journal Princess Celestia once used to communicate with me. Sure, it sounds simple, and it was, but there's one other thing that's required." I said.

" What's that?"

" Her Highness could've easily made a new portal, yet she didn't know the exact dimensional coordinates that connect to this world. I know it sounds weird using a scientific concept when talking about magic, but without knowing exactly where to connect to, she could've ended up anywhere across the multiverse. When Star Swirl created the mirror that Princess Twilight and I used, he decided to wing it. The fact that going through it leads to this world was purely accidental." I answered.

" Star Swirl didn't know where the portal went to?" Twilight asked.

" He was a pioneer for magic throughout Equestria, yet even he was cautious when he needed to be. The original mirror he created, the prototype, was flawed, and he spent a long time trying to perfect it with Princess Celestia. No matter how many times they had to adjust the coordinates, it kept on leading them to different dimensions until it finally connected with an alternate Equestria. Other than knowing that it was an 'anti-Equestria', I don't know what experiences they had. Celestia never did like talking about it when I was her student, and back then, I didn't particularly care." I answered.

" Sunset..."

" I was different back then, Twilight. Looking back on it now, I should've been at least sympathetic without trying to make her share her secrets. Anyway, since Star Swirl never wrote down any coordinates, the chances of Her Highness connecting a new portal to this world was slim to none." I said. You'd think that someone as legendary as the most powerful unicorn Equestria had ever known would've been smart enough to write down something as simple as dimensional coordinates. Princess Twilight always kept on harping about how great a pony Star Swirl was, yet to make such a simple oversight like that? I had to question his intellect for not writing down the obvious.

Of course, only he had the magical skills to create a means of connecting Equestria to other worlds. I don't know what exactly inspired him to want to take the risk, but I assumed that it related to his pursuit of knowledge. There were some ponies who often wondered what things were like in worlds other than our own, yet most saw such thoughts as purely fantasy. That's why Star Swirl's research into magical portals was never made public. The outcry was too strong a force to not be ignored, so he opted to keep it a secret project known only to himself and Princess Celestia. I have Princess Twilight to thank for telling me about Star Swirl's exploits as written down in his notes.

She was the one who discovered those notes hidden within his most well-kept hidden sanctum, and she wanted to share them with me because I too had a strong interest in magic much like herself. Granted, I don't fawn over Star Swirl like she does, but that's due to not studying that much about his life. Princess Celestia tried teaching me about his contributions to Equestrian magic, but it was boring to me, so my studies went in a different direction. Princess Twilight bases her own magical experiences on Star Swirl's teachings and geeks out whenever she comes into contact with anything that belonged to or was touched by him.

" It sounds to me that Star Swirl wasn't perfect." Twilight said.

" He never aimed to be, but you're right about him not being perfect."

" I am?"

" Legend says that he could've been the first male alicorn to have ever existed in Equestria. He had all of the requirements necessary for him to ascend, but there was one thing that held him back, and it was something he deemed as weak." I answered.

" What was it?"

" Friendship! He actually used to open his heart towards making friends, but over the years, he lost his way and became consumed with pursuing knowledge. He never found the time to interact with his fellow ponies aside from those he had to, such as Princess Celestia, so the idea of him ascending to an alicorn was lost. A shame, really, but it was his falling out with Celestia that ultimately condemned him." I answered.

" He's kind of like you, in a way. Both of you lost the meaning of friendship and closed your hearts to it. While I don't know if Star Swirl the Bearded ever regained the ability to understand the magic of friendship, I know that you would regain it, thanks in large part to Princess Twilight and our friends." Twilight answered. She was close, but she failed to take one thing into consideration: I never had friendship to begin with when I lived in Equestria. Once it became apparent to me that my parents were doting over my siblings, I felt betrayed. I didn't want to experience anything like that again, and that meant closing my heart to friendship.

" Twilight... I never had friendship until I came here." I said. Twilight appeared surprised at my sudden revelation, but then, she quickly nodded her head, patting my shoulder in comfort. While choosing to isolate myself and manipulating people was my idea, it would've never come to me had my parents given me the attention I coveted.

Was I acting like a spoiled brat just because I was ignored? Yes, I suppose that was true. I wanted to be noticed because I was the youngest, but that wasn't enough to convince my parents to focus on me and leave my siblings to fend for themselves. My siblings, from what little of them I remember, were all child prodigies who gained their cutie marks early in their lives. They had each dedicated themselves to their special talents, yet I never received my mark at the time of life that they did.

Was I a disappointment to my parents for being different in that regard? It's an answer I'll never know. Once Princess Celestia accepted me as her student, I left my home and never bothered to go back again. How could I after the way I was treated? They probably thought that under her guidance, I became one of the greatest unicorns who ever lived. If they still think that way, they might attempt to become part of my life again. No matter what, though, my entire family no longer means anything to me. As far as I'm concerned, they all passed away years ago, and my friends are now my family. Was I being idiotic for thinking those who brought me into the world were dead, though? Perhaps I should think things over once I've finished divulging the remaining contents of the journal to Twilight.

" I'm sorry to hear that." Twilight said.

" It's okay, though. I've got you and the others now, and I'm much better off now than I was before."

" And Star Swirl?"

" He never made a friend again after what happened and passed away, alone and surrounded by his work."

" How unfortunate."

" The price of knowledge is to forsake everything else."

" Anyway, you said that you had to inform our friends about what happened?"

" At first, I thought about not telling them anything. After all, the only one in this world who truly cared about the portal's well-being was me. But, after thinking it over while crying in front of the Wondercolt statue, I realized that I had to let them know exactly what was going on in my head. There was no other way around it. I had been keeping too many secrets from them, and true friends would never do anything of the sort. It wasn't easy, however, to get them to listen to what I had to say." I answered.

" I'm going to say Rainbow Dash had something to do with it."

" She had gotten even more excited about the Friendship Games than ever before, and she didn't want to hear about my problems."

" How heartless!"

" No, I don't think so. She was just passionate about wanting CHS to finally beat Crystal Prep and couldn't accept anything else as being important."

I had experienced all kinds of nightmares during my time living in this world; my fellow students shunning me, my best friends abandoning me, accusations of being a monster, my own internal conflicts, and more had been plaguing me at every turn. Yet what happened in front of the Wondercolt statue was, without a doubt, the worst thing I had ever experienced, far worse than anything in my entire life. What was going to be an attempt in going back to Equestria in hopes of finding Princess Twilight, all while dealing with the thought of being arrested for my past misdeeds, had been shattered in an instant. The portal had disappeared. It was gone. Poof! Just like that, my only way back home had been lost.

How could this have happened? I knew the portal was unstable, given how Her Highness had to alter it so that it could be used more than once every several months, but for it to simply vanish? I didn't want to believe that this was my reality, but no amount of wishing would change anything. Not only was I now trapped in this world but Her Highness could no longer come through the portal on her end, either. I didn't know if she was aware that something had happened, but given how she hadn't been responding to my messages, I suspected she remained oblivious. Perhaps that was a good thing. Her Highness, in all of her majestic glory, did have moments where she would freak out. If she suddenly discovered that her only means of coming to this world were gone, I don't think she would be able to handle it.

Then again, I wasn't taking it very well, either. While it was true that I hadn't set foot in Equestria ever since stealing her crown, a part of me still longed for the day when I could roam around on four hooves, fling magic about without a care, and experience all kinds of adventures that were merely the stuff of tales here. Despite my initial hesitation, I missed the quests, the creatures, the tests, and more. How could I have ever considered throwing away such an important part of my life? Granted, it wasn't the best part, but it still happened, and nothing would ever change that.

My heart had been fighting itself to determine what I should do with my life. Should I stay here with the family and friends I had forged? Should I go back to Equestria to pick up where I left off and make amends for the problems I caused? Or, should I perhaps choose a third option that involved going back and forth between the two worlds, spending equal time in both places so that one isn't neglected over the other? The third option, sadly, was nothing more than wistful fantasy on my part. Despite Princess Twilight adjusting the portal to allow her to come here any time she wanted, it still remained unstable. Star Swirl the Bearded, the one who originally created the portal, never intended for it to be used that often. If something happened that caused the portal to disappear, anyone in the process of using it would be lost forever. That's why Her Highness doesn't just show up whenever she wants. It isn't just because of her duties as a princess; it's also because of instability caused by an ancient magic that could fail at any time.

While I wept, I thought about how to approach the current situation. A part of me wanted to keep all of this a secret and not discourage my friends from doing their best during the Games tomorrow. However, the other part wanted me to tell them everything. They weren't just my friends. They were my family, and family members don't hide secrets from one another. I knew what had to be done. Getting up from the ground and wiping away my tears, I entered the building to find them.

I suspected that they had gone to the gym in hopes of learning what the events would be. Sure enough, they were standing outside. At first, they looked dejected, but they quickly smiled upon seeing me, everyone aside from Rainbow Dash showing concern over my condition.

" Hey Sunset!" Rainbow Dash announced. " What took you so long? I thought you said you'd catch up with us? Guess it doesn't matter now since you're here, though! Listen! We were trying to find out anything about tomorrow's events, but they've locked us out of the gym. They said they were revamping things in there for the party later, but I think they're hiding something."

" Only you would think that." Applejack said.

" It's still possible, though."

" No point in worrin' 'bout knowing what the events are gonna be. I'm sure we'll find out tomorrow. Besides, it's not like Crystal Prep knows what the events are, either. I doubt that Principal Cinch would stoop to cheatin' by tellin' her team what she knows." Applejack said.

" Anyway, I'm just completely stoked that the Games are finally starting tomorrow. All that training we did these past two weeks are gonna be worth it! I know we're still the underdogs, but we can cause our share of damage as well. How about you, Sunset? Looking forward to competing for CHS with your friends?" Rainbow Dash asked. I remained silent with my head held low. I thought Rainbow could tell that something was wrong, but she completely ignored that. Instead, she focused on how I felt about the Games as opposed to what was going through my mind. " This is your first time competing in something this big, right? I know you're probably nervous, but you don't need to be. When you're as chill as I am, everything else just passes you by without notice. Just think! Tomorrow, we'll all be basking in the sweet, sweet embrace of victory."

" I guess." I said. My mind was too preoccupied to think about what she had just said.

" Is somethin' wrong, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

" I've been thinking about this for the last couple of minutes, and I decided that I need to tell you what's been going on."

" I knew you were hidin' somethin' from us." Applejack said, unsurprisingly. Still, before I could tell them about my homesickness, however, I needed to tell them about what happened with the portal. " Well, Sunset? If you want to say somethin', we're ready to hear you out." Applejack said.

" What!? But, what about getting pumped for tomorrow?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Sunset's feelings come before anything else!"

" Yeah, I guess you're right."

" So, what's been goin' on with you?"

" After I left you guys earlier, I went outside to check out the Wondercolt statue. I know you told me not to worry about Princess Twilight, Applejack, but I couldn't get over the fact that something must have happened to her. I thought that maybe I could quickly pop back to Equestria and find her, but something happened." I answered. My friends stared at me with confused expressions, and it took me a few seconds to figure out why. " Yes, I'm aware that I said that I didn't want to go back out of fear of being arrested and exiled, but this was an emergency."

" What happened next, darling?" Rarity asked.

" I placed my hand on the statue's base, and then something from the other side started pulling my magic."

" From Equestria?" Applejack asked.

" No, the other side of the statue. I tried to break free, but my hand was firmly stuck to the marble until an electrical surge got me loose. I quickly got up after landing on the ground and went around to see what happened, and I spotted the other Twilight, who had also hit the ground. That strange pendant she wore around her neck was crackling with electricity, but she ran away before I could ask her what she had done. When I reached out and touched the marble, I was shocked to discover that the portal was gone. I thought it was a cruel joke, but it quickly became a nightmare." I answered.

" What do you mean it's gone?" Applejack asked.

" I mean it's gone. It's closed. It's not there anymore!"

" Are you sure about this?" Rarity asked.

" Do you think I'm lying to you right now?" I asked.

" Nope. I can tell you're tellin' us the truth, Sunset, but how could the portal to Equestria just simply vanish?" Applejack asked.

" Yeah! How'd that happen?" Rainbow Dash added.

" I don't know. But it has something to do with that Twilight. After all, she was snooping around the portal just moments before it disappeared along with my magic. I can't believe that my one way back home is completely gone! It also means Her Highness can no longer come here to help us control the magic. I thought that Twilight would've eventually become our friend--albeit just because of her resemblance--but maybe she somehow knew about what's been happening here lately and decided to do something about it in an effort to make us--specifically me--miserable." I answered.

" Weren't those magical events kept to a minimum?" Rarity asked.

" A lot of students have cellphones, so they might have decided to record some footage and upload it onto MyStable." Fluttershy answered.

" Yes, that is a possibility."

" What am I going to do? The portal being closed is the absolute worst thing that can happen! I had hoped to one day use it and go back home to Equestria, but it looks like I'm now stuck here, quite possibly forever." I said. It quickly dawned on me that once again, I babbled out my intentions without properly explaining myself first. Quickly looking up at my friends, they looked at me with eyes wide open, and jaws slightly lowered.

" Sunset? What did you say?" Applejack asked.

I knew this day was going to happen. For a long time, I had repressed my feelings about going home to Equestria. My initial reasoning for not going back was my fears, but when Princess Twilight reassured me that I would be under her protection, combined with the self-doubt I had over solving the magic problem, I suddenly started yearning for what I had left behind when I came here. The urges to gallop across wide plains, shoot magic from my horn at will, experience strange creatures, go on epic adventures, and spend time in the company of my former and current mentors were all just too much for me to continue ignoring.

My friends never knew this was a problem. Again, my feelings towards the land of my birth were repressed. I strongly believed this world was where I'd live until the end of my life, yet I knew that to be nothing but a pathetic display of poor judgment. My efforts in moving on from Equestria were futile. There was no way I could ever forget about my true form, a form which had been neglected longer than I could remember. Because things spiraled out of control without a way to resolve them, I wanted to leave all of this behind and go back to my roots as a unicorn. I was going to abandon everyone I've come to know and love just so that I could live among ponies again. Knowing that was selfish, I still had every intention of going back anyway.

" Well... you see, I've been thinking about this for some time now. I've been stressed out lately with all of these obligations being placed upon my shoulders. I know how important the Games are to all of you, but the magic over here is just so frustrating. It makes no sense!" I answered.

" Awww, you'll figure it out." Rainbow Dash said.

" I'm not sure I want to."

" What do you mean?" Applejack asked.

" Well, I keep thinking that magic should behave in the same manner that it does back in Equestria, but maybe what I really need to do is go back. The magic there makes perfect sense, and it was something I used without any difficulties. I know I used to be a bully, but I was a prodigy, according to Princess Celestia. I must have been if she chose me to become her personal protégé. Anyway, a part of me wants to remain here, and the other part wants me to go home where I belong." I answered.

" You mean, leave us?" Fluttershy asked.

" Of course I don't want to leave all of my friends, but I don't wanna spend my whole life wanting things to be different than they are." I answered. Already, I could tell that my friends didn't know what to make of my words. Even I was having trouble contemplating what I was saying, but I knew that I had to keep on going with this. My friends deserved to know what I've been hiding from them. They've been pretty open with their secrets, so now it fell onto me to return the favour. " Two weeks ago, I had a meeting with Princess Twilight. We discussed the idea of me going back home because of how stressed out I've been."

" Why didn't you tell us she was here?" Applejack asked.

" I wanted our meeting to be between the two of us, and she agreed with my request."

" I can understand that, I guess."

" Her Highness gave me some encouraging words to help me solve the magic problem, but with Rainbow Dash and Rarity's sudden pony-ups, my heart once again rekindled with the desire to go home. Her Highness told me that I could return home any time I wanted, so long as the portal remained open, and that despite what I did in the past, she would ensure my protection was guaranteed." I said.

" So, you want to go back home because you can't solve a simple problem?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It's not simple!"

" Sounds to me like trying to control magic for the Friendship Games is stressing you out." Pinkie Pie said. She may not have been saying all that much during the conversation, but she definitely hit the nail on the head with that statement. I was tasked with keeping the magic away from the Games, but I found it to be a huge responsibility that had been piled unfairly on me by Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna. There were other things I needed to focus my attention on, and being tasked with keeping Crystal Prep oblivious to the magic swirling about CHS proved too much. I was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

" Oh, Sunset." Rarity said as she walked to me, placing her hand on my shoulder. " I'm sure Vice Principal Luna didn't meant to give you any unwanted pressure. No doubt, she merely wanted you to do your best with that task and was completely unaware of your other obligations. If she and her sister had been made aware of what you're involved with, they would've held off until you had more free time."

" That's right! Why don't you wait until after the Games." Applejack said, walking over to me until she was standing opposite Rarity.

" Actually, that was my plan." I said.

" Really? Oh, well, then I guess we can all work on figuring out how the magic works together. We did say that we were going to help you with that no matter what, and we aim to stick with that promise. If you still wanna go back after that, we won't stand in your way." Applejack said, raising her hands and tilting her head, presumably to indicate that she was wiping her hands clean of this whole thing. I then looked at my friends, and I knew they wanted to help me out. Pinkie was the most expressive. She looked she was about to cry, and I didn't want her feeling that way.

" Alright. I mean, I am already on the team. I wouldn't want to let anyone down. I know you would never let me hear the end of it." I said, looking directly at Rainbow Dash.

" I know you're gonna be awesome tomorrow." Rainbow Dash said.

It felt nice knowing that my friends were accepting of my decision to go back home to Equestria. I seriously thought they were going to abandon me for even considering the idea of leaving them to fend off against a foreign entity brought here by yours truly. I underestimated their ability to understand my feelings. In truth, they knew me better than I knew myself.

No wonder the Magic of Friendship could overcome so many problems. If my plan had involved leaving before the Games, things would have taken a turn for the worse, and they would've accused me of turning my back on CHS. No, I had no desire to leave beforehand. I was always going to compete with my friends despite my own convictions. The desire to beat Crystal Prep had gotten stronger within me during those previous days.

What would this world be like without me? Despite living my life as a human, deep down, I was a unicorn. I could never truly be accepted into the society humans had built themselves. I'd forever remain an outcast trying to be something she wasn't. My friends would feel lost without me guiding them along, a position I had inherited from Princess Twilight; she had been the one who initially guided them before I took over. I could just bring them with me to Equestria, but that would only be disastrous. After all, their pony versions exist over there. Having two versions of everyone in the same place wasn't exactly a blessing.

I certainly had a lot to think about during the Friendship Games, yet I needed to focus on those Games, in addition to the party later.

" I'm relieved to know that our friends were so understanding." Twilight said.

" My biggest fear was them taking it the wrong way when I told them about my meeting with Princess Twilight. I was so concerned with what I thought they would say that I didn't think about their true feelings." I said.

" Doesn't it make you think about the present?"

" What do you mean?"

" You've kept the contents of this journal from them for a long time, yet you were able to tell them about your feelings about going back home. It seems to me, Sunset, that you suffer from an inferiority complex. You want to tell people your opinions, but are afraid they will turn on you in an instant. Our friends proved to you that they are understanding and not to be viewed as monsters who desire to make you miserable." Twilight answered.

I couldn't believe it! Twilight was correct! I had been so afraid of what our friends would say about what I had written down in this journal, I decided to keep it to myself and pretend that everything was fine. I've been foolish this entire time, all because of my self-doubt. Our friends knew me better than anyone, especially after everything we've been through together since they first accepted me into the group. I felt utterly pathetic. I had been giving myself unwanted fears because of a mere misconception, and it took my newest friend to open my eyes to the truth.

No wonder I felt comfortable telling Twilight about my past. We're still trying to learn more about each other, and she had proven to have great insight. Despite her own problems, we were drawn to one another because of our fears over how others would view us. I held back my feelings out of fear, while Twilight feared that her intellect would make people abandon her.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I was beginning to truly understand just what kind of person I was. Twilight had told me the honest truth, and now, I needed to apply her kindness by sharing my deepest secrets with those who opened their hearts to me. However, I wasn't ready to go through with unveiling the layers of my existence. There were still a few chapters remaining in the journal that Twilight needed to hear first. My friends deserved to know my true opinions about them, our peers, this world, everything. My words weren't always pleasant and did delve into insulting, but they had a right to know.

" I'll... think about what you said, Twilight." I said.

" I won't force you into doing something that makes you uncomfortable, Sunset, but you do owe it to our friends by being honest with them. I know that I'm not the most reliable of people when talking about honesty, though. After all, I've had moments in my life where I chose to keep certain things close to my heart. Some of those secrets I've been revealing to you throughout the evening." Twilight said. Really? She actually did that? Either I wasn't paying attention, I forgot all about them, or I was more fixated on my own problems--most likely the latter. " So, now the time came for the party to welcome Crystal Prep."

" You were off in your own little world."

" I was looking for strange energy."

" While everyone around you wondered what you were doing."

" There was quite a bit I didn't notice because I was focused on my work."

" My own eyes were certainly observant during the event." I said. Opening up the journal to where I left the bookmark and turning the page over, there were two photos on display taken that night at the party, courtesy of Photo Finish. I should remind myself to thank her for giving me these little mementos to place into my journal. The first one featured a cannon with Pinkie Pie's name labelled on its side, and the other consisted of the gym with various tables, chairs, and other characteristics reminiscent of a party. Confetti could be seen on just about everything, excluding the food. " I heard from Pinkie that you helped her fire her party cannons that night." I said.

" Actually, all I did was push one of them into the gym."

" That explains why I lost track of you."

" You were watching me?"

" Can you honestly blame me? After all, you stole the portal using that pendant, so I wanted to find out what you were doing. Fortunately for the both of us, your teammates got involved when I approached you." I answered.

" Pinkie started talking to me once I separated myself from the gathering that had amassed."

" Rainbow Dash had a few choices words for the Shadowbolts."

" I must have missed that when I talked to Pinkie."

" My aim was to talk to you in private, but Rainbow dragged me into her quarrel."

Now that I had talked to my friends about my desire to go back home to Equestria, I could finally focus on the Friendship Games, or rather, the party that was being held the night before the Games began. It was strange that we were having a get-together between the two schools, since neither side could stand the other. I had since relegated myself to a position of simply going along with it despite thinking that a rivalry was just pointless. Personally, I didn't want to attend; I just wanted to spend my night reading a good book in the library, but it was mandatory that all members from both teams attend.

The party itself was mainly for the benefit of Crystal Prep. After all, they were visiting CHS, and Principal Celestia wanted to give them a warm welcome. How they would react depended on what kind of mood Principal Cinch was in. Despite the party being designed for the students to have fun, I doubted Cinch would've allowed her students to have a good time, especially with the Games looming. She desired her team to remain in peak condition, so interacting with the opposition was limited to glancing at us.

I had to admit that they really went all out with the decorations, yet Pinkie didn't get to contribute to any of it. If it wasn't for the fact that she was one of the athletes competing for the Wondercolts, she would've planned everything on her own. The banner Flash Sentry worked on a couple of weeks ago was on full display, hanging up on the rafters for everyone to see. Music was provided by Vinyl Scratch, and as always, she had nothing to say, but I supposed she wanted to remain focused on providing good tunes. It looked like the perfect night for fun, but I wasn't expecting what I witnessed.

When my friends and I arrived, wearing dresses Rarity had made along with her costumes, we noticed that no one was mingling with anyone from the opposite school. It felt like one of those school dances where the boys and girls stand on opposite sides out of fear. Tensions were much deeper than I originally thought, yet I was concerned with the one person who became my priority. It didn't take long for me to find Twilight. She was walking around by herself and avoiding eye contact with everyone, looking at her pendant with an almost feverish-like obsession in her eyes.

" There she is." I said, pointing a finger at Twilight.

" What in tarnation is she up to?" Applejack asked. If there was one thing I got from what she was doing, it was that Twilight wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. She bumped into one of her fellow students, knocking the drink out of her hand and receiving a scowling in return. " Now ain't that a strange coincidence. Why would one of her own treat her like she were an enemy?"

" I don't know, but in any case, we need to talk to her."

" Think y'all can get a moment?"

" Leave this to me." I answered.

I walked over to Twilight, who was completely oblivious to my approach from behind. Before saying anything, I took a few moments to try and get a better understanding as to what made her different from Her Highness. For one thing, she was more cautious. She was also clumsy and very jittery whenever someone was looking directly at her. I had to ignore such characteristics to find out what happened to the portal.

" Twilight, what have you been up to?" I asked, causing her to suddenly turn around, doing her best to avoid eye contact. " I'm not going to do anything to you, but I need to know what happened earlier by the statue. Don't try to hide your actions."

" Me? Oh, I was just, uh--" Twilight answered, stammering with her words.

" Who wants to know?" demanded an unfamiliar voice.

Turning my eyes to the left, I saw the same girl whose drink was spilt by Twilight a few minutes ago walking over in what looked like an effort to defend her friend. A moment ago, she chastised Twilight for bumping into her, and now she intended on keeping me from seeking the truth? Was she Twilight's friend? Or, perhaps she was one of the Shadowbolts competing in the Games tomorrow? If this girl was indeed Twilight's friend, she was showing a funny way of expressing her friendship.

" And who are you?" I asked.

" Really!? You Wondercolts don't know the names of the Shadowbolts?"

" I'm sure the same can be said the other way."

" Was that your attempt at sarcasm? Pfft! That was pretty lame if you ask me. Still, I might as well educate you and yours by making sure you remember our names. We're gonna be hoisting the trophy come the end of tomorrow when we beat you in a landslide. The name's Indigo Zap, and these are my friends/teammates Sugarcoat, Sour Sweet, Lemon Zest, and Sunny Flare. We do have six other members, not including Twilight, but you only need to remember us."

" Are you kidding me?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Nope."

" You seriously don't care about telling us the names of your other teammates?"

" If you want my opinion, Crystal Prep can win these games with just the six of us!"

" Wow... And here I thought the Shadowbolts knew what it meant to work as a team. Guess you're all too proud to work together. Heck, I bet you six don't actually get along at all." Rainbow Dash said.

" Take that back!"

" Make me!"

" Is this how CHS students do things now? Gang up whenever one of their own can't handle their own problems?"

" What are you talking about? I just wanted to speak to Twilight one-on-one. Then you came along for whatever reason, and now Rainbow Dash has gotten involved, making things worse. I had no intention of turning this into a heated argument between our two teams." I answered. I cursed Rainbow under my breath for escalating tensions that were already fierce and wished she'd simply backed off and allowed me to handle things. Twilight, in the meantime, slowly backed away in an effort to get away from the gathering but bumped into Pinkie Pie. I was about to walk over to speak with her, but Indigo Zap got in my way, and showed no signs of letting me get past. " Um, do you mind moving aside? I really need to speak to Twilight about what happened earlier." I said.

" I'm not finished here yet!" Indigo Zap answered.

" Well, I am!"

" You tell her, Sunset!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" Ganging up on me again!? You Wondercolts must be pretty desperate to win if you think you can intimidate us!"

" We're not desperate! We're gonna beat you tomorrow!"

" Yeah, right!"

" Want to make something of this?"

" Like you can hold a candle to me!"

" Alright, everyone. Let's not get too competitive before the Games even start." Applejack said. I felt relieved knowing that she stepped in-between Rainbow and Indigo before either one of them would cause a scene. From what I got from Indigo's attitude, she sounded like a meaner version of Rainbow and had an ego that could easily have been mistaken as it's own planet because of how big it was.

" That is an impossibility." Sugarcoat announced.

" What do you mean?"

" The games aren't really competitive since we've never lost." The way she sounded felt similar to Applejack, in that both told the truth without mincing their words. Sugarcoat, however, was much more blunt about it. Applejack, at the very least, had some emotion in her delivery, while this girl acted like a robot, devoid of any emotion.

" Maybe so, but we can still give y'all the work-around if need be."

" That's not a very nice thing to say." Fluttershy said, walking up to join the argument.

" Sorry, dearie, but these games aren't about being nice." Sunny Flare said. Something about her reminded me of Rarity, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. This was the third straight coincidence where one of the Shadowbolts was both similar to and the complete opposite of one of my friends. Was this something to be concerned about? Perhaps, but only time would tell once the Games got underway. Actions speak louder than words.

" I know you Shadowbolts view every competition as a must-win scenario, but why not try to have a little bit of fun? Um, I mean, only if you want to. It could actually make you appear less intimidating to the other schools." Fluttershy said.

" Then we're doing our job."

" What do you mean?"

" By intimidating our opponents, they cause their own downfalls by making pointless mistakes. Then, we can take advantage by using our superior skills to beat them without having to break a sweat. Considering how timid you're sounding right now, I think it's safe to say that beating you won't be much of a challenge." Sunny Flare answered.

" Well, you could use a little tact." Rarity said, also joining the fray.

I finally managed to pull myself away from the heated argument between the two teams, and I began to frantically search for Twilight. My immediate reaction was to find Pinkie, as she was the last person I saw speaking to her, but she had also disappeared. My one chance to find out what she had been up to had amounted to nothing, and all because I got dragged into one of Rainbow Dash's conversations. I felt like leaving the party out of sheer disappointment in having my plans denied, but before I could leave, Principal Celestia walked up on stage and began speaking into a microphone. My mind wanted me to leave, but my heart insisted on staying.

" Hello, everyone! I'd like to take this opportunity to greet all of our visitors from Crystal Prep Academy and welcome them to CHS." Principal Celestia said. At least someone was willing to show restraint regarding the rivalry between the two schools. Of course, Principal Celestia had to maintain a sense of neutrality, as her actions alone were more important than those of her students and staff. Anything we did reflected on her ability to be able to guide those under her jurisdiction to become upstanding people. Deep down, I know she wanted to cut loose and give Principal Cinch a piece of her mind. I suspected that she was on hand as well, ready to make an announcement when it suited her. " I would like to recognize the twelve students that CHS has elected to compete. I don't think we could have chosen a better group to represent the excellence, sportsmanship, and friendship the Games stand for."

She moved her hand to present the different members of the Wondercolts, and they responded by waving their hands, winking, bowing, performing a fist pump, or simply making a smile. I was the only one who didn't do anything. My mind was still preoccupied with trying to find out what happened to Twilight. What could she have done to make the portal to Equestria disappear? Maybe she didn't do anything. Could I have done something instead? No, Princess Twilight told me that I could go back home any time I wanted. The thought of her saying one thing and doing the complete opposite was just preposterous.

Music then started playing, and at first, I didn't take much notice of it. I thought that Vinyl Scratch had been given permission by Principal Celestia to make things more festive, but it turned out that Pinkie Pie had decided to "fix" the party in an effort to get both schools to get along. She switched the catering table to include a large assortment of cupcakes instead of the finger food that was there originally. That's when I noticed Twilight had come back, standing behind what appeared to be a gift-wrapped present. Pinkie appeared next to her with her own present and lifted up both packages to reveal party cannons.

Princess Twilight once told me that the Pinkie Pie of Equestria had party cannons of various sizes stored all across Ponyville and used them to help celebrate all kinds of occasions. The human Pinkie wanted to get her own cannon after thinking how easy it could make decorating, and there she was with two in her possession.

Just as I was about to walk over to Twilight, the sound of cannons firing made me stumble, and I lost my balance, dropping to my knees on the ground. Confetti then started raining down from above, but I was more concerned with talking to Twilight. The rain of confetti hindered my vision, yet I wouldn't let that stop me from achieving my goal.

Unfortunately, I was stopped by an untimely interruption from Principal Cinch. She walked onto the stage and tapped the microphone with her finger repeatedly until the feedback from it got so unbearable, everyone covered their ears to avoid the noise. The music Vinyl Scratch played came to a stop before everyone turned their attention towards Cinch, who remained stoic.

" I'd like to thank Principal Celestia for her unconventional welcome." Principal Cinch said.

" What just happened?" I asked.

" I think Principal Cinch just killed the party." Rainbow Dash answered.

" That sounds a little much."

" How do you explain everything coming to a screeching halt?"

" It's been four years since the last Friendship Games, but it feels as though nothing has changed. Canterlot High continues to pick its competitors with a popularity contest. You would think that such a strategy would have been changed by now, yet you continue to stick with methods that have proven insufficient. Judging from what I have seen of the team that you have chosen, Principal Celestia, I expected a worthwhile challenge." Principal Cinch said. She wasn't wasting any time talking down on the Wondercolts and CHS in general. Looking around at students from both schools, the CHS students walked away from the Crystal Prep students, eying them to make sure they didn't try anything suspicious.

When Pinkie's party cannons were fired, everyone started to have fun. The animosity between the two schools briefly disappeared, and it looked like the Games would have actually been friendly, but Cinch didn't want that to happen. She had every intention of reminding CHS of their shortcomings against Crystal Prep. While her methods were cruel, it was having the desired effect. In her eyes, her students were displaying characteristics pertaining to weakness, so she needed to nip that bud quickly to avoid any possible damage from occurring that could give us an edge.

" I'd like to think our selection of students provides a balanced team." Principal Celestia said.

" Yes, I can see that you clearly focused on the students who do not excel in any one particular area. Crystal Prep continues to field its top twelve students, the very best that my school has to offer. They each have mastered numerous disciplines that shall prepare them for the future that awaits once they have completed their education. I am not sure if the same applies with your students. It would seem they are more concerned with having fun instead of focusing on their careers beyond high school. I'm sure it is a comfort to know that even after so many years of losses, your school remains committed to its ideals, however misguided they may be." Principal Cinch said.

" There is no need to take things that far."

" I am only telling you the truth."

" CHS's ideals have been the cornerstone of our institution for years."

" Yes, and that has not transitioned successfully into defeating Crystal Prep in the Friendship Games. You may have had rare victories against us in other competitions, but those are insignificant compared to the Games. I believe this party has gone on too long, so I shall bring it to a worthwhile conclusion. I wish you all the best of luck, regardless of the inevitable outcome." Principal Cinch said. She then walked off the stage, having insulted all of CHS without showing any sign of guilt over her actions. Her words had riled up my fellow students, yet some of them managed to not succumb to their anger and attempted to prevent their peers from taking out their aggression towards Crystal Prep. The Games hadn't even begun, and the animosity had reached epidemic levels.

" Did you hear what she said about us?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I'm surprised they allowed her to get away with that." I answered.

" Principal Cinch has been talking down to every school in the district for years."

" So, this isn't something new?"

" Nope! She does it to remind everyone that Crystal Prep is the best school in the city because of the numerous awards they've obtained. It makes me sick every time she opens her mouth and spews out anything. You'd think everyone would band together and force her to resign because of how she acts." Rainbow Dash answered.

" They haven't?"

" The school board would never allow it. After all, Crystal Prep has been their darling who has represented the city in competitions against other cities across the country. I also heard that Principal Cinch holds a powerful influence over them, so they've looked the other way." Rainbow Dash answered. If that was the case, then Cinch possessed an incredible amount of power. I wasn't sure if Rainbow was being completely honest with me, so I had to give Cinch the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps her methods were so successful, she was given free reign to continue her practice on the school board. Little did anyone of us realize that she was holding back secrets that could destroy the reputation she had spend years perfecting into what it was.

I then turned my attention towards Pinkie, and walked over when I saw that she looked exhausted.

" Pinkie, what happened to you?" I asked.

" I don't know. Everyone started having fun after Twilight and I fired the party cannons and I ponied up." Pinkie Pie answered.

" You ponied up, as well?"

" Yeah! I felt really floaty when it happened, Sunset. It was the most magical thing I've ever experienced. For a few moments, I felt like I was flying in the air without a care in the world, and everyone looked like tiny ants." Pinkie Pie answered.

" Of course you did."

" Don't you believe me?"

" Yeah, but then, you were snacking on the catering table, which I assume you changed, so I thought you might have been going through another one of your sugar rushes. If you did pony up without playing your drums, you must tell me exactly what happened that caused it." I answered.

" I'd love to, but I can't."

" What? Why not?"

" Everything was going swell, but then my magic just drained right out of me."

" Wait, what do you mean 'drained out of you'? How could your magic suddenly disappear?"

" I have no idea, Sunset. One moment, I was speaking with Twilight about using my party cannons to liven things up. Then, I ponied up a few minutes after seeing everyone having a good time. That's when something pulled my magic out of my body and left me completely exhausted. I've never been tired at a party before, but it's something I'd rather not experience again." Pinkie Pie answered.

Pinkie became the third one of us to have suddenly lost her magic. Rarity was the first victim, then me, and now her. What in the world was going on? Could someone have come through the portal before it was closed? If that was the case, it would mean that this world was being threatened by a power-crazed lunatic from Equestria who had the aspirations of a conqueror.

Soon after, however, a different theory began forming in my mind. Twilight had been around every time one of us lost our magic. Was it possible that she was unknowingly draining our magic and not realizing what it was doing to us? Or, perhaps she had been coaxed into taking our magic by someone from Equestria? Or, did she intend on taking our magic? Many questions without answers, the usual scenario in a situation like this.

I wanted to speak to Twilight in order to hear her side of the story, but she had disappeared. Could she have left during Principal Cinch's speech? I asked Pinkie if she saw her leaving the gym, and she said that her focus was on trying to recover from her exhaustion. The one person I wanted to talk to had slipped through my fingers, so now, I had to wait until another opportunity would come along. Since the Games began first thing in the morning, I'd have to concentrate on doing my best if I was to contribute to CHS's chances of winning. It meant waiting for Twilight to be alone so that I could interrogate her.

My way of thinking sounded harsh, but I had no other choice. Something was happening to us, and I suspected Twilight was involved.

" You don't look surprised that Rainbow Dash got into an argument with Indigo Zap." I said.

" Both of them are equally hot-headed, so it was bound to happen that their egos would clash against one another. I'm sorry that you weren't able to speak to me during the party, yet I had my own problem to deal with." Twilight said.

" With Pinkie? I know she can get very excited when it comes to a party, but she is very sweet once you get to know her."

" I didn't feel comfortable talking to her at first, but then her curiosity regarding my pendant eased my concerns. I just wish she hadn't dragged me off to get those party cannons. I didn't think anyone was allowed to bring something dangerous to school, and cannons definitely fit that description." Twilight said. I began laughing, and she shot me a glare in response. I waved my hands back and forth, indicating that I wasn't laughing at her but at what Pinkie did by bringing her cannons to school. While it's true that CHS had a strict policy on what wasn't allowed on the premises, Pinkie's cannons were an exception.

She had been given permission by Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna to bring them onto school grounds, but they could only be used should the two sisters insist on bringing in some extra excitement to liven things up. Another condition involved the cannons being stored away in the storage room below the stage out back when not needed, without their firing mechanisms. Pinkie didn't mind leaving her cannons at school, though. According to her, her family wasn't thrilled about her firing them constantly at home. In fact, she said they insisted on her getting permission to bring them to CHS. Pinkie's family were pretty conservative about how they did things, and cannons weren't something they appreciated, even though they only fired party favors.

" All her party cannons do is fire confetti everywhere." I said.

" That's it!?"

" What were you expecting?"

" Cannonballs and fireworks, mainly."

" Pinkie may unintentionally bend reality to her will, but even she has a limit on what she will do to provide fun."

" Guess I don't know her as well as you do."

" Don't worry, Twilight. I'm sure you'll get used to our friends and their more unusual characteristics."

" I can't believe Principal Cinch would stoop that low and insult everything CHS stood for. Still, it's not really unexpected, given her personality. I do have to give a lot of credit towards Principal Celestia for maintaining her composure when her school was victimized like that. Most principals would have snapped at Principal Cinch for saying such harsh words, but then, she often anticipates them resorting to pounding their chests in the name of school pride." Twilight said.

" Really? Then, she insults other schools and expects retaliation?"

" Her ability to remain calm while speaking her mind has been viewed with envy by other principals throughout the district. She uses a combination of words and appropriate facial expressions that are enough to make someone consider taking drastic measures. I guess it's fortunate, then, that Principal Cinch does tend to get carried away when things don't go the way she wants them to. If her students don't live up to their expectations, she can make their lives a living nightmare." Twilight answered.

" Yet, they continue going to Crystal Prep."

" They endure the harsh treatment they receive if it means getting the best education around."

" I remember seeing Principal Cinch lose her composure during the Academic Decathlon. Her students did the best they could with the resources they had, but it wasn't enough to avoid seeing her glare at them with disappointment. I feel bad that they were silently condemned like that. Their effort was good, but it just couldn't match up against the creative genius of Pinkie Pie." I said. Turning to the next page of the journal, a mathematical equation had been scribbled above some words. Twilight didn't know what to make of it, but I knew what it meant. I thought she would recognize it straight away as what secured her victory in the decathlon. I guess every equation looks the same to her. " CHS were pinning their hopes on me solving this one correctly, yet you proved how good you were."

" Wait! Is this the equation that we both had to solve?"

" Oh, so you do remember."

" They all look the same to me, Sunset. After all, I've solved plenty of them in my time."

" We were lucky that CHS managed to make it that far."

" It still bothers me how you and I were forced to solve something that only postsecondary students would understand."

" You and I were the best both schools had to offer."

" Unfortunately."

" Before we get to my perspective of the event, I'm curious about the members of the Shadowbolts who interacted with us during the party.

Chapter 65: The Friendship Games

Day: Friday
Weather: Rain
Time: 9:48am

It took a lot of courage for me to finally reveal to my friends what I had been hiding from them. I thought they were going to chew me out for even thinking about abandoning them, but they were much more supportive than I originally thought. Perhaps it's because they knew that my heart longed for the land of my birth and felt it unfair to deny me that. For now, I planned on staying until after the Friendship Games and making a decision afterwards. When I told them about what happened to the portal, they couldn't believe it. The thought of me going back home didn't matter if there was no way for me to go there. That night, at the party to welcome Crystal Prep, I made it my goal to speak to Twilight, but I didn't get an opportunity due to the Shadowbolts and Rainbow Dash arguing and dragging me into their squabble. I guess I'll have to wait until after the first event to have a private moment with Twilight. It shouldn't be too difficult of an event, right?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
March 26, 2016
Chapter 65: The Friendship Games.

" You want to learn more about the Shadowbolts?" Twilight asked.

" Our friends and I never really got to interact that much with them aside from the party and the events. I would've thought they'd have taken the opportunity to mingle with the students of CHS to remind them of their so-called superiority, but I guess Principal Cinch didn't want them to lose sight of their goal." I answered. I'm certain that the reverse was true regarding the Shadowbolts. Like us, they never got a chance to talk in hopes of maybe finding some kind of common ground. Instead of the two teams trying to beat one another through a fierce competition, we could've made it be what the name was all about... Friendship. Had that opportunity been available, the Wondercolts and the Shadowbolts could've united as one cohesive unit and shown that striving to win at all costs wasn't what we wanted.

Of course, such an idea is nothing more than a dream. The Shadowbolts would never "stoop so low" as to associate with us. Principal Cinch had taught them to never talk to students of the opposing school unless it was to remind them that their chances of winning were slim to none. I can understand why she didn't want them speaking with the enemy. Despite having all that discipline, I'm certain some Crystal Prep students didn't grasp the concept of knowing how to keep secrets. If any of the Shadowbolts fell into that category, they could potentially reveal their team's strategies and give their opponents a chance at beating them.

Cinch would likely lose her temper if one of them made a blunder like that, and the poor student would never be able to show their face at Crystal Prep again. I think it's unfortunate that they had so much pressure to keep tight-lipped until after the Games were over. I always believed that I had all the pressure in the world--or the most in Canterlot, anyway--given all of my obligations, yet there were others who went through a similar experience. Still, my curiosity of knowing more about Twilight's teammates was too strong for me to ignore. Despite their attitudes, they proved themselves worthy adversaries.

" Whenever there was a competition that took place at a different school, the Shadowbolts were required to never talk to anyone outside of the school under any circumstances. It was Principal Cinch's way of keeping them focused on winning at all costs. If they were to lose their focus, it would result in poor performances that, in turn, would make them humiliate the academy. That was something no one ever wanted to do." Twilight said.

" They take losses seriously?"

" Oh, yes."

" Schools lose all the time."

" While that is true, Crystal Prep took it to extremes whenever they lost. It didn't matter whether or not the competition was important, a loss was seen as an embarrassment that tarnished the academy's reputation. You said that CHS rarely defeats Crystal Prep, correct?" Twilight asked.

" The school beats them once or twice every year."

" Prinicpal Cinch didn't take those losses with any kindness or charity."

" What did she do?"

" After those losses, she forced the entire student body into training extra hard for the next competition. They had to stay well past the end of the school day in order to get in the necessary training so that they would win." Twilight answered. What!? She seriously made them do that? Talk about cruelty! Cinch may be the principal, but that doesn't give her the right to run her students into the ground. I'm certain no one decided to question her actions. Doing so likely meant they weren't worthy of being at Crystal Prep and subsequently expelled. The academy at times sounded more like a military school than a simple prep school. " Crystal Prep takes its accomplishments very seriously. Our purpose was to rely on our superior education and defeat our opponents without showing mercy." Twilight said.

" Was reputation really that important?"

" To Principal Cinch, it meant everything. It was her reputation that was responsible for the academy being the institution it's become famous for. When you have a great reputation on your side, you have the power to influence things to your advantage." Twilight answered.

" No wonder you were so miserable."

" I never thought of myself as having a reputation. All I cared about was my studies, and wanting to be accepted into Everton."

" At least you don't have to worry about any of that at CHS."

" For that, I'm relieved. Now, you say you want to know more about the Shadowbolts? I have reason to suspect that your curiosity relates to the fact that you never heard much talk about them and Crystal Prep until the Friendship Games were drawing nearer?" Twilight asked. She was correct. I came to this world several months after the previous Games, so I never knew that CHS had a rival school until I heard Rainbow Dash mention it. When it became apparent that such a school existed, I was curious to learn more. I had no intention of seeking a transfer, as I enjoyed my current location, but I wanted to know because I could've gone there had CHS not accepted me initially. " If I must be honest with you, I only know a little bit about them, myself. After all, I preferred the company of Spike instead of actual people." Twilight said.

" Anything will do to give me some insight."

" The first six members you and the Wondercolts faced during the Games consisted of Jet Set, Upper Crust, Neon Lights, Suri Polomare, Trenderhoof, and Royal Pin. The reason why I bunched them all together is because they didn't get past the first event, so you pretty much didn't even know they were there." Twilight said.

" A couple of them have pony references in their names."

" It's what their parents called them. Anyway, Jet Set and Upper Crust are very snobbish, and they look down on everyone and label them as savage boars. I can tell you they aren't as high up on the social ladder as they claim. Suri Polomare, from what I recall of my brief encounter with her several months ago, has the desire to either go into the fashion business or become a respectable baker. Some say that she is the counterpart to Rarity, but I personally don't believe that. Suri is good at what she does, but she doesn't hold a candle to the likes of Rarity. Trenderhoof keeps to himself but is known for writing articles about what he experiences and publishes them online. The other two I've never spoken to, so I don't have any opinions on them." Twilight said.

While that was informative, it wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted to know more about the main members of the Shadowbolts, the ones who got in my way during the party and prevented me from stopping the problem. They were among the best that Crystal Prep had to offer, so they had earned a lot of praise from Cinch for their dedication.

" No, I meant the other five."

" Most of CHS remembers them, yet sometimes I wish that I could forget them."

" How come?"

" They all treated me coldly before we even arrived at CHS that morning. I got used to being picked on by other students, yet those five gave me the hardest time. They were among the best that Crystal Prep had produced in recent memory, yet I always overshadowed them. I received many recognitions and accolades, while they were ignored. Principal Cinch knew this, but continued to praise me for my contributions, and that encouraged them to see me as a threat to their chances of being praised in the same manner." Twilight answered.

" That one girl--Indigo Zap, I believe it was--seemed really arrogant."

" I could tell you that even without what you wrote about her. She loves competing in everything imaginable but is hot-headed and refuses to acknowledge that she has an ego. I'd say she is a lot like Rainbow Dash but not as loyal to her friends." Twilight said. That was exactly what I was thinking! I knew there was something familiar about her, and Twilight's words put it all together for me. No wonder Indigo Zap annoyed me so much. Her similar personality to Rainbow is what clued me in. While Rainbow and I are friends, I continue having problems dealing with her arrogance and lack of understanding regarding my feelings. " Sugarcoat is a dead ringer to Applejack. Both of them speak the truth without worrying about the consequences, but I prefer how Applejack handles things."

" Why?"

" Sugarcoat is very blunt. She speaks her mind with all the affect and empathy of a robot. What she lacks in tact she makes up for with cruel bluntness." Twilight answered. I remember Sugarcoat now! She was the one who wore glasses and told Applejack that the Friendship Games weren't really a competition due to Crystal Prep always winning it. I also recall what she said in response to Cinch's manipulation of Twilight. Still, I'm sure her attitude has garnered some fans. " Sour Sweet acts all cute and innocent, but she can suddenly change into someone who downright insults you. She is like Fluttershy during her cute ploy, but that's as far as it goes."

" She's two-faced?"

" Yes, and she isn't afraid to unleash her mean streak whenever anything upsets her. Lemon Zest doesn't say all that much, but she loves listening to music and almost never takes off her headphones. Her taste in music is questionable, however. She wanted me to listen to what she was playing on her iPad on our way to CHS, and I thought my ears would bleed out blood because of how horrible it sounded. She follows the beat of her own drums, and loves having fun whenever she doesn't have to focus on her studies." Twilight answered.

I didn't see her during the party, or I did but didn't pay much attention to her. Lemon Zest bore some similarities with Pinkie Pie, but there wasn't much to go on. The more I heard Twilight talking about those girls, it dawned on me that they were like counterparts to our friends. Yet, Twilight was my counterpart given how we both felt like outcasts in a world that doesn't understand us. No wonder the Games came down to a battle between opposites for the crown. The Shadowbolts--well, those five, including Twilight--were like my anti-friends.

" What about the last one?" I asked.

" Sunny Flare? She's a stuck-up diva who doesn't like it when people touch her."

" That doesn't sound like Rarity to me."

" I honestly know her the least among those five."

" In any case, I'm glad you told me about them."

" You are?"

" It makes talking about what happened during the first event that much easier. I recall not seeing you during the baking and birdhouse-making portions of the event, so I'll assume that you were preparing yourself for something challenging." I answered.

" You could say that."

" I watched everything carefully in order to see how good the Shadowbolts really were. I thought about talking with Rainbow Dash, but I knew she would only want to talk about beating Crystal Prep and bragging about how we were going to win. It turned out that she was the only one I could talk to, though, as everyone else was busy competing in the areas they excelled in. She actually had some pretty good insight on what was going on, and even helped me understand some of the more difficult nuances of the event." I said.

The party ended up being a mixed blessing, although the negatives did outweigh the positives. I wanted to speak to Twilight so badly about what happened at the statue, but I couldn't get a free moment due to getting embroiled in an argument between Rainbow Dash and our opponents, the Shadowbolts. While I wanted to throttle Rainbow for dragging me into her own petty squabbles, it actually proved beneficial. We had no idea who the Shadowbolts were, but now we had a good understanding of their skills. What was the most eerie thing in all this was how Indigo Zap and her crew were the polar opposites of my friends. Well, some of them felt that way to me. If the Friendship Games were to come down to individual skills instead of a team effort, both sides would experience a mirror match.

Another problem that occurred was Pinkie Pie ponying up without playing her drums. She was now the fourth one of us to have experienced a change in magic, and that left only Fluttershy and Applejack as not yet having gone through that. I wasn't going to try and hope that they wouldn't experience anything. I knew they were going to pony up without using the traditional means we've come to expect. It was only a matter of time. Just like with Rarity, Pinkie suddenly found herself exhausted, and that was due to her magic suddenly being drained from her. The same thing happened with the portal, and that lead me to suspect it wasn't just a coincidence.

I still believed that Twilight had something to do with making the portal disappear, yet I had no proof other than her pendant crackling. I knew that it wasn't a typical pendant, yet it had caused a tremendous disaster. While my friends were shocked at how my connection to Equestria had vanished, I sensed that they weren't as upset as I was. After all, they still didn't fully understand the ramifications behind the portal. None of them have ever used it, so they lacked any heartfelt connection to it. To me, the portal had been a lifeline that connected me to my home, and now, it had been severed. Worst of all, Princess Twilight was now unable to help us deal with any magical problems. Should such problems rear their ugly heads, I was the one that would have to find a solution. In other words, we were on our own and with someone whose magical experience was limited compared with Her Highness.

The next morning, I tried my hardest to ignore what had happened during the party and instead focus on the Friendship Games. It wasn't easy for me. The thought of being stuck in this world forever really struck home for me, yet my friends viewed that as a blessing. They had come to terms with the fact that I desired to return home, but now that option was lost, so they didn't need to bring it up.

I just wanted the Games to be over and done with. I was so desperate to find out why the portal closed, I had actually considered dropping out of the Wondercolts in order to pursue the answer. And yet, I couldn't do that. Doing so would only break my friends' hearts, and I would never do anything to hurt them. We had been through too much to resort to breaking promises.

Vice Principal Luna announced on the P.A. system that the first event would focus on the entire CHS curriculum, so at the very least, our team should've had some kind of advantage, as we knew our school's subjects better than anyone. Unfortunately, the curriculum that was used for the event were ones familiar to Crystal Prep. Both teams were on equal footing, and that spelt trouble for the Wondercolts.

In a head-on matchup, we were no match for the Shadowbolts, as they had more skill, but then, predictions weren't always accurate. They were known for failing because of not taking certain factors into consideration. Luna also mentioned something called the "Elimination Equation Finale", and that told me there was going to be a mathematical portion of the Games.

Once both teams, spectators, principals, and assistants had gathered, we were told what the first event was going to be.

" Welcome to the first event: the Academic Decathlon!" Dean Cadance announced. She had taken it upon herself to introduce and explain how the events were going to work, and she certainly had people's attention. My friends and I were excited to get things started, yet our opponents didn't seem very thrilled. This was especially true of Principal Cinch, who looked fed up with having to be at a school beneath her notice. I would've preferred it if she wasn't around, but she was obligated to be on hand as one of the judges. " You'll be scored on chemistry, home-ec, and woodshop during the first part of this event. The six students from each team with the most points will move onto the second stage. Stage two involves a spelling bee using words that have been given during official spelling bees across the country." Dean Cadance said.

I wasn't liking the sound of home economics and woodshop, as I had next to no skills in those two categories. I was thrilled with the chemistry and spelling bee components, though, so I had something to look forward to. I quickly turned my attention towards Twilight to see her reaction. She appeared excited about the same things that appealed to me, and it made me suspect she was going to be the biggest threat throughout the Games. I knew she lacked any muscular fortitude but possessed a superior intellect, and that can be very dangerous in the hands of someone who knew what to do with it.

" Finally, the best student from each team will face off in the Elimination Equation Finale. In this last part, they will both attempt to solve the same mathematical equation. The one who solves it correctly and more quickly will be declared the winner, and their respective school shall win the first event. Once the winner has been determined, we shall calculate the points to see which of the six students from each team with the most points will move on to event number two. Now, would everyone please follow me to the science lab? The decathlon shall begin with the chemistry component." Dean Cadance announced.

It took us a few minutes to make it to the science lab. Upon entering, we were surprised to see two tables had been set up with twelve identical stations on each one. In front of the stations were numerous chemicals that had been placed into a rack to prevent anything from being spilt.

" I'm not sure I get this set-up." I said.

" You will once we get things underway." Dean Cadance said.

" What do you mean?"

" Students must mix together the right chemicals in order to produce the desired result as seen on that chart to your right. If you get the mixture incorrect, or you don't warm it up appropriately using the Bunsen burners, you'll be eliminated from this event." Dean Cadance answered. She pointed her finger at a large piece of cardboard that had been taped down to a third table, and everyone's eyes veered off in that direction. The chart displayed the resulting compound we needed to figure out, yet what was needed to reach that was nothing but question marks, indicating that we had to solve the problem ourselves. " Any questions?"

" How much time do we have?" Twilight asked.

" You'll be given exactly twenty minutes to come up with the correct compound, or as close as you can get."

" Ooh! I like a challenge."

" It seems you're the only one who feels that way." Dean Cadance said. I looked around at the other members of both teams, and many didn't seem thrilled about the time limit given, but they should've been more accepting of it. After all, we were considered the best from both schools, so being given twenty minutes was fair for those with our level of skill. Twilight and I were both excited, not for the time limit, but for working with chemicals in a scientific setting. " Is everyone ready? Your time starts now!" Dean Cadance announced whilst sounding a tiny bell she held in her hand.

Without warning, everyone else scrambled over to their respective tables and got to work grabbing test tubes in an effort to create the desired compound. Twilight and I were the only ones who didn't run over in a mad panic. I glared at her--a reminder of what I suspected her of doing--before heading over to my table.

My friends and other teammates had gotten a slight head start, but I knew I could easily catch up with them. The compound depicted on the cardboard was one I recognized from a previous science class, but I needed to remember exactly what was needed to produce it. I knew that it needed to be warmed up for about thirty seconds, but the prospect of being eliminated meant I had to get everything right on the first attempt. After all, I only had twenty minutes and little in the way of resources since everyone else on my team took what they wanted.

Grabbing a couple of test tubes, I began pouring the contents of one into the other, stopping short at several millilitres. I put one back and picked up another only to put it back again, as it wasn't what I needed. My mind started to recall how to produce what was needed to move onto the next stage, and luckily, my team had left me enough of the key chemical necessary for the final result. Picking up a tube filled with green liquid, I added it to the tube of blue liquid I had before adding a red liquid followed by a pink liquid. This turned the entire mixture blue, and upon quickly looking at what my teammates had done, they had all achieved the same thing. Now it came down to warming it up with the Bunsen burners.

Putting on my goggles after taking them off briefly to rub my forehead, I turned on the burner, attached the tube to a clamp, and began to warm it up. I had to be careful at this stage of the process. The liquid had the potential to explode if it received too much heat. It needed just the right amount of heat before the final process could begin, and that was perhaps the hardest part. We had to shake our test tubes a few times to see if the liquid remained stable. If it remains blue in colour, then we've achieved our goal. If not, then it could blow up and would give one school, both, or neither an advantage in the baking portion of the event.

Once I was satisfied that I had warmed up my compound, I shook it several times and closed my eyes, fearing what might happen. To my pleasure, the liquid remained blue, so then I looked to see if everyone else on the team had achieved the same thing. Everyone had blue liquid in their test tubes, aside from Derpy, who ended up with red. Before I could say something, it exploded in her face, but luckily, all she received was a face full of smoke. I didn't pay attention to what Derpy had done, so I couldn't tell where she went wrong.

Fifteen minutes later, after cleaning up the mess Derpy had accidentally caused, we had all made our way to the kitchen for the baking contest. Aside from Rainbow Dash and myself--the worst cooks on the team--everyone else was busy working on their creations.

" A shame that you and I aren't baking anything." I said.

" I'm not complaining, and neither should you, Sunset. If either one of us had to go over there and bake something, we'd have probably caused a fire or something. I'll admit that cooking isn't my specialty, but it's pretty lame anyway, so I never bothered practicing." Rainbow Dash said.

" Dean Cadance was pretty clear about what they had to do."

" Which is why we oughta be thankful."

" I'm surprised they were given so much freedom to bake whatever they wanted."

" I'm not. I've seen Pinkie bake, and I know you can make really cool stuff. I just don't want to. Pinkie, though? I know she is going to cream those Shadowbolts; this is her specialty. All those years of baking are gonna pay off for us big time!" Rainbow Dash said. I stared at her, a glum expression appearing on my face, and she immediately knew that wasn't what I had in mind. I was grateful for the insight--unexpected from her--but I wanted a concise explanation of the rules. " Okay, Sunset! No need to give me that look!"

" Then can you explain why they have freedom?"

" Sure! Dean Cadance told them to bake something of their own design using whatever ingredients they wanted. The challenge here is working under a strict time limit and knowing how you think it will turn out. Judging from what I can see, some of those cakes look like they belong in a garbage bin or need to be put out of their misery. Glad I'm not gonna be embarrassed when the judges come along to taste those things." Rainbow Dash answered.

I looked at the cakes to see for myself, and I agreed completely with her opinion. The cakes baked by the boys looked really unappetizing, and one of them was just a loaf of bread with sprinkles placed on top of it. I knew right away that wasn't going to impress Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, and Dean Cadance, the judges who had to taste each cake to determine who would move onto the next stage.

" Who baked the bread?" I asked.

" Flash Sentry and Bon Bon. I heard the latter comes from a long line of bakers, but maybe that was an overstatement."

" What's that one cake that's supposed to be smiling, but looks really sad?"

" I call it a mess."

" Rainbow!"

" What? It's true! Just look at that thing! I don't think anyone in their right mind would eat that!"

" Guess it's up to Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy to get through to the spelling bee." I said. The judges had since ignored the two undesirable cakes, yet they also passed over on what looked like a pretty good creation from Rarity and Applejack. Upon a closer inspection, it looked presentable, but all those different things didn't exactly mesh that well together. At least it wasn't bread and whatever the other cake was.

The three judges then made their way over to the last entry from the Shadowbolts, and it was definitely better-looking than the other entries thus far. The two bakers appeared confident that they had a real winner, but the look of their cake meant nothing if it wasn't tasty. It had been emblazoned with the Shadowbolts' emblem, a rather cocky maneuver, but also meant to provide additional decoration.

Celestia, Luna, and Cadance were each given a slice and enjoyed the taste, going by their smiling faces. This was going to be a difficult cake to beat, but Pinkie Pie once again decided to defy reality. When she cut her cake in half--it was about half her size--it opened up and revealed an exact replica of the "Mona Lisa". How in the world did she do that!? How did she produce a cake version of one of this world's greatest masterpieces? Even the judges were shocked and dropped their forks in response.

" Unbelievable!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

" I think we know who won this baking contest." I said.

" Only Pinkie could've come up with something like that, but how did she come up with that?"

" You're asking the wrong person."

" At least we won this stage."

" Yeah, but you have to wonder how the Shadowbolts must feel for losing." I said. My answer quickly came when I caught Principal Cinch out of the corner of my eye. She approached the two students and glared at them with so much disappointment, one of the girls accidentally dropped the cake onto the floor. It splattered all over. I felt bad that Cinch had to treat her like a failure. Even her own partner gave her the same glaring expression. Teamwork wasn't a strong concept for Crystal Prep, judging from what I had just seen. If one of their own shows weakness, they were treated as such and shunned in the process.

As much as I enjoyed my friends winning the baking contest, I didn't like what the Shadowbolts were doing to one another. They truly did care only about winning and would cast aside their very own if it meant securing a victory.

" Pinkie made a cake that contained within it one of the greatest works of art in modern history?" Twilight asked.

" Surprising, isn't it?" I asked.

" Not to mention highly illogical, but I guess it is Pinkie."

" Regardless, it was enough to give CHS a victory in the baking contest of the decathlon. I admit what I said about feeling bad about those two Crystal Prep students who got chewed out by Principal Cinch. I mean, their cake looked really good and definitely had a lot of work put into it, but it just wasn't enough." I said.

" Like I said to you before, Sunset, victory means everything to Crystal Prep. To Principal Cinch, you must win no matter what, otherwise you were weak and quite worthless to the academy. The two students in question were Suri Polomare and Upper Crust. They usually don't work on anything together, as the latter prefers to do anything with Jet Set. By the way, you should know that I wasn't there to witness the baking contest." Twilight stated. I nodded my head but refused to say anything more about that subject.

In truth, I was so fixated on the different cakes, her lack of presence never registered with me. I just assumed she was somewhere hiding in the back, but she didn't even see any of the impressive--and not-so-impressive--designs. Perhaps Twilight wanted to focus on what she thought was important, namely, the spelling bee, as that, along with the finale, were right up her alley.

Or maybe, she wanted to check to see if her pendant could detect any magic within the vicinity. I'm personally leaning towards the former, but the latter is most certainly possible.

Our friends and I did everything in our power to make sure our magic didn't make itself known. Some might say that Pinkie's Mona Lisa cake came about as a result of magic, but I don't agree with that in the least. I'd say it was her unique skill to make anything out of baked goods, defying logic at the same time.

" You could tell that CHS came to compete despite the odds against us." I said.

" I don't think Principal Cinch was expecting your team to last all that long."

" Never underestimate anyone; you never know what they're capable of."

" What happened to Derpy?"

" She wasn't hurt or anything when her test tube blew up in her face."

" Your journal mentioned she was covered in black smoke."

" It took less than two minutes to clean her up. Again, she was fine, although she was disappointed that she was eliminated so early in the competition. I thought she was going to go far, but destiny had other plans." I said.

Turning onto the next page of the journal, another photo greeted Twilight and me, depicting what looked like a birdhouse, yet the project appeared deformed in a few places. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, and Twilight asked what was wrong. Again, she didn't witness this part of the decathlon. She should've paid attention, as woodshop is pretty cool to watch--not to actually make anything out of wood--but still to watch.

" In woodshop, teams of two had to build birdhouses, yet you'd think they'd know how to make one. This was one of the 'finished' results, and I do take that term lightly."

" It resembles something you would find out in the woods, or maybe in a landfill."

" More like a mixture of the two."

" What happened here?"

" The Wondercolts learned a valuable lesson, and that was to make sure your blueprint was up to snuff."

So far, the Academic Decathlon was progressing smoothly. Only a few students from each team had been eliminated, yet many at CHS had expected a blowout instead. They believed Crystal Prep would have won the event within the first stage, but the Wondercolts had proven themselves to have a lot more mettle than the Shadowbolts--or fellow CHS students--thought.

Because we were still in it, the event shifted from cooking to woodshop. I had never taken a course in woodshop before, so I couldn't participate even if I had been forced. I guess it was lucky that my compound was declared the best during the chemistry segment. If not for that, I'd be on the sidelines watching my friends. What was strange was Rainbow Dash somehow getting the runner-up score even though she didn't like science all that much.

Twilight had proven why she was the best student at Crystal Prep by receiving the best score on her team, allowing her to bypass into the spelling bee. Her score was identical to mine, so it looked like my intellect would be pitted against hers. However, her teammates weren't thrilled that she beat them. I could tell they were unhappy, as they shot her dirty looks, letting her know she was unwanted. I would've said something in protest, but I doubt Principal Cinch would've allowed my complaint to stand. She was one of the judges, so she could accept or refuse any issues an athlete might have.

Despite that one slight, the woodshop section proved to be very interesting. While the baking contest produced some undesirable results, woodshop was more refined in that students didn't have to make something ugly. That's what I thought would happen, but I was surprised by how some students clearly didn't understand the concept of making something relatively simple.

" In this stage of the event, students will work in teams of two in order to build a birdhouse." Dean Cadance announced.

" That's it!? I was expecting more of a challenge!" Sour Sweet said.

" Normally, you would receive a blueprint to act as a guide, but not in this contest. You will need to work together to come up with an ideal blueprint and use that to make a birdhouse using materials found in this room." Dean Cadance said.

" Okay. That does make it a bit more difficult. We'll still win anyway!"

" Please make sure you don't argue over who gets to use the equipment first. Despite this being a contest, have the courtesy to refrain from doing anything that could cause someone to get hurt. Remember, these are dangerous machines that can cause serious injury. You will have thirty minutes to build a birdhouse of your own design. The more effort you put into it, the more points you will receive from the judges." Dean Cadance said.

" Do we get time to make a blueprint?"

" You will have ten additional minutes beforehand to create one. Now, you do not have to follow the design on the blueprint your team creates. Rather, it will serve as a reference guide should you have need of it. How you make your birdhouse is entirely up to you. Safety goggles must be worn at all times! Are both teams ready? You may begin this stage of the decathlon... now!" Dean Cadance answered, ringing her tiny bell to signal the start.

The woodshop room had been set up to accommodate the two teams by having two large tables complete with blank blueprints and measuring tools. The machines had all been prepped and ready to go a couple of days before so that there wouldn't be any problems.

Like a flurry of bees, both teams began to work on what kind of model they wanted to use to act as a guide for their respective birdhouses. Since only six students remained on either team, three birdhouses would be made for each.

Five minutes into the blueprint design phase, both teams were feverishly hard at work coming up with something.

" What is our team doing over there?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I've got no idea, but they seem to be struggling with jotting something down." I answered.

" How could they be stumped by a blueprint!? It should be easy to come up with a plan."

" Maybe not as easy as we thought."

" If I were helping them make a blueprint, I'd show them how it's done!" Rainbow Dash said. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention towards what was happening. Rainbow was a lot of things, but she wasn't skilled in woodshop. She had often ignored it--it was an elective--yet I was the same. I wasn't good at working with wood, but at least I graciously admitted my fault. Rainbow was more vocal because of seeing our team struggle. She eventually caught onto my eye-rolling and responded in kind. " Okay! I get it! I know I'm acting like a complete jerk, but I mean, why is our team having so much trouble? Aren't they some of the best students woodshop has had?"

" Maybe the pressure is getting to them?"

" I hope not. They need to remain calm if they hope to beat Crystal Prep."

" You should follow your own advice sometime."

" Point taken." Rainbow Dash said, blushing slightly before focusing on our team. It took them until the end of the ten minute grace period before they finally produced a blueprint, and I was shocked at what they had produced. Rainbow looked for herself, and she slapped her forehead before groaning.

Their blueprint consisted of a crude drawing of a birdhouse with three question marks beside it. Was that their strategy? To just go with it? I wasn't feeling confident about their chances of winning, especially when the Shadowbolts presented their blueprint. What they had looked incredibly professional and was detailed right down to the smallest detail. It was pretty obvious who was going to win this stage of the decathlon.

Once the teams were ready, they scrambled to get to the appropriate machines and started cutting pieces of wood. Since the Wondercolts were winging it, they had no proper measurements to work with, and that meant cutting in random spots if they thought it was enough. The Shadowbolts, for their part, made sure every piece was cut at the right length, and any pieces deemed unfit were tossed away. I had to admit their superior skill was very much evident instead of just bragging.

Cutting the wood was one thing, but painting and building was another. The teams could go with any colours they wanted, but they needed to use the correct nails to keep their birdhouses together. Using the wrong nails would cause the entire thing to either fall apart or become full of holes. I noticed that Indigo Zap and her partner were making sure no one saw what they were working on. Were they afraid of someone coping them? Or, did they want to keep it a surprise for later? Either way, they were working in unison with one another, switching between different phases to ensure both got equal time with the machinery, paint, and nails.

After what felt like forever, Dean Cadance rang her tiny bell to signal that time was up, and then she, along with Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, began to walk along to judge the different birdhouses. Not only did CHS struggle with the task, but Crystal Prep also had problems. Many of the birdhouses had the tiny ledge in the wrong location or at a different angle, but the worst one belonged to Sandalwood and Microchips. Their birdhouse looked like it had been put together without any effort, and Luna reminded them of that fact by using a tiny hammer to knock it down. In comparison, Indigo Zap and her partner finally presented their work, shocking everyone in the room. Not only was their birdhouse perfect but they had also turned it into a duplex. No doubt, Crystal Prep had won this stage of the decathlon.

Now all that remained was the spelling bee and the finale, and the former was the one part I had been looking forward to.

Some time later, we had all gathered back in the gym to begin the spelling bee. My friends and I managed to make it to this stage. Representing the Shadowbolts were Indigo Zap, Twilight, and what I assumed were the former's closest friends. We had been asked to wait in wooden booths until we were called to come up.

I wasn't nervous but rather excited over showing off my spelling skills, yet I wasn't the only one who felt that way. I could tell that Twilight was just as excited as I was. We were both in our natural element, with our teammates merely being there to fall aside while we proceeded forward. It sounded rather harsh to think of it like that, but it would soon be proven accurate.

" Congratulations on everyone making it this far." Dean Cadance announced.

" Now that half of each team remains, it's time to whittle down the numbers even further until one member from each team is left." Principal Celestia said.

" Each of you will come up onto the stage and spell out a word correctly. As I mentioned before the start, these words were used in official spelling bee competitions, so don't expect an easy treatment. If you spell your word incorrectly, you will be eliminated immediately and be asked to return to your corner until this stage has concluded." Dean Cadance said.

" If you want to have a sentence associated with the word you're given, you may ask one of us to do so."

" We do accept alternate spellings of a word should any exist, as long as it is an official spelling of the word. As an example, the word 'colour' may be spelt 'C, O, L, O, U, R' or 'C, O, L, O, R'."

" One student from CHS and one student from Crystal Prep will face off against each other at a time."

" Each of you will be given at least one word, so don't think you can just go through if you're the only one left on your team."

" Would Rainbow Dash and Lemon Zest please come up to the stage? You two shall be the first to begin the spelling bee. You already tossed a coin earlier to determine which school goes first, and we can announce that CHS won the toss." Principal Celestia said. Rainbow wasn't happy about having to go first, but she quickly accepted her fate and walked up to the stage until she was standing opposite of Lemon Zest, who seemed oblivious to her surroundings. She was wearing her headphones, showing a lack of care, but she had the volume off in order to hear the incoming words. " Is everyone ready? Good! Now, let's get started. Rainbow Dash, would you please spell 'hippopotamus'?" Principal Celestia asked.

" This'll be a piece of cake. Hippopotamus: H, I, P, P, O, P, O, T, A, M, A, S!" Rainbow Dash answered.

" Sorry, but that's wrong." Principal Celestia said, shaking her head slowly.

" What do you mean 'that's wrong'!?"

" Hippopotamus is spelt with a 'U' in-between the 'M' and 'S'. You spelt it with an 'A' instead, and so you are wrong." Principal Celestia answered. Rainbow then returned to her seat, obviously frustrated over how she got such an easy word wrong, but I had to focus on when my turn was coming up. " Alright, it's your turn now, Lemon Zest, so please spell out the word 'Munchausenism'? Do you require a sentence first?"

" Nope! I'm fine." Lemon Zest answered, adjusting her headphones. " M, U, N, C, H, O, U, S, E, N, I, S, M."

" I'm afraid that's wrong."

" Bummer."

" There is no 'O' in Munchausenism, so please sit back down, and we shall ask the next students to come up to the stage." Principal Celesita said.

This carried on for several rounds, with one student from each team coming up to spell a word, yet it quickly became apparent that none of us were prepared to be on the spot. Words that they got wrong included "immigration", "chauffeur", "rhombus", "onomatopoeia", and "cymotrichous", just to name a few. I wasn't surprised with so many wrong answers, yet I thought this stage would last a while. I guess we weren't prepared to handle something like this, yet I was quickly proven wrong when Twilight spelt her word--"isosceles"--correctly without breaking a sweat. With her getting it right, it fell to me to get my word correct.

" Alright, Sunset. You're the only one left representing the Wondercolts. If you get this word wrong, you will be eliminated, and Crystal Prep will automatically get the victory. I know there is a lot of pressure riding on this, but please take your time." Principal Celestia said.

" I'm used to having pressure." I said.

" Just because I'm your principal doesn't mean I'll go easy on you. Now, the word I want you to spell is 'Unnilennium'." Principal Celestia said. The word sounded familiar, but I couldn't think where I heard it before. It didn't really matter, as I had to spell it out either way or lose and give Twilight and Crystal Prep the victory. That would lower morale for CHS, and to lose that early in the Games would make us nothing but a stepping stone. I thought about asking for the word to be used in a sentence, yet no one else had asked when they were given their words. Resorting to an easy alternative like that would've labelled me weak. My only option was to spell it out correctly without any assistance.

" Unnilennium... Unnilennium." I said, quietly while trying to sound the individual letters to myself.

" You have plenty of time to answer, Sunset."

" I know."

" Also, if you even mumble something that can be interpreted as an answer, that will be accepted as such." Principal Celestia said. I immediately closed my mouth. I almost lost the event for my team all because of quietly speaking the letters. If Principal Cinch had been one of the judges for the spelling bee, she would've declared me eliminated, but fortunately, I had Celestia, Luna, and Cadance as judges. Knowing that I had to keep quiet, I began imaging what unnilennium would sound like in my head. I made sure each letter was articulated properly before I felt comfortable enough to say something.

" Unnilennium... U, N, N, I, L, E, N, N, I, U, M."

" That is correct." Principal Celestia announced. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing I had gotten it right. I turned to face my teammates, who were happy that I was moving on, yet the same couldn't be said for the Shadowbolts. They glared at me before doing the same thing to Twilight. Why would they give her such unwarranted displeasure? They should be happy one of their own was joining me in the final stage. Principal Cinch then walked up onto the stage, looked at both Twilight and me, and then pointed at a pair of chalkboards that had been set up behind us before the spelling bee had begun.

" I am certainly surprised that someone from Canterlot High has made it this far. In the past, none of you had ever made it past the first stage of the first event, but here one of you has achieved the impossible. Perhaps you have the potential to become a fine student at this institution, or perhaps at Crystal Prep, should you wish it. We shall now proceed with the final stage of this event." Principal Cinch said.

Was she trying to convince me to transfer over to Crystal Prep? I won't deny that I had originally considered it as an option when I first came to this world, but then, that was because my thought process at the time involved seeking a school that was easy for me to conquer. CHS had succeeded in turning me around for the better, so would going to the academy reverse that and turn me back into a cruel person? I felt compelled to keep a close eye on Principal Cinch. She may have been coy with her choice of words, but I knew what she had in mind. She saw me as CHS's best chance at beating her own best student, Twilight, so she figured having two geniuses would allow Crystal Prep to dominate everything.

No matter what, I had to remain true to my school and fight off any attempts at her luring me away.

" Why are you stopping there?" Twilight asked.

" All of that reading really took a lot out of me." I answered.

" It feels weird how you purposely stopped shy of the final part that pitted our intellects against one another."

" To be honest, I think it's best to explain what was going on in my mind during the finale once I've regained my composure. When the event was over, you clearly beat me, but our friends wanted to know what happened that caused me to get the incorrect answer." I said. Everyone at CHS already knew that I was the best student, yet it was something I never really considered important. I just wanted to be seen as an ordinary girl who happened to excel in her studies. I never felt the desire to brag. That was an act the old Sunset Shimmer wouldn't hesitate to do. My thoughts during the event remain true even now.

Cinch wanted me to transfer to her academy in an effort to further solidify her school's position as the best in Canterlot. I didn't know it at the time, but there was also another reason behind her actions. Twilight had proven difficult to rein in, so maybe Cinch wanted to give her a true competitive rival that would give her the incentive to want to work even harder than ever. That, in turn, would make Twilight decline her application to Everton and remain at Crystal Prep of her own volition. Good thing that never happened. I proved too strong to be swayed by the prestige that surrounded Crystal Prep.

" Do you remember where you went wrong in your calculations?"

" Yes, and I can't believe that I didn't carry over the two. If I had done that, I'd have gotten the exact same answer."

" Perhaps the pressure got to you? It certainly made me uncomfortable."

" When you've got students and school administrators watching you, it's impossible to feel calm all while working on a complex equation."

" I am shocked at what Principal Cinch said to you."

" She made certain to look me in the eye when she did."

" But, do you really think she wanted you to transfer to Crystal Prep?"

" In her mind, I had the same level of intelligence that you did. To have someone who was on equal footing with her best student, and from a different school, was unacceptable, so she wanted to convince me to abandon everyone I held dear in order to focus my efforts towards my education. I know that's what I got from her little speech, and you may not agree with me entirely, but that's what my heart was telling me. The old me would've left CHS the instant she said those words, but the current me wasn't about to give up on those who had finally welcomed me with open arms." I answered.

" Did Principal Celestia say anything?"

" No, but she and Vice Principal Luna gave Cinch quite the disapproving glare." I answered. Who could blame them for reacting like that? Cinch wanted me for my brain. Any extra baggage attached to it wasn't her concern. It was strange that she never attempted to coerce me like that again. Maybe she thought her true intentions were being exposed, so she doubled back and decided instead to focus on having her students win the Friendship Games?

Leaving CHS would also mean the magic problem would have no one experienced to try and understand it. Also, the portal would remain unprotected from those who get too curious for their own good. Then, there was Princess Twilight and the possible reaction she would have had had I taken up Cinch's offer. Her Highness would've been proud that I desired the pursuit of knowledge but heartbroken over abandoning friendship in return.

" Dean Cadance remained indifferent."

" No surprise there, but then, she didn't have much of a choice."

" She always did question Principal Cinch's actions without her knowledge. She confided in me a lot."

" At least you had one human friend there."

" I don't believe we ever discussed your level of intelligence tonight, did we?"

" No, but I'm glad you brought it up. In order to understand what I was going through while working on that mathematical equation, I should tell you about how others felt about my intelligence and my own personal opinions." I answered.

Chapter 66: Equation

Day: Friday
Weather: Rain, sunny later
Time: 11:32am

The Friendship Games were finally underway, and none of us expected what was required of us for the first event. Despite being told that it focused on the entirety of the CHS curriculum, we had no advantage going into this one against Crystal Prep. First, we had to create a chemical compound using precisely the right mixtures and the right amount of heating to get our compound. Derpy ended up with smoke in her face after her test tube blew up, leaving us one teammate out of the competition. The cooking contest defied expectations when Pinkie Pie showed just how skilled she really was, defying reality by somehow recreating the Mona Lisa in cake form. Woodshop resulted in favour of our opponents with their duplex birdhouse, and the spelling bee eliminated everyone apart from myself and Twilight. All that remained was to solve a mathematical equation. It would be a test of intellect and the desire to win for your school.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
April 2, 2016
Chapter 66: Equation.

" You said that you're the smartest student at CHS, right?" Twilight asked.

" Unlike you, who flaunts it about because you desire knowledge, I wanted to keep my intellect hidden from the prying eyes of my fellow students. When I first came to this world, I had no problem showing what I perceived as 'superiority' by deftly overcoming any academic challenges they threw at me. Everyone--including the teachers--were shocked at seeing someone who could solve complex calculations that took the most dedicated of mathematicians months to understand." I answered.

" So why did you change?"

" Because of my life shattering all around me."

" The Fall Formal?"

" Yes."

" You held back your talents because of that!?"

" In Equestria, I was the pride and joy of Princess Celestia. In my eyes, I was better than her other students. They weren't being taught by her personally, and I mocked them as not amounting to anything because of that. Upon coming here, I continued to believe in my superiority, enabling me to bring CHS under my thumb. Deep down in my heart, I didn't care about receiving acclaim for my academic achievements. They were just pointless baubles, while my real prize continued eluding me." I said.

" Sunset..."

" Once I was exposed for who I really was and tasked with fixing the damage I caused, I began to rethink about my perspective on life. I used my intellect to make student's lives miserable, and not once did I regret those actions until after the fact. It occurred to me that my intelligence had caused so much pain. I chose to hold back and allow others to flourish." I said. Placing my hand on my journal, I began to think back to those first days after the Fall Formal ended. Even though I had to fix the front entrance after breaking it using my dark magic, I still attended classes out of a sense of obligation.

Before the Formal, I constantly got perfect scores on assignments and tests. Everyone else around me struggled to have such consistency, yet I made it look too easy, reminding them of my superiority. The idea of me receiving a high school education sickened me back then. I wanted Princess Twilight's crown and to become an alicorn, but I needed to keep my true desire hidden. Attending classes and passing simple challenges gave me the distinction of being CHS's blazing sun, but I didn't care about their opinion of my academic skills. I only did any of that stuff to throw anyone suspicious of me off of my trail. If someone got too close to uncovering the truth, I exposed their secrets to everyone, humiliating them into silence.

