Author's Note

Ashes, Ashes,
We All
Fall
Down...

XIII - Another Brand New Problem?

"Eh, I give it a six-point five outta ten."

"What?! That's even less than last time!"

"I don't know what to tell you Dash, the pony-up thing just looks so... out of place. Like it belongs in a children's cartoon."

"Of course you're the only person to not like it."

"Bite me."

The Rainbooms winded down inside the band room after playing their music for the third time today. Playing their instruments together was one of the ways they spent their time besides talking about drama, playing games, or messing with each other's hair, which Noah obviously didn't take part in.

"Ignoring Noah's comment, I bet that if the games have a music competition, we'd send those Crystal Preppers back home crying!" Rainbow Dash finished.

"Yeah, um," Sunset began, "We're supposed to keep magic out of the Friendship Games, remember?" Rainbow Dash simply crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, slightly let down.

"Easier said than done, darling," Rarity replied. "I'm sure in Equestria magic does whatever you want. But..."

"This isn't Equestria," Sunset concluded. More let down than Rainbow Dash. "Come now, surely you Equestrians don't rely on magic that much. What happened to use your hands?"

"We don't have hands. We have hooves."

"Oh... right... losers."

"Well, when it comes to magic, I'm sure you'll figure it out," Applejack replied. Cheering Sunset up as much as she could through simple words. "And while Sunset works on keeping magic out of the games," Rarity began, "I have been working on what to put in."

"Goddamn it Rarity, what did you do this time, Coco Chanel?"

Out of seemingly nowhere, Rarity rolled out four long clothing racks hanging several dozen outfits for the Friendship Games. Sending everyone in awe, twice.

"Well, I had a little time on my hands, and since we don't know what the Friendship Games shall hold, I made a few options for uniforms!" Rarity took a white and blue soccer outfit and somehow managed to force it on to Rainbow Dash within seconds.

Rainbow Dash examined the outfit, "You really didn't have to do that." Rarity giggled, "I know." Applejack picked out one of the outfits, "No, you really didn't have to." Rarity giggled even more, "I know!"

Noah picked out an outfit on one of the four clothing racks revealing a black and blue basketball tank top. It had diamonds lined up against the baseline. "Jesus Christ, how do your hands even function properly? Don't you feel a loss in dexterity?"

"Nope!"

"Of course you fuckin'-"

"Friggin'."

"-friggin' don't."

This time, Fluttershy giggled, and Noah raised an eyebrow. "What?" She waved him off, "Nothing, it's just that I find it somewhat adorable how Sunset's been able to slow down your swearing all the time these few past weeks."

Noah turned red with embarrassment and Sunset blushed. "W-Well, it's not easy, I tell ya." The other Rainbooms tittered at the thought of Noah slightly submitting to Sunset, and this only made Noah irritated.

"I-I.. no... that's not... for the love of... Goddamn it-"

"Goddang it."

"Goddang it! W-Wait!"

This only made the other Rainbooms burst into laughter. Noah really was yielding to Sunset, and it showed comically. "I-I'm not stopping because of her! It's because I realized that I need to chill out a little! Not because she's correcting me like some crappy mother or something!" Rainbow wiped a tear, "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, nigga!"

"The fuck is going on in here?"

The Rainbooms as a whole turned to the door to find who had spoken, calming down a little.

It was Manex.

"Manex? What are you doing here?" Noah asked, confused. His face returning to his original color as he approached him. "Well," Manex began, 'I'm gonna assume you already told these niggas and ask, are we leaving today? Fall has restocked the boat and we already started moving our bags onto it. I came down to ask if we were going since the rest of this week is that Friendship Games shit."

Noah quickly whipped his head around, "So, when we were talking to Vice Principal Luna yesterday and y'all said yes, was that a literal or a joking yes?" Rainbow Dash scoffed, "Of course it was a literal one!"

"Yeah, if you're leaving Equestria forever, never to return or so help you, God, wouldn't you wanna spend those last few days having fun with your awesome friends in an epic school showdown against the meany Crystal Preppers?!" Pinkie Pie added, making Noah cringe a little.

He turned back around to Manex, his book bag on his back and his briefcase in his left hand. He looked more than ready to leave. He looked back to his friends, that somber look from yesterday returned to their faces with a purpose. Especially Sunset's.

