Author's Note
This story takes place before A New Beginning of MLP - Equestria Girls: The Magic of Friendship
Introducing the main OC of the story, Rain. Hope you all enjoy.
Rain
It's the day before the first day of the new school year. Best Friends Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops are enjoying a nice outing. Making the best out their remaining time before school starts tomorrow.
"Okay, so we've been to the mall, the movies, Sweet Shoppe, " Sweetie gleefully lists. "What do think we should do... " She looks to her left and notices that Lyra is no longer next to her. She turns around and sees that Lyra had stopped walk to look at a building she had passed. She walks back to her bestie to also look at the building Lyra is. The building they're looking at is an old beat-up music store. The windows are cracked, most of the paint faded away, the whole place looks pretty beat-up.
"Huh, I've never noticed this place before." Lyra says. She looks up and sees the name of this place. "Music Kingdom?"
Sweetie decides to do an internet search on this place. "Apparently this place was a place opened up quite a while ago. about nine years ago. But eventually people just stopped coming. I guess it just can't compete with the store in the mall. And you know, the internet."
Suddenly, a drop of rain falls on Lyra head and she looks up to see the weather starting to change. More and more drops start to fall. No doubt about it. It's raining. "Rain, aww. I guess we'll have to cut the day short." Lyra says disappointedly.
"We can still hang out my place. It's not too far away." Sweetie says cheering Lyra right up.
"Sure, I'll call my parents and let them know."
The rain starts to come down harder and both of the girls run for shelter.
Though no one has come to this store in quite some time, there is one person already inside. An eighteen-year-old boy with a light silvery skin tone and short black hair. A boy named Rain. Who is currently sleeping on the floor behind the store checkout counter.
Rain's POV
Good morning. Oh wait, it's a quarter past one. Good afternoon, I guess. Man, how late was I up last night? I guess my research took a bit longer than I thought. Anyway, the boy sleeping behind the counter is me, Rain. I should be waking up right... about... now. Yep, there I go. A bit sluggish but awake.
Now to change out of my pajamas. Or not, because I never changed into them last night. Oh well. I look around the store to find my favorite piece of clothing, my jacket. After a few minutes of looking, I realize that I must have left it in the back of the store. Might as well head back there. Not like this old place has had a customer in forever.
I walk into the back room and find my jacket hanging off a chair to a desk with a computer set up. The thing about my jacket though, is that it's a bit too big for me. I have to reach down to my knees to zip it up. And role up the sleeves to my wrist so my hands can stick out. But I where it every day, nonetheless. I sit down at the desk and decide to do a recap on all the research I've done over the past few months.
Research on the one thing I find more interesting than anything else. Magic. I've always wanted to use real magic. But as much as I've tried in the past, I've never been able to use magic myself. I've tried reciting incantations, making magical potions, and I've read enough books on magic to fill a library. But nothings ever panned out for me. I've read that many magicians speak in rhyme, so I tried that. But that got hard. And old. Don't even get me started on when I tried to rhyme to do a spell to turn an apple into an orange.
Then I came to Canterlot City, which seems to be the number one magic magnet in the world. At first, I thought there was something special about the city. But after a bit more research, I've narrowed the source down to Canterlot High School. More specifically, a few of its students. Seven of them. Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie... and Fluttershy. Why does everything magical seem to be attracted to these girls.
Not only are these girls always around whenever something magical happens, but they also have magic themselves. They claim that their magic is the magic of friendship. But come on. Friendship is magic? Is something like that even possible? Normally I wouldn't have believed it, but these girls have magic, and I don't so what did I have to lose. All I had to do was... well make a friend. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of experience on the subject. So I did what I always do when I don't know how to do something. Read about it in books. After I read up on making friends, I tried testing what I've learn. But the results were... unsuccessful.
I tried being kind.
I saw this girl performing stage magic for people. Though I do prefer real magic, I do find the art of stage magic interesting. It wouldn't hurt to check it out. Though the way the girl was boasting, you'd think she was going to do real magic.
"Behold and be amazed. For The Great and Powerful Trixie, will blow your feeble minds with the most amazingly spectacular feats of magical ability you shall ever see!" She was so confident I decided to watch the whole show. But I guess I was the only one who felt that way. Everyone else didn't seem to pleased with the performance. I guess I couldn't blame them. Despite what she had previously said, her act wasn't exactly great magic wise. In fact it was pretty awful. People started to walk away, some of them even started booing her. Despite all that though, she just kept up her act. Once she finished, I was pretty much the only one left watching. I was so impressed with what she did, I decided to tell her how I felt about it. Maybe if I complimented her, it would start a friendship between the two of us. But...
