//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: Meshing Of Schools // Story: The Tournament Of Friendship // by FourShadow //------------------------------// After all of the Crystal Prep students were accounted for, they started to head towards the gymnasium where the rest of the students were assembled. Almost instantly students began to mingle with one another, and for the most part, it was rather friendly. There were a few mixed in that were lookin' forward to winning, but thankfully there was some balance to keep everyone from being mad or riled up. But of course, even when everyone was getting along, Twilight kept on wandering by herself, avoiding everyone at all costs. She wasn't going to allow anyone to interrupt her when she was in the zone. But she stopped in her tracks when she felt her body bump into something. Or someone-- "Oh, hi! I'm Pinkie Pie!" She greeted, offering to shake her hand. Twilight almost freaked out, realizing who she was. One of the girls who was associated with Sunset Shimmer was standing before her! But wait, she was trying to be nice to her. Well, if she wasn't going to get any focus now, she might as well get it over with. "Hi." "... Sooo whats your name?" Pinkie asked, tilting her head. "Twilight. And if you don't mind, I'm a little busy--" "What's that?" Pinkie Pie asked, pointing at the pendent around her neck. Twilight was surprised. This girl who she just met was interested in learning about her? But wait, what if she had something planned, what if she was just talking to get information out of her? What if she had a revenge plan and she was just talking her up? What if she was still-- "You okay there? Your head's kinda sweaty." "I'm not sweaty! Maybe you're sweaty!" "Whoa, hey, it's okay!" Pinkie Pie raised her hands up, trying to calm her down. "I'm not trying to stress you out, I'm sorry." Twilight stopped for a moment. She didn't know whether or not to trust her, but she could hear some genuine sincerity from her tone of voice. Taking a moment to breathe in and out, she finally calmed herself down so she could talk. "Well, to answer your question... it's a spectrometer. I built it to track EM frequencies, but it can also contain anomalies." Pinkie Pie just had that same grin on her face when she met. She only blinked as a response, but deep down she had no idea what Twilight had just told her. "... it measures things." "Like what?" "I can't say." "Aww, why not?" Twilght had a deadpan expression. "If I did, you would think I'm crazy." Just then, they heard an adult woman speaking on the stage. "Hello everyone, I like to take this opportunity to welcome our visitors from Crystal Prep Academy and welcome them to CHS!" Principal Luna said into the microphone. "And lastly, I like to recognize the 12 students that CHS has elected to compete..." A few heads turned to look at Derpy who gave a happy smile and waved at them. Some of them giggled, mostly from the silly face she was giving them. Even Micro Chips and Sandalwood who stood near her giggled a bit. And when heads looked to Lyra and Bon Bon, they could hear a few whistles and cheers of delight as they were focused on. Both of them blushed harshly, but still waved. Even a few shout-outs to Flash were given, he just simply played it cool, even waving some back. But when they looked at the Rainbooms? Oh no. Everyone went dead silent as they glared at those five individuals, but they still let Principal Luna's voice come loud and clear. "... I don't think we could have chosen a better group to represent the excellence, sportsmanship, and friendship that the games stand for." Ignoring the crowds as best as they could, Rainbow Dash and Rarity walked through the gathering. It was awkward to say the least. But Rainbow found someone she felt bold enough to approach. "Oh, uh, Cherry Crash, hey!" The green-haired rocker gave Rarity and Rainbow a pretty flat scowl. "So, um... h-how are you? You enjoying the party?" Rainbow asked awkwardly. "I was. Until you two showed up," Cherry snarked. Nervous silence. Rainbow and Rarity exchange a very quick glance between them - the former wanting to just go. But Rarity, recalling her earlier speech about trying, still tried to give it her all. "I'm... sorry to hear that, dear." She swallowed, searching for the words. "Cherry, please, I know that we've had - our share of