Reformed Unicorn Group Podcast

Chapters

Chapter 2- Enslaving Thoughts
Chapter 3- Show Time
Chapter 4- My Shadow Follows
Chapter 5- On The Other Side
Chapter 6- Well-Baked Friendship
Chapter 7- Lovebug
Chapter 8- Sparks And Flames
Chapter 10- It's Just A Phase
Chapter 11- Bugging Brothers
Chapter 12- Autumn Rivalry
Chapter 13- Kitchen Storm
Chapter 14- Polished Diamond
Chapter 15- Chaotic Touch
Chapter 16- Spell Me This
Chapter 17- Artefact Mishaps
Chapter 18- Let Them Eat Cake
Chapter 19- Feline Charm
Chapter 20- In This Town
Chapter 21- Change Of Class
Chapter 22- Rhyme With Fire
Chapter 23- The Invisible Flower
Chapter 24- Magical Mystery Challenge
Chapter 25- Once The Bully
Chapter 26- Gals And Games
Chapter 27- Ahoy Me Hearties
Chapter 28- Twilight Dilemma
Chapter 30 (Break)- Through The Mirror
Chapter 31- Wake Up Call
Chapter 32- Parenthood 101
Chapter 33- Keeping In Touch
Chapter 34- All Hands On
Chapter 35- Prepared To Forgive
Chapter 36- Bulk Talks
Chapter 37- One True Treasure
Chapter 38- To Be Adored
Chapter 39- Paint Me A Picture
Chapter 40- Setting Sunset
Chapter 41- Live For All
Chapter 42- Bolts And Colts
Chapter 43- True Original Fan
Chapter 45- #SmileyFace
Chapter 46- Plucking Strings
Chapter 47- One Small Thing
Chapter 48- Lyra In The Sunset
Chapter 49 (Break) - Mirror Reflection Pt.1
Chapter 50 (Break)- Let The Chase Begin Pt.2
Chapter 51 (Break)- Counsel Time Pt.3
Chapter 52- Stitching Amends
Chapter 53- Honest Work
Chapter 54- The Right Notes
Chapter 55- Masterpiece
Chapter 56- Let's Go Fly A Kite
Chapter 57- Some Like It Sweet
Chapter 58- Flurry Conundrum
Chapter 59- Harp Calling
Chapter 60- Light Up The Sky
Chapter 62- On Trending
Chapter 64- Treat In A Cup
Chapter 65- Brush Of Colour
Chapter 66- A New Day Dawns
Chapter 67- Dressed For The Occasion
Chapter 68- On The Red Carpet Pt.1
Chapter 69- At The Gala Pt.2
Chapter 70- Take This Dance Pt.3
Chapter 71- Game On
Chapter 72- Rising Baker
Chapter 73- Potion Commotion
Chapter 74- Flying Material
Chapter 75- Make With The Magics
Chapter 76- Beneath The Waves
Chapter 77- Pop Quiz Time
Chapter 78- Comforting Taste
Chapter 79- Liquid Gold
Chapter 80- Deck Of Tricks
Chapter 81- Fresh To Serve
Chapter 83- Solid Humour
Chapter 84- Off The Pages
Chapter 85- Mix Things Up
Chapter 86- Twister Season
Chapter 87- Fried And Fine
Chapter 88- Holiday Feeling
Chapter 89- Duel At Dawn
Chapter 90- Life's A Breeze
Chapter 91- Chilled Treats
Chapter 92- Mad Skills
Chapter 93- Fresh Talks
Chapter 94- Let The Games Begin Pt.1
Chapter 95- Flying Relay Pt.2
Chapter 96- Striking Action Pt.3
Chapter 98- Balancing Act Pt.5
Chapter 99- Plain Sailing Pt.6
Chapter 100- Jump To Victory Pt.7
Chapter 101- Triple Challenge Pt.8
Chapter 102- Leap Of Fate Pt.9
Chapter 103- Shoot Out Pt.10
Chapter 104- Climbing To The Top Pt.11
Chapter 105- Part Of The Event Pt.12
Chapter 106- Buck Of A Time Pt.13
Chapter 107- It's A Wrap Pt.14
Chapter 108- Flowering Attempt
Chapter 109- Mail Delivery
Chapter 110- Showing The Ropes
Chapter 112- Filed Away
Chapter 113- Chillaxing Conversation
Chapter 1- The Great And Powerful Introduction
Chapter 9- Talking To The Moon
Chapter 29- Define Twilighting
Chapter 44 (Break)- Handy Talks
Chapter 61- Castle Tours
Chapter 63- You've Read My Mind
Chapter 82- All Fun And Games
Chapter 97- Right On Target Pt.4
Chapter 111- Pottery Throw Down
End Of The Show

Chapter 2- Enslaving Thoughts

"So, what is it with us and wanting to enslave ponies, or in Sunset's case, people?" Trixie thought out loud.

The whole room was an awkward silences as Trixie delivered the first question of the show. It was a strange and rather uncomfortable first question and every unicorn in the room reacted with shock. Tempest was enjoying her can of pop, but the contents of the can was spewed from her mouth. Starlight's, knowing where Trixie was going, only gave her friend an unapproving roll of the eyes followed by a small glare. Sunset had both hooves holding her face.

"And whatever do you mean by that?" Starlight added through gritted teeth.

"Well," Trixie spoke in the third person as usual, "Technically Trixie was under the influence of the Alicorn Amulet, but Trixie did place the whole of Ponyville under a glass dome and made Twilight's friends do things for my bidding," Trixie sheepishly.

"You also said you deleted Pinkie's mouth," Starlight lightly joked, "You may want to teach me that spell."

At Sugar Cube Corner, a certain party pony felt something with her Pinkie Sense.
"No thank you, Starlight!" Pinkie shrieked, "How would I enjoy cakes and sing!" Pinkie gave a dramatic gasp. She then broke out into song, causing the customers to cover their ears.

"I don't know what would be better sometimes," Rainbow Dash groaned, "Trixie's spell or the Poison Joke."

"Well," Sunset hesitantly broke in, "I did turn into a raging she-demon and enslave an entire school and turned everyone into a zombified army to invade Equestria," Sunset sighed.

"At least you moved on along with everyone else and helped defeat the sirens," Starlight comforted her friend.

"And you did tell Juniper that you enslaved an entire town with the same talent of equal sign cutie marks," Sunset quipped. Both friends had a laugh at the memories.

"I think I may have broken the enslaving record under the Storm King," Tempest mused. Starlight and Trixie shared a comforting smile towards the dark purple unicorn.

"At least Twilight offered you a hoof of friendship, and you are quite powerful even with a broken horn," Trixie answered, causing Starlight to give a small glare, but Tempest just smiled and waved a dismissive hoof.

"I am travelled far to spread the news of the Storm King's defeat, and I'm glad to be in reconciliation of my past," Tempest spoke sincerely.

"It's good we have so many friends to help us back on track," Starlight thought.

"Indeed we do," Tempest said.

"And I helped someone else as well with their mistakes and I've made more friends in my world as well," Sunset smiled.
"We all have," Starlight answered.

"Well, that's all we have time for this afternoon," Sunset answered to their listeners, "Have a great day and always lend a hoof to those who have lost their way."

Chapter 3- Show Time

"And now, the Great and Powerful Trixie is going to amaze our listeners will now perform a trick to wow my studio audience!" Trixie introduced to both her audience and listeners.

"This is going to be good," Tempest mocked sarcastically.

"You better see and hear to believe it!" Trixie triumphantly jabbed at Tempest's remark, "I present to you the The Great Unicorn Escape!"

"This again?" Starlight groaned.

"Yes, this again!" Trixie quipped, "And this time, I won't be needing any assistance from your teleportation."

Starlight just rolled her eyes and turned to Sunset, "She took forever to get out of those chains on her own." Sunset giggled.

A curtain fell in front of Trixie as the rattling of chains could be heard behind the curtain. Then silence, followed by the occasionally grunting. The three remaining unicorns began laughing at what Trixie might be trying to do. They were pretty sure the audience would be doing the same thing. More rattling came from behind the curtain from the studio makeshift stage.

"Okay," Trixie groaned, "The Great and Powerful Trixie needs some assistance." The curtain pulled away, revealing a sorrowful Trixie tied precariously in a bundle of chains that looked uncomfortable. That didn't help as Trixie was wearing a blush across the face.

"Oh I wish there were televisions in this world," Sunset joked, "The audience would love what they're seeing!"

"What's a television?" Tempest asked with curisoity.

"Another time," Sunset explained.

"Hello? Trixie needs help or she might have some cramps in the morning!" Trixie begged to her colleagues
There was a snap and a flash as Sunset took a picture.

"Don't you dare!" Trixie said with an even deeper blush.

"Sorry, but you've got yourself into this," Sunset smiled wickedly, "There may be no TVs, but at least there're cameras here. I will have this published in the Foal Free Press!"

"You wouldn't!" Trixie shouted.

"Try us," Starlight beamed triumphantly.

"Should we try to help now?" Tempest asked as she watched Trixie's face turn to a darker blue than her coat.

"Okay, just stay still," Starlight giggled as she levitated her friend, then performed a teleportation spell to free her friend like last time.

Soon everypony was back on the desk with good laughs, except for a certain blue unicorn.

"Tomorrow, you will be known as the Great and Humiliated Trixie," Sunset said as she waved the picture in her face.

"Please, I have been humiliated enough after Twilight tamed the Ursa Minor," Trixie explained.

"Twilight managed to tame an Ursa Minor?!" Tempest asked in surprise and a shiver.

"That's right. What's wrong?" Trixie asked. Starlight looked concerned.

"Just bad memories," Tempest sighed.

"You think you turned bad just because of some starry bear?" Starlight comforted, "I turned bad just because I thought Sunburst having a cutie mark would make me lose friends."

They were quick to form a group hug around Tempest.

"Pinkie's right," Tempest sighed, "Hugs are good."

"And she knows how to relieve them in every occasion," Starlight giggled, "Just avoid her surprise hugs."

"Noted," Tempest giggled.

Chapter 4- My Shadow Follows

“Fillies and Gentlecolts,” Trixie introduced, “We are very excited to announce that we have a very special guest with us today!”

“Many lovers of scary stories would know him best as the Pony of Shadows, but now has one of the bestselling books with My and My Shadow,” Tempest eagerly announced.

“We are talking about, the one and only,” Sunset rounded off.

“Stygian! Welcome to the show,” Starlight greeted the unicorn.

“Thank you so much for having me on the show,” Stygian thanked the unicorns.

“Now tell us what happened when we last met when we banished the Shadow back into limbo,” Starlight wondered, “How did you get into writing this series?”

“Getting back into Equestria had its challenges,” Stygian told his story, “And I just didn’t want to be known as the Pony of Shadows or my past. It was actually Princess Luna who understood my turmoil, with her similar incident with Nightmare Moon. She encouraged me to take up writing. It all went from there.”

“Truly amazing stories and tales,” Tempest scanned through a copy of the third edition, “So much planning and detail. What was settling into modern Equestria like?”

“It was a challenge at first,” Stygian chuckled, “Technology comes and goes like madness. But I’ve settled in fine, and the other Pillars pop by to see me.”

“Now let’s get talking about your series,” Sunset inquired, “What do you want ponies and creatures to take away from this series?”

Stygian took a deep breath and said, “No matter how sunny the day may be, or how bright we feel, a shadow is cast behind us and follows our very step. No matter where we turn, or even when it gets dark, we have our shadows. My shadow was my past anger, and anger is always the shortest distance to a mistake. It took hold when the Pillars abandoned me, thinking I was trying to match their power. I just wanted to respect and grew in resentment. I became the very worst of myself that forced me and the Pillars into limbo.

“However, it was thanks to you Starlight, and Princess Twilight Sparkle, that me and the Pillars reconciled, as we didn’t listen to what we had to tell each other from the very start. I want readers to understand that no matter how dark our shadows are that follow us behind, we must embrace the light around us, such as our friends, when we need an ear to listen to.”

“Thank you so much for your insight. It is a beautiful collection of heartfelt truth,” Tempest said softly.

“I even read your friends’ Friendship Journal,” Stygian turned to Starlight, who froze in her seat. Not that cursed book of misery.

“Your friends’ accomplishments could rival the Pillars themselves. They are truly spectacular in their own way!” Stygian hugged his copy of the Journal of Friendship. Starlight just breathed a sigh of relief.

“I may take a copy of the Friendship Journal to my world if that’s okay? If a former villain think it’s good, why not?”

“No!” Starlight hugged Sunset’s face, “By Celestia, do not put that Journal into your world! Think of what your counterparts would do to that thing?!” Starlight begged.

“Okay then,” Sunset said slowly.

“Well,” Tempest decided to close, “That’s all for now. Thank you to Stygian for joining and get a copy of his latest edition out now!”

Ponyville shook as a purple alicorn shouted, “Spike, get the bit bag and a checklist. We are going shopping and heading to the bookshop right NOW!”

Chapter 5- On The Other Side

"So, what is it like at the other side of that magical mirror?" Tempest asked Sunset and Starlight, "I mean, you've been there a long time, and you once invited Starlight before. Twilight told how you communicated with her with some magical diary that connects to yours."

Sunset and Starlight looked at each other with knowing smiles at the memories and shenanigans that went one the other side.

"Like a said to Starlight before inviting her over," Sunset answered, "It's pretty similar yet different at the same time."

"It was pretty awkward as well," Starlight though, "We ponies turn into strange bipedal creatures who call themselves human, and instead of magic, they use these strange appendages called hands."

"Hands? What hands?" A certain minty green unicorn turned her head towards the radio.

"What was that Lyra?" Bonbon turned to the unicorn. However, Lyra was more focused on the radio. She had a manic smile on her face. A smile that threatened to break her face.

"Hands...Beautiful, precious hands," Lyra said slowly, "I must know their secrets. Secrets that could shape the understanding of biology. No more having to rely on slippy hooves and levitation. No more struggling to hold a teacup by the handle. The joy of having such strange appendages at the end of a foreleg." Lyra gave a grin of pleasure.

"Not this again..." Bonbon trailed off

"The technology in this world is something quite remarkable as well," Sunset also remarked, "They have strange contraptions that help them go wherever they need to. I tried taking a driving test one of those. It didn't go quite according to plan," Sunset grinned sheepishly, "Though don't tell Princess Luna what a faculty lot is. Let her have her own imagination."

"Interesting," Trixie sounded intrigued, "And since you said there are people that look like us, Is there a Great and Powerful Trixie, who is just as Great and Powerful as me?"

Sunset paused on that question, not sure where to take it from there.

"I would say that you are more greater and powerful-er than her in my world," Sunset said with an unsure tone.

"Yes! There is no pony, nor human, than can ever other the Greatest and Most Powerfullest Trixie!" Trixie declared triumphantly. Sunset's eye twitched at the mention of the word 'Powerfullest'.

"That's not even a word," she grumbled.

"What was that?" Trixie asked.

"Oh, nothing," Sunset rolled her eyes.

"Walking was the main problem on two legs," Starlight contemplated, "I ended up going on all-fours, which caused a few stares. I bet I wasn't the only one who did that at the first go."

"Believe me, you're not the only," A certain purple princess said out loud, earning a chuckle from her Number One Assistant.

"That was funny," Spike said, "the look that man gave when walking his dog."

"The way they make cinemas exciting is also run," Starlight said, recalling the movie premiere, "I'm just glad Twilight allowed me to stay a while, so that I got to see what Sunset's world had to offer."

"Well, that's all we have time for now," Tempest concluded, "See you after the break!"

Chapter 6- Well-Baked Friendship

“You join us in the studio kitchen today as we have a cooking demonstration with us today with a very special guest,” Trixie announced.

“Travelling all the way from Griffonstone to bake their famous scones for us, It’s Gilda!” Sunset introduced to the listeners.

“Yeah, yeah, just get to the good stuff already,” Gilda grunted.

“So what do you need to bake the perfect Griffonstone Scones?” Tempest asked with intrigued.

“What you’re gonna need is 1 pound of self-raising flour, one and three-quarter ounces of caster sugar, 3 and a half ounces of butter 2 eggs, a dash of milk and Pinkie Pie’s friendship approved baking powder, just 2 teaspoonfuls,” Gilda explained.

“Why friendship approved?” Starlight asked.

“Because Pinkie Pie said so,” Gilda rolled her eyes.

“Fair enough?”

“Preheat the oven to around 220 Celestius, or 430 Marenheit with two greased trays. Then you mix the flour, baking powder in a large bowl. Rub the butter in until it feels like breadcrumbs between my talons or your hooves,” Gilda instructed.

“And tell us how the Griffonstone scone came to be,” Sunset said as she started mixing.

“It was a staple food after our idol was stolen for us and Griffonstone turned into, as Rainbow Dash said, a total dump,” Gilda huffed, “Rainbow Dash and Pinkie were sent their on their so-called Friendship Mission. But we griffons don’t do friendship, and any direct interaction is less snuggly than you ponies.”

After the mixture was checked, Gilda added the eggs to a measuring jug and added the milk until the whole contents reached 300ml. she then poured it into the dry mix bit by bit, until the mixture was sticky enough.

“Next you need a lightly dusted workspace to knead the dough. For extra flavour, you can mix sultanas into the mixture. Roll it out until it’s about ¾ of an inch thick. Cut them into circles as round as possible and brush them with egg and milk for an extra shine. You want your scones to be around 2 inches in diameter. Bake until pale brown and well risen for 15 minutes,” Gilda instructed next. The scones where placed in the oven as instructed and the group sat back down on the studio table.

“And what was Rainbow’s and Pinkie’s friendship mission?” Trixie asked.

“Rainbow thought that if we get the idol back, everything would be okay, but Pinkie realised that we thought that the idol was important to us. If we learnt to spread friendship throughout Griffonstone, the place would be a better kingdom to live in. I was torn between the idol and my friends when we were trapped down a ravine, but in the end I chose them. I may have been a bully and a bit of a brute back in the old days, but I now have a chance to be a better Griffon. Pinkie and Rainbow even gave me the responsibility to spread friendship after I gave scones to a griffon without asking for bits. It was amazing! I made my first ever friend there.”

“And is it true that you have a past with Rainbow?” Starlight asked with interest.

“Yes, she introduced me when no pony did, we became best flying buddies. However, I realised how much I have changed into the worst griffon out there. It made me realise, looking back, how true of a friend she was at the time. I saw the difference between what I was and what I could become. Sure, my griffon streak comes out sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t learnt anything from their visit.”

Just then there was a ding from the oven, declaring the scones were ready. Gilda used an oven glove to take them out.

“And there you have it. Griffonstone’s famous scones, improved thanks to a certain party pony,” Gilda chuckled and rolled her eyes. The unicorns dug themselves in. a moan of satisfaction was heard from out of the radio.

“Delicious,” Starlight commented

“Definitely are,” Sunset approved.

“These get the Great and Powerful Trixie’s approval," Trixie declared.

“And on that tasty note, we are done for today!” Tempest concluded, “Thank you to our special guest Gilda for sharing the recipe. Like baking, Friendship is hard work. But the reward is something that's more tasty.”

“You ponies are super sappy,” Gilda commented.

Author's Note

Better post this chapter up since my university term starts and I have a practical to do tomorrow. Hope you like this warm and tasty chapter. Based on a real scone recipe that would have Pinkie's seal of approval :pinkiehappy:

Chapter 7- Lovebug

"Today, " Trixie announced to their listeners, "We have a very special guest who is taking time off ruling to be with us today,"

"He is a former servant who has turned against Queen Chrysalis and helped save our friends as well as the Princesses of Equestria," Starlight excitedly added.

"Allow us to introduce, Thorax," Tempest introduced the new changeling king to the show.

"Thanks, it's a pleasure to be here really," Thorax appreciated with usually timid tone, "Pharynx is taking care of everything so I can be here with all of you."

"You let Pharynx be in charge of the hive?" Starlight asked with worry, "Isn't he a bit extreme?"

"You'll be surprised to know that he has taken aboard your lessons when you and Trixie visited last time, and he as calmed down over time. Though that doesn't stop Pharynx from being Pharynx," Thorax chuckled wryly.

"If you say so," Trixie said with trepidation.

"So tell us," Tempest shifted the topic, "How did you become a renegade from Chrysalis' rule,"

"I was different from the very moment I hatched from Chrysalis brood," Thorax sighed, "I was more timid and didn't get involved with some of the rough activities of some of the other changelings at the time. Pharynx was there when others ganged up on me, but mainly it was just me, doing my own gentle thing. Pharynx used got me to hit myself as a lesson to toughen up and be more like them." Trixie chuckled, causing Starlight to give her friend the usual threatening glare.

"What changed?" Sunset asked with intrigue, since she wasn't in Equestria most of the time.

"I was there when Chrysalis attacked Canterlot," Thorax shamefully told, "I saw Twilight and her friends' fight to reach the Elements of Harmony. Even though it was in vain, it made me realise something. True love shouldn't just be kept for ourselves to feed on, it should shared and enjoyed by those all around. Twilight and the others fought with passion and love, not just for Equestria, Cadance and Shining Armor, but for each other. They supported each other throughout out the fight. It grew to the point of almost sensing it inside me as well." Thorax smiled at the memory.

"What happened next," Tempest urged him on.

"After our defeat and being expelled from Canterlot, I knew I couldn't live the same way like the others. I wanted love to be shared, but held back. I left the hive and tried to search for some creature to take me as I am, regardless of my links to Chrysalis. It was at that time I was drawn to the Crystal Empire's love over the Crystalling of Flurry Heart. I hid around the Frozen North to sustain myself with the Empire's love. It was there I met Spike. Be saw me as not a bad guy, but some creature who needed a friend, something stronger to sustain than just feeding off of it."

"How wonderful," Sunset noted, "And how has the Changeling Kingdom and Hive adapted now?"

"It was a bit of a bumpy started," Thorax nervously laughed, "Some things were new and all. We tried Twilight's guide to celebrating Hearth's Warming Eve for example. We may have taken the list a bit too literally there,"

"Correction, very literally," Starlight laughed out loud, "Ocellus told us about it. That shy little bookbug."

"Of course she did," Thorax laughed along, "However, things are coming together nicely. I am also taking lessons for being a more assertive leader by Dragonlord Ember. She was a big help ever since she and I met at Spike's accidentally planning arrangement. Although she still messes up on who's who in her letters to me. I mean, who in Equestria is Twilight Glimmer?"

"Don't remind me," Starlight groaned, "I mean, how in the name and Celestia do me and Twilight look alike?"

"Don't get me wrong," Sunset joined in, "But it can get confusing. With me in, it's Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer and Sunset Shimmer. Mine and Starlight's name sort of rhyme, so it might get confusing. I wonder what would happen if Ember met all of us unicorns?"

I dread to imagine the confusion on her face," Starlight giggled.

"Thank you for your time being here," Tempest thanked the changeling, "We are going to have a break right now. Hope to see you all again soon. Thank you for listening once again creatures!"

Chapter 8- Sparks And Flames

"Thank you so much for coming to the Show, Ember," Starlight welcomed the Dragonlord, "I'm glad you found the time to be with us today!"

"Of course. Once Thorax sent me a letter explaining your show, I was interested in being a part of it. We dragons have a bad reputation of being brutish," Ember laughed sheepishly, "But hopefully this will help us show that not all dragons are like that. Definitely after opening the School of Friendship."

"Well, hopefully you will help many fears lay to rest with you on our program," Sunset reassured.

"Thank you, Starlight," Ember said, not realising her mistake.

"It's Sunset," Sunset corrected.

"Oh, this again. You ponies have the strangest names. It's all with the sparkly, happy stuff," Ember huffed with annoyance.

"You got a problem with that?" Tempest quirked a brow at that.

"I mean, standing side by side, Twilight and Starlight looked the same and had marks with strange sparkly stuff on their flanks," Ember stated.

"I told you before, but mine is a glimmer," Starlight's eye twitched.

"I mean even standing next to Sunset and the blue one there are similarities," Ember pointed at the trio, "You're broken horn kind of makes it obvious for you there, dark purple one." There was dead silence at Ember's remark.

"What?" Sunset and Starlight simultaneously shouted, much like Ember's encounter with Twilight.

"The blue one has a name, and it's the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie huffed with her cockiness shining through.

"And I happen to have a good horn despite it not being there thank you very much!" Tempest snarled at the dragon, her broken horn sparking at the same time.

"I'm just saying," Ember made her point, crossing her arms, "You are both unicorns with curly swirly downward hair with a streak running through it. You both have marks of some sparkly thing."

"Okay, mine is clearly a sun spilt in half," Sunset pointed at her mark.

"And Trixie's here is just some lame cape with a toy wand on it," Ember huffed smoke through her nostrils.

"How dare you offend the Great and Powerful Trixie! My talents go beyond your wildest dreams, dragon," Trixie angrily pointed to her flank as well.

"So how is that any different?" Ember scratched her head in irritation.

"Not this again," Starlight groaned.

"Spike even says you're starting to act like Twilight through his letters as well," Ember jabbed a claw to Starlight.

"What?!" Starlight shouted, causing to Trixie to snicker.

"You go all Twilighting with you have a friendship lesson or test. You even created checklists as well," Ember pointed.

"I'm going to have a word with Spike when I get back," Starlight grumbled.

"And what about that horn of yours?" Ember turned to Tempest. Starlight tried to signal Ember to cut whilst she was ahead, but it was in vain. Tempest's horn sparked some more.

"My horn may be broken, but I'll have you know that it can still pack a punch when I want it to," Tempest warned. Starlight gulped.

"Okay. No need to cause a storm in the the studio," Ember mocked.

"And for a dragon, you are full of hot air," Tempest hit back.

Both were practically face to face at this point. Starlight turned to Trixie with a pleading face, but somehow Trixie got out a bag of popcorn, observing the spectacle with satisfaction. Starlight facehoofed. However, the two suddenly burst out into laughter.

"You're not so bad for a dragon, Ember," Tempest admired.

"And for a unicorn without a horn, you can be pretty tough with you want to be," Ember smiled.

"Aww," Trixie groaned with a bored tone, "And Trixie wanted to see a fight."

"Firstly, this was meant to be a chat about how dragons not being so brutish. Secondly, I don't want to pay for property fire damage. Thirdly," Starlight gave a exasperated sigh, "Where did you get the popcorn?"

"A true magician never reveals her secrets. Wink," Trixie quipped, giving a wink to her word. Starlight gave in.

"We are going to take a break for now," Starlight tried to defuse the atmosphere, "Hopefully we will survive the break."

Chapter 10- It's Just A Phase

"Starlight, is it true that you had a phase once?" Trixie questioned her friend with a smirk, causing Starlight to spew her coffee from her mug. Coughing with a flustered, bright red face, she turned to Trixie with alarm.

"How did you know about that?! And it's just a phase!" Starlight tried to salvage her dignity.

"Oh, just a certain childhood crush of yours told us about your old room from one your so-called friendship missions," Trixie slyly hinted. Starlight facehoofed.

"Sunburst is sure to get it when I see him again," Starlight groaned, "And he is not my crush!"

"Just keep telling yourself that, Starlight," Trixie grinned, "Just keep telling yourself that."

"You had a phase?" Sunset questioned, "What sort of phase?"

"A punk-goth phase," Starlight sighed, "That was when Sunburst left to be a student and Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns."

"No wonder you decided to create a cult," Tempest teased. Starlight just rolled your eyes.

"It sounds ridiculous when you say it like that, you know?" Starlight warned, "The stares I'll get when this is over will be unbearable. But I have come far from that moment. Twilight othered her hoof of friendship to me when I was at my lowest point. Now I am here talking about my past to help others not go down the same path I took. I mean our bad guy moments are also a phase, right?"

"You mean, I had a Breakaway-Bad-Girl-Bully Phase?" Sunset sarcastically said, "I'm hurt. However, That is technically not wrong with how I treated everyone back at Canterlot High. But Twilight and my new friends helped me get back on my feet. Though, I do think I have the usually anger phases."

"That would explain why you're red and yellow. That anger is getting to your mane," Trixie sniggered. Sunset glared at the Great and Powerful Trixie.

"I was born this way, thank you very much!" Sunset shouted.

"Okay Sunset. No need to burn like a sunset itself," Trixie jabbed. Tempest decided to think about her 'phase' before.

"And I had a Join-A-Supposed-Bad-Guy-That-Betrays-Me phase?" Tempest mocked, "That sounds about right. But Twilight helped me show that my horn is just as powerful and the more friends the merrier." Tempest smiled at the memory.

"A moment when you became friends with the bad guy and he betrays you, and it's the good guy that shows you the right path" Trixie rolled her eyes, "That sounds predictable as ever. Who would do such a thing?"

"Discord?" Tempest and Starlight said together.

"Point taken..." Trixie trailed off, "I will not forgive him for making literal pigs fly. It was just an expression!"

"With Discord, everything is literal," Starlight giggled.

"Whatever, Great and Powerful Boast-A-Lot. That seems to be your phase every time," Sunset hit back for all of Trixie's mockery. Starlight sniggered.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie always requires her presence to be known, on the stage or in a studio," Trixie proudly declared, "Trixie must shock and awe the audience with her tricks and daring deeds in order to capture said audience's attention!"

"Yeah," Starlight sarcastically mocked, "As if that isn't boasting. Didn't your boast almost cost you with that Ursa Minor?"

"Trixie has come far from that low point, thank you!" Trixie huffed, "However, she came back with a vengeful phase with that cursed Alicorn Amulet. I even had to work on Pinkie's rock farm to earn it!"

"You were lucky a rock farm took the likes of you!" Pinkie shouted whilst trying her new icing record, "Wait. Didn't I say that before?"

"But it's safe to say," Starlight concluded, "That we are all in a good friendship phase, right?" She turned to the others who agreed with confidence.

"Did you play the guitar?" Sunset turned to starlight, "I do for the Rainbooms back at Canterlot High."

"Yes, I did," Starlight said, "Imagine if we were in a band? Could you imagine that?"

"The Reformed Unicorn Rockers?" Tempest joked, "Who would listen to something like that?"

"Presenting, the Great and Powerful RUR!" Trixie introduced theatrically, "Starring Trixie on vocals, Sunset and Starlight on guitars and Tempest on drums! Now that sounds like something cool" Trixie approved.

"It will take time to adjust from fingers to hooves though," Sunset though solemnly, "Being in one band is good enough for me."

"Just an idea," Trixie mused, "Just an idea. That's all for today ponies and creatures!"

Chapter 11- Bugging Brothers

"So, Pharynx, welcome to our show," Starlight tried to smile, but it was strained, "Glad that you could join us today."

"I only agreed to this because of Thorax's persistence," Pharynx huffed, "My brother wanted me to be a part of the show so much. It was crazy! He was just bugging, and bugging me like there were no tomorrow."

Starlight chuckled at the image, "Definitely sounds like Thorax."

"So how are you two brothers?" Sunset asked with deep interest.

"Well," Pharynx, "Technically we have many brothers. We are part of the same brood that Chrysalis took care of, but we were pretty close within that clutch. I was such a baby, both literally and figuratively. I had to stand up for him every time be got pestered by the others. I even managed to make him hit himself constantly. It was funny." Pharynx sighed in remembrance. Trixie rolled her eyes.

"And was your job during Chrysalis' reign?" Tempest asked.

"I was on border patrol," Pharynx puffed his chest out proudly, "Day in, day out, I would be on guard outside the hive for intruders. It was nice to get away from Thorax's petty chalk drawings in the wall. I would disguise myself as objects and then pounce, feeding off on their love. I enjoyed seeing the terror on their faces. Yours was priceless Trixie!" He laughed at that moment.

"The Great and Fearless Trixie never gets scared!" Trixie declared with pride. Starlight rolled her eyes at her friend's prideful attitude.

"Yeah. Just keep telling yourself that, Great and Terrified Trixie," Pharynx smirked. Tempest sniggered.

"Was it true you were in your unchanged form before Starlight and Trixie showed up?" Tempest asked with intrigue.

"I was." Pharynx answered plainly, "I was not like the other changelings back then. I wanted things like the good old days. I was the only left in charge of borders. Even if we have changed, a kingdom is still a kingdom that needs protecting. I thought that due to my attitude, the changelings didn't want me. I thought I could do it alone," Pharynx mused, "But Thorax and the others, including you ponies, showed me that I was still needed."

"Now let's talk about Thorax," Sunset smiled.

"Oh please, my brother is the most dorky bug there is!" Pharynx grumbled, "Even as a larva, he was a complete...Weirdo! His cuddly chalk drawings, how he didn't want to be involved in wrestling. The new hive is sometimes full of his characteristics, I need to go outside just to clear my head on how green everything is."

"Definitely sounds like Thorax," Trixie snorted. Starlight gave a quick glare.

"I'm glad that this Dragon who goes by the name of Ember, which is a classic name for a dragon, is helping Thorax out with assertiveness. He needs to grow an exoskeleton when I'm not around," Pharynx huffed again, "If that wasn't going to work, I might look for an assertive teacher myself. There is this advert about some Minotaur named Iron-" Pharynx pulled out an advertisement brochure from behind his wing, but was quickly snatched away but a freaked out Starlight

"NO! Not him! Anything but him!" Starlight warned, "The things he did to Fluttershy, Twilight and Yona are something you don't want to happen to an already peaceful hive!"

"Right," Pharynx said slowly, "But anyway. Thorax is a good leader, regardless of being a softy or not. He has come far, from being a renegade, to helping save Equestria and now the new leader. Sure, he will always have his goofy, over-the-top moments, but that is what makes him Thorax. We are brothers and will always make jabs at each other, but that doesn't stop supporting each other in our roles." The unicorns smiled at that.

"Well, it's good to hear everything is going good between the two," Starlight sighed.

"Says the unicorn that thought I was a lost cause," Pharynx jabbed. Starlight facedhoofed hard.

"Yeah," Trixie shot back mockingly, "How could you do this to Thorax's brother?"

"But? You? Why?" Starlight looked between Trixie, then Pharynx, before slouching on her seat. Sunset rolled her eyes.

"I think we will leave it right there, to save Starlight's dignity," Sunset giggled, "Hope to see you all again soon!

Chapter 12- Autumn Rivalry

"Hello every creature from across Equestria," Trixie introduced, "We are outside today to give you live coverage of the Running of the Leaves!"

"Usually Pinkie and Spike commentate the spectacle," Starlight explained, "But Pinkie decided to join the runners this year, meaning she handed the role to all four of us."

"Looks the the runners are at the finishing line," Tempest observed from their extra large hot air balloon, "And of course, the main things most viewers are anticipating are the two rivals that are at it again, Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Since their Iron Pony Competition, these two have decided that this marathon was the only way to get this settled."

"These two are always at it," Starlight sighed, "Pinkie told us about their dare to stay at The Castle Of The Two Sisters the longest, and that rivalry that involved the students being caught right at the middle of it. It was lucky that the students managed to save them by learning not to follow their example."

"Other participants of the race include Twilight Sparkle," Sunset looked down, "She is hoping to improve her position of eighth place from a previous attempt. Pinkie Pie is also at the starting line. She must have eaten extra sugary treats to be in the right sugar rush for this."

"So without further ado," Trixie got out a megaphone, "Runners, take your positions!" All of them headed towards the line, Applejack and Rainbow Dash giving a short glare when they arrived.

"On your marks," Sunset counted down.

"Get set," Tempest continued.

"Go!"Starlight cried out. The runners started, Rainbow and Applejack taking the lead quickly. Twilight decided to do her pacing method, whilst Pinkie was going full steam ahead.

"Applejack and Rainbow Dash remain hot on each others' hooves," Starlight observed, "Pinkie is giving it her all. She seems to be eating a cake at the same time, but it's Pinkie. Twilight is pacing behind number 45, 17 and 57."

"It Rainbow Dash seems to have the upper hoof right now!" Tempest spotted, "But Applejack is giving it all she's got!"

"Now she's head to head with Rainbow," Sunset continued, "It's still too close to say right now!"

"It must be reminded that the reason for this race is to let the leaves fall, signalling the arrival of Autumn," Starlight explained.

"Pinkie's right, those leaves are lazy," Sunset joked.

"Not as lazy as Trixie," Trixie showed off, "Practice is key to amaze an audience!"

"Says the one who decided to bring a piece of a swamp inside a classroom with a flash bee hive," Starlight huffed. Trixie chuckled sheepishly at that.

"Speaking of practice, both Applejack and Rainbow had been out doing just that for this occasion," Tempest admired, "It really shows right now."

"It took me practice to learn to walk on two legs whilst in Canterlot High," Sunset mused, "I bet I'm not the only only who went on all fours on the first try."

"I heard that!" Twilight shouted to the balloon.

"You're not the only one!" Starlight shouted back.

"The racers have now have reached the middle of Whitetail Woods," Trixie observed, "AJ and RD are still fighting for the top spot. Twilight has taken a good position in the middle now and Pinkie, is just being Pinkie." She groaned, "How is she eating on the go?"

"Best to stop whilst your ahead," Sunset warned, "In this world or mine, Pinkie is one strange oddity."

"Tell me about it," Starlight sighed, "Even under a spell that I placed on them when I was scared to doing a friendship lesson, she can bake super fast. However, she can bake good."

"All the others can, except Rainbow right?" Sunset asked, "I remember you recalled something about trying to bake a pie as an apology for all the pies she lied about to Pinkie."

"Pinkie told me about it," Starlight smiled, "She described the pastry as some kind of concrete."

Down below Rainbow Dash gave a sheepish smile. From behind them, Pinkie gave a disgusted look.

"It rivalled King Sombra's cake he made Mr and Mrs Cake bake for them when he enslaved Ponyville. I mean seriously, who would put liquorice in a cake?! It was the most ugliest cake I've ever seen!"

"Okay now, the racers are heading towards the finish line now. It's too close to call! It looks like Rainbow Dash," Starlight observed as Rainbow took the lead by a head.

"Nope, Applejack," Tempest quipped as Applejack took the lead.

"The finish line is in sight!" Sunset watched, "It's...A tie! Again!" Starlight winced. They are not going to like that, but she saw it coming.

"Pinkie finishes as an impressive fourth place, and Twilight has beaten her previous record, at sixth."

"Do you think Rainbow Dash and Applejack will be happy?" Sunset asked Starlight.

"Nope," Starlight plainly answered, sounding like Big Mac, "But best to not get in the way of their next dare or challenge. Believe me, I've seen it way too often now."

"Trixie has taken note," Trixie concluded, "We will be back in the studio for our next show. Stay tuned and be Great and Powerful yourselves!"

Chapter 13- Kitchen Storm

"You join us the studio kitchen once again to show you listeners how to bake the perfect cake!" Starlight introduced todays program, "And you might say that I'm a baking disaster, but I've had help from Pinkie Pie and at my old village's baking contest at the Sunset Festival. And joining me today is Tempest!"

"Is this a good idea?" Tempest asked, "You only had two experiences in baking and I had zero experience."

"Please, We've got this," Starlight reassured.

"That's what they all say," Trixie teased. Sunset rolled her eyes.

"Thank you for that support, Trixie," Starlight jabbed back, "I may not be a Pinkie Pie clone, but at least I'm not a disaster in the kitchen."

"First add the butter, flour, caster sugar, eggs and milk together. Mix them well until you have a smooth cake mix. For extra flavour, add a touch of vanilla extract." Tempest did as Starlight instructed. As she opened the flour, it exploded in her face. Coughing and spluttering, she turned to Starlight with a short glare with a flour-covered face.

"I was like that with Pinkie," Starlight giggled wryly, "Seriously, how Pinkie just whips something up without any trouble amazes me. Even under a spell, she whipped enough to have the whole kitchen bursting with cake!"

"I think the others can cook quite well as well," Sunset mused, "Nothing tastes more perfect than Granny Smith's pies. It is perfect in the winter with a warm drink." Sunset went into a state of sugary bliss at the memory.

"Twilight and Spike were having a cook-off before Fluttershy burst in about Zecora's swamp fever," Starlight remembered, "Even though Fluttershy ate the sweet potato muffins, they had plenty of cauliflower bites. Too much for me to handle. Rarity is an okay simple cook, but the same couldn't be said for Sweetie Belle. Rarity told me how she burned juice. How can you burn juice?" She turned to Tempest, who was somehow struggling to mix the contents of the bowl.

"I think something went wrong with my mix," Tempest said to Starlight in a worried tone. Starlight peered in to see, not a smooth cake mix, but a strange tough mix. she tried taking the spoon out, but it was stuck in place. She turned to Tempest, who had a raised brow. She laughed nervously.

"How is it going over there?" Trixie mocked, "I know Starlight's nervous laugh, so I think it's coming on great." Sunset jabbed Trixie's side. She raised her hooves defensively.

"Yeah," Starlight lied, "Everything is turning out great. Next, place a bit of mix into each cupcake mold, about halfway to allow let the mixture to rise." Tempest did her best to put the mix into individual molds.

"Then place them in the oven until evenly baked and golden." Tempest opened the oven and did as she was instructed.

"On the road, is there much to eat?" Sunset asked Trixie.

"You must eat with the minimal amount of bits on the road," Trixie explained, "Unlike some ponies who blew away their bits for some extra food." She turned to Starlight who grinned back mockingly.

"Says the pony who talks in her sleep about how great and powerful they are," Starlight hit back.

"Says the pony who snores so loud, she made her old village convinced they were being attacked by bears," Trixie countered back.

"Scootaloo said that you wouldn't want Rainbow Dash's snoring when you sleep," Starlight warned, "She thought it was the Headless Horse when they were camping and telling spooky stories." Sunset chuckled at their 'friendly' roasting, before she stopped to sniff the air.

"Is it just me, or does something smelt burnt to you?" Every pony in the room stopped to sniff the air, before Tempest shouted in alarm.

"My cupcakes!" She opened the open, only to be hit with a cloud of black smoke. Coughing, she placed her well-baked cupcakes at the table. The others crowded round to see what she made.

"And the Great and Powerful Trixie learned a valuable lesson today," Trixie gagged, "Always leave the baking to Pinkie Pie." The others silently nodded, whilst Tempest just looked appalled. She looked down at her soot and flour covered body.

"I think we're going to leave it there for the day," Sunset announced slowly to their listeners, "Hope to see you all again soon."

Chapter 14- Polished Diamond

"Thank you for agreeing to talk to us, Diamond Tiara," Starlight welcome the filly to their show, "And thank you for agreeing to talk about your journey."

"It's no biggie," Diamond waved a hoof, "The Cutie Mark Crusaders thought it was a good idea to talk about my story on the show, and I wanted to help other fillies and colts who were stuck in a position like me."

"So lets talk about what happened. Could you care to explain?" Sunset started the talk.

Diamond sighed heavily, "I was a different pony to what I was back then. I was a real jerk. I got that reputation from my mother, who taught me how to look down on those in order to make it big in the world. My father was away doing deals, and I rarely see him except on Zap Apple Jam Season. I got my influence from her in the wrong way."

"And where did it start with the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Trixie asked next.

"It started with Applebloom on my Cute-Cenaera. Being a blank flank, I made her feel isolated from the others, but she made friends at the party, meeting Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle who were also in hiding from being blank flanks. They showed that not having cutie mark doesn't mean you won't have a purpose. You shouldn't rush seeking it out and there is the joy of trying everything out there."

"Then there was the incident of the Foal Free Press after Zap Apple Jam Season, was there?"

"Yep," Diamond sighed deeply, "Exposing everyone's secrets and breaking into their privacy by pressurising the CMC was probably the lowest for me. I didn't care about feelings, just the juiciness of the stories that came in the press. I got to the point of blackmailing them with their own embarrassing pictures. The CMC went behind me and wrote an apology column to Ponyville and that was the end of that."

"What next?" Tempest urged her to continue.

"Even more lows for me," Diamond reflected with regret, "Tempting the bullied to become the bully, downgrading Scootaloo's ability to fly. Manipulating the CMC's relationship with Twilight during their studies. Though I didn't managed to get Spike's nachos. They were said to be really good."

"They definitely are," Starlight giggled, "His nachos are, what Twilight says, hoof-licking good." Trixie rolled her eyes.

"It was doing the school election that the Crusaders managed to help me. Our playground was mostly destroyed during Twilight's and Tirek's battle, and so we needed funding for a new one. I was mainly centred on getting more attention of myself, that I ignored one of my closest friend. I lost not only the election, but a close friend."

"How did the Crusaders helped you?" Trixie asked.

"Even though I was their bully, they offered my help instead. They saw that I needed help, and offered a hoof of friendship to me when I had nobody to turn to. They showed me their clubhouse, the same one that I took over with Babs Seed, Applebloom's Manehattan cousin. I needed to me my own pony. Somepony who doesn't have to follow my mother's example. I can stand up to myself, and I did. I asked my father to give some money to help repair the playground, and helped the Crusaders earn their cutie marks by showing me that my cutie mark isn't just about shining like a diamond for myself. I can help other ponies shine like diamonds as well."

"How would you describe your journey?" Sunset rounded off.

"I was once a bully, but I was tied by somepony's beliefs. The Crusaders helped me see that there was more out there for me. I was a dull diamond, but some ponies helped me rub off the dirt that covered me and truly shine!"

"Letting go of the past and allowing others to get back on track," Tempest mused, "I've been there myself."

"I think we all have," Starlight but a hoof around Tempest.

"The Great and Reformed Trixie has learnt that a one pony show is nothing compared having somepony as a supporting act," She winked to Starlight. Starlight was just glad she didn't say 'wink'.

"Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, and for the CMC for convincing you to join us today," Starlight thanked Diamond, "That's all for now every creature. Hope you all have a great day!"

"And don't forget to shine!" Diamond shouted before they were put off the air.

Chapter 15- Chaotic Touch

The four unicorns were discussing the matter of magic and their favourite spells, when all of the sudden there was a rumble of thunder and dark purple clouds began to swirl.

"You know," A voice echoed around the room, "Whenever some creature mentions reformed former villains, isn't it cruel to leave the most obvious out?" With a puff of magic, The Lord of Chaos appeared in the room, wearing a set of headphones in a typical teenage getup along with a gold-chained necklace with dollar sign as the main pendant.

"The Lord of Chaos is in the house!" He announced, finishing off with a swag gesture. Whilst Starlight giggled at his motion, Trixie rolled her eyes at Discord's usual antics. Sunset and Tempest looked at each other.

"And look here, new friends!" Discord looked at the unfamiliar unicorns and appeared right in the middle of the two, hugging them round their heads, "I know we are going to get along just swell."

"Discord," Starlight tried to smooth things out, "Welcome to the show. It's a lovely surprise to see you here!"

"Define a lovely surprise," Trixie muttered.

"Oh, some street magician is not amused," Discord creeped up on Trixie and tickled her chin, "Is some pony mad that they put an Ursa Major in her hat?"

"You were interrupting my class!" Trixie shouted in annoyance, "And let's not start on the flying pigs."

Discord turned to Starlight, "Why didn't you think of inviting me to the show first? I was technically the first villain to be reformed." He made a tissue appear and blew his nose before saying, "And I thought we were friends."

"Luna?" Starlight asked.

"Bless you," Discord simply teased.

"Do you know how hard it is to get a message to you. The last post pony is still trapped in your realm. Fluttershy even tried calling, but that was no luck for some reason to," Starlight huffed in annoyance, "But regardless, welcome once again to our chat show, and these new ponies are Sunset Shimmer and Tempest Shadow." Discord turned to the new ponies and grabbed a hoof.

"It's a pleasure to meet you two, Sunset Sprinkles and Torchlight Shadow," He joked as he shook their hooves vigorously. Both gave the Lord of Chaos a short glare at his intended hiccup.

"Now let's begin with the interview before anything else happens," Trixie sighed, "What were you like before reformation?"

"Those were the days," Discord sighed in fond remembrance, "The Lord of Chaos, Shaper of Reality. Equestria was my playground over one thousand years ago. That was until your beloved princesses found the Elements of Harmony to trap me in stone. I was a statue in the Royal Gardens when I managed to break free. I trapped the element bearers in a hedge maze and turned them into the opposite of themselves. What fun times." Sunset was a bit uneasy at Discord's happy memories.

"But Twilight managed to see what I did, reunited the element bearers and they trapped me in stone again. It does a number on your spine, you know?" He twisted his body, each time giving a crack that made the ponies shiver in discomfort.

"And where does Fluttershy come into all this?" Tempest asked with interest. Discord disappeared in a flash of magic and reappeared in Tempest's broken horn. To say that Tempest as surprised would be an understatement.

"Your darling Princess Celestia thought it would be a good idea to have me reformed, choosing Fluttershy of all ponies to help me with it. I must admit, her method was a bit strange. However, Fluttershy offered her hoof in friendship to me when the others didn't. She showed me that friendship was something I never had, and when it was gone, it was something I needed back. It took turning Sweet Apple Acres into a winder wonderland to make me realise this. Clever pegasus that one is."

Discord then made a chair appear and sat down, "Though friendship was new to me. It took my betrayal with Tirek to see that friendship was more magical than any magic out there. Although I would occasionally slip-up, such as the last Grand Galloping Gala. I threatened to send a pony into a sock puppet dimension." He chuckled wryly. Sunset shivered at that.

"Anything else you would like to confess?" Trixie hinted.

Discord chuckled and scratched his neck reluctantly, "Other than impersonating a villain from the dawn of Equestria, uniting former villains and accidentally causing Equestria to be doomed momentarily? I have no idea what you're talking about," Discord looked away with crossed arms. Sunset looked horrified. Glad she wasn't there on that day.

"Just keep telling yourself that," Trixie sighed.

"On the other hand," Discord continued, ignoring Trixie's remark, "Me and Fluttershy have gotten closer. Not Heart's and Hooves day close, but good terms. We have tea parties together at her cottage. I tried to invite her to mine before, but I got so worried that being so different from her, she would not want to be friends anymore."

"Even spirits of chaos have a heart," Sunset giggled, making Discord come close to her face.

"And if some creature happens to cross Fluttershy's path, they will have me to answer to. Is that Understood?" Sunset nodded vigorously.

"Splendid," Discord smiled, "Now where are my marshmallows?" He got out a packet and put them on sticks. He then placed them above Sunset's mane.

"What are you doing?" Sunset asked with a hint of annoyance.

"Well your hair reminds me of a fire, and I was hungry," Discord explained.

"What?! My mane is not a fire," Sunset groaned.

"Stay still, or you will burn them." He them made some biscuits appear and showed the browned marshmallows to Sunset.

"See what I mean?" She presented them to Sunset, who gaped in horror and wonder.

"And is that really your name, Tempest Shadow?" He turned to the purple unicorn, who began to sweat. What will he do you her?

"No, it's Fizzlepop Berry Twist," Tempest quivered, causing Trixie to almost laugh. Starlight jabbed her side.

"Really? Could you tilt your head forward?" Discord asked. Tempest reluctantly did so, and juice started pouring down from her broken horn. Discord held a cup to the downpour and helped himself. Both Tempest and Sunset looked at each other with blank faces.

"I think you broke them," Starlight sighed.

"Well, I must be off. I have another tea party with Fluttershy." With that, he snapped his fingers and disappeared. Tempest and Sunset looked off into the distance.

"Should we help them?" Starlight asked her friend.

"Not yet. I need to get the studio camera. This is for the studio album," Trixie went off as the adverts started up.

Chapter 16- Spell Me This

"Trixie wants to learn a new spell!" Trixie declared, much to Starlight's chagrin.

"Remember the last time I taught you teleportation? You made Twilight's map disappear, and you didn't pay attention to what the books say."

"Trixie is tired of transfiguration," Trixie sighed as she levitated one of her smoke bombs from somewhere behind her and made it into a teacup, "Trixie wants to make it big. Plus, she has three unicorns to aid her. One of those unicorns happens to be Princess Celestia's former protégé." Sunset rolled her eyes at that.

Starlight turned to the others with a pleading look. Sunset and Tempest looked at each other, before sighing in resignation. It just depends on what Trixie wants to learn.

"Okay, Trixie," Sunset sighed, "We will help you." Trixie punched the air in triumph.

"What spell do you want to learn?" Tempest asked, hoping it was something not too impossible.

"Laser beams," Trixie replied in a second.

The others looked at each other with concern.

"Are you sure?" Sunset asked, "They are very advanced spells and-" Trixie cut her off.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie feels defenceless with only smoke bombs and tricks for defense," Trixie whined, "Trixie wants to defend herself and her friends, should the worst happen."

The others looked at each other, sighed and nodded. What Trixie wants, she will get. Hopefully a lesson will be learned today.

"I'll get a target," Starlight sighed. She teleported to the cupboard and found a large target stand for practice. Sunset went over to the bookshelf near to the studio table and got out the spell book. They had the shelf there to read when they were off air and or waiting for their cue.

"Okay," Starlight explained, "The first thing you must understand is that it is a heavy spell. You must have a strong magical reserve in you to create a concentrated beam. Secondly, you must have a strong position, or you will be knocked back by the force of the beam as well." Trixie took her position in front of the target.

"Focus and position, got it," Trixie ticked them off on her mental checklist.

"Your magic must come from a concentrated point," Sunset continued, "It's up to you how much power is in the blast. Your magic and mind must be in sync. No distractions, otherwise you will be off target or the concentration will be to weak or too strong." Trixie nodded and activated her magic, her pink aura surrounding her horn.

"Prepare to be amazed, fellow listeners, as Trixie tries her new spell and-"

"Focus!" Sunset groaned.

"Right," Trixie said, turning her attention to the target. Sparks flew as she concentrated her magic to a focal point. a ball of magic was starting to appear. The others quickly turned the table on its side and hid behind it.

"Laser spell, go!" Trixie declared, only to release a single flimsy beam that bound around the floor and disappeared with a soft puff of pink smoke. The other giggled at her first attempt.

"Remember," Tempest chuckled.

"That my mind and magic must be in sync," Trixie answered with a snooty posh accent, "Trixie understands."

She tried again, taking up a low stance. Her magic sparked once again as she prepared to shoot. Another ball was forming, which at that point Starlight decided to put up a shield.

"Do you think she will do it this time?" Sunset glanced at Trixie with reluctance.

"Trixie can be focused when she wants to be," Starlight explained.

"Let's make a bet," Tempest teased, "Loser has to buy dinner."

"I think she's going to get it," Starlight pondered, "She has the control and concentration this time."

"This isn't going to go well," Sunset sighed.

"I second that," Tempest agreed.

Trixie was ready to release the laser. She reared up and aimed at the target with as much force as she could muster. What happened next was the kind of chaos that would made Discord proud. Trixie's laser was too strong that Trixie lost her balance, causing the street performer to collide into the wall behind her. The laser beam missed the target by only a fraction and began a bouncing frenzy. The beam of magic hit the shelf, causing books to be scorched, shattered a vase and hit the lights. It finally ended when it hit Starlight's shield, the spell cancelling out with another puff of pink smoke.

Starlight disabled the shield and looked around the messy studio. The only thing that was standing was the target. She turned to her colleagues who were trying to hold back a laugh. Starlight groaned.

"I'll get my bit bag and treat you all," Starlight groaned. Both remaining unicorns lost it and gave a hearty laugh. Starlight ignored them and rushed over to the nearby wall, now with a pony-shaped hole in the middle.

"Trixie? You okay?" Starlight called. Trixie emerged from the rubble, covered in smoke and a dazed look in her eyes.

"Behold! The Great and Powerful Trixie!" She dizzily proclaimed before collapsing to the ground. Starlight facehoofed. This was the missing map incident all over again.

"I'm too annoyed to do anything right now," Starlight groaned, "Trixie got herself into this one, as well as me." She turned to others with a bit bag in her magic.

"Who's up for hayburgers and fries? Twilight has a big thing for them. Ask the Cutie Mark Crusaders."

"Count me in," Tempest licked her lips.

"Long time since I had pony food," Sunset mused.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie invites you to..." Trixie trailed off whilst waving her hooves.

"Is she?" Tempest asked.

"Sleep-talking? Yes," Starlight said, levitating her friend into a chair that she stood up, "Best not to be in the same cart or room with her. Learnt that the hard way."

The others just nodded and went out for hayburgers and fries.

Chapter 17- Artefact Mishaps

"Every creature," Tempest announced to their listeners, "We are in joined today by a guardian of artefacts. Once an archenemy of Daring Do, but now a hit writer with his own accounts of events. Please welcome to the studio Ahuizotl!"

"Please, the pleasure is all mine," Ahuizotl waved a paw, "Ever since I cleared my name, thanks to your friend Fluttershy, things have been looking up and I have gained back my respect as a keep of artefacts in the thick jungles."

"What does a guardian do exactly?" Sunset asked.

"I was supposed to make sure artefacts within the jungle basin stay where they are. However, my job became increasingly difficult when Daring Do and Doctor Dr. Caballeron showed up, taking away artefacts that I have took so much time and effort to protect," The jungle creature looked down in shame and humiliation, "It's hard when you are the laughing stock of the Guardians of the Jungle."

"How does Fluttershy come into this?" Sunset asked the next question.

"She got into Dr. Caballeron's books on his side of events, then went with him and his hench-ponies to seize the Truth Talisman. I was on their tail, bumping into Daring Do and her assistant, Rainbow Dash, at the same time. Using the talisman, Dr. Caballeron told them, with Fluttershy's help, they have come to value kindness and friendship. Fluttershy then used the talisman to find out why I was trying to prevent them from escaping. Daring said she was only doing it for what she felt was right. Dr. Caballeron, even though he wanted to be rich at first, understood how hard it is to do a job like mine. They promised never to take any more artefacts from the jungle, and I let them escape from the temple."

"And how is your new life as a writer of artefacts and events?" Trixie asked, "Is it hard to break free from the past from Daring Do's imagery of you as the bad guy?"

"It was at first, but I carried Fluttershy's lesson of listening to heart. Giving time and patience into my books, I told them my accounts of the events, and took time to listen to others. Overtime, my tarnished image as a baddie soon ebbed away, and I became a writing sensation! I even upstaged Daring Do and Dr. Caballeron's writing." Ahuizotl said with dazed shook.

"Well if we ever need a creature to protect magical artefacts," Starlight chuckled.

"Did you have to deal with magical artefacts before?" The temple guardian turned to each unicorn in the room, who chuckled wryly at that.

"Had an Alicorn Amulet which corrupted me and banished Twilight out of Ponyville and enslaved the whole town," Trixie explained slowly.

"Stole a magical element and tried it on, turned into a raging she-demon and enslaved my school into a zombie army to invade Equestria," Sunset quickly explained.

"Had a magical staff that removed the cutie marks of an entire town," Starlight sighed, "But I made them think it was a long-lost artefact. I did all the work really."

"Gave a magical staff to the Storm King who plunged Equestria into a storm," Tempest chuckled.

"Which some of the Storm King's magic escaped into my world and threatened my friends' cruise holiday," Sunset continued, "I used it to calm the storm." Tempest looked at her guiltily, but Sunset offered a hoof in comfort.

"Twilight has taken care of most of he artefacts taken care off," Sunset explained, "She showed me some, including the staff."

"Zecora, a zebra who lives in the Everfree Forest took the Alicorn Amulet into safe hiding," Trixie added in.

"I might ask them to join the guardian group," Ahuizotl pondered, whilst the others hoped he was joking.

"Anyway," Starlight interrupted that idea, "Thank you once again for coming to the show and good luck guarding more artefacts out there in the wilderness."

"I need all the help and luck I need," Ahuizotl chuckled, "But at least I have some animals keeping me company. Come on in fellas."

