Friendship is Failure #8: Teen Titans HSM V: Ways of Life

Chapters

Act 1: Differences
Act 2: The New Students
Act 3: Off on the Wrong Foot
Act 5: Insult to Magic
Act 6: Spike's Mission
Act 7: A Horrifying Weekend at Garfield's
Act 8: Off on a mission
Act 9: Tough Wolf Attack!
Act 10: The Truth, and the Awful Truth
Act 11: Split Decision
Act 12: Nasty Schemes
Act 13: Power Hungry!
Act 14: Abandon Ship
Act 15: Regroup, Retrieve
Final Act: A Nightmare come true
Intro Act
Act 4: Intellectual Differences

Act 1: Differences

Author's Note

-It seems copying and pasting this after I load it onto Deviantart stops that horrible wide spacing (Something should be done about that) then it'll be easier to copy and paste directly from the documents to the loader here

-I really do not like making up original songs like that one in there because there's no existing music I can use to load as a vid to give it more audio, and aside from that I prefer existing songs to original ones. that's why I often make REVISED lyrics for existing songs, or just make them sing the actual songs from the vids (But I can't load the original lyrics because of copyright) To me, those songs are much better fitting and can't be topped.

Act 1: Differences

ACT ONE

It a very special time at Canterlot High, the day of the exchange program, where nine students from a High School in Canterlot’s neighboring town, Jump City, would be coming to spend a few months at Canterlot High, as sort of a practice for cultural exchange programs. This would determine if students had what it took to make it overseas in other countries.

The Equestria Girls were especially excited, because they had volunteered to put up with some of the students coming in their homes, almost like having a new brother or sister around.

The girls all stood at the bulletin board outside the Principal’s Office to see who they would be entertaining for the next few months.

“This is so exciting!” cried Rainbow Dash “I hope whoever I get is into sports and music!” It was obviously hinted as she held her guitar in one hand, and her soccer ball clutched under her other arm.

Pinkie Pie was quivering with excitement, “I can’t wait! I can’t wait! I CAN’T WAIT!!” she squealed, and then she went over her checklist for a Welcoming Party she intended to throw.

“Music… Okie…

Snacks and refreshments… Dokie…

Party Games for everyone… Lokie!”

Vice Principal Luna came out with the sheet of students names and their corresponding caregivers, when suddenly she realized, “Oops, I forgot a tack.” And she went back inside taking the list with her, much to the students’ anxieties.

Rarity took out her compact and began to beautify herself. “What are you doin’?” asked Applejack. “Well, first impressions are very important.” replied Rarity “I can’t very greet my soon-to-be houseguest with bad complexion.”

She looked to bedazzling, the way she shimmered in the lights above, and the way she fluttered her long eyelashes… Spike, poking his head out of Twilight’s backpack, had hearts in his eyes and he drooled softly, and let out a little howl.

Twilight then grabbed him and stuffed him into her backpack. “Spike!” she scolded.

“What, I think she looks pretty!”

Rarity grinned lovingly at Spike, “Darling, as much as I appreciate your flattery, keep in mind that pets are not welcome on the school ground during hours, but still… thank you.” And she pecked his little head, making the little dog swoon and fall over silent into the backpack and out of sight.

Fluttershy felt very nervous, “What if whoever I get won’t like me? What if I do something really embarrassing?”

“Ah, buck up, girl…” said Applejack “That’s pretty much what this whole thing’s for; to get to know other people, and who’s better at makin’ friends than us?”

Sunset agreed, “Still, I think that for obvious reasons, no matter who we get, we don’t tell them about… You-Know-What.” Naturally she referred to all the magic and stuff they knew and possessed. Even though all of Canterlot High knew of it, they all agreed it best not to let anyone else find out, for fear of what trouble could occur.

Twilight felt especially nervous, remembering her Midnight Sparkle episode. “It’ll be okay. Just try not to think about It.” said Sunset, “Believe me, I know how it feels to go through that.”

Twilight smiled softly, and then VP Luna came back out again and pinned the list to the board, which the students gazed at it eagerly.

The nine exchange-students and there were names and next to them were their assigned caregivers; the other students.

Dick Grayson… Sunset Shimmer

Kori Anders… Rarity

Victor Stone… Rainbow Dash

Raven Roth… Pinkie Pie

Kato Kalikis… Fluttershy

Terra Markov… Applejack

Jackie Amber & Jillian Dionne… Flash Sentry.

“Hey, how come Flash gets two?” Rainbow asked. Flash, who happened to be passing by stated, “No other students volunteered, so I figured I could take two, and besides, my folks are out of town, and it gets kind of lonesome at home. It’ll be like having two sisters around.”

“Really…? That’s so sweet.” remarked Twilight. Suddenly, she realized how she had just acted and felt her cheeks turning a warm shade of red, while Flash blushed, “Yeah… I guess it is. Ahem… well… gotta bounce.”

Then he was gone.

“Oooooh…!” the girls all cooed while playfully fanning themselves, making Twilight feel embarrassed. “Um… anyway… Who did I get?”

Sunset checked the list, “Some guy named Garfield Logan.”

Rainbow chuckled, “Garfield?” His name is “Garfield?”

The others didn’t look approved with her attitude, “Really, Rainbow Dash. It’s merely a name.” said Rarity, but actually, she herself couldn’t help but leak out a tiny chuckle, only because the name sounded funny to say “Garfield…”

Principal Celestia heard the commotion and peeked out through the door to the office, “Shouldn’t you all be heading to class?” she asked with a straight look!

The girls all smiled embarrassed, and then went on their way. Twilight grabbed her bag so quickly that she knocked Spike around inside and he hit his head on the big books. “Ouch!” he groaned.

“What was that?” asked Celestia.

Twilight turned, and didn’t want her to know she had Spike with her. Even though Prinicpal Celestia knew of Spike and the whole “He could talk” thing, school rules were school rules: No Pets Allowed!

“Um… it was, um…!”

“Ouch.” Fluttershy groaned, rather pitifully, “I stubbed my toe.” And she began to pitifully hop on one foot, holding the other foot while pitifully going “Ooh… Ow… ouch…!”

Much as Celestia was not convinced, she disappeared back into the office.

Twilight sighed in relief, “Thanks for covering.” she said to Fluttershy. The others smiled, even though Fluttershy’s act was nothing short of terrible, but they saw no need to point it out.

After school, the girls all met together as they exited the building. “Whose up for a swim?” asked Rainbow, “Ooh-Ooh-Ooh…I am! I am!” cried Pinkie.

“Eh, why not… I could use a dip.” agreed Applejack “All I could think about today was the new students.”

“When do we get to meet them?” asked Fluttershy.

“First thing tomorrow morning.” replied Sunset “They’ll be announced during a first-period assembly, and we all get to meet with them to show them around the school before we take them home.”

The girls were all excited and still a bit nervous, but little did they realize that someone was watching them from the street. A skinny teenage boy with short brown hair, and slightly paled skin, wearing a school-like uniform-- white short-sleeved shirt, blue pants, black shoes and a tie-- but also wearing thick dark shades round his eyes, and he also wore a ragged black cape with grey lining, and around his neck he wore a dog whistle on a chain.

“Humph!” he scoffed grouchily, “If the world is full of people like them… it’s no wonder things aren’t looking up.”

He then let out a huge yawn, and felt very weary, as if he were about to pass out, but he caught hold of himself and walked off.

Soon the girls they were at the public pool and were splashing and swimming about.

“Geronimo!” Sunset shouted as she jumped off the low diving-board and splashed hard in the water.

Fluttershy, dipped her toe in the water, and yelped and she jumped into Pinkie Pie’s arms in fright, causing Pinkie to lose her balance and they both fell into the pool.

Rarity merely sat on the big chair, while in her swimsuit, a robe, and wearing sunglasses and a large sunhat. She complained as specks of water from the splash hit her. “Please, be careful!”

“Ah, buck up, and come for a dip.” Applejack called.

Rarity scoffed, insisting she not, “All the salt and chlorine in the water will wrinkle my skin.”

Applejack sighed, but then dipped back to swim some more.

Twilight also didn’t go in the pool as she buried in her textbook. Spike sat with her, and it was a good thing small pets weren’t forbidden to be around the pool, as long as they didn’t go in the water.

“What are you doing?” he asked. He was careful not to speak so loud so as not to break his secret to other swimmers.

“Just studying.” replied Twilight. Spike sighed, “I shouldn’t have asked.”

“What, it’s not like…”

“…Not like studying is a bad thing, I know.” Spike cut in. “Seriously, Twilight, can’t you do other things besides just study?”

“Yeah…” Rainbow called as she stepped onto the really high platform, “I mean cut loose a bit and have fun like we are.” then she gave huge leap off the board “CANNONBALL…!!”

And she splashed so hard she made a huge wave of water that sent the other swimming up the pool, and splashed the others in the chairs.

Rarity screamed in fright, “My makeup! My hair!” and she picked up her drenched sunhat, “My hat!! This is a real authentic straw-thatched original!”

Twilight rubbed her wet glasses, while Spike gave a shake to dry up.

Soon, the girls were all in the change room, already having had showered and dressed. Rarity frantically used her blow-dryer and her comb to try and fix herself up. “Oh, it’s hopeless!” she whined “It’ll take me all night to get my hair back to what it was, not to mention a week’s allowance to buy me a new hat!”

Applejack couldn’t take it anymore, “Ah, quit your whinin’ already. That’s all ya ever do these days. Whine about your makeup, whine about your clothes, whine-whine-whine.”

Rarity felt most insulted. “And what about you…? All you ever do with your life is keep busy, with your rope tricks and your apple-picking!”

“Oh-ho-ho… that’s hittin’ below the line, girl…!”

Fluttershy couldn’t take this, “Please! Don’t argue!” she cried “Um, what I mean to say is, we’re all different, but it’s our own ways of who we are and how we live our lives.”

Though she said it kind of corny, the girls were inclined to agree. They all had their likes, dislikes and ways of living their own lives, even if to some it was annoying.

“I think it’s amazing we all have our differences.” said Sunset “It’s what makes us closer friends, and we can learn from and help each other just we can for the new students when they come.”

She wasn’t pretending to understand, in all the time she had basked in the light of friendship, she had learned a lot and done so much more than she ever could have when she was… the way she was before. She enjoyed learning about friendship, which helped her see life in a whole new way, like her own special thing.

“I guess I can agree to that.” said Twilight “I’m sure I could find other things to do that just study all the time.”

“I’m kind of Sporty and Rockin’.” said Rainbow.

“And I just loo-oo-oove parties…!” Pinkie shouted as she threw a bunch of confetti and blew a noise-maker.

“I suppose I can’t get enough of helping the animals.” said Fluttershy “They’re just as important to me as life itself.”

Before they knew it, they broke out into a pop-like song as they started walking down the street.

In a world of mystery where people come and go,
And the many differences that they all have and they show
Exciting, dull, pep or smart, or even high and tall
The friendship holds together, you, me, and us all.

Boom-chick-a-wa, give me all the style,
Give me all the hey.
Slice it up, knock it down, send it all around
But you’re special in your own way.

[Sunset]

Studying friendship changed me, one two three,
Now I’m better than what I was before.

[Twilight]

Well I prefer to keep my books and my smarts all free,
But I know life can be so much more.

[Rarity]

I like to sew clothes so chic, and their so divine

[AppleJack]

I got chores, but I don’t let ‘em get to me

[Rainbow]

Whether rockin’ it out, or make my sport skills shine

[Fluttershy]

Just my animals and me…

[Pinkie]

…Everybody… PARTY!!

[Everyone]

Boom-chick-a-wa, give me all the style,
Give me all the hey.
Slice it up, knock it down, send it all around
But you’re special in your own way.

As the song began to fade up, Spike began to smell the unmistakable scent of fresh hotdogs being grilled nearby, and like the dog he was, he drooled heavily, and slipped off his leash running in the direction of the scent.

“Spike…!” Twilight called, and she and the girls raced after him.

Meanwhile, that same teenage boy was about to take a desperate bite of a tofu-dog he had bought, when suddenly, Spike came dashing round the bend and running towards the vendor’s cart, and everybody knew dogs and hotdog carts were a bad thing to be around at the same time!

“Spike! Don’t!” Twilight shouted as she came round the bend, but Spike had already dashed up to the cart and was about to push into it which would have sent it rolling down the way, but the boy left his tofu dog, leapt over and caught the little dog, grabbing him by the tail and held him upside down.

Even while hanging upside down, Spike didn’t like the stern and fierce look this guy was giving him, and he couldn’t help but growl.

“Hey, don’t hold him like that! You’ll hurt him!” shouted Twilight.

The boy then lowered Spike closer to the ground, letting him go rather forcefully, but Spike landed safely on his feet and hustled over to Twilight, but the boy glared meanly at Twilight and sneered, “Maybe you should learn to keep to keep that mutt of yours on that leash better!”

Twilight felt struck by that insult, but it was Rarity who spoke up first, “How dare you call him a mutt.”

“Yeah, who do you think you are?” added Rainbow.

Suddenly, the cawing of a crow distracted everyone, and they all looked to where the guy had left his tofu dog on a table. The crow swopped down and carried the tofu dog off with it. Now the guy looked really ticked, “I’m the guy who just lost his dinner, and I haven’t any money left thanks to you girls and your mangy dog!”

“We’re really sorry…” said Fluttershy “We didn’t mean any harm.”

The rest of the girls didn’t seem so sympathetic, and were really starting to lose their cool. “I don’t know what’s got your haystacks all burned, but don’t you be takin’ it out on us now.” said Applejack.

“Why not, it’s your fault anyway.” replied the boy “I’m not surprised anyway. A bunch of simple school-girls like you…”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” snapped Sunset.

“I saw you all come from Canterlot High, and I’ve got to say, judging from all of you, it mustn’t have a good enough learning system. Then again, my school didn’t have much either.”

Now Twilight’s feature’s hardened, “I don’t know what your school is like, but I think Canterlot High is a great school.”

“Yeah, you tell him, Twilight.” Pinkie cheered.

“Twilight…?” asked the boy “You mean you’re Twilight Sparkle? Talk about pathetic. I’m outta here.”

The girls were all livid, and Spike barked angrily at the guy, but Rainbow, completely furious, dashed over in front of him. “Hold it right there, bucko! You’re not going anywhere until you take all that back!”

She really looked edgy for a fight. “Rainbow, don’t!” snapped Sunset.

“She’s right, you better not.” agreed the guy “I can best you at anything from Athletics to Academics!”

“Oh, yeah… well maybe you’d like to prove it in a match against me!” snarled Rainbow, “I’m always psyched for a challenge.”

The others knew there was no turning back now. When Rainbow wanted a challenge, she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“How about we settle this in the soccer-field at Canterlot High, Tomorrow afternoon at 3:15?”

The boy simply snuffed, “Fine, whatever…” and then he went off. Spike continued to growl and bark at him, but Twilight stroked him to calm him.

Pinkie blinked once, “What just happened?” she asked rhetorically.

“I think we just made a new friend.” Applejack said with sarcasm.

Rarity simply grunted and held her head up high. “Whoever he is, he is obviously in need of improvement on his manners.”

Rainbow was huffing and puffing furiously. “Rainbow, take it easy.” Twilight said.

“How can you say that?” snapped Rainbow “You heard what he called you.”

“Well, yeah, and I don’t like it, but it’s nothing to get worked up for.”

Spike growled, “If I see him again, I’d like to bite his leg!” but this earned him scorn from Twilight, “You’ll do no such thing. Besides, if you hadn’t slipped out of your leash, we probably wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Don’t be mad at him, Twilight.” said Fluttershy “…I mean, he couldn’t help himself.”

Spike smiled; at least she was on his side.

“…But then, it was kind of wrong to just run off like that.”

Spike’s smile faded.

“Ah, never mind.” said Pinkie “Forget about right now, and lets focus on tomorrow; you know when we get to meet the new students!”

Much as Rainbow still felt peeved by the insult of her friends, she caught hold of herself. “Okay, I’ll try.”

Her friends felt grateful, and they all began to walk off, but Sunset stopped a minute a looked back. “What’s wrong, Sunset?” asked Twilight.

Sunset had a bad feeling about that boy, not just his attitude, but the way he was dressed. Wearing thick dark shades, a raggedy cape and a dog-whistle with a school uniform…! Not to mention his skin looked a little pale, and he seemed rather skinny, almost underweight for a boy his age and height even.

It seemed almost too weird to try to make sense out of. “It’s nothing.” She simply said, and she and the others all continued on their way home, passing by the school as they went.

Meanwhile, high above the city, a private zeppelin was soaring through the pre-dusk skies. It looked to be owned by rich people, which it was.

Inside, four people, two married couples sat in a luxurious lounge, he wives each had a drink in their hands while their husbands smoked expensive cigars as they viewed TV monitors of Canterlot High.

“So, that’s Canterlot High?” one of the men asked.

“It really doesn’t look like much.” said his wife.

The other married couple, their dear and closest friends and colleagues agreed. “Nevertheless…” the man said “We’ve heard the stories. There’s something very mysterious about this school. Something even… magical...”

His wife sipped her drink, “Well, whatever secrets that school holds, our agents will uncover them. They could very well be exactly what we’ve been looking for.”

Their friends agreed, and the other husband said, “Exactly what we’re looking for… to finally getting what we deserve. Then this world… this world… will be all ours.”

His wife shuddered in delight, “I love it when you talk like that, dear.”

Act 2: The New Students

Author's Note

Don't be giving me any guff about racism! What else could I possibly say about the skin color? I have to describe it.

Act 2: The New Students

ACT TWO

The next day, bright and early at School, the students were all announced to head to the yard for the morning assembly to welcome the new exchange students.

“Good morning, everyone...” Celestia announced “As you know, today begins the start of our exchange program. We have with us nine students from the Murakami School, all the way from Jump City, our neighboring town, about fifty miles southeast from here. I want you all to give the best respect you can for our newcomers and make them feel welcome here.”

That’s when students stepped forth…

Dick Grayson: A slick and handsome looking teen with waving, spiked black hair, but he wore a special mask over his eyes.

Kori Anders: A tall girl with long red hair.

Victor Stone: A tall and really buffed up black dude with no hair.

Raven Roth: A Goth girl, with shoulder-length purple hair, and very pale skin. Her deep and rather dark expression left much to be desired from everyone.

Kato Kalinkis: Raven’s boyfriend, and just as gothic as she was, but not nearly so stern looking. He seemed to closely resemble Dick, and even had the same black hair and style, but his skin was a little pale just like Raven’s, and also wore a mask over his face.

Terra Markov: A girl with long blonde hair, and she seemed rather nervous, feeling stranger to be in a new place like this.

Jackie Amber: A girl with short red hair and freckles on her face.

Jillian Dionne: Amber’s best friend, practically sister-like. A black girl with long black hair done up in a high ponytail.

That was it, eight new students… which aroused confusion from everyone.

“I thought there were nine?”

“Where’s the last one?”

“Something’s wrong here.”

The girls would have gone on wondering too, were it not the fact they noticed all the students were wearing the exact same style school-uniform that other guy wore the other day; white shirts, blue pants-- the girls wore skirts-- and black shoes and ties.

“Do you girls think…?” Twilight asked.

Sunset agreed, “That guy we ran into yesterday; he’s one of them up there, but who was he again?”

Before anyone could guess, the last student showed up. Sure enough, he was the same boy the girls had run into the other day. He stepped onto the field like a stranger marching into town and his cape fluttered in the soft breeze

A hush fell over every single student. Fluttershy felt four chills run up her spine. Rainbow clenched her teeth in soft rage.

The guy saw her and the rest of the girls out of the corner of his eye behind his shades, and then he could see his other eight schoolmates from Murakami High; preferably one of them…

…Terra!

She stood where she was, pretending not to be looking at him, but out of the corner of her eyes, she couldn’t help but keep her gaze fixated on him, which gave her churning feelings inside.

“Are you the ninth student?” Celestia asked.

“Yes. I’m Garfield Logan. Sorry I’m late, I overslept.”

“Well, welcome anyways.”

Garfield nodded thankfully and stood by his schoolmates. Most of them didn’t seem too thrilled to see him.

Suddenly, he let out a huge yawn, and looked a little woozy, the others couldn’t help but gaze at him, but he caught of himself and scorned the others softly, “What are you looking at?”

The others all stood straight, not even looking at him.

Twilight gawked at him from the crowds, and couldn’t believe he was Garfield Logan.

“That’s the guy you were assigned to put up with?” Applejack asked in disbelief.

“I know I’d like to put him up… up on the flagpole.” said Rainbow. She was obviously still mad at how horridly Garfield behaved with everyone yesterday, but Twilight wasn’t so sure, neither was Sunset.

As for Rarity, she gawked at not only Garfield, but all the Murakami students, in a look of shock and without blinking. “This needs serious improvement.” she said.

“What do you mean?” asked Fluttershy, but Rarity didn’t answer and began to make sketches down on a pad of paper she carried with her, in case she ever got ideas.

Soon, after the last of introductions, Celestia dismissed the assembly and told everyone to head off to second period, with the exception of the girls, Flash, who were given the rest of the day off to show the transfer students around, as well as take them to their homes to get them settled in before their classes began the next day.

Before long, Sunset had escorted Dick round campus. “And here’s the music room. It’s empty right now, so usually between periods, I and my friends like to hangout here.”

Dick seemed impressed, “It’s almost like the music room back at my school, only it’s not as wide as this. Most people at school aren’t even into music. It’s all usually just clubs and in-crowds, but I prefer to try and tolerate others.”

He turned to face her, and she couldn’t help but stare at his face, wondering about his mask. “Is it about my mask?” he asked slyly.

Sunset felt a little embarrassed to answer, but Dick didn’t mind at all.

“About a year ago, I was presenting my science project, experimenting on the melting points of different chemical, but the teacher didn’t check the equipment before giving it to me. For that matter I was too busy daydreaming about how cool my project was to check it myself. The hose to the gas valve was faulty, and when I turned on the gas to light the burner… Boom…!”

Sunset felt shocked! “Oh, my…!”

Dick nodded, “That flash of the explosion was so bright, it hurt my eyes really badly. I was rushed to the emergency room. I was lucky it wasn’t too serious, but the doctor told me it would take some time for my eyes to get well again, and an operation was not optional in the state I was in as it could’ve have led to further damage.

I can still see, but my eyes are so sensitive I have to wear this mask during the daylight.”

“Oh, I’m very sorry to hear that.” said Sunset. “Oh, it’s okay…” replied Dick, “I’m used to wearing this. In fact I kind of like it. It makes me look… mysterious.”

Sunset was taking quite a liking to Dick, but she wondered how the others were getting on.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were walking Raven and Kato down a hallway. Pinkie couldn’t stop bouncing around with such giddiness. “Do you guys like parties?” Pinkie asked.

“That’s the third time you’ve asked that.” Raven said in a deep dark tone, “And we keep answer you… “Yes” if it involves poetry, reading, meditation, or a burial.”

Pinkie blinked once, “That doesn’t sound much like a fun party I’d go to.”

Fluttershy stuttered nervously, “Um… I uh… do you two have any… interests at all.”

“Yes…” replied Kato. His voice was just as deep and as dark as his girlfriends, “Poetry, reading, meditation and burials.”

The girls both blinked once, and realized maybe their two new supposed friends wouldn’t be as easy to please as they thought. “Um… well… I’m into animal care.” said Fluttershy

Kato shuddered softly.

“Oh, I’m sorry! Did I upset you? I didn’t mean it.”

Kato slowly reached up to his face, and removed his mask. His face was turned away from the viewer, but the girls almost shrieked by what they saw. His face had horrible scratch marks all over it. “You see…” he said sounding low “This is the result of a wild black cat that had crossed my path one day. Its claws were very sharp. I can never look at any animal the same way again without being reminded of how my features were ruined, and how I was mocked and scorned for the way I look.”

He replaced his mask, and Raven placed a cold but comforting hand on his shoulder. “At least we found each other. You even helped me when I moved to California when my parents split up. My dad was a jerk!” She lifted up a few of her hair bangs revealing small marks from and bad bruising, “He gave me these when I was eight.”

Fluttershy and Pinkie felt heart-struck. “Oh, you poor things.” cried Fluttershy. “That is the meanest, saddest thing I ever heard.” added Pinkie, but the goths seem as sad as they were. They were used to gloom and depression, and found it soothing.

“Can we get on with this tour already?” Raven asked.

“Sure we can.” Said Pinkie “The sooner we finish the sooner we can party!”

“Yay…” Fluttershy peeped weakly, while the goths sighed softly.

Meanwhile, Jackie, Jillian, and Terra were touring with Applejack and Flash. The two Js were texting to each other on their cellphones, as if they were bored to the bone, while Terra seemed pretty much normal. “So, what else in there around here?” she asked.

The Js seemed annoyed that she’d ask that. “Is there anything around here actually cool?” asked Jackie, “Yeah! We haven’t seen much yet.”

Applejack was very annoyed, “Maybe if you’d stop texting so much and look ahead, you’d see things.” she grumbled softly.

Flash put his hand on her shoulder telling her to take it easy and remember what Celestia said…

“Anyway…” said Flash “This is the auto-shop. There aren’t any classes today though.”

“No surprises.” grumbled Jackie.

“Who’d want to take something so lame?” added Jillian.

Applejack, being careful to maintain her cool said, “Well some of us like it. I take it every-other day so I can help fix up things on the farm.”

They entered the auto-shop class, and to their surprise they found Rainbow Dash with Victor, actually checking out the place. “Whoa, this is some sweet hot-rod.” Vic said “Fine engine, auto-transmission. I could fix this baby up one-two-three.”

Rainbow turned to Applejack and Flash, “Vic is so awesome!” she whispered “He’s into cars, and sports, but he loves rock music.”

“My ears are burnin’.” Vic said.

Rainbow blushed a bit.

“Ah, whatever!” groaned Jackie.

“Can we like, get out of here before I puke out of boredom!” added Jillian.

All the others didn’t take kindly to their attitudes, and Flash decided to take them someplace else, hoping to impress them. “I’ll catch you guys later.”

Then they were gone.

“They’re really much nicer, once you get to know them.” said Terra.

Vic sighed, “Girl, you keep hanging with those two, you’re not gonna get far.”

Applejack finally got to speak her mind. “Those two got worse attitudes than a raccoon fightin’ with a rat in the garden.” Then she asked Terra “Why would you hang with them?”

Terra looked down, taking an interest in her shoes. “My life hasn’t exactly been all that nice. My mom died when I was little, and my dad and my older brother didn’t show me much respect.

Then one day, we’re in a car crash. My father got distracted when he turned back to yell at me, for what reason I don’t know. He didn’t see a big truck up ahead, but I did. I got out of the car quickly, but my dad and brother weren’t so lucky.

The vehicles crashed, and there was a big explosion. The driver of the truck, and my brother and dad were killed, and I was on my own.”

I lived in an orphanage that educated me, and soon I got adopted into a foster family, and when I was old enough I got into high-school, but I was very unpopular. It seemed no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t fit in… until I met Jackie and Jillian.

They seemed to be popular among the students, and promised me that if I hung out with them, I’d be recognized too.

So far it’s worked… a little. We’ve always hung out, shopped, but they don’t always have the nicest attitudes. It’s best to take it as it comes.”

The others felt sorry for her, hearing her story, but as far as the Js, they still remained unconvinced, still, Rainbow and Applejack thought it nice that Terra was trying for friendship.

Suddenly, Applejack and Rainbow received a text from Rarity on their cellphones.

“Come to the Sewing room, and bring the new students. I have a treat for them.”

The other girls got the same text and complied, all meeting at the sewing classrooms. There were no classes in that room either that day. The girls had brought all the Murakami students… except for Garfield. He was nowhere to be found, and Twilight hadn’t seen him since the assembly.

“He just walked off when the crowds broke up, and I don’t know where he went.”

Before anyone could protest or say anything about it, the room went dark, and Rarity stood by a large sheet she had set up like a curtain. “Ladies and gentleman…” she announced, “I would like to present my new friend, Ms. Kori Anders in one of my best designs I call “Welcoming Wardrobe.”

She pulled down the sheet to reveal Kori. She was no longer wearing her regular school uniform, but instead she wore a white shirt with a red sequin star in the center and a black leather west with a short white leather skirt with black stripes at the sides, all topped with long white boots.

Everyone gawked at her with such astonish, especially Dick. He eyed her from head-to-toe and thought she looked pretty, or rather prettier than ever.

She caught his eye and winked at him, making him blush and turn away, but Rarity, her friends as well as the Murakami students already got the drift that Dick obviously liked her.

“Dang, girl… you look awesome.” said Vic.

“Sure, beats wearing a school uniform all the time.” replied Kori “And Rarity made a new outfit for each of you.”

