I was in the library when I noticed Twilight reading from Sunset Shimmer’s journal.

“Looks like Sunset Shimmer is planning to attend Summer Camp in the near future,” Twilight said as she read the entries.

“Aren’t we nearing the end of summer?” I asked.

“According to Sunset, it just started in her world. I guess time moves differently there than here.”

So they’re technically two years ahead when Twilight and I first came to her world, but time is slower there than in Equestria? Even Einstein would be confused about this relativity.

“Say, Twilight,” I said. “This might seem like a random request, but is it okay if I joined Sunset’s Summer Camp for the week?”

“Why?” Twilight asked.

“Well, I want to learn how humans spend their time in a summer camp. I’d also like to see how Spike is faring as a human these days.”

While both of them were true, I also wanted to change some of the events of “Legend of Everfree.” I had to admit that my actions were a bit lackluster the last time I was in the human world, almost as if it was something Hasbro themselves made. Then again, the only significant thing I did that had an effect was getting Wallflower and Sunset back together again. I hoped this time I could prevent Gloriosa, the camp counselor, from turning evil, or at the very least prevent the docks from getting destroyed so much.

“Well, I guess you can go if it’s alright with Sunset,” said Twilight. “I’ll ask her.”

“Thank you,” I replied.

Twilight scribbled into the journal. A few minutes later, some new text appeared.

“She says it’s okay,” Twilight confirmed. “She’ll let you know the day they have to leave.”

I stood in front of the portal, donning my backpack full of trinkets including but not limited to pencils, a notebook, a few non-gemstone snacks, bug spray, and sunscreen. I had thoughts about bringing some gems along to help with Timber and Gloriosa’s financial issues, but I doubted there was any pawn shop or jewelry store near the camp, let alone one that could believe the Equestrian gems to be real.

“I know this isn’t an official summer camp session for you, Spike,” Twilight said, “but it’s still going to be lonely here without you.”

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” I said. “I’ll just be gone for the week, or at least the human equivalent of a week. I could borrow Sunset’s journal to keep you updated, with her permission, of course.”

Twilight and I shared one last hug before I stepped through the portal. The swirling colors were never easy to get used to. By the time I arrived at the other side, I was once again in my human form.

I took in the surroundings. The statue above the portal had already been replaced, if the pristine marble proved anything. Buses filled the parking lot behind it. I noticed Principal Celestia examining a clipboard. I hurried up to her.

“Hello, Principal Celestia,” I greeted. “Does this bus go to Camp Everfree?”

“It does.” Celestia looked up at me. “Wait a minute. Spike? I thought you were already on the bus.”

One of the windows opened, and Sunset Shimmer’s head popped out.

“He’s with me, Principal Celestia,” Sunset called out. “He’s the other Spike. I had him registered for this week.”

“Oh, that explains why you were listed twice.” Celestia flipped through the clipboard. “I thought it was a computer glitch. Well, hop in and take a seat. You can change into your summer camp outfit when we get there.”

I went up the steps and walked down the aisle. Sunset motioned me over, and I sat next to her. Once everypony was seated, the bus took off down the road.

“I’m glad you could make it,” Sunset said. “I didn’t think you’d be interested in joining us.”

“I wanted to study more about this world,” I replied. “And since I’ve never been to a summer camp, this could be the perfect opportunity.”

While I didn’t recall the old Spike attending a summer camp, in the show or in his memories, I had attended a few summer camps in my old world. However, they weren’t overnight stays at a cabin. In fact, most of them felt like attending a school: getting dropped off and then picked up at the end of the day. Therefore, Camp Everfree was going to be my and old Spike’s first time at an official summer camp.

“Well, there won't be much to go on,” Sunset said. “It's just going to be a few outdoor activities. Nothing exciting compared to the last few times you visited.”

“Hey, you never know.” I shrugged.

“I hope we can tell ya apart from the other Spike,” Applejack said. “It's gonna get confusin’ without knowing who's who.”

She pointed to the Spike across the aisle, who sat next to a napping Twilight.

“Don’t worry,” Alter-Spike said. “I'll be wearing this blue cap.”

“And I'll wear my purple hoodie if the weather’s not too hot at Camp Everfree,” I said. “Say, Spike, how’s your time as a human going? You look like you’ve got the hang of it.”

“It's been good, actually. I have Twilight and her friends to thank for that. Rarity taught me table manners. Rainbow Dash and Applejack showed me how to walk and move properly. Fluttershy gave me advice on how to keep my instincts in check. Pinkie informed me of different types of food to eat. Sunset told me how to use different types of technology, and Twilight helped me reach the same academic level as the other high school students.”

“Do you miss being a dog?”

“Yeah, but not so much. I don't have to worry about fleas or shedding. I can taste a lot more flavors, and now I know why everyone likes chocolate so much. Clothes don't bother me that much, and neither does bathing anymore. I get to see and enjoy places that don't allow dogs outside of service animals.” Alter-Spike looked at his fingers. “Some parts of my body I enjoy having, some I miss. I still have some dog abilities, like having a good sense of hearing and smelling.”

“Are there any slip-ups? You know, times where your dog instincts kicked in?”

“There were a few, but they were minor, like that one time I barked at the mail carrier. I think she looked more confused than frightened.”

“Did Twilight's parents ever find out about you turning human?”

“Yeah, and they were disappointed in Twilight. They lectured her, saying stuff like, ‘this is what happens when you play a god,’ and all that. But, they happily accepted me as part of their family in the end. Shining Armor said that he always wanted a little brother to play with him and Twilight.”

Suddenly, Twilight twitched uncomfortably. She waved her arms in front of her.

“No! Stop!” She shouted.

“Twilight! Wake up!” Alter-Spike called out.

Twilight sat straight up, hyperventilating like she just ran a mile.

“We can’t stop, silly,” Pinkie said. “We're not there yet!”

“Twilight, are you alright?” I asked.

“I was just about to ask the same thing,” said Sunset.

“I’m…fine,” Twilight replied.

I said, “Did this have anything to do with—?”

“We are gonna have so much fun!” Pinkie interrupted.

The girls quickly changed the subject, hyping up for the camp. Celestia and Luna even joined in for the other students.

I sighed as I leaned back.

Guess that will have to wait until later.

The rest of the bus trip was uneventful, aside from the passengers singing.

By the time we passed the wooden arch, the bus riders all leaned against the windows. We exited the bus, taking in the nature around us.

“Isn't Camp Everfree just beautiful?” Fluttershy fawned. “I can't wait until we have our first nature walk.”

“I definitely wanna go on one of those,” Alter-Spike said.

“You wanna see all the adorable woodland creatures, too?”