Things changed after the Formal. I still attended classes like before, but I didn't want to rely on my intellect. I knew that I was still smarter than everyone, but my actions made me want to hide my intellect in shame. My teachers were concerned about my grades slipping so suddenly, and they insisted on me seeing Principal Celestia about whether there was something wrong with me.

I remember how it began. It started with a 97%, followed by a 92%, then 84%, 71%, 58%, 43%, until I reached a low grade of just 15%. Some would say that such a slump was normal, but that would happen gradually over the course of several months, and not a few weeks. When Celestia asked me what was wrong, I didn't answer her. I think she knew that I wanted to punish myself in a way no one could stop.

" How bad did your grades go?" Twilight asked.

" My GPA slipped under a 2.0 within weeks."

" That's pretty serious."

" Other students continued at their own pace regardless of my own actions, yet they thought I was being pathetic in wanting to act like I was stupid. They thought it was a ploy to ask them for sympathy, but they didn't know what I was going through." I said.

" Why hide away your obvious talents?"

" I didn't want to hurt anyone ever again."

" While that does sound noble, it also sounds illogical, not to mention completely pointless. You are one of the smartest people I know, Sunset. While you've experienced torment no one else can ever understand, by holding yourself back, you became fearful of your own abilities. I would say that what you did was the coward's approach of handling the situation; you ran away from the problem instead of confronting it." Twilight said.

" It was Princess Twilight who showed me the truth about my intellect."

" That isn't surprising."

Her Highness has often assisted me in dealing with my own problems more often than I've attempted to figure out how to solve them myself. She had her own issues to deal with back in Equestria, so taking time out of her schedule just to give a pep talk filled me with guilt. Was I really that bad at understanding my own plight? Or, was I afraid of my intellect becoming another crutch adding onto the ones I already had? The more I thought about it, the more it made me realize just how complex I have become since the Formal. If not for Her Highness, my life would still be following a status quo of my own invention.

" Do you recall when she and I talked in the kitchen during Pinkie Pie's slumber party?" I asked.

" You both felt like you were letting everyone down because of not meeting their expectations?"

" I always believed that Princess Twilight had more pressure than me, but I now believe that I had more than she ever did."

" What makes you say that?"

" She never needed to change who she was. Even when ascending to an alicorn, she still remains as the book-smart, kind, nerdy, and well-mannered girl who, despite having occasional freak-outs, was always there for you whenever you needed her." I answered.

" And you?"

" I had no choice but to change."

" Because of what happened?"

" Changing was something I had to do in order to not wind up being alone. Princess Twilight was quite serious when she mentioned that as the consequence were I to not take the opportunity she offered and become much better for it in the future. You above all others know what it's like to be alone for a long time. Even with Spike, you didn't have anyone to actually talk to until meeting us." I answered.

" It wasn't easy for you to change, was it?"

" The hard part was finding acceptance by my peers, but it was an easy process once I convinced myself that it was worth going for. It was also difficult during the first few weeks, as everyone ridiculed my existence since that I did the same thing to them, but that's what karma does to you." I answered. As a bully, I victimized everyone around me no matter what their position in life was. In my eyes, they were all beneath my notice, insects that I could crush under the heel of my boot.

When I began to reform and change my attitude, I became the victim of bullying, and the cycle of hatred shifted in the opposite direction. If I had truly been petty and unwilling to change, my tormentors would've been humiliated after rubbing my name in the mud for so long. They, in turn, would seek their revenge, and I would follow with getting mine until hatred consumed everyone entirely. By choosing not to accept their bullying, I broke a vicious cycle that had been created by my own hands. I had effectively killed a creation that shouldn't have existed in the first place. The pressure was on for me to not regress back to who I was, and there was so much that could've caused me to repent. Only my temper remains as a reminder of my old self. I try to remain calm, but it isn't easy.

" Once you realized that holding back didn't do you any good, what happened afterwards?" Twilight asked.

" I became a math tutor and helped those who were struggling. You'd be surprised to discover that math is the least popular subject at CHS. Most students want to avoid it entirely, but they know that they require it for postsecondary. It doesn't help them when they find out that the majority of diplomas and degrees need at least high-school-level math." I answered.

" Do you like math?"

" I'm not obsessed with it like Her Highness, but I do like the subject."

" So when we had to solve that math problem, you weren't panicking over the prospect of solving an advanced equation?"

" We both knew what was awaiting the finalists of the first event, but we weren't expecting something like that. While it looked like I was concentrating on solving the equation, my mind was struggling to ignore Principal Cinch's words. I just couldn't ignore her attempt at convincing me to leave CHS in order to achieve an education that could only be provided by Crystal Prep. So, I needed a distraction in order to tell someone about my problem with what was happening, and you more than anyone knows what I did." I answered.

I knew the first event of the Friendship Games would feature both teams coming out and showcasing their best, but I didn't expect to see so many different surprises. While it was unfortunate that Derpy was eliminated during the chemistry portion, everyone else succeeded in producing the required compound. I actually thought Derpy would be one of the first to actually get it right. Despite some students referring to her as a bubble-head--she daydreamed a lot--she was one of CHS's more prominent students. She made the team, after all, so that had must have meant something, right? Still, she didn't allow elimination to get her down. In the remaining stages, Derpy opted to be our team's cheerleader, but I admit that her choreography could do with a little work.

Pinkie and Fluttershy dominated the baking contest, yet I still can't figure out how Pinkie managed to recreate the Mona Lisa in cake form. I knew much about famous works of art through several history courses, with one of them focusing on the Renaissance. The Mona Lisa was famous for how long it took to create--several years--yet Pinkie did the exact same thing in just under thirty minutes. I knew that she could defy reality, but sometimes, her antics were just too incredible to consider being at all possible.

Unfortunately, Crystal Prep outdid our team during the woodshop contest. It still annoyed me at how so many students from both teams had no idea what a birdhouse was supposed to look like, but who was I to openly criticize them? I had no skill in cutting wood, so they supposedly knew better.

It was the spelling bee that eliminated everyone from the competition, apart from myself and Twilight. I suspected she was going to advance all the way through. She had been labelled as Crystal Prep's best student by Principal Cinch, and that made her the biggest threat among the Shadowbolts. Her lack of physical prowess was understandable, but it was her brains that warranted concern. I was pretty confident with my own intellect, but I lacked proper training compared to what Twilight must have gone through. Crystal Prep was known for throwing students through wave after wave of challenges designed to bring out their best qualities. CHS didn't do anything of the sort, so that gave me a disadvantage.

As I stood staring at the mathematical equation before me, I began to think on how best to solve the problem. It looked simple upon first glance, but it quickly became apparent that it was more complicated than appearances suggest. We were given the beginning of the equation along with a diagram to act as a guide. From there, Twilight and I were to figure out everything else. I had no doubt that Cinch knew what the answer was, and I suspected that she had created this equation in an effort to remind everyone that this was the standard at Crystal Prep. She wasn't expecting anyone from the Wondercolts to make it this far, so seeing me coming up to the final challenge must have been surprising for her.

And yet, Cinch's words continued to haunt my mind. I knew, alongside Principal Celestia, that she was trying to convince me into transferring over to Crystal Prep. I had a gift of genius that was being wasted in her mind, so she wanted--desired--for me to go to the one place where I could go beyond my own limitations. While it was possible for me to take her up on her offer, I had no desire to betray my friends, my school, and most importantly, my family. I've experienced too much to abandon them now, but why even bring it up in the first place? Surely, there were students from other schools as gifted as I was? Then again, did it have to do with giving Twilight a rival? Whatever Cinch's reasoning was, I had to resist any temptations and focus on beating Twilight.

" The final stage of the first event will require our two remaining competitors to solve this mathematical equation." Principal Cinch announced.

" Are you sure that's a math problem?" Someone from the audience asked.

" This is the kind of equation those with high intellects are capable of solving. It is the kind that one who goes on to postsecondary education must solve consistently in mathematics courses. If these two cannot solve an equation of this magnitude, neither of them will last beyond high school." Principal Cinch answered.

" Isn't that being excessive?"

" I shall brook no further questions from the audience. If you continue to behave in such an abhorrent manner, you shall be ejected from the gymnasium. Only the two competitors will be allowed to address any concerns, but I am certain that will not be the case. Do I make myself clear?" Principal Cinch asked. I couldn't tell which student decided to speak out, but they quickly went silent, especially when Cinch glared at them with those piercing eyes of hers. " Our competitors have ten minutes to solve this equation. If time runs out, they must stop immediately. Failure to do so will result in an immediate disqualification. The winner shall be determined by who has answered the question correctly."

" What if neither of us have finished?" I asked.

" Then the one who completed most of the calculations shall be declared the winner."

" Ten minutes doesn't seem long enough."

" It is a standard requirement for all institutions. I trust that Canterlot High follows this example as well?" Principal Cinch asked. I remained quiet and she took that as a sign that she had proven her point. My teammates looked on in surprise, yet there wasn't anything they could do to speak out against how she chose her words. " I shall assume your answer to that question is 'yes'. I shall be watching both of you closely to make sure that neither of you are cheating. Are there any further questions from you, Ms. Shimmer?" I doubted Cinch believed that I had told her the truth. Principal Celestia gave us free reign over how much time we took to solve a problem, yet what I was facing along with Twilight wasn't an ordinary problem. It was one beyond what our curriculum required, but I felt that is what Cinch wanted. Her student was in her element, but the same couldn't be said for me. I liked solving equations like the next genius, but not anything university-based.

I turned my attention towards Twilight, and she simply stood there without uttering a single word. If I didn't know any better, I could swear that she wanted to say something, but was unable to because Cinch had some kind of hold over her. Was she dangling something over Twilight's head? I wanted to ask, but it wasn't my place. Cinch might have assumed I was questioning what little ethics she was using. I had to think of something to ask in order to tell anyone about my opinions of what was happening, and that's when an ideal question popped into my mind. Surely, someone like Principal Cinch would accept a small request as what I had in mind.

" Can we ask for some pointers from our respective principals before starting?" I asked.

" Why would I allow such a request?"

" I thought you and Principal Celestia could impart some valued wisdom on us. You could also question us on whether or not we're up to the challenge. I'm not saying for either of you to hold our hands throughout this challenge, but perhaps give us a brief pep talk instead." I answered. Cinch looked at me as though I were planning something, but my concern was on Twilight, who looked at me with surprise. If my suspicion was right, and Cinch was manipulating her, then I hoped Twilight would forgive me for making her endure more torment at the hands of her principal.

" Canterlot High must be worried that their best student cannot compete with Crystal Prep's brightest, but I shall agree to your request. It seems as though you need it far more than Twilight does, so consider this to be a small reprieve." Principal Cinch said. She walked over to Twilight and looked down at her before saying something I couldn't hear. In the meantime, Principal Celestia got up from her chair and approached me with a confused expression. To be honest, I wasn't really sure if my plan would work. I knew I had messed up with my delivery, but at least it worked out.

" I'm not sure why you needed for me to give you some advice, Sunset." Principal Celestia said.

" I don't need any advice." I said.

" What? Then why ask such a question?"

" I needed to tell someone about how I feel about Principal Cinch's actions, and I figured you were the best authority figure to talk to."

" You shouldn't allow her to get under your skin, Sunset."

" I know, but ever since she mentioned my potential, I knew she wants me to consider transferring over to Crystal Prep. Even you must have felt that she stepped out of line when she said that in front of everyone. It's been gnawing away at me, and I don't think I can concentrate on solving this math problem." I said.

" Principal Cinch is known for trying to convince gifted students to transfer to her school, and much of the time, she succeeds; the temptation is too strong. You are the smartest student CHS has, Sunset, yet I know you'd never betray those you view as your family." Principal Celestia said. I backed a single step away from her in response to what she just said, but she simply smiled before enticing me to come back to avoid making a spectacle of myself. " Everything that happens in this school eventually reaches my ears in one form or another. Your friends were concerned with what was happening to you regarding the stress my sister and I placed on you, so they approached me the other day while you needed a moment to be alone."

" That's not really--" I said, before Principal Celestia placed her finger over my mouth.

" What you were doing during that time is your own business, Sunset, and I have no right to force you into explaining yourself. Whatever kind of stress is currently affecting your mind, do not become consumed by them. All that will do is tear you up inside. Vice Principal Luna and I could never forgive ourselves were that to happen. Despite what you did in the past, you're different now, and everyone at this school knows this. As for what Cinch said, remember that you have a family who greatly cares about you. Her words can never come between such a powerful bond. Now, since you did ask for me to give you some pointers, and we do have to give off that impression, allow me to share one thing: Don't forget to include any remainders. Many students have failed problems like this because of forgetting those." Principal Celestia said.

Without saying another word, she walked back to her seat and sat down before smiling at me once again. Even though she wasn't the same as Princess Celestia, she acted like a surrogate mother to me. No matter what kind of difficulty I faced, I knew that she was there to impart her wisdom and guidance. I wished that I could've told her about what happened by the statue, but perhaps it was best that she remained in the dark. Despite accepting magic flowing freely about the school, Principal Celestia probably wouldn't believe that the statue houses a portal that connects to a magical world filled with pastel-coloured ponies.

I was more concerned with what she said about not succumbing to my stress instead of the advice she gave me about remainders. If only she could be in my shoes for one day and understand what my stress does to me mentally. While that sounded tempting, I had no intention to tempt fate. Celestia would eventually come to terms with what I have to do to protect this world from the threats that could come through the portal. For now, she would only understand a small portion of what was really happening with me.

Turning my attention back towards Twilight, I noticed that she looked nervous after speaking with Principal Cinch. I had a hunch that their conversation wasn't friendly or even professional but a cold reminder of the consequences of failure.

" Twilight is prepared to begin the final stage of the Academic Decathlon. Am I to assume that you are ready, Ms. Shimmer?" Principal Cinch asked.

" I'm as ready as I'll ever be." I answered.

" You may now pick up your pieces of chalk, but do not begin writing until I give you the signal to do so."

" Good luck, Twilight." I said, smiling at her, yet she didn't respond to my good gesture. She was either focused squarely on solving this equation or was ignoring me because I brought Cinch down on her in my attempt to speak with Celestia.

" There is one last rule that shall be enforced strictly. If either one of you looks at what the other is doing, that shall be seen as cheating, and you will be disqualified. I trust that both of you will keep your eyes focused on your own work and show us just how good you both are. Begin!" Principal Cinch announced, raising her hand to indicate that the final stage had now begun.

Both Twilight and I quickly looked at the diagram on our respective chalkboards before we started writing down the start of the equation. If anyone else from the Wondercolts had made it to this stage instead of me, I could imagine them looking at the diagram with a glum expression. The diagram itself was an isosceles triangle that featured several unknown angles labelled with question marks, measurements also with question marks, and five letters indicating which angles and measurements were deemed important. It was a lot for me to take in due to Cinch's words hitting the back of my mind. Was this equation designed to test me to see if she thought me worthy to attend Crystal Prep? I hoped not.

After staring at the diagram again to remind myself of where I was in the equation, I continued to write down my solution, the sounds of chalk banging against the chalkboard reverberating all around me. This was also true with Twilight. I could hear her writing down feverishly on her board, prompting me to pick up the pace or else be left behind. I couldn't afford to fall behind, what with the time limit Cinch imposed.

Speaking of her, she was watching our every movement closely, and it was unnerving to no end. It was like she was waiting for one of us to make that one mistake that would cost us everything, so I needed to focus on solving the equation. It didn't help that the audience remained dead silent. All of those factors made me feel stressed, but I had to remain calm in the face of adversity, or else lose my composure. CHS was relying on me to secure a victory against our rivals, and that was the biggest stress of all.

Eventually, I started sweating, my mind slowly melting into jelly. This equation had proven much more difficult than I thought. " If I carry the three, subtract the six, then add the seven, multiply it all by eight, halve it, and finally add the square root I calculated earlier, that should give me something. But, that might not be correct. Gah! I should have no problems solving something like this, yet my mind wants me to give up. Maybe starting with the four will provide a more adequate result." I said to myself, panicking over what was really getting to me. I could still hear Twilight working away on her side, and I suspect she was having similar issues. While I had no problem with being tested, this was just too much for a pair of high school students.

" Okay, that part is sorted out, so now I need to apply this to that." I said to myself, quickly looking over what I had done so far. To everyone in the audience, it probably looked like a jumbled mess of numbers, but to me, it was hopefully the solution which would catapult me to victory. " If anyone is feeling the pressure more than me, it's Twilight. She must be a nervous wreck right now, and adding Cinch's harsh words from that pep talk I requested probably didn't do her any good. It's strange, though, that my school cheered for me when I approached the stage for the final equation, yet her school didn't do anything of the sort. Why give her the cold shoulder and no comfort?" I asked myself. It was a question that would be answered within a matter of moments.

" Times up!" Principal Cinch announced.

" That felt like forever." I said quietly.

" Now, both of you please stand back and allow me to look over your respective answers."

" Which one of us got the answer right?"

" Patience. Give me a few moments to look over both answers and point out the one that is incorrect. Do not assume that I do not know the answer, and do not think that I will be biased toward my own school; since I directed a student to draw the exact same diagram on each chalkboard, no one had an advantage over the other." Principal Cinch answered. Her eyes started scanning both chalkboards religiously, and I grew nervous wondering if what I wrote down was the right answer. On my board, I wrote down thirty as my final answer, while Twilight wrote down twenty. I'm not sure how she got that number, as I made sure to keep tabs on all possible numbers. Then again, my mind was preoccupied by Cinch's words, so I wasn't entirely sure about my own calculations.

After a few minutes of looking over both chalkboards without ever taking her eyes off of them, Cinch then pointed a finger at one of them. " Incorrect!" Sadly, the one she had pointed at was the one I had used. My heart felt like it had been shattered, my body felt crestfallen. My efforts had not been enough, and Twilight secured the win for her team. I glanced over towards her and she was ecstatic over having won, but when I looked at the Crystal Prep students, they showed no signs of being happy about it. " Since Ms. Shimmer's result is wrong, she has been eliminated from this event." Principal Cinch said.

" That means the winner of the Friendship Games' first event is Twilight Sparkle and Crystal Prep." Vice Principal Luna announced. Suddenly, a camera flash blinded me momentarily and upon regaining my vision, I saw that Photo Finish had taken a photo at the inconvenient time of my loss. Other CHS students glared at her, and she sat back down, but not before blushing out of embarrassment. This wasn't the result any of us were hoping for. We had trained our hearts out to be able to stand up against Crystal Prep, and in the end, I failed to live up to our expectations.

Even though several members of the Wondercolts proved themselves to be ineffective through the decathlon, it fell onto me to receive the blame. After all, I had to do the hardest part of the event, with both my intellectual reputation and dignity on the line. I ended up losing both in a single moment. If there was anything that I could take from what happened, it was the fact that Twilight didn't receive the proper ovation from her peers. Was she really viewed differently? I didn't know that answer at the time, so it eluded me for a while.

" Sorry for getting you scolded by Principal Cinch." I said.

" You did it in order to tell someone, so I'm not going to hold it against you." Twilight said.

" And if I had done it just to have a friendly chat?"

" I wouldn't be here right now."

" Point taken."

" Principal Cinch gave me a stern reminder of what was at stake when she gave me her 'pep talk', yet I wish she had kept her distance. She told me that Crystal Prep's reputation hung in the balance, so I had to win in order to maintain the academy's perfection. What was important to me was used as leverage to ensure I would comply. If I had stood up for myself instead of taking her verbal assaults, I could've competed on my own terms." Twilight said.

" It was that application of yours, wasn't it?"

" Yes. I really wanted to go to Everton at the time and had worked incredibly hard just to get their attention. Principal Cinch knew what she had to do to keep me under control, and no one aside from her even knew what was going on." Twilight answered. It must have been almost unbearable for her to be constantly reminded that her dream could be snuffed out just like that without warning, and all because of a competition designed around a pointless school rivalry. Deep down, I knew something had bothered Twilight during the Games, but it never occurred to me until after it was all said and done. " I know what you're probably thinking, Sunset: Why didn't I tell someone that I was being blackmailed into competing as a Shadowbolt?" Twilight said.

" The thought did cross my mind."

" At Crystal Prep, no one ever questioned the ethics of Principal Cinch. This was especially true of the teachers and other staff members. Their jobs were more important than dealing with any problems the students may have had. Only Dean Cadance ever took it upon herself to speak to the students about those problems. After all, it was part of her job as Dean to guide students down the right path." Twilight said.

I personally didn't fault the teachers of Crystal Prep for thinking along such lines. After all, they needed their jobs to earn a living, especially considering how bad the economy has been around the world lately. Yet, they lacked courage to stand up to Cinch and tell her she was crossing the line.

From what Twilight told me about her meeting with Cinch, she had no choice but to compete through blackmail. Her application was her personal prize, and losing it meant losing everything she had worked so hard for. Even though Dean Cadance was on her side, she wasn't able to help out Twilight as much as she liked. She was still on Cinch's payroll and could easily be terminated were she to question her superior. No matter what ended up happening, Twilight was stuck either way.

" Do you think Dean Cadance knew that Cinch had something over you?"

" If she did, there wasn't much she could do."

" Did Cinch bribe or blackmail other students?"

" Not that I'm aware of."

" Then why you?"

" Because I was the best student Crystal Prep ever had in its entire history. I was practically Principal Cinch's meal ticket who won numerous awards that served more to strengthen the school's image and her reputation than to making me feel good about my accomplishments." Twilight answered. Talk about having a stressful experience. It's like I told myself before, there were others out there who had just as much stress as I did, or even worse. It seems this world doesn't understand the concept of letting things go and living out a peaceful life where you could do whatever you wanted.

That's what it was always like in Equestria, unless you happened to be an elected official or one of the princesses. Humans were always in a rush to get things done and only piled on more problems as their days went by. Having so much on one's shoulders is surely risking having a heart attack or something. Ponies were more content and took things at a much slower pace. Some were as hectic as humans, but again, their position warranted that.

" I never felt that way myself."

" CHS has been very kind to you, Sunset, and I hope to receive the same kindness. Now, you said that you were pretty upset about losing to me in the decathlon. I know that you worked hard to defeat me and prove how smart you were, but you didn't need to put yourself down so much." Twilight said.

" Our friends said something similar when we had a brief discussion outside by the Wondercolt statue."

My loss at the hands of Twilight continued to sting. I had done everything I could to bring victory to CHS, but instead, I failed to answer the equation correctly. I looked up at the chalkboard I used and gasped in horror at the realization that greeted me. Quickly looking at what Twilight had written down before turning back to my own work, our calculations were completely identical up to a point where I had forgotten to include the remainder in my equation. How could I have missed that!? Principal Celestia even warned me about them while giving me some pointers. Knowing this made me consider slapping myself for making such a careless mistake.

I obviously refrained from self-injury, as that wouldn't accomplish anything. Instead, I had to deal with the fact that I let down not only my team but also the entirety of CHS, all because of a single number. Looking back at Twilight, she was still excited over having won the decathlon, but she wasn't as happy as someone in her position ought to have been. It looked like she was trying to entice excitement from her school, but they weren't budging in their stoic presence over her accomplishment. Either they thought she wasn't worth their time to celebrate or they figured they could've done better.

Before I had a chance to let it all sink in, I heard footsteps coming from behind me. I turned around to find my friends approaching, Applejack wrapping her arm around the back of my neck, everyone with smiles, Rainbow Dash included.

" Truly amazing!" Rarity said.

" That was awesome!" Rainbow Dash added.

" I can't believe you actually said that." I said.

" Why wouldn't I congratulate you for doing so well?"

" You mean, you're not upset that I lost the event and allowed Crystal Prep to move one step closer to winning it all?"

" Yeah, winning the decathlon would've been sweet, but I can accept the results for what they were." Rainbow Dash answered. I was expecting her to be the most upset given how she wanted CHS to beat Crystal Prep at any cost, yet she appeared totally complacent. Perhaps I had underestimated her ability to recognize that not everything needed to result in a win for it to be considered important.

" That was as close to winnin' as Canterlot's ever been." Applejack said.

" Really?" I asked.

" I'm bein' honest with you, sugarcube. In past Friendship Games, we never managed to get past the second stage of the first event without everyone on our team being eliminated." Applejack answered.

" That doesn't sound all that encouraging."

" Y'all did your best."

" More like I made a mistake." I said quietly to ensure none of my friends heard me. That was when Dean Cadance walked up onto the stage with the five Shadowbolt members who gave me a hard time during the party last night. Twilight had since walked over to join them, but I could tell they weren't thrilled with her being so close.

" After a careful tally of the points, we'd like to present the students moving on to the Friendship Games' second event." Dean Cadance announced, waving her hands at both teams, resulting in the audience cheering. I knew my friends and I would easily make it given how well we did, but I secretly hoped that the lesser known Shadowbolts had moved on instead of their best. It was unfortunate that the rest of the Wondercolts were permanently eliminated from the Games. They deserved some kind of recognition for all their hard work and dedication to preparing themselves. " I would also like to make another announcement. Originally, we planned on having the second event later today, but the construction workers needed more time, so we will now be having that event tomorrow instead. I'm sorry for the inconvenience in addition to the fact that the Games will conclude on a Saturday, but we don't have much of a choice."

The cheers from the audience suddenly changed to moans over the announcement, yet I was feeling mixed messages about it. On the one hand, I could redouble my efforts and do much better in event number two. On the other hand, I had more time to blame myself over making the mistake that cost CHS.

Since there was nothing more to do, my friends and I proceeded to leave the stage. I looked over my shoulder and saw Twilight leaving with her teammates, but it was the gathering of the principals that intrigued me the most. Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, Principal Cinch, and Dean Cadance appeared to having a deep discussion--most likely related to what Cadance had announced. Whatever they were talking about, it seemed serious given their finger-wagging.

About ten minutes later by the Wondercolt statue, Rainbow Dash was pacing about, trying to come to terms with the delay.

" I can't believe they delayed the Games until tomorrow!"

" This is a most unexpected twist." Rarity said.

" I was all psyched to get back out there and do my part to win it for us, but how can I now that they've gone and done this?"

" Perhaps they truly did need more time in order to ensure that the playing field was properly prepared."

" What in the world are they doing back there?"

" I'm sure that whatever it is, darling, they are working diligently to rectify the situation, post-haste. Although, I have to admit that it could make whatever the next event is become even more difficult. I am certain that the Shadowbolts are more than prepared when it comes to adjusting their game plan, but our team doesn't have that same luxury. We certainly did a lot of training, but only in the last couple of weeks. They have no doubt been training for months." Rarity answered.

" Way to kill the mood!"

" There's no point in worryin' about somethin' that's beyond our control anyway. We can take this free time to plan out our next move. Half of our team got eliminated in the first event, so that just leaves the six of us to take on the best Crystal Prep has to offer. Granted, they lost half o' their own in the same manner, so it's not like they have an advantage. We just need to buckle down and do our best." Applejack said.

" I guess you're right." Rainbow Dash said.

" 'Course I'm right." Applejack said. She then turned her attention towards me when she noticed that I had been looking down at the ground since coming out here. I didn't want to get involved in the conversation due to still feeling bad over how I let the team down. If only I had paid attention to my calculations instead of worrying about Cinch's words and my own commitments. I could've at least tied and forced a sudden death situation to occur instead of what happened. " You okay, sugarcube? You've been mopin' like that for some time now, and I reckon you oughta speak your mind." Applejack said.

" I've been thinking about what happened when I was writing down the answer to that equation." I said.

" You still did remarkably well." Rarity said.

" Even though you lost, you did better than the rest of us could've done." Rainbow Dash added.

" That's just it, though! I could've won had I remembered the remainder." I said. Without giving my friends any warning, I dropped down onto my knees and pounded my fist into the ground several times, stopping short of causing it to bleed. My knees weren't doing any good either given that they collided with the hard concrete surrounding the statue, but I needed to vent out my frustration in the only way I knew how. " If I had listened to Principal Celestia's advice and not allowed my problems to mess with my head, I could've gotten the same answer as Twilight! Instead, I let CHS down by making such an amateurish mistake!" I had the urge to pound my fist into the ground again, but I refrained. It would've done me no good to hurt myself with such a pathetic display, so I stood back up and rubbed my bruised hand. Looking up at my friends, they were concerned with what they had just witnessed. " Sorry about that. I just felt this urge to vent out all of the anger I had built up inside me over how stupid I was for making that mistake."

" You made one mistake and freaked out that much about it!?" Rainbow Dash asked. All eyes then looked in her direction, Applejack giving her a cold stare as though she knew what she was about to say next. " Well, it's actually a lot better than what the rest of us would've done. We'd have made at least several mistakes, and I would've made about a dozen. Math isn't my best subject, so if anyone could've done what you did, Sunset, I'm glad it was you." Her words, while commendable, didn't make any sense. Rainbow was trying to be nice without coming off like an egghead, and all it did was make her sound incoherent.

" I think what Rainbow was tryin' to say was that you don't need to beat yourself up over what happened." Applejack said.

" Yeah! Those are the words I needed."

" Like I said, Sunset, that was the closest CHS has gotten to winnin' the first event. Be proud that y'all accomplished somethin' the rest of us have never done before. Even if other students in the future achieve what you did, you'll still have the distinction of bein' the one to do it first." Applejack said.

" There is no need for you to mope about." Rarity added.

" What would I do without you girls?" I asked.

" Probably continue moping around for a really, really, long time until you either get fed up with it and do something to occupy your time or embrace it until it becomes second nature and consumes you from the inside out." Pinkie Pie answered. That wasn't one of her better random responses, but at least she was consistent. My friends were right about me not allowing my mistake to dictate my life. I needed to focus now more than ever on helping the team to win the next event tomorrow. " Why don't we all go to the cafeteria and gorge ourselves on some food? That should take Sunset's minds--and ours, too--off of what happened earlier." Pinkie Pie said. Her suggestion won immediate approval from everyone except for Fluttershy, who seemed nervous about something.

" If it's okay with you, I, um, will stay here." Fluttershy said.

" Why not come with us?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" I, um, need to take of something really important. I think you know what that is." Fluttershy answered, patting her backpack a few times. It didn't take a genius to understand why she did that. We all knew Fluttershy brought several pets with her to school and hid them in her backpack, yet none of us ever informed any of the teachers about it. School policy said pets weren't allowed on the premises, but who were we to deny Fluttershy one of the few joys she loved.

We all nodded our heads and began to head back inside, Pinkie having jumped down from the statue like a monkey. I didn't know why, but I felt that leaving Fluttershy on her own was going to cause trouble. I should have at least stayed behind to keep her company, but my friends insisted I go with them to calm my nerves. My premonition was getting the best of me, but I ignored it in favour of hanging out with my friends. Sure, it looked like Fluttershy would be fine taking care of her pets, but I would soon add her to the list of my friends having had her magic drained.

If there was one positive to come from Fluttershy losing her magic, it was that she found out what was going on by witnessing her magic being drained. Even though I suspected Twilight of having done something to the portal, I had no actual proof. The next time I saw Fluttershy, I would start piecing together everything that was happening regarding the missing magic.

" Right after all of you left Fluttershy, I decided to follow her in order to see what she was up to." Twilight said.

" Fluttershy told me that the two of you had something in common." I said.

" We both snuck our pets into school, although I was surprised that she was able to fit several into one backpack. Of all of the pets she had brought with her, it was her bunny that proved to be the most effective in making me feel better." Twilight said. From what I recall, Fluttershy's bunny Angel--or Angel Bunny, sometimes--was very sweet and enjoyed being cuddled but on rare occasions displayed a mischievous streak perhaps grown out of regret. I'm not surprised that he would be amongst Fluttershy's pets. In fact, she was almost never seen without Angel in her arms.

At least the version of him in this world is adorable and easy to get along with. Princess Twilight once told me about the other Angel, the one from Equestria. That version of him constantly abused Fluttershy into doing everything he told her, and he knew exactly how to make her bend to his will. I thought it was fascinating that a bunny could possess so much free spirit yet lack any compassion. It certainly wasn't a good relationship. On only a few occasions did Angel do exactly what Fluttershy asked of him; most of the time, he did whatever he wanted. I'm no expert when it comes to pets, even if I do help out at the animal shelter, so I don't know how a bunny could exert so much control.

" You were feeling upset?" I asked.

" Fluttershy was curious as to why no one from Crystal Prep was happy about the fact that I won the decathlon for them. I believe I mentioned this to you before, Sunset, but students from Crystal Prep don't care about anything they didn't do themselves. In their eyes, they had to have been the one to achieve greatness. Everyone else was just an obstacle." Twilight answered.

" So she offered you kindness, something you rarely experienced?"

" It felt like she and I were kindred spirits."

" One of Fluttershy's more endearing qualities."

" Did she explain how my version of Spike suddenly talked?"

" The rest of our friends didn't know what to say about it, but I knew what happened." I answered. Of course I would know the answer. After all, her pendant had stolen a magical portal that connected to Equestria and began creating those portals at an uncontrollable rate. Every time Twilight stole some magic, it resulted in the creation of several portals that connect to unknown locations in Equestria.

According to Fluttershy, a rabbit with antlers--a jackalope--popped out of one of the portals, and Spike began chasing after it in typical dog-like fashion. Both went in and out of several portals, until Spike came out of one alone and right into the magical energy leaving Fluttershy's body. No doubt that caused him to be capable of speech, yet I suspect his visit to Equestria also played a part. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but briefly experiencing my home world contributed to his new ability. Fluttershy's magic resonated with animals--she ponied up of her own volition because of hamsters--so Spike talking relates to that.

" I'm curious as to what happened after I ran away." Twilight said.

" You ran away from Fluttershy?"

" No, from Spike when he suddenly answered my question."

" Makes sense you'd react like that. After all, it was a sudden surprise to you."

" Still, I want to know what happened."

" We discussed what Fluttershy experienced after we left her, and I started piecing things together. However, I came to realize that there was something I hadn't taken into consideration, and it could have made things a lot worse had I not thought about it." I answered.

Chapter 67: Suspect

Day: Friday
Weather: Mild
Time: 2:09pm

I had a lot on my mind going into the Elimination Equation Finale, and what Principal Cinch said only added more. I was certain that she was trying to coax me into transferring to Crystal Prep, but I resisted her honeyed words and focused on solving a rather difficult mathematical equation. Unfortunately, speaking with Principal Celestia forced Twilight to be scolded, and I wasn't sure if she would forgive me for making her go through that awful experience. In what would go down as an epic clash between brilliant minds, I failed to overcome the challenge because of a small mistake on my part. Twilight won for Crystal Prep, yet her school didn't seem thrilled about it. Later, I told my friends about what happened, and despite insisting that I failed, they reassured me that I did the best that I could. It was the kind of momentum I needed, as the second event had been delayed until tomorrow. The delay proved useful, although it came at the cost of Fluttershy's magic.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
April 8, 2016
Chapter 67: Suspicion.

" What didn't you consider before?" Twilight asked.

" Your pendant stole the magic from the portal, so that enabled it to create additional portals to Equestria." I answered.

" Didn't you already establish that my pendant malfunctioned after absorbing the portal?"

" No, I never knew. It wasn't until Fluttershy's magic was taken that I began putting the pieces together. If she hadn't noticed you draining her magic, I wouldn't have concluded that you had stolen the portal and would've merely attributed it to an unfortunate coincidence." I answered.

" So, you thought you could use my pendant to open a portal?"

" Not necessarily. I knew that the portal was unstable due to how Princess Twilight rigged Princess Celestia's journal to power some kind of contraption she made, so simply creating another one and going through it would've been suicidal. Your pendant created small portals that were also unstable, but they were enough to allow small creatures to come through to this world without any problems." I answered.

" How do you explain the plant monsters?" Twilight asked. She had a good point. Compared to the small sizes of the jackalope and Spike, the plants from the Everfree Forest were much larger. In theory, it would've been impossible for those monsters to have come through in such high numbers, yet there was one factor that changed everything.

Applejack had informed me after the Tri-Cross Relay had finished, her magic had been stolen by Twilight sometime during the event. When various magical energies are merged together, the resulting mass grows stronger with every bit of magic fed into it. Twilight's pendant was only capable of creating small portals that were strong enough to show an image of Equestria and nothing more, as the portal wasn't strong enough to be sustainable. Fluttershy's magic enabled that jackalope to come through without any trouble, and Applejack's magic enabled the plants to come through, although they didn't fully transition. Their heads came through, while the stems were still stuck in Equestria.

When Rainbow Dash lost her magic, it opened up a large portal that caused rain to fall down on top of us. While everyone else thought it was a sick joke on Twilight's part, I knew that it meant her pendant had absorbed enough magical energy to cause widespread destruction were it to be unleashed without the proper containments in place. If I had known much sooner about what Twilight was doing, and had she used enough common sense to stop using the pendant, what happened to her could've been avoided.

" By absorbing Applejack's magic, you gave your pendant the magical strength it needed to be able to sustain them." I answered.

" Principal Cinch said that CHS was responsible for the madness that plagued the relay."

" But in reality, it was you who had unintentionally caused it."

" My curiosity got the better of me. A voice in my head kept saying that I should continue to absorb the magic in the hopes of uncovering its secrets. I should've ignored that voice and just put it away somewhere so no one--not even me--could've gotten their hands on it." Twilight said.

Her idea that a voice told her to do wasn't entirely farfetched. One of the first lessons Princess Celestia taught me was how magic and powerful artefacts could corrupt a pony by taking advantage of their insecurities. All it takes are the right words to convince someone to lose control. Even if that someone possessed a willpower stronger than most, they could shatter if the temptation was strong enough. Twilight was corrupted too easily; she desired knowledge, but that was a mask hiding her true intention: to get back at a world which had wronged her. While I never had a voice telling me to do things, I lacked the willpower to change my destiny until Her Highness gave me a second chance.

" I could've used your pendant to open up a portal long enough to send a message through to Princess Twilight."

" Why didn't you?"

" First of all, I needed the pendant, but there was another problem."

" What's that?"

" Since the portals were opening up to random locations across Equestria, there was no way of knowing where my message would've ended up. Her Highness could've received it were luck on my side, or it could've been found by a pony I probably don't even know about." I answered.

" I'm sorry for using my pendant the way I did." Twilight said, tears trickling down her face. She was a lot like me in that our past mistakes haunted us after committing them. I had overcome my own inner demons, aside from reconciling with Princess Celestia, but Twilight continued to come to terms with becoming a monster that almost brought about the end of two worlds all for the sake of knowledge. I placed my hand on her shoulder and followed up with a hug, making sure her tears didn't stain her clothes and fog up her glasses. She wasn't bawling or anything but rather shedding several tears out of a sense of regret.

" Twilight... It's like I said to you before. Going by my own experiences, the others from both schools will forgive you. Right now, they will give you a hard time, but that's only natural, as they have no other means of expressing their feelings over what happened. Just give it about a few weeks. Although, I'm not sure if Principal Cinch is going to be willing to forgive you. She's an entirely different beast in and of herself. Now, to change the subject, what was your reaction to Spike talking?" I asked.

" Thank you." Twilight answered, wiping away her own tears before regaining her composure. " I must admit that I was surprised to hear him speak like we do. I've always been a firm believer of science, and seeing a talking dog defied logic. Yet, I see it as a blessing, as now we can talk to one another instead of my doing all the talking." Twilight then took off her glasses in order to adjust them. Before putting them back on her nose, she looked up at the ceiling as though she were in deep thought about something. " Principal Cinch approached me soon after Spike started talking and made a suggestion that horrified me."

" What was it?" I asked.

" She wanted me to spy on you and our friends."

" For what reason?"

" It was her aim to understand what was behind the secret to CHS's 'new-found success', as she coined it. She wanted me to get to know each of you better so that you would divulge some secrets she could use to give the Shadowbolts an advantage. I told her spying was wrong and refused to go along with it, but she countered by reminding me about my application to Everton. It was my Achilles Heel." Twilight answered.

" Want to talk about it?"

" Maybe later. Right now, I want to know what happened to Fluttershy."

" Before I go into that, there is something that occurred before our friends and I ran into her. After speaking with them about what happened during the finale of the decathlon, I had to deal with Flash Sentry, who was concerned about my well-being. He also wanted to know whether or not Princess Twilight was coming. It's a brief conversation, as he did have somewhere else to go." I said.

In the eyes of my friends, I had gotten over my mistake that cost me the win during the Academic Decathlon. In truth, I still felt miserable about it. I wasn't upset over not winning, as I personally didn't care about that. No, what had gotten under my skin was knowing that I made such an amateur mistake. Someone of my intellect should've noticed that I didn't include the remainder. If I had listened to Principal Celestia, I could've forced a sudden death scenario against Twilight. Were she to have won like that, I'd be more inclined towards accepting my loss and not mope about, like I had been doing.

What was really unusual was how my friends congratulated me on getting as far as I did. Were they serious about CHS never having gotten so close to winning the first event of the Friendship Games? Or, did they say that in order to brighten my mood? If I were to be honest with all of this, I was expecting Rainbow Dash to have scolded me for not winning the event, yet she said that I was awesome for having come so close. Had I been wrong about her regarding my feelings all that time? It quickly became obvious that the other CHS students didn't feel the same way my friends did about my performance. It made sense that they were upset. After all, Rainbow had given them a pep talk in an attempt to bolster their confidence, and that meant beating Crystal Prep despite the odds. That never happened.

Twilight proved that she was just as smart as I suspected her to be. She didn't allow her emotions to cloud her mind, while I couldn't stop thinking about what Principal Cinch said to me just before the finale started. Coupled with the other issues that resulted in my stress, it was a miracle that I even functioned properly. And yet, I suspected Twilight had her own inner demons to worry about. Whenever she looked at her fellow students, they looked back with disappointing glares. She was proclaimed by Cinch to be their best, so why not rally behind her instead of shunning her? I guess it doesn't matter. Who was I to get involved in affairs that didn't concern me? Still, I felt worried for Twilight's well-being despite what she supposedly did to the portal.

No matter what, though, tomorrow's second event was a crucial one. A victory for CHS meant the final and deciding event would take place, and we would still have a chance to pull off an upset that had never happened before. If Crystal Prep won, then the Games were over, and our efforts would amount to nothing. My mistake wasn't about to suddenly go away just because my friends made me feel better. My fellow students were going to watch me to ensure that I didn't mess up again and cost the school its one chance of actually beating its greatest rival. Would there be more chances in the future? Perhaps, but only if CHS won. A loss would shatter what little morale we had.

After leaving Fluttershy, my friends asked me to go to the cafeteria with them, but I politely declined, saying that I needed some time alone to think about how to approach tomorrow's event. I was fortunate that the construction workers still needed more time in order to perfect the playing field. Yet, having to wait a while longer meant being nagged by my insecurities over whether I'd make another mistake that would cost CHS the Games.

Making my way to the stairs that lead up to the upper level of the library, I sat down at the bottom and began thinking about everything that had happened. Stress had been something I had accepted, given how much I often received from day to day, but it was beginning to tear me apart. Everything that plagued me prior to the Friendship Games were still there, yet now there was the missing portal, failing to live up to my school's expectations, and even the idea of transferring to Crystal Prep. If not for Princess Celestia having taught me about discipline--one of her greatest lessons I neglected after our falling out but rekindled later--I'd have cracked several times over.

" Something on your mind?"

" Huh?" I exclaimed, looking over my shoulder. Standing behind me, body tilted forward, was Flash Sentry. I was surprised to see him there, as I thought he would still be upset over being knocked out of the Games due to his performance during the baking contest.

" You seemed to be upset, so I thought maybe I could talk to you about it. That is, if you want to."

" I actually could do with someone to talk to."

" Can't say that I'm jealous that you and your friends are moving onto the second event." Flash said as he sat down next to me. " You girls totally deserve the chance to truly represent our school. If me and Bon Bon had done better than we did, I'm sure one of us would be competing tomorrow."

" You two baked bread with sprinkles." I said, glaring at him with disappointment.

" Not our greatest moment."

" What happened?"

" Bon Bon is an excellent baker, but she can only bake when there's no time limit or pressure on her. Whenever she baked something in her parents' business, she took her time to make sure it was perfect. The Games didn't exactly give her the opportunity to go with her strengths, so she fell apart once the time restriction kicked in." Flash answered. I was surprised at how articulate he was regarding how Bon Bon felt. If not for the time limit, she could've shown everyone that her training had been worth the effort. Unfortunately, destiny had other plans that didn't involve her. " And don't get me started with how bad I was."

" I take it you're not baker material?"

" Never did have an interest in it, but I knew some of the basics, so I wasn't completely pathetic. If the event had been something music-related, I'm sure that I'd have made it to the second event, but that would've meant competing against you and the other Rainbooms." Flash answered. I then noticed him blushing, and my first instinct was telling me that he still had some kind of feelings towards me.

That notion quickly left my mind when I allowed common sense to correct me. Flash and I were just friends and nothing more. The chances of the two of getting back together again were slim to none. In his heart, he only had one person on his mind, and that was Princess Twilight.

Despite how cute they were together, I just saw it as nothing more than a crush he had until he found someone else who was within the realm of possibility. I wasn't saying that Flash was no good for Her Highness, but I mean, come on, the fact that she came from a different world prevented it from being a reality. Still, I had to admire his tenacity.

" I know what you're thinking about."

" Was it that obvious?" Flash asked. I nodded my head while closing my eyes, and he felt slightly embarrassed. Until Princess Twilight first came here, Flash never used to be nervous about expressing his feelings and keeping them under control. I actually liked this change about him; it meant he wasn't one-dimensional. " I just can't stop thinking about her and whether or not she's okay where she is. It's been several months since she last paid CHS a visit, so I always worry if my own actions caused her to want to stay away." He didn't know about my meeting with Her Highness, but that was something I didn't want him to know about. It was beyond his realm of understanding, given how he and the majority of CHS were clueless about the magic swirling around them.

" She'd love nothing more than to come here, Flash, but her commitments prevent her from doing so."

" You girls never did mention where she goes whenever she has to leave." Flash said. I gulped heavily before turning my head away from him. Only my friends and I knew the truth about where she went after finishing her business. I doubted anyone would believe that Her Highness and I came from a world filled with talking, pastel-coloured ponies. Turning back towards Flash, he was annoyed at how I suddenly ignored him, but he shrugged his shoulders. " Figured it's something you don't want to mention, but I suppose nothing I say will change your mind."

" It's hard to explain."

" Most likely, so I won't say anything more about it, but you should think hard about trusting others with certain secrets. Anyway, so what's been bothering you, Sunset? You didn't come here just to sit down and sulk. I know you better than that." Flash said.

" I've been moping ever since losing the Elimination Equation Finale."

" Oh, that. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it."

" What do you mean? You saw how disappointed everyone in CHS was when Twilight was declared the winner."

" Sure, they were upset that Crystal Prep won, but they are happy with the fact that the Wondercolts actually put up a decent fight. In the past, we always got creamed before the first event had truly gotten underway, so seeing how well we did definitely made an impact that's gotten the Shadowbolts worried." Flash said.

" That's not what I saw when they looked at me."

" Everyone was just shocked that you lost, but they'll get over it."

" I made a small mistake!"

" So?"

" What do you mean 'so'?"

" No one's perfect, Sunset, not even you. Everyone makes mistakes. It's just a fact of life that we all have to accept. If you ask me, being perfect would be pretty boring; it means no one would have any flaws that they could improve on, and we'd all be the same as each other." Flash answered. His logic didn't make much sense, but I understood what he was saying. My mistake wasn't as bad as I was making out to be. If someone else had been in my position, they could've have made the same mistake, or a different one, anyway. I shouldn't be beating myself up over something that was beyond my ability to control. " Oh, and you can blame Principal Cinch for making you feel uncomfortable."

" You actually caught that?"

" Both schools heard her say that, but I figured she was referring to you. I don't know why she said that, but don't let her words get you down; the same thing goes with your moping over making an honest mistake. CHS may be down right now, but we'll bounce back when the second event happens tomorrow. I still wish that I could be competing, but I know that you and the others have to do what the rest of us couldn't. Just don't let expectations control your mind, okay? Anyway, I've got to get going and meet up with my bandmates for a jam session. Might as well not sit around and do nothing." Flash answered.

" Guess I'll see you at the field tomorrow... and thank you."

" We may not be together anymore, but you can always come to me whenever you have a problem." Flash said. He then got up and started walking to the right, turned around, and winked at me before leaving the area. I didn't know if his winking gesture was an attempt to woo me or was his way of reminding me that he would always be there to listen to my problems.

In any case, Flash had reassured what my friends had told me. I shouldn't have been kicking myself over losing the Academic Decathlon because of one mistake. I did the best that I could given how much stress I was under and made dozens of mistakes in the process. That alone would've humiliated me in front of both schools, so I should be grateful that I gave Twilight a worthy challenge despite not beating her.

Yet, I still felt uneasy over how the rest of Crystal Prep treated her after she had won the event in their name. Was this something that all Crystal Prep students did to one another, or was it just towards Twilight? If she were truly miserable being there, why not request for a transfer? Did Crystal Prep even understand what it meant to showcase compassion towards one another? Those were questions I had no answers to. If I had gotten to speak with Twilight, perhaps I could've gotten a better understanding of her situation rather than guessing.

Knowing that I had to get physically and mentally prepared for the next event, I got up and was just about to find my friends when they found me instead. Something didn't look right at first, and upon them reaching me, it became obvious that something was definitely not right. Fluttershy seemed exhausted and was leaning on Pinkie and Rarity to walk. Had someone decided to pick on her? Maybe she tripped after we left her and couldn't walk? Or, maybe she suddenly came down with an illness? Fearing the worst, I asked Applejack what the problem was. Her answer chilled me to the core.

Fluttershy had become the latest.

" Since I already know what happened to Fluttershy--I unintentionally absorbed her magic--we can focus on what Flash Sentry said. I'm surprised that he didn't mention anything about me to you." Twilight said.

" Yes, I did view that as rather odd. Despite his best intentions, Flash usually bumps into Princess Twilight whenever she pays a visit. The two of them are magnetically drawn to each other, and I like to think the same thing applies to you, as well. After all, you bumped into him when you decided to follow the magic your pendant had pinpointed." I said.

" He actually thought I was Her Highness."

" Despite looking completely different, I think Flash ignored all of that and instead focused on what was on the inside."

" Oh, and he thought that I was going to help CHS win."

" I don't blame him for thinking that."

" Did Her Highness' contributions truly affect everyone?"

" Like I said before, she was able to fix the damage I had been causing for three years, and CHS has been better ever since. She may be a princess, but Her Highness often puts the needs of her subjects before her own pleasures. Sometimes, those personal pleasures do cause some interesting scenarios to develop." I answered. I began giggling to myself for a moment while Twilight looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face.

Regaining my composure, I told her that I was just remembering some of the things Princess Twilight told me about while responding to my Friendship Reports. Before and after becoming a princess, she went through some experiences that involved her wanting to fulfill some personal problems. One example was sending Princess Celestia a message every week that reflected upon the friendship lessons she learned. She was so desperate to solve a friendship problem, she actually used a spell to create a problem. From what she told me, it almost caused the downfall of Ponyville, as ponies were fighting over a stuffed pony toy Her Highness had as a filly. It sounded strange, but she insisted that happened.

Another instant she expressed to fulfill a personal desire involved not having to deal with the likes of Discord. I personally never met him but heard stories about what he used to do and how he was reformed by the pony version of Fluttershy. If Princess Twilight had her way, she would've banished him from Equestria several times over, but knows she must give him a chance to prove himself worthy to be around them.

Twilight then glared at me, and I knew she wanted to know what was funny. I then explained to her about the Smarty Pants--the name of her stuffed pony toy--incident, since that one was meant to be made public. Her Highness told me that abusing magic would only lead to further problems being created. She also said to never rely on magic to solve all of one's problems, as other methods had less side effects. Wanting something and being responsible went hand-in-hand, even when many ponies didn't think that was the case.

" And here I thought she was elegant."

" Princesses in Equestria do have to abide by some rules, but much of the time, they act of their own accord."

" Did Flash know you were from another world?"

" He sometimes said that I was different from other girls. I thought he was trying to make me sound special, but I think that deep down, he knew that I wasn't really human, but his mind and heart couldn't agree on whether to accept that as the honest truth. Even when I was using him to increase my popularity, I never mentioned Equestria, thinking that he was just a stupid human." I answered.

" You would learn that he wasn't like that, right?"

" Flash does portray stereotypical jock characteristics, but he has a good heart and knows how to help his friends. You know, he would be similar to Fluttershy if not for those characteristics. That, and he lacks her strong connection with animals." I answered.

" Did what she say help you figure out what I was doing?"

" Yes, but there was still one answer left."

" What was it?"

" Why?"

Flash's kind words had been enough to make me not worry about my stress-related problems, yet when my friends presented an exhausted Fluttershy to me, those words went right out the window, and my stress suddenly returned stronger than before. Applejack had told me that she spotted Fluttershy laying down on the front lawn. We shouldn't have left her on her own despite her saying that she would be fine. Fortunately, the only problem she was suffering from was fatigue brought on by having her magic drained from her. And yet, it was a serious issue that had gotten much worse.

Despite Applejack telling me what had happened, I wanted to hear from Fluttershy herself. After all, she witnessed her magic being drained, so her perspective was all the more important. She said that after she walked off to feed her pets, Twilight came from behind a bush, and the two had a friendly conversation. It was strange that Twilight came into the area in such an unusual manner rather than using the sidewalk. Could it be that she had intended to spy on Fluttershy? It sounded ridiculous, but had to be taken into consideration.

I learned something serious from Fluttershy's encounter with Twilight, and it related to my own thoughts. The latter told the former that Crystal Prep students only cared about things they did themselves and shunned the efforts of others who achieved the same goal. No wonder they acted that way after Twilight won the event for them. It was common practice for them to react in that manner. Twilight was just an unfortunate coincidence because of her intellect.

Fluttershy ponied up after displaying her kindness, and that's when Twilight's pendant absorbed her magic, resulting in several small portals opening up and her pet dog becoming capable of talking after being blasted by the magic transferring between Fluttershy's body and the pendant.

It then hit me that the pendant around Twilight's neck was the reason why all of us aside from Applejack and Rainbow Dash had suddenly been drained of our magic. Why didn't I notice that before? How could I have been so blind? That pendant didn't look normal, and Twilight did use it in the gym during the party for bizarre reasons that were slowly making sense.

" Are you serious!?" I exclaimed.

" Y'all certain 'bout this, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

" All I did was hand Twilight a bunny. Then, I ponied up. If you had seen how sad she looked, you would've done the exact same thing in my shoes. She felt like her entire school was against her. I thought about asking, but I held back in case I was prying into something I shouldn't know about. She was really nice compared to the other Shadowbolts." Fluttershy answered.

" Reckon that's plumb unusual."

" How so?" I asked.

" Students at Crystal Prep have been badmouthin' us for years, so it feels mighty strange to find one of their own acting differently."

" I thought it was pleasant." Fluttershy said.

" Of course you would think that." Rainbow Dash said.

" It just doesn't make sense." I said.

" What doesn't?"

" Why each of you have been ponying up unexpectedly without playing your instruments. Rarity's magic came out when she made us outfits. Pinkie's when she fixed the party, and now Fluttershy by showing compassion towards Twilight." I answered. I didn't mention anything about what happened to me. My magic was drained before I could pony up, yet I still experienced something different when I gained those phoenix wings several months ago. There was something that was so obvious at work, yet I just couldn't figure it out. It would be revealed to me in due course, but at that moment, it did nothing but gnaw away at my mind with all my other stresses.

" And then, Twilight's pendant thingy just pulled the magic right out of me. I couldn't even stand up." Fluttershy said.

" Are you certain that it was a pendant, darling?" Rarity asked.

" Um, yes."

" From what I saw of it when Twilight graced us with her presence, it looked like something a mad scientist would have invented, or perhaps some kind of prop. Either way, I would still question her fashion sense, wearing something that obviously clashes with her uniform." Rarity said. Despite the others groaning in response to what she said, I actually thought Rarity made a good point. The pendant was making sounds when Twilight was near the statue when I thought about going to Equestria. A regular pendant wouldn't sound like something mechanical, so it was more than just a mere accessory.

" When my magic left me, it felt like my very energy was being taken as well." Fluttershy said.

" Like me at the party!" Pinkie Pie said.

" Or me right before we met Twilight." Rarity added.

" Then there's only one logical explanation." I said.

" What's that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Twilight is stealing magic." I answered. My friends reacted in horror to my accusation, but the signs were pointing in that direction. I began scratching my head, thinking that perhaps I had overstepped my boundaries, but deep down, I knew that I was correct. I shook my head several times to get rid of any doubts over my claim, and Pinkie decided to do the same, likely thinking it was some kind of game until I glared at her, prompting her to stop.

" Seriously!?"

" What other reason could there be?"

" Anything!?

" I don't know. She doesn't seem like the magic-stealin' type." Applejack said.

" Do you have any other explanations?" I asked.

" No, but I'm not sure if y'all have your facts straight. I know Twilight has been actin' mighty weird since she first arrived with the rest of Crystal Prep, but that don't mean she stole our magic by usin' a freaky pendant. It could be some other kind of force responsible for doin' that to us. What I do know is that Twilight ain't doin' anythin' to give her team the advantage in the Friendship Games." Applejack answered. Her answer was expected. Like I said before, my friends knew little about magic, hence why I was the magical expert who had to figure out problems beyond their comprehension.

" She had something to do with closing the portal, and you can't deny that!"

" I suppose so."

" If her pendant can pull in magic, maybe it stole the portal, too."

" How?" Fluttershy asked.

" Honestly, I just don't know. There have been so many strange things happening around here since Crystal Prep came, and I haven't been able to come up with an answer for any of them that sounds right. And the pony or person or princess who could help me figure this out is completely unreachable now. If Her Highness were here, she would know exactly what to do without a second thought. Magic is her specialty, not mine." I answered.

" Well, she ain't comin', so that means you're the only one who can figure this out." Applejack said.

" It's too bad that Princess Twilight isn't here." Pinkie Pie said. " She knows everything about magic and portals and magical portals and portable magics!" She began popping up in random locations, such as inside of a locker, behind Rarity, an air vent on the ceiling, a grate on the ground near a water fountain, before finally stopping by opening a side door and falling flat on her face. While her antics were amusing, it didn't make me feel better knowing that I had more pressure now than ever. At least I now knew that Twilight was involved in our magic being drained from us, but what did she plan on doing with it? That was the one question which needed an answer. " Hey! You guys need to come out here!" Pinkie Pie announced.

" Get back in here, Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash said, slapping her forehead. " You know we're not allowed out there until the construction workers have finished."

" But they have finished!"

" How do you know?"

" I don't hear the sounds of vehicles or workers running around." Pinkie Pie answered. We all went quiet to confirm if she was telling us the truth. Sure enough, the field outside was remarkably quiet. Had they finished those last-minute extras that required the Games to be delayed by an extra day? I wonder if they informed Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna about it? Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and I walked outside, helping Pinkie back onto her feet, and all of us save her suddenly dropped our jaws slightly and stared at what the field had been transformed into.

" For now, let's just focus on beating the Shadowbolts. And as long as this event puts me in a playing field, I don't think we've got anything to worry about. I know it sounds like I'm bragging, but we need to win tomorrow to force the final event." Rainbow Dash said. She then noticed that all of us aside from Pinkie were ignoring her in favour of looking at the changes made to the field. Stating that things were about to get much tougher would've been an understatement, as the second event looked to pull out all of the stops to test us in ways we may not have been prepared for. " Guys? Why the sudden silent treatment? Did you hear what I said?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" We did." I answered.

" And?"

" Let's just say that it puts you on a playin' field all right." Applejack answered. Both Rainbow and Pinkie--whose eyes had been looking in opposite directions--turned to see what Applejack was talking about, and their jaws also dropped at the sight of what we had been looking at.

The field had been transformed into a motocross track that surrounded a track-and-field course. In the middle of this was an area that featured several bales of hay and a sand pit with ropes dangling above it like the kind seen in an obstacle course. At the far end was a wall that had been mounted with several archery targets. The construction workers had definitely been busy to have come up with something like that, yet there were many questions left unanswered. What was the purpose of having three different sports taking place in the same location? Were competitors required to participate in one, two, or all three disciplines? Why keep this a secret? Finally, were there any additional factors none of us could see?

My own personal question was how much Principal Celestia spent on making this thing. I was curious to know despite never once inquiring about the financial expenditures used by CHS.

Rainbow Dash wanted a challenge, and now, she had gotten one. You had to wonder how they managed to keep so much dirt in place without it loosening and crumbling away.

" Am I the only one who thinks this is overkill?"

" Well, they certainly wanted it to be a challenge." Rarity answered.

" More like they went overboard." Applejack added. She then walked over to a corner of the motocross track that was closest to us, kicking it a few times, causing some dirt to crumble away and fall to the ground. I didn't know if she was trying to see how sturdy it was or wanted to let off some steam over what I said about Twilight stealing our magic, but she eventually stopped when Rarity walked up to her. " I don't suppose you made motocross outfits?"

" Oh, don't be ridiculous." Rarity answered, before pulling out two highly stylish costumes from behind her back. " Of course I did! You know that I always have a costume for any kind of emergency, darling, yet I wasn't expecting them to actually have a motocross event in the Games." The big question now was who would be wearing those outfits and racing on the motocross track.

Each of us were capable of riding bicycles, and motorbikes were basically the same thing, but with engines that did the work. I was more curious about what else had been built in preparation for this event. Did all six of us have to use all three sections of this field starting from the inside and going out? Or, were we restricted to just a specific part? There were other questions that were Friendship Games related, but I suspected they would be revealed tomorrow, so there was no point in trying to figure them out for ourselves.

Still, I was shocked at how much had been put into this structure, and all for just a simple competition between two high schools. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear this had been designed to accommodate Olympic athletes or similar groups that were on an international level. Was the aim of these games designed to push us to the limits of endurance? If so, then why put us through it? Why not go with something within reason? If this was Principal Celestia and Principal Cinch's attempt at outdoing one another by throwing their students into extreme situations, I shudder to think what was going on in their minds.

" Quite convenient that Rarity would have two motocross outfits on her person." Twilight said.

" She always likes to be prepared for any kind of fashion emergency. To be honest, I never noticed those two outfits on her costume racks when she asked us to try them out before you entered our lives." I said.

" Do you think they were last-minute additions?"

" I'd like to think so."

" Oh, and you do realize that riding a motorbike is different from riding a bicycle, right? The former just having an engine doesn't make the two identical. They're more difficult to control because of the additional weight coming from the engine and other metal parts used in its construction. You also need to have authentication to be allowed to ride one by passing a difficult test. Before I forget, bicycles don't have much in power, even if the rider is a first-class athlete. Motorbikes can reach incredible speeds. Not like planes or specially designed cars, but still pretty fast." Twilight said.

It was actually coincidental that I had received my license to ride a motorbike. Rainbow Dash, at the beginning of the year, wanted to get her license because of "a need for speed". She didn't like the idea of being the only one getting hers, so she managed to entice me into going for mine as well. I'll admit that it was a cool experience, and it gave me something new that isn't possible back in Equestria. I just wished that Rainbow had asked if I wanted to go with her down to the DMV instead of simply dragging me down there by my arm.

Of course, that meant that Rainbow and I were chosen by Principal Celestia to handle the motocross section of the Tri-Cross Relay. She knew we had gotten our licenses, so we were the only ones who could handle the track. So long as we were civil about it and not relying on crazy stunts like they have at official competitions, she had absolute faith in our abilities. I did find reading the manual to be rather cumbersome. This world has so many rules regarding even the smallest of things. Equestria had its own rules ponies followed, but they were few in number compared with what happens around here.

" Rainbow Dash and I already had our licenses, but the others were still debating on whether or not to get theirs."

" Then it's fortunate that Principal Celestia knew that. If she had chosen, say, Pinkie Pie, to handle the motocross, CHS would've been forced to forfeit unless an appeal were made to switch her with someone else who could." Twilight said.

" For that, we were relieved."

" Did you really think I was 'stealing' magic?"

" It was the only explanation I could come up with."

" I guess I didn't exactly come off as being someone trustworthy."

" Since Fluttershy clearly saw you using that pendant to steal her magic, that was the deduction I chose to go with. I suppose the right thing would have been to speak to you about what you were doing and find a way to resolve the problem before it could get any worse." I said. That proved difficult, since Twilight was hard to track down. She did a good job of keeping away from us after I suspected her of stealing our magic. At the same time, Principal Cinch was keeping a close eye on her prized student, so the chances of talking to her were slim to none.

Of course, when I finally confronted her over what she had been doing, I wasn't what you would call subtle. My anger had been growing at the time, and I was ready to vent out my frustration towards anyone who happened to be in front of me. Twilight ended up being the poor victim who I berated for messing around with magic. Not a day goes by that I don't regret treating her like that.

" You did speak to me eventually."

" And I continue regretting what happened."

" It's not your fault that you shouted at me like that, Sunset."

" Well, it felt that way to me."

" Granted, I should've asked someone about your temperment before confronting you and our friends after the relay. That would've saved me some time and prevented you from letting loose your verbal tirade against me." Twilight said. While she may have been forgiving about what I did, I wasn't about to forgive myself for acting way out of line. I should've been kicked out of the Friendship Games for acting like the monster I used to be. Even if it meant giving Crystal Prep an advantage, I did something that was unacceptable. Her Highness would've been heartbroken had I not explained myself when she finally returned after the Games. " How did you feel about the Tri-Cross Relay?" Twilight asked.

" How did I feel about it?"

" Yes."

" Well, it wasn't what anyone was expecting, but I do have something to say about the layout in addition to what happened.

" So you witnessed everything?"

" No; my vision was obstructed and I had to deal with the competition taunting me."

" Guess I've got some more explaining to do."

" That depends on what it is."

Chapter 68: The Relay

Day: Saturday
Weather: Mild, Possible clouds later
Time: 12:30pm

Despite what many have said about him, I owe a lot to Flash Sentry. While he was still curious as to where Princess Twilight goes whenever she has to leave--I could never tell him the real truth, as he'd never believe it for an instant--he helped me deal with the aftermath of the Academic Decathlon. I told my friends that everything was okay, but I had, in fact, lied to them and still felt bad because of making one small mistake. Flash got through to me with a pep talk, and now, I was ready to focus on the next event of the Friendship Games. That's when Fluttershy revealed how our magic was disappearing. Twilight's pendant had the ability to absorb magic. How did she manage that? Why was she doing this? I suspected Twilight was involved with stealing the portal, yet I never imagined how serious it was. To make matters worse, my friends and I discovered what had been done to the field for the second event. We were in for a difficult time, from what we observed.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
April 13, 2016
Chapter 68: The Relay.

" You mentioned that Principal Cinch asked you to spy on us. I know you didn't want to talk about it, but I think now would be as good a time as any. I've offered my sleeve to you more times than I can count tonight, Twilight, so at the very least, you can tell me what happened." I said. Throughout much of the night, I've told Twilight much about my past. There were still some things that continued to remain a secret, but she hadn't inquired about those. It was only a matter of time before she would ask me about my feelings towards Equestria after having lived in this world for years.

I don't know why I should be afraid to answer that question or any relating to the subject of my homeland.

I think I've been honest with Twilight--unlike how I kept things from my friends, who have yet to learn about the secrets written down in my journal--but I've been defensive on a few things because of the difficulty behind talking about them. No doubt Equestria has changed since I was last there--it had been just over a year since my previous, and infamous, visit--but had my feelings changed? Did I yearn for the Equestria of old before I left, or did I prefer that it had changed since then? Did I even want to go back at all?

Here I am, worrying about my remaining secrets, and Twilight is struggling to tell me about her own. I'm actually glad that she mustered the courage to share this information with me. I've only known her for a few weeks now, yet there is so much that remains a mystery. The more she tells me about herself, the more I become intrigued by what she has been through all these years. Our friends--Princess Twilight included--have said how much Twilight and I are so much alike from our tragic backstories, both of us becoming demonic monsters out of a sense of guilt. Our similarities bring us far closer to each other than to any of our other friends.

" Yes. She wanted to know about the secrets behind CHS's new success." Twilight said.

" Our success? We were just doing what we always did."

" Not according to Principal Cinch. When she asked me to see her in her office, she revealed to me that your school had been improving in test scores, grades, athletics, and more within the last several months. Most would see that as a good thing, because it meant morale at CHS was getting better, but she saw it as a threat to Crystal Prep's dominion. You may not believe me, Sunset, but reputation means everything to Principal Cinch." Twilight said.

" In what way?"

" To have reputation is to have influence over others."

" Okay, but that doesn't answer my question."

" Principal Cinch always makes sure that she has the advantage in every situation. While she is forced to play by the rules, she will do everything in her power to bend those rules in her favour as much as possible. No one ever notices this, as she can be very subtle. Not many people outside of Crystal Prep is aware of the documents Principal Cinch has about the other schools.”

The more I learned about Principal Cinch's actions behind the scenes, the more I felt compelled to not be so forgiving for all she had done. I can understand wanting to get ahead in life and making critical decisions to further your own goals, but she clearly crossed more than one line in her life. Was reputation really that important to Cinch? I know some students at CHS who strive to have popularity--usually by trying to imitate me--yet all it does is make them look bad.

" What kind of documents?"

" They're more like statistics."

" About how well each school has been doing?"

" Yes. In an effort to make sure that Crystal Prep always remains on top, Principal Cinch keeps tabs on the activities of the other schools in the district. While there are no laws prohibiting such actions, it saddens me to think she doesn't want any other institute to succeed." Twilight answered.

" Where did CHS place in her eyes?"

" Of all the schools in the district, CHS was viewed as Crystal Prep's biggest threat to its dominion. It sounds farfetched when you think about it, as CHS doesn't compare when it comes to academic scores, yet she saw it as a threat all the same. The other schools never came close." Twilight answered. She suddenly clasped her hands over her mouth and looked at me, thinking she had offended me with what she said. I simply stared at her for a few moments, blinking infrequently until it sank in. I may be a Wondercolt, but I don't have as strong of a connection to CHS as appearances suggest. I'll always be loyal to the cause, but my heart belongs to Equestria, and that will never change. " Sunset? Why aren’t you yelling at me? Aren’t you mad that I talked down about my new school?" Twilight asked.

" I'm not bothered by it."

" Really?"

" I do have loyalty to CHS, its students, and my friends, but Equestria will always have priority."

" I'm guessing our friends don't know this?"

" No, and that's something I've been regretting for a long time." I answered. That was yet another secret of mine that could prove consequential were our friends to learn that my loyalty towards CHS wasn't as absolute as they've believed. I never told them about such feelings for fear that they’d react poorly and stop associating with me. Rainbow Dash would take such a revelation the worst because of how loyal she has been to everyone around her. I suppose this was another issue I had to overcome by telling my friends about how I truly felt about this world and Equestria. Then again, they do have an idea, given how I thought about leaving everything behind because of the magic problem proving too much for me to handle. " I'll have to tell them about this one as well." I said.

" They won't hold it against you."

" Rainbow Dash might say a few words, but hopefully, you're right."

" Hopefully. Now then, Principal Cinch had records from each school and looked at them constantly to determine which one posed a threat to Crystal Prep. Aside from CHS, no other school had ever defeated the academy at anything. That's why she was determined to make sure CHS didn't succeed. She didn't like the idea of another school getting a good reputation, as that meant her own was in jeopardy." Twilight said.

" Reputation really does say a lot about her."

" It was the driving force behind her actions."

" I feel sorry for her."

" Even a part of me feels the same way that you do, Sunset. I know she was only trying to ensure that Crystal Prep remained on top, but Principal Cinch often got carried away with her ambitions to the point where it became unhealthy. At its core, it was all for her students' benefits, and any controversies would be felt by her and her alone. No one else would have to face any consequences resulting from her actions." Twilight said.

" Maybe now she will see that her methods were wrong."

" One can only hope."

" Twilight, do you think you could ever show your face around Crystal Prep again?"

" Dean Cadance, the other teachers, and the students would welcome me, but I think many of the latter would shun me because of what happened. I know it will take some time before they forgive me for almost destroying everything, but hopefully, it won't take too long. Principal Cinch is going to be the sole exception. I don't think she will ever forgive me for changing schools and costing Crystal Prep the Friendship Games." Twilight answered.

" That's because she wasn't given a chance to change her ways, unlike everyone else at Crystal Prep." I said. To someone like Cinch, having the chance to redeem herself would prove beneficial and make others see her as an actual person rather than a heartless dictator who cares about reputation over the well-being of her students.

Could Cinch change? Maybe, if she put in some effort. For now, it was best to let her come to grips with her reality. Her old way of thinking had been shattered when she was exposed for what she had done in the name of victory. There are people out there who never change, but perhaps she won't be among them.

Turning to the next page of the journal, I slapped my forehead upon seeing what was depicted on yet another photo. Twilight wanted to take a closer look, so I handed the journal over, and she didn't share in my reaction. She merely stared at the photo for a couple of minutes before handing the journal back to me.

" It's a photo of the Tri-Cross Relay course."

" I always thought something was off about it."

" It was professionally built, you know."

" Yeah, but I just didn't trust in what I was looking at. My eyes saw nothing wrong, but my mind was saying otherwise. Our friends were pretty stoked about competing on such a large field with different components, but I felt dread looming all about." I said.

" What happened after Rarity revealed those outfits?"

" We wanted to get a closer look at the field, but we ran into a little bit of trouble... five bits of trouble, to be exact."

I was still in complete awe over witnessing what the construction workers had done to the field in preparation for the second event of the Friendship Games. They had produced a three-stage obstacle course that appeared to cover archery, skating, and motocross. I knew they had to be secretive during the construction process so as not to let anyone know ahead of time what was coming in the Games, yet I felt slightly overwhelmed at the whole thing. I mean, they worked really hard to give us such an impressive sight, but why go to such extremes?

That was the reason why I felt overwhelmed. This course was designed purely for athletes who were considering something like the Olympics, but we’re just high school students. A more logical solution would have been giving us something like tennis, but using official rules and regulations rather than what CHS relied on.

When you look at how much detail was thrown into this setup, you wondered why they would spend so much money on a competition between two schools that wasn't as serious as both sides let on. I'm not an expert when it came to money, but even I knew that this cost a pretty penny. Unfortunately, I didn't have a strong enough position to complain about it. My words would fall on deaf ears.

Now that this had become known, I had no doubt that my friends and the Shadowbolts were looking forward to competing. Was Twilight okay with going through with this? She didn't seem like she was an actual athlete compared to the rest of her team, so did that make her a liability? Or, was she actually just as athletic and wanted to keep it a secret until we reached this exact moment? Either way, I knew that I was definitely capable of going through this event despite my opinions of it.

My friends began talking amongst themselves about this revelation, while I walked towards the motocross track to get a closer look, my curiosity getting the better of me. Much of the field could already be seen from our vantage point, yet sometimes, there were smaller details that required an up-close perspective in order to see them.

The dirt had been carefully packed to ensure sturdiness, especially for when heavy motorbikes come careening around the corners with so much intense speed backing them up. I also noticed a series of jumps located in several places that I didn't see on my first glance. Not only was riding going to be a necessity, but knowing how to perform tricks was required, something stunt riders would know about. We aren’t stunt riders.

" I can't deny the fact that they really went all out with this." I said to myself, scratching the side of the dirt with my fingers. " While I personally wouldn't have spent so much money building this just for a high school competition, I think this is really nice knowing they were thinking about us students."

It was fortunate that Rainbow Dash had convinced me--begged me, actually--to go with her when she went to earn her license to ride motorbikes. Rainbow was insistent about not getting her license on her own, so I was forced to get mine as well. I haven't had as much time to practice as Rainbow, so were I asked to compete in the motocross section of this event, I feared that my lack of experience would cost the school a chance to force the third and deciding event.

I walked to the right until the dirt mound tapered off, and before my eyes stood the skating track. The wood had been recently polished to allow for fast speeds, so anyone who desired intense speeds would feel right at home.

" Huh? Are those targets on that board on a conveyor belt? That's something you'd find in an official archery competition, where moving targets are a standard requirement. Archery isn't in our curriculum, so this is something Crystal Prep must practice. Still, this seems a little too much for high school students, unless Principal Cinch really thinks of us as being capable of doing it. What about Principal Celestia? Could she be in agreement? Has the obsession of winning really blinded them to the truth of pushing us too far?" I asked myself. My questions weren't going to be answered. I knew that much was true.

" What are you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked, having walked up behind me without me noticing, startling me.

" Don't scare me like that!" I answered.

" We were all wonderin' why you wandered off over here rather than talkin' to us about possible strategies." Applejack said.

" I was curious to see things up close. I know we've seen much of what the field has to offer, but I thought there might be something we overlooked, and I was right to follow up on my instincts." I said.

" Yeah right! What could we have possibly missed?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" The fact that several of the archery targets are mobile." I answered, pointing my finger towards the board at the end of the central section of the changed field. My friends looked to see what I was getting at, and their eyes opened wide at the realization that some targets were on a conveyor belt.

Rainbow Dash scoffed. “Come on, we can handle a few moving targets.”

I slapped my forehead in response to her obvious arrogance. " You do realize that none of us have any skill in archery, right? It's something CHS doesn't teach, but Crystal Prep most likely does."

" What!? Is that even fair?"

" I'm with Rainbow Dash. Surely, they would have thought to include elements that are common practice among both schools?" Rarity asked.

" Maybe they were told that we knew how to shoot arrows." I answered.

" It don't matter anyhow." Applejack announced.

" What are you saying, darling? This has become a serious matter! We are already behind due to not winning the Academic Decathlon, and if we were to lose this next event, then Crystal Prep wins everything. We'll be booed by our fellow students for weeks to come because they've put so much faith in us." Rarity said.

" If y'all had let me finish, I'd have told you that when I was younger, I used to practice archery by shootin' down apples from the trees at Sweet Apple Acres. Some of them apples are mighty stubborn, so Granny Smith thought of firin' arrows to make 'em drop. Big Mac lacked proper eye coordination, Applebloom was too young, and Granny was too old, so it fell onto me to do the job of gettin' them apples down." Applejack said.

That proved to be incredibly useful. Applejack was an expert in archery, Rainbow Dash was an expert riding motorbikes, and I had less experience but still enough to make me a competent rider. If we had someone who knew how to skate, then we had all three stages of this event under control.

I looked at Fluttershy. Her nervousness made it obvious that riding motorbikes wasn't her thing. I also thought she wouldn't enjoy fast speeds, so that left archery. Was Fluttershy skilled with a bow? Maybe, but I wasn't entirely sure, as I rarely saw her doing anything during gym class.

Looking at Pinkie Pie and Rarity, I suspected the former was an expert skater, but again, I wasn't sure.

While all of these revelations were helpful, it didn't help to answer one important question: Were we to compete in the three stages this field had to offer, or were we only going to do one section each in the form of a relay race? Before I could ask any of my friends, a familiar voice suddenly made itself known, and I feared things would get ugly pretty quickly, especially if Rainbow Dash allowed her ego to take full control of her common sense.

" Fancy meeting you six here!"

The voice belonged to Indigo Zap of the Shadowbolts. She and her teammates Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat, and Lemon Zest were standing behind her, and they looked as smug as they did when Twilight won the decathlon. Twilight herself wasn't with them, furthering my suspicions that these five didn't think too highly of her despite all being on the same team.

" You guys have got a lot of nerve coming out here and seeing the field." Indigo continued.

" We ain't doin' anything wrong." Applejack said.

" Ha! Could've fooled me! I bet you girls were trying to sneak out here to plan ahead for tomorrow's event!" Indigo Zap said.

" What!? You must have your goggles on too tight." Rainbow Dash said.

" Take that back!"

" Make me!"

" You want a piece of me?"

" I'm not gonna stoop down to your level." Rainbow Dash answered.

However, she was doing exactly that by walking towards Indigo Zap, but Applejack stopped Rainbow by grabbing her arms and holding her in place. Indigo did the same thing until Sugarcoat stopped her by placing her hand on her teammate’s shoulder. Both girls then stared at each other, their eyes filled with hatred, while all I did was back away slightly. This was exactly what I didn't want to see happen, and Rainbow Dash once again allowed her attitude to get the better of her.

" What's wrong? Need your friend to hold you back? Why not come over here and we can settle this." Rainbow said. Why did she have to provoke them even further? Didn't she know that words along those lines never solved anything?

" I'd love nothing more than to put you in your place." Indigo Zap answered. I noticed Sugarcoat's grip on her shoulder getting tighter, and Indigo turned towards her and noticed she was shaking her head several times. " But, my friend here is right; this isn't the time or place to be fighting like common thugs. I'll be able to beat you come tomorrow when Crystal Prep wins both the event and the Friendship Games."

" We'll see about that!"

" Why are you five out here?" Fluttershy asked.

" What's it to you?" Indigo Zap asked.

" Um, I was just wondering why you're out here along with us."

" We wanted to take a closer look at the field ourselves since the construction stopped early this morning." Sugarcoat answered, her expression remaining stoic throughout her exchange of words. " No authority figures said that we weren't allowed to be out here, so none of us are breaking any rules of the Friendship Games. Besides, not everything has been set up, and the rules have not yet been explained. Despite seeing the field, we are still in the dark about what this event will be about."

" Did you have to go and say that?" Sunny Flare asked.

" We didn't want them to know why we were out here, but now you just went ahead and blurted it out!" Sour Sweet added.

" I fail to see the problem of telling them the truth." Sugarcoat answered.

" Never mind!" Indigo Zap shouted.

" Neither team has gained any advantage over the other, so there is no reason to be displaying any hostility until the Games resume tomorrow. While I have no doubt in my mind that Crystal Prep is going to walk away victorious as usual, picking a fight with Canterlot High does no one any good. Remember what Principal Cinch told us about keeping our focus on winning at all costs, Indigo Zap. We don't want to mar our school's reputation." Sugarcoat said. While it appeared that Indigo Zap was their leader, it looked like Sugarcoat was the one who kept them in line, despite being so blunt about it. Deep down, she wanted to see CHS get humiliated but wasn't quite as serious about it, at least on the outside.

" You're right. If we keep this up, we're gonna get into a nasty fight, and Principal Cinch will chew us out."

" Then what do we do?" Sunny Flare asked.

" Simple... We leave and go back to our quarters." Sugarcoat answered.

The Shadowbolts then turned and walked towards the front of the school, making sure not to taunt us as they left. Rainbow Dash, in the meantime, had a strong urge to get up in their faces, but Applejack continued to hold her back. Why was Rainbow so obsessed with the idea of causing strife between herself and Indigo Zap? I knew they were practically the same as far as personalities went, but while Indigo knew when to pull back to save face, Rainbow struggled with that concept. If the two of them were to face each other tomorrow, there was no telling whether they would play by the rules or focus on beating the other without fear of the consequences.

