I step out of the limo, tell Spike to stay close, and walk over to Flash.

"What's a pretty lady such as yourself doing here without a date?" Flash teases.

"Well, I had a date, but he stood me up. I don't suppose you'd like to join me?" I say coyly.

"I'd love to." He replies, offering his arm to me.

I giggle as I take it and we walk in. I'm blown away by how amazing the gym looks with the disco ball lit up. I decide to enjoy myself until I have to pray that I represent the element of magic to ignite the power of friendship. Yeah, no pressure.

"Well, may I have the honor of the first dance?" Flash asks, fortunately interrupting my thoughts.

"Of course I would." I reply while taking his hand, feeling that same tingly feeling I felt earlier, except this time we don't pull away.

Fortunately this song is a swing dance, in which I am well versed. "Where did you live, before moving here?" Flash asks.

"Um, I lived in... Ponyville!" I say quickly.

"Oh. What's it like?" He asks with genuine curiosity.

"Um, it's a nice, quaint little town. Plenty of ponies there." I say with a smile.

He laughs and says, "I'm sure."

"Did you grow up here?" I ask on impulse.

"Why yes, I did. I've made some good friends here."

"So have I. What do you plan to be? After college I mean." I ask shyly.

"I plan to be a police officer. I've loved protecting innocent people. I'd prefer to be a royal guard though. How about you?" He replies.

"I'm not sure. I'd like to be a screenwriter, but circumstances may prevent me from doing so." I explain.

"What kind of circumstances?" He probes.

"Um, my... Family! Wants me to be a... Doctor! And I don't want to let them down." I say, not really lying since my parents wanted me to be a Doctor.

"Well, you're almost a adult. You can make your own choices." He says, almost triumphantly.

"True, but I'd like to honor my parents. But I will talk to them, with respect of course." I say gently.

Then the song ends and a girl asks Flash to dance. He accepts reluctantly and I go put a request in at the DJ booth and then go hang with my friends. We take photos, I watch a dance off between AJ, RD, Scoots and AB. I wink at AB. But she doesn't see me. I sigh and look around for Flash, who's talking with some of his buddies. I sigh again.

"What's up with you? That's like, the third time you've sighed." Rainbow asks.

I put on a smile and say, "I'm fine. Just thinking."

"About what?" Pinkie interjects.

"Um, Sunset. I haven't seen her here."

"Hmmm. Neither have Ah." AJ remarks.

"She's probably too scared to show her face. She has to know you won by a landslide." Rainbow says cockily.

"Maybe. Let's dance." I say.

We go on the dance floor and have fun. Until someone touches me from behind. I let out an ear piercing shriek. Or at least, it would be if it made it past my throat. I whirl around and see Flash. "Sorry if I startled you. I called your name a couple times, but you didn't respond. I was wondering if you'd like to dance?"

I start to say yes, but then Principal Roberta, I mean Celestia, interrupts saying, "First off, I wanna say how wonderful everything looks tonight. You all did a magnificent job pulling things together after the unfortunate events of earlier. And now, without further ado, I'd like to announce the winner of this year's Fall Formal crown. The Princess of this year's Fall Formal is..." She does a dramatic pause. "Twilight Sparkle!" She says loudly.

"Congratulations, Twilight." Flash says, giving me a hug. The girls congratulate me too as I walk to receive the Crown.

"Help girls!" Fluttershy yells softly.

"Fluttershy!" I shout, jumping off the stage and running outside.

"That's close enough!" Sunset says, holding a mallet right over Fluttershy's head.

"Are you that cruel?! Have you no value for human life?!" I shout.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. I'm not a monster, Twilight. Let her go."

I'm literally seething with anger. "What do you want!" I growl.

"The crown Twilight. I want the Crown! You don't belong here. Give me the crown, and you can go back to Equestria tonight. Or keep it and never go home."

"You're right. I don't belong here. But I know you will destroy both my home and this world if I give you the crown. So my answer is... No!"

"Fine. You win." She relents.

"You did that, knowing you may not make it home? I don't know if I could do that." Rarity says with amazement and astonishment in her voice.

"You all are more important than me getting home." I say.

"No wonder you're a real princess." Fluttershy adds.

I look over at Sunset just as she yells, "Oh, yes, she's so very special!" She leaps at me and knocks the crown off my head. I try to grab her foot and thus begins the hot potato game. It goes to Spike, then Rainbow, then Fluttershy, then AJ, then Rarity, then Snips, then Pinkie, and then back to me. I try to keep it away from Snips and Snails, but I loose my grip and Sunset grabs it saying, "I'll take that!"

I look on with horror as she puts it on her head. "More power, than I could ever imagine." The magical effect that has is much scarier than it I remembered in the movie. She turns into the She-Daemon and lets out a maniacal laugh. "I've had to jump through so many hoops tonight just to get my hands on this crown, and it really should have been mine all along." She says with a growl. Then she smiles maliciously. "But let's let bygones be bygones. I am your princess now, and you will be loyal... to me!"