The students turned to face Rarity, and she winked at them, and revealed a rack of clothes and outfits she had whipped up quickly, one outfit for each of them. “You’re all in a new school now, and you needn’t wear such dreary uniforms.”

They all took a few moments to change in private behind curtains and behind cubicle walls and one-by-one they all came out wearing their new outfits.

Dick wore a white shirt with a green jacket identical to Flash’s jacket, with matching green pants.

Vic wore a red extra-large shirt topped with a large black overcoat and strong blue jeans.

Raven won’t a black long-sleeved top with matching black pants, topped off with large blue cuffs at the wrists and a golden chain of fake, but pretty jewels hanging off of her figure.

Kato wore a black t-shirt with a white skull design ironed on the front, and matched with black jeans to go with it and metal wrist bands. He looked almost more like a punk than gothic.

Terra wore a black long sleeved shirt, with a large yellow T encircled on her chest. The lower part of the shirt was cut short exposing part of her tummy, but she wore a brown belt with pouches on each side, and bright yellow shorts.

As for the Js, they wore identical outfits. Simple white tops with beige pants, white handbags to keep their phones in, as well as anything else they would have brought with them.

“I guess this place isn’t all bad.” said Jackie.

“But don’t get cute.” Jillian warned the others, and then the two girls decided to head off. “You coming, Terra…?” Jillian asked.

Terra decided to go off with her friends, “Bye, and thanks a lot, Rarity.”

Rarity felt a little insulted by the Js peculiar compliment, “Well I do hope the rest of you appreciate my gesture of generosity.”

The others were indeed grateful and offered their comments. Dick admired himself as he looked at his reflection in a big mirror, while Vic couldn’t help but pose like a stud. Even the goths smiled, but weakly and rather wickedly. “You look… kinda cool in that.” Raven said to Kato. “Not bad yourself…” replied Kato “Reminds me of a small poem…”

He went into a deep stance, as if he were standing in an open meadow as a soft breeze blew as he recited the small verse…

“Her was dark, like dead tree’s bark
Feel the pain, a low ingrain.”

Raven felt soothed by the dark poetry while the others felt a bit creeped out. “Okay then…” said Sunset, “But… what about Garfield’s outfit?”

The last remaining outfit stayed on the rack. Rarity decided to make one for Garfield, despite the attitude he gave her and her friends the other day, and now he wasn’t even here to receive it, nor take his tour with Twilight.

The Equestria Girls all got a bad feeling about this.

“Don’t let it get to you.” said Dick, “Garfield’s always been in a bad mood, and he’s always looking down at people, but he is pretty smart.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, “He is?”

Kori nodded and explained about Garfield, “He studies harder than any student we’ve ever seen. At Murakami High, he’s the big student on campus. He aces all his tests with such ease; it’s like a waste of time to him, but don’t try to push him around. Many others tried that, and they all ended up regretting it in the end.”

Now the girls all felt concerned, “So, is he some kind of bully?” asked Fluttershy.

“Not really…” said Vic “He doesn’t’ really push people around, but he gets into moods. Ya gotta give him his space. You don’t bother him, he doesn’t bother you.”

“Heh…! Could’ve used that info a bit sooner.” Applejack muttered.

Pinkie Pie could see everyone’s faces getting long, “Come on, everybody. Let’s all head to my place, for the PAR-TY!”

Moods began to turn round to happy, and everyone agreed it best to take their new friends and celebrate what they all had going on.

They met up with the Js and Terra along the way and all headed for the front door, but there waiting for them on the steps was none other than Garfield!

He turned to face them, and his shade shined wickedly.

“Garfield!” Terra muttered softy. The other Murakami students stood where they were with stern expressions on their faces, while the Equestria girls-- some of them felt chills run up their spines, Fluttershy hid behind Sunset, and Rainbow and Twilight glared at him.

“Well, you all took your sweet time getting here.” Garfield said.

“You’ve been here this whole time?” asked Sunset “Why didn’t you come on the tour with us?”

“I just didn’t feel like it, Got it!” snapped Garfield, “Besides, I’ve been waiting for her…” he motioned at Rainbow, “I know it’s a bit early than what we agreed on, but the soccer field is free right now. Want to have that match now?”

Rainbow’s eyes flared up with eagerness, “You’re on!”

The Murakamis felt they were missing something, “Have you guys met already?” asked Vic, but the silence and strict looks by the Equestrians told them enough.

So they all headed off to the soccer field.

Act 3: Off on the Wrong Foot

ACT THREE

The students all sat on the benches while Rainbow and Garfield stood in the field; Garfield removed his cape and tossed it aside on the ground.

“Give it your best, Rainbow!” Pinkie called from the stands.

“You go, girl” added Applejack “Score one for friendship.”

Rainbow turned back to face her friends and gave them all a high thumb, “Piece of cake. I can handle this standing on my head.”

Garfield snickered softly, prompting Rainbow to ask “What’s so funny?”

“Just that you and your friends act and talk like such little kids.” replied Garfield.

“Say what?!” snapped Rainbow.

The Murakami’s all sighed, “Oh, boy, here we go again.” said Dick. “He does this every time.” added Kori.

The Equestrians didn’t like the sound of that, while down on the field, Garfield was laying out the rules…

“This will be a simple game. First player to get three points wins.”

“Fine by me.” agreed Rainbow “If you only knew what you were up against, you’d walk away now.”

A song began to play in the background…

Her friends cheered from the sidelines, and Vic stepped onto the field to throw the ball out. “Ready?” he asked, and he threw it down, and the two players went crazy!

Rainbow managed to steal the ball first and made a dive for the goal, but Garfield managed to catch up to her and steal it. For someone so skinny and pale looking he sure had some sweet moves, and he scored the first goal, much to Rainbow’s outrage, and the friends’ shock.

“Don’t give in Rainbow!” shouted Rarity, and in one of her freak-outs she screamed, “Just get in there and KICK HIS MISERABLE CAN!!”

The others all gawked at her for that outburst, and she settled down feeling rather embarrassed.

“Isn’t that cute?” Garfield mocked at Rainbow “You’ve got your own cheerleading squad.”

Rainbow felt her rage growing. Then Vic threw the ball back out to start the next round. “I’m show you!” she snarled to Garfield as she took the ball and made another b-line for the goal.

The Js started to cheer for Rainbow, “Show that freak who’s boss!” shouted Jackie.

“You hear that, Brat Boy!” Jillian taunted at Garfield, hoping to distract him, unfortunately, it didn’t…!

Rainbow kicked the ball hard sending it straight for the goal, but Garfield slipped round her and actually intercepted it and kicked it clear to the other side of the field, hitting the other goal post.

“What the!” snapped Rainbow.

The others were all astonished! “Wow, he’s amazing.” Terra said as she gazed at him rather deeply, much to the disgust of the Js.

“That’s simple mathematics and calculations. They can do wonders.” said Garfield “Maybe you should try it sometime instead of goofing off with your little friends!”

Rainbow turned bright red with rage as steam shot of her ear. “Okay…! No more Ms. Nice girl!” She was all pumped up now, and ready to retake the score!

“Wow, she looks almost creepy.” said Raven. “Mmm… I like it.” added Kato, and they both held hands and went into a state of a trance to absorb the negativity from the atmosphere. The others all rolled their eyes and focus back to the match.

Vic threw the ball back into the field for the match point, and Garfield managed to get it first and he headed straight for the goal, but suddenly he felt woozy again, which gave Rainbow the chance to steal the ball and kick it all the way to the goal post.

“GOAL!!” she shouted with glee.

“A lucky break…” Garfield grumbled, and he rubbed his eyes behind his shades grumbling to himself, “Come on… wake up!”

Next round, Rainbow scored again, tying the score 2 to 2. Her friends cheered like crazy from the sidelines. “What do you say now?” Rainbow said to Garfield, but Garfield didn’t answer her. He just stood here he was catching his breath, and looked as if he were about to pass out. “You okay?”

He brushed himself awake, “I’m fine! You just worry about the game! Okay?!”

Rainbow growled fiercely.

“Okay, this is it…” said Vic “Whoever scores this one wins it all.” and he threw the ball in. Both Rainbow and Garfield dove for it. Garfield got it first, but as he was about to score Rainbow took it from him. Then just as she was about to score, Garfield got it from her.

They both kept stealing the ball back and forth so fiercely, the suspense was really building up.

Rarity could hardly take it, and applejack fanned herself with her hat.

“I don’t believe this! They’re going crazy!” cried Sunset.

“They’ll knock themselves to bits.” added Dick!

Finally, the ball soared way up high, and both Rainbow and Garfield, roaring loudly and fiercely, both jumped for it, and their feet both hit the sides of the ball at the same time for hard… POW!! The ball burst like a balloon!

Everyone gasped in such horror.

Rainbow and Garfield stood on the field panting stressfully.

Vic stepped in, “I think you should call the game, on the count of… you know.”

“What?!” snapped Rainbow, “But I was just about to make a mega comeback!”

Garfield, not seeming to mind at all went over to his cape and put it back on, “It was called as a tie. So let’s leave at that. Besides, I already got what I needed to know anyway.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve figured out your style: You gain motivation from your friends cheering you from the sides, and when you combine all that with lame moves like what you just pulled, I can’t help but feel sorry for anyone who would want to be friends with you or them!”

Rainbow felt pushed, as did all the others as they approached her.

“Hey, man! What’s with you?” asked Flash “You played a fine game, there’s no need to talk down to people like that.”

“Flash is right, Garfield…” said Twilight “It doesn’t have to be so serious.”

The others all agreed, event he Murakamis, but Garfield scoffed, “Whatever. I’ve got stuff to do.” and then he walked off. “Wait…” Twilight called “You don’t know where I live. I’m supposed to take you home with me tonight.”

“Yeah, and what about the big party at my place!” Pinkie hollered, but Garfield just continued to walk away and didn’t even stop to answer.

“How dreadfully rude!” grumbled Rarity.

“Just let him go.” said Vic “He’s not worth the time. He makes the goths look like angels.” He turned to face the goths, “No offense, guys…”

“None taken.” replied the goths, but they looked rather disturbed anyway.

Terra kept looking at Garfield until he disappeared around the corner and out of sight. “Are you still ogling him?” asked Jackie. “Eh… No, I wasn’t ogling.”

“You totally were.” snapped Jillian. “The dude is a freak and a loser!”

“Hey, hey, hey!” snapped Applejack “Don’t ya think that’s goin’ a bit too far?”

“Nobody asked you!” Jackie sneered. Then she and Jillian decided to go shopping for the afternoon and skip on Pinkie Pie’s party, but Terra decided to stay. “Fine, do what you want.” said Jillian.

Flash sighed, “I better go with them, so I can take them home with me after.”

“And I thought Garfield had issues.” said Raven.

The others could only remain silent, not knowing what to say or think…

…Until much later on, in Pinkie Pie’s backyard, when the party began! “WHEE-WHOO!” she shouted as the music played and everyone got into the moods.

Well… most everyone.

The goths stayed, but were only catching up on reading somber story novels. “Come on, you two. Don’t ya wanna shake a leg and party with us?” asked Applejack. “You party the way you wish to, and we’ll party our own way.” replied Kato.

“Oh… well… okay then.” said Fluttershy, then she whispered to Applejack, “I don’t think they know how to have that much fun.”

“Never mind that… I’m sure in a while we can get ‘em to come out of their shells.”

The rest of the gang seemed to be enjoying the party. Vic was acting as a disc jockey and spinning the discs in a groovy tune. “Ah, yeah… sock it to me baby.”

Rainbow responded by strumming her guitar.

Sunset and Rarity treated Dick and Kori to a game of Bache Ball. They played on teams, with their corresponding matched up student.

Dick managed to get his ball closer to the marker than any of them, but Kori skillfully rolled her ball, and knocking Dick’s out of the way. “Hey!” snapped Dick.

Kori giggled and slapped a high-five with Rarity, but Dick suddenly found himself enraptured with Kori again, he couldn’t stop looking at her.

Sunset gave him a small nudge, meaning she knew he obviously liked her and to go for it or something, but Dick shook his head, unable to bring himself to ask Kori out or anything.

Sunset nudged him again, telling him to go for it, but again, Dick shook his head.

Sunset sighed.

Terra had a rather ravenous appetite. She was piling her third plate of morsel after morsel. “Wow, I’ve never seen someone eat like that.” said Twilight.

Terra swallowed her food and said “I eat when I’m nervous. I’m still kind of getting used to this. You know, new town, new school.”

Twilight was more than able to sympathize with Terra. Having heard her story earlier when the party began; how she felt like an outcast, wanting to be accepted.

“Well, you can fit it well with all of us.” said Twilight “I used to be just like you, but then Sunset and the others showed me how to embrace friendship.”

“How did they do that?” Terra asked.

Twilight pondered a moment, keeping in mind to leave all the magic and excitement out of the question. “Well, um… they just wanted to be my friends. They kept on reaching out to me no matter how much I wouldn’t accept it at first, and after a while I began to fit in better than I ever imagined, and began to see whole new views of life.”

As expected, Terra wasn’t as sure as she looked down at her dish of food. “How can you believe all that?” she asked.

With that, all of the other Equestrians stopped right where they were and turned to face her. Given their reputations, and history, they didn’t like it when someone questioned the power friendship.

“Sounds to me like you haven’t learned what real friendship is all about.” said Fluttershy.

“That’s what we all keep tellin’ her.” said Vic “And before you say it… I don’t think the Js count. They don’t seem to be the right kind of friends you should be having. They don’t get good grades and they talk down to anyone they want, just for quick thrills.”

“You mean like, Garifeld?” asked Rainbow “He didn’t have any problems shooting his mouth off at us.”

The mention of Garfield’s name made both Terra and Twilight look deeply concerned. Twilight was worried about where Garfield was and how she’d bring him home. It was bad enough she didn’t know where he was, but his attitude… she didn’t know what the rest of her family would think of him.

Terra was actually thinking the same thing, but also why Garfield was so hostile with everyone.

That was something her fellow Murakamis and the Equestrians wanted to know.

“I think if anyone needed help with friendship, it should be him.” said Rarity. “I still don’t know what to do with the outfit I made for him.”

“Well, maybe we all got off on the wrong foot with Garfield?” said Pinkie “Maybe if we try being nicer to him, he might open up.”

Everyone felt totally skeptical about such a thing, but figuring maybe a few friendship-lessons and understand would help, the Equestrians agreed to try.

“You all sound like your some kind of friendship squad or something.” said Raven. The girls all acted sly to keep their secret safe. “We… just have a knack for friendship and helping, that’s all.” said Sunset.

The Murakamis felt something amiss, but seeing as they couldn’t prove anything and were all just glad to be making such nice new friends, they let it go for now.

It wasn’t until sundown by the time Pinkie’s party broke up, and everyone decided to head home with their new friends, except for Raven who was assigned to Pinkie. She would stay.

Kato bid his girlfriend goodnight. “I’ll try contacting you through the darkness when I get settled in.”

“You better, or I’ll put a thousand year curse on you.”

They shared a small kiss, which some of the girls awed at.

Then everyone began to head off, but Twilight was still worried where Garfield was. “I hope he’s alright, wherever he is.”

It still amazed everyone that she was willing to show some compassion to a guy who was rude to her and her friends, enough to want to kick him to the moon, but no one questioned her.

Dick, however, looked over at Kori as she walked off with Rarity, but Kori stopped a moment and looked back at him, making him blush. “Um… eh… goodnight, Kori.” he said trying not to sound embarrassed.

“See you tomorrow, Dick.” replied Kori, and she winked at him, making him really blush.

Rarity couldn’t help but giggle at how cute he looked, and then they walked off down the street, while the others all gave Dick a playful look.

“Look whose Mister Casanova.” Vic joked. “Heh! Good one.” said Rainbow, and they slapped a high-five, but Dick was starting to feel annoyed. “Hey… come on.” Sunset said as she guided him down the street.

Soon everyone was gone, leaving Pinkie and Raven alone. Pinkie was bouncing most giddily. “Ooh, this is going to be so exciting! It’ll be like having another sister around! We can tell stories late at night, watch home movies, or even plan another party. No, two parties… maybe even ten!!”

Raven could only sigh, “It’s going to be a long night.”

That’s when Pinkie’s sister, Maud Pie showed up behind her and said in the same deep emotionless tone, “It’ll all blow over. You’ll sleep just like a rock. Trust me.”

Raven could only sigh… again!

Meanwhile, the two couples aboard the Zepelin were still relaxing, their faces were unseen.

“Any word from our agents, yet?” one of the men asked.

“Messages just came in…” replied his wife “It’s not very good so far.”

The couples viewed all the messages their agents had sent them, and even viewed pictures of the school the agents had taken.

“This is all useless.” the other man grumbled “It’s just a plain ordinary school. There’s nothing that helps us here.”

His wife patted his hand, “Now, now, dear… it’s only been one day. Let’s not judge upon first glances.”

Her husband apologized for sounding gruff, still all the adults were concerned about one thing. “The boy is there too…” the other wife said “That could be most unfortunate, for us as well as himself.”

Her husband assured her, “There is little he can do, just as there was little he could do twelve years ago.”

“Ah, I remember that well. Things could have gone so smoothly.” his wife said.

Their colleagues agreed while snickering softly, and all four adults decided to continue their work and observations for their plans.

Act 5: Insult to Magic

ACT FIVE

As the week progressed it sure was a strange ride.

The Js behaved themselves, not wanting to get into any more trouble, but they still acted as snobbish as ever, kept on dragging Terra around with them, and still Terra refused to budge about noticing how corrupted her so-called friends really were, as after school they often hung out and did other things together.

Dick and Kori, they shared many classes together, and often they would glance over at one another, which some of the girls found too cute, but if only one of them would make the first move towards the other.

Vic and Rainbow got along better than ever, especially in P.E and in computer studies, but their favorite subject was music. Rainbow played her guitar, and Vic showed made skills on the drums, making them rather a strong duet, just drums and guitar.

The goths, they weren’t really bad, but really hard to please. No matter what happened, they always had the same deep, dark demeanour. Even when something delightful happened, like on Friday when they were in fourth period Geography with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy…

The students were handed back written reports they had made about fossil fuels. Fluttershy got a B-, and Pinkie Pie got a C. The two of them were not all that fond of fossil fuels; too dirty, depressing, and in Fluttershy’s case… “A bit scary...”

The goths, on the other hand, did very well on their reports, each getting an A. All they did was frown and nod at one another.

When class was dismissed and it was time to head for lunch, Fluttershy and Pinkie caught up with the goths. “You two did that well on the report?” asked Fluttershy.

“We love what fossil fuel does, and what it brings. So naturally we study hard about it.” replied Kato.

“Oh, you mean how they provide fuel and energy for the planet?” Pinkie giddily asked, “Oh, or even how it makes progress continue to provide wonderful new things and energy sources for us?”

“No…” replied Raven “We like it because coal and oil bring about the darkness, and natural gas smells like the unearthly… the dead… and the doomed.”

The two goths held hands while basking in such thoughts, which creeped Fluttershy a little, but Pinkie couldn’t take much more of this gloom and doom. “Ah, come on you two, there’s more to life than just all this darkness and horrors you deal with.”

“Perhaps there are…” said Kato “But that does not mean we are instantly interested. We prefer to stick with what we know. What we are accustomed to.”

Raven nodded in agreement, but Pinkie was determined to get them to break their traditional cycles. “You two really need to open up, try something new, and the best way to start is by smiling.”

The goths looked confused, “Smiling?” they asked.

“Yeah… nothing says anything like a big, beautiful smile.” replied Pinkie, and she broke out into a song, “Come on, everybody Smile.”

As the song progressed, the other Equestria girls heard it and joined in the fun and joy. Dick, Kori and Vic couldn’t help but join in as well, liking the song for its positive message.

Other students joined in as well, but the Js found the song lame. When Terra thought it catchy and bopping a bit to the music, it earned her scorn from the Js.

“Come on and Smile!” Pinkie sang.

“…Come on and SMILE!” and the song was over.

Many of the students were smiling as they went on their ways after the crowd broke up, but the goths remained as they were. “Ah, come, you two, can’t you buck up already?” asked Vic.

“Yeah, that was a great song.” added Dick.

“We know it was a good song, and we liked it...” said Raven. “We just don’t share in the enthusiasm, that’s all.” added Kato.

The others all sighed.

“Well, they are right.” said Sunset “Remember what we agreed on; we’re all different in our own ways.”

Everyone agreed to that, and they all headed off to lunch together.

That’s when things were about to get awfully hairy.

Jackie and Jillian were being ruder than ever, ordering Flash to go and get their lunched for them, but Flash finally took a stand, “Get it yourselves! I’m not your slave.”

The girls gasped in shock, and before they could protest, Flash picked up his guitar case, “I’ve got to go, I promised my band we could practice a bit today at lunch.” and then he left.

“Rude much.” sneered Jackie.

“What are we supposed to do now, starve to death!” whined Jillian.

Terra couldn’t stand much more of the complaining, and got up to go get her own food. “What do you think you’re doing?” asked Jackie.

“Going to get food; what else…?”

The Js were outraged, feeling Terra was stepping out of line because they felt popular girls deserved to be waited on…

…Much to the ire of the other students.

“Those two are extremely unethical.” snubbed Rarity “I’m glad to see that both Flash and Terra have started to build will against them.”

“Well that’s a good sign, especially for Terra.” said Kori, “It means she had potential to be helped.”

Suddenly, Dick’s stomach gave a huge growl, and everyone noticed he had no lunch in front of him. Nothing other than a bottle of water, “Well, if that don’t sound like a pit that needs tankin’ up.” said Applejack, “Aren’t you going to get lunch?”

Dick shamefully admitted, “I left my wallet behind at Sunset’s place. We did some early morning studying for a test we had, and it slipped my mind. I honestly thought I had it with me.”

Kori looked down at her lunch, and realizing she had two huge sandwiches, “If you’d like you can share my lunch.”

“Really…?” Dick squeaked, “Er… I mean uh… really? You’d do that?”

“Sure, it’s what friends do, and Rarity showed me a lot about being generous… more than ever actually.”

Rarity blushed.

Unable to refuse, Dick graciously shared in the lunch, to which the others all felt was a great sign foe both of them, but they didn’t bother to tease and proceeded to eat.

While no one was looking, Twilight broke a few bits of bread off of her roll and slipped the crumbs into her knapsack for Spike to munch on. “Finally! I’m starved!” he groaned.

“Who said that?” asked Raven.

“Huh? Who said what?” asked Twilight; she felt a little nervous.

“I could’ve sworn I just heard someone say “Finally! I’m starved!”

“I heard it too.” said Kato.

The Equestria girls all felt nervous, feeling another cover break coming, not to mention Twilight being caught with a pet on school grounds. “Finally, I’m starving!” Fluttershy suddenly growled, she almost sounded just like Spike, “Did it sound like that?”

Her fib worked, and the Murakamis bought it.

“Good one.” Rainbow lip-synced at Fluttershy.

Twilight and Fluttershy sighed in relief, and everyone went back to lunch.

As Terra walked back to her table with a tray of food, she stopped at one of the windows and looked through the glass. She could see Garfield, sitting under a tree, with no lunch, not even a water bottle, and she didn’t recall him eating at all since lunch period began.

Then she watched him get up and take a very long drink from the outside drinking-fountain, and then he held his stomach and made a sickly face, the kind you’d do only if your stomach really hurt.

He was obviously starved, and she decided to go out and share some of her lunch with him. She was about to step outside, when the Cafeteria Workers, Mr. & Mrs. Cake cleared their throats and pointed to the sign which showed that lunch-trays were not permitted outside.

“Can I get this to go then?” she asked.

Soon, her lunch was bagged in a brown paper-sack, and she headed outside. Sunset saw her, “Now where’s she going?”

Jackie and Jillian saw her too and looked out the door, seeing her headed towards Garfield. Both of them were shocked to figure she was actually going out there to feed him?!

Garfield was sitting back under the tree, away from any and all other students, and he had another one of his dizzy spells, but shook himself awake… barely.

“Garfield…?”

He looked up and saw Terra there offering him an egg-salad sandwich.

“What are you doing?” he asked rather gruffly. “You looked hungry so I brought you some food. I know you’re a vegetarian, it’s got no meat in it.”

Garfield merely turned away from her, “Thanks but no thanks. I don’t want your food.”

The other students saw what was happening from the window by their table. “Uh-oh… I think I smell trouble.” said Dick.

When they saw Garfield turn away from Terra again, rejecting her offer of kindness, Rainbow snapped “That’s it…!” and she got up and marched straight for the door.

“Rainbow!” cried Sunset.

“Come on, let’s go.” said Vic.

The Js couldn’t resist either, if trouble to be involved, so they followed them.

“Just leave me alone!” Garfield sneered. Terra finally lost her patience, “I can’t believe you! I come out here to offer you kindness and you brush me off? What is with you?”

“That’s just none of your business! Okay?”

“Garfield!” shouted Rainbow “Knock it off!”

Garfield was more annoyed than ever when she and everyone else approached Terra, defending her.

“Well, well, what’s the baby crying for now.” Jackie teased.

“I’ll be his mommy didn’t give him his bottle this morning!” added Jillian.

Garfield, clenched his fists, but it was Terra who scorned them, “Will you two shut up?!!” she scorned. The Js fell silent and gawked at her. “You’re not making things any, easier you know!”

Even the others were astonished, the way Terra was standing up for Garfield after he had just rebuked her kindness.

“Well, you’ve got a mouth on you.” said Jackie. “Yeah, where do you get barking at us like this?”

“Look, I’m just saying we don’t have to insult everyone here.” replied Terra.

Sunset stepped forth, “She’s right.” And then she turned to face Garfield “All she was trying to do was show you kindness, maybe even a bit of friendship… which I think you could use a lot of, Garfield.”

“Give me a break!” Garfield scoffed, “That’s the last thing I need; people trying to be my friend.”

“How can you say that?” Dick asked. “Look at all of us…” added Kori as she motioned at the Murakami’s and the Equestrian, “We’ve all become good friends, and we’ve helped each other a lot?”

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Twilight stepped forth, “Garfield, you didn’t even come to my place all week, and my folks are really worried about you, and so am I.”

Sunset spoke again, “Garfield, I don’t know where you get this entire bad attitude from, but you really ought to give friendship a chance, because I gave it a chance, it’s the most special kind of magic.”

Garfield, unmoved by all of this simply looked down, “Friendship isn’t my thing. It’s just stupid and a complete waste of my time that won’t get me anywhere!”

The Equestrians all gasped in outmost horror, and Rarity felt faint.

“You don’t consider… anyone… your friend?” asked Fluttershy.

“No, I don’t!” replied Garfield, “And by the way… there’s no such thing as magic!”

The Equestrians gasped again.

“…Anyone who believes in such stuff is just plain pathetic!”

Rarity, overwhelmed by the insult, fainted into Applejack’s arms. Fluttershy and Pinkie had tears in their eyes. Twilight and Sunset were so outraged they couldn’t speak both out of shock, and due to the fact they couldn’t reveal the secret.

Even the goths felt insulted, as they believe in Dark Magic, which wasn’t exactly the kind they worshiped, but still. “Wow… that hurt.” Raven simply said. Kato nodded.

“Yo man… that’s hitting way below the belt!” snapped Vic, but Garfield simply snuffed, still unmoved and showing no remorse.

Rainbow completely lost it. “Okay, that does it, pal!” she shouted at him “I think it’s time you learned some respect! So I’m challenging you!”

An ominous silence filled the entire yard as other students all over gawked over in the direction of Rainbow.

“Remember our soccer-match? We never got that last point. What do you say we finish it?”

“Rainbow, no.” said Terra.

“Yeah, it ain’t worth fightin’ over.” added Applejack.

The Js however felt different and urged Rainbow on.

“Yeah, go on!”

“Teach him a lesson!”

As for Garfield, he smiled wickedly, “Fine. I’ve got nothing better do… other than watching you make a fool of yourself.”

Rainbow was quivering furiously as she gnashed her teeth and steam shot out of her ears. “It is on!”

The others could all see there was no stopping this now.

The long soccer field was cleared, every other student around heard about the faceoff, and Vic offered to serve the ball again. “Remember, first to score wins it all.” he reminded them. Garfield ignored him, knowing fully well what the terms were, and Rainbow… she was so ticked off, and so determined to get back at Garfield she practically saw nothing else than Garfield, the field, and the ball that Vic threw in.

Garfield got the ball first and dashed up the long field. “So much for friendship and magic!” he taunted.

Outraged, Rainbow dashed down the field… rather faster than usual, propelled by her rage. “You’re not getting away from me!” she called, and she leapt high up and over right in front of Garfield, stealing the ball from him.

The Equestrians cheered for Rainbow, as did the other Canterlot students spectating. But the Murakami were astonished by Rainbow’s speed and suddenly swiftness.

“Wow! That girl can really move…” said Dick.