“Yeah! Specifically squirrels. More specifically, so I can chase them!”

“Spike…” Fluttershy spoke like a scornful mother.

Alter-Spike covered his mouth. “Sorry. It slipped out.”

Everybody else shared what they wanted to do at camp. Applejack wanted to rough it, even though food and shelter was already provided. Rarity wanted to relax, and given the various enemies she and the others faced since Pony Twilight and my first visit, I don’t blame her.

“Canterlot High has become a regular magic magnet,” Applejack said. “Guess you ‘n’ your Twilight are sorta responsible for that.”

“Hey, all we wanted was the crown,” I said. “We didn’t mean for all this to happen.”

“In any case, it’s gonna be nice gettin' away to a place where we don't have to worry about that kinda stuff.”

I wouldn’t count on that, Applejack.

That’s when Flash ran up to Twilight and handed her her backpack. Just like in the show, both of them acted rather awkwardly with each other. No doubt it was because Sci-Twi reminded Flash of my Twilight, the pony he had a crush on.

All of a sudden, a high, screeching sound of audio feedback rang through-out the forest, causing everyone to cover their ears.

“Hey, everyone!” A girl’s voice rang from a nearby speaker. “If you could start heading to the courtyard, that would be rad! It's time to start the best week of camp ever!”

Once everyone regained their hearing, we grouped in the middle of the campsite. On the gazebo, two people approached a mounted microphone. The first was a magenta-haired girl donning summer clothes, a flower crown, and a necklace with familiar gemstones. Her name was Gloriosa Daisy, this movie’s temporary villain. The green-haired boy next to her wore a red shirt, cargo shorts, and a beanie. This was Timber Spruce, Sci-Twi’s crush.

Honestly, I didn’t mind this ship too much. It was better written than with Flash and my Twilight. Although, I had no idea what Timber and Sci-Twi’s age gap was, and I hoped Timber was still in his teens.

As the two hosts announced to the crowd, I observed my surroundings. While I saw the same characters that were in the original movie, I noticed a few new ones. Wallflower was one of them. I guessed that having her rebond with Sunset made her more outgoing.

Kinda reminds me of when I changed Moondancer’s future for the better.

I turned my attention to Gloriosa and Timber, both of whom showed small signs of tension between each other over the camp gift: a tradition where campers craft a big project for future campers to enjoy. I wasn’t the only one who noticed; I could see Sunset talking to Pinkie and Twilight about it.

“Now's the time when we give out tent assignments so you can leave your heavy bags behind,” Timber announced.

“Girls will be getting their assignments from Timber,” Gloriosa added. “Guys, you're with me.”

I grouped up with the other guys just as Gloriosa got out a bag. I picked mine, which was Topaz. By sheer coincidence, it was Alter-Spike’s as well.

“Wow! What are the chances?” Alter-Spike said.

“Heh, are you sure the bag’s not rigged?” I joked to Gloriosa.

“All tent assignments are signed at random,” Gloriosa told us.

Once we all got their assigned tents, Gloriosa told us to drop our stuff off. Just as she said that, Filthy Rich arrived on the scene in a black limousine.

Honestly, Mr. Rich’s EG design reminds me of Donald Trump, but with black hair.

Goriosa assured us Mr. Rich was an alumni of Camp Everfree, but I knew the real reason. The camp was experiencing financial problems, and Mr. Rich wanted to purchase the place so he could build a spa over it.

Alter-Spike and I went over to our tent and unpacked our stuff. Conveniently, the staff left us some spare Camp Everfree shirts.

“This will be my first time being away from Twilight,” Alter-Spike said. “My Twilight anyway. I hope she’ll be alright without me. How about you, Spike?”

“This isn’t my first time,” I replied. “But I still hope my Twilight will be okay as well.”

I stared out of the tent, thinking in more detail on how to change this episode. I could sneak into the quarry and take the other two gems, but then it would prevent the girls from getting their super powers.

“Spike? Spike?” Alter-Spike grabbed my shoulder. “Hey, Mirror Spike. You good?”

I blinked rapidly. “Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought.”

“Yeah. You know I think there’s something up with Timber and Gloriosa, and something tells me that filthy guy is more than just an alumni.”

“I was thinking the same thing. Say, is your Twilight still worried about what happened at the Friendship Games?”

“I don’t know.” Alter-Spike shrugged. “I tried asking her, but she either avoids the question or says a broad answer and changes the subject.”

I know Midnight Sparkle was a bad experience for Twilight, but to keep her feelings from even her own former-pet?

“Well, in any case let’s unpack our stuff and get to the docks.” Alter-Spike scratched his nose. “Maybe you’ll get some info about how summer camp works then.”

“I’m already getting some good material, such as how you guys arrive at a summer camp, what outfits you would wear, where you sleep, et cetera.”

“You should write that down in your red notebook when you get the chance.”

“Yeah, I should. In fact, I’ll do it right now.”

I walked over to my backpack. That’s when it clicked.

“Hey, wait. How did you know I had a red notebook? I didn’t take it out of my backpack yet.”

“I…” Alter-Spike scratched his chin. “I don’t know. I guess I had a feeling.”

I raised an eyebrow as I pulled out the book and a pencil.

Is it possible he’s seen this before? Nah, it’s got to be something else.

After writing down my entry, I took off my hoodie and lime-striped shirt. Then I slipped into one of the camp shirts with a green collar and put my hoodie right back on. Alter-Spike and I left our tent and made our way to the docks.

“So, Sunset told me you’re a dragon in your world,” Alter-Spike said. “Is…is that true?”

“Yeah,” I replied.

“Really? No joke?! That’s amazing! What kind of dragon are you? Are you the muscular four-legged ones, the two-legged ones with attached wings, or the noodle-shaped ones?”

I chuckled, “None of those, I’m afraid. I’m currently the chubby, two-legged, wingless one. But I’ll get my wings someday.”

“You think I could visit your world sometime and see what life is like as a dragon there?”

“If you want to.”

We arrived at the lake just to see the other campers hanging around. We met up with Twilight and Sunset. Twilight had a worried look on her face.

“Twilight! Good to see you again!” Alter-Spike ran up to Twilight and hugged her. He had his tongue out, but he immediately stuck it back in. “Oop, sorry! I was just about to lick you.”

“It’s okay, Spike.” Twilight hugged back.

“Was everything alright at your tent?” I asked.

Sunset looked at Twilight. “It’s…been fine. Nothing unusual.”

I knew she was lying. In the show, the objects in Sunset and Twilight’s tent levitated all of a sudden, like something out of a Gravity Falls intro. As much as Sunset wanted to tell the other girls, Twilight forbade it thinking she brought the magic with her.

