Equestria Girls: Ninjago Rocks

Chapters

Prologue
They’re That Kind Of Off
Bad News About Those New Girls
Friendship is…Failure?
Battle of The Bands
Under Our Spell
Awesome As We Wanna Be
Welcome to The Show
Is It Time To Say Goodbye?

Prologue

(Quick Few Things: Pixal died in Crystalized, leading Zane to deep depression. Jay and Nya never became yin and yang because they were on and off a lot, leanding them to break up for good, and Kai and Skylor tried dating, but it didn't work out. Harumi is also dead, since due to the Overlord being destroyed and gone, she died without his power shortly afterwards. Happy Reading!)

It is a full moon in a starry night sky, framing a city street corner where a restaurant stands. The brightly lit windows pick out the silhouettes of a roomful of customers, and their muffled, heated conversation is heard even at this distance. A set of female voices gradually makes itself heard. There is a booth inside, where a teenage boy and girl are arguing. Actually, there are many booths of people fighting, while a greenish sparkly mist swirls around them. At a booth in the back, three hooded people aren't fighting, however. They’re singing.

The green mist swirls up into one of the hooded figures weird red gems they seemed to wear around their neck. The gray-violet one lowers her hood, exposing hair tied into two very long pigtails high on the back of her head with large star barrettes. Her hair is purple, shot through with streaks of light green.

“That was barely worth the effort, Adagio. I’m tired of fast food. I need a meal.” Aria groaned with a petulant, slightly congested tone as she slumped in her seat.

A blue-skinned girl next to her put her own hood down, exposing a worried countenance marked by deep red-violet eyes and medium blue hair gathered into an equally long ponytail. Two streaks of dark blue run its full length, and her hairline is cut to descend from her temples to a low point over her nose. The girl Aria has addressed, drops her hood to reveal a mass of fluffy orange hair marked by lighter highlights and held back by a spiked band.

“The energy in this world isn’t the same as in Equestria. We can only gain so much power here,” Adagio explained with an annoyed tone.

“I wish we’d never been banished to this awful place!” Aria yelled “Really? I love it here!” Adagio sarcastically exclaimed, and then dropped her act with a grimace.

“For realsies?” Sonata spoke up. “Because I think this place is the worst.”

“I think you’re the worst, Sonata.” Aria glared at her. “Oh yeah? Well, I think you’re--” Sonata was interrupted by a loud groan from Adagio. “I’ll tell you one thing. Being stuck here with you two isn’t making this world any more bearable.”

Suddenly, a great flash of white light erupts behind the hills outside and gives way to a column of energy pouring up toward the sky. Adagio turns to the window, the reflection of this phenomenon playing across her eyes as she opens them wide in surprise. She rushes out to the sidewalk, a sudden wind blowing past her as Aria moves to follow; the light column has subsided to a glow behind the hills, from which a double helix of rainbow light lances up into the clouds. Adagio can only stare openmouthed as a beam of this multicolored power shoots straight and true from the high end, connecting with a flash against something behind the hills and ricocheting into the heavens.

Her pendant gleams briefly, and she looks down at it before looking back up

“Did you feel that?” Adagio asks the two girls behind her, who both look at her with a confused expression. “Do you know what that is?” Which Aria shrugs to. She grabs Aria’s shirt. “It’s equestrian magic!”

Aria pushes Adagio away. “But this world doesn't have equestrian magic.” Adagio walked away.

“It does now. And we’re going to use it to make everyone in this pathetic little world adore us.”

-------------------------------------In another Dimension...-----------------------------

It is a calm, sunny, and warm day in Ninjago. The crystal king has been defeated, the monestary has been rebuilt, and it is finally time for the ninja to relax. Well, some of them. One ninja has been on edge lately. A feeling that something bad is going to happen. They never get to rest this long. One day, a mirror turned up at their door with no explanation, like it had just fell from the sky. Master Wu had insisted upon letting it stay in his room, much to the ninja’s dismay, and much to Lloyd’s, the ninja on edge, suspicion. Something was going on, and he was going to find out.

“Are you still on that mirror nonsense?” Lloyd was broken out of his thoughts by another voice. It was the ninja of fire, Kai. He seemed to be holding a controller in his hands, which Lloyd concluded that either he had lost or was about to brag about winning.

“Something’s wrong Kai, I can feel it.” Lloyd rolled his eyes. “Don’t you wonder what it does? What it could unleash? This is a chance to prevent things before they happen, and we’re just lazing around!” He started to run out of breath.

“Are you sure this is just about the mirror?” Kai raised an eyebrow. “Kai. I knew what would happen to Harumi once we destroyed The Overlord. His power brought her back to life. This time she was able to die peacefully. I’m over her.” Lloyd sighed.

“If you are, then get back out there! You can’t mope over one girl for the rest of your life!” Kai patted him on the back. “Uh, you almost did.” Lloyd pointed at him. “Okay, look, Skylor and I didn’t really hit it off, and I realize now that we’re just better as friends, okay? At least I’m taking it a lot better than Jay. He’s acting like they divorced or something. They’ve been on and off for years.” Kai groaned.
“And Zane...”

“Doesn’t like to talk about what happened to Pix, I know. She saved him with the cost of her own life...”

“Yeah... we all really are a bunch of sad sacks huh?” Lloyd chuckled and punched Kai in the shoulder. “Yeah, I guess we are.” Kai chuckled back.

“Are you guys talking about the mirror?” Cole entered the room. “Cause if you are, Master Wu is out...” A grin spread across his face.

“Is it really worth it?” Kai asked. “It could be dangerous; we won’t know until we try.” After Lloyd finished speaking, a bright light emerged from Wu’s room, alarming all of the ninja. “It’s the mirror!” Kai yelled. The six teens ran over to master Wu's room and burst the door open, seeing the mirror begin to glow violently.

“What’s going on?!” Nya worriedly asked.

“I’ve seen some pretty crazy stuff as our time as ninja, but nothing explains this!” Jay frantically yelled. The glowing in the mirror mirror began to swirl and the air began to get tighter around the Ninja, like it was trying to take out all the air in the room. Cole’s feet began to slip.

“Um Guys? I think... it’s trying to pull us in!” Cole yelled and grabbed onto a pole. Everyone tried to hang onto something as the force became greater. Everyone except Lloyd. “This is our chance to find out what’s on the other side! This is what we do.” Lloyd ran to the mirror and jumped in.

“Lloyd!” Zane yelled out. “I’m going after him, I’m not losing someone else.” Zane let go of the table and jumped in after him. The rest of the ninja looked at each other and shrugged. “We’ve got nothing to lose... what’s the worst that could happen?” Kai looked at the portal. “We’re coming Lloyd!” The rest of them jumped in not knowing what this would lead to. Danger? Or another world to help save.

They’re That Kind Of Off

It seems to be a quiet morning at Canterlot High. A steady buzz of conversation is heard as students make their way toward the entrance; Students carry in loads of supplies to the auditorium, and through the doorway, assorted groups of students can be seen hunched down on the floor, hard at work making signs and banners. Among the design teams are the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Trixie, the latter of whom is working with two other girls. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are adding their own touches to the Crusaders’ banner. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle trade an approving smile, the latter holding a small can of paint with a brush resting inside.

A hand attached to an arm in a dark gray sleeve reaches into view to pluck the implement away, much to both girls’ surprise, this is Sunset Shimmer. Her demeanor is very much changed from the events of the fall formal, though, in that she has put on a genuine smile and a helpful tone.

“Want some help?” She asked kindly.

“Uh, no thanks, we’re good.” Apple Bloom nervously rejected as she looked at the other two, who had the same uneased expression

“Oh... Okay..” She sighed and dropped the paintbrush back in the can. “Why do I even bother...” She silently whispered to herself. Suddenly, a loud voice boomed in her direction.

“SUNSET SHIMMER OVER HERE!!” Sunset turned to a girl with pink skin yelling her name while waving with a few other girls. She smiled as she began to walk, but her good mood was quickly killed by the amount of whispers and glares she received from the students

“I had no idea the whole school would be here.” Sunset groaned as Fluttershy lifted her chin with a smile. Pinkie and Rarity exchanged a look and then held up their flyer. A Guitar, keyboard, and drum kit, were floating against a backdrop of night sky and stars with a musical staff and notes snaking across”

“Quite the eye-catching advertisement, if I do say so myself.” Rarity exclaimed.

“And It smells like cake!” Pinkie smiled.

“It does?” Fluttershy questioned, to which Pinkie shoved the flyer in her face. She then backed up which left freckles of glitter all over Fluttershy’s face and a splotch of blue on her nose.

“I used frosting instead of paint!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Um Fluttershy? You’ve got a little something…uh.” Applejack pointed at her nose. Fluttershy barely rubbed off the little glitter on her face.

“Did I get it?” Fluttershy asked. “Heh, not exactly.” Applejack chuckled. Sunset pulled out a cloth and wiped Fluttershy’s face as Principal Celestia and VP Luna walked into the auditorium, making their way to the stage.

“Good afternoon, students. I just wanted to tell you all how pleased I am that so many of you are going to participate in the first-ever Canterlot High School Musical Showcase!”

People cheered from all sides.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to raise money for all our after-school programs here at CHS. So keep working on those signs and posters. I think it’s going to be one of the most exciting events we’ve had at CHS —since the Fall Formal.”

The yellow/red-haired girl gets a round of dirty looks from the rest of the gym, prompting her to blush and lift one hand to shield her face. She follows this up with a grimace and a slow slide down the folded-away bleachers against which she is leaning. But much more interesting things were happening outside.

Around the statue, one of the four mirrors began to glow, sparking and alarming the students standing outside as they turned around to it. Six teens toppled over each other onto the hard pavement, groaning and holding their heads. One of them looked around and raised and eyebrow, and then looked at his friends. He was shocked to see what happened to them.

“Um, you okay Lloyd? You look like you’ve seen a ghost! And we’ve seen ghosts before so I don’t know why you’d be scared,” Jay rambled on. “OH MY FSM YOU'RE GREEN!” He quickly realized what was unusual.

“What do you mean he’s green… he’s the green ninja. Did you hit your head… Jay… that’s. Blue.” A disgruntled expression pasted itself on Kai’s face as he pointed at Jay.

“Yeah, they’re not the only ones…” Cole nervously chuckled. Kai looked around and saw his friends' new looks.

Zane’s Gi turned into a sweater, and his grey metallic skin stayed the same, but he lost his robotic appearance. Nya also became grey, but a darker grey, while her gi became a jacket with a black and white striped shirt.

(You get what I’m saying, Lloyd is green, Jay is Blue, Cole is Orange, Kai is red, and they have their ninjago movie attire.)

“Where did this scarf come from?!” Jay pulled it around him. “Kinda digging the blue skin tho, I look like an ocean!” He seemed to be enjoying his new look. Kai on the other hand, was not taking it so lightly. “We look like the colors of a rainbow!” Kai ran around and screamed. He would have kept making a scene if Lloyd didn’t grab his shoulders and stop him.

“Chill out Kai, we’re drawing too much attention to ourselves. If we just act normal, maybe we’ll fit right in, okay?” Lloyd smiled. “Fine, but the second I start growing wings or something, I’m out.”

“About that Kai… you may not have a choice.” Zane pointed at the portal. Except the same glowing that was there earlier… was gone! Kai rushed over to it. “No…NO! I can’t be stuck here! Where’s the portal! Where’s the portal?!” He placed his hands across the mirror, but all he saw was a reflection of himself. The Ninja nervously pulled him away and into the school as they got weird looks from everyone, due to Kai’s reaction.

“High School? We’ve defeated the Overlord three times, and our new mission has us going to high school?” Jay pondered. “Maybe to learn public training again, since some of us don’t know how to ACT!” Nya covered her frantic brother’s mouth as they walked down the hall. Someone there had to be able to help them.

“Look, Principal’s office. We should enroll, as we don’t know how long we’ll be here.” Zane reasoned. Lloyd nodded their head, and as they made their way to the office, a group of girls bumped into them. Lloyd caught the red and yellow haired girl in his arms before they both fell.

“Jeez, you okay?” His green eyes looked down into her teal ones. “Um, well I wouldn’t be if you didn’t catch me.” She slightly chuckled. They stared at each other for a moment and blushed as they realized their friends had gotten up and were staring at them. Lloyd quickly set her up straight and turned around to the others, giving a nervous smile.

“Hey… I’ve never seen you guys around here before! Do you even go here?” Rainbow spoke up, breaking the silence.

“No, we’re actually from another-” Cole covered Jay’s mouth and let out a grin. “He was going to say from another country! We’re um… transfer students!” Cole frantically explained. The group of girls raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off. “Can I be the first to say that you look absolutely gorgeous darling! You’ve got to let us show you all around!” Rarity put an arm around Nya, complimenting her looks.

“It would be nice to have some help. We would have probably got lost.” Lloyd shrugged. “I’m Lloyd, this is Kai, Zane, Cole, Nya, and Jay.” He introduced them. Pinkie Pie went up to Jay and shook his hand frantically, which Jay returned with the same energy. “Hi Jay! I’m Pinkie Pie, this is Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Sunset Shimmer!” She bounced around and pointed at everyone. The two teams shook hands and nodded. “We were just on our way to band practice, would you like to join us?” Applejack offered. “The school is having a Musical Showcase, I don’t suppose any of you sing?”

The ninja looked at each other and raised an eyebrow. “Sing? We don’t normally do that…” Lloyd said. “Zane and I do, remember when that one woman with the reflective powers and we had to sing to beat her?” Jay nudged his friend. “I mean she had special effects.” He quickly corrected himself after receiving confused looks from the girls, and annoyed facepalms from his friends.

“Well, Ignoring that, come on, we’ll show you!” The team was grabbed by the arm and rushed off by their new greeters, as Lloyd and Sunset walked behind. “Sunset Shimmer was it? Nice name.” Lloyd smiled. “Yeah… yours is pretty cool too.” She smiled back.

In a closed set of double doors, in a large music practice room. The 12 teens are all here: Applejack resting a bass guitar vertically against the floor, Fluttershy looking on from one side, Pinkie at a drum kit, Rainbow with an electric guitar slung up, Rarity at a keyboard in the back corner. Sunset is present as well, sitting glumly atop a grand piano. The Ninja take their place, sitting down on a small flight of steps, watching the girls, curiously.

“I am never going to live that down.” Sunset groaned. “Live what down, did someone hit you in the face with a pie?” Jay asked. Kai pushed him away and groaned. “Sometimes you need to shut up Jay.”

“She was pretty bad at the last event, the fall formal…” Fluttershy explained. “A demon, I turned into a raging she-demon.” Sunset groaned. “And tried to turn everyone here into mindless zombies for her own personal army!” Pinkie zipped up and smiled. “And she doesn’t do that anymore… right?” Cole asked with an appalled look on his face.

“Oh, darling …you have us. And we’ve forgiven you for your past” Rarity cleared her throat.

“Boo-boos”.

“To be honest, I’d say the whole experience brought everyone at Canterlot High closer than ever before.” Applejack smiled as she got ready to play.

“One, two, three!” Pinkie counted down with sticks.

“There was a time we were apart, but that’s behind us now

See how we’ve made a brand-new start, and the future’s looking up [oh, oh]”
(The hall; students pass this way and that, one girl wearing the blue/yellow pony ears and tail given out to boost school spirit.)

“And when you walk these halls, you feel it everywhere”

(Two of the eco-kids put up a poster advertising the Musical Showcase and bump fists.)

“Yeah, we’re the Wondercolts forever, oh yeah”

(In the cafeteria, an athlete, rocker, and drama smile and wave to a techie getting her lunch; she gratefully moves to take a seat with them.)

“We are all together [oh, oh, oh-h-h, oh]”

(Applejack’s hair elongates and braids itself and her pony ears appear, and Pinkie undergoes her own transformation as well. The ninja stare in amazement)

Now it’s better than ever [oh, oh, oh-h-h, oh]

(Rarity, then Rainbow, and last Fluttershy change, the last two of these gaining their wings.)

You can feel it, we are back

[You…can…feel…it]

And I’m so glad that we’re better

Better than ever

[Whoa-oh, whoa-oh]

Oh yeah, we’re better than ever [whoa-oh, whoa-oh]

(Sunset is now smiling and bobbing her head in time to the beat, and Jay and Kai begin tapping their feet and nodding to the music)

“There was a time we couldn’t see past the differences”

“That separated you and me, and it left us on our own”

(In the hall, students talk and laugh as they go about their business.)

“But now you walk these halls and friends are everywhere”

(An errant hacky sack knocks the Wondercolt pony ears off Featherweight’s head so that they land on an athlete he is walking past; they trade a funny look, then both laugh.)

“Yeah, we’re the Wondercolts forever, oh yeah”

“We are all together [oh, oh, oh-h-h, oh]”

(Sunset jumps off the piano and grooves a bit. The rest of the ninja begin to stand up and clap along to the music, invested in their song fully now)

Now it’s better than ever [oh, oh, oh-h-h, oh]

Now that we are back on track

[Now…that…we…are]

Yes, I’m so glad that we’re better

Better than ever

(Fluttershy winks as she gives her tambourine a shake.)

[Whoa-oh, whoa-oh]

Oh yeah, we’re better than ever [whoa-oh, whoa-oh]

Oh yeah, we’re better than ever

As soon as they complete the last line, the pony features vanish to leave five more-or-less ordinary teenage girls. Pinkie twirls a drumstick as Sunset and the ninja clap for the performance, and Rainbow removes her instrument, standing it upright on the floor.

“I still can’t believe that happens when we play!” Rarity removes her keytar and props it against a piano leg.” Ooh! I’ve got to look into some new accessories. Something that looks good in a longer ponytail. Ooh! Maybe some clip-on earrings for when I get those adorable pony ears.”

“What I don’t understand is why it happens, Princess Twilight took her crown back to Equestria, shouldn’t that mean she took all the magic with her?” Applejack wondered. “Princess Twilight? Equestria?” Lloyd tapped his chin. “Equestria…”

“Is something wrong darling?” Rarity asked him. “I don’t know… that name, I remember hearing about it, seeing it in a book, or maybe the news.” Lloyd corrected. “So you don’t know why you get special powers when you play?” Zane asked.

“Who cares why it happens? It makes my band totally awesome!” Rainbow laughed. Rarity stared at her, offended. “Your band?”

“Duh! It was my idea to start the Rainbooms so we could be in the showcase! Plus, I’m the lead singer and guitarist.”

Comes now a string of knocks at the door; the cause is Flash Sentry, who lets himself into the room. He is a bit flustered, but regains his composure as he speaks.

“Heard you outside. You guys are sounding really tight.” He walked in.