“How is she doing that?” Kori wondered.

This warranted some sudden worry in the Equestrians. Knowing Rainbow, she was doing all this out of loyalty for their gang’s belief and strong holding in magic and friendship, and they all knew what happened when either one of them gave into their specialties…!

The Js sat in the back recording everything on their phones, and they both were rooting for Rainbow hard.

“Almost there!”

“You’ve almost got him!”

Rainbow was getting closer and closer to the goal post. “Looks like it’s just about over!” she called back at Garfield, but in her cockiness she kicked the ball a little too sharply, and instead of going into the goal, it bounced off the side post, straight back towards Garfield. He intercepted it with his chest and dashed for the other goal post.

Rainbow spun on her heal and dashed after him “I’m not going to let him win!” she said to herself “I’m not going let him mock my friends, or the magic we share!”

She was almost there, and about to steal the ball away, when suddenly… the sides of her head began to sparkle as her magical pony-ears slowly began to appear!

…Much to the horrors of her friends, and to the shock of the Murakamis.

“What the?” cried Dick.

“Do you see…?” added Kori.

Vic, the goths and Terra gawked in puzzlement trying to see what the strange sparkling was near Rainbow’s head.

The Js lowered their phones in astonishment. They didn’t blink their eyes and their mouths hung wide open.

“Oh, no…!!” Sunset murmured. The others all whimpered nervously, and as for Rainbow… she realized what was happening and she stopped dead in her tracks, quickly making the pony ears disappear before they came fully into view!

Unfortunately, it cost her as Garfield gave a huge kick and scored the goal! Much to Rainbow’s crushing disappointment, as well as the disappointment of the other Canterlot spectators.

Rainbow fell to her knees in angry shame while Garfield, whom didn’t notice the magic happening, put his foot on the ball and softly kicked it over towards her, “It’s over… when I win. So much for friendship and magic…!”

Rainbows friends, and the Murakamis, except for the Js, ran out onto the field to Rainbow’s side. “Rainbow, are you alright?” cried Fltutershy.

Rainbow couldn’t answer. She was far too upset and ashamed with her loss, despite she had good reasons to lose, but she couldn’t reveal why.

“It’s okay, Rainbow… you gave your all.” said Dick.

Vice bent down and put his hand comfortingly on her back, “Come on, girl… don’t let it get you down. You’re still number-one to me.”

The friends all gave their comfort and support to Rainbow.

“You see, Garfield…?” said Sunset “This is what friendship can do, and what it means to be a real friend.”

Garfield, unmoved as usual, simply scoffed, “If by real friend you mean “Being Pathetic” I’ll pass.”

Rainbow felt worse than ever, “Don’t you ever have anything nice to say?”

“What do you want me to say? I’ve got nothing nice to say to a loser.”

“What?!” snapped Rainbow. Everyone was frightfully sore with Garfield for the way he had behaved, but fighting would only make things worse.

As Garfield walked off, he felt another weary-spell get him partially due to not eating and burning off all that energy; the attack so severe this time that his head ached. Everyone watched in concern as he clutched his head.

“Garfield…?” cried Terra, but Garfield suddenly shook himself awake. “It’s nothing! I’m fine!” he grumbled, and he took another very long drink of water from the fountain, and then he went off.

“What a jerk!” Raven grumbled. “May the curse of a-thousand demons wat him alive!” added Kato.

“Come on you guys, cut it out.” said Twilight “You’re not really helping.”

Rainbow was helped up onto her feet, and the girls helped her back into the school as the bell rang for next period.

The Murkami students felt badly for her, but they still wondered about that strange sparkling they had seen. Though, now was more than not the time to ask about it, since Rainbow was so down. So they decided to wait on it.

The Js, however were looking down at their phones at the video recording they took, and were viewing the precise moment when whatever happened occurred. “There, pause it!” said Jackie.

Jillian then zoomed in on Rainbow’s head where the sparkles were coming in. At such close range, the pixels made it hard to figure it out, “What do you think it is?” she asked.

“I don’t know…” replied Jackie “But I think we just hit the big time here.”

Her friends agreed, and they uploaded their videos and pictures to a special private network. The images were transmitted, via a special satellite, to the people on the zeppelin.

“What do you think it is?” one of them men asked, “Perhaps it’s just reflected sunlight?”

“No, it can’t be…” said his wife, “Look, you can clearly see something forming under this light. Now, watch this…” she switched the video to another scene where Rainbow was running and then suddenly stopped. “First you see the sparkling… and now… you don’t.”

All four of the adults were most please. “It looks as if the girls have confirmed our theory.” the other man said, “There is something magical about that school, and to think, I used to scoff at ideal of such stuff.”

His wife agreed, “Well then, that’s phase-one complete. Shall we move on to phase-two?”

“At once…!” the other man said “Soon we’ll have all that we need, and then… the real deal begins.”

Act 6: Spike's Mission

ACT SIX

Rainbow was still brooding that afternoon, still upset over the humiliating and crushing defeat she suffered out in the field. She just sat at her desk in next period with her head hanging low.

“Ms. Dash…” the teacher said to her, “You’d better take down these notes for the test next week.”

“Sorry, sir.” her voice sounded very faint, barely recognizable. Her classmates all felt concerned for her, but as the day progressed, and periods continued she felt a little bit better, especially with all her friends bucking her up.

As Twilight walked to her locker at the end of the day, Spike poked his head up for a breath of air. “It’s so stuffy in here!” he groaned “And I really need a walk you know!”

“Quiet!” whispered Twilight as she stuffed him back inside “I’m sorry, Spike, I know you need to go for a walk but I can’t take you out right now. I know I usually take you out after school, but I have to meet with Principal Celestia in a few minutes.”

Still, seeing as Spike really needed to go, Twilight had an idea, and she slipped outside and let Spike loose in the bushes near the parking lot. “Stay right here where no one can see you and do… whatever it is you have to… I’ll come out when the meeting is done.”

Spike nodded in agreement, and then Twilight headed back towards the front-doors.

“Hey, Twily…” someone called to her. She turned round and saw none-other than her older brother, Shining Armor, and his wife Cadance, Principal and VP from Crystal Prep Academy, ever since Principal Cinch was fired in disgrace for her treachery from the Friendship Games.

“Big bro…!” Twilight cried as she jumped into his arms, and he gave her a soft noogie on her head. Then Twilight hugged her sister-in-law, and they did their happy cheer.

“Sunshine, Sunshine, ladybugs awake,
Clap your hands and do a little shake.”

They shared a loving laugh, and then Twilight’s parents came along, Twilight Velvet and Night Light… very odd names for humans.

“Mom, Dad!”

Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle hugged their daughter, unfortunately, they hadn’t come for pleasantries. They had been summoned by Principal Celestia, at Twilight’s request… all of them. “I’m so glad you all could find time to come.” Twilight said.

“Believe of us, honey, we’re just as concerned as you are.” said her mother.

“Speaking of concerned…” her father cut in, “We didn’t hear or see Spike anywhere when we got home. I hope he’s not lost.”

Twilight didn’t want to tell them she had been bringing Spike to school every day, fearing she’d be in trouble. “Oh, I’m sure he’s just fine.” She said trying to sound innocent, “Uh… shall we go inside.”

The adults sensed she was hiding something, but keeping in mind the reason they had come, they followed her inside.

Soon, there was an announcement made over the school intercom, by VP Luna. “Garfield Logan, please report to the Principal’s office, at once.”

Many students gasped, preferably the other Equestrians and the Murakami’s, and Garfield, he growled softly. He had just put on his cape was about to leave school. So he turned and walked towards the main office.

“Garifeld…” Terra called to him, but he didn’t even stop.

Twilight didn’t tell the others what she had planned; an intervention with her folks, her brother, and Cadance to discuss why he hadn’t been staying with them the past week.

Unfortunately, he just sat there with his arms folded.

“Mr. Logan…” Celestia said “I wasn’t going to bring this up, but I have been receiving news about your… attitude, and I must say it leaves much to be desired.”

Garfield remained unmoved.

Everyone exchanged concerned looks back and forth, and Luna suggested “Perhaps we should focus on the present situation as to why we are here, and that is Mr. Logan refusing to partake in your hospitalities”

Twilight’s folks agreed. “Garfield, why won’t you come home with us?” asked Night Light. “We fixed the place up specially; we even were willing to let you have Cadance and Shining Armor’s room.”

“Mom!” snapped Shining Armor, both he and Cadance felt embarrassed, but Garfield chuckled softly, “So, two big married adults still live at home with the folks, and I thought Twilight and her friends were pathetic…”

Everyone’s expressions turned shocked and livid.

Spike could heard everything from the bushes just outside the open window, and he, too, felt just as upset.

“That was very rude and uncalled for!” snapped Cadance.

“I agree…” added Celestia “Mr. Logan, I don’t know where you get this from, but this being rude with everyone will have to cease. These people have offered you their friendship as well as their home, you could at least show some bit of courtesy.”

Twilight, her folks, Cadance and Shining Armor all agreed, but Garfield just let out a huge yawn from weariness.

Luna took note of his weariness and realized that was also in the reports of the many dizzy-spells he had been having. “Mr. Logan, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” he replied, “But I’m late for work, I really have to go.”

He got up to leave but Cadance blocked the door, “Just a minute. We’re not through with you yet. Now that I have a better look at you, you look exhausted, overworked.”

“Besides, how can you go to work anyway?” asked Shining Armor, “That means you have to go all the way to Jump City, and that’s fifty miles away.”

“Big deal!” snapped Garfield “I’ve been going to work every day after school and then I just head straight home. It’s my life and it’s my choice. Now I ask you again to let me leave!”

Night Light and his wife were slightly relieved to finally know where Garfield was going after school instead of coming home with Twilight, but now they and everyone else seemed very concerned about Garfield health as well as his attitude problem.

Spike felt the same way as he listened in on everything, and his canine senses were starting to kick in telling him Garfield was hiding something, something really big. Since Twilight and the adults couldn’t get to the bottom of it, not like this, he decided to do a little sleuthing.

He looked over in the parking lot, over at Garfield’s moped, and he already had an idea of what to do.

“This is the last time I’m going to ask. Let me go!” Garfield said.

Celestia, feeling unethical about this in every sense told Cadance, “Let him go.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

Everyone else gawked at her wish outraged and confusion, but Cadance complied and let Garfield pass and he left the office and was gone.

All the other Equestrians and the Murakamis, except for the Js, peeked round the corner trying to listen in on everything being said in the office after he left.

“What is with that kid?” Shining Armor asked aloud, “I thought some of the students at Crystal Prep were still a big uptight, but he’s worse than all of them put together.”

Everyone else felt inclined to agree.

“Maybe we should talk with his parents.” suggested Night Light. His wife agreed, “Maybe this is all just a cry to get attention or a need to be disciplined.”

“…He doesn’t have any parents.” Celestia regretted to say. Everyone turned to face her. Normally, it was against confidentiality to reveal a student’s background in such ways, but Celestia saw it as unavoidable. “According to his student file, he has no known living relatives, and strangely enough, no existing home address or phone-line.”

Twilight felt that to be awful, and strange.

While outside, the others heard everything.

“Garfield’s an orphan?” Dick said.

“Oh, that’s heart-breaking.” cried Kori.

The others all agreed. “So maybe that’s why he’s so brash all the time.” suggested Rarity, “Perhaps he deeply misses his parents. I know I would.”

Applejack dismissed the idea, “I don’t think so…”

Rarity felt insulted, “I would so feel upset and--”

“No, no, I mean I don’t think that’s the only reason Garfield’s such a grump all the time.”

Pinkie sniffled, “Still, to have no parents. It’s more than I can bear.”

Fluttershy had tears in her eyes too. “That poor boy…”

Garfield, put on his helmet and air-goggled, and safely tucked his cape in down the back of his pants so it wouldn’t blow about. The he hopped onto his moped, and unlocked the controls.

“Charging port-engine…” the moped began to whirr to life as a counter-dial began to rotate. “Five-thousand… Seven-thousand… Nine-thousand… Eleven-thousand… Thirteen-thousand, Fourteen-Thousand, Fifteen-thousand RPMs!

Charing starboard-engine…

Eight… Ten… Twelve… Fourteen-- Both engines at Fifteen-Thousand…” he activated the break-locks to hold the moped firmly in-place for what was about to happen next, and he made a quick circle-check to see that nobody and nothing was near him!

“Fire One!”

POW!! Powerful exhaust flames shot out of the tailpipes behind.

“Fire Two!”

Another burst of flames, and the moped was ready to go. He drove the moped slowly out of the parking lot and onto the road where it was safer for his next move. “Full-boost vertical…!” and the moped slowly rose into the air like an elevator, which all the students around watched in awe.

Then the retractable wings spread out in back of the moped, and the moped flew off and away!

Twilight came back to the bush to collect Spike and secretly take home with her. “Spike… it’s me. You can come out now.” She whispered.

No response.

“Spike…?”

Still no response, and so she looked around in the bushes, “Spike...?!” she began to panic “Spike!”

Her friends had just come out from the building, heard her cries and rushed over. “Twilight, what’s wrong?” asked Rainbow. “I can’t find Spike!” cried Twilight.

“Spike...? Your dog?” asked Dick.

“Whoa-whoa-whoa…” Vic butted in “You’ve been bringing your dog to school?”

Applejack cut in, “Never mind that now. Let’s spread out and find him.”

“Oh, I hope he’s alright.” cried Kori. “Just what I was about to say.” added Flutttershy.

They searched all around the yard, calling out his name and whistling for him, but the little dog was nowhere to be found. They were still searching when the adults came out of the building having finished their own meeting discussion of what to do with Garfield.

“What is going on here?” Celestia asked “Why are you all still here?”

Twilight decided to come clean about her brining Spike to school, “I did it because I couldn’t leave him at home alone.”

As much as Celestia understood her actions she couldn’t ignore the rules. Still, that wouldn’t help the current situation, so she and the other adults agreed to help look for Spike.

Sadly, they never found him!

The search carried on right through the weekend. Twilight and her family posted reward posters around town, and the friends went around questioning other people, even enlisting their help to find Spike.

Even with all the many other people joining the search, or agreeing to keep a watch out… Spike was just nowhere to be seen.

Jackie and Jillian did not join in the search, they were much too busy with their own… secret project, and spent the weekend taking more pictures around the empty school, which they sent back to their employers on the zeppelin.

Also sending them a text: “How goes Phase Two?”

Their response: “Slowly but surely. Sometime next week, we will be ready to commence Phase Three. You serve us well.”

The girls exchanged wicked grins with each other.

“Hey, you two…” Terra called to them. She was very surprised to see them hanging around the school on a Saturday. “I thought you two hated school.”

“We do…” said Jackie “We’re just getting pictures… for our… scrapbook. Yeah.”

“What are you doing here?” asked Jillian “Still looking for that geek-girl’s mutt?”

Terra’s features hardened, “Hey, that’s not nice. She’s really worried about him and she misses him.”

“Well, it serves her right for bringing him to school.” Jackie teased.

“If she was worried about leaving him at home, she could’ve hired a dog-sitter.” added Jillian, but Terra was far from amused, but rather than get into a heated argument with them, she went off to look for Spike some more.

The Js merely brushed her off. “Finding that mutt’s the least of her problems.” said Jackie. Jillian agreed, “She doesn’t have any idea what kind of trouble is about to come.”

By Monday morning, there was still no word on where Spike was. Twilight came to school looking really down in the dumps. Her hair was messed up a little and her eyes were all baggy, mostly from staying up so late hoping someone would call, but also from a little bit of tear-shedding!

Rarity had been weeping too over Spike’s disappearance, and she had watery marks on her eyes, and was drowning herself on a bucket of ice-cream, which was also her breakfast.

“Poor Spike!” she sobbed “I don’t even want to begin to think what sort of things may have happened to him.

The goths felt very bad, and they were actually frowning sadly rather than their usual dark expressions. “Even the dark spirits let us down.” said Kato. “We asked for their guidance to help us, and they turned up blank.”

The others all blinked at them.

“Well, just the same, thanks for helping.” said Twilight as she sat on the stairs and fixed her hair, “I just wish I knew where he was, or why he ran off.”

“Do you want us to stay with you for a while?” asked Dick.

“Thanks, but… I really just want to be alone right now.”

The others hung their heads low and sadly walked into the school. “That was sweet of you, Dick.” Kori whispered to him, and Dick smiled softly.

Twilight continued sit by herself on the front steps, worrying about her little dog, when suddenly; someone stepped in front of her… Garfield! And he was holding Spike in his arms.

“Spike!” Twilight cried as she took her from him, but poor Spike looked as if he were transfixed. He was shaking very badly and whimpering fearfully.

“I found him at my home last night.” Garfield said, “I don’t know how he ended up there, but keep him on a leash next time!”

“Garfield, I…”

“Save it! I’m not interested in your thanks! I just returned him to keep him away from me and my home. We’ll call it even there.”

Then he walked past her into the school, but as his hand touched the door-latch, he had another weary-spell and looked as if he was really going to faint, but he just barely managed to snap to his senses, and he walked inside.

Nevertheless, as overjoyed as Twilight was she got Spike back, the poor little guy looked so traumatized and he felt cold to the touch, not to mention he was very dirty. “Spike…?”

Barely finding his voice and speaking a fearful stutter, Spike said, “S-S-So Scary. It’s a… N-n-n-nightmare…!!”

Twilight could see that Spike needed help straight away, as well as a bath, regardless of school rules.

Act 7: A Horrifying Weekend at Garfield's

ACT SEVEN

When Twilight told Principal Celestia about Spike and his condition, though it was still against school rules, seeing as he was in desperate need of care, and it was a chance to learn about Garfield, she allowed Twlight and the other Equestrians have the first half of the day off to tend to him.

Sadly, the Murakamis were not invited because they could find out that Spike could talk, and thus would break their magical secrets.

Twilight and friends, along with Celestia and Luna gave Spike a much needed bath, and gave him some food. The poor little guy looked as if he hadn’t eaten properly in days, which he confessed he hadn’t. “All I’ve been eating a scraps of moldy bread and old tofu-- anything I found lying about.”

Pinkie and Rarity felt like gagging. “That’s disgusting!” groaned Pinkie.

“I still can’t believe you just ran off and worried us all like that.” scolded Applejack.

“I know, but I just had to find out… for all of you.”

Twilight wasn’t angry with Spike, just relieved he was back and safe, “But Spike, tell us, what did you find out?” she asked. That made Spike quiver and whimper nervously.

“Was it really that bad?” asked Fluttershy.

“Far worse!” cried Spike.

And he explained his story…

*Spike’s POV*

After I head the meeting going on in the office, I decided to get some dirt on Garfield. Find out what he was hiding, so I climbed over to Garfield’s moped and hid in the seat-compartment, using an old discarded straw I found to support me with air from outside.

Takeoff was pretty scary, but I kept as quiet as I could so Garfield wouldn’t know I was there.

When the ride stopped, I waited a few moments as I felt him leave, and when he didn’t come back I hopped out and found myself in a strange city. Obviously it was Jump City, because Garfield was at work.

I could see him; he was working at a place called “Mega Meaty Meat” a fast-food joint that served meat. Only meat… well, they had bread too, but… it was rather odd for a vegetarian to work at such a place.

*POV Interrupted*

“Wait a minute…” Rainbow cut in “A vegetarian working at a Meat-Place? That’s hardly what I’d call “Scary.”

Luna held up her hand, “I’m not so sure THAT is what he meant.” Celestia nodded in agreement, “Go on, Spike. What happened after…?”

“After that…” Spike said “…That’s when it started getting scary.”

*POV Continued*

It was almost sundown when Garfield’s shift ended, but he stopped at the grocery store across the street to get some food for himself. Not nearly a lot but enough, and he stowed it in the seat compartment so I couldn’t hide inside again. So, I had to sit way behind where he couldn’t see me, while holding tightly as we took off again!

We flew way away from the city and into an Outback Land, East. It was all a massive stretch of nothingness.

Then, it started getting scary as the sky grew really, really dark, and the temperature seemed to drop. That’s when we began to make our decent onto really rough grassy fields as it became as dark as night, when the sun hadn’t fully set yet.

BOOM! Lightning and shook the skies, and suddenly we stopped, much to my relief as I couldnl’t hold on much longer.

Then I looked up… and there it was! A huge but scary looking mansion, I think it was from around the 1800s. It had creaking shutters that slammed in the eerie winds that whistled, and cobwebs all over it, like something you’d see in horror movie.

“Ah, home sweet Hell.” as Garfield put it.

I ran away before he spotted me and hid behind a rock, and I watched him stow his moped away in a small ramshackle shed beside the house, and then he grabbed his food and went inside. I tried to follow him in, but he had already shut the door before I could. I couldn’t let him see me anyway.

Whatever this place was, I didn’t like it one bit. It was so dark, the winds continued to blow; I could hear wolves howling, ravens cawing, soft mists along the ground, so many scary looking trees, and all that thunder and lightning-- I was so scared I couldn’t even cry, but I hid under an old bench shaking and quivering.

Suddenly, Garfield came out of the house. He wasn’t wearing his cape, but he held a lantern, a sharp axe, a saw, and then I saw he removed his shades and pocketed them… but, his eyes…! I couldn’t help but stare at them; they were all red, and so baggy and dark under the rims. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in days!

Then I saw him walk off towards a thick and eerie forest on the grounds, as he disappeared I could hear the sound of growling and snarling, and Garfield shouting, “DOWN YA MONGRELS!!”

I think he was fighting with a pack wolves!

I didn’t dare go with him; it was too dark for me to see without any light. Still, this place was so scary; I could almost hear spooks calling to me in the form of a song. “Welcome to My Nightmare!”

I couldn’t take it much more, and so I ran right for the door, scratching and clawing at it, and wouldn’t believe… it opened. I didn’t know how, but I didn’t care and I ran inside where I felt in would be safer.

Inside the house, it sure was creepy, dusty, cobwebs on the walls, creaky floorboards-- just like every bit of a haunted house. The furniture was all old-fashioned, like they had in the 1800s, but also very old, beat up and not looking very comfortable.

There was also a big old, but functioning grandfather clock that chimed eight for eight-o-clock. I could hardly believe it was that late already! Normally Twilight and I would be ready for bed by then.

Like most houses from the 1800s there was no gas, there was no electricity, no plumbing; just old fashioned wood stoves, candles, kerosene lamps, and other things.

“How can anyone possibly live in a place like this?” I wondered.

I even explored a sitting room library, with a few bookshelves stacked with all kinds of books, a large fireplace, paintings of people all along the walls, and two auto-phonographs.

A small clock on the mantle read it was eight-thirty when I heard noises outside, it sounded like Garfield. I peeked out a window, and it was him, he ran out from the woods with a load of logs in his arms, with four hungry wolves chasing him.

Finally, they reached the house, and Garfield dropped the logs and his tools, grabbed his dog whistle and blew into it. Even I could hear it from way inside and covered my ears. The noise was so unbearable, but I’m pretty sure the wolves ran off, unable to stand the sound either.

“AND DON’T COME BACK!!!” Garfield shouted. Then he came inside, forcing me to hide under a sofa as he came into the room grumbling, “Mangy mongrels! You’d think after all these years they’d learn not to mess with me by now!”

He placed some of the logs by the fireplace where a large pile stood. Then he grabbed some tin buckets and went outside again.

I saw him go to an old well not too far from the house. He gathered many buckets of water, came back to the house, and dumped them all into a bathtub in the downstairs bathroom. Then he went out to get more, and more, and more.

It was a quarter past nine before he was done, and I had to hide again.

He came back, at ten, bathed and wearing an old-fashioned grey pyjama gown under an old red bathrobe, and wearing fresh socks and a pair of red slippers. He looked really beat, but he still had much to do.

Next I saw him pouring melted candlewax into a pot and heated it over the fire until it was liquefied, but it took a really long time. Then he poured the wax into candle molds, obvious his way of preserving his candles.

Eleven-O-Clock: Even I was getting really tired by this point, but it was too scary to fall asleep, and I just couldn’t take my eyes off of Garfield as I saw him make some tea over the fire using the water he got from the well.

He sat himself down at a desk in the corner of the room and ate his dinner-- a simple store-bought salad and tofu squares so he didn’t have to cook them, and as he ate, he did his homework and studied hard for reports and tests he had.

He looked really beat, and kept shaking himself awake. “Must, finish…! Must finish…!” he groaned. He did all this while taking moments to feed the fire so it wouldn’t go out.

It was almost midnight, and he was still studying and doing his homework while trying not to fall asleep.

“Okay…!” he groaned “Time for my secret wakeup weapon.”

He started up the two phonographs, and then quickly sat down in his armchair near the fire, with a couple of candles near him.

Suddenly, one of the records began playing this haunting, ominous music, while the other record had horror sound effects of women screaming! Outside, the wolves were howling, cats meowed, and the thunder and lightning seemed to strike hard, like going along with all the effects.

(Vid Works)

It was like watching an intro for some weird TV show. The screaming record stopped, and more thunder hit as Garfield looked out the window. The music was still playing, and Garfield gazed at the paintings of the people, almost like a live audience, and he actually addressed them.

“I am your host, Garfield Logan.

Welcome to “Mysterious Theater”: the show that brings you somber stories with many brokered hearts and tragic endings!

Tonight, we bring you a story of a young man named Vic Plain, a young man who was betrayed by his only love Elisa. As out story begins, Elisa finds Vic in his café, lost in bitterness while under the spell of…

“…The Alphabet of Despair!”

…Let’s join them… now.”

The music finally stopped, and rather than actually tell or show the story he made up, Garfield, feeling more alert now, was able to continue his homework. It was if the thoughts of all that darkness enflamed his inner strength for a boost.

Even Twilight never looked so focused before.

Finally, Garfield closed all his books and sighed, “Finished!” just as the clock struck One… in the morning!

He dipped his fingers in a cup of water by his side and rubbed his teeth, like brushing. It seemed to be the only way he had to clean his teeth.

Then finally, he started up the music record again and quickly sat down to, once again, address his audience of paintings.

(Vid Works)

“And so ends “The Alphabet of Despair.”

Wolves howled from outside as the music started.

“Tune in next time for more tragic tales from a dark, despairing world where hearts never heal, and all hope is lost forever.

Until then, I’m your host… Garfield Logan, bidding you… Farewell…

…From Mysterious Theater.”

Another crash of thunder hit, and Garfield gazed out the window and hissed at it like an angry cat, and the music stopped again.

He let out a huge yawn, blew out the candles save for a candle-stick he held in his hand. “Nighty night.” he said to no one in particular as he left the room, leaving the dimming fire to burn itself out, and walk up the spooky staircase to his master-bedroom.

I was so incredibly terrified and concerned, but just the same, very exhausted, as it was One in the morning. I tried to go to sleep, but those eerie winds, the soft tapping of the shutters, squeaking all over the house. As if those were bad enough, the thunder and lightning made it worse. Every flash and crash made me jumpy, and then there were the sounds of the wolves howling form the forest and ravens screeching.

How could anyone get any sleep like this?!! I couldn’t and neither could Garfield, because the next thing I heard was the sound of footsteps. His bedroom was just about the library where I was. I could hear the creaking of a window opening, and…

“…QUIET!!!” his shouted so loud, and a huge blast of lightning and thunder stuck. The wolves stop howling and the birds stopped cawing at once!

“After all… enough is enough!” I heard him groan as he went back to bed.

I had barely managed to get two hours of light restless sleep, when I suddenly heard Garfield come downstairs, fully dressed… at Five in the morning!!

It was still so dark outside, you’d think it was still night, but those dark clouds were still over the whole area, with not a single breach insight. Nothing to indicate and clearing. Worse than that, it hadn’t rained a single drop, as was evidenced by all the withered plant life-outside.

Garfield was eating a single piece of toast he had made by holding a slice of bread over a candle. He still looked awfully groggy. I could tell because of his eyes… those burning, tiresome eyes!

He then left the house and charged up his moped to leave. I didn’t have time to sneak out and stowaway, plus I was very hungry and hardly had the strength to do so. Besides, it was Saturday, he wouldn’t be heading for the school, but exactly where he went… I had no idea.

While he was out, I helped myself to a couple slices of bread, and left over tofu-squares. It was a good thing that magic that made me talk also gave me a stronger stomach so I could digest it okay.

So, I spent the rest of the day trying to catch up on my sleep, which still wasn’t easy because of all that noise out there.

When Garfield came back, he looked really beat, and yet, he didn’t stop to rest at all. He went into the forest to get more wood while ducking those hungry wolves fetched more water from the well.

Today, however, since he didn’t have any homework left, I saw him doing laundry. He had put a load of identical school uniforms and his pyjamas and bathrobes into the tub and used a wash-board to clean them.

Then he hung them up on a line out on the porch where the blowing winds would dry them faster, but it was still a long and hard job. Then he spent the day chopping logs and fetching water from the well.