“Who wants to go canoeing?!” Twilight proclaimed, changing the subject.

Both she and Alter-Spike slipped into life jackets, and they walked onto the deck. I followed them.

“Do you know how to swim, Spike?” I asked.

Alter-Spike replied, “Yeah, Rainbow taught me a few strokes.”

“Including dog-paddle?” I teased.

“No. I already knew that one.”

We passed Fluttershy just as she fed some ducks.

“Aren't they just the cutest?” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight turned around to see the ducks. That’s when I saw a familiar board.

“Twilight! Look out!” I shouted.

Snap!

Twilight stepped on the weak board and lost her balance. Thankfully, Timber caught her.

“Whoa!” Timber said, “I know I'm charming, but you don't have to fall for me.”

“Aren’t you a bit too old to be flirting with high schoolers, Timber?” I asked suspiciously.

“I'm 16, kid,” Timber replied. “My sister's 20, which is why she's the owner of the camp.”

“Alright then.”

At least it makes me feel a little more comfortable about the Sci-Twi and Timber ship.

The scene played out like in the show. Luna suggested the docks be closed down, much to the campers’ disappointment. Gloriosa convinced us that she could patch the dock up, but Applejack offered to rebuild the deck as part of their camp gift. Almost everyone was on board, except for Timber.

We discussed how to design the dock and what features to add. Sunset suggested adding a sign, Fluttershy wished to add feeding boxes for the fish and ducks, and Rainbow offered to include lanterns. We spent the rest of the day restoring part of the dock.

Later that evening, we gathered around the campfire roasting marshmallows and swapping scary stories. Although, the stories so far were more dull than daunting, especially Rarity’s tale. I hated to admit it, but Alter-Spike’s spiel wasn’t any better.

“...and then she spoke, ‘See you soon,’ and she closed the door behind her, never to return,” he concluded.

Everyone around us bore the same monotonous expressions as the other stories.

“That’s it?” Rainbow asked unenthusiastically. “What happened to the girl?”

“That’s the thing,” Alter-Spike said. “Nobody knows.”

“Actually, the girl came back after ten minutes, as she specified,” Twilight said.

“Do you have any idea how much that is in dog years?!”

“There is no set dog-to-human time ratio. A dog’s age correlates to their size and breed.”

“Heh. Typical human mindset,” Spike snarked under his breath.

“How about you, Mirror Spike?” Rainbow asked me. “Got any scary stories from the other world?”

I answered, “Well, there's one where Vice Principal Luna's pony counterpart turned evil.”

“What?!” Luna asked astonishingly.

“It’s gotta be better than the other ones,” Rainbow Dash said. “Go ahead, we’re all ears.”

“Well...” I looked at Twilight. “I’m afraid it might bring up a sensitive topic for some of us.”

“I-it’s okay, Mirror Spike,” Twilight responded. “You can tell it anyway.”

“Okay, but just to make things clear, if at any point you guys wonder how a pony can do something, just remember it’s because of magic.” I said.

I cleared my throat and told the story. While I had to pause the story to clarify certain factors, I had a few people interested, including Luna and Celestia. Even Twilight was engrossed in the tale, which was a surprise.

“...and while Princess Luna turned back to good, the evil spirit of Nightmare Moon still lives on to this day, waiting for its next victim,” I spookily narrated. “That’s why once every year, we dress up in costumes to keep Nightmare Moon’s spirit at bay.”

“Okay, that was definitely better,” said RD.

“I never thought there could be an alternate version of myself,” Luna said. “Let alone one where I live almost indefinitely on the moon due to a past misdeed.”

“Hey, it’s the truth,” I said. “Thankfully, like I said before, my Luna’s a good guy now.”

“If you like that story, then you’ll love this one,” Timber said to everyone. “But I'm warning you, you might as well hug a friend now. That's how scary it is!”

Everyone huddled together in fright. I scooched over to Fluttershy and Alter-Spike.

“It's time I told you about the legend of Gaea Everfree,” Timber said.

Timber went on with the story. He explained how his great-grandparents built a cabin in the Everfree Forest only to be confronted by Gaea Everfree herself! After pleading with her, they were granted permission to build a camp for future generations; however, they were warned that Gaea would return someday to retake the entire forest.

Even though I heard the story already, it still sent chills up my spine.

“So if you see a trail of gem dust,” said Timber, “you'll know that it is…Gaea Everfree!”

A pair of eyes appeared from behind him, freaking everyone out. I heard more screeches here than in a horror movie theater.

“Hey, guys,” Gloriosa greeted as she appeared from the shadows. “Sorry, didn't mean to scare you!”

“Then why'd you come out of the bushes?” Sunset asked.

“I...took the scenic route, because the forest is beautiful at night. B-but no one else should do it without a guide, kay? All right, everybody, time to head to your tents.”

As the campers dispersed, the girls, Alter-Spike, and I grouped up.

“Erg! Fluttershy?!” Alter-Spike choked. “You can stop hugging me, please!”

Fluttershy immediately released her grip. “Sorry, Spike. I guess that story got to me.”

“Why?” Applejack shrugged. “It can't be real.”

“I don’t know,” Rainbow said uneasily. “Gaea Everfree could be some creature that got booted from Equestria and ended up in this world. That's what happened with the sirens. Mirror Spike, you’re from Equestria. Has there ever been a Gaea Everfree there?”

“I can’t confirm nor deny that,” I replied. “Mainly because I don’t know.”

“Sounded more like something that Timber was makin' up just to scare us.” Applejack said. “At least I hope it was. Last thing I want is to have camp ruined by some power-crazed magical creature.”

“Oh, hear-hear,” Rarity agreed. “We've had to deal with more than our fair share of those. At the Fall Formal, a musical showcase, the Friendship Ga—” Rarity noticed Twilight’s disturbed expression. “Well, I mean, you know, everything turned out alright, of course.”

“I'm kinda tired. I'm gonna turn in,” Twilight said as she walked away.

Sunset suggested, “Maybe lay off bringing up what happened at the Friendship Games? I think she's still pretty sensitive about it.”

Everyone agreed, including me, even though I wished to cheer Twilight up early.

Alter-Spike and I returned to our tent. We got into our pajamas and hopped into bed. I wrote a few new entries in my notebook.

“I wonder if Gaea Everfree really was from Equestria,” I said. “I’ll ask Twilight when I get back home.”

“I don’t know if she’ll be in the mood to talk about evil creatures, Mirror Spike,” Alter-Spike said.

“I was talking about my Twilight.”

“Oh, sorry. It’s getting confusing which people you're talking about.”

“Then I’ll call her ‘Mirror Twilight’ for the time being, like how some of you calle me ‘Mirror Spike’.”