She then turns Snips and Snails into daemons too and casts a mind control spell on most of the student body. Including Flash. "Round them up and bring them to the portal." She barks at her minions. "Spoiler alert: I was bluffing when I said I was going to destroy the portal. I don't want to rule this pathetic little high school; I want Equestria! And with my own little teenage army behind me, I am going to get it!"

"No! You won't!" I shout. My heart pounding in my throat.

"Oh, please! What exactly do you think you're going to do to stop me? I have magic, and you have nothing!" She says.

Fear is almost choking me. I'm so scared. A verse flits across my mind. "'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.'" I whisper aloud.

"She has us!" Rainbow says at almost the same time.

She laughs as she says mockingly, "Gee, the gang really is all back together again. Now step aside! Twilight has tried to interfere with my plans one too many times already! She needs to DIE!" I inhale sharply as I remember mine and Apple Bloom's plan. A stone knocks my crown off of Sunset. Similar to how David knocks Goliath down in the Bible now that I think of it.

A pink glow covers me and my friends. Oops, I mean my friends and I. No I was right the first time. Well technically I was right both times. That was a call back to something I didn't even hear! "The magic contained in my Element was able to unite with those that helped create it!" I say triumphantly.

"Honesty!" I say as AJ 'ponies up.'

"Kindness!" I say as Flutters "ponies" up too.

"Laughter!" Pinkie does the same thing.

"Generosity!" You should see the pattern by now.

"Loyalty!" If you don't see the pattern you don't have the sense God gave you.

"Magic!" Now it feels weirder than heck to 'pony up;' my ears morph into my scull and reposition themselves on top and feel, oddly normal. My hair grows longer, but only in one place, yet it's not too weird. And wings pop out, near my shoulder blades. "Together with the crown, they create a power beyond almost anything you could imagine, but it is a power you don't have the ability to control! The crown may have been upon your head, Sunset Shimmer, but you cannot wield it, because you do not possess the most powerful magic of all: the magic of friendship!" I grab the hands of two girls, (I can't tell who they are,) and a Rainbow comes down and frees everyone from the dark magic. It doesn't create a chasm, however it doesn't restore the wall. "You will never rule in Equestria. Any power you may have had in this world is gone. Tonight, you've shown everyone who you really are. You've shown them what is in your heart. And now you have a choice. You can choose to run away, or you can take my hand and accept my forgiveness and friendship. It's up to you."

Her head perks up and she asks, "You'd forgive me? After what I did?"

"We all make mistakes sometimes. I do. And if God can forgive me, Well, I can certainly forgive others. No matter how far they fall."

"I believe this belongs to you." Celestia says, holding my crown. "A true princess in any world leads not by forcing others to bow before her, but by inspiring others to stand with her. We have all seen that you are capable of just that. I hope you see it too, Princess Twilight. And while I admire your forgiveness Twilight, she must be punished. She can repair the wall." Principal Celestia says. After she puts the crown on my head.

"I accept what you say and I bend to your authority."

"May I re-voice My question for the last dance?" Flash asks.

"I believe you did, and I accept, however, I Will help Sunset with as much of the wall as I can." I say.

A collective gasp goes up around the courtyard. "But Twilight, don't you remember what she did? She broke our friendship!" AJ asks.

"How did she do that?" I ask.

"She lied to Rainbow."

"I'm aware that she did that. However I fail to see how that broke your friendship." I respond.

"Bu- wi- huh?"

"All Sunset did was drive a wedge. Not break your friendship. In fact, let's remove her from the equation. Let's say for a minute that Sunset never left Equestria. Rainbow agreed to show up with the softball team. But the same day as your bake sale, her parents told her that they had volunteered themselves and her to set up for a party. She reluctantly agreed and went to change into a different outfit. While there she called her second in command and asked her to round up the softball team and go to your bake sale. By that time she didn't have enough time to contact you, So she figured she could explain later. Her second in command decided that it wasn't important to go to your bake sale. They don't show up so you send a scathing text to Rainbow and neither of you talk to each other again. Does that leave you as friends? Sunset didn't do anything. You see, either way there was a wedge. You both saw it. But neither of you tried to talk or fought for your friendship. You didn't love each other enough to do so."

"LOVE?! What in the Sam hill are you talking about!?" AJ yells.

"Love doesn't necessarily mean romance. There are many different types of love. Familial love, the love you have for your parents and siblings. Romantic love, this love is the most common love you'll hear about, it's the love you have for your spouse. Friendship love, it's the love you have for your friends, however you have to work at love. It's not something you feel, it's something you do. Why do you think there are so many divorces? Broken friendships? Dysfunctional families? It's because no one wants to work at it. Love isn't just a noun; it's a verb too. Neither Friendship nor Love is ever going to be easy. But there's no doubt they're worth fighting for. I'm willing to fight for our friendship. If you are Sunset."

"I am. Thank you." Sunset says with tears in her eyes.

"You're right Twilight. I'll help out too." AJ says.

"So will I." Flash says.

Everyone agrees and offers to help.

"Thank you all." I say.