It wasn’t until long after seven at night when his clothes were dry, and still he wasn’t finished working…!!

Garfield then spent the evening hours working in another room of the house, a laboratory where he seemed to be creating some kind of formula with special rocks he had brought home with him that day. I had no idea what it was for since I couldn’t get any closer.

By Nine pm, he finally had dinner, only he didn’t eat as much due to his food supply running short, but he did have an extra-long drink form one of the water buckets; almost gave himself a bad stomach ache from drinking too hard.

I was starving too, so I ate another slice of bread without being seen.

Still, Garfield wasn’t done. He still had studying to do for tests in school. He wanted perfect scores and aimed to get them.

Of course his weariness caught up with him… so he went at it again, and acted out another show in front of the paintings.

(Vid Works)

“Good evening, and welcome to Mysterious Theater.

I am your host, Garfield Logan.

In tonight’s episode, a young man has been let down by the only love of his life, for reasons of complete and total self-centered attitude. The pain is so immense, the man may not live to se another sunrise.

…Let’s… Join them.”

Followed by a crash of thunder, and he went right back to his studies, long into the very late hours. It wasn’t until the clock struck twelve at midnight that he decided to stop, and he looked really beat.

So he put down his books and wrapped up the show again.

(Vid Works)

“And thus ends another tragic tale from a dark, despairing world where hearts never heal, and all hope is lost forever.

Join us next time for… Mysterious Theater… Until then, this is your host, Garfield Logan saying…

…Good-Bye.”

Another crash of thunder, and he went off to bed, but again… it was another restless night from all the crashing and noises coming from outside. I barely managed to sleep either.

And the same routine happened when he got up at Five AM, right into the night.

But this time was different… as he came back from fetching wood in the forest. He noticed the bag of bread was ripped open. Being the genius he was, he could tell this was done deliberately.

I couldn’t resist, I was starving all day, and with hardly food lying around, I had to go for it, but now Garfield was onto me. So I foolishly dashed up the stairs, which alerted him to follow.

“Who’s in MY HOUSE?!!” he shouted, and began prowling like a madman, tipping over chairs, tables, kicking the doors open! “Come out and fight like a man!”

Never had I been so scared in my life, and that made me a little carless too as I knocked over a broom-stick and mop, which alerted him to come running down the hall, and I had to hide under his master-bed.

“Who is it?! Show yourself!”

The lightning lit up the shadows in the room, and I could see him about to lift up the bed skirts. I got out the other side just in time for him to miss me.

“Okay, party’s over! I’ve got a gun, and I know how to use it!” he shouted, trying to get me to come out, but I knew he was bluffing, but I still couldn’t run past him, or he’d see me.

Suddenly, all went quiet. Garifeld hadn’t moved or made a sound… almost as if he had gone; which was exactly part of his trick, because without warning he ROARED like a monster, scaring me into running under his legs and out the door.

“AHA!!” he shouted as he gave chase.

We ran all over the house; up and down, here and there! Finally, I zigged when I should have zagged and he dropped his cape over me like a net! “GOT’CHA!!”

We wrestled for a moment before I gave in, and finally saw me. “What? You…? How did you get here?”

I was so frightened, the way his burning, baggy eyes looked at me; I gave him the sad doggy eyes. He resisted and looked away, “That won’t work on me.” he said, and he sighed, “I guess I better get you back to Twilight in the morning.”

He wasn't as cold towards me for the rest of the night, much to my surprise. He even gave me a few lettuce leaves, a tofu square and a teacup full of water. “Don’t chow down too fast.” He sneered at me “Make it last, I can’t give you much more. If I do, I won’t have enough food to make it through the week until I get paid… thanks to you!”

I felt a little low for putting him in danger.

“Well, it’s a good thing you can’t talk.” he said to me, “Or I’d tell you never to tell anyone about me. The last thing I need is more people intruding on my solitude. I’m alone, and I want to stay that way!”

*POV Ends*

“So, we got through another sleepless night, and came here… that’s all there is to it.” said Spike “Most definitely, the most horrifying weekend I ever had.”

The girls and ladies all gawked at him with wide-eyed expressions, nobody what to think.

“Ordinarily, I’d say that’s a load of hoo-haw.” said Applejack “But then again, given our experience with weird stuff, maybe he’s tellin’ the truth.”

The others all agreed.

“I was telling the truth!” protested Spike “Every single word.”

Fluttershy patted his head, “Oh, we don’t think you’re lying, Spike.”

“Of course not, darling.” added Rarity “It’s just that… well… How can I put this delicately?”

Celestia held up her hand to speak for Rarity, “What she means is, we can’t just take your word for it alone. We’ll need to dig deeper and get real evidence on this.”

“Agreed…” said Luna “Which is why I suggest we keep all this between ourselves, and not mention this to anyone. Not even the exchange students.”

Everyone agreed, and the lunch-bell rang. “Whoop… time for lunch.” said Pinkie “It’s Pizza and cupcake Monday.”

“Awesome. I’m famished.” said Rainbow, and she along with everyone else left, but Twilight stayed behind and held her dog warmly, “I believe you, Spike.” and she meant every word. Even though it would usually go against all forms of logic she knew, due to her experiences and discoveries, she believed in anything being possible.

Spike smiled and licked her cheek.

Meanwhile, while students were heading off for lunch, Garfield, wearily walked to his locker. He was having another weary-spell from his lack of sleep and nourishment from the weekend while tending to Spike.

He just barley put his hands to his locker, when he began to slide slowly down, and fall flat on the floor, passing out from exhaustion!

Many students gawked in concern.

“Garfield!” Terra cried as she raced to his side, and she felt what bad shape he was in, she called out for help, and she was suddenly joined by the other Murakamis.

“Let’s take him to the school nurse!” said Dick, and off they went carrying the poor fallen boy.

Act 8: Off on a mission

ACT EIGHT

Garfield slowly began to awaken and his vision became clear, but he still felt groggy. “What’s… happening? Where am I?” he groaned.

“Shh, just relax.” said Nurse Redheart, as she gave him an oxygen mask to help him stabilize.

Garfield noticed the other Murakami students, as well as the Equetsrians, Celestia and Luna were there in the room with him. “What are you all doing here?”

“Terra found you in the hallway.” replied Kori “…You collapsed.”

Garfield suddenly remembered, “I did! Wait, Terra… you helped me?”

Terra nodded softly.

“She came to your aid… like a friend.” said Sunset “And after all the mean things you said to her, and to us, she was still willing to help you, and so were we.”

Everyone nodded, and Garfield was a mix of emotions, but still feeling so groggy he could barely think straight.

“I’ve never seen anyone in such bad shape before.” said Redheart “How much sleep have you gotten?”

“I think about… six or seven.” replied Garfield. “Six or seven hours a night; well that’s not really bad.” said Redheart, but Garfield corrected her, “…I meant all week.”

Everyone’s expressions turned shock. It was no wonder his eyes looked so burned and baggy, and obviously why he was such a grump most of the time. Anyone who hadn’t slept for that long would be no different.

“Garfield, this is crazy!” snapped Dick “Six or seven hours of sleep in a week isn’t healthy!”

“He’s right.” added Vic “And look at you, your all skin and bones. I don’t how you’re still walkin’, but you can’t keep this up!”

Garfield was not only starting to feel a bit more alert, but his outrage was returning. “Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do with my life! It’s none of your concern! That goes for all of you! Got it?!”

“That’s enough!” snapped Celestia “You are a student at this school, and it IS my concern for your well-being and health.”

Redheart, seeing that this was about to get ugly, quietly slipped over to the counter and prepared a sedative-shot to calm Garfield down…!

The bell rang, signifying school was out already. Garfield realized he had been knocked out all afternoon. “I’m going to be late for work!” He tried to get out of bed, but Luna held him down, “You’re not going anywhere, young man!”

“Garfield, we want to help you.” Fluttershy said.

“I don’t want your help!!” Garfield yelled as he tried to get up, Prompting Vic, Rainbow and applejack to help hold him down. “Let me go!! LET ME GO!!”

Redheart moved in closer with the sedative ready, and stuck him in the arm. The powerful drug took effective almost immediately and Garfield slowly faded into a deep sleep, which Redheart said “The rest will do him a world of good, but he needs more care for his malnourishment. I’m going to call the hospital.”

Everyone agreed, it was the best thing Garfield needed for now, and Celestia and Luna sent the other students all off as school was out.

“Poor, Garfield.” Terra muttered “I’m really worried about him.”

Much as the others felt just as worried for Garfield’s health and well-being, they all couldn’t help but note in Terra’s concern being much greater than theirs.

The Murakamis knew this wasn’t first time. Terra had been having moments of concern for Garfield ever since Grade Nine, when they all met in High School, but it almost seemed like something more.

“Terra… is there something you’re not telling us about you and Garfield?” Kori asked. Terra didn’t comfortable saying it for everyone to hear, but the goths glared at her eerily. “You may as well tell us what’s got you.” said Raven. “If not, may the dark spirits feast upon your soul as you sleep, and haunt you in the day as you walk.” added Kato.

Feeling freaked out by such thoughts, Terra confessed, “Garfield once saved my life. I remember it well.”

*Terra’s POV*

When I was twelve, before I went to high school, I had just been adopted from the orphanage and was doing some grocery shopping for my foster parents, when suddenly it began to rain hard. The kind that soaked you to the bone… then again, it is rain after all.

Anyway, I was just turning the corner to walk to down the street that lead to my foster family’s apartment, when I was ambushed by two street-punks, and they were both puffed up and mean to the core.

They pointed a gun and a knife at me demanding I hand them any money I had, as well as the groceries as they were starving as well, but just as things were about to get ugly…

He came rushing in and tackled the two muggers. Though he was only twelve like me, he showed incredible skills.

After the crooks were beaten, he searched them, I think looking for spare change, but when he couldn’t find any on either of them, he growled angrily.

“You saved me…” I said to him “Thank you.” and he turned at me, his eyes hidden behind his shades and sneered “Don’t mention it… Ever!” and then he just ran off.

“Hey… Wait!” I called to him, but he had already gone away! I just stood there wondering who he was. He didn’t look like anyone I knew.

Then, when I finally got into Murakami High, was I ever surprised, there he was, the same boy who saved me before; I know it was Garfield, I recognized him anywhere, but when I tried to approach him or befriend him, he brushed me off, he didn’t want anything to do with me… or anyone for that matter.

*POV Ends*

“That’s… well… how I do I make that out?” asked Rainbow.

“Well, we’re all agreed on one thing…” said Dick “Whatever Garfield’s been doing with himself, he can’t keep this up. We really need to get to the roots of his pushiness, and figure why he really does it.”

“I agree…” said Sunset, “He may be tired and malnourished, but… I still think there something else behind all this. Something that compels him to be deliberately mean to people, even to those who try to help and befriend him.”

“Well, we could always check out his home and see what it’s really like.” Fluttershy suggested.

Spike wanted to protest he already told them what his home was like, but Twilight gave him a soft pat on the head warning him not to break his “No-Talking” cover.

“Just one problem…” Raven pointed out “We don’t even know where he lives.”

“You’re right, I guess it’s hopeless.” Pinkie smugly said “We might as well go home and forget about it.”

Everyone was surprised by her attitude, but Pinkie winked at her friends and at Spike, and they all got the drift.

“So, uh… how about we just go study and my place?” said applejack “We got some makeup tests ya know for missin’ half the day.”

“I’m up for that.” said Rainbow “We could order sick amounts of pizza and everything.”

They girls all acted coy and sly as they walked off, leaving the Murakamis confused and baffled, but not one of them fell for the bluff a bit.

“Well that performance was terrible.” said Vic “What are they really up to?”

Dick stepped forth, “I think they know something we don’t. Well whatever it is, we’ll find out.”

Everyone agreed, and it was a good thing their motor-cycles and Vic’s car were in the parking-lot.

A while later, the paramedics showed up to take Garfield to the hospital, but when they were escorted by Celestia and Luna, and Nurse Redheart to the Nurse’s office… they found Garfield was nowhere to be seen.

“Where did he go?” asked Celestia.

“He was right here in bed.” cried Redheart “I gave him enough sedative to knock out a horse.”

Luna looked out the window and could see in the parking-lot, “His moped is gone!”

“Will someone explain to us what is going on here?!” one of the paramedics asked, but the ladies had no idea themselves other than there were a poor disheveled young boy out there!

Soon, all the girls were driving along on their motorbikes, riding two-by-two. The very bikes used from the Friendship-games. It was a good thing they all had their licenses too, but they were traveling a really-really long way out of town.

“Our parents aren’t really going to like this!” Fluttershy whimpered. “Ah, they’ll never know.” said Rainbow “We told them we’d be studying extra late tonight.”

Applejack still didn’t feel cool about lying to her family, but she knew they were doing the right thing by heading far, far out to check Garfield’s home.

“Why do I have to come?” Spike complained, “I don’t want to have to go back to that creepy only place!”

“Because only you know the way.” replied Twilight “And if it really is as bad as you say it is you can guide us.”

Spike sighed and slithered back into her knapsack as the girls continued to roam along the road… unaware that they were being followed close behind.

The Murakamis had been keeping a sharp eye on their friends and were following them but keeping well back so as not to be scene. Dick was riding his motor-cycle while the others all rode in Vic’s car.

Vic’s ride was specially made and supped up by him and his expertise in auto-mechanics, and his car was equipped with a special zoom-camera that could see the girls from really far, and they kept in contact with Dick through his hands-free cellphone he wore under his riding helmet.

“They’re heading straight for Jump City.” said Dick.

“Our hometown…? Why head there?” asked Kori.

“Wait…!” cried Dick “They’re turning off… now they’re heading for the outback lands.”

Now there was cause for concern. They all knew the outback lands were extremely hot at this time of the afternoon, not to mention the roads were extremely rough and bumpy.

“They just drove fifty miles to head out there?” Raven asked, “Okay, this is officially getting weird.”

“Nevertheless, we must pursue them.” said Kato. Vic and Dick agreed, but it was going to be one bumpy ride.

The girls were already experiencing the rough roads. The road was bumpy they all jiggled like sitting on a washing machine. Applejack felt a little green in the gut, “I don’t feel too good.” She groaned.

“I find it kinda fun.” cried Pinkie, and she did a back-wheely stand “Whee-Heee!”

“Oh, please don’t do that again!” cried Fluttershy.

“Spike are you sure this is the right way?” asked Sunset. “I’m positive!” replied Spike, I was hanging onto Garfield’s moped, remember? I saw, we flew right over all this.”

Rarity didn’t like the sudden bumping in the roads, as well as the heat of the setting sun. they had been driving for nearly two whole hours. “It certainly would have saved us much time and trouble if we used our magic.” she called to the others

“Yeah, well what about me?” said Twilight “I don’t have any magic like you all do. How’d I come along?”

“Besides, we can’t…” Sunset cut in, “Our magic only works when we’re in real danger, fighting for Friendship, or tapping into our own abilities.”

Suddenly, the sky up ahead looked really dark. “It’s almost nightfall, already?” cried Sunset.

“That isn’t the night…” Spike said, “Those are the storm clouds over Garfield’s home.”

All the girls gasped in shock, “What?! That’s all a giant storm?” asked Rainbow.

Twilight gawked up as the errie clouds grew darker and darker, “Impossible…!”

The road began to feel less bumpy and grassier as they got closer and closer, which meant it was also growing darker and darker. Soon it was as dark as the night, and with no city lights or anything it was very hard to see.

and suddenly, Spike nervously pointed forth “There it is!”

Garfield’s mansion in the horrifying grounds as thunder and lightning shook the skies.

(start at 2:58)

The girls could only gawk in extreme horror. “This… No way!” cried Rainbow “This is Garfield’s home?”

Spike nodded, “I told you it was a nightmare!”

A another loud crash of thunder and lightning hit, making everyone yelp and huddled together while shivering with fear, as well as the chill in the howling winds.

“I don’t like it here!” peeped Fluttershy.

Rarity stepped on a twig and screamed slightly, making the girls jump again! “I think I’d like to leave now.”

All the girls agreed, even Sunset, “Oh, but wait…!” she suddenly said “We really should look around a bit. We need to gather as much evidence as we can.”

Spike could not believe this a bit! “I already told you what this place is like! What, coming here wasn’t enough?!” he shouted, followed by another thunder crash.

“Spike, we need to gather evidence to take back with us.” Twilight said “Garfield needs help… more now than I ever realized just looking at this place.”

As frightful as everyone felt, they got out their cell-phones and began to take pictures and video record as much as they could, as well as using the flashlights to see better.

They would have called for more help, but unfortunately they had no signals, and couldn’t even call each-other. “It must be the storm cloud.” said Twilight “It’s so thick and dense and all the lightning flashing must block out the signals.”

“That’s swell… but when are they going to let up already?” asked Rainbow.

“They don’t.” Spike replied, “The wind blows in circular motions around this entire area for miles, so the cloud stays right put. Kind of like in-casing this whole area in a glass.”

Twilight thought that to be more ridiculous than ever, but she couldn’t deny the facts, and she also deduced that it never rained because of all the constant lightning strikes, making it so hot above, any water trying to fall from the clouds evaporated back into the clouds before it could even fall, which also explained why the cloud was so thick and dark.

“You think it’s dark now…?” Spike chuckled “It’s only coming up to early evening. Wait until nightfall, when it REALLY gets dark!”

Pinkie Pie was starting to freak out “D-D-Darker than this?!”

Applejack looked one way, and then another, “How can anybody live in a place like this?”

Everyone else felt the same way. The spookiness was bad enough, but they soon found that everything was exactly as Spike first told them. “Let’s go in the house, we’ll be safer in there. Garfield’s not home anyway.”

The girls agreed, feeling it was better than standing outside in the chilling winds, and to their surprise the door opened due to its latches being loose, yet they still made those sickening creaking noises!

“Come on, girls…” Sunset whispered and they all crept inside closing the doors behind them.

No sooner had they gone in did the Murakami students step into the grounds, having just arrived and parked their vehicles, and using flashlights and phone lights to see, they took one look at the place and they were stunned.

“What kind of place is this?” asked Dick. “We’re practically in the middle of nowhere!”

Kori was quivering nervously, and held Dick’s hand, much to his delight. “It’ll be okay, Kori. Don’t worry…” he said trying to sound brave.

The goths looked all around, and could see the entire place was surrounded by hostile environments.

Such as... an old abandoned tower on a hilltop…

A Cemetery…

Murky Lake…

A hapless forest…

…And vast fields of dark and endless misery.

“This place is… heavenly!” Raven said with a deep and loving expression on her face as she held her boyfriend’s hand. “And I thought we were experts on picking dark places.” Kato said “We could do so much with this place.”

The others couldn’t believe them, acting amazed at such a place, but didn’t bother argue. “Why would the girls come here?” Vic asked.

“Maybe this is… like… their secret meeting place?” Terra suggested.

Dick looked down by his feet and noticed a trail many mixed trails of footprints leading into the forest--unaware that they were actually Garfield’s footprints.

“Don’t tell me you’re going in there?” asked Terra.

Kori didn’t like the looks of the forest “It could be swarming.”

“With wolves…” hissed Raven, “And bats…!” added Kato. Unable to resist, they ran off hand-in-hand towards the forest entrance, “Wait you guys!” Dick called, but their friends had already vanished into the darkness.

“Ah, man!” Vic groaned as he dashed off after them, followed by the others.

Act 9: Tough Wolf Attack!

ACT NINE

Inside the house, the girls were looked around all over the place, as a recording of one of Garfield’s acts was heard along with the music…

“Tonight on Mysterious Theater… “Farewell My Fare Friend.” As our story begins, a young man returns to his home town after months of duty overseas, only to find everything has changed… including his sweetheart, who seems to hold no memory of their relationship.

Will our young man be able to re-spark her memory, or say goodbye to the love of his life… forever?

Let’s find out!”

“Will you turn that thing off down there?!” Rainbow called from upstairs, “It’s giving me the creeps up here.”

Sunset turned off the phonograph, which made the house go really silent, and chills ran down everyone’s spine’s including Rainbow’s as she and some of the girls searched the upper-floors.

The sudden sounds of rafters creaking, shutters slamming, winds howling and thunder crashing didn’t make it any better.

Fluttershy just sat in a corner with her hands over her eyes wishing to wake-up and find herself back home again, only to find she was still in the dark.

Sunset offered her hand to Fluttershy to help her up and keep close, “It’s alright…” she kept saying “We’ll be okay.”

As the girls continued to take their pictures and record videos, they were so astonished by all the antique furniture and things, as well as the lack of modern day power and facilities as Spike promised them.

“Don’t any other people live here?” Twilight asked.

Spike shook his head, “Nope, only Garfield.”

“That is just… sad.” cried Pinkie “I don’t think I could ever bear to live all by myself, away from my friends, and with no one to talk to…!” she felt just about ready to break down blubbering.

This reminded them all of what they had heard the other week; that Garfield was an orphan, and obviously a much more unfortunate one than any of his fellow Murakami students.

“How in the hoot’n nanny could a kid like him wind up in a place like this?” wondered Applejack.

As she stood up, she turned to walk off she bumped into one of the bookshelves, and no one noticed a small book fall off the shelf, and into Twilight’s knapsack that was at the foot of the shelf.

“You okay?” asked Twilight.

Applejack rubbed her nose groaning, “No pain… no gain.”

As Rarity admired the drapes along the windows, though they were dusty and full of cobwebs which really grossed her out, she looked outside where she and the others had parked their motorbikes, when she looked on ahead and could distinctly see Dick’s motorcycle and Vic’s car far off from the bikes.

She quickly ran off to tell the others, and they all dashed outside to inspect the vehicles. “I can’t believe they followed us here.” Rarity grumbled “Spying on someone. Is nothing sacred?!”

The others didn’t bother to point out the obvious hypocrisy in her complaining. “But where are they?” asked Fluttershy “They never came in the house.”

Spike noticed the trail of footprints from the vehicles which lead all the way past the lake and over to, “…The forest!” he cried “There are wolves in there!”

Suddenly, someone screamed!

“That’s Kori!” cried Rarity, and no sooner did Kori and the other Murakamis come rushing out from the forest. “Run!!” shouted Kato. “He’s not kidding!” added Raven!

“WOLVES!!” cried Terra.

“WOLVES?!” shouted the girls, and right at the entrance emerged a pack of snarling wolves ready for a fight!

Unable to run for their vehicles in time, the students all scattered about to make it less easy for the wolves to follow them all, but those blood-thirsty gave chase anway, especially to those who were most afraid…

…Like Fluttershy!

“HELP!! HELP ME!!” she screamed as she ran across the field and dashed up a dead tree.

“Hang on, Fluttershy!” Dick called as he dashed to help her, grabbing a broken axe-handle leaving against the wall of the shed and batted the wolf hard, forcing it to run away, but there were still more wolves.

“They can smell our fear!” shouted Twilight“And they must be starving! They won’t leave until we’re dead.”

“Oh, well that’s just swell!!” snarled Rainbow.

The goths climbed the massive woodpile and jumped onto the roof of the small shed, kicking the wolves that tried to follow them down. “I take it back!” cried Raven “This IS creepy! …Too creepy…!”

“Sadly, I’m afraid I agree with you!” said Kato.

Vic Applejack and Pinkie Pie began to throw rocks at the wolves, hoping to scare them off, but all it did was make them angrier, and they howled loudly for more wolves to come out and join them!

“They’re all over the place!” shouted Pinkie!

More chases ensured, and suddenly, both Rarity and Kori found themselves ganged up by three wolves. “Rarity!” shouted Sunset “Kori!” cried Dick, as they watched the girls back away in fear, “Look out!” Dick shouted, but the girls already took a step too far and fell backwards into the dirty lake water, and this lake, unlike most others, was deep all around.

The girls swam all they could to stay afloat and tried to get out, but more wolves surrounded every brink. “We’re coming!” shouted Sunset as she and the others dashed over.

Applejack, Dick and Vic the rocks and sticks at the wolves to get them to chase them. “We’ll make them chase us, you help the girls!” shouted Vic.

“Here!” Applejack shouted, throwing Dick her rope as she and Vic ran off letting the wolves chase them.

“Hang on girls!” Dick shouted as he threw them the rope. The girls grabbed the rope and he pulled them ashore safely. He helped Rarity out first, “Thank you so much!” she cried, and then the both helped pull Kori up. She slipped at the last step and fell forward as Dick caught her in his arms.

“Kori… Are you okay?” he asked.

Panting stressfully, Kori lifted her head and looked straight up at him, and they got lost in each other’s eyes, much deeper than ever before, and they smiled at one another. Their faces moved closer towards one another…

…but the moment was interrupted when another wolf jumped down, snarling at them!

Everyone was really starting to lose their strengths and speeds to duck the pack much longer. “We can’t back them off! There’s too many of them!” cried Terra.

Everyone was suddenly trapped in the tops of trees, on the shed roof; a few were even hiding behind the doors of the house and barricading them so the wolves couldn’t get in.

The wolves were growing angrier waiting for their meal, and began to head-butt the trees and the shed, and Terra fell out!

“Terra...!!” Applejack shouted.

Terra looked up as three wolves glared at her and snarled at her.

“Terra!” Sunset cried, and she gazed down at her hand, and felt she had no choice.

“What are you doing?” asked Twilight.

“I have to!” replied Sunset, and she clasped her hands together hard and began to summoning up the magic, right in front of everyone.

“What the--!” cried Dick.

“Sunset?” said Kori.

Terra, however, didn’t notice as she was still staring the wolves down, and she screamed as they looked ready to pounce…

…When, suddenly, they were hit by stones from behind.

Everyone looked, and Sunset stopped glowing before she actually got to do anything at all!

There, stood Garfield!

The wolves took one look at him and snarled, deciding to deal with him first for all the trouble he gave them in the past!

Garfield, undeterred as always, threw down his cape and grabbed a thick solid branch off the ground to use as a spear, and he leapt in at the pack of wolves and began to strike them all hard with his spear, batting them all down. He had been doing this for years, and those mongrels didn’t have a chance!

Finally, after several wolves were downed and he got a clean opening, Garfield grabbed his dog-whistle and gave it such a huge blow!

To the wolves, the noise was just unbearable! Even Spike covered his ears and howled manically, while the wolves all ran for the forest, away from the dreaded sound, and they were gone!

The others all felt is safe to come out of hiding and Garfield dropped his spear and put his cape back on.

They would have thanked him for saving them, but he angrily turned and scorned them all, “What are you all doing here at my home?!”

“His home?” asked Raven?

“Garfield… lives… here?” added Kato.

The Murakamis were nothing short of horrified.

“How did you all find this place?” Garfield demanded “I’m the only one who knows of this place.”

Pinkie Pie spoke up, “Oh, we came here because Spike--” but she was quickly silenced by Rainbow and Applejack covering her mouth and blocking her out of view.

Terra approached Garfield, feeling a bit shaken, “Garfield, you live here?” she asked. “Duh… that’s what I just said!” he snapped at her, “But that still doesn’t answer why all of you are here!”

“Trying to find out why you’re here, that’s what!” said Sunset “Come to think of it, how are you even here. Shouldn’t you be in the hospital?”

Garfield scoffed, “You honestly think a little sedative can keep me down? I’ve been through worse to make it this far… a whole lot worse.”

“What, you think we don’t know how to survive?” snarled Rainbow “We’ve been through some pretty tough situations ourselves you know!”

Garfield could only chuckle, “And just what so-called dangerous do you face?”

Much as the girls wanted to explain of their adventures, they couldn’t, and even Pinkie didn’t try to spill the beans this time, and when nobody said a thing, “That’s what I thought…” said Garfield “You have the gall to call me out on the way I choose to live my life, but then you decide intrude on my homeland and nearly get mauled by a pack of hungry wolves, and the fact you weren’t able to fend yourselves is just another perfect example of how smart, strong, and right you aren’t!”

Finally having enough his attitude, Dick stepped forth, “Look, Garfield, this isn’t about us anymore, it’s about you! I may not know the while truth behind all this yet, but I do know you can’t keep living like this!”

All the others agreed and voiced their opinions of the place being too dangerous, Garfield working too hard, and his attitude of pushing people away who tried to help him. “Garfield, please… let us help you!” cried Terra “You can’t keep this up, you could die!”

“Terra’s right!” snapped Twilight “Look at you; you’re ragged to exhaustion, malnourished, your skin is pale from lack of sunlight-- This isn’t healthy for you! You need help!”

Garfield grew madder than ever, “And just what gives you all the right to be concerned about my well-being?” he thundered at them, “Oh, let me guess… it’s all part of that Friendship and Magic junk you believe in!

I am surrounded by such fantasizing nitwits!”

Everyone took great offense to that.