The door burst open and various jungle cats burst into the room, including a kitten. Whilst the unicorns screamed, Starlight casting a shield for protection, the animals charged and tackled their master.

"They are friendlier now since Fluttershy also spoke to them," Ahuizotl laughed as he was licked affectionately by his companions, "Would you like to say hello to them?"

"I think we are good where we are," Trixie hesitantly answered, "We're going to take a break. Hope to have you all back soon, and that the studio is still standing."

Chapter 18- Let Them Eat Cake

"Welcome to our show, Grubber," Tempest welcomed her former hungry assistant to the show, "How has life after the Storm King's rule treated you?"

"Life is as easy as pie, which is good since I love pie. Nothing beats a good slice of pie in life," Grubber answered in his usual desire of sweet things.

"Does he always have these, fantasies? They can can rival Pinkie's," Starlight asked Tempest.

"When someone talks about sweet pastries, he's the first one on the scene," Tempest rolled her eyes, "His dreams of treats often get a little too tedious, especially when I want his attention.

"Remember when you all hid in that Trojan Cake to take back Canterlot? You both conquered Canterlot back, and it conquered by taste buds. It was so good! How did you manage to bake a cake like that?"

"Probably Pinkie Pie," Starlight answered, "She's a lean, mean, pink baking machine in the kitchen. Even under a spell, she can whip up lots of desserts. Believe me, I know." Starlight rolled her eyes at the memory of that incident.

"She did that wonderful, invasive cake that assaulted my taste buds with the most cunningly, absolutely brilliantly planned pastry? I must have the recipes. I have my own place to crash now, and I want to get into baking of my own!" Grubber declared with sweet enuthsiasm.

"Well guess who's here to make your day?" A voice echoed throughout the studio, causing the unicorns to turn to each other in confusion.

"Is that?" Trixie asked.

"It can't be," Sunset sighed.

"How?" Tempest looked around her, before the door burst open, revealing the pink pony in all her glory.

"Your's truly!" Pinkie declared to everypony and Grubber in the studio, as well as all the listeners.

"...How?" Starlight gaped.

"My stomach was grouchy, telling me that some creature in the studio was super-duper hungry," Pinkie said in her usual motor-mouth speed.

"Grouchy stomach?" Tempest asked, fearing the answer.

"My Pinkie Sense," Pinkie turned to Tempest, "Hello Fizzlepop Berry Twist. Best name ever!"

"That's your actual name?" Trixie asked before giving a hearty laugh. Starlight jabbed her side.

"The Storm King wasn't into cute, fluffy names, so I had to change it," Tempest sighed, "You should've seen him when he complains about cuteness. It isn't pretty."

Pinkie turned to Grubber, "So you want to bake? You want to bake like yours truly? Well let me tell you something mister." She pulled out chef's hat from her mane and plopped it on her head, before shouting down at Grubber like a drill sergeant.

"How dare you take the cake! You think that you can rise to the challenge? You think you can sprinkle like no pony's business? Well, the last thing you want to have is a full crumbly cake with a soggy bottom! Do you understand?" Grubber was crumbling like thin pastry. His walls were crumbling like pastry itself.

"Pinkie? What's with the whole serious get-up?" Sunset asked with concern.

"I got it from watching Spitfire train Rainbow Dash," Pinkie spoke to Sunset in her usual tone.

"Celestia help us," Starlight facehoofed. Pinkie then grabbed Grubber by the paw and dragged him over to the studio kitchen.

"Now listen here rookie. Listen to these steps and you might just save somepony's party. Eggs, flour, butter, milk, extract, mix, bake, done!" Pinkie did the instructions at break-neck speed, revealing a batch of well-risen, delicious cupcakes.

"...How?" Grubber asked, before Pinkie put her face into Grubber's.

"Did I stutter? I said eggs, flour, butter, milk, extract, mix, bake, done!" She did the instructions again, producing the same batch of decent consistency. Grubber hesitated before giving it a try.

What happened next was the kind of baking mess that no creature would want in any kitchen. Black smoke hit filled the studio and the kitchen worktop was nothing but a pile of gloop. It was the equivalent of when Yona tried baking, without the applesauce.

"Just keep practicing and you will be good at it," Pinkie instructed again, "But it was good effort, for a rookie. Have a cupcake for effort." Pinkie promptly shoved the treat into Grubber's mouth before making a quick exit through the studio's door. Everypony looked at the mess at the kitchen.

"Well, that just happened..." Tempest trailed off.

"As Trixie said, Pinkie is the true baking master," Trixie concluded.

"Pinkie Pie, in this world or mine, will forever be that enigma that will never be solved," Sunset facehoofed.

"We'll be back after the break to clean up the mess. Grubber, we'll handle this whilst you enjoy yourself effort cupcake," Starlight turned to Grubber. he just shrugged has he enjoyed Pinkie's treat.

"We'll be back very soon every creature."

Chapter 19- Feline Charm

"We are joined today by a special guest from all the way beyond Equestria itself," Sunset introduced.

"He has helped reclaim Canterlot and save Equestria from the Storm King," Tempest added.

"Please welcome to the show, Capper Dapperpaws," Trixie announced as she and the others clapped their hooves together.

"Ladies, the pleasure is all mine," Capper waved a paw at them, "If it weren't for your friends showing that's there more to life then thinking it's every creature for themselves in the town, I wouldn't be here."

"Ladies?" Trixie fanned herself with a hoof, "Oh, I like him already." Starlight rolled her eyes.

"And how did our friends help you see that there was another way?" Starlight asked with interest.

"The town where I was is quite unlike Equestria to say the least," Capper told his story, "As I mentioned, it's every one for themselves. If you want to make it to the top to live in a place like this, you need to be crafty. That was my original intention when I first encountered your friends. I tricked them into trusting me so I could sell them to pay my debts."

"Sneaky as a cat," Trixie joked. Starlight rolled her eyes, but Capper chuckled as at the pun made at him.

"That is correct," Capper smiled, "But Rarity helped me fix my worn our drabs into something beautiful. There wasn't a deal or catch, she did it not for her own benefits. That showed me that there was more for me out there than just back-pawed deals. She showed me generosity freely, and so I wanted to help them save Equestria. I tricked Tempest into misleading them into the wrong direction, but then I sided with Princess Twilight and her friends." Tempest gave a wry chuckle at his first method, but Capper gave her a comforting look of understanding.

"So what has been happening after taking back Canterlot?" Sunset asked with interests.

"Rarity showed me how to make proper clothes for myself, something that I took great interest into. I returned to my life back into that town, but with a whole different insight. From then on, I tried looking out for every creature in the town, hoping that if I spread just a little bit of kindness and generosity for free, just as you ponies showed me, hopefully the town will be even better than before," Capper explained with enthusiasm at his task.

"That sounds like on of Rainbow Dash's and Pinkie Pie's friendship missions," Starlight mused, "Spreading friendship in Griffonstone."

"I remember those two," Capper said, "The one with the fluffy mane and the other with the crazy rainbow one?"

"That would be them," Sunset said.

"My, have you ever seen Rainbow to a Sonic Rainboom?" Capper admired, "I saw it off of Tempest ships in pursuit of them. It's the most dazzling thing my eyes have every laid eyes on."

"Starlight tried to prevent one from happening when she travelled back in time to stop out friends' destinies from ever happening," Trixie said out loud. Starlight glared at her.

"Do you always have to bring back my past, Miss Magician You Boasted About the Ursa Major and Enslaved the Entire Population of Ponyville?" Starlight hit back through gritted.

"What are friends for?" Trixie countered, "Showing them the past in order to become better ponies in the future."

"You have some way of presenting it," Tempest chuckled. Capper laughed.

"This reminds when we all go down to the local cafe and chat about all the deals we made. What laughs we had at was we sold, describing out dirty deals," Capper chuckled at his dark humour. The others just tried to laugh with him.

"However, thank you once again for having on your lovely show. I do say, you have such a lovely studio here," Capper thanked his hosts.

"Believe us, the pleasure is ours," Tempest said, " We had our differences in the past, but we had good friends to lead us back on the right path." Both feline and pony shook hoof and paw in a sigh of respect. Sunset hummed in contemplation whilst Starlight smiled. Trixie pretended to gag.

"We will be back in a just a moment after the break. Thank you once again to Capper for being on the show," Sunset rounded off before pressing the air button.

Chapter 20- In This Town

"Great to have you here on our show you guys," Starlight welcome her friends from her own village who were sat around them. Todays guests included Night Glider, Double Diamond, Sugar Belle and Party Favour. The studio was looking quite crowded today.

"It's great to be guests on your show," Night Glider answered, "We wouldn't miss the opportunity to talk about how we met and what's being going on."

"So how did you all meet Starlight and founded the village in the first place?" Tempest started with intrigue.

"We met together, searching for something missing from our lives, but we didn't know what it was. Maybe a sense of belonging, purpose or simply somewhere to feel like it was the right place to be," Party Favour started off, before letting the others continue.

"This is how we met Starlight and, who promised that there was a better way," Double Diamond continued, causing Starlight to blush in shame. Sugar Belle comforted her, reminding her that it was in the past now.

"How did you manage to find the spell for unmarking all the cutie marks?" Trixie asked.

"Apparently," Starlight slowly said, knowing a friend will never let this down, "It was Maud."

Dead silence.

"WHAT?!" Everypony in the room shouted.

"She was looking for rock samples for her projects, stumbled upon me and just pointed to a cave that has the power to unmark ponies the size of a village," Starlight quickly summarised.

"Starlight, I thought I told you not to mention how my sister helped enslave a town," Pinkie shouted down the radio, thinking Starlight will hear her.

"Pinkie," Maud interrupted her sister's rant in her usual monotone, blank voice, "I didn't know Starlight was a bad pony back then and, so I think ponies will understand that what I did was a mistake for not knowing what she was planning back then."

"Wow," Sunset said with amazement, "Amazing you were able to meet again." Starlight gave her usual nervous chuckle at that.

"Must have been quite an awkward reunion," Tempest joked.

"It didn't help with Pinkie's persistence to help Maud find a friend," Starlight huffed in annoyance.

"Twilight and her friends came, and even though they got unmarked as well, they were able to show us that what we were looking for in out lives as each other. After Starlight's overthrow, we made the village into something good and different," Party Favour continued on their story.

"After the whole time travel thing," Starlight sighed, "Twilight took me back to my old village to make amends of my past. You guys forgave me, but I still had my doubts on what you will think of me. It got worse when you invited me to the Sunset Festival before Queen Chrysalis' pony-napping. It showed me that I have changed from who I was back then, and it was the step up that I needed."

"And you're a terrible baker," Sugar Belle giggled, which everypony laughed whilst Starlight blushed.

"Congratulations on your wedding, if I might add," Starlight said, "Taking over Twilight's school whilst she prepares for being the new ruler of Equestria meant I was away for the wedding with Big Mac. How was the proposal?" Sugar Belle chuckled wryly at that.

"One word. Chaotic," Sugar Belle simple answered.

"Discord?" Starlight sighed.

"Yes, but also all our fault. Big Mac planned something, I planned something with the Crusaders. Discord went overboard-"

"The usual," Starlight butted in with a roll of her eyes.

"One long talk, both of us proposed together and then the wedding," Sugar Belle rounded off. I will be moving to Ponyville and settle in at Sweet Apple Acres, perhaps help with the baking during harvest season. She then turned to the others with a sad face.

"We understand," Double Diamond comforted, "And we will miss you to. Just be promise to write."

"Deal," Sugar Belle chuckled. The others crowded round Sugar Belle and gave her a goodbye hug. Starlight then joined in as their former villager. Tempest and Sunset looked at each other, shrugged and joined in as a sign of goodwill. Trixie gagged.

"Trixie will not partake in such sappy-" That was all she got before Starlight grabbed her by the hoof and let her friend join in the group hug.

"Trixie will get her revenge for this," Trixie sighed.

"Looking forward to that day," Starlight teased, "But I'll be waiting."

"We'll be back soon," Tempest said between Night Glider and Party Favour, "Once we finish this good hug."

Chapter 21- Change Of Class

"So, Chancellor Neighsay, welcome to our show," Starlight introduced him to the show and the ponies in the room, "I believe we have much to discuss."

"Indeed," Chancellor Neighsay simple answered, "I wanted to clear my name after the incident with Cozy Glow and seeing how wrong and single-minded my view was."

"And what was that?" Tempest asked, causing Neighsay to sigh.

"When the School of Friendship opened, I was the one who believed that friendship was something only ponies could understand, and that other creatures could not grasp. I thought other creatures would bring the fall of Equestria, which is rather silly when you put it like that," Neighsay told his story.

"Sounds a lot like it," Trixie said, causing Starlight to give a small cough of annoyance to be quiet.

"What we didn't expect was that a certain filly by the name of Cozy Glow was responsible for draining the magic of Equestria. She created mutiny against me at the school once I took control and locked the non-pony pupils away. The students managed to set themselves free and warn me of what her plans were. Seeing them work together when I went to warn the princesses showed me that friendship is something every creature can understand. Ever creature out there is capable of the best and worst qualities," Neighsay continued his tale.

"And it was those creatures that helped make us ponies stronger to defend Equestria when Cozy joined Queen Chrysalis and Tirek," Tempest added.

"Have you made any changes?" Sunset asked.

"The EEA is now improving on its view and being more open on how to run a school. Princess Twilight Sparkle has helped us point the right way forward. It is hard work and there are still things that we can improve on, but this time, with every creatures' contribution, we can aim for good things," Neighsay said.

"Anything else you learnt?" Sunset asked.

"Trying to take back credit Twilight's School, I sided with tricksters Flim and Flam and their Friendship University, which Star Swirl the Bearded was attending. However, Rarity and Twilight found out that they were just using the money to improve Las Pegasus, stopping their plans," Neighsay continued.

"Using other ponies to do your dirty work? That's some low hanging fruit there," Trixie answered back, causing Starlight to facehoof with annoyance. Neighsay just shrugged it off.

"Another not so great plan, but I am trying to work anew with good habits and an open mind when creatures can embrace friendship," He returned.

"It was the same for the Batter for Canterlot when the Storm King took over," Tempest mused, "Different creatures coming together for the greater good of those who were downtrodden and oppressed."

"Truly something special," Neighsay agreed.

"Anything interesting you learnt about the non-pony students?" Starlight said, causing the chancellor to chuckle.

"Many things," Neighsay laughed, "I got to know them more after we defeated Cozy Glow. Silversteam is such a bubbly individual, but I guess that's what happens when your race were banished underwater so long. Yaks aren't so hard as they seem, as Yona showed me. They can have a gentle side besides all that smashing. Gallus also showed me that not all griffons are mean and talk only about gold, I've yet to meet another griffon who he calls Gabby. Smolder is a unique dragon and Ocellus is a shy but determined changeling with a thirst for knowledge."

"They sure are something," Starlight chuckled.

"Something tells me that they will have a great future ahead of them," Sunset mused, "Seeing their friendship, you know they're going to do great things."

"Thank you for coming onto the show to clear your past," Tempest thanked today's guest, "We're going to take a break for today, so hoping to see you all again soon!"

Chapter 22- Rhyme With Fire

"So Garble, welcome to the show," Starlight introduced wryly. Tempest just sat their with a hard glare, remembering her past encounter with Dragonlord Ember and making sure he doesn't get a claw out of line, but it would be fun as with what happened with Ember.

"Please, Smolder only wanted me on this show to tell my story with Spike. It's nothing special," Grable just crossed his arms and huffed a cloud of smoke.

"Please don't do that," Sunset tried to warn him as gently as she can, "You're gonna set off the the studio's fire alarm."

"I can't believe your related to Smolder," Starlight said, "This is like Maud being related to Pinkie." Sunset nodded in agreement.

"Pony school made her a softy, but she can be tough when she wants to be," Garble countered.

"You obviously haven't seen her in a dress before," Starlight muttered, recalling how the students had a test by the Tree of Harmony itself, but tried to get the show on the road.

"So, how did you and Spike first meet?" Starlight started off.

"It all started with the Dragon Migration and Spike's journey to the dragon lands. Spike wanted to find out what it meant to be a dragon, living in Pony Town for too long. We gave him challenges to see if he was, with tail wrestling, lava jumping and gem brawls. We then went into our nest raids, but Spikey-Wikey didn't want to break the phoenix egg. Spike's pony friends came in and helped him escape. That was basically it for a first encounter with his pony friends," Garble told his tale.

"And when was the second time you met?" Trixie asked for Garble to continue his story.

"The was when the old Dragonlord Torch wanted to step down and to see who would take on the challenge of being the next Dragonlord. That was when Spike met Ember and showed her what friendship truly meant and not having to fight all the time. Spike managed to get to the sceptre with the help of Ember, making me hug every dragon on the way back, saying I can't explain why," Garble groaned with a bit of resignation, causing Trixie to laugh out loud.

"Spike made you do that? My, Trixie didn't know Spike had a side like that. I like it," Trixie spoke in her proud third-person as usual, causing an eyeroll from Starlight, but chuckled at Garble's tale.

"What changed?" Tempest asked.

"One strange yellow pegasus who's stare can shatter my soul," Garble shivered at the memory of being put in his place by the mare. The others looked at each other before the bell rang in Starlight's mind.

"Fluttershy?" Starlight asked.

"If that was her name, she certainly wasn't shy to give me a piece of her mind," Garble explained, "It was Dragon Hatching Season, but our eggs weren't harching, because some of the dragons were causing the lava baths to heat the eggs to leak. I was up to my usual business of picking on Spikey-Wikey, and that was when Fluttershy caught me playing...bongos," Garble explained, but strained on the last word. Trixie burst out laughing, only to he hit on the head by Starlight. Garble got out his own bongos and gave a demonstration.

Our differences make us unique.
She told me that was all we seek.
It helped me overcome my fears,
To save hatching season by lending an ear.

We saved the eggs and I gave my rhymes.
Dragons came to me far and wide.
Thanks to her I have nothing to fear,
For our differences is what we now celebrate here.

Garble gave his bongos a finish flourish and finished his poetry. The others clapped their hooves.

"Impressive," Trixie said, "You must teach me some of that. Maybe it will help me the Great and Powerful Rhyming Trixie."

"Just ask Zecora, she will help. She did give Rainbow Dash a rhyming dictionary once to help cheerleading," Starlight aided her friend.

"Anyway," Sunset rounded off, "Thank you for agreeing to come to the show, Garble, even if it was your sister's intentions. We will be back after the break, so don't miss our on anything."

Chapter 23- The Invisible Flower

"Being a pony is weird."

"You get used to it," Sunset comforted her new guest.

"Am I-"

"Yep, but you do have a coat to protect you," Tempest tried to change the conversation.

"Says the one who wore armor during the Storm King's rule," Trixie shot back.

"You can talk, Miss Hat and Cape pony," Tempest glared back. Starlight thought it was best to introduce the new guest from Sunset's world.

"Every creature, we are joined by a special guest, all the way from Sunset's world. She has agreed to come on the show thanks to Sunset's persuasion and is adjusting to being a pony just fine," Starlight strained at the final bit of her introduction.

"How do you manage without hands?" Starlight facehoofed. Their going to be here all day if this continues.

"Introducing Wallflower Blush, welcome to the show and we cope by either grasping, using our mouths or using magic if you a unicorn or alicorn."

"It's great to be here, even if I have to be this," Wallflower gestured to her new form.

"I was like that when I entered your world," Sunset said.

"So then, what's your story?" Tempest asked.

"It started with the yearbook. Sunset was made head of the yearbook and I was just a background editor. I felt invisible, forgotten, and it didn't help how Sunset ignored me when she switched off the lights on her way out. I was upset, but that was when I found the Memory Stone," Wallflower started.

"And what was that?" Trixie asked with intrigue.

"Some stone that Clover the Clever left in their world which has the power of erase the memories of those who are in contact with it," Sunset said simple," Just another of Equestria's magical artefacts that managed to get into our world."

"I used it against Sunset, erasing all the good memories from her friends so that they will only remember the bad things about her," Wallflower continued her story. Sunset took it from there.

"I went back to Equestria to Princess Twilight, explaining what happened, but in order to investigate what happened, I had to get help from Princess Celestia. I was a student who betrayed and went against her wishes. However, she was happy that I was back and forgave me of my actions in the past. We got help from the princesses to identify the memory stone, but I still didn't know who was using it at the time. I was suspicious it was our world's Trixie at the-"

"Wait?" Trixie interrupted, "There's a Great and Powerful Trixie in your world too? Is she just as Great and Powerful as moi?" She fluttered her eyelids at Sunset.

"Probably just as proud and obnoxious as this Trixie," Starlight muttered purposely so that Trixie could hear her. She shot a glare at her.

"Anyway, I thought it was Trixie because she wanted the the title The Most Greatest and Powerfullest," Sunset continued.

"That does have a good ring to it," Trixie pondered out loud.

"It's not even a word!" Sunset countered, feeling a sense of déjà vu coming up.

"Just continue with the story," Wallflower urged her, which Tempest nodded in agreement.

"We realised that it was Wallflower when she rummaged through her bag and she used the stone to lock us in the room. But like Clover the Clever in, we used a trail of breadcrumbs from to help us remember what happened with the drone video."

"Clever-oh- Clover the Cle- I get it," Trixie chuckled. Sunset now has déjà vu stuck in her head.

"I caught up with Wallflower and told her I knew she used the stone again, but she threatened to erase their memories of them entirely," Sunset continued. Wallflower picked up the story again.

"She managed to get in the way of the magic beam, causing her to lose her memories of her friends, thinking that she was pony with Princess Celestia. However, her friends valued her sacrifice and told her that they were her friends. That was enough for them to pony-up and destroy the stone, returning their memories of Sunset."

"And how has things changed for you, Wallflower?" Tempest asked.

"I learnt that everyone matters, not matter how invisible or insignificant they feel. I can open up when I want to and not hide my feelings inside. I can be who I am in the middle of a crowd and be just as important as those around me. Sunset and her friends forgave me by putting an extra spot on the year book for me. However that meant moving Bulk Biceps picture next to yours," Wallflower turned to Sunset.

"Let's just say she wasn't too happy about that," Sunset chuckled.

"Well, thank you for telling your story," Sunset thanked Wallflower, "And that's all we've got time for today, listeners. Be sure to stick around for next time." She pressed the air button.

"Now how about you we treat you to some pony food?" Sunset offered.

"Sure," Wallflower shrugged, "Just one question."

"Go one?" Trixie urged.

"How do you eat without hands?"

Everypony laughed.

Chapter 24- Magical Mystery Challenge

"Every creature welcome to the Magical Mystery Challenge!" Trixie announced to every creature, "Today's challenge goes to Starlight and how many spells she can perform in a minute!"

"The rules are simple," Tempest explained, "She must do as many spells as she can in a minute! She must also name each spell as she performs them. Starlight, are you ready?"

"Ready as I can ever be," Starlight said, lighting her horn up to prepare herself. Sunset counted her down. She rose her hoof to give the signal

"On your marks. Get set. GO!" Sunset waved her hoof down and Starlight began her challenge. First she levitated the fruit bowl over.

"Levitation," Starlight announced, then turned the bowl into a teacup, "Transfiguration!"

"Hey! Teacups are my thing," Trixie shouted back, receiving a small wink from Starlight, "And winking is too."

Starlight teleported to the end of the studio room declaring, "Teleportation." She then shot a laser, then teleported back to the other side to block it with a shield saying a laser and protection spell. she did a speed spell, a duplication spell, camera spell and a copying spell.

By now, her magical reserves were running low and she was sweating. However, it was too late. Sunset counted down to zero.

"Not bad, with nine spells in a minute. That's a good starting point, considering how one's magical reserves goes down with each spell and complexity," Sunset pondered. Starlight sat back down and drank a refreshing glass of water.

"To those who are unicorns and want to pursue magic into further studies, what would you say to them?" Tempest interviewed Starlight, who smiled at the question.

"You can study magic all you want, but studying can only go so far. Success is nothing if you have no one there to celebrate them with. I turned down my success and harmed those who were close due to my misguiding thoughts. Magic is powerful and mystery, but nothing is more stronger than the magic of friendship, with help from Twilight and her friends of course," Starlight explained with fond remembrance of her lessons.

"Any magical mishaps?" Sunset giggled.

"Plenty, due to thinking of foolish shortcuts or not getting the point," She smiled at Trixie, "Bottling all my anger is one example of a shortcut gone wrong. Not missing the point would be casting a spell on my friends just to get some friendship lessons done."

"I would say that was a bad shortcut and not missing the point at the same time," Tempest quipped, causing Starlight to blush and Trixie to chuckle.

"Magic has its limits as well. Friendship goes beyond that limit. Is that right Trixie?" Starlight turned to her friend.

"Boasting kind of got me in the end. Not even my magic can compete up to Twilight with the Ursa Minor, but it showed me that I have had a lot to learn. Also, using a bad artefact to get what I want comes at a price as well. Being great and powerful with friends by your side is something that is truly important," Trixie told her tale.

"And that magic doesn't mean anything unless there are friends to show you the right way. As Twilight said to me, you can seek it out or be forever alone," Sunset mused.

"We all had great friends to get us off of the darkest path," Tempest concluded, "We are all grateful to our friends who helped lift us higher. Thank you for listening today, and remember, there is no magic like the magic of friendship, because it is something every creature has."

Chapter 25- Once The Bully

"Welcome to the show Babs Seed," Tempest welcomed the filly, "Glad you got the courage to tell your story."

"The Crusaders should be the ones to thank. They're the ones who wanted me on the show to tell my story and how we are the best Crusaders ever," Babs said with enthusiasm.

"And what is your story to tell?" Trixie asked to start it all. Babs looked somewhat ashamed as she reflected on her past.

"It all started with Applejack invited me to Sweet Apple Acres to get away from the bullies from Manehattan where I live. I was a Blank Flank, so the Crusaders wanted me to be part of the CMC, but I was too embarrassed to join. I felt intimidated at it all. That's when Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon came in. Seeing how they bullied the CMC, I wanted to be no part of it, so I became a bully as well," Babs started her story with a downtrodden look. Sunset was the first to comfort her with a small pat on the back.

"What changed?" Tempest urged her to continue.

"They became the bully to me," Babs sighed, "It was the Derby, so they rigged the driving system, knowing I will take over. However, they realised their mistake when Applejack told them the reason for my visit. I became the bully to them, so they became the bullies back."

"Talk about irony," Trixie rolled her eyes.

"That's what Sweetie Belle said at the end," Babs snickered, "They saved me just in time as the rig system happened. They pushed me away when the cart fell into a ditch. After cleaning themselves up, they told me everything that happened. They said sorry for what they did, and I said sorry for what I've done to them. We made up and I became part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

"So what's been happening since then?" Starlight asked.

"We've been closer ever since. I attended the Apple Family Reunion. It was a bit bumpy, with how Applejack overprepared everything, but we bonded over fixing the barn that was wrecked during a wagon ride," Babs told them about the event.

"Sounds like Applejack alright," Starlight rolled her eyes, "Always the stubborn, over the top, working pony I know."

"And what does it mean to have a cutie mark now?" Tempest wondered.

"The Crusaders already figured that out. They thought that I would be worried that since I have a cutie mark now, I would feel alone without them. They gave given me a care package of support, saying that even though I have a cutie mark, doesn't mean they're not my friends anymore. I hope to see Applebloom again next family reunion," Babs said with a soft smile.

"Great to have those who are close, even when far apart, right?" Starlight asked Babs, which she nodded, "I wish I learnt that when Sunburst left. We can still be friends, even when I was home and he was learning magic. We still make contact and meet each other when we have the time."

"That's the best thing about friendship," Sunset added, "Close but far, friends continue on through the ages, no matter the distance."

"And even when you fall out of your old friends, there will be new friends waiting to be yours," Tempest smiled.

"Well, that's all we have time for today, creatures," Trixie rounded off, "Thank you to Babs for being on the show with us, and remember, there is a story behind every creature. Take the time to listen and you will find so much more to the creature than you will ever imagine."

Chapter 26- Gals And Games

"Hello every creature," Sunset introduced them to the show, "I have brought something from my world to share with all my friends here. It's called a video game and I am a huge fan of it." She presented the game station to the others, who were looking at it with a mix of fascination, or boredom in the case of Trixie.

"So this is a really big thing back in your world?" Starlight asked, "What sort of games do you play?" She prodded the remotes and pressed the buttons.

"They're called video games and they range from different genres. I prefer the action ones with powerups, quests and awesome baddies. Rise of Tirek was one game that I adore and I have it hereto show you all today," Sunset held the disc with enthusiasm.

"Hold on," Starlight said in shock, "Did you say Tirek?"

"I know, it's a coincidence," Sunset waved a hoof, "Twilight informed me of what he's done and all. Anyway, who wants to play. The great thing about this is it's multiplayer!" She clapped her hoof. Seeing her enthusiasm to get everypony involved, the rest just shrugged and held a controller in their magic, whilst Tempest used her hoof. She took it gingerly between them and looked at the different command buttons.

Sunset plugged the game into a magical conductor, since Equestria doesn't have an electrical grid, and switched on the game, putting the disc into the player. Sound soon filled the room, causing ears to perk up and looks of interest flashing across the others' faces.

"This is going to be interesting," Trixie said.

"You can say that again," Starlight looked at the screen with fascination. Tempest was more focused on the command buttons.

"The ones on the left are directions, either to go left, right, jump up or go down levels. The bottom left is called a joystick which is used to help move your character when doing these actions. The buttons on the right help you gain, possess, unlock or use powerups against some creature. Just press them and they will activate," Sunset informed them what the different buttons and switches do.

"Okay, sounds straight forward enough," Tempest looked at the buttons and switches before putting on the headphones. Everypony was putting on these as Sunset went to the first level.

"In order to bead Tirek, it requires teamwork, communication and complete concentration. I'm looking at you Trixie with your Great and Powerful fantasies," Sunset looked the magician.

"No idea what you're talking about, wink," Trixie winked as she teased. Sunset turned to Starlight, who shrugged. She sighed and pressed the button.

Level 1: Begin!

The players were immediately thrown into a dark red cave where a certain red centaur was waiting for them.

"You think you can defeat me," Tirek roared from the screen, "Come and give me your best shot at it, if you are feeling brave."

"Starlight, you get the chest and find the powerup, Tempest you must avoid his blasts. Me and Trixie will need to solve a puzzle to find a way out and defeat him once and for all!" Sunset commanded as she went into full gamer mode. Everypony did as she instructed, Starlight quick to reach the chest. Opening it, she found a massive hammer which she turned, jumped and swung it at Tirek.

"Take that you magic-stealing centaur!" Starlight cried out in triumph, obviously just a caught in the action as Sunset. Meanwhile, Tempest was giving all she got that her hooves could control. Not having levitation was tricky, but she was pulling it off with the best she got.

"This is amazing!" She cried out with pure focus.

Trixie and Sunset reached a certain door and the high levels and found a sliding mechanism puzzle. Sunset groaned.

"I always don't do well with these puzzles," Sunset said, "How will we ever solve this in time to get out of here?"

"Never fear, Trixie is here!" Trixie said as she slid the pieces to get the key unlocked, "Trixie has mastered the sliding puzzles on many unnamed backalley markets to get supplies when she has limited bits in her purse!"

"What?!" Sunset said in shock.

"That is a story for another time, and Trixie fears she will get caught once this goes out," Trixie chuckled wryly. Eventually she got the key out and now all they had to do is get to the other side and unlock the door so that everypony can escape, It was all or nothing.

"I'll take the top, you take the bottom," Sunset instructed as she and Trixie took positions, jumping up and down to avoid Tirek's blasts, passing the key in turns when one was lagging behind. Sunset was the first to reach the door with the key and opened their escape route.

"Everypony, come in and we will complete the level!" Sunset shouted at everypony, and they all made a mad dash towards their exit.

Level Complete

Everypony fell back into their seats from pure exhilaration from the game.

"That was amazing!" Tempest cried out, which was very unlike her "We've got to play this again another time. Any ideas when?"

"I know Spike, Big Macintosh and Discord have a Guys' Night, so how about we do a Gals' Night?" Starlight suggested.

"That sounds good to me," Sunset agreed, with the others nodding, "And you guys really grasp the game. Not bad for a first attempt."

"Well, that's all we have time for today. Thank you Sunset for bringing the game along with you to show us. We well be back soon, so be sure to stick around," Starlight rounded off.

Author's Note

I don't own any video games myself, so I'm sorry for the brief description due to my limited knowledge.

Chapter 27- Ahoy Me Hearties

"Taking their time off from their adventures, one captain has agreed to come onto the show to tell their tale from during and after the Storm King's rule," Starlight introduced every creature, "Please welcome to the show, Captain Celaeno!"

"Thank you for the jolly invitation!" Celaeno thanked, "I wanted to tell my story during the Storm King's rule."

"Glad to have you with us," Tempest chuckled, "No hard feelings?"

"None at all. You came back to fix our ship to make it even better than ti was before," Celaeno reached out a talon and both pony and bird shook in forgiveness. Starlight smiled.

"Now let's get started. What was life like during the Storm King's rule?" Sunset started off.

"Hard," Celaeno sighed, "We were just the delivery crew, shipping Storm King merchandise from place to place. Nothing like our old life of treasure seeking, swash-buckling adventures and sailing the high skies in our ship. We were made to wear these uncomfortable uniforms that made telling us apart quite difficult and follow his specific rulebook. Otherwise we will face his wrath."

"I know what wrath you're talking about," Tempest rolled his eyes, "He does not do well with cute things."

"I think he was against our feathers being to bright, and replaced them with those dull drabs," Celaeno chuckled.

"What changed to make you pirates come to our side?" Trixie urged her to continue.

"Your friends," Celaeno explained, "They were seeking help to get them to Mount Aris to find the hippogriffs after Equestria fell to the Storm King's rule. We were about to throw them overboard, according to the rulebook, but they were literally saved by the bell when it was our only lunch break."

"Lucky ponies," Trixie snickered. Starlight just gave up and rolled her eyes.

"Rainbow Dahs helped remind us of what we were back then. We didn't need to dance to his music, whilst we can dance to our own rhythm. She showed us how awesome we were, our full potential without him shadowing us," Celaeno continued her story.

"Let me guess, was it with a song by any chance?" Trixie guessed.

"How did you know?" Celaeno asked with surprise.

"Let's say our friends have a way of bursting into random song at the drop of a hat," Starlight hinted, causing them both to giggle. Sunset and Tempest just looked at each other shrugged.

"However, Rainbow Dash showed off her Sonic Rainboom, which Tempest caught in pursuit of them. We hid them the best we can, but they managed to escape from her through a hatch door out of the ship, leaving us and Capper, who was also caught, in Tempest's wrath and destroyed our ship," Celaeno turned to the unicorn, who gave an apologetic face. Celaeno smiled and nodded as a sign of forgiveness.

"You were under the same orders from the Storm King at the time, so I don't blame you for your actions," Celaeno reassured, "We managed to catch up with her friends when Twilight was caught, and formed together with Princess Skystar and Capper to take back Equestria."

"After the Storm King's defeat, what has been going on since then?" Sunset asked with great interest.

"We went back to our own adventures with a different purpose, spreading the word of the Storm King's defeat like Tempest here," She then held out her sword, "We are know free to roam the skies, seek out new lands and search for lost treasure!"

"Could you teach the Great and Powerful Trixie how to wield a sword?" Trixie asked. Starlight urged her not to, but Celaeno ignored her.

"Here, let's see what's you've got, rookie," Celaeno held out her sword. The others looked at her with unsure expressions.

"Relax, what could possibly go wrong?" Trixie reassured the others.

"She just had to say it, didn't she?" Tempest groaned.

Trixie held the sword in her magic and swung it with vigour. She swung it with so much force that she lost grip of her magic, causing he sword to fly through the studio and embed itself in Sunset's chair, the unicorn luckily managed to duck just in time. Sunset and the others looked at her with disapproving glares.

"I think we will leave it there for today creatures before she causes a much more serious incident," Starlight glared at Trixie, whilst Sunset was using her magic to get the sword out of her seat, "We will catch up with you creatures later!"

Chapter 28- Twilight Dilemma

"So there's another Twilight in your world?" Tempest asked the Other Twilight.

"Yep, that would be me," Twilight said sheepishly, "We have been before. Twice, actually. First time was after the Friendship Games when Sunset wrote back to her using her magical diary about what happened and she came through the mirror. The other time was when I came to Equestria to escape some strange plant monster attack," Twilight chuckled slightly at the memories, "Both times it was pretty awkward."

"I can imagine," Tempest giggled, "Imagine seeing two of you in the same room?"

"Changelings?" Trixie asked with a shiver.

"What's a changeling?" Twilight asked.

"That's a story for another time," Starlight said before turning to Sunset, "Is this a good idea to bring her along? How did you get permission from our Princess Twilight to agree to this?"

"Twilight thought it was a great idea to share friendship by different means. I wrote to her in my diary about my plans and told this Twilight in our world. It was the same with how a got Wallflower to come as well. It took a bit longer for both sides to agree, I must admit, but we managed to find some free time to arrange all this and plan everything out," Sunset explained the process. Twilight nodded.

"I wanted to tell my story with others, not just for friendship, but to help others, both here and in our world, to help others grow into something good," Twilight explained.

"And what is your story?" Trixie continued.

"I never felt like I belonged in Crystal Prep, the school I was in before transferring to Canterlot High. I didn't seem to fit in, so I spent time on my projects and Spike was there as my only friend," Twilight started her story.

"There is a Spike in your world too?" Tempest asked with interest.

"Yes, but he's a dog," Twilight clarified, causing Trixie to snicker.

"Then the Friendship Games came and our principal at the time, Principal Cinch, used me in order to get her way for the school winning the Games. I tracked down a foreign energy that was magic from Equestria, and Cinch thought she could use this information to the school's advantage, dragging me into the middle of it," Twilight sighed, causing Sunset to give her a comforting hoof.

"The magic turned into a darker self, Midnight Sparkle, creating holes into Equestria. I felt so powerful, but Sunset showed me that I can be more powerful if I let others in and share friendship. She and the Rainbooms ponied up and defeated me. I finally had a place where I felt I belonged and so I transferred to Canterlot High," Twilight rounded up her story.

"What happened during your time at Canterlot High?" Starlight asked.

"Camp Everfree helped me connect to my past, showing me that I was not like that anymore. I had friends by my side to lift me higher," Twilight smiled and turned to Starlight, "Rogue magic was on the lose every one in a while. Remember the incident with Juniper Montage and the magic mirror thingy?" She asked Starlight, who giggled.

"How could I forget going into your world and having to save all of the Rainbooms?" Starlight said with a chuckle.

"Bits of random magic, playing music, the Memory Stone, the cruise ship incident and time loops. Not an average day at Canterlot High, but with good friends by your side, the positives outweigh the negatives nicely," Twilight listed off the many adventures with her friends. Sunset smiled and laughed at the memories of them.

"You girls have some stories and achievements," Trixie said with an impressed tone, "You're like heroes in your world!"

"Princess Twilight's feats sound far more impressive really," Twilight waved a hoof with a small blush.

"Well, thank you for agreeing and arranging everything, Sunset," Tempest turned to Sunset, "And thank you Twilight for coming to the show."

"It's a pleasure really, even if it is a bit weird to be a pony again. I'll never get use to this form. How did Wallflower cope?"

"It was a bit awkward for her too really," Sunset chuckled sheepishly. You should see her try to eat a hayburger after our show. The looks she got was something she didn't want. She wanted to be noticed, but got the wrong type of noticed that day."

"Thank listeners for joining us today and we will be back very soon!" Trixie concluded today's chat.

Chapter 30 (Break)- Through The Mirror

"Is this safe? I don't want to run into another version of me," Trixie said, "You said that there is another version of me, and there is enough room for only one Great and Powerful Trixie!"

It was their break from their show, and Sunset wanted them to show them the mirror. Twilight and her friends were busy teaching class and their schedule was pretty tight. With no one looking after the castle, Sunset came to the idea that she wanted to see what they would look like on the other side. The others, on the other hoof (or hand) weren't to sure if they were allowed to. They have heard the stories from both Starlight and Sunset about the adventures through the mirror and out on the other side.

"Believe me, we are just going to pop to the other side, stay a little while and then hop right back," Sunset said with excitement, "I want to see what you all look like in my world, and it will be fun at the same time!"

"Did Twilight allow you to do this?" Tempest raised a eyebrow.

"I don't know for sure if she wouldn't be okay with it," Sunset chuckled.

"That's not a particularly compelling argument," Tempest countered.

"I feel like I've been here before," Starlight muttered.

"Come on you guys," Sunset pleaded, "It will just be a moment, a short trip and back in time for our usual stuff." The others looked at each other, sighed and shrugged.

"Let's just get this over and done with," Tempest groaned. Sunset clapped her hooves together in excitement. The others took position and leap in.

"One," Sunset counted

"Two," Starlight prepared herself.

"Three!" Trixie said and they all took off into the mirror.

"I feel really weird," Tempest groaned with her eyes closed, "Like I've been pulled and stretched into ways I didn't think that was possible."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is going to be sick," Trixie said with dizzy eyes.

"How about you open them and see what you are now?" Sunset giggled. Starlight just sighed as she has gotten use to her form. Slowly, Tempest and Trixie orientated themselves and looked at their body.

"Are these?" Tempest flapped her hew appendages.

"They're hands," Sunset comforted.

"What am I standing on?" Trixie said with shaking legs.

"Feet. Those are called feet," Sunset quickly mentioned.

"Definitely feel like I've been here before," Starlight sighed, "Both figuratively and literally been here before."

Starlight had her usual dress of purple beanie on her head with stars decorated on it. She wore her green shirt and black casual waistcoat and ripped grey leans. It gave her a more mature yet still young look. She looked at herself, smiling with fond memories of joining Sunset with her first adventure in her world and the whole magical mirror shenanigans.

Slowly, both Tempest and Trixie stood up shakily and looked at each other with wide eyes. Trixie wore the same thing as her counterpart in this world, with a purple top covered by a deep blue jack with stars on the sleeves and yellow highlights. Her cutie mark was on her new purple skirt. The only addition was the cape and hat she wore when she was a pony. Trixie looked at herself with the portal mirror's reflection.

"This is going to take a while to get used to," She muttered.

"You'll get used to it pretty quickly," Starlight said, but paused when she saw Tempest's new form. The others turned to her with even wider eyes.

Tempest had a strong punk look going for her. Her hair was spiked up with a black leather jack and simple white top. It was matched with torn jeans and heavy boots. It radiated that this was a person not to be messed with. Tempest came to the mirror and looked at herself, turning to get a good angle. The Storm King's old emblem was on the back of the jacket, but her cutie mark was on the jeans' side.

"Well, this is a surprise, though I'm not complaining," Tempest said with amusement.

"You can say that again," Starlight gaped.

"So how does everyone feel?" Sunset asked.

"Just trying to take it all in," Trixie said as she tried to take a step forward, but tripped on her own leg and fell face-first onto the ground, "And walking on two legs is a challenge for Trixie."

"It was quite embarrassing with I walked on all-fours. The stares I got didn't help. I wonder if Twilight did the same as I did when she first entered your world," Starlight pondered.

"I think that's a story for her to tell," Sunset giggled, "Anyway, let's get back before Princess Twilight realises what we were up to." She clasped her mouth with a hand, causing Starlight to cross her arms and blow her hair.

"So you didn't get permission," Starlight huffed. Sunset sighed and urged the others through the mirror and back into Equestria and Twilights' library.

"Well, that was certainly a new experience," Trixie said as she and the others made it back to Twilight's castle library.

"Now let's get going before Twilight finds out," Sunset quickly said.

"Before Twilight finds out about what exactly?" A familiar voice said behind them. They all slowly turned to find Twilight looking at each of them with a bemused look.

"I got a performance to practice," As Trixie bolted out of the library.

"And I need to set up for our next show," Tempest quickly followed Trixie out. Twilight watched them go before turning to the remaining unicorns in the library.

"It was Sunset's idea," Starlight pointed a hoof to Sunset before teleporting off. Sunset looked blankly at where Starlight had been and turned back to Twilight. By now, her mane was smoking, an eye was twitching with a nasty tick and a deep angry snarl was plastered on the Princess of Friendship's face. Sunset gulped and said the first thing that popped into her mind.

"So, Twilight," Sunset smiled sheepishly, "How was school today?"

Chapter 31- Wake Up Call

"Five minutes, Princess Celestia. I don't want to go back to Magic School yet," Sunset moaned in his sleep. The others giggled.

"I didn't know Sunset is a sleep-talker," Trixie snickered.

"Says the one who said she would perform for peanut-butter crackers with Princess Celestia," Starlight giggled.

"Says the pony who snores so loud that she convinced her old village they were attacked by bears every night," Trixie shot back.

The group were preparing for the show and all were rearing to go. However, one certain unicorn didn't have to energy to stay focused. Sunset had a long day when Twilight found out what they did, and Sunset paid the team the ultimate sacrifice. She was currently sleeping at an awkward angle, mouth wide open and some drool coming out. She looked peaceful whilst her friends observe her in quiet.

"What did Twilight do to Sunset?" Tempest asked as she observed the sleeping form of Sunset in her seat.

"Twilight made her sit through a lecture on the dangers of cross-dimensional travel and the instability of one being on the other side, and you know how long Twilight can go into these talks," Starlight explained, "Believe me, you don't want to be in the way when Twilight is in her zone of egghead stuff, as Rainbow puts it."

"Let's pony-up!" Sunset said softly as she punched the air. The others giggled at her with amusement.

"And now she's dreaming of saving the world again," Starlight chuckled behind a hoof.

"Should we wake her up or not?" Tempest asked, "I mean, it's funny to she her like this and we get to hear some secrets that we can use, as well as that she needs a break from that lecture. However, we need to get this show on the road."

"I feel that we should let her be," Starlight suggested, "She took one for the team whilst we fled. Anyway, we can entertain ourselves with what she says."

"What do you want from me?" Sunset muttered, her hoofs pretending to play a video game, "Tell me what you need."

"And know she's playing a video game, like the one she showed us earlier," Tempest giggled, "She must be into her games."

"Apparently so," Starlight explained, "She talks to me about her friends playing together, like Rise of Tirek that she showed us."

"Yes!" Sunset proclaimed, startling the others and punched the air, "I have reached the next level!"

The others laughed at that.

"Definitely like Trixie dreaming about how Great and Powerful she is," Starlight said, pretending that Trixie wasn't in the room. Trixie shot her a glare.

"Calm yourself, oh Great and Powerful one," Tempest comforted her, "Even I talk in my sleep as well." The other two looked at her with incredulous looks.

"Grubber caught me sleep-talking about fizzy drinks one time. I always had a preference with fruity flavours for some reason," Tempest's ears were splayed back and a small blush crept upon her face.

"Don't worry," Trixie reassured, "We all have cravings in her sleep. Imagine what Pinkie Pie dreams of."

"Actually, I don't want to know what goes on in that pink mare's head," Starlight shivered.

"Ditto," Tempest with a strange look, "Sunset's ability is that when she touch's them, she can see and feel what they are thinking. I wonder if she's done it to Pinkie Pie yet in her world?"

"Let's ask her!" Trixie said as she stepped towards her.

"What are you doing?" Tempest asked.

"Watch this," Trixie snickered, "Sunset! Canterlot High is in danger as rogue magic is on the loose again!" Sunset jerked awake with pure horror on her face!

"What?! Where?! Do I need to pony up?!" Sunset looked around with panic. Her eyes lay on Trixie and she gave her colleague her hard glare.

"Let us never speak of that again," Sunset simple said.

"Trixie's mouth is sealed," Trixie zipped her mouth is a hoof, but turned to Starlight, "Everypony will hear about this." Starlight just rolled her eyes.

"What do you want?" Sunset groaned, "You guys abandoned me to face Twilight's egghead wrath! Where was the loyalty?"

"Trixie just wanted to know what it was like when you touched Pinkie Pie and saw what goes on in her head," Trixie said in the first person.

Silence...

Then Sunset screamed and ran to the door. The others looked at her trail of dust.

"It can't be that bad, right?" Trixie asked the others.

Chapter 32- Parenthood 101

"Please welcome from all the way from the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, along with their daughter Flurry Heart!" Sunset introduced.

"It's a pleasure to be here," Cadance said warmly, "After hearing about your show from Twilight and Luna, we just had to go on and talk about raising a child like Flurry." She patted her child on the head, causing Flurry to giggle.

"And what was it like being parents to an alicorn like Flurry?" Starlight asked. Both parents looked at each other before laughing.

"Nothing can prepare you for parenthood. Books may help, and Twilight during the pregnancy gave us lots of books on parenting to help us," Shining rolled his eyes at Twilight's persistence on them to read the books.

"Definitely sounds like Twilight there," Starlight giggled.

"However," Cadance smoothly took over, "Books can only go so far. It is the experience that makes it something of a challenge, and there wasn't even any books to help a baby alicorn. It caused us many sleepless nights to get her under control."

"Do you have any doubts?" Tempest asks.

"All the time," Shining chuckled, "Every parent goes through doubts on whether they can take on being a good parent. Flurry's magic bursts sure had us running for our bits. Luckily Sunburst managed to curve Flurry's magic surges. Believe me, you don't want to be in the way of a magical laser in the face. I learnt that the hard way when leaning down to give her a kiss."

"Yikes," Trixie snickered.

"Who knew lasers tasty spicy," Shining muttered, causing Cadance to smack him with a wing.

"However," Cadance went on, "The best thing with parenting is watching your child grow up into who they were meant to be. Each spell she has learnt is a stepping stone, but a big victory for us. Sunburst again has been a big help as her crystaller."

"Proud boyfriend, eh?" Trixie nudged Starlight, who glared at her with a blush.

"So that was this strange love energy that I've been feeling in the room," Cadance smirked at Starlight, who sank deeper into her seat. The others unicorns, except Shining, turned to her with knowing looks.

"I sense a love that started long ago," Cadance muttered, her horn lighting up, "Possibly during foalhood, perhaps?"

"She and Sunburst were friends during foalhood," Trixie smiled, causing Starlight to glare at her friend with an even deeper blush, "They did everything together, from learning magic and playing their favourite game, Dragon Pit."

"Is that so?" Cadance raised a brow, "I think they will be great parents then."

"WHAT?!" Starlight spluttered, causing Sunset, Tempest and Trixie to burst out laughing.

"Cadance," Shining nudged his wife, "I think that's enough teasing for Starlight. We are here to talk about parenthood, not start a love conversation. It's not even Hearts and Hooves day yet."

"You cannot deny the power of love, Shining," Cadance pouted mockingly, "I mean look where we are with this little bundle of joy. Aren't you a sweet force of destruction, Flurry. Yes you are. Yes you are!" Cadance went into full mother mood as she tickled Flurry's tummy, causing her to laugh.

However, her horn began to spark as magic began to rush to her horn.

"Shining, did you remember to use Sunburst's spell to control Flurry's fluctuations?" Cadance hesitated.

"I thought you were doing it before you got here," Shining hissed. Flurry was going to sneeze a big magical sneeze

"EVERYPONY TAKE COVER!" They warned. Everypony got under the desk, just in time for the baby to let off one of her infamous magical sneezes. A cloud of smoke engulfed the room, causing everypony to cough with tears in their eyes.

Once, the crisis was over everypony got off to see the damage. A large hole had been created in the ceiling. A pony looked back down from them with a singed mane.

"I think we will leave it there whilst we clean up this mess," Tempest gagped.

"Parenthood is a team effort," Shining muttered, which Cadance nodded silently.

Another round of silence.

"I'm not paying for that," Trixie crossed her arms, "This is DJ PON-3's and Octavia's studio we are using. Think of the looks on their faces when they see that."

"I think we can help with that," Cadance sighed.

Chapter 33- Keeping In Touch

"So, Sunburst welcome to the show to talk about friendship and keeping in touch," Starlight welcomed her foalhood friend to the show, "Glad you are able to find the time to join us."

"Glad to be here with all of you. As I said to Starlight, with Flurry growing up, I have a lot more free time on my hooves, so being on the show is no problem to the schedule," Sunburst waved at her, "Besides, it's good to meet old friends and get to make new ones together."

"So you two were foalhood friends?" Tempest asked with interest.

"Yes we were," Starlight answered, "We did everything together."

"Learnt new spells, played board games and everything in-between," Sunburst listed before turning a sad face, "Then I got my cutie mark and with my thirst and excitement of learning new magic, my mum wanted me to take the entrance exam for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. I passed, but learning and actual doing magic was totally different and I unfortunately flunked out of magic school."

"I was hard and bitter after Sunburst left, thinking something as simple as a cutie mark took my friend away. I left to find a way where nothing can take away the friends I have. You know the rest," Starlight sighed with splayed ears. Sunburst gave a comforting pat.

"You set of a village to remove everyponies cutie marks, but Twilight and her friends stopped you. So to get back at Twilight, to went back in time to interfere with the Sonic Rainboom that united the destinies of her friends, but Twilight helped you start anew with accepting you in friendship," Trixie rambled on. Everypony looked at her with disapproving looks.

"What?" Trixie said, "Trixie's just telling the facts." Everypony rolled their eyes.

"Anyway," Starlight huffed, "It was Twilight who found out where Sunburst went after all those years. It was an awkward reunion to say the least, with Twilight listing what to do at certain scenarios."

"Definitely sounds like Twilight there," Sunset chuckled, "I'm guessing Spike was there."

"You guessed it, but it helped out when we shared our troubles and what happened when we were gone from each other's lives," Starlight said.

"Starlight gave me the encouragement to help fix the Crystal Heart when Flurry destroyed it and-" Sunburst carried on, but was interrupted by Tempest.

"Wait! Flurry destroyed the Crystal Heart? The Crystal Heart," Tempest said with shock, "That little bundle of cuteness that blew a hole in the studio destroyed a millennia-old magical artefact?"

"Believe me, I was just as surprised," Sunburst laughed, as did Starlight, "But we fixed everything and saved the Crystal Empire from becoming a winter wasteland."

"When we were arrived at the train station, we made up our mistakes and promised to keep in touch when we can. After all we've been through, there's nothing like coming back and making up with lost time while apart," Starlight smiled fondly.

"We kept in touch ever since, like when I met you, along with Maud in Ponyville. It helped me and Starlight learn that even though we have different interests with other ponies, doesn't mean we aren't friends anymore. We even played live Dragon Pit," Sunburst carried on their story.

"Then came the the challenge of reconnecting with another part of our lives," Starlight chuckled wryly, "Our parents were a bit on the clingy and embarrassing side. My dad was also treating me like a foal, whilst Sunburst's mum was always wanting. It took us a while to figure out our friendship mission, but it was a problem that was with us the whole time." Starlight paused to let Sunburst continue the story.

"Starlight's dad just wanted her to feel safe and somepony to come back to. Starlight told her that she messed up and now is learning from her past. I told my mum that I wasn't lost anymore, and that I have found a purpose now and working hard to reach more goals," Sunburst continued on.

"Well, you two have come a long way. Once apart, but now reunited on the same road," Sunset smiled.

"Well creatures, that is our time for the day. A big thank you once again to Sunburst for coming onto our show, and we hope to see you all again soon," Tempest rounded off.

"No fair, I wanted to know if they like each other more than friends," Trixie huffed. Starlight and Sunburst looked at each other with blushes on their faces.

"No comment!" Starlight shouted before quickly pressing the air button to end what would have been a very awkward conversation between them and all the others in the room.

Chapter 34- All Hands On

It was going quite well in the studio that day. Everypony was involving themselves in the conversation about simple topics, like how Pinkie throws the best parties, Rainbow’s sonic rainboom and other matters that came up in the groups head. However, fate had something planned to disrupt a good day of presenting the show’s loyal listeners.

Suddenly, the door burst open, causing the door to be knocked off its hinges. Every head turned towards the door, displaying varying faces of shock, except Trixie who had a face of annoyance. There, standing where the door should have been, was a fresh, minty green unicorn, her horn flaring with a slight orange aura and a lyra for a cutie mark. Her face was the most disturbing, rivalling that of Pinkie when she was down in the dumps. Her pupils were pinpricks, darting around the room, her right eye developing a nasty twitched. Her mane and tail was a frazzled state, like a serious case of bed-mane. All in all, to say that the group was disturbed was an understatement.

“Excuse me,” Trixie huffed with annoyance, “Can’t you see we are recording live right now? No guests or fans until the end of the day!” Trixie folded her arms and glared at the unicorn who interrupted the show.

The unicorn, however, didn’t seem to pay attention as her eyes fell on Sunset Shimmer. Sunset felt her coat stand on ends, like as if a ghost walked past through her. The sound of hooves running soon caught everypony’s ears as another pony ran into the room. This time it was an cream-coloured earth pony with a dark blue and pink mane and tail. She had three sweets as a cutie mark.

“Lyra? What in the name of Celestia do you think your doing?” She panted, showing that they both ran some distance to the studio, “Can’t you see your interrupting the show?”

Lyra didn’t seem to pay attention, as she took a step towards a now scared Sunset.

“Hands…” Lyra trailed off slowly. Everypony looked at her with curiosity, but Sunset had a faint idea what she wanted. She wasn’t going to like this.

“What did you say?” Tempest asked with trepidation. That was all she got as Lyra darted towards them and tackled Sunset to the ground. Sunset, dazed and confused found herself encased in Lyra’s magic and Lyra was hugging her hooves.

“Where are the hands? Show me the hands! Are they hidden underneath your hooves or something? Tell me your secrets, unicorn!” Lyra pried at Sunset’s hooves, much to Sunset’s confusion. Starlight was quick to her feet, using her magic to grab Sunset’s tail and yank her back to the group. Lyra used her magic harder to pull Sunset back to her. Trixie and Tempest got up and pulled helped started pulling on Starlight, trying to help her steady her magic and get Sunset back. Bonbon was at Lyra’s side, trying to get Lyra back to her.

A strange game of tug-of-war soon developed, with the three unicorns on one side, Bonbon and Lyra on the other and poor confused Sunset in the middle. Sunset was beginning to feel the strain of both unicorns pulling with their magic.

“What is her problem?” Sunset strained as she was caught between green and orange magical auras.

“I’m sorry to get you involved in this,” Bonbon wheezed, “Lyra has this strange obsession with appendages. She must have heard about them on the show and wanted to have hands of her own.”

“Well there is a Lyra in my world,” she answered simply. This only made Lyra pull harder.

“There is another me with hands and walks on two legs? Now I want her to tell me everything!” Lyra shouted.

Eventually, Starlight, being the more magically powerful, managed to win the game, causing Sunset to crash into the group. Lyra crashed into Bonbon, overpowered by the magical surged to get Sunset back. Dusting herself off, she pointed a hoof directed at the terrified unicorn of her desire.

“This isn’t over. You will tell me everything I need to know about hands, no matter what!” With that she darted out of the busted doorframe.

“Lyra wait! We’re going to talk about this when you’ve calmed down!” Bonbon chased after the mare. The rest lay on the floor, dazed and disturbed about what had transpired today. Eventually Sunset spoke.

“Starlight, tell Twilight to shut down the mirror for a few days. I will write to the girls explaining the current situation. I’ll be staying at the castle for a while before this blows over.”

“I think it’s best if we stay together for the rest of the week,” Tempest suggested, “Safety in numbers and all.”

“I agree,” Starlight said before struggling with her magic to get to the microphones, “We’re going to stop there after what has happened. Hope we will get this sorted and fix everything real soon.”

