"There." Sunset said with a triumphant smile as she finished writing in her old journal. "I just hope this trick works." She didn't have to wait long as Twilight came out of the statue at the front of the school.
"I came as soon as I got your message!" Twilight said as she walked up to Sunset. "I've got a pretty good idea of what we're up against, but I'd like to gather the girls so they can be informed too."
"Don't worry. They should be here soon." Sunset said with a nod as she led Twilight inside CHS. "But what's really troubling is that these girls I warned you about can somehow still use a form of magic. I've got a pretty good idea of what allows them to tap into it. The only problem is figuring out how to negate it."
"That's why I'm here." Twilight said with a smile. One that soon faded when she caught sight of a familiar face. One she'd lost back in Unity. "Burst Stream!"
"Hm? Twili-GAH!" Burst Stream found himself being nearly tackled to the ground as Twilight hugged him! "Twilight. It's good to see you, but it hasn't been that long since you saw the other me, right? I mean with how you're crying, you'd think I was-" And that's when he felt Twilight tense up. ". . . Oh. If you don't mind me asking, how did the other me go out?"
"He sacrificed himself to give us a fighting chance." Twilight said as she let go of Burst. "He went down like a real hero. But there's no point in crying because I know he was proud about how he chose to meet his end."
"Well, at least you knew him before he was gone." Burst Stream said with a sad smile. "That's more than I can say for a certain someone. But, let's change the topic. I'm pretty sure you're not here for a social visit."
"Well, there's a trio of sirens who are planning to turn the entire school into a feeding ground for themselves. Their magic is fueled by adoration, and it also gives them singing voices that can make people adore them."
'No wonder I got a weird feeling from those girls earlier.' Burst thought to himself. "Well, good luck to you. Just know that if things escalate, I've got your back."
"See you around then." Twilight said with a nod as she turned her attention to Sunset. "So. Have you got any ideas of where we can set up?"
"Oh! I know the perfect place!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she seemingly popped out of nowhere! "SLEEPOVER~!" And with that, Pinkie Pie zipped off with Sunset and Twilight in tow!
"I don't know why I thought she wouldn't pop up." Burst Stream said with a sigh as he went back to roaming the halls. However, he noticed something odd when he passed by a display case. A dragon seemed to be following him from the other side of the glass! The same dragon that he'd contracted with during the Fall Formal! "What the?!"
The dragon seemed to pause when he realized Burst had noticed him. And then, he seemed to just hover on the other side of the reflective surface. Almost like he was waiting for Burst Stream to do something.
"Uh. . . hi?" Burst said with a nervous wave. 'Okay. The night of the Fall Formal DEFINITELY was not a dream!' "Nice to meet you. Again."
"It's good to see you too Burst Stream." The dragon said. Shocking Burst by even replying to him! "Although, I'll admit the circumstances of our encounter are far more pleasant than our second meeting."
"Wait. Second meeting? What're you talking about?" Burst asked.
"Ah. I should have guessed you wouldn't remember our first meeting all that well." The dragon said with a chuckle. "You were just a child when we first met."
"You were the dragon I saw when I was a kid!" Burst Stream exclaimed in realization! "I thought I was just seeing things. I've got so many questions! Where did you come from? Why did you save me back at the Fall Formal? Do you have a name?"
"I have been watching over you for a long time Burst Stream." The dragon answered. "That's partially why I intervened for your protection when you were in danger. And I am called Dracoplatinum. I am sure you have many more questions for me, but now is not the time."
"Well, can you at least tell me why there's no symbol on this?" Burst Stream asked as he pulled out the blank Advent Deck. "I know that when you first linked up with me, this deck case had a dragon crest on it. But now, it's gone. Care to explain?"
"Our previous contract did not give you the luxury of voluntarily bonding with me." Dracoplatinum. "No self-respecting Advent Beast would dare force their partner into a contract. There's more to it than that, but I'll save the specifics when you meet the Advent Master. He is the one who created the Advent Decks. And it was he who reverted your deck to its blank state. But right now, you've more pressing matters."
"Right. I'd look pretty crazy talking to a mirror." Burst Stream said as he noticed students approaching out of the corner of his eye. 'Well, things are certainly getting a lot more interesting now. At least I can't complain about things being dull.'
The rest of the day went on like normal. Or at least, it would have if the Dazzlings hadn't turned made everyone go at each other's throats and turn the school's music showcase into a battle of the bands. It was pretty shocking for Sunset to see the unity and friendship that had just been ushered in get shattered so easily. And to make matters worse, the Dazzling had also gotten to Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna! Using their hypnotic song to make them agree to hold the upcoming competition!
"Things got better when you showed up Twilight." Sunset said sadly. "But now they're all falling apart and it's just making the sirens stronger!"
"That just means we can't afford to give up now!" Twilight countered! "If we let those three have free reign, there's no telling what sort of havoc they'll wreak on the world! Unity has magic, and we could fight back with no trouble. But this world has no magic! I don't even want to think about what happens if they win."