After writing the entries, I put my notebook away and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Alter-Spike and I got to the lake. He wore a pair of chartreuse swimming trunks.

“Did you bring any swimsuits, Mirror Spike?” Alter-Spike asked.

“Not really,” I replied. “I don't think they would fit me if I brought them through the portal.”

“Do ponies even wear swimsuits in your world?”

“I think so, but it’s more of a fashion choice than for the sake of modesty.”

“Wow. And here everyone wears clothes for everything. I wonder why.”

“Well, I read about humans a while back. During primitive times, humans used to have fur all over their bodies, but over time each generation had less and less fur, so they adapted by wearing the fur from animals they’ve hunted. That helped them bear the elements. Then as the years went by, humans got so used to wearing clothes that going without them was seen as outlandish. Therefore, they made rules to remain clothed for mostly every activity.”

“Wow, Sunset was right. You are pretty knowledgeable about this world.”

“Hey, it gives me something to do outside of reading comic—INCOMING!!”

A sailboat rushed straight to the docks. Everybody evacuated immediately just as the boat smashed into the front end. We hurried to get the riders, Sandalwood and Derpy, out of the water.

“Is everyone alright?!” I asked.

“Yeah, we’re fine, dude,” said Sandalwood.

“What happened?” Sunset ran up the dock.

“It was so weird. We were stuck in the middle of the lake with no wind, then all of a sudden, bam! The wind picked up, and we were pushed right into the dock.”

“I didn’t hear any wind picking up,” Alter-Spike said. “And I have very good hearing.”

“Let’s get you two dried up,” Timber said.

That’s when I noticed Pinkie, Trixie, and Twilight together. Both Pinkie and Trixie think it was some sort of spirit, while Twilight believed it was herself that caused the boat to crash.

“What’s that?!” Rarity pointed to some strange purple glitter in the water. The bystanders took note of it as well. Some of the glitter appeared behind the boat as well.

“Maybe I shouldn’t go swimming today,” Alter-Spike said. “I’m gonna go change again.”

Twilight entered the forest. I quickly followed after her.

“Hey, Twilight,” I said as I caught up. “Listen…”

“I’m sorry, Mirror Spike, but I need to be on my own,” Twilight said.

“I know why you’re upset, Twilight, and—”

“Just….leave me alone.”

Twilight hurried deeper into the forest. I sighed and put my hands on my hips.

So much for that. Guess I’ll try again after her musical number.

Being alone in the forest gave me another opportunity. After checking to make sure no one was looking, I hurried over to the quarry.

When I got there, I saw the entrance blocked by three large boulders. I knew what was inside them: geode crystals charmed with Equestrian magic. To take them was a tricky decision.

I could take the geodes now and then reveal them to the girls after camp. That’s one possibility.

I got to the entrance. I tried to push one of the boulders aside when…

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

I quickly jumped. Timber came out of the forest.

“Campers aren’t allowed to hike near the quarry, remember?” Timber asked.

“Well, the place doesn’t look too dangerous,” I said. “We can easily move some of these boulders.”

Timber sighed. “Sorry, kid, but we can’t take chances. If you’re looking to do some rock-climbing, there’s a wall back at the camp. Come on.”

I obliged, disappointed as I was. Timber escorted me out of the forest just to see Twilight returning.

“Now, hurry back to camp,” Timber said to me. “I don’t want to see you at the quarry again. Do you understand?”

I exhaled sharply. “Yes.”

I walked back to camp by my lonesome. There, Sunset and Alter-Spike were with each other, and Rarity and Applejack were at the rock-climbing wall.

“Hey, Mirror Spike,” Alter-Spike asked. “What happened? You don’t look very happy.”

“Timber caught me trying to get into the rock quarry,” I replied.

“Why would you go there?” Sunset asked.

“I wanted to find some gemstones and bring them back to Equestria,” I lied. “You know, to see what they would taste like.”

“I hope you plan to eat them after you return to Equestria.” Sunset looked behind me. “By the way, have you seen Twilight?”

“Probably flirting with Timber Spruce again, or the other way around in this case.”

“Hey, you’re right.” Alter-Spike pointed behind me.

The three of us walked up to Twilight just as Timber left.

“Twilight, there you are,” said Sunset. “I was looking for you.”

Before Sunset could utter another word, the ground shook violently. The four of us huddled together as purple glitter emerged from the grass. Rarity slipped from the wall and gripped her rope viciously.

“I believe I'd like to come down now!” Rarity pleaded.

Applejack tugged the rope. “Sorry, it's a little bit stuck.”

The scene then played out like in the show. Applejack’s hands glowed, and Rarity shot straight up. Panically, Applejack let go of the rope but immediately grabbed it before her climber stopped just inches off the ground.

“Applejack!” Rarity screamed. “What are you doing?!”

“Is everything okay over there?” asked Principal Celestia.

“I don't know what happened,” Applejack shrugged. “I didn't even pull the rope that hard. It's like she was light as a feather all of a sudden.”

“I was scared half to death!” Rarity hyperventilated as she struggled to get her harness off.

Applejack offered a hand, but before Rarity could refuse, a large, shiny, hexagon appeared out of nowhere and pushed Applejack into the lake. The surrounding campers were not having any luck comprehending the phenomenon.

“I'm gonna go get Applejack a towel,” Twilight said as she left the scene.

“Me, too.” Sunset followed after her.

“We better join them,” I suggested to Alter-Spike.

“You read my mind,” he said.

We regrouped with the two girls just as Gloriosa showed up.

“Hi, girls! Anything I can do for you?” Gloriosa asked.

“Uh, Applejack just fell into the lake!” Twilight cried.

“Oh, no!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll handle it,” I said. “We’re just getting some towels.”

“Aw, you shouldn’t do so much work while you’re at camp. Let’s see, aside from the warm towels, Applejack needs dry clothes, oh, and a hot cocoa! I've got this!”

Before I could object, Gloriosa ran off.

She complains on the inside about the many burdens, and yet she refuses to let others help out.

All at once, a low booming sound rang out followed by the screech of a familiar shy girl.

“Fluttershy?!” The four of us said together.

We hurried to the mess hall, and we found the place coated in cupcake batter when we entered.

“What happened?” asked Sunset.

Just like in the show, Pinkie and Fluttershy explained that the former was handing the latter some sprinkles when they glowed pink and exploded out of nowhere like fireworks. Pinkie even threw a few more to prove her point.

“Okay, why don't you lay off touching stuff for a while?” Sunset asked.

Fluttershy went to get some paper towels, when a bird flew in and helped her. That’s when she discovered she could talk to the bird. The bird themselves invited all their other friends, and soon a swarm of them landed on Fluttershy’s arms.