problems - and that you don't want anything to do with us--" "Yeah. I don't," Cherry deadpanned, glancing flatly down at the cup in her hand. Rarity winced, but tried to press on. "But, please, please know that I am sorry. For whatever I, or the others, may have done to you. I don't want to be that person anymore. I want to change, I really do." She sighs, and smiles tentatively. "So please, darling, whatever might have been in the past, can we start over again?" There was a pause. Until Cherry looked at Rarity with an unforgiving sneer and dashed her drink in Rarity's face, soaking the former bully. "Hey! What was that for!?" Rainbow exclaimed. Rarity, shocked and sputtered let out a gasp/shriek as the contents of the cup drip down her face and front, her hair soaked. "You think a pretty little apology is gonna make up for everything you all pulled? Get out of here. You and your 'friends' deserve everything you get." Rainbow was just about to make a furious move towards her. But-- "Hey!" Indigo Zap pushed between the two, keeping them back away from each other. "What the heck? Cool it you two, jeez!" Sunny Flare and Lemon Zest were with her too, both of them taken aback by the near-fight. "Whoa whoa whoa, seriously girls, chillax! We're here to have fun, not try to kill each other!" Lemon said, keeping her hands up. Rainbow and Cherry, after a tense moment, with a lot of people's eyes on them, back down. "Sorry." Cherry said, flatly and insincerely. She walked away, Dash glaring after her. "Oh... l-let it go, Rainbow Dash." Rarity frowned miserably down at her wet front and tried to wipe the juice off her face. Sunny took a small container of wet wipes out of her purse, offering it to the drenched girl."Here..." Rarity gratefully starts to clean up. "Thank you, darling. I really appreciate it..." "It's no trouble at all - Rarity?" "Sunny Flare!" Rarity gasped. "You're here!" Rainbow looked to Rarity. "Wait. You know this girl?" "Why of course! I met her Saturday while I was out in town. Sunny, this is a friend of mine, Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash, this is Sunny Flare." The girl smiled. "Pleasure to meet you, dearie." Rainbow wasn't sure how to react. But nonetheless, she did shake her hand. "Hi! I'm Lemon Zest!" The green-haired girl smiled, shaking her hand with a great amount of enthusiasm. "Yo, wassup?" Indigo grinned. "I'm Indigo Zap. Nice to meet you." Rainbow shook her hand. "Nice to meet you too... nice goggles." Indigo chuckled. "Thanks. And nice studs back there." Rainbow blushed a bit, feeling the studs she had on her ears. "Thanks." "Now if you don't mind explaining, who was that girl that soaked you in juice?" Lemon asked. Rarity sighed. "Cherry Crash. I'm afraid she and I are not on good terms..." "That's putting it lightly," Rainbow deadpanned. "Just like everyone else here..." "What?" Indigo asked, confused. "Nothing!" Rainbow panicked, realizing what she just said. "Sooo, Rarity, maybe if you want, since this party's going to be for a little while, maybe you and your friend here want to hang outside with us later? Eventually we hit a point where we kinda, have to... you know, leave the room." Rarity was a little surprised by her offer, but at the same time she was happy. It would be nice to talk to them a little more, maybe get some time away from CHS. Better with people who had never met her. "I... I love to, Sunny!" Rarity squeaked. Just then, they saw Vice-Principal Celestia step up on stage. "Hello everyone. Now I know you're all excited for this party to begin, but before we invite the musicians and bands on stage, I believe Principal Cinch has a few words..." Principal Cinch stepped on stage, adjusting the microphone a bit, albeit cringing at the feedback noise. "I..." She tapped the microphone for a second. "Sorry, malfunction for a second. I'd like to thank Principal Luna for her unconventional welcome. It's been quite some time since the last Friendship Games, but it feels as if nothing has truly changed. Canterlot High and Crystal Prep Academy's relationship seems to have remained strong as ever, and as far as I can see, there is plenty of healthy friendships starting to form before my eyes," Principal Cinch smiled. "I remember when I was a student among you all when the Friendship Games were first made. However, the rules of the games have no changed. We