He sighed and crossed his arms, "... Manex..."

"Noah, I swear to God."

"Just give me one more day, two tops!"

"Jesus fuckin' Christ Noah, come on!"

"Look, if you had made a friend group of your own, you would've said the same thing!"

"They're girls! They're literally all fuckin' girls!"

"So?!"

"If anybody from America walked by, you'd instantly be conceived as fuckin' gay!"

"Manex!" Noah shouted, startling everyone in the room, except who he was shouting at. "Look, I can't do someone I regard as a cherished figure in my life wrong like that. Especially when I have a choice in the matter."

"You've known them for half a year!"

"And to them, that likes half a generation!"

Silence filled the room. The Rainbooms grew a little uncomfortable as they were the reason for the conflict between friends. "Look, I'm still going to America with you guys, don't think I'm not." Sunset frowned and looked away.

"All I'm asking is for a little more time to say goodbye. Then it's smooth sailing over in the USA 'till we die old. Unless a white cop kills us." Manex stared at the floor. "Please, just give me a little more time."

Manex sighed, "I don't know why you're asking. I came to you." Noah smiled, "So, we good?" Manex nodded, "Yeah, we good." Noah beamed, "Fuckin'-"

"Friggin'-"

"Friggin' perfect! Feel free to do whatever, just don't kill anyone. We don't need a guilty conscience when we leave and die." Manex nodded and closed the door, and Noah could hear his footsteps from behind the door. Slowly getting quieter, and quieter.

Noah spun around like a chair, "Okay, what were we talking about again?" Noah felt that same basketball tank top come over his head, along with basketball shorts and shoes. He freaked, "What the hell?!"

He looked up to see Rarity was measuring him. He looked behind her to see everyone else had also been hastily thrown into a different attire. Fluttershy wore a large hockey goalie uniform, Rainbow Dash wore a 1920s England Officer outfit, Sunset wore a welder's outfit, and Applejack wore an old cricket outfit.

This was not only exceedingly bewildering, but downright impossible. No simple human could have the ability to move and operate at such speeds unless they had some sort of superpower, which Rarity didn't.

"Uh, Rarity, these outfits are great, but why would you put so much time and effort into clothes we might not even wear?" Applejack asked, confused. "You're gonna exhaust yourself before the games even start!"

"Oh pfft! Don't be silly darling. Putting such effort into clothing is what I live for! And spending time on my friends fills me with such joy, I feel as though I could burst!"

As Rarity clutched her cheeks in unwavering exuberance, her hair grew twice as long and those same short pony ears returned. But that wasn't all.

Similarly to Rainbow Dash from yesterday, Rarity was enveloped and somehow created her own aura of purple and white sparkling stars that stuck to her figure like a second skin but glowed eternally. It was quite comparable to Noah's, only less fiery.

"Weird flex, but a'ight."

As Rarity shone, the Rainbooms jaws dropped in marvel at how remarkable Rarity had become. Except Sunset, for obvious reasons. "And magic too, I guess..."

Noah also found himself in wonder at the fashionista's glowing phenomenon. But he noticed something else. At the end of Rarity's aura, it seemed to be pulling away. Not long after, it appeared that it was being drained from her. Like water in a bathtub. The trail led out the door, and Noah raised an eyebrow.

He turned to Rarity, she seemed to be growing somewhat tired. Only staring for a little while longer and she seemed to be growing desperately exhausted. Her eyes were drooping and her arms had fallen to her side.

"Hey Rarity... you alright? You're starting to look like you just returned from working overnight at a coffee factory." Rarity felt her ears shrink away and her hair return to its original length before her entire aura and magic evanesced.

"Actually Noah... now that you mention it... I suppose I could use... a tiny... a tiny..." Before Rarity could finish, she fainted and collapsed face flat on the floor like she was just shot.

"Rarity!" Applejack nearly screamed, picking her up to inspect her head. A rather large blood splatter rested on the bottom of Rarity's forehead and in the same place her head fell on the floor.

Instinctually, everyone, except Noah and Sunset, rushed to Rarity's side as Applejack flipped her over to lay on her back. Applejack tried to think of a way to tend to the wound, but was still rather shocked and frantically tried to operate.

Noah pointed to the sink, "Sunset, run a few paper towels under some cold water and clean Rarity's head wound." Sunset nodded and speed-walked over to the sink while Noah approached the room's entrance doors.