"She's right, you know." Goldenrise said as he approached the two. "Maybe standing against them won't completely redeem us, but it'll be one hell of a start."
"True enough, Gold." Sunset said with a small smile. "No one ever said this was going to be easy."
"In the words of Master Aether: Nothing worth doing ever is." Goldenrise said with a slight blush. "I wonder what this world's version of him would think of me?"
"Don't waste time on doing this for someone else." Twilight said with a comforting smile. "The two of you should be doing this for yourselves because you both want to get better. Now come on. We have a counterspell to create!"
"Weird." Burst Stream thought out loud. "Why aren't I being affected from this?" He quickly pulled out his blank Advent Deck. "Is it because of this?" Deciding to not bring unwanted attention, Burst Stream returned the Advent Deck to his pocket.
"Well, everyone's gunning for the top spot now." Inferno said with a smirk. "I was actually kind of hoping things would be chill after the Fall Formal."
"I'd say it's more than just your friendly competition." Steel Edge noted. "Did you see the way everyone else was acting? It was like they were going to start throwing punches at each other!"
"Not to mention that Twilight girl came back." Akage added. "So that means there's something magical afoot here."
"Not to be that guy, but are you sure about that lad?" Magnet North asked. "I mean, what on earth could have made our high school a beacon for magical events?"
"Fall Formal, remember?" Tyrannus countered.
"Wait. You guys aren't getting super aggressive?" Burst Stream asked. Confused as to why his friends weren't being super competitive like the rest of the school except for the Rainbooms.
"Dude. I just wanna show what I can do up on stage." Inferno said with a grin. "This just gives me a chance to really let loose with my skills!"
"The rest of us are just along for the ride." Steel said with a shrug. "Plus, something tells me Dash would never forgive me if I pulled out of a competition just so she wouldn't have to face me."
"Pinkie would be sad if she didn't get to see me on the keyboard." Akage replied with a small smile. "And the last thing I want to do is make her sad."
"I just want to cheer Fluttershy on." Tyrannus answered with a blush.
"And I'm just here to offer emotional support." Magnet North answered with a grin. "Somebody's got to keep you lot organized too!"
"Well, we better get as much practice in as we can." Burst Stream said with a sigh. "I'll meet up with you all after classes are done."
From there, the rest of the day went on as usual. Students shuffled through the hallways to their lockers and then to class, and headed home to either practice or rest for the coming competition. While the Main 7 were trying to figure out how their magic activated, Burst Stream and his friends were busy selecting which songs to perform for their audition and which one to perform should they make it through to the finals. Once they had selected their songs, the band set to work practicing their performance.
"Okay. Things sound pretty good so far." Inferno said with a nod as he tuned his electric guitar. "We've gotten a good amount of practice in today, so I'd say it's about time for us to head home. Practice means nothing if you're too tired to perform. See ya guys tomorrow!"
"Later everyone." Burst Stream said with a smile as he slung his backpack on, and exited the practice room. However, as he was walking, he heard someone singing. "Hm?" As soon as he heard it, Burst Stream was captivated by it and decided to follow the sound to its source. Sure enough, he found that the source of the voice was none other than Nightmare Moon. "That was so beautiful . . . "
"Who-?!" Nightmare Moon, surprised that someone had been listening to her singing, spun around to face her lone audience member! "Oh. Burst Stream. How much of that did you hear?"
"Not enough." Burst Stream said with a smile. "You actually sound better when your boyfriend's not guarding you possessively. Weird. I thought you would've been practicing with them."
"They're not too big on practicing." Nightmare Moon said with a sigh. "By the way, what time is it?"
"Hm?" Burst Stream whipped out his phone. "It's almost four. Why?"
"Great. They didn't even wait for me." Nightmare Moon said sadly. "I know where they're staying at. I'll just walk there."
"Sorry. I can't let you do that." Burst Stream said. "Letting you walk all that way doesn't sit well with me. Plus, it's getting dark soon. I don't doubt that you can handle yourself. Heck, you look like no one would ever want to mess with you. Still, maybe they're not worth going back to if they're not going to wait for you."
"Honestly? I don't know what I ever saw in Night Terror to begin with." Nightmare Moon said with a small smile. "You know, you're the first person who's treated me so nicely. So what did you have in mind?"
"You can stay the night at my home." Burst Stream said with a kind smile. "I'll let my mom know that we'll be having a guest tonight. We've got a spare room back at the house, so you won't have to occupy the couch."
". . . Why?" Nightmare Moon asked.
"Why what?"
"Why are you being so nice to me? What reason do you have to help me? You don't know me. You even said that my appearance is intimidating. So why choose to show me kindness?" Nightmare Moon asked sadly. "Especially when it nearly got you hurt?"
"Because you looked like you were hurting." Burst Stream answered as he took a step towards Nightmare Moon. "And I refuse to ignore someone who I've got the power to help. That, and because of a promise I made to myself a long time ago."
"What kind of promise?" Nightmare Moon asked.
