//------------------------------// // 2. Sunset Shimmer vs. Rainbow Dash // Story: Rock Band: Equestria Girls // by ThePegaKris //------------------------------// "I felt like my throat was going to die on me at that time!" I gulped. "You actually had the hardest job, Sunset." Sci-Twi recalled. "It takes some serious vocals to master this song, but you were able to do it." "Barely." "One never knows, darling!" Rarity wiggled a finger at me. "Did you have a warmup before going in?" "I drank like two bottles of water and I didn't feel sick, so does that answer your question, Rarity?" "I'll take it indeed!" She hummed. "Good!" Singing has been something I really love doing, but it sometimes strains my throat. But as they say, 'practice makes perfect!' On that note, Twilight was right about one thing: I did have the hardest job. It probably wouldn't have been different for her if she tried the song. The train stopped at Las Pegasus, which was the next stop. While waiting for some passengers to get on, I couldn't help but laugh at Rarity drooling over how luxurious this place is. I could say the same about my other friends. Applejack and Fluttershy have mentioned to me at one point that they were here for vacation, but they had to fix some big scandal. I'm glad they did it, though. "Ah, the memory of this place remains in my head!" A.J. breathed out. "Uh-huh!" Fluttershy nodded. "Spike, wake up!" "Hmm, are we home from Camp Everfree?" "No silly!" Pinkie slapped herself on the knee. "We're heading home from Rara's tournament, remember? You must be dreaming about chasing squirrels again!" "Agh!" He yawned. "Twilight, can you use your magic to fix my sleeping problem?" "I don't think you have narcolepsy, Spike." Sci-Twi said. "If you did, then there's nothing that we could do about it. Sorry!" "Wake me up when we ACTUALLY get there!" He resumed his sleep. "What's wrong, Apple Bloom?" A.J. checked. "I don't like this place!" She groaned. "It's full of filthy rich idiots!" "Ya think I give a pickled pippin' about them?" Her sister disregarded. "At least Flim and Flam aren't rivals with Granny Smith anymore. I have to thank ya for helping me, Fluttershy!" "You're welcome, Applejack!" "I still don't like this place." Apple Bloom toned down. I rolled my eyes and smiled over their conversation. Somehow, Princess Twilight started to fall asleep right after her other self talked to Spike. I might as well do the same to pass up the time. After all, it was starting to become the evening and we've been at Rara's tournament for a couple of days. I closed my eyes and so did the rest of us. "Next stop: Canterlot City!" The conductor shouted. He officially closed the cars' doors and and began to drive the locomotive. We have finally returned home. I got out of the train car to find out that my friends have some serious bags under their eyes, which was quite bizarre. Whether they've been dreaming happily or nightmarishly, I kind of don't want to know. "Awesome, we're here!" Rainbow fist pumped. "My house then?" "Yeah!" We all got together and stayed behind Rainbow Dash. "What about us?" Sweetie Belle asked. "You can crash in my room for a while!" Rainbow suggested. "Scoots, you can show them where it is. Just try not to make a mess or else...I'll be peeved!" "Language..." Fluttershy softly spoke. "I can show them, Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo volunteered. "We won't make a mess! Right girls?" "Uhh, yeah!" The other Cutie Mark Crusaders stuttered. "Thanks squirt!" as Rainbow patted her sister's head. "Come on, girls!" As we followed her to her house in order to play some Rock Band, I noticed something strange going on. People kept staring at us at every block we came across. Even at stoplights, drivers had their windows rolled up so that they can look at us, too. Everyone's jaws had dropped as soon as they saw us and not a single word came out. We all seemed pretty fazed about this. "Did Starlight Glimmer create a new movement?" Pinkie sniffed around. "Nonsense, Pinkie!" Rarity called out. "Why would she force everyone back into equality? We've forgiven her before and there's been no reason for her to become insane again!" "Impossible." Princess Twilight