"I think you were just incredible!" I said.
"You do? I... I mean of course you do." She replied, putting a smile back on her face. So far so good.
"You just kept performing your terrible, awful, really bad magic act despite literally everyone around booing and hating it. I gotta say that's really impressive."
Suddenly, the smile on her face started to fade. She didn't seem as happy as she did a second ago. I didn't think about it too much and extend her my hand in friendship.
"Wanna be friends?" All of a sudden, she kicks me right in the shin. I had know idea why. I was trying to be nice. But she just packed up her stuff and left. "I...Is that a maybe?"
I tried doing good deeds.
There was this teenage boy with his kid sister standing under a tree. The seemed upset. Apparently her cat got stuck in a tree.
"Please Big Bro. You'll get Socks down won't you?" The girl cried to her older brother.
"Alright, I'll see what I can do." He replied.
A cat in a tree. That's like, one of the most basic good deed there is. Plus, that cat can't be more than mine, ten feat off the ground. Maybe if I help them out, that guy will want to be my friend. Or maybe the little girl. I'm not picky. I've so got this. At least, that's what I thought.
"Excuse me sir, but I couldn't help but notice your current predicament. Please allow me to help."
"It's really no big deal" He said. But I wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"I insist." After careful planning I figured out the best way to get the cat down. It's like I always say, books hold the answers to everything.
...
So I threw a book a the cat.
...
...
I may not have thought that one all the way through.
At least that the cat did come down. And right on my face. Which it then used as a scratching post. I think it was mad at me. While I was left lying on the ground in pain, the two siblings and their cat all left.
I even tried meeting people with similar interests. So I joined a... "book club". Apparently that's a thing.
It was fun for a bit. I started to enjoy it. Until our first weekly meeting. I try to give them a well detailed summary of the book we were reading. The whole book. And for some reason. Everyone else looked confused. Before I finish they cut me off and started complaining
"Wait, I don't remember most of that."
"Did this guy read the entire book this week?"
"We were only supposed to read to chapter two."
"Are you telling us you read the entire book?"
"Isn't reading the book the point of book club." I couldn't tell what they were upset about. "Anyway, I felt like that in chapter sixteen... " Before I said another word, everyone started throwing their books at me. I got chased out of the club. Apparently, some people don't like knowing things as soon as possible. They called me a "spoiler" or whatever.
So far all I found out is that making friends is painful. I don't get it. I tried everything I read in the book. Though I can't help but feel like I've been doing something wrong. Is it possible that there are some things you can't learn by just reading about it.
This clearly isn't gonna work for me.
After thinking about it for awhile, if having friends was all It took to have magic, a whole lot more people would have magic right now. Not just those seven. So there must be something special about them in particularly.
I decided decided to keep a close eye on these girls and have been studying them each individually. Which now that I think about it was pretty much just me creepily stalking them in secret. Bravo me. Oh well, sometimes we do what we need, to get what we need.
I've made a file on each of them. I gathered any information I could on them. Trying to see what each of these girls have in common that made the magic choose them. Here's a brief summary on each of them.
Sunset Shimmer - She's brave, determined, and deeply cares about her friends. She's a great artist and loves playing "video graphical games". Her magic is the ability to read other people's minds by touching them.
Twilight Sparkle - She's highly intelligent and very responsible. Always there when a problem needs solved. Her magic is telekinesis.
Rarity - Elegant, generous, and we'll mannered. She absolutely loves designing and making clothes for her, and even more so for other people. Her magic allows her to create diamond like constructs.
Applejack - Honest and hard working. She's pretty much the definition of a farm girl. Her magic grants her super strength.
Rainbow Dash - Confident, competitive, and loyal. She's very athletic, and enjoys... sport things. Her magic is super speed.
Pinkie Pie - Funny, cheerful, and a bit random at times. She enjoys parties, laughing, and anything filled with sugar. Her magic... let's her make food and sugary objects explode by touching and throwing it. Like I said, she's a bit random.
Fluttershy -
...
Regrettably, I don't have any info on her. Her file is completely empty. Ugh, why is this so hard?! I can't even look at her without... *Sigh* Maybe next time I see her.
After I bang my head on the desk to gather my thoughts together, I came to a conclusion. Other than having magic, the only thing these girls have in common...
IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!
They're all so completely different. And I don't believe in random coincidences. Could being friends really be the reason these girls have magic. Ugh what is wrong with this place. The city is weird, the people are weird, magic makes even less sense than it's supposed to! Wait...
Maybe I'm just the weird one.