“When are you people going to wake up and realize life isn’t a bargain nor some magical friendship ride?! Everything comes with a price, be it progress, or even basic survival, and even then it still comes with consequences… unless you’re prepared to stand up to it like I do!”

And before anyone could protest, he went into a song to emphasis his ravings! “Stand tough!”

By the time he was finished, he glared everyone deeply insisting, “You just worry about yourselves and do whatever you think is right. Me… I’ll get by life anyway I choose, and my way doesn’t involve having any friends or pathetic magical fairy tales to hold me back!”

Rather than protest anything, Dick suggested, “Come on, everyone… let’s get out of here.”

Everyone reluctantly agreed and made their way to their vehicles.

“Oh, and one other thing…” Garfield called “You can tell Principal Celestia I will not be in school tomorrow, or again. I no longer trust her!”

Then he walked up to the house and went inside, closing the doors behind him.

Everyone felt he had really gone too far this time, but seeing no point in arguing as it didn’t help, they all agreed to just leave.

Terra took one last moment to look at the house and feeling an inner-sense of being crushed of being unable to reach out and reason with Garfield.

“Come on, Terra, let’s just go.” Vic said “It’s getting really late anyway.”

Soon they were all on their way, off into the darkness. Garfield watched them all until they were totally out sight to make sure they weren’t trying to trick him. Feeling content of having gotten rid of them and told them off…

The music played from the phonograph, and he turned to address the paintings, treating it just like his acts.

(Vid works)

“And so ends another episode of “Mysterious Theater” this is Garfield Logan saying… Good Evening.”

With a soft crashing of thunder, he eerily walked out of the study, while the music still played, and walked up the dark stairs, and out of sight.

Act 10: The Truth, and the Awful Truth

ACT TEN

The students finally rode out of the stormy nightmare, but they all felt hungry and their vehicles needed gassing up to make it all the way back to Canterlot City.

So they had to head into Jump City to get gas, and they stopped at a burger joint for dinner. Sadly, they all had to order to go because Twilight couldn’t bring Spike inside due to the “No Pets” policy.

Poor Rarity spent a long time in the washroom trying to fix herself up after falling in that dirty lake-water. “She’s been in there twenty minutes now.” said Kori, and then she let out a sneeze!

“Gazuntite” chirped Pinkie.

“I hope you’re not catching a cold.” said Fluttershy, and Twilight assured her, “Actually studies show that getting wet like that doesn’t really make you sick. It’s only if you come into contact with viruses or already have them inside you that do it.”

Still, Kori was very dirty, thanks to the filthy water she fell in. Her clothes were stained with green and brown sludge marks. Her hair was combed but still had a few muddy streaks.

Rarity finally came out of the restaurant, but was wearing a fedora, and a jacket she got from her knapsack, and keeping herself hidden from view. “Um… Rarity…?” Rainbow called.

“Please, I can’t…!” Rarity sobbed “It’s horrible! Too horrible…!” Obviously after all that time, she still looked a little messy underneath and was too embarrassed to show her face to anyone at the moment, but she still ate.

Still, everyone could hardly believe the experiences they had just had, and Terra was still looking down because of her failure to reach out to Garfield, and he brushed them off. “I can’t believe he lives in such a place, and he doesn’t want to leave.”

Sunset felt the same way she did, “I’ve never met anyone like him before.” She recalled the look in his eyes when his shades were off. It was more than just a look of exhaustion, but more anger, hatred, and extreme resentment. “Even I never acted this much when I was evil.” said Sunset.

“What’s that?” asked Dick.

“Uh… I mean!” Sunset tried to cover it up, but it was no use.

“What do you mean you were evil?” asked Vic.

“I’ll bet it has something to do with that glowing we saw.” said Raven. All the other Murakamis agreed. The Equestrians tried to deny what they claimed to have seen, but the others were not convinced. “Tell us…” said Kato “What are you hiding from us?”

“We’re not hiding anything!” Twilight lied.

“Look, girls… we’ve trusted you all,” Vic said “But you’ve all been actin’ pretty strange lately and we wanna know why.”

“Vic’s right.” said Dick “You may as well tell us, because we’ll just find out, and you know we will.” He hinted at the fact they followed the girls to the Garfield’s home.

The girls all hesitated fretfully, but Applejack decided “They’re right; nothing like good ol’-fashion honesty.”

Sunset agreed, “Okay, um… how do I put this?”

“Oh, it’s okay. I got this” Pinkie said, and she took in a huge breath and very rapidly shot her mouth off explaining everything in such a fast pace.

“You see there’s another dimension where everyone is like us but not like us because their ponies and they have magical powers, and there’s a portal than connects from their world to our world through the statue in the front of the school. Anyway, Sunset’s from this world too, and she used to be mean and nasty and tried to use magic to take over the world, but the pony princess who looks like Twilight, sounds like Twilight, but isn’t Twilight stopped her and gave us all our very own magic that goes off whenever we’re in danger, or tap into our own special talents, and now Sunset is reformed and she studies about friendship and is practically our leader whenever some big bad guy comes into town.

…Isn’t that awesome?”

The Murakami’s all gawked at her with wide-eyed expressions. Even the other Equestrians were struck by Pinkie’s speed-talk.

“Uh… Oooo-kay…” Vic said “That sounds pretty stretchy to me.”

“Yep, but it’s true.” Spike said, astonishing the Murakamis and making them gasp. “Oh, I forgot to mention Spike can talk.” said Pinkie “That’s how we found out about Garfield’s home.”

The Murakamis all huddled around Spike, getting closer, and closer. “Hey, you’re kind of freaking me out here.” he whimpered.

“This is TOTALLY AWESOME!!” shouted Dick.

Kori grabbed Spike.

“Hey!” snapped Twilight, but Kori held the little dog up, “You can talk! This is amazing! Say something… anything!”

“Um… Something… Anything… Please put me down!”

Twilight took her dog back, still, the Murakamis were overly astonished.

“This is incredible!” cried Dick “You all have magical powers… but wait, if you have all these powers, couldn’t you just use them to help Garfield right away; make him see the error of his ways.”

Sunset shook her head, “It doesn’t really work that way. Our magic is used mainly for friendship purposes: to help people understand it, know more about it, and to maybe give it a chance. We can’t force our views on others; they have to be willing to accept our friendship themselves.”

The Murakamis sighed, “Well, so much for that idea.” said Terra.

“But don’t worry, we can still try and help him.” said Twilight, and she hinted at all the footage and recordings she and the others got with their phones. Even Rarity’s phone still worked, and wasn’t damaged from the water.

Whether or not Garfield was willing to accept their friendship, it wasn’t deniable that he still needed help and needed to be saved from his own self.

The next morning, the gang met at school at six in the morning. Some of them were still exhausted on the count of arriving back home very late, and having a strict lecture from the girls’ folks about being out so late, and for lying, but it was a good thing the girls’ folks knew about all the magic and stuff from the beginning, and when the girls explained how they were trying to help out Garfield, and showed them the footage, they let them off the hook…

…Provided they not lie about things like this anymore!

Rainbow yawned, “Remind me why we’re here so early again?”

“We have to see Principal Celestia before school starts.” Sunset explained, “We have to show her all this footage we got from Garfield’s home. Then maybe we can commission some program to help him.”

The others all agreed to that.

Soon, VP Luna arrived to open the school, but without her sister. She was most surprised to see the students at the door so early. “What are you all doing here at this hour?” she asked “School is going to be canceled today I’m afraid.”

“What? Canceled?” asked Twilight, “But why?”

Luna looked rather upset and worried, “My sister did not come home last night. She was working late after school hours, when we found Mr. Logan missing from the nurse’s office, but she never came home.”

The students all exchanged looks of concern. “I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but that seems hardly any reason to simply close the school down.” said Rarity.

“It isn’t just Celestia…” replied Luna “Flash Sentry has also been reported missing.”

“FLASH…?!” Twilight and Sunset cried out at the same time.

“Hey, come to think of it, I didn’t see Flash at all yesterday, or all weekend for that.” said Rainbow, “But then again we were all out looking for Spike.”

“He is not all…” said Luna “Ms. Jackie Amber and Ms. Jillian Dionne were not present in school on Monday either. We received word from Mr. Sentry’s parents they had not returned home either.”

Terra recalled seeing them both on Saturday during the search for Spike, “But they were just taking pictures all around the school, they didn’t even seem the least bit interested in anything else.”

Luna sighed, “Regardless, School is closed until we are able to get to the bottom of these disappearances. I am only here to gather a few things of importance. You may as well all return home.”

With that she disappeared into the building, leaving the students all on their own.

“Wait!” Fluttershy called “We didn’t get to tell you--” but Dick “It’s no good. She won’t listen to us right now. She’s got more than enough to deal with. We’ll have to figure out this problem on our own.”

Later on, when the sun rose, word spread across the news that school was out due to the mysterious disappearances of Principal Celestia and three Canterlot students.

The gang all stopped off at an outdoor café for breakfast. All of them felt rather concerned about the missing people, but now just as concerned for Garfield as well. They knew he wouldn’t have shown up for school as he promised, which meant he was obviously still at home in his nightmare land, busting himself to the bone working so hard, and probably even fighting off those angry wolves again!

“What are we going to do now?” asked Kori.

“There isn’t too much we can do at this point.” replied Vic.

“What…?! How can you say a thing like that?” snapped Rainbow.

“I agree…” added Rarity “We should just sit around and do nothing?”

“Enough!” snarled Raven, and she cleared her throat to calm down. “We all want to help Garfield… but how can we actually do that?”

No one said a thing, realizing she was right, even Twilight was at a loss of ideas.

Then, she looked down at her backpack, and saw something odd sticking out of the main sack. “What’s this?” she asked as she picked up.

“Um, a book…?” Spike sarcastically said. “I know that, but this isn’t mine.” said Twilight.

Everyone leaned in closer to get a better look at it, “Eww! Look how old and dirty it is.”

Twilight opened it to the front page, which read: “Garfield Logan, Journal entry…”

“This is Garfield’s journal?” cried Terra, and suddenly Applejack realized, “It must’ve fallen into your knapsack when I bumped into that bookshelf last night.”

“Um… I don’t think we should be reading it then…” said Fluttershy “It’s not nice to peep in on someone’s privacy.”

Much as the others agreed, “Fluttershy, this time we really need to.” said Sunset “Look, I realize it’s not nice, but maybe… just maybe it’ll give us another hint of what to do about Garfield. That way it’s sort of like we still trying to help him.”

Rainbow rubbed the back of her head trying to make better sense of that, “Yeah… that… I guess.”

They all agreed to read up on the journal, but they all decided to go someplace private first so as not to be overheard, so they all headed to Pinkie’s place, to sit in her backyard.

Pinkie made some popcorn and got everyone sodas, much to some of their dismay. “Pinkie, this is a serious reading we’re doing, not some movie.” said Dick.

“Yeah, but I think so much better when I’m snacking anyway.” Pinkie said with her mouth full, “Then again, I think just as good when I’m not snacking.”

The others all rolled their eyes, and Twilight read aloud from the journal’s first entry, but the way it was written out it seemed more like a story than just personal thoughts, and the first entry dated all the way back when Garfield was only five years old…

Garfield Mark Logan…

Son of scientologists, Marie and Mark Logan…

When he was five years old, his parents died in a terrible flood while the family was visiting the Amazon on an experimental expedition. All of a sudden, the waters just flooded out during a rainy night, creating a massive torrent that washed across the land.

Poor little Garfield was swept away on a large floating log, right into the stormy night, but his parents, their camp and everything they had was gone!

Garfield floated along on his log until he actually floated to the original base camp expedition miles and miles away.

He was barely alive!

Two close friends of the Logans, Rita and Steve Dayton, agreed to take Garfield in and raise him themselves, only to be killed by thieves a few short weeks in, and Garfield was taken by these crooks and used to do their bidding.

Abused, mistreated, Garfield’s life was hellish, until finally the police came in apprehended the thieves. However, since Garfield had no living relatives, they arranged for an orphanage.

Unfortunately, they just sent him to the first one they could find, that would take in a child. It seemed like a nice place to the untrained eye, so the cops had no way of knowing it was a mean-spirited place. The manager was a heartless man named Nicholas Galtry, who not only despised the children and force them to doing long hours of manual labour so he could kick back and relax, but he was very unscrupulous who cared more for money than the well-beings of others.

In fact, when he found out what Garfield’s inheritance was worth-- quite a handsome sum-- he plotted to have the boy killed so he could collect the money, and Garfield’s life was very frightful from then on, it was even too scary for him to go to bed at night for fear of Galtry sneaking to him.

Garfield tried to enlist the other children to help, but they wouldn’t budge. They were too afraid of Galtry and what he would probably do to them.

Lacking other options, Garfield chose to run away, but Galtry chased him, eventually gathering the attention of the police who finally caught onto Galtry’s wickedness. Garfield witnessed the wicked man being arrested and hauled away, but as for the orphanage and all the others kids there, he had no way of knowing what would become of them then…

After all the horrific experience he had, Garfield decided he never wanted to go back, and so he ventured forth into the outside world… completely alone!

He tried to find a new home, but no one would accept or trust in a dirty little boy. Some people would throw him a few coins here and there, but hardly enough to make a living.

So he spent the months eating out of dumpsters, catching rainwater in empty bottles he found, and sleeping on the cold grounds during stormy nights.

Eventually, his travels took him to the outback lands, where in time he came across the dark meadows, shrouded in a terrible storm cloud, and swarming with dangers and hazards beyond anyone’s wildest nightmares.

The house was highly primitive-- 1800s style-- no Electricity, no gas, no phone, no plumbing… but it was shelter, and had food in the pantry, a library full of books-- though out-dated, but still practical. There was even an old dog-whistle to help him ward off attacks from the wolves.

So, for about a month, the young boy adjusted himself as well as he could; working hard-- fetching drinking water from the well, fetching cutting wood from the forest, and everything else, and taking time to study his books to develop his mind, and sense of living style.

However, this was no way for a nine-year old boy to live; frightened, alone, with nothing but an aimless future… not to mention dwindling and expiring foods.

Garfield had choice, and packed up what he could to leave the dark lands and set off again into the outback, eventually finding his way to jump city.

He tried to seek help, but again, was rejected due to appear dishevelled. Even other orphan homes, seemingly better looking than the one he was sent to would not take him in.

Homeless, dejected, and starving both in the stomach for food and in the heart for trust, the poor little boy began to lose all hope, until a man appeared and offered him a job at his new restaurant, Mega-Meaty-Meat, a place that dealt only in meat and meat based foods; a disgusting and odd place to work, especially for a kid who was a vegetarian and had respect for certain animals, and therefore rejected to eating them.

Not to mention a place like this was nowhere for a boy younger than the age of ten to be working, despite the man having no real age-restrictions at his own joint.

Still, he needed the money for food that would eat, and maybe, just maybe be able to do something to pull himself out of the horrible fix he was in. So Garfield agreed to take the job.

He was a paid a small salary, but enough to afford decent food, and some cleaner clothes to the old orphan rags he had outgrown. He even bought a black and grey blanket to keep warm in the streets where he slept, for sadly, his boss could not offer him room-and-board, but he did offer him something rather special… for being his only-ever employee…

…The Tidwell 3000! A fashionable state-of-the-art moped, complete with a turbo-booster to accelerate the vehicle to incredible speeds!

Much as Garfield was amazed to have his very own vehicle, and even at his height, he could still reach the handle bars while seated; at his age he didn’t have a license, so he couldn’t drive it.

Unable to get his license until age sixteen or so, Garfield then remembered something he read in a law-book about inventors and their attempt to improve their machines, and when they tested them, they were unlicensed.

Garfield then devoted his every free moment to hanging out at the public library, reading up-to-dated books about law, science, physics, engineering and all that.”

This not only lead him to possess his high IQ, but it gave him the idea to sup-up the Tidwell 3000, he even remembered some of the old experiments his parents worked on-- to make a kind of special rocket fuel guaranteed to last longer than ordinary fuel.

But the recipe required a small dose of uranium, and there was only one place Garfield knew where to get that-- an abandoned mine miles out in the outback lands.

For a whole year he worked really hard, running back and forth the long distances to the outback lands where the mine was, and using old abandoned digging tools and his knowledge of where to look, he dug and scrapped every inch of the mine searching for little tiny bits of uranium. Even a single ounce would have been enough.

While at the same time, collected old parts from planes and cars he found in junk yards around Jump city, and conducting tests in alleys using makeshift containers and tubes made from old cans, cigarettes lighters and gasoline for more heat… all this and combined with the mopeds already sophisticated technology and turbo systems…!

A year later, when he was ten, after many failed experiments and tests, he finally supped-up the Tidwell 3000 into the flying marvel he dreamed!

It worked so wonderfully, and because it didn’t drive on the road like ordinary vehicles but rather flew high above them, he did not really require a license to drive it, and even if he did, the police couldn’t catch him while he was in the air.

Feeling he had created something truly incredible, Garfield decided to sell his idea to a company; make a fortune and revolutionize common-travel, but unfortunately, he was mistreated and rejected once again, for he was just a kid, and big car-companies and industries were hardly interested in giving A CHILD the time of day; preferably one with no parents, no money of their own, not even a proper education!

So hardly any of the companies were willing to allow him to make an appointment, or even hear him out about his awesome flying moped, which would make their companies famous.

Garfield tried to even show off his invention to other people, and while he did attract people’s interests, and possible deals to make… all those people proved to be shady, wanting to take all the credit for the invention themselves and leave Garfield with nothing. Some even tried to fight and kill him over it to help in their conquest for their greatness, not caring of a poor and near-helpless boy.

So naturally, Garfield was forced to return home-- if you could call it that-- home to his living nightmare far away from anything at all, but at least his flying moped made it easier for him to get to work every day and then back again so he wouldn’t have to sleep in the streets any longer.

Still, now he would have to work even harder than ever just to sustain himself, including returning to that old mine every so-often to find more bits of uranium to keep his moped well fueled and in top shape. This also, consequently, meant that he would have to use some money from his small pay not only for food, but tools and parts for his projects as well-- leaving him with less food than ever, forcing him to ration it carefully until he was paid each week. He had to eat less and less each day, and get by the days by having drinks of water for free from drinking fountains!

As the years past, Garfield became so overworked, and so exhausted, that he began to grow bitter and resentful at the world. Seeing so many people leading well-to-do and comforting lives, while he himself worked himself to the bone just to see another day, and hardly received much thanks, reward or sympathy after his years and years of pain and suffering!

Even one day, while at work, in came the principal of Murakami High and saw the troubled fifteen year-old boy, and seeing he had a high IQ, but never had a formal education, he took pity on the lad and realized he needed to be taught, so he gladly paid him into Murakami High, insisting that he come, and hopefully learn that the world is not as bad a place as he believes.

Garfield thought it a waste of time, as he felt he was already smart enough than any school could teach him, but seeing as it would be a chance for him to learn more… He decided to give the world one last chance.

Unfortunately, his new school didn’t offer him much to be desired either. Many students thought he looked weird with bags under his eyes-- not caring that he was really tired and restless-- and because he wore a cape because he couldn’t afford warm jackets and sweaters, when he hardly made enough money for food and tools he needed.

Students would make fun of him; pull pranks on him… especially Jackie and Jillian.

That was it! He’d had enough! If the world was only full of selfish, hateful, and baffling people who only understood hatred, selfishness and mean-spirited attitude… THAT was what he would show them!

So he started treated everyone very cold and harshly, not wanting to be nice to or cooperate with pretty much anyone. Though he did maintain some amounts of respect for certain adults, he remained as distance and as cruel as ever.

Even when he saved Terra from those thugs, he was only interested in beating them up to get any money off of them. So what if he saved her… not like she cared.

Even when Dick Grayson and his friends tried to befriend Garfield, he gave them same attitude.

Though they had they’re so-called “hardships” in their lives—even if some of them lost their parents-- Big deal! They were able to overcome them easily; being adopted, having comfortable families and foster families-- even the goths, though creepy as they were, lived comfortably, while ended up poor, starving, sleep-deprived, overworked, under-cared for… while everyone else just got everything they ever wanted handed to them on silver-platters!

“They and I… have NOTHING in common.”

He was only transferred to Canterlot High for the exchange program as the Principal of Murakami hoped it would help him see the light and be willing to change.

“I will never change. What do I have to change for?”

“Dick and his pals, as well as Twilight and her girlfriends… they’ll never know what it’s like to live in a cold-cruel world where the things and people you love are taken away from you, and you’re left with little to nothing at all.

As far as I can see, they all deserve one-another; THEY’RE ALL PATHETIC!!”

Author's Note

I'm fully aware of some of the rather unlawful things that happened, but apart from this all being a "dream" where "things don't always make sense in a dream" The following must be done exactly as follows

-Garfield must spend years at his nightmare home (At least 5) as the story says "...he had been doing this (warding off the wolves) for years and years"

-Though he is young, and must require both a license to drive moped, as well as a license to FLY, and a PERMIT to operate a rocket-powered machine (There's no way he can get these things natruarlly without botching up the nightmare home rule above)

-and above all things... DON'T EXCEED THE WORD LIMIT (That's means no doing 50,000 word chapters or longer (That's too big ) So give the story the READER'S DIGEST VERSION (Keep it small and easy. Don't track every breath they took, or every single foot they put in front of the other... it wastes space... so SUMMARIZE IT)

Act 11: Split Decision

ACT ELEVEN

The final part was of a song Garfield jotted down of how much he hated the way things were and how nothing had changed, “A Song for the Hopeless!”

(0:40)

There was nothing more to be read. The friends were just… stunned!

“Whoa…” Vic sighed ever so softly “I can’t believe all that.”

Fluttershy could hardly hold back her tears, “That’s… just so… so…”

“IT’S JUST SO SAD!!!” Pinkie squealed, and she blubbered so heavily others had to move away from her so as not to be hit by the cascades of tears.

“Poor Garfield…” said Sunset “No wonder he doesn’t believe in friendship; he’s never really experienced it, nor has he ever had a real happy ending before.”

Twilight hung her head low, removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes. She began to see Garfield and life in a whole new way. Some people had it better than others, but others had it worse… far worse! Garfield was only seventeen now, but anyone who lived like he had all those years; anyone would have surely snapped and turned as bitter and as cold-hearted as he was.

Everyone remembered the look in his burning eyes they saw, and the way he fought off the wolves the other night. It was like he was fighting not to defend, but like a madman fighting for revenge; revenge on the world for having wronged him so many times!

Though it was highly understandable now why Garfield was the way he acted, Rainbow Dash bolted upright and yelled “That still doesn’t justify it! He doesn’t have the right to talk down to us, insult us, or make anyone feel worse than he does!”

“She’s right…” Dick said calmly “Garfield can’t go on like this. He’s just as much making things worse for himself than others have.”

Dick wasn’t pretending to be concerned, he really meant it. He was freaked out by all this, fearing that if things got any worse, it was possible Garfield would completely snap and maybe take his anger out on other people the way he did the wolves!

Everyone else began to fear the same thing.

“I guess it’s settled then…” said Twilight “The first thing we have to do is get Garfield out of that dark place. He’ll never have a chance to get well if he stays there. We’ll take him by force if we have to.”

This sparked some worry from the Murakamis, “I thought you guys were all for friendship and caring?” asked Terra. “We are…” replied Sunset “But sometimes we have to get a little tough to make it work right. Garfield can’t be allowed to stay in that place any longer.”

“Besides, there’s twelve of us and only one of him. It’s not like he can take us all on.” said Rainbow.

“Well, what are waitn’ for?” Applejack said as she grabbed her rope, “Let’s go catch us the kid!”

Everyone agreed, but Spike groaned as he held his head in frustration, “We have to go back… AGAIN?! I can’t stand that place!” but Twilight stuffed him into her bag anyway, ignoring his whining.

Meanwhile, in a seemingly dark room, Flash Sentry and Principal Celestia were blindfolded and bound with strong ropes to chairs, the both of them felt really woozy as they slowly began to awaken.

“Oh, my head!” groaned Flash.

“Who’s there?” asked Celestia.

They suddenly became aware of each other, but still wondered where they were and how they even got there.

Suddenly, their blindfolds were removed by two people hidden in the darkness. The two prisoners could see the shadowy silhouettes of the people-- four of them, two men and two women-- but couldn’t actually make out whom they were.

“There is nothing to worry about.” one of the men said “You will not be harmed, unless you refuse to cooperate.”

“Just who are you?” Celestia asked.

“That is none of your concern… Yet.” the man’s wife hissed “And we’ll be asking the questions around here. There are things that we want, and you can give them to us.”

“What are you talking about?” snapped Flash.

Ignoring his outburst, the other two adults moved in closer, but they were still hidden by the shadows. “Tell us…” the man asked “Is there really something magical at Canterlot High?”

Celestia and Flash felt chills run down their spines. Whoever these people were, they were obviously insane and unscrupulous, wanting to find power and magic for themselves-- and obviously for wicked treachery no doubt.

“Answer us!” snapped the man’s wife.

The prisoners decided to play it cool.

“What makes you think we know anything about magic?” asked Flash. Celestia nodded, “Our school teaches children to understand practicality. There is no room for such nonsensical beliefs.”

The other four adults were not convinced. “Your lies will not serve you here.” The first man said “We have ways of finding things out, and you will tell us!”

He nodded to his wife, and she nodded to him. Then she silently moved her foot and pressed a secret switch on the floor, which activated some kind of machine, which Celestia and Flash completely unaware of.

“Now then…” the other man asked “We ask you again: Is there some sort of magic that occurs around your school?”

“I already told you; there is no such thing as magic. Our school doesn’t believe in such stuff.” replied Celestia, but little did she realize that her lie was being seen through by a mind-probing machine, which had the power to read her brain-patterns and relay any truth she was trying to conceal to the computer monitors as images which were being viewed and recorded in another room.

The four adults seemed undiscouraged, and the other man’s wife asked to flash, “Do any of your fellow school mates know of the magic we seek?”

Flash tried to lie as best as he possibly could. He didn’t sweat, he didn’t twitch, and he just acted cool and calm. “What are you, hard of hearing? There’s no such thing as magic.”

Unfortunately, his brainwaves were recorded, revealing images of Sunset, and the other Equestria Girls, even Spike and Twilight were in the images, each one exhibiting their own special powers from the past, including Sunset’s evil demon form and Twilight, or rather Midnight Sparkle.

Still the four adults seemed unmoved. The first man’s wife then asked, “Is there some original source in which this power came from?”

“For the last time, won’t you listen to reason!” snarled Celestia “We have no idea what you insisting upon, but we know no such things!”

Once again, her lies were cast aside thanks to the machine, which relayed images of the broken statue, which still held the magical portal to Equestria! There were also images of Princess Twilight Sparkle and how she was the one who gave everyone all their powers.

The four adults snickered softly, feeling they had gotten what they wanted anyway, and they all turned to leave.

“Hey, wait! Where are you going?” Celestia demanded to know, “You can’t leave us here!” snapped Flash, but suddenly he and Celestia were both hit by a blast of sleeping gas, and they both fell unconscious in their seats.

“They may still be of some use to us.” the first man said.

“Agreed…” said his wife “And now we must prepare for the final phase.”

The adults entered the recording room where Jackie and Jillian-- their agents-- had viewed everything. “Are you girls ready?” the other man asked.

“We’re ready.” the girls responded.

The other man’s wife pressed a switch, which opened a small panel revealing two small devices-- exact duplicates of the magical-locket that Twilight had once built that not only detect but absorb the magic!

“That foolish girl didn’t believe she was the only one capable of building such devices.” The lady hissed, and she handed the girls each one of the devices. “You know what to do with them?”

“No sweat…” replied Jackie “There’s just one problem though; school’s been canceled.”

“She right…” agreed Jillian “Tracking down those girls and getting their magic won’t be as easy.”

The first man snickered, “I wouldn’t worry about that? I’ve already made special arrangements. They should be getting the message any moment. The trap is already baited. By sundown the city will be ours, and tomorrow… the world!”

All six of them began to laugh wickedly at the thought of their victory!

Meanwhile, the gang was all ready to pull out; the girls on their motorbikes, Dick on his motorcycle, and the other Murakamis crammed into Vic’s car.

“Okay, are we ready?” Dick asked, and everyone shot him a high thumb, “Let’s pull out.”

Just as they were about to start their engines, the mailman came along. “Special delivery for Pinkie Pie!” he called.

Pinkie excitedly hopped off her bike, “That’s me, Pinkie Pie!” she squealed with joy, as she loved getting special deliveries.

“Here you are. I don’t know who sent them though.” The mailman said as he handed her four black and dusty balloons and he ran off.

Everyone looked at the balloons, and some of them gagged, “How wretched!” groaned Rarity.

“I don’t know… I think they’re just fine.” said Kato. “Me too.” agreed Raven. Everyone just ignored their gothic tastes. “Who would send you these?” asked Kori, and before anyone could answer…!