Chapter 35- Prepared To Forgive

"How is it to forgive?" Trixie started off today's chat with a rather hard question, which was quite unlike her. The others turned to one another with contemplating faces.

"Sometimes it's not enough to simply be forgiven," Sunset said slowly, "You have to learn and forgive yourself. Otherwise, forgiveness is meaningless. I learnt that to the past is in the past and moving on and forgiving others is the best way to go. We're lucky to be forgiven by those who are willing to give us another chance. Isn't that right?" Each unicorn nodded with happy memories.

"Then I forgave the Twilight in my world after the Friendship Games because I've been there, even though our reasons may have been different. We are now good friends in my world and just laugh and shrug it off in the best way we could," Sunset continued to tell her adventures in her world.

"I was fortunate for Twilight to forgive me with the whole Alicorn Amulet thing. I treated her friends horribly, banished her out of town, but she gave me some peace. You forgave me Starlight when I was just using you to get back at Twilight when we first met, but now we are more greater and powerfuller when together. We even saved the whole of Equestria from Queen Chrysalis' infiltration scheme!" Starlight smiled at Trixie's retelling of their journey together.

"Twilight and her friends were willing to forgive me with so much bad stuff that I did," Starlight smiled fondly, "Then forgiveness returned back to me when the villagers from where I enslaved them forgave me for everything that I done. I still have my doubts and fears, which Princess Luna comforted and reassured me in my nightmare. It was after we defeated Chrysalis that I learnt that I have changed. The old me is in the past and I can always strive to be better right now."

"Twilight also forgave me when she realises that I was just used by the Storm King. She accepted me, despite all my wrongs and flaws and came out of it stronger than ever. I now mostly travel the lands, spreading the news of the Storm King's defeat and hopefully one day, all those who I wronged forgives me and my past connections."

"We forgave those because we understand them. Forgiveness starts with listening to them, then learn and together we can become stronger," Sunset thought our loud, with most of them nodding in agreement.

"Fluttershy sure has helped a lot by listening to others. Although, when she gets mad, she shows it as well. Her friends call it the Stare, if I remember correctly," Starlight thought, "I wonder how bad it is?"

"That is something we're best not to go into," Starlight teased, "If animals could really talk, they would not want to say anything about Fluttershy's Stare. It's always the quiet ones that surprise you the most."

"That I can agree on," Tempest chuckled.

"Of course forgiveness doesn't just come from other creatures that has done bad to you," Starlight continued, "Me and Sunburst's friendship problem was forgiving and moving with our annoying parents. Mine was to tell him that I grew up and learning from my mistakes. Sunburst's was to tell his mother that he wasn't lost and now has a better way of living his life as a crystaller and wizard in training and learning."

"Starlight and I have also forgave each other, knowing that our friendship is stronger than anything. We learnt that when Starlight bottled her anger and again when choosing a new student counsellor," Trixie put a foreleg around Starlight in comfort.

"Let us forgive and let us forget," Tempest smiled, "Good to hear such things when are a set free from our past. That is all today, fellow listeners. Be such to tune in soon for more!"

Chapter 36- Bulk Talks

"Iron Will is my name, training creatures is my game!" The minotaur introduced himself to the unicorns and listeners. The others just stared at him blankly.

"What a lovely little trademark," Tempest said, "Certainly beats the Storm King's long merchandising demands."

"Iron Will is here to get you all PUMPED UP!" Iron Will shouted at the trio, who ducked down in their seats, they manes flying behind them.

"You speak in the third person as well? So does the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie stood up on her seat and gave a flourish of her capes.

"A good catchphrase. Iron Will approves," The Minotuar turned to the others, "What is your catchphrase. Iron Will insists you have a catchphrase!"

"And why would we want a catch phrase?" Sunset quirked an eyebrow.

"You need something to sell yourself towards creatures. Something to make you stand out from the crowd. Something that screams that you talk the talk and walk that walk!"

The other three looked at each other with confusion, then back to Iron Will. They thought long and hard about what their signature move would be. Sunset broke the silence first.

"When part of the Storm King's magic ended up in our world, me and the other Rainbow Dash would argue over what is the best catchphrase when we are in hero-pony mode. Rainbow would choose 'It's hero time', but I preferred 'Let's pony-up'," Sunset explained what happened on their adventures on the high seas.

"A good strong hero catchphrase. Something, Iron Will approves of," Iron scratched his chin thoughtfully, "And what are you're catchphrases, unicorns?"

"I don't know to be honest," Tempest said, "I would not want to stand out too much though. We each have our own habits and things that make us just as unique."

"And what are those exactly?" Iron raised an eyebrow. Trixie was the first to answer, latching onto Starlight.

"Like how Starlight always gives a nervous laugh whenever she's nervous to hide the fact that she is nervous," Trixie explained, "That's quite a handy quirk."

"Every creature does that," Starlight huffed, "I'm the one that usually gets the wrong idea, is part of some crazy plan or jumps to the wrong conclusion. Seriously, I miss the point of things a lot. Spike would know."

"Then there are those who have little things that they say a lot. Rarity loves to say darling a lot of the time. Applejack has a lot of country sayings that I have no idea what she's on about sometimes, along with the occasional sugarcube. Rainbow Dash has that thing about awesomeness and things having to be twenty-percent cooler all the time and Pinkie is just Pinkie when it comes to everything random and Fluttershy has a lot of 'yays'," Trixie listed off.

"Twilight, well, we all know what Twilight's thing is," Starlight simply stated, which causing a lot of nods from the rest of the group.

"Well, Iron Will didn't see this coming," The minotaur explained, "You need something motivational from time to time, but I guess the best motivation comes from being yourself despite what and who you are. That can be my next motivational workshop! Iron Will has just got a new idea!"

"Well, things have changed a lot. You may have turned Fluttershy into something else, and Twilight's cruise with her family not what she had in mind and caused Yona to go into an assertive, friendship, smashing machine, but the best things that they have learnt is to be themselves no matter what you throw at them. Whether it's standing up, making time for themselves or having different tactics to showing true friendship," Starlight explained. Trixie smiled at her friend's lesson.

"Well, this is awkward, and Iron Will has only been in a few awkward situations," Iron Will's brow began to sweat, "You girls are good talkers."

"That's today's lesson wrapped up," Trixie concluded, "The best thing you can be is the best self you have to offer, for yourself and others around you!"

Chapter 37- One True Treasure

"Creatures, please welcome to the show, Doctor Caballeron!" Trixie introduced him to the show, with the other ponies in the room clapping their hooves together.

"I must say, I am most certainly surprised to receive an invitation to the show," Caballeron explained, "But I was more than happy to tell my story and explain where my life is heading now."

"You were a tomb and temple raider in the past, were you?" Sunset explained, "Rainbow Dash always raves about your books when we're on break."

"That was true, yes," Caballeron, "I was more a raider than a securer, like Daring Do. I was looking for only my gain, not thinking about the consequences. Me and Daring were temple rivals, wanting to secure ancient artefacts, but with entirely different ideas and desires."

"When did Rainbow and her friends come into this?" Tempest asked.

"It was when I was working for Ahuizotl to secure the Ring of Destiny. I wanted to sell the ring to Ahuizotl to make a fortune, and then have a glorious retirement. However, I hear that Daring and her new friends defeated us, bringing down the temple all together and stopping Ahuizotl from using a full set of them for his own desires. I was just after some nice bits back then," Caballeron huffed.

"What happened next?" Trixie encouraged him on.

"I encountered Daring Do and he partner again at her own convention in Manehattan, along with her fellow fan Rainbow Dash. Though being painted as a baddie, I wasn't too keen on being surrounded by fans of my rival at the time, Daring had another artefact with her, and I used Rainbow to lead to us the temple to hunt it down and urge Daring to help her. However they slipped though my hooves once again, with Daring managing to secure the artefact of the temple and us being pursued by the temple's guardian alligator," Caballeron told is next story with the usual displeasure. Starlight chuckled at his mishap.

"You ever encountered crocodiles and alligators?" Caballeron glared at Starlight.

"I encountered a few on a roadtrip with a good friend. Not so fun when you're on your own," She gave a small wink at Trixie, who chuckled at that.

"When did you meet again?" Sunset encouraged Caballeron to continue, ignoring her friends antics in the background.

"I decided to ruin Daring's reputation once and for all, southern village of Somnambula to take away the village's precious stone necklaces. I managed to capture Rainbow Dash to the temple were the Pillar Somnambula began, but she and another of her friends saved her. They thwart my plans, with Daring promising to keep on protecting artefacts with the right actions, consequences and hopes," Caballeron continued on.

"And Rainbow doesn't want to be called an egghead," Trixie whispered to Sunset's ear, which caused her to chuckle.

"So what changed to lead you to become an author and partnership with Daring Do?" Starlight asked.

"I took on a secret author's name Groom Q. Q. Martingale, with the intent of with the idea of publicly airing Daring Do's mistakes and secrets and telling my side of his story. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash's friend, sympathised with me, so I manipulated her into joining my team's quest for the Truth Talisman of Tonatiuh. However, I came to appreciate her help with different animals and obstacles on the way," Caballeron continued.

"Fluttershy again," Trixie muttered.

"Fluttershy helped Ahuizotl with listening to his side of the story as well and we we made up over our past rivalry, with the promise to stop taking artefacts from the jungle basin again. I began a partnership with Daring, with my henchponies pursuing their own dreams. I hear one wanting to be a performer," Caballeron pondered.

"Well you seem to have quite the journey," Tempest rounded up, "Learning that the one true treasure was understanding and friendship. More important than any riches. Gilda would agree too." The others nodded in agreement.

"That concludes today's show. Be sure to tune in next time, creatures," Sunset finished for the day.

Chapter 38- To Be Adored

"Is this safe? I don't want you to be in trouble again, Sunset?" Tempest asked her colleague.

"Don't worry. This time, a totally discussed it with Twilight, and she was fine with it," Sunset waved a hoof, "So how are you do as a pony?"

"It feels really weird?" Juniper said as she checked her new form out.

"Wallflower was like that when she went into her form," Starlight said, "It's great that we managed to get you onto our show in the first place."

"I was more than happy to come onto the show. Sunset talked about it to me, and since you're also in the show and part of my events, I think it was best to discuss it with old and new friends at the same," Juniper smiled at Starlight. Starlight blushed a little, but smiled back nonetheless.

"So how did you and Sunset meet?" Trixie asked with interest.

"It was at the film studio where the directer invited Sunset and the girls for saving Camp Everfree. I was his niece and assistant on set. However, I wanted to do more than pass the next coffee break and help with the props. I wanted to be part of the latest Daring Do films, to be Daring Do herself, but the actor was one demanding person. Out of my jealousy I stole the props because of that Chestnut actor who was demanding so much. I never knew who ate all those praline crunch-bars which are the only snacks I like as well," Juniper told her story.

"I wonder who could have eaten them," Sunset snorted, causing Juniper to turn to her in confusion. Sunset just shrugged.

"As a reward for not just saving Camp Everfree, but also the whole set, the girls were given a chance to have background parts for the film," Juniper continued. Sunset whispered to Starlight.

"Don't tell Rainbow Dash she's in a film in your world about Daring Do," Sunset pleaded. Starlight nodded.

"We'll never hear the end of it. She's a big fan already," Starlight agreed.

"What did your uncle do as punishment?" Tempest urged her on.

"He forgave, but I was never welcomed onto the set again for the long time. Out of the set with little work, I found one at the local cinema at the mall. This was where the girls' movie was premiering as well. I was tired and lonely, wanting to have my spot in the limelight. I wanted to be adored. That was when I cam across this mirror that was enchanted with Equestrian Magic," Junpier paused to let Starlight and Sunset tell their part of the story.

"I ran out of pages for my diary so Twilight invited me to come to Equestria to get a new one," Sunset started off.

"Unfortunately, Twilight and her friends were on a friendship mission, leaving me in her castle to deliver the new diary for Sunset. I connected instantly really, and I asked her if I can come to her world too," Starlight clapped her hooves in happiness.

"Meanwhile, I grew more entranced with the mirror, showing me my true desires and wants. It even had the power of banish things inside the mirror itself. I used that on her friends whilst she was out, and then eventually on Sunset too. The magic overtook me and-" Juniper was about to continue, but Sunset beat her to it.

"Turned you into a she-demon I presume?"

Juniper blinked owlishly and asked, "How did you know that?"

"Just a hunch," Sunset winked. Starlight chuckled.

"Starlight helped me realise where I was wrong. Adoration can only get you so far, and fame is nothing unless you have real friends who treat you like someone special from the very start. I was lonely, craving for something more, and it turns out I was missing having friends who will always lift me higher, more than any limelight that could ever shine down on me. With the mirror almost breaking, I freed Sunset and her friends and we forgave each other, both for that moment and for the filmset incident," Juniper said with a smile.

"We all enjoyed the film together, friends included," Sunset giggled.

"What a journey you had," Trixie whistled, "Wish I was in a film. I could just see it now. The Great and Powerful Trixie, prepared to be amazed on the silver screen!"

"Good luck with that one," Starlight laughed.

"That's the end of today's show creatures," Sunset concluded, "We will be back soon."

Chapter 39- Paint Me A Picture

"So Sunset, apart from video games that you showed us, your other hobby seems to be artwork as well," Starlight asked Sunset with curiosity, "Your friends from the other dimension-thingy say your a great cartoonist and painter." Sunset blushed a little at her friends' praises.

"It's nothing much. It's pretty much how I got by when I turned away from Celestia and went to the other world. I got into painting when practising my magic in Equestria, learning to control the brush with levitation and doing shapes. It kind of grew on me and got me to start a hobby. When I was in the other dimension, I got by in perfecting my skills. Got me to start on commissions for Canterlot High, despite my past," Sunset went into details. The others were impressed. Then Starlight went into the store cupboard and levitated out an easel, canvas and several paints, paint knives and brushes.

"Why don't you show us what you've got?" Starlight said, "It will be different in as a pony, but with magic, I think you will do well." Sunset smiled a big smile and went straight to the canvas. However, just as she was about to pick up a brush, Trixie stopped her.

"I command you, Brush-set Shimmer, to paint me, the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie demanded in her usual flourish. Sunset giggled.

"You're wish is my command, oh Great and Powerful Trixie," Sunset chuckled, but turned to her with a stern face, "Plus, do't call me Brush-set Shimmer again."

"You're wish is my command," Trixie smiled slyly, "Wink."

Starlight facehoofed.

"Now what pose shall Trixie go into. Something that screams great and powerful? Something that reflects how good of a street performer I am or-"

"Just get on with it already!" Tempest groaned, "We don't have all day and Sunset needs to set up everything."

In the end Trixie settled to a flashy lying position on a nearby sofa. Sunset got to work mixing the colours and getting into the zone.

"Every creature can get into something like this. It's all about getting some inspiration. There's always something to look at, if only you open your eyes to it. Isn't that right Tempest?" Sunset teased.

"Yeah, Yeah," Tempest chuckled, "I get what you mean."

"Inspiration can some from anywhere really. Everyday objects, people you admire or something you hold dear," Sunset continued whilst she worked."

"You should totally come and teach some art at the School of Friendship," Starlight encouraged, "Rarity does a lot of crafts with her fashion demonstration, but we're a bit lost in the fine arts department really. Applejack and Rainbow are good in the sports, Fluttershy in animal science, Twilight with all the academic stuff and Pinkie in, well, whatever Pinkie's in. Probably the music area. Just don't ask her to play that dreaded thing from Yakyakistan." Starlight gave a small shiver at that.

"I would be happy to help out when I can," Sunset smiled as she continued with her work, "The best things in life can't be rushed either. A masterpiece cannot become a masterpiece overnight. Each stroke of paint is done in love and knowing where it should be on the canvas. It blends together, just like friendship. Overtime, it becomes something special."

"Now you're sounding like a teacher," Tempest chuckled.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is feeling restless here," Trixie said through gritted teeth.

"You wanted to model in the first place," Starlight shouted over to Trixie, "You got yourself into this."

"Don't worry, I'm already done."

"I know the girls from your world won't know this, but you're a secret artist in your world as well right?" Tempest asked Sunset while she continued to work.

"That's right, another way I made a living," Sunset smiled, "I made a secret identity called Flanksy. I also helped Rarity design her set in secret. Though I may have hinted it slightly." She chuckled at that.

"Almost done?" Trixie asked, "I have an itch I need to scratch."

"Just need to finish your hat," Sunset smiled as she finished off, "And done!" Sunset levitated the canvas so everypony in the room could see her world. They all stared at the canvas in awe.

"Amazing," Tempest said under her breath.

"Ditto," Starlight smiled.

"Trixie approves immensely," Trixie said with enthusiasm, grabby Sunset with a hoof, "Now I'm thinking big show posters and prints. I need at least eighty flyers for my next performances around Ponyville. What do you say, Sunset? I need them done in three days time" Sunset looked at her dizzily.

"Eighty paint-printed flyers in three days?" Sunset said with a stunned face. She looked slightly dizzy before she fainted on the floor. The others looked at her unconscious form and Tempest and Starlight turned to Trixie with a small glare.

"What? Too much?" Trixie shrugged sheepishly.

Chapter 40- Setting Sunset

"The Great and Powerful Trixie invites you to a new challenge I have made for Sunset here," Trixie welcomed, whilst Sunset huffed. She wasn't going to like this.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is going to see if she can set Sunset off in the most ticked off way she can," Trixie smiled at Sunset, "You can never get mad at me right?" Trixie smiled at Sunset, you made a strained smile back at her.

"Should we stop her?" Tempest asked Starlight in trepidation.

"I think it's best to give Trixie her just desserts," Starlight sighed, "It's Trixie we're talking about. When she has an idea, she goes for it, not thinking what the consequences are."

"Trixie can hear you," Trixie said through clenched teeth, but breathed, "Now then, are you ready Sunset."

"No," Sunset said with hesitance.

"Me neither," Trixie smiled, then went into her best attempt to trigger Sunset off in the best ways she could think of.

"You turned into a raging She-Demon that zombified an entire school to do your bidding in an attempt to invade Equestria," Trixie shouted into Sunset's ear.

"None taken," Sunset smiled with ease, "The amount of times my friends poked fun at that moment has made me gotten used to the past." However, Trixie wasn't done just yet.

"Painting is for old creatures who sit in retirement. Your anger issues fits your name, Sunset Shimmer. I should call you Sunset Rager instead sometime. You're not that athletic and you keep on collapsing at Rainbow Dash's workouts."

As Trixie kept on teasing Sunset more and more, her eyes began to develop into a nasty twitch.

"Should we step in now?" Tempest asked Starlight, now with worry on her face.

"As I said, Trixie goes head into things sometimes, thinking the Great and Powerful Trixie can handle it. I think it's best to see where this will go," Starlight waved a hoof as she, somehow, managed to get a bag of popcorn, "Want some?"

"Video games are just something lazy to do when you have no real life," Trixie finished. Starlight spat out her popcorn in shock, whilst Tempest almost fell out of her chair.

"That may have been a bit far," Starlight hummed in contemplation. Sunset's eyes went to pinpricks, and she robotically turned her head to her teaser.

"What did you say about my video games?" Sunset said softly, but with a hint of warning.

"Not loud enough for your ears?" Trixie said, "I said video games are a waste of time that you just sit around playing with."

Sunset's eye gave a much bigger twist, then her horn began to spark.

"First, you had to remind me of what goes on in Pinkie Pie's head. Then you ask me to do eighty painted prints in three days. Finally, you call my video games a waste of time," Sunset's voice rose with each point, "I'll show you who's a waste of time!" Sunset's horn lit up and shot a small laser at Trixie who dodged it.

"This looks more interesting than when Trixie broke my bottles of stored anger, but this time the anger is from an actual pony," Starlight mused as she and Tempest watched the spectacle with bemused looks.

"I have a great real life video game for you!" Sunset called, eyes white with magical rage, "Ten points if I hit your flanks, twenty-five for the body and fifty for the head!"

"Trixie doesn't like that game! Trixie commands you to stop!" Trixie shouted as she ran around the studio.

"The Great and Angry Sunset says never!" Sunset kept firing small lasers at her. Luckily each one was deflected by Starlight with a counter spell. She didn't want to pay for any damages.

"I think it's best for them to keep going until they run out of steam, Trixie from physical exhaustion and Sunset from magical exhaustion," Starlight told Tempest, "Best not to get caught in their crossfire, eh?" Tempest simply nodded.

"We'll be back as soon as things have defused in the room," Tempest said to their listeners, "We'll be back after the break." She then pressed the air button.

"Coffee and donuts? Donut Joe opened a new one just nearby," Tempest asked Starlight.

"I need a lot of sugar and caffeine to over with this," Starlight said, "It's on me, since Trixie is my friend."

Chapter 41- Live For All

"Hello every creature far and wide," Trixie introduced every listener to the show, "The Great and Powerful is here with my equally great and powerful assistance to talk about how I get around and how to survive a roadtrip. I will cover all the essentials you need to get you on a smooth journey."

"This is going to be interesting," Sunset teased.

"First thing is to not blow all your bits at once, You need to reserve them for a good lodging when the time comes. Basic food and necessities are a must-have. Isn't that right Starlight?" She directed a small teasing glare at Starlight, who chuckled sheepishly.

"Yeah, I remember that incident on our roadtrip," Starlight sighed, "At least we learnt that we can't go that far again. Although, if you have a sleep-talker and a loud snorer, I think it's best to get some earplugs."

"That is a good idea," Trixie smiled, "How do you guys travel around?"

"School trips, like the one for Camp Everfree for example, are mostly school-planned. However, going to a festival that was in a constant time-loop, however, is another story. Essentials are important, like your pass and everything, but be sure to know what your friend loves as well. Perfection isn't everything when going to a live event," Sunset told her trips.

"What are these festivals like in your world?" Trixie asked with interest.

"They're not like the show stuff much in this world. They are much more bigger and words simply cannot describe how amazing it is to be part of a live event. Me and the Pinkie Pie in our world even performed next to our favourite artist, Post-Crush after we helped them see what live music means to the fans listening. We had the time of our lives," Sunset continued, then screamed and waved her shook her hooves and head like what every fangirl does.

"I learnt something about music festivals too," Tempest joined in, "You can always find a new friend there. Learnt that at the Festival of Friendship where I crashed and invaded when Songbird Serenade arrived." She chuckled sheepishly.

"And how was your first festival?" Sunset asked with enthusiasm, "Did you have a good time?"

"I had a good time," Tempest smiled, "Good music and all."

"The best thing as well is when you have a VIP pass and you get to go backstage!" Sunset continued her fandom fantasies, "Not only do you meet your favourite bands, but you get to see the crew that put the whole thing together. I managed to get a picture with them." She giggled with delight at that memory. The others looked at her weirdly.

"You got a picture of yourself with the backstage crew, rather than the actual band?" Tempest asked, "Isn't that a bit strange?"

"Setting is stage is an art, and it cannot be rushed," Sunset smiled, "There are also loads of free things you get if you're a VIP, like socks!"

"Socks?" Starlight asked in puzzlement, "Of all the things you get excited about, it's socks?"

"Anyway," Trixie continued, "As well as essentials, you need your comforts as well, but make sure they're small enough to fit as well. For instance, my travel wagon breaks when on the road, so I need something to help get it running again."

"Applejack always says to prepare for the unexpected on the road," Sunset came in, "learnt that in my driving lessons to pass my tests and own my own car."

"What's a car?" Tempest asked with curiosity.

"Some automated mechanical driving thing. Quite complicated to get your head around if you haven't been there for long. Twilight will tell you, but be prepared for a long lecture. Learnt that the hard way for my punishment," Sunset warned, causing Tempest to laugh a little.

"So remember, essentials and comforts, but a journey isn't complete without a good friend to share the experience," Trixie smiled as she rounded things off, "Travelling can be lonely sometimes, with only your cart for comfort, and sometimes the greatest adventure is having someone to share it with you."

"And we certainly learnt that," Starlight giggled again.

"Who knows, at your destination, you might make a new friend," Tempest smiled.

"Or learn something new and pass it onto others," Sunset added, "Well, that is all for now, listeners. Be sure to tune into us soon."

Chapter 42- Bolts And Colts

"This is going to take some time getting used to," Sunny Flare looked at her hoof with curiosity.

"Having four hooves will definitely be a new experience for all of us as being bipedal most of the time means that it is a radical change for all of us who haven't experience being on all-fours before. In addition, there are some new things from being a pony, such the tail, extended ears and mane change," Sugarcoat explained in her usual rapid way. Every pony in the room looked at her with varying faces.

"That's a lot to take in when you say it all at once you know?" Indigo said.

"Neat studio by the way," Lemon Zest complimented the hosts, who smiled that.

"Sure, what a great studio to be in today," Sour Sweet smiled, but then turned around and said, "Despite the fact that we're in a different dimension as talking ponies."

"We'll pretend we didn't hear that," Starlight laughed nervously, before introducing their listeners, "Hello and welcome to the show. With Twilight being a little forgiving with our use of the mirror, it means that we can start being some more stories over from Sunset's world. Today we have some students with a story to tell us their story of rivalry and friendship from Canterlot High School's rival School, Crystal Prep. Please welcome to the show, Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet, Indigo Zap, Sugarcoat and Lemon Zest!" Starlight introduced each one of them to the show in order.

"So tell us," Tempest asked the group of guests, "How long has this rivalry between schools been taking place?"

"A long time," Indigo said, "We've always had this rivalry between CHS. It was because of our principal at the time, Cinch. She was one tough person to please, believing in the best of the best. Her using the Twilight in out world was an example of how far she wanted to win the Friendship Games."

"We just got swept up in the hype of winning," Lemon continued, "Us, and Canterlot High forgot the meaning of the Friendship Games meant. The competition was simply too fierce for us to understand us, and our drive on both sides made it so." Sunset decided to continue from there.

"It took Cinch to the edge of using Twilight, turning her into Midnight Sparkle, and threatening to open rifts between Equestria and our dimension. Working together made us realise that we were both in the wrong and forgave each other for forgetting the real reason for both schools being here. Principal Celestia decided to award us as both winners," Sunset smiled at the group and they smiled in return.

"When did you encounter each other next?" Trixie urged them to continue. Sunny was about to start again, but Sugarcoat cut in with the same motor-mouth explanation.

"It was for this dance contest with a large prize money. The Rainbooms wanted the prize to fix Camp Everfree, whilst we promised our school that we would have some party on a yacht. It seems we didn't learn much from the Friendship Games as she stole ideas from the Rainbooms with their music for our dance. In the end the Rarity at CHS realised that we just had a dance routine and no original song, and the Rainbooms were with a the same problem without a dance routine. Rarity offered the chance for both schools to work together and to split the prize money. In the end we won and both schools managed to get what we wanted," Sugarcoast finished, causing stunned faces from the hosts. The Shadowbolts laughed.

"She could rival Pinkie in fast explanations," Starlight eventually chuckled.

"Trixie agrees," the street magician says.

"That's Sugarcoat for you all," Sour Sweet smiled, "She can deliver the best explanations ever."

"Sour Sweet is the best at delivering opposite lines," Indigo smiled, "I'm the best chanter for the time, like Pinkie as well."

"And I'm the rocker of the group," Lemon said.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm just some explainer of things," Sunny shrugged, but smiled.

"Nice to be in a group that understands you well," Sunset smiled, "The Rainbooms accepted me into theirs, despite my past."

"And I manged to find my group when the Element Bearers in this world accepted me too," Starlight smiled.

"Which helped me find my group to go in," Trixie put a foreleg around Starlight, "Not the best friendship chanters, but a friendship nonetheless."

"Well, thank you again for coming onto the show Shadowbolts," Sunset smiled to the group, "And we're glad to be friends despite what has happened. We will see you fellow listeners soon." With that, she switched off the airing button.

"Now how about we treat you all to some proper pony food and welcome? Pinkie throws a good party, in any world," Starlight suggested.

The group smiled. Pinkie is one lean-mean-party-planning-machine at anything to do with parties and having fun.

Chapter 43- True Original Fan

"Every creature, we are so lucky to have with us a very special pop group with us today from my world!" Sunset gave a small scream, being a big fan of the pop duo, "Please welcome to the show, the members of Post-Crush, Kiwi Lollipop and Supernova Zap. Better known as K-Lo and Su-Z!" Everypony in the room gave a clap to the famous pop band, they were busy studying their new forms, but smiled nonetheless.

"This is certainly something we're not going to get used to in a while," Kiwi studied her new form.

"You're not the only one to say that," Starlight chuckled, "Like all the others who came from Sunset's world, it will take some time getting used to. However, I think being in a studio interview is quite common for a famous band like yourselves."

"That is something we are very used to," Supernova smiled, "An interview we can get through. An interview as a pony? That's something entirely different."

"So, let;s talk showbiz," Trixie started straight away, "How did you get into music?"

"We started out as good friends," K-Lo said with a smile, "We were just trying to chase our dreams, and we collided together trying to find them. We started out just doing simple songs, then we just grew and grew. It was just another story of some big boss company finding out about our talent, gave us a call and it all took off from here."

"It was also in the fame that we got caught up with wanting things just to run smoothly. Fame gets to everyone's, or everypony's head, and so it did with us. It was something of a big rush for us and-"

Knock-Knock-Knock-Knock-Knock

Everypony turned towards the door to the sound of heavy banging. Sunset got under her seat, causing the stars of today's show to stare at her with weird looks.

"Seriously?" Tempest sighed, "In the middle of recording? Again?"

"It's either somepony forgetting the schedule to deliver my peanut-butter crackers, or something else," Trixie muttered under her breath, giving Sunset a knowing look.

"Please let it be a late delivery," Sunset prayed to Celestia. The two stars looked at her with curiosity.

"You have fans?" Su-Z asked, "It happens to us all the time. It really can't be that serious, right?"

"Believe me," Sunset shivered, "Fan is not the word I would use." The door gave another loud knock from the other side.

Knock-Knock-Knock-Knock-Knock

Then, the door flew off it's hinges, again, and the unicorn that will forever haunt Sunset's nightmares appeared before them. Tempest facehoofed, Starlight groaned and Trixie rolled her eyes. Post-Crush just looked bewildered by the spectacle. The sound of hooves running on the floor caught everypony's attention and Bonbon, once again, came from behind her. Only this time, she tackled the mint green unicorn to the ground.

"Lyra, are we seriously going to have to do this again?! You have already enough damage already!"

"But Bonbon," Lyra whined, like a filly who wouldn't be giving sweets from her parents, "They have hands! Think of the possibilities with those digits. Lyra must know their secrets."

The two began to wrestle with the other on the floor, Lyra wanting to escape, and Bonbon trying to hold her town with her earthpony strength. However, being a unicorn, Lyra managed to get a hold of Bonbon with her magic and pinned her down. She then turned her attention to the three ponies who were from the other side of a certain magical mirror.

"Show me the hands!" Lyra roared. It was Starlight, who stepped in and held her down with her own magic.

"So not a fan," K-Lo watched with alarm.

"Nope," Sunset whimpered, tail between her legs like a frightened dog, "Something far, far worse than a fan at the door."

"Right," Starlight began to levitate her out of the door, "You and I are going to have some counselling. You guys can carry on the interview. Best to have a break to clear up this mess." Starlight disabled Lyra's magic, releasing Bonbon from Lyra's magical hold.

"And after that counselling session is over, you and I are going to have some counselling ourselves," Bonbon huffed, "So sorry once again for the interruption. Please continue." With that she trotted after Starlight, who exited by the same broken door. Everypony looked at the scene were the ponies left. Tempest quickly took control of the situation.

"Sorry, dear listeners, for the rude interruption. We are going to take a small break to get things back in order. Post-Crush are going to continue with the story later." The two agreed and silently nodded. Sunset reluctantly climbed back to her seat, but was breathing quickly. Trixie offered her a paper bag in her pink magic.

"We will see you all again shortly," Tempest sighed before switching the air button off.

Chapter 45- #SmileyFace

"We are joined to day by another person from Sunset's world, and don't worry, we asked Twilight to help magical seal the doors so there will be no disruption," Tempest sighed, thankful for Twilight's magical skills, "The door only recognises us and only we can enter and exit when needed, as well as have permission from others to come in and go as they please." Sunset managed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Anyway," Starlight chuckled, "Joining us to tell her story is the only and only Vignette Valencia!" Starlight welcome her to the who whilst the others clapped their hooves together.

"O.M. Gosh! Look at me as a pony. I have pony hooves, and a pony mane, and a pony tail and a pony everything! This is like, super crazy, you know what I mean?" Vignette waved a hoof to emphasis what she was saying, "This is like, super freaky."

"Have we been here before?" Trixie mocked towards the others.

"Too many times," Sunset giggled as she turned to their guest for today, "Focus, Vignette. Now tell us how you came across Equestrian Magic on your phone." Vignette rubbed her chin with a hoof in thought.

"It's hard to explain. It all started when I was planning this nighttime light parade at Equestria World, but the lead custom designer quit due to my, and I quote, overbearing demands," Sunset did a quote gesture with her hooves, "And so here I was, with no lead designer, munching on some stress salad when my phone went all, like, sparkly and fancy. To say I was shook was an understatement. I learnt that I could take a picture, make it disappear and project a hologram of the object in front of me. It was like, totally high-key."

Tempest quirked an eyebrow at Vignette's strange use of words. Sunset just smiled, knowing what she was going on about with phone talk and slang business.

"And ponies say I talk weird in the third person," Trixie huffed and rolled her eyes.

"And when did Sunset and her friends come into this?" Starlight urged Vignette on.

"I hired Rarity to be my next costume designer, and after learning she was part of a band with the others, I just had to get her and the girls to be centre stage at the parade. However, I wanted to shake-up the band to fit my vision, which of course the girls rejected. I started them trapping them, in what they thought was the phone, but instead I just teleported them into a white room in some corner of the theme park." Sunset groaned, causing Trixie to laugh.

"Wait, you thought you all were trapped inside the phone, but it was actual some random white room?" Trixie asked between fits of laughter. Sunset pouted with a blush on her face.

"And yet, Pinkie was the only one who figured it out and didn't bother to tell us," Sunset huffed. Vignette just chuckled.

"Totally LOL, right?" Vignette waved a hoof, "Anyway, somehow Applejack found out, but couldn't convince Rarity that I was up to something. It took Rarity seeing what I planned to do with the hologram versions of her friends to know what I had in mind. I she managed to escape being digitalised, and one of her friends, Applejack found where I trapped her friends. Rarity and her friends managed to stop me from digitalising the whole crowd and destroyed my phone, ending my plans."

"Did you learn anything from that experience?" Trixie asked next.

"I learnt that fame and virtuality can only get you so far," Vignette answered, "I got carried away with the things on my phone that I was missing out on the meaning of the real things around me. I got a bit carried away with my actions and plans."

"A little carried away/" Sunset smirked, causing Vignette to roll her eyes.

"Okay, a lot," Vignette sighed, "But me and Rarity made up at the music festival when she was having some crazy fashion crisis in the rain, and introduced Fluttershy to this new band and goth."

"Hold on," Sunset paused, "You got Fluttershy, the actual Fluttershy, into goth?"

"They may be goth, but they also talk about nature and animals you know?" Vignette smiled sheepishly. Sunset didn't know how to take the new information in.

"Starlight might like to join the goth-punk thing too," Trixie teased, causing Starlight to jerk in shock.

"It was just a phase!" Starlight groaned and facehoof.

"I think it's best to take a break here to save Starlight's dignity and help Sunset recover from her shock," Tempest sighed, "Thank you, Vignette, for coming onto the show and we will see you all again soon."

Chapter 46- Plucking Strings

"So Sunset, care to show us some musical skills? You already showed us your artistic skills," Trixie smiled, causing Sunset's eyes to twitch.

"You're lucky that I managed to do those prints in time. Starlight helped me with the copying spell that she learnt when she created that-"

"Anyway!" Starlight jumped in to save her from bad memories, "Why don't you show us some of your guitar skills. I see you brought your own one from your world." Sunset had in her hooves her rock guitar that she plays with the Rainbooms. She had also brought her acoustic guitar, gradients of oranges, yellows and browns gleaming in the studio lights.

"Hooves will definitely be a different experience," Sunset muttered as she plugged in her guitar and practiced on the strings. The others gave her a sound of encouragement.

Sunset took a deep breath and began to play on her rock guitar first. She did it rigorously, just like when showing off her skills with the Rainbooms after defeating the sirens. It was loud, but with a passion for what she was doing. The others were in awe, mouths dropping as the gaped at the sight. They soon began clapping and cheering in time with the music. As they became more familiar with the tune, they got more bolder. They got out of their seats and swayed from side to side, Tempest more reserved, but Starlight dancing more passionately. Trixie just bounced in place to the beat.

When the music died down, the unicorns clapped their hooves to Sunset, who gave a small blush and did a small bow. She waved a hoof to thank them.

"That was amazing!" Starlight said, "You started painting when you were Celestia's pupil, but when did music come to play, literally?"

"It started right after I did some more painting works in my world. Music was something of interest to me, and so I managed to get enough money to get some guitar lessons. I started simple, but I wanted to explore more. Having enough to get a place of my own, I explored more music varieties, but the guitar is my favourite instrument as it helped me get started."

"What was the experience in lessons like?" Tempest wondered.

"Hands instead of hooves was definitely different," She paused and turned to the door.

Silence.

She breathed a sigh of relief, "That security is really helping out, Starlight," She complimented.

"What are friends for?" Starlight smiled.

"However, hands or hooves, music is something we can all share and play. If your musically talented or not, music is something within each and every one of us."

"Lucky Twilight and her friends aren't here. They would probably sing a song about it," Starlight whispered to Trixie, who chuckled. Tempest rolled her eyes.

"Says the ones who sung about going on a roadtrip," Tempest sighed. The two friends turned to her in surprise.

"How did you know?!" Trixie gasped.

"Word gets around fast on musical moments of random singing," Tempest said, "And I can say without shame that I have been a victim of random singing too." She winked at the two, who muttered with embarrassed sounds.

"What was the best part with you and your music?" Starlight tried to move the topic on.

"Probably being able to perform alongside Post-Crush after helping see their mistakes with the whole time loop thing. It was amazing, seeing my friends' reactions to me, playing on stage with my idols alongside Pinkie." Sunset gave a happy sigh.

"How about your acoustic guitar?" Trixie pointed to her other guitar. Sunset gently place her rock guitar down and picked put her acoustic one. She played a few strings in a small tune.

"I have special memories of this one when performing to my school at the festival in the rain, singing how it was okay to let it fall and stuff like that." Her hoof danced across the strings in a small melody.

"Well, Sunset, thank you for bringing your guitars and showing who to shred some serious business," Trixie thanked, "Certainly beats my street performances."

"Trixie accepting that she is second best?" Starlight mocked, "Who are you and what have you done with the Great and Powerful Trixie?!"

"Very funny," Trixie huffed, "We will be back soon every creature, so stay tuned for more talks that will definitely be music to your ears."

Chapter 47- One Small Thing

"Today, we are joined by a very special guest from all the way from Mount Aris and Seaquestria," Tempest introduced every creature their very special guest," Please welcome to the show, Princess Skystar and Queen Novo!" Every creature clapped their hooves for the royal mother and daughter.

"So tell us, what happened when the Storm King took over your lands," Sunset urged them to start. Queen Novo looked at Tempest, who nodded in apologetic understanding.

"When the Storm King took over the land, we fled to the sea. I used a magic pearl to turn ourselves into seaponies in order to escape his wrath," Novo explained.

"How was life under the waves?" Starlight asked with interest.

"It took some time getting used to, swimming instead of flying for example, but in the sea we lived in peace whilst the Storm King brought terror across the land. Mother forbade us from breeching the surface. We were essentially in isolation from the rest of the world," Skystar explained their predicament, "However, you made some friends along the way. Say hello to Shelley and Sheldon!" Skystar got out her two clam pals. The others, or Novo who gave a face-claw, gave strained smiles.

"They are very good listeners when I talk to them," Skystar giggled.

"Definitely been underwater for too long," Trixie whispered to Sunset, who nodded.

"Anyway," Novo tried to move on from her daughter's antics, "I was caught up in looking out for my subjects that I didn't really think about those who are suffering or might be suffering on land. That was when your friends come in."

"What happened? Did they help convince you to change your mind?" Sunset asked the two. They both looked at each other with strained smiles.

"Not exactly" Skystar slowly said, "Novo was quite adamant in not willing to help, and after showing them the magic pearl, helping them to breath underwater, they were stuck down here with us. I was in a down mood, wanting them to save their kingdom, but I felt helpless to aid them. That's when Pinkie Pie stepped in."

"Let me guess," Starlight guessed, "She sung a song about helping one another and helped convince you and Queen Novo to help?" Skystar chuckled and Novo rubbed the back of her head.

"Almost, but then we caught Twilight trying to steal our pearl, thinking it would help them save Equestria," Novo sighed.

"Twilight trying to steal something? She must have been desperate," Trixie sounded surprised.

"I thought all that singing was a distraction for her to get her hooves at it, so I banished them out of my kingdom. However, some hippogriff thought it was okay to go against my back and help them take back Equestria," she gave a mocking glare to Skystar, who shrunk back with a sheepish chuckle.

"I thought that they were only trying to get us onto their side, and Twilight were just desperate to save Equestria. Together, with other creatures from their journey, we managed to take back Canterlot and defeat the Storm King!"

"However," Novo said sternly, "For going against your mother's wishes, I thought a good period of being grounded was for the best." The look on Skystar's face told everypony that it was something she didn't want.

"What has been happening since then?" Tempest asked them.

"When the Storm King too over, it left our old home, Mount Aris, as a ghost town. Mother thought it was important to restore our hippogriff heritage," Skystar continued, "We also started reaching out and interacting with more creatures. Silverstream is one example."

"Silverstream is only lively student, I can tell you that," Starlight nodded, "She gets excited about everything, from stairs, painting, posters and plumbing."

"Well, thank you for coming onto our show for us," Tempest thanked, "And I'm sorry-"

"Now, now," Novo waved a claw, "Let bygones be bygones and bygones. The Storm King is defeated, you saved Princess Twilight and her friends, according to my daughter here, and in doing so, set my subjects free from his tyranny. I can forgive you for that."

Tempest was stunned, but then bowed her head in respect.

"Thank you," She said simply.

"Well, that's all we got time for," Sunset finished off, smiling at the reconciliation, "We will be back shortly, so we will see you all again soon."

Chapter 48- Lyra In The Sunset

"So then Lyra," Sunset groaned through gritted teeth, "Welcome to the show."

"Play nice," Trixie giggled. If looks could kill a pony, then Trixie would be nothing more than a pile of ash. Sunset gave that kind of glare that would make even a sunset small in burning comparison.Starlight tried to move on from her heated gaze.

"Now remember Sunset, we are going to take this nice and easy. You two may have started out bumpy, but you two can move along from there and get on nicely," Starlight told her. Sunset rolled her eyes and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Lyra, on the other hoof, stood still as she stared at the pony like a target. Her right eye twitched as she tried to get herself under control.

"Hands," She muttered, "Must know your secrets, yellow pony." Sunset only gave Starlight a deadpanned look.

"See what I have to go through every day?" Sunset waved a hoof at Lyra.

"Relax. I can always hold her back if she gets in your personal space. What could possibly go wrong," Starlight shrugged.

"And you just had to say it," Tempest muttered. This time it was Starlight who gave Tempest the glare.

"Hands are amazing!" Lyra shouted, causing the group to flinch, "No more need of relying on magic to levitate something. No more using your mouth, like a pegasus or earth pony. The possibilities are endless. Playing instruments without the difficulty of angling your hoof right, the dexterity of holding and grasping something correctly and the possibility of doing more than the mind can even think of." Lyra gave a manic laugh, causing Sunset to further sink down into her seat. Lyra's mane became disheveled, bloodshot eyes twitching and darting in different directions.

"And I thought Twilight was bad enough," Starlight muttered as she observed Lyra's antics with a watchful pair of eyes. Trixie then burst of laughing.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is enjoying this way too much. Where is the popcorn when you need it, or maybe a camera," Trixie tapped her chin with her hoof thoughtfully.

"If this is going to be payback for printing your magical mishaps on the Foal Free Press, then I''m out," Sunset huffed, never taking an eye of the pony that will forever haunt her dreams.

"So then, what have you two being learning together to get along," Starlight hurried along.

"Sunset has been most helpful in understanding her world and everything in-between," Lyra started off, "I had fun learning about what goes on and everything that she and the girls have done. They were truly the equivalent of Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends. She taught me how to play her instruments, got me into painting and showed me how to play video games!" Lyra laughed at the fun they had.

"Glad you liked them," Sunset sighed, before muttering under her breath, "She's like the Lyra in my world." She paused before jamming a hoof into her mouth, realising what she said out loud. She was suddenly yanked forward to meet Lyra's face.

"There's a Lyra in your world as well?"

Unsure what do say, and because Lyra's grip was tight, she just nodded slowly.

"Show me! Show me right now!" Lyra began shaking Sunset like a filly excited that they got their cutie mark. Sunset rocked back and forth, her face turning a slight shade of green.

"And just like that, I think we are done for today's session," Starlight sighed, using her magic to get Lyra under control. Sunset gave dizzy eyes before passing out on the couch.

"Lyra," Starlight tried to calm her down, "Remember what we talked about? Baby steps and all?"

"Fine, baby steps," Lyra huffed and crossed her forelegs whilst midair. Tempest nudged Sunset by the side.

"Sunset, are you alright?" Tempest asked. Sunset sat up straight.

"Princess Celestia, I don't want to go to magic school today," She slurred before passing out.

"Right," Trixie sighed before turning her attention to their probably confused listeners, "We are going to take a break there to allow Sunset to recover and to get this show under control. We will be back once everything has cleared and back running to, hopefully, as normal as we can."

Chapter 49 (Break) - Mirror Reflection Pt.1

Twilight was enjoying her favourite past time of of sitting on the sofa, reading a book. She was hoping for a smooth peaceful day, with nothing to worry her into a Twilighting state of oblivion. She planned on a fresh start before heading over to the School of Friendship to create a new timetable and announce the new Teacher of the Month. Seriously, competition between Applejack and Rainbow Dash for that title was starting to get fierce, but maybe Fluttershy will quietly take away the title again like usual. Twilight internally chuckled at the thought.

That very train of thought was interrupted when the library door of her castle burst open, banging loudly on the Crystal Wall.

"Spike! What is-" Twilight quickly said, thinking her Number One Assistant came in. However, it was not the purple dragon that came in. There, standing in the hallway, was a manic minty green unicorn. A unicorn who Twilight new, both as a resident of Ponyville and a former old friend at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.

"Lyra?! What are you doing here? Is Ponyville under attack?" Twilight ran a mental checklist of all the possible scenarios of disasters that could have befallen the peaceful town. Has a creature from Tartarus escaped? Did the Cutie Mark Crusaders do something bad again? Did she put Winter Wrap Up on the wrong month?

"Show me," Lyra said softly. It was calm, but displayed a sense of madness underneath it all. Twilight tilted her head in confusion.

"I'm sorry, but what did you say?" Twilight asked for clarification.

"Show me the mirror!" Lyra pounced on the Princess, "I can't take it anymore, so please let me have this moment. Just this one moment to have the joy of extended appendages!" Lyra begged to the Princess of Friendship, now lying on the floor of her library, dazed and confused.

Was I this bad at the Smarty Pants incident? Twilight asked herself. That thought was interrupted by multiple hooves running to the door. The R.U.G. plus an earth pony, Bonbon, if Twilight remembered correctly, looked at the sight of with mixed expressions on their faces. Tempest had a blank face, though Twilight knows she was thinking deep inside. Starlight groaned before facehoofing. Hard. Trixie was trying very hard to hold back a large laughing fit, causing Twilight to glare at her current position. Sunset had a face of pure horror. Bonbon had an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm so sorry Princess," Bonbon pleaded for an apology, "I don't know what happened. We were having our lunch, and then she just, just, snapped! She complained that having hooves was not an enjoyable way of having a sandwich and then ran to the castle, demanding to see what it would be like with some sort of magic mirror." This caused Sunset and Twilight to flinch at the mention of the magical mirror.

"Please?" Bonbon begged with a pout above Twilight, "Let me have this one moment of joy." Trixie couldn't contain herself, and burst out laughing. Everypony in the room turned to her with unamused looks.

"What?" Trixie asked between fits of laughter, "It's hilarious."

"Moving on from that," Tempest rolled her eyes, "What are we going to do with her?" Tempest pointed a hoof at the sight. Lyra was practically drooling over Twilight, who was starting to get uncomfortable with her wings pinned down against her body. Bonbon gave a pleading look to Sunset next to her, then to Twilight.

"Oh no," Twilight said quickly, "It could affect the stability of interdimensional planes on both sides of mirror. Plus, imagine if Lyra ran into the Lyra on the other side?"

"I don't even want to think about it," Sunset dragged her face with a hoof. It was then Lyra spotted the mirror at the end of the library. confused Twilight and the others looked at the direction of her gaze, only to have their pupils shrink to the size of pinpricks. Faster than any unicorn could use their magic to stop her, Lyra dove head first into the mirror, leaving the others to stare dumbly at the mirror.

"Should we go after her?" Sunset asked Twilight.

"Absolutely not," Twilight quickly replied, "It could cause further instability."

Another pause.

"So do we wait for her whilst she gets this out of her system?" Bonbon turned to the group of unicorns.

"I think it's for the best," Starlight muttered, "I'll get the kettle. It's going to be a long wait."

"I just hope that my girls are alright." It was at that moment when a certain book began to glow and vibrate on one of the shelves. Twilight looked at the book, mentally torn on whether to read what the girls have put into it. Sighing, she levitated the book down to read what was in it.

Hello Twilight and Sunset,

Could you care to explain why a certain girl who looks like Lyra is dancing around, hugging everyone in proximity to her? She disturbed me during my sewing break at the front door of CHS.

Rarity

Twilight looked at the girls who had mixed looks on their faces. She sighed, before the book started glowing again.

Hey Twilight and Sunset,

It was a draw at my football match against Crystal Prep, when some crazy girl came onto the field and scored for the other side. THE OTHER SIDE!

Could you please tell me what's going on?

The awesome and confused Rainbow Dash.

Sunset facehoofed. That was when the book continued to spam them with complaints. Applejack about her design club interrupted when lyra wanted to hammer everything to the floor, Fluttershy in her biology class schedule and Pinkie Pie and her cheerleading squad.

"I feel like eating something to take all this stress away while this blows over," Sunset groaned, "What do you do after a crisis, or in this case, during one that you can't control?"

Twilight smiled.

"Anypony up for hayburgers?"

Chapter 50 (Break)- Let The Chase Begin Pt.2

The base of the statue outside Canterlot High School Glowed and Sunset and Starlight stepped out. Having feeling less stressed after some goof fries. They have received more complaints from Sunset's friends about Lyra's 'habits'. Tempest and Trixie have agreed to look after the show in their absence, with Princess Twilight watching the mirror from the other side, in case Lyra decides to come back. Twilight said sternly that she will give Lyra a piece of her mind. Sunset opened the book to see the latest update whilst Starlight looked around fro her.

"According to the book," Sunset scrolled down, "She was last seen in the Design and Technology Workshop again from Applejack. She is apparently sawing things in half, tables and chairs included". This earned an incredulous look from Starlight, who peered down at the book to confirm what Sunset read. She sighed and then they nodded together, running into the school in pursuit of the crazed Lyra.

"I thought she was handling my counselling sessions just fine," Starlight talked as she followed Starlight.

"It's not your fault," Sunset comforted with a smile, "She was bound to snap eventually."

"But still, she was just content to just lie on the sofa, talking about her obsessions in such a normal way," Starlight contemplated her time with her when she was outside the studio.

"Her time with me was also quite normal," Sunset mused, "She was rather happy with all the art, music and general talks with her." She came to a halt when they almost ran into the CMC, or Canterlot Movie Club in this world's meaning.

"Sunset! Have you heard of this crazy girl who is interrupting classes!" Scootaloo waved her arms around, "She even scored for Crystal Prep!"

"She even interrupted Rarity's Wondertone performance. She was terribly off-key," Sweetie Belle whined.

"She is even sawing things like crazy!" Applebloom whined, but she paused at the site of Starlight, "Who is she? Is she from-" Her eyes lit up as she out two-and-two together, "She is from Princess Twilight's world, isn't she? That means that the other girl is-"

"No time!" Sunset interrupted, "I think I'm going to be in a long talk after this." They raced down the corridor, leaving the CMC to ponder on their own. Sunset flew open the door and they were met with a sight that would make Discord proud. Applejack stood in the middle of the room, looking up at tables and chairs, which were now hammered to the ceiling. Some of the furniture were sawed in half. Applejack turned to the girls with with an annoyed glare.

"'Bout time you two showed up. Read your update with the rest of the girls about Lyra," Applejack crossed her arms, "You just missed her. She bolted down to the gym at a speed that would make Rainbow proud." Sunset sighed and nodded.

"Thank you Applejack," Sunset sighed.

They raced to the sports hall, only to find Rainbow Dash with an annoyed look.

"She scored for the other side! THE OTHER SIDE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" Rainbow stormed over to Sunset, "You get her under control and get her back here. She cost us our three-term in a row title!"

"Which way did she go?" Sunset panted.

"To the arts and craft department," Rainbow pointed, which caused them to run in that direction, "You're welcome!"

They continued running until they heard Rarity's infamous ear-piercing scream from the classroom. They opened the door to reveal Rarity on a sofa, looking at a hurried-made dress, no doubt made by the person who they were pursuing.

"That brown should only be used for accents!" Rarity cried her eyes out, "Of all the worst things that could possibly happen, this is by far THE WORST POSSIBLE THING!" Starlight sighed, same ol' Rarity, no matter what world.

"She is a crime against fashion! Get her before she ruins something else!" Rarity pointed to the open door.

They raced outside to find Fluttershy caring for the animals. At least she was okay for now.

"Hello Sunset, and hello again Starlight," She waved them.

When opening the door, they were attacked by confetti flying into their faces, with the sound of party canons going off.

"No fair!" Pinkie cried out from inside, "firing canons was my job!"

"Pinkie," Sunset spluttered, trying to get confetti out of her mouth, "Which way did she went?"

"Back round the front," Pinkie shrugged. They sighed before racing round to the front. Then they saw a sight that would truly be vexing. Bonbon stood between two identical Lyra's, a confused face. The poor girl looked like she was about to faint from confusion.

"But? What? How?" She spluttered. The two Lyras engaged in a squabble.

"But hands are so cool to have for handy work!" Equestria Lyra complained.

"But with hooves, who can really feel the ground beneath them!" EG Lyra countered.

"Wait? One wants hands, and the other likes hooves?" Starlight wondered out loud before her hand met her face, "In fact, I shouldn't be surprised by this fact."

"No time to talk about it, and thinking about it makes my head hurt more," Sunset groaned. She reached forward and grabbed their Lyra.

"We are placing the mirror under deactivation for a long while to prevent anymore bad things from happening," Starlight sighed, "Sunset, feel free to stay in the castle whilst this blows over. Again." Sunset just nodded and looked at Lyra with a frown. She was being dragged backwards, but was thrashing around with great effort.

"And may Celestia help you through Twilight's lecture," Sunset looked her Lyra with a serious face.

"Remember this day!" Lyra cried out so the whole school would hear it, "The day Lyra got what she wanted, and she will not regret it for as long as she lives!"

Poor Bonbon fainted.

Author's Note

Wondertones (reference to Summertime Shorts and Filli Vanilli's Ponytones)
That brown should only be used for accents (Reference to Magic Dual)

Chapter 51 (Break)- Counsel Time Pt.3

"So then," Starlight sighed, "I think we all know the reason for us being in my office, again." The R.U.G. and Twilight were all in the office, sitting on individual chairs. Lyra and Bonbon were there, Lyra had a big dopey smile on her face, making Bonbon less than thrilled. Sunset, once again, sat furthest away from the green unicorn that has caused her much grief. Twilight and Tempest sat between her and Lyra, since they were the smart ones to disable any magic if Lyra takes a lunge to Sunset. Trixie had a hoof over her mouth, trying not to laugh at the current situation.

"I think it's best if we start from the very beginning," Twilight turned to Bonbon, "When did it all start?"

"I have no idea really," Bobon sighed, "I think it started when she always seems to sit in a funny position, like now." She gestured towards her, who was currently sitting with her hindlegs hanging out in front.

"Right," Starlight sighed, "Lyra, there is nothing wrong with having an interest and a hobby to pursue. However, it becomes something far worse when other's may get into harm's way. Your time with Sunset seemed to be working, so what happened then?" Lyra turned to robotically to Sunset, who flinched under her gaze.

"I enjoyed my time with Sunset, painting, learning the guitar and seeing some of her video games. However, I just wanted a taste of what it means to have those special appendages! Believe me, was kept fighting for control, but it just seemed to grow stronger by the day with Sunset." Sunset winced at that.

"You know," Twilight sighed, "Dimensional balance is tricky, and with the number of guests on their show coming back and forth, it was taking a toll on the balance of both plains. I needed to get the mirror regularly to make sure everything was running smoothly. It also didn't help that there was a Lyra on the other side as well."

"And I had a very interesting argument with myself, thank you very much, before it was rudely interrupted," Lyra huffed and crossed her forelegs, turning away with a pout.

"The point is," Tempest tried to be smooth with this, "We can use the mirror, but only for special occasions, like the hosts. It was better to ask for permission to use it. I'm sure Princess Twilight here would be more than happen to stabilise hte mirror for a little trip just outside."

"Please," Twilight waved a hoof, "No need for the 'Princess' title, we're friends, remember? Secondly, it will take a will to calibrate the mirror, and I think that Sunset and Starlight will be more than willing to help with that bit." Starlight nodded, though Sunset was more hesitant.

"Starlight, I hate to say this, but you and Lyra will need some more time together. To learn to forgive and get to know each other some more."

"Yay," Sunset rolled her eyes, "For friendship, right?"

"For friendship," Starlight nodded in confirmation, "Maybe take her away from CHS and from the other Lyra."

"Don't make me write friendship reports like our egghead here," Sunset quipped back.

"I am not an egghead!" Twilight huffed, causing Trixie to hold back her laughter.

"Says the princess you sleeps in a nest of books," Starlight whispered. Trixie couldn't take it anymore. She fell off her seat, giving into a full stomach-churning laugh. The others just turned to her with a look that screamed, can you get serious for a single minute?

"In short, if you don't mind that is, Sunset, I would like you to come back to me with what you learned from each other when you spend time with each other. It doesn't have to be all fancy like Twilight's old letters to Princess Celestia, but informative nonetheless."

Sunset and Lyra turned to look at each other.

"May Celestia help us all," Bonbon sighed.

Chapter 52- Stitching Amends

"After all that trouble with Lyra, I think it's time we have another guest on our show, don't you?" Starlight sighed, which Sunset and the others nodded in agreement, "Please welcome, from all the way from Manehattan, Coco Pommel!" The ponies clapped their hooves at the new guest, who blushed and waved a hoof.

"Oh, it's nothing really. You should thank Rarity for asking me to come on the show. I was happy to tell my tale with all of you," Coco said in her soft voice.

"So let's start at the beginning," Sunset began, "When and why did Rarity hire you?" At that question, Coco sank into her seat with a sigh.