Our encounter with our opponents did prove some other theories I had about them. Applejack and Sugarcoat were the voices of reason for our respective teams, yet the latter didn't allow her emotions to get in the way of thinking about how to deal with troubling situations. That was the one thing I'm glad didn't happen. The Friendship Games were supposed to exemplify the spirit of competition through friendship and understanding, yet what happened between our teams felt like we were more fixated on destroying each other. This was something Principal Cinch wasn't directly responsible for. She wanted her students to beat us, but not by resorting to extreme methods.

We had to prove we could beat them without cruel words. However, the Shadowbolts were right about one thing: If they win tomorrow's event, then they will win the Games, and CHS will endure another four years of utter humiliation.

" Sugarcoat knows how to keep her cool during tense moments." Twilight said.

" I just can't get over how stoic she acts." I said.

" She's blunt with her choice of words. While she doesn't intend on being mean, she just says what's on her mind without caring about what others might say. Sugarcoat was the only student at Crystal Prep who spoke up against some of Principal Cinch's more controversial actions." Twilight said.

" Really?"

" Yes, but do know that she never intended on belittling the teachers and other members of staff. Her only aim was to give them criticism without pulling any punches. Many students at Crystal Prep were envious over how Sugarcoat could speak her mind without getting into trouble because of it." Twilight answered.

" At least someone questioned Cinch's motives."

" Within good reason, of course. Anyway, I find it fascinating that Applejack was skilled in the use of a bow."

" It took me by surprise, as I never knew her to be a sharpshooter." I said. That's what I get for not visiting Sweet Apple Acres as much as I should. I really want to go there more often, but my other commitments keep on getting in the way. When you have a lot to do, you unintentionally neglect some of the most important things in life. Applejack has accepted that I can't visit her family's farm that often, but if I had, then I'd have known about her marksmanship instead of having been surprised. " What's even more surprising is that she taught Fluttershy how to use a bow. She didn't want anyone at school to know about it straight away, so Applejack gave her some private lessons at Sweet Apple Acres for a couple of months." I said.

" She must be an accomplished archer."

" I'd say Fluttershy needs some practice, but she does have the potential." I said. Twilight's statement wasn't entirely accurate, but I didn't have the heart to tell that the private lessons were much more difficult than Applejack had bargained for. Fluttershy was a keen learner, but had trouble holding the bow, firing arrows, keeping her poise, and so on. In fact, I remember AJ mentioning one particular lesson that involved hitting tin cans she had placed on a fence.

The aim was for Fluttershy to shoot down all of the cans, but she never hit a single target. She ended up hitting different targets--some were so inconspicuous that you had to wonder how she managed to pull it off--until she used up her arrows. Applejack's famous Stetson hat was one of the targets, but she wasn't upset about having a small hole in it. It was better than having a hole in her head. It was amazing that nothing at Sweet Apple Acres was damaged during Fluttershy's lesson, yet I believe Granny Smith said something about her needing luck instead of lessons to be able to shoot with a bow properly.

" What about Pinkie Pie and Rarity?"

" Pinkie is a natural born skater, having done so since she was, in her own words, an 'itty-bitty-bitty-twinkie-Pinkie', but Rarity was the surprising one. I didn't think she was willing to ride on skates out of fear of getting dirty or something worse, but she does it in order to look fabulous along with having fun. She even has some outfits dedicated to skating that she uses whenever the need to ride compels her." I answered.

" Sounds like all of you knew what you would be doing for the relay."

" What about Crystal Prep? None of us knew how you were given your respective positions."

" It's not something I like to think about."

" You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

" No, I'll share it with you, Sunset. Lemon Zest and Sunny Flare requested the skating portion of the race, yet I didn't learn until after it was over that they were both skating prodigies who wanted to showcase their talents by beating CHS. Indigo Zap and Sugarcoat were told by Principal Cinch that they were handling the motocross. Indigo was definitely happy about it, but Sugarcoat seemed to be indifferent." Twilight said.

" And you?"

" Sour Sweet and I were left to deal with archery. Unfortunately, my physical education skills are lacklustre at best, so I was deemed the weakest among the Shadowbolts. I had to perform with perfection because Principal Cinch reminded me in her own fashion about what was at stake for me. Sour Sweet wasn't thrilled about being partnered up with me, and you found out for yourself what that was like." Twilight answered.

" Not really."

" Why not?"

" I was distracted by Indigo Zap and, to a lesser extent, Sugarcoat mocking both Rainbow Dash and me while we were waiting to start the motocross."

That night, I couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen come tomorrow when the Friendship Games resume. I knew things had already gotten intense, but I wasn't expecting what happened earlier when my friends and I encountered the Shadowbolts. Hopefully, Rainbow Dash has learned to keep her attitude under control. If a fight had broken out between her and Indigo Zap, I don’t doubt Principal Celestia would have given her detention for about three weeks. Those two were really passionate about competing, but there is a difference between passion and insanity.

Perhaps it was the fear of another loss that was behind Rainbow's urge to want to pick a fight? It wouldn't surprise me if that had been the case. The students of CHS were really hungry to finally beat Crystal Prep, thanks to the pep rally.

In the past, they wouldn't have been as enthusiastic about beating them. School pride surrounding the Friendship Games had reached levels not seen since the Games first started and became a tradition, and it was all thanks to Rainbow believing that this was CHS's time to shine. She wanted our school to take home the crown, but she needed to be reminded of self-control. Beating Crystal Prep meant not acting like a complete jerk. To truly make our victory all the more significant, we had to be better than them not only through physical means but through humility, as well.

The next day, just after lunch time, everyone from both schools had gathered to get ready for the second event. My friends and I were told earlier in the morning about what we were supposed to do for this event. I assumed all of us were going to be performing archery, skating, and motocross, but it turned out that we had been divided into three pairs of two students per stage. Applejack and Fluttershy were given the archery section, which was the first stage of the event. Pinkie Pie and Rarity were in stage two, which involved skating, and finally, Rainbow Dash and I had to finish the race by racing on motorbikes.

" Welcome, everyone, to the Friendship Games Tri-Cross Relay!" Dean Cadance announced to the roar of applause coming from the students. Both schools had their own bleachers located by the skating track's starting line. Dean Cadance, Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, and Principal Cinch had their own VIP section located nearby, complete with a view of the entire field so as to not miss anything. " Again, I apologize that this event was delayed until today, but as you can see, it was definitely worth it. In this event, both teams have been divided into three teams of two. They will face off in archery, speed-skating, and finally, motocross, in that order."

" I am so stoked for this." Rainbow Dash said.

" Just about everyone has been waiting for this event." I said.

" Isn't it awesome?"

" Maybe, but something feels off."

" Did you say something, Sunset?"

" No, it was nothing."

" Allow me to explain how each stage is going to work. In the first stage, archery, each team must traverse over the bales of hay, across the sand pit, and shoot one of the two bulls-eye targets on their side of the board. You may choose to hit either the easy target or the hard target. You each must hit a bulls-eye, otherwise it won't count. Doing so will allow your teammates to start the next leg of the relay." Dean Cadance said.

" I know you said something, Sunset." Rainbow Dash said.

" Don't worry about it, and just focus on when we have to ride." I said.

" In stage two, speed-skating, our competitors must complete eight laps around the track. No tricks are required, but please do not resort to any roughhousing. You may use as many of the lanes as you wish so long as you finish. Once you have crossed the finish line after completing the final lap, your remaining teammates will be given the signal to start the final section, motocross.

“ In this final stage, you must complete two laps by weaving around various obstacles placed on the dirt track. You must also jump off of ramps placed strategically around the course. Tricks are optional, so not doing them will not punish you. Whichever team completes two laps wins this event.

“ So, if the competitors are ready, let the Tri-Cross Relay begin!" Dean Cadance said. She picked up an air horn that was located next to her and pressed the button, causing it to blare out a loud noise that Principal Cinch didn't seem to enjoy.

With that, the second event was underway, but my vantage point wasn't a particularly good one. I could see what was going on, but I couldn't hear anyone talking over the sounds of students screaming their heads off. I was surprised to see that Twilight was one of the two Shadowbolts chosen to take part in archery. She appeared really nervous in comparison to her teammate Sour Sweet, who seemed pretty confident about herself. I had hoped to have spoken with Twilight about what happened by the statue, but I wasn't able to find her after the first event concluded. She wasn't with the other Shadowbolts the other day during that hostile conflict they had with us, so where was she when that happened?

" Look at Twilight down there--" I began.

" What about her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" She looks like she doesn't want to be there."

" Yeah, I can actually see that, but it's not like she has a choice in the matter."

" Of course she doesn't!" Indigo Zap shouted. That was the one drawback with being the last to take part in the relay. Rainbow Dash and I had to put up with the likes of Indigo and Sugarcoat, the two Shadowbolts who were competing with us. I had hoped anyone other than Indigo would be here because of the intense rivalry between her and Rainbow, yet there she was--complete with arrogance--and Rainbow had no one holding her back. " Twilight's our weakest member in the physical department, but Principal Cinch chose her to be on the team despite our protests."

" She is better at solving math problems than competing in such a strenuous activity like archery." Sugarcoat added.

" How can you say that about your own teammate?" I asked.

" We of Crystal Prep came here to win! Someone like Twilight is only going to slow us down; she lacks the ferocity necessary to be a winner." Indigo Zap answered.

" That is why Principal Cinch wanted her in the first stage of the relay. She knew that Twilight was weak, so by having her in the early going, it will give the rest of us a chance to dominate without her messing it up like she would had she been involved later on. Just look at her struggles with jumping over bales of hay. You have to agree with me that she is in way over her head, based on her lack of physical prowess." Sugarcoat added. Rainbow Dash and I looked down at the archery section. Sure enough, Twilight was having trouble making it past the hay bales, and even tripped on the last one, slamming her face into the ground.

Fluttershy had managed to hit her target along with Sour Sweet, and Applejack easily made it across to the shooting range. Things only got worse for Twilight when she swung across the sand pit only to wind up missing it, yet she used her foot as leverage to prevent herself from swinging back. I had hoped for Sour Sweet to maybe give her a hand, but the only thing she did was get more and more annoyed. No wonder Twilight felt so miserable. No one on her team, or even in her school, cared about her. They were only concerned with winning and viewed her as a liability.

" What is she doing over there!?" Indigo Zap asked.

" She now appears to be struggling to hit her target successfully. I am not surprised to see that she is having trouble with such a simple task. If you or I were over there right now, we would have been successful in our first shot, yet she has already fired several to no avail." Sugarcoat answered.

" Why doesn't her teammate help her?" Rainbow Dash asked. I agreed. Sour Sweet, from what I could see from my position, had done nothing but show anger towards Twilight for struggling instead of providing encouragement or helping her. Was that how Crystal Prep viewed the concept of teamwork? Rather than work together and support one another, it was everyone doing things on their own to win.

" If she can't cut it, she doesn't deserve to be in Crystal Prep." Indigo Zap answered.

" That's a terrible thing to say!" I shouted.

" At our academy, we strive for perfection at all costs. If you cannot achieve this, then you aren't worthy of attending. Twilight may be the best student our academy has ever known, but her lack of physical stamina is obvious. That means she is imperfect." Sugarcoat said.

" Is that all you care about?"

" Principal Cinch does not tolerate losers."

" Why am I not surprised."

" Hey! At least our school has won way more often than yours has. I wouldn't be surprised if Principal Celestia would one day come begging to Principal Cinch in the hopes of being taught how to win at least one major competition." Indigo Zap said.

" That was uncalled for!"

" You want to make something of it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I'd love nothing more than to make you eat those words, but we have to show restraint otherwise we would tarnish Crystal Prep's reputation. Don't you worry, though. We'll settle things once the motocross begins." Indigo Zap answered, revving up her bike. If she wanted to get under Rainbow's skin, that little taunt of hers had done the trick. I couldn't believe what I had heard coming from the mouths of our opponents. I knew Crystal Prep cared about winning, as it was established based on what others told me, yet to think that they would go so far as to cast aside one of their own just because she didn't have what it took.

If Twilight wasn't miserable about her predicament before, she was about to feel that way, especially with what happened next. Applejack had succeeded in hitting her target and that allowed Pinkie and Rarity to get started with their stage of the relay. It didn't look good for Twilight, as she continued to struggle hitting her target. She had a few good chances, but her nervousness was affecting her aim. I looked at Sour Sweet, who appeared to be on the verge of just walking away and leaving Twilight. It didn't help that Dean Cadance had to announce that CHS had gotten off to an early start.

Sour Sweet said something, but I couldn't quite hear her words over the obnoxious sounds of Indigo Zap's motorbike. What I did know was that the former was beside herself with rage over what was happening in front of her. Even the audience of Crystal Prep students were giving Twilight such horrible looks. It made my heart cry out in pain over how they were all treating her. It reminded me of how everyone at CHS once treated me after I was exposed for being the monster that I was. While they eventually forgave me for my actions, Twilight wasn't getting the same treatment.

That's why I felt something was off about this event. I didn't understand it at the time, but Twilight was having an emotional breakdown and was on the verge of unleashing her anger on everyone who had been mistreating her. If I had detected this anxiety, I could have asked Dean Cadance to stop the event and have Twilight excused so that she could calm down before something went wrong. Fortunately, my friends were wise to have gotten involved, so my fear was alleviated... for now.

" If CPA can't hit another bulls-eye soon, they'll be out of this race." Dean Cadance announced.

" I wish she hadn't said that." I said, sighing.

" Because of Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Her team has been unfairly treating her badly and I feel so sorry for her."

" Yeah, I know what you mean. I love winning just as much as they do, but not at the expense of a fellow teammate. Crystal Prep shows no loyalty towards their own and only care about their own goals." Rainbow Dash said.

" That's why I said that something felt off."

" You think it has to do with Twilight?"

" Maybe, but I can't be certain."

" You're really bad at this!" Sugarcoat announced. At first, I thought she was referring to myself or Rainbow Dash, but I quickly figured out that she was talking about Twilight, who appeared to have burst into tears upon hearing Dean Cadance's announcement.

" Do me a favour and shut up." I said.

" I'm not going to dignify your brutish comment with a response. I am merely stating the obvious, and you cannot deny it as anything but the truth. Twilight has no idea how to compete in an event of this magnitude, so she will have to accept the consequences for not living up to Crystal Prep's reputation. I am certain Principal Cinch will have some choice words for her once this relay has reached its conclusion." Sugarcoat said.

Applejack responded to Sugarcoat's bluntness by going over to Twilight and helping her out. It was fortunate that the rules of the event didn't say that opposing team members couldn’t provide a few pointers, yet Sour Sweet had nothing but ridicule for Applejack’s actions. She had a lot of nerve mocking someone who was trying to help out of the goodness of her heart. If I had been over there instead of up on a raised platform, I'd have given her a piece of my mind. I didn't even care about her two-faced persona. No one in her position would ever deny helping someone else.

Luckily, Twilight took Applejack's advice to heart and was able to hit a bulls-eye on her next shot, allowing Lemon Zest and Sunny Flare to finally begin skating. Pinkie and Rarity were already several laps ahead, but the lead wouldn't last for very long. Crystal Prep had more experience when it came to competing, so it was only a matter of time before the Shadowbolts caught up and turned the relay into a close race once again.

That's when I sensed magic coming from somewhere, but I couldn't focus on it due to Indigo Zap and Rainbow Dash arguing again. I knew my friends and I had kept magic away from the Games, but why had it suddenly made itself known at that moment? I thought it nothing more than a sudden blip before dissipating, yet I was proven wrong when a magical surge appeared that brought along some unexpected guests.

" I appreciate the fact that you were concerned for me." Twilight said.

" Your teammates had no right to treat you the way they did just because you weren't as athletic as they were. I know that words alone mean nothing, but I really wanted to help, and I'm glad that Applejack gave you the proper advice that allowed you to hit the target." I said.

" That's just how students at Crystal Prep acted. If you weren't up to maintaining the school's reputation, you were declared weak, and that resulted in ridicule. The only reason I was kept around for so long was because I was the best student there. If I had been an ordinary student, I'd have been kicked out a long time ago." Twilight said. It sounded like students at the academy believed in the old saying about sacrificing those deemed weak in order to salvage those deemed strong. No doubt Principal Cinch made sure they never forgot that by indoctrinating it into their daily routine. No wonder she was so obsessed over reputation. It was the driving force behind a lot of her decisions. Having a reputation is fine, but not when it comes at the cost of human decency, which is what Twilight endured.

" Did you carry that pendant with you?"

" It was around my neck when I was competing in the archery segment."

" Hadn't it occurred to you that you should've taken it off and thrown it away?"

" The thought was there, but my curiosity knew no bounds. I was determined to continue absorbing all of the magic at CHS until I finally understood what it did. You should know, Sunset, that I didn't walk up to Applejack and Rainbow Dash before stealing their magic. They came up to me in order to make me feel better, and my pendant just acted out on its own without warning. Still, you're right in that I should've stopped using it. If I had, my transformation wouldn't have occurred." Twilight answered.

I'm actually glad she mentioned that. I remember what happened when Rainbow Dash had her magic absorbed. She walked right up to Twilight without a care in the world, and suddenly that pendant shot forward before opening up and taking her magic. Twilight was trying to pull the pendant back but to no avail. Rainbow should've just stepped backwards when she had the chance. I suspect that the pendant wanted to absorb magic of its own volition after she acquired enough from Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, myself, and the portal. Magic can be extremely dangerous when combined together from different parts unless you knew what you were doing.

To someone like Twilight, who believed in the logic of science instead of the wonder of magic, absorbing so much magic didn't make much sense, because she assumed that it was an unknown energy source that caused strange phenomena around CHS. If she had been an expert like I was, she would have known that, but she wasn’t, so I don't fault her for not knowing.

All those portals opening up to random places across Equestria was unexpected. All I knew was the one that connected from the front lawn to the inside of Princess Twilight's castle, yet locations seen on the other side of the portals included Canterlot, the Everfree Forest, a place I assumed was Ponyville, Cloudsdale, icy mountains, and the desolate wastes, just to name a few places.

" Curiosity can be fatal."

" What were you thinking about?"

" The portals you unintentionally created."

" Those went to different parts of Equestria, right?"

" Some I immediately recognized, yet others I've never seen before until I saw the image glistening through the portal."

" I'm curious about where those plants came from."

" I knew you would be."

Chapter 69: Accusation

Day: Saturday
Weather: Mild, possible clouds later
Time: 1:30pm

I had heard that the rivalry between CHS and Crystal Prep was fierce, but I wasn't prepared for what happened when my friends and I looked upon the second event. We weren't the only ones who were out there. Our opponents, the Shadowbolts, had also taken the liberty of getting a sneak preview that lead into a heated argument between Rainbow Dash and Indigo Zap. Those two definitely had it out for one another. It was Sugarcoat who managed to calm things down, but it was merely the calm before the storm. Bad blood was going to spill between our teams. The next day, we began the Tri-Cross Relay, yet I had to deal with Indigo and Sugarcoat saying horrible things about Twilight. How could they treat her so coldly? Wasn't she one of their own? I had no time to try and convince them that friendship was the best solution. My worst fears were realized when I sensed a magical presence, which was followed by something that could only come from Equestria.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
April 19, 2016
Chapter 69: Accusation.

" I've seen many plants in my day--mostly for research purposes--but I've never seen that kind of plant before." Twilight said.

" You wouldn't around here. They were native to Equestria, although many ponies have little knowledge of them aside from Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Zecora, the latter of whom I only know through letters from Princess Twilight." I said.

" Now you've piqued my interest."

" About?"

" This Zecora you just mentioned. It sounds like she is a powerful unicorn who knows a thing or two about forest spirits and the like."

" Except she is a zebra."

" What?"

" I had that same expression when Her Highness told me about her, and I was completely surprised when she mentioned the rhyming thing." I said. That caused Twilight to look at me confusedly, but I knew she was going to do that. Zecora had never been brought up throughout the evening until now, so now, an explanation was needed to explain the kind of person she is. I didn't know much about her other than what has been said to me, but what I did know was enough to give me an idea.

No one has ever lived in the Everfree Forest since the old castle was abandoned according to history books, yet Zecora and other creatures began to take up residence there for their own reasons. Zecora lives there because she wishes to concoct her magical potions without being interrupted by ponies who had no idea what she was capable of. She also had some problems interacting with the citizens of Ponyville but has slowly overcome those barriers.

The creatures of Everfree varied from savage monsters that staked out their own turf to a majestic tribe of deer that Princess Twilight once met. I never knew such a tribe existed in such a twisted place, but I suppose that's what I get for abandoning my studies.

I knew Twilight would want to learn all about Zecora. I also knew that she would want to hear about everything else once I mention it. There was no way to avoid going off on a tangent by talking about things that weren't connected to my past. The pursuit of knowledge was Twilight's strongest quality but was also her weakness. Gaining knowledge is fine, but it can end up destroying you if you pry too much into it. She almost experienced that first hand when she acquired Equestrian magic.

" Did you say 'rhyming'?" Twilight asked.

" Princess Twilight tells me that Zecora rhymes all of her words whether spoken or written down. Many ponies get confused when she does this, but you quickly get used to it after a while. It's one of her more unique quirks in addition to living in the Everfree Forest." I answered.

" Is she a wizard?"

" More like a shaman; she delves into magical lore that isn't known to ponykind. Much about Zecora's past is a mystery, yet she does have her own cutie mark--the only non-pony to have one--and has been accepted as a citizen of Ponyville despite living where she does. It can be difficult to reach her residence, but if you do manage to get there, you can learn all sorts of things that even Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns doesn't teach." I answered.

" Why are you making this Everfree Forest sound so dangerous?"

" Because it is." I answered. Many across Equestria have long feared going into the depths of the Everfree Forest. Not only do you have to contend with the monsters who have taken up residence there, you also have to deal with twisting pathways that can cause you to become lost with no chances of finding an exit. There is also a strange dark aura that continues to hover over the trees like a blanket. Some say the forest is alive, but no one has ever proven this. " The forest is a place most ponies would rather avoid, yet some go there to find treasures. If you go there, be sure to always have your wits about you, otherwise you'll be nothing more than a tasty snack for a predator. Such creatures include cockatrices, Timberwolves, cragadiles, and those plants." I said.

" It sounds both dangerous and tempting."

" I know that look of yours, Twilight." I said, pointing a finger at her eyes. She had a sparkle in them that screamed wanting to see the wonders of Everfree for herself. I had to tell her straight that going there is just asking for trouble. The more she learns about Equestria, the more she has a desire to actually go there and see it all in person. " The forest never used to be so dangerous. Things changed when their castle was destroyed."

" Whose castle?"

" The one Princess Celestia and Princess Luna ruled from until the latter became Nightmare Moon. I believe I told you that story earlier, so I won't repeat it. However, I can tell you what happened after it was destroyed. History books say that Celestia could no longer live in the old castle, as it reminded her of the pain and anguish of having to banish her own sister to the moon. A new castle was built in Canterlot, and the old one continued falling apart until it became nothing but ruins from a forgotten era." I answered.

" Is it still there?"

" Princess Twilight once thought about fixing it up but abandoned that idea when she got her own castle." I answered. I've never seen the old castle with my own eyes. All my time was spent studying, so I never had a chance to visit the Everfree Forest during free moments. Of course, it didn't help that my mind was fixated on studying, so those free moments went to waste. I'm sure there is more to the story that Princess Celestia refuses to divulge, but that's her right to keep such knowledge close to her heart. I know she no longer experiences sadness over what happened, but I think she still feels guilty of doing it in the first place. " There is something near the location of the old castle, but only the royal family knows about it, as it was entrusted to them. Anyway, you wanted to know about those plants, right?" I asked.

" Do you know what kind of plant they are?"

" They are carnivorous in nature and lack any intelligence other than wanting to lunge out at potential prey. Their exact names are unknown, but they grow in a dark area of the forest and feed on small creatures that wander into their territory. Despite how dangerous they are, they are part of the ecosystem that keeps the Everfree Forest from becoming even more dangerous than it already is." I answered.

" How do you suppose they came through the portals?"

" They might have been attracted to something on this side."

" Magic?"

" No, I don't think they have the taste for that."

" I'm glad that no one was hurt."

" We should be thankful only those plants and the jackalope came through the portals. If the more dangerous creatures of Everfree had come through instead, things would've gotten extremely dire. Giant plants proved easy to handle--for Rainbow Dash--but they are nothing compared to what truly lies in the deep recesses of the forest. That's why you should've gotten rid of your pendant, Twilight. Absorbing all that magic was enough to create portals that allowed larger things to come through." I said.

" But I couldn't. I wanted to understand it."

" And that was why I went off on you."

" Oh, yes. What happened after I absorbed Rainbow Dash's magic."

" I have a feeling Principal Cinch overheard our conversation." I said. She must have, as she started mentioning "magic" sometime after that. Before then, she never mentioned that word in any form. During the aftermath of what happened to Twilight, we had to listen to Cinch talk about reporting to the school board about CHS using magic. The word was used almost constantly while being exposed for who she truly was. Of course, having a large portal hanging above our heads was a dead giveaway. At least nothing but rain came from that one. I shudder to think what might have happened had something else fallen down on us instead.

" That does explain why she started talking about magic. Principal Cinch is a firm believer in logic and views the supernatural as nothing but a fantasy designed to be used as an excuse when her students fail to live up to expectations." Twilight said.

" Before I get to what was going on in my mind when she said all of that, I want to focus on the motocross race." I said. I turned to the next page of the journal and I smiled. The photo depicted this time consisted of me wearing Rarity's motocross outfit and standing next to the bike Rainbow Dash was riding; my bike got crushed by one of those plants from the Everfree Forest. " Like Rainbow, I did have the need for speed, yet I was much more mature about it. She wanted to go crazy and show off her skills, but I was more concerned with winning. After all, the final part of the relay was a do-or-die situation for CHS."

I was still furious over how Indigo Zap and Sugarcoat treated Twilight just because she wasn't as athletic as the rest of her teammates. She was doing her best to prove her value to her team despite her obvious flaws, yet they criticized her in a horrible manner. No wonder Crystal Prep lacked compassion. The students there only cared about winning at all costs and achieving success through their own merits. Twilight was different from the rest of her classmates. She didn't have that killer instinct that blinded the rest of them. If they were more like her, things would be better at Crystal Prep.

My mind had since calmed down after Twilight succeeded in hitting the bulls-eye during the archery section of the Tri-Cross Relay. Applejack showed her kindness by coming to her aid ,an act that left Crystal Prep in complete shock. It was like they didn't even know what it meant to help others. Were they so far detached that a concept like helping others out meant nothing? It told me that they were ignorant. Cinch had taken away a key component of humanity from them, something all humans needed to convey despite their backgrounds. I still felt that Twilight was in the wrong place, but my words meant nothing. It was something she had to answer on her own.

Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, hadn't calmed down after hearing what was said about Twilight. She had, in fact, increased her already tense conversation with Indigo, and the pair of them were acting like children who were blinded by their own bravado. It reached a point where they could've gotten off their motorbikes and started punching one another, but luckily, it didn't come to that. Sugarcoat remained quiet while switching her focus between the argument and what was happening on the track. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were still leading over Sunny Flare and Lemon Zest, yet the latter two were only a single lap behind compared to having been three back a few minutes ago. My friends needed to finish either ahead or at the same time as the Shadowbolts. I felt confident about my riding skills but my heart and head were conflicted over it.

What had occupied my mind at that moment was the magical surge that came from near one of the bleachers. I couldn't tell what was happening, as Rainbow and Indigo's arguing got worse, forcing me to cover my ears just to drown out their noise. At least the audience wasn't paying attention to the sudden presence of magic. CHS would be perfectly fine, of course, as we had gotten used to magic, but the same couldn't be said regarding Crystal Prep. They had no idea that magic existed here. They could accuse us of cheating, and we'd have no real explanation to counter such a claim.

In my efforts to overcome my personal problems related to the Friendship Games, I had completely forgotten about the magic problem still being an issue. The magic from the two previous situations had long since dispersed, but newer magic could rear its ugly head and cause new problems to arise.

" Is something wrong?" Rainbow Dash asked, having finally stopped arguing with Indigo. She chose to speak quietly, as she had a feeling that my concern related to what was happening around us on a magical level.

" You can sense it too, right?" I asked.

" If you mean magic, then yeah, I can sense it."

" This just made a tense situation between our schools become even worse. If Crystal Prep catches wind that there's magic around here, they'll immediately accuse us of cheating and likely force us to forfeit." I said.

" We can't let that happen!"

" Exactly. If CHS were to be disqualified because of magic, the six of us would be shunned. I'd have the worst of it because I brought magic into this world and would again be labelled a liar who wanted everyone's pity. I'm hoping that it's just a random surge I overlooked, but it feels like Applejack's magic just came out without warning." I said. How did I know that it was Applejack? The rest of my friends had been drained of their magic, and Rainbow Dash was next to me on her motorbike, so the only logical choice was Applejack. I honestly thought Twilight would've thrown that accursed pendant away after what she had done to the rest of my friends, but I suspected her curiosity was too strong.

I had to get over to Applejack and make sure she was alright. The moment I attempted to get off my bike, I was suddenly stopped by Indigo, who decided to take advantage of my stress by accusing me of something else.

" Where do you think you're going?" Indigo Zap asked.

" None of your business!" Rainbow Dash answered.

" Oh, I think it's definitely my business since Sunset here is thinking of abandoning her friend."

" What!? That's not--" I began.

" Okay, then why are you scrambling to get off your bike? Having second thoughts about racing against the best that Crystal Prep has to offer? Ha! Rainbow Dash should've asked for a better teammate. Guess this race and the Friendship Games are in the bag." Indigo Zap said. I wanted to tell her otherwise, but I knew that would've caused problems that went beyond the Games. Magic was restricted only to CHS. Were it to become known elsewhere, scientists and other experts would descend upon the school, and we'd all be subjected to various tests and interviews. I had no doubt that Principal Celestia wouldn't tolerate that, so I needed to come up with another excuse. Only one idea appeared in my head, one that I found humiliating. " Well? Are you gonna run away and leave your friend hanging? I wouldn't blame you for wanting to run with your tail between your legs." Indigo Zap said.

" I'm not running away!"

" Sunset would never abandon me." Rainbow Dash added.

" Alright, then where are you going?" Indigo Zap asked.

" Um... well, you see... I... I need to go to the bathroom." I answered. That right there was the most embarrassing moment I ever experienced in my entire life. It was the only excuse I could think of that was believable. Turning my attention towards Rainbow Dash, she looked at me with a shocked expression. I'd have done the same thing had she been in my shoes instead. I then looked at Indigo and Sugarcoat, hoping they believed my excuse.

" Too much information!"

" I'm not sure why you didn't do that earlier, considering that we are in the middle of a race, but I suppose it can't be dealt with now. If you were to leave, it would be a sign that you forfeited, and Rainbow Dash would have to face off against Indigo and myself on her own. You'd never abandon your friend, Sunset Shimmer. CHS relies far too much on friendship to the point where it just drags you down. Unlike you, we of Crystal Prep would gladly leave our teammates behind if it meant securing the victory." Sugarcoat said.

" You can't be serious."

" I am always serious about everything." Sugarcoat said. Her words made it sound like the students of Crystal Prep were being indoctrinated into believing that friends slowed you down and prevent you from achieving greatness. Did Principal Cinch believe that to be the best philosophy? If so, then it was no wonder that friendship meant so little to the Shadowbolts. They were clearly capable of making friends but only did so to an extent. Going too far into it meant shunning their own goals of wanting to be the best. To Crystal Prep, friendship wasn't a magical presence but rather a means to an end to be tolerated as long as it didn't interfere in what they deemed important. " You should stop thinking about leaving and just focus on being ready to lose against a far superior school. I am certain we shall make the motocross interesting enough before Crystal Prep wins it all." Sugarcoat said. She and Indigo then looked over at the skating track and began cheering for their teammates.

" Every time I hear one of them talk, it feels like I'm talking to myself."

" Just ignore them, Sunset." Rainbow Dash suggested.

" It's hard not to when you consider how much success they've had."

" We don't need to stoop down to their level to truly be the best. We've got the Magic of Friendship on our side, and I know it's going to help us win this event and force the third and deciding event later." Rainbow Dash said.

" Yeah, I guess you're right." I said. That's when I sensed--or rather, no longer sensed--Applejack's magic. I assumed she had resolved the issue on her own and gave Twilight a stern talking-to regarding magic, but that thought quickly disappeared upon sensing a stronger surge coming from the skating track. " Rainbow? Tell me I'm not the only one sensing magic in the direction of the skating track."

" Well, your sense is better than mine, but yeah, I can feel something."

" Maybe we should stop the race."

" No way!"

" Figured you'd say that."

" I know magic is around, but we can't afford to do anything other than continue on with the Games. Our school is rallying behind the six of us to win this event and give them the hope that we can finally end Crystal Prep's winning streak. I know things are getting out of hand, and you’re worried that someone is going to get hurt, but all we can do is hope that the magic goes away and doesn't cause any kind of disaster." Rainbow Dash said.

Her words, while morally questionable, made a lot of sense. Stopping the Games would have broken CHS's spirit and crushed the hearts of its students in the process. Despite my own judgment, I decided that continuing with the relay was the right thing to do. We had to win to force the deciding event. Unfortunately, my judgment came back to haunt me almost immediately and lead to a confrontation that even now continued tormenting my mind whenever I thought about it.

Looking down at the skating track, Sunny Flare and Lemon Zest had finally overtaken Pinkie Pie and Rarity, yet the latter decided to go with an unusual technique in hopes of finishing alongside our opponents. I knew Rarity had strong legs, given how she had to rely on them to push those clothes racks around, but I never knew she could fling a person forward with so much speed. Pinkie blazed forward, momentum clearly on her side, around the final corner, and in-between the Shadowbolts to cross the finish line first. I wondered why they didn't use that sooner in order to maintain their lead, but it meant Rarity losing her own momentum.

The good news was that Rainbow and I were going to start the motocross at the same time as Indigo and Sugarcoat. The bad news was that my mind was conflicted between competing, what happened to Applejack earlier when her magic appeared, and what was going on near the skating track.

" What a finish!" Dean Cadance announced.

" Time for you two to lose!" Indigo Zap said.

" Sunset and I are gonna run circles around you." Rainbow Dash said.

The signal lights turned green, and the bar that blocked us from riding down the start ramp dropped down to the ground. All eyes were now on the four of us, as we were set to compete against one another to determine which school would claim victory. Without warning, Indigo and Sugarcoat revved up their motorbikes obnoxiously, rode down the ramp, and moved onto the dirt track, leaving a trail of dust behind. Rainbow and I weren't about to let them get a head start, so we went down the ramp after them. Right off the bat, it was obvious to everyone present that my riding experience was far weaker than the others’. I had gotten used to being a human, yet there were still some things that proved difficult. For the most part, it was going to be Rainbow leading the charge for CHS. All I could do was try and keep up without falling too far behind.

Racing on dirt was no problem for any of us, but the sloped ramps, small hills, a pond, and other obstacles made it challenging. I secretly hoped to have a pleasant race that came down to skill, yet these obstacles made that difficult.

From what I read about motocross, it was a difficult sport that demanded intense concentration, balance, and understanding of the ins and outs of your motorbike. Normally, it was reserved for adults, but in the last couple of years, teenagers were given the chance to earn their licenses. It was all to sate a need for speed, something Rainbow Dash strove for whenever the subject came up.

" So far, Rainbow and Indigo have managed to keep their attitudes under control." I said to myself, looking ahead at the two as they interchanged with one another to determine which school was in the lead. Before the race started, they had argued to the point where they could've started a fight, but their consciences prevailed by making them focus on the race and not their inflated egos. Yet, I felt they were going to do something stupid that could cause either Sugarcoat or myself serious injury. It actually felt like the two of us were just there racing for fun with the others racing like fierce competitors. " Why does Rainbow rely on her ego to get herself out of problems? All she does is get herself into more trouble; she doesn't understand that picking fights over stupid things solves nothing. Hopefully, she can show some self-control. Not sure if Indigo will react in the same manner." I said to myself.

I still think she was exactly like Rainbow Dash, right down to the egotistical attitude. If the two of them had been sisters in another life, they would have spent much of their time arguing instead of working together.

" Awesome!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she jumped off a ramp.

" Don't think you've won!" Indigo Zap shouted.

" I'm just having a good time, unlike you."

" What!? You think I'm incapable of fun?"

" From all you’ve said, yes."

" That's it! You're going down!" Indigo Zap shouted, revving up her motorbike again to keep up with Rainbow.

" And here I was hoping they wouldn't resort to childish arguing." I said to myself, sighing before something in the air caused me to start looking around.

The magical surge that came from the skating track reappeared, but now, it was even stronger than before. What was happening over there? At that moment, a snarling sound echoed throughout the field, yet none of us took notice of it. I thought someone's dog had walked by the fence, but no dog could make a noise that loud, especially when two bleachers full of screaming students drowned out most noise.

Choosing to focus instead on the race, I rode around to the next corner, and my eyes suddenly stared upwards to what looked like a portal opening up in the sky. Had Twilight somehow lost control of her pendant? Or, had all that magic she absorbed finally proved too much for her to handle? Another, more wild, theory was that someone from Equestria had opened a portal on that side in an effort to gain control over this world; another "magical so-and-so", as Applejack stated a couple of days ago.

My worst fears were realized when a creature from my homeland reared its ugly head into this world, followed by additional ones of its kind coming through additional portals scattered across the dirt track. They appeared to be giant plants. The first thing they did was lunge towards Rainbow Dash, who performed a slick maneuver to avoid losing more than the race. What was truly baffling was the audience not running away in terror over witnessing monster plants. Did they think this was some kind of stunt employed by Principal Celestia and Principal Cinch to make this stage more challenging?

Unfortunately, I wasn't as maneuverable as Rainbow, and one of the plants lunged out and knocked me off my bike. My bike slid across the dirt before coming to a stop, while I also slid along, but at a shorter distance. Indigo managed to get past by using her own maneuvers, yet Sugarcoat wasn't as lucky. The plant that knocked me down latched onto her bike using its large mouth, sending her flying to the right a short distance before lifting her up several dozen meters.

Once I regained consciousness--the plant had knocked the wind out of me when it collided with my bike--I saw Sugarcoat was dangling below her bike, her hands holding onto a pipe on the side. Indigo, in the meantime, just kept on going and didn't even bother trying to save her teammate.

That wasn't true of Rainbow Dash. She looked back and noticed I was in trouble, and decided to turn around and help me out. Some would've criticized her for going back when she could've continued on with the race, but that meant betraying her values of loyalty. Sugarcoat, meanwhile, was still hanging on for dear life. When the plant swallowed her bike with one gulp, she fell but used its stem like a slide, preventing any serious injury from occurring. However, that meant the plant was now interested in me, since I was all alone. Closing my eyes, I didn't want to see what was about to happen, but the sound of a roaring engine meant things were about to look up.

" What happened?" I asked.”

“ You almost got smashed by that jerk of a plant." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Equestria... those plants are coming from my home."

" So that's what an Equestrian plant looks like? No wonder you and Princess Twilight are always so tense. Of course, that plant isn't gonna catch me on this bad boy." Rainbow Dash said.

" Thanks for saving me."

" I wasn't about to let my friend become plant food."

" What about the race?"

" We can still win this! I know it sounds weird saying that when we've got a major emergency, but like I said, we need to give CHS the hope that we can force the third and deciding even by beating Crystal Prep here and now." Rainbow Dash answered. She seemed pretty confident about our chances of winning, but my mind was fixated on what I was sensing coming from her body. The joy of having been saved disappeared and was replaced with dread, as Rainbow's magic was starting to make itself known.

Upon stopping her motorbike, Rainbow climbed off and removed her helmet. In an instant, her pony ears, tail, and wings appeared, giving her a burst of energy. While I thought it was amazing that she ponied up for the second time without her guitar, it quickly dawned on me that she had transformed in front of Crystal Prep. I imagined hearing Principal Cinch complaining about how one of Principal Celestia's students suddenly developed wings in addition to the plants coming through portals strewn across the field. The magic had gotten out of control, and after my friends and I had done so much to keep it under control, too.

In my mind, I knew that Twilight must have done something to cause all of this, but I wasn't able to get to her in time. I didn't blame her entirely for this mess. The blame was mostly mine because of my past actions over wanting power more than anything else. I felt bad knowing that I failed Vice Principal Luna when she asked me to keep the magic hidden until the end of the Friendship Games. I knew that I had a lot of explaining to do once this event was finished.

" You were only partly right about me causing the problem." Twilight said.

" How do you figure that?" I asked.

" It's true that I absorbed Applejack's magic, but my pendant acted of its own accord. I had no control over what it wanted to do, and I struggled to keep it from absorbing anymore than it needed to." Twilight answered.

I doubted her claim was true. I know she wanted to understand why CHS suddenly had "energy" flowing about, but she made the decision to take the magic away from us. If she had asked about it instead of going with her own instincts, a lot of the problems wouldn't have happened. Her pendant was an impressive piece of work, but claiming that it was sentient? I found that hard to believe.

Before I could say anything in response, Twilight started whimpering, tears flowing down her cheeks. She had been overly emotional since the start of the evening, yet there was a genuine sense of guilt I sensed coming from her. Maybe I was being too hard on her after all. Magic wasn't something Twilight was an expert in, and she was only doing what she believed in. When it came to magic, you needed to have a firm grasp over it. If you weren't strong enough, it could do whatever it wanted. You'd be powerless to stop it from really causing a lot of damage. Possessing a strong will allowed complete control and ability to produce things, limited only to what was within one's own mind.

I should have been more firm with Twilight, back then and now. She was tampering with things that were beyond her mind, and I should've explained it to her without losing my temper in the process. Perhaps now is a good time to help her come to grips with how magic functioned.

Nudging closer to her, I wrapped my arm around the back of Twilight's neck and pressed my chin against her hair. Something in my head was telling me to go a little further, but I shook those thoughts away, as she needed a friend more than anything else.

" I'm not blaming you for what happened during the Games, Twilight, and that will never change. I should have never brought magic into this world and alerted the likes of the Sirens who could've lived out an existence without their powers being brought back. I also should've been more understanding of what you were going through. You were trying to deal with personal problems resulting from how you were being treated, and wanting to figure out what was happening at CHS was the solution to your ailment." I said.

" Learning was my passion, and helped me cope with my struggles."

" If you had told me that sooner, I could've helped you."

" I know, Sunset, but I was afraid that you and the rest of CHS would treat me in the same manner." Twilight said. I couldn't respond to a statement like that. She didn't know what kind of students attended CHS, so the idea of her being cautious was understandable. Still, I was right about how she should've come to me for help and not tried to figure things out on her own. " You know, Fluttershy and Applejack both helped me without even asking, and it took me by surprise. I thought they would act in an entirely different manner, and it was their selfless acts that made me think that Crystal Prep wasn't the right school for me."

" And yet, you stole their magic."

" Something that continues haunting me. I knew it was wrong but I kept on going for the sake of knowledge. You know, it was an accident that caused those plants to first manifest into our world." Twilight said. This was the first time hearing those words. In my mind, I always thought Twilight had brought them here, but now, it seemed that something else was at play the entire time. " After my pendant absorbed Applejack's magic, I tripped over Spike, who was standing behind me. My pendant bounced along the ground until it stopped by the skating track, where it opened up without any restraint." Twilight said. The plants came through those portals all because of a mishap involving her dog!? I suppose anything could have caused that mess, but instead it was mere coincidence and a lot of bad luck.

" That's why I sensed a magical surge. It came from your pendant."

" I tried to get to it in an effort to close it again, but those plants started attacking me before I could."

" Like I said, those plants from the Everfree Forest lunge at anything they deem as food or find entering their territory. They're basically stupid, so they rely on instinct in order to consume whatever takes their fancy." I said.

" Good thing no one was hurt."

" Rainbow Dash proved to be a good aerial spotter."

" In the end, I did manage to close my pendant."

" Which leads me to perhaps the one thing since my reformation that weighs on me more than anything else." I said. I looked at Twilight for a few seconds, then at my journal, and then down at my hands. It felt like they were sweating; what I was about to say next had the potential to leave my friend in tears over how I thought about everything that had happened during the span of several minutes. I looked at Twilight again before breathing a heavy sigh. " After the Tri-Cross Relay was over, Rainbow and the others celebrated their victory, which lead into me acting like a complete moron."

Why did Rainbow Dash have to pony up in the middle of the race? Everyone from Crystal Prep--especially Principal Cinch--had just witnessed her transformation, and the latter saw it as the perfect excuse to have the Wondercolts disqualified over allegations of cheating. The giant Equestrian plants didn't make things any easier, yet I could easily come up with an excuse to explain their presence.

My heart told me that the race needed to be stopped. People's lives were in danger from the plants, and they needed to be evacuated. My guts, however, were telling me to keep going with the race and win it for CHS. I was allowing my judgment to be dictated by the desire to keep our school in the competition, thinking that a pointless contest between two schools was more important than people's lives. My priorities were being tested in a bad way, but I chose to go with finishing the race. Crystal Prep only had Indigo Zap remaining, as Sugarcoat's bike got eaten by a plant, yet CHS were as limited. Rainbow and I only had one bike, as mine was flattened, yet she didn't need it because of her wings.

Knowing that I had to win, despite my conflict of interest, I got onto Rainbow's bike and sped off after Indigo, who had gained a commanding lead. Unfortunately for her, the plants proved to be more problematic than she could handle. One of them slammed its head into the dirt track--probably thought it could scrounge up some food--and left a large pothole that she fell into. That gave me the opportunity I needed to catch up and overtake her, so revving up my bike and putting the pedal to the metal, I jumped over one of the jumps on the track, making sure to sit slightly upright to give myself some extra speed.

" I'm hoping Rainbow Dash is okay dealing with those plants. I know it's not the same as dealing with the likes of me or the Sirens, but she shouldn't allow her cockiness to get the better of her." I said to myself, looking up at the sky. Rainbow was flying about in an effort to draw the plants attention away from everyone else. It wasn't easy, as there were more than she could handle, yet she showed absolute resolve in her determination to protect everyone. " So far, she's distracting them, which should give the others a chance to run for it, but maybe it's best that I finish this race as fast as possible." I said to myself. The students hadn't bothered to run away. Did they honestly think that this was all part of the event? They were either blind, ignorant, or both.

" Humans can be so stupid at times, but as long as Rainbow keeps those plants busy, everything should work out fine... I hope." I said to myself.

Indigo was starting to come up behind me, having realized that I had gotten ahead of her. We both rode around the next few corners and over some small jumps made from dirt and old tires. One of the plants then suddenly reared its ugly head in an effort to lunge at us but was denied when Rainbow slammed into it using her elbow combined with her flying skills. It crashed a short distance away and remained unconscious. With that threat out of the way, Indigo and I raced neck-and-neck around the final corner and towards the finish line. I knew she wanted to win, but I wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of winning it all for Crystal Prep.

In a last burst of speed that came from within, I pulled ahead mere metres away from the finish line and crossed it first. The students of CHS exploded into cheers of happiness knowing I had won the relay. The students of Crystal Prep looked dejected, but at least they didn't glare at Twilight like they did after she won the first event. I didn't see her expression, but I knew Principal Cinch wasn't happy about the results, either. She wanted her team to end the Games there and then, but I had pulled off an upset no one expected.

"Canterlot wins!" Dean Cadance announced, her words bringing about silence from everyone. " With their win, the two teams have now won one event apiece. That means the third and final event will take place, but we need some time to actually prepare it. To be honest, we weren't really expecting CHS to win, but surprises do appear to be quite common today. I don't know what's going on, but we need to leave the field immediately. Would students and staff please proceed to the gym. We shall reveal some hints about the final event and maybe answer some concerns." Dean Cadance said, putting away her microphone. Everyone quietly began leaving in order to head back inside, yet they were going about it in a casual manner, like the plants didn't really exist. I had to give them credit for remaining calm in the face of danger; the plants were still a problem and needed to be dealt with.

Before my very eyes, they suddenly began disappearing back into the portals from where they came from, with some disintegrating into nothing before the portal closed. Just like that, the field was back to normal, as though the plants had never been there. My thought process at that point was to make sure my friends were okay. I also had to find and speak to Twilight. She had crossed the line when it came to stealing our magic. If we still had our magic, we could have prevented the plants from even appearing in the first place.

It didn't take long to find my friends, and I managed to overhear Applejack asking if everyone was okay. I wasn't surprised when Rainbow Dash commented on how well the race went in our favour and completely ignored the fact that innocent people could have been hurt.

" Are you kidding!? We're better than alright! We won!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Why am I not surprised with you saying that." I said, riding up to my friends before stopping and taking off my helmet. One thing I didn't like about wearing it was how it messed up my hair. My friends noticed how worried I looked and Rainbow stopped smiling, knowing that she had been out there. " Yeah! We won! Now we're tied with Crystal Prep, and we forced the deciding event, but that's not really important here. Someone could have been seriously hurt what with those plants running amok! I hate to say it, but the magic is going haywire. I'm not sure how I managed to lose control, but I have no idea how to fix it!" I said.

" Alrighty now! No need to start freakin' out." Applejack said.

" How can I not, considering what just happened?"

" Sunset has a point, darling. Despite her best efforts in keeping the magic under control, Crystal Prep has seen it with their own eyes. I have no doubt that they are going to be asking us questions, and it will be difficult for us to give them an honest answer." Rarity added.

" Yeah, I suppose y'all are right." Applejack said.

" Now do you believe me that Twilight stole the portal?" I asked.

" I reckon this was all just an unfortunate coincidence that still don't prove that she did anything." Applejack answered. My eye started twitching in response. I couldn't believe she still didn't think Twilight had caused so much trouble. I was on the verge of completely losing it when someone familiar spoke up.

" Um, excuse me, but did I hear someone mention my name?” Twilight asked, walking up behind us and looking sheepish, as though she were trying to hide something. My friends smiled at her, while I glared at her with hatred in my eyes. She had some nerve acting like she had no idea what was going on, and I wasn't about to be fooled by her. " I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I'm so sorry. I just wanted to learn about the strange energy coming from your school. Ever since it first showed up on my radar, it practically begged me to try and understand why it exists here. Since then, I've been working hard to come up with solutions, yet none of them worked until I built this device so I could detect and analyze the energy. I didn't know that it was magic or... how it works." Twilight said.

" You've never heard of magic before?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Of course I have, but I always considered it the stuff of fairy tales."

" Then you've got a lot to learn."

" Yes, but again, I feel as though I have done you a great wrong with my actions. My curiosity has often been the cause of my creating disasters, but at least everything has calmed down now. Still, it's so fascinating to know exactly what the energy is. By the way, you six seem to have a firm grasp regarding this phenomenon." Twilight said.

" Only Sunset here does--" Rainbow Dash began before quickly closing her mouth upon seeing my glare. I didn't want Twilight to know that I came from the very world that those plants came from. If she were to know about the existence of Equestria, she would want to know as much about it as possible, including wanting to go there. If there was anyone here who shouldn't go through the portal, it was Twilight. She had exposed a secret my friends and I had kept from those beyond CHS for the last six months. Now, Crystal Prep could label our school as cheaters by using something that couldn't be explained.

I didn't know why I was treating her with so much animosity. My temper had reached a boiling point, and I was trying to calm down, but something about Twilight was rubbing me the wrong way. So long as she didn't do anything to further cause me stress, I could slowly calm my nerves. Unfortunately, what happened next pushed me over the edge.

" I don't understand." Twilight said.

" That's okay; neither do we."

" Regarding magic?"

" Yep. We're still trying to figure out the basic stuff despite using it several times in the past." Rainbow Dash answered. She then made her biggest mistake by walking over until she was within range of Twilight's pendant. I had noticed it was glowing in an unusual manner, but it was too late for me to have prevented what happened next. The moment Rainbow Dash stood inches away from Twilight, her pendant suddenly shot out in front of her and opened up.

" Oh, no! Oh, no, no, no! Not again!" Twilight shouted, pulling the string that hung around her neck that the pendant was attached to. She struggled to prevent her device from stealing Rainbow's magic, but it was to no avail; the latter began growing weaker, and her pony extensions faded away. Fluttershy told us what happened when she had her magic taken, and now, I was seeing it with my own eyes.

" What's going on?"

" My pendant is taking your magic."

" No way!"

" I'm sorry! It just started absorbing energy on its own! But I'm not sure how!"

" What do you mean you don't know how!?" I said, my voice displaying signs of anger. I had just witnessed my friend having her magic stolen from her, and I wasn't about to let Twilight get away with it. I know that I should've remained calm and perhaps tried to reason my way towards a solution, but all I could see in front of me was hatred towards Twilight. She had crossed the line and was going to pay for it. She was ignorant of magic, and I should've known that, yet I didn't care one bit. " You did not just say that to me! You've been stealing our magic ever since you first came here, and now you're telling me that you don't get it?" I asked.

" My pendant has been acting weird ever since I investigated the statue outside your school." Twilight answered.

" You built that thing, and you don't know how it works?"

" I know what it does, but this 'magic' isn't compatible." Twilight answered. She managed to grab hold of her pendant, but I wasn't about to let her use it again. I walked over to her and grabbed it in an attempt to take it away from her, yet it suddenly opened up and released a powerful surge that opened up a large portal in the sky. How could her pendant have opened a portal that big? I didn't recognize the area in Equestria the portal connected to, but I sensed the raw magic of my homeland swirling about. It was enough to calm me down for about several seconds before all of us were drenched in a torrential downpour. " What was that all about?" Twilight asked.

" I'm not sure, but at least it wasn't anything dangerous."

" That hole is much bigger than the previous ones."

" Yeah, and I'm worried about it causing further problems."

" It's a rift. That hole has ripped open the fabric of the space-time continuum, yet I'm not sure how that's even remotely possible. I'm a student of science, and nothing in my books has mentioned anything about a hole that connects between multiple dimensions." Twilight answered.

" Is there anything you do know!?" I asked, the anger within me slowly pouring out.

" I'm not sure I get what you're suggesting, Sunset Shimmer. I happen to be extremely gifted, and I find your comment to be very offensive. Or, perhaps you're referring to the fact that the subject of magic is something that I'm lacking?" Twilight asked. Her attempt at making me look bad with reverse psychology only furthered my anger towards her. I knew my temper was problematic, yet it had never reached levels like I was feeling at that moment in time. I wanted to stop myself before saying something I'd regret, but it was too late for me to hold back what I wanted to say to her. " Hello? Why aren't you addressing my concern?" Twilight asked.

" That's not what I meant. Do you know how to get our magic back!? Or how to fix the portal to Equestria!?"

" Equestria?"

" Why am I even explaining that to you?"

" What is Equestria?"

" You're supposed to be so smart, but did you ever think that you shouldn't be messing around with things you don't understand!?" I asked. I then grabbed the pendant and held it in my hands for a brief moment before closing it. It made a loud clicking sound and the portal above our heads disappeared. " Magic is something most humans can never understand, and your attempts at trying to do so have caused nothing but problems. I don't know what compelled you to believe that you could figure it out, but clearly, it's beyond you. I suggest giving up on it right now and never looking back on it."

" But, I wanna understand."

" That's just it! You don't!"

" I can learn."

" Listen, Twilight. I'm only going to say this once. Magic isn't one of those science projects where you attempt to analyze things. It's a force that takes years to learn and even more to master, and only the best can be declared experts in the field. In an immature effort to appease your ego towards the pursuit of knowledge, you've caused problems that have plagued both worlds. I don't know if the damage can be repaired, but worst of all, you put the lives of my friends in danger! They mean everything to me and the thought of losing them to your endeavour is something that I won’t tolerate." I said.

In the back of my mind, I knew that my words were harsh. However, it was something that needed to be said. If she had continued down her current path, Twilight herself would've become a victim of her own desires. It was best to sever the connection by the root before it could blossom into something truly awful. I didn't hold my words back, despite knowing how hard Twilight's life had been. I didn't care so long as she got it through her head that messing around with magic was dangerous and could kill her. Unfortunately, she took my words the wrong way, and it didn't take a genius to know that I made a terrible mistake.

" I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Twilight said. She then burst into tears and ran off in the opposite direction with Spike chasing after her. I was still so angry that I didn't even know she had run away until Rainbow Dash placed her hand on my shoulder. That gesture snapped me out of my delusion and I quickly realized what had happened. How had it come to this? Why did I explode with rage over Twilight's actions? Why didn't I act with a more compassionate attitude? Had I ruined a potential friendship all because my temper got out of control? I knew that Princess Twilight would be ashamed of me had she witnessed my atrocious actions. I took what she taught me and threw it back in her face.

All I could do in response to Rainbow's gesture was slap my forehead. I had become everything that I spent so much time and effort overcoming since the Fall Formal. The monster within my heart had been reawakened.

" I never felt more horrible for what I said to you, Twilight." I said.

" While you were pretty harsh, you were only telling me the truth. It was something my brain didn't want to hear, but my heart had to in order for me to finally get the message that my actions almost caused our friends to suffer the consequences." Twilight said.

" How did you take it?"

" At first, I was shocked at how you treated me. I needed some time by myself to reflect upon what you said. An answer that came to me at first was to ignore your words and continue with my research as though nothing had happened. That reasoning quickly proved invalid, so I needed another solution. I found my answer when it dawned on me that my efforts had the potential to convince Principal Cinch and everyone else at Crystal Prep that using magic would guarantee our victory in the Friendship Games." Twilight answered.

" That's what actually happened."

" I know, but it was a thought that brought shivers down my spine. When it came to winning competitions, Principal Cinch would use every legal method at her disposal in order to assure her students that they would win. Since Rainbow Dash used magic during the motocross race, the Shadowbolts believed they had every right to use magic as well. While that doesn't make much sense, Principal Cinch knew that I could release what I had absorbed to win." Twilight said.

Rainbow never actually crossed the finish line during the race, so in theory, she never used magic to help CHS win the event. She only used her ability to fly to protect Indigo and myself from becoming a snack for those Everfree plants. I never used my magic during the race, as it had been stolen, and I wanted to play by the rules anyway, since cheating was something the old me would've done without taking the time to think it over. While Rainbow meant well when she ponied up, she exposed the secret we had tried so hard to maintain before a school that had never seen it before.

If Cinch had been more assertive in her accusations, the Friendship Games could've been cancelled before the deciding event. In turn, that would've prevented Twilight from unleashing all the magic she had absorbed from all of us. Instead, she wanted things to continue because she refused to accept CHS as being equal to Crystal Prep. Her own arrogance took everyone down a path that almost destroyed two worlds. No wonder I never liked the idea of a rivalry between our respective schools. The aim of the Friendship Games was to promote friendship, not to encourage trying to outdo one another in the name of victory.

" How did she know about the pendant?"

" She overheard our conversation." Twilight answered. I knew it! Cinch had overheard us talking about magic, and that meant she knew I had berated Twilight. No wonder she was able to convince Twilight into releasing the stolen magic without using the Everton application as leverage. She learned what had been going on regarding the pendant and viewed it as a means of winning the Games. She had no idea what was truly going on--listening to only part of a conversation will do that to you--and allowed her desires of winning to ultimately bring about a sudden change no one expected. " She even noticed the portal that had opened above us."

" What did she say to you?"

" About what?"

" The pendant... What did she say about it?"

" She knew that it contained the magic I stole from all of you."

Chapter 70: Celestial Sunset

Day: Saturday
Weather: Cloudy
Time: 2:00pm

If there was a time where I hated myself because of my temper, this would be that time. What in the world was I thinking? Twilight had approached us and apologized for what happened regarding the Equestrian plants attacking us, yet I refused to listen to her words. Instead, I lashed out at her in a blind fury, having reached my boiling point. I didn't care about her feelings so long as I let her know how I felt about her meddling with things beyond her understanding. When it became apparent that I overstepped my boundaries, my mind could only think of one thing in response: I had become a monster again. I wished I could go back in time and stopped myself from berating Twilight, but that was impossible; that kind of magic existed in Equestria, but not in this world. Things would get worse when Principal Cinch came up to Principal Celestia and accused CHS of manipulating the relay. I didn't know why, but I sensed that she knew something she wasn't supposed to.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
April 24, 2016
Chapter 70: Celestial Sunset.

The revelation Twilight revealed to me regarding Principal Cinch's knowledge of what her pendant contained was shocking. I had done my very best to make sure that no one outside of CHS was aware that magic existed in this world, yet she had figured it out, no thanks to me. Cinch overheard the conversation that happened when I berated Twilight over messing around with forces beyond her understanding, and that lead her to think that she could use the knowledge of Equestria to win a competition. My temper had been my one major drawback even after I had reformed, and it had contributed to the eventual catalyst.

I knew that she had been miserable as a result of how the rest of Crystal Prep treated her, yet all I did was make her feel even worse. I have no excuse for how I yelled at her simply because my own insecurities were pathetic. All Twilight was doing was trying to understand something in the name of knowledge. Sure, her actions did have dire consequences, but that was normal for someone in her position; curiosity kept her striving to uncover the truth. If I hadn't lost control, I could have resolved things in a more peaceful manner, and Cinch wouldn't have considered the notion of wanting to use magic.

Could it be said that my actions almost brought about the end of this world? I'd say yes to that, as I was clearly responsible the first time around. My insecurities over trying to find my place nearly ended everything the second time around courtesy of the Sirens. Finally, my own temper combined with having so much stress almost allowed Twilight to destroy both this world and Equestria. In that sense, I was like a magnet, unintentionally bringing about problems. If not for the fact that my friends welcomed me with open arms and accepted me despite my flaws, I'd have destroyed this world a long time ago. A horrible thought indeed.

Looking at Twilight, she had since taken out her notepad and was scribbling down something in a panic. I hoped she hadn't taken my lack of a response too seriously. I had wondered how Cinch knew what magic even was--Equestrian magic as opposed to traditional magic used during shows and other performances--considering she blurted out the word several times after everything was resolved. Rubbing my finger against my chin, I thought back to that moment. I then switched to scratching my head in an effort to recall exactly what she said she'd do, but I was interrupted by Twilight, who appeared to be wanting to tell me something.

" I was writing down the exact words Principal Cinch said when we were discussing strategies for the final event." Twilight said.

" Why would you do that?" I asked.

" In case you didn't believe what I was saying."

" Now what compelled you to think that?"

" You didn't answer me when I mentioned Principal Cinch knowing the truth about my pendant."

" I was in deep thought over how she knew about magic."

" And?"

" And what?"

" Something else was on your mind, Sunset. I know you well enough to see it through your facial expressions, so I wouldn't try to change the subject." Twilight answered. I must admit that I was surprised to hear her say that. She obviously must know what's been troubling me, so why bother making a spectacle out of it? While I could curse my face for giving away my true intentions, Twilight deserved to know what was wrong. If I don't tell her about it, she's going to pester me about it until I cave in. " Do we have to go through the same song and dance like before where you kept quiet about things you'd rather not share? I've got plenty of time on my hands." Twilight said.

" I was thinking about what I said to you after the relay."

" Are you still upset about that? Granted, what you said really hurt my feelings, but I've gotten over that now. I realize that what I did was wrong and that I allowed my desire for knowledge to blind me. Your words were harsh but needed to be said. I had to learn the hard way about the consequences my actions were bringing." Twilight said.

" Maybe, but I still hurt you by going too far."

" You and our friends were losing something precious to you."

" It doesn't matter, Twilight! My temper took complete control of my head, and I lashed out at you when I just couldn't take it anymore. I knew you were upset over how you had been treated by your peers, yet all I did was add to that misery. If you weren't thinking of wanting revenge against those who hurt you, my words surely pushed such thoughts to the forefront of your subconscious. I could apologize hundreds of times, but that wouldn't be enough to change what happened." I said.

I wanted to punish myself in the harshest manner yet. I thought of either bashing my head against the wall numerous times or throwing myself off this level of the library and onto the ground below, but I knew Twilight would stop me from inflicting such injuries. My thoughts were pretty dark, more than what I had done previously, yet that was because my temper proved too volatile and unpredictable. If not for Rainbow Dash snapping me out of it, I could've yelled at her or one of the others without provocation. Or worse, I could’ve actually hit one of them.

Instead of abiding to my dark thoughts, I merely sat there and thought about that conversation. Twilight was curious because that was in her nature. She was only doing what she thought was right, and I had the gall to blast her for putting our friends' lives in danger by taking their magic, which, in turn, affected their stamina. The more I thought about it, the more it gave me a splitting headache.

What I should have done was approach the situation with a different demeanour. That meant not succumbing to my anger, a difficult task for me to overcome given how I lose control far too often. Personally, I'd love nothing more than to go back and try again, but I know I can't do that. Her Highness told me that messing with the fabric of time could cause irreparable damage.

" Your facial expressions changed."

" Not surprising, considering--"

" Sunset, I don't blame you for yelling at me." Twilight said, inching closer towards me. For a brief moment, I thought she was actually going to kiss me or something. I mean, she got really close to my face, and the look in her eyes was telling me there was more to her getting close than appearances suggested. I was relieved that her aim was to comfort me with a hug, although next time, she should try a less questionable tactic. " I should've been smarter and thrown the pendant away. No, I should've given it to you. All that magic locked within it couldn't simply be tossed aside." Twilight said.

If she had done that, I'd have handed it over to Her Highness, and she would've taken care of it. Again, magic was her specialty despite my own knowledge.

" Guess we both made a mistake that day."

" And mine would only get worse because of what Principal Cinch did next."

" Did she berate you because Crystal Prep lost?"

" Surprisingly, that never registered in her mind. I knew she was upset that the academy didn't sweep the Games, but she didn't show it when she talked to us. She was more concerned with winning the final event no matter what the cost was." Twilight answered.

" Funny; she didn't act that way earlier."

" What do you mean?"

" After you ran away, I wanted to consult with Principal Celestia. I had failed to keep the magic under control, regardless of the fact that your actions were the cause of it. So, I wanted to personally apologize for not keeping my word. Unfortunately, I had to deal with Cinch, who began to complain about how things went down." I answered. I'm glad that she didn't directly talk to me about what happened. I'd have been too distracted over what I said to Twilight. Instead, Rainbow Dash said something that proved quite inspiring. Sugarcoat wasn't the only one who questioned Cinch's motivations, and Rainbow proved that in spades. " In my current state, I kept quiet while Principal Celestia and Rainbow did the talking. I think you can figure out what she had to say."

Just like that, my entire world crumbled around me once again. I knew that my temper had been a weakness of mine, but I never thought it would make me lash out against anyone that way again. I had been under a lot of stress from having to solve the magic problem, keeping magic away from the Friendship Games, and helping the Wondercolts overcome the Shadowbolts, just to name a few problems. Those factors all culminated into a single point that resulted in me taking out my frustration on Twilight. Her wanting to understand magic and putting the lives of my friends in jeopardy was enough to make me snap. She had unintentionally pushed the wrong button once too often, and I wasn't letting her walk away without knowing exactly how I felt.

It harkened back to how I reacted when Trixie accused me of sabotaging the Rainbooms during the Battle of the Bands. She claimed I tackled Rainbow Dash out of jealousy during her performance, and my response involved grabbing her collar. That moment proved to be a defining point. I had anger issues in the past that stemmed from not being given the title of princess. Despite wanting to destroy Princess Twilight due to being consumed with power, I myself never wanted to physically hurt anyone. Had I not been restrained by Rainbow, there was no telling what I could have done. That thought alone tormented me ever since.

My temper was something I couldn't ignore. My friends witnessed it many times before, and what happened with Twilight was perhaps the worst case. I had prided myself on being a good judge of character, yet that got thrown away the instant my boiling point reached its zenith. Twilight had explained her actions, but I refused to listen to her. In my head, anger and hatred were all I could hear, and she paid the price.

What was truly the most painful aspect in all of this was that I had betrayed Her Highness' teachings. She had taught me the value of friendship and how I should spread it to others in order to do away with hatred. And what did I go and do? By using hatred in the form of my anger, I frightened away someone who struggled with her own problems.

Twilight needed compassion, but all she got was spite from someone who used her to vent out her own personal failures. Now, she probably thinks everyone at CHS was just as spiteful as I was and is bound to close her heart in the hopes of never being hurt like that again. If Princess Twilight had witnessed my behaviour, her heart would've shattered. She had given me a second chance, and I spat on that generosity in a matter of moments.

Rainbow Dash asked me if I was okay, but I told her that I needed to sit down for a few moments to reflect upon my actions. I thought about sitting on the grass, but I decided to sit back down on the motorbike she used during the relay. Part of me had the desire to ride away out of shame, but that would've done nothing. There was no sense in trying to run away from my problem. What had been done couldn't be taken back. This was something I'd have to live with for the rest of my life. As I rested on the handlebars of the motorbike, the image of a crying Twilight made it difficult to concentrate. I tried to get it out of my mind, but it lingered about like a spectre wanting to haunt me everywhere I go.

I thought back to when I had been reduced to tears. The only difference was that my tears resulted from me underestimating the Magic of Friendship, and Twilight's came from my using her as a scapegoat.

" Sunset?" Rainbow Dash asked.

I didn't respond to her.

" Sunset? Are you okay?"

Again, I didn't say anything.

" Snap out of it!" Rainbow Dash shouted. She walked up to me quickly before slapping my face, snapping me out of my thought process. Rubbing the side of my face her palm had hit, I turned away from her for a brief moment and uttered something to myself--it was a very quiet “ouch”--before turning back. " Sorry for knocking some sense into you, but you need to get over what just happened." Rainbow paused to look at the rest of our friends, who were in disbelief over what she had done to me. Those expressions were enough to frighten most people, but Rainbow wasn't one who could be fazed so easily. " Look, so you made a mistake. So what? I've made plenty of them."

" That one was the worst one I've ever made."

" No kidding, but you can't take back what you said. Heck! If Applejack had been in your shoes, she would've said the same thing."

" Is that true?"

" ‘Fraid so, sugarcube. I know you feel bad about beratin' Twilight like you did, but I reckon she needed to be told the truth before someone got hurt. We've had some pretty close calls with those plants, so y'all did the right thing. It's painful because it meant doin' something you ain't accustomed to, but you'll eventually get over it when you think you've gotten a strong handle of it. Maybe now, Twilight will think twice before messin' with stuff she don't understand." Applejack answered.

" And what if she still persists?"

" Then I'll have to knock some sense into her." Applejack answered. I didn't like the idea of her speaking to Twilight in a manner far worse than what I did--Applejack knew how to be honest without holding back, something the rest of us didn’t really like doing--but I knew it had to be done were she to continue down her current path. " I know Rainbow Dash went too far by slappin' you in the face, but you were beatin' yourself up somethin' fierce. Sunset, like she said, you've gotta accept the fact that you told Twilight the honest truth despite relyin' on your anger. She needed to be made aware that her actions could seriously hurt a lot of people." Applejack said.

" I know, but I allowed my temper to consume me."

" We've seen it for ourselves so many times that I've lost count." Pinkie Pie said.

" Not helping!" Rainbow Dash said.

" I'm serious, Dashie. We've seen Sunset lose her cool plenty of times, and every time, she manages to bounce back. It's become a routine, and it reminds us that her greatest weakness is also one of her strongest traits. Losing your temper isn't fun, but it lets Sunset express herself in a way that I know many would love to." Pinkie Pie said.

" Are you sure about that?"

" Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?"

" Because having a temper problem also means no one wants to associate with you."

" Huh... Guess I never thought about it like that. Must be because I'm so happy all the time that I don't even notice such things. Still, I'm right about Sunset having lost it many times because something ticked her off. I'm not saying I wrote down all of those instances in a book or anything." Pinkie Pie said. I then noticed she was holding something in her hand, and when she saw that I was looking, she quickly hid it behind her back in an attempt to hide it from me. Her humour never ceased to amaze me. No matter how upset I felt, Pinkie always knew how to make me feel better. The same was true with everyone else at CHS. " Anyway, your temper is one of your more endearing qualities, Sunset, yet you shouldn't let it be such a burden in your life. Just turn that frown upside down, and you can chase away those grumblies." Pinkie Pie said.

" Grumblies? Seriously?" Rainbow said.

" Thanks for cheering me up, Pinkie, but I still feel bad about what I said. Twilight reminds me an awful lot of myself." I said.

" Really, darling? I'm not sure if the rest of us are in agreement, but I honestly can't see anything that makes that remotely true." Rarity said.

" Both of us were bullied by our peers, although the reasons are different. We're also smarter than those around us, yet while everyone here appreciates my intellect, the same can't be said about how Crystal Prep views Twilight. You know, she would make for a pretty good student around here. She needs an environment that can cater to her skills and not demand any sort of perfection." I said.

" Yes, I can see where you're coming from, but I'm not sure if Twilight would like it here. After all, she has much better opportunities at Crystal Prep. She is their best student, after all, so wanting a lesser education would simply be baffling." Rarity said.

" I doubt they'd let her leave." Rainbow Dash added.

" Maybe, but wouldn't it be nice if she could come here? Despite looking like Her Highness and sharing some things in common, Twilight is her own individual, and it would be a breath of fresh air to be able to live her life without being viewed as insufferable by those who don't understand her. Either way, I'm going to do all I can to let her know that it was wrong for me to have used her as a lightning rod for my anger." I said.

" Reckon y'all found an answer." Applejack said.

" Being upset is something I'll gradually get over, but I've no intention of just leaving things unresolved. I don't care what I have to do in order to apologize to Twilight, but I'm going to even if it kills me." I said.

" You can't possibly call that a fair race!"

I immediately stopped my train of thought when I heard the voice of Principal Cinch. It sounded like she was having issues regarding what happened when magic unintentionally made its presence known during the Tri-Cross Relay. It wasn't surprising that she hated the thought that CHS had won the event and forced the deciding event later, but there wasn't much she could do about it other than issue some kind of complaint. I had to help Principal Celestia explain why plants suddenly appeared, but it was going to be difficult coming up with an explanation regarding Rainbow Dash's wings.

Turning to our right, we saw Cinch standing by the bleachers, yet to me it looked like she had been standing there for some time. Her posture didn't look like someone who had just wandered down from the VIP box. At the time, I had no idea that she had been listening to what I said to Twilight. Because of a combination of my anger clouding my judgment and not closing the portal much sooner, Cinch wouldn't have reached the daft conclusion that the Shadowbolts needed their own magic in order to beat the Wondercolts.

Not only was she standing there, but Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, and Dean Cadance were also present. While the last simply saw her superior as simply protesting the results, the former two felt as though she was acting out of line.

" What can I say about what happened?" Principal Celestia asked.

" Everything was going smoothly during the first two stages of the event, and then, everything completely went out of control during the final stage. If I didn't know any better, I would say that you were so desperate in wanting to tie things up, you intentionally withheld information from me." Principal Cinch answered.

" Both of us knew what the construction workers had provided based on our suggestions."

" Perhaps you chose to include some extras when I wasn't looking."

" You know that isn't true, Principal Cinch. You were with me every time we checked in on the workers to make sure every last detail was covered. There was no way I could have spoken to any of them on my own free time and ask them to include something without your knowledge." Principal Celestia said.

" Then would you like to explain to me why the race ended up the way it did?" Principal Cinch asked. My friends and I overheard the entire conversation thus far when we approached, and I for one couldn't believe the accusations Cinch was throwing. However, I wasn't about to question her sense of decency. Explaining about magic wasn't an option, so a different answer was needed, one that she would believe without demanding some kind of inquiry. " Well? I am waiting to hear an answer from you, or would you prefer it if I ask one of your students who took part in the race?" Principal Cinch asked. She then looked in our direction, particularly at me. Just seeing her piercing eyes was enough to make me want to hide behind someone, but I stood firm, knowing that I couldn't let her intimidate me.

" Principal Cinch, we all saw what happened. You can't think CHS had some kind of advantage."

" Can't I? I believe that I am in the position to suggest that you wanted to give your team the best chance at beating mine."

" What!? I'd never resort to cheating."

" Then how do you explain the trained attack plants?"

" I'm sorry, but did you say 'trained attack plants'? I have never heard of anything so ridiculous in my entire life. Plants are a lot of things, Principal Cinch, and while some of them are aggressive in nature, no plants could be trained to ever pose a threat to humanity." Principal Celestia answered. I would have said something in response, but that would've only made things even worse than they already were. I'm certain some plants in this world were dangerous to humans, but Equestrian plants--ones that were wild and feared by ponies--were definitely dangerous and had proven problematic for humans, as evidenced during the relay. " Again, I assure you that I had no idea why the field was suddenly covered with plants. Perhaps the workers secretly planted them in the hopes of giving us an additional challenge our students had to overcome." Principal Celestia suggested.

" Such a pathetic response, but I suppose it is better than nothing."

" Your feelings are duly noted."

" If the workers were responsible for what happened, then I suggest not to use them in the future. Though, that is not the only issue that I have regarding what happened. While the thought of plants attacking my students was somewhat shocking, what happened with your student was very shocking. I am not sure what it is that you did, but it proved to be a deciding factor that allowed Canterlot High to come away with the victory." Principal Cinch said. She then turned her attention towards Rainbow Dash, and I immediately knew where she was going with her words.

During the motocross race, Rainbow Dash had ponied up, much to my happiness, given that she saved my life, but at the same time her transformation was seen by everyone, including those from Crystal Prep. There was no doubt that Cinch planned on using Rainbow's pony-up to disqualify CHS and automatically end the Games. That would have been viewed as devastating to student morale, yet there was something Cinch had clearly overlooked. I wasn't sure if Rainbow knew what it was, but I had to hope that she did. If she brings it up, then Cinch's accusations would fall on deaf ears.

" Well, the race certainly had some...extenuating circumstances."

" Your student was flying about on wings and was clearly in violation of the rules."

" Can I say something?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Hmph! You certainly know how to be rude by interrupting me, but I suppose that I will allow you to say what is on your mind."

" Despite what happened to me out there, I never actually crossed the finish line. Sunset and Indigo Zap were the only two who crossed, so that makes them the ones who managed to complete the race. My little stunt out there essentially eliminated me from the race. As for Sugarcoat, you'll have to talk to her about that. Basically, what I'm saying is my team didn't resort to cheating and won the race fair and square despite the insanity." Rainbow Dash said.

" Do you honestly expect me to believe those words?"

" Everyone noticed what happened, so you have over fifty witnesses." I answered.

" Ms. Shimmer... You appear to be in a better mood than you were a few minutes ago. I am surprised that someone with your intellect possesses a volatile temper that makes her completely unreasonable. I should have you ejected from the Friendship Games for verbally assaulting my prized student. Such behaviour is unacceptable in this competition, but I can overlook this. Your team needs all the help it can get, Principal Celestia, so denying them your very best would deny Crystal Prep an ideal victory." Principal Cinch said. She then looked at me with those eyes of hers and I felt like wanting to hide in a crawl space until she had gone away. Her gaze could pierce your heart if you weren't careful.

I knew her reason for wanting to get rid of me. I had affected Twilight's confidence, and she wanted all her students to perform at peak proficiency. If one of them decided to quit, it would leave the rest at a disadvantage, especially with CHS still being at full strength.

" I've been thinking about something." Principal Celestia said, looking at the field before looking at all of us.

" Do you wish to forfeit?"

" Hardly, but I do have a similar notion. Considering that not only were the lives of our athletes in danger but so were those who were in attendance in addition to ourselves, I have reason to believe that things will only get worse from this point onwards. Perhaps we should end the Games now and declare a tie? Both teams have won an event each, and their safety is more important than winning a trophy." Principal Celestia answered.

" You want us to end the Games?"

" It's for the best."

" I am hoping that this is your attempt at making a joke."

" No. Both teams can claim victory."

" A tie? Was this your strategy all along? To force us into accepting you as equals?"

" What!? No! My only concern is the safety of everyone here. After all, we just witnessed plants that attacked two athletes and could have caused even more damage had they not retreated back to wherever it is they came from. I'm not sure why you think that I'm making this suggestion based on equality, Principal Cinch. If we have the final event, I am certain people will be seriously injured should another incident happen." Principal Celestia answered.

" I think not. The Games will continue, and Crystal Prep will prevail despite your antics and whatever performance-enhancing regimen your students are on. I believe we've talked for long enough. I shall take my leave. I'm not sure what you were thinking with such a pitiful suggestion, but know that it won't change anything. I showed leniency by not having your student ejected, so you in turn must continue on and graciously accept your defeat." Principal Cinch said. She then started to walk off towards the front of the school, but quickly stopped before turning around and looking at Dean Cadance.

Through her sharp gaze, Cinch beckoned her to follow, and she merely shrugged her shoulders at us before following after her. Cinch made sure not to make eye contact with me, and for that, I felt relieved. Once she was out of sight, I looked at Principal Celestia. She appeared completely shocked that the Games were continuing despite what had been going on, and she felt powerless knowing that Cinch had gotten the last word. My friends and I looked at one another, knowing we messed up by allowing magic to make itself known. We also knew that because of Twilight, a problem we wanted hidden was now going to be the focus for the final event.

It seemed our best efforts had been for naught. I then looked up at the sky and saw that dark clouds were starting to form, a sign that it was either going to rain in a short while or a bad omen was covering the school in a blanket of darkness. That concern diminished when I turned my attention towards Principal Celestia. I needed to comfort her and also apologize for having failed to keep my promise. Things were about to get even worse... the usual thing that often occurred in situations like this.

" I agree completely with what Principal Celestia suggested." Twilight said.

" All of us were in agreement in that the Games needed to be brought to an end before things got even worse." I said.

" Even Rainbow Dash?"

" Just because she wanted to finally beat Crystal Prep didn't mean she was completely obsessed over it. She knew that things had gotten out of control during the relay and that ending the Games was the most logical solution, but it was a battle we couldn't win." I answered.

" Principal Cinch wouldn't accept a tie?"

" She wasn't the only one who felt the same way." I answered. I remember what happened after the relay ended. Principal Cinch had informed her students that CHS wanted to end the Games without the final event being played out. Their reaction was less than thrilled, and they let us know their feelings on the matter. If not for Vice Principal Luna calming things down, we could've had a riot on our hands. It also showed me that Crystal Prep had been blinded to common sense.

They only cared about winning and didn't care that their lives were in danger. Was it another one of Cinch's indoctrinations? If so, then she was truly lost as a person. No one would ever consider putting a pointless competition--or anything similar--ahead of something as irreplaceable as life, but this wasn't the case with Crystal Prep. In Cinch's eyes, tying against CHS was the same as losing, and she wasn't going to allow that to happen under any circumstances. Perhaps if Dean Cadance had said something instead of keeping quiet, things could've turned out differently.

I know it wasn't her fault for not standing up to Cinch, but she was the one person at Crystal Prep with enough authority to do so. Then again, her job meant a lot to her and she might have been looking after someone, hence why she needed a job at such a fine institution. I didn't know enough about Cadance's background beyond what I witnessed, so who knows what was going on in her mind while Cinch made all those statements?

" Yes. All of Crystal Prep--myself excluded--wanted to keep on going."