declared. "Wait a minute." I stopped in my tracks. "Do any of you remember something else about Rara's tournament?" "No, but I did hear her saying that everything's going to be on TV." Rainbow thought. "Maybe that must be it! What if us winning just caused these people to look at us like this?" "Well, if that's the case, then they should at least say something." Sci-Twi said. "I find it creepy that we're being stared at!" "Rarity, these people are freaking me out!" Her sister shivered. "Don't worry, Sweetie Belle, we're almost at Rainbow Dash's house. Hmm, if only she would stop getting distracted by the civilians!" "We're all getting distracted!" Rainbow made up. "It's just around the corner." It wasn't a typical day for us in the Downtown area of Canterlot City, now that we know we're being eyed. But around the corner was actually Rainbow Dash's house and the block before the current one was Carousel Boutique. We then crossed the street and arrived at Rainbow's blue house. How she was able to afford living in a nice place like this is beyond imagination. "We're here!" She exclaimed as she grabbed her keys out of her pocket. "This is going to be so much fun!" Pinkie jumped and down. "Follow me, girls!" as Scootaloo lead the CMCs upstairs after the door opened. "Wow, have you redecorated your house, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity admired. "It looks so stunning!" "Uhh, yeah, thanks Rarity!" She blushed and scratched her head. "Can I get any of you something to eat or drink?" "You remember the last time you've fed us snacks? I think I'll pass." "Sunset!" Fluttershy gasped. "May I have some water, Rainbow Dash?" "You got it, Fluttershy! Anyone else?" "No, but thanks!" We all pardoned. "Sorry." Rainbow went to her kitchen and we all sat down in her living room. I sat with Applejack, Pinkie, Rarity on one side of her big couch and both Twilights, Fluttershy, and Spike were on the other side. In the middle was the perfect space for Rainbow Dash. I must admit that it's always comfortable sitting down here every time we come over to visit her. "She lied to us!" A.J. cried. "The darn band kit's already set up right in front of us!" "Would you blame Dashie?" Pinkie shrugged. "I just want this to be a good time for us!" "It's probably just a small memory problem, no big deal." Sci-Twi explained. "I thought you said she kept the instruments down in her basement a while ago." Her other self countered. "Yes, but Rainbow Dash could've also confused both band kits with each other when she set them up." Rarity inferred. "Ehh?" Fluttershy looked mystified. "Even I find this to be confusing." "I'm back!" Rainbow Dash reminded. "Here you go, Fluttershy!" She handed her water to her in a cold plastic bottle. "Thank you!" "No problem!" The athletic girl welcomed. "So are we going to get started or what?" "I don't know." Rarity jumbled. "Who's going first?" "I thought we discussed the plan on the train: the usual lineup!" Sci-Twi stated. "And who will that be, Twilight?" I'm guessing anonymously. "Err, I don't know! It's all really up to you girls!" "I've got an idea!" Rainbow Dash smirked. "Sunset?" "Yeah Rainbow?" "Would you like to be my opponent?" She giggled. "WHAT?" The rest of us uttered. "But why do you want to battle me all of a sudden?" "This is just for fun and plus, I want to see if you have what it takes to keep up with me!" Rainbow challenged. "Maybe the rest of us will join in once this is over." "Oh, is that so?" I grinned widely. "You think you have what it takes to be a lead guitarist?" "You want me to test your rhythm, Sunset?" Rainbow asked. "Let's get to it, then! Whoever hits more notes twice is the winner!" "Deal!" She shook my hand. After we shook hands, I turned the TV on to the right setting and I started up Rock Band. On the floor were two guitars: one for me and one for Rainbow Dash. We both strapped them onto ourselves and we looked ready to go. "Are ya recording this, Rarity?" A.J. facepalmed. "Why not, darling? This is going to be pure gold and I shall save this in my cosmic archives!" "I'm going to enjoy this!" as Fluttershy took a sip of her water. "A.J., here's the regular controller." Rainbow handed it to her. "You're going to count