//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Friendship Games Part 1 // Story: Tears of Sunlight // by JWolfSilver //------------------------------// “So, this is the Twilight that was born here?” Luna clarified.             Sunset nodded. Oh, what a day it had been. Now they had to deal with Princess Twilight’s counterpart. Shortly after the party, Sunset, Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna gathered in Celestia’s office due to the confusion of Twilight Sparkle’s appearance and Sunset almost having a panic attack later.             “And now we can’t even get the help from Equestria’s Twilight because this Twilight did something to the portal.” Sunset explained, “At this point, I’m actually concerned as to what she’s doing. Someone could get hurt!”             Celestia nodded, maintaining a calm tone “I understand but we cannot just go and start a panic among the students. Twilight seemed like a nice girl; I doubt she would do anything bad with it.”             “Not on purpose!” Sunset stressed, “You should have seen Pinkie Pie. She looked like she was about to pass out. It was the first time we wanted to give her a boost.” “Sunset,” Luna said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, “I believe you are overreacting. What happened last time likely will not happen again.” Sunset sighed, “I know but for me, it was terrifying.” “We get that.” Luna said, “But you need to leave that in the past where it belongs.” Sunset nodded and looked at the clock, eyes widening. “Shouldn’t you guys be starting the first event?” The sister’s looked at the clock and the three of them rushed out of the room. ***             In the academic decathlon, there are 7 events: Chemistry, wood shop, spelling, baking, art, history and the elimination equation. Each student has to participate in at least three of the six events and only one can participate in the Elimination equation.             So, team CHS discussed events and they all made it a point of getting Sunset to do the most difficult subjects as she was, for some reason, the only honor student on the team. Sunset was sure that Microchips was an honor student as well but then he explained that he was just simply good at chess and working with computers.             So, Sunset would be doing the history competition with Rarity, Fluttershy, Micro Chips, and Lyra. Everyone was required to do Chemistry. Sunset and her friends would do the spelling bee, no one even wanted Sunset near a stove and the team also assigned Sunset to the final event.             Sunset was flattered that they had so much faith.             CHS lost the chemistry, spelling and wood shop competitions but excelled in art, history and baking.             Sunset couldn’t help but be stressed out due to the other Twilight but didn’t want to let her school down.             Now, in a tie, Sunset and Twilight approached the stage, each with their own nervousness getting the better of them. Celestia gave Sunset an encouraging smile and Dean Cadence gave Twilight the same. Sunset raised a brow, Interesting.             Next thing she knew, she was zooming through an advanced math equation, and finished just as the timer went off.             Principal Cinch, with a small, smug smile, looked at Sunset's answer and said “Incorrect.”             It was then that Sunset realized that she simply just put in the wrong number for her last calculation and Crystal Prep was deemed the winner of the academic decathlon.             Sunset frowned and was shocked when her friends cheered and initiated a group hug.             “But we didn’t win.” Sunset said.             Applejack rested an arm on her shoulder and smiled, “That was as close to winning as Canterlot High has ever been.”             Just then, Cadence announced that Sunset, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie would be moving on for team Canterlot High and Twilight, Lemon Zest, Indigo Zap, Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat and Sunny Flare would be moving on for team Crystal Prep.            All of the CHS students cheered for their fellow students but Sunset was surprised when the Crystal preppers just mumbled their congratulations in the most unexcited voices Sunset ever heard from someone who just won. Sunset didn’t let it get to her though. She enjoyed the celebration with her classmates. ***             Shortly after the academic decathlon, Sunset sat in the practice room alone drawing when Applejack and Rarity came in, holding up Fluttershy.             “What happened?” Sunset asked worriedly as they set Fluttershy on the risers. She dug through her bag and took out a candy bar and handed it to Fluttershy.             “We found her half asleep in the bushes.” Applejack said. “I’m fine, really.” Fluttershy said, “I can feel myself getting my energy back.”             “Let me guess,” Sunset narrowed her eyes, “Twilight.”             Fluttershy nodded sheepishly.             Before Sunset had a chance comment, Rainbow and Pinkie poked their heads into the room.             “What are you guys doing? Let’s go check out the field before the competition begins!” Rainbow said.             Sunset looked to Fluttershy who was already looking much better, “Are you sure you’re OK?”             “What?” Rainbow said, looking at her friend in concern before shifting to what looked to be the beginning of anger. “What happened?” They walked down the hall while Fluttershy spoke, “All I did was hand Twilight a bunny. Then, I ponied-up.”             “I don’t get it.” Sunset said in thought, “Rarity’s magic came out when she made us outfits the other day, Pinkie’s when she fixed the party and now Fluttershy.”             “And then,” Fluttershy continued, “Twilight’s pendant thingy pulled the magic right out of me. I couldn’t even stand up.”             “Like me at the party.” Pinkie said.             “And me right before we met Twilight.” Rarity said in thought.             Sunset stopped walking and faced her friends, “So she’s stealing magic?”             “I don’t know.” Applejack said, “She doesn’t seem like the magic stealing type.”             “Yeah,” Sunset agreed, “But she had something to do with closing the portal. If her pendant can pull in magic, maybe it stole the portal too.”             “How?” asked Fluttershy.             “I don’t know.” Sunset admitted, “and the pony, or person or princess that can help me figure this out is completely unreachable now!”             Pinkie suddenly appeared between Applejack and Sunset, “Which is too bad because Twilight knows everything about magic, and portals, and magical portals and portable magics!” Pinkie then fell out the door to the field.             Rainbow helped her friend to her feet, “For now, let’s just focus on beating the Shadow Bolts.” She grinned, “And as long as this event puts me in a playing field, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”             “It puts you in a playing field alright.” Applejack said.             Sunset and the others faced the same direction as Applejack all of their mouths hung open.             The field had been turned into a massive relay arena with archery, a race track and a motocross course.             Sunset stared at it, “Am I the only one who thinks this is overkill?”             Applejack walked over to the track, kicking one of the jumps then looked to Rarity, “I don’t suppose you made motocross outfits?”             “Oh, don’t be ridiculous.” She said, “Of course I did!”             She pulled two outfits from thin air and handed them to Sunset and Rainbow Dash. Sunset furrowed her brows, “What are we going to do about Twilight?”             “I don’t think we have anything to worry about, Sunset.” Applejack tried to assure her.             But what if someone gets hurt? Sunset thought, taking one more look at the course. I guess I can keep an eye on things from the track. *** Celestia fidgeted nervously at the judge’s panel by the field as the competitors prepared for the Tri-Cross Relay. Sunset had talked to her before she went to get changed. According to her, it seemed that this other Twilight was unconsciously stealing magic. Usually she would have faith that Sunset and her friends could handle it if need be, but her adoptive daughter seemed concerned about the wellbeing of the other students and, quite frankly, so was she.              “Maybe we should just forfeit.” She whispered to her sister.             “Relax, Tia.” Luna assured her, “Sunset said we shouldn’t let anyone panic. Besides, I am positive that the girls can defend the other students if need be.”             Celestia sighed and nodded. “I sure hope you’re right.”             Luna smiled, “Of course I am. Have I ever led you astray?”             “Last time I listened to you, Sunset ended up in the hospital.” Celestia raised her brow.             “That was not my fault. You know I was right.” Luna then took a deep breath, understanding that she was more concerned about Sunset than anything else.             “Tia, you need to relax.” Luna said. “That is still a lot of pressure to put on a group of teenagers.” She said, “How could you leave the handling of the situation to one girl!” Luna sighed, “I apologized for my mis judgement but quite frankly she’s the only one who can.”             Celestia glared at her sister before Dean Cadence came over the microphone, “Welcome everyone to the Friendship Games’ Tri-Cross Relay!” There were cheers from the crowd, “In this event, our qualifying competitors will face off in archery, speed skating and finally, motocross.” Dean Cadence held up an air horn, “So, if the competitors are ready…” She blew the horn and the competitors were off.             Crystal Prep’s first competitor made a bull’s eye on the first try while Fluttershy was still struggling to use her bow. Twilight struggled to get a bullseye by the time AJ and Fluttershy had gotten theirs.             “Oh, Twilight.” Cadence said under her breath, catching Celestia’s attention.             Celestia knew the sound of personal worry of a student when she heard it, “How do you know Twilight outside of school, anyway?” She asked.             Cadence blushed but leaned over so Principal Cinch couldn’t hear. “I used to baby sit her before university but I was always close to her family. Her older brother and I started dating in College. Don’t let Principal Cinch know though. She doesn’t exactly play fair.”             Celestia nodded, “I remember.”             “Tia.” Luna said, a slight panic to her tone.            She pointed to the field and Celestia shifted her attention to the giant plant-like monsters now starting to cover the entire track, many of the competitors had yet to notice but slowly, the students in the bleachers started to panic, some of them moving away and climbing  to higher ground.             “What is going on?” Cadence said worriedly, watching Twilight trying to grab something that just kept bouncing away.             Celestia said nothing as her gaze trained on the motocross racers and watched Rainbow and Sunset dodging the plants. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the railing. The next thing she knew, she was watching as plants crashed into the track, sending some of the racers rearing and falling off their bikes. Sunset tried to dodge but it was no use. Sunset bailed to avoid one of the plants and slid under it, smacking her helmet on the ground and remained still. “Sunset!” Celestia called.