" Really? You were the only one who didn't agree with the vast majority?"

" After you hurt my feelings, I began to realize that things had gotten beyond just a fierce competition between schools. I also didn't want to compete anymore, as I had grown tired of being mistreated. I know my application hung in the balance, but it wasn't worth it if it meant carrying on with something that served no logical purpose. Unfortunately, no one else knew that I chose to go against Principal Cinch's edict. You know the reason why I couldn't speak up." Twilight answered.

" I get the idea." I said. Twilight couldn't say her opinion without the entirety of Crystal Prep turning against her even more than they already had. I felt bad that she had been alone with her thoughts and that my harsh words only further cemented her misery. " That's why I thought it would've been nice had you decided to come to CHS and not be miserable in a place where you didn't belong."

" Maybe I should've transferred before the Games."

" You could've, but would Cinch have allowed it?"

" If I had been early enough, then yes. Now, you said that she accused you guys of cheating?"

" Her claim fell on deaf ears because everyone who watched the event were a witness to what happened. Rainbow Dash never crossed the finish line despite having an unfair advantage, while both Indigo and I did. However, I would soon discover that Cinch's position of continuing the Games had garnered support from both sides. It shocked me to know that our own peers cared more for a competition than themselves. Principal Celestia also had to contend with one another issue." I answered.

" What was it?"

" My apology to her."

I couldn't believe the actions of Principal Cinch. She had the nerve to say that CHS cheated during the Tri-Cross Relay all because Rainbow Dash ponied up and flew about in an effort to save everyone from being eaten. I knew those plants came from Equestria. They had the scent of Equestrian magic, but it was miniscule at best.

In the end, no one was hurt and the plants went back home, yet the experience was something no one was going to forget any time soon. Principal Celestia was right about the Friendship Games being brought to an end before things could get any worse. However, Cinch refused to accept the fact that CHS would be declared equal to Crystal Prep.

Her desire to maintain her school's reputation was a selfish act combined with a superiority complex that blinded her. Was winning a stupid competition more important than the safety of the students whose parents had trusted Cinch with making sure they remained safe? The obvious answer was protecting the students, but Cinch didn't see it that way. It just boggled my mind knowing how she perceived inanimate concepts as higher than living things.

There was one thing no one had taken into consideration, and that was because they didn't even know about it. Twilight had used her pendant to steal Rainbow Dash's magic and most likely stole Applejack's, which explained why a magic surge occurred in the first place. She was indirectly responsible for causing those Equestrian plants to appear, and since she was one of Cinch's students, it was Crystal Prep who could be accused of cheating. Had this fact been made public, Cinch's reputation would have been crushed. Unfortunately, it was something that couldn't be proven. What Twilight had done involved Equestrian magic, and the chances of anyone believing that was slim to none.

Once Cinch had walked off with Dean Cadance in tow, I walked over to Principal Celestia, who appeared shaken up over the accusations thrown at her. Despite seeing magic with her own eyes, she still doubted its existence, yet was willing to tolerate its presence given how it changed CHS for the better. I knew that I had a lot of explaining to do, as I had been given the task of keeping magic under control. She believed I was the best person to handle the job, and I blew it.

" Principal Celestia..." I began as I walked up next to her.

" Is something bothering you, Sunset? You seem to be distant all of a sudden." Principal Celestia said.

" I want to apologize."

" For what, may I ask?"

" I couldn't stop all this from happening."

" You are referring to the strange plants that appeared out of thin air during the motocross portion of the relay, and what happened out there to Rainbow Dash? A part of me suspected that it was something magical and thus associated with you, but then, you've been so careful at keeping it under control." Principal Celestia said. I had every intention to take the entirety of the blame so that my friends wouldn't have to pay any consequences, yet Celestia continued looking at me with her caring eyes. Despite her not being my old mentor, she had been there to act as guidance whenever I found myself stuck with a problem that was too difficult for me to overcome. " We are fortunate that no one was hurt, but Principal Cinch is deluded herself into believing I had done this."

" I'm at fault for failing you."

" It's not your fault, Sunset."

" Many have been telling me that, but I just can't accept that no matter how hard I try. This has been an issue for me ever since I first decided to investigate the magic that was flowing about the school without anything to control it." I said.

" Again, you needn't blame yourself."

" But it's obvious that I'm responsible for everything that has happened. Ever since I first came here, I've been nothing but trouble. I should know how to control the magic I brought here. But I don't. I let everyone down. Now Principal Cinch thinks we're cheating all because Rainbow Dash used magic to save people's lives." I said.

" Her accusations hold no water. Everyone witnessed what happened, so all she can do is accept that you won the event. Granted, I do wish that she had taken my advice and ended the Games, as I strongly believe someone will get hurt. Unfortunately, not only do her students support the decision to continue on, but my own students feel the same way. There is little else I can do other than help prepare you all for the final event." Principal Celestia said.

Was she serious!? It turned out that she was. The majority of CHS students wanted the Games to carry on despite the plants causing so much havoc. I thought they would have listened to common sense, but they were only concerned with defeating Crystal Prep and winning it all. I couldn't blame my peers for wanting to finally achieve something that had eluded our school for years, yet I could blame them for not seeing their hands in front of their faces. The Games had become something of a faceless monster who existed to wait until either team could conquer it and proclaim victory. Everyone wanted to see the monster fall and cared little for anything else.

" Maybe so, but she has been getting under my skin lately."

" Does it have to do with what she said to you during the Elimination Equation Finale?"

" I really think she wants me to transfer over to Crystal Prep and has been looking at me in the hopes that I would make a mistake."

" You shouldn't allow Principal Cinch to get to you like that, Sunset. While she does have a personality that can be best described as prickly, she knows that you will never be taken away from us through her own ability. You've become too entrenched around here to suddenly want to up and leave." Principal Celestia said.

" And what about the other things she has said about us?"

" It doesn't matter what Principal Cinch thinks."

" But it does."

" What do you mean?"

" Ever since she and the rest of Crystal Prep arrived to compete in the Friendship Games, she has done everything in her power to ridicule us at every turn. It's probably been that way for years, even long before I first showed up, but the fact is her words have proven damaging. In the past, the students here have lacked enthusiasm towards the Games because we've never won, and that is further compounded by Principal Cinch looking down on us." I answered.

" Thanks to Rainbow Dash, student morale has never been better."

" I know, but that's the issue I'm bringing up. The students here at CHS don't just wanna win. They wanna beat Crystal Prep and prove that they are better despite the odds being heavily stacked against them. It isn't gonna count if the other side doesn't really think they lost. I know you said that Principal Cinch's accusations of cheating are unfounded, but that's because magic was involved, something no one outside this school knows about." I said.

My words froze Principal Celestia in her tracks. She knew that what I said was the truth. Since what happened during the relay was the result of magic, if Cinch were to issue a formal complaint and demanded that we forfeit, we would have no other choice but to comply. If it had been a different situation--one easy enough to explain--her protest would have fallen on deaf ears. But because magic was behind what happened, it couldn't be proven. Many in this world refused to believe that it exists and merely viewed it as a cheap trick designed to confuse those who have simple minds. Cinch had us right where she wanted us, and there was nothing we could do. She held all of the cards, while Celestia held none, and so we had no alternative but to continue with the Friendship Games.

" Then our only option is to win." She said.

" Easier said than done."

" You all proved that you can compete against the best that Crystal Prep had to offer."

" Maybe, but they all think that we cheated when Rainbow Dash ponied up."

" I see. While that is a problem, I know that you girls can handle the situation. You six have experienced things the rest of us couldn't even begin to understand, so don't think that my words are aimed to making you feel uncomfortable with having so much pressure stacked on your shoulders. As for this term--'ponied up'--I'm not sure what to make of it, but I suggest keeping it under wraps for the duration of the Games." Principal Celestia said.

" If we do win, they'll never accept it."

" They will have no choice."

" It's not just that. Crystal Prep is never gonna believe we won fair and square if there's magic around. And that magic is only around... because of me. If I had never come to this world long ago, none of this would be happening. No matter what I do to move on from my past, it continues to haunt me everywhere I go." I said.

" You gracing us with your presence was disastrous at first, but once you were shown the right path by Twilight Sparkle--the one from your world--you became the best student this school has ever known. Many have become inspired by your selfless acts, Sunset. Be proud knowing that." Principal Celestia said.

" But I--"

" Vice Principal Luna and I must take our leave in order to handle matters in the gym, as Dean Cadance is sure to require some assistance. While it isn't mandatory for the athletes to go to the gym, since you must now prepare for the final event, you may come at any time should you wish to wind down for a while. It will be several hours before we resume things, so why not take some time to prepare accordingly." Principal Celestia said. I wanted to say something about her description of my character, but she and Luna turned and walked into the side door leaving me to contemplate what had just happened.

The Friendship Games should've been brought to an end, but everyone aside from us wanted them to continue. I thought the students of CHS had more decency than that, but sadly, they were more interested in beating Crystal Prep and end their losing streak against them. Cinch had essentially blackmailed us into continuing, and I knew how she planned on utilizing the cheating angle she had come up with. She could bring in the school board and, in turn, they would pass down their own judgment that would only serve to permanently damage our school's image throughout the city.

We wouldn't be able to explain that we didn't cheat but that it was rather an unseen force that caused things to go crazy. So long as we appeased Cinch, she would keep the board from knowing what had happened.

Once again, my own actions had caused misery to those around me.

" As you can see, Principal Cinch had us at her mercy, all because she knew how to take advantage of the situation. The school board had absolute power over the school district and could easily invoke a decision based on what information they receive." I said.

" It's my fault that the magic appeared during the relay." Twilight said.

" No, you were to blame for the Everfree plants appearing. It was Applejack who caused magic to appear."

" What did she do?"

" It took me until after the Games to realize why we were ponying up without the use of our instruments. Each of our friends ponied up when they were showcasing their elements during a given situation. For example, Applejack was being honest with you when she showed you the best way to hit the bulls-eye during the archery contest. Many would've simply left you to figure it out for yourself, but she knew that you were suffering." I answered.

" So, when Fluttershy was being nice to me, it was because she was displaying her element?"

" She showed you kindness, something those at Crystal Prep had never given you, with the exception of Dean Cadance. The reason why it took me so long to figure out how our magic worked was due to not having a firm grasp of the source material--namely, the Elements of Harmony." I answered. Her Highness knew plenty about them because she and the pony versions of our friends were able to harness them for at least a year. I knew some basic information, but my studies didn't delve into the true depth of their power. Had I stayed and not gone off on my own, I'd have known what Princess Twilight knew, and it would have made my problems easier to deal with. I blame my lack of patience for wanting to become a princess long before I was ready to ascend. " The signs were there, indicating that the elements were the source, but I never picked up on it until later." I said.

" What about you?"

" Me?"

" Yes. The others have a respective element, but you didn't say anything about yourself."

That was a question I remember her saying to me before, but I either dodged it or chose to give her a false answer. I never had a connection with the Elements of Harmony--what I experienced while wearing Princess Twilight's crown doesn't count--as Her Highness and her pony friends were chosen to wield them in the modern age of Equestria. I never even saw them in person due to never visiting their original hiding place: the old castle that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna lived in a thousand years ago. My magic was a combination of what I brought when I left Equestria and what I discovered while living here. It had no influence from the elements.

Was there an actual element that resonated with me? I guess some could say that I represented forgiveness, since I had to get and do a lot of that in order to change from who I was. Another option some might consider would be miracles. I had overcome odds that were impossible in the eyes of others, but that was more to do with luck than anything else. Both were interesting choices, but I had my own answer that they would scratch their heads over.

Empathy... That would be the element I'd represent. Why that one? I've listened to people telling me their problems, and I've been able to understand them, given that I've already been through a similar experience. You could say that I don't want anyone to go through what I've endured. I want to save them from a horrible fate. Unfortunately, empathy didn't exist as an Element of Harmony, so it's really more of a pseudo-element.

Princess Twilight would claim I shared her element, magic, but I don't agree with that. I may be good with magic, but she is a natural, given her accomplishments, and is far superior to me.

" I don't have an actual element like our friends do."

" I'm sorry to hear that."

" People have called me empathetic, so I've taken that as being my element, despite it not being one of the core six in Equestria."

" You told me about the Elements of Harmony earlier, yet I'm curious to know more about them. Where did they come from? Who used them before Princess Twilight and the pony versions of our friends? Do they still have them even now?" Twilight asked. It didn't surprise me that she had so many questions. I could answer the first two, but only Princess Twilight knew the answer to the third one. " I know I've been getting us off topic ever since you started telling what happened during the Friendship Games, but it helps me understand the world that you called home." Twilight said.

" I can answer two of your three questions, but mainly because I want something fun to talk about before we get to the final event."

" Right... That's when everything came to a boiling point."

" And both of us faced our final tests."

Chapter 71: Capture the Flag

Day: Saturday
Weather: Cloudy
Time: 4:15pm

The relay race had ended, resulting in Canterlot High winning and forcing the final event, but it came at a terrible price. My anger once again got the better of me, and Twilight became the unfortunate victim of my wrath. She needed to be told straight that she was messing with forces that were beyond her comprehension, yet I went too far, and she ran off in tears. I had once again reawakened as a monster. Things got worse when Principal Cinch began questioning the legality of CHS's victory by bringing up accusations of us cheating, yet we couldn't provide her any proof otherwise since magic was something that was difficult to explain. Now I had to deal not only with Twilight but also with the prospect of losing the Games because of factors beyond my control. Principal Celestia attempted to make me feel better, but her words made me feel worse. Now came the waiting period where everyone looked toward the final event, and people had plenty of questions.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
April 24, 2016
Chapter 71: Capture the Flag.

" Okay, Twilight! Where do you want to begin regarding the Elements of Harmony?" I asked.

" I know I asked you three specific questions, but I have so many more on my mind. I'm just so ecstatic that you're willing to take a few moments to sate my curiosity despite what's coming up next in the journal." Twilight answered. Me and my big mouth. Anytime I mentioned anything that Twilight didn't know about, she wanted to know regardless of whether or not she could use it in a practical manner. Her curiosity knew no bounds, and it was beginning to get tiresome. I really wanted to continue with the journal, yet she would pout until I caved in to her demand. My answers were limited by my own knowledge and whether I had enough patience. " Sunset... I'm probably bothering you by asking about where you're from, but it's something that I've always dreamed about." Twilight said.

" What do you mean?"

" I've been studying for years and learned an awful lot, yet my experiences were limited to what was perceived as reality. Whenever I learned something, I would do so through a logical standpoint and refused to accept the possibility that a fantastical answer could be reached. Ever since I first met you, I've been exposed to wonders and ideas that never once crossed my mind. I suppose this is my way of saying thank you for teaching me about your world despite it not being an easy thing for you. I know you've been worried about sharing specific details, but you don't need to have such concerns. I have no intention of seeing Equestria for the time being." Twilight answered.

Just when I thought I knew everything about Twilight, she decided to throw a curveball. I had banked on her wanting to see Equestria with her own eyes, and I actually had planned on taking her there for a visit someday once things had finally settled down. But to hear her say that she had no intention was certainly surprising. Was it because she was afraid of seeing something that goes beyond her perspective? Or, was she afraid that she would be thrown under the bus because of Princess Twilight? I don’t think she needs to worry about that; despite the two of them being almost identical to one another, the differences between them were obvious after a few minutes of conversation.

Her Highness wouldn't hesitate when it came to wanting to visit a new place. She always geeked out over the prospect of seeing a new location, meeting new creatures, and indulging in their culture, eventually wanting to write an entire book about it. It didn't matter if the place was dangerous to ponies. Her Highness was concerned about expanding her own knowledge and perhaps showing others the intricacies of pony culture instead of being fearful.

Twilight here was the complete opposite. She desired to learn but wanted it to be in a safe environment where she was in complete control. If she ventured forth into something that was beyond her limits, it would make her uncomfortable and vulnerable.

Maybe I'll take her to Equestria when she's good and ready. At least she will know much about my home ahead of time by answering her questions. Granted, my answers are limited to what I remember when I lived there over three years ago, but they should still prove useful enough.

" You don't want to see my world?"

" I've got to complete my high school education, apply for the appropriate university, finish that off in four years, buy a house, get a job, buy a car--first I need to earn a license to drive one--and maybe settle down and start a family." Twilight answered. That wasn't quite the answer I was expecting from her. In fact, her answer told me that she was concerned with getting her life sorted out before even considering taking a trip to see Equestria. We were all reaching that point in our lives, yet she had really thought long and hard about what she wanted to do. It made me feel small in comparison, as I hadn't even begun to think about it.

" So, you'll see it after all of that?"

" It shouldn't take more than five years."

" Are you sure you don't want to see it sooner?"

" My priorities must come first, Sunset, but I can still indulge myself in knowing what your world is like."

" Okay, but I hope that you change your mind. Anyway, what would you like to know first?"

" Where did the Elements of Harmony come from? I know that they are powerful artefacts, but I have a suspicion that the ancestors of the modern ponies didn't have a hand in creating them. No offence, but it feels like ponies in general wouldn't understand how to create something like that." Twilight answered.

" None taken. However, you are right about us ponies not creating the elements. They were created by a tree."

" I'm sorry, but I thought I just heard you say that a tree made them."

" And that is the truth, Twilight. The Elements of Harmony were created by an ancient tree known as the Tree of Harmony. Where it came from and where it's located I can't tell you, as that's information known only to Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Twilight, but what I can say is that it's the most majestic looking tree imaginable. At least, that's what Her Highness described about it." I said.

" That sounds about right."

" What do you mean?"

" Equestria has different rules compared to this world, so the idea of a tree granting ancient artefacts is plausible." Twilight answered. I couldn't help but smile at her for wanting to rely on logic in order to understand what was beyond her means. She reminded me so much of Princess Twilight. Both of them in my eyes were adorkable, a combination of dorkiness and cuteness, yet their differences were enough to establish themselves with their own identities. " Are you able to tell me how the tree was able to produce the Elements?" Twilight asked.

" The Tree of Harmony was first discovered by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They needed to find the means with which to defeat Discord, a chaos spirit who used his magic to turn Equestria upside-down until the land was nothing more than a chaos-induced nightmare. He had been ruling Equestria unopposed, and his unpredictability made him difficult to oppose, so the sisters took it upon themselves to find something that could stop him. The Elements were already there embedded within the tree by the time they found it, but they didn't know what to do at first until Celestia took the initial step." I answered.

" Did the two of them use all six Elements themselves?"

" Yes, because only they had the magical power to be able to wield them without fear of becoming consumed. Back then, the Elements were merely six gems that possessed great magic that could pierce any veil of darkness, but their true powers wouldn't be discovered until Princess Twilight figured it out." I answered.

" It sounds like the Elements of Harmony were used to solve all of Equestria's problems."

" Only the major ones where the threat of ponykind hung in the balance. After using the Elements to defeat Discord and banish Princess Luna to the moon, Princess Celestia hid them away because of what happened to her sister. They were hidden in a secret compartment beneath the throne room of the old castle and remained there for a thousand years until they were rediscovered by Princess Twilight." I answered. What was perhaps the strangest thing was that Equestria went through a peaceful existence between Luna being banished and returning when she reawakened as Nightmare Moon. Once she returned from her exile, it acted as an invitation to allow other villains to make their bid in conquering the world. The Elements got used more times in the span of a single year than during the thousand years after Nightmare Moon’s banishment.

" Do the Elements allow anyone to use them?"

" No, only those who were chosen. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wielded them initially, but when Princess Twilight and the pony versions of our friends used them the first time to defeat Nightmare Moon, they became connected to the Elements. The two sisters could no longer use them when the power changed hooves." I answered.

" You don't know what became of them, right?"

" The last time I knew was when I stole the Element of Magic--the Element of Her Highness--in my bid to become the ruler of this world." I answered. I couldn't tell Twilight about what could've happened to Equestria. Because they had become integrated within Equestrian defence, the Elements could never be separated. Were that to happen, it would leave the others powerless. In turn, that would deny Equestria protection from evil forces until it was returned. To think that my selfish attitude almost brought about the destruction of my world, and all I cared about was becoming a princess, believing it to be my destiny.

No wonder my life was so messed up until Her Highness showed me another way. That's why if I had been given an Element of Harmony, it would be Empathy. I could never allow anyone else to go through the same experience that I've been through. I would teach them not to go down the dark path I chose out of my hatred. Instead, I would show them a better path that would lead them to greatness, but how great depended on their perception. It was my way of making up for what I did.

" Surely there are other artefacts out there."

" Most definitely, but where and when they will be discovered is anyone's guess."

" Did you discover any, Sunset?"

" I was too busy studying to ever have such an interest."

" That's too bad."

" If I could rewind the clock, I'd have made some different choices and might’ve discovered an artefact." I said. I then placed my hands firmly on the journal, knowing what was coming up next. Unlike other situations where I showed hesitancy, this one wasn't as bad; I wasn't losing my temper or being condemned by others for doing something I shouldn't have done. I was hesitant because of what happened with Twilight. " We might as well get into the final event, or the lack of said event, since it never took place. Before that though, I want to explain what others were saying to Dean Cadance about what they witnessed in addition to questions about how the Games would be concluded."

" I missed all of that."

" Really?"

" Yes, but I won't say what I was doing until after you've finished."

" Fair enough."

In the span of roughly ten minutes, my efforts to keep the magic under control had shattered into pieces. There was no point in trying to fix anything. The damage had been done, and now, Crystal Prep knew of the existence of magic. I was responsible for everything falling apart because of being bogged down with pressure and failing to give the problem enough attention. On top of that, I tried to convince Twilight to give up on trying to understand something that was beyond her scope, yet my anger clouded my judgment, and she ran away with tears down her face.

Principal Cinch didn't make things any easier for me, accusing CHS of cheating during the Tri-Cross Relay. We had won the event despite all of the craziness, which was enough for her to make her accusations. While Rainbow Dash had ponied up and flew about to distract those plants, she never crossed the finish line. I did for CHS, and without the use of magic, Twilight having stolen mine at the time she stole the magic from the portal. Unfortunately, my efforts at giving CHS a legitimate chance at winning were sullied by my own irrational behaviour alongside Cinch not wanting to accept Crystal Prep having a school on equal footing.

The only bright spot during those ten minutes was Principal Celestia. She had to deal with explaining what happened to Cinch, and while I wanted to say something to help her, I remained silent out of fear of making things worse. She managed to remain calm in the face of those accusations, but deep down, I knew she was disappointed that the magic flowing around had been noticed by those who didn't understand what it was.

Celestia's attempt at making me feel better didn't have the desired effect either of us were hoping for. I couldn't let her take the fall for something caused by my own hands. That would've been unfair, and she didn't deserve to deal with forces from beyond this world.

All that could be done now was accept the fact that magic was now known to Crystal Prep and ensure that things didn't spiral even further out of control. Fate, unfortunately, had a different idea in mind.

Cinch believed that because CHS used magic to help them win the relay--which wasn't the case, as again, Rainbow didn't cross the finish line--Crystal Prep were allowed to use magic of their own to win the final event and the Friendship Games. Had I known this was going to end up happening, I would have confronted Twilight before the final event and taken her pendant from her before anything else went wrong. However, she disappeared after the relay, so I couldn't find her until it was too late. Had I been more understanding, she probably would have given it to me, knowing that I was the best person who could properly deal with it. Instead, she chose to keep it.

An hour had passed since the relay ended, and everyone had gathered in the gym according to Dean Cadance's instructions. It actually felt strange seeing the gym crammed with so many students, teachers, and other members of staff. Normally, such gatherings only brought half of the students at CHS and gave off an impression that stated the school hardly had anyone in attendance. However, the same trope that had defined the Games remained in full force, much to my displeasure. Both schools occupied their own bleachers, tensions between them stronger than ever.

I felt powerless to stop something that had existed long before I came here. I tried to understand the bitter rivalry between CHS and Crystal Prep, but to no avail. There was a deep rooted connection that bound both schools together, and my efforts to change that connection didn't go over very well. In addition, my friends didn't like the idea of Twilight coming to our school as a new student, despite my pleas that she deserved better than staying at Crystal Prep in utter misery.

" Glad to see that everyone made it here safely." Dean Cadance said over the deadly silence that gripped the gym. I felt sorry for her for being the only one saying anything, as all everyone else was doing was staring at those from the opposite school, fierce hatred burning in their eyes. I actually wanted to say something in an attempt to brighten the mood, but I was denied when Rainbow Dash grabbed my shoulder and sternly shook her head. " I see that everyone is as tense as ever regarding the Games. Anyway, I am sure you all have questions regarding how things turned out during the Tri-Cross relay. I'll be able to answer some of those concerns in addition to providing some hints about the final event." Dean Cadance said.

" What in the world happened out there with those plants?" One student asked.

" I believe they were a special obstacle Principal Celestia had incorporated into the relay to provide more of a challenge for the competitors. We're not sure why those plants acted in such an aggressive manner, but rest assured that we will not have a repeat of that." Dean Cadance answered.

" Are you sure about that?"

" There is no other logical explanation other than that they were added at the last minute."

" Why did Principal Celestia think it was a good idea to have killer plants on the track?" Another student asked.

" She had no idea that those plants were dangerous." Dean Cadance answered. I could tell that she was doing her best to cover up what had happened. It wasn't going to be easy to convince everyone, but she was determined not to cause widespread panic. The CHS students were used to seeing magic, so it was the Crystal Prep students who needed the proper reassurance. They still believed that we cheated by using something that gave us a competitive edge. " What's important is that everyone is safe. Does anyone else have any questions regarding what happened out there?" Dean Cadance asked.

" Why'd that one girl have wings?"

" Um, you see, the thing is, I don't know why that happened."

" Oh come on! Everyone saw her suddenly grow wings out of her back!"

" Perhaps it was some kind of optical illusion that proved very convincing." Dean Cadance suggested. Did she seriously just say "optical illusion"? I knew she wanted to downplay the whole magic issue, but to call it something so unfounded? I felt insulted knowing that the magic from Equestria was being so dismissed.

I noticed that she was sweating nervously and constantly looked behind her back at Principal Cinch, who was glaring at her with those sharp eyes of hers. Cinch still believed that CHS had cheated, yet Dean Cadance wasn't bringing that up. It was as though she were using her heart by not bringing up those accusations, yet was afraid of losing her school career were she to not accept Cinch's words as correct. No wonder so many feared Cinch. Her expression was enough to strike terror into the bravest of individuals, and all they could do was accept her way of thinking. She held a monopoly over the school district by using intimidation to force others into agreeing with whatever she says.

" Look, everyone! Why don't we just accept the fact that CHS clearly won, and move on with the final event." Flash Sentry announced.

" CHS won? Ha! That's a laugh! You should consider a career as a comedian." Indigo Zap shouted.

" Sunset beat you fair and square!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" And Rainbow didn't even cross the line." Flash added.

" What's your point?" Indigo asked.

" The 'point' is that Sunset was the better rider and won using her own skill and ingenuity. If it wasn't for Rainbow flying around and keeping those plants distracted, you could've been seriously hurt or worse." Flash answered. That response generated an applause from the CHS students, yet the Crystal Prep students didn't feel the same way. They were still upset over how the relay ended. They believed the Games should be over by now. I hoped that Flash, Rainbow, or anyone else would tone things down before someone said something they would regret later. " You should be glad Rainbow saved your life. That plant would've made a meal out of you!" Flash shouted.

" I never asked her to save me!"

" That's gratitude for you." Rainbow Dash shouted.

" You should be more concerned with your own kind." Sunny Flare shouted.

" At least I know how to be loyal."

" What's that supposed to mean?"

" Indigo left Sugarcoat hanging--literally--while she sped off to win the race."

" You've gotta sacrifice the weak in order to salvage the strong. Sugarcoat knew she became a liability the moment she was taken out of the race, and Indigo knew that she needed to win above all else to maintain Crystal Prep's perfection. That's the difference between our two schools. You allow friendship to leave you weak while we focus on the individual who can get it done without any trouble." Sunny Flare said.

" No wonder the other schools hate you guys."

" They're just jealous of our greatness."

" What greatness?" Flash asked.

" The kind that will allow us to beat you in the final event and take home the crown like we always do." Indigo answered.

Throughout this pointless bickering, I chose to keep quiet in case I made things worse than they already were. I was ashamed at how both schools had reduced themselves all because they see winning the Friendship Games as more important than life itself. Upon looking up at both sets of bleachers, every student was arguing with one another and were showing no signs of letting up. I was perhaps the one person who had any kind of decency by not resorting to barbarism, but luckily, things quickly came to a grinding halt when the sound of a whistle broke through the noise and brought everyone to silence. I took the liberty of covering my ears ahead of time, as I knew what was coming.

" Everyone stop!" Dean Cadance announced.

" They started it!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" No, they did!" Indigo shouted.

" That's enough!" Dean Cadance said, blowing on her whistle again, exposing everyone's ears to the obnoxious noise. " While I have no qualms over friendly bantering aimed to get everyone excited, all of you have crossed the line. The fact is CHS won and have tied the Games with each school having won one event apiece. If you don't like the result, then it's too bad because it's over with."

" But--"

" I'm not going to repeat myself again, Indigo."

" Alright."

" There will be no further questions with regards to what happened during the motocross race. I had hoped for a serious discussion that could've provided us with some insight on how to ensure it doesn't happen again during future games, but I see you lack any manners when it comes to expressing yourselves." Dean Cadance said. For the first time since coming here with the rest of Crystal Prep, she had taken on a serious stance that no one was expecting. I always thought Cadance was a motherly figure who just wanted what was best for everyone, and true to that, she had patience, but even that had its limit. Just looking at her eyes proved that she was fed up with the arguing and had put her foot down. I wasn't sure if Cinch approved of her sudden attitude adjustment, but a part of me felt that she liked it. " Because we weren't sure if the final event was going to happen, we didn't exactly prepare it." Dean Cadance said.

" Will it be challenging?" A student asked with a friendly demeanour in his voice.

" It's not going to be physically challenging, if that's what you were thinking. After seeing what happened during the relay, the other principals and I have decided that the final event will involve relying on your mental prowess." Dean Cadance answered.

" That sounds like fun."

" Fun? I was hoping for a challenge."

" It will still be challenging, especially when you learn what's going to happen later when I give you the full details. For now, I can tell you that all competitors from each team will be taking part at the same time and that they will have free reign of the entire school. No room will be off limits, so consider this event to be a true test of your sleuthing skills. Of course, you will be limited to just the building." Dean Cadance said.

Her "hints" left more questions than answers, but at least everyone wasn't arguing with each other like they were a few minutes ago. The blame was clearly on Rainbow Dash and Indigo for allowing their pointless rivalry to encourage others to get involved until everyone was acting irrationally. Dean Cadance had shown some real initiative by demanding everyone to stop fighting and focus on what was important. Perhaps she had the potential to become a better administrator than Cinch due to having a mixture of comfort and authority.

That's when I realized that there was one person who was missing from the gathering, and that was Twilight. I wasn't looking for her earlier since I felt she would try to hide from me after what I said to her, but now I needed to talk to her before the final event. I quickly looked across the Crystal Prep bleacher, but there was no sign of her anywhere. I was surprised she had avoided an assembly. She seemed like the kind of person who wouldn't miss out on anything important. Then again, this wasn't a mandatory assembly for the competitors, so she didn't need to come if she didn't feel like it. Still, I felt concerned not only for Twilight but for the pendant she had around her neck, as well.

It now contained the magic of six individuals and a magical portal. That alone made her dangerous not only to everyone around her but also to herself because she had no idea what kind of power she was holding in her hands. I had to find her quickly before something terrible happened.

" I knew that the rivalry between CHS and Crystal Prep was bad, but I never thought it would reach a point where Dean Cadance had to step in. She's always been a voice of reason who helped any students who needed counseling, yet she really let them have it." Twilight said.

" Rainbow and Indigo allowed their egos to drag everyone else into the problem." I said.

" Those two showed how passionate they were, but it came with a terrible price."

" No one cared about the true purpose behind the Friendship Games. They were all consumed with the desire to win, and that deafened them to what they were truly saying about each other. I think it's been that way since anyone can remember. It's pretty sad that winning means ruining friendships before they even began." I said. While it sounded like I was blaming Crystal Prep for not thinking about friendship, CHS wasn't doing a good job promoting Princess Twilight's message. When I was a bully, friendship was non-existent, but that changed when Her Highness brought it back after I had almost destroyed it.

Sure, we had some hiccups with the Sirens and Anon-A-Miss, but CHS managed to get through those issues without too much damage to school morale. Once the Games came around, everything suddenly changed as though Her Highness' presence had never existed. Students from both schools were arguing in a manner that I never would've dreamed of during my dark past. What CHS represented was on the verge of irreparably shattering to pieces. I know my peers wanted to win, but why did it have to come at the cost of friendship not only towards Crystal Prep but towards each other, as well?

One thing I never told Twilight was what happened after the first event when half the members of both teams were eliminated. The rest of the CHS students were downright furious at Flash and the others who didn't make it to event number two. They ridiculed their efforts and called them worthless due to how poorly they performed. If not for my friends and I intervening on their behalf, things would've gotten ugly. If Princess Twilight had seen what CHS had been reduced to, she would never come back. I had my own problems, yes, but they were definitely worse than anything I could've done.

" Reputation can be truly vile."

" I know they wanted to prove themselves capable of beating Crystal Prep, but they lost sight of that when they allowed the competition to control their actions. You could even say that Rainbow Dash's pep talk proved too useful in giving everyone hope." I said.

" They were trying to become the next Crystal Prep."

" A horrible thought if I ever heard one."

" Canterlot could do without anything like that."

" So where were you while everyone else was in the gym?"

" After our unfortunate conversation, I began thinking about how to approach the situation, as I mentioned before. I ultimately chose to keep my pendant. The thought of losing everything I had worked hard for was too much for me to bear. Deep down, I knew that I was making a mistake, but I had to keep going to satisfy the curiosity that dictated my every waking thought. Once I made my choice, I found a quiet space in one of the hallways and began reading to take my mind off of what you said. I wanted to go to the gym, but I was afraid of making eye contact with Principal Cinch." Twilight answered.

" Why would you be afraid of her? After all, you didn't mess up during the relay."

" You forget that I stumbled during the archery component. If I had been up to snuff like the rest of the Shadowbolts were, they would've started the motocross section roughly five minutes before both you and Rainbow Dash. You'd have never stood a chance." Twilight answered.

I slapped my forehead. How could I have forgotten what happened to her? That was the reason why I argued with both Indigo and Sugarcoat to begin with. Did her mistakes truly cost Crystal Prep the relay and the Games? No. It was the crazy magic that was responsible, yet that was caused by Twilight's hands.

In that sense, she screwed over the Shadowbolts, albeit unintentionally, and that does explain why she was under so much pressure before the final event. I don't think they ever figured out her connection with those plants, with the exception of Cinch. She had overheard our conversation and promptly coerced Twilight into releasing the magic she had collected without knowing what the consequences were. That's why humans should never mess around with magic unless they had been trusted with it.

" How could I? It saddened me to see you suffer."

" I'm glad you were looking out for me."

" Despite what I said to you after the race, I wanted to make amends quickly, but I never got the chance. You kept your distance from me until the final event, and even then, you were huddled with the rest of the Shadowbolts, planning on how best to approach it." I said. Turning to the next page of the journal, I turned away after seeing the photo glued there. Once again, it had been taken by Photo Finish as a memento, but it was a photo that wounded my heart. Twilight then looked at it, and she blushed before moving back, knowing full well the significance behind the image. " I did a lot of bad things during my time at CHS but never did I have the gall to destroy the Wondercolt statue." I said.

" You felt attached to it?"

" In a way; it was my only way home. To destroy it would mean trapping myself here, and I had no intention of doing that. However, you destroyed it to show just how powerful you had become by absorbing our magic." I answered.

What was supposed to have been an assembly designed to address concerns about what happened during the motocross section of the Tri-Cross Relay and talk about the upcoming final event had instead turned into a complete and utter disaster. The moment Indigo Zap opened her mouth and commented on what Flash said, everyone immediately began taking pot shots against one another until the gym had become a madhouse. No one cared what they were saying so long as they had the louder mouth. If not for the intervention of Dean Cadance, the arguing could have resulted in an all-out brawl. They were seriously that close to doing that.

Humans were fickle creatures, believing that aggression was the way to handle their problems. In Equestria, it wasn't uncommon for ponies to be aggressive, yet we would never resort to violence in order to get our way. Violence was the humans go-to approach, often having poor results stemming from being unprepared. What I witnessed in the gym was, without a doubt, the lowest point CHS had ever experienced. It made what I did look pale in comparison.

The purpose of the Friendship Games was for the two schools to get along, yet they had been driven apart by the prospect of seeing who was going to win. Competition had reduced everyone to mindless thugs who cared more about winning a gaudy trophy than embracing the true nature represented by the Games.

Once the assembly had been adjourned, everyone went their separate ways, but we were told to meet in front of the main entrance in a few hours time. The final event was to start outside, and they needed to get the necessary preparations in place. Dean Cadance's hints about the event were vague at best. She mentioned that it would take place indoors and competitors could access all rooms no matter what. My initial thought was that we were going to play paintball. It sounded fun but was likely to be messy. What ended up being the actual event was not only disappointing but also questionable. They needed a few hours to prepare something like that!?

For those next few hours, I tried to look for Twilight to apologize for how I acted. I was cruel, and she didn't deserve to be treated like an outcast. Unfortunately, my efforts were in vain. She remained elusive, and eventually, time had run out. My only hope was to get through the final event and speak with her afterwards. I also hoped that her teammates hadn't decided to chew her out again over what happened during the relay.

Later, when everyone had gathered outside of the main entrance, the weather had turned really foul, but luckily, it wasn't going to be raining. I could tell that Crystal Prep weren't thrilled about having to compete in a final event. In their eyes, they had already won but were cheated out of the trophy. For CHS, it was our chance to prove our mettle by beating them without the use of magic or anything else that constituted as cheating.

" Since the score's tied, the final event will determine the winner of the Friendship Games." Dean Cadance announced to the cheers of everyone aside from my friends, myself, and the Shadowbolts. Our group was worried about the magic problem, but we had no idea what was happening with the other team. " I know you've had to wait for a little while, but now we can finally get underway. So now, I welcome all of you to Capture the Flag."

The moment she said that, the cheers went silent and were replaced with shocked looks from everyone. The final event was a children’s game? I didn't know what to think about the announcement, but judging from the grumbling sounds, this wasn't what anyone expected.

" You may think this is a simple children's game, but you will quickly discover that we have made things a bit more interesting." Vice Principal Luna said.

" This event will test our competitors’ ability to work together as a team and test their sleuthing skills. Now, I know this revelation isn't exactly what most of you were hoping for, but after what happened during the relay, we decided that something less dangerous was in order." Dean Cadance said.

" It doesn't mean this was planned at the last minute." Vice Principal Luna added.

" We were going to go with something similar that involved more risk-taking, but the lives of you students take precedence over everything else. I can truly say that our competitors will enjoy the experience." Dean Cadance said. Her efforts in trying to make this event sound epic failed to have the kind of impact she and the other administrators were hoping for, but then, there was no other choice. The Games had gotten dangerous, and they wanted to reduce that threat before it could cause any actual harm. " Now, I will step back and allow Vice Principal Luna to explain the rules."

" Somewhere on campus, a pennant from each school has been hidden. We have made sure to hide them in locations that you normally wouldn't think of looking. Each team will be given a clue as to the general location of the flag they seek, but from there they will be on their own, searching throughout the building." Vice Principal Luna said. She was holding a pair of flags in her hand, each one representing CHS and Crystal Prep. Why was she holding them? Weren't they supposed to be hidden somewhere inside? I thought that perhaps she had forgotten, but I quickly realized what was really going on. " I hold in my hands replicas of the flags that are hidden. Take a good look at what they look like, as you will must find the one that matches your school's colours."

" The security cameras have been turned on, and we'll be monitoring you and your progress."

" If a team finds the flag of the opposite school, you must leave it where it is for them to find. Do not try to hide it in another location. We will know if you did. You will also be given one hour to find your respective school's flag. The first team to find their school's flag and bring it back wins. If neither team has found their flag by the end of the time limit, we shall keep going until one team succeeds." Vice Principal Luna said.

" There will be no ties. This event will only end when a winner has been determined." Dean Cadance said.

" Both teams will start by the base of these steps."

" And as soon as our teams are ready, we'll begin."

Their explanation of the event had gotten students from both schools talking about how things were going to go down. When it came to searching around the building, the advantage clearly belonged to us, yet I was certain that they had taken that into consideration. To make sure that Crystal Prep had just a fair chance as CHS, the flags had been hidden in places that were discreet, unusual, where you'd never think of looking. I actually found it liberating, but the same couldn't be said about Rainbow Dash. She had hoped for an epic grand finale but instead it was something simple.

" Are they serious!?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Whatever is the matter, darling?" Rarity asked.

" I was expecting something awesome, but instead we got something lame."

" Um, maybe it won't be as bad as you think." Fluttershy said.

" It's gonna be a snooze fest."

" At least we won't have to do anything that could hurt us."

" I'm in complete agreement with Fluttershy. Besides, you know that they had no other choice in the matter, Rainbow Dash. If someone had gotten hurt during the last event, this school would be embroiled in a lawsuit from parents who would deem CHS too dangerous for their children. We'd all be pulled out immediately and the school closed down. We're already teetering on a thin rope because of Principal Cinch accusing us of cheating, so we need to make sure nothing else goes wrong." Rarity said.

" This event will test us, um, just not in a crazy manner."

" And what is that supposed to mean?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Well, you, err, have been allowing your ego to run wild because of that one student from Crystal Prep."

" Yeah, I guess I have, but I can't help it. That Indigo Zap just rubs me the wrong way."

" I can attest to that." I said.

" Reckon we all oughta get ourselves prepared for the final event. I know it ain't really your thing, Rainbow Dash, but this is what they wanted to go with, so we might as well just do what we can to find our flag." Applejack said. I could always count on her to be the voice of reason for our group. There were times where she got carried away and contributed to the conflict, but she knew what to say for the most part to help us through some tight spots. " I'm surprised y'all have so much trouble with somethin' so simple as Capture the Flag. Heck, it ain't hard at all."

" Easy for you to say."

" Findin' things is easy if you know what to look for. Why, I've combed over Sweet Apple Acres countless times lookin' for things one of my family needs."

" Which is why we'll be relying on you."

" Okay, but I'm gonna make sure y'all contribute."

That's when I noticed Fluttershy twiddling her thumbs. She usually did that when she had something important to say, but her shyness made it difficult for her. Did she secretly doubt our ability to win the final event? It wouldn't surprise me. She was the least physically-oriented among my friends, her focus being supportive without actually doing anything strenuous. No one noticed what she was doing initially, but when I coughed a few times to get everyone's attention, Fluttershy immediately stopped and just stared at us with a blank look.

" Is something wrong?" I asked.

" I've, um, been thinking." Fluttershy answered.

" About what?"

" I don't feel like playing these games anymore."

" What!? Why would you say that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" For some reason, I just don't have the energy to want to compete against the Shadowbolts anymore. It's like I want to just give up right now and go home before I do something to humiliate myself." Fluttershy answered.

" Well, we have to play! This is the last event!"

" Again, I must agree with Fluttershy. It's a little hard to focus with all the magic-stealing and portal-opening. Things were going smoothly until Twilight began stealing our magic, and seeing what happened during the relay is difficult to ignore." Rarity said.

" I hear what you're saying, but we shouldn't allow that to distract us. We can still pull this off if we give it a hundred percent."

" Perhaps, darling, but Sunset said that the magic has gotten so far out of control, not even she is able to do anything about it. If Princess Twilight were here, she and Sunset could easily resolve things without any problems. However, she is, not and we must turn to our resident magic expert instead. We can still compete, but we don't have the usual spark that we've relied on for a long time." Rarity said. For a moment, it looked like she would claim that Her Highness was our one and only saviour, implying that I was nothing more than a poser who thought she knew what to do. I was relieved to know she also included me in her synopsis.

Rarity was correct, though. Her Highness and I could have solved the whole magic problem, but with the main portal to Equestria no longer working, it fell onto me to ensure that everything turned out for the best. It was unwanted pressure that only served to question my own ability, yet I had no other choice.

Speaking of Twilight, I could see her standing on the opposite side of the front yard with her teammates. I couldn't tell what her expression was, but she kept her distance, as though she didn't want anything to do with them after what they said. I wanted to go over there and apologize, but something was holding me back.

Was it fear of further upsetting her? Perhaps, but I had to go through with it. Her pendant had absorbed all of our magic and was now a ticking time bomb. Were it to be opened in its current condition, there was no telling what might happen.

" Sunset? Is something bothering you?" Fluttershy asked.

" I'm not doing a good job of hiding it, am I?" I asked.

" You don't need to hide it from us."

" It's just... I feel awful about what I said to Twilight."

" You were pretty bad. I've seen you get angry lots of times, but that was the worst I've ever seen. I know you're upset over how she has been messing around with our magic, but you can't blame her for wanting to know the truth. She just wanted to learn. She didn't mean to do all the stuff she did, and I’m sure she will gladly apologize for putting our lives in danger. She's actually really nice once you sit down and speak with her. I definitely felt comfortable around Twilight when we talked about bringing our pets to school." Fluttershy said.

Her words made me slap my head in response. I was already feeling bad enough over what I had said, and she made me feel even worse by telling me Twilight was a sweet and innocent person who had just made a couple of bad mistakes. Now I really wanted to apologize for acting like a total jerk.

My reaction didn't go unnoticed by my friends. They all looked at Fluttershy with disapproving glares, and all she did was hide behind Pinkie Pie in the hopes of being ignored for the duration of the Games. Fluttershy never intends to hurt people's feelings, yet she still manages to do so sometimes.

Applejack then walked up to me and placed her hand on my shoulder to cheer me up.

" Let's just get through this last event and prove we're not a bunch of cheaters. I know we can win if we get down and dirty by outplayin' 'em at every turn. We’ll make them accept that we were better and didn’t just win with our magic. Sunset, right now, y'all need to focus on the event. You can go over and apologize once everythin' has been settled." Applejack said.

Her words were enough to make me feel better, and I gained a new resolve. I might not have been able to speak to Twilight straight away, but I would have a chance later on once the final event was finished. I only hoped that her teammates and school hadn't reduced her to further tears.

Crystal Prep had never been in a situation where their dominion was on the verge of collapsing before their eyes. As such, they would pull out all the stops to ensure that they walked away with the crown. I was more concerned with Twilight than with winning a competition whose presence had become detrimental. I believed Principal Cinch and the Shadowbolts were going to blame Twilight for losing the relay despite the fact that it was a close race until the very end.

Why was she taking so much abuse in the first place? One of my initial theories involved Cinch using someone or something to force Twilight into competing, but I never thought much about it. I didn't know enough of Twilight's background to articulate a reasonable response. After speaking to her directly--more like shouting at her--I had a better understanding, and my theory now held water.

My ears suddenly perked up upon hearing what sounded like singing. I turned my head towards Twilight, and the Shadowbolts along with Cinch were walking towards her. Why were they singing all of a sudden? Why were they ganging up on Twilight? Why wasn't anyone coming to her defence?

I honestly thought that Twilight would have been smart enough to not be enticed into releasing the magic she had stolen. Had she possessed a stronger backbone, she would have said no to Cinch's pressure and immediately run away. That did not come to pass. Instead, she allowed her curiosity and their words to convince her to open up her pendant. Twilight believed her dreams were about to come true, but what happened was nothing but the stuff of nightmares.

" You know, I never did ask you about your opinion of Capture the Flag." I said.

" I guess it was something we overlooked once we started talking as friends, considering the event was never actually played. Your analysis of it is something I agree with, yet I can't really provide an opinion, since I never played it when I was growing up. In fact, I never played any children's games. My focus was always on my studies, so whenever there was recess, everyone else went outside to play, while I remained in the library." Twilight said.

" Really? I thought you would've wanted to make friends?"

" At the time, my heart was closed off to the notion of forging friendships. I had read numerous books about how friendship, though powerful, was flawed and that it was a force that could easily be shattered. I didn't want to go through such disappointment, so I kept to myself. Now that I look back on it, I'll admit my thoughts were wrong regarding friendship. I should have done more to come out of my shell, like Fluttershy does, and made a friend who wasn't a dog. My life might have taken a different path instead of what I ended up doing." Twilight answered.

" Now you have many friends."

" And I appreciate what they mean to me. Listen, I need to get up and walk around for a while. My legs have gotten stiff, and I could do with straightening them out before they fall asleep or something. I'll just be about a couple of minutes. Do you want to come along?" Twilight asked.

" I think I'll pass." I answered. I thought about it but decided to stay where I was. For one thing, I had already left my position earlier, so I didn't need to leave again. The other thing was that I wanted to reflect upon what she said.

This also helped Twilight. She didn't know her way around the library despite having transferred over to CHS a few weeks ago, so by staying behind, she would know how to find her way back.

The moment Twilight disappeared behind a book shelf, I began thinking about how she had grown up by herself without any friends. I had been through a similar experience, wanting to focus on my studies instead of making friends. However, my opinion of friendship was different. Twilight didn't want to be disappointed, while I thought of it as weak and depriving ponies of a good education.

Princess Twilight had a similar upbringing to Twilight. She was more focused on becoming the best student Princess Celestia ever had and never took the time to forge a friendship until Spike entered her life. She viewed him in his role as an assistant instead of a friend initially, but that changed over time as the two became closer.

In that sense, the two Twilights were better off than I was. My life was filled with anger over how my parents ignored me in favour of my siblings. Had I been given the proper love from them, my life would have been the same as Twilight and Princess Twilight.

No wonder the former had been so fascinated when I began sharing my past with her. I had kept so much to myself without ever telling anyone until she came along. By opening myself up about my life in Equestria and this world, I've gained a whole new appreciation that tells me that perhaps it wasn't as bad as I made it out to be. I just wish that I had known about it much sooner.

" My legs feel so much better."

" WAAAAH!" I exclaimed, falling down onto my back.

" I didn't mean to scare you, Sunset. I take it you were in deep thought?"

" Yeah, just thinking about my childhood again."

" Ever wish you could repeat it?"

" I'd love to in order to prevent my mistakes from ever happening." I answered. I knew that was nothing but wishful thinking. Using time travel magic or anything similar was too risky because of unfortunate consequences. " A shame you never played Capture the Flag, Twilight. We had that game in Equestria, but we mainly played games that don't exist in this world due to them being impossible for humans, usually using magic or flight."

" You never played them either, did you?"

" No, and I wish I had."

" Sunset..."

" That's in the past now, and besides, I've been able to experience other kinds of games that have brought me great joy. Of course, the Friendship Games wasn't one of them. There are many reasons for that, including what happened to you when you chose to open your pendant." I said.

" I was pressured into opening it."

" Twilight, you must tell me how they coerced you."

Chapter 72: Midnight and Daydream

Day: Saturday
Weather: Cloudy
Time: 4:30pm

No one was expecting the final event to be a simple game of Capture the Flag. While I didn't react to the announcement, everyone else seemed disappointed. Unfortunately, they had no saying in the matter. Because of what happened when those Equestrian plants attacked, the judges decided to have the final event be something less dangerous--more like danger-free--to insure everyone remained safe. This announcement didn't come so easily. Students from both schools retained their animosity towards each other, and it had gotten even worse because of how Crystal Prep felt like they were cheated out of a final victory. My concern was with Twilight and how she planned on competing despite having collected the magic from me and my friends. I had hoped she would've refrained from opening her amulet, but it seemed the pressure from Principal Cinch and her peers proved too much for Twilight to overcome. She was about to open it.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
April 29, 2016
Chapter 72: Midnight and Daydream.

" I wouldn't say that my teammates did anything to convince me other than repeating what Principal Cinch said. If anything, she was the one who made it her mission to convince me to open up my pendant and release all of the magic I had taken." Twilight said.

" Figures they merely followed her lead." I said.

" Why do you say it like that?"

" Those Crystal Prep students may be capable of independent thought, but whenever Cinch says something, they immediately obey her commands without fail. You'd think they would've had the courage to maybe question her judgment knowing that she didn't care about ethics at all." I answered.

" Anyone who questions Principal Cinch may as well be signing a death warrant."

" You don't mean that."

" Oh, I most certainly do, Sunset. When you attend Crystal Prep, the first thing you learn is that you never question Principal Cinch under any circumstances. She had the power to shape the future of anyone who walked the halls of the academy. One word from her meant your career was sunk. That's why no one, not even the members of staff, questioned her authority." Twilight said.

Cinch sounded an awful lot like a dictator; she was the only person whose opinions mattered. To stay in her good graces, you had to do as she says regardless of whether or not you agreed with her. No wonder Dean Cadance and Twilight developed such a close relationship with each other. Both of them were the only ones at Crystal Prep who didn't follow the mold that Cinch prepared to shape her students. Everyone else blindly followed her because they were indoctrinated into doing so.

This made me think of something I never considered before until now. If this was how things operated at Crystal Prep, why didn't more students decide to transfer if they had grown tired of being treated like pawns just to satisfy the whims of someone who cared about reputation more than them? You would also have to ask what their parents thought about the way Cinch ran things. Did they approve of her methods? Did she blackmail them somehow into keeping silent? What if they had attended Crystal Prep in the past and knew full well what happens when you question Cinch? I had no answers to any of these, but perhaps Twilight had something.

I turned towards her, but she had buried her head into her hands. I honestly thought she was going to start crying again, not that there's anything wrong with that, but instead she mumbled a few words that I couldn't understand before looking back up at me. Before I could utter a single word, she buried her head again, and this time she began to cry, a soft sniffling and slightly shaking shoulders that told me Twilight was trying to be brave knowing what was about to be discussed next. We had reached the final pages of my journal, and what I wrote affected her gravely.

" This is going to sound unusual, but did any parents of the current Crystal Prep students actually attend there?"

" Huh?" Twilight asked, lifting her head up and attempting to wipe away the tears. I leaned forward to help her, but she politely refused by raising her hand. She reached into her backpack, took out a tissue, wiped her face, and tossed it into a nearby garbage can with pretty good accuracy. " You want to know if any parents attended the academy? Well, I can definitely say that my parents attended back in the early 1990s, and their parents also attended before Principal Cinch took over. Let me think for a second." Twilight then placed her finger on her forehead and began to concentrate, hard enough that I thought she was going to pop a vein or something given her facial expression. " Indigo Zap's parents attended at the same time as my parents; the same with Sugarcoat's parents. Lemon Zest's older sister attended, and so did Sour Sweet's cousin, but no one in Sunny Flare's family went there. It's something she isn't proud of."

" She always struck me as the most serious among the Shadowbolts."

" Her family's background was a stark contrast to her persona. Her family attended public high schools that were deemed beneath Crystal Prep, and she never could accept the fact that none of them were on her level. The only reason she managed to make it into the academy was Principal Cinch having taken a strong interest in her during a citywide science competition about two years ago. Sunny Flare won it hands down by going above and beyond all expectations, and her success is what garnered Principal Cinch's attention. When she was asked if she wanted to go to Crystal Prep--despite not having the proper requirements--Sunny Flare agreed without hesitation." Twilight said.

" What are the requirements?"

" Having a G.P.A. of around 4.5 out of 5--the most important requirement--a family member having attended prior, being well-off regarding financial success, and living within range of the academy's location." Twilight answered. I frowned upon hearing her answer. I had been told that students there were stuck-up, and those qualifications definitely supported that theory. No one but only the best are able to go there. " I'm not surprised at your reaction, Sunset. A long time ago, those requirements were much less strict, but Principal Cinch changed things when she came."

" When did she become head?"

" She has run Crystal Prep since around 1986, according to official records. Before her arrival, the academy was much more approachable, and students enjoyed interacting with other schools on a number of projects designed to further education standards around the city. Once Principal Cinch took the reins, Crystal Prep changed almost immediately and became what it's known as now." Twilight answered.

" Did she attend as a student?"

" I think so, but I'd need to look at one of the yearbooks they have on display in the library."

" The way I see it, only those of nobility are allowed to attend your old school." I said. Twilight then looked at me funny, and it took me a few moments to realize that I had said something completely out of context. " Wait... Did I just say nobility? Gah! I meant to say being from a well-to-do family!" Why did I have to say that!? That's who ponies called those who lived in Canterlot, the rich neighbourhoods of Manehatten, and so on. Nobility is nowhere near that common in this world. My face turned pink from embarrassment, all while Twilight giggled away, enjoying the fact that I had just humiliated myself by referencing something from Equestria when I meant to go with the human word.

" Do you really use the term nobility so commonly back where you're from?"

" It's a term used by Princess Luna and the true snobs of high society, but most simply call them fancy."

" You're weren't of nobility, were you?"

" No, and I'm thankful for that, at least, despite how I feel about my family. I was born into a relatively middle-ground family. We weren't rich or poor but rather in the middle. When I was chosen by Princess Celestia to become her student and taken to her school in Canterlot, it was my first experience being amongst high society. I never cared that much about it. Seeing all those ponies with their precious baubles made me sick." I answered.

" The rich do certainly like to flaunt what they have. Anyway, we should get back to what we were originally discussing. Principal Cinch was confident that her team would win, but she knew how to bend the rules. In her eyes, CHS had used magic to win the Tri-Cross Relay, and she believed that the Shadowbolts had every right to use magic of their own. No one amongst them possessed any magical abilities, but that's where I come in." Twilight said.

I could see it from her eyes where she was going with this. Because Cinch witnessed Twilight's pendant open up and releasing the magic that created that giant portal, she knew exactly what she had to do in order to get her hands on it. By using her application as a bargaining chip, she and the others forced Twilight into opening her pendant. The problem with that logic is no one, not even Twilight, knew what the magic was capable of. Cinch was risking everything just to win a silly game. You'd think she'd have better priorities but I suppose the notion of maintaining reputation proved too powerful.

" Did you try to tell her what might happen?"

" I had no idea how the magic even worked, despite you giving me a vague idea. Principal Cinch assumed that I knew exactly what I was doing and refused to listen. The song that you heard was my teammates pressuring me into unleashing the magic." Twilight answered.

" Cinch should've known better."

" Yes, but she only cared about winning. I remember that during her song, my pendant began glowing in an eerie light. It had never done that before, and while I was concerned, there wasn't any time to figure it out. With the final event on the verge of getting underway, Principal Cinch utilized my desire for knowledge as the reason for opening it. She believed my pendant contained more knowledge than the Everton program I wanted to do." Twilight said.

" I know what happened."

" You do?"

" Because you carried that pendant around with you everywhere, the magic within it slowly became bonded with you on a mystical level. When you opened it, you were immediately pulled into the vortex it created because of that bond. When I noticed you fondling the pendant at first, I was concerned that you planned on doing something, but I ignored you, which proved to be a mistake." I answered.

The singing coming from the Shadowbolts side of the front lawn had me worried, but what was especially worrying was how they were pushing Twilight back into a corner. Why were they going after her like she had committed some terrible sin? Despite stealing the magic from both Applejack and Rainbow Dash, she didn't actually cause her team's defeat. Okay, she did screw up a lot during the archery portion of the relay, but Applejack's guidance allowed her to succeed and bring Crystal Prep back into contention. The Equestrian plants and the poor racing skills of Indigo Zap brought about their loss, so she should have been the one instead of Twilight.

If anything, Twilight had more than done her fair share of contributing to their success. She won the last portion of the Academic Decathlon without even needing any help, so in theory, that should've been enough to make her team at least acknowledge that she did something. Instead, they were treating her like an outcast. Principal Cinch leading the charge was the worst thing in all of this, and I for one couldn't allow it to continue on any longer. I wanted to just walked over there and give her a piece of my mind, but I knew doing that would just make things even worse. My temper still remained volatile, and there was no telling how Cinch would react to me suddenly coming up and telling her off.

My friends didn't pay any attention to what was happening. Why would they? They were focused on what they were going to do for the Capture the Flag event. The fact that the final event was such a simple game had made everyone in attendance crestfallen, but there was no other choice in the matter. The dangers from before were too real to ignore even if no one got hurt, so the idea of going with something basic gained immediate approval from the administrators. According to Dean Cadance, we were to be tested on our sleuthing and deduction skills, and having access to every room in the building would certainly challenge that. It sounded like fun, but I knew the general consensus wanted something more dangerous.

Fluttershy then pointed her finger toward the Shadowbolts, and I immediately looked in their direction. Their group had since backed away from Twilight and had even allowed her to come up to the front. Why was she suddenly walking out towards the Wondercolt statue? Was Twilight going to be the one who starts things off for them? No, that can't be right. Everyone must participate, according to the rules. My friends scratched their heads, not sure what to make of it, but I noticed Twilight running her finger along her pendant, the object that had been the source of our troubles. I thought she would've found me beforehand and handed it over, knowing what she had done, but she chose to remain defiant by keeping it around her neck.

Knowing that I was the magical expert, I began to slowly walk forwards towards the statue to meet Twilight head-on. I had come up with a plan at the last minute to prevent something horrible from occurring: simply grabbing the pendant and keeping it from her until the Games were over. There was so much magic stored inside that pendant that releasing it would be cataclysmic. Her reaction to my plan was irrelevant. I had to stop Twilight at all costs, even if it meant being kicked out of the Games or CHS being disqualified for attacking a student. Would I be forgiven? Perhaps, but it would take a very long time before the hatred passes. Princess Twilight would have done something similar were she here.

Suddenly, Twilight took her pendant off from her neck and dangled it in front of her face. Was she seriously planning on giving it to me after all? I thought that was her initial intention, but that quickly turned sour when she held it in both hands and slowly started opening it in front of everyone.

No! No! No-no-no-no-no! What in the wide world of Equestria was she doing? That much collected magic being unleashed in a world that didn't understand it was just asking for it to be destroyed. No one else was even paying attention to her actions. Vice Principal Luna and Dean Cadance were telling both teams to get ready, but they should've rushed out to the statue and taken away that pendant. These humans didn't know that their world was on the brink, but I did. I began running towards Twilight in hopes of stopping her before it was too late.

Unfortunately, it was too late. The pendant was opened, and a powerful burst of magical energy knocked Twilight and me to the ground. The same energy affected everyone near the epicentre and brought everyone to silence, wondering what had just happened.

" What were you thinking!?" I shouted at Twilight.

" I had to know what this magic does." Twilight answered.

" Didn't you heed my warning about messing with something you don't understand? What in the world is wrong with you!? Quickly! Close your pendant before the magic can escape. Or better yet, give it to me and I'll make sure no one gets their hands on it." I said.

" No!" Twilight said, pulling the pendant away from me.

" This is no time to be stubborn."

" Your warning did get through to me, Sunset Shimmer, yet I just have to know. I'm doing this not only for the pursuit of knowledge but also to help my team win the Friendship Games. This goes against my better judgment, yes, but you Wondercolts used magic to help you win the relay. According to Principal Cinch, it's only fair that we get to use our own magic." Twilight said.

" Don't be an idiot! Close it now before it's too late!"

" I'm sorry, but I must see this through. You have no idea what's at stake for me."

Twilight may or may not have had a point, yet I knew more about magic than she did. I didn't realize it until a few minutes after it happened, but this situation reminded me of what happened when I put Princess Twilight's crown on my head and became corrupted. Unlike last time, the one holding all the magic had no comprehension of it. I knew what I was doing, as Equestrian magic is something I used to use, but Twilight was a novice who was trying to run before she could walk. I had one last chance to reach for her pendant, but she noticed and got back onto her feet.

At that moment, a magical aura started forming in front of Twilight and me. It pushed me back a short distance, yet didn't do the same to her. The aura then began to rise up from the ground and slowly increased in size, lifting up Twilight with it until her hands were consumed by it. In a panic, she dropped her pendant. It landed with a clank on the ground, no longer containing any magic. Everyone just watched in horror at what was happening before us. Twilight tried to break free, but the magic proved too strong for her.

I was so distracted with Twilight, I didn't notice Principal Cinch slowly backing away in fear. She was the one who had goaded Twilight into releasing the magic, and now, she had shown her true colours. What was truly deplorable was that she stared into the eyes of her prized student and continued backing away just to save her own skin. When I finally took notice of Cinch, I felt sick to my stomach. She only cared about herself. Her students were nothing but collateral damage and could easily be replaced. The aura continued growing in size, consuming Twilight while everyone else just watched. Despite being a magical expert, even I didn't know what was going to happen. It was like what happened to me during the Fall Formal, yet on a much grander scale.

" Principal Cinch... Why are you backing away? I need your help."

" I... I don't know what can be done, but whatever it is, I am sure you can figure it out." Principal Cinch said.

" But you convinced me to release the magic."

" No one told me that this was going to happen, so do not blame me for not knowing what to do. Had you befriended those 'nice girls' like I told you to earlier, you could have learned the secrets behind how they use their magic. Ms. Shimmer appears to be knowledgeable about the subject, so you should have become friends with her at the very least." Principal Cinch said.

" Help me!"

" You must help yourself out."

I didn't need to pretend that I was angry at what Cinch had just said to Twilight. She was throwing her under the bus and blaming her for this situation. I also hated how she dragged me into this by saying Twilight should have befriended me to learn about how magic worked.

Twilight then screamed a blood-curdling scream as the magic aura consumed her entirely. It sounded like she was in tremendous pain, and all I could do was watch as the magic suddenly imploded on itself. It then began flowing into Twilight like she were a vacuum, and I was left in shock. I had never seen anything like that happen before. Had she somehow resonated with the magic to the point where it felt she was a worthy vessel? Equestrian magic proved difficult to understand--even Her Highness struggled--but this was beyond even the likes of Princess Celestia. Humans could harness Equestrian magic, but not so much all at once.

Things suddenly turned bad when something started glowing on Twilight's forehead. Her body then started changing, becoming more demonic than human. Was she becoming something similar to what I had become? I couldn't tell for certain due to a blinding light, but when my vision returned to me, I saw what she had changed into.

She had gained wings that didn't flap up and down despite her suspension in midair, and her outfit was...interesting, to say the least, but the most intriguing part was her eyes. Twilight's glasses had fallen off her face earlier, but her appearance reflected the glasses, with fiery circles surrounding her eyes. Finally, she had a horn growing out of her head. Something about it struck a familiar chord with me, like I knew what it represented, but it escaped me.

CHS was reliving the nightmare from before, but this time, it was Twilight herself who had become the monster. Was it a coincidence that the human version of Princess Twilight had been corrupted by magic?

" I... I feel so very alive... like my eyes have finally been opened to a truth that was blurry before." Twilight said.

" Twilight? Is that you?" I asked.

" Ha! That name... I don't like it anymore. It reminds me of the weak little child who always got pushed around by others just because she was different. Now they look upon one who has come out from the shadows. I am like the night who cascades over all it surveys with a blanket of darkness forged of nightmares. You can call me Midnight Sparkle. Yes, it has a beautiful tone that matches with my new look." Twilight answered.

" Please tell me this isn't happening."

" Oh, it is, Sunset Shimmer, and I now know that you once had a similar power."

" How do you know that?"

" The magic is telling me everything. It says that you once tried to take this world over using weaker magic, but you were defeated so easily by friendship. The Sirens mocked you for having been utterly humiliated by such a weak emotion, and I must agree with their perspective." Twilight answered. She began floating around and looking at her new body. I thought she was being vain, but she was actually coming to grips with what happened. The magic in her pendant had taken advantage of her desires, things that always were taken from her but were now within her reach. Those desires would become twisted, warped beyond what she originally wanted. " I should thank you, Sunset Shimmer, for setting me straight." Twilight said, floating slightly downwards towards me.

" Why do you feel the need to do that?"

" I was going about my research all wrong. Instead of simply absorbing the magic into my pendant and then analyzing it later, I should have absorbed it myself and performed a live test to see how it worked. You know, you were right all along. I didn't understand it before, but I do now! This sensation is unlike anything I've ever felt before! I feel as though I've become the real person I was always meant to be. I am Midnight Sparkle, and I owe my new life to you." Twilight answered.

" Twilight, you need to give up this power now."

" And why would I do anything like that?"

" Your body is still trying to adjust itself to the sudden change brought upon it, but if you become fully aware of what you're capable of, you could end up conquering this world just like the Sirens and I tried to do when we all used magic." I answered.

" If that's what you really think I'll do, then you don't know me at all. Why would I want to bring this world to its knees? Others--like yourself--tried doing that and only ended up being reduced to crying heaps who begged for forgiveness. I seek something much better. What was the name you said to me earlier that connects our two worlds together? Equestria is what you called it, right? Since the magic that flows within me originally came from there, then I know exactly what I'll do." Twilight said.

" No! Don't do it, Twilight!"

" I am Midnight Sparkle! Anyway, you lack the power to pose a threat to me. I can do it, and I will." Twilight said, raising her hand and smiling evilly, her horn flashing for a brief second.

Magic suddenly shot out of her hand and blasted the Wondercolt statue to pieces. Everyone looked on in horror over what she had done, and I knew that the CHS students would be truly furious for her action. When I became a demonic monster, I never destroyed the statue, although I did have the desire to do so just to further cause misery. I didn't, though; I believed that destroying it would prevent me from going back to Equestria with my zombie army. In reality, it was the statue's base that housed the portal. So long as that remained, I could come and go as I pleased.

Since the portal was no longer there, Twilight had no reason to destroy the statue other than stabbing the spirit of CHS in the heart with a sword. That's what I initially believed, but I was quickly proven wrong when a portal suddenly formed above the wreckage. It opened up to reveal what appeared to be a large building located in the middle of a town situated in a peaceful-looking valley. At the time, I didn't know that I was looking at an image of Ponyville through the portal.

" Equestria..."

" What do you think? My first attempt at using magic, and I opened a portal to your world without any problem."

" Stop this right now!"

" I don't think so. Granted, I'll admit that I was hoping to gain access to a better part of Equestria. What I'm seeing looks dull and quite possibly won't be able to satisfy my desire for knowledge. Oh well! If at first you don't succeed, try again until you get it right." Twilight said.

She then looked down at the ground, and I looked in the same direction. The ground near where the portal had formed began to crack. It ran along the ground until it reached where my friends and I were standing. Twilight raised her hand and fired another burst of magic where we were, and we jumped aside just in time as another portal opened up, revealing another location in Equestria. Before any of us could recover from our ordeal, more portals started forming all around us, yet they looked like tiny slivers in the world's fabric. That soon changed when Twilight began firing magic at each sliver, resulting in more locations appearing on the other side of the portals. Some even managed to open up on their own without her doing anything. I recognized a couple of the locations, but many were unfamiliar to me.

With so many portals opening up all over the place, students from both CHS and Crystal Prep started panicking. They had no idea what was going on--the CHS students knew about magic courtesy of me and my friends, but nothing about portals--and began running about in a blind panic. I thought about telling them all to calm down before someone got hurt, but I was focused on dealing with Twilight. On a side note, she had proven herself very capable of using magic, but this wasn't the time to be praising her. I had a feeling she planned on destroying both worlds, but why tell me one thing and do something else?

As more and more portals opened, students were scrambling to get away. Some of them almost fell into the portals! Had any of them fallen through, they would have ended up stranded somewhere in Equestria with no clue as to what had just happened. Even Principal Cinch was running away--well, she was actually creeping away slowly--because the situation was too much for her to handle. It was her fault that Twilight opened the pendant in the first place. I personally wanted to see her get punished by Twilight for all she had done, but that would make me no better. Cinch would be punished by her own guilty conscience.

I had to try and stop Twilight. Time was running out.

" I've been curious about something." I said, looking at the page of the journal with the photo of the destroyed Wondercolts statue. " What compelled you to destroy it? In the past, the only heinous thing that Crystal Prep ever did was somehow putting a ridiculous costume over it."

" Huh? Since when did they do something like that?" Twilight asked.

" Guess you wouldn't have known since you probably were too fixated on your studies. Hang on a sec! I'll be right back!" I said, getting up and heading towards the regular spot our friends and I liked to sit down at whenever we got together in the library.

I began to concentrate in order to remember where Rainbow Dash had gotten the book that showed those photos of CHS students being humiliated by Crystal Prep. She had gotten it from around the corner, so I went over there and started scanning to see where it was. Ms. Cheerilee really should consider getting rid of some of the books. Many were in poor condition, most likely caused by students who didn't care that they were using school property for whatever reasons they had. Others were severely outdated, such as one book I picked out that contained information that only went up to 1956. Was the school budget really so strapped that new books and new editions couldn't be purchased?

Placing the book back, I continued searching to see where Rainbow had gotten it from. Some examples of books I picked up included Perpetual Motion Through the Ages, Arthurian Legends: The Story of Lancelot, Volume 6, The Western Frontier, Everything You Wanted to Know about Egypt but were Afraid to Ask, Japanese Culture, Volume 22, 8th Edition, and finally Energy Rifts: Space Time Continuum Complexities. These were all interesting books--the last one would have proven useful when Twilight became a demon--yet none of them were what I was looking for. If only Rainbow hadn't thrown that book away after she had finished showing it to me. The cover looked like something from a yearbook.

That's when I slapped my forehead. How could I be such a major bonehead? The answer was right there in front of me, and I didn't even see it. I quickly walked down the stairs leading down to the first floor and walked over to where the yearbooks were located. Unlike other shelves, this one had been given the most attention in terms of presentation. It made sense having such an outlandish look; they wanted students to be proud of the school's history.

Combing through roughly forty different books that detailed the school from the opening day right up to the end of the current year, I found the one Rainbow had shown me. It was the fourth-to-last book on the shelf; the previous Friendship Games took place four years ago.

Picking up the book, I quickly ran back up the stairs and to my place of residence. Twilight had been scribbling down some notes while I was gone. And here I thought she would be pacing about, worrying as to why it had taken me so long.

" Oh? You're back! Sorry, I didn't see you running up to me."

" What have you been doing?"

" Writing down some equations."

" You never could resist solving mathematical problems."

" I like to keep ahead of the game. Anyway, you wanted to show me the statue?" Twilight asked. I opened up the book and flipped through the pages until I came to the one that had the photo of the Wondercolt statue wearing the costume Crystal Prep students placed on it after the previous Games. I showed it to Twilight, and she merely groaned before rubbing her nose several times. " Their immaturity knows no bounds. I didn't think they could stoop to such low lengths, but the proof is right there in the photo. Oh, and to answer your question, I suppose my disdain towards CHS culminating from my time at the academy made me destroy it."

" No, I think it was the magic wanting to fulfill your deepest desires."

" Can magic do that?"

" Yes. If you can successfully control Equestrian magic, you can make it do whatever you want. There's no limit other than what your imagination contains, and how much magic you possess. Now that I think about it, when you were opening up portals, why open up to random places throughout Equestria?" I asked.

" I actually was trying to open a portal to the place that the portal at the base of the statue leads to. The rest of them were failed attempts resulting from me wanting to test my newfound powers." Twilight answered.

" Then your efforts were in vain. Princess Twilight personally created that portal, so it could only be opened and closed from her end."

" I wish I had known."

" We should be thankful that you didn't. Her Highness wouldn't have known how to deal with a human who had absorbed magic from five other humans and a unicorn. When those portals started opening up, I knew there was no other choice. You had to be stopped, even if it meant sacrificing everything to do it." I said.

Twilight had become a demon after ignoring my protests asking her to not open up her pendant. Now, she was using her newfound power to open up portals all across the front lawn that lead to different parts of Equestria. I didn't know if she was trying to find a specific location or was being random, but things had deteriorated so badly that I feared that ponies could accidentally stumble through the portals and into this world. We could see things happening on the other side, and I believed the reverse was true. If there was a bright spot in all of this, it was the fact that Princess Twilight might notice something is wrong and attempt to come through in hopes of figuring things out.

It sounded like a good idea, but I knew there was always a catch. Her Highness might be somewhere that doesn't have a portal suddenly appearing out of thin air. She might not even be aware that this was even happening. It came down to believing that she wasn't going to help anytime soon, and it fell onto me to stop this madness. Too bad I couldn't access my own magic. She may have possessed powerful magic, but compared to me, she was a novice trying to perform great miracles when all she could do were simple parlour tricks.

As the situation worsened, students fleeing for their lives, it dawned on me that what was happening here was a reverse of what I did during the Fall Formal. I had all the magic back, and my then-enemies and Princess Twilight had nothing. I believed I had everything I ever wanted but now know that my perception was a lie. In order to get something, you need to work hard for it and not expect it to be handed to you on a silver platter. Twilight was going through the same thing I experienced. That meant I was the one who had to get her to stop before it was too late. Unlike before, however, I didn't have the essence of the other Elements of Harmony that Her Highness invoked against me.

My chances of succeeding were slim, but I had to do what I could to get through to Twilight. The magic had corrupted her innocent nature and twisted her into an evil being who only cared about wanting to acquire more knowledge. Sure, she wasn't striving for world domination like I wanted back then, but the method she was using to achieve her goal was unacceptable.

Getting back onto my feet after leaping away from portal she had opened, I slowly walked towards Twilight, weaving my way in-between fleeing students until I was standing right below her.

" Twilight! You must listen to me!" I said, calling out to her.

" Why should I do that? I'm having a wonderful time opening up so many portals to Equestria." Twilight answered.

" Do you even know what you're doing?"

" Of course I do! Don't tell me you think I'm acting like a complete moron? Ha! I proved myself to have the superior intellect, and now, I'll prove that I have better magical skills than you ever did." Twilight answered. She raised her hand, her horn glowing again, and fired another magical blast, opening up three more portals nearby. I could tell she was getting stronger. Her first portals were small, yet her more recent ones were larger. The longer this dragged on, the harder it would be for me to fix all of this. " Your world is truly fascinating, Sunset Shimmer. The magical energies radiating from the portals are the stuff of legend. I'm especially surprised with the pastel-coloured ponies." Twilight said, rubbing her hands together with glee.

" Why not be satisfied with opening just one portal. Or better yet, none at all?"

" One portal isn't enough for me. You see, I plan on going to Equestria in person in order to satisfy my lust for knowledge."

" What!?"

" Wasn't it obvious when I said that I wanted to satisfy my knowledge?"

" No... You can't do this!"

" Why not!? There's a whole other world right there, and it's just filled with magic!" Twilight said. She fired another magical blast at the front door to the school. Principal Celestia ran inside just before the blast ricocheted and collided with the sky and opened another portal. Vice Principal Luna and Dean Cadance were too afraid to run away and just stood there, wondering what in the world was going on. " I know more about magic than I did before, yet my knowledge is lacking compared to yours. If I can learn more about it from the source, I'll be able to expand my own horizons to near-infinite possibilities."

" But you're destroying this world to get it!"

" So what? There's more magic there, and I want to understand it all!"

" That's your plan!?"

" Of course! I always strive to learn more. Nothing must ever be denied to me."

" Why not just be satisfied with what you have?"

" Are you serious!? A lover of knowledge must never stop until every last detail about a given subject is known to them. This world is flawed, Sunset Shimmer. I could spend many years until I've learned everything it has to offer, but it pales in comparison to what your world possesses. For the pursuit of knowledge, everything is expendable, no matter if it holds any actual value." Twilight answered.

" Do you honestly mean that?"

" I do. Now, step aside! I must reach Equestria and embrace the knowledge that awaits me there."

Twilight was dead serious about her intentions. She raised both hands and fired her strongest magical blast yet. It struck the ground where she had fired upon recently and opened up a hole in the fabric of reality itself. Pieces of the ground surrounding the edge of the hole crumbled away, and students struggled to prevent themselves from falling in. I felt utterly powerless knowing that Twilight showed no regret over her actions. If things had kept on going, this world would've fallen apart within a matter of hours. Fortunately, things were about to change in my favour.

Whatever compelled the Shadowbolts into deciding to help out, I was glad that they did. They knew that the Games had gone beyond simply being that and had become a threat to two worlds courtesy of a corrupted student they had mistreated. They were guilty of Twilight becoming a demon, so they had to make amends. Had they been more accepting and not listened to Principal Cinch, this wouldn't have happened.

The Shadowbolts immediately rushed out to help Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, who were struggling to save several students who had gotten too close to the edge. Why they didn't run away was anyone's guess, but at least they were being rescued.

I picked up Twilight's pendant, and it suddenly aimed at each of my friends. It made a clicking sound at each of them, and they each started to glow. It was detecting magic. Their magic was returning, but how was that possible? Our magic had been drained, or maybe it hadn't been drained entirely. Whatever made them glow, I started having a revelation that gave me the answer to a question I had struggled to figure out.

For a long time, I didn't know why we were ponying up whenever we played our instruments or, in recent days, without them. Now it was all starting to come together, and this incident allowed me to reach a definitive conclusion. In turn, that lead into another answer on how to deal with Twilight. I had an idea in mind that could save her and both worlds, but was I capable of achieving a similar form? I had no time to figure out whether it would work or not. It was now or never.

" This isn't the way!"

" Are you trying to convince me to stop again? I'm actually getting quite tired of listening to you preach about my actions, so could you please just accept the fact that nothing you say can stop me?" Twilight said.

" I only want to try one last time."

" Really? You know, I could vaporize you with my magic, but that would make me no better than you when you had this power. Alright! You can try once again. I might actually get a chuckle out of this." Twilight said.

" I promise that this is going to work."

" Give me your best shot."

" Twilight, I know you feel powerful right now, like you can have everything you want! But know that this is nothing but a lie. No matter how powerful you claim to be, you will never be able to acquire the magical knowledge from Equestria. My fellow ponies would do everything in their power to deny you the satisfaction of succeeding. Threats against them are something they've dealt with countless times, including what I tried to do. Those who tried to inflict harm upon Equestria have never succeeded." I said.

" That's because they were focused on world domination instead of something more practical."

" You're missing the point."

" Oh? And what would that be?"

" No matter how much power they had, they were doomed to fail."

" How does that affect me?"

" You're going to fail just like they did and just like I did when I was in your shoes." I answered. So far, she wasn't even remotely listening to what I had to say. I knew it wasn't going to be easy convincing her, but I had to keep going until she finally understood. " I'm going to tell you something about my own experience. I've made the same mistake you're making right now. I used to think that power was the one thing I needed to make all my dreams come true. As long as I had it, no one could stop me. I became so arrogant about how I was superior compared with everyone else, I became blinded by it."

" That's because you set your goals too high."

Again, Twilight was ignoring what I had to say, but I had to keep driving the point home. She needed to know about my pain, my anguish, my suffering from what I did to so many people all in the name of ruling over CHS and Equestria. Should she continue down her intended path, no one was going to forgive her when she snapped out of it. It would be too late, and everything she had worked so hard for would be lost forever. I couldn't allow that to happen. No one must ever go through my experience ever again. My empathetic insight would be her guiding light, yet she first needed to accept the fact that she was losing herself.

" I put on a crown, and just like you, I was overwhelmed by the magic it contained! Like you, I quickly controlled my new power, but it came at the cost of my humanity. I became a monster who only cared about herself. Their feelings didn't matter to me. The only thing that mattered to me was conquering Equestria and becoming a princess. I was blinded by the desire for power the moment I placed that crown on my head. I thought it could get me everything I wanted!" I said.