"I'll head over to the nurses' office and get a first aid kit to apply some neosporin and patch and wrap it up with some bandage. You guys stay here and keep her company. Get her whatever she nee-"

"Ow! Goddamn it!"

The doors had opened wide by someone and had hit Noah undeviatingly in the forehead. He rubbed it with his own two hands before coming around the door to see who had opened it.

"Who the hell, wait... Twilight?!"

The one who stood in the doorway indeed was Twilight, but not the one they had known from previous times. She stared with a weird look and held that same strange device from earlier. It was glowing somewhat.

All the other girls had noticed as well and their eyes enlarged with excitement. "Twilight?!" They said simultaneously. Twilight's eyes twitched as she had met others who also claimed they had known her.

"Uh... yes?"

"Well I'll be," Applejack began, still holding Rarity close as the others stood up to greet her. "You should've told us you were coming!" Rarity mumbled, "Glasses... what... what are those... what are those glasses? What... what is that outfit?"

"Uh... it's my uniform from Crystal Prep I-, how does everybody at this school know who I am?" Noah raised an eyebrow, Something's wrong here...

Rainbow Dash cocked her head, "Did you just say Crystal Prep?" Before Twilight could answer, the same dog from earlier today popped out of her bookbag barking. It was Spike.

Yep, something's definitely wrong here...again...

"Spike!" The girls also said simultaneously, and Twilight's eyes expanded. "Y-You know my dog's name too?!" Noah cleared his throat, "Let me get this straight, you're not from here, correct?"

"Yes!"

"You go to Crystal Prep, correct?"

"Yeah!"

"And you have no idea what Equestria is, correct?"

"Yes, I don't know what you guys are talking about!"

"Twilight?" A voice called from the hallway, Noah looked over Twilight to identify the speaker as Principal Celestia, and someone else. Twilight rubbed her forehead, "This is getting ridiculous.."

The other stepped forward, it was Principal Cinch. "I must apologize for the curiosity of my prized student." Celestia raised an eyebrow, "Your student?"

"The smarter ones are always curious," She replied. "I'll return her to check in with the rest of her classmat-"

"Hold on a second Cruella De Vil," Noah began, making Celestia tighten up with slight fear. "Who are you? W-What other classmates?" Cinch rolled her eyes, "My Name is Ms. Cinch. I'm the Principal of Crystal Prep."

"W-Wait, if your here... just how many students did you bring?" Cinch rolled her eyes again and gestured to the window behind. Noah looked at the window, then back at her. Hesitantly, he wandered to the window and gazed outside.

"Holy shit!" Outside the window were several dozen busses and practically thousands of students. All of them wore the same uniform as Twilight's. Only differing in wrist gauntlets and sleeve lengths.

"There are thousands! There's literally fuckin' thousands of students down there! I thought this was a competition, not the fuckin' Super Bowl!" Cinch raised an eyebrow at Celestia about Noah's language and Celestia planted a fake smile on her face despite sweat beads falling down her head.

"Y-You'll have to excuse Noah, he's never been to the Friendship Games and he's new. H-He comes from a place very different than Cantorlot," Sunset tried to explain, and the other Rainbooms nodded in agreement.

Cinch rolled her eyes, "As I was saying, I shall return Twilight to check in with the rest of her classmates. I'll see you all very soon." Cinch grabbed Twilight by her shoulder and began out the school. Noah looked away from the window to find Celestia in front of him.

"Noah, I explicitly remember Luna informing you that kind of language is unacceptable around Crystal Prep!" Noah raised his hands, "Didn't you hear Sunset?! I've never seen this, ever! It's crazy!"

"Notwithstanding, you're not supposed to be swearing period! I'll have to write you up for detention for this." Noah rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah, uh about that..."

"What?"

"I'm leaving on Saturday."

"What do you mean you're leaving?"

"Uh... my parents have decided to move somewhere else, so I can't show up at the school on Tuesday."

Celestia sighed, "Of course you can't." Rubbing her face, Celestia began out the band room and closed the door on the way out. You'd have to be a moron to not notice she was disgruntled.

"Okay, so, does anybody wanna explain how Twilight doesn't remember us and goes to Crystal Prep?" Applejack asked, Rarity still in her hands." Sunset sighed and crossed her arms.