“Uh, we’re getting there. Rarity’s still coming in a little late on the second verse, and Applejack’s bass solo could use a little work.They’ll get it together in time for the Showcase.” Rainbow winked. She ignored two glares from Rarity and Applejack, as Fluttershy shrunk down and Zane and Nya stared at each other with a worried expression.

“Uh, I-I don’t suppose any of our friends from, uh…out of town might come? Uh, it being a special charity event and all.” Flash nervously scratched his head.

“Sorry, Flash. I don’t think Twilight’s gonna be back at Canterlot High anytime soon.” Applejack apologize

“Oh, yeah. Okay. I just, you know, thought I’d ask. Uh, keep on…rockin’ it!” He backed out towards the door, and ran off. “Who was that? He seemed interesting.” Kai stifled a laugh as Lloyd nudged him in the shoulder. “Well, someone was quite the smitten kitten,” Rarity chuckled, noticing Sunset hold her head down.

“Oh sorry, Ialways forget that you and Flash were an Item.” Rarity quickly apologized. Lloyd raised his eyebrow at this. “It’s okay. Flash is a great guy and all, but I never really “liked him” liked him. I was just using him to become more popular.” She opened her eyes and realized what she had said. “The old me really was just awful, wasn’t she?”

A round of varied noises bounced across the room..

“But the important thing is that you’ve turned yourself around.” Applejack tried to comfort her. “Thanks Applejack, but I’m not sure everyone else at CHS feels the same way.” Sunset sighed. “At least you didn’t mess up your first impression with us!” Jay spoke up, trying to make her feel better. Sunset lowered her eyebrows at him as the rest of them glared. “Okay, think it, don’t say it, got it.” Jay shrunk back down.

“Sunset Shimmer, please report to the main foyer.” VP Luna called over the intercom.

“Gotta run, I volunteered to show some new students around the school. Thought it’d be good for them to get to know the new me, before they heard all the stuff about the old me.” She began towards the door. The Ninja shared nervous smiles between each other, what if it was someone from their world!

“I better go with you!” Lloyd quickly got up and stood in front of her. He received confused looks from the rest of the room. “To uh, see the new students of course, they might be from my country, and maybe seeing someone like them would help them… fit in more?” Lloyd grinned. Sunset shrugged and waved for him to follow her. He gave a thumbs up to the rest of the ninja, which the five girls caught wind of. And the two were both gone into the hall.

“If Flash isn’t smitten, your friend definitely is.” Rainbow pointed out. “Lloyd? No… I don’t think-” Kai tapped his chin with his thumb.

“We’ve still got a few minutes before lunch starts. What do you say we do “Awesome As I Wanna Be”?” Rainbow asked. “Um, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy lifted a notebook ”I was wondering if we could maybe play the song I wrote?”

“Uh, we’ll get to it.” Rainbow waved her off. “Oh, okay…” She lowered the notebook back down, as to which Zane grabbed it and looked through it, seeming impressed with what she had written. He gave her a slight smile and a thumbs up, sending his approval. Rainbow began a riff.

“Hi there, are you the new girls I’m supposed to be showing around?” Sunset walked up waving with Lloyd behind her.

“We are.”The three girls stepped out of the shadows, holding a sinister smirk.

“Canterlot High is a great school. You’re really gonna love it” Sunset explained as they moved down a hall. “Oh, yes. We really sense there’s something…magical about this place.” Adagio smirked as they followed her.

These people weren’t from Ninjago at all. But something was uneasy. He felt a certain darkness coming from them that gave him a chill down his spine. Maybe it was something else, maybe these girls were normal.

“That’s the science lab…computer lab is in there…oh!” Sunset was pointing to different classes, until something caught her eye and she ran up to it.

“We’re having a big musical showcase this weekend. The whole school is pretty much rallying around it.”

“A…musical showcase?” Adagio grinned back at her colleagues. “I’m sure since you’re new, Principal Celestia would let you sign up if you’re interested” Sunset explained.

“We have been known to sing from time to time,” Aria said, unbothered. “Hel-looo? We sing, like, all the time. It’s how we get people to do what we want!” Sonata unknowingly spilled out.

She then received a mild grimace from Aria, total shock from Sunset and Lloyd, who looked at each other, and then stared back at her, and a threatening snarl and “cut it” gesture from Adagio. Yet, the blue-haired teen remains completely oblivious to this colossal slip-up.

“What? What’d I say?” Sonata shrugged, confused.

“What you meant to say was that being in a musical showcase sounds like a great way to meet other students.” Adagio tried to cover up for her.

“Oh, yeah! What she said I meant to say, that’s what I meant. To say.” Sonata gave off a big grin.

“And what you would have said if you weren’t the worst.” Aria groaned.

“You are!”

“You’ll have to excuse them. They’re idiots.” Adagio grumbled

“Hmph!”

The two other teens stare at them for a long moment, not sure what to make of this most unusual exchange, then Sunset leans forward as something catches her eye. She has gotten an eyeful of their pendants. Adagio fingers her gem idly as a gleam runs across all three. Lloyd notices something wrong with them.

Sunset chuckled weakly. “Those are pretty.Where did you—”

Almost faster than thought, one hand in a fingerless glove flashes up to seize her wrist and prevent her from making contact. This shocks the two heroes and Adagio lets go a moment later, managing a sheepish laugh as Sunset massages the joint—evidently that grip has some steel to it.

“Sorry. These pendants mean an awful lot to us. We’d just hate for anything to happen to them.” Adagio let out a fake kind smile.

Away she goes, Aria following; Sonata stays put, smiling at Sunset and Lloyd until Adagio reaches back into view to grab a wrist and yank her away. The entire encounter does not sit at all right with the two other dimensional humans, who shrug at each other and walk to catch up with the rest of their friends.

The two of them sit down at a table, where it seems that the ninja and the 5 girls have quickly began to get along.

“Give it back!!! I haven’t eaten since I got here!” Kai reached for his tray as Rainbow held it out of his reach. Sunset sat down and sighed, causing everyone to stop their antics and look at her.

“So, how was the tour?” Applejack asked. “I-I don’t know, these girls, there was something off about them,” Sunset explained. “Yeah… they just, I don’t know… but there was this feeling I got from them,” Lloyd added on.

“Like, off like this? Or off like this? Or, oh, oh! Like—“

On the first “this,” she pulls a tuft of her own hair around to cover her face like a beard and mustache. For the second one, she somehow gets to Jay’s neck and they pretend to be a four armed monster, much to Lloyd’s dismay. Rainbow’s next words cut them off before the masquerade can get any sillier.

“Maybe we should just let her tell us?” Rainbow suggested as she fell off of Jay’s shoulder and popped back up in her seat. “That’s just it. I can’t put my finger on it. They just acted sort of…strange around me.” Sunset sighed. “Maybe someone already talked to them—told them about what I did. So much for making a good first impression.” She put her head on the table, making everyone give her a concerned look.

“Uh-huh.” Fluttershy added with a smile. “Oh! That’s probably not it.” She corrected herself once the looks turned in her direction. Outside the cafeteria, a more sinister plan was approaching.

“This is it, girls. The moment we’ve been waiting for.” Adagio smirked. “Lunch?” Sonata eagerly said. “The chance to get our true Equestrian magic back.” Adagio sighed.

“Oh. Right.”

“Our voices are just strong enough to make them want something so badly, they’ll fight to get it.”

“So we’re just gonna do what we always do? Stir up some trouble and then feed off the negative energy? Some plan, Adagio.” Aria rolled her eyes as Adagio scowled at her.

“It won’t be the same as the times before! There is Equestrian magic here. Their negative energy will give us the power we need to get this entire world to do our bidding.”

“But we can get lunch after, though, right?”

(The narrowed red-violet eyes pop in surprise to Sonata, who is absolutely mooning over a poster announcing that…)

“It’s Taco Tuesday!” She continued to squeal over it.

“Just follow my lead.” Adagio groaned. “ Or my lead.” Aria suggested.

Adagio went to her, menacingly, grabbing the shirt front “My lead!”

That puts a good scare into the pigtailed upstart, but she quickly shifts back to her usual dissatisfied look upon seeing Sonata’s big dopey smile. Adagio, meanwhile, moves toward the doors; cut to inside the cafeteria as these are thrown open. The three girls stroll easily among the tables, vocalizing. Table after table turns its collective attention to the triumvirate.

“We heard you want to get together…”

Sonata passes Flash, caressing the guitar slung on his back to draw the focus of both him and his table-mate.

“We heard you want to rock this school”
M
Adagio lets her fingers run along the heads of several students, entrancing them.

“We’ve thought of something that is better

Something that changes all the rules”

Aria draws a few more eyes to herself.

Why pretend we’re all the same

All three gather, back to back to back, and circle slowly; their pendants start to burn red.

“When some of us shine brighter?
(Shine brighter)

Here’s a chance to find your flame

Are you a loser or a fighter?”

Bass drum in

The math geek smiles thoughtfully to himself, and the singers gather near the doors again and point around themselves.

“Me and you, you and me, why don’t we see who is better?”

“We don’t have to be one in the same thing”

A rocker and eco-kid start to eye each other with distrust.

“Oh, what’s so wrong with a little competition?”

“Are you afraid of failing the audition?”

“You’re a star and you should know it”

Aria and Sonata take Adagio’s arms and lift her onto a table; she walks it like a runway.

“Yeah, you rise above the rest

Kneel; stroke and flick a boy’s chin, making him forget his lunch altogether.

“It doesn’t matter who you hurt”

Back to the floor; she sashays down an aisle.

“If you’re just proving you’re the best”

Sonata shoots a fist skyward, and Aria points at one knot of students to egg them on.

“Battle, you want to win it”
Adagio raises a fist of her own.

“Let’s have a battle, Battle of the Bands”

Now Aria pushes her way through the Crusaders, Snips, and Snails.

“Let’s have a battle, we’ll go all in it

Let’s have a battle, battle, battle, Battle of the Bands”

Battle

“I can beat you!”

Battle

“Ha! You wish!”

Battle

“I so want this!”

Battle

“Not if I get it first!”

Me and you, you and me, why don’t we see who is better? We don’t have to be one in the same thing

Flash and an eco-kid are nearly ready to come to blows.

“Oh, what’s so wrong with a little competition?
I’m going up and winning the audition!”

All are on their feet and pumping fists toward the ceiling—all, that is, except the 6 girls and the ninja, who watch, confused. Their table is the only one not shrouded in the mist.

Battle, we want to win it

(Sunset throws a hard sidewise glance across the table.)

“ Let’s have a battle, Battle of the Bands

Let’s have a battle, we’ll go all in it

Let’s have a battle, battle, battle, Battle of the Bands!”

(Students have lined up and are shouting challenges and derogatory remarks at each other.)

“Ohhhh! They’re that kind of off!” Pinkie realized. The group turned their attention back to the cafeteria and frowned.

Bad News About Those New Girls

“Those three are definitely in possession of some kind of dark magic. How else could you explain what happened back there?” Sunset said as the 12 teens walk down the hall. Rainbow and Kai were kicking a ball between each other.

“I’ve never seen villains that use singing to, take over the world?” Kai responded. “Not that I’ve ever seen villains!” He quickly added, giving off a deep sigh.

“Don’t worry, y’all. We let Principal Celestia know all about this, and those girls’ll be kicked to the curb in no time. Last thing she needs is another CHS event almost ruined by some power-crazed lunatic,” Applejack said, noticing a mildly irked Sunset. “Uh, no offense,”

“None taken…”

“What I don’t understand is that, where’s their source of power? Do they just automatically have that?” Zane pondered. “I don’t know, but I sure wouldn’t be very phsyced to try and find out.” Jay shuddered.

———————

“Dark magic? I find that very hard to believe.” Celestia looked through her blinds for a second and then turned around. “Those girls came into my office earlier and were absolutely delightful.”

Luna let off a mild scoff. “Perhaps Sunset Shimmer is just eager to make someone else out to be a bad element, so that her actions at the Fall Formal will become old news.”

“I could see why you might think that, but—” Sunset nervously started, which then Rainbow leans over in front of her and across the desk.

“That’s not what’s happening. We saw all of this go down in the cafeteria too!”

“Yes, but isn’t your band supposed to be part of the Musical Showcase?” Celestia asked. “Yes?” Rainbow reluctantly answered.

“Wait, but we’re not apart of a band, and we saw it too!” Cole spoke up. “Are you an exchange student?” Luna asked. “Um, yes, but-”

“Then we assume you will be enrolling for the time being, and that you are part of the Rainbooms.” She cut him off. “Please sign here.” She handed off a clipboard to the Orange skinned teen in front of her. The ninja shrugged and passed it on to write down their names, as there was really no point in arguing.

“Ok, now that that’s over with, can we please stop the dark magic at hand?!” Kai pointed his palms out the door.

“Perhaps you’re all just worried that the Dazzlings will steal your spotlight.” Luna responded.

“The Dazzlings?” Applejack asked, puzzled.

“It’s the name of their musical group. That’s why they came by my office earlier, to sign up for the Showcase. Even sang a little song to Vice-Principal Luna and I.” Celestia answered.

“They did?”

“Yes. And we think having a Battle of the Bands instead is a marvelous idea.”

——————

All four eyes briefly flash pale green as she finishes, leaving the teens visibly unnerved and at a total loss for words. They all go to the statue to think about what just happened and what to do next. They all seem to be doing their own thing. Applejack pacing and thinking, Fluttershy standing and staring at one side of the base, Pinkie lying on her back atop the base and letting her head hang over the edge, Jay and Cole practicing a hand shake, Rainbow and Kai continued to kick her ball to each other, Rarity sitting near Fluttershy and painting Nya’s fingernails, Sunset standing slumped against another of the base’s sides near Applejack, and Lloyd rewiring Zane’s back.

“I can’t believe they got to Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna too.” Fluttershy sighed. “They’ve gotten to everybody!” Rainbow yelled as she bounced the ball back to Kai from her head.

“Not everybody!” Pinkie said excitedly while overlooking all her friends.

“Pinkie Pie’s right. We were there when the Dazzlings were singin’, and we weren’t affected. It was like we were protected somehow.” Applejack wondered.

“So let’s take them down! It’s not like we haven’t tangled with dark magic before and totally whupped its sorry butt.” Rainbow said, until realizing she had made the same mistake as Applejack.

“Uh, no offense”

“None taken, Again.”

“But that was when Princess Twilight was still here…” Fluttershy said. “There may be some kind of magic inside us—but it only comes out when we play music. I sure don’t know how to use it to whup anybody’s butt.”

“Speaking of which, if the magic is left over from Princess Twilight, how are they affected?” Sunset pointed towards the Ninja, making the rest of the girls raise an eyebrow.

“So, you gonna tell us what’s going on, “exchange student”?” Rainbow smirked in Kai’s face. Kai rolled his eyes and sighed. “Okay, time to come clean, we aren’t from another country.”

“Aha, I knew it!” Rarity yelled out, causing everyone to give her a worried look. She put herself back together and brushed herself off. “Erm, well, I think it was pretty obvious.”

“So, you’re from Twilight’s world?” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “No, we’re from Ninjago.” Cole facepalmed.

“Ohhhh… Huh?” That just made the girls even more confused.

“Okay, we’re from a mystical land with dragons, demons, skeletons, snakes, you name it. We’re ninjas there and we fight evil.” Lloyd explained. “So how did you get here, if you’re not from Equestria?” Sunset asked. “That’s the thing! This strange mirror showed up way our door, we used it and it brought us here, right from there!” Jay pointed at the right side of the portal.

“We have powers too, elemental powers!” Kai added on. “Like, I can use fire,” Kai stood and front of everyone and began to demonstrate, but when he tried using them, only a spark appeared and it faltered.

“What the? Where are my powers? They came back I thought! Do they not work here?!” Kai groaned. “I suppose not. Our powers seem to be connected to the energy from our world.” Lloyd pinched his chin.

“So how are you still protected? Unless…” Sunset started.

“They’re connected to the energy of this world, which is magic and can only come out through singing!” Lloyd and Sunset came to the revelation at the same time. “Awww this world is the worst! Let me go back home!” Kai banged on the statue, ignoring a slightly annoyed Applejack and Rarity.

“So what you’re saying is, the ninja are also the elements of harmony?” Rainbow asked. “It seems so,” Sunset answered.

“If only we could get a message to Twilight. Maybe she could tell us how to break the spell the Dazzlings have cast on our friends, and more how the ninja got here.” Rarity sighed. “Well, that’s not gonna happen. The portal’s closed.” Rainbow said as she threw the ball, which Rarity and Nya ducked under, but to both their dismay, Rarity had accidentally spread the polish up both their arms, which Nya had made a shocked expression and Rarity let out a gasp.

“And I get the feeling they don’t exactly have cell phones where she’s from.”

Sunset scratched her head for a moment and then an Idea appeared in her head. “I may have an idea how we can get in touch with Princess Twilight!” She said.

The 11 other teens follow her to a dimly lit locker. It is Sunset’s locker; she peers intently inside, then rummages through a box as the others gather behind. she then stands up, holding a book bound in faded brown leather with her red/yellow sun cutie mark on its cover and brass accents on the spine.

“When I was Princess Celestia’s student back in Equestria, she gave me this.” Sunset explained nervously. She brushed a hand across the cover, a layer of dust being wiped away. “Even after I abandoned my studies, I held onto it.” She flipped through the pages with a smile on her face. “Deep down, I guess I knew I was making a big mistake, and I still wanted a way to reach out to her. She passes the last used pages and stops at a couple of blank ones, running a hand gently over the unmarked surface.

“Maybe it still works.”

“That’s a book, darling. What do you mean, “maybe still works”?” Rarity deadpanned. “Maybe let her explain it, just for a change, I don’t know, you may find out how it works?” Cole sarcastically commented, as to which Rarity gave him a backhanded glare. “It used to be that if I wrote something here, it would appear in the pages of a book back in Princess Celestia’s library. I get a message to her, then she can get a message to Princess Twilight.” Sunset explained.

“So what are you waiting for? Get to writing!” Rainbow held out a pen to her

Sunset looked at all of the eleven, including one blue athlete with writing tool in hand whose challenging smile turns into a warmer one that matches those on the others’ faces. Sunset regards the item with wide-eyed puzzlement for a second, then takes it and lets a very large measure of trepidation play across her face before voicing a sigh.

“Been a long time since I’ve written these words.” Sunset sighed.

She brings the pen down and starts to write.

“Dear Princess Celestia…”

The ink briefly flares pink/white as it first touches the page,The view gives way to a hurtling zoom through a tunnel of swirling pastel colors—and then emerges at the far end into a long overhead shot of the Ponyville town square. It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood, and over the village toward its far edge is where Twilight’s tree-styled crystal castle stands—the end product of her fight against Tirek.