will play through these games with good sportsmanship, strong wills, and a healthy attitude. I believe you all are mature enough to keep that in mind, but I thought it was worth noting. Thank you, and I wish you all the best of luck." She stepped off stage, allowing Principal Luna to come back and speak. "Thank you, Principal Cinch. And our first musician to start us off is an old face who has returned back to our school. She's well known around her for her dancing, her upbeat attitude, and fascination with retro and vintage history and pop culture. So without further ado, here playing a song she put together, the retro-loving, keytar swinging, pop-culture referencing styling of; Amethyst!!!" As she got off the stage, the curtains began to slowly rise up, allowing some smoke start to flow from the stage. A smoke machine was set off to the side to create the effect, and some neon colored lights flickered. She was revealed to be back in her neon blue outfit she wore the first time she met the Dazzlings; shoulder-pads, parachute pants, white tennis shoes, and a blue 'futuristic' set of glasses to complete the look. Her fingers tapped on the first key, and she tapped her foot on the stage. When the music kicked up, she began to sing. Magic is rising Powers inside us Maybe it's a sign that we're the chosen ones A monster is rising A villain in disguise Enacting an evil plan and ready to go ca-razy Amethyst's fingers slammed on the keys, playing each chord and note with a great amount of intensity, getting into the spirit of the song. We’re the ones The strongest and the bold We’re the only ones to take 'em on, tonight! Come lets take em, come lets start this Battle! If we’re gonna save our world like a superhero! We’ll need some allies! If we're gonna survive and win this war! We need a stronger will to overcome them Fists of steel and a brand new name for Battle! If we’re gonna save our world like a superhero! By now, a few students were now starting to dance along to the song, all enjoying the rhythm she was stringing for them all. Though tucked away along the side-lines were the Rainbooms who could only sit and watch as Amethyst performed for them all. The same girl that they bullied, the same girl that they hurt to the point where she was booted out of school, was playing on stage with a great amount of energy and charisma. Wo-oh Building up our calling The heroes take a stand Fighting for good Fighting for all that we believe in Come lets take em, come lets start this Battle! If we’re gonna save our world like a superhero! We’ll need some allies! If we're gonna survive and win this war! We need a stronger will to overcome them Fists of steel and a brand new name for Battle! If we’re gonna save our world like a superhero! As she kept playing, everyone kept dancing. Even Vinyl and Trixie who stood behind the stage couldn't help but dance a little bit to her beat. "Amethyst is really killing it, isn't she?" Vinyl smiled. "I know! I'm surprised her equipment is handling all the pressure, this is almost concert level of sound!" Trixie shouted over the rock and roll. Vinyl looked behind them, and looked back at Amethyst who kept the performance up. But her eyes widened, she noticed something was off. She looked back behind them, and then back to Amethyst on stage. "Um, Trixie? Shouldn't equipment be plugged in, in order to work?" "Yeah, why?" "Well..." Trixie looked back to where Vinyl was staring at, and her face bulged in shock. The cords and plugs that were supposed to help power Amethyst's equipment were not plugged in. "How is anything working!?" Vinyl exclaimed. "I don't know!" Trixie cried. "Unless..." They looked back on the stage, and they could not believe their eyes. Amethyst was glowing! And it wasn't any special effects equipment or devices they plugged on stage or on her outfit. She was radiating with energy! It was like she was gaining power from some obscure source! Twilight Sparkle watched everything that went down. Her eyes were practically bulging out of her head when she saw her glowing. The pendent around her chest also began to beep erratically, finding the source in mind. As much as she'd love to have a closer look, if she was found, all eyes would be on her. No way she was going to risk it now. "Amethyst... you don't think--" Trixie began. "--I think she does," Vinyl nodded. When