Applejack and Rarity came into the mess hall, telling Pinkie and Fluttershy about their incident at the rock-climbing wall.

Rarity concluded, “the diamond knocked Applejack over and then it disappeared!”

“Speaking of disappearing, has anybody seen Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked.

As if fate answered the call, Rainbow zoomed into the mess hall and smacked against the wall on the other side.

“Whoa! How'd you do that?” Applejack assisted Rainbow to her feet.

“I don't know,” replied Rainbow. “I started running to get the harness, and the next thing I knew, I was practically back in town!”

“But if you had some sort of super speed, why were you gone for so long?” Rarity asked.

“Because I lost it when I got far away. And then it came back when I got close to camp.”

“How can—erp!” Alter-Spike squeezed his stomach.

“Spike? Er, the Spike with the cap? Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked.

“Erg!” Spike held up a finger while his other hand switched from covering his mouth to gripping his chest to patting his stomach.

“Are you choking?! Are you gonna vomit?!” Sunset panicky asked. “Say something!”

“I…don’t feel…so…”

BRAAAARP!!

A massive cloud of green flames spewed from Alter-Spike’s mouth. The girls screamed and backed away as Alter-Spike fell to the ground from the sheer recoil. It was a wonder how he didn’t burn anything.

“Goodness, darling!” Rarity exclaimed. “What have you been eating?”

“I thought spittin’ fire was Mirror Spike’s specialty,” Applejack said.

“Man, that felt painful!” Alter-Spike thumped his chest.

“You alright?” I asked as I helped him up.

“Now I am.” Alter-Spike placed his hand on my shoulders. Suddenly, his eyes glowed a bright yellow. He immediately jerked away from me. “Woah! What was that?”

“What was what?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I saw a glimpse of you and Rainbow Dash. She was slapping you for some reason.”

“What?!” Rainbow and I shouted in unison.

“Why would I slap Spike out of the blue?” Rainbow asked. “That’s ridiculous.”

“I don’t know.” Alter-Spike shrugged. “All I did was touch Mirror Spike, and then I saw it.”

Pinkie Pie gasped. “Being at camp is giving us all new magical abilities!”

“Not all of us have gotten new abilities,” said Sunset. “I haven't, but Twilight…hasn't, either. I don’t think Mirror Spike has as well.”

“Eh, I’ve had magic abilities before in this world,” I pointed out. “I’m not complaining.”

Applejack slumped her shoulders. “So much for my theory that leavin' CHS would mean leavin' any new magic business behind.”

“Hey! Shoo!” Pinkie shouted.

“Now what?” Sunset asked.

“There’s a bunch of bugs in here!” Pinkie swatted the air. “Get away! Bugs aren’t on the menu, and they definitely don’t belong on the cupcakes!”

“Uh, oh! Spike! Hold still!” Rainbow barked.

I asked, “Wait, which Spike are you—?”

SMACK!!

“Ow!” I rubbed my cheek. “Why did you do that?!”

“There was a mosquito on you.” Rainbow looked at the smashed bits on her fingers. “Bleugh!”

“Was it a male or female?” Fluttershy asked.

“It was…small.”

“Oh, then it was a female. That’s fine.”

“Wait, that’s what I saw!” Alter-Spike shouted.

“Huh?” Rainbow tilted her head.

“That’s exactly what I saw in my vision…thing. Rainbow slapped Mirror Spike just like that!”

“Does that mean…you can see the future?” Sunset asked.

“It must be!”

“That’s weird. I don’t have that kind of power,” I said. “Not even in Equestria.”

While I do know what’s going to happen, it’s not me being a psychic.

“Aw, man, how come he gets a twofer?” Rainbow complained.

“The better question is what, at the camp, is making all this happen?” Sunset wondered.

“Gaea Everfree?” Fluttershy suggested.

Gloriosa then came in with a bunch of towels for Applejack before she took note of the mess around us. That’s when some other campers and Timber Spruce entered the building and needed Gloriosa’s assistance. She assured us she “got this,” but I didn’t need Sunset’s upcoming empathy abilities to tell she was in over her head.

After Gloriosa left, Sunset immediately cringed.

“Fluttershy! Enough with the screaming!” Sunset barked.

“I didn’t scream,” Fluttershy responded.

“For once,” Rainbow snarked.

“Nobody did,” Rarity pointed out.

“She’s right. Even I didn’t hear anything,” Spike added.

Before Sunset could wonder about the source of the screech, Celestia’s voice rang from the speakers.

“Attention, campers! Anyone who's interested in making floating paper lanterns, please meet us by the picnic tables.”

Everyone left the cafeteria, agreeing to keep their new magic powers at bay for the time being.

Alter-Spike and I sat at a table decorating our lanterns with Twilight. I painted green flames on mine, while Alter-Spike covered his in purple paw prints and dog treats. Twilight decorated herself with stars.

“So, why aren't we with the girls again?” Alter-Spike asked.

Twilight sighed. “Sunset said something at camp is causing the other girls to get new magic. I think it's Midnight Sparkle. She's still part of me. I can feel it. And I think her magic is infecting my friends.”

“Oh, Twilight, you don't need to worry about Midnight Sparkle,” I reassured her. “Whatever’s causing the girls and Spike to have new powers is not because of you.”

“How do you know?”

“You're forgetting I’m Mirror Twilight's number one assistant back in Equestria. I've been around her so long I know a thing or two about magic.”

Twilight looked away.

Once we finished our lanterns, we met up with everyone on the unfinished dock.

“Ready?” Gloriosa announced. “And... go!”

We all released our lanterns into the sky. The flying lights drifted into the night. Pinkie’s, however, fell to the ground the moment she let go because of the excess marshmallow passengers.

“Oh, well! Now I get to eat it!” Pinkie munched on some of the sweet treats not contaminated by the wooden surface.

Later that night, I layed in bed staring at the cloth ceiling. I already wrote today's entry in my journal. I was still up in the air on whether or not I should grab the rest of the geodes before Gloriosa does.

That’s when I noticed Alter-Spike tying his shoes. He was still in his camper uniform.

“Where are you off to?” I asked.

“I…have to meet with Twilight,” Alter-Spike replied.

He dashed out of the tent. I was about to follow him, but then I realized what would happen next. Sunset would catch up with him and Twilight just as they're about to leave camp. Then she would discover she has the ability to see other people’s past.

I didn’t go for two reasons. First, it was unnecessary since Sunset would already assure Twilight and get her and Spike to stay at camp a bit longer. Second, since I didn’t know how much of the past Sunset could see, I didn’t want her to accidentally grab my arm and see my past. I wasn’t ready to reveal my intentions just yet.

