The Tournament Of Friendship

by FourShadow


Chapter 14: Old Routes, Old Friends

Tuesday had arrived. The official first day of the Friendship Games. Yesterday was nothing but partying and getting to know the competition, but now the games were beginning for real. Everyone was moving themselves to get up and runnin' for the games, eager to get there on time.

Applejack was up, has been for a couple of hours already, having done chores and such before having to leave for school.
Bag slung over her shoulder, she was on the way to school - unlike Rainbow Dash, who lived the closest to the school. AJ, being on a farm far from school meant that she had a lot more opportunity to figure out a route to school that wasn't easily found by her fellow classmates--

"AJ!"

--For about two seconds. Applejack jumped in surprise, hearing a voice that ticked an old memory.

"What in--?"

She looks over, and sees a familiar-looking girl running towards her, waving. Same sparkling skin-tight pants, shoulder-less blue shirt, and indigo colored hair that was woven beautifully to match her pale-blue skin.

AJ was astounded. "Rara?"

Rara smiled. "Hi! I've been looking all over for you!" The former pop star came up by her, smiling, a little out-of-breath.

"How did ya..."

"I remembered one of your old letters. Back road by the creek. You liked the flowers on the trees in spring, thought I'd check there," Rara answered, panting heavily.

AJ had nothing else to say. "Oh."

The two of them, after some lingering on Applejack's part, continued the hike to school. AJ glances at Rara once or twice, trying to be discreet. This was just a big shock to her. She knew this girl from years ago. They'd been best pals at camp, but had fallen out of touch. But now here she is again - Rara, formerly 'Countess Coloratura,' teen pop sensation - and AJ herself, a lonely ex-bully.

Applejack had no idea what to say to her. How do you talk to someone from so long ago, after so very much has gone wrong with your life?

Trying to think of something, she said, "So... uh. You were famous."

Rara laughed. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone say it like that before." She smiled, thoughtfully. "It was... it was nice, but I'm glad to take a break from it all for a while."

Applejack was confused. "Really?"

"Yeah... I mean, don't get me wrong, I love singing. And I'm grateful that my music made a lot of people really happy. Doing meet-and-greets with fans was always so nice... but it just feels good to get out of the spotlight for a while."

The apple farmer frowned as Rara continued.

"It's just... there were times when it felt like I was always being watched. Like, that there was nobody who really knew me, well, for me. And that if I goofed up, or did something wrong, that I'd never live it down." She kicked a small rock in her path into a bush. "So I decided to take a break. My manager calls it a sabbatical, but whatever. I want some time to be just Rara again."

AJ's response was wistful, sad. "That must be nice..."

Rara broke out of her reverie, and noticed her friend's gloom. Very softly, she spoke, "Oh, AJ... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's alright. I know ya didn't mean anythin' by it." She looked away. "Not like other folks..."

Rara frowned at her. They've stopped walking and stood in silence, in the morning beauty by the creek. Tentatively she said, "I'd heard about some things, from some of the other students at school. Nobody believed me when I said that you and I were friends..."

AJ was almost startled. "You went an' told 'em that?!"

Rara put her hands up, defensively. "I didn't know, AJ! I had no idea that people hated my old camp friend because she'd... she'd..."

The rest of her words trailed off. But the implication of them hang thick in the air.

"Is it true, AJ? The things you and those other girls did?" Rara softly spoke.

Guilty, Applejack looked away from her. Bad enough that she had to endure this from others... but from an old friend she knew from one of the happiest times of her life?

AJ just replied with a miserable tone. "It don't matter, Rara."

"Yes it does, AJ. It does matter."

AJ looked down at her boots. Her vision is blurry, desperately trying not to cry.

Gently, she spoke "AJ? Applejack, look at me."

AJ finally brings herself to look at her. Rara is looking at her, sadly... but with compassion too?

"You do want to change, right? You don't want to be that person anymore. Be honest..."

AJ stares at first, then nodded rapidly "Yeah - I do! That's all I wanna do, Rara! I want to be better! That's why I tried out for the Games in the first dang place!"

Rara smiled. "Good. That's just what I wanted to hear."

And she wrapped her arms around Applejack, giving her a hug.

The farmer was startled, but very faintly returned the hug. "Rara…"

"Shush. You needed this, silly." She pulled back just a bit, so she can look her friend in the eye. "And you need a friend. As many as you can get."

Applejack smiled at her, grateful. It was at this point she was crying but it was tears of joy. "Oh, Rara…"

The two shared one more quick hug, and then were back to head on to school. The rest of the walk passed in happy silence, Applejack noting for the first time in a long time, just how pretty the creek and the natural scenery were...

When they get near to the school, Applejack could see some of her classmates, some of the people who've given her a hard time before. And she also saw the two Crystal Prep buses parked out front, dropping the students off. She almost forgot that the competition was starting early today. She faltered a little.... but then Rara gaves her hand a comforting squeeze.

And the two of them walked to school, hand-in-hand. By now, almost everyone was at school, all brushed up, ready to begin the day's events! Of course Applejack and Rara still kept marching through the school.

"Excuse me, coming through!" A familiar girl shouted, brushing past Rara and Applejack, clenching her hands around a cup of coffee. She stopped, realizing that she almost ran some people over. "Oof, sorry! You okay?"

"I'm fine," Rara replied.

Amethyst stopped. "Wait a minute... Countess Coloratura? Oh my gosh, hi! I almost forgot you were even here!"

Rara giggled. "Hi. You are?"

"Amethyst, nice to meet you Countess!"

"Please, just call me Rara, I don't need to be called Countess Coloratura," Rara blushed.

Amethyst giggled. "I'll keep that in mind. See ya around, maybe!" And she dashed away. She walked past a few more students, trying her hardest not to get trampled by the rest of the rushing classmates and to not drop her coffee. She found a perfect spot to camp until the halls died down, near the set of stairs that led to the second floor. Trixie was sitting on one of the steps, completely oblivious to her surroundings.

"Morning Trixie!"

“Hey,” Trixie said, distracted.

“Something got you down?” Amethyst asked. She moved herself over and sat herself down next to her friend.

“Not really. Apparently Adagio called me last night.”

“Really? What for?”

“Well…”

Trixie’s finger tapped the message button, playing back what she had heard.

First New Message.

“Trickstaaaa!” Hollered a slurring Adagio. “It’s your old buddy, Admiral Dazzlepants! Why didn’t you pick up the phone, it’s only 3 AM! Oh! Right! My bad."

Trixie looked up at Amethyst with a deadpan expression. “Trust me, it only gets worse.” She pressed another button and set her phone down, allowing all the messages to play.

Next Message.

It’s me again… I gave up being a siren. You should give up high school, and we can totally solve crimes together!

Next Message.

You know something Trixie? … I see clowwwns! I don’t know where Aria and Sonata are, but I think I might have brought two clowns home with me! They look so scary though… nuuuu, they have popcorn guns…."

Next Message.

Hey guess who I am! The Great and Powerful Trrrrrixie will not be denied! I’m YOU, get it?

Next Message.

Are you mad at me? … Oh no, you’re mad at me, I’m so sorry… The Great And Powerful Trrrrrixxie!!! ... needs a trashcan, be right back!

Next Message.

“… Heeeyyyy… Trixie. I got a surprise from you. Can you guess? … I’m actually really drunk right now… but you know… I really miss you… I just wanna snuggle you and pet you, and rub your belly, and boop your nose!"

An awkward pause was in the message. Trixie thought the message was over until--

Hey did you see the Shatter and Dropkick movie?”

Next Message.

"I’m sorry!! I’m so sorry Al Capone!! I’m the one who got you arrested!! I didn’t mean it!! The IRS wrote me a letter asking about your taxes!!! I didn’t know you go to jail for not paying taxes!!!! It’s all my fault!!! I’m the bad guy!!!"

The next few seconds following was Adagio bawling her eyes out in mass hysteria before Trixie stopped playing the messages.

"And that's not even half of what she sent me last night," Trixie said, continuing to fill the conversation with deadpan. Amethyst couldn't even speak, she was practically speechless. She only mouthed 'wow'.

"Anyways, that's that," Trixie said, putting her phone away. "Though the only other thing that happened was when I was getting breakfast... I swear, I saw Al Capone sitting right across from me."

"... isn't he dead--oh, wait, never mind," Amethyst nodded. "Forgot the alligator incident."

"But if you don't mind me asking... what happened up there on that stage?" Trixie asked. "None of your equipment was plugged in, and you sent everyone flying across the auditorium."

Amethyst shot her head back up, remembering the night before. "Oh... I... I don't know. I just played into my instrument, and suddenly I felt as if I could throw my music to an incredibly long range. I don't know about you but... I think I can amplify sound!"

Trixie took another bite of her food. "That would explain why you shot everybody. And also all the shattered glass."

Amethyst frowned. "Cleaning up broken glass is not fun."

"Yeah, I bet," Trixie nodded. "But thinking about it... hmm... so just from Saturday and from this morning, whatever I pictured in my head manifested itself before us. The alligator, and Al Capone being things that were in my head... wait a minute..." Trixie stopped. "Hold on... let me try something."

Amethyst was confused. Looking at Trixie, she saw the little dork close her eyes, face expressing heavy focus and concentration.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Amethyst asked, completely oblivious to what she was attempting.

"I'm experimenting, hold on..."

Amethyst just chuckled, rolling her eyes and took another sip of her coffee. But when she looked back up, she almost snorted the coffee through her nose.

"Okay... Trixie, two questions. 1, how did you change your clothes so quickly. 2, why are you wearing a sailor outfit?"

Trixie opened up her eyes, and to her surprise, Amethyst was right. Her entire body was now dressed in a Navy sailor outfit; white hat and all.

"Oh hey, it worked!" Trixie giggled. She tilted her head up a bit, trying to see if she could see the fake hat above her head. "Oooh... hold on!"

Trixie waited for a second, and just like magic, her clothes changed again; now she appeared before Amethyst as a pirate, eye-patch, hat, swashbuckling sword and all.

"Ahoy, matey," Amethyst deadpanned with some confusion.

Trixie giggled. But she stopped mid-giggle as a light bulb flickered over her head. "Amethyst... I have an idea!"


"Good morning students! I'm sure you're all thrilled to start the first day of the Friendship Games! Our competitors will face off in every aspect of the CHS curriculum, in the elimination equation finale! The first event; the Academic Decathalon!" Principal Luna announced over the loudspeaker.

On two different sides, stood the Crystal Prep and Canterlot High teams. Indigo Zap and her friends stood at the front alongside a deadpanned and uninterested Twilight Sparkle while the rest of the team stood in the back. On the CHS team, the Rainbooms were parked in the front which none of them wanted, they could feel a million eyes turning into daggers pointing at them.

"You will be scored on chemistry, home ec, and everything in between. But remember, only the six students from each team with the most points will move onto event number 2. Good luck!"

As everyone was getting ready to head to the chemistry room for the first round, the Rainbooms stood around, waiting for everyone to depart. That is until one of them was bumped intentionally by a passing student.

"Look, Rainbooms, do yourselves a favor and stay out of our way," Norman snarked with a scowl.

Rainbow grumbled a bit, brushing the bump.

"I don't know about you, but I think everyone's going to kill us before these games are over," Fluttershy said.

"I think we're already dead..." Pinkie gulped, sweating visibly as she walked with her team.

And in seconds; the games had begun.