Rainbow Dash decided to try to assert command of the conversation by striding into the conference room, crashing down in a chair and propping her feet up on the table.
“'Sup!” she chirped as her heels banged onto the table.
Tempest frowned and looked over at Luna, who fixed Rainbow with a similar frown.
“Kindly remove your feet from the table, Rainbow Dash,” said the administrator. Rainbow smiled sheepishly and complied.
“Sorry, Vice-Principal Luna.”
Tempest straightened the papers in front of her again. “Miss Dash, you are the founder of the band known as the Rainbooms, correct?”
“That's right. Most awesome band in the history of Canterlot High.”
One of Tempest's eyebrows raised. “Yes. I understand you won the Battle of the Bands last November.”
“Of course we did. We rock!”
“Hmm. Who did you face in the finals?”
“Huh?” Rainbow looked confused. “Why would you care about that?”
“Just answer the question, please, Miss Dash.”
“We faced off against Trixie's band. Why?”
“Because I'm hearing contradictory information.” The corner of Tempest's mouth curled upward. “According to one of my other interviewees, you faced off against a group called the Dazzlings.”
Rainbow leaned forward. “Who said that?”
“That's not important. What is important is the truth. Who did you face off against in the finals?”
“I already told you, it was Trixie,” Rainbow snapped.
“And were all your friends in the band in the finals?”
“Yeah.”
“What about Twilight Sparkle?”
Rainbow tensed up and was silent for a moment. “We... hadn't met her yet. She was still going to Crystal Prep at the time.”
Tempest let out another thoughtful hum. “Why didn't you originally ask Sunset Shimmer to be in your band?”
“Our band,” Rainbow corrected automatically. “Honestly, that was kind of me being a jerk. I didn't even think to ask if she could play an instrument, much less be in the band. Back then, she kind of kept quiet and didn't really speak up when something was bothering her. If I could do it all again, I definitely would have asked her to be in the band sooner.”
“Why the sudden change before the finals, especially after she interrupted your semi-final performance?”
“Well, the band honestly wasn't doing so great. I was being a jerk and making it all about me. Applejack and Rarity were fighting over our stage outfits. Fluttershy was getting ignored. There was a lot of things that went unsaid. Sunset noticed all of it and finally spoke up. We worked it out and we asked Sunset to sing in the finals. Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna said it was okay and we won.”
Tempest scribbled on the pad in front of her. “And she's been in the band ever since?”
“Yep.”
“And you won the Chance to Prance music video contest at the mall last Spring?”
Rainbow grinned. “Well, us and some girls from Crystal Prep. They had the choreography, we had the song. We decided our chances of winning would be better if we teamed up.”
“Sounds like the Friendship Games did their job then,” Tempest said amiably.
Rainbow smiled. “Yeah, I guess so! Never thought of that before.”
“I've seen the video you all did. I'd like to ask about the costumes.”
“I dunno much about clothes. You should talk to Rarity about stuff like that.”
Tempest's smile widened. “Oh, I will. But what I'm wondering about are the wings you were wearing in that video.”
“Aren't those awesome? Rarity outdid herself putting those together. Too bad we didn't have enough money to make them for everybody.”
“Yes,” said Tempest slowly. “Very awesome. Have you worn them since making the video?”
Rainbow looked around and leaned forward. “Don't tell Rarity this. She'll never let me live it down, but I keep them in my closet and sometimes I put them on when I wanna feel extra awesome.”
“Have you ever worn them in public?” asked Tempest. “At the mall, for example?”
“Nah. They're fun, but I don't wanna look like a total kook and wind up all over MyStable or SnapGab.”
Tempest reached underneath the papers in front of her and pulled out the photograph of the fight at the mall. “So, this wouldn't be you in this picture would it?”
Rainbow looked at the photo then back up. “Nope.”
“Are you sure? Think carefully, Miss Dash.”
“Sorry, not me.” Rainbow leaned back in her chair and folded her arms, looking very pleased with herself.
“Were you at the mall the day of the damage?” Tempest asked.