Morning arrived already. I was alone in the tent. A note stuck by Alter-Spike’s bed.

I quickly read the scribbles.

“Couldn’t get you up,
so I had to leave you be.
The girls and I are at the docks.
Come by if you can.

-Spike”

I got dressed and exited the tent. Immediately, I saw Sunset approaching and I leaped out of the way.

“Woah! Spike.” Sunset put her hands up. “You’re jumpy today.”

“You just surprised me, that’s all,” I said. “Spike told me the girls were at the dock, so I’m heading there right now.”

“Actually, why don’t we go together?” Sunset took a step forward, and I took two steps backward out of instinct. “What’s wrong?”

Shoot! Now she’s getting suspicious! Why did I do that?!

“I just got out of the wrong side of the bed,” I replied.

Sunset looked at her hands and sprinted up to me.

“Wait! Wait! Don’t touch—!”

Sunset grabbed my arm, and suddenly her eyes turned white. Once her pupils returned, she stared at me.

“Spike…what…?”

I quickly took Sunset to the back of one of the cabins.

After checking to make sure the coast was clear, I asked Sunset, “What exactly did you see?”

“I can’t really describe it…” Sunset replied. “I saw your Twilight and her friends being together on this laptop. Then I saw what seemed to be them but much older. After that, I saw you waking up in Canterlot, looking at yourself in the mirror, and then there was this montage of you doing different things as if…” Sunset looked at me. “Spike…are you someone from the future?”

I sighed deeply. “Yes, I am. In fact, my real name isn’t actually Spike. I just happened to appear in Spike’s draconic body one day, and…I’m sure you saw the rest.”

“Does anyone else know about you? The real you?”

“Only Discord and Luna in the pony world. Luna found out one night, and Discord…he already knew for some reason. Now please keep this a secret for the time being. I haven’t told anypony or non-pony else, and I’m waiting for the right time to reveal it.”

“I got it. I promise I won’t reveal anything you told me.”

“Thank you. Let’s get back to the girls and pretend this didn’t happen.”

Sunset and I arrived at the docks just to see the others rebuilding the last section, or at least they were trying to. Rainbow Dash ironically walked like a sloth, Applejack kept tapping the nails like they were made of glass, and that was just scratching the surface. That’s when I noticed Alter-Spike wearing a face mask.

“What’s with the mask?” Rainbow asked. “You sick or something?”

“No, I don’t want to accidentally burn down the dock with my new fire breath,” Alter-Spike replied.

“That’s not gonna help, Spike,” I pointed out. “The fire breath would just go right through the mask. You might as well tape a piece of paper to your mouth. Trust me, I’d know.”

“Aw, shoot!” Applejack exasperated. “I'm all out of nails.”

“Here you go!” Pinkie announced as she tossed the box of nails.

“PINKIE, NO!” Everyone except Sunset and me shouted.

Rarity instinctively summoned another diamond shield, pushing Rainbow and Fluttershy away. Applejack hit the deck and Alter-Spike crouched near a post.

“What?” Pinkie looked around, confused. “Oh, did you think the nails would explode like the sprinkles? Wow! Glad that didn't happen, huh?”

“Sorry, girls.” Rarity helped RD and Fluttershy up. “I didn't mean to. I don't know how to control this.”

“It's okay,” Rainbow responded.

“None of us do,” added Fluttershy.

“Which is why we shouldn't pretend this isn't happening,” Sunset Shimmer declared.

“Do you have them now, too?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“It started last night. When I touch people, it's like I can feel what they're feeling and see their memories.”

“Try me, try me!” Pinkie offered.

Sunset touched Pinkie’s forehead. After the former worked her magic, she returned to the real world with a thousand-yard stare.

“That explains so much.” Sunset shook her head. “Girls...and Spike, we can't just brush these powers aside because it doesn't seem like the ideal time to get them. What if it turns out that they could actually make things better?”

That’s when she started singing. The lack of background music once again made the song a bit awkward, but I got used to it at this point. After her singing, everyone rebuilt the deck to its former glory.

“I've gotta go find Twilight,” Sunset declared. “Seeing what we've been able to do here might make her embrace the new magic, too! Uh, not that she has any.”

“I’m coming with you,” I said.

Once we got to the edge of the forest, Sunset heard an argument near one of the cabins.

“Go in ahead and find her,” Sunset said. “I’ll catch up.”

“Got it.”

This gave me the opportunity to return to the quarry. I hurried over there. I got to the entrance and pushed the boulders aside. Once I entered, the cave was decorated with glowing stalactites and stalagmites. At the center stood a geode with three remaining crystals of red, purple, and green.

Weird. In the show, there were two crystals. I guess the third one is for Alter-Spike, but how did the Equestrian magic know he was a human now?

I reached out to grab one, but…

Zap!

“Yeow!” I shook my hand. “I thought you guys would be more friendly to someone from Equestria. Guess we’ll do this the hard way.”

I stripped off my hoodie and used the cloth to grab the gems. I then shoved them in my jacket’s pockets.

Sorry, girls. Maybe next time I visit I’ll show you these.

“Hold it!”

I gasped and turned around. Thankfully, it was just Sunset, Twilight, and Alter-Spike.

“Mirror Spike? You’re the one who’s spreading magic?” Twilight asked.

“What?! No!” I firmly denied. “I was trying to take these gems before they landed in the wrong hands.” I held my forearm out. “Sunset, you can read memories. See for yourself.”

Sunset grabbed my arm again and had her vision. She then let go.

“He’s right.” She rubbed her forehead. “But those crystals…they’re giving off Equestrian magic. I can...I can feel it.”

“That’s weird,” said Alter-Spike. “We’ve been thinking it was just Timber faking there was a magical nature creature.”

“Then what would explain the sudden magic powers we all had?” Twilight asked. “More importantly, what does Timber have to do with any of this?”

“Nothing. It's all me.” A voice called out.

Gloriosa emerged from the shadows.

Sunset said, “But... Timber. I was sure he was the one trying to make it seem like Gaea Everfree was back. It was you who was trying to scare everyone away?”

“I would never try to scare anyone away from Camp Everfree.”

Sunset quickly grabbed her arm. I knew what she was seeing. Mr. Rich gave Gloriosa until the end of the month to get her payments. Then she found the gems which gave her powers to control the plants around Camp Everfree. However, Timber Spruce disapproved of her using them, and no one could blame him as she caused a few accidents around the camp such as the boat crash and earthquake.

“Timber wasn't talking about letting go of the camp,” Sunset said. “He was talking about you letting go of the magical geodes.”

“How do you know what I was doing with the geodes?” Gloriosa asked.

“I can see things. Feel things. Because I have magic, too. And so does Twilight and Spike. And so do our friends.”