POW! POW! The balloons began to burst from small caps placed inside them, blowing confetti all over, frightening everyone! Fluttershy even jumped high off her motorbike and held onto the eaves trough.

Applejack had to lasso her rope over the trough for Fluttershy to grab and slide down. “That was really scary!” she whimpered.

The others agreed, but then Sunset saw a note lying on the ground which had come out of one of the balloons. She picked it up and read it:

“If you ever want to see your friends again, come to the School by Ten AM.”

Everyone expressions turned into worry. “Principal, Celestia…?” cried Rarity.

“The Js?” added Terra.

“FLASH…?!” cried Twilight and Sunset.

“What are we going to do? What are we going to do?! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!!” shouted Pinkie.

Applejack re-adjusted her hat, “Calm down, sugar-cube, we’ll figure this out… I hope.”

It was decided for the teams to split up. The Equestrians would go to the school, while the Murakamis headed back for Jump City and then into the outback to try and confront Garfield.

…and it was already ten to Ten.

“Good luck, girls.” said Dick.

“You too.” said Sunset “Alright… let’s go!” and everyone was off.

The school wasn’t very far, so the girls got there in pretty much no time. The place was still completely evacuated; Vice Prinicpal Luna had gone home as promised, and all the students and staff were informed of cancelation of classes.

Spike felt most relieved, “Thank goodness we didn’t have to go back to that awful place again.”

No one took any notice of him though, but Fluttershy suddenly began to have a sickly feeling in her stomach; the kind she only got when something really wrong was about to happen, and she wasn’t the only one…

Even though she wasn’t the same spieces as her pony-counterpart, Pinkie Pie still had her own way of Pinkie Sense… and her hair was twitching madly. “Uh, oh!” she cried “Twitch-a-Twitch! Twitch-A-Twitch!! Something’s about to fall from the sky…!”

Something did indeed fall from above; two bright beams that came from above and struck the statue where the portal to Equestria was.

“The portal!” cried Sunset, and Twilight gawked at the two beams that enveloped it, “Those beams, it can’t be…!” she muttered, and before she or the others could do say or do anything else…

ZAP!! ZAP!! ZAP!! All seven of them got struck in their necks by small tranquilizer-darts. All at once the girls flopped to the ground completely unconscious.

Spike was the only one not to get hit by a dart, but he looked above and saw two figures standing on the roof of the school holding guns-- the shooters! “Uh, oh!” he cried, and he slipped deeply into Twilight’s knapsack in attempt to learn more of what was about to happen.

He heard two soft crashing sounds as if two people people had just leapt down from high up; obviously it was the shooters, and he heard them speaking.

“Out like babies.”

“They’re as pathetic as they are brainless.”

Spike recoginzed their voices, “That sounds like the Js...!” he said silently. The he heard the girls calling for transport.

Soon, Spike heard loud noises, like a pair of helicopters settling into the school yard, and suddenly, Spike felt himself being rocked about in the backpack as Twilight and the girls were picked up by a squad of men and taken onboard, but where were they going? He didn’t dare look… not just yet, but he had a really bad feeling about this!

Act 12: Nasty Schemes

ACT TWELVE

An hour later, the Murakamis were nearing Jump city and could see it oncoming ahead, as well as the outback lands behind it. All of them kept in touch with Dick via Vic’s cell-phone on speaker, and Dick used his hands-free phone in his helmet.

“Hey, wait… Look!” cried Kori. She pointed through the windshield, way, way out, everyone could see a small speck flying over the outback and heading for the city.

There was no mistaking it, “It’s Garfield!” cried Dick “He’s heading straight into town.”

They all watched as Garfield and his flying moped soaring over the high-rises of Jump City and settling down.

“Great, how are we supposed to find him now?” asked Raven “He could be anywhere in the whole city.”

Kato thought it over, “We must think as he does then. Go to places only he would likely be at.”

“Oh, that makes it easier.” said Vic.

“I never said it would be.” grumbled Kato.

Terra suggested they start near their school, “I know it’s probably the last place he would have gone, but still…”

“Terra’s right.” agreed Dick “Based on what we read in his diary, Garfield has several places he could’ve gone. We’ll start near the school and then split up.”

Surely enough, Garfield wasn’t at Murakami High, as there was no sign of his moped, or any marks made from its rockets either. So, as agreed, they split up; Dick went his own way and the others traveled their own path.

They checked the public library, the natural history museum where a place people like Garfield would feel at home, they checked the Hardware Store and the Auto-Parts to in case Garfield had to get more parts for his moped, or tools to mine for uranium, but he wasn’t at either one… not even at the grocery stores.

Which left only one place to check; Mega-Meaty-Meat. “Well, at least we can grab some grub, I’m starved.” said Vic. Everyone else couldn’t argue to a bite to eat, as it was almost noon.

Inside the joint was just like your average ordinary type of restaurant, and the place was packed with people gathering for lunch, though you never saw so many meat or meat-based products being devoured.

The smell of the fresh sizzling steaks being cooked, really tantalized Dick and Vic’s taste buds and made their mouths water. They couldn’t wait to eat.

Finally when the gang got to the front there was no one there except for Garfield’s boss, “Bob” which was read on his name-tag. He seemed to be doing all the work alone, and he didn’t mind it a bit.

The first thing Kori asked was, “Is Garfield Logan around?”

“No, I’m sorry he just stepped out to get me some lunch. He should be back soon. Must say though, I’m surprised he actually came here today, I thought he’d be in that new school of his.”

So, the gang decided to have lunch while they waited. Vic pondered over the menu, “Let's see... Eight number 3's, five number 2's, two number 1's, and a diet soda.” he licked his lips lustfully, but Bob informed him, “Sorry, big guy… we don’t have Soda’s here, just meat and bread.”

“Okay, make it a cup of meat-juice.”

Their meals were all set before them almost instantly as they sat at the bar. Steak-sandwiches, roast-beef wraps, meat-fries… the works! “Come to papa!” sighed Vic and he began to stuff himself like crazy “…So good!” he groaned happily.

Raven picked up her sandwich, and noticed the joint’s mascot- a giant cardboard steak with googly eyes and waving arms-- staring at her. “I can't eat until that thing stops looking at me.”

“It's meat-tastic!” said a recorded-voice on the mascot.

As the gang ate, Terra only took a few bites, she didn’t seem too hungry. “You okay?” Dick asked. “I’m just worried, not just about Garfield… how the girls are doing?”

Kori texted Sunset again, “She’s not answering. Maybe they have run into trouble. After all, there’s nothing safe about an obvious kidnapping.”

The others all felt the same. “We must have faith in the girls…” said Kato “They have been though hard situations before, and they had… You-Know-What… to help them if need-be.”

He and his friends had no idea of what was really happening!

The girls were finally beginning to awaken, but were bound to the walls with thick chains, and blindfolded. “What’s going on?” Sunset asked wearily. “If I could actually see, I’d tell you.” replied Rainbow.

Suddenly, they could all hear the sounds of snickering; “Welcome ladies.” said a man, and suddenly the girls’ blindfolds were lifted away by three other people. “What’s going on? Where are we?” Twilight asked.

“More importantly, who are all of you?” added Applejack. That’s when the light sapped on, and the four adults were finally illuminated for everyone to see.

One man was tall and rather handsome looking, with short red hair, and his wife stood next to him, she two had red hair that ran playfully to her shoulders.

The other couple consisted of two black people. The husband was tall and ribbed; while his wife was skinny, and she had very short yet curly brown hair.

“Permit me…” said he first man, “I am Professor Jason Amber, and this my wife Janene.”

His wife nodded at them.

The other man then stepped forth, “Name’s Doctor Joseph Dionne. This here’s my leadin’ lady Jamie.”

His wife nodded at the prisoners.

“Uh… nice to meet you.” Said Pinkie “I’d shake hands, but…” and she hinted that she was all bound and tied up.

Fluttershy pondered and asked, “Amber… Dionne? Are you people… are you related to Jackie and Jillian?”

“Duh, of course they are!” snapped a voice. It was Jackie as she and Jillian came into the room and stood by the adults, whom were revealed to be their respective parents! Which the girls were horrified to learn of!

While outside the room, Twilight’s knapsack was merely thrown to the floor just outside the door. The villains still had no knowledge of Spike’s presence inside, but he softly peeked through the flap opening and listened in on the conversation.

“What is it that you want from us?” Rarity asked fearfully.

Jillian snickered, “We already got what we wanted from you, thanks to them.” She pointed at the other end of the room, and the lights flicked on to reveal Celestia and Flash, both were still tied to their chairs, but gagged with clothes in their mouths instead of blindfolds on their eyes.

The girls were relieved to see they were okay, but didn’t understand!

“I think perhaps we should explain.” said Joseph.

His wife nodded, “Make sure you’re listening. We won’t repeat ourselves.”

They and the colleagues explained how they were all scientists, but as the story progressed, it was revealed how unscrupulous they were; they were all rather obsessed with the thoughts of fame and fortune rather than science or helping the world.

Only much to their chagrins, despite their efforts they always seemed to create or discovered things that were either useless to the world, or already invented before they could claim the rights.

“Yeah… that would be embarrassing.” Rainbow muttered.

“You don’t know the half of it!” snarled Janene “Being laughed at, ridiculed and labeled as public fools!” She sounded and looked ready to break a hole right through the walls, but Jason calmed her down and explained, “Fortunately, we had heard tales of your school, and about the magic that was said to exist. So we sent our girls to investigate.”

The J-girls snickered softly.

“I figured there were something smelly about you two since day one!” sneered Applejack.

“I can’t believe you two would do such things!” added Twilight “Especially to a school.”

“Oh, boo-hoo!” taunted Jackie “Like we care about school anyway.”

“Yeah, I mean, hello! We’re taking over the world here.” added Jillian.

Everyone gasped at such a thought, but the parents assured them it was their true intentions. “We knew you had magic, but we still couldn’t figure out where it was and how it worked.” said Joseph. “So we ordered the girls to capture your Principal and Flash, and they told us everything!”

Flash and Celestia felt shocked and shook their heads mumbling under their gags, trying to say they told them nothing.

“You see…” Jamie explained “We recorded their thought patterns to our computers which revealed everything we needed to know. They never actually had to speak for us to get what we wanted.”

Flash and Celestia were outraged, and so were the girls! “Why you dirty crooks!” snarled Sunset “I ought to…!”

“You ought to what?” chuckled Jason “We already know all your secrets, and I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do about it now. You see, we already have what we wanted from you.”

Jackie and Jillian grinned wickedly and held up their locket-devices.

Twilight’s eyes widened, “No, it can’t be!”

Jackie snickered, “Yes it could, and it is.”

“You’re not the only one who can make things like this.” Jillian said to Twilight “We already used it to suck every ounce of magic out of your friends.”

“Say what?!” snapped Rainbow, and Jillian mother pressed on a small remote, revealing the truth! All the magic had been absorbed from the girls and gateway and were now kept in a large jar somewhere within the zeppelin’s massive engine room.

The energy was shown as a spectrum swirling light that glowed very brightly, and Jamie explained, “We now have your magic which can use to power this ship and the weapons we built onto it. We’ll fire magical waves of energy all across the globe… who knows what it’ll cause.”

The prisoners all felt completely livid and worried of such consequences that could befall by just randomly abusing the magic! “You can’t! You wouldn’t!” snapped Sunset!

“We can, and we will!” sneered Jason! His wife agreed, “This world belongs to us now! It serves them all right for getting in the way of things that were rightfully ours!”

“Okay, it is officially…!” snapped Rainbow “…You folks are way-beyond crazy!”

All six villains snickered wickedly, thus proving her point. “We’ll attend to you all later…” said Janene “We have magic to test and a world to conquer.

Oh! And one last thing… girls…”

The girls nodded and dropped their lockets to the floor, and stomped on them hard.

“No!!” cried Twilight. Now even if they broke free, they couldn’t use the devices to get the magic back.

The villains all snickered. “Make yourselves comfortable.” said Jason to the prisoners, and he and his team headed off.

“You’re just going to leave us?!” snapped Applejack “Wouldn’t it be smarter just to do us in right here?”

“Applejack!” snapped Rarity.

“Are you crazy?!” added Rainbow.

“Yes, she is apparently.” said Joseph “We need to keep you alive in case we don’t understand the magic.”

“That’s where you all come in…” added Jamie “You will cooperate with us, just as easily as your two friends over there did.”

Celestia and Flash struggled and fussed, but still couldn’t break free from their ropes.

The villains then left the brig, foolishly leaving the keys to the chains on the table at the center of the room.

As the villains walked off, they shut the door to the brig and locked it electronically. “There’s no stopping us now.” chuckled Jason “This world is now ours…”

Spike poked his head out of Twilight’s knapsack and grumbled, “Not if I can help it. I’ve got to try and get the girls out of here!”

Meanwhile, the Murakami students, completely unaware of what was happening to their friends, had finished their mega-meaty lunch. Vic let out a huge belch and rubbed his full stomach “Mmm… only meals I’ve known better than this is the one’s mama used to make.”

Dick sighed as he leaned forth in comfort, “I’ll say. I’ve never tasted meat this good.”

Just then, the front bell rang as someone entered the joint; Garfield, back with a back of takeout for Bob. “Hey, welcome back, Gar!” Bob called, and gang turned and saw him.

He gasped softly.

“Garfield!” cried Terra.

Garfield turned on his heel and dashed back for the door, dropping Bob’s food along the way. “Wait!” called Kori!

The gang jumped from their stools and chased after him, much to the shock and confusion of everyone else.

Garfield quickly dashed out the door and ran into a garbage can, falling to the ground, but he quickly spring to his feet and dashed just as the others came out and chased after him. “Garfield!” shouted Dick. “Somebody, stop that guy!” cried Terra, but no one bothered to stop Garfield as he dashed for his moped.

He jumped into the seat, not bothering to grab his helmet or goggles! “Emergency charge, both engines!” he cried as he started up the engines, but he was only able to reach 5000 RPMs! Not enough power for flight, but just enough to take to the streets!

And he took off just zooming past the gang and heading for the streets. “GARFIELD!!” Terra called to him.

“Let’s go after him!” shouted Vic, and they all made breaks for their vehicles.

(Just the music... Start at 3:00)

Soon there was a mighty chase through the city.

Garfield zoomed along the roads. It was rather difficult for him to steer as his moped was better suited for flight than road-travel.

Worse than that, the flight engines charged much slower when the moped was already in motion. “Come on, charge!” groaned Garfield “I’ve got to rework the design on this!”

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a familiar car-horn honking at him from far back. He looked behind and saw Vic’s car, and Dick riding alongside it on his motor-cycle. “Can’t they take a hint!” he growled and sped up down the road, just barely missing a red light.

“He’s getting away!” cried Kato.

“Take a right and come around.” suggested Raven.

“Hang on!” said Vic as he veered right, and Dick followed him. Soon, they were on Garfield’s trail again, much to Garfield’s anger. He continued to charge the engines for flight, “Only 8000 RPMs, that’s not enough! I’ve gotta ditch these losers!”

He zoomed on ahead ignoring speed-limits and traffic as well, causing other drivers to swerve and break violently to avoid an accident.

“He’s gone crazy!” cried Dick “He’s going to attract the attention of the police!”

“Too late, here they come!” cried Kori, and three police cruisers came swerving round a bend and chased off after Garfield.

Terra was really worried now. What if the cops caught him? He was recklessly driving a rocket-powered moped… without a license or permit… and causing near accidents to other drivers and pedestrians! That and all coupled with his obvious rage, he would be in serious trouble, and she feared it would seriously add to his already extreme hatred of humanity!

“Go faster!” she cried “We have to catch him before the police do!”

“I can’t go over the speed-limit.” said Vic “Then we’ll get in trouble.”

Suddenly, Dick looked up ahead and saw the chase was leading them straight to a big bay bridge, and h could see in the waters a huge boat coming near. “I’ve got an idea, follow me!” and he veered right with Vic following him.

Garfield’s engines had reached 9000 RPMs, but still not enough for takeoff, and the police were still on his tail! Fortunately, he looked up a head and saw a huge alley entrance, just big enough for himself to fit through, but not the cruisers!

He roared loudly as he made such a huge left veer and squeezed through the alley. The police tried to follow him, but all three cars skidded softly to a halt before crashing into the narrow entrance!

Garfield emerged out the other end of the alley felling very pleased. “Genius: 1, Cops: Ziltch!” but his boasting was cut short, “OH, NO!!

Dick and Vic suddenly emerged from around the bend, blocking one route, forcing him to very off and steer directly towards the bridge, which sounded its alert that the drawbridge was about to open to let the oncoming big boat pass through, forcing him to stop right by the barrier.

“It worked! We’ve got him trapped!” cried Dick.

“Let’s get him!” said Vic, and the two vehicles began rush at him just as the bridge began to open like a huge upscale ramp.

Garfield checked the engine dial; 10,000 RPMs! Not enough for flight, but he decided to take a huge risk anyway to avoid the others, and he drove right under the barrier bar!

“What’s he doing?!” cried Kori.

“He wouldn’t…!” said Raven.

“He is!” said Kato.

Garfield revved the engines harder than ever as his moped scaled up the ramp, which was still rising and getting steeper. “I’ve only got one chance!” he shouted to himself, “I’ve got to fire the rocket thrusts at the right moment. That should help me jump it!”

Everyone… bystanders, other drivers stopped by the barrier, and the Murakamis, watched in horrors at the lone daredevil attempting to jump the huge gap!

“This is it!” Garfield cried “Fire at fifty feet…

Five, Four, Three, Two, One…

…FIRE!!!!”

POW!! The thrusters fired ever so fiercely as the moped sped up and soared off the brink in an astonishing feat!

*Slow motion*

What a sight it was for everyone to see as the moped soaring across the huge gap, and then watched as Garfield extended the wings to give him lift and glide from the air currents.

HE MADE IT!! across and was now soaring over the other ramp, but didn’t descend, and rather gained more and more height.

*Regular speed*

(7:17 to 7:31 and STOP)

Thanks to that little boost and jump, the engines had gained enough power to give him flight. “YEH-HAA!! ALRIGHT!!” he shouted as he flew up higher and higher than ever before.

He knew he couldn’t head home to the Dark Lands; they would surely find him there. So he flew off to the North.

“Where’s he going now?” asked Kori.

“I don’t think it matters now.” said Dick, and the others agreed. They just couldn’t catch him; not like this.

Terra looked as if she wanted to cry. She didn’t, but she felt hurt by Garfield’s stubbornness, as well as Garfield’s own inner pain which created the stubbornness. She honestly didn’t know whether to feel sorry or upset with him!

“We may as well as just head back to Canterlot.” suggested Kori. The other reluctantly agreed, and they all wondered how the girls were making with their problem.

Sunset still hadn’t texted back yet.

Act 13: Power Hungry!

ACT THIRTEEN

The prisoners were still unable to free themselves from their bindings, and just as the villains had promised them, they had been sucked dry of all their magic.

“Those crazy fools!” snapped Sunset, “They’re meddling with powers they don’t understand! They could cause all kinds of trouble!”

Pinkie struggled and struggled to make the magic burst out of her, but she only looked like she was going to make her head burst.

“It’s no use, Pinkie. We have no magic.” said Applejack.

“Oh, I wasn’t trying to summon any magic.” said Pinkie “I was just trying to force out a sneeze stuck in my nose! AH-CHOO…!! There it goes.”

The others sighed irritably.

Suddenly, they could hear the sound of tapping along the celing. “What’s that?” whimpered Fluttershy.

Rainbow began to trembled, “Maybe… maybe its ghosts!”

Rarity, overwhelmed by the dramatics fainted softly, even if she was chained to the wall.

The tapping seemed to be coming from the vent shafts hanging from the ceiling, and suddenly… a grid panel fell from an opening in the middle of the room, and it fell to the floor. Everyone felt frightened, until Spike popped his head through the hole.

“Spike!” cried Twilight. Her little dog leapt through and landed with a thud on the floor, “Ouch!” he groaned, but he wasn’t really hurt. “Are you all okay? I heard everything.”

Celestia and Flash struggled to get Spike’s attention.

“Spike…” said Sunset “Go free Celestia and Flash-- chew through their ropes.”

Spike nodded and rushed over, “This isn’t going to my teeth any good.” He groaned, nevertheless he jumped into Celestia’s lap and began to gnaw at the ropes that bound her.

It was certainly rather careless of the villains to bind the girls with thick-chains while Celestia was bound with just plain ropes.

The villains were so blinded by their lust for power and dominance, they didn’t seem to take much notice in their obvious faults; they were too busy ogling the magical energy stored in the big tank in the main engine-room.

“All set…” said Janene “The weapons systems are linked to this energy.”

“Good…” said Jason “Then let’s see what this stuff can really do.”

The grownups allowed their daughters’ to have a shot at the controls, almost like a video game with joysticks that controlled the weapons-- like lasers

Meanwhile, Garfield was nearing Canterlot City, flying much higher than ever before. The winds were really starting to get at him. “I wish I hadn’t left my helmet and goggles behind.” he groaned to himself, and he thought back to the others chasing him, “Those dweebs are really gonna get it if I ever see them again!”

Suddenly, he thought he saw a flash of light in the distance. “What was that?” He knew it wasn’t lightning, there were no storm clouds.

There was another flash of light, and another, and as he got closer and the clouds departed from his view he could see a rather large zeppelin, firing multi-colored glowing balls of some strange energy towards the city below!

Everyone in town was just going about, minding their own business, when out form nowhere, these colored lights just shot at them creating mysterious happenings.

One little boy got struck by a beam of light that froze him still. He couldn’t seem to move an inch!

Another little girl was skipping down the street holding a balloon, when a beam shot the balloon and expanded it to giant size lifting the poor child off the ground. She let go of the string just in time before floating away but couldn’t understand it.

Other people whom were sitting in the city-park on a lovely sunny day were in quite a surprise…! A beam of light struck a single cloud above the park, which turned it into a huge and thick storm-cloud, and all at once it began to pour rain… only all over the park, but not anywhere else in the entire city; it was still perfectly sunny and warm.

Jackie and Jillian laughed hysterically at the effects they had caused. “This is too cool!” said Jackie. “Hey, let’s see what else this stuff can do.” said Jillian.

“Take it easy, girls.” said Joseph “We don’t want to overdo it, we’re just observing. Once we get the hang of this magic, we’ll use its power to ultimately gain control the world.”

His wife shuddered in delight of the aspects! “Just imagine it… all over people will quiver in fear at us. We’ll possess the power to manipulate weather, transmissions, even public health unless our demands are met, and even their best weapon defenses will never hold a candle to our power!”

Jason and Janene were finding it hard to contain their own excitement; they just had to break into song… and their colleagues and the girls joined in as well.

[Jason]

For many years, we’ve struggled and we’ve sweated
Trying to change the world as it stands
But the people’s actions shall now be regretted
We have the power to enforce all our demands!

[Janene]

This magic that we’ve harnessed from those girls,

[Joseph]

This wondrous discovery of the age

[Jamie]

We’ll conquer the world, scare the people, make ‘em curl!

[Jason]

Well come on then… let’s set the stage!

Oh, the world is all ours for the taking!
There is nothing that can’t make ours
It’s the dawning of new day
Everything will go our way!

[The girls]

What’s in it for us?

[Janene]

All we’ll have and plus!

All the more and no less,
Come and share the success
For the hour has grown near

[Joseph & Jamie]

With the setting of the sun, and our new powers

[ALL THE ADULTS]

…The world is ours!

They were so busy singing, dancing and cackling away with their aspects, they didn’t realize that Garfield had landed his moped on the helicopter pad atop the zeppelin.

“I don’t know what’s going on here, but this is weird, and I’m going to find out what it is.” he said to himself.

He came to the only elevator lift that was only way inside, but it required an access-card to open.

“Ha! I was expecting something harder.” he chuckled. He got out a small toolkit from the moped’s seat compartment and hacked his way into the control box. Then, using his knowledge of computer systems and electronics, he was able to bypass the codes and activate the lift.

No alarms sounded either, “Very careless… and pathetic!” Garfield sneered as he hopped into the lift.

The villains were still too wrapped up in their own silly aspects and the song to even begin to guess of the infiltration.

[Jason]

It feels wonderful to get all that we crave for
A world that we can rule and dominate

[Janene]

The people will work hard and they’ll slave for
Their new rulers whom will be great!

[Joseph]

Just a few more experiments to go
And the real game will then begin!

[Jamie]

Our power will grow and grow
There’s not a battle that we can’t win

[Adults/ Girls]

So prepare for a great big push
Oooooo, la-la-la!
Be prepared for a powerful age
We'll have power
Meticulous planning
Lots of power
Tenacity spanning
We repeat
No more mock and ridicule
Endless power
Each and every individual

Be kings and queens
And make all the scenes
And seen for the wonders we are
In the setting of the twilight hours
…THE WORLD IS OURS!!

Yes… in the setting of the twilight hours
…THE WORLD IS OURS!!

They all shared a round of wicked laughter before returning to their own devices-- abusing the magic they had absorbed.

Meanwhile, all the prisoners were free-- Spike had freed Celestia after chewing through the ropes that bound her to the chair. Once she was free, she freed Flash from bondage. Then the both of them used the keys, which the villains had foolishly left behind in the brig, to free the girls from their chains.

“Whew! It feels great bein’ out of them chains, but now we gotta get outta here.” said Applejack.

Rainbow tried to slide the door open, but naturally as it needed an access card, it wouldn’t budge. “Um, Rainbow…” Twilight said holding up a tinkering kit she kept in her pocket, and she began to work at the key-lock “The sooner I can bypass the systems the sooner we can get out of here.”

“Uh, Twilight…” Flash said with a hint of negativity in his voice, “Even if we do get out of this room… we’re on a zeppelin, high up in the air, remember? How are we supposed to get off?”

“We can worry about that later.” said Sunset “We really have to stop the Ambers and the Dionnes. I really don’t think they understand what they’re getting into with all the magic.”

“Sunset is right…” agreed Celestia “The last time the magic was abused, there were terrible consequences we almost couldn’t control.”

Twilight looked regretful, remembering it was her fault that it happened, but she didn’t let it stop her completely and continued working on the lock, and all the more faster fearing what the villains were up to this very second!

Indeed, the villains were up to no good at all; firing more magical beams down onto Canterlot city and causing more messed up scenes and horrors!

Making a man and woman exchange heads on their respective bodies…

Changing the water network so people’s faucets spouted sand instead of water…

The news reported all the strange happenings occurring all across town, which alerted the United States Airforce to investigate!

A squad of jets flew in the vicinity of the villains’ zeppelin, and saw the beams of light being launched, which were the very source of the magical mishaps below.

“Attention!” the wing-leader called through his speaker at the zeppelin, “This is the U.S Airforce! You have been classified as a hostile craft. Cease your firing and surrender willingly!”

Onboard, the villains just laughed as they viewed the monitors of the squad. They wouldn’t dare shoot them down, not while they were soaring directly above the town-- it would cause major damage.

“This is your last chance!” shouted the wing-leader “Surrender, or take the consequences!”

“Ooh… I think they mean business.” hissed Jason “Girls, why don’t you show them that we mean business as well.”

Jackie and Jillian snickered and aimed their cursors at the jet fleet.

The wing-leader was about to order a warning shot to be fired, when the zeppelin fired several magic blasts at the squad, hitting each jet and causing different effects.

One jet turned into a giant butterfly, and the poor pilot found himself flailing all over trying to keep control.

Two more were teleported to the arctic, much to the pilots’ confusions and shocks!

The fourth jet’s weapons were replaced with trick weapons that spouted out confetti or banners that went “Bang”

And the wing-leader’s jet faced an actual attack magic, shooting the jet down and forcing the pilot to eject while his jet crashed down below forcing the citizens to flee.

CRASH!! The jet hit and exploded sending flaming debris all over the place!

The girls cackled and slapped each other a high-five. “This is too easy…” laughed Jackie. “Like taking candy from a bunch of no good kids.” added Jillian.

“…Well you’re no better!” shouted a voice. It was Garfield, holding a gun he had snared.

“YOU!!” the girls shouted.

“Hands up, all of you!” Garfield demanded! The villains did as they were told, and all six of them were most outraged. “How did you get in here?” snapped Joseph, “For that matter how did you even get in here?” added Jamie.

Garfield grinned cheekily, “For a bunch of rich snobs, you don’t pack enough strong security. I have a bigger challenge fighting the wolves than I do your guards.”

The adults viewed the monitors and saw their few security guards were unconscious in the hallways and lying on the floor, after Garfield had beaten them up, and stolen one of their key-cards and a gun.

“Huh!” said Jason “You certainly grown a lot over the years, young Garfield.”

Garfield, “Yeah, I remember you guys now. You worked on the same scientific expedition my parents did-- a bunch of no-good, sleazy scoundrels, always trying to bum other people off of their findings; especially my parents.”