"I was under a mare called Suri Polomare, and let's just say that she wasn't the nicest pony in Manehattan. She used Rarity to get her way at Manehattan's Fashion Week Show, using her generosity to copy Rarity's designs. She believed that it was everypony for themselves in this city in order to make it big. At the time, I believed so too. That was until I how generous Rarity was with her friends," Coco smiled at that.

"What changed?" Trixie asked.

"Suri thought that if Rarity left, the judges will think it was a forfeit and pass the winning title to her. However, seeing friendship in a new light, I told the judges of her intent and gave Rarity the trophy. However, that meant that I was now without a job, but with Rarity's generosity, I found new work under her, sewing for her next clients for a play," Coco continued.

"Sounds like you made up and now have a happy ending, but that wasn't all, isn't it?" Tempest smiled, which Coco nodded.

"I met Rarity again, with Applejack, as they were are on a Friendship Mission in Manehattan. They saw a flyer that I posted about volunteers for the Midsummer Theater Revival," Coco said with enthusiasm, which earned confused looks from the hosts.

"And what is this Midsummer Theater Revival?" Trixie asked with a raised brow.

"The Midsummer Theater Revival was a street play I was part of when I was a filly. It was under the loving care of an old mare called Charity Kindheart. It was something special as it brought the whole community together. However, when Charity moved away, the part of town where the play was held lost it's sense of community spirit. I wanted to the play back to remind everypony how special it was," Coco gave a sad smile when she told her story.

"A street performance?" Sign me up!" Trixie enthusiastically declared, causing Starlight to roll her eyes at her friend.

"It was more of a play than a street festival really," Coco chuckled, causing Trixie huff in annoyance and sink back into her seat.

"Applejack, after trying and failing to fix the local park and green where the original stage was, decided to build a makeshift stage for the performances instead. It turned out to be a big hit, reminding everypony of the community spirit. My part of Manehattan had never been so nicer now, and everypony is doing their thing to keep that spirit going," Coco smiled at that, causing the others to smile as well.

"What has been happening under Rarity's hooves?" Tempest asked.

"Unfortunately, I was off sick when Rarity asked for my help for the grand-opening of Rarity for You, but I heard it was a success, despite some difficulties with her friends organising the whole thing. With Rarity having connections with different celebrities all wanting her designs from all over Equestria, I really have my hooves full. However, looking back on it all, I wouldn't change anything," Coco told with excitement.

"You certainly came a long way, haven't you?" Sunset reflected.

"I learnt more about friendship than years of sewing. I just had to take things one stitch at a time. I made bad mistakes, like a bad design, but I came out stronger. Rarity helped me show there was more out there for a pony like me, and I am now happy with the work I do for many clients and customers," Coco looked back on her journey.

"Well, we are happy that you learnt something with Twilight and her friends," Starlight smiled, "That is all we have time for today, every pony and creature. Hope you will tune in with us again soon."

Chapter 53- Honest Work

"We are joined today by another worker of some ponies who have now found an good way of living thanks to friendship," Tempest introduced every creature.

"So, please welcome Silver Shill to our show!" Starlight welcome the stallion, which the other ponies in the room clapped their hooves together.

"Thank you for the invitation, though Applejack wanted me to tell my story and lesson," Silver Shill rubbed the back os his head with a hoof.

"So tell us," Trixie started off, "Who were you working for?"

"Flim and Flam," Silver Shill sighed, "Those slippery sales-ponies tricked Ponyville into using their so-called miracle curative tonic. I was their con-pony, being an injured pony. One sip and I was walking around just fine. I told Applejack one day in disguise that I was initially reluctant to help the brothers deceive ponies, but they convinced me that honesty isn't always the best policy."

"That certainly tested Applejack's Element, being the honest one and all," Trixie mused, which the others nodded.

"Which is why I managed to get Applejack on their side for a while. She was torn to see other ponies happy and telling them the truth that it was their confidence that made the potion seem like it is," Silver Shill continued.

"So what changed?" Sunset asked.

"Applejack's grandmare was about to perform this dangerous diving stunt, as she had memories of diving in her youth. After saving her, Applejack realised that believing in something may be good, but if that belief was based on a lie itself, it will ultimately lead you to do something you might regret. This made me realise that what I was doing was wrong and I exposed the truth about the tonic," Silver said with more confidence.

"I'm pleased you learned from your mistakes," Starlight, "Hope you learnt your lesson and found a new way of honest work."

"I have," Silver Shill nodded with a smile, "I started my work anew, this time delivering true honest products. Applejack showed me what the best kind of work is, and I plan to learn from it the best way I can."

"Honest Work?" Trixie chuckled, "Try working on a rock farm and you will know honest work." Starlight rolled her eyes at Trixie's backstory jab.

"How much did you get paid for?" Starlight wondered.

"Enough to by a certain magical artefact," Trixie chuckled wryly, causing Silver Shill to give her a confused look.

"It took me a lot of honest work to get things sorted at CHS," Sunset mused, "After seeing what I have become and to others, I had a hard time regaining people's trust and make new friendships. I helped someone get back who was lost and made up to those who made me see how awful I was in the past."

"Guess we all had a lot of work to do in making up for our mistakes," Tempest gave a smile, "And we're lucky to have friends who were willing to give us a chance."

"Applejack helped me to point the right way of working and making a living, and I am sure that there are other ponies and creatures that may need some of that help as well," Silver Shill reflected back.

"That's the reason for opening the School of Friendship really," Starlight explained, "Though that took a lot of work to keep the whole thing running really. Getting it approved was a hassle to start off with."

"After seeing it myself, I can see why," Sunset answered, "Well, thank you for coming onto our show Silver Shill, and that's all we have time for today creatures far and wide. Be sure to tune in next time for more talks, but is goodbye for now."

Chapter 54- The Right Notes

"Is this really a good idea?" Sunset sighed, "I will need some of Applejack's best cider after this show, you know right?"

It was the start of Sunset and Lyra reconciliation session on the show. As part of the session, Starlight suggested that she shows her and the res of the R.U.G. some of her hobbies. Today, she managed to get permission from Twilight to go back and retrieve some her her guitars again like last time. Starlight said that if they show each other some of their hobbies, it would help settle their differences and help settle their past. In addition, Sunset got other instruments that she can play, including a keyboard.

"It would be better with fingers you know?" Lyra huffed and crossed her forelegs, sitting in her usual human way. It turns our Lyra was just as reluctant to join the group as well.

"Hooves work in the same way," Sunset rolled her eyes, "You play the harp, so why can't a guitar be any different?"

"So then," Tempest tried to make sure that the show runs as smooth as possible. Each unicorn had a guitar on their lap, gingerly fiddling with it and waiting for their lessons to begin. Sunset gave a strained smile and began explaining the basics.

"Each section of vertical lines are called frets and the strings are numbered from the thinnest at the bottom to the thickest at the top. The frets are also numbered from far right to left. You simply roll your hooves around to play the chords, either horizontally or vertically. Precision is key here with hoofs, as you don't want to put your hoof on the wrong string. Everypony got that?" Every unicorn nodded, though Lyra just blew her mane.

"Chords can be played with all the strings or individually plucked when playing a melody for example. Now everypony, place your hoof slightly on the fret one and two in the middle two strings and we will play an E major chord." Everypony did as they were instructed. Slowly, with some difficulty, they all played the chord, creating a soft sound that filled the room.

"That was nice," Trixie mused.

"Glad you all like it," Sunset smiled, then turned to Lyra, "What did you think Lyra?"

Lyra jus stood their with a large dopey smile on her face. It was that strange dopey smile that Sunset had nightmares about. She, as well as the others, were starting to get worried. What they didn't expect was for Lyra to hug Sunset with a crushing hug.

"That was totally amazing!" Lyra cried out in joy, "The sound was something else! Playing the harp is something, but a guitar? It's like the best feeling ever!" Lyra then went on and on, just like how she would talk enthusiastically about hands. Sunset looked at the others with a strained smile.

"That went better than expected," Starlight contemplated at the sight. Lyra was now hugging the guitar.

"Please don't drool over it," Sunset sighed, "The stain on wood will take forever to get off."

"I better show you my harp next time! Think about it. A harp and a guitar playing together! How amazing would that be?!" Lyra exclaimed with giddiness.

"Well," Trixie grinned slightly, "At least you two are making progress." That earned her a heated glare from Sunset.

"Don't be like that," Trixie encouraged, "You'll be friends in no time."

"Forgive me for not jumping for joy at that," Sunset moaned, "A harp and a guitar together? That might be something interesting though."

"I would love it if you two can also write reports to me on what you learnt from each other," Starlight suggested. This earned an eye-roll from the unicorn.

"Great, now I'm writing friendship reports as well," Sunset sighed.

"Don't worry about it, mini Twilight. I'm sure that your friendship reports are going to be just fine," Trixie giggled.

"Don't worry," Starlight comforted a now blushing Sunset, "She called me that when I was teaching her teleportation magic."

"Well," Tempest cut in, "I'm glad things are looking up now. We will be back after a show rt break, and hopefully things will calm down again. We will see you all very soon. Keep playing and enjoy the show and day."

Chapter 55- Masterpiece

"So then Lyra and Sunset," Starlight started out, "What are we going to do together again?"

"I thought we would start doing some more painting and artwork again," Sunset replied with a smile. They were all spread out around the studio, each with their own white canvas and a spectrum of paints to choose from. "And no, Trixie, I am not going to do a another short deadline of posters for you." She rolled her eyes

"But the Great and Powerful Trixie cannot command an audience without posters to show how great she is!" Trixie whined. The others just rolled their eyes at that. Lyra just stared at the canvas with a blank face.

"So you want me to paint with you all?" Lyra tilted her head in confusion.

"Exactly," Starlight said, "Another part of your bonding session." Lyra looked to the brushes and paints before smiling.

"Okay, I'm willing to give this a go," Lyra smiled.

"Great to hear," Sunset smiled, "Just paint whatever tickles your fancy. Inspiration can come from all around us. One time at CHS, I was painting some sunflowers. Sunflowers always makes me happy in the way they always turn towards the sun, as if they are trying to reach out to it. Shame Pinkie went crazy next to me and spoiled a good painting, but then again, it's Pinkie."

Tempest already made a start, she worked the brush and mixing with ease before applying the colours to the canvas. She worked with the a content smile.

"This sure is relaxing," Tempest reflected, "You certainly get lost in your work."

"You sure do," Sunset smiled, "May I ask where you're inspiration is coming from?"

"I'm hoping to paint the firework display that I put on during the Friendship Festival with Songbird Serenade's performance," Tempest smiled.

"And why are you painting that moment?" Sunset asked.

"It was where Twilight and her friends accepted me as who I am. It holds a special place in my memories and I hope that I can show it with my work," Tempest replied.

"I'm sure you will do a great job," Sunset smiled at that. Then came the sound of what appeared to be sobbing. What they didn't expect is for Starlight to be the one crying.

"Why are you crying?" Trixie raised a brow at her friends.

"I'm paining Phyllis," Starlight answered with a strained sob.

The others looked at each other in confusion, but Trixie, knowing what she was going on about, sighed and rolled her eyes.

"And who is Phyllis?" Tempest asked hesitantly.

"My potted plant which Trixie threw in the trash, never to be watered or see the sunlight from the window again!" Starlight gave a sad point. Everypony just looked at each other.

"You named a potted plant?" Sunset asked in confusion.

"I have problems, okay?!" Starlight gave a sad shout.

What they didn't expect next was for them to be assaulted by a wave a paint. With point-covered bodies and groans they all turned to Lyra. She was attacking the canvas with her brush with great speed, sending paint flying all over the place. They quickly turned their works away, saving them from the attack of flying colours. Lyra had a crazed look on her face, tongue out of the corner of her mouth in concentration. After several minutes of attacking the poor canvas, she gave a satisfying nod and turned her canvas to the others to show them what she's done.

"Well, that's certainly interesting," Tempest said slowly.

"It looks...Nice?" Starlight gave a strained smile.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is now confused," Trixie tilted her head to the side.

Sunset facehoofed. Hard.

What Lyra drawn, given her habit, was a pair of hands, fingers stretched out wide. Though her shading and colour mixing was something more impressive.

"It's...Progress," Starlight turned to Sunset.

"Define progress, Starlight," Sunset groaned.

"I'm going to hang it up in my house and show Bonbon what I've done! She's going to love it!" Lyra hugged her masterpiece.

"I think she will get a different reaction," Trixie sighed, causing Starlight to jab her with a hoof, "I mean, I think she's going to love it!"

"Well," Tempest looked around at the now paint-covered studio, "How are we going to clean this mess up?"

They turned to Starlight, who sighed and took hold of a paint-covered microphone,

"We're going to take a break here, every creature, just to clean the mess. Be sure to stay tuned for more from us."

Chapter 56- Let's Go Fly A Kite

"We are outside today, enjoying the sunny weather so Starlight here can show us all how to make the perfect kite," Tempest smiled to Starlight who had an egghead smile that could rival Twilight's own.

"I really like kites," Starlight whispered in a hushed tone. Trixie snickered.

"And there's nothing wrong with having a hobby," Sunset smiled, "I'm just glad to take a break from those counselling sessions with Lyra. Her obsession is getting rather clingy on me."

"Glad to help," Starlight smiled, before clapping her hooves together in excitement, "Now let's start making some kites. The trick with an S.L.K. is not to make the spars too heavy. But if they're too light, you've got no ballast and then good luck tacking against the A.O.I." She said that with rapid enthusiasm, just like what Twilight does when she gets into egghead mode.

"You've been hanging around Twilight for too long, you know that right?" Trixie snickered, who blushed a little at that remark.

"Woah, woah, woah," Sunset tried to catch what she said, "What does S.L.K. and A.O.I. mean?"

"Single line kite and angle of incidence to the wind," Starlight smiled. She then opened a nearby box and got out some crafts material.

"So let's start creating!" Starlight squeed in excitement, with the others collecting what material they needed.

"The way you need to design your kite is so that as air runs past it, it creates a lift to the sail. The kite needs to be on a slight tilt so that the air beneath the kite pushes hardest to lift the kite up that the air above it. As I said, the spars, the frame of the kite, can't be too heavy," Starlight lectured

Starlight started them off with showing them some household material they could use with some string for the tail and controller, tape and a plastic sheet for the body.

"Place the plastic sheets of your colour down and place the sticks in a cross shape with the cross slightly higher. Using a ruler, draw a diamond around the cross with a marker that you can see where you will have to cut," Starlight first instructed them. Trixie had a purple plastic cloth, complimenting her cape. Tempest went for a dark purple and Sunset choosing a striped sheet of burning orange and yellow.

"Cut the diamond out, trimming down if there are any areas that are a little bigger than usual," Starlight showed them with her example. She had gone for a cloth with a pattern of the Elements of Harmony on the front, "Then you can tape the stick spars on the edges and middle. The others followed her example, using a pair of scissors in their magic, or hoof in Tempest's case.

"Poke two holes on each side of the spar cross, but not close to the edge. Then you can pass your short piece of string into the holes from one side to the other. Tie them together and tape them for extra security. Then you tie and tape a longer piece of string and connect it to a controller. It could be a piece of cardboard or wood. For a tail, attach a strip of plastic at the end. It would cause one end of the kite to be heavy, creating the angle and lift."

Everypony finished their kite, admiring theirs and others works.

"And now for the fun and relaxing part. Let's go fly our kite's!" Starlight gave a big grin that could rival Pinkie's, "Today is a particularly breezy day. Perfect and open so the kites won't get stuck in any trees or hit any passing pegasi. Just lift the kite up with your magic and watch it fly!" Everypony did as instructed, Starlight helping Tempest lift her kite up. Soon, everypony was relaxing, watching each other's kites fly in the sky.

"I can see why you like this," Tempest chuckled, "This is a relaxing past time."

"I learnt to fly kites as a way to practice calm and magic at the same time. Me and Sunburst always flew kites when we were foals," Starlight smiled at the memories, "We still do from time to time, with Maud joining us as well. It grew on her as well."

"Can't believe she's related to Pinkie Pie, in this world or mine," Sunset muttered.

"You're not alone," Starlight laughed.

"And with that, we are finished for now ,every creature. Hopefully this will inspire you to make your own kite as well," Trixie rounded off today's show, "Thank you to Starlight for showing us her interests and we will see you all again soon!"

Chapter 57- Some Like It Sweet

"For our bonding session between Lyra and Sunset, we are at Bonbon's candy store to make some of our own candy. Thank you for inviting us to your shop's behind the scenes, Bonbon," Starlight welcomed and thanked Lyra's partner. They were at the back of the store, dressed in mane-nets and protective clothes for the hot molten sugar and hoof gloves.

"The pleasure is mine really," Bonbon smiled, "I'm more than happy to show you around the store, and maybe get you to create your own candy. Isn't that right, Lyra?" Bonbon turned to the mare in question, you chuckled wryly, "The sessions are really helping, though she does have the occasional mind-wandering to a hand obsessions from time to time."

"Believe me, we know," Sunset huffed and rolled her eyes. Trixie snickered.

"So without further ado, let's start making candy!" Bonbon chanted with everypony clapping. We walked them over to a large vat of, "First we mix in large amounts of sugar, water and corn syrup and heat it to become a molten sugary mass. Starlight, would you like to pour these ingredients in?" Starlight started straight away, pouring the the amount of each ingredient as Bonbon instructed.

"When that is fully mixed to become a near solid mass, Trixie can add a starch mixture and flavouring. We are going for the classic strawberry flavouring today." Trixie got right to it, pouring the required amounts into a separate pot.

"As they mix, the flavouring binds to the starch mix. I will get the solid mass out so we can start folding it into the starch." She turned the vat over, and the sugary mass and rolling it out into a sheet. Trixie put the starch mixture in the middle. Together, with the help of Sunset's and Starlight's magic, they started folding the work together. Lyra smiled as she worked with her magic as well. Sunset caught her, and they both started giggling. Starlight smiled. This was good progress in her eyes. Eventually, the white and red worked and mixed together to form a pink, sugary lump.

"The reason we have to fold this evenly is to have an even distribution of flavouring. It also helps remove any air bubbles between each fold. Moving the mass onto a cart, they towed it over to another machine.

"This machine helps roll the candy into logs, heating it at the same time to make it more pliable. Lyra, could you turn the machine on. You know where it is since you work alongside me here." Lyra nodded, flicking the correct switch on. The group watched as the mass was rolled and heated to become a large cylinder log. They continued watching as Lyra and Bonbon worked together, stretching the log on the machine to get the leg thinner and thinner.

"Tempest, you can turn on the machine next to it. It's just a simple button," Bonbon instructed whilst she worked. Tempest walked over the the neighbouring machine and pressed the button. The sugary thin log moved along the machine. Everypony moved over to see what was going on.

"This machine moves the sugar, cutting it into the desired size. Wheels slim the sugar down even more into rope diameter and then thinner and thinner. It moves in a wave-like pattern to stop overstretching whilst it goes through each phase. A cutter at the end cuts it into the right size. And that's how you make candy rock sticks." The candy sticks starting rolling out. Lyra got a few in her magic, all cooled down for the group to try. The group instantly took a suck out of their sticks. Smiles rose on their faces.

"Delicious work," Tempest complimented, "How long has this been going?"

"It has been a family business. That's how I got my cutie mark at all. It's not like I have a secret identity or anything, right Lyra?"

"Oh, definitely nothing like that at all. We're just two friends who help each other in a business." They gave each other knowing smiles, causing faces of confusion among the R.U.G.

"Anyway, what other sort of sweets do you do?" Trixie asked whilst still licking on her sugary treat.

"Our busiest times are Nightmare Night and Hearth's Warming Eve for obvious reasons. It's when we really get creative and create all kinds of candy for the holidays," Bonbon told them.

"Well, thank you for the tour of your shop and I'm glad that you two are making progress," Starlight smiled at Sunset and Lyra, who looked at each other, a small blush on their faces. Bonbon rolled her eyes.

"We will be back shortly, and be sure to get your own sweet treats at Bonbon and Lyra's shop when you have time to spare," Tempest finished off.

Chapter 58- Flurry Conundrum

"Hello Every creature. Today, we are joined by the Royal Family from the Crystal Empire to discuss their little bundle of cuteness' mishaps and adventures," Trixie introduced the Royal Family to their show, "So please welcome them to our show, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, along with their child Flurry Heart! Great to have them back to tell us about Flurry's adventures." The group clapped their hooves together to welcome them.

"Thank you for letting us be on your show again," Shining thanked the group.

"Think nothing of it," Trixie waved a hoof at them, "It's such a privilege to have royalty on our show!" Starlight rolled her eyes at her friend's remark.

"So tell us, what has happened to this little bundle of joy here," Sunset reached over to rub Flurry's belly, who giggled in response.

"When I was pregnant, I didn't expect it to be an alicorn baby. Took everypony by surprise, Twilight and her friends included," Cadance explained, "She certainly made us work twice as hard, because baby pegasi are strong flyers the minute they are born, and unicorns are known to have magical fluctuations at birth. So if you put both of them together into Flurry, she sure had her mishaps."

"One certain mishap being a certain magical artefact that helps defend the Crystal Empire from the Frozen North," Starlight chuckled.

"The baby broke the Crystal Heart?" Tempest looked shocked at that.

"Sunburst had that reaction when he found out," Starlight nodded.

"But without your friends help, we managed to save the Crystal Empire by using his knowledge of the Crystal Heart's powers and the Crystalling to save it," Shining smiled, "He also provided us with a spell to help curve Flurry's magic fluctuations as well."

"But that's not the only mishap she has right?" Sunset asked with curiosity, patting Flurry's head with a smile on her face.

"Twilight informed the time when she had to babysit and take care of some tasked for some storytelling with some foals who were sick in the hospital. We really should have gave Twilight a notice that we were coming and if she was busy," Cadance chuckled sheepishly at that, "I order to calm her down, her favourite toy was a soft snail that she called her Whammy. Unfortunately, according to Twilight, when she wasn't looking, she would cause all sorts of trouble."

"What sort of trouble was Twilight and Flurry in, might I ask?" Trixie leaned in, "Details. Tell me everything!"

"Well, she did ruin Cheerilee's board for her next class, made a miss at a local shop and Sugarcube corner and when her Whammy was lost in the hospital, she went all over the place trying to find it. She levitated everything and everypony in the room," Shining came in to tell about his daughter's adventures.

"Unfortunately, Twilight told Flurry off for it and caused her to be upset. However, they made up and helped clean up her mess afterwards," Cadance said and leaned down to give Flurry a small kiss on the forehead.

"Sounds like Twilight had her hooves full as well," Tempest contemplated.

"And there was that one time at Hearth's Warming Eve as well. Twilight and her friends made a plan to give just one present to each other, Twilight getting Pinkie Pie in a Secret Hearth's Warming Helper. Her plan was by making a special pudding from Chancellor Puddinghead, but it required a special ingredients and measurements. When we weren't looking, she messed up the ingredients. It caused the pudding to become a monster pudding," Cadance chuckled.

"Unfortunately Rainbow Dash brought a winterzilla for her Secret Hearth's Warming Helper to Fluttershy, so we were caught in the middle with pudding behind us and a winterzilla in front of us. Luckily, Pinkie and Fluttershy came to the rescue. Fluttershy gave the winterzilla a good talking to, and Pinkie managed to get some strange reindeer magic thing to fix everything," Shining explained further, "Fluttershy would be a great captain if she was like that to the winterzilla."

"Shame we weren't there to see what was going on," Starlight chuckled, "We are in Trixie's cart with some nice hot chocolate."

"We did also come to see your show with Starlight as your assistant," Cadance smiled, "As I said, you two have great chemistry. Have you managed to create a friendship chant yet?"

Both Starlight and Trixie looked at each other with horrified looks.

"That's a story for another time," Trixie said slowly.

"Well, thank you to Shining and Cadance for being on our show again, along with their daughter, Flurry Heart," Starlight quickly rounded off to save themselves from embarrassment. We will see you all again soon!"

Chapter 59- Harp Calling

"As another part of Sunset's and Lyra's bonding session, Lyra has brought her harp to show us how to play it," Starlight introduced Lyra again to the show, as well as introducing them to what they had planned for today, "Thank you so much for bringing your instrument along, and tell us, how long have you been playing it?"

"The reason I got my cutie mark really," Lyra explained, tuning her harp to make sure it was making a clear sound, "I started getting into music when I was a filly. It sort of grew from there. I'm not as famous as Octavia or DJ PON-3 when it comes to music. I just play it as a past time leisure."

"And there's noting wrong with that," Sunset smiled, if somewhat strained, "How do you play a harp with hooves rather than...hands." Sunset felt her eye twitch as the word 'hands' came out of her mouth.

"The same as your guitar really," Lyra explained, "The angel of the hoof against the strings help make the sound you want. It's important to first get a solid foundation with your harp. It's heavy, of course, so you don't want to be off balance when you play it."

"How do you know which string is which?" Tempest asked, "It's just some strings, with some coloured white, red and black."

"Don't listen to her, Lisa," Lyra cooed as she stroked the top of her harp.

"Great, she's even gone to name her instrument," Sunset rolled her eyes.

"The red strings are all your Cs," She said as she plucked all the red strings, "The black strings are all the Fs. For the A strings, some strings inbetween the red and blacks are in groups of two and three. The A is the middle of the groups of three." She then demonstrated a C scale on the harp. The others listened with interest.

"How do you tune your strings?" Starlight asked in curiosity.

"A special key piece helps adjust the tuning pin at the top," Lyra said, showing them the turning key, "Another thing is posture. This is why I like to sit like this." She sat with her hindlegs over the edge, the harp resting at an angle on her chest. Sunset gave her posture an eyeroll. Of course she had to sit like a human.

"Now, would you care to give an example with a song?" Starlight smiled.

"Of course, and I've got just the one." Taking a deep breath, she placed her forelegs on the correct strings and began to play. She rolled her hooves across the strings, closing her eyes as she got into the rhythm. The others sat with smiles on their faces, Trixie and Sunset closing her eyes to get into the music. They swayed to the sound of the music, the magic of music working into them.

Soon the song came the end, Lyra finishing with a flourish on the strings. The others clapped their hooves together.

"Beautiful," Starlight simply said.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is moved," Trixie wiped a tear.

"Stunning," Sunset smiled.

"Could...could you play another song?" Tempest asked.

"I'd be happy to, but I need to get my electric harp out." She turned and got out her other harp. It was more shiny and had cables connected to a sound box. Beside it was a loop pedal. The others looked at each other with questioning looks.

"This is going be interesting," Starlight thought out loud. The others nodded in agreement. After some trick tuning, checks, connections and practices, Lyra smiled and the others came and sat around the electric harp. She took another deep breath and played. She played with a quick pace, even tapping the base of the harp with her hindlegs. The others looked at her actions with curious looks. That was when she used the loop pedal to record replay each section. The others were starting to sound impressed.

They bobbed along with the rhythm, swaying to the music. When the song ended the others clapped their hooves again, more louder than before.

"That was amazing!" Tempest complimented with enthusiasm.

"Thanks," Lyra waved a hoof, "But as I said, I'm no Octavia or DJ PON-3," Lyra chuckled sheepishly.

"Who knows, with every creature listening, this might be your big break," Starlight complimented, "Well, that's all we have time for, every creature. Thank you to Lyra for brining us her harps to play and we will see you all again soon!"

Chapter 60- Light Up The Sky

"We are out in the open today so that Tempest can really put on a show," Starlight introduced today's plans to their listeners, "At the Festival of Friendship, Tempest put on an amazing firework display during Songbird Serenade's performance. So, we wanted to see what Tempest can do."

"This would certainly go well with my street performances," Trixie mused.

"Of course it would," Tempest said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. Sunset and Starlight snickered at that, much to the Great and Powerful Trixie's annoyance.

"How do you do it?" Sunset turned to Tempest in question.

"Just like a normal firework really," Tempest simply answered, "It's all about the build up of magic and release. I can control which way the sparks go, turning the angle each time and with a different colour as well."

"So, now with the explanation out of the way, care to give us an example?" Starlight asked eagerly. The others nodded with equal excitement. Tempest smiled, took position and charged her magic for her sparking broken horn."

"Whenever your ready," Starlight gave the signal.

"And release," Trixie commanded.

Tempest fired a spark of blue up into the sky, it exploded with passion, before darting across to a different part of the sky, changing colour to a deep purple. The colours switched from greens, to blues, to reds and to yellows. The others were captivated in the moment.

"Amazing!" Sunset stared at the sky in awe.

"Spectacular!" Trixie gave a flourish in appreication.

"Impressive!" Starlight complimented. Then her eyes lit up, moving to stand next to Starlight, she lit up her own horn and a spiralling mass of magic rocketed up into the sky. It joined Tempest's own fireworks, dancing in-between each explosion. The others stared in even more awe than before.

Soon Sunset decided to join. Lighting up her horn, producing a red aura, she released it. It was more reserved, complimenting the more explosive ones of Starlight and Tempest. It jumped through the sky, twisting and twiriling through the air. Trixie just sat behind them with a huff and a pout.

"Why can't I join in with all the impressive magic stuff?" She muttered to herself, before her eyes lit up. She went into her cart, which they used to get to an open space in the first place, and got out some cardboard boxes. The others, whilst they were focusing on their magic and fireworks, turned to her in curiosity.

"Trixie, what is in those boxes?" Starlight asked in caution, before her eyes lit up in horror. The others stared in confusion.

"Don't tell me those are-"

"My untested fireworks that I give to Pinkie Pie for her so-called Ones-versary for Princess Celestia. She said something about it for some reason!" Trixie smiled with a manic look on her face. The others soon face a face of what was about to happen. Trixie's own horn soon lit up, igniting the fireworks from inside the boxes. They stopped with their own magic and ducked for cover. Immediately, the boxes burst open, and the group were immediately assaulted by random flying fireworks. Trixie looked around in panic to see her friends using magical barriers to protect themselves, Tempest using Sunset's for cover.

Eventually the fireworks exploded, leaving the group covered in soot and their manes singed. They glared at Trixie with annoyed faces. The mare at the focus of their glares only gave a sheepish chuckle.

"Hehe...Oops," Was all Trixie could muster up to say.

"Anyway," Starlight tried to salvage the situation, turning to Tempest, "Have you put those skills into good use?"

"During my travels, telling creatures of the Storm King's defeat, I used it as part of celebrations for them. I even gave one to Mount Aris when I helped restore Mount Aris to its former glory."

"Well, due to some technical difficulties," Starlight glared at Trixie again, who, again, gave another sheepish giggle, "That is all we have time for. Big thank you to Tempest to showing us her skills and for letting us join in."

"We seem to have attracted a crowd," Sunset interrupted. The others turned to see the residents of Ponyville outside with them.

"Not surprising, since we put on quite a show for them, both for the show and for the audience here," Trixie thought out loud.

"Well, that's all we've got time for. Thank you for joining us today and we will see you all again soon!" Sunset rounded off.

Chapter 62- On Trending

"We are here today with a very special guest who is going to talk to us the ins and outs of everything trending and upcoming!" Starlight introduced the show to their listeners for today.

"So please welcome to the show, Trenderhoof!" The ponies clapped their hooves together for the celebrity fashion writer and critic.

"Ladies, please, the pleasure is all mine. I got your invitation, read it and I instantly knew that I just had to come on," Trenderhoof waved a hoof in dismissal.

"Ladies? Stop it you charmer, you," Trixie put a hoof to her forehead in a near swooning gesture. Starlight huffed, but Trenderhoof chuckled.

"I'm afraid I am on a break when it comes to finding true love, especially when I was at Ponyville planning the Ponyville Day Ceremony with Miss Rarity," Trenderhoof smiled at the show-pony, who gave a mocking pout. Starlight turned to the fashion writer with a questioning look.

"And what do you mean by that? Learnt something that you would like to share to us?" Starlight asked.

"Rarity brought me over to Ponyville to help oversee the festival, and she brought me to Sweet Apple Acres. Now, I don't know about you ponies, but I just love the countryside! Surely you've noticed?" The others looked at him with questioning to incredulous looks.

"Sure, we can see that," Tempest answered back with a hint of sarcasm.

"Anyways, I was unaware at the time that Rarity had a crush on me, but at the sight of Applejack, I..." He trailed off, leaving the unicorns to the room to figure it our. Suddenly, Trixie's eyes widened as she put two and two together, a large smirk spreading on her face.

"So Rarity had a crush on you, but you had a crush on Applejack, which created this awkward love triangle?" Trixie wiggled her eyebrows at that.

"You could say that," Trenderhoof chuckled, "It got quite awkward. I heard later that in order to impress me more, Rarity went full country, clothes, accent and all."

"Rarity going full country? Now that's something I wanna see," Trixie gasped, "Details! More!" Sunset looked at Trixie with a worrying look.

"Please don't tell me you're going to use it as blackmail? I've been there myself a few times," Sunset begged.

"Hush, continue please, Trenderhoof," Trixie begged. Trenderhoof seemed to ignore or not notice Trixie's behaviour.

"Then Applejack went all fancy to prove a point to Rarity, calling herself Apple Jewel, if I am told correctly. It took some time, but Rarity learnt her lesson. It was then I appeared, with my own country get-up," Trenderhoof continued.

"What?!" The others shouted in shook.

"I had grown tired of living in the big city, and so it was time to enjoy the more simpler things in a ponies life," Trenderhoof explained sheepishly, "Rarity told me that if somepony doesn't like you for who you are, it's their loss, not your own."

"Now, apart from the friendship lesson that Rarity taught you, let's talk about trends. How do you know something is going to be trending before it becomes trending?" Tempest asked, slightly surprised for repeating herself.

"I just have to see it to believe it!" Trenderhoof declared proudly, "I just have the sense for knowing when something is about to go big! Not big as in for a short time, but big as in fireworks!"

"And just how?" Sunset asked with confusion.

"I just have to picture it. Where will it go? What crowd will it it draw? Those sorts of questions that have to tick all the right boxes in order to make it big. It can't be a copy of something else, it must come up as completely new!" Trenderhoof placed his hooves on his head to let them get the picture.

"So where would you see my Great and Powerful magic tricks from the Great and Powerful Trixie?" Trixie asked, standing up on her seat with a dramatic flourish and gesture.

"Sorry darling, but street performances were way, way, out of season," Trenderhoof apologised, causing Trixie to stumble back and fall over in disappointment.

"Oh," Tempest teased, "Shot down like your untested fireworks." This earned a glare from the street performer.

"Well, thank you Trenderhoof, for sharing your experience and trending tips," Sunset thanked, "We are all done and finished for today, every creature. We will be back with more chats and fun!"

Chapter 64- Treat In A Cup

“Hello, every creature. We are in the studio kitchen today for a recipe brought to you by myself, the Great and Powerful Trixie!” The pony performer announced to every creature for today, “Life on the road can be hard, with only your vehicle as a companion. This comes true for when the winter hits. What warms me up is a perfect hot chocolate as the ingredients come cheap when you have little bits in your purse. So that’s what we’re going to show you all today.”

“And what is the Great and Powerful Trixie’s secret to a good hot chocolate, Trixie?” Starlight asked, deciding to play long with her antics in the kitchen for today. She, along with everypony else, was surprised when Trixie proposed another cooking tutorial, with herself showing them a recipe. The others were intrigued and allowed her to have free rein of the studio kitchen.

“Well, I’m glad you asked,” Trixie began, “What is key is the type of chocolate you use and the proportion of canned milk and cream. My preferred blend is two-parts whole milk to one-part heavy cream, which we are going to heat up on the stove. On the road, I require the camp fire. Tempest, could you heat the cream with the proportions I have instructed.”

Tempest used her magic to spark up the stove and began adding the proportions as Trixie instructed.
“Just a little top for you all, dear listeners,” Trixie added as Tempest got to work, “For extra creaminess, you can add some evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk. Tempest, continue heating and whisking together over medium heat, but not boiling,”

Tempest just nodded as she continued to mix the mixture.

“Starlight, now you add two tablespoons of coco powder, chopped dark chocolate chunks for sweetness and half-a-cup of sugar,” Trixie turned to Trixie next.

“On it,” Starlight lit up her horn, causing a shelf to open as she got the knife to cut the chocolate into easy-to-melt chocolate chunks. With her levitation, she added the coco powder, chunks of dark chocolate and sugar as Trixie told her. The air in the kitchen began to fill up with the scent of sweet chocolate.

“For a little flavour boost, you can also add a pinch of salt, cinnamon powder, coffee powder. It won’t cause your hot chocolate to be tasting of coffee, but to enhance the chocolatey-ness of it,” Trixie explained as everypony else looked at her in confusion.

“Coffee and hot chocolate, who would have thought of it?” Sunset said rhetorically.

“What is important is to taste as you go until you get a preferred chocolatey taste,” Trixie explained, she used a teaspoon to get some of the mixture to sample. Blowing on the spoon first, she put some in her mouth, her eyes and mind working to see if the combination was right. She smiled.

“I take that it’s perfect?” Starlight giggled at Trixie’s happy face.

“More than perfect!” Trixie exclaimed, “It’s delightful. The kitchen is much better than the campfire.” Sunset got out four mugs for the group.

“And now time for the fun part, assembly!” Trixie giggled in excitement, “Pour the hot chocolate until it’s about half to three-quarters full. Then it’s time for the whipped cream.” Starlight got Pinkie Pie’s 100% satisfaction guaranteed whipped cream.

“Pinkie was adamant that we use her whipped cream, but since she’s Pinkie, I bet it’s the best whipped cream ever.”

“Seriously,” Sunset sighed, “Who would need that much whipped cream in their fridge?”

“Only Pinkie Pie,” Starlight teased, “In both CHS and Equestria.” Starlight began to swirl the whipped cream into each mug.

“Next you need chocolate shavings using a block of chocolate and a grater,” Trixie instructed. Tempest got to work on that for each mug.

“Put a large marshmallow on top, and use a torch or a light to lightly brown it to whatever stage of caramelisation you want.” Sunset got to work for each marshmallow, using a heating spell to turn the marshmallows into a lovely burnet brown.

“And Voila! That is how you make the perfect hot chocolate for the road. Go on, try it! You’ll love it!” The others dug right in, taking a happy sip from their mugs. When their mugs were put back onto the kitchen bench, they all had cream and chocolate shavings around their mouths.

“This was just as perfect as the one on Hearth’s Warming Eve,” Starlight complimented.

“I might show it to my friends for the holidays,” Sunset noted.

“It’s delicious!” Tempest replied as well.

“Thank you, Trixie, for showing us your recipe. We will be back soon, but right now, we will be enjoying out hot beverages!” Trixie rounded off for the day.

Chapter 65- Brush Of Colour

“It has been a while now since our little incident with Lyra and the whole mirror thing,” Starlight said at her seat, “So I think it’s best to start with some things you two have learnt together, according to the friendship reports.” She levitated a small box containing the letters and opened one, starting with Sunset, “And what have you learnt with spending time with Lyra, Sunset?”

Sunset took a deep breath and began, “Lyra is a great musician. Even after her session with the harp, I was interested in it as well. She is a great music teacher, maybe rivalling Octavia Melody and her cello lessons. We even do things together with our harp and guitar,” Sunset told Starlight her story. Starlight smiled and nodded in contentment. Things are going good so far. She then turned to Lyra.

“And what have you learnt by spending time with Sunset and doing her hobbies?” Starlight asked Lyra.

“Sunset is a great artist as well,” Lyra complimented, “We continued our paintings together afterwards, and she showed me various techniques to improve brushstrokes and colour tones. It was a great experience and something I am willing to try again.”

“Well, I’m glad you two are making such good progress,” Trixie clapped her hooves, “Speaking of artwork, we are outside today so that Sunset can teach us how to do some street art. Mayor Mare has given us permission to decorate this part of Ponyville that needs some tender loving care.”

They looked at the area designated to them. The walls were in desperate need to a re-paint, crumbling into piles of dust on the ground. It had a dark sense to it, as if Pinkie Pie’s happiness hasn’t touched this side of the time.

“As Scootaloo would say,” Starlight teased, “TLC, as in tender loving care or totally lost cause.” The others nodded in agreement.

“So let’s get redecorating,” Tempest declared, “Sunset, why don’t you give us some street art tips?”

“Absolutely,” Sunset answered, but paused, “But first, we better suit up. Spray paint is a nightmare to get out of your coat.” The others agreed and went to put on their protective gear for a street art workshop. Once everypony was suited up Sunset gave them the tricks of the trade.

“The key is the distance between the wall and the spraycan and the pressure you apply to it. The further to are from the wall, the more sparse and spread out the paint will be on the wall. It is effective when you want to do shading with different colours. When you are doing it close to the wall, it becomes more concentrated and causing the dripping effect that you typically see when graffitiing names and letters, but can be a useful effect as well.” She gave them a quick demonstration with the spray can at different distances.

“Interesting,” Starlight observed, “This will certainly be a different experience.” With that, they all turned to their individual section, selected their section on the wall and began to spray. Tempest started off with a dark purple background, wanting to show a lighting storm, similar to what the Storm brought down on Canterlot. She used quick bold movements with the spray cans, showing the turbulence of the clouds in the storm.

Trixie went over to the stencils of hearts, clubs, aces, diamonds and spades that she would use on cards. She wanted to make a clear statement of how Great and Powerful she was. She also used trick sharp movements on the brighter colours to show fireworks coming out, with herself in the centre, doing an extravagant pose.

Starlight wanted to show her love of kites, shading the show with various blues and adding whisps of clouds to show a windy day. She was also using stencils for the different shapes of kites in different colours and using a brush for add on the kite lines and ribbons for finer details.

Lyra, wanting to remember her wedding with Bonbon, went with a romantic theme of pinks and yellows. She included some silver for wedding bells ringing and heart stencils. She included herself and Bonbon in the centre, dressed in their wedding robes, a sunset doing down in the background with confetti falling all around.

They continued until they all agreed they were done. They stood back to admire theirs and each other’s works. The street was now alive with colour and emotions. Gone were the crumbly walls and rubbish, and now there was something to truly smile about in the area. It was as if Celestia’s sun has finally touched this forgotten allyway.

“They all look wonderful!” Sunset praised, “Truly worth all the hard effort. Rarity would be proud! Reminds me of when I took a secret artist identity and called myself Flanksy.”

“And you had some more bonding time with Lyra,” Starlight complimented, “Well, that is all for now, every creature. Thank you so much for listening for today and we will be back very soon for more chats and fun!”

Chapter 66- A New Day Dawns

"Good Morning every creature. We are up nice and early to witness a special day in Equestria. We are here, live from Canterlot to witness the Summer Sun Festival,” Starlight explained, “To every creature to doesn’t know what this festival is all about, it is basically a special day in the past, celebrating Celestia defeating Nightmare Moon, banishing her to the moon for a thousand years.”

“Nightmare Moon was actually her sister, Princess Luna,” Tempest continued, “imagine having to send your own sister to the moon, yet still being seen as a hero in the eyes of everypony, doing this special day every year, for one thousand years.”

“And that is something we admire about Celestia,” Sunset answered, “She continued her duty over her own. Even at her lowest, she still pulled back to take care of her subjects’ needs before her own. Truly an inspirational pony in every way.”

“But now, as well as the defeat of Nightmare Moon, it is also celebrated as the reunion of the Royal Sisters,” Trixie finished off, “When Princess Twilight Sparkle found the six Elements of Harmony and cleansed Nightmare Moon from her darkness, transforming her back into the Princess of the Night we all know and love, and reuniting her with Princess Celestia. So today is a double celebration.”

“There are numerous events going on to celebrate the Summer Sun Celebration,” Starlight looked out among the various stalls, “I can see Rarity doing a sewing workshop, Applejack, true to her name, is selling all kinds of sweet apple treats, Rainbow Dash on weather patrol, making sure the skies are clear for the celebration, Pinkie being, well Pinkie, when something like a big festival happens, Fluttershy doing a critter hold and share and Twilight preparing her speech, which we will hear at the start of the ceremony.”

Just then, guards started to sound the trumpets, calling all ponies to start coming to the stage.

“Speaking of the ceremony, looks like we are about to begin,” Tempest noted, “Now is time for Princess Twilight Sparkle to give the opening speech.”

“Welcome, everypony, to the annual Summer Sun Celebration,” Twilight announced, causing ponies to cheer and stomp the ground in applause, “Over a thousand years ago, Princess Celestia defeated Nightmare Moon, banishing her to the moon for one thousand years. On a recent Summer Sun Celebration, we saw the reunion of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. So much has changed, like the rising and setting of the celestial bodies themselves. So without further ado, please welcome to the stage, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

Another round of applause was heard across the Royal Gardens.

“A wonderful speech their from Princess Twilight,” Starlight smiled, “Looks like the Royal Sisters are about to emerge to perform this daily ritual.” As she spoke, the Royal Sisters began to emerge, along with another trumpet fanfare from the royal guards from either side of them. The ponies, somehow, managed to cheer louder as the Solar and Lunar Princesses appeared onto the stage.

“Citizens of Equestria,” Princess Celestia announced, “It is no longer a day of burden for me as I look out from this stage. This is a day of mourning turned into a day to rejoice. For so long, I have to walk upon this very stage alone, being the Princess that you want and dreamed from me. Yet, I walk onto this stage alone, with a burden on these wings to remind me of what I had to do on that fateful day.” Beside her, Luna bowed her head in remorse.

“However, this day, recently, have been a day to celebrate. I no longer have to walk onto this stage alone. I am free from my past, as well as for my sister, for this day has taken a whole different meaning to us. No longer is this a day of defeats and loss, but a day of reunion and reconciliation. I am now at peace, knowing that I do not have to walk alone.”

The crowd was moved, tears streaming from their eyes.

“Now,” Princess Luna finished, “May the Summer Sun Celebration begin,” She declared, using the RCV to get her message across.

“And now it’s time for the setting of the moon and the rising of the sun,” Sunset announced to every creature listening.

Princess Luna flew up, wings spread out and magic glowing from her horn. Everypony watched as the moon began it’s journey down. Princess Celestia now took her position, wings spread wide and her magic glowing. The skies began to lighten as the sun began to rise, spreading its light and warmth across the land. Both princesses finished with a flourish, landing gracefully to the stage, wings spread wide. Everypony did one last cheer in applause.

“Happy Summer Sun Celebration every creature,” Sunset concluded, “Thank you for listening! We will be back very soon for more talks and fun. Right now, it’s goodbye from Canterlot.”

Author's Note

Happy Summer Solstice, Celestia Day and Father's Day, all in one.

Chapter 67- Dressed For The Occasion

“Hello every creature!” Starlight welcome every creature back, “After the Summer Sun Celebration at Canterlot, we are now back in the studio, with a special guest with us.” Starlight paused to allow Tempest to take over.

“We will be discussing the various ins and outs of fashion and all the tips you need to stand out from the crowd!” Tempest continued.

“So please welcome,” Trixie introduced, allowing another pause so Sunset can fill it in.

“The Element of Generosity herself, Rarity!” Sunset welcome her, followed by the clapping of hooves from the others. Rarity gave a flourish of her mane and gave a ladylike smile in greeting.

“Thank you darlings, for that wonderful and warm reception!” Rarity thanked graciously, “As we agreed, we are going to talk about everything to do with my love of fashion! I addition, I was so inspired from your daily talks on the show, that I just had to make dresses for each and every one of you!”

“Dresses for the Great and Powerful Trixie, besides my glorious hat and cape? Now we’re talking!” Trixie smiled gleefully, causing the others to roll their eyes, again, at Trixie’s self-indulgent. Tempest on the other hand looked down at her clothes she had worn and gotten used to when being with the Storm King. Noticing where Tempest was looking, Rarity smiled.

“And don’t worry about those, things,” Rarity tsked, “I have made you something that will just scream how much you have changed!” Tempest only gave a small smile and nod. That caused Rarity waver in uncertainty. The others looked equally concerned.

“Is there something wrong?” Starlight asked.

“No,” Tempest sighed, “It’s just hard to move on from what I did. What I always wore is a reminder what I’ve done.”

“Oh, darling,” Rarity comforted, “Me, Twilight and her friends, along with the others in the room, have forgiven and moved on. Fashion and ponies change all the time, I mean one trend doesn’t stick forever. However, the friends you have made and forgave you. That is something that will truly last a long while.”

Tempest smiled and nodded. Rarity got out of her seat to a blind cover to reveal her dresses for the others in the studio.

“And now, without further ado, let’s talk about fashion.” Using her magic she lifted the cover, revealing the dresses she has made. The others let out a sound of awe. Rarity really outdone herself, and she was definitely proud of her work, judging by the pride on her face.

“Now Tempest, your firework show for Songbird Serenade’s performance just spoke to me! The colours I used really pop out like the fireworks in the night skies. I have chosen darkened purples to match your coat and sewed on firework patterns!” Tempest’s jaw almost dropped to the floor.

“It looks amazing!” She complimented loudly. She then looked at her old clothes. Taking a deep breath, she took of her old clothes, allowing Rarity to help put on her new dress.
“You look fabulous, darling! Absolutely fabulous!” Rarity complimented as she circled around Tempest, inspecting her work. When she was satisfied, she gave a courteous nod and moved on to a brightly orange and yellow dress.

“For you Sunset, I have made on inspired by your name of a burning sunset! I asked Spike himself to locate his old pet phoenix Peewee’s nest to allow me to gather some phoenix feathers which is part of the head piece here. I chose a fiery pattern to display the beauty and movement of fire and the passing of the sun,” Rarity described her work. Sunset only nodded as she took in her new dress. Stepping forward, she also allowed Rarity to put on her dress. Sunset gave a giddy smile.

“I should allow the Rarity from CHS to give you a mannequin of a human, so that you can adapt the dress for the next Fall Formal,” Sunset suggested. Rarity’s eyes lit up.

“That sounds positively delightful! I’m up to a challenge like that!” Rarity gleefully exclaimed. She then moved onto Trixie’s dress, who was already eyeing it up and down.

“For Trixie, I have created something that just screams Great and Powerful. I have based if off of your cloak and hat, with matching colours and patterns of stars and swirls. I even included a head piece with playing card patterns of aces, spades, hearts and diamonds,” Rarity pointed at each bit of detail, then glanced at Trixie with uncertainty as she was still inspecting it, “Don’t you like it?”

“No,” Trixie said flatly, causing Rarity to almost faint, Starlight to give her the stink-eye, “I love it! You have captured how Great and Powerful I truly am! Now put this masterpiece on me!” Rarity gave a sigh of relief.

“I am lucky to have brought my fainting couch with me,” Rarity muttered, causing the others to look at the couch at the back of the studio.

“And finally Starlight, I have embedded gems into your dress, giving it a glowing effect. The colours match your mane and coat beautifully, with a back headband with dark roses for a dramatic flourishing effect! What do you think?” Rarity turned to Starlight.

“Well I think it’s wonderful,” Starlight smiled back. Rarity clapped her hooves together and fitted the dress onto Starlight. The others took the time to inspect each other properly dressed.

“These are all wonderful, Rarity,” Sunset admired, “But why specifically did you make them?” Rarity gave a sly smile, causing the others to turn to each other in confusion.

“Why, it’s for these of course!” Rarity held out four golden tickets in her magic. Everypony’s eyes widened, knowing what was in her magical grasp.

“Are those?” Trixie asked with a dopey smile.

“They are indeed!” Rarity chuckled, “Your show was a big hit, so Twilight asked Celestia for some extra tickets to give you so you can all attend the Grand Galloping Gala! You’ve literally become an overnight sensation, that everypony wants you to be there on the night! And the best part is, you'll be in the VIP section, seeing how you are all technically celebrities now! That will include some famous fashion designers, singers and writers and the Wonderbolts! I can see Rainbow feeling particularly jealous at that last one.” The others turned to each other with big smiles, and embraced each other in a big group hug.

"Wow Rarity, you didn't have to do this really," Starlight complimented, but Rarity waved a hoof.

"Nonsense, darling. I am the Element of Generosity, and it is the Grand Galloping Gala. The night where every creature wants to be at, so I insist that you all look fabulous!" Rarity demanded. It was then that Sunset came up with an idea.

"Will we be allowed to interview some of the guests at the Gala?" Sunset wondered.

"I think that would be a wonderful idea!" Rarity suggested, "I'm sure Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wouldn't mind at all. It would just be like a red carpet talk, or a backstage interview!"

"Back-staging? Now I'm definitely in for that!" Sunset's smile grew wider at the idea.

“Well, that was a big surprise to end this show on a high note!” Starlight laughed, “We will see you all soon on our best night ever!”

“You just had to say that didn’t you, darling?” Rarity muttered, “Ta-ta for now every creature, and remember, be fabulous for all to see!”

Chapter 68- On The Red Carpet Pt.1

“Welcome back to the show, and we are live from Canterlot again, but this time coming from the night that every creature wants to be at,” Starlight welcome every creature, “We are, of course, talking about the Grand Galloping Gala. This is the event that every creature from far and wide across Equestria wants to be at.”

“We have just arrived slightly early than every creature,” Sunset explained, “We have been given special permission from Princess Celestia herself to interview the red carpet walkway leading up to the main ceremonial gathering hall. This is the best way to interview every creature and pony that will be walking down this path to the main event!”

“We are all dressed up for the event,” Tempest continued, “Carousel boutique, as well as Ponyville Day Spa has been packed with ponies who have been given their golden ticket invitation. We just managed to squeeze in a booking for the spa and an extra fitting at Carousel Boutique.”

“And speaking of Princesses,” Trixie readjusted her stylised mane and dress for the occasion, “We are being approached by the princess herself. Good evening Princess Celestia.” The group bowed to the Princess Celestia, who nodded with her ever present warm, radiant smile.

“Thank you once again Princess for allowing us to set up early, as well as having your permission to have interviews here,” Sunset smiled at her former teacher and mentor. Celestia nodded and smiled at the group.

“It was a pleasure, and I thought it would be a marvellous idea,” Celestia answered back, “It would certainly liven the night for every pony and creature tonight!” She let out a giddy ladylike giggle. The others, on the other hand looked at her in confusion.

“But Princess,” Starlight asked uncertainly, “Isn’t the Grand Galloping Gala always lively?”

“Not as you think, Starlight,” Celestia sighed, “Imagine a long line of nobles and celebrities, waiting for your official greeting and reception. Everypony just wants to have a conversation with me, as I am a princess after all. Nonstop talks on their problems with the world, looking down on the simple ponies who are just as important in Equestria.”

“I see how this could be rather bothersome,” Tempest rubbed her chin with a hoof at the picture Celestia was trying to get at.

“Which is why when I got Twilight’s letter on her first invitation, saying how she wanted to invite all her friends apart from just one, I was more than happy have them come. I was hoping they would liven up the night, and they certainly provided some great entertainment,” Celestia told her story. The others, once again looked at her in confusion.

“What do you mean by entertainment?” Tempest asked with an inverted hooves gesture.

“After spending some time with them at a local donut café, I heard what transpired when I arrived with Twilight after greeting the long line of guests. Apparently, my nephew Prince Blueblood, was treating poor Rarity like common dirt. Pinkie Pie, being Pinkie Pie, accidentally landed on Applejack’s cart when she was trying to sell her apple produce, which went flying towards Rarity and Blueblood. Blueblood went as far as using her as a living shield,” Celestia started.
“Rarity wouldn’t have taken that lying down,” Starlight gasped.

“Your thoughts were correct,” Celestia sighed, “Rarity, in revenge, shook frosting off of her to Blueblood, who tripped and knocked down a statue. Rainbow Dash, who wanted to make a good impression on the Wonderbolts, tried to catch it, but lost balance and knocked down the decorative pillars.” The ponies winced as they imagined the damage done.

“Where was Fluttershy in all of this?” Sunset asked.

“That was when I entered with Twilight to see the damage done. Then suddenly, animals burst into the ballroom, Fluttershy with an angry look on her face. She was hoping to bond with them in the gardens, but they kept their distance from her. She got so frustrated that she declared ‘You’re going to love me!’, scaring both the animals and the guests. I urged Twilight and the girls to make a hasty retreat,” Celestia finished her story.

“To think Fluttershy could do that!” Trixie said in awe as the others nodded.

“I also invited Discord to the Gala as well too,” Celestia said nonchalantly, causing the others to turn to her in surprise.

“You invited Discord?” Starlight said incredulously, “The Lord of Chaos to the Gala?”

“As I said, I wanted to liven up the night,” Celestia shrugged as if it was the most usual thing there is, “He invited this creature called the Smooze, which flooded the entire ballroom with ooze, then threatened to send a guest into another dimension, which Fluttershy luckily prevented.”

“How can you be so casual about it?!” Tempest asked in shock.

“Because that’s the Discord we expect him to be,” Celestia stated simple, “Could you imagine how boring it would be if I haven’t invited him? However, everything was back to normal and, as I said on the night, the night is still young.”

Just then the castle’s clocktower began to chime the arrival hour.

“Well, it seems I must take my usual boring position of greeting every creature,” Celestia sighed, “I wish you all the best for tonight and have a wonderful time.”

“Thank you so very much for the opportunity again,” Sunset smiled, “And we will talk to as many ponies as we can! Welcome, everypony and creature, to the Grand Galloping Gala!”

Chapter 69- At The Gala Pt.2

“So here we are every creature,” Starlight welcomed every listener to the night every creature wants to be, “We are coming to live from Canterlot again! And this time, we are going to give you all the juiciness of the grandest of all nights.”

“It seems that everypony from Equestria who received their ticket is here tonight, as well as dignitary creatures from far and wide in every kingdom,” Tempest continued as she observed what was going on.

“And we have the best seats in the house, as we are in the front gate, getting to talk to every pony and creature as they walk to the front of the Gala hallway and the main reception,” Sunset smiled.

“We will be talking to the rich and famous, the humble and common and creatures of every colour and background,” Trixie rounded up their opening summary, “So without further ado, I think many of our listeners are eager to get to know who will be joining the Gala.”

“I think you are right, Trixie,” Starlight agreed jokingly, “So let us start interviewing, and the first is to arrive is Bonbon and Lyra Heartstrings!” The R.U.G. cast clapped their hooves as the newly weds came up the red carpet. They wore dresses that matched their coats, manes and tails perfectly, with a certain elegance and beauty to top it all off for tonight.

“Firstly, congratulations with tying the knot,” Starlight congratulated them both, “I presume this is part of your honeymoon?”

“Indeed, Princess Twilight, with her connections to Princess Celestia, gave us tickets as a wedding present,” Lyra explained, “We are planning to spend the night together peacefully at the Gala, then heading off to Las Pegasus for the rest of the week.”

“We will be staying at the best hotel we can afford, since working at the sweet factory can only go so far in bits,” Bonbon explained, “So, me and Lyra are going to make this night count.”

“Well, I think you will have a lovely time,” Starlight mentioned. The new couple nodded their thanks and turned to head towards the main hall.

Just then a new carriage pulled up towards the front gates and six well-known students stumbled out of the carriage. Gallus, remarkably, managed to get dressed for the occasion with a black tuxedo, white shirt and red bowtie. Silverstream went with a sea-themed dress, with a crown decorated with gems carved into shells. Smolder too was in a dress, though every creature knows after the Tree of Harmony’s dream that the secretly likes it. Ocellus was in a forest themed dressed, similar to the Changeling Kingdom. It was Yona and Sandbar who were at the back, holding hooves together, as if…

“Are you and Yona dating!” Trixie blurted out, which every student heard. Yona and Sandbar’s faces immediately flushed and looked away from each other. Every other student had knowing smiles on their faces.