The doors open to reveal a delivery stallion hauling a cart piled high with books. The violet Princess sits in the center of the floor, a stack of books and envelopes alongside as she reads from a document held in her magic. Rarity has taken a seat on her own throne, resting on her belly as she telekinetically polishes one arm with a cloth; the copy of her cutie mark set into its upper portion is glowing blue. The edge of Spike’s head can be seen beyond the side of his own smaller throne; he is reading something, revealed as a Daring Do novel. Applejack and Fluttershy push a very large crate across the floor with head and hooves, respectively, and then Pinkie blowing up a balloon while seated on a vacant throne. She is using Applejack’s rather than her own for this work, while Rarity shifts her polishing cloth to the high back near the three glowing gems. The stallion pulls up at the circle of thrones; ground level, his forelegs stepping into view.

“Excuse me, Princess. Where do you want all these books from Princess Celestia?” The Delivery stallion asked.

“The library!” Twilight answered, Her perspective of him and Pinkie. As she points off to her left and he follows the gesture with his eyes, the topmost book on the cart begins to emit pulses of light and jitter in place. “Third door on the left.”

“Even this one that’s glowin’ and vibratin’?” He glanced up at it.

She looks up in alarm, the paper before her dropping forgotten to the floor, and sees the anomalous volume—whose cover is emblazoned with Celestia’s cutie mark. She floats it down from the pile as the other four mares take notice. Applejack and Fluttershy step a bit closer, while Pinkie floats off Applejack’s throne on her giant balloon. The book quiets down once Twilight opens it and riffles the pages; something she sees causes her to stop and stare popeyed, and Fluttershy is first to cross to her.

“What is it, Twilight?” Fluttershy asks as Pinkie peeks from behind, off her balloon, then Rainbow from above. “It looks like…a message to Princess Celestia from my friends at Canterlot High!” Twilight read over the words. “How is that even possible?” Rarity asked.

“I have no idea, but …it sounds like they need my help!”

Cut to a dimly lit extreme close-up of a row of books on a shelf, seen from behind. One is floated away in a magical grip, giving a view through the resulting opening of a well-lit expanse of library shelves across the way. The sliver of green tree-patterned window beyond this tells that the room is in the castle.

“The way Sunset Shimmer described them…”

A slight rotation frames the gold unicorn-head decoration on the cover—this is the reference guide she and others have consulted on a number of occasions. Cut to a table at the center of this large room; all six mares and one dragon are gathered here, and Twilight brings the book in.”

“ …I think these new girls sound an awful lot like… the Sirens.”

“Not the Sirens!” Pinkie yelled out, then leaned aside to Fluttershy. “I don’t actually know what that is.”

(Back to Twilight, magically opening/flipping pages.)

“The Sirens were three beautiful but dangerous creatures—”

As she speaks, the view dissolves to an illustration of three finned fish/dragon beasts, with horses’ heads and forelegs, sitting on a rocky outcropping amid ocean waves. One is red-orange, one violet, one blue-green, and each has a large red gem embedded in its chest. Tilt up slowly as they raise their heads to sing, streams of magic issuing from their mouths.

“—who had the power to charm ponies with their music. (They float over a seaside village; slow pan as the residents argue.) But to maintain this power, they had to feed on the negativity and distrust of others.”

A Close-up of two ponies butting heads, then zoom out slightly to frame the three Sirens behind them and tilt up to follow the wisps of green haze that stream up to them.

“The more of this negative energy they consumed, the stronger their voices became— (Another stretch of land, panning across; they float over many squabbling equines.) —and the farther they could spread their dark magic.”

(Back to the library table, panning slowly across the unnerved onlookers.)

“I don’t think I like this story very much.” Fluttershy cowered.

“If the Sirens had their way, they would have divided and conquered all of Equestria. But a certain Starswirl the Bearded wasn’t having it.” Twilight continued.

On the end of this, the eminent unicorn mage, seen from ground level just in front of his front hooves, and in on the cottony expanse of his beard. Once a single spiraling tuft of white hair fills the screen, it begins to rotate and then gives way to a swirling black vortex. The Sirens are slowly drawn into it, circling helplessly in an attempt to break loose.

“Rumor has it, he found a way to banish them to another world.”

The zoom continues, revealing that the entire phenomenon has shrunk to perhaps grapefruit size and is floating before Starswirl’s stern eyes.

“One where he believed their magic power would be lost. That world must have been the one where my Canterlot High friends live.”

“But Starswirl musta sent them there ages ago. How come they’re just surfacin’ now?” Applejack asked. “I don’t know. (warming up horn) But if my hunch is right—and it is the Sirens who’ve come to Canterlot High—this spell they’ve cast is just the beginning.”Twilight closes the book and turns away.

“As for this “Ninjago” I’ve never heard of it. But I think I’ve seen it somewhere.” Twilight levitated a book. “Here it is!”

“Ninjago is a mystical land, created by the first spinjitzu master, it is the sister realm of Equestria. That’s all it says? My friends need me. I have to get back to them.”

She gets only a couple of steps away before Rainbow flies over the table to intercept.

“I hate to burst your bubble, Twilight, but the connection between their world and Equestria will still be totally cut off for a super-long time.” Rainbow stopped her.

Pinkie zips up between them.

“Okay. First of all, if there was bubble blowing going on, why wasn’t I told about it? And secondly, if the connection is totally cut off, how was Sunset Shimmer able to get a message to Twilight?” She reasoned.

(The egghead mulls this over for a split second, then voices a gasp as inspiration strikes.)

“Pinkie, you’re a genius!” Twilight galloped away. “Yeah, I get that a lot. (She yanks Rainbow over, suddenly irate.) Now about those bubbles!” She pointed at her.

Any further tirade is forgotten when the two catch sight of Twilight trotting back the way she came, levitating several pieces of mechanical/electrical equipment in her wake. The others are equally dumbfounded at her return, but she pays no mind and gets to work, directing her magic back and forth to hook up the components. She finishes by levitating a wooden panel toward the camera to black out the screen.

Fade in to a small holder topped with light bulbs on poles and attached to a curved rail that runs between two large antennas, which are in turn fixed to the upturned ends of a wooden frame. Tilt down slowly to the sound of Twilight’s voice; the rig is mounted on an upward-angled arm, part of a complex arrangement of machinery and antennas that would fit perfectly into the laboratory of any self-respecting mad scientist. She comes into view on the end of the following, standing next to the heart of the entire system—the magic mirror.

“And the interval between the two points is defined as the square root of the sum of the squares of the separation between the points along three spatial dimensions.” Twilight explained.

Almost every one of them has gotten completely lost in her verbiage—which happens to be a long-winded and entirely accurate way of stating the Distance Formula in coordinate geometry. The one possible exception is Pinkie, whose smile suggests that she either has managed to follow perfectly or is entirely oblivious.

“Say what now?” Spike raised an eyebrow.

“Duh! She’s gonna take the magic in here and put it in there.” Pinkie moved around

She points at Celestia’s book and moves over to indicate the mirror on “here” and “there,” respectively. The following, delivered at slowly increasing tempo, is accompanied by a cross to the book; flipping it up onto its edge with her forelock; turning cartwheels past the mirror; standing on the book; stretching toward the glass; pointing at the book; putting her nose up against the reflective surface; moving behind the book; lounging at the mirror’s base; and finally a cut back to the others.

“That’ll make the portal open up so that whenever she wants to, she can go from here to there. There to here. Here to there. There to here. Here to there. There to h—”

“We get the idea.” Applejack stopped her

The pink goofball, having sprawled out on the base, snaps upright and trots placidly away from it as Twilight crosses to her newly built setup

“Now to see if it actually works.” She hoped.

Her magic field maneuvers the book into the elevated holder; the sun on its cover flares white as the bulbs above it energize. That blinding spot floats into the air and bursts into two ribbons of electric charge that stream into the antennas, which in turn take more charge from the leather cover and begin to crackle with sparks, reaching an eye-searing brightness.

Everyone oohed in awe

The power sparks and spits its way down through the conduits available to it, eventually pouring into a box with two pistons protruding from its top. A side panel glows brightly and the pistons begin to cycle, producing a sheet of energy that snakes from the base and through a set of rollers before disappearing into a hopper. Two vertical panels slide into view from opposite sides of the screen, each showing a different area; crackling power works its way along the cables as the two views separately pan away from the centerline separating them to frame two antennas that come to scintillating life. As Twilight watches closely, this channels itself into the mirror and the glass becomes a fitful rippling of white wave fronts against a magenta ground. She shields her eyes an instant before one last flash of white fills the screen and subsides; now the mirror’s surface has calmed down to a steady swirling pattern, and she smiles broadly.

“Ahhhhh!”

“Don’t suppose we could join you this time around?” Applejack asked. “Better not. It could make things pretty confusing if Canterlot High all of a sudden had two of all of you.” Twilight laughed.

The others are mildly surprised, on the end of this. All but Spike nod and voice a range of agreement.

“But I still get to go, right? There isn’t another one of me at Canterlot High, and you never know when you might need your trusty assistant.” Spike pleaded with a big smile as Twilight looked him over and nodded. “Mmm-hmm”

“Yes!”

Twilight walked over to the others. “We won’t be gone long.”

She is soon caught up in a six-way group hug and a round of warm goodbyes; as it breaks up, Rarity’s words come through most clearly. Pinkie is the last to let go, giving a big squeaky grin, and Twilight steps over to her number-one assistant.

“Ready, Spike?”

He Cracked his knuckles, blew out a breath, Dropped to a three-point stance, stretching his legs out to full extension one at a time.

“Ready!”

The Princess hunches down determinedly, and both rush toward the mirror. Spike plunges through its swirling aura, then Twilight, a brief flare of white hiding them from view as they make contact.

—-------------------------------

One of Fluttershy’s hands is being held up by Rarity so she can apply polish to the nails. The two girls are seated a short distance from the school’s statue. Rainbow and Sunset sitting by the base—the latter showing Lloyd the old entries in her magic journal—and Applejack, Pinkie, Kai, and Jay seated atop it and playing cards. The apple farmer gazes levelly across at her opponent and lays down her cards—four aces—whereupon Jay lays down a messed up deck, not exactly understanding and Kai watches. Pinkie smirks triumphantly and spreads out four jokers on top of them. Her ear-to-ear smile prompts a very funny look from Applejack as if to say, “You may be playing with a full deck, but what the heck is it full of?” And Nya and Zane begin to work on something with parts they got out of the school.

Rainbow idly tosses her soccer ball from hand to hand for a moment, but knocks off with a bored sigh.

“I’m starting to think she’s not coming.” And as if an answer to her, the side of the base behind her promptly flares white, and one violet-skinned girl and one lighter violet dog come flying out headfirst as if shot from a cannon. They hurtle in a split second. Rainbow drops her ball, and all twelve are quick to take notice and perk up

“Twilight!” Everyone but the ninja yelled happily. Sunset ran up to her as Twilight turned around “Oooh…I’m back.”

A hand is being extended toward her; she regards it with clear unease and suspicion, After a short internal argument, Twilight allows herself a small smile and lets her past nemesis pull her upright. Within seconds the other five girls have swarmed in for a hug, Sunset backing off.

“Oh, Twilight!”

“And I’ve got some bad news about those new girls.”

Everyone groaned uneasily.

Author's Note

Wow, I’m surprised at the amount of attention this has been getting! Thank you all for the favorites! I’m glad there are people who like reading this just as much as I like writing it!

Friendship is…Failure?

At the coffee shop that serves as this world’s equivalent of Sugarcube Corner, the gang sits at a table inside. Twilight and Rarity are seated on a couch; Sunset on one of its arms; Lloyd on the other;Applejack/Fluttershy/Rainbow/Kai/Cole/Jay/Zane/Nya in chairs; Applejack sitting backwards on hers and Spike on Fluttershy’s lap; Pinkie bringing over a couple of drinks. She sits down next to Twilight and gives her one, keeping the other—a chocolate milkshake—for herself. Rainbow already has a beverage of her own, Jay is examining a soda, and a cup of tea sits before Rarity.

“Oh, I do hate that you’ve had to return in a time of crisis. We have so much catching up to do!” Rarity told Twilight. “For starters… a certain blue-haired guitar player was just askin’ about you.” Applejack smirked. “Flash Sentry was asking about me?” Twilight asked excitedly, blushing and playing with her hair.

A knowing expression frames on the faces of Rarity and Sunset, as well as Pinkie’s “tell me more” look around her straw. Twilight clears her throat and does her best to recover her poise.

“Isn’t that nice?” She regains her posture and sips at her drink.

“Perhaps you could give us just the slightest bit of gossip from your world?” Rarity asked as Spike held up a dog biscuit. “She’s got an official title now. The Princess of Friendship!” He mimicked a trumpet. “Wow, that’s really impressive. Guess you really were Princess Celestia’s prize pupil.” Sunset complimented. “She’s even got her own castle.” Spike added on.

“A castle?!? You have your own castle?!?” Rarity leaned toward Twilight with gusto, startling said Princess into spilling her drink on herself. “Uh…ooh, uh, lovely.” She regained herself and grabbed a napkin to clean off Twilight as she calmed down, causing Nya to laugh a bit. Whoever this girl was, she sure was interesting.

“What’s new here? I mean, besides your school becoming the target of dangerous magical creatures from Equestria.” Twilight asked. The Six girls turned towards their new companions, who were mostly not paying attention, not realizing that eyes were on them. Jay was the first to notice and spoke up, unfortunately.

“So yeah… in our dimension, a mirror showed up at our door, and our master hid it from us, but then we got to it while he was gone, and so we jumped in and got here! And now we can’t use our powers.” Jay sighed. “Hm… I found a book on your world back in Equestria, but nothing was there except that your realm, my realm, and this realm are connected.” Lloyd and Cole gave each other a knowing look.

“The sixteen realms!” They both shouted, receiving a confused look from the princess. “Okay look, my grandfather created a crystal that allowed him to travel between 16 connected realms. This one must be one of them, which is why our powers are connected to it, our realms are in the same universe!” Lloyd explained. “We can use our powers here! But um… we just have to figure out how to unlock them…”

“Yeah, so that isn't the only strange thing that’s happened since you left.” Rainbow pulled out her phone, showing Twilight her magical transformation as she played the guitar. Twilight’s mouth dropped as Rainbow pulled the phone away. “Pretty sweet huh? It happens to all of us when we play!”

“Hmm. My crown was returned to Equestria—but some of its magic must have remained here at Canterlot High. Now that we’re all back together, and since the Ninja are connected to Equestria, we can use that magic on the Sirens, just like when we were able to use it on Sunset Shimmer when she turned into that horrifyingly awful winged monster!” Twilight said as everyone latched on to her sudden loss of tact. She smiles sheepishly and turns to Sunset.

“No Offense,”

“None taken.” Sunset replied grumpily. “I’m used to it.”

“You aren’t gonna need me though, the ninja already hold what my power is, a combination of all of theirs, we don’t wanna blow up the whole school, after all.” Lloyd intteupted, denying being part of the standoff.

“So you’re saying, with all of us, our powers return? Alright!” Kai pumped his fist. “They’ll never know what him em!” He continued to say along with Rainbow, finishing off with a fist bump to her. Pinike turned over to Lloyd and whispered in his ear. “I kinda ship it…” which Lloyd responded with a chuckle and a nod of agreement.

“We’ve got nothin’ to worry about now that Twilight’s back.” Applejack caught Rainbow’s fist as she was throwing fake punches. “Oh. I’m pretty sure I could find something to worry about—but it won’t be the Sirens!” Fluttershy smiled and hugged Spike.

“The sooner we do this, the better. Any idea where the Dazzlings might be?” Twilight asked.

A shake of the purple-haired head, a shrug of the leather-jacketed shoulders, a scratch of the spiky hair, and Pinkie’s hand reaches into view to tap one of Twilight’s. She waves frantically while sucking on her shake, then backs off and sits down to finish it off before speaking.

“There’s a big party tonight for all the bands who signed up to be in the Showcase. That would include the Dazzlings,” Pinkie explained while eating the rest of her shake, not realizing that a bit of it has landed on her cheek. Smiles pass between Twilight, Rarity, Sunset and Lloyd.

“Looks like we’ve got a party to crash.” Twilight wiped Pinkie’s face with a napkin.

In the school gym, now filled with twos and threes of students who are keeping their distance from each other and shooting plenty of nasty looks. The big thirteen are standing near a refreshment table at one side; Fluttershy is no longer carrying Spike. Featherweight and a couple of his techie friends throw a hairy eyeball across the way, Trixie’s trio on the receiving end, and the Crusaders in an equally sour mood, throwing squint-eyed glares at a passing student. As Pinkie stuffs her face, the area in front of the stage frame more aspiring rock stars: a trio led by Photo, Snails throwing his arms down at them and being thoroughly ignored, and Snips posturing in front of an irked Flash as if to say, “What you got?” The blue-haired guitarist pulls an arm back past two of his rocker buddies as if to throw a punch—and then whips it forward, snatching up a drink cup.

“I’m gonna get more punch.” Flash groaned and walked away.

Neither he nor Twilight is paying attention to where they are going, and the resulting collision dumps both their cups across the floor and leaves her supported by one of his arms.

“Twilight?”

“Bumped…into…always…doing?” She blushed and laughed nervously.

“What are you doing here? You came back for the big competition, right?” Flash stood her back up.

“Something like that.”

“Heh. Not that there’s gonna be any real competition. No one here wants this as bad as my band does.” He chuckled and pointed to himself.

On the end of this, the door opens—on the opposite site of the room and behind his back—and the Dazzlings enter the gym. Rainbow is first to register dismay at their appearance; almost faster than thought, one light blue hand whips out to pluck a chocolate chip from the cookie Pinkie is eating. She takes careful aim and flicks it neatly across the gym, lodging it in the hair covering the back of Twilight’s head; the latter flicks it loose, turns to look back the way it came, and sees the athlete cock her head ever so slightly to one side. The bookworm’s irritation gives way to surprise once she spots the trio at the door; their move across the floor spurs her to address Flash again.

“Can you excuse me for just a minute?”

She ducks away, Flash turning away with annoyance writ large across his features, and all of the others except Pinkie step off from the snack spread. This last one hangs back long enough to get a cookie in each hand to go with the one still in her mouth; she lodges the two extras in her hair and hurries after the others, only to have them fall right back out. The Dazzlings stop in the middle of the floor, Adagio smugly running her eyes over the collection of bad vibes to show just how much disunity has taken hold.

“Oh, no! No one’s mingling! It’s like there’s some kind of underlying tension that could bubble to the surface at any minute.” Adagio mocked with an evil grin on her face.

Aria and Sonata are behind her; the ponytailed airhead is holding a cup and eyeing it worriedly.