The adults felt livid at the insult!

“Hey, you can’t talk to our folks like that!” snapped Jackie.

“Well, well, well…” snickered Garfield “So you two are their girls, huh? Like parents like daughters… you’re all pathetic!”

Everyone gasped, and Jillian looked ready for a brawl, “Why you stinking little--”

“Shut up!” Garfield snapped as he held up the gun. The villains were all backed against the wall with their hands up.

Janene suddenly noticed a small oilcan near her foot, used to help service the engines, and she formulated an idea. “You really are your parents’ child.” she said to him, “It’s pity that they perished in that flood, and you didn’t.”

Garfield reached up and lowered his shades, revealing his, still, bagged and burning eyes. “How do you know that? You and the rest of these clods were sent home from the basecamp for causing disruption in the camps! I remember it!”

Jason caught on to his wife’s plan, “Yes, I remember… your parents were working on that new substitution rocket fuel. Something we had been trying to create for years, and once again we were beaten to it!”

Joseph remembered that well, “We weren’t about to let anyone get ahead of us this time. We tried to buy it off your parents! We offered them a fortune for their formulas and secrets, but they wouldn’t budge! We continued to try and bargain for it, but were thrown out of the camp for our attitude!”

Garfield was beginning to get a sickly feeling in his stomach at where this was leading.

Jamie took over explaining, “Your parents made us laughingstocks, and we weren’t willing to let them get away with this. Fortunately they took you on that expedition into the Amazon to further their experiments. The perfect chance for us to get rid of them… so we took over construction of the new dam that was happening up river, and with our cunning and planning, the dam never stood a chance and burst, creating the massive torrent that swept through the jungle and hit your camp.”

Garfield felt his insides quivering, “You… You people…?! You’re the ones who caused that flood… and killed my parents?!!”

The adults all snickered. “It’s a pity you didn’t die either.” said Janene “It would’ve save you so much heart break and years of hardship.”

Overcome with rage and devastation of what he had just heard, Garfield was shaking in stun, shaken by his emotions… which gave Janene the perfect chance to kick the oilcan by her foot…!

The can struck Garfield hand hard, causing him to drop the gun-- while also spilling blobs of oil all over a covered engine unit-- “Get him!” shouted Jason, and the girls lunged forth, tackling the boy to the ground.

Within the brig, the prisoners heard all the rustling and smashing happening, echoing through the walls. “What’s that?” cried Fluttershy.

“It sounds like an army of cattle being hustled.” said Applejack. Of course that wasn’t likely, but the team felt they had to get out of the brig faster than ever. “How much longer, Twilight…?” Pinkie asked “I don’t think I can take it much longer!” she wasn’t kidding, she was shaking madly.

“I’ve almost got it!” cried Twilight, and suddenly, “There!” the control box bleeped, and the door swung open.

“Way to go, Twilight!” cried Flash.

She looked up at him and almost got lost in his eyes.

“Come on, let’s get out of here!” said Sunset “We’ve got to find our magic and get it back before something really bad happens!”

Everyone agreed and dashed out into the halls, but Twilight stopped a moment and grabbed one of the smashed lockets from the room, feeling it would be most needed!

“Hold him!” shouted Jospeh!

The girls punched Garfield hard and kicked him a few times to render him harmless, and then stood him up holding his arms tightly and stepping on both of his feet to hold him still!

Garfield fought valiantly against the two girls, but his outrage upon hearing the truth of how his parents died slowed him down a little, as well as his slight bit of weariness from his lack of sleep catching up to him.

The adults grabbed their own firearms from holsters in their jacket pockets. “Hold him!” shouted Jason.

The girls punched and kicked Garfield hard to render him harmless. They then forced him onto his feet, holding him by the arms and standing on each of his feet so he couldn’t move.

The villains snickered wickedly all pointing their guns at him.

“You murderers…!” Garfield shouted “…Megalomaniac Monsters!”

The villains didn’t seem to mind the insults this time, now that the tables had turned. “Any other words you’d like to dish at us…?” Jason acted, “No, really, go ahead… they’re going to be your last.”

Garfield suddenly realized, the wall behind him, and he knew the type of platting that was used and the kinds of pistols the villains held. “I wouldn’t shoot if were you, because even at that range, the bullets will pass right through me and ricochet off the metal and go all over the place!”

“He’s lying!” snapped Jackie.

“Yeah, blow his brains out!” sneered Jillian, but the parents realized Garfield was right, and they began to hesitate, much to their daughters’ anger. “Come on, shoot him!” shouted Jackie.

“We can’t!” snapped her mother “He’s right… we may damage the equipment!”

The girls, still not believing or even caring of such consequences, were growing more irate and Jillian saw the gun Garfield had dropped by her foot. She hastily grabbed it, “If you won’t shoot this geek, then I will!”

“Jillian!” snapped Joseph, “Don’t do it!” cried Jamie.

“Do it! Do it!” shouted Jackie.

“So long, Brat-Boy…!” Jillian sneered, holding the gun to Garfield’s chest, and she FIRED TWICE, striking him hard. Garfield SCREAMED in pain… but just as he promised, at such a close range, the bullets passed right through him, and bounced off the platting on the walls, flailing all over the room.

One of the two bullets struck the oily engine panel, resulting in a huge explosion, while the other bullet bounced along the walls and struck the glass of the container of magic…!

The magic BURST through the glass in a straight forward wave, straight at the teens. The girls screamed and dashed off; dropping Garfield’s dying body where it was as the magic struck him hard… and he screamed as his body was enveloped by the strong lights and the power began to infuse into him! “WHAT’S…HAPPENING…?! WHAT IS THIS?!!! NOOOOOO…!!!”

The villains all huddled together and watched in awe and horrors as he began to change shape and grow in size… Growing bigger and bigger…!

The ship gave a violent shake, nearly knocking everyone in halls about. “What was that?!” cried Rainbow.

“It felt like some kind of explosion!” cried Rarity.

A chill ran down Sunset’s spine, “Please… don’t tell me…!” she cried, but she and the others heard the sounds of the villains screaming coming from way down the hallway.

The villains were all backed into the corner of the engine room, face-to-face with a huge, snarling dragon! More than thirty feet tall-- being enough to near reach the celling of the engine room-- A wing-span of forty feet! He had dark green and black scales, razor sharp claws and fangs, large devil-like horns atop his head, spines upon that ran down his back, a scaly tail with a trident pointed tip!

He stepped forth, and let out a ferocious T-Rex-like roar that echoed all over the ship!

Act 14: Abandon Ship

ACT FOURTEEN

The dragon’s roar echoed all over the ship, and the friends could hear it in the halls. Spike yipped and dove deep into Twilight’s knapsack, and Fluttershy jumped into Rainbow’s arms, while Rarity leapt into Applejack’s.

“Please, no…!” Sunset cried as she dashed up the hallway. “Sunset…!” Celestia shouted, and the others hurried on after her.

The dragon glared at the villains backed against the wall, and he looked ready for a big bite!

“Shoot him!” shouted Jason, and they all grabbed their guns and fired like crazy until they had run out of ammo, but their bullets weren’t strong enough to penetrate the dragon’s solid scales. Now the creature was madder than ever as was hinted when it roared and lunged for the people! The people scattered and the dragon hit the wall, denting it hard, and from behind, he swung his tail hard striking the burning engine panel, breaking it wide open and spreading the flames!

The ship gave a huge shake as the engines began to malfunction…!

The team also fell down in the hallways. “Now what’s happened?” snapped Rainbow.

“Sounds like we’re breaking up!” cried Flash.

Suddenly, there was a load of screams as the villains came rushing down the halls, and ran right past their prisoners not even noticing or caring much that they had ever escaped.

“Golly, what’s got them so scared?” asked Applejack, that’s when they all heard a loud roar followed by a huge crash that shook the ship again. Spike peeked through a porthole window and gasped, “…My guess is… THAT!!” Everyone looked and saw the dragon fly by, and they all let out a scream of fright, and Rarity couldn’t help but faint softly into Applejack’s arms again.

The zeppelin was slowly losing altitude and went into a soft forward decent due to the malfunctioning engines. At the present it would be a while before it crashed, unless things worsened, and while the dragon flew in furious circles around the sinking ship, something was definitely bound to go worse.

Suddenly, the air-force appeared with an even larger fleet of jets were arriving on the scene, having heard the emergency report from the first wing-leader after his crash.

The pilots saw the zeppelin, but they were ever so surprised to see the dragon!

“Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?!”

“It looks like a… like a…!”

“…DRAGON!!!”

One of the pilots fell into a panic and fired two small missiles against orders to wait! Unfortunately, the missiles were not aimed and missed the dragon entirely, and exploded in midair, which alerted the dragon of the fleet’s presence behind him!

He turned and roared at all the jets, frightening many of the pilots into retreating, while others decided to recklessly attack against orders, but again, their machine gun bullets could not harm the dragon’s thick scales, angering the beast further.

Before the fleet could launch any missiles, the dragon opened his huge jaws, and at once, a magical glow emitted from inside his mouth, and he fired a powerful blast of not fire, but a burst of magical energy…

The planes all swerved, but some of them couldn’t get out in time, forcing the pilots to eject before their jets exploded in midair; vaporized into ashes, however, when the smoke had cleared… there… in the sky where the blast had hit the squad of jets, was a hole, showing the sights of another world!

Sunset gawked at the anomaly and recognized it instantly, “…It’s Equestria!” she cried, and everyone was inclined to agree, remembering what happened from the Friendship Games when Twilight unleashed the magic she had inadvertently captured.

“That dragon!” she cried “It must’ve been created from the magic! Nothing else could explain it!”

Again, everyone agreed, “But wait!” said Pinkie “Who is the dragon? We know he’s not one of the villains, they just ran past us.”

“Maybe they experimented on one of their men?” Celestia suggested, but Twilight and Sunset disproved of it entirely, noting the dragon’s shape and behaviour.

“I remember my evil transformation…” Sunset said “When I became that demon, I was feeling a surge of power, but at the same time, I was thinking of evil and extreme chaos.”

Twilight, regrettably, remembered when she became Midnight Sparkle, “I remember, I felt overcome with power, as if I could use it to ease my lonesome, to make a change, but all-in-all, I felt trapped in the dark!”

It was now clear to everyone that the magic, when absorbed abruptly onto a subject at such a massive amount, the shape that subject took depended widely on the emotions of that person.

The dragon was highly enraged and savage; suggesting whoever it was feeling highly negative emotions-- outrage, frustration…

“…Anger!” Sunset realized, and suddenly she and everyone else felt a strong thought but at the same time extreme disbelief. “No, it couldn’t possibly…!” cried Rarity.

Suddenly, the dragon flew past the zeppelin. The air current made the ship tilt and teeter rocking things about.

That’s when a pair of sunglasses and a dog-whistle slid along the floor and hit Rainbow’s feet. “Hey!” she cried a she examined the shades and the whistle, and everyone instantly recognized the shades anywhere.

“It’s Garfield!” cried Fluttershy! “But… But…how can that be…?”

Atop the zeppelin, a hatchway opened and a lift pushed a helicopter upward. Inside the six villains were prepared to bail their dying ship.

“Come on, hurry!” cried Jillian “I wouldn’t want to be here if that creep hits us again!”

“Be quiet!” snapped her mother “It’s your fault that creature is even there! We told you not to shoot the boy that close!”

Jackie lividly protested, “Like we had any way of knowing this would happen!”

“Enough!” shouted Jason “Let’s just get out of here! Hang on!”

The chopper lifted off the roof of the zeppelin, just in time too…! The dragon ignored the remaining jets and turned back to face the ship, and angrily began to attack it… firing magical blasts as the propellers and the tail, creating massive explosions that shook the ship violently!

The Equestrians screamed and shouted as they fall all over the place inside.

The force of the explosion was so great that it rocked the villains’ chopper, veering towards the ground! “Jason, do something!” screamed Janene “I’m trying!” her husband shouted, but engine began to overheat from the stress, causing the chopped to crash hard but safely on its skids.

The ship’s backside was on fire, causing the ship to shoot straight on in a faster-dive over the lands below.

“We don’t have much time!” shouted Rainbow “We’ve gotta ditch this hulk before it takes a nosedive!”

“But how are we even supposed to get off? Just jump out?” cried Flash.

Twilight suddenly realized “Of course… Flash you’re a genius!” and she quickly pecked his cheek, making him blush like crazy. “Follow me!” shouted Twilight, and everyone followed her.

Applejack was forced to drag a stunned Flash along which helped snap him to his senses.

The ship was falling faster by the minute… it wouldn’t be long before it crashed. The worst of it was, the Equestrians discovered from their run about that the entire ship was pretty much automated.

There no pilots, no technicians, nothing other than the unconscious goons that lay all about. “For a bunch of rich snobs, they sure didn’t care much for buying out safety precautions.” scoffed Celestia.

Twilight began to scrounge around, knowing from what she studied from aircraft, and to her accuracy she found parachutes in cupboards on the wall…

…but there were only four chutes, not nearly enough for the nine of them!

“Oh, great… what now… we draw straws?” asked Applejack. “No…” replied Twilight “There’s still a way. It’s risky, but it’s our only chance.”

Her plan was simply: four of them-- Celestia, Sunset, Rainbow, and Flash-- would wear the chutes, and hold another gang member by the hand to help guide them down. Celestia was physically stronger due to her adult strength and held Pinkie Pie in her left hand, while Pinkie held Fluttershy’s hand.

“I hope that you are certain of this, Twilight?” said Rarity “Jumping form such a dizzy height isn’t one of my fortes and I would prefer an easy landing.”

“It should work.” replied Twilight, and she worked on her calculator, “Even out combined weights with each jumping team won’t provide any trouble.”

The ship gave another violent jolt. It would now crash any minute.

The hatchway was opened, but it was still a bit of a drop below. Fluttershy backed away in fright, “I don’t think I can do this!” she whimpered.

“Fluttershy, you have to.” said Sunset, “She’s right.” agreed Applejack “If you stay here, you’ll go down with the ship.”

Despite her overwhelming fears, Fluttershy took Celestia’s hand. “It’ll be okay, I promise.” she assured her.

Everyone stood at the hatch, and one by one they all leapt out, and fell for a few moments before pulling the chutes open to let the ship fly away from them. “INCOMING!!” Rainbow shouted as everyone watched the ship fly down, down, down… disappearing over the dark hills…!

The ship CRASHED with such a thud that shook the lands and burst into huge flames that seemed to reach way up into the dark skies!

In the midst of the crash, Garfield’s moped, completely and miraculously unscathed by the stress, rolled along the ground away from the wreckage and just stood on the grounds.

As for the Equestrians, they all landed safely on the ground; all of them never so scared in their lives considering what they had just done.

“Is everyone okay?” Celestia called.

“I think so…” answered Sunset.

“Yeah, but… where are we?” asked Pinkie.

Lightning and thunder shook the pitch-dark skies, followed the sounds of wolves howling. That’s when the gang could see the mansion… the lake… the forest…!

“Oh, no…! We’re in Garfield’s homeland again!” groaned Spike “I said never wanted to come back here again!!”

“What?” snapped Flash “You mean to tell me Garfield lives here?!”

Celestia was half surprised and half horrified, “So… it’s true.” She muttered remembering Spike’s story, and seeing just how horrifying the land was already, “…I can’t believe anyone would live in such a place!”

It wasn’t quite so dark this time, only because the massive fires from the zeppelin wreckage over the hills gave an eerie glow, but just as stormy and dreary as ever.

Suddenly, there was a growl, which made everyone freeze on the spot. “Tell me that wasn’t what I think it was…” whimpered Fluttershy.

More growls followed, and everyone turned round to see what had to be the biggest pack of snarling, angry wolves they had ever seen.

Flash was sweating up a storm in fear, and Celestia was quivering fearfully as wolves got closer and closer, when suddenly they looked frightened and turned to dash back to the forest!

“Hey, look at them go…!” Rainbow teased “Cowards…!”

Pinkie stuck out her lounge and blew raspberries at the running wolves, “Nya-Nya…!”

Spike peeked out from Twilight’s knapsack, looking behind everyone and he gasped. He stuttered and stammered trying to find his voice. “Um… Uh… Ga… Geh…!”

“What is it, Spike?” Twilight asked, and she looked over her shoulder, and winced fretfully. “Um… guys…!” she cried, and the others turned round…! There, standing behind them, stood the dragon. It had followed the crashing ship, and was now starring the gang down…

…and he ROARED thunderously as lightning struck the skies!

“LOOK OUT!!” screamed Sunset, and everyone scattered just as the dragon blasted at them, striking the ground, opening yet another rift to Equestria.

“Garfield!” Sunset called to him “Garfield, stop this!”

The dragon, unfazed, and lunged at her. “Look out!” shouted applejack as she rushed and pushed Sunset to the ground as the dragon rushed over them.

“Garfield, please listen to us!” shouted Rarity.

“It’s not good, Rarity!” Celestia called “I don’t think he hear us!”

Twilight figured it was because of all the magic combined with his obvious extreme amount of rage and hatred. Garfield was totally unaware of what he was doing, yet he seemed to determine in destroying anything he saw… Including all of them!

The dragon roared fiercely at everyone, proving her theory.

“Anybody got any ideas…?” Applejack asked.

The dragon powered up for another blast…

“Yes…” peeped Fluttershy, and then she screamed in fright “…RUN!!!”

The dragon launched another blast, forcing everyone jump out of the way as the beam soared by and struck the mansion, blowing it up in a great ball of flames, and opening yet another Equestrian rift…

This time however, viciously plant vines began to seep through the hole and spread into the lands, as the monstrous heads of the plants popped out, snarling at the gang and whipping their vines, forcing the friends to flee about.

“Oh, great… now we have even more monsters coming at us!” said Rainbow.

The plant monsters couldn’t go much further, but were still menacing and violently swinging at whatever came their way, and between they and the dragon the friends couldn’t go on like this.

“We’ve got to get our magic back!” cried Fluttershy.

Twilight agreed, “And I know how…” she said as she reached into her knapsack, and pulled out the smashed locket-device she confiscated. Spike frowned, “Twilight, what good will that do? It’s all smashed.”

Twilight then reached into her pack and pulled out her own locket-device, the very one she had made during the Friendship Games. It was altered so that it could no longer absorb magic like it initially could, but her plan was use components from it to restore the broken one, “If it works, I can get the magic out of Garfield and give it back to all of you.” she said to the girls.

“Well, shake a leg, girl!” said applejack “We’ll keep Garfield distracted so you can work.”

“We will?” groaned Fluttershy.

The dragon roared again and gaze chase, and everyone scattered about to distract it while Twilight ducked down behind a large rock formation and set to work with her mini tool-kit, but it would take a little time as she didn’t have much light or proper settings to work with.

Unfortunately, the gang as already getting tired from all the running around they had done, while the dragon didn’t seem to be tired in the least.

The dragon swung its tail, slashed its claws and made lunges to bite at the friends, forcing them all to, inadvertently; jump into one space all huddled together, and now stood with the dragon in front of them, and the plant monsters snarling and whipping close behind them!

“Well that was dumb!” snapped Rainbow.

“Whatever shall we do now!” cried Rarity.

The dragon roared and the plants snarled.

“…WE PANIC!” shouted Pinkie! Her shout echoed all across the stormy lands.

Act 15: Regroup, Retrieve

ACT FIFTEEN

The dragon growled as it approached the helpless victims, its teeth were drooling most horrifically.

Poor Twilight and Spike were the only ones safe on the other side of the rock-formations, but were completely helpless to save their friends. The locket-device wasn’t even nearly ready!

Rarity began to whine and cry, “I can’t die now! I’m too beautiful!”

Despite the circumstances, Applejack was horribly annoyed with Rarity’s screaming, “Is it over yet?” she groaned.

Pinkie reached into her pocket, pulling out a cupcake, “I was saving you for something special.” she said to it, and then hastily gobbled it down as her last meal! “Mmm… tasty…”

“Ah, man… this is so not the way I imagined it’d end for me.” Flash said, “And I never got to say to Princess Twilight that I… I…”

While he was pondering and everyone else concerned about the danger they were in, Rainbow suddenly felt inside her pocket, “The dog-whistle?” she remembered pocketing it and Garfield’s shades while escaping the zeppelin.

She narrowed her eyes and stepped forth, “Hope this works!”

“What are you doing?” asked Celestia. That’s when Rainbow took such a huge and deep breath and blew into the whistle as hard as she could.

The dragon lifted its head and roared painfully…

…Spike covered his ears and howled from the unbearable noise!

“It’s workin’!” cried Applejack “He must have super heain’! He can’t stand the noise!”

Rainbow blew and blew until she was red in the face before she let go and was panting stressfully to regain her breath.

The dragon was angrier than ever and prepared to attack again, but Pinkie snatched the whistle and blew hard into it again, annoying the beast!

“Here’s our chance!” cried Sunset “…Run!”

The gang managed to run past the dragon to safety while he was still distracted in annoyance, but in its gropes it swung its tail hard, Pinkie fell over and accidently threw the whistle into the lake where it sank to the bottom.

“Oh, no! Not good!” she cried.

The dragon roared angrily at everyone.

“DEFINITELY NOT GOOD…!!”

The dragon flew up high and aimed another powerful blast, “Watch out!” shouted Celestia, and the teens all jumped out of the way as the blast hit, opening yet another rift, and unleashing more Equestrian plant monsters that got stuck in the narrow holes, leaving less space to run to than before!

“They can’t last much longer!” cried Spike

“I’m working as fast as I can!” snapped Twilight.

“It’s not going to be fast enough!”

Fluttershy suddenly tripped on a fallen long and fell to the ground, and the dragon loomed over at her.

“FLUTTERSHY!!” shouted Sunset, and she rushed over to help her, but the dragon swung his tail, just barely missing her, but the force knocked hard into several of the girls.

Fluttershy looked up at the snarling dragon, was so frightened that she couldn’t even scream, but just when she thought she’d had it…!

A whole load of bright lights shone on the dragon; right its eyes blinding him softly.

Everyone turned and saw none other than the Murakami students. “You didn’t forget about us, did you?” Dick playfully asked. He and the others weren’t alone either, standing behind them were a whole squad of people from Jump City, including the police!

They had all seen the zeppelin go down over the outback, and they all saw the dragon as well--much to their disbelief-- and they felt there was danger involved. So everyone rallied together, and now, here they all were… especially the Murakamis, ready to help their friends!

“Most excellent timing!” said Applejack “Now we got us a whole army!”

More lights were shone at the dragon’s face by all the cars and big search lights people had brought with them, blinding the dragon further and it growled most mournfully

The police had already lined up with powerful guns and bazookas, “Ready men…?” the Captain called.

“No, stop!” shouted Sunset “You can’t kill him, that dragon is Garfield!”

Terra’s stomach churned, “…Garfield?!”

“Say what?!” snapped Vic.

“Hold your fire!” shouted the Captain, and his men lowered their arms, “Will somebody explain to me what’s going on here?”

Even the citizens of Jump city wished to know the answer, especially when the planet monsters finally managed to stretch the rifts wider and slither their way into the world, frightening everyone into running about.

“Oh, brother!” groaned Applejack. Not that she could blame the people anyway, but still, “So much for our army, but at least we got Garfield stopped.”

The poor blinded dragon couldn’t stand the bright lights in its face, and just stood where it was, stunned and groaning softly.

“Oh, the poor thing…” said Fluttershy, and she couldn’t believe she just said that.

Suddenly, one of the big search lights shining on the dragon was shot out by a bullet.

“What was that?” snapped Flash. That’s when more lights were shot out.

“The lights!” cried the police Captain “Who’s doing this?!”

No one could see out anywhere in there darkness-- the Ambers and the Dionnes, survived the crash of their chopper, and followed the dragon that had all the magic within him to the dark lands. They were standing high atop the large tower on the lands away from the crowds where no one would see them because of the darkness-- here they shot out the lights from afar with snippers.

“Perfect shot!” hissed Jason.

“Okay, Dad; remind me what we’re doing again?” asked Jackie. Her father sighed, “I already explained to you, by blowing out those lights, the dragon will run amuck again, hopefully frightening all the people away, and by then, hopefully he’ll be tired out so we can capture him and once again extract the magic for ourselves, and even if he kills everyone out there… it doesn’t matter!

Do I need to tell you again, or do you want it in writing?!”

“Take it easy, dear.” said Janene “Just keep shooting the lights.”

“Their almost out…” Joseph said as he held up his snipper, and shot out the last light.

The dragon was free from the brightness, and spread hos its wings, roaring loudly as thunder crashed!

“Arm yourselves men!” shouted the Captain.

“No, you can’t!” cried Dick.

“It’s okay…!” one of the cops called back, “We’ve reloaded with knockout gas… Get clear!”

Everyone began to run south, away from the dragon. Once everyone was clear, the cops fired the capsules from their bazookas, releasing powerful capsules that burst and released clouds of knockout gas all around the dragon until it was completely enveloped in the smoke.

All then went silent! Everything was totally quiet except for the sounds of the thunder and the eerie winds.

“Did it work?” asked Raven.

“Hard to say…” replied Kato.

There was still not a sound, not even a big thud to let them know the dragon collapsed.

Twilight and Spike looked up from the rock formation that they hid behind. “Do you think they got him?” asked Twilight.

Spike couldn’t tell, until he lifted his ears, and could hear the soft, unmistakable growling! “GET AWAY FROM THERE!!!” he shouted at everyone!

Much as most of the citizens were surprised to hear a dog shouting actual words, the dragon let out a huge roar, leaping high up out from the fading smoke clouds, and flew up high!

“I don’t believe it!” shouted Rainbow “There must’ve been enough gas to knock out an army of men.”

“An army of men, maybe…” said Terra “But a huge hulking dragon like that-- not nearly enough!”

The dragon opened his huge mouth ready to unleash another series of blasts.

“LOOK OUT!!” Dick shouted, and everybody ran about as the dragon unleashed a hoard of blasts. Striking the lake water… blasting away the forest, forcing the wolves to flee the lands forever!

Several more blasts were fired, and more plant monsters began to appear within newly opened rifts, and one of them grabbed Kori by her ankles and held her up, upside down!

“Kori!” shouted Dick.

“HELP ME!!” Kori screamed. Dick furiously ran up to the plant monster, grabbing a thick solid branch on the way. “Let her go!” he snarled as he began to strike the vines hard, “Put her down!”

The monster snarled at Dick and lunged at him, forcing him to run about to avoid getting hit.

“Dick!!” cried Kori.

Vic motioned to Dick to run to him, “Yo’ man… over here!” but more vines came at him forcing him to run the opposite way.

Vic wasn’t about to let some vine creature get his friends, and he looked back at his car and got an idea, but it pained him to actually do it. “Get ready to catch her!” he called to Dick.

“Wait! What are you doing?!” Rainbow called to him, but she and the others could already see as Vic started the engine and revved hard on the gas, “YEEEEEE-HOOOO…!!!”

“VIC!!” Dick shouted as he watched the car zoom straight at the monster huge stem-like body. As he got closer, he stroked the car’s dashboard, “Sorry about this baby… I’ll miss ya…!” and he quickly leapt out the door, rolling along the ground, and his car SLAMMED hard into the beast.

The monster growled and roared painfully and keeled over, letting go of Kori causing her to fall!

“KORI!!” dick shouted as he dashed forth and caught her in his arms, falling to the ground.

“He got her!” cheered Pinkie.

“I think we can see that.” groaned Raven.

Poor Vic could only look grimly at his smashed ride, his baby…! It really hurt him, but he knew he could rebuild her.

“Kori… are you alright?” Dick asked softly. Kori softly looked up at him and smiled lovingly “Yeah… thanks, Dick.” They were lost in each other’s eyes, and their faces softly moved in closer, only for another plant monster to lunge for them, ruining the moment again. “AH, COME ON!!” cried Dick.

He and Kori ran for it, only to run right into the dragon who roared at them viciously!

The villains watched anxiously from the tower, “Yes… I think he’s finally going to get them!” cried Jamie.

Jillian suddenly realized that Dick and Kori and the dragon were standing at in a straight line away from the tower where they all stood. “Um… I don’t mean to be a downer, but… what if he hits us?!”

All of them gasped at such a thought.

“Um… maybe we should get down?” suggested Jackie.

“Yes… that’s a good idea.” her father said with a hint of panic in his voice.

The dragon prepared to fire another blast at Kori and Dick, but Sunset and Celestia rushed over and knocked them out of the way just as the dragon fired and hit the base of the tower causing it to crumple.

“Oh, no…!” cried Janene.

The tower was beginning to teeter over.

“Hang on everyone!” shouted Joseph as the tower fell over and crashed into a pile of rubble.

“Hey look!” cried Fluttershy.

The villains, having miraculous survived the crash, all crawled up from the wreckage, their clothes all tattered, and they were all bruised and covered in dirt.