“N-no,” Sandbar was the first to save his and Yona’s dignity, “It’s not what you think it is. Me and Yona are just hanging out after we had some more time after the incident at the Fetlock Fete.”

“Yona like being with Sandbar,” Yona tried to salvage their predicament, “Yona learnt a lot from Sandbar pony. Yona just want to be friends.”

“You just keep telling yourself that,” Gallus cooed, causing their faces to heat up once more.

"But the most important thing is to spend time with your friends, as Twilight taught us with their Gala experience.

“Well,” Starlight chuckled, “You all enjoy your night.”

"But don't jinx it," Trixie warned.

“We will!” Silverstream exclaimed in sheer enthusiasm, “An actual castle! Think about all the stairs, especially in the high towers!” Every other students rolled their eyes at Silverstream’s strange obsession.

“I’ve got nothing,” Smolder huff, then turned to Gallus, “want to grab something to eat.”

“You had me at food,” Gallus shrugged before they all headed down.

A very shining carriage pulled up, made of crystal with the crystal heart emblem decorated at the front and out stepped…

“Sunburst?” Starlight said in shock, “I didn’t expect you to be here on the night!” Sunburst’s usually messy mane and tail was cleanly organised just for the night. His cape was gone, instead with a matching suit and tie of the cloak’s colours, with extra gems embed to them.

“Of course,” Sunburst smiled, “I wouldn’t miss an invitation from Princess Celestia.”

“You got an invitation from the Princess?” Trixie perked up before, to Starlight’s horror, asked the question, “Are you attending to spend more time them with Starlight?”

“Once you are done with the podcasts then that would be a wonderful idea!” Sunburst declared, causing Starlight’s face to heat up, “I think I will spend some time with Twilight to talk about Star Swirl’s magical theories. I’ll catch up with you later, alright?” Sunburst said behind his back as he walked down the red carpet. When he was out of sight, Starlight glared daggers at Trixie.

“Well, listeners,” Trixie said with a smirk, “I think you can all feel the love tonight coming through your radios.”

“You are so having nightmares tonight,” Starlight muttered so the microphones couldn’t hear.

“We are now going to make our way to the main hall to see what is going on with some other guests,” Tempest said, oblivious to what Starlight said, “You will hear from us again very shortly.”

Chapter 70- Take This Dance Pt.3

“So then every creature, we have arrived at the grand ballroom where the Grand Galloping Gala is taking place,” Sunset said, “It’s just as grand as I remember it when I was Celestia’s pupil.” They were at the main entrance to the grand hall, taking in the majesty of Canterlot Castle on this special night.

They spotted Twilight and her friends at a table, chatting together and eating food from the buffet. Well, it was mainly Pinkie eating the food from the buffet. The young six were there as well, admiring their first time visiting the capital. The usual nobles were keeping to themselves, eyeing rivals who had the most opulent dresses, the most bits in their accounts and most fancy estate. Princess Celestia met them at the opening staircase, trying to keep her best smile on as the long line of nobles and guests continued to grow.

“It’s certainly nice to see every creature enjoying themselves tonight,” Tempest observed with a content smile, “With all the disasters I have heard that occurred at the Gala, it’s good to see that everything is going smoothly so far. It’s not as if there will be three disastrous Galas in a-“

“Hey Starlight,” A voice spoke from behind them. The group turned as one, finding Sunburst with a smile on his face.

“S-Sunburst, what a nice surprise,” Starlight stuttered, causing Trixie to snicker. A quick jab on the side from Sunset told her to zip it.

“So,” Sunburst began, “Enjoying the night so far?”

“Yes, very much so,” Starlight manged to gain composure. It was then that Starlight caught Sunburst trying to act normal when he wasn’t it. He was avoiding her eye contact, his left hoof tracing circles on the marble floor.

“Sunburst, something wrong?” Starlight asked. For the others, it seemed to click.

“Well,” Sunburst started, “I was just wondering if you would like to dance with me?”

There was dead silence as Starlight, and the others, took in what Sunburst requested. If they were drinking water or the punch from the buffet, they would ultimately spit it out in shock. Trixie was the first to recover, a sly smile on her face.

“I think Starlight takes it as a yes,” Trixie encouraged. Starlight’s face lit up a brilliant red.

“W-what?” Starlight stuttered.

“I think it’s a brilliant way to get to know each other after some time apart, with Sunburst doing more wizardry from the Crystal Empire, and your counselling at the School of Friendship,” Trixie made her point.

“B-but, we are-“ Starlight tried to save her dignity, but was met with a hoof to her mouth.

“No excuses,” Trixie countered, “Treat it as a special long-time-no-see bonding time.”

“But I can’t dance to save my flanks!” Starlight burst out.
“Well, neither can I,” Sunburst smiled, “That makes two of us. So can I have this dance?” He reached a hoof out in offering. Starlight paused, then looked at the others. They just shrugged, shocked at either Sunburst’s request or Trixie’s tactics.

Sighing and giving a glare to Trixie which meant ‘we are going to talk about this later’, she reluctantly held her hoof out, giving the signal for Sunburst to gently grab it and pull her towards a space in the dance hall. The others from the R.U.G. looked at Trixie with varying faces.

“You’re still evil,” Sunset said with a deadpanned tone.

“Isn’t friendship about encouraging others and helping them in the best way they can?” Trixie mused.

The others soon turned to the dancefloor where Starlight and Sunburst tried to find their stepping. They were currently on their hind legs, finding it awkward to place their forelegs in the right position. They were looking at each other with blushes on their faces.

“Now is it one step forwards, two steps back, or the other way round?” Sunburst muttered.

“I think one of them is an expression, but one is real,” Starlight chuckled nervously, “We’ll just have to make it up as we go along?”

“Are you sure? We will become to the talk of the night,” Sunburst looked around. Rarity gave a gasp and nudged Fluttershy. The mane six turned to the dancefloor at the night, smiles on looks of surprise on their faces. The young six have also caught sight of them, smiling, or with knowing smiles in Gallus’ case.

“If we’re not fools now, we’re about to be,” Starlight sighed, “Let’s make it a night that we or they will certainly not forget.” Keeping in time to Octavia’s and the orchestra’s music in the best way they can. That was until Sunburst’s back hoof got caught in Starlight’s dress, bumping into Starlight and knocking them forward. They stumbled slightly backwards, then headbutted each other hard. They let go of each other hooves, causing Starlight to crash to the floor. Sunburst wasn’t so lucky, stumbling back to where every creature knew.

Sunburst crashed onto the buffet table, specifically the dessert table. Treats flew across the air, a cake landing on Rarity right on the face. The others in the mane six gasped, knowing how she would react.

“My dress! My beautiful, hoof-stitched dress!” Rarity wailed, they growled at Sunburst like what she did at Blueblood.

“Rarity, I can explain,” Sunburst help us hooves up in surrender, but Rarity had a tray of cakes in her magic, lobbing them at Sunburst. He ducked, the treats flying over his head, where they landed on the noble of all nobles of Canterlot.

“I say!” Fancy Pants wiped his glasses, “That’s one way to make a reintroduction.” His mare-friend, Fleur de Lis, on the other hoof, was not taking it, however.

“Don’t worry, my darling, I will defend your honour!” She declared before a tray of chocolate eclairs was levitated in her magic and thrown back at the mane six. Rarity gasp and ducked, only to hit Pinkie behind her. There was a gasp all around the hall as they knew what the best party planner in all of Equestria would say. She licked the chocolate from her face, a large smile revealed.

“GALA FOOD FIGHT!” Pinkie declared to every creature in the hall.

Every noble were now seeking shelter or running outside to the gardens as the mane six, except Twilight, the young six, Fancy Pants and Fleur joined in.

"There goes our honeymoon," Lyra sighed before being hit in the face by a cupcake. Bonbon laughed, but stopped immediately when Lyra levitated a cake in her hooves. They looked at each other before being locked into a food wrestle on the marble floor.

“And I wanted the night to go so smoothly,” Twilight sighed as she looked around at the chaos that would make Discord impressed, “Well, if you can’t beat them, join them.” She shrugged and decided to join her friends against their opponents. The remaining R.U.G members looked at the chaos unfurl before looking towards Trixie.

“Oops,” She simple responded. It was then that Princess Celestia of all ponies walked into the hallroom.

“And I thought this night couldn’t get any more interesting,” She observe, before spotting a particularly large cake ready to become ammunition by Rainbow Dash.

“Not the cake! Not the cake!” She cried in terror, running towards the group and ignoring the mess to her dress and white coat. The R.U.G. looked at bewilderment at the scene before them.

“Well, there goes our Best Night Ever,” Sunset sighed.

Chapter 71- Game On

"Welcome every creature to this very special edition to the show,” Tempest announced to their listeners, “We are outside the School of Friendship’s sports grounds as we are commentating a very special buckball event. The School of Friendship, or SOF, is taking On Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, or CSGU, in a friendly game of buckball.”

“Now you all must be wondering, but surely Celestia’s school is full of unicorns, so how is it that unicorns are playing when the game requires a pegasus and a unicorn?” Sunset acted in asking the valid question, which Starlight answered.

“To answer that question, Princess Celestia put dampening rings on their horns, to prevent any magical cheating, as well as giving magical wings, the same king Rarity used during their trip to Cloudsdale once, according to what Twilight told me,” Starlight answered.

“Well,” Trixie began, “Let’s turn our attention back to the game where the crowd has gathered, including Princess Celestia and every creature is at the centre of the field. Granny Smith, long time player, surprisingly back in the good old days, as agreed to be the referee.”

“Last time, CSGU won the first match on the field, along with impressive cheerleading from Rainbow Dash’s crew. We are expecting another amazing match today, so let’s join the audience to observe how this game plays out,” Sunset explained and she, as well as the rest of the R.U.G., turned towards the field. By now, every player was ready and waiting for Granny Smith to throw the ball.

“She throws the ball and it’s the SOF that win the buck off, who passes back to their player on the same team, with an impressive catch that would make Fluttershy proud. She throws back to the centre of the field, but it’s CSGU that buck the ball to their team, saved by the opposite team of SOF,” Trixie commentated first.

“She passes it back with SOF winning the next buck, kicking the ball back. CSGU tries to save it, but goes into the basket. It’s one-nil to SOF,” Starlight observed as the crowd supporting the SOF cheered.

“The ball is handed back to the centre for the next round,” Tempest observed, “With another throw, the game is on. SOF takes the buck off, passing it to the pegasus waiting in front of the goal with a strong tail catch. She tries to pass it back to their team, but CSGU come back with a strong buck. There’s not time opposite player to save it and the unicorn puts it in the basket. Now it’s one-one!” Sunset observed with excitement, literally at the edge of her seat.

They took it in terms to commentate each round, leading up to half time where it was two-one to the School of Friendship it was then that something special planned for the interval act.

“And now every creature, something special is being planned by some of the students at the SOF, planned by Rainbow Dash. So please welcome to the field, Ocellus, Yona, Smolder and special cheerleaders Shimmy Shake and Lighthoof!” The crowd went wild as smoke filled the field. Shimmy Shake and Lighthoof appeared from the smoke created by Smolder. Shimmy Shake started off her verse.

Every creature welcome to this special game,
We expect you to cheer for your team’s name.
Raise your voices to it fills the sky
It will be enough to make then score high!

Lighthoof added her own part in.

This is a game where every creature’s here,
So let’s celebrate with one big cheer.
The School of Friendship and School of Magic
Have their heads in the game.
Remember that we’re in for the fun,
And there is no shame.

Ocellus finished the final line,

2, 4, 6, Great!

Throughout the performance, Yona stomped in time, encouraging the crowd to stomp along too. Smolder finished by circling the field with smoke, before the group finished in a pyramid, Smolder releasing a roaring fire from her mouth.

“COME ON SCHOOL OF MAGIC!” An unexpected voice roared from the audience. The R.U.G., players and audience turned towards the unexpected source of the noise, Princess Celestia.

“That was unexpected,” Trixie looked in shock.

“Who knew Princess Celestia was one of those fans?” Sunset as equally surprised, “I thought I knew her well.”

They continued onto the second half. Ultimately, it was the School of Friendship this time who was victorious in the matches. Every creature had fun, as well as the hosts on the R.U.G.

“Well that was quite a game with full of twists and surprises. Hope you all enjoyed the commentating and the interval act,” Sunset thanked their listeners.

“Who knows where we will be next on our next show, but it will just as fun as this one, guaranteed!” Starlight added.

“Until next time,” Tempest paused to allow Trixie to finish.

“It’s good by from the R.U.G., coming live from the School of Friendship!” Trixie concluded.

Chapter 72- Rising Baker

“Welcome back every creature to the Reformed Unicorn Group Podcasts, or R.U.G. for short,” Starlight introduced every creature to today’s show, “We are back live in the studio kitchen for a special cooking demonstration, this time courtesy of Sunset Shimmer.”

“So tell us, Sunset,” Tempest asked with curiosity, “Since I never took you for a baker, what are we baking today?”

“Today is a special recipe from Pinkie Pie at CHS. Every year, she makes a special souffle for Rarity during the Winter Holidays. However, every year she misses it,” Sunset explained with a hint of sadness at the end. The others looked at her in confusion.

“Why is it a disappointment every year?” Trixie asked.

“According to her, souffles are only good at a certain time, otherwise they deflate and becomes unpleasant. It took seven minutes to reach Rarity, but we had to survive this big snowball fight outside Pinkie’s house. I never seen a snowball fight taken this seriously,” Sunset shook her head and chuckled at the memory.

“Well, that’s a story for another time,” Starlight chuckled as well, “Right now, we have some baking to do. What do we need for the best chocolate souffle, Sunset?”

“We need a little butter for greasing, one-hundred and eighty grams of plain chocolate, three-hundred millilitres of milk, twenty-five grams of coco powder, four egg yolks, sixty grams of caster sugar and forty grams of plain flour. We also need a meringue, so that’s six eggs for the whites and another forty grams of caster sugar,” Sunset read from her list, made by Pinkie Pie.

“That’s a lot of ingredients for a souffle,” Trixie added.

“As Pinkie said, baking is more a fine art,” Sunset laughed, “We are so happy when I told her I would like to bake something for the R.U.G., so she insisted on her chocolate souffle recipe.”

“So we’ve got everything that we need,” Starlight doubled checked again, “What’s up first, Sunset?”

“Best to preheat the oven first,” Sunset suggest, “Tempest, could you do one-hundred and seventy Celestius since it’s a fanned one, gas mark five. If you don’t have a fanned over, listeners, do it to one-hundred and ninety.” Tempest got to it.

“For the greasing, grease a fourteen by eight centimetre souffle dish with butter and dust with caster sugar. Make a collar for the souffle dish by folding a fifty by thirty centimetre piece of baking parchment 4 times lengthways to make a seven and a half centimetre deep collar. Wrap it around the top of the dish and secure with string,” Sunset gave a lengthy instruction, which Starlight used her magic to measure the precise amount of baking paper.

“Then we get onto the crème pâtissier chocolate. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly,” Sunset gave the next step, which Trixie was on, stirring and mixing the chocolate until it was smooth and well-melted.

“Pour the milk and cocoa powder into a heavy-based pan and bring gradually to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for thirty seconds. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale, then whisk in the plain flour. Pour the chocolate milk onto the eggs, whisking continuously, then pour back into the pan,” Sunset gave another lengthy instruction, which Tempest managed to do with ease. She separated the yolk from the whites.

“I have no idea how Pinkie can do these steps without a mistake,” Tempest wiped her forehead after some hard mixing.

“Even under a spell, she is one lean-mean-baking-machine,” Starlight chuckled wryly.

“Then you bring back to the boil, whisking continuously over a medium heat and cook for one minute until thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate. Spoon the crème pâtissier chocolate into a bowl, cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool to room temperature,” Sunset ordered Tempest, who followed her to the word.

“In a clean bowl whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the sugar and continue whisking to a stiff and glossy meringue,” Sunset told Starlight, who made the meringue with ease wither her magic. Sunset then turned to Starlight again, “Whisk one third of the meringue mixture into the crème pâtissier chocolate, then fold in the remaining two-thirds using a large metal spoon. The mixture should be fairly loose.” Starlight just nodded, concentrating on her work. Trixie moved the chocolate and they all took it in turns to mix.

“Pour the mixture into the souffle dish. Run your thumb around the interior rim of the dish to ensure a good rise. Bake on the preheated baking tray for forty to fifty minutes, or until well risen and springy to touch,” Sunset gave the last step, which Trixie separated the mixture out and placed them into the oven. Trixie then turned to Starlight.

“Now about that snowball fight,” Trixie asked.

“The most dramatic snowball fight of my life,” Sunset chuckled, “Me and Pinkie were caught in the middle of it, whilst all the others were on different teams. The Apple Family even built a wall of snow. I wasn’t so lucky and landed on my keys from one good shot.”

“Ouch,” Starlight winced.

“Rainbow Dash even went as far as disguising herself as a snowman for two days, according to Pinkie,” Sunset chuckled.

“Now that’s commitment,” Tempest noted. It was at that moment the oven made a sound, telling them that their bakes were ready. Trixie was quick to take them out, as they were best eaten hot and well risen. The group quickly tucked in, moaning at the pleasure of sticky chocolate.

“Now that’s good food for a cold winter’s day,” Starlight complimented in a state of bliss.

“Well, that’s all from the R.U.G. Now if you can excuse us, we have some souffles to enjoy!” Tempest finished off.

Chapter 73- Potion Commotion

“Girls, looked what the Great and Carious Trixie found when she was snooping around Twilight’s Castle of Friendship,” Trixie got the girls’ attention, though Starlight was concerned about what idea what her friend has come up for their show for the day. Trixie struggled to levitate a large crate of bottles containing different coloured liquids.

“And what, if I may be so bold to ask, are these?” Sunset questioned as she looked at the bottles intently.

“Just some of Twilight’s old crate of potions she brewed in her lab. Seriously, is her castle bigger on the inside or something?” Trixie questioned.

“I was like that when I began living here,” Starlight chuckled, “Seriously, who would put the bathroom next to the library?”

“And what do we suggest we do with them?” Tempest eyed the potions, “You took the labels off them.”

“We drink them of course!” Trixie answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole of Equestria.

There was dead silence as everypony tried to take in what she suggested them to do, before the group shouted together.

“WHAT?”

“Spike?” Twilight called her Number One Assistant.

“Yes, Twilight?” Spike responded with an unsure tone.

“Put down that we need to but a safety lock for the lab on our next shopping to-do list,” Twilight ordered Spike to do. He gave a mock salute before continuing with his Power Ponies and the Revenge of the Mane-iac comic.

Trixie and the group winced from the others’ reaction but put a hoof to reassure them, “Don’t worry, I checked the labels twice before removing them. I suggest we play a game.”

“And what game do you suggest?” Starlight questioned firmly. At her response Trixie pulled out her deck of cards from her hat.

“Last one to draw a pair in each round has to drink a potion, either at random or selected by their request,” Trixie gave a sly smile. The others were still unsure of it though, but gave a sigh of acceptance, causing Trixie to clap her hooves with excitement.

“Well, since we haven’t got anything written down for what we’re doing to do, might as well roll with it,” Sunset sighed as they settled down to what was going to be an interesting game.

“So the way we do it is that we all take the first card, and then we have to find one that matches from the top. It could be from colour, number or suit. Then, we all have to say pair, but the last one to have a pair takes a drink from the potions.”

Everypony nodded before taking a card from the top of the deck, Tempest have a seven of diamonds, Starlight with the ten of spades, Sunset with a three of hearts and Trixie with an eight of clubs. The group took it turns, taking a card and seeing it matches, Sunset winning first, breathing a sigh of relief in the process. Then Tempest struck lucky, meaning it was between Trixie and Starlight. Ultimately it was Trixie who was victorious.

“And Starlight is our first loser,” Trixie mocked at Starlight, who grumbled with her gaze averted, “Do you want a potion at random or do you want to select one?” Starlight immediately levitated the crate and took a bottle of deep blue liquid.

“I don’t know why I agreed to this,” She mumbled before taking a hesitant sip. Swallowing, she put the bottle down to wait what the effect was. At first nothing happened, but then she began to float off the ground. Starlight began flailing around, trying to find something to grab onto. However, she was trapped on the ceiling like a helium balloon. The others were laughing at her predicament. That was until the potion wore off, causing her to unceremoniously drop to the floor with a heavy thud.

“That was an experience,” Starlight groaned.

They soon got back into the game, Sunset giving her an enchanted ice pack for the bump on Starlight’s head. It took a while for this round to finish, but ultimately, it was Tempest who was the loser this time.

“And Tempest is the loser this time!” Sunset triumphantly declared. Tempest looked nervously at the crate of potions, “To save myself from additional humiliation, I think one of you can choose for me.” Sunset nodded, levitation the box with her red magic, lifting a rounded bottle with purple, bubbly liquid. Tempest unscrewed the lid, giving it a tentative sniff before taking a sip. So put the lid back on and put it to the side.

“So, how was it?” Starlight asked hesitantly.

“Fizzy,” Tempest replied before her hoof reached her mouth. What came out of her mouth wasn’t her usual voice, but one as if a stallion said that word. The others were caught off guard by her deep voice, before falling off their seats laughing. Tempest stayed quiet as she rolled her eyes at the groups’ antics.

“I think it’s starting to wear off now,” Tempest said, her voice somewhere between a stallion colt who is struggling with puberty and her normal speaking voice. The group settled into another round, tentatively waiting for their chance to move. Ultimately, it was Sunset this time who wasn’t so lucky with her nine of diamonds.

“I think I’ll go for a random one from me,” Sunset sighed in defeat. Trixie levitated the crate and Sunset selected a yellow potion bottle. She gulped before swallowing its contents. They didn’t have to wait for it’s effect, as Sunset’s body began to glow and a transformation began. There, sitting with the group, wasn’t Sunset as a mare, but Sunset as a stallion! He wore a deep blush as he/she took in her/his body. The others were in shock.

“How bad is it?” Sunset shifted uncomfortably, “Somepony say something please!”

“Well,” Starlight hesitated, “I hate to admit it, but you do you decent as a stallion.” This only caused Sunset’s blush to deepen in redness. It took a long while for the potion’s effects to wear off.

“Well, since you girls have been put through so much, embarrassment and humiliation, I think it’s best if I take the last potion of the game and show,” Trixie suggested, “Treat it a Great and Apologetic Trixie’s gesture.” She levitated a bottle and sipped with gusto. The others leaned in to see what the final potion will do.

At first, like usual, nothing happened, but then Trixie began sneezing, each flame being a different colour at sneeze. The others were taken aback and began ducking under their chairs. Starlight manged to contain the situation by heading to the studio kitchen, filling a tub of water and throwing it at Trixie with a splash. Trixie breathed a sigh of relief, smoke coming from her nostrils and ears.

“And just like that, we will call it a day listeners,” Starlight tried to salvage the situation, “Thank you all for joining us for the game today, and we will see you all again soon!”

“Treat it as your just desserts for planning this in the first place,” Tempest chided mockingly.

Chapter 74- Flying Material

Rainbow Dash few back home in lightning speed, dodging clouds and birds as she flew. She wasn't called Rainbow Dash for nothing as she flew effortlessly back to her cloud house. turning towards the living room, she tuned into the Reformed Unicorn Podcast. The reason for this mad dash was because a special guest was on today's show. Something she couldn't afford to miss. Turning it on, she luckily found out that it was just starting.

"Welcome back to the show, every creature," Tempest introduced every creature back to the R.U.G., "And today we are honoured to have a special guest on our show. She was willing to take time off blowing her whistle and shouting orders at everypony's faces."

"So without further ado, please welcome the Captain of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire!" Starlight welcomed the Wonderbolts' Captain to their show. Everypony in the studio clapped their hooves together in welcoming her on. Spitfire gave a strong salute, wearing her usual office uniform rather than her Wonderbolts suit for the occasion.

"Happy to be here," She thanked as the clapping died down, "And yes, I do love my job. Nothing beats yelling at the newbies, asking them if they really have what it takes to be a member of the most elite flying squad in Equestria." She gave a happy sigh at that, causing the others to look uneasy at what she said.

"Anyway," Trixie tried to move on from there, "What is the history behind the Wonderbolts?"

"That is part of a test you need to pass in order to qualify as an official member of the Wonderbolts, reserve or fully fledged member," Spitfire explained, "Rainbow Dash would know."

"Yeah, it took a while, but it turns out my awesome scanning-while-flying skills paid off," Rainbow talked to herself proudly.

"To sum it up, after Nightmare Moon's banishment, the E.U.P., that's the earth pony, unicorn, pegasus guard, was formed under Princess Celestia in order to keep the peace. At the celebration of the first celestial year of peace, an elite team of aerial performers was chosen to help commemorate the occasion. The performance was so charged with energy, magical lightning showered the crowd below. The ponies were so filled with amazement and wonder that General Firefly the general of the aerial squadron at the time, named them the Wonderbolts," Spitfire went on a lengthy, proud explanation, "One of the later captains, General Flash's hat, is on display with the motto we still use today."

"Altius volantis! Soaring higher!" Rainbow Dash squeed like a proper fangirl. She was lucky no pony was around to see her like this. Wonderbolts and Daring Do seem to be her triggering words. In the corner of the living room, Tank smiled slowly.

"So now that we know the history," Sunset pressed on, "What do you need to do to be a fully fledged member."

"First you need an application approved," Spitfire explained in steps, "Once you've passed that first step, you go to the academy for a few days of training, learning things from recovery landings, weather clearance, maneuvers and other pegasi related things. We pick from those who have the potential to really fly high! Rainbow Dash showed us that in a different way."

"And how's that?" Starlight asked.

"Being the best isn't just about pushing yourself as hard as you can, it's about pushing yourself in the right direction and way. She wasn't just a flyer, she was an example leader," Spitfire smiled knowingly, "She was paired with this reckless pegasus called Lightning Dust, somepony who pushed herself without thinking of those around her."

"What can I say?" Rainbow Dash gestured at Tank, "I'm pretty awesome at what I do." Tanks nodded his head slowly as well.

"During your time as a reservist as well , we give them a quiz about the history of the Wonderbolts as well. It's more than just a basic fly-through. It involves knowing about our history like the back of your hoof," Spitfire firmly described, "You need to know our captains, maneuvers, scenarios and everything that requires every pegasus to be the best flyer they can be."

"Sounds seriously," Trixie muttered.

"IT IS SERIOUS!" Spitfire roared in Trixie's face, as well as blowing her whistle, "Now get down there and give me thirty!"

"But-"

"Did I stutter?" Spitfire asked. Trixie sighed, got on the floor, and started doing press ups. Starlight chuckled, but a glare from Spitfire and Trixie told her to probably stay quiet.

"Then finally, if there is an opening space available, you are officially a member. You get signed in, practice all the moves you are briefed about for our show and then it's show time!" Spitfire gave another salute. The others gave mock ones in return, except Trixie.

"Well, thank you for your time for coming in and telling us all the about the Wonderbolts, Spitfire. We are going to take a short break for now, but we will be back for more talks and fun!"

"You think you got what it takes to be a Wonderbolts?" Spitfire asked down the microphone, "The Wonderbolts are recruiting now!"

"Classic Spitfire," Rainbow laughed as she switched off the radio for the day. A nice fluffy cloud was calling her name.

Chapter 75- Make With The Magics

"Welcome ponies! It is I, Photo Finish, here on this show to show these ponies how to be fabulous!" Photo Finish introduced herself to the show's listeners for the day. The other's looked at her with nervous looks, wondering where this show is going to go today. When they were talking about who they should invite next to their show outside an open cafe in Ponyville, it just so happened that Rarity was listening on the conversation. She immediately recommended Equestria's famous fashion photographer and critic.

Let me correct that, she practically begged them to invite Photo Finish onto the show. She was on her back, practically begging for her to come onto the show, saying it will be the worst possible thing and tragedy for her not to be on the next show. the hosts of the R.U.G. were afraid to say no, knowing that if they said no, Rarity would be on full drama queen mode. Rarity provided the connection to Photo Finish, and once the photographer heard what Rarity wanted, she was on board as well.

So, here they are, about to face whatever Photo Finish had planned in order for them to be fabulous.

“But the Great and Powerful Trixie is fabulous, both on and off stage, already,” Trixie hesitantly argued, “What more is there to do?”

“You must have style!” Photo Finish remarked quickly, “This whole cape-thing is so common. You need something more that represents the magician you are. I can make it so you are the star that you are!” Photo Finish gave a dramatic gesture with her hooves. She then threw her suitcase, which converted itself into a camera, and she began setting up a backdrop, filling it with starts, large card props and a cut-our large wizard’s hat.

“There! I can see inspiration running through my mind!” Photo Finish declared, “Now, let’s make with the magics!” Trixie gulped and turned to the others for help.

“You asked the question first,” Tempest chuckled, “Might as well go through it now.” Trixie sighed in defeated and nodded in defeat. That was signal for Trixie to be dragged in place by Photo Finish’s two assistants to the centre of the backdrop.

“Now, I want to see style! I want to see perfection!” Photo Finish commanded. Trixie tried to do a great and powerful pose whilst Photo Finish began flashing and taking pictures of her.

“Yes! Yes! No! No!” She changed angle and began frantically flashing the camera in Trixie’s face. At the end of the shoot. Trixie stumbled back onto her seat, blinking the stars out of her eyes. The others looked at her with sympathy at what she had to go through. It was then that Photo Finish pointed at Tempest, who flinched at her action and dreading what was about to happen next.

“Yes! I, Photo Finish, is having a vision!” Photo Finish said dramatically, “I see a passion, a burning fire! Set Change!” At the clap of her hooves, her assistants began changing the backdrop. This time, it was a dark red night’s sky, as if the sun were almost setting. They added a wooden model of Canterlot as a silhouette, managed by perfect lighting. Photo Finish then suddenly grabbed Tempest by the hoof, pulled her to the centre of the shoot and began snapping away. Tempest could only stand there in stupor.

“No, No, No!” Photo Finish gasped, “You are Tempest! Former assistant to the Storm King, now spreader of the good news of his defeat! I want to see a passion and determination! Of you wanting to make things right!” Tempest could only blink before understanding hit her. She then took on a proud determined pose, facing towards the sky backdrop.

“Yes!” Photo Finish cried out, doing a few more flashes on the camera. Tempest was allowed back into her seat after several more shots.

“Well, that was an experience I not forgetting anytime soon,” She said, dazed and confused from the experience. It was then that Starlight was yanked from her seat, yelping from the action as she was dragged to the centre. Again, the backdrop was changed to rows of bookshelves that would be more Twilight’s thing. This time, Starlight was given some books to levitate as props, told by Photo Finish to be a sorceress in action. Starlight thought for a second before adopting a thinking gesture, one foreleg to he chin, a deep frown of concentration on her face.

“Yes! You are a magician, wondering when your next breakthrough spell will be!” Photo Finish took a few more snaps before Starlight was allowed back to her seat, giving the books back to the assistant. Finally it was Sunset’s turn. A new backdrop of a fitting burning sunset was used. Sunset simply walked over and gave a determined pose, as if saying that the past is not today, and I have grown and changed into a better pony than before. It was as if she knew who and what she was trying to present herself as.

“Beautiful! Stunning! Magnificent!” Photo Finish admired as she snapped away on her camera. Several more poses were taken before she walked back to her seat.

“And now, I Photo Finish, will go!” With that, she swiftly left the studio, a trial of dust behind her. The others looked exhausted, but glad that they had the experience on the less.

“Well, that was something,” Starlight remarked, the others nodding in agreement, “We will be back soon, every creature. Be fabulous and stay tuned!”

Chapter 76- Beneath The Waves

"We are doing something special today, thanks in part to one of our students from the School of Friendship," Starlight introduced every creature to today’s show, “Twilight and her friends have been sea ponies when visiting Seaquestria on their mission to save Equestria From The Storm King, Twilight twice when visiting Mount Aris on a friendship mission with the Cutie Mark Crusaders,”

“However,” Tempest continued on, “We want our go to see what’s it like to breath and swim underwater.”

“So we invited a student from the School of Friendship to show us what’s it like to be underwater,” Sunset paused to allow Trixie to finish.

“So please welcome Silverstream to our show!” Trixie and the others clapped their hooves together to welcome the hippogriff.

“It’s great to be here,” Silverstream clapped her claws together as well, “And I’m super excited to show you all what’s it like to swim and breath underwater as well!”

“So, for those creatures who don’t know how it works, why don’t you tell our fellow listeners how it works,” Starlight suggested. Silverstream nodded before continuing.

“To put it simple so I don’t sound like Twilight when she’s in full magical lecture mode, the pearl piece works by drawing in magic from the water, either near on under the water, and converts it into something beneficial for creatures that cannot breathe underwater. As I said, I’m not like Twilight, but it’s the best I can explain it. Queen Novo made it as a way for us to flee and live underwater, away from the Storm King’s wrath,” Silverstream explained in the best details that she can.

“We are outside today, specifically Saddle Lake outside Ponyville to let her demonstrate this ability. Silverstream, why don’t you jump right in and we will swim after you,” Starlight suggested.

“Right away, Counsellor Starlight,” Silverstream nodded eagerly. She flew out across the lake, transformed under a bright glow of magic and jumped right in with her seapony form.

“In case you’re wondering,” Sunset comforted their listeners, “Twilight casted a magical waterproofing spell, keeping our microphones safe so you don’t miss out on any of the action.”

“Alright, I think Silverstream’s ready,” Starlight looked far out across the lake to Silverstream, who was waving her fin in the air, calling them to join her. The others nodded and went into the lake. They paddled their way across the lake to join her.

“So what do we do you get to be seaponies?” Trixie bobbed in the water.

“Hold onto me so the magic can flow through to you like a electric current,” Silverstream chuckled. The others nodded and held each other in a circle. Silverstream activated her magic, surrounding them in a shimmering glow of magic.

They felt their hindlegs merge to become tail fins, each with a different shape and size. they grew dorsal fins with their cutie marks on them. They coats were replaced with shining scales that reflected in the water. After the transformation was complete, they dove underwater.
“Trixie can get used to this!” Trixie admired herself, once again speaking in the third person.

“What was it like when you first swam underwater?” Tempest interviewed Silverstream.

“It was something else to begin with, that’s for sure,” Silverstream chuckled, “Queen Novo was adamant this was the only way to survive.”

“Survive by hiding?” Sunset asked in confusion.

“We are on limited options, and she was out Queen,” Silverstream shrugged, “We were too focused on our own safety that we forgotten to care for those as well. Like how the ocean was separate from the land, we were separated from them as well. Twilight and her friends showed us that in order to live together, we need to look out for every creature as well.”

“So, let’s get swimming,” Starlight smiled, “What do you want to show us?”

“Ever wanted to leap out of the water like a dolphin?” Silverstream asked. The others had wide smiles on their faces.

“Come on,” Trixie begged, “Show us how it’s done!”

“It’s easy,” Silverstream chuckled, “It’s all about momentum. First, you go down a good distance, then you charge upwards. You break the surface of the water in the right angle, arch your back and so you can dive back into the water safely without bellyflopping or any winded effects.” They nodded in understanding.

“Care to give us a demonstration?” Tempest suggested. Silverstream nodded and positioned them to get to see what she was going to do.

“She then got a good distance at the bottom of the lake before she began chagrining upwards, her momentum constant and smooth. She breached the surface, leaping high into the air, arched her back to position herself and dove right back into the water. The R.U.G. clapped together in applause before going down and facing upwards. Silverstream counted them down.

“Three, two, one, go!” Silverstream gave the signal, causing them all the charge upwards. They breached the surface, causing the make noises of laughter before diving back right beneath the waves.

“That was amazing!” Sunset giggled in joy.

“And that is all we have time for today on the R.U.G. every creature! Hope you enjoyed listening to us. We will be back, but right after we do some more swimming. Thank you to Silverstream to showing us how to swim underwater and to leap out of the water,” Starlight concluded the show for today.

Chapter 77- Pop Quiz Time

“Every creature, welcome to the Reformed Unicorn Group quiz!” Twilight Sparkle welcomed every creature to this very special game on the show, “I will be asking them questions, ranging far and wide and everything in-between! Our contestants from the R.U.G. have to buzz in and say the correct answer!”

“Twilight is here as our official judge, though I think we all know why she’s here with us today,” Starlight hinted, causing the others to snicker at what she was implying. Twilight huffed and rolled her eyes.

“If Twilight was a contestant, she would beat us all by a good score,” Sunset chuckled.

“I Pinkie Promise that I only came here to be your judge,” Twilight’s eye twitched.

“So it has nothing to do with you practically begging us to be your judge on this week’s game?” Sunset asked rhetorically.

“Let’s begin this quiz before somepony says something they’re going to regret,” Twilight said through gritted teeth. The others simply nodded, trying their best to hold back they’re laughter. They placed their hooves on their individual buzzers. Twilight pulled out the first question card whilst everypony else listened intently.

“What is the name of the sacred yak holiday which made Pinkie Pie the official Friendship Ambassador to the Yaks?” Twilight read the first question. There was a short pause for whilst everypony thought hard until Starlight buzzed in first.

“Is it called Yickslurbertfest?” Starlight said, trying to pronounce it the best way she can. Twilight dinged a bell next to her.

“That is correct Starlight!” Twilight clapped her hooves together.

“You would not believe how many times Pinkie Pie said, ‘oh my gosh’ when she got the invitation,” Starlight groaned, “It was loud enough to hear from my room.”

Twilight used her magic to change to scoreboard to show that Starlight received a point. She then pulled out the next question card from her pile.

“What is the name of the annual marathon that happens in Whitetail Woods, marking the start of Autumn when the leaves fall?” This time, it was Sunset to buzzed in to give her answer.

“The Running of the Leaves,” Sunset answered smoothly, “It was fun to commentate it when it was on.” Twilight ran her bell with a smile and changed the score.

“All right, next question,” Twilight told the R.U.G. to get ready, “According to the legends from the Pillars, what is the name of a group of elite guard ponies that Rockhoof wanted to be a part of?” This time, it was Tempest who buzzed in.

“One of my favourite legends from the Pillars, it was called the Mighty Helm,” Tempest said proudly, earning a ring from Twilight’s bell as she gave the correct answer. Trixie was now the only one left to score and was now in full game mode.

“What is the name of the Equestria-famous rollercoaster in Las Pegasus that the Wonderbolts are known to go on?” Trixie finally had her chance and buzzed in quickly.

“The Wild Blue Yonder!” Trixie burst out, “I know Las Pegasus like the back of my hoof! If you want to be the biggest performer in Equestria, you have to make it big there.” Twilight dinged her bell and changed the scoreboard so every contestant was level.

“Here is a multiple answer question for you all to have a go at,” Twilight told them, “You get one point for each correct answer, and you can buzz in whenever you want.” The group gave a nod of understanding and got ready for the question.

“Can you give me as many steps as you can for Winter Wrap Up in Ponyville? You don’t need to give them in order,” Twilight reassured. Tempest was the first to buzz in.

“Cut the ice at Saddle Lake equally and waking up the animals from hibernation,” Tempest said two correct answers. Trixie was the next to buzz in and say her answers.

“Bringing back the southern birds from their migration and plough the snow,” Trixie answered clearly. It was then that Sunset answered her part.

“The pegasi creates a twister to clear the snow and you also have to make nests for the arriving birds,” Sunset added her own part.

“You need to water the grass and spread the seeds ready for harvest in the autumn,” Sunset finished off the list.

“And that’s two points each!” Twilight clapped her hooves together, “That is good! That means we’re going to need more questions!” She pulled out some more questions, as well as a timer, “Who answers the most questions in the last thirty seconds will be the winner. Good luck contestants!” She set the timer, which started ticking away.

“What is the name of Flim and Flam’s contraption that was used during Cider Season?”

“The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy Six-Thousand,” Tempest answered quickly.

“What was Celestia’s paly used to celebrate?”

“Princess Celestia’s Ones-Versary when she first raised the sun,” Sunset answered next.

“What is the Wonderbolts’ motto?”

“Altius volantis, Soaring Higher,” Trixie answered rapidly.

“What is the name of the festival marking the defeat and reunion of the Royal Sisters?”
"The Summer Sun Celebration,” Tempest answered.

“What is the of the land that Chancellor Puddinghead wanted to name?”

“Earth!” Starlight answered.

“What is the name of castle in the Everfree Forest that Celestia and Luna once lived?”

“The Castle of the Two Sisters!” Starlight answered again, just in time as the timer rang loudly, signally that thirty seconds had gone.

“Congratulations, Starlight! You are the game’s winner!” Twilight congratulated her friend, who punched the air triumphantly.

“Thank you for joining us in the game, Twilight,” Tempest thanked, “And I hope you had fun answering the questions as well. We hope to see you all again soon, but from the studio, it’s good bye from all of us from the R.U.G.”

Chapter 78- Comforting Taste

“Welcome back to the show, every creature,” Trixie welcomed every creature to today’s program, “After all the tension and drama from the quiz, we are starving. So we are back in the studio kitchen with a special baking demonstration, this time by Tempest, who is baking something from her foalhood memory. Why don’t you tell us what we’re baking today, Tempest?” Tempest smiled and nodded.

“Today, I am going to show you, as well with all my friends here, how to bake the perfect yoghurt cake. The real magic is baking and cooking things out of love and care, and with a cake it’s no exception. I used to bake this with my friends back when I was just a filly,” Tempest introduced to everypony in the studio what they were baking.

“So without further ado, let’s begin baking,” Starlight started, “I sound just like Pinkie Pie after that. What do we need for the perfect yoghurt cake?”

“What you are going to need is two-hundred grams of plain yoghurt, forty-eight grams of vegetable oil, four eggs to separate the yolks and the whites, seventy grams of caster sugar, forty grams of plain flour, twenty-four grams of cornflour and one table spoon of vanilla extract. You will need a tray to put water to help keep the cake and oven moist as well as lots of mixing bowls for separation,” Tempest listed off what the group needed, which Sunset and Starlight levitated from the cupboards, shelves and fridge.

“First, preheat the oven to one-hundred and seventy degrees Celestius, and line a seven-inch round baking tin with parchment paper,” Tempest gave the first step, which Trixie got right into.

“Sunset, can you sieve together the plain and corn flour and set it aside?” Tempest asked, which Sunset nodded and started, “Meanwhile, in another bowl, I need to mix the vegetable oil and yoghurt together with a whisk.” Tempest got mixing until it was fully mixed together.

“Then you need to separate your eggs,” Tempest gestured to Starlight, who with her magic, did so with ease, “Now add the yolks one at a time to the yoghurt-oil mix, and I will mix them together each time.” Tempest and Starlight worked together to add the yolks in, Tempest stirring each time they were added. Sunset added a teaspoon of vanilla extract at the end of mixing.

“Trixie, now you add the flour mix into the yoghurt mix and continue mixing until smooth,” Tempest signalled Trixie to do so, which she nodded as she worked, “Me and Sunset will now work on the meringue mix that we will add at the end to help it rise.” Tempest and Sunset got another clean, dry mixing bowl.

“First, whisk the egg whites until bubbly and foamy. Then with the caster sugar, you add it bit-by-bit, mixing well each time before soft peaks form on the whisk,” Tempest explained, earning a confused look from Trixie.

“Soft peaks?” Trixie asked.

“The meringue mix will droop down to only side slightly,” Tempest chuckled, earning an ‘oh’ from Trixie.

“Like my hat?” Trixie gestured to her drooping hat,
“”Yes, like your hat,” Tempest rolled her eyes at Trixie’s comparison. The continued mixing until the peaks formed.

“Right everypony, all you need to do is fold it into the yoghurt mix at sperate times,” Starlight and Sunset did as they were instructed. Trixie started boiling some water in a kettle and poured around the tin until it was about an inch deep to keep the cake moist.

“It takes quite a while to bake, around an hour in fact, but I guarantee it will be worth the effort and wait,” Tempest told the others in optimism. Whilst the cake was baking, they decided to work together again to clean up the kitchen area.

“Whilst on the topic of cakes, what’s your favourite go to cake?” Tempest asked the others.

“A simple sponge will do for me any day,” Starlight licked her lips, “Though Pinkie’s party cupcakes are close.”

“I love a nice cool or cold cake,” Trixie smiled, “A nice smooth cheesecake, whatever the flavour or toppings, is my go-to on a hot day.”

“A heavy chocolate cake is my favourite,” Sunset smiled, “Biscuit crumb toppings is my favourite topping as well. The nice crumbs that give the cake an crispy side is so good!”

It was at that moment that the oven gave a ding, telling them it was ready. Tempest used the oven hoof-gloves to take it out, revealing a nice well risen yoghurt cake. Sunset took it out of the tin and they all helped themselves to a slice of the cake they baked together.

“Now this is a surprise,” Sunset poked the cake as if jiggled on contact, “It’s on the savoury yet sweet side all together.”

“Trixie approves immensely,” Trixie happily ate her slice.

“Thank you Tempest for showing us your favourite bake when you were a foal. We are going to enjoy our slice of goodness now, but we will be back soon for more tasty talks. Bye for now!” Starlight spoke as she ate.

Chapter 79- Liquid Gold

"The Running of the leaves have taken place, Princess Celestia's days are getting shorter and Rainbow Dash having a teary goodbye to Tank when he went into his hibernation are all the signs that Autumn is here in Equestria," Starlight observed as she, as well as the rest of the R.U.G. walked along a winding country path towards their destination on today's show.

“However, with earth ponies and those who own their own farm, the signs of Autumn mean something different,” Sunset continued, “It’s the start of harvest season. Although different crops will be ready at different times of the season, you can’t deny how hard our fellow earth ponies work to keep the land fertile and bountiful to feed the many hungry mouths across this land we call Equestria.”

“Which is why we are heading towards Sweet Apple Acres today for a demonstration of one of the farm’s most busiest times of the year, and maybe lend a helping hoof,” Trixie licked her lips in anticipation of what they’ve got planned for the program.

“Apart from Zap Apple Jam Season, Cider Season is also their most productive time of the year. Thousands of ponies from Ponyville and neighbouring villages camp out early to get a taste of the Apple Families’ renowned apple cider,” Tempest explained as they made their way past the main archway towards the barn, “They do things to good old way, because they believe that if you do things the right way, your work will speak for itself.”

“And speaking of the Apple Family, here’s Applejack to give a demonstration on how they make the best-tasting cider,” Starlight pointed to the farmpony, who tipped her hat as they trotted towards her.

“Well howdy y’all. Glad y’all are here to show you the right way of making cider,” Applejack winked and welcomed them into the barn, “Today, Ah’m gonna show you how we make the good strong stuff! That’s hard cider for y’all to understand and it ain’t something you want to give to foals.”

“Can’t wait to get started Applejack,” Sunset smiled, “Lead the way and we are willing to give whatever helping hoof.”

“That’s the spirit,” Applejack grinned, “Now let’s stop dilly-dawdling and let’s make ourselves some cider!” The group clapped their hooves together as Applejack lead them away.

“Starlight, you’re in quality control. You’re job is to make sure no bruised or nasty apples don’t get into our final product,” Applejack pointed to the baskets of freshly apple-bucked apples. Starlight gave a mock salute and took position, immediately sorting the good apples from the bad ones. Once she had done a decent amount to be moved onto the next stage, Applejack gave the signal to Tempest and Trixie.

“You two are on the treadmill. Usually Big Mac is in charge as he has double the horsepower than the rest of the family. You two will be the horsepower we need to get that grinder turnin’ and get those apples mushin’,” Applejack handed them a pair of running goggles, who took them and jumped onto the treadmill. Fastening their goggles, they first ran at a regular space to get the grinding wheel turning. When they got into a comfortable rhythm of running, they picked up the pace, the grinder beside them turning more rapidly.

“Sunset, you’ll be in charge of filling up the barrels, we need as many as we can in order to satisfy our customers, and every bit counts towards runnin’ a family farm and business yah know?” Sunset nodded and quickly took position in front of the tap and started filling once there was a trickle of cider coming out. Soon, everypony had found their rhythm and were stuck into helping the Apple Family’s business.

“So whilst we are working, why don’t you tell us what cider season means to you, Applejack?” Starlight asked while inspecting the apples. Applejack gave a warm smile.

“Cider Season is our final chance of makin’ as much bits as we can to keep us afloat. We are just getting by, but funning any farm is no mean feat. Our business was almost in risk of ruin when Flim and Flam came in with their machine thingy-ma-jig,” Applejack gave a stern frown at the memory.

“So I heard from Twilight,” Starlight chuckled, “And I don’t think they have learned their lessons from other attempts to make a quick profit.”

“Right back at yah,” Applejack winked, “Nothing says a good job well done than hard, honest work.” The group were almost done with the baskets of apples, and a considerable amount of cider was made. Eventually they finished, looking exhausted but pleased with their work.

“Good job y’all,” Applejack clapped her hooves at the R.U.G. ,”Now as a reward for your effort, why don’t Ah let you sample the cider.” The group got up and nodded eagerly at the idea. Applejack giggled and walked over to a barrel and poured some fresh cider into five mugs. The group gave a toast for their hard work and drank greedily into the foamy goodness. After a long sip, they all breathed a sigh of contentment.

“Now that was truly worth all the effort,” Starlight smiled dreamily, “I can see why the Apple Family does things this way, AJ. It’s made with love!”

“Thank you, kindly,” Applejack tipped her hat in gratitude.

“Well, we are going to finish up our mugs of liquid gold, but from Sweet Apple Acres, that’s all we have time for today. Hope to see you all again soon!” Sunset finished today’s show off.

Chapter 80- Deck Of Tricks

“Greetings everypony! It is I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, offering every creature some lessons in real magic!” Trixie introduced every creature to today’s show, whilst everypony in the room rolled their eyes.

“Prepare to be amazed as I will be your teacher on how to do three simple card tricks to become a great and powerful show-creature yourselves! All you will need is a pack of simple playing cards and a good sense of misdirection, the key to any successful magician like Moi!” Trixie handed everypony in the studio a pack of cards from her supply of magician tools, “I think the best way to do it is by giving you a demonstration and then actually showing you how to do it, okay?” She turned her attention to Sunset next to her.

“Sunset, the Great and Powerful Trixie has a pack of twenty-one cards. Can you check that they’re genuine playing normal cards?” Trixie used her magic to shuffle and fan the cards out so Sunset could check on them. Sunset gave a nod of confirmation. Trixie then put them in a pile.

“Now pick a card, any card! Look at it, but don’t tell me what it is” Trixie instructed Sunset loudly. Sunset chose one from the far left and looked at it and to the others in a way so it isn’t shown to Trixie. It was the eight of diamonds.

“Now put it back anywhere in the pile,” Trixie told Sunset, who placed the card in the far right this time.

“Trixie shuffles the cards so it’s perfectly mixed in. Trixie is now going to put them in three separate piles facing up and you need to keep an eye on your card,” Trixie began to separate them face-up. The eight of diamonds appeared on the first pile on the left. After completing the separating, Trixie then put them all together them and separated them into three piles again. Sunset’s card was now in the middle pile.

“Sunset, which pile has your card in?” Trixie wiggled her eyebrows. Sunset chuckled and pointed to the middle pile. Trixie then placed the cards back into one large pile and separated them, Sunset’s card being placed back into the middle pile again. Again, Sunset was asked to point to where her card was, which she pointed to the middle pile.

“Okay, so that we know that somewhere in this pile has your card, I am going to guess which one is yours,” Trixie told Sunset and the others what she was about to do. She then got the middle pile, stacking each card one after the other. When she reached the eight of diamonds, she selected it to everypony’s amazement.

“Is this your card?” Trixie smirked triumphantly, which Sunset nodded. Everypony clapped, though Starlight just smiled knowingly at Trixie’s showpony business.

“Impressive,” Sunset admired, “So, what is your secret?”

“Usually, a true magician never reveals her secrets, but for this tutorial, I can make an exception,” Trixie smiled, “This is a simple trick, unlike all the advanced things that I can do.”

“By advanced you mean smoke bombs, rabbits out of hats and flowers at the end of wands like you do?” Starlight mocked, causing Trixie to glare at her friend.
“Don’t forget, It was Trixie who escaped the Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive!” Trixie pointed her hoof at Trixie. Starlight rolled her eyes at that moment.

“I think you’ll find it was me that teleported you out of that manticore’s mouth on your Humble and Penitent Trixie's Equestrian Apology Tour,” Starlight shot back, causing Tempest to look at Starlight in surprise.

“That’s a long title to say out loud,” Tempest remarked.

“It’s a working title!” Trixie shouted in annoyance, “But we’re getting off-topic. Here is how you do the card trick I did with Sunset.” Everypony got their cards out at the ready, separating to get twenty-one cards each.

“The start is your basic magician’s saying, to pick a card, any card. You all can chose a card to practice on yourself,” Trixie started to explain, which they all drew a card each, “You also tell them to look at the card, but not to yourself.” The others nodded, waiting for her to continue.

“You then tell your target to put it back anywhere in the pile and you shuffle the deck,” Everypony did as Trixie instructed, shuffling the deck in their magic, or hooves in Tempest’s case.

“They you will separate them into three piles, so that’s seven in each one, telling your target to look out for their card. Once they point on which pile has their card,” Trixie instructed them. Everypony followed her step, keeping an eye for their card when separating.

“Then you ask them which pile has their card, and they are going to point to it, and now we get to the important part of the trick,” Trixie announced in a way to get everypony’s attention, “You are going to grab the pile to shuffle again, but when you grab the pile that contains their card, you are going to place it in-between the other two piles that don’t have their card.”

“So that’s why the card was in the middle all the time, because no matter where you put it in the middle of the other piles, it’s always going to be in the centre,” Sunset said in realisation. Trixie winked at Sunset.

“Here, you can raise the drama. Ask if they are sure that it has their card or point to the other piles to clarify it they are certain about it,” Trixie explained, “Nothing beats a good stage presence and acting.” Starlight rolled her eyes again at Trixie’s acting over the top acting skills, “It’s important that you do this three times.” They separated the cards out and their card was now in the left pile.

“The trick is that no matter what combination the cards are in, the eleventh card is always going to be their card,” Trixie explained. The others checked if what Trixie said was correct, and sure enough, the eleventh card of the pile was their card.

“Well how about that,” Starlight looked in surprise.

“And that, ponies, is how you do a simple card trick. You’re very welcome,” Trixie finished with a flourishing bow and tip of her hat.

“Well, thank you Trixie to her demonstration and lesson on how to do a simple card trick. We are going to take a break here for today, but we will be back soon for more great and powerful talks and fun,” Tempest mocked Trixie’s catchphrase slightly, earning a glare look on Trixie’s face.

Chapter 81- Fresh To Serve

"As you may or may not know," Sunset introduced every creature to the show for the day, "I work at the local Canterlot Mall in my world in order to make a decent amount to keep myself afloat. I started off with doing simple art commissions, like comic book art, paintings and small things here and there. However, I now work at a local sushi restaurant, either serving to customers, or in the kitchen. Today, we are in the studio kitchen so I can give a demonstration to the others on how to make the perfect sushi rolls.”

“Can’t wait to try something different,” Tempest rubbed her hooves together in anticipation, “In Equestria, sushi is a common dish in the region of Neighpan, but it’s common to see it in Sequestria and Mount Aris as the hippogriffs use it a lot as a common dish.”

“So what do we need to do first, Sunset?” Starlight asked.

“First, you need to do is to steam and heat some sticky rice, around five-hundred grams. You need to wash all the dust and starch off first and then add six-hundred and sixty millilitres of water and let it simmer for ten minutes,” Sunset instructed Starlight. Starlight did as she was told, lighting the stove with her magic and boiled the rice gently.

“Trixie, you can make the vinegar mix for the rice. All you need is one teaspoon of table salt, two teaspoons of sugar and four table spoons of rice vinegar. Just mix them all together so that it’s all dissolved and then we can add it to the rice,” Sunset pointed to the glass jug and items for mixing. Trixie got to it right away. Meanwhile, Starlight had finished boiling the rice and drained the excess water. She gave a smile as she checked the consistency of the rice, which was nice and sticky, yet showed individual grains.

“This is looking good already!” Trixie observed eagerly.

“Tempest, you can put the rice in a cold bowl to cool it and mix the vinegar mix in one spoonful at a time,” Sunset smiled, “I will get going on slicing the dry seaweed sheets and vegetables, ideally carrots and cucumbers are the classic vegetables, but some add pickled radishes or boiled beetroot for added colour.” Tempest nodded and started mixing the vinegar mix into the rice. Meanwhile, Sunset started scoring the seaweed into manageable sizes and sliced the vegetables into long strips. She used her magic to control the knives in smooth and precise movements.

“Now we are ready for assembling them,” Sunset smiled as all the prep was done, “Your nori, or dried seaweed sheets will have a shiny and rough side to them. We are going to put our rice on the rough side, with the shiny side on the rolling mat.” The others watched as Sunset placed the seaweed on the roller and used her magic to get some rice and place it on the seaweed, spreading it out until it was a thin layer.

“You can add whatever vegetables you want in the centre. I like carrots and pickled radishes in mine, so I will place them in the centre in one thin strip,” Sunset told the others, taking her desired vegetables in her magic and placed them along the middle. Then, she was ready to roll all of it together.

“To roll your sushi, All you need the side nearest to you to end up at the top your fillings. Just apply some pressure with your magic or hooves. Do a half-roll and apply the same pressure to form the final shape. They will be a little but of seaweed at the end, so just roll and apply pressure to seal it up.” She did as she instructed the others. Unfurling the sushi roller, there was a cylinder of sushi.

“You just have to cut it up evenly and carefully as you don’t want to squash it too much and then you have your own perfect homemade sushi,” Sunset began slicing them into bite-size pieces and presented them onto a plate.

“Why don’t you all have a go at adding your own combinations and rolling it out?” Sunset gestured to the others to have a go, which the nodded eagerly. Starlight had a spring onion and cucumber filling which she rolled up with ease. Trixie went for carrots and cucumber with a dash of soy sauce. Tempest went with some boiled beetroot, though rolling with hooves was tricky for her.

“For traditional dips, we have soy sauce, light vinegar and-“ Sunset listed, but was interrupted by Trixie.

“What is that green stuff?” Trixie pointed at the item in question.

“It’s called wasabi,” Sunset smiled, “But you only want a small bit of it because it’s super spicy stuff.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie fears no heat!” Trixie declared before smothering her sushi piece into the wasabi.

“Um, Trixie?” Starlight tried to save her friend, but she already plopped it into her mouth and started to chew. It took a few seconds before Trixie began running around the kitchen, panting like a dog for water. She went for the sink, plugging it and dipping her face in the water to relieve her herself.

“That reminds me when me, Pinkie and Twilight from CHS had sushi on the beach,” Sunset chuckled along with the others as they watched Trixie try and wash the heat off her mouth.

“I think it’s best we end our show here to save Trixie from embarrassment,” Starlight chuckled.

“Embarrassment has already been served,” Trixie moaned.

“We will see you all again soon,” Tempest laughed, “But for now, it’s goodbye from the R.U.G.”

Chapter 83- Solid Humour

“Under Pinkie Pie’s persistence, we have a very special guest with us today to talk about comedy,” Starlight felt her eye twitch on that.

“She is a very good friend of me and Starlight, as well as being Pinkie’s sister,” Trixie snickered, “And when Starlight meant ‘persistence,’ she went and repeatedly begged Starlight to have her on our show.”

“It took the fifth-sixth plea for me to finally agree,” Starlight mumbled. Sunset giggled at that image in her head.

