//------------------------------// // 9.- The Qualifiers - Part 1 // Story: Canterlot High's Sports Challenge // by LiQuiD //------------------------------// - CHAPTER 9 - THE QUALIFIERS - PART 1 (BGM) Saturday, 9:13 A.M. The day of the competition has finally arrived. This is it…you’ve all trained so hard for these past few days; the bus parks on Crystal Prep Academy’s premises, next to Pleasantview High and Croix Bleue High’s buses. You feel a bit nervous; but you know the rest of your friends feel just like you. ”Everything is fine…” Lyra and Sweetie Drops repeat a mantra at the same time. Bulk Biceps has his eyes closed and takes deep breaths, then- ”I…am a SHARK!” He yells at the top of his lungs. Sheesh, that's loud! Some people have their way to focus. You look at Applejack and her big brother, Big Macintosh. They have their eyes closed, their heads lowered and a hand on each other's shoulder. Perhaps it’s an old Apple Family tradition. Sonata and Aria keep teasing each other while also wishing Adagio was among with you all. ”Whoa, there’s lots of people…” Trixie says as she gets off the bus. ”Yeah…” Sunset Shimmer adds, “lots of Crystal Prep fans.” “Look! People from our school came too!” Heath Burns says while pointing at a big section in the crowd. ”Well, that’s a relief!” Flash Sentry adds, “I thought they weren’t going to be interested to see us.” ”Don’t be ridiculous Flash, like…why wouldn’t they come to our school to support us?” Tennis Match says, “they know we’ve been working quite hard, getting ready for this day.” “You know Captain…I’ve been wonderin’,” you say to Rainbow Dash. ”Yeah?” She replies. “Why didn’t we challenge Crystal Prep Academy as well? All we did these last three days was train at our school.” ”Well…Croix Bleue’s Principal was quite angry at Principal Celestia for encouraging us to ‘harass’ their team in their own High School, so Celestia forbade me from challenging Crystal Prep or any other schools we might face in the future…don’t worry ‘bout it Anon. We know our way with Crystal Prep players, all you have to do is run faster than the other players. Understood?” “Very well then…” Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna ask for your attention and you all gather around them. ”Very well team, we know how hard you’ve been working lately…” Vice Principal Luna says. ”And we wanted to congratulate you for that…” Principal Celestia continues, “Rainbow, we’re so glad you formed a team of winners, and in such short notice too!” ”Don’t worry about it Principal Celestia, I mean…it’s not like I asked for this or anything remember?” Rainbow retorts. ”He he he…” Principal Celestia lets out an awkward chuckle before clearing her throat, “well then…we all wish you nothing but good luck! Remember to put Canterlot High’s name right next to the stars!” ”YEAH!” Everyone but Aria Blaze say at the same time with a fist in the air, “Goooo WONDERCOLTS!” ”My sister and I will join the other schools’ authorities and Superintendent Discord for the inauguration event. Go get ready!” Vice Principal Luna says. (BGM) 11:00 A.M. Superintendent Discord makes his appearance and walks towards the podium in the middle of the soccer pitch. The attendees from the four schools cheer as soon as you all make your appearance on the pitch. Four neat lines of twenty players each, Sour Sweet, Sandy, Pearl Blossom and Rainbow Dash carry their respective school’s banner. ”Welcome Students, Parents and Teachers…to the Qualifiers of the First Annual Physical Activation Tournament Program! In which the goal is to promote a healthier way of life through exercise! Who knows? Maybe one of you will end up participating in the Olympic Games some day!” Voices are heard coming from the crowd, apparently some parents think their kids have the potential to become top athletes who can proudly represent the country. ”Apparently, the government from this great country thinks that our teenagers and kids are doing poorly in school because of their terrible diets and sedentary lifestyles. Which might eventually lead to some regulations…such as taxes on Candy, Sodas and-“ ”AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” Pinkie Pie yells from the bleachers, “THOSE MONSTERS!” Twilight shuts Pinkie Pie’s mouth with her palm and forces her to sit down, both Rarity and Fluttershy sigh from embarrassment. ”As I was trying to say…” Superintendent Discord resumes his introductory speech, “the board of directors from the Ministry of Education quickly came up with this pilot program to encourage the teens of your schools to prove them wrong. These are the rules:” ”For each team there will be twenty players, ten boys and ten girls. Led by a captain whose sex doesn’t matter…” ”Points will be awarded after an event finishes and these will be their values: +150 for the first place, +100 for the second, +50 for the third, and of course, none for the fourth place.” ”For the Qualifiers there will be four events that will be picked randomly…" Then Superintendent Discord looks at Principal Cadance. "Would you mind opening your envelope and reading the first event for us? After all, your school is Group’s A host for this event,” he says, Crystal Prep Academy’s Principal stands up and does as told and then she reads the paper inside the envelope and reads it out loud. ”Cross-Country!” Principal Cadance says. ”Cross-Country will be the first event!” Superintendent Discord says, “now…Principal Billiard Ball? Would you care to open your envelop?” Croix Bleue’s Principal stands up and does the