us down for both rounds, okay?" "I got ya covered!" She winked. "Are you ready, Rainbow Dash?" "I'm always ready!" "Ooh, I'm so nervouscited!" Pinkie let out. "Ya do realize that's not a real word, right?" A.J. raised an eyebrow. "Anyways, let's do this, y'all! Three..." "I must watch this at once!" Spike woke up. "Two..." A.J. counted. "Bring it on!" Both Rainbow and I spit it out. "One..." A.J. counted more. "GO!!!" Then, she selected the song and we went off. "Don't worry, ladies, I'll send this to you all later so we can all dig in the glory!" Rarity chuckled. "I'ma just sit back and enjoy this!" Pinkie noted. "Where's the popcorn?" "Hehe, you could've told Rainbow Dash to bring you some when she asked us!" Princess Twilight rolled her eyes. "I know, but I didn't feel hungry at that point!" Pinkie frowned. "Oh well, I'm off to the kitchen! Who wants something?" "We're good!" The rest of my friends complied. "You better not eat the rest of my sandwich, Pinkie!" as Rainbow quickly turned her head around. "Nice try, Sunset!" At the same time, I feel so nervous and excited, or nervouscited as how Pinkie would put it, about facing Rainbow Dash. We've battled each other with our real guitars, but we've never battled on a game like Guitar Hero or Rock Band. I'd say I can at least get on Dash's level, but that's only if she wasn't so fast. I'm not against her playing style, I do love it with respect, but it is pretty even between us right now. "No distractions allowed!" Rainbow pointed out. "It's not like you've ever been distracted." I returned. "I'm not doing a single thing." "Those civilians from the city counted as a distraction for you, Rainbow Dash." Rarity remarked as she held her phone camera. "They were a distraction to all of us!" Rainbow corrected. "Wait Applejack, why'd you stop the song?" "Uhh, ya both might wanna look out the front window!" "What did I miss?" as Pinkie came back with her popcorn. "Hey, who are..." "It's those people from the city!" I panicked. "And, they're...holding little books?" "Those books look awfully small to me." as Spike climbed up to get a view. "Small books and astonished people, huh?" Sci-Twi calculated. "I think you're onto something, Sunset!" "I am?" "Yes. I think these people are amazed by us winning at the tournament back in Manehattan." Twilight came up. "Well, how do they know where I even live?" Rainbow seemed factious. "I guess we should've checked our surroundings in the first place." Rarity realized. "What're we going to do?" "I'll be back." Rainbow was about to go to the kitchen, only for her to be stopped by me. "Where do you think you're going, Rainbow?" "To get something for these people to leave us alone?" "I know what you're thinking about, and I don't want this to result in the rest of us creating a fake pandemic!" "Aww man!" She sighed. "I thought that they were going to kill us!" Fluttershy began to curl up into a ball. "If we're becoming famous now, then should we sign their darn books?" A.J. wondered. "No, Sunset and I need to finish our match!" Rainbow denied. "That's no reason to be rude, Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy argued. "No, the reason to be rude is that these people keep staring at us and despite you being scared around them, you want us to go out there!" "Stop it!" The Princess of Friendship finished off their conversation. "Let's just leave them hanging at the front and eventually, they'll get bored and leave. Does that sound good to you girls?" "Uh-huh." We all inclined back to the living room. "Well, I don't think this round counted since we obviously got distracted, so you can pick another song, Applejack." "That's totally awesome and fine by me, Sunset." Rainbow said. "A'ight, I got it!" A.J. confirmed her selection. "Ready you two?" "Ready!" "I should start a new recording!" Rarity brought up. "3, 2, 1, Go!" A.J. started up. With that being settled, Rainbow Dash and I resumed our battle. It was for real this time, though I really do feel bad about turning down the people outside for autographs. Hopefully when this is done, they're still out there waiting. If the whole city was outside, then Princess Twilight definitely made the right decision about ignoring them.