Twilight said, “Gloriosa, Timber wasn't wrong. Maybe you should stop using magic. Too much of it can be dangerous if you can't control it.”

“Spike,” I whispered to Alter-Spike. “Use your future sight.”

“Oh, okay.” Alter-Spike walked up and grabbed Gloriosa’s other arm. Then his eyes glowed again.

“Hey! Stop that!” Gloriosa pushed him away. “What’s with the arm-grabbing?”

“Miss Gloriosa, the girls are telling you the truth,” Alter-Spike said. “If you take any more power, you’ll turn into a monster and trap everypony inside. That’s what I saw in your future.”

“Oh, I got this. And I'm going to use it to save my camp.” Gloriosa walked up to me. “The gems, please.”

“No! I won’t let you!” I ran away.

“Get back here!”

Gloriosa spawned numerous vines, but I put my parkour lessons to work. I dodged, slid, and jumped over every vine.

“Okay, I admit that was impressive,” Gloriosa said under her breath.

More vines appeared from all directions and grasped me firmly. The hoodie slipped from my hands and spilled its pockets’ contents.

“Finally!” Gloriosa shouted. “I just need more power!”

“No!” Everypony yelled.

Sadly, our verbal attempts to stop Gloriosa were made moot. She grabbed the gems and entangled Sunset, Twilight, and Alter-Spike in vines before turning into a wicked plant-based villain that even Poison Ivy would envy.

“Shoot, I was trying to prevent this,” Alter-Spike and I said at the same before looking at each other.

Gloriosa levitated out the cave and sealed the entrance up with the boulders and vines.

“Oh…” Twilight sighed broodingly. “Now what do we do?”

“We get out of here,” Sunset said. “Spike!”

“Yeah?” Alter-Spike and I responded.

“The Spike with the cap! Use your flames!”

“But I don't know how!” Alter-Spike pleaded. “Mirror Spike, how did you breathe fire back in your world?”

“I just went with my gut feeling.” I shrugged. “Maybe the same could go for you.”

“Okay…”

Alter-Spike blew on the vines. Nothing happened.

He blew on them again. He disturbed a leaf.

His third blow was even less successful.

“I can’t do it!” Alter-Spike complained.

“You have to, Spike!” I commanded. “Everyone’s lives are at stake, including your owner’s!”

Alter-Spike looked at Twilight. He straightened his back and stared at the vines. He then inhaled deeply.

FWOOSH!!

A green flame spewed from his lips. The vines charred and crumbled among the inferno. Alter-Spike escaped without a single singe on his body.

“Good boy, Spike!” Twilight praised. “Now the rest of us.”

Spike burned off the vines for Twilight, Sunset, and me. Thankfully, none of us were burned either. We hurried out of the cave only to see a bundle of vine-covered boulders blocking our path.

“Oh, no! We’re trapped!” Twilight cried.

I tried pushing the boulders, but they wouldn’t budge this time.

“The vines are too strong!” I declared.

“Twilight, you have to use your magic!” Sunset directed.

“I don't think I can lift something that big,” rebutted Twilight.

“It's our only chance of getting out of here and helping our friends!”

Twilight walked up to the boulders and held her hands out. They emitted a purple glow, and the boulders soon followed suit. Twilight pushed them out of the way, and we left the cave.

“Uh, is it just me or did the forest get taller?” Alter-Spike asked, pointing to the horizon.

“Those aren’t trees!” Sunset gasped. “They’re vines! We gotta hurry!”

We scurried down the forest path.

“You know, back there I could’ve burned the vines off while you move the boulders, Mirror Spike,” Alter-Spike whispered.

“I know,” I replied. “But then Twilight wouldn’t get her time to shine.”

When we got to the wall of vines, Sunset and Twilight tried to pull them away.

“Stand back, girls,” Alter-Spike said.

He inhaled once more and blew at the vines, burning a giant hole for us to enter. Then a tail and wings emerged from his back.

Once he scorched a hold big enough, he checked himself. “Woah! I hope this is permanent.”

“Get in, quick!” I barked. “We’ll admire our bodies later.”

The four of us jumped right in just before the hole repaired itself.

That’s when we noticed the battlefield around us. Campers and buildings were entangled in the vines, and the girls were in their “pony-up” forms. They tried to get everypony out, but Gloriosa clearly had the upper hand.

“Guys! Thank goodness you came!” Rainbow zipped up to us. “Gloriosa is—!”

“Yeah, we know!” Sunset rebutted.

We dodged more vines before Gloriosa landed on a nearby sundial.

Alter-Spike said, “Gloriosa, next you’ll say, ‘Why are you fighting me?! I'm doing this to save our camp!’”

“Why are you fighting me?!” Gloriosa exclaimed. “I'm doing this to save our camp! Wait, what?”

Really, Alter-Spike? A Jojo reference?

“This is what I saw in your future!” Alter-Spike shouted. “That’s why you have to stop!”

“Let's just think about this for a moment, shall we?” Rarity suggested. “I mean, I think Camp Everfree is absolutely delightful, but I just don't know that I'm quite ready to give up my weekly trips to the—”

“I-I don’t think she cares about that, Rarity,” I quickly interrupted.

“Gloriosa, this isn't the way!” Timber shouted.

Gloriosa rebutted, “I appreciate your concern, Timber, but I got this!”

Immediately, Timber was encased in the vines like the rest of the camp.

Timber cried, “Please, Gloriosa! What you're doing is crazy! You have to listen to me!”

“That isn't Gloriosa,” Sunset answered. “It's someone who's been consumed by Equestrian magic!”

Which would still be Gloriosa…

Soon, the vines covered the sky, but Gloriosa was far from done. Vines filled every empty space. The girls, Spike, and I huddled together.

“Rarity!” Applejack called out.

Rarity formed a shield around us. The vines smacked and shoved the outer layer, attempting to break in.

“I can't keep this up forever!” Rarity cried.

“It's up to you,” Sunset said to Twilight. “You can use your magic to pull the brambles apart!”

“No,” Twilight refused. “There's too many of them. It would take too much magic. I can't!

“It's the only way!” Sunset formed pony ears and a tail. “You have to embrace the magic inside you!”

“What if she takes over? What if instead of saving everyone, I turn into Midnight Sparkle and only make things worse?”

“That won't happen! We won't let it. You have to be stronger than she is!”

Twilight’s hands glowed. She squeezed her eyes shut.

The scene then played out like in the show. Twilight grew pony ears, wings, and a tail and bursted through the shield. She then tore the vines apart and nabbed Gloriosa’s necklace. The crystals then transferred themselves to each of the girls and Alter-Spike and gave them special, superhero-esque outfits. Soon they all grouped up and sent a shockwave of magic all across the camp, vanishing the vines and stripping Gloriosa of her powers. Green, glowing specs floated down the sky like snowflakes.