“So, without further ado, please welcome to our show for her own comedy show with us on the R.U.G., Maud Pie!” Tempest tried to sound enthusiastic, but from hearing about Maud’s sense of humour and form of comedy, this was going to be a long day at the studio. The others clapped as Maud stood with a microphone opposite them.

“Hello,” Maud said in her usual monotone voice, “And welcome to my comedy show, hosted with the Reformed Unicorn Group.” She took a slight pause before starting her jokes.

“What did the mountain say to the volcano?” Maud asked the group. they simply blinked back with a beaten look.

“No offense, but you seem to be full of hot air,” Maud finished. There was dead silence. Pinkie, who was supporting her sister at the back, gave a roll of the drums. However, even that couldn’t save how flat that joke came out.

“I remember that time when Discord came to the gala, trying out this knock, knock joke. However, he seemed to be under a lot of pressure when I told him it was the most basic of jokes,” Maud continued.

“It would have been better if we were there to see it,” Starlight whispered, “It’s not everyday a pony gets the better of Discord other than Fluttershy.” The others nodded in agreement.

“Granite was charged for a crime and was sent to a court. However, the judge said that there wasn’t enough concrete proof for anything,” Maud pressed on.

“Good one Maud!” Pinkie giggled and gave another roll of the drums.

“They say humour is very subjective, but this is pushing that statement a little too far,” Tempest whispered to Sunset, “And I can’t believe that Maud and Pinkie Pie are related.”

“You and me both,” Sunset snickered.

“Never trust sandstone to be a good support for buildings, you need to state on a clean slate,” Maud and then turned to Pinkie, “Solid crowd to please these days right?”

“Tell me about it,” Pinkie giggled. The R.U.G. tried to give a genuine smile at her attempts. Starlight swore she heard her listeners snoring all around Equestria.

“I even received a compliment from Rainbow that I was a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an igneous,” Maud retold, “She seemed to be that pony who always wanted to win, but when I told her I wasn’t into winning that much, I think I eroded her that day.” That time Trixie tried to hold back a giggle.

“What’s so funny?” Tempest hissed, “That Rainbow made a rock pun, Rainbow being told somepony didn’t like to win or the actual pun?”

“That Rainbow was told somepony didn’t like to win,” Trixie snickered, “Imagine the look on her face at that revelation.”

“Speaking of igneous rocks, you should never waste your time with them,” Maud told her audience, “You want to know why?”

Dead silence.

“They will just ignore you. However, sapphires are crystal clear about anything. I like listening to the sound of crystals ringing because of it.”

“I think we’re a blank slate when it comes to these jokes, don’t you think?” Trixie slightly mocked at Starlight.

“Don’t you start as well,” Starlight whispered back.

“Trixie, you weren’t the best baker at the sunset festival when Silverstream went missing, though you had me at petrified with the cake and the whole business with cockatrices,” Maud turned to Trixie. Trixie could only give a hard glare at that, causing Starlight to giggle.

“Now that was funny,” Starlight said, “Although, Maud, you over Mudbriar when he was stone was something else.”

“He was more than a loveable hunk that night,” Maud, somehow, managed to give a dreamy smile. That caused everypony to get uncomfortable. Pinkie gave a roll on the hi-hat at that remark.

“I love my sisters and all, though Marble sometimes loses her marbles when she finds herself in an awkward situation,” Maud talked about her family, “Limestone is more lime than stone at times, but if you weathered her down, you will find a protective sister who looks out for us and the farm.”

“Nice one, Maud!” Pinkie hit the double toms.

“Thank you, Pinkie, and that was my time. Thank you for listening to my puns today on the R.U.G. and thank you to the hosts for allowing me to come onto the show today.”

“It was a pleasure,” Sunset gave a strained smile. Pinkie hopped next the Maud, giving her sister a big hug.

“Isn’t my sister the best comedian ever?!” Pinkie asked loudly.

“Now that’s the best joke we had today!” Trixie half-mocked, causing Starlight to jab her on the side.

“It was a lovely performance, Maud,” Starlight came to the rescue. Pinkie joined the hosts.

“Thank you so much! Look how happy she is!” They turned to look at Maud’s blank look.

“I think we can call it a day,” Tempest decided to end it there before it became more awkward, “We will see you all again very soon, but for now, have a great day and it’s goodbye from us on the R.U.G!” Sunset was quick to switch off the air button.

Chapter 84- Off The Pages

“Hope you have your creative minds for today’s crafts session,” Starlight welcomed every creature to another edition of the R.U.G., “Today’s crafts session is brought to you by Sunset again. So showed us painting and street art, so why don’t you introduce to us what we are doing today?” The group turned to Sunset who smiled and clapped her hooves together.

“Today, I am going to show you all pop and comic art,” Sunset smiled as she got out sets of card paper, stencils, coloured pens, pencils and rulers, “I love drawing little comic strips of me and the girls on our adventures.”

“Adventures like you fighting Equestrian magic in your world?” Tempest asked in curiosity.

“From time to time,” Sunset explained, “But also of small adventures as well. There was this one time we were at the mall thinking of having cupcakes, when all of a sudden, someone was robbing a jewellers shop. We pony-ed up and went after the robber.”

“Sounds thrilling!” Trixie leaned closer, “Did you manage to capture the thief?”

“We cornered him, and I used my empathy to see why he was robbing a jewellers shop. I just wanted to impress his girlfriend of all things, but he had to have time behind bars. We got our cupcakes as a well-earned treat.”

“Anyways, let’s get creating,” Starlight urged the group on before pausing, “I sounded like Rarity didn’t I?” The others nodded with knowing smiles.

“So what is the best way to do pop comic art, Sunset?” Tempest looked at the various craft tools with interest of where today’s show was going.

“First, let’s start with fonts and letters,” Sunset smiled, “You can use the stencils with letters, or go freestyle.” The others chose to go free style.

“The best way to start is with a pencil to create an outline of the letter and font. The fonts should reflect the mood, sound or movement,” Sunset explained, “Forever, if Rainbow Dash is going fast, you want something that shows her speed like zoom, zap or whoosh. Then you need to decide the font. For something like going fast, you may want something with sharp lines and corners. Something bold and pops out of the page, like as if Rainbow Dash is flying out of the page.”

Sunset began drawing Rainbow Dash flying with a pencil in her magic, the others leaning in to get a good look at Sunset doing her work. Sunset drew a determined look on Rainbow Face, also with a hint of confidence. She included a sharp rainbow trail from behind her. She then went over the pencil lines with a black marker, colouring Rainbow’s body, cutie mark, mane and tail in the right colour and order.

She then went to the rainbow trail coming off from Rainbow to add the font. She decided to include the word ‘zoom’ at the back. She first added sharp lines for each letter with sharp corners. She also drew some indicators of highlights for the letters. After going over the pencil line with the black marker, she coloured the letters in red and lighter red for the highlights. She then turned her attention to the background.

“For the background, colour and shading are key. You want a colour that also reflects what the reader should feel and the character. Shading helps your character stand out as well as the texts to help draw the reader’s attention to them,” Sunset further explained before continuing with her work.

She chose a light yellow background and shaded around the letters and Rainbow Dash dark, moving to a light yellow the further away she went. For the rainbow trail, she chose a lighter colour of each colour to fade away from where the prismatic pegasus was flying. Finally, she added shards of broken glass around Rainbow Dash, first doing them in pencil and a thin black marker. She shaded the glass in a light blue.

When she finished, it looked as if Rainbow was flying off the page. The others gave claps of appreciation and admired Sunset’s work.

“You made it look so easy,” Tempest complimented, “Doubt we’ll be any good on the first go.”

“Like all things, it took a lot of time, patience and practice,” Sunset waved a hoof, “I’m not expecting you to be great at this on the first go, but let’s see what we can do for one crafts session.” The others nodded at started on their piece of work, copying the steps Sunset took for her example work.

Trixie, as usually, made a piece of herself in a dramatic standing pose, with multi-coloured fireworks around her. She included the words, boom, pop and bang to show the sounds of the fireworks going off. Her cape and hat was flying in some breeze as she stood proudly in front of a blurred audience. Sunset chuckled, expecting something like this from Trixie, then turned her attention to Tempest’s work. She quirked an eyebrow at what she saw.

Tempest wanted to show her travels in and beyond Equestria, telling every creature the news of the Storm King’s defeat. She chose a moment when she was trekking across the harsh outland deserts. Tempest was down and hunched over, panting sounds coming from her mouth and sweat dripping from her body. The font was slack and drooping, as if the letters were going to drizzle down the page. The background showed the heat of the desert, Tempest choosing hot colours of reds, oranges and yellows, a white baking sun in the background as well.

“This was a time where I whished I had taken off my old Storm King armour,” Tempest chuckled wryly, “Although, I am thankful to Rarity for making me a scarf when I went to the cold places.” Sunset giggled, knowing Rarity’s skills, before turning her attention to Starlight’s work.

Starlight chose to do herself practising magic, reading off a book. She was sitting down, her horn glowing and tendrils of light turquoise emitting off of it. The words she chose to convey the scene were fizzle, zap and sparkle, showing the way the magic moved on the paper. The fonts were in a slithering movement, following the actions of the magic lights. Her background was dark to highlight herself in the middle of the paper and the light of her magic.

“You’ve all done a great job, everypony,” Sunset clapped as their time drawing came to an end, “I’m sure we can display all our work in Ponyville’s café. I have even been asked by Cheerilee from Ponyville’s day school if I would take up a arts and crafts class with the foals.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Starlight smiled as she, and the others, admired each other’s works, “Well, hope you were inspired to have a go and pop and comic art too every creature. That is all we have time for on the Reformed Unicorn Podcast group, and we hope to see you all again soon!”

Author's Note

Hello everyone,

So I'm back on Deviantart and Fimfiction. Had a lovely weekend break with the family, visiting the Southwest of England, Stonehenge, Salisbury and Bath. I'll continue writing here and post stuff on DA.

Thank you for your patience,

Quoterific

Chapter 85- Mix Things Up

“Today’s special edition on the R.U.G. is brought to you by our Tempest,” Sunset welcomed every listener back to the show, “So, Tempest, what are you going to show us today?”

“We are live, coming to you from Ponyville’s bar to show you a little job that I’ve been doing to make ends meet after my travels, telling the many creatures about the Storm King’s defeat. When Starlight and the others told me about their idea of the R.U.G., I had to stop travelling and find a place to settle and work in Ponyville,” Tempest told her story.

“And how are you settling into Ponyville?” Sunset asked.

“The town is warm and welcoming, and everypony is eager to make new friends,” Tempest chuckled, “I think it’s Pinkie rubbing off on everypony. Settling in was no issue, and quickly there was an opening at Ponyville’s bars and cafes. As my other name, Fizzlepop Berrytwist, suggest, I made myself useful by serving drinks and cocktails.”

“So what are you going to serve on the show for us today?” Trixie joked lightly.

“I am going to serve you different cocktails that I have learnt at my time in Ponyville as well as on my travels. I got my cutie mark whilst making punches and juices during the Summer Sun Celebration fireworks, hence my fireworks being juice droplets,” Tempest continued on.

“We are all of age to drink, and we are sticking the Equestrian laws,” Starlight reassured their listeners.

“That’s sounds great. I don’t know about you, but talking all the time sure makes the throat high and dry,” Sunset said, which the others nodded in agreement, “What’s a bartenders’ tool for a great cocktail?”

“There are several actually,” Tempest reached under the bench and pulled out several items, “Shakers are used for controlling mixing and produces a nice foamy finish. There are different strainers for separating bits of ice. Bar spoons are for mixing as well as for measuring small portions liquids. Jiggers are a bartender’s measuring cups, muddlers to get oils out of fruit skins or crush ice and a peeler for finishing off the drink with fruit.”

“I hear that ice is important as well, right?” Trixie rubbed a hoof with a chin.

“You are right as well,” Trixie nodded, pointing to the freezer, “You can get great alcohol mixes, fresh fruits and juices, but if you put a piece of stinky ice from your freezer, it will taste like you literally got it out from the freezer. What is recommended is to pick out a bag of ice, ask a friendly unicorn to freeze some fresh, clean water or if you are in the big city, you can get dense cubes or crushed ice.”

“So without further ado, what drinks would you recommend for each of us?” Starlight asked.

“For you Starlight, I’m thinking of something sweet with a nice punch. I am going to make you something called a bramble. It’s a crushed iced drink with lemon, sugar and a dash of spirit. Before we add the spirit so there isn’t too much liquid in the glass, we are going to muddle some berries.” Tempest got to work, putting a cup of lemon, sugar and spirit in, adding some blackberries and muddling them individually into the shaker.

“Now I can add our two ounce, or fifty-five grams of gin and shake to incorporate them all together,” She closed the shaker and shook it vigorously like a professional bartender, “You pour it into a chilled glass, fill two-thirds with crushed ice and garnish with a blackberry so the customer knows what they are drinking.” She did as she said, finishing off with a fresh blackberry and a cold metal straw. Starlight took the drink and slurped on the straw. A happy shiver came down her body.

“You’re definitely a good bartender, Tempest,” Starlight complimented, “This drink is delicious. Hint of alcohol balancing nicely with the berries. What’s it called again?”

“A bramble, and I’m glad you liked it,” Tempest thanked for the compliment before turning to Sunset for her drink, “For Sunset, I’m thinking a mint julep.”

“Whatever you recommend,” Sunset waved a hoof, “Seeing you work on Starlight’s cocktail is making me thirsty.”

“For a mint julep, you are going to need a lot of leaves,” Tempest cut some stems off a fresh mint potted plant, “I think it’s best to use the bottom leaves so you can use the top ones as a garnish. You are going to need about fifteen leaves.” She pulled some leaves off and placed them in a metal cup.

“You need a sugarcube to start the abrasion process to get the mint oils out and a dash of simple syrup. I’m going to muddle the drink, but not too much. You just need to spread the mint around the inside. You need seventy grams of bourbon whiskey and add two-thirds the way up with crushed ice,” Tempest explained as she worked, “Mix them with the mixing spoon, or swizzle it, then garnish with mint leaves. It can be finished with a hint of rum on top.” She presented the finished cocktail to Sunset.

“And there you go, a wonderful mint julep,” Tempest presented, which Sunset immediately took in her magic and drank happily.

“Minty and fresh for the tastebuds,” Sunset smiled, “This tastes great!” Tempest then finally turned to Trixie.

“Can you create a drink that is as great and as powerful as the very pony sitting opposite you?” Trixie challenged. Tempest nodded with a smirk.

“For something sharp and magical for the tastebuds, I’m going to do a Ramos gin fizz. It’s a citrus spilt of lemon and lime juice and a couple drops of orange flower water,” Tempest explained as she worked, “I’m now adding some simple syrup, then we come to the special part.”

“What’s so special about this drink?” Starlight asked as she finished her cocktail in curiosity.

“It has a meringue, so we are adding egg whites into it. With some heavy cream, add fifty-five grams of gin and egg white for a foamy top,” Tempest explained, separating an egg’s yolk and whites.

“I never knew you can add egg whites to a cocktail,” Starlight observed. Trixie looked a little disturbed.

“It may sound strange, but trust me, you’ll like it,” Tempest reassured, “You need to do a dry shake to form the meringue. You got to shake it for a while, which is why it used to be a multi-hoofed task.” She opened the shake and inspected it.

“Now we have a meringue forming, I’m adding a big dense cube of ice and shake it again,” Tempest continued, shaking it vigorously, “Use a strainer to separate the drink into a chilled glass, and chill it for a few minutes in the fridge.” She put it in the fridge.

“Now I’m really thirsty,” Trixie half-complained.

“Patience, perfection can’t be rushed you know,” Tempest winked.

“You sound like Applejack now,” Trixie said through gritted teeth as she tapped on the bench. Tempest took the drink out from the fridge.

“Now you can see two distinct layers of the meringue forming,” Tempest indicated, “And if you put a straw in, it should stay upright. Take some seltzer, and there is your Ramos gin fizz.” Trixie immediately took the drink in her magic and slurped greedily on the straw.

“Who knew egg whites and cocktails go well together,” Trixie smiled.

“Thank you for showing us your job away from the studio, Tempest,” Sunset thanked, “And that is all we have time for on the R.U.G. today. Hope that inspired you to order something different the next time to go out to Manehattan or Canterlot, but for now, it’s goodbye from us.”

Chapter 86- Twister Season

“It’s a very special time for Ponyville and Cloudsdale today,” Tempest introduced every listener back to the show, “As Ponyville, once again, has been selected to provide water for Cloudsdale.”

“For those who don’t know, every living thing depends on the life-giving nourishment of rainwater, and it is up to Cloudsdale to provide rain-filled clouds to every corner of Equestria. Now some of you creatures, might ask, how does the water go from the ground and up into Cloudsdale?”

“The answer is tornado power,” Sunset continued from where Tempest left off, “A team of pegasi combine their wing power to create a jumbo tornado, powerful enough to pull water out of the local reservoir and funnel it all the way up to Cloudsdale.”

“However, the pegasi must reach the maximum of eight-hundred wing-power to lift that water up to Cloudsdale. Keeping track of how much wing-power is none other than the Princess of Friendship herself, Twilight Sparkle, and her number one assistant Spike, ” Starlight welcomed Twilight to the show.

“Please,” Twilight giggled, “We are all friends here. There’s no need to be so formal.”

“As you wish, Twilight,” Sunset teased, “Now tell us how are you going to measure how much wing power the pegasi of Ponyville are flying when they are creating the twister.” Twilight pointed to the large windmill-like contraption to the side of the reservoir.

“This is an anemometer. It measures your accelerative velocity and translates it into wing power, thus gauging your cumulative H2O anti-gravitational potential. Any other questions?” Twilight said effortlessly without a single need to breathe. This resulted in many blank confused stares from the R.U.G.

“I have a question,” Trixie turned to Spike, “What does it do again?” Spike huffed.

“It tells you how fast you're flying and how strong your wings are,” Spike simply answered. This earned a sound of understanding from the hosts. Twilight, on the other hoof, huffed in annoyance.

“Why can’t ponies appreciate true scientific terminology for once,” She muttered under her breath. This caused Spike to chuckle, earning a slight bump on the head from Twilight.

“Of course, the pegasi need a pony who can command the pegasi what they need to do, and who else than the most awesome leader there is, Rainbow Dash.”

“Awesome is correct,” Rainbow puffed her chest out proudly, “I was in charge of the last tornado for Cloudsdale, and the pegasi have asked for me to lead them again.”

“And Fluttershy, it’s a surprise to see you doing the tornado as well,” Sunset turned to the timid pegasus.

“Yes, I was hesitant to do it the last time, due to my past with bullying and self-doubt. But I learned that my contribution was all that mattered, no matter how small I put in. I beat my record at the lap during this tornado, and I hope to do better this time,” Fluttershy hoped. The others smiled at her confidence boost.
“Well, we all wish you, Rainbow and the rest of the pegasi the best of luck,” Starlight turned to the rest of the pegasi, all wearing goggles and were waiting patiently in a line to begin. Some were flexing their wings and stretching, rearing to get this tornado started.

“Alright everypony,” Tempest announced on a megaphone, “You may begin at the sound of the horn from Spike.” Trixie gave the signal to Spike, who blew into the horn. One by one, a pegasus took the air, circling around the large reservoir of water. As more pegasi joined, they became a blur. Twilight kept track on the anemometer all the time.

“One hundred and fifty wing-power, two-hundred wing-power, three hundred wing-power,” Twilight countered up, following the arrow as it went to each number. By the four-hundred wing-power mark, the R.U.G. were struggling to grip the ground to their hooves. They had to dig deep to find purchase. Trixie’s hat came flying off, much to the magician’s annoyance.

At the five-hundred mark, Sunset was the first to go, rolling back and colliding with a nearby tree. Sunset gripped the tree and microphone in her magic. At the Six-hundred mark, Trixie went, this time crashing into Twilight. Cloak flying in Twilight’s face, she pushed the cloak aside and tried to stay focused on the numbers. It was only Tempest and Starlight who were left standing.

“First one to go buys lunch for us,” Starlight grunted, trying to ground down against the air resistance.

“You’re on,” Tempest similarly struggled for the words to form from her mouth.

“Six-hundred and fifty wing-power, seven-hundred wing-power!” Twilight shouted above the whirling sound of the wind. The R.U.G, Twilight and Spike could just make out the water forcing its way upwards.

“Seven-hundred wing-power, eight-hundred wing-power!” Twilight shouted triumphantly. When the water hit the eight-hundred wing-power mark, it shot out of the twister, arched around and landed outside the weather factory in Cloudsdale. Tempest lost her grip, tumbling backwards and crashing into Sunset at the tree. Spike blew the horn a final time, giving the signal for all the pegasi to depart from the tornado. Every pegasi landed safely, thumping the ground with a hoof in applaud for everypony’s effort. Rainbow Dash landed softly, finishing off in a triumphant pose.

However, there was one pegasi missing. Everypony looking up, they found Fluttershy, still flying in fast circles. Rainbow chuckled, forming a cloud and helping her friend with a soft landing.

“Just like last time,” Rainbow smirked, causing Fluttershy to blush slightly.

“Well, it looks like I’m getting lunch after that display,” Tempest groggily got on her hooves, “A big congratulations to every pegasi involved, no matter how big or small your contribution was. That’s all we have time for today on the R.U.G. Hope to see you all again soon!”

Chapter 87- Fried And Fine

"Today's cooking demonstration is brought to you by non-other than Trixie,” Sunset introduced every listener back to the show. They were in the studio kitchen again, waiting to see what Trixie had planned for the day.

“Thank you one and all. The Great and Powerful Trixie will be showing our lovely listeners how to make the best doughnuts. After a long day on the road, nothing beats making your own day at the end of the day and frying them on an open fire,” Trixie gave a hungry look at the image of frying doughnuts on the campfire. The others snickered at her look.

“Great,” Starlight urged her on, “So what do we need to make great and powerful doughnuts that are just as great and powerful as yourself?” Starlight mocked lightly. Trixie pretended that she didn’t hear that joke.

“Great question, fellow friend,” Trixie smirked, “To make the best doughnut dough, we are going to bloom some yeast in warmed milk at one-hundred and ten degrees Celestius. Let that rest for around ten minutes,” Tempest got to it, warming some milk her magic sparks lightly, Sunset adding the yeast in and stirring the mixture gently.

“Starlight, you can add one teaspoon of sugar and one-and-a-quarter teaspoon of dry yeast. Then we are going to measure out our dry ingredients.” Starlight did as she was instructed whilst Trixie set up the scales to measure their next ingredients out.

“We are measuring out three-hundred and fifty grams of all-purpose flour, seventy-five grams of white plain sugar and one teaspoon of table salt. Whisk them all together before we add our wet ingredients.” Trixie measured the ingredients out into a separate mixing bowl and whisked them all together.

“For the wet ingredients, we need three large egg yolks and mix in our milk-yeast mix,” Starlight commanded Starlight to do. Starlight separated the yolks from the whites and added the milk-yeast mix, which had bloomed and increased in size.

“Gently combine them all together with a wooden spoon until it forms a single shaggy mass,” Starlight instructed Tempest, who had the wooden spoon in her hoof. Tempest continued to stir the mix whilst Sunset got the benchtop ready, flouring it lightly. Tempest but the dough mass onto the benchtop, which Starlight began to knead for eight minutes.

“We are now going to place it back into bowl, cover and let it rest for around one hour, or when it has doubled in size.” Trixie instructed as she covered the dough back into the bowl and placed it at the back of the studio kitchen.

“While it rises, I guess it’s the perfect time to make our fillings, right?” Sunset licked her lips. Trixie giggled and nodded.

“We are going to start with a vanilla crème pate. We are going to combine three large egg yolks to one whole egg, eighty-five grams of sugar, and thirty-five grams of corn starch. Whisk it all together until smooth and creamy, then add a dash of vanilla paste as we don’t want to have a strong vanilla flavour. Continue mixing until you get a smooth ribbon when you lift the whisk out,” Trixie told Sunset as she stirred. Tempest started lightly boiling some milk and added it to the mix, not wanting to overboil the mix to cause the eggs to scramble.

“Return the mixture back on the stove, mix the vanilla mix on medium-low heat. Wisk consistently until nice, creamy and thick,” Trixie told them as they each took it in turns to mix and keep an eye on the stove fire heat. When that was done, they poured the crème pate into a bowl and placed the foil directly on top to prevent a skin forming. They let it cool for around one to two hours.

“Let’s go back to our dough,” Trixie got from behind them, which had risen beautifully, “Sunset, you can roll it out into around until it’s around one-and-a-half inch in thickness.” Sunset nodded, lightly flouring the benchtop again and rolling the dough out. Tempest got a biscuit cutter and cut them out into donut-sized circles. Placing them on a dusted baking tray, they allowed them to rise for another forty-five minutes. Whilst waiting, Trixie got the oil ready for frying.

“Place the risen circles in the oil when the vegetable oil reaches one-hundred and eighty degrees Celestius and they should float immediately. Flip them every forty-five minutes and soon they are ready to be removed and drained on a wired rack. Allow them to cool, but enough to cover them in sugar while still warm.” Tempest got to it immediately, frying, flipping and drying the doughnuts. Sunset covered them in sugar. Starlight, wanted to make a chocolate glaze for some of them that Pinkie taught her.

“For a chocolate glaze, add one-hundred and fifteen grams of chopped chocolate with a sixty millilitres of steaming whole milk, a shot of expresso powder and a couple table spoons of corn starch. Add it to piping bag and add the cooled crème pate. Make a whole with a normal knife to insert the piping nuzzle and fill so it’s not bursting,” Starlight instructed her part, which Trixie got to it.

“Then cover the doughnuts with the chocolate glaze and allow it to set no more than twenty minutes.”

“My favourite filling is a simple strawberry jam, so with a different piping bag, add some seedless jam that Strawberry Sunrise provided us,” Tempest got out a pot of jam and poured it into a piping bag, “like the vanilla crème pate, add jam the same way as before.” Sunset did the jam doughnuts as Tempest instructed.

“And there you go,” Trixie finished off, dusting herself off from the flour and sugar, “vanilla filled chocolate-glazed doughnuts, and jam-filled doughnuts!” Everypony dug in after a hard day’s work, mourning in pleasure at the taste of their creations.

“And on that delicious, sweet note, we are done for today at the R.U.G. Hope you enjoyed this demonstration and wishing that this has inspired you to trying to make something of your own,” Tempest finished off, “But for now from the R.U.G. it’s goodbye from us at the studio.”

Chapter 88- Holiday Feeling

“It’s been a while since we had a chat in our normal studio lounging area,” Starlight sighed as she wiggled in her seat to get comfy. The R.U.G. were sat in their usual places in the studio. They weren’t in the studio kitchen, outside with a demonstration, or in the crafts area for one of Sunset’s art tutorials. They were going to do what a chat show and podcast is all about, and that was talking.

“I have always wondered out of the group, what is your favourite holiday in Equestria? Equestria has many holidays, festivals and traditions, so I’m just putting it out there,” Starlight continued. The others thought long and hard, Tempest tapping a hoof to her chin, Sunset rubbing her head with a hoof and Trixie looking off.

“Ponyville is no exception when it comes to festivals. There are appreciation days, like with Applejack, Pinkie Pie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, weird occasions and wonderful parties, provided by a certain pink party pony which we all know,” Trixie pondered, causing the group to chuckle knowingly at who Trixie was implying. Eventually, it was Tempest who spoke up first.

“As a foal, was always loved Nightmare Night. It was the chance to dress up as something spooky, like a changeling, manticore or timberwolf and go out trick-or-treating with friends. The market square is transformed into something out of a horror movie or drama, with markets and play stalls,” Tempest elaborated with enthusiasm.

“The same thing happens in Ponyville,” Starlight explained, “If we’re very lucky, Princess Luna comes down for a visit, scaring foals in her Nightmare Moon form. There are lots of stalls, like spider tossing, pumpkin catapults and apple bobbing, provided by-“

“Let me guess, Applejack?” Trixie smiled knowingly.

“That is correct,” Starlight giggled.

“In that case, I might participate in the next Nightmare Night,” Tempest contemplated on that.

“I’m sure Twilight would be delighted to have you join the town,” Starlight nodded. Trixie was next to answer the question.

“Hearth’s Warming turns Equestria into a live winter wonderland,” Trixie smiled with a dreamy face, “Foals playing, carols being sung and the mad dash to get the best give for somepony.”

“I never truly appreciated Hearth’s Warming until Twilight read me A Hearth’s Warming Tail. Now appreciating the holiday as it is truly special,” Starlight mused, “It more than what the gits is, it’s more than the cold weather and the snow and it’s definitely more than enjoying all the delicious food. It’s about spending the holidays with friends and family that makes the holiday complete.” The others nodded in agreement.

“The Summer Sun Celebration would be mine,” Sunset smiled, “Seeing the sun rise when Celestia rose it is what inspired me to pursue magic, just like Twilight Sparkle herself. I has meant different things, from the banishment of Nightmare Moon, to the Reunion of the Royal Sisters. It means that life never really ends, it’s the start of something new out of the bad of it. We have all been on that journey.”

“Winter Wrap Up is like that as well,” Starlight thought out loud, “Remembering and saying goodbye to the old season, and preparing to welcome in a new season, Spring. I helped with some of the preparations, snow ploughing. I heard Twilight had a bit of an accident with that one.”

“Twilight told me,” Sunset giggled, “She overdid it with a Come-To-Life spell on the snow plough, ploughed through Applejack and Spike and triggered an avalanche, doubling the earth ponies workload.” That caused the group to have a good laugh. Trixie then had a sly smile as she turned to Starlight as she was sipping on a cup of cold water.

“Let me guess, is it Hearts and Hooves Day? Looking to spend some quality time with a special somepony, hint, hint, wink?”

It had the deserved effect, Starlight spewing the water from her mouth. Coughing and spluttering, a deep blush, she gave a glare at Trixie’s direction. If looks could kill, Trixie would be noting more than a pile of ashes, with a singed cape and hat.

“N-no!” Starlight coughed, “It’s actually Winter Wrap Up actually. All this preparing for a new season is something enjoyable, and as I said, I loved helping around Ponyville!”

“Shame, Heart’s and Hooves Day seemed the perfect holiday for you…” Trixie trailed off, earning another glare from Starlight.

“Well, thank you every listener, for your time. What is your favourite holiday? Be sure to comment via Dragonfire. That is all we have time for on the R.U.G. and we hope to see you all again soon!” Tempest decided to finish. For some reason, the room temperature has risen under Starlight’s hard glare and Trixie’s smirk.

“Are you two going to fight?” Sunset asked as she glanced between the two.

“No,” Trixie said slowly, “This is a podcast aimed around friendship, and we are not going to set a bad example to our listeners, aren’t we Starlight?”

“Indeed,” Starlight smile got bigger as she said through gritted teeth, “Me and Trixie are the best of friends.”

Tempest decided to switch the air button off before things get heated up.

Chapter 89- Duel At Dawn

“So in case you fellow listeners are wondering what is happening, Trixie went too far again, and now has challenged Starlight to a magic duel at dawn, similar to what the wizards of old would do to settle a dispute,” Sunset explained. The R.U.G were outside in an open field on the outskirts of Ponyville. A crowd has over gathered, after hearing what went on the show and that Trixie was bold enough to put posters around the town and up on the town hall notice board. The element bearers were present as well. Twilight facehoofed, remembering her duel, even though it was with a magial amulet used by Trixie. The R.U.G. also asked the Princess of Friendship to be the judge of the duel. She wanted to settle this in a friendship-problem way, but at the look they gave, she reluctanly caved in.

“One does love to see fireworks, but not the kind I do,” Tempest snickered, “Though I think we know the winner already.”

“Alright,” Twilight huffed, sounding reluctant to do this, “On my right is Starlight Glimmer, and on the left is Trixie. The duel will start at the drop of the white handkerchief, which is when a unicorn will draw the first spell the quickest, and the other unicorn will have to counter it. It will continue back and forth until one unicorn is unable to duel anymore. Is that understood?” She turned to Starlight and Trixie who nodded in understanding.

“May the best spellcaster win. One, two, three…” Twilight dropped the handkerchief. Starlight was the quickest to draw her magic, channelling it and unleashing a sharp lazer-beam towards Trixie. Trixie was quick to react, releasing her smoke bombs, she disappeared in a puff of smoke, appearing with another bang next to where Starlight should have hit.

“That was unexpected, but a brilliant display of her show-skills by Trixie,” Sunset observed.

“Just like when she used them in Chrysalis’ old hive,” Starlight muttered. Trixie was next, levitating decks of cards and aiming them at Starlight. With her magic, Starlight cut them into paper origami butterflies, which fluttered around Starlight.

“It will cost me a lot to re-supply those cards!” Trixie shouted back.

“Then you shouldn’t have used them. What’s wrong? Ran out of tricks?” Starlight mocked back before lifting the entire water out of a pond and flung it at Trixie. Taking a bunch of flowers, Trixie transformed them into teacups, catching the water without a single drop landing on her.

“Thank you for teaching me that one!” Trixie said triumphantly.

“That’s new,” Tempest watched. By now, the crowd was cheering. Twilight just rolled her eyes. It was like the Iron Pony Competition between Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but with magic instead of sheer strength. Trixie was the next attacker, shooting her magic fireworks at Starlight, who blocked them with a shield. Twilight smiled at that one, remembering her magic lessons with Starlight.

“This duel is getting more interesting,” Tempest admired, “They are using their skills really well there.”

“Starlight should have the magical advantage, but Trixie is using her experience as a performer well,” Sunset looked back and forth between the two duelist.

Starlight was the next attacker, summoning a dark storm cloud and focusing a sharp lightning bolt at Trixie. With another smoke bomb, Trixie was gone and reappeared again, levitating several large mirrors. She levitated them around Starlight and fixed them to the ground. Now Starlight was seeing multiple Trixies, but one had the real Trixie reflected back. In frustration she used her laser to break them.

“You are going to be one unlucky pony after this duel,” Trixie laughed, “Stating with you losing this duel!”

“I should let you write a report at my counsel office,” Starlight smiled wickedly, “It’ll be called how to lose to a true magic user!”

“Fighting talk!” Sunset smiled.

“You are talking like when you were battling Chrysalis,” Trixie mocked, “Why don’t you show me what you’re made of!”

“Gladly,” Starlight countered with summoned flying pies.

“Glad they were for Trixie and not for me,” Rainbow laughed in the crowd.

“One day,” Pinkie muttered, “One day I will see you eat one.”

Trixie transformed the into showering roses, bowing towards the crowd as they fell around her. The crowd gave another applause. Trixie then turned to the crowd and shot some of her wands at Starlight. She countered them, transforming them into confetti. She levitated the confetti pieces to Pinkie.

“You can use them for your party canons for supplies,” Starlight winked at Pinkie.

“Thanks!” Pinkie shouted and sniffed them, “And they’re cupcake-scented, like the ones Maud gave me on our gift swap!”

Starlight delivered the final blow, showering Trixie with apples that exploded to sauce, much to Applejack’s horror. Trixie was covered with sauce from hat to cape, a gagging look on her face before fainting in a pool of sauce. The crowd cheered as Twilight checked Trixie over.

“Trixie is unable to duel any further, the winning of this duel is Starlight!”

“I heard an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but this is ridiculous,” Applejack huffed.

“Learned that from Yona,” Starlight triumphantly smirked, “Applesauce is quite effective at creating a yak-mass of things.”

“And there you have it, listeners,” Sunset concluded the duel, “Starlight has won the duel at dawn”.

“Trixie isn’t finished,” the showpony wheezed as she wiped the mush out of her coat.

“We are going to help Trixie get cleaned,” Starlight triumphantly smirked, “But for now, that is all for today and we hope to see you all again soon.”

Chapter 90- Life's A Breeze

“We are going to have to whisper today for this every special edition on the Reformed Unicorn Podcast,” Sunset said in a hushed voice, just enough for the microphones to pick up on that, “We are live, coming to you from the centre of Ponyville for a special day, and here to discuss this special day is Fluttershy.” The group also gave a silent clap of their hooves, welcoming the expert of these special creatures that they have come to see and broadcast.

“So then Fluttershy, for those who don’t know what’s the occasion, why don’t you tell us?” Starlight whispered to Fluttershy, who nodded.

“We are here today to watch the breezie migration,” Fluttershy simply answered. There was a pause, before Tempest gestured for her to continue.

“Oh, well you see, Rainbow Dash is up there along with fellow pegasi Flitter and Cloud Chaser to create the gentle breeze for them to move across Ponyville.”

“And why is it important for them to have a breeze?” Trixie asked in confusion, “Can’t they just ride a normal wind?”

“Do you know who tiny a breezie is?” Fluttershy asked the group, which shook their heads, “Even the wind from a leaf blowing over will cause them to separate together. We need a controlled wind to help them on their journey. Which is why we need the pegasi to help, with their ability to manipulate the weather such as the wind.”

“Is that all the pegasi do?” Sunset asked next.

“Well, you see, it's the breeze that activates the Breezies' magic, and that magic protects the pollen they're carrying from being destroyed,” Fluttershy continued with her passionate explanation, being the critter-lover that she is.

“I think I know where this is going,” Tempest out two and two together, “So, no breeze means no magic means the pollen goes bad?”

“Exactly,” Fluttershy answered happily, “And they only have two days to get that pollen back before the portal to their home closes. That's why it's ever-so-important that we help them make their way through Ponyville safely.”

“You really are an expert with breezies,” Sunset complimented.

“I went off to Western Equestria to study them,” Fluttershy chuckled, “It was the same day that Discord decided to crash Princess Cadance’s and Twilight’s day together. Speaking of Discord, I made a friend whilst on the trip, a wonderful pony named Tree Hugger.”

“Tree Hugger?” Trixie mused.

“Yes, she was my plus one at the Grand Galloping Gala and I invited her over visit Ponyville. Discord didn’t take it too well, thinking she was there to take me away. It got so bad at the Grand Galloping Gala that he brought a strange thing called the Smooze. It was all a plan to see that he was the better friend. However, Tree Hugger tamed the Smooze and Discord threatened to banish her to another dimension.

“Whoa,” Starlight shivered.

“I managed to stop him and teach him that just because I’m friends with a same hobbies as me, doesn’t mean that he’s not my friend anymore. It’s just that we have different interests and that doesn’t mean we are excluding some creature else,” Fluttershy smiled.

“Well, that’s a good friendship lesson to have,” Sunset smiled.

Just then, Rainbow Dash flew over to the group, whispering to Starlight’s ear. She perked up immediately, who signalled to the others that it was time. The R.U.G. quicky turned to the waiting audience.

“Every pony and creature, it is time. please welcome, the breezies!” Sunst announced quietly. At one, the group looked up, just in time for them to see them passing overhead. The R.U.G. gave a silent ‘aww’ at the sight.

“They are adorable,” Starlight took out some binoculars for the group to see them individually.

“Their pollen pouches are also adorable,” Trixie cooed. It was then a certain blue and black on with pink hair looked down and saw Fluttershy. She commanded to her group in breezie-tongue and slowly descended down. Fluttershy lit up when the breezie came closer, recognising immediately who it was. The lone breezie landed on the table and Fluttershy smile grew.

“Sea Breeze, it’s so good to see you again after such a long time,” Fluttershy whispered so not to disturb the air with her voice.

“And it is good to see you again, friend,” Sea Breeze smiled back. The group were quite confused, but they think that this might be a good friendship lesson opportunity and a chance to talk. Sunset used her magic to shrink a spare microphone down.

“Hello, there Sea Breeze, was it?” Sunset asked, which he nodded, “And may we ask how do you know Fluttershy?”

“I knew of her back during the last migration. We got separated from our group and Fluttershy took care of us, but for too long as I was worried about not being able to return home in time. I lashed out at her and my breezie friends and fled on my own,” Sea Breeze explained, which Fluttershy picked up.

“I managed to save her from a hive of bees, but I learnt that being too kind can actually not help in the long run. It broke my heart to having to let them go, but it was the right thing to do in order for them to get home in time before the portal closes,” Fluttershy wiped a tear that formed from her eye.

“And how did you do it?” Trixie asked with intrigue.

“There were too little of them to go, so Twilight casted a transformation spell, changing all of us into breezies and together, we got to see the Breezie Village,” Fluttershy answered with a smile, remembering the times.

“Well, it seems that you better join up, or you will get separated again. Thank you for the chat with us,” Starlight whispered to Sea Breeze, who nodded. Fluttershy with a gently flap of her wings, helped lift Sea Breeze up. Once back with the group, Sea Breeze looked down at Fluttershy and gave a final wave to the pegasus, who waved gently so not the disturb the breeze.

Soon, the group were nothing more than a speck in the sky. The crowd finally gave a loud cheer, thankful that there wasn’t any accidents like last time.

“Well, that’s the breezie migration summed up. Hope you enjoyed sharing the experience with us and that is all we have time for today,” Trixie thanked their listeners, “Hope to all see you again soon!”

Chapter 91- Chilled Treats

“It’s a hot day in Ponyville and in the studio, so we need something to cool down. We are in the studio kitchen today to make something to cool our tastebuds,” Sunset introduced every pony and creature back.

“We’re thinking of making ice cream sandwiches. Something that has a chilled sweetness, but satisfying hard crunch to go with it,” Tempest continued.

“You might want to go to your local market place or make one with ice cream sandwiched with two of your favourite cookies, but here is our way for those who are interested,” Trixie started off as Starlight levitated the utensils and ingredients.

“For the sandwich part, we are going with chocolate waffles,” Starlight gave the first instruction,” Combine around our-hundred grams of all-purpose flour with one-hundred grams of cocoa powder. Then mix in one teaspoon of baking powder and half a teaspoon of baking soda. Set it aside so we can focus on our sugar and liquids.” Starlight placed the mix on the opposite side of the bench so Trixie can start next.

“into a large bowl, add three large eggs, one-hundred grams of light brown sugar, fifty grams of olive and vegetable oil each, one teaspoon of vanilla extract and one teaspoon of instant expresso for an extra kick.,” Trixie explained what she was doing, “Beat some air into it until the mixture is completely smooth, then you can add the powder mixture.” Tempest levitated the bowl and added the powered ingredients. Trixie continued to mix them until Starlight added four-hundred grams of buttermilk.

“Do not over stir it, just enough to make your waffle batter,” Sunset warned, turning on a waffle machine that she got from hr world, thanks to Pinkie Pie’s permission and warning to use it well.

“Add the batter into the waffle machine at your preferred amount and allow it to bake ideally around three to four minutes,” Tempest explained as Trixie spooned the batter in, Sunset closing the machine and waited until it was the right time to take them out.

“Allow them to cool on their own and then you will have your own chocolate waffles,” Starlight drooled as Sunset pulled the chocolate waffles out. Sunset took a whiff out of them, drooling over their smell.

“Cool them for around half an hour, then wrap them in film and put them in the freeze for six ours, preferably overnight,” Tempest explained as she wrapped them in clingfilm and placed them in the freeze.

“Now for the ice cream filling,” Sunset smiled in anticipation, “Mix four hundred grams of heavy cream with a couple teaspoons of vanilla extract or paste and whip until the cream reaches stiff peaks.” Starlight used an electronic mixer that Sunset, again, borrowed from her world.

“Thank you for letting us use these tools from your world,” Trixie smiled in gratitude.

“I’ll be grateful if you promise not to break them. Breaking a cooking tool will be like Twilight watching a book get destroyed and let me tell you, it’s not pretty,” Sunset shivered. The others thought it was best not to ask any further.

“Then add one can of sweet cold condensed milk,” Trixie instructed next, “Then whip again for an additional ten minutes. Then you can freeze it for make ice cream, or get your waffle slices and make ice cream waffle sandwiches.

“You just need to add enough so that it doesn’t overflow round the edges, because it will expand when freezing,” Tempest warned as she spoon the cream out and added it to the waffle base, then placed another waffle on top. Sunset wrapped it clingfilm and placed it in the freezer.

“Freeze until completely firm and for added decoration, press the exposed areas against some sprinkles,” Sunset explained whilst Trixie took them out and dipped the perimeter in sprinkles. Everypony took a deep bite and moaned it pleasure. It was the perfect treat for a hot day.

“For something equally simple and refreshing, I am showing you how to make different fruit ice lollies or popsicles, depending on if you’re from Trottingham or Manehattan,” Trixie rolled her eyes at the different word uses, “We’re doing a mango and strawberry split lolly, so add some mango chunks into a processor, like this one that Sunset has kindly allowed us to borrow again and puree until really fine.”

“Separate it into a bowl and clean the processor before doing the same thing with the strawberries,” Sunset said before doing what she instructed. Sunset then took some lolly moulds and layered them, mango, then strawberry and then mango again.

“This is going to look like your mane,” Trixie teased, “Is your mane edible too.” Sunset looked at her in shock before facehoofing at the joke.

They froze until they were solid and eat greedily at their ice lollies.

“Well that was refreshing, and that’s all we have time for today on the R.U.G.,” Sunset said as she licked on her lolly, “Hope you all had fun today and enjoy Celestia’s sun!”

Author's Note

A heatwave is happening in the UK and I need a nice cool chapter

Chapter 92- Mad Skills

"We are outside in Ponyville for a special for a special occasion, as a special somepony is about to attempt an Equestria record!” Sunset announced to their fellow listeners, “All of Ponyville is out today, waiting to see this attempt to break this record.” The R.U.G. observed from their observation booth. The whole town was out, cheering for that pony. None are cheering louder than a certain blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, and two members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Here to tell us what record is being attempted to be broken is fellow Cutie Mark Crusader, Scootaloo!” Starlight announced to all of Ponyville and on the show. a loud cheer erupted to welcome the Crusader.

“Thanks, everypony!” Scootlaoo shouted down the microphone.

“So tell us Scootaloo, what Equestria record are you trying today in Ponyville?” Starlight asked curiously. In from of the crowd and booth was a curved skateboard rink. Scootaloo had a trusty helmet, with extra protection with shinpads on each leg. Her favourite scooter was by her side and she had a burning fire in her eyes. A fire that had such determination and pride that the R.U.G. could feel the heat come off her.

“Today, I will be attempting the Equestria record for the most Scooter flips in a minute,” Scootaloo said with pride. The crowd gave a sound of awe at that. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had gotten out a banner with a childish drawing of their friend and the words, “You Can Do This Scoots!” written in bold writing. Rainbow had a determined look, confident that her honorary sister has this in the bag.

“Well, to understand the rules and how to break this record, we need to turn to the expert of judging and rules with Ms. Harshwhinny. So then, what does Scootaloo need to do in order to break this record?” Starlight turned to the official adjudicator, Ms. Harshwhinny. Taping the microphone, Ms. Harshwhinny listed the rules.

“In order for this Equestria record, the current record in ten, so if Scootaloo can perform eleven or more, she would have broken the record. For the record to be official, Scootaloo is not permitted to use her wings for speed or momentum, as this is a multi-pony race record, and it is to avoid any bias. The minute begins the second Scootaloo’s back-hoof let’s go of one side of the skate rink and must have a perfect finish at the end of the minute. I, and the rest of Ponyville and every listener, wish Scootaloo the best of luck,” Ms. Harshwhinny, surprising, gave the filly a smile as the crowd gave an applause.

“Thank you Ms. Harshwhinny for the rules. Scootaloo, make your way to the end of the skate rink and we wish you the best of luck.” Scootaloo nodded and pushed herself to a staring position. The cheering got louder as she approached.

Scootaloo took a deep breath, crouched down and gave a hard kick with a hindleg, pushing herself to the edge before falling down the curve. She reached the other side with great speed, launching herself up into the air, performing a backwards flip and landing back on the slope, making it look easy. Not once did she flap her wings to speed herself up. The crowd cheered as Scootaloo made it to the other side, this time doing an one-eighty turn before coming back down. The third trick, she made the scooter spin beneath her before going back down again.

The crowd clapped and cheered her. The only one not daring to look was Fluttershy, the pegasus worrying if Scootaloo would fall and her mane covering her face. All the while Ms. Harshwhinny looked at a stop watch.

“She is halfway through and had so hard performed six perfectly smooth tricks,” Ms. Harshwhinny announced through the microphone. The crowd was beginning to tense up as the stopwatch counted the final few seconds. Scootaloo was more focused at the task in hoof, performing two more flips on her eighth and ninth tricks. The managed to equal the record at forty-five seconds, beaten on the tenth and smashing it on the eleventh. Scootaloo was not holding back and was pushing it till the very end.

At the final ten seconds, the crowd counted down. Scootaloo decided to slow down and stop perfectly in the middle of the skate rink, skidding to a halt when the minute was up, causing the crowd to cheer for the umpteenth time.

“Please wait a minute while I evaluate this record attempt and confirm whether this is a legitimate record breaker,” Ms. Harshwhinny announed, causing some boos and groans from the audience. Several tense minutes as Miss Harshwhinny assessed the record breaking attempt. Rainbow danced on tippy-hooves in agitation. Finally, Ms. Harshwhinny gave a nod and turned to Scootaloo. The crowd held their breath and hung onto every word that Ms. Harshwhinny was about to say out loud.

“Scootaloo, you are here today to attempt the Equestria record on the most tricks on a scooter in a minute. I have assessed your performance to the rules and criteria, and I can officially say, with a total of fourteen tricks, we have a new official Equestria Record!” Ms. Harshwhinny.

The crowd erupted in joy at the announcement, Scootaloo was lifted in the air with the crowd chanting her name. Ms. Harshwhinny gave her an approved certificate.

“Well, there you go every creature, you just heard it live! A new Equestria record has just been broken!” Trixie declared for all to hear.

“Congratulations to Scootaloo, and we hope you have had a great time with us on the R.U.G. today! Thank you for listening and we will see you again soon!” Sunset concluded today’s show.

Chapter 93- Fresh Talks

“We are coming to you live away from the studio!” Sunset welcomed their followers back for another edition on the R.U.G., “Today we are at the small town of Dodge Junction.

“For those who don’t know where Didge Junction, is, it’s just on the outskirts of Appleloosa, with easy to access train station and simple settings,” Starlight explained, “However, we are here today to help out on one special farm.”

“So please welcome on the show, Cherry Jubilee,” Tempest welcomed the cherry farmer to their show.

“Well pluck my stems, it’s an honour to be here,” Cherry thanked the hosts, “And welcome to my pride and joy, me cherry orchard. It takes a long time to grow these beauties, but it’s a reward at the end of the first harvest.”

“We are in the backyard factory with special uniform and mane-nets as we are going to help out on the farm. So tell us, what we are going to help out with today?” Trixie turned to Cherry.

“Today, you are going to help me separate the red and yellow cherries,” Cherry explained simply, “Tempest and Starlight can get the red cherries, and Sunset and Trixie can get the yellow ones. I will move the belt with this pony-sized hamster wheel. Let’s see how fast you ponies can keep up.” Everpony took to their positions, Tempest and Starlight next to each other, with Sunset and Trixie sitting opposite them. Baskets were places opposite to them next to the conveyor belt, so that they can simply push the cherries in.

Cherry Jubilee hopped onto the pony wheel and began walking at a steady pace. The conveyor belt began to move, bringing cherries of red and yellow towards the R.U.G. They soon got into a rhythm of pushing their allotted colours into the basket. Tempest started to interview Cherry whilst she walked on the wheel.

“So, where do these cherries go when they are picked from the trees and then get transported around Equestria? You’re orchard is well known. It’s no wonder you secured a special place at the Equestria Games.”

“Some I save to make jams. Canterlot gets the most from my cherries, followed by Manehattan,” Jubilee explained whilst she walked. She began to accelerate into a slow trot, the speed of the conveyor belt increasing slightly, but not much to put off the group.

“In terms of customers,” Cherry continued, “I once had this strange order from Countess Coloratura’s manager to have two separate bowls of red and yellow cherries. No idea why she didn’t want them in one bowl to save Pinkie’s time. Speaking of Pinkie, I offered her a ride once in a wagon to Yakyakistan, but me and the boys were super tired that we all fell asleep on the drive. I had this strange dream about a ravine, and when I looked down, there was one right below us.”

She was speeding as she walked, the group starting to struggle at the pace of the conveyor belt. Trixie was starting to levitate some into her hat.

“Then suddenly, the cliff broke about and down we went. Then that Wonderbolts of all ponies saved us and dropped me to Manehattan and Pinkie continued on her journey to Yakyakistan. Another big order was at the Summer Sun Festival. I even had time to spare to create some cherry based pastries and desserts. Cherry tarts, apple and cherry crumble, cherry ice cream…”

Cherry Jubilee continued to list her desserts with passion, this time at full galloping speed. The group were struggling hard now. Tempest was the most unfortunate, unable to use simple levitation to separate them out with her magic. Starlight had to teleport batches of cherries to count them out, deciding to eat some on the go as she worked.

Trixie’s hat was overflowing the cherries now, the show-pony trying hard to keep track of her colour. Sunset was unfortunate. Being yellow herself, she would mix her hooves with the colour of the fruit, causing her to lose her hoof in the blur of cherries. She would levitate her hoof at random, falling back in her rump.

Ultimately, it was about to break…

“STOP!” Trixie commanded. Cherry screeched to a halt, causing the conveyor belt to jerk. Cherry flew everywhere, the R.U.G. covered in cherry juice as well as Cherry Jubilee herself. Walls were stained with a mixture of yellow and red. The group looked nervously at each other before they heard to sound of laughter come from Cherry.

“Are you laughing?” Sunset asked incredulously.

“I’m sorry, but you don’t have to worry about this,” Cherry said in-between fits of laughter, “This is what happened when Applejack was hired by me and her friends worked with me. Don’t worry, it just means that I will have extra jam on jam season. I might even ferment the damaged ones to make a strong punch or fruit cider out of them. Berry Punch, a favourite customer of mine, always comes around on cider season.”

The group relaxed at that, sighing in relief.

“Well, thank you for the experience at your farm nonetheless, Cherry Jubilee. We are going to help clear up this mess and we will get back to you all soon. However, from the R.U.G., coming live from Dodge Junction, it’s goodbye from us,” Sunset giggled as they took off their messy uniforms and got jars and towels at the ready.

Operation clean up was a go-go.

Chapter 94- Let The Games Begin Pt.1

"Coming to you live from Manehattan, it's the Equestria Games!" Starlight welcomed their listeners from their booth in the stadium, “That is right every creature, the time has finally come! After a long wait from the last Equestria Games from the Crystal Empire, we are here amongst the hustle and bustle of the big city to bring to you full coverage of the opening ceremony of the games!”

“It will be a game like no other,” Sunset continued where Starlight left off, “It will be a special games, not only for signifying the friendship between ponies, but from other races too! Every kingdom is welcomed into the stadium with athletes far and wide.”

“We will be teaming up with Good Morning Equestria to bring you full action of the different games, but right now, we are focusing our attention to the opening ceremony,” Tempest said.

“The opening ceremony will begin with the usual countdown to the games, plus performances representing what Manehattan wants Equestria and beyond to remember them by. That is followed by the opening speech from Princess Celestia herself, then the flag procession. Finally, it will finish with the famous touch lighting,” Trixie informed for their listeners. It was then that the lights began to fade and dancers entered the stadium. The stadium floor lit up, beginning to countdown the games from thirty.

The crowd counted down as the numbers slowly went down by the second. The cheering increased as the last ten seconds ticked away. Finally, they hit zero, fireworks lighting up the whole area.

“And there we go, every creature!” Tempest announced, “The wait is no longer needed as the games are well and truly underway!” the stadium went dark before lights showing the busy city lit up.

“Now we have come to the performance piece. This is the chance for the city to showcase to Equestria and the various kingdoms as to what makes their city stand out. We begin with a performance of the hustle and bustle of the city,” Trixie went from there.

Taxi carts began to be pulled into centre stage as performers dressed in Manehattan city clothes went with their lives, selling, purchasing and running to the next taxi or train. The stage floor opened up, towers rising from the stage. Acrobats and pegasi jumped and flew from building to building, displaying the chaos of the big city. The stage was one living, breathing miniature version of Manehattan now, everypony doing something, with no pony staying in one place. Then it stopped, and the stage orchestra began to play.

“Now we are coming to the culture of Manehattan. Apart from the hustle and bustle that Manehattan is known for, it has a popular music and arts scene. If you wanted to go big, Manehattan was the place to go,” Starlight described what was happening down below, “Why do you think Rarity wanted a boutique in Manehattan, or Countess Coloratura went to pursue music there? This was the place to go to make yourself heard.”

The scene of the stage changed, fashion designers and models began to walk out. It became less of the city and more of a fashion show now. Row upon row of models walked out, posing as actors in journalist get-ups flashed cameras at them, waving notebooks to pretend to want an interview. A carnival procession happened in the background, representing the music scene in Manehattan. The colour was bright and bold, immediately eye-catching to the audience and commentators. Eventually, the scene died down, models walking off the stage and the carnival dancing their way out. The stage gradually went dark, and the showpiece was finished. The crowd let out a roar in applause.

“Now that was a truly amazing opening ceremony,” Sunset admired from their booth, “And now, we turn our attention to the royal observers box where Princess Celestia will give her speech, announcing the games to start.” A spotlight appeared at the royal box as Sunset said, illuminating the Solar Princess, with her sister standing back. They wore dresses to compliment their roles of the day and night and had smiles as their looked out onto the crowd.

“Fellow citizens and Equestria and beyond,” Celestia began, “Welcome to another year of games and friendship, for this games isn’t just about friendship with other ponies now. This game goes further as we offer a hoof in friendship to every creature participating in the games.” The crowd let out a cheer in appreciation.

“so let us embrace these games with sportsmanship as well as true friendship. Let us celebrate each other’s victories and support those in loss. May we make memories here that we will never forget, and cherish these moments together. So without further ado, let the Equestria Games begin!” a roar of applause and whistles went out amongst the stadium crowd. Celestia stepped back to let Luna continue.

“They have travelled near and far to be with us at the Games. So please put or claws, hooves and talons together for the Equestria Games athletes!” the stage immediately it up, with directors ready to position the athletes when they arrive.

“And now we have come to the flag procession,” Starlight told their listeners. They watched together, announcing each kingdom and state that entered, describing their flag bearer, which athletes to look out for, and the kingdom’s history at the games. For each kingdom, a representative stood up from the VIP and royal booth, waving at the crowd. The R.U.G. gave an extra cheer themselves as they watched the Ponyville flag and team enter the stage, the Cutie Mark Crusaders chosen again to wave the flag.

“And now we have Ponyville,” Starlight smiled as she watched the flag and team paraded around the stadium, “The CMC doing their town well there, waving the flag with pride. The relay is definitely the sport and team to look our for, with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps hoping to add another medal to the games.”

“Now with every team settled in, it’s time for the final part of the opening ceremony,” Tempest said, “It’s the famous lighting up of the Equestria Games Flame. It has been on a relay around the city, from the famous station bridge to the Statue of Libmarety, but will now settle here in this impressive cauldron, designed by Sapphire Shores herself.” A spotlight shone down as a runner carrying the flame ran into the arena. Cheers grew and grew as it made its way to the cauldron at the end of the stadium. The runner went of the steps and looked out amongst the crowd, holding the torch triumphantly. The runner then turned and put the flame into a sparkling cauldron, adorned in jewels and patterns.

The cauldron burst into life, the flame widening and filling up the whole depth. The crowd burst out into applause, the royals clapping quickly as well.

