Friendship Games: Friendship Makes Magic

by ImNoPony


Chapter 4- Dueling Sunsets

Later, after most of the events had ended, Twilight had returned to her teammates so she can tally up their scores. But as her friends tell her the results, she became less and less excited.

"Let see... Rarity lost because she build a doll house."

"Yeah, I should have realize that birds don't need any shoes."

"And since "Bright Eyes there blew up the lab, we got negative instead."

"Ditzy" nervously laughs.

As she saw Twilight becoming more and more disappointed, Pinkie Pie quickly tells her: "Don't get too upset Twilight. I did really in the baking challenge."

"Yeah that is true" Twilight said in a more uplifting tone.

Applejack then tell everyone: "And even though the Dazzlings didn't do so well during the spelling bee, I reckon me and Dash got some points during our challenges."

After looking over their scores via her clipboard, Twilight reply to her: "You did, but it not by much."

Things aren't looking so goof for the Canterlot team. They lost most of the events they were in and don't win enough points to make up for them. Still feeling hopeful, Sunset ask Twilight: "Are there still some events left."

After checking, Twilight states: "Well we still got the chess match and the math equation. So unless Flash somehow wins, we might as well as pack our bags and..."

But then, before Twilight could finish his speech, Flash Sentry finally arrive... with a shiny gold trophy. "Hey Guys! Guess what I just won at!?"

When they saw the trophy, everyone were speechless. They know what Flash was hinting at but they can't believe that he did it. "No Way!" Twilight muttered.

"Yes way" Flash proudly replied.

"You Won!!" Twilight yelled in disbelief.

"Yep."

"H-How!? I mean, that's great and all, but how!?"

But as Flash was about to explain his story, Aria appeared behind him. "I think his moves were just so stupid that it confused the player and threw them off their game." Flash looked cross at Aria, but off in another location, Flash's female opponent was crying: "How did he beat me? His moves didn't made any sense."

After everyone got through being shocked, Twilight states: "Well if that's the case, if Sunset manage to win the last event, we just have enough points to win the first round."

At first everyone was becoming more cheerful and more hopeful as they can see their chance of winning. But they then realize that they have to put their hopes onto Sunset Shimmer winning her event and that could be a stressful task. Concerned, Applejack try to comfort Sunset and asks: "Do you think you can do this sugarcube?"

Even though she was feeling tune of pressure, Sunset puts on a smile and replies: "I'll try my best." Her friends still has some worry, but they still trust and have faith in Sunset in pulling them through.

But as they were having a heartwarming moment, Cinch's voice was suddenly heard through the P.A system. "Will All Student's From Canterlot High And Crystal Prep Please Come To The Main Hall! The Final Event Is About To Begin!" After they heard the announcement, the Wondercolt team started to feel a little bit anxious about the last event.


Not long after, the rest of the Canterlot Team made it to the main hall. The room packed to the brim with students from both school who were divided on either side. They weren't exactly bonding, but a few students from both schools was mixing it up with each other in secret. This is the crowd that's gunna watch Sunset's event and it looks a bit daunting. However, Sunset was been in front of crowds before and she isn't scared of.

As Twilight, Sunset their friends and teammates got to the far edge of Canterlot side, the principals from both school appeared on stage. Principal Cinch was in the one who has the microphone and she saws to everyone: "This will be the last event of the day. We thanks both teams for giving it their all, but we still need a winner for the first round. Who wins this round will be declare the victor for the first round of the friendship. So we are expecting you to give your full support to your school's representative as they will face: Advance Mathematics!"

And from behind the principals, they show to blackboards with a really tough mathematic equation. When all the students saw them, they quickly notice how difficult the question is. Even the Crystal Prep students was having a tough time salving it from afar.

Cinch explains: "Both students have to find the correct answer, without getting assistance from anyone and have to show all of their working out! There will be a three minute time limit and then we mark anything that they have." One everyone understand the rules, Cinch then pass the microphone to Luna who then announces the competitors.

"The First Competitor From Crystal Prep Is..." However, as soon as she double check who it is (via a clipboard), Luna became shock on who it is. "Sunset Shimmer!?"

Everyone too became surprised when they heard the announcement. But on the far end of C.P's side, Crystal Sunset was beginning to make her way to the stage. Everyone from Canterlot, teachers and student's alike, was confused by this sudden revelation. For Twilight, Sunset and their friends, they couldn't that their opponent will be Sunset's human counterpart. Even Pinkie burst out saying: "What! Are You Kidding Me!" When Principal Cinch notice these reactions, she slowly become suspicious.

As the rest of the student was left wondering what's going on, Luna hesitantly continue her announcement. "A-And the student from Canterlot is..." However, Luna was left speechless as she saw that their side also has Sunset Shimmer. Trying to mitigate the situation, Pinkie quickly rushes over and whispers something in Luna's ear. After the whisper, Luna nervously says: "Uh... Starlight Glimmer?"

Everyone from CHS didn't recognize the name and left wondering who it is. But then, the Sunset Shimmer from Canterlot began walking nervously on stage and takes her place beside her duplicate. Not everyone was confused as they are seeing to completely identical people. This made the situation a whole lot more awkward and confusing and it was affect both Sunsets. The Sunset from Crystal Prep was giving her other self angry and mean looks towards as she was blaming her for all of this. Meanwhile, the Sunset from Canterlot was left hoping in her head that this won't lead to more complications in the future.