Once Timber was freed, he ran up to his unconscious sister.

“Gloriosa?” He asked as shook her shoulder.

“Wha…” Gloriosa stirred awake. “What happened?”

“It’s okay.” Timber hugged her. “It's okay. It's gonna be okay.”

The campers cheered as the girls and Alter-Spike admired their new uniforms and necklaces. I liked how Alter-Spike’s outfit resembled a combination of Scorpion’s and Syzoth’s outfit but with a headband instead of a mask.

As we cleaned up the remaining vines, Gloriosa apologized for the incident and believed that it was for the best that Filthy Rich bought out the camp. Celestia and Luna objected, claiming how the camp meant so much to them and why they brought everypony from Canterlot High here. The girls and Alter-Spike suggested a fundraiser, such as holding a ball in the caves. While Gloriosa was skeptical on how they’ll run a ball by tomorrow, the Mane 8 assured her…

“We got this!”

This saying is popping up pretty often.

We spent today and the next day prepping the gala. Timber and Twilight prepped the invitations, Rainbow sent them out, Applejack moved the bigger boulders away from the cave, Rarity tailored our outfits, and everyone else decorated the cavern.

By the time night fell, the fundraiser was underway. The girls performed a song in the cave as every party-goer cheered them on. I praised the cave for providing natural acoustics.

Once the girls completed their song, Gloriosa hopped on stage.

“Thank you all so much for coming!” She announced. “And for helping us raise enough money to save Camp Everfree!”

Everypony applauded boomingly. I swore I saw a glimpse of Filthy Rich leaving the cave in a huff.

“Thank you,” Glorisoa said to the band. “For everything. Oh, if I'd just asked for help in the first place…”

“Hey, don't sweat it,” Rainbow replied. “It's kinda what we do.”

A while later, I chatted with Alter-Spike outside the cave.

“I wonder if I can get this jewel attached to my old dog collar.”

“I’ll admit I’m a bit envious that you and the girls get your own power stones,” I chuckled.

“You can borrow mine if you want,” Alter-Spike took his necklace off and gave it to me.

“Woah! No thanks!” I took a step back. “I was just joking. These guys don’t seem to like their natives very much.”

Although, technically I wasn’t native to Equestria from the start. Maybe that’s why the gems zapped me.

“Maybe I can open up one of those psychic booths they have in carnivals with this,” Alter-Spike wondered. “See how many people will believe me.”

“Heh, that’s a start.”

Sunset and Twilight joined us.

“There is one thing I'm still wondering about, though,” Sunset said. “When I saw Gloriosa’s past, I saw these gems charmed by Equestrian magic. Where did it even come from?”

“Maybe it was from Mirror Spike?” Alter-Spike suggested. “He could’ve brought some magic with him by mistake.”

“No, I would’ve noticed,” I said. “Perhaps the statue emitted some magic when it was destroyed?”

“Is that possible?” Twilight asked.

“Excuse me?” Wallflower exited the cave. “Sorry, I overheard your conversion, and I think I might know something about that magic statue stuff.”

“What is it?” Sunset asked.

“When I met with the construction workers after they were done, they said they saw some weird colored particles coming out of the cracks. One of them thought it was a weird chemical reaction with the cement, another said it was tiny fireflies or glitter trapped in the statue. It might be the magic that you mentioned, but I don’t know.”

“Maybe it is.”

Figures some magic still escaped. I wonder if I prevented any of the Equestria Girls episodes. I guess I’ll have to find out some other time.

The next day, the girls, Alter-Spike, and I completed the dock.

“Well done, everyone!” Alter-Spike said as he put his arms around Sunset and Pinkie Pie’s shoulders.

“Third time's a charm,” Rainbow scratched her chin. “Or is it fifth? I've lost track.”

“All that matters is that the runway is finished,” Rarity assured us.

“I think ya mean the ‘dock.’” Applejack corrected.

“Oh, to-mah-to, tomato.”

“Let's celebrate!” Pinkie threw confetti and marshmallows into the air.

Alter-Spike immediately gasped and dashed forward. Grabbing his new charm, he blew a wall of fire, causing the marshmallows to burst in the sky like fireworks. The girls cheered.

“Nice one, Spike!” Twilight exclaimed. “Did you and Pinkie plan that?”

Alter-Spike replied. “No, I saw a vision of the dock being blown up by Pinkie’s confetti, so I intervened.”

On our last day, we packed up and left Camp Everfree via bus. I sat with Sunset once again.

“Man, this week flew by fast.” Sunset looked out the window. “Especially with all the magic occurrences. Stuff like that doesn’t normally happen at a human summer camp. I hope you understand, Spike.”

“No matter, I still enjoyed Camp Everfree,” I said. “And I’ve written a lot of information about what humans do at camp. I bet Twilight would like to read what I wrote.”

“You know, the next time you and your Twilight visit, you should bring some of your gemstones,” Rarity suggested. “Think of how well off we’d all be!”

“I’m sorry Rarity, but if I gave you too many gems, the value of them in this world would plummet, turning every jewel into worthless colorful rocks. Think of all the gemologists going out of the job if diamonds and rubies and whatnot are as common as finding a piece of quartz. I’d rather not risk ruining your economy.”

“Wow, were you a businessman in a past life?” Sunset asked.

“You might say that.” I winked.

The buses stopped at Canterlot High, and everyone got off. I made my way to the portal.

“Say, Spike, before I go, could you give me one more prediction?” I requested.

“Okay.” Alter-Spike grabbed my arm. Once he was done with my prediction, he uttered a single word: “Woah.”

“What did you see?”

“You’ll have to see for yourself.” He smirked.

“Ah, you tease!”

“Be sure to tell your Twilight I said hello,” Sunset said.

“Will do.” I waved goodbye to the other girls and stepped through the mirror.

When I got to the other side, Twilight was reading at a nearby table.

“Spike, you’re back!” She ran up and hugged me. “Sunset told me you’d come home soon. How was your time at summer camp?”

I responded, “It was good, and boy, do I have a lot to say about what happened.”

“Heh, I bet you do. Go ahead and unpack. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures.”

I left the library and headed to my room, thinking about how this movie played out. As much as I enjoyed Camp Everfree, I was disappointed I didn’t change much again. At least I got to meet Alter-Spike again and discover he has psychic and pyro powers. Plus, the dock was saved from exploding again.

I think I’ll let the other Equestria Girls episodes play out on their own. They seemed to manage without me.

Author's Note

Thank you for your patience with this chapter.