" That's where the similarities between us end."

" What do you mean?"

" You failed because you lacked the incentive to achieve your desires."

" It applies to you, too."

" Oh, you're wrong. Unlike you, I can have everything I want!"

" No, you can't!"

" Says who? You!? In case you didn't notice by now, I have all the power I need, and no one can even touch me. I am Midnight Sparkle, and I shall become the smartest being who has ever lived!"

" Then you've lost before it had even begun." I said, looking down at the pendant and gripping it tightly. My words resonated with Twilight, and she began to get angry with me. I knew straight away that she was losing control. Whenever someone is told something they don't want to hear, it usually leads to them becoming blind by their own ignorance. They lost not only to those who tell them the truth but also lose to themselves. Twilight was about to learn how harsh reality could really be. " Even with all that magic and power, you'll still be alone!" I said.

" I don't need anyone!"

" I used to believe that, until friendship entered my life."

" No one has ever been nice to me."

" That's because they never got the chance to understand you. They were following the beliefs of someone who cares only for herself and nothing more. If they had just chosen to ignore her words, you would have tons of friends right now. When I was given a second chance, I chose to take it, knowing the dire consequences had I chosen to refuse. By accepting friendship and making friends, I discovered a magic more powerful than anything else. True magic comes from Honesty, Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity, and Kindness! Together with Magic, you have something that simply cannot be beat." I said.

Each time I mentioned one of the Elements of Harmony, my friends reacted to their designated element. Their hair suddenly raised upwards like someone was pulling on it from above, followed by their magic leaving their bodies and entering the pendant. Was it giving me a chance to match Twilight's power by absorbing the magic of my friends? If so, then I had to carry it out and hope it would be enough.

At least there was one thing humourous about all of this. The Crystal Prep students had accepted everything happening around them. The whole cheating excuse had been thrown out the window, and the truth had been revealed to them.

My body started hovering upwards. I was doing what Twilight had done, except for the right reasons.

" What are you doing?"

" I'm going to save you from yourself."

" No! I won't let you!"

" I understand you, Twilight, more than you even realize. I used to be just like you, which is why it falls onto me to save you. No one must ever be allowed to go through what I experienced--the misery of being alone--because that is a path that allows the darkness to corrupt your very being. The time has now come. I want to show you the most important magic of all." I said, closing the pendant and tossing it to the ground beneath me.

It immediately opened up upon impact, and a second magical aura quickly formed. I was immediately consumed by the aura, yet unlike Twilight, I didn't scream out for help. I remained firm in my resolve and secretly prayed that this was going to work. Once inside of the aura, my body began to transform, just like it did when I put on Princess Twilight's crown. My first, fearful thought, was that I was going to assume my demonic form, believing that my reformation hadn't been enough. I quickly felt relieved when I saw my transformation was different from what occurred before. My friends' magic was filled with love, allowing me to become a new form.

My new form gave me the appearance of a princess, complete with wings made out of energy and a horn formed out of my forehead, a reminder of who I truly was. My hair grew out and became wavy, while my eyes had strange red markings underneath them. I remember thinking that I looked like I hadn't slept in several days. What was truly important, though, was the amount of magic that flowed about me. Never had I felt so much power exuding from every last facet of my being.

Had I ascended to an alicorn, but in the human world? Had I finally become just like my mentor Princess Celestia? Whatever the reason, I knew what had to be done. Twilight was someone I viewed as a friend who went through circumstances similar to mine. I would show her the way. If I were to call myself something in the same vain as Twilight, I would be Daydream Shimmer.

" What is this?"

" The Magic of Friendship!"

Closing my eyes and folding my arms, magic began forming in my hands. Without even looking, I fired magical beams, striking the various portals and closing them effortlessly, while my friends smiled at me, knowing everything was going to be okay.

Twilight, in the meantime, wasn't smiling at what I was doing. She was furious that all her hard work was being thwarted so easily. Once I closed up the last portal, she immediately charged at me, hatred burning in her eyes. Had Twilight seriously considered fighting me after I ruined her desire to gain knowledge from Equestria? She truly had been corrupted by the magic she had stolen.

Despite initially hesitating, I charged forward to meet her challenge. Both of us collided with each other, resulting in a small magical explosion that reverberated throughout the front lawn. No one could interfere in this conflict; they lacked the means to actually make a difference. Twilight was consumed with rage, just like I was when Princess Twilight stood in my way when I was the monster.

She fired magic from her hands, and I responded in kind. We were both equal, but then, Twilight tapped into a hidden reserve and started gaining the upper hand. She began laughing at my misery, while all I could do was hold on in hopes that a miracle would occur. I knew she could be saved. I just had to remain positive that I would win.

" Twilight!"

Someone had just called her name, and it was enough to distract her. I quickly looked down and saw that it was Spike who had called her. He was closer to Twilight than anyone else, so no doubt he wanted this nightmare to come to an end.

" Spike..." Twilight said, her eyes changing back to normal. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for. Taking advantage of the distraction, I pushed back Twilight's magic using every last ounce of power within me. By the time Twilight had noticed my sudden surge, there was nothing she could do. My magic pushed hers back until it disappeared, and she was consumed by a while light that blinded the entire vicinity. " Noooooooo!!!!"

A few moments later, I found myself floating in front of Twilight. Her eyes briefly became twisted, but they soon were back to normal again, the fiery rings that surrounded her eyes having disappeared, as well. She cowered in fear of me, but I stopped short, knowing that this wasn't what I wanted. I didn't want her to be afraid of me. When I used my anger to make her cry, she became fearful of me. That image never once left my head. Now, I had the chance to make amends and fix things before the wound grew too large to be repaired.

" Twilight... I want you to listen to me." I said.

" You've beaten me by using a far superior magic. I am at your mercy."

" I didn't want to resort to using violence. You left me no other choice but to fight back to protect those I care about. I did you a great wrong earlier by shouting at you for messing around with magic. I should have been more compassionate and understanding, yet my temper consumed me and blinded me to how I was treating you as a person. I don't know how long it will take you to accept my apology, but I ask for your forgiveness." I said.

" Do you really mean that?"

" Yes. This is what the Magic of Friendship can do for you. If you allow it into your heart, you can achieve great things. Had I chosen to remain on the path I began on, I would have become nothing more than a lonely wretch, wasting away somewhere with my own thoughts for company. You don't deserve something like that." I answered.

" But, what am I supposed to do? No one at Crystal Prep has ever wanted to be my friend."

" They will come around now that they know the truth."

" The truth?"

" You'll find out soon enough."

" Sunset Shimmer... No, Sunset... How do I get rid of the evil that grips my heart?"

" The answer to that is very simple. Take my hand, Twilight. Let me show you there's another way... just like someone once did for me."

" Who helped you?"

" Maybe someday, you will get to see her with your own eyes."

I reached out with my hand in hopes that Twilight would accept my offer to help her break free of what had corrupted her. She initially refused to budge, making me worry that she couldn't trust me enough to help her. However, the expression in her eyes told me a different story. She really wanted me to help but didn't know if she had the courage to accept my offer after everything she had done. I wasn't going anywhere. I planned on staying until she made a decision. After a few minutes of playing the waiting game with her, Twilight finally reached out with her hand. Her eyes trickled tears down her face as a sign that she was truly sorry.

The moment our hands clasped, I released a small amount of magic that travelled up her arm in a fiery spiral. It soon disappeared upon reaching her head, and as she stopped shedding tears, the twisted horn on top of her head faded away into nothing. Twilight had been freed of the magic that had corrupted her. All that remained was changing the rest of her back to normal. It had been a difficult battle that almost destroyed two worlds, but she was going to pull through. Princess Twilight would be proud of what I had accomplished. It was unfortunate that she couldn't have been there to witness everything. Perhaps I would tell her the story the next time I saw her.

One problem still remained: the person who coerced Twilight into releasing the stolen magic in the first place. Principal Cinch had a lot to answer for. Had the Friendship Games ended in a tie like Principal Celestia had wanted instead of continuing on, what befell onto Twilight wouldn't have happened. I supposed there was some benefit of going through with the final event--I wouldn't have achieved my new form, otherwise--but it shouldn't have been at the expense of two worlds and the innocence of a curious girl. The students of Crystal Prep now knew what their principal considered important, since she obviously chose success over their lives.

Hopefully, they will side with us by decrying Cinch for the person she truly was. I didn't know if they intended on keeping the existence of Equestria a secret, but I did trust that they would do the right thing. Cinch was an exception, of course. My heart was telling me that she wasn't about to give up on her desire to see her school retain its dominion. Surely, she wasn't so petty that she would resort to extreme measures just to get her way, right?

" I owe you a huge debt of gratitude, you know." Twilight said.

" All I did was follow Princess Twilight's guidance by giving you a second chance. She could have told me that I was too far gone to save, and I actually would've believed that, since my actions in the past ruined so many lives. Yet, she believed I could turn my life around and asked our friends to guide me." I said.

" It makes sense that she would know how best to deal with you. She is the Princess of Friendship, after all."

" Dealing with me was easy, but don't think that Her Highness is a true friendship expert."

" Has she made mistakes?"

" Quite often and all because she misread the situation."

Even though I've never actually witnessed Her Highness make those mistakes, she told me about some of them when she responded to my Friendship Reports. She has a system that involves combing through dozens of books and other research materials to determine how best to approach a friendship problem. Her belief is that scientific analysis and logic are all she needs to make ponies forge friendships or repair strained relationships. Her track record is a mixed bag because of that. Using research isn't necessarily a bad thing, yet not all ponies like the idea of being used as guinea pigs to satisfy her joy of utilizing science.

Friendship is truly a wonderful thing, but it can easily go sour. Princess Twilight's methods come from the heart, and she does strive to do her best to make sure ponies are able to understand each other's feelings. The one issue is that her way could prove too invasive. Did I have my own method to solve friendship problems? I'm still learning the ins and outs of being a good friend, but what I do know involves simply talking to someone without pointing a light down at them from above. If they want to talk about their issues, I'm willing to sit down and listen to them. I even use my own troubled past as an incentive in getting them to want to give friendship a try. If I can prevent anyone from walking down the path that I took, I'll know that I have done some good in the world.

Her Highness is the true Princess of Friendship, while I'm simply an acolyte who follows her teachings until I can come out of her shadow and do things my own way. If the day ever comes where I ascend and become an alicorn, I'm going to call myself the "Princess of Empathy".

" It must be difficult to be in her shoes--hooves--sometimes."

" At times, Princess Twilight wishes she could just be an ordinary unicorn because of how much pressure exists for alicorns. Ever since she ascended, her stress has reached unprecedented levels, and it hurts her health. However, despite all of that, she manages to pull through and perform her duties. I've long accepted the fact that I'm not worthy to become a princess. Maybe someday I will become an alicorn, though..." I said.

" Sunset..."

" It's okay, Twilight. I'm satisfied with what I have right now, but a part of me does wish that I could ascend. Anyway, it took almost everything I had to save you from the monster you became." I said.

" I still can't believe Principal Cinch believed CHS should have forfeited the Friendship Games."

" She refused to take any blame for her actions and instead planned on having the school board step in."

" What!? Why would they need to get involved?"

" Cinch didn't like the thought that CHS was finally going to beat Crystal Prep at something, even if it was only just a tie." I answered. I turned to the next page of the journal, realizing that there weren't many left until I reached the blanks; I had made sure long ago to stick a yellow sticker on the edge of the last page that contained an entry. I'd say there was about three pages to go. The blank pages would eventually be filled up whenever some other crisis occurs that proves itself significant enough to be written down. Looking at the photo that had been glued in place, I began to chuckle a little, prompting Twilight to look at me with a puzzled expression. " I can't believe someone pulled this off when it happened so quickly."

" What are you talking about?" Twilight asked. I handed over the journal so that she could look for herself. The photo depicted Principal Cinch, yet she looked like she was about to blow her top. It was a sharp contrast to the cold, manipulative authority figure most people recognize. I never did find out who took the photo. Whoever did it made enough copies so that everyone could see the mighty Cinch losing her composure. " That was the first time I ever saw Principal Cinch come so close to losing control of her emotions. She never let her emotions consume her thoughts, but that photo proves she is capable of flaws like everyone else."

" I'm glad the Shadowbolts gave her a piece of their mind."

" It only took my corruption and their near-deaths to give them an incentive."

" You could say that becoming a demon was worth it."

" Maybe, but I don't think I'm out of the woods yet."

" Is that so?"

" Yes, and you aren't out of there either, if you know what I mean."

Chapter 73: Everyone Wins

Day: Saturday
Weather: Sunset
Time: 5:45pm

When Twilight transformed into a demon--Midnight Sparkle, as she called herself--it brought back memories of when I became a demon. She gained tremendous power and used it to bring about the destruction of this world in addition to Equestria. However, while I was bent on taking over my home, Twilight wanted to understand the magic of Equestria. She sought knowledge, and I sought domination. What befell her was a reversal of what happened to me. I was now the one who struggled against someone who was just like me but had become twisted by magic. I had to do whatever I could to save Twilight from herself. Without even thinking about the ramifications, I absorbed the magic of my friends and transformed into a new form. My new power enabled me to close the portals and was enough to bring Twilight down. She then accepted my offer of showing her another path, indicating that everything had been resolved, yet one person still remained who could ruin my efforts.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
May 7, 2016
Chapter 73: Everyone Wins.

Twilight's words took me several minutes to understand the significance behind them. I had told her that her transformation into a demon had proven beneficial despite how she almost destroyed two worlds in the name of knowledge. She had exposed Principal Cinch for the kind of person she truly was, and in front of the entire student body of Crystal Prep, at that. They had always followed her example without ever questioning her methods, but that was because they feared a retaliation from Cinch. She held their futures in her hand and could easily crush those futures should they prove disloyal.

If not for the fact that the Shadowbolts stood by our side when Cinch thought about informing the school board of what happened, she could have gotten away with it, and the status quo of Crystal Prep would've remained the same.

Luckily, they realized that Cinch went too far in her effort to win a competition in the name of reputation. The lives of people are far more important than winning a stupid trophy. To think that Twilight, her best student, had been the one who unravelled her intentions despite being blackmailed into competing in exchange for her academic future. The outcast of Crystal Prep saved them all.

If Cinch took anything away from the whole experience, it was her dignity, and even that had been damaged. She could have said something when we all stared at her, but she knew that would've only made her look worse. Like I mentioned to Twilight before, Cinch may try to change her perspective on things, or she may never change. Only she can determine the direction her life goes from here.

Then Twilight mentioned about why I wasn't out of the woods. This is what stumped me for those several minutes, but I did manage to come up with an answer. I may have reformed, but my temper of my old self continued to linger. So long as I lose my patience whenever something frustrates me, I can never truly be free from the monster I once was. I've learned to live with that revelation, although it's something I don't have to enjoy. Would I ever reach a point where my temper no longer causes me problems? I don't know the answer, but all I can do is try my best to resolve problems without my rage blinding me from a peaceful solution.

" Sunset? Are you okay?" Twilight asked.

" I'm fine, Twilight. In fact, I was thinking about what you said about me not being out of the woods." I answered.

" I wasn't implying that you were still having problems."

" No, I'm actually glad to have gotten the chance to think about it. Despite everything that I've been through since Princess Twilight gave me a second chance, I know that I've still got a ways to go before I can safely say that I've changed. My temper will continue to cause me problems, but I have to accept that as part of my personality. My fiery attitude has proven itself useful sometimes, yet I won't deny it has almost cost me everything." I said.

" Sunset..."

" Don't worry about me, Twilight. I'll figure out how to keep my temper in check. It's something only I can find an answer to. In the meantime, you still need to deal with the aftermath of becoming a demon. How has that transition been going for you?" I asked.

" I still get some dirty looks."

" It will eventually stop."

" Are you sure?"

" Unlike Crystal Prep, the students of CHS are very forgiving when someone does something. How long it takes does depend on the crime, however. It took several months for them to forgive me for my actions, but I think it will take you a couple of weeks. What you did was there and then, while what I did lasted three years." I answered. In some ways, I actually felt jealous that Twilight got off lightly compared to me. All she had to do was apologize to her new peers for destroying the Wondercolt statue. I was forced to repair the main entrance on my own, apologize to the entire student body, and live without use of my magic by order of Princess Twilight--that last one ended quickly due to the Sirens.

" Guess it's time we wrapped things up, huh?"

" Yes. I only have what Principal Cinch said in addition to what I said to our friends about the magic this world has."

" Actually, I was hoping you'd answer one more question for me."

" What is it?"

" I want to know about the villains."

" You already know plenty about the stuff I did, the same with the Sirens and what I briefly said about Nightmare Moon."

" I'm talking about the other villains." Twilight said. I slapped my forehead. Somehow, I should have known she was going to say that. It was probably the one thing she didn't know regarding Equestria. My own experiences are limited to what Her Highness has told me in her responses. Twilight then looked at me--I thought she gave me a weird look--and I waved my hands as my way of telling her everything was fine.

Why did I open my big mouth initially to indulge her curiosity? There was no point in complaining about it now. I know that to not answer Twilight's question would mean dealing with her pouting until she got her way. Unfortunately, my current journal lacked information on the other villains. Reaching for my backpack, grumbling to myself, I took out my magic journal and began combing through the pages. I knew to begin near the middle, but my mind was so fixated on answering her question, I began at the start. Why couldn't she have asked something less difficult? Why did her curiosity know no bounds?

After a few minutes of looking, I finally found the responses Her Highness made about the other villains of Equestria. She was pretty thorough with her descriptions, but I knew I had no time to go into full details. It was starting to get late, and I wasn't about to spend all night talking about characters I've never seen before. All the times I've complained about dealing with magical threats from Equestria really paled in comparison with what Her Highness has seen. If anyone deserved to complain, it was her.

" I'm not going to go into full details, Twilight; it's getting late, and I don't know much about them myself."

" That's okay, Sunset. Whatever information you can give to me is fair enough. Again, let me just say that I appreciate you answering my question even though you'd prefer talking about your past." Twilight said. She just had to say that, didn't she? Sometimes, I'm just too nice for my own good. I'm not too upset about it, though. Twilight's been through an awful lot these last couple of weeks thanks to the Friendship Games. I shouldn't chastise her for pursuing knowledge.

" After Nightmare Moon was defeated and turned back to Princess Luna, Equestria remained threat-free until Discord was released from his stone imprisonment."

" Wasn't he the chaos-being you mentioned once earlier?"

" He wanted to turn Ponyville into 'the Chaos Capital of the World', according to Princess Twilight, in addition to all of Equestria into an eternal nuthouse. Fluttershy--the pony version, not our version--befriended him on the pretense that he could be reformed much like how I was. While I changed my ways in a matter of weeks, it took Discord about seven months to finally realize what it meant to have friends." I answered.

" Glad he's on their side."

" Princess Twilight still has some doubts. Anyway, Queen Chrysalis came along several months later by impersonating the pony version of Dean Cadance during her wedding in an effort to steal love for her subjects. She is one of the few villains in Equestria who is incapable of being reformed; her black heart is too twisted to accept the notions of goodness.

" Then, there is King Sombra, who ruled the Crystal Empire until he was banished a thousand years ago along with the empire. Princess Twilight didn't mention much about him because all he ever did was mention a few words and act scary. She did mention a lot about Lord Tirek." I said.

" Who was he?"

" A centaur who stole the magic from everypony in a bid to become all-powerful. Her Highness holds a personal grudge against him because he destroyed her library--her home for many years--and she unleashed her hatred in a battle that can only be described as epic. I'm glad she wasn't like that when she and our friends confronted me during the Fall Formal.

" Finally, there was Starlight Glimmer, the leader of a village where all ponies had an equal sign for a cutie mark. Her philosophy revolved around equality, where no pony was better than anyone else. You could say that she introduced Marxism into Equestria." I answered.

" I wouldn't mind meeting her someday."

" Last anyone saw of her, she disappeared into the mountains."

" That's too bad."

" Well, I've answered your question, even if with short descriptions."

" I'm satisfied with the information."

" Good. Now it's time to focus on the final part of the Friendship Games. Everyone was relieved that the nightmare was finally over, yet Principal Cinch didn't care. She still believed CHS should have forfeited in favour of Crystal Prep, but her students wouldn't have any of it. They were appalled that she brought up something so trivial considering what had just happened, but she didn't care. Her school's reputation was sinking, and she wanted to salvage what remained." I said.

I had been through many difficult challenges in my life, but my struggle against Twilight was, without a doubt, the most difficult of all. When she transformed into a monster after unintentionally absorbing the magic from my friends and me, there was a moment where I honestly believed that I couldn't save her. She had become so twisted from the magic that she desired the knowledge of Equestria at the cost of this world's very existence. She threatened to bring about unprecedented destruction, and I was the only one who was able to stop her.

What was ironic was that my battle against Twilight was a role reversal. When I became a monster, it was Princess Twilight who stood up against me with our friends by her side. Now, our friends stood with me as I used their magic to transform into a being of pure goodness, a stark contrast from my demonic form. Despite having more power than ever before, I knew that I couldn't be tempted by dark powers. Instead, I used my magic to fix the damage Twilight had caused and protect those who were more than my friends; they were my family, and their future was hanging in the balance.

To be honest, I would have been defeated if it hadn't been for Twilight's dog Spike. If he hadn't called out to her in the middle of our struggle, her power would have easily eclipsed my own. It was a miracle that Twilight managed to regain her senses, if only for a brief moment. It was the moment I needed to defeat her before someone got hurt or even worse. I'm never going to question the loyalty of an animal ever again. Spike's love for Twilight was more powerful than any magic and served as a reminder that friendship could overcome anything if given a chance. Crystal Prep could learn a lot from what happened, as their best student lashed out in a way none of them are soon to forget.

Speaking of which, the Shadowbolts finally realized that that Principal Cinch had gone too far. By joining her in forcing Twilight to open up her pendant, they indirectly caused the problem that almost destroyed this world. I wasn't sure if they could forgive themselves for acting like monsters, but now, they could finally start on the road to recovery. It's going to take them a while before they can be declared cured. However, the same wasn't true about Cinch. She had crossed the line, and she knew it. She didn't deserve forgiveness, and I doubt her school would see her the same way ever again. In an effort to have Crystal Prep retain its dominion, its reputation, Cinch risked the lives of everyone for a trophy that no longer held any meaning.

Was it possible for Cinch to reform? That was a difficult question to answer. She was the kind of person who had spent years grooming herself into an emotionless person who held back her feelings so as not to be seen as weak in front of others. I pity her for being like that. Cinch never got the chance to shed her stoic façade in favour of something more practical, yet that was a decision she made long ago.

The bright light--caused when I gave Twilight every last bit of magic I had to defeat her--finally disappeared, and Twilight and I gently floated down to the ground. Everyone else looked on, wondering if the nightmare was finally over. For once, there was only a minimal amount of damage--namely, the Wondercolt statue. That could easily be repaired, although it's going to take an awful lot of money to repair or replace it. The portals didn't cause any interdimensional damage, but I wasn't sure if Equestria had sustained any damage when our worlds connected through the portals. I'll consult with Princess Twilight whenever I saw her next.

" Are you alright?" I asked Twilight, who looked confused at what just happened.

" Is it over? Am I back to normal?" Twilight asked.

" Yes. I used my magic and removed the magic that corrupted you."

" How did you manage to do that?"

" Compared to my friends, I have more experience with magic."

" You must have been pretty lucky to learn more than them."

" Luck has nothing to do with it. I've been able to use magic since the day I was born."

" What exactly are you?"

" I'm a unicorn from a world of sapient ponies. I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth. There's no point in trying to hide the truth since your actions have exposed the magic that my friends and I have tried to keep hidden from Crystal Prep." I answered. I was expecting Twilight to not believe me. She believed in logical solutions, and what I described was fantasy, a concept someone of her nature would deny. Despite having become a demon, used magic to open up portals, and been defeated by magic, she might still think it had been a dream or that I had tricked her into believing that she had gained untold power.

" How fascinating."

" You don't think it was a dream?"

" How could I after everything I did just to acquire more knowledge. I didn't care about what happened to this world. All I cared about was reaching Equestria and filling myself with knowledge to my heart's content. I am so sorry, Sunset... I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Twilight answered.

" I know. And going by my own experiences, they'll forgive you."

" Are you sure about that? I mean, my peers already look down on me. After seeing me become a monster, I'm not sure if they can ever forgive me."

" It will take time, but it will happen."

" What about your peers?"

" I had to work really hard to finally earn their trust. There were times where I wanted to give up, but I kept on going, even if it killed me. Despite the differences between our two schools, everyone understands that it wasn't your fault things went out of control. You were in a difficult situation and had no choice. If anyone is to blame, it's Principal Cinch for putting a trophy ahead of her students." I answered.

" Will she forgive me?"

" My advice is to ignore her opinion and instead focus on those of your peers. They are far more important." I answered. Twilight then smiled at me, the first honest smile that I had seen from her. I truly believed things were going to get better for her. My point quickly got proven when her dog Spike tackled her to the ground and started licking her face. He had proven his loyalty by helping me save her.

Principal Cinch, on the other hand, was anything but loyal. The moment Twilight became distracted by Spike, I immediately turned my attention towards the gathering of students and staff near the destroyed Wondercolt statue. Everyone else were still coming to grips with what happened, yet Cinch had something else in mind. I could see it in her eyes. She was more concerned with who won the Friendship Games. I thought about saying something in the hopes that she would finally get it through her thick head, but Principal Celestia looked to be the one to do that.

If Cinch had been smarter, she would've focused more on the well-being of her students instead of a competition that no longer held any meaning. Unfortunately, someone like her wasn't about to change her ways on a whim. What was perhaps truly pathetic was where Cinch chose to hide while Twilight was busy opening up portals everywhere. She had taken the liberty of hiding behind the bleachers. Why not corral her students into fleeing? Why not convince her best student to not bring about so much destruction? Why allow Twilight to keep hold of that pendant instead of taking it away? Cinch's lack of ethics was truly beginning to show.

" Principal Celestia... I must speak with you immediately!" Principal Cinch announced.

" Where in the world have you been?" Principal Celestia asked.

" That is not important. What is important is telling your students that Crystal Prep has won."

" I'm sorry, but could you repeat that?"

" I said that Crystal Prep has won."

" Quite the bold statement you made there, Principal Cinch, and one that I am confused over. Care to give me a valid reason as to why you think your school has won when clearly, the final event was never even played. I believe everyone in attendance would like to hear your reason as well." Principal Celestia said. It felt strange seeing her taking such a firm stand against Cinch after what she had done to ridicule CHS. Twilight's actions had also affected the staff as well as the students. Vice Principal Luna and Dean Cadance approached Celestia, with the latter standing by Celestia's side instead of Cinch's.

" Principal Celestia, on behalf of Crystal Prep, I demand that you forfeit the Friendship Games!"

" May I ask why I should do this?"

" You honestly expect me to explain something so obvious?"

" Yes, I do."

" Fine! Clearly, CHS has had an unfair advantage for quite some time! And it's certainly obvious that your students have been using magic for their own benefit!"

" I'm afraid that I must disagree with you there. Only six of my students have been using magic ever since it first became apparent around here. They don't abuse the power they have been given but instead have used it to light our darkest hour on several occasions now. The rest of my students don't know how it works." Principal Celestia said.

" Regardless, they used magic during the Games."

" Not to win any of the events, mind you. Besides, I don't see that as being all that important. In fact, I'd like to think that using their magic to save the world benefits us all. What they have done today goes far beyond their previous exploits against those who abused magic. Now that I think about it, I believe one of your students used magic, and under pressure from you yourself." Principal Celestia said.

She had seen Twilight open up her pendant and releasing all of the magic she stole. Whether or not she had seen Cinch and her students singing while backing Twilight into a corner earlier was irrelevant. Cinch had now been backed into a corner herself and was running out of options. Someone like her most likely had an out for just about everything. How else could she have gone through life without ever paying for her actions.

" Nonsense! What Twilight did was the good of my school." Principal Cinch said. That was her excuse. Truly, she had hit rock bottom. Justifying Twilight's actions as being beneficial completely missed the point. Everyone saw that she had been forced into releasing the magic due to peer pressure. What was Cinch hoping to accomplish? Did she honestly think we were all too stupid to not see what the truth was? I was about to say something in response, but the most unlikely person decided to step in on my behalf.

" That is an incorrect statement." Sugarcoat announced.

" What are you talking about?" Principal Cinch asked.

" Twilight did not release the magic of her own free will."

" Really? Would you happen to have an explanation?" Vice Principal Luna asked.

" When we saw magic being used, Principal Cinch believed we deserved to use it as well. We would be on equal footing with you guys and quite possibly superior, what with our school having the best athletes. However, CHS protected others from getting hurt with their magic, the right course of action to take. At least they didn't manipulate Twilight into releasing all the stolen magic and turning into a power-crazed magical creature that tried to rip the world apart just to win a game." Sugarcoat answered.

Her response left all of us speechless. Rainbow Dash and I were aware that Sugarcoat didn't mince her words whenever she spoke, but I never imagined anyone from Crystal Prep contradicting something Cinch had said. Turning towards her, she was shocked that one of her own would act of their own accord. Was it possible that Twilight's transformation had made them see the truth about their principal?

" That's ridiculous!" Principal Cinch said. The demeanour in her voice made it obvious that she was on the defensive.

" Why are you trying to hide the truth?"

" I'm actually curious about that as well." Vice Principal Luna added.

" Sugarcoat's answer has no truth to it by any means." Principal Cinch said. Again, she was acting defensively and showing signs of losing control of her emotions. Sweat was trickling down her brow as more students and staff began to wonder if Sugarcoat's words were the truth.

" Nope! That's pretty much what happened." Spike announced to the shock of everyone else aside from me, Twilight, and my friends.

I was hoping no one was going to question why a dog was suddenly capable of talking. That same question got asked after the Fall Formal when the Equestria version of Spike had something to say about what happened. Cinch then slowly backed away from Twilight, who had finally joined in on the conversation after practically being licked to death by her dog. Why was Cinch afraid of Spike? He didn't seem to be the ferocious type, so her reaction made no sense. Everyone else seemed surprised he uttered something, whether it was the truth or not, but considering all the strange stuff that had happened within the last ten minutes, a talking dog was probably the least strange thing.

" Um, I want to say something too." Sour Sweet announced.

" And what is that?" Vice Principal Luna asked.

" Listen up, all of you!" Sour Sweet answered, her attitude changing from sweet to sour and then repeating the process. " We're all to blame for what happened to Twilight. We pressured her into doing something she was uncomfortable with. She didn't deserve such horrible treatment just because she doesn't have the same athletic skills we have. I know the rest of my team is in complete agreement when I say that we're sorry for what we did."

" That took a lot of courage to admit."

" I wasn't finished!"

" Oh, then please, do continue."

" The only one who isn't sorry is Principal Cinch. It was mostly her fault this all happened."

" Do you have anything to say in response?"

" Obviously my students have been infected with your magic, but I plan on taking all of this up with the school board!" Principal Cinch answered. Just when I thought she couldn't get anymore pathetic, she had to go and say something completely stupid. Her students realized that winning didn't mean everything, and that she had been exposed for being a true monster who would cast anyone aside were they worthless to her. Relying on the school board just showed how desperate she was to maintain her school's credibility. I would be embarrassed to have a principal like Cinch.

" Is there no way to change your mind?" Principal Celestia asked.

" None!"

" Good. I'm sure they would be very interested in hearing all about the magical students with wings. I'm not sure if they will actually believe you even if you were to show them proof that students were flying about. They might think it nothing more than a stunt." Principal Celestia said.

" Oh, and the portals to different dimensions." Vice Principal Luna added. Actually, she was incorrect here, but I wasn't about to ruin the moment for her. The portals only opened up to Equestria, yet to random locations; many of them I remember seeing long ago, with others were a complete mystery.

" And don't forget to tell them about the talking dog." Dean Cadance added. I'm surprised she decided to mention that.

" Because that would never ruin your reputation." Spike added. If there were words that could be described as being the final nail in the coffin, what Spike said definitely fits that description rather nicely.

Principal Cinch viewed reputation as being more important than anything else under her watch. She was willing to get the school board in something that was caused by her own selfish desires and pin the blame on CHS for her own shortcomings. Everyone then looked down on Cinch to let her know that she was completely alone. Even her own students looked down on her, knowing that she had gone too far. To be cast aside by her own students was, without a doubt, the worst experience Cinch ever felt. Her empire had since crumbled away, leaving nothing but ruins.

As she looked at the disapproving glares, Cinch started to suffer from a case of twitchy eye. She was actually losing her composure all because her own students had finally stood up against her, and she didn't know how to approach it. For a moment, it looked like was about to snap, but she quickly calmed down. She then turned around and walked away without uttering another word. Rather than lose control and be humiliated in front of dozens, Cinch decided that it was best for her to leave while keeping what little dignity she had left. It actually felt nice knowing that the true enemy had been defeated without a final confrontation taking place.

With her departure, the Friendship Games were over, yet the question of which team had won remained unanswered. The final event never took place because of Twilight releasing the stolen magic, and I doubted anyone was willing to go through with it now, especially after Cinch's little rant. Principal Celestia then came up with a decision. None of us had expected things to turn out the way they did, and because of what we all went through, Celestia declared that both teams were the winners. For the first time since the Games first began, a tie had been reached. Was Celestia allowed to make such a decision? As one of the two overseers, she had the authority to do so.

Everyone began cheering when she announced both teams had won. After what felt like forever, everything had finally been resolved. Well... not everything. There was still the question as to what would happen with Twilight, and there was the one regarding Her Highness.

" I can't believe that I never heard any of that conversation." Twilight said.

" What were you doing that whole time?" I asked.

" Like you said, Spike had been licking me, and I guess I got too distracted by his affection to have paid attention until he responded to Principal Cinch." Twilight answered. My eyes suddenly widened when she mentioned her dog. There had been a nagging question about him on my mind since the Games ended. I had completely forgotten all about it, but now I finally had the chance to see it get answered. Twilight noticed that I was acting strange and gently rubbed my shoulder to snap me out of my daydream. " Are you alright? You zoned out."

" That's because you reminded me of something." I said. I then hugged Twilight as hard as I could, prompting her to blush for a brief moment. When she nudged me in the stomach to tell me I was hugging her too hard, I let go and scooted a few feet away before blushing myself. " Sorry about that. I don't know what came over me. Anyway, when Cinch backed away after Spike confirmed Sugarcoat's story--Why did she do that? I was under the impression that Spike wasn't a threatening dog."

" You hugged me out of curiosity?"

" Um, yes?"

" There's hope for you yet." Twilight answered. I wasn't sure what she meant by that, but I wasn't about to start asking questions. " I should've told you sooner, Sunset. It just never really came up until that precise moment when Spike spoke up. Do you remember me telling you about there being rules against having pets? Well, there's another reason why that rule is strictly enforced. Principal Cinch is highly allergic to dogs--she sneezes up a real storm when she gets close enough to one. If anyone at the academy comes into contact with a dog, they are immediately sent home to change."

" Is that why you kept Spike hidden?"

" I hid him because of the rules. Her allergies never played a factor."

" Who would've thought that someone like her would have such a mundane Achilles' Heel."

" No one ever took advantage of Principal Cinch's allergies."

" Despite all that she did, making her suffer like that would be a low blow, I guess." I said.

Even though my question turned out not to be important in the grand scheme of things, it was important enough to me because it had been on my mind. Wow... I was actually starting to behave like Twilight. I was curious about something and refused to let it go until I finally got an answer. It seems the reversal was true about Twilight being the only one to adopt my mannerisms; I was adapting some of her quirks. It was a sign that our friendship had the potential to blossom into something truly spectacular.

Turning to the next page of the journal, a note had been stapled there as opposed to being glued. I tried to think about what was significant about the note, but I just couldn't find the answer. Twilight then asked if she could read what it says. I hesitated at first since the journal contained my deepest thoughts, but she reminded me that I been telling her just about everything I had written down. I've gotten this far with sharing my secrets about those I've interacted with to Twilight, so what was the point in denying her now? It might not even be all that important since I can't remember the significance.

Handing the journal over to Twilight, she opened up the note and began to read it.

" It only says four words: 'I am Sunset Shimmer'. I don't quite understand the meaning here. Also, I do believe this is your handwriting."

" Now I remember. I wrote it down after I finished writing a message to Princess Twilight."

" When did you do that?"

" Just before Principal Celestia announced that you transferred to CHS."

The Friendship Games were over, at least for another four years. The magical insanity that plagued things during the latter half would forever be remembered, and that scared me more than anything else. I saved Twilight from herself, yet it came at a terrible price. I had done everything in my power to prevent magic from becoming known beyond CHS, such as secretly erasing the footage my peers had recorded on their cellphones. Now that Crystal Prep had seen the magic with their own eyes, I feared they would expose this to the rest of the world, which, in turn, would bring unwanted attention in the form of scientists, reporters, and others wanting to see things for themselves.

Despite having come together to save this world and expose Principal Cinch's true intentions, I didn't know if her students could be trusted. Their sudden change in perspective could merely be a short-lived experience, and upon returning to Crystal Prep, they would upload their footage and photos to the Internet. Would I have to sneak over to their school and erase the data on their phones? Was protecting Equestria so important that I had to resort to such drastic actions? Ponies didn't have a clue as to what humans were, and the thought of seeing them scampering about my home with their curious fantasies was too much for me. Princess Twilight would have the same feelings I did. She didn't want our world to suddenly become infested with humans. There was no telling what they might change into during the transition process.

For now, I would have to keep the option of sneaking into Crystal Prep in mind, just in case there's no other choice.

Speaking of Cinch, she walked away and kept her dignity, yet she didn't really get very far. All she did was make her way to where her school's buses were parked and got into the one in front of the rest. The Crystal Prep buses had been parked in front of the school since they arrived a couple of days ago. Why not drive them to a depot and leave them until everything had been taken care of? In any case, Cinch wanted to leave as soon as possible. No doubt her experiences at CHS had affected her mind in ways she never though possible. Did it mean she was going to start changing her ways and become a better person? The jury was still out on that one. Someone like Cinch doesn't simply change like that.

In the hour since both schools were declared winners, students from CHS and Crystal Prep had interacted with each other. If not for Twilight's transformation bringing everyone together, everyone would still be at each other's throats. They finally understood the meaning behind the Friendship Games. It had nothing to do with winning a trophy. It involved being good friends and helping when you know it's the right thing to do.

I was the only one who wasn't interacting with anyone. Most of the problems had been resolved, yet some things continued to linger. I was worried about Twilight. She would have a hard time upon returning to Crystal Prep, and Cinch would do everything in her power to make her miserable. I was also worried about Her Highness. Despite the portal being restored to the base of the Wondercolt statue, I still hadn't received any messages. What could be going on in Equestria that kept Princess Twilight from sending word to me? All I could do was send another message in the hopes that she would get it.

Dear Princess Twilight,

It's been several days now, and you still haven't responded to any of my messages. I was wondering if everything is okay on your end. I know you have a lot of your plate, what with you being a princess, but I just wish for some confirmation that you are okay.

I wanted to let you know that I finally understand what you had to go through when you stood up to me while I was a monster. I'd go into more details, but I'm not sure if I can without knowing if my message will actually reach you. I also want to tell you that my experience also revealed something that had been causing me problems for a very long time. There are still some questions that elude me, but I think things will only get better from here.

Hopefully, I will either hear from you or see you again in person.

Your Friend,

Sunset Shimmer.

Once I finished writing my message, I turned towards something I had been doodling in one of my binders. Twilight's transformation reminded me that I wasn't completely safe from regressing back to who I once was. Something could easily convince me to become a demon once again. I had to make sure to not fall for such temptations. Princess Twilight would never forgive me if I suddenly became evil again; the same with the rest of my friends.

To ensure I never succumb, I had to write down something to remind me of who I was. It was a simple message: "I am Sunset Shimmer". Removing the piece of paper from my binder, I folded it in half and put it into my pocket just as Fluttershy approached.

" What are you doing, Sunset?" Fluttershy asked.

" Oh, I was writing something down to remind me to always stay true and never stray from my chosen path." I answered.

" Um, okay, but actually, I was wondering why you were writing in your journal."

" I thought you were curious about... Never mind. I was writing a message to Her Highness wondering why she hasn't responded to my previous messages. It's been several days now, and it's really starting to worry me. I know the portal to Equestria has only recently been restored, yet I feel something has gone wrong back home." I said.

" You still haven't received word from Princess Twilight?"

" Not yet, and it's really getting to me."

" Maybe she's too busy to get back to you?"

" That's what I thought, but you've got to admit that it's a lousy excuse. I don't know what's happening in Equestria, and part of me really wants to go back and find out, but I shouldn't let my doubts get the better of me. Her Highness has saved Equestria plenty of times, so perhaps she's currently saving it right now." I answered. Her saving Equestria actually was a legitimate reason. It had been threatened countless times by evil characters who wanted to cause pain and suffering. In fact, Equestria faces a national crisis at least once every other week, according to Her Highness.

" Well, is there anything you can do to take your mind off of it?"

" As a matter of fact, yes. I think I may have figured out how magic works in this world."

" Really? That sounds wonderful, but how exactly did you figure it out?"

" We pony up when we're showing the truest part of ourselves. It's so obvious now that I'm kicking myself for not having come to the conclusion sooner. The pony versions of you five possessed the Elements of Harmony, and that was reflected in each of you when you defeated me. The essence from the Elements must still resonate within you, which is how you pony up." I answered. My conclusion did suffer from one flaw, and that involved me. I had no Element to call my own, so how was I showing the truest part of myself?

Was I a combination of the other five Elements? Maybe I have the Element of Magic like Her Highness, but a weaker version? Or maybe Empathy truly is my Element and possesses unique qualities different from what my friends have? Fluttershy displayed kindness to Twilight by treating her like a person. Applejack was being honest by telling the truth about helping her shoot that arrow during the relay. Why didn't I notice such obvious signs? For someone who gave herself the title of magical expert, I lacked in that department when I should be on top of my game. At least I now know instead of continuing to come up with an answer.

" Sounds to me that y'all finally can move on from the magic problem." Applejack said.

" No, there are still some things I need to figure out."

" 'Least you're on the right track."

" That's for sure. You know, I spent so much time worrying about my problems, all it ever did was stress me out. I should've taken the initiative and figured them out on my own instead of waiting for someone else to give me the answers." I said.

" Guess you won't be needin' Princess Twilight as much as you may think."

" Exactly. She'll always be someone I turn to whenever I need help, but I have to learn to do things on my own. If I let her continue to hold my hand, how am I supposed to grow as a person? The same applies with all of you. We can do anything if we give it our best." I said.

" Maybe these Games were what you needed." Fluttershy said. Considering that I had been against them from the beginning, her statement was like a blow to my gut. I should have just accepted that CHS had to compete instead of complain about them serving no purpose. Did it mean I was looking forward to the next Games? Not really. After all, none of us were going to be around when that happens. We'll be swimming our way through college and university by that point. " Sunset? Do you think we're finally finished dealing with the magic that's been flowing about?" Fluttershy asked.

" I've made some progress, but we're still in the thick of it."

" We are? I thought it was over when you saved Twilight from our magic."

" I'm sure there will be more magical problems that pop up in this world. As long as the portal between this world and Equestria remains open, magic will continue being something we'll have to contend with. Things will never be the same again. But like Applejack said, Princess Twilight has her own problems to worry about in Equestria. She is needed there to resolve problems in a manner only she is capable of doing. We can't expect her to always be around to help us." I said.

" It would still be nice."

" 'Suppose so, Fluttershy, but we can take care of ourselves now." Applejack said.

" But maybe I can be of some help?"

We were all surprised when Twilight walked up to us with Principal Celestia by her side, the latter holding a clipboard. Why did Twilight say that she wanted to help us? If it was to make up for what she did, she had no obligation and didn't need to be pressured into doing so. If she planned on relaying messages to us from Crystal Prep or even choosing to meet us halfway, I supposed we could make an arrangement. What Celestia was about to say surprised everyone except for me. I had hoped this would happen in the end. Twilight deserved a chance to be happy, and transferring to CHS was the right course of action.

" Twilight!? What are you doin' here?"

" Am I not supposed to be?"

" What I mean is, I thought you would've gone back home on the bus with the rest of Crystal Prep."

" Normally, that's true, but Principal Celestia has an announcement for you."

" Indeed, I do. It seems we have a new Wondercolt here at Canterlot High! Twilight spoke with Dean Cadance a short while ago to determine what she was going to do now. After mulling it over, she has decided to transfer over to our school. I have already begun the paperwork to make it official, but it will take a few weeks for the process to be complete. I'll need to talk with her parents among other things, which will keep me busy for a while." Principal Celestia said.

" Are you serious?" I asked.

" Twilight is now your new peer."

" I'm not sure how much help I could be, but I'd like to try. If you would all give me a chance." Twilight said.

" After what we've all been through, it's the least we could do." I said.

" I'm sure I can count on you girls to help her feel at home. Starting Monday, and for the next few days, she will be undergoing an orientation so that she may get adjusted to the layout of the school and find herself a locker she will use for the duration of the school year. I hope one of you will give her a guided tour. Oh, and you can keep your current uniform as your attire for as long as you want, Twilight." Principal Celestia said.

" I don't know what to say." Twilight said.

" Let me say it for you... Welcome to our school." I said.

My friends and I then embraced Twilight with a group hug while Principal Celestia looked on in amazement. For Twilight, these past few days had been a rollercoaster that changed her life in ways she never would have considered before. Her world was now one where magic existed, and her scientific mind would be tested constantly. I knew she would find a way to get used to a force most believe is nothing more than a figment of the imagination. Whether or not she would return to Crystal Prep to patch things up between herself and her former peers remained unknown. They would still welcome her with open arms despite no longer interacting with her. Cinch, on the other hand, would likely forever remain distant and cold towards her best student.

Now, the only thing that remained uncertain was Princess Twilight. I know that I shouldn't give myself any stress worrying about her safety--her magic was more than enough to deal with whatever threat stood in her path--but another problem began rearing its ugly head. If Her Highness were to suddenly come through the portal in the near future, how would she react to the knowledge that my friends and I had befriended her human self? Would the two Twilights get along or force us to choose between them? That was a question I hope to never answer, yet something told me it was going to become an issue.

" That hug is one I'm never going to forget for the rest of my life." Twilight said.

" While the others were against the idea of you becoming a student at CHS, I strongly believed that you would come around. After seeing you being picked on throughout your visit by all of Crystal Prep, save for Dean Cadance, I felt sad at the possibility of seeing you in tears. If they hadn't assisted us when you had that little episode, I don't think I'd have been able to forgive them." I said.

" Once you get past the bravado and really speak to them, they are actually very nice people."

" I'd say the experience has brought both schools closer together."

" Rainbow Dash and Indigo Zap now have more friendly competitions against each other. I'd have thought they had gotten enough of being competitive, but those two just can't seem to stop until they've pushed themselves to the limit." Twilight said. Those two weren't the only ones who forged a powerful friendship despite going to different schools. Applejack and Sugarcoat are quite an odd pair. They both express themselves without worrying about any consequences, yet Applejack is teaching her that using your emotions is okay so long as you do it in moderation.

Fluttershy and Sour Sweet have spent the last couple of weeks getting to know each other through their shared love of animals. I'm surprised Sour Sweet even understood the concept of kindness, given how her personality changes whenever she has one of her negative moments. Yet, Fluttershy sees something in her no one else has been able to, and she has been slowly accepting the idea that she doesn't need to put on a false act. Rarity and Sunny Flare at first didn't appear to have any common ground, but that quickly changed when the latter revealed she was an aspiring diva. Rarity immediately clicked with her because of her diva-like ways, and now, they go everywhere together.

And then, we have Pinkie Pie and Lemon Zest, the true odd pair, more so than Applejack and Sugarcoat. I honestly couldn't see the two of them hanging out since they have nothing in common. One was a party planner extraordinaire who broke reality, and the other loved music so much that she planned on becoming a professional DJ. Who would've guessed that they both loved playing instruments? I didn't think Crystal Prep had its own music program, but I guess Principal Cinch doesn't favour the more modern age music that you hear on the radio these days--I don't particularly enjoy it myself and prefer music from Equestria. Lemon Zest knows how to play an electric keyboard, so now, she and Pinkie get together and have jam sessions to see who can make the loudest noise.

Other students from both schools have started to become friends with each other. By doing this, they have all broken a wall between our schools that Cinch created out of the desire to maintain reputation. No doubt she didn't like the idea of her students sacrificing their studies in the name of friendship. Then again, her opinions didn't hold much value. She had blackmailed Twilight--she revealed this to Dean Cadance who, in turn, revealed it to Principal Celestia--put her students lives in danger, threatened CHS, promoted negativity, and did other things too numerous to remember.

" You know, it'd be interesting to see what Her Highness makes of Principal Cinch."

" Why do you say that?"

" She is the Princess of Friendship after all, and she has been able to get ponies to understand that friendship is very powerful. She fixed the mess I made by bringing friendship back to those I took it from, so I can see her teaching something to Cinch. Cinch is likely to be defiant, and might get freaked out over seeing a different version of her former best student. Still, it might be worth Her Highness' time to help Cinch out." I answered.

" By the way, you said in your journal that you were worried about Princess Twilight's reaction to seeing me."

" It was on my mind at the time."

" Did she even know I existed?"

" No, she didn't."

Chapter 74: End of the Journal

Day: Friday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 12:15pm

Despite having her own doubts, I convinced Twilight that everyone would forgive her for what happened. Her becoming a demonic monster wasn't by her own choice. She had been pressured into releasing the stolen magic by Principal Cinch, who wanted to use it to win the Friendship Games. She even had the audacity to once again suggest CHS forfeit because of magic. Her words fell on deaf ears--even her own students were against her--and rather than continue and further cause herself humiliation, she simply walked away with what little dignity she had left. Principal Celestia resolved the issue of who won by declaring that both schools had won. This brought about a change in the relationship between the two schools, and that relationship grew stronger when it was announced that Twilight had transferred from Crystal Prep. I knew she belonged at CHS, yet one small issue remained: How do I explain the existence of another Twilight to Twilight?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
May 15, 2016
Chapter 74: End of the Journal.

Of course, Her Highness didn't know that a human version of herself existed. Heck! None of us were aware of it until the day before the Friendship Games when Twilight entered the music room and confused us unintentionally. I hope Twilight doesn't think we don't care about her and start comparing herself to Her Highness again. Both of them are their own individuals.

While I still care about Princess Twilight, she doesn't visit as often as she would like. Being a princess in Equestria does mean having to focus on priorities--though those usually just involve making an appearance and waving.

Would it be safe to say that I initially used Twilight as a substitute for Her Highness? A part of me did think that way when I first met her. I actually believed she was my friend, mentor, and fellow pony from Equestria, yet the signs were there that proved otherwise. Had I paid attention to those signs, our initial encounter wouldn't have been so awkward. Once the layers of her personality started to peel away and reveal her true nature, I had much more in common with her instead of with Her Highness. Sure, she--Princess Twilight--and I were both ponies, were the personal protégés of Princess Celestia, and were gifted in magic, but that's pretty much it. Twilight, on the other hand, had become a demonic monster, was insecure about herself, a genius, and now wishes to make amends for her actions. I can easily relate to those traits.

I then began to think about the human version of myself again. Twilight and I had discussed the possibility of there being a human Sunset Shimmer wandering around this world somewhere, but the idea was quickly dismissed. Perhaps I shouldn't have cast the idea aside without thinking hard about it. Most people in this world have a pony counterpart--or other creature--in Equestria, yet I'm one of the few who doesn't seem to fit into this category. Does that make me an oddity? Perhaps, but my choices are ones I've had to live with, even if they weren't always the best ones. I view myself as a bridge connecting the two worlds together. I'm a pony living in a human world and happy for it, yet am I really happy? Would I prefer remaining as a human forever or one day go back and live out my life as a pony?

That's a question only I can answer, and none of my friends can help me. I can easily go back home whenever I want, but the thought of facing Princess Celestia again fills me with dread, and I refrain from making that fateful leap. Am I running away from my former mentor? Yes, without a doubt. No wonder my life has been so messed up despite the positive experiences that came with it. If I can't face the likes of Celestia, how can I face the others and reveal to them what I've said about everything I've written in my journal?

Looking back at Twilight, she looked at me with concern in her eyes. Was she worried that I was thinking of injuring myself again? Was she pretending to be concerned while hiding her desire to pout over what I said about Her Highness not knowing she existed? Or was something else going on? I didn't have time to think about which answer it was, so I reached out with my hand and covered her mouth. She was caught off guard by my sudden approach.

" Mmph!" Twilight said, struggling to say something, but my grip was pretty tight.

" You don't need to start pouting just because Princess Twilight didn't know who you were." I said.

" Mmph? Mmm! Mmmmph!" Twilight said. She grabbed my wrist with both hands and pulled my hand from her mouth with incredible force. I was strong, yet she overwhelmed me without even trying. " Gah! I wish you'd warn me ahead of time when you do that. Anyway, I'm not sure what you're talking about. I've accepted the fact that Her Highness didn't know I existed until we both met each other. I didn't know she existed, either. Until the Friendship Games, the idea of multiple worlds was nothing more than fantasy to me." Twilight then grabbed a tissue from her backpack and wiped her mouth. My hand wasn't dirty or anything, but perhaps she wanted to be safe rather than sorry.

" I thought you were going to pout."

" Give me some credit, Sunset. While I don't have the same charisma as Princess Twilight, I happen to think of myself as pretty special in my own way. Besides, her life is much harder than mine since she has to get in front of people--ponies--regularly, whereas I don't have to all that often." Twilight said.

" She always did say that was something she still struggles with."

" Going from a student to a princess isn't an easy transition. I can't even begin to imagine what she goes through."

" I have her responses to my Friendship Reports as proof of that." I said. That got Twilight to start laughing, falling onto her back. I'll admit that my answer was pretty funny, yet I refrained from overdoing it like Twilight was out of respect for Her Highness. " Listen, I'm sorry that I covered your mouth without consulting you. I was thinking about the 'human Sunset Shimmer issue' we discussed earlier, and it lead me to think about other things that just spiraled out of control." I said, leaning back to give Twilight some space after my surprise. Hopefully, she wouldn't hold it against me. I then looked down at my journal, then towards the window, where moonlight shone through in an eerie glow that covered me in a ghostly veil.

" Want to talk about it?"

" Despite Her Highness and I being close, I feel that I'm even closer to you."

" Really?"

" If we were related, we'd have the best sisterly bond you can imagine." I answered. Ugh! I hope that wasn't too mushy. I meant what I said, but I hoped she didn't think I was coming onto her or something like that. " I'm happy being here with everyone, yet part of me wants to go back home to Equestria and run around on four hooves again. I'd have done this a long time ago if not for Princess Celestia waiting somewhere on the other side."

" Still worried about what she might say?"

" That and being arrested, put on trial, found guilty, and banished to the desolate wastes."

" Do you think that will happen?"

" Her Highness reassures me that it won't, but her authority as princess is trumped by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."

" A shame the rest of us can't be there in person to help you." Twilight said.

If only they could. Were I questioned about my true intentions, they would easily vouch for me in a heartbeat. I know Her Highness would do the same, but she hasn't seen everything, and just telling her through words might not be convincing. The main reason why my friends couldn't be there to stick up for me is because they were human versions of ponies who already exist in Equestria. The existence of multiple dimensions may not come off in a positive light for most, and the thought of doubles of certain individuals would only cause further confusion. It might also label me as dragging innocent people against their own will. Either way, I wouldn't win in such a situation.

" I'll find an answer to my hesitation one day, Twilight. When I do, I'll go back to Equestria and resolve my problems there my way. I'm not really expecting a grand reception upon my return. If anything, it will just be Her Highness waiting for me on the other side of the portal." I said.

" That doesn't settle well with me."

" I think I know why."

" Once you've finished reading this last bit of your journal, there's nothing left."

" I know."

" You need to confront our friends and reveal to them what you've told me tonight. How you tell them is for you to decide, but you need to tell them. Otherwise, if they found out through other means, it could destroy all faith they have in seeing you as a sincere person who has their best interests at heart." Twilight said. It was easy for me to tell her because she and I have so much in common. My other friends will never have the same connection with me that Twilight has. " In the morning, you are going to call them and ask they meet us by the Wondercolt statue." Twilight said, whipping out her notepad and scribbling something down.

I would've protested, but I knew my words wouldn't get me out of such a commitment. I had to get past my own insecurities and tell the others everything. I had to stop worrying about what might happen and just go through with it and hope for the best.

Turning to the next page of the journal, I saw the sticker I placed on the edge, serving as a reminder that it was the last filled page. I had started writing in this journal after the Battle of the Bands to remind myself of what I've been through. I kept hidden truths to myself, believing that I was comforting my own insecurities, yet all I was doing was hiding my true feelings and pretending that nothing was wrong. My journal held dark secrets about my friends. They deserved to know what I've kept from them.

Twilight suddenly interrupted my thought process. " Hey! That was the photo we took after we had that group hug."

" A perfect ending, don't you think?"

" It was, until Her Highness appeared several days later."

" Her reaction when she saw you is still a highlight for me."

" Did she ever tell you what happened to her? She said something about 'time travel loops' before going off on a tangent and then stopping altogether when she noticed I was staring at her." Twilight said.

" Yes, she mentioned some things in private with me."

" That explains why you two walked to the sidewalk in front of the school to talk."

" Princess Twilight didn't want any of you to hear our conversation."

" Because of national security?"

" No. It was a surreal tale that she told me about. I found it difficult to believe what she was telling me, but when she mentioned the name Starlight Glimmer and what she had done in her past, everything started making sense. Twilight, do you know what the one thing in common that villains--myself included--in Equestria have?" I asked.

" They all desired world domination?"

" Good. You were paying attention. Starlight was an exception to the rule. When she lost her utopia at the hands of Princess Twilight, she decided to take a drastic course of action no prior villain had ever considered." I answered.

Almost everything had been resolved. Principal Cinch, in a bid to save her dignity and not subject herself to complete and utter humiliation, chose to drop the idea of bringing in the school board and have them deal with the magic CHS had been using. Surely, she knew that her plan was pointless from the start. Magic was something most didn't believe in, and the kind of magic seen during the Games was not simply cheap parlour tricks. I doubted Cinch could have explained things to the school board. Even if she managed to get some footage uploaded online by a random student, the board might think it nothing more than a trick. Had she continued with her plan, I am certain she would have been removed from her position as principal of Crystal Prep.

Crystal Prep and CHS were now starting to get along, something that should have happened a long time ago. Because of her desire to win at all costs, Cinch told her students that friendship was a weakness that served to prevent them from reaching greatness. For years, they believed her words, but now they know that friendship is pretty powerful and is better than simply being alone. Forging new friendships isn't easy, so this wasn't one of those quick fixes. It would take several weeks--maybe even months--before any actual change happens, but at least both schools were now going in the right direction. I must give props to my friends for being the ones to take the initiative. They could've simply walked away and left them on their own to wander about in the shadows, but instead, they did the right thing and offered friendship when in the past, such a thing would have been impossible.

It turned out that my friends and the core Shadowbolts had a lot of things in common. What was once animosity and hatred had developed into respect and understanding. Perhaps the biggest surprise was seeing Rainbow Dash and Indigo Zap competing against each other on friendlier terms. They still wanted to prove that they were the best, but most of the time they were evenly matched. What struck me as truly surprising was the fact that students from CHS visited Crystal Prep and were allowed on school grounds as though they attended there.

Despite having been exposed for being manipulative, Cinch still remained as the principal. I had heard rumours that she never allowed anyone from other schools to set foot on her school's property, yet this was no longer the case. Had she chosen to reverse her policy, knowing her reputation was sunk? Had her students forced her to make the change? Or did she simply not care about it anymore? Whatever her reasons, Cinch wasn't as intimidating as she once was.

On a brighter note, Twilight had transferred to CHS shortly after the Friendship Games concluded. I always believed she should come to CHS as a student. She would be able to go about her business without being ridiculed by her peers just because she was smart. She also had made some friends, which wasn't possible in her old environment, where everyone was out for themselves. While her departure from Crystal Prep meant they had lost their best student, they wished her all the best. Cinch was the only one who said nothing. Did her arrival mean big things for CHS? I wouldn't go that far. Twilight just wanted to be a normal girl who didn't have so much pressure resting on her shoulders. If she wanted to throw her intellect around, she would do so when it suited her.

Six days had passed since the Games ended, and things had slowly gotten back to normal. The Wondercolt statue hadn't been repaired, yet Principal Celestia had already begun making arrangements to have a contractor come along and assess the damage before fixing it. She had problems coming up with an explanation as to why the statue suddenly got shattered to pieces. No one would believe that the statue was destroyed by a girl who suddenly gained magical powers from another world.

For Twilight, she still felt guilty over her actions, yet Celestia assured her that it wasn't her fault; she had simply acted out from being corrupted and wanting to test her new-found magical capabilities. Whether Twilight would forgive herself in the end remained to be seen, but we were on hand to guide her along.

Not everything had been resolved, however. There was still one thing that remained: What had happened to Princess Twilight? She hadn't responded to any of the messages I sent her during the past six days--along with the ones before the Games--and I was really starting to get worried. Even when the portal was restored, I expected Her Highness to come through and greet all of us, yet no activity came from Equestria. I considered going through the portal myself to try to find her, but I ultimately gave up on that idea. The thought of what awaited me on the other side continued to haunt me.

Sitting around the base of the statue, my friends were enjoying a relaxing lunch period, yet I had something on my mind. Her Highness and Twilight were bound to meet each other. I couldn't prevent them not seeing each other, as that would involve hiding Twilight while Her Highness was around. I also had to consider their reactions. All I could do was prepare them both as best as possible.

" Ouch! Hey! Not so hard with that!" Rainbow Dash grumbled.

" If you'd stop squirming so much, I wouldn't have to be so hard." Rarity said. She had been busy combing Rainbow's hair much to the former's annoyance. " I know you don't enjoy me doing this, but know that I simply do this just so that you will look radiant."

" You know I don't care about that stuff!"

" Yes, as you've said to me more times than I can count."

" Then why do you keep combing my hair? Just stop already!"

" Nonsense! I'm going to make you look good, Rainbow Dash, and you will thank me for it later. Now stop moving! If you keep on squirming, I might accidentally pull on your hair and rip it out, which would just be a travesty." Rarity said.

" You're not serious, are you?"

" Of course I am, darling!" Rarity answered. Her response prompted Rainbow to suddenly go quiet and not move an inch. The thought of losing even a small chunk of hair was too horrifying. " Just relax, darling. I'll be finished in a couple of minutes, and then you can show everyone your glamourous beauty that you hide away far too often." All Rainbow could do was fold her arms and continue grumbling.

" Is this what you do whenever you have a free moment?" Twilight asked.

" Usually, we're doin' somethin' that relates to helpin' out the school, but today, we're just relaxin' and kickin' back for a spell." Applejack answered.

" I take it you all take part in clubs and such?"

" Did Crystal Prep ever do anythin' of the sort?"

" Yes, but we were restricted to taking part in clubs that furthered our education. Principal Cinch wanted us to be the best, and that meant not having fun; doing that would weaken our potential and tarnish her reputation. We had no choice when it came to those clubs; they were mandatory, and Cinch accepted no excuses." Twilight answered.

" I'm guessin' y'all liked them?"

" I was practically in my element."

" Well, I'm sure there's a science club and a computer club that you can join, Twilight. I know it's pretty late in the school year, but I reckon they'll give you a chance. After all, they'd be foolish not to want to include you." Applejack said.

" That would be nice, so long as they forgive me." Twilight said.

It was strange seeing Twilight acting so calm despite having some hesitation regarding her actions. Being in such a friendly environment had definitely brought about a positive change, yet her time as a demon continued haunting her. I knew that experience better than anyone, so I took it upon myself to help her overcome her inner demons. It wasn't easy, and progress was slow, but I knew she would gradually open up more. So long as she didn't freak out, she would quickly fit in around here. Some students questioned her decision to continue wearing her Crystal Prep uniform, but none of us were hostile to the idea. Twilight wanted to wear it out of respect for her now-former school and because she didn't understand what it meant to wear casual clothing on school grounds.

" It'll happen sooner than you think, sugarcube."

" Applejack is right, Twilight. Aside from a couple of rough patches, your transition from Crystal Prep to CHS has been relatively smooth." I said.

" It's my uniform, isn't it?"

" They just don't understand your reason for wanting to wear it."

" Should I change it?"

" None of us are offended by it, so why should the rest of our peers feel the same way? They're just acting like you're some kind of outsider, but I'd ignore them and simply continue doing what you do." I answered.

" Sunset, I've got a question." Pinkie Pie said. Normally, she would've interrupted our conversations just so that she could say something random, yet she had been eerily quiet throughout the lunch period. I sensed that something was on her mind, so I nodded my head indicating that I wanted her to ask away. " How long do you think it will take for the statue to be rebuilt? I do like how there's more room for me up here to lounge around, but it feels like the school is incomplete without it. Just seeing nothing but the ankles and horseshoes makes me feel really depressed."

" I'm not sure how long it will be, Pinkie. Principal Celestia had to go through a lot of red tape just to get a contractor to see it."

" Too bad she couldn't say it was destroyed by magic."

" They wouldn't believe her. Besides, we need to make sure that the events of the Friendship Games don't get posted online. Students from both schools have agreed to keep quiet on the subject, so hopefully, we can move on and focus on summer vacation." I said.

" I heard Principal Celestia say she was thinking of telling the contractor that it was a freak accident with a sledgehammer."

" I'd believe that."

" You did try to use a sledgehammer during the Fall Formal, remember?"

" It wasn't one of my better moments. I do wonder sometimes what would've happened if I actually swung it instead of drop it." I answered. Since anything can pass through the portal and wind up in Equestria, had I swung that sledgehammer, it would've smacked an innocent pony on the other side.

I'm glad that I decided not to destroy the statue. Her Highness wouldn't have been able to come here and help us out when the Sirens began their rise to power. To think that I held the fate of this world in the palm of my hands and while holding onto a blunt instrument. Yeah, I was pretty messed up back then.

While eating a sandwich, I turned my thoughts to what the future held. There was no telling when another threat from Equestria would reveal itself, so we always had to remain on high alert and prevent such threats from conquering this world. Her Highness kept a close vigil on her portal, but it seemed villains found other portals, whether they intended on using them or not. Just as I was about to take another bite, something began to shimmer behind me. Before I could even react, the portal suddenly opened and Princess Twilight ran out from it in a mad dash.

" I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner! I didn't get your messages until just now because I was caught in this time travel loop and, honestly, it was the strangest thing that's ever happened to me!" Princess Twilight said. It was difficult to understand her due to how fast she spoke, yet it sounded like Her Highness had been through something pretty serious. Before I could ask her what happened, she suddenly stopped upon seeing the familiar face waving meekly at her. I knew the two Twilights were going to meet each other, but I didn't think it would be this soon. Her Highness blinked a couple of times before uttering a few words. " Make that the second strangest."

" This just got awkward." Rainbow Dash said.

" You said it." Applejack added.

" Um, so you must be Princess Twilight Sparkle. I've... I've never met royalty before, but you look so casual compared to what I've read in books." Twilight said. I could tell she was struggling with what she wanted to say. Her Highness, on the other hand, simply stood there in shock over seeing her other self. The others thought it was pretty funny seeing them looking at each other, yet I knew things could quickly turn bad. I should've mentioned something about Twilight when I wrote my last message to Her Highness instead of letting it all play out in hopes of a good resolution.

" Another me... I really shouldn't be surprised by this." Princess Twilight said.

" You were expecting me?"

" No, I wouldn't say that. I've seen plenty of human versions of ponies back in Equestria during my visits here, yet the thought of a human version of me never really registered in my mind. Guess I should've been more open to the possibility. In any case, this is simply fascinating." Princess Twilight answered. Her Highness once again proved how she manages to solve problems without them ballooning out of control. I thought she was going to freak out over seeing another her, but instead, she embraced the notion. " It looks like a lot of things happened since my last visit."

" You have no idea." Rainbow Dash said.

" Well, I'm here now, so I'd like to be filled in."

" Where do you want to start?"

" I'd like to start with what Sunset said about the magic being a problem around here." Princess Twilight answered.

For the next thirty minutes, my friends and I related everything that had happened during the Friendship Games. Like the student she once was, Her Highness listened to every last word, making sure not to ignore anything in case it proved to be important. She even wrote down a few things in one of her books, or at least attempted to do so. She still hadn't gotten used to using hands instead of hooves, so her handwriting still remained awful. It was the human Twilight herself who seemed the most uncomfortable during the conversation, as much of what was said didn't make much sense to her. I did all I could to make sure she could contribute without feeling left out.

Once we had finished explaining things to Her Highness, she then began to tell what had been going on in Equestria. Despite my hesitation towards going back home, I enjoyed hearing about what had been happening in the land of my birth. What struck me as the most humourous was the fact that Her Highness was going to become an aunt in the near future. She was only a few years younger than me--though both of us are teenagers in this world, I regressed a few years when I came through the portal--yet soon, she would have someone new to teach. Twilight was surprised when she heard that the pony version of Dean Cadance had married the pony version of her brother Shining Armour.

That's when Princess Twilight beckoned me to follow her over to the sidewalk in front of the school to say something. My friends were curious as to why she wanted to speak to me in private. Even I wasn't sure as to what her intentions were, but I knew she was serious, given her expression. I got up and followed Her Highness, giving the others a hand gesture informing them that everything was okay. Once we reached the sidewalk and out of earshot, she turned towards me, her face crestfallen.

" I didn't want them to know about this." Princess Twilight said.

" What's going on?" I asked.

" The reason why I didn't respond to your messages was because Equestria had been rewritten."

" Huh? What do you mean 'rewritten'?"

" A pony by the name of Starlight Glimmer was once the leader of a village of ponies, and she convinced them to give up their cutie marks in the name of equality. The pony versions of our friends and I went there after a magical map appeared in my castle to guide us to the location. Initially, it looked like nothing was wrong, but we soon learned that Starlight had promised them a false utopia by removing their cutie marks." Princess Twilight answered.

" Remove cutie marks!? Is that even possible?"

" I never knew such magic like that existed, yet Starlight was living proof. She even removed our cutie marks." Princess Twilight answered. I always thought a cutie mark was permanent, but hearing that one pony had the power to remove them, it made me wonder if this Starlight was a magical prodigy. " Once we figured out her secret, we thwarted her plans, and everypony got their marks back. Unfortunately, Starlight managed to escape by running into a series of caves that proved impossible to navigate." Princess Twilight said.

" Okay, so what does rewriting Equestria have to do with her?"

" Somehow, she modified a time warp spell Star Swirl the Bearded created--it allowed him to travel back by a week until she fixed it--allowing her to go back in time to the moment where the pony Rainbow Dash performed her first Sonic Rainboom." Princess Twilight answered. She then explained the significance behind the Rainboom, and I was shocked that something like that had proven to be detrimental to Equestria's current way of life.

Had that event never occurred, everything would be different now. I might still be Princess Celestia's protégé or maybe even an alicorn instead of Her Highness. Then again, I might not even exist. That was the power of time travel and the reason why it was never given full authorization to be taught in schools. It was a magic far too powerful for anypony to be able to use, yet Starlight ignored those warnings and was determined to change history. It then made me think of something. With the fabric of time being changed in Equestria, why wasn't I being affected like everypony else? Did being in this world somehow protect me? I thought of asking Her Highness, but I doubted she would have an answer. Time magic wasn't her specialty; again, it was deemed too dangerous to study.

" By preventing the Rainboom, Starlight changed history, and Equestria changed with it. She also wanted to get revenge on me for ruining her utopia, so Spike and I were dragged back to the past to witness Starlight stop Rainbow Dash, and then we got thrown into different alternate timelines all because Rainbow was stopped in different--sometimes embarrassing--ways. First was a world where King Sombra ruled half of Equestria through his Crystal Empire and declared war on the other half, which was lead by Princess Celestia, who went into battle with her soldiers against his." Princess Twilight said.

My former mentor became a military commander? Somehow, I just couldn't picture her doing that. Celestia was gentle and motherly, so the thought of her leading an entire army just didn't settle well with me. I'm glad that it didn't end up becoming a reality.

" That was just the first?"

" Next came a timeline where Queen Chrysalis ruled with her Changeling army. No one could trust anypony unless they were covered with a special magic that proved they were real and not monsters in disguise. The third one involved Nightmare Moon being in charge and Equestria plunged into eternal night. Princess Celestia was banished to the moon instead of her sister a thousand years ago in that timeline, and believe me when I say that I was truly horrified by such a revelation. After that, the remaining timelines were a blur with Tirek, Discord, and even the Flim Flam brothers somehow taking over Equestria." Princess Twilight answered.

" I don't know much about these villains apart from what you mentioned in your responses to my reports." I said. That was the one disadvantage I had in this conversation. I never witnessed those villains causing so much trouble due to Starlight stopping the pony Rainbow Dash. While Her Highness had informed me of their actions, it wasn't enough just knowing through words. I had to have seen what they did with my own eyes to truly understand how Equestria was threatened by their presence.

It then made me think of something else. What would have happened if Her Highness and Spike returned to an alternate future, and I was the one who ruled over Equestria? Could she have mustered the courage to defeat me despite knowing I had changed? Would I have been a despot ruler who ruled with an iron hoof? Would Equestria be nothing but a large tribute to my ego--it was pretty large back when I was a bully--or perhaps a war-torn nation? Just thinking about such a possible timeline sent a shiver down my spine.

What if Her Highness returned, yet I was there as an alicorn and had taken her place? That would have made for an interesting timeline for me to witness. I could have seen how my life turned out had I chosen to stay on my intended path and not gone off on my own. It was something that would never happen. Messing around with the fabric of time was something no pony should possess. Not even Star Swirl the Bearded succeeded in creating a proper piece of time magic, according to Her Highness' description. Starlight Glimmer definitely had powerful magic but lacked the maturity to use it properly.

" There was one more timeline I witnessed."

" What was it?"

" Nothing... Nothing but a barren wasteland devoid of all life. Each timeline was worse than the last one, and both Starlight and I learned that her messing around in the past ultimately lead to the destruction of everything. I know you had a troubled past, Sunset, but not even you would have considered destroying our world." Princess Twilight answered.

" Thanks... I think?"

" Starlight just wanted revenge against me for taking her rule away, yet she needed to be stopped."

" Did she even care that the lives of ponies would change?"

" No. I was the source of her aggravation, and she went to extreme measures to ease her pain. She wanted me to suffer alone without any of my friends by my side, but when I finally learned why she wanted to lead a village where nopony had a cutie mark, it came off as rather petty at first." Princess Twilight answered.

" She told you about her life?"

" More like took me with her to her youth as a filly."

" That's one way to get an answer."

" I learned that her only friend left her when he acquired his cutie mark, and she couldn't bring herself to making another friend. From there, Starlight believed cutie marks were responsible for taking him away to a better life and leaving her behind. She decided to focus her efforts on perfecting a magic that could remove marks and form a society where everypony was the same; nopony would stand out from the rest." Princess Twilight said.

" Where she is now?"

" Living in my castle."

" You decided to give her a second chance, didn't you?" I asked. I knew that was going to be the inevitable conclusion. Princess Twilight and her Ponyville friends were known for reforming those who caused trouble for Equestria. It made sense that Starlight was forgiven for what she did. Friendship was a powerful force that could overcome all kinds of problems. That said, I was surprised to know she was living in Her Highness' castle.

" She needed a second chance, much like you did."

" Why have her stay with you?"

" Because she's my new student." Princess Twilight answered. I couldn't say that I wasn't surprised by that announcement. Had I just started out as her student, I'd have been furious over her replacing me with somepony else, yet I was actually glad Her Highness had a new student. I made tremendous progress in a short amount of time and was already showing others friendship based on her teachings. I'll admit my methods could do with some improvements, though.

" Hope you don't go too easy on her."

" I've already got some ideas in mind."

" Good. We should probably go back to the others now. They're probably wondering why we're talking in private, and Twilight most likely has plenty of questions to ask you. If you don't end up answering certain questions, I'll be sure to satisfy her curiosity by answering them myself." I said.

" I must admit that it will be strange speaking with myself."

" She is a totally different person from you."

" I'm looking forward to seeing that for myself. Still wish that there was a human version of yourself?"

" It's not on my mind." I answered. In truth, the thought continued to plague my mind. Many ponies in Equestria had human counterparts and vice versa. The two shared some traits with one another--or were practically identical, depending on the individuals--but were generally their own characters. If this world's version of me existed somewhere, was she someone who had made plenty of friends early on in life and became respectable as a result, or had she taken the same dark path that I chose?

Much like it was with Twilight, who lived far away from CHS, the human version of me might be living in a different part of Canterlot. Then again, she might even be living in another city or even another country. It's impossible to determine an actual answer without anything to go on. If she and I were to meet in person, I would have so many questions to ask her, and she would likely have the exact same desire.

Another thought crossed my mind. What if there was no human Sunset Shimmer? My assumption was that she was alive somewhere, but what if that wasn't true? What if she passed away some time ago or never even existed to begin with?

I couldn't think of such thoughts. I had to believe that there was a human version of me running around and who has no idea that I even exist. If she decided to seek me out for whatever reason, I would help her in any way that I could. If she preferred to not know another her existed, I wouldn't have to worry about dealing with what Her Highness is currently experiencing. A part of me would like to see another Sunset out of curiosity and nothing more.

For now, I decided to walk back to my friends and witness the two Twilights speaking to each other. The future appears to be bright for all of us, but you never know what might happen, especially when it involves magic.

" And that's where the journal ends." I said.

" Wow... I can't believe Starlight threatened Equestria's very existence just to get revenge." Twilight said.

" She was both gifted and consumed with hatred."

" I'd say her actions made her the greatest villain your world has ever known."

" That's why Princess Twilight did everything in her power to help Starlight change her ways. It wasn't easy for her, given that she and Spike were flung into different timelines, but she managed to get through to her using words." I said. Unfortunately, Her Highness was pretty vague about what happened, and I suspect it was a much more complicated issue than she was letting on. Then again, such changes wouldn't have registered with me. I'd have been affected just like every other pony was after Rainbow Dash had been prevented from unleashing her Sonic Rainboom.

I had no doubt that she and Starlight had an epic clash that involved magic flying about. Someone who had the power to change the flow of time most likely wanted to prove how powerful she really was, and what better way than using magic most ponies couldn't even begin to fathom. I'm surprised somepony like Starlight--who wielded incredible power that rivaled that of an alicorn--didn't consider herself worthy of becoming a princess. Then again, all she had was power. That alone wasn't enough to become an alicorn. A pony needed to have humility, compassion, understanding, and above all, friendship in their heart.

Starlight reminded me of myself when I only cared about power. I thought it was all I needed to ascend, and I learned the hard way that my way of thinking was wrong. I know now what it means to become an alicorn, thanks to Her Highness, yet there is probably more to it than that. I'm in no hurry to become a princess. It will happen when the time comes, so there's no point in dwelling over it. Unlike myself, Starlight never desired world domination, although her idea that all ponies should be equal did make her unique. I'm not sure if she still believes in equality, but it could be something to consider in the future, provided it's handled properly.

" Why did Princess Twilight keep this knowledge between you and her?"

" I think she was worried that our friends would do something drastic."

" They don't seem to be the type to do that."

" Her Highness has a stronger connection to our friends than either of us do. That's because she was the one who helped them restore their friendships and gave them the magic they used to save this world on several occasions." I said.

" That still doesn't explain things."

" If they found out her world was in danger, they wouldn't hesitate from going through the portal. It sounds like a noble gesture, but the problem is that there would be two of them--themselves and their pony counterparts--and I don't think Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would appreciate that." I said.

" So, it's to protect them?"

" Yes."

" Then why didn't you say anything?"

" At the time, I had to keep it a secret in case any of you got any ideas about going there to help in the future."

" Yet, you've told me all of this. Won't she be upset about it?"

" Not really. With all the magic happening around here, we'll be too busy dealing with that to worry about my world."

" And if she does?"

" I'll take full responsibility."

" Well, I guess there's nothing else for you to tell me now since you've come to the end of your journal. I must admit that I never pictured you as having had such a tragic past, even if it was mainly caused by your poor decisions. I'm glad that you changed for the better. Not many people can say that they overcame the odds, but you're one of those who did." Twilight said.

" Aside from one or two things that I prefer to keep to myself, you know everything about me. Not even Her Highness knows about the things I wrote down in this journal. Same with our friends." I said.

" It's time you told them... Our friends, at least." Twilight said.

I had been putting it off for long enough. They deserved to know what I've said about them, the experiences I've been through, and even my days in Equestria. Nothing could be hidden from them anymore aside from the truly personal secrets. Those were mine to keep close to my heart, no matter what anyone says.

I wanted to get things over with and confront my friends, but the problem was that they were sound asleep. It had gotten really late, and I was surprised at how I managed to not completely lose my voice after talking so long since Twilight came over six hours ago. It felt like I had been talking for several days.

Luckily, Twilight took the liberty of bringing her own sleeping bag, knowing she was going to be spending the night here in the library. At least she had something comfortable that she could sleep in. All I had was a bed made from stacked books that often gave me a stiff back. It wasn't as glamourous as what other people have, but it was the best that I could get given my lack of a proper roof over my head. As Twilight drifted off to sleep, I remained awake and looked up at the ceiling. I pondered over the reactions my friends would have upon learning what I've kept from them.

Deep down, I was afraid that they would leave me because of not being up-front and honest with them. Then again, they might be understanding towards my predicament. When I finally fell asleep, I had nightmares over what was going to happen once everything became known. My life was once again hanging in the balance, yet this had been the case for a long time. It wasn't anything new to me.

The rest of the night passed by without incident save for my nightmares, but I knew that I had to persevere and accept whatever judgment comes my way. After waking up rather early, no thanks to Twilight setting her alarm to 5:45am, I fell back down to sleep--it was too early for me--yet Twilight dragged me out of bed and along the floor for several metres.

I stood up several moments later, rubbed my head, and grumbled to myself. I told Twilight that I never get up until 8:00am because living in the library afforded me that luxury. She blushed in response before sitting down with a book. I fell asleep again until 8:00am came along, yet my nightmares didn't plague me. Instead, an image of Twilight being up before sunrise floated about my subconscious.

After getting myself ready, I took out my cellphone and called the others, telling them to meet us in front of the main school entrance. It was Sunday, so the building wasn't open to anyone other than me, courtesy of the special key Principal Celestia gave me, which is how Twilight managed to get inside last night. Despite still having some hesitation, Twilight wrapped her arm around mine, telling me that she would be with me.

We walked through the hallways until we passed through the front doors to the front lawn. The Wondercolt statue was still destroyed--Twilight's shoulders fell at the reminder of her actions that day--yet everything else looked perfectly normal. The students were heartbroken during those first days after the Friendship Games were over--the statue really meant a great deal to them--yet they didn't allow themselves to succumb to despair. They knew it was going to be repaired eventually, so they rallied behind the school by proclaiming that the Wondercolts would remain strong.