“Welcome to the Equestria Games! Stay tuned for sports and action that is to come, both here on the R.U.G. and Good Morning Equestria,” Trixie concluded, “Have a great day and enjoy the games wherever you are!”

Author's Note

This will be a crossover between this fanfic and Good Morning Equestria as both will cover the Equestria Games, like how different channels over different sports. Hope you will enjoy watching the Olympics and good luck to every country competing ^^

Chapter 95- Flying Relay Pt.2

“As we said, we have teamed up with Good Morning Equestria so you, the fellow listeners at home, won’t miss any of the action at the Equestria Games here in the host city of Manehattan,” Starlight welcomed every creature back for a new day of sports and action, “And I am joined by a member of Good Morning Equestria, Autumn Blaze.” The kirin waved her hoof excitedly.

“It’s quite a difference working on a different show, but I am looking forward to this special sports event,” Autumn thanked Tempest for her welcome. It was just the two of them for today, looking out across the main stadium where one of the highlights of the games was about to begin. The crowds were as large as ever, eagerly waiting for this race to begin. Many creatures were chatting in anticipation, waving flags to support their kingdom or simply munching on stadium food and observing the track down below.

Looking down, Autumn smiled as she saw Spike, Rarity and Applejack amongst the audience. With Twilight in the royal booth, Pinkie somewhere commentating the games somewhere else and Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy being part of the relay, they were the only ones left to support Ponyville. Rarity had outdone herself again, providing cheerleading dresses, much to Applejack’s reluctance to put it on. However, they were proud to their to support Ponyville. Spike was more than happy to put on Rarity’s outfit without hesitation.

“Since Pinkie isn’t here to support her town, she has sent a letter,” Tempest said as she opened it. However, the moment she did, the sound of a party canon going off can be heard as confetti and coloured smoke flew out of the letter. The hosts looked stunned before Autumn sighed.

“I should have seen that one coming,” Autumn sighed before trying to focus back on the events at hoof.

“In the past, it was known as the pegasi relay, but due to the opening up to kingdoms far and wide, the name has been changed to the flying relay for creature equality and no singling out, according to the Equestria Games Committee,” Autumn explained.

“For those who don’t know the flying relay, it involves three members per team who can fly, obviously,” Tempest explained, “They must carry a horseshoe through various obstacles, such as hoops and corners around the flying track.”

“They must pass the horseshoe to the next relay flyer and so on, before the final member must fly vertically to reach the finish line first,” Autumn continued, “So which team should we be looking out for today, Tempest?” Tempest looked at the list of contestants, made by the organised Twilight Sparkle:

1. Ponyville
2. Changeling Kingdom
3. Griffonstone
4. Cloudsdale
5. Las Pegasus

“Cloudsdale is the one to look out for obviously,” Tempest chuckled, “I mean, their team consists of the Wonderbolts, the best of the best when it comes to flyers. Of course their main rival will be Ponyville, which consists of Wonderbolt member Rainbow Dash as well.”

“Let’s not forget that this is the first time that the Changeling Kingdom is at the Equestria Games,” Autumn looked at the list in her magic, “We will be wishing them the best of luck as they make their debut at the games.”

“And it looks like the athletes are taking up their positions,” Tempest observed down onto the track. Team Ponyville consisted of the usual team of Bulk Biceps at the first part, Fluttershy in the middle and Rainbow Dash completely the final stretch of the race. Cloudsdale consisted of the famous Wonderbolts, with Soarin at the start, Fleetfoot in the middle and Spitfire at the end. The others were waiting patiently, all willing to perform at their best for their kingdom or city. A stallion at the ground floor walked up with a flag and whistle.

“On your marks, get set…GO!” The stallion waved a flag, causing the first set of flyers to fly forward at create speed.

“And the flying relay begins!” Autumn was looking down on the track, trying to keep an eye on the teams as they flew at great speed, “The Changeling Kingdom has a great start, taking over Griffonstone as they approach the first corner.”

“However, it’s Cloudsdale that are putting on an impressive distance between the other racers,” Tempest tried to keep up with Soarin’s fast flying, “He has made it through the first corner and is now flying through the hoops with ease. Ponyville’s Bulk Biceps is keeping up the best he can. How Rainbow Dash is going to make up the final wing of the race is any creature’s guess.”

“Now Soarin has successfully passed the horseshoe to Fleetfoot, who now takes the lead. Bulk Biceps has just managed to scrape in at second, passing it onto Fluttershy, who is trying to close as much distance as she can with Cloudsdale,” Autumn was quick to pick off where Tempest left off.

“Griffonstone and the others are trying to catch up as much as they can. It seems that Las Pegasus has fallen behind,” Tempest looked back on the other competitors.

“Now Fluttershy has kept up at a reasonable pace as she is just a few wingbeats behind Fleetfoot. Fleetfoort now passes through the hoops, as does Fluttershy, who pass their horseshoes to Spitfire and Rainbow Dash. It’s all to play for now!” Autumn and Tempest were now on the edge of their seats.

“Now Rainbow Dash and Spitfire are head to head as they fly through the rainbow hoops and do the vertical climb upwards,” Tempest commentated the last leg of the race, “And the winner is… No way, it’s Ponyville this time!” A large cheer could be heard from all around the stadium as Ponyville broke Cloudsdale’s long history of winning this event.

“Unbelievable,” Autumn relaxed on her seat, “There you go, fellow listeners, you have witnessed an Equestria Games first! With the Changeling Kingdom claiming their first medal of the games, a bronze.” At the finish lines Spitfire and Rainbow Dash gave a hoofbump in appreciation. Tempest and Autumn smiled at the sign of sportsmanship.

Soon it was time for the medals’ ceremony and national anthem, luckily with no Spike. The changelings stepped up first to receive their bronze and bouquets, followed by Cloudsdale with Silver and Ponyville with the gold. The group and crowd all stood for the national anthem and was followed by a huge sheer at the end.

“Hope you all enjoyed the flying relay, and we will be back for more sports and action at the Equestria Games!” Autumn said farewell to their listeners for now as the teams posed for a photograph on the Manehattan Telegraph.

Chapter 96- Striking Action Pt.3

“Welcome back to another day of sports at the Equestria Games,” Sunset welcomed every listener to the city of Manehattan, “We are partnered with Good Morning Equestria so that you don’t miss a single bit of action, and today, I am joined by the one and only Pinkie Pie, along with her sister Marble Pie.” Pinkie was practically buzzing in her seat, though Marble just gave a small wave.

“Thanks, Sunset,” Pinkie answered with her usual large smile, “And goodness what a day of sports we have in store today. we are at a different small arena in Manhattan today as we talk about fencing.”

“I’m part of a fencing club at Canterlot High,” Sunset chuckled at Pinkie’s enthusiasm, “Though Applejack may have got the wrong idea of the type of fencing when we did our club president photos.” Marble actually gave a small snicker at what Sunset was implying.

“So since you are so knowledgeable at fencing,” Pinkie suggested, “Why don’t you tell us the rules of the sport we are about to see?”

“Fencing is only ever contested one against one, although team events exist. The most important piece of equipment is of course the weapon itself,” Sunset explained. Marble passed around the three swords so Pinkie and herself could see them.

“These are from the club that I borrowed to show you,” Sunset carried on explaining, “There are three kinds: the epée is the heaviest sword, the foil is a lighter thrusting weapon, and the sabre is a cutting and thrusting weapon derived from the cavalry sword, the type you can see in Canterlot’s armoury display.”

“Shiny and pointy,” Pinkie said as she played around with a sword a bit to playfully, much to Sunset’s and Marble’s horror. Sunset was quick to return them with her magic, much to Marble’s appreciation.

“In order to register the scores, players’ swords are magically sensitive to the suits that they wear. The judges therefore have to be unicorns that pick up the signals and score where the opponent manages to get the other’s body. The best scores come from targeting the flank, back or neck depending on what sword is used,” Sunset quickly explained.

“Why thank you for the round up on the background and rules, Sunset,” Pinkie rounded up, “That was a really good explanation of the sport. Marble, why don’t we see who is against who?” Marble nodded and passed a scroll with all the competing teams.

“This is a knockout. Each round will take three minutes, which is how long they must strike at the opponent,” Sunset explained as she looked down at the list:

1. Canterlot vs. Appleloosa
2. Rainbow Falls vs. Stratusburg
3. Chicoltgo vs. Horsolulu
4. Shire Lanka vs. Applewood

“Quite the list of competing cities,” Sunset scrolled down the list, “The winner after three minutes will progress onto the next round is the winner the other match. It will continue upwards until the two best out of the following cities will go head to head in a final match. Scores will decide who will be placed first, second and third.”

“Any players we should look out for?” Pinkie asked Sunset, who looked onto the stadium.

“Canterlot has a long history of chivalry and swords, with many young guards taking up fencing as a past time and became athletes. Rainbow Falls, though famous for their traders exchange, are well rehearsed in fencing as well, so they will be Canterlot’s main rival in this.”

“Well, we wish every city competing here the best of luck, as it’s time for the fencing to begin,” Pinkie said to the listeners as the hosts turned their attention to the to area where the opponents met at the middle to bow and present their swords to each other and referees. A timer was seen at the centre of the arena and the players took their positions. At the sound of the horn, the fencing commenced.

“Canterlot are absolutely amazing with their sword skills as you said,” Pinkie looked down in excitement, “They target the opponent’s body with precision and swift skills with their sword there. Appleloosa sems to be doing little damage there.”

“Turning our attention to the other matches, Rainbow Falls seems to have the upper-hoof against Stratusburg. It’s Horsolulu that seems to be getting the better of Chicoltgo, and Shire Lanka is showing Applewood how it’s really done.” Sunset continued. Marble was looking down with fascination, practically at the edge of her seat, looking at the matches in fascination.

Then three minutes counted down to zero. The referees tallied the scores and pointed a hoof at the winner of the round. There was an applause as the winners of the matches were announced.

“So the next round will be Canterlot against Rainbow Falls, and Horsolulu against Shire Lanka,” Sunset announced to their followers. The players bowed in respect and the losing player left the area, leaving to the winner of the other match to join. Three minutes were again set to a countdown as both players bowed and began to play it out, touching their opponent’s body in swift movements with their sword.

“You can feel the tension in the room now,” Sunset admired, “They know what’s at stake here to get into the final. It all rests on hitting the right targets, and patience in waiting for the time to strike.”

“You really know your fencing,” Pinkie complimented, “And it seems that Canterlot is the better of Rainbow Falls, and Shire Lanka being the better player of Horsolulu. It all depends on seeing who will be on top now as the final seconds clock down. Who knew three minutes can seem so long. I think Rainbow Dash can’t handle witing that long. That could be the next triple pony dare!”

“What is a triple pony dare?” Sunset asked Marble, who shrugged and shook her head. It was then that the clock gave a ring to indicate that the time was up. It was Canterlot again that was victorious over Rainbow Falls, and Shire Lanka for the final match. Both players met at the final stage, bowed for a final time and went ahead with the match ticking down.

Both players gave it their all, duelling with precision only a master fencer could do. Hits and misses were taken left, right and centre as they hit back and forth. The referee was on standby, using her magic to get an accurate reading of the hit targets.
Soon, the final ticked away to zero, a final ring rang out around the arena.

“The winner of the match is Canterlot!” The referee called out, earning a cheer from the audience, “Second place goes to Shire Lanka, and according to the scores of the previous match, Rainbow Falls takes the bronze!”

“There you go, listeners. we have a winner from this Game’s fencing. A big congratulation for those in Canterlot for winner their first gold medal of the Games!”

“That was a fun-tacular match!” Pinkie jumped in her seat, Marble simply giggling at her sister’s antics, “Hope you enjoyed the games as much as we did. That is all from the R.U.G. and G.M.E for now. Be sure to tune in next time for more sporting action!”

Chapter 98- Balancing Act Pt.5

“Hello every creature and welcome back for your daily coverage of the Equestria Games, so that you won’t miss any part of the action,” Tempest welcomed back their listeners to another day of sport, “And order to cover as much of the Games as we can, we have partnered with Good Morning Equestria, and joining me in the commentating box is Silverstream.”

“It’s a big pleasure to be part of the action in Manehattan, and the city is amazing itself!” Silverstream clapped her claws together in excitement, “Today, we are in the Manehattan Gymnastics Arena to look at the gymnasts who are hoping to snatch that coveted gold medal on the balancing beam. So Tempest, who don’t you break down the rules for our listeners?”

“Well, Silverstream, the first scores will be judged on the difficulty of the routine and must include two acrobatic skills such as a flip in immediate succession, two dance skills like a leap and one or more pirouette,” Tempest explained before moving onto the judges’ preferences, “In the best beam routines, the gymnast will have no wobbles and, of course, no falls. Judges also deduct for things like body form and excessive pauses between skills.”

“That sounds like a lot of boxes to tick,” Silverstream admired what the gymnasts must achieve, “Makes Twilight’s long list of lecture things more easy.”

“Well, let’s see who will be taking up that long list of requirements on that balancing beam shall we?” Tempest chuckled. Silverstream rolled out a scroll containing list of kingdoms competing. She checked over the names of competitors:

1. Canterlot
2. Trotland
3. Blatimare
4. Appleloosa
5. Las Pegasus
6. Changeling Kingdom

“The Changeling Kingdom will be hoping to make a strong debut at this event of the Games,” Silverstream smiled at the list, “The bookies favourites are Canterlot and Las Pegasus, where many famous gymnasts have come from. All in all, expect quite a show!”

“And it looks like we don’t need to wait that long,” Tempest looked out across the stadium, “The judges are seated and it’s time for the first gymnast to take to the beam. So here’s the first gymnast to take to the beam from Canterlot.” There was a silence as the mare took to the took.

“Using the springboard to get herself on, she presents herself with some dance elements. She then does a beautiful forward flip into a cartwheel to get to the other side, lovely control and balance at the end there. She now goes into a half-body twist into a hoof-stand, flipping around to a leap,” Silverstream commentated in as much detail as she can.

“She’s coming the dismount down, with a strong jump into a flip and she lands confidently there with little wobble. That was a beautiful routine on the balancing beam there by the hopeful from Canterlot,” Tempest clapped her hooves along with the spectators.

“It’s now a nervous wait for the score as all eyes turn to the judges’ box,” Silverstream waited for the score, “They have spoken, and with an impressive 38.411, that will be the score to try and beat.”

“A stunning display of determination and willpower from her,” Tempest watched on, “And now it’s time for the second gymnast to take to the beam, this time from the region of Trotland.” All eyes were on the next gymnast, who used the same springboard to come onto the board. Tempest commentated her movements.

“She goes straight into it, performing a flip into a handstand. She slides down into a sitting position, forelegs stretched beautifully as she presents herself to the judges in front of her. She then slides gracefully back into her standing position, a tiny wobble which will be scrutinized there. With a few more dance elements and a pirouette, she comes to the dismount, finishing off with a graceful flip and a wonderful landing, we will have to wait for the judges to decide what the score will be,” Tempest watched, giving a detailed description of the routine that happened in front of them.

“And… I’m afraid it’s not enough. With a score of 37.899, it will have to be second place for now,” Silverstream sighed as the audience clapped for the gymnast, “Her drive and determination is admirable though.”

Baltimare was up next, a young pegasus mare taking to the beam, though her wings weren’t allowed to be used as a balancing tool in guidance to equality between creatures, which will also be applied when the changeling gymnast takes to the beam last. She did the best she could perform, with a slight wobble at the flip and dismount, only earning her a mediocre 36.437 for her effort.

Appleloosa fared no better, almost stumbling off the beam on the first flip. She did her best with some dance elements and hoof-stand, landing in a sitting position on the beam with a strong flourish on the dismount. In the end she had to settle on a score of 35.705.

“Now comes another favourite to snatch a medal, the gymnast from Las Pegasus. Let’s see what she has to offer on her routine,” Silverstream announced as all eyes were on the Las Pegasus hopeful.

“She lands on the beam confidently, performing a pirouette at the start, balancing on the beam with precision. She then does a forward leap into a cartwheel and to travel to the other side, finishing with a dance element in front of the judges. She goes into a stunning flip with control and poise. Her time is almost up as she prepares for the dismount, running slowly up. She finishes with a lovely flip and confident landing on the mat. This is going be a high score for sure,” Tempest watched as the sound of applause filled the arena.

“And…It is! With a score 39.460, she launches herself into first place! This could be gold for Las Pegasus!” Silverstream fluttered her wings in excitement.

“All eyes are on the newcomer from the Changeling Kingdom now as she takes to the beam,” Tempest watched as the changeling took position on the beam after leaping up without wings.

“She performs a double flip, showing off the difficulty of this routine, with a hoof-stand into a sitting position, she performs some symmetrical hand gestures with a beautiful backwards flip. A pirouette follows into another hoof-stand again and rotating back. Dance elements of beautifully performed twists follow. The dismount is the decider as she performs a flip and… Yes, yes, yes! That must deserve her a place on the podium now!”

“The judges have their scores in now and… I don’t believe it!” Tempest breathed in shock, “39.755! You heard me! 39.755! The Changeling Kingdom has blown away the competition to secure their first every gold medal at the games! Las Pegasus comes second with Canterlot having to accept the bronze!”

“We have witnessed Equestria Games history today, every creature! Hoped you enjoyed the balancing beam and we will see you all again soon for more coverage of the Games as they happen!” Silverstream concluded.

Chapter 99- Plain Sailing Pt.6

“Welcome to Downtown Manehattan, specifically Manehattan’s bay for the next event of the games,” Starlight welcome back, “The crowd have gathered to watching the sailing race and in partnership with Good Morning Equestria for daily coverage of the Games, here’s Pinkie Pie!”

“Thank you for inviting me for talking about the sailing today!” Pinkie excitedly thanked Starlight for joining her, “This is going to be one super-duper fun race. The tension is so great I might explode! I remember exploding when Cadance and Shining Armor were having Flurry! This is a whole different pressure on the sailors today and-“ Starlight jammed a hoof into Pinkie’s mouth.

“Thank you Pinkie,” Starlight said with a strained smile and her usual nervous laughter, “I think our fellow listeners will know what the sailors are feeling right now. Why don’t we explain what our sailors are dealing with before we move onto the list of competitors?”

“Okay,” Pinkie’s muffled voice came from her closed-off mouth. Slowly, Starlight lifted her hoof away from Pinkie’s mouth so that she can explain the rules of the race.

“The rules are quite simple really,” Pinkie explained, “The sailors will start at Manehattan Bay, and at the sound of the klaxon, it’s full speed ahead! There are multiple buoys that they must successfully turn in circles in order to carry on racing. Sailors must also respect who is facing the wind and allow clearance when over taking. Failure to do so will be penalised.” From somewhere in her mane, she pulled out a trombone and played a tune on it. Starlight just smiled and rolled her eyes at Pinkie’s antics.

“Thank you Pinkie for explaining the rules, now let’s see the list of competitors,” Starlight said as she levitated a scroll with her magic and unfurled it, revealing the list of competitors after that gold medal:

1. Silver Shoals
2. Mount Aris
3. Trotland
4. Seaddle
5. Monacolt
6. Puerto Caballo
7. Mustangia
8. Whinnyapolis

“Mount Aris will be hoping to secure another gold medal, with strong competition from the gold medallist from Puerto Caballo and Trotland. This is going to be an interesting race,” Starlight thought out loud as she scrutinized the list of sailors competing, "Of course we are wishing the other competitors the best of luck as they take to the waters, ride the rough waters out there on the bay and I'm sure they will do the best that they can."

“This is so exciting!” Pinkie clapped her hooves in excitement, “And we don’t have to wait that long! The sailors are taking up position at the starting line!” Down on the bay, every creature watched as the sailors took their positions and waited for the klaxon. At the sound of it, they were off, the crowd cheering for their sailor to go for gold.

“And we are off, the sailors really using the strong wind today to their advantage. Who will win is any creature’s guess at this stage,” Starlight said as she watched from across the water’s edge.

“Trotland are having a great start!” Pinkie was right on the edge of her seat, “Their boat is just inching ahead of the second place Monacolt. We are onto the first buoy they must successfully circle around. Trotland successfully overcomes the first obstacle, with Mount Aris and Monacolt right no their tail!”

“The wind is their only ally as the sailors now head under Manehattan’s train bridge, using the wind under the bridge to their advantage as they head under it now and into Midtown of Manehattan.” Starlight said as they watched on a magic screen window made by Starlight, “Mount Aris is going strong, but Trotland has made a clear lead for themselves.”

“The second buoy is next as the sailors make a full turn around it and make it through Manehattan’s busy fashion district. I can see Rarity’s boutique from here!” Pinkie excitedly watched, earning a small glare from Starlight to concentrate on the race instead, “Anyway, Monacolt will be fighting for a bronze if they don’t catch up with Trotland or Mount Aris!”

“Onto the final buoy as they make their way around it. The other sailors are giving it their all, but it’s the leading three every creature has their eyes on!” Starlight was on the edge of her seat too.

“We are onto the final leg of the race as they cross Uptown Manehattan and the finishing line is in sight. Trotland, Mount Aris and Monacolt are pushing it now. The crowd is cheering for them as they reach the finishing line,” Pinkie was shaking with pure joy.

“And the winner is… Trotland! Mount Aris take a comfortable second place on their debut in sailing and Monacolt will have to settle for bronze!” Starlight clapped her hooves, not that the sailors will hear and see them.

“And big congratulations for those three competitors and to their respective kingdoms and cities that have won a medal,” Pinkie congratulated as she reached from somewhere behind her and pulled out a cake shaped as a sailing boat, with sugar work done on the sails and mast.

“And I made a boat cake to honour this race! Care for a bite, Starlight?” Pinkie got a knife from a random place and sliced it, revealing a blue cake to represent the sea.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Starlight chuckled, “And for all for tuning in, and we will be back for more coverage of the Games as they happen. However, right now, me and Pinkie have a cake to enjoy together!”

Chapter 100- Jump To Victory Pt.7

“Welcome back to your daily coverage of the Equestria Games as they happen, live from Manehattan and on partnership with Good Morning Equestria,” Tempest welcomed every creature back, “Joining me today is Gabby as we are in the Manehattan Equestrian Arena for the jumping part of the equestrian dressage sports.”

“Funny really, since all you ponies are horsing around in this part,” Gabby joked lightly, causing Tempest to chuckle at that, “But anyway, this is going to be an interesting competition as a large crowd has gathered to watch the jumping happen. Why don’t you talk us through the rules of this pony sport, Tempest?”

“Thank you,” Tempest nodded, “The rules are simple to understand for a newcomer. Each runner is given a timed to perform as many jumps over the hurdles as possible in the arena. They must be in the correct order as all of them are numbered and scattered around the stadium centre. A missed hurdle or a knocked down one will be a time penalty of added seconds. A final score is given at the end included which is judged by the execution of the jumps, with any penalties taken into account, which will cause a reduction in scores.”

“Thank you for that simple explanation,” Gabby thanked, “And now we move onto the list of competitors hoping to win a medal.” Tempest got a scroll from a table to the side of her and gave it to Gabby, who unrolled it to reveal the list of competitors.

1. Appleloosa
2. Fillydelphia
3. Stratusberg
4. Cloudsdale
5. Las Pegasus
6. Califoalnia

“We have quite a strong list of competitors today, consisting of earthponies, pegasi and unicorns hoping to claim that gold,” Tempest looked down at the list of competing cities, “For equality, unicorns aren’t allowed to use magic to help with self-levitation when jumping and pegasi aren’t allowed to use their wings for balance either. They have both been given cancelling spells to disable their wings and magic.”

“Appleloosa is expected to do well here, with this being very similar to rodeo jumping, though if there is one team that knows something about speed and agility, it’s the pegasus from Cloudsdale. They may be known for flying, but pegasi are strong on the ground as well,” Tempest warned.

“And now, let’s turn our attention to the arena down below us to watch how these competitors will do for this event of games, and we wish everypony in this event the best of luck,” Gabby announced was she and Tempest turned their attention down onto the centre of the stadium.

“First up is the hopeful from Appleloosa, and as we discussed before, she will be one of the jumpers to watch out for. At the sound of the whistle, she will begin,” Tempest said as she focused on the mare when the whistle blew.

“And she’s off, down around the edge of the arena as she approaches the first hurdle, and she jumps over it with ease. She goes into a sharp right as she nears and second hurdle now. She’s making it look so easy as she successful handles the second one,” Gabby watched with clear attention, “She comes round the end as she jumps gracefully over the third and fourth now! She’s making a light-hoof of it as she rounds the final bend for the last two hurdles. She jumps over the fifth and makes her way to the final sixth hurdle, and jumps over it effortlessly!”

“That was a clean run from the athlete from Appleloosa,” Tempest clapped her hooves together, “We are waiting for the scores now, and it’s a good strong start. 38.752 is the score to beat, with no penalties. Truly an outstanding performance.”

“Alright,” Gabby turned her attention to the next jumper, “Let’s see what the hopeful from Fillydelphia has to offer.” All eyes were now on the Fillydelphia jumper as she prepared herself before the whistle blows. At the sound of it, she ran as fast as her hooves could take her.

“She crosses the first hurdle, though the landing is quite heavy with a slight stumble. She rounds the first corner and jumps over the second and third hurdle easily,” Tempest watched in unabated attention, “Oh no! The knocked over the fourth hurdle, which is be penalised badly. She now has to keep her focus as she rounds the final corner and takes care of the fifth and sixth hurdle.”

“The final score is in, and it’s 34.743,” Gabby felt her heart go out for her, “That’s not what she was hoping for, and it is a score that will be beaten without a doubt. Just goes to show that anything can happen in sports like this.”

“Next up to take on the hurdles is Stratusberg. She is a unicorn, so with the disabling spell, she can’t use magic on herself or her hurdles. We wish her the best of luck as she approaches the start of the obstacles,” Tempest said as she watched the mare take position.

“And off she goes, clearly the first hurdle with ease and tackles the second like it’s no ponies’ business,” Gabby watched, “She rounds the corner and makes it through the third. Her hoof just brushed the fourth hurdle, using a magic-sensitivity detector which will be scrutinised.”

“She turns onto the final two hurdles now, crossing them with ease,” Tempest clapped her hooves together as she finished the hurdles, “That will do well. It won’t be much due to the slight brush with a hurdle there. The scores are in, and it’s 35.873. So far, it’s second place for Stratusberg.”

“Now then, time for another bookies favourite of this course from Cloudsdale. Remember, every listener, wings are disabled to give a equal chances. She is taking her place right now at the start and we wish her the best of luck,” Tempest watched.

“And off she goes, jumping over the first and second hurdles like it was nothing,” Gabby was right on the edge of her seat, “She clears the bend and goes over the third and fourth hurdles with outstanding leaps. She turns into the final corner now as she prepares herself for the final jumps. With the fifth and final sixth hurdle cleared, she makes a new Equestria Games record!”

“38.805, you couldn’t ask for anything better than that!” Tempest cheered along with the crowd, “That was sensational from start to finish!”

“Now onto Las Pegasus, another pegasus taking to the hurdles now,” Gabby watched on as the cheering died down to let the penultimate runner take her place.

“And she’s off, slight off-balance on the first hurdle, clears the second as she approached the sharp right corner and over the third corner, slight brush on the fourth which will be penalised,” Tempest commentated next, “She clears the bend and onto the final two, and she finished them to the best of her capabilities.”

“The scores are in, and it’s 36.073, taking her to third place,” Gabby announced the score, “It all comes down to the final runner from Califoalnia now.”

“She takes her place, the whistle blows and she’s off,” Tempest watched with rapt attention, “She clears the first and second hurdles, little unsteady on the landing,” She noted, “She rounds the sharp bend and over the third and fourth hurdles, her momentum strong now.”

“She clears the final corner and approaches the last two jumps, tackling them easily!” Gabby finished the final leg of the mare’s run.

“It’s 37.576 for Califoalnia, meaning it’s gold of Cloudsdale, a silver for Appleloosa and a bronze for Califoalnia. What a day of obstacles that was!” Tempest clapped for the athletes.

“We hope you enjoyed this jumping contest and we will be back for more coverage of the Games as they happen!” Gabby rounded off.

Chapter 101- Triple Challenge Pt.8

“Okay every listener, this is going to be a gruelling event for every athlete involved in this today,” Trixie announced to the R.U.G. tuners, “Welcome back to Manehattan for your daily coverage of the Equestria Games as they happen, and we are about to see the triathlon race. Before we do, let me introduce my partner from Good Morning Equestria, Pinkie Pie.” She sounded less enthusiastic about being with the eccentric mare, but the schedule did say that she had to partner with her eventually.

“Thank you, Trixie!” Pinkie jumped up and down in excitement, “And this is going to be a tough race, tougher than the most toughest toffee in the whole of Equestria! Tougher than the bigger gobstopper to ever suck, because this race is going to suck up every little bit of energy that they have!” Trixie tried not to facehoof at Pinkie Pie’s elaborate sweet description of the race.

“I can’t believe you managed to describe this race as candy sweets,” Trixie mumbled.

“Why not? This is going to be a tough candy to crack!” Pinkie said excitedly.

“You mean the triathlon or your metaphorical sweet?” Trixie asked unsure.

“Exactly!” Pinkie simply answered, “And I have emergency candy in my mane in case of candy emergencies.” She pulled some out of her mane and asked Trixie, “Want some?”

“After that lovely description of the race, I think I will pass, and we are getting off-topic here,” Trixie groaned, “Why don’t you tell us what our athletes have to endure?”

“That’s easy,” Pinkie answered whilst jamming as much candy into her mouth as physically possible, by Pinkie’s standard that is, “The race will start with a one-thousand five-hundred metre swim across Manehattan Bay, a forty kilometre specially adapted creature bike ride and finally a ten kilometre run through the streets of Manehattan.”

“Thank you,” Trixie sighed, glad that something went right, “They must dismount the bikes correctly when they reached the marker, and the transition from swimming to cycling and cycling to running must be swift and accurate. Failure to do so will either lead to a time penalty or a slowing down if they don’t keep up the momentum.”

“Now let’s see the list of competitors, shall we!” Pinkie enthusiastically announced. Trixie nodded and quickly levitated the scroll over to reveal the names of athletes hoping to go all the way to gold.

1. Manehattan
2. Crystal Empire
3. Changeling Kingdom
4. Whinnyapolis
5. Peaks Of Peril
6. Ponyville
7. Baltimare
8. Mount Aris

“This is really a diverse list of competitors,” Pinkie whistled, “Ponies, changelings, kirins and hippogriffs oh my!”

“This is going to be any creature’s guess about who will win this one, with no magic allowed for any advantages and bias,” Trixie nodded in agreement, “Now let’s watch now from our special magical screens as the athletes line up for the swimming leg of the triathlon. We wish every creature the best of luck.” They watched from their screen as the athletes lined up, ready to dive in to begin the swimming section. At the sound of the magic flare from a unicorn adjudicator, they all took the plunge into the cold waters of Manehattan Bay.

“And so, here are go, every creature,” Trixie watched, “And the Crystal Empire have made a strong start with the swimming, head now towards the first buoy for the turn. Behind them with a eleven second distance is Baltimare, Mount Aris and the Peaks of Peril, the kirins surprising every creature with the swimming capabilities.”

“Out on the tail end, the changeling athlete is leading, with Whinnyapolis, Ponyville and the other athletes brgining up the rear,” Pinkie looked behind the leading pack, “The Crystal Empire is going round their second corner as the bikes are waiting. They must find their own bike which is stationed somewhere in this row. The Crystal Empire now reach the landing as they try to maintain that distance from Mount Aris and locate their bike.”

“It’s all about that smooth transition we were talking about. They take of their goggles and swimming hats. Quickly climb onto their specially made creature bikes and run with them to the maker where they can climb on. Successful transitions from the athletes there!”

“As smooth as melted caramel,” Pinkie licked her lips, earning a glare from Trixie, telling her to focus, “Right, onto the cycling part now as they race through the streets of Manehattan, starting in the Downtown district. The Crystal Empire is still maintaining a strong lead over Mount Aris and the Peaks of Peril, Baltimare falling behind slightly. They must work together to over take the Crystal Empire somehow, it’s only a matter of when they have that burst of energy to use each other’s wind to do so.”

“And that is exactly what they did!” Trixie watched intently, “Mount Aris have overtaken the Crystal Empire now and a new lead has been made! They are now heading through the busy Saddle Row district, past all the acclaimed and renowned boutiques and onto the final bend. Can Mount Aris maintain that new lead is any creatures’ guess.”

“Now comes that smooth dismount on the marker and to take off their helmets and start running,” Pinkie excitedly watched, “Mount Aris running as fast as her claws can carry her, with the Crystal Empire and Peaks of Peril hot on their hooves!”

“The finish line is in sight as the ribbon is drawn up. And it’s Mount Aris taking the gold, the Crystal Empire for the silver and Peaks of Peril for the bronze! What a race with surprises and great effort from all athletes involved today!” Trixie clapped her hooves together, “That is all for your coverage of the Equestria Games from the R.U.G. and G.M.E! We hope to see you all again soon!”

Chapter 102- Leap Of Fate Pt.9

“Hello every creature far and wide as we continue our coverage of the Equestria Games as they happen, coming to you live from Manehattan and with partnership with the Good Morning Equestria team as well,” Sunset welcomed every creature back to the Games, “And joining me from the other show is nonother than fellow griffon Gabby!”

“Hello every creature!” Gabby welcomed excitedly, “We are in the main arena today to watch the triple jump part of the athletics! With many competing to win the gold, this is going to be an exciting game to watch!”

“The rules are simple,” Sunset explained, “Each will take a run-up and for the jump to qualify, their hoof, talon or claw must be within the marker before jumping into the sand. A white flag will mean that the jump is approved, or a red flag meaning that the jump is not. The jumps’ length will be added all together to give a final score, so the further the better and they must qualify as legitimate jumps from the judges.”

“Each athlete will have five attempts to score for their jumps,” Gabby continued, “creatures with wings or magic are prohibited from using them and use of these to gain an advantage will mean immediate disqualification,” Gabby then paused at that, “I sounded really professional at that. Ms. Harshwhinny will be so proud!”

“There will be five athletes hoping to go for gold, so let’s see who will be hoping to snatch a medal at the triple jump,” Sunset said as she levitated a scroll over to her and unrolled it in her magic.

1. Griffonstone
2. Mount Aris
3. Chicoltgo
4. Trottingham
5. Dragonlands

“This is the debut of Griffonstone, Mount Aris and the Dragonlands as they all are hoping to claim a medal for their kingdom,” Gabby looked down the list, “No doubt I’ll eb rooting for Griffonstone all the way, but also hoping every athlete does their best.”

“I think the event is starting up now,” Sunset looked down across the arena, “So let’s turn now to the triple jump track as Griffonstone take their position behind the line. And at the sound of the whistle, he’s off!”

“He takes a good stride in his step, remembering to be behind the marker into order for this jump to qualify and leaps into the sandpit,” Gabby watched her home kingdom, “And it’s a great start of 15.67 metres! The white flag has gone up, and he has secured the first leap!”

“Onto Mount Aris now as the hippogriff takes his position on the line,” Sunset commentated next, “The whistle blows and he takes a strong leap as fast as his claws can carry him. He takes the jump and lands, though I don’t think it’s not quite enough. The white flag has gone up and he managed to do14.86 metres.”

“Chicoltgo is up next,” Gabby said, “He takes the runup and his hoof seems to be too close over the marker! He manages to land in the sandpit, and the red flag has gone up! The jump won’t count I’m afraid. He must really be beating himself up for that and hoping to improve on the second jump.”

“Right, Trottingham is up next as he takes his place behind the line. He takes a strong spring in his hooves and manages to leap just behind the marker, he lands at a comfortable 15.47 metres, but he will be hoping to do better,” Sunset watched down below.

“Finally to complete to round is the debut of the Dragonlands,” Gabby watched with rapt attention, “He takes the runup well, manages to put his claw behind the line and takes a solid leap! He smashed! 16.34 metres! What a strong start!”

The second round continued with only Griffonstone’s jump failing to qualify, but manged to make it over the sixteen metre mark with the fourth jump. The others were the same, with some jumps unable to be legitimate and many red flags were raised. The crowd cheered each time a jump was successfully counted, Sunset and Gabby clapping along with their talons. The scores, with the Dragonlands waiting for their fifth jump, was:

Griffonstone: 15.67, 0,14.74, 16.07, 15.87 total: 62.35
Mount Aris: 14.86, 15.53, 15.87, 0, 15.68 total: 61.94
Chicoltgo: 0, 15.43, 15.69, 16.29, 15.87 total: 63.28
Trottingham: 15.47, 15.65, 0, 14.79, 15.27 total: 61.18
Dragonlands 16.34, 0, 15.43, 15.78

“And this is the final jump for the Dragonlands,” Sunset announed, “We wish them the best of luck and hope that they get their first medal of the games. He takes his final runup towards the sandpit, successfully leaps on the marker and lands smoothly on the sand! The judges are checking now if this is a legitimate leap, the white flag goes up and he’s done it!” Sunset announced as the arena went wild.

“16.23 metres makes a grand total of 63.78, meaning that the Dragonlands takes the gold for his hoard. Trottingham comes second with 63.28, really close, and Griffonstone takes bronze with 62.35,” Gabby counted the scores up.

“We hope you have enjoyed the triple jump and we hope to see you all again soon at the Equestria Games!” Sunset concluded today’s coverage of the games.

Chapter 103- Shoot Out Pt.10

“Coming to you live from Manehattan, in partnership with Good Morning Equestria, we are here for more action at the Equestria Games!” Tempest welcomed their listeners back, “We are going to watch the magical shooting competition, where every unicorn, changeling and kirin with the power of laser beams tries to shoot as many flying targets for as long as possible. Joining me from G.M.E is nonother than fellow kirin Autumn Blaze!”

“Hello every creature and what a competition we have on our hooves,” Autumn continued, “This going to be quite the shoot out as we are watching them down below, warming up for this intensive event.” Tempest and Autumn watched from their commentary booth the numerous unicorns, kirins and changelings lighting their horns ready, feeling the magic build up for the shoot-out.

“And we are in for quite the match aren’t we?” Tempest asked the kirin, who nodded and smiled excitedly.

“Indeed we are,” Autumn agreed, “As you said, they must hit as many targets as possible with their charged magic in a certain amount of time, so precision and the energy of their magic is essential for getting this right.”

“As they warm up, why don’t we see who is competing to win that gold medal?” Tempest watched as Autumn pulled a scroll and unrolled it to see who was in the event.

1. Magespire
2. Peaks of Peril
3. Changeling Kingdom
4. Canterlot
5. Shire’s Hollow
6. Saddle Arabia

“We have quite a list of strong competitors today, with the debut of changelings and kirins as we mentioned,” Tempest looked down with Autumn, “We wish every creature the best of luck as they take their positions behind the line as the targets are being raised.”

“The bookies’ favourites are on Canterlot and Saddle Arabia, though many are hoping the kirins and changelings are going to do well,” Tempest explained, “The audience is quiet now to allow the shooters to concentrate. At the sound of the signal the shoot out will commence.” Suddenly, the sound of a buzz rang out around the stadium, every shooter firing their magic at rapid speed.

“We must let you know just now exhausting it is to maintain a consistent beam,” Autumn said, “A concentrated beam of magic is specifically hard to maintain as your magical reserves are severely short.”

“It’s not about stamina at the shooting, it’s about endurance mentally to maintain control of your magic,” Tempest carried on.

“Back with our main shooters, and as predicted, Canterlot is making is doing amazingly, destroying fifteen targets as the clock ticks down,” Autumn and Tempest watched the unicorn mare from Canterlot with the light purple magic, firing it rapidly at each target. The target lit up with the same colour of their magic to show that this target have been struck by them.

“Over to the other creatures, and the Changeling Kingdom is also holding up strong,” Tempest looked down at the changeling firing a strong blue magic, “The kirin shooter is holding up okay as well. Her red magic is firing at those targets with good accuracy.”

“Saddle Arabia seems to struggle keeping up with the momentum of the others and she looks exhausted,” Autumn watched worryingly, “Hold on, she has stepped back and gave the signal that she cannot shoot anymore! Her magic has stopped and she has to bow out!” There was an applause of respect as the Saddle Arabia hopeful’s horn died down and she collapsed on her back. Some helpers came along and carried her back to the side-lines, giving her a bottle of water and a towel to wipe off the sweat from her forehead.

“One down, five more shooters to go,” Tempest watched intently, “It seems that next one struggling is Magespire.” Autumn and Tempest watched with concern to the unicorn firing her orange magic.

“It seems her magic has started to become off target and less forceful,” Autumn watched on, “I think she’s also going to have to admit defeat as she has taken a step back from the line and raises a hoof. Yep, I think it’s game over for Magespire.”

“Hang on,” Tempest watched with wide eyes, “This has just came in that Shire’s Hollow has collapsed from magical exhaustion!” The commentators watched as a stretcher was being rushed onto the field, “It just goes to show that this is an exhausting sport and not for the faint-hearted.” The crowd clapped in respect as the shooter was lifted and carried swiftly away by the medical team.

“So it seems we are now down to our final three who are hoping to aim for gold,” Autumn watched, “It’s all about willpower now as they try not to exhaust themselves.”

“And it seems that the Changeling Kingdom is struggling to keep up now,” Tempest said in alarm, “The changeling has stepped away from the line and signalled that she has nothing more to give. Bronze will go to the Changeling Kingdom for their admirable effort.”

“Now it’s the battle for the gold medal between Canterlot and the Peaks of Peril,” Tempest watched with focused attention, “And they are really giving it their all now.”

“Canterlot has just got the edge as the kirin is struggling to keep up the pace with the shooting,” Autumn was on the edge of her seat, “And it seems that the kirin as stepped away from the line and shook her head. She has admitted defeat and Canterlot claims the gold!”

“What an amazing match we have just witnessed, with so much intensity,” Autumn said, “Smoke is literally coming out of their horns now as they blow it off. That is all from the shooting stadium for the Equestria Games today as we wish you a good day and hope that you will be back for more action of the Games as they happen!”

Chapter 104- Climbing To The Top Pt.11

“Welcome back for your daily coverage of the Equestria Games as they happen, live from the hustle and bustle of Manehattan,” Sunset welcomed every creature back to the show, “In partnership with Good Morning Equestria, I am joined here today by the one and only griffon Gabby!”

“Hello every creature to the show!” Gabby enthusiastically welcomed those who have tuned in, “And what a spectacle we are in for today. The Equestria Games Committee have welcomed many new games, and today we are going to commentate a new one for you all.”

“We are coming to you live from the new Manehattan Climbing Arena for the new event of sports climbing!” Sunset announced with equal excitement, “It has been the talk of the Games ever since it was officially announced and there has been a load of speculation over who will triumph and be crowned the first Equestria Games champion of this new sport.”

“The rules are simple,” Gabby explained, “One wall separates the top from the bottom where our climbers start. They must navigate their way as quickly as possible using the holders on the wall to get their hooves, claws and talons in place. The grips are specially designed for the creature to give a equal chances. If the climber is unable to reach the top and falls with the rope, where they have reached will be what the others will aim to go pass.”

“Medals will be decided on speed and position on the wall,” Sunset rounded off the rules, “The lowest scorer or highest point will be the winner of the sports climbing event. So without further ado, let’s see which city of Equestria or kingdom from beyond are taking on the wall.” Gabby nodded and pulled out a list from behind her somewhere. Opening it up, she took a glance at the names of kingdoms and cities.

1. Rainbow Falls
2. Somnambula
3. Peaks of Peril
4. Mythica
5. Prance

“And we have a mixture of kirins, and ponies hoping to climb to the top and claim that gold medal,” Sunset looked at the list as well, “We are in for quite a game of climbing now.”

“And we don’t have to wait for long,” Gabby looked out from her booth, “We wish every climber the best of luck as Rainbow Falls takes their place at the start. At the sound of the whistle, she may proceed. Since she’s a pegasus, wings are prohibited for use.” The adjudicator gave a quick blow of the whistle and the climber for Rainbow Falls quickly took to the wall.

“And she takes it in her stride as she takes on the wall at a good pace,” Sunset watched her go, “She approaches the overhang and takes a good leap at it and proceeds to climb higher. She’s remembering to clip the rope behind her as well as she moves onto the literal section of the wall now. It’s also good that she’s keeping the momentum going as she swings to the hanging parts as well.”

“She’s just over halfway up the wall now in just three minutes seventeen seconds,” Gabby continued, “And that energy is really taking its toll -wait- she just slipped and fell! That will be the target that every creature will try to beat, but it was an admirable effort from the hopeful from Rainbow Falls.”

“Down at the bottom is the next climber waiting from Somnambula,” Sunset announced, “Not the Pillar, but the town named after her. I read it from one of Daring Do’s books, recommended from Twilight, of course. Anyway, the whistle has blown and she has taken the wall with great momentum and tackles the overhang section expertly.”

“She crosses the lateral section with ease and now she’s heading towards the section where the Rainbow Falls faltered,” Gabby watched intently, “And she’s passed Rainbow Falls as she moved to the next part of the climb. Another overhang, but she misjudged the reach and take the fall! Looks like the other climbers have a new target to beat.”

“The kirin from the Peaks of Peril is next as she waits down below now,” Sunset announced, “The whistle has blown and she takes it to the wall with great speed. She is using each hook to her advantage and she takes to the overhang, and she makes it look so easy. Onto the halfway make as she clears the lateral part and surpasses Rainbow Falls’ previous benchmark and now makes her way to the second overhang where Somnambula fell. Will she make it? And she does! Onto the final climb now and the momentum is phenomenal as she tries to reach the end, and conquers it with ease! Four minutes forty-three seconds is the time to beat for those wanting to make it all the way.”

“Next is Mythica,” Gabby announced next, “And she charges up the wall at a good pace, but she slips and misses the first overhang! No way near enough to reach the targets or to the top of the wall! Bad luck to Mythica!”

“Well, that leaves one hopeful left and that is Prance,” Sunset announced for the last time, “At the blow of the whistle, she takes to the wall, beating Mythica’s slip-up with ease! She crosses the overhang and into the lateral section of the wall. She takes over Rainbow Falls’ benchmark and goes past Somnambula’s. It’s all about the time now as she aims to reach the top… And she makes it!”

“With a time of three minutes fifty-three seconds, Prance takes the gold medal in the new sport of climbing! The Peaks of Peril take silver, and with the furthest on the wall Somnambula takes the bronze!” Gabby announced, “Hope you enjoyed the new sport of climbing and we will be back for more action at the Games! Hope you see you all again next time, but from Manehattan, it’s goodbye from me, Gabby and Sunset Shimmer.”

Chapter 105- Part Of The Event Pt.12

“So many of you fellow listeners wanted us to be part of the action of the Equestria Games, and we are up to the challenge of trying some of the sports that our athletes are participating,” Sunset tried to keep calm, but her voice was trembling, “We have agreed together to take part in the diving, specifically the ten metre event.” All the members of the R.U.G. were at the top of a very high diving board, and all of them were feeling very nervous

“Here with us today to show us how to dive safely is a member of Good Morning Equestria,” Tempest said with equal trepidation for what they were about to do, “Please welcome to the show, Silverstream.” The hippogriff student at the School of Friendship waved her claw enthusiastically.

“So excited you ponies are entering the water,” Silverstream smiled, “Well, technically you ponies are diving in, but this will be fun right?” The unicorns gave strained smiles at that.

“If you say so,” Starlight gave her signature nervous laugh, “So tell us, what does it take to do the perfect, simple and safe dive?”

“You are all going to do a simple pike jump into the pool down below,” Silverstream explained simple, “Just jump and compact your body in. Don’t clench too tight as tight muscles and cold water don’t mix that well. Just jump and don’t think twice. Just stay upright and don’t learn too far forwards or back, otherwise, well you know what they say, gravity can be a painful thing.” The unicorns winced and nodded in understanding.

“Alright, does anypony have any questions?” Silverstream asked. Sunset put her hoof up.

“Can we say no to this?”

“Well, you could, but you wouldn’t want your fellow listeners hear you fail on the radio now, do you?” Silverstream cleverly countered. This only caused Sunset to tremble slightly and nodded in defeat. Hopefully things will go smoothly with the diving tutorial. Starlight lit up her horn and made sure that the microphones were waterproof.

Tempest was the first to take the plunge. She looked down and instantly felt dizzy.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Silverstream tutted, “If you’re going to eat the jellyfish, might as well eat it now.”

“You’re enjoying this a bit too much, Silverstream,” Starlight observed with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m just happy that I’m the teacher this time,” Silverstream giggled, which caused Starlight to roll her eyes.

Tempest gulped and stood on her hindlegs. She clenched and leapt forward. The others ran to edge, just to watch in time as Tempest jumped successfully to the swimming pool below. They cheered as Tempest resurfaced with a gasp for air and waved to her co-hosts above that she was fine. The others breathed a sigh of relief.

“Alright Sunset,” She told herself as she took her place at the edge of the board, “You’ve encountered evil Equestrian magic running around, bad creatures from Equestria too. This is just a simple dive. I just need to take the right hoof forward.”

“You can do this,” Silverstream encouraged, “Just take the plunge.” Sunset nodded, held her breath and jumped. The others watched as she descended and hit the water with a splash. Sunset emerged from the surface with a tremendous smile.

“That was amazing!” Sunset waved her hooves whilst trying to stay afloat, “I want to do it all over again!”

“See?!” Silverstream called from the diving board, “That wasn’t too hard was it? Sometimes you just need a good friend to reassure you that nothing bad will happen!”

“You gave a friendship lesson didn’t you?” Starlight sighed and shook her head.

“The student has become the teacher!” Silverstream punched the air triumphantly. Starlight giggled and went up to the board next. Looking down and quickly looked straight ahead to not feel dizzy, she stood on her hindlegs and jumped forward. She let gravity do the work as she felt the water break her fall and sawm up. Wiping her mane from her eyes, she looked up to Trixie, who was waving for her to join them down below. Starlight then joined the others, on the edge of the pool, receiving a towel in Sunset’s magic.

“This is going to be good,” Sunset chuckled, “I know where this is going.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie now takes the dive!” Trixie said as she took off her cape and hat. She took to the edge and jumped before Silverstream could tell her what was she was doing.

“She went too far forward, didn’t she,” Starlight observed.

“This is going to be painful to watch and hear,” Tempest nodded as Trixie fell towards the water. There was the sound of coat and body hitting the water forward as Trixie landed a bellyflop hard on the surface. The R.U.G. down below and Silverstream from on top of the board winced and cringed at the sound of the impact.

Trixie disappeared, before resurfacing with her face down in the water. Starlight ran to the edge of the water.

“Trixie?!” Starlight said in panic, “Are you alright? Say something!” All she got was a bubbling moan and a hoof raised in Starlight’s direction. Silverstream flew down and landed beside the R.U.G.

“She went too far forward, and the distance from the board was a little risky,” Silverstream sighed, “She’ll live, though she will definitely feel that in the morning.”

“I think it’s best if we leave it there for today then,” Tempest tsked, “Thank you Silverstream for the demonstration, and we learned something new today. Hope you enjoyed our attempts of diving, or jumping, from a ten metre board and we will be back soon for the last few days of coverage from the Equestria Games!”

Chapter 106- Buck Of A Time Pt.13

“Inspired by the Equestria Games going on, we have decided to try and compete ourselves,” Starlight announced to their listeners, “We are outside in the centre of Manehattan with a crowd around us as she try to see who can buck the hardest out of all of us in the R.U.G.”

“This idea came to us during Applejack’s and Rainbow Dash’s annual Iron Pony Competition,” Tempest explained, “And one event has caught our eyes. Each of us will see how hard we can buck using this machine with a bell on top called a buck-striker. We will each come up and give it the hardest buck as we can. The pony who hits hammer to ring the bell or gets it as high as possible wins the buck-off.”

“Being our judge and taking time of royal duties from the Games is nonother than the Princess of Friendship herself, Twilight Sparkle!” The crowd around them cheered as Twilight waved, though still with her sheepish smile when she is met by a big crowd.

“Being the judge on the Iron Pony Competition, she has agreed to come along and be the judge of this match,” Sunset smiled to her friend.

“Thank you for allowing to finally take a break from being an observer from the Games,” Twilight sighed, “Anyway, the machine is all set, meaning that you can all take it in turns to try and buck as hard as you can. You may not be as strong as Applejack, who won it last time, but I’m still interested to see how you will do at it. Starlight, you can come up next. We will be adding the heights all together as points.” The crowd gave another cheer as Starlight took her position, facing away from the buck-strikeer and stretched her hindlegs to warm up.

She reared forwards and hit the target as hard as she could muster, not using any magic to balance herself you to cheat on the machine. The hammer rose, but not quite enough to reach the bell on top. Twilight levitated a notebook and scribbled down the score.

“And after her first attempt, Starlight ha managed to buck the hammer 6.38 metres high,” Twilight announced, earning a respectable applause from the crowd, “When you’re ready, Starlight, you can make your second attempt.” Starlight nodded, her face screwed up in concentration as she did reared forwards and aimed at the target again. The hammer rose again, slightly higher than before.

“Better than the fist attempt,” Twilight mused, “That is 6.73 metres, so you can move onto your third and final attempt.” Starlight nodded and prepared for the final buck. With a final swift buck on the target, she gave it her all.

“And that is 7.31 metres. That gives you a grand total of 20.42 points,” Twilight concluded. Starlight nodded, wiping off the sweat from her forehead as the crowd gave their show of support. Trixie was up next. Her face showed determination, as if she was preparing to show off some great and powerful magic trick.

She looked up at the ten-metre high buck-striker and positioned herself to get ready in front of the bucking target. She gave it her best shot and aimed at the target with all her might. The hammer rose and she struck it with a strong force.

“That’s 7.32 metres,” Twilight said, sounding slightly shocked.

“Working at a work farm just to make a living probably helped,” Trixie said nonchalantly.

“Onto your second attempt,” Twilight rolled her eyes whilst Trixie took her place again and struck it with another strong buck. Starlight gave a whistle in encouragement.

“7.58 metres,” Twilight said impressed, “And now onto your third and final attempt.” Trixie gave her final buck one that was a strong as possible. The crowd gave a big cheer as reached the eight metre mark.

“8.24 metres,” Twilight had to fly up to get an accurate reading, “That gives the final score of 23.41 and places Trixie in the lead!”

“After that embarrassing moment at the diving pool, this makes up for it,” Trixie smirked triumphantly. Sunset was next to see how good her bucking skills was. Being a human in one world and a pony in another, she will have a hard time to adapt between bucking and kicking, but she approached the buck-striker confidently.

“Just give it your best shot,” Twilight smiled comfortably, “When you’re ready, please take your first attempted.” Sunset nodded and took a good buck at the target, the hammer rising quickly before falling back to the bottom.

“5.87 meters,” Twilight frowned, “I think you can try harder than that. When you’re ready, have a go on your second attempt.” Sunset’s face was one of pure concentration as she struck the target for her second attempt.

“Better,” Twilight complimented, “6.43, and now you can go and do you’re third and final attempt.” The crowd gave a sound of support, as did her co-hosts, as she prepared for the final buck. She reared forwards and struck it with one final buck. The hammer rose a good distance and fell, the crowd cheering on Sunset’s third attempt.

“7.23m!” Twilight announced, “19.53 is the total, as she now turn our attention to Tempest for her attempts.” Tempest walked up to the striker and got herself ready for the first shot. She reared forwards and gave it her all, the hammer racing up and back down.

“8.64 metres, a very strong start,” Twilight announced, earning a round of applause from the spectators. Tempest had determination on her face as she struck the target with another strong buck.

“9.07m!” Twilight announced, “She could actually do it and hit that bell!” Tempest smiled and struck the target for her third and final attempt, which went straight up and rang the bell, earning a round of applause from the crowd.

“And we’ve got a winner of the buck-off,” Twilight announced, “It’s Tempest!”

“Thank you all for attending and listening today’s edition of the R.U.G,” Tempest smiled triumphantly, “We will be back for more laughs and talks, btu for now, it’s goodbye from all us all in the centre of Manehattan.”

Chapter 107- It's A Wrap Pt.14

“During the many days of sports seen across Manehattan, we have seen many things and gave out many medals for the winning cities of Equestria, and kingdoms from kingdom. We welcomed new kingdoms and lands to our Games and watched them succeed in many of the sports,” Tempest opened up, “But like all good things, they must come to an end. Welcome back to Manehattan one last time as you join all of us for the closing ceremony of the Equestria Games.”

“Congratulations to the athletes for claiming a medal, but to even compete in these Games is an achievement in itself,” Sunset continued, “And so, Luna’s moon reigns high in the sky as we look down towards the stadium for the very last time.” The lights around the stadium began to fade as the countdown to the closing ceremony began.

“We first welcome our athletes to the centre of the arena for a big get-together,” Starlight watched from their booth, “In they come with their flags waving and big smiles on their faces. Some have their medals around their necks as they make their way to the centre of the stadium.”

“And now the scene around them changes as the stadium turns into a mini version of the big city once again, the hustle and bustle of Manehattan displayed all around them,” Trixie carried on, “And now a parade is happening as a carnival makes its way around the athletes. They are dancing along to the music and every creature far and wide are clearing enjoying the atmosphere. The city is thanking the athletes for taking part in the Games, for showing the true sporting spirit of the Games.”

“And now the carnival leaves as we watch the lowering of the flags of Manehattan and the Games for the handing over ceremony,” Tempest turned her co-hosts attention to the upper-centre of the arena, “It was decided that a kingdom should host the Games, it was happily announced that Mount Aris will be the next host of the Games, with accessible train rides to the land of the hippogriffs. We now have the mayor of Manehattan and Queen Novo and Princess Skystar on the stage as they begin the transfer of the Games.”

“The flags are being lowered right now as and both mayor and royalty hold out their flags as a sign of unity and hope for more success at the next Games. A big cheer can be heard around the stadium as the crowd reflects on that, on the unity and friendship that sports can bring to those far and wide,” Sunset nodded in agreement. Both mayor and royalty shook hooves and claws before exiting the stage.

“Onto the representation of Mount Aris now,” Starlight enthusiastically announced, “We are seeing a little bit of seapony and hippogriff culture as the landscape around the stadium and athletes turn into water and the peak of Mount Aris. Storm clouds gather, announcing the arrival of the Storm King. A big puppet of him arriving and announcing his presence. The hippogriffs now are forces to flee to the waters, becoming seaponies and creating the new underwater kingdom of Sequestria.”

“But now the Storm King has been defeated and the skies and clear. Hope returns to the mountain and the hippogriffs can return to the air once again,” Trixie observed, “They can start rebuilding Mount Aris to its former glory and focus on identifying themselves what it means to be a hippogriff in this modern age of peace and hope.”

“And so we will see the next Equestria Games in Mount Aris, as a flag is unveiled saying that they are looking forward to seeing every athlete back,” Sunset watched on, “And now it’s time for the final two acts of the closing ceremony, the extinguishing of the Equestria Games Cauldron and the final fireworks show, like what they did in the Crystal Empire.”

“Onto the extinguishing of the cauldron now,” Tempest continued, “The cauldron is being lowered and the athletes and audience watch as the flame becomes smaller and smaller until it’s no more. I little bit of history about the flame, apart from Spike or Twilight’s magic helping out, the flame comes from a ceremony at Canterlot Castle, where Princess Celestia focuses the sun’s rays to torch with her solar magic. It’s quite a spectacle to watch.”