“It’s the fruit punch, isn’t it? I knew I used too much grape juice!” Sonata held up a apple juice bottle as Aria rolled her eyes and Adagio slumped on feet. “It’s not the fruit punch, it’s us!” She palmed her face.

“But the punch is awful too.” Aria added. “What do you know about good fruit punch?” Sonata brandished the cup. “More than you.” Aria slapped the cup away.

“Do not.”

“Do too.”

Aria smirks as her partner in villainy pats her bangs back into place and Adagio leans over to both of them.

“This is just the kickoff party, girls. Imagine what a tizzy they’ll be in by the time the Battle of the Bands starts.”

“There isn’t going to be a Battle of the Bands!” Twilight yelled from across the room.

Three surprised Dazzlings look toward the sound of her voice; to Twilight and her eleven human friends, Pinkie ready for a scrap even with that last cookie still in her teeth.

“We’re gonna make sure of that!”

Sunset smirks in the group’s direction while Lloyd gives a thumbs up, and Twilight takes Rainbow’s hand.

“All right, team, Let’s do this.”

All have joined hands to form a rough line and are bracing themselves.

“Friendship is magic!” Twilight yelled dramatically.

There was a sudden hush over the entire crowd, a round of extremely puzzled looks from the intended targets, and a very large amount of absolutely nothing else. Sunset and Lloyd cringe mightily at the embarrassing misfire, and someone’s cough echoes loud and clear in the dead silence. The group holds their formation, eyes squeezed shut and muscles tensed to channel the power that simply will not come. After a couple of seconds that feel like a month, Rainbow opens her eyes in close-up and leans toward Twilight.

“Uh, weren’t there rainbows and lasers and stuff last time?”

“I don’t understand. We’re all together again, and we have the ninja with us. Why isn’t this working?”

The gym was full with the puzzled/indignant onlookers, including the cruelly smiling Dazzlings, and a badly unnerved Twilight. Spike climbs up onto her shoulder.

“You, uh, really need to go ahead and do that whole “magic of friendship” thing now.”

“I’m trying, Spike. I thought the six of us standing together against the Sirens would bring out the magic we needed to defeat them. That’s what happened before.”

Jay decided to make the situation worse by holding his hands at the sirens and shouting. “Lightning!” He then looked at his hands with a worried frown as his powers still didn’t return. “I don’t get it Twilight, why is it locking?” Cole asked. “I really don’t know…” Twilight sighed.

“Talk about throwing down the gauntlet! This group is obviously serious about winning.” Adagio began walking down the gym.

“A little cocky, though, aren’t they? Claiming there won’t really be a battle. Seems they think they’ve already got this thing all locked up.”

This set Trixie off the edge. “Not if the Great and Powerful Trixie has anything to do with it!”

“Whatever, Trixie! We’re the best band at CHS!” Flash yelled and pointed to himself.

“No! The Crusaders are gonna win!”

Pinkie has swallowed her mouthful and wiped her chin. The not-so-magical eleven wince among the quarrels that have broken out all over the gym. Clouds of green negative energy course all around the gang at floor level, the Dazzlings relaxing and letting it soak into their pendants as they stand amid the raging discord. All three gems start to glow, once the flow stops, Adagio seizes hers in a fist and looks across the room with sudden surprise. She looks at the group and smirks

“I think we may have found what we’re looking for—or rather, it found us.”

Adagio grins evilly at her two partners, and Aria does likewise, but Sonata just stares with a look of hopeless confusion, then shrugs and shakes her head when Adagio glowers at her. Aria slaps a hand to her own forehead in disgust as Adagio rounds on Sonata.

“Magic! Don’t you see? Everyone else has fallen under our spell.” She pointed out across the gym. The thirteen immune teens were slipping out of the door.

“But not these teens. These ones are special.” Adagio said as Twilight looked at the gym one more time before leaving.

“And did you hear what the Blue one said? Lightning! It also seems like the powers of creation have also made their way to us. We’ll be unstoppable.”

They are now all smiling menacingly at the unrest they have fomented. Outside where the group has escaped. Twilight standing out front, Pinkie perched on a rail, the others sitting on the steps. Spike is with them.

“It doesn’t make any sense. Along with the elements of creation, I should have been able to create the spark that would help us break their spell. That’s how it worked before!” Twilight paced around.

“But to defeat me, you drew magic from the crown I was wearing. The Sirens’ magic comes from their music, so maybe you have to use the same kind of magic to defeat them!” Sunset spoke up.

“Or maybe not.”

No. I think you’re on to something.” Twilight leaned over to Sunset. “Really?” The former smiled.

“It’s when you play music that you transform now, right?” Twilight turned to the others. “Yep. Ears, tails, the whole shebang.” Applejack pointed to her head. Twilight slammed her fist into her hand.

“So maybe the way to use that magic and unlock the Ninjas’ powers to defeat the Sirens is by playing a musical counter-spell!”

“You mean, like a song?” Fluttershy pushed her hair back.

“Uh-huh. And in order to free everyone who’s been exposed to the Sirens’ spell, we’ll need them all to hear it.” Twilight said.

All the others think for a moment until Rarity gasps and gets to her feet

“The band competition! That’s the next time we can be certain everyone will be in the same place at the same time!” Rarity told everyone.

“Guess the Rainbooms are the band to beat.” Applejack put a hand on Cole’s shoulder as he pumped his fist.

“And I believe you, Twilight, and Ninja just became the Rainbooms’ newest members!” Rarity held out her hand. “If you sing that is.”

That piece of news catches the two-legged magical prodigy completely flat-footed, and her face twists itself into an expression of horrified surprise. The ninja look at eachother, last time they ever sung as a group was the singing tea they accidentally drunk. But if this was the only way to use their powers, what was there to lose? They agreed with a nod, except Lloyd, who still declined to be apart of everything. He wanted to take the time to learn more about this world and how to get back home. The other five band members rush off the steps, all talking and laughing at once—and completely missing the deflated dismay that has taken hold of Sunset. Lloyd places a hand on her shoulder and smiles in an attempt to cheer her up, which seems ro work. Before the celebration can go too far, Pinkie bulls her way to the center of the knot.

“So, what do you guys want to play?” Pinkie rushed and grabbed multiple instruments.

“Triangle?”

(…which she shakes to make it jangle a bit before pulling it away. Now she leans in close, toting a…)

“Sousaphone?”

(…and letting off a foghorn blast that blows Twilight’s hair back. Away she goes, returning this time with a…)

“Theremin?”

(…and demonstrating its otherworldly tone by running her hands over the top and side antenna attachments.)

“So magical.”

“I might take a little too long to learn how to play something with these. I’ll just sing.” Twilight said as Rainbow whips over and rests an elbow on her shoulder.

“Like, as in “lead singer”? ’Cause that’s usually my gig. This being my band and all.”

“It’s our band.” Applejack walked over and said, annoyed. “And of course as lead singer, she’s the one with the magical know how to help us pull this thing off.” She pulled Twilight over to her. “Okay, yeah, that’s cool. I’ll just use this as a chance to home my already insanely good lead guitar skills, and you know what?” Rainbow pulled Kai over to her. “I’ll take him as my backup, you do know how to use a guitar right?” Kai nodded quickly.

“It’s only temporary. We don’t have to win the Battle of the Bands. We just have to perform during the first round of the band. And I like your idea Rainbow Dash, maybe each of you should take one of the ninja under your wing.” Twilight said. The four other girls agreed. Fluttershy took Zane, AJ took Cole, Rarity took Nya, and Pinkie took Jay.

“Two drums are going to be very loud.” Jay pointed out. “That’s what makes it fun! And more effective!” Pinkie put her arm around him and yelled in his ear, leaving a very dazed Jay.

“So let’s get to learning that musical counter spell!” Rainbow leaned to Twilight. “Um… that’s just it. I don’t know any.” Twilight admitted, leading the others to a dejected sigh. “But I’m sure I can figure out how to write one!”

“Totally! Twilight can write a spell like it’s nobody’s business! That’s pretty much how she got to become a princess in Equestria.” Spike bragged for her. “Technically, I helped finish a spell—and there was a little more to it than that, Spike.” Twilight pointed out, needled.

“Yeah, whatever.” Spike brushed her aside. I’ve got this, come on” Twilight picked Spike up and began heading up the stairs. “Where are you goin’?” She stopped on the first step and turned to face a confused group. “Well, last time we were here, Spike and I spent the night in the library.”

“Are you crazy? We’re besties now! Slumber party at my house! Ninja inculded!” Pinkie hugged Twilight and Spike while the other eleven looked at each other with wide smiles and excitement.

Battle of The Bands

In a bedroom whose yellow walls have clusters of balloons and stars painted onto them—Pinkie’s room at home, no doubt. The thirteen teens are arrayed about in various sleepwear: two-piece pajamas for Jay/Zane/Twilight/Fluttershy/Sunset, one-piece “footie” pajamas for Applejack and Lloyd, nightgowns for Pinkie, Nya and Rarity, a long cloud/lightning-bolt T-shirt and sweatpants for Rainbow, and tank top and shorts with their element symbol for Kai and Cole, All but Applejack and Lloyd wear slippers. As for activities: Twilight sits on the bed, writing in Fluttershy’s notebook; Applejack, Kai and Rainbow are playing video games; Fluttershy and Jay pet Spike; Pinkie types at her laptop and Cole watches; Rarity checks her cell phone while Sunset and Nya watch, Lloyd and Zane are using his hologram eyes to look at a map of this world.

“Status update—“okey-dokey-lokey”!” Pinkie said as she typed in her computer. She then looked up at what Zane and Lloyd were doing. “Can the rest of you do that?” Which caused everyone to raise an eyebrow at her. “Ohh yeah, Zane’s a nindroid, forgot we never mentioned that.” Cole explained. “Don’t worry, he’s not a soulless robot, he actually does have feelings, unless he turns it off.”

The girls found the statement weird, but they guessed it made sense, as long as he was on their side. Twilight definitely wanted to study him at some point though, as she had never seen a “nindroid” work so well, with real human feelings!

Fluttershy, Nya and Sunset gather in close around Rarity, she taps her phone and aims its screen toward the three of them. A flash, and she has snapped their picture—herself and Fluttershy smiling, Sunset and Nya sporting a broad grin, and Spike half-winking and holding up a dog biscuit, while it seems that Cole has jumped from his spot to stick out his tongue in the background. Rarity grimaces mightily upon taking a good close look, then aims an icy glare in the canine and the ninja’s direction as the other three snicker silently. Spike smirking as best he can around the half-chewed biscuit in his teeth and Cole covering his mouth to laugh, receiving a “You are such a child” from Rarity, which he rolled his eyes at.

Meanwhile, the video game showdown continues apace; even without being able to see the screen, it quickly becomes clear that Applejack has gained the upper hand. Rainbow and Kai’s frustration builds to the point that the light blue girl smacks the console, instantly breaking the connection and clearing the screen, while the spiky haired ninja fist bumps her in the back.

“Hey, I was about to beat you two!” Applejack complained about their stupid antics. “We doubt it.” The two replied as they spun their controllers on their fingers. “So Twilight, how is that counter-spell coming up?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, good. Great. Thanks for letting me use your notebook, Fluttershy.” Twilight said as she quickly covered the book with her arms.“I really like the song you wrote for the Rainbooms,”

“Thanks. Hopefully one day we’ll get a chance to play it.” Fluttershy sighed. “I’m sure we will, as long as those two don’t hog everything.” Cole pointed to the front of the room.

A bray of laughter comes from Rainbow and Kai, having snatched away Applejack’s controller and throwing it between each other out of the incensed farm girl’s reach.

“Hey!”

Rarity hops up to sit next to Twilight

“Twilight, I think I speak for all of us when I say I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t come back to help us.” She complimented as Twilight hid the book between her knees. Everyone seemed to agree with the statement, even the Ninja who were certain she could get them their powers back, and maybe even back home.

The sound of the doorbell gets Pinkie on her feet in a tick.

“Pizza’s here!”

In less time than it takes to say “chow down,” there is a massed rush out the bedroom door that leaves Twilight alone on the bed and Lloyd sits on the floor. she glumly lays the notebook on the blanket, open and face down, and lets her legs drop over the side. After a moment, she picks it up for another look tilting down along one page. It is covered with musical notes and staves, some scratched out, a few other random scribbles, a doodle of herself singing lightning bolts toward Adagio, and a small scribble of the ninja using their powers on the dazzlings while music notes come from their mouths.

“I’m guessing you don’t eat either?” Lloyd spoke up towards her. “No, I’m just- it’s nothing.” Twilight stuttered. “You can’t think of anything can you? I know how that feels.” Lloyd thought back to the Crystal King’s attack, where he only defeated the overlord due to luck.

“I just… these girls are dangerous, and I’ve never faced anything like this before…” Twilight sighed. “Well, I’m glad all of us are in this together, gives us a fighting chance, you know?” Lloyd gave her a small smile, which she returned.

She sighs heavily and lowers the book; a clatter of running footsteps interrupts her blue funk just before Pinkie leans back into the room. A slice of pizza is clamped between the teeth of the slumber party hostess.

“Don’t you guys want any pizza?”

That gets a smile and nod, but the burst of enthusiasm lasts only until Pinkie and Lloyd have dashed back out into the hall. Another dispirited glance at the pages, and she opens a nightstand drawer to put the notebook away. A partially eaten donut, a lollipop, and several candies and jellybeans can be seen inside before she closes the drawer again and walks out.

In the now-darkened bedroom, Night has fallen, and a crescent moon hangs large and bright. Soft snoring drifts up from floor level as Twilight sits up, looks cautiously around herself, and gets up to vertical. The rest of the group are sprawled out everywhere, on the bed and under sleeping bags, Fluttershy nestling Spike, and she has a real chore to tiptoe her way to the nightstand without stepping or falling on any of them. Applejack still wears her hat, and Rarity has curlers in her hair and a sleep mask over her eyes, Kai is sprawled out, while Rainbow lays on his chest. At the drawer; Twilight eases it open and retrieves the notebook.

In the kitchen. A single overhead light casts a pool of incandescence over the sleepless spell-weaver, who has taken a seat at the central “island” counter and is poring over her notes. Tellingly, she has her pen clamped between her teeth and is holding the notebook open under her fists. She scrawls a little something, eyes it critically, then lets disgust run over her whole face and shakes her head vigorously. The pen is spat off to one side.

“No, that’s not gonna work.”

“Hey, Twilight.” Sunset’s voice hit her in the ears.

That startles her back to the present moment; pan quickly to her former rival lounging at the kitchen entrance.

“You’re up late.” She walked in as Twilight hastily covered up her drawings, as she was embarrassed she hadn’t got far, or anywhere for that matter.

“Just looking over the counter-spell. We only get one shot at this. It has to be perfect,” Twilight responded nervously.

“We really are lucky you’re here.” Sunset opened the refrigerator, surprised to see tons of whipped cream cans, as Twilight sighs behind her. “That’s what everyone keeps telling me…”

“Who could possibly need this much whipped cream…?” Sunset looked to the other side and saw it in the door as well. “Must be nice to have everyone looking to you for answers to their problems… instead of wating for you to cause a problem.”

“Just because everyone expects something from you, doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to happen.”

“But that doesn’t stop them from expecting it.”

“Which only makes things harder because the last thing you want to do is—“

“Let everybody down.”

On these last three words, a deeper voice joins them, Lloyd has come in, each mired in gloomy thoughts of what their past has brought upon them in the here and now. They look up as one, seeing each other’s wide-eyed surprise, and trade a pair of lopsided smiles—common ground between the other dimensional beings. Sunset puts the whipped cream can away and closes the fridge, no longer with a glob on her finger; the door’s movement exposes the edge of a figure standing a short distance behind her. When she pivots to face across the room, the newcomer is fully exposed—it is the human counterpart of Pinkie’s stolid older sister Maud, dressed in a plain white T-shirt and dark gray shorts. Sunset cries out in shock and recoils from the unexpected sight, but Maud’s deadpan expression and monotonic voice remain firmly in place as she holds up a small gray rock.

“Boulder was hungry.”

Reaching up to open a cupboard, she brings out a box of crackers and proceeds to pour the contents over Boulder, “feeding” it. Sunset backs gingerly up to the island, and she, Lloyd and Twilight watch uncomprehendingly as Maud walks off, still dumping and scattering the food. The next two lines are delivered in whispers.

“I still can’t get over the fact that she’s related to Pinkie Pie!”

“You and me both.”

“They’re related?!”

The older sister has left the kitchen by this time.

“So, how long have you been eavesdropping Blondie?” Sunset turned around and smirked at the green skinned boy behind them. “You two are loud… or maybe I can just hear very well?” Lloyd chuckled and shrugged. “I really understand where you’re coming from.”

“It took a long time for the ninja to really see me as part of their team, or even as a leader… I started out bad too, but once I became the green ninja, everyone had this idea of who I was supposed to be. I never wanted to let them think I couldn’t.” Lloyd sighed.

“And yet sometimes the pressure gets too hard to where you just can’t.” Twilight continued. “I’m not sure how you’re going to get home yet, but I hope this counter-spell is enough to do it.”

“Thanks Twilight.” The two shared a smile.

“I better get some sleep. Good luck with the counter-spell! This must be nothing compared to the stuff you’re expected to deal with as a princess in Equestria.” Sunset yawned and began to walk off.

“Sunset Shimmer?” Twilight’s voice made the girl stop at the door, but Twilight can get no words out. Instead she gives and big smile and waves herself off. “Nevermind. It’s not important.”

“If my luck wasn’t so terrible when it came to-” Lloyd turned around to notice Twilight staring at him with a smirk on her face. “When it comes to what?”

“Came to saving the world! Night Twilight!” Lloyd quickly rushed back to the room, knowing he had been caught.

“No. I have to be able to do this. I have to.” Twilight thumped her fists on the table shortly after Lloyd zoomed off.

In the morning, she is standing at a microphone with Fluttershy’s notebook under one arm. She is back in her school clothes, as is everyone else. They are practicing the counter spell that… didn’t sound like much of a song…

Hey, hey, listen

(She winces at a squeal of feedback.)

We’ve got a message for you

Her and the other Rainbooms, are set up and playing in a small room. The apple pattern on the stained-glass panel above the window points to this location being part of this world’s equivalent of Sweet Apple Acres. None of them are feeling the groove. Spike sits on top of an amplifier; Sunset squats alongside him, and Lloyd leans against the corner, wincing.

We’re not all alike

But our friendship is true

More feedback sends the dog diving into Lloyd’s arms for cover, while the girl tweaks a knob and claps hands to ears.

Yeah, we’re really different

Fluttershy begins to showboat a little, but stops playing at a sidelong look from Rainbow.