same. ”Swimming!” Principal Billiard Ball says. ”Very well then, swimming it is! Principal High Noon?” Principal High Noon from Pleasantview High rips the envelop and reads the letter inside. ”High Diving!” Principal High Noon says. ”Very well then…” Principal Celestia stands up, but before she speaks up, Superintendent Discord interrupts her. ”Aw Principal Celestia…we know the order already, no need to read that letter! It’s obvious that letter contains the Relay Race event!” ”Ah, s-sure Superintendent Discord, how foolish!” Principal Celestia says with a blush, that was embarrassing. That jerk surely loves to make fun of Principal Celestia. As soon as Superintendent Discord turns around she squints at him. Who knows what Principal Celestia must be thinking of him right now. ”Very well, let the Qualifiers BEGIN!” (BGM) (BGM) Your team gathers around Rainbow Dash, while the others do the same with their captains. ”Alright guys,” Rainbow Dash says, “no pressure…we’ve practiced a lot!” ”Oh boy, I’m sooo excited!” Sonata says. ”That’s the spirit Sonata! As long as we can keep the mood up like this we’ll be able to win, we know Croix Bleue and Pleasantview’s got nothing on us!” “What about Crystal Prep?” You ask, but everyone remains silent. ”Leeeet’s not focus on them right now okay?” Rainbow Dash advises, “the best outcome of all would be winning every event, but let’s be real!” Huh? You don’t get it, why did she just say that? ”Crystal Prep always wins whenever we face them…” Sunset Shimmer whispers right into your ear. “Oh…so, we have to secure second place huh?” You turn your head around your shoulder and see Crystal Prep’s players…who look quite organized and athletic. Well, that seems like the best option right now. "You're a quick learner aren't you Anon? Sunset Shimmer smiles at you. ”I hope they forgot about what happened in the Friendship Games…” Derpy says. “The Friendship what now-?” You ask. ”Oh, you don’t know Anon?” Derpy says, “that's right! You weren't even here when that happened. Well, Twilight-“ ”We TIED! That’s all!” Rainbow Dash interrupts Derpy, “we agreed that we would never touch the subject again remember?” ”Whoopsie…sorry,” Derpy apologizes, that was weird. You'd ask more but you spot Nelly amongst Pleasantview’s group with the corner of your eye. She waves at you, and you wave back. Mirage asks her sister to focus, Nelly just pouts and goes back to listening to her sister and captain Sandy, you should listen to Rainbow Dash as well. ”Very well then, you know the rules…Cross-Country, point A to B, we require stamina over speed because of the length of the course. So! For the Cross-Country Team I choose:” ”Trixie!” Rainbow Dash says after looking at Trixie. ”It’s the Great and Powerful Trixie to YOU! Rainbow Dash…” She replies. ”Ugh, whatever…Lyra and Sweetie Drops!” Rainbow Dash picks the two best friends. ”Aww yeah!” Both friends say at the same time before hugging each other. ”Hmm…Tennis Match!” Rainbow Dash picks the sweet light green-haired girl. ”Woo!” Tennis Match pumps her fist in the air. ”And last but not least! Derpy!” Rainbow Dash says. ”Yaaay!” The cutest member of the team happily says. ”So! You did study the course right…?” Rainbow Dash asks. ”Of course we did!” Lyra replies, “we ran all week through the streets of course #1.” ”What’s the other piece of advice I gave you all?” Rainbow Dash asks. ”Take the inner corners!” Derpy replies. ”And most importantly?” Rainbow Dash asks once again. ”Stamina first, speed in the last few blocks!” Sweetie Drops replies. ”Well then! You are all ready! Go get them girls!” Rainbow Dash shouts. ”WOOOOOO!” The five of them go. The girls walk towards the start line, along with other enemy team members. You take a look at the map, concerned for your teammates. ”What’s on your mind Anon?” Sunset Shimmer asks. “It’s such a simple route…I thought this event’s course would be a bit longer don’t you think?” ”It is quite small, but I believe that in the future it’ll be extended a lot more, it’s a good thing our friends have trained the whole week in that route.” “How will they deal with vehicles and such?” You ask. ”The streets have been closed and cordoned off…so they will all be safe!” Applejack says. “That’s a relief…I wonder how the officials will score this event,” you ponder a thought. Rainbow Dash grabs the guide for this event from her gym bag and reads it out loud. "According to the booklet Principal Celestia gave me, they just have to arrive to the finish time in the least amount of time, if; let’s say Trixie, makes it to the finish line earlier than Sweetie Drops then she’ll get more points than her.” She flips the page. ”Everyone’s times will be compared and then finally associated as a team, let’s say…a comparison of total times between Pleasantview High’s members are higher than Croix Bleue’s ones then they’ll win.” “Ah…I understand now,” Bulk Biceps says, “so…if our girls make it through the finish line as fast as they can they’ll have more points than the other teams?” “Yeah…we’re talking about time differences between each member; the lesser time the better because they’ll get bonus points as well!” ”LOOK! They’re about to start!” Heath Burns says while pointing at the starting line. A referee aims a gun at the sky and shoots, everyone starts to run towards the streets of the marked route. ”Oh my goodness, this is so exciting!” Sonata says, “my hands are trembling! I can’t wait for my turn!” “So, what now?” You ask. ”Now? We wait for the girls to arrive…” Rainbow Dash says looking quite confident.