"She's not the same Twilight."

"What? How?" Rainbow Dash asked, confused. "I was thinking that too," Noah added, "She must be from Equis' world instead of Equestria. That would explain how she doesn't know us and goes to Crystal Prep. Just wish she didn't fuckin'-"

"Friggin'."

"-friggin' hit me in the head with a door. Damn it-"

"Dang it."

"Dang it! I've got a bump on my head now."

"Uh, can we get Rarity to the nurses' office now? The paper towels are too dirty," Applejack asked. Rarity was on the floor, slightly delirious, playing with Applejack's hat. Noah sighed and crossed his arms.

"Right."

The Rainbooms stepped out of the nurses' office and began down the hall. Rarity now had a bandage wrapped around her head that she was told needed to stay there for a week. It made her hair look unusual, which she despised.

"I cannot believe our world's Twilight goes to Crystal Prep of all schools," She grunted, in a terrible mood. "You're saying that Twilight's gonna play against us? She'd never do that!" Rainbow Dash replied, upset. "Our Twilight wouldn't," Fluttershy replied.

"Our Twilight is a princess in Equestria and an expert in friendship magic! And if she was here, we'd've already figured out why magic is randomly popping up during pep rallies and fucking costume changes-"

"Woah Woah Woah Woah Woah, let's calm it down for a quick second hypocrite."

"Shut up."

"There's clearly a lot we've learned in the past twenty-thirty minutes and we've got a lot to figure out. So let's relax and get it done without blowing our heads off like a bunch of dumbasses-”

”Doofuses.”

”-doofuses.”

Sunset sighed and held her sides, "Sorry, I'm just... just a little frustrated I haven't heard back from her yet." Noah's eyes widened, "That purple nerdy bastard didn't respond yet?!"

"Noah!"

"Sorry..."

"Well," Applejack began, "She's a princess in Equestria. Probably got problems of her own to deal with." Rarity tried to cover the bandage with her hair, "We certainly, ugh, can't expect her to drop, er, everything and pop through the, ugh, portal whenever. Especially when, oh, it's to deal with something as, c'mon, minor as a few, for the love of, random pony-ups."

"But they aren't minor! Magic came into this world when I stole Twilight's crown. It's taken a lot for me to earn everyone's trust. If we have to forfeit because I can't think of a way to keep it under control-"

"Sunset, it's obvious what to do. If you can't get Twilight to come to us, you should just go to Twilight. And if there's some larger-than-life problem over there, I can pull you back through the portal with... uh..."

Noah looked all over for an object to pull Sunset out of the portal with and landed his eyes on something in the janitor's closet. He entered for a second before returning with something nobody could believe.

"Here, we'll use this. Sturdy and straight, perfect for investigating the unknown." Sunset's face fell flat.

"Noah, that's a dragon dildo."

"I know!"

"That's curved and revolting."

"What? You wanted me to grab a broom?"

"I'd want you to grab literally anything besides this."

"Well, there's no broom or mop in there, so..."

"Noah."

"Hm?"

"I'm not using a dragon dildo."

"Well, what do you want to use?"

"I'm pretty sure if Equestria was being destroyed or under siege, Twilight would've been back by now. So why don't you take that putrid thing, put it back where you found it, and wash your hands with some bleach because that shouldn't be there at all."

Noah groaned, "Fine, I guess that makes sense." Throwing the foul sex toy into the janitor's room, Noah sauntered away from the group to the nearest bathroom holding up his hands.

"We're gonna pretend that didn't just happen and find out what the events are. You coming Sunset?" Rainbow Dash asked, slightly disgusted. "No, I guess I'll wait on Noah and we'll go get Twilight. It'll a little weird returning but, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do."

Nodding, Rainbow Dash and the other Rainbooms took a left at the end of the hall while Sunset began backwards to find Noah. She just hoped there was actual bleach in the bathroom he was in.

Noah and Sunset stepped outside the front entrance and gazed at the portal. Noah had a pole from the showers in his hands and Sunset was slightly embarrassed since the Crystal Preppers were still outside.

"Alright, let's do this," Noah stated, and he and Sunset began towards the portal. "You know the plan, right?" He asked, and Sunset rolled her eyes, "Of course I know the plan. You told me like seven times."

"Well, how do you think I'd feel if my best friend died or got stuck on the other side of some stupid portal? Then I'd return to America feeling like a joke. And I don't do jokes like that."