But we still get along

So hey, hey, listen to our song

The tambourine starts up again at Rainbow’s frantic wave. Applejack and Rarity, start to manifest hints of their pony ears, and Cole feels something start to come up out his head, but more feedback wipes these out and makes them wince. Pinkie and Jay have gotten so bored that they stop playing and juggle their sticks between each other.

You may think you’re in control

But we’re here to prove you wrong

They resume upon finding green, red, brown, and blue-eyed glares fixed on them.

On the outside of this building—the barn next to the house on the Sweet Apple Acres property, and Granny Smith walks past, stuffing an apple core into each ear to block out the noise.

In the friendship of our music

She tries to sing into her microphone while squinting at the notebook and Fluttershy cringes at the result.

With the power of our song

Rainbow and Kai stand up into view for a duet; one pony ear begins to emerge for them.

Gonna stomp our feet, clap our hands

With the magic of friendship

Neither Pinkie, nor Zane, nor Nya, nor Cole, nor Applejack, nor Rarity is enjoying this.

Gonna stop your evil plans

Now the other pony ear peeks out from the dynamic duo’s hairs, and Kai’s hand gives off a small flame; they look around, get nothing from the other nine, and sullenly lets the last note die out and the ears wink away.

“Uh…that sounded way better than the…last five times you played it.” Spike chuckled as Applejack’s older brother walked past the window. “Nope.”

“I think it’s pretty obvious what’s going wrong with this counter-spell.” Rainbow started, but was quickly interrupted by Applejack. “You and Kai turnin what should be the chorus into a five-minute guitar solo?” She said, slightly annoyed. “You’re supposed to be helping each other’s volume, not helping each other’s ego.” Cole added on.

“We‘ve got to pick up the slack somehow! I mean, are you guys even trying?” Rainbow defended herself and her companion. “I’m trying!” Fluttershy whispered from behind her. “Not hard enough apparently! I could barely hear you.” Kai rolled his eyes, causing both Fluttershy and Nya to glare at him.

“It’s Fine! One more time from the top!” Twilight nervously chuckled, clenching the notebook.

“Or, perhaps we could take a short break—try on some of the wardrobe choices I’ve put together?” Rarity pushed past Applejack and wheeled in a rack of bagged garments in front of herself, and began to rummage through them. “I’m particularly fond of this one.” A shove sends the rack away and exposes the hot pink drum-major jacket she has put on. Nya facepalms and points to it. “If we’re going to be beating up bad guys, why is it so girlish? Don’t you guys have superhero costumes?”

“Uh, of course we could always go with something a bit more modern.” Rarity tried to hide her embarrassment from the fact of Nya not liking her suit. “Does it really matter? We could save the school in this…” Cole rolled his eyes. “Cole’s right, we’re trying to save our school here, enough with the costumes!”

Rarity returns in a new outfit: a yellow full-body jumpsuit, edged in dark gray at sleeve/pant cuffs, with black gloves and a helmet that covers everything from the neck up except for her hair streaming out the back. Her face is hidden by an electronic screen that displays a scrolling pattern of the three diamonds from her skirt. She utters an incredulous little scoff, her voice slightly amplified/distorted by the helmet’s sound system.

“You can never have enough costumes!”

She just wants to make things fun. Isn’t that what being in a band is supposed to be?” Pinkie groaned with Jay nodding to agree with her. “Fun is normally not what gets the job done. We would know that from our last battle.” Zane countered her argument, gaining a glare from the two drummers.

“You don’t have time for any of this. You’re supposed to check in at the Battle of the Bands in fifteen minutes!” Sunset pointed out the door. “This isn’t like any of our guys back home! If you’re late now, we’ve already lost!” Lloyd picked up Cole from his sitting spot on the floor.

Varied gasps and exclamations from the 11 musicians, followed by a disorganized rush toward the door. Rarity is out of her jumpsuit. Only Twilight keeps her feet rooted to the floor.

“But…but it’s not ready! If we play the counter-spell in the first round and it doesn’t work, the Sirens will know what we’re up to and make sure we don’t get a chance to play it again!” Twilight worried.

Everyone slams on the brakes and turns back to face her. A long pause; then Applejack smiles.

“Then we’ll have to buy ourselves some time so you can keep workin’ on it.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Rarity asked. “We compete in the Battle of the Bands for real. I take over lead vocals again, and we stay alive until the finals, plus I’m sure the ninja are ready now. We unleash the counter-spell then.You’ll have figured it out by the finals, right?” Rainbow proposed a solution.

“Of course she will. Twilight Sparkle’s never met a problem she couldn’t solve. Right, Twilight?” Spike went up to Twilight and patted her legs.

“Right!”

“Then let’s go win us a Battle of the Bands!” Rainbow Dash yelled. The group ran outside as Twilight stayed behind, nervously smiling and waving off to the others, then looking down at Spike with an unsure face, to which he responded with a smirk, and she looked back up with the same nervous smile…

Stopping the Dazzlings, and getting the ninja back home? She was really feeling the pressure now.

Under Our Spell

Author's Note

Wow! I’m so glad with how many people are seeing this. Anyways, just to warn you, this is where shit really starts to go downhill

Under Our Spell

“Welcome to the first-ever Canterlot High School Battle of the Bands! I believe I speak for everyone when I say it is by far the greatest thing we have ever done here at this school! We are so glad our three newest students encouraged us to turn this event into something exciting!” Principal Celestia said as she received cheers from all sides.

On this last sentence, she gestures off to one side to the Dazzlings lounging at the top of the bleacher seats, then back to the stage, where Luna takes the mic.

“But as this is now a competition, we can only choose one winner. Who is it going to be?” Luna quickly killed the vibe that everyone had, and turned it into a vibe of fighting.

Angry grumbles fly here and there and several close-range face-offs erupt; all the while, the eddies of green bad-mojo mist swirl through the room and make their way toward the Dazzlings. Just as at the kickoff party, they relax and let it flow into their pendants for a few seconds.

“You feel that, girls? Our true power is being restored.” Adagio smirked as she looked towards the others.

Aria and Sonata giggle venomously as the gym doors open to admit the Rainbooms, including their newest members, along with Sunset, Lloyd, and Spike. A gesture from Adagio cuts off the merrymaking; cut to a slow pan across the ill-at-ease ensemble. Applejack, Cole, Kai, Zane Fluttershy, Nya, and Rainbow, and Rarity have their instruments out and ready to play, Pinkie and Jay carry their sticks, and Twilight clutches Fluttershy’s notebook to herself.

“And that’s before we’ve tapped into the strongest magic here.”

“But the Rainblossoms, or whatever they’re called, aren’t under our spell. How exactly are we supposed to get to their magic?” Aria asked, not fully sure of her teammate's plan. “The Rainbooms are just as capable of falling apart as anyone else. They just need a little push in the wrong direction. I have a feeling everyone here is going to be lining up to give them a shove.” Adagio smiled evily.

All three smile down toward the nascent brouhaha at floor level. Later, The lights in the gym are down except for two spotlights that pick out Snips and Snails, both dressed as 1980s-era rappers: sunglasses, baseball cap turned backwards for Snips, do-rag tied over Snails’ hair, baggy sweatshirts and pants. Celestia and Luna are seated at the table in front of the stage, and all of the Rainbooms except Rarity are gathered off to one side with Spike and Sunset. As Snips does a beatbox rhythm, an impassive Celestia and Luna watch unamazed and annoyed, and the alarm clock hanging on a gold chain around Snips’ neck, as well as the fact that his shades have a louvered design to their lenses. Snails’ do-rag has a snail centered on the forehead.

Snails: Aw, yeah! Snips and Snails in the house, yo!

Snips: They call me MC Snips, and it ain’t no lie

My favorite food is, like, pumpkin pie

Snails: I’m DJ Snazzy Snails, I like whales

When I go to the beach, I always bring my pails

Cut to Sunset, Lloyd, Spike, and the Rainbooms in the wings. Pinkie grooves to what passes for the beat, but none of the others can believe this crime against all things hip-hop. Another short spell of beatboxing from Snips before he starts his next verse.

“And I thought Dareth was bad…” Kai groaned.

Snips: Everybody knows my favorite color is orange

(He jumps ahead into a squat and leans out over the front edge of the stage.)

My rhymes are so fly, you better…uh…um…

Snails: Than an orange, yo
Snips: Yeah!
Snails: Yeah!
Snips: Represent!

More beatboxing, which fails to get any favorable reaction from Celestia, Luna, or quite a few other contenders. The next two lines overlap.

Snips: What do we…what do we do now?.…no, no
Snails: How do we get off the stage? I’d like to leave right now

The Dazzlings are up in the bleachers. As Snips does some more beatboxing, Adagio and Aria stifle a guffaw and Sonata bobs her head to the sloppy rhythm.)

Snips: Bam! That just happened!
Snails: Aw, yeah! We out!
Snips: Snips and Snails outta here!

They finish by standing back to back, holding their microphones out at arm’s length with heads down, and dropping them onto the stage. The impact sends up a shrill whine of feedback that sets the crew in the wings to wincing and covering their ears.

“Please do not drop the microphones.” Celestia scolded the two coldly. The two boys didn’t seem to mind tho, as they cheered and high-fived each other. The two hopelessly inept rappers pick up the dropped items with a laugh and clear off the stage, passing the Rainbooms and company.

“In your face, Rainbooms!” Snips bragged.

“Least we know one group who won’t stand in the way of us gettin’ to the finals.” Applejack chuckled as she turned to the others. “Let’s get ready to rock!” Rainbow and the other began walking to the stage until Pinkie noticed that someone was missing? “Wait! Where’s Rarity!”

“Here! I’m here!”

Rarity steps into view with a relieved sigh, accompanied by a metallic jingling sound. Seen from behind, she has changed into short, light brown platform shoes; the material of her skirt is purple, its hem a lighter shade, and covering it is a long, light brown coat whose hem and sleeves are hung with small metal strips. The shoes are similarly adorned. She has traded her usual gold bracelets for a pair with small studs. The shoes are actually sandals, and she has added a gold pendant and a light brown headband to the outfit. The only “regular use” item visible is her light blue blouse. A toss of her head is met by dumbfounded stares from the others.

“We will be performing in front of an audience. I’m not going to wear something fabulous? Hmph!”

Applejack just groans loudly and pinches the bridge of her nose to express her supreme frustration, while Cole facepalms and Nya just laughs. Across the gym floor, there are the muttering participants and onlookers. Among them are the Crusaders, who have adopted the outfits and hairstyles used by their pony counterparts in “The Show Stoppers.”

“Remember, we have to be good enough to make it through, but not so good we let the Sirens see the magic within us. They could realize we plan to use it against them.” Twilight explained. “Got it! Be cool enough to win, but not so cool that we end up showing off the whole ears-and-tails-and rainbows thing. So…about twenty percent less cool.” Rainbow shot her a thumbs up. “Didn’t hear anything about twenty percent more hot tho!” Kai slicked his hair back as the rest groaned.

“One Two!” Pinkie clacked her sticks.

Rainbooms: We’ve just got the day to get ready

And there’s only so much time to lose

Because tonight, yeah, we’re here to party

So let’s think of something fun to do

Photo and her two bandmates sneak onto the catwalks above the stage, the latter girls each holding up a long string with a magnet on one end and a crossbar grip on the other.

Rainbooms: We don’t know [we don’t know] what’s gonna happen

We just know [we just know] it’s gonna feel right

All our friends are here, and it’s time to ignite the lights

One magnet is tossed over the railing, attracting the metal strips on Rarity’s right sleeve and pulling her arm up with them; the other catches her left. Zane also attaches to the magnets due to his metallic body and is swung around with Rarity.

Photo takes great delight in manipulating the two crossbars to work the hapless keytarist and robot like a marionette; Applejack is thrown off by the spectacle.

Rainbooms: Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight

[Shake your tail, shake your tail]

Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight

[Shake your tail, shake your tail]

A flick of Rarity’s arm knocks Applejack’s hat off and knocks her into Cole, who glares at the two of them and grabs her hat depositing it on the head of her bass; she quickly puts it back on.

Pinkie looks up from her kit with concern; out on the floor, the crowd is decidedly unimpressed and the Crusaders have fallen asleep on their feet, leaning against each other for support. Bloom wakes up. She punches Jay in the arm to wake him up too, as he has seemed to fall asleep, he has also broken his sticks somehow, making the two greatly annoyed with each other.

Twilight: So what, you didn’t get it right the first time

The frizzy-haired drummer kicks her floor tom so that it swivels on its mount. Once it has stopped with its open lower end pointing up at an angle toward the crowd, she stomps a kick pedal to launch a salvo of confetti, much to Jay’s annoyance, who kicks his own tom, showing a bunch of lightning vfx effects, which makes Pinkie think he’s trying to out show her.

Pinkie, Jay: Laugh it off, no one said it is a crime

The drifting paper bits have Twilight/Fluttershy/Rainbow/Kai worried; Applejack keeps glaring at the out-of-control Rarity and Zane, and Cole is now trying to hold them, which makes Applejack pull him back to keep playing, Nya steps away to the corner to watch in shamefulness, knowing that they’re doing bad.

Rarity, Nya (Quietly): Do your thing, you know you’re an original

Rarity and Zane are slung sideways against Applejack, who kicks them out of the way.

Applejack, Cole: Your ideas are so funny that they’re criminal

As Twilight sings the next line, she gets a piece of confetti stuck in her throat and breaks into a coughing fit, relieved only when Fluttershy whacks her in the back with her tambourine.

Rainbooms: Oh-h-h, ah

Rainbooms: We’ve just got the day to get ready

Flash and his two buddies throw them a disgusted look and walk out.

And there’s only so much time to lose

(Snips and Snails slip onto the catwalk.

Because tonight, yeah, we’re here to party

Snickering, they get hold of a spotlight.

So let’s think of something fun to do
Snips: Awesome!
Snails: Yeah!

The beam picks out Fluttershy, who freezes like a deer caught in the high beams and dodges to one side before taking cover behind Twilight and then running across the stage, she ducks under Kai’s foot, making him fall over and gets back up angrily, and Fluttershy is scared by the random lightning effect that appears upon her.

Rainbooms: We don’t know [we don’t know] what’s gonna happen

We just know [we just know] it’s gonna feel right

Applejack pivots away to keep Fluttershy from crashing into her bass; then has to get out of the way when Rarity and Zame swing in from the other side, making her knock over Cole, who tumbles to the back of the stage, deciding to stay there.

All our friends are here, and it’s time to ignite the lights

Photo’s trio, Snips, and Snails keep up their dirty tricks as Fluttershy desperately scrambles for any cover she can find.

Rainbooms: Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight

[Shake your tail, shake your tail]

Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight

[Shake your tail, shake your tail]

She cowers behind the drum riser, Rarity and Zane try to pull free of the magnets, and Pinkie’s bass drum vibrates the scattered confetti. Applejack grimaces at the chaos as Zane finally rips themselves loose, making Rarity falling on her face, losing her coat sleeves, and voicing a shocked gasp once she fully takes in this indignity. Instantly she bursts into a flood of tears that sets her mascara running, and Zane looks at the paint that has come off his arms, instantly freaked out. The five still in view soldier on, while Fluttershy timidly taps her tambourine from behind the riser.

Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight

[Shake your tail, shake your tail]

Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight

[Shake your tail, shake your tail]

Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight

Rarity’s crying comes through all too clearly in the silence following the end of the song, which is broken only by vigorous applause from a beaming Celestia and Luna. Their faces are the only ones in the place not showing some degree of disapproval. Once they stop clapping, they jot notes on the sheets in front of them; cut to Sunset holding Spike as Rarity stumbles down off the steps, still in hysterics.

“Ruined! Absolutely ruined!” Rarity cried out as Applejack came behind. “Rarity, were you trying to make us lose out there?” Applejack asked, greatly annoyed. “This was not my fault! This was an act of Sabotage! You saw what they did to Zane!” Rarity stammered indignantly. “Yeah, well, whoever did this couldn’t-a done this if you didn’t insist on dressin’n like—like—this!” Applejack yelled. “We need to sound good! Is there some reason that concept seems to escape you?”

“Can’t sound good if I'm getting knocked around the place half the time!” Cole spoke in. “Also, Zane, what’s with all of that! You can use your cloaking, you know, this world locked away our elemental powers, not your robot ones!” He got in Zane’s face. “Cole. The cloak only makes me look human, not actually turn me into one!” Zane argued back. “If you want to blame someone, blame her!” Zane pointed at Rarity, who put her hand to her chest in shock.

“Pinkie and Jay, what’s with the confetti and lighting! How am I supposed to shred if there’s paper stuck in my frets!” Rainbow complained to them. “Well I’m sorry that I don’t like confetti everywhere either!” Jay yelled. “It was pretty distracting.” Fluttershy whispered. “Said the girl who was running away from a light the whole time! A light!” Pinkie yelled at the girl as she cowered down. “Hey! You don’t have to yell at her!” Nya got in Pinkie’s face. “At least she had a reason to be scared, what’s with the hiding in corners?” Rainbow made Nya shut up immediately. “She’s right, you never back down from something,” Jay noted. “Oh please, didn’t you break your sticks multiple times!” Nya shot back.

“If all of you would just focus we wouldn’t have this situation right now…” Kai spoke up. “You’re one to talk! Stop touching your hair for once!” Rarity pointed at him. “Oh that’s it! Nobody Insults my hair!” Kai started to walk towards her as Cole blocked him. “Slow your roll hot-head, we don’t know if we lost yet!”

“You still sounded much better than most of the other bands. I’m sure you’ll make it to the next round, but it won’t matter if you don’t have that counter-spell ready!” Sunset targeted towards Twilight. “We just have to keep making it through, without letting stuff get to us okay/” Lloyd added. “You all find a place to practice where the Sirens can’t hear you. We’ll keep an eye on things around here.” Sunset affirmed.

As she speaks, Derpy Hooves and two other girls emerge onto the stage from the other side. In close-up, the cross-eyed blonde perches on a stool and begins to play a saw by drawing a violin bow across the edge. One of the others taps a triangle, while the third girl strikes a cowbell with gusto.

The Rainbooms walk down a hall, instruments and drumsticks in hand, with Spike leading the way.

“I don’t think we should use a classroom.” Twilight says as they approach Flash, but do not notice until she runs into him from behind. Her blush and embarrassed giggle are met by a very hairy eyeball aimed along the neck of his guitar.

“We really need to stop bumping into each other like this.”

His bandmates are nearby, leaning idly against the lockers, and he addresses them as if the girls were not even present.

“Uh, you guys hear something?”

“Uh-uh”

“Nope”

Twilight tried raising her voice. “I said, we have to stop-”

“There it is again! So annoying.”

“Why are you acting like this? I thought we were friends?” Twilight asked as he pulled in a scornful breath. “Yeah, and then you decide to come back here just so you can beat me in the Battle of the Bands. I want this, Twilight, and you’re trying to take it from me! Some friend.”

