//------------------------------//
// The Challenge Begins 
// Story: Equestria Boys 
// by SuperPinkBrony12 
//------------------------------//

It took Shining Armor some time to figure out where the "gymnasium" Principal Celestia (boy did that title feel weird) had mentioned was. Just finding his way around the halls of Canterlot High was a challenge in and of itself, though he was lucky that he didn't seem to ever run into Sunset Shimmer while he was walking aimlessly about.

At last, the disguised prince found his destination and strolled inside as casually as he could. He saw lots of students busy with various things, mostly preparing the gym itself for the Fall Formal by hanging streamers and balloons. But he was most surprised to spot two very familiar looking girls near one of the tables: One of them had curly and poofy pink hair, and seemed to be able to pull balloons out from the symbol on her skirt. And another sported a very familiar brown stetson hat and a series of freckles. They looked like Pinkie Pie and Applejack, two of his sister's friends (and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't come to know them as friends too).

Unsure of what else to do or how to go about signing up, Shining decided it would be best to ask the closest thing he could find to a familiar face. Recalling his own experiences from meeting Pinkie Pie in Equestria, he decided it best to avoid talking to her human counterpart until he knew if she was as bubbly and as much of a chatterbox. He carefully and quietly approached the human Applejack, tapping her on the shoulder as he cleared his throat. "Excuse me."

The human Applejack let out a yelp, dropping a series of crates she'd been carrying! They fell to the floor as their contents rattled about with a loud crash. "Gah!" The girl screamed as she spun around. "Don't you know it ain't polite to sneak up on people like that?"

"'People'?" Shining questioned. He'd heard Sunset mention that phrase once but had thought little of it. But now it was being directed to him.

Applejack blinked in confusion as she stared at the mysterious looking teenager before her. "Was I speakin' a foreign language or somethin'?" She remarked while bending down to inspect the crates she'd dropped. "I asked a simple question. Reckon it ain't too much to ask for ya to speak up. Otherwise, I gotta get back to deliverin' these fizzy apple drinks before they get to room temperature."

"Look, I'm sorry," Shining sincerely apologized to Applejack. "I'm just looking to figure out where I'm supposed to sign up to run for Fall Formal Princess. Although in my case it's Fall Formal Prince."

"Oh, that'd be Pinkie Pie's department," Applejack gestured a "paw" to the pink haired girl nearby. "But there's no need for her to get involved. There's no way you're actually thinkin' of runnin' for Fall Formal Princess/Prince/Whatever!"

Shining blinked and questioned with a glare. "Why the heck not? You give me one good reason."

Applejack just replied with gritted teeth. "Sunset Shimmer, that's why! Doesn't matter what you try to compete in around here. Sooner or later you end up runnin' against Sunset Shimmer. And it always ends the same way, you're broken and humiliated, and Sunset ensures that you never again try to oppose her," She then used two balloons to further demonstrate her point. "It ain't like she plays fair either. She's always manipulative and underhanded. She'll start out sayin' she 'welcomes the challenge' and 'looks forward to a well fought race'. And then as soon as you let your guard down, think you have her all figured out, boom!" Applejack deflated a balloon in dramatic fashion. "The backstabbin' occurs!"

"Whatever tricks she may try won't work on me! I didn't come all this way to lose! I can take her!" Shining firmly insisted.

Applejack only shook her head. "I've heard so many people say the same exact thing, and it always ends the same way for 'em. Even saw it happen to an old friend of mine who has since kept her head down. Sunset never plays fair! Nothin's above or beneath her! Reckon there ain't a person at this school, maybe the whole world, who's worse than her," Then she questioned. "Still think you stand a chance?"

"Definitely!" Shining nodded his head, much to Applejack's shock and surprise. "Now please, inform your friend over there that I'm ready to sign up. And please do it now, I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be in class."