Principal Celestia then asks them: "Will both Sun... I mean Students please get to you ready positions." Even though she was still confused by this predicament, she still try to continue and do her job.

Although both Sunsets were anxious about their situation, they were focusing their minds on the equation in front of them. They were thinking about nothing else but how to solve the question. When Celestia shouted "GO!", both Sunsets rush over to their boards and began filling the question out.

As they were writing, everyone was astounded by how fast they were going. They all were waiting on bates breaths as they wait to see who finishes first and who gets the right answer. Twilight and the rest of (Canterlot) Sunset's friends watch from afar and praying that she would make it through.

But at the far back end of the hall, as Applejack was watching her friend in silence, she suddenly heard "Psst" towards her. Wondering who it is, AJ look towards her side. There, she found Sugarcoat and looking right at here. Applejack wouldn't normally talk with somebody from their rival school and not as conspicuous as this. However, she remember that the Friendship Games is about bonding and AJ could tell that something was on her mind.

Secretly, Applejack sidestep next to Sugar Coat and hesitantly asks her: "Uh... What's up?"

"So what's the deal?" Sugarcoat bluntly asked.

"What!?"

"Why do you have a Sunset Shimmer over at you school while we have a Sunset Shimmer over at ours?"

AJ soon realize that Sugarcoat was trying to connect the pieces together and was probing her for information. AJ was really hesitant to tell her about it though. Not only did she made a promise to the principals about not revealing their magic to the other school, but for the fact that it was so awkward and difficult to explain. Applejack tries her best to sidestep the issue.

"It's kind of complicated" AJ tells her.

Sugarcoat wasn't impressed. "I can tell that something is going on here and I would like to know about the truth of this."

AJ repeats: "But like I said, it's really complicated to talk about"

Sugarcoat paused for a sec before speaking again. "Did you say that you know a thing or two about honesty?"

"Wha... How does that have to do with anything?"

"Well if you pride yourself with being an honest person, wouldn't lying and hiding secrets be against your nature?"

AJ kind of see what she is trying to do. She is trying to provoke her truthful nature just so she could spill the beans. Seeing how Sugarcoat also like to be truthful, Applejack thinks she could teach her lesson about honesty.

"Are you asking so you can help your Sunset?" AJ asked curiously.

Sugarcoat was perplexed by the question but soon answers: "No. It's just something I want to know."

"Well you see, whenever I tell the truth, I make sure I helping my friends as I do it. Making sure that they keep on the right path and not make mistakes." As Sugarcoat became more confused, AJ asks her: "Let me ask you thing. Whenever you being truthful Sugarcoat, have you ever consider how you words might effect others or put their feelings into consideration?"

Sugarcoat's eyes widened when she heard that. She had a secret belief that secrets and lies will hurt people, but never thought if the truth could do it as well. And as she was thinking about her past conversations in hindsight, she realize that her words might come off as insulting or degrading.

Applejack tells her: "The reason I'm telling you know is that nobody really need to be distracted during these games."

Sugarcoat was still miffed that she didn't got her answers, but she does feel enlightened. She is willing to put off for now, but she then says: "Ok, but if you don't mind me asking, I got one more question."

"Um... Ok."

"What happened to your ears?"

"What!"

AJ looked up and saw that her pony ears had come out. She couldn't understand it. She didn't know how she manage to magically transform without the aid of her base guitar. Sugarcoat was also confused on how they changed, but she could see that Applejack was panicking over this.

"Well... Uh... " Unable to think up a proper response, Applejack quickly states "I got to go" and runs off. Sugarcoat didn't like it that AJ had run away, but she thinks that AJ might be ashamed of something.

Back on stage, the Sunsets was busy finishing up their answers. They had cover their boards with numbers and mathematic symbols. However, despite being technically the same person, both Sunset came to different results. As the Sunset from Crystal Prep was looking over her result, she was judging if she was happy with it or not. But then, when she decided to change something about it, Principal Cinch yelled before she could do anything.

"TIMES UP!"

Both Sunsets stopped what they was doing and jump back so they could she everyone what they got. (Crystal) Sunset regrated that she didn't tweaked her answer in time but she could do nothing more but let Principal Cinch examine their boards. Everyone in the crowd were on the edge of their seats as they were hoping that their school's got the correct answer. As everyone was too tense to breath and the Sunset's clench their eyes, Cinch declares her decision.

"This Side Is Correct!"

When the Sunsets open their eyes, they saw Principal Cinch pointing towards Crystal Prep side. Everybody was struck with disbelief as C.P was gaining the last and winning point. As Principal Cinch then proudly declares: "Winner of the first goes to Crystal Prep", everyone from Canterlot began to feels massively disappointed. They worked so hard to get as far as they did and seeing all of that goes to waste was emotionally devastating.

"Oh Man!" Pinkie cry out in a huff.

But as the students began to walk off, Crystal Sunset was still in star struck. As she was looking over her equation, she found it hard to believe that she got it right.


Meanwhile, back at Canterlot High, the school's grounds were calmingly silent. With a fair number of students went to Crystal Prep, most school schools clubs where cancelled for the day and nearly everybody had already left. But with nobody around, nobody could witness the crack on the school's front statue was beginning to spread. It wasn't by much but it was growing inch by tiny inch and ominous black lights spilled out for just a second.