*Sigh* Get yourself together Rain. You can still do this. If just observing isn't enough, maybe it's about time you take the leap and go straight to the source of the magic. Tomorrow I'll start taking classes at Canterlot High. I'll be able to get to know the girls better then. If I don't somehow mess it up like I did before. Maybe if I actually get to know them, I'll do better. But, I'll still take notes. It couldn't hurt.
Bottom line is, it doesn't matter what happens. This is something I have to do. No matter what it takes. I'll learn how magic works here. I'll figure it out. I'm good at that.
I grab a couple notepads and a pen and stick them inside my jacket. I can't let anything get in my way. This is for the thing I want more than anything else. Nothing's gonna stop me. I open the door to leave the store, and it's raining buckets outside.
*Sigh* I hate rain.
Nightshade... and His Friends?
Author's Note
This story takes place right after Put to the Test of MLP - Equestria Girls: The Magic of Friendship
Featuring Nightshade and his associates. Hope you all enjoy.
Nightshade... and His Friends?
The battle has ended, the Rainbooms were victorious, all Nightshade can do now is return to his home. Unfortunately, that home, isn't a great one. In fact, it's technically not even a house. It's a school. Canterlot High School to be precise. Though, it's not what you'd expect it to be like. It's not all happy fun times here. This CHS is a wreck. All of Canterlot City is, at least! The buildings are crumbling, the sky is gray, and worst of all, there isn't another person living here for miles. Well, except for the few other people living in the school of course.
Nightshade's POV
Today, I was beaten. That was actually kinda surprising. That thing they did with their friends, very impressive. However, it's nowhere near good enough. They could barely beat me at my worst. Still, I did have to use a good portion of my magic. Whatever the case, I need a long nap after today. And then it happens. Not even three steps inside, and it happens.
The pain. The excruciating pain. Not Again! It starts in my chest and slowly makes its way to the rest of my body! My... head! I can barely keep my hands steady as I reach into my sleeve to find one of my potion vials. Oh no, I used it already! If I didn't have my staff to keep me up, I would collapse right now. But I have to keep moving. Need to get to the science lab! Now!
With every step I take, a wave of agony flows through me. I need to hurry up! I drag myself to the science lab door and struggle to even reach the knob. I eventually manage to get the door open and enter the room to find it full of clouds and... rainbows? Oh great, she's at it again. At least I know she's in here.
"Nova... Nova... Potion Nova! I need a potion, now!" I didn't mean to yell, but at least I finally manage to get her attention. She then rushes from behind the table and the many vials, beakers, and, you know, all that sciencey, chemistry stuff sitting on top of it. A woman with a lab coat as white as her skin and purple hair with pink and blue accents. Her name is Potion Nova. And, as her name suggests, she makes potions. And I could really use one right now.
However, in her effort to get to me quickly, she, defying all logic, trips on one of the rainbows. Falling forward and land right into me. I fall flat on my back, and she lands on top of me. As if I'm not in enough pain already. I groan out loud in pain and agony, and she, not wasting the opportunity, pours one of her potions directly into my mouth and down my throat. I gag for a second, but I can't argue with the results. The pain starts to subside. Nova gets up from on top of me and I sit up, letting myself readjust.
"Another one!" I demand. This seems to catch her off guard, but she does give me another potion. I drink it down immediately and pass her back her vial. "Th-Thank you. I'm sorry for yelling at you like that."
She takes her vial back and then shrugs her shoulders with a smile. "Nah, don't worry about it. I understand. But, out of curiosity, how much magic did you have to use?"
I finally get back to my feet and walk around the lab. Admiring the rainbows that now decorate the place. "More than I would have liked to I'm afraid."
"Then I take it Plan A didn't go as we hoped."
"Nope. These magic agent girls got in the way. Completely sealed the crack back up." As I'm walking, I, somehow, hit my head on one of the rainbows. "Ow! How does this even work?! I though rainbows were made of light!"
"Heh, you'd be surprised at what can be made possible when done by the right person." Though I doubt she did this on purpose. "So, if Plan A didn't work, then what about Plan B?" She asks as she tries to fan out the clouds through the doorway.
"That's not gonna work either. Those girls are way too weak. They barely understand how their magic works, and I don't think I have time to wait for them to improve. I think my condition is getting worse." I start to get lightheaded, and everything begins to get dizzy. Definitely getting worse. "In fact, I could use another potion."
She closes the door once all the rainbow producing clouds float out and passes me a third vial. "So, it's on to Plan C then." Well, that is true. Not that either of us likes it.
"Hey, Plan C was the original plan. We just came up with A and B thinking they'd be better to go with. At least Plan C takes longer. I know it's not ideal, but..."
"Yeah, yeah. We do what we need and all that."
I nod my head and begin to gulp down the potion, though as I drink it, I notice a slight discomfort in her facial expression.