“Where did they come from?” the police captain wondered.

The villains, finally having had enough and unable to deal with any more stress and life-threatening risks on themselves, in an act of total instantly, they begged for the police to arrest them all, even confessing that they all were responsible for the chaos and messes.

Despite the confusion, the police complied and arrested all six of them, throwing them into the cruisers.

“I can’t believe it!” cried Terra “All this time, Jackie and Jillian were plotting against us?!” No doubt, her friendship with them was through, but that still didn’t change the current chaos!

Another rift was opened and more plant-monsters had emerged. There was pretty much almost no place to run to avoid peril from the beasts.

“I got it fixed!” Twilight suddenly shouted, holding up a newly refined device.

“Awesome!” cried Rainbow “We can get our magic back now.”

“Um… I don’t think it’ll be that easy.” said Vic, and he noted how the dragon kept flying around and falling so hard. Somehow it had to be held still long enough for Twilight to get a clear shot, especially with all the plant-monsters around as well!

“Hey, that’s it!” cried Pinkie “maybe we can try to get the plants to ensnare Garfield in the vines. That’ll hold him steady… or it might just makes things worse.”

“It’s risky, but it just may work.” said Dick.

Sunset agreed, and then called to all the people who came, and she explained the plan, “…I know it sounds risky, but it may just help.”

You can bet, most of the people thought she was crazy!

“Forget it!”

“Yeah, I’m outta here.”

“I don’t even know why we bothered to come in the first place.”

Celestia then spoke up, “Listen to us!” she snapped “If you run away, what then? The monsters will just chase you, and they’ll continue spreading chaos and fear everywhere unless you help us here and now!”

Unable to agree with that, the people agree and set the plan into action…!

While the Equestrians and the Murakamis distracted the dragon, making it chase them around, the people of Jump City spread out in groups to get the plant-monsters to chase after them, and lead them all into one place, dead in the center of the field!

“Okay, let’s do it!” shouted Sunset. Her friends all agreed and teased the dragon into chasing them to the center of the field.

“Down!” shouted Sunset and everyone hit the dirt hard so the dragon flew right over them and straight into the gaggle of plant-monsters. The snarling beasts wrapped their vines round the dragon’s wrists, ankles and neck, practically trying to strangle it.

The dragon roared as it struggled to break free. It looked so tragic all bound up like that, the Equestrians and the Murakamis almost hated to see it, feeling Garfield was struggling to break free just like he had struggled all his life, through all the pain and horrid things he had to endure.

“Garfield!” Terra peeped.

Sunset then called out, “NOW, TWILIGHT!!”

“Here goes!” shouted Twilight and she opened the device which glowed brightly and fired a beam towards the dragon, enveloping it in a bright flash.

The plant creatures were frightened by the light and hastily retreated back into the rifts from whence they came…!

The dragon roared loudly as it felt itself getting weaker, and its massive body began to shrink as the magic was drained in a spectrum wave that went into Twilight’s device.

Finally, Garfield appeared in his normal form and collapsed on the ground.

“Garfield…!” Terra cried as she dashed over to him. “Hey, wait up!” said dick as he and the others dashed over with her to the fallen boy.

As for the Equestria girls; Twilight then aimed the device at her six friends, “Here you go guys!” and she gave them all their magic back in form of six colored beams of light that enveloped them in bright flashes.

Terra scooped him up in her arms, “Garfield…? Please be okay!”

“Come on, man. Wake up!” cried Vic.

Even the goths were hoping he was alright.

Garfield suddenly began to awake. He felt very woozy, like a herd of elephants had walked all over him. “What’s going on? Where am I?” he groaned, and as his vision cleared he saw the Murakamis looked down at him, “What are you all doing here?” he asked “The last thing I remember… I was on the zeppelin… and I got shot… and then…!” Before he could continue… a bright flash caught his attention, and the awe of everyone else!

Rarity… Rainbow… Fluttershy… Pinkie… Applejack, were levitating in midair, with pony ears, real pony tails, and wings, and all enveloped in colored glows.

In the middle was Sunset, in her shining form, and she glowed with a white and gold light.

The Murakamis were just like everyone else; completely speechless, even Garfield couldn’t deny what he was seeing, despite still feeling a bit woozy from his ordeal. “…I don’t believe it!”

“Now, my friends…” Sunset called to the girls, “Let’s seal up those rifts, and end this nightmare.”

The girls all nodded in agreement, and the five of them held hands, forming a ring around Sunset, and homed in on all the positive thoughts they could think.

“Powers of friendship… unite your magic!” shouted Sunset, and one by one, the other five shouted out their elements.

Rarity: “Generosity!”

Rainbow: “Loyalty!”

Fluttershy: “Kindness!”

Pinkie: “Laughter!”

Applejack: “Honesty!”

The girls began to move in circles around Sunset, giving her their magic, and Sunset flew up, up, up, and unleashed a mighty wave of brightness, that swept across the land, closing all the rifts, and in the midst of it all… the storm clouds actually began to lift letting the sunlight in on the lands for the first time ever!

Garfield could not believe anything he was seeing, but it was all there. “It’s… It’s real!”

Author's Note

And alternate idea I had was for Terra to bravely try and convince Garfield to cease, using her friendship, and he grab her, look in her eyes... that thing again...

But even when he transforms back, he would protest saying the real reason he stopped, he didn't kill her was because he ran out of energy, and her friendship and sincerity had NOTHING whatsoever to do with it.

Of course then the Equestrians wouldn't get their magic back, it would be too complicated to workout quickly

Final Act: A Nightmare come true

FINAL ACT

The people cheered and hollered in rejoice.

Twilight hugged Spike as he licked her face.

Flash and Celestia jumped for joy and even hugged one another, but then separated due to the awkwardness.

The six girls softly floated back to the ground, and changed back to their normal forms, and then they broke out cheering and hollering like crazy, and the Murakamis joined in them in a big group hug and cheer.

The only person who wasn’t cheering, or joining with the gang was Garfield. What did he have to celebrate about? He had already been told of what had happened-- how HE was the dragon and all that stuff-- the police would press no charges on him, as they couldn’t detain him for something that wasn’t truly his fault, and that he had no way of knowing what he did.

But still… his home had been completely destroyed because of it all! He now just stood by his moped… the only thing he had left… hanging his head low, for it was a lot more than just the loss of his home. He felt ashamed…!

He knew now that magic was real. Even though his entire time as the dragon was a total blank to him, everything else that happened, including what he saw could not be denied. In fact, if it weren’t for the magic, he wouldn’t even alive. Though there was still blood on his shirt from where he got shot, the wounds inflicted on him had completely healed as if nothing had happened to him.

“Garfield…?” Terra asked to him “Are you alright?”

He didn’t turn to face her, but he answered, “If you mean “Will I live” yes…” he sounded more distant than cold with her.

“I can’t believe it…” he said aloud, “All this time… there really is magic. Now, I believe.”

The others approached him, “I’m glad to hear you say that, Garfield.” Said Sunset “Just because you don’t believe in something, doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”

“Don’t sweat it, Garfield…” added Dick “We were just as surprised as you were when we found out.”

Garfield looked over his shoulder.

One-by-one, the other Murakamis nodded, and the Equestrians all approached him.

“Magic is real…” he repeated, “Well… I wish you all the best of luck then.” and he got up to leave. “Wait…!” cried Twilight “What do you mean? Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving. I have no reason or wish to stay here anymore.”

“What do you mean?” asked Terra “You said you understood it all now.”

Garfield looked sternly at her, “I said I believe in magic now…” he paused and then looked at everyone, “…That doesn’t change anything between any of us.”

Everyone felt heartstruck, especially the girls, “So wait…!” cried Pinkie “You mean that after everything we’ve done to help save you, and everything that we want to do for you… you still don’t want be our friend?!”

“Didn’t I tell you I don’t believe in friendship? It’s never done me any good in the outcome, especially considering that because of it… I’ve lost my home!”

Vic was growing annoyed with his tone, “What’choo talkin’ about? You were the one who went and blew it up, and we all risked our lives, not to mention my sweet ride to save you, and this is the gratitude you show us?!”

“Huh!” Garfield scoffed “Even though I destroyed my own home, what caused all this in the first place? It was the magic…” he then glared at the girls, “…YOUR magic to be precise. So it’s your fault!”

“Outrageous!” snapped Rarity.

“What she said!” agreed Rainbow.

“Garfield, it was them baddies who took the magic from us.” Applejack explained “Everythin’ that happened was just by chance.”

“Oh, really…?” Garfield scoffed, “And I suppose letting yourselves even be captured by a group of third-rated poor-excuse for villains like them happened by chance, or is it because you let your guards down when you should have known better?”

“Wow, talking about jerk times infinity.” Raven muttered. Kato nodded, “He is more lost in the darkness than we thought, and he only makes it worse for himself.”

WHAPP!! Kori suddenly slapped Garfield clear across his face, much to everyone’s horror, and they gasped!

“Oh, my!” cried Fluttershy.

“Whoa!” whispered Flash.

Panting furiously, Kori unleashed her rage in her words, “I cannot believe you!” she scorned, “I just… cannot believe you! After everything that’s happened…

-The villains are captured...
-We save your life…
-We offer you our friendship knowing you need it…

…And you still treat us like dirt?!

What is your problem, Garfield Logan! TELL ME… TELL ME WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS!!”

“Kori…!” Celestia shouted, holding her back, “Calm down… it won’t help!”

Garfield rubbed his face where he was slapped and growled softly, “I think I’ve wasted enough time here!” and he mounted his moped and started up the engines.

“Garfield…!” cried Terra, but Dick held her back, “Forget it, Terra. We can change his shape, but we can’t change his mind. Garfield may never change, until he learns to conquer his own darkness that he creates for himself, not just what humanity has done to him.”

Terra clenched her fist in frustration, but Sunset assured her that Dick was right, “I just hope he makes it.”

Terra nodded tearfully, but she didn’t know why she was shedding her tears for Garfield anyway.

Twilight couldn’t believe this at all. To her, this was a complete and total nightmare…

…which it actual was!

The next thing she knew, Garfield was standing before her. “And I couldn’t leave especially without saying goodbye to you.” he hissed. Then… he slapped her hard across the face, “Twilight!”

He slapped her again “Twilight!”

And again…“Twilight…!”

“Twilight…!”

“TWILIGHT…!”

His voice began to fade away, as well as everything around her.

“…Light”

“Twilight…!”

“Twilight, wake up!” Spike cried as he softly patter her cheeks.

She finally opened her eyes, “Oh…! Ah!” she groaned as she slowly sat upright in her own bed as the morning sunlight peeped through her window. “Spike...” she groaned as she put on her glasses. “I must’ve been having a dream.”

“I’ll say you did; shouting the place down.” said Spike “What was it all about?”

Twilight wasn’t so sure if she could explain it all, even to her own self. “Never mind, I better get ready for school. I have that test after all…”

“Um, Twilight… It’s Saturday.” Spike said as he held up her calendar.

“Oh… right…” Twilight felt very silly.

Just then, she got a text from Sunset saying that the gang was going to meet up from breakfast and if she and Spike would join them.

Spike seemed excited for it as he jumped up and panted happily. “Okay, but let me get dressed first…” Twilight said, and with that, Spike left the room.

Before dressing, Twilight took a moment to look outside, at all the people walking down the street, each and every one of them different in their own way and going about their business the way they preferred.

She couldn’t help but compare all this to her dream, preferably the way Garfield behaved. Even though it was just a dream, it did have a big reflection on life and people… and of course, it did make her realize her own ways; studying obsessively, and realizing maybe it wasn’t the only way to true greatness.

“I guess the ways of life are different for everyone.” she said to herself “It all depends on what you think about it, and what you do with it.”

Author's Note

*Wicked snicker*

Even though I wrote it so, and the whole fic was just a dream, the way Garfield behaved in this act, regardless of the good things... because he continued to reject friendship and really hurt the girls and the Titans feelings (Which helps me ease my Things change hate and MLP anger)

"You see that, Moondancer" (Amending Fences) This is the kind of stuff you should've done to get that perfect score, but you chose not to."

Ah... well, on to the next job.

Intro Act

INTRO

One night, Human Twilight Sparkle was reading her text-book as she lay in bed. Spike was growing a little annoyed that she was still at it because the light was still on, and he couldn’t sleep. “Come on, Twilight. You don’t have to cram for your big test in one night.” he groaned.

Twilight looked over her book at him, “I’m not studying for an exam, Spike. I’m just plain studying.”

Now Spike looked really annoyed.

“What, what’s wrong with just studying?” asked Twilight.

“Nothing really…” said Spike “It’s just that you study an awful lot, it’s like you’re trying to do everything for everyone at once.”

Twilight wasn’t sure how to take that, or even if it made any sense. “I’m just fascinated, Spike. You don’t really need a reason to study. Some people just study because they enjoy it, and it’s fun to learn. Plus, you never know when it may come in handy. You could even change the world because of what you learned. Remember Spike, it takes a lot of studying and a lot of hard work to be a success in life.”

Spike couldn’t really disagree with that, but he still thought it silly for someone to just study for nothing, especially if they weren’t going to use more than half of what they studied, but he didn’t wish to tell Twilight this, fearing she’d take it the wrong way.

Still, seeing as this wasn’t going to end soon, he hopped off the bed. “I’m going to go sleep in the living room. Goodnight!”

Twilight sighed. This happened every time she studied late, but she still couldn’t help it. Even after all that had happened, and now she was perfectly comfortable at her new place at Canterlot High and with all her new friends, she still preferred to keep to her studies from time-to-time.

There was so much to learn, and so much she wanted to know, especially all the magic and stuff she had discovered and experienced at the school since the Friendship Games.

Still, the harder she thought about it, and the more she gazed down at her book, her eyes began to feel heavy as weariness caught up with her. Her glasses slipped off, and she suddenly dropped down on her bed, dropping her onto the floor… which acted like a clapper to her light and shut it off.

Later that night, she had a very unusual dream… A dream where the story took place from so many points of views, not just through her own eyes; it was if she was creating a story in her own mind as well as being a character in it herself.

TEEN TITANS HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL V
“Ways of Life”

(Intro Music)

Author's Note

Before you go any further, watch this vid...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhajRakxSjM �F8��n

It will give you a basic (ONLY BASIC) idea of what the HSM Teen Titans are like, (They are not the real Teen Titans, but reborn, revised, and reincarnations of themselves.)

-Also, I have never seen any HSM in my life, it's just CALLED "High School Musical" for the basic principle of the idea of singing and dancing teens in High School and stuff (That's what it means to me... screw whatever you think is logical)/i]

Act 4: Intellectual Differences

ACT FOUR

The next day, time for school as usual…

The Equestrians and the Murakami’s all met up at the front doors, but Flash looked a little grumpy. “Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked.

Flash let out a huge yawn, “Jackie and Jillian kept me up all night with their constant chattering in the guest room, and I got band practice today. Worst of it is, they wouldn’t have breakfast with me; said home cooking was “Too lame” so they went out to eat.”

“Well, at least your assigned students were with you.” said Twilight “Garfield didn’t come to my place last night.”

Everyone looked concerned, preferably Terra, “Do you think something may have happened to him?”

“I don’t know.” said Twilight, “But my folks said if they don’t hear from him soon they may call the police for a missing person.”

Suddenly, everyone could hear the sound of rocket engines, small, but strong. Spike poked his head up from Twilight’s pack and asked, “What’s that?” fortunately, the noise was too loud for the others to hear or notice him, except for Twilight, and she gave him a soft nudge forcing him back down into the pack.

“It’s just Garfield…” Dick answered “I’d know that sound anywhere. Watch…”

Everyone watched, and sure enough Garfield came in on what appeared to be a flying moped, and he hovered above the parking lot. Every student gawked at him, from the yard, the fields, and even inside the building. Even Celestia and Luna gawked in astonishment from the main office window.

Applejack rubbed her eyes in total disbelief, “Okay, a moped that’s flying. I know I’m not goin’ crazy or somethin’.”

“You’re not.” said Vic “That’s the Tidwell-3000. It used to be just a plain ordinary moped, but Garfield supped it up so it flies.”

Rainbow couldn’t blink her eyes as she watched the moped softly set down in the parking lot, but far away from the parked cards and away from any trees and bushes. “Whoa.” she peeped “A flying moped! That is just awesome!”

Many students huddled around, but not too close, and watched as Garfield stepped off the small vehicle and removed his helmet and flying goggles, but he hid his face behind his cape as he put his shades on.

He then gawked at all the students whom were gawking at his ride, and he locked the controls and steering so no one could possibly try to steal it.

Then he just walked off, ignoring the crowd of gawkers.

The Equestrians and Murakamis jogged to catch up with him.

“How-di-do-di, Garfield…?” Pinkie said trying to be friendly, but he didn’t respond or even look at her, already stirring up some ire from everyone.

“You all set for your first official day?” Pinkie asked, still trying to get through to him, but Garfield continued to ignore her.

Finally, Twilight spoke up. “Garfield where were you last night. My folks thought you got lost when you didn’t come home with me. What were you doing?”

Finally, Garfield rude responded, “That’s really none of your business! Got it?!”

Twilight felt struck, and Spike heard what was said through the bag, but remembered he had to stay low.

“Garfield, you didn’t have to be so rough.” said Terra.

Garfield turned to face her and sneered deeply, “I know I didn’t have to, I just felt like it. It’s how I live, and it’s how I roll. You don’t like it; tough!” then he stormed off leaving Terra a mix of fear and anger for the way he just barked at her.

“What is with that guy?” asked Rainbow “You try and show him compassion and he balks at you like a wild dog.”

Sunset was fairly convinced that Garfield was in serious need of friendship help, but she didn’t know how to approach it. “What would Princess Twilight do?” she wondered softly.

“Princess Twilight?” asked Kori “What are you talking about?”

Sunset and the Equestrians looked worried. “Oh, um… I didn’t “Princess.” I said “Priceless” Priceless that Twilight would do that.”

“Um… yeah… it was pretty priceless.” Twilight agreed.

Their fib seemed to work as the Murakami’s shrugged it off.

Just then, Jackie and Jillian showed up from behind, and cleared their throats to get everyone’s attention, preferably Flash’s. “What are you standing here for?” Jackie scored.

“Yeah, are you going to carry our books to class or what?” added Jillian.

“Ugh!” groaned Flash, but he had no choice but to comply, remembering what Principal Celestia had said, and he carried the loads of books for the girls, “I’ll see you all.”

As the girls walked off, Jackie turned to face Terra, “Are you coming or what?”

“Yeah, don’t hang around with these chumps.” added Jillian.

This angered the others, but Terra felt forced to comply and excused herself from the group, walking down the hall with her so-called friends.

The Equestrians didn’t speak to each other, but they all had the same idea in mind, that Terra also may need help with her friendship troubles, depending on how severe. So they also agreed, silently, nodded back and forth at one another to observe her and the Js as best they could.

“Whatever, I’m off to class.” said Raven. “Me too.” added Kato, and they walked off together.

Soon, all the students had gone to their homerooms.

Twilight Sunset and Terra were all in the same math-class… with Garfield unfortunately. He sat at the front of the room. He had removed his cape, feeling no need to wear all through the school and put it in his locker, but he still wore his shades, and his dog-whistle. They were not against the school dress-code.

All the students were working on ten pages in their math textbooks, and after just ten minutes, Garfield closed his books up.

“Is he finished already?” Sunset whispered to Twilight. “Even I’ve never finished that fast before.” said Twilight.

Terra whispered to them both, “We told you, he’s that smart. This is kiddy-play to him.”

Twilight and Sunset were astonished.

Then Garfield looked a bit woozy again, as he rubbed his eyes behind his shades. The teacher, out of view, asked, “Are you alright, Mr. Logan?” “Just a little tired, ma’am… I’m okay.” he replied, and he got out another text book on science and physics and just quietly studied.

Sunset and Twilight were still gawking at him.

“Ladies, please focus on your work.” the teacher said, and the girls went back to their math problems.

Poor Terra found it hard to concentrate as she couldn’t stop looking at Garfield.

While Spike was feeling a little hot and cramped being cooped up in Twilight’s knapsack.

All through that morning, Garfield showed his fast paced ability to get classwork done.

Even in third period science class, which had with several students, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow, Dick, Kori and Vic, he corrected the teacher when he made a scientific error.

He was even asked to come to the board and rewrite the formula, which he did it in at such dizzying pace, and explained it along the way using complicated and expert words that most of the students felt like falling out of their seats in shock.

Even the teacher was astonished, and discovered the mistake he had made thanks to Garfield’s correction.

Garfield blew on the chalk like a western blowing on his gun barrel.

Rarity couldn’t help but faint out of weariness trying to understand it all.

In fourth period, literature, Garfield was unfortunate enough to be sharing that class with Twilight and Fluttershy, but also the Js.

They sat in the very back of the room on the left side, while Garfield sat up front in the center side, and Fluttershy and Twilight were in the middle, behind Garfield.

Twilight’s knapsack began to quiver a bit as Spike tried to roll over inside and get comfortable. “Ms. Sparkle?” the teacher called “What is that?”

Twilight quickly stashed her pack under her desk and out of view, “Oh, nothing… just my books rolling over. Er… I mean, falling over.”

The teacher wasn’t sure, but she continued her lecture on poetry as she read from her book while walking round the room.

The Js were bored to the bone. Poetry was not one of their more favorable subjects. Then again, hardly any school subject interested them, and every so often, when they were bored enough they felt like causing a little mischief.

Jackie texted to Jillian: “Look at the geek’s desk.”

Jillian could see a few crumpled balls of paper on Garfield’s desk, which he had placed while just scribbling notes in his spare time, and the girls noticed that the teacher was walking back to her desk upfront, with her back facing the class.

They both got the idea, and silently crumpled up two paper-balls, and readied to throw them, Fluttershy could see just in time as they threw the paper balls hitting the teacher’s head simultaneously.

She angrily slammed her book shut, making everyone look up to the front. “Alright, who did this?” she asked rather strictly.

Fluttershy knew, but she didn’t think it right to tattle.

The teacher then noticed the paper-balls on Garfield’s desk, and she stepped over to him, holding the paper-balls, and tapping her foot. “Mr. Logan…!”

“It was not I ma’am.” Garfield said, calmly.

“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to…”

“I can prove it…” he cut in. He took the crumpled papers from her, and opened them up; both of them were blank with nothing written on them. Then he unrumpled all three of his paper-balls, revealing each one had formulas and equations scribbled on them.

“Plus, I saw out of the corner of my eye.” he said “These two papers hit you at the same time, but on the left side of your head. I couldn’t possibly have done that while sitting at this angle. I would only be able to hit the right side or the center area of your head, but not the left.”

The teacher, astounded by his calculations, couldn’t seem to argue. “Well, then who did this?” she thundered “I’m waiting…!”

Her stern and strict voice made Fluttershy’s stomach do backflips, and she cracked under pressure. “It was them!” she suddenly squeaked while pointing to the Js.

“What…?!”

“We didn’t do it.”

“Actually, you did.” Garfield suddenly said, “When I saw the papers hit, I calculated the velocity they were thrown at by the sharpness of impact. They had to have been thrown from very far off, which meant they had to be pitched hard.”

The teacher agreed with this, and also noticed the girls’ open notebooks, each with a page torn off the top. “Ladies, I’ll see you both after class.”

Some of the students laughed at the girls’ humiliated, but the girls were outraged over it, but not as enraged with both Garfield and Fluttershy.

Garfield, smirked and turned to face forward, but he gave the left side of his head a scratch with his finger and thumb making the “Loser” gesture towards the naughty girls.

The girls turned red in their faces, which made Fluttershy quiver, while Sunset reached over and comforted her “Don’t let them get to you. It’ll be okay.”

Fluttershy was still very fretful, but Twilight was astonished by Garfield’s skills and deduction. She was convinced now that his level was well on par with, if not greater than her own, which suddenly dawned on her as she thought to herself “Maybe he acts like such a jerk because he feels he’s too good for everyone else.”

At lunch, she sat with the Equestrians, outside in the field to talk privately, but also to give Spike a chance to come out of the knapsack.

He gasped for a much-needed breath of fresh air! “Any longer in there and my nose would’ve curled up.”

“Your nose IS curled up.” Rainbow reminded him.

“Oh… right.”

Twilight explained her theory to the others, “I could be right, I once felt out of place because I preferred to study, and I often kept to myself rather than making friends.”

The others all seemed to agree, but were still just a bit skeptical, and for good reason. Even Twilight knew the difference between herself and Garfield was that, unlike him, she never acted pushy or rude.

“Well, we could always try talking to him again.” suggested Sunset, but as expected, many of the others didn’t like the idea, not really sure they wanted to put up with more of Garfield’s sour attitude.

“Come on, we’re all doing this for friendship now.” said Sunset “If Princess Twilight were here, she’d urge us to keep trying. That’s how she convinced me to go for it.”

“Yeah, but you were willing to give it a chance.” said Rainbow “I doubt Garfield will be want that. He just doesn’t seem the type.”

“Well, Sunset is right… we should keep trying.” said Rarity “Even if it means having to endure his… eh… rather harsh features.”

The bell rang, “Whoop… time to shake a leg.” said Applejack.

Twilight picked spike up and stuffed him back into her knapsack, much to his annoyance, “Not again!”

“Sorry, Spike, but it’s the only choice I have. I can’t just leave you at home alone you know.”

As Fluttershy got her books for next period out of her locker, she was suddenly confronted by the Js. Terra was with them, but she didn’t do or say much of anything.

“Look, it’s a girl who’s scared of her own shadow.” Jackie mocked.

Fluttershy quivered nervously, “Um… can I… help you?” she stammered.

“Yeah, as a matter fact you can.” hissed Jackie. “Thanks to you and that freak kid, Logan… we just got detention on our first day!” added Jillian.

Both girls looked ready to give Fluttershy a really rough time, “I don’t think you should do that!” she whimpered “Fighting isn’t allowed on school-grounds, you know.”

The girls didn’t care and continued step towards her. “Come on, girls don’t.” said Terra. “Keep out of this!” snapped Jillian “You need to learn what it means to be one of us, and we don’t take kindly to those who makes fools of us.”

Suddenly, Garfield showed up, “Maybe that’s because you ARE fools, and you deserved every bit of it.”

The girls turned to face him. “Well, well… if it isn’t the other half of the troublemakers.” sneered Jackie. Jillian looked at Fluttershy, “We’ll deal with you later, wimp.”

Terra and Fluttershy both watched as the girls approached Garfield. “Garfield, just go.” Terra called to him.

“Be quiet!” he snapped at her.

“Hey! You don’t snap at us like that!” sneered Jackie.

“Yeah, it’s we who snap at you… and if you’re not careful, we’ll snap your neck!”

Garfield only smirked at them, and then playfully picked his ear, “Um, you think you could say that again… I’m not so sure the Vice Principal heard what you said.”

The girls turned and saw VP Luna stand there with her arms folded and a strict look on her face. “I hope we are not having any more problems, ladies.” she said in a deep tone.

The girls stuttered and stammered, “We were just… um…”

“…Heading off to class.”

“That’s what I thought.” said Luna. The Js walked past Garfield and down the hall, feeling more humiliated than ever. Terra was not in the next class with them, so she stayed.

Fluttershy was ever so grateful, “Thank you Vice Principal Luna.”

Luna nodded at her, “There is no tolerance for bullying at this school. Anyone who knowing breaks this rule will find themselves in really deep trouble. Now, run along ladies, you’ll be late for class.”

The girls agreed, and as for Garfield he simply scoffed and walked off sourly.

“Garfield, wait…” Terra called as she dashed to catch up to him. “Hey, wait.” Fluttershy cried as she dash off with her.

“No running in the halls!” Luna called out to them, but the students had already gone.

The girls caught up with Garfield.

“Garfield, are you okay?” Terra asked.

“I’m perfectly fine. Can’t you see that?” he sneered at her.

“Oh… well… um…” Fluttershy stammered “Thanks for sticking up for me back there.”

“I wasn’t sticking up for you. I just like seeing bad people get what they deserve.”

The girls weren’t sure if he was in denial or just being plain rude, but it seemed more the latter.

Suddenly, Garfield had another one of his little weary attacks, but he brushed it off quickly and snapped himself awake.

“Are you okay?” Terra asked.

“I’m fine! Leave me alone!” he snarled.

Fluttershy’s features hardened, and she spoke her mind “Hey, she was just trying to be nice to you, and maybe even help you!”

Garfield turned to face her, and his stern expression, despite wearing shades, made her assertiveness begin to fade. “I don’t need help, especially from a pair of little kids! I’m outta here!”

Then he was gone, and both the girls felt hurt. Fluttershy was almost near tears for being insulted like that, while Terra’s features hardened. “What is his problem?!” she wondered softly to herself.