the final piece of the song came, she jumped up, and hit back down like a guitarist would in a rock and roll concert, raising her key-tar up in the air as she hit the final notes. And out of nowhere, when she strung the final key, a giant soundwave burst from her instrument, blowing the crowd from off their feet and pummeled them all to the ground like a giant hurricane wind had swept through the room. When the song ended, Amethyst looked up and her mouth dropped, seeing the fallen crowds. "... Uh oh." Trixie chuckled nervously. "Well, at least nothing was destroyed, and everyone is okay--" All of the glass windows along the walls of the gymnasium shattered into broken glass, thankfully most of it falling outside the gym and not inside to where the shards could jab into some poor students. "... oops." Amethyst gulped. Out of all of the people in the room, there was only one person cackling. Falling to the floor and cackling like a hyena, was Fluttershy. She was holding onto her sides, laughing so hard that she was crying. Looking up, she was given the unamused glares of the Rainbooms. "What?" Fluttershy shrugged. "I didn't think she blow the crowd away!" Now Pinkie Pie was laughing at the stupid pun. But the other three were not so amused. "You're a child," Applejack deadpanned. "Mmm. Uh-huh," Fluttershy rolled her eyes. While everyone was slowly struggling to get themselves back on their feet, Rainbow Dash felt a buzzing in her pocket. Picking it up, she read the number and immediately answered it. "Hello? Yes this is Rainbow Dash," Rainbow began. She then put her hand over the speaker. "It's the hospital." The Rainbooms were now drawn to Rainbow. "What's that? Okay... give me a second." Rainbow cupped the phone again and looked to her associates with a shocked face. "You're not going to believe this..." Aria Blaze scrunched her face and groaned on the screen. Somehow she managed to figure out how the touch-screen technology worked but it was a pain to understand. But regardless, she was able to get clear communication with Rainbow Dash on the other side. "Explain this to me again, one more time." Aria asked with a bored/confused face. "The doctors called us, and they said the CMC are physically fine, but they were in some paralytic state." Aria rubbed her chin. "When you say paralytic, what do you mean?" "As if they're Sleepin' Beauty who's takin' an extensive amount of time for a nap," Applejack replied. "Uh-huh," Aria nodded. She set the phone down on something that kept it standing and backed away, pacing back and forth. It looked like she was standing near a bed and small table, often what you would see in hotel rooms. "Where are you, anyway?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Are you in a hotel?" "No, I'm not," Aria deadpanned. "The hotels around here are expensive, and we can only afford to stay in a motel room. To be fair, Adagio did find the nicest one around but... that's not saying much." "It can't be that bad, can it?" Aria scowled as she looked at the camera. "I didn't get any sleep last night." Her hand pointed to the beds. "I have two sisters. One of them talks in her sleep, and the other snores." "My brother snores, so what?" Fluttershy rolled her eyes. "Does your brother's snoring sound like a lawnmower running over a cat?" Aria glared. Fluttershy stopped talking. "Though, if I can be honest, her snoring is the least of my problems," She pointed to the right. "The neighbors keep trying to kill each other. And when I went over to deal with them, you know what they did?" "What?" "They threw a lamp at me," Aria growled. "Trust me, if I would, I would have snapped it in half, but we're trying to keep our identities a secret." The Rainbooms looked at each other, nodding understandably. "Though there's a bigger problem..." Aria groaned, pointing to the left. "On this side. College kids. All 47 of them..." Her nostrils flared up. "And they have a subwoofer..." The Rainbooms couldn't help but stifle a giggle. Aria only scowled some more. "Oh you laugh now, but that's not funny." She stomped towards the phone and picked it up, bringing her face uncomfortably close with rage. "When you're the person who has to listen to this, it's not funny." Rarity even giggled. "Yes, that is bad... but, maybe if we can, can we get back to what we were--" "Oh, and look at this!" Aria flipped