“That’s not why-” Twilight was pushed away by AJ and Kai. “Come on Twilight, We’ve got things to do.” AJ told her. “Also, are we gonna talk about him sounding like me?” Kai asked. “Stop copying my voice!” He yelled back to a confused Flash. “Whatever dude! You sound like me! And Twilight, you really think you’re gonna help them? Heh! I bet you have no idea what you’re doing!” Flash yelled back. Cole, wanting to take vengeance for his friend, begins to run back, but is held back by Rainbow. “Not worth it.”

The lower lip Twilight catches in her teeth, and the tears welling up in her eyes, tell just how close to home those words have struck. She wipes them away, and the sound of Adagio’s low chuckle cuts in. The Dazzlings are a short distance back, loving every minute of this drama.

“Tears already? This is only the first round.” Adagio said as Aria and Sonata break into vicious giggles, but stop at a beep from the intercom.

“The next band to take the stage will be Trixie and the Illusions.” Celestia said over the intercom. “Better head back, we’re supposed to go on after Trixie.” Adagio motioned for the girls to follow her.

In an adjoining hall as they round the corner into it, a sudden gesture from Adagio stops them in their tracks; cut to just behind them, framing Sunset and Lloyd leaning against the wall in the shadows near the double doors at the hall’s end. They are not at all amused, and the girl pushes off from the wall to give the three a good look at her expression.

“You’re never gonna get away with this.”

“Why? Because you didn’t?”

The species-switched unicorn’s ire melts into doubt and a decent bit of fear at record-breaking speed at this reminder of her own thwarted scheme.

“Oh, we know all about you, Sunset Shimmer. You’ve got quite the reputation at Canterlot High” Adagio circled the girl. “I’ve changed! I’m in a much better place now!” Sunset defended. “Waiting in the wings while your friends have all the fun?” Aria began circling around her too. “Oh yes, you all are so tight, and yet… they didn’t ask you to be in the band.” Adagio smirked. “Probably afraid no one would want to see them play if she was in the group.” Aria added.

“That’s not true.” The two sirens looked up to see Lloyd step from his location. “And Isn’t it the fabled green ninja?” Adagio put a hand on her hip as Lloyd’s expression faltered. “You think we don’t know about your father? About your family? About you?” They moved towards him.

“You know nothing of the fact.” He kept his face straight. “Well, who do you think banished us here?” Aria’s statement made Lloyd’s face drop. “You’re wasting your potential Lloyd… we could use a cute boy like you on our side,” Adagio whispered to him.

“I’d never betray my friends.” Lloyd rejected her. “Oh well… not like you two will still have them after we’re done.” She shrugged. “Too bad, so sad.” Sonata teased the two. “And Sunset? If it’s any consolation, no one is going to remember you at all by the time we’re done.” Adagio sneaked to kiss Lloyd on the cheek, much to his disgust and walked off, bumping the girl in the process.

Lloyd looked at Sunset with an ashamed look on his face and sighed. “We’ll get through this, I promise.” She put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him. Lloyd couldn’t help but think about how pretty she was… but now was not the time.

———————

“Remember, girls. We want to save the good stuff for when our full power has been restored.” Adagio reminded them.

Their pendants gleam in the dim light, but settle down by the time the curtain opens. Three spotlights flick on in a cluster to hit each of the malevolent singers as they step slowly toward the edge of the stage.

Dazzlings: Oh, whoa, oh, whoa You didn’t know that you fell Oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Adagio: Now that you’re under our spell

They start to sway to the rhythm.

Adagio: Blindsided by the beat

Clapping your hands,

stomping your feet.

You didn’t know that you fell.

[Aria and Sonata vocalize a harmony line.]

Now you’ve fallen under our spell

Celestia and Luna watch, entranced.

[More harmony.]

Extreme close-up of a large blue question mark on a white field, zooming out. It stands at the center of an elimination bracket diagram with sixteen entries, each marked by a different symbol to represent the competing bands. They are arranged in two groups of eight, one on each side, with the blanks for the finalists connecting to the question mark.

Dazzlings: We’ve got the music, makes you move it

Got the song that makes you lose it

Zoom in quickly on one pair: a pair of scissors and a snail painted on a brick wall, against a winged barbell. Two vertical panels slide in—Snips and Snails throwing down on the right, Bulk Biceps playing a violin on the left. The beefed-up teen wears a light gray jersey marked with a barbell, dark gray pants, and a gray/white baseball cap with tiny wings protruding from the sides.

Dazzlings: We say “jump,” you say “how high?”

Put your hands up to the sky

Full-screen view of the duel; a bubble of red energy has formed around Bulk, and it blasts outward to send the hip-hop fools flying. Their symbol gets a slash of red ink across it to mark their elimination, and the one for Bulk advances into the next round.

Dazzlings: We’ve got the music, makes you move it

Got the song that makes you lose it

On the other side is another duel—the planet Earth overlaid on a flower and the recycling logo of three arrows bend into a triangle, versus a two-tone blue shield marked with yellow lightning bolts and a speaker beneath a row of spotlights. Two horizontal panels slide in: an eco-kid trio with acoustic instruments on top, Flash and his two buddies on bottom. Seen next in fullscreen, the blue field around the rockers bursts out to hurl their opponents off their feet.

Dazzlings: We say “jump,” you say “how high?”

Put your hands up to the sky

The diagram; the losers are marked out and the logo for Flash’s band slides ahead.

Dazzlings: Oh, whoa, oh, whoa

You didn’t know that you fell

Aria and Sonata drift past from opposite directions, the background changing to show Twilight furiously scribbling in Fluttershy’s notebook.

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Now that you’re under our spell

Dissolve to a close-up of Adagio and cut to Aria and Sonata in turn.

Adagio: Listen to the sound of my voice

Kids start to sway in their seats, absolutely mesmerized; close-up of Adagio, zooming out to frame all three.

Soon you’ll find you don’t have a choice

Cut to a slow pan across the Rainbooms, set up onstage and trying mightily to get their groove back as they play. Rarity has changed back into her usual outfit.

Adagio: Captured in the web of my song

Pan quickly to Octavia, seated under a lone spotlight and bowing her cello with drive. Vertical split screen, showing the two competitors, then a full screen view of both. The red field around the Rainbooms sends Octavia flying toward the outfield when Rainbow and Kai hit a riff.

Soon you’ll all be singing along

Extreme close-up of a pair of hands moving across a piano keyboard, then pan quickly to a second pair doing the same. These twenty digits turn out to be attached to Bon Bon and Lyra Heartstrings, playing a duet on the same piano and singing into one microphone.

Dazzlings: We’ve got the music, makes you move it

Got the song that makes you lose it

Across the way are Trixie and her two partners, collectively the Illusions. She has changed into a two-tone blue long-sleeved dress and matching boots accented with jewels and starred bands across the insteps, and she has donned a starry wizard’s hat and cape such as those worn by her pony self. The other two wear similar hats, but in a different color; one is marked with stars, the other with crescent moons. Trixie plays a “Flying V” guitar, while the others each have sampler consoles slung on straps around their necks. Trixie jumps forward to slide across the stage on her knees, hitting a chord that sends Bon Bon and Lyra sailing.

Dazzlings: We say “jump,” you say “how high?”

Put your hands up to the sky

The brackets again; the duo’s mark—a lyre and a stretch of piano keys surrounded by wrapped candies—gets crossed out, and the moon/star logo for the Illusions continues ahead.

Dazzlings: We’ve got the music, makes you move it

Got the song that makes you lose it

(Dissolve to ten of the eleven Rainbooms, now arguing heartily among themselves, and tilt down to Twilight and Spike sitting on the floor. She continues to scrawl in the notebook.

We say “jump,” you say “how high?”

Cut to a long shot of three hazy silhouettes standing in a cloud of smoke, with red laser beams shooting out in all directions, and zoom in quickly. The figures resolve into the Crusaders, a flash of light turning them back into silhouettes and leaving only their eyes blazing.

Put your hands up to the sky

Fade to white, then in to the arguing Rainbooms. Spike watches despondently from the floor, while a resigned Sunset stands with her back to the group and her arms crossed, letting her head droop, and Lloyd ponders with a disappointed look on his face, most likely thinking about what Adagio said.

Dazzlings: Oh, whoa, oh, whoa

You didn’t know that you fell

Dissolve to a close-up of Adagio, features barely visible under the spotlight glare; Aria and Sonata step up on either side.

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Now that you’re under our spell

Fade to white, then in to a close-up of Trixie and Flash in a heated argument. Zoom out; they and many other performers exchange cross words amid a knee-high green haze of negative vibes.

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa

You didn’t know that you fell

The view fades to red and in to an extreme close-up of Adagio’s pendant; zoom out to frame the entire gym awash in the energy, which is pouring into all three girls’ gems.

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Now that you’re under our

Adagio: Spell

The girl let out a maniacal laugh…

Awesome As We Wanna Be

In an extreme close-up of the logo for Flash’s band on the elimination brackets. Luna reaches into view with a red marker to cross it out; zoom out to show her moving the Dazzlings’ token—three red gems and a collection of musical symbols—to the finalist’s slot on the right side. She steps away, exposing the semifinalists on the left side: the Rainbooms and the Illusions. The other thirteen acts have already been knocked out.

Flash was standing in front of the diagram, which is mounted on a rolling whiteboard; he shakes his fists in silent anger as his bandmates glare from a few steps back, then stalks away. A wipe shifts the scene to the Rainbooms backstage; Pinkie has her sticks, Twilight the notebook, the others their instruments. Sunset stands with them, smiling with fierce confidence.

“This is it. Last round, and you’re in the finals…unless you think the counter-spell is ready to be played now.” Sunset turned to Twilight as the amateur songwriter huddles miserably into herself.

“Don’t worry, Twilight. Finals aren’t until tonight. We’ll get in a little more practice before we’re supposed to hit the stage. We won’t let you down.” Applejack assured the girl. “But if we do just know we tried!” Jay added on

Nods and sounds of agreement from the others, but Twilight just turns partly away from them

“You won’t let me down…but I didn’t try at all.” Twilight whispered as Sunset looked on with concern. She then turned to the other leader, who still seemed lost in thought. She heard a faint “Why would he do that…” coming from Lloyd.

“Um, I was just wondering. We haven’t played any of my songs yet, and…” Fluttershy tried to ask. “It’s the semifinals! We gotta do “Awesome As I Wanna Be.” Rainbow gently punched the girl in the shoulder

“Don’t know why I even asked,” Fluttershy muttered, crushed. “Yeah, I don’t know why you did either, I mean, what did you expect?” Cole walked next to her and she glared at him.

Illusions: I got tricks up my sleeve

(Dissolve to the trio onstage, mid-performance.)

See me dominate ’cause I’m powerful and great

The spotlights bathe the girls in a blinding glare, to the sound of cheers; they strike a final pose and Trixie throws her guitar pick toward the crowd. It lands on the table in front of Celestia and Luna, who smile and applaud, Celestia laughing as well.

“Fantastic!” Celestia clapped.

The spots are switched off, restoring normal illumination, and the Illusions straighten up. The Rainbooms are waiting backstage; Trixie steps over to face down a decidedly unimpressed Rainbow with a contemptuous little laugh. She has shed her guitar.

“You’re never gonna top that performance, Rain-goons. You shouldn’t be allowed to, when you have such a big advantage over the rest of us.” Trixie accused them. “My superior guitar playing and off-the-charts awesome singing voice?” Rainbow smirked

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous. I mean them!” Trixie pointed to Twilight, and then dragged her finger across the ninja team. “If you were really all that, Rainbow Dash, you wouldn’t have needed to bring in some magical ringer and your magic boyfriend to have half a chance. Everyone’s talking about it.” Trixe smirked.

“Hah! Puh-lease. I could win this thing as a solo act, and everybody knows it.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “You mean we could win as a duo?” Kai popped in. “Of course! This band wouldn't be anywhere without this dynamic duo. Trixie’s just mad she doesn’t have a talented backup!” Rainbow slung an arm around Kai.

With the band on these last few words, resentment is taking hold on every face except Twilight’s. A disdainful little cough from Trixie.

“Sure you could. Have fun with your little boyfriend.” Trixie throws something to the floor; it explodes in a cloud of pale blue smoke that fills the screen. The view clears to the sound of everyone else’s coughing, revealing that the egomaniacal would-be wizard has managed to clear out.

Kai coughed through the smoke. “Not my girlfriend…”

“She’s gone! Oh, wait. There she is!” Pinkie noticed she was hunted behind the drum riser.

“Next up, the Rainbooms.” Celestia said over the sound system.

“Knock ‘em dead, Rainbooms!” Spike cheered on. “I’ll be here…just…watching.” Sunset sighed. She looked back up at Lloyd, who wasn’t paying attention. “Good luck Rainbooms… we’re going to need it.” He muttered.

A silhouette of Pinkie at her drums appears in the near-total blackness, a spotlight flicking on to light her up. One by one, other spots pick out the rest of the band members, with Rainbow and Kai getting lit up last as they run to the microphone. None of the others are particularly enthused.

Rainbooms: Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

Rainbow: Awesome as I wanna be

(A close-up and tilt up from her guitar frames a disgruntled Fluttershy as well.)

Rainbooms: Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

Kai: Awesome as I wanna be

She bounds across the stage and drops into a slide on her knees, popping up next to Twilight.

Rainbow: First you see me riding on a sonic boom

Got my guitar, shredding up the latest tune

Kai: There is nothing you can do to beat me

He shows off to Applejack and Cole and then Rarity and Nya vexing them

I’m so good that you can’t defeat me

The light flickers on and off, alternately casting the room into complete darkness and showing the two in various rocker poses.

Rainbooms: Yeah, I’m awesome, take caution

Watch out for me, I’m awesome as I wanna be

A noticeably ticked-off Pinkie leans sideways behind her kit, lackadaisically tapping out the beat with one stick.

Yeah, I’m awesome, take caution

Sunset is in the wings, the blue-green eyes widening with sudden panic. She runs to Lloyd and rapidly taps him, pointing to the two show offs.

Watch out for me, I’m awesome as I wanna be

The axe royals launches their bodies to the front of the stage and start a wild duo. All of the spotlights train themselves directly on them leaving the other nine stewing in the dark.

Rainbooms: Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

Sunset’s panic grows as a spot of light begins to glow under Rainbow’s hair, followed by the emergence of one pony ear, then the other. Kai’s ears begin to pop out too, and his hand begins to catch on fire.

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

The lead guitarist/singer/jerk and her equally jerkish partner get blindsided with a flying tackle from Sunset, propelling them into Twilight…who topples over, dragging her microphone and getting caught up in Rarity’s keytar…knocking her over so that one booted foot flies up and kicks away Applejack’s bass…which goes flying and embeds itself, head down, in one of Pinkie’s tom-toms, and make Jay fall of his seat.

Only Pinkie, Applejack, Nya, Cole and Fluttershy have not wound up sprawled on the stage, and Fluttershy is the only one still holding a completely undamaged instrument. Full lights come up on the stage; the clunk of the switch being thrown is the only sound to break the deafening silence. Fluttershy pitches her tambourine over her shoulder and runs crying off the stage, an instant before shocked murmurs surge throughout the crowd. Rainbow slowly recovers her senses, the pony ears fading away and her normal ones reappearing, and Kai’s hand goes back to normal. They glare daggers at the one who derailed their performance. The prone team slowly get upright, Sunset being the last and looking desperately to Celestia and Luna for help. However, the principal hunches down to take notes while the vice-principal glares back toward the stage with not a whit of leniency. Flash stands up from his seat in the bleachers.

“Now that’s the bad girl we love to hate!”

“I knew she was still trouble!”

“The real Sunset Shimmer is back!”

The Rainbooms trudge off stage, Sunset sighing behind. “No… it isn’t like that.”

She follows the others away. The Dazzlings trade satisfied grins, Rainbooms in the wings, all without their instruments, Spike, and Lloyd.

“What was that?!” Rainbow yelled at Sunset. “Were you trying to kill us? I thought they said you stopped doing that!” Kai threw his hands in the air. “You were showing them your magic! I didn’t know what else to do!” Sunset’s explanation was met with a scoff from Rarity.

“Close the curtains? Unplug her amp? Give us a chance to deal with the situation?”

“Statistically, Sunset’s option was the best in such a timed situation since none of us could see!” Zane glared at Kai and Rainbow. “I’m sorry guys… I just wanted to help…” Sunset sighed. “Yeah well you didn’t!” Rainbow angrily shut her down. “None of this would’ve happened if you two weren’t trying to show off, as usual.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Maybe you wouldn’t be sprawled on the stage if you could work as a team, y’know, like we ARE?” Cole pointed to Kai’s chest as Kai slapped it out of the way.

“Good show, Rainbrooms.” Trixie came to where they were. “I especially liked the part where Sunset Shimmer, in a fit of jealous rage, knocked out Rainbow Dash and Kai mid-guitar solo!”

“It wasn’t a fit of jealous rage!” Sunset made Trixie back down, blushing angrily. Her friends cringe at this outburst, and she aims two mortified eyes toward the floor as Trixie stands smugly up to full height again.

“If you say so. Ooh!” Trixie turned around to Celestia and Luna, eying the clipboard in the principal’s hand. “Looks like they’ve already decided who’ll be moving on to the finals, I’m guessing it wasn’t too difficult a decision.”

Comes now the sound of the fire doors at the two sisters’ end being opened. The Dazzlings sidle in and around them, singing the five-note phrases from the diner and cafeteria. Both adults’ eyes briefly flash green as they did in Celestia’s office—the trio’s magic is taking hold again—and the lids half-close dazedly.

“Hmm?” Sunset notices this. “What can we do? There isn’t going to be another opportunity for us to play, and I had the most gorgeous outfit for the finals!” Rarity whined. “Yep, cause that’s the real tragedy here, Rarity–that you won’t get to play dress-up!” Applejack replied sarcastically. “No, no, she’s right, I was gonna get my hair done and everything!” Kai agreed as AJ facepalmed at the two of them. “Maybe your looks are more important than saving the school.”

“You know perfectly well that is not what we meant!” Rarity and Kai yelled as Rainbow shoved the three apart. “You guys wanna keep it down? They’re about to announce who’s moving on!” She pointed. “Who are you kidding? You know it isn’t going to be us.” Fluttershy pouted. “If they chose us after that ordeal, I’d say this world is more confusing than the overlord coming back three times.” Cole noted.

Celestia and Luna took center stage. “The band that will be joining the Dazzlings in tonight’s finals… The Rainbooms!”

“And there it is.”

“Did they just say “The Rainbooms’?”

Trixie stomps past them angrily. “This isn’t over!”