Sunset smiled warmly, "Nice to know you care so much." Noah scoffed, "Please, like your ass wouldn't do the same." She glared a jokingly glare, "What did we say?"

"Oh, shut up!"

They approached the portal and Sunset grabbed the end of the pole opposite to Noah with her left hand. "On the count of three, you ready?" Sunset took a deep breath. It was stupid to think Equestria was under siege or something, but the thought itself did worry her. "Ready."

"One... two... three!"

Sunset placed her other hand on the portal and attempted to push, she instead felt a burning sensation in her hand. "Ah! What the hell?!"

"What?! What?!"

"My magic, it's being drained!"

Sunset's hands had made the portal glow where she placed it, but it seemed to be in the same color as her hair. She tried to pull back but to no avail. "Help It won’t let go!"

"I got you, hold on!" Throwing the pole, Noah grabbed Sunset by bringing his arms across her stomach and pulling with everything he had. "C'mon you son of a bitch!"

Before long, Sunset's hands were free, and she and Noah flew back. Sunset landing on his stomach as she was still in his grasp. "Ow, fuck. Ow, God!" Noah comically complained.

Sunset quickly stood up out of his grip and looked on the other side as it didn't feel like it was coming from the portal, but rather from the other side of the portal. Sunset felt her heartbeat quickly when looked over.

It was Twilight.

In her hands was a peculiar compass-like device that had little lightning bolts shooting around it. The same one from earlier. "What did you do?!" Sunset asked frantically.

Twilight stood up and clutched the compass close to her chest. "Twilight," a voice called to her left. It was Dean Cadence. "You have to check in with the others." Frightfully disregarding Sunset, Twilight ran over to the other students. Leaving Sunset in utter shock and bewilderment.

Sunset came around the other side of the portal and touched it, perplexed. But she froze in absolute horror when she felt it. It was just stone. She tried to touch in other places but to no avail.

The portal was gone.

"Wha... w-where's... where's the portal! It's gone! W-Why... W-Why is it gone?!" Noah ran up from behind, and hand on his stomach. "The hell are you talking about?!"

"It's gone!"

Noah felt the portal himself and was stunned. It really was gone. There was no light up at the touch, no sound, no other side, nothing. It was just gone. Almost like it never existed.
"Oh... shit."

Noah turned around to face Sunset, and she had tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She was on her knees in trauma and panic, a couple of tears had even dropped, leaving shiny wet marks on her cheeks.

Noah placed his hands on her shoulders and kneeled, "Hey, c'mon! There's no need to cry." Sunset brought her hands to her head, "The portal is gone! I can never return home again! Twilight can't come back either! There's no in or out, it's just stone! I'm stuck here forever!"

Sunset had started full-on sobbing and held her sides in hysteria. Noah simply stared, he didn't know what to do. he tried to think of something to say, but he couldn't form a sentence in his head. He needed to do something though because he abhorred seeing her so miserable. So he did the first thing that came to mind.

He cuddled her.

Noah stuck his hands and arms underneath Sunset's and pulled her close to his chest. Her sobs stopped spontaneously and her arms laid on his shoulders. He didn't speak though, he just held her like she was his child.

Sunset could hear the beat of his heart like a quiet drum and felt her tears stop flowing. She didn't know why exactly, but she felt so warm so close to him. Sunset's friends gave her hugs all the time, but this one felt... ardent.

Like it was a hug just for her and nobody else. The heat of him being so close even made her blush, along with his subtle quiet breaths. Without thinking, Sunset brought her arms over Noah's shoulders and around him. Hugging him back, closely. Like she needed him close to her more than ever.

"Look, we're gonna figure this out. We'll figure everything out. No Ifs, Ands, or Buts. You'll get to go back home, Twilight will be able to come to us, and everything little thing will be alright. That's a promise from me, nobody else's promises matter more than mine."

"If we're gonna figure this out, I'm gonna need you to get it together and give it everything you've got. Because now your way of life is at stake. Do you understand me?"

"...yes."

"Okay," Noah stood up, Sunset still in his grasp, and let go as she did. He took his right thumb and wiped her tears away. Her eyes returning to their original color as he finished. He picked up the pole from the showers and put a hand on her shoulder. "You ready?"

"Ready."