The human Pinkie Pie promptly leaped over, her legs carrying her to heights that should've seemed impossible for any creature. It was apparent that even in this strange world of "humans" there were some consistencies. "Oh, someone's actually gonna take on Sunset Shimmer this year?! Whoever you are, you're either really brave or really stupid, maybe a lot of both!" She pulled out a pen and produced a clipboard, preparing to sign Shining up. But then she hesitated as she looked at him, appearing to be deep in thought. "Hey, have we met? Because I get the strangest feeling I should know you somehow."

"Oh no! If she finds out my true identity, this whole mission is gonna be compromised!" Shining thought to himself as he began to break out into a cold sweat!

Pinkie Pie examined every inch of Shining Armor. And the whole time she did she had a finger to her chin. At last, however, she spoke up. "You wouldn't by any chance happen to have an identical twin who's actually a top secret undercover prince from another world here on a secret mission, would you?"

"I don't think so, although I do have a younger sister who knows someone like you." Shining answered. At least that statement was partially true.

Pinkie breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from her brows. "Ah, okay, good. For a moment there I thought I was finally going crazy! Well, crazier but you know what I mean!" She then brought forth the pen and the clipboard. "Just sign your name here and you're all set. Good luck, you're absolutely gonna need it! I'm rooting for you, but if Sunset asks I didn't say that." She delivered the last part with a wink that seemed more anxious than it was probably supposed to be.





Shining Armor quickly signed his name, a task that was made difficult by how hard it was for him to hold the pen in his "paw". Still, he managed to produce a somewhat legible signature. "Sorry, my writing's kind of sloppy. Been trying to work on that." He hoped he wasn't blushing too hard right now.

Pinkie shrugged it off without concern. "Eh, don't worry about it. I've seen way worse! You should've seen Sunset Shimmer's handwriting the first time she signed up for something. Not even a translator could decipher it!" And she gave off a faint giggle, though she took care to cover her mouth when she did so in order to muffle the sound.

Shining then departed without saying another word to anyone. He now knew that those "paws" of his were probably actually known as "hands". He could only hope that the remaining aspects of being a "human" weren't too confusing or difficult to understand.

Shortly after the undercover prince had left, however, Sunset Shimmer arrived at the gymnasium. She wasn't yet aware of anyone running against her. She had come simply to check on the decorations for the Fall Formal, thinking it would be yet another easy win for her. The girl even audibly gagged at the choice of beverage provided. "Fizzy apple drinks?! Seriously?! This is supposed to be my big night, not some country hoedown!" And she glared at Applejack! "Look, Applejack, just because your grandmother's the head lunch lady here doesn't mean your family gets to do the catering for all the big social events. Didn't your brother ever tell you it's not a good idea to anger me?"

Applejack felt something inside her snap when Sunset threatened her, and she not only pushed the girl back but hissed at her and told Sunset. "Hate to break to ya, but you ain't runnin' unopposed this year. This ain't gonna be another one of your 'coronations' as you put it! You've got some competition."

"Nice try, Applejack, I'm not falling for that one again. It wasn't funny the first time." Sunset scowled.

Applejack protested. "It's no joke, I assure you. Just take a look at the clipboard if ya don't believe me. I'm surprised you ain't already found out, seein' as you always claim you know everythin' that goes on here."

Barely containing her anger, Sunset walked over to Pinkie Pie's location and snatched up the clipboard. When her eyes scanned down a ways, Sunset found a name that she could make out despite how sloppily it had been written. "Oh that rotten, low down..." She began to mutter, before realizing how loud she was sounding and quickly composing herself. "... I mean, where is this 'Shining Armor'? You know that as the reigning champion I simply have to meet any challenger personally, just so they can understand how we do things."

Pinkie Pie just shrugged her hands. "He said he was going to class. He's obviously new here. But he reminds me of somebody even though I can't put my finger on it. Is he a friend of yours, Sunset?"

Sunset just stormed out while muttering under her breath. "I don't have any friends, only enemies. And it's time I updated my list."

Applejack and Pinkie Pie watched the mean girl walk out, and without saying a word they both exchanged glances. Although they didn't know Shining Armor personally, they knew that he was going to be in for a very nasty campaign of sabotage at the hands of Sunset Shimmer. Something about this scuffle seemed different from the other opponents Sunset had defeated.