The confused band makes their way upstage to the Principal. “Congratulations you all, you deserve it.” Celestia smiled. Rainbow opens her mouth to express gratitude or brag like mad, but is interrupted by Pinkie. “Seriously? We didn’t even finish our s—” Rainbow elbows the girl to cut her off, and grins hugely as the Dazzlings emerge from the other end. “See you at tonight’s big show, Rainbooms. We’re really looking forward to it.” Adagio mocked. ‘Yeah well, not as much as we are!” Rainbow’s weak comeback was met by boos as they took a walk of shame through the crowd. “This never should have been you, Rainbooms!”

Trixie watches the group with indignation. “This is a travesty! A travesty!” Trixie fell backwards with her hand to her forehead. “It really is! The Rainbooms don’t deserve to be in the finals, not when your band was so much better in the semis!” Adagio caught her and gave fake sympathy. “And wanted it so much more!” Aria added on. “Alas, this is the way it’s going to be. Dazzlings versus Rainbooms.” Adagio sighed.

“Unless, of course, the Rainbooms don’t manage to make it to their set, or are held up for some reason.” Sonata said.

“Hmmm…” Trixie held a thinking expression, which morphed into a malicious grin as she began to chuckle.

—-------------------------------------------------------------

At an outdoor amphitheater, The Rainbooms are setting up their gear on the stage.

“Check, one, two, testing, testing…” Rainbow spoke into the mic. A tap on its head points out that it has no power; and Sunset, at a soundboard off to one side. She slides one of the fader controls up to its maximum setting, and Rainbow tries the mic again.

“Testing…”

The boost turns her voice into a souped-up chorus of echoes accompanied by a deafening feedback whine that sets the entire band’s eardrums and teeth vibrating—not to mention the stage. Grinning sheepishly, Sunset brings the fader all the way down again to break off the cacophony. Fluttershy is spinning her tambourine on a stand and making an adjustment with an Allen wrench.

This doesn’t make any sense. We were awful!” Fluttershy spoke up. “We weren’t awful, just a little disrupted is all, y’know, thrown off our game. Happens a lot back home.” Jay tapped his sticks boringly on the drum. “Doesn’t anybody else think it’s strange that we’re the ones that made it to the finals though?” Fluttershy continued.

“Very strange.” Her question was met by Trixie from the other end of the stage.

“Yo Trix, I think the bands that suck aren’t supposed to be here.” Kai mocked. “The losers are supposed to be up there in the cheap seats” Rainbow pointed to the seats. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is the most talented girl at Canterlot High. It is I who deserve to be in the finals—and I will not be denied!”

With a snap of her fingers, her bandmate has sized the end of a lever protruding from the floor. One yank opens up a large trapdoor under the team, dumping them. Applejack’s hat and a couple of loose pages of notes to flutter down after them. A fabric chew toy tumbles into view from behind a stack of speakers at the far edge; zoom in on this as Spike jumps out to worry it. Simple pleasure quickly gives way to slack-jawed shock, the toy falling from his jaws, when he sees what has just transpired.

In underneath the stage, where the Rainbooms and Sunset have fetched up in a sprawl of instruments and bodies. The hat lands neatly in its proper spot on the blond head as the loose notes drift lazily to the floor. Up onstage, Trixie cackles madly over her sneak attack, and Spike glares toward her and scampers off.

“See you never!”

The flaps swing shut over the indignant/scared/freaked-out captives to black out the screen. Snap to the far end of an aisle leading toward the stage through the amphitheatre seats; Adagio and Sonata step into view, their backs to the camera. A head-on shot shows that Aria has joined them, and Adagio chuckles menacingly between the others’ confident smiles.

“Told you someone would give them a shove.” Adagio smirked. “She didn’t shove them. She pulled the lever?” Sonata mentions, puzzled as Aria groans and Adagio claps a hand to her face.

“Go back to sleep Sonata.”

—————————-

Illusions: You’d better believe I got tricks up my sleeve

Stop on a long shot of them, performing onstage under a row of multicolored spotlights. All three have their wizard’s hats on and Trixie her cape; she does not use her guitar, but the others have their consoles slung up.

And I captivate ’cause I’m powerful and great, yeah, yeah [whoa, oh]

You’d better believe I got tricks up my sleeve

See me dominate ’cause I’m powerful and great, yeah, yeah [oh, oh]

On the end of this verse, the camera continues its zoom but shifts direction slightly, approaching the drapes hung from the front edge of the stage, and the view dissolves to the demoralized Rainbooms and Sunset trapped underneath. When this transition occurs, the song continues in a greatly muffled tone. Pan slowly from one end to the other, then cut to a closed door as Rainbow throws her full weight against it. This tactic gets her nothing but a sore shoulder, and she groans in mingled pain and frustration.

“Give it up, Rainbow Dash. You’ve been tryin at this for hours.” Applejack groaned. “If I had a nickel for everytime I was trapdoored into an underground bunker, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot but it’s strange it happened twice right?” Cole mumbled to himself.

“Maybe it doesn’t even matter that we’re trapped down here… I don’t think the counter-spell would’ve worked anyway.” Twilight sighed. “Course it woulda worked, Twilight… assuming some certain band members didn’t try to hog the spotlight the whole time we were tryin to play it!” Applejack motioned towards Rainbow and Kai.

“Woah woah woah, If you want to tell Twilight and Lloyd they’re getting a little too caught up trying to be the new leaders of this band, you don’t have to be all cryptic about it.” Kai shrugged. “She’s talking about you two! Lloyd doesn’t even play?!” Rarity told the two, frustrated. “Us? I’m just trying to make sure my band rocks as hard as it needs to!” Rainbow defended.

“OUR BAND!” She received a yell from the 8 other band members that was delivered with enough force to blow her hair back on her head. The guitarist with the hog-wild ego glowers at this outburst.

“But why wasn’t it working? I should know what to do! How can I not know what to do? How can I have failed like this?” Twilight freaked out.

Sunset was watching her at the end of this, after which Twilight buries her head in her knees as if wishing she could sink through the floor. Sunset looks away with a panicked grimace; to Applejack and Cole, and Kai and Rainbow facing off.

“It might have been your idea to start a band, but it’s not just your band, Rainbow Dash! You two need to understand this is a team effort!” Applejack complained. “Team effort? I am literally always on a team!” Kai yelled. “You sure don’t act like it! What’s wrong with you? Ever since we got here you’ve acted like the most important thing here is you and your girlfriend!” Cole pointed in his chest. “She’s not my girlfriend!” Kai growled in his face. “And besides, I’m the one who writes all the songs!” Rainbow said. “That is such a lie!” Jay yelled from across the room. “I write songs! You just never let us play any of them!” Fluttershy grumbled. “I had the most perfect outfits for us to wear!” Rarity cried out.

“NOBODY CARES ABOUT THE COSTUMES!” AJ and Cole yelled out. “I care! So sorry if I enjoy trying to make a creative contribution to the band!” Rarity yelled back.

“You have got to chill out. I don’t know what our leader is doing, but you’re not being a good replacement.” Zane got in Cole’s face. “Who said I was trying to replace Lloyd!? Now you’re just making up stuff, bolt for brains!” Cole shoved Zane away. “Hey! There’s no need to put your hands on him!” Rarity yelled at Cole. “Zane’s our friend!” Nya stepped in. “Some friend that stays in his room all day.” Kai muttered. “You know exactly why he does, Kai!” Nya growled at him. “I think we all know the real reason is that none of you know how to actually work as a team.” Jay raised a finger.

“SHUT UP JAY!”

“You all are actually the worst team ever.” Jay muttered. “No, you’re the worst!” Rainbow told him. “Woah, I may agree with you on a lot of things, but nobody makes fun of Jay but me!” Kai glared at Rainbow. “You can’t gatekeep a person?! That’s a person!” Rainbow threw her arms out.

“Hey! Anybody here remember fun? I’ll give you a hint! It’s the exact opposite of being in the Rainbooms!” Pinkie yelled. “I wish I never asked any of you to be in my band!” Rainbow groaned. “I wish I’d never agreed to in it!” Rarity crossed her arms.

“Me neither!” Applejack, Fluttershy, Jay, and Nya stood next to her.

“I wish we never came to this stupid world!” Kai yelled. “I wish you never came to this world too!” AJ yelled back.

There follows a lively ten-way argument, none of whose participants notices the wisps of varicolored greenish energy that begin to emerge from the group and drift upward. Sunset grabs Lloyd and they can only stare in mute terror as the verbal barbs keep flying and the power rises toward the underside of the stage.

Guitar in

Illusions: You’d better believe I got tricks up my sleeve

See me dominate ’cause I’m powerful and great

Fireworks begin bursting at low altitude overhead to the sound of hearty cheering. Cut to the Dazzlings backstage, seen from the knees up and tricked out in a new set of outfits for the finals. Adagio: short, pleated purple skirt over a light violet under-skirt; sleeved purple shawl; light violet top with the same triangle pattern as her earlier leggings; spiked bracelets in place of her fingerless gloves; same gold belt as before. Aria: gray/white-striped arm warmers; sleeveless dark purple top with a pattern of white lines, light yellow-green skirt cut high in front to expose white/purple-striped tights. Sonata: short-sleeved, off-shoulder blouse striped in two shades of magenta; light blue belt; short, dark magenta skirt set with the heart and eighth note from her jacket; matching arm warmers and necktie, the latter secured with her pendant. Adagio’s face is set in a smirk, Aria’s in a scowl, Sonata’s in a big giddy grin. The Illusions walk offstage past them.

“Try to top that.” Trixie flaunted. “Oh gosh! I don’t know if we can!” Adagio said with mock fear.

By this time, Aria is smirking right along with her; all three end up giggling maliciously after she finishes. A gesture from the boss hushes them up pronto; at one edge of the trapdoor the Rainbooms fell through. Their energy is seeping up through the crack and forming a foggy layer on the stage, the Dazzlings looking on with wonderment. Aria and Sonata both wear boots similar to the ones they have used up to this point, while Adagio’s boots are now light violet, with the same triangle pattern as her top, and darker purple soles and starred ankle bands. A round of nasty smiles and grins passes among the three exiles from Equestria.

The spectators find themselves bathed in an eerie green glow; up onstage, the Dazzlings emerge from the greatly thickened miasma, their pendants glowing at their throats. They step slowly forward to stand in line, moving their arms in a sinuous, snakelike fashion, and vocalize a unison line that splits off into harmony as their gems pull in the aura surrounding them.

Sunset, staring wide-eyed toward the camera as the sounds of the Rainbooms’ quarrel come through all too clearly. The onstage music becomes muffled at this point.

“Lloyd. I don’t know what Adagio meant, but whatever she said doesn’t apply to you. Whatever the person she was talking about, whatever happened with your father. That doesn’t define you. Your friends need you, my friends need you, I need you. You’re the green ninja, and if anyone can lead us to victory, it’s you.” Sunset grabbed the scared boy’s hands. “I’ve never had to solve a problem like this.” Lloyd sighed. “Yes you have. You told me yourself about the events of your father’s takeover. You had to fight him without your powers. They need a leader. We can’t depend on Twilight for everything…”

Lloyd nodded and stood up. “STOP!”

The 10 teens stopped fighting and paused in quietness.

“You have to stop! This is what they’ve been after all along!” Sunset walked to them. “They’re feeding off the magic inside you!”

“How can they be using our magic? It’s the magic of friendship and the powers of creation!” Applejack asked. “Ever since you started this band, and the ninja got here, you’ve been letting little things get to you. I never said anything ’cause I didn’t feel like it was my place—not when I was so new to this whole friendship thing. I still have a lot to learn. But I do know that if you don’t work out even the smallest problems right at the start—the magic of friendship and creation can be turned into something else.” Sunset sighed. “I know we’ve been… distant since we defeated the Crystal King. I thought we just needed a break from each other, but splitting apart has just made it worse. We’re not just a team though, we’re family, and well, as iron sharpens iron, family sharpens family.” Lloyd smiled.

“I can’t believe all this tension was happening right under my nose and I didn’t realize it. I’m supposed to be the one with all the answers, and all I’ve done since I got here is let you down.” Twilight sighed. Sunset lifts a hand, hesitates, then rests it on Twilight’s shoulder with a gentle smile.

“I don’t think anyone is supposed to have all the answers—but you can count on your friends to help you find them.” Sunset smiled. “You can be a leader, but a leader doesn’t always know what to do. A good leader is one who can accept help from others, not take everything on themselves. I learned that the hard way.” Lloyd placed a hand on Twilight’s other shoulder. It takes Twilight a second to get this through her head, but she comes out of it with a smile.

“I think you already have. Come on! We need to get out of here!” Twilight said with renewed determination.

She is first to throw herself against the locked door, followed by the other 12 a moment later, but they have as much success as Rainbow did—that is to say, none whatsoever. They bounce back, all but Fluttershy tumbling to the floor in a heap, and cannot believe their ears when a knock sounds from the other side. The door swings inward to reveal Spike at the threshold, a glow from the stage lights spilling in around him. One light violet, purple-eyed face breaks into a joyous smile.

“Spike!”

“Sorry I took so long. I had to find somebody who wasn’t under the Sirens’ spell to help me get you out.” Spike shrugged.

That somebody chooses this moment to peek in around the doorframe—it is DJ P0N-3.)

“Why isn’t she under their spell?”

“Never takes off her headphones.”

Welcome to The Show

Author's Note

We’ve got one more chapter left! So I decided to make it a double upload! I really hope you all liked this, and be on the lookout for more in the future! If you don’t mind, I’d really appreciate you telling me what you liked about it. Carry on being awesome! And enjoy!

Welcome to The Show

“Come on, y’all! Time to prove we’ve still got the magic of friendship inside us!” Applejack said. “And there’s only one way to do it.” Twilight added.

“We’re getting the band back together?” Pinkie asked. “We’re getting our band back together.” Rainbow corrected her. “Ooh, which version of the counter-spell are we going to play?” Rarity questioned. “I don’t think it matters what song we play, as long as we play it together, as friends!” Twilight answered, with Rainbow cutting in. “I know just the song!” Rainbow nodded her head toward Kai as concerned glances passed through the team. Kai crosses over and places a hand on the girl. “Zane’s showed me that Fluttershy has written some really great ones.” His words made her face morph into a squeaky grin.

“We’re about to save the world here. Personally, I think we should do it in style. Rarity?” Applejack looked towards the girl. “I thought you’d never ask!” Rarity pulled out a rack of dresses. “I’m guessing you didn’t have time to make anything, ninja related…” Cole looked at the dresses. “Oh darling, I always have time.” She said as she pulled out a another rack.

The six garments on the first rack are sleeveless, in assorted bright and vivid colors, and five of them sport patterns based on the cutie marks of all but Twilight. The centerpieces of the last dress are a pair of eight-pointed stars, gold at the neckline and silver at the waist. On the second rack, 6 ninja suits to each color that look like the EVO suits are hanging. They seem to have each ninja’s element symbol on the shoulder. The Dazzlings have began their final attack above stage.

As they dance from side to side, the camera cuts to a slow pan across the front row, every occupant utterly captivated by the unfolding spectacle.

Adagio: Welcome to the show

We’re here to let you know

Our time is now
Dazzlings: Your time is running out

At a hilltop just visible in the fore. A foot clad in a light-blue, lightning-bolt-marked platform shoe and yellow tights plants itself on the grass, and it is one of Rainbow’s. She and the rest of the Rainbooms are standing here, Twilight, Pinkie and Jay holding microphone and drumsticks, respectively; the others have their instruments ready. All have changed into the dresses and ninja suits Rarity provided and donned platforms in various styles and colors, as well as tights in a different color for each leg, and a different color for each arm in the ninja suits. Applejack has traded her usual brown cowboy hat for a red one in a slightly different style. Every last one is greatly daunted by the sonic subterfuge unfolding before them. A wind blows across the hilltop, toying with their hairstyles and doing little to cover the Dazzlings’ singing.

“How are we supposed to play over them from up here?” Rainbow asked. “Jay could probably do it, he’s loud enough!” Kai put an arm around his friend as Jay playfully rolled his eyes.

The sounds of a car horn and approaching tires catch them off guard, and they turn to find DJ P0N-3 rolling up in a light blue convertible with darker trim and the top down. Heart-shaped musical notes adorn the door, bright blue lyres mark the hubcaps, and a rearing-pony hood ornament is front and center. Sunset, Lloyd and Spike are now here as well; the former now wears a top in the shade of shocking pink as her usual shirt, but no longer marked with her trademark yellow/red sun. Lloyd is also wearing his EVO suit, despite not singing. DJ P0N-3 produces and clicks a remote to shut off the engine and headlights, but the device triggers many more effects in the bargain. The front bumper flips up to expose an equalizer panel and a row of lights; lava lamps pop out ahead of the front wheels; speakers swing out from both sides and up from the rear end, the latter accompanied by a bank of multicolored laser emitters to add a light show. The whole car ends up mounted on a framework that has folded out from beneath the undercarriage. Sunset smiles at the radical change-up, and the eleven performers add their own exclamations of delight.

At the stage, waves of red energy radiate from the Dazzlings and wash over the crowd.

Dazzlings: Feel the wave of sound as it crashes down

The enchantment takes hold; a flash from the pendants, and the three begin to rise off the boards.

You can’t turn away, we’ll make you want to stay

The gems burn red, throwing rays in all directions. Now visible only as white-outlined black silhouettes, they each sprout the same pony ears and hair extensions that previously manifested on the Rainbooms.

Dazzlings: We will be adored, tell us that you want us

We won’t be ignored, it’s time for our reward

A flash, and their normal colors are restored, with two changes: sparkles on the outfits, and translucent fin-like wings on each of the three backs.

Dazzlings: Now you need us, come and heed us

Nothing can stop us now

The abrupt style change catches them flat-footed—or at least as much as they can be, given that they are still floating above the stage—and Adagio grimaces mightily once she gets her eyes turned in the direction of Aria’s pointing finger.

Rainbooms: Oh, whoa

Long shot of the group on their hilltop, backed by the mobile sound/light show. Sunset, Lloyd and Spike keep their distance, backed off to one side.

I’ve got the music in me

Oh, whoa

Guitar lick by Rainbow and Kai

Twilight: Don’t need to hear a crowd cheering out my name

The students start to come to their senses and glance toward the band.

I didn’t come here seeking infamy or fame

Rainbooms: The one and only thing that I am here to bring

Smiles spread through the crowd.