the camera around towards the table, and the next thing that came on screen made all of the Rainbooms shiver and cringe. "OH SWEET MERCY, GET THAT WRETCHED THING OFF THE SCREEN!" Rarity shrieked. "If you don't mind, Aria, maybe we can just talk to one of your sisters instead?" Aria stopped. She flipped the phone back around, sighing heavily. She took a deep breath, trying to relax her mind. "Sorry. Anyways, you were saying?" "They were in a deep sleep?" "Oh, right, right!" Aria remembered. "Hmm... hold on. Out of curiosity, you said that Sunset was the one responsible for them being in these states?" "Yes." "Eeyup." "Mmmhmm." Aria was puzzled. "Okay, follow-up question. How exactly did she do it? What did she do exactly?" "Aria, we don't know!" Rainbow said. "Rainbow Dash," Aria said, sternly. "If you want me to help, I need to know exactly what happened. What was the last thing you remember with them before they were like this?" Rarity sighed. "All I remember was tucking Sweetie Belle in for the night, and then when I woke up... she wasn't waking up! And... and..." Rarity felt her stomach churning. "Sunset left a note... she said if I didn't continue to help... whatever happened to her... would happen to my mother and father!" Rainbow frowned and patted her shoulder. "She's not the only one. Scoot just wanted to spend the night with me, and then the next morning... I found her like that, with the same note from Sunset." "And with Applebloom," Applejack somberly replied, looking away from the camera. "Hmm..." Aria scratched her chin. "So they're physically fine?" "Yes." "But in a paralytic state of sleeping..." Aria thought. "But if they're fine then..." her head went straight up and her face quickly turned from curious to terrified. "Oh no..." "Why so scared all of the sudden?" Applejack quivered. "Girls. I don't know how to say this... but I have a feeling Sunset must have used some form of Equestrian Magic to put them all in a paralyzed trance!" "WHAT!?" All three sisters yelled. "If Sunset didn't beat them up or assault them, then she must have done something that would make sure you girls stayed with her no matter what," Aria said, putting the pieces of the puzzle together. "And the only way this can be figured out is..." She halted as she was in direct thought. The Rainbooms were a little confused. "What?" Pinkie asked. "Figured out what!?" She grabbed the phone and started shaking it violently. "What did you figure out!?" "Pinkie!" Aria shouted. Pinkie stopped shaking the phone. "Please do not do that again, I think I'm going to throw up." Pinkie giggled. "Oops! Sorry Ari!" She set the phone back down, showing an Aria who was cupping her mouth, trying her hardest not to spit out any of the contents in her stomach. "Okay..." She let out a burp, finally feeling well again. "We're coming back. We need to come back, and we have to go to Equestria." "Wait, what!?" "You mean the place where Sunset came from actually... exists?" Rarity asked. "You're talking to an immortal siren who merged into a three-headed sea monster," Fluttershy deadpanned. "I think we can believe anything they tell us." "Look, the point is, I have an idea. If she put them under a spell, there must be a counterspell for this. We go to Equestria, find someone who knows a thing or two about magic spells, find what we need to undo the spell, they should wake up again." Now the three sisters were liking this news. "You mean... Applebloom might finally... wake up again?" Applejack said, her eyes becoming watery with joy. "I can't promise anything, but if there's a chance it can be undone, we'll do what we can to find a way." A soft timer beep went off in the motel room, Aria looking off to the side. "Oh crud, I gotta go. Look, I'll tell Adagio and Sonata everything, this is big, this is real big. We'll let you know if we come across anything. Just do your best and keep on pushing." "We will," Rainbow said, pumping her fist. "Just go out there and find that cure!" "And get them back! Oh, one more thing darling?" "Yeah?" Aria said, looking at Rarity. Pause. Then with some courage, she looked at Aria Blaze, dead in the eye. "I know we're not on equal terms with each other but... thank you." For once, Aria couldn't find herself able to scowl at those she called enemy. She actually gave a genuine, sincere smile and nodded. "You're welcome."