"I'll tell you some other time." Burst Stream said with a wave of his hand. "Right now, let's get you to my place. My ride's parked outside the school."
"You have a car?" Nightmare Moon asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Nope." Burst Stream shook his head, and smiled as he led Nightmare Moon towards his bike. "Well, what are you waiting for? Hop on!"
"Okay." Nightmare Moon said with a nod as she sat behind Burst Stream. She got a warm feeling from him as soon as she put her arms around him so she could hold on. 'No wonder I'm starting to like this guy. He's gives off such a pleasant feeling.'
Before long the couple had arrived at Burst's house and dismounted from his bike as they headed inside. Burst Stream was busy texting his mother about their new guest, and was showing Nightmare Moon to the guest room.
"Okay. I'd say to get settled in, but you don't have much on you." Burst Stream said as he set his phone down in the kitchen. "Ask me if you need anything. I'll be getting dinner ready soon."
"You?" Nightmare Moon asked. "You mentioned that your mother was out working. So where's the man of the house?"
"You're looking at him." Burst Stream answered flatly as his eyes narrowed. "There's only one place that you'll find my father." Burst Stream strode over to the picture of him and his parents. "And that's in this picture."
"I. . . I'm sorry." Nightmare Moon said. "I shouldn't have-"
"Don't be sorry. You didn't know." Burst Stream said with a sigh as he picked up the picture. "You asked me what that promise I made was. Well, it's got a lot to do with him."
"So, what happened?" Nightmare Moon asked cautiously.
"I was just a kid when it happened. Probably around eight or ten years old." Burst Stream answered sadly. "It was night, and I heard my mom crying. It woke me up from my sleep, and I got out of bed to see what was going on. I saw my dad standing while mom was sitting in a chair and tears were falling down her face. Dad noticed me, and he told me that he had something important to do and that it might be a long while before he came back home. I just nodded and wished him good luck as he went out the door. A few days passed, and I asked my mom when dad would be home. Then a month passed. Still no sign of him. And that's when the rotten nephew of Celestia decided to be a jerk and tell me that my mom and I had been abandoned."
"Burst Stream. . . "
"Hearing that shattered my whole world, and I asked my mom if what he said was true. The only answer I got from her was tears." Burst Stream said as he set the picture down, and he clenched his fist. "My dad always told me to stand up for what was right, and to be there when others needed me. So where was he when Mom needed him? Where was he when I needed him? How could the guy who I looked up to just up and turn his back on everything he taught me?! I didn't know what else to do at that moment, so I locked myself in my room in an attempt to shut out the room and cried for a few minutes straight. Then, I had a stupid idea. My dad and I would always watch cartoons, movies, or read comics together. So, in a vain attempt at thinking it would bring him back to me, I threw myself into all of my favorite things. Most of them were superhero related. And after about an hour or two of that, that's when I made my promise."
"What promise did you make?" Nightmare Moon asked.
"I promised myself that I'd be like the heroes I looked up to and enjoyed." Burst Stream answered as his hand relaxed. Slowly but surely, a smile returned to his face. "That I'd stand up for what was right, and fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. But most important of all, I swore that I'd be there when someone needed me. That way I could be a better person than my dad was, but still live by the values he taught me."
"Burst Stream." Nightmare Moon said with tearful eyes. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
"Don't be. It wasn't all that bad. I had plenty of great friends to help me get by." Burst Stream answered with a warm smile. "When you're ready, I'm willing to listen to your story. And I promise that I'll be there to help you get better too. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to work on dinner."
"Right." Nightmare Moon said with a small smile. "By the way, where does your mom work anyway?"
"Oh. She's a model." Burst Stream answered. "She gets pretty busy with her work considering how good she looks for her age, so I take care of a lot of the housework."
"Well, if you need any extra help, I wouldn't mind lending a hand." Nightmare Moon said with a slight blush.
"Funny." Burst Stream said with a chuckle. "Most girls would kill to have a man who does most of the housework." The two shared a laugh before Burst got to work preparing that night's meal. All the while, Dracoplatinum was watching the pair vigilantly.
Meanwhile, the Dazzlings had just met up with Night Terror and proposed an alliance. However, they were soon interrupted when a creature shuffled out of the nearby mirror!
"Uh, Adagio?" Sonata asked. "WHAT THE HECK'S THAT?"
"I don't know." Adagio said with narrowed eyes as she powered up her magic. Strangely enough, the creature, known as a Gelnewt, immediately stood still. "Walk forward." The Gelnewt followed Adagio's command. Prompting a smirk from the eldest of th siren siblings. "Interesting. How many more of you are there?" The Gelnewt let out a strange grunt, and more of its kind stepped forth from the mirror.
"It appears you hold great power." Night Terror said with a dark smile. "I could finally give my queen a devoted legion."
"Then tell me, Night Terror. Do we have a deal?" Adagio asked.
"Oh. We have a deal." Night Terror said with a smirk. 'Once I figure out how you control these creatures, I'll take it from you. And then, Nightmare Moon and I shall rule together. Just as we're meant to be. . . '