Is music, is the music, is the music in my soul

A burst of white light envelops the group, and one by one, a wave of objects matching the cutie mark and elemental symbol of each teen tumbles across the screen to give a close-up of them undergoing their half-pony transformation and her clothes beginning to sparkle. Applejack: red streak appears in hair. Rarity: pink/blue streaks in hair. Fluttershy: streaks of yellow and dark pink as she twirls in place. Rainbow: sliding forward on her knees to strike a chord. Pinkie: two-tone blue streaks in hair. Jay: A yellow lightning mark spreads in his hair. Kai: lights his hand on fire as a red streak goes up his hair. Cole: orange streak in hair. Zane: Ice shard looking streak in hair. Nya: spins around as a light blue and maroon red streak appears in her hair. Kai and Jay have grown wings as well. Last is Twilight, whose six-pointed pink star expands to fill the screen; from here, snap to her as streaks of light blue and pink trace down the full length of her hair and she catches a microphone thrown to her.

Rainbooms: Gonna break out [Out!] and set myself free, yeah

Let it all go [Go!], just let it be, yeah

Find the music in your heart, let the music make you start

To set yourself apart

All but Pinkie and Jay end up floating high above the improvised second stage.

“So the Rainbooms want to turn this into a real Battle of the Bands? Then let’s battle.” Adagio growled.

Dazzlings: What we have in store, all we want and more

The crowd falls under their influence again; close-up of Adagio, eyes burning red.

We will break on through, now it’s time to finish you

A pulse travels from her pendant to those of Aria and Sonata, the eyes of these two going crimson as well, and a blast of red/white magic pours outward from the stage to turn the sky a lurid crimson. One by one, each gem sends up an apparition matching the image of the equine/reptilian Sirens in the book Twilight showed her friends before she made the jump from Ponyville to Canterlot High. One is yellow, one violet, one blue—from Adagio, Aria, and Sonata, respectively—and each has a gem embedded in its chest. The Rainbooms stare wide-eyed at this new turn of events, and the three specters rocket out toward the hilltop.

They circle the Rainbooms, looking for an opportunity to strike and forcing all but Pinkie into a tight defensive circle. DJ P0N-3 adjusts a setting on the turntables built into her car’s dashboard, Pinkie and Jay crank off a high-speed drum riff, and the speakers throw out a sound wave that scatters the Sirens’ avatars.

Rarity and Nya’s fingers race over their keys, sending a blast of water with lozenge-shaped jewels to disrupt the attackers; Fluttershy and Zane add to the offensive with a tambourine shake that unleashes a torrent of iced butterflies.

Twilight: Whoa, whoa

The entire vicinity shakes in response to her amplified voice, and a rush of white six-pointed stars pours forth. Cut to a profile of a furious Adagio, then dissolve to her Siren avatar, which lets go with an even higher note and a wave of red magic that overwhelms Twilight all too quickly. She is slowly pushed back by the counterattack, one platform sole grinding into the dirt, but gets herself stabilized and sends up a glare of the clearest, purest anger.

All three Dazzlings join forces and voices now, uncorking a full-volume vocal battering through their avatars that pushes the Rainbooms off their feet. The microphone goes flying out of Twilight’s hand in slow motion, brushing against one of Pinkie’s cymbals as it tumbles past…

…and arcs gracelessly through the empty space. Normal motion resumes with a cut to a close-up of it rolling to a stop at Sunset’s foot; she picks it up, Spike looking on. She regards the device as if it were a hand grenade with the pin pulled out, then huddles herself slightly over it. As the Dazzlings advance slightly from the stage, mouths set in truly frightening grins of impending triumph, Twilight looks in Sunset’s direction.

“Sunset Shimmer, Lloyd! We need you two!” Twilight yelled out to them.

The red/gold-haired girl’s face broadcasts the titanic struggle that rages through her mind at this request. She looks over to Lloyd, who nods at her. It ends with the brows drawing down over the blue-green eyes in steely determination; Twilight and company still crumpled on the hilltop as the two step to the fore. Sunset has a mic one hand, shucking off and throwing aside her jacket with the other. A studded bracelet encircles each wrist, and her upper-body garment is now fully exposed as a sleeveless top. She lets Lloyd grab the mic with a hand too. As the wind blows through their hair, DJ P0N-3 works her turntable controls and starts a record spinning, bringing the front-end equalizer panel back to life.

Sunset, Lloyd: You’re never gonna bring me down

You’re never gonna break this part of me

My friends are here to bring me ’round

Not singing just for popularity

Sunset helps Twilight up as Lloyd helps up Kai.

Twilight, Sunset, Kai, Lloyd: We’re here to let you know that we won’t let it go

Pinkie sits upright at her kit, the others stand up, and all start to play.

Our music is a bomb and it’s about to blow

The specters rush toward the band.

And you can try to fight, but we have got the light

Rainbooms, Sunset, Lloyd:Of friendship on our side

A ball of white light appears behind Lloyd and Sunset and grows in intensity, with a secondary focus in the free hands that they lift over their heads and touch together. A pastel-rainbow shock wave tears outward from the group, hurling the spectral Sirens away and nailing the real ones dead on. Its passage shakes the students out of their daze and rattles Adagio so badly that the infernal red glow fades from her eyes.

Rainbooms, Sunset, Lloyd: Got the music in our hearts

We’re here to blow this thing apart

And together we will never

Be afraid of the dark

Now Sunset finds herself and Lloyd slowly floating free of the ground, yellow light and sparkles blazing around every inch of her form. Two yellow-orange pony ears emerge from within the wild tumble of hair, and one midair pirouette later, the locks reaching down her back have elongated into a tail secured by a studded band that matches her bracelets. Lloyd has taken on a green streak through his hair, and has achieved the alicorn half pony form that Twilight also has. The energy surrounding her surges out in a wave of red/yellow sunbursts to fully reveal the transformed Sunset—sparkles on her clothing and boots, and a large sunburst on her skirt. Her face displays a smirk, but it is one of confidence rather than malice, and a green burst of energy reveals Lloyd, who’s powers have also returned.

Rainbooms: Here to sing our song out loud

Get you dancing with the crowd

As the music of our friendship

Survives, survives

The other eleven rise up behind Sunset and Lloyd, each wreathed in a glow of her own; Pinkie’s drum kit stays on the ground. A new rainbow flashes upward from them and into the sky, but this one has thirteen colors rather than six once a green, red, orange, blue, white, light blue, and vivid scarlet streak rises in the middle due to Sunset and the ninja’s involvement. The beam pours into a bank of gray clouds swirling overhead, which disintegrate to reveal a gigantic, white-glowing sphere unfurling a pair of translucent blue-white wings.

Rainbooms: Got the music in our hearts

We’re here to blow this thing apart

And together we will never

Be afraid of the dark

Students all over the place start to get down on it.

Rainbooms, Students:Here to sing our song out loud

Get you dancing with the crowd

The Dazzlings glower down at them, the red light gone from all three pairs of eyes, then glance upward with real fear. What the band has unleashed is a colossal winged unicorn whose body seems to consist of a spinjitzu tornado and glitter with stardust from one end to the other. Its streaming mane/tail display all the colors of the rainbow that formed it, and its eyes and the tip of its horn burn purest white. This apparition stands at least three times as tall and broad as those conjured by the Dazzlings.

Rainbooms, Students: As the magic of our friendship

Survives, survives, survives

Here comes the pitch: a wide beam that angles downward to strike both high and low. The ghostly Sirens crack and shatter into fragments, the gems in the Dazzlings’ pendants do the same..

The Dazzlings have fallen hard amid a few last dissipating wisps of green negative energy. The sky has returned to its normal nocturnal hue. Their wings, clothing sparkles, and pony ears/tails gone; the remains of their red jewels lie before them, still glowing feebly—but only for a moment. As the last glimmers of light fade away from the broken baubles, Adagio is first to regard hers with a popeyed stare; she scoops up those shards and hastily gets to her feet. Up come Aria and Sonata as well, all three glaring toward the crowd, and they take a deep breath to sing again—but this time, not a single one of them is in any recognizable key.

The sudden loss of their mesmerizing vocal ability throws a bucketful of sand into their mental machinery. The crowd is not amused.

Dazzlings: We will be adored, tell us that you want us

(losing steam)

We won’t be ignored, it’s time for our reward

The end of their second line is lost under a hearty round of booing, which is in turn followed by a barrage of thrown food items that sends the trio running for the wings. Sunset reaches into view to pick one of the shards up, she stands upright to inspect it. Her pony ears and tail are gone, and she has put her jacket back on.

“Guess that explains why these were so special to them.” Sunset chuckled

Everyone has returned to normal as well.

“Without those pendants, the magic the ninja brought here, and the magic you brought here from Equestria, they’re just three harmless teenage girls.” Twilight smiled.

“Rainbooms Rule!” Flash raced onto the stage and grabbed Twilight into a hug. “That was amazing!”

Caught completely off guard, she glances toward her bandmates with the barest hint of a blush; they just giggle to themselves, and the purple and blue eyes turn toward each other for a long moment. A glance away, a blush on both sets of cheeks—and then Trixie butts in to split the two maybe-lovebirds apart.

“You may have vanquished the Dazzlings, but you will never have the amazing show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Trixie yelled.

Just as she did backstage during the semifinals, she throws down something that explodes in a screen-filling blast of pale blue smoke. When the view clears, all eight girls,6 boys, and one dog are coughing out the last fumes and Trixie is nowhere in sight.

“She’s gone! Oh, wait.” Pinkie gasps until she hears a scream.

The fleeing upstart, caught in the process of climbing over the wall that runs behind the very back rows of seats, trying to get away while her dress is on fire.

“There she is.”

“Trixie’s okay!” The girl yelled as Kai smirked and blew the smoke off his hand, receiving a grin from AJ and Nya.

“You know, Twilight is going back to Equestria soon, and the ninja will have to go back home. The Rainbooms could really use someone to help Fluttershy on backup vocals.” Rainbow nodded towards Sunset.

A glance to one side discloses a “Flying V” guitar leaning up against an amp; she quickly slings it up, produces a pick, and uncorks a fast riff. Just as quickly, the pick goes back where it came from.

“I also play guitar.” Sunset smiled as she recived wide mouth gasps from her friends.

All pairs of eyes turn toward Twilight and Rainbow; the former smiling calmly, the latter with her mind also blown. It takes a second for her to get her brain and tongue wired back together.

“We’ll see.”

Twilight grins hugely and Sunset—having set the axe down—allows herself a bashful smile, which gives way to complete shock and then a bigger smile as she finds herself at the center of a full-band group hug. Spike gets into the act by hugging one of Rarity’s ankles. They had won.

Is It Time To Say Goodbye?

At the front lawn of Canterlot High the next morning and zoom in on the statue, where all thirteen have gathered by its base. The teens are all back in their school outfits, including Sunset’s original sun-marked shirt.

“Sure wish you could stay longer.” Applejack said.

“Me too. But I have responsibilities in Equestria that I have to get back to.” Twilight smiled. “It’s citizens need me.”

Unnoticed, the pink goofball turns to the base, pokes at one side to set it rippling and glowing—the portal to Equestria is open—and shoves her whole face through. She backs out, dazed and with hair disheveled;

“But now, I can go through the portal whenever I need to.”

“You know, I was stuck trying to figure out why Master Wu would banish the Dazzlings here, but now I think I know why.” Lloyd spoke up, receiving puzzled looks from everyone. “Cause he knew we would be the ones to beat them. He left the mirror at our door. He wanted us to come here. He knew that if anything could bring us back together, it’s a new adventure.” Lloyd smiled. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

“I am glad you figured it out.” A voice spoke from the portal. A gold old man came out from it with a staff in his hands.

“Master Wu!” The ninja yelled.

“I noticed that you ninja had been splitting apart. I wanted to show you how the overlord wanted the powers of creation to be corrupted. If anything could teach you all, it was these girls.” Wu smiled at the 7 girls.

“So wait, you’re Starswirl the bearded?!” Twilight began to freak out. “The one and Only, Ms Sparkle.” Wu nodded. Twilight began to hyperventilate until Sunset placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

“Tell your mentor that I said hello.” Wu requested. Twilight nodded and then looked towards the other 12. “This isn’t goodbye. It’s just goodbye ‘til next time.” She smiled. “Ready spike?”

“Ready!”

He trots forward and through the portal; the others—including a recovered and cleaned-up Pinkie—wave to Twilight before she steps in a moment later.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye for us too.” Lloyd waved. The ninja and the girls shared hugs and goodbyes and Kai and Rainbow came up with a secret handshake. “That way, if I ever come back cloned, you’ll know it’s me.” He smiled.

“Who said anything about leaving?” Wu raised an eyebrow. “Well you came here, we defeated the Dazzlings, and completed our lesson.” Lloyd looked confused. Wu chuckled and sighed.

“I came to say congratulations. But you still have a lot to learn from these girls. And they could learn some things from you. I want you all to stay as long as you need to. Your duty in Ninjago is done.”

The ninja looked at each other with excitement and wide grins.

“You still have a whole world to explore. So explore it ninja, you’ve earned it.” Wu bowed to them. “The portal will be open to visit Ninjago at any time. Good luck ninja, and good luck Rainbooms. I see a magical future for all of you.” Master Wu waved goodbye and walked through the portal, but not without a book dropping from behind him. Lloyd noticed and picked it up.

“Uncle Wu! You left this… wait. This has my name on it?” Lloyd looked through the book. “It’s empty.” Sunset came over and looked at it to. “No, it’s like my book! Except this one goes to Ninjago!”

They both looked at each other and high-fived. “Book twins!”

“Did you just say Starswirl is your uncle? Wow, Twilight would have lost it.” Rainbow chuckled. “Yeah that’s why I waited till she left.” Lloyd said flatly, receiving a mass of laughter from the other eleven.

——————

The sun is in a peaceful sky at the amphitheater stage. The ten Rainbooms are warming up on their instruments, while off to one side DJ P0N-3 is readying her turntables and Sunset and Lloyd sit writing in their magic journals.

“Dear Princess Twilight: Missing you already, and hope you’ll be back soon.Things are definitely looking up for me here at Canterlot High, but I know I still have a lot to learn about friendship. Hope you don’t mind if I write to you for advice when I need it. Your friend, Sunset Shimmer.”

“Greetings Master Wu. It’s been a nice 3 days in this world. It’s no secret to the whole school that we’re ninja with powers, but it does make everyone feel a bit safer. While we still have some things to get over from the overlord’s attack, our new friends have made it a lot easier. Can’t wait to tell you more. Your Student and Nephew, Lloyd Garmadon.”

“You two ready or what?” Rainbow called out to them. They both got up and grabbed their instruments. “Ready!”

“One, two, three, four!”

“Wait! I forgot my phone back in Ninjag-“

——————————————-

Rainbow and Kai strum their guitars, Pinkie and Jay lay down a beat, Sunset gets her strings going, and all twelve play on a brightly colored stage setup with three elevated platforms above the drum kit. Rainbow, Kai, Lloyd, and Sunset at center; Rarity and Nya at stage left, Applejack, Cole, Zane and Fluttershy at stage right. The marks of all twelve teens—collectively referred to as “the Rainbooms” from here on in—are on display in the backdrops. They are in their performance attire and have grown their pony ears and tails.

Applejack, Cole: Once upon a time

You came into my world and made the stars align

Rarity, Nya: Now I can see the signs

You pick me up when I get down so I can shine

Pencil drawings of first Applejack and then Rarity, then Cole, then Nya, tinted respectively in orange-tan and purple; Applejack carries a crate of bottled cider, while Rarity has donned her reading glasses to stitch up a bow. Cole is holding a boombox to his head, as Nya crosses her arms with a wrench in her hand. Normal clothes and appearance have resumed.

Rainbooms: Shine like rainbows

Shine like rainbows

Sunset walks down a hall in Canterlot High, an open backpack on her back and her journal slowly sliding free of it. It glows and vibrates with an incoming message, causing it to fall out, but Cole holds Apple Bloom to hurry in to catch and return it. The other two Crusaders soon arrive on the scene, and all five walk off together in high spirits.

Rainbow, Kai: Friends, you are in my life

And you can count on me to be there by your side

This world’s equivalent of pony Fluttershy’s rabbit Angel sits on a high wrought-iron railing, sticking his tongue out in close-up at Sunset and Jay’s futile grabs at him. The two and a distraught Fluttershy; the former gets a real surprise when Bulk arrives to hoist them up and put them within reach of the little fuzzball.

Sunset, Lloyd: And when the music comes alive

We sing our songs to lift us up so we can shine

Rainbooms: And the sound that we hear in our hearts

It’s a crescendo

And the light that ignites in the dark

It makes us all glow

Four more pencil drawings: a very happy Pinkie skipping along with a bunch of balloons, then a grinning Rainbow with a soccer ball under one arm, Jay drinking the smoothie he was unsure of, and Kai somehow holding the sword of fire.

Rainbooms: And shine like rainbows

We shine like rainbows

Rainbooms: Together we stand

As the rain begins to fall

The twelve step forward and raise their eyes and hands to the sky.

And holding our heads up high

As the sun shines through it all

A flare from one of the overhead spots fills the screen and clears to show another set of pencil drawings: green-tinted Spike, back in dragon form and slightly embarrassed at having been caught eating from a bag of dog biscuits…then the Crusaders having big fun; Bloom is drawn in red, Scootaloo in purple, Sweetie in blue…DJ P0N-3 working her decks, drawn in blue-green…Derpy, blue-gray, holding a muffin…a yellow Fluttershy watching a butterfly perch on one index finger while the other arm holds a rather grumpy Angel close to her side…a red-drawn Sunset grinning cockily…a violet Twilight holding an open book, A white Zane smiling at a falcon on his shoulder, And a green Lloyd staring puzzled at his book. All of the teens are back to their non-pony appearances and clothing.

Rainbooms: And the sound that we hear in our hearts

It’s a crescendo

And the light that ignites in the dark

It makes us all glow

And shine like rainbows

We shine like rainbows

Shine like rainbows

We shine like rainbows

The sound wave signal dies away to a flat line and is pulled off, and becomes a scrolling, jagged signal to the faint hum of machinery and the scratch of a pen. It is a strip chart. The jagged peaks soon die out, the paper roll stopping as well.

A light violet hand in a long white sleeve reaches into view to tear the readout away, once it is gone, a bulletin board can be seen, covered with notes and chart readouts. At the center of this jumble is a photograph of Canterlot High, with several strings leading to it and secured dead center with a thumbtack. The latest strip chart is stuck up among the lot, Even though this individual can only be seen from behind for the moment, the skin and hair colors mark it as a dead ringer for Twilight. The hair is rumpled and tied back at the nape of the neck in a bun with a pencil stuck into it, the collar of a light blue turtleneck peeks over the coat, and eyeglasses with thick black frames are in evidence as well. A dog who looks exactly like Spike eating food from a bowl in the background. The next words mark these two as the ones who are native to this world.

“No doubt about it, Spike. There’s definitely something strange going on at that school.”

——————————-

The Ninja Will Return In Friendship Games.

Author's Note

Thank you all for reading! Be on the lookout for friendship games in the future!