"What, what is it?" Still uneasy about Plan C.
"Oh, it's nothing just... You kinda take all the fun out of drinking my potions. They're supposed to do silly things, but they don't work on you." I'm starting to think you'd like using me as a guineapig.
"Sorry to disappoint. You could always drink them yourself. I'd love to see you turn into a bunny, or grow wings, or turn your hair green for all I know."
"Yeah, but I enjoy seeing the reaction of how surprised people are from drinking them. It's no fun if I already know what they do." It'd be fun for me to watch. "Speaking of no fun, he's brooding on the roof again. Could you go talk to him? Before he falls through one of the holes."
Oh great. Talking to that guy is always a pleasure. "Ugh, fine. Just don't make any more rainbows inside." Not that this place couldn't use some color.
"No promises."
I make my way down the hallway, walking a little slower than normal, until my foot kicks something on the ground. I stumble and lean forward, almost falling flat on my face, but quickly regain my balance. I look down to see what I almost tripped over and find a certain someone sleeping in the middle of the hallway. Again! How did she not wake up after what had just happened! "Hey, Soprano. Wake up!" Soprano Flare is, well she's a bit of a handful sometimes. Okay most of the time. Which is weird for a girl who sleeps seventy percent of the day. "Soprano!"
With a gentle kick to her side, her eyes finally, but slowly, open up. "Hey, come on." She whines. "I'm trying to get some sleep."
"How many times have I told you not to sleep in the hallway?"
"Did you ever say that? Huh, I must have dozed off when you did." Yeah right.
"Don't you have homework to do right now?"
"Yeah, about that." She yawns and gets up on her feet. "You see this weird guy in a black coat attacked my school and put the lives of all the students in danger. So, we weren't assigned any homework today." Oh yeah. I did kinda do that. "It was great, you think maybe you could do it again tomorrow?"
"I'm gonna attack the school again just so you can get out of doing homework."
"Ugh, fine. I'm going somewhere else to sleep."
"Not in the hallway."
"No promises."
Well, I finally reach to roof, and I see him sitting on the edge. Welp let's hope this goes better than most of our conversations. "Uh hey. You keep staring of into the horizon. You expect it to say something to you." Great icebreaker man, really. I walk over to the edge of the roof, avoiding all the holes, and sat right next to him.
This is Arcane Circuit. Or A.C for short. Grayish blue skin, dark white hair, and covered head to toe in sleek advance technology. And a scowl on top of that. Pretty much his signature look. He looks to me, and I can just fell the anger radiating off of him.
"Why'd you hold back?" He asks. "Why didn't just take all the magic we'd need from the start? We could be done with this by now."
"There wasn't a chance for me to do that."
"Oh, really?" Here it comes. "Those stupid agents got in the way, but you could have blown them away with a snap of your fingers. But no, you hold back."
"Look A.C, you may not like how I do things, but the results will be the same. You just have to trust me." I think what I just said, made him angrier.
"Trust! Like you trust us to know all of your ridiculous plans. Like you trust me to actually get out on the field and take care of those agents. We've worked together for years and the rest of us don't even know your what you look like under that hood. Or if Nightshade is even your real name!" He does have a point, but this is all for the best. Even if he doesn't realize it.
"Look I know you don't like it, but remember, you're not in any position to complain."
He quickly grabs on to the back of my hood and tries his beat to yank it off my head. Not that that's gonna happen. Despite how hard he's pulling. "Why won't this stupid thing come off?!"
"Uh, cause it's magic." I can't help but giggle.
"Ugh, of course. So this is where we stand. You, calling all the shots, and me left in the dark."
"You were watching the whole thing, so you know that I'm gonna need you to take action eventually."
"Yeah, I know! I just... *Sigh* I was just hoping to finally get my wish granted and be done with this." Oh right, his wish. I promised everyone I'd grant a wish in exchange for help. But A.C might be growing a bit impatient. I better say something.
"Look I know it's hard right now, but it's going to be worth the wait. We all have something we're after, but we can only get it if we work together. We're all friends, aren't we?" Or at least the closest thing to friends as this group of weirdos can get. "And friendship..." Finish my sentence buddy.
...
...
"I'm not saying the rest." Darn it.
"Fine. But if the saying is true, if we do this right, stealing all the Equestrian Magic we need should be simple. Right?"
"Whatever." Good enough for me. Now's there's something else I have to take care of.
I get back on my feet, and head back to the door going back inside. Once again, avoiding all the holes. "Now if you excuse me, I have another appointment to attend. Just don't stay out here too long, okay."
"No promises."
You know, somehow, I knew he was going to say that.