Twilight and I stood down by the statue's base and waited until our friends arrived. It took roughly thirty minutes for them to arrive as a group.

" Okay, Sunset. We're all here now, so why did y'all want to meet us here?" Applejack asked.

" I've never known you to want to meet us early for anything." Rainbow Dash added.

" There's something I've been meaning to tell you." I answered.

" It sounds serious, darling." Rarity said.

" Have you been keepin' secrets from us? After everything we've been through?" Applejack asked. My immediate reaction was to turn around and run away, yet Twilight tugged on my arm to remind me that I had to go through with this. Applejack noticed my expression and toned down her attitude. " You look like you're about to lose it." She then noticed the journal I held in my hand and it all clicked together. " Y'all want to show us somethin' in the magic journal?"

" Actually... this is my other journal." I answered.

" You have another one?" Fluttershy asked.

" Yes, and it contains secrets that no one other than Twilight has seen before."

" Twilight knows about them, and we don't?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I thought we were besties!" Pinkie Pie added.

Things weren't looking very good for me. This was exactly what I had feared. My friends had taken things the wrong way and were now questioning my ethics. I really wanted to run away and never look back, but Applejack suddenly raised her hands and everyone went quiet. She then walked over to me until her face was mere inches away from my own and stared directly into my eyes for a few seconds before backing away.

" I think I get why you wanted Twilight to know first." Applejack said.

" Are you siding with Sunset or us?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Let her talk."

" You see... After the Battle of the Bands concluded, I began to write down my experiences in this journal. From my early days in Equestria right up to the end of the Friendship Games, I've written down everything. My personal feelings about each of you, our peers, Her Highness, living in this world, and so on... I didn't hold back on anything. I never told anyone out of fear that you would stop being friends with me, but Twilight was an exception. She was the only person I felt comfortable sharing this information with. It had to be her because I have a stronger connection with her than with the rest of you." I said.

" So that's the gist of it?"

" Yes."

" Are you saying that you don't value our friendship?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I don't think she meant it that way. I reckon Sunset sees Twilight as more of a sister than just a friend. They both became monsters who almost destroyed our world, have had tormented lives where they were alone and etched out a meager existence from their surroundings, and are smarter than anyone else." Applejack answered.

" That does make sense when you put it that way." Fluttershy said.

" How did you figure that out?" I asked.

" We're your friends, Sunset! We know you well enough to be able to read you like a book. I'll admit that I am shocked that you wrote down things about us and everythin' else about our world, and I feel like you betrayed us by sayin' things behind our backs, yet y'all are entitled to your feelings." Applejack answered.

" I want to make things right."

" And how do you plan on doing that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" With this." I answered, holding up my journal in front of me. " Twilight listened to every last thing I wrote down and understands everything about me. The rest of you only know what I've told you and what you've witnessed me do. I want you to know the real me, and that means sharing the contents of my journal. I know your opinions will change about me, but I can no longer hide something like this." I then placed the journal at my feet before beckoning my friends to sit down. I hoped they would be willing to sit down and listen to my story like Twilight had. Their expressions told me that they didn't like that idea, so I grabbed the journal, stood up, and took a few steps towards the main entrance. " If you want to know about me in full, come with me to my place of residence in the library." I then turned my back to my friends and began walking forward with Twilight following beside me.

" That went better than expected." Twilight said.

" I really thought they were going to end our friendship."

" You should give them more credit than that."

" Yeah."

" No matter what happens, Sunset, I'll always be on your side."

" Thanks."

" By the way. Are you sure that you told me everything? Is there something you might have missed?"

" Maybe, but it probably isn't important."

" I'd still like to hear about it, and I think they want to hear the same thing." Twilight said, tilting her head several times to tell me to look behind us. I turned around and saw that our friends were following along behind us. " How do you feel about telling your entire story again?" That thought, after really registering with me, made my jaw drop. It proved very taxing on my throat when I explained things to Twilight, and now, I have to go through the same thing again with the others? Well, so long as I had cider--or any other drink, for that matter--I'll be able to go on for a long time. " I wonder what they'll say about your past regarding what they don't know?"

" I have no doubt that they'll ask the same questions you did."

" It will also be a trip down memory lane for them."

" And a new experience, as well, thanks to my opinions."

" Don't worry about it. Everything is going to turn out just fine."

" I hope so, Twilight. I hope so."

Author's Note

And so we've come to the end of this story... or have we? Surely there isn't anything else that needs to be told? Surely, Sunset neglected to talk about an experience that proved important.

Bonus Chapter 1: Cold Sunset

Day: Thursday
Weather: Rainy
Time: 11:00am

If there were any times in my past that I wished to forget, it would be the time that I caught a cold during the first week of February. I've never been sick before in my entire life! Now, I found myself unable to get out of bed and being tended to by my friends. While they looked happy about helping, I knew they didn't like it, but they had no choice; I was perfectly fine with not needing anyone, but Principal Celestia wouldn't have any of it. Things started off well, with someone paying me a visit every hour, and I liked having company around, yet things got difficult when their personal schedules got in the way. I was left to take care of myself. At least, that's what I thought was going to happen. Instead, the one person I never expected decided to keep me company. His presence reminded me of how we were once an item and how I used him as a pawn on my way to power.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
May 20, 2016
Bonus Chapter 1: Cold Sunset.

For a long time, I had been afraid to share my deepest secrets with anyone. I really wanted people to know the real me, but I found it hard because of how my past misdeeds continued to haunt my every waking moment. I started writing down my true feelings in a journal after the Sirens were defeated, making sure not to leave anything out. It became a way for me to express myself without being judged. Whenever something interesting or significant happened, I would write it down and add a little something as a reminder of what happened. It also acted as a reminder of the kind of person I used to be. I may have changed, thanks to Princess Twilight, yet I'm still struggling to overcome my insecurities.

My journal isn't a diary but rather a story--my story, about how I first started off on my journey down a dark path. I was only a foal back then in Equestria. I had the potential to become something great, but things went wrong, and I changed.

For years, I've blamed my parents for ignoring me, and while that opinion hasn't changed, I no longer blame them entirely for my misfortune. Much of what happened were the results of my choices, so the guilt that stems from those choices is mine to bear. By finally telling someone about my story, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders; my heart could finally beat properly after being repressed for so long.

I have Twilight to thank for putting up with me during the night when I shared my story with her. She had been through a terrifying experience as a demonic monster--something I can relate to personally--making her the right person to tell. We both had a bond that was difficult to explain, yet we both acknowledge its existence, claiming that it brought us together as friends. If not for her support, I wouldn't have mustered up the courage to finally tell our friends about what I've said of them, what we've been through, and even my early days in Equestria.

My fear stemmed from the notion that telling them would have broken up the friendship we had all forged with each other, but now that I look back on it, my fear seems silly. Her Highness asked them to become friends with me, and they could've refused and left me to fend for myself in a harsh world. Instead, they put the past behind them and gave me a chance to prove myself. It had been a difficult experience for us, what with the Sirens, the Friendship Games Fundraiser, and even the Anon-A-Miss fiasco during the holidays, but we've reached the point where they have become my family.

Over the course of the next few nights, I retold my story to my friends--I had no intention of telling them in the span of a single night like I had done with Twilight--and they listened to every last word that I said. Their reactions included shock, disgust, joy, sadness, and empathy over what I told them. Twilight, in the meantime, opted to spend those same nights at home explaining to her parents and brother over her decision to transfer from Crystal Prep to CHS. She thought they were going to chew her out over leaving such a prestigious school, but they were actually pretty sympathetic according to what she said about the conversation.

Once I finally finished retelling my story, my friends began talking amongst themselves before asking to be excused for the night to think about what they heard. I thought it odd they decided to just up and leave, but I could understand their thought process; they had to take in a lot of information they never knew before regarding my past. I took a risk telling them my story, and it still had the potential to blow up in my face.

The next night came, and everyone--Twilight included--had gathered at my place of residence in the library. I could tell my friends had many questions to ask, and I had to do all I could to satisfy their curiosity. I wasn't expecting any questions from Twilight--she asked plenty during our night together--yet I shouldn't have underestimated her curiosity.

" You've all had the entire day to think about what I told you." I said.

" I'll admit that what you said hurt pretty bad. We always believed we knew everythin' about you, Sunset, but I guess we only scratched the surface. You’ve been through more than the rest of us have combined." Applejack said.

" While we were kinda mad at first over what you wrote about us, I'm not gonna deny that I do get a big head a lot." Rainbow Dash added.

" That's the least of your worries."

" Hey, I'm just proud of how awesome I am!"

" Sunset didn't seem to like it all that much, either."

" It's okay, Applejack. I know that my opinions have opened up some wounds, but then, you guys have probably written down some ugly things about me. It's actually healthy for us to have some secret thoughts about each other. Being perfect friends would only make us miserable in the long run. By having flaws, we can work on improving ourselves and grow closer together. Besides, writing things like this down helps get it off our chests." I said.

" You sure 'bout that, sugarcube?"

" What I said about each of you pales in comparison to what I said about myself. Looking back on my past, I know that I've made terrible mistakes that caused pain and suffering to so many people--and ponies--so can you blame me for hating everything I've done? I've changed since those days, yet a part of me still feels guilty over what I did in the name of power. Despite abandoning my studies to find my own path, Princess Celestia did teach me something I've finally learned and never forgotten." I answered.

" And that is?"

" Humility." I answered. This was the one thing I lacked which denied me the title of princess and ascension to the status of alicorn. Back then, I was furious over how Celestia thought I wasn't ready to learn the true secrets she kept, such as the mirror. I believed I was entitled to know about its secrets among other arcane lore. To me, everyone else was weak, and I was the perfect unicorn to rule over Equestria. In truth, Celestia was right to deny me; I knew nothing of humility. I didn't realize that my desires were a weakness that held me back from true greatness. Had I been more humble and patient, my life would be different. " I've kept those teachings close to my heart ever since I left Equestria. Originally, I kept them to remind me of my hatred towards her over denying me, but now I see them as an inspiration."

" Is that why you don't want to see anyone make the same mistakes you made?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" If I can guide people down the right path, I can atone for what I did."

" That's mighty noble of you." Applejack said.

" Sounds mushy to me." Rainbow Dash added. Everyone else then turned towards her, disapproving glares spread across their faces. I thought things were going to get ugly, but they burst into laughter instead. Even Rainbow began laughing--and almost fell off her chair--and I couldn't help but join in the laughter.

" Reckoned you'd say somethin' like that."

" You guys know me too well. In all seriousness, though, Sunset, I'm happy that you were able to finally turn things around for yourself. I think everyone will agree with me when I say that we shouldn't have given you a hard time when Princess Twilight asked us to become your friend after the Fall Formal last year." Rainbow Dash said.

" You were just being cautious." I said.

" Maybe, but we should've been honest from the start." Applejack said.

" I deserved the punishment that I got."

" Maybe, but it's also so unfair that Snips and Snails managed to get off from their punishment by turning against you, darling. True friends would never abandon each other, even when an opportunity comes along for them to use to get ahead. They'd rather stick together and accept their punishment." Rarity said.

" At the time, they were never my friends. I just used them to carry out my dirty work." I said. They actually wanted to be friends with me, according to what Snips told me after the Battle of the Bands.

He and Snails were viewed as misfits by the rest of the student body. They felt like outcasts living in a world that didn't understand them and wanted to find others who shared a common connection with them. Snips said that he and Snails saw me as a misfit due to how distant I was with everyone else. I kept to myself because I saw friendship as weak, and they believed I would finally change my stance and become part of their group.

I became "friends" with them because I needed minions who would do anything in exchange for power. They also had to be stupid and easy to manipulate. All I ever did was mistreat them and never once appreciated all their hard work. Their turning against me after the formal was expected, and I ultimately paid the price by being left alone to repair the front entrance.

" Have they forgiven you?"

" It took them a while to finally see me as someone who wasn't a monster."

" Do you hang out with them?"

" I didn't start doing that until after the holidays. It turns out that Snips and Snails are aspiring to become scientists, but I think they're going a little too fast for their sake. I've had to corral them into taking things slowly, but they've complained that they want to try more complicated ideas." I answered.

" Perish the thought. The thought of those two being scientists is simply baffling, but I suppose you're giving them some worthwhile encouragement, darling. You’ve come so far in so little time." Rarity answered.

" Just doing what I can to make amends."

" You know you could just stop, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I have a lot to make up for." I answered. I then looked at each of my friends in turn. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were the most annoyed with my statement, but they need to understand that this is what has to be done for me to finally move on. I've overcome much in order to get away from my past, yet some things take longer than others. Much of what I do these days revolves around fulfilling my own interests, yet I dedicate a portion of my time helping those who need support.

Fluttershy had been quiet during the conversation, so when I turned to look at her, she blushed before turning away. I knew she understood where I was coming from, so I moved my eyes away from her and barely heard her sighing with relief. Pinkie Pie was distracted by scribbling down party ideas in a book she brought with her. While I thought it odd at first that she wasn't more concerned with my past like everyone else, this was just her way of letting me know that she wasn't bothered with what I wrote down in my journal.

That brought me to Twilight, who had just been sitting there the entire time. She had been my pillar of strength by listening to me tell my story, so she understood me better than anyone else, and I was thankful for that. I still felt uneasy when it came to her asking me questions. I know she aspires to learn more about the world around her, yet some things aren't meant to be known by humans.

None of my friends are entirely human anymore. I mean, they still are, but when they pony up, they gain pony ears and tail courtesy of the magic inside of them. I wonder if Twilight can pony up herself, considering she also used magic, even if it was for the wrong reasons.

Just when I thought she had finally run out of questions, Twilight surprised me by asking another one.

" Are you sure you told me everything?" Twilight asked.

" What are you saying?"

" You skipped some things here and there under the pretense that they weren't anything significant, but I think you shouldn't keep such things secret. I know some things might be embarrassing to talk about, but we're your friends, so you shouldn't be ashamed of telling us." Twilight answered.

" She's right, darling." Rarity added.

" What did you skip that was so bad?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Well..." I answered. I had been trapped into a corner. There was no way of changing the subject or getting them to drop it. Twilight had once again asked a question that I was reluctant to answer, but this time, the rest of our friends were on her side. I couldn't refuse her question no matter how much I protest in defiance. " There was one incident I skipped, and it involved me catching a cold."

" That’s it!? You didn't want Twilight to know you were sick?"

" It wasn't just that. Something else happened that none of you know about. I kept it a secret because it was so embarrassing, and I really don't want to talk about. But I can't refuse Twilight anything--I've tried, never can. Being sick was one of the worst experiences of my life, yet all of you came by to cheer me up, which I did appreciate at the time. When you suddenly couldn't come because of your busy schedules, someone came by to keep me company, and he was the last person I expected. His being so close to me reminded me of when we dated and how I just took him for granted. It doesn't take a genius to know who I'm referring to." I answered.

The holidays had been one of the most hectic experiences I've ever had since coming to this world. Basically, I had been framed by the Crusaders out of jealousy. My friends left me, thinking I was the one responsible for exposing their secrets, yet they were shown the error of their ways when I told them the truth about how much they really meant to me, and I ultimately forgave the Crusaders for what they did. I knew what it felt like to be alone and to be ignored by others. I didn't want the cycle of hatred to continue, as all it did was make people turn against one another until someone got hurt or even worse.

I thought things would finally calm down after that, but I should have known better than to trust that judgment. Ever since magic was introduced into this world by my hands, nothing had ever been the same. Students and staff had to deal with threats from Equestria beyond their understanding, and eventually, they somehow managed to convince themselves that it's just part of a daily routine. Magic may elude their grasp, but at least they acknowledge its existence.

My own magic also suddenly started changing, a fact that I never knew was possible. While I was less experienced than Princess Twilight, I was pretty knowledgeable about magic, yet I wasn't prepared for what happened.

My magic was more potent than that of my friends--being a unicorn gifted in magic would do that to you--but why did I grow phoenix wings just like that? It was a mystery that proved difficult to answer. Perhaps this world behaved differently compared to Equestria regarding the magic arts? That only brings up more questions. Why do my friends and I pony up whenever we play our instruments? Why does it have to be instruments? Why do we pony up? Were there any other ramifications resulting from magic being introduced to a world whose "magic" was limited to stage shows and parlour tricks? My mind became bogged down with so many questions, and it stressed me out. Being the one person who had knowledge of magic made things difficult for me, as everyone turned to me so that I could figure things out without it spiraling out of control.

Unfortunately, my research into figuring out how magic worked hit a snag. I was under the impression that I couldn't get sick--I assumed my magic protected me--so I went outside when it was raining without wearing a coat or umbrella and began taking notes. The magical residue from our previous experiences still lingered, and I wasn't about to rest until I found a definitive answer. I really needed something to go on, otherwise I would start getting desperate.

Why did I go outside in the rain without a coat? Because I was an idiot who thought she was invincible. By the time I finally came in from the rainy cold an hour after I first went outside, my body felt fine, and I was eager to continue, but it was about to get a lot worse. As the afternoon wore on and students started going home, I went back to my place of residence in the library to give myself some quiet solitude and resumed my research. The moment I began sneezing uncontrollably, I knew something was wrong.

It started off with a single sneeze--no problems there, so I thought nothing of it--but it soon turned into a second sneeze, followed by a third, then a fourth, until it got to the point where I just couldn't stop myself. I was fortunate that no one was in the library at the time.

When I could no longer handle the incessant sneezing, I collapsed to the ground and began to crawl slowly towards my makeshift bed. When I finally reached it, my nose got stuffy, and my sneezes continued getting worse. I thought maybe it was just a temporary problem that would go away by the next day, but it turns out that was wishful thinking. This was a problem that would stick around for a couple of weeks.

The next day, I felt even worse than I did before, and I was barely able to stay conscious. To make matters worse, I missed all of my classes, and my friends came to me in order to find out what was wrong--they thought I had skipped class due to focusing on solving the magic problem. When they discovered that I was sick, I was practically quarantined, with my area completely sealed off by some yellow tape. Personally, I thought they were taking things too seriously, but it was in fact a school protocol designed to give students a warning about potential threats to their health. Never had I felt so helpless and so humiliated, all caused by my own hand.

One week later, I wasn't getting any better. The medicine I had been given wasn't working as well as I had hoped.

" Um, how are you feeling today?" Fluttershy asked. My friends had spent every hour since I first got sick coming by to check up on me using a rotation system. Fluttershy's turn had come up, and she brought me a plushie pony for me to cuddle while I remained in bed. She was wearing a bandana across her mouth in case my illness was contagious. Sure, it looked silly, and probably wouldn’t stop a cold--or any virus, for that matter--but I didn’t want to worry her more than she already was.

" I... I've felt better." I answered.

" You sound even worse."

" This medicine doesn't zeem to be working on me... ACHOO."

" Really? But, Principal Celestia recommended it."

" Maybe it doesn't berk because I'm a pony?"

" If that's true, then you would need medicine from Equestria, but, um, I don't think Princess Twilight would be able to bring some over on such short notice. Come to think of it, we haven't seen much of her lately." Fluttershy answered.

" When you're a prinzess, you have commiddments that must be attended to. Her Highness is probably having the timb of ber life meeting--ACHOO-- with dibnitaries, signing official documents, habing her own castle, and wanting to express the Magic of Friendship whereber she goes." I said.

" Do... Do you wish you had that life?"

" Nah! I've accepted by lot... ACHOO!"

" Maybe you should get some rest."

" Yeah... thad would be gud. I appreciate you gibbing be the stubbed plushie, Fluddershy. I really cood do with somebing warm to cuddle while I lay here in bed sneezing and wheezing until I finally rid byself of this code. Ugh! Why did I habe to get byself zig by going outside wibout a coat?" I asked.

" I know you want to figure out the magic problem, Sunset, but you shouldn't risk your health even if it's for a good cause. Um, I mean, you should've asked one of us to lend you a coat and perhaps go outside with you to conduct your research." Fluttershy said. That was the problem I had regarding my current living arrangement. Because I lacked proper funding, I had to be given things just so that I could keep up with everyone else. Sometimes, I had to work for something if it was a necessity, but most of the time, people give me stuff out of sympathy or pity.

" Will somebun else be visiting... ACHOO... uhhhh... later?"

" That may be a problem."

" Problem? Whad do you meab?"

" You see, our schedules this week are very tight, what with our studies, extracurricular activities, and Applejack's family reunion that's happening in a couple of weeks. We're so busy, none of us can find the time to come by and check up on you. I know it sounds bad, and I honestly don't mean to make you feel worse. Um, maybe one of the other students, or even a teacher, might be willing to come and see you." Fluttershy answered.

Was she serious? My friends were so busy that they couldn't pay me a visit during my hour(s) of need? I supposed this was something that was bound to happen. They had their own lives, and I had become a burden all because I thought I couldn't get sick. If my friends weren't able to check up on me, who would take their place? Most students don't know that I live in the library--Principal Celestia wanted to keep it hush-hush--and if they did find out, they would be asking a lot of questions. The teachers couldn't afford to check up on me either. They didn't want to run the risk of catching my cold and being forced to take some sick days off.

Maybe it was for the best that no one else came to see me. After all, I had long since gotten used to the sounds of my own company. Even before friendship entered my life, I walked about both Equestria and this world without any companions by my side.

" Yub don't neeb tu be concerbed about me... ACHOO."

" Are you sure, Sunset? Everyone deserves to have someone with them to keep their spirits up. No one deserves to be alone. I'm sure I can convince one of the others to change their schedule to come and keep you company. Um, I'd do it myself, but the animal shelter recently got more animals. The doctors have their hands full and need volunteers to be there at all times until things calm down." Fluttershy said.

" I'll be fine on by own."

Fluttershy didn't say another word after that. Instead, she simply turned and walked away without looking back at me. I knew she was disappointed with my decision, but I was thinking about the long-term goal as opposed to anything else. I was a walking plague carrier who could easily infect others. Their bandanas covered their mouths and prevented them from breathing in the bigger things coming from me, but it just wasn't enough. Even if they didn’t breathe in and catch my cold, any part of their bodies could carry it, resulting in more students becoming bedridden for who knows how long. To ensure that no else paid for my own blunder, being alone was what had to be done.

For the next couple of days, I remained in bed with only my thoughts to keep me company. It may not have been much, but it gave me some time to think about everything that has happened to me these past few months. If not for Her Highness, I probably wouldn't even be attending CHS. My desire for power and world domination came crashing down around me when I was defeated by the Magic of Friendship. I was facing possible expulsion and perhaps time in this world's version of a dungeon. I'm glad none of that came to pass. Still, I do think back on the poor choices I made. I'd love to go back and change them, but I know that's impossible. What happened in the past can't be changed, but the future is still a clean slate.

Eventually, I managed to muster up enough strength to climb out of bed without anyone assisting me, yet my body had grown too attached to the warmth of my blanket. Walking around without it draped over me wasn't an option, so I would wrap it around my body and shuffle about short distances. Sure, it looked strange, but it was a work in progress on the road to recovery.

" My body feels like it's about to collapse from so much strain." I said to myself, shuffling forward after getting out of bed again and wrapping myself up with my blanket. " Why haven't I gotten over this stupid cold? I should be working on figuring out the magic problem, yet here I am sneezing my life away with no signs of relief. If I were in Equestria, I'd have been given a potion, spell, or any other magical remedy to help cure what ails me. Sometimes, this world feels like a backwater place compared to back home. I guess that's not really fair, though. I have to remember that things are different here and that magic is a foreign entity."

Walking to my backpack, I opened it up--it proved difficult due to my lack of strength--and began rummaging around for my magic journal. I always have it on my person in case I ever felt the need to send a message to Princess Twilight. I thought about telling her that I needed a remedy from back home that would actually work instead of what I'd been taking and that she should deliver it in person. " Maybe I shouldn't bother her, after all. She's a princess, and that means her subjects need her guidance. She can't abandon them just to see some sick person living in another dimension. No, it's not right for me to drag her away from something important. Guess I'll just get back into bed and simply wait for this cold to run its course." I said to myself.

" I'm surprised you're up and about."

" Huh!?" I exclaimed, turning to see who had just spoken to me.

" At least you're still quick on your feet."

" Flash!? What are you doing here?" I asked. Standing behind me was Flash Sentry with a smile on his face. I was surprised that he decided to pay me a visit considering what he and I have been through since the day we first met--that was when I came to this world initially. He was wearing a bandana around his face like everyone else who came to see me, yet it didn't explain why he was here. He usually had a jam session with his band "Flash Drive" around this time of the day, so why be here when he should be with them? I mean, I did appreciate his presence and all, but it felt wrong to have him here when he could playing some music for his admirers.

" I wanted to keep you company."

" You know that I'm sick, right?"

" Everyone gets sick, Sunset, but you don't need to be so melodramatic about it."

" What!?"

" Fluttershy and the others told me that you've been saying that this illness of yours is going to bring you down completely, it’s yours to bear alone, yadda yadda yadda. What you've got is a simple common cold from staying out in the rain too long. I'm not sure why you went outside without a coat, but who am I to tell you what to do?" Flash answered.

" I've neber--ACHOO--been zig before!" Oh great, my nose started getting stuffed again.

" Really? You must have quite the immune system, but if that's true, then how did you get sick now?"

" That's... a bit harb to explain."

" If you're having a problem explaining it to me, I understand, but maybe I can help you get some confidence?" Flash asked. The look he gave me. I remember that from a long time ago back when we first met after I came through the portal.

I was much different then as I was now. I left Equestria out of resentment, leaving everything behind in order to start all over again, yet I wasn't prepared to experience life as a human. It took me a while to finally get used to walking on two legs and holding things rather than using magic. I had help adjusting to my new existence, and Flash was that help. He offered to help a total stranger just because he thought I needed it. I merely scoffed at his kindness and thought he was pathetic for helping someone he didn't know.

He wasn't the pathetic one. I was. He did everything in his power to help me survive my first night in this world. He also put up with me when we became an item. Looking back on that now, I know that I did him a great wrong by taking advantage of how popular he was at CHS. I used his influence to further my own ambitions, and he didn't deserve to be treated as a tool for my own benefit. Flash has said that he's forgiven me for what I did to him, but was he telling the truth? Deep down, he may still hold a grudge. I know he's not the sort who would seek out revenge, but the Battle of the Bands certainly displayed his aggressive nature.

Our relationship wasn't romantic in the slightest despite what others said. While Flash truly loved me, I never felt the same way in return. That's why he chose to break up with me, especially after discovering that I had been using him. He felt there was no connection between us, and a relationship couldn't last if it only worked in one direction. I thought of getting revenge on him for dumping me, but he was right to have ended our relationship. We're still friends even now, but perhaps there's still a tiny flicker of when we were together?

Did this mean I loved him even though I treated him like dirt? I felt conflicted by this. Flash had moved on from me and had fallen for Her Highness, so I should be happy that he found someone he believes is the one, though he doesn't know that Princess Twilight is an alicorn from another world. He doesn't even know that I'm from the same world. That's when I began to think about my current situation and not what once was. Was I having some kind of rebound?

" Ummm..."

" Maybe it's better if I don't know. You're obviously uncomfortable with talking about it judging from how nervous you look, so I won't pry into it anymore. Still, I’m amazed that you went so many years without ever getting sick. I think you have quite a strong immune system. I guess it just finally met its match." Flash said.

" Sorry if I obbended yub."

" Don’t worry about it."

" I know thad I zound grouchy, but you wud be doo if yu were zig."

" You've always had a temper ever since the day I first met you. I'm sure you remember that night really well."

" Yeah... It was the first tibe I camb here to Canderlot. I wuz new in town and didn't know--ACHOO--where anyding was." I said, making sure not to mention that I came through a portal mere minutes before he found me out in the cold. " I'm surbrised you would helb someone who wuz a complete stranger... ACHOO."

" When I saw you stumbling about, I thought you had either run away from home, was living on the streets, or you were running away from something."

" The virst one."

" What was that?"

" The first ding you said--ACHOO--that's wut happened to me." I answered. My sneezing was getting worse in addition to my stuffed-up nose making it hard for me to say my words properly. So far, Flash understood what I was saying, yet there were bound to be some hiccups every now and then. " I lived subwhere really fancy, but lept when I learned I wuzn't going to be gedding someding I had been destined to receibe."

" Sorry to hear that."

" It wuz my own fault."

" Ever think about going back?"

" All the tibe, but it’s hard for be to convince myzelf to gu there after the falling oud I had with my mentor... ACHOO. She beliebed in me and taught me everyding I wanted to know, but I went behind her back and learned someding I wasn't supposed to. Not a day goez by that I regret by decision, Flash. I was a selfish student who thought she deserbed everyding without working--ACHOO--working for it." I answered.

" Is that why you were so cold when we were dating?"

" Yeah. I wanted power above anyding else."

" Sunset, I wish you had told me this sooner."

" Back den, I saw you as noding but a tool to use to furder my own desires."

" Yeah, I figured that one out on my own when others started telling me about some of the stuff you were doing. Even though our relationship ended on bad terms, I still enjoyed our time together, and nothing will ever change that. A part of me still wishes that we were together, though. At least we managed to patch things up between us and become friends." Flash said.

" A small bart ub me thinks dere's a flicker that still exists."

" Really?"

" Yez."

" Wow... I don't know what to say about that. I mean, I still like you as a friend, but romantically? I don't think the two of us could ever be together as a couple despite the fact that the experience we had was interesting. My heart has found someone else, and even though I don’t know much about her, Twilight does acknowledge that there's a spark between us. Do I think it will go anywhere? Maybe, but if she decides that I'm not the one, I'd accept her decision and break up on good terms." Flash said.

If I had been the old me, I would have done everything in my power to make him miserable for breaking my heart. However, I was fine with what he just said. We both had our time together, despite how lopsided it was for him. There was nothing left between us that could make it work again, so him moving onto Twilight was a natural occurrence, and she did bring out his clumsy personality he hid behind all that bravado. I wasn’t surprised about what he said about his relationship with Her Highness. I still think they make a cute couple, and I admire him for being a man by accepting whatever outcome occurs. Most in that position take it pretty hard.

" I'm okay wid that." I said, shivering despite being wrapped up. I had been out of bed for too long, and my body was starting to feel cold.

" Maybe you ought to get back into bed."

" ACHOO! Yeah! I need to rest, or I'll neber feel better. Could you do be a fabour?" I asked, plucking my magic journal out of my backpack and zipping it shut. I had no intention of telling Flash that my journal had the power to make contact with Princess Twilight. For one thing, he would never believe it could do that. Second, if he did believe in the magic it contained, he'd want to spend every waking moment writing messages to Her Highness, and I would eventually run out of pages--though, I wasn't sure if I even could reach the end.

" Sure.”

" I doe it will sound weird, but while you stay here and keeb be company--ACHOO--can we consider dis as one last date? What I mean is, we can habe an actual date where bode of us are enjoying ourselves--ACHOO--inztead ub just you." I said.

" Doesn't bother me one bit if you want it that way."

" Oh, and I'll make sure no one elze hears--ACHOO--about dis. You can ibagine the rumours that would sbread around. Neider of us would be able to--ACHOO--walk around school widout being stobbed constantly." I said.

" It will be our little secret. Now, come on! We need to get you back into bed where it's nice and warm. If you'd like, I could borrow one of the books nearby and read something to you to keep your mind occupied. I know you have a soft spot for knowledge." Flash said. He then held out his hand to help me get back to bed without putting too much strain on my already aching body.

I don't know why some people saw Flash as annoying. Sure, he does put on this “cool guy” face--most boys his age do--but if you look past that, he can be a really sweet guy who just wants to help others out. He wouldn't even be here with me if Fluttershy hadn't mentioned it. I reminded myself to thank her later.

Getting myself sick also taught me a valuable lesson other than remembering to wear a coat outside when it's raining. I learned that I can't allow myself to become obsessed with trying to figure out how the magic in this world works. Sure, I can work hard to find an answer, but I can’t sacrifice my health in the process. No doubt my friends were poised to give me yet another lecture on doing everything on my own without their support. Much of what I'm doing does go beyond their minds--their lack of knowledge on Equestrian magic was rather evident--so I needed Princess Twilight to give me some good advice, yet they try so hard to make sense of it all, and they really want to help.

This was a rather pleasant experience that happened to me, but compared to some of the other things I've witnessed since the beginning, I'd put this one as private; it doesn't affect my life on a larger scale. I was sure my friends will ask me a mountain of questions about what Flash and I were doing together, and I'll say that he came by to keep me company. Besides, he was only there for an hour--he did have his own schedule to maintain--so it's not like anything was going to happen.

I planned on never coming down with an illness again, and that involved making sure not to believe myself to be immune to everything around me.

I’m still a bit under the weather even as I write this. Once I make a full recovery, I shall resume my research as a magic investigator.

" That was pretty funny!" Pinkie Pie said, giggling so hard that she had to cover her mouth with her hands to stop herself from spitting on us.

" And what makes you think that?" I asked.

" You were saying so many funny words."

" I had a stuffy nose, remember?"

" Well, duh! What I mean is that you wrote a lot of depressing stuff in your journal, but what you just read to us was without a doubt the funniest thing in there. We all needed a good laugh after hearing about how difficult your life has been. You know, Sunset, you really should consider doing stand-up. You could make a unique routine by using your stuffy nose." Pinkie Pie answered.

" Yes, I suppose you could say it like that."

" Being a comedian?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Us needing a good laugh."

" Oh."

" I can understand why you didn't want to tell me about that particular incident while we were going through your journal initially." Twilight said.

" It wasn't really all that significant." I said. In my eyes, what happened when I was sick was just an unfortunate coincidence that I didn't need to mention to Twilight. I know I got to spend a moment with Flash Sentry and reflect upon how both of us had changed since we initially met, but compared to the rest of my story, it was just a small blip. " I'm hoping none of you get the wrong idea by thinking we're getting back together." I quickly darted my head back and forth to make sure they weren't thinking of spreading rumours. I didn't want to have to manually delete something from their phones.

Flash and I had our time together--despite me using him as a tool--but now we've moved on from that. What I felt while sick was only a fleeting moment of attraction that quickly disappeared after Flash left. Princess Twilight and Flash were meant for each other, and I couldn't be more proud of that. It’s not like it meant I was doomed to remain single. Right now, though, I want to focus on getting through the rest of high school and figure out when I'll muster up the courage to go back home to Equestria. Princess Celestia continues to hold hope that she will see me come back to her after so long.

I want to go back, but only when I feel the time is right. I'm still expecting to have to answer for what I did--and likely be exiled to the desolate wastes. I know she will try and make sure I don't get convicted, but Princess Celestia can't do that. She must remain firm in her resolve when it comes time to punishing me for betraying her.

" Guess bein' sick had a bright side after all." Applejack said.

" Maybe, but I still blame myself for going outside in the rain without a coat."

" Now y'all know not to do that next time."

" It was even worse than all those times I fell in the snow."

" At least you didn't catch a cold from that." Pinkie Pie said. Everyone else started laughing in response, and I couldn't help but join in. I may have had some unfortunate blunders that involved getting hurt, but they all pale in comparison to being confined to a bed for a couple of weeks.

Once we got that out of our system, Pinkie then asked a serious question. " Do you have any other snippets of your life you wish to share with us? Or, is that really the end?"

" I wouldn't mind another story." Rainbow Dash answered.

" Well, there's plenty of other things I wrote down in this journal." I said, combing through and stopping at various pages. " The thing is, a lot of these really are minor things that happened. Others are actually embarrassing and I'd rather not talk about them at all. If you want me to, I suppose I could find something of interest. I'd say I have enough here to last about another dozen chapters if we're speaking hypothetically."

" May I make a suggestion?" Twilight asked. We all turned to look at her, and she cowered slightly. I waved my hands to inform her that she didn't need to act that way in front of us, and she slowly regained her composure. I guess she still needed some time to get used to the idea of having friends. " Um, I was thinking about how I enjoyed my sleepover with Sunset despite the sad undertones that revolved around it. It was an experience I've never felt before, and I really want to go through with it again."

" You want another sleepover?"

" I'm still new to all of you, as you are to me, and I think a sleepover would give us a chance to find some common ground."

" That's sounds like a good idea." Applejack said.

" Question is, who's place do we have it at?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Oooh! Oooh! Why not my place? After all, we've had some of the best sleepovers there!" Pinkie Pie answered.

" I was thinking of Sunset's place." Twilight said. My eyes opened wide when she mentioned my place of residence. I hoped she was joking. My place is certainly big enough to accommodate seven people, but the problem was that the library belonged to the school. I'm allowed to live there through special circumstances. Mrs. Cheerilee and the janitors still complain that I should live somewhere else.

Should I be found taking advantage of Principal Celestia's kind gesture, not only would I lose the right to live amongst the bookshelves, I'd also have to give back the special key that grants me access to the main entrance and the library after hours.

Another problem involved my friends and how crazy they can get whenever we have a sleepover. Sure, we spend a good chunk of time having a blast, but because of how precious the books are--I sound like Her Highness--they could be damaged, and I'd be responsible. I understand that Twilight wants us to be in an environment that caters to her and would make her feel comfortable, but my place is terrible for sleepovers.

" Twilight... Remember what I said to you about my place?"

She didn't respond. Instead, the others gathered around her to discuss what kinds of activities they could have. Just when I thought that I finally came to the end of my journal, I now found myself compelled to write in it again.

Bonus Chapter 2: Sleepover Surprise

Day: Sunday
Weather: Sunset, clear skies
Time: 5:45pm

After everything I've been through since I reformed, I believed nothing could be worse than what happened during the Friendship Games. That's no longer the case. What I thought was an innocent suggestion from Twilight turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. I wasn't against the idea of having another sleepover, but I was against having it at my place. Living in the library did have its perks, but throwing a sleepover wasn't one of them. My friends agreed with Twilight's suggestion, leaving me in a position that I couldn't get out of. If something went wrong, not only would I have to explain what happened to Principal Celestia, I'd lose the only home I've ever known in this world, and most likely be expelled. I wanted this sleepover to go by without any problems, but when magic is around, you can forget all about having a normal experience. It seems Twilight may have retained some of the magic she had absorbed... and has no idea how to control it...

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
May 24, 2016
Bonus Chapter 2: Sleepover Surprise.

" So, that's what really happened to you since the start?"

" Yes. I know it's difficult to understand considering you've only known what you've seen and heard." I answered.

" Why didn't you want to share this information with me?"

" You're not around here as much as you would like."

" It's never stopped me before, has it?"

" Unlike me, you have obligations that must come first before personal pleasure. You may not like to hear that, but it's the honest truth. Originally, I was planning on telling this to you because of the connection between us, but then her connection proved stronger, and I felt more comfortable sharing my story with her instead." I answered.

" If Princess Celestia heard you say those words, she'd be crying tears of joy knowing how far you've come since those days. Everyday, she waits for you to come through the portal and into her arms, and she asks me when that day will finally happen. I've told her that you find it difficult to want to return home because of your crimes. Her response usually involves saying she will bypass the law and grant you freedom."

" She knows that's not how it's supposed to work. I appreciate Princess Celestia wanting to see me again, and heaven knows how much I want to see her. But, right now, it's just not the right time for me. I feel like I've been a huge disappointment because of our falling out. If it wasn't for you showing me the way, I might still be a bully looking out only for myself." I said.

" I understand that you're not ready."

" Thanks."

" I'm still surprised that you decided to share your true story with the other Twilight."

" She became a demonic monster just as I had done and is going through the same aftermath that I went through. To me, that was all I needed to have her be the one to share my deepest secrets with. Twilight does have your curiosity, Princess Twilight, but she tends to ask way too many questions for my liking." I said.

" You don't need to use my title when addressing me."

" It helps me denote which of you is which." I said.

The story of my struggles in life since my early days in Equestria feel like they've become the stuff of legend. Already, I've had to explain my troubled past to Twilight, and then to my friends, who deserved to know the truth. It was a difficult undertaking with a looming fear that hung above my head the whole time. For a long time, I was afraid of telling anyone my true opinions about my friends, other people I knew, the world I call home, and so much more. If they had taken my thoughts the wrong way, my friendships with them would have ended, and I would be alone once again like I had been before. The thought of being alone was something I never wanted to experience again, so I kept everything written down into a journal that no one knew existed. I kept it that way until Twilight got to see it with her own eyes.

About a week after telling my friends about the contents of my journal, I finally mustered the courage to tell my story to Princess Twilight herself. I wanted to talk with her outside the main entrance to the school where the Wondercolt statue stood--it still hasn't been repaired. She agreed to the meeting and arrived a few hours ago at a time when no one aside from me was on school grounds; it was a Sunday, after all. She said that she had some free time, as nothing serious was happening back home, so that gave me the opportunity to share my story.

Why did I decide to leave her until last to share my story with? Her Highness wasn't as accessible as everyone else due to her commitments in Equestria keeping her occupied, yet I found that to be a lousy excuse on my part. I should have been honest from the beginning and showed her the journal first by overcoming my own fears and going through the portal.

By not telling her straight away, I felt like I had done Her Highness a terrible disservice. She was the one who gave me a second chance at friendship. She took some time from her duties to teach me some lessons by responding to my Friendship Reports and coming through the portal to help me deal with some personal problems that no one else could've understood. I'm sure she doesn't feel the way I do about how I left her in the dark for so long, but I feel like Her Highness deserved to be the first to know. In this world, we ponies have to stick together because of how we're different from everyone. There have been times where I struggle to overcome the fact that I'm the only Equestrian who currently lives in the town of Canterlot--the Sirens' locations still remain unknown to this day.

Once I had finished telling my story to Her Highness, she was in utter disbelief over what had happened to me. She only knew what Princess Celestia had said about me prior to first coming to this world, and what I had hinted at from time to time. To learn that so much more about me existed proved mind-boggling, yet she was determined to take it all in at once and process everything. If anyone would understand my trouble past, it was Her Highness. After all, she was a fellow pony and knew better than anyone what it was like having a difficult childhood growing up in a world that was far more vast than you originally thought.

While Twilight and my other friends had asked me numerous questions--most of them involved things about Equestria--Princess Twilight didn't ask nearly as many. She knew more about Equestrian lore than I did, and what I told the others is what she told me through her responses. She did ask about what had been going on in-between her absences--especially if it had to do with Flash Sentry--so that she could be up-to-date without the fear of being out of the loop.

" Well, if you want to use my title, then I guess that's okay. But, back to your story."

" My life has been pretty messed up."

" I didn't know that it started from your parents neglecting you in favour of your siblings."

" Being the youngest in my family, I was full of potential, but I was also behind my brothers and sisters. From the very beginning, I knew that I was gifted in magic, and I believed that I would become one of the greatest unicorns who ever lived. My parents, on the other hand, didn't think I was worth any investment. They pretended to be excited that they had another talented pony, but deep down, they cared more for my siblings than for me." I said.

" Didn't you try explaining things?"

" It proved to be in vain, so I decided to train myself in magic." I answered. Just thinking about those early days living with my family brought back painful memories that I've long since buried. Had I been given the proper encouragement, I wouldn't have developed so much hatred in my heart. Because I was ignored all the time, I believed that everyone else was inferior, and I was destined for something better. If Princess Celestia hadn't taken notice of my talent, I'd still be at home wallowing away while my siblings continued getting so much praise just because they were older. " I no longer associate with my family. In fact, I haven't been home to see them since I left with Celestia."

" That must have been over fifteen years ago."

" Something like that."

" I can understand why you chose to distance yourself from them, but did you ever stop to think that they regret the way they treated you? I know parents can be selfish sometimes by focusing on some things and ignoring others, yet I'm sure your family is wondering what has become of you." Princess Twilight said.

" Celestia received three letters from my family in the years after I left."

" Only three!?"

" Expecting more?" I asked, opening my journal and combing through the pages. " I was lucky that they even bothered to send one, let alone three. In each letter, they misspelt my name--they didn't even try to get it right, which I took immediate offence to--asked if my magic had gotten better, and when they would be allowed to visit Canterlot. Not once did I ask if I wanted to come back home for a visit, or my life in general." Combing through the pages, I eventually stopped at one of the first entries where I wrote down my true thoughts about the family who neglected me. There was no photo, but rather a description in my own words of how I felt about them. " As you can see here, Princess Twilight, I had some pretty harsh opinions about my parents and siblings. I've never once regretted these thoughts."

" What did Princess Celestia think?"

" She was surprised at how I had been neglected for so long."

" Is that why she wanted you to study under her guidance?"

" Yes. Her aim was to get me away from such a horrible family, but unfortunately, she didn't come to see me until a little ways into my life. By the time she came, I had grown bitter from how my family ignored my efforts at pleasing them. If she had only come a year sooner, I wouldn't have been obsessed with wanting power above all else." I answered.

" Sunset... I'm sorry that you had to go through that."

" It's in the past now. I've never kept tabs on my family, so as far as I'm concerned, they are all dead to me."

" None of them were an exception?"

" No."

" And you see our friends as your true family?" Princess Twilight asked.

I nodded. Our friends accepted me for who I was, despite things starting off on the wrong foot. It took them several weeks before they could finally forgive me for the way I treated them during my days as a bully. I suppose my actions were the result of me lashing out against a world for how bad my childhood was. No one deserved to be treated like dirt beneath my shoes, nor did their friendships need to be destroyed all because I never learned the importance of friendship. Our friends have stood by me through thick and thin, despite some problems flaring up because of my temper. We've grown together in a short period of time, yet it feels like we've all known each other forever.

Her Highness was a part of our family but more towards being a distant member who we don't get to see as often as we would like. Twilight herself had since become our newest family member, whose curiosity proved limitless in her bid to acquire more knowledge for the sake of it. It might not be glamourous compared to other families, but I'd never trade them for anything in the world.

" If I may be honest, Princess Twilight, I'd rather not talk about my old family anymore."

" I understand."

" Let me just say one thing before we move on. If I were to ever run into any of them again, I wouldn't hesitate about giving them a piece of my mind before walking away and leaving them behind in the past." I said.

" If you hadn't told me about your past, I would have questioned your ethics, but I know better than that now. No one should ever be ignored by their family. You suffered so much pain because of them, and it changed you into the person who wanted to conquer Equestria using a teenage zombie army." Princess Twilight said. I blushed, knowing that it wasn't one of my better choices. Thankfully, the students of CHS did forgive me for that after a while.

" Anyway, after I told everyone about what happened when I came down with a cold, Twilight made a suggestion that didn't settle well with me." I said, flipping through my journal to the very end, where I had placed a sticker to mark the last entry. I showed Her Highness that a new entry had been written down, and was accompanied by a photo. It showed all of us minus her having a sleepover, yet I looked nervous compared to everyone else. " She said we should have the sleepover at my place, but apparently she neglected to remember where it is I live. I guess a sleepover in the library is fine, but not when you have seven people, one dog, and Equestrian magic."

After the insanity that was the Friendship Games, I was ready to finally get back down to business and resume my life without having to deal with threats from Equestria or that involved magic from my home world. Unfortunately, destiny often had other plans for me, and this time was going to be no exception. I had accepted the fact that Crystal Prep now knew the secret my friends and I had been trying to hide throughout the Games. They promised not to upload anything online about what happened or talk about it to anyone. All of CHS didn't believe they could be trusted to keep this secret, yet I told them that trust was important in allowing our schools to be able to get along.

In the weeks since then, Crystal Prep kept its word, and the events of the Games can now be forgotten. Even Principal Cinch didn't want to mention anything about what happened, yet she had her own selfish reasons for not wanting anything to become public. Her reputation had been all but completely destroyed by her actions, resulting in her students realizing what kind of monster she really was. To keep her dignity--what little of it remained--intact, Cinch refused to talk about anything related to the Games. To her, it was a nightmare she wished never happened, yet the harsh truth of reality would forever haunt her every waking moment. While she remained the principal, Cinch knew that she was under close observation by everyone who attended Crystal Prep. A fitting end to someone who cared little about her students' well-being.

CHS got a boost in the form of Twilight Sparkle choosing to transfer over to our school as the newest Wondercolt. While some would have suggested that she remained at her old school to teach them about friendship, she herself lacked any understanding about it. She believed that the CHS students were experts on friendship--she believed it to be an excellent subject--and that she could learn what it means to be surrounded by friends. Twilight even got to meet her pony counterpart, Princess Twilight, in a meeting I didn't think would happen so quickly, and now, the two Twilights have knowledge that an identical version of herself exists.

While I held a strong connection to Her Highness, I had an even stronger one with Twilight because the pair of us became monsters corrupted by magic and struggled to find our place within a world that didn't understand us. That was why I decided to share my past with her. I wrote down everything that ever happened to me in a journal making sure nothing was left out. It contained secret feelings about my friends, Her Highness, Princess Celestia, other people, this world, and so much more. No one even knew it existed until I showed it to Twilight some weeks ago. I wanted to finally come out of hiding and reveal all I had written down.

I feared revealing my secrets. I believed my friends would end their friendship with me over what I said about them, yet Twilight stood by my side and told me that I couldn't continue running away from my fears. I confronted them and revealed the truth behind the other journal, bracing for the worst to happen. My friends thought it over amongst themselves, and after what felt like an eternity, they accepted my actions with open arms. They followed me and Twilight, and I told them everything I wrote down in the journal, making sure to not skip anything. I believed this would be the last time I wrote anything down in its pages. I thought I would never have to open it up again for any reason, but it turned out that I was wrong.

To allow herself to get to know her new friends better, Twilight suggested a sleepover, and all of us were keen on the idea. I was happy at first about the idea, until she said that we should have it at my place. My heart immediately froze upon hearing what she said. I lived in the school library, arranged by Principal Celestia but disliked by Mrs. Cheerilee and the janitors. I had been trusted with such a privilege, and I feared it being taken away from me were it to become known that six other students and a dog had joined me in a sleepover that also doubled as a party--Pinkie Pie intended for it to be a shindig the likes of which we had never experienced before.

What truly made it a terrifying prospect was magic being added to the equation. All of us, save for Twilight--I didn't know at the time that she still possessed a sliver of magic inside of her--had magic, and while we could easily control it, I feared my friends would misuse their gift just because things were peaceful again. If anything in the library got damaged, I would be stripped of my privileges, banished from the library, and maybe even expelled from CHS.

I tried to convince everyone to have the sleepover somewhere else, but my efforts were in vain. They ignored my pleas and were dead-set on having it in the library. My home and way of life was in jeopardy of being taken away from me.

Later, I spoke to Applejack when we were the only two in the library. Everyone else had yet to arrive, and she could tell that something was on my mind.

" Y'all seem nervous, Sunset." Applejack said.

" I don't want this sleepover to happen." I said.

" What!? Now why would you say somethin' like that? You know this means an awful lot to Twilight, so why do you have to try and ruin it for her? She needs this so that she can get to know the rest of us better and be comfortable knowin' she's among friends who care about her." Applejack said.

" It's not that."

" I know you two got off to a good start, but it don't mean denyin' us the same thing."

" I'm not against the sleepover--"

" But you just said that you were. Shoot! Reckon y'all ought to make up your mind, Sunset."

" I want it to happen, just not here." I said. Applejack blinked at me for a few seconds before taking off her Stetson hat and scratched her head. Did she seriously not understand how serious the situation was? My home was about to become party central--Pinkie's words, not mine--and no one cared about the consequences of having a sleepover at my place. I felt like my life hung in the balance, and my friends were more interested in integrating Twilight into the group. " Applejack... You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

" Fraid not, sugarcube."

" That figures."

" Why are you so dead-set against havin' a slumber party with your pals?"

" You've got it all wrong!" I shouted, my temper flaring up and making me want to smash something just to get it out of my system. Luckily, I quickly realized what I was about to do, so I began to breathe slowly in an effort to calm down before I did something I'd regret. Applejack merely stared at me without making any kind of reaction. She had long gotten adjusted to my sudden outbursts or knew that she had to maintain her cool what with being the voice of reason for us. " I didn't want to have the sleepover in the library because of the public property that surrounds us. If anything gets damaged, I'd be held responsible and get kicked out. This is the only home I can afford, so if I am forced to leave, I'll end up on the streets."

" Shoot! Why didn't y'all say somethin'?"

" I did! Several times, yet you all ignored me in favour of Twilight."

" Guess we should've listened."

" I'm used to having my opinions ignored." I said. This whole situation reminded me of when I was a filly. My parents ignored me in favour of my siblings, and it left me feeling angry that my own opinions never amounted to anything other than pointless dribble. Twilight knew that the library was a terrible place for a sleepover yet insisted on having it there. I knew she was excited about learning more about her new friends, but did it have to come at the cost of me losing my home? " I'd like nothing more than to tell everyone that the sleepover is changing locations, but everyone's gotten so excited about it being here." I said.

" Maybe I can knock some sense into 'em."

" You think it might work?"

" Trust me, Sunset. Reckon I can tell them how much this has upset you, and convince 'em to change it to one of our homes instead."

" If you can do that, I'd be in your debt, Applejack."

" It ain't nothin' at all! Besides, it's our fault for not realizin' what was truly at stake here." Applejack said.

Thirty minutes later, the rest of my friends arrived with their sleeping bags and backpacks. They had been talking amongst themselves over how awesome the sleepover was going to be, but when Applejack approached them, a stern look on her face, they sensed that something was wrong. She then proceeded to explain the situation regarding how my home was on the line should the sleepover happen. As Applejack continued talking, Twilight's expression indicated that she clearly hadn't thought things through. The library wasn't just a roof over my head. It was also a hallowed place of learning.

A sleepover in the vein of what we have would no doubt cause some property damage. Rainbow Dash thought I was overreacting and was jealous of the fact that Twilight was getting all the attention. I then reminded her that Mrs. Cheerilee was a hawk when it came to looking over every last nook and cranny of the library. Should she even see a tiny bit of damage on one of her precious books... the thought proved too unbearable for me to think about.

Moreover, I lacked any credentials to get me another place to live. I may have been registered as a student a long time ago, but I didn't have anything like a health card, social insurance number, or even an official place of residence as required by law. In the eyes of the local government, I didn't even exist. I was an alien living under the radar.

Once Applejack finished her explanation, Twilight was the first to respond.

" I... I can't believe that I completely forgot about Sunset's living conditions." Twilight said.

" Other than the six of us and Principal Celestia, no one even knows that Sunset lives here in the library."

" Mrs. Cheerilee and the janitors know." I said.

" The point is, everyone else thinks she lives somewhere really close to the school."

" If we have our sleepover here, we'd run the risk of causing serious damage to the books." Twilight said.

" What risk? I think we'll be just fine." Pinkie Pie said. All of us immediately looked in her direction with glares cold enough to turn anyone to stone. Pinkie didn't understand why we were looking at her with disdain until we looked at what she brought along for the sleepover. Behind her were several boxes and a large cannon most likely filled to the brim with confetti. " Ohhhh... You guys know that I never go to a sleepover without my party supplies." Pinkie looked at what she brought before turning back to face us. She blushed upon seeing that we weren't thrilled with her antics. The cannon alone was enough to cause all sorts of damage. While the confetti itself wasn't an issue, the explosion that comes when the cannon is fired certainly is an issue.

" That's exactly the reason why I didn't want the sleepover here." I said.

" Maybe we can go to one of your places instead." Twilight said.

" What about your place?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" I live on the other side of Canterlot. I had to convince my brother to give me a ride down to Rarity's house since he was doing something else tonight. To go back and have the sleepover at my house would mean calling Shining Armour again, and I don't think he would appreciate me using him like a chauffeur." Twilight answered.

" That makes sense."

" What about your place, Pinkie?"

" My parents are home right now and don't like the noise that my supplies make."

" Then don't use them."

" What!? Don't use my party cannon!? Are you crazy, Twilight!? That's like asking to be normal!"

" Guess that means your house isn't going to work either. Hmmm... That leaves just four more homes left, so which one of you will volunteer to house our sleepover? I know it's on short notice, but we really do need to change locations for Sunset's sake more than anything else." Twilight said. At first, Pinkie didn't like the idea of not using her supplies, but she quickly caught on to the fact that what she brought would land me in deep trouble were something to go wrong.

Rarity and Fluttershy began talking amongst themselves over which of their homes would make for an ideal location, and Applejack said that she didn't mind having it over at her family's farm like in the past. It did mean having to use the barn again as opposed to the actual Apple Family House, but at least Pinkie would be free to use her supplies without being told to tone it down. Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, appeared to be the only one who didn't accept the initial decision of changing locations. In fact, she had been quiet the entire time while we were discussing things, but she eventually decided on speaking her mind, much to my displeasure.

" Are you guys kidding me!?" Rainbow Dash said.

" About what?" Applejack asked.

" You want to change places at the very last minute!? How lame is that!?"

" What are you gettin' at?"

" We all agreed to come here to Sunset's place for the sleepover, so I think we should stick with that plan! I know Pinkie can get a little carried away--no, a lot--with her antics, but if she can show some restraint, we can make this work." Rainbow Dash answered.

I slapped my head. I knew Rainbow was going to say something like that. She didn't want to compromise and instead wanted to see this through to the end. Did she really want to see me get kicked out of the library--the place that I called home--permanently? My fate was hanging by a thread, and she didn't care? I felt like giving her a piece of my mind, but I showed held back--I had to squeeze one of my pillows to let loose some stress--before Applejack turned to face her. If anyone was going to set Rainbow straight, it was going to be her.

" I'm aware we all agreed to come here, but we forgot to take Sunset's arrangements into consideration."

" So? We can work around it."

" You're missin' the point here, Rainbow."

" Just hear me out! We can still have the sleepover here, but we don't do what we usually do in these situations. That means none of your party supplies, Pinkie, no dancing about, no crashing into anything, no food that can stain the books, and no costume changes." Rainbow Dash said, her eyes focusing squarely on Rarity as she finished. While I thought it was noble of her to keep things under control, it wasn't enough to convince me that we could pull it off without something going wrong.

" What do you all think?" Twilight asked.

" I'm definitely against having the sleepover here." I answered.

" Yeah? Well, I want to have it here! Besides, if we were gonna have it somewhere else, we'd be wasting an hour at the very least relocating our stuff. It's already past 6:00pm, and I've got no intention of wasting anymore time arguing about this." Rainbow Dash said.

" Then we're at an impasse."

" Seems like it."

" What about the rest of you?"

" I'm not sure where everyone else stands, but I for one would really like to have it here. However, I will accept relocating to a better home because of Sunset's concerns. I have an idea on how we can come up with a decision without you two tearing each other apart." Twilight answered. She reached into her backpack and ripped out a piece of paper from a notebook. No matter where she is or what she's doing, Twilight always brings along homework and school supplies. Taking the piece of paper, she ripped it into seven pieces, and handed one piece to each of us. " We're going to solve this problem using the democratic process."

" Seems fair to me." Applejack said.

" I'm not so sure." I said.

" Afraid you'll lose?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Where I'm from, we don't exactly use the kind of democratic process that you use in this world." I answered. In Equestria, Princess Celestia has been the only ruler we ponies have known for the last thousand years. Princess Luna was absent for the same amount of time--she's regained her ruling status now--after being banished, and Her Highness doesn't really rule over anything. Princess Cadance, according to Her Highness, have ruled over the Crystal Empire with Shining Armour, Princess Twilight's older brother, for the last year. Aside from them, there haven't been any elections or anything of the sort, at least, as far as I'm aware.

We were focused on traditional means to determine our leaders. In this world, they used a voting system combined with several months of campaigning in order to entice people to choose them. It sounded effective, but then I've read in history books that some choices were abysmal.

" Alright! Both of you calm down before we have to separate you." Applejack said.

" Here's how we're going to do this. Each of us will write down our name on the shred of paper I've given each of you, and then we'll either put down yay or nay to decide if we should have the sleepover here, or somewhere else. If yay prevails, we have it here. If nay prevails, we'll have it elsewhere, meaning a rescheduling is needed." Twilight said.

So it came down to a vote to determine our next course of action. My friends spent no time writing down what they wanted to do, but I was hesitant about the whole thing. I knew that having a sleepover in the library would lead to disaster. There were shelves lined with books, desks, computers, and other things that were really expensive. These could never be replaced without spending a small chunk of the schools budget--they spent a large amount to pay for the relay race used during the Friendship Games. Why couldn't Rainbow understand that we couldn't have a normal sleepover anymore, what with our magic no longer tied down by our instruments.

There was one other factor I hadn't taken into consideration either, and that was Twilight herself. When I successfully changed her back to normal after she spent a short period of time as a demonic monster, my assumption was that I had drained her body of all the magic she had unintentionally absorbed. She would live out her life as she did before she became involved with our magical dilemma, her transformed state being nothing more than a painful memory of how she almost destroyed this world. It didn't dawn on me until later in the evening that magic didn't simply disappear after being integrated with someone.

Several minutes later, I finally wrote down my decision, and we all handed our shreds of paper to Twilight. She looked over each piece, wrote down the totals on her notepad, and turned to face us with the results.

" What's the verdict?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" According to what each of you wrote, everyone aside from Sunset and Applejack voted in favour of having the sleepover here."

" Yes! The 'yays' have it!"

I thought about protesting the decision, but I quickly renounced that thought. Aside from Applejack, everyone else wanted to carry out the original plan. My heart sank knowing that my future in the library was hanging by a mere thread, yet it quickly regained its positive vibe knowing that I had at least one person on my side. Applejack knew how upset I was, and voted to have us change locations. Sadly, our efforts were in vain and the sleepover started almost immediately. Pinkie Pie thought about celebrating by firing her party cannon, but she was quickly silenced when Rainbow glared at her. She knew that she had to avoid using any of her supplies. While Pinkie pouted over being denied her fun, she quickly realized why she had to avoid causing a fracas.

Within the first twenty minutes, everyone was starting to get bored. The sleepover wasn't going as well as expected due to the heavy restriction placed on us. That's why I suggested we change location. By holding back our usual antics, we were getting antsy--Pinkie was really taking it badly--and twitching from time to time. If we were at Rainbow's place, or even Applejack's, Pinkie would be partying like there was no tomorrow. Instead, we just stared at each other, waiting for someone to make the first move.

Luckily, Fluttershy thought ahead of time by bringing a couple of board games for us to play. It might not have been to everyone's liking, but at least we didn't have to spend any longer staring at each other until we could no longer take it.

The Game we ended up playing more often involved moving around the board as a group of adventurers aiming to complete a heroic quest for fame and glory. We even had our own character sheets that recorded our progress such as treasures found, monsters slain, and how much health we had left. I was surprised that Fluttershy had such a game--which proved very addictive. I asked her why she had it, and she said that it belonged to her brother, who used to play it with her all the time until he moved out. Rainbow, who had been the most bored among us, just couldn't wait until she could roll the dice again.

She had become obsessed with this heroic game, named "HeroQuest", and I thought it was a good distraction for all of us. Pinkie got to play the role of the Gamesmaster, the one who decided how the adventure would progress. It may not have been the same as firing her party cannons, but she was enjoying coming up with new rules that further complicated things. None of us complained about some of her more contentious rules, however. We knew Pinkie just wanted to have fun, so we gave her free reign so long as she didn't make a rule that made no sense to the game's mechanics.

After playing for an hour, Twilight had just grabbed the dice for her turn. Her character was a wizard--interesting, given her little episode--and while she did enjoy pretending to be a spellcaster, she began thinking back on the magic she used in her bid for knowledge.

" Sunset? Can I ask you a question?" Twilight asked.

" What is it?" I asked.

" Magic... Does the mentality of the person determine what kind of effects it has?"

" Yes. When someone with a twisted heart uses magic, it becomes an evil force that can harm ponies and other creatures. It can also bring out calamities the likes of which this world has never seen before. On the other hand, if someone with a pure heart decides to use magic, it becomes a truly wondrous sight to behold. Neither good or evil magic is viewed as being bad, Twilight. Her Highness and Princess Celestia have both used dark magic before, yet the strain does prove taxing after a while." I answered.

" It makes me wish that I still had magic."

" You almost destroyed this world for the sake of knowledge."

" I know, but I wasn't exactly myself. If I had been in control of my actions, do you think I could have done some good with magic?"

" Most unicorns who use magic aren't very serious with it. They use it for everyday conveniences and nothing more. Only those who are truly dedicated to studying magic use it to perform all kinds of feats. My magical skills are pretty impressive, yet Her Highness is far superior to me because she completed her studies. I suppose if I had remained in Equestria and not abandoned my studies, I'd have become one of the most powerful unicorns easily." I answered.

" Do you think I could've studied magic if I were a unicorn?"

" Maybe, but it's difficult to say."

" Meaning?"

" If you went through the portal, you might come out as a unicorn, and you might be gifted with magic."

" That would be something to witness."

" Unfortunately, Her Highness doesn't know what might happen if a human were to go to Equestria via the portal. Ponies transform into humans and dragons become dogs, but she doesn't know if the reverse is true from this side. You could go through the portal and end up becoming some kind of hideous monster for all I know." I said.

" Even if I did become a pony, I'd have no magic. You saw to that." Twilight said.

There was no other choice in the matter. I had to take away the magic that she had absorbed in order to save her from herself. While my friends didn't become corrupted by the magic they received, what they got was a small portion compared with what Her Highness and I possess. When Twilight acquired magic, she was completely taken over and had no control over her actions. She had absorbed too much from her pendant.

Did I regret taking her magic away from her? I did, but then I also knew that it was for the best. At least now, Twilight can focus on what was really important and not have to worry about the nightmare she experienced. She had been through a great deal since the Friendship Games ended a few weeks ago. The students of CHS had forgiven her for destroying the Wondercolt statue and for almost destroying this world, yet Twilight still had problems forgiving herself. It wasn't easy for her to move on from being a monster. I knew that better than anyone, thanks to my own personal experiences. That's why I made it my goal to help her get through the difficult times.

Suddenly, a tiny glow began to brighten my place of residence.

At first, I thought it was Rainbow pretending to pony up in an attempt to annoy me over how I didn't want the sleepover at my place. When I noticed her shrugging her shoulders and holding the dice in her hand, I immediately turned towards Twilight, knowing in my gut that she was responsible. My suspicions proved correct. The glow was coming from her hands. She looked at me with a shocked expression, and I tried to figure out what was going on. Before I could come up with something, the glow started to get bigger until it had nearly consumed Twilight's hands.

That's when it dawned on me. That wasn't just an ordinary glow... It was magic.

How was this even possible? I had taken away the magic she had absorbed after I was able to convince her that I could show her another path. Yet, here she was, conjuring up a ball of magic without any way to explain it.

Then I suddenly remembered something Her Highness told me about magic. When a non-magical entity--like humans--use Equestrian magic, even if the magic is removed to prevent them from causing any further damage, a small portion remains. That's because once they have become bonded with magic, no force can take it away, no matter how powerful they claim to be. That meant that Twilight retained some of the magic she had absorbed. While I would normally be celebrating this realization, it took everyone by surprise.

Since she had no idea of how to control this new-found power, Twilight couldn't stop the glow from continuing to grow. It eventually fired from her hands and began to bounce around my place of residence. I didn't care what happened to me. If any damage were to occur, Twilight gaining her own magical powers would be the least of my worries. The magical blast bounced off the ceiling and floor, and bounced towards a book shelf. Knowing that any damage to the books would mean game over, I took the blast head-on and got knocked down. It wasn't very strong, but it still stung.

I checked the floor and ceiling to make sure there was no damage. Fortunately, everything was still intact.

" Sunset! I am so sorry that whatever I did ended up hurting you."

" It's okay, Twilight. I'm used to dealing with uncontrollable magic."

" Is this why you wanted the sleepover somewhere else?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I wasn't expecting Twilight to suddenly shoot out a burst of magic. I seriously thought I had taken all of the magic she absorbed, but it looks like she is starting to develop her own magical skills with what little remained with her." I answered.

" That's a good thing, ain't it?" Applejack asked.

" After what just happened, I think the answer is obvious."

" Guess I should've listened to you, huh, Sunset?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Don't blame yourself for somethin' that none o' us were expectin'." Applejack answered.

" Be glad that nothing was damaged." Rarity added.

" Oh, yes. While that magical blast was definitely scary and surprising, nothing in the library was damaged, aside from Sunset. That means she won't be kicked out of the library or school now for causing damage to school property." Fluttershy added. Everyone aside from me then turned to face her with a "you didn't just say that" look, prompting her to shuffle over behind a bookcase. I wasn't upset over what she said about me getting hurt. What Twilight did was actually weak compared to other magic I've been hit by in the past, yet there was a serious concern that had to be addressed.

" What now, darling?"

" Is the sleepover cancelled?"

" If it is, then I'll take all of you home in my car, but you will be the hardest to take home, Twilight. After all, you live on the other side of town, and it'll take me at least thirty minutes to drive over there. Also, I don't exactly know the whereabouts of your house, so you'll have to give me some really good directions." Rarity answered.

" But, I wanted to get to know you all better." Twilight said.

" Not with you having wild magic."

" Now everyone just calm down! I reckon Twilight didn't mean to spook us silly with her surprise, and I also reckon she had no intention of causing us harm. If anythin', I think we should have Sunset decide on what we're gonna do." Applejack said.

" Why put the pressure on me?" I asked.

" You know more about magic than the rest o' us do. That makes you the resident expert, so you can easily come up with a decision." Applejack answered.

I didn't like being put in the spotlight. Whenever that happens, I suffer a great deal of stress that, in turn, makes it difficult for me to think straight. Unfortunately, Her Highness wasn't around to help. I had to make my own choices and not rely on her all the time to come along and sort everything out.

Twilight's little magic stunt only proved that she was capable of using magic, but I didn't know what kind of power she possessed. It might have been a small amount, or it might have been magic stronger than the rest of us were capable of. In any case, I had to inform Her Highness that her human counterpart was still capable of using magic. It was best to cut the root of the problem before it had a chance to blossom into something truly terrifying. I'm not saying Twilight's magic was evil, but I couldn't afford to take that chance, knowing that I had a similar issue. My magic was taken from me so that I wouldn't relapse during my reformation; the same could be applied with Twilight. She had the capacity to relapse and want her former power again.

Everyone was now staring at me, waiting for the big decision to be made. Sometimes, I wished that I was just an ordinary girl. If I were normal, I wouldn't have so much pressure on my shoulders.

" I've made a decision." I said, several minutes later.

" Well? We're waiting to hear it!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Not helpin' her, here." Applejack said.

" I believe that we can continue to have the sleepover, despite the fact that I didn't want to have it here to begin with. Twilight's magic seems harmless enough, albeit a little unpredictable, but it shouldn't be a problem provided that we keep tabs on it. I'm going to send Her Highness a message about this and hope that she can provide some advice. I'm not expecting her to show up and solve this issue, just tell me how we can approach Twilight's new-found abilities." I said.

" Sounds like a plan."

" It's not my best idea given how sudden it is, but I believe it's the best option we have. If things get worse, we'll have to go outside and allow Twilight to let loose the magical build-up until she gets it out of her system." I said.

" This isn't going to kill me, is it?" Twilight asked.

" When someone first discovers that they can use magic, it takes some time for their body to grow accustomed to it. They have a tendency to fire off magical bolts without realizing why they're doing it and develop magical build-up that can cause slight explosions if not treated immediately." I answered.

" That doesn't sound very pleasant to me."

" I know, but there isn't much of a choice."

" Since you put it that way, I guess I've got to agree."

" Guess the sleepover got more exciting than you initially thought, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Not sure if that's any cause for celebratin'." Applejack answered.

" I'd celebrate with my party cannon, but I don't think the library would enjoy seeing confetti scattered about." Pinkie Pie added. She then had a brilliant idea that I honestly never would've expected her to do. Reaching into her cannon and fiddling about for a few seconds, Pinkie pulled out several handfuls of confetti and started tossing it in the air without a care in the world. The rest of us were quite surprised with what she did. " What? I might not be able to fire my cannon, but that doesn't mean I should let my confetti and other supplies go to waste." Pinkie Pie said.

" As long as you don't get any in my hair, darling." Rarity said.

" Um, I wouldn't mind it at all." Fluttershy added.

This sleepover was one that I didn't enjoy at first because of the choice of location. Had the others not been stubborn and instead agreed to change the venue, a lot of the stress that plagued me that night wouldn't have happened. Twilight would've still unleashed her magic, but we wouldn't have run the risk of something in the library being damaged. As time wore on, I slowly grew to enjoy the experience, despite the occasional magical hiccup that came up. It wasn't Twilight's fault that she suddenly started to use magic. I should've realized that she would retain some magical essence.

It showed that my knowledge of magic was lacking, and my friends referred to me as a magical expert despite my obvious weakness. If Her Highness had been here to have the sleepover with us, she would have come up with an answer. While it sounded like I was giving her undue praise, it was merely because she had more experience with magic. After all, she went the full distance when it came to her studies as Princess Celestia's prized student. The same couldn't be said about me, however. I abandoned my studies upon learning that my destiny had been denied, and not a day goes by that I don't regret that decision.

Could I see myself going back to Celestia's school and finishing my studies? I supposed that was a possibility, but it would mean being the oldest unicorn student, and I would need to convince her to give me another chance despite what happened.

For now, I planned on sending that message to Her Highness in the morning. Would Twilight's new-found magical skills prove useful in the future? Maybe, but she first needed to learn how to use them without causing some kind of disaster. If she couldn't control her magic, then she would have a difficult time of it later on.

" You were wise to have contacted me about what happened to her." Princess Twilight said.

" I didn't think she had the ability to use magic." I said.

" Just because you took what she stole from her doesn't mean that the magic was gone completely. I suspect that what remained laid dormant for a while until it decided to make itself known. You were fortunate that Twilight didn't make a surprising situation even worse. Had you not reacted fast enough, the library being destroyed would have been the least of your worries." Princess Twilight said.

" Do you regret not coming in person?"

" I'd have liked to have spoken with her again, but my commitments in Equestria come first."

" At least you gave me some advice."

" The only thing we can do is watch Twilight closely to see what further developments might happen. From what you described, she only conjured magical blasts three times that night, and none of them were threatening compared with what you and I have seen regarding magic." Princess Twilight said.

" Could her magic be even stronger than ours?"

" I don't know. I haven't had much of an opportunity to study how Equestrian magic affects humans." Princess Twilight answered.

That thought alone was truly upsetting. Her Highness had spent her entire life researching all manner of subjects. No matter how complicated things got, she never backed away from something until she had it all figured out. It often drove her mad for a bit, yet Her Highness managed to overcome such odds. There have been times where she wanted to simply give up and admit defeat, but her passion for magic and love of knowledge ensures that she continues on until she had understood the root of the issue.

Our friends seem perfectly fine whenever they pony up, despite the awkward transformation. Gaining pony ears and pony tails--and wings for Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and of course, Her Highness--make us stand out amongst a crowd, and many have expressed shock over us slightly changing into equines. There isn't anything we can do about it other than try to explain why it happens. I'm actually glad that I discovered the connection between our friends and the Elements of Harmony. They each represent an Element based on a belief that holds true within their hearts, and that manifests into the magic they use.

However, this is only the basic of understandings when it comes to what I've learned. There is still so much more that needs to be uncovered, and it won't be easy to figure out the missing pieces of such a complex puzzle.

" I've not made much progress on that front myself."

" You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Sunset. You told me that you studied our friends' magic in order to figure out why they ponied up. While it didn't go exactly the way you had hoped, it was enough to want to continue going until a better answer came along. Connecting them to the Elements of Harmony was a stroke of genius. I should've realized that was the reason why their magic continued evolving into what it's become." Princess Twilight said.

" Between the two of us, you're the true magic expert."

" Yes, but you rose to the challenge when I wasn't there to provide any advice."

I could see what Her Highness was trying to do. She was trying to bolster my self-esteem and convince me that I was just as skilled as she was when it came to magic. I'll admit that my confidence could stand with a little boost. I've been through so much in the course of the past six months. Despite my successes, I've also had a number of failures that were caused when I lost control of my temper and whenever I didn't understand the situation properly. Maybe I shouldn't put myself down and instead embrace the good that I've done since being given a second chance.

No doubt that I would continue having a mixture of success and failure. It all stems from my insecurities plaguing me, from how others perceive me to how I perceive myself in a world where I'm trying to find my place within it.

" If you hadn't given me a second chance--"

" I knew you deserved it."

" Thanks, Twilight."

" So, where do you go from here?"

" Summer vacation is only a couple of weeks away, and my original plan was to stay in town and find other ways to contribute. Our friends were thinking about taking a trip to a campsite for reasons they haven't told me. Something about saving the forest from something else. It's located in this world's version of the Everfree Forest, but unlike the Equestrian version, this one is actually pretty tame." I answered.

" Maybe you should go. It could broaden your horizons and allow you to see things beyond the city."

" I'll take my journal with me, too."

" The magical one or the other one?"

" Both. I'll still send you messages every now and then just to say hi or to seek out your advice, and I'll continue writing down my experiences in the other journal."

" Sounds to me that your summer will certainly be something."

" Assuming nothing goes wrong."

" I'm sure things will be fine."

" I hope so."

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Author's Note

This is something which I've been thinking about for a couple of weeks now, and I finally got around to start writing it. Originally, this was just going to feature Sunset on her own, but I eventually decided to Science Twilight as someone for Sunset to talk to on a personal level.

I know there have been plenty of stories about these two talking about their experiences, but I wanted to do something a little different.

Chapter 1: The Beginning

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
October 19, 2015
Chapter 1: The Beginning.

" I didn't think you were going to come." Those were the first words that I spoke upon seeing Twilight approach me, and it was just the beginning of what was going to happen. Even though this was something I felt was needed, this could become better or worse depending on the reaction of my friend.

" Why would you think that?" Twilight asked as she placed her bag onto the floor before removing her jacket. " I am surprised that you wanted to meet with me here in the library of the school instead of where you actually live."

" This is where I currently live," I said while avoiding making eye contact with her. Was it out of fear? Embarrassment? Or something more? So many emotions were running through my mind, yet none of them were making this any less awkward. " While it may seem strange, know that this is how the other you... the other Twilight spent the night... here, among these books."

" I understand." Twilight sounded so accepting of the situation, but then she has been acting that way ever since the Friendship Games concluded. That was an experience none of us will ever forget for a long time, but deep down in her heart... she knows what happened... the pain she felt remains strong, but she will overcome it in due time. If only I could say the same about my own pain. " Sunset..." Twilight began speaking upon noticing that I still wasn't looking at her. " Why did you only want to meet with me, and not the rest of our friends? Surely, they would have been able to help, right?"

" Not this time." My response sounded dull, as though I were accepting a heavy burden on my shoulders.

" I know that I am still new to all of you even if I do resemble... her... yet why not ask them?" Twilight moved closer to me as a means of wanting to get my attention, yet I turned away out of fear... fear that our friendship... all of my friendships would end. Why? That is the reason I have asked Twilight to meet with me, for there is something that she must know about me. While I have been honest with my friends, there are things which I have kept from them... things I've never once discussed with anyone. It never dawned on me that I would be having this feeling of fear, and yet I am experiencing it now.

" Sunset... what is wrong?" Twilight's voice slightly changed to one of concern, of worry, and I didn't want her to feel that way on my account.

" I... I asked you... you here..." My nerves were starting to take over, for I was struggling with saying even simple words, for the fear within my heart continued to grow as though it wanted to consume me from the inside out. What if she isn't able to accept my past? What if she reveals this to my friends? What would become of me then? Was I making the right decision in telling someone who looked like Princess Twilight, yet I have known her for only a short time? " I asked you here because I want to show you something."

" That wasn't so bad was it? Now, why don't you try looking at me, and we can go on from there." Twilight said with more confidence in her voice--probably a reaction to when I was able to speak in a coherent manner. I turned to face her, yet I struggled to maintain my gaze, for I didn't want to experience the pain of losing a friend. I have seen what that is like with my own eyes... even though the harsh reality was that I was the one who caused such pain.

" If this has to do with you living here during the night, I am not offended for I think it's the perfect place to spend the night what with all of these books. You have a proverbial mountain of knowledge all around you, and you can read to your heart's content without anything to disrupt you."

" Maybe, but I needed someone to talk to, and it had to be you because you and I... we're a lot alike." I could see the look in her eyes were those of a confused child who had no idea as to what I was talking about, yet I sighed a heavy sigh before reaching into my schoolbag, and pulling out a journal which had seen better days. It was tattered in several places, covered in cobwebs, and even had a musty smell... it's because I haven't looked at this for a long time. Just thinking about what I wrote down in this journal made tears trickle down my face, and I refused to wipe them away, for I felt vulnerable, weak, afraid of revisiting my past.

" Here." Twilight said as she reached into her bag, and pulled out a red piece of cloth which had her Cutie Mark on one corner before reaching over in order to wipe away the tears, " I'm here for you Sunset, but I can't do anything for you until you let me in. You were the one who opened yourself to me with friendship when I felt alone, so now I feel it is time for me to return that favour, and perhaps even more than that." Twilight's words brought a smile to my eyes as I allowed her to wipe the tears from my face. Should I let her in though knowing full well what might happen? There is much about me which she doesn't know, and I'm afraid I'll lose her along with my other friends if they knew what was written down on the pages of this--my other journal.

" Twilight... do you remember what I said to you about how the others would forgive you based on my own experiences?" I asked. My heart was beating rapidly, and I was having trouble breathing because fear was trying its best to choke me. I began feeling claustrophobic as though everything was closing in around me, and my mind was getting hazy which made me want to tear myself to shreds.

" I remember, but the only thing you mentioned was putting on a crown, and becoming consumed with magic... just like I was." Twilight answered, and in my heart, I was forcing her to relive that experience once again even though it had only been a few weeks since. While her intentions were noble, she was merely curious, and that curiosity combined with the pressure of winning the Friendship Games caused her transformation when the magic from my friends and I consumed her. And yet, she had been pressured into going down that path which is where she and I are different, for I willingly chose the path of darkness--power, it blinded me to the truth.

" When I first came here from my world... you know, the world where magic is abundant... where I was a pony." I began.

" I'm still trying to come to terms with what you really are Sunset, but pay me no mind, for this is something more important." Twilight said. At least I can take in the solace of the fact that she hasn't considered me some kind of monster given my true self, but that word--monster... it's a word which is tied very closely to my past.

" When I came here, I wasn't the person that you know now." I said while trying to hold back my tears, and holding onto my chest due to a sudden urge of pain. " I was something else entirely, and I'm not proud of who I used to be." That's when my hand slipped from my chest, and fell onto the dusty journal with a loud thud; a thud which echoed throughout the library--a reminder of the silence which surrounded us. " I... I... wrote down my experiences into this journal when I was going through a difficult time in my life, and no one has ever known that I had this, or wrote anything down in it... until now because I am telling you about it."

" Experiences?" Twilight asked, yet I didn't know if she were teasing me in the hopes of making me feel better, or was she confused by my words?