We work hard and almost finish it. However a few things need to be special ordered and Celestia says that she'll have contractors put those in.

We walk into the gym and Flash takes my hand just as the song I requested comes on.

I'm wishing I could see the finish line
Where it ends, where it lands
Guess I lost my vision when the pain set in

I whirl around the dance floor in Flash's arms. "You're a wonderful dancer." I compliment.

Can I believe when I don't see?
Can I really let it be out of my hands?
When it's out of my hands

This isn't what I'd choose
But it's where I'm finding You
When I'm broken and undone
Your mercy's just begun

You overcome my doubt
Your hands are reaching out
You hold me through the storm
And I will fear no more
And I will fear no more
(And) I will fear no more

"So are you." He replies.

I can't look into the future but
I know where You have been
Before me, after, and always within

"I'm gonna miss you Flash." I say.

"I know, but you'll be back someday, Right?"

"I'll try." I reply honestly.

But can I believe when I don't see?
Can I really let it be out of my hands?
'Cause it's out of my hands, oh

This isn't what I'd choose
But it's where I'm finding You
When I'm broken and undone
Your mercy's just begun

You overcome my doubt
Your hands are reaching out
You hold me through the storm
And I will fear no more
And I will fear no more
(And I will fear no more)

"Thanks for helping me and Sunset fix the wall." I say.

I'm not giving up
I'm giving in
To what You've planned
For Your glory

Not giving up (I'm not giving up)
I'm giving in (I'm giving in)
To what You've planned
For Your glory

I'm not giving up, oh
It's for Your glory

"Of course. It's the least I could do."

This isn't what I'd choose
But it's where I'm finding You
When I'm broken and undone
Your mercy's just begun
You overcome my doubt
Your hands are reaching out

You hold me through the storm
And I will fear no more
And I will fear no more
(And) I will fear no more

(I will never give, I will never give in)
And I will fear no more
(I will never give, I will never give in)
I will fear no more

As I go to take a final picture with my friends, I got to thinking, You know, as much as this seems like a fairy tale ending, I know that my journey has just begun. I know I can place my trust in God.

I walk out to the portal, and I ask after a final group hug, "You'll look out for her, won't you?"

"Of course. She apologized, so I will." Rarity responds.

"Is it just because she apologized?" I ask.

"Well... No. Even if she hadn't, you're proof that you can forgive even if the other person doesn't apologize." She says confidently.

"I'll miss you all." I say.

They all agree and we share another group hug. Then I fly over to Flash and give him a hug. "I'll really miss you."

"So will I." He says, holding me close.

"Can I ask a favor?"

"Of course. What do you need?" He asks.

"Will you give this to Apple Bloom?" I ask, handing him an envelope.

"Sure, but why don't you give it to Applejack?" He asks.

"Trust me, I need you to deliver it." I reply.

"Ok." He says, taking it.

"Goodbye Flash. Or do you prefer Mr. Sentry?" I say jokingly.

He smirks as he says, "It's Flash. Goodbye Twilight. Or do you prefer Ms. Sparkle?"

"Definitely Twilight." I say with a twinkle in my eye. "Goodbye." I say while giving him a hug.

"Goodbye." Flash says as he lets me go.

I walk over to the portal and take a deep breath. "What are you going to do when you get home?" Spike asks.

"I don't know. But I'll be asking to go to bed as soon as I get there. I'm beat." I respond.

I step into the portal, expecting to be out in maybe thirty seconds. However I go through another transformation. My hands and fingers meld together and morph into hooves. As do my toes and feet. I feel my breasts sink into my chest and my neck get longer. My hair changes shape and I feel a horn grow out of my head. My body changes into that of a pony. My clothes rip off and I feel a tail pop out of my bottom. Then I step out of the portal.

I'm on two legs and I quickly fall forward.

"Twilight!" Pony Fluttershy says happily.

"You're back!" Pony Rainbow shouts as she flies over to me.

"And you've got your crown!" Pony Rarity adds.

"Oh, we were so worried." Pony AJ says as they all give me a group hug.

"Sunset Shimmer, is she alright?" Princess Celestia asks.

"She's fine. I left her in good hands." I say.

"What are hands?" Rainbow asks.

I yawn and say, "I'd love to tell ya, but I'm really hungry and tired. Can I tell you in the morning?"

"Of course. We're so sorry. Here, I'll have the chefs make something for you." Cadance says.

I go to the dining room and eat with Spike and then go to my room. "What are you going to tell them?" Spike asks as soon as we get into the room.

"I don't know Spike. But I do know this. I need sleep and this is only the beginning." I say as I lay down. I fall asleep very quickly after I finish.

Author's Note

I can't believe it's been about six months since I published this, and now a section of it is finished. I'd like to thank, The Blue EM2 for proofreading and suggesting ideas, Godslittleprincess for the encouragement as I wrote this and the idea for Spike to find out that Katrina wasn't Twilight, Thunderous for the moral support, Cascaderapids for the idea I'm going to use in its sister story,
And Devious Dazzle for the kind words. I hope you all realize how much you all mean to me.