Once they had their instruments set up, the Rainbooms were all set to practice.
"All right everybody!" Rainbow announced. "Let's get ready to rock! Celestia said she checked and the officials said it was alright if we ponied up so don't hold back!"
The other girls grinned and got their instruments ready, except for Twilight, who gripped the microphone as though her life depended on it.
"Okay, a 1, a 1, 2, 3, 4!"
"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"
While the other girls let themselves be absorbed into the music and ponied up, Twilight still clung to the mic and looked around nervously, the Shadowbolt's laughter from earlier still ringing in her head.
This did not go unnoticed by Sunset, who stopped playing and quickly got the others to stop too.
"Hang on everyone!" Soon enough, all was quiet again and the girls returned to their normal forms as Sunset approached Twilight and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Twilight? Are you ok?"
Twilight took a deep breath, trying to bury her nervousness deep inside her. "Yeah...just a little overwhelmed by the stage is all." She looked out in the seemingly endless rows of seats, which would soon be full of people watching them.
"Are you quite sure darling?" Rarity asked while observing Twilight. "You don't really seem like the kind of girl to get stage fright. Not to mention you've been on stage plenty of times before, for performing and academic competitions."
"It's all right Twilight." Fluttershy offered her a comforting smile. "I get stage fright too! Thats...kind of why I picked the tambourine. So I wouldn't be out in front." She shuddered at the image of being the center of attention.
"Well, it's just-" Twilight tried to get her words together when Pinkie interrupted her.
"Yeah! Believe it or not, I used to get super super nervous performing in front of others too!" Pinkie explained with all her natural cheeriness. "But Maud taught me a trick to help me with that. I just had to imagine everyone in the audience in moose costumes!"
"Moose costumes?" Twilight repeated in confusion.
"Yup! After all, who looks scary in a moose costume?" Pinkie laughed. "After that, the audience become too silly to be scary! It was just like my Granny Pie said: I just had to giggle at the ghosties and they stopped being scary!"
"Huh." AJ shrugged. "I heard you were supposed to imagine them as a bunch of chickens. But I guess the moose costume thing works too."
"Actually, it's about the Shadowbolts-"
"Aw forget about those gals. Twi." AJ waved them off. "They're just a bunch of bullies trying to get under your skin."
"Yeah! They're just trying to psyche you out before the contest!" Rainbow argued. "They don't know how cool you are like we do!"
"Y-you do?"
"You betch'ya!" Pinkie said.
"Twilight, your way better than those jerks from CPA." Sunset said. "They're not the ones who faced Discord, the Sirens and me and won."
"Yer one of a kind sugarcube!" AJ smiled while Rarity and Fluttershy nodded.
"See Twi? You've got nothing to worry about!" Rainbow said. "Besides, the audience will probably be too focused on my sweet guitar moves!" She grinned while Sunset and AJ rolled their eyes.
"Remember, we're right here beside you Twilight." Sunset gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze, making Twilight smile a little.
"Thanks girls."
"Now let's get back to practicing! Times a-wasting!" Rainbow commanded as everyone got back into position.
Twilight managed to forget about the Shadowbolts and just have fun playing with her friends....at least for a little while.
A slightly younger Twilight stood on the stage with the spotlight on her, crying and covered in gunk and surrounded by darkness.
"Aww look, the poor baby's crying!"
"Guess she's not as powerful as she thinks she is!"
The echoes of laughter continued and Twilight, helpless to stop it, let streams of tears down her cheeks.
Twilight awoke with a gasp.
She looked around-and took a sigh of relief upon seeing she was still in her bedroom before checking the bedside clock.
3:00 am.
She groaned and fell back against the pillows.
Why can't I just let this go? Why can't I just be happy for my friends and the school? Why does this have to happen now of all times?
Either through force of will or plain exhaustion, Twilight managed to enter a dreamless sleep for the rest of the night.
The next few days went by pretty smoothly, with no more run-ins with the Shadowbolts or their Principal to stir up old memories. The Sonic Rainbooms were prepared to perform.
Well...almost all of them.
Twilight Sparkle was getting her books sorted before heading to the final practice when she ran into none other than Flash Sentry.
"Hey Twilight!" He greeted with a smile. "All set to perform tomorrow? You girls are going to be amazing!"
Twilight smiled softly. "Thanks Flash. Are you coming to the show?"
"Are you kidding? The whole school's going to be there! You've done so much for us, the least we could do was come to support you guys."
Twilight's eyes widened. "T-the whole school?" She quickly swallowed her nerves and put on the same fake smile she wore for her parents when they told her they would come too. "T-that's great! I can't wait to see you guys there!"
Now Flash wasn't a genius like Twilight was, but he knew when something was wrong with someone. "Are you alright?"
"Of course I'm alright! Why does everyone keep asking me that!?" Twilight realized she was shouting when she saw Flash's shocked face. "Oh. Sorry."
"Twilight, I know something's going on. Are you nervous about the show tomorrow? I know Crystal Prep's going to compete and that you used to go there-"
"Of course I'm not nervous!" She snapped at him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to rehearsal." Without letting him get another word in, Twilight quickly walked away.
Flash was just left standing there, rubbing the back of his head, knowing that something was wrong but couldn't figure out what.