" What I wrote down was what happened to me from what I remember from my days in my world, to the years I spent living here, but I didn't just write that stuff down... no... I also wrote down secrets. Even after my heart opened up to friendship, and I slowly began redeeming myself, I continued to write down these secrets... as though my heart was telling me to because of some kind ofinner rage. No, not rage, but rather a sense of wanting to express my truest feelings." I answered. Twilight was taken aback by what I had just said, and who could blame her for feeling uncomfortable. In truth, I would have done the exact same thing, for I am also uncomfortable with all of this, yet I needed someone to know these secrets. Why? Why would I share such private moments with another? It was my own conscious which was guiding me--troubling as it was sometimes. I could no longer keep this bottled up inside, like pent-up-rage. I had to share this, and Twilight was the only one who could help as she was perhaps the closest of my friends... in more ways than one.

" Are you sure?" Twilight asked.

" If I weren't hesitant about it, you and I wouldn't be meeting here right now." I answered.

" What did you write in this journal? And why me?" Twilight asked with a sense of fear in her voice as though she had found herself in a trap.

" I wrote about I truly feel about everyone I know... both here and back home." I answered before I resumed crying. This wasn't easy for me to do because even though I probably should just forget about doing this, I have come this far, and so I must go the entire distance. I then turned to Twilight who wiped away my tears again, yet I wanted her not to because I deserved to cry, yet my hands refused to stop her. " After being accepted, I stopped writing in this journal, and I tried to regress those experiences so that I would never remember them, but when I saw what happened to you... when you changed into a monster, those memories reached the surface, and what I tried to forget has been consuming me from the inside out like a virus corroding me." I said before I slowly opened the book to the first page where the binding suddenly cracked a little, but I ignored this, and urged for Twilight to come closer. " I wanted to tell you Twilight, for we're different from our friends because of the darkness... because of giving into temptation even though you were forced, and I chose it."

" I don't understand why you think our friends aren't allowed to know of this, but I respect your wishes on the matter." Twilight said.

" If they knew, my relationship with them would be damaged beyond repair." I said.

" It can't be that bad." Twilight said, but when she saw the expression in my eyes, the sharp gaze which made it difficult for her to look away from me, she quickly realized her error in judgment. " Is it because you and I have only each other for a short while? Even if I am her counterpart, you feel as though you can trust me more than them? I'm hoping that you know what you're doing Sunset, for this could cause the proverbial can of worms to burst at the seams." Twilight's words had never been truer to me, but this is something I want to do, and despite almost cracking under pressure because of fear, I decided to go through with it because I couldn't hold it in anymore. She then scooted over next to me which made me feel relaxed, but I knew this wasn't going to last very long... especially when we get into what I said about my friends... before and after they forgave me.

" I guess with anything, the best place is to start at the beginning." I said.

" When you first came here?" Twilight asked.

" No, back when I was a young unicorn who was trying to find her place in life." I answered. Where had it all gone wrong? When I was a young filly, I had so much potential as a unicorn. My magic was top notch, I studied very hard in order to master my magical skills, and I was even chosen to become the personal student of Princess Celestia, yet what caused me to change my path? I mean, I know what happened, yet I am speaking metaphorically as though I were ignorant of it all.

In my world... Equestria... I lived a relatively normal life, yet this was merely a façade which I used as a mask to hide my truest feelings. I... was never close with my family, for they were all powerful unicorns, and I wanted to be just like them. I tried my best to live up to the expectations of my parents, yet they ignored me in favour of my siblings. I... I suppose I despised them for that even though they did raise me, yet the emotional scars would become a part of me. I felt that in the eyes of my parents, I was a complete disappointment, but I wanted to prove them wrong. No matter how hard I tried to earn their approval, they doted over my siblings, and left me feeling cold and alone. I closed my heart to other people including them, and it was the beginning of a downward spiral.

I felt like a shadow had wrapped itself around me, and desired to pull me into its embrace where being alone, not caring about others, wanting to be better than everyone, and to seek power was what I needed in life. Power... a word which became a twisted knife that would pierce my heart, and remain embedded within me for years. On the outside, we were a happy family, but on the inside my heart grew cold, bitter, full of resentment. If my family had been more supportive , my life would not have changed for the worse. There was one incident which I wrote down in this journal... it was the day where she entered into my life... the one pony who understood me.

" Father... you wished to see me?"

" Sunset Shimmer! Your mother and I have been thinking this over for quite some time, and we feel that perhaps we may have been neglecting you in favour of your siblings out of a desire to see our children become powerful unicorns." For the first time in my life, I had been given praise by my father, yet in my heart, I couldn't accept his words or affection. My heart had been closed to my family because of being ignored and unappreciated, and it also spawned a desire... a desire of wanting to prove that I could be the best. " I know that you probably don't think too highly of your mother and I, and for that you have every right to be angry with us, for we were wrong to have made you suffer. I am hoping that you will forgive us for our transgressions." My father's lip quivered which was a sign that he wasn't being completely honest with me, yet I pretended to accept his apology. While he was a powerful unicorn, he also suffered an injury several years prior which caused his left hind leg to become deformed thus giving him an unusual limp.

" I accept." I said with a lack of enthusiasm in my delivery.

" I know that words alone aren't enough, but perhaps this surprise will make you happy. You see, we have contacted someone who says that she can provide you with the proper training to allow you to become a powerful unicorn. When I mentioned your name to her, she said that she has been watching you for some time, and wishes to see if you are worthy to be taken under her wing." My father said before using his own magic to apply some kind of medical salve on his deformed leg, yet in my mind I just wanted to see him suffer tremendous pain all because he and my mother neglected me.

" You wanted to hurt him?" Twilight asked as she covered her mouth with her hands in utter shock.

" No, I couldn't bring myself to do that even if he did deserve it, but I wanted him to suffer in some way because of how I felt hurt." I answered. Already, I could feel my heart wrenching at the fact that Twilight was hearing about how I truly felt about my parents, and in particular my own father even though this all happened many years ago. My hand tried to turn the page over, yet I couldn't bring myself to doing it, for I was afraid of what was going to happen next especially with Twilight. We had just barely started, and already I felt our friendship was beginning to crumble into dust, and become scattered by the very wind itself. " Twilight... we should stop before things get any worse."

" I'm okay Sunset." Twilight said.

" Are you sure?" I asked.

" Hearing what you wrote down about you felt about your father was shocking, but I can understand your frustration. I know you probably don't despise him now seeing as you've changed since then, yet you were young, and your innocence had been tainted." Twilight answered. While her words were warm, I wasn't able to feel that warmth with my own body because I haven't seen my family for years... not since that day...

" You've gotten me a magic tutor?" I asked.

" I wouldn't say it like that." My father looked up at the ceiling which had me think that he was hiding something, but I wasn't interested in what he was doing, but rather what he was saying because it was my chance to get away from my family, and perhaps start a new chapter in my life. " Princess Celestia has taken an interest in you my dear, and is coming here later in order to see if you are worthy to be admitted to her "School for Gifted Unicorns". It is quite the prestigious school, for some of the most powerful unicorns have graduated from there, and their influences across Equestria are well known." As my father sat down because his leg was becoming too painful for him to stand, my mind was experiencing all kinds of emotions. Why would Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria want to come here just to see me? Was this some kind of trick my parents concocted in the hopes of making me feel appreciated? I decided there and then that I would trust his judgment, yet it didn't change how I felt.

" When will she come?" I asked.

" Within the next hour or two, so I suggest that you prepare to impress her." In my heart, my parents thought that this would be the best thing for me, yet why not give me the proper attention themselves? Why have it fall onto someone else? Was I really that unimportant to them? My father told me that I needed to perform some spells, and insisted that I began practicing, so I walked off leaving him to deal with his own personal problems including guilt. I used my magic to select a book on the highest bookshelf in the living room which is where our family's library of magical tomes, historical journals, and the like were available, and I walked straight to my room without saying another word. I wanted to impress her highness, for I felt that she could free me from this troubled lifestyle.

" So you wanted to be free?" Twilight asked.

" Yes... I wanted to break free of being ignored and unloved, and perhaps become something much more. Because my parents never encouraged me, I ended up teaching myself to use magic efficiently which started with basic spells before I moved onto and mastered more complicated spells. I became so obsessed with wanting to be the best, I never found time for friends as I thought that would just get in the way, and I rarely interacted with my parents and siblings unless there was no other choice." I answered before coming to a stop due to a realization. As I stared off into the darkness of the library as though I were looking at something, but really wasn't, I realized that Twilight... the one here with me, and the one back in Equestria... both of them were just like me in that they had no time for friends. They were fixated on studying, yet they were appreciated and encouraged while I wasn't given that opportunity which is what makes me different.

" What happened when this princess came?" Twilight asked.

" It was the beginning of my new life, and the beginning of my own downfall..." I answered.

Chapter 13: The Coronation

Day: Monday
Weather: Rain, possible thunderstorm later
Time: 9:00am

Over the course of the next three years, through deceit, intimidation, and manipulation, I gained full control over the students of Canterlot High! Not only have they been divided thanks to what I revealed about their secrets, they also feared my very presence! However, I'm still not satisfied, despite all that I've accomplished. I may have been ruling over a school full of humans, but my true desire was to become an alicorn princess and rule over Equestria, a dream which still burns in my heart, even after it was dashed by my former mentor. If only I could have gone back to Equestria then, I'd easily have taken over without any problems due to how much I've learned. Unfortunately, the portal wouldn't be open for quite some time, which means I was stuck here. At least, that's what I thought was the case, but a stroke of luck was about to change everything. I don't know how it happened, but the portal had opened, and I had every intention of using it to go back home.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
November 16, 2015
Chapter 13: The Coronation.

" Sunset... what do you mean by her coronation?" Twilight asked.

" The other you, the other Twilight, is a princess in Equestria, and when she became an alicorn, she was given a coronation which all ponies across Equestria attended, provided that they were able to make it. While it was a momentous occasion for everyone, the same couldn't be said about me, and if you look down at the current page we're on in my journal, you'll understand how I felt about it." I answered, looking down where I immediately turned my face away. Twilight then looked for herself, and her expression was one of shock, as what her eyes were exposed to was nothing short of horrific. Various curse words were strewn about the page, and there were even dried droplets of blood, which made her look at me, eyes wide open, silently demanding to know what happened. " My dream was to become a princess, an alicorn, so when I found out that the other Twilight had fulfilled my dream, well, I was furious, as though my entire life had just been shattered to pieces like a mirror. Even now, I still feel animosity towards her for having done what was denied to me."

" She is both your friend and mentor, so why even feel this way?" Twilight asked.

" Jealousy, I suppose, or perhaps frustration that she got it instead of me. Even though we've become friends now, I still harbour some resentment towards her, and I've never mentioned this to her at any time; I just wanted to keep such feelings to myself. When I wrote down what I experienced when I returned to Equestria for the first time, I was so frustrated with Princess Twilight; it felt like she was rubbing it in my face, and secretly mocking me because she succeeded where I failed." I answered.

" And the blood?" Twilight asked.

" I was going through a very difficult phase in my life, so I... slit my wrists out of a desire to mutilate myself, but also because I hated her! I hated that she became a princess, and I remained a mere unicorn, despite everything that Princess Celestia taught me." I answered. I quickly stopped talking and turned towards Twilight out of fear that she would have run away or done something to me because of what I just said, yet she did neither of those things. Instead, she hugged me as hard as possible, and I returned the embrace, her kindness and affection being a beacon of strength.

" I can understand how upset you were, Sunset. Wanting to become a princess had been your goal in life, and you were being personally trained by a princess in order to receive that very title, only to have lost it all. Though, I think you did go overboard when you had a... mental breakdown, as mutilation is one of the worst things you can do to yourself. I have a feeling that Princess Twilight didn't intend on becoming a princess; given what you and the others said about her, there are times where she feels like it's too much of a burden. As such, she inadvertently attacked you emotionally, and you were blinded by this." Twilight said. I remember that conversation well after Princess Twilight came through the portal after the conclusion to the Friendship Games, yet while the two Twilights were badgering one another about what they were looking at, we did manage to explain to Twilight here about the truth behind her Equestrian counterpart. It did prove to be a difficult subject as Twilight had a hard time believing in magic even when she used it unintentionally, but she proved to be a fast learner, and has accepted magic to an extent. " I am curious though as to why you skimmed through roughly a dozen pages before turning to the page regarding this coronation." Twilight said.

" How did you know?" I asked.

" I'm very observant Sunset, so I watched you out of the corner of my eye skimming those pages in dead silence. If you thought you could hide something like that from me, you guessed wrong, and I'm calling you out on it!" Twilight answered. I smiled meekly knowing that I met my match, so why didn't she say anything before? Was it because she was focused more on my outburst, or did she want to know more about Princess Twilight? " So, why skip over so many pages? Surely, the experiences you wrote down are worthy enough to be talked about."

" Unless you want me to talk endlessly about what I did for the next three years." I said.

" Okay, you've made your point, so why not give it to me in simple terms." Twilight suggested.

" During those next three years, I continued having interviews with other students, and the secrets they revealed to me were used to make their lives miserable, and when the yearly Fall Formal came along, those who tried to compete against me were subjected to utter humiliation as I used Snips and Snails to uncover additional secrets, which ruined not only their chances, but their reputations as well. There were even additional formals that occurred at other times in the year, and I wanted to win those, as well, no matter what I had to do to secure victory. As these secrets continued to swirl about CHS, friendships being destroyed in the process, my actions became more and more malicious, exerting authority over the students to satisfy my own superiority complex." I said, pausing due to my throat feeling parched from explaining myself. I clasped my throat because of how dry it was, and Twilight knew exactly what to do. She reached into her backpack, and took out a container filled with apple cider. Heh, at one time I used to hate the stuff, mainly because it reminded me of Applejack, but once I got a taste for it, I never looked back.

" You really like this stuff don't you?" Twilight asked, surprised that I kept on asking for refill after refill, though she didn't mind as long as my thirst was quenched.

" Applejack was the one who got me hooked." I said, finally having had my fill of apple cider.

" What else happened during those three years?" Twilight asked.

" During that time, I began dating Flash Sentry, and before you even say anything Twilight, I'm fully aware that he's a human, and I'm a pony in the form of a human, but no one ever knew that until after last year's Fall Formal. However, I never loved him in that sense of the word. No, I wanted to take advantage of his ever-increasing popularity, using it to strengthen my own, yet he truly loved me, even though I was using him. He would eventually figure out my true intentions years later and break up with me. I didn't take his action very kindly, and I secretly planned on bringing him down in retaliation. By the time Princess Twilight's coronation came along, everyone was afraid of me, and I felt that I could do anything I wanted because of my status. No one dared challenge me unless they wanted their deepest secrets exposed, utterly humiliating them." I answered.

" How did you know about her coronation?" Twilight asked.

" It was all by sheer coincidence! Princess Twilight once told me that she tried to cast a powerful spell created by Star Swirl the Bearded, the most powerful unicorn wizard to have ever lived in Equestria, yet the spell was incomplete, and it caused some 'interesting' things to happen. For one thing, the pony versions of our friends experienced a change in their personalities. As for what happened in this world, the portal opened, due to excess magic from the side-effects of the spell seeping through the mirror, activating it." I answered.

It was raining that morning, and I was heading outside to have a moment to myself. Then again, considering I had the entire student body under my thumb, taking a break was perhaps the last thing on my mind, but I was feeling frustrated with my lot in life. I ruled CHS with an iron fist, and everyone feared me because of how I rendered them asunder, figuratively of course, as I used their secrets to manipulate them, sent text messages that provided false information, relied on Snips and Snails to uncover even more dirt on them, and did other things far too terrible for me to want to recall, and through it all I was on top of my game. Yet, one thing was missing. I wanted more than what I had! I wanted to become an alicorn, which was the one dream that was taken away from me by Princess Celestia! I wanted to rule over Equestria as her equal, or rather her superior! The desire for me to suddenly leave this world behind and return home was a passionate one, but I was merely kidding myself, as in truth, the portal wasn't going to open for several more months. By the time those had passed me by, my mind would probably be focusing on something else. Nothing prepared me for what I was about to discover.

When I stepped outside, making sure that I was wearing my black raincoat, which had my cutie mark emblazoned on the back, I noticed something odd about the statue that adorns the front area of CHS, the Wondercolt Statue, a symbol of school pride. If anything, it was nothing but a useless hunk of rock that these people worship as though it were some kind of deity, given how I often saw them hanging around it. If I could, I would have destroyed it long ago and replaced it with a statue of myself, a sign that I was in control of the school despite the two sisters technically in charge. Those thoughts would soon disappear from my mind when I saw it. There it was: a faded twinkling coming from the side of the statue that was facing the entrance to the school. Such a slight glow, but one that was easy for me to spot. The aura coming from it... could it be what I thought it was? I walked closer, ignoring the rain falling around me, my feet splashing in the puddles between the entrance and the statue, my eyes fixated on this one point, which most would have ignored, though I didn't; I knew what it was.

" Equestrian magic..." I said to myself upon reaching the statue base and pressing my hand up against the part of the statue where the twinkling was coming from. " It really is magic from back home, but how could it be here and now?" I remembered what I read in that book located in the dark magic section of the Canterlot Royal Library; how could I forget such vivid words like those? 'The portal opens once every thirty moons, and leads to another world...' I made sure to keep track of how many moons had passed since I first came here, and it hadn't been thirty, so why has it opened now? Was it a sign that I should go through, and return home for the first time in years? Or was it Princess Celestia's attempt to convince me to come home in order to make me beg for forgiveness? " It doesn't matter how and why the portal had opened; I'm not about to waste such a perfectly good opportunity, yet whether I choose to return or stay depends on what I discover on the other side." I said to myself, running into the portal without a second thought.

Within a matter of moments, I came out the other side of the mirror, immediately struggling to maintain my balance. I dropped down onto my hooves due to being unable to stand up on two of them. I looked down, and sure enough, my legs and hands were gone, replaced with the same hooves I remember having what felt like a long time ago. I then turned around out of curiosity, and the reflection staring back at me was that of my unicorn form, a form I had not seen in practically forever. It also meant that my magic had been restored to me, and a cruel smile wrapped around my lips before being replaced with one of surprise. " I'm home... I'm home again, but I don't remember the mirror being in a room like this. If I had to make an educated guess, I should be somewhere in the lowest basement of Canterlot Castle." I said to myself. My best guess to explain my current location was that Princess Celestia moved the mirror down here so that it was out of her sight, and so she wouldn't need to see it for any particular reason. That meant no one in the castle was aware of my return, but I'd better make myself scarce in case the excess magic coming from the portal began to linger, which could in turn bring some unwanted attention down here.

It then dawned on me that I couldn't exactly just waltz around the castle as I currently was; having been escorted out and banished from the castle because of what happened, I was essentially a criminal who could be arrested were anyone of authority to notice my presence. " I want to see what kind of changes have occurred around here since I left, so getting caught would be the absolute worst thing that can happen." I said to myself, and so I began thinking about how to deal with this problem, and an idea quickly began formulating within my brain. " I read up on some dark magic before that incident with Princess Celestia, so why not use one of those spells to give me the means of moving around without drawing attention to myself? I know I never got a chance to use them, but I'm not in the best position to argue with myself on ethics of all things." I then began to concentrate all of my magic, which culminated at the tip of my horn, and, firing a beam of dark magic that proved both exhausting and painful, I disguised my cutie mark before doing the same to the rest of my body. Upon finishing the spell, I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and was surprised at the result.

" This dark magic is truly amazing. No wonder Princess Celestia decided to keep it locked away! She obviously didn't understand just how incredibly useful it could be, so instead she sealed it away out of fear that her subjects would become corrupted. It's like I said to her a long time ago: I was her superior because I knew how to get things done, and that made me a prime candidate to become a princess! Yet she cast me aside because my way of thinking was too radical, too ambitious. Well, we'll see about that." I said to myself, quietly leaving the room, and trying my best to remember how to get out of the basement. It had been many years since I was last down here, so some things I remembered, while others remained a blur. There were times where I ran into a dead-end or even found myself visiting the same location more than once. It frustrated me. I wanted to let loose my magic as a means of venting, but I restrained myself, as I still needed to learn what had changed.

Eventually, after several more mishaps, I finally made it to the main area of the castle, and I was shocked at what I was seeing. There were various party decorations hanging all over the place, tables lined with all kinds of exotic foods, ponies of all kinds walking about dressed in formal attire, and the Royal Guard out in full force as though a big event were taking place. Surely it wasn't the Grand Galloping Gala!? I never did find much satisfaction when I was forced to attend them when I was Celestia's protégé, so this must be some other kind of occasion. An answer would quickly come in the form of two ponies who just so happened to walk by where I overheard them.

" Can you believe this is really happening?"

" Never in all my years would I have thought to live to see the day that a new princess would be crowned!"

" To think that Twilight Sparkle has managed to achieve such a monumental goal simply by doing something which has never been done before. She has made Canterlot proud of her accomplishment. Even Princess Celestia is beside herself with happiness, as she should be; Twilight was taught by her personally. Her Highness deserves to see one of her prized students finally become an alicorn especially after having so many failures before."

" Do you mean?"

" Remember Sunset Shimmer?"

" Ah, yes! She was the last student Princess Celestia had under her wing until Twilight came along. Whatever happened to her?"

" They say that she disappeared a few years ago after having a falling out with Her Highness, and has never been seen since. A shame, really. She had an awful lot of potential as a unicorn, but her arrogance doomed her, according to what my daughter told me whenever she came home from school."

" She ended up being a real failure!"

" I wouldn't go that far, but rather I'd say her ambition went far beyond her will to control it."

" I'm standing by what I just said about her, and you know it's true, as Princess Celestia has never openly stated anything regarding Sunset Shimmer since the day she disappeared. She was a failure, through and through. Twilight Sparkle, on the other hoof, has shown tremendous skill which rivals that of Sunset, but the main difference is that Twilight never allowed arrogance to blind her. Sunset became just like those other students who Her Highness attempted to groom, yet while they left of their own accord, Sunset simply ran away because she couldn't handle it." The amount of anger building up inside of me had already reached a fever pitch when the younger of these two ponies insulted me, but what the older one said completely pushed me over the edge. I was so distraught over his words that I was ready to reveal myself and make him regret saying those words, regret ever being born! The two ponies then continued on their way, leaving me to vent out my frustration by using my magic to damage part of a nearby wall, cracks appearing in it that slowly spread along. I managed not to shatter into pieces, restraining myself at the last moment.

" How dare she! How dare Princess Celestia not acknowledge my existence since I left?" I said to myself, the rage within me making my eyes blaze, my hatred almost impossible for me to keep under control. But then, something else bothered me: namely, my family, who probably forgot all about me, given how little they cared. They probably think I relocated to another part of Equestria where I refused to keep in touch. That's when the elephant in the room reared its ugly head in the form of the one those two ponies were talking about. " So she found another unicorn to become her prized student, and that one succeeded instead of me? No doubt Princess Celestia was so desperate in crowning a new princess, she probably allowed this Twilight Sparkle to have an easy time of it. Still, despite my apprehension, I need to see who this new princess is; I want to know how I can make her life just as miserable as those in the other world." I said to myself.

Following the ponies who had insulted me, I soon entered the royal hall, a place which I haven't set hoof in for a very long time. However, rather than make my way to the front of the gathering which lay before me, I decided to stay in the rear, in case Princess Celestia saw through my disguise. After waiting around for a few moments, I saw her making her way up to the podium along with her sister, and Princess Cadance, whom I had only met on a couple of occasions. Princess Celestia, my former teacher. Just seeing her in her full regalia made me sick to my stomach; she was flaunting around her presence, and I resented her for it. I was expecting her to be miserable over what happened between us, yet she was happy because my apparent successor had done the one thing I couldn't.

" We are gathered here today in celebration of a momentous occasion. My most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, has done many extraordinary things since she first started to live in Ponyville." Princess Celestia said, her words bringing everypony in the room to attention, and I begrudgingly went along with it in order to maintain my disguise, yet I was secretly worried. Why haven't the Royal Guard caught onto the fact that I'm wearing nothing but a raincoat in a place where regalia was all around? " She was able to bring the real Princess Cadance back to us when she was replaced by the Changeling queen, aided in the protection of the Crystal Empire, and even helped reunite me with my sister Princess Luna. Today, Twilight Sparkle did something extraordinary which has never been done in the entire history of Equestria. She created new magic, by taking what had originally been created by Star Swirl the Bearded and finished it, proving without a doubt that she is ready to be crowned Equestria's newest princess." Princess Celestia said.

" What!? This Twilight Sparkle is being crowned a princess because she finished a mere magic spell!?" I said to myself, completely irate over what I had just heard. I worked as hard as any unicorn to be accepted in the same manner as this upstart, yet she ascended without any true challenge!? If there was any compassion in my heart leading me towards forgiving Princess Celestia, it shattered to pieces upon hearing those words. That's when she made the announcement introducing the newest princess in Equestria, and I almost gave myself a heart attack when I saw who this pony was. " No... it can't be... not her..." I said to myself, as I stared at this Twilight Sparkle. She... she was the same foal who was playing in the park the day I was shown the mirror. That little foal who had a carefree life, and would most likely have not amounted to anything was making her way up to the podium as a princess!? She then received her crown atop her head, and this was enough for me to want to protest against such garbage, but I knew that doing so would reveal my hand, and I'd be banished, or even worse, as a result.

" Congratulations, Princess Twilight!" Princess Celestia announced.

" Thank you." Princess Twilight said, the crowd of ponies cheering her on, except for me. I was simply livid.

" Care to say something?" Princess Celestia asked.

" Oh, well, I didn't exactly prepare anything elaborate; I wasn't expecting this to happen to me, but I'll give it a shot anyway, since everypony seems to really want to hear what I have to say about all of this." Princess Twilight answered, clearing her throat before she began speaking again. " When I first moved to Ponyville under the recommendation of my teacher Princess Celestia, she sent me to study friendship, because until I discovered what it truly was, I merely chose to focus on my studies, and thus never really cared much about the concept. Now, especially after all that I've been through in these past moons, I can now say from the bottom of my heart that I wouldn't be standing here before you all as the newest princess if not for the friendships which I forged. Each one of my friends showed me something that helped me to further understand friendship, and I shall forever be grateful to them for all they have done."

" An excellent speech." Princess Celestia said.

" Today, I truly believe that I am the luckiest pony in all of Equestria." Princess Twilight said. The crowd then erupted into applause again before the four princesses and an assortment of ponies made their way over to a balcony, where this upstart of a pony repeated her speech again to an even larger crowd who had been waiting outside. I couldn't believe this was really happening! That should have been me saying that speech about becoming a princess! I should be the one getting all of that praise, not her! Never had I felt so much fury inside of me, and I wasn't going to let this injustice stand. This Twilight Sparkle was going to rue the day she ever decided to steal what is rightfully mine. Steal... That gave me an idea of how I could cement my place as the princess I deserved to be, but first I needed to return to the other world. Turning my attention towards Princess Twilight, my jaw dropped over seeing the ponies who were standing next to her, for I recognized each and every one of them.

" Those five... It's them... the same five from the other world. They are close friends to this Twilight Sparkle!? This has just made things even more interesting; while I've already driven them apart, courtesy of my manipulations, I now have an additional reason for wanting to make their lives utterly miserable." I said to myself. I made sure to make a mental note in my mind with regards to what Princess Twilight's crown looked like. That done, without anyone noticing, I slipped away, because sticking around was bound to cause me nothing but heartache. That's when I discovered something that I didn't count on happening...

" I wouldn't want to be in your shoes, er, hooves, if I had to witness some complete stranger claim something which I was denied." Twilight said.

" If I were like I am now instead of what I was back then, I would have actually enjoyed the spectacle of it all. Canterlot is well-known throughout Equestria as having some of the best social gatherings imaginable. Even the most famous of ponies visit in order to experience such occasions. Sure, it all looks overdone at times, what with all the attention to detail that goes into such formal affairs, but everyone enjoys themselves immensely." I said, looking up at the ceiling and thinking back on all those events I attended back when I was Princess Celestia's prized student. How I wish that I could have gotten more enjoyment out of them, not simply having felt miserable because the events were taking away precious studying time. Truly, my priorities back then were deplorable at best. Thanks to my time living here in this world after I reformed, I've grown to enjoy social gatherings, and I hope one day I'll be able to experience them again in Equestria for the right reasons.

" What did you mean when you said that something happened which you didn't count on?" Twilight asked.

" It had to do with the mirror." I answered.

" Did it shatter?" Twilight asked.

" No. I saw a few of the Royal Guard taking it away with them." I answered.

Chapter 29: Return of the Princess

Day: Thursday
Weather: Sunny, strong gusts of wind prominent
Time: 4:00pm

Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were the only ones who could have stopped those new girls from changing the Musical Showcase into a Battle of the Bands. But they had become seduced by their singing and had agreed to make it a competition instead of a charity event. Those girls even had a name for their band: The Dazzlings. The situation had gotten much worse. My friends and I now felt truly isolated, as we were the only ones who hadn't been affected by the Dazzlings. Luckily, a breakthrough came when my friends figured out that they were protected somehow with the magic they had acquired from Princess Twilight. We also concluded that she was needed in order for the magic to work, so that meant bringing her back to this world. That would not be easy since the portal was closed and would remain that way for a long time. Perhaps a secret from my past would be the key to solving that particular problem. It may also solve another: Why am I unaffected by the Dazzlings' singing? I had no magic, so what was my reason?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 18, 2015
Chapter 29: Return of the Princess.

" Bring back Princess Twilight?" Twilight asked.

" If anyone could help us figure out how to defeat the Sirens and save everyone, she was the one." I answered.

" Guess it must have been easy for her to return, considering she already did it once before." Twilight said.

" Actually, it wasn't. Remember that the portal between this world and Equestria only opened every thirty moons, so we would have had to have waited at least another twenty-seven moons before she could have come through. Whatever happened that enabled me to use it much sooner than expected didn't happen again, so our options were limited. Waiting that long wasn't an option. Princess Twilight was needed right then." I said.

" I'm surprised that you would put yourself down like that. I know that your knowledge about magic wasn't as good as it used to be, but why put so much pressure on Princess Twilight before she even returned? Surely, you had done your share of reading about Equestrian magic, so if anything, you could have recalled such experiences." Twilight said. I blushed, embarrassed at what she said, and she immediately noticed. While it was true that my knowledge wasn't as strong, my preferred method of learning was completely different. " Sunset, why are you blushing? Is there something you're not telling me?" Twilight asked.

" The truth is, I never was a fan of reading dusty, old books, and Princess Celestia discovered that fact during my time with her. I mean, I'd read some books she assigned to me because of how important they were to my studies, but much of the time I just couldn't grasp the concepts simply by reading them off of a page. I was a pony who wanted to go out into the field and experience things first-hoof--hand--rather than read about it. Granted, there were some things that could only be discovered in books, but I never once regretted my decision to want to learn in that manner." I answered.

" I take it your method didn't involve learning about the Sirens?" Twilight asked.

" Not much was known about them because they were few in number, according to some books. They disappeared into the annals of Equestrian history and were largely forgotten as a result. As such, Princess Celestia never felt the need for me to study about them, so I never did." I answered. Star Swirl the Bearded was to blame for that, as he banished them in the first place. He chose not to tell her what he did, but why he kept it a secret until his death had never been made known. I then remembered one of the Friendship Reports I wrote to Princess Twilight. She told me that she had access to books, scrolls, and the like which Star Swirl had written during his lifetime. One of those books happened to be his journal, where he wrote down all of his secrets. Unfortunately, the one relating to the Sirens' fate was absent. I guess he was just too ashamed to ever write it down. Or maybe he did, but it became lost over time.

" What are you thinking about?" Twilight asked.

" Just some memories of Equestria's past." I answered.

" Nothing I would understand, right?" Twilight asked. It felt unfair that I couldn't tell her such things. Much about Equestrian lore would just sail right over her head. Then again, I've been living here for the past three years, so my knowledge of what's been going on lately in Equestria isn't all that great either. If anyone could teach her more about Equestria's history, it would be Princess Twilight herself. That would probably be the awkward moment of the year, right there! I could just imagine seeing those two in the same room together, one trying to teach the other about a world much different than her own, both struggling to come to grips that they both look almost identical to each other. Twilight then snapped her fingers when she saw that I was thinking again, and I quickly came out of my trance and addressed her.

" Sorry about that, Twilight, and yes, you wouldn't understand. But, you could always learn about it if you wanted." I said.

" That is a possibility, but for now I'll stick with the facts that I do know and leave the magical ones to you." Twilight said. I smiled, nodding, and reached out to turn to the next page of the journal. I winced a little because my hand was still throbbing from when I punched the ground earlier in frustration, so I handed the book to Twilight, who placed it on her lap before turning the page. Her eyes widened when she saw another photo had been glued there. " Sunset? Why do you have a photo of your journal here?"

" That's my other journal." I answered.

" Oh? You mean the magical one?" Twilight asked.

" I would finally use it again for the first time since I left Equestria." I answered.

My friends and I were shocked over discovering that Princess Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had been hypnotised by those new girls The Dazzlings. Their glowing eyes confirmed my worst fears. It meant that we were the only ones who now remained unaffected by the dark magic that gripped CHS. We knew that sticking around any longer would amount to nothing, so we left Principal Celestia's office without saying another word. Their stoic eyes, coupled with their false smiles, watched us as we closed the door on the way out. We needed somewhere to go in order to think about our next course of action, and I suggested the Wondercolt statue. After all, we had to maintain school pride during such dark times, and the statue represented that pride in spades.

Walking down the hallway, I began thinking about the dark magic the Dazzlings used to hypnotize everyone. There was no doubt in my mind that it was Equestrian in origin, but it didn't make sense to me at all. How could they have gained access to that? They weren't present when I became a she-demon, so they wouldn't have been inspired to seek out similar magic. Were they truly from Equestria? That thought made me bite my thumb a little bit. This world could have been destroyed because of Equestrian magic, courtesy of yours truly, and now it was experiencing the same problem again. The amount of guilt piercing my heart grew stronger with each passing minute. If I had never come here, this world would have remained free from magical problems. However, if the Dazzlings came here before me, what made them decide to make their move now? Upon exiting the front entrance to CHS, my friends and I walked over to the statue, sat down around it, and began to think. I chose to keep my thoughts on this situation to myself, just in case I get blamed for it. After all, part of this situation was my own doing.

" I can't believe what we witnessed!" Rarity shouted.

" They got to Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, too! They were our best chance of convincing everyone not to go through with this whole idea of having a competition, and now look at them. I can only imagine what it must have been like when they heard that singing." Fluttershy said.

" Probably horrible." Rarity said.

" Um, I was thinking it was more pleasant." Fluttershy said.

" Duly noted, Fluttershy darling, but you know what I meant." Rarity said.

" It don't really matter what they felt! The point is, they've been mesmerized by those Dazzlings!" Applejack said.

" They've gotten to everybody!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Not everybody!" Pinkie Pie said, looking at each of us in turn to signify that we were the only ones left.

" We're all that remains who haven't been affected by their singing." Applejack said.

" Sunset Shimmer, what do you suppose prevented us from being affected?" Rarity asked.

" I've been thinking about that for a while now, and while I don't have a definitive answer, I do have a theory. Each of you have become affected by Equestrian magic, due to the magic Princess Twilight used when you all faced off against me. It's possible that you've gotten some kind of immunity to this dark magic those girls have been using, but I don't know if that's correct or not. Of course, it doesn't even begin to explain why I wasn't affected. I don't have any magic now, so why was I spared? If anything, I should have become hypnotized faster than anyone else. After all, it's not like I mean all that much to anyone aside from all of you." I answered.

" Sunset..." Rarity said.

" Okay, so we have some kind of protection that relates to our ability to pony up?" Applejack asked.

" Something like that." I answered. I felt really uncomfortable because these questions were ones that I didn't really have any answers to. I wasn't even sure if the answers I gave were correct either, aside from what I said about myself. I really wanted to help figure this out, as I was the resident expert on magic, but this was completely beyond my scope of understanding. Had I more knowledge about Equestrian magic, my confidence would be brimming. Instead, it had completely fizzled; I had no idea what I was doing. " Girls... I can't pretend to know things that I don't. I'm... not really sure what the answers are. I've lived here for just over three years now, and despite having used dark magic from a stolen crown, my knowledge isn't what it used to be. Sorry... I'm so sorry for giving you all false hope." I then looked up at my friends who, in turn, were looking at me as though there were something wrong with my face. " Uh, why are you staring?" I asked.

" Dark magic!" Rarity answered.

" We already established that." I said.

" You used it before when you had your 'moment', so you should be able to determine if what the Dazzlings used is identical." Rarity said. While I didn't like to be reminded of what I did by my friends--I got that enough from everyone else--she made a valid point. I used dark magic to hypnotize everyone, yet the Dazzlings allowed them to retain a semblance of free will. I took their free will away from them. There were some similarities, yet what they used was different. Their magic seemed more natural, yet it lacked finesse. Mine was borrowed from an artefact, and augmented slightly. Perhaps they haven't been using their full power? If that was true, then why? I then recalled that I taught myself some dark magic spells before Princess Celestia discovered what I had done behind her back. It took me a moment to wrack through my brain to see if any of them were similar to what the Dazzlings used, but I couldn't remember. It had been far too long since those days.

" No, I don't think it's the same." I announced.

" Are you certain, darling?" Rarity asked.

" Quite certain." I answered.

" That's alright, though. Sorry for putting any pressure on you, but at the very least we have some kind of idea as to what is going on." Rarity said. Deep down, I knew she and the others were disappointed that I wasn't able to provide them with an answer. Guess I wasn't the most reliable of people when it came to threats against the school. This should have been right up my alley, but it wasn't. All because I had grown distant from my Equestrian heritage.

" So let's take them down!" Rainbow Dash announced.

" How do we do that?" Fluttershy asked.

" It's not like we haven't tangled with dark magic before and totally whooped its sorry butt! Uh, no offense." Rainbow Dash answered, turning her head towards me.

" None taken. Again!" I said, sighing.

" We were able to beat it once and we can easily do it again! All we need to do is use that magical rainbow from the Fall Formal and bam! Problem solved, everyone gets free from their hypnosis, and we can bask in the sweet glory at the end." Rainbow Dash said. While I admired her determination for wanting to take action, it was clear to me that she had no idea of how magic really worked. In Equestria, we always were able to make it do whatever we wanted. In this world, it felt more restricted.

" Um, there is one problem..." Fluttershy began.

" What's that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" When we used our magic, it was because Princess Twilight was here. It was her magical connection to her crown along with our connection to those Elements that allowed us to use it in the first place. Without her presence, I don't think we can use it. Also, our magic only seems to come out whenever we play music. We may have magic inside of us, but we have no control over when it can be unleashed. So, um, the idea to... 'whoop anybody's butt' is, uh, probably not going to work. I'm sure the same can be said with everyone else here, and I do mean everyone." Fluttershy answered. Her response caused everyone, including me, to sigh. She was right. My friends had magic, but again, the nature of this world makes it more restrictive than in Equestria. If I had magic, I might have been able to substitute for Princess Twilight. But I don't, so that idea held no meaning.

" Then we have only one option." Rarity announced.

" What's that?" Everyone else asked.

" We need to bring Princess Twilight back." Rarity answered.

" How?" Fluttershy asked.

" If we can send her a message, she should be able to tell us what we need to do in order to defeat the Dazzlings and break their dark magical hold on everyone. So, does anyone have a good idea of how we can make contact with her?" Rarity asked. All eyes immediately turned to me, which made me withdraw slightly. Considering that I had disappointed them by not knowing if the dark magic I used was the same as what the Dazzlings used, I'm not sure why they assumed I would have that answer, as well. To be honest, I felt as though they were pinning too many of their hopes on me. I was failing them each and every time.

" That's not going to happen! The portal's closed!" Rainbow Dash said. Everyone else, except me, sighed before they began doing various things to pass the time. Rarity was applying nail polish to her fingers, Rainbow Dash was kicking around a soccer ball that she had brought along with her, and Pinkie was blowing bubbles using a bubble blower she pulled out from her pocket. Applejack and Fluttershy merely sat there, the former in deep thought over what could be done, the latter staring up at the afternoon sky. Me? I just stared at the side of the statue which housed the portal to Equestria. Honestly, if it were open right now, I'd have gone through to escape from all of this. I knew that such a thought was deplorable, as I couldn't just abandon my friends, but a part of me felt compelled to go back and leave this behind. After staring at it for a while in silence, Rainbow Dash finally spoke up, addressing me in particular. " How long does the portal remain closed for?"

" According to the one who originally created it, the portal would only open every thirty moons. It would stay open for three nights before it closed for the next long duration. However, if something were to happen on either side that would create an magical imbalance, the portal would open much sooner than expected. That's what I did when I first returned to Equestria." I answered.

" How many, uh, moons do we have left?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" About twenty-five more." I answered.

" That's too long! Ugh! Our world will be in the hands of those Dazzlings by the time the portal opens again on its own. I'm starting to think that Rarity's idea sounds pretty solid, but I don't think they actually have cellphones where Princess Twilight is from." Rainbow Dash said.

" I wonder." I said to myself, getting up from the ground and pacing back and forth, deep in thought. The portal being closed was a major hindrance. We needed Princess Twilight now, yet Rainbow Dash was right. We had no means of communication, as the technology in this world doesn't exist in Equestria. There had to be another way to make contact. After pondering it over for a while longer, something hit me in the back of my mind. There was something we could do. I couldn't believe that I didn't think about it until right now, but would it still work? After all, I hadn't used it since I left Equestria, so it may be a false hope. Yet, it's all we've got left. " I may have an idea how we can get in touch with Princess Twilight!" I announced.

" Why didn't you say so?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I never thought about it until just now." I answered.

" Well, we might as well try your idea, Sunset Shimmer. Not like we got any better ideas." Applejack said.

" I just hope that this works. Otherwise, we'll have no chance of stopping those girls." I said. I then began to run towards the entrance, with everyone else following behind me, confused looks on their faces. I couldn't blame them. This was a longshot idea, at best. The chances of success depended on whether it still possessed the same magic that it had when I was given it a long time ago.

Upon entering the building, I immediately made a beeline towards my locker, my friends still following, still confused. It didn't take long to reach my locker, and when I opened it, I began to fumble around in the hopes that it was where I had left it. I had to dig deep into my locker, as what I was looking for had been buried underneath an assortment of books, bags, clothes, and whatever else I put in my locker. Eventually, I discovered it and struggled a little to pull it out, but when I succeeded, I presented it to my friends. Their confused looks grew stronger when I showed them what appeared to be an ordinary book.

" You kept the magic journal buried under a large pile of stuff?" Twilight asked.

" It's not like I did it on purpose. I had actually forgotten all about it." I answered.

" I don't suppose..." Twilight began.

" That I have the magic journal with me?" I asked.

" Guess I wasn't being very subtle about it." Twilight answered.

" I've always got it with me, because I do write to Princess Twilight often. I may understand friendship a lot more now than I used to, but I'm still learning." I said. Reaching out and grabbing my backpack, I opened it up before reaching inside. I fumbled about for a few moments before grabbing the magic journal and pulling it out. Compared to my other journal, this one looked clean, like it had been taken care of rigorously. On the front cover was an image of a sun shimmering, and I explained that this was my cutie mark, the symbol that represented my special talent in Equestria. " Compared to this one, my other journal has been well kept."

" Does it really work?" Twilight asked.

" Why don't you take a look for yourself?" I suggested, handing it over to Twilight. She then began to look at it from different angles while writing something down on her notepad. I just had to chuckle at what she was doing. It was cute. Despite having been exposed to magic, Twilight still has trouble believing that it exists, assuming there is a scientific reason behind how it works. After writing down a few more notes, Twilight opened to a random page, and was instantly amazed at what she was seeing. There were words written in black ink and words written in purple ink, the latter having a much fancier style to it.

" I'm guessing Princess Twilight writes in purple." Twilight said, jokingly.

" Was it that obvious?" I asked.

" According to what's written on these pages, you two talk about all kinds of things. Nothing is hidden or held back. You both express your deepest feelings on all kinds of subjects, and it gives off a student-teacher vibe. But, I'll be honest by saying that I still do doubt that this journal possesses magic. I know I've been exposed to magic, but something keeps preventing me from fully accepting it." Twilight answered.

" That's why I think you should write something down." I suggested.

" You want me to write in your private journal?" Twilight asked.

" It's not exactly private; I've shown our friends some of the things I've written down. Why don't you write something to Princess Twilight? If she's not too busy, I'm sure she will send you a reply within a few minutes." I answered. Twilight looked hesitant about doing this, and I could tell she felt that way. All throughout her life, she had believed in calculations and facts. Magic was supernatural, beyond normal parameters. I nudged her, trying to convince her to go through with it. Eventually, after the eighth nudge, she agreed. At first she spent a few moments thinking about what to say, chewing on the edge of her pen, but she eventually came up with something and wrote it down.

" Now what?" Twilight asked.

" Just wait and see what happens." I answered. A few minutes later, the magic journal began glowing, and words appeared, as though a ghost were writing them. Twilight looked on in complete shock, while I just smiled and stared at what was being said. " See? Princess Twilight responded to what you said. Good thing you mentioned that it was you who wrote that message just now. Otherwise, she would probably think I were crazy or something."

" Very impressive." Twilight said.

" That's what I used to do back when I was in Equestria. I would write something down in my journal, and Princess Celestia would receive my message in the journal that she kept by her side. Then she would respond back to me with her own words, and from there, we would communicate back and forth. While it would have made more sense just to talk to each other in person, given that we were living under the same castle, we just found this more convenient. Besides, she often was busy dealing with matters of state, so writing to me in her free time proved satisfying, somewhat." I said.

" Somewhat?" Twilight asked.

" There was still the urge to want to speak to me in person. This back-and-forth correspondence through journals occurred during the first year or two of my studies, but when I required a more direct approach, we both decided to abandon using our respective journals. I insisted on keeping it, though, in case I ever felt a need or want to use it. When I initially left Equestria after my 'falling out', I still held onto it, even though I could have just thrown it away. I realized that I still held a strong attachment to Princess Celestia, despite my heart claiming otherwise. So, my belief was that one day I might want to reach out to her again." I answered.

" Sunset..." Twilight said.

" One important thing I learned about using this journal was that I couldn't abuse its power. While it may look like an ordinary book, it contains a lot of powerful magic, and misusing it would be a grave violation of trust." I said. After staring at the response Princess Twilight had given her, Twilight closed the magic journal before handing it over back to me. I placed it back into my backpack. Upon zipping it back up and putting it back where it was, I looked back down at my regular journal. " You wouldn't believe the amount of nostalgia going through my mind when I pulled out my magic journal.

" It must have been amazing." Twilight said.

" Our friends didn't think so." I said.

" They didn't believe it was magical? Twilight asked.

" No, and they thought I had lost it." I answered.

The expressions on my friends' faces explained it all to me. They were confused when I presented them a book that I said would enable us to contact Princess Twilight and inform her of what was going on. Deep down, I knew this would be difficult for me to explain, given their lack of magical knowledge. To be honest, even I had doubts that my plan would work. It had been a few years since the last time I used this magic journal, so I had no idea if it was even going to work. Considering we were now the only ones who remained unaffected by the dark magic of the Dazzlings, we had to believe that anything could prove itself a miracle. If my plan didn't bear any fruit, this world would become the plaything of those girls. No, my plan had to work! There was too much at stake!

" What do you think?" I asked.

" Are you serious?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" This is what will allow us to make contact with Princess Twilight." I answered.

" You're going to use a book? Are you crazy!? How can a book send a message to someone who lives in a different world?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It can if it's magical." I answered.

" I'm not sure how the others feel about this, Sunset Shimmer, but you're going to have to really try to convince me to believe that a mere book is magical. I mean, I can believe that we've got magic inside of us. We used it, after all. But, magic in a book? I doubt it." Rainbow Dash said. I looked at the face of the others, their expressions telling me that they had trouble believing this, as well. I knew this would happen; magic was still a foreign concept to this world. Humans tend not to want to understand what is beyond their capacity. My friends are different from typical humans, though. They have some basic concepts of magic, so I'll have to explain this carefully.

" A long time ago, when I was living in Equestria as Princess Celestia's prized protégé, she gave me this journal during the early days of my studies. At first, I wasn't very happy, because I thought she didn't think too highly of me, since she was giving me a mere book. Once I learned the secrets behind it, I came to understand that it was one of the greatest gifts I've ever received in my entire life. After I had my falling out with her, I abandoned my studies and came here, yet I held onto this journal, rather than simply throwing it away. Deep down, I guess I knew I was making a big mistake, and I wanted to still have a way to reach out to her. Not a day goes by, now, that I wish that I had stayed and simply accepted that I wasn't ready to become a princess. Anyway, if this still works, I should be able to make contact with Princess Twilight." I said.

" Seriously?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I must admit that I am in full agreement with Rainbow Dash here. That is a book you're holding in your hands, darling. What do you mean 'if this still works'? We know that you want to make up for not being able to answer our earlier concerns with the dark magic. But to bring us all the way here to your locker, where you present us with a book that can solve all our problems? Are you certain about what you're saying? You seem, well, a little desperate." Rarity answered.

" I can see you're skeptical, so let me finish." I said.

" Go on." Rarity said.

" The way this journal is supposed to work is that if I wrote something down in it, those words would then appear in the pages of another journal that Princess Celestia has in her possession. We used to do this all the time; she would become bogged down with important matters of state, so I couldn't see her as often as I liked. Once she had gained more free time, I gained her full attention, and we abandoned the idea of using magical journals. The last time I checked, she kept her journal in her library. If we can't get a hold of Princess Twilight directly, we can do the next best thing. If I can get a message to Princess Celestia, then she can get a message to Princess Twilight." I said.

" This changes everything!" Rarity exclaimed.

" I'll say it does." Rainbow Dash added.

" So you all believe me?" I asked.

" Sorry for doubting you." Rainbow Dash answered. She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a pen, which struck me as odd. Why would she, of all people, have a pen in her pocket? I didn't have time to think about it, as she thrust the pen into my hand before giving me a rather questionable grin on her face. " So what are you waiting for? Get to writing!" Everyone else then began smiling at me with the same expression. While I did feel uncomfortable, it was a pleasure to know that they believed what I had to say. Well, almost a pleasure. Knowing how this journal works meant nothing if it didn't do what it was supposed to do.

" I never would have guessed that I would be writing these words again." I said. Gripping the pen in my hand, I turned to the page in the magical journal where I had last written a message. Breathing deeply for a few moments, I started writing:

Dear, Princess Celestia,

It's been a very long time since I left Equestria, so I am guessing you'll be surprised to see a letter from your former student. I know now that I was wrong when I decided to learn about the mirror behind your back. Yet I thought I deserved to be a princess out of self-entitlement. I was ignorant to the truth that I wasn't ready. If not for your faithful student Princess Twilight Sparkle, I would never have learned about friendship. I'd still be alone right now, with nothing but twisted thoughts in my mind. Speaking of Princess Twilight, I need you to deliver this message to her. It's of the utmost importance. In this world, there are these girls who have appeared. They are in possession of dark magic which I believe is Equestrian in origin. They used this magic to hypnotize everyone into acting aggressively, which resulted in the victims giving off this strange mist, which those girls absorbed. My friends and I need Princess Twilight's help, as she is the only one whose presence can bring out the magical energies of my friends. I hope you can deliver this message to her.

~Sunset Shimmer~

P.S. I'm so very sorry for being such a failure.

Once I had finished writing the message, I closed the journal and told the others that we needed to wait to see if Princess Twilight would receive it. While this wasn't the best course of action, as there was no way of knowing when the Dazzlings would make their next move, there was little else we could do. We decided to make our way back to the statue and wait for her to come through the portal. I also decided to bring along the magic journal with me, just in case. As we were walking along, I began thinking about Equestria. I really hoped that my message made it, as we needed all the help we could get.

" ...And the interval between the two points is defined as the square root of the sum of the squares of the separation between the points along three spatial dimensions. Did you all understand that?" Princess Twilight asked. After spending some time explaining the Sirens' story to the pony versions of my friends, she knew that she had to get back to Canterlot High. The problem was the portal. It would remain closed for another twenty-five moons. As such, she was unable to go through the portal through the usual means, so she needed an unconventional method. Thanks to the pony version of Pinkie Pie, Princess Twilight learned that a different portal could be created, one that was different from what she and I had used. She then began to assemble a strange contraption using a wide assortment of items she happened to have had around her castle and explained what it was supposed to do upon completion.

" Huh?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I get it! I get it!" Pinkie Pie answered.

" Wait! You actually understood what Twilight just said?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Duh! Of course I know. It was so easy to figure out! She's gonna take the magic in here and put it in there. That'll make the portal open up so that whenever she wants to she can go from here to there. There to here. Here to there. Here there! There here! Here--" Pinkie Pie answered before Applejack cut her off. During her energetic explanation, Pinkie pointed towards the makeshift portal entrance before pointing towards the magic journal Princess Celestia owned. Apparently, Princess Celestia had a feeling Princess Twilight had need of her journal, so she had it delivered to her new castle, along with a large assortment of other books. If there was one thing Her Highness loved, it was books.

" We get the idea Pinkie." Applejack said.

" Only way to find out if it works is to try it out." Princess Twilight said.

" Y'all sound like you're doubtin' this weird ol' contraption of yours." Applejack said.

" Considering that I just put it together using things I found hanging around the castle, can you blame me for doubting it?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I see your point." Applejack answered. Princess Twilight then turned on the contraption, which made noises one could only describe as "magical". It also made noises one would hear inside of a factory as each component began chugging to life. At first it looked as though nothing was happening. It seemed that Princess Twilight was pretty creative, but ultimately unable to create another portal. However, that quickly changed, as the contraption began to work. The magic from the journal was pulled from it in a weird, taffy-like fashion. From there, the portal's structure absorbed the magic, until it created a portal which appeared to be stable.

" What do you think?" Princess Twilight asked.

" Very impressive, Twilight!" Applejack said.

" Hold on a second!" Twilight began.

" What is it?" I asked.

" How in the world could you have known what was going on at that exact moment in Equestria? You weren't there when it happened. In fact, I recall at least two other incidents where you told me something written in your journal, but you weren't there in person." Twilight answered.

" I can explain." I said.

" I'm not asking because I'm angry, Sunset. I'm just curious about how you know things that you didn't see." Twilight said.

" When Princess Twilight returned to this world, she went into great detail on how she was able to create her own makeshift portal. Also, we talked about what she did in some of the Friendship Reports I write back and forth with her. In case you're wondering what those reports are, I'll tell you about them later. Remember when I was rebuilding the front entrance, our friends went off to the side and talked about me? They confided that information to me at a later date because they wanted to be honest." I said.

" I wish you told me that sooner." Twilight said.

" Guess I should have made a mentioning of that, huh?" I asked, scratching my head. Thinking about the contraption Princess Twilight built reminded me of the contraption that I would put together in order to do some testing on our friends. Those science classes at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns really did end up paying off.

" So, what happened next?" Twilight asked.

" We had to wait for her to arrive. But, I had no idea if my message had gotten through." I answered.

It had been about an hour since I wrote my message to Princess Celestia. I had been checking the magic journal every ten minutes to see if she had responded, but she hadn't, and my heart grew heavier as the hour progressed. I truly believed that my idea would work and that Princess Twilight would learn of our plight. Maybe I was just providing more false hope like before. As I stared up at the Wondecolt statue, I also came to another realization. Even if she were to receive the message, Princess Twilight would still need to figure out how to go through the portal. I doubt she would be willing to wait twenty-five moons, though. From what I gathered from my previous encounters, she possessed a lot of ingenuity. Perhaps she could find another way to come here? If not, then I was at a loss as to what we could do. Looking into the journal again, I placed my hand firmly on the page I had written my message on and closed my eyes for just a few seconds. Hope... It was all we had left now.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie were playing a game of cards while sitting on top of the statue's base, Rarity was giving Fluttershy a manicure, getting ready to paint her nails, and Rainbow Dash was bouncing her soccer ball up and down on both knees. At least my friends had something to do to keep them preoccupied while we were waiting for something to happen. While we were waiting, many students came out of the front entrance, where they continued arguing with one another. At least no one was aggressive to the point where they resorted to fighting. Still, just witnessing their attitudes broke my heart.

" Gin." Pinkie Pie said.

" Huh? I thought we were playing Go Fish?" Applejack asked.

" Any response in that journal of yours?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Nothing so far." I answered.

" Are you sure that thing really works?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I'm not so sure anymore." I answered, dejected. My response prompted Rainbow Dash to turn her attention back towards her soccer ball bouncing in a huff. I, on the other hand, resumed looking up at the statue, as there was little else I could do. Maybe this journal really didn't work anymore. I mean, I do have a strong grasp of magic. Yet it seemed magic did eventually expire if it were to corrode out of not being used after a long while. Looking back down at the journal, I thought that perhaps that is what happened. It no longer had magic. I lowered my head out of acceptance that there was nothing more that could be done.

" I'm starting to think she's not coming." Rainbow Dash said.

" It does appear that way." I said.

" It was a nice try, darling." Rarity said.

" Sorry for once again giving you false hope." I sighed. I had now reached another low point. All of my efforts failed to produce results. We needed a miracle now more than ever, yet the chances of that happening were extremely slim. " Looks like we truly are on our own." I sighed. Suddenly, the base of the statue began to glow, and something shot out of it. At first, we had no idea what it could have been, but when we focused on where it had landed, the familiar purple colours, purple dog by their side, and awkward choice of attire were a dead giveaway.

" Twilight!" We all exclaimed.

" Oof! I'm back!" Princess Twilight announced. I immediately ran over to where she had landed and extended my hand to help pick her up. At first she showed signs of hesitation, and I couldn't blame her for acting like that. After all, I made her life miserable when she was here last time. Not to mention, I stole her crown and used it to try and conquer Equestria. Maybe someone else should have helped her up, instead? Eventually, Princess Twilight smiled before reaching out with her hand. I grabbed it and pulled her up, and my friends began to surround her, their faces filled with excitement over her return. " And I've got some bad news about those girls." Princess Twilight said.

" So your magic journal worked after all?" Twilight asked.

" I would attribute it to being a miracle." I answered.

" Strange that Princess Twilight didn't accept your offer of helping her up straight away. I guess she still thought you were out to get her because of what happened before, yet wasn't she the one who suggested that our friends help you understand friendship? Why would she say one thing and do another thing?" Twilight asked.

" It had been some time since we last saw one another." I answered.

" Hopefully, things are going to work out from here, since she came back and all." Twilight said.

" That would have been nice, if not for the fact that things slowly got worse from that point on. Princess Twilight's return meant that we would learn about the true nature behind the Sirens, and coming up with a way to defeat them in order to save everyone wasn't going to be easy. However, what we didn't know was that the Sirens had finally figured out why we weren't affected by their dark magic. We also didn't know that insecurities would begin to tear us apart." I said.

Chapter 39: Welcome to the Show

Day: Saturday
Weather: Evening Chill
Time: 7:50pm

Hooray! My friends have stopped arguing and are friends again. It came at my own expense, however; Rainbow Dash pushed me into a wall, my head hitting it. Glad she apologized afterward. I finally explained what was really going on--something I wanted to do for a while now--and Princess Twilight created a counter-spell! She did use a song Fluttershy wrote, however, but that was fine. We also learned that one other student hadn't been affected by the Dazzlings. Vinyl Scratch apparently didn't hear any of their music. Weird. My friends were now ready to beat the Dazzlings at their own game, but it looked like they had more magical musical experience. And are those flying fish-like creatures what they really look like? What's this? My friends want me to sing? Will I prove to be enough to turn the tide? And where is this magical surge coming from? Is that... my magic?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 8, 2016
Chapter 39: Welcome to the Show.

Despite Twilight's protests, I stood firm in my resolve to take a break from reading the journal. It was kind of funny. Back when I first started sharing my troubled past with her, I was afraid she would run away in disgust upon learning the truth about me. That feeling was still in my heart. The Battle of the Bands and the Fall Formal weren't the only events that would test my resolve. Once we get into the holidays... No. I have to trust in Twilight's heart that she will stay by my side until this is over. With each passing page, I grew more and more confident about revealing my past, and how I truly felt about those around me.

Sometimes, I do wonder why I was compelled to write down everything that I experienced into a single book. I mean, I started writing in this journal just after the competition against the Sirens, and its contents comes from what I remember experiencing. Would Twilight ever suspect me of lying because the journal contained my recollection? I suppose she could always ask some of our fellow students about certain events and how they went down. Even Princess Twilight would be willing to tell her about it. That made me think about what was going to happen once I had finished reading the journal to her. There was an ending which I wrote down last night, so it would go right up to the present day. What would her true opinions of me be like? Would she view me as a monster, or as a tormented soul? Would she have me reveal what I wrote down to our friends? I need to start thinking about all this. I need to be prepared for that eventuality.

" How is your throat doing?" Twilight asked.

" It's been quenched, so we can continue on." I answered.

" You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear the conclusion to the Battle of the Bands." Twilight said.

" About ten minutes."

" Was that sarcasm?"

" Maybe."

" Anyway, you mentioned just before our break that the showdown between the Rainbooms and the Sirens involved magical attacks. I'm not doubting you Sunset, as I've seen magical attacks in person. Heck, I even used one against you while you used one to combat mine." Twilight said. Even though she had only had her corrupted magic for a short period of time before we would clash, she knew what she was doing, like she had been using magic for years. Had she defeated me instead of the other way around, Twilight would have destroyed this world in her pursuit of knowledge before moving on to Equestria. She wouldn't have lasted very long there. The alicorn princesses wield magic far greater than anything I could use. There were even some unicorns whose magic was on par with them.

" The Sirens wanted to make it a real battle." I said.

" And using magic was their method?"

" Our friends had to fight fire with fire. The only problem was that five of the six Rainbooms didn't have much experience with magic. All they used in the way of magic was ponying up, and the magical rainbow that defeated me." I answered. This was unlike Twilight herself, here, who, while she had even less experience, managed to absorb all of my friends' magic at once. That made her very powerful, which gave me plenty of problems. " It was a battle between those who used magic for years against those who used it infrequently for a month." I said.

" What about you and Princess Twilight? How did you two fare?" Twilight asked.

" Her Highness was able to go toe-to-toe against them, although they prevailed over her because it was three-on-one. Me? My magic was stronger than our friends', but not in the same league as the Sirens and Her Highness. That's what happens when you don't use magic for over three years." I answered.

" I can definitely vouch for you being magically powerful." Twilight said.

" There was one thing we didn't count on."

" What's that?"

" The Sirens using their own variation of ponying up and summoning spiritual versions of their true forms." I answered. I had seen a lot of mystical creatures in Equestria while I lived there, yet nothing prepared me for what I was about to experience. I had only studied up on hippocampi, the species of creature the Sirens were, but seeing them in person was something in and of itself.

" What are they really?" Twilight.

" Hippocampi."

" Seriously?"

" Yep."

For the first time in what felt like years, Princess Twilight, my friends and I were all on the same page. We managed to overcome everything the Dazzlings threw our way. In truth, though, we couldn't just blame the Dazzlings, even though it would have been easy to do. We were to blame for our own dysfunction. I should have been honest by telling my friends how I really felt about my status among the group dynamic. If I had, we could have avoided a lot of problems. Now they stand ready to take on the Dazzlings in a battle of music, the fate of the world hanging in the balance. I suppose the satisfaction of being the best band at CHS was also a worthwhile prize.

There was just one little problem with our plan. We finally had a counter-spell in the form of a song Fluttershy had written with Princess Twilight substituting in certain words to make it more potent. We also had a stereo sound system which could project our music so that the entire student body could hear it. Vinyl Scratch deserved a lot of credit for having a car that could transform. Rarity provided the costumes, but they weren't her best designs. They seemed very '80s, very unlike Rarity. Even then, it seemed like we had everything, and that was true, yet we didn't know how to use Vinyl's stereo system to project our music so that it could counter the Dazzlings'.

Why was I referring to it as "our" music? I wasn't a member of the Rainbooms. Even though Rarity had made a costume for me, I wasn't going to be doing anything. In truth, all I'd be doing is standing behind and providing support, as usual. This was their performance to win.

" Now this is what I call a sweet ride." Rainbow Dash said.

" I reckon I ain't seen anythin' like that before." Applejack said.

" Vinyl Scratch, darling! You simply must tell where you were able to get such a customizable vehicle." Rarity said. Hearing her say that sounded strange, as she was usually enamoured with fashion. Then again, vehicles can be seen as just another accessory. A part of me was curious about how she managed to afford something like that. Either her family was quite wealthy or working at the music store in the mall must have proven beneficial.

" We need to be serious." Princess Twilight said.

" Aren't we?" Rainbow Dash asked sarcastically.

" You know what I mean! Anyway, I'm not really sure how this... thing is supposed to work. Where Sunset Shimmer and I are from, most ponies prefer to use instruments. We have nothing like you all have in this world. Although, there was that one pony who had a setup very similar to yours, Vinyl Scratch." Princess Twilight answered. Everyone's jaws dropped--apart from mine--in response. It didn't surprise me, as Equestria wasn't known for having cutting-edge technology. Even though our friends, and myself to a degree, were familiar with stereo systems, what Vinyl had was different from normal conventions. There was also the problem with communication. Vinyl may use expressions and hand gestures, yet it was easy to confuse some of them.

" It's called a stereo system, and I reckon you're right! Vinyl, how do we use this thing?" Applejack asked. Vinyl began pointing at different things in an attempt to explain what they all did, but all she was doing was making us even more confused.

" Anybody have any guesses as to what she's saying?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" She's standing right next to you, you know." Rarity answered.

" I'm sure she knows that." Rainbow Dash said.

" We need to figure something out quickly! I don't think everyone watching the Dazzlings will be caring about anything for much longer." Princess Twilight said. We looked down at the stage when she said that, and something was going on that had us all worried. What appeared to be magical sound waves started shooting forth from the Dazzlings before aiming downward at the audience repeatedly. It reminded me of when I used Princess Twilight's crown to hypnotize the entire student body. They were essentially using the same tactic, but with magical music as opposed to pure magic.

" Feel the wave of sound,

As it crashes down!

You can't turn away,

We'll make you wanna sta-a-a-ay!" The Dazzlings sang.

" This is hopeless!" Rainbow Dash moaned.

" I agree completely. While Vinyl Scratch has certainly done us a favour by providing us with a custom stereo system, unless we can understand what she's pointing at, it won't really matter in the end." Rarity said.

" She's saying that her dashboard is loaded with all kinds of features that can adjust the volume output of the speakers, improve sound quality for our instruments, and provide exceptional lighting to make us stand out more. It even comes with a boom box on the front." Pinkie Pie said, grinning widely. We all stared, eyes widened and jaws dropped. We then turned towards Vinyl, who was clapping her hands with glee before giving a thumbs up. Pinkie... was the only one who understood what she had been trying to say! I didn't know whether or not to be surprised. Pinkie did beat to her own drum, so it made sense she would know.

" What!? You understand her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Of course, silly." Pinkie Pie answered.

" Why didn't you mention this before?" Rarity asked.

" You never asked." Pinkie Pie answered. We all groaned. We should have known she would say that. Vinyl then began pointing at different things on her car, which made no sense to us, yet Pinkie rolled her eyes before explaining what each component did. I decided to pay attention to her explanation out of being curious, but my attention span quickly diverted when I saw what was happening on stage.

" Um, girls?"

" What is it?" Princess Twilight asked.

" You might want to take a look at the stage right now!" I answered.

" We will be adored,

Tell us that you want us!

We won't be ignored,

It's time for our reward!" The Dazzlings sang.

All three girls suddenly began glowing before rising into the air. That's when we learned a horrible truth. They were capable of ponying up just like my friends, yet their ears and tails didn't resemble any kind of pony from Equestria. Princess Twilight quickly revealed that they resembled a creature called the hippocampus through their transformation. The others had no idea what a Hippocampus was, although I did have a fairly good idea. I had studied up on them once during my early days as the prized student of Princess Celestia, yet I never really developed a strong fascination towards that particular subject.

As the Dazzlings' ears and tails appeared, their bodies shattered--most likely to add to the overall effect--and their glow faded away, although they would remain floating, perhaps to show off. So this is what they wanted, in the flesh. They wanted to regain their power so that they could transform and further expand their influence. While their transformed states didn't affect their sexiness, it did reiterate their desires. This was also true with their choice of lyrics. They wanted to be adored by a large audience who would serve as their source of negative energy. Then again, they were at full power now, so did they even need energy? I felt bad that the student body was once again being reduced to nothing more than mindless zombies. It was a painful reminder of what I did to them when I received my power. Would they forgive me for my actions should my friends prevail? I hadn't thought about that until just then. My future appeared bleak, far more than what was happening.

" Wait, what!?" Twilight exclaimed.

" Huh? What's wrong?" I asked.

" You never told me that the Sirens were capable of transforming!" Twilight said.

" I thought it would have been obvious, seeing as they possessed Equestrian magic. I'll admit that I wasn't expecting them to gain ears and tails, but that wasn't the worst thing to come from the eventual battle." I said. What would come shortly after our friends started singing still haunts me. I knew the Sirens' true forms were of hippocampi, yet I didn't expect them to call them forth as spirits. Their true forms acted like an extension of them, capable of using magic and moving about. Now that I think back on it, perhaps our friends should have focused on the Sirens themselves rather than their true forms. I wouldn't expect them to harm the three girls directly, but perhaps they could've distracted them until they lost their concentration. I suppose I should've told Twilight about their true forms. I mean, I did kind of hint at it, but not exactly talk about it. " Twilight? I... I didn't mention this, but the Sirens' most powerful magic during the finals involved them summoning spiritual versions of what they truly looked like." I said.

" Really? They produced phantasmal apparitions of their hippocampi selves? Oh, how I wish that I could have been there to witness it! It's not everyday that one gets to see a mythological creature in person, spirit or not. It would have been a fascinating experience." Twilight said.

" You took it a lot better than I thought." I said.

" What were you expecting?"

" Never mind." I said, sighing. Only Twilight would take something as dangerous as three magical girls calling forth their true forms and turn it into some kind of science project. No wonder she and I became such fast friends. I won't deny that I have a strong love of science as well, but I probably don't have the same kind of fascination that she does.

" On a serious note, I am surprised that they were capable of doing that." Twilight said.

" I attribute it to being a form of magic only they could use. I've never seen any pony, or other magical creature for that matter, create a spiritual version of themselves. What made their magic especially potent was their ability to control their spirit forms freely, seemingly an extension of themselves. The Sirens' eyes glowed red and whenever they sang, their spirit forms would mimic that, resulting in powerful magical blasts." I said.

" Has Princess Twilight ever considered trying to master magic like that?" Twilight asked.

" No. I don't think she will. Dark magic can be very taxing on a pony unless you happen to have complete control over it. Whenever dark magic is used, it drains our physical strength because of how much concentration is needed. Also, its power depends on one's current state of mind. If a pony were to be experiencing some kind of emotional stress, or holding back emotions, the dark magic becomes wild and free--too free, if you want my opinion. If they were calm and collected, the dark magic would barely be able to make any kind of dent." I answered. When I used Princess Twilight's crown to cast my own dark magic, I had been stressed over how our friends fawned over her back then. I snapped and tried to grab her crown. Combined with my other frustrations surrounding Her Highness, the magic I used grew stronger with every passing moment. Not once did I ever attempt to stop myself. Luckily, I wasn't the only one who had issues with dark magic.

Princess Twilight once dabbled in dark magic when she tried to save the Crystal Empire. She never did disclose much about what happened, like she didn't want me to know, but I respect her decision. All she told me was that being stressed makes you more vulnerable to being corrupted. I would curse that Princess Celestia should have mentioned such information during my time as her student, but I know now that I wasn't ready for such knowledge. My former mentor was protecting me, and I chose not to heed her warning. I learned the hard way what dark magic can do to a pony. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have both dabbled in dark magic, as well, yet the latter was banished for using it. Only evil-minded individuals would know the intricacies of dark magic enough to avoid becoming corrupted by it.

" Like what happened with me?" Twilight asked.

" More like both of us." I answered.

" No wonder the Sirens revelled in what they were doing. Their magic was dark in nature, and they weren't affected because they already had been corrupted. In a way, I feel kind of sorry for them. Unlike us, they never got a second chance." Twilight said.

" What they did was far worse than my own actions. The chances of them reforming were pretty slim, although not completely out of the question. Sonata would have been the most likely to reform, as she wasn't as evil as her two companions. I mean, she did some sinister things with no regrets, but her bubbly mannerism made her more tolerable. Aria had about a fifty-fifty chance of reforming, I guess, but you would have to take her attitude into consideration. Either she would care about it or not. Adagio... No... She could never be reformed. Much of the Sirens' actions were by her own hand." I said.

" Guess the Magic of Friendship didn't work on them, huh?" Twilight asked. Not every creature in Equestria was capable of being reformed. There were some who were just too purely evil to ever change to the side of good. I was one of the lucky ones who was given a second chance. Just thinking about what my life could be like had I not learned about friendship made me shiver. I never want to go back there again. " Sunset? Why are you shivering?" Twilight asked.

" A bad thought crossed my mind." I answered.

" Hopefully it doesn't get to you."

" One can only hope."

" So what happened next?"

" The Sirens had transformed, but there is one thing I didn't mention. While they had pony ears and tails, they also had bat-like wings, enabling them to fly. It was such a minor addition, which was also hidden behind their backs, that they were easy to miss. Anyway, they were feeling pretty confidant that nothing could stand in their way. They would come to discover that our friends weren't about to submit to them." I answered.

" Now you need us,

Come and heed us,

Nothing can stop us now!" The Dazzlings sang.

Things were looking grim. My friends looked nervous about what had just transpired on the stage. The Dazzlings had used their own version of ponying up and were declaring their overall victory. Their latest lyrics told me that they believed themselves to be invincible. They also assumed we were still trapped below the stage in the storage room. While I wasn't nervous in the same manner as my friends, I was pretty worried about what would happen to me. I brought magic into this world, where it didn't exist before, and those girls only emerged from the shadows after I became a monster. Whether my friends succeeded or failed, I'd end up with the same fate either way. I'd be condemned by my peers for bringing so much grief. Princess Twilight was likely to try and defend me, but I would refuse such kindness. Before, I'd try to either run away from my problems or pass them onto someone else. Not this time. I'd take full responsibility for my actions.

The Dazzlings started laughing, which made me cringe. All that time I complained about Rainbow Dash's ego, and those three were ten times worse. They were so full of themselves, they were oblivious to what was happening.

Princess Twilight and my friends then began singing, which definitely caught their attention. It appeared as though Sonata was the one who clued the others in to the sudden appearance of another song.

" Don't need to hear a crowd,

Cheering out my name.

I didn't come here seeking,

Infamy or fame!" Princess Twilight sang.

So this is what Fluttershy's song was with the alterations Her Highness made. Those first lyrics immediately hit home for me. When I first came here, I sought out fame in order to prove that I was ready to become a princess in Equestria. I felt so stupid because of my immaturity, and not a day goes by where I'm not reminded of my greatest mistake. Had I come here under different pretenses, I could have made a fresh start, but instead, I clung onto the past. Perhaps this song would not only free everyone but also free me from the guilt that was choking me, the guilt of my past.

From what I could see of the crowd, they were completely mesmerized by the Dazzlings, but when Her Highness started to sing, they all turned in her direction. They appeared to be breaking free from their hypnotic suggestion. The counter-spell was working! I did have to question why she sang pretty badly at Sweet Apple Acres when she clearly had such a fantastic singing voice. It made me wish that I could have contributed as well, but perhaps that would happen another day. The Dazzlings, in the meantime, appeared to be getting angry that their magic was being resisted. Each girl was stomping her feet in frustration, and I knew things were about to become pretty hectic. There was no of telling what they were going to do. We'd only seen a small portion of their magic, their true power always locked away until now.

" The one and only thing,

That I am here to bring,

Is music, is the music,

Is the music in my soul!" The Rainbooms sang.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared from behind my back. I turned around and smiled; Princess Twilight and my friends were ponying up. The last time I saw this, I was on the receiving end of a magical rainbow that contained the Magic of Friendship. While being blasted left me in a smoking crater afterward, it made me come to the realization that friendship was important. While it would be delicious to witness the Dazzlings falling to a magical rainbow, I did feel uneasy with the memories of it all. That's when I noticed something different about their ponying up. They were getting streaks in their hair. I don't recall seeing that last time. Could it be that their magic had grown stronger upon getting over their issues from earlier?

As the Rainbooms continued singing and the counter-spell did its thing, the Dazzlings began smiling evilly. What were they planning? I wasn't looking forward to seeing what they would do to turn the tide.

" I must admit that you girls have proven to be very persistent." Adagio said into a microphone, making sure we could hear her. " Had we learned that you possessed Equestrian magic the moment we first came here, we would have taken care of you then instead of doing so now. No matter, though; we also knew that just getting your magic would have been impossible because of how tight you all were."

" We know you manipulated us into fighting amongst ourselves." Princess Twilight said, speaking into her own microphone.

" It was simple; you provided all the ammunition."

" Well, your plan ends here and now!"

" That was your big comeback? Oh, we're so scared of you and your friends that I think we're quivering down here." Adagio said. There was one thing she was bad at doing, and it was pretending to be frightened. It just didn't suit her personality at all. I felt slightly annoyed that Her Highness didn't mention that I knew the truth about the Dazzlings. I suppose I couldn't blame her for wanting to leave me out. After all, I wasn't part of the band, so my contributions held no meaning.

" Sunset Shimmer was right about you three from the beginning, and we didn't listen to her. If we had, then we could have stopped you much sooner. I hold myself accountable for not believing in her." Princess Twilight said. Did I just get praised by Her Highness? Yes! I did! Hearing her words brought tears to my eyes. Once again, I had misjudged her. I should know better than to doubt a princess of Equestria.

" Why even bother defending someone who caused so much anguish?"

" Unlike you three, she is, at least, making amends."

" Oh, I see where you're going with this. You want the entire student body to treat her like she's one of the gang. How noble... and also very sappy. Sunset Shimmer should know that she can never be accepted by the likes of them. Why would anyone accept a monster? It's like I said to her before: Once a monster, always a monster." Adagio said.

" The only monsters I see are you three!" Princess Twilight shouted.

" You just can't accept the truth for what it is, can you?"

" No wonder the Rainbooms have been ridiculed for being friends with Sunset Shimmer." Sonata answered. Somehow, that response drew an eerie silence. It's like she zoned out earlier, her delivery a tad late. Aria, who had been silent the entire time, merely slapped her forehead. Adagio, on the other hand, turned to her companion and glared at her. " What? What did I say?" Sonata asked.

" You killed the mood and... never mind." Adagio answered.

" It's true, though."

" Why don't you let me do all of the talking, okay? We really need to take care of the Rainbooms before they become an actual threat."

" Sure! I was getting tired of this anyway."

" Sonata, remind me later to moan at you." Adagio said before turning back towards my friends. " Tell me something, Rainbooms. This final battle between our bands seems rather dull. It's missing something. Why don't we all kick it up a notch! Since we all have magic at our disposal, what say we turn this into a real Battle of the Bands? That would definitely make our victory all the sweeter. It would also allow us to cut loose and show you our true power."

" Brace yourselves, everyone." Princess Twilight shouted.

" Let's battle!" Adagio said. I didn't like the what she said about them cutting loose. Something told me that their magic was not to be underestimated. My friends were no slouches, though, and Princess Twilight's special talent was magic. I'd say the Dazzlings should be worried rather than cocky.

" What we have in store, (ah-ah)

All we want and more! (ah-ah)

We will break on through, (ah-ah)

Now it's time to finish you!" The Dazzlings sang.

Their eyes suddenly glowed red, before they raised their hands above their heads. At first I thought they were doing some kind of dance, but my heart quickly froze when their jewelled pendants began to glow, as well. I had completely forgotten they still had those. It then had me thinking. Whenever they absorbed negative energy, rather than absorb it into their bodies, they would do so through their pendants. Could it be that those pendants were the source of their power? I remembered when I tried to grab the one Adagio wore around her neck. She became very defensive after that. Now things started making sense. Remove their pendants and they have no power--problem solved.

After glowing for a few seconds, the Dazzlings' pendants released what looked like shadows, which quickly formed above them. Each shadow formed into what I assumed was their true forms, what they once were in Equestria before being banished. They truly looked like the mythical Sirens described in history books. Their pendants also appeared on these "spirits", but were embedded into their chests rather than hanging from their necks. Adagio then raised her hand, which prompted her Siren form to raise its hoof, and they began charging towards my friends with intense speed. It didn't take long for me to figure out that these spirits acted as an extension of each Dazzling, letting them fight without having to physically get involved. A part of me felt like this was all pretty farfetched, but that wasn't important. The Rainbooms were about to see if their magic could go up against more experienced users.

I made sure to stand back just in case the Dazzlings tried to go after me. I had no magic, so I couldn't defend myself. Pinkie Pie made the first move by beating her drums quickly which fired a series of magical balloons that flung themselves at the spirits like they were rocket-propelled. Fluttershy followed suit by unleashing a flurry of magical butterflies by tapping her tambourine to the music. It made sense she would be able to do this perfectly; it was her song, after all. The Dazzlings allowed their spirit forms to take both hits, apparently unfazed. This could prove problematic should the battle come down to one of endurance. Applejack then strummed her bass, which produced several apples that served as shields to give the Rainbooms some much-needed protection. It didn't last for very long, though, as the Dazzlings responded by having their spirit forms chew up each apple, although that did leave them vulnerable.

Rainbow Dash was next up to use her magic, creating a thundercloud above the spirits before slamming them with thunder. They appeared to take some damage but, again, shrugged it off like it were nothing. Rarity followed up by pressing the keys on her keytar producing a flurry of magical diamonds that hit the spirits squarely in their chests. They shrugged this attack off as well. Now I was beginning to worry that perhaps my friends' magic wasn't enough. No. I couldn't think such things. I needed to remain positive that they could prevail against them. If only I could have been given a chance to show off my singing ability. It wouldn't have mattered much, though, since I had no magic and couldn't do anything to stop the Dazzlings. The only one who hadn't used her magic was Princess Twilight. No offence to my friends, but the magic of Her Highness was far more potent than what they were capable of.

" Oh-whoa-oh-whoa-oh!" Princess Twilight sung.

" Looks like you have quite the singing voice, after all." Adagio said.

" Once I regained my focus, it all fell into place." Princess Twilight said.

" Maybe so, but compared to us, you're not even a blip on the radar. Come, my sisters! Let's show the Rainbooms what we can really do." Adagio said. I had assumed that the Dazzlings were already doing something, as they had been either avoiding or absorbing my friends' magical attacks. It appeared they had merely been holding back. Their spirit forms ascended until they were almost right above the Rainbooms, and they began to sing. The power of their voices pushed my friends back before the spirits sang again with even more power than before. Princess Twilight struggled to maintain her balance, but the Dazzlings proved too much for her. She was knocked to the ground, her microphone rolling over until it stopped at my feet. I looked on in horror as Her Highness and the others struggled to get back into the battle, but they just didn't have any strength left to keep on going. Were the Dazzlings really that much stronger? Were they unstoppable after all?

