//------------------------------// // All Together Again // Story: Through the Mirror // by MiraculousDragonMaster //------------------------------// Through the Mirror Chapter 12 All Together Again In a matter of minutes, all four guys were standing in front of the band room. Inside, Flash Sentry was practicing his guitar. All of them took a deep breath and entered the room, one by one.  Flash stopped playing when he saw Spike, Discord, Fancy and Cheese. “Guys?” He asked. “What are you doing here?”  Seeing that he wasn’t unhappy to see them, but curious, Spike spoke up first. “We, uh, actually came to apologize.”  “For ditching you after you started dating Sunset.” Discord added.  Flash shook her head. “She forced me to date her.” He explained. “I was the coward who agreed. If I refused, she would’ve made your lives more miserable than she lets on.”  “That’s a new low, even for her.” Cheese muttered.  “So does that mean that you forgive us?” Fancy asked.  Flash nodded. “If you guys will forgive me for not standing up for myself soon.” He said.  “Well….” Discord trailed off.  “Discord!” The other three guys reprimanded.  “All right, all right, chill!” He exclaimed. “I was going to forgive him anyway! But, is your dream band with us still your dream?”  Flash nodded. “You bet.” He said. “And I promised that I’d let you play back-up bassist.”  “Yes!” Discord pumped his fist, making the other guys laugh. The girls were watching from outside, pleased to see that things were turning around for them. After a few more seconds, they entered the band room.  “That actually went better than I thought.” Applejack said.  “True.” Twilight said, and Flash recognized her.  “Hey, Twilight.” He said, and Twilight slightly blushed. “I saw that video that Sunset posted.” The indigo-haired girl flinched in embarrassment. “Well, I know Sunset pretty well, and she would only do something like that if she was afraid.”  Everyone looked over at him with wide eyes. “It’s true.” Flash continued. “And if so, then you can count me in on helping you win Fall Formal Princess.”  Twilight beamed at him. “Thank you, Flash.”  “Now we just need one more person.” Rainbow Dash said, looking out towards the field. “You’re up, Spike.”  The green-haired boy gulped in nervousness.  Out on the soccer field, there was a teenage boy practicing his kicks. He had pale blue skin, wild navy hair, and green eyes. He wore a white T-shirt with a lightning bolt piercing a storm cloud, a light blue jacket over it with yellow stripes on the sleeves, brown pants, and blue and white sneakers. On his head were yellow sports goggles. It had to be Soarin.  The others were watching him as they all sat on the bleachers and Spike nervously went over to him after he had scored another goal.  “They're actually talking!” Fancy said in amazement.  “That's a good sign!” Rarity pointed out.  After a few more inaudible moments of them talking, they both then held out their fists and connected them.  “Fist bumps! Ooh, those are always good!” Pinkie exclaimed in joy. Then, both boys came back up to everyone else.  “Somebody, and I think we can all guess who, told Soarin and Rainbow Dash that AJ’s bake sale had been moved to a different day.” Spike explained. “They both showed up with all the softball team and thought we’d cancelled on them!”  “I really hate that girl.” Applejack muttered.  “So you're the one who's looking to dethrone Sunset Shimmer and become Princess of the Fall Formal, huh?” Soarin asked Twilight. His answer was a nervous nod, but a bright smile. “Gotta say, I'd really love to see that happen.” He said, kicking the soccer ball on his knee. “I'll totally help you out! All you gotta do is have someone beat me in a game of one-on-one.”  “What?” Twilight asked.  “First to five goals wins.” Soarin then bounced the soccer ball hard and then kicked it while doing a flip, and it landed into the goal. “One-zip!”  “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Rainbow Dash said. “You think you can pull a cheap shot like that?” She challenged. “Let’s see if you can even try to best me.”  The other girls looked at each other with worried expressions. What is she thinking?! True, this game looks simple enough, but Soarin seems like he’s pretty good. And on top of that, Rainbow doesn’t exactly know how to play on two legs!  But Soarin saw that determined gleam in her eyes, the one that can never resist a challenge. “I’ve been practicing since you left, Rainbow.” He said, a wicked smirk on his face. “Let’s see if you haven’t lost your touch.”  Rainbow returned the smirk and walked out onto the field, opposite of Soarin. Both of them were tense and poised as they each waited for one of them to make the first move. Everyone else sat back on the bleachers, looking between the two athletes with anxious eyes.  Finally, Soarin kicked the ball hard, but amazingly, Rainbow stopped it with her foot. Everyone was shocked, and then she kicked it hard over Soarin’s head and it went straight into the goal. Rainbow stood there with a confident grin on her face as she began to sing and held out a hand, curling her fingers toward her, challenging him to bring it on.  Rainbow Dash: There's no way, I'm gonna sit this one out. Gotta take a chance now, not be a prisoner of doubt. Soarin got the ball back and began running with it to try and get it past her. But Rainbow expertly stole the ball and gave it another good kick, and it landed in the goal, making it 2-1. Gonna knock down the wailin' wall, it ain't no sin. I, got, the feel of fortune, deal me in.  The game continued in Rainbow’s favor as the points escalated to 3-1.  I'm comin' straight on for you! I made up my mind. I'm feeling strong, now I'm comin' through, Straight on, straight on for you, Straight on for you!  Rainbow had a cocky grin on her face as she analyzed the odds. But then, when Soarin gave her a matching grin, she got the suspicion that he had something up his sleeve.  Soarin: Now, I know how to play my hand. He jumped high in the air and gave the soccer ball a mighty good kick over Rainbow’s head. She tried to block it, but it grazed past her head and went into her goal, bringing the point total up to 3-2. What the winner don't know, the gambler understands. “What does that even mean?” Rainbow asked, starting to feel her competitive streak burn up inside of her. Rainbow Dash: No! You don't stand a chance! Soarin: You don't stand a chance.  Both of them glared at each other with challenging gleams in their eyes, while everyone else was watching the match with excitement. Rainbow Dash: I'm comin' straight on for you! Soarin: Straight on for you!  Rainbow actually felt like for the first time in her life, she has met her match. The points continued to pile up. 4-2, 4-3, 4-4. Rainbow Dash: I made up my mind. I'm feeling strong now I'm comin' through, Straight on, straight on for you. Straight on, straight on for you. Both: Straight on for you!  Finally, Rainbow did an incredible front flip, kicking the ball while doing so. The ball seemed to have fire forming around it as it zipped past Soarin’s head. He had to duck it to avoid his hair being singed, and the ball shot into the goal.  “That's game!” Rainbow cheered, as did everyone else.  Soarin sighed. “Well, I should’ve known that you would never ever let your game down, Rainbow Dash.” He said to her, picking up the soccer ball and went over to the others as everyone got down to the field.  “So what's the plan? How can I help you be princess instead of Sunset Shimmer?” He asked Twilight. “Even if by some miracle that I won, I would’ve helped you anyway.”  “Really?” Twilight asked him.  “Sure.” Soarin said to the confused indigo-haired girl, as if it was obvious. “I wasn’t gonna help just anybody try and beat Sunset Shimmer. The Fall Formal Princess should be someone with heart and determination.” He explained. “If the best player I know is helping you win, you've proved that you've got 'em both!”  Everyone cheered happily as Soarin gave Flash a fist bump, bringing the entire gang of boys back together. Now the Mane 6 has enough allies to help them get the crown back before it’s too late.  But little did the group of twelve know that Snips and Snails were behind the bleachers, each of them holding a camera, snickering to themselves. It seems that Sunset had something else planned for them to make sure that Twilight doesn’t get the crown. But what is it?