“And now for the final piece of the closing ceremony, the fireworks display,” Starlight rounded up the event, “They are made in the colours of the flags of the different kingdoms and are being lighted right now.” The fireworks went off in spectacular fashion, exploding around the stadium in a variety of colours. The athletes, crowd and R.U.G. cheered as the fireworks died down until it was just Luna’s night sky and moon, the stars shining down from above.

“Thank you Manehattan for an amazing Games that we will never forget, and we will see you all again at Mount Aris. From the R.U.G, with partnership from Good Morning Equestria, we hope you have enjoyed our coverage of the Games,” Tempest thanked.

“We hope these Games have inspired you to try something new, or push yourself further than you could ever imagined to go,” Sunset continued on.

“However, we will be back in our main studio for more talks and chat,” Trixie said.

“But from all of us, live from Manehattan, it’s goodbye and a big thank you for tuning in with us,” Starlight concluded as the Equestria Games was officially announced to be over.

Next stop: Mount Aris.

Author's Note

Thank you Tokyo for an amazing Olympics despite the current situation.

Looking forward to Paris 2024

Chapter 108- Flowering Attempt

“Hello every listener!” Sunset welcomed every creature back, “We are back in our main studio after the fun and excitement of the Equestria Games. After all that sporting action, we thought it was best to do something relaxing, as we have invited some of Ponyville’s residents to teach us something new and different.”

“Joining us today are Ponyville’s resident flower experts Roseluck, Lily Valley and Daisy to teach us the art of flower arranging,” Starlight said as she turned to the flower pony trio, “Welcome to our show and thank you for agreeing to join us today.”

“It’s nothing,” Roseluck waved a hoof in dismissal, “There is always Ponyville Day Spa, but flower arranging can be just as relaxing as a massage.”

“So then,” Tempest started off, “What is the secret to the best flower arrangement.”

“A keen eye for detail,” Lily started, “You want your final design to be uniform, perfect to the eye. I think the best way is to do it first-hoof. We have brought over a cart full of flowers that we have grown and are perfect for arrangements. Why don’t you go over their and choose your favourites, along with a vase.”

The R.U.G. trotted over to the cart and picked their preferred flowers, from roses, zinnias, bluebells and lavenders. Starlight chose a tinted green vase that matched the green streaks in her mane. Trixie went for one with stars like her cape and hat. Tempest went for a dark vase that reflected her style best whilst Sunset chose a bright vase with red zig-zags. The flower ponies looked at their vases with intrigue, wondering what flowers would be best for their vase choices.

Next came the flower selection. Sunset, reflecting her art project back at CHS, chose bright sunflowers that caught her eye immediately.

“There are something about sunflowers that I love,” Sunset smiled as she took them from the cart, “They are just so bright and pleasing to the eye. No matter how big they get, you just can’t stop smiling when seeing one open.”

Trixie went for an array of cornflowers of blue, white and pink. None of the other flowers reflected how great and powerful she was, thinking that they were rather dull, much to the flower trio’s horror. That was until she spotted a patch of cornflowers and was immediately hooked to them.

“They look like a crown of flowers on one play,” Trixie smiled as she took some in her magic, “Like crowns somepony with great showmanship would definitely want to wear.”

Tempest was looking at the cart with focus until she caught sight of a bunch of dark crimson roses.

“These will do nicely,” Tempest announced simply, “Something that holds beauty yet to be careful with, like the thorns that you can simply trim off.”

“Well,” Starlight looked over at the remaining flowers, “I think I will go for the lavenders. I just love the smell they bring and would be lovely welcoming smell for any student who will need my counselling.”

“Looks like Phyllis will have a new friend in the office,” Trixie smirked knowingly, earning a few confused looks from the flower ponies.

“And Phyllis isn’t very happy that you dumped him in in the trash bin,” Starlight shot back.

“Anyway,” Daisy decided to move things along before it got too heated for them and the flowers, “The best trick for any flower arrangement is to use your eyes. Cut off any leaves that you think are out of place, but symmetry for each individual flower and the whole design is the most pleasing thing to the eye.”

The best way to look at your arrangement is to take a good distance back and look at it from afar,” Lily hinted, “You want some pony to walk into the room and instantly have their eyes drawn to it.” Roseluck gave the group a pair of flower cutting scissors and they started to trim with their hooves or magic. Tempest took Lily’s advice and occasionally stepped back to get a better view of where to improve. Trixie on the other hoof was more frantic with her cutting, much to the flower trio’s horror.

“Please,” Roseluck trembled, “Be careful with them! They are a work of art that was grown with our love and care!” It was when Trixie accidentally broke a stem off one of the cornflowers that the trio fainted on the studio floor.

“The horror!” Lily wailed, “The horror!”

“And I thought Rarity was bad enough,” Trixie muttered as she threw the broken flower off. Luckily for the three ponies, Sunset and Starlight were more reserved with their cutting skills. Sunset cut each sunflower with attention, taking their advice on symmetry and arranging them in a circle to that when somepony would walk around the vase, they would get a clear view of each individual flower in all its beauty. Starlight was also treating each lavender with tender TLC, trimming a loose leaf carefully since lavenders have thin delicate stems.

“Okay everypony,” Daisy announced, “Let’s see what you have made from your flowers.” They stepped back to admire each other’s work, smiling at a good job well done. Starlight promised that they arrangements will be used at the School of Friendship, hoping that it would reflect friendship in the flowers and Rarity will love something to go with her decorative centrepieces after the last one was shot our by Rockhoof.

“Thank you so very much for taking the time to teach us the art of flower arranging,” Starlight thanked the trio, “And we hope you learned something new too. We will see you all again soon, but from us, Roseluck, Daisy and Lily Valley, it’s goodbye from the studio!”

Chapter 109- Mail Delivery

“Hello every pony and listener,” Starlight welcomed their fellow followers back for another day of R.U.G. fun and talks, “We are outside the studio to get our hooves doing something busy as we are in Ponyville’s post office centre to see how one letter gets from one place to another and hopefully get the chance to be delivery ponies ourselves.”

“Giving us a tour of the mail delivery service is the one Ponyville’s well known delivery ponies, Derpy Hooves!” Trixie introduced the grey, wonky-eyed pegasus, who waved with a big smile on her face.

“It’s great to be on the show and to give you a tour of Ponyville’s delivery service,” Derpy thanked the group, “And if you would follow me, let’s deliver this tour.”

“I see what you did there,” Tempest chuckled, “So how much mail does the post office get each day?”

“Oh, hundreds to the thousands,” Derpy answered as she led the group in, “And we get ponies and creatures far and wide, like Gabby who helps connects the School of Friendship to Griffonstone, which is good for Gallus if he wants to write anything or Grandpa Gruff, who wants to see how Gallus is doing.”

“What other visitors to the post office do you get?” Sunset asked with intrigue.

“We even had Princess Celestia and Princess Luna here,” Derpy explained, “It was mainly Luna’s idea, since working at night means she hasn’t been to a post office before. She wanted to see the process of delivering a letter to her sister, who happened to be standing right next to her.”

“She really needs to get out more,” Trixie giggled, “But I heard that they were on vacation, so that counts as something.”

Derpy led the R.U.G. behind the counter and opened the door to the filing department. She took a deep breath and let her nose take in the smell.

“I love the smell of parchment and freshly printed stamps every time I walk in here,” Derpy sighed in contentment, “I can see why Princess Twilight loves the smell of new books. Anyway, wince we get mail from the counter that needs delivering, they are separated based on the city it needs to go to and size. letters are stored in special compartments to the desired destination and parcels are stored alongside them in another shelf.”

“What happens when something needs to get to Cloudsdale?” Starlight asked, “It must be hard to get mail from the ground to somewhere as high only pegasi can reach?”

“Not unless you have a pegasi department for getting letters up there,” Derpy smiled, “In fact, since I was a pegasus, they thought it was best to get me started on the pegasus department. However it didn’t turn out so well.”

“What happened?” Sunset asked. Derpy splayed her eyes back and a blush formed on her face as she looked away from the group.

“First day I was ordered to handle a big delivery for a potted plant, an anvil, a hay cart and piano. However, I dropped it on some poor pony in a wheelchair. I never saw who though,” Derpy explained, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof. Trixie burst out laughing, only to be jabbed on the side by Starlight.

“After that, I was simply given the task of counter work or simple mail delivery,” Derpy smiled, “But I enjoy what I do and I think it’s important that you like your job. I love getting my uniform and visiting each house in Ponyville, the town ponies opening the door with smiles on their faces. Each parcel and letter are little packets of joy and love under each envelope and inside every box.”

“So, what is our task at the post office today,” Tempest asked.

“You will be helping out with filing the letters to their desired destinations,” Derpy explained, “We have a big order of letters and parcels to go through. The way you do it is simple. Just get a hoof full of letters and parcels, look at the address it should be sent and file it in the designated shelf. With your magic and Tempest’s quick hooves, it should be each for all of you.” The group nodded and got into their work uniforms.

Starlight was the magic organiser. Lifting the letters with her magic, she organised them into a row which started moving in mid-air, similar to what Twilight would do when organising her books. The group took out a couple of parcels and letters and started organising them onto the correct shelf. Whilst Trixie and Sunset worked through them with their magic with ease, Tempest was still able to keep up the pace with her hooves. She also managed to heavier parcels which needed to be moved into a special cart.

The group worked effectively, impressing Derpy who stood on standby. They quickly managed to get through fifteen bags of letters and eleven crates of parcels. By the end of the shift, the post office was ready to deliver them, Derpy managed to instruct the delivery team which destination they were in charge of. The group of delivery ponies took their bags and filled them with letters and trotted or flew off to their destinations.

“Thank you so very much for helping out. You might consider being delivery ponies yourself,” Derpy whistled as she looked at the now empty shelves.

“Thank you so very much for giving us a tour of the post office,” Starlight thanked, “Thank you all for listening and I hoped you leant something about what your letter has been through to get from A to B. That is all from the R.U.G. for now and we will be back for more talks and fun, so stay tuned.

Chapter 110- Showing The Ropes

“We are back on Sweet Apple Acres for another demonstration with Applejack,” Tempest welcomed their listeners back, “We are going to try our luck with a classic rodeo trick as Applejack prepares to represent Ponyville at Appleloosa’s famous rodeo show. the R.U.G. made their way towards an open area where the orange farmpony was waiting for them. Upon seeing the group she tipped her hat to them.

“Howdy y’all,” Applejack smiled, “And Ah’m glad y’all decided to try your luck at some classic rodeo-style fun! This ain’t like sitting around indoors all the time, so Ah expect you to be jostling and bustling around like working on a farm.”

“Glad to be back on the farm,” Sunset thanked Applejack, “So let’s get our hooves dirty and show us some rodeo classics.” The group nodded eagerly at Applejack.

“That’s the spirit,” Applejack encouraged, “Today I’m going to show to the real art of being a cowpony with a lasso.” She took off her hat and pulled out her trust lasso. The others stepped back as she performed a few twirls on it, jumping through it and giving the rope a twirl in the air like a ballerina. The R.U.G. watched her in awe and fascination. Applejack began explaining the basics whilst still during a few tricks as she talked.

“The trick is rhythm and speed,” She explained, “You need to keep your momentum going and have the accuracy to direct the rope any direction. No magic as this is something us earth ponies are proud to have strength on our side.” She picked up the pace and turned towards a target.

“Then when you have the exact pace going, y’all can give it you all and thrust it forward to catch something.” With that, she flung the lasso and caught a scarecrow with great precision and speed. If it was a real pony, they wouldn’t know what hit them as the rope went that fast. The R.U.G. gave her a round of applause, which Applejack crossed her forelegs in appreciation.

“Thank you kindly,” Applejack smiled in appreciation, “But that’s enough appreciating, let’s get you lot some rope to practice.” The farmpony trotted over to a fence where several ropes hung there. She threw them to the unicorns who caught it with a hoof instead of magic, sticking to the earth pony way. After tying one end in a loop, they let Applejack do the explaining.

“Start of slow with some nice swings from side to side in a circular motion,” Applejack told them, giving her few swings with her lasso. The group took their lasso in a hoof and began to swing it from side to side in easy small circles. Starlight and Tempest smiled as they saw their lassos starting to keep to the rhythm of their swings. Sunset started off slow, but she soon managed to find her momentum and saw that her lasso was starting to take shape. Trixie as the slowest, her lasso going at odd angles. Applejack smiled as she watched the group perform.

“Keep it nice and steady until the circle is fully open, then you have a full lasso that’s working,” Applejack said, though she was wincing slightly at Trixie’s flimsy lasso. The others managed to pick up the speed and Applejack showed them how to skip with it, jumping through the loop. Sunset tripped slightly, but kept her balance and still had the lasso going. Tempest and Starlight managed to jump through for a few more jumps as Applejack set up some scarecrows to act as targets.

“When you’re ready, Ah want you to take a step forward and throw the lasso forward with as much speed as possible.” The group had a determined look on their faces as they took a step forward, eyeing up their target. They threw the rope with all their might, never leaving their eyes off their scarecrows.

Starlight was the first to get the target right on the head, Tempest following with a full body hit. Sunset wanted to keep the speed going before taking a big throw at her scarecrow and managed to get it bang on target. Trixie was a different story. She went way over the target, taking her along with the rope. Unfortunately, a tree branch was right behind it, causing her to get tied up around the branch with her lasso. The group and Applejack laughed their flanks off at her predicament.

“You’re just as tied up as Rainbow during our iron pony competition,” Applejack chuckled.

“The Great and Helpless Trixie needs some assistance,” Trixie wheezed.

“I think we are going to take a break here to help Trixie out,” Sunset giggled, “Thank you for joining us today, and thank you to Applejack for showing us the ropes. We will see you all again next time on the R.U.G! Bye!

Chapter 112- Filed Away

“Welcome back to the Reformed Unicorn Group,” Tempest welcomed their listeners back, “And we are about to reveal some things from Ponyville’s best party planner, Pinkie Pie. So tell us Pinkie, what have you decided to unleash onto our show today?” The pinkie pony had a stack of files next to her and a huge smile on her face that seems to be permanent almost every day.

“I am going to reveal to all of you what likes and dislikes you all have after days of research and seeing you all around town after your show,” Pinkie declared proudly, “It wasn’t easy, but after days and days of research and careful analysis that would make Twilight proud, I have made a file of what you like and don’t like so I can plan the perfect party for you and stored it into my secret party planning cave.”

“Not much of a secret now,” Trixie muttered.

“I may not be a secret, but it’s secretly hidden, so that’s good enough for me,” Pinkie proudly countered. Trixie just rolled her eyes.

“So tell us Pinkie,” Starlight urged her on, “After your extensive research, what have you learned about our preferred food and tastes?” Pinkie took out four files from the pile which contained pictures of the R.U.G. and opened Starlight’s first.

“Starlight likes raspberry trifle with fruit chunks in the jelly, pink balloons and fun dance music,” Pinkie read out loud, “But he doesn’t like banana splits or anything banana related.” The last one earned a few confused faces except Starlight, who shivered at the mention of the word banana.

“I got that from my dad,” Starlight squeaked that would rival Fluttershy, with an equally red blush, “He would mash the banana up and make pegasus flying motions with the spoon, saying ‘here comes the pegasus’, as if I was a foal having their first solid meal!” Starlight puffed her cheeks and an annoyed look crossed her face. Trixie was wise to hold back her laughter at that.

“However,” Starlight relaxed, “I just love a nice cool trifle with cream and custard. The jelly has to have fruity chunks that make the trifle extra sweet to me.” Pinkie nodded in agreement and licked her lips at the idea of what Starlight liked. She then opened Trixie’s folder.

“Trixie really likes her nuts,” Pinkie smiled, “We’re talking about roasted chestnuts, nut crackers with sunflower seeds and oaty hayburgers. For her punch, she likes a tropical mix of pineapple, passionfruit and berries.” Trixie had a tongue out as she imagined the perfect feast for a great and powerful magician.

“You sure like your nuts,” Starlight commented, snapping Trixie back.

“Roasting nuts on the fire after a long road trip was my go-to for a nice meal,” Trixie explained, “I was short on bits and nuts were cheap. I taught myself to cook them on an open fire and the smell just gets me every time. it was my comfort during cold nights on the road.”

“That would also explained why you wanted some of Bulk’s nuts from his stand before he went for his other job at the spa,” Starlight pondered, causing Trixie to chuckled sheepishly at that.

“My bad memory senses are tingling, so we will move onto Tempest,” Pinkie hurried as she opened Tempest folder next, the unicorn slight apprehensive about what Pinkie was about to reveal to the studio and to every listener.

“Tempest likes all things berry, duh!” Pinkie rolled her eyes, “Seriously Tempy, you have the best name ever!” Tempest looked away slightly, trying to hide an evident blush on her face.

“We’re talking about berry tarts, berry punch, berry everything! A very berry interesting, sweet party when you reach your next birthday! I can ensure you that you will be in for a sweet, fruit surprise!” Somewhere behind Pinkie Pie, her party canon went off at the mention of a party. The others covered their ears as confetti fell all around them.

“This is going to be one Nightmare Moon to clean up this mess,” Starlight groaned.

“And finally Sunset. She likes a good Apple and berry crumble with thick custard, but prefers a more crumbly crumble than a fruity one,” Pinkie read from her file.

“I’m that sort of pony who prefers a more crumble to fruit ratio in their crumble,” Sunset shrugged, the unicorns in the room nodding in agreement.

“She also likes a sweet red velvet sponge cake and thick cream,” Pinkie looked down, “That’s also Princess Celestia’s favourite cake!”

“She used to share me some when we went over study time,” Sunset muttered, “Red velvet always brings me back to those memories.”

“Then why aren’t I allowed to try some of your cake, Sister?” Luna asked her big sister.

“My cake! No questions! You have your cookies anyway,” Celestia snapped back.

“Well, that’s all I have from my follows,” Pinkie said with beady eyes, “But I will be watching every move to make sure that you will have the best party ever!”

“Okay! We believe you,” Starlight tried to calm her down, “That is all for now and we are going to take a short break today! Thank you for tuning in and we hope to see you all again soon on the R.U.G!”

Chapter 113- Chillaxing Conversation

“Been a while since we just sat down with some other ponies for a nice interview,” Starlight mused, “So it was all the more reason to ask somepony, or someponies in this case, to come along and be the guests of our show!”

“So please put your hooves, claws and talons together for the ponies that run Ponyville’s famous Ponyville Day Spa, Aloe Vera and Lotus Blossom!” Sunset announced, which every unicorn clapping for the spa sisters, who nodded their heads to thank the group for inviting them.

“So let’s get down to business and tell us how did you open a spa here in Ponyville,” Tempest went right into the conversation. Aloe started off first, speaking in her usual accent.

“We were very interested in the hospitality and service sector for a while now,” She explained, “We trained in our howntown or Prance before moving to extra training in Canterlot, servicing the nobility and get our methods right to target everypony, and then creature, in order to know how do get them the best relaxing experience. We also experimented with well-known herbs and remedies to get the desired effect.”

“Ponyville was a slow-paced town that was ideal start for our own spa,” Lotus continued, “We started small, but then it just became more and more popular. For the design, we wanted simplicity yet opulence, showing that we are a spa of high standard no matter how simple a town Ponyville is. We used our knowledge of herbal remedies to get the best experience for our customers.”

“So have you tried any new ones?” Trixie asked, “Something you can use after a showpony’s stressed and tiresome long show and journey on the road?”

“We have also worked close with Zecora after Ponyville accepted her as a welcomed zebra,” Lotus answered, “With her expanded knowledge of plants from the Everfree Forest, someplace we dare not enter ourselves, she supplies with cures for all aches and pains. Like hoof cures for long trips and walks. We also started selling creams and herbs that we and zecora grew as well.”

“We have asked Roseluck, Daisy and Lily Valley for their help in growing and stocking our herbs as well,” Aloe added, “Those three may be dramatic over a broken stem, but they sure know how to grow plants the right way.”

“What has been your busiest times and customers?” Starlight asked with fascination.

“That would definitely Rarity and Fluttershy with their weekly get-togethers at the spa,” Aloe confirmed, “Fluttershy also likes buying our scented candles as well. According to our rotas and schedules, Rainbow Dash also likes to have her pampered muscle massage and indulgent hooficure package.” The unicorns in the studio nearly fell off their seats at hearing that revelation.

“Are you saying that Rainbow Dash, the ‘most awesome-est pony’ in Equestria, is a regular customer at the spa?” Sunset stuttered.

“You heard correct,” Lotus confirmed with a sly nod.

“They just had to say that!” Rainbow cried out from her house when she heard what the spa twins had announced for all of Equestria and every kingdom to hear, “I’ll be a laughing stock! My whole life is ruined! I’ll be twenty-percent uncool!”

“What was your busiest event to host?” Starlight moved on, probably to save Rainbow’s awesome title.

“Definitely would be Matilda Donkey and Cranky Doodle’s wedding,” Aloe thought, “Even if there was a bugbear attacking the down and the wedding had to happened in one day, I think it went alright. Although we didn’t like being paraded around the town, carried up DJ PON-3’s moving turntables.”

“Another time was when we were asked to wash Yona for the new tradition at the School of Friendship, courtesy of Rarity. It took forever to make a yak smell like something for a ball, but we think we outdid ourselves there. Another time was when the Ponytones performed for all our customers at the spa. We were fully booked that day so everypony can have a massage and listen to some music at the same time.”

“What are your most popular packages and products?” Tempest asked.

“That would be our scented water baths, followed by a hooficure and massage,” Lotus answered straight away, “As for products, our scented candles are popular, especially for Hearth’s Warming gifts. Cinnamon, sea salts, and fresh lavender sell out very quickly.”

Starlight sighed, “The spa was a lovely place indeed. After stressing over making a friend, it was the perfect place to get away from it all.”

“And where you made a friend at the same time,” Trixie added cleverly, “After a long time on the road, I just needed a place to rest a traveller’s weary hooves. Ponyville Day Spa was the right place to go to trat myself.”

“We offer a wide range of unicorn treatments, from horn filings and magical treatments as well. Zecora also recently discovered a spring in the water that is proven to help unicorns who over-casted their spells or suffering from magic drainage. We will have that imported from her soon,” Aloe quipped.

“Well, that is all we have time for today at the R.U.G,” Tempest rounded up today’s show, “Thank you to Aloe and Lotus for coming today, and I hope all of you in Ponyville and maybe beyond will come and have a taste of their spa! We will be back soon, but right now, we are going to play Countess Coloratura’s song, Rainbow Spectrum. Enjoy!”

Chapter 1- The Great And Powerful Introduction

"Come one, come all, to the new an exciting show brought to you by the Great and Powerful Trixie and by Great and Powerful Assistants!"

Since the radio's development, new broadcasting channels have taken off. One such show sees four former villains come together to share their troubles and have some laughs. One such reformed villain was enjoying this new invention. Trixie, though it was maybe to boost her ego a little higher, decided to start the new program, away from her street and open performances. However, she begged Twilight to find the right ponies for the job. Twilight, begrudgingly after Trixie's persistent begging on organisation, agreed to help find the right ponies for the job.

"I, Trixie, have decided to create a new show that will, delight and amaze the audience! But Trixie is not doing this alone. Let me introduce you to the crew! First is the unicorn that enslaved an entire village with equal signs and decided to threaten Equestria with time travel, it's Starlight Glimmer!"

"Thank you for that introduction, Trixie" Starlight rolled her eyes at her friend's, "I'm here, taking time from my counselling at the School of Friendship, giving you advice to all of across Equestria!"

Starlight was the first pony Trixie asked to join the group. Starlight was immediately on board with the idea, saying that it will help her counselling skills to those outside the school and beyond Equestria. She asked Twilight to help reschedule her counselling in the school to fit around podcasts and broadcasting times.

"Come from the other side of a magical mirror, former student of Princess Celestia herself, and enslaved an entire school, It's Sunset Shimmer!"

"Hello everyone, I mean everypony! Haven't used these words in a long time! Hope to help with those who ran with their past."

Twilight thought the new show would be a great idea, and wrote to Sunset by the magical diaries. Sunset wrote back, intrigued by the idea at first, but was quick to get on board with the idea. The mirror portal was always open now and she can hop back and forth between the two worlds to broadcast with the show.

"And finally, the unicorn with two names, helped the wicked Storm King from enslaving the whole of Equestria, It's Fizzlepop Berry Twist, but you may know her best as Tempest Shadow!"

"Spreading the news of the Storm King's defeat and helping you connect with your past, it's me," Tempest introduced herself.

After spreading the word of the Storm King's defeat, Tempest went to visit Twilight at her castle, just when Trixie had the idea of the new show. Tempest was hesitant at first of being a part of the new program, but Twilight helped persuade her to help reach out and make new friends. Tempest finally gave in and the other unicorns welcomed her in.

"Together, we make the new Reformed Unicorn Group! Hope you will join us in the afternoons after Pinkie's popular show!" Trixie concluded.

"We hope we can share our past and hope to spread friendship in our own way," Starlight added.

"The past can hurt and sometimes it's hard to forgive the ones we hurt ourselves. However, the only way anycreature can live in peace, is if we are prepared to forgive," Sunset explained.

"Hope to see you all very soon, " Tempest before they were off the air.

Chapter 9- Talking To The Moon

"Goodness, we are in the presence of a very special pony today," Sunset announced excitedly, "Our very own Princess of the Night has taken time off royal duties for a special appearance of our show!"

"Please give it up for, Princess Luna!" Starlight introduced with equal enthusiasm.

"Thank you so much for coming on our show," Tempest thanked,

"'Tis a pleasure to be on thine show," Luna answered with her usually royal tone, "Hearing your show has sparked an interest, with me having a past not too dissimilar to you ponies in this room. My sister also encouraged me to take time off royal duties to come on with you."

"Many would remember you as Nightmare Moon," Starlight said with hesitation, "How would you describe that past?"

Luna sighed, "It is a moment of my life that I look back on with the most sincere regret. My Past is still there, etched in the pages of Equestria's long history, but I try my best to move forward in the best way I, both for myself and my subjects. Turning things around, starts by taking a step in the right direction."

"I imagine it took some time to adjust to modern times?" Trixie asked.

"Indeed," Luna said with some embarrassment, which was quite unlike her, "Although the main challenge was getting subjects to see me beyond my past. It didn't help on my first visit on Nightmare Night. I thought the scaring was because of my past, but it was just that ponies just liked to be scared. Pinkie Pie the most."

"Pinkie being Pinkie," Starlight rolled her eyes at that.

"My old self is still there, and I still get jealous about my sister's accomplishments. But I remember that my duty is just as important as my sister. Thanks to you Starlight, my sister and I have seen each other in a different light. How hard we work to keep our subjects safe. To allows our ponies to go out in the sunlight and sleep peacefully in the moonlight," Luna recalled, earning a weak chuckle from Starlight.

"That says something from a former villain who switched the princesses' cutie marks," Starlight sighed, earning a surprised glance by the other unicorns in the room.

"You switched the princesses' cutie marks?! The actual princesses' cutie marks?!" Sunset cried out in surprise.

"Please," Starlight groaned, "You're starting to sound like Twilight, and it was a long story that I do not want to go through again."

"Regardless," Luna comforted her, "She managed to let us see each other in a different light. In addition, we still have a sisterly mockery with each other, much like any other sibling in Equestria."

In Canterlot Castle, her sister gave a hard glare at the radio. Her sister wouldn't. Would she?

"My sister has the most unfortunate sweet tooth, one to rival even Pinkie Pie," Luna chuckled, "It's lucky Cadance managed to save a picture of her stuffing her royal mouth with cake in the Foal Free Press. I have it framed in my royal bedchambers."

Celestia gave the radio a hot glare that could melt metal with her solar flares. Somepony is getting extra paperwork this evening.

"My sister also dreams of such desserts in her dreams," Luna continued, "I once peered into my dear sister's fantasies, and it was enough to make me horribly sick with how sugary her dream was. I can say it could rival even Pinkie Pie's sugary fantasies."

"Actually," Celestia said with a sigh, "Paperwork isn't going to be enough for this."

"Believe me," Sunset shivered, "That explains so much."

"Explains what?" Tempest asked with concern.

"You don't want to know," Sunset quickly quipped.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie agrees," Trixie also gave a shiver.

"No matter what world Pinkie is from," Sunset noted, "There is no escape from Pinkie's strange things."

"That I can agree on," Luna sighed.

"And on that note," Tempest quickly changed subject, "I think it is best to say that we call it a day before the very foundations of logic is shaken to it's core."

"Trixie agrees," Trixie nodded.

"Thank you so much for joining us on this very special guest visit," Starlight thanked the Princess.

"It was a pleasure to share my past and laughs with you all," Luna thanked the group.

The sun was setting when Luna got back from her interview. However, she was greeted by her sister with a menacing smile.

"Did you have a good time, dear sister?" Celestia said menacingly, "Because I remember a certain incident with you and the discovery of coffee..."

"By the moon..." Luna feared with wide eyes of pure horror

Chapter 29- Define Twilighting

"So what makes Twilight, Twilight?" Trixie asked the group. Heads turned to her with confused expressions.

"What do you mean?" Sunset asked with a tilted head.

"You know? What makes Twilight be like herself?" Trixie emphasised. A noise of understanding came round.

"So, like what makes you, Trixie?" Starlight wondered, "Like how you use the third person a lot, do some bodged street tricks that isn't magic, and the only thing you can do that is advanced magic is transfiguration, but only into teacups?" Trixie glared at her friend, causing the others to laugh at her.

"I think Twilight's best at helping all of us when we were the bad guys," Tempest said, "She reached a hoof of friendship and trust when we were lost and needed somepony to show us the right way."

"She did to me when I needed a new friend to work with, and helped me reconnect with my old ones," Starlight sighed in contemplation.

"She forgave Trixie's actions when I was at my worst," Trixie declared.

"And see showed me to seek out friendship and into a different path," Sunset added her part.

"What other things make her who she is?" Trixie wondered.

"Her constant checklists, love of books and consistent timings?" Starlight said, "You don't want to be in the path when she is in her zone. I learnt that the hard way a few times living in the castle with her."

"How bad are her habits?" Tempest asked with interest, seeing how she only knew her from the Friendship Festival she interrupted.

"Really bad," Starlight giggled, "Like, really long that you have to watch where you're going and not be wrapped by it. It's her freak outs that really set her apart. First, her eyes get really twitchy, then it gets worse when her mane becomes frazzled, as Rarity puts it. She starts to hyperventilate and pulls of the freaky faces that is enough to be classed as nightmare stuff that even Princess Luna would have a hard time fending off."

"And when do these freak-outs occur?" Tempest urged continue.

"Whenever she misses something out of her checklist, a test or when she thinks she can't save the whole of Equestria," Starlight listed them off, "You don't want to be on the receiving end of those moments."

"However, when she is out of those moments, she knows how to get the job done," Sunset added on, "She sees what's wrong with something and does everything she can to fix it, friendship or not friendship-based. She sure knows had to do the right spell when needed."

"She sure told the Great and Powerful Trixie what to do when she went up with the Ursa Major. She has a whole list of spells under her belt," Trixie huffed at the memory. Starlight offered a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"She is the Element of Magic and Princess of Friendship for a very good reason," Starlight offered.

"And I'm the Great and Powerful Trixie for a reason," Trixie huffed with crossed forelegs.

"I'm just a traveller, spreading the news of the Storm King's defeat and taking on board her lessons of friendship to me," Tempest reflected.

"In a way we all are passing the good news of friendship to others, and why we're here on this show really," Sunset added.

"I love this quote from something I read from Twilight's library, called The History Stallions. Pass the parcel. That's sometimes all you can do. Take it, feel it and pass it on. Not for me. Not for you. But for somepony, somewhere. We are passing the knowledge of friendship to those who can pass it on to the next creature, and the next and so on."

The others smiled in agreement and looked at each other. Starlight's face brightened.

"If this is another group hug, I'm-"

That's all she managed to say before Starlight used her magic to drag her and the others with her magic to a group up.

"We'll be back after the break," Starlight said, "Be sure to keep spreading friendship wherever you go in life!"

"Trixie will take her revenge for this," Trixie muffled between Tempest and Sunset.

"I'll be looking forward to the day," Starlight chuckled.

Author's Note

Quote a reference to The History Boys by Alan Bennett :Pass The Parcel

Chapter 44 (Break)- Handy Talks

It was a break time for the unicorns of the R.U.G. and they were in Starlight's counselling office at the School of Friendship, talking to a certain unicorn that has caused the show to be interrupted twice. The unicorn that has caused them so much trouble was in a manic state. She was rocking back and forth, clutching her hindlegs with her forelegs, a twitch in her eye and muttering nothing but hands on Starlight's sofa. Bonbon was also present, looking at her with a concerned look.

The other unicorns stood to the other side of the sofa, looking at the spectacle with varying looks on their faces. Starlight, sitting at her desk, was torn between facehoofing and lying back on her seat. She had many counselling sessions now, from Ocellus' identity crisis, to Smolder's and Gallus' fire hazard complaint, but this case was something entirely different. Sunset, who was the main reason for Lyra's obsession, was the furthest away from the sofa. She wanted to be anywhere else but this room. Tempest just looked at the sight in front of her with a blank expression, her broken horn sparking to give a hint of some irritation.

The only pony in the room who was enjoying the whole thing was Trixie . She was trying desperately hard to hold back a laugh, but the a glare from either Starlight or Bonbon told her to keep it all in. She was the only one enjoying the spectacle.

It was then that Lyra began to mutter something, causing ears to turn in her direction.

"Hands. Must have hands. Must have those glorious, wonderful hands," Lyra muttered a little louder so everypony could hear her. This time it was Bonbon who facehoofed. Sunset decided to take a step back. Starlight turned to Bonbon for some questioning.

"When did this start?" She simply asked. Bonbon huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Ever since she hears that Sunset came from that weird mirror dimension place," Bonbon sighed, "Sure, her obsession was more tamed back then, with the occasional odd sitting position, but ever since then, she just craved them more and more. It was at the point that I thought she was loving them more than me."

"Bonbon," Lyra started, "You will always be my special somepony, now and forever, but this is something far more bigger. Think of how useful hands will be?"

"You're a unicorn," Tempest said through clenched teeth, "Just use magic."

"But how do they strum their guitars? Build and drive such advanced things? Even when Sunset introduced them to video games, how do they even play with the switched and buttons."

"Playing a guitar and games isn't all that bad," Sunset muttered under a breath.

"Lyra Heartstrings," Starlight sighed, "Everypony has something they like, and it's okay to have a hobby. However, when a hobby goes too far, it becomes something far worse. Why don't you try seeking something else to satisfy that?" Starlight suggested lightly, which Bonbon nodded.

"You enjoyed our last trip to Las Pegasus," Bonbon encouraged her distraught friend, "Why don't we go there again. Take your mind off of things and loosen up a little?" Lyra paused to take in what he session had taught her. She then made the biggest smile that threatened to break her face. She quickly turned to Sunset, who flinched slightly at the look.

"Can I get some art, game and guitar sessions from you?" Lyra asked. Sunset was torn at that request. She looked to the others for answers, but what she got encouraging smiles, telling her it was best to forgive and move on. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Why not?" She smiled. What she didn't expect was to be tackled by a green blur, and she found herself on the floor, being hugged and nuzzled by Lyra.

"Thank you!" Lyra said as she hugged the life out of Sunset's lungs, "I am sorry for the trouble I have caused you and I hope we can start anew!"

"You're...Welcome," Sunset strained as her face turned blue. Bonbon decided to step in.

"Alright, break it up, Lyra. You're gonna suffocate her," Bonbon said, causing Lyra to break the hug and she laughed sheepishly.

"Bye, everypony," She waved as she went on her merry way.

"Wait up!" Bonbon called her as she went after the mare. The others just followed her direction as they left. Trixie then turned to Sunset with a teasing smile.

"Looks like you made a new friend today," She mocked lightly. Sunset just groaned and facehoofed.

"Celestia help me."

Chapter 61- Castle Tours

"Thank you Princess Celestia for giving us a tour of the castle for us," Tempest bowed with gratitude, "We were surprised to get your letter from Twilight, telling us you were willing to give us a tour of Canterlot Castle."

"I'm more than happy to help out. My sister has talked a lot on your show, some things about me that are less than favourable," Celestia huffed at her younger sister's antics on their show, "However, I wanted my own part to play with on this talk show that I've heard about. So why not let them have a full tour of the castle, I thought to myself. It's a good way to free myself from the business of being a princess."

"And what does your royal duties involve?" Trixie asked, tilting her head in question.

"I think Starlight can answer that," Celestia smiled to Starlight, "She was the one that switched me and Luna's cutie marks after all." That caused the group the turn around and look at Starlight in shock. Starlight could only give her nervous laughs as she usually does when she finds herself in those situations.

"You switched their cutie marks! The actual princesses' cutie marks!" Sunset cried out in shock. Here we go again...

"Now you sound just like Twilight when she found out," Starlight moaned and gave a hard facehoof, "I used my gut!"

"It may have been extreme, but at least it worked in the end," Celestia chuckled, "Anyway, let's start with the tour, shall we?"

The others nodded in agreement and excitement.

"Let's start with the library and Starswirl the Bearded Wing. This is where you can find all the extensive books on knowledge, history and magic." She opened the grand front doors and the group gazed in all at the library archives.

"How many books are in there? Twilight would have a heyday in here," Sunset gazed.

"Believe me, when Twilight was my personal protege, she even refused to leave the library, going as far as building a fortress out of books, if memory serves me correct," Celestia told them Twilight's filly antics, causing the group to snicker. She then turned and mentally added the numbers in her head, "The last time we ran a full register, there are around three million books on magic, history and general knowledge."

"Wow. What about the Starswirl Wing?" Tempest turned to the opposite wall where various scrolls were kept under lock.

"Around two million scrolls on magic and incantations," Celestia smiled, "There was this one time Twilight was in there with in black and a frazzled mane. I thought it was a new manestyle that she wanted to try out."

They quickly moved on down the corridors, Celestia pointing out every significant piece of painting, sculpture work and artefact, some just there for decoration, but others with more sentimental value to the Royal Sisters.

"Now we arrive at the Royal Kitchens, probably one of the busiest parts of the castle. They provide food for both us and staff members around the clock. Speaking of which, there is our head chef." A pony with chef clothes walked up and bowed before her.

"Good day, your Royal Highness," He greeted courteously, "And I see you have brought guests along with you?"

"Yes, Heated Stove, I have," Celestia smiled warmly. The chef smiled, nodded his head in greeting and then turned to Celestia.

"Well that's wonderful to hear. Now tell me, would you like your usual black forest gateau for dessert as usual?"

There was silence as those words left Heated's mouth. Celestia felt her eye twitch at that. The others tried to hold their mouths from laughing. That was until the sound of laughter can be heard from the floor above.

"Is that...?" Sunset asked as she looked up.

"It appears my beloved sister has heard of my...tastes," Celestia sighed, glancing up.

"As well as the whole of Equestria," Starlight muttered.

"Indeed..." Celestia trailed off.

"We better move on then," Tempest suggested, which they agreed. Celestia turned to whisper something to Heated's ears, which he lit up and nodded quietly before getting back to work.

"We are now approaching the gardens. I like taking strolls along the paths when my work isn't too strenuous," Celestia smiled, "There is even a private lake where me and Luna would just sit and watch the world go by."

"You seem to have a lot going on," Tempest mused.

"Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I can't enjoy the more simple things as well." Celestia lightly countered, "When creatures think of royalty, they think of grandeur and opulence, but the reality is that it's far more harder than it all seems."

They reached the end of the garden that brought them back round to the castle.

"And with that, we conclude our tour," Tempest concluded, "Thank you, Celestia, for showing us around."

"It was a pleasure," Celestia smiled, "As I said, it was nice to get away from the duties that royalty comes with."

"We will back again soon for more talks!" Sunset finished off.

Chapter 63- You've Read My Mind

"Sunset has brought along with her, her special geode so that she can show us her special powers!" Trixie squeed in excitement, causing the roll her eyes.

"It's nothing special really," Sunset smiled as she put on her geode around her neck, "I acquired it during a school camping trip called Camp Everfree. Somehow, Equestrian magic went loose again, creating these geodes, which me and my friends all bear. It controls our power and helps us all 'pony-up'," Sunset explained with an inverted hooves gesture.

"Why are you showing it to us now?"

"Well it was either that or another of Trixie's bad tricks," Sunset noted.

"You dare offend the Great and Powerful Trixie?" Trixie huffed.

"Wouldn't dare it at all," Sunset bowed, "And also I don't bring it with me in case I lose it in the studio or Equestria. My friends from Canterlot High looks after it for me, and if there was a crisis, they would write me a message from their book and it would get sent into mine. I will just rush back to the mirror where they will hand it over to me."

"So remind us, what is your special power?" Tempest looked at the geode in interest.

"I have the ability to touch someone, or somepony, and I can see what they are thinking," Sunset explained simply, without boring Trixie with magical technical words.

"So, it's telepathy?" Trixie asked, causing heads to turn in her direction.

"How do you know that word?" Tempest quirked an eyebrow.

"Just because the Great and Power Trixie can do basic tricks doesn't mean I'm totally stupid," Trixie huffed, rolling her Rs again at her name.

"Well," Sunset tried to move on, "Telepathy is more to do with communication by the mind and being able to respond. Mine is called empathy, which is the ability to know how one feels."

"That's, kinda confusing," Trixie muttered.

"Right then," Sunset began, "Who wants to go-" She was interrupted when Trixie grabbed a hoof and yanked it to her forehead. Sunset's eyes began to glow white as she began to hear Trixie's inner thoughts.

Trixie is great! Trixie is powerful! Trixie invites you all to she how amazing she is at everything thing!

Sunset immediately retracted her hoof, losing contact and her eyes blinked back to normal. She gave a small shiver, causing confused faces from the Starlight and Tempest to be directed to her.

"Do you seriously think about being Great and Powerful all the rime," Sunset gave a deadpanned look and tone.

"Indeed. I keep telling myself that, so that everypony can know how Great and Powerful I truly am!" Sunset sighed. It was just like what she heard CHS Trixie say when Rainbow Dash overused her powers.

"Don't worry about it," Starlight comforted Sunset with a hoof, "You should hear her when she sleep-talks. I caught her saying that she wanted to perform for Princess Celestia and peanut butter crackers for some reason. And then were was our first long Roadtrip to Saddle Arabia."

"You can talk Miss Snores-A-Lot," Trixie glared at Starlight, who threw her hooves up in a submissive mocking manner.

"Tempest, would you like a go?" Sunset asked Tempest, who shrugged and reached a hoof to her tentatively. Sunset reached out to take a hold of it.

Am I truly forgiven for my actions? Do the others see me just in sympathy because of my broken horn and past? How can I go on from there if it's all just fake friendship?

"Tempest, everypony here, as well as Twilight and her friends, forgive. They forgive you for real. And you don't have to feel left out," Sunset comforted with a hug, "We're all here for you no matter what." The other's joined in. Tempest just smiled as a tear left her eyes.

"I guess that I'm finally up," Starlight smiled as they broke the comfort hug. She gave a hoof and said, "Go head." Sunset leaned over and touched her hoof. Her eyes glowed white again.

Can I really ask Sunburst out? Is he really into me, or just my imagination? I mean, we have known each other since we were foals, but can I ask if we can take it as a next step?

Sunset let go of contact, giving Starlight a smirk. It was the kind of smirk that just screams, I now have possession of your soul.

"My, my Starlight. I knew you were into Starburst, but I didn't know it would be that far." Starlight's face went a brilliant red like Applejack's apples. Tempest and Trixie looked confused confused before their eyes lit up when they put two and two together.

"I knew it! I just knew it when Cadance showed up!" Trixie danced in her seat.

"'Bout time as well," Tempest snickered, "You are just made for each other!" The others were surprised that Tempest would go that far. Starlight was scrambling for the microphone.

"We-we're gonna take a break from here, everypony," Starlight stuttered before pressing the air button off.

"Aww," Trixie sighed, "You're no fun. But during this break, you're going to tell us everything!"

"Celestia, send me to the moon," Starlight cursed.

Author's Note

Sorry it's been two days. End of university year exams are a killer and so I had to prioritise. Hope you enjoy it as I'm done for uni for the year

Chapter 82- All Fun And Games

“Welcome every pony for our new edition of game week,” Sunset welcomed every creature back to the show, “And we are going to play a game from Starlight’s foalhood, but bigger. To explain what it is, why don’t we allow Starlight to explain the game herself? Over to you Starlight.”

“Thank you, Sunset,” Starlight thanked before continuing, “This is a game that me and Sunburst used to place when we were foals, when we weren’t studying and practising our magic. It’s called Dragon Pit.”

“And what are the rules of the game?” Tempest asked.

“It’s quite simple really,” Starlight started to explain, “The rule is to simply be able to move your dragon around the board safely. However, there are some sections that will trigger the volcano in the centre to blow, and one of you will get trapped. You will be out of the game the next time we roll the dice.” The others nodded in understanding.

“As we said,” Trixie continued, “We are going to play Dragon Pit slightly different than usual. Aren’t we, Starlight?” Started nodded before she explained how it was different to last time.

“When Sunburst came to Ponyville and started to become more close to Maud, Twilight and Trixie, I was starting to feel like we weren’t that close at all. I was so separate, I used a spell to turn me and Sunburst back into foals, thinking that it was better for us to remember the old days to bring us closer together,” Starlight said with a sad tone, “However, Sunburst wasn’t too happy about it. After spending some time with mu other friends, I surprised me with a bigger version of our foalhood game, where we wore costumes and played it ourselves rather than the game pieces.”

“Which is what we are going to do now!” Trixie clapped her hooves in excitement, “We have kindly asked Applejack to build us a large-scale replica of the boardgame, and it’s amazing what she can do with some wood, paint, saw, nails and hammer.” They admired Applejack’s hard work to create the board.

“She even made trapdoors, so we don’t have to create a hole with our magic, which is good as we have to pay for damage to the studio,” Sunset chuckled.

“The special effects of the volcano are provided by me, The Great and Powerful Trixie!” Trixie bowed.

“And Maud made the dice, using some light rock she we can roll it easily without magic,” Starlight pointed to the large rock dice.

“She let’s put on our costumes and play!” Sunset began and everypony put on a costume. Tempest hesitated, not sure if it was her sort of thing, but decided to just play along. At least she was looking a bit ridiculous alongside her friends. They started at their corner of the board and Starlight rolled the dice first to start the game. The dice landed on a five, which she took five steps forward on each stepping platform. So far, so good.

Tempest was next, rolling a four and took the right number of steps forward. Trixie wasn’t so lucky, rolling a one. Grumbling, she took one step forward. Sunset got a comfortable three and stepped forward on three steps. The round went back to Starlight and she rolled a four this time. however, upon taking the four step, there was a click as a trigger beneath the board was pulled.
“Uh-oh,” Starlight teased, “Looks like somepony’s dragon is going down the pit.” Then the volcano began to spark, provided by Trixie’s special effects. With a loud ‘pop’, a boulder rolled down the volcano and started to roll it’s way towards Trixie. Trixie gasped as the boulder touch her, and the floor gave way. Luckily, it wasn’t a hard landing, as Trixie landed on a soft cushion that broke her fall.

“And it’s Trixie who is the first to lose this round,” Sunset chuckled, before looking down the hole in the board, “You okay Trixie?”

“All things considering, Trixie’s okay,” Came her voice from the hole.

“I’m afraid you won’t roll the dice the next round,” Starlight called to her, “You can crawl yourself out while we continue with the game.” The others took their turn with rolling the dice, Starlight rolling a two, Tempest with a five and Sunset with a strong six. Trixie re-joined the next round. It continued in this pattern until Tempest was the next pony to trigger the volcano to erupt. A boulder came out again, this time heading towards Sunset. Sunset released a short yelp as the step gave way and she crashed to the floor. The others chuckled, clearly enjoying where this was going.

They continued on, rolling the dice, taking a step and hoping that they didn’t trigger the volcano to erupt. Unfortunately, Tempest lost three rounds, Sunset with four, Starlight was lucky with only two and Trixie was the unlucky one with five. Ultimately, it was Tempest who managed to navigate the game safely and made it back to her corner.

“And Tempest is the winner of Live Dragon Pit!” Starlight and the others clapped their hooves together to congratulate the unicorn. Tempest just smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof.

“I don’t consider myself lucky, but this was fun to play,” Tempest chuckled.

“Maybe we can invite some of our other friends to play when we or they are free?” Sunset suggested which the others nodded with enthusiasm.

“However, that is all we have time for in the studio today,” Starlight finished off today’s show, “That is we have time for today. Thank you to Applejack again for making this pony-sized board and Maud for the dice. We will be back again soon for more fun and talks.” They took of their costumes and Starlight finished by pressing the air button off for the day.

Chapter 97- Right On Target Pt.4

“You join us here today at the Manehattan Arena for another full coverage of the Equestria Games,” Tempest welcomed every listener back, “Unlike the final singles’ ice archery that happens in the main arena at the end of the Games as they traditionally do, this is the triples’ archery. But before we explain the rules, please welcome Gabby from Good Morning Equestria to the show!”

“It’s a pleasure to be here,” Gabby thanked as Tempest clapped, “But let us explain the rules of triple’s archery, shall we?”

“Let’s being,” Tempest agreed, “There are three archers per team with their own bow and arrow who will step up to the target behind the line in turn. They have a time limit to keep within to hit the target, with points labelled one to ten. There is six sets and the winner of the three will advance with the other winner from another team, like what Sunset, Marble and Pinkie witnessed in the fencing.” Tempest allowed Gabby to finish off.

“The winner is the team that comes out triumphant from the others, with second and third place decided by the points the archers managed to hit,” Gabby finished explaining. Tempest then took out a scroll to reveal who will be up against who.

1. Griffonstone vs. Silver Shoals
2. Peaks Of Peril vs. Vanhoover
3. Changeling Kingdom vs. Whinnyapolis
4. Trotsylvania vs. Mexicolt

“Griffonstone has a long history of wars and battles, with archery being a specialty which still holds a strong culture today. I will be rooting for them to do well. Let’s not forget the Changeling Kingdom, who also have a dark past under Queen Chrysalis, so maybe they will surprise us. There is also the new kingdom of the games with the Peaks of Peril, will hopefully go far in the games,” Tempest looked closely at the names on the list.

“It looks like the archers are taking position,” Gabby looked down onto the field where the archers were taking their place behind the line. Griffonstone was the shoot their three arrows, with Vanhoover, the Changeling Kingdom and Trotsylvania going first at their target. One minute was put on the clock as team member pulled their first arrow. There was a deafening hush amongst the crowd to allow the archers to concentrate, only allowing to applause once all three have taken their turn. Even the commentators were not allowed to speak to loudly.

“Griffonstone is making a strong start so far, hitting an eight and nine. The third griffon is now taking his turn and… hits another none points, bringing the total to twenty-six. Silver Shoals now steps up to the target now,” Tempest commentated. Meanwhile, Gabby was focused on the next target.

“The Peaks of Peril have a strong start as well, winning the first and second set with strong scores of twenty-five and twenty-eight. Vanhoover needs to get this set just right and the final archer is taking position,” Gabby was on the edge of her seat, speaking in a hushed tone, “She shoots…And hits a six. The Peaks of Peril have won straight sets and now advances into the next round!” Gabby had to whisper in celebration.

“We also have confirmation regarding the other teams that the Changeling Kingdom have also advanced into the next round, winning two-to-one set with their strong archers. Over on target four, it’s Mexicolt that triumphs over Trotsylvania,” Tempest announced the winners of the first knockouts who will go to the semi-final.

“Word has just come round from the first target, and Griffonstone has won three clear sets against Silver Shoals. So the semi final will be Griffonstone against the Peaks of Peril, and the Changeling Kingdom against Mexicolt,” Gabby silently announced as the teams down below, congratulated each other then made their way to the next set of targets. The Peaks of Peril were the first to take aim on target one, whilst Mexicolt went up against the Changeling Kingdom.

“So here’s the semi-final, with Griffonstone having a slight edge over the Peaks of Peril, losing the first set but gaining back one,” Gabby watched with joy, happy that her kingdom has made it this far.

“The Changeling Hive is definitely show how it’s done, winning two clear sets against Mexicolt,” Tempest said with intrigued, “We’re onto the final set with the Peaks of Peril have to get a eight or higher to win, and Mexicolt needing a seven or higher.”

“They are drawing their final arrows back and… It’s Griffonstone and the Changeling Kingdom going through to the final round!” Gabby clapped her talons together as the audience applauded as well as Griffonstone and the Changeling Kingdom took to the final target. Taking a deep breath, the first archer took to the line, drawing the first arrow.

“We have just received confirmation that with the scores from the semi-final, the Peaks of Peril will take the bronze medal. Gold and silver will be decided with this final match, meaning that this game will see a full creature line-up taking the medals. This will surely go down in Equestria Games’ history!” Gabby excitedly announced. They bothy turned their attention to the final match of the game.

“Griffonstone takes up a strong lead with a nine, ten and ten out of thirty. The Changeling only makes little damage with a seven, eight and eight out of a possible thirty, meaning that Griffonstone has the first set win of the final,” Gabby watched closely.

“However, the changelings have managed to gain back a set with a nine, seven and eight,” Tempest commented.

“And Griffonstone have secured their second set now,” Gabby was trying to keep it all in, “If they win this set, Griffosntone will secure their first gold medal at the games!”

“The Chnageling Kingdom draws their final arrow. Will it be enough for them to take the gold?” Tempest rhetorically asked, “The Changeling shoots… And it’s unlucky that it hits a seven. Griffonstone takes the gold!” A loud applause erupted from the stands as the winner was announced.

“A big congratulations to Griffonstone, who takes the gold. Silver goes to the Changeling Kingdom, with third place going to the Peaks of Peril!”

“That is all for the triple’s archery, live from Manehattan. Hope you enjoyed the event and we will see you soon for more coverage of the Equestria Games!” Gabby flapped her wings in excitement as she said goodbye.

Chapter 111- Pottery Throw Down

“Welcome back to another arts and crafts tutorial with me, Sunset Shimmer,” The yellow unicorn welcomed their listeners her art show part of the R.U.G., “We are going to try something different to the usual painting that I usually do and try our hooves at ceramic and clay works. I’ll be showing my fellow co-hosts how to make the perfect pottery for beginners.” The turned to the others, who sat behind a turntable each with a seven-hundred gram slab of clay to work with in the middle.

“This is going to be an interesting experience, and a messy one as well,” Tempest looked at her piece of clay waiting to become something beautiful.

“Definitely will be different than the usual paintworks,” Starlight said, getting her hooves wet with a water tub next to her, “It’s like what Rarity says about fashion, turning simple pieces of fabrics into a work of art. Hopefully what we will do today will be just that.”

“Trixie is definitely liking the sound of that,” Trixie spoke in the usual third person, “Teach away, mini Twilight!” Sunset resisted the urge to facehoof at Trixie’s remark, though Starlight rolled her eyes, remembering being called ‘mini Twilight’ when trying to teach Trixie how to do teleportation spells.

“Right, everypony, place your hoof on the pedal to start spinning the table,” Sunset instructed, everypony doing as they were told, “Keep making sure that your hooves are wet throughout the process. There are two rules, and they are to keep the clay wet and keep it spinning.” The others nodded as they concentrated on their piece of clay in silence. Sunset turned to her piece of clay as she watched the others carefully with a teaching eye.

“Push down on the edges now and that will form a seal and then we can start with centring. Centring is two steps, coning up and coning down.” With hooves pressed firmly on their clay, the others lifted up their heads to watch Sunset work.

“I’m going to squeeze my hooves together, and so the clay has no place to go except the top of my hooves, hence coning up,” Sunset explained whilst she worked, applying pressure so the clay rose up, “To cone down, you just need to wet the clay again and push down and forward whilst keeping the whole table spinning.” She put her hooves together at a right angle and applied a slight pressure to let the clay fall into a cone downwards. The others looked at her work with fascination and awe.

“Now you give it a go, it helps with the consistency and final formation of the ceramic work,” Sunset looked towards the others. They nodded as they applied the correct around of pressure and watched their clay rise up. Shifting position and pressing down slightly, the cone shrank in size whilst still in the centre. Sunset looked impress whilst her co-hosts worked.

“Keep doing that until it’s perfectly in the centre,” Sunset explained.

“How will you know that it’s in the centre?” Starlight asked.

“It won’t wiggle away from your hooves and be straight when you cone back up again,” Sunset answered simply. The others keep repeating the actions until they were certain that their piece of clay was perfectly in the centre.

“Now we can start forming our hole in the middle. With the edge of your hoof and slightly angled, push down and moving it away from the centre to open it up, like this.” Using her other hoof to steady herself, she moved pushed a hole in the middle, the clay giving way to take the shape of a shallow bowl. The others followed Sunset’s actions closely.

“To make the wall, you just need to push the edge slight and move up with the clay, ” Sunset continued, pinching the edge with both hooves, she allowed the clay to move upwards, “This action is call pulling a wall. Then you slowly release the pressure and let to.” She then formed a small vase with the pulling, the other unicorn watching with concentration and fascination. Sunset took to the centre and pulled outwards, the vase starting to take shape with a more rounded form.

“This is where you can make any corrections, smooth it out and clear any dents or wrong curves,” Sunset hummed a happy tune whilst she worked, “It sure is a therapeutic form of art and in the end you create something beautiful.” Silenced reigned over the group for the last few minutes as they worked on their piece some more.

“Now that it has formed the correct shape, we are going to paint it. Slowly release the pedal so you don’t misshapen the final work.” They released the pedal slowly together and admired their final work.

“We are going to use a special paint mix that doesn’t get damaged when the clay is heated. Paint whatever pattern you feel like and we will send them over to the pottery store in Ponyville where Fluttershy goes to get her tea sets and get them fired up,” Sunset instructed.

Starlight chose a clear white with red, yellow and blue polka-dots, giving the final piece a abstract pop-art look. She smiled as she stood back to admire her work. Sunset chose a gradient of shaded reds and pinks, gentle like a sunset over the horizon. She even added a few whisps of clouds and birds flying in the distance. Tempest chose a stripes of greens and yellows to make her pottery look bright eye-catching. Trixie chose shades of purple and blue to make her vase have a shaded effect that will be dazzling when the clay is heated up and protected.

“As I said, these will be fired up where Fluttershy goes to get her tea set, and that is all for the pottery throw tutorial for today,” Sunset concluded, “I hoped you enjoyed learning something new today about the art of pottery making.”

“Thank you for another arts demonstration,” Tempest thanked, “And we hope you enjoyed listening whilst we worked and inspired you to try pottery throwing as well. That is all on the R.U.G. today, and we will see you all again very soon!"

End Of The Show

I do hope you enjoyed both stories on my Fimfic.

With the summer holidays ending and times getting busier with my new job, I wanted to see how far I could write both of them. Getting over 100 short chapters is a great target for me personally and I hope that you understand. My writing time has been short, but I do hope you understand that this was something to keep me sane during lockdown over the early summer before uni starts.

I know it sounds abrupt, but this was just a pastime for me and something for my mind to wonder and enjoy. Something to see where one idea leads to another

If you want more of me, I am still on DeviantArt posting quotes from the show we all know and love and creating character boards from the show as well.

Thank you so much for the support and love for them, comments and small critique ^^

It has been a great experience and I will keep using this account to read what I like

Your friendly writer,

Quoterific