I suddenly felt something push against my side which made me jump ever so slightly. I then looked to see that Twilight was holding onto my arm very tightly and showed no signs of letting go. Was she feeling sorry about what happened during the finals? I could understand why she felt that way. The Rainbooms did everything they could to defeat the Sirens, yet their efforts proved not to be enough. I tried using my injured hand to nudge her away, but I winced in pain, which made her react. Upon realizing what she was doing, Twilight let go of my arm before turning away in embarrassment.

" You don't need to be ashamed of feeling concerned about our friends." I said.

" They were beaten by the Sirens." Twilight said.

" Yes, but you know that things would turn out okay in the end. If they hadn't, then we'd all be slaves to the Sirens right now." I said.

" Still, I feel bad for them."

" Twilight..."

" How could there have been such a difference in magical prowess between them?" Twilight asked. The answer to that question was a simple one. While much of the Sirens' magic was taken from them when Star Swirl the Bearded banished them, they retained a small portion, allowing them to survive. Even the tiniest amount of magic can be very potent in the hands of someone who is an expert at using it. While Princess Twilight and our friends were restricted to playing, the Sirens could use magic whenever they wanted. Her Highness was a powerful alicorn who specialized in magic, but she was much younger than the Sirens. Her own advantages didn't mean a thing against the likes of them.

" The Sirens were more experienced." I answered.

" But our friends had Princess Twilight!"

" She was one powerful magic user up against three magic users who were her equals."

" Oh..."

" While our friends held their own, their magic wasn't as powerful as it could have been. Had they been from Equestria, their magic would have flowed through their bodies like it were a part of them. Instead, they had to quickly figure out what they were capable of and apply it to a difficult situation." I said. Twilight then looked glum, and I gave her a hug in an attempt to cheer her up. She knew I was telling her the truth, even though she wanted to believe otherwise. This world wasn't meant to have magic, but it does now, because of me. It's the prime reason why I've been trying to understand how it works. I'm responsible for the magic that flows around CHS, so I must do all I can to make sure no one decides to take advantage of it under any circumstances.

Twilight was an exception to the rule, though. When she became a demon, she absorbed the magic of five humans, a unicorn, and a portal. Because she absorbed so much magic all at once, she knew exactly what she was doing, like it were natural to her. Most unicorns spend years before they can cast spells with proficiency, yet Twilight got it down to a science in less than a minute. Corruption by the magic didn't make much of a difference in that perspective.

" You mentioned that the microphone ended up by your feet." Twilight said, changing the subject after my hug worked.

" I was actually going to kick it back to her." I said.

" Did you?"

" No, because Princess Twilight said she and our friends needed me."

" That must have been surprising."

" You have no idea. I mean, all I'd been doing since the finals began was watch from the sidelines and hoping that they would be successful. To actually come forward and start singing was the last thing on my mind during that moment. I also learned something else about me." I said.

" What's that?" Twilight asked.

" I had a tendency to sing while sleeping."

I stood there in complete shock over what I had just witnessed. The Rainbooms had been overpowered by the Dazzlings. Their best effort to use the counter-spell had been crushed to pieces. I felt like running away and never looking back! All of this was my own fault because I brought magic into a world that didn't understand it. Once the Dazzlings have finished with this world, they were sure to turn their sights to Equestria. I'm not sure if Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Princess Cadance will have enough power to fight back against Siren magic. I wanted to run, but I couldn't! I couldn't allow myself to give in to my own insecurities. That had been an issue for quite some time now, and I had to stop feeling sorry for myself. Things happened that were beyond my control, yet I could easily turn things around and make a worthwhile contribution instead of cowering in fear.

That's when I finally noticed the microphone that was now propped up against my foot. Princess Twilight would need it back if she planned on continuing the fight, so I picked it up and held it firmly in my hand. Something in my mind compelled me to keep the microphone for myself, but I quickly dismissed those thoughts. This was their battle to win, and my place was to continue providing support. Her Highness struggled to get back onto her feet, and when she had succeeded, she turned towards me, noticing the microphone was now in my possession. The Dazzlings, for their part, just stood there, while their spirit forms floated above, also waiting.

" Sunset Shimmer!" Princess Twilight announced.

" I've got the microphone right here! Hold out your hand and I'll throw it to you!" I said.

" No!"

" No? What do you mean 'no'?"

" We need you to perform with us! While you may not think of yourself as a member of the Rainbooms, we do! We should have realized from the very beginning that your feelings were being ignored. We should have been more supportive and not treated you like an outsider. When you helped us overcome our hatred, I knew right then that you had truly changed from who you used to be. The old you would have left us to tear each other apart and laughed about it. That's not you anymore. Please, come help us!" Princess Twilight answered.

Did she just ask me to walk out and perform with them!? I couldn't believe what I was hearing! This was my chance to show everyone that I had reformed, but could I muster up enough courage? And would our friends want me to perform? They didn't know about my ability to sing, as I kept that a secret from them. They might think I'll mess things up.

" Are you sure about that?" I asked.

" You've got a really beautiful singing voice that is begging you to use it."

" Wait a minute! How did you know about that?"

" During the night I spent with you in the school library, I struggled to fall back to sleep after our conversation. When I heard you singing in your sleep, it calmed my nerves and allowed me to drift off effortlessly." Princess Twilight answered.

Did she seriously say that!? I blushed, embarrassed. While it was comforting to know that my voice helped Her Highness that night, I wish she hadn't mentioned it in front of everyone. My friends then looked at me, surprised looks on their faces. My singing secret had become known to them. The only bright spot was that they didn't know that the Countess taught me, and I aimed to make sure that remained a secret.

" Yeah, I can sing pretty well." I said.

" Then please! We need you!"

" I'm not sure."

" Follow what your heart is telling you." Princess Twilight said. My heart? It had been saying that it wanted me to help my friends, who had helped me when they welcomed me into their lives. It also wanted me to get over my troubled past and do what I believed was right.

Gulping heavily, I walked forward with the microphone in hand before removing my leather jacket and letting it flow away in the wind. That jacket represented my old life. I was ready to move on. I felt nervous about doing this, and no doubt, the Dazzlings were eager to bring me down a few pegs like before. Vinyl Scratch then adjusted the speakers to accommodate for my singing style.

" You're never gonna bring me down,

You're never gonna break this part of me!

My friends are here to bring me 'round,

Not singing just for popularity!" I sang.

Those words came from my heart, neither written by Fluttershy nor modified by Princess Twilight. It was the lyrics that Her Highness sang that compelled me to sing for what I believed to be true. I felt like the Magic of Friendship was finally making sense to me. I mean, I had friends for about a month now, yet I had been questioning their ethics under an assumption of being deceived. Now, I truly had friends who, in turn, were blessed by having someone like me. The Dazzlings, who had been watching my efforts to contribute to the finals, began laughing at me, which shook my resolve. I took a few steps backwards out of fear, but the warm hand of Princess Twilight encouraged me to move forward. She then began singing with me, which felt absolutely wonderful.

" We're here to let you know,

That we won't let it go!"

" Our music is a bomb and it's about to blow!" The Rainbooms sang.

" And you can try to fight,

But we have got the light of..." Princess Twilight and I sang.

" Friendship on our side!" The Rainbooms sang.

When Her Highness and I raised our hands above our heads and swung them back down, we suddenly unleashed a powerful burst of magic. I had no idea how I was capable of doing that, but I chose not to complain. The magic struck the Dazzlings and appeared to have weakened them. They floated downward slightly, their eyes ceasing to glow red. Our magic had also freed everyone of their hypnotic suggestion, the counter-spell had proven successful. The students then looked around and wondered what was going on, and then they witnessed what the Dazzlings looked like. I couldn't tell from where I was standing, but it appeared everyone now realized what had been happening over the last couple of days.

My friends and I continued singing. The Dazzlings could easily turn things around were they given the chance, so we had to ensure they didn't get one. I then began feeling strange, like something deep inside of me was trying to escape. It was a feeling I remembered from somewhere, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I tried ignoring it in the hopes it would go away on its own, but it continued getting worse with every second. What was wrong with me? Why was no one else being affected by this? Was I going to die?

The pain quickly reached a boiling point. I could no longer resist it, so I gave in. My body started glowing, and I began to rise from the ground. I had no idea what was going on, and I was afraid of what would happen. The feeling inside me... It felt... It felt like... magic!? Equestrian magic!? But that's impossible! Princess Twilight told me I could never have any magic again, yet I was experiencing a magical surge from within. Could she have meant that in a different manner? Or, perhaps she didn't know?

" Here to sing our song out loud,

Get you dancing with the crowd!

As the music of our friendship,

Survives, survives!"

As my friends sang this, I opened my eyes, and I suddenly developed pony ears on top of my head. This was followed by my hair extending downward into a ponytail before my outfit changed slightly to match with their outfits. I couldn't believe it! I had ponied up! I had magic again! The feeling inside of me was my magic coming up to the surface so that I could use it again. My magic... My own pure magic and not the dark, corrupted kind I used during my darkest days. This was what I used a long time ago before everything went wrong. I understood what the meaning was behind all of this. I had been given a second chance... a proper one.

Before I had a chance to appreciate the resurgence of my magic, Princess Twilight and my friends began to float upwards until they were floating beside me.

It felt weird for all of us to be floating like this, despite knowing that this was the result of our magic. It seemed the student body had become so enamoured with our singing, they decided to join in.

" Got the music in our hearts,

We're here to blow this thing apart!

And together, we will never,

Be afraid of the dark!" We sang.

" I can't believe I have magic!" I said.

" I must admit, Sunset Shimmer, that I wasn't expecting you to ever get your magic back after what you did. My guess is that your magic had been dormant and was waiting for you to have become worthy enough to wield it again." Princess Twilight said. That sounded like a pretty good reason, but I thought there was a bit more to it than that. In any case, it felt great to have access to magic.

Turning my attention towards the Dazzlings, Sonata appeared to be pointing up at something above our heads. At first I thought she was trying to distract us, but when I looked upwards to see what she was looking at, my eyes opened wide with surprise. A swirling sphere of magic had been forming, yet it wasn't the rainbow like last time. It continued getting bigger until a large pair of wings formed from each side of the sphere. What in the world were we creating? Could this be pure Equestrian magic? The Magic of Friendship was more powerful than I could have ever conceived. The Dazzlings appeared to be arguing with one another over what was happening, but I couldn't hear a word of what they were saying; their voices were being drowned out by everyone else, who continued singing.

Suddenly, a loud noise like a horse's neigh sounded. I looked up at the sphere again, and now a large horse's head appeared from the centre. It even had a horn on its forehead. Was it supposed to represent an alicorn!? Had my magical contribution really caused that thing above to appear? It was so huge that I was sure people all across Canterlot could easily see it from wherever they were. The sphere soon subsided and was replaced with the alicorn's body, a truly majestic sight to behold. It looked right at the Dazzlings, who were cowering before it, aware that their plans had just come to a crashing halt.

With a mere flick of its horn, the alicorn fired a single beam, which shattered the Dazzlings' true forms to pieces before doing the same thing to their pendants. My theory proved to be correct! Those pendants had been the source of their magic, and without them, they were completely powerless. Then again, they could still have some natural magic we haven't seen yet. It was too soon to declare victory until they made the next move. The Dazzlings had been knocked to the ground when the magic from the alicorn's horn bombarded them, so when they got back up, they appeared to be normal. They each looked at one another wondering what just happened. They turned their attention to the audience who were just staring at them. This was it! The Dazzlings were about to show us their natural magic.

" We will be adored,

Tell us that you want us!

We won't be ignored,

It's time for our reward..." The Dazzlings sang, badly.

What the!? The Dazzlings... They were singing terribly, as though they no longer had any talent. I couldn't believe it! This was how they sang without their pendants? And here I thought my singing would be ridiculed. Those girls were going through the very experience that I was afraid of. The audience began to boo at them before throwing all kinds of objects at them. The Dazzlings, shocked at this sudden turn of events, ran off the stage and into the streets, where they soon disappeared into the night. My heart felt bad for them, but at the same time, it was what they deserved in the end.

After we changed back to normal, I walked onto the stage where I picked up one of the shattered pendants. The red glow that it once had was completely gone. There was no more magic contained within it, which made it, for most people, a useless piece of junk.

" Guess that explains why these were so special to them." I said.

" You knew?" Princess Twilight asked.

" When I tried to grab one of the pendants, Adagio lashed out at me. Ever since then, I began to think there was more to them than I originally thought. Why protect something like a piece of jewelry so vehemently unless it had some kind of deeper meaning. They used their pendants to absorb negative energy from their victims, and their singing ability stemmed from them." I answered.

" Star Swirl the Bearded must have known that as well when he banished them, but he didn't have the means to shatter their pendants. If he had, they wouldn't have been able to do anything other than slowly grow accustomed to their new surroundings." Princess Twilight said.

" What do you suppose will happen to them now?" I asked.

" Without those pendants and the magic you brought here from Equestria, they're just three harmless teenage girls. Still, it will take them some time to get over the fact that they are now powerless. We might see them again one day, or they may decide to leave and never come back again. Despite everything they had done during their time here at CHS, I believe that they are just as capable of reforming as you were. Whether or not they choose that path will be up to them to decide; we cannot make that decision for them. I know you feel bad for them, Sunset, because they ended up having lost everything, like you did." Princess Twilight answered.

" Maybe they will be better off now." I said. The Dazzlings had reminded me of what I went through after I had been defeated. I was despised by those I had hurt, and for a long time, they bullied me in revenge. Those girls may experience the same thing should they ever decide to come back here again. Perhaps it's for the best that they avoid Canterlot for now. Princess Twilight's belief was one that I happened to agree with. They could choose to reform but would need to make that choice for themselves. A part of me would like to see the Dazzlings again, but much better off.

" I'm... speechless." Twilight said.

" Figured you'd say that." I said.

" Despite all of the anguish, the manipulations, and the despair, you all managed to make it through in one piece. I especially have to applaud you, Sunset. You went through the worst of it, your very psyche pushed to the limit." Twilight said.

" The Battle of the Bands really opened my eyes about overcoming my troubled past." I said.

" Guess that means we're at the end of the journal." My eyes opened wide with surprise when she said that. Did she honestly believe that we had finally reached the end of what she doesn't know about me? Perhaps she was eager to finish the rest of our meeting in the library with happy thoughts. Or, perhaps she was ignorant and assumed that my life from that point on would be filled with candy and flowers.

" What makes you think that?" I asked.

" You finally overcame your past when the competition ended, and you regained your ability to use magic. I'd say things have gone pretty smoothly for you ever since. You should be proud of such an achievement." Twilight answered. She then looked at my face, a glum expression having appeared on it. She knew right there that there was still more left to read in my journal. While the Battle of the Bands had helped me to come to terms with my past, I wasn't out of the woods just yet. If anything, things would get even more difficult from that point onward. Twilight then turned the page upon my prompting her, and she was confused by what she saw. On the page was a sticker that showed an image of a jersey which featured the Wondercolt logo on it. Below that was a ticket which had been glued in place. " A sticker? A ticket? I don't understand what this means." Twilight said.

" Those are examples of what I would find myself struggling with next." I said.

The ticket was perhaps the more significant of the two items, as it had been the source of a problem which involved Trixie and my reliability, the latter while being swamped with so many different things at once. I did find it strange that Trixie decided to make my life difficult. She normally would be going toe-to-toe with Rainbow Dash. Perhaps she never did overcome the mental shock of me almost choking her. I never did ask her if she was okay after that incident.

As for the sticker... It served as a representation of what was at stake for me. I didn't know back then that the Friendship Games really meant a lot to the student body. I could have saved myself a lot of grief had I learned about it sooner rather than later. Twilight was going to have a field day with this one once I start talking about it with her.

" So we're not at the end?" Twilight asked.

" No. There's still a lot more to go through." I answered.

" Well, I might as well bring out some more cider. We're going to be here for a while." Twilight said.

" Before we delve into the significance behind the sticker and ticket, I should explain what happened right after the Sirens disappeared." I said.

Chapter 41: The Fundraiser

Day: Tuesday
Weather: Mild
Time: 9:48am

I couldn't be happier right now! I've got my magic back! I can pony up! The entire student body has accepted me with open arms! And, I've become the Rainboom's newest member! My life appeared to be heading in the right direction, but still, surely something was bound to trip me up. So, perhaps I wasn't accurate about being happy. While things have gotten back to normal around CHS, there was a lingering issue which needed solving. The magic I brought into this world... How does it work? It was a question that had been plaguing me for some time. I had planned on working on this conundrum, but Rainbow Dash had her own problem which I found myself dealing with. We were going to have a fundraiser for sports uniforms with various events, and I had been volunteered to be in charge. I wanted to help my friends, of course, but I also needed to figure out this whole magic issue. Perhaps I could do both at once? That shouldn't be too much of a problem, right?

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 13, 2016
Chapter 41: The Fundraiser

Upon learning that I was the one put in charge of the fundraiser, Twilight, who had taken a sip of cider at that precise moment, immediately spat out the beverage splattering it all over me. Luckily, my reaction was fast enough for me to cover up the journal. While the thought of having it get damaged from liquid would have meant not reading the rest of it, I knew that would have been unfair to Twilight. She had made it this far without running away in disgust over my actions, so I owed it to her to keep going. When she realized what she had done, Twilight quickly grabbed a bunch of tissues in a blind rush and wiped the cider off of my face, hair, and clothes.

" I am so, so sorry for doing that!" Twilight shouted in a panic. At first, I just sat there with a frown on my face while she cleaned me. I didn't appreciate being splatted with liquid, especially when it had been in someone's mouth. As she continued wiping me over, my expression changed to a smirk before I started to laugh at how funny it was. I should have expected Twilight to react like that, considering what I said had been on my mind prior to Rainbow Dash's announcement. " Good thing I managed to clean that off you before it became sticky. Again, I didn't mean to spit on you Sunset."

" It's fine Twilight. I was expecting you to react like that. Well, not with cider in your mouth, anyway." I said.

" Now I feel ashamed."

" Don't be. It was a harmless mistake that could have happened to anyone."

" And the journal?"

" Perfectly safe." I answered. Had I been the one drinking and Twilight telling me about her past, I would have done the exact same thing. I wasn't going to hold this little mishap against her. In fact, it just reiterated how adorable she was whenever she did something that frustrated her. " As I already mentioned, I was given the job of organizing the fundraiser. Principal Celestia needed someone who could multitask, since there would be several events going on." I'm not really sure why she agreed that I should be in charge. Did she want me to prove that I could handle it? Or, did she want me to prove that I could be trusted? Sometimes, I wish that she had given it to someone else instead. While I was grateful for the opportunity, at the same time, I really needed to figure out the magic problem. It needed to be solved before something went wrong, and given how volatile magic could be, it was only a matter of time.

" Did Principal Celestia believe in magic?" Twilight asked.

" After witnessing it with her own eyes on two separate occasions, she couldn't deny that there was something strange happening at CHS. I think she just wanted to pretend that nothing was wrong, and I couldn't blame her for it. Magic is a force most don't understand unless they've been surrounded by it for much of their lives. While the students as a whole were more accepting of it, at times, they didn't know what to make of it." I answered.

" By the way, what did you say to Princess Twilight?"

" About what?"

" The magic problem."

" Oh, that! I decided to keep it simple. After all, it had only been two days since she returned to Equestria, and I assumed she didn't want to have to deal with another problem in this world shortly after going back home. So, I made sure not to make it sound like we needed her help. She had her duties that required her presence." I said. Opening up my backpack and reaching into it with my injured hand before wincing in pain because of my blunder, I pulled out the magic journal once again. Unlike the other journal, this one had no bookmarks, so I had to search for what I wrote to her the hard way. It quickly dawned on me that the message I wrote was the second one I sent to her. Slapping my forehead in embarrassment, causing my injured hand more pain, I flipped through the pages until I came to what I was looking for. " Here we go! There's the message I wrote to Princess Celestia that Her Highness would receive, and the one after it was what I wrote to her to reiterate about sending Friendship Reports." I said.

" And this third one?" Twilight asked.

" It's what I sent to her after completing that exam." I answered.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I know you've only been gone for a couple of days, but I'm writing to tell you that I'm having some problems. Ever since you left, I've been struggling to come to terms with how magic works in this world. It doesn't make sense! How do the Elements of Harmony connect with our friends? Why do we pony up by playing music? I think I can figure things out if I put all of my knowledge to work. Speaking of our friends, they had a study session where I wasn't included. I feel like I'm missing out on important experiences with them. If I were to join them in their activities, it could improve my relationships with them. Hope to hear from you soon.

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer.

" Did you get a response?" Twilight asked.

" Yes, and before speaking to Principal Celestia about the fundraiser. To be honest, I wish Her Highness could have sent her response after the fact. It would have given me a lot less stress to deal with." I answered.

What could I do to contribute to the fundraiser? While I had suggested it to raise money for sports uniforms for the various Wondercolts teams, I hadn't taken myself into consideration. My friends each had their own special talents, yet all I had was knowledge about magic that came from a different world. That wasn't going to be all that useful in raising money. My mind had been focused on understanding how magic worked in this world, so I was hasty about suggesting that we have a fundraiser. I could have politely declined by saying that something else needed my attention, but I just couldn't ignore Rainbow Dash's plight. Sports were a big deal for her, and she was the captain of each team that CHS had. Sometimes, my compassion was more of a hindrance than an asset. Knowing that I couldn't back out of this now, I decided to simply accept it and hoped that it wouldn't take too long to get enough money.

Once my friends had fallen asleep, I crept out of the room, making sure not to wake anyone up. I took my backpack with me, because it contained the magic journal which I used to communicate with Princess Twilight whenever I needed her advice. It felt weird, at first, to know that she had become my new mentor, but I had insisted on it. After all, if anyone could guide to the correct path, it would be Her Highness. Upon quietly walking down the stairs and into the living room, I sat down on the couch before taking out my journal and staring at it. I tried to think about my contribution to the fundraiser, but after a few minutes, nothing came into my mind.

" Guess I just don't have anything that makes me unique, apart from magic." I said to myself while scratching my head in frustration. I could put on a magic show, but then, what magicians did was nothing but cheap parlour tricks. Were I to showcase actual Equestrian magic, I'd have more than onlookers wondering what was happening. I'd most likely have the police, and I didn't want to deal with them again, so that idea was out. In truth, the joy of getting my magic back has just been extinguished, and all because I had no talent. " I can't let my friends down! They need my help, but what can I do to help when I can't contribute? Wait a minute! Help... help... That's it! I may not have any talent, but that doesn't mean I'm far from helpless. I could help the others with their contributions!" I said to myself, a large grin appearing on my face, before it quickly turned into surprise as my journal began glowing. Princess Twilight had just sent me a response to what I sent her, so I opened it up to see what she had to say.

Dear Sunset Shimmer.

I think it's a good idea for you to be more involved with what our friends do. Who knows? You may end up discovering more about yourselves. To answer your concern about the magic of that world, I have no doubt that you'll find an answer. You are very knowledgeable when it comes to magic, so you've got an advantage already. The magic of our friends is connected to the Elements of Harmony, each of them representing a different element. You're familiar with the Elements, as Princess Celestia surely taught you about that subject when you were her student. Perhaps you could be a magic investigator and figure out why magic works like it does. It's just a suggestion, mind you.

Your friend,

Princess Twilight Sparkle.

" Become a magic investigator?" I said to myself before closing the journal. That sounded like a novel idea. The magic of this world was one that needed to be understood in order to prevent others from misusing it or becoming affected by it. " I'll do it! I'll become a magic investigator and figure out how the magic my friends and I have works. Wait! Oh, shoot! I've got to deal with the fundraiser issue!" I said to myself. How could I deal with both problems at the same time? The answer quickly came to me moments later. I could help my friends with planning their events for the fundraiser while doing some tests on them to determine how magic worked here. Rather than focus on one problem and neglect the other, both would have equal billing. Surely, nothing could go wrong with such a plan.

The following morning, my friends and I paid a visit to Principal Celestia's office during our free period, where we explained our plan to hold the fundraiser. I wasn't sure if she would agree with our idea, because the school's previous fundraiser was hijacked by the Dazzlings. One thing I knew that had to be avoided was using our magic. The last thing we needed was another incident with magic, especially after going through two of them within a matter of weeks. By the time we finished, Principal Celestia took some time to mull over our idea. Rainbow Dash had insisted on the way here that it would be a done deal, but it looked like she was having some doubts.

" I'm not sure if this is a good idea." Principal Celestia said.

" Why not?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" We all saw how our last fundraiser turned out. Consider that it's only been three days since the Battle of the Bands. The school may not be ready for such a commitment so soon." Principal Celestia answered. Despite agreeing to help my friends should our idea be given the green light, I had to agree with what she was saying. The competition had taken its toll on the student body, and trying to do something so soon could result in negative consequences. Perhaps we should have attempted this after coming back from the upcoming winter break.

" We really need those sports uniforms in time for the Friendship Games next year." Rainbow Dash said.

" The games aren't for another five months." Principal Celestia said.

" I figured we could get them now instead of later."

" Am I to assume that you didn't plan this out very well?"

" No." Rainbow Dash answered. Principal Celestia had seen right through us. While the fundraiser was my idea, Rainbow Dash had insisted we all took credit for coming up with it. I assumed she wanted to take all the glory for herself, but I knew her better than that. She didn't want me to take the fall should Principal Celestia decide against it. Judging from the sweat pouring down Rainbow's face, she looked like she was about to lose her cool.

" Considering what everyone has been through over the course of the last week, I'm not surprised that you didn't take the time to plan this. Or, you have, and you neglected to bring it to my attention. In any case, even if I were to give you permission to go through with this fundraiser, I would need to be assured that the right person is in charge. It must be someone who is capable of multitasking and is able to easily handle any kind of pressure." Principal Celestia said. We all then looked at one another to see which of us would be the perfect candidate to organize the fundraiser. My thought was to have Rarity handle it, as she knew a lot about organization, despite overdoing it sometimes. I had a feeling the others were thinking of asking Princess Twilight to help. The problem there was that she had her own problems in Equestria taking up her free time. Perhaps Flash Sentry might be a good choice instead? That's when everyone suddenly turned their gazes towards me, and it didn't take me long to figure out why.

" What!? You want me to be in charge?" I asked.

" You've got what it takes!" Rainbow Dash answered.

" This will be a great way for you to show us how much you've learned about friendship." Applejack added.

" Are you crazy!? I wouldn't be the best choice." I said.

" I happen to agree with you here, Sunset Shimmer." Principal Celestia said, getting up from her chair and staring at each of us. " Your friends may believe in you, but I have my doubts, given your track record. What guarantee would I have that you won't cause a problem and pass the blame onto someone else? I am aware of what happened when you were a bully, so perhaps your friends are misguided about their assumptions? If you can prove that you are dedicated to your current course, then you can go ahead with the fundraiser." It sounded like Principal Celestia was doubting my reformation. She had seen me help my friends defeat the Dazzlings, but perhaps that wasn't enough for her to be convinced. Then again, she could be trying to give me some confidence. I had been doubting myself all night with trying to figure out what I could contribute. No. I can't let myself be clouded with doubt. " Well? Can you prove your intentions, Sunset?" Principal Celestia asked.

" I know that up until the Fall Formal, I wasn't the best student at CHS. Far from it. All I ever did was cause pain by manipulating others because I wanted to prove that I was ready to become a princess where I'm from. I've done an awful lot since the Formal to change from the person I used to be, and I think I've reached a point where I'm capable of being in charge of a fundraiser. I still have much to learn, but I know I can reach that goal." I answered.

" That's all I needed to hear from you." Principal Celestia said, smiling at me before turning her attention to Rainbow Dash. " Now, why do you think we need new uniforms in the first place? Surely the current ones are still adequate enough to be used for the Friendship Games?"

" To be perfectly honest, they're old and faded. We're going to look so scrappy on the field compared to the other teams in the championship. They'll probably all be wearing fancy new uniforms and rub it in our faces that their schools can afford sweet stuff. We have to win to boost morale. You know, considering who usually comes out on top. Everyone is getting nervous about next year's games." Rainbow Dash answered. From what I had seen of the athletes, they did look like something had been worrying them. I knew that CHS was serious about its sports program, but I never would have guessed that they were desperate to win. I was of the mind that winning meant nothing and having fun was what really mattered. Perhaps there was more to this school than I originally thought. Also, my friends and Principal Celestia mentioned "Friendship Games"? I had been here for the last three years, and that name still made no sense to me.

" While that may be important to you and your fellow athletes, what guarantee do I have?" Principal Celestia asked.

" Principal Celestia, we've put on proms in a day and concerts in a night, and you know how responsible I am as a student. Right?" I asked. Granted, each of those proms I had manipulated, as I wanted to ensure that I remained on top of the school's hierarchy. So, I wasn't being accurate when I included myself in with what my friends had accomplished with Princess Twilight around. The Musical Showcase was something I didn't have much of an interest in. I wouldn't deny my responsibilities, however, as those were very important to me. I suppose my intention was to make Rainbow Dash's dream become a reality. It was just new uniforms, which probably wouldn't cost all that much, so really it was a win-win result. The problem was whether Principal Celestia would believe me or not.

" That's true. I've seen what you girls have done for the school, and that's especially true with you, Sunset." Principal Celestia said. She then sat back down and began jotting something down on a piece of paper she took out from a drawer on her desk. I had no idea what she was doing, but it didn't take her very long to come to a decision. " After pondering it over some more, I've decided to give you the go-ahead, but on one condition. Sunset Shimmer, do you promise me that you can pull this off?" That was her only condition? I wasn't sure if she was serious about it, or really wanted the fundraiser to happen. Either way, she had given us the green light to go ahead. All I needed to do was give my answer.

" I promise."

" Very well. Take this piece of paper with you before you go. It will enable you to have access to most of the school's resources to help you pull this off. You have given me your word, Sunset, so I shall place you directly responsible if anything goes wrong." Principal Celestia said.

" Nothing will go wrong." I said.

" Then there is nothing for me to say on the subject, aside from one small detail. It would be appreciated if this fundraiser would begin as soon as possible. The winter break is coming up, and I doubt students would want this to happen right before they leave for the holidays." Principal Celestia said. With that, she gave me the piece of paper, and we left her office. Once the door had closed, we all breathed a sigh of relief. We really didn't expect her to agree to the request, considering what had happened during the Battle of the Bands. I knew that a lot was riding on me to ensure that everything would run smoothly. I had given my word that nothing would go wrong, and I intended to keep my promise.

" This is so awesome! We're sure to get those new uniforms now!" Rainbow Dash shouted with glee.

" Now don't get too excited, Rainbow Dash. We've each got a lot o' work to do in order to contribute our fair share to the fundraiser, so I reckon that we all meet in the library tomorrow afternoon to see where each of us are." Applejack said.

" Sunset? Did you ever decide on what you're going to contribute?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Aren't I already doing that by being in charge?" I asked.

" Being in charge don't mean nothin' other than makin' sure everything is in proper working order. Y'all need to contribute something that means a lot to you. It doesn't have to be anythin' fancy-like, but something that comes from the heart." Applejack answered. The only thing that I could do that would be considered a contribution was magic, and I knew that idea wouldn't fly. Still, Applejack had given me some good encouragement. I knew what I was going to contribute to the fundraiser.

" I'm going to help each of you with your own contributions." I announced.

"Are ya sure you can handle so much at once?" Applejack asked.

" I think I've got a good grasp." I answered.

" A 'good grasp'? No offence, Sunset, but we're going to need way more than that if we want to get some money." Rainbow Dash said.

" You don't trust me?" I asked.

" We trust ya, but we don't want you to get in way over your head. Principal Celestia gave us permission because she believes in you, and well, the rest of us do, too, but remember that she was showin' signs of doubt about it. I recommend you do what you think is best." Applejack answered. The girls then all walked away, talking about how great the fundraiser was going to be. I felt annoyed over the fact that my friends didn't think that I could handle so much at once. They were the ones who practically suggested that I be in charge. I couldn't just stand around and wait for them to approach me in order to reveal what progress had been made with their contribution. I had to get involved to build a stronger relationship with them.

Then there was the other issue which was on my mind. I still had to investigate the magic that now existed in this world. I had already decided that I would help my friends and attempt to solve this problem at the same time, but I began to realize that perhaps I was getting a bit overwhelmed. The fundraiser was seen as the more important thing to focus my attention on, but the magic was also important, as it defined who we were as individuals. " Ugh! I really wish that I could make it easier to focus on both problems at once without having to switch between them. I really want to help my friends, even if they think I can't handle so much multitasking, but the magic problem is still there, and that needs my attention as well. It's not like I can have my friends assist me in figuring out the magic." I said to myself.

That's when an idea quickly began to form in my mind. My friends could help me with understanding how magic works in this world. They were the ones, along with myself, who tap into the magical energies, resulting in us ponying up. I knew they were focused on raising money for those new uniforms, but if I could get their assistance at the same time, both problems would be resolved. It sounded like a flawless plan in my head, yet deep down, I knew there would be flaws that would show themselves. I was just too fixated on the positives to even take notice of my own folly.

" I'm surprised Principal Celestia put you through that." Twilight said.

" She wanted to be assured that everything would go as planned. Anything that happens at a CHS is reflected on her. If a problem would happen, she would immediately get the blame for it by the School Board." I said. It must be difficult to be in Principal Celestia's shoes sometimes. She always had to ensure her students' well-being. If students and their parents were to complain, the Board would deem her unfit to run the school. Luckily, what happened with the fundraiser didn't cause any widespread panic, unlike the previous problems. Still, I did mess up by thinking I could handle so much all at once. " She had a lot of faith in me; she believed that I had changed from who I was. It's unfortunate I broke that faith within the span of a day."

" Were you serious about helping our friends and dealing with the magic problem at the same time?" Twilight asked.

" In hindsight, I should have ignored the magic." I answered.

" Kind of hard to do that. It does flow about unchained."

" Which was why I needed to understand how it worked."

" Did you really?"

" I had to! In Equestria, magic is predictable. You always know what it will do because you're in control at all times. Here? Magic does whatever it wants and is so difficult to comprehend, as it keeps changing. When Princess Twilight encouraged me to become a magic investigator, I had no idea what I was getting myself into." I answered. That remains true even now. My struggles with understanding the magic here have put a strain on my friendships. I would get so frustrated I'd lash out at them, and they didn't deserve that. While I've gotten some idea, thanks to the Friendship Games, I've got a long way to go. I just hope I don't lash out at Twilight because of how antsy I get. Magic is still a new concept to her. I would love to show her so much more than what exists here, but I don't think her logical mind is ready for it. To her, science is what makes the world work.

" Sunset?"

" Sorry. Just thinking to myself again."

" That doesn't surprise me. Are you going to explain the significance behind the sticker and ticket?"

" You mean I still haven't told you?"

" Nope."

" My bad!"

" It's fine."

" The ticket was one of several hundred that were sold to customers who were to attend the fashion show--Rarity's contribution to the fundraiser. It almost didn't happen as result of several factors: my school image, Trixie's manipulations behind the scenes, and my blunders. The sticker, on the other hand, was a little freebie we were giving out to let people know what the goal of the fundraiser was. I'll be getting to all of this later, but for now, I want to explain what happened before the show. Our friends were excited about their contributions, yet they were unprepared for what I threw into the mix." I answered.

" You stated that they would be assisting you." Twilight said.

" Yeah. Unwittingly."

" This won't end well."

" No, it didn't. I'll begin with Rainbow Dash and Applejack."

I had trouble sleeping that night. All I could think about was the fundraiser and the magic that flowed about this world. I knew my friends wouldn't be keen on helping me deal with the latter problem; they still had trouble coming to terms that magic existed at all. It wasn't their fault that humans didn't understand magic. All they had were cheap parlour tricks, illusions, sleight of hand, and so on--magic of the lowest denominator. The magic I used was natural, capable of doing many things, yet it was beyond their realm of thinking. They would eventually figure it out, but time was against me. I had to find a solution before the magic changes to something else. The quicker I solve this, the more time I'll have to help out with the fundraiser.

At first, I had been hesitant about being placed in charge, but my friends, along with Principal Celestia believed in me. I couldn't let any of them down. I did plenty of that during the Battle of the Bands. Besides, there was a benefit here that I just couldn't ignore: I was going to help my friends with their contributions. They were insistent I observe what they were doing and provide support to ensure everything was progressing smoothly. They also wanted me to contribute in my own way. I would prove them wrong when they said I couldn't help them all at once.

I was going to have them assist with the magic problem, although they didn't yet know that. Should I have been honest by telling them that I was trying to solve the magic problem while helping with the fundraiser? Perhaps, but it was too late to go back now.

The next morning, I managed to catch up with Rainbow Dash. She was busy practicing some soccer skills by herself. Her contribution to the fundraiser was to provide some sports entertainment by having the Wondercolt teams show off their skills. I should have known she would do something that showcased her talent. Upon seeing me walk up to her, Rainbow stopped before she smiled and waved. That's when she heard a clicking sound, caused when I attached a small device to her wrist. She had an irritated look on her face that told me she wasn't impressed with what I had done. Her mind would change soon enough once she made good use of my "gift".

" Um, what do you think you're doing?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Whatever are you talking about?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

" Don't play dumb with me!"

" Fine. I attached a monitoring device onto your wrist that will keep track of your heart rate and caloric burn." I said. Rainbow then began swinging her arm about in the hopes of figuring out what she was meant to do with it. Eventually, she just shrugged her shoulders before looking at me with that same irritated look. I thought she would have been thrilled about wearing something that checked her vital signs. Maybe my approach wasn't very good and so she was being hesitant. In any case, this would be important research that would help solve the magic problem.

" Why would I need to wear this?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Aren't you always worrying about staying in shape?"

" Nah! It doesn't even cross my mind!"

" Oh..."

" Seriously, why did you put this on my wrist?" Rainbow Dash asked. I had hoped not to explain my true intentions. Doing so meant my friends would accuse me of trying to sabotage the fundraiser and their efforts. I had to get such false notions out of their heads. I then told her what had been on my mind since Princess Twilight left. Upon finishing my explanation, Rainbow stared at me for a few moments before responding. " You want to figure out how the magic works!? I thought it was pretty obvious. We did use it to defeat both you and the Dazzlings. Uh, no offence. But if you really want to understand it, I'm not going to stop you. It's just that... Are you sure you can handle dealing with that and helping us at the same time like you said you would the other day?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" I can handle it." I answered.

" Don't you think you're in over your head?"

" Trust me!"

" That's what worries me."

" Anyway, you just keep on practicing like normal, and be sure to keep tabs on what the readout says on the monitor. I'll be looking forward to seeing the results. Hopefully, this will help me understand why we pony up when we play music." I said. Rainbow Dash then grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. Her expression was still irritated, but also confused. I had a hunch she would be hesitant about helping me with the magic problem. Luckily, I had anticipated her reaction, and knew how to appropriately respond to make her feel better. " You don't need to do this for very long. I'd say keep it on until school's done, then you can take it off and give me the results."

" Do you really think this will help?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" You won't even notice you're wearing it."

" Alright! I'll wear your stupid monitor!"

" Thanks, Rainbow Dash." I said, running back to the main entrance, leaving Rainbow to grumble while she fiddled about with the device in an effort to figure out how it was supposed to work. That was one of my friends taken care of. Only four left. Did I feel any guilt about forcing Rainbow into doing something she wasn't comfortable with? Yes, but it was for a good cause. I'm sure they wouldn't hold it against me.

It didn't take long for me to reach the kitchen. Initially, I suspected Pinkie Pie would be in there baking up a storm. Instead, Applejack was the one doing the baking. I was expecting her to be baking an assortment of apple-related dishes for the fundraiser, given she lived on an apple farm. In reality, she was preparing different things to accommodate the different tastes people had. Not everyone was a fan of apples. Even I was still developing a taste for it. By the time Applejack had noticed my presence, she had just finished putting something into the oven, setting the timer to thirty minutes. She then took off her oven mitts before making her way over to me.

" Come by to check up on mah progress?"

" Yes, and perhaps help you with some of the baking." I answered.

" While I appreciate the offer, I reckon that I've got everythin' under control. Besides, you don't know the first thing about bakin'. If I allowed you to get yer hands dirty with flour, you could end up causing an accident." Applejack said.

" That's why I've decided to observe you for a while. I want to see you working with my own eyes." I said.

" Observe me? No offence, Sunset, but shouldn't y'all be checkin' on the others to see how their doin'? Also, what in the hay is with all that fancy equipment you're holding in your hand?" Applejack asked. I was surprised she hadn't noticed that straight away. I was holding a machine that would help Applejack with her baking. It also doubled as a device which could monitor stress levels. Baking required a lot of concentration, and one wrong mistake could ruin the whole dish, resulting in a lot of frustration. I explained as much, and Applejack gave me a skeptical look in response. " Now why would you want me to use that there doohickey when I'm clearly capable of bakin' on mah own? Is there somethin' you ain't tellin' that I should know about?"

" If you must know." I answered. I spent the next few minutes explaining my intentions.

" Tryin' to understand our magic is fine and all, but don't y'all think yer puttin' too much on your plate at once?" Applejack asked.

" I can handle it."

" If you say so."

" So, will you keep my device around?"

" Reckon I ain't got much of a choice, but I am a mite curious as to why you feel the need to understand how our magic works." Applejack answered.

" I'm experimenting with magic the way you do with cooking."

" I always follow a recipe."

" But we don't really know the recipe yet. Every time you whip up a batch of donuts, people ask you what the secret ingredient is, right?" I asked. Applejack then looked at me with confusion across her face. Even I knew that what I just said didn't make any sense. Why did I have to go and say that? Ugh! That only made the conversation that much more awkward, but at least Applejack didn't pay any more mind to it. Instead, she walked towards the sink before rinsing her hands. " Donuts have secret ingredients; everyone makes them differently from one another. Some taste bland, while others are so amazing when you feel that taste on your tongue."

" When they ask that, I respond to 'em with the same answer. There isn't one." Applejack said.

" You're wrong about that!"

" I am?"

" There must be such an ingredient. Only it's magic flowing out of you, possibly the very same ingredient that sets off the reaction that results in everyone ponying up when we play our music. While we each have our own unique personalities, our magic is identical across the board. There are no differences that make some of us more magically in-tune than the others. That's my theory, anyway." I answered. I could tell Applejack didn't know what to make of what I said. Again, humans didn't understand the intricacies of magic. It was becoming apparent that my friends might not be that helpful in my mission as an investigator. However, I wasn't about to abandon their assistance just yet. They could still surprise me.

" Well, I got to get back to bakin' for the fundraiser." Applejack said.

" I need to see how the others are doing with their contributions."

" And that doohickey?"

" Don't worry. It won't get in the way, so long as it does what it's been programmed to do."

" Okay, if it'll help ya figure out that magic stuff." Applejack said. I then left the kitchen and began pondering on who to check up on next. Rarity was busy preparing the fashion show, Fluttershy was at the animal shelter looking at which ones to bring for the pet parade, and Pinkie was busy decorating the gym, the location for the fashion show. It made sense to speak with Rarity, as Pinkie was there with her. I could kill two birds with one stone and use the spare time after seeing Fluttershy to work on solving the magic problem. So far, everything was working out as planned. And my friends thought trying to handle so much all at once would be too much for me. I was proving them wrong! I knew I could handle it without any problems.

With my mind made up, I proceeded towards the gym in order to assist both Rarity and Pinkie Pie. I felt like I was on top of the world with how I was tackling both the fundraiser and the magic problem at the same time. I also felt like nothing could stop me from accomplishing any future goals. Surely, nothing could go wrong.

" It went wrong?" Twilight asked.

" Think of it as having crashed and burned." I answered.

" I'm so sorry."

" Don't be."

" But, everything just fell apart."

" That's because I overestimated my own abilities. It also didn't help that I was acting ignorant of the fact that our friends had to deal with two problems at once. I shouldn't have made them want to help me figure out the magic problem." I said. What were seen as honest intentions on my part transformed into the stuff of nightmares. I should have waited for a few weeks and asked Princess Twilight to come through the portal and help figure it out. The reason I never considered that idea was because of her schedule. Her Highness could have come back anytime she wanted, but her duties to Equestria took precedence over the problems of this world. It wouldn't have been fair to drag her away to solve a problem I could have figured out myself had I better knowledge of magic.

" Our friends didn't hold it against you, right?" Twilight asked.

" They were frustrated for several days."

" But they forgave you, right?"

" Yeah."

" I knew they would. It makes no sense to hold a grudge against someone who thought they were doing the right thing." Twilight said. I hugged her in response, which took her by surprise, but she reciprocated with a hug of her own. Twilight then turned the page. Several photos had been glued in place. These weren't taken by Photo Finish, as they lacked the logo on the bottom corner she uses. Rather, they were taken by me, although I'll admit that I could do with some improvement. The photos depicted several scenarios where disaster was prevalent. In each one, one of our friends was standing there in disbelief over what had happened. Why would I have these in my journal? To remind myself of how I screwed up something so simple. Twilight's reaction to the photos was to be expected. " Is this... Did you... Sunset... What happened?"

" I got in over my head." I answered.

" It looks like this was the work of magic."

" No, it wasn't. It was caused by my own blundering."

" Principal Celestia must have been angry."

" You have no idea."

Chapter 62: Costume Changes

Day: Thursday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 8:39am

If there's one thing I didn't like receiving, it's anything that gave me more stress. Vice Principal Luna told me that I had to keep the magic hidden during the Friendship Games, and she clearly intended for her message to reach my ears alone. Combined with the other problems I had, things were getting out of hand, and I struggled to keep track of everything I needed to resolve. While my friends suspected something was amiss, I assured them that everything was fine, but I knew that I was kidding myself. Even Ms. Cheerilee's attempt at making me feel better amounted to nothing. I had hoped Princess Twilight had written back to me, but she didn't, yet it didn't stop me from sending her another message. What could be going on back home in Equestria? Was Her Highness really that busy? Or, was something else at play? I had no time to ponder over the possibilities. The next day, Crystal Prep arrived to compete. I was pretty nervous about it, but Rarity seemed more energized than usual.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
March 8, 2016
Chapter 62: Costume Changes.

Twilight suddenly glared at me, freezing me on the spot. Had I said something to offend her? No, I didn't think so. All I said was Rarity had made enough costumes for several racks, and that they were for the Friendship Games. Had I used the wrong words? Maybe, but she never told me otherwise. You couldn't fault me for not knowing if certain words were forbidden. I started scratching my head, while Twilight took a sip of her apple cider. She continued glaring at me with those sharp eyes. I knew she was upset, as her gaze never once looked away from me, but why was she looking at me as though I had committed a terrible sin?

As she finished her drink, she continued looking in my direction. I was starting to get very uncomfortable with this scenario. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't, her gaze proving too strong for me to overcome. Twilight then started writing something down on her notepad, and all I could do was just sit there until one of us broke the silence. If I tried to move even a single inch, I was afraid she'd react badly. It felt so unreal. I knew she had some lingering darkness from being a demon, but I didn't think my words would cause such a mood swing like that. Eventually, Twilight would put her notepad and cider to one side before resuming her glare. I needed to say something before this got too unbearable for me.

" Um, why are you looking at me like that?" I asked.

" You said something that reminded me of Principal Cinch." Twilight answered.

" Really? I didn't think I did."

" The moment you said 'for the Friendship Games, of course', my mind immediately brought up the image of when Principal Cinch said a similar statement. She said it when she asked me to see her in the hopes of convincing me to compete in the Games with the other Shadowbolts." Twilight said. She glared at me because of that!? I just said something in the moment without even thinking about her feelings. Then again, why didn't she mention that when she told me about that experience? " Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, Sunset, but I still have trouble coming to grips with what happened to me."

" Becoming a demon?" I asked.

" No, not that. What I turned into is its own problem. No, I'm talking about how Principal Cinch forced me to compete. Going to Everton was my dream, and I worked harder than ever in order to even be considered. That institute has a strict requirement all applicants must achieve, otherwise they won't even bother dealing with you. My grades were exactly what they wanted, but I got denied because she wanted me to remain at Crystal Prep." Twilight answered.

" Were you that important?"

" I was the academy's best student, so that made me the face of the school. Losing someone like me would've ruined Principal Cinch's reputation, so she wanted to make sure I remained by any means necessary." Twilight answered.

" Do you ever plan on going to Everton?"

" Eventually, but not until I fully understand friendship."

" You've gotten off to a pretty good start."

" Maybe, but I still have a long way to go." Twilight said. She then began twiddling the lengths of hair that go past her ears, and I thought it was rather odd that she was still doing that. I remember her doing that whenever she felt stressed or nervous. Twilight may be a prodigy, but she had the typical signs of being an introvert: nervousness, nervous habits, difficulty speaking, and so on. I never had any tics like that, but my circumstances were different from hers. I started out powerful before losing everything, and she started out with nothing before gaining everything and losing the dark part. " Sunset... I did tell you that I had no friends before meeting you and the others, right?" Twilight asked.

" You did mention something about it briefly."

" All I had at Crystal Prep as a 'friend' was Spike. While he couldn't talk back at the time, he understood everything I said. If not for his presence, I'd probably be seeking therapy right about now. It's actually pretty funny how I managed to keep him with me while I was there." Twilight said.

" What do you mean?"

" Principal Cinch is highly allergic to dogs, so I had to keep Spike inside of my lab while I was at class. Because of my academic status at Crystal Prep, no one was allowed to enter unless they had special permission from me. Only Dean Cadence ever had that privilege. She made me feel appreciated, while everyone else treated me like I was beneath them. If not for her support and understanding, I'd have cracked under the pressure long ago." Twilight answered.

The more I heard about the Crystal Prep students behaving like bullies who only cared about themselves, the more it made me realize that I used to be just like them. They wanted to be praised for their accomplishments and wouldn't take anything less. That was exactly my way of thinking before friendship entered my life. In those days, I wanted to be recognized by Princess Celestia as worthy to become a princess. I didn't care about anything else other than reaching the status of alicorn. I went above and beyond what was expected of me, yet she denied me because I lacked humility. She made the right call, obviously, as I didn't understand what it meant until I learned through my friends. Back then, I was irate over being deemed good but not perfect.

I couldn't blame the students of Crystal Prep for the way they acted. Their school encouraged them to strive for perfection at the cost of their humanity. Principal Cinch never cared for any emotional sentimentality, as all that did was make her students weak. Anything deemed a detriment meant they would never achieve success and would become nothing but a failed student, their dream shattered to pieces for wanting to display emotions. They, like me, would walk down a path that could only end in pain. Students needed emotions in order to function properly, so teaching them into thinking they didn't need them showed how heartless Cinch was. I suppose she believed reputation was the only thing that was important, as having it meant everyone gave you respect. Reputation can be a blessing, but it can also be a curse if used incorrectly.

" Does Crystal Prep have a 'no pet' policy?" I asked.

" Yes, but I managed to get around that by saying Spike was the focus of my research project. I kept telling everyone, aside from Principal Cinch, that I had him in my lab in order to determine what kind of human-canine relations could be discovered. I made sure to make it fancy to give off the impression that it was serious." Twilight answered.

" Quite devious."

" Spike means everything to me, and I needed him to comfort me during those dark times."

" And now you have all of us to help you."

" Yes. Now, you mentioned that Rarity made those costumes, right?"

" She claimed that she made them all in her spare time, but I suspected the majority had been made within the last several months. There was no way she could've made several hundred costumes within the span of a couple of days." I answered. Twilight stared at me, eyes wide open upon hearing that remark. I started laughing in response before quickly pointing at the photo of myself and our friends wearing some of her costumes. " People always give me that expression whenever they hear that. When it comes to fashion, Rarity has no equal, but she does get carried away."

" What are you wearing?"

" A welder's mask and oven mitts."

" What!? That doesn't make any sense!"

" I know, but Rarity said her costumes were potential outfits we might need for the Friendship Games. We also had a discussion about the magic problem and how we needed to prevent it from plaguing the Games. Rainbow Dash wasn't taking it seriously, but I was, as I had been the one tasked with solving things." I said.

As I continued staring at the bookshelf, my thoughts shifted from the Friendship Games to Princess Twilight. She had always been punctual when it came to responding to my messages, and if she was ever late, she would apologize before explaining what caused her tardiness. For the first time since we both started writing messages, she didn't reply. I was worried something bad had happened to Her Highness.

I knew that being a princess in Equestria meant not living an easy life. There were so many different obligations you had to take care of any given day. There were ponies who needed guidance, meetings with diplomats, celebrations, problems to be solved, and some issues that were catered to a specific princess. If I had known what it really meant to be a princess, I wouldn't have fallen out with Princess Celestia. I only cared about the power associated with the title, and not the responsibilities attached to it.

I had considered going to Equestria in person to see if Princess Twilight was okay. She had told me that I could return whenever I wanted so long as the portal remained open, yet whenever the idea popped into my head, I hesitated out of a reminder of the past. I may have done great things in this world, but my efforts meant nothing in Equestria. Ponies only remembered me for stealing one of the Elements of Harmony and weakening Equestria's defences in the process. If I were to go back, I would be arrested almost instantly by the guards despite Twilight saying that I'd be under her protection. I couldn't go home... unless I wanted to be banished to the desolate wastes. Surely, Her Highness was alright, and I was just overreacting to her not answering my messages. She most likely got too exhausted from her presentation and needed a few days to recuperate.

That was my thought process, and I stuck with it, although I eventually learned the truth.

Later that night, I had the same nightmare that plagued me once before. Because Rainbow Dash ponied up unexpectedly, the nightmare returned stronger than ever. In it, the magic from Equestria reached a critical point before it unleashed itself across this world. Nothing could be done to stop it from corroding every last thing in its reach, and everyone blamed me for dooming them. I tried desperately to profess my innocence, but everyone I thought was my friend abandoned me. The damage had been done. I was left alone to succumb to dark thoughts I previously repressed and became a monster once again. I conquered this world without any trouble thanks to having all that magic around, yet the humans chose to abandon this world. They went through the portal into Equestria, and it became oversaturated with new faces. Both worlds were destroyed by a combination of my own guilt and the magic's inability to be restrained. It was a nightmare I wish I never had, yet I knew that it was a sign that it could become a reality should my efforts fail.

The next morning, I struggled to get myself out of my makeshift bed. My nightmare had left me sleep-deprived, but I needed to quickly get over it before Crystal Prep arrived. I needed to be in tip-top shape to play my part as a Wondercolt, but it wasn't easy for me. Even the most basic of actions proved difficult because of how little sleep I got. Combing my hair was a challenge, as I used a protractor, mistaking it for a comb. Eating a banana should have been easy, but I ate the peel rather than the actual fruit. Finally, getting dressed was easy, but tying up my boots wasn't, and I tripped several times before addressing the problem. When my friends noticed my horrible condition, they offered to get me something that could rekindle the flames within me with the most useful drink they could think of: coffee.

To help get my mind off of my problems, my friends suggested a little jam session in the music room. We had about an hour to kill before the Friendship Games' opening ceremony took place. We all assumed the Games would start within hours of our competition arriving, but it was merely the ceremony, followed by Crystal Prep's entourage getting settled down. The competition had been postponed until the next day, with a party to be held the night before. Why not get things started? It was due to Principal Cinch wanting to make sure her students were properly accommodated. Our jam session was exactly what I needed, and despite being told to keep our magic hidden, we ponied up anyway. That's just how we rolled in our group of best friends.

By the time we finished, Rainbow Dash decided to get the ball rolling. I wished she had started with something else, though.

" I hope the Friendship Games have a music competition, because we would totally rock it!" Rainbow Dash said, striking a chord on her electric guitar.

" Now why did you have to go and say that?" I asked.

" You know how awesome we are as the Rainbooms! Yeah, we didn't exactly win the Battle of the Bands, but we beat out everyone else! Besides, everything can be considered an event for the Games! So, my idea is totally possible. Anything that can give us an advantage against Crystal Prep is a good one." Rainbow Dash answered.

" I've no complaints about you saying how good we are." I said.

" Okay, then what's the problem?"

" Seriously!? You really don't see the issue?"

" We got the skills in music, so why not flaunt them?" Rainbow Dash asked. I was so tempted to smack her upside the head, but I suspected she was only having fun at my expense. She knew that our magic came forth whenever we played music, so why would she make such a suggestion knowing what we--namely me--must do to ensure that CHS isn't accused of cheating. " Hey... I know that we can't use our special talents during the competition, but you need to lighten up, Sunset. Everything is gonna be sweet when we finally kick Crystal Prep to the curb. Still, it'd be awesome to have a music competition. I doubt any of the Shadowbolts know a thing about music." Rainbow sounded pretty sure of herself, indicating that her ego was kicking about, but she needed to take things more seriously.

" Reckon you're boastin' us to being a lot better than we think." Applejack said, propping her bass up against its stand before walking over.

" Of course we're as good as we say."

" Just because Crystal Prep focuses on studies doesn't mean none of them ain't got any music experience. I'm sure they've got a music program over there like we do here, or they practice on their own free time." Applejack said.

" I agree with Applejack." I began, sitting down on a nearby chair. " They probably have all kinds of afterschool activities that give them the opportunity to further expand their own skills. From what we've heard about them, they are encouraged to do everything possible to increase their intellects. I don't know if their principal would approve of some of the more modern methods, but if she thinks it would be beneficial, then she'd force them to go for it."

" We've worked really hard to get better. Doesn't that count for anything?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" It does, but I think we need to be realistic about it. Crystal Prep has been winning competitions all over the city for as long as anyone can remember. They've only lost a few times durin' that same time span, yet their dominance is somethin' to be both admired and feared. To them, winnin' is in their blood." Applejack answered.

" Beating them would really raise spirits."

" You mean, if we can beat 'em."

" And why wouldn't we?"

" You've read the yearbooks after our school's previous failings."

" Pfft! That means nothing!" Rainbow Dash said. Despite Applejack and I telling her the honest truth, she refused to listen to it. In her head, CHS was on equal footing with our rivals at Crystal Prep, yet she didn't realize that most of the Wondercolts still had second thoughts about competing. It was seen as a lost cause for many of us. CHS was the underdog by a large margin. Rainbow was the one student who kept the team from falling apart. Her optimism acted like a source of energy we needed to do our very best. " Look! I know they have more resources at their disposal, but that doesn't mean they're gonna win. Heck! They could have the best things handed to them on a silver platter, and it still wouldn't give them success."

" If y'all are trying to give us another pep talk, don't bother." Applejack said.

" I'm not!"

" All we can do is our very best, Rainbow Dash. While you don't like the idea of CHS losing again, if we give it our best shot, we can be satisfied that we gave them a slight challenge before they wiped the floor with us." I said.

" Winning would be better."

" I think all of CHS would be mighty happy if that were to happen, but we've gotta face reality." Applejack said.

" Maybe, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Anyway, I still want a music competition."

" You really did forget, didn't you?" I asked.

" No, I didn't! I just want a music competition as one of the events."

" Um, we're supposed to keep magic out of the Friendship Games, remember?" I asked. Rainbow Dash scoffed in response and walked off to put away her guitar in its case. I glared at her with a stare that could kill. Her arrogance annoyed me, yet I refrained from doing something I might regret. She knew what was at stake yet felt like it didn't concern her, as the task of keeping the magic in check fell onto me. I slapped my forehead amidst mumbling under my breath.

" Easier said than done, darling." Rarity said. She had since put away her keytar and was focusing on adjusting her eyelashes, using her compact mirror to see. I wasn't surprised that she was focusing on her looks, but then, that was something Rarity considered important. The rest of us knew not to question such actions.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" I'm sure in Equestria, magic does whatever you want. But..."

" This isn't Equestria."

" Oh, I didn't mean to imply that you still longed for your world." Rarity said. I had no idea what made her think of that, but she was a lot closer than I wanted her and the rest of my friends to be regarding my future plans. I wanted to stay here, but at the same time, Equestria beckoned me to go home, despite the punishment that awaited me. It was a very complicated problem that threatened to pull me in multiple directions. " But, was I right in saying that you could use magic however you wanted?" Rarity asked.

" The more powerful you are, the more control you have." I answered.

" That must be simply divine!"

" Yeah. It's proven incredibly useful in all kinds of situations. Sometimes, I think we unicorns rely a little too much on our magic. We should try to use our other skills to develop them further and eventually wean ourselves away from magic." I said. What was I even saying at that point? I didn't know, but I had to say something that wouldn't make them suspect anything was wrong with me. If they knew what I was going through, they'd try to convince me to stay in this world. Living among humans had been a worthwhile experience, yet I did miss romping around the fields alongside my fellow ponies. Between humans and ponies, it was the latter that held a much higher place in my heart, yet the former also had its place in there. " I wouldn't completely stop using magic, though, otherwise I wouldn't be a unicorn anymore." I said.

" Can you imagine what one could do if they had access to magic full-time?" Rarity asked.

" Um, I already have, remember?"

" Oh yes! Quite right! But, I meant that for the rest of us, darling. We'd be able to do so much if our magic were more readily accessible."

" No point in gettin' your britches in a knot." Applejack said.

" How droll of you to say it like that."

" Sunset knows more about magic than the rest of us, so she knows what can happen if we were to become too dependant on it. Besides, when it comes to any magical problems, she can figure 'em out lickety split." Applejack said.

" And while Sunset works on keeping the magic out of the games, I've been working on what to put in!" Rarity said. She started giggling, yet Applejack simply raised her eyebrow. She always did that whenever she doubted anything anyone said or did. I'm not sure why Rarity had to remind me that I was the one who had to solve the magic problem. Rainbow Dash, I could understand, but not someone like Rarity.

" Rarity, what'd you go an' do?" Applejack asked.

" Oh, come, now! You most certainly know what I have done."

" With you, it could be just about anythin'."

" Don't be so absurd, Applejack. My speciality is making people look good, and that involves using costumes." Rarity answered. She put her compact mirror away and walked over to a corner of the music room that contained six or seven racks. I actually thought they were being used to store smaller instruments, but when Rarity brought them all over in a matter of seconds, we were all pretty surprised with what she wanted to present.

Each rack must have had at least thirty different costumes on them, ranging from the very simple to the overly complex. I knew she loved showing off new designs, but this was completely ridiculous. There was enough there for at least one hundred people--and then some--yet I was also curious as to how Rarity got them all in here without anyone noticing. I'd say this borderlined on Pinkie Pie levels of absurdity, but this wasn't the first time she had produced a rack of costumes from some unknown place. " Well, I had a little time on my hands, and since we don't know what the Friendship Games' events are, I made a few options for uniforms!" Rarity said.

" A few options!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

" Did I go overboard?"

" What do you think!?"

" I'll admit that some of my designs weren't my best work, but most are simply amazing and should make you stand out against Crystal Prep."

" We have official uniforms, remember? We got them through the fundraiser?"

" Yes, but think about it, Rainbow Dash. Why wear an ordinary sporting outfit when you can wear one of my own creations?" Rarity said. She picked a random costume off of the nearest rack, looked at it for a brief moment, and slipped it over Rainbow's head. In an instant, the costume--a soccer uniform--was on her, just like what happened when Pinkie put that bodysuit on me. Was Rarity taking lessons from Pinkie on how to defy reality? " Yes. Yes! A perfect fit! You'll definitely be the best player on the field, both in skill and fashion sense, should one of the events be soccer related."

" You really didn't have to do that." Rainbow Dash said, looking uneasy over what just happened.

" I know."

" No, you really didn't have to." Applejack said.

" I know!"

" You're not gonna let us leave until we try out some of your designs, are you?"

" No need to worry so much, Applejack. This will only take, what, ten minutes at the most? Besides, most of these designs are still in the development process, so it's not like I'll be asking you to try out dozens of them. I'd say more like three costumes for each of you." Rarity answered. She started giggling up a storm before turning around and walking over to another rack. The rest of us looked at each other with concern. What had we gotten ourselves into? We all knew how much Rarity's costumes meant to her. We couldn't just walk out of there without breaking her heart. What kind of friends would do that?

I had to admit that she provided a lot of varieties. Back in Equestria, a lot of these designs weren't possible due to ponies walking around on four hooves instead of two legs like a human. We still had ponies dedicated to fashion, though, with some truly standing out among their peers. If Rarity really wanted to, she could become the greatest fashion designer Canterlot had ever known. Or, maybe even the world, if she were to go that far with her work. In any case, this whole thing had relieved me of all that stress. Sure, I still had a small amount on my mind, but that related to picking out the right outfit and not having Rarity choose something she thought would work better.

That's when I heard the sound of several buses pulling up to the sidewalk outside on the front lawn. I looked out of a nearby window and saw four buses, each bearing the colours and insignia of Crystal Prep. Our competition had finally arrived, and it made me wonder if that person was among the students. I still had doubts over Rainbow's claim that they were from the academy, but then, I didn't have any proof to say that they weren't. From what I could see from this distance, Principal Celestia was talking to someone who looked bored just standing there. Was that Principal Cinch, the one I overheard Celestia and Luna talk about? She seemed like an ordinary person, but appearances were often deceptive.

The opportunity to see what kind of person she was came later, but at that moment, Cinch didn't strike me as anything special.

" I can't believe Rainbow Dash would tease you like that." Twilight said.

" She didn't mean to test my patience. She often says things without taking the consequences into consideration." I said.

" Sounds like she needs to improve."

" No point in trying to change her. That's just the kind of person Rainbow really is."

" At least you weren't the only one who got annoyed by her antics. Applejack certainly didn't mince words when she responded to Rainbow's boasts that CHS was going to defeat Crystal Prep." Twilight said. Among out friends, Applejack was the one who never held back under any circumstances. If something needed to be said, she would step up and say it regardless of what it might do to her reputation. It felt reassuring knowing that she was always ready to say what was on her mind, yet at times she went overboard and actually could've made situations less problematic had she toned down her opinion. Most of the time, though, it never became an issue. " You know, I'm still surprised that Rarity had so many costumes. Was it true that most of them weren't finished?"

" I'd say there was about close to one hundred and thirty six costumes, and only twenty of them were considered wearable in her eyes." I answered.

" Why even bother showing incomplete outfits?"

" Rarity not only liked to show the quality of her fashion designs, but also the quantity. Someone in her line of work always needed to make a good impression, and what better way than to show off a combination of finished and work-in-progress products to give customers an idea as to what she was capable of?" I answered.

" Any exotic costumes?"

" I wouldn't go that far, but she did have things you normally wouldn't see." I answered. I pointed at the photo that depicted our friends and me in our costumes, and Twilight scooted over to see just what we were wearing. I had already told her that I was wearing a welder's mask and oven mitts. My costume was a mixture of different things I picked at random, and they all somehow meshed well together, despite my lack of fashion sense--I never cared about fashion.

Fluttershy was wearing a hockey goalie's uniform complete with helmet and pads, and her cutie mark was prominently featured on the front of the uniform, the pads, and the helmet. Did that mean Rarity believed Fluttershy had a future as an athlete?

Rainbow Dash wore, without a doubt, the funniest costume. At least, it was funny to me. She was wearing a uniform that screamed authority, yet the hat proved difficult to pin down exactly what authority she represented. " Rarity told me that Rainbow was dressed up as a 'bobby', a fancy term for a police officer seen in England. I had no idea what either of those words meant, so she quickly explained it to me. I had prided myself on learning everything about this world, yet it turned out that I had only really focused on Canterlot and this side of the globe. There was so much more knowledge to learn." I said.

" Maybe you should take more history or social studies courses?" Twilight suggested.

" Yeah. That's not a bad idea."

" Okay, then what is Applejack wearing?"

" She's wearing a lacrosse outfit complete with the helmet and glove they use to scoop up the ball." I answered. I recall how Applejack felt uncomfortable wearing her costume, not because of whether or not she enjoyed playing sports but because the shirt didn't quite fit her. It was a little too short around the waist and bore her midriff. Rarity tucked the shirt in, thinking it wasn't a problem, yet Applejack struggled to keep it in.

Pinkie Pie's costume didn't follow the athletic pattern both Applejack and Fluttershy wore. Instead, she wore what looked to be farmer's garb, but not the kind I've seen the Apple Family wear around Sweet Apple Acres. Maybe Pinkie wanted to go really rustic rather than more contemporary. " You must give Rarity credit for being creative with her designs, yet you do have to wonder if they served any purpose." I said.

" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

" Since we had no idea what the Friendship Games' events were going to be, only a few of her costumes would be considered appropriate attire. The rest of them would be largely ignored, so you'd have to question why she made so many." I answered.

" Did you ask that question?"

" No, Applejack did, yet Rarity didn't see it as a problem."

" That's a relief."

" To Rarity, she was expressing her generosity by spending time with us while showcasing her passion."

" And is that..."

" Yes."

" My pendant absorbed her magic because of what she had done for all of you. I wish that I'd had the foresight to know what was going on when I was tracking you--and essentially, the source of the energy--down. You see, my pendant was also designed to detect foreign energy and track it down through radar. The closer I got to the energy, the stronger the signal became. It wasn't perfect, though; it did have some glitches I never found the time to fix." Twilight said.

" What kind of glitches?"

" It didn't know when to stop absorbing magic, for one thing, and the radar wasn't entirely accurate. I was just lucky that I happened to be going by the music room, but I guess the same couldn't be said for Rarity." Twilight answered.

" If she hadn't ponied up, then our first meeting would have been on slightly different terms. Before you entered the music room, we were questioning why Rarity had so much energy given the vast number of costumes she showcased. But when you walked through that door, I actually believed that Princess Twilight herself had returned." I said.

I continued staring outside the window at Principal Cinch. Despite not being able to fully see the expression on her face, I could tell that she wasn't happy being at CHS. She probably thought being here was beneath her and was staying just to fulfill her part as a judge. I was curious as to how Principal Celestia was dealing with someone who went out of her way to make her feel miserable. She must have found it difficult talking to the likes of Cinch, yet she had no choice because of her duty as a principal. If I was in Celestia's shoes and speaking with Cinch, I'd be struggling to keep control of my temper. Everything I had heard about the principal of Crystal Prep made me angry.

Rarity noticed me and asked me to come on over and try out some costumes, but I remained steadfast in my resolve to watch what was going on for a while longer. The rest of my friends then walked over to the window and looked at what was happening. I could hear growls coming from under their breath, their bitter hatred towards the school's eternal rival echoing all around me. I felt pity towards the Crystal Prep students who had to endure being in a place that restricted freedom in the pursuit of perfection. Why did I have a reaction different from my friends? While I had been attending CHS for over three years, I still felt detached from my fellow students. There were certain customs that made no sense to me, so I couldn't understand the significance behind them. I didn't view Crystal Prep as an enemy but rather as a place that had different beliefs. Principal Cinch was the true enemy.

Once it became apparent that their growls were disturbing, I suggested to focus on trying out Rarity's costumes to get our mind off of the incoming guests. My friends agreed with my suggestion, yet they continued looking out the window until Rarity changed her stance and began handing us different outfits. We were thinking of picking something at random, but she wouldn't allow it; only she knew which costumes were finished and which were still being worked on. There was no point in trying to change her mind. Rarity was serious when it came to fashion. The rest of us saw it as just a hobby, yet she saw it as her livelihood.

It only took her a couple of minutes to choose ideal costumes for everyone. Except for me. I proved to be challenging, and after several failed attempts, Rarity simply told me to pick anything that appealed to me and simply go with it. I felt upset that she couldn't choose a costume that took advantage of my appearance, but I supposed that ponies had a different style compared with humans. My search through the racks of costumes was interesting. Most of what I saw wasn't all that appealing, yet a pair of oven mitts took my fancy. I've never had an interest in cooking, but I just couldn't turn my eyes away from them.

After about ten minutes, I had finished trying on what I thought was an ideal costume. The welder's mask didn't go well with the mitts, but both did compliment the snowboarder outfit. I was surprised that Rarity didn't freak out over my choices. If she hadn't been focused on helping the others, she would've been in a mad dash to find something that made me look presentable. Fluttershy was wearing a hockey goalie's uniform complete with pads and helmet that somehow featured her cutie mark on the pieces. Rainbow Dash looked like a security guard, based on her getup, yet Rarity told me that she was dressed as a bobby from England. I didn't know what she was talking about, but I wasn't about to question her knowledge of fashion. Applejack was wearing a lacrosse uniform but appeared to be struggling to keep her shirt tucked in. Finally, Pinkie wore what could've been a farmer's outfit, but not the kind I've come to know during my trips to Sweet Apple Acres.

" Uh, Rarity, these outfits are great, but why would you put so much time and effort into clothes we might not even wear?" Applejack asked. Rarity then dashed over to her and tucked in her shirt before dashing off again to put a hat on top of Rainbow Dash's head. After that, she dashed on over to make sure Pinkie was okay with her outfit. Applejack seemed miffed that she was being ignored, and I knew she would going to do something about it. " Rarity? Are y'all even listenin' to me?" The lack of an answer was enough to make her yell at the top of her lungs. " RARITY!!!!"

" Hmmm? Is something wrong?" Rarity asked.

" Did you hear what I said?"

" Oh, my, yes, but you didn't need to shout. I know not all of my outfits are going to be used in the competition, but you know how much I love making new designs. Why, I even have some dresses for us to wear during the party later this evening. I didn't bring them here, because I want them to be a surprise." Rarity answered.

" But you're overdoin' it by going with quantity along with quality. You're gonna exhaust yourself before the games even start."

" I highly doubt that, darling."

" If you keep up your current pace, you will."

" Oh, pff. Kch. Fff. Ts! Don't be silly, darling! Putting effort into clothes is what I live for, and spending time on my friends fills me with energy!

" Maybe so, but we need you to be at your best, otherwise we'll be a person short."

" We do have the substitutes who are ready to step up if one of us were to suddenly not be able to compete. Besides, I'm actually feeling pretty good. I'm not sure why, but I suddenly feel a strong surge coming from deep within me." Rarity said. That immediately caught my attention. That's what Rainbow Dash said before she ponied up, so did that mean Rarity was about to go through the same thing? I was hoping that Rainbow and me were just freak occurrences, but I turned out to be wrong. " I can feel the energy coming from within, and it doesn't want to be held down any longer. I must unleash it for everyone to see!"

She then was suddenly surrounded by purple energy, and before I could say anything, her pony ears and tail appeared, signalling her pony up. Why did this happen? I didn't recall her playing her keytar within the last couple of minutes, so the idea of a delayed reaction was completely shot down instantly.

First, I gained those phoenix wings. Then, Rainbow transformed when students joined in her song. And now, Rarity changed because of this. None of this made sense! Was the magic truly that unpredictable? I decided to ask Rarity a few questions in case she knew exactly what caused this.

" How are you feeling?" I asked.

" I certainly feel fine, darling, yet I don't know why I ponied up." Rarity answered.

" You said you felt a strong surge."

" It wanted to come forth, and so, I let it. Who am I to deny anything its urge?"

" Anything else you want to add?"

" Not at the moment, yet I do feel like something else is happening."

" What do you mean?"

" It feels like my magic is being pulled away." Rarity answered. I thought she was having a bit of fun, but I should've realized that Rarity would never resort to child-like behaviour no matter what. She was much too professional to even consider doing something like that.

Out of the corner of my eye, I did notice that Rarity's magical aura was suddenly leaving the room. I thought it was just her magic wanting to escape and decided not to pursue the matter any further. I know now that my oversight was going to come back to haunt me much later when things spiralled out of control. In my mind at that time, I assumed the magic was acting of its own accord, given how it never did the same thing more than once. My friends didn't pay attention to Rarity's magic flowing out of the room and instead were fixated on seeing our friend having transformed of her own volition.

Her answers to my questions didn't provide any further clues, so I was still stumped with trying to come up with a solution to the magic problem. Two of my friends, along with myself, had experienced a change in our magic. I thought it was over, but the others would eventually have their own experiences. Eventually, Rarity changed back to normal before dropping to the ground and looking incredibly tired. Was magic capable of leaving people weak? No, I didn't believe so. Magic did require a lot of concentration, but then, exhaustion happened by doing too much all at once without taking a break.

" Are you alright?" I asked.

" I just feel so exhausted." Rarity answered.

" Maybe we should stop with this costume fitting so that you can rest."

" Nonsense! I can keep going for as long as necessary." Rarity said. She tried to get back onto her feet, only to stumble at the last moment and fall back down. Luckily, Applejack caught her just in time. " Maybe stopping isn't a bad idea, after all. You were right, Applejack. Now that you mention it, I suppose I could do with a tiny break."

" I told you." Applejack said.

" Does anyone else hear the sounds of footsteps coming from outside?" I asked.

" Might be one of the janitors comin' by on their way to clean up somethin'."

" Yeah, I guess you're right. It's not like someone is going to walk through those doors and further complicate things." I said. I knew I shouldn't have said that. I believe that I cursed myself by saying those exact words. The doors to the music room opened, and someone entered whose face was lowered down. They were wearing a fancy-looking uniform that screamed "stuck-up", but I wasn't about to judge on that merit alone. What caught my attention was the strange pendant they had around their neck. It didn't resemble any typical piece of custom jewelry, yet something felt familiar about it. I didn't know it at the time, but I had seen a different version two days ago. The person then closed the pendant and looked up at us, and our eyes opened wide with surprise.

" Twilight!?" We all exclaimed.

" Uh, yes?"

I couldn't believe it! Princess Twilight had decided to pay us a visit, after all! Yet, something deep inside was telling me that something was wrong. Why didn't she respond to any of my previous messages? Why was she wearing a much different outfit compared to what she wore before? Why didn't she recognize us straight away instead of looking all confused? These questions and more plagued my mind, yet I ignored them. I was in the moment where happiness could be felt all across my body. My mentor and friend was with us, and that meant she could assist me with solving the magic problem, and knowing Rainbow Dash, she'd want to see if Her Highness could be substituted into the Wondercolts before the Games started tomorrow.

" Well, I'll be. You shoulda told us you were comin'." Applejack said.

" Huh? You were expecting me?" Twilight asked.

" 'Course we were, sugarcube. It's been a long time since you last came here."

" What are you talking about?"

" Darling, those glasses. What are you wearing? It's so...severe." Rarity said.

" My glasses!? What's wrong with them?" Twilight asked.

" Why, nothing at all, except why wear such an old-fashioned pair?"

" Because I like them. As for my uniform..."

" Your uniform for what?" Fluttershy asked.

" For... Crystal Prep." Twilight answered.

Wait! Did Her Highness just say Crystal Prep? That was the rival school who had just arrived to compete in the Friendship Games. Despite not actually registering as a student, she was a proud member of CHS based on her previous accomplishments. What in the world was going on? Had she been living a lie to us all this time? Was the mentor and friend I had come to depend upon for so much false? Before I knew the truth behind this madness, that's what I believed was the truth. If only I had paid attention to what my mind told me. It was blatantly obvious that something was amiss. Yet, this person, this Twilight Sparkle, was the spitting image of Her Highness, aside from the different clothes and having her hair in a different style. Even my friends were confused by her responses, yet they continued to believe that she was our friend.

One thought that went through my mind involved the presentation she had given. Did Princess Twilight suffer a nervous breakdown and then secretly come here, thinking that she was a student of Crystal Prep? I didn't have any proof of my claim, yet it was the only logical explanation that I could think of. The truth would become known to all of us within the next few minutes. A chance encounter with Principal Cinch, combined with Pinkie Pie addressing something she once mentioned to Her Highness long before I became their friend, would reveal all. It also allowed me the chance to see just what kind of person Cinch really was.

" I don't think I know anyone who is as obsessed with Principal Cinch as you were." Twilight said.

" I'd only heard about the things she did. When I saw her for the first time, she seemed like an ordinary person. I never imagined that someone who looked so calm and cold was capable of causing so much misery to everyone around her." I said.

" You were right about her being bored, though."

" I was?"

" Principal Cinch never liked going to other schools. She always viewed them as a waste of both taxpayers' money and the school board's treasury. If she had gotten her way, the other high schools across Canterlot would've been closed down and then demolished. Since she knew that her presence was needed for common courtesy, and because she had to play nice, she resigned herself to making an appearance. Usually, she asked Dean Cadance to go in her place, but for special occasions, she had to go." Twilight answered.

" It must not have been pleasant for her fellow principals, huh?"

" A lot of them, from what I've heard, always dread a visit from her. They can easily tolerate the arrogance of the students and other staff members of Crystal Prep, yet they never could stand Principal Cinch. That's why Dean Cadance wanted to do more for the academy despite her position. She wanted to let the city know that they weren't as bad as people believe, but it was difficult to convince them otherwise. You saw for yourself what Crystal Prep was like during the Friendship Games. Victory meant doing what was necessary, regardless of the cost." Twilight answered.

" Dean Cadance seemed pleasant compared to Cinch." I said.

" She did everything she could to make students feel appreciated in their environment, but she always had to conform to the decisions of Principal Cinch. She looked like she agreed with such choices, but deep down, that wasn't the case. In private, she always told me that her biggest fear was seeing Crystal Prep become isolated because of how the academy was being run. Perhaps the Friendship Games turning out like they did was a positive, after all." Twilight said.

From what I saw of her, Dean Cadance did seem very approachable and often played the part of a neutral party, wanting to make sure everyone was safe and enjoying the competition. To think that she had such a position of power within the hierarchy of Crystal Prep yet always had to listen to what Principal Cinch said and did. She wanted to say something but had to refrain herself in case she lost her job for being too critical. While she may have enjoyed helping her students, Cadance didn't really have any true power to make lasting decisions. Perhaps now, that opportunity has become available to her.

While Cinch will no doubt remain in charge of Crystal Prep, her students now see her as a heartless woman whose own reputation meant more than anything else. If the school board were to do something based on enough evidence, they could promote Cadance to the role of principal. Yet, that would mean Cinch losing the one job she must have held onto for many years. She may have been a monster, but she didn't deserve to be thrown out because she had a different way of thinking. Perhaps, she could slowly start to change her ways and transform her school into something that everyone outside of their demographic would be honoured to attend. Only Cinch could make that decision. No one else had the ability and position in the school.

" Do you think Dean Cadance could ever replace Cinch?" I asked.

" Maybe, but she'll likely do what she thinks is best for the school and not seek that position. She is likely to encourage Cinch into adopting some new changes in order to give off the right impression." Twilight answered.

" So long as change actually happens."

" Did you actually think of me as being 'stuck-up'?"

" It was the uniform."

" Yes, I can understand why you thought that. I never really did like it much, myself."

" It looked too formal."

" Crystal Prep is a private school, so wearing uniforms was mandatory."

" Makes sense."

" So what happened after Principal Cinch returned me to my classmates?"

" Principal Celestia was surprised that you looked the way you did, and the rest of us felt the exact same way. There was some confusion as to how you related to Her Highness, but we quickly figured out that you were from this world when Pinkie mentioned her little statement. Once we realized who you really were, I had quite the discussion with our friends. It could've gone better, but it needed to be done in order to figure out where to go from there." I answered.