Rainbow shrugged. “Yeah, I was craving one of those deep fried cheese things from the corn dog place. Went there, grabbed one, and left. I heard about what happened on the news.”
“What about the Fall Formal last year?”
Rainbow frowned. “What about it?”
“Were you there?”
“Yeah,”
“So what can you tell me about Sunset Shimmer winding up in the crater in front of the school?”
“Not much to tell. She didn't get crowned Fall Formal princess like she always did, got mad, and left the gym. Me and my friends went on to have a good time, then the gas leak happened. We heard a big explosion, ran out there, and found the hole with Sunset at the bottom of it. The girls and I pulled her out. She was really shook up and I guess the near death experience made her decide to change. We talked it over and decided to help her out.”
“Hm,” said Tempest. “That's very gracious of you. I don't know if I'd be willing to forgive someone who broke up the connection I had with a group of my friends.”
“If you actually have any,” Rainbow muttered.
“What was that, Miss Dash?”
“I said that was a week where we all decided to put the past behind us,” said Rainbow quickly. “Sunset didn't have any real friends. We figured if we tried to show her what real friendship was, it might help her stick to the straight and narrow.”
“You and your friends.”
“Yep,”
“Even Twilight Sparkle?”
Rainbow frowned. “I already told you we hadn't met her yet.”
“Oh yes, that's right,” said Tempest. “It's just a little odd.”
“What is?”
“Well, if Miss Sparkle wasn't a CHS student at the time of the dance... why is there a picture of her on the wall out there stating she won the title of Princess of the Fall Formal?”
Rainbow and Luna stared at the agent, wide-eyed. Tempest kept her expression neutral, keeping her gaze on Dash.
“Well, Miss Dash? Seems like a strange coincidence. Especially if you were all there when she was crowned.”
“I... don't know what to tell you,” Rainbow floundered. “I guess we just weren't paying much attention to that after the gas leak.”
“I see,” Tempest flipped to another page of notes. “Do you know Firecracker Burst?”
Rainbow visibly relaxed. “Not really. I heard she ran away and we decided to help out by putting up flyers and stuff over the neighborhood.”
“You and your friends,” Tempest repeated.
Rainbow let out an exasperated sigh. “Yes, me and my friends. Yes, including Twilight.”
Tempest gave the athlete a cold look. “Am I boring you, Miss Dash?”
Rainbow frowned. “You want me to be honest with you?”
“It would be nice,” Tempest replied.
“Fine, yeah, you are. I don't know why you're here, lady, but you're asking a bunch of questions about random stuff and repeating yourself trying to get me to slip up somehow. I don't know why, and I don't care. I got better things to do, like studying, and Vice-Principal Luna here will tell you why me saying that is a big deal.”
“I just want answers concerning some of the things that have happened at this school, Miss Dash.”
“What's so concerning?” Rainbow shot back. “There was a gas leak at the Fall Formal, our band won the Battle of the Bands against Trixie, some Crystal Prep kids accidentally blew up the Wondercolt statue at the Friendship Games. We helped save Camp Everfree from closing, and decided to help let everyone know Firecracker Burst is missing! There's no big evil conspiracy going on here!”
Tempest was silent for a long moment, before smiling at the teen again. “Well then, I guess that's all the questions I have for you, Miss Dash.”
Rainbow blinked. “Wait. Seriously?”
Tempest nodded. “You've been very helpful, and I certainly don't want to detain you unnecessarily from your... studying. Thank you for your time.”
Luna looked form the agent to Rainbow. “You... can go back to class now, Rainbow. Thank you.”
“Um... yeah. Okay. You're welcome... I guess.”
Rainbow got up from her seat and walked to the conference room door. She glanced back briefly a perplexed look on her face. “You sure there's nothing else?”
“No, thank you, Miss Dash.” Tempest didn't look up from her notes. Luna gestured with her head that Rainbow should leave.
“Well, okay. Bye.”
On her way back to class, Rainbow pulled out her phone and sent a message